Spring Camp Meeting 2017

Are There Many Paths to Heaven?

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Wintley Phipps

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Series Code: 17SCM

Program Code: 17SCM000005A


00:14 Welcome to 3ABN's Spring Camp Meeting 2017:
00:25 Hello and thank you for joining us here at 3ABN.
00:29 I want to say just Praise the Lord! and thank
00:32 each and every one of you here in our audience
00:34 that have traveled from many states
00:37 around the United States
00:39 and also some various countries
00:41 are coming in. And we appreciate you so much.
00:45 It's so good. Those of you at home, thank you for joining us
00:48 too as you do from around the world.
00:50 But it's a special treat when we get to know each other
00:52 in a little better way because we're talking through
00:54 the cameras and there's usually glass dividing us.
00:58 But in this case we'll be able to spend the rest of the weekend
01:00 together. So I always say if we see you outside here
01:04 somewhere and get a chance if you want to shake our hand
01:07 and hug our neck or shake our neck
01:09 and hug our hand... Whatever you do, don't be too hard on us.
01:13 But anyway, thank you for being here. It's a great Camp Meeting.
01:16 Ya'll been blessed so far? Amen!
01:18 Well I have some good news for you right now.
01:20 Our next speaker is Pastor Wintley Phipps.
01:23 Anyone ever hear of Pastor Phipps?
01:25 All right. Quite a few hands have gone up.
01:27 I could spend a whole hour just giving some accolades
01:31 but I won't, 'cause all I'm going to really give
01:33 is to say that he loves Jesus.
01:35 He's a sinner saved by grace
01:37 and that he is probably one of the best known SDA's
01:42 maybe one of the best known Christians in the world.
01:45 Briefly, he's performed for presidents.
01:48 He sang for Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan,
01:51 George Bush, Bill Clinton,
01:53 other President George Bush, Barack Obama.
01:58 And he's sung at several National Prayer Breakfasts.
02:01 I've been there for one of those with him.
02:03 He performed in 1984 and 1988 Democratic Nat'l Convention.
02:08 Rosa Parks' 77th birthday.
02:10 Mother Teresa of Calcutta, former South African president
02:15 Nelson Mandela. He's appeared on programs with Dr. Martin
02:19 Luther King... about every- thing you can think of here.
02:21 Robert Schuller, Billy Graham crusades.
02:24 Diana Ross' wedding and Saturday Night Live,
02:28 Soul Train, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and you go on and on
02:31 and he's been there. I'm trying to guide him
02:33 in how to do all this, you know. No...
02:36 And givin' him voice lessons, by the way.
02:38 But no... I so love and appreciate Wintley
02:42 and his wife Linda. They're wonderful people.
02:45 He's a pastor, and yet he travels around the world.
02:50 But he still pastors a church there in Florida.
02:53 He has a heart for God and has an incredible incredible
02:57 gift that God has given very few people that I've met
03:00 on planet earth to be able to both speak and sing
03:04 under such an anointing of the Holy Spirit.
03:07 So at this time it's my privilege to introduce
03:10 Pastor Wintley Phipps. Amen!
03:30 Amazing love...
03:34 how can it be?
03:37 You broke the chains
03:40 and set me free!
03:44 You fill my life
03:47 with joy untold.
03:51 You light my spirit;
03:54 You feed my soul.
03:58 Now I want to let
04:02 the whole world know
04:05 of all You've done for me.
04:11 I want to praise
04:16 Your name!
04:22 Amazing love...
04:25 how can it be?
04:29 You sent Your Son
04:31 to die for me.
04:35 He took the blame;
04:39 carried my shame
04:43 all the way to Calvary!
04:49 When I thought I was
04:53 forever lost
04:56 You caught my falling soul.
05:03 I want to love
05:07 You more!
05:15 Amazing love...
05:23 amazing love...
05:29 amazing!
05:33 Amazing love.
05:41 Amazing love...
05:44 how can it be?
05:48 You would give
05:50 Your life for me.
05:54 You bring such comfort
05:57 to my soul.
06:01 You raise me up
06:04 and make me whole.
