Joe White Drive Time Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joe White
Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
With all the noise constantly surrounding us, do you truly stop and listen when you're spoken to? We have two ears and one mouth—the ratio says everything! But listening well will improve every relationship you're a part of. Take a look at what Psalm 81 has to say about listening — it's an important reminder for us all!
A good shepherd is patient and kind, always reaching out to care for the weakest members of his flock. Jesus is our good shepherd, always reaching out for us in our distress, comforting us during our greatest emotional and physical struggles, and carrying us through the challenging seasons of life.
Reflecting back on His childhood, King David sees God as the Shepherd and himself as the sheep. When he says "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" what are the feelings that come over you to think that Psalm was written to you?
"The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." - Psalm 16:5-6
Often, the heart of a leader can be self-seeking, but the heart of a Shepherd is humble. The Bible Study on heartofamom.com that follows this study will help us better understand the Heart of a Shepherd as we are called to lead those that follow us in life.
Why did Jesus have to come and die on a cross? Why did He have to suffer for 6 hours hanging on that log to die? Why did He have to come at a time when Romans would scourge Him? Why didn't He come when the cross was 'out of style?' How heavy that cross must have been as Christ literally became our sin! The answer is 'by His scourging we are healed.'
Questions to Consider:
- When Psalms 22 begins, King David prophesies what Jesus is going to say when He says, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The moment when Christ becomes sin and God in His holiness turns His back on His son, what loneliness do you suppose Christ felt on that cross?
- Psalms 22:15 says, "my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death." Why was His suffering so necessary? Why for 6 hours did He have to hang on that cross and suffer so badly?
Read the rest of Psalms 22 and I hope you have a great discussion on it.
If you want to know what God thinks of you, I am positive that God has your pictures in the most important place in His heart. Psalms 18:9 talks about God delighting in His people - He has adopted us as His sons and daughters.
Question to Consider
- Why does God asks us to call Him God, but also asks us to call Him Father, but also asks us to call Him 'Dad'?
God's love story is the best love story we'll ever be invited to. To leave the flock and follow a less well-intended shepherd is unthinkable, yet the sheep stray, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Until Jesus becomes your all in all, He's really your nothing-in-all. If you want to be blessed, you have to be 'all in' to follow Him with all your heart.
Years ago, someone found a baby deer in a ditch and brought her to us. She was covered in leaves, wet from rain, and about to die. For a couple of days we fed and cared for her, all the while she cried out for her mama. But on day 3, she began to follow me everywhere, eventually leading her back to the forest she came from. Much like that baby deer, we have a savior we can cry to in our despair. Are you calling out to Him? Does he know what you need? I pray this encourages you today!
As a follower of Christ, learning the tactics of the enemy is what it's all about because the adversary is always charging in on our soul. But fortunately, Jesus is the Defender of our soul and the Shepherd of us as sheep.
Questions to Consider:
Psalms 3:1 - "Oh Lord, how my adversaries have increased, many are rising up against me." How has the enemy come after you recently, but how has the Lord defended you?
Psalms 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield about me." Describe your dependence on your Shepherd for your personal protection and your revival during times of pain and persecution.
Through all the health challenges I've endured over the years, I've always found a way to worship The Lord through each one because he's a Good Father! Charles Wesley endured multiple challenges in his life, and still found a way to write over 800 hymns that we still sing today. No matter what you're walking through today, remember our shepherd is always with you!
The words in Scripture are meant to guide, inspire, and empower you to do God's will... let's meditate on it so we can hear His voice. To meditate on His Word is to use the paintbrush of wisdom to paint your heart the color of His.
For 3500 years, the Hebrew nation sacrificed only unblemished lambs on the day of Passover celebration. Is it any wonder that when Jesus, The Lamb, was being sacrificed for the sins of all mankind, He too would be found “not guilty” and worthy of the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation? How does this inspire you as you shepherd your flock?
Through every season of my life I've been able to trust God, and there have been many curveballs thrown my way over the years. If you're looking for encouragement today, remember you can trust God no matter what - because He is a good Father!
"Time Magazine recently had a cover story that was entitled, 'Rethinking the Resurrection' like the resurrection never took place. It was an ultra liberal opinion story. An interview in that magazine with an assortment of really liberal off-base theologians and other kind of experts that cast a shadow of doubt on the plausibility of this miraculous event - the resurrection of Jesus."
Family Discussions: 1. Why do unbelievers continue to scoff at the resurrection even though it's the most profitable event in all of human history? 2. How does the disciples commitment unto death give credence to the account? 3. What does Jesus' resurrection mean to you personally today?
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, it was the biggest day of the year. It was the biggest day of ever. It was the day of the resurrection. It was Sunday morning. We're in chapter 16 of Mark and man, what a day of victory it was. We're in verse two today and it says this "Very early, on the first day of the week that came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another who will roll away the stone from the interests of the tomb. Verse four says, looking up. They saw that the stone had been rolled away already. Although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right wearing a white robe and they were amazed and he said to them, 'Do not be amazed. You're looking for Jesus the Nazarene who has been crucified. He's risen. He's not here. Behold, here is the place where they laid him, but go! Tell his disciples and Peter. He's going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see just as he told you.'" 01:17 You know, crazy one Easter Time Magazine recently had a cover story that was entitled, 'Rethinking the Resurrection' like the resurrection never took place. It was an ultra liberal opinion story. An interview in that magazine with an assortment of really liberal off-base theologians and other kind of experts that cast a shadow of doubt on the plausibility of this miraculous event - the resurrection of Jesus. You know, as I laid the magazine aside with tremendous disappointment, I just kind of shook my head and thought, any reasonable attorney trying a controversial issue in the court of law would first go to the eye witnesses. The eye witness of the event and let them testify to the circumstantial evidence. Time magazine quoted none of them. Did the resurrection of Christ really happen? What did the eye witnesses say and do after the event? 02:11 Hey, 11 hand picked men from various walks of life on the day of the crucifixion were cowards. They were running for their lives, Matthew 26 says. After they saw Jesus alive, those same men were committed to him with sheer bravery. That led 10 of the 11 to die martyrs' deaths. As Peter's personal reports said we were eye witnesses of his majesty. John records in his personal diary, 'And when Jesus said, peace be with you, he showed the disciples both his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. That's John 20:20. You know, the next time someone questions the resurrection of Jesus, get the book of John. Think of the ones who actually saw him with their eyes. Think of the ones who died for what they saw and give them a taste of John's 2020 vision. 03:10 Here's the questions for this great devotional today. Why do unbelievers continue to scoff at the resurrection even though it's the most profitable event in all of human history? And secondly, how does the disciples commitment unto death give credence to the account? You know what, it said that a man may die for a lie when he thinks it's the truth, but only a crazy man would die for a lie when he knows it's a lie. Men won't do that. And then number three, what does Jesus' resurrection mean to you personally today? And here's the lifeline for today. He's alive, but so are you. Go live that life today.
"Without the crucifixion, there would have been no resurrection. And without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith. Folks, there are so many factors. You know, nonbelievers, they talk, they doubt they jeer at the resurrection of Jesus. But I'm going to tell you, it happened."
Family Discussions: 1. Why did Jesus have to die? 2. Win the tombs is crazy, and then how can they explain a way of Jesus' resurrection? 3. What thoughts and feelings come through to you?
Transcription: 00:13 You may not be a gigantic fan of history, but I'll tell you today you will be, because today we're going to look at the most provable event in all of ancient history. According to the libraries of the world, the most provable event in all of human history. It's after the crucifixion of Jesus. We'll pick up the action in Mark chapter 15 in verse 44 and scripture says this, "Pilate wondered if he, Jesus, was dead by this time. And summoning the Centurion, he questioned the Centurion as to whether he was already dead. And ascertaining this from the century, he granted the body of Jesus to Joseph. So Joseph bought a linen cloth and took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him a tomb which had already been hewn out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, were looking on to see where he was laid." 01:12 You know, without the crucifixion, there would have been no resurrection. And without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith. Folks, there are so many factors. You know, nonbelievers, they talk, they doubt they jeer at the resurrection of Jesus. But I'm going to tell you, it happened. First of all, you have a dead Messiah. Two Roman coroners signed his death certificate after he died, and if they were incorrect in their assessment of his death, they would have been crucified for their mistake. Eye witnesses say that a spear was driven into his side and blood and water came out. Any coroner will tell you it's a sign of a man's death. Then he was laid in a borrowed tomb in a private burial yard. He was wrapped in cloth and spices, probably about a hundred pounds of spices according to the Jewish burial from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. 02:05 A very large stone estimates that it raid between a one and a half to two tons will rolled against the door of the tomb. There've been estimates that said a stone so big that would take 20 men to move. The seal of Rome was put over the tomb. Two leather strips with a pack with a seal of Rome on the pack, threatening anyone. If you break this seal, you'll be crucified yourself for defying the order of Rome. Then a Roman guard was placed in front of the tomb and the Roman Kaleo, probably a group of 12 to 16 men trained to defeat a piece of ground against attire invading army. The tomb was guarded. Jesus was dead. But something happened on the third day. Something happened that changed the course of history. Jesus was alive. He was the resurrected savior. And so your faith is not in vain. 03:01 My questions for you today are this, why did Jesus have to die? And then secondly, why in the world or how can critics try to explain a way, Jesus' death? And to say that he was just asleep in the tombs is crazy, and then how can they explain a way of Jesus' resurrection? And then here's the third question, and this is a greatest question. True love was spoken on the day of the cross. What thoughts and feelings come through to you? And the lifeline is this. He wore the crown of thorns so that you and I someday could wear the crown of life.
"Let me tell you, from what I understand from history, the veil that covered the Holy of Holies in the temple was a veil, it was so thick that it would take more than a team. Two teams of horses pulling in opposite directions to rip the veil. The veil was the place that separated the mercy seat of God in the Holy of Holies, in God's temple in Jerusalem from all the people of the world."
Family Discussions: 1. Describe your personal feelings about Jesus' work on the cross. 2. How would you get to God had the veil not been torn in two? 3. How in the world could you ever approach a Holy God? 4. Describe your feelings about the privilege, the honor that you've been given by the act of love.
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, I'll never forget the day my little college team at SMU beat Oklahoma in a bowl game. I mean, we went in the locker, we went crazy. The cries of victory were just incredible, but compared to the cry of victory that we're going to talk about today in this devotional it was but a tiny peep. In fact, you can't even hear it. But this cry of victory was the greatest cry victory of all time. We're in Mark chapter 15 and verse 37 it says this, "and Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last and the veil of the temple was torn into from top to bottom." Verse 39 says, "when the Centurion who was standing right in front of him saw the way he breathed this last, he said, this man truly was the son of God." Jesus' cry was to tell a style. It's paid in full. Your debt is paid in full. It is finished. I've done what I came to do. His final grueling act of crucifixion was over. The veil was torn in two. 01:21 Let me tell you, from what I understand from history, the veil that covered the Holy of Holies in the temple was a veil, it was so thick that it would take more than a team. Two teams of horses pulling in opposite directions to rip the veil. The veil was the place that separated the mercy seat of God in the Holy of Holies, in God's temple in Jerusalem from all the people of the world. The only way you could get into the Holy of Holies was the high priest. The ultimate Jewish religious figure could go in once a year and he, after all the washings and purifications, according to the ceremonial rites, he could go in and plead for the mercy and the sins of the nation. 02:08 But on this day, when Jesus cried, it is finished. It's done to tell us that over the veil of the temple was torn in two. And men and women, you know what that means? Do you know what that means? That means to you and me that we, based on the blood of Christ, that is in our hearts as believers. We can enter the Holy of Holies and we can come to the mercy of God. Every time I say that I tremble. In the book of Hebrews, it says that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence. And I don't know about you, but every time I read this passage, it humbles me to my knees. That we can literally in the name of Jesus, close our eyes, or leave our eyes open in our days of our greatest sorrow. When this world crushes us as it does or in our days of greatest joy and victory, we can slip in before the mercy seat of God because Christ was the ultimate sacrifice. And his blood gave us the rights to go in before a Holy God and to say, God, I need you. God. Please forgive me, God, I give you my life. 03:24 And here's the questions for today. You know, as Jesus did that, as Jesus literally made God's lap as a father accessible to you to come to, describe your personal feelings about Jesus' work on the cross. And the second question today is this, how would you get to God had the veil not been torn in two? How in the world could you ever approach a Holy God? And then the third question is this, now that you can approach God with confidence as it says in Hebrews based on the blood of Christ, describe your feelings about the privilege, the honor that you've been given by the act of love. And then here is the lifeline or the thought for the day. A family that prays together stays together.
"It was at our sports Kamps and there was a scrimmage between two great teams. One team had a young man from Boston, he was an inner-city kid and he lived in one of the poorest places in the country. But this 19-year-old young man had an incredible love for a woman he was going to marry. But there was a drive-by and that old car came by the front of that inner-city house and a gun was stuck out of the window of that car."
Family Discussions: 1. What is Jesus' sacrifice for you mean to you? 2. What is it about the name Jesus that makes it the name above every other name that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord? 3. How can you, in some small way today in your home, in your business, in your university, or in your school? 4. How can you be a little bit like that boy from Boston today who took the bullets for his girlfriend?
Transcription: 00:13 If this was the only Bible study that you and I ever had the privilege of getting to do together, and trust me, the privilege is more mine, than it is yours. It would be this Bible study today. It was the darkest hour of all time, but it was the pinnacle peak hour of all human history. In John chapter 15, starting in verse 33 scripture says this, "when the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. 'ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI', which is translated: 'My God, my God. Why has thou forsaken me?'" At that moment in history, Christ became sin. 00:58 At that moment in history, every creepy crawly thing that we've done against a Holy God literally became a part of that dear man's sacrificial offering. You know, I get to see events like that. Not to that degree, but in small ways. I get to see people doing things like that. I'll never forget the football scrimmage. I'll never forget it. It was at our sports Kamps and there was a scrimmage between two great teams. One team had a young man from Boston, he was an inner-city kid and he lived in one of the poorest places in the country. But this 19-year-old young man had an incredible love for a woman he was going to marry. But there was a drive-by and that old car came by the front of that inner-city house and a gun was stuck out of the window of that car. And five bullets were shot at this precious innocent girl that was sitting by this young man's side. But not one bullet hit her because this young man dove across her lap and he took all five bullets into his neck and into his back. Not one of the bullets, fortunately, hit his spinal cord and he actually lived to play football again. But what a story of sacrifice, man. What a story of love. 02:23 I heard a story one time and I didn't know the man but there was a platoon that had to go fight in a very difficult war in Vietnam years ago. And the father of this soldier went over to fight and he was there for a year and somehow he survived, although tens of thousands of soldiers died in that awful war. Then the platoon was asked for another amount of soldiers. The father had come back to America to safety. But his son was in the second round and the father went to the officer and he said, 'if I go, can my son stay home?' And the commanding officer granted his request. So they got to stay home and safety and the father took his place in the battle. Boy, it just, it just fires you up, doesn't it? To see people who live and die like that. 03:11 And so my question to you today is Christ died in your place. What is Jesus' sacrifice for you mean to you? And secondly, what is it about the name Jesus that makes it the name above every other name that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. What is it about that name? And the third question is this. How can you, in some small way today in your home, in your business, in your university, or in your school, How can you be a little bit like that boy from Boston today who took the bullets for his girlfriend? And then the lifeline is two words - I'm Third. I'm Third is the motto of the Kamps that I get to be in. God first. Others second. And I'm Third.
"One of my favorite writers, Chuck Colson, and one of my favorite books, 'Loving God', talks about an Asian monk named Telemachus back in the days of the Roman empire. The cruel and perilous Roman empire. Telemachus one day heard the voice of God in his heart. And God said, Telemachus, go to Rome."
Family Discussions: 1. How does Telemachus and his act of incredible life sacrificial bravery remind you of what Jesus did on the cross? 2. How does Barabas' good fortune remind you of what Christ did for you? And then the third question is this. 3. What do you think Jesus meant when he said, no greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends?
Transcription: 00:14 The scripture today is the pinnacle of human history. It's a moment in the life of Christ that would literally shake the foundations of the world. We're in Mark chapter 15, and we're in verse 11, and it says this, "But the chief priest stirred up the crowd to ask Pilate to release Barabas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, 'then what shall I do with him whom you call the King of the Jews?' They shouted back, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' But Pilate said to them, 'Why? What evil has he done?' But they shouted all the more. 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' So wishing to satisfy the crowd. Pilate released Barabas to them. And after having Jesus scorched, he handed him over to be crucified." 01:07 One of my favorite writers, Chuck Colson, and one of my favorite books, 'Loving God', talks about an Asian monk named Telemachus back in the days of the Roman empire. The cruel and perilous Roman empire. Telemachus one day heard the voice of God in his heart. And God said, Telemachus, go to Rome. I can only imagine the feeling that this dear old godly man had as he walked up the Appian way, that so many hundreds of Christians had marched into Rome knowing that they would soon be slaughtered for their faith in Christ. He walked straight into the Colosseum. And as the gladiators were out in the Colosseum killing people, In fact, Fox's book of martyrs says that some days in the Colosseum of Rome in the first and second centuries under Domitian and under Marcus Aurelius and under Nero, some days, 5,000 Christians would be slaughtered in the Colosseum of Rome for their faith in Christ. 02:02 So Telemachus walks into the Colosseum. The gladiators are slaughtering people and he screams with a voice that silences the crowd. He screams in the name of Christ. Forebear. The crowds begin to call him names and jir at him. So he jumped over the wall onto the dirt floor of the Colosseum where the gladiators were out in battle. And he looked up at the proconsul of Rome and he said the name of Christ forebear. Well, the second time he said it, one of the gladiators took his sword and he slashed him across the chest and as Telemachus fell to his face in the dirt of that Colosseum joining the other martyrs for the faith. With one last burst of energy, he raised his head from the dirt and he said in the name of Christ forebear. And he put his head down and he died. One by one, the people in the crowds began to walk out of the Colosseum until the Colosseum was empty. And history testifies to the truth that that was the last day of the gladiator killings in the Colosseum of Rome. That man, it ended that tradition. 03:13 So the questions today are these, how does Telemachus and his act of incredible life sacrificial bravery remind you of what Jesus did on the cross? And then secondly, what does or how does Barabas' good fortune remind you of what Christ did for you? And then the third question is this. What do you think Jesus meant when he said, no greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends? And here's the thought for the day. Love is love when it's strong enough to die for.
"There is no doubt in the world that Jesus knew exactly who he was. He said, I am the vine in John 15. John 10, He said, I'm the door. John 14, He said, I am the way. In fact, he said, I am the only way. He said, I am the Christ."
Family Discussions: 1. "A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." What does that mean to you? 2. How can you be sure in your mind, in your heart that Jesus was actually God in the flesh? 3. Why is that statement so significant to you as you face eternity?
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, as we come to the end of this fantastic book together, the book of Mark and the life of Christ. And we get down to the last really breasts of Jesus's life. He's before Pontius Pilate in chapter 14, and we're in verse 60 and it says, "the high priest stood up and came forward in question Jesus saying, do you not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you? But he kept silent. It did not answer again. The high priest was questioning him and was saying to him, are you the Christ, the son of the blessed one? And Jesus said, I am. And then he fulfill the prophecy of Daniel when he said, you shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power coming with the clouds of heaven." 01:06 There is no doubt in the world that Jesus knew exactly who he was. He said, I am the vine in John 15. John 10, He said, I'm the door. John 14, He said, I am the way. In fact, he said, I am the only way. He said, I am the Christ. And then there were other witnesses. You know, Peter said, thou art the Christ the son of the living God. Pontius Pilate in the trial said, I find no fault in this man. Even one of the centurions, one of the guards that crucified Jesus at the end of Jesus' life, he testified. He said, this man must surely be the son of God. And then the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy spirit in Colassians and other places, he said, Hey, Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. The firstborn of all creation. Paul Roddy said, by him, by Christ, all things were created both in heavens and on the earth, whether visible or invisible, whether rulers or dominions or powers or authorities. All things were created by Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ. 02:09 Jesus knew who he was. Scripture testifies, and literally from BC to AD, the watershed of human history. History testifies that Jesus was God in the flesh. And you know what's important about that? Only God who created you and created every person on this earth had the shoulders broad enough and the span wide enough to die for the sins of all mankind. And that's why John 3:16 says, but who ever, whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. You know, it has been amply said, a man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. 03:02 By the way, for questions today, what does that last quote mean to you? A man is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. What does that mean to you? And then the second question is how can you be sure in your mind, in your heart that Jesus was actually God in the flesh? And then number three, why is that statement so significant to you as you face eternity? And here's the thought for the day. You know, an act of love that's unrivaled in greatness, rightly understood, can only produce consistent appreciation and obedience.
"I think the top 10 things in my life, most of them have to do with anything my kids ever wanted to do with me. Brady would say, Hey dad, let's go shoot baskets. And we shot thousands of baskets together. Him shooting, me catching and throwing back. Copp would let me, you know, run past patterns. And then, so he'd throw me the football. Jamie and Courtney, let me help them in gymnastics and volleyball. 'Hey dad, let's go to the Dairy Queen. Let's get a snack.' I didn't care what they asked me to do. I was ready to go."
Family Discussions: 1. Why did God have to turn his head when Jesus died? 2. Why does God want the relationship between a parent and a child, especially in the home, to be so strong? 3. Why is it of such high value? 4. What can you do in your home to build a parent-child bond like that one, that Jesus and God had?
Transcription: 00:13 In this scripture today, scripture speaks very soberly to us about a time in Christ's life that was probably the most difficult day he had on earth. It was the most difficult for sure but probably not for the reason you think it was. He's in the Garden of Gethsemane and it's the night before his crucifixion. And here's what Mark says in chapter 14, starting in verse 32 it said, "They came to a place called Gethsemane and he said to his disciples, 'sit here until I have prayed.' And he took with him, Peter and James and John and began to be very distressed and troubled. And he said to them, 'my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch.' And he went a little while beyond them and he fell to the ground and he began to pray and he was saying, 'Abba, father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. And yet, not what I want will, but what's your will be done.'" Not my will, but your will be done. 01:22 You know what? I think the top 10 things in my life, most of them have to do with anything my kids ever wanted to do with me. Brady would say, Hey dad, let's go shoot baskets. And we shot thousands of baskets together. Him shooting, me catching and throwing back. Copp would let me, you know, run past patterns. And then, so he'd throw me the football. Jamie and Courtney, let me help them in gymnastics and volleyball. 'Hey dad, let's go to the Dairy Queen. Let's get a snack.' I didn't care what they asked me to do. I was ready to go. I remember one time Courtney asked me to take her to the mall to get a dress for a college forum or prom or something that she did. And we looked at dresses and stuff all day long. I don't even think we bought one, but we had a blast looking together. 02:10 But I didn't know that I'd see a picture that day and one of the clothing stores that would rock my world. It was a sports illustrated. Courtney was trying on yet another dress. And I saw this picture in sports illustrate in fact it was the cover picture. It was Michael Jordan. And at that time, Jordan was Mr. Basketball. It was years ago, but he was definitely the King of the game. But it wasn't a picture of Michael shooting a three. It wasn't a picture of Michael, you know, with the world championship trophy on his hands. He had just won four world championships with the Chicago bulls. But it was a picture of Michael laying on the floor bawling his eyes out, clutching his basketball to his chest, weeping because it was Father's Day. The day he won the championship was Father's Day and his daddy wasn't there. Three years ago his daddy had been murdered. 03:02 I think the biggest pain on the cross for Christ was not the nails or the scorching, although those must have been horrible. But that was the day he had to become sin. That was the day that he had to clothe himself with everything bad. Everything negative, everything sinful that you and I've ever done before a Holy God. Christ became Galatians 3:13 says he became the curse of sin and there his daddy had to turn his back because his daddy, Father God was Holy and always was and always will be. Christ had become sin. The father and son were separated. I believe it was the worst moment of his life. But in that moment came victory for you and me. 03:42 So here's the questions for today in this incredible Bible passage. Why did God have to turn his head when Jesus died? And the second question is this, why does God want the relationship between a parent and a child, especially in the home, to be so strong? Why is it of such high value? And thirdly, you know, what can you do in your home to build a parent-child bond like that one, that Jesus and God had? And the thought for the day is this. You know, parents and their children have a bond that should never be broken. The only bond greater is the bond between us and Christ.
"We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game." Family Discussions: 1. What does it mean to give it all to Jesus? 2. What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today? 3. What do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian? 4. Why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ?
Transcription: 00:13 Well, you talk about a hero. This verse today is really a hero. Maybe you would say one of the most insignificant people in scripture, but not so to Jesus. Jesus is in Bethany and he's at the home of Simon the leper. And as he comes in there, a woman comes up to him and she takes this bottle of very costly perfume and she anoints Jesus with the bottle of perfume. And some of the followers were indignant. You know, they were like, 'Hey, you know, you could take that perfume and you could, you know, sell it and feed the poor.' But Jesus says this about that woman. I think it's a great example to you and me today in our life for Christ. He said, "Hey, leave her alone. Why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to me for you always have the poor with you and you do not always have me. She's done what she could and she is anointing my body beforehand for the burial. He says, truly, I say to you, where ever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her." 01:20 We've got a little slogan at our teenage Kamp called K2 that I get to be a part of in the summertime and it's called FUAGNEM. It's not in Webster's. It just means 'Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute.' Basically it means the person who gives it all, all the time will end up winning the game. I don't know the whole story behind this woman, but I imagine because she was probably very poor that she had been saving this perfume her whole life. Perhaps every birthday she had, you know, her parents would put just a little bit more perfume in the bottle. You know, in those days, that sort of thing was scarce and was very expensive. And I think Jesus basically was saying to her, you know what? Leave that girl alone. She has given me every thing that she had. 02:10 I'll never forget a Superbowl years ago that I paid close attention to because I'd been leading some Bible studies with one of the teams in the Superbowl. Well, they were beaten because the quarterback of the other team had said to his team, I will give it every cent I've ever made in the game for one Superbowl ring. That team went on the field and they creamed the team that I had been working with because they were willing to give it all. I remember my son Cooper when he was a sophomore, he was going to play high school football and in our little town that he played for sophomores don't play. And I said to him, I said, Cooper, don't expect anything this year on the varsity. They never give it sophomores. And he said, dad, I'll either get a brain concussion and I'll die or I'll start. Well, you know the end of that story after about four games, you know, they were starting him in the first playoff game. He got player of the game. Because you know what, when you want it bad enough, you know, it's probably, if it's a good goal, if it's a good incentive and God's behind it, then it's probably going to happen. 03:16 So here's the questions for today. It's one thing to give it all for Superbowls. One thing to give it all the start on your team, but what does it mean to give it all to Jesus? What did the lesson of the perfume bottle teach you today? And then the second question is this, what do you tend to hold back for being a give-it-all Christian? And then the third question is this, why is it so hard to have a FUAGNEM, as we say, Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute attitude when it comes to your faith in Christ? And the thought for the day is this. If Jesus was visiting your house today, would you give him your most prized possession whatever it is?
"Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday."
Family Discussion: 1. Recall an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference? 2. How do you personally view the imminent return of Christ? 3. What can you do to make these days feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind?
Transcription: 00:13 I've entitled this devotional today, "The Lesson of the Fig Tree." But a more personal title would be "Daddy's Home." Listen to this. This is great. We're going to be in Mark chapter 13 in verse 28 and we're talking about the second coming of Christ. In fact, Jesus is giving us the signs of his coming. He said, these things are going to be happening all over the world and when you see these things happening, you better get ready because Christ is going to come and he's going to consummate the age in which we live. Verse 28 says, "now learn the parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too when you see these things happening recognize that he is near right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all of these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." And then he, and then he hits the nail on the head. He said, "but if that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven nor the son, but the father alone, but take heed. Keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time comes." 01:29 Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday. I had three days to die knowing that on Sunday I was going to get creamed. But he probably didn't give me enough of 'em actually I probably deserve more but he was a great dad. Usually when my daddy would come and when I see my daddy, I was really happy to see him. My daddy would travel and he didn't travel because he wanted to. He traveled because he needed to. But when he'd come home, I was always so happy to see him. I'd go wait out in the driveway to see that old station wagon drive into my house. And then as a daddy myself, when my kids were small in the home, I had to travel a lot. And every time I'd leave home I'd look in the rear view mirror and I would grow so sad knowing that I had to go away for two or three weeks on the road to recruit. But I'll tell you what, coming home was an believable. I drive through the night oftentimes to get home, just to get one little glimpse of my kids. It might be three in the morning or four in the morning when I'd get home. And then man, the kids would run upstairs and you know, daddy's home, daddy's home. I'd hear the little pitter patter of their little feet. Those little footie pajamas that they'd wear. Sometimes they put signs and posters on the front of the house and in my closet, daddy's home. 03:02 Y'all, I think the best understanding of the return of Christ, if you really do love him, if you're a follower of his, if he lives in your heart, is that daddy is coming. Oh, it's not to be feared if you're a follower of Christ. Daddy's coming home. Hey, here's the questions for today. Recall, an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference? And how do you personally view the imminent return of Christ? And I believe it's imminent. And then next, what can you do to make these days, I mean, anticipation. Feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind? And then here's the thought for the day. Daddy's coming home. Daddy's coming home can be the three sweetest words in the English language.
"One thing I love about sports is the one who wants it the worst usually wins, especially in team sports. It's not so much about how fast and strong an athlete is, but in a team sport especially, it all depends upon the heart. "
Family Discussions: 1. Which of Jesus is signs of his coming you observed recently? 2. What does he mean when he says keep on the alert because you don't know the day that I'm going to come back? 3. How can your family better pull together as a team to defeat the enemies that are all around you?
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, today I want to tell you about the greatest award ceremony that you'll ever be. The trophy of trophies. We're going to be reading from Mark chapter 13 and we're going to start with verse eight. Jesus is talking about the signs, the birth pains, if you will. The signs that will be proceeding the second coming of Christ to planet earth. In verse eight he says, "for nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There'll be earthquakes in various places." So the world's going to be at war, especially in the area of the middle East. And in verse 10, he says, "the gospel of the kingdom must be preached to the whole world." And then we go, uh, skipping to verse 13, he says, "you Christians will be hated by all nations because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved." And then in verse 22, he says, "for false Christ and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders if possible, even to lead astray the elect." They are the Christians. And then finally in verse 33 he says, "Take heed. Keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time comes." 01:24 I'm telling you folks, one thing I love about sports is the one who wants it the worst usually wins, especially in team sports. It's not so much about how fast and strong an athlete is, but in a team sport especially, it all depends upon the heart. And Jesus is saying, man, if you want it bad enough, if you want the love of Christ, if you want to live for Christ bad enough, then the trophy is going to be yours. Are we living in the last days? Well, there's a lot of us who believe that we sure can be. As these prophecies come true all around us. You see the gospel going out the whole world. You see the whole world literally fighting each other over everything, especially in the middle East. You see the terms where the supernatural, the sayans, Satan worship, demon possession, wiji boards, Dungeons and dragons. Movies in their cult everywhere. 02:12 You know, you see Christians persecuted and I'll say this, I am the proudest of the of the young generation, the high school kids and college kids that I get to work with. I've never seen a bunch of heroes like you before in my life. Guys and girls who are willing to go to school with their Bibles. They witness and willing to write papers on creation and intelligent design even when they get ridiculed in their classes, oftentimes are in the hallways for, for wearing crosses and living for Christ. But I will tell you this, the one who overcomes is going to win the prize. So don't lose heart. When he sees you, He'll say, 'well done now, good and faithful servant.' 02:54 Here's the questions for today. Which of Jesus is signs of his coming you observed recently? And then what does he mean when he says keep on the alert because you don't know the day that I'm going to come back. And then lastly, this is great. How can your family better pull together as a team to defeat the enemies that are all around you? And then here's the thought for the day. You know, groups of individuals often lose tough contests, but a team that's united, a team that's focused, a team that's full of heart are almost impossible to defeat, make your family a team like that today.
"Before the end of Jesus's ministry, He talks a lot about his second coming. In fact, some scholars have suggested that one out of every 27 verses in scripture talks about the second coming of Christ. You know what? The world wasn't ready when he came the first time and the world certainly is not going to be ready when he comes back the second time."
Family Discussions: 1. What has been the most misleading thing you've heard or seen lately in your life? 2. What is a false Christ? 3. What is a cult leader? 4. If someone's speaking, how can you recognize that they're tell him the truth?
