00:00:00.000 - 00:00:33.240

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. We pray. [ Background Sounds ]

00:00:33.240 - 00:01:08.740

[ Music ] ♪ It's the hard way to heaven ♪ ♪ Oh, nothing but the devil and the devil ♪ ♪ Oh, it's the hard way to heaven ♪

00:01:08.740 - 00:01:43.740

♪ I don't think that the devil's got you ♪ ♪ Oh, it's the hard way to heaven ♪ [choir singing] We praise you, O God, from whom all blessings flow.

00:01:43.740 - 00:02:05.740

We invoke the presence of your spirit upon us. Be in our hearts, be in our minds, be in our mouths, so that we may think thy thoughts after thee, that we may speak the words that thou wouldst have us speak,

00:02:05.740 - 00:02:30.260

that we would sing your praises, that we would be about your business in the world. Have mercy upon us and bless us in this service of worship we pray in Jesus name. Amen [MUSIC]

00:02:30.260 - 00:02:43.760

♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪

00:02:43.760 - 00:02:56.760

♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's not a stranger, not my neighbor ♪

00:02:56.760 - 00:03:06.260

♪ But it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ God's a stranger, not my neighbor ♪ ♪ Let us be your Lord ♪

00:03:06.260 - 00:03:21.020

♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪

00:03:21.020 - 00:03:31.760

♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ God's a deacon or a dealer ♪ ♪ Let us be your Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the dead of prayer ♪

00:03:31.760 - 00:03:43.640

♪ It's not the deacon for the alibi ♪ ♪ It's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the dead of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪

00:03:43.640 - 00:04:21.380

♪ Standing in the dead of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the dead of prayer ♪ [Church choir singing]

00:04:21.380 - 00:04:40.140

[BLANK_AUDIO] >> Let me pray. Our dear Father in heaven, father of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. One who holds a future in his hand, knows all things.

00:04:40.140 - 00:04:56.740

We come to you this morning, Father in heaven, we come in Jesus' name. And as we come, we pray that thou would come with us. We want to thank you, Heavenly Father, for our years spent alive, for your goodness to us that you brought us a long ways from our earliest existence up to this present moment.

00:04:56.740 - 00:05:14.740

You've caused us all energy, you've brought success to our efforts. We thank you, Heavenly Father, above all for Jesus that you gave to the world, that every man might be saved who believes in him and trusts him for his word. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for our health and strength, for food and clothing,

00:05:14.740 - 00:05:22.300

clothing, our right mind, our attitude of limb, that we might be able to choose and praise our own praying ground. Praying ground.

00:05:22.300 - 00:05:33.460

Amen. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for guidance throughout this war and for our children. Now we came to this morning to thank you for this church,

00:05:33.460 - 00:05:43.220

thank you for the members, thank you for the pastors, thank you for all and everything we have. We pray that God will guide us and help us. Bless this church, Heavenly Father,

00:05:43.220 - 00:05:50.340

in the most particular manner. Bless each member of our land. Bless those especially who are sick at home, those who are in the hospital,

00:05:50.340 - 00:05:57.900

those who are on their deathbed. We pray thee for Jesus' sake. Mother of all, heavenly Father, we pray a blessing for the lost in this world.

00:05:57.900 - 00:06:05.580

We ask man and woman, boy or girl, who haven't thought of why they should spend eternity. Have mercy upon them, heavenly Father. Help us to be an instrument in your hands

00:06:05.580 - 00:06:12.260

and call men and women to be saved. Have mercy upon us all. Take care of us. We know, heavenly Father, you know what we need,

00:06:12.260 - 00:06:24.300

and ourselves before we even ask you. We come this morning to ask you to bless the service today. May we all feel those spirits rolling off of our hearts. Give us joy and happiness and peace and a good day.

