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Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt

James Merritt - Justice Is Served

April 27, 2025 | S25:E28

James Merritt - Justice Is Served
Touching Lives is the international broadcast ministry of Dr. James Merritt.
#Faith #Lord #God'sWill #ServantofGod #Religion #Justice #WordofGod #Weakness #Family #inActive #Mercy #Savior #JamesMerritt

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Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt | James Merritt - Justice Is Served | April 27, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: welcome to the international broadcast
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  • Ministry of "touching lives"
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  • With dr. james merritt.
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  • Here at "touching lives," our mission is to touch the lives of
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  • The lost and enrich the faith of the found.
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  • And now here is pastor, author and speaker, dr.
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  • James merritt.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • James merritt: one of the most unbelievable stories i've ever
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  • Come across, true story, is about a woman named
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  • Vera sherback.
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  • I'm sure you never heard of her, but this is an amazing story.
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  • She's living in prague in 1972, and she is thinking about one of
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  • Two things: suicide or murder, because she had just discovered
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  • That her husband had been having multiple affairs.
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  • And it so drove her into both despair and anger that she
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  • Really was the saying thing-- she'd saying to herself, "should
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  • I kill myself or should i kill him?"
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  • Well, her conscience wouldn't let her murder her husband.
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  • So she just couldn't take the anguish, she decides she's gonna
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  • Commit suicide.
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  • They lived in an apartment building there in prague on the
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  • Third floor, so she jumped out the third floor window expecting
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  • To die.
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  • Well, days later she wakes up in the hospital.
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  • And she couldn't believe it.
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  • She didn't even remember hitting the street, so she was sitting
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  • There wondering, "where in the world am i, and what am i doing
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  • Here, and how did i survive?"
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  • Well, the doctor came walking in and he said, "ms.
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  • Sherback," he said, "i have some good news and i have some
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  • Bad news."
  • 00:01:38.681 --> 00:01:40.216
  • She said, "well, what is the good news?"
  • 00:01:40.216 --> 00:01:41.918
  • He said, "well, the good news is you have a few broken bones but
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  • Nothing serious, and you're going to be just fine."
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  • And she said, "well, what is the bad news?"
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  • He said, "well, you landed on top of your husband, and
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  • He died."
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  • Now when i read that story, i couldn't help but think about a
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  • Phrase that's often used after a trial when someone is rightly
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  • Guilty of a crime, and that phrase is, "justice is served,"
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  • And what it means is that the legal system has provided fair
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  • Treatment for proper punishment that's deserved by
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  • This lawbreaker.
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  • Now, we care a lot about justice in this country.
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  • It's one of the reasons our founding fathers set up the
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  • Just--the system that they did of the edges--executive,
  • 00:02:26.963 --> 00:02:30.767
  • Legislative, and judicial branch, and there's the reason
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  • Why that they made the supreme court the most independent of
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  • All the branches.
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  • They're not elected, they're appointed for life because they
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  • Cared about justice, they know we care about justice.
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  • When someone commits a crime, we all want that person brought
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  • To justice.
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  • Well, that's not just a human desire.
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  • The reason why you want justice and i want justice is because
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  • God wants justice.
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  • It's not just a human desire, it is a divine desire, and i'm
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  • Gonna prove it to you.
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  • If i were to ask you to fill in this blank, "god is 'blank.'"
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  • What's the first word you'd put in that blank?
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  • Love, right?
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  • God is love.
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  • I mean that--you know, and you'd be right.
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  • You'd be true because the bible says, "god is love."
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  • That's right, the bible says that in 1 john.
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  • But that's really not the first word that you ought to
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  • Put there.
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  • Because the number one attribute of god is not love, it is that
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  • God is holy.
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  • That's what isaiah said.
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  • Number one thing that makes god god, is god is holy.
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  • Well, let's do some math, because that leads to
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  • Something else.
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  • If god is love, but that love is a holy love, that that means not
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  • Only is god love and not only is god holy, it also means that god
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  • Is just.
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  • The reason why jesus christ died on the cross was not only just
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  • Because god's so loving, he wanted to forgive our sins, god
  • 00:04:01.024 --> 00:04:04.827
  • Is so holy he must punish our sin because justice demands it.
  • 00:04:04.827 --> 00:04:10.433
  • Now if you're a guest of ours for the first time or watching
  • 00:04:10.433 --> 00:04:13.069
  • For the first time, we've been in a series we've been calling
  • 00:04:13.069 --> 00:04:15.972
  • The god life, and it's all about this prophet named elijah, maybe
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  • The greatest prophet in all of the old testament.
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  • And the reason why we're studying elijah, is because
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  • Elijah is a perfect picture of what it means to live the
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  • God life.
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  • And what i've been saying to you over and over and over is this,
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  • God did not put us here to live the good life, god put us here
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  • To live the god life.
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  • And god has called us to live the way elijah lived because he
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  • Portrayed what the god life looks like.
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  • Now the danger is when you study somebody like that in the bible,
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  • You automatically think, "but that was elijah, i'm not elijah.
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  • I could never be like elijah."
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  • But i've told you every week, i know that's not true because the
  • 00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:04.153
  • Apostle james said this about elijah, "he was a man just
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  • Like us."
  • 00:05:08.191 --> 00:05:09.692
  • Well, if elijah was a man just like us, then we can be a person
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  • Just like elijah.