Transcription: 00:13 Before the end of Jesus's ministry, He talks a lot about his second coming. In fact, some scholars have suggested that one out of every 27 verses in scripture talks about the second coming of Christ. You know what? The world wasn't ready when he came the first time and the world certainly is not going to be ready when he comes back the second time. But he leaves these signs and he tells us what it's going to look like at the end. And here we are in Mark chapter 13. "So they asked him. Jesus, tell us when will these things be? What will be the sign and when will all these things going to be fulfilled? And Jesus began to say to them, see to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name saying I am he, I am the Christ and will mislead many." And then we skipped down to verse 22 and we read him saying this at the conclusion of this thought. He says in verse 22 "for false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders in order to lead a stray if possible, even the elect, even the followers of Christ." 01:17 So, there's an old parable and if you'd like to solve parables or riddles, here's a good one. You're going down a road and there's a Y in the road and there's two men standing at the Y, one on the left and one of the right. All you know about is one of them is always going to lie and the other one is always going to tell the truth, but you don't know which one is a liar and which one tells the truth. One other thing, you can only ask one question to either man it and then you have to choose one road. And what I was going to lead to hell and what I was going to leave to heaven. What question would you ask in which man would you ask it? Now you can think about this later, but the answer is you ask either men, what will the other men say and go the opposite. Because you've asked the liar, he will lie about what the other man's going to say. So if the other man goes right, he's going to say, go left. And then you go, right. If you ask the guy who tells the truth, what's the other man? Gonna say? He knows the other man's gonna lie. So he'll tell you the wrong way to go. So go the opposite. 02:19 You know, there's a lot of ways to get misled. I know that, you know, the television sets are just filled with misleading commercials. These beer commercials, my goodness, they make beer look like the most wonderful, fun thing in the whole wide world. They never show ambulances. You know, they never show, you know, broken and abuse in the homes and all the things that alcohol causes people's lives. They never showed that. They just make it look like this great inconsequential party and millions are misled by those ads. That's one thing, but be misled eternally would have to be the worst thing of all. You know what time magazine says there's over 1800 religious and mystical cults in the United States of America alone. Recruiting millions of followers. 03:28 Let me tell you something. Any man or woman who gets on that TV set or stands in a, some kind of a pulpit in some kind of a religious building and he takes Jesus to less than Jesus said he was or he elevates any man higher than who a man ought to be is a cult. Any man or any religious woman or teacher that says this Bible is less than the complete Word of God. That you have to add anything to it. You have to add other books to it. It's a cult. The Bible is the complete word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus is son of God. He is the complete forgiveness for sins. We go to heaven by grace and grace alone. So don't be misled to do something you'll be ashamed of in this life, but for sure, don't be misled by anyone who will lie to you and cost you your eternity. 04:29 Here is the question for today. What has been the most misleading thing you've heard or seen lately in your life? And then what is a false Christ? What is a cult leader? And then the third one is how can you recognize the truth? If someone's speaking, how can you recognize that they're tell him the truth? And here's the great thing about families. This is the thought for the day. Families discern truth together.
"Few years ago, I was easing down the highway about 70 miles an hour on in their state and came into a little construction zone and the sign clearly said the speed limit is now 45. Well, I didn't see anybody constructing anything. I just saw some warning signs. So I continued my merry little way at 70 miles an hour. Well, it wasn't long until I was reminded that, you know, what render to Caesar what Caesar's."
Family Discussions: 1. Which things for your money do you enjoy giving the most? 2. Which forms of giving and spending give God the most joy? 3. Why is important to render under Caesar what is Caesar's with a positive attitude?
Transcription: 00:14 It's no wonder they called him Christ. The astonishing teacher. And he blew them out of the water then when he taught. And he blows us out of the water today. Listen to the wisdom of this passage today in Mark chapter 12 and starting with verse 14. It says this, "and they came to him and said to him, teacher, we know that you're truthful and defer to no one for you are not partial in any way, but you teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay tax, a poll tax to Caesar or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay? But Jesus, knowing their hypocrisy said to them, why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and look at it. They brought one and he said to them, whose likeness is on that coin? And they said, Caesars. And Jesus said to them, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods. And they were amazed at him." 01:13 Few years ago, I was easing down the highway about 70 miles an hour on in their state and came into a little construction zone and the sign clearly said the speed limit is now 45. Well, I didn't see anybody constructing anything. I just saw some warning signs. So I continued my merry little way at 70 miles an hour. Well, it wasn't long until I was reminded that, you know, what render to Caesar what Caesar's. The red lights were flashing my rear view mirror. Probably the worst site in the whole wide world. I've seen him a couple of times more than I wish I could have, but, I was reminded and I ended up paying some kind of awful fine for speeding in a work zone even though nobody was there working render under Caesar what did the Caesar's. 01:57 You know, it's no wonder that R rated movies have an age limitation and really and truly, probably very few if any of them are good for any age. But for sure, not at a young age. You know, you're not supposed to drink alcohol til you're 21. Listen to the law. I love working in my Bible study with my high school seniors that are grappling with issues like this. And I love the guys that are really following God and are not just not drinking because it's age 21 and under, but because they don't want to ruin their witness to the school or to take the chance of ever becoming an alcoholic. But nevertheless, there's the law. Every April 15th, you know, we get an opportunity to support our government. And you know what? I can't tell you that I'm in favor of a lot of the things that our government does with our money, but you know what? It's the law. And so on April 15th, we pay our taxes, every penny of them. Don't we? Because it's the law of the land. So we rent under Caesar's what is Caesar's. 03:02 But I want to tell you something really important today. There's a higher law. You know, Adolf Eichmann was tried after the, you know, the Holocaust in World War II. He was one of the officers in Germany, one of the highest officers there responsible for killing millions of Jews. And in his trial, he said in his own defense, he said, I have obeyed the law and the flag. So he was obeying Hitler and the Nazi flag. But there was a higher law. It was a moral law. It was a law of God that you don't kill. And so he disobeyed the higher law. Unfortunately, he was convicted of his crime. 03:36 So it is America in the world today. You know, the law says that you can take a little baby, a precious little baby, you know, no matter what size or what age they are inside of your womb. And you can take that baby's life away. Well, it's the law of this land, but there's a higher law. The higher law says that every life is valuable. Every life is precious. Even the life of an unborn child. There's a lot of laws in this country, and you know what? We're gonna pay our taxes and we're gonna, you know, obey the laws of the land. Except when there's a higher law. And that law is the law of God. It's the highest law of all. 04:17 So here's the questions for today. You know, money goes to the government. Money goes to God's ministries on earth. Money goes to our families needs and money goes to our families wants. But which of these things for your money do you enjoy giving the most? And then which forms of giving and spending give God the most joy? And I hope you've got some things in your life and in your homes that really give you joy. That you give sacrificially to. The third question is, why is important to render under Caesar what is Caesar's with a positive attitude? Whew. Here's the lifeline. You know, in a family, you know, dad has his God given authority. In a family, mom has her God given authority. And you know what? If you're a teenager living in a home, you'll have yours in due time. But when you render under Caesar, it brings unity and it brings harmony to the family.
"An insightful first grade teacher read to her students many wise old sayings that we've all heard since we were young. Then she'd stop each phrase just before the conclusion and she'd ask those five and six year olds to fill in kind of the last part of the phrase. Their answers have made me chuckle over and over again."
Family Discussions: 1. Why does God put such a high price tag on forgiveness? 2. How does forgiveness heal so effectively in here and out here with others? 3. Who do you need to forgive today? 4. Are you willing to do that before the sun goes down tonight?
Transcription: 00:13 Let's talk about a Bible verse that would change your world, change your life forever. This one will get you right between the eyes. It's in Mark chapter 11 verse 25 through 26. Again, Jesus teaches an amazing principle. He says this, "whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your father in heaven will also forgive you of your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father who is in heaven forgive you of your transgressions." 00:47 You know, an insightful first grade teacher read to her students many wise old sayings that we've all heard since we were young. Then she'd stop each phrase just before the conclusion and she'd ask those five and six year olds to fill in kind of the last part of the phrase. Their answers have made me chuckle over and over again. Here are just a few of the things that she would say. She'd say 'better safe than...' When kids said 'punch a fifth grader.' And another one she said, 'never underestimate the power of...' One kid said 'termites.' She said, 'don't bite the hand that...' One first grader said 'looks dirty.' She said, 'you can't teach an old dog new...' 'Math,' a kid said. 'A penny saved is...' 'Not much' 'Two's company. Three's...' 'The Musketeers.' 'Children should not be...' 'Spanked or grounded.' 'If at first you don't succeed...' One kid says, 'get new batteries.'. 01:42 You know, there's no Proverbs or wise words, more reliable and more profound than the life shaping time that God said forgive and it will be forgiven unto you. He didn't wink. He didn't smile. He didn't shift his feet when he said it. Hey, have you ever wondered why he spoke so frankly, on this subject. You know, life in the home provides the greatest laboratory in the world for the answer. Forgiveness heals. It heals your relationship with your mom, with your dad, with your husband, with your son, with your daughter. It heals your lack of joy. It heals the lack of peace that's in your heart brought down by your personal vendetta and it heals your relationship with God. No pharmacy, no hospital, no medical doctor can provide a bottle of medicine as powerful as the healing power of forgiveness. You know what? Bitterness kills. It kills your relationships with the ones you love in your home. You know what, there'll be the most important relationships throughout your life. Bitterness kills your inner joy. It kills your inner peace. It kills your daily fellowship with God. So forgive and it will be forgiven unto you. Isn't that great? 03:01 Here's the question for today. Why does God put such a high price tag on forgiveness? And then secondly, how does forgiveness heal so effectively in here and out here with others? And here's the big one. You guys who do you need to forgive today? And are you willing to do that before the sun goes down tonight? The thought for the day is this, forgiving hearts are happy hearts. Isn't that great
"You think about the Mardi Gras parade and the Rose bowl parade and the Macy's Christmas parade and all these millions of dollars of floats and millions of dollars of cars and all this fanfare, but there wasn't a parade like this one. There's never been a parade like this one nor will there ever be."
Family Discussions: 1. Why do we call that day, Palm Sunday? 2. What was really going on in Jerusalem that day? 3. How can you lay your blanket before Jesus as he comes riding into your life, into your home? 4. How does Jesus' life of exemplary humility speak to you today?
Transcription: 00:13 This passage today in scripture is a phenomenal a passage. When you really understand what's going on this passage out of Mark chapter 11, man, it will rock your world. It'll change your life. Mark chapter. 11 verse seven, we call this Palm Sunday and, and I'll tell you why we do it says, "They brought the donkey to Jesus and they put their coats on it and he sat on it and many spread their coats out in the road and other spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father, David. Hosanna in the highest."
01:06 Folks that it was the, it was the greatest parade ever. You know, you think about the Mardi Gras parade and the Rose bowl parade and the Macy's Christmas parade and all these millions of dollars of floats and millions of dollars of cars and all this fanfare, but there wasn't a parade like this one. There's never been a parade like this one nor will there ever be. Jesus the Messiah. He's God. He's about to down the cross. A week later, we're going gonna raise from the dead, but how does he come in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? Comes in on a donkey. It comes in a little humble colt. Because Zachariah 9:9 prophesied hundreds of years before that he would ride in the Messiah, would be presented his King on a donkey and according to Psalms 118 the prophecy a thousand years before Jesus said they will cry. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
01:59 And then the prophecy of Daniel 538 BC, 530 years before Jesus was born. Daniel said it will happen on that day. The prophecy of Daniel 9 says that on that day, April 6, 32 AD if you do the math, that's the day that Jesus would come in as King on a donkey being proclaimed as Messiah. No wonder he said, when the Pharasees said, Jesus, tell these people to become silent. If you claim to be God, we're going to kill you. And he said, if they become silent, the stones will cry out. This is the day of my visitation as he wept over Jerusalem He said. You know what? Humility, man, it makes you want to take a towel to dry the dishes, doesn't it? It makes you want to empty the trash cans throughout the house. It makes me want to want to wash literally the feet of the people in your family, by the way you serve them. You know, humility in a home, oh man, it's the smile on your faces in the home. Serving each other. You know, coming in on a donkey, so to speak, on the lowly, lowly colt. You know, they proclaimed him, Messiah and King. And the happiest kids I know, the happiest husbands I know, the happiest wives I know are people who get on their colt and ride every day.
03:19 So here's the questions today. Why do we call that day, Palm Sunday? And what was really going on in Jerusalem that day? The second question is, how can you lay your blanket before Jesus as he comes riding into your life, into your home? And then the third one says this, how does Jesus' life of exemplary humility speak to you today? And here is the lifeline. The thought for today, today in the home, let us mount our pride on the seat of a donkey.
"About 10 or 12 years ago, my wife and I in our sports camps were able to adopt 19 schools in Haiti. And so every day we have the privilege of loving and feeding and educating these 5,800 kids down there in Haiti. Men, of all the things that have ever happened around Kanakuk Kamps, you know, the Kamps that, I mean, the schools in Haiti bring smiles to our faces like none other."
Family Discussions: 1. What is your interpretation of Jesus' metaphor of the camel in the eye of the needle? 2. Why does our excesses keep us from really enjoying a full enrich relationship with God? 3. What action can you or your family take to comply with Jesus' command here?
Transcription: 00:13 This devotional today that I get to share with you really puts a smile on my face because it's about some of the most beautiful kids in the world. About, Oh gosh, 10 or 12 years ago, my wife and I in our sports camps were able to adopt 19 schools in Haiti. And so every day we have the privilege of loving and feeding and educating these 5,800 kids down there in Haiti. Men, of all the things that have ever happened around Kanakuk Kamps, you know, the Kamps that, I mean, the schools in Haiti bring smiles to our faces like none other. Every Christmas we get to take Christmas gifts to every single child. We've been doing this for years and years and to see these kids, you know, like take a pack of Lifesavers and eat the first Lifesaver they've ever eaten and get their first Christmas gift from Papa Noel. You know, what they call Santa Claus down there in Haiti. And then to get to share. You know what Christmas is really about with those kids, not Santa Claus, but you know Jesus Christ born on earth. It's the joy of our lives. 01:21 You know what Jesus has something to say about you and about me and about our kids in Haiti and around the world. Listen to Mark chapter 10 verse 24 through 27. Here's what scripture says. "The disciples were amazed at his words, but Jesus answered it again and said to them, children, how hard is it to enter the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. They were even more astonished and said to him then, who can be saved? Looking at them, Jesus said with people, it's impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." 02:08 You know, being really transparent, honest with you, I don't need a bite of food. I mean, I hardly take a bite that I don't think about our kids in Haiti. They are so happy with a bowl of beans and a bowl of rice every day. It just breaks my heart to see the circumstances that they're in and not just our kids that are little schools in Haiti because really they're doing pretty good compared to most starving kids in the world. But God has a word to us and I believe his word is, and you know what? Everybody in America's rich, by the way, if you think you're very, very poor, I will tell you that the kids that we get to work with here at Kids Across American and Kanakuk, many of our kids, 7,000 of our kids come from inner cities and they will tell you because they have a chance to know Jesus. They have meals every day. That even though they are the poorest in our country, they're rich compared to the kids of Haiti whose parents live on about 11 bucks a week. 03:02 But he says, for all of us in America that are rich, he said, you've got to be willing, like a camel who would walk up to the city Gates over the wall villages of that day, and there would be a little opening just to the side of the city gate that a camel couldn't get through with anything on his bag. In fact, the camel would have to get down on his knees and they would have to unload the camel and then he could go through the eye, the needle, what they call this little hole in the gate, on his knees without anything on his back. And then they could reload him. Once he got through the gate. 03:35 The word picture is clear. You know, a rich man. Here we are in our country and in the Western world. Jesus said, we must be willing to give it all to give everything we've got. The heart has got to be willing to let go. And you know what? The more you let go, the more the kids of Haiti and the rest of this world are going to be blessed. And through our gifts, those kids are going to get to know Jesus because they're going to know it was the hand of Christ that unloaded our baggage off our camel and gave it away to them in the name of Jesus. 04:09 Here's the questions today in this perplexing, thoughtful gospel. What is your interpretation of Jesus' metaphor of the camel in the eye of the needle? And the second question is, why does our excesses keep us from really enjoying a full enrich relationship with God? And then the third one, what action can you or your family take to comply with Jesus' command here? And here is the lifeline. You know, families that give together, stay together. People that give generously are the happiest people in the world.
"How did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever."
Family Discussions: 1. What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1? 2. Why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage? 3. If you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be? 4. What would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it?
Transcription: 00:13 Do you know that just a few years ago, NASA sent up a satellite called the WMAP satellite and it begin to film the creation. They took this incredible hundred billion galaxy cosmos of ours and they put it in their computers and they ran it back and they saw that it all came from zero. Imagine 100 billion galaxies coming from absolute nothing. We believe that God spoke and a hundred billion galaxies came flying out of their mouth. And you know what? NASA has proved it in that same computer rendition of the creation. They saw that as 100 billion galaxy cosmos traveled, get this, over a billion light years. I mean defying every known law of physics and science by light years. It said that we traveled as a cosmos over a billion light years in the first trillionth of a second. Listen to what Jesus says in Mark chapter 10:6. I mean, scripture is so scientifically on target, "but Jesus said to them, because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this commandment that from the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one flesh." There are no longer two but one flesh. 01:46 A few years ago, RadioShack had this commercial that says, "You've got questions. We got answers." And you know what? RadioShack has a lot of answers, but I think scripture pretty much claims that truth. When you have questions, they're here. How did we get here? When did man originate? How long have we been around? Where did it all come from? What is marriage and what's marriage supposed to look like? You got questions, he's got answers. How long has man been here? Well, according to Jesus, man has been on the earth since the beginning of creation. That's Genesis chapter one. How did man get here? Well, if you look as Darwin did at the human eye, even Darwin himself in his book, 'The Origin of Species', he said to suppose that the eye, with all of its inevitable contrivances for adjusting focus at various distances for admitting various amounts of life and for the correction of sphere and chromatic aberrations is the product of evolution. Seems I freely confessed absurd in the highest degree. Even Darwin himself admitted that evolution in terms of human vision is absolutely absurd. 02:59 And how did marriage get here and what's married supposed to look like? Well, Jesus makes it clear in this passage that God invented marriage and he invented it to be with one man and one woman who would live together forever. One man, one woman together forever. You know, people say, well, if you're in love, sex is okay or if you, you know, if you think you're going to get married sex is okay, or in any, you know, orientations, sex is okay. When scripture is clear that God wants that that very special relationship between a man and a woman to be designed for marriage and for marriage alone. To last, I watched my daddy and my mama love each other for 66 years and I saw him literally die. My daddy died in my mother's arms and at the end of my daddy's life he was still honoring the wedding ring and even wearing for all those years. So, if you've got questions, he's got answers. 03:56 Here's a couple of questions to think about today. What does 'from the beginning of creation' mean in terms of Genesis 1. In the creation account, when Jesus said for the beginning of creation, God made Adam and Eve, male and female. And question two is why is Genesis 1, the creation account of Genesis, why is it so important to our understanding of the Christian faith and the institution of marriage? And then the third question, if you're putting a price tag on your marriage, either one you already have or your future marriage, as I told my sons they had a girl's name written on their heart and someday that name of that incredible woman would show up. But if you're putting a price tag on that name that's written on your heart, or if you're married to the name that's already there, what would it be? What was the, what would the price tag of your marriage be and what would it be worth to you to protect it? And here's the thought for the day. Only a creative God could build something as valuable and worth protecting as a godly marriage relationship. Be careful!
"People say, you know what? There's no objective morals, just differing opinions. There's no absolute truth. It's whatever you think is true. One person will say to you, you know what? Come on. It's just a little drink. A little drink won't hurt you, a little alcohol. Or a guy may say to you, if you're a girl or girl may say to a guy, you know what? Hey, don't be so frigid. Sex is okay if it's safe. Voices. They're everywhere, aren't they? They, they give you so many mixed messages these days. It's so easy to get confused and to begin to question your own beliefs. The question is who are you gonna listen to?"
Family Discussions: 1. How can your family help each other listen to the right voices and not to some of the other voices who tell you what's right and wrong? 2. Compare and contrast Jesus' words to the words of the world around you. A 3. Whose voice makes more sense to you and whose voice you're going to listen to today?
Transcription: 00:14 You know, I've entitled this devotion today, "Who are you going to listen to?" And it is a biggy as my friend Neil Jeffrey says. We're in Mark chapter nine. We're starting with verse two, and here is what scripture says. "Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them. And his garments became radiant and exceedingly white as no longer on earth can whiten them." And then we'll skip down to verse seven. It says, "then a cloud formed and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud and said, this is my beloved son. Listen to him." 00:59 You know what? What's right for you may not be right for me. You know what? Truth is relative. If it feels good, do it. If there are any number of ways to get to God. They're saying to you now. People are saying. You know what? It made me pornography to you, but it's art to me. People say that. People say, you may call it profanity, but I call it freedom of speech. People say, you know what? There's no objective morals, just differing opinions. There's no absolute truth. It's whatever you think is true. One person will say to you, you know what? Come on. It's just a little drink. A little drink won't hurt you, a little alcohol. Or a guy may say to you, if you're a girl or girl may say to a guy, you know what? Hey, don't be so frigid. Sex is okay if it's safe. Voices. They're everywhere, aren't they? They, they give you so many mixed messages these days. It's so easy to get confused and to begin to question your own beliefs. The question is who are you gonna listen to? 01:59 You know, fortunately God gave all authority to his son. Fortunately, Jesus speaks very clearly in his words. Fortunately, God wrote Jesus' words down in a book, and fortunately you're fortunate enough probably to have one or two or three or maybe five of your own. You know, Jesus' words are so welcoming and so reassuring in days like these. He said, "I am the way, I am the truth. I am the life. No one comes to the father, but by me." And you know what? John 6 says, Jesus, you have the words of eternal life. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments. He says in John 14:15. He says, he who overcomes shall inherit these things and I will be his God, and he will be my son, in Revelation 21:7. He said, don't you know that your body's a temple of the Holy spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you're not your own. He says, for you have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. 03:08 Man, God's word comes through today as strong as it did that glorious day up on that mountain when Jesus was transfigured, and he heard the audible voice from the sky. This is my son. This is my beloved son. Listen to him. Listen to him. Here's the questions for today. Isn't this great? He says, how can your family that's around you, How can your family help each other listen to the right voices and not to some of the other voices who tell you what's right and wrong? And then secondly, compare and contrast Jesus' words to the words of the world around you. And then here's the last question. To make it personal, whose voice makes more sense to you and whose voice you're going to listen to today? And here's the thought for the day. As a family, hold each other accountable to keep the ungodly voices out of your home.
"We used to ski as a family in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. And sometimes we would take all of our young life kids and our young life clubs to Steamboat Springs to ski. And we had more fun and we took lots of Kanakuk kids over the years. But when you go from Missouri to Steamboat Springs, you crossover a pass called Rabbit Ears Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass is 9,400 feet high. And it is the watershed of the United States of America"
Family Discussions: 1. If Jesus asked you that faithful question, "who do you say that I am?" How would you respond? 2. What does it mean when Peter said, you are the Christ? What does the Christ mean? 3. Why did Jesus say, why did he say "I am the way I am the truth and I am the life. No one comes to the father except by me."?
Transcription: 00:14 Today's devotional is absolutely amazing. This is a devotional. In fact, there's one statement of this devotional day that is absolutely gonna patch your hair. It's in Mark chapter eight, and we're going to begin with verse 27. It's a conversation between Jesus and his disciples. And listen to what one of them says in verse 27. Scripture says, "and Jesus went out along with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he questioned his disciples and he said, who did the people say that I am? They told him, saying John the Baptist. Others say Elijah, others say one of the prophets. But he continued to question them." And here's the question. "He said, who do you say that I am? And Peter said to him, you are the Christ, the son of the living God." 01:12 You know what? We used to ski as a family in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. And sometimes we would take all of our young life kids and our young life clubs to Steamboat Springs to ski. And we had more fun and we took lots of Kanakuk kids over the years. But when you go from Missouri to Steamboat Springs, you crossover a pass called Rabbit Ears Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass is 9,400 feet high. And it is the watershed of the United States of America. Every drop of rain that falls on the West of Rabbit Ears Pass goes to the Pacific and every drop that falls on the East goes eventually to the Atlantic. The watershed divides the nation as far as water and moisture's concern. This passage is the watershed of Christianity. 01:57 You know, the Muslims say that Mohammed and sufficient works is the way to God. The Mormons say, Joseph Smith's teaching and sufficient works are the way to get to God. The Jehovah's Witnesses say that sacrifice of Christ is only part of the equation. It gets one to God for eternity. You name them, Joseph Smith, Muhammad Charles Tate Russell. They all recognize Jesus as a great historical and religious figure, but their beliefs on Bible doctrine and the saving blood of Jesus are on the opposite side of the watershed from Jesus' own words about himself. On Jesus' side of the watershed are some staggering claims that true Christianity must accept completely. One, He is the fulfillment of all old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Two, he as he says in John 14:6 is the only way to God. Three, He is fully God, 100% God in the flesh. Four, He is the complete atonement for our sin. His death on the cross was sufficient. And five, the Bible is the Word of God. It is his complete word to mankind. And you know what? Revelation makes it clear. Nobody adds anything to this word. 03:21 So who do you say that He is? Well, Peter answered correctly and upon that belief that Jesus was the son of God. Jesus built his church on that belief and on that faith, and that's where his eternal family stands. So here's the questions today. One, if Jesus asked you that faithful question, "who do you say that I am?" How would you respond? And then secondly, this is big. What does it mean when Peter said, you are the Christ? What does the Christ mean? And then thirdly, why did Jesus say, why did he say "I am the way I am the truth and I am the life. No one comes to the father except by me."? It's a big claim. And he lived it and he died it. Here's the lifeline. To believe in him, is to love him. To love him, is to follow him. To follow him is to obey him. And to obey him, is to walk with him forever.
"Now I've got this little friendly Eagle by my side and he is really beautiful. And you know, sometimes this thing almost looks like he's alive. You can just look at his face and you can just see the handy work of God in this Eagle. Every feather created perfectly, beautifully."
Family Discussions: 1. Why do people continue to demand signs from God when they're all over creation? 2. What signs have you seen lately that have awed you like it awed me? 3. What is the sign of God's creative amazement that mean the most to you?
Transcription: 00:13 Every time my eyes go into the Word of God, I just get fascinated all over again. And I'm fascinated today. Jesus' Words always just penetrate your heart. They penetrate your life, your intentions, your motives. Listen to this one today he is shooting it straight again. It's in Mark chapter eight and we're in verse 11 through 13. And here's what it says. "The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And Jesus says, why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation. Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side." You know what? He's given enough signs. The greatest sign of all is thatthey're all over the world. They're around people's necks. They're on Bibles. They're on church, steeple sides. You know, the cross is the greatest sign of all time, but there's also signs everywhere. 01:21 Now I've got this little friendly Eagle by my side and he is really beautiful. And you know, sometimes this thing almost looks like he's alive. You can just look at his face and you can just see the handy work of God in this Eagle. Every feather created perfectly, beautifully. A young man came to my office one time. He said, I don't believe in God when I had this Eagle by my side, which by the way is not a real Eagle. A taxidermist took feathers from chickens and dyed them to make them look like an Eagle. Although sometimes he does look a little bit alive if you just look at him just right and he almost looks you in the eye. And I just showed this young man the Eagle. And I said, Hey, either this Eagle happened by chance, by accident or somebody designed, somebody thought up that Eagle, and he said, well, it's obvious somebody designed that Eagle. It happened just like that. He became a creationist as I am rather than an evolutionist. 02:18 When you look up in the sky at night. Talk about a sign. You're looking at one galaxy, the Milky Way, 544 quadrillion miles wide with 4 billion stars, and then there's 99,999 other galaxies up there in the sky, all declaring the wonder if God. Do you know what? That this entire cosmos that you and I live under the whole cosmos is a sign from heaven. The anthropic principle, which is now traveling through the hallways of science, says that the whole cosmos was designed perfectly so that you and I could live on planet earth. As Dr. Francis Collins, the scientists who designed the genome declared just three or four years ago. If the gravitational constant was off one part in a hundred million millionth, it would be impossible for life to exist today. What he's saying is there's an orchestra leader, there's a conductor of the cosmos who turns everything perfectly intricately for you and now to be able to live on planet earth. 03:20 There are signs everywhere, right Eagle? But the greatest sign of all is the sign of the cross. So here's the questions today. Why do people continue to demand signs from God when they're all over creation? And the second one is a great question. What signs have you seen lately that have awed you like it awed me? And then the third question is this. What is the sign of God's creative amazement that mean the most to you? For me, the greatest sign is when this happens in the life of a lost friend, and that friend is born to eternal life. Well, here's the lifeline today. When you wonder where God is, Hey, look all around you and thank him for the miracles that fill your heart and fill your home.
"If this is any age that we live in, it's the age of the computer. I carry a little, you know, computer, so to speak, in my pocket. The first computers that were built, you know, not so many years ago were costing like $3 million to build. Today, you can get one of these things for a couple of hundred bucks if you've got a good shopper - an internet shopper. " Family Discussions: 1. What in the world are you doing to your heart? 2. How can we as a family help each other have pure hearts? 3. What can you do today to change what's coming in here, through here and here to give yourself a pure heart?
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, of all the great things that come out of looking at God's word every day, the greatest is reading the words of Jesus himself. And then seeing how his words, you know, here we are, 2000 something years later, and how his words still get you right in the middle of your heart and in your life. That's why we got to have this thing every single day. Mark chapter seven, verse 21 through 23, it literally hits you in the heart because this word today is written for the human heart. Listen to this. This is incredible. Jesus says, "for from within out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts fornications thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness. As well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within. And to follow the man." 01:10 You know what? If this is any age that we live in, it's the age of the computer. I carry a little, you know, computer, so to speak, in my pocket. The first computers that were built, you know, not so many years ago were costing like $3 million to build. Today, you can get one of these things for a couple of hundred bucks if you've got a good shopper - an internet shopper. But you know, what's interesting about these computers and they can hold trillions upon trillions upon trillions of bytes of information. These things aren't born with brains of their own. They're born with capabilities to intake from a radio wave or from an electrical current or from a laser current or from a keyboard. They just absorb what's put into them and they get assimilate that information quickly. That's what makes computers so amazing. But they aren't born with a brain. You have to give them their brain by how you program them. 02:10 And so it is with the human heart. You know, our heart is literally the Quarterback in the huddle that calls the plays of our life. Our heart is the driver of the bus that's full of schoolchildren. The heart controls everything in your life. I was watching a morning Today Show, I think. This morning as I was getting ready to come to work and I saw two like of the greatest stars that ever lived, one of them was a huge superstar in music, this huge and one of them was a huge Superstore of Broadway and in television. And both of them regretfully in the interview went back to the days in their twenties and thirties when somebody programmed their heart that drinking was okay. This one guy said, I was just having a shot of martini. And then I had two, and then I had three and then I had six and then my life was in trouble. The other guy talked about, even though he's one of the greatest rock stars who ever lived, how he lost his family because somebody convinced him that, you know what? You know, a little marijuana is not going to hurt. Hey, just a little joint here and a little joint there. Well pretty soon he became an addict. Pretty soon he lost literally everything that mattered to him. 03:24 The human heart is the wellspring of life Scripture says. You know what? Garbage in, garbage out. You put good thoughts into this little heart of yours and you will think good thoughts and you will act good thoughts and you will live good thoughts. You put garbage into this heart and garbage is what's going to come out of your life. I am so proud of the youth of this nation that I get to work with. I get to work with some of the greatest kids in American and the world because they're kids who've decided that they're going to take God's word and put it in their heart. And my heroes in sports and the teams that I speak to, in politics and in business are men and women who program their heart with the word of God and they don't compromise no matter what. 04:10 Question number one, why are we kidding ourselves when we say, you know what? When I listened to music, I just kind of listened to the notes. But you know, I don't really pay attention to the words or when we go to a movie and go, you know, it's PG 13. Yeah, it's R rated movie. It's got a great story. But you know what? When you check in on it, it's got sex, it's got nudity, it's got profanity. You know, what in the world are you doing to your heart? How can we as a family help each other have pure hearts? And forth, what can you do today to change what's coming in here, through here and here to give yourself a pure heart? It is so important. And here's the thought for the day, as a potter molds the clay into a work of art, so a home molds the heart of each other into a masterpiece of God.
"I am a Patriot and I feel blessed to live in Branson, Missouri in the United States of America. But you know what? There's a whole lot of traditions in this country that have grown up, especially in the last 60 years that are traditions of men that I don't agree with. "
Family Discussions: 1. What is the difference between tradition and truth? 2. What politically correct idioms bother you? 3. How has this devotional from Mark chapter seven help you see your values more clearly and live by truth and not traditions?
