0:00 How wonderful and my song shall marvelous, how wonderful is thy savior's 0:16 love for me. For me it was in the garden. He prayed not my will but done. 0:33 He had no tears for his own grief but sweat drops of blood for my [Music] marvelous. 0:51 How wonderful that my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful 1:08 his appearance for me. He took my sins and my sorrows. He made them his very own. He took my sins and my sorrows. 1:23 He made them his very own. He bore the burden to Calary and suffered and died alone. 1:42 [Music] and my song shall ever be. Oh my. [Music] 2:13 Brothers and sisters, shall we stand as we sing? Let's lift up our eyes and think about this glorious wonderful savior who gave his life for us. [Music] 2:32 The ransom in glory. His face I at last shall see. Will be my joy through the angels 2:50 to sing of his love for me. singing, "How marvelous, powerless, 3:13 wonderful is my love for me. He's a God of faithfulness 3:30 and without injustice. [Music] How bright is he? 3:56 Describe greatness. Ascribe greatness to our God through all. His work is perfect and all his ways are just. ascribe 4:16 greatness to our God. His work is perfect and all his ways are just. The God of faithfulness 4:34 without injustice. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and righteous. 4:53 So I stand. So I stand. I stand in all of you. I stand. Holy God 5:11 to whom all praise is due. I stand in awe of you. You beyond description for beautiful beyond 5:29 description. You marvelous for us to wonderful for comprehension like nothing 5:55 and grasp your infinite wisdom. Who can fath [Music] of your love? You are beautiful beyond 6:15 description majesty in all above. So I stand. Yes, I stand. I stand. of you. 6:35 Holy God to whom all praise is due. I stand in all you of you. 6:57 Holy God to whom all praise is due. I stand in all of you. 7:13 [Music] Please take your seats, brothers and sisters. We want to look next week 7:38 and lift up our voices and let's say this verse with one accord all together from Hebrews chapter 3 verse 12 is from a different translation. So shall we watch out 7:58 turn from the living God between shoulders. And before that would 8:15 ask brother Zach to concerning the birth of John the 8:34 Baptist. There are two Jesus said in Matthew, there is not one greater in the kingdom of heaven. Heaven is 8:56 not an old covenant and they were always occupied with earth. ly things is an old covenant even if he 9:21 calls himself a Christian and churches that preach prosperity are earthly prosperity are an old covenant church we're not talking about them here it is about those who kingdom is in heaven Such people 9:38 the least in that then even that does not apply to every Christian. I don't think it applies to 90% of Christians because they they're all occupied with earthly things. 9:55 And the other verse is in Luke told Zachcharias when John was going to be born. He said to him in verse 13, "Your wife, the last part, will bear you 10:15 a son named John and you joy and gladness." That is true of almost all are upset because it was a girl 10:38 because they didn't want a child. There are many stupid people like that. But normal human beings have joy and gladness when a child is born and many will rejoice at his birth meaning relatives etc. by of the Lord. 11:02 That was the for the God gives us should be like it says in verse 15. They'll grow up to be great in the sight of the Lord. 11:18 When your kingdom is a kingdom of earth, your longing is that your children will be great in the world. And you rejoice if your children are accomplished, educated, have a lot of money, and all the things 11:37 that people in the world think are great. They'll be great in the world. But in the kingdom of heaven, it's to be great in the sight of the Lord. Imagine from childhood to say about a great in the sight of the Lord in the eyes of the world, but great in 12:04 the sight of the Lord. It's an inner attitude. You know, right children to be great in the world or in the sight of the Lord. I can tell you that will determine how they become later on. If you glory 12:23 in the fact that your children are handsome and good-looking, well, God have mercy on you and on them. Ignore all that. Say, "Lord, I want them to be great in the sight of the Lord. That's the only thing. I will not glory 12:39 in their cleverness or their intelligence or any of those things. May God help us." Okay, please come. 13:09 This is Sepan and Rohama. Their child is Ashish David. See that's the church that's why he must 13:40 grow up to be a part of Kash to you in Jesus name we pray that he'll grow up to love you fear you walk in your ways give wisdom to the parents to bring him up in fear of God protect him from all harm danger 13:58 accident and sickness. Dedicate him to you in Jesus name. Amen. Morning. 14:24 Before we hear God's word, we want to spend some time praising the Lord and worshiping the Lord, a savior, a master, and he's the head of the church. And we want to give him all the glory that he 14:41 richly deserves. And I want to encourage all of you, brothers, come before his presence with joy and gladness, with thankful heart. And I believe the Lord is delighted when we come before him with gladness, not with glowiness and 14:56 with and say, "Lord, I want to praise you for what you've done for me all these years." And I believe the Lord rejoices over his people. And I want to invite you this morning to join with me as we seek to praise the Lord and 15:10 worship the Lord. Yes. Our father in heaven, we want to praise you, Lord. Morning. Thank you Lord for your marvelous wonderful divine love that you loved us first from this Lord we want to praise you and worship 15:34 you for such a great salvation Lord thank you Lord for the new covenant thank you Lord for your word you've given us so richly Lord thank I want to thank you this morning for the way you have led. Oh, we want to really bless you this 16:00 morning. We come with joy and gladness in your presence this morning. And we want to thank you, Lord, that Lord, you're