Why · Part 4

0:00 Father, we pray that you'd bless this night, Lord, as we have come to our final consideration regarding Christmas, the coming of Christ, the Christ Mass, the gathering around the Christ. And Lord, we thank you for all of this previous teachings we've gone through. And tonight, we put the cherry on top in our service together. We praise you, God. We thank you. And we cannot express enough gratitude that in a world of upheaval, there's stability in Jesus. There's rest in Jesus. There's hope in Jesus, as we'll see tonight. So we thank you, Father God. We pray and all of God's people said, Amen. Well, listen, we've been looking, for those of you who have not been with us, we've been looking at this series that we've titled Why. And it's not why as a question, it's actually why being the answer.

1:00 Meaning that regarding all these claims and things about Christmas, why this and why that, And we have used the word why to answer, meaning why is there a Christmas? This is the reason why. Why did there have to be a Bethlehem? Or why did there have to be a king? Or why did there have to be Magi? Here's the reason why. And so for us as believers, and we feel very strongly about what I'm about to say, we may not be the sharpest tool in the shed or the brightest bulb on the rack or whatever, but we do have access to the greatest, absolute, most powerful revelation of truth ever known to man. And that is the Bible. The Bible is, listen, the Bible doesn't contain the Word of God.

1:54 The Bible is the Word of God. And I love how the Bible in all of its stalwart strength just stands there over the millennia of time. announcing truth. And I love it. Best for us to acquiesce to the truth than for us to tamper with it. It's best to come to that great revelation of God. And we remember our series has been based on this one theme in the book of Acts chapter 1.

2:53 week we've been looking at why Christmas is Christmas we looked at why Christmas in Bethlehem All of these things are biblical facts, biblical mandates. That means that the Bible spoke about these things in advance. So were those prophecies fulfilled? And the answer to this is yes. That Christmas has a message. We looked at all of these from the Old Testament. That Christmas has a purpose. We looked at number five in our study. That Christmas had a unique hostility to it. That Christ came into the world. That Christ's mission, the baby born in Bethlehem, was none other than the king who would wage a war against Satan for the salvation of your soul. That Christmas has a perfect identity, that if you really want to double down and prove to yourself once and for all that Jesus Christ is in fact who the Bible says he is, you can find that out for sure.

3:49 You can stop listening to people and find out for yourself that the very one who is the choice curse word of the world just happens to be the very exact one whom the Bible says he is. His identity can be known if you want to search and see the Bible. We also learn that Christmas is all about a new born king.

4:12 That the Old Testament announced that the king of Israel, the salvation of the world, the Messiah, would be born as a baby, yet king. And then we also learned that Christmas is a New Testament. The whole message about Christmas is revealed from Matthew's gospel all the way to the book of Revelation. It is the Christmas announcement. Remarkable. Powerful. And then we saw this, that Christmas always has the answer. The coming of Christ and all of the teachings of Jesus, all of the Old Testament prophets, all of it coming together is the answer. For those of you who do not attend this church, this church knows that I often say this, and I love to say it, and I put it this way, that life has been rigged.

5:11 Life has been rigged this way. The Bible says that God's eternal. He dwells outside of the time domain of what you and I live in. You and I are subject to time, and because of that, we're very limited in what we know. God is outside of time. He's eternal. He's spirit, the Bible says. He's not subject to the limitations that you and I have to abide by. But one of the things that makes God so incredibly awesome is that he has written everything down in advance for us to know. And when I say that God has the answer, that Christmas is the answer. That what we have in life, when life I say is rigged, it means that whatever is going on in your life right now, the answer is in the Bible. You say, Pastor, how can that be true? I'm going through all kinds of marital problems. The answer's in the Bible.

6:04 Pastor, how can that be true? I'm going through cancer right now. The answer for that's in the Bible. You name it. The answer's in the Bible. you may listen you may be religious and you may even own a bible but listen to own one is something but to know how to use it is something else look i have a power washer at home i bought it i used it once and then i parked it on the side of the yard and it just so happens i never had to use it again and that was about six years ago and i've never used it since and i wonder why it won't work some listen we're americans we might have a bible in our house but we wonder why is my life falling apart listen a well-worn bible is an indication of a well put together life because god's got the answer and tonight is our final night together on the series of why number 10 is this christmas is the gift of gifts.

