Touching Lives is the international broadcast ministry of Dr. James Merritt.
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Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt | James Merritt - Life Begins Here | March 23, 2025
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- Male announcer: welcome to the international broadcast ministry
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- Of "touching lives" 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. james merritt.
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- James merritt: every poll that i have seen says that the two of
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- The top issues this year for everybody is inflation
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- And immigration.
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- And so as i've thought about that--you know, there is a
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- Border war that's going on.
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- I just talked to a man out--right after our first
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- Service who lives right on the south border of texas.
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- He lives this every day, and there's a battle over the border
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- Because the united states has more immigrants than any other
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- Country in the world.
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- You may not know this.
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- Twenty percent of all immigrants in the world live in the united
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- States, and more people want to come to america than any other
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- Country on earth.
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- But the question is, why does everybody want to come here?
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- Why are we such a magnet for people all over the world?
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- Well, according to a 2023 kff survey, 75% of immigrants say
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- The main reason they wanted to come to united states, the
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- Number one reason, was not to watch my beloved bulldogs
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- Play football.
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- It was not to enjoy the beautiful lakes and rivers and
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- Streams and mountains that we have.
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- It was not to eat in some of the best restaurants you could eat
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- At anywhere in the world.
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- They said, "the reason why we want to come to america is
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- Very simple.
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- We want to live the good life.
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- We want to have the same economic opportunities that
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- You have.
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- We see what's going on, and that's what we want.
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- We want to have the good life."
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- And in fact, who doesn't want to live the good life?
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- I mean, many of us are living the good life.
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- In fact, i would just tell you something some of you may
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- Not believe.
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- Most all of us in this room are living the good life.
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- You say, "well, you don't know how i'm struggling to make it."
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- I don't know--i don't, but let me tell you.
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- I can take you to other places in the world and show you real
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- Quick how good you've got it over here.
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- So we really do live the good life.
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- Now you say, "what do you mean by that?"
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- Well, let me tell you what i mean.
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- If you say that someone's living the good life, you mean they're
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- Living in comfort and luxury, with few problems or worries.
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- Now, again, some of you may say, "yeah, you don't know about
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- My problems.
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- You don't know about my worries."
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- No, i don't, but let me tell you i can take you to countries
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- Today where if you had even thought about coming to open
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- Worship like this, you would have been killed before you got
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- To church.
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- I could take you to countries today where they have church
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- Services not above ground but underground.
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- And when they go to their church service underground, they always
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- Live with the knowledge that somebody may break down their
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- Door and take all of them off, never to be seen again,
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- Or killed.
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- So yeah, you really do--we really do live the good life,
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- And you can't blame anybody for wanting to come to a place where
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- You can live the good life.
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- And let me just say before i get started, i'm not being
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- Negative nick.
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- There's nothing wrong with living the good life.
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- In fact, the word of god says god's given us all things to
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- Richly enjoy.
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- So if you are living what you would call the good life,
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- That's wonderful.
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- Here's all i want you to understand.
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- You were not put here to live the good life, you were put here
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- To live the god life.
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- If we're going to talk about this--this is the series that
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- We're starting today, and you say, "well, what is--what's the
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- Difference between the good life and the god life?"
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- Well, let me just give you one big one.
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- You don't have to follow jesus to live the good life, but only
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- True followers of jesus can live the god life.
- 00:04:08.196 --> 00:04:11.733
- Now, i'm going to prove that to you.
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- Most of us live in neighborhoods where people live the good life
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- And god's not even on their radar screen.
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- There's empty seat after empty seat after empty seat after
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- Empty seat not just in our church but churches all
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- Over america.
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- It's not because we don't have the people, not because we
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- Don't--you know, we're running out of folks to come.
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- God's not even on their radar screen.
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- They don't have any use for spiritual things.
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- They don't--they wouldn't--they couldn't care less about hearing
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- A guy like me preach and talk about god.
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- They're well-educated.
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- They got great jobs.
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- They make great money.
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- They are happy.
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- They've got beautiful families.
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- They've got wonderful kids.
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- They've got great connections.
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- They are happy.
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- They're content.
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- They live in beautiful homes.
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- They've got every luxury in life you can imagine and they don't
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- Have any desire at all to follow jesus.
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- You don't have to follow jesus to give the--to live the good
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- Life, but only a true follower of jesus can live the god life.
- 00:05:14.296 --> 00:05:18.734
- However, there's a catch.
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- If you only live the good life, it will end up being a bad life
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- And a sad life because when the good life ends, it's over.
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- But the god life is forever.
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- That's the difference.
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- You live it up.
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- Live the dream.
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- Get the golden brass ring, get to the top of the corporate
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- Ladder, drive the mercedes, live in the mansion, have the
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- Beachfront condo; but if that's all you do, when you die, that
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- Life is gone.
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- But when you live the god life, guess what?
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- When you die, you're just getting started.
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- It lasts forever and forever.
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- So you say, "what do you mean by the god life?"
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- Let me just give you my definition.
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- The god life is a life lived in the presence of god, through the
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- Power of god, for the praise of god, accomplishing the purpose
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- Of god, to give glory to god and good to others.