06:08 Now I want to let
06:12 the whole world know
06:15 of all You've done
06:19 for me.
06:22 I don't think
06:25 I could ever
06:29 ever love You more!
06:35 Amazing love...
06:41 amazing love!
06:51 Amazing love...
06:53 how can it be?
06:56 Now I'll live eternally.
07:03 I once was lost
07:06 but now I'm found.
07:10 I was blind
07:13 but now I see.
07:17 And now I am
07:21 forever Yours.
07:24 Soon I'll see Your face
07:30 and I will love
07:34 You more!
07:41 Amazing love!
07:48 Amazing love!
07:55 Amazing love!
08:03 Amazing love!
08:14 Amen!
08:17 Amen.
08:19 Praise the Lord! Amen!
08:22 Will you bow your heads with me? Father, as we open
08:25 Your holy Word, I ask that You would cleanse me
08:29 of all unrighteousness.
08:31 Fill my life with Your Holy Spirit's presence
08:34 and power. Speak to me, through me,
08:39 and for me. I promise you, Lord, I'll
08:43 always give You the honor,
08:45 the glory, and the praise.
08:48 In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
08:53 I don't know about you but I love coming to 3ABN.
08:57 Amen! Amen.
08:59 The Holy Ghost lives up in this place.
09:03 Amen? Amen.
09:05 And so I'm going to ask you to pray for me
09:07 as we tackle a very important
09:09 message today.
09:12 The date was July 16, 1969.
09:18 I was a 14-year-old boy watching along with the rest
09:22 of the world as the space ship Apollo 11
09:27 took off from Cape Canaveral.
09:30 On board were three brave men:
09:35 Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and Neil Armstrong.
09:41 For three days they traveled in space
09:45 at a speed of more than 3,000 miles an hour.
09:51 And on the third day they moved into the gravitational pull
09:55 of the moon. The next day - July 20th -
09:59 at 1:46 in the afternoon
10:02 a module named Eagle
10:06 pulled away from the mother ship.
10:10 Two and a half hours later at 4:17 in the afternoon
10:15 Armstrong radioed back to Mission Control
10:20 "The Eagle has landed. "
10:24 Man's first spaceship had landed on the moon.
10:30 Six hours later Neil Armstrong opened the hatch
10:34 and gingerly climbed down. And at 10:56 in the evening
10:40 in a crackling audio/video transmission
10:45 being broadcast live around the world
10:48 Armstrong spoke these immortal words:
10:54 "That's one small step for man;
10:59 one giant leap for mankind. "
11:05 Now some of us who are older
11:13 remember where we were when we first heard those words.
11:18 If you were a teenager in 1969,
11:21 you might as well face it: you're getting up in age.
11:26 As I thought about that day in 1969
11:30 God reminded me that for every one of us
11:35 there is a giant leap we all must take.
11:42 And that giant leap is not the day we stand on the moon.
11:47 That giant leap is the day we decide
11:51 that this earth is not our home. Amen!
11:56 That giant leap is when we decide we want to live
12:00 forever in heaven. Amen!
12:03 That giant leap is the day we decide
12:06 what God has prepared for us in the heaven
12:10 is more important than anything we could live for here on earth.
12:15 Amen! That giant leap is the day we decide
12:19 that heaven is real - Amen! and we want to live in heaven
12:25 with Jesus and the angels.
12:28 That giant leap is the day we decide
12:31 that we are determined to do whatever God says to do
12:36 to GET to heaven. Amen!
12:38 That giant leap is when we are ready and determined
12:42 to undergo whatever personal or character transformation
12:48 God requires or demands - Amen!
12:53 that helps us prepare for heaven. For some people
12:57 that giant leap happened the day they first looked up
13:01 into a starry sky in awe.
13:05 For some, that giant leap happened the first time
13:08 the promise of life in heaven seemed more appealing
13:13 than the best life you could live here on earth.
13:18 I can tell you every resort I have ever attended
13:22 whether it's the Ritz Carlton or wherever...
13:24 they all have contracts with pest control companies.
13:33 For some people that giant leap happened
13:37 the first day they realized that what they couldn't see
13:42 was suddenly more real than what they could see. Amen!
