WEBVTT

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 Why don't we bow our heads and pray together before we think about God's Word.

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 Our gracious Father, as we've come together to think about gratitude today,

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 we pray, Lord, that even those of us who feel like we're going through a season of darkness

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 may be able to find something that we can say thank you for.

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 And Lord, we thank you for you are an amazing God who promises amazing things to your people.

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 Lord, we want to really believe in those promises.

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 And so we pray, Lord, today you would help our unbelief.

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 Lord, that even in times of adversity, we might find space to give thanks for all that you've done

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 and all that you will do in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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 Amen.

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 So, in 1 Peter chapter 1, we read in verses 6 and 7 these words.

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 In this, that is, in the events that form the basis of our salvation, the life, death, resurrection of Jesus,

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 in all this, says Paul, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

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 These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire,

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 may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour.

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 One of the hardest things that I had to face in my own ministry in local church

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 is that though there were lots of people coming to Christ,

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 there were lots of people who had been sitting in church for years who came to Christ in our church.

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 My general sense was, I would rather people left our church than remained in it unconverted.

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 And sadly, all the people I wanted to leave never went.

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 Here's the thing.

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 What I had to face was,

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 there are some people who started well

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 and then gave up.

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 didn't just give up coming to our church,

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 but gave up their faith altogether.

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 I spent a lot of time in prayer

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 and thinking, trying to work out,

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 well, why is this?

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 Why is it that some people give up?

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 And then I realised,

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 this is no new phenomenon.

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 In John's Gospel,

00:03:06.979 --> 00:03:09.360
 in chapter 6,

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 in verse 66,

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 we're told that many of the disciples,

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 who, unlike us,

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 saw Jesus,

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 unlike us,

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 heard him minister,

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 saw him do healings,

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 did all that,

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 some of those disciples gave up.

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 And in verse 66,

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 we're told why.

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 They said,

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 because this teaching

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 is too hard.

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 of course,

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 when it comes to a very serious question,

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 like why do people give up their faith,

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 the answer is there in Scripture for us.

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 You remember that story

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 of the different soils,

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 the one we call the parable of the sower.

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 And you can read about that in various places.

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 I'm reading from Mark chapter 4 here.

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 Jesus says there are basically four reasons

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 why people give up.

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 Some people

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 never get started.

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 They're like a path,

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 says Jesus,

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 and when the seed

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 is sown on it,

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 it just bounces off.

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 Faith never has opportunity

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 to take root

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 in their hearts.

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 Then he says,

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 others,

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 like seeds

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 sown in rocky places,

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 hear the word

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 and receive it with joy.

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 But since they have no root,

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 they last only for a short time.

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 I think I've seen that phenomenon

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 in my ministry.

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 Seen people

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 who really came to the Lord

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 with zeal

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 and enthusiasm.

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 I've never forgotten a man.

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 His name was Gordon.

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 I won't tell you his surname,

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 but he was one of my

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 prodigies in the faith.

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 It was dangerous for clergy

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 to have prodigies.

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 This man came to Christ.

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 He was a very senior scientist

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 in a local company

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 that made radioactive chemicals

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 to help us get better

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 from things.

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 He was full of joy.

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 He waved his arms around

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 in morning prayer.

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 He was full of joy.

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 But then a temptation

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 came his way.

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 I've never forgotten this.

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 I saw his wife in church

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 one evening

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 and she was weeping

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 in a pew

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 and she,

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 I asked her what it was about

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 and she couldn't tell me

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 so I went round to the home

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 afterwards.

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 Daughter was there with her

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 and said to her,

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 what's up, Claire?

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 She said,

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 I think my husband's

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 having an affair.

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 I won't give you

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 the graphic details

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 of why she thought

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 that was.

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 So I was sitting there

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 trying to find

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 something consoling

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 to say.

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 I mean,

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 that's a tough call.

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 Some of you know that.

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 When the phone went,

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 she was in the kitchen

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 making some,

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 she shouted to me,

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 can you pick up the phone?

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 I picked up the phone.

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 It was her husband.

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 He said,

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 who's that?

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 I said,

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 it's Mike.

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 Is that you, Gord?

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 He said,

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 yeah,

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 I'm in New York.

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 Wow.

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 He said,

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 yeah,

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 would you mind

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 telling my wife

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 I'm never coming

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 home again?

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 I said,

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 look,

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 I think that's your job.

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 So I shouted to Claire,

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 Claire,

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 you can't put my hand

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 over the mic.

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 I said,

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 I don't think you're

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 going to like this

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 conversation.

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 He repeated

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 what he'd said to me

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 and was true

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 to his word.

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 He was out there

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 with his secretary.

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 There are people

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 who receive the word

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 with joy

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 and then

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 fall foul.

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 And then there are

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 those,

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 says Jesus,

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 who get caught up

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 in the cares

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 and pleasures

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 of this world.

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 Isn't that a temptation

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 for our generation?

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 Let me ask you a question.

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 How much time

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 do you spend

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 thinking about stuff

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 in comparison

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 with how much

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 you think about God?

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 How many of you

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 spend more time

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 worrying about money

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 and thinking

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 if you had a bit more

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 what you would spend it on

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 than you do

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 thinking about

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 the power of God

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 to transform your life?

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 I'm not going to ask you

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 to shout out your answer,

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 but you might like

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 to think about that.

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 People give up

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 on the Christian faith.

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 Interestingly,

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 in the 2021

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 census,

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 the questions

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 on religious

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 affiliation

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 revealed for the first time

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 that the fasting,

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 fastest growing religion

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 in this country

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 is no religion.

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 people who said

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 they didn't believe

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 in anything anymore.

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 Today,

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 we're thinking

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 about gratitude.

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 I've told you

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 many times,

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 gratitude is good

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 for you.

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 If you

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 wake up

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 in the morning

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 and try and think

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 of something

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 grateful to say,

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 it will start your day

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 on the right footing.

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 It's good for you

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 spiritually.

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 It's good for you

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 psychologically.

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 I read in the Daily Mail,

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 so it must be true.

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 I read in the Daily Mail

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 that 55% of people

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 wake up

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 after a night's sleep

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 and their first words

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 are,

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 oh dear.

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 Oh dear.

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 You start the day

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 saying that,

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 the rest of your day

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 is based on

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 a negative statement.

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 Oh dear.

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 No,

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 find something

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 to say thank you for.

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 Told you that

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 I say thank you

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 to God every day

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 that I've been able

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 to take a breath

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 and then I remind myself

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 that the breath

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 I just took

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 means one less breath

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 here on earth

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 while I'm here on earth

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 and there's an urgency

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 to God's work.

