0:18 I've always wondered how Jesus spoke to 5,000 people without a mic. What a crowd 5,000 people must be. He was a very strong man. 0:36 You are all weaklings today compared to Isaiah 55 verse 8 and 9. If you understand and believe this verse, you will know something about God. 0:59 Very important to understand. See, we try to understand God with our intelligence. But listen to this verse. God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts. What he's saying is my way of thinking is not your way of thinking. My way of doing 1:16 things is not your way of doing things. There are so many questions we have when we look around at the world and see the problems there are. I'm sure all intelligent Christians have asked, "Why doesn't God do this and why doesn't God 1:24 And my way of doing things is not your way of doing things. There are so many questions we have when we look around at the world and see the problems there are. I'm sure all intelligent Christians have 1:43 asked, "Why doesn't God do this and why doesn't God do that? Why doesn't he heal people who are sick? At least Why doesn't he just destroy all these 2:02 wicked people who are harming others? God says my way of doing things is not your way. So we say, "Lord, is there How much difference is there between my ways and your ways?" Verse 9, God says, "As the heaven is 2:24 above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. My way of thinking is different from your way of thinking with that much difference. That will humble us. 2:46 I have heard so many people come and say, "Why does the Bible say this? Why does the Bible say that?" I say, "You have to become more like God in your life to understand his ways." Is that possible? 3:07 Jesus came to make it possible. The reason he gives us the Holy Spirit is to change our way of thinking. Then only he can change our life. Romans chapter 12. 3:29 Unlike many other preachers, you may see me quoting a lot of scriptures. I'll tell you why. Because I don't want your faith to rest on my cleverness, but on the word of God. If I convince you with my If I convince 3:53 you with my one day somebody cleverer than me But your faith is based on God's word it doesn't matter who comes and says something. See in Romans 12 verse 2 it teaches us 4:11 It teaches us how we can be changed in the likeness of Christ. Do you know that God's ultimate for you and me is to make us like Jesus Christ. So before we get there, let's look at 4:32 Romans 8:29. Everybody knows this verse Romans 8:28. God makes everything work together for our good. But what is that good? It's not to get more money. 4:52 You're disappointed in something it doesn't mean God will give you something better humanly speaking. Somebody a boy wants to marry a girl. She marries somebody else. 5:15 So he says Romans 8:28 God is making it work for my good. Because God wants me to marry a prettier girl. No, it may be an uglier girl. Who's more spiritual. 5:34 That is how God works. So what is the good that God is trying to do for us? You didn't get a job. God makes it work for your good not by God makes it work for your good, not by giving you a job with a better salary, 5:54 but maybe a lower salary. A lower job you don't have to compromise your conscience. And then It's better to have a lower salary with 6:14 a clear conscience. work in a place where you got to do so many wrong things and you get more money. God says no. Clearer conscience is better. 6:33 That's just one example. So, the good is mentioned in the next verse. That God's purpose is that we might be conformed to the image of his son or become like Jesus Christ. This is a big word that a lot of Bible 6:56 scholars dispute. Predestined. Romans 8:29. Nobody is predestined to go to heaven or hell. You make that choice yourself. God does 7:17 not send anybody to hell? You say, "Really?" Absolutely. They choose to go there themselves. they go down God is trying his best to stop people. 7:44 But they go around and say I want to go there. It's not God sending them there. They themselves are doing the things that will make them fall over the pit. God tries to warn them with sickness and 8:01 accidents in so many ways, but so many messages But they bypass all that and say, "I'm going." They will discover that God tried every possible way to stop them, but they 8:20 wouldn't listen. God doesn't God doesn't catch people by the neck and say, "Come on to heaven." We make our choice freely. This is destined means that God has made 8:41 a destiny predestination for his children. See, if you get a plane ticket, it'll be written on that destination. So, you if I'm going to Bangalore, where 9:00 I come from, I get a plane ticket to get there. And there were so many planes there, 50 60 planes there. I don't say which is the biggest plane. Which gate is the plane going to 9:18 Bangalore? So, here is a destination on my ticket, becoming like Jesus Christ. Just like in an airport, there are so many gates. In every city, there is so many 9:39 churches. Which church should I go to? I'll tell you. The one that will take you to you the destination you want to go to. If your destination is to make more 9:58 money in the world, there are some churches that will take you there. You may end up in hell after making that money. They won't tell you that. But the destination God has for you is 10:15 not to make more money. The ticket God writes is predestined. Not even to go to heaven. To become like Jesus Christ. So, if I get into the right plane, I know I'm on the right plane. 10:34 Every minute I'm getting closer and closer to my destination. That's how I know I'm in the right plane. Some planes have a map showing how the plane is moving. I can see I'm getting closer and closer 10:58 to Bangalore. When I see that my destination is to become like Jesus Christ, as pure as he was, as loving as he was, as forgiving as he was, 11:17 as humble as he was, completely free from complaining as he was, willing to wash people's feet and do dirty jobs for them. That type of leadership. 