 Today we're in chapter 11 of Romans. Let's begin reading together at verse 28. I'll read to verse 32 Give some introductory comments and then go through this as mentioned I'm just going to touch on and not really develop to any great extent the passage before us as I Look forward to enter into chapter 12 verses 1 and 2. So let's begin at verse 28. I'll read to verse 32 Romans chapter 11 Paul writes concerning the gospel. They are enemies for your sake But concerning the election. They are beloved for the sake of the fathers For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable For as you were once disobedient to God yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience Even so these also have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy For God has committed them all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all Now Paul has been writing concerning God's work as it relates to the nation of Israel And as we've been going through the book of Romans you see that he's been speaking in this fashion from chapter 9 chapter 10 and into chapter 11 as We're together last time Paul had referred to what is called the fullness of the Gentiles He also had spoken and stated that all Israel would be saved and as we were together last time I was mentioning to you that the fullness of the Gentiles is a reference to the complete number of Gentiles who would be saved I also mentioned to you that when he stated all Israel will be saved He was saying that Israel's salvation will occur Now Israel's hardness of heart will be completed at the conclusion of a period of time called the tribulation He's not saying that all Israel will be saved simply because they are Jews by descent He's speaking concerning the fact that God will judge the survivors and will purge the rebellious In the nation of Israel and that purging takes place during what is called the tribulation period And so he's been speaking concerning that as he's been leading up to this portion And so when we move into verse 28 he says concerning the gospel. They are enemies for your sake But concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable And so when he says concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake at that time He's saying they're hardened at that time the nation of Israel could be classified as enemies of the gospel Yet God still has made his promises to them and was not through with them That's what he's referring to in verse 29 When he says the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable God had made promise promises to the Jews and God will keep his promise In Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 31 it reads for the Lord your God is a merciful God He will not forsake you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant of your fathers, which he swore to them And so he's speaking concerning those things even as we begin our study here And so When he says in verses 30 through 32 You were once disobedient to God You'd have now obtained mercy through their disobedience even so these also have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown you They also may obtain mercy God has committed them all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all He's simply making it very clear that whether you're a Jew or a Gentile salvation is the result of God's mercy We don't deserve salvation The Bible makes it very clear that we are all disobedient to God and yet Paul is even now Emphasizing the mercy of God and how that the mercy of God shines most brightly against our disobedience to him And in other words our our sin is a backdrop that most clearly shows his loving grace and mercy So as he's speaking concerning this in verses 33 through 36 he breaks out and prays to God He says in verse 33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has become his counselor or Who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for every man And so he can't help but break out and praise to God Speaks of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. He speaks of God's ways being unsearchable His ways being past finding out and then he says something that I find almost humorous in verse 34 Though it's not intended to be but he says who has known the mind of the Lord who's become his counselor There's a lot of people who think they can counsel God today. They they give him advice all the time They do that when they pray They say Lord, I'd like my my mom to be saved and this is how it would work best If you were to do this and send this person here and all of that So we'd like to orchestrate and give God God our Our our wisdom and and God is he's not asking for it I haven't any text messages from God lately that say by the way I really don't know what to do about this situation and knowing that you're so wise Could you help me? I just don't see that and and I've never I've never lent anything to God I've never never given him something first that he had to repay me So he's simply speaking concerning how great our God is and that's why he says everything brings glory to him Everything ought to give glory to him. Somebody said his plans defy the intellect of human minds His wisdom is beyond man's ability to trace out He needs not rely on human counsel and he doesn't need human help In other words, he's the source the means and the goal of all things And Paul is making it very clear that God will finish his work and have his own way Now in light of all of this and notice with me How many times he spoke of the mercy of God in