Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001284
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00:01 [Theme Music]
00:07 It has stood the test of time. 00:12 God's book, the Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:22 It Is Written ... 00:25 sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 Thanks for joining me today on It is Written. 00:38 I'm John Bradshaw and I am going to start today 00:41 by telling you a little story that might even be true. 00:46 [Background music]. 00:47 A man is driving in heavy traffic. 00:49 And he's not having a good morning on his way to work. 00:52 He's getting worked up about what the other drivers are 00:54 doing, and he starts shouting at the other motorists. 00:57 DrivinZg Man:"ARE YOU CRAZY?" 00:58 He gets so mad he starts pounding his steering wheel 01:00 and he shakes his fist when someone ducks quickly 01:03 in front of him. 01:04 Driving Man:"LOSER!" 01:05 He honks his horn, makes a scene, and then 01:08 in his rear-view mirror he sees flashing lights. 01:11 He's being pulled up. 01:13 "What in the world have I done wrong?" 01:15 he wonders. 01:16 I haven't broken any laws? 01:18 So the police officer comes -you know what happens-- 01:20 takes his license and heads back to his squad car while 01:22 our man sits there brooding and stewing. 01:25 "What a terrible morning! 01:26 I'm late, all these people are driving like maniacs. 01:29 I'm going nowhere... 01:30 and I get pulled up!" 01:32 He stews a while until the officer comes back and gives 01:35 him his license back. 01:37 The man says, "Officer, what did I do wrong? 01:41 I don't think I was breaking any laws! 01:43 I wasn't driving dangerously!" 01:45 The police officer says, "I saw the way you were acting 01:47 back there - shouting, and screaming, and shaking 01:50 your fist, and honking on your horn..." 01:52 The man cut in and he said "Officer, you can't pull 01:54 someone up for shouting or shaking their fist, can you?" 01:59 The officer says, "That's not why I stopped you. 02:02 I saw the sticker on the back of your car that says, "God 02:05 bless you," and the other one on the back of your car that 02:08 says, "Honk if you love Jesus. 02:11 And then I saw your license place holder that says, 02:13 "Follow me to my church!" 02:16 The officer said, "When I saw all that, I thought you must 02:20 have stolen that car!" 02:21 I know... 02:22 I know ... 02:25 but the story makes a point. 02:26 Very often God's people don't get it right. 02:30 And that goes for church members, for pastors, church 02:33 administrators and church school teachers. 02:36 Sometimes church leaders make decisions nobody understands, 02:40 and sometimes church folks just blow it. 02:43 You'll get differences of opinion in church, 02:45 personality clashes, hurt feelings... 02:48 And the saints will sometimes respond by getting mad. 02:52 I'm not going to come to church anymore. 02:54 I'm not going to return my tithe or give offerings to 02:56 the church anymore. 02:58 Some people choose to stay away from church altogether! 03:00 "I'm never going back THERE!" 03:03 You know, people get upset with hypocrites in the church 03:05 and they stay away. 03:06 I'll tell you what I've told many people. 03:08 I've often said I'd rather go to church with hypocrites 03:11 than go to hell with hyprocrites! 03:14 Now you'll hear people say for a variety of reasons, 03:17 "I don't like my church". 03:19 And I guess you can understand that to a point. 03:23 But wait a minute! 03:25 Just whose church is it anyway? 03:28 And when you figure that out, ask yourself how Jesus feels, 03:32 when He looks on, at HIS church. 03:36 How does Jesus feel when He sees the way people act in 03:39 church, the way they treat each other, the way they get 03:41 mad with each other, refuse to speak to each other. 03:45 You think there are things about your church that bug 03:47 YOU? 03:48 Jesus sees it ALL. 03:50 He's there when parents go home from church and yell at 03:53 their kids, He sees when people smile at the preacher 03:57 and then criticize him all the way home in the car. 04:00 He is acquainted with all the different kinds of church 04:03 politics, He hears the gossip and He sees when God's people 04:06 say one thing and do another. 04:09 Jesus sees dishonesty; he sees the infidelity that 04:12 sometimes goes on in church. 04:15 You think YOU have problems with what goes on in church? 04:18 How do you think JESUS feels?! 04:21 Well, the Bible opens some of this up to our understanding. 04:24 In the Book of Revelation Jesus comes straight out 04:27 and says what He doesn't like about His church. 