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 And a lot of you

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 would think that

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 our subject today

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 is extremely eccentric

00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:31.879
 to the point of laughable.

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 How can anybody

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 stand here this morning

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 and encourage you

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 to give thanks

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 when your life

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 is going through turmoil

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 and disorder?

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 It would take a bumptious

00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:49.700
 old guy

00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:51.700
 with a flashy tie

00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:54.340
 to do that.

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 But it's what

00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:00.320
 I believe

00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:01.140
 God wants me

00:10:01.140 --> 00:10:02.360
 to say to you today.

00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:04.920
 How can we

00:10:04.920 --> 00:10:05.520
 rejoice?

00:10:07.220 --> 00:10:07.500
 Well,

00:10:07.640 --> 00:10:08.020
 Peter

00:10:08.020 --> 00:10:09.620
 interestingly

00:10:09.620 --> 00:10:10.680
 tells us

00:10:10.680 --> 00:10:11.620
 three things

00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:12.980
 that we can think about

00:10:12.980 --> 00:10:14.879
 and what you need

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:15.300
 to know

00:10:15.300 --> 00:10:15.820
 is that

00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:16.480
 Peter

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 was writing

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 sometime

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 between

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 AD 62

00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:21.879
 and 64.

00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:24.840
 At this time

00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:25.940
 the church

00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:26.820
 was going through

00:10:26.820 --> 00:10:28.300
 a major persecution

00:10:28.300 --> 00:10:29.540
 under the Roman

00:10:29.540 --> 00:10:30.520
 Emperor Nero.

00:10:32.280 --> 00:10:33.480
 It was a persecution

00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.620
 that started

00:10:34.620 --> 00:10:35.500
 around about

00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:36.540
 AD 62

00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:38.259
 and went on

00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:39.400
 almost interrupted

00:10:39.400 --> 00:10:40.460
 for the next

00:10:40.460 --> 00:10:41.900
 70 years

00:10:41.900 --> 00:10:42.680
 under different

00:10:42.680 --> 00:10:43.580
 Roman emperors.

00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:46.040
 You know,

00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.340
 we all make choices

00:10:47.340 --> 00:10:47.940
 don't we?

00:10:48.019 --> 00:10:48.720
 We Christians

00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:49.540
 make choices

00:10:49.540 --> 00:10:50.519
 and we don't always

00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:51.540
 make good choices.

00:10:53.280 --> 00:10:54.120
 But I thought

00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:54.680
 to myself

00:10:54.680 --> 00:10:56.100
 if in a time

00:10:56.100 --> 00:10:56.899
 of terrible

00:10:56.899 --> 00:10:57.700
 persecution

00:10:57.700 --> 00:10:59.200
 where Christians

00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:00.759
 would ask

00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:01.899
 to be crucified

00:11:01.899 --> 00:11:03.160
 upside down

00:11:03.160 --> 00:11:05.080
 simply because

00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:06.060
 they didn't want

00:11:06.060 --> 00:11:06.940
 to be crucified

00:11:06.940 --> 00:11:07.580
 in the way

00:11:07.580 --> 00:11:08.360
 that their Lord

00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:09.259
 had been crucified.

00:11:11.300 --> 00:11:11.940
 If that was

00:11:11.940 --> 00:11:12.800
 your choice

00:11:12.800 --> 00:11:13.220
 to make

00:11:13.220 --> 00:11:13.820
 either

00:11:13.820 --> 00:11:14.960
 you can say

00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:15.860
 I'm no longer

00:11:15.860 --> 00:11:16.560
 a Christian

00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:18.939
 and bow

00:11:18.939 --> 00:11:19.459
 your knee

00:11:19.459 --> 00:11:20.079
 to the Emperor

00:11:20.079 --> 00:11:20.739
 or you can be

00:11:20.739 --> 00:11:21.719
 crucified upside

00:11:21.719 --> 00:11:22.299
 down.

00:11:24.259 --> 00:11:25.059
 What would you

00:11:25.059 --> 00:11:25.419
 choose?

00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:25.679
 I mean,

00:11:25.739 --> 00:11:26.819
 anybody sensible

00:11:26.819 --> 00:11:28.439
 would say,

00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:28.879
 you know,

00:11:29.099 --> 00:11:29.739
 hail Emperor.

00:11:31.899 --> 00:11:32.979
 But they didn't.

00:11:34.419 --> 00:11:35.399
 And many of them

00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:36.119
 were hung upside

00:11:36.119 --> 00:11:37.479
 down on the Appian Way,

00:11:37.579 --> 00:11:38.519
 that road that leads

00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:39.279
 out of Rome

00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:42.239
 where they died

00:11:42.239 --> 00:11:43.139
 for their faith.

00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:43.199
 death.

00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.259
 So what Peter's

00:11:46.259 --> 00:11:47.419
 talking about here

00:11:47.419 --> 00:11:47.699
 is,

00:11:47.980 --> 00:11:48.960
 in particular,

00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:50.299
 he's talking about

00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:51.139
 persecution.

00:11:52.419 --> 00:11:52.860
 He's saying,

00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:53.679
 though at the moment

00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:54.340
 you're going through

00:11:54.340 --> 00:11:55.259
 this persecution,

00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:56.980
 it will be momentary.

00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:57.299
 I mean,

00:11:57.379 --> 00:11:58.399
 70 years doesn't feel

00:11:58.399 --> 00:11:59.539
 that momentary to me.

00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:02.899
 But he said,

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.799
 here are three things

00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:06.220
 that you can think about

00:12:06.220 --> 00:12:07.919
 in the light

00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:08.600
 of your troubles,

00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:09.879
 really important things.

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:11.100
 The first thing is,

00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:12.039
 says Peter,

00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:13.059
 keep your eyes

00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:13.840
 on the prize.

00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:15.360
 Come back to that.

00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:16.659
 Secondly,

00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:17.320
 he says,

00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:19.059
 faith works

00:12:19.059 --> 00:12:21.259
 and will see you home.

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.360
 And thirdly,

00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:23.960
 he says,

00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:25.840
 whatever's going on,

00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:27.259
 hold on.

00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.559
 Hold on to Jesus

00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:31.820
 and it will come right.

00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:35.039
 Keep your eyes

00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:36.159
 on the prize,

00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:37.320
 says one Peter.

00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:39.480
 Let me just remind you

00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:40.120
 of what he says.

00:12:40.900 --> 00:12:42.120
 He says this.

00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:43.640
 First of all,

00:12:43.660 --> 00:12:44.340
 he reminds them

00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:45.379
 of what the prize is,

00:12:45.420 --> 00:12:46.240
 so to speak.