Transcription: 00:14 Today's devotion will hit home probably as good as any devotional I've ever read in scripture. It's chapter seven in the book of Mark, and we're starting at verse six. It was a great day for Jesus as all of his days were great. He always won in every conversation. Verse six says this, "and he said to them rightly, did Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites? As it is written, this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain, do they worship me? Teaching as doctrines, the precepts or the traditions of men neglecting the commandment of God. You hold to the traditions of men." 00:59 I am a Patriot and I feel blessed to live in Branson, Missouri in the United States of America. But you know what? There's a whole lot of traditions in this country that have grown up, especially in the last 60 years that are traditions of men that I don't agree with. I have a dear friend and he's one of the nicest young men and one of the successful guys I've ever met in my life in terms of doing what he believes God wants him to do, but he was supposed to be an abortion. And it was the desire of everybody in the family above him to abort him because he was an unwanted child. Fortunately, his mom had the courage to say no, and his mom had him. And now he's doing amazing things with his life. But the tradition says that abortions are good, fine, legal. 55-60 million babies in America have been killed by abortion in the last 30 or 40 years. But I'm glad that some people follow the teachings of God rather than the traditions of men. 02:01 I'll never forget, we've had like 50,000 summer staff at these camps in the last 86 years that I get to be a part of. And boy, the greatest folks. I remember one guy who was a sinner on the university of Southern California football team, Tom Debitscisus is one of the finest looking athletes you ever met. And he fell in love with one of the kampers who grew up and then was a counselor named Tori and she was like a daughter to me. And they fell in love. Well, the tradition is that when you fall in love on a college campus, then you go ahead and live together and have sex. But Tom wasn't a man who followed the tradition of man. He followed the Word of God. And then Tom got engaged at the fraternity house and the guys were like, okay, Tom, you're engaged now. Now it's okay to move in with Tori. But Tom goes, you know what, I'm not about their traditions of men. I'm about the word of God and I'm saving my sex for marriage. And he honored that girl till now they became married and now they're, you know, married happily ever after. 02:58 I have a little friend in our Kamp named Jordan Sparks and Jordin years ago was the American idol and it was so much fun watching Jordan carry that title. On one hand was her Kanakuk Kamp ring on the other hand was her purity ring. And wherever she went, she would be teased and challenged about their commitment to purity in sex and purity and you know, in her life and her body. And boy, did God honored Jordin Sparks for not following the traditions of men, but following the word of God. 03:30 You know, in a science class, anybody who takes biology, I was a premed major and studied biology for four and a half years in college. Well, the tradition is that you evolved from slime. The tradition is that you're nothing more than an evolutionary leak in the succession of apes. But the word of God says that you were made, you were designed, you were created in the image of God, which is the only scientific fact really that's plausible of how somebody got here. But the tradition says you were evolved, that you don't have a God. Well, I'll tell you one thing about the traditions of men. They won't get you to Heaven. And I'll tell you another thing about the tradition of men. They won't give you life. True life and true joy on this earth. Tradition or truth. It's a question that you and I have got to ask every single day. What am I going to do? What am I going to live by tradition or truth? 04:23 And here's some questions that I want to ask you. What is the difference between tradition and truth? And the second question today is what politically correct idioms bother you? And the third one is how has this devotional from Mark chapter seven help you see your values more clearly and live by truth and not traditions? Here's the lifeline for today of at home in a godly home. The truth never changes.
"One of the greatest joys of my life, gosh, 30 something years ago, we started building camps for inner city kids and man, it has been a great adventure. We get kids from inner cities all over America. Just the most precious children really, who've been overlooked a lot by our society. But every summer there's now four camps for these urban kids."
Family Discussions: 1. How do you personally find God's abundance in him, in his word, every day? 2. Have you been going to him daily for your bread? Or have you been going to the world's ideas of abundance? 3. What is the secret of living the abundance life?
Transcription: 00:14 This is a good one today. We're in Mark chapters six and we're going to be reading verses 41 through 44 this is one of the greatest moments of Jesus's life. I love this devotional. In verse 41 a chapter six it says this, "and Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up toward heaven. He blessed the food and broke the loaves and he kept giving them to the disciples to set before them and he divided up the two fish among them and they all ate and were satisfied and they picked up 12 full baskets of the broken pieces and also the fish." There were 5,000 men who ate the loaves all from one little sack of groceries. 01:01 You know what? I get to see Jesus do that a lot. In fact, one of the greatest joys of my life, gosh, 30 something years ago, we started building camps for inner city kids and man, it has been a great adventure. We get kids from inner cities all over America. Just the most precious children really, who've been overlooked a lot by our society. But every summer there's now four camps for these urban kids. And you know what, man? There's 7,000 who come every summer and literally get a bubble bath of Jesus and they go back to their neighborhoods to live for Christ. The crazy thing about it is there's this waiting list every year. I mean, there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kids who can get in. It's just the word has got around in inner cities all over America. The Kids Across America is the place to go. And you just see this abundance of Jesus at this camp and the abundance is spreading all over the country. And you know what? That's what I love about God. 02:05 I see the same thing in my love for Debbie Jo. You know, after all these decades of being married to this amazing girl, my love just grows and grows and grows. Like every year of our life is like I rediscover love. There's an abundance of love. You just can't get enough. When God is in the middle of something, it just overflows. There's baskets full leftover. And so it is with God. And you know, when I consider God, man, I am overcome with gratitude. I mean his love just overalls me. Why? Why would he not only put up with, you know, someone like me, but also actually be my dad. Why would he just be my best friend? My God. It's, it's beyond my wildest dreams. You know, his love can't be contained in my mind. Why? It's the same reason. 2:55 You know, days when I, when I go to the world for fulfillment in my mind and try to, you know, to fill myself with whatever's of the world. You know what? I ended up with a glass that's half full. I went up with a plate that's half empty. You know, I'll get selfish or I'll get impatient with God. I'll get impatient with my family, with myself. But hey, I don't know where you are. But Jesus fed the 5,000 and don't ever forget he had 12 baskets leftover. In the same way he feeds his kids. That's you. With love, with peace, with fulfillment, and there's always an abundance left over. And so he gives us love for each other and we find an abundance of that for each other as well. 03:41 Here's the questions today. How do you personally find God's abundance in him, in his word, every day? And then this second question, take it right to your heart. Have you been going to him daily for your bread? Or have you been going to the world's ideas of abundance? And explain that if you can. Whoever's watching this with you. And then the last one is the big one. What is the secret of living the abundance life? Here's the lifeline for today. If Christ can feed 5,000 men plus the wives and children in their lives on just a few loaves of bread and a few piece of fish, think what he can do with the family that's totally yielded to him.
"One of the many reasons I just admire my wife and every cell in her body is the witness that she has to her family. Her family were not believers but one by one because of the life of that girl that grew up in a home that just didn't know God."
Family Discussions: 1. Why was it the most difficult for Jesus to be effective right there in his own hometown? 2. Why is it the most difficult for you to be a true witness for Christ in your home? 3. How can your family support you and how can you support your family as you try to be an effective witness in your home?
Transcription: 00:13 You know, the reason I love this book so much is because it's Word of God obviously. And because the new Testament of course is a whole lot about Jesus. In fact, it's all about Jesus. And the Old Testament points toward the coming of Jesus. And the New Testament, points back at the life of Jesus. But he was just so incredibly wise. And the things that he says, man, they hit you right in the heart. This is this a great statement to anybody who is in any member of a family. This is about being a Christian at home. We're in Mark chapter six and we're in verse one and it says this. "Jesus went out from there and came in to his hometown and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, it goes on. He began to teach in the synagogue there in his hometown. And many listeners were astonished saying, where did this man get his wisdom? It's been given to him. And the miracles performed by his hands. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters with him here with us? And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." 01:32 Hey, it's easy to be a witness out there, he's saying. But what about in your home? Man, I opened my heart and let Jesus come in when I was 17. I was a high school kid. My world was football. There were a lot of inconsistencies in my life. And you know what my greatest desire was to witness to my brother. My big brother, Bill, has always been my hero. But I wanted to share Christ with him. He wasn't a believer. He might've believed here, but didn't believe here. I don't think any of us knew that you could open your heart, let Jesus literally come into your heart. But I just did the best I could to be a friend to Bill. And you know what? I will never forget the night, probably five years later that I got to pray with bill and I saw my brother except Christ into his heart. It was definitely one of the greatest years of my life. You know, home may be the most difficult place in the world to witness, but it is always, and it will always be the best place on earth to let your light shine for God. 02:49 One of the many reasons I just admire my wife and every cell in her body is the witness that she has to her family. Her family were not believers but one by one because of the life of that girl that grew up in a home that just didn't know God. With a home without a dad. It was just a mess in a lot of ways. But Debbie Jo was a witness and she still remains a witness and we see her family members, like several of those folks in her family come to Christ. And live completely different lives. So, it happens everywhere and I know it can happen in your home. 03:28 So let me ask you these questions. Why was it the most difficult for Jesus to be effective right there in his own hometown? That was Jesus. And then secondly, why is it the most difficult for you to be a true witness for Christ in your home? And then thirdly, how can your family support you and how can you support your family as you try to be an effective witness in your home? And here's the thought for the day. You know, a family that is quick to forgive, a family that is quick to forgive and slow to judge is the home where witnessing is easy.
" I remember we were doing a crusade at Oklahoma university and you know, a couple of thousand kids show up and one girl comes to the cross and gives her life to Christ and Jesus gives her the healing touch. And she said to me afterwards in the letter, she said, you know what? She said, my body has always been my god. My body is my god."
Family Discussions: 1. What is your need that enables you relate to some of these healing touches of Jesus that I've talked to you about today? 2. How can your family be more bonded around the need for his healing touch? 3. Jesus' last words when he said, don't be afraid. Only believe. How do those reassuring words speak to your heart today? 4. How do you need to see it?
Transcription: 00:14 This devotional today is fantastic because it comes from the words of a fantastic man. The most fantastic man who ever lived and obviously the most fantastic book that was ever written. Imagine when you look at this book, you're looking literally at the Word of God. The Word that God breathed out of his mouth. That's what scripture he is. We're in the life of Jesus. Of course, we're in Mark chapter five, and today we're going to start with verse 35 and go to verse 36. It was a amazing day in the life of Christ, but it's going to have something amazing to say to you as well. Verse 35 said this "while he was still speaking that came from the house of the synagogue official saying, your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher anymore? But Jesus overhearing what was being spoken said that the synagogue official do not be afraid any longer. Only believe." 01:09 And so Jesus goes to the little girl whose name was Taletha and he gives her his healing touch and the healing word, he says politely, little girl arise and she arose and live happily ever after, I presume. Pretty neat to read about that girl and what Jesus did with that girl. But you know what? I see Jesus' healing touch literally every day. Had some little friends in the world of gymnastics and you know, everything about gymnastics is being tiny and being little and being slender and being thin. And all the magazines that these little friends read were you know, the teenage girl magazines and you've gotta be tiny. You gotta be slender and you gotta be slim. And so they became, you know, got an eating disorder and became, you know, anorexic and literally. If something wouldn't have happened, would've probably died from starvation as many young girls and even guys do today from watching this stuff too much. But they begin to give each other the healing touch of God and watching those friends cling to each other and begin to give their eating disorder to God and beginning to give their bodies to God. 02:21 I remember we were doing a crusade at Oklahoma university and you know, a couple of thousand kids show up and one girl comes to the cross and gives her life to Christ and Jesus gives her the healing touch. And she said to me afterwards in the letter, she said, you know what? She said, my body has always been my god. My body is my god. But she said, tonight, I begin to see myself in the image of Christ. That's why I love to go to the campuses. I remember at Texas A&M, there were some 6,000 students who showed up for the crusade and afterwards probably three or 4,000 kids came up to the cross. But I'll never forget one girl who had a man she hated and she was living her life in vengeance and bitterness because he killed her had. But that night, that girl brought that hatred to the cross, believe it or not, and she forgave the guy. 03:12 I remember an NFL linebacker came to an event in Michigan. They were probably a couple of thousand guys that came down to that cross that day in this great Coliseum. And this one guy had hated his dad for 35 years. All the way through the national football league and all the way through college football. He's one of the best in the game, but he hated his dad because his daddy abused him when he was a little boy. But there in front of the cross, he forgave his dad. I remember hugging this guy, just the tears as he wept and wept in my arms as he was able to say, I love you daddy. I forgive you daddy. 03:46 You know, one of the, one of the greatest football players who ever played the game was in prison because of some, some crimes and stuff he'd gotten into. But they're in the prison, an NFL coach who loved Jesus came into the prison and gave that guy the healing touch of Jesus. The guy's back on the field. He got out of prison and he's a completely different person. So the healing touch didn't just happen 2000 years ago, but the healing touch is happening. In fact, it's happening. It's happening in your home. 04:21 So here's the questions today. What is your need that enables you relate to some of these healing touches of Jesus that I've talked to you about today? And how can your family, you know, your husband, your wife, your mom, your dad, your grandpa, your, your child? How can your family be more bonded around the need for his healing touch? Because the homes, the best place for it. And then Jesus' last words when he said, don't be afraid. Only believe. How do those reassuring words speak to your heart today? And how do you need to see it? And here's the lifeline for today. Christ uses afflictions to get us on our knees and unite it around the cross. When healing comes, stay there and give him the glory for the rest of your life.
" I have a dear friend who's now in heaven, but he came to our sports camps and he and I became very good friends. He was a solid believer. But when he went to college, he had a roommate who was an agnostic or perhaps an atheist. And because of the secular school that he was in and the professors that were in his life, he believed in college that faith was in science, math, and medicine. "
Family Discussions: 1. Why was the woman's touch unique to Jesus' heart? 2. What was unique about her touch? 3. When is faith sincere? 4. Is there a hurt in your heart today that needs the sensitive touch of Jesus?
Transcription: 00:14 Hey, I can't wait to tell you the story today. It's a true story and it gives birth to another true story. That's one of the most fascinating stories I've ever heard in my life. The first true story comes from Mark chapter five in scripture. And the context of this story is this, Jesus is in a crowd and the crowd is pressing in all around him and there's a woman who comes up to him who's been hemorrhaging. Her blood just will not heal. Her blood is just flowing. I've got leukemia, CML, leukemia, and if it weren't for an amazing, miraculous, wonder drug that God provided for me, you know, I would be hemorrhaging and probably dying sitting in this chair. But this woman had the blood hemorrhaging disease and she had spent everything she had on her physicians and they couldn't do anything for her. 01:05 But we go to verse 30 in this awesome account, and it says this "Immediately Jesus perceiving in himself that the power was proceeding from him had gone forth. He turned around in the crowd and said, who touched my garments? And his disciples said to him, you see the crowd pressing in on you and you say, who touched me? And he looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your affliction." 01:52 You know, I think of the fairy tale, the princess and the pea and those crazy wild fairytales that we used to hear when we were little kids, but you know, the one where the King, I suppose, want to make sure that the princess was a princess. So he stocked up like 20 mattresses over a little bitty pea and he surmised his mind that if she could lay on the mattress and feel the sensitive touch of a little bitty quarter inch pea underneath the lowest mattress, that she indeed would be the princess. I don't know where that came from, but this I believe is the most sensitive touch in the world. When Jesus was in a crowd and some woman who'd spent everything, she had had enough faith to touch his garment and all she needed was one touch. And Jesus healed that woman. 02:35 I have a dear friend who's now in heaven, but he came to our sports camps and he and I became very good friends. He was a solid believer. But when he went to college, he had a roommate who was an agnostic or perhaps an atheist. And because of the secular school that he was in and the professors that were in his life, he believed in college that faith was in science, math, and medicine. And he put all of his faith in science and math and medicine and he abandoned his faith in God. He walked away from his faith in Christ and denied that there even was a God. Well, he contracted a disease - a certain kind of cancer that was incurable. And he went through two years of science, faith in medicine. In fact, he had the best doctors in the world, the best of science, faith and medicine, who gave him everything that science, faith and medicine could, but it didn't work. His science, faith and medicine wore out. He had a fiancé who loved Jesus and she began to pray for him. And daily she prayed for him that he would come to know Jesus and she said, God, whatever it takes, whatever it takes for him to come to know Jesus, God, whatever it takes, I'm willing to give him up. 03:49 He goes into a coma the last few days of his life. And they're in the coma, literally, he'd been given a drug to completely put him in a medical coma, but there in the coma, he met Jesus. He took a board, a little whiteboard that he used to write on and a pen that was laying by his side and he drew three crosses on that board. In a coma, he drew three crosses and his daddy said, Caleb, are you seeing Jesus? And he and he took the pen and he punched the board three or four times with a pen. He actually came out of the coma and he told his fiancé and he told his family that there in the coma he had met Christ. And his life completely changed for the next two weeks. He said, I love you to people. Everybody who came to him, he was just like the brightest star in the room. When science and faith and math failed, you have the gentle touch of Jesus. 04:46 Here's the questions for today. Why was the woman's touch unique to Jesus' heart? From all the other impulses that he felt that day, what was unique about her touch? The second question is this. When is faith sincere? And the third question is this. Is there a hurt in your heart today that needs the sensitive touch of Jesus? And the lifeline is this. Pray as a family every day for the needs and hurts of the people in your family that need a savior's gentle touch because oftentimes He uses you to be the gentle touch of Jesus himself.
"I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy."
Family Discussions: 1. Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves? 2. Call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it. 3. Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn?
Transcription: 00:13 Hey, this is an awesome devotional today from an awesome passage in scripture. This is just fantastic. This is a day when Jesus took his 12 followers, his disciples, on a little boat ride that they'll never ever forget. And as my friend and my mentor, Dr. Howard Hendrick says, "it's one thing to have the boat in the water, but it's something else to have water in the boat.' This was the day the boat was filled with water. We're looking at Mark chapter four verse 35. On the memorable date. He said, "when evening came, Jesus said to them, his disciples let us go over to the other side of the lake. So leaving the crowd, they took him along with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him. And there arose a fierce Gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus himself was in the stern asleep on the cushion, and they woke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we're perishing? And he got up and he did something amazing. He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, hush, be still. And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And Jesus said to them, why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 01:37 You know, I have a little friend, her name is Jenna and she's a hero. This precious girl for decades has suffered from deteriorating sinuses. She has probably not had a healthy day in her life for 20 years. In fact, on a regular basis maybe annually they have to come in and peel her skin down off her face and go into her sinuses and do work on her sinus cavities. And then to make matters worse, she has a horrible two year battle with hepatitis. And then she had a terrible personal, but terrible tragedy happened in her life. It was so hideous and so wrong. But every time I talked to Jenna, she's filled with joy. She's filled with peace. She's filled with happiness. I mean, what a blessing that girl is. And she's gone through more pain and more suffering than I think almost anybody that I know. 02:34 And so I called Jenna, said, Jenna, you know, how can you stay? How does your faith stay so strong? Why aren't you complaining? And she said this to me. She said, I have reckon my life is a fight. I can either fight God or I can fight to make good out of it. She said, I have chosen the latter. I consider the pain I face very small in comparison to the great things God is doing with my life. She says, my emotions make me mad or sad or depressed, but I've got to override my emotions and stop and think what is true. The truth is that my life is his and he is a faithful father no matter what. And I can always say every day, I love God. You know what? Jenna had one step up on the disciples the day they stepped into the boat with Jesus. You know, storms don't destroy a Christian's faith. They test it. They strengthen it. Thank you Jenna, for passing the test and showing us that no matter how big the storm is, that we find ourselves in, Jesus is always in the boat. 03:49 And here's the questions for today. Can you recall a recent storm in your life and how do you normally act to the wind and the waves? And the second question is this. Everyone, if you're in a family right now or your business location, wherever you are, call attention to a fellow family member or to a friend. If you're studying this together, a friend who was faithful to God in a recent stormy period and compliment that family member or that friend for how they handled it. And then here's the third one. Why is faith in the storm so important for us to live and to learn? And the thought for today is this. The family, the home is the place that if it's done, like Jenna, can calm the mini storms on this earth.
"I've got a really good friend that I admire a lot. His name is Neal Jeffrey, and when Neal was born, he had a speech impediment that made him stutter profusely. He also was a great athlete. In fact, he was the quarterback of a great team in Kansas city, but Neal couldn't call the plays."
Family Discussions: 1. Why are you such a tiny seed of faith, such a powerful thing? 2. Describe the most received faith that you possess in your heart. What's it like in you? 3. How can you take that mustard seed that is in you and fertilize it with the Word of God? 4. How can you fertilize it until it becomes a giant tree for God?
Transcription: 00:14 This is a great parable today. Jesus was so incredibly brilliant without a doubt the most brilliant man that ever lived. But he would tell these stories that would confound the wise. In fact, they do confound the wise even today. But they were so simple that even the youngest even the least can understand them. Today's parable, you've probably heard it's a great one. It's in Mark chapter four and it starts in verse 30 and here it goes. "And he said, how should we picture the kingdom of God or by what parable should we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which when sown upon the soil, the way it is smaller than all the other seeds in the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade." 01:11 I've got a really good friend that I admire a lot. His name is Neal Jeffrey, and when Neal was born, he had a speech impediment that made him stutter profusely. He also was a great athlete. In fact, he was the quarterback of a great team in Kansas city, but Neal couldn't call the plays. He would step up to the line and the running back would actually have to call the plays 'cause Neil could not say, "down, set, hut hut." He couldn't even call the plays in the huddle. The receiver would run on the field with a new play from the coach. He would step in the huddle and he would call the plays. And so Neil would just look around the huddle and smile at everybody. Walk up the line. He would take the snap, he would look at the nose guard in front of him, the nose tackle him and he would just grin at him and then all of a sudden that center would hiked the ball. 01:58 Well, you would think that that man would have never become successful. I mean, if you can't even get the words out of your mouth, guess what? Stirring a tiny seed of faith, stirring a little bitty mustard seed of faith in Neal Jeffrey's life. And I will tell you, he's one of the most magnificent teachers I've ever heard in my life. He ain't only played college football. He won the conference championship in college football. He went on to play professional football as a quarterback. Don't ever underestimate what faith can do. 02:28 I'm married to my hero. You know, Debbie Jo grew up without a dad. Her dad was killed when she was four years old. He was a test pilot for the Navy. A fabulous man. In their home, honestly, her brothers will tell you today was chaotic. There were drugs. Literally marijuana growing in their yard. Her Brothers had trouble with the law and they're magnificent guys today. But back then, drugs and alcohol were everywhere. And so picture this young, beautiful girl growing up in that house and you would probably say, you know what? That girl didn't have a chance. I mean, imagine what that girl would probably do with her life. Well, don't go too far because at age 15 that precious little girl in that home went to a Christian camp and she saw the crucifixion of Jesus and he came into her heart and he turned her life upside down. And that little girl has become one of the greatest spiritual heroes to me in the world. Teaches Bible studies to our staff. Teaches Bible studies to women in the neighborhood. They just come out by the dozens to hear her teach the word of God. Don't ever underestimate. Don't ever underestimate what a tiny speck of faith can do in your life or in the life of your home. 03:43 So here's the questions for today. Why are you such a tiny seed of faith, such a powerful thing? And the second question is this. Describe the most received faith that you possess in your heart. What's it like in you? And the third question will take it home. Listen to this. How can you take that mustard seed that is in you and fertilize it with the Word of God? How can you fertilize it until it becomes a giant tree for God? And here's the lifeline of this encouraging devotional. Home, family is the place were mustard seeds are planted and grown the best.
" Have you seen them? They are everywhere. There's enough of them in the air to eclipse the light of the sun. If they were all packed together. There are more of them than there are people that count them. There as many as snowflakes in a blizzard. What are those things? Seeds."
Family Discussions: 1. Why does God compare his word to a little tiny seeds? 2. How can a heart be a garden? 3. How can your heart be a garden that produces the fruit of God? 4. How can you make your home a garden just like that?
Transcription: 00:14 I call today's Bible study, "Little Bitty Seeds." And this is probably the most famous of all of Jesus' parables. Man, what a storyteller he was. And every time he told a story, it had some incredible heavenly meeting. This is the parable of the seeds and it's in Mark chapter four. And we're going to start with verse three. Jesus was speaking, he said this, listen to this. "Behold the sower went out into the field to sow. And as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road and the birds came in and ate it up. Others seeds fell on rocky soil and the ground around it did not have much soil. And immediately it spring up because it had no depth of soil. And after the sun had risen, it was scarce. And because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among the thorns and the thorns came up and choked it and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell into the good soil. And as it grew up and as it increased, it yielded a crop and it produced 30, 60, and a hundred fold." 01:21 Have you seen them? They are everywhere. There's enough of them in the air to eclipse the light of the sun. If they were all packed together. There are more of them than there are people that count them. There as many as snowflakes in a blizzard. What are those things? Seeds. Little tiny seeds and man, our nation is blessed with more seeds than any nation that ever lived. Almost every motel and hotel room in America has a book full of seeds. There's a Bible in a drawer. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thousands upon thousands of TV stations and radio stations across this country and literally around the world. They spread the seeds on invisible radio and television currents. 02:07 Man, the internet is proliferated with seeds. There's churches on almost every street corner in the country, like 453 denominations to be exact. If you can imagine that. But where are the gardens for the seeds to grow in? They don't seem to grow too well in Hollywood these days. Although I've got some friends out there in Hollywood who are very godly people and they give their career away not to appear in certain movies, but generally speaking, what comes out of Hollywood is not very good seeds. You know, there's many, many, many more R rated movies out today than there are G rated movies. There's more PG 13 movies that PG movies by far. 03:00 And then in the schools, man, the courts have kicked out the seeds in the schools. They kicked out prayer. The courts kicked out the 10 commandments. They kicked out and God, they've kicked the Bible out of schools. And then prime time television. Man, Oh man. Seeds don't grow well on prime time television anymore. The only mention of God you'll probably hear on most prime time television is when someone gets mad or someone gets scared and they scream out and God's name in vain. So, where did the seeds grow anymore? Where do you find God's seeds growing? And the answer is phenomenal. They grow in hearts like yours and they grow in homes like the home you're living in today. They grow when you push the world away and you say God, you are my God. You're the God of my home. You are welcome in this house and you're welcome in the house in which we live. You're in charge here, God. Grow here so that others can come and eat out of our garden. 04:01 Here's the questions for today. Why does God compare his word to a little tiny seeds? And second question is this. How can a heart be a garden? How can your heart be a garden that produces the fruit of God? And the third question is this. How can you make your home a garden just like that? And here's the thought for the day. Let's make this home that we live in the most fruitful garden in all creation.
"Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it.""
Family Discussions: 1. How do you describe the fatherhood of God? 2. How does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family?
Transcription: 00:13 Everyday when I get to do these devotionals with you, I'll read a new verse and I'm like, "that is the greatest thing I've ever read in my life!". And you know what? It is the greatest thing I've read in my life because it comes from God's word. We're in Mark chapter three and Jesus says something astounding. In verse 33 of chapter three it says this, "And Jesus answered them and said, who are my mother and my brothers looking about at those who were sitting around him? He said, behold, my mother and my brothers, for whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and my sister and my mother." 00:54 You know what? I have some of the greatest conversations, you know, in events that I get to do and especially at our sports kamps. Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it." And I said, "Connor, did you see somebody make that watch?" And he said no. And I said, "how do you know somebody made that watch?" He said, "Because obviously dude, somebody made that watch." And I said, "Connor, you're right. Because that watch has like five volumes of information. Somebody brilliant had to take all those volumes of information. They packed them into that watch." And then I pulled a little cell off the inside of my mouth. 01:41 In my old days, Microbiology has taught me that when you take a cell and you put it under microscope, there are 10 million volumes of information in that cell. And I said, "Connor, that's as much information is in the space shuttle with five computers and 2.5 million parts all packed into a cell of which you have a hundred trillion space shuttles in your body." I said, "so Connor, if you know that somebody made that somebody brilliant with five volumes of information, who made that cell?" And he said, "uh, it came from another cell.'" I said, "where'd that one come from?" He said, "it came from another cell." I said, "where'd that come from?" And he said, "from another cell." I said, "where did the original cell come from?" And he said, "God must've done that." 02:33 That night we were out into the stars. I was speaking to the kids about the majesty of God, and we were looking up at 100 billion galaxies with each over a hundred billion stars in each galaxy. I mean, God built it all. And science is literally on their knees today at God's magnificent creation. And Connor walks up to me after the presentation that night because in his heart he knew that that design had to have a designer, that that creation had to have a creator. And Connor came up to me in just cold honesty. He said, "so what's the point?" And I said, "Connor, the point is that God wants a family and God wants you to be in his family." 03:16 I have a picture here of my family in the early days, my precious wife, Debbie Jo, who I adore, and my four children years and years ago, and man, they were the happiest days of my life. Being a dad and a family is the greatest thing for me of all. But you know what? God wants a family and you know Jesus, no doubt he came to earth to let us observe the heart of God because Jesus' family consist of those who loved him enough, to accept him in his heart by faith, to love him and to live for him. And of all the people who ever lived, he chose you and gave you the grace to accept his invitation to come into your heart. So as a believer, welcome to the family. And don't ever forget that grateful kids honor and obey parents who love so generously. Only a fool can take that kind of love for granted. 04:17 Here's the question for today. How do you describe the fatherhood of God? And question two, how does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family? And a great thought for the day to take around with your day is this gratitude is shown by love and by obedience.
" I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. "
Family Discussions: 1. Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member? 2. As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way? 3. Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? A 4. How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today?
Transcription: 00:14 I have more fun getting to be friends with Gary Smalley and he writes some of the greatest books I guess, that have ever been written on marriage. On how to build a husband-wife relationship that not only lasts, but that really gives glory to God along the way. Today Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter three verse 22 through 26 is brilliant about being in a relationship in a home and a family as a child, as a father, as a mother, as a husband, or as a wife. This is great day for Jesus when he calls out the rulers who accused him of something awful. We're in a chapter three and we're beginning with verse 22 and it says, "The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, he is possessed by Beelzebul. And he casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons. And so Jesus called them to himself and he began speaking to them in parables. And Jesus said this, how can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished." 01:33 You know what? It was extremely difficult to upset Jesus. He invented self-control. He invented peace and calmness under stress. This was a day, however, when the scribes kicked over the beehive to accuse the Holy Spirit that filled the savior to accuse him of being filled by the spirit of Satan was the final battle cry. Jesus' response was that their declaration was unforgivable. You know his line of defense was as a true and it was true then, and it's true today. A house divided against itself can never stand. That's why Satan will pull out all the stops to divide your house. The most powerful institution that God possesses on earth is a family. A home that is united in the love of Christ and sold out to follow him. 02:27 I see families like this all over America, in the world, families that are united in Christ, and they're like lighthouses to the community. So Satan whispers in your ear, you know, he says things like this, you know, your parents aren't being fair. Your little brother stole your flashlight. Your big sister called you a liar behind your back. You know, guys, your wife is not all she's meant to be. She's not all she supposed to be. Your husband makes the same mistakes over and over again. Have you heard his voice in your ear lately? And so list of accusations goes on and on for a lifetime. And you know what? If you listen to Satan and you begin to believe him. Then there's strife in your relationship. Then there's a wedge that forms between you and the person that you're mad at. And you know what? If left unchecked, that wedge becomes bitterness. It becomes anger. It becomes fighting. And eventually you have just the thing that Jesus said would never stand a divided house. So God's voice on the other channel in your ears says, Hey, forgive. God's voice says don't judge the other person in your home and your family. God's voice says, be patient. God needs a house united. It's your greatest lighthouse to your community. 03:44 So here's the questions today. Has Satan been speaking into your ears lately to cause strife in your heart towards a family member? And here's the second question to ponder. As Christ forgave you, can you forgive them the same way? Will you forgive that person today and not let the sun go down on your anger again? And then the last question is a big one. How can you, whether your husband or wife, grandmother, grandfather, son, or daughter, how can you contribute to a united family and a united home today? And here's the lifeline for today. Unite your family at all costs.
"My mind races back to some of my experiences in the prisons meeting inmates and guys and women who have literally been completely transformed by giving their life to Christ. I remember one that I didn't meet but it was an interview actually on Larry King Live and it was an interview of an inmate in Texas named Karla Faye Tucker. "
Family Discussions: 1. What is Jesus saying to you when he says that new wine needs to be put in new wineskins? 2. Why is it all too easy to put new wine into an old wine skin and to continue to live like a non-Christian when you call yourself a Christian? 3. How does living in the flesh living coronally living in the world like everyone else? 4. How does it damage the cause of Christ when you and I do call ourselves a Christian?
Transcription: 00:23 Hey, I can't wait to share this devotional passage with you today. This one is phenomenal and I know you're going to be able to relate to it like I do. We're in Mark chapter two at this great book in the greatest book of all time. The most historically accurate. The most scientifically accurate. Archeology has proved the Bible over and over again. Prophecy proves the Bible is undoubtedly, undoubtedly the Word of God. And in Mark chapter two, verse 21 and 22, Jesus makes this amazing statement. He says, "No one sows a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise the patch pulls away from it. The new from the old and a worse tear results. In the same way, no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost and the skins as well. But one puts new wine into fresh wineskins." 01:22 You know what? 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a similar verse. It says, "If anyone is in Christ, he or she is a brand new creation. Old things are passed away. Behold, new things have come." I was just talking to a high school friend of mine the other day and you know what, three months ago this friend was trying to commit suicide. But I had the privilege and the joy of leading this friend to Christ and man, you talk about a change. One of the most joyful, happiest young men I've ever met in my life. Making straight A's in school, reconciling relationships with his mom and dad, and example to all of his friends. I mean, when he accepted Christ into his heart, it didn't make him a better person. It made him a brand new person. 02:09 My mind races back to some of my experiences in the prisons meeting inmates and guys and women who have literally been completely transformed by giving their life to Christ. I remember one that I didn't meet but it was an interview actually on Larry King Live and it was an interview of an inmate in Texas named Karla Faye Tucker. And this beautiful young woman was about to go to, I suppose, the electric chair because of a previous murder. When this woman years before had been in on a drug deal and she was heavily under the influence of drugs and in her craziness under drugs, she had been accomplished to a terrible, terrible crime and she was going to receive the death penalty for that. But on that day, on that interview with Larry King, it was the greatest witness for Christ on television. Honestly, I've ever seen in my life. 03:08 That woman was so transformed by the spirit of Christ and you could see that he literally was living inside of her heart. And I don't know what Larry King did after that interview, but I will tell you, I could see in that man that he was moved like he never been before, as was the rest of America who saw that woman who had been completely transformed by her relationship with Christ. You know, becoming a Christian is not simply raising your hand in church, walking down an aisle, getting baptized or going to church. Although those are good things and they're all signs of a changed heart. But becoming a Christian is new wine in a new wine skin. Everything changes. When the people see you, they see Jesus in you. You love him. You live for him. You would die for him. And you would be able to say confidently, as Paul said, toward the end of his life, he said, for me to live is Christ. And to die is gain. Becoming a Christian is metamorphosis. It's a Caterpillar becoming a butterfly. 04:17 And here's the questions for today. What is Jesus saying to you when he says that new wine needs to be put in new wineskins? What does that metaphor about? The second question today is this. Why is it all too easy to put new wine into an old wine skin and to continue to live like a non-Christian when you call yourself a Christian? And the third question is this. How does living in the flesh living coronally living in the world like everyone else? How does it damage the cause of Christ when you and I do call ourselves a Christian? So, here's a thought for the day. The acid test of true Christianity is how you treat the members of your family.