11:38 Not seeking some title that I'm the director of some Christian organization. Jesus didn't look for titles. He was not interested in titles. He was not interested in money. That's the difference between Jesus and a lot of today's Christian leaders. 11:58 They're looking for titles and money. Jesus was seeking to serve people. Become like Christ. It's very difficult to see people who are seeking to become like Christ. There are a lot of churches doing 12:18 evangelism. We need to give the gospel to other people. But when a person accepts Christ as his savior, that is the foundation. The Bible says there's no other foundation other than Christ. But Jesus spoke in Luke 14 about some 12:39 people who lay a foundation and don't complete the house. A lot of Christians like that. They have accepted Christ. Very good foundation. No house. 20 years later, no house. 12:57 Satisfied with the foundation. No wonder it says such people are foolish. Such people laugh at them. Many of you have accepted Christ. What have you built on it? Is it only a foundation you need? 13:19 This building is becoming more and more like Christ. That's the building. Every year, a little like Jesus until one day says in 1 John chapter 3 verse 2 When he comes 13:40 When he comes, we shall be like him. We have reached our destination. Now, how do you know we are going in the right direction? There are so many churches teaching so many different things. Unfortunately, most churches today are 14:02 just interested in a person's money. There are so many techniques they develop to get money out of people. Even deceiving people. But 14:22 here we read about those who are have this hope that one day I'll be like Christ. What is the mark of that person? Says in the next verse, 1 John chapter 3 He purifies himself till he reaches the 14:42 standard of Christ's purity. Everyone who has this hope purifies himself. If I want to ask you here a born again Christian What is your hope for the future? 15:01 Say, my hope is that Jesus Christ is coming back. And what will happen when he comes back? Say, he'll take you to heaven. That's not what the Bible says. Bible says he'll make you like him. Taking you up to heaven is a second 15:19 thing. Make you like him. And if you have this hope you won't just sit back and say, "Well, I'm going to be like him one day." That's how a lot of Christians are 15:37 living. Yeah, I have the hope. Christ is coming back and I'll be like him. What are you doing about it, brother? Oh, I'm just waiting for him to make me like him. Then I have to say to him 15:55 to 1 John 3:3, you don't have this hope. It's not a living hope. information in your mind How do you know it's a living hope? 16:11 It says here, you will purify yourself regularly until you reach his standard of purity. I mean, take forget about a plane flight. Let's suppose you're driving in a car to go to a destination. Like some of you had a destination to 16:33 come here this evening. If you did did not know the route here you would not know the shortest way here. We have this wonderful thing called a GPS. It will show you and lead you here. 16:54 It'll show you the shortest route. The same way God wants to show us the way to become like Christ. That's our destination. The Holy Spirit wants to show you. You don't just stay where you started. You would never have reached here if you 17:16 just stuck out stuck there. You start in one place. And there's a route to the destination. I say Christian life is like that. And you start. You're born again. And there's a journey. 17:35 And the destination is you become like Christ. So I say GPS is You can't translate into Tamil. God's plan of salvation. So this is God's plan of salvation. Not salvation from hell. 17:57 Salvation from all the un-Christ-like attitudes that you have received from Adam. Here is God's plan. Little by little by little he'll deliver you from every wretched habit 18:14 and attitude you got from Adam. You're getting closer and closer to your destination. One day you reach it. Become like Christ. So if you're not on that journey, I have to say you're not really serious 18:35 about reaching your destination. A man who's serious gets started and moves on. Are you doing that? Purifying yourself as Christ is pure. Or you sit back and say, "Well, I'm 18:57 defeated. I'll always be defeated, but one day Jesus will make me like him." Or you're saying, "Well, I'm sitting here. One day I'll suddenly reach my destination. It doesn't work like that. 19:17 Now, how what is the route through which God takes us to the Throughout the Bible you read the through the path of testing. You know, as soon as God created Adam and Eve, 19:37 they were not perfect. They were innocent. The closest you can think of Adam and Eve is a little baby. Why do I say that? 19:55 A baby has no knowledge of good and evil. Adam had no knowledge of good and evil. When he ate from the tree, he got knowledge of good and evil. But before that, what was he? Innocent. 20:14 Which is different from holy. A lot of people think God made the person Adam holy. I think a lot of them thought that God made Adam holy when he made him. They thought that God made Adam holy when he made him. You know that God can never make a man holy. 20:31 He can become holy if he makes a choice, then God can make him holy. Otherwise, God has to make him like a robot. You know what a robot is. Programmed to do the right things. Robots don't make mistakes because they 20:51 are programmed by the computer. If God had made Adam holy, it would be like that. He would move like a robot to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And the program will say, "Not here." 21:13 So, he turns around. But God didn't make Adam like that. And he doesn't want you to be like that. God wanted children. Those of you who are fathers, mothers, let me ask you a question. Would you prefer to have a three, 21:32 four-year-old naughty, disobedient child or or a small little robot that comes to you and says, "Hello, Daddy. I love you so much." "Hello, Daddy." 