13:47 Moses took that leap when he decided all the power
13:51 and wealth and pleasures of the world
13:54 were no match for the call of things eternal.
13:59 The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 24
14:24 For others like the thief on the cross
14:28 that giant leap came the moment they were about to die
14:33 and in a leap of faith they purposed to trust God
14:37 with all they had left of their life and destiny.
14:42 In John 3:5 Jesus spoke of heaven this way:
14:59 Now those words - "kingdom of God" -
15:03 were used by Jesus to describe heaven.
15:08 The Bible also describes heaven as a city,
15:13 as a paradise,
15:16 as a garden,
15:18 a resting place,
15:21 the future dwelling place of the righteous...
15:24 Amen!
15:27 And Jesus in many of His parables
15:29 used the expression "the kingdom of God"
15:33 to mean the kingdom of heaven.
15:36 Now let's face it: as human beings
15:39 something within us stirs
15:43 every time we hear the word heaven. Amen!
15:48 Have you ever closed your eyes
15:51 and dreamed of heaven?
15:54 When you do, what images fill your mind?
15:57 Someone said: "I see mansions in the clouds. "
16:02 Someone said: "I see shiny streets of gold,
16:06 glistening gates of pearl. "
16:08 When you dream of heaven what do you see?
16:12 A little girl... One little girl said: "When I dream of heaven
16:17 there are no bad guys
16:20 and no wars. "
16:23 Another little girl said: "In heaven I think I'll just be
16:27 free. " Zechariah 8:5
16:31 describes heaven this way.
16:34 This is so wonderful!
16:49 The very thing we tell them don't do down here.
16:55 What a heavenly picture! Streets filled with boys and
16:59 girls playing... when no one will ever harm them.
17:03 Seems too good to be true.
17:05 And look at Zechariah chapter 8 verse 6.
17:20 In other words, heaven will be marvelous in our eyes.
17:25 Amen! I have this thought... maybe you have, too.
17:28 Have you ever thought if you could spend
17:32 a day in heaven with one person
17:35 who would it be?
17:38 Yeah, there's Moses and David and Elijah
17:41 and Adam and Paul, but most of us would say
17:44 "I'd love to spend a day with Jesus. " Amen!
17:48 That's what I would say, too.
17:50 Like you, I was weaned on the stories of His life and ministry
17:54 and from a young youth my mind has always been
17:58 filled with visions and memories of Christ's achievements
18:03 and victories. And personally I would like to spend a day
18:08 with Jesus in heaven just to have Him tell me Himself
18:14 how He spoke into nothingness and gave birth to paradise.
18:20 Amen! I want to hear Jesus tell me in His own words
18:23 how He used the hem of His garment to measure the depths
18:27 of the sea and how millions of stars
18:31 are known to Him by name.
18:34 If I could spend a day in heaven with anyone I'd want to spend it
18:37 with Jesus... the Lord of my life.
18:40 The love of my life. Amen!
18:44 The Good Shepherd; the Manna from on high;
18:46 the Fountain of living water. I'd want to spend it with Jesus
18:49 the Star of David, the Root of Jesse, the Sun of Righteousness.
18:55 The Bible says in Colossians chapter 2 verse 9
19:07 Oh, if I could spend a day with anyone in heaven
19:10 I'd want to spend it with the invisible image...
19:13 the visible image of the invisible God.
19:17 The personification of divine perfection.
19:21 In Him, God was manifest in the flesh!
19:25 Oh yes, my secret is out.
19:29 If I could, I'd want to... As a matter of fact, let me
19:32 tell you what my dream is. My dream is that one day
19:35 I'll be in heaven, working on my mansion with my holy hammer.
19:40 And I'll hear a knock on the door
19:43 and when I open it Jesus will be standing there
19:46 clothed in light, a crown of glory on His head.
19:49 And He'll say to me: "Son, I'm about to go to some parts
19:52 of My universe where they've never seen a child from earth
19:55 who has been redeemed. " Amen!
19:58 "And I want you to come go with Me. "
20:01 "Oh, and by the way, I want you to sing just before
20:04 I speak. "
20:08 That's my dream!
20:12 I want to hear Him tell me Himself
20:15 why He was born into poverty for me.