the verses that we just read in light of this in verse 1 of chapter 12 of Romans he says this I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice Holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service and do not be conformed to this world But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove What is that good and acceptable and a perfect will of God? Paul is instructing us how we can live lives that please the Lord now I want you to notice something as we develop this Before he instructs concerning specific duties notice what he does he calls first for commitment the commitment of the heart Service and self-sacrifice is actually the normal way of life For a genuine believer in Jesus Christ in Luke chapter 9 verse 23 Jesus said it like this If any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross daily and follow me So Christians of all people understand sacrifice because Jesus Christ is the greatest example of sacrifice The Bible makes it very clear that Jesus laid down his life for us And it provokes us to a life of self-sacrifice When the Apostle Peter in 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 21 was writing He said for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us Leaving us an example That you should follow in his steps So in this passage Paul is urging his readers to a voluntary service to God Now I want to develop it by looking at Romans 12 1 and noticing how he begins look at how he begins I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice Holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service the word beseech. I beg you. I urge you I Press upon you. I desire this greatly and so much so that I'm begging you to hear what I have to say He says I want you to voluntarily serve God He could have been a commander. He could have commanded if you read your Bibles You see various times that Paul is presented as the Apostle of the Lord. He's an Apostle He has authority that has been delegated to him from God himself and Paul could command, but he's not he's urging Paul has the ability to command. He has the authority to command. He has the right to command He can say this is what you are to do do this in the name of Jesus Christ But he doesn't do that. He actually urges them. He beseeches them. He's appealing to them He's asking them to turn their wills to God As he does that he's revealing something concerning his heart to us He's revealing that he has a pastor's heart and he's revealing that he cares about them But on what basis does he make this appeal? He makes this appeal by the mercies of God God has been merciful to you Respond by total and thankful commitment to him God has loved you and God has revealed his love to you God loved you first even as 1st John 4 19 says we love him Because he first loved us on the basis of the fact that God Loves you and loved you first Present yourself a living sacrifice to God holy and acceptable He loved you first sobering and I Are married Within the first year of our marriage We're gonna have a little baby and at first when you're a About to be a father most of you who are dads in here may relate to this It really you know your wife can say I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean anything It really doesn't mean anything the word pregnant is just a word Until she begins to to show until she begins to swell up and Then it makes some sense to you when you see her waddling in all of that. It's just very cute Well at that point you begin to be aware something's going on inside this woman and that's what happens with Marie Marie is pregnant, but it doesn't show for a while after several months I Begetting to notice some things and now her little her belly is swelling and and I'm getting kind of like apprehensive about this and all I'm going to be a father. What's that mean and and how will I be a good father and things like that begin to Rattle through my brain. I begin to wonder and and yet as her Continuation of her pregnancy she continues to swell up eventually what happens is I I get to Begin to think that that's a great thing and I'm going to be a dad And and how should I feel about this child and all of those things are going on in my mind and and now I begin to pat Marie on the belly and and the baby begins to kick And so I discover that if I grab Marie's stomach and start shaking it the baby gets like real And she'll kick all over the place, right? And I don't know if it's a girl yet or a boy We didn't find that out until the day of the birth, but Now I'm getting caught up with this because this kid is reacting whenever I begin to move her world and so I Start to put my face next to Marie's stomach and I start saying things like hey, baby This is your daddy and I would do this and and Marie got a kick out of it She thought she was kind of it was funny, but I would laugh and I would say I'm I love you, baby I love you and she wouldn't move so I'd just shake Marie's stomach around until the baby would kick me and I'd say Oh man, that's how I got my kicks But as that was going on she continues in her pregnancy and now it's July 4th and Marie's water breaks and we have to go to Park Avenue Hospital in Pomona and there we are at the hospital and Marie begins to go into labor and She had 33 hours of labor Yeah, see you ladies understand we men the number 33 It's one less than 34 What's that mean? It means that I Got out early if it was 34 and I've been there an hour We don't think that way but women and I say 33 they go ooh because yeah And so