21:54 "Hello, Mommy. Here is your slippers." "I love you so much." loving robot programmed always to obey you. What do you prefer, that or a naughty 22:12 child? I'd say, "Give me a naughty child." Because when that naughty child says, "Daddy, I love you." oh, my heart melts. But when the robot says, "I love you." 22:30 it doesn't mean anything to you. You see the value of free will? People say if God had not given man a free will, there'd be no sin in the world. Every man would have obeyed God 22:51 completely. Like the planets, they be obeyed God for thousands of years. Do you know the planets can never sin? Do you know that the planets can never sin? The planets have never sinned, never 23:10 disobeyed God for thousands of years. You think God could have made Adam like that? Never sinned. But the other thing is The planets cannot be children of God also. If you don't have freedom of choice cannot be a sinner, you cannot be a 23:32 child of God. That's why testing is important. I wanted to make this innocent couple holy. Make them holy. 23:52 by making them into robots. Test them. Put them into a garden. Do the very simple test. There are thousands of trees here, Adam. pineapples mangoes 24:11 so many other exotic fruits kiwis There's one tree. Don't go there. the knowledge good and evil Out of 10,000 trees, he was asked to 24:31 avoid one tree. Is that difficult? Supposing God had said you must not touch 9,999 trees. Only one tree you must eat. That would have been a really tough 24:50 test. But it was so easy. It was a test to see one thing. Will you obey God or not? And immediately Adam goes there. You know, you can see Adam's nature in 25:08 children. Supposing you, Daddy and Mommy are going out of the house. And you tell your children you can play, do anything, but don't open that cookie jar where the biscuits are. You can be absolutely sure as soon as 25:30 you go, that's what they're going to do first. That is proof they've got Adam's nature. That's what Adam did. Testing is so important. The devil was once an angel. 25:53 He was the head of the angels. Billions and billions of angels there. And the devil rounded up 1/3 of them. You read that in Revelation 12. And rebelled against God. 26:13 And the moment they did that the leader became the devil. And all those wonderful angels became demons in a moment. Rebellion is a terrible sin. It's the first sin in the universe. And Isaiah 14 says it came out of pride 26:33 in the Pride and rebellion are the root of sin. That's why the Bible says teach your children obedience when they are small. It's the only way to deliver them from 26:50 the spirit of rebellion. So, when the devil fell, God could have destroyed him. That's easy. Let there be light, and there was light. Let the devil be destroyed, and he 27:08 doesn't exist. And let the demons be destroyed. Finished. Why didn't he do that? I remember two or three years ago, my 7-year-old grandson was reading the Bible. 27:31 He asked me, he said, "Grandpa, if the devil is so bad, why didn't God kill him?" I said, "Wow, when a 7-year-old asks me that question, I better answer that." I said, "Listen, son. 27:52 You know how you become strong? Subjecting your muscle to resistance. When you run, you subject your leg muscles to resistance, and the leg muscles become strong. And even if you 28:13 you push your hand against the wall regularly, your muscles become strong. If you don't have resistance and don't do exercise, no matter how much food you eat, 28:34 you won't be strong. You'll be fat. And then you go down to your pie. I said, "Do you know the difference between being fat and being strong? There's a lot of difference. with Justin. fat man, you can just push down with one hand sometimes. 28:52 A strong person may be thinner, you won't be able to push him down. So God wants us to be strong. Who's going to resist us? Angels won't resist us. God won't resist us. 29:09 So God allows the devil to exist. So he resists you. And you resist him. You become strong spiritually. You understood that. He said, "Thank you." I'm going to resist the devil. 29:29 I'm going to listen to daddy and mommy. I said, "You understood it now." Have you understood it? That resisting the devil when he tempts you is the way to become a whole. That is what will prevent you from being 29:48 a fat Christian to become a strong Christian. God's word is like food. If you keep on eating and don't do exercise, you'll only be fat. A lot of people think I must have Bible 30:07 knowledge, Bible knowledge, Bible knowledge. They go to Bible school. I've never been to Bible school. I said Jesus never sent his disciples to Bible school, so he's not I'm not going to send me to a Bible He taught them by the taught them by the 30:27 Holy Spirit. He taught me by the Holy Spirit. So once I was invited in India to speak in a Bible school. And the principal of the college told me, "I want these students to see how you can you can serve the Lord without going 30:46 to Bible school. I went there and there was a prize distribution for all the students. The graduating class and the person who got the first prize he said, "I want to talk to you." I said, "Sure, come." Then I when I was talking I asked him a 31:08 question. You spent 4 years here. You studied Greek and you studied Hebrew and so many things about the when you go and preach in a church as a pastor their problem is not that they don't know Greek and Hebrew. Their problem is primarily in the area 31:28 of sex. They are tempted day and night with that. I want to ask you that. Have you got victory in that area to tell as a pastor these people how to overcome? He said, "No." 31:47 What's the use of studying all the Bible for 4 years? Okay, let me ask you another question. In this sexual area you are 24 years old. You are a young man. Are you in a better condition today 4 years than you were 4 years ago when you 32:07 joined the college? He said, "No, brother Zach, I'm worse." They got worse. 