20:19 Why He walked the dusty streets of Palestine for me.
20:24 I want to hear Him tell me how He healed lepers
20:27 and restored withered limbs.
20:29 How at His trial at midnight He was betrayed
20:33 in the Garden of Gethsemane, given a mock trial.
20:37 I want to hear Him tell me what He was thinking about
20:40 when He was dying on that cruel cross
20:45 and my name came across His mind.
20:53 I would love to hear Him tell me Himself
20:55 why He did not retaliate when He could have called
21:00 ten thousand angels and with the bat of an eye
21:03 He could have called down fire from heaven
21:07 and consumed His accusers.
21:09 I want to hear Him tell me Himself why He would die
21:13 such a death for undeserving, unworthy,
21:18 ungrateful people like me.
21:23 I want to hear Him tell me Himself what it was like
21:26 when early in the morning on the first day of the week
21:29 He heard the voice of an angel saying: "Son of Man,
21:32 Thy Father calleth Thee. " I want Jesus to tell me
21:36 what it's like to be awakened from death's slumber.
21:40 What it feels like to come up out of the grave
21:43 in the grip of resurrection power.
21:47 Oh yes, if I could spend a day in heaven with anyone
21:50 I'd want to spend it with Jesus.
21:52 Someone else I would love to spend a day with in heaven.
21:55 That person would be my guardian angel.
21:59 What a story my guardian angel will have to tell me!
22:05 I know he'll tell me that as a child I kept him busy.
22:10 As a young man I was cause for great concern.
22:14 But I want him to tell me how he felt
22:18 when he saw me for the first time
22:21 cast my helpless soul on the mercies of God
22:26 'cause he was there.
22:27 I want him to tell me what it was like when he knew
22:31 for the first time I was dreaming of heaven.
22:35 The moment I turned my eyes towards Jesus and looked full
22:40 in His wonderful face my guardian angel was there!
22:46 Brothers and sisters, when people think of heaven
22:50 several questions inevitably come up.
22:54 The first question is: where is heaven?
22:59 The apostle Paul suggests that the heavens we see above us -
23:04 the heavens we see above our heads -
23:07 is the first heaven.
23:09 And then there is the second heaven.
23:12 The second heaven is the heaven we can see with our giant
23:15 telescopes. You know, our telescopes can see billions
23:19 of light years away.
23:23 And then beyond the dark expanse of outer space
23:29 Paul suggests there is a third heaven
23:33 where God's throne is.
23:36 Where the command center of the universe is.
23:40 The other question we are often asked is,
23:43 and that is the question that I want to deal with
23:45 for the next few moments today:
23:48 are there many paths to heaven?
23:55 Reminds me of a little boy.
23:58 A young man, an older gentle- man said to this little boy
24:03 "Little boy: do you know how to get to heaven? "
24:08 The little boy said: "Yes, sir. "
24:10 He said: "You do? " He said: "Yes, sir. "
24:13 "How do you get to heaven? "
24:15 "Turn right and go straight. "
24:24 Oh, that says it all right there, doesn't it?
24:29 Let me tell you what I believe.
24:32 I believe there may be many
24:37 paths to Jesus
24:40 but only one way to heaven.
24:45 Amen! And that is through Jesus.
24:48 Amen! Oh, you didn't hear what I just said.
24:51 There may be many paths to Jesus.
24:56 Your path to Jesus may be different
25:00 than my path to Jesus.
25:02 Yes, there've been many paths to Jesus
25:04 but there's only one way to get to heaven
25:07 and that is THROUGH Jesus. Amen!
25:11 One day Jesus said to Peter and the disciples...
25:14 Listen: John 14 verse 1.
25:17 "Let not your heart be troubled...
25:45 And then in John chapter 14 verse 5
26:20 Do you believe this today? Amen!
26:22 Now, for the next few moments I want to share with you
26:25 what I believe about these words Jesus just spoke.
26:29 Yes, there are many faiths and denominations
26:34 in this world... tens and thousands of them.
26:40 And all of them claim to be right and have the truth.
26:44 But this I believe: there are many paths to Jesus
26:49 but only one way to heaven
26:52 and that is through Jesus.