00:12:46.640 --> 00:12:47.480
 In his great mercy,

00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:48.080
 he has given us

00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.640
 new birth

00:12:48.640 --> 00:12:49.700
 into a living hope

00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:50.760
 through the resurrection

00:12:50.760 --> 00:12:52.140
 of Jesus Christ

00:12:52.140 --> 00:12:52.800
 from the dead

00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:54.420
 and into an inheritance

00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:56.100
 that can never perish,

00:12:56.660 --> 00:12:57.820
 spoil or fade.

00:12:58.180 --> 00:12:59.680
 Kept in heaven for you.

00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:00.960
 You know,

00:13:00.980 --> 00:13:02.020
 I read those words again.

00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.080
 I suppose I've read them

00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:04.160
 many years

00:13:04.160 --> 00:13:05.420
 over since I became

00:13:05.420 --> 00:13:05.960
 a Christian.

00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:09.200
 Almost 60 years ago now.

00:13:11.140 --> 00:13:12.540
 And I thought to myself,

00:13:12.640 --> 00:13:14.520
 do I think about that enough?

00:13:16.780 --> 00:13:18.800
 20th century psychology

00:13:18.800 --> 00:13:21.820
 told us that

00:13:21.820 --> 00:13:23.240
 if we want to understand

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:24.300
 who we are,

00:13:24.680 --> 00:13:25.840
 what we need to do

00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:27.340
 is to look into our past.

00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:28.460
 It's, you know,

00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.320
 it's not rocket science

00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:30.900
 in one way.

00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:31.680
 We all know

00:13:31.680 --> 00:13:32.920
 that to some extent

00:13:32.920 --> 00:13:33.880
 we are the product

00:13:33.880 --> 00:13:34.980
 of what went on

00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:35.760
 in our childhood,

00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:36.659
 what went on

00:13:36.659 --> 00:13:37.159
 and what went on

00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:38.360
 in our adult years.

00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:41.519
 But I wonder

00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.600
 if it meant that

00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:44.620
 we forget

00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:46.779
 that there's a future.

00:13:48.439 --> 00:13:50.139
 And if you're a Christ follower,

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:51.879
 there is a future for you

00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:53.299
 that is so amazing

00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:54.639
 you never could,

00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:56.279
 you just can't imagine it.

00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:58.840
 It's your inheritance.

00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:01.080
 The Bible says

00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.480
 although we are God's children

00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.320
 through creation,

00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:05.940
 our sin broke that link

00:14:05.940 --> 00:14:06.519
 with God

00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:09.480
 and in consequence

00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:10.800
 when we come to Jesus

00:14:10.800 --> 00:14:12.480
 we are adopted children.

00:14:14.780 --> 00:14:15.660
 Do you all ever think

00:14:15.660 --> 00:14:16.300
 about that?

00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.200
 Do you all ever

00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:18.720
 imagine

00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:21.040
 what it's going to be like

00:14:21.040 --> 00:14:22.060
 when you die?

00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:22.399
 I mean,

00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:23.019
 a lot of you,

00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:23.960
 I mean a lot of people

00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:24.740
 who come to church,

00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:25.220
 I know,

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:26.240
 think that death

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:27.080
 is a brick wall.

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:29.980
 No,

00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:31.000
 says Peter.

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.759
 You have the most

00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:34.320
 amazing inheritance

00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:35.759
 waiting for you.

00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:38.840
 When Gran died,

00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:39.700
 she left us

00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:40.539
 a load of stuff

00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:41.159
 from the days

00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:43.000
 when a great-grandfather

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.180
 was a naval chaplain

00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:45.799
 in Shanghai.

00:14:46.060 --> 00:14:47.019
 I have no idea

00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.000
 what kind of chaplain

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.480
 he was,

00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:49.639
 but I can tell you

00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:50.360
 he had an eye

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.100
 for antiques.

00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:53.700
 And he collected

00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:54.860
 a boatload of them

00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:56.080
 which was burgled

00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.100
 about three times,

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:57.540
 but there was

00:14:57.540 --> 00:14:58.560
 some stuff left.

00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.159
 And we have it.

00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:02.759
 And my goodness,

00:15:02.899 --> 00:15:03.860
 it's fading now.

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:06.040
 Every ten years

00:15:06.040 --> 00:15:07.060
 I have to send

00:15:07.060 --> 00:15:07.620
 the pictures

00:15:07.620 --> 00:15:08.220
 that we have

00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:11.500
 to an art renovator

00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:12.360
 to have them cleaned

00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:13.120
 and looked after.

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:14.740
 It's an inheritance

00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:16.300
 that fades.

00:15:18.040 --> 00:15:18.600
 Peter says,

00:15:18.700 --> 00:15:18.899
 no,

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:19.960
 your inheritance,

00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:20.400
 friends,

00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:22.040
 if you trust Christ,

00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:23.920
 will never fade.

00:15:25.280 --> 00:15:26.620
 It will be there forever.

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.160
 And some of you

00:15:29.160 --> 00:15:29.660
 are sitting there

00:15:29.660 --> 00:15:30.400
 this morning saying,

00:15:30.540 --> 00:15:30.680
 well,

00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:31.560
 hang on,

00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:32.780
 you have no idea

00:15:32.780 --> 00:15:33.620
 what's happened to me

00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.240
 in my life.

00:15:34.280 --> 00:15:34.879
 And that's true

00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:35.420
 up to a point,

00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:36.220
 I know some of you

00:15:36.220 --> 00:15:37.080
 well enough to know,

00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:38.320
 that it's been hard.

00:15:41.160 --> 00:15:41.680
 Some of you are saying,

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:41.840
 well,

00:15:41.900 --> 00:15:43.019
 what about my questions?

00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:46.300
 Will I go to heaven

00:15:46.300 --> 00:15:47.420
 if I have questions?

00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:47.720
 Yes,

00:15:47.780 --> 00:15:48.600
 you will go to heaven

00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:49.840
 as long as you continue.

00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.100
 to trust Christ.

00:15:52.280 --> 00:15:52.639
 In fact,

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:54.759
 in 1 Corinthians chapter 13,

00:15:55.060 --> 00:15:56.840
 what the great apostle teaches

00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:57.680
 is this.

00:15:59.680 --> 00:16:00.160
 He says,

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.400
 though at this time

00:16:01.400 --> 00:16:03.400
 we see in a mirror darkly

00:16:03.400 --> 00:16:05.300
 one day,

00:16:06.420 --> 00:16:08.160
 the day we enter

00:16:08.160 --> 00:16:09.220
 the courts of heaven,

00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:11.860
 the day there's a party

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.960
 as we arrive,

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:17.680
 Paul says,

00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:20.300
 I will then know fully

00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:23.019
 as I am fully known.