Marie's going through 33 hours of labor some of it very intense and I had gone to this Lamas class, so I was a black belt in Lamas cost me $25 and They had taught us to he he ha ha whoo and I was good at it So I still remember she was laying on her left side facing me as I sat down in the chair next to her bed I drew myself up as close as I could get to that bed The little face was close to the edge of the bed as I got within six or eight inches of her And as my face was this close to her I said to her as I'm watching her the monitor there for her contractions I say to her okay, honey. It's time for the he he and She looks me now this angel turns into a devil. She looks at me and she says to me Shut up Get your face out of my face Sit back and sit there and I'm just going man, and I lean back in the chair, and I'm thinking $25 To be treated like this. I could get this for free at home. You know, what's this all about, right? and I am seated there for hours and Then finally We go into that room And all that intense labor produces this ugly kid I mean they they pull her out, and I'm looking at it saying this cannot be mine and They take her and dry her off and throw in a little Pink blanket and they hand this ugly You have to try and get angles to see whether or not there's humanists Little noses all squash your eyes are doing two different orbits like they won't even look at you And I'm going hey, hey, hey, it's me Chucky ugly little thing and I bring her up to my face and I give her that first daddy's kiss on her little face and she's all Moving her hands around and everything and I take her to Marie and I put the baby next to her on the bed and Marie takes her and begins to nurse her and We have that moment That a dad and a baby and his wife can share That is just so amazing but an amazing moment and I began to say to her now that she can hear me What I used to say to her when she was in her mama's womb and I said it to her and have said it to her Almost every day of her life since then baby. I love you. I love you You're my baby. I love you now You know she learns to walk and she learns to begin to form words and before you know what she's saying You know daddy and she's saying Things like she says the most precious thing that you'll ever hear she says I'm moving out Such joy, but as she's she learns to say these wonderful things to you, right? But the most special thing is I love you daddy I love you because you love her now. Here's the thing. I Loved her before she ever loved me. I Loved her when she was in her own little world When she was swirling around in amniotic fluid already loved her I loved her when she parted the womb and they brought that ugly thing to me. I loved her I loved her when she began to crawl when she learned to walk when she learned to speak when she learned to drive I loved her when she gave me my grandbabies. I loved her. I loved her first I loved her before she ever loved me and Guess what my God can say the same thing to me David You never gave to me anything first that I had to repay you You never ever gave me counsel. I never needed it and David by the way I Loved you before you even knew I existed I Loved you when you clenched your fist and you would raise it to my face and say I rebelled against you I'll have nothing to do with you. I want nothing to do with God. I still loved you now according to the mercies of God Paul says It's only reasonable that you ought to serve a God who loves you like that We love him because he first loved us And when Paul is speaking concerning this he said in 2nd Corinthians 514 the love of Christ compels us We don't serve God to try to make God favorite favorable towards us We serve God because it makes sense to why because he showed us mercy Paul has been speaking Concerning the mercy of God his mercy on Israel his mercy on the church He says it's by the mercies of God that you ought to serve your God Respond to his mercy Respond by total and thankful commitment to him Love him back because he first loved you and he revealed the depth of his love for you through Jesus Christ And so if that's the case he says my response ought to be to present up my body as a living sacrifice That word present is a word that can be translated yield up. It's a metaphors. It's taken from bringing sacrifices to the altar of God a Person offering a making an offering would pick out the choices of the flock He would bring it to the altar presented as an atonement for sin He presented it even so we're to belong entirely to the Lord and we present ourselves not as dead offerings He said present yourself as a living sacrifice What is to be dead is our desire for sin What is to be dead is our desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh and Says present your body and present it as a living sacrifice. It should be wholly and acceptable to God In other words, don't just simply yield up your mind without action. Do not have belief without behavior Though our bodies are imperfect needing of needing discipline They're still offered to the Lord and it makes sense You see under Moses's law certain requirements were established for the offering that was being sacrificed Sacrifice was to be without spotter blemish Because it represented purity In the viticus 22 verse 20 what it whatever has a defect you shall not offer For it shall not be acceptable on your behalf So our bodies are wholly and acceptable Because we've been set apart by God and made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ And so it's acceptable to