at work in us to do your will and your good pleasure. And this morning, Lord, we want you to be exalted and 16:12 honored. Yes, Lord, your name is above every other name. And therefore, Lord Jesus, and we pray, Lord, this morning that you'll magnify your word. And we pray, Lord, that you'll bless and strengthen everyone here, Lord. Thank 16:25 you, Lord, that you're rich to those who call upon you. And Lord, we come with great expectation this morning. Yes, Lord. We believe that you will meet the needs of each and everyone here, Lord. We believe you will give us the way that 16:37 you'll anoint our brother mightily Lord and give us a rich prophetic word this morning and bless everyone present here Lord Lord we pray. Amen. I request Zach to 16:52 minister God's word this morning. All the children you can go to the sunliss. All the children you can go to the sichlas. I want to turn to a verse in John's 17:25 gospel chapter 16. These were almost the last words that Jesus spoke to his disciples before he went to the cross because after that in John 17 he's 17:44 praying to the father. So John 16 and33, these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. 18:01 In the world you have tribulation, but take courage for I have overcome the world. Believe that as we approach the end of the Lord, we will need those Because 18:21 unlike secretly and take away the church suddenly before the seven tribulation starts. We don't compel 18:39 everybody in this church to believe that. You can believe what you like. All I say is when it comes you mean to say 18:55 and then people say but if that's the Lord may come that makes people holy and I use an example Beyonce has gone. 19:20 Well, I don't know when I finally may get come back and I'll marry you. It's something like that. The coming of the Lord be faithful to me. I'm not able to have come back. comes. 19:39 You think all around that is the way the Lord tests you and proves that you are not 19:56 fit to be in his bride. If you really are in the bride of Christ, even if you know that Jesus will not come for the next hundred This is a christendom for years 20:14 that the way to make people holy is may come any moment. Tell this engaged girl your bride your bride may land up any day. So don't fool around with other men. Is that the way we keep a person as a pure virgin for Christ? These are all psychological 20:33 human of Holy Spirit and devotion to Christ. Be careful of that. Be careful that you're not attracted to a church by music. Be careful that you're not attracted to a church by money or by psychology. And psychology Christ may come. 20:59 So I want to tell you that Jesus said in the world you will have tribul and those were the two the disciples before he prayed in John 17 and John 18 he says let's go to the garden and he went to the garden of Gethsemane. So 21:17 think of that just before he went off to die he said you're going to have tribulation. So why is it that we hear so much teaching that we won't have tribulation we are afraid of it. In fact, he said the world will have tribulation and as 21:32 soon as you hear the word tribulation, you know, fear comes. That's why the very reason for not is there are I'm not going to be afraid. 21:53 One is well Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 that they will not be able to touch even a hair on your head. Verse 30 the hairs on your head are all numbered. Therefore 22:10 29 the sparrow will fall. Don't be afraid of those who kill you. So in other words, one reason we don't fear is the reason given in I can't kill myself and the care of God for us who are his 22:36 children is much more than this for the sparrows and not one sparrow sees every sparrow another sparrow falling And there's another I mean I have a feeling and God sees that Jesus. 22:56 You think he doesn't know what's happening to me or you and he said the hair you think he doesn't know when someness comes to you crazy. 23:11 I mean, I'm more afraid sick than not so scared about losing a hair in my head, but sickness is worse. He knows. kill me or whatever it is. We don't 23:53 fear. We are more value than many sparrows. But that is not that's only physical. me. 24:11 And that is through and I'll tell you, you'll discover if you don't discover it now, you'll 24:31 discover in eternity that that harm is much hand. It is much worse. And when we realize that we will be afraid of that also the two ways in which the world can harm me and I want 24:50 to be scared of the most serious one first and then I won't be afraid of the other one which is not so serious. And that's why Jesus said in verse 33 of John 16, these things I've spoken to me that in me you may after his resurrection when 25:08 he met to the disciples said peace be unto you. Peace be unto you. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 13- 17 that we must pursue peace with all men without which we will not see the Lord. 25:26 Peace between me and God, between me and other people is a very, very important part of our Christian life. And in Christ, I must live in that peace at all times. In Colossians 3:15, it says, "Whenever that peace goes out of my heart, 25:44 consider it like a referee blowing a whistle in a football game." The peace of Christ must be your means one who blows a whistle saying something is wrong must stop. So whenever I lose that peace 26:04 in my heart, The referee blows a whistle. It may not be something you did wrong, but it disturbed you and you lost your peace. Else does something wrong. Maybe in your 26:22 house, maybe your I had to set something right in my heart that I don't have a grudge against lake. You can see your face. But when there's a ripple on that lake, you can't see your face. So in the same way, when our heart is at 26:41 peace and at rest, we can see the face of the Lord clearly and hear the voice of the Lord clearly. But when there's a disturbance and a lack of peace, you can't see the face of the Lord clearly and you can't hear the voice of the Lord 26:55 either. It's like a disturbance on this on the telephone, on the phone. If you there's a lot of disturbance, you