04:30 You might be surprised with some of what he says, so 04:33 don't go away, I'll be right back. 04:38 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says "It is written 'Man 04:42 shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 04:47 out of the mouth of God'." 04:48 Every Word is a one minute Bible-based daily devotional 04:51 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed 04:54 especially for busy people like you. 04:56 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it on-line 05:00 everyday on our website itiswritten.com. 05:04 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 05:06 Watch Every Word. 05:07 You'll be glad you did. 05:09 Here's a sample 05:19 Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert, was on a railway platform 05:22 in Jersey City, New Jersey, when he slipped 05:24 between the platform and a moving train. 05:26 But someone behind him grabbed his coat collar and lifted him 05:29 to safety on the platform - saving him from serious injury 05:32 and possibly death. 05:34 The man who saved young Robert Lincoln was Edwin Booth, 05:38 the brother of John Wilkes Booth - who later murdered 05:40 President Lincoln. 05:41 The brother of Lincoln's assassin saved Lincoln's son. 05:44 Coincidence? 05:46 Well, you decide, but when God is at work in our lives, 05:49 THAT'S "providence". 05:52 Ecclesiastes 11:5 says, "As you do not know what 05:55 is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb 05:58 of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God 06:02 who makes everything." 06:03 Even when you don't see it, God is at work. 06:06 When some see a coincidence, you can know that God was 06:08 there. 06:09 Let's live today by Every Word. 06:10 [Music] In Revelation 06:13 chapters 2 and 3 you find the letters to the 7 churches. 06:18 Seven brief messages, one each to seven 06:21 different churches. 06:22 Now they were real churches that existed in John's day in 06:24 the area known in the Bible as Asia Minor, but today we 06:28 call that Turkey. 06:30 The churches involved are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, 06:33 Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. 06:38 These were young congregations when John wrote 06:40 to them. 06:41 He wrote to them from the Island of Patmos, a Greek 06:43 Island in the Aegean Sea rather close to Turkey. 06:45 And he was on the Island of Patmos as a prisoner, 06:49 a prisoner for his faith. 06:51 The Roman government had him pegged as a troublemaker 06:54 and a disturber of the peace. 06:56 Imprisoned for his faith, cut off from friends and 06:59 associates, John still has strong faith in God and he is 07:03 gifted by God with the revelation that ended up 07:06 being the Book of Revelation. 07:08 John was writing at a time when the Christians of Asia 07:11 were suffering terrible persecution, and these 07:14 messages were designed to encourage these poor souls 07:17 and inspire them with hope. 07:20 And when you read the Book of Revelation you discover that 07:22 this is the first of the many 'sevens' in Revelation - 07:26 you've got seven Spirits, candlesticks, stars, seals, 07:29 trumpets, plagues, thunders... 07:31 When the number seven is used throughout the Bible 07:34 in a symbolic sense, it is generally understood 07:36 to indicate completeness or perfection. 07:39 And seeing as there were more than seven churches in Asia 07:42 Minor (there was Colosse and Hierapolis and others), 07:46 we conclude that Bible teachers have historically been 07:48 correct in believing that each of those seven churches 07:52 in early Revelation represents an era of church 07:55 history. 07:57 Now the first church listed correlates with the experience 07:59 of the early Christian church after Christ's death, 08:01 while Laodicea, the last of the seven, relates to 08:05 the church of the last days. 08:08 Jesus has something to say to each church, and He doesn't 08:12 hold back. 08:13 In fact, He tells them exactly what He doesn't like 08:17 about their situation. 08:19 Let's look together. 08:20 The first church is the church of Ephesus, and Jesus 08:22 addresses Ephesus with a glowing introduction. 08:26 Revelation 2:2,3, he says: "I know your works, your labor, 08:33 your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. 08:37 And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are 08:40 not, and have found them liars; and you have 08:44 persevered and have patience, and have labored for My 08:47 name's sake and have not become weary." 08:50 But... 08:52 They had their problems. 08:53 In the very next verse, Jesus says, "Nevertheless I have 08:57 this against you, that you have left your first love." 09:02 Revelation 2:4 To have lost your first love is a terrible 09:08 thing. 