7:03 The gift of gifts. We're all starting, I think we're starting it tonight, right? I mean, some of you have Christmas. You've had it today or you're going to have it tonight after service. Some people do Christmas Eve. Some people do Christmas Day. Listen, whatever that is, the whole thing about exchanging gifts, you do know, is a tradition that began all because God gave his only son. That's where it really came from. In a pagan world, invented other ways to explain it. But folks, we're here tonight because there's one gift that has been given, and that gift is the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I'm going to ask you to stand right now as we read the Word of God together. You guys know what to do. We're in Luke chapter 2. I'll start in verse 8, and the congregation will pick it up in verse 9. And this is our ending Christmas passage for this year.

9:37 Father God, bless now we pray in Jesus' name and all God's people said, Amen. You may be seated. You may be seated. The Bible tells us in the book of James, James, the remarkable man of God, James, one of the apostles. James, who as a disciple and apostle of the Lord Jesus, in his testimony for Christ, died a violent death as he was martyred. It's told of us in church history that this is the James that was a man of such prayer that he had camel's knees. You say, camel's knees? Tradition tells us that he prayed so much that he had calluses on his knees. Camels have calluses on their knees. And James was a man of prayer, be that as it may. Listen to what James says to us in James chapter 1 verse 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

10:41 In other words, Christmas is all about God giving us a good gift. Now he does give us many gifts. and Lisa and I were talking today about how we choose to do what with the life that we have around us. What do we focus on? Do we focus on all the negative things about life? Oh, this is bad, that's bad, the other thing's bad. I could go down a list. I had a list I was gonna read to you tonight and then I was so depressed I threw it away and I didn't wanna make a bummer of the evening but I read about all the things that have been going on in the last four weeks in our world and it's depressing, folks. none of those things God intended nor did God do, nor does he approve of.

11:26 But right now outside it's raining. And I know it's tough for us. We're getting our hair wet and our clothes wet. But you guys, those are blessings. We love when water comes out of the tap and we take a drink of it, right? Listen, we love when things turn green. Folks, that happens by rain. And according to the Bible, the Bible tells us that rain is a blessing from God.

11:46 God blesses us with good things, but we can focus on the bad stuff and wind up not realizing how good God is. He gives good things. And it's been, in my understanding, never more perfect that the Father of lights who gives good gifts that come from Him above down to us is where we consider our first thought tonight regarding this special evening. And that is this. If you'd write this down, please, or just make a mental note of it, regarding the gift of God and God's great gifts to us, what about the gift of light? God gives light. They needed light back then. We need light now today. And I'm not talking about light bulbs. you can drive to Las Vegas tonight from here. I don't recommend it. You can drive to Vegas tonight and walk around at 2 o'clock in the morning with sunglasses on because it's so bright, but very, very little illumination, right?

12:51 So bright of a light, but so much sin. Now, the Bible tells us in John 8, verse 12, then Jesus spoke to them again saying, I am the light of the world. He who believes in me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. There's a light that certainly is true when the sun comes out and shines upon us. And we love that light. Have you ever been to Seattle? It's an amazing thing. When the sun comes out in Seattle, people stop what they're doing and they'll stand in the light. And I understand that. but listen according to the Bible God is light one of the very aspects of his very nature is light and I'm not talking about physical light Jesus is saying I am the light of the world it means that what Christ brings what the baby brought to that manger in Bethlehem that God gave us as a gift it's Jesus Christ and him alone that can illuminate your thinking and your heart and cause you to become hopeful again.

13:55 We'll see that in a moment. Buoyant, because there's something about light. Now, maybe I'm the only one, but when I was growing up as a little kid, I was terrified of the dark. And light was very precious at night. If there was a little light shining from down the hallway or if there was a night light down there. Now, I grew up in a home where you couldn't display that kind of weakness. night lights are for wimps but let me tell you there's something about us we gravitate toward the light and we want light well what about the light of the soul Jesus came to give us the light internally to illuminate us on the inside and that's a supernatural thing so at this Christmas season we would stop and ask this question After all of these nine points that we've looked at, and now tonight is number 10 about Jesus being the gift of gifts, and we've tested these things to see if they're true, Jesus says he's the light of the world.