00:06:24.300 - 00:06:45.600

In Jesus' name, I pray for the sake of the demons, amen. Amen. [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

00:06:45.600 - 00:07:19.840

[ Music ] [Singing] ♪ I pray ♪ ♪ O Lord, my God ♪

00:07:19.840 - 00:07:46.800

♪ I will be gone ♪ ♪ I cry ♪ ♪ Stand proud for me, dear ♪ [Music]

00:07:46.800 - 00:08:08.860

♪ The tender sleep ♪ ♪ He dreams ♪ ♪ I can't let him ♪ ♪ I wish ♪

00:08:08.860 - 00:08:58.380

♪ He'd come ♪ [ Music ] I pray, O Lord, not wise, Let glory of the eyes, Keep thee, as I take strife, ♪ Nearly a day to bear ♪

00:08:58.380 - 00:09:53.380

♪ We fear to what can bring ♪ I will be loved. I will be loved. ♪ If I die on this day today ♪

00:09:53.380 - 00:10:39.900

♪ I will be someone new ♪ ♪ Why will, why will people ♪ ♪ Why will, why will people ♪ ♪ Get through ♪

00:10:39.900 - 00:11:05.760

♪ My heart is made to stay ♪ ♪ I will ♪ ♪ I will ♪ ♪ I will ♪

00:11:05.760 - 00:11:23.060

♪ I will ♪ ♪ Be ♪ ♪ On me ♪ (dramatic music)

00:11:23.060 - 00:11:38.000

♪ He is good ♪ [Music] (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

00:11:38.000 - 00:12:18.460

(dramatic music) (dramatic music) [Music] The response of reading number 556, 556, the coming of the Holy Spirit in the

00:12:18.460 - 00:12:47.340

back of the hymnal, the new National Baptist. Let us stand. [ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ The way the birds on the lawn ♪

00:12:47.340 - 00:13:26.340

♪ Sing the praises of the land of the free ♪ ♪ Sing the praises of the land of the free ♪ ♪ Sing the praises of the land of the free ♪ [music]

00:13:26.340 - 00:14:01.340

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [unclear audio] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. [unclear audio]

00:14:01.340 - 00:14:17.340

and there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now this is the moment for all of us, the moment we came together and were confined

00:14:17.340 - 00:14:55.340

because of the error and error of history that came upon my nation. [choir singing] And they were all amazed and marveled saying one to another, "Behold are not all

00:14:55.340 - 00:15:31.860

these which speak Galileans?" And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have

00:15:31.860 - 00:15:47.980

received the Holy Ghost as well as we? [ Inaudible ] [Music] [chorus singing]

00:15:47.980 - 00:16:27.980

[chorus singing] [Music] [choir singing] [singing]

00:16:27.980 - 00:17:10.440

[MUSIC PLAYING] [Music] [Music] [music]

00:17:10.440 - 00:17:34.160

[Music] ♪ Give us and all the world to be ♪ ♪ My life, my joy, my all ♪ ♪ Give my strength from day to night ♪

00:17:38.360 - 00:18:01.360

♪ Where am I, where am I, where am I ♪ ♪ Who's home ♪ ♪ When I am sad to give my all ♪ ♪ No one can hear me so ♪

00:18:04.780 - 00:18:30.060

♪ When I am sad ♪ ♪ He makes me glad ♪ ♪ He's my friend ♪ ♪ He doesn't know ♪

00:18:30.060 - 00:18:53.860

♪ The world to me ♪ ♪ My friend and triumph's soul ♪ ♪ I go to him ♪ ♪ O Mexican ♪

00:18:53.860 - 00:19:18.100

♪ Be here ♪ ♪ And more and more ♪ ♪ Peace in the sunshine and the rain ♪ ♪ Peace in the heart, it's cold and gray ♪

00:19:18.100 - 00:19:39.800

♪ Sunshine and rain ♪ ♪ Devil of winter grief ♪ ♪ East by gradient ♪ ♪ White kimchi ♪

00:19:39.800 - 00:20:35.900

(upbeat music) [Music] There's a bright sky somewhere, there's a bright sky somewhere, a direction be my head. There's a bright star somewhere

00:20:35.900 - 00:20:58.900

Where the bright stars are where And the bright stars are where Come and race on till you find it ♪ There's a bright star out there somewhere ♪

00:20:58.900 - 00:21:23.700

♪ It's a sweet rose, lovely, pretty ♪ ♪ And it's holding on my way ♪ ♪ I can call you my heavenly father ♪ ♪ Keep the storm clean on Friday ♪

00:21:23.700 - 00:22:12.700

[Music] I'll go into my secret garden, and I'll go down on my knees, and I'll call to my heavenly Father, and I'll call to him, ♪ Long as I breathe ♪

00:22:12.700 - 00:22:34.840

♪ There's a bright side somewhere ♪ ♪ There's a bright side somewhere ♪ ♪ Don't you ever leave my dear ♪ ♪ There's a bright side somewhere ♪

00:22:35.600 - 00:22:57.600

There's a bright star somewhere There's a bright star somewhere Don't you let go, 'til you find it There's a bright star somewhere

00:22:57.600 - 00:23:31.600

There's a bright star somewhere There's a bright star so high, Don't you let it go till you find it. There's a bright star so high.