00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:26.800
 Whatever lingering questions

00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:27.320
 you have,

00:16:27.400 --> 00:16:27.900
 dear friend,

00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:29.220
 there will be a day

00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:30.460
 when they will be answered.

00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:31.340
 Imagine that.

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.000
 You're like,

00:16:32.060 --> 00:16:32.160
 well,

00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:33.639
 my questions are unanswerable.

00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:35.720
 No,

00:16:35.780 --> 00:16:36.200
 they're not.

00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:39.660
 And when you meet Jesus

00:16:39.660 --> 00:16:40.720
 face to face,

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:43.580
 he will reassure you.

00:16:48.520 --> 00:16:49.320
 Paul says,

00:16:49.420 --> 00:16:50.480
 keep your eyes

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.700
 on the prize.

00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:55.600
 I think to myself,

00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:56.280
 and it's been

00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:58.100
 a real,

00:16:58.540 --> 00:17:00.520
 what would you say,

00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.840
 it's been blowtorched

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:02.980
 in the media recently.

00:17:02.980 --> 00:17:04.279
 You remember this man,

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.500
 Abdul Ezzedi,

00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:08.900
 a man who travelled

00:17:08.900 --> 00:17:09.860
 all the way

00:17:09.860 --> 00:17:10.819
 from Newcastle

00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:11.519
 to London

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:13.700
 with a very caustic

00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.360
 substance

00:17:14.360 --> 00:17:16.259
 in his rucksack,

00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:17.440
 which he then

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.960
 threw in the face

00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:20.539
 of a woman he knew

00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:22.079
 and her two children,

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:23.360
 having picked up

00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:24.519
 her three-year-old child

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.640
 and thrown it

00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:26.180
 to the ground

00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:27.380
 like a prize wrestler.

00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:31.819
 This is a man

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:33.359
 who'd handed

00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:34.740
 asylum appeal

00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:35.779
 heard twice.

00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:37.700
 Let me be very clear,

00:17:37.859 --> 00:17:39.179
 I am not making

00:17:39.179 --> 00:17:40.619
 a negative point

00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:42.200
 about asylum seekers

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:42.619
 here.

00:17:44.659 --> 00:17:45.839
 I think we should

00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:46.579
 be offering

00:17:46.579 --> 00:17:47.579
 refuge

00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:48.700
 and sanctuary

00:17:48.700 --> 00:17:49.939
 to people

00:17:49.939 --> 00:17:50.460
 who if they were

00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:51.079
 sent home

00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:51.619
 would face

00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.460
 the most terrible

00:17:52.460 --> 00:17:53.119
 outcomes.

00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:54.559
 This is not my point.

00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:55.259
 My point is,

00:17:55.639 --> 00:17:56.299
 this man had been

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.399
 through two asylum

00:17:57.399 --> 00:17:58.919
 tribunals

00:17:58.919 --> 00:17:59.720
 and had been told

00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:00.720
 that he had to leave.

00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:02.059
 On the third one,

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.019
 he told the

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:07.640
 tribunal judge

00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:08.839
 that he converted

00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:09.839
 to Christianity.

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.620
 See, I think that

00:18:14.620 --> 00:18:15.460
 the world

00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.900
 can expect

00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:18.759
 that if we claim

00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:19.559
 to have converted

00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:20.400
 to Christianity,

00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:21.620
 there should be

00:18:21.620 --> 00:18:22.759
 some evidence of that.

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:23.480
 Do you think that?

00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:25.319
 There should be

00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:26.019
 some evidence.

00:18:26.360 --> 00:18:26.860
 There should be

00:18:26.860 --> 00:18:27.839
 something that shows

00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:29.819
 forth in your life.

00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.740
 Let me ask you

00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:33.259
 a question.

00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:37.259
 Suppose a terrible

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:38.180
 persecution

00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:39.839
 broke out

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.880
 against the church

00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:41.839
 in Clevedon

00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:43.920
 in 2024.

00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.420
 Would there be

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.319
 enough evidence

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.440
 to convict you?

00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:52.539
 Let me ask that again.

00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:55.180
 Very somber feel

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:55.799
 in the church

00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:56.380
 right now.

00:18:56.380 --> 00:18:59.380
 If a great persecution

00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:00.280
 broke out

00:19:00.280 --> 00:19:01.640
 against the church

00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:03.520
 in Clevedon,

00:19:05.520 --> 00:19:06.640
 would there be

00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:07.540
 enough evidence

00:19:07.540 --> 00:19:08.540
 to convict you?

00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:11.500
 Friends,

00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:13.700
 we've got to keep

00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:14.360
 our eyes

00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:15.360
 on the prize.

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:16.960
 It may be

00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:17.660
 that delving

00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:18.540
 into your past

00:19:18.540 --> 00:19:19.080
 will give you

00:19:19.080 --> 00:19:19.940
 some insight

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:21.220
 as to why you are

00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:22.000
 the way you are

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.400
 today,

00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:23.380
 though too often

00:19:23.380 --> 00:19:23.920
 that becomes

00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.560
 an excuse

00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:25.139
 for terrible

00:19:25.139 --> 00:19:25.720
 behaviour.

00:19:30.419 --> 00:19:31.319
 But listen,

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:33.440
 you're not just

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.579
 people with a past

00:19:34.579 --> 00:19:36.019
 if you trust Christ.

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:37.879
 You're people

00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:38.579
 with a future.

00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:41.700
 And if you can't

00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:42.440
 think of anything

00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:43.200
 else to say

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:44.119
 thank you to God

00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:44.399
 for,

00:19:44.639 --> 00:19:45.500
 at least you can

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.159
 say thank you

00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:47.019
 to God for that.

00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:49.500
 Thank you

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:51.059
 that I'm a saved

00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:51.539
 person,

00:19:51.700 --> 00:19:52.519
 not through my

00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:53.059
 own effort,

00:19:53.159 --> 00:19:53.679
 but through the

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.500
 grace of God

00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.320
 so that none

00:19:55.320 --> 00:19:56.160
 of us can boast.

00:19:59.080 --> 00:20:00.299
 You are saved.

00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:04.019
 Saved for

00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:04.620
 eternity.

00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:07.180
 Saved into

00:20:07.180 --> 00:20:07.920
 an existence

00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:09.080
 you cannot

00:20:09.080 --> 00:20:10.259
 begin to

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:10.779
 imagine.

00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:12.720
 Friends,

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:13.740
 keep your eyes

00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:14.740
 on the prize.

00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:15.440
 The second

00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:15.980
 thing is

00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:17.160
 faith works.