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- Now, that's a long definition and i want to just leave that up
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- There for just a moment, but that's what the god life is
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- All about.
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- See, here's the difference.
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- The good life will give you happiness here and now, but the
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- God life will give you joy forever and ever.
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- The good life's temporary, the god life is eternal.
- 00:06:40.515 --> 00:06:44.553
- Well, there's a man in the bible who personified the god life.
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- There's a man in the bible that shows us what an extraordinary
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- God can do through just an ordinary person.
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- He is absolutely one of my favorite characters in
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- The bible.
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- Let me tell you why i'm so excited.
- 00:07:00.802 --> 00:07:02.504
- I have waited 30 years to do a series on this man.
- 00:07:02.504 --> 00:07:06.341
- I've been gathering materials for 30 years on this man.
- 00:07:06.341 --> 00:07:10.212
- He's one of the most fascinating men in the bible.
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- You've heard about him.
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- His name is elijah.
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- And the reason why i want to do a study on him is because he
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- Lived in a day, he lived in a time, he lived in a country just
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- Like our day, just like our time, just like our country,
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- Desperately needing people to live the god life.
- 00:07:30.632 --> 00:07:35.070
- So i want you to take god's word and i want you to turn to a book
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- In the old testament called 1 kings.
- 00:07:37.572 --> 00:07:39.407
- Now, it's real easy to find.
- 00:07:39.407 --> 00:07:41.009
- Go to genesis and turn left.
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- Exodus, leviticus, numbers, deuteronomy, joshua,
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- Judges, ruth.
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- Joshua should never judge anybody.
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- Joshua, judges, ruth, 1 and 2 samuel, 1 kings.
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- About, i don't know, eight or ten books passed.
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- Go to 1 kings chapter 17.
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- Now, let me tell you what's going on.
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- This happened about 3,000 years ago.
- 00:08:01.096 --> 00:08:02.964
- It's about 900 bc.
- 00:08:02.964 --> 00:08:05.734
- And you may wonder, "well, what in the world is a country or a
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- Nation or a man 3,000 years ago has got to do with me?"
- 00:08:08.403 --> 00:08:12.374
- Well, let me tell you what's going on.
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- It's been about 50 years since david reigned over the kingdom
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- Of israel.
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- Solomon dies.
- 00:08:18.847 --> 00:08:20.215
- When solomon dies, all hell breaks loose.
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- There is a civil war.
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- The countries break apart.
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- There's a northern kingdom called israel.
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- There's a southern kingdom called judah.
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- Elijah is a prophet in the kingdom of israel, and he's in
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- The moral minority.
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- Not the moral majority, the moral minority.
- 00:08:36.398 --> 00:08:39.568
- Let me tell you why.
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- Because ever since they split, ever since judah went to the
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- South and israel went to the north, israel over 200 years has
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- Had 19 kings.
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- Every single king was sorry.
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- Every single king was wicked.
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- Every single king was godless.
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- Every single king couldn't care less about the god of heaven.
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- Every single king deserted the faith of his fathers, every
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- Single one.
- 00:09:07.862 --> 00:09:09.197
- Nineteen kings, two hundred years, they don't have one
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- Good king.
- 00:09:11.666 --> 00:09:13.001
- They don't have one godly king.
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- They don't have one spiritual king at all.
- 00:09:14.803 --> 00:09:18.873
- So now we're going back in time and we're living in the nation
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- Of israel.
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- Here's what you're watching.
- 00:09:24.245 --> 00:09:25.614
- So listen now.
- 00:09:25.614 --> 00:09:26.948
- Going to sound familiar.
- 00:09:26.948 --> 00:09:28.483
- Priests were watering down the word of god or ignoring the word
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- Of god altogether.
- 00:09:31.786 --> 00:09:34.356
- People were leaving church by the droves.
- 00:09:34.356 --> 00:09:36.625
- Nobody went to church.
- 00:09:36.625 --> 00:09:37.993
- Everybody said, "no, we don't have time for all that stuff."
- 00:09:37.993 --> 00:09:41.296
- In fact, we learned in 1 kings chapter 19, verse 18 in that
- 00:09:41.296 --> 00:09:45.100
- Entire nation of israel there were only 7,000 people that were
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- Left that would at least acknowledge that they still
- 00:09:49.337 --> 00:09:52.040
- Loved god and had the courage to say so.
- 00:09:52.040 --> 00:09:55.243
- So this was a nation, now listen carefully, gold had replaced
- 00:09:55.243 --> 00:10:00.081
- God, wealth had replaced worship, prosperity had replaced
- 00:10:00.081 --> 00:10:07.956
- Purity, politics had replaced principle.
- 00:10:07.956 --> 00:10:13.628
- Sound familiar?
- 00:10:13.628 --> 00:10:15.864
- Say, "hey, i think i've heard that before."
- 00:10:15.864 --> 00:10:18.533
- Well, on top of that, this nation is being led by this
- 00:10:18.533 --> 00:10:22.537
- Demonic, devilish duo named ahab and jezebel.
