Never need to go to court so please call me Corden Williams or my associate Luke Johnson at 471-9300 Thank you for letting us be of service Gordon Williams and Luke Johnson your family attorneys 471-9300 there's a lot of great reasons to go to Dr Steven he and I'm here with Craig Nash his great experience about 3 years ago the 1st time I went to him and it had been like 6 or 7 years since I've been doing this I was having trouble with a tooth that was very plain and he went in and fix that did a recount whole thing and got a crown on me and then in the meantime me from 9 cavities to but I guess that's what happens when Im going to the dentist for a long time you got it right in the office he sat me down and they were right to Rejected cock he said only a few only a few in the whole world there were only 8 this is the picture of a few people who are followers of God in the middle of a hostile world and that is the theme of 1st Peter that we are a few believers in the middle of a hostile world and notice what it says about the Ark No Was family went into the ark and when they did the flood waters came now noticed the flood was judgement and so it came on the ark it came to bring destruction a pain to bring judge but but notice the flood waters of judgement did not affect no one his family why they were in the ark the ark took the judgement that Noah and his family deserved and in the same way in Jesus Christ Jesus took the judgement that we deserved and the ark as the flood came in the waters rose it came to the top and eventually it landed on Mount air rag. And 8 people stepped out on to a world that no longer had the taint of Senate and they began a brand new wife and I want you to understand when you come to Jesus Christ Christ took the judgment you deserved so that you could step out into a brand new life and I find it very interesting we know when Noah came out of the Ark Genesis tells us it was the 17th day it was the seventy's day of Nissan and Jesus Christ we know was resurrected from the dead on the 17th day of Nissan on the same day that the ark landed it's the same day that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and even as these people stepped out into a brand new life so you and I stepped into a brand new life in fact Jesus breathed into his disciples and said receive the Holy Spirit and a brand new creation began so let's continue on in the text verse $21.00 There is also an anti tide so here's another time beyond the type that we're saying which now saves the baptism Now some people look at that and they think this is talking about baptismal regeneration that somehow were saved by that isn't that you're not saved until you go down in the water and that water somehow saves you but that goes against everything else in the scripture officials 289 says By gracious saved through faith and that not of yourself it's a gift of God Not of works less than a man from both so we know it's not the work of baptism that saves you and Paul in fact if it did he was called to preach the gospel but he wasn't called to baptize any body and believe me if baptism saved you Paul would have sensed the calling to baptize people and in fact Peter points out it's not talking about water baptism as that which saves us in fact think about it. No wasn't saved because of the water he was saved from the water it was the ark that saved him and his Christ to save you not the waters of baptism as Peter points out here not the removal of the filth of the flash In other words it's not physical water hitting your physical body that saves you it's not the filth of the flesh is simply a symbol you see you die you die Paul says this in glaciers to 20 I was crucified with Christ I no longer live but Christ lives in me when you came to Jesus Christ positionally you died who you used to be died and now that you're dead you say for heaven's sakes bury me and so you're buried in the water baptism and then you rise to a brand new life in Jesus Christ you see there's more to it than just the death of Jesus there's the resurrection of Jesus that Peter's going to continue with in a moment but then he says it's not that baptism saves you it's not the cleansing of the filth of the flesh he says but the answer of a good conscience toward God what's that talking about a good conscience toward God I think what he's talking about is that an unbalanced ties Christian is a contradiction. Is the every Christian in the New Testament every follower of Jesus right after they was saved immediately were baptized remember the day of Pentecost 3000 come to Christ and immediately their baptized because that's what happens and if you don't get baptized something isn't quite right in your Christian life I think about Acts Chapter 19. Remember Paul when he goes to ethicists and he meets a group of disciples and he begins to talk to him and they're clearly disciples are clearly followers of Jesus but there isn't there's something not quite right and so Paul tries to figure it out and he fasted them has you been baptized and they said oh yeah we we were baptized in John's Bateson which was a baptism repentance and Paul says I knew there was something not quite right he said you need to be baptized in the authority of the name of Jesus and so we has them baptized and then everything begins to go the right way and for some of you the reason you feel stuck in your Christian life is you've never been baptized and so you can't have a good conscience before God because you know you should be baptized you need to get baptized and baptism and being baptized can be a tremendous lack of humility that you give up your control of your life to let somebody put you under the water and then the really nice they'll bring you back up out of the water symbolizing the you died and you've been resurrected to a brand new life and Peter brings that out through the resurrection