The Almost Christian | Sunday Message

Hey there, thanks for listening to the great glory part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries.

To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org. Okay, let's grab our Bibles and turn to acts chapter 26 the title of my message is the almost Christian.

The almost Christian almost. That's an interesting word.

It's a word that basically means not quite nearly approaching it. Sometimes, a word that we use when we don't know what to do. Like when you go to a restaurant and you sit down and they say, can I take your order using while I'm almost ready to order probably is. Then the server disappears for one month. Write out what were they go like I my mama Freddie or maybe it's because you're at the cheesecake factory and did you know the cheesecake factory has 21 pages of options. That's too many cheesecake factory stop already and there's 250 options that so I like In-N-Out Burger.

It's like burger burger with cheese fries small.

That's pretty much it, or even Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, chicken nuggets, small chicken flavored mall.

I don't know they have the but you know it's simple so you say almost right or maybe you're getting ready to go out to dinner because you're taking your wife to Chick-fil-A for dinner. Maybe you'll appear again someday. I don't know, and you say to her are you ready to go and she says almost no you know what that means one hour minimum with almost ready. Or maybe you get a call from your boss. He says the meeting is starting where are you.

You say I'm almost there, which really means I was asleep and you pee up and I'm now going to try to get there as quickly as I can, but almost as a word that is usually coupled with procrastination. You know I'm almost ready to decide but not quite so you might think I'm almost a Christian well you may be further down the road than you were before, toward coming to Jesus, but either you are a Christian or you are not a Christian. It's one of the other.

They almost Christian doesn't go together. That's what you call an oxymoron, an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp is an oxymoron. How can it be stripped of its jumbo freezer burn. How do you get burn from a freezer oxymoron airline food that's an oxymoron right. Here's another when government efficiency that's oxymoron right so anyway, almost Christian that doesn't really work as a said you either are or are not a Christian.

So working a look at a character in the Bible today known as Herod. Herod Agrippa and the apostle Paul was speaking to him in the Herod said to Paul, you know, you almost caused me to be a Christian now the herds are an interesting bunch, because we read the word here at so many times in the New Testament, you get a little confused but there was a whole bunch of Herod's there were a devilish dynasty and truly the sins of the parents were passed on to the children. Specifically, the sun starting with Herod the great, he was a builder there are still edifices in Israel today that were erected by King Herod. This is the Herod who is responsible for murdering the baby Jewish boys in Bethlehem, because he wanted to stop the Messiah from coming because the wise men from the East said we have come to worship the King of the Jews and Herod sort of fancied himself as the king of the Jews.

Then there was Herod enterprise his son.

He was responsible for beheading John the Baptist and die. And so Jesus was told that Herod had the best wanted to meet with him in a response.

Our Lord said Luke 1213 32. Go tell that fox that I'm casting out demons and doing miracles of healing today and tomorrow and on the third date.

I'll accomplish my purpose. He finally did appear before Herod at the press and it's interesting to note Jesus didn't have a single word to say to this wicked man. Not a work Jesus had a lot to say to Pontius Pilate. He never uttered a single word in the presence of Herod enterprise.

Then there's the sun appeared enterprise who slew James the apostle and then imprison Peter and remember the Lord sprung Peter from that prison, but ultimately he gave his speech of the people were chanting at the voice of a God and not of a man and that Herod was struck down.

That brings us to the Herod in our story here in acts 26 Herod Agrippa. Now we can say Paul appeared before Herod Agrippa, but in another way we could say Herod Agrippa appear before Paul because the judgment he would render on the apostle would affect be the judgment he would render toward himself. He could say the same thing about Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, the Christ appeared before. I guess it was Jesus before Pilate, but in another way was pilot before Jesus and so he was really the one that was ultimately being judged. And so, as Paul speaks Herod says to him and asked 26 verse 28. Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian. Another translation puts it this week. Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian. Do you actually think you could do that in such a short period of time. The answer was yes Paul totally was going for that and unfortunately that's not the way it turned out you seek Herod Agrippa was close, but he was not close enough I suggest you.

There are a lot of almost Christians in America today for more than atheists. You know, most Americans do believe in God. A recent survey revealed that 87% of Americans say they believe in God. Three quarters of us believe in miracles, 73% of Americans believe in heaven, 71% say that Jesus is the son of God. 71% of Americans believe in angels and 7/10.

See Jesus Christ rose from the dead and the Bible is the word of God, something, and where are these people they're not out on the road.

Thriving matter who those people are, but where are all these people and this is where it gets interesting because a recent Barnett poll revealed the following half of Americans who call themselves Christians don't believe Satan exists, and one third are confident Jesus sin while on earth Houston we have a problem. So this means that there are people that think they are Christians that are not. Certainly Satan exists in Christ never sin when he was on this earth because he was fully God and fully man, 25% of the so-called Christians out there dismissed the idea that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches what listen you can pick and choose which parts of the Christian faith, you agree or don't agree with. This is not faith � la carte. This is a package deal. You don't vote on it.

Majority does not rule unless you're speaking of God. God sets the rules we follow them.