can't hear the voice. And very very often this is the reason why believers say I can't seem to hear what God is saying to me. 27:12 I'll tell you brother there are lot of things that are disturbing the peace in your heart. Get rid of them and you'll the line will become clear because all the disturbance is gone and you will hear the Lord clearly. That's been my 27:29 great longing for many, many years to hear the Lord clearly because of one reason. The Lord said, "The only way for a man to live is by hearing the word of the Lord, not by food." 27:47 The entire world thinks food is necessary to live. But in the midst of the world and things like that, God has a few people who realize that more important for me than food is to hear God speaking to me. And that does not 28:03 mean just reading the Bible for half an hour in the morning and easing my conscience. It's good to read the Bible for half an hour in the morning or whenever you do it. But hearing the word of the Lord is something I must be 28:16 always alert to and I must not allow anything to prevent me from hearing that. That is why I must recognize the whistle of the referee when I lose my peace. 28:32 In the world you will have tribulation but in me you will have peace. That is the greatest preparation for the coming days and for the troubles and difficulties that Christians may face in 28:51 every country. Jesus said you will be hated by all nations. He said that you'll be hated by every nation because of me. And the only way to 29:07 escape being hated is to compromise and hide the fact that you're a disciple of Jesus Christ. I remember in the years when I worked in the Navy and if I was in a ship even for a few days 29:25 and just joined a new ship, I felt that within a few weeks, everybody in the ship must know I'm a Christian. Not by wearing a badge or anything like that, but just that there must be something different about my interests 29:39 and my way of speaking and everything that from the senior officer down to the junior sailors, they must know that I'm different, that I'm a Christian, and I'm not ashamed to carry a Bible or keep a Bible with me on my table. There's no 29:54 law in the world which says you can't keep a Bible on your table. No, I'd keep that. And people say, "Hey, this guy's a different type of Christian." There are many ways if you want to let it be known that you're a Christian. If you want to, if you're 30:10 ashamed, of course, you won't do that because you might lose your promotion with some fanatic anti-Christian who's your boss, then you don't want him to know that you're a Christian. But if there's going to be difficulties for 30:26 Christians, I tell you that. But in these times of relative ease, if we are bold and not ashamed to be known as a Christian, in the more difficult times to come, you'll become more bold. I'll tell you honestly, I was a very timid person, very timid. I was 30:44 the shortest and the weakest in my class in school. And when they heard I was joining the military academy, they made fun of me and say, "You're going to defend our country?" that that's the type of person I was and I said fine and even in the military 31:02 academy I was the shortest and the weakest and a very timid but when God filled me with the Holy Spirit I became a different person and that's why I know that the fullness of the Holy Spirit can make a world of difference in your life it doesn't 31:16 matter what your basic personality is if you're filled with the Holy Spirit you will really become another person and that that's the real thing but the Lord sees whether You're if you're ashamed of being known as a Christian, 31:29 why in the world should God fill you with his Holy Spirit? You can pray for 50 years, but the Lord will say, "You're ashamed of me. Why should I I should be I'll be ashamed of you before my father. You pray for the Holy Spirit. I'll tell 31:40 my father not to give you the Holy Spirit because you're ashamed of me." I want to tell you this. I believe with in my heart that the reason why some people pray and pray and pray and pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and they're 31:52 not filled or get some fake counterfeit filling is because they are ashamed of Christ in the place where they should be bold for Christ. They're ashamed. And Jesus said, "If you're ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of you 32:05 before the father." So I want to encourage all of you before the days of greater trial come don't be ashamed to stand up for Christ in your office in your factory. I'm not saying you should start preaching but by your way of life and by without making 32:25 causing offense to others that you make it known that you're a disciple of Jesus Christ and not the ordinary type of Christian whom everybody knows who's compromising tells lies and cheats and all that. a different type who's 32:38 upright, who's concerned about others. I often think it never I remember Joseph when he was in prison instead of being occupied with all his sorrows that my father and my brothers are all far away and I've been accused falsely, my 32:53 brothers hate me, this woman hated me, and I'm in jail wrongly. Instead of being occupied with all that, he saw two people discouraged in the prison and he went to them and said, "Why are you discouraged?" I've often been challenged by that. 33:10 Even in my younger days when I was working, I said, "Lord, when I work and there are people around me in my office who are working, I don't want to be occupied with my sorrows and my problems. I want to see if somebody's discouraged or gloomy to 33:24 go up to him and say, "Hey, why you discouraged? Can I encourage you in some way?" And do you know that one single question you read that story in Genesis opened the way for Joseph to become the second ruler in Egypt. 