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Between Two Advents Part 2

Living Proof with Beth Moore

December 29, 2020

27:29

Advent cause us to not only celebrate Christmas but anticipate something more glorious!

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Between Two Advents Part 2

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Hey, everybody,we wanted to invite you
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into our homeat Living Proof Ministries
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because you have invited us
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into yours so many times.
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We live and breathefor one primary thing
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at Living Proofand that is to see people
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come to love the LordJesus Christ
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with everything in themthrough the study of his Word.
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To love God's Word,to live on God's Word,
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that is the greatest joyon earth to us.
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Every time I speak now I knowthat ultimately that particular
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message is going to come aroundto our program
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and I can have people like youon the other side of that screen
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and so I want you to knowI think about you
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every single time I teach nowand you are so important to us.
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As we flip the calendarto a brand new year,
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I wonder if you wouldconsider coming alongside us
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at Living Proofand partnering with us
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through a year-end gift.
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We would pray to be such goodstewards of it
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and it would go such a long waywith eternal results
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we pray,that God would bring forth
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fruitfulness from itin the lives of people as they
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seek to know himand to do his will.
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Listen, we could not possiblydo it without donors like you
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so we are so gratefulfor your help.
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Thank you so much.
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We're supposed to be mindfulthat he who came
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is coming again,and I wonder
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if we could interruptthis holiday season
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with a strong emphasis,with a shaking to our bones,
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of the glorious expectationthat the one who came
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is coming again.
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♪♪♪
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Jesus said that the kingdomis near us and that the kingdom
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is in us, and yet our feetare not yet in it.
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So if you ever wonderwhy it is we are strangers
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in this world, well,because our citizenship
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is in a different placeand here we are
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and very often we don'teven speak the same language.
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Can anybody go there with me?
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So here the kingdom, our heartsbeat for the kingdom whether we
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realize it or not,that longing that you have
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that you cannot identify.
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You know,one of the things
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that I tell a sister who isreally, really struggling
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to stay in her marriageand is being really,
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really temptedoutside her marriage
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and I would say the same thingto a brother
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if I was face to facewith him
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in a similar conversation.
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I said, "Well, you need tounderstand,
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'cause I can tellthat the situation is,
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that the newnesshas long since worn off,
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and what I say over and over is,
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"Yes, and the next newness isgoing to wear off too,
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and then that newnessis gonna wear off
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and then you're gonna move tosomebody new
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and the newnessis always going to wear off
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because what it is you wantso much, you cannot get here.
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We have something--we keep looking for something.
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Somebody needs to know becauseit would set you free
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from your turmoilthat with faith comes a longing.
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Faith--when we are reallyawakened with great faith,
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it puts a longing in us thatwe can't even always identify.
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We don't even--we don'teven know, well, it's to be.
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We are peoplein the kingdom of God.
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We would neverget it satiated here.
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It's not to say a lot of thingsaren't fulfilling to us here.
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We have a lot of love,we have laughter,
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we have tears, we have turmoil,we have absurdity.
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We have all of those thingsthat make life interesting.
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But our longings.
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The deepest longingsof our heart are not going to
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be found and satiated here.
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I mean, like,I don't know about you but,
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like, nobody treats melike royalty.
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Anybody find that to be true?
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Like, here we areand the world does not act
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like it even knows who we are.
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I've been thinking a lotabout time lately.
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Maybe it's because, like,
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we just finished puttingour Christmas stuff up,
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a few weeks ago.
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Doesn't it seem like that?
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And we just got it out again.
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We just get the lightsoff the house
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and it's time to put 'emright back up again.
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One reason I've been thinkinga lot about time
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is because my little 7-poundgrandson will turn 14
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in the early partof the New Year
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and he has outgrown meby an inch and a half.
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I've got this little cardthat I keep right out
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where I see it.
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You can't see it very wellbut it's got a little bitty boy
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and his face is looking aroundthat corner right there.
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And about 14½ years ago,the doorbell rang at my house
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and I wentand I opened the door
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and nobody was therebut there was a gift there,
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and it was a really longcylinder kind of a box
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like that, and it hada little card on it.
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And you see,I, like most parents,
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love to embarrass my children.