of Jesus Christ Paul tells us from 1st Corinthians 15 that if it weren't for the resurrection of Jesus then we would have all people be most miserable that if Christ died but didn't rise then our preaching is meaningless I want you to understand that Jesus rose from the dead victorious over death Hell in the grave victorious over every demon power in Paul an angel and because of that we celebrate that victory through baptism verse 22 who has gone into heaven and is that the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him. I really believe that this is exactly what Jesus was proclaiming to those tall and spirits that he's proclaimed his victory to I think he proclaimed to angels and authorities that all powers have been made subject to him or as Paul said in Philippians that there is coming a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father you see Jesus trying him through suffering and because he was willing to suffer he entered into his glory because he went through suffering it brought us his triumph and so we come to the 2nd truth of this passage not only do we see a great exchange but now we see a great transformation because of the great exchange a great transformation takes place in our life look at chapter 4 beginning in verse one and remember in the original Greek language there was no chapter divisions in the manuscripts this was added later to help us to track in our Bible so we're just continuing the thought that Peter had here therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flash arm yourselves also with the same mind Ok we are to remember Christ's sufferings in the flash and we're to arm ourselves what does that mean to arm ourselves Well it's a military term that means people paired a lot of you in this auditorium I don't want any hands raised but I know a lot of your own guns and it's one thing to have a gun down in the basement in a safe and it's another thing to have a gun locked and loaded and ready to go and this is saying don't leave your spiritual guns down the safe because you're not preparing to go into a battle you're in a battle. Paul put it this way inefficient 6 we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world he said we're in a wrestling match we're in a combat we're in a fight we're in for the fight of our lives and there's no rest there's no reprieve it's a constant battle and it's suffering this suffering involved with that you know when you're just flowing with the current of this world when you're just a casual cultural Christian you don't know what this is like but when you decide and you decide I'm going to step across the line and I'm going to be a passionate follower of Jesus Christ you've just entered into a battle and you are facing everything that the world the flesh and the Devil has to offer but I want you to know that we're talking about Christ triumph and he has already defeated every enemy that is antagonistic towards you so you don't need to lose in a single way. But the battle is clear and the fight is persistent Jesus told His disciples in the garden and you get 70 watch and pray that you are not into temptation some of you are continually falling into temptation because you're not watching him praying you're not Terfel you're not talking to God about situations when temptation comes you're not processing it through the Word of God and you're not taking it to Jesus and you're not spending time in advance in prayer before the temptation comes so I'm going to challenge you in that the prayerful be watchful because we're in a battle and you've got to be prepared God told Cain thin is crouching at your door it desires to have you but you must master it I want you to know sin is crouching that your sin is just around the corner temptation is constantly there for some of you if you're just one click away from bondage and the darkness that you've been living in. For some of you you're one thought away from falling back in the despair and the depression you've been living in for some of you you're only a little bit of a remembrance away from bitterness and resentment overcoming you once again sin is constantly crouching at your door and it's a persistent battle that you have got to wage a war and James tells us resists the devil in the family from you Peter in the very next chapter we're going to look at says be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and then he says resist him steadfast in the face Jesus Christ has defeated the darkness he's given is his power and authority but now we have a responsibility to stand against the darkness we have a responsibility to stand in that authority we have a responsibility to resist the darkness to fight the fight to go into the battle and know that the victories already been won we are standing in a victory that has already been accomplished but you've got to stand but you've got to fight and you have got to be prepared you see it's one thing to know the scripture it's another thing to use description. God has given us the scripture as a weapon he's given us the scripture is a tool as you go to a fish and Chapter 6 you see the whole armor of God and every one of those pieces of armor can be described as an aspect of God's word and I want you to understand it is a weapon it is they tool the we have to use in fact it says that is the sort of the spear which is the Word of God And so when thoughts of lust come you need to go back to the Scripture and you need to remind yourself who you are in Christ Jesus that's who you used to be that's not who you are anymore and you've got to remember when fear Christ or group your heart that hears your light and your salvation and you shall not be afraid that if God be for you who can be against you you gotta use the word of God like a weapon you gotta use it like a tool against your adversary you've got to be prepared if not enough to