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This is classic to a lot of the folks

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that are taking the liberty to use

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I'll Be Honest to ask questions,

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and who are struggling

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and who are looking for counsel.

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And I want you to biblically

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try to discern this,

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try to answer this.

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I mean, we want to come up with answers -

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does a guy need a kick in the rear end?

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Does he need softness?

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Sometimes it's hard to know

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without knowing these people personally.

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Okay, it's from John Carter.

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He writes this,

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"Confused if faith has truly come."

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The subject line says,

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"Fall back into despair,

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feeling like I don't believe

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and feeling like I'm not saved."

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Like I say, this is a classic 
representative email.

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"Please help.

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I'm so confused, Pastor Tim.

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I made a profession of faith

25
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several years ago.

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I was on fire for Jesus,

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loved Him,

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felt His presence with me... I think.

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Over several years, the zeal lessened

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and the harder days of 
Christian life came.

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I battled with pornography,

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pride, and doubting.

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I was in the fight of 
faith and glad to be.

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But then discouragement set in,

35
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and I slowly neglected prayer

36
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and Scripture reading

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and the battles became harder."

38
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So, I mean, get a feel.

39
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Comes up,

40
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sprouts,

41
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received all of this gladly.

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There's a profession, on fire,

43
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love, His presence - I think.

44
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Zeal...

45
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and then, the zeal lessened.

46
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Pornography came in.

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Pride.

48
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Doubts.

49
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Slowly neglected prayer,

50
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Scripture reading.

51
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So that's the case.

52
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Now, let's just stop right there.

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What do you do with it biblically?

54
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I mean, if we're wanting to be discerning,

55
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because what you want to do

56
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is you want to take this

57
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and seek something in Scripture

58
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that seems to resonate with this;

59
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that seems like this.

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What examples in Scripture?

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What situations?

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What specific people or what teachings

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or what letters are written

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or parables are spoken?

65
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What teaching is there,

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and I would say, in Scripture,

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but especially in the New Testament?

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What kind of teaching seems to be

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representative of this?

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The parable of the soils.

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So the parable of the soils -

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you've got the trodden path

73
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where the seed falls, 
plucked up immediately,

74
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that's obviously not this.

75
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This is classic second soil type:

76
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rocky soil; stony soil.

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The stony soil hearer.

78
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What happens?

79
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Seed falls.

80
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Springs up immediately.

81
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Everything looks good.

82
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It's flourishing - apparently.

83
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But there's a problem

84
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beneath the surface.

85
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There's no root.

86
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And so things get hard.

87
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He's talking about the difficulties.

88
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The difficulties come along

89
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and what happens?

90
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The thing withers.

91
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Things got hard.

92
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It seems like he was 
deferring to pornography.

93
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He says pride. There's doubting.

94
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And then, the zeal tapering.

95
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Prayer, in the Word dwindles.

96
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And then you look up one day

97
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and you're afraid

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because you recognize this isn't good.

99
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And what does this mean?

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Does this mean I'm going to hell?

101
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Does this mean I'm lost?

102
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Does this mean I'm making shipwreck?

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See, here's what you don't want to do.

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What you never want to do is say,

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well, my primary objective

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is to make this guy feel good.

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That's never the primary objective.

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What's true of the people

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who want their ears tickled?

110
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Well, they're always looking

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for some kind of teacher

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who's going to tell them 
what they want to hear.

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Now, I'm not saying that's 
true about this guy.

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This guy didn't just go to somebody

115
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who's going to tell him 
what he wants to hear.

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But our primary response to these people

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needs to be,

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if we really love,

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you wouldn't want to tell the guy

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what makes him feel good

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and then watch him go to hell.

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What you want to do

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is you want to be honest with him.

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And honestly, this sounds bad.

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This is bad.

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People who receive the Word gladly

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and there's zeal and then it tapers off

128
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and they fall back to sin,

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that's bad.

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Like, Hebrews 10.

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You have somebody come face-to-face

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with the truth and then what?

133
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They purposely choose sin.

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They crucify afresh the Son of God.

135
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And you know what it says?

136
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They outrage the Spirit.

137
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Can I say that he hasn't done that?

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I can't.

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I cannot say that.

140
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But I know this, this is bad.

141
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And you don't want to say 
anything less than that.

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This is bad.

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But we know this.

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It seems like he's concerned.

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It seems like the Spirit is still

146
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at least even a little

147
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still poking his conscience.

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That's positive.

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What that tells us

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is that he's not totally hard,

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totally unconcerned.

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Because that's bad.

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If nobody's concerned,

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and they're hardened,

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they're done.

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Because if they're hard 
and they don't care

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and they just go on in their sin,

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what can you do?

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But see, as long as there's concern,

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you can call upon the Lord.

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And calling upon the Lord,

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there's enough promises in Scripture

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to tell us that if you're 
calling on the Lord,

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there's reason to hope.

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Because we have a God 
Who is in the business

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of hearing those who call upon Him;

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those who need Him,
those who are desperate,

168
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those who recognize they 
can't save themselves.

169
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They recognize they're ill.
They recognize they need a doctor.

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Now do I know that he recognizes this?

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I don't know that he recognizes this.

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In fact, let me go on with what he says.

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"After hearing a podcast

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where a pastor was encouraging a listener

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to not look to the past to find assurance,

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I recently decided

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I could have been deceived 
about my profession

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and began to cry out to 
God anew for salvation."