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And one of the thingsfrom the time
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that Curtiscame into our family,
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when they were just datingand decided to marry,
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then I, you know,I just set in
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and I set in about the thingsthat I just could not wait to do
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with my grandchildren.
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And you know,he's just like--
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he's not going to be onethat's gonna be
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super-demonstrativeduring praise and worship
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and there's hismother-in-law.
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You understandwhat I'm saying to you?
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And so, you know, I just hadsuch a great time 'cause I said,
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"You know, one of these days
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when I get a little babyCurtis," I said,
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"I just can't wait.
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I'm gonna have lessons with him.
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It's gonna be called,'Praise Dancing with Granny.'
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And I'm gonna get hima little banner.
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We're just gonna havelittle matching banners
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and in praise and worshipwe're just gonna take off
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and run the sanctuary."
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And of course, you know, I'venever done that in my life but I
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have been placeswhere people have done it
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and I've wanted to do itwith 'em, frankly.
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I've wanted to.
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I sometimes in praiseand worship,
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I look at myself and go,"Okay, any minute now.
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Any minute.
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If there's a flag anywherein sight, I'm about to take it.
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Just any minute,I'm about to take it."
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So I come and see that gifton the front porch.
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Got no idea what it is.
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I take the card out and it says,"Dear Mom and Dad,
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you have eight monthsto get ready for praise
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dancing with baby Curtis.
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Love, Curtis and Amanda."
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And it was time,and now he's nearly 14.
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It all goes so fast, doesn't it?
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Doesn't it?
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That highly esteemed sageof our age, Dr. Seuss,
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said it this way and it's oneof my very favorite ways:
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"How did it get so late so soon?
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"It's night beforeit's afternoon.
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"December is herebefore it's June.
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"My goodness howthe time has flewn.
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How did it get so late so soon?"
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How did it get so late so soon?
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Time has flewn.
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Time, technically,is the very first thing
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that God ever created.
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"In the beginning,"because it was the eternal realm
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so there had to be timecreated so that there could be
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a beginning because thingsthat were earthward
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that were going to be partof the mortal,
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terrestrial groundof this man
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that they had plannedbefore the foundation
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of the world,this humanity created
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to praise him and serve himand love him
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and know him and joinin the fellowship of the Father
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and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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There had to be time
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because time relatesto all things earth.
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You can even seethat in Revelation
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when there'll be referencesto time.
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It's always in reference tothings going on in the temporal
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realm and then there'sa new heavens
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and a new earththat will have no end.
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And, of course, time is linearin the Bible,
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not cyclical like a numberof other world religions.
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We know this from Hebrews 9:27that says that "it is appointed
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for man to die onceand then comes the judgment."
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But here's a beautiful thingand something I want you
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to set your mind on at this timeof year
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when our mind is on time.
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Is it in the Bible's wayof reckoning,
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time doesn't go, time comes.
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We think of time like, man,it goes so fast.
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No, no, it's coming, not going.
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You can hear it in a segmentof Galatians.
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In chapter 4, verse 4, it says:
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"But when the fullness of time
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"had come, God sent forthhis Son, born of woman,
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born under the law."
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"When the fullnessof time had come."
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We think of time as fleetingand the Bible sees it
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not as fleeting,but as building.
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We feel like we're running outof time,
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but the Bible sees it as runningtoward a time.
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And this would change everythingfor us and our perspective
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of life if we would let it.
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A couple of other examples,Luke 2:6
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where what you think aboutand meditate on
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so much this time of yearand so do I:
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"And while they were there,the time came for her
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to give birth,"
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speaking of Mary giving birthto the Christ child.
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Christ saying to his brothersin John 7:8:
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"You go up to the feast.
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I'm not going up to this feast
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for my time has not yetfully come."
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Daniel 7:22, speakingof the future:
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"And the time camewhen the saints
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possessed the kingdom."
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"The time came."
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So here's what I want youto understand here.
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You know it, but this timeof year is for reminders.
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And all of time is moving towarda moment in time
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and I want youto understand something.
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That moment in timewas not the birth.
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That birth was imperativefor the moment in time
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but it itself was not the apex.
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It had to happento get to the apex.