00:20:17.880 --> 00:20:18.360
 This is a

00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:18.900
 wonderful

00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:20.279
 passage,

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:20.700
 isn't it,

00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:21.360
 in 1 Peter

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.019
 where he says

00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:22.419
 this,

00:20:22.979 --> 00:20:23.379
 to these

00:20:23.379 --> 00:20:23.899
 Christians

00:20:23.899 --> 00:20:24.579
 who are

00:20:24.579 --> 00:20:25.339
 spread out

00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:25.879
 across what

00:20:25.879 --> 00:20:26.279
 they call

00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:27.000
 the diaspora,

00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:27.419
 that is,

00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:28.319
 the regions

00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:28.879
 around

00:20:28.879 --> 00:20:30.740
 Israel.

00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:32.819
 He says

00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:33.199
 this,

00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:33.899
 though you

00:20:33.899 --> 00:20:34.500
 have not

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.059
 seen him,

00:20:35.179 --> 00:20:35.619
 you love

00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:35.839
 him.

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:36.759
 And even

00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.240
 though you

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:37.699
 do not

00:20:37.699 --> 00:20:38.179
 see him

00:20:38.179 --> 00:20:38.439
 now,

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:39.000
 you believe

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:39.439
 in him

00:20:39.439 --> 00:20:40.099
 and are

00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:40.639
 filled with

00:20:40.639 --> 00:20:41.859
 an inexpressible

00:20:41.859 --> 00:20:42.939
 and glorious

00:20:42.939 --> 00:20:43.500
 joy.

00:20:43.699 --> 00:20:43.959
 Why?

00:20:44.459 --> 00:20:45.059
 Verse 9,

00:20:45.379 --> 00:20:45.679
 for you are

00:20:45.679 --> 00:20:46.439
 receiving the

00:20:46.439 --> 00:20:47.059
 goal of your

00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:47.439
 faith,

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.559
 the salvation

00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.419
 of your

00:20:49.419 --> 00:20:49.779
 souls.

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:50.700
 Someone say

00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:51.039
 amen.

00:20:56.179 --> 00:20:56.819
 Some of you

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:57.240
 need to get

00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:57.720
 over it,

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:57.980
 don't you?

00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:01.019
 Listen to me.

00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.399
 This is

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:06.179
 fundamental,

00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:06.819
 friends.

00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:10.159
 Faith works.

00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:11.619
 And you

00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:12.059
 should be

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:12.839
 thankful for

00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:13.119
 that.

00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:14.419
 Because of

00:21:14.419 --> 00:21:14.940
 what Paul

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:15.399
 has said,

00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:15.879
 which I

00:21:15.879 --> 00:21:16.440
 just quoted

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.220
 from Ephesians

00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:17.539
 2,

00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:18.259
 is by

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:18.720
 grace

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:19.000
 you're

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:19.399
 saved.

00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.119
 That's

00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:20.440
 God's

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:20.980
 mechanism

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.659
 for saving

00:21:21.659 --> 00:21:21.920
 you.

00:21:22.159 --> 00:21:22.680
 His love

00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:23.079
 for you,

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:23.579
 though you

00:21:23.579 --> 00:21:24.319
 don't deserve

00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:24.559
 it.

00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:25.059
 And the

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:25.559
 mechanism

00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:26.240
 by which

00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:26.639
 you are

00:21:26.639 --> 00:21:27.500
 saved is

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.299
 by faith.

00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:31.339
 Peter,

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:32.819
 who wrote

00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:33.440
 this epistle,

00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:34.159
 of course,

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:34.680
 did see

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:35.200
 Jesus.

00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:36.579
 Hung out

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:36.879
 with him

00:21:36.879 --> 00:21:37.339
 while he

00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:37.680
 did his

00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:38.139
 miracles.

00:21:38.500 --> 00:21:38.839
 Made a

00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:39.559
 few mistakes.

00:21:39.659 --> 00:21:39.920
 Remember,

00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:40.440
 he lopped

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:40.759
 off the

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.700
 ear of the

00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:43.079
 high priest's

00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:43.420
 servant.

00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:45.859
 He denied

00:21:45.859 --> 00:21:46.599
 Jesus three

00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:47.000
 times,

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:47.559
 and Jesus

00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:48.119
 says to

00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:48.299
 him,

00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.160
 on you

00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:49.839
 I will

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.259
 base

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.779
 my church.

00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.259
 People like

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:54.460
 him,

00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:55.039
 people like

00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:55.380
 us.

00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:00.259
 It is by

00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:00.819
 grace,

00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:01.880
 through faith,

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:02.460
 that we're

00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:02.880
 served.

00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:05.119
 In 1 Peter,

00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:06.440
 chapter 5,

00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:07.759
 and verse 1,

00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:09.980
 Peter says

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:10.380
 this,

00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:11.420
 I appeal

00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.120
 as a fellow

00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:12.540
 elder,

00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:13.160
 a witness

00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:14.000
 of Christ's

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:14.360
 suffering,

00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:15.020
 and one

00:22:15.020 --> 00:22:15.660
 who also

00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:16.320
 will share

00:22:16.320 --> 00:22:16.760
 in the

00:22:16.760 --> 00:22:17.620
 glory to

00:22:17.620 --> 00:22:18.300
 be revealed.

00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:20.200
 Peter saw

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.700
 it all.

00:22:22.260 --> 00:22:22.840
 Peter's now

00:22:22.840 --> 00:22:23.400
 writing to

00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:24.420
 people who've

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.100
 not seen

00:22:25.100 --> 00:22:25.540
 it, but

00:22:25.540 --> 00:22:26.280
 have heard

00:22:26.280 --> 00:22:27.440
 the gospel.

00:22:29.840 --> 00:22:30.460
 Faith

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:31.260
 works.

00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:33.860
 You ask

00:22:33.860 --> 00:22:34.420
 a lot of

00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:34.740
 people,

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.420
 I remember

00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:36.080
 this when I

00:22:36.080 --> 00:22:37.160
 did Evangelism

00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:37.820
 Explosion

00:22:37.820 --> 00:22:38.240
 course,

00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:38.720
 which is a

00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:39.519
 course of

00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.180
 door-to-door

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:41.019
 visitation,

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.519
 where you

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.200
 explain the

00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:42.759
 gospel to

00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:43.480
 people in

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:43.900
 their own

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:44.160
 home.

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:46.120
 How terrifying

00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:46.799
 is that?