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So he got to the place 
where he heard a podcast

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and it made him think about

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that he didn't want to look to the past

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to find assurance.

183
00:09:03,271 --> 00:09:07,216
But whatever that did and however
that connected with him,

184
00:09:07,216 --> 00:09:09,668
he came to recognize

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I might not have ever been truly saved.

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So, then he says,

187
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"I've been praying

188
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and asking for a new heart."

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Now obviously, God is the only one

190
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that can give a new heart.

191
00:09:23,329 --> 00:09:26,960
But the thing about asking 
for the new heart

192
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is it's really falling short of doing

193
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what the Gospel tells us to do.

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The Gospel tells us to repent

195
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and believe the Gospel.

196
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Not to ask for a new heart.

197
00:09:38,747 --> 00:09:40,840
It puts the responsibility on us.

198
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And you remember this.

199
00:09:42,205 --> 00:09:47,732
Jesus found fault with people

200
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who didn't repent.

201
00:09:49,383 --> 00:09:50,899
He said it's their fault.

202
00:09:50,899 --> 00:09:53,165
He pointed at them and 
He said it's going to be

203
00:09:53,165 --> 00:09:56,049
more tolerable for Sodom than for
you in the day of judgment.

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Why? Because many, many works

205
00:09:57,810 --> 00:09:59,748
were done right in your face,

206
00:09:59,748 --> 00:10:01,343
right before your eyes,

207
00:10:01,343 --> 00:10:02,958
and you didn't repent.

208
00:10:02,958 --> 00:10:05,165
It's a personal responsibility.

209
00:10:05,165 --> 00:10:07,560
Christ came and He came preaching:

210
00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:11,460
"Repent for the Kingdom 
of God is at hand."

211
00:10:11,460 --> 00:10:13,698
We have a responsibility to repent.

212
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And what happens is

213
00:10:15,464 --> 00:10:20,376
people neglect their responsibility,

214
00:10:20,376 --> 00:10:21,318
and then they say,

215
00:10:21,318 --> 00:10:24,697
I'm praying to God for a new heart.

216
00:10:24,697 --> 00:10:26,279
But you see what they're doing.

217
00:10:26,279 --> 00:10:28,033
They continue on in their rebellion.

218
00:10:28,033 --> 00:10:32,099
They continue on fighting against God

219
00:10:32,099 --> 00:10:36,390
and claiming they're 
praying for a new heart.

220
00:10:36,390 --> 00:10:38,129
That's never what Scripture says.

221
00:10:38,129 --> 00:10:40,299
And then they convince themselves,

222
00:10:40,299 --> 00:10:43,532
well, the reason I'm not being saved
is because God's not saving me.

223
00:10:43,532 --> 00:10:46,917
Because I'm asking for a new heart,
and He's not giving me a new heart.

224
00:10:46,917 --> 00:10:49,911
But that isn't what the Gospel demands.

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(incomplete thought)

226
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Well, let me just finish this.

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"One day, I felt that He did come,

228
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and I had peace

229
00:11:00,940 --> 00:11:03,097
and what felt like true faith.

230
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I was finally looking away from myself

231
00:11:04,967 --> 00:11:06,317
to Him for salvation

232
00:11:06,317 --> 00:11:09,599
only to have a few days later

233
00:11:09,599 --> 00:11:11,098
fall back into despair

234
00:11:11,098 --> 00:11:12,440
feeling like I don't believe

235
00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,017
and feeling that I'm not saved.

236
00:11:14,017 --> 00:11:15,626
I've had this happen three times

237
00:11:15,626 --> 00:11:16,728
in the last two weeks

238
00:11:16,728 --> 00:11:19,578
and continues to two months later.

239
00:11:19,578 --> 00:11:21,977
I'm so confused and scared.

240
00:11:21,977 --> 00:11:23,457
I don't understand.

241
00:11:23,457 --> 00:11:25,088
I don't want to deceive myself.

242
00:11:25,088 --> 00:11:27,650
I don't know where I stand with Christ.

243
00:11:27,650 --> 00:11:29,684
I want to close with Christ

244
00:11:29,684 --> 00:11:32,099
and know I'm His and He is mine.

245
00:11:32,099 --> 00:11:33,769
Please help."

246
00:11:33,769 --> 00:11:39,337
Well, okay, please help.

247
00:11:39,337 --> 00:11:41,159
So what do you say.

248
00:11:41,159 --> 00:11:44,691
How do you help this guy?

249
00:11:44,691 --> 00:11:49,856
You recognize as Christians

250
00:11:49,856 --> 00:11:52,519
the primary way to help people like this,

251
00:11:52,519 --> 00:11:55,141
well, we could pray for him,

252
00:11:55,141 --> 00:11:58,202
but the primary way you help -

253
00:11:58,202 --> 00:12:01,558
when James gets these emails,

254
00:12:01,558 --> 00:12:03,106
he's had his wife answer some.

255
00:12:03,106 --> 00:12:05,449
He has his mother-in-law answer some.

256
00:12:05,449 --> 00:12:06,818
We have Jeff answer some.

257
00:12:06,818 --> 00:12:08,167
We have Craig answer some.

258
00:12:08,167 --> 00:12:09,247
I answer some.

259
00:12:09,247 --> 00:12:12,108
James undoubtedly answers some.

260
00:12:12,108 --> 00:12:13,859
What do we do?