have and walked away in a safe somewhere you have not only got to know it not only have it in your head and your heart but you need to use it when depression and discouragement comes you need to come against it is the Word of God You need to stand when the shame and the guilt in the condemnation wants to grip your heart and you say there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus and not going to live in that kind of condemnation because Jesus Christ has sent me pretty. We're in a battle we're in a fight but it's a fight that's already been won and we stand in that victory 1st Peter chapter 4 verse one continues for he who has suffered in the flash. Has ceased from said let me tell what this isn't teaching it's not teaching that if you suffer you're going to enter into sinless perfection sinless perfection is not taught in the Bible other than when we're in the very presence of God in heaven. In this life there's always the fight there's always the battle and we have an ad that advocate with the father 1st John says even Jesus Christ the righteous and He says if we confess our sin He spadeful him just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness So what is this talking about I think it's talking about what we've already been talking about you need to be prepared because there's a battle and you're going against an adversary and when you're in this battle there's suffering involved there is suffering to put down the flesh and live by the Spirit because everything in your flesh was to be gratified and satisfied and there is suffering involved we talk about the suffering of the persecuted church around the world and we say we're so grateful that we don't have that kind of suffering I'm grateful we're not experiencing that kind of suffering right now but let me tell you there is this suffering if you're really going to be a passionate follower of Jesus Christ there's the suffering of ridicule that they try to heap on you and shame they try to heap on you and you said no I'm going to live for Jesus there is the suffering of forgiving those who wrong you and harm you and releasing and loving those who hates you and despise you there's a suffering involved in that there's a suffering of denying yourself and obeying Jesus when you don't feel like it and if you'll do that if you're willing to do that there's going to be a transformation in your life and you know there's been a transformation in fact look at Peter goes on to say because this is so good he says in verse 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the loss of man but for the will of God There is a miraculous transformation that is taking place in you because of the great exchange you have a great transformation and you know there is a transformation because you love now what you used to hate and yet hate now which you used to love some of you are setting in this auditorium. And 3 or 4 years ago maybe just last month you would have said I'll never be in a church on a Sunday morning on a beautiful Colorado day there's no way I'd be sitting in a church but look where you are today why there's a transformation and you think of yourself raising your hands and giving God worship you would have ever thought of yourself as doing that of sitting here and listening to this one thing preacher for 40 minutes you would have never done that and now you say I love it I can tell you love it I'm feelin it today why you think a Something's happened in you you fan transformed you love what used to hate and you hate what you used to love in fact now when you see and you call it sin you used to call it the way I live you used to call it my hobby now you say I feel ashamed if I do that and guilty and I repent of it and I turn from why you didn't change you think it's form you're not who you used to be and let me encourage because for some of you you get so down on yourself because you're less than you know you should be of course you are but look where you came from look at the progress you're making look at the advance in your life the ideas in sinless perfection the ideas continual progress you're growing you're becoming more than you used to be God's work in your life and he's at work in you both to will and do of His good pleasure and he who began a good works just flip the ends he's going to complete He's going to complete. So we've had a great exchange which led to a great transformation but we also receive comfort in the fact that there's coming to great judgment look at verse 3 for we spend and nothing of our past life time in doing the will of the Gentiles or the will of the heathen or the will of the pagan culture. When we walked in lewdness last drunkenness revelries drinking parties and abominable idolatries and I just explained some of your lives just before you came to Jesus We used to live in these this is who we used to be having you spend enough time says Peter Haven't you spent enough time in that haven't you wasted enough of your life on that he goes on to say in verse 4 in regard to these things they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation which means the desire to do evil speaking evil of you they think it's strange they say some of you think that others in this auditorium are strange you know there's a lot of Christians who think other Christians are strange when they're just normal biblically normal because they've made a decision to be a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and stead of a cultural carnal Christian and when that happens people think you're strange we have people that come into our Fusion services on Wednesday night and say those folks are strange but they stick around and pretty soon they're just as strange as the rest of us. Folks I want to tell you with if you're really following Jesus and people think you're strange you're normal if they don't think you're strange then