09:09 Sometimes it happens in relationships, marriages. 09:11 It starts with flowers and text messages 09:15 and hand-written notes, but then spirals downward into habit 09:20 and routine. 09:21 The nice little things that used to happen are HISTORY. 09:25 Too often that happens with people and Jesus. 09:28 They were always talking to Him, always wanting to know 09:31 more about Him, always telling others how wonderful 09:34 He was or is. 09:36 They were in love. 09:38 But love gave way to a familiarity that bred apathy. 09:42 The fire went cold. 09:43 Not good. 09:45 But Jesus shows us a way out. 09:48 Look at Revelation 2:5 "Remember therefore from 09:54 where you have fallen;" Remembering where you were 09:58 can spark a desire to get back there. 10:00 It's just like in a marriage. 10:02 Remember. 10:03 You really had something - you could have that again. 10:07 And friend, if you really once had something with 10:10 Jesus, He's wants you to have that again. 10:13 Back to revelation, Chapter 2. 10:15 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent 10:18 and do the first works." 10:20 Revelation 2:5 John tells the church at Ephesus, Think of what 10:24 it used to be like. 10:26 Remember where you used to be. 10:28 Then repent. 10:29 And then do the first works again. 10:31 And if we don't? 10:33 Let's read the entire verse, Revelation 2:5 "Remember 10:36 therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the 10:40 first works, or else I will come to you quickly 10:43 and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 10:47 Revelation 2:5 The light will go out. 10:51 But Jesus can help you get that first love back. 10:54 He can heal a wounded relationship, 10:57 especially if that relationship is with Him. 10:59 The reward promised to the Ephesian church 11:03 is that it would - if faithful - eat of the tree of life (v7), 11:07 and that's promise is for us today. 11:10 You see, even though these letters were written to 11:12 actual churches long ago, we can see that they contain 11:14 counsel, advice - and hope - for us. 11:18 We will look at the remaining churches in just a moment. 11:21 [Music] 11:32 I hope you'll get the book I am offering you this week. 11:33 It's called Revelation Today. 11:35 It adds a lot of details to the end-time scenario 11:38 presented in the Book of Revelation. 11:40 This little book is going to help you understand what 11:41 the Book of Revelation is really all about. 11:43 It untangles the end-time prophetic scenario to let you 11:47 see how the battle between good and evil ultimately 11:49 plays out. 11:51 Just call or write and I will send you Revelation Today. 11:53 There is no cost, no obligation. 11:55 It is absolutely free. 11:56 All you need to do is call 1.800.253.3000 and ask for 12:00 Revelation Today. 12:02 You can call 24-hours a day. 12:04 If the line is busy, please just keep on trying. 12:07 You can also request your free copy of Revelation Today 12:10 by writing It Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 12:14 and we will mail a copy to your address in North America. 12:17 Now please note: This free book is limited to the supply 12:20 on hand. 12:21 To get it right away you can download a free electronic 12:23 version of the book Revelation Today from our website, 12:26 itiswritten.com. 12:28 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, made possible 12:31 by viewers like you. 12:33 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent to the address on your 12:35 screen or you support us on-line at itiswritten.com. 12:44 In the book of Revelation you will find the letters to the 12:48 seven churches. 12:49 A moment ago, we left off at the church at Ephesus. 12:53 Next is Smyrna. 12:55 Now Jesus doesn't have anything negative so say to 12:58 the church at Smyrna. 13:00 This time period here is when the church went through 13:03 brutal persecution under the Roman Caesars. 13:05 The ten days mentioned in verse 10 of Chapter 2 are 13:10 said to refer to the 10 years of persecution under the 13:14 Emperor Diocletian when thousands of people were 13:16 martyred. 13:17 But during that time of intense persecution, the 13:19 church possessed an ardent love for Christ and His 13:22 truth. 13:23 History says that when the Bishop of Carthage was sentenced 13:25 to die, the Christians listening cried out, 13:27 "We will die with him!" 13:30 Christ doesn't rebuke these faithful ones who have been 13:34 through so much, but He promises them in verse 10 13:37 that they will receive from Jesus "a crown of life." 13:41 You'll read in Rev 2:8 that Jesus says, "These things 13:45 saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive." 13:51 Imagine the encouragement that would be! 13:54 Jesus says, "You're going through misery, but you know 13:56 what? 13:57 I went through that too - I died, but now I am alive." 