26:55 And there are many people whose paths have led them to Jesus
27:00 but they have not chosen to go to heaven.
27:04 Amen.
27:07 One person's name was Judas.
27:09 His path led him to Jesus
27:12 but he did not choose to go to heaven.
27:15 They found Jesus but lost heaven.
27:19 You see, many only see Jesus as a Savior.
27:24 They forget that Jesus is also a Judge.
27:28 We love to sing about Jesus our Savior.
27:32 You very rarely hear any songs celebrating Jesus
27:36 the Judge. But the Bible teaches us that there is only one way
27:40 to heaven and that is through Jesus the Savior
27:44 and through Jesus the Judge. Amen.
27:47 Look at John chapter 5 verse 22.
28:03 There are many paths to Jesus but only one way to heaven
28:07 and that is through Jesus the Savior
28:10 and Jesus the Judge.
28:13 Only those who are surrendered to Christ as their Savior
28:18 who every day are covered by His robe of righteousness
28:23 only those will be accepted
28:26 by Jesus the Savior and Jesus the Judge.
28:30 So: are there many paths to heaven?
28:33 I believe the answer is NO.
28:37 There is only ONE path to heaven
28:40 and that path will take every man through Jesus
28:45 the Savior and Jesus the Judge.
28:49 Look at Psalm 9 verse 7.
29:08 But we must also acknowledge that Jesus is not only
29:13 Savior but Judge. Look at Psalm 96 verse 13.
29:32 And Psalm 98 verse 9:
29:44 So... I believe there's only one way to heaven
29:47 and that path will take every man through Jesus the Judge.
29:51 Amen! Jesus the Savior and Jesus the Judge.
29:56 But what about people who have never heard
30:01 the name of Jesus?
30:03 Does God have a path to heaven for them?
30:08 I believe He does!
30:10 But I also believe that their path to heaven
30:14 will still take them through Jesus. Amen!
30:20 Oh, did you hear what I said?
30:22 Even those who don't know His name
30:26 their path to heaven will take them through Jesus
30:30 the Savior and Jesus the Judge.
30:34 You see, our readiness and fitness for heaven
30:39 must be determined and decided by someone.
30:46 We are not going to just saunter and stroll into God's
30:51 heavenly kingdom unannounced and unprepared.
30:57 Amen! Oh, I'm going to get excited all by myself.
31:03 We must be approved and fitted and made ready
31:09 for heaven. Amen! But the someone who decides...
31:15 Aren't you glad it's not your friend or your neighbor
31:17 or your church? Amen! Aren't you glad
31:21 it is not your church? Amen!
31:24 That someone who decides is Jesus
31:27 the Savior and Jesus the righteous Judge.
31:31 And it doesn't matter whether or not they even
31:35 know the name Jesus.
31:39 They will still be judged BY Jesus.
31:43 You see, whether a man or woman knows the name Jesus
31:46 or not... I'm going to give you something I hope you hold onto
31:49 today: every motive to do right
31:55 comes from Jesus. Amen!
31:59 Did you hear me today? Amen!
32:01 Every desire to follow after righteousness
32:07 comes from Jesus!
32:11 Every spiritual longing and yearning to love God
32:15 and to love others is an impulse that comes
32:19 only from Jesus. He gets the glory for that!
32:24 Amen! And I declare today with authority
32:28 that everything good in the world
32:32 comes through Jesus. Amen!
32:37 As a matter of fact, I'm going to share something with you.
32:39 The servant of the Lord says... let me read it to you.
32:41 She says: "Whatever... " This will just amaze you...
32:54 Hallelujah!
32:56 Every good idea that has come into this world
33:00 came from the mind of Christ.
33:03 Look at what she says:
33:27 Amen!
33:29 Even if they don't know His name.
33:36 Look at John chapter 10 verse 9.
33:38 Jesus says: "I am the Door. "
33:51 I believe there are people who have never heard the name
33:54 of Jesus who are following the promptings
33:59 of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.
34:03 Amen! They may not know the name of Jesus
34:06 but they have chosen to be led by Jesus
34:10 even though they don't know His name.