God and it's well pleasing to the one who searches the heart So our logical or reasonable service should be done in light of all that he has done and Paul is simply saying listen if God loved you that much it only makes sense To love him in return It's the unbeliever. It's the one who's not a Christian Who thinks that serving God is unreasonable That's the way a lot of people think What do I get out of it? What's in it for me? If I serve God, what's the benefit or the profit of that in Job? 2115 the question is asked who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit do we have if we pray to him? Really, it's all about me. Isn't it? I mean my religious faith and all of that it really is all about me What do I get out of it? That's the common way a lot of people think today But for Christians serving God in light of what he has done simply makes sense to us and we offer him our worship our service our divine service Because he deserves it. Why do you worship the Lord? I worship the Lord because he has given to me his son I worship the Lord because he has forgiven me of my sins. I Worship the Lord because he's been merciful to me by not giving to me what I deserved. He's been gracious to me Because he gave to me that which I don't deserve Why do I worship the Lord? Because the Lord deserves my worship Because the Lord has been good So Christians serving God Well, it simply makes sense to do that in light of what he's done for us Well, if that's the case verse 2 do not be conformed to this world But be transformed by the renewing of your mind That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Well in light of the fact that God has done what he has done. What should I do? Well? He says in verse 2 he says do not be conformed to this world The word conformed is a word that speaks about conforming your mind and character to somebody else's pattern The word can be used in this way do not be pressed into the world's mold into the mold Marie makes cookies or whatever and she has these little molds and she puts the dough in it and she makes the cookie in this mold she pulls off the mold and we bake the cookies and Eat a lot of them. They're very good I just made myself hungry Do not be pressed into the world's mold do not be conformed to the world now when you use the word world You know a lot of times when you read that word in the Bible do not be conformed to this world Well make an assumption that of everybody understands what that term means when I first got saved I hadn't been a Christian for more than a couple of months at the longest and I was at a Bible study in a home and One of the young ladies who was present began to share a little bit that it was her It was her anniversary of being saved. It was a Christian birthday And she said I've been saved for a year and I can remember I was a month or two old in the Lord as I was there thinking man You've been following Jesus for a whole year year like an elder to me I mean you're so wise, you know a whole year of knowing Jesus amazing And as she was speaking she said, you know several times she said, you know when I was in the world I used to do this and I used to do that and and but that was before Christ because then I was in the world And I did this and she used the term the world and finally I'm a new believer and I interrupted her and I said I'm sorry. You got me confused. I mean you're talking about being in the world, but I'm looking at you right now Are you what are you talking about? You're not in the world anymore? Where are you? I don't think she may be a little space case or something. I'm not sure You know, how can you say that you were in the world when I'm looking right at you right now? And she's the one who is began to explain the word and and how the world is used in christianese if you will When you read your new testament, you're going to see this the bible uses the word world for a variety of things three things at least One time it one way that the word world will use be used It's talking about the natural world the world that's been created So it just speaks in general of the world There's another way the world the word world is used and that is speaking of of of natural man the unregenerated individuals and so the the word world can refer to those who are not saved And then there's a third way that the word world is used and that it's in in reference to the kingdom of darkness That is ruled by satan. It's a satanic death system that is in complete opposition to everything god Would have us to believe and know The system of the world is a system that is basically governed by satan And he has his minions his demonic spirits That go about bringing deception and encouraging people not to do the things of god And it's that spirit of the world That is in constant hostile opposition to the things of god It is the present evil age that satan as the prince and god of Resists the rule of god and influences what is called this world In first john chapter 2 verses 15 through 17 john said do not love the world or the things in the world If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Is not of the father but is of the world And the world is passing away in the lust of it But he who does the will of god abides forever And so you have this world that is filled with lust And opposition to god that's referred to As mentioned satan has tremendous influence in this age In second corinthians 4 3 and 4 if our gospel is hidden It is hidden to those who are lost In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not Lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ who is the image of god Should shine unto them So this system is opposed to pleasing god and encourages us to follow its pattern And so paul is saying avoid whatever conforms us into the world's value system Now this is something worthy of speaking about for a moment We need to understand something and the church i think by and large needs to be reminded of or perhaps retaught We need to understand that this system that is energized by satan called the world in scripture We need to understand that this world system shapes us constantly constantly And we need to actively resist its influence So last week i think within the last week or so Everybody's all upset over something about Myles iris Myles iris I didn't watch the performance. Perhaps some of you saw it. I didn't see it I just watched news Yeah, i'm that old. I watched the news You see you're you're you're a whole way of thinking is being shaped right now I have about an hour with you to try and encourage you the world has 167 hours to discourage you You drive down the street and you see a billboard you turn on your radio. You hear a message You turn on your television set You have all these hundreds of options now with the cable and all You go to the movies and you have a culture that is given to you you have So much influence this world is saturating the mind of believers that sometimes it's hard for believers to really understand and differentiate between the two A lot of people have a tendency of making their Selections concerning the things that they've watched on tv or things their friends have told them In terms of what is right what is wrong because they're not in the word of god They're not studying the bible. They don't do the devotions They don't get up in the morning and read a chapter of the bible and go through the bible in a year That's not something they do So they've got so much of the world influencing them that it's difficult for them to understand what's going on And they don't see that they're being brainwashed 24 7. They just don't know that And so watching tv they they get images That are presented to them and just this last week or so You have a young woman named Miley Cyrus and everybody's outraged And I guess from a moral decency perspective, of course, there's Inappropriateness and all of that again. I didn't watch this, but I've seen some news clippings and all And my response is is how sad Miley he was raised in a christian home And people begin to question the father. Why why don't you say some how come you say didn't say anything? What did you do? And and her father is a believer in the lord. Yes, they've had their problems They live under a glass house and people have a tendency of Being aware of the things that go under on the roofs of other people before they look at their own And so they're aware of the fact that there have been some troubles and struggles and things like that Miley for whatever reason has chosen to take a path that I'm sure her father doesn't have any joy in He's a believer. He's involved in worship in his church So people are asking what do you think about this shouldn't he condemn his daughter? In fact is what father is going to condemn the daughter He came up to me and told me to condemn my children Why would I do that for your pleasure to make you feel better that I'm a righteous man? Are you kidding me? That's my daughter. I'll take care of business at home between her and me But it really isn't something for anybody else to be involved in But we don't think that way as a nation do we we think that if it's out there on the paper somebody Said it somebody better explain and this is what's going on. That is called the influence of the world Where's the compassion for this little girl? See as I saw those shots and I'm just going to give you my opinion you can take it for what it's worth But I see her acting like you know a little tongue sticking out and trying to big o eyes and I I'm I'm seen a Messed up mixed up little girls what I'm seeing And I'm sad for her Because I know that the influence that was given to her wasn't from her father and it wasn't from scripture It was from the world And she's trying to shock everybody look at me look how shocking I am look at me And I'm sorry that she thinks she needs a kind of attention, but that is the world and that's a world that she lives in It's a world that's shaping her behavior and it's a world that she wants acceptance in But it seems so contrived. It seems so orchestrated. It certainly seemed unreal And to illustrate that I mean it like this Some of you have friends who have chosen to live lifestyles that are That are same-sex Kinds of lifestyles and so some of you have met The girls who think they're boys Or try to act like guys Who will walk up to you and they're wearing lumberjack shirts and jeans and and if they shake your hand They grab it like that and then that's a girl and she has her hair cut like this And then she tries to talk like a guy and act like a guy And then you've got perhaps some Some somebody some friend some some male who thinks he's a female and he's very exaggerated And he acts like over-the-top female And you know, it's just like we used to call him flamboyant Just real over the top and and what is this, you know Well, it's a young woman trying to act like she's a man and it's a young boy trying to act like he's a girl And that's what he thinks a girl is like and that's what she thinks a boy is like So