you haven't gotten it yet once you get the real thing people are going to think you're strange remember Paul Paul is standing before Festus and Agrippa and he's on trial and so he gives his testimony of the revolutionary transformation his life he talks about the great transformation that has occurred in him and Festus looks at him and he says Paul you're crazy he says much learning is Major enough that's my translation but it's pretty close and people think of you that way some of you don't even know they think of you that way but they do. Why aren't you cheating on your expense statement and it is so easy to do what are you thinking why why aren't you lying about that situation to be so easy to get out of . Why aren't you going to the places we used to go and why are you spending your time in scripture why are you following this invisible God you know it's nonsense and table people think you're strange people think you're strange or you're hungry for God and thirsty for God People think it's strange when you're not caught up with the culture and in love with the world they think it's strange but I want to tell you God says you're normal God says you're great in his kingdom God says You're those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and you're the ones who are going to be filled. I'm just a little excited about this text today I thought it was going to be hard but it's fun. Goes on to tell us here in verse 6 for this reason the Gospel was preached also to those who are dead now again this past week terms a little low bleak but most commentators have a general consensus and agreement on what this is saying it says that the Gospel was preached to those who are dead it means that at one time the Gospel was preached to a person they received the Gospel but since then they died. And then it says that they might be judged according to men in the flash you see when you're a follower of Jesus and they think you're strange they're going to judge you they're going to judge you as countercultural they're going to judge you of out of step with the rest of the world they might even judge you as unfit to live and because of that throughout the centuries Christians have been martyred for their faith they've been declared unfit to live but it goes on to say but they live according to God's Spirit you can't kill a Christian because once you kill him he's more alive than he's ever been before because he steps from one realm into another realm he steps from this world into the world to come and he's in the presence of Jesus and so I want you to understand that in this world there is suffering and for the Christian there's even more suffering we have a unique suffering that others don't suffer we're in a battle we're in a fight we're in a warfare we're up against strong opposition but because of Jesus Christ even as he'd proclaimed his triumph over the incarcerated spirits in the abode of the dead so Jesus Christ for crimes has triumphed over your life and I want you to know today because of Jesus you are more than a conqueror because of Jesus you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you because that G.'s this Greater is He that sin you than he that's in the world we can proclaim and live out their crimes of Jesus Christ Let's pray together today Father I pray for every person in this auditorium. I ask that you would fully completely have your way in our lives and we thank you for the great exchange that you took our judgement sin and shame and you gave us instead forgiveness and freedom and glory and through your cross you've given us access to the presence of God which has provided us with a great transformation we are who we used to be and may we be armed and ready for the battle that we face every day as our new life in Christ is challenged and we thank you that because of Jesus we will never face the great judgment that the judgment we deserved fell on Christ so that we could be forgiven for a thank you for your triumph through suffering and we say this in Jesus' name. 114 films. Wisdom is the past to stability and prosperity it's what God commands parents to pass on to their children and when you have true Biblical wisdom. You can handle any situation in the way of the glorifies God So how do you develop this life changing trait John MacArthur shows you in the series titled wisdom to match this week I'm braced. For. The mornings at $1030.00 or weeknights at 931100 point 7 The word it's long over a 1000 chapters of over $30000.00 verses No wonder so many of us have never read it cover to cover want to do and want to read the entire Bible started today at Bible Study Tools dot com Bible Study Tools dot com includes Bible in a year and interactive plan for reading learning and understanding the Bible even your faith in the impact your walk with God one day at a time Bible in a year just one of the new interactive Bible study tools at Bible Study Tools dot com It's called The net is share and it's affordable biblical health care and if you're wondering what does that mean well ask the people who are already members like the Badger family it's a big family by the way they have 7 boys 3 girls we live out in the country we don't and they thank God for Medicare especially after one of their babies was born with spina bifida and the total bill was about a quarter $1000000.00 mega Share members met the entire need and sent them cards and letters letting them know they're praying for. Me We love it might be an employed only man doesn't want to share with agree option as far as affordability of minutes like all of our stuff oh yeah more and more people are doing this and you can see why hundreds of thousands of Christian believers sharing and that is a beautiful thing find out more call 84 for 41 Bible that's a 4 for 41 Bible 84 for 41 Bible. America's veterans are more than a source of pride they're