33:42 If he had not asked that question, why are you looking so discouraged? The story would have been very different. God honors those who have a concern for others. And that's one way we can be a witness in our office. Not just by giving out 34:00 tracks. Any idiot can give out tracks. But to have a concern for others to just encourage them, not just to preach to them. You don't have to preach to them the very first day. Maybe help them in some practical way. If you do that, you 34:15 don't know what can happen. So let's seek to be bold for Christ because we have peace in our heart and never be ashamed of losing a promotion, not getting a job, not being selected in an interview because they know I'm a 34:33 Christian. It's one of the things I decided very clearly because when I joined the Navy, I had an ambition, real great ambition to go to the top. But when I became a Christian, I knew if I stand up for Christ, that'll be 34:46 impossible. Then I have a choice. My earthly ambition or Christ. I said, I couldn't care less. I don't care if I don't get a promotion. I don't care for money. I want to be a witness for Christ. And I've never regretted that decision I 35:00 made more than 55 years ago. And you won't regret it because the Lord lead you on from one degree of glory to another. Always keep that peace in your heart. that is more important than anything that the world can do to you. 35:15 The hairs on my head are numbered. I'm more valued than many sparrows. But more than that, there's the peace of Christ in my heart. And as I said, the second part of the world ruining me through its influences that can also take away my peace. 35:31 You cannot allow a worldly thought if you're a sincere Christian or attitude to come into your heart and remain at peace. That's not possible. If you can have a worldly selfish attitude towards another person 35:49 and remain at peace, I would question whether you're really born again. Because when a born a person's born again, he comes alive and he becomes sensitive. You see, if you put a a one ton weight on a dead man, he feels nothing. 36:08 But I mean people like us, even a small weight in our hand, we can feel it. There's a weight there because we are alive. And so when we're in our heart, if some worldly influence comes in and you're sensitive, that means you're 36:25 alive. But for example, I I'm amazed how a believer can sit in front of a computer and watch pornography and watch it and watch it and watch it and doesn't disturb him. I wonder if such a person's even born again or if he's born again, whether he's lost 36:45 his salvation. How can you can you have somebody stab you and you don't feel it? And somebody stabs you for 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, whatever amount of time you watch pornography and you don't feel it, brother, you better check up whether 37:04 you're born again. And if you were, once upon a time, check out whether you've lost your salvation. Repent before death completely enters in and you won't feel anything after some time. It's the same way with having a bitterness against somebody. 37:24 The world coming in and making you bitter, bitter, bitter and you can keep it. Bitterness is somebody stabbing you and you have a bitterness against your mother-in-law or somebody else. A bitterness, bitterness, bitterness, 37:38 bitterness. and you're quite happy. You must be dead. That's why you don't feel it. I've had temptations to bitterness come to my heart and I feel it and I say, "Lord, I don't want it." If you feel it's okay. If you feel it, it is okay 37:55 because that means you're alive. I want to be so alive that even a little pin prick, I'll feel it. Ask God to make you sensitive like that. When he says the the the world coming in is not only to through external tribulation. It's the world coming in 38:13 and the world you will have tribulation and the world will come into your heart and try to disturb you. And the only way to be strong in the coming days is by being very very sensitive to the little things that disturb your peace within. 38:29 In me you will have peace. And the thing that's come to take away that peace is the world. The spirit of the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life which makes me offended that somebody spoke to me like that or somebody didn't 38:47 show consideration to me or somebody didn't smile at me or shake my hand or all types of things. The pride of life that makes me feel I'm very important. These are the things that take away that peace. So when we think of the world coming in, 39:04 in order to be prepared for the day when the world may persecute me physically, let me now overcome the world that's trying to conquer me in my spirit, in my heart. And if I conquer the world in my heart, I'll be able to stand firm against the 39:21 world when the world comes to hurt me or persecute me because I'm a Christian. So Jesus said in that in the world you'll have tribulation but take courage because and here's the answer he has given us. Be bold. This is the word of 39:36 the Lord for us today. Be bold because Jesus has overcome the world. I have overcome the world. And you say Lord how does that help me? Because Jesus says if I have overcome the world you can overcome the world 39:53 too. You say no Lord you were God. No, I am God, but I lived on the earth as a man. Otherwise, it's no use God telling me I have overcome the world. What encouragement that to me? It's like a bird telling me I can fly, so what? 40:11 Or an angel telling me I can fly, that doesn't help me. And if it's God telling me I've overcome the world, that doesn't help me. But though Jesus was God on earth, he overcame the world as a man. very very important 40:28 and that is why I can be bold otherwise you know to tell me that he has overcome the world how does that help me he didn't overcome the world physically he didn't overcome the Roman soldiers who came to fight with him they overcame 40:44 him they overcame him so badly that they nailed him to a cross which was the world that he overcame not the world that Caesar in Rome overcame that is a physical world. The world that Jesus overcame was the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 41:01 and the pride of life. Turn with me to 1 John chapter 2, and I'll show you that. When you compare scripture with scripture, you have the answer. 