00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.960
 And one

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.220
 of the

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:51.859
 things that

00:22:51.859 --> 00:22:54.519
 they taught

00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:55.120
 us there was

00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:55.660
 that you

00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:56.019
 have this

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.640
 diagnostic

00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.279
 question,

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:58.000
 and it's

00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:58.180
 this,

00:22:58.299 --> 00:22:58.740
 if you were

00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.099
 to die

00:22:59.099 --> 00:22:59.559
 tonight,

00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:00.180
 and God

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:00.460
 were to

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:00.940
 ask you,

00:23:01.120 --> 00:23:01.599
 why would

00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:01.940
 I let

00:23:01.940 --> 00:23:02.299
 you into

00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:02.620
 heaven,

00:23:02.819 --> 00:23:03.279
 what would

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:03.700
 you say?

00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.319
 A lot

00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:06.559
 of these

00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.039
 people were

00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.400
 people who

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:07.559
 were in

00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:07.900
 church

00:23:07.900 --> 00:23:08.480
 Sunday by

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:08.800
 Sunday,

00:23:08.840 --> 00:23:09.019
 you know

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.259
 what they

00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:09.540
 said?

00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:10.540
 I've

00:23:10.540 --> 00:23:11.000
 tried my

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.500
 best,

00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.820
 tried to

00:23:12.820 --> 00:23:13.080
 live a

00:23:13.080 --> 00:23:13.680
 good life,

00:23:15.540 --> 00:23:15.840
 right?

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:16.680
 I mean,

00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:17.259
 I'm not

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:19.200
 so beastly

00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:19.740
 that I

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.240
 would say

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:20.700
 to them,

00:23:21.120 --> 00:23:21.380
 that is

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:21.880
 nonsense.

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:24.780
 I mean,

00:23:24.820 --> 00:23:25.200
 I'm not

00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:26.380
 unhappy that

00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:26.660
 they've been

00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:27.000
 trying to

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:27.420
 live a good

00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:27.680
 life,

00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:28.360
 but let me

00:23:28.360 --> 00:23:28.720
 tell you,

00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:29.340
 that will

00:23:29.340 --> 00:23:30.060
 not see

00:23:30.060 --> 00:23:30.480
 them into

00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:30.800
 heaven.

00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:32.180
 It's the

00:23:32.180 --> 00:23:32.620
 grace of

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:32.880
 God,

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.740
 received in

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.180
 faith,

00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:35.540
 that will

00:23:35.540 --> 00:23:35.960
 see you

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:36.500
 into heaven.

00:23:37.060 --> 00:23:37.440
 Why,

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:38.019
 says Paul,

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:38.820
 so none

00:23:38.820 --> 00:23:39.200
 of you

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.200
 can boast?

00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.920
 Faith

00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:43.480
 works.

00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:46.120
 One thing

00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:46.380
 I've

00:23:46.380 --> 00:23:46.860
 learned is

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.360
 this,

00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.059
 and if

00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:50.380
 you gave

00:23:50.380 --> 00:23:50.720
 me the

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.320
 choice of

00:23:51.320 --> 00:23:52.059
 suffering with

00:23:52.059 --> 00:23:52.559
 Jesus,

00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.799
 or suffering

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.440
 without him

00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:55.799
 in this

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.220
 life,

00:23:57.220 --> 00:23:58.200
 I would

00:23:58.200 --> 00:23:58.740
 choose to

00:23:58.740 --> 00:23:59.320
 suffer with

00:23:59.320 --> 00:24:00.759
 him all

00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:01.299
 the time.

00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:06.019
 so Peter's

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:06.799
 message is,

00:24:07.659 --> 00:24:08.539
 it's for

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:09.220
 us to

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:09.980
 hold on,

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:12.599
 to hold

00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:12.960
 on to

00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:14.119
 Jesus in

00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:14.539
 the most

00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:15.079
 dire

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.059
 circumstances.

00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:16.639
 Why?

00:24:16.879 --> 00:24:17.460
 Because the

00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:18.159
 promises of

00:24:18.159 --> 00:24:18.839
 God are

00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:19.299
 true,

00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:21.480
 and he

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:21.940
 will see

00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:22.519
 you home.

00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:26.519
 keep your

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:26.980
 eyes on

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:27.139
 the

00:24:27.139 --> 00:24:27.599
 prize.

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:29.240
 Remember,

00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:30.119
 it's faith

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:30.660
 that works,

00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:31.400
 and hold

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:31.900
 on to

00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:32.279
 Jesus.

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.059
 Let me

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:35.660
 end with a

00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:35.940
 rather

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.920
 surprising

00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:37.680
 insight,

00:24:37.879 --> 00:24:38.299
 not my

00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:38.779
 insight,

00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:39.839
 the insight

00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:40.059
 of

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.639
 researchers.

00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:42.839
 You would

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:43.240
 think,

00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:43.619
 would you

00:24:43.619 --> 00:24:43.879
 not,

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:44.279
 and I

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:44.700
 imagine

00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.119
 some of

00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:45.299
 you have

00:24:45.299 --> 00:24:45.720
 been sitting

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.259
 here this

00:24:46.259 --> 00:24:46.660
 morning

00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:47.200
 thinking,

00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:48.160
 that in

00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:48.639
 a time

00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:48.839
 of

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.519
 persecution,

00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.099
 the

00:24:50.099 --> 00:24:50.680
 church

00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:51.579
 recedes.

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:54.160
 Exactly

00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:55.000
 the opposite

00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:55.660
 is true.

00:24:57.319 --> 00:24:57.839
 Where the

00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:58.339
 church is

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.059
 persecuted,

00:24:59.240 --> 00:24:59.700
 it grows.

00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:00.559
 In North

00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.279
 Korea right

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.619
 now,

00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.139
 if you

00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:03.579
 were caught

00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:03.920
 with a

00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:04.660
 Bible in

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:05.359
 that evil

00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:05.839
 land,

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:07.539
 you would

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.359
 be executed.

00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:10.160
 Yet,

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.460
 open doors

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.019
 tell me

00:25:12.019 --> 00:25:13.240
 that the

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:13.839
 church in

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.440
 North Korea,

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:15.240
 an underground

00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:15.859
 church,

00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:16.779
 you got

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:17.319
 found out

00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:17.720
 to be a

00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:18.299
 Christian there,

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:18.680
 you'd just

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.359
 be shot in

00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:19.779
 the street.

00:25:22.159 --> 00:25:22.639
 The

00:25:22.639 --> 00:25:23.079
 underground

00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:24.299
 church is

00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:24.740
 growing.

00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:27.099
 You look

00:25:27.099 --> 00:25:27.559
 in China,

00:25:27.659 --> 00:25:27.959
 where for

00:25:27.959 --> 00:25:28.459
 years,

00:25:29.419 --> 00:25:29.919
 the Christian

00:25:29.919 --> 00:25:31.839
 faith was

00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.679
 illegal.