"I have a great friend who was an F-16 top gun pilot. In fact, he was top gun twice and everything he does, he does according to the book. I mean the guy is precision to perfection. He's an American Airlines pilot trainer and is very successful in what he does. Everything by the letter. Everything by the book. Everything done exceedingly well. He has a great wife and a great family of three fantastic daughters. But one day, one of his daughters brought home something that my friend would never have imagined happening in his home. She brought home the news that she was pregnant and indeed she would seem soon give birth to a beautiful baby. "
Family Discussions: 1. How did Bob's relationship to Jesus, the dad, how did his relationship to Jesus make his decision so immediately obvious? 2. How does Jesus' death on the cross make you want to reciprocate to your family, to your closest friends with the problems that they have or the way they've offended you today? 3. Why do we hold grudges in our home, in your marriage, in your parenting, in your kids, to your parents? W 4. Is there anyone you need to forgive today?
Transcription: 00:13 It is great to be back with you again today. And I am so excited to share these two Bible verses with you because they are gigantic in the life of a father, mother, son, daughter. Whatever you are in school or in business, this speaks straight to your heart today. We're in Mark chapter two, and we're in the scene that we were talking about yesterday where these guys lower their friend down through a pallet, through a hole in the roof they dug to get him in front of Jesus because the guy was paralyzed. But Jesus does something unusual. The first thing, is very unusual, that only God could do by the way, but the first thing he does is he forgives the guy's sins. Later on, he heals the guy. But he starts getting some criticism from the Jewish leaders because to forgive sins, he was claiming to be who he was - God in the flesh. And of course, the penalty for that was blasphemy and the penalty of death. 01:09 And scripture says in verse eight of chapter two, "Immediately Jesus aware in his spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves. He said to them, why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts, which is easier to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven or to say to the paralytic, get up, take up your pallet and walk." You know, forgiving sins, only God can do that. We know that. And thank God, but what a price Jesus had to pay to forgive us of our sins. That was absolutely the most difficult thing I'm sure that ever happened in all of eternity. But I see it all the time in homes. I see it in friendships. 01:56 I have a great friend who was an F-16 top gun pilot. In fact, he was top gun twice and everything he does, he does according to the book. I mean the guy is precision to perfection. He's an American Airlines pilot trainer and is very successful in what he does. Everything by the letter. Everything by the book. Everything done exceedingly well. He has a great wife and a great family of three fantastic daughters. But one day, one of his daughters brought home something that my friend would never have imagined happening in his home. She brought home the news that she was pregnant and indeed she would seem soon give birth to a beautiful baby. She wasn't married, she had a boyfriend, but she and the boyfriend just to call a spade a spade just fell into sin and she became pregnant and brought the news home. 02:55 Bob had a choice and I know you've got choices like this today, as well. You know, he could put her out on the streets. He could say, Hey, too bad, you know, you made a mistake. So, you know, take your mistake and go deal with the consequences or as some people do, which is a grave mistake. He could demanded that she get an abortion. So his reputation is a dad, wouldn't be stained. But for this friend of mine, the choice was easy. He also could say to his daughter, Hey, my love for you is unconditional. I don't care what you do or what mistakes you make, you are still my daughter and we will care for you. And we will care for that baby is if that baby we're our own. Well that daughter went on to make great decisions and to raise that child in a wonderful Christian family and that child is going to serve God I'm sure for the rest of that child's life. 03:51 So here's the questions to you and I today. How did Bob's relationship to Jesus, the dad, how did his relationship to Jesus make his decision so immediately obvious? And then the second question is this. How does Jesus' death on the cross make you want to reciprocate to your family, to your closest friends with the problems that they have or the way they've offended you today? And then talking about the family. Number three question. Why do we hold grudges in our home, in your marriage, in your parenting, in your kids, to your parents? Why do we hold grudges? And Hey, is there anyone you need to forgive today? So here's the thought for the day. You know, the gift of forgiveness is a two way mirror. We reflect to our family what we see in the eyes of our savior.
"I met an interesting guy one time named Larry and Larry is a helicopter mechanic for the Ohio state highway patrol. You know, Larry's been a Christian for many years and he has walked with God with a peace in his heart that only a true Christian understands. The helicopter pilot that Larry serves is a pretty high breasts highway patrolman that spiritually is paralyzed."
Family Discussions: 1. Why does so relatively few friends bring their friends to Jesus? 2. Who's the Larry in your life that needs to know Jesus today? 3. How can you lower your friends through the roof to see Jesus?
Transcription: 00:13 This morning we're in one of my favorite passages of scripture. I love watching friends who bring friends to Christ. This is one of the great accounts of what real friends do for their friends. Chapter two verses two through five. Look at Mark and here it says, "and many were gathered together so that there was no longer any room, not even near the door. And he was speaking the word to them and they came bringing to him a paralytic." If you can picture this scene carried by four men "being unable to get in because of the crowd. They removed the roof above him and when they had dug an opening in the roof, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven. I say to you, pick up your pallet and go home." 01:07 You know, I met an interesting guy one time named Larry and Larry is a helicopter mechanic for the Ohio state highway patrol. You know, Larry's been a Christian for many years and he has walked with God with a peace in his heart that only a true Christian understands. The helicopter pilot that Larry serves is a pretty high breasts highway patrolman that spiritually is paralyzed. That is until Larry came along and the highway patrolman did not know Jesus Christ in the least, but Larry prayed for him and he invited him to church for over a year. But a last to Larry's dismay, the highway patrolman was elusive and rebuffed the mechanic over and over again. Finally, one day, Larry invited the officer to an event that I was speaking at in Three Rivers Stadium. There were 55,000 men in Three Rivers Stadium in the old Pittsburgh Steelers day when they played at Three Rivers. 02:02 But during the event that day, the highway patrolman actually gave his heart to Christ along with thousands of other men. It was a crazy, amazing day in Pittsburgh. But you know what? That day, that highway patrol name has never been the same. His spiritual paralysis is gone. His sins are forgiven and he is a happy man today. So watch out! If you're driving down the road and you hear a helicopter overhead, it might be Larry and he probably will still give you a ticket. But you know what? Across America and around the world, friends are still bringing their paralyzed friends to Jesus. The same way those guys in Capernaum brought their friend, dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend so that Jesus could heal that man and forgive his sins. You know what? Jesus is visiting your town today. Who do you know that needs a ride to see him? 02:59 And here's some questions for you today after this great passage. Friends, take friends to the movies. We know that. Friends take friends to sporting events. Why does so relatively few friends bring their friends to Jesus? And the second question is this. Who do you know? Who's the Larry in your life that needs to know Jesus today? Third question is this, over the next year, how can you lower your friends through the roof to see Jesus? And here's a thought for the day. When a family member is hurting, let him see or let her see Jesus in you.
"My next door neighbor Gary Smalley, who I just absolutely love, told me a story one time. I think he said it was true, but it sounds a little fishy to me, but it's a story about an ice fishermen and one of the great lakes up near Wisconsin. Lake was frozen solid. And so the guys would go out and they put huts all over the ice and then they drill a hole down in the middle of the ice and actually catch fish and pull them up through the hole."
Family Discussions: 1. Why did Jesus choose 11 of the 12 men He chose to be his fishermen to be his disciples? 2. What does fishing for men mean? 3. Go around and ask each other, one quality that you see in each other that Jesus would identify as the reason he would choose each person to be his fishermen.
Transcription: 00:14 Today back in the book of Mark. We're still in the first chapter. Two great verses to share with you today. I can't wait to get into the study. We're looking at chapter one, verse 16 through 18 and it talks about Jesus choosing his disciples. And it says this, "as he was going along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men." Verse 18 says, "immediately they left their nets and followed him." My next door neighbor Gary Smalley, who I just absolutely love, told me a story one time. I think he said it was true, but it sounds a little fishy to me, but it's a story about an ice fishermen and one of the great lakes up near Wisconsin. Lake was frozen solid. And so the guys would go out and they put huts all over the ice and then they drill a hole down in the middle of the ice and actually catch fish and pull them up through the hole. 01:11 On this one particular day, this one fishermen had a golden retriever. His favorite pet golden retriever in the hut with me. If you can picture the scene on a very cold day. And he gets a nibble on his line and pretty soon the fisherman pulls up this gigantic massive fish. He tries to grab me with his hands. The fish slips away back down under the ice. In the excitement, the retriever dives for the fish. He misses the fish and disappears under the ice. For 60 perilous seconds, the fishermen mourn the loss of his dog who had disappeared under the ice and then just down the ice just a few yards away. He heard the scream of another fisherman in a hut nearby as the golden retriever popped his head up in the ice, the hole in the ice in the other fishermen's hut. Can you imagine what the fisherman thought as he was looking for a fish and he saw a dog popping up in his hut? 02:07 Anyway, I don't know about that story Gary, but I loved the eager fishermen. I love to fish. I've got a friend and he is an eager fisherman. He every day he takes his lunch hour to go fishing. But you know, what's really fun for me is to travel to football teams and baseball teams and the NFL and professional baseball and to go to college teams and almost every single locker room that I go into almost every chapel, whether it's college or the pros, there's a fisherman. There's one guy who is just absolutely committed to Christ. There's some of the best players in baseball, some of the best players in football, but they are fisherman. And then we're going to do a chapel and sometimes they'll bring 20 or 30 or 40 guys with them to the chapel because the fishermen are so eager. I do high school Bible study. I just did one last night. And I meet with these guys for years as they go through high school and they're always built around one solid committed Christian Guy and his friends who want to come and see what makes his life so happy. 03:14 So the questions today are this, why did Jesus choose 11 of the 12 men He chose to be his fishermen to be his disciples? And second question is a good one. What does fishing for men mean? Think about your environment you're in. And number three says, go around if you're sitting at a table with your family or you're sitting in an office watching this, ask each family member or each guy or woman who's in your study, one quality that you see in each other that Jesus would identify as the reason he would choose each person to be his fishermen. Why would he call that person? So compliment the people around you and tell them what you see in them that makes them somebody that Jesus would choose efficiently. And the thought for the day is this. Be an eager fisherman wherever God takes you today.
"I'm blessed to be married to an amazing woman who was the messenger for our football team back in Dallas when we played for SMU. She would be the messenger of our team. We'd run into stadiums around the country and we played some great teams in those days - in Michigan and Auburn and Tennessee and Arkansas and Texas. But every time we'd go into a stadium and play, Debbie Jo would lead us doing hands springs and backflips going into the stadium."
Family Discussions: 1. As a Christian, how are you like John the Baptist chosen as a messenger to represent Christ? 2. What character qualities does God want for Jesus as a modern day messenger? 3. As Paul Revere warned of the British attack on America, how can you warn your friends and your family of Satan's modern day attacks as you present Christ?
Transcription: 00:14 I am really excited to begin this morning, a several day study of the book of Mark. Mark is the second Bible in the four gospel accounts of Jesus's life. And we read from gospel history that Mark whose mother was also named Mary, literally grew up in the middle of the action of the early church and the life of the disciples after Jesus' resurrection. I mean this guy was in the middle of it all. He also traveled with Paul and Barnabas. You can read through the book of Mark, a whole lot of Peter's personality. So we know that Mark was a friend of Peter, and in about 55AD, just 20, 23, maybe years after Jesus' resurrection, this great gospel account, incredibly accurate, dedicated to the purpose of showing the deity of Christ was written. So, if you're excited as I am, let's get into the study. 01:06 Today we're in chapter one and we're going to be looking at verse one through four. And it says this, "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God as it is written in Isaiah the prophet," and he quotes Isaiah and he says, "behold, I send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight." John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. You know what? I grew up memorizing a poem and I think all the old guys can relate to this poem. Lots of us memorize it around the country, but it's a poem about a messenger. Somewhat like Paul Revere. I mean someone like John the Baptist and his name was Paul Revere and this is part of the old poem that we memorized. 01:59 If I can remember some of this, he said, "listen, my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere on the 18th of April in 75 hardly a man is now alive. Who remembers that famous day and year? He said to his friend, if the British March by land or sea from the town tonight hang a lantern, a loft in the Belfry arch of the North, the church tower as a signal light, one if by land, and two, if by sea." You know, he's gotta be one of the great American heroes. I don't think he'll ever be forgotten. Paul Revere was the chosen messenger that told the American soldiers, the British were coming and America was ready to fight for the death for independence as a nation. What an honor. You can almost hear the general saying, you know what, we can depend on Paul Revere. I can almost hear, you know, they're talking about their words of faith and assurance. Imagine the honor of being chosen to be the messenger. And by the way, some historians say it was actually William Daws and only the poet made Paul Revere famous. But whether it was William Daws or Paul Revere, one and was chosen as a messenger. 03:05 You know, I'm blessed to be married to an amazing woman who was the messenger for our football team back in Dallas when we played for SMU. She would be the messenger of our team. We'd run into stadiums around the country and we played some great teams in those days - in Michigan and Auburn and Tennessee and Arkansas and Texas. But every time we'd go into a stadium and play, Debbie Jo would lead us doing hands springs and backflips going into the stadium. And it was pretty fun going behind her and the cheerleaders. And now, after 38 years, I'm her cheerleader and I'll be her cheerleader til the day she dies. The chosen messenger. 03:45 I have another friend who was a chosen messenger. His name was Dan Roberts. Dan was a great country music writer, songwriter wrote for Garth Brooks and Garth loved Dan. And because of his integrity, Garth would use Dan to open up for him and lead the way as Garth toured the world and some of the great concerts in the middle of his great career, Dan was the, was the messenger. But can you imagine being the, really the honor chosen by God to open up for not a football team, not for a music star, but for Jesus? Can you imagine the honor I chose you, John. You can almost hear God say, I chose you John the Baptist to lead the way for my son. I chose you to pave the highway to prepare the coming. My son will only come to this earth once in all of history to live as a man and die for people's sins. And you know what? His second coming will be so majestic, I won't need an Envoy. 04:48 Here's the questions for today. As a Christian, how are you like John the Baptist chosen as a messenger to represent Christ? The second question to think about today is what character qualities does God want for Jesus as a modern day messenger? And thirdly, as Paul Revere warned of the British attack on America, how can you warn your friends and your family of Satan's modern day attacks as you present Christ? Interesting questions, huh? Can anything, here's a thought for today. There is even a way to be John the Baptist in your home, in your school, in your business. Consider your role in that and embark on that fantastic chosen ride today.
"Men, you hear it all over school and you know out there in the malls. Man, she's hot. Every magazine, it seems like, specially for women. If I could only lose 10 pounds. You know, where I hear the statement by girls. You know, my daddy always reminds me of how fat I am. You know, your husband and wife, honey, you know, you ought to shape up a little. You know, or somebody would say in a family, if only we had a car that was just a little bit shiny or just a little bit, you know, newer. "
Family Discussions: 1. If you allow or if we allow in our office family the focus of Hollywood to make us focus our eyes on the external? 2. Describe the insecurities and stress that focusing on the flesh brings out in our life. 3. How can we limit the impact of that Hollywood way of thinking? 4. What can we do to change that?
Transcription: 00:14 I hope our Bible study together brings you a whole lot of comfort and a whole lot of peace. If you feel like that you're trying to, somebody is trying to squeeze you into a mold of perfection or you feel like just society in general and the expectations that around you are trying to squeeze you and trying to make you perfect and you're weary of that. I hope this devotion will help you a lot. It's in 2 Corinthians chapter four verse 16 through 18 and it says this, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away. Yet inwardly we're being renewed day by day for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on that which is unseen for what is seen as temporary. But what is unseen is eternal." 01:09 The title is devotional is 'Beauty is Only Skin Deep." Men, you hear it all over school and you know out there in the malls. Man, she's hot. Every magazine, it seems like, specially for women. If I could only lose 10 pounds. You know, where I hear the statement by girls. You know, my daddy always reminds me of how fat I am. You know, your husband and wife, honey, you know, you ought to shape up a little. You know, or somebody would say in a family, if only we had a car that was just a little bit shiny or just a little bit, you know, newer. Man, lusty TV show size two dresses, Playboy centerfolds, low cut blouse, a 17 inch biceps, flat stomach, fat-free thighs. Men, do you feel like we're driving ourselves nuts with our obsession to be perfect? Whatever that is. 01:58 You know, on the surface perfection while the, you know, the morals of our country and the morals of people who have slipped to a state unthinkable to true believers only a generation ago. Folks, the Psalmist takes us back to the starch reality. Psalms 103 says this for man, his days are like, grass. "As the flowery fields. So he flourishes, but when the wind passes over it, it is no more. And its place acknowledges it no longer." You know, can you imagine the freedom we would find in our lives? Instead of a size two dress, we concentrated on a Jesus size heart. Instead of 17 inch biceps, we focused on Jesus size biceps. You know, if we encourage spiritual growth in each other, as much as we stretch the growth of our muscles. Just think how enormous our love for God would be. You know, if our comments to each other, especially in our families, were focused on encouraging and purifying our hearts is instead of purifying our bodies. Imagine how congenial our homes would be and are pleasant, you know, our thoughts would be. You know, there's no doubt man. Beauty's only skin deep. And the sooner we abandoned our speciation with the kind of the outer shell and concentrate on the beauty of our hearts. The more harmonious our lives would be and the lives of those around us in our family. 03:24 So my question is this today. You know, if you allow or if we allow in our office family the focus of Hollywood to make us focus our eyes on the external? and then describe the insecurities and stress that focusing on the flesh brings out in our life. And then wrapping it up today. How can we, in this home, how can we limit the impact of that Hollywood way of thinking and what can we do to change that?
"Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world."
Family Discussions: 1. What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? 2. What kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? 3. Describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to.
Transcription: 00:13 Can you imagine living in a place where the heroes are a famous comedian from Russia, a famous fiddle player from Japan, a famous group of acrobats from China, and a great famous group of singers from Ireland or on billboards all over town? This is Branson, Missouri. This is where I live. And man, we got more billboards and brochures and pamphlets than any place in the world. Well, guess what? You're a brochure too. In fact, you're a billboard. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians chapter three verses two through four. As people watch you as they drive by down the highway of life, it says this, "You yourselves are our letter written on our hearts known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ. The result of our ministry written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence is this is ours through Christ before God." 01:18 Isn't that great? You're a letter of Christ. You know, these huge lighted billboards that line both sides of the highways that lead into our highly traveled tourist town here in Branson, Missouri, number in the thousands. The billboards, literally thousands, the country music stars and they're elegant two to 4,000 seat theaters. Woo country music fans who travel here by the millions into their theaters with billboards, large enough to see from the moon. You know, marketing experts call it intercept marketing. As you drive down the road to try to make a last minute change in some travelers' schedule. They don't know which theater they're going to, but the billboards are going to get them to go to their theater on their country music, Branson vacation. 02:02 You know, the billboards are flashy. The billboards are glitzy. The billboards are attractive. The billboards are gaudy. They're catchy. They're nauseas. Believe it or not, you and I wear huge neon billboards around our necks on the front of our cars, on the backs of our cars, on the front doors of our houses and on the doorway to our own rooms in our house. Because as true believers, our billboards all displayed the same very simple but profound. Three word statement. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. Jesus lives here. You surprised? You know what? It's true. In the high school that you go to, in the university campus that your on, in the associates, in your place of business or ministry, in your family that surround you. Each and every day. Man, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you act, and the way you treat other people makes you a billboard. Either a repulsive sign that will cause your associates to reject the message with disgust, or you'll be the most attractive piece of artwork your friends will ever see. So you're a billboard of Christ. 03:17 And let me ask you these questions. You know what? The song says "They'll know we're Christians by our love." What kind of love will attract your friends to Jesus? And second, what kind of motivation does the reality of this devotional today give to you? And then the last question is, describe someone you know who displays a 'Jesus lives here' billboard that you will be attracted to. Be sure and hug somebody today.
"walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome."
Family Discussions: 1. Why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer? 2. Why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer? 3. Compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome? 4. How can you make your aroma stronger?
Transcription: 00:13 You know, I don't know that there's a candle in our whole office building or in our Kamp, but I feel like the most fortunate guy alive because there's a fragrant aroma everywhere I go. I get to work with the neatest people in the world. My little office. These people that I get to work with have this fragrant aroma and it's a fragrant aroma of Christ around them. And all over the sports Kamps. These guys and these women of faith that I get to work with, there's just this fragrant aroma of Christ that follows them every where they go. 2 Corinthians chapter 2:14-16 says this about that. It says, "But thanks be to God who always leads us in the triumphal precession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere. The fragrance of the knowledge of him, for we are of God, the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved. And among those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death, but to the other, the fragrance of life." 01:22 You know, walking into the ancient wall city of Rome, Italy alone, that 2000 plus year old original stone Laden Appian way is without a doubt, one of the most memorable walks of my life. It was on these very stones that the feet of Paul and the feet of Peter walked as they entered their final places of historical gospel spreading ministry. Before the crushing hand of Rome. The hedonistic Roman government rendered their relentless testimony of their risen savior. It became a national political problem and brought capital punishment upon them and their untimely final judgment. The Appian way also, if you've ever got a chance or we'll get a chance to walk it, was the main artery and it was the most powerful city in the world which the Roman armies would return in their infamous, they call it the parade of triumph. 02:15 Here, the proud Roman generals would display their troops and their captured throngs of slaves and condemned prisoners to the wildly cheering crowd that land the great walled thoroughfare into the heart of the city. You know, tradition held that burning aeromedical incense would accompany the chariots and officers that govern the parade. To the Roman conquerors, it was an aroma of life. To the prisoners, it was an aroma of death because like Peter and Paul, this would be the last walk upon which their feet would ever take them. In a matter of weeks, a cruel Roman death awaited them by Roman's favorite form of punishment, the same fate that was given to Jesus in the neighboring Jerusalem, crucifixion upon the Roman cross. So to some, the fragrant of life. To some, the fragrance of death. 03:06 And I think that tell-tale questions that hopefully will make sense in your life today is this, when you carry your Bible to school, or when you carry your Bible to work or you've live out and you speak out for the true trueness of the gospel of Christ, you know, while a scoffer will jeer you, why is your witness on aroma of life to the believer? And why is that same aroma, the aroma of death to an unbeliever or to a scoffer? And then secondly, compare the relative severity of the ridicule you might receive as your life bears the witness of your faith in Christ to the martyring that Peter and Paul and the other martyrs of Rome received in their triumphal march into Rome? And how can you make your aroma stronger? To some your the aroma of life and you know what? To some you are the aroma of death. But hopefully to those that will see the spirit of Christ in you and some of those that are dying would come to life because of the aroma of Christ was too much for them to ignore.
"This Labrador Retriever seldom leaves my side. His pure black shiny coat glistens in the sunlight as he gallantly retrieves the doves and ducks and pheasants and anything else that we're hunting together. But you know, try to take a chicken bone away from this dog and you might as well lose your hand. But if you lay a freshly cooked juicy sirloin steak on the sidewalk beside him, he'll drop that little nod chicken bone in a split second."
Family Discussions: 1. How does Jesus' love actually replace your desire for sin? 2. Describe the deceitfulness of sin. 3. How can Jesus truly become your friend in your sense of fulfillment?
Transcription: 00:13 Well, today is going to be fun. We're gonna be with Chief. My best buddy here. And we're in Romans chapter 13, verses 12 through 14, and it says this, "The night is almost gone and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. Put on Jesus today. This Labrador Retriever seldom leaves my side. His pure black shiny coat glistens in the sunlight as he gallantly retrieves the doves and ducks and pheasants and anything else that we're hunting together. But you know, try to take a chicken bone away from this dog and you might as well lose your hand. But if you lay a freshly cooked juicy sirloin steak on the sidewalk beside him, he'll drop that little nod chicken bone in a split second. 01:22 You know, sin is a lot like a chewed up chicken bone. It may satisfy your craving for a season, but in the end it will choke you like a hangman's noose. Listen to these quotes from letters I've received from some high school friends of mine. One said, you know what? I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway. Another one said, I never knew anything could hurt so bad as the one late night and the things we did there. Another letter said, I felt like I had 600 knives go through me. I was crushed. Another letter said, my friend told me his girlfriend had been raped and now she thinks she's pregnant. Another one says, I feel so used and ashamed. 02:07 Wow. It seems so meaningless, doesn't it? Why do we keep sinning like that? And you know what? The only difference between adults and students that write me so much is our sins are so much bigger and sometimes so much more disguised. But you know, drinking looks fun and sex looks fun. Satan looks cool. You know what? God knows that. So he doesn't only say he knows. He says, I'm going to give you something about a zillion times better than all of that. I'm going to give you my son, Jesus. If you'll take his companionship that I give you, if you'll take his friendship that I give you, if you'll take his unconditional love that I'll give you. 02:50 Now I want you to listen to some other quotes from some of my other friends. Check this out. I have fallen in love with Jesus this year. God has blessed me with the strength to stay free from drugs, alcohol, and sex. God has given me peace in my life. Another one said this, I have acquired the sense of peace that only he could bring. Do you get it today y'all? Another one says, while doing my Bible study this year, my relationship with the Lord has grown greatly. I've made new friends. My focus in life is not as much on me, but on the Lord and I become great friends with him. I used to lead a life that had no purpose. But now I've realized that my goal in life should be to love him and to spread his word. I used to rely on drugs and sex and fun, but now God has forgiven me and loves me like I've never been loved before. One man came up to me at a recent conference, he said, I've been addicted to alcohol for 20 years, but today at the cross, I've fallen in love with Jesus. And now I am free. 03:54 Here's the questions for today. How does Jesus' love actually replace your desire for sin? And then second question is this, describe the deceitfulness of sin. And then the big one is this. How can Jesus truly become your friend in your sense of fulfillment? And here's the lifeline for today. When something that you love is removed from your life and you feel a void, you can successfully replace it with something you love even more.
"It was no ordinary Christmas day in the cold damp foxhole on the American German battlefield of world war one. You know the details of this story that I read a long time ago are a little foggy, but it seems like on this unusual Christmas day in the honor of the Christ child's birth, both sides of the bloody skirmish acknowledge our ultimate savior for a few historical moments and the cannon fire and mortar fire in the rival fire ceased."
Family Discussions: 1. How does this story remind you of Jesus and his historic death on the cross? 2. Why were we his enemy before we surrendered our entire life to his leadership? 3. If he would die for us as his enemy, how much more will love us as his friends?
Transcription: 00:14 Hey, today I've got an awesome story to tell you. But I want to read the scripture first and it's in Romans chapter five verses six through 10. And it says this, "For while we were still helpless at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." Isn't that great? "For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Though perhaps for the good man, someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us. And that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than this is awesome. "Having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." 01:05 It was no ordinary Christmas day in the cold damp foxhole on the American German battlefield of world war one. You know the details of this story that I read a long time ago are a little foggy, but it seems like on this unusual Christmas day in the honor of the Christ child's birth, both sides of the bloody skirmish acknowledge our ultimate savior for a few historical moments and the cannon fire and mortar fire in the rival fire ceased. The battlefield was quiet. The killing ground turned into a sanctuary of brief worship. Then as if Christmas never happened, the deadly rain of bullets and cannon fire resumed without concern for life or limb. A platoon of Germans feudally made a run across the tangled barbwire barrier to ambush the American enemy. But their raid was foiled when heavy gun fire stopped and it stopped them in their tracks. You see, several Germans died immediately, but one soldier took a hit in the shoulder and he lay screaming, tangled unmercifully in the barbwire jungle. 02:16 The screaming persisted until one young brave American soldier actually risked his life and ran to the Germans rescue as they removed him from the entanglement, again the gunfire ceased. The comrades held their fire in grateful astonishment. The heroic American freed the wounded Nazi and carried him to his friends without fear. He walked gallantly back to his foxhole. Man, although the details of this historic account are a little unclear, the certain truth remains. Only a true to the core, absolute hero would give his life for one who is innovate. The questions for today is this. Isn't this awesome, you guys? How does this story remind you of Jesus and his historic death on the cross? And then this one. Why were we his enemy before we surrendered our entire life to his leadership? And then this one wraps it up. If he would die for us as his enemy, how much more will love us as his friends? And the lifeline for today is this and it's a quote from Jesus. No greater love is this. That a man would lay down his life for his friends.
"My first girlfriend left me for my best junior high guy friend. You know, that was puppy love, but the puppy sure thought it was love. It also was a pain in my gut. I'll never forget that day. A whole lot more painful than that was when my first wife, my college bride, left me from my best friend. She had fallen in love with him."
Family Discussions: 1. How do trials build character when God is in charge? 2. What has been the greatest time of brokenness for you? 3. What are you going through now and how has God building character in you through that experience of pain? 4. Describe how he gave you hope and how he gave you hope through the pain.
Transcription: 00:14 Today's Bible study is a painful for me to give, but it's a good one and we all need it. It's in Romans chapter five verses three through five and it says this, "And not only this, but we also exalt in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance brings about proven character and proven character hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts, through the Holy spirit who was given to us." Pain and promise. 00:48 You know what? My first girlfriend left me for my best junior high guy friend. You know, that was puppy love, but the puppy sure thought it was love. It also was a pain in my gut. I'll never forget that day. A whole lot more painful than that was when my first wife, my college bride, left me from my best friend. She had fallen in love with him. And you know what? That was true love back then and it was a pain in my heart that lasted for months. I felt months. I felt like I was going to die. It almost killed me. You know what my first wife was and is a wonderful person. As was my friend. They became infatuated with. You know what? There's no doubt that initiating divorce is wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. But I've never blamed her. And I've never been bitter. I'm sure if I would've been the man that she needed, that would've never happened. I just bet. But I just cried my eyes out for months. 01:46 But in that valley, I fell completely in love with God. From that valley, you know, I've given my, today's. I'll give him my tomorrows. Because somewhere in that valley, God accepted my broken heart. And not only did he heal it but somehow in his miraculous care, he brought Debbie Jo to me. She's the greatest woman alive. And she's the mom of my four kids. And I've been married to her for almost four decades. But she has given me love and more importantly, God has given me a passion. Down in that passion, I mean that Valley of pain, God's given me a passion for people who like me, find themselves at the bottom of the Canyon with no apparent way to get out. You know what, man? I have learned a lot in my brokenness before God and I'm sure that there's more ahead, but God is at his best when we are at our worst. He'll never be closer than the day you fall on your face. 02:56 You know what? Pain gives us a choice. When we run to God, we get better. When we run to ourselves, we get bitter. Pain is like a golf tee to me. It could cause you to be teed up or teed off. It either makes me mad and useless or it makes my ball go a whole lot further off the tee. You see, God has this spirit who is never more ready to fill our hearts than when we're not down. And the Holy Spirit's great skill is to give us bravery, to get us out of the Canyon and to give us more deep, solid character and to give us great hope. Pain is the greatest teacher of all. 03:37 And here's the questions for today. How do trials build character when God is in charge? And then secondly, what has been the greatest time of brokenness for you? Or maybe what are you going through now and how has God building character in you through that experience of pain? And then the last question. Describe how he gave you hope and how he gave you hope through the pain. You know what? This is not heaven down here. Pain happens here, but how can you prepare yourself for the, during trials that lay ahead. And here's the lifeline for today. Bitter or better. It's your choice when the cruel ball of failure is hit into your court.
"Think about being adopted by a wealthy dad. A dad with all the toys. A dad with all the stuff. Man. What an enchanting idea."
Family Discussions: 1. What does it mean to be adopted by God? 2. What does it mean to be in this same family as Abraham? 3. What does that mean The family of faith? 4. When a grateful son is truly grateful? 5. How does he act towards the family that by grace adopts him?
