Collierville First Baptist Church

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Oh, I'm so thankful for Joshua and, her choir and orchestra. Our tech team. And what a blessing it is to come Sunday after Sunday, and to get into the presence of God and to worship him in spirit and in truth. Hey, that a thing that happened in Cameroon displays the the difficulties and the chaos that exists in our world today.

00:00:33:25 - 00:01:01:27
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You know, Mr. Jim Willer was with Doug and Melanie, and I praise God that he supernaturally protected them. We have so much to be thankful for today. We can be thankful that God protected our mission team there. Doctor Spradlin, Brother George there in Cameroon, Mr. Jim, Doug and Melanie and the interpreters. I praise God that he protected them.

00:01:02:00 - 00:01:34:08
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So I want you to take your Bibles today and turn to Colossians chapter three. And I want to speak to you on this subject, being a Christian. Now we talk a lot about becoming a Christian. The Bible says here in Colossians chapter one and beginning with verse 13, for he rescued us from the dominion domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son.

00:01:34:08 - 00:02:08:28
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That's becoming a Christian in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is in the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. So we become a Christian, and God moves us from darkness into his eternal light. We're transferred to the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. He redeems us from the bondage of sin. He forgives all of our sins past, present, and future.

00:02:09:00 - 00:02:40:27
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This qualifies us for a spiritual inheritance which is reserved for us in heaven, which is imperishable and undefiled, and will never fade away. That's becoming a Christian. You may be here today and you say, pastor, I'm not a Christian. I've never done what John Aaron said he did as a little boy when he gave his heart to Jesus, when he repented of his sin and placed his faith in Christ.

00:02:40:29 - 00:03:09:19
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Well, I want you to know that at the end of the service today, we're going to give you an opportunity to become a Christian. It'll be the greatest moment in your life, I promise you, because it will seal your eternal destiny. Forever and ever and ever. But today, I want us to focus not on becoming a Christian, but on being a Christian.

00:03:09:22 - 00:03:46:14
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As Paul put it in his letter to Titus, his young protege. In Titus 212, Paul wrote this to deny ungodly meanness and worldly desires, and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. That's the challenge of being a Christian. Now keep this in mind. Every believer has at the very tips of his fingers the power, the wisdom, the life and the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:03:46:17 - 00:04:18:19
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There is no excuse for any believer not to be a Christian. Now, being a Christian is characterized by six things. Now don't don't worry. We're going to pass through them quickly today. Six things. Number one, a pursuit of holiness. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead so that we might experience newness of life in him.

00:04:18:21 - 00:04:58:27
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In Colossians chapter three, verse five through eight, listen to what the Scripture says. Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked when you were living in them, but now you also put them all aside anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

00:04:58:29 - 00:05:31:23
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Listen, God takes sin seriously in the life of an unbeliever, but he also takes in seriously in the life of a believer. In Christ, you have the power to crush these sins that Paul mentioned here. You have the power to walk in victory and to live for the glory of Christ and the Heavenly Father. But by faith you must consider, are the members of your body as dead to these things.

00:05:31:25 - 00:05:55:25
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You say, well, what about anger? I've got an anger problem, pastor. Well, let me tell you what you need to do. You need to say in in Jesus and in the Word of God and in the power of the Spirit of God. I am dead to anger. I'm dead to it. I have victory over it. If you have a problem with impurity or immorality, you say, I'm dead to that.

00:05:55:27 - 00:06:25:21
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I'm dead to it. I'll walk in victory over that. You can do those kinds of things. So the thing I'm trying to get across to you is don't just become a Christian. Be a Christian. Be a Christian. Now is characterized by pursuit of holiness. Number two, a process of renewal, a process of renewal. Look at verses nine through 11.

00:06:25:24 - 00:06:53:03
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Do not lie to one another. Since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him. A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and skitty, and slave and free man.

00:06:53:05 - 00:07:20:05
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But Christ is all and in all. See if you're really a born again believer. Christ is everything to you. He's everything to you. Do you see the emphasis in these verses on renewal? Now, metaphorically speaking. Being a Christian means you got to change your clothes. You got to change your clothes. You see, some of you are wearing dirty clothes.