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  • So today, i want you to take god's word, and i want you to go
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  • To the book of 1 kings, it's right before 2 kings.
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  • Just go to the book of genesis, turn right, go to 1 kings
  • 00:05:23.406 --> 00:05:25.842
  • Chapter 21, and i wanna share with you today a story i think
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  • Is one of the most important stories in the entire bible.
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  • Let me tell you why.
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  • This story is gonna teach us today that in a world where
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  • Money, and bribes, and good lawyers, and sometimes crooked
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  • Judges can let criminals go free, and crimes go unpunished,
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  • And let innocent victims suffer, here's what this story tells us:
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  • There is a god who is just, and justice will be served.
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  • There is a god who is just, and justice will be served.
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  • Now, there's a great preacher, most of you have never heard of
  • 00:06:03.813 --> 00:06:06.048
  • Him, but if you'd like to hear one of the greatest sermons you
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  • Will ever hear in your life ever, go to youtube and put in
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  • Two words, payday someday.
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  • Absolutely one of the two or three greatest sermons i have
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  • Ever heard in my life.
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  • It was preached by a man named dr. r.g. lee.
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  • He preached on this very text, because this text really does
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  • Realize for everybody who doesn't come to god, for
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  • Everybody who doesn't come to jesus, for everybody who leaves
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  • This world without christ, justice will be served.
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  • So, with all of that as a backdrop, i just want you to
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  • Think about this, this is a story, one when we're about to
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  • Read, where god let--god finally brings to justice the
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  • Most wicked king and the wicked queen--most wicked queen who
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  • Has ever lived in the history of this world to justice.
  • 00:06:56.732 --> 00:06:59.635
  • So, if you wanna know what my sermon is in a simple sentence,
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  • Here it is: when justice is deserved, it will ultimately
  • 00:07:02.972 --> 00:07:07.443
  • Be served.
  • 00:07:07.443 --> 00:07:09.078
  • When justice is deserved, it will ultimately be served.
  • 00:07:09.078 --> 00:07:13.115
  • See, the god life not only desires justice, it demands
  • 00:07:13.115 --> 00:07:16.385
  • Justice when the situation deserves justice.
  • 00:07:16.385 --> 00:07:18.554
  • So, you're one of those people out there right now and you say,
  • 00:07:18.554 --> 00:07:21.257
  • "you know, somebody pulled the rug out from under me, somebody
  • 00:07:21.257 --> 00:07:28.331
  • Did me dirty, somebody cost me my job, somebody did me an
  • 00:07:28.331 --> 00:07:37.840
  • Injustice, and it looks like they got away with it."
  • 00:07:37.840 --> 00:07:42.812
  • Let me tell you something, don't fret, don't worry, because
  • 00:07:42.812 --> 00:07:46.616
  • Somewhere, somehow, somebody, someplace, at some time, you
  • 00:07:46.616 --> 00:07:51.521
  • Think somebody got away with it.
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  • Nobody gets away with it, nobody.
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  • So there are three things i want you to remember as we study this
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  • Message if you're taking notes, three things.
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  • Number one, we must realize that justice is flouted.
  • 00:08:02.665 --> 00:08:07.336
  • That word flouted means ignored, means not cared about.
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  • And that's true.
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  • You live long enough, justice is going to be flouted.
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  • Let me give you the background of what's going on.
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  • It's been almost 20 years since ahab and jezebel have reigned
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  • Over the nation of israel, and under jezebel's leadership they
  • 00:08:21.117 --> 00:08:24.420
  • Have led israel into a level of idolatry, immorality, and
  • 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:28.024
  • Iniquity never before seen in the history of this country.
  • 00:08:28.024 --> 00:08:31.761
  • Everywhere you look, god was being denied, his commandments
  • 00:08:31.761 --> 00:08:36.465
  • Were being disobeyed almost everywhere by almost everyone,
  • 00:08:36.465 --> 00:08:40.770
  • And if you remember as we've been studying this man, this
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  • Lone ranger prophet, this country bumpkin named elijah,
  • 00:08:43.839 --> 00:08:47.143
  • He's the only guy out of the 7,000 people who claim to love
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  • God, who claim to follow god, elijah is the only one that
  • 00:08:51.614 --> 00:08:55.918
  • Would stand up to this king, the only one that would speak the
  • 00:08:55.918 --> 00:08:59.088
  • Truth, the only one that would deliver god's word.
  • 00:08:59.088 --> 00:09:02.491
  • He's been a thorn in their side.
  • 00:09:02.491 --> 00:09:04.360
  • And if you remember the story, he's been hiding, they've been
  • 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:06.862
  • Looking everywhere for him, but they've been--not been able to
  • 00:09:06.862 --> 00:09:09.699
  • Find him.
  • 00:09:09.699 --> 00:09:11.033
  • It's been years since they've seen each other because even
  • 00:09:11.033 --> 00:09:13.536
  • Though they both have everything they could possibly ever have,
  • 00:09:13.536 --> 00:09:16.472
  • Even though the king and the queen are living in luxury, it's
  • 00:09:16.472 --> 00:09:20.309
  • Still not enough.