1 John chapter 2 verse 16. 41:17 All that is in the world. And it's mentioned here, all that is in the world. In other words, the lust of the flesh, all the passions in our flesh, the lust of the eyes. I like the I think it's a living Bible 41:39 paraphrase or one of those which says the lust of the eyes is the desire to buy anything that you see you see something in a shop I want to buy it you see another sister wearing a pretty 41:58 sari you want that or you want one like that this is called the lust of the eyes it you can read it and think only men have it. Women have it just as much as men. The desire to buy anything that you see 42:14 in a shop or with somebody else. The lust of the flesh is the sexual passions and many other passions in our flesh. And the third is the pride of life that makes me offended, that makes me bitter, that makes me refuse to 42:31 forgive, that wants to show that I'm better than other people, that makes other people feel small, always treats treats other people as though they are inferior to me. This is all the pride of life. So many things offended because of the 42:45 way somebody spoke to me or the pride of life that makes me feel I will only speak to certain important people. I remember one or two brothers. I think of two brothers particularly who used to be in CFC. Thankfully they're not here 43:04 now. They used to always want to see me. They had no interest in the other brothers in CFC till one day I told both of them please don't come to my house again till you learn to visit all the other brothers in the church 43:21 there's a pride in you which makes you feel I only want to see the leaders I don't want to see the ordinary brothers what what arrogance it's like saying I don't want the little fingers and the toes and all I'm going to cut them off 43:37 you can't do that with the body of Christ. The body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12 says, "The head does not say to the feet, I don't need you." Do you know that? Have you ever read that verse? If not, let me show it to you. The attitude of 43:57 Jesus to the lowest member in the body of Christ. You want to really want to become like Christ, have this attitude. 1 Corinthians and chapter 12 it says here 1 Corinthians and chapter 12 verse 21 44:16 the eye cannot say to the hand I don't need you or the head to the feet I don't need you see the feet are the lowest part in the body and think of he's talking about the body of Christ there think of someone who you know is the lowest 44:33 most insign significant brother here in CFC. Who do you think is the lowest, most uneducated, the most uncultured, most insignificant, who very shy to talk and not very interesting to talk to. Think of 44:52 somebody like that. Uh you have no interest in meeting that person. Do you know that Jesus is interested in that person? And if you are like Jesus, you will also be interested in meeting such people. And Jesus does not say to such a person, 45:08 I don't need you. I mean, I I can dispose with you fellows. I want all the important people here who can do something. I don't believe that. If I believe that, I would never visit a single village in India. I'd always be 45:23 in the cities with the educated people, with the graduates, fellowships and high level people. There are churches like that. where all only high level educated people go is the pride of life and I've seen it in so many believers 45:37 and that's why they don't get grace because God resists the proud and if you want to know one reason why you're not getting victory over some sins that are keeping on harassing you and troubling you this may be the reason there is a 45:51 pride in your life which is preventing you from overcoming the world, judge yourself and be cleansed from that. And when we overcome the world in our daily life, that is the best 46:09 preparation for tribulation, for persecution from the world around. How do you think Paul could face prison and be imprisoned there and have no complaints? And from the prison he wrote Philippians where he says rejoice in the 46:26 Lord always and again I say rejoice and from that prison he wrote be anxious for nothing. How could a man write like that? Because before the external world troubled him externally he had overcome the world internally. So the way to be prepared for 46:45 persecution and difficulty is by overcoming the world today in times of ease. We were taught in the military, the more you sweat in peace, the less you will bleed in war. That means the 47:03 more you work hard in times of peace to prepare for war, then the more victories you'll win in war. The more you sweat in peace, the less you will bleed in war. And I apply that to the Christian life. Today we are living in relative peace 47:18 around us. We're not persecuted. We can meet like this here. There are countries like China where they cannot meet like this. Persecution has already overtaken them. And before it comes to India. How shall we be prepared for it? By making 47:31 sure we have overcome the world inside. And the more you sweat in peace, the less you will bleed in wartime. the less you will deny Christ in the time of persecution. You know, I'm not a natural bold person. I'm naturally a coward. But when the 47:50 Holy Spirit fills me and I lean upon the Lord, then I'm bold. And I don't want a natural boldness. A natural boldness will not help me in time of persecution. Many bold people have denied the Lord. Peter was a naturally bold person. And 48:06 see what happened to him. even as afraid of a servant girl asking him if he was a disciple. So if you're one of those naturally bold people, you're in danger. But if you recognize your weakness, the Lord says when I when you're weak, then 48:19 like my power can be manifest in you and you cling to the Lord. That's what I do. I say, Lord, I'm not a naturally bold person, but I cling to you. And therefore, I want to cling to you all the time. I want to cling to you right 48:32 now so that this world does not overcome me. And in then in the time of persecution that world will not be able to trouble me either. So please keep