32:41 I said, "What have you learned here then? You think it's just knowledge that we have to give to people? This is the deception of Christian ministry today. So many fantastic teachings very moving messages emotional music 33:04 But the poor young people sitting there are defeated. They haven't overcome anger. They haven't overcome murmuring. They haven't overcome sexually dirty thoughts. They haven't overcome the love of money. They can't forgive somebody who has hurt 33:22 them. They have bitterness against people. And that bitterness causes sickness in their body. They're anxious and worried about the future. They don't have faith in a loving father in heaven. But they hear so many fantastic messages 33:41 and music in the Sunday morning. The devil's fooling people. The most important thing overcoming in testing they are not getting. They're getting information. 34:00 They're getting music. God wants to psychological uh teaching how to behave better. And your life is not changed. One of the most important verses in the 34:21 Old Testament is one 1 Samuel chapter 16. Everybody must know this verse. I was preaching in one of ago. And I said, "If you have the habit of underlining in your Bible, underline 34:39 this verse." I used to get a red pencil when I was a young Christian and underline I mean highlight certain Some verses I would underline with a 34:57 pen. Because there are 31,000 verses and I want to know the important ones. So, if I underline it, I can find it more easily later on. 1 Samuel verse 7 35:19 the last part Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Meditate on it, remember it, underline it, never forget it. Remember all your life. 35:41 Man sees you on the outside. How you speak. How you look. How you behave. God doesn't look at any of that. He looks at your heart. 35:58 What are you thinking? Is there purity in your heart? Not purity on the outside. If you remember this one verse, you will not be concerned about man's opinion anymore. You remember when Jesus spoke to the 36:17 Pharisees? Do you know that the Pharisees didn't have all bad qualities? They had two good qualities. Matthew 23 a great chapter on Jesus denouncing the Pharisees. But all the things are negative. 36:44 You're like this, you're like this, you're like this, he said. But the two good things are there. Do you remember what those two good things were? I'm sure you've read Matthew 23. But you haven't noticed it. 37:03 I'll show it to you today. Number one It's in verse two and three. Jesus said Scribes and Pharisees are sitting in the chair of Moses. And listen to this. 37:18 Everything they tell you to do, do. About whom will Jesus say that today? Some non-Christian religion Everything they tell you to do, do. Will 37:37 he say it? No. In Christendom also, there are certain cults that don't believe that Jesus is God. Mormons Jehovah's Witnesses Will Jesus say 37:55 Whatever they tell you to do, do. No. Even the Roman Catholic Church they teach some good things, but they're not teaching the true full truth. Will Jesus tell you whatever the Roman 38:14 Catholics tell you to do, do? They tell you to Will Jesus say No. About whom can Jesus say, "Whatever they 38:32 tell you to do, do." It must be a church that preaches the absolutely correct doctrine. There are some churches like that. Not just one, many. 38:52 But what I'm trying to say is The Pharisees had all their doctrines right. So that was one good quality. Jesus gave them a certificate. Everything they teach is correct. They don't do it, but that's another 39:11 thing. What they teach is correct. One good quality. Second good quality. Matthew 23 verse 25 You clean the outside of the cup and the 39:29 dish. But the inside is full of robbery and self- He was talking about the external life. The inner life. Inside you're all dirty. 39:50 But outside you are clean. Let me ask you. Isn't it good to be clean on the outside? Would you like a man who's a murderer and adulterer and tells lies? He's not even clean on the outside. 40:11 The Lord won't tell such a person, "Your outside of your cup is clean." He'll tell me, "Your outside is and your inside is also dirty. But the Pharisees Boy, your outside is really clean. Is the Lord what he said to a Christian 40:31 today? Your external life is absolutely clean. Do you think that's a good testimony? A lot of Christians want that testimony. My external life, my testimony in church is very pure. Another good quality in the Pharisees. 40:56 Perfect purity in doctrine. Second, very clean external life. What did Jesus tell these people who had pure doctrine and a good external life? Pure doctrine. 41:18 Correct doctrine. Second, a good external life. What Jesus tells them is this. Verse 33. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? Now, I want to speak to all the people 41:40 here. You have these two good qualities. Your doctrine is right. Your external life is really good. But your inside is dirty. Tell me what Jesus will tell you. 42:02 Think about it. You won't get another preacher who'll tell you straight to your face what you need to hear. If your inner life is dirty Do you think Jesus will say to you 42:19 You serpents, you brood of vipers How will you escape the sentence of hell? Devil say no no no no no no. Why? The devil say no he won't Why won't he tell you that? There's no partiality with God. 42:38 If he said that to the Pharisees But your doctrine good external life The only problem was a dirty inner life. If the Lord spoke like that to the Pharisees, why won't he speak like that to you? He died for the Pharisees. 