It's your choice. You don't have to believe it or you can believe it, but if you choose to believe it. You believe it the way the Lord presented to all of us. So Paul poses this challenge to those who claim to believe second Corinthians 13 five marked this reference down. It's a really good verse check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians or are you just pretending to be Christians when you actually aren't at all pretend Christians almost Christians people acting as though they are Christians when they really are not going back to the Jesus revolution film I was getting my credentials to go on the set and they said what your name is Greg Laurie how do you spell your last name. I've been asked that question 1 million times, but Ellie, you are i.e. okay Eldon, you are no L a URIELZ know this knows LA you are I okay all you've already checked it. I said no I'm checking enough to know Greg Laurie has checked in know that's the actor that's plainly Joe Courtney that I was talking to Joel the other days that you're a much better looking Greg Laurie that I was okay. So congratulations on that. So there is but you know this is that thing. We pretend to be something maybe we are not a reminding of a story of a guy who needed some work and he heard that they were hiring down at the local zoo, so he goes down since I like to get a job here they said sorry sir every position is still the guy he's talking to said no I don't want you to be offended by this, but see your big, burly, dude in our gorilla died last week and time and we've ordered a new gorilla.

He's on his way, but would you be willing this kind of crazy. Would you be willing to wear a gorilla suit. We would have it custom-made for you and pretend to be the gorilla until the real gorilla arrives guides about how much will you pay they told me said I have been so he puts the gorilla suit on he feels very self-conscious when he goes into the gorilla enclosure.

He thinks no one is going to believe I'm a gorilla. The crowd forms and the kids are all excited to be this just a couple times by deed to he's swinging back and forth having a great time and he got a little too excited and swung a little too far and landed right in the middle of a Lions gate or debt and immediately the lion starts approaching them because of the gorilla suit is terrified. If he cries out for help. He knows he will reveal he was a fraud, but if you stay silent.

He's lunch for Simba right. Finally he just cries out in the lances shut up or you'll get us both fire.

How many of you have heard that Joe grazing in many how many of you have never heard of before.

Yes, that's it joke from my distant past checkup on yourselves. Are you really Christians are you just pretending to be Christians when you really are at all. How can someone tell if I'm a true follower of Jesus. Jesus said by their fruit you shall know them.

Let me say something that may surprise you. You can pray, keep the 10 Commandments to the best of your ability attend church on a regular basis, be baptized and not necessarily be a Christian. Having said that, if you are Christian you should do all those things with those things don't make you a Christian, but if you are a Christian you should do those things. The outward can be without the inward, but the N-word is never without the outward doesn't make sense. So the outward doing these things to be without the inward amount of true believer, but I've done these things, but the inward of I am a true believer will never be without the outward that will be the evidence. I'm a believer.

So as an example you can pray, and not necessarily be a Christian. Paul so that nine out of every 10 Americans pray 76% of its believe there is a heavenly father who can be reached by our prayers, but believing God answers prayer doesn't necessarily mean you're a Christian before I was a Christian when I was in trouble. I called out to God, did you and I called out to Jesus even I had no relationship with Jesus, but I believe there was some God out there. I cried to him and most people will do that and that's a bad thing because the Lord hears our prayers. Even if we don't know him yet you think of Jonah, who I was on the boat. The storm came in and says all the sailors cried out to their various gods, but here's the question.

When the storm passes then what we just go back to the way it was. So you can pray and not really have a relationship with God. Isaiah 59 says, surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to say surely that year of the Lord.

I is not close so you won't hear.

But your sins have hidden his face from you so we will not hear. Sometimes we say our prayers but we don't pray, we would teach children.

Say your prayers. Remember to say your prayers before you go to sleep say this prayer. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep, by should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take this really a good prayer who came up with this prayer to basically save your child okay honey, you may die in your sleep tonight, but if you do, just pray the God teacher soul so sleep tight don't let the bedbugs bite. Talk forget what you doing you can say prayers and not pray and you can say you're a Christian and not really know him. Listen, if if your sin is not been confessed to God, your prayers are not going any higher than the ceiling. If that Psalm 6618 says if I regard her hold onto iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me let me say something that might seem a little heavy, but it's true. If you're living in overt sin with no desire to repent. Don't tell me your Christian I said overt sin.

I didn't say you struggle with sin. Everybody does overt means I'd made a commitment to live in this sinful lifestyle. I'm not going to stop living in this sinful lifestyle. I've no desire to change whatsoever, but I'm a Christian.

Are you checkup on yourself. Are you really a Christian or are you just pretending to be when you actually aren't at all payment don't judge my journey. Are you done I will judge your journey understand what I'm saying. Jesus said judge not lest you be judged by the way that some nonbelievers favorite verse. They love ever. Every nonbeliever knows I turn verse they know one another. Let him that is without sin cast the first stone. Very good. You know to verses from the Bible completely out of context. Okay, what we say judge not lest you be judged. That's obviously true, but what does it mean to jot does it mean to evaluate no because the Bible says judgment begins at the house of God judge music in them.