these things in mind because I believe that the Lord is preparing the church in India for 48:48 difficult times ahead. And by the church I don't mean CFC. I mean every individual believer who is wholehearted a disciple of Jesus Christ. We we we'll Jesus said all nations will hate you. It'll happen. So I'm just trying to tell 49:02 you how you can be prepared for that day. Not just by taking comfort from the fact that your hairs will not be touched or that you're more value than sparrows, but by being prepared in our heart by facing that world which is trying to 49:19 conquer me today. Saying no to watching those television programs that are not helping you at all. Some people spend hours and hours watching what they call serals. Oh, such an interesting story. Sister, there's usually sisters. Have you read the 49:39 Bible? Do you know the Bible? You don't know that and you want to watch all these. There are I'll tell you there are more interesting stories in the Bible if you take the time to read it. That's something that God can help 49:52 you there to know. Get rid of these bad habits. You you will deny Jesus in the day of persecution because you spent your time watching television serals instead of reading the Bible and being bold. And that day you will cry, "Oh Lord, I 50:07 denied you." Why? You got to be prepared for it now. Don't waste your time with allowing the world to grip you inside and with pollution and dirty pictures and my and bitterness and an unforgiving spirit. 50:25 You will not stand in that day. So let's take the words of Jesus seriously. In me, you will have peace. In the world, you'll have tribulation. And before that external tribulation comes, the world with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the 50:40 lust, the pride of life will try to overcome you. Make sure you overcome it. I have overcome the world. He said, what did he mean by I have overcome the world? I have, let me expand it from 1 John 2:16. I've overcome the lust of the 50:54 flesh. I've overcome the lust of the eyes. I've overcome the pride of life. People don't believe that Jesus overcome these things. Let me show that to you again. 1 John chapter 2 and another verse before that. 1 John 2:16. 51:11 All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes. Jesus did not want to buy everything that he saw. He was quite happy with what he had. And the boastful pride of life is not from the father. 51:30 It's completely different. That is of the world. And he says in verse 15, the last part, if anyone loves this world, the love of the father is not in him. So these things that are mentioned is the the world, the lust of the flesh, 51:49 the lust of the pride of life. If you love these things, if you love these things that are polluting your mind, I want to say to you in Jesus name in love for you, you do not love God. Even if you sit in CFC, the love of the father is not in you. 52:09 You won't hear it straight like this in other churches, but you will hear it here. If you love the world, the love of the father is not in you. And therefore, verse 15, do not love the world, nor the things that are in the 52:25 world. And it's not talking about, you know, possessions. It's not saying that you shouldn't have a house or a car. It's talking about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, all that is in the world. He didn't say money, car, house. 52:40 No, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes. It's not these things, but the possessive possessive attitude towards these things that you have to be careful about. Turn also to Revelation chapter 3 52:59 verse 21. There are two verses in scripture that tell us how Jesus sat upon the throne. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 21. He who overcomes, 53:25 I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne. And listen, how did Jesus get to the father's throne? Here's the re the reason is given. As I overcame and I'm set down with the father on his throne. 53:44 You ask God, God, father, why did you allow Jesus to sit at your right hand? You answer, because he is my son. No. because he overcame the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the 54:02 pride of life. Therefore, he sits at me on the throne. And Jesus says, "If you overcome the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, I will grant to you." That means it's not something 54:21 we deserve. I will grant to you the privilege of sitting down with me on my throne. I don't know what that means, but it must be something precious. Not for honor. 54:39 To me, that emphasizes nearness to Jesus Christ. The reward I've said to the Lord many times, the only reward I want in eternity is nearness to Jesus Christ. And that's what's referred to here. I will grant to him to sit with me on my 55:00 throne. And the other verse that tells us why Jesus was exalted is in Philippians in chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. It's very interesting to see that when God sent his son to the earth as a man, 55:16 he did not make different laws for him than he's made for us. For example, he never made a law like, okay, the law of gravity will not operate on Jesus Christ. He can fly. He can jump up without falling down. No. 55:34 The same laws applied to him that applied to us. Do you know that he even got sick? But I'll come to that in a moment. Philippians chapter 2, it says here 55:54 u verse 8, being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself. Very important word. He humbled himself. Meaning, read it 56:12 carefully. Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself. I'll read it again. Tell me what you get out of it. Being found as a man, he humbled himself. What does it mean? It means that if you're a 56:31 human being, the only right thing for you to do is to humble yourself. That's the meaning of that. The only proper thing for any human being to do is to humble himself. 