<i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO <i>GOSPEL TRUTH</i> WITH ANDREW WOMMACK, A TEACHING MINISTRY THAT FOCUSES ON GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL >> LOVE AND GRACE. > IF IT WASN'T FOR ANDREW'S TEACHINGS, I WOULD NEVER BE WHERE I AM TODAY. I WOULD NEVER HAVE VICTORY. I WOULD BE LIVING > A LIFE OF DEFEAT. > IT WAS ANDREW'S TEACHING THAT ALLOWED ME TO DEVELOP > THAT FAITH. >> AND NOW, HERE'S ANDREW. WELCOME TO OUR TUESDAY'S BROADCAST OF <i>THE GOSPEL TRUTH.</i> THIS WEEK I'M TEACHING ON A SUBJECT THAT I'VE ENTITLED<i> ETERNAL LIFE,</i> AND I'VE JUST GOT A SINGLE CD THAT I'M OFFERING. BUT I MENTIONED THIS ON OUR PROGRAM YESTERDAY, I HAD A PERSON ONE TIME SAY IF YOU ONLY HAD ONE CHANCE TO MINISTER TO PEOPLE, WHAT WOULD YOU SHARE WITH THEM? AND IT TOOK ME A COUPLE OF DAYS TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK I WOULD SHARE THIS TEACHING ON<i> ETERNAL LIFE</i> BECAUSE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS ABOUT YOU HAVING A PERSONAL, CLOSE, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD AND IF YOU EVER GET THAT, THEN THE LORD WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED IS FOUND IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND YOU KNOW, SAD TO SAY, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DRAWN TO THE LORD FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE LORD BECAUSE THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT HELL AND THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THERE AND THEY'RE FEELING CONDEMNED, AND SO THEY CRY OUT TO GOD FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS SO THAT THEY WON'T DIE AND GO TO HELL. WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY TRUE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF THAT'S THE ONLY REASON YOU CAME TO THE LORD WAS TO GET AN ASSURANCE THAT YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN, WELL THEN AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT ASSURANCE AND YOU KNOW THAT HEAVEN IS SECURE, WELL THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY JUST DON'T EVER COME BACK AND THEY DON'T REALLY GET TO KNOW THE LORD AND THEY DON'T EVER MANIFEST THE FULL BENEFITS OF THEIR SALVATION BECAUSE... YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS, FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD, AND IF ALL YOU HEAR IS BELIEVE SO THAT YOU WON'T GO TO HELL, AND THEN THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FAITH FOR. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE AN INTIMATE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. BUT THIS IS WHAT I STARTED SHARING YESTERDAY OUT OF JOHN, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 16. IT SAYS, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. AND SAD TO SAY, MOST PEOPLE HAVE JUST KIND OF PUT A PERIOD RIGHT AFTER SHALL NOT PERISH, AND THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT THE CHURCH HAS BEEN PREACHING, THAT THE REASON YOU COME TO THE LORD AND PRAY TO GET YOUR SINS FORGIVEN IS SO THAT YOU WON'T GO TO HELL, SO THAT YOU WON'T PERISH. AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PREACHING, AGAIN, FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD, ROMANS 10:17. I COULD SAY IT THIS WAY, THAT FAITH ONLY COMES BY HEARING, AND IF YOU'RE ONLY HEARING A PORTION, A PART, WELL THEN THAT'S ALL YOU'LL HAVE FAITH FOR. AND SO ALL THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE QUOTE-UNQUOTE CHRISTIANS HAVE FAITH FOR IS JUST TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND THAT THEY'LL GO TO HEAVEN, AND SO AS A RESULT, MANY PEOPLE ARE SAVED AND STUCK. IF THEY WERE TO DIE, THEY WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN. I'M NOT QUESTIONING OR CRITICIZING THEIR SALVATION, BUT I AM SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT LIVING THE ABUNDANT, FULL LIFE THAT GOD WANTS US TO AS CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY STOPPED AT JUST THE INITIAL FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS. YOU KNOW, I GOT BORN AGAIN WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD. DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT WAS 63 YEARS AGO, AND I GOT TRULY BORN AGAIN. THE VERY NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL MY FRIENDS COULD TELL SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED AND THEY SAID, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, AND I TOLD THEM I GOT BORN AGAIN, AND...AND THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN ME AT EIGHT YEARS OLD. I GOT TRULY SAVED. BUT DID YOU KNOW I WASN'T LIVING AN ABUNDANT LIFE. MATTER OF FACT, I HAD PROBABLY AS MUCH OR MORE PROBLEMS THAN ANY OF MY FRIENDS DID. I WAS A TOTAL INTROVERT, AND JUST ON AND ON YOU COULD GO WITH THINGS, BUT THEN I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH THE LORD IN 1968, WHERE I BEGAN TO START KNOWING GOD IN AN INTIMATE, CLOSE, PERSONAL WAY, OR WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS ETERNAL LIFE. ON MY PROGRAM YESTERDAY THIS IS WHAT I EXPLAINED, THAT ETERNAL LIFE ACCORDING TO JOHN 17:3, THAT'S WHERE JESUS GAVE A DEFINITION OF WHAT ETERNAL LIFE IS. HE SAYS, THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU HAST SENT. ETERNAL LIFE ISN'T JUST LIVING FOREVER, IT IS KNOWING GOD AND KNOWING HIM NOT IN JUST AN INTELLECTUAL WAY, BUT IN AN EXPERIENTIAL WAY. IT'S...THE WORD KNOW IS USED TO RELATE TO A HUSBAND AND WIFE HAVING INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP THAT PRODUCES A CHILD. THAT'S MORE THAN JUST INTELLECTUAL, AMEN. IT IS CLOSE, INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT INTIMACY WITH GOD TO WHERE YOU DON'T JUST KNOW ABOUT HIM, BUT YOU KNOW HIM. BUT AGAIN, I GO BACK TO JOHN 3:16, THE SCRIPTURE THERE SAYS THAT HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS SO THAT WE WOULDN'T PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. LET ME SAY SOME THINGS THAT ARE AT FIRST GOING TO SOUND STARTLING AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT JUST WRITE ME OFF AS A HERETIC BECAUSE I SAY THIS, BUT I'M TRYING TO MAKE A POINT AND TO COUNTER THE WRONG THINKING THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT THIS. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT THIS WAY, THAT IF ALL YOU DID WAS GET YOUR SINS FORGIVEN AND YOUR ETERNITY SECURE SO THAT YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE, BUT IF YOU AREN'T HAVING A CLOSE, INTIMATE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, YOU ARE MISSING THE MAIN PURPOSE OF SALVATION. AND AGAIN, THAT IS NEARLY HERESY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY WOULD SAY, NO, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. YOU...YOU BELIEVE ON THE LORD AND YOU GET SAVED AND THEN YOU'RE JUST SAVED AND STUCK UNTIL YOU GO TO DIE AND...AND YOU GO TO BE WITH THE LORD, AND THEN WHEN Y'ALL GET TO HEAVEN, MAN, WHAT A DAY THAT'S GOING TO BE, AND WE START REJOICING ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING...GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN. WELL, I BELIEVE THAT HEAVEN'S GOING TO BE A BLAST. I'M NOT MINIMIZING THAT, BUT IT SAYS RIGHT HERE IN THE CONTEXT, IN JOHN, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 36, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, AND THEN OVER IN JOHN, CHAPTER 6, AND IN VERSE 47, IT SAYS, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME HATH EVERLASTING LIFE. NOT IS GOING TO HAVE, BUT HAS RIGHT NOW. EVERLASTING LIFE ISN'T TALKING ABOUT JUST LIVING FOREVER. THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF IT, BUT IT'S TALKING ABOUT INTIMACY AS JOHN 17:3, SAYS. SO LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY, IF YOU CRIED OUT TO THE LORD FOR YOUR SINS TO BE FORGIVEN AND YOU GOT AN ASSURANCE THAT YOUR HEART HAS BEEN CLEANSED AND THAT YOU ARE FORGIVEN, THAT'S GREAT. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD TO WHERE GOD IS YOUR BEST FRIEND, TO WHERE HE SPEAKS TO YOU, YOU HEAR HIM, IT SAYS, IN JOHN, CHAPTER 10, MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE... IF YOU CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMUNION WITH HIM, IF YOU DON'T JUST REJOICE, I MEAN, ON A HEART LEVEL, AT ALL OF THE AWESOME THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU, YOU'RE MISSING THE PURPOSE OF SALVATION. YOU MIGHT BE SAVED, AND YOU MIGHT BE HEADED TO HEAVEN, BUT TRUE SALVATION ISN'T JUST GETTING YOUR SINS FORGIVEN SO YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN, IT'S KNOWING GOD ON THIS INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP. HE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO WAIT UNTIL HEAVEN BEFORE YOU START EXPERIENCING HEAVEN. YOU CAN PRAY, THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. YOU CAN HAVE HEAVEN IN YOUR HEART. YOU CAN KNOW GOD NOW. YOU CAN TALK TO HIM AND GOD WILL TALK BACK TO YOU. YOU CAN ASK HIM QUESTIONS AND HE'LL GIVE YOU ANSWERS. YOU CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED. LET ME GO BACK AGAIN TO JOHN 3:16, GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY, THAT THE GOAL OF SALVATION IS NOT TO GET YOUR SINS FORGIVEN. AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE, THAT'S LIKE BLASPHEMY, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS. YES, HE DID. JESUS PAID FOR OUR SINS SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. YES, HE DID, AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, BUT IT IS NOT THE END RESULTS. THE END RESULTS OR THE ENDGAME OF SALVATION IS NOT TO GET YOUR SINS FORGIVEN, BUT IT'S TO REMOVE THOSE SINS SO THAT YOU CAN ENTER INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT'S LIKE THAT THERE WAS A BARRIER BETWEEN US AND GOD CALLED SIN, AND WE COULDN'T GET OVER IT, WE COULDN'T GET UNDER IT, WE COULDN'T GET AROUND IT. IT WAS BLOCKING US FROM GOD. AND SO JESUS CAME AND REMOVED THAT BARRIER, BUT THE REAL GOAL WASN'T JUST TO REMOVE THE BARRIER. THE REAL GOAL WAS TO REMOVE THE BARRIER SO THAT WE COULD COME CLOSE TO GOD, SO THAT WE COULD DRAW NEAR TO GOD, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. AND IF YOU BELIEVED ON THE LORD AND HAD THE BARRIER REMOVED, BUT THEN YOU STILL HAVEN'T ENTERED INTO THIS INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THEN YOU'RE MISSING THE REAL PURPOSE OF SALVATION. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DOESN'T JUST START WHEN WE DIE AND GO TO HEAVEN. IT STARTS RIGHT NOW, AND I'VE ALREADY USED THESE VERSES, JOHN 3:36, JOHN 6:47, AND JOHN 17:3. ETERNAL LIFE IS A PRESENT TENSE REALITY NOW. IT'S ABOUT KNOWING GOD. AND I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS ONE REASON THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY WHO HAVE PRAYED AND HAVE ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THEIR SINS, THEY HAVE BELIEVED ON THE LORD, THEY HAVE MADE HIM THEIR SAVIOR AND IF THEY WERE TO DIE, THEY WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY POWER. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PEACE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE JOY THAT JESUS SPOKE ABOUT. MAN, I COULD TURN TO SCRIPTURE AFTER SCRIPTURE AFTER SCRIPTURE AND SHOW YOU, THAT MAN, IF WE ARE BELIEVING, OUT OF 1 PETER, CHAPTER 1, I BELIEVE, AROUND VERSE 8. IT SAYS, WE HAVE JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRISTIANS THAT DON'T HAVE JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY. THERE'S A LOT OF CHRISTIANS WHO ARE SICK, DISEASED, POOR, ANGRY, BITTER. NOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS WHO DON'T TRULY POSSESS IT. ALL THEY DO IS KNOW ABOUT GOD, AND JAMES, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 19, SAYS, IF ALL YOU DO IS JUST BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ONE GOD, YOU HADN'T DONE ANYTHING THAT THE DEVIL HASN'T DONE. HE BELIEVES AND EVEN TREMBLES AT THE NAME OF GOD. YOU'VE GOT TO DO MORE THAN JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE EXISTS. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS WHO AREN'T TRULY BORN AGAIN, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS, PEOPLE, WHO IF YOU WERE TO DIE RIGHT THIS MOMENT, YOU WOULD GO TO BE WITH THE LORD, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. GOD IS A DISTANT BEING TO YOU, AND A LOT OF IT COMES BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'VE PREACHED THE GOSPEL. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE THE CHURCH DECIDED TO CHANGE THE MESSAGE AND IT'S NOT ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE. IT'S NOT ABOUT KNOWING GOD. IT'S ABOUT GETTING YOUR SINS FORGIVEN SO THAT YOU WON'T GO TO HELL. AND AGAIN, THAT'S A PART OF IT. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JOHN 3:16, SAYS, THAT HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS SO THAT WE WOULDN'T PERISH, BUT THERE'S NOT A PERIOD THERE. IT'S SO THAT WE WOULDN'T PERISH AND THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO ENTER INTO THIS EVERLASTING LIFE. BUT SOMEWHERE THE CHURCH QUIT PREACHING ABOUT INTIMACY WITH GOD AND HAVING THE LIFE OF GOD FLOW IN YOU AND THEY JUST PREACH ABOUT GETTING YOUR SINS FORGIVEN AND THEN HOLDING ON UNTIL YOU GO TO HEAVEN AND THEN WHEN YOU ALL GET TO HEAVEN, THAT'S WHEN SALVATION REALLY TAKES PLACE. WELL, IT WON'T BE COMPLETE UNTIL HEAVEN BECAUSE WE'LL GET A GLORIFIED BODY AND WE WILL ALSO GET A GLORIFIED SOUL WHERE WE KNOW EVERYTHING EVEN AS ALSO WE ARE KNOWN. SO YES, IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETE IN HEAVEN, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS NOW, AND GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HIM NOW. GOD WANTS TO TALK TO YOU AND FELLOWSHIP WITH YOU AND LET YOU FEEL HIS PLEASURE AND HIS ACCEPTANCE AND TOTALLY FREE OF CONDEMNATION AND ENTER INTO A RELATIONSHIP TO WHERE GOD SPEAKS TO YOU. YOU KNOW, I COULD GIVE YOU LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES WHERE GOD SPEAKS TO ME. GOD HAS SPOKEN THINGS TO ME, HAS TOLD ME THINGS TO DO, THAT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH TO HAVE DONE IT. I DON'T HAVE THE... YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE GOING ON TELEVISION. I AM PROBABLY THE LEAST LIKELY PERSON TO BE ON TELEVISION. MATTER OF FACT, THE GUY WHO RUNS OUR TELEVISION MINISTRY, STEPHEN BRANSFORD, THE HEAD OF OUR MEDIA DEPARTMENT, HE'S GOT A LITTLE VIDEO THAT HE MADE ABOUT HOW GOD LED HIM HERE AND HE HAS BEEN IN TELEVISION, HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TELEVISION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE AND ALL OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES SAID WAS, THAT YOU NEVER PUT RADIO ON TELEVISION. THAT'S JUST A WAY OF SAYING, THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL OF THESE DYNAMICS. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE DIFFERENT CAMERA VIEWS, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE SPECIAL GRAPHICS, AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS. IT'S...IT'S GOT TO BE KIND OF A...A EXTRAVAGANZA. IT'S A PERFORMANCE NEARLY. AND YET WHEN THE LORD LED HIM TO ME, HE SAID THAT WHAT HE DID WAS PUT RADIO ON TELEVISION. HERE I AM SITTING AT A... I MEAN, I'M NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER, I'M NOT THE MOST CHARISMATIC PERSON, AND ON AND ON YOU COULD GO. I'M NOT CRITICIZING MYSELF. I'M JUST SAYING, I KNOW THAT IF I WAS GOD, I WOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN ME, AND YET I KNOW GOD AND I HEAR FROM GOD AND GOD SPOKE TO ME. I MEAN, HE SPOKE TO ME, NOT IN AN AUDIBLE VOICE, BUT HE SPOKE TO ME BECAUSE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP, THIS ETERNAL LIFE, AND GOD TOLD ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON TELEVISION IN 1998, AND WE STARTED ON JANUARY, THE 3RD OF 2000, AND HE SPOKE THINGS TO ME. HE...THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ENCOUNTER I EVER HAD WITH THE LORD WAS JANUARY THE 31ST, 2002, AND GOD SPOKE TO ME THROUGH PSALM 78:41 AND TOLD ME THINGS, AND SINCE THEN IT IS PHENOMENAL. IT HA... IT HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE MINISTER TO, EVERYTHING. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE COME INTO MY HAND BECAUSE OF WHAT GOD SPOKE TO ME, BECAUSE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THAT I KNOW FOR SURE THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS WHAT IS MISSING IN SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES. THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE SO MANY MORE TALENTS AND THINGS GOING FOR THEM AND YET GOD HAS BLESSED ME, AND I'M TELLING YOU, THE THING THAT MAKES IT WORK IS THAT I KNOW GOD. I KNOW GOD PERSONALLY. I HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT GOD WANTS THIS WITH EVERY ONE OF US. THIS ISN'T JUST FOR A FEW SELECT PEOPLE. THIS ISN'T JUST FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S ON TELEVISION. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WATCHING THIS, I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD. WE'VE GOT OVER THREE BILLION PEOPLE THAT CAN WATCH THIS PROGRAM AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COUNTRY YOU'RE IN, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SITUATION, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR ECONOMY IS LIKE, WHETHER...WHAT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION IS LIKE, IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT YOUR CHARISMA OR LACK THEREOF. THE ONLY THING THAT'S NECESSARY IS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW GOD ON AN INTIMATE, CLOSE, PERSONAL BASIS. AND I TELL YOU, OUR SOCIETY HAS GOTTEN SO FAR AWAY FROM THIS. YOU KNOW, LET ME READ A PASSAGE TO YOU. I WAS JUST READING THIS THIS MORNING, AND OF COURSE, I LOVE THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. I HAVE MEDITATED IN THIS MANY TIMES, BUT IN JEREMIAH, CHAPTER 9, AND IN VERSE 23, IT SAYS, THUS SAITH THE LORD, LET NOT THE WISE MAN GLORY IN HIS WISDOM, NEITHER LET THE MIGHTY MAN GLORY IN HIS MIGHT, LET NOT THE RICH MAN GLORY IN HIS RICHES. YOU KNOW, THIS IS FOR US TODAY. I GUARANTEE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT MONEY, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TALENT, BECAUSE THEY'RE WISE, BECAUSE THEY'RE STRONG, AND WE LOOK ON ALL OF THESE OUTWARD THINGS. THE BIBLE SAYS, IN 1 SAMUEL, CHAPTER 16, VERSE 7, THE LORD WAS SPEAKING TO SAMUEL, AND SAMUEL SAW ELIAB, THE OLDEST OF JESSE'S SONS AND THOUGHT, SURELY, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT KING, AND THE LORD SPOKE TO HIM, AND HE SAYS, DON'T LOOK ON THE HEIGHT OF HIS STATURE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THE LORD SEES DIFFERENTLY THAN MAN. MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART, AND YET TODAY WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT GLORY IN THEIR WISDOM. THEY GLORY IN THEIR MIGHT. THEY GLORY IN THEIR RICHES, BUT VERSE 24, SAYS, BUT LET HIM THAT GLORIETH GLORY IN THIS, THAT HE UNDERSTANDETH AND KNOWETH ME, THAT I AM THE