34:14 I believe every desire to do what is right and good
34:18 comes from Jesus whether you know His name or not.
34:21 I believe all good done in the world
34:23 Jesus alone... I said Jesus alone...
34:26 gets the credit for it. Amen!
34:29 I also believe God is pleased...
34:31 I believe God is pleased when men who do not even
34:36 know the name Jesus
34:39 by the power of the name of Jesus
34:43 they try to live up to the light they have
34:46 coming from Jesus. Amen!
34:50 Even though they may not even know His name.
34:53 Look at... I want you to see something the servant of the
34:56 Lord said. She says:
36:37 Amen! Whoo! Amen!
36:42 There is only one way to heaven
36:45 and it is through Jesus.
36:47 Even the Gentiles are to be judged by Jesus
36:52 according to the light that is given to them.
36:56 In the book of Acts chapter 17 verse 30
36:59 the Bible says:
37:23 Can it be more clear?
37:26 Can it be more clear?
37:27 There is only one path to heaven.
37:31 It is through Jesus the Savior and Jesus the Judge.
37:36 And the Gentiles who have never heard the gospel
37:41 they, too, will be judged by Jesus
37:44 according to the impressions of their Creator in nature.
37:52 Watch this. Another statement from the servant of God.
37:55 She says: "God speaks... "
38:13 Even those who don't know His name, they will be judged
38:16 according to the light they have been blessed to receive.
38:20 One day a grumpy, grouchy, irritable,
38:26 miserable man
38:31 came from his church
38:39 and he confronted Ellen White.
38:43 He said to her: "I would like to ask a question.
38:48 Is the observance of the Sabbath
38:52 necessary to my salvation? Answer yes or no. "
39:00 Ellen White said: "I answered him promptly
39:03 and I said to him: 'This is an important question
39:10 and demands something more full than yes or no. ' "
39:15 Amen!
39:19 And then she said, look at this statement. She says:
39:45 Amen!
39:48 That's a loving God. Amen!
39:51 Now, some people think: then why the urgency
39:55 to spread the gospel? If God has a way
39:59 of judging those who have never heard His name,
40:02 why build all these churches and build all these ministries?
40:09 Well, first of all we spread the gospel
40:13 in obedience to the command of God. Amen!
40:17 That's all we need, really.
40:21 He said: "Go ye into ALL the world. "
40:25 That was the command of Jesus.
40:28 We also spread the gospel to let others know
40:31 that they are loved
40:34 by an everlasting love.
40:38 We spread the gospel because our love for others
40:42 compels us to share truth that will lift others
40:47 and encourage others and point them in the way
40:51 to life eternal. Amen!
40:53 We spread the gospel to lighten the world with the truth
40:57 about the true character of God. Amen!
41:01 "For God so loved the world
41:05 that He gave His only begotten Son
41:08 that whosoever believeth in Him
41:10 should not perish but have everlasting life. "
41:15 We spread the gospel because truth is a defense
41:20 against error. Amen! Amen!
41:24 We spread the gospel because the more a soul knows about God
41:30 and His love the deeper their love for God will be.
41:36 Amen! And frankly, we spread the gospel
41:39 because, as the old black preacher said, we can't help it.
41:49 Amen? Amen! We can't help it!
41:53 We know God will hold us accountable if we don't.
42:00 What I must also make clear today is that we shall be judged
42:05 according to the characters we have formed. Amen!
42:09 Did you know that?
42:12 We are saved by His righteousness alone
42:19 but we are judged by the characters we have formed.
42:24 Look at this statement from the servant of the Lord.
43:35 Our guilt will be measured by the opportunities
43:41 and privileges we failed to improve
43:44 and the influence we use to encourage others to sin.
43:50 And we who have superior advantages
43:53 we will be judged by the light we've been given
43:56 and the privileges of our times.
43:59 Just think about this for a moment.
44:01 You live in a time when there is absolutely no excuse
44:06 for you not reading a Bible. Amen!
44:10 You've got a cell phone, don't you?
44:13 You can put it free on that cell phone, can't you?
44:18 You have privileges and opportunities
44:22 that people in times past did not have.