00:07:20:07 - 00:07:44:11
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They stink. They don't look good. They're wrinkled. And what you need to do as a believer is you need to change your clothes. There's certain things you need to put off, and there's certain things you need to put on. You realize that in Christ, you can put on a new position. You're in Christ you can put on a new power.

00:07:44:14 - 00:08:13:13
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You can put on a new passion, a new priority, a new purpose, and a new prospect that you'll be in heaven with Jesus forever and ever and ever. The ultimate goal of this renewal process is for the one who has become a Christian. To be a Christian, to be a Christian. Can I ask you a question? Are you pursuing holiness?

00:08:13:16 - 00:08:36:02
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Or are you in a process of renewal? Can you look back on your life and say, I'm more like Jesus this year than I was last year at Thanksgiving? I hope and pray you can do that. Now, you can't microwave this thing. You can't press a button and and in 10s you'll be conformed to the image of Jesus.

00:08:36:03 - 00:09:05:05
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It's a process. In theological terms, we're talking about sanctification. You see, the moment you're born again, you become a new person in Christ. You have that new position, new power, new passion, new projects, new purpose, a new prospect. You've got that the moment you're saved. But then for the rest of your life as a believer, until you step into glory, the glory of heaven, you're in a process.

00:09:05:08 - 00:09:39:15
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And in that process, there should be victories along the way. Spiritual markers in your life that will give you indication that you're making, that you're growing spiritually, that you're becoming more like Jesus. So what does it mean to be a Christian? It means that you have a pursuit of holiness. A process of renewal is in place. And number three, you have a heart for people and a heart for people.

00:09:39:17 - 00:10:13:26
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And Colossians 312, the Bible says so as as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion. These are some things you got to put on. We talked about what you got to put off, but these are what you put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Now, kindness was a, Greek word used to refer to one that had grown mellow with age and had lost its harshness.

00:10:13:28 - 00:10:46:14
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You see, being a Christian means that you are considerate of the feelings of other people. And gentleness is a Greek word that means power under control. It's not weakness. The motto of a gentle and humble person is you before me. And then the word patience literally means long tempered. You don't fly off the handle at people. You see in verse 12 that put that that verb put on is a command.

00:10:46:17 - 00:11:10:02
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It's not a suggestion. You say, pastor, are you saying to me that I have no choice in this? Oh, you got a choice. All right. Your choice is to obey or disobey. And I pray that every believer in this room will say today, more than anything in this world, I want to please my Lord. And I want to obey my Lord.

00:11:10:04 - 00:11:37:03
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These characteristics of grace should be lived out in the laboratory of life, in the dorm, in the classroom, in the locker room, in the workplace, in the church, and in the home. Certain things we put off, certain things we put on a heart for people. You say, pastor, I just don't like people. Well, you got a problem. You.

00:11:37:04 - 00:11:51:26
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Here's what you need to do. You need to ask yourself, am I truly a Christian? Because I'm telling. If you're a born again believer, how can you not like people?

00:11:51:29 - 00:12:25:10
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Be a Christian. It's characterized by pursuit of holiness, a process of renewal, a heart for people. And number four, a readiness to forgive. This is where it's hard. It's hard to forgive people, especially people who have hurt you deeply. But it's our responsibility. It's one of the things that we put on as a believer. That's what it means to be a believer, a readiness to forgive.

00:12:25:12 - 00:12:56:22
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Verse 13, bearing with one another and forgiving each other whoever has a complaint against anyone. So as the Lord forgave you, so also should you notice that that little phrase bearing with one another, it means to uphold and to encourage. Even when somebody fails to do something that you expect them to do and they disappoint you. Notice that that reference to forgiven this one off.

00:12:56:22 - 00:13:33:23
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Or put it this way. Forgiveness is surrendering my right to hurt you for hurting me. That's what forgiveness is. And every born again believer in all the world. When somebody hurts them and wounds them, they have a responsibility before God to forgive them. And our motivation is just what we talked about last week in the sermon. Just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

00:13:33:25 - 00:14:13:08
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So why should we forgive people who hurt us? Can't we be in danger of being hurt again? Can we really afford to let our guard down and forgive people who hurt us? The answer is absolutely. I preach the sermon one time entitled this forgiveness is him, I am possible. It's him. Impossible. It's impossible for me. But it's him possible with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God who indwells me.