Transcription: 00:14 Hey, another beautiful day in the Ozarks. Yes, it is. We're in Romans chapter four today, verse 16, and it says this, "For this reason, it is by faith in order that it may be in accordance with grace so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. Who is the father of us all." This is called the faith family and you know what? Think about this. Think about being adopted by a wealthy dad. A dad with all the toys. A dad with all the stuff. Man. What an enchanting idea. You know, and this is why I love burnt orange. When I walked on the football field at SMU years ago, there were these big, fast, incredibly talented, blue-chip five star athletes all around me who towered over my six foot, 200 pound frame. 01:08 You know, they had the moves, they had the jumps, they had the biceps, they had the scholarships. But Hayden Fry was the head coach in those days, the Mustangs. And you know, although I was like seventh team, defensive nose man as a freshman, the gap took a special liking to me. I have no idea why, but somehow in his heart, he adopted me my sophomore year and maybe it was just that was too stupid to give up. But the first game, my junior year, he started me and he never put me on the bench again. He took me to Ohio state, to Michigan state to Tennessee, to Texas, to Arkansas to, you know, a bowl game where we beat Oklahoma and even tried to take me to the Hula bowl, until kind of the regulating committee found out that I was just a little too small by their standards. 01:53 But I'll forever be grateful to that man. I played my guts out for him. I love that man 'til I die. And you know what? If we were playing on the turf in Dallas, Texas on Saturday afternoons with a free college education, man, it was better than sitting on a bench on the sidelines and paying a jillion bucks to get educated. Imagine the difference between spending forever in heaven where the weather's always clear instead of forever in hell, where the weather's always hot and humid. You know what, man? The Bible in your room tells the adoption story from cover to cover. Daddy, God was so crazy about his son that he wants you to be just like him. As it was with Abraham so it can be with you. 02:47 And here's the questions for today. What does it mean to be adopted by God? What does it mean to be in this same family as Abraham? What does that mean The family of faith? And then this question is awesome. When a grateful son is truly grateful, how does he act towards the family that by grace adopts him? And here's the lifeline for the day. Isn't it great? Gratitude builds commitment. Commitment builds of obedience. Obedience builds countless blessings. Take it home, man.
"This is about Siamese twins, ladies and gentlemen. You know in Genesis chapter 25 we read an amazingly interesting account of a pair of most remarkable twins born to the Jewish patriarchal hero Isaac and his wife Rebecca. The account describes a play by play of the birth with great details since the first born son, whether twins or not, received a special blessing in that day."
Family Discussions: 1. What is it about true faith that produces good fruit? 2. Why is a life that claims to be a life of faith, not indeed a life of faith if there's no fruit on the tree? 3. Are you trying to get to heaven by being good? 4. Are you saying in your heart that because you're good you're going to get there? 5. Are you saying that your faith is strong enough that you don't need to work for your life to prove it?
Transcription: 00:13 Well, today is a super day here in the Ozarks. As I sit here in my lovely burnt orange for are you Texas fans. Romans 4:2-5. "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about but not before God. For what does scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Now to the one who works his wage is not credited as a favor but as what is due. But to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness." This is about Siamese twins, ladies and gentlemen. You know in Genesis chapter 25 we read an amazingly interesting account of a pair of most remarkable twins born to the Jewish patriarchal hero Isaac and his wife Rebecca. The account describes a play by play of the birth with great details since the first born son, whether twins or not, received a special blessing in that day.
01:21 Esau actually was born first and Jacob followed with his hand grasping Esau's heel. Romans 9 illustrates the distinction of Jacob as the spiritual posterity of Israel. Even though naturally he would not have been such. As significant as the birth order was then, it is no more important than understanding the birth order of two more all important biblical twins. Meet faith and works. You know many Christians and in fact holding nominations get awfully confused with the birth order of this pair of twins. This passage is clear as it was with Abraham, so it is with us. You got to get this down, Christian friends. The first born child is faith. We are saved by faith. Faith is trusting Christ with your whole heart and giving your life to him. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear. It's not by works. It's by faith we're saved. 02:18 Faith gets you into God's family, John 1:12 says. Faith records you as righteous before God, James says. No good deed can save you neither church ritual nor giving your life to save another nor giving, you know, living in absolute piety, no works will get you to heaven. As they appoints that clearly. But there is a twin. He's always born with true, sincere faith. Meet works. Works are the good things you do because by faith Jesus now lives in your heart. Because of your faith, you do produce good and the fruit that you produce is result of your faith. And scripture is clear that if you're not producing fruit, where is the faith? 03:10 So here's the verses and the scripture and the questions that bring the verses of scripture to life. What is it about true faith that produces good fruit? And why is a life that claims to be a life of faith, not indeed a life of faith if there's no fruit on the tree? And the final question is this, look into your heart today and see which twin is missing. Are you trying to get to heaven by being good? Are on the other hand, are you saying in your heart that because you're good you're going to get there? Or are you saying that your faith is strong enough that you don't need to work for your life to prove it? The twins always show up together and here's the lifeline. Are the faith and works twins alive and well in your life today?
"A fine college student athlete came to my office to talk about God. The guy was lost. He was so incredibly lost. He had caused two abortions. He had drank alcohol, like a fish in a pond. In his search for meaning in life, he scuffed the idea of a personal loving God, and he had paid a dear price for his wrongdoings."
Family Discussions: 1. How can you explain God's amazing tender grace? 2. How should that grace motivate you? 3. Why is that grace so hard to comprehend?
Transcription: 00:14 This super scripture today is from Romans 3:23-25. It says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but being justified is a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness because the forbearance of God has passed over the sins previously committed." This is awesome. Hey, you want a gift? You want a free car? You want a brand new car? You want to Porsche? Do you want a Lamborghini Diablo? Do you want a Lexus? Do you want a MasterCard with unlimited spending and no bills to pay ever? You know what? The very heart of scripture, and that's where we find ourselves today is this amazing, overwhelming, unparalleled, unmatchable gift from God to you. 01:18 Fall short? In the scripture that means you could never ever get there alone. Justified? In this verse that means your sin and debt is paid totally. Gift? That means without charge. That means it's free. Grace? That simply means undeserved completely. Redemption? That means bought with a price. That means bought with his blood. You know, last week a fine college student athlete came to my office to talk about God. The guy was lost. He was so incredibly lost. He had caused two abortions. He had drank alcohol, like a fish in a pond. In his search for meaning in life, he scuffed the idea of a personal loving God, and he had paid a dear price for his wrongdoings. He was a mess. His first wife was a stripper. She left him for another man. His daily agony was in comprehensible. But as we began to talk, he pitched many unanswerable, stereotypical questions about God. Like how could a good God allow suffering and evil? You know, how could a tribesmen who never had a chance to hear get to heaven? 02:31 It was all just a smokescreen from the heart. That was elusively longing for a real relationship with his creator. I've heard the conversation in many ways a thousand times, but as if I had planned it at that moment. Then I began to explain to him from scripture the indescribable love of a good father for his son. My daughter and my precious grandson came up in a tiny camo hat and tiny camo PJs. She placed that tender precious grandson in my arms and she spoke for baby. She said, granddad, I want to go hunting with you. Man, I held that baby in my arms and I was just overcome with a deep sense of a dad's love that I can't express on paper. The college athlete saw the picture of God's redemption unfold before his eyes. You know what? He had no more questions. That night he gave his life to Christ and he has decided to give his life to purity so that others might see the truth of this wonderful passage in scripture. 03:37 Here's the questions for today. How can you explain God's amazing tender grace? And how should that grace motivate you? And why is that grace so hard to comprehend? And here's the lifeline for the day. Grace is getting what you don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what you do deserve.
"Imagine a bizarre announcement over the school's PA system. Just as you packed up your backpack with all your books and notebooks after a hard day of classes, and prepared to make a mad dash home. Over the PA system, you immediately recognize the superintendent's voice. And here's what he says. "Students, I know this sounds unusual, but we have a very special guest visiting school today, and I want everyone to immediately proceed to the auditorium for a spontaneous assembly.""
Family Discussions: 1. Righteousness on your own means making a hundred on the pop quiz. Why does everyone fail the test? 2. How can a Holy God allow unholy people like me for most of all in heaven? 3. What is God's remedy for this eternal dilemma? And aren't you glad that he has a remedy?
Transcription: 00:13 Today's scripture in Romans 3:10-12 is just amazing and super impacting. Check this out. "For it is written. There is none righteous, not even one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together, they've become useless." Check this out y'all. Go with me back to the days. And for some of us, it's centuries. It seems like. When we dreaded those pop quizzes. I've taken biology at SMU in the pre-med days. I mean, I remember the pop quizzes, I hated them. But imagine a bizarre announcement over the school's PA system. Just as you packed up your backpack with all your books and notebooks after a hard day of classes, and prepared to make a mad dash home. Over the PA system, you immediately recognize the superintendent's voice. And here's what he says. "Students, I know this sounds unusual, but we have a very special guest visiting school today, and I want everyone to immediately proceed to the auditorium for a spontaneous assembly." 01:20 Man, you grumble. And as you, you know, a couple of friends, you'll head for the auditorium. What's this all about? You know, you're saying to your friend and inside man, you kindle the anxiety that begins to raise its head inside your mind. Who is this guy who thinks he's important enough to come to our school and extend an already long day? He'd better be good. It's better be a good assembly. The auditorium fields with whispers of complaints and speculation. Within moments the guest abruptly appears on the stage, long white robe, greatly wrinkled face, super long white beard. His voice resonates through the assembly as the crowd hushes in silence. Hello students. He says, I am God. You probably don't recognize me, but I've been concerned that many of you are going to flunk the final exam. So today I've come to give you a little pop quiz. Then he whips out a copy of the 10 commandments. He instructs you and all the other students to score yourself. His voice is deep and sober. Give yourself a 10 he says, if you keep this commandment perfectly and a zero, if you've ever broken it, even in one part. Any scored less than a hundred means complete failure. Man, nobody cracks a sound until the pop quiz is over. 02:43 Here's the questions for today. Righteousness on your own means making a hundred on the pop quiz. Why does everyone fail the test? And by the way, remember Jesus' words in Matthew 5 when he says, it's not just about killing somebody, but even anger is like killing somebody. And it's not so much just committing adultery, but even committing adultery in your heart is committing adultery. Like it's the real thing. So how can a Holy God allow unholy people like me for most of all in heaven? And here's the great question of the day. What is God's remedy for this eternal dilemma? And aren't you glad that he has a remedy? And here's the lifeline for the day, without the cross man, without the cross of Christ, heaven would be an empty jury.
"I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely show the way. The eyes are better pupil and more willing than the ear. Find council is confusing, but example is always clear. and the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creed." Family Discussions: 1. Describe a family member that you know and admire who has walked his talk or maybe point out to a walking sermon quality that you see in each family member that you've got. 2. Why is it so devastating for non-believers to accept Christ into their heart when they see a Christian who doesn't practice on Saturday night what that person sings about in church on Sunday morning? 3. What is an area that kind of you've recognized in your walk where you need to walk your talk better?
Transcription: 00:14 Man, in the book of Romans. Awesome. This is a crate study today. It's in Romans chapter two, verse 21 through 23 and it says this, "You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal. Do you steal yourself? You who say that one should not commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? You who have idols? Do you rob temples? You who boast in the law though you're breaking the law. Do you dishonor God?" Mother Theresa used to say, "witness always and use words when necessary." 00:51 My daddy's favorite poem was this. It's called, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear when any day." It says: I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. I'd rather one would walk with me than merely show the way. The eyes are better pupil and more willing than the ear. Find council is confusing, but example is always clear. and the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creed. For to see good put in action is what everybody needs. I can soon learn to do it. If you let me see it done. I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the sermons you deliver may be very wise and true. But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do. For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, But there's no misunderstanding and how you act and how you live. I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. 01:42 What a great poem. Maybe you can memorize that too. And here's the questions for today. Describe a family member that you know and admire who has walked his talk or maybe point out to a walking sermon quality that you see in each family member that you've got. Everybody's got one quality like that pointed out. And then secondly, why is it so devastating for non-believers to accept Christ into their heart when they see a Christian who doesn't practice on Saturday night what that person sings about in church on Sunday morning? And then, um, take it home with this one. What is an area that kind of you've recognized in your walk where you need to walk your talk better? And here's the lifeline that Mother Teresa, it said so well witness always use words when necessary. Isn't that great?
"My palm still threatened to break out in a nervous sweat when my mind wanders back to the years when my two girls competed in gymnastics. No event was as grueling for those young athletes nor as gut wrenching for those athletes' parents as the balance beam. "
Family Discussions: 1. Describe the error by camping out on the motives of the pillar of judgment are on the pillar of tolerance. 2. Where is the balance? 3. What way is tolerance so prevalent in today's society? 4. On the other end of the beam, how does judgmentalism trip you up personally?
Transcription: 00:14 Man, if there's one verse in scripture that would make this world a better place to live and make a people a whole lot more happier to live in it. It's this verse here. Romans chapter two verses one through four. This is fantastic. It says this. "Therefore you have no excuse. Every one of you who passes judgment for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you will judge and you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, Oh man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God, or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and tolerance and patience not following the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
01:04 This one's about a balance beam and you know what? My palm still threatened to break out in a nervous sweat when my mind wanders back to the years when my two girls competed in gymnastics. No event was as grueling for those young athletes nor as gut wrenching for those athletes' parents as the balance beam. As a series of death defying feats on a plank of wood, no greater than four inches wide, spanning the length of 16 feet and perch more than four feet off the floor. You know, watching my little girls do handsprings on the floor was one thing, but peeking through my tightly squinted eyes at their tiny frames extended over four inch beam was extremely tense for me. You know, the plank between tolerance on one hand and being judgemental, on the other hand is the balance beam of the Christian life.You've got to get this folks. You know, when we say, you know, you're going to hell for that, you know, do that one more time and God will get his do revenge. You know, or I can't believe a man would do such a thing. He'll never get to heaven. 02:14 You know, the gavel falls with resounding finality. We wear our judiciary robes with piety sometimes. Scripture screams, judge, not lest you be judge. You know, the Savior's voice echoes over the Galilean Hills, doesn't it? On the other hand, the other end of the beam of moral character reaches the pillar of tolerance. You know, when people say to each his own, or you know what's right for you may not be right for me, or don't put your morals on me, or if it feels good, do it. Or all truth is relative. You know, the modern day cynic cries, but the careless gymnast you topples to the floor and as an agonizing the feet in the same way, the careless Christian who tarries too closely to the pillars of extreme verbiage, fall victim to an eager adversary perched at each end to capture its prey. 03:14 And here's the questions of the, of this amazing truth today. Each end of the beam shows biblical fault. Describe the error by camping out on the motives of the pillar of judgment are on the pillar of tolerance. Where is the balance? And in what way is tolerance so prevalent in today's society? And on the other end of the beam, how does judgmentalism trip you up personally? Here's the thought for today: There, but by the grace of God, go I. There, but by the grace of God, go I.
"I'm reading in USA Today about the photographs that were taken from the Hubble telescope in space. And they, through computer retro imaging, they went back through 100 billion galaxies and they saw the origin of the cosmos. And one scientist wrote after he saw those awesome pictures of how it all started. He said, I used to worship sciences as my god, but now a worship on my knees."
Family Discussions: 1. What are some ways that God reveals himself to you in the wonders of his creation? 2. Why do men and women reject God even after they witnessed his many wondrous expressions? 3. What are the results of one's refusal to acknowledge God in his many awesome attributes?
Transcription: 00:14 This fantastic scripture today is from Romans 1:18-20 and Paul writes this today, he says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which is known about God is evident within them. For God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, his eternal power, his divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood through that which has been made. So they are without excuse." I will never forget. I'm reading in USA Today about the photographs that were taken from the Hubble telescope in space. And they, through computer retro imaging, they went back through 100 billion galaxies and they saw the origin of the cosmos. And one scientist wrote after he saw those awesome pictures of how it all started. He said, I used to worship sciences as my god, but now a worship on my knees. 01:19 I've seen 1200 inmates in a prison see the same thing in a prison revolutionized. I also saw it in a young lad named Rob. Rob came to our sports camp a few summers ago. Don't know how he got in the camp, but his parents had gotten him free from whatever he'd been into. And we had to pay special attention to Rob and keep him separated with a counselor who was with him all the time. Robert has beaten people up. He had been in gangs. He'd done so many drugs. But Rob and I became very close friends and I wanted Rob to know Christ as Savior. His hands were scared with all the fights he'd been in, but he had a precious heart. One night late in the camp term, Rob was looking at the sky and he saw the sunset and he began to weep. And he came over to me and he said, Papa. Called me Papa. He said, Papa that I can't believe what I've done to so many people. He looked at the scars on his hands. He said, Papa tonight, when I looked in the sky, he said, I saw a painting. And he said, I knew that that painting had to have a painter. And he said, Papa, I asked that painter to live in my heart tonight. And he said, Papa, that painter's going home with me. 02:38 Here's the questions for today. What are some ways that God reveals himself to you in the wonders of his creation? And the second question is, why do men and women reject God even after they witnessed his many wondrous expressions? Amazing, isn't it? And then the last question is, what are the results of one's refusal to acknowledge God in his many awesome attributes? And here's the lifeline for today. Stand in awe of as many of God's reflections as you can find today. And watch your affection for him grow. If it can happen to Robb, it can happen to you.
"This is a great story today about Karen McGregor who had wanted a horse when she was four years old. I talked to her about this and was thrilled that she had spent countless nights falling asleep with thoughts of the top item on her wishlist to the point that her desire actually appeared in her dreams."
Family Discussions: 1. Are you ashamed of the gospel? 2. How are you going to show today in your circumstances that you're not ashamed of the gospel? 3. Have you ever felt ashamed or embarrassed to share your faith? 4. If you have, what was it like? 5. What prize would you sacrifice to share your love for Jesus?
Transcription: 00:13 Well, it's a beautiful day in the Ozarks again, as it has been for the last 37 years. Ice, snow, whatever happens here, it's beautiful in the Ozarks. Today, we're in Romans chapter one, verse 16 and 17. A fantastic Bible verse. I love this verse. Paul is writing to the Romans and the world and he says this, "For I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the righteous man shall live by faith." This is a great story today about Karen McGregor who had wanted a horse when she was four years old. I talked to her about this and was thrilled that she had spent countless nights falling asleep with thoughts of the top item on her wishlist to the point that her desire actually appeared in her dreams. 01:09 Alast to a rural girl in Calgary, Alberta. Money didn't come easy, but as she saved her money in her piggy bank, the $1,500 needed for her purchase might as well have been $1 million. She had never beheld that kind of money, but her desire grew even stronger as she saved every penny she could muster working every odd job she was able. At the same moment she had achieved her financial goal to buy her dream horse. She coincidentally heard of a mission trip to San Jose, Bolivia. The only thing stronger than the desire to own her first horse was her desire to share the tremendous love for the one who had died to set her free from the penalty of her sins. The mission trip too had a price tag. The dilemma became painfully apparent. 01:57 One of the two had to go like so many other choices in life. She simply couldn't have both. After some time of intense prayer. You can imagine the anguish she went through. She had made her decision. The horse had to wait maybe even forever. The mission kids of Bolivia and her impressible desire to share Christ with them prevailed. And you know what? Bolivia will never be the same. Neither will Karen. And so it is with my friend Trace who just left a lucrative radio career to spend his life in Haiti with the beautiful people there ravaged by earthquakes and hurricanes and poverty. Their treasures are in Heaven. And I think they know that those are the greatest place in the world to store their treasures. 02:45 Here's a couple of questions for you today. Karen and Trace were not ashamed of the gospel. Are you? And how are you going to show today in your circumstances that you're not ashamed of the gospel? And the second question is this. Have you ever felt ashamed or embarrassed to share your faith? If you have, what was it like? And here's the biggest question of all today. What prize would you sacrifice to share your love for Jesus? Would it be your finances? Would it be your boyfriend? Would it be a bad relationship? Would it be your car? Sometimes there's a high price to share the gospel. Here's the lifeline for today. You know, shame brings timid, but love produces sacrifice.
"Like everything is good that ever happened, there's cynics. There's critics who deny the fact that it ever happened, but they have not considered the evidence. And I thank my good friend Josh McDowell for his exhaustive research on this subject. But there's four main arguments that the cynics and critics give. The ones who don't want to believe in Christ have you give for their excuse that there was no resurrection."
Family Discussions: 1. What does the resurrection of Christ, what difference does that make in your life today? 2. If Jesus is alive inside of you, what kind of life should you and I be living in our homes, in our schools, in our, in our workplace, and especially in relationship with those that are close to us? 3. What is the resurrection Jesus do inside of me for the people that I'm around?
Transcription: 00:14 This is one incredible line in scripture. This is awesome. This is from the eye witness accounts, the greatest moment in history. Luke 24:46 and it says this, "and he said to them, thus it is written that Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day." We talked just the other day about what happened to Jesus on the day of his crucifixion and about the resurrection. Well, like everything is good that ever happened, there's cynics. There's critics who deny the fact that it ever happened, but they have not considered the evidence. And I thank my good friend Josh McDowell for his exhaustive research on this subject. But there's four main arguments that the cynics and critics give. The ones who don't want to believe in Christ have you give for their excuse that there was no resurrection. 01:10 First of all, the cynics and critics say that Jesus really didn't die. It's called the Swoon theory. That that somehow on the cross, Jesus just sort of went to sleep. That somehow he survived the flogging of Rome. There was a torture designed to take a man within one breath of his own death. He survived the Roman crucifixion, which always meant death. He survived the signature of two Roman coroners, who according to Roman law would sign the certificate of the dead body. And if they were wrong, they would be crucified for their mistake. Somehow he survived the wrapping of the Jewish tradition of the bombing process of that day where they would take linen clothes and a hundred pounds of spices and wrap around the man's head and his body. Somehow he would be able to with his shoulder, revive himself in the tomb and knocked the one and a half to two ton stone away from the opening. Somehow he would have the ability after going through all of that to overcome a guard of 12 to 16 men trained by Rome to defend a piece of ground that gets an entire invading army. And then somehow he would get out of those linens and he would be able to show himself as more of life and appear to over 500 people over a period of 40 days. He is the Lord of life. That's not true. Jesus died and Jesus was resurrected. 02:29 The second argument is that the Jews stole the body, and that's probably the funniest argument in the world because if the Jews would have stolen the body, all they would've had to do is take the body of Jesus, put it on a wagon and parade it down Main street in Jerusalem and Christianity would have been done forever. The third argument is the disciples stole the body. The disciples went and moved the stone and beat up the Roman guard somehow and they stole the body and hid it away. But not so because men, especially 11 cowards who ran after crucifixion of Christ, knowing that they would be the next to be crucified, that something happened in those men's lives, that those menwent out and died martyrs' deaths. Men will not die for a lie. They know is a lie. Men will die for lie if they think it's the truth. But when will not die for a lie if they know it's a lie. Those men became some of the bravest man who ever lived on the face of this earth because they saw a resurrected Christ. 03:22 And then the fourth argument is preposterous as it may sound, is that the women went to the wrong tomb. That someday somehow on Sunday morning, they forgot where he was buried. Although if they went to the wrong tomb, that meant that the disciples must have gone to the wrong tomb. That meant that the Jews must've gone to the wrong tomb and the tomb was a private burial. Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Folks, Jesus is alive and again, it is the fact that history that sets Christianity apart from every other faith. You could go to the tomb of any other man who ever lived and especially one who claimed to be God and raised so much attention as Jesus did and you'll find their bones. Jesus is unique. Jesus is indeed Lord and Savior. And Jesus is indeed one who deserves for you and me to give our allegiance and give our lives. And my question for you today is what does the resurrection of Christ, what difference does that make in your life today? And if Jesus is alive inside of you, what kind of life should you and I be living in our homes, in our schools, in our, in our workplace, and especially in relationship with those that are close to us? What is the resurrection Jesus do inside of me for the people that I'm around?
"The resurrection of Jesus men and women is the crown jewel of history. It is the most written about the most provable, the most factual, the most life changing event in all of classical literature and in all of history. The resurrection of Jesus indeed sets Jesus apart from every other figure of religion or belief that ever lived."
Family Discussions: 1. What difference do you see the resurrection as it has made in the history of the world? 2. What difference does the resurrection of Jesus make in your heart as a follower of Christ today?
Transcription: 00:14 Have you ever wondered why Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and life. No one comes to the father except by me?" Have you ever wondered what separates Jesus apart from every other religious figure who ever lived? Luke chapter 24 one through nine tells you why, and it says this, according to the eye witness accounts, Luke writes this, "but on the first day of the week at early Dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. But when they had entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing. And as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he is risen. Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee saying that the son of man must be delivered into the hands of criminal men, sinful men, and then be crucified. And on the third day rise again and they remembered his words and they returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the 11 and to all of the rest." 01:26 The resurrection of Jesus men and women is the crown jewel of history. It is the most written about the most provable, the most factual, the most life changing event in all of classical literature and in all of history. The resurrection of Jesus indeed sets Jesus apart from every other figure of religion or belief that ever lived. And here's why. Number one, when Jesus was crucified, he was crucified under the Roman government. It was a crucifixion unto death. It always meant a crucifixion unto death. Two Roman coroners would examine the lifeless body after he'd been dragged down from the cross, and they would sign his death certificate according to the Roman law. And if they were incorrect in their assessment of his death, then they would be crucified for their mistake. Number two, he was prepared according to the Jewish custom of burial, which meant that he was wrapped with a hundred pounds of spices and wrapped with linen cloth when he was laid in the tomb. Number three, a very large stone and historians have classified that stone that was put in front of his tomb as a stone that would weigh about one and a half to two tons. A stone was put in front of this tomb. Number three it says a Roman guard was placed in front of his tomb and some would say it was a Jewish guard, and whether it was a Roman guard or whether it was a Jewish guard, it was a gourd that was taught to die on duty. 02:51 The Roman guard was a group of 12 to 16 highly trained men trained to defend a piece of ground against an entire invading army. The Jewish guard who some would say was guarding Jesus' tomb was a guard that was dispatched in groups and if one of the men under Jewish law went to sleep on duty, the entire guard was burned alive with the fire started with the guard's own clothing. Next, Jesus was buried in a private tomb. He was buried in a place that everyone knew where it was. It was the private grave of Joseph of Arimathea. He was flogged before crucifixion, a torture. They would render a man within an inch of his own death. Somehow he carried the cross up the Hill. Somehow he took the crucifixion. He was died, he was buried, but on the third day, something happened. Something happened on the third day that changed the world. Something happened on the third day that took 11 men who were cowards. 11 disciples who fled for their lives. Something happened on the third day that changed those men's lives and those men became the testimony of Christ of the world. 10 of those 11 men went out and died martyrs' deaths. 04:02 According to history and tradition. The other one died in exile. But because of that day, there had been more hospitals built in his name. There've been more orphanages built in his name. There've been more hungry mouths fed in his name in third world countries throughout this world. He not only ended slavery in his name in America, but slavery in the entire free world. There has been more life change in the name of that one man. More goodness done more people's lives and hearts change. More families healed, more marriages put back together than the name of any other man that ever lived. That man's name was Jesus Christ. And the faith on which you build your belief system is the faith in that day that that man rose from the dead. Just as he said he would. And here's my question for you today. What difference do you see the resurrection as it has made in the history of the world? And more importantly, what difference does the resurrection of Jesus make in your heart as a follower of Christ today?
"Mom and dad were only going to have three kids and if little Frank would've survived then I would've never had the joys that I've had on this earth. I would have never been able to marry my little Debbie, Jo, and adore her for all these years. I would have never been able to be a dad to my four kids who I absolutely adore. I would never been able to be dead to my 11 going on 20 grandkids."
Family Discussions: 1. What will you do when you get to heaven? 2. What are you going to do today to thank the man who died for you?
Transcription: 00:14 Hey, let me ask you a question today. When you get to heaven, if you met somebody who gave their life for you, if you met somebody who literally died so that you could have life on this earth, what would you do when you met that person in heaven? Well, I'm going to tell you about somebody today that I don't think I've ever talked about publicly before, but he gave his life for me. We're in Luke chapter 23 verse 46 and it says this about Jesus's last moment on this earth. "And Jesus crying out with a loud voice said, father into thy hands, I commit my spirit and saying this, he breathed his last." My mom and daddy were married just before World War II, and my daddy fought in World War II. In fact, he fought in World War II for four or five years. First he taught hand to hand combat and taught soldiers how to survive in battle. And then he fought on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific ocean. And during their first few years of marriage, they didn't see each other very much. They were very difficult and perilous days. But during that time, my mom was overjoyed when she became pregnant with her first son, and they knew the second that baby was born that it was a baby boy and they were going to call him Frank. And they loved that baby with their whole heart. Something was wrong with that baby. And within just a few hours after birth, that baby perished and they had a little tiny little coffin for that baby. And that baby's gravestones stands as testimony of that brave little soldier who gave his life for somebody and that somebody was me. 01:55 You see, mom and dad were only going to have three kids and if little Frank would've survived then I would've never had the joys that I've had on this earth. I would have never been able to marry my little Debbie, Jo, and adore her for all these years. I would have never been able to be a dad to my four kids who I absolutely adore. I would never been able to be dead to my 11 going on 20 grandkids. And all the other fun things around with the Kamps and the events and things that I've been blessed to be a part of. But that little guy died for me. And you know what? When I get to heaven, he's going to be the first person I'm going to find. I'm going to thank that boy. Well, you probably have somebody who died for you. In fact, I guarantee you had somebody who died for you. His name was Jesus and you know the difference between Jesus and Frank. Frank didn't know he's going to die for me. But from all of eternity, Jesus knew he was going to be on that cross. 02:48 He knew from the time of creation when God said they were going to create somebody in our image according to our likeness, he knew he was giving them freedom. And he knew down deep in his heart that man would choose to sin. That man would choose to fall away from God. And that if those men were going to go to heaven and those women were going to go to heaven, they're going to need a savior. And so Jesus picked the appropriate time in history when crosses were the way to die, when he would give his life on that cross for you. What are you gonna do when you get to heaven? Can you imagine that people that will be surrounding him and running up to him and hugging him? Thanking him. Appreciating him. What will you do when you get to heaven? But more importantly, what are you going to do today to thank the man who died for you?
"Have you ever wondered when can death be a good thing? Have you ever wondered when a funeral can be really and truly a celebration for real?"
Family Discussion: 1. What does it mean to you that that thief heard those words from Jesus the savior?
Transcription: 00:13 Have you ever wondered when can death be a good thing? Have you ever wondered when a funeral can be really and truly a celebration for real? Well, today's passage will help you understand that. It's in Luke chapter 23 verse 43 and if you've ever lost a loved one, or if there's someone in your life now that you love a lot, who you feel like is on the brink of death, hopefully today's devotional will be comforting to you as it is to me. Jesus is on the cross. There's a thief beside him and the thief sees Jesus and he recognizes who he is. And he puts this tiny seed of faith in the heart of the only one that can save him. And the thief says, Jesus, will you remember me when you come into your kingdom? And Luke 23:43 says, "and Jesus said to him, truly, truly, I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise." 01:08 You know, I watched my daddy die and I watched my daddy go to heaven and I hated to see my daddy die. But Oh, how that man wanted to be with Jesus. It was time for him to go. One of our great counselors here at Kanakuk worked at a wilderness kamp we have called K-Wet on the edge of the Lake where kids go out and they camp out for a night or two and do wakeboarding and barefoot skiing and doing fun things with sailboats. But this guy had a granddad who loved Jesus. I mean, he'd love Jesus with everything that was with him. And on his death bed in the hospital, the granddad had a chair next to his bed and people would come to visit the granddad all the time, but they couldn't sit in that chair because in a very kind, polite way, he would say, please don't sit there. That's where Jesus is sitting. And one night, the family was out of the room getting something to eat. And when they came back in, the man was dead, but his head wouldn't laying on the pillow where he'd been laying for several weeks. His head was laying in the chair. His head was laying in Jesus's lap. Be assured, if you have faith in Jesus, that's where your head will lay. And that's where you'll breathe your last breath. It won't be on a pillow, it won't be in a chair, but your head will be in Jesus's lap because just as it was to the thief, when you place the tiny seed of faith that you have, and if you're like me, sometimes you feel like that's all you have to offer. But he says, if you place that tiny seed of faith in him that to be absent from the body, scripture says, we'll be present with the Lord. That you'll only blink your eyes one time and you'll open your eyes again and the presence of God. 02:53 And so let me ask you this, as you feel some days as I do, like you're the thief on the cross with nothing to offer at all. What does it mean to you that that thief heard those words from Jesus the savior? When he put his faith in him today, you shall be with me in paradise. You're my son now after this ordeals over today on this cross. You're going home with me now. Take that truth and go hug somebody today.
" I believe it was the toughest moment of Jesus's life. I believe it was absolutely the most difficult moment he ever faced. He was in the garden the night before his crucifixion."
Family Discussion: 1. What heavy stone did Jesus carry with him throughout his life? 2. How did his willingness to do his Father's will influence everything Jesus did?
Transcription: 00:14 I believe it was the toughest moment of Jesus's life. I believe it was absolutely the most difficult moment he ever faced. He was in the garden the night before his crucifixion. And this is what he parade. In Luke 22:42, he says this, Oh, what love our savior has. Oh my goodness what love for you He has. He says this, "Father, if you're willing, remove this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done." You know, scripture is clear from the first chapter of Genesis that Jesus, God, and the Holy spirit has been one United forever. In John chapter one, it says in the beginning was the word. That's Jesus. He was with God. He was God. He was with God from the beginning. And yet Jesus knew as He was praying in the garden, agonizing to the point where sweat came out of his brow, like drops some blood.