she's acting like she thinks a guy acts. They always want see all of us guys. We always walk like this You know, we always in when we shake hands. We always do that, you know And to me that's what milie did She's gonna look at me I'm a devil, you know, and I think Poor baby You're so messed up You're so messed up. Who who lied to you sweetheart? Who lied to you? Who told you that was important? Who told you that would make you popular? Who told you it's going to last a week And then it's over and there'll be pulpits filled with guys like me talking about you. Is that what you wanted? I mean who told you that was good. Where'd you get that from? Who told you that that was right? Who influenced you who did your dad tell you that honey go up there and be vulgar and disgusting On tv so millions of people will see you shame the family. Please do that for my sake Who told her to do that? We live in a society Where the world is influenced so much that the church itself Has been drowned by the world's philosophy There's no doubt about that In california, some of you perhaps read or heard in the news That it is not legal for counselors now when they're speaking to Young people with same-sex attraction it is not legal to counsel them out of that attraction Even if the kid comes and says i don't like what i am the counselor cannot help them to turn away from same-sex Attraction did you know that just came down from our circuit? Our supreme court in california this week We have A group of people who think that a five-year-old little boy if he thinks he's a girl has the right To go into a girl's bathroom because after all he thinks what five-year-old has really Distinguished between male and female to the degree that they're sophisticated enough to understand the differences None but we have a society that says oh no you've got to let this little five-year-old boy go into a girl's bathroom because he thinks he's a girl Where'd that come from? Where did that come from? Did it did it come from your bibles? Are there scriptures that say that where did that come from? You know where it came from it's called the world And that's what we are battling right now But the church is asleep in the light the church is a dead fish floating with the stream Because we don't want to stand up and say but that's not how god created you you don't need that attention What you need is jesus christ he can make you fulfilled in every deepest sense of the word Your life does not consist in the abundance of the things you possess You need to be born again forgiven of your sins and cleanse You can have a right standing with god and pleasure and joy at his right hand forever more You can have that because of what god did for you why because he loves you, but does the church say that no No No We're afraid to be unlike by the world And the world goes to hell in a handbasket influencing our children We've got to stand up and speak the truth in love but stand up and speak the truth and fight the world It is against you. It is against god himself and paul says i'm begging you. Do you see that? I beseech you by the mercy of god Why are you saying that paul? What's the big deal? What's wrong with you? You're so oh come on paul Lighten up The world's a great place to live in is a lot of fun. It's good things man Paul says no Paul said there's a death system that has bent I'm taking you Taking your soul And it's built In opposition to god What's in this world? Well, we saw it in first john 2 15 and 17 lust and pride Lust of the flesh, which is your inner desires appeal an appeal to the body appetites It has fruit Lust of the flesh has fruit alcoholism and gluttony. It has drugs and broken homes It has venereal disease pregnancies. It has people living together not wanting to be married. It has aids Lust of the flesh has fruit Lust of the eyes that speaks of the unlimited access speaks of gross materialism Irresponsible spending credit card mania People just buying thinking that their life consists in the material things that they own It has the pride of life That attitude of my reputation my achievements my status my titles Whereas jesus said if any man desires to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all Why are we holding on to these things guys? Why why why does the church hold on to these things because We know the world better than we know the lord Because we spend more time with the world than we do with jesus Because we don't have a renewing of our mind and that's why he says do not be conformed to the world But be transformed by the renewing of your mind That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of god He says be transformed that word transformed is a root word for metamorphosis. It speaks of a transformation It's like when the when the caterpillar is transformed metamorphosized into the butterfly He says be transformed You see before we were saved we were enemies of god. We resisted his desires for us But now we offer our bodies and we offer up our minds And as we do so we have a changed behavior Wherewithal shall a young man cleans his way? By taking heed there to according to that word That word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you Your word have I embedded within me so that it has changed me from the inside out. How can I have a renewed mind? Get into the word of god Because as we get into the word of god, we're able to prove what is that good that acceptable and that perfect will of god The word prove means to recognize it means examine even to scrutinize