00:14:13:10 - 00:14:38:17
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Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And I believe with all my heart that any born again believer, no matter how deep the wound may be, you can forgive somebody who hurts you because of what Jesus has done for you and what he makes available to you as a follower of his. So be a Christian.

00:14:38:19 - 00:15:15:08
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Be a Christian. Here is a number five a pattern of love, a pattern of love. Look at verse 14. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Now the word love refers to God's uncon ditional love. It's the Greek word agape. A it's a love that does what the person being loved needs, not what the person being love wants.

00:15:15:11 - 00:15:47:19
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You hear me? Some people think, well, if you really love me, you'll do whatever I want you to do. No no no no no. That does not work in the home with a family. It doesn't work for parents raising their kids. You don't necessarily give kids everything they want because it would be bad for them. No. You give them what they need because you love them with the unconditional love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:15:47:22 - 00:16:22:11
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A pattern of love. Okay. You've love people, and people have wounded you. Now, listen, this command right here, beyond all these things, put on love. It is an imperative. It is a command in the Greek language. And it means simply this. Keep putting on love over and over and over again. It's in the present tense. So you keep on loving people even when they hurt you.

00:16:22:14 - 00:16:56:13
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Now love is the bow that pulls together all of these graces that Paul has mentioned in this text. Love is a bow that adorns the heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other. Jesus challenged his followers with this command right before he went to the cross. We went over last week. He said, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I've loved you, that you also love one another.

00:16:56:13 - 00:17:37:19
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By this all men will know that you are my disciples. If you have love for one another. Okay, you've become a Christian. Praise God! The greatest thing that ever happened in your life. It seals your eternal destiny. But now, right now, today is the time to make a commitment that you're going to be a Christian in every sense of the word, that you're going to have a pursuit for holiness, a process of renewal, a heart for people, a readiness to forgive, and a pattern of love.

00:17:37:21 - 00:18:19:29
Unknown
And then finally, I want you to notice the sixth and final characteristic of this amazing idea of being Christian. Number six a focus on gratitude. The influence of the Lord Jesus Christ on a true believer, on a true believer is is off the charts, simply off the charts. In Colossians 315, Paul wrote to the Colossian believers, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.

00:18:20:01 - 00:18:45:28
Unknown
Hey, you might want to underline that in your Bible. Be thankful. I use the New American Standard Bible. That's exactly what it says. Be thankful. Now think about this. His peace rules in your heart. Jesus told his disciples, is my peace. I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

00:18:46:01 - 00:19:23:00
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So Jesus gives us a supernatural peace by which we can handle the difficulties and the storms of life. Look at verse 16. The Bible says, let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and singing with thankfulness in your heart. You ought to underline in your Bible sinking, singing, not sinking, singing with thankfulness in your heart.

00:19:23:03 - 00:19:56:06
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Have you noticed something in two consecutive verses? Gratitude or thankfulness is brought up by the Apostle Paul. Now remember, as we've talked about biblical interpretation, we know that when something is repeated in Scripture, it's especially in a close context. It's like the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention and say, are you paying attention? Are you hearing what I want you to hear?

00:19:56:06 - 00:20:21:10
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Are you doing what I want you to do? And here's what the Holy Spirit wants. He wants you and me to say that a grateful heart. A thankful heart is of God. It's something that we must have if we're going to be a believer in every sense of the word. It's interesting. He says his peace rules in our heart.

00:20:21:11 - 00:20:38:24
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In verse 15, that word rule means to umpire. It's like a like an umpire at a baseball game. He calls balls and strikes. And here his word richly dwells within us.

00:20:38:27 - 00:20:59:21
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That's the idea of the Word of God finding a home in our heart. Can I ask you a question? Has the Word of God found a home in your heart? Do you love the Word of God? Do you love to study it? Do you love to to read it? Do you love to? To hear it taught and preached?

00:20:59:22 - 00:21:27:15
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You loved to to get on a podcast and listen to God talk about Scripture, and I hope you do. There's nothing to replace the Word of God, because the Word of God is a treasury of wisdom, and it helps us when we face difficult circumstances and lives. And the Word of God shows us how to navigate those difficult times.

00:21:27:18 - 00:21:52:22
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And the Word of God helps us when we have to make big decisions. I wouldn't want to make a big decision without getting the truth from the Word of God. That applies to that decision that I'm making. It leads us to worship God and it failed. When you start the Word of God, you cannot help but be filled with gratitude and thank thankfulness.

