The Holy Spirit and the Unpardonable Sin - SFC2224

SPEAKER A Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. SPEAKER B Would you like to better understand the Bible? How can you grow as a Christian and find personal peace? What happens at the second coming of Jesus? What is the relevance of Bible prophecy today? How do you identify a cult? What happens when you die? Here is your opportunity to find answers to these and many other questions by exploring 30 not only relevant, but life changing topics that await your discovery. Welcome to search for certainty. SPEAKER C I'm glad you could join us. I'm your host, Gayl Fong, and with me in the studio today is Hana Nakagawa. Welcome, Hana. SPEAKER D Thank you, Gayl. SPEAKER C Our study today is entitled the Holy Spirit and unpardonable sin power for the future. A pastor was approached by a young man who nervously asked, may I talk with you privately? The pastor learned that this young man feared he had committed the unpardonable sin. He wondered whether forgiveness was possible. Could he have gone beyond God's mercy? This young man is not an isolated case. Many people are perplexed regarding this vital subject. What is the unpardonable sin? Will an individual know if and when they commit it? Is there a sin so great that even God himself cannot forgive it? If the unpardonable sin is the sin against the Holy Spirit, it is extremely important to understand how the Holy Spirit works on our hearts. This lesson will clearly reveal what the unpardonable sin is and how to avoid rejecting the claims of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. Before we begin, Hana, would you invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in our Bible study? SPEAKER D Sure. Let's pray. Heavenly Father lord, we praise you we praise you for who you are. As we open your scripture and learn from you. I pray that you will pour your Holy Spirit upon us. And those people who are tuning into this study, I pray that you will guide us, lead us, and speak to our heart. We pray all these things in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER C Amen. Well, our first question, Hana, that we're going to look at comes from the book of Matthew. Matthew, chapter twelve, verse 31 and 32. And the question we're looking at to answer is how does Jesus describe the unpardonable sin? SPEAKER D It says, Therefore, I say to you everything and blasphemy will be forgiven men. But blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against me, against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. SPEAKER C Very interesting, Hana. So, blasphemy against God, speaking against the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C This is a fascinating Bible passage. The Pharisees attributed Jesus'miracle working power to bezelbub another name for Satan rather than God. Why did they do this? And that's for one simple reason. If they accepted Christ's miracles, they had to accept him as divine. This would mean a dramatic change in their lives. The unpardonable sin is not a specific sin like adultery or murder or stealing or cursing. Jesus clearly states that every sin will be forgiven. The unpardonable sin is the refusal to accept Jesus for who he is our loving, forgiving, life changing Saviour. As we shall discover in today's lesson, it has to do with a hardened, unrepentant heart. Well, what conditions does God list for forgiveness? We've got two verses here to look up, and we go first to the Book of Acts. Acts, chapter two and verse 38. SPEAKER D It says then Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C So the first condition there is repent. Repent. Now, Hana, if you'd also read for us first John, chapter one and verse nine. Little book just towards the back of the Bible. SPEAKER D Sure. The Bible says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. SPEAKER C Amen. God stands behind every promise. This is a very powerful promise here, Hana. SPEAKER D Amen. Amen. He's faithful and just, not only to forgive, but he can cleanse us from all our sins. SPEAKER C I like that. All sins that are repented of and confessed will be forgiven. The unpardonable sin is not a kind of sin. It is a degree in sin. The person refuses to repent. They close their mind to the influence of the Holy Spirit. The unpardonable sin is a state of open rebellion in which the promptings of the Holy Spirit are at first ignored, then resisted, and finally rejected totally until they are no longer perceived. Hana, how does the Bible describe the personality of the Holy Spirit? From the gospel of John. John, chapter 16, verses seven and eight. SPEAKER D Short says, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. Hear Jesus talking. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send him to you. And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. SPEAKER C The Bible calls the Holy Spirit our helper in three places. In this passage, Scripture refers to the Holy Spirit as Him or he with the third person pronoun. The Holy Spirit is not an it. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. Well, Hana, how does Jesus describe the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead? In the Book of Matthew. Matthew, chapter 28 and verse 19, Sherry. SPEAKER D Says, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Hana, do you remember when you were baptized? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Did the pastor use those three and type? SPEAKER D Yes, that's right. When I was in a pond, he baptized me in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C And I remember that too, at my baptism. So they were following the instructions of Jesus. Well, what is the prime function of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit? We go back to the Gospel of John John, chapter 16 and verse eight. SPEAKER D Yes. It says, and when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. SPEAKER C So, Hana, the Holy Spirit is very active upon our hearts and minds. SPEAKER D Yes, that's right. Maybe we may not know what we have done, what's wrong, but the Holy Spirit has the power to tell us to convict our heart, expose our heart and teach us the righteousness as well. SPEAKER C It's very powerful, very powerful work that draws us to repentance the work of the Holy Spirit. If sin is cherished and the prompting of the Spirit rejected, what ultimately occurs? We go to the book of Ephesians written by the apostle Paul, chapter four and verse 30. SPEAKER D And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. SPEAKER C So if sin is cherished and we reject the Holy Spirit, we will not be sealed for the day of redemption. SPEAKER D That's right. We actually have the ability to grieve the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C Very powerful. So when had virtually a whole generation committed the unpardonable sin? Genesis, the first book of the Bible, chapter six, verses three to eight. SPEAKER D Shaw. The Bible says and the Lord says, my Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh, yet these days shall be 120 day years. There were giant on the earth in those days and also afterward when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of men was great in the earth and that every intent of the salts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made men on the earth and he was grieved in his heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy men whom I have created from the face of the earth both men and beasts, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. But the Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. SPEAKER C So God is very merciful. During the time of the flood, a whole generation rejected the pleading of the Holy Spirit. But God gave them 120 years of grace that they would repent, that they would confess their sins through the preaching of Noah. Consequently, there was nothing more God could do after he had appealed through Noah for 120 years and sent His Spirit in mighty power. Men and women made their final irrevocable decision. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. The Holy Spirit leads us to repentance and confession. Whenever we resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we are hardening our hearts. Whenever we refuse to surrender sin, the Holy Spirit points out that we are hardening our hearts. Well, how was the Bible written, Hana? We go to Second Peter, the book of Second Peter in the New Testament, chapter one and verse 21. SPEAKER D Yes. It says for prophecy never came by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C So holy men, those that were obedient to the voice of God that God had chosen, that were walking with him in a living relation with ship with him, god spoke to them, and they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Well, what person of the Godhead leads us into the truth of God's word? John 1613, verse 13. SPEAKER D It says however, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority. But whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will tell you things to come. SPEAKER C So the Holy Spirit, he will guide you into all truth. Now, so the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of the Scriptures to the Bible writers. The Holy Spirit leads us to understand these truths. It is extremely dangerous to reject any truth in God's word. To do so is to resist the Holy Spirit who leads us into truth. Since the Bible was written by men and women under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to resist any clear teaching of the Bible is to resist the influence of the Holy Spirit. Bible god's word is very powerful. The unpardonable sin occurs when an individual continually resists the Spirit and finally and completely hardens their heart. So sad to think a whole generation pre flood Hana resisted the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, what attitude does God desire us to have as he reveals new light and truth to us? From the Gospel of John john, chapter twelve and verse 35. SPEAKER D It says then Jesus said to them, a little while longer, the light is with you. Walk while you have the light. Least darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he's going. SPEAKER C So important to walk while you have the light. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Follow the light. Don't let go of it. The Holy Spirit has revealed many truths that are new to you in these lessons. He has led you to an understanding of the truth about salvation, the second coming of Christ, the Sabbath, the state of human beings in death, health for living, baptism by immersion, God's true church, and much, much more. It is no accident that you have studied these lessons. The Holy Spirit has drawn you. He has revealed truth to you. He has convicted you of these scriptural truths. He now invites you to walk in the truths he has revealed to you. Well, Hana, to whom is the fullness of the Holy Spirit promised? We go back to the book of Acts. Acts, chapter five and verse 32. And then we'll have another scripture as well. SPEAKER D Yes, the Bible says, and we were his witness to these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. So the Spirit is given to those who obey him. SPEAKER C Wow, there's a relationship there, isn't there? Because it coincides with this next verse in John, chapter 14, verses 15 and 16. SPEAKER D Yes, it says, if you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever. SPEAKER C So love and obey they go together. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is given especially to those who lovingly obey God. Well, what difference does the Holy Spirit make in our lives? Galatians, chapter five, verses 22 to 25. SPEAKER D It says but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such there's no law. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. SPEAKER C So the Holy Spirit, Hana, makes a dramatic difference in our lives. SPEAKER D The fruits of the spirit. SPEAKER C Those fruits are amazing characteristics of God. SPEAKER D That's right, because God is love. Amen. And we can't have this without His Spirit. We are know, very selfish. But through the Holy Spirit, we can have these amazing fruits in our lives. SPEAKER C It's interesting, Hana, because as you were reading, love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness the last one, self control, which is I don't know which is the harder one. We definitely cannot do it in our own strength. SPEAKER D Definitely. SPEAKER C We truly need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be in harmony with God so that he can manifest his life in us through the working of the Holy Spirit upon our heart and mind. The Holy Spirit does make a dramatic difference in our lives. Through the Spirit, we are convicted of sin and led into truth. The Spirit transforms our hearts, giving us a new desire to serve God. New power flows into our lives through the Spirit, and we are resurrected, so to speak, from spiritual death to spiritual life. We're in this physical body. But this new life, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, through his indwelling, is present in the believer. Well, Hana, what does the Holy Spirit write in our hearts and minds? We go to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews, chapter ten and verse 16. SPEAKER D It says, this is a covenant that I will make with them after those days. Says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds, I will write them. So God will write his law in our heart. SPEAKER C If it's written in our heart. Sounds like there's an impression there. Not just on the surface, but it's something that we love, that we cherish. Because I think we looked a little earlier from our previous studies that God's law reflects his character. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So when you love God and he writes his law upon your heart, the character of God, god's heart and mind, we are in harmony with his. SPEAKER D That's right. It would not be a burdensome for us. It will be a delight for us. SPEAKER C And that's what I've experienced. And Hana, you've experienced that too. We don't even realize that we are in harmony with God. Sometimes it's just a natural outplaying of our life. Because we've surrendered our hearts to Him. SPEAKER D Yes. Amen. SPEAKER C And his will becomes our desire. It becomes what we choose in our daily lives. Well, Hana, what gracious invitation does the Holy Spirit give us? Revelation 22 and verse 17. SPEAKER D Yes, it's the last chapter of the Bible. Verse 17. It says, and the Spirit and the bride said, come and let him who hear said come, and let Him whose thirds come. Whoever desires, let Him take the water of life freely. SPEAKER C That sounds like a very open invitation. Yes, it is, because God invites us three times to come. And then, as you had read there in that passage to Hana, whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Freely. So it will not cost us money? No, he just wants our heart. He wants us to value what he offers us and take hold of it freely. It's a gift. The Holy Spirit invites us to give ourselves totally to God. He invites us to come with all of our guilt, our weaknesses, our doubts. And when we come, he promises to give us a fresh new start in a new life. We don't wait to make ourselves more worthy. We just come as we are, and as we come with a repentant heart and confess our sins, god accepts us and he loves us and embraces us, and he makes his home in our heart. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have the fellowship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Well, Hana, there's some further verses we could look at before we finish this powerful study today. And the Holy Spirit fills us with wisdom and knowledge, the Bible tells us. So let's just have a look at some of these wonderful attributes that are available through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Exodus, chapter 31 and verse three. SPEAKER D It says and I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge and in all matter of workmanship. Wow. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER D Amen. That's wonderful. When we are filled with the Spirit, god give us wisdom, understanding and knowledge. SPEAKER C So when we're lacking wisdom, when we need wisdom, when we need knowledge and understanding, we can pray to God to help us, to teach us, to guide us, and he will give us the wisdom and knowledge, because God is all knowing and he's always wise. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C So he can help us there. What about Nehemiah, chapter nine and verse 22? We did look in the book of John where he brings conviction. And here tells us something else the Holy Spirit does. Nehemiah, chapter nine and verse 20. SPEAKER D It says, you also gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manner from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. God gave them Spirit to instruct them. SPEAKER C And we need God's instruction. SPEAKER D Definitely. SPEAKER C Without Him, we can actually do nothing. SPEAKER D Yeah. We are so lost without his spirit. SPEAKER C We may make wrong choices, wrong decisions, but we have to be listening for his still, small voice. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Because that's a promise he has made. He will instruct us. What about in Psalm 139 and verse seven? What do we learn from this passage, Hana? SPEAKER D It says, where can I go from your spirit? Or Where can I flee from your presence? He's always with us. We can't run away. SPEAKER C I think of a verse in Scripture that says, thou God seest me. It's in the King James version. I quoted that and it's absolutely true, Hana, there is nowhere we can go of which God is not aware. SPEAKER D That's right. That's right. SPEAKER C He's the Almighty God. SPEAKER D Wherever we go, he's with us. SPEAKER C And that's a very comforting because if we are away from home, if we are traveling, if we feel alone, yes, god says, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. SPEAKER D That's right. It's amazing, like 24/7, like wherever you are, God is with us. Whenever I go home, go back to Japan, I do feel bit worried, but I believe that God would be with me and His Spirit is available wherever I go. So it's comforting. SPEAKER C That's very comforting. Hana, I think of the passage in Psalm 121 also, that God says that he will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. So God doesn't get tired like we do. And yes, as you've expressed there, Hana, god, he will always be with us if we allow Him to. He's there to guide us, to instruct us, to comfort us. Yes, he knows us, he loves us. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, we've probably covered this verse, but let's look at this one in Ephesians chapter five and verse 18. SPEAKER D Yes, Ephesian chapter five, verse 18, it says, and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with a Spirit, be filled with the Spirit. SPEAKER C And God comes in his fullness, the Holy Spirit comes in his fullness into our lives when we have surrendered all that we are to him? SPEAKER D Yes, that's right. I like know be filled with a spirit. If we go on a day, it's easy to just leave the Spirit and go on a day. But we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit all the time. So we should be asking for the Spirit daily and moment by moment. SPEAKER C Amen. And we've looked at the beautiful fruit of the Spirit that will be evident in our lives as we open our hearts to the Lord. And we also have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the attributes as well there that he promises. They give us wisdom and power and knowledge and understanding and wise counsel, and he'll give us discernment to judge between what is right and wrong. God is a mighty God, isn't he? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Ephesians still in the book of Ephesians, ephesians, chapter four and verse 30, what else does the Holy Spirit do for us? SPEAKER D Yes, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. This is a very powerful verse. Through the Spirit we are sealed for the day of redemption. SPEAKER C So, Hana, when you think of a seal, we don't perhaps use it so much today only well, only if we had a wedding invitation or something of a formal matter. But you can think of a seal that would be pressed down to seal the envelope, to put the emblems of a monarch's ring in or the initials of the couple getting married or whatever. And then as that wax hardens, it seals the envelope, or it seals that document. And to consider that the Holy Spirit is sealing us for the day of redemption. God is settling us into such a deep and loving, trusting relationship with Him that we will not choose to let him go. Why would we want to live apart from Him when there's such joy in his presence? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And there's peace in knowing God. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C I do believe the Holy Spirit brings that inner peace to us amidst the storms of life as well as God has promised. Hana, what about in John six, verse 63, which follows on from what we've just been reading? SPEAKER D Sure. It says, It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life. SPEAKER C He that hath the Son hath life. And so that sealing. As we are sealed for the day of redemption, we have the promise of eternal life, but that life can begin now, indwelling the Holy Spirit fellowship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. What about John 14, verse 1617 and 26? SPEAKER D Sure, the Bible says 1416. It says, And I will pray to Father, and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever. Verse 17. The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows him, but you know Him for he dwells with you and will be in you. Verse 26. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. The Holy Spirit will definitely lead us and guide us into the truth, and he will remind us the truth as well. SPEAKER C That's a very powerful verse, because what we're reading is the Holy Scriptures, and this is what the Holy Spirit brings to our mind and our remembrance. The words of Jesus. SPEAKER D Yes. Amen. SPEAKER C So the words of Jesus are so powerful because they are truth and they set us free from sin. Hana, what about one Corinthians three, verse 16? And we've been sharing this one all the way through, I think, but one Corinthians three and verse 16? SPEAKER D Yes. It says, do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? So the Spirit dwells in us and our body itself, our body is actually the temple, the place where the Holy Spirit lives. SPEAKER C No wonder God does not want to share our heart with another idol or another God. He wants to be number one in our lives because he is the only true and living God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C He does not share his throne with another. Well, Hana, what about Ephesians two, verse 18 and 22? SPEAKER D Sure. It says, for through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Verse 22, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. SPEAKER C So our mind, our heart is a dwelling place for God? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Through the spirit. Well, it's only through our mind that God can speak to us, that the Holy Spirit can speak to us. So it's so important to keep our mind open to hearing the voice of God. SPEAKER D That's right. That's why the verse that we read in Ephesians, chapter five, it said, do not be drunk, because if we are, then we cannot hear the Holy Spirit. And we don't want any moment to be away from His Spirit. We want to be listening to his guidance, his instruction, his wisdom, his voice, ultimately. SPEAKER C Amen. And Hana, our last verse that we're going to look up is in Titus, chapter three, verses five and six. Another attribute of the Holy Spirit that he does for us. SPEAKER D Yes. It says, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. SPEAKER C So he renews us. The Holy Spirit renews us. And yes, it's a daily dying to self to allow God to have full reign in our heart. I die daily. SPEAKER D Paul said amen. SPEAKER C And then the Holy Spirit will make his home in our heart. Well, Hana, we can make a choice and our decision today. And I would hope that our listeners too, you may like to make this decision as well, says dear Lord, I choose to open my heart to you right now and come to you asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to lead me into the life you desire me to live. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C That is my desire. I pray that is yours too. Let us close in prayer. Our loving heavenly Father, we thank you for this Bible study today where we have understood that the Holy Spirit speaks to our heart and mind, brings deep conviction upon us of truth and of righteousness and of judgment that you guide us into all truth. That you are our comforter. That you strengthen us that you grant us wisdom and discernment that you bring deep conviction heavenly Father, when we may be going astray, but that you long to seal us for eternity through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we would have that living relationship with our Lord and Savior day by day. So we thank You, Lord, that we have a deeper understanding of the working of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. We pray Lord, that we may not grieve the Holy Spirit, but that we would keep our mind, our conscience tender to hear the still small voice speak to us, and that we would allow Your word, the Holy Scriptures, to be our light, to be our guide as we go forward in this journey of faith. Thank you Lord, and bless our listeners. We pray and lead them in their lives into this peace that only comes through knowing you. We ask this for the pardon of every sin in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, really enjoyed our Bible study today and we thank you for joining us wherever you may have tuned in from. And may God bless you. We look forward to your company the next time, but till then, go in peace. SPEAKER A Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And a light unto my path. You're the light unto my path. SPEAKER E If you have questions or comments about any of the programs you've heard, you can call three 3ABN Australia Radio within Australia on 024-97-3456, or from outside of Australia on Country Code 612-497-3456. Our email address is [email protected] that is