  • 00:09:20.309 --> 00:09:22.144
  • So, we pick up the story, "some time later there was an incident
  • 00:09:22.144 --> 00:09:26.248
  • Involving a vineyard belonging to naha--naboth the jezreelite.
  • 00:09:26.248 --> 00:09:29.952
  • The vineyard was in jezreel, close to the palace of ahab king
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  • Of samaria.
  • 00:09:32.755 --> 00:09:34.290
  • Ahab said to naboth, 'let me have your vineyard to use for a
  • 00:09:34.290 --> 00:09:37.660
  • Vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace.
  • 00:09:37.660 --> 00:09:41.030
  • In exchange, i will give you a better vineyard or, if you
  • 00:09:41.030 --> 00:09:43.432
  • Prefer, i will pay you whatever it is worth.'
  • 00:09:43.432 --> 00:09:46.736
  • But naboth replied, 'the lord forbid that i should give you
  • 00:09:46.736 --> 00:09:49.772
  • The inheritance of my ancestors."
  • 00:09:49.772 --> 00:09:51.574
  • So ahab went home, sullen and angry because naboth the
  • 00:09:51.574 --> 00:09:54.010
  • Jezreelite had said, 'i will not give you the inheritance of
  • 00:09:54.010 --> 00:09:57.113
  • My ancestors.'
  • 00:09:57.113 --> 00:09:58.447
  • He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
  • 00:09:58.447 --> 00:10:02.885
  • His wife jezebel came in and asked him, 'why are you
  • 00:10:02.885 --> 00:10:06.589
  • So sullen?
  • 00:10:06.589 --> 00:10:07.957
  • Why won't you eat?'
  • 00:10:07.957 --> 00:10:09.759
  • He answered her--" now, just can you just hear naboth?
  • 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:14.163
  • Like a little kid, "because i said to naboth the jezreelite,
  • 00:10:14.163 --> 00:10:19.969
  • 'sell me your vineyard, or if you prefer, i'll give you
  • 00:10:19.969 --> 00:10:23.205
  • Another vineyard,' but he said, 'i will not give you
  • 00:10:23.205 --> 00:10:24.940
  • My vineyard.'"
  • 00:10:24.940 --> 00:10:26.509
  • That was funny.
  • 00:10:26.509 --> 00:10:30.079
  • Now to me this is just beyond low.
  • 00:10:30.079 --> 00:10:33.482
  • Here's a king and a queen, live in a palace, prime piece of real
  • 00:10:33.482 --> 00:10:40.556
  • Estate, eat prime rib for breakfast, got practically
  • 00:10:40.556 --> 00:10:45.061
  • Everything they want surrounded by some of the finest real
  • 00:10:45.061 --> 00:10:48.130
  • Estate, some of the finest landscape, living in the lap of
  • 00:10:48.130 --> 00:10:52.101
  • Luxury, and there's a little old country farmer named naboth
  • 00:10:52.101 --> 00:10:55.571
  • Minding his own business.
  • 00:10:55.571 --> 00:10:57.073
  • He's got this little vineyard, he lives in low income housing,
  • 00:10:57.073 --> 00:11:01.043
  • This is all that he's got to his name, but ahab wants to take his
  • 00:11:01.043 --> 00:11:04.580
  • Land and use it for a vegetable garden.
  • 00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:07.116
  • Now, you say, "well, but you left out one detail.
  • 00:11:07.116 --> 00:11:13.355
  • Ahab said, 'he would give him a fair price.'
  • 00:11:13.355 --> 00:11:16.659
  • And ahab said, 'he'd give him another vineyard.'
  • 00:11:16.659 --> 00:11:19.028
  • What's the big deal?"
  • 00:11:19.028 --> 00:11:21.230
  • Well, when god gave israel the land, it came with the law.
  • 00:11:21.230 --> 00:11:26.402
  • The law said that everyone had a perpetual right to a personal
  • 00:11:26.402 --> 00:11:29.405
  • Piece of property, that's where we get the concept of
  • 00:11:29.405 --> 00:11:31.006
  • Private property.
  • 00:11:31.006 --> 00:11:32.341
  • And when god gave the land, and god gave the law that said,
  • 00:11:32.341 --> 00:11:34.977
  • "hey, this is your property."
  • 00:11:34.977 --> 00:11:36.345
  • It was never to be sold, it was always to stay in the family.
  • 00:11:36.345 --> 00:11:39.582
  • So, god gave you the land, you died, you gave it to your son,
  • 00:11:39.582 --> 00:11:42.318
  • He died, he gave it to his son, he died, he gave it to his son.
  • 00:11:42.318 --> 00:11:44.954
  • And god said, "the family should--the land should never
  • 00:11:44.954 --> 00:11:48.824
  • Leave the family."
  • 00:11:48.824 --> 00:11:50.192
  • Wasn't to be sold for money, marbles or chocolate.
  • 00:11:50.192 --> 00:11:52.862
  • So if naboth had sold that property, no matter what the
  • 00:11:52.862 --> 00:11:57.032
  • Price was, he would have broken god's law.
  • 00:11:57.032 --> 00:12:00.402
  • Well, naboth was obviously a godly man, more concerned about
  • 00:12:00.402 --> 00:12:03.973
  • Obeying god than making money because naboth knew deep down,
  • 00:12:03.973 --> 00:12:08.210
  • What i tell you over and over as though some of you don't believe
  • 00:12:08.210 --> 00:12:10.546
  • It, and here's the truth, we don't own anything, god
  • 00:12:10.546 --> 00:12:13.482
  • Owns everything.