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The time towardwhich all time is moving,
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the reason why the Bibleever says,
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"In the beginning,"is because the clock
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started ticking towardone moment in time
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and we pray forthat moment in time
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every time we praythe Lord's Prayer.
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"Thy kingdom come,thy will be done,
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on earth as it is in heaven."
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All of time is comingtoward the moment
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when every eye will see Christand it will not just be
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the manifestationbut the interpretation
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of the Son of Godcome to rule in righteousness
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and right every single wrongand in justice he will reign.
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Can I get an amenin the house tonight?
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All of time ticking towardone huge scene
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and that is himbreaking through that sky
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for every eye to see.
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Hi, I'm Natalieand this is Selena.
00:12:00.502 --> 00:12:02.704
I know we all need something newto look forward to.
00:12:02.737 --> 00:12:05.607
Beth and her daughter Melissahave written a dynamic study
00:12:05.640 --> 00:12:09.477
called,"Now that Faith has Come:
00:12:09.511 --> 00:12:11.412
A Study of Galatians."
00:12:11.446 --> 00:12:13.114
(Selena)This seven-week study
00:12:13.148 --> 00:12:14.449
will walk you through
00:12:14.482 --> 00:12:15.784
Paul's letter tothe New Testament church.
00:12:15.817 --> 00:12:17.719
The materialis wildly interesting
00:12:17.752 --> 00:12:19.821
in its original context
00:12:19.854 --> 00:12:21.222
and relevantto our present world.
00:12:21.256 --> 00:12:23.625
We need our minds stayedon Christ like no other time.
00:12:23.658 --> 00:12:28.263
Living Proof Ministries isso excited to present this study
00:12:28.296 --> 00:12:32.467
that we hope will fullyengage you in every word
00:12:32.500 --> 00:12:36.070
Paul wrote to the Galatians.
00:12:36.104 --> 00:12:38.139
(Selena)Visit BETHMOORE.ORG
00:12:38.173 --> 00:12:40.141
to preorder your copy today.
00:12:40.175 --> 00:12:41.976
The workbookwill release January 2021.
00:12:42.010 --> 00:12:45.180
If you don't already have plansfor getting into the Scriptures
00:12:45.213 --> 00:12:48.116
this New Year,join us as we dive
00:12:48.149 --> 00:12:50.785
into the studyof Galatians.
00:12:50.819 --> 00:12:52.921
♪♪♪
00:12:53.454 --> 00:12:59.294
(Beth Moore)I've got to tell you,
00:13:05.934 --> 00:13:07.235
we have all been through a lot
00:13:07.268 --> 00:13:08.837
in the last yearsbut I have never in my life,
00:13:08.870 --> 00:13:13.141
I say to you, I have never hadmore confidence
00:13:13.174 --> 00:13:17.278
in the pure gospelof our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:13:17.312 --> 00:13:22.283
♪ Oh my soul, lift up the nameof the One who saves. ♪
00:13:22.317 --> 00:13:26.688
♪ He reigns forever ♪
00:13:26.721 --> 00:13:28.489
♪ Oh my soul,lift up your praise ♪
00:13:28.523 --> 00:13:31.359
♪ I will riseand bless the Lord ♪
00:13:31.392 --> 00:13:34.062
♪ Oh my soul, oh my soul ♪
00:13:34.095 --> 00:13:40.535
♪ Oh my soul, oh my soul ♪
00:13:40.568 --> 00:13:45.907
Let me tell you something,
00:13:48.476 --> 00:13:49.777
he's come to speak in powerto us this weekend
00:13:49.811 --> 00:13:52.213
because his Wordis fresh and alive.
00:13:52.247 --> 00:13:55.416
That's the miracleof the Scriptures.
00:13:55.450 --> 00:13:59.254
(female announcer)Come join us in a city near you.
00:13:59.287 --> 00:14:02.390
I told you a little bitabout Jackson about to turn 14.
00:14:04.826 --> 00:14:07.161
About that same timein the very same month,
00:14:07.195 --> 00:14:10.665
my granddaughterAnnabeth will turn 11.
00:14:10.698 --> 00:14:14.802
She is what is called,wonderfully, I think, a tween.
00:14:14.836 --> 00:14:21.309
She is no longer a little girland she is not a teen.