00:23:31.600 - 00:24:01.700

Bless us, O Lord, in this time of sharing. Grant unto us thy love. Grant that we may possess our possessions and not be possessed by our possessions so that we may use self and and substance to your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:24:01.700 - 00:24:51.760

(upbeat music) [Music] [ Music ] I found the answer, I died in the rain.

00:24:51.760 - 00:25:20.740

With faith united, I found the way. ♪ The sun is shining ♪ ♪ For me today ♪ ♪ I found the answer ♪

00:25:20.740 - 00:25:44.740

♪ I'm going to pray ♪ ♪ I found the answer ♪ [Music] ♪ When fate denied me ♪

00:25:44.740 - 00:26:08.540

♪ I found the way ♪ ♪ The sun is shining ♪ ♪ The fields green ♪ ♪ I found the answer ♪

00:26:09.500 - 00:26:38.460

I'd like to pray. I was weak and weary. I am old and stray. Walking in the north wind, I couldn't

00:26:38.460 - 00:27:02.940

♪ God, I pray ♪ ♪ Then a light can shine in ♪ ♪ Who lives in love and prayer ♪ ♪ All my sins forgiven ♪

00:27:03.780 - 00:27:26.260

♪ And I was a free ♪ ♪ Frog in a cage ♪ ♪ Oh, I found the answer ♪ ♪ I found the way ♪

00:27:26.260 - 00:27:49.740

♪ When they denied me ♪ ♪ I found the way ♪ ♪ The sun is shining ♪ ♪ On me is here ♪

00:27:49.740 - 00:28:13.700

♪ I can't be answered ♪ ♪ I learn to pray ♪ ♪ Oh, I found the answer ♪ ♪ I lied in the rain ♪

00:28:13.700 - 00:28:38.800

♪ With faith to guide me ♪ ♪ I found the way ♪ ♪ The sun is shining ♪ ♪ For me is day ♪

00:28:38.800 - 00:29:03.400

♪ I've got the answer ♪ ♪ I've got the answer ♪ [MUSIC] (soft music)

00:29:03.400 - 00:29:39.760

[MUSIC PLAYING] Amen. (gentle music) [Music]

00:29:39.760 - 00:30:24.520

[Music] ♪ Oh, how I'll tremble in Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm set afree to dance ♪ ♪ Oh, how I'll rejoice in Mary ♪

00:30:24.520 - 00:30:44.520

♪ Mary came to call me to prayer ♪ [music] ♪ Oh, what he's done for us ♪ ♪ Oh, what he has made me bear ♪

00:30:44.520 - 00:31:15.520

♪ All he has given and carried ♪ ♪ Everything to all his praise ♪ [music] ♪ While you have been waiting ♪

00:31:15.520 - 00:31:39.420

♪ Give them the morning bread ♪ ♪ Please, and never be discouraged ♪ ♪ Bring them the morning bread ♪ [music]

00:31:39.420 - 00:32:16.400

♪ And we find our place so painful ♪ ♪ Who will all our sorrows share ♪ ♪ Jesus knows our every need there ♪ Take it to the morning prayer.

00:32:16.400 - 00:32:48.640

[MUSIC PLAYING] Scripture lesson this morning, the eighth chapter, the Book of Romans, beginning with the 32nd verse till the conclusion of that chapter.

00:32:48.640 - 00:33:28.600

"He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all? How shall he with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elite? Is God that justifies? Who is he that condemns? Is Christ that died? Yea rather that he is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also

00:33:28.600 - 00:33:50.000

make up intercessions for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or or pearl or sword. As it is written, for thy sake,

00:33:50.000 - 00:34:02.280

we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

00:34:02.280 - 00:34:20.680

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor debt, nor any other creature,

00:34:20.680 - 00:34:43.100

shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And for our consideration this morning, Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

00:34:43.100 - 00:35:03.160

That is our thought for today. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. My wife and I, we thank you for your prayers.

00:35:03.160 - 00:35:28.240

We thank you for your support. But above all, I thank the members of Ebenezer Baptist Church for the love that they have shown to my family since I've been here. You have made us feel welcomed. And you have made us feel a part of this great family.