- 00:10:22.537 --> 00:10:28.610
- So we're going to pick up in 1 kings 16 and listen to
- 00:10:28.610 --> 00:10:30.812
- What--this is going to kind of give you the backdrop of
- 00:10:30.812 --> 00:10:32.881
- The story.
- 00:10:32.881 --> 00:10:34.249
- "ahab son of omri did more evil in the eyes of the lord than any
- 00:10:34.249 --> 00:10:37.886
- Of those before him."
- 00:10:37.886 --> 00:10:39.254
- Now listen, we're going to be dealing with ahab a lot in this
- 00:10:39.254 --> 00:10:41.356
- Series so just keep one thing in mind.
- 00:10:41.356 --> 00:10:43.425
- God said this man was so wicked, this man was so mean, this man
- 00:10:43.425 --> 00:10:46.895
- Was so godless, he was more evil, more godless, more dirty,
- 00:10:46.895 --> 00:10:51.533
- More filthy than every other king put together that came
- 00:10:51.533 --> 00:10:54.803
- Before him.
- 00:10:54.803 --> 00:10:56.171
- He was one bad dude.
- 00:10:56.171 --> 00:10:59.007
- "but he not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of
- 00:10:59.007 --> 00:11:01.576
- Jeroboam son of nebat, but he also married jezebel daughter of
- 00:11:01.576 --> 00:11:06.181
- Ethbaal king of the sidonians, and began to serve baal and
- 00:11:06.181 --> 00:11:10.518
- Worship him."
- 00:11:10.518 --> 00:11:12.520
- It wasn't just that he said, "we're not going to
- 00:11:12.520 --> 00:11:15.390
- Worship god."
- 00:11:15.390 --> 00:11:16.758
- It wasn't just that he said, "we're going to shut down
- 00:11:16.758 --> 00:11:18.493
- The church."
- 00:11:18.493 --> 00:11:19.828
- It wasn't just that he said, "we're going to worship a
- 00:11:19.828 --> 00:11:21.296
- Pagan god."
- 00:11:21.296 --> 00:11:22.664
- It was worse than.
- 00:11:22.664 --> 00:11:23.998
- He marries this woman named jezebel.
- 00:11:23.998 --> 00:11:29.370
- I'm going to tell you something i know is true.
- 00:11:29.370 --> 00:11:32.440
- You've never met a woman named jezebel.
- 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:37.011
- If you do, run.
- 00:11:37.011 --> 00:11:41.750
- If your son even thinks about marrying a jezebel, even he
- 00:11:41.750 --> 00:11:46.855
- Thinks about it, i don't know, sleeping pills.
- 00:11:46.855 --> 00:11:53.461
- Put a gun to his head.
- 00:11:53.461 --> 00:11:54.796
- I don't know.
- 00:11:54.796 --> 00:11:56.164
- Don't get around jezebel.
- 00:11:56.164 --> 00:11:58.900
- I mean, she is the bad girl of the bible.
- 00:11:58.900 --> 00:12:02.604
- She worships the wicked, idolatrous god baal.
- 00:12:02.604 --> 00:12:05.874
- She was the one that made baal worship the official religion of
- 00:12:05.874 --> 00:12:08.777
- The nation.
- 00:12:08.777 --> 00:12:10.145
- And you talk about a real good religion, do you know what they
- 00:12:10.145 --> 00:12:12.113
- Did in--do you know what the--their religion was built
- 00:12:12.113 --> 00:12:13.915
- Around three things.
- 00:12:13.915 --> 00:12:15.250
- Child sacrifice, they would burn their own children.
- 00:12:15.250 --> 00:12:18.787
- Prostitution.
- 00:12:18.787 --> 00:12:20.121
- One of the ways they thought you worshiped god, men would go to a
- 00:12:20.121 --> 00:12:22.323
- Temple, they get serviced by the women; women would go to the
- 00:12:22.323 --> 00:12:24.826
- Temple, they'd get serviced by the men; and sexual orgies.
- 00:12:24.826 --> 00:12:28.596
- So in other words, everywhere you looked, everywhere you went
- 00:12:28.596 --> 00:12:31.633
- In israel, you saw three things.
- 00:12:31.633 --> 00:12:33.835
- You saw spiritual idolatry, sexual immorality,
- 00:12:33.835 --> 00:12:40.909
- Social iniquity.
- 00:12:40.909 --> 00:12:44.579
- Then god steps in and he brings back his word, and he does it
- 00:12:44.579 --> 00:12:49.284
- The strangest way.
- 00:12:49.284 --> 00:12:52.120
- He brings back this country bumpkin named elijah.
- 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:57.292
- Let me tell you about elijah.
- 00:12:57.292 --> 00:12:59.594
- Elijah was uneducated.
- 00:12:59.594 --> 00:13:04.399
- He was unknown.
- 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.734
- He was unimpressive.
- 00:13:06.734 --> 00:13:08.803
- Just an ordinary guy, and yet he's the most talked about
- 00:13:08.803 --> 00:13:13.107
- Prophet in all of the old testament.