00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:33.759
 It's legal

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.039
 now,

00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:34.359
 but you

00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:34.699
 can only

00:25:34.699 --> 00:25:35.019
 go to

00:25:35.019 --> 00:25:35.439
 a church

00:25:35.439 --> 00:25:35.819
 which is

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:36.319
 licensed

00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:37.000
 by the

00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:37.379
 government,

00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:38.379
 which is

00:25:38.379 --> 00:25:38.939
 a way of

00:25:38.939 --> 00:25:39.419
 keeping an

00:25:39.419 --> 00:25:39.779
 eye on

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:40.839
 people in

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.119
 their

00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:41.839
 population.

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:43.719
 Despite

00:25:43.719 --> 00:25:44.379
 all that,

00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:44.979
 it is

00:25:44.979 --> 00:25:45.899
 estimated by

00:25:45.899 --> 00:25:46.599
 open doors

00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:47.339
 there are

00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:48.879
 50 million

00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.700
 Christians

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:51.060
 in China

00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:52.700
 and it's

00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:53.120
 growing.

00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.440
 Persecution

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:01.340
 broke out

00:26:01.340 --> 00:26:01.960
 against the

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.500
 church in

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:02.900
 Cleveland,

00:26:03.100 --> 00:26:03.500
 friends.

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.400
 Would there

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:05.800
 be enough

00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:06.820
 evidence to

00:26:06.820 --> 00:26:07.500
 convict you?

00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:11.599
 Peter says,

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:13.119
 these

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:13.920
 sufferings

00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:14.460
 are yours,

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:16.059
 terrible

00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:16.640
 though they

00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:16.960
 are,

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:18.839
 very high

00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:19.359
 risk.

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:19.960
 I mean,

00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:20.380
 I said

00:26:20.380 --> 00:26:20.660
 earlier,

00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.240
 we make

00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:21.720
 choices.

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.099
 I mean,

00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:22.599
 you could

00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:24.299
 argue that

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:24.819
 to choose

00:26:24.819 --> 00:26:25.259
 to be a

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.200
 Christian in

00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:26.819
 a land of

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.460
 persecution

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.140
 was a

00:26:28.140 --> 00:26:28.420
 stupid

00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:28.960
 choice.

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.220
 not those

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:31.740
 Christians,

00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:32.259
 friends.

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.900
 They stood

00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:34.220
 up,

00:26:34.600 --> 00:26:35.140
 they prayed

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.500
 up,

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.299
 and they

00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:36.860
 prevailed

00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:39.819
 and received

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.519
 the promise

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.059
 of God.

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:44.059
 We're

00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:44.660
 aimlessly

00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:45.579
 bombarded,

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.200
 aren't we?

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.180
 Bombarded

00:26:48.180 --> 00:26:49.620
 with statistics

00:26:49.620 --> 00:26:50.660
 telling us

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:51.259
 that the

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:51.779
 church is

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:52.140
 failing

00:26:52.140 --> 00:26:53.240
 spectacularly

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:53.519
 in the

00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:53.759
 worst.

00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:54.440
 There are

00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:54.680
 some

00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:55.100
 churches,

00:26:55.100 --> 00:26:55.640
 thank God

00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:56.019
 for all

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:56.360
 of you,

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:56.960
 that are

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.360
 growing.

00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:00.460
 I think

00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:01.200
 this church,

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:01.980
 in terms

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:02.420
 of church

00:27:02.420 --> 00:27:02.840
 growth,

00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:03.500
 is in

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.079
 the top

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.039
 1% of

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:05.440
 churches

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:05.880
 in this

00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:07.079
 diocese.

00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:09.019
 Talking about

00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.440
 the Church

00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:09.840
 of England,

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.299
 of course,

00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:10.620
 I'm not

00:27:10.620 --> 00:27:11.120
 talking about

00:27:11.120 --> 00:27:11.960
 some of

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.519
 the independent

00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.000
 churches,

00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:14.079
 but 1%.

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:17.819
 I mean,

00:27:17.840 --> 00:27:18.180
 that makes

00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:18.860
 me feel good

00:27:18.860 --> 00:27:19.420
 for Clive

00:27:19.420 --> 00:27:19.880
 and Russ

00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:20.380
 and for

00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:20.600
 what's

00:27:20.600 --> 00:27:21.079
 going on

00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:21.319
 here.

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:21.960
 It makes

00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:22.340
 me feel

00:27:22.340 --> 00:27:22.840
 bad for

00:27:22.840 --> 00:27:23.000
 the

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.279
 diocese.

00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:27.539
 Friends,

00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:28.840
 we're those

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:29.399
 Christians

00:27:29.399 --> 00:27:29.939
 of old.

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:31.759
 You need

00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:32.279
 to stand

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:32.559
 up.

00:27:33.679 --> 00:27:34.220
 You need

00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:34.699
 to pray

00:27:34.699 --> 00:27:35.019
 up.

00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:36.619
 And we

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:36.959
 need to

00:27:36.959 --> 00:27:37.419
 make our

00:27:37.419 --> 00:27:37.939
 difference.

00:27:41.919 --> 00:27:42.519
 There are

00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:42.959
 so few

00:27:42.959 --> 00:27:43.359
 churches

00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:43.740
 that are

00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:44.019
 growing,

00:27:44.179 --> 00:27:44.459
 and the

00:27:44.459 --> 00:27:45.099
 reason for

00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:45.839
 that is

00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.319
 maybe not

00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:48.259
 surprising to

00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:48.500
 you.

00:27:49.419 --> 00:27:49.859
 But what

00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:50.579
 Linda Woodhead,

00:27:50.679 --> 00:27:51.259
 the social

00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:51.939
 scientist,

00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:52.559
 has come up

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:52.919
 with is

00:27:52.919 --> 00:27:53.279
 this,

00:27:53.699 --> 00:27:54.359
 that in

00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:55.439
 1965,

00:27:56.639 --> 00:27:57.299
 the decline

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:57.659
 of the

00:27:57.659 --> 00:27:58.139
 church was

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:58.820
 accelerated.

00:27:59.000 --> 00:27:59.100
 Do you

00:27:59.100 --> 00:27:59.700
 remember in

00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.440
 that cocktail

00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:02.720
 permissiveness

00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.880
 of the

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:05.460
 availability

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.460
 across the

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:07.280
 board of

00:28:07.280 --> 00:28:08.800
 the pill?

00:28:11.020 --> 00:28:11.940
 Somehow our

00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:12.580
 culture went

00:28:12.580 --> 00:28:12.960
 mad.

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:14.620
 It's going

00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:15.340
 mad today.

00:28:16.340 --> 00:28:16.860
 No wonder

00:28:16.860 --> 00:28:17.360
 G.K.