LORD WHICH EXERCISE LOVINGKINDNESS, JUDGMENT, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, IN THE EARTH: FOR IN THESE THINGS I DELIGHT, SAITH THE LORD. MAN, THAT'S ONE POWERFUL SCRIPTURE. YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IT'S NOT YOUR WISDOM. IT'S NOT YOUR MIGHT. IT'S NOT YOUR RICHES. IT'S NOT THE AWARDS. IT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING IS KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A LOT OF... I HAD A LOT OF BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE, BUT I'VE HAD A LOT OF FAILURES AND I...THERE'S TIMES THAT I HAVE MESSED UP ROYALLY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S JUST LIKE I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT I WAS THE CENTER ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM, AND DURING OUR DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS I CENTERED THE BALL. I WAS THE LONG SNAPPER FOR PUNTS ON OUR FOOTBALL TEAM. I CENTERED THE BALL OVER THE PUNTERS HEAD INTO THE END ZONE. THEY RECOVERED... THE OTHER TEAM RECOVERED, AND THEY BEAT US IN THE DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS BY TWO POINTS, WHICH IS WHAT THAT SAFETY COST US. AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD 2,500 PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOL AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HATED ME. I HAD 2,500 PEOPLE THAT HATED ME, AND IT WASN'T A GOOD TIME. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I REMEMBER THAT THAT NIGHT I JUST GOT IN MY CAR AND I STARTED DRIVING AND I STARTED SAYING, FATHER, AND I WAS PRAYING, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, GOD JUST TOLD ME THAT HE LOVED ME AND HE TOLD ME THAT IN THE WHOLE SCOPE OF MY LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. AND IT WAS MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT ALLOWED ME TO DEAL WITH THAT, AND I REMEMBER GOING TO SCHOOL THE VERY NEXT MONDAY AND I WAS THERE AND I HAD ONE OF MY TEACHERS COME UP AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU BECAUSE I SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND I SAW THE WAY THAT EVERYBODY BOOED YOU AND THE WAY THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENED, AND SHE SAYS, I'VE SEEN THE WAY THAT YOU'VE HANDLED IT, AND SHE SAYS, I'M IMPRESSED, AND I CAN GUARANTEE, IT WASN'T ME. IT WAS THE FACT THAT I HAD THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, AND THERE'S JUST MANY TIMES LIKE THAT THAT IN THE NATURAL I WOULD HAVE CAVED. I WOULD HAVE FOLDED. AND YET GOD, MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, WHEN GOD ALMIGHTY TELLS YOU HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY MATTER THAT MUCH ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OF YOU RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT HAVE REJECTED YOU, YOU MAY BE GOING THROUGH PROBLEMS IN YOUR MARRIAGE, YOU MIGHT BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE AT WORK OR JUST PEOPLE IN GENERAL, AND YOU ARE HAVING PEOPLE CRITICIZE YOU AND IT HURTS AND ALL OF THIS. YOU KNOW, HOW YOU DEAL WITH THAT? ETERNAL LIFE. IF YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, YOU JUST GO TO GOD, AND GOD ALMIGHTY, THE ONE WHO CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, THE ONE THAT IS THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN. NOBODY IS ABOVE GOD, AND IF GOD ALMIGHTY TELLS YOU THAT HE LOVES YOU AND HE BUILDS YOU UP, WHICH HE ALWAYS WILL. EVEN WHEN YOU MESS UP, HE STILL WILL EXPRESS HIS LOVE FOR YOU. HE'LL SHOW YOU THAT HE'S GOT YOU ENGRAVENED ON THE PALMS OF HIS HANDS. HE'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU, AND IF YOU DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP AND GET TO WHERE GOD CAN SPEAK TO YOU LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT WON'T MATTER WHAT ANYBODY ELSE SAYS ABOUT YOU. AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE THINKING, OH, I COULD NEVER REACH THERE. YOU CAN. YOU CAN GET TO A PLACE TO WHERE NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. I'M TELLING YOU THAT...I HAD A MAN COME TO ME ONE TIME AND HE JUST WAS READING ME THE RIOT ACT TELLING ME HOW WRONG I WAS AND PROBABLY CORRECT ON SOME OF IT AND I DIDN'T SAY OR DO EVERYTHING CORRECTLY. BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST STOPPED HIM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND I SAID, WHO DIED AND MADE YOU GOD? AND HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? I SAID, YOU AREN'T GOD. I SAID, GOD LOVES ME. GOD LIKES ME IN SPITE OF MY FAILURES, AND...AND I SAID, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T REALLY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY, AND HE GOT VERY OFFENDED, LIKE, WELL YOU SHOULD, AND I SAID, BUT I DON'T. I SAID, COMPARED TO GOD YOU'RE NOBODY. MAYBE I SHOULD BE KINDER THAN WHAT I AM, BUT I'M SAYING, THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU KNOW GOD AND WHEN YOU FEEL HIS PLEASURE, WHAT IS IT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO REJECT YOU? I...I TOLD A PERSON ONE TIME WHO WAS CRITICIZING ME, I SAID, LOOK, I'VE BEEN REJECTED BY PEOPLE A LOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU. IT JUST PUTS EVERYTHING INTO PERSPECTIVE. I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU COULD GO BEYOND JUST GETTING YOUR SINS FORGIVEN AND THEN SAVED AND STUCK WAITING FOR HEAVEN, BUT IF YOU COULD BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE ETERNAL LIFE AND KNOWING GOD, NOT KNOWING ABOUT HIM, BUT KNOWING HIM PERSONALLY, SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL HIS PLEASURE, SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR HIM SPEAK THINGS TO YOU THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, I GUARANTEE, IT JUST GIVES YOU AN ADVANTAGE THAT PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW GOD DON'T HAVE. NO PERSON THAT HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD SHOULD EVER BE AT THE MERCY OF A PERSON WITH AN ARGUMENT. AND I TELL YOU, YOU CAN HAVE THAT. GOD WANTS IT MORE THAN YOU WANT IT. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THIS TEACHING ON <i>ETERNAL LIFE,</i> IT'S JUST A SINGLE LITTLE CD, IT'S MY FREE GIFT TO YOU. NO CHARGE TO THIS. YOU CAN EVEN GO TO OUR WEB SITE IF YOU WOULD LIKE AND DOWNLOAD THIS AS A FREE DOWNLOAD, AWMI.NET, OR YOU CAN CALL US. WE HAVE PEOPLE STANDING BY AT OUR PHONES RIGHT NOW AND WE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS, AND I TELL YOU, IF YOU EVER GET HOLD OF THIS, IF YOU EVER TAP INTO THAT LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIP, IT'LL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. >> WELCOME TO THE AWM MINUTE, A SMALL GLIMPSE ON HOW THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES ARE HELPING US SHARE THE MESSAGE OF GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND GRACE THROUGH OUR<i> GOSPEL TRUTH</i> TELEVISION SHOW. FOR MANY YEARS, RADIO WAS ANDREW'S ONLY PLATFORM FOR BROADCASTING THE GOSPEL. THAT IS, UNTIL GOD BROUGHT PRODUCER AND AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR STEPHEN BRANSFORD TO THE MINISTRY. STEPHEN REALIZED ANDREW'S GOD-GIVEN MESSAGE WOULD COMMUNICATE BEST BY SIMPLY TEACHING THE GOSPEL THROUGH ONE CAMERA, A FORMAT WE STILL CONTINUE >> SOME 20 YEARS LATER. >> IT WAS ABOUT HIM, ABOUT HIS GIFT. HE SITS ON THIS SET. THERE'S ONE CAMERA AND DELIVERS TWO WEEKS' WORTH OF THE WORD OF GOD >> FROM HIS HEART. >> THROUGH THIS APPROACH AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF OUR PARTNERS, OUR TV BROADCAST NOW REACHES A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE OF 3.2 BILLION PEOPLE. TO SEE STEPHEN'S RECENT INSIDE STORY WITH ANDREW, VISIT AWMI.NET/INSIDESTORY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> YOU KNOW, THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME A HUGE VISION AND WE'VE BEEN BLESSED UP TO THIS POINT, BUT I'VE STILL GOT SO MUCH THAT GOD'S LEADING ME TO DO. I'M BELIEVING GOD FOR 10,000 NEW PARTNERS. WE'VE ALREADY GOT OVER $120 MILLION WORTH OF BUILDINGS IN JUST THE LAST NINE YEARS, BUT I'VE GOT AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH, MAYBE 200 MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF BUILDINGS STILL IN MY HEART FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR AN ACTIVITY CENTER, WE'VE GOT A NEW STUDENT HOUSING THAT WE'VE GOT A PRELIMINARY DRAWING OF THAT IS SHOWING YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THIS ONE WOULD HOUSE ABOUT 120 PEOPLE. OUR OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE SMALLER WITH MAYBE SOMEWHERE AROUND 40 PEOPLE PER DORM, BUT WE NEED THIS STUDENT HOUSING, AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO BECOME PARTNERS. I'M BELIEVING FOR 10,000 NEW PARTNERS. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT IT AND IF THE LORD SAYS SO, JOIN WITH US AND HELP US CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A DESIRE TO HAVE A 24/7 PHONE CENTER WHERE WE COULD TAKE CALLS ALL OF THE TIME. RIGHT NOW WE'RE OPERATING FIVE DAYS A WEEK, 24 HOURS A DAY, BUT WE ARE STARTING TO OPEN ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 7:30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 6PM JUST SO THAT WE CAN MINISTER TO YOU BETTER. SO WE'VE EXPANDED THESE HOURS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT. IT'S 719-635-1111. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> ANDREW WOULD LIKE TO OFFER HIS COMPLETE TEACHING TITLED, <i>ETERNAL LIFE,</i> IN YOUR CHOICE OF EITHER A BOOKLET, OR A SINGLE CD AS HIS FREE GIFT TO YOU TODAY. THIS OFFER IS LIMITED TO ONE FREE PRODUCT PER HOUSEHOLD AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE US, UK, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA. GO TO AWMI.NET TO ORDER YOUR FREE CD OR BOOKLET TODAY. YOU CAN BECOME A GRACE PARTNER OR ORDER RESOURCES THROUGH OUR WEB SITE AT AWMI.NET. WHILE THERE, YOU CAN DISCOVER MORE PRODUCT DETAILS AND DOWNLOAD ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES. OR YOU CAN CALL OUR HELPLINE AT 719-635-1111. OUR HELPLINE IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND FROM 7:30AM TO 6PM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. TO WRITE US, USE THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROSITY AND HOPE TO HEAR >> FROM YOU TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ANDREW'S UPCOMING SPEAKING SCHEDULE. MARK YOUR CALENDERS TO COME MEET ANDREW AT ONE OF THESE EVENTS AND LET THE WORD OF GOD TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. IN JANUARY, START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH ANDREW AND GUEST SPEAKER, DENNIS BURKE, IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA, AT THE PHOENIX GOSPEL TRUTH CONFERENCE. AND IN FEBRUARY, JOIN ANDREW AND GUEST SPEAKER, JEREMY PEARSONS, IN ORLANDO, FOR A GOSPEL TRUTH CONFERENCE. THEN ANDREW WILL BE SPEAKING IN NAPLES. FOR MORE DETAILS ON ANDREW'S NEXT MEETING IN YOUR AREA, VISIT OUR WEB SITE >> AT AWMI.NET <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT <i>THE INSIDE STORY</i> YET? IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO GET AN INSIDE LOOK OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES. WITH OVER SIX YEARS OF INTERVIEWS, THERE'S A LOT TO GET EXCITED ABOUT. CHECK OUT THIS MONTH'S FEATURED STORY TODAY, >> ONLY AT AWMI.NET. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