261
00:12:13,859 --> 00:12:20,551
We seek to use words to help them.

262
00:12:20,551 --> 00:12:24,701
We communicate truth.

263
00:12:24,701 --> 00:12:27,552
So what truth are you 
going to give this guy?

264
00:12:27,552 --> 00:12:30,319
That he probably hasn't already heard,

265
00:12:30,319 --> 00:12:31,886
that might rock him out

266
00:12:31,886 --> 00:12:40,011
of whatever situation he's in?

267
00:12:40,011 --> 00:12:41,314
(from the room)

268
00:12:41,314 --> 00:12:44,201
I guess Hebrews 6 comes to mind.

269
00:12:44,201 --> 00:12:46,738
It's somewhat difficult because

270
00:12:46,738 --> 00:12:49,068
you don't know if this 
gentleman is looking

271
00:12:49,068 --> 00:12:50,239
for a clear conscience

272
00:12:50,239 --> 00:12:53,567
or he's actually looking 
to serve the Lord.

273
00:12:53,567 --> 00:12:55,886
But it says in Hebrews 6:4,

274
00:12:55,886 --> 00:12:58,127
"For it is impossible in the case of those

275
00:12:58,127 --> 00:12:59,628
who have once been enlightened,

276
00:12:59,628 --> 00:13:01,246
who have tasted the heavenly gift

277
00:13:01,246 --> 00:13:02,888
and have shared in the Holy Spirit

278
00:13:02,888 --> 00:13:04,389
and have tasted the goodness

279
00:13:04,389 --> 00:13:05,488
of the Word of God

280
00:13:05,488 --> 00:13:07,140
and the powers of the age to come

281
00:13:07,140 --> 00:13:08,430
and then have fallen away,

282
00:13:08,430 --> 00:13:10,248
to restore them again to repentance,

283
00:13:10,248 --> 00:13:12,434
as they are crucifying once again

284
00:13:12,434 --> 00:13:14,808
the Son of God to their own harm..."

285
00:13:14,808 --> 00:13:17,429
Tim: Okay, now, is that 
going to encourage this guy

286
00:13:17,429 --> 00:13:19,595
or send him to throw himself off a cliff?

287
00:13:19,595 --> 00:13:20,619
(from the room)

288
00:13:20,619 --> 00:13:22,357
Well, what I was going to say

289
00:13:22,357 --> 00:13:24,141
is I'd start with that, but I'd also

290
00:13:24,141 --> 00:13:25,431
talk about Psalm 105

291
00:13:25,431 --> 00:13:27,000
that God is slow to anger.

292
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:28,810
He is patient with us.

293
00:13:28,810 --> 00:13:31,009
So it's kind of hard because you need to

294
00:13:31,009 --> 00:13:33,140
make sure that he understands

295
00:13:33,140 --> 00:13:35,695
the fire that he's somewhat playing with

296
00:13:35,695 --> 00:13:38,265
when he is looking at pornography;

297
00:13:38,265 --> 00:13:39,989
when he's doing these things,

298
00:13:39,989 --> 00:13:42,058
that he is putting himself in a place

299
00:13:42,058 --> 00:13:43,640
that is dangerous.

300
00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,327
But at the same time, let him know

301
00:13:47,327 --> 00:13:49,026
if you come to Christ

302
00:13:49,026 --> 00:13:51,259
and you seek repentance,
He will forgive you.

303
00:13:51,259 --> 00:13:52,670
He is slow to anger.

304
00:13:52,670 --> 00:13:54,859
He is patient with His people.

305
00:13:54,859 --> 00:13:57,778
And the example of Peter comes to mind.

306
00:13:57,778 --> 00:14:02,177
At the pinnacle of Christ's ministry,

307
00:14:02,177 --> 00:14:04,637
Peter denies Him.

308
00:14:04,637 --> 00:14:06,989
There couldn't have been a worse time

309
00:14:06,989 --> 00:14:08,790
to deny the Savior

310
00:14:08,790 --> 00:14:11,028
in front of all these people,

311
00:14:11,028 --> 00:14:13,364
and yet, God came back and restored him.

312
00:14:13,364 --> 00:14:15,222
Tim: So, even if you convince the guy

313
00:14:15,222 --> 00:14:17,277
that God is long-suffering,

314
00:14:17,277 --> 00:14:19,107
where does that put him?

315
00:14:19,107 --> 00:14:21,511
I mean, he claims

316
00:14:21,511 --> 00:14:24,477
he's called upon the Lord afresh.

317
00:14:24,477 --> 00:14:27,429
Momentarily, he felt like 
maybe it was okay

318
00:14:27,429 --> 00:14:29,129
and then he went back into despair.

319
00:14:29,129 --> 00:14:31,482
And he's cycled back and forth he said

320
00:14:31,482 --> 00:14:33,292
three times in two weeks,

321
00:14:33,292 --> 00:14:35,634
and now this has been going on

322
00:14:35,634 --> 00:14:44,251
for two months straight.

323
00:14:44,251 --> 00:14:47,384
I mean, what do you do with somebody

324
00:14:47,384 --> 00:14:51,228
who says I'm calling on the Lord

325
00:14:51,228 --> 00:14:54,643
and something's wrong. Help me.

326
00:14:54,643 --> 00:14:58,769
Because it doesn't seem to be working.