radio at the number 3abnaustralia.org.au Our postal address is 3ABN, Australia, Inc. PO. Box seven five two. Morisset, New South Wales 2264, Australia thank you for your prayers and financial support. SPEAKER A You Sam and do you go? No matter. Spirit of God my heart breathe all, Lord, and I shall be save me and I shall be save for you are my grace, I call Your name heal me there gently on me as wind through the. Trees a spiritual breath. Spirit of God, my heart of stone make it your own heal me all and I shall he save me and I shall be shame on you are my pray I call your name here lord, you are my friend. Now we are friends. It all depend on how much I let you come in. I don't want to grieve you. Don't let me leave you, spirit of God and I shall be save. SPEAKER C I. SPEAKER A Call your name beyond the Lord. You are my prayer. SPEAKER C That was Spirit of God by Marcia William. And coming up next, the Rasmussen family will sing oh, come to the altar. SPEAKER A Broken within. SPEAKER F Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin jesus is calling have you come to the end of yourself? Do you thirst for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling leave behind your regrets and mistake come today there's no reason to wait jesus is calling bring your sorrows and trade them for joy from the ashes a new life is born jesus is calling oh, come to the altar the Father's arms are open wide forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. SPEAKER A Bear your cross as you wait for. SPEAKER F The crown tell the world of the treasure you found. SPEAKER G We hope you enjoy the short presentation of how God led his people after the Reformation. From lineagejourney.com. William Miller was the oldest of 16 children and was born in Low Hampton, New York. His parents were Christians, and in his home there were only three books the Bible, the salter, and the prayer book. He had an insatiable desire to learn and would read these over and over again. But his desire to learn would lead him to others in the area with more extensive libraries than in his home. He would borrow books, and by the light of burning pine nut, he would read them late into the night. This soon distinguished him as one of the most educated people in his area, both of his own age group and those older as well. As William Miller reached the age of marriage, he met a young lady named Lucy Smith here in the town of Polkney, Vermont, a few miles from where he lived. After they got married, he moved here to this town and found out that they had a library here. Here he would spend hours day after day and was introduced to the writings of Voltaire, David Hume and Thomas Payne, all great Deists. Deists believed that God created the world and set it in motion. But after that, he took a step backwards. Detaching himself from the everyday affairs of man, william Miller would go on to become a Deist. In 1812, America was at war with England, and William Miller had a strong sense of patriotism. And like his father before him, he volunteered to fight for his country. In the town of Polkney, where he lived, 47 men volunteered to fight on the condition that he would be their officer. Two things stood out in William's mind from this war. The first was when a shell just like this one from the Battle of Plattsburg exploded within 2ft of him and three other men. Whilst the others sustained injuries, he walked away unscathed. The second was the Battle of Plattsburg itself. The Americans were heavily outnumbered. The British were much better trained and experienced, having just defeated Napoleon. Yet they were soundly beaten by an army they should have routinely defeated. The protection and providence of God was vividly impressed upon his mind and was not something he could easily shake. After returning to his hometown after the death of his father, he would sometimes attend church with his mother, his wife and his children. Whilst he was a deist, he enjoyed listening to his uncle preach and he also wanted his children to attend church. When his uncle was away, however, one of the deacons would read a prepared sermon and one Sunday he told his mother that he did not want to go to church because he found the deacons reading to be boring. He did say, however, that he will be open to reading in the future. If an opportunity arose. Like any good mother would, she arranged for him to be the reader the next time his uncle was away. And it turned out that the sermon was about parental duties and the importance of prayer. Whilst he was reading, he broke down crying, struck by the inconsistency, by the fact that he did not pray, yet he encouraged his children to pray. Suddenly, the character of the Savior was vividly impressed upon his mind how he would atone for our sins and suffer death in our place. He later said god opened my eyes and o my soul. What a beautiful savior I saw Jesus to be. He fell in love with Jesus and the Bible and this would take him on a journey that would go far in life. The love of Jesus can melt the most stony of hearts. Whilst William believed in God, it was an impersonal God. Yet when he saw the loving character of God, it melted his heart and pierced through his logical and rational mind. Maybe you are someone or you know someone who has similar doubts that William