  • 00:12:13.482 --> 00:12:14.917
  • Can i get a weak "amen" to that?
  • 00:12:14.917 --> 00:12:17.052
  • We don't own anything, god owns everything.
  • 00:12:17.052 --> 00:12:20.189
  • It wasn't naboth's land to sell because it belonged to the lord.
  • 00:12:20.189 --> 00:12:23.225
  • Remember what naboth specifically said?
  • 00:12:23.225 --> 00:12:25.394
  • He said, "the lord forbid."
  • 00:12:25.394 --> 00:12:27.663
  • Not me, it's not me, it's not that i can't give it to you,
  • 00:12:27.663 --> 00:12:30.132
  • It's not my land.
  • 00:12:30.132 --> 00:12:31.500
  • "the lord forbid i should give you the inheritance of
  • 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:33.469
  • My ancestors."
  • 00:12:33.469 --> 00:12:35.938
  • So, naboth had said this loudly, and clearly, and plainly, said,
  • 00:12:35.938 --> 00:12:39.542
  • "listen, sire, listen king, if i wanted to sell you the property,
  • 00:12:39.542 --> 00:12:45.481
  • I can't.
  • 00:12:45.481 --> 00:12:47.082
  • It's not my property.
  • 00:12:47.082 --> 00:12:49.618
  • God gave it to me, and god gave it to my family, and it's to
  • 00:12:49.618 --> 00:12:53.389
  • Stay with me, and it's to stay in my family."
  • 00:12:53.389 --> 00:12:56.725
  • 'cause there was this big difference between naboth and
  • 00:12:56.725 --> 00:12:58.494
  • Ahab, for naboth, god wasn't gold, and his land was
  • 00:12:58.494 --> 00:13:05.067
  • The lord's.
  • 00:13:05.067 --> 00:13:06.402
  • But to ahab, god was his gold, and creed was his greed.
  • 00:13:06.402 --> 00:13:12.308
  • Greed was his creed.
  • 00:13:12.308 --> 00:13:14.510
  • Now here's what we all do, we're sitting there and you're like
  • 00:13:14.510 --> 00:13:18.013
  • Me, you're really, if you've got any sense of justice at all, i
  • 00:13:18.013 --> 00:13:21.951
  • Mean your neck, your veins are popping out on your neck
  • 00:13:21.951 --> 00:13:24.386
  • Right now.
  • 00:13:24.386 --> 00:13:25.721
  • You're thinking to yourself, "how dare the king do that?
  • 00:13:25.721 --> 00:13:28.591
  • Why can't the king just let him have his little piece of
  • 00:13:28.591 --> 00:13:30.693
  • Land there?
  • 00:13:30.693 --> 00:13:32.027
  • He's not bothering anybody.
  • 00:13:32.027 --> 00:13:33.362
  • He's got every--there's other land he could buy.
  • 00:13:33.362 --> 00:13:34.730
  • Just leave him alone."
  • 00:13:34.730 --> 00:13:36.065
  • And we think that, but here's the problem, i'm talking to me
  • 00:13:36.065 --> 00:13:40.536
  • First and you second.
  • 00:13:40.536 --> 00:13:42.938
  • Let's all get honest.
  • 00:13:42.938 --> 00:13:45.341
  • There's a little ahab in all of us.
  • 00:13:45.341 --> 00:13:50.279
  • How many of you have ever coveted something somebody else
  • 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:53.649
  • Had that you didn't have?
  • 00:13:53.649 --> 00:13:55.951
  • And don't look at me so holy this morning.
  • 00:13:55.951 --> 00:14:00.022
  • "pastor, have you ever coveted someone's church because it was
  • 00:14:00.022 --> 00:14:02.491
  • Bigger than yours?"
  • 00:14:02.491 --> 00:14:03.859
  • Yes, i have.
  • 00:14:03.859 --> 00:14:05.861
  • Men, have you ever coveted another man's wife because maybe
  • 00:14:05.861 --> 00:14:08.397
  • You thought she was prettier than yours?
  • 00:14:08.397 --> 00:14:10.199
  • Yes, you have.
  • 00:14:10.199 --> 00:14:12.201
  • Ladies, have you ever coveted somebody else's home because it
  • 00:14:12.201 --> 00:14:14.670
  • Was twice as big and nice as yours?
  • 00:14:14.670 --> 00:14:16.906
  • Yes, you have.
  • 00:14:16.906 --> 00:14:18.407
  • We've all got a little bit of ahab in us.
  • 00:14:18.407 --> 00:14:22.211
  • You say, "well, why is that true?"
  • 00:14:22.211 --> 00:14:23.679
  • Can i tell you why?
  • 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:25.047
  • It goes all the way back to the garden of eden.
  • 00:14:25.047 --> 00:14:29.051
  • If you wanna know why we were so selfish, and we--we're so
  • 00:14:29.051 --> 00:14:32.454
  • Greedy, why, when you look at something that god says you
  • 00:14:32.454 --> 00:14:35.791
  • Either don't need or you shouldn't have, but you try to
  • 00:14:35.791 --> 00:14:37.626
  • Get it anyway, you gotta go all the way back to a garden.