14:01 What an encouragement that had to be for the believers 14:03 in Smyrna, many of whom were facing death. 14:06 You know, Jesus doesn't always deliver you from the 14:09 calamity facing you, but He promises you that if you're 14:12 faithful in whatever comes your way, ultimately you're 14:16 going to experience the greatest blessings 14:18 imaginable. 14:19 When you're going through a difficult time you can know 14:21 that Jesus is near. 14:23 You don't have to feel it, just need to believe it. 14:26 When the heat is turned up, Jesus is close by. 14:29 And this is what John told the church at Smyrna. 14:32 But then there's Pergamos. 14:35 Pergamos is in western Turkey about 20 miles from the 14:38 Aegean Sea. 14:39 It was a fabulous city in ancient times. 14:42 It had a library with 200,000 volumes in it - Mark Anthony 14:47 gave the library to Cleopatra. 14:50 (She must have liked to read! 14:52 Today I guess he'd just give her a Kindle or a Nook or an 14:54 e-book or an e-book reader or something.) There was 14:56 a theatre there that seated 10,000 people, and they say 15:00 it had the steepest seating of any known theatre in the 15:02 ancient world. 15:04 Now this is the church period when Christianity became 15:06 popular under the Roman Emperor Constantine. 15:09 And just what does Jesus say He doesn't like about His 15:13 church? 15:15 We'll look in Revelation 2:14: "But I have a few 15:19 things against you, because you have there those who hold 15:22 the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a 15:25 stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat 15:27 things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual 15:31 immorality." 15:33 So what was it with Balaam? 15:35 His whole story is one that it would be good to take up 15:38 at length if we had the time. 15:40 Balaam was a prophet of God, one of God's people, and the 15:43 Moabites wanted him to curse Israel to weaken Israel so 15:47 that Israel could be overcome. 15:49 According to 2 Peter 2:15, Balaam loved the wages 15:54 of unrighteousness. 15:56 He was a covetous man, and when he was offered large 16:00 sums to turn against God's people, it was too much 16:03 for him to refuse. 16:04 He refused once, but the second time he refused 16:08 and then, then he said to the men sent to him, hang around, 16:11 while I enquire further of the Lord. 16:13 As though God was going to change his mind! 16:15 Balaam was the one who had a conversation with a donkey, 16:18 met with an angel and STILL carried on in his own evil 16:21 way, because he wanted the money. 16:24 Balaam speaks to those of us who are motivated by our own 16:27 desires and not by God's desires. 16:30 Balaam would have had no trouble knowing God's will 16:32 if only God's will had been the same as HIS will, 16:35 and sometimes some of God's people are like that. 16:38 Some folks want their own way, and not God's way. 16:41 That was Balaam's issue, and John writes to a church that 16:44 was wrestling with that. 16:46 And in that period when Christianity became popular 16:48 because the state was smiling on it, things evidently got 16:52 a little easy for believers. 16:54 Not always the best thing. 16:57 The overcomer in Pergamos is promised the hidden manna - 17:00 the forever spiritual food of the believer which promises 17:03 eternal life and health- the white stone of the high 17:07 priest also, and the new name indicating a victorious 17:10 experience and a changed character. 17:13 Friend, thank God we can all have that. 17:17 Now to the church of Thyatira in verse 20, Jesus says, 17:21 "I have a few things against you, because you allow that 17:24 woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, 17:27 to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality 17:32 and to eat things sacrificed to idols." 17:35 In the Bible, Jezebel was married to King Ahab 17:38 and introduced all kinds of falsehood into the midst 17:43 of God's people. 17:44 In fact, Jezebel managed to mix light with dark, truth 17:49 with error, so that although Israel hadn't totally given 17:53 up on God, they were worshipping both God 17:56 and Baal. 17:57 That's disastrous for a Christian church, 17:59 to be mixing truth with error, light with dark, true worship 18:03 with false worship. 18:04 Disastrous! 18:05 God is looking for people who will be faithful, radically 18:09 committed to truth and right. 