01:04 Scripture says that Jesus says, God, please, there's gotta be another way. There's got to be another way. But you know what? It's not my will. For years I've taken on the form of man. It's not my will that matters, but it's your will and your will be done. Because Jesus knew on the next day that he and God are going to be separated for the first time in all of eternity. And then I don't know if you know what it's like to be separated from your dad when you needed him the most. And I probably only know a small fraction, you know, the first time I got cancer and then the second time I got cancer, Oh, would it have been great to have my daddy there? But you know what? When Jesus got on that cross and he became sin, as Isaiah said, that he literally became clothed with your sin and my sin and God's still in his holiness, you know, somehow turned his back, somehow God in his holiness could not look upon the sin that Christ had become. And Jesus cried out, my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? And you can almost hear him scream in the darkness of that cloud that broke out over his head. Dad, where's my dad? Where's my dad? Where's my dad? And I believe there was the most agonizing thing in the most agonizing day of his life. 02:30 So my question to you is this, what heavy stone did Jesus carry with him throughout his life? And how did his willingness to do his Father's will influence everything Jesus did? And when Jesus is being honest about his feelings, saying, God, if there's any other way to do these, please, when I submit my will to you, not my will but thine be done. Here's the application. If Jesus can do that, if he could do that for you, what do you need to do in submission to him?
"One time when my daughter was 14 years old, she and I built a clothing company. Believe it or not. We were trying to build a camp for inner city kids. And we certainly did not have the money to do that. We need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. And this little girl began to dream up these clothing ideas. And she began to tell the world in newspapers and on television around the world about her desire to build this clothing company to build a camp for inner city kids."
Family Discussion: 1. How much of Judas do you see in you? 2. Why is it impossible to point your finger at that man? 3. How can you be different from the way the real Judas' life? 4. How can your life and more like Peters'?
Transcription: 00:13 You know of all the things that I admire about the men and women who fight on the battlefields around this world for our freedom and for the freedom of others is the spirit of Valor. It's the spirit of truth. It's men and women who would rather give their lives than betray their nation than betray the men and women they fight with. Listen to Luke chapter 22 verses 21 through 23. This is the night before Jesus is crucified and he tells a foreboding tale. He says, "Behold, the hand of one betraying me is with mine on the table. For indeed, the son of man is going as it has been determined. But woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they begin to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who he was speaking of, who was going to do this thing."
01:04 One time when my daughter was 14 years old, she and I built a clothing company. Believe it or not. We were trying to build a camp for inner city kids. And we certainly did not have the money to do that. We need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. And this little girl began to dream up these clothing ideas. And she began to tell the world in newspapers and on television around the world about her desire to build this clothing company to build a camp for inner city kids. And indeed, she raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and gave every penny of it to build the first Kids Across America Kamp in Southwest Missouri. For which now over a hundred thousand kids from the city have come and had a bubble bath of Jesus and the joy of their life. But one of the TV shows she was on was to tell the truth. 01:53 And I remember they land her up with two other teenagers and the other two masqueraded themselves as the real Jamie Jo White, the real one who had built this clothing company that was selling, you know, clothes in department stores around the country. And it was really interesting because she didn't fool anybody. I think she got one vote against her, but the girl couldn't lie and the other girls weren't very good at trying to lie. And so to tell the truth. Everybody, you know, except for one of the guests agreed that she was indeed the real Jamie Jo White. Well, that summer we did a tell the truth at camp and we did a roleplay of to tell the truth. And the one we were portraying was Judas Iscariot. And you know what was interesting when we said, the real Judas Iscariot please stand up. Not only did three of the three actors stand up, but one at a time, everybody in the stands, there were probably 500 people watching students begin to stand up and said, I'm Judas Iscariot. No, I'm Judas Iscariot. It was a humbling night as 500 students stood up and said, I am Judas Iscariot. Because indeed there's been a time, it probably everybody's life as a follower of Christ, that we too, have betray Jesus. That we didn't keep our word. We didn't live with the integrity that would be asked of us as a Christian. We didn't represent Christ with our friends, but thanks be to God that even though the real Judas went out and hung himself, there were people like Peter who also denied Jesus, but they went out and they repented and they'd begin to lead the world to God. 03:30 You see, Judas' last act doesn't have to be shame. Judas' last act could be a repentant heart, a heart that says, I'm sorry and a heart that goes out and represents Christ for the rest of his life. So may the real Judas Iscariot please stand up. Well, if you're standing like me, you don't have to stand forever. You can receive the grace of Christ and you can sit down now and you can say by the grace of Christ and by his forgiveness, I don't have to do that again. I don't have to betray him again. I can bring honor back into my life. And here's my question and this honest, humbling question, but how much of Judas do you see in you and why is it impossible to point your finger at that man? But by the grace of God, how can you be different from the way the real Judas' life? How can your life and more like Peters'? Because even though maybe you've denied him, now you can turn in the opposite direction and live for Christ. How are you going to do that today?
"I know from coming home to my kids after long trips on the road, the joy that was in my home when daddy came home. Y'all, I would bring them treats, I bring them surprises."
Family Discussion: 1. Do you have fear or do you have joy about the end times and the second coming of Christ? 2. What do you need to do today?
Transcription: 00:13 You know what? It is amazing for me to take Time Magazine in one hand or USA today in one hand and take scripture in the other hand and see the two saying exactly the same thing. And the writer of Time and Newsweek and USA today has no clue that all they're doing is writing about what scripture says over and over again. It's the favorite subject in scripture. I understand it's been talked about in scripture more than anything else on earth. And it's the coming of the Son of Man. The second coming of Jesus. Listen to Luke chapter 21 verse 27 and 28 and then down to verse 36 and Jesus said this "Then" and he's talking about after all these things that I'm going to share with you in a minute, "then they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near." And then he says in verse 36, "but keep on the alert at all times praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place and stand before the Son of Man." 01:21 You know what? It takes hours to talk through the second coming of Christ and all the prophecies that predict His coming. But I'll tell you folks, I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back today. Would not be surprised at all. You know, he talks about an earth that's going to be full of earthquakes. He talks about an earth that's going to be shattered by Wars and rumors of Wars. He talks about the day when the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus is going to be preached to the whole world. He talks about a day when people are going to be falling away from the faith because of sorcery and witchcraft and seances and Satan worshiping, palm reading and works of darkness. He talks about a day when the airways will be filled with music about supernatural things and there's about 35 or 40 other prophecies that he talks about. But it all boils down to the day that he says, you know what? I came once. I was crucified. I was resurrected. But lift up your heads because I'm coming back again. 02:27 And I know from coming home to my kids after long trips on the road, the joy that was in my home when daddy came home. Y'all, I would bring them treats, I bring them surprises. When I travel for a week or two, man, between my professional life, I'd go shopping, you know. I'd go buy stuff. I go buy stuff for Debbie Jo. And I bought stuff for the kids. Because when I came home and I want it be a party. I want it to be a celebration. And I believe Jesus wants the exact same thing. And so he says you know in 1 Thessalonians chapter 40, he says, "for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout." And I believe that shout is going to be a personal invitation. If you're a true believer, it's going to be an invitation to you. With a trumpet of God, he said, the dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive and remain will be caught up, raptured, caught up together to meet them in the clouds. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 03:26 And then he says in that passage, therefore comfort one another with these words, daddy's coming home. Daddy's coming home. It may be today, it may be tomorrow. It may be a hundred years, but daddy's coming home. So lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near. Here's my question for you today. Do you have fear or do you have joy about the end times and the second coming of Christ? And then the last question to take it home is this, what do you need to do? What do you need to do today? So that if you're positive, he's coming back today, you'll have nothing but fear. I mean nothing but joy, your life, and you'll be looking for him. Just, you know, like the best dad that could possibly ever think of. He's coming home to bring you all, but all the young surprising gifts that you can ever imagine.
"You wanna know who the toughest man I ever met is? And you wanna know who the richest woman on earth is? "
Family Discussion: 1. Why do you think Jesus was so impressed by the widow's gift of two small copper coins? 2. What are just a couple of ways that you can give everything you've got today? 3. What do you think the results will do?
Transcription: 00:13 You wanna know who the toughest man I ever met is? And you wanna know who the richest woman on earth is? Well, I'm gonna tell you today, it's in Luke chapter twenty-one verse one through four and scriptures says this, it says, "and Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury and he saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And he said, truly, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them for they out of their surplus, put in an offering, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on." 00:45 To Jesus. On that day, she was the richest woman on earth. The toughest man I ever met. His name is Lyle Snike. You know what? He's been the best in America and his sport more than once. He makes his living on the back of a snorting beast. He goes to work in old, worn out jeans and he steps in piles of manure at his office place. He's eats his lunch with the back of spitting Cowboys. He digs deep in a Brown paper bag every day. He pulls out, bologna on a piece of Texas toast. He grins, he takes a bite. He pays his entry fees with the money he's earned shoeing horses. He gets on, he rides, he falls, he lands on his head. The next time he rides, he's wearing a knee, knee brace. The next time he stays on, sometimes he works all night and he comes home poor, dirty, but his wife Kathy, she adores him. Sasha, his little girl, she loves to feel the bump of the broken collarbone. Lyle loves Jesus. Lyle lives life eight seconds at a time and Lyle gives everything he has every time he gets back on one of those premium bulls and Lyle Snike has probably led more men to Christ in his profession probably than any men I know on earth. 02:01 You know what? Sometimes success is measured in small increments. Why do you think Jesus was so impressed by the widow's gift of two small copper coins? And the second question today is this man giving your all comes in many different forms, doesn't it? Name a couple. You know what are just a couple of ways that you can give everything you've got today? And then, and then when you do, what do you think the results will do? And here's the lifeline. You know what if in your family, what if in your home you gave 100% to the other people in your hands? What do you think your family would look like?
"You ever wonder why they put pictures of presidents on our coins? Well, I'm not sure but it didn't start with the United States of America. And when I look at one, I think of a picture of Caesar because of this parable that's been told thousands of times."
Family Discussion: 1. What was Jesus's attitude towards authority? 2. What's your attitude toward authority? 3. What does it mean to bear the image of God? 4. What does it mean to render to Caesar what Caesar's in your life today? 5. What does it mean to render to God what belongs to God?
Transcription: 00:14 You ever wonder why they put pictures of presidents on our coins? Well, I'm not sure but it didn't start with the United States of America. And when I look at one, I think of a picture of Caesar because of this parable that's been told thousands of times. We're in Luke chapter 20, verse 21 and on. And it says this, "the question Jesus saying, teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly and you're not partial to any but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But he detected their trickery and he said to them, show me a denarius. Whose likeness and whose inscription does it have? They said, Caesars. And he said to them, then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and render to God the things that are God's." 01:09 You know what I think about when I think about that passage? I think about playing under a coach and I think if Jesus was on the football field or basketball quartered, or dance team, or in the French club you're in or whatever it is that you're in, in school. I believe he would say, give that coach everything you got. I think he would say in the classroom, give that teacher everything you've got. I'd say he would say to you in the home, you know, give your parents your allegiance, give them your obedience. I would think he would say to you in the marketplace, he would say to you, man, give that boss an honest day's work and then give him some more. I think he would say to you as a church member, I think he would say, man, your pastor deserves your loyalty. Give him your loyalty. But then I think he would say to you and me as followers of Christ, you know, give God your heart. Give him everything you have. 02:06 And you know, what's awesome? You know, what's awesome? Every great athlete I've ever seen, and every great scholar student I've ever seen. And certainly every great Patriot that I've ever seen. You know, they understand Jesus' principle. You know, first thing, give it all to God. Give it all to God. Give him everything you got. But then to the coach, to the pastor, to the, to the professor, to the boss, and the job giving everything you've got. And you know what, to me, it spells greatness in everything you do. So render under Caesar what is Caesar's, but render under God what is God's. You know, the questions I'd ask you today is this, what was Jesus's attitude towards authority? And what's your attitude toward authority? What does it mean to bear the image of God? And what does it mean to render to Caesar what Caesar's in your life today? And what does it mean to render to God what belongs to God?
"I was on a long trip. I'd been away from home for a week or two. My four kids were asleep in their beds at 3:00 AM and they knew I was coming home that night. And so they put up a poster that to me testifies of the last chapter of the last poster in the Bible. Daddy's home, Yippee."
Family Discussion: 1. Are you gonna be ready to meet Him?
Transcription: 00:13 Today, you get to see the last picture of the last word of the book, and it is the most beautiful picture in the world. And I want to tell you something. I've seen it. I know what it looks like in Revelation 22:20-21. It's going to look like this! I was on a long trip. I'd been away from home for a week or two. My four kids were asleep in their beds at 3:00 AM and they knew I was coming home that night. And so they put up a poster that to me testifies of the last chapter of the last poster in the Bible. Daddy's home, Yippee. One of my kids wrote. Another one wrote, "we missed you daddy, welcome home." And then another one wrote, "I love you my daddy." There's no more affectionate words in the world. I'm so glad you're here. The next morning, my littlest boy Cooper came up and he said, "Hey dad, what'd you bring me?" 01:09 And I said, "I brought you me." And he said, "I know, but what'd you bring me?" He wanted some stuff. Well, when your daddy comes home, I've got these, these pile of, you know, gold coins in front of me. Your daddy's going to have a Satchel full of gold coins. The only gold that we'll spend eternity and that gold is eternity with Christ. Daddy's coming home. Revelation 22 verses 20 and 21 "he who testifies to these things says this. Yes I am coming quickly." And John said, "Amen. Come Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." 01:50 Daddy is coming home. And the only thing, the question that matters. The only question that matters at the end is are you gonna be ready to meet Him? Cause when you love your daddy, you can't wait for your daddy to come home. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
"The story goes of three riders who were riding through a desert. And when they had come to the end of themselves and had run out of food and run out of water, they encountered three other riders who were riding in the opposite direction on their camels. And the three riders who were coming to encounter these three men said, "well, what's it like on the other side of the desert?"
Family Discussion: 1. How much are you putting in your backpack and will you be happy or will you be sad when you reach the oasis of Eternal Life with Christ?
Transcription: 00:13 The story goes of three riders who were riding through a desert. And when they had come to the end of themselves and had run out of food and run out of water, they encountered three other riders who were riding in the opposite direction on their camels. And the three riders who were coming to encounter these three men said, "well, what's it like on the other side of the desert?" And the three riders said "between here and the oasis that you'll find in a two day ride, there is a dry river bed. And in that dry riverbed, there are stones take the stones. And when you get to the oasis, you'll be happy and sad." And then the three riders rode away. Well, sure enough, about a day's journey, the three riders in the desert came to the river bed and there were stones just as they had been told. And one of them took some of the stones and put them in his backpack. One of the riders took as many stones he could, and he filled his lap even though he was tired and wary. And their stones were heavy. He filled everything he had in his saddlebags that were beside him. And one writer said, "you know what? I don't have the energy to pick up any stones." Well, in one more day, just as they had been told, they came to the oasis and they were happy and they were sad because when they came to the oasis, they looked down and saw that the stones were rich gold nuggets. They were happy because they had some. But they were sad because they didn't have more. And so it is with the book of Revelation. When you read it, you're happy and you're sad. You're happy because of the love of Jesus that's in your heart and that you get to win it at the Great Victory Party. But there are those who are sad because they didn't pick up the gold along the way. 02:00 Chapters 22, verse seven says this, "And behold, I'm coming quickly. Blessed is he, his backpack is full of gold. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." And then verse 12 says, "For behold, I'm coming quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he has done." The story goes, and I believe it's historical of Augustine, you know, now, one of the most, you know, noted and famous, you know, writers and followers of Christ that ever lived. But one time, Augustine was a womanizer. At one time, Augustine had elicit relationships with women. But Augustine went to England where he received Christ at a crusade and then Augustine went home a new man. And he went back to one of his old, you know, stomping grounds. 02:53 And as Augustine was walking down the road, one of his old girlfriends came up behind him and she tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around to see one of his old girlfriends. And she said, "Augustine Augustine, it is me." And Augustine simply turned around and looking at her eyes. And he says, "but it is not me." He had literally become a brand new man in Christ. He had picked up the gold. He had filled his backpack in his heart with the gold of Christ. And even though this person made herself available to him, and she said, "it is I." He said, "it is not I. I have a brand new heart." And so 2 Corinthians 5:17 concludes today when it says, "if any man is in Christ, he's a brand new creation. All things have gone. Behold, the new has come." My question to you today is this, the gold is in the river bed. How much are you putting in your backpack and will you be happy or will you be sad when you reach the oasis of Eternal Life with Christ?
"I have a friend who is a fired up Christian businessman in Dallas, Texas, and he was in a head on collision and his in his car began to burn, but he couldn't get out of the car. And he said, Joe, he said, I felt like I was living in hell. He said, I was trapped and I couldn't get out. And he said, I was, I was being consumed with fire."
Family Discussion: 1. What is your prayer need to look like before God?
Transcription: 00:14 If you've ever wondered what the final judgment of God is going to look like, here is the description and if you've ever wondered who will be judged at the end and what will happen to those that are condemned. Here is the final judgment. Revelation chapter 21 verse eight and it says this, "but for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and adulterers and all liars, their part will be in the lake that Burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." We learned yesterday that heaven is going to be unbelievably beautiful and hell is going to be indescribably sad and destructive. I have a friend who is a fired up Christian businessman in Dallas, Texas, and he was in a head on collision and his in his car began to burn, but he couldn't get out of the car. 01:05 And he said, Joe, he said, I felt like I was living in hell. He said, I was trapped and I couldn't get out. And he said, I was, I was being consumed with fire. Well, fortunately there were some rescuers on the scene that yanked him out of that car before the flames actually got to his face and began to burn his body. But he said it changed my life. And he was already the most fired up Christian Guy that, you know, you can imagine. But living in a picture of hell, being trapped, you know, in fire and having nobody with him alone in that fire he saw literally a picture of hell. And this verse describes, you know, who falls in the judgment and it talks about people in all sorts of walks with sin. But I think there's a distinction that you and I've got to understand today. 01:55 You know, Romans 3:23 says all have sinned. You know, we all slip and fall. But it says we don't practice that sin. There's a difference between slipping. There's a difference between, you know, accidentally sinning and continuing to live in sin. And scripture is clear, men and women, that when someone gives their heart to Christ, that they have a heart that wants to get out of that sin. Like the student at the University of Alabama at the college event that we did. As he came to the cross with hundreds of other students around him. Weeping at the cross. And he gave his heart to Christ and I threw my arms around and gave him a big victory hug. 02:46 But he knew when Christ gave him a new heart that he wouldn't practice that sin anymore. And I called him two years later and I said, Ben, are, are you clean? He said, absolutely. He wasn't going to be one who's going to be judged for practicing sin because the heart of Christ gave him the freedom to get out of that sin and to never go back again. So the great verse in Romans is in Romans 5:8 and it says, even though we were yet sinners, even though we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So you and I've got to get on our knees today and say, Jesus, show me. Do I have a new heart? You know, do I have a heart that wants to practice sin or do I want to have a heart that wants to confess my sin and to receive your grace and to receive your forgiveness so that that judgment will not be a judgment for me? By the grace of God. He will pass you through judgment into eternal life. And so my question for you today is this. When you get on your knees tonight before bed, you know, what is your prayer need to look like before God? And maybe you need to do that prayer right now.
"The most beautiful picture for me is a bride walking down the aisle. And I will never forget as long as I live the beauty of my two daughters walking down the aisle. As I sort of gave them away to their husbands for marriage, for life. I wept like a baby."
Family Discussion: 1. What did Jesus do to allow you and I to get to heaven? 2. What are we going to do with the life that he gave us and the spirit of Christ that he puts in our heart when we receive him by faith and when we follow him and give our lives to him?
Transcription: 00:14 If you could paint any picture of any scene on the earth and that was going to be the most beautiful scene you can imagine, what would you paint? Well, I want to tell you the day the painting that I have seen painted before my eyes. The most beautiful painting of my life and it is a small picture. That painting is only a snapshot about the painting that God is going to paint in this passage today. Listen to this believers. Revelation chapter 21 verse one through three. Here's the painting that John saw in this vision from God. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven as a bride made ready, adorn for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is among men and he will dwell among them and they shall be his people and God himself will be among them." 01:15 The most beautiful picture for me is a bride walking down the aisle. And I will never forget as long as I live the beauty of my two daughters walking down the aisle. As I sort of gave them away to their husbands for marriage, for life. I wept like a baby. I just cried like a baby. There was just no sight more beautiful than seeing your daughter adorn in a wedding dress. And you know what? That is only a teeny sliver of the beauty of the picture of heaven. But God uses the picture of a bride adorn for husband as a picture of what it will be like when we are wed to Christ for eternity in the new heaven, the new heaven, the heaven that will live with God forever and ever comes down out of the sky. 02:05 We've got to ask ourselves, you know, where we going to be when the new heaven comes? And how is it that we're going to get there? Somebody asks a wise man one time, how long has eternity? And the wise man said, you see that little bird and the man said yes. And he said, picture that bird taking a drink out of that lake every 10,000 years and that bird flies away. And then 10,000 years later, that bird comes down to the lake and takes another sip. And then 10,000 years later, the bird comes down to that lake and takes another little sip. And the wise man said, when the lake is dry, then eternity is over. And so it is with eternity and God. One bird will never dry up the lake and eternity never ends. 02:50 And you and I either get to spend our eternity in heaven with God in the new heaven as a bride adorned for her husband, or we get to spend our eternity in hell a place that was built for Satan and his angels. But you've got to walk around the cross to get the hell because God in 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is patient, slow to anger, not wanting any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. So the new heaven is coming and the bride is adorn for her husband today. My question to you is what did Jesus do to allow you and I to get there? And what are we going to do with the life that he gave us and the spirit of Christ that he puts in our heart when we receive him by faith and when we follow him and give our lives to him?
" I was just in Chicago with a high school student, a 17 year old boy named Jacob, who's faithful. That boy had a vision for a thousand of his friends to come to this event and to come to Christ. And because of Jacob's faithfulness that little theater we were in was packed because one boy was faithful and he wanted everybody he knew to come to Christ. He's a hero to me. "
Family Discussion: 1. Don't you want to be one of the faithful? 2. What are you doing today to become one of the faithful? 3. Who are you leading to the throne of grace today?
Transcription: 00:14 Who are your heroes? You know my heroes are students that I get to work with that are faithful. My heroes are men and women that I get to work with that are faithful. My hero is my wife Debbie Jo because she's faithful. My hero was my dad because he was faithful. My hero still is my mom who's faithful. Revelation 20 verse four talks about the Faithful. Listen to this. This is so incredibly inspirational and motivating to me. Verse four he says, "and then I saw Thrones and they sat on them and judgment was given to them and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God and those who had not worshiped the beast are his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." 01:12 There are those at the end who are faithful. I was just in Chicago with a high school student, a 17 year old boy named Jacob, who's faithful. That boy had a vision for a thousand of his friends to come to this event and to come to Christ. And because of Jacob's faithfulness that little theater we were in was packed because one boy was faithful and he wanted everybody he knew to come to Christ. He's a hero to me. And then down in Florida, a boy named Connor, his daddy said, you can take a senior trip. You can go anywhere you want to go. And he said, only places I want to goes to heaven and I want to take all my friends with me. And he literally got 6,000 Orlando kids together for this event. And I was able to build a cross and just see over a thousand kids give their hearts to Christ because Connor was faithful. 02:05 Just recently I was at the Air Force Academy where the Christian students are getting persecuted and Christianity is getting put down. And through the influence, the ACLU and the agnostics and the cynics and, and even, uh, some, some people are into Wicca. These Christian students are faithful in three students brought 20% of the student body to the event before the cross. And hundreds of those students came to the cross that night because Scott and because of the faithfulness of Jack and before the faithfulness of Matt Rotor. We were at Virginia Tech and 2000 students followed one girl and one guy into this event to come to the cross. 2000 kids because one guy and one girl were faithful. Do you know that people are following you? And do you know that you can be a Jacob? You could be a Jordan? Or like my friends, Beau and Cooper up in Kansas City who had Saturday night parties that were free of alcohol that sometimes over a hundred students would come to because Beau and Cooper were faithful. 03:13 Do you know that you can be one of those people? And certainly at the end, you're going to want to be one of those people because the faithful who don't get into the work of Satan, who don't follow the anti-Christ, even though the antichrist, the beast is not yet appeared as he will to the degree he does a Revelation. He's everywhere today, but the faithful will celebrate with Christ forever. Don't you want to be one of the faithful? My question for you today is this, whether you're a student or whether you're, you know, in the workplace or you know, husband or wife or father, what are you doing today to become one of the faithful and who are you leading to the throne of grace today? At the end, the ones that follow you will call you faithful.
"There's one thing worse than hell and the same thing is worse is better than heaven. You know what it is? It's influence. It's going to either place and taking somebody with you. On that day when Christ reigns and rules, on that day, those that love him will be thankful to those that lead them there like you can't believe. And those that, that follow the enemy, Satan, into everlasting judgment are going to be sadness beyond sadness."
Family Discussion: 1. Who are you influencing today and how are you influencing them? 2. Where are you going to be? 3. How are you going to get there? 4. What are you going to do to influence the people in your family and in your school and in your place of business? 5. What are you going to do to influence people to be on that victory ride with you?
Transcription: 00:13 Do you know there's one thing that's worse than hell and the same thing is better than heaven? What is that? It's worse than hell. It is better than heaven and it's the same thing. Do you know what it is? Revelation chapter nine verses 11 through 16, "and I saw heaven open and behold a white horse and he who sat on it is called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems and he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean were following him on white horses and from his mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it he may strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron and he treads on the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty and on his robe. And on his thigh, he has a name written. He is king of kings and Lord of Lords." 01:24 This men and women is the final and greatest victory of all time as Jesus rides in with his saints, with those who follow him. And he ends the final battle, the final battle of Armageddon, the final battle on earth, the final battle of all time. And you know what? We get to come in with him and we get to ride and we get to reign and we get to rule with him, as true sincere followers of Christ. There's one thing worse than hell and the same thing is worse is better than heaven. You know what it is? It's influence. It's going to either place and taking somebody with you. On that day when Christ reigns and rules, on that day, those that love him will be thankful to those that lead them there like you can't believe. And those that, that follow the enemy, Satan, into everlasting judgment are going to be sadness beyond sadness. 02:24 So my question for you today is this, who are you influencing today and how are you influencing them? And you know what? You can't escape it. You and I are an influence every day of our life. We're either influencing people to heaven or we're influencing people to hell. And not so much by words, but by the way we live our lives and the way we act. And so as you visualize the victory and you visualize the one that reigns and rules and you visualize the greatest victory celebration of all time. One, where are you going to be? Two, how are you going to get there? And then three, what are you going to do to influence the people in your family and in your school and in your place of business? What are you going to do to influence people to be on that victory ride with you? Is there anything more motivating to live a life pleasing to Christ than that on this earth?
"when I'm in locker rooms, they're either the happiest place in the world, I mean the celebrations that go on inside of a locker room of a college team or an NFL team if they win. It's just unbelievable how happy it is. But the locker rooms of the losing team, especially in the playoffs are the saddest places in the world."
Family Discussion: 1. What are the tracks shoes that you and I could put on? 2. Wat is it that gives us the power? 3. Who is it that gives us the ability to leave the black hole and go to the locker room of victory? 4. Wat do you need to do to put on your track shoes today?
Transcription: 00:14 Hey, today I'm going to take you to a locker room. And when I'm in locker rooms, they're either the happiest place in the world, I mean the celebrations that go on inside of a locker room of a college team or an NFL team if they win. It's just unbelievable how happy it is. But the locker rooms of the losing team, especially in the playoffs are the saddest places in the world. Scripture in chapter 18 of Revelation takes us to a locker room and one side is incredibly happy and one side is incredibly sad and defeated. Chapter 18 verse one it says this, "after these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority and the earth was illuminated with his glory and he cried out with a mighty voice saying, 'fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird for all the nations have drunk of the wine, of her passion, of her immorality and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her. And the merchants of the earth had become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.' I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'come out from her my people so that you will not participate in our sins and receive her plagues.'" 01:40 I think this passage of scripture is saying, put on your trek shoes and run from your life. I have a friend named Roy Libby who invented the Chandra telescope and the Chandra telescope was the first to look inside of black holes. And Roy said, inside of a black hole he's seen winds blowing a million miles an hour. A black hole, a place where star collapses, and the force of gravity inside that blackhole is literally off the charts of description and you and I as this passage describes living a black hole of immorality. And the gravity of inside of a black hole is almost unrelenting. But with the spirit of Christ in our hearts, we can get out of that black hole. We can run. But you got to have your track shoes on. In 2 Timothy Chapter two, it says to flee from youthful eyes. It says, when the black hole, when you find yourself on one he said, run for your life. 02:42 Get on your track shoes and run. As scripture says, come out of her. And those that come out of her, those that come out of the immorality represented here by the city of Babylon in this passage. Those that come out of her will go to the locker room and there'll be incredible victory. You know, first Peter Chapter four says to you, and to me, the time passed is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the gentiles. Hey pursuit, of course, of lust, and insensuality and drunk and carousals and sexual parties and abominable idolatries. And it says in all of this, your former friends will laugh at you and scoff at you because you did not join with them in the same access of dissipation. But it says they must give account to him who judges the living and the dead. They've got their locker room, but you've got your locker room. So put on your track shoes and come out today. My question for you today is, what are the tracks shoes that you and I could put on? You know, what is it that gives us the power? Who is it that gives us the ability to leave the black hole and go to the locker room of victory? And then lastly, what do you need to do to put on your track shoes today?
"When you watch a basketball game or play in a game of any sport or watch football game, who do you cheer for? Well, I always cheer for the underdog. And I don't know what it is inside of me but every time anybody plays, I'll look for the team that's not supposed to win and I just begin to cheer for that team like they're my team. And when they come back and win, it's the greatest thing in the world."
Family Discussion: 1. Which side are we on? God's or Satan's?
Transcription: 00:13 When you watch a basketball game or play in a game of any sport or watch football game, who do you cheer for? Well, I always cheer for the underdog. And I don't know what it is inside of me but every time anybody plays, I'll look for the team that's not supposed to win and I just begin to cheer for that team like they're my team. And when they come back and win, it's the greatest thing in the world. Listen to this victory. Listen to who wins in this passage in Revelation 17:14-17. It looks like Satan is going to win. It looks like the enemy is going to take over the whole earth. But look at the comeback. 17:14-17 scripture says this, "these will wage war against the lamb and the lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and those who are with him are the called and the chosen and the faithful. And he said to me, the waters which you saw where the harlot sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues, and the 10 horns which you saw are the beast. These will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put in his heart to execute his purpose by having a common purpose and by giving their kingdom to the beast until the words of God will be fulfilled." 01:41 Let me tell you about the day that Razorback stadium was silent. The craziest, wildest fans in the United States of America are the Arkansas Razorbacks. We were playing the Razorback in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. And I literally walked on the field and I felt the earth shake underneath my feet. They were number two in the nation that year. And you know what? They jumped out to a 35 to nothing lead over our little SMU team and we were getting killed. 02:08 But Bruce Portillo stepped into the huddle, our Middle Linebacker, and he said, come on guys, we can stop these people. And I don't know what it was about Bruce Portillo, but he had something charismatic about him. And you know what, they didn't make another first down. There are only 10 minutes left on the clock and we scored four straight touchdowns. And even though if we would've gotten the ball one more time, we would've beat those people. We didn't. We lost 35 to 28. We won an incredible victory that day. The day when razorback stadium was silenced. And so it will be with the work of Satan. And he is literally taking over the earth today as our nation has decided to kick him out of everything that we do. Kicking him out of prayer schools and Bible reading schools. 02:59 And it take a God and His name out of public life where you can't even put a manger scene, you know, out in a public place or put a cross in a tribute to a soldier. It looks like Satan is taking over the world, but he's not. And at the end, Jesus is going to win. Jesus is going to reign because Jesus is going to overcome. And those who love him and follow him are gonna reign with him forever and ever. And so the question for you and I today is, which side are we own? You know, Jesus said, no man can serve two masters. Either you love the one and hate the other, or you'll serve the one and despise the other. He says, you can't serve God and Mammon in chapter five of Matthew. So which side of your on? He said, either you're for me or you're against me and today you and I get to choose sides. He looks like the underdog, but I'll tell you he's going to win in the end.
"Years ago when my kids were small, I was at home alone. Debbie Jo was on a trip and the kids were sleeping in their room and about 2:30 AM I heard a thief in my kitchen and I jumped up out of bed and saw that thief running out the front door. And I chased that thief is as hard as I could. And you know what? It's a good thing he didn't have a gun. But when a thief comes into your house, you don't care, you'll do anything to get him out of your house and fortunately for him and me, he didn't come back. "
Family Discussions: 1. What's your house doing to get ready for the coming of Christ? 2. Personally in your heart knowing that the blood of the lamb on your heart is the only ticket, the only key to live with Christ forever. What are you doing with the lamp? 3. What are you doing with Jesus?
Transcription: 00:13 You know, I can smile about it now, but I sure wouldn't smiling about it when it happened. Years ago when my kids were small, I was at home alone. Debbie Jo was on a trip and the kids were sleeping in their room and about 2:30 AM I heard a thief in my kitchen and I jumped up out of bed and saw that thief running out the front door. And I chased that thief is as hard as I could. And you know what? It's a good thing he didn't have a gun. But when a thief comes into your house, you don't care, you'll do anything to get him out of your house and fortunately for him and me, he didn't come back. But today we're going to talk about a thief and you know, a thief when he shows up, no one knows when he's coming. He doesn't announce his arrival. And so scripture says, the coming of the son of man will be. 01:05 We're in Revelation chapters 16:15, and we're in the middle of the bowls of wrath in the judgment of God. But he says this, "behold" Jesus is speaking through the angel to John. "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed it is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes so that he will not walk around naked and men will not see his shame." Jesus is certainly not the thief but he comes like a thief and that we won't know the day or the hour that is coming. Acts 1:7 makes it clear that only God knows the day and the hour of the coming of Christ. But Jesus said in Matthew 24 that the coming of the son of man will be just like it was the day of Noah. 01:47 He says, for men will be eating and drinking and marrying and giving into marriage. Before Noah entered the Ark and they did not understand until the floods came and swept them all away. He said, two men will be in the field, one will be taken and what will be left. Two women will be grinding in the meal, one will be taken, one will be left and I'm offering humor to about the two men who are standing there talking, the two women are out working. What are we doing men? Standing around talking. But no one knows when the thief is gonna come. In this case it's going to be anything but a thief. It's going to be Christ, but he gives us signs. He gives us signs. He said there'll be earthquakes like never before in the earth. There'll be wars and rumors of wars like never before in the earth. 02:26 There'll be false prophets running around the earth, getting followers, claiming to be Christ. The cults will be like never before. He said there'll be seances, a Satan worship of demons and demon possession and tarot cards and dungeons and dragons and satanic movies and music. It'll all be a part of the signs, but people won't heed the signs. Even though the signs are all over. It's the gospel that we preach to the whole world at that time. There will be a proliferation of the gospel like never before. Like we're seeing the day travel where we prolific like we've never seen before. Daniel said people will be moving from place to place. The second coming of Christ will have signs, but people will not see the signs. But like a thief, he will appear. And then the ones who follow him and love him sincerely will be taken away. 03:14 On December 7th, 1941 there were signs, but our navy and our military didn't see the signs. And the next thing we knew, hundreds of Japanese planes were sinking our navy in Pearl Harbor. On 911, there were signs and we didn't see the signs. We didn't pay attention. Until the planes were flying into the buildings and terrorism struck the United States of America. Well today there're signs. It's December 7th. It's 911. There's signs everywhere. Christ is coming back and he'll appear like a thief in the night. So my question to you today is, is what are we doing? What are you doing? What's your house doing to get ready for the coming of Christ and personally in your heart knowing that the blood of the lamb on your heart is the only ticket, the only key to live with Christ forever. What are you doing with the lamp? What are you doing with Jesus?
"Are you like me? And you look books with a happy ending or are you like me and you like movies that end up and you walk out with a big old grin on your face? Well, this book has a happy ending even though the judgements of God are severe and God's wrath is absolute. "
Family Discussion: 1. Are your knees bowing now and you're going to be there with the song of Moses in your heart or are you going to be wait and you're going to bow then with a song of death coming from your lips? 2. What do you need today to get you there?
Transcription: 00:13 Are you like me? And you look books with a happy ending or are you like me and you like movies that end up and you walk out with a big old grin on your face? Well, this book has a happy ending even though the judgements of God are severe and God's wrath is absolute. In Revelation chapter 15, one through four, the ending takes on a smile. Listen to this, and Revelation 15. "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous. Seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name standing on the Sea of glass, holding the harps of God and they sang the song of Moses, a Bond Servant of God. The song of the lamb saying, great and marvelous are your works. Oh Lord God, the Almighty, righteous and true are your ways, king of nations. Who will not fear Oh lord and glorify your name for you alone are holy for all the nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed." 01:28 You're going to want to be there. This is the game. You're gonna wanna be there. You're gonna want to have a ticket to this one. Philippians chapter two said that at the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. You're going to want to be there. I mean, whatever it takes to be at this place, at this time, you're going to want to be there. I've seen as I've been able to share, you know, Christ, you know, around this country and around this world. 02:01 I've seen two presidents of United States. They wanted to be there and I've seen these two presidents glorify God. I've seen two Superbowl teams come to the cross. They wanted to be there. I've seen a basketball team go into the Final Four. They wanted to be there. I've seen tens of thousands of college students in campuses across this country to come to the cross because they wanted to be there. I've seen tens of thousands of students, high school students at events across the country come to the cross because they wanted to be there. I've seen hundreds of thousands of men come to the cross because they want to be there and you're going to want to be there too because at the end when we stand before the throne of God, it's the only game in town. It's the only thing that's gonna matter. 02:51 And those that bow now will be rewarded. Those that wait and bow then will be severely disappointed. You're going to want to be there and so my question to you today is, are your knees bowing now and you're going to be there with the song of Moses in your heart or are you going to be wait and you're going to bow then with a song of death coming from your lips? What do you need today to get you there? Jesus says, take me, love me. Give me your whole heart and you'll be there.
"Do you know that there's going to be two different groups of people in Heaven? There are going to be a group of 144,000 in heaven. But there's also gonna be another group, which is what God calls the great multitudes. Those are going to be the followers of Christ, those who are faithful to the end. But the way I see the 144,000 is there going to be 12 groups of 12 tribes of Israel. I just look at them as heroes."
Family Discussions: 1. What can you do today to be a hero to somebody in your life that needs a role model to follow? 2. If somebody looks at you, do they see a man or woman who's walking and following the lamb wherever he goes?
Transcription: 00:14 Do you know that there's going to be two different groups of people in Heaven? Unfortunately today, one of the cults - the Jehovah's Witness Cult teachers, that there's only gonna be 144,000 people in heaven. That's it. And so there is a fight to see who can do the most good deeds so they can become one of the 144,000. Can you imagine living your life knowing that that's all that we're going to get to heaven? Well they haven't read their scripture clearly because there are going to be a group of 144,000 in heaven. But there's also gonna be another group, which is what God calls the great multitudes. Those are going to be the followers of Christ, those who are faithful to the end. But the way I see the 144,000 is there going to be 12 groups of 12 tribes of Israel. I just look at them as heroes.
01:05 Listen to what scripture says about the 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel in Revelation chapter 14 verses three and four. It says this, "and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders and no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who've been not defiled with women, for they have kept himself at chased. These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes." Isn't that great? "These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among men as the first fruits of God. And to the lamb." 01:48 Even the 144,000 have to be purchased of the blood of the lamb. But I just see them as heroes and I don't know if that's the way God sees it, but it's the way I see it. And I love the passage. "They're the ones who follow the lamb wherever they go." Who's your hero by the way? Who are the people on this earth that you look up to? Well, for me, it's not the gigantic business. You know, guys, the successful, you know, Donald Trump's and Bill Gates. It's certainly not the ones who flesh trophies around after winning gigantic Olympic championships or sports championships. To me, it's the folks who follow the lamb wherever he goes. You know who my hero is? He's a boy named Johnny Stallings. Johnny was born with down syndrome and Johnny lived 46 years, even though the doctors told him that he was only gonna live for four months. When Johnny died a couple of summers ago, I went down to visit with his dad, Gene Stallings, who's one of my very best friends and coach took me to Johnny's room. 02:50 And you know what? There wasn't one trophy in his room, although Johnny had been given dozens of trophies because he was the most likable person that you've ever met. When we traveled with his dad for these coaching to teams all over the country. They'd give Johnny all these great trophies, but Johnny would give them away. They'd given footballs with signatures that were worth, you know, thousands of dollars, I suppose, of some of the greatest players that ever lived. And Johnny would go outside and he'd give it away to somebody else. Johnny was a hero and as Coach Stalling, said, you know, the kid, he never had an impure thought. He never had an impure word. Somehow this kid couldn't count to 10, but he never forgot your name. And he had a smile that would melt the ice caps. 03:33 You know who a hero is? A hero is a dad. Who would you look at his son or daughter. And you say, tell me about your dad and that son or daughter says, my dad is the purest man I know. My dad is a godly man. That man is my hero. There's heroes all over this planet. They're in every home in America. There are kids who are walking into the school and standing firm for Christ. There are university students who are walking across their campus and when they graduate, there are dozens of people following Christ because of their life. Well, the heroes of the Bible are 12,000 from 12 tribes of Israel, but the heroes of the earth are the multitudes who are following Christ. And my question for you today is this, what can you do today to be a hero to somebody in your life that needs a role model to follow? And if somebody looks at you, do they see a man or woman who's walking and following the lamb wherever he goes? What a great challenge. What a great way to live.
"Believe it or not, in an age where people were exchanging gold coins, where there were no credit cards, where there were no checks, where there were no computer, the Bible talks about the day that one man will have at his controls every economic transaction in the world. That there will be a computer system so technically advanced that every transaction that you make would be linked together through a scanner and would go to one central computer system."
Family Discussions: 1. How is our credit card system of today and our drive for materialism leading maybe even you and your home into the alarming of the mark of the beast? 2. Knowing what you know about scripture, what do you need today to realign your life and your priorities?
Transcription: 00:13 Man, what a day to be alive as you read the scripture of Revelation and you see the times that we live in and you see some of these things literally coming true in our midst. It is such an encouragement to me as a follower of Christ. When you see the little UPC code on the bottom of every item that you buy at the grocery store, and as they run that UPC code across the scanner, do you know what that's doing? Do you know what that's telling us about? And what the book of Revelation reveals in chapter 13. Listen to this and see if this doesn't open your eyes to scripture like you've never had your eyes open before. In Revelation 13, verse three, it begins to talk about the unholy trinity. You know, the Holy Trinity is the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. But the unholy trinity, revealed in the book of Revelation is the Trinity of the Dragon. That's Satan. The beast. That's the antichrist and the prophet of the beast who causes all people to worship the beast. Revelation 13 three says this, "and I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain." I believe that beast is trying to mimic Jesus here. The antichrist, trying to mimic Jesus. "And his fatal wound was healed and the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast." And then skipping down to verse 16 through 18, it says this, "and he the beast, the antichrist, and he causes all the rich and the poor, the small and the great, the free and the slave to be given a mark either on their right hand or on their forehead. And He provides that no one should be able to buy or sell except the one who has the mark. This calls for wisdom, let him who has understanding, calculate the number for the number is the number of a man. And the number is six, six, six." 02:00 Believe it or not, in an age where people were exchanging gold coins, where there were no credit cards, where there were no checks, where there were no computer, the Bible talks about the day that one man will have at his controls every economic transaction in the world. That there will be a computer system so technically advanced that every transaction that you make would be linked together through a scanner and would go to one central computer system. That one man would control and then you wouldn't use your credit card to pay the bill. You would use the back of your hand or you'd use your forehead where the mark of the beast would be there and it would allow you to make that transaction. But if you don't have the mark of the beast then transaction wouldn't go through. 02:54 The Bible says, we will not take the mark of the beast. Do you believe that could really happen? Do you believe that that the system could be so scientific that you can have some kind of a computer chip on your hand or on your forehead that could tell enough about you. That could take that transaction to your bank account and to approve or disapprove of that transaction because you had that? Well, I will tell you something. It's happening today. We're using now hand scanners to gain interest into buildings. They're now using eye scan to verify credit cards. They're now using thumbprints even with children in schools to get their lunches as their thumbprint, identifies them and debits their account to the school system. I was in Rome, Italy, and the world conference of biometrics was in the same hotel I was staying in. As the leaders of the economic world were gathering to talk about the need for personal identity because of all the credit card fraud. 03:57 Men and women, what a day to be alive! As the day prophesied 2000 years ago literally is coming true before our eyes. But be for warned. Don't take the mark of the beast today and don't take the mark of the beast then. The antichrist will control everything he thinks until he's controlled by Christ. And here's my question for you today. How is our credit card system of today and our drive for materialism leading maybe even you and your home into the alarming of the mark of the beast. And then secondly, knowing what you know about scripture, what do you need today to realign your life and your priorities?
"We opened up the hundredth year of football on a national television against the Air Force Academy and we didn't know that we were being deceived that day. It was an incredible game and we had an awesome west coast offense. But air force knew something about us that we didn't think anybody knew. We had a secret play calling system. But the year before Air Force Academy had sent a man and he actually was hired on our staff to help coach. We thought that he was coaching us, but what he was doing was learning our system."
Family Discussion: 1. How is Satan deceiving you? 2. What's the angel of light saying to you about sin as making sin look good?
Transcription: 00:14 Did you know that there are good angels and bad angels? They're not only angels of God, but they're angels of Satan. In Revelation 12, we read about the battle between the angels and in verse seven it says this, "and there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels waging war with the Dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war and they were not strong enough and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And so the great dragon was thrown down. The serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him." 00:53 I think deceit is the worst thing in the world. We opened up the hundredth year of football on a national television against the Air Force Academy and we didn't know that we were being deceived that day. It was an incredible game and we had an awesome west coast offense. But air force knew something about us that we didn't think anybody knew. We had a secret play calling system. But the year before Air Force Academy had sent a man and he actually was hired on our staff to help coach. We thought that he was coaching us, but what he was doing was learning our system. And then he went back to the air force academy and he taught our system to their football team so that every time we would call a secret audible play, they would know exactly where the play was going to be and they would run their defense to that spot. It was embarrassing. We got killed. We got deceived. And I'm still bitter to this day. I want you to know about that. 01:53 You know, the worst thing about Satan to me is not only is the cruel and is he mean and is he harsh. And is he want to take you to hell and make you live a life on this earth that feels like hell. But he's a deceiver. He's a liar. He appears scripture says as the angel of light. You know, people sin because sin looks good. There's no doubt about it. Sin looks fun. But when you see sin on television, they don't show you the consequences. When you see it in the movies. They don't show you the consequences. When you see your friends, you know, living a life of sin, they don't tell you about the consequences of sin when they're pushing drugs or alcohol or pornography. They're deceiving you. But the day is gonna come that all deceit is going to end. And for me this passage is a huge encouragement because the deceiver loses. The deceiver at the end is thrown down and Jesus reigns forever and ever. 02:48 And so today you and I get to live in practical ways. You getting ready to reign with him forever and ever. By looking at the deceiver in our, the one who makes it looks good and throw him down today. And so my question for you today is how is Satan deceiving you? What's the angel of light saying to you about sin as making sin look good? And you know what? You can smile and you can laugh as you recognize him as the enemy of your soul. And you could say to him, Satan get behind me. You know, I can see that you're a deceiver. Be gone with you. I am done with that sin in my life. And watch your life bloom like a flower.
"I think about Cassie Burnall and the awful shooting of Columbine. This girl's witness was so strong that one of these boys that terrorize the school, I'm sure couldn't wait to find her and to point his gun at her head, and he said, Cassie, do you believe in God? And she said, yes, I believe in God. And the next thing she saw was the face of Christ as I'm sure he welcomed her home."
Family Discussions: 1. What's your witness looking like? 2. What's the picture that you want them to see of Jesus when they look at you?
Transcription: 00:14 Well burnt orange has never been my favorite color. And truly it's out of jealousy because this was the team that used to smoke, my little Dallas football team every single year. But you know what? Whether you like them or not, they're good. But when you ever, you wear a baseball cap of a school or you ever wear a tee shirt of a school, you're actually witnessing for that school. You're representing that school either good or bad. And so it is as a Christian. I wish I could say I like that hat. So it is as a Christian. Whether we're wearing a cross around our neck or not. Whether we're carrying a Bible or not. We are his witnesses and we're either witnessing for him for good or we're witnessing for Christ for bad. Today's passage in chapter 11 of Revelation is an interlude between the judgements. 01:00 And at this point in the book of Revelation in the seven year period of the judgments of God, there's a tribute to two witnesses. And that's where we are today. God's tribute and the and the work of the two witnesses. Revelation 11:3-4 says this, "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees. And the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth." You know, uh, for 1,260 days, these witnesses prophesied and then these witnesses are killed. But after they are killed and they lay dead for three and a half days, the book says God will say, come up here and they will come and they will stand and they will be glorified before Christ. But I think about in practical application, the witness of you and the witness of me, and I think about the people that I admire the most, and I think about people that are witnessing for Christ, like these two witnesses in the midst of sometimes incredible persecution, they never stopped witnessing for Jesus. 02:11 I think about Cassie Burnall and the awful shooting of Columbine. This girl's witness was so strong that one of these boys that terrorize the school, I'm sure couldn't wait to find her and to point his gun at her head, and he said, Cassie, do you believe in God? And she said, yes, I believe in God. And the next thing she saw was the face of Christ as I'm sure he welcomed her home. As these two witnesses are welcomed home after they are killed in this passage. I think about Tony Cimarusti, one of my heroes, a hedge fund manager in Detroit. In the midst of a very chaotic life in the dog eat dog cutthroat business world that he lives in. He witness for Jesus every single day. He makes money to give money to take to Christian causes. He lives his life to lead people to Christ, leading Bible Studies, leading people to Christ, discipling people at raising his four boys and loving his wife as Christ loved the church. 03:10 You know, Christian witnesses, to me without a doubt, are the most attractive people on Earth. 2 Timothy 4:1 says, be ready in season and out of season because you're witnessing whether you think you're witnessing or not every day of your life. You're not just wearing the colors of your school, but you're wearing the colors of Christ. And so my question for you today is this, what's your witness looking like? And knowing that you'll be wearing his colors. You'll be wearing his baseball cap, whether wearing his colors on your head or not. People are going to be seeing Christ. What's the picture that you want them to see of Jesus when they look at you? And may you be encouraged to be that witness every day of your life.
"One time, an agnostic teenage boy came to my office and he didn't believe in God. And he asked me why I believed in God. And I happened to have Fred the eagle sitting by me in my office. And I looked at the boy and I said, well, you know what? Either this eagle came to be by accidental chance over millions and millions of years through random arrangements of atoms and random chemical accidents or somebody designed, somebody created, somebody was an architect of the beauty of each of the feathers of this eagle. And I said, what do you believe?"
Family Discussion: 1. Why do you believe that scientists teach in spite of all the evidence that somehow this happened by accident and there is no God? 2. If God created something as majestic and marvelous as this, what can he do with you if you give him your heart?
Transcription: 00:13 One time I'll never forget, an agnostic teenage boy came to my office and he didn't believe in God. And he asked me why I believed in God. And I happened to have Fred the eagle sitting by me in my office. And I looked at the boy and I said, well, you know what? Either this eagle came to be by accidental chance over millions and millions of years through random arrangements of atoms and random chemical accidents. Over the years, this, this eagle evolved from slime in some lifeless pool of soup, you know, 40 something million years ago in planet Earth or somebody designed, somebody created, somebody was an architect of the beauty of each of the feathers of this eagle. It's the beautiful, dark brown feathers give rise to these just magnificent white feathers in this miracle in the sky. And I said, what do you believe? Do you believe this animal is accidental chance or do you believe this animal was created and designed? 01:09 He said, well, obviously that animal, that eagle was created and designed. And I said, well, that's exactly what scripture says in this passage. Even though we're at the end of the book of Revelation, we're in chapter 10. The strong angel who appears to John giving the next message during this interlude between the trumpets and the parents of the two witnesses of chapter eleven. The angel testifies again to the creative work of God in Genesis. And John says in Revelation chapter 10 verses five through seven is the angel appears to give John the next message from God. Verse Five says this, "then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it. And there will be delayed no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he's about to sound in the mystery of God is finished as he preached to his servants, the prophets." 02:13 So what do you believe? In the first book of Genesis and the last book of the Bible, in Revelation from cover to cover, the Bible says God is Creator. Science says it was a big bang, a mindless explosion, 15.5 billion years ago. Scripture says that God spoke. Interesting today, the scientists at NASA are seeing the inception of the cosmos through the incredible pictures of the Hubble telescope. And many of the scientists today are on their knees because they're seeing that only supernatural forces could have done that as 100 billion galaxy span the cosmos and under a trillionth of a second or do you believe that only earth for 5.5 billion years ago? As we're being taught in our biology classes, there's somehow life arose out of nothingness in some, a mindless pool of slime. 03:05 Even though Carl Sagan, you know, the most outspoken atheist of the 20th century said, the odds of that happening are one in one times 10 to the 2000000000th power. That's like having every dice in a stadium of 25 million dice blown up and all the dice would come up. Sixes. Do you believe that mutations produced life and produced things like Fred, the Eagle over here, even though Dr Pier Paul, the President of the French Academy of Science, said that mutations do not produce any form of evolution. He said there's no law against daydreaming, but science was not indulge in it. Do you believe that lower forms of life evolved into higher forms of life even though there's no missing links in the fossil record? According to Dr Colin Paterson, the Chief Paleontologist for the British Museum of Natural History. He said there's no missing links in the fossil record. Or do you believe what the angel said or do you believe what Genesis said, that God designed and created it all and most of all, and best of all, He created you as his best and greatest possession in the cosmos. So that he could adopt your son and bring you into his family and so that you could escape the judgments of God that are written about in this book. 04:15 And my question to you is this today, why do you believe that scientists teach in spite of all the evidence that somehow this happened by accident and there is no god. And secondly, if God created something as majestic and marvelous as this, what can he do with you if you give him your heart?
"I see so many great families. I can't count them, but I see so many families where two sisters or two brothers have hard hearts towards each other. Where a husband and wife have developed a hard heart toward each other, or where between a parent and a child where the child's heart is hard towards his dad or his mom. "
Family Discussion: 1. What do you do with the calluses that are building on your heart towards somebody in your life, somebody in your family? 2. What are you gonna do to melt the callouses and to go to that person and to bring that person into the same relationship with Christ?
Transcription: 00:13 Without a doubt, one of the greatest gifts that there is this side of heaven is the gift of relationship. You know, the gift of love between the son and a father between a husband and a wife, between a parent and a child. And you know, it's just so sad. In my work, you know, I see so many great relationships. I see so many great families. I can't count them, but I see so many families where two sisters or two brothers have hard hearts towards each other. Where a husband and wife have developed a hard heart toward each other, or where between a parent and a child where the child's heart is hard towards his dad or his mom. Today scripture in the book of Revelation in Chapter Nine, it talks about the hardening of the heart of mankind. 01:02 And in this particular passage, we're in the 11th judgment. There, there have been 10 judgments on mankind and still the hearts were hard. Well, this is the 11th judgment and it's just unbelievable. That man can have such a hard heart that he won't repent and come to Christ. Here we are in Revelation 9 verses 13 through 16 and then verse 20 and it says this, "and then the sixth angel sounded. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God. Once saying to the sixth angel release the four angels who are bound at the Great River Euphrates and the four angels who had been prepared for the hour in the day and the month and the year were released so that they would kill a third of mankind." And talk about a judgment. "The number of the armies of the horseman was 200 million and I heard the number of them." And then verse 20 says, "the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent." Their heart was so hard. They still did not repent of the works of their hands, "so as not to worship the demons and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can either see nor hear, nor walk." 02:17 Do you have a hard heart today? Are you at the stage of your heart where you've been hurt by somebody in your life, especially somebody in your family? And what are you doing with that hard heart? You know, I think the saddest part about bitterness and about a hard heart is not only is it break the relationship between you and that person, but it breaks your relationship in and of yourself. And it breaks the fellowship and the tenderness of your relationship with God. 02:46 I will never forget we were in Michigan doing a men's event and we had probably 10,000 men or so were in that event. And, and as a built across in that just shared the grace of God and the complete freedom that you get when you come to the cross and you unpack the bitterness in your heart. There are probably two or 3000 men who came down to the floor that night to give their hearts tenderly to Jesus. And one man who'd been an NFL linebacker. He was probably a 235 pound, very, you know, incredibly as we say in football, ripped up guy with gigantic muscles on his arm. But he was so, repetitive at the foot of the cross. He was crying and crying and I threw my arms around him and this crowded men and he said when I was six years old, Joe, my daddy hurt me when I was six years old. My daddy abused me and he said, I've hated my daddy ever since. For over 30 years, this man had the hardest heart toward his dad. And indeed, this man was a victim, but he couldn't forgive his dad. But there at the cross, he let go. There at the cross he let Christ melt the hardness of his heart and in my arms he cried before the cross. He said, I forgive you dad. I forgive you dad. Peace consumed this man's life. And he began to walk in peace and he walks in that peace today. 04:05 Will you be one at the end that will have a hard, bitter heart, even when the trumpets are sounding and the judgements are coming? or you be one who Jesus says you've overcome. Enter into my rest. Here is your eternal reward because Christ has taken your heart and melted the bitterness? And so my question to you today is what do you do with the calluses that are building on your heart towards somebody in your life, somebody in your family? What are you gonna do to melt the callouses and to go to that person and to bring that person into the same relationship with Christ that you're in because God has given purity and peace in your heart? Go do that today.
"There's not a football player or basketball player lad that doesn't respect the stripped shirt and the man in it and the whistle. And I remember as a defensive lineman and you know, in the Backfield when we would get through the line, we would sack the quarterback in different teams around the country and the referee would grab the whistle and he'd be blowing it like crazy. And if you didn't stop, if you get the quarterback again, of course he'd throw the yellow flag and then you'd get penalized and the coach would pull you off on the bench and chew you out. "
Family Discussion: 1. What whistles are you hearing in your life? 2. What's the Holy Spirit telling you to do? 3. What is the spirit of Christ telling you today to warn you? 4. What are you going to do today with the voice, the Holy Spirit when he blows the whistle in your life?
Transcription: 00:14 There's not a football player or basketball player lad that doesn't respect the stripped shirt and the man in it and the whistle. And I remember as a defensive lineman and you know, in the Backfield when we would get through the line, we would sack the quarterback in different teams around the country and the referee would grab the whistle and he'd be blowing it like crazy. And if you didn't stop, if you get the quarterback again, of course he'd throw the yellow flag and then you'd get penalized and the coach would pull you off on the bench and chew you out. So the referee's whistle was a warning and we heeded the warning because we didn't want to be benched for not listening to the whistle. Well, this is a whistle of God in Revelation 8:13, he's talking about the trumpets of God and the judgements. And this is in the context of the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpet, the terrible judgements that lie for those upon the earth. 01:07 And Revelation 8:13 says this, "Then I looked and I heard an eagle flying in mid heaven saying with the loud voice, woe, Woe, woe. To those who dwell on the earth because of the remaining blast of the trumpet and the three angels who are about to sound." There are warnings even today. We're not in the trumpets of God yet, but we hear warnings today and I get letters from students and from adults all over the country. And I see people and I read these often sad emails and often sad letters because of people who have heeded the warnings of God. Because in John 15 and 16 Jesus says, "the Holy Spirit is going to guide you into truth. He's going to convict your heart of sin and righteousness and judgment." 01:55 In Ephesians 4:30 scripture says, don't grieve the Holy Spirit when he speaks to your heart and he gives you warning, you know, you actually grieve him. You actually hurt him when you don't listen to his warning. And 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, don't quench the Holy Spirit. Don't pour the fire extinguisher on the fire of the burning of the Holy Spirit in your heart. It wants to provide for you and wants to protect you and to give you a future. I have one of just many letters here in a book I wrote called pure excitement for teenagers and it was a letter from a high school boy. He says, I feel regret for the girls. I've heard, I feel sick about myself. He said as so many thousands of us as boys have said through the years, how could I even remotely think about doing what I did to girls? 02:42 I knew it was wrong. I heard the voice, I heard the warning. But I didn't listen and he said I wasn't going all the way. I was just petting. But now how I see how petty was wrong. It's scripture. Paul says, it's good not to touch a woman, the wrong woman in the wrong place at the wrong time outside of marriage. He says, I want to save everything for my wife, but I'm afraid I don't have much left to give her. I want more from my marriage. Now I want more than my relationship with God. I don't want to be a second hand husband with my wife until the whistle blows. And the warning is there and it tells us to be pure. It tells us to have a pure heart. It tells us to have a pure mind and pure eyes. But getting ready for the final whistle, I believe, is dependent upon how we get ready for the whistles of today. And my question is for you today is what whistles are you hearing in your life? What's the Holy Spirit telling you to do? you know, as the judgments are coming. What is the spirit of Christ telling you today to warn you? And what are you going to do today with the voice, the Holy Spirit when he blows the whistle in your life?
"There were as many as 5,000 Christians martyred in the Colosseum of Rome under Nero and Marcus Aurelius and Domitian. But there's one story of a mortar named Polycarp, the 86 year old bishop of Smyrna that I'll never forget. Polycarp was so godly and he was influencing so many people to come to Christ, that Marcus Aurelius brought him to the Colosseum to have him killed and to have him silenced as a witness of Christ. "
Family Discussion: 1. As you suffer as you're ridiculed as you are laughed at, What does the trail of martyrs do to encourage you?
Transcription: 00:13 I will never forget my first varsity game coming out of a little bitty small town in Texas and then going to Dallas to play football and my first Varsity game walking into Albridge stadium in southern Alabama and I don't know how many thousands of Auburn fans, crazy, wild Alabama people screaming at us as we walked on the field. Tiger meat, tiger meat, tiger meat, tiger meat! Man, I thought a bunch of tigers were going to come out and eat us. I'd never seen anything like that in my life. Scared me to death. We won that game and silenced the crowd that day. Sorry, Auburn fans, but ridiculed, even though that was really, you know, almost fun, kind of ridiculed, but real ridicule. The kind of ridiculed that Christians are facing around this world. The kind of ridiculed that Christian kids that I know that are facing in their schools and Christian businessmen and women are facing as they represent Christ in everything they do. 01:12 And because the world is so today set out to put down Christians and destroyed the basics of our faith, suffer real ridicule. In fact, there are people all over this world today that are being martyred for the cause of Christ. Having their heads literally cut off in some of the Muslim driven worlds because they're preaching Christ that kind of ridicule isn't fun. That kind of ridicule is awful. There is a history of martyrs in the name of Christ since the first day that they began to proclaim Jesus' name in Rome after the resurrection of Christ. But God is going to avenge the blood of the martyrs. In Revelation six verses nine through 11 talks about that. Talks about the vengeance of God in the fifth seal of the judgments of the future. 02:00 And He says this in Revelation six nine through 11. John is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and he says, "when the lamb broke the fifth seal I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. The testimony they had maintained and they cried out with a loud voice. How Long, Oh lord, holy and true will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell upon the earth. And there was given to each of them a white robe and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also." 02:42 Oh to be martyred for Christ. Fox's book of martyrs tells stories of martyrs in the first century of Christianity and some days, Fox's book says there were as many as 5,000 Christians martyred in the Colosseum of Rome under Nero and Marcus Aurelius and Domitian. But there's one story of a mortar named Polycarp, the 86 year old bishop of Smyrna that I'll never forget. Polycarp was so godly and he was influencing so many people to come to Christ, that Marcus Aurelius brought him to the Colosseum to have him killed and to have him silenced as a witness of Christ. And as Polycarp walked in before the proconsul of the Colosseum. The proconsul said recant and give your tribute to Caesar. And Polycarp looked at him with a smile on his face and peace in his heart. And he said, 86 years I've served him and never once he is wrong me. How can I now then blaspheme my king who has saved me? And the proconsul cried out to Polycarp in the coliseum. He said, I'll threaten thee with fire. And Polycarp says, you threatened me with fire that burns for an hour and then is extinguished with the fire of future judgment, the fire of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly. You know nothing of, why do you wait, do what you please and as the fires of the martyrdom consumed Polycarp and literally burned him alive at the stake. The eye witnesses said that Polycarp had peace on his face and in the flames he said, oh Lord, I bless the for considering me worthy to go down with the martyrs. 04:16 And so before us is this trail, this long, beautiful trail of thousands of saints who have been martyred for the name of Christ. But the day will come. Scripture says when the fifth seal is broken on the scroll that they're punished. That their sacrifice will be redeemed and that God's Will will be the one that will avenge the blood of the martyrs. And so my question for you today is, as you suffer as you're ridiculed as you are laughed at, What does the trail of martyrs do to encourage you? Be encouraged as you walk with Christ in the face of ridicule.
" I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. "
Family Discussion: 1. Who is the object of your worship? 2. What would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today?
Transcription: 00:13 If you and I could possibly imagine the fascination that John must've been in the day that he saw the vision that the angels of the Lord began to speak to him and tell him that the things that were to come. In this particular passage in Revelation chapter five verses nine and 10, John comes to a moment when he begins to weep because he sees the scroll with the seven seals and scholars believe that the scroll may have been the title deed to the earth. In each of the seven seals is a judgment upon the earth. In Revelation five nine and 10 begins to open up the next chapter of the judgements of God and he says this, "And they sing a new song. Saying worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals. For you were slain and purchased of God with your blood. Men from every tongue and people and tribe and nation, You've made them to be a kingdom of priests to our God and they will reign upon the earth."