  • 00:14:37.626 --> 00:14:40.596
  • To me, you remember the story, right?
  • 00:14:40.596 --> 00:14:41.964
  • God puts adam and eve in the garden of eden, and he puts all
  • 00:14:41.964 --> 00:14:45.367
  • These trees in the garden.
  • 00:14:45.367 --> 00:14:46.702
  • I don't know how many were there were probably thousands
  • 00:14:46.702 --> 00:14:48.604
  • Of trees.
  • 00:14:48.604 --> 00:14:49.939
  • So god plants these trees and he says to adam and eve, "you can
  • 00:14:49.939 --> 00:14:52.908
  • Eat that tree, that tree, that tree, that tree, that tree, that
  • 00:14:52.908 --> 00:14:55.778
  • Tree, that tree, that tree, that tree, that tree, that tree."
  • 00:14:55.778 --> 00:14:58.414
  • He goes through every tree, but he says, "but, see that tree
  • 00:14:58.414 --> 00:15:03.118
  • Right over there?
  • 00:15:03.118 --> 00:15:04.586
  • That's the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
  • 00:15:04.586 --> 00:15:07.156
  • That tree, you can't eat."
  • 00:15:07.156 --> 00:15:11.360
  • Well, where was the first fruit they ate?
  • 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:15.331
  • What tree did they pick?
  • 00:15:15.331 --> 00:15:17.299
  • They picked that tree.
  • 00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:19.868
  • Now here's what's mind boggling.
  • 00:15:19.868 --> 00:15:22.738
  • There are 23,000 varieties of trees in the world.
  • 00:15:22.738 --> 00:15:27.543
  • Of those 23,000 varieties, thousands of them are fruit
  • 00:15:27.543 --> 00:15:31.413
  • Trees: oranges, almonds, cherries, mangoes, coconut,
  • 00:15:31.413 --> 00:15:35.617
  • Bananas, olives, everything you can imagine.
  • 00:15:35.617 --> 00:15:40.189
  • The apple tree, just take the apple, the apple tree by itself.
  • 00:15:40.189 --> 00:15:43.325
  • Do you know how many varieties of apple there are in the world?
  • 00:15:43.325 --> 00:15:46.128
  • A hundred.
  • 00:15:46.128 --> 00:15:47.463
  • A hundred app--and matter of fact, somebody calculated, adam
  • 00:15:47.463 --> 00:15:51.600
  • Could have eaten a different fruit from a different tree
  • 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.303
  • Every day for three years in a row.
  • 00:15:54.303 --> 00:15:58.941
  • But what did adam say?
  • 00:15:58.941 --> 00:16:00.943
  • "i want that fruit.
  • 00:16:00.943 --> 00:16:02.778
  • I want that tree.
  • 00:16:02.778 --> 00:16:04.813
  • Got all the other fruit, all the other tree, i want that tree."
  • 00:16:04.813 --> 00:16:08.717
  • Well, neither god, nor his law, nor an innocent man is going to
  • 00:16:08.717 --> 00:16:14.390
  • Stop this demonic duo.
  • 00:16:14.390 --> 00:16:16.225
  • So here's what we read, "jezebel his wife said, 'is this how you
  • 00:16:16.225 --> 00:16:19.995
  • Act as king over israel?
  • 00:16:19.995 --> 00:16:21.663
  • Get up and eat!
  • 00:16:21.663 --> 00:16:23.032
  • Cheer up.
  • 00:16:23.032 --> 00:16:24.366
  • I'll get you the vineyard of naboth the jezreelite.'
  • 00:16:24.366 --> 00:16:26.668
  • So she wrote letters in ahab's name, placed the seal on them,
  • 00:16:26.668 --> 00:16:29.171
  • And sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in naboth's
  • 00:16:29.171 --> 00:16:31.707
  • City with him.
  • 00:16:31.707 --> 00:16:34.309
  • In those letters she wrote: 'proclaim a day of fasting and
  • 00:16:34.309 --> 00:16:37.646
  • Seat naboth in a prominent place among the people.
  • 00:16:37.646 --> 00:16:40.482
  • But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges
  • 00:16:40.482 --> 00:16:44.019
  • That he has cursed both god and the king.
  • 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.921
  • Then take him out and stone him to death.'
  • 00:16:45.921 --> 00:16:48.991
  • So the elders and nobles who lived in naboth's city did as
  • 00:16:48.991 --> 00:16:52.694
  • Jezebel directed in the letter she had written to them.
  • 00:16:52.694 --> 00:16:55.898
  • They proclaimed a fast and seated naboth in a prominent
  • 00:16:55.898 --> 00:16:58.434
  • Place among the people.
  • 00:16:58.434 --> 00:17:00.335
  • Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges
  • 00:17:00.335 --> 00:17:03.272
  • Against naboth before the people saying, 'naboth has cursed both
  • 00:17:03.272 --> 00:17:07.042
  • God and the king.'
  • 00:17:07.042 --> 00:17:08.577
  • So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
  • 00:17:08.577 --> 00:17:14.049
  • Then they sent word to jezebel: 'naboth has been stoned
  • 00:17:14.049 --> 00:17:17.686
  • To death.'