a source of strength when our veterans thrive our communities thrive with your support our veterans can get. Education opportunities as well as benefits they've earned. I'm Congressman Doug Lamborn join me in thanking our nation's veterans they've given so much Find out how you can support veterans in our community This message brought to you by the National Association of Broadcasters and this station in today's anything goes' culture it's easy to lose sight of what's really important point about the family is that it comes to me telling. Us. About when because right in the thick of it and it's not shying away from. Jim Daly you can help us give the gift to family to more moms like Laura Lee 28 call 800 the letter of the word family. This is the senior pastor of Pikes Peak Christian Church on the south end of Colorado Springs I'd like to ask you to pray with me or gracious Father we thank you for this beautiful day you've given us and we thank you for this incredible city you've given us in which to live my heart right now are the many that moved to this city to get transferred here for military reasons or for work or maybe even college students but it is kind of a melting pot here of people from many many different backgrounds he called us to the church to go into all the world to reach the nations but in our age the nations are really coming to us so I pray Father that our city would be welcoming of people of all backgrounds of all ages single married young and elderly I prayed Father that the churches would be a melting pot of all the mixture of the variety of people that live here and we would truly demonstrate the love of Christ to each person if there stage of life Father we thank you for the opportunity we have to serve you in this city and we pray for unity in favor from you as we live here and God's great country this is working Williams of cordon Jay Williams p.c. Attorneys law we all need state planning documents such as wills trusts and powers of attorney to protect us and our loved ones but who do you turn to for advice about these important die. You need experienced attorneys to guide you please call me Gordon Williams or my associate Johnson 471-1302 talk about your will trust and powers of attorney and which documents are right for you We will explain the importance of these documents and will also show you how to properly title the state how to designate beneficiaries on retirement accounts and on life insurance and we will explain your documents to you so that you understand so please call me Gordon Williams or my associate Luke Johnson at 471-9300 we look forward to serving you Gordon Williams and Luke Johnson your family attorneys 471930100. Focus on the family is furnished by Focus on the family in today's anything goes' Isn't going to help you. Today's focus on the family is British evangelist Jay John compelling message about why he believes Christianity is true. There be some humor in the mix. This is focus on the family your host is focused president Jim Daly full. John this is the program the got the greatest response in 2017 and you'll hear why in just a few minutes here in the month of December we're going to share our very best programs from the entire year based on your responses so if you're only an occasional listener to focus on the family now is the time to become a daily listener because you're going to hear the best just download our focus on the family broadcast app it's free and you'll be able to hear the best of what we have to offer each and every day in December you can find it at the i Tunes store or on Google Play Well today's message from j. John is a unique look at why the Christian faith has validity and I love that John I'm sure everyone is going to enjoy it as we said Jay John is an evangelist and he's in great demand around the world he's traveled to 69 different countries and has authored several books Jay John lives in her for sure England with his wife Kelly they have 3 grown sons and one daughter in law well here now is Jay John and we aired this just before Easter weekend in April and he was speaking at an Easter service in Australia it's our best 2017 on focus on the family. Whenever I get. Home What do you do it's always very difficult to know what to say because if I say to them I'm a Red friend which I can back up certain images in people's minds file for light to be a little bit creative in telling people what I do I sat next to this woman on an airplane at Heathrow Airport in London and I said. She said. I said Where are you going she says I'm going to single pool she said to me Where are you going I said I'm going to Australia I said What do you to say she told me then she said What do you do and I say wow. Am I work for a global enterprise. He said to you I said you're fine too I said we've got outlets in nearly every country of the was complete said 6 to you I think yes we have I said we've got hospitals we've got hospices we've got homeless shelters we've got all finishes we do Maryjane work we call feeding programs we do just this work I said basically we look come off the people from birth to death and we deal in the area of behavioral alteration commit to you when we want to have gotten really loud people turned around and looked to us he said What's a cold I said it's called the chalk trivialized of a I am was if you are a visitor you'll you're someone who's not yet a follower of Jesus and you're here tonight you have seen something of what the church is this is the child that what you're seeing and feeling here tonight we were now. The way I'm going to explain it to you tonight is I'm going to tell you why I am a Christian. Ok I'm going to give you 4 reasons why I'm a Christian if I could give you more reasons but kind of with the time that I've got I'm going to give you 4 reasons why I'm a Christian for reasons why you should be a Christian