56:48 And he did that even to obedient to the father to the point of death, the death of the cross. Therefore, God exalted him and put him on that high place. So you ask, "Father, father, why 57:05 did you exalt Jesus to the high place?" Because he humbled himself. And if you humble yourself, the Bible says God exalts the humble. I'm absolutely sure if God does not exalt a person over any sin 57:23 is because he has not humbled himself. If you find anger crushing you down, brother or sister, you're not humble. Whatever you may say, God doesn't think you're humble. You can think you are. Other people think you are, but when anger can conquer you, God 57:42 is not. You mean anger is more powerful than your God? You mean anger is pushing you down and God is trying trying to exalt you and he can't because anger is so powerful. You got to be off your head. like those Israelites who felt that the 57:57 giants were more powerful than God. Why does anger conquer you? Be honest today and say, "I am a proud person. Therefore, God does not exalt me over anger. He keeps on pushing me down. I think I'm bigger and more important 58:13 and better than other people. So, God keeps pushing me down." Why does sexual lust keep on conquer you in your thoughts? Answer it. Don't say because, brother, there's so much temptation in the world. It's got nothing to do with 58:24 that. Say, I am a proud person. Identify the root cause of that disease and you'll be cured. Otherwise, you'll be giving the wrong medicine and you don't get cured. The root cause of the disease is you are proud. And God just does not 58:38 exalt proud people over any sin. So, if you're defeated by any sin in your life, say to yourself, God is not exalting me. The law was not different for Jesus Christ. God exalted him because he was humble. 58:57 He's sitting at the throne because he overcame. And that is the same Lord Jesus who says to us, "Take courage. I have overcome the world. You don't have have to be afraid." And because he had overcome the world so thoroughly, 59:16 you know, I'll never forget this beautiful picture. It's always been before me in my mind in John chapter 19. Uh first of all, I'll show you the secret of it. In John 18, then go to 59:32 John 19. John 18, Jesus. Now, you got to picture this in your mind. Sometimes we must use our imagination. Picture in your mind Jesus stripped just a few torn clothes on him. all torn, 59:51 crown of thorns on his head, bleeding from numerous whipping and beatings, standing before Pilate with all the Roman soldiers and the Jewish chief priests and Pharisees all waiting to see him being killed. And Pilate in his 1:00:07 grand robe sitting on the throne and down below there at a lower level, Jesus standing. and Pilate saying, "Are you the king?" Verse 33, John 18:33, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And Jesus said, 1:00:30 "My kingdom, I am a king, but my kingdom is not of this world." How could he say that? Because the world had no power over him. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. 33 years and a half years he had conquered it, 1:00:49 conquered it and said, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. I have no interest in anything this world can give me. Money, honor, position. Can you say that? Can you say that my kingdom is not of this world?" You say, "Then why do you do your job?" 1:01:08 I do a job to earn my living. That's all. so that I don't become a beggar or dependent on rich brothers in the church supporting me or being a parasite on society. I don't want that. I don't want to be a beggar. Why do we 1:01:23 educate our children? Because we don't want our children to grow up to be beggars or dependent on rich people helping them when they are in need. No, that's why we earn our own living and that's why we educate our children so 1:01:34 that they can earn their own living so they can stand on their own feet and not be dependent on anyone. But we don't love this world. We're not interested in the honor, position, greatness, money, anything this world gives. 1:01:50 If you're like that, you can say my kingdom is not of this world. I belong to another kingdom. If my kingdom, here's another proof of your kingdom being of the world. Verse 36, if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight and I will also 1:02:07 fight. Are you the fighting type? That is one of the clearest proofs your kingdom is of this world. You fight in your home. You fight in your office. You fight with the auto rickshaw driver. You fight with the porter in the railway station. You fight 1:02:26 everywhere. Your kingdom is of this world. You want to save five rupees here and two rupees there. And that's why you fight with this vegetable vendors and auto rickshaw drivers. Your kingdom is of this world. You fight with people who earn 10% of 1:02:44 what you earn. Can you imagine that? Fighting with some poor man who earns 10% of what you earn. I've seen Christians do it. Their kingdom is of this world. My kingdom is not of this world. Jesus said, "Be like that, my brother. If you 1:03:01 want to overcome the world, determine in all your life, 24 hours a day, your attitude to everybody in the world, my kingdom is not of this world. If you're going to fight with me, I'm not going to fight. I'm not going to fight for 1:03:12 promotion in my office or advancement or anything. Promotion comes from the Lord. It says in Psalm 75, it comes from the Lord. It doesn't come from man, for me. If you believe that, you'll trust him and you won't be going crying favor with 1:03:26 your bosses. My kingdom is not of this world and I do not fight. Everybody who fights with others is thereby shouting out my kingdom is of this world. Whatever I may say on Sunday morning, whatever beautiful songs and hymns I may sing on 1:03:43 Sunday morning in the church, listen to me. My kingdom is of this world. And the devil says yeah, I can see that. And God says, I can see that too. Now such a man Jesus when Pilate tried to threaten him remember you got to 1:03:59 understand this before you go to the next verse Pilate tried to threaten him a few verses later John 19:10 don't you know that I whose kingdom is of this world Pilate have authority 1:04:15 to release you or to crucify you. What does a normal person say? Please let me go. I won't do it again. Not like that for Jesus Christ. 