18:11 And then God says to this church, I will give you power 18:13 over all nations, that you will rule them. 18:16 Interesting - Jesus says, There's a lot I don't like 18:20 about my church, but I'm telling you that I'm going to 18:22 give you everlasting life, because I'm going to save you 18:26 anyway, if you want to be saved! 18:29 Now to Sardis (in Revelation 3:1,2) Jesus says this, 18:35 "I know your works, that you have a name that you are 18:38 alive, but you are dead. 18:41 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that 18:45 are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect 18:49 before God." 18:51 What a thing for Jesus to say to His church. 18:54 You're dead! 18:56 Now that's a wake-up call! 18:58 Dead people in the church. 19:00 You think there's any of that today? 19:02 Now here's the good news. 19:04 Remember the prodigal son? 19:05 His father said, "My son was dead, but now he's alive." 19:10 The gospel is the work of bringing the spiritually dead 19:13 back to life. 19:14 So Christ says to the church in Sardis, in Revelation 3, 19:19 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, 19:23 and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; 19:26 but I will confess his name before My Father and before 19:30 His angels." 19:32 I'm glad the Lord is able to raise the dead. 19:35 That means there's hope for all of us! 19:39 Now the church in Philadelphia. 19:41 It doesn't appear that Jesus reproves this church at all. 19:45 He does say the church has little strength, but maybe 19:48 that's a commendation, that they have strength at all. 19:51 It is said that the time period represented here is 19:53 the time after the Reformation has taken place. 19:56 And if you study that history, you'll see that the 19:58 church got stuck in a rut after the reformation had 20:01 brought it back to life. 20:03 But then God makes another promise to a faltering body 20:06 of believers: God's promise to his church is to be 20:10 a pillar in the temple, and to have His new name. 20:14 See, we receive the character of Christ, because we receive 20:18 the gift of His life. 20:21 Then Laodicea, which correlates with the church in 20:24 the last years of Earth's history. 20:27 Notice what God says: This is Revelation 3:15,16. 20:32 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. 20:36 I could wish you were cold or hot. 20:40 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold 20:43 nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." 20:48 Lukewarm -- not cold or hot. 20:52 The result is that God will spew many of these people out 20:54 of His mouth. 20:55 And if I can be agricultural for just a moment, spewing is 21:00 not a voluntary action. 21:01 It is involuntary. 21:02 Which is to say, this isn't something God wants to do, or 21:05 tries to do, but it is something He has to do. 21:09 Something very curious here is that there is something in 21:12 God's eyes that is worse than being against God, and that 21:17 is being lukewarm. 21:19 To be going through the motions as a Christian is 21:22 more dangerous than to be opposed to God. 21:25 You see, if you're self-deceived - that is truly 21:28 hazardous to your spiritual well-being. 21:30 And clearly it is entirely possible to be in that 21:32 condition. 21:33 I heard a few years ago about people living in a part of 21:36 Rhode Island. 21:37 They thought they had lived their whole life but when 21:40 the map was re-examined it was found that they 21:43 had actually been living the entire time in Connecticut, 21:46 even though they had a Rhode Island zip code, 21:48 area code, address, the whole thing. 21:50 All their lives they lived in a state different to the 21:53 state they thought they were living in! 21:56 You know that can happen to Christians, who think they're 21:58 fine but they're not because they're self-deceived. 22:04 Reading Revelation 3:17 and on. 22:08 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have 22:13 need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, 22:15 miserable, poor, blind, and naked--" (Revelation 3:17) 22:18 They are self-deceived. 22:20 Man, is there any hope? 22:22 Yes there is. 22:23 Here is what the Bible says: "I counsel you to buy from Me 22:28 gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; 22:31 and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame 22:35 of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your 22:38 eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 22:41 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. 22:45 Therefore be zealous and repent." 22:48 Revelation 3:18-19 Gold tried in the fire. 22:53 Someone said that's faith that works by love. 22:56 White garments - the righteousness of Christ. 23:00 And that eye salve? 23:01 That's the Holy Spirit - He can help us to see 23:04 as He sees. 23:05 And notice what God tells us to do. 23:08 Be zealous, and repent. 