00:14:21.342 --> 00:14:26.214
Annabeth, along with thoseher age and right around it,
00:14:26.247 --> 00:14:30.952
she is a tween.
00:14:30.985 --> 00:14:32.854
And so that'swhat else I came to tell you,
00:14:32.887 --> 00:14:35.189
that that's us.
00:14:35.223 --> 00:14:37.025
That alongside every generation
00:14:37.058 --> 00:14:38.660
following the Ascensionof Christ and waiting
00:14:38.693 --> 00:14:42.864
for his visible arrival,we are the tweens
00:14:42.897 --> 00:14:48.970
living between two advents.
00:14:49.003 --> 00:14:53.007
And man, it gets crazy in here.
00:14:53.041 --> 00:14:58.947
The book of Acts saysin Acts 14:22,
00:14:58.980 --> 00:15:03.251
the apostle Paul says:
00:15:03.284 --> 00:15:04.719
"For it is throughmuch tribulation
00:15:04.752 --> 00:15:08.690
that we inherit the kingdom."
00:15:08.723 --> 00:15:10.725
Doesn't mean through tribulationwe are saved.
00:15:10.758 --> 00:15:13.061
We're only saved by the bloodof Christ,
00:15:13.094 --> 00:15:15.797
by putting our faith in himand what he did for us.
00:15:15.830 --> 00:15:19.567
But he's saying,"Let me tell you something.
00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.902
There ain't no getting to thatkingdom without a whole lot
00:15:20.935 --> 00:15:23.104
of tribulation.
00:15:23.137 --> 00:15:24.639
It's gonna be a trial.
00:15:24.672 --> 00:15:26.374
It's gonna be a trial.
00:15:26.407 --> 00:15:28.309
But it's gonna be good.
00:15:28.343 --> 00:15:30.378
So I want you to look at thesepassages in 1 Peter 3 through 9
00:15:30.411 --> 00:15:33.481
and I want youto notice something with me.
00:15:33.514 --> 00:15:35.450
There are three distincttime periods
00:15:35.483 --> 00:15:38.586
that are talked aboutin this portion of Scripture
00:15:38.619 --> 00:15:42.590
that are so important.
00:15:42.623 --> 00:15:44.592
I'm gonna pick up in verse 6:"This brings you great joy,
00:15:44.625 --> 00:15:50.264
"although you may have tosuffer for a short time
00:15:50.298 --> 00:15:54.002
"in various trials.
00:15:54.035 --> 00:15:55.737
"Such trials showthe proven character
00:15:55.770 --> 00:15:57.638
"of your faith,which is much more valuable
00:15:57.672 --> 00:15:59.440
"than gold--gold that is testedby fire,
00:15:59.474 --> 00:16:01.676
"even though it is passingaway--and will bring praise
00:16:01.709 --> 00:16:04.045
"and glory and honorwhen Jesus Christ is revealed."
00:16:04.078 --> 00:16:08.416
So, three distinct time periodsin this little section
00:16:08.449 --> 00:16:12.053
of Scripture.
00:16:12.086 --> 00:16:13.388
There is the now.The now.
00:16:13.421 --> 00:16:17.191
The here and nowthat we are living in.
00:16:17.225 --> 00:16:19.861
And then there isthe short time.
00:16:19.894 --> 00:16:24.198
And then there isthe when Jesus is revealed.
00:16:24.232 --> 00:16:28.169
So it's nowand then there's a little while,
00:16:28.202 --> 00:16:31.806
and then when Jesus is revealed.
00:16:31.839 --> 00:16:34.042
And I point this out to you
00:16:34.075 --> 00:16:35.610
because we are reallyjust a little while
00:16:35.643 --> 00:16:38.946
from when Jesus is revealed.
00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:40.715
Whether he is revealed to uswhen we see him at the end
00:16:40.748 --> 00:16:44.719
of our lives, or he is revealedto all of us
00:16:44.752 --> 00:16:47.488
and we're in the generationwhen he comes,
00:16:47.522 --> 00:16:49.457
one way or the other,
00:16:49.490 --> 00:16:51.392
it's just gonnabe a little while.