42:57 He died for you. But if they didn't take the inner life seriously, that's what he says. testing God tests us. Turn to Genesis chapter 3. As soon as Adam and Eve were created 43:18 The Bible says the very next thing God sent them to be tested. by the devil Just like I told my grandson. Why? 43:35 So that they can become strong. So that they won't remain innocent, they'll become holy. We were all born as babies. God allows us to be tested. And in that test you decide 43:59 Do you want God or do you want what he has created? This is the temptation. Adam and Eve come to this tree of knowledge of Adam and Eve come to this tree of knowledge of good and evil. It's a very beautiful tree. 44:22 Very attractive. mouth water But they know God has told you not to eat it. Now the test is so attracted by what the God has created. I disobey God. 44:49 In other words, I choose the creation over the creator. This is beautiful thing God has created. God is said, uh eat it." 45:06 There's a choice between the creator and this beautiful creation. You know, that's how temptation comes to you. This beautiful girl God has created. 45:25 But God says that's not your wife. Don't look at her. I listen to God or this beautiful creation? It's exactly the same thing as Adam faced in the Garden of Eden. Adam and 45:43 Eve in the Garden of Eden. Or money. What a beautiful thing God has created. Gold and silver. Gold. God says, "Don't go after that." Don't run after that. Will you go you go running after that? 46:03 Will you go Do you go running after that? You choose that over God? You know the number of Christians who tell lies and cheat to get a little more money? Who cheat on their income tax returns? They make a little more money. person 46:25 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver? This fellow has also betrayed Jesus in his income tax return. for a little bit of money. These are Christians. Is their faith going to be any different 46:45 from Judas Iscariot's? Why do they do it? Because it's so attractive. God has made many created things If you had made all women ugly, there'd 47:08 be no temptation. Supposing this tree of knowledge good and evil was thinking and smelly full of um thorns. And the Lord says, "Don't go there." 47:27 He says, "I don't I don't want to go there in any case." You see why God has made temptation attractive? Temptation was ugly. Temptation ugly there's no temptation. There's a game called Monopoly. 47:51 Monopoly and then there's a little game with paper money. You roll the dice and go property. You roll the You play it with children. $100, $50. I'm supposing I'm an adult playing with a child. For him it is like real money. 48:13 And he's very keen. You came on my square, Dad. You better pay off your rent. And if I say no, no, no, the dice was to throw I had to go to the next square, not here. Don't cheat. You got to pay rent here. 48:34 How long will I argue with For him it is life and death. I'll say, "Okay, what do you want? Take it. Take it. Okay, take $100, sure." Because I know in 1 hour that we're going to fold the 48:53 board and end the game. You know, there's a big Monopoly game going on in the world. Property. And then the angels from heaven are watching men playing Fighting with each other. No, give me my 49:14 money here. Angels know just a few more days and this board will be folded up and the game Maybe a few years and then God says, "Game up. We're going to fold the board board now." And you're counting all your paper money 49:35 worth nothing. You put all your paper money and you can take it and then you might be only worth God is using it to test you. He uses pretty women to test you. Even if you're a married man. He uses money to test you. God uses money to test you. different 49:53 different things in the world. simple pleasures very attractive See, pleasureless, nobody would choose it. And nobody's tempted to roll in the dirty gutter. There's no temptation there. 50:13 It's when you're attracted to something that you're tempted. That's why God made the tree of knowledge of good and evil very attractive. What is the test? My son, my honey, my daughter, my honey, do you want what I created or do you 50:33 want me? You know that in the Bible that Jesus is supposed to be our husband. We are supposed to have a relationship with him like husband and wife. What would you think if your wife is 50:55 more interested in your house than in you? That's not a very good marriage. And that is how if you're more interested in the things God can give you but not in God himself. Supposing your husband says, my lover 51:14 says, "I'm going to give away all money to a poor. I'm going to We're going to live in a hut." So, then I'm going to divorce you, the wife says. He's not interested in him. He put the money in the person he put money in it. 51:31 Interested in the house. Person said to the something we do that we do it for him. I tell you with many Christians, they are more interested in the gifts God can give them than in God himself. If you don't believe it, check your prayers. What do you do with 51:49 it? How many of you pray, "Lord Jesus, I want to know you better?" When was the last time you prayed like that? Aren't most of your prayers like a shopping list? Give me this, give me this, give me this, give It's a shopping list. 52:15 You're not interested in the person. And the number of people we have failed the test. And that's why God is disappointed, and that's why we don't really grow spiritually. This is the test. 52:33 What I have created or