00:21:52:25 - 00:22:37:12
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In Colossians 317, look at this one. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. You ought to take your pen or pencil, and you ought to underline that last part. Giving thanks through him to God the Father. Now, in three consecutive verses, the Holy Spirit has shined a light into our heart, and the Holy Spirit has made the the very important point that we are to be thankful to God, that we're to have gratitude to God in our lives.

00:22:37:14 - 00:23:10:10
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So whatever you do in word or deed, this it's a comprehensive expression, isn't it? It includes your education. It includes your career, your hobbies, your finances, your eating, your dating, your use of social media, your entertainment, your music, your shopping, your time management. It includes all of life. Whatever you do in word hour day, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

00:23:10:12 - 00:23:52:22
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That means to live in harmony with his revealed will in subjection to his authority, and in dependance on his power to do in and through you what only he can do. A focus on gratitude must be a vital aspect of our lives. If we're going to glorify the Lord our God. G.K. Chesterton said this when it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or whether you take them with gratitude.

00:23:52:24 - 00:24:21:28
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It's what about you? Do you take things for granted? Do you take for granted the fact that God allowed you to wake up this morning and have breath for your lungs? Do you take for granted that you have a, a roof over your head? And when it rains, you don't get wet? Do you take for granted that you have a vehicle that gets you from point A to point B?

00:24:22:00 - 00:24:54:21
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Do you take for granted your health? Do you take for granted that God has blessed you with a family? Oh my friend, don't take this stuff for granted. Take it with gratitude. This morning before I came out here, I spent time in my office. I just went through the things I was thankful for in my life. I'm so thankful that in his sovereign grace, God chose to allow me to be a Christian, to become a Christian.

00:24:54:23 - 00:25:17:12
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I'm so thankful that when I was 30 years old, he called me to be a pastor. I'm so thankful that Darlene and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary. We'll be up on the screens August 2nd. And she's all looking forward to that.

00:25:17:15 - 00:25:54:24
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I'm so thankful that God gave us Heather and Zach and Vic, Caden, Ainsley and Tina and Laken. Oh, what a blessing. We can't take these things for granted. We got to take them with gratitude. I'll tell you if you really want to grow spiritually, if you want to throw gasoline on the fire of your spiritual growth, develop a heart that is filled with gratitude.

00:25:54:27 - 00:26:28:23
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Now, Paul refers to gratitude, or thanksgiving seven times in this epistle. In Colossians one three he refers to it in Colossians 112. Chapter two. Verse seven. Chapter three. Verse 15. Chapter three. Verse 16, chapter three, verse 17. And in chapter four, verse two, he refers to gratitude and thanksgiving. Once again, once again we see the overall whelming emphasis that the Spirit of God puts on gratitude.

00:26:28:25 - 00:27:03:04
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Now remember when Paul wrote this epistle, he was not sitting in a nice, comfy hotel. You know where he was. He was in prison. He was in prison not because he broke the law, not because he stole anything or because he hurt somebody. He was in prison because he was a bold witness for Jesus Christ. And the world wanted to shut him down.

00:27:03:08 - 00:27:14:20
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The world wanted to cancel him. You see, canceling is not just something new to our culture. It's been going on for a long time.

00:27:14:23 - 00:27:48:27
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We must not allow our culture to to cancel us. A.W. Tozer wrote this millions of professed believers talk as if God were real and act as if he were not. Our actual position is always determined by the way we act or the by the way we live, not by the way we talk. Oh, have you ever been around Christians who talk a good game?

00:27:49:09 - 00:28:15:19
Unknown
Look, I've been around athletes who talk a good game. I remember one time when I was coaching at Columbus Lee under Johnny Bruce as a head coach. We had a guy move in from Ohio, and to hear him say it, he was going to be an all conference, all state running back. But you know what? He was great.

00:28:15:22 - 00:28:49:11
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We were in shorts and Schimmel shirts. But when we put on the pads and we put on the helmets and we did the Oklahoma drill, that dude had a yellow streak as wide as that carpet right there. I'm telling you, you see, it's not just talking a good game as a believer. We gotta live out what we profess with our mouth.