- 00:13:13.107 --> 00:13:15.577
- And when you live the god life, you just got to have the
- 00:13:15.577 --> 00:13:17.645
- Confidence that even though we may not know why and we may not
- 00:13:17.645 --> 00:13:20.215
- Know how, we're going to obey god, believing he will come
- 00:13:20.215 --> 00:13:23.218
- Through for us in the end.
- 00:13:23.218 --> 00:13:24.586
- Let me tell you a story.
- 00:13:24.586 --> 00:13:25.920
- I just read this story the other day.
- 00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:27.288
- It's a great story. it really is.
- 00:13:27.288 --> 00:13:28.990
- There's this story about a little bird, and he was going to
- 00:13:28.990 --> 00:13:31.326
- Migrate to the south 'cause winter was coming, but he
- 00:13:31.326 --> 00:13:34.028
- Procrastinated and didn't get started, you know, early enough
- 00:13:34.028 --> 00:13:37.098
- And he didn't plan his trip real well.
- 00:13:37.098 --> 00:13:38.933
- So he got caught in a snow storm and ice formed on his wings and
- 00:13:38.933 --> 00:13:42.937
- He crashed-landed in the middle of nowhere.
- 00:13:42.937 --> 00:13:45.707
- And so this bird thinks, "well, that's great.
- 00:13:45.707 --> 00:13:47.609
- Now i'm going to freeze to death."
- 00:13:47.609 --> 00:13:50.778
- But a cow came along and dropped manure on him.
- 00:13:50.778 --> 00:13:56.084
- Well, at first the bird thought, "this is unbelievable.
- 00:13:56.084 --> 00:14:01.990
- I'm going to die covered with cow manure."
- 00:14:01.990 --> 00:14:05.627
- But the cow manure was warm and began to melt the ice on his
- 00:14:05.627 --> 00:14:09.597
- Wings, and all of a sudden he realized he could fly.
- 00:14:09.597 --> 00:14:14.869
- So he started to chirp and sing because he could fly.
- 00:14:14.869 --> 00:14:18.973
- Well, that attracted a cat who jumped on him and ate him.
- 00:14:18.973 --> 00:14:24.078
- Well, the man who told that story said we can learn three
- 00:14:24.078 --> 00:14:26.314
- Lessons from that story.
- 00:14:26.314 --> 00:14:28.716
- Number one, not everyone who drops manure on you is your
- 00:14:28.716 --> 00:14:31.152
- Enemy; number two, not everyone who digs you out is your friend;
- 00:14:31.152 --> 00:14:38.393
- And number three, when you're in manure, sometimes it's helpful
- 00:14:38.393 --> 00:14:41.095
- To keep your little chirper shut and just wait it out.
- 00:14:41.095 --> 00:14:43.298
- So when you feel like you're up the creek without a paddle,
- 00:14:46.467 --> 00:14:50.638
- Listen to me, god knows what he's doing, and in his time he
- 00:14:50.638 --> 00:14:58.079
- Will come through.
- 00:14:58.079 --> 00:15:01.115
- So you're going to live the god life.
- 00:15:01.115 --> 00:15:06.387
- Okay.
- 00:15:06.387 --> 00:15:08.289
- Then you understand you've got a special calling from god, and
- 00:15:08.289 --> 00:15:12.293
- That's the--whatever you're doing for a living gotta be
- 00:15:12.293 --> 00:15:14.562
- What god's called you to do, and then you've got this sure
- 00:15:14.562 --> 00:15:17.699
- Confidence in god, you say, "i'm telling you, i'm going to trust
- 00:15:17.699 --> 00:15:20.835
- God no matter what."
- 00:15:20.835 --> 00:15:22.203
- And then lastly, we should have a strong commitment to god.
- 00:15:22.203 --> 00:15:24.472
- Now, watch how this works out.
- 00:15:24.472 --> 00:15:26.140
- You got to admire elijah's obedience, right?
- 00:15:26.140 --> 00:15:27.775
- God calls him to go to the middle of nowhere.
- 00:15:27.775 --> 00:15:29.344
- He goes to the middle of nowhere, live next to a creek,
- 00:15:29.344 --> 00:15:31.746
- Get fed by a bunch of birds.
- 00:15:31.746 --> 00:15:33.081
- I love this next statement.
- 00:15:33.081 --> 00:15:34.449
- God tells him to do this.
- 00:15:34.449 --> 00:15:35.783
- Now listen to this next statement, i love it.
- 00:15:35.783 --> 00:15:37.452
- "so he did what the lord told him."
- 00:15:37.452 --> 00:15:39.854
- What a great statement.
- 00:15:39.854 --> 00:15:41.823
- Didn't complain, didn't gripe, didn't ask why, just did what
- 00:15:41.823 --> 00:15:45.660
- God told him.
- 00:15:45.660 --> 00:15:46.995
- "he went to the kerith ravine, east of the jordan,
- 00:15:46.995 --> 00:15:48.529
- Stayed there.
- 00:15:48.529 --> 00:15:49.864
- The ravens brought him food and meat in the morning and bread
- 00:15:49.864 --> 00:15:51.466
- And meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook."