327
00:14:58,769 --> 00:15:02,086
What he says is I feel saved,

328
00:15:02,086 --> 00:15:05,081
and then I feel not saved

329
00:15:05,081 --> 00:15:07,443
and in despair.

330
00:15:07,443 --> 00:15:09,579
I'm calling.

331
00:15:09,579 --> 00:15:13,469
I'm asking God for a new heart.

332
00:15:13,469 --> 00:15:17,655
(incomplete thought)

333
00:15:17,655 --> 00:15:19,642
Think with me here.

334
00:15:19,642 --> 00:15:22,508
Let's actually crack our Bibles

335
00:15:22,508 --> 00:15:27,651
to Matthew 19.

336
00:15:27,651 --> 00:15:30,350
I just want to consider something

337
00:15:30,350 --> 00:15:37,778
like the rich, young ruler.

338
00:15:37,778 --> 00:15:42,679
(incomplete thought)

339
00:15:42,679 --> 00:15:47,960
Oh, somebody mentioned at the conference,

340
00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,107
was it Geoffrey

341
00:15:50,107 --> 00:15:54,047
who mentioned a book on evangelism?

342
00:15:54,047 --> 00:15:55,814
That he said dealt with a lot

343
00:15:55,814 --> 00:16:01,391
of different approaches to evangelism?

344
00:16:01,391 --> 00:16:03,179
Who was in there?

345
00:16:03,179 --> 00:16:07,820
Anybody in there when 
he did that book deal?

346
00:16:07,820 --> 00:16:11,059
He recommended a certain 
book on evangelism.

347
00:16:11,059 --> 00:16:13,128
(unintelligible)

348
00:16:13,128 --> 00:16:15,447
No, no.

349
00:16:15,447 --> 00:16:17,227
(unintelligible)

350
00:16:17,227 --> 00:16:18,707
No.

351
00:16:18,707 --> 00:16:21,067
Well, anyway, he's coming.

352
00:16:21,067 --> 00:16:28,897
But that was a book 
that sounded interesting.

353
00:16:28,897 --> 00:16:31,530
Because I think about 
these things all the time.

354
00:16:31,530 --> 00:16:32,966
We get these people

355
00:16:32,966 --> 00:16:35,890
and it's like okay,

356
00:16:35,890 --> 00:16:37,820
there's something in us

357
00:16:37,820 --> 00:16:40,169
that almost wants to pity them.

358
00:16:40,169 --> 00:16:42,281
And we have to be careful.

359
00:16:42,281 --> 00:16:46,675
We have to be careful that 
we don't start thinking:

360
00:16:46,675 --> 00:16:49,218
God is being cruel to them.

361
00:16:49,218 --> 00:16:50,450
They want to be saved

362
00:16:50,450 --> 00:16:51,967
and God isn't saving them.

363
00:16:51,967 --> 00:16:53,446
The fault is with God.

364
00:16:53,446 --> 00:16:55,807
God is slow to save.

365
00:16:55,807 --> 00:16:58,967
That this sinner is trying to come to God

366
00:16:58,967 --> 00:17:00,130
on God's terms

367
00:17:00,130 --> 00:17:07,219
and God's not regarding him.

368
00:17:07,219 --> 00:17:08,722
So we want to be careful there,

369
00:17:08,722 --> 00:17:10,051
but on the other hand,

370
00:17:10,051 --> 00:17:13,170
if you just tell the guy,

371
00:17:13,170 --> 00:17:17,038
well, you must not be coming honestly.

372
00:17:17,038 --> 00:17:19,149
Well, I think there's something to that.

373
00:17:19,149 --> 00:17:21,288
But you see, the problem is -

374
00:17:21,288 --> 00:17:24,276
the real problem is this.

375
00:17:24,276 --> 00:17:26,627
Know it for sure.

376
00:17:26,627 --> 00:17:28,280
He is holding on to some sin

377
00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,200
he's not forsaking.

378
00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:31,576
Guaranteed.

379
00:17:31,576 --> 00:17:34,489
And it can be so subtle.

380
00:17:34,489 --> 00:17:37,009
Oftentimes, they really want to take part

381
00:17:37,009 --> 00:17:38,679
in their own salvation.

382
00:17:38,679 --> 00:17:40,593
Or they've made repentance and faith

383
00:17:40,593 --> 00:17:43,509
out to really be a work that they do.

384
00:17:43,509 --> 00:17:45,480
They really are not broken.

385
00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,669
They really are not needing 
Christ to save them

386
00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:52,169
because they're wanting to take part.

387
00:17:52,169 --> 00:17:56,350
I think that is often the case.

388
00:17:56,350 --> 00:18:00,187
But I think taking some 
of the biblical examples,

389
00:18:00,187 --> 00:18:05,308
like think with me here about Matthew 19.

390
00:18:05,308 --> 00:18:10,037
You have the rich young ruler in v. 16.

391
00:18:10,037 --> 00:18:11,923
"And a man came up to Him, saying,

392
00:18:11,923 --> 00:18:15,049
'Teacher, what good deed must
I do to have eternal life?'"

393
00:18:15,049 --> 00:18:19,872
So, this man John Carter,

394
00:18:19,872 --> 00:18:23,001
it sounds like he wants eternal life.

395
00:18:23,001 --> 00:18:25,137
It sounds like that's what he's seeking.

396
00:18:25,137 --> 00:18:27,736
It sounds like he wants 
assurance that he's saved.