15:00 Is he? Why don't you find out? Because when he is your light in your relationship with God, things change. When we were little or when we were scared, we would whistle in the dark. I can't explain it to you, but the moment I accepted Christ at the age of 19, I was never alone. I never felt lonely from that moment on, ever again, ever. I could be completely by myself and from that moment on never feel alone. Do you ever feel alone? Listen, you don't ever have to feel alone again. Jesus, I don't know how he does it. When he comes inside of you by the power of the Holy Spirit, there's a light that he manifests in the light of the Spirit. we celebrate Christmas because he's the light of the world we also celebrate Christmas because of hope in this great gift that God gives us in Jesus, Jesus gives us light Jesus gives us hope I find it interesting that where there's light there is hope hope the Bible tells us in Titus chapter 3 verse 7 having been justified by his grace by the grace of God we have become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

16:18 And listen, everybody, cheer up. This is awesome. Especially, again, if you're a skeptic or a doubter. Yeah, you guys hope, hope, hope. You know, you guys are going to be all disappointed at the end when there's no God. You're going to find out that there's no God. And boy, you're going to... Wait, wait, okay, time out. First of all, there is a God. He has proven himself through what is known as Bible prophecy. The scripture says that these things have been written that we might have the hope and the assurance of eternal life that we might know that we have salvation. And somebody who doesn't want to believe in God, that's wishful thinking on their part. But check this out. If we go through this life as believers, and if your assumption were to be true, which is not, we have gone through this life full of hope. What are you doing in this life? Just doing a little bit more, what? A little bit more Jim Beam?

17:12 A little bit more whatever? I don't know. Where does the world go for hope? Listen, our hope is assured because our hope was born in Bethlehem. Our hope lived his life before the Jewish nation, before the Jewish people, before the Roman kingdom, before the Roman empire, before Caesar, before the powers of an unbelieving world. Jesus lived. And then he announced in advance, I'm going to go to the cross and die. I'm going to be crucified, but on the third day be resurrected from the dead. Guess what, folks? It all happened. Our hope is in him, and it's not I hope it's a hope. It is a guaranteed assurance. Can someone say amen? Amen. That is good news, folks. Another thing is this. A great gift that Jesus Christ gives us is the gift of purpose, meaning, purpose, value to life, having a purpose. I don't know how else to put this but I believe that if God were to get a hold of all of our lives the way that he wants to get a hold of our lives our lives would be intensely focused and if I can put it this way very, very aggressive I mean that in a beautiful way aggressive for what's right aggressive for what's good wouldn't it be a great world if we all knew the will of God for our lives and realize that God loves us, God has forgiven us, he died on the cross for our sins, and that we get up out of this place and live an aggressive Christian life, meaning where are people hurting?

18:44 I want to know. I want to see where someone's in trouble. I want to know. Show us the way. I want to find out. What can we do to live out our Christianity to help other people? To be very aggressive about that. Why? Because we have a purpose. And our purpose is showing the love of God to as many people as we could possibly meet. We have a purpose. This world is walking around kicking a can right now with its head hanging down, wondering, why do I live? What's the purpose? We've got the answer. God's got the very purpose. He says in Proverbs chapter 3, verse 4,

19:24 and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. You want that? You want to find favor before God and man? Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Friends, listen up. This last Sunday, I mentioned, so many people accepted Christ last Sunday. It was beautiful. By the end of third service, it was an amazing day. And in one of the messages, Yes. And one of the messages, I made a comment right before we prayed. They're all standing up here at the front of the altar. And I made reference to something about, though people have promised us things and they have broke those promises, God will never break his promise to you. And there's a woman, young woman to my left, and she just broke down in tears with that statement. I didn't meet her. I don't know her name. But can you imagine what what story is behind all that? Can I announce to you tonight that God has got such a purpose for your life that he doesn't dangle it out in front of you and make it impossible?

20:27 But God says to you, I've got an exact purpose for your life. Why don't you ask me? Why don't you let me in and I'll show you what it is? Purpose, I thank God. So that verse goes on to say, trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Boy, are we guilty of that, huh? and in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. God will do this. But you know what? God is looking for some of us, any one of us, somebody here to take that verse of scripture and say, Lord, I read that in the Bible. I just read it in the crowd. I heard it read. I want that to happen in my life.