- 00:15:51.466 --> 00:15:54.569
- Elijah obeys.
- 00:15:54.569 --> 00:15:56.571
- "okay, whatever you want me to do, i'll do it."
- 00:15:56.571 --> 00:15:59.340
- Well, he's been there for who knows how long and now, you
- 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:02.443
- Know--well, maybe the time has come god's going to really do
- 00:16:02.443 --> 00:16:05.246
- What he ought to do.
- 00:16:05.246 --> 00:16:06.614
- He's going to give him a sabbatical, three-month paid
- 00:16:06.614 --> 00:16:09.083
- Vacation to hawaii, shopping spree at the finest mall
- 00:16:09.083 --> 00:16:12.954
- In israel.
- 00:16:12.954 --> 00:16:14.756
- Well, guess what happens next?
- 00:16:14.756 --> 00:16:16.290
- You ready for this?
- 00:16:16.290 --> 00:16:17.625
- Are you ready for this?
- 00:16:17.625 --> 00:16:19.694
- "some time later the brook dried up because there had been no
- 00:16:19.694 --> 00:16:24.098
- Rain in the land."
- 00:16:24.098 --> 00:16:27.201
- Now, you're elijah.
- 00:16:27.201 --> 00:16:31.039
- "you've got to be kidding me."
- 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.175
- Oh, it's worse.
- 00:16:34.175 --> 00:16:36.811
- Whose fault was it that the brook dried up?
- 00:16:36.811 --> 00:16:39.647
- Elijah's.
- 00:16:39.647 --> 00:16:41.115
- He's the one that called and told the thing to stop.
- 00:16:41.115 --> 00:16:44.619
- So now this brook is dried up, his only source of water.
- 00:16:44.619 --> 00:16:48.623
- So at this point you know elijah is going, "what in the world is
- 00:16:48.623 --> 00:16:51.959
- Going on?
- 00:16:51.959 --> 00:16:53.928
- I've taken my life in my hands.
- 00:16:53.928 --> 00:16:55.663
- I've become public enemy number one.
- 00:16:55.663 --> 00:16:57.565
- I've been hiding out in the middle of nowhere for who knows
- 00:16:57.565 --> 00:17:00.334
- How long.
- 00:17:00.334 --> 00:17:01.702
- I've been drinking creek water, eating bread delivered by the
- 00:17:01.702 --> 00:17:03.471
- Birds, and now the brook dries up."
- 00:17:03.471 --> 00:17:07.141
- You couldn't blame elijah if he got angry, if he got frustrated,
- 00:17:07.141 --> 00:17:10.344
- If he got irritated, if he said, "what in the world are
- 00:17:10.344 --> 00:17:12.280
- You doing?
- 00:17:12.280 --> 00:17:13.614
- This is not working out.
- 00:17:13.614 --> 00:17:14.982
- This is not worth it."
- 00:17:14.982 --> 00:17:16.717
- Now watch this.
- 00:17:16.717 --> 00:17:20.521
- I know i struck a nerve because i had a lady right outside after
- 00:17:20.521 --> 00:17:23.191
- The 9:15 service coming at me, bawling her eyes out because of
- 00:17:23.191 --> 00:17:25.827
- What i'm about to tell you right now.
- 00:17:25.827 --> 00:17:29.797
- See, some of you right now, your brook has dried up, hasn't it?
- 00:17:29.797 --> 00:17:35.103
- Your financial brook has dried up.
- 00:17:38.906 --> 00:17:41.976
- It's all you can do to make ends meet.
- 00:17:41.976 --> 00:17:43.444
- It's all you can do to pay your bills.
- 00:17:43.444 --> 00:17:47.348
- Your vocational brook has dried up.
- 00:17:47.348 --> 00:17:49.250
- You've worked for that company 25 years and they gave you the
- 00:17:49.250 --> 00:17:51.352
- Pink slip 'cause you got too old.
- 00:17:51.352 --> 00:17:55.456
- Your relational book dried up 'cause somebody you love
- 00:17:55.456 --> 00:17:58.960
- Just died.
- 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:02.463
- Your spiritual brook has dried up 'cause you feel like god's
- 00:18:02.463 --> 00:18:05.733
- Just shut his ears off to you.
- 00:18:05.733 --> 00:18:08.436
- Your health brook has dried up because you used to be healthy
- 00:18:08.436 --> 00:18:11.205
- But now you're sick.
- 00:18:11.205 --> 00:18:13.574
- Well, elijah is about to teach us a lesson if that's where
- 00:18:13.574 --> 00:18:16.511
- You are.
- 00:18:16.511 --> 00:18:18.479
- Just because that same lady that was bawling her eyes out out
- 00:18:18.479 --> 00:18:20.882
- There that i prayed with 'cause she's got a daughter that's
- 00:18:20.882 --> 00:18:23.551
- Getting away and she can't do anything to stop it, that's
- 00:18:23.551 --> 00:18:26.387
- Her brook.
- 00:18:26.387 --> 00:18:28.389
- And this is the lesson.