01:10 John weeps because no one can break the seals. But then Jesus, who has purchased us with his blood, comes and breaks the seals one at a time in the rest of chapter five and on. Tell us about each of the judgments in the seals of God, but as John beholds Jesus, he begins to worship. He worships Jesus as one who is worthy. He worships Jesus as one who was slain. He worships Jesus as one who bought us out. Scripture says he purchased us by his blood. He redeemed us. And this is where John begins to worship because the word for redemption is the Greek word exagorazo. Exagorazo means that we've been bought out the slave market never to be returned to the slave market of sin again. And John begins to praise and worship Jesus and begins to sing a new song. And it makes me think today, what is the object of my praise and worship? What is the object of your praise and of your worship? 02:07 I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. And as soon as he saw the man, he pointed to a painting over a wall. And it was a gigantic painting, but the man couldn't see what it was. And the curator, the museum said, move closer. And the man moved closer to the museum. And then the curator said, now lower. 02:43 And the man started stooping down and the curator said, move closer. And they may move closer to the painting. And the curator said, now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now, lower. Pretty soon the man was standing under the painting or actually kneeling under the painting, looking straight up into the painting right over his head and their on his knees as close to the painting as he could get. He could see the face of Christ on a cross crucified with blood down his brow, looking down at him. And a spirit of hope and a spirit of compassion begin to melt into this man's broken heart. And the man became relieved and smiled. You can only see Christ when you're low and when you're on your knees. 03:24 And when I think about the judgements that are coming upon this earth, and I think about the one who could open the scroll to begin to describe the judgments will be the one that would redeem you and redeem me. He purchased us by his blood. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. And there you'll find the compassion in the face of Christ. And when you're in that position, you will sing a new song and you will worship him both men and woman. And the questions for the day are this: who is the object of your worship? And the second question is, what would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today? Make it be a day of worship.
"Rod Serling who used to do a show called the Twilight Zone. This was an unusual show about a boy who had the ability, the gift to see into the future and everyday he would do his personal TV show and he would tell the people what's going to happen tomorrow. Needless to say, the whole world watched as he would give them a prophecy of the next day. One day he told his mom he couldn't do the show. She said, you've got to do the show. There's millions of people watching. Millions of people depending upon what you say about the next day to come in the events that are going to come. And he said, mom, I can't. I can't. I just can't go. And finally she talked him into it and the boy appeared before the camera and then he began to tell the story of the next day."
Family Discussion: 1. What is the object of your worship? 2. Who Do you spend your time worshiping? 3. If you could go to a stadium and you could see anything on the field, you could see to spend hours adoring it, admiring what would you want on the field?
Transcription: 00:14 It's been 30 years, but I'll never forget the little TV show I saw. I think the author of the show was Rod Serling who used to do a show called the Twilight Zone. This was an unusual show about a boy who had the ability, the gift to see into the future and everyday he would do his personal TV show and he would tell the people what's going to happen tomorrow. Needless to say, the whole world watched as he would give them a prophecy of the next day. One day he told his mom he couldn't do the show. She said, you've got to do the show. There's millions of people watching. Millions of people depending upon what you say about the next day to come in the events that are going to come. And he said, mom, I can't. I can't. I just can't go. And finally she talked him into it and the boy appeared before the camera and then he began to tell the story of the next day. 01:00 And the day would be the day the sun wouldn't come up again. There'd be no sun. The world would be in darkness. The world would freeze and everyone would freeze to death. It was an awful ending to an awful show. But what would you do if you could see tomorrow? What would you do with your life if you knew tomorrow would be the day the sun would never shine again? This book begins in Chapter Four. When God says to John, come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things. So the book begins to unfold after the age of the church, after the age that we're in today of the gathering of the men and women under Christ, the gathering of the gentiles and the building of Christ's body. Now God shows John what will take place after this age. Revelation four verses nine through 11. 01:48 John says this, "and when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne to him who lives forever and ever to 24 elders will fall down before him, who sits on the throne and will worship him, who lives forever and ever and will cast their crowns before the throne. Saying worthy are you, oh Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and because of your will, they existed and were created." All John can do when he sees the future and God brings him up to show him the things that are going to take place, he falls down on his knees. He begins to worship Jesus. You know, my question for you today is what's on your iPod and not just what's on your iPod, what's on your computer? You could tell so much about a man when you look at a man's iPod, when you look at a man's computer trail, when you look at the DVDs that are in the shelf that a man spends time on and watches. 02:42 Because you can see the object of a man's worship. And so often our worship is football teams. You know, as people pack the stadiums by the tens of thousands. So often our worship is, you know, the American idol. You know, the Heisman trophy winners, you know, the supermodels that come down the runways. But Jesus says in this scripture points out that at the end, all that we will do is have worship on our iPods. All that we will do is have worship in our hearts and in our minds, in our heart will be consumed with worship. You know, I have two friends that are great musicians in two parts of the country. In fact, they've won, I suppose about every award in music you can win. But both these two friends, although they don't really know each other that well, but both these two friends in the middle of their stardom, in the middle of the, you know, their greatest times of success in their music careers, both of them were bored. 03:40 Both of them had reached the point of, of ultimate success in music. You know, topping the charts and you know, radio all over that really the world. But then both of them on an individual basis begin to sing worship and their wives became fulfilled again and their hearts begin to wrap around the greatest music that there is. The music of worshiping Jesus. And that became the iPod that they began to sing. And so it will be with you. And so my question to you today is one, what is the object of your worship? Who Do you spend your time worshiping? If you could go to a stadium and you could see anything on the field, you could see to spend hours adoring it, admiring what would you want on the field? And the second question, if you're bored, if your life is distraught, if you're going through depression or meaninglessness, fill your iPod with praise and worship. Fill your DVD shelves with praise and worship. Fill your computer trail with praise and worship and watch your life come alive.
"I was in seventh grade, I believe, maybe sixth grade. I was in junior high and I'd lied to my mom. My daddy and mom came home from a two day trip and it was Friday night when I lied to my mom. And my daddy simply said to me on Sunday, "bring me my belt.""
Family Discussion: 1. What does that do to encourage you in your trials? 2. How can you help somebody that's in your life who's going through a trial right now?
Transcription: 00:14 Today I want to tell you about the last spanking with a belt I received and that was from my dad, but it wasn't the last spanking that I ever got in my life. Revelation three 19 is insightful. He says this, he says, "those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, therefore be zealous and repent." I was in seventh grade, I believe, maybe sixth grade. I was in junior high and I'd lied to my mom. My daddy and mom came home from a two day trip and it was Friday night when I lied to my mom. And my daddy simply said to me on Sunday, "bring me my belt." For three days I suffered. I don't remember how hard that man whip me, although he could swing a belt pretty well. But I do remember dreading the discipline. That wasn't the last discipline in my life. I've needed a whole lot more since and I needed more, by him even then. 01:11 But you know, God has unique ways of disciplining somebody. God allows trials in our life to discipline us. And I have certainly had a lot of those and probably in store for a whole lot more because discipline brings us to our knees. Discipline makes us look up. Discipline helps keep us humble. And you know what? Discipline isn't fun for me. And discipline I'm sure is not fun for you, but discipline as it says in John 15 chapter one, "God uses to prune the fruitful tree so that you can bear more fruit." I remember when I got leukemia and I'm sure that, you know, God didn't intend for me to get sick and die. But anyway, he allowed that discipline in my life and I was studying John Chapter 15 and I remember in verse one, it says that God prunes the tree so it can produce more fruit. 02:04 And the greatest days of my life had been since the death sentence of leukemia and discipline is really a great thing because let me tell you something, if you're going through discipline right now, I'm going to tell you there's one thing that every great athlete that I ever met has in common. If you're going through something right now that is incredibly serious trial in your life. You know, where there's, you know, depression or sadness or you're going through something at school or in your family, your workplace that you think is too difficult to bear. Every great athlete I've ever met has one thing in common and that is scars. They've all got scars. Great ones, They've all been through discipline. And I'll tell you about the temptation that not the temptation, but the trial that's in your life. Temptation comes from Satan. 02:57 God doesn't tempt. But the trial that's in your life is that God is giving you the master's degree. In every great man and in every great woman that you'll ever meet has been in this classroom called the master's degree. The master's degree is a classroom that's full of sweat. It's full of drops of blood. It's full of men and women who God has used to do great things. But in that classroom, the master is teaching. In that classroom that you're probably in right now. And I mean right now the teacher is not absent. He is the master and he's going to give you the degree. And at the end of the degree as you live a life of discipline through this difficult trial that you're in. He's going to say at the end of the course when he places on your head, the crown of life, because you're faithful, he's going to say, "well done thou good and faithful servant. Come into the eternal list with me." And so my question for you today is this as you look around you and see your heroes in the master's degrees. You look around and you see all you have in common with the greatest folks that ever lived with scars on your heart and your body. What does that do to encourage you in your trials? And if your with somebody doing this study, how can you help somebody that's in your life who's going through a trial right now?
"How do you like your tea? Do you like it hot or do you like it iced? I don't know anyone who likes lukewarm tea, but I know a lot of people who love it hot and a lot of people who love with cold and I'm one of them that likes it either way."
Family Discussions: 1. What do you need to do to take a lukewarm heart and to make it a heart that's unmistakably red hot for Jesus in your school, in your place of work, and in your family?
Transcription: 00:13 How do you like your tea? Do you like it hot or do you like it iced? I don't know anyone who likes lukewarm tea, but I know a lot of people who love it hot and a lot of people who love with cold and I'm one of them that likes it either way. Revelation chapter three verses 15 and 16, talks a little bit about being lukewarm. In fact, it has a lot to say about being lukewarm. John is writing under the inspiration of God through the voice of the angel and God is speaking firmly to the Church of Laodicea. But I believe he's speaking firmly to me and speaking firmly to you. And he says this, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot, but because you are lukewarm and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." 01:02 And I believe some of the translations say I will vomit you. I will regurgitate you out of my mouth. It's a foreboding passage, isn't it? I remember coaching at Texas A&M. We had a player and this player was something else. He was big. He was strong. He was fast. I mean he exceeded his peers by light years. But he wasn't hot, he wasn't cold, he was lukewarm. And he drove the coaches crazy cause he had so much talent. But he gave, it didn't give terrible effort. He just gave pretty good effort and I don't think he ever started, although he was good enough to go in and play in the national football league. And that's just a small slice of what I believe God is saying here. And if this passage makes you tremble, it makes me tremble too because just as it is with tea. Just as it is with a good Dr Pepper, you know, hot is good. Cold is good, but lukewarm is just is just awful. 02:02 And that's what God is saying about my life and your life in Christ. You know, I think one of the tragedies of Modern Day Christianity is the tragedy of being lukewarm. And unfortunately, I believe that most of the standard of most of the Christians who claim the name of Christ is to be just a little bit better than the world is. You know, if the world is PG thn we're going to be G. But when the world became PG 13, we became PG. And when the world became R rated, we became PG 13 rated. And when the rural became x-rated, we became R rated. That's exactly what God is saying here. Keeping up with the Joneses, you know, comparing myself to other people and thinking I'm righteous just because I'm a little bit better than the Pagan who doesn't know Christ at all. Well God's word is clear in this passage. 02:58 You know what a little of selfishness is too much. A little bit of greed is too much. You be hot, that's good. You be cold, then you'll be food for the devil. But you'd be lukewarm. And it literally gags God. And I don't know about you, but this scripture fires my engines and it causes me to look very firmly in the mirror and say, "Joe White, which one are you?" And I hope you're saying the same thing today. So the simple question today to discuss with yourself in prayer, to discuss with the people that are with you is where are you today? And what can you do? What do you need to do to take a lukewarm heart and to make it a heart that's unmistakably red hot for Jesus in your school, in your place of work, and in your family? What do you need to do to have a heart that's red hot for Jesus?
"As we traveled the country and go from university campus to university campus, this one was with 5,000 gators and Timmy Tebow was teaming up with me that night to do that event and I look in the eyes of a man who I believe is a college student."
Family Discussions: 1. Who is your first love? 2. How are you going to show that love to him today?
Transcription: 00:14 I'm not a super fan of the color pink, but my wife is and so are my daughters. But I am a fan of the colored pink when I get a Valentine's card from my wife. There's something about being lived by that girl. She's my hero. She's my homecoming queen and she's my love. But you know what? She's not my first love. Let me read you about my first love and let me read you why he's my first live and hopefully he'll be your first love. I mean, Revelation chapter two. John is speaking in a vision that was given to him by the angel who was sent from God. And John is speaking to the church and Ephasus here. Um, and he says this, "but I have this against you that you have lift your first love. Remember therefore from when you have fallen and repent and do the deeds that you did at first or else I'm coming to you and remove your lamp stand out of its place unless you repent."
01:13 The book of Revelation in the very first part in chapter two and chapter three is a letter to the churches, the seven churches of Asia. But the finger doesn't point to them. When I read it, the finger points directly to me and I remember one of the first times that this verse landed on my heart and I had to look in the mirror and ask the question, "Joe, is Jesus really your first love?" You know, I love ice cream and I love apple pie and I love hot fudge Sundaes and I love my Debbie Joe and I love hunting and I love fishing and I love my grandkids and I love my children, but Jesus is talking about a love that supersedes all of that by any measurable distance. You know, in chapter two and three, there's a pattern when he talks to the churches and I wrote some notes, so I want for get any of it. 02:02 First of all, he tells them what they're doing right. And he tells me the same. Then he tells them what they're doing wrong and then he gives them instructions on how to live and then he warns them about the way they're not living. And that's what this verse is today. It's a warning. You've left your first love. But then he gives them a promise and he gives them a promise to the ones who overcome. And then he says, let him who has ears listen. Let him have an ear. Today, He's saying to me and he's saying to you, "who is really your first love?" And you know what's really neat about when Jesus becomes a person's first love, when his live exceeds every other love in your life, it's amazing how differently you treat your wife or your husband or your kids or your parents. 02:49 It's amazingly how differently you treat your body. It's amazing how differently you come to this book. When he's your first love. it's the most important book in the world. The stuff on your ipod's different. The stuff on your TV set and the movies you watch is different. The way you talk is different. Everything about you. Your smile is different. Your attitude's different. When you have issues and problems in your life, it's different because when he's your first love, everything changes. I get to watch people that I really believe that Jesus is their first love. You know, one of my favorites over the last few years was a crusade we did in Florida at the University of Florida. As we traveled the country and go from university campus to university campus, this one was with 5,000 gators and Timmy Tebow was teaming up with me that night to do that event and I look in the eyes of a man who I believe is a college student. 03:41 He was his first love. Jesus was, it wasn't football. I said, Timmy, what's your goal in life? He said, I want to make as much money as I can, give it away any missionaries, and then he said, I want to tell as many people as I can about Jesus, and he said, if the national football league is the place to do that, then I'm going to play at the NFL. But he said, if there's a better place to do that, then I'm going to go do something else with my life. Isn't it fun to watch people or like me to be married to people like Debbie Jo, to whom Jesus is their first love. Well, I'll tell you what, man, when he becomes, you know, more important than any Valentine card and he becomes more important than any relationship when he becomes more important than any, you know, little tool of Satan take you away from blaming him than, he'll change your life. And I believe with all my heart, he'll give you more joy in your heart than you could possibly contain. So the one question that I want to ask you today is, who is your first love and how are you going to show that love to him today?
"Have you ever wondered who it was who invented the 'we're Number one' slogan? I'm not positive, but the first time I ever saw it was at Ohio state and we were playing the Buckeyes before a gigantic stadium of crazy Ohio State fans. And I was scared to death, but they started chanting. "We're number one. We're number one. We're number one." And you know what? After I walked off that field, I agreed with them."
Family Discussion: 1. What is your fear in awe look like of Jesus now? 2. What does that fear and awe and respect do to motivate you to live your life for his praise and his glory today?
Transcription: 00:14 Have you ever wondered who it was who invented the 'we're Number one' slogan? I'm not positive, but the first time I ever saw it was at Ohio state and we were playing the Buckeyes before a gigantic stadium of crazy Ohio State fans. And I was scared to death, but they started chanting. "We're number one. We're number one. We're number one." And you know what? After I walked off that field, I agreed with them. They sure beat the tar out of us. But today we're going to talk about who's number one. And if you've ever wondered who's really number one, I don't think you're ever going to wonder again after this. This is an exciting study. 00:52 We're in Revelation one verse four through six and it says this, "John to the seven churches that are in Asia graced you and peace from him. Who is and who was and who is to come. And from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, to the ruler of the kings of the earth, to him who loves us and releases us from our sins by his blood. And he has made us to be a kingdom. Priests to his God and father to him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 01:31 I want to talk about awe today. I am in awe of the one about whom this is written. I had a coach at SMU named Ray Utley. He was the defensive coordinator. And I'm gonna tell you what. I was in awe of this man. He was the toughest, most demanding guy that I'd ever played for in my life. I saw grown men cry when they'd walk off the practice field after training under this man. But I loved him so much that I named my son after him. I was in awe of this man. I feared him, but it was a good, healthy fear. He brought out the best in us. 02:07 There's something like that that comes out in me when I read about Jesus and I've written down a couple of notes because I don't want to miss any of it. John says that, first of all, he's the Christ. That means he's the Messiah. He's the anointed one. Secondly, he says he's the faithful witness. He was the one of whom Paul wrote in Colossians that he's the image of the invisible god. The firstborn of all creation for by hand, Paul said, "all things are created both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things have been created by him and for him, and he is before all things and in him all things hold together for was the father's good pleasure. Paul said for all the fullness to dwell in him." 02:45 So I believe what John is saying, he's the faithful witness. I believe he's encapsulating all of that that Paul wrote about him in Colossians. Then he says he's the firstborn from the dead. It was indeed he who was resurrected from the dead. John, one of the witnesses of that, by the way. And then he says he's the ruler of the kings of the earth. That means that Jesus is sovereign. He's ruler over everything. And he says to him who loves us and to that, all I can say is wow. After all of that, if he is all of that and he's still the one who loves us, it just blows my mind. 03:21 And then he says, he is the one by whom we'd been released by his blood. We'd been released from the bondage of our sin. Some in drugs. Some in alcohol. Some in pornography. Some in hatred. Some in bitterness. Some in doomed in to live eternity in hell. And yet he said, he's released us by his blood. And then he says that we are a kingdom of priests forever. And that means that we are the ones who represent him. We'll represent him in this earth and we'll represent him in heaven. And that means we will follow him with obedience. And then at the end of all of that, he says to him, be the glory forever and ever. How could there be any thing else if he's all of that? What else is there except to say to him be the glory forever and ever. 04:09 My question to you today is this. What is your fear in awe look like of Jesus now? And then what does that fear and awe and respect do to motivate you to live your life for his praise and his glory today? And like I said before, with all of that, go hug somebody today. Tell them Jesus loves them.
"You and I are about to embark on a new adventure together over the next 20 some odd days. And we're gonna look at a book in the Bible that not only is the last book in the Bible, but some would say is the most perplexing book of the Bible. Some would say it's the most difficult book in the Bible, but there are many of us who would say it is of the most exciting books in the Bible."
Family Discussion: 1. Describe your anticipation of our study together in Revelation.
Transcription: 00:14 You and I are about to embark on a new adventure together over the next 20 some odd days. And we're gonna look at a book in the Bible that not only is the last book in the Bible, but some would say is the most perplexing book of the Bible. Some would say it's the most difficult book in the Bible, but there are many of us who would say it is of the most exciting books in the Bible. We're going to be in the book of Revelation and today we're in chapter one verse three and then we're going to skip to verses 17 through 19 and it says this "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy. And heed all the things that are written in it for the time is near." 00:53 And then skipping to verse 17 it says this, "when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. And he placed his right hand on me saying, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one. And I was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore, write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things that will take place after these things." 01:24 The book of Revelation, as we all know, was written by John. John, was one of the 12 followers of Jesus. John was one who did not die a martyr's death after the crucifixion, but John died in exile on the island of Patmos. We believe that this book was written in about the year 95AD and in some of the latter years of John's life, John sees a vision and we understand from reading the book of Revelation that the book of Revelation comes to us from God through Jesus, through his angels. From the angels the message is given to John. John gives the message to his bond servants, to the seven churches of Asia, and to all who would believe. 02:09 If you've ever wondered what an angel looks like or what an angel sounds like, this book is not necessarily to tell you what they look like, but they are going to tell you what they sound like. Angels don't look like this, and I don't want to put down to this beautiful little figurine, but angels are messengers from God. Angels have a very, divine in designated purpose. And the job of the angel that spoke to John in the book of Revelation was to give John exactly what God had to say about the end of the age. John's message was for the seven churches of Asia of that day, and his message was for the bond servants and a bond servant is probably the highest title that you can have as a person on this earth. A bond servant who receives the message of the book of Revelation is a man or woman who is sold out for Christ. A bondservant is a man or woman who has given his life even though we're set free in Christ, we live our masters so much that we chain our heart back to our masters saying, Jesus, my love for you is greater than my freedom. My love for you is greater than my life. My love for you is greater than anything. That makes you and me a bond servant of Christ. And so that message is for you. In chapter one, John writes about things that he has seen. In chapter two and three of Revelation, he writes about things that are. Those are the, those are the words to the seven churches of Asia. And then from chapter four on, the rest of the book that we're going to be doing in the next 20 something days together are the things that God calls after these things. 03:43 It's gonna be the rise and the fall of the antichrist. It's going to be talking about the last seven years that Daniel spoke about some 600 years before the vision that God gave Daniel of the last seven year period as the end of this age consumed. It's going to talk about the first three and a half years of the antichrist. And then it's going to talk about the great tribulation and the final battle of Armageddon. This book's going to talk about the thousand year reign of Jesus as the Lion of Judah, the millennium. It is going to talk about judgment, and it's going to talk about the new heavens and the new earth. This is going to be an exciting study together. And I can't wait to do this study with you in the next three weeks together. And you know what, you will say I hope as John said, when you're finished with this study, 'Blessed is the man who not only hears it, who not only reads it, but who heeds the things that are written in this book. And a little discussion question for you today is this. Describe your anticipation of our study together in Revelation. Knowing that Revelation is going to talk about all these things at the end of the age.
"I want you to meet one of my precious little stuffed animals today, little Leo. Leo the lion. Ain't he cute, soft, playful? Well, don't be lured in because Leo is not as playful as you think he is."
Family Discussions: 1. What is it about Satan that you've already seen in your life that it makes him look like a soft little stuffed animal when behind the softness there's a roaring lion there that's gonna eat your lunch? 2. What can you do today to get that lion out of your pen and out of your life?
Transcription: 00:14 I want you to meet one of my precious little stuffed animals today, little Leo. Leo the lion. Ain't he cute, soft, playful? Well, don't be lured in because Leo is not as playful as you think he is. We're in First Peter Chapter five verses eight and nine and it says this, "Be of sober spirit. Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil rowls around like a roaring lion. Seeking someone to devour but resist him. Firm in your faith. Knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." 00:48 One of the greatest basketball players who ever lived. I mean this guy could rebound like no one you've ever seen. I mean, he literally could have been among the two or three greatest of all time. Never achieved his greatness because he became bitter and the lion showed up. He had reason to be bitter. His wife had taken this little girl. But the bitterness became a lion in his heart and Satan literally took over and the guy couldn't even stay on a team. He couldn't even finish the season because bitterness ate him up. Because Satan like a lion began to eat his lunch. 01:26 I know another gentleman who, you know, Oh, he used to be the head of the family of families. I mean, the guy was making so much money. Had every, you know, sign of wealth that you could imagine for our guy to achieve. 01:39 One of my favorite singers of all time, one of the most beautiful voices, I think that's ever shown up on the radio, was this precious woman. And she started off in a choir robe as a teenager. Singing. She was a standout in the choir. And then somebody picked her up and took her to Los Angeles and made a record. And it wasn't long that she was the number one voice in America. Some say the number one voice in the world, but she couldn't give up her drugs. Her first designer drug showed up like a little bitty stuffed, you know, little lion pup. And it looks so innocent. It just took a little bit of the stress away and then it began to take over her mind and her life. And today she's on the side of the road. Strung out with a life history of being strung out on drugs. 02:47 It was in 2003 that the probably the greatest act in Las Vegas. Siegfried and Roy, you know, the, the great land tamers, the Great Tiger Tamers that were also, magician's world-class. They did feats that would just defy the imagination. And then one day one of their tigers turned on Roy and it almost killed Roy. I mean, just, you know, took his face apart and, and so it is with Satan. Don't you think that one little joint, it looks innocent. Don't you think for a second that, that one little, you know, alcoholic drink looks innocent. 03:29 Way down deep beneath that little stuffy, little cute soft face, there's a lion and Satan is behind that and he wants to eat your lunch. And so the question today is this, what is it about Satan that you've already seen in your life that it makes him, uh, you know, look like a soft little stuffed animal when behind the softness there, there's a roaring lion there that's gonna eat your lunch? And then what can you do today to get that lion out of your pen and out of your life?
"One of my heroes has a funny name. His real name is Aaron, but all of his friends call him Greece. Greece has my next door neighbor. And uh, I love Greece. And you know what people love so much about Greece."
Family Discussion: 1. Why do you think God loves humble people? 2. Why do you think God gives grace to the humble? 3. Why do you think God opposes the proud? 4. What is it about pride that it makes it an abomination to God? 5. What can you do as scripture says, to humble yourself before the presence of the God? 6. What can you do today to humble yourself to your parents, to your spouse, to your kids? 7. What do you need to do today to humble yourself before God so that he may exalt you at the proper time?
Transcription: 00:14 Well, you're not old enough to know, but Exxon gasoline company, this giant petroleum company used to go by a different name, and today you're going to learn what that name is and maybe it'll become your name. First Peter Chapter Five, verses five through seven. It says, "you younger men likewise be subject to your elders and all of you, clothe yourself with humility toward one another. For God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon him because he cares for you." 00:56 Yes. Once upon a time, Exxon gasoline was called 'Humble.' Now that's like in previous three centuries I think. When I was a child, Humble gasoline, humble people, they're the best in the world. You know, one of my heroes has a funny name. His real name is Aaron, but all of his friends call him Greece. Greece has my next door neighbor. And uh, I love Greece. And you know what people love so much about Greece. Uh, it's not that he's big, strong, handsome, and he's all of those, not that he's a great football player and he was that too. Not that he's a wonderful, great husband. He's that too. But you know what we like about Greece? He's the most humble man you'll ever meet. You know, great big guns, you know, in his arms and great big, handsome smile. He's got it all. But Greece is humble. Greece never toots his own horn. And that's why people like to toot Greece's horn for him. I'm so blessed to be surrounded by humble people. 01:54 Chris Cooper, the director of director's in our Kamp, the executive director and Dana Thomas, the director of directors, the executive director at the Kamps here. The most humble guys you'll ever meet in your life. People toot their horn. They don't need to toot their own horn. You know what? God loves humility. Somebody asked me the other day, how do you stay humble? I said, get married. And they said, anything else? I go, 'no, that's all you need.' It's just a humbling day after humbling day saying, I'm sorry, is my favorite thing to do in marriage. 02:25 Let me ask you a question about humility. I mean, really seriously, sincerely. Why do you think God loves humble people? Why do you think God gives grace to the humble? And on the other side of the coin, why do you think God opposes the proud? What is it about pride that it makes it an abomination to God? And the most important question today is the, this, and I think of Greece, I think of Chris and I think of Dana and other humble people. What can you do as scripture says, to humble yourself before the presence of the God? What can you do today to humble yourself to your parents, to your spouse, to your kids? What do you need to do today to humble yourself before God so that he may exalt you at the proper time?
"When you think of a big time Christian and who do you think about? You think about somebody who's on television and they get this incredible gift of speaking or teaching? Do you think about some gigantic political leader that also happens to be a Christian? Or do you think about somebody, you know, in Hollywood that's an absolute rockstar and also is a believer? You know what? I don't. I think about a very humble woman who I called 'Pardner" and I want to tell you in a minute why she's my hero."
Family Discussion: 1. Talk to the person in your family today and find the spiritual gift in them and encourage them in that gift.
Transcription: 00:14 When you think of a big time Christian and who do you think about? You think about somebody who's on television and they get this incredible gift of speaking or teaching? Do you think about some gigantic political leader that also happens to be a Christian? Or do you think about somebody, you know, in Hollywood that's an absolute rockstar and also is a believer? You know what? I don't. I think about a very humble woman who I called 'Pardner" and I want to tell you in a minute why she's my hero. 00:51 First Peter Chapter Four, verses nine through 11. Watch out! If you start living this Bible verse, you're going to be somebody hero too. "Be hospitable." Scripture says "to one another without complaint. As each one of you has received a special gift. Employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him do so as one who utters the utterances of God. Whoever serves let him do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies. So that in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." 01:34 My Grandmother Pardner as she called, we called her because she said, don't call me grandma because I'm not old enough to be your grandma. I'm your partner. She lived to be a hundred. Pardner died the day she gave everything away. Pardner had the gift of giving and she was everybody's hero. And Pardner would have you over for a visit. She'd give you something. It would be something that was valuable. She could not let you leave her house without giving you something. I don't care if you are rich or poor or king or peasant. That woman would use her spiritual gift of giving and she would give you a smile, a hug, a big old Texas, you know, a howdy or she'd give you something out of her house. After she gave it all away, she went to heaven. 02:19 Another one of my heroes, my dad, he had the gift of encouragement. You know, he was the guy that said 'atta boy.' He was the guy that said, 'I'm proud of you.' He was the guy just before he died, just before he died, who gave me a thumbs up. Even when he couldn't speak at the end, he was muted by his stroke but he could do that. He's my hero. 02:41 I think about another hero of mine. I've never met her. Hopefully we'll meet her in heaven one day. Mother Teresa, I was talking to when a president, Reagan's right hand advisers and I said, who's your favorite? He met everybody in the, you know, the world leaders. And he said, Mother Teresa's my favorite back in Reagan's Day. And I said, so special about Mother Teresa. He said, oh, those eyes, he said those little steely blue eyes. You said she could look a hole right through you. I said, tell me a mother Theresa Story. He said, we were sitting there, President Reagan, myself and the secretary of state and the secretary of state said, mother Theresa, how many children down the streets of India a year. And said she looked at that man with those steely blue eyes and she said, none. I hold him in my arms before they die. And then she looked at President Reagan and she said, and you could do something about that too if you wanted to. Mother Theresa became famous because of her gift of mercy. 03:38 Do you know what? You've got a spiritual gift inside of you. And you may think that you'll never be super famous and you know what? You probably don't even care to be, but to somebody, you need to be their hero. And it may be your father and maybe your wife, or it may be you know, the guy who's working in the cubicle next to you in that company. But when you take the spiritual gifts that God's given you and you employ that gift to serving one another, scripture says you employ the gift God's given you to make Jesus look good - to make Jesus the hero. And you know what's cool is your days past, somebody will look back over their shoulder and they'll think fondly of you the way I do of Pardner and my dad and Mother Teresa. Everybody's got a spiritual gift. And you've got one too. 04:28 So my question for you today is talk to the person that gets in your family today and find the spiritual gift in them and encourage them in that gift. And you know what? As you encourage each other in the home and your spiritual gifts, that gift is going to come into full bloom. So how can you do that today? And by the way, be sure to hug somebody today.
"If I gave you a choice and you could have a $50 bill or you could have a little piece of plastic. Just this thin little cord about two inches by four inches. Which would you take? $50 bill or a piece of plastic?"
Family Discussion: 1. Why will we ever doing that in the first place and why will we never go back to that again? 2. What does it mean in Christ that we now have living water, that we're a person who once was thirsty, but in Christ will never thirst again?
Transcription: 00:13 If I gave you a choice and you could have a $50 bill or you could have a little piece of plastic. Just this thin little cord about two inches by four inches. Which would you take? $50 bill or a piece of plastic? Well, by the way, this little plastic has a little seal on the bottom here and it says Mastercard and, there's a little bit in the bank backing this thing up. I think if my wife put it in lately. Um, which would you take? Well, today's passage and scripture is going to answer for that in a whole lot more profound way than getting cash. By the way, I want to know which one would you have taken? Somebody tell me will you? 00:54 It's from first Peter Chapter four verses one through five. It talks about the old life, the $50 bill that we used to live, and then it talks about the new life in Christ, the Mastercard. 01:06 "Therefore," scripture said, "since Christ has suffered in the flesh arm yourselves also with the same purpose because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for the less of men, but for the will of God." Not that the credit cards, the will of God, but I want to talk about this in a minute. "For the time already passed is sufficient for you to carry it out. The desire of the gentiles. Have you pursued a course of sensuality, less drunkenness, carousals, abominable, idolatries drinking parties in all this, your farmer friends are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excessive dissipation and they malign you, but they will give account to him who's ready to judge the living and the dead." 01:54 So the cash represents the substitute. Satan's a prize if you will. You spend it and then it runs out and you never see it again. The Mastercard represents what Jesus called the living water, the bread of life. He said, if you drink from me, you'll never thirst again. And so you look back at your past, you look back at your past friends and things you used to do before you came to a Men at The Cross event, before you came to Kamp, before you went to the FCA meeting and gave your life to Christ, and you see the things you did where you spent your body, your mind on frivolous things, and your friends are still doing that stuff. You know, they didn't go to Kamp, they didn't go to the rally, they didn't change. But now you're living with living water. You're living with a drink that never makes you thirst again. And it says they're gonna laugh at you, but they must give account to him who is able to judge the living and the dead. 02:49 They've got to die the way they're going to live. But hopefully by the grace of God, hopefully by the grace of God, they will see the unquenchable. They will see the unspendable. They will see the eternal in you. And because they see in you what's really valuable. A whole lot more valuable than a Mastercard. It spends in eternity. They'll want to go from this to this. That is the joy of being a Christian. 03:17 And here's my question today. Why will we ever doing that in the first place and why will we never go back to that again? And what does it mean in Christ that we now have living water, that we're a person who once was thirsty, but in Christ will never thirst again?