21:07 The Bible says that the Lord is looking for one person for him to show himself strong on their behalf. Will you be that one person? Do you think you can be that one person? So I don't know, I'm all broken. Oh, you qualify. I don't think I'm good enough. Get in line. None of us are. That's why he came. But the beautiful news is, friends, listen, your life can be directed by God. Just don't lean on your own understanding. God is saying to you tonight, stop being the authority of your life and hand me the reins to your life for the young people today. Do they even know what reins means, the word reins? I was going to say wheel. Hand the wheel over. That doesn't work either for young people. They don't like to drive. What's the deal? What do I say? Our nation is falling apart.

22:02 The controller. Isn't that sad? Hand the remote to God. To the young people tonight, I'm saying, hand the controller over to the Lord. and then life there's the gift of life the gift that Jesus Christ brings I love this one it's life listen such a precious thing life we will struggle we will pay anything we will fight to try the next thing that might give us another year maybe it's a new chemotherapy and we'll do anything 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 12, 14, 15, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16 listen when we're healthy we take it's just the way it is i'm throwing all of us under the bus get ready take a deep breath we're all going to go under we don't appreciate everything when we are doing well we just don't but when you're really sick or when you're really hurting did you know the smell of your child's hair is precious or the sound of a bird singing out the window of your house when you have been given a death sentence and you can hear children playing down at the end of the block is better than any concert you've ever been to.

23:24 but when, listen, when life knocks on the door of your life and slaps you upside the face, the fact of the reality is you'd give anything for another day of life. Jesus said this in John chapter 6 verse 47 Jesus says most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me has everlasting life I am the bread of life you know what he's saying this is my life offer for you and all the words I've spoken to you he says in that chapter are spirit and their spiritual nourishment to you.

24:11 Bread. We love bread. Do we not love bread? Look, this is why I can't button my top of my coat. It's bread. it's bread. I don't know. Didn't Jesus know about this bread problem? Or have we put a lot of weird stuff in our bread? I think so. But then he walked around everywhere too.

24:36 Bread. The Bible says bread's good for your heart. Well, the bread of life is good for your heart. Jesus Christ is good for your heart. He's good for your soul. He's good for your mind. And you need to get fortified with the strength that the Word of God, the bread of life brings you. Because friends, please, you know this. You're living in an ever-increasing world of deception and strange spiritual malnutrition. And you think that sampling around everywhere, like going through Costco. You know, it's true. If you're hungry, go to Costco at the right time. And you can get filled up. But you don't get filled up on one thing. You've got to stop at the end of about 25 different aisles. And you'll get a little bit of a Twinkie. You'll get a little bit of a vitamin. You'll get a little bit of a dessert. You'll get a little bit of a piece of meat over here.

25:29 And eventually, after you make all of the aisles, you've got a meal maybe. Man, that's a rough way to go. Jesus said, come to me. And he'll feed you. And that food that he gives you is life. Satan said a man will do anything Satan you don't usually go to church and have a pastor quote Satan do you Satan said a man will do anything to save his own skin wow well Jesus said he's the bread of life and what about peace we live in a world of increasing instability of course the Bible talks about peace on the outside you and I right now at least at this hour we're living in a world at this moment where there's peace in our atmosphere at this moment you know that can change in a moment but listen what if it does change in a moment did you know that God is talking about the peace that dwells within you that is not subject to any external disruption did you know that in the midst of all of the war and mayhem that's going on in our world.

26:44 Did you know you can have peace? in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 14 the Bible tells us for he himself is our peace who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation I often say this when I read this verse folks listen for those of you who are visiting Jesus Christ is the only answer to racism not breaking up into groups not segregating more did you know that? Have you noticed, listen, all of a sudden, the very people who say racism's wrong, they wind up breaking people up into groups. Have you noticed? It's a weird thing. No, no, listen. You want to stop racism? You want to stop divides and division? You want to stop wars regarding people's skin color or status? Jesus is the answer to that.

27:36 Jesus is the one who fixes that because the Bible makes it very clear that God loved you and gave his only begotten son. that God created us. And man comes along and tries to undo everything God has made. And then we wonder why we are shipwrecked at the end of the day. Peace. He wants to bring peace. We're almost done. Listen, love. That doesn't mean you leave. I heard there's lightning in the area. You don't want to leave church early. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

28:14 Love. love what will people do for love you know what's sad about that question is that before I met Jesus Christ I thought I knew what love was there's the love that mom has for you that dad has for you there's the love of brothers and sisters in a home Thank you. there's the love of friends best friend there's a love when a couple meet that spark the love begins to grow we understand that but the Bible talks about a love that is transcendent it's a word that is even in the Greek language that is not human God loves you and God offers us a love that is greater than any love that we can experience in any relationship Thank you.