00:16:51.426 --> 00:16:54.162
And what it's saying here,and I want you
00:16:54.195 --> 00:16:55.797
to understand this with me,I know you know it,
00:16:55.830 --> 00:16:58.166
but I pray this will just bean encouragement to somebody,
00:16:58.199 --> 00:17:01.602
is that he is allowing
00:17:01.636 --> 00:17:03.805
the thingsthat we're going through
00:17:03.838 --> 00:17:05.973
to prove us genuine.
00:17:06.007 --> 00:17:07.875
Now, he already knowsif we're genuine but,
00:17:07.909 --> 00:17:10.378
you know what?
00:17:10.411 --> 00:17:11.712
You don't even know if you are.
00:17:11.746 --> 00:17:13.114
I don't even know if I am,half the time.
00:17:13.147 --> 00:17:14.982
Anybody knowwhat I'm talking about?
00:17:15.016 --> 00:17:16.751
He knowswhat we have got in us
00:17:16.784 --> 00:17:20.154
and he is setting us upat times to show it,
00:17:20.188 --> 00:17:24.826
because you see,this is the testimony
00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:27.361
that speaks to people around usthat may not pick up a Bible
00:17:27.395 --> 00:17:33.034
until somebody gives thema reason to look into
00:17:33.067 --> 00:17:36.671
what life would be likein Christ and,
00:17:36.704 --> 00:17:40.108
when over time, over time,
00:17:40.141 --> 00:17:46.214
something is just proved to them
00:17:46.247 --> 00:17:49.584
that now they've watched youfor weeks,
00:17:49.617 --> 00:17:53.855
months, years,and they know you're legit,
00:17:53.888 --> 00:18:00.895
when you may nothave even known it.
00:18:01.629 --> 00:18:04.532
They know it.
00:18:04.565 --> 00:18:09.003
He is giving us something he canreward us for,
00:18:09.036 --> 00:18:15.143
a God who is a giverby his very nature,
00:18:15.176 --> 00:18:19.447
constantly setting us up,so that there can be
00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:23.618
the greatest joywhen he is revealed.
00:18:23.651 --> 00:18:29.056
I want you to know somethingin this season of our lives,
00:18:29.090 --> 00:18:34.428
our faithfulness will matter.
00:18:34.462 --> 00:18:37.498
It will matter.
00:18:37.532 --> 00:18:39.167
I'm gonna say that again.
00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.568
Whatever you're going through,your faithfulness
00:18:40.601 --> 00:18:45.406
in your present situationmatters greatly.
00:18:45.439 --> 00:18:50.378
Do not think for a momentit doesn't,
00:18:50.411 --> 00:18:53.247
he says that what he is doingin you is more precious
00:18:53.281 --> 00:18:57.418
than gold that is testedby fire,
00:18:57.451 --> 00:18:59.687
even though it is passing away.
00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:02.590
That it's bringingto the surface impurities
00:19:02.623 --> 00:19:08.329
that he can skim off the top
00:19:08.362 --> 00:19:09.964
so that what's in thereis genuine,
00:19:09.997 --> 00:19:12.166
so that no matter how deepa thorn goes in us,
00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:18.105
it's gonna still bleed Jesus.
00:19:18.139 --> 00:19:20.174
It's gonna still bleed faith.
00:19:20.208 --> 00:19:22.610
It's gonna still bleedfaithfulness.
00:19:22.643 --> 00:19:27.615
I want you to look, very, verynear it,
00:19:27.648 --> 00:19:29.383
you're near Hebrews 9,verse 28:
00:19:29.417 --> 00:19:32.186
"So also, after Christwas offered once
00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:35.022
"to bear the sins of many,to those who eagerly await him
00:19:35.056 --> 00:19:39.594
"he will appeara second time,
00:19:39.627 --> 00:19:41.696
not to bear sinbut to bring salvation."
00:19:41.729 --> 00:19:44.498
He's talking about the finalityof it, that we have tasted
00:19:44.532 --> 00:19:48.436
and known that he's gonnabring that full salvation,
00:19:48.469 --> 00:19:52.039
not--we're already savedand our eternity set in--
00:19:52.073 --> 00:19:57.712
with God in gloryand in his presence
00:19:57.745 --> 00:20:00.715
if we've received Christ.