44:25 There will be no excuse if we neglect this privilege.
44:28 When you can pause for a brief moment during the day
44:32 to read something and learn something from the Word of God
44:35 and yet you choose not to...
44:39 We must remember the servant of the Lord also said...
44:41 Watch this:
44:55 Yes. Are there many paths to heaven?
45:01 No.
45:03 All must pass by Jesus the Savior
45:08 and Jesus the Judge.
45:10 And thank God... thank God when Jesus judges
45:14 He will be judging using love and lots of grace.
45:20 Hallelujah! Lots of mercy.
45:23 He will be looking to see how much we really really love Him.
45:28 Did we love Him enough to surrender to Him
45:31 every day of our lives?
45:34 Do we have a predisposition to right and righteousness?
45:40 You see, we were born with a predisposition to sin.
45:44 Jesus wants to give us a predisposition to right.
45:48 Amen! And righteousness.
45:51 We're going to be looked at to see how much we really
45:55 want to be like Jesus in character.
46:00 Do we really want to be like Jesus?
46:05 Striving to be like Jesus ought to be your life's
46:10 most important goal.
46:13 How much are you trying? How much are you growing?
46:17 How much are you becoming?
46:20 I tell people most churches focus on what I call
46:24 the three B's.
46:28 Believing. We try to get people to believe what we believe
46:32 don't we? Belonging.
46:36 We can't wait till they join. Baptize them and join.
46:42 But we leave out one B...
46:45 well, one other B: behaving.
46:50 We want them to behave like we think they ought to behave.
46:56 And then we leave out the most important one:
47:01 becoming. Amen!
47:04 Becoming like Christ.
47:07 Timothy says: "I have fought a good fight. "
47:09 People who think that when you come to the Lord
47:13 you don't have a struggle... Yes you will!
47:16 Paul says:
47:30 And if we are surrendered to Christ, brothers and sisters,
47:34 the same righteous One who judges us -
47:39 when we are surrendered to Christ - the same One
47:43 who judges us does not see us.
47:49 He sees the robe of righteousness
47:52 that covers us
47:54 and places a crown upon our heads
47:59 that we don't deserve.
48:01 I'm going to share with you something else the servant
48:03 of God said. Look at this:
48:05 "We profess to have more truth than other denominations, yet...
48:11 yet if this does not lead to greater consecration
48:16 to purer, holier lives
48:20 of what benefit is it to us?
48:24 It would be... " check this out... "It would be
48:27 better for us never to have seen the light of truth
48:32 than to profess to accept it
48:35 and not be sanctified through it. "
48:41 Amen! Whoo!
48:46 Some say: "But doesn't the Bible say that all we have to do is
48:49 confess? " Romans 10:9 "If thou shalt confess
48:52 with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart
48:56 that God has raised Him from the dead
48:59 thou shalt be saved. " Is not confession enough
49:03 for salvation?
49:08 That requires a more full answer than a yes or a no.
49:18 Here's why. Because many of us who confess
49:22 with our mouths that He is Lord must remember that Jesus
49:28 said in Matthew 7 verse 22
49:30 "Many will say to Me in that day 'Lord, Lord
49:33 have we not prophesied in Thy name?
49:35 In Thy name have cast out devils? In Thy name done many
49:38 wonderful works? ' And then will I profess
49:40 unto them 'I never knew you
49:46 who profess to know Me.
49:49 Depart from Me ye that work iniquity. ' "
49:51 Not all confessions of Christ as Lord are genuine.
49:58 And it is up to Jesus the Savior and Jesus the Judge
50:02 to determine which confessions of Him as Lord
50:07 are genuine.
50:10 That's not your job. Amen!
50:14 That's not my job.
50:18 Another says: "But I professed my loyalty
50:22 and allegiance to Christ. "
50:24 Give you something else the servant of God says.
50:26 She says: "Men may profess to believe the gospel
50:31 but unless they are sanctified by the gospel
50:34 their profession is of no avail.
50:37 If they do not gain the victory over sin,
50:41 then sin is gaining the victory over them. "
50:46 Look at Titus 1... Titus 1 verse 16.
50:49 "They profess that they know God
50:53 but in works they deny Him...