me? Like a husband. Asking his wife. Darling, are you interested in my money or you interested in me? Do you think that will be a happy marriage if 52:53 she's more interested in his money than in him? That's the reason why many Christians have a very sad, unhappy relationship. Jesus said, "If you seek God's kingdom 53:12 first, all the things you need in life, God will add to you." So, if we have failed, Okay, we have all failed, we have sinned. The next thing we must learn is to be honest 53:31 about our conf- honestly confess that we failed. So, Adam sinned. And God comes to him. Here's Here's another test, really. Did you eat, verse 11, from the tree I 53:55 commanded you not to eat? There's only two answers to that, yes or no. Did you eat from the tree I commanded you not to eat? Like sometimes you have examinations, 54:18 tick the box, yes or no. But Adam doesn't tick yes or no. Underneath he writes a third point. My wife gave me this 54:38 fruit. In small letters, I ate it. letters, my wife gave me this fruit. Have you your 55:01 Yeah, you say in small letters, I also did something wrong, but my husband did this, my wife did this. All marriage counselors hear this all the time. The wife will come and say in big 55:22 letters what her husband did. Did you do anything wrong? Small letters, yeah, I also did little. This is the reason why we live such a miserable life. See the contrast with the thief on the cross. Lord, I'm guilty. 55:47 I don't blame my parents for bringing me up badly. I don't blame my teenage friends who led me in the wrong path. police who caught me or the judge who condemned me to be 56:04 crucified. Lord, I don't blame anybody. I alone am guilty. The Lord says, "Really?" You deserve to be in paradise. 56:25 Paradise is made for people who take the blame themselves and don't blame anybody else. Jesus says, "I died for you." But you got to take the blame first. I want to ask you, my brothers and sisters, do you have this habit of acknowledging 56:48 your fault immediately? Have you finished with this business of blaming other people? Lord, I'm guilty. How do you apologize to people when you do something wrong? I know how I've heard most people 57:09 apologize. If I have hurt you please forgive me. That sounds very spiritual. But the real meaning is I don't believe I have hurt you. But if you are so stupid to think I have 57:29 hurt you Okay, then forgive That's not asking forgiveness. You're putting more blame on that fellow. That is exactly how people ask forgiveness. I want to teach you how to ask forgiveness. 57:47 First law. Never use the word if. I have hurt you. Say I'm sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me. How can I set it right now? 58:07 Very few people confess like this. You want a satisfying Christian life. First of all, learn to discern between creator and created. I'm going to choose you over every 58:28 created thing. Jesus said you must love me more than your father, mother, brother, sister. They are also created beings. If you want to be my disciple, choose me above everything. And he said choose me above your 58:49 possessions. He must be more important to me than everything I possess on earth. I will reach my destination of becoming like Christ. This is God's way. 59:12 And the other is to be honest in our confession. First, choose the creator above all created things. Second, when you confess, don't put the 59:29 blame on anybody else. Don't blame anybody. No excuses. Don't say this happened, that happened, that happened. I'm guilty. You will overcome sin much quicker. You know, it's not only Adam and Eve 59:50 that was tested. When God sent his son to the earth He allowed him to be tested. And in much more difficult way. You read in Matthew chapter 4. Adam was tested in pretty convenient 1:00:11 circumstances. In a beautiful garden. Everything is so pleasant. Jesus was tested not in a garden. He was tested in the desert, in the 1:00:30 wilderness. But the test was the same. You see, does Jesus have to be tested? The Bible says he was made like us in all things. This is one of the greatest truths in 1:00:51 the New Testament. Many people haven't understood it. They know Jesus died for their sin. But let me tell you something. God sent his son on earth for two purposes. One, to die for our sins and defeat the 1:01:11 devil on the cross. Second, to live 33 years to show us how man should live. If it was only to die, God could have 1:01:27 sent Jesus to earth as a full-grown man. He made Adam not as a baby, as a full-grown man. Send Jesus full-grown man, okay, die for the sins of 1:01:45 of the human race and Why did he send him as a baby? So that he can be an example. An example to little children. 1:02:03 How you should obey your parents. Jesus can say, "Follow me, you little child." You 6-year-old. I was also 6-year-old, Jesus. And I heard some difficult things that 1:02:20 Mary and Joseph told me to do. I obeyed them. You 12-year-old. Follow my example. I was also playing with a bat and ball outside. It wasn't cricket those days, but some 1:02:41 bat and ball anyway. And the world is with a bat and a ball. And while my turn came to bat, Mommy called me saying, "Come." Jesus, come here. You see the way 1:03:04 go to the well and draw some water for me. And Jesus says, "I was tremendously tempted." Like all 12-year-olds. Especially when their time comes to bath. Wait, Mommy, just 5 minutes. 1:03:24 5 minutes means 45 minutes. I was tempted. But I dropped my bath. Went and brought water for my mom. Follow me. 1:03:42 That's why he came as a baby. He can tell the 18-year-old. Hebrews 4:15 says he was tempted in all points as we are. Have you read that verse? 1:04:00 Hebrews 4:15. He was tempted in every point as we are. So he looks at this 18-year-old boy. I was also 18 years old. Are you tempted with pretty girls? 