  • 00:17:17.686 --> 00:17:19.021
  • As soon as jezebel heard that naboth had been stoned to death,
  • 00:17:19.021 --> 00:17:20.989
  • She said to ahab, 'get up and take possession of the vineyard
  • 00:17:20.989 --> 00:17:23.425
  • Of naboth the jezreelite that he refused to sell you.
  • 00:17:23.425 --> 00:17:26.628
  • He is no longer alive but dead.'
  • 00:17:26.628 --> 00:17:30.599
  • When ahab heard that naboth was dead, he got up and went down to
  • 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:35.404
  • Take the--take possession of naboth's vineyard."
  • 00:17:35.404 --> 00:17:39.508
  • We're living in a time in this country where we have true
  • 00:17:39.508 --> 00:17:43.745
  • Prophets and we have false prophets, and both sides claim
  • 00:17:43.745 --> 00:17:48.350
  • To speak for god.
  • 00:17:48.350 --> 00:17:50.586
  • But there are a lot of magnificently huge auditoriums
  • 00:17:50.586 --> 00:17:56.125
  • That are packed to the gills with people, because there's
  • 00:17:56.125 --> 00:18:00.329
  • Profits that will tell them what they want to hear.
  • 00:18:00.329 --> 00:18:04.933
  • We're living in a day and age where the best way to draw a
  • 00:18:04.933 --> 00:18:07.302
  • Crowd is not always to tell people what they need to hear.
  • 00:18:07.302 --> 00:18:13.008
  • So, while more and more of this nation is forgetting god, and
  • 00:18:13.008 --> 00:18:16.245
  • Forsaking god, and failing god, and some of us are asking the
  • 00:18:16.245 --> 00:18:21.316
  • Question and rightly so, "where is the lord god of elijah?"
  • 00:18:21.316 --> 00:18:28.490
  • With abortion, and gay marriage, and the transgender movement,
  • 00:18:28.490 --> 00:18:34.563
  • And hypocrisy in the church, and declining attendance, and
  • 00:18:34.563 --> 00:18:38.734
  • Spiritual apathy, where is the lord god of elijah?"
  • 00:18:38.734 --> 00:18:46.308
  • I'd like to ask a different question: where are the elijahs
  • 00:18:46.308 --> 00:18:55.050
  • Of the lord god?
  • 00:18:55.050 --> 00:18:58.320
  • Where are the elijahs of the lord god?
  • 00:18:58.320 --> 00:19:02.925
  • Where are the men, and where are the women?
  • 00:19:02.925 --> 00:19:07.696
  • Where are the boys and where are the girls that are willing to
  • 00:19:07.696 --> 00:19:12.167
  • Live the god life no matter what it costs?
  • 00:19:12.167 --> 00:19:14.903
  • Listen, i realize, and i'm in the same boat you are, i realize
  • 00:19:14.903 --> 00:19:20.576
  • The days look exceedingly dark, and the waves look exceedingly
  • 00:19:20.576 --> 00:19:25.948
  • High, and evil seems exceedingly strong, and it looks like every
  • 00:19:25.948 --> 00:19:31.420
  • Day, true justice is just left behind.
  • 00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:35.524
  • Well, saint anne of austria, a 16th century saint once wrote
  • 00:19:35.524 --> 00:19:38.694
  • These words, "god does not pay at the end of every day, but at
  • 00:19:38.694 --> 00:19:44.533
  • The end he pays."
  • 00:19:44.533 --> 00:19:47.769
  • One day, justice will be served.
  • 00:19:47.769 --> 00:19:51.340
  • One day, the right will prevail, and i know that because of two
  • 00:19:51.340 --> 00:19:55.777
  • Things: a cross and an empty tomb.
  • 00:19:55.777 --> 00:19:58.547
  • They tell me right will prevail, wrong will fall, right will
  • 00:19:58.547 --> 00:20:03.552
  • Stand, god is just.
  • 00:20:03.552 --> 00:20:06.255
  • Things that ought to be set right will be set right, and
  • 00:20:06.255 --> 00:20:08.690
  • They will be right forever, and forever, and forever, and nobody
  • 00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:11.827
  • Put it better than martin luther king jr. when he wrote
  • 00:20:11.827 --> 00:20:15.130
  • These words.
  • 00:20:15.130 --> 00:20:16.498
  • He said, "those of us who call the name of jesus christ find
  • 00:20:16.498 --> 00:20:19.134
  • Something at the center of our faith which forever reminds us
  • 00:20:19.134 --> 00:20:22.037
  • That god is on the side of truth and justice...
  • 00:20:22.037 --> 00:20:24.673
  • Good friday may occupy the throne for a day, but ultimately
  • 00:20:24.673 --> 00:20:28.677
  • It must give way to the triumphant beat of the drums
  • 00:20:28.677 --> 00:20:31.113
  • Of easter."
  • 00:20:31.113 --> 00:20:32.648
  • Evil may so shape events that caesar will occupy a palace and
  • 00:20:32.648 --> 00:20:36.251
  • Christ a cross, but that same christ will rise up and split
  • 00:20:36.251 --> 00:20:40.589
  • History into ad and bc so that even the life of caesar must be
  • 00:20:40.589 --> 00:20:44.660
  • Dated by his name.
  • 00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:45.994
  • The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends
  • 00:20:45.994 --> 00:20:50.098
  • Toward justice.