397
00:18:27,736 --> 00:18:30,602
He wants to know.
That's what this man wanted.

398
00:18:30,602 --> 00:18:32,360
This man wanted to know.

399
00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:34,961
I'm concerned.

400
00:18:34,961 --> 00:18:39,330
He's lived this 
apparently righteous life.

401
00:18:39,330 --> 00:18:40,708
You know, why doesn't he

402
00:18:40,708 --> 00:18:43,770
just not go to Jesus at all?

403
00:18:43,770 --> 00:18:46,171
He's kept the law. Why not?

404
00:18:46,171 --> 00:18:48,259
Why go to Jesus and ask what good thing

405
00:18:48,259 --> 00:18:51,257
he has to do?

406
00:18:51,257 --> 00:18:53,794
Because you know the 
problem being under the law

407
00:18:53,794 --> 00:18:55,717
is the law always says, "Do! Do! Do!"

408
00:18:55,717 --> 00:18:57,589
And if you don't do everything written

409
00:18:57,589 --> 00:18:59,731
in the book of the law, 
you're under a curse.

410
00:18:59,731 --> 00:19:02,075
And so there's always this sense:

411
00:19:02,075 --> 00:19:03,384
have I done enough?

412
00:19:03,384 --> 00:19:04,604
I think I've done enough.

413
00:19:04,604 --> 00:19:07,197
I've tried to, but that's 
how the law speaks.

414
00:19:07,197 --> 00:19:09,038
It just cracks the whip all the time.

415
00:19:09,038 --> 00:19:10,588
Bang! Bang! Bang!

416
00:19:10,588 --> 00:19:12,104
And so, he just feels

417
00:19:12,104 --> 00:19:14,307
the thunders of Sinai in all of this.

418
00:19:14,307 --> 00:19:17,947
His conscience is not totally at rest.

419
00:19:17,947 --> 00:19:19,318
Jesus says, "keep the law."

420
00:19:19,318 --> 00:19:22,061
Well, he's pretty confident.
"I've done all those things."

421
00:19:22,061 --> 00:19:25,191
But why would he even say,
"what lack I yet?"

422
00:19:25,191 --> 00:19:28,436
Because he had a sense that he did lack.

423
00:19:28,436 --> 00:19:29,897
This man has a sense

424
00:19:29,897 --> 00:19:31,375
that he's lacking something.

425
00:19:31,375 --> 00:19:34,848
What does Jesus say?

426
00:19:34,848 --> 00:19:36,514
It's very interesting.

427
00:19:36,514 --> 00:19:39,328
What does He say to him?

428
00:19:39,328 --> 00:19:41,817
After He goes through the law

429
00:19:41,817 --> 00:19:43,807
and this man says,

430
00:19:43,807 --> 00:19:46,196
"I've done all these things."

431
00:19:46,196 --> 00:19:47,858
Let me just tell you this,

432
00:19:47,858 --> 00:19:53,776
he did not take the Ray Comfort approach

433
00:19:53,776 --> 00:19:55,869
and get him to admit it and say,

434
00:19:55,869 --> 00:19:58,533
"You're a lying adulterer at heart."

435
00:19:58,533 --> 00:19:59,915
He didn't do that.

436
00:19:59,915 --> 00:20:02,948
I'm not saying you can't do that.

437
00:20:02,948 --> 00:20:07,451
I'm just saying He didn't 
use the law that way.

438
00:20:07,451 --> 00:20:10,461
It's interesting. He says, "keep the law."

439
00:20:10,461 --> 00:20:12,470
And when the man says, "I have,"

440
00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:16,100
He didn't even take issue with him.

441
00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:19,784
He simply said, "okay..."

442
00:20:19,784 --> 00:20:21,796
Okay.

443
00:20:21,796 --> 00:20:28,016
We'll take this just to another level.

444
00:20:28,016 --> 00:20:30,856
And He says to him,

445
00:20:30,856 --> 00:20:33,388
"If you would be perfect,

446
00:20:33,388 --> 00:20:36,185
go sell what you possess

447
00:20:36,185 --> 00:20:37,446
and give to the poor

448
00:20:37,446 --> 00:20:39,463
and you will have treasure in Heaven,

449
00:20:39,463 --> 00:20:41,906
and come, follow Me."

450
00:20:41,906 --> 00:20:44,304
And the interesting thing about all that

451
00:20:44,304 --> 00:20:48,569
is it doesn't have to do 
with whether I feel saved

452
00:20:48,569 --> 00:20:51,904
or I feel not saved.

453
00:20:51,904 --> 00:20:54,319
Jesus doesn't say let your feelings

454
00:20:54,319 --> 00:20:56,199
basically declare this thing.

455
00:20:56,199 --> 00:21:00,429
You see what He's saying to him?

456
00:21:00,429 --> 00:21:05,885
"I'm Lord. Surrender.

457
00:21:05,885 --> 00:21:08,935
And you follow Me."

458
00:21:08,935 --> 00:21:10,825
You know what following Him is?

459
00:21:10,825 --> 00:21:13,539
Today?

460
00:21:13,539 --> 00:21:16,941
His footsteps aren't out there.

461
00:21:16,941 --> 00:21:21,757
His footsteps are in here.

462
00:21:21,757 --> 00:21:24,168
You know what He says.

463
00:21:24,168 --> 00:21:26,727
"If My Word abides in you..."

464
00:21:26,727 --> 00:21:29,163
That's following Him.