He's saying with a new mind we can accept what conforms to the will of god And new minds desire god's will And new minds are no longer hostile to the things of god Whereas at one time god said this is black and I said no, it's white. He said this is sweet. And I said no It's sour. He said this is up. I said no, it's down. He said it's far. I said no, it's near I was in an argumentative mood with god 24 7 after after getting saved now. I want to conform to him I don't want to be conformed to this world. I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind I'm to trust in the lord with all my heart and lean not into my own understanding I'm to acknowledge him in all my ways and he will direct my path And that comes through scripture That's why I encourage you church I beg you Get into the word Study god's word Read meditate on When you go to bed tonight Take a chapter and read it. If your parents are you got small kids? Give them devotions every night The world is after your children's soul 24 7 understand that When you send your child to a public University 80 of those freshmen entering in as professing christians We'll leave after the first year of their it will will leave the faith within a year of the first year of college because the impact and emphasis Is on unbelief and the scientific proof that their fools for believing in jesus christ Is presented constantly. How do I know that? Well one? I have the stats to prove it but two That occurred in my life The first class that I had in cal poly Pomona It was a it was a sociology class because some of you may or may not know. I was a sociology major for a while And my professor said how many of you in this class the first day of class how many of you in this class are christians born again About three or four of us raised their hand out of about 30 students And the first thing he said is I feel sorry for you Because you believe in that little book That black book called the bible. I feel sorry for you He says I believe in science and I believe in studies And you you believe in superstition. That was my welcome to this particular class And he tells me I feel sorry for you And one of the other things he said was there are scientific studies that prove that that nicotine You know cigarette smoking is not associated with lung cancer. He says I have he says I have a habit I've been smoking for years and he says I have a habit and and but I've got the proof that there's no Correlation between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer Well, he died of lung cancer He died of lung cancer He used to pity me You know, I pity you because you guys believe in that little book. This is a man who went through three divorces He couldn't keep a wife But this is a guy who's influencing my life. This is a guy who's going to tell me what right is and what is wrong Why would I listen to him? I don't care if you've got 15 degrees. You're a fool if you don't know jesus christ It doesn't matter to me the fool is said in his heart. There is no god I may not be able to argue and I certainly can't Not not with the best of them, but I know what I have believed And I know whom I've believed in and I'm telling you today I have made a choice to follow jesus no matter what and I'm encouraging you to do the same I beseech you according to the mercy of god Follow jesus christ We need you the church the world needs you to be on fire for jesus christ Because this world is going to hell And we are sitting idly by Wondering whether or not I have the freedom to go to a party or to drink When you've got neighbors and classmates and family That doesn't know jesus We need to turn Deeper to the lord than ever before Pray for miley pray for others like that pray for their families But be real with jesus can you do that be real for jesus christ and watch what god will do in your life watch Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind Our father we asked that you would work in us today I asked that you would work in us today And even as our eyes are closed our heads are bowed there are some in this room The lord is speaking to you need to get right with god right now And as our eyes are closed and our heads are bowed if you need prayer You're saying I I just need to get right with the lord as our eyes are closed You can right where you're at if you need prayer, would you raise your hand right now? Let me pray for you right where you're at father you see these hands that are going up throughout this place I asked now in jesus name that you would reach down and touch these whose hands are raised to you Father I pray that you would wash them and cleanse them I asked that you would work within them and strengthen them I asked that they would leave this place completely brand new because of you And that lord they will pursue you because of your mercy towards them That they will pursue you from this day forth Lord I ask that you put a hedge about them protect them and keep them as their faith is formed And work within them that they might follow jesus christ be an influence in others lives But the first thing I ask is that you work in them So father, thank you for their hearts. Thank you for them opening up and asking for your help Thank you because you will help them and we give you praise for this and we receive by faith And thank you bless you lord. You can put your hands down And jesus, please keep moving in all of us to your glory in your name Amen Amen, let's all stand. Did that make sense today? Did that? Did it? I hope so I hope so