- 00:18:28.389 --> 00:18:31.025
- When you live the good life and your brook dries up, you'll cry,
- 00:18:31.025 --> 00:18:35.830
- You'll sigh, and you'll deny; but when you live the god life
- 00:18:35.830 --> 00:18:40.134
- And your brook dries up, you just keep trusting god.
- 00:18:40.134 --> 00:18:44.672
- You just keep walking with god.
- 00:18:44.672 --> 00:18:47.408
- You just keep believing god.
- 00:18:47.408 --> 00:18:50.111
- You just keep loving god.
- 00:18:50.111 --> 00:18:52.113
- You see, when your brook dries up--and i know i'm talking to
- 00:18:52.113 --> 00:18:55.016
- Some of you right now.
- 00:18:55.016 --> 00:18:56.350
- You're about to cry.
- 00:18:56.350 --> 00:18:57.685
- 'cause you know what she said to me?
- 00:18:57.685 --> 00:18:59.020
- "how did you know about my brook?"
- 00:18:59.020 --> 00:19:00.354
- I said, "i didn't. i just know people.
- 00:19:00.354 --> 00:19:01.689
- I know brooks 'cause i've had times my own brook's dried up."
- 00:19:01.689 --> 00:19:05.626
- And when your brook dries up, here's what god's going to
- 00:19:05.626 --> 00:19:07.895
- Ask you, you listen to me.
- 00:19:07.895 --> 00:19:09.263
- When your brook dries up, this is what god's going to ask you.
- 00:19:09.263 --> 00:19:12.033
- "where's your trust?"
- 00:19:12.033 --> 00:19:14.368
- You know what he said to elijah?
- 00:19:14.368 --> 00:19:16.404
- "elijah, are you--have you been trusting the brooks and
- 00:19:16.404 --> 00:19:19.540
- The birds?
- 00:19:19.540 --> 00:19:20.942
- Are you going to trust the one that created the brook and
- 00:19:20.942 --> 00:19:23.778
- Created the birds?"
- 00:19:23.778 --> 00:19:25.713
- So let me ask all of you a question right now.
- 00:19:25.713 --> 00:19:27.448
- Where's your trust?
- 00:19:27.448 --> 00:19:28.783
- Real entry, where's your trust?
- 00:19:28.783 --> 00:19:31.819
- Is your trust in your bank account?
- 00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:34.222
- Is your trust in your 401(k)?
- 00:19:34.222 --> 00:19:36.824
- Is your trust in your corporation, your company,
- 00:19:36.824 --> 00:19:39.093
- Your job?
- 00:19:39.093 --> 00:19:40.428
- Is your trust in your health?
- 00:19:40.428 --> 00:19:41.996
- Is your trust in your connections?
- 00:19:41.996 --> 00:19:43.965
- Is your trust in your education?
- 00:19:43.965 --> 00:19:45.433
- I got news for you.
- 00:19:45.433 --> 00:19:46.801
- Everything i just said to you can fail you and one day will
- 00:19:46.801 --> 00:19:50.371
- Fail you.
- 00:19:50.371 --> 00:19:52.139
- But the good life when that happens is the god life.
- 00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:56.611
- But when you live the god life you remember, "you know what?
- 00:19:56.611 --> 00:19:59.847
- The same god that dries up the brook turns another one on."
- 00:19:59.847 --> 00:20:04.252
- 'cause there are three things that people that live the god
- 00:20:04.252 --> 00:20:06.387
- Life always remember.
- 00:20:06.387 --> 00:20:07.755
- I want you to remember this.
- 00:20:07.755 --> 00:20:09.090
- If you're one of those people right now and you--you're
- 00:20:09.090 --> 00:20:10.558
- Sitting there going, "how did you know, pastor?
- 00:20:10.558 --> 00:20:12.860
- How did you know what i'm going through?
- 00:20:12.860 --> 00:20:14.195
- How did you know i'm not ready to throw in the towel?
- 00:20:14.195 --> 00:20:15.796
- How do you know i can't sleep at night?
- 00:20:15.796 --> 00:20:17.331
- How do you know i'm worried sick about my situation?
- 00:20:17.331 --> 00:20:19.800
- How did you know?"
- 00:20:19.800 --> 00:20:21.135
- I didn't.
- 00:20:21.135 --> 00:20:23.204
- But if you're going to live the god life, you better remember
- 00:20:23.204 --> 00:20:25.473
- Three things and you better never forget them.
- 00:20:25.473 --> 00:20:28.509
- Number one, god never forgets us; number two, god never
- 00:20:28.509 --> 00:20:32.380
- Forsakes us; and number three, god never fails us.
- 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:35.516
- You better remember that when your brook dries up.
- 00:20:35.516 --> 00:20:39.186
- You better take your eyes off your circumstances and put your
- 00:20:39.186 --> 00:20:41.522
- Eyes on the god that controls your circumstances.
- 00:20:41.522 --> 00:20:44.191
- "he'll never forget me.
- 00:20:44.191 --> 00:20:45.559
- He'll never forsake me.
- 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:46.894
- He will never fail me."
- 00:20:46.894 --> 00:20:48.596
- Because see, when god shuts one door, he always opens another.