50:59 being abominable and disobedient
51:03 and unto every good work reprobate. "
51:06 Friends, confession and profession
51:12 without daily surrender
51:15 and daily conversion
51:18 and daily transformation
51:21 only leads to destruction.
51:24 Can I say that?
51:28 Confession... isn't that all I've got to do?
51:31 Confession and profession
51:33 without what? daily surrender to Christ,
51:38 daily conversion, daily transformation
51:42 leads to destruction.
51:45 Look at another statement: "Christ Himself will decide
51:50 who are worthy to dwell with the family of heaven. "
51:52 Somebody say amen. Amen!
51:55 "He will judge every man according to his works...
51:59 words and his works.
52:02 Profession is as nothing
52:07 in the scale. " My God!
52:12 "It is character that decides destiny. "
52:19 Not who you say you are but who in the eyes of Christ
52:23 you really are... and whether or not you are covered
52:27 with His righteousness. Let's look at another one.
52:30 "Profession is nothing.
52:33 Position is nothing.
52:36 A character like the character of Christ
52:38 is the evidence we are to bear
52:40 that God has sent His Son into the world.
52:44 Those who profess to be Christians
52:47 yet do not act as Christ would were He in their place
52:52 greatly injure the cause of God.
52:55 They misrepresent their Savior
52:58 and are standing under false colors. "
53:02 He asks: "Is the life... " is YOUR life,
53:08 is MY life... "in harmony with My precepts,
53:15 what I teach, and what I say I believe? "
53:19 Someone said: "Can you imagine what heaven would be like
53:22 if we were all translated into the kingdom of heaven
53:27 just as we are today? "
53:35 It wouldn't be heaven long.
53:40 I can see somebody running up to an angel:
53:43 "What'd you just say to me? "
53:52 God has to change us.
53:56 If God lowered His standards
53:59 and began to fill the kingdom of heaven
54:03 with difficult, ornery, mean
54:07 people with attitudes...
54:09 If God allowed us into His kingdom the way we are today,
54:13 it would soon cease to be heaven.
54:17 Before I leave you:
54:29 And another one. Did you know that those...
54:54 Brothers and sisters: I want to go to heaven.
54:57 How about you? Amen!
54:59 I want to take that giant leap today...
55:02 how about you? Amen!
55:04 Every day we spend in heaven
55:06 will be filled with a million times more happiness
55:10 than our best day on earth!
55:13 Amen! We will get to live forever
55:17 with those we love and those who love Jesus.
55:21 No more frustration! Amen!
55:25 No more aggravation; no more tears;
55:28 no more sickness, sadness, loneliness;
55:32 no more anger.
55:33 Amen! Amen! No more pain... no death.
55:37 What are you looking forward to in heaven?
55:40 I believe when you get to heaven
55:42 God will be more excited to see you in heaven
55:46 than you will be excited to be there.
55:49 Amen! Hallelujah!
55:52 Are you longing for heaven
55:54 more than anything else in the world?
55:56 Do you want to go to heaven more than you want to enjoy
56:00 the pleasures of this life? Well you can!
56:04 Just choose to give Jesus your life today
56:08 and make a commitment and a decision
56:12 that from this day forward
56:15 you will get up every day,
56:18 surrender your life to Christ,
56:22 make a commitment. I'm going to give you a secret:
56:25 make a commitment to private, secret prayer.
56:33 Continual, personal, ongoing, uninterrupted
56:39 private, secret prayer.
56:42 Pray. No time spent with God
56:47 is ever wasted. Amen!
56:52 Will you pray with me?
56:54 Father, we thank you that heaven is real.
56:59 We thank you that heaven is waiting for us.
57:03 We thank you for Jesus
57:05 who is our path into the kingdom of heaven.
57:09 All of us here today, we look forward to that grand
57:13 and glorious day when we will see each other again...
57:16 not in Thompsonville, Illinois,
57:20 but on the streets of gold in heaven!
57:24 This is my prayer in the name of Jesus,
57:28 Amen and Amen!
57:31 Turn to the person next to you and say: "I'll see you
57:33 in heaven. " Amen!


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Revised 2023-04-16