now there's a very famous 1st in the Bible located in John's gospel chapter 3 verse 16 it says this for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so who ever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life that is the one sentence kind of captures the essence of what Christianity is all about but a lot of people's understanding of Christianity is a mis understanding. Someone said to me I come up believing anything I don't understand I said really they said yes I said what you do he says well I'm involved in agriculture I see it all so well tell me this how is it possible for a black cow to eat green grass and produce white male. You see there's a lot of things we don't fully understand you see there are a lot of people who think that Christians don't think and they fink that Christians don't think because Christians don't think light very think they think we don't think a toll. But we do so the beginning of a verse of God God what does that mean did you know that when the 1st Russian astronaut returned from space 1st interview 1st question Did you see God He said No I did not the Soviet Union heralded this as proof that God did not exist. When the 1st American astronaut returned from space 1st interview 4th Question Did you see God He said I would have seen God had I stepped out of my spacesuit. Commune. To completely different understandings of the word God. There was a little girl said her mommy mommy is God in the house the mother thought about it and said Yes yes he is dear little girl said Mommy of course in the house is he in the kitchen so the mommy So is it is in the house he is when he's going to be in the kitchen yes he is still the local said Mommy it goes in the house and he's in the kitchen you know the mom lay jaw without the top on it is he in the marmalade jar. What do you reckon what you think. He think is in there so when the kettle's boiling is in there having a sauna. You know it's just good to know what you believe in there so the mother thought is in the house is in the kitchen yes he thought about the modern age and this year's dear little girl went after him. You see a lot of people do that and a lot of people feel that they want to say this is God gawd is books of all. He come on board God 8. If you and I could fully fathom and understand God he would be the same as our little minds therefore he wouldn't be worth believing in Ok now. The 1st reason why I'm a Christian is because Christianity is true. Here's the good question to ask Has God revealed Himself has gold spoken has seen Well the Bible in the Bible we have an account of how God has revealed Himself going to spoke in creation there is enough in creation for us to encounter the creator but most people who like creation are interested in the Creator God is spoken through history is great His revelation of himself for all people for all cultures for all times was in Jesus Christ Now here's a really good question how do we know Jesus was the one that's a good question by gorry Now the Bible you got to Testaments in the Bible the Old Testament the New Testament now between the last book of the Old Testament Malakai and the 1st book of the New Testament Matthew there are over 500 years of silence when God does not speak and nothing is communicated any Old Testament of the Bible they are what are called messy and make prophecies these prophecies tell you about the arrival of the King of Heaven on Earth. I've got lots of friends in the Middle East because I've done a lot of work there in the Middle East I've got lots of Rabbi friends I said to one of my rabbi friends as a rabbi I said let's hang out for a morning in a coffee shop and I said listen well let's just read the messianic prophecies I said Rabbi how many are there he said 300 I said well actually 322 is yes of course yes of course. The sign said you read one are read one you read one are read one you read one are we when we pray don't 322 just say to you Rabbi does that remind you of anyone. With $322.00 prophecies tell you where he's going to be born how he's going to be born how he's going to grow up what he's going to say how he's going to die and you've even got the number of coins that will be used to betray him do you know what a mathematical compound probability is 322 prophecies being fulfilled in one man at one moment in time it is 1. 84 with 100 zeros in other words it doesn't happen every day. British evangelist Jay John focus on the family. In our Best of 2017 cd collection. Tire cd collection to you forgive him out today when you call 800 a family 102326459. Ministry request. Focus on the Family Radio. Let's return now to. Based on Jesus fulfilling these prophecies it is not just based on his teaching it is not just based on his life it is not just based on his desk it is based on his razor right. Action his resurrection in me 18th century there was a man called go but West who he didn't like it a lot of his friends were becoming Christians so he decided that he would write a book to disprove the resurrection because if you can disprove the resurrection you can disprove Christianity so you study researching the thought of you writing the book halfway through the book he may Jesus so he wrote his book the other way round I've got one of the original copies that he wrote in the 18th century in the 20th century there was a lawyer and a journalist called Frank Morris and he decided that he would shatter Christianity and he would write and the only way you can do that is to disprove the resurrection so he's a journalist he knows how to research but he's also a lawyer he knows how to play around with the material part. Part he got slow much evidence halfway through the book he met Jesus so he wrote his book the other way round his book is called Who Moved the stone So if you're in a hurry to meet Jesus try to write a book to disprove the