1:04:19 I met pretty girls in Nazareth. I was tempted. You said, "Brother Zac, what are you saying? Jesus was tempted by pretty girls?" I believe Hebrews 4:15. That's what I say. You may not believe it. 1:04:40 Hebrews 4:15, he was tempted in every point as we are. Supposing he was tempted in every point except sex. We have to say, "Lord, you escaped the 1:05:01 toughest temptation. You took all the easy ones. And you make us face all the tough ones." He is a loving God. He's a leader who can say, "Follow me." 1:05:19 He was tempted and he never sinned once, even in his thought. And you say, "Lord Jesus, but that's because you were God." Have you read Philippians 2:5? 1:05:38 He emptied himself of the power he had as God when he came to earth as a If he lived on earth as God, when somebody slapped him, you know, when he was being tried in the 1:05:58 high priest's court, that man's hand would have withered up immediately. When somebody spat on him, he would have died immediately. When somebody called him Beelzebub, 1:06:16 prince of devils, he would have become dumb that moment. Why didn't it happen? Let me tell you an example. If you know the Old Testament, there was a time in Numbers chapter 12 1:06:39 when Miriam questioned her brother Moses. Why did you marry that non-Israelite? Have you read that story? Yes or no? You're all Bible scholars, right? Read it in Numbers 12. 1:07:01 Do you know what Miriam got? Leprosy. Just for saying, "Why did you marry that non-Israelite?" And the Pharisees said to Jesus, "You Beelzebub, prince of devils." You know what they got? 1:07:25 Forgiveness. If he lived here as God Have you read the story in the Old Testament where some young men made fun of Elisha the prophet? Elisha was a bald man. 1:07:49 I think a lot of prophets were bald. Paul was a bald man, you know. But they made fun of this bald man. "Ah, you bald man. You also go up like Elijah." And some bears came from the 1:08:12 forest and the carriages went there. But when Jesus What all they did to Jesus? Nothing happened. He lived on earth as a man. He did not exercise his powers God. So clear, he was tempted exactly like 1:08:34 us. And okay, now we go to a higher age when you're 25 years old. You just started working. You are tempted to do unrighteousness in your job. Jesus says, "I've been tempted like you." 1:08:54 There were crooked carpenters in Nazareth who were cheating with their work. Using third rate wood and polishing it up to make it look like teak. And making money. 1:09:17 How can you compete with such people if you're going to be honest? And Jesus said, If I give a teak table, it will be a teak table 100%. Because he didn't want to make money. He wanted 1:09:34 to please his father. He did not become the richest carpenter in Nazareth. It's very difficult if you're going to be absolutely honest in business to become the richest person in town. Jesus certainly could not do it. 1:09:56 Because not only he wouldn't cheat, sometimes he'd make a gift of something for some poor widows. If you live like that, how will you become a millionaire? So, he can say, "I have been tempted in 1:10:14 every area that you were." And then now he comes to full-time workers, preachers. And Jesus says, "I was a full-time worker, too. I was a preacher for 3 and 1/2 years. I needed money. How do I live? I was not 1:10:35 working as a carpenter for And I was having a fantastic ministry. Healing not one or two, but hundreds and thousands. I could have sent letters. 1:10:54 Brothers and sisters, thousands are being healed in my ministry. Send your donations to this bank. in Capernaum. You want to share in God's work. And if you give me $1,000 1:11:17 I will pray especially for you. Can you imagine Jesus trying all these tricks? And God will reward you. Don't forget. Pay your tithes. Otherwise, God will curse you. 1:11:37 Is there another greater man of God than me in Israel? That is not how he served his father. Never once in his life did he ask anybody for money. Never once in his life did he send a 1:11:55 report of his work to anyone. Sometimes we read in the Bible Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem. You just read it and read on. You know what I do? 1:12:12 I turn to the back of my Bible. See, where is Galilee? And where is Jerusalem? Wow. Oh. It's 120 km. We just read one sentence. He went from 1:12:30 Galilee to How long does it take for you to walk 120 km? Probably a couple of days. So, once in a meeting with thousands of people Judas Iscariot is the treasurer. 1:12:52 He gets up and says, "Have you been blessed by the ministry of Jesus?" You know that he walks from Capernaum to Galilee, 240 km up and down. How many of you will make a donation to 1:13:11 buy a chariot for Jesus so that he doesn't have to walk anymore? Jesus would have pulled him down and said, "Go and sit down, Judas." Have you seen today's preachers? They're busy advertising a jet plane on the 1:13:31 television. "My ministry is so important. I don't have time to wait in the checking in and waiting in airports. You must help me to buy this $15 million airplane." Somebody asked one of these great TV 1:13:53 evangelists, I said, "Jesus never did all these things." You know what his reply was? "Jesus never had a TV ministry like me." Aha. Wonderful. These are today's representatives of 1:14:12 Jesus Christ. I'm not surprised so much at them. I'm surprised at all the foolish people who empty their purse and give the money to this man. Whenever you look at a preacher, 1:14:31 ask yourself, "Is this how Jesus did it?" What is his attitude to money? The number one test of whether a preacher is representing Jesus One of the earliest books, Christian 1:14:53 books that was ever written after the Bible. It's a little booklet called the teaching of the 12 apostles. You can find it on the internet. 