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.200
 Chesterton said

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:18.720
 when people

00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:19.460
 stop believing

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:19.920
 in God,

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.460
 they'll believe

00:28:20.460 --> 00:28:21.040
 in anything.

00:28:22.360 --> 00:28:22.840
 You can go

00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:23.220
 and pay

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:24.440
 thousands of

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:25.080
 dollars to go

00:28:25.080 --> 00:28:25.460
 to some

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.200
 remote island

00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:26.519
 and then

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:27.240
 sit with a

00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:27.680
 bunch of

00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.279
 weirdos

00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:29.200
 with singing

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.799
 bowls in

00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:30.259
 front of

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.080
 them and

00:28:31.080 --> 00:28:31.519
 see if you

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.019
 can find

00:28:32.019 --> 00:28:32.480
 your true

00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:32.840
 self.

00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.460
 It's all

00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:34.100
 about me.

00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:38.120
 Come on

00:28:38.120 --> 00:28:38.519
 friends,

00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:40.039
 the one

00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.539
 thing I can

00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.160
 promise you

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:41.880
 is that

00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:42.500
 nobody in

00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:42.960
 this town

00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:43.279
 is going

00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:43.660
 to come

00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:44.240
 to Christ

00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:44.940
 with a

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.759
 half-committed

00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:47.120
 discipleship.

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:49.160
 I never

00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:49.920
 met any

00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.779
 general of

00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:51.480
 any army

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.039
 who said,

00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:53.120
 I really

00:28:53.120 --> 00:28:53.640
 like it

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.000
 when I

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:55.020
 march with

00:28:55.020 --> 00:28:55.420
 a bunch

00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:55.600
 of

00:28:55.600 --> 00:28:56.240
 half-committed

00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:56.840
 soldiers.

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.040
 Can we

00:29:01.040 --> 00:29:01.460
 step it

00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:01.660
 up?

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.080
 Can we

00:29:03.080 --> 00:29:03.600
 pray up

00:29:03.600 --> 00:29:05.420
 and believe

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.040
 the promises

00:29:06.040 --> 00:29:06.920
 of God?

00:29:08.340 --> 00:29:09.320
 It's hard

00:29:09.320 --> 00:29:09.720
 to say

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.259
 thank you

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:10.900
 sometimes,

00:29:11.800 --> 00:29:12.400
 but it's

00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:12.960
 good for

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.259
 you,

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:14.820
 even in

00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:15.400
 the dark

00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:15.940
 times of

00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:16.160
 life.

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:16.440
 Let's

00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:16.740
 pray.

00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:18.360
 Lord,

00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.500
 thank you

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:20.320
 very much

00:29:20.320 --> 00:29:21.380
 indeed for

00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:22.259
 your promises.

00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:25.400
 Lord,

00:29:25.540 --> 00:29:26.240
 maybe we

00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:26.759
 don't think

00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:27.280
 about it

00:29:27.280 --> 00:29:27.740
 enough,

00:29:27.860 --> 00:29:28.160
 but we

00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:28.740
 thank you

00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:29.120
 that there

00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:29.600
 will be

00:29:29.600 --> 00:29:30.060
 a day

00:29:30.060 --> 00:29:31.680
 when your

00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.540
 promises will

00:29:32.540 --> 00:29:33.420
 come true

00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:33.940
 in our

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.440
 lives.

00:29:35.860 --> 00:29:36.580
 And Lord,

00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:37.080
 that those

00:29:37.080 --> 00:29:37.740
 who trusted

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.020
 you,

00:29:38.140 --> 00:29:38.560
 those who

00:29:38.560 --> 00:29:39.340
 held on

00:29:39.340 --> 00:29:40.420
 to you,

00:29:41.520 --> 00:29:42.020
 are minded

00:29:42.020 --> 00:29:42.440
 of most

00:29:42.440 --> 00:29:43.020
 of the saints

00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:43.600
 of the church,

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.680
 most of all

00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:45.200
 who had

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:45.940
 horrendous

00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.500
 lives and

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.300
 terrible things

00:29:47.300 --> 00:29:47.860
 happened to

00:29:47.860 --> 00:29:48.040
 them,

00:29:48.300 --> 00:29:48.700
 but they

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:49.300
 held on,

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:49.600
 Lord.

00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:53.039
 And we

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.639
 ask that

00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:54.179
 you'd help

00:29:54.179 --> 00:29:54.579
 us,

00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:55.779
 whatever our

00:29:55.779 --> 00:29:57.079
 life circumstances,

00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:59.099
 to hold

00:29:59.099 --> 00:29:59.699
 on to you.

00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:02.000
 Lord,

00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:02.679
 help us not

00:30:02.679 --> 00:30:03.299
 to give up,

00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:03.799
 but to

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.759
 embrace that

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.719
 big New

00:30:05.719 --> 00:30:06.219
 Testament

00:30:06.219 --> 00:30:07.319
 persistence.

00:30:09.539 --> 00:30:10.299
 And Father,

00:30:10.399 --> 00:30:10.839
 you know we

00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:11.719
 can't do this

00:30:11.719 --> 00:30:12.419
 in our own

00:30:12.419 --> 00:30:12.779
 strength.

00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:13.699
 We need the

00:30:13.699 --> 00:30:14.299
 help of your

00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:14.959
 Holy Spirit,

00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:15.639
 so come

00:30:15.639 --> 00:30:16.339
 Holy Spirit

00:30:16.339 --> 00:30:19.559
 and help

00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:20.459
 us to stay

00:30:20.459 --> 00:30:21.059
 faithful,

00:30:22.179 --> 00:30:23.079
 to stay

00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:23.799
 close to

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:24.039
 you.

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:25.679
 In the

00:30:25.679 --> 00:30:26.240
 knowledge that

00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:27.240
 whatever happens

00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:27.679
 to us,

00:30:27.959 --> 00:30:28.480
 we shall

00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:28.959
 prevail.

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.240
 And we

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.839
 pray these

00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:32.599
 things in

00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:33.199
 the name

00:30:33.199 --> 00:30:34.079
 of Jesus,

00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:36.359
 who gave

00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:36.899
 his life

00:30:36.899 --> 00:30:37.379
 that we

00:30:37.379 --> 00:30:37.879
 might be

00:30:37.879 --> 00:30:38.159
 free.

00:30:39.859 --> 00:30:40.399
 And Lord,

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.179
 in his name

00:30:41.179 --> 00:30:41.759
 we pray,

00:30:42.099 --> 00:30:42.500
 and the

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:42.980
 people who

00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:43.359
 agreed,

00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:43.819
 affirm

00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:44.319
 together,

00:30:45.579 --> 00:30:45.919
 Amen.

00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:46.579
 Amen.