00:20:00.748 --> 00:20:02.683
But there's this ever-workingsalvation
00:20:02.717 --> 00:20:05.386
that he still has underwaythat he's gonna display to us
00:20:05.419 --> 00:20:09.590
that will be beyondour imagination,
00:20:09.624 --> 00:20:12.260
beyond any description,and it says
00:20:12.293 --> 00:20:15.229
that he will come back for thosewho eagerly await him.
00:20:15.263 --> 00:20:20.434
Eagerly await him.
00:20:20.468 --> 00:20:25.973
I love 2 Timothy 4:6 through 8.
00:20:26.007 --> 00:20:29.110
It's Peter--it's Paul, rather,and Paul is talking to Timothy
00:20:29.143 --> 00:20:32.780
and it's the last letterhe ever writes.
00:20:32.813 --> 00:20:35.983
And he says to him, "The timefor my departure is near.
00:20:36.017 --> 00:20:42.290
"I've competed well,I've finished the race.
00:20:42.323 --> 00:20:43.791
"I have kept the faith.
00:20:43.824 --> 00:20:45.526
"Finally, there is in storefor me the crown
00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:47.695
"of righteousness whichthe Lord, the righteous judge,
00:20:47.728 --> 00:20:50.564
"will award to me on that dayand not only to me
00:20:50.598 --> 00:20:54.268
"but also to allwho have set their affection
00:20:54.302 --> 00:20:58.172
on his appearing."
00:20:58.205 --> 00:20:59.874
It's talking about, it could be,because of the wording
00:20:59.907 --> 00:21:02.410
that he has,it could be the first appearing
00:21:02.443 --> 00:21:04.278
or the second appearing,but we know from the context
00:21:04.312 --> 00:21:06.247
he's talking aboutthe second appearing.
00:21:06.280 --> 00:21:08.115
I love it.
00:21:08.149 --> 00:21:09.450
It says: "Set your affections,"in the NET, but many
00:21:09.483 --> 00:21:13.754
of your translations will say:"who loved his appearing."
00:21:13.788 --> 00:21:18.159
Who loved his appearing, to liveas those who anticipate
00:21:18.192 --> 00:21:23.798
that moment above all.
00:21:23.831 --> 00:21:27.168
I thought--I found itfascinating that the common
00:21:27.201 --> 00:21:30.471
denominator betweenthe three primary writers
00:21:30.504 --> 00:21:34.575
that talk so blatantlyand affectionately
00:21:34.608 --> 00:21:37.812
and powerfullyabout the second advent,
00:21:37.845 --> 00:21:40.348
so primarily that's gonna beJohn and it's gonna be Peter
00:21:40.381 --> 00:21:45.119
and it's gonna be Paul and sowhat was it about
00:21:45.152 --> 00:21:47.955
'cause all of 'em just like,"Come, come, come,
00:21:47.988 --> 00:21:50.358
Lord Jesus, come, come, come,
00:21:50.391 --> 00:21:51.759
come, come,Lord Jesus, come."
00:21:51.792 --> 00:21:53.160
And you hear someof that from James,
00:21:53.194 --> 00:21:55.229
the half-brother of Christ.
00:21:55.262 --> 00:21:56.630
What is it?
00:21:56.664 --> 00:21:57.965
What is the common denominator
00:21:57.998 --> 00:21:59.300
because they hadencountered him.
00:21:59.333 --> 00:22:01.802
They knowwhat they were looking for.
00:22:01.836 --> 00:22:05.406
See, we are going by faith.
00:22:05.439 --> 00:22:08.242
John's first letter,1 John chapter 1, he goes,
00:22:08.275 --> 00:22:11.011
"Listen, we saw himwith our eyes.
00:22:11.045 --> 00:22:13.748
We touched himwith our hands.
00:22:13.781 --> 00:22:16.817
We know him."
00:22:16.851 --> 00:22:19.487
Our faith is based on fact.
00:22:19.520 --> 00:22:22.356
They knew himand they could not wait
00:22:22.390 --> 00:22:26.193
to see him again.
00:22:26.227 --> 00:22:27.762
The apostle Paulin Philippians said,
00:22:27.795 --> 00:22:29.530
"Listen, I'm gonna tell yousomething.
00:22:29.563 --> 00:22:30.865
I'm in a strait betwixt two.