had. Pray. Pray that they may see the love of God. Pray that they may open their hearts and allow him to come in. To view more episodes in this series. SPEAKER A Visit lineagejourney.com two Tip Lady with. SPEAKER H Tips to help make your life more simple. And I've got a question for you. Have you ever stayed awake at night because a phrase was going round and round and round and round in your head like a cracked record? I surely have. The other day I heard someone say something that did just that you can't have happiness by chasing happiness. So that got my think tank working on overdrive. So now I want you to imagine that I've got a big handful of sawdust in my hand. What's sawdust? Sawdust is a byproduct. It's a byproduct of wood turning, isn't it? Sawdust is created as a consequence of the wood being chiseled, shaved, or sawed. Well, I've come to the conclusion that happiness is a byproduct too. It's a byproduct of being healthy. And I'm thinking about health in four different areas of our life. If we're suffering with poor health, we probably don't feel too happy. If our relationships with family and friends are fractured, we don't usually feel too happy about it. If we're psychologically unhealthy, for example, if we say to ourselves, I can't do anything right. I'm too dumb. I'm absolutely stupid. I'm just no good. Oh, then we're not happy either. If we're full of guilt and shame and we're spiritually unhealthy as a consequence, we don't feel happy either. So I reckon it makes sense to say you can't be happy by chasing happiness. Yes. So therefore, what do we do? Okay, we need to get healthy in those areas physically, relationally, psychologically, spiritually. And when we're healthy, then we naturally find the happiness that might be eluding us. At the moment, there are tons of ways to do a health check. But one simple thing I do is ask myself, am I doing what I know? So there's tip number 01:00 A.m.. I doing what I know to be healthy that makes me think, am I doing the simple things? Drinking water, exercising, breathing in fresh, pure air, eating simple, wholesome food, getting out in the sunlight? Nothing better than growing fresh fruit for your body and flowers for your mind. Am I going to bed early enough to get good sleep? Am I enjoying some relaxation? And am I trusting in God's loving care for me? So am I. Doing what I know. Am I open to learning new ideas that might teach me about things I don't know? Do you think if I simply do the things I know, though, that physically I'm going to reap the rewards and find new happiness? Then how about I do a relationship check too? Am I holding grudges? Am I forgiving? Am I being kind? I remember once upon a time when a relationship was sour for me and I was bemoaning the fact. And a lovely lady asked me a simple question. She simply said, Are you being kind? Fuel that hit me right between the eyes. I knew I wasn't. And when I focused on being kind instead of critical, wowie, that relationship was transformed. It became a source of happiness. So what about a psychological check? I'm no psychologist, but I've learned that I need to think about how I talk to myself. Oh, yes, indeed, it's okay to talk to yourself. When dear husband hears me sometimes exclaim, oh, I'm so silly. Oh, how dumb can I be? He says to me, hey, don't put yourself down. Words can destroy happiness or generate happiness. So let's focus on words that help us grow. Do you think then that our happiness will grow too? Then what about a spiritual health check? I ask myself again, am I doing what I know? Am I connecting with my Heavenly Father each morning first thing? Or am I waking up and surfing on my phone and forgetting that God is simply wanting me to be thankful that I've woken up and tell Him so? And that I want Him to walk with me through the day? Do I make some time for walking in nature every day? For looking for the beautiful things God has made? I'm reminded of the words of a song. Oh, he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own what a way to think. Perhaps we need to apologize to someone then let's just do it. I've had to do that. Oh, wow. It's shortening me a lot more careful about what I say because apologizing is super duper humbling. But the freedom and joy that comes is worth the embarrassment. It's more embarrassing to need to apologize and to refuse to be humble. Really. We can walk and talk with God all day when busy with home, business, family and friends. And if we do these simple health checks, we will find happiness guaranteed. Because happiness is a byproduct of being healthy. Want tip number two? He. Here it is. SPEAKER E Am I doing what I know? SPEAKER H The same tip as number one. Why should it be different? Because that's a great tip. Am I doing what I know? This is an enormous key to being happy because happiness is a natural byproduct of taking action on these simple health principles. Does this mean that we're never going to have health challenges in all these areas? No, we're not in a perfect world yet. But even with challenges in these areas, we'll have more smiles, love, laughter, joy and tons of happiness to share. Guaranteed. That's it from the two tip lady today who loves to help make your life more simple. SPEAKER C You have been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.