00:28:49:13 - 00:29:24:12
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This message has been centered on being a Christian. What does it mean? How do we do it? Remember, it's characterized by pursuit of holiness, a process of renewal, a heart for people, a readiness to forgive, a pattern of love, and a focus on gratitude. So let me ask you a question today. As a born again believer. You've become a Christian.

00:29:24:14 - 00:29:41:08
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Your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. You've passed out of death into life. You passed out of the domain of darkness into the glorious Shekinah glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in his kingdom.

00:29:41:10 - 00:30:12:25
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So how do you measure up? How do you measure up to these six characteristics? You say, pastor, I wish I had more options here. I wish it wasn't just obedience or disobedience, but I'm sorry to tell you that's all you got. Either you're going to obey the Lord. Are you going to disobey the Lord? And you're going to miss out on a lot of blessings in your life.

00:30:12:25 - 00:30:36:02
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If you're a true believer. So this morning, I'm asking you as a believer to judge yourself. I'm not going to judge you. I can't judge you. But I tell you, the Holy Spirit will judge you. The Holy Spirit will show you where you're lacking. And if the Holy Spirit nails you to the wall with one of these six characteristics, come to this altar.

00:30:36:05 - 00:31:10:15
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Bow before the Lord. Ask him to forgive you, to cleanse you, and to give you victory in that area of your life. I'll tell you, he'll answer that prayer, and you can walk out of here with a new spring in your spiritual step. Oh, I encourage you. Don't miss this opportunity to get right with the Lord. But there are some people, maybe in this room watching live stream.

00:31:10:18 - 00:31:38:21
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And when you do an honest evaluation of yourself, you say, pastor, I don't need to be a Christian. I need to become a Christian. Now, let me say this to you. If you try to be a Christian without first becoming a Christian, it's going to be the most frustrating thing in your life. Trust me, it won't work because you can't do this stuff without Jesus.

00:31:38:23 - 00:32:07:10
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Are you ready to become a Christian? Are you ready to turn from your sin and place your faith in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Are you ready to say to him, Lord, I never will forget? At Mississippi State, I was 20 years old, man. I was under conviction. I was on my knees in my dorm room.

00:32:07:10 - 00:32:43:05
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My roommate was gone. I was crying like a baby. And I said, Lord Jesus, I believe that you're the Son of God. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. And I believe that you were raised from the dead. And tonight I said this. 20 years ago tonight, with everything I have, I just want to tell you I'm sorry for the way I'm living.

00:32:43:08 - 00:33:15:11
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And I ask you to forgive me. And I ask you to cleanse me. And I ask you to give me new life in you. Be my Lord and my Savior. Not just tonight. I remember praying this. I said, Lord, from this day until the day I die, I honestly pray thee. From this day to the day I die, let me please you and honor you.

00:33:15:13 - 00:33:58:10
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It was a transforming moment in my life. I've never been the same. Not perfect. Far from it. But that's the renewal process. I'm in the process. You know when you're going to see the finished product. Chuck Haring, when we get to heaven. Because when we get to heaven, the Bible says we will see Jesus and we will become like him, and instantaneously our sin nature will be eradicated and we will be perfectly, purely holy for the first time in our lives and will be glorified.

00:33:58:13 - 00:34:28:24
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That can be you. Come to Christ today. I'm going to ask our worship team to come and ask our staff to come. And we're here to minister to you. This is a time of worship. This is a time to respond to the Word of God that you've heard today. To the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Hey, I would ask you.

00:34:28:26 - 00:34:56:06
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I would ask you, please don't leave until we get through the invitation. Please. Let's do that to the father. In the name of Jesus. Lord, I preach what you laid on my heart to preach. I believe that your word never returns void. And, Lord, I pray that you would work in the heart of every person who's born again.

00:34:56:08 - 00:35:24:25
Unknown
And I pray that every person is born again. We'll look at these six characteristics and allow the Spirit of God to measure them based upon these six characteristics. And I pray that where any of us are lacking, will we come to the altar and we'd repent and ask you to give us victory. Lord, I pray for those who need to become a Christian today.

00:35:24:25 - 00:35:42:28
Unknown
Oh God in heaven. I pray for their souls. Please save them. Have them to believe in Jesus in Christ's name. Amen. Let's stand at worship and you come as God leads you.