00:22:30.898 --> 00:22:32.466
It just doesn't get betterthan the King James Version
00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.135
in that.
00:22:34.168 --> 00:22:35.636
"I'm in a strait betwixt two,having a desire to depart
00:22:35.669 --> 00:22:39.006
and to be with Christwhich is much better,
00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.808
but also needing to stay hereand serve all of you."
00:22:40.841 --> 00:22:44.145
What a statement,because they'd seen him,
00:22:44.178 --> 00:22:47.882
they'd encountered him.
00:22:47.915 --> 00:22:49.383
They knew him.
00:22:49.417 --> 00:22:50.885
Want you to know something:
00:22:50.918 --> 00:22:52.219
the second advent will bethe antithesis of subtle.
00:22:52.253 --> 00:22:57.425
The antithesis.
00:22:57.458 --> 00:22:59.360
It won't be the babein the manger,
00:22:59.393 --> 00:23:02.897
as precious as that is to us,
00:23:02.930 --> 00:23:04.732
hidden awayfrom everybody's sight.
00:23:04.765 --> 00:23:10.204
It will be every eyewill see him
00:23:10.237 --> 00:23:14.008
and after Isaiah had saidabout him in his first advent,
00:23:14.041 --> 00:23:17.545
in 53:2-3:"He had no form or majesty
00:23:17.578 --> 00:23:20.848
"that we should look at him,no beauty
00:23:20.881 --> 00:23:22.450
"that we should desire him.
00:23:22.483 --> 00:23:23.851
"He was despised and rejected bymen, and as one
00:23:23.884 --> 00:23:26.353
"from whom men hide their faceshe was despised,
00:23:26.387 --> 00:23:28.589
and we esteemed him not."
00:23:28.622 --> 00:23:30.191
And then Matthew 24:30 reads:"Then the sign of the Son of Man
00:23:30.224 --> 00:23:33.928
"will appear in the sky,and they all the peoples
00:23:33.961 --> 00:23:37.097
"of the earth will mourn;and they will see the Son of Man
00:23:37.131 --> 00:23:39.800
coming on the cloudsof heaven with power
00:23:39.834 --> 00:23:43.137
and great glory."
00:23:43.170 --> 00:23:45.873
I just love this,Jesus talking himself
00:23:45.906 --> 00:23:48.175
in John chapter 5: 28-29where he says:
00:23:48.209 --> 00:23:50.945
"A time is comingwhen all who are in the graves
00:23:50.978 --> 00:23:54.348
will hear his voiceand come out."
00:23:54.381 --> 00:23:57.051
I mean, that's some kindof voice when,
00:23:57.084 --> 00:23:58.719
like, people start popping outof their grave.
00:23:58.752 --> 00:24:03.424
C.S. Lewis,and we'll start drawing
00:24:03.457 --> 00:24:05.659
to a close with this,wrote the following words
00:24:05.693 --> 00:24:08.896
in his classic book,"Mere Christianity,"
00:24:08.929 --> 00:24:11.599
and I want you to soak 'em in.
00:24:11.632 --> 00:24:13.567
Just try to be undistracted.
00:24:13.601 --> 00:24:17.705
"Hope is oneof the Theological virtues.
00:24:17.738 --> 00:24:21.542
"This means that a continuallooking forward
00:24:21.575 --> 00:24:24.245
"to the eternal world is not(as some modern people think)
00:24:24.278 --> 00:24:28.249
"a form of escapismor wishful thinking,
00:24:28.282 --> 00:24:31.585
"but one of the thingsa Christian is meant to do.
00:24:31.619 --> 00:24:35.089
"It does not meanthat we are to leave
00:24:35.122 --> 00:24:36.690
"the present world as it is.
00:24:36.724 --> 00:24:39.159
"If you read historyyou will find
00:24:39.193 --> 00:24:41.095
"that the Christianswho did the most
00:24:41.128 --> 00:24:43.497
"for the present world were justthose who thought most
00:24:43.531 --> 00:24:48.102
"of the next.