29:19 those relationships are fine. But if you go through this life without knowing the love of God, you will have missed the greatest, greatest love of all. 1 John 4, verse 10, the Bible says, In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son, Jesus, to be the propitiation or the atonement for our sins. Did you know that? Did you know the Bible says that Jesus died on the cross for your sins?

29:57 That's love. Would you die on the cross for your friend's sins? Even if you had that strong emotion, I promise you. The first nail into the hand will give you second thoughts. Did you know that Jesus was nailed to a cross? And the Bible tells us, and eyewitness accounts, including the Roman Empire said, he never opened his mouth. He didn't even whimper. He was silent. love kept him silent you say what do you mean by that if he didn't love you he would have said stop that hurts I'm out of here announcement I'm God in human flesh this show ends I'm going back let all of you men to be lost forever I'm out of here he could have he didn't which leads us to this and that's joy joy I believe that joy is more valuable than Bitcoin.

31:01 I believe joy is more valuable than gold, more valuable than the dollar, more valuable than oil. Whatever you have in this world, which is the currency that makes you tick, joy is greater. It's so great that it's rarely ever seen or experienced. Now the Christians, we're something. The Christian is the one who knows all about it. And the Christian is the one that experiences it. And I think we need to let the world know this more.

31:32 Joy. In John 15, verse 11, Jesus said, These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. Can you imagine having joy that's overflowing? By the way, joy is this. Joy is not like blowing horns and confetti and unwrapping gifts, that's not joy. That's happiness. Joy is the same when it's raining or when it's sunny. Joy is the same at the side of your grave where you're burying your child. as it is when you walk your child down the aisle. Joy doesn't change. It's a constant. You know the sun's going to come up tomorrow. You won't know it because it's going to be raining. It's supposed to.

32:26 But do you have any doubt that the sun's going to rise tomorrow? Anybody? Are you worried about it? Are you like, oh my gosh, I hope it comes up tomorrow. High probability it's going to come up tomorrow, folks. In fact, God says, if it doesn't come up tomorrow, then I will break my covenant. It's going to come up tomorrow. You're not worried about it. The same God that's running the universe is reaching out to you tonight and saying, I want to give you joy. You've been running around this globe trying to find it, and you can't find it in stuff. You can't find it like that. And then I'm going to end with this here. Jude chapter 1, verse 24, about joy. Listen to this. Now to him, that's God, who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Did you know what?

33:21 How many of you are Christians? Raise your hands. I've got to see this. Okay. Did you know that God, the moment you die or the rapture happens, you're going to enter into eternity. And the Bible tells us that God is going to take you by the hand and he's going to walk you into his presence with exceeding joy. Listen, now you're thinking, yeah, I'm going to be joyful just to be there. Yes, you most certainly will be. I will be, absolutely. But that's not what he's talking about. He's talking about himself. Excited and joyful that you're there. He wants you in heaven. You say, nobody wants me anywhere. That may be true.

34:05 Nobody invited me over for dinner. That might be true. But God wants you with him in heaven forever. Can I hear an amen to that? You don't want to say no to him. So I don't like religion. Good for you. We don't either.

34:27 Well, I don't want to become a member. None of us are. I've been here for 35 years. You know, I'm still not a member of this church. Will you forget to sign up? No, we don't take sign-ups. We just take show-ups. You want to show up? You show up. Thank you. You want the money, right? Did we take your money? Well, you're going to take it on the way out. I can feel it coming. Nope. It's because it's a Christmas service. Nope again. Come back next Sunday. See if I'm fooling you.

35:04 We want you to know God, plain and simple. He's alive. He's real. He's good. He's God. And I'm telling you right now, friends, you need to accept him tonight. What are you afraid of? Think of the dumb things you've done in life. I'm so old now, I watch people jump out of airplanes. Right, I go to YouTube and I watch people jump out of airplanes. And then one thing has always been true. Because I got my pilot's license when I was young. And so my thinking is this.