00:35:29.480 - 00:35:53.220

And we pray that we may continue to be a part of this church and that we can grow with you also. As Reverend Griffin said, that one of the contributions that I've seen and I've made here in Austin, Texas

00:35:53.220 - 00:36:26.440

was that I am a chaplain at Bracken Ridge Hospital. And many times I find myself in situations that are very delicate, situations where a person's life is so near to death.

00:36:26.440 - 00:36:43.200

The physicians at the hospital have given the patients a prognosis of not expected. And then they call in the chaplain to come down and give consolation and words

00:36:43.200 - 00:37:14.760

of comfort to the family and the patients. And what I found that all the theological training that one can receive, all the great words that one can say, Nothing has been more effective than to tell someone

00:37:14.760 - 00:37:39.040

that God loves them. And these patients who are so close to death, I found that they receive those words so openly. And yet when I talk to someone that is not having problems,

00:37:39.040 - 00:38:00.320

and I tell them that God loves them and God cares for them, the words have no effect in their lives. But nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

00:38:02.440 - 00:38:24.680

Today, we as a modern, egotistic, self-centered society are on a quest for meaning and hope. Many psychologists, preachers, and news columnists will agree with this statement.

00:38:27.520 - 00:38:45.880

Nearly a decade ago, Dionne Warwick recorded a song entitled "Alfie." Within the lyrics of that song, the question is asked, what's life all about?

00:38:45.880 - 00:39:14.520

Some of us try to find meaning and hope in life by anticipating Saturday night, weekend sports, and our next visit from our grandchildren. Many bestow significance to life by finding a cause that's

00:39:14.520 - 00:39:37.580

greater than what they are. However, failing to find anything external in the objective world that turns us on, we thus retreat into our personal selves.

00:39:37.580 - 00:40:11.560

Therefore, there's no surprise that our list of best-selling books are dominated by expensive volumes on physical and psychological self-improvements. But yet when our new faces and our new brains fail to give us hope and meaning to life,

00:40:11.560 - 00:40:44.440

become prey to the existentialistic philosophies of Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche's, Martin Heidinger, and Karl Marx. However, with this view in mind of the existentialistic philosophies, I must agree with Martin Luther the Reformer. In order that the church may have a complete

00:40:44.440 - 00:41:16.320

understanding their relationship to God, philosophy and theology must be approached as separate sciences because philosophy as Rene Descartes would say is is full of mitigated skepticism. Philosophy brings us no certainty in life.

00:41:16.320 - 00:41:46.680

However, the same problem that we as Christians today are confronted with, the church of yesterday, the church of the apostolic times, also found themselves faced with the same problems in life, trying to find meaning and hope in life,

00:41:46.680 - 00:42:24.000

trying to make sense out of the cosmos, trying to make sense out of their relationship to one another. And this is why we can see in the words of the book Romans that Paul says that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul realized the problems that plague the mind of men.

00:42:24.720 - 00:42:59.960

Paul, if you read in the book of Corinthians, who told the church at Corinth not to let your faith stand in the philosophy of men, but let your faith be rooted and grounded in the power of God. Not in the philosophy of life. When When life has meaning and hope, there's peace and there's tranquility.

00:42:59.960 - 00:43:39.960

Knowing that nothing can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Oh Lord, please forgive me this morning. I have a terrible cold. I'm not able to speak as well as I want to. If we would look at Paul's statements, it appears that Paul attempts to give to the Christians' mind concerning the basic problems that

00:43:39.960 - 00:44:27.200

confront us in life. The first problem that Paul dealt with with this church was matters of death and life. Everyone is shaken up by death and everyone is shaken up by life. And yet Paul offers a solution to the frustrations and anxieties of death and life. Paul talks about the present and the future. Paul

00:44:27.200 - 00:44:53.120

Paul talks about powers and principalities. And yet all the philosophers from Aristotle to Socrates to Plato on up to the 17th, 19th, and 20th century have always tried to give meaning to death and life, have always tried to give meaning to the future and to the present.

00:44:53.120 - 00:45:33.280

we fail to go to the source that provides the answer to these questions. Nothing can separate it from the love of God. And that's the solution even in death. What all of us must one day make an appointment with. Death will not separate you from the love of God. And yet all the problems that life has to offer us, all

00:45:33.280 - 00:46:14.200

the problems of wondering what tomorrow will hold, yet nothing shall separate you from the love of God. Take no thought for tomorrow. Tomorrow will provide for itself. Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything that you stand in need of shall be shall be given unto you. You can face tomorrow by

00:46:14.200 - 00:46:33.880

I know nothing can separate you from the love of God. But what is it that enables Paul to make this statement? Experience? Yes.