  • 00:20:50.098 --> 00:20:53.802
  • There is a god that is love, there is a god that is holy,
  • 00:20:53.802 --> 00:21:01.777
  • There is a god that is just because of a man who died on a
  • 00:21:01.777 --> 00:21:06.748
  • Cross and came back from the grave and one day, he's going to
  • 00:21:06.748 --> 00:21:12.120
  • Set everything right.
  • 00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:14.523
  • Justice will be served.
  • 00:21:14.523 --> 00:21:17.693
  • You can count on that.
  • 00:21:17.693 --> 00:21:21.697
  • Here's my simple final question: you're either gonna die and
  • 00:21:21.697 --> 00:21:28.403
  • You're gonna go to him, or you're not gonna die, and he's
  • 00:21:28.403 --> 00:21:33.942
  • Gonna come to you.
  • 00:21:33.942 --> 00:21:36.144
  • And when you meet that god, who is holy and who is love but is
  • 00:21:36.144 --> 00:21:41.283
  • Just, he will hold two things in his hand: he will hold justice
  • 00:21:41.283 --> 00:21:49.825
  • And he will hold mercy.
  • 00:21:49.825 --> 00:21:53.161
  • And the only shot, the only chance you have that you'll
  • 00:21:53.161 --> 00:21:57.065
  • Receive mercy is because of what we call god's amazing grace.
  • 00:21:57.065 --> 00:22:04.072
  • See, when i was a nine year old boy, i lost all fear of the
  • 00:22:04.072 --> 00:22:10.145
  • Judgment of god, because i settled my case out of court.
  • 00:22:10.145 --> 00:22:18.120
  • See justice in my life has been served, it was just served on
  • 00:22:18.120 --> 00:22:22.257
  • The one who died for my sins.
  • 00:22:22.257 --> 00:22:25.327
  • There's some of you here today, you better settle your case out
  • 00:22:25.327 --> 00:22:29.331
  • Of court, because at the end of the day, all your sweetness, and
  • 00:22:29.331 --> 00:22:34.803
  • All your kindness, and all your goodness, and all your church
  • 00:22:34.803 --> 00:22:38.073
  • Membership slips, and all the money you gave to charity and
  • 00:22:38.073 --> 00:22:41.777
  • All of that good stuff, you'll still get god's justice.
  • 00:22:41.777 --> 00:22:47.616
  • But it's when you call on jesus that you get his mercy.
  • 00:22:47.616 --> 00:22:52.120
  • So as you bow your heads and close your eyes, and you're
  • 00:22:52.120 --> 00:22:55.991
  • Watching right now online or watching by television and
  • 00:22:55.991 --> 00:22:58.493
  • You're in this room, i just wanna ask you this one simple
  • 00:22:58.493 --> 00:23:01.730
  • Question: you meet jesus today, you meet jesus today, which hand
  • 00:23:01.730 --> 00:23:08.403
  • Will be open, justice or mercy?
  • 00:23:08.403 --> 00:23:12.707
  • The only way mercy will be yours is because of the grace that was
  • 00:23:12.707 --> 00:23:16.545
  • Bought, paid for by the blood of jesus.
  • 00:23:16.545 --> 00:23:20.449
  • If you've never trusted christ as your lord and savior, i just
  • 00:23:20.449 --> 00:23:23.251
  • Wanna give you the chance to do that today.
  • 00:23:23.251 --> 00:23:26.021
  • All you've got to do is say something like this, "lord
  • 00:23:26.021 --> 00:23:29.758
  • Jesus, i'm a sinner, and i need a savior.
  • 00:23:29.758 --> 00:23:35.063
  • And i realize now that i don't want your justice, i don't want
  • 00:23:35.063 --> 00:23:40.836
  • To get what i deserve.
  • 00:23:40.836 --> 00:23:42.170
  • I wanna get what i don't.
  • 00:23:42.170 --> 00:23:44.639
  • I believe you died for my sins, i believe god raised you from
  • 00:23:44.639 --> 00:23:47.542
  • The dead, i believe you're alive right now.
  • 00:23:47.542 --> 00:23:50.045
  • And lord jesus, i want you to come into my heart.
  • 00:23:50.045 --> 00:23:52.047
  • I want you to save me.
  • 00:23:52.047 --> 00:23:53.515
  • I want you to forgive me of all of my sins.
  • 00:23:53.515 --> 00:23:57.853
  • I repent of my sin, i turn away from it.
  • 00:23:57.853 --> 00:24:01.923
  • I trust you as my lord, i receive you as my savior.
  • 00:24:01.923 --> 00:24:07.796
  • Thank you for hearing my prayer, thank you for forgiving
  • 00:24:07.796 --> 00:24:10.432
  • Me today.
  • 00:24:10.432 --> 00:24:12.901
  • And lord jesus please help me for the rest of my life to be an
  • 00:24:12.901 --> 00:24:19.541
  • Elijah that stands for truth.
  • 00:24:19.541 --> 00:24:22.744
  • Announcer: to watch an extended version of today's message from
  • 00:24:24.045 --> 00:24:26.481
  • Dr. james merritt, go to touchinglives.org.
  • 00:24:26.481 --> 00:24:30.252
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:24:30.252 --> 00:24:34.322
  • James: hello, i'm dr. james merritt, and i'm truly grateful
  • 00:24:34.389 --> 00:24:36.992
  • That you're here with me today.