465
00:21:29,163 --> 00:21:31,196
The wise man

466
00:21:31,196 --> 00:21:33,941
who built his house on the rock,

467
00:21:33,941 --> 00:21:36,886
he hears what Jesus says and he does that.

468
00:21:36,886 --> 00:21:38,983
And he does it by faith.

469
00:21:38,983 --> 00:21:41,289
Because we're called 
to do things all the time

470
00:21:41,289 --> 00:21:43,648
that we can't do in our own strength.

471
00:21:43,648 --> 00:21:45,487
And so what do you do?

472
00:21:45,487 --> 00:21:48,607
You do what He calls you 
to do and you trust Him.

473
00:21:48,607 --> 00:21:50,534
If you do what He calls you to do

474
00:21:50,534 --> 00:21:52,326
and you do it in your own strength,

475
00:21:52,326 --> 00:21:55,578
it's self-righteousness.
You perish. You go to hell.

476
00:21:55,578 --> 00:21:57,459
But if you have a faith,

477
00:21:57,459 --> 00:21:59,067
you have a form of godliness,

478
00:21:59,067 --> 00:22:01,358
but you deny the power thereof

479
00:22:01,358 --> 00:22:03,302
that actually conforms your life

480
00:22:03,302 --> 00:22:05,248
to living the Word of God,

481
00:22:05,248 --> 00:22:08,769
you die, and you perish, 
and you go to hell.

482
00:22:08,769 --> 00:22:10,989
And so what does it look like?

483
00:22:10,989 --> 00:22:14,030
It's not how I feel.

484
00:22:14,030 --> 00:22:19,799
It's Christ is my only hope.

485
00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:23,213
And by faith, I'm going to follow Him.

486
00:22:23,213 --> 00:22:25,568
And so you know what, 
when I wake up tomorrow,

487
00:22:25,568 --> 00:22:26,915
even if I don't feel saved,

488
00:22:26,915 --> 00:22:28,152
even if I feel crummy,

489
00:22:28,152 --> 00:22:30,558
even if I feel depressed, 
if I feel discouraged,

490
00:22:30,558 --> 00:22:34,108
if I feel despair, if I feel whatever,

491
00:22:34,108 --> 00:22:36,198
what am I going to do?

492
00:22:36,198 --> 00:22:37,629
Lord, what time I am afraid,

493
00:22:37,629 --> 00:22:39,389
I'm going to trust in You.

494
00:22:39,389 --> 00:22:42,698
What time I'm in despair, 
I'm going to trust.

495
00:22:42,698 --> 00:22:46,669
Soul, why are you cast down?

496
00:22:46,669 --> 00:22:49,328
I mean, here's a Christ 
Who promises to save.

497
00:22:49,328 --> 00:22:54,250
And the thing is, if I'm following Him,

498
00:22:54,250 --> 00:22:56,689
if I'm looking to Him and I'm trusting Him

499
00:22:56,689 --> 00:22:59,309
and trusting to do what 
He's called me to do,

500
00:22:59,309 --> 00:23:02,411
and trusting that He's going to wash

501
00:23:02,411 --> 00:23:04,251
the stain of my sin away,

502
00:23:04,251 --> 00:23:06,714
and He's going to empower 
me by way of His Spirit,

503
00:23:06,714 --> 00:23:09,448
and I'm going to follow in His tracks.

504
00:23:09,448 --> 00:23:11,524
You see, if this guy

505
00:23:11,524 --> 00:23:13,814
would have gone home,

506
00:23:13,814 --> 00:23:16,850
had his servants gather 
up all of his wealth,

507
00:23:16,850 --> 00:23:18,469
put it out on the tables outside,

508
00:23:18,469 --> 00:23:22,316
put a for sale sign in 
front of his mansion,

509
00:23:22,316 --> 00:23:24,866
you could say, well, that's works.

510
00:23:24,866 --> 00:23:28,481
No, that's not works when 
you're trusting Christ.

511
00:23:28,481 --> 00:23:31,449
It's works if you think 
that that's going to earn

512
00:23:31,449 --> 00:23:33,307
your way to Heaven.

513
00:23:33,307 --> 00:23:35,898
It's faith if you're saying

514
00:23:35,898 --> 00:23:39,340
this is what the Lord asks me to do.

515
00:23:39,340 --> 00:23:42,672
Not that I'm saved this way,

516
00:23:42,672 --> 00:23:46,676
but He's saving me from the things

517
00:23:46,676 --> 00:23:48,939
I was putting my trust in.

518
00:23:48,939 --> 00:23:50,727
He's saving me from things

519
00:23:50,727 --> 00:23:54,637
that are harmful to me.

520
00:23:54,637 --> 00:23:57,989
And He wants me to give those things up.

521
00:23:57,989 --> 00:23:59,937
He wants me to get rid of the poison.

522
00:23:59,937 --> 00:24:02,069
And if I'm not willing 
to get rid of the poison,

523
00:24:02,069 --> 00:24:03,761
I show I'm not willing to be saved

524
00:24:03,761 --> 00:24:05,606
the way He wants to save me.

525
00:24:05,606 --> 00:24:07,901
Being saved by Christ means

526
00:24:07,901 --> 00:24:09,191
I forsake everything

527
00:24:09,191 --> 00:24:12,327
and I'm resigned to Him,

528
00:24:12,327 --> 00:24:13,776
to His will.