resurrection of a vacuum if you're walking down a street you get to the end of the street and the street projects into 2 you know which way to go left right I don't know there are 2 men lying there one's dead one's alive which one would you ask for directions. The reason I am a Christian is because Jesus Christ is alive his resurrection all fancy Cait everything that he said everything that he did. After Jesus rose from the dead he spent 40 days before his ascension into heaven during the 40 day period that he taught he neither withdrew nor added anything that he had taught the previous 3 years that is why we can believe Jesus about the past about the present and about the future I'm a Christian because Christianity is true. If that's why you should be a Christian you know I've got 3 more reasons why I'm a Christian but that in fact that is so good you should become a Christian now or of a good way way way way we'll give you a few more reasons the 2nd reason why I am a Christian is because I need food care for us. I need food gave us. A mother said to husband darling look cons to any For me their daughter so the father said Ok but he thought what can he do to occupy his daughter He's flicking through a magazine he sees a map of the world he says Annie watch why I'm going to do he caught the map of the world into small squares and he modeled them all over the floor he says Annie I want you to put the squares back together again to make the map of the world when you've done that come and find me so the father thought good about keep a busy couple of minutes later she said Daddy I've done it he thought she could have done it went to have a look all the squares were put in exactly the right place he says Annie I need to wait support all the squares she said Well when you are cutting the map out I looked on the other side and I saw a picture of a man and a woman and I thought if I could put a man in the woman back together again I could put the world back together again. The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart and let me explain to you in a slightly different way just imagine you passed out of this life now this is just an analogy. You woke up in a gigantic fear in front of you is a huge screen all of a sudden the door was open an angel flies in comes up to you and says well come to the theater of judgment. We're allowed. To watch the screen there on the screen you see your life everything you ever did here on earth everything you have to say it here on earth and everything you ever thought those are what are called the sins of commission but then. You proceed to watch the sins of omission all the things we should have done we didn't do. At the end of the film is your recovering. The angel comes back and says Relax there's going to be a 2nd showing all the people who were featured in the film of your life or are all waiting outside we're just going to let them in the common view your life a 2nd time. How would you feel if your life were geologist on that basis. That is exactly how God judges this. In an instant I don't know about you me or you would not want a private viewing let alone a public viewing of my life I do not need convincing but I thought said and done things that I shouldn't have and there are things I should have done but I didn't do and what a lot of people don't realize is all that stuff on the film has the consequence of disconnecting us from God and it works a bit like an overdraft in a bank account if you have an overdraft I have an overdraft you can't help me I can't help you the only one who can help us is someone in credit. But a lot of people won't admit it and the knowledge that So what do a lot of people do in the world they they kind of deflect it they guy was. RINGBACK Full No no don't muss hole it was the parent says they you know the teachers know not may not lead Oh yeah they try and different kind of deflect on somebody else. Others deny it other people feel so uncomfortable with their they try and drown their Listen if you are guilty in the sight of God You cannot deny it you cannot deflect it you cannot drown here the only way you can get rid of it is to dissolve it in the blood of Jesus I am thank you I'm a Christian because I need forgiveness I need forgiveness I gave a whole series of lectures oxygen diversity and after my final lecture it's like I must have given about 16 lectures and this student comes up to me and he says I've listened to all your lectures I've enjoyed. It yeah yeah yeah you know and then he goes this is what he said but personally I believe Christianity is a crotch. And I looked at him and I thought I was a. Random thought. And then I said to him Listen if you broke both of your legs would you appreciate the use of a well Chad to get around he says yes I would I said if you prove one to which you appreciate the use of crutches to get around is it yes I would I said I'm a broken person so you I've never now. Broken and I'm saying please I could be home she was putting me back together again. And that's where we're going to have to press pause on this dynamic message from British evangelist Jay John and we'll hear his conclusion tomorrow John what a powerful presentation and what a great way to anticipate Christmas the birth of Jesus Christ our crutch as Jay John was referring to there I love hearing those stories that Jay John shared about people who didn't believe in God who actually set out to disprove Christianity and ended up becoming believers that is awesome and isn't it incredible to see that God seems to reveal himself to at least one atheist leader for each generation that God cares that much about us to inspire one of our peers to carry his message to a new generation and recent years we've heard similar stories I'm thinking of the least trouble he was setting out to disprove the resurrection he wrote the book The Case for Christ and then of course Josh McDowell who's been here on this broadcast before another guy that set out to disprove Christianity it's interesting how God says I'll take you on yeah it makes their message probably the most powerful witness the most powerful example that we have when somebody is the. Dead set against God and then they start digging into the to do damage to do harm who does that sound like if possible just think of me knowing he was dead set to straighten these Christians out to rid the world of this sect called Christianity that was doing damage to the Jewish orthodoxy and then God appeared to him and he heard that voice Why are you persecuting me it's exciting and John that's really the reason why focus on the family is here to be able to provide this kind of gospel message to get around the world literally many listeners don't know our program basically goes out to just about every country in the world that we're having an impact together a no Every day we get letters like this one I want to read it from Mark he said thank you focus on the family for bringing me back to Christ I grew up in a Christian home but as I got older I fell away from the faith but I felt guilty about how I was living one day I was fed up with my usual music station and change the channel stumbling upon focus on the family I love that stumbling upon how many times have we heard that John it's so fun to hear people say I didn't mean to but I started listening to you and he goes on to say I started listening faithfully and really appreciated Jim's caring heart and I would just say I hope that's the Lord that he's hearing and that you're hearing that's what I want he says it was your program that brought me back to the lord high res God that is wonderful I'm so glad to be a small part in net man spiritual journey and of course Jim Every person that prays for and contributes to focus on the family they have a role in that kind of outreach Absolutely they do and we just want to see that continuing You can be a part of this effort by joining us as a financial partner you can do ministry through focus and right now is an especially good time to give your gift to focus on the family is taxed. Deductible and as Christmas is approaching we think about giving gifts and by donating a gift to this ministry you are helping us give the gift of family the family of God to others who need it like the young man who wrote that letter and when you donate today we have special friends of the ministry who are going to match your gift dollar for dollar so that your donation will be twice the impact so if you can get $50.00 it's going to be a $100.00 gift it's exciting really is and it's a special time of year a special opportunity for you so we do hope we'll hear from you today and Jim We still have a moment or 2 before we close off the program today let me just share some of the broadcast coming up this December so you can be sure as a listener to tune in for what we might call our greatest hits based on your responses we've got Kim and Leroy Wagner later this week discussing how he was passive and she was so strong willed and it almost ruined their marriage but God stepped in and transformed the relationship and then Wednesday and Thursday of next week Kim meter is our guest again and we love Kim's ability to inspire with stories she had us in tears telling us about how God puts together abused horses and hurting children and forms friendships that heal and restore both the horses and the kids as always I love hearing from Cam John and then December 18th is going to be Dr David Clark one of our you know wonderful guess on the topic of marriage and it's about how to improve your communication skills always a winner from David Clark and then December 26th we'll hear a 2 day conversation with Dr Rezai a Butterfield the unique insight she's gained as a former homosexual who found Christ through the love and patience of some Christian friends she is powerful Yeah so some great programming coming up in December reflecting some tremendous interviews that we've had along the way and I'm sure you're going to appreciate. Listening in as much as you can during the month of December does lavage out we're giving people so much information if you really want to be able to hear all of these best 2017 programs or you're thinking of a friend or family member who needs to hear them why not get the entire collection on a cd set we have that available and we're making our best 2017 collection bailable was our way of saying thank you for your support of the ministry and this is a 12 cd set it features 15 programs it's our as you said Jim greatest hits of 2017 will make a great Christmas present and we can get it to you in time for Christmas if you call or donate online today our number is 800 a family 802326459 or donate and get cd set at Focus on the Family dot com slash radio. And remember during this special time of year we have some generous friends who are going to double your gifts and so please call or go online now. If John's message about the truths of Christianity inspired you to maybe check out the claims of Christ and to find out more about what the Christian faith is all about and we have a little e-book put online called Coming Home an invitation to join God's family and their explains the basics of the Christian faith you'll find at the website. Next time be sure to tune in as Jay John continues to explain for reasons why he is a Christian you and I can all the palm but we can bring the palm to the. Week. And say free I'm a Christian because Jesus died on the cross for me to purchase forgiveness from the past that's next time on focus on the family thanks for listening when you get in touch let us know the call letters of this radio station. Behalf of Jim Daly and the entire team join us next time as we once again help you and your family thrive.