35:43 Why would anybody jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Makes no sense to me. So I have a parachute. Yeah. But it's got to open. you've already got a set of wings that are working. well I'm going to jump I would highly recommend you go with the wings. I would highly recommend you go with the proven track record of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose again from the dead. There's an empty tomb in Jerusalem because the grave couldn't hold him, death couldn't bind him, and he was the one who broke the grave so that you might have eternal life. We're going to pray right now, and I'm going to ask you to be honest with yourself. And I know there's a crowd in here, but here's the cool thing.

36:36 We're all going to be praying. No one's going to see you. I'm going to ask you to do this. I'm going to ask you wherever you're at. When we're praying, Jesus said, if you acknowledge me before people, I'll acknowledge you before my Father, which is in heaven. Listen, I'll be looking, and we're going to pray. And if you want to do this, if it's of your own choice, because that's only what God will accept, is your own will, your own choice. It's real love. You've got to choose. He's not going to force you.

37:04 But if you recognize that you are a sinner, and that you need forgiveness like me, and Christ is the one who came, and that this Christmas makes sense finally, that the baby born in Bethlehem was the eternal God, who lived a perfect life, met the demands of the law because you and I can't, satisfied God's demands, his father that is, but because he was in humanity come to us as savior, he was our ticket out of death and hell. Do you want that? It's free, but it's not cheap. It's free, but it costs God everything. Are you ready? If you're all nervous, then that means you're ready. If you're getting kind of like dry mouth, if you're saying, honey, we got to go now, you're ready.

37:49 Let's bow our heads. Heavenly Father, we ask you, Lord, now in the name of Jesus Christ, the Christmas Christ, that right now in this gathering, at this service, that you might move in the midst of this place. And Father, we would ask you in Jesus' name that while heads are bowed and eyes are closed, that people are thinking right now, Lord, I'm doing the best I can to remove every possible excuse. We don't want their money. We don't need their attendance. We don't need their name. We just want them to respond to your gospel that you paid for at the cross, that they might have the forgiveness of sins. friend if that's you heads bowed eyes closed I'm going to ask you to stand to your feet just stay right where you're at but just stand up and you're saying by standing I'm accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Savior that's it I'm coming God bless you remain standing God bless you I am saying Lord Jesus come into my life I want a new life I want you to take the controller I want you to take the reins I want to be forgiven I want a new life. Maybe you're here and you're a husband and you've been a crummy one.

39:03 Or maybe your home's broken up and you want to get your home back and you've done it your way and it's not worked and the Lord is saying to you, sir, it's time for you to stand up and give your life to me and I'll fix the rest of the mess. Stand up if that's you. Maybe you're a woman tonight and you're saying, listen, I thought that being with, that eventually somehow being with a man would make me happy. And I'm spent, I'm tired, and I'm sick of it, and I'm burned out on life. And I don't see any reason, I came here tonight, I don't see any reason why I should continue. Listen, stand up and meet Jesus. He'll never leave you. He'll never abandon you. Maybe tonight you need healing in your life. You're wondering, is God true? Is he real? hey listen ask him to heal you why not ask him he's alive he's listening he's for real he's more real than this room If you want...

40:11 to start all over with him. Stand to your feet. Father, these that are standing right now, I ask you to bless them right now, to cause your Holy Spirit to come upon them, each and every one of these precious souls that are standing, remarkably, your Bible tells us, teaches us in the doctrine of redemption that you thought of them at the cross. You love them. that might be too much for them that might be hard for them to hear you not only love them you like them and you died for their sins, not their personality. You've given them a personality, and you love their personality. They're not to become somebody else, but they are tonight asking you, Lord, to redeem them, that they might become the person you made them to be.

41:06 So those of you who are standing, everyone remain in an attitude of prayer. Church family, will you pray this out loud with them? Those of you standing, let these words fall from your lips. Dear Lord Jesus, I give you my life thank you for dying for me I confess the cross and the empty tomb as your victory, Jesus, over hell and death, over my sins. And I willfully invite you into my life as my Lord and Savior. I'm going to ask all of you to sit down. Just have your seat. it's my prayer that your Christmas each and every one of us will be more of a greater reality than it ever has been before and these here tonight have borne witness of the very same thing that you and I have now come to know that God lives and that he loves and that his promises never fail Lord bless we pray in Jesus name and oh