00:24:48.135 --> 00:24:49.637
"The apostles themselves,who set on foot the conversion
00:24:49.670 --> 00:24:52.506
"of the Roman Empire,the great men who built up
00:24:52.540 --> 00:24:55.175
"the Middle Ages,the English Evangelicals
00:24:55.209 --> 00:24:57.678
"who abolished the Slave Trade,all left their mark on Earth,
00:24:57.711 --> 00:25:02.016
"precisely because their mindswere occupied with heaven.
00:25:02.049 --> 00:25:06.687
"It is since Christianshave largely ceased
00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.822
"to think of the other world
00:25:08.856 --> 00:25:10.891
"that they have becomeso ineffective in this.
00:25:10.925 --> 00:25:14.695
Aim at heaven," he says,"and you will get earth
00:25:14.728 --> 00:25:16.931
'thrown in': aim at earthand you will get neither."
00:25:16.964 --> 00:25:21.569
Not only with the Comingof Christ
00:25:21.602 --> 00:25:23.470
will there be full redemption,I mean full redemption,
00:25:23.504 --> 00:25:26.674
everything, an entire Creationfully redeemed,
00:25:26.707 --> 00:25:32.780
not only will there berevelation and rejoicing,
00:25:32.813 --> 00:25:39.820
but 2 Thessalonianssays there will be
00:25:39.853 --> 00:25:42.022
the most wonderful thingin the very first chapter:
00:25:42.056 --> 00:25:45.292
"This is evidenceof the righteous judgment
00:25:45.326 --> 00:25:46.961
"of God, that you may beconsidered worthy
00:25:46.994 --> 00:25:48.829
"of the kingdom of God,for which you are also
00:25:48.862 --> 00:25:50.764
"suffering--since indeedGod considers it just to repay
00:25:50.798 --> 00:25:54.368
"with affliction those whoafflict you, and to grant relief
00:25:54.401 --> 00:25:57.771
"to you who are afflictedas well as to us,
00:25:57.805 --> 00:25:59.873
"when the Lord Jesus is revealedfrom heaven
00:25:59.907 --> 00:26:02.576
with his mighty angels."
00:26:02.610 --> 00:26:04.111
Jesus is coming for you.
00:26:04.144 --> 00:26:06.914
He came the first timeso he could come
00:26:06.947 --> 00:26:09.984
the second time.
00:26:10.017 --> 00:26:11.352
Oh, it was a glorious appearingthe first time.
00:26:11.385 --> 00:26:13.988
The Word made fleshand dwelling among us
00:26:14.021 --> 00:26:16.223
and we have seen his glory,the glory of the one and only
00:26:16.256 --> 00:26:20.027
full of grace and truth.
00:26:20.060 --> 00:26:21.362
Glorious appearing, epiphany,but it will be nothing
00:26:21.395 --> 00:26:25.833
in comparison to the timewhen he comes
00:26:25.866 --> 00:26:29.570
and he finds this worldin the dark
00:26:29.603 --> 00:26:32.806
and he says,"Don't you be afraid.
00:26:32.840 --> 00:26:36.677
I'm coming for you."
00:26:36.710 --> 00:26:39.313
♪♪♪
00:26:40.314 --> 00:26:47.321
I believe two things.
00:26:50.257 --> 00:26:51.558
I believe that most peoplein the faith
00:26:51.592 --> 00:26:55.396
are probably not fully engagedin their spirits
00:26:55.429 --> 00:27:01.735
with the call of Christon their life,
00:27:01.769 --> 00:27:04.672
and the second thingI am convinced,
00:27:04.705 --> 00:27:07.608
I'm absolutely convinced,if they understood what it was,
00:27:07.641 --> 00:27:12.112
there would be nothingto stop 'em.
00:27:12.146 --> 00:27:13.647
Nothing, nothing,
00:27:13.681 --> 00:27:14.982
'cause there is nothinglike this.
00:27:15.015 --> 00:27:16.350
(Selena)If you don't already have plans
00:27:17.851 --> 00:27:19.319
for getting into the Scripturesthis New Year,
00:27:19.353 --> 00:27:21.822
join us as we diveinto the study of Galatians.
00:27:21.855 --> 00:27:25.325
(Natalie)And we look forward
00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.660
to seeing you next week.
00:27:26.694 --> 00:27:28.595

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Between Two Advents Part 2

Between Two Advents Part 2

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Between Two Advents Part 2

Between Two Advents Part 2

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