529
00:24:13,776 --> 00:24:16,787
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,'

530
00:24:16,787 --> 00:24:20,039
and not do the things I say?" Luke 6.

531
00:24:20,039 --> 00:24:22,502
That's the issue.

532
00:24:22,502 --> 00:24:24,739
(incomplete thought)

533
00:24:24,739 --> 00:24:26,350
This isn't walking around

534
00:24:26,350 --> 00:24:28,085
living the life licking the finger

535
00:24:28,085 --> 00:24:30,646
and saying "do I feel saved?"

536
00:24:30,646 --> 00:24:34,126
You see, that's not looking to Christ.

537
00:24:34,126 --> 00:24:37,318
That's looking at your feelings.

538
00:24:37,318 --> 00:24:38,898
That's letting your feelings

539
00:24:38,898 --> 00:24:40,838
be the measuring stick

540
00:24:40,838 --> 00:24:42,588
of whether you're in or out.

541
00:24:42,588 --> 00:24:44,988
But that's never the issue.

542
00:24:44,988 --> 00:24:47,220
The issue is:

543
00:24:47,220 --> 00:24:49,623
is Christ your only trust?

544
00:24:49,623 --> 00:24:53,316
Is Christ your only hope?

545
00:24:53,316 --> 00:24:55,002
That's always the issue.

546
00:24:55,002 --> 00:24:56,924
That was the issue with that young man.

547
00:24:56,924 --> 00:24:58,725
It's not: do you feel saved?

548
00:24:58,725 --> 00:25:00,291
It's not: Well, go over there

549
00:25:00,291 --> 00:25:01,723
and stand in the corner

550
00:25:01,723 --> 00:25:04,865
and pray that God gives you a new heart

551
00:25:04,865 --> 00:25:06,977
till you know He has.

552
00:25:06,977 --> 00:25:09,539
That wasn't it.

553
00:25:09,539 --> 00:25:12,299
It was this:

554
00:25:12,299 --> 00:25:18,060
It was just like to 
Matthew at the tax table.

555
00:25:18,060 --> 00:25:21,264
"Matthew, follow Me.

556
00:25:21,264 --> 00:25:26,027
Give up all your tax enterprise there.

557
00:25:26,027 --> 00:25:27,619
Walk away from it.

558
00:25:27,619 --> 00:25:29,690
Walk away from your livelihood.

559
00:25:29,690 --> 00:25:32,191
You trust Me from now on.

560
00:25:32,191 --> 00:25:34,441
You follow Me.

561
00:25:34,441 --> 00:25:37,398
I may lead you to your 
death, but you trust Me."

562
00:25:37,398 --> 00:25:38,911
Because Heaven's in the end.

563
00:25:38,911 --> 00:25:43,353
That's exactly what He told him.
You'll have treasure in Heaven.

564
00:25:43,353 --> 00:25:45,920
You see, that's it. Do we trust Christ?

565
00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,087
Not: Do we feel in? Feel out?

566
00:25:48,087 --> 00:25:49,940
Feel this way? Feel that way?

567
00:25:49,940 --> 00:25:52,200
Our feelings go all over the place.

568
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:53,303
The devil will come in,

569
00:25:53,303 --> 00:25:54,942
make us feel all sorts of things.

570
00:25:54,942 --> 00:25:57,029
Depressed, discouraged, lost,

571
00:25:57,029 --> 00:25:58,808
assurance all over the place,

572
00:25:58,808 --> 00:26:00,899
but you set your eyes on Christ.

573
00:26:00,899 --> 00:26:02,918
I need Him. He's my only hope.

574
00:26:02,918 --> 00:26:05,208
He's my only hope of 
my sins being forgiven.

575
00:26:05,208 --> 00:26:06,347
He's the only hope

576
00:26:06,347 --> 00:26:10,128
of giving me the 
strength to live this life.

577
00:26:10,128 --> 00:26:13,099
See, you can sell everything
and you can give it to the poor.

578
00:26:13,099 --> 00:26:15,628
And you know what happens then?

579
00:26:15,628 --> 00:26:17,857
All the crutches are gone...

580
00:26:17,857 --> 00:26:20,379
except Christ.

581
00:26:20,379 --> 00:26:23,181
Because that man leaned on his money.

582
00:26:23,181 --> 00:26:27,234
You know what the real issue is?

583
00:26:27,234 --> 00:26:29,193
These guys that come along just like this

584
00:26:29,193 --> 00:26:30,925
and they end up never getting saved,

585
00:26:30,925 --> 00:26:34,079
they had a crutch.

586
00:26:34,079 --> 00:26:38,319
They never stepped out and said

587
00:26:38,319 --> 00:26:40,197
either Christ is going to save me

588
00:26:40,197 --> 00:26:42,809
or I'm dashed on the rocks.

589
00:26:42,809 --> 00:26:45,288
I'm all in. I'm all in.

590
00:26:45,288 --> 00:26:47,059
Christ is my only hope in this thing

591
00:26:47,059 --> 00:26:48,348
and I don't have any other

592
00:26:48,348 --> 00:26:50,238
and I'm throwing all the marbles in here.

593
00:26:50,238 --> 00:26:52,247
You see, that's what 
that guy was being asked.

594
00:26:52,247 --> 00:26:54,839
Throw it all in.

595
00:26:54,839 --> 00:26:56,351
But most people aren't willing.