- 00:20:48.596 --> 00:20:51.465
- In fact, listen to verse 8 and 9, "then the word of the lord--"
- 00:20:51.465 --> 00:20:55.536
- When is then?
- 00:20:55.536 --> 00:20:56.904
- When the brook dried up.
- 00:20:56.904 --> 00:20:58.239
- "then the word of the lord came to him: 'go at once to zarephath
- 00:20:58.239 --> 00:21:01.242
- In the region of sidon and stay there.
- 00:21:01.242 --> 00:21:03.244
- I have directed a widow there to supply you with food."'
- 00:21:03.244 --> 00:21:08.182
- Well, son of a gun, we learned it all over again.
- 00:21:08.182 --> 00:21:12.186
- I've told you this a thousand times.
- 00:21:12.186 --> 00:21:14.455
- Where god guides, god provides.
- 00:21:14.455 --> 00:21:18.793
- Where god directs, god protects.
- 00:21:18.793 --> 00:21:22.463
- Where god leads, he meets the needs.
- 00:21:22.463 --> 00:21:25.499
- And when you live the god life, you realize, "i've got a special
- 00:21:25.499 --> 00:21:28.169
- Calling from god.
- 00:21:28.169 --> 00:21:29.637
- I'm going to walk with a sure confidence in god.
- 00:21:29.637 --> 00:21:31.772
- I'm going to live with a strong commitment to god."
- 00:21:31.772 --> 00:21:34.942
- See, the story we're about to--this whole story we're going
- 00:21:34.942 --> 00:21:37.278
- To--this whole series that we're in, this whole man we're going
- 00:21:37.278 --> 00:21:39.146
- To study, it is not the story--listen to me.
- 00:21:39.146 --> 00:21:41.782
- This is not the story of what an extraordinary man can do for a
- 00:21:41.782 --> 00:21:46.454
- Great god, it's the story of what a great god can do with an
- 00:21:46.454 --> 00:21:51.425
- Ordinary man.
- 00:21:51.425 --> 00:21:53.894
- A man who is just like you and a man who is just like me and a
- 00:21:53.894 --> 00:21:58.833
- Person who is just like us, what god can do.
- 00:21:58.833 --> 00:22:03.270
- So i want to ask you one last question, we're going to pray
- 00:22:03.270 --> 00:22:05.606
- And be done.
- 00:22:05.606 --> 00:22:08.642
- What is there in your life that can only be explained by your
- 00:22:08.642 --> 00:22:13.247
- Faith and trust in the living god?
- 00:22:13.247 --> 00:22:16.016
- What is there in your life that can only be explained by your
- 00:22:16.016 --> 00:22:19.820
- Faith and your trust in the living god?
- 00:22:19.820 --> 00:22:23.591
- See, here's the thing.
- 00:22:23.591 --> 00:22:24.992
- I know probably most all of you believe in the existence of god.
- 00:22:28.696 --> 00:22:38.739
- My question is, do you believe in the presence of god?
- 00:22:42.376 --> 00:22:47.648
- Do you believe in a god that will never leave you, in a god
- 00:22:51.318 --> 00:22:55.556
- That will never forsake you, in a god who's always listening
- 00:22:55.556 --> 00:22:59.960
- Even when you don't think he is, in a god who's awake even when
- 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:04.665
- You think he's asleep, in a god who is there when you may think
- 00:23:04.665 --> 00:23:09.804
- He's not?
- 00:23:09.804 --> 00:23:12.773
- Because at the end of the day when the brook dries up--and
- 00:23:12.773 --> 00:23:17.511
- Your brook will dry up.
- 00:23:17.511 --> 00:23:19.413
- Give it time.
- 00:23:19.413 --> 00:23:20.781
- Every brook dries up.
- 00:23:20.781 --> 00:23:23.350
- At the end of the day when your brook dries up, you're going to
- 00:23:23.350 --> 00:23:27.888
- Find out one of two things.
- 00:23:27.888 --> 00:23:30.724
- Was your trust in the brook or the god that created the brook?
- 00:23:30.724 --> 00:23:35.262
- That's what the god life is all about.
- 00:23:35.262 --> 00:23:38.365
- The god life is all about putting trust in a god that
- 00:23:38.365 --> 00:23:40.901
- Loved us so much he sent his son to die for us and brought him
- 00:23:40.901 --> 00:23:44.071
- Back from the grave, not just to take us to heaven, but while
- 00:23:44.071 --> 00:23:48.476
- We're on this earth to show a lost and dying world this is how
- 00:23:48.476 --> 00:23:51.545
- A god life looks, this is how a life looks that trusts the lord,
- 00:23:51.545 --> 00:23:55.516
- This is how a life looks that walks with jesus, this is how a
- 00:23:55.516 --> 00:23:58.419
- Life looks that says, "even if it slays me, i will trust
- 00:23:58.419 --> 00:24:02.456
- In him."
- 00:24:02.456 --> 00:24:05.159
- And when you finally reach that point, that's when real
- 00:24:09.296 --> 00:24:15.302
- Life begins.