1:04:32 He stood there and I see him there standing as a king. Real king. Maybe his clothes are torn. Maybe he's bleeding. But he is the king in that court that day and says 1:04:48 you can have no authority over me unless it is given to you by my father. Wonderful words. When I was taken to court once by 1:05:07 religious people, I said those words. You have no authority over me except what my father gives you. I believe that in any situation that you face in life, remember this. Your boss who threatens 1:05:24 you, your landlord or anybody, your neighbor, some enemy, you have no authority over me except what my father gives you. But before you come there, don't forget you got to go through John 18:36. My kingdom is not of this world. If your kingdom is 1:05:44 of this world, you won't have the boldness to say what Jesus said in John 19:11. And that is the reason why many believers cannot say what Jesus said in John 19:11. Don't you think the name of Jesus is so dishonored? Not before people, but 1:06:01 before the devil. The devil watches how Christians are so scared, scared to stand up for the Lord, ashamed of the Lord. And the devil taunts God and says, "These are your people. See how he's behaving in his office. See how he's 1:06:16 behaving there on Sunday morning." They are all very bold to say they are disciples of Jesus. But see him now. Dear brothers and sisters, I'm not saying this to condemn anyone. I'm saying this so that we shall be ashamed 1:06:28 of ourselves and say, "Lord, forgive me. I never want to be ashamed of you. I've often thought of Jesus hanging on the cross, not ashamed to die for us publicly. In my younger days, that's the thing that always used to grip me. It was very 1:06:46 difficult for me to stand up as a 23-year-old officer in the Navy to proclaim that I'm a Christian. But the thing that always used to encourage me was Jesus was not ashamed to be stripped to hang on a cross for me. And I said, "Lord, help me 1:07:04 that I'll look at that and never be ashamed to stand up for you whether I lose my job or anything." I want to tell you this, my brothers and sisters. If you're a disciple of Jesus, you may not get very high up in this world, 1:07:19 but you'll have no regret for thousands and thousands of years in eternity. Thousands and thousands of years in eternity, you'll have no regret over the way you lived for the few years that you were on this earth. 1:07:37 Take it seriously. You won't get another chance in heaven to show your love for Jesus Christ as you can do it now. Now is the only opportunity. determined by the grace of God to conquer those filthy habits that 1:07:56 are dishonoring Christ in your life. Give up watching those filthy things that dishonor Christ in your life. Give up that fighting and quarreling in the home and in the office and on the roads. Say, Lord, make me a man of peace and 1:08:13 let's be witnesses to for Christ by the way we live. And one day when persecution comes and whoever may come before us, we'll be able to say you have no authority over me except what my father gives you. And we won't say that in arrogance. We will say that 1:08:31 in humility. I am a child of my heavenly father. You can't touch me without my father's permission. No weapon formed against me will prosper. If somebody comes to you with a knife or 1:08:49 a gun, what do you do? What do you do? I know what I'll do. I'll say in the name of Jesus, put that down. We got to be bold. God is on our side. He won't let us down. It's mighty authority in the name 1:09:09 of Jesus Christ. If you are seeking the kingdom of heaven first and not the kingdom of this world, that's what we are seeking to prepare people for in this church. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Let's pray. 1:09:27 Our heavenly father, we thank you for not only your love and your goodness, forgiveness, so many things you've given us, but also the tremendous authority 1:09:47 that is ours as children of God, as children of the King of Kings. And the authority there is in the name of Jesus Christ which the devil tries to rob from us through fear, through compromise, through sin. 1:10:04 Lord, we want to be overcomers. We want to humble ourselves continuously down to the ground to fall on our face before you. Thank you that you hear us. And I pray for everyone here, Lord. everyone here who is sincere. Fill them with the Holy 1:10:22 Spirit and the recognition of their authority as believers in Christ. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Shall we all stand up and sing this 1:10:50 chorus? Jesus overcame. Jesus overcame. Jesus overcame Satan's power. And the good news is not only Jesus overcame that we shall also overcome. I hope this morning that you receive that faith from the Lord. And shall we all stand it 1:11:07 together? Sing it together. in faith. [Music] Jesus overcame Jesus over 1:11:26 Jesus overcame Satan's far Jesus overame. Jesus overcame. Jesus overcame. Satisfied. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 1:11:51 Jesus overcame. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Jesus overcame Satan's cross. We shall overcome. 1:12:15 We shall overcome. We shall overcome. Satisfied. We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome. is hallelujah. 1:12:38 Hallelujah. We shall overcome sin. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He shall overcome s 1:13:01 I'll never be the same. I'll never be the same. I'll never be the same anymore. I'll never be the same. I'll never be the same. I'll never be the same 1:13:20 anymore. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I never be the same anymore. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 1:13:44 I'll never be the same anymore. [Music] Please be seated brother and sisters. We want to welcome all those who are 1:14:02 visiting us for the first time today. So if you're visiting us for the [Music] 1:15:17 Heat. Heat. [Music] 1:15:50 Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] 1:16:22 Heat. Heat. [Music] 1:16:57 Heat. Heat. [Music]