  • 00:24:36.992 --> 00:24:38.793
  • I wanna share an incredible opportunity, one that not only
  • 00:24:38.793 --> 00:24:41.429
  • Equips you to share the gospel, the life changing gospel of
  • 00:24:41.429 --> 00:24:44.933
  • Jesus christ with others, but also deepens your own faith.
  • 00:24:44.933 --> 00:24:49.237
  • In our modern world, it can feel tough, hard, difficult to step
  • 00:24:49.237 --> 00:24:53.041
  • Forward and share your faith, but as believers it's essential
  • 00:24:53.041 --> 00:24:55.810
  • We take that step.
  • 00:24:55.810 --> 00:24:57.212
  • Now, i hear this all the time, "pastor, i want to share the
  • 00:24:57.212 --> 00:25:00.081
  • Gospel, but i'm just not sure how to do it and where
  • 00:25:00.081 --> 00:25:02.584
  • To start."
  • 00:25:02.584 --> 00:25:03.952
  • That's exactly why i have created this beautiful
  • 00:25:03.952 --> 00:25:07.088
  • Little tract.
  • 00:25:07.088 --> 00:25:08.423
  • It says, "the best news."
  • 00:25:08.423 --> 00:25:10.659
  • These cards, these tracts, clearly outline the message of
  • 00:25:10.659 --> 00:25:14.062
  • God's love and salvation.
  • 00:25:14.062 --> 00:25:15.730
  • They are perfect to hand out to anyone you would like to talk to
  • 00:25:15.730 --> 00:25:18.967
  • About jesus.
  • 00:25:18.967 --> 00:25:20.302
  • You can carry them in your pocket, your wallet, your purse,
  • 00:25:20.302 --> 00:25:23.772
  • Your car.
  • 00:25:23.772 --> 00:25:25.140
  • I carry them with me everywhere i go, ensuring you're always
  • 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:28.310
  • Ready to share the best news, wherever you go.
  • 00:25:28.310 --> 00:25:31.746
  • As a heartfelt thank for supporting this ministry, you'll
  • 00:25:31.746 --> 00:25:35.283
  • Receive a package of these best news cards with any gift of any
  • 00:25:35.283 --> 00:25:39.154
  • Size you make in april, but there's more.
  • 00:25:39.154 --> 00:25:43.124
  • For a gift of $75 or more, you will also receive a copy of the
  • 00:25:43.124 --> 00:25:47.662
  • Niv study bible.
  • 00:25:47.662 --> 00:25:49.464
  • Let me tell you why this bible is so special.
  • 00:25:49.464 --> 00:25:52.067
  • When you open up this book, you'll discover over 21,000
  • 00:25:52.067 --> 00:25:56.004
  • Study notes, more than 125 topical articles, and 16 pages
  • 00:25:56.004 --> 00:26:01.509
  • Of full color maps that vividly bring the bible stories to life.
  • 00:26:01.509 --> 00:26:06.014
  • With 66 detailed book introductions and outlines,
  • 00:26:06.014 --> 00:26:09.784
  • Along with hundreds of charts, diagrams, and illustrations,
  • 00:26:09.784 --> 00:26:13.288
  • This bible offers you the opportunity to dive deep into
  • 00:26:13.288 --> 00:26:16.257
  • Scripture and is designed with clarity in mind.
  • 00:26:16.257 --> 00:26:19.461
  • So even with all of this additional information, finding
  • 00:26:19.461 --> 00:26:22.230
  • Your favorite passages is easy.
  • 00:26:22.230 --> 00:26:24.966
  • By making your gift today, whether any amount or $75 or
  • 00:26:24.966 --> 00:26:29.504
  • More, you're not only equipping yourself with these invaluable
  • 00:26:29.504 --> 00:26:32.741
  • Tools, you're joining us in our mission to spread the hope and
  • 00:26:32.741 --> 00:26:36.711
  • Truth of jesus christ to every corner of our world.
  • 00:26:36.711 --> 00:26:40.682
  • So i wanna thank you for your continued support and for
  • 00:26:40.682 --> 00:26:43.284
  • Joining me in transforming lives
  • 00:26:43.284 --> 00:26:44.719
  • With the light of god's word.
  • 00:26:44.719 --> 00:26:46.921
  • So remember with your gift of any amount, you'll receive a
  • 00:26:46.921 --> 00:26:51.426
  • Packet of these absolute life changing gospel tracts called
  • 00:26:51.426 --> 00:26:55.397
  • "the best news," but with your gift of $75 or more, you'll
  • 00:26:55.397 --> 00:26:59.167
  • Receive not only these wonderful tools for sharing the gospel,
  • 00:26:59.167 --> 00:27:02.070
  • But this beautiful study bible.
  • 00:27:02.070 --> 00:27:04.806
  • May god richly bless you as you share his love with everyone
  • 00:27:04.806 --> 00:27:09.778
  • You meet.
  • 00:27:09.778 --> 00:27:11.179
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:12.013 --> 00:27:19.320
  • Announcer: touching the lives of the lost and enriching the faith
  • 00:27:19.320 --> 00:27:22.457
  • Of the found, this is touching lives with dr. james merritt.
  • 00:27:22.457 --> 00:27:28.096