- 00:24:15.302 --> 00:24:18.138
- Would you pray with me?
- 00:24:18.138 --> 00:24:22.076
- Lord, in the name of jesus, as i worked on this message weeks and
- 00:24:22.076 --> 00:24:25.646
- Weeks ago, oh, god, i want to live the god life the rest of
- 00:24:25.646 --> 00:24:31.018
- My life.
- 00:24:31.018 --> 00:24:33.621
- I want people to look at the way i act and the way i talk and the
- 00:24:33.621 --> 00:24:36.624
- Way i walk and know there's a god in heaven that's changed my
- 00:24:36.624 --> 00:24:41.529
- Life, and that's my prayer for our church, for our people,
- 00:24:41.529 --> 00:24:46.967
- Lord, for people who are watching right now that may not
- 00:24:46.967 --> 00:24:49.570
- Even know jesus christ as lord or people in this room.
- 00:24:49.570 --> 00:24:53.908
- People who say, "well, i'd like to live the god life."
- 00:24:53.908 --> 00:24:55.743
- If you don't know jesus, you'll never get there.
- 00:24:55.743 --> 00:24:57.478
- You cannot live the god life without jesus.
- 00:24:57.478 --> 00:24:59.680
- Lord, i pray that today would be the day they would say, "lord
- 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:03.584
- Jesus, come into my life.
- 00:25:03.584 --> 00:25:05.886
- I need a savior.
- 00:25:05.886 --> 00:25:07.621
- You died for me.
- 00:25:07.621 --> 00:25:09.223
- God raised you from the dead.
- 00:25:09.223 --> 00:25:11.225
- I accept you as my lord.
- 00:25:11.225 --> 00:25:12.593
- I trust you as my savior.
- 00:25:12.593 --> 00:25:13.928
- I repent of my sin.
- 00:25:13.928 --> 00:25:16.363
- I turn away from the good life.
- 00:25:16.363 --> 00:25:19.500
- Help me to live the god life."
- 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:22.102
- Announcer: to watch an extended version of today's message from
- 00:25:22.102 --> 00:25:24.471
- Dr. james merritt, go to touchinglives.org.
- 00:25:24.471 --> 00:25:28.475
- James: in a world of social media snapshots, cable news
- 00:25:32.646 --> 00:25:35.749
- Sound bites, we're being told that what you look like on the
- 00:25:35.749 --> 00:25:39.587
- Outside, your image, is more important than who you really
- 00:25:39.587 --> 00:25:42.356
- Are on the inside, your character.
- 00:25:42.356 --> 00:25:45.225
- I beg to differ.
- 00:25:45.225 --> 00:25:46.594
- The bible says god doesn't look on the outward appearance.
- 00:25:46.594 --> 00:25:49.396
- He looks on the heart.
- 00:25:49.396 --> 00:25:51.765
- And my book "character still counts," is going to enable
- 00:25:51.765 --> 00:25:55.235
- You to be the character that god wants you to be.
- 00:25:55.235 --> 00:25:57.171
- There are 13 overlooked traits in that book that form the
- 00:25:57.171 --> 00:26:00.574
- Bedrock of a godly life and a good society.
- 00:26:00.574 --> 00:26:04.078
- For the entire month of march, you can receive this book by
- 00:26:04.144 --> 00:26:07.247
- Donating any amount to our ministry "touching lives."
- 00:26:07.247 --> 00:26:10.417
- As you read it, you're going to find role models that were
- 00:26:10.417 --> 00:26:12.920
- Flawed, they failed, they were human, but at the end of the day
- 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:17.524
- They went on to live lives worth imitating.
- 00:26:17.524 --> 00:26:20.427
- You'll be inspired to become the best version of you and to be
- 00:26:20.427 --> 00:26:23.797
- All that you ought to be for god and for others.
- 00:26:23.797 --> 00:26:26.800
- In addition, with a contribution of $75 or more, you'll receive a
- 00:26:26.800 --> 00:26:31.505
- Copy not only of my book but this niv study bible.
- 00:26:31.505 --> 00:26:35.542
- This beautifully-illustrated bible includes over 21,000 study
- 00:26:35.542 --> 00:26:38.812
- Notes, copies of introductions to every book, and more than 125
- 00:26:38.812 --> 00:26:43.183
- Detailed articles all written to deepen your understanding of god
- 00:26:43.183 --> 00:26:47.087
- Word and knowing how you can be all that god wants you to be.
- 00:26:47.087 --> 00:26:51.925
- So consider making your best contribution this month.
- 00:26:51.925 --> 00:26:55.329
- By supporting "touching lives," you'll join us in building godly
- 00:26:55.329 --> 00:26:58.766
- Character, exploring god's word, and nurturing a close
- 00:26:58.766 --> 00:27:02.302
- Relationship with jesus every day.
- 00:27:02.302 --> 00:27:05.506
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:05.506 --> 00:27:15.516
- Announcer: touching the lives of the lost and enriching the faith
- 00:27:15.516 --> 00:27:18.686
- Of the found, this is "touching lives" with dr. james merritt.
- 00:27:18.686 --> 00:27:29.897