596
00:26:56,351 --> 00:26:57,988
They want a contingency plan.

597
00:26:57,988 --> 00:27:00,285
"Well, I'm kind of trying Jesus...

598
00:27:00,285 --> 00:27:02,253
oh, but it doesn't feel right.

599
00:27:02,253 --> 00:27:03,399
I don't feel saved.

600
00:27:03,399 --> 00:27:05,327
I'm not having the nice, fuzzy feeling

601
00:27:05,327 --> 00:27:06,941
that I really want to have."

602
00:27:06,941 --> 00:27:08,779
And that's not what Jesus is saying.

603
00:27:08,779 --> 00:27:14,129
He's saying, "lay down your arms.

604
00:27:14,129 --> 00:27:15,860
You surrender to Me.

605
00:27:15,860 --> 00:27:17,892
Because unless you 
forsake all that you have,

606
00:27:17,892 --> 00:27:19,307
you cannot be My disciple.

607
00:27:19,307 --> 00:27:21,285
You lay it all on the altar.

608
00:27:21,285 --> 00:27:23,217
And you trust Me.

609
00:27:23,217 --> 00:27:25,427
And I'll save you. I'll take 
you all the way through.

610
00:27:25,427 --> 00:27:27,819
You'll have treasure in Heaven.
And you'll end up in Heaven.

611
00:27:27,819 --> 00:27:30,069
And you'll be there with Me."

612
00:27:30,069 --> 00:27:32,841
That's the real issue.

613
00:27:32,841 --> 00:27:35,549
And see, I don't know this man well enough

614
00:27:35,549 --> 00:27:39,308
to know what that crutch is in his life.

615
00:27:39,308 --> 00:27:42,560
But I would say this,

616
00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:44,610
anybody who will follow Christ

617
00:27:44,610 --> 00:27:46,706
can follow after Him.

618
00:27:46,706 --> 00:27:50,520
You can come to Him. You can follow Him.

619
00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,065
He didn't tell the rich 
young ruler it was impossible.

620
00:27:54,065 --> 00:27:57,160
He told him it was the only way to life.

621
00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:58,620
He laid it out there.

622
00:27:58,620 --> 00:28:01,180
And the guy rejected it.

623
00:28:01,180 --> 00:28:03,190
Matthew didn't reject it.

624
00:28:03,190 --> 00:28:05,599
He got up. He followed.

625
00:28:05,599 --> 00:28:07,780
And you can do the same today.

626
00:28:07,780 --> 00:28:10,389
Jesus says, "Follow Me."

627
00:28:10,389 --> 00:28:13,277
What do you do?

628
00:28:13,277 --> 00:28:15,429
You look here.

629
00:28:15,429 --> 00:28:18,738
What does He want you to do?
How does He want you to live?

630
00:28:18,738 --> 00:28:20,296
You read His Word

631
00:28:20,296 --> 00:28:23,466
and you're not hearers only.

632
00:28:23,466 --> 00:28:28,098
The wise man, he does the Word.

633
00:28:28,098 --> 00:28:30,640
That's always the issue.

634
00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,128
If My Word abides in you,

635
00:28:33,128 --> 00:28:39,755
you are My disciples for real.

636
00:28:39,755 --> 00:28:43,315
What we want to do is we want to go

637
00:28:43,315 --> 00:28:45,304
to examples like in the Scripture.

638
00:28:45,304 --> 00:28:48,460
Jesus dealt with people

639
00:28:48,460 --> 00:28:50,755
and we want to deal with 
them in the same way.

640
00:28:50,755 --> 00:28:54,519
What did He tell them?
What was His expectation?

641
00:28:54,519 --> 00:28:57,507
Not just that they wait for a new heart.

642
00:28:57,507 --> 00:29:00,399
Even when He's talking to Nicodemus,

643
00:29:00,399 --> 00:29:03,494
it wasn't: You must be born again

644
00:29:03,494 --> 00:29:05,188
so go over there and stand there

645
00:29:05,188 --> 00:29:07,913
until you're born again.

646
00:29:07,913 --> 00:29:10,286
That's not what He said.

647
00:29:10,286 --> 00:29:12,638
Even though He said you 
must be born from above,

648
00:29:12,638 --> 00:29:17,736
you must be born of water and the Spirit,

649
00:29:17,736 --> 00:29:23,412
isn't it interesting that 
He doesn't just stop

650
00:29:23,412 --> 00:29:26,520
in this hyper-Calvinistic mode.

651
00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:28,678
What does He do?

652
00:29:28,678 --> 00:29:31,450
He actually reaches back to Numbers

653
00:29:31,450 --> 00:29:34,005
and He pulls up this story

654
00:29:34,005 --> 00:29:36,865
about Moses lifting up the serpent

655
00:29:36,865 --> 00:29:39,088
in the wilderness.

656
00:29:39,088 --> 00:29:42,856
And He says if you do the same,

657
00:29:42,856 --> 00:29:44,465
you're saved.

658
00:29:44,465 --> 00:29:46,375
You look at Christ lifted up

659
00:29:46,375 --> 00:29:48,159
and you find your hope there.

660
00:29:48,159 --> 00:29:52,829
How does that hope express itself?

661
00:29:52,829 --> 00:29:55,140
By faith.

662
00:29:55,140 --> 00:30:01,936
You trust in Christ and you follow Him.

663
00:30:01,936 --> 00:30:05,270
Anything else on that before we move on?