00:46:33.880 - 00:46:55.300

Well, before we can talk about the love of God, And before we can be certain that nothing can separate us from the love of God, we must first experience the love of God. And if a Christian has not experienced the love of God,

00:46:55.300 - 00:47:36.920

he knows nothing about the love of God. But what is it that allows the apostle Paul to write down that nothing can separate us from the love of God. It is the works, it is the life, and it is the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And this is what gives Paul the certitude to say, "I am convinced, I am persuaded that nothing can separate us from the love of

00:47:36.920 - 00:48:24.680

God. Paul says that Jesus became sin for our sins. And you know, sometimes we have the wrong terminology. We sometimes say that they took Jesus' life, they took his life. But that's wrong terminology. No one took the life of Jesus. Jesus freely gave his life for the church. And it means much more than for someone to come

00:48:24.680 - 00:48:49.760

along and take a life than for someone to lay down a life. Jesus said it was his love that caused him to lay down his life for the church. Not that they took his life. When Jesus was in the judgment hall, they said unto Jesus,

00:48:49.760 - 00:49:13.860

don't you know I have the power to give you life and the power to take life? Jesus said, in those words, "You have no authority over me except what my Father gives you. Send down legions of angels to come to my rescue.

00:49:13.860 - 00:49:38.940

I've come and laid down my life for the church." So what is it that enables Paul to say that nothing can separate us from the love of God? It is the understanding of the scripture that Paul says that if God spared not his own son, if God spared not his own son, how much more will he freely give us all things?

00:49:38.940 - 00:50:15.420

If God did not control it, if God did not stop it, if God allowed the crucifixion to go on For you and I, how much more will he offer us everything that he has to give? This is why Paul can say so boldly that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It takes a strong Christian, it takes a faithful Christian to be able to say that.

00:50:15.420 - 00:50:42.420

One that has experienced the love of God. But why is not the ideal of God's love found in the church? We have the ideal in the Bible, but yet when it comes to making the ideal reality, we fail to see it within the works of the church.

00:50:44.420 - 00:51:03.180

And why is it? Why is it that we cannot walk up to one another and hug one another and say, "Brother, I love you"? Why is it that we can't walk up to each other and say, "Sister, I love you"?

00:51:03.180 - 00:51:16.460

We do it to our real sisters and brothers. We're sisters and brothers in Christ. The greatest thing that made me feel wanted here in this church is when the first time I shook Reverend Griffin's hand

00:51:16.460 - 00:51:28.220

and he hugged me. That made me feel love because he touched me. He didn't give me verbal love, but he gave me physical love by touching.

00:51:28.220 - 00:51:46.020

And we need that. Just a handshake is not enough. Why is that today? Why is that divine love is not found within the realms of the body of Christ?

00:51:46.020 - 00:52:07.780

It is because secular love has told us that we love as long as there's a feeling. We love as long as I can gain from your love. We love as long as you have something to offer. That's secular love.

00:52:07.780 - 00:52:24.500

And this is why the divorce rate is so high today, because everyone's loving on feelings and emotions. As long as the feeling's there, love is there. As long as the feeling's there, I'll stay with you.

00:52:24.500 - 00:52:38.320

But when the feeling dies down, I must go, because love is no longer there. But that's not Christian love. That's not agape.

00:52:38.320 - 00:52:53.220

That's not divine love. What if God had been that way towards us? I'm concerned about you only for a season. But then when that feeling goes, that's it.

00:52:53.220 - 00:53:04.680

Suppose God had loved us in that way. Where would we be today? Suppose God had given up on us. Where would we be today?

00:53:04.680 - 00:53:22.800

The secular world teaches us to love according to feelings and passions, divine love. Teaches us to love even when we don't want to love. To love even if there's not a feeling there.

00:53:22.800 - 00:53:35.320

To love even when you hate it. But to love. And this is why the Christians are in the divorce rate, along with even the people of the world.

00:53:35.320 - 00:53:52.280

Because somewhere down the line, Christians have been taught that this is love. But what love is, as Paul says, love suffers long. And envy's not.

00:53:52.280 - 00:54:05.240

Love is not puffed up. Love seekers not as own. But in the secular society, it does. Love seeks its own.