23:11 God calls us to have zeal for Him. 23:14 You know what zeal is? 23:15 Enthusiasm. 23:16 Passion. 23:17 Fervor. 23:18 Ardor. 23:19 Are you passionate for Christ? 23:21 Because I'll tell you what, he's passionate about you. 23:24 Are you fervent for Jesus? 23:25 Are you ardent for God? 23:28 God says that if we open up the door of our hearts to 23:30 Jesus, He'll come in and then he will allow us to sit with 23:35 Him on His throne. 23:38 Isn't it amazing? 23:39 God tells us candidly exactly what He thinks is wrong 23:43 with His church, what he doesn't like about his church 23:47 and the things that look bad. 23:48 A group that has left its first love; that is tied up 23:51 in the same mess as Balaam was, that tolerates 23:55 the foolishness of Jezebel, and whose works 23:58 are not perfect before God. 23:59 There are people claiming to be believers who really are 24:01 not, and people who have deceived themselves into 24:05 thinking they're okay when they're a total spiritual 24:08 basket case. 24:09 Is it any wonder there are people who say they don't 24:12 like their church? 24:13 Hold on. 24:15 Hold on. 24:16 What is Jesus saying? 24:18 Jesus, who died for this church, only points out the foibles 24:22 of it in an effort to spur it on to repentance. 24:27 And through it all, Jesus is depicted as being 24:30 in the midst of His church. 24:33 He has the leaders in His hand, according to Revelation 24:36 1, and He stands with His people. 24:39 So even if you're at the point where you're about to 24:41 say, The church is just too bad, remember that it's Christ's 24:47 church and He has all the help we need to be all that He 24:52 can help us to be. 24:54 And if you're dissatisfied with the Church, 24:56 disillusioned with Christianity because of what 24:59 you see in the church, these 7 messages help us to see 25:02 that Jesus is still with the church. 25:05 No point trying to tear the church down, when Jesus 25:08 is trying to build it up. 25:09 You don't have to be a genius to see the shortcomings 25:11 of something, but seeing the way out of the mire 25:17 takes some vision. 25:18 If Jesus can list the weaknesses of the church and still see 25:20 a future for it, then we can apply this 25:22 on a personal basis. 25:24 The church is made up of people, and if there's a future 25:26 for a wayward church, there has to be a future 25:29 for a wayward person. 25:31 There has to be hope for a struggling soul. 25:34 You know there's hope for a lost sheep. 25:36 I hope you'll pardon this story I'm about to tell you, 25:38 but it's true and I think it makes the point. 25:42 In the city of Suwa in Japan, city authorities found 25:47 treasure in an unexpected place. 25:50 In an effort to get rid of the city's sewage waste, 25:54 they decided to incinerate it. 25:57 They had been having someone take it away and paying 25:59 for someone to do that. 26:01 They decided they would burn it down into industrial waste. 26:04 Now what do you think they found in the ashes? 26:08 They found gold - $200,000 worth a year. 26:12 See, mineral waters flow through the town, and there's 26:14 an industry in the area that uses gold to gold-plate 26:17 things. 26:18 So even though it is in the sewage in tiny amounts, 26:21 it's there, and when they stuff is burned up, this gold remains 26:25 and can be seen in the ashes of the waste! 26:29 Sewage - just sewage -- and there was valuable 26:33 treasure in it! 26:35 Before you decide that something worthless, consider that God 26:38 can find great worth where you'd least expect it. 26:42 That goes for His church, it goes for you, and thank God 26:46 it goes for me. 26:47 We are valuable in God's eyes - His church is so valuable 26:53 he considered it to be worth the cost of the life of his 26:58 own Son. 26:59 How valuable does that make you? 27:03 Let's pray. 27:04 Father in heaven, thank you that even though Jesus is 27:07 able to say "here's what I don't like about my church" 27:09 we can know that Jesus still values it and every 27:13 circumstance and situation shows a way out or a way 27:16 back. 27:17 Thank you, Lord, that even if we are struggling, even if we 27:19 are getting it wrong, there is a way out and there is a 27:21 way back. 27:22 Let us be encouraged that we've always got hope in 27:25 Jesus and thank you for that. 27:27 In Jesus' name, Amen. 27:33 [Music] 27:47 Thanks for joining me today. 27:48 I look forward to seeing you again next time. 27:51 Until then, remember - It Is Written: man shall not 27:55 live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds 27:58 from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-23