1:15:10 It's just less than 20 pages. It's got another name called the Didache. D I D A C H E Teaching of the 12 apostles. The earliest Christian book after the Bible. You know what it says there? You take it 1:15:32 and read it. Any preacher who asks you for money is a false prophet. How many false prophets are there in the world today? How many foolish people go and give 1:15:50 their money to these false prophets? Did Jesus say follow me? You 6-year-old, you can follow me. 12-year-old, you can follow me. You 19-year-old with sexual passions, you can follow me. You businessman, I was also doing 1:16:12 business. Follow me. You preacher. He's been an example for everybody. Then he died on the cross. It was only 6 hours. Including the trial, maybe about 15 18 1:16:31 hours. All the trials that he before the crucifixion. His life 33 and a half years 1:16:49 to be an example. People in every stage of life from small children to full-time preachers follow him. That is the way to a satisfying Christian life. You can live such a wonderful life on 1:17:10 Earth. An overcoming life where the devil will be scared of you like he was scared of Jesus. Let me show you this verse in closing. 1 John 1:17:30 and chapter 4 1 John 4 I don't know whether you ever I'm sure you read it, but whether it has struck you or I don't know. 1 John 4 and verse 17 1:17:49 the last sentence there wonderful verse It gripped me so much I made a big wall plaque of it and we put it in our in our church. 1:18:05 As Jesus is, so are we in this world. Think of it for a moment. How am I live to live in this world? As Jesus And as Jesus is, the Father has given me the same authority in this world. 1:18:27 Was the devil scared of Jesus? He's got to be scared of me. You know that? If you live a clean life and seek to follow in Jesus' footsteps whether you're 6 years old 1:18:45 or 12 or 19 years old or 25 or 32-year-old preacher if you really seek to follow Jesus' example you will have the same authority that Jesus had. He said to his disciples 1:19:04 Luke 10:19 "I give you authority over all the power of the enemy." "I give you authority over the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you." Read carefully. Read carefully what he 1:19:25 said. Authority and power, two different words. "I give you authority over the power of the enemy." And they cannot touch you. I'll give you an illustration. You know, nowadays we have traffic 1:19:44 lights. In the olden days before traffic lights were there in the olden days before traffic lights were there I'm 76 years old so I can remember those days. Where there'd be a little in the at a junction there'd be a little 1:20:03 box that a policeman would stand. We still have some places like that in the small villages and towns of India. Here's a weak tiny policeman with a 1:20:21 uniform. And here are these massive trucks coming down the road. And And policeman just lifts up his hands. The policeman just And that massive truck stops. Who has got more power? 1:20:42 The truck. Who's got more authority? The policeman. That is how we can stop the devil. If 10 trucks come like that, all of them have got to stop. Jesus says, "I give you authority over 1:21:04 all the power of the enemy." Nothing shall hurt you. You don't have to shout. I remember once in a room I cast out a demon 30 ft away with a whisper. Many demons I've cast out. 1:21:30 Always with one sentence. No yelling. No screaming. No long half an hour prayer. One sentence every single time. 1:21:46 In Jesus name, get out. Gone. We have authority over the power of the enemy. If your life is clean. But if your life is not clean. The devil says, "I know what you're 1:22:05 doing in your private life." Jesus, I know. Paul, I know. I know all about you. You don't have any power over me. We read about some people who tried to do that on when the devil 1:22:23 jumped on them and tore up their God has given us such tremendous authority. Live a clean life. You may not make so much money. But when you stand before the Lord, 1:22:41 you'll have great joy. The Lord will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." You want to get to heaven like that? Or do you want the Lord to say, "Well, I never thought you'd make it here, but somehow you made it." 1:23:02 I don't want to get into heaven crawling down on the ground. I want to get in with my get to heaven with my head lifted up high. Because I sought to live with a clear conscience. Maybe I didn't make so much money. 1:23:23 But my conscience is clear. Jesus will say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Not that I've never failed. Past years I've failed many times. gone 40 years ago. I sought to live before God's face. 1:23:46 That's the only life worth living that you will realize when you stand before the Lord. You have wasted your past life. I'll give you a promise. Acts 17:30. 1:24:03 I promise you, this is my last verse. Acts 17:30. Acts 17:30. God overlooks your times of ignorance. Isn't that wonderful? God says, "All 1:24:21 your years of ignorance till today I forget about it. Okay, you have done a lot of stupid things. I have made a lot of stupid mistakes. I have I'm overlooking it. 1:24:39 But now, I am commanding you to repent. Give up those habits. Turn around. And seek to follow Jesus Christ. God will help you. 1:24:58 He will fill you with His Holy Spirit. Let's pray. God is inviting you to respond to what you have heard. Say, "Lord, I want to 1:25:16 I want to live this life." overcome in temptation. Heavenly Father Please help us. Everyone here who is seeking for a godly life to follow in the footsteps of our savior 1:25:38 who was tempted in all points as we are. And you say to us now, "If you overcome as I overcame, you will sit with me on my throne." Help us to overcome. 1:25:59 Pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