00:54:05.240 - 00:54:19.800

Love is puffed up. And love doesn't suffer long in the secular society. It doesn't suffer. If I'm offended, I leave.

00:54:23.680 - 00:54:38.840

Suppose when God is offended by our sins, he gives up on us. We must follow the pattern of divine love. We ask ourselves, how did this pattern creep in?

00:54:38.840 - 00:55:00.300

I take it back to Aristotle and Socrates and Plato. Platonic love is to love when something external turns you on to it. Aristotelian love is to love a person

00:55:00.300 - 00:55:17.220

when you find something in them that you love about yourself. It's not divine Christian agape love. We must pattern our fidelity after God.

00:55:20.620 - 00:55:37.600

We must pattern our fidelity after God. We must follow the humble manner that Jesus showed us to walk. We must be obedient to God, even unto death.

00:55:37.600 - 00:55:53.820

We must love one another, even as Jesus loved us. And by that way, the world will know that we are his disciples if we have loved one to another.

00:55:53.820 - 00:56:19.680

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, because God has justified us, because God has made us his children through the adoption of the Spirit,

00:56:19.680 - 00:56:38.040

because now we are the sons and daughters of God, we can now stand boldly in our new positions, put our feet on solid grounds on the word of God that nothing shall separate us from the love of God

00:56:38.040 - 00:56:48.120

that is in Christ Jesus. In the Old Testament, the servants of God, this is what we will call the servants of God. But then when you read in the New Testament,

00:56:48.120 - 00:56:59.360

you find that we're not servants of God anymore, but we're sons and daughters of God. And think about the parable of the prodigal son. What happened to the prodigal son

00:56:59.360 - 00:57:11.240

after he went out into the world and spent all his goods that his father had given him? When he was living among the swine, what did he say? I'll go back to my father.

00:57:11.240 - 00:57:21.660

I'll go back to my father. Why? because the servants, the servants are living better than I am. I'm a son.

00:57:21.660 - 00:57:35.100

Certainly, I will acquire a better life than that. You are sons and daughters of God, not servants of God anymore, but sons and daughters. You have a position in God.

00:57:35.100 - 00:57:45.360

Only through Jesus Christ. You're no longer a servant anymore. Or you are a servant in the sense that you serve God, But now you are a child of God.

00:57:45.360 - 00:58:05.960

You have been adopted by the Spirit of God, whereby you can cry, "Abba, Father." Now you've been justified in the blood of Jesus. Now your sins have been washed away. Now you've been made whole.

00:58:05.960 - 00:58:29.920

And now, because of that, because you have been justified, because your sins have been cleansed, and because God has taken you from the status of being a servant to a child, now you can say that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

00:58:29.920 - 00:58:44.520

Because you're no longer a servant, but you're a child. You are a child of the King. You are a child, the King of the universe. You're a child of the Almighty God.

00:58:44.520 - 00:58:57.240

We who are parents, can anything separate your love for your children? No. No, nothing can take that away.

00:58:57.240 - 00:59:06.800

I don't care what they do. I don't care what they say to you. I don't care how they offend you. You will always love them as your own,

00:59:06.800 - 00:59:17.800

because they are your children. I remember when my daughter, the first time we brought her home and she began to make little baby sounds, as babies do at such a young age.

00:59:17.800 - 00:59:26.360

And the first thing I did was I jumped out of the bed and I went and grabbed and I put her in my arms. Why? Because that's my child, and I love my child.

00:59:26.360 - 00:59:41.060

And you are God's children, and whenever God sees you in danger, He'll run to your rescue, pick you up and rock you. Because He is your Father. He doesn't want to see you in danger.

00:59:41.060 - 00:59:54.060

Why do we work? We work to provide for our children. But God doesn't have to work. All the substance in the world is His.

00:59:54.060 - 01:00:07.260

But because you are His children, God will give it to you, simply because you are His child. And yet we accuse God and say, "Oh, God has stopped loving me.

01:00:07.260 - 01:00:30.540

God has turned his back on me." But you know, we turn our backs on God first before God turns his back on us. We accuse God of stop loving us, but God hasn't stopped loving us. God cares, God's concerned, and God loves you.

01:00:30.540 - 01:00:52.940

I want to be bold enough to say, like the Apostle Paul, nothing can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Not death, not the problems of life, not powers,

01:00:52.940 - 01:01:20.940

no principalities, not even sin can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And if anyone has never experienced the love of God, [BLANK_AUDIO]