I will condemn you but don't tell me you're a Christian and contradicted by the way that you live a person to make visible changes in their life and still not be a Christian. Remember, and actually we looked at the life of Simon the sorcerer. This is a guy who was an occultist and was deceivingly misleading people. So the apostles showed up started doing legit real miracles and he was losing business quickly so I think what he did was he staged the conversion. He pretended to be a believer but he wasn't a believer at all because Peter later rebuked him and said your heart is not right from God, a right with God that sometimes it was a ointment Christian not because they want to get something.

Sometimes people will think a conversion.

Let me illustrate it another way that comes up to hey want to go out with me is a well. I only caught with Christians and I hope your voices and so my company, I would only go out with a Christian are you a Christian you hallelujah even the way you said it's weird, Christian people say things to get things right so you can look like you are a believer, but not really be a believer at all in the Bible is his field was story after story to illustrate this knowledge come back to the story before us. Paul and Herod Agrippa. We see the difference between an almost Christian and a real Christian know when we last looked at Paul. He was imprisoned for preaching the gospel, a contract was put on and him and a young boy discovered it in the young boy happened to be his nephew is an uncle Paul is about two guys who have taken about 40 men good vowed to not eat until they kill you.

You do not want 40 angry men looking for you because you guys haven't eaten there definite trouble so puzzle well and so they alerted the authorities and so they actually took Paul out of prison. He left under the cover of night with 370 Roman soldiers guarding him to Caesarea.

Upon arriving there in Caesarea.

He was put under the charge of the Roman governor Felix no relation to the cat and the and so now here's Paul imprisoned and this silver tongued orator named her Tullius was put in charge of prosecuting Paul in the Roman court and soaked her. Tullius went after Paul Papa was a very good communicator. He defended himself well and also got the gospel in there as well. So Felix, who is the Roman governor is an ungodly man, he sinned greatly in his life. He was moved by the preaching of Paul actually wanted visited him privately and asked 2425 says is Paul reason with Felix about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified and said go away for now. Sometimes it talk to some people about the Lord with the Bible says and they're open but didn't want to commit clastic procrastination. Felix it when it's more convenient. All talk to you again like him and this is getting under my skin. I don't really like what you're saying but Paul was just telling them the truth sometimes shall invite some of the church and those I'd like to come but all you know the kids up soccer on Sundays or I work hard all week and I'm off on Sundays for that like to come maybe one day when it's more convenient, but the reality is that you have no intention of coming at all. So two long years pass. Felix would not release Paul because he wanted a bribe. Paul and Bill bribe to give to him. Now Felix's term is come to an end and a new governor enters the story. His name is Festus and I think Felix was pretty happy to handoff this hot potato Paul over to Festus, so Festus inherits a problem of Paul after he took over the governorship from Felix now Herod Agrippa is coming to town of these are governors. Herod Agrippa is a big deal he's king ^ so it's a foreign it's a dignitary visiting and Agrippa comes with his sister Bernice and they arrive in all the circumstance possible. He would be arrayed in a scarlet robe embroiled CM they would have Roman soldiers in their dress uniforms and other dignitaries and they would take the Royal seeks so this is all happening pauses done of the going pool, to preach the gospel to him now to Paul wasn't intimidated by anyone. He had been a man in great authority himself once nowadays been changed by Christ Jesus. All look at these two big fish that just swam in to my net phenomena give them the gospel so we picked the story up now next 26 verse one. Agrippa says the Paul human all speak in your defense. Paul with the gesture of his sand started is the feds.

I am most fortunate king Agrippa that you were the one here in my defense against these accusations made by Jewish leaders. I know you're an expert in Jewish customs and controversies. Please listen to me carefully and patiently. The Paul goes on to give this testimony, you have a testimony and I have a testimony. Granted, some testimonies are more dramatic than others, and you might feel of yours isn't bad.

Incredible. If you were delivered from a life of crime or addiction or some other think that your testimony is not that legit but actually it is because everyone's testimony could be boiled down to this one sure blind but now you see right you may have been living morally or immorally. You may have been living legally or illegally.

You may have been living whatever way you were but you were without Christ, and it's a powerful tool to use them. Paul had one whopper of a testimony. Let's see what he said asked 26 verse nine Paul speaking before Agrippa. I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the followers of Jesus of Nazareth authorized by the leading priests high because many of the believers in Jerusalem to be sent to prison. I cast my vote against them when they were condemned the death many times I had them whipped in the synagogue to try to get them to curse Christ while giving just imprison them. He whip them in one of them to curse Jesus. Paul continues I was so violently opposed to them. I have loaded them in distant cities of foreign lands. One day I was on such a mission to Damascus arm with the authority and commission of the leading priests about noon, your Majesty is respectful speaking to a dignitary. About noon, your Majesty.

A light from heaven, brighter than the sun shone down to me and my companions.

We all fell down and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me.

It's hard for you to fight against my will go are you, sir. I asked, and the Lord replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

Great way to start a message.

This brings up point when you think about sharing your faith. When possible, find common ground and build a bridge to your listener. Let me say that again when possible find common ground and build a bridge to your listener. Look at how Paul begins verse two. I'm fortunate. King Agrippa that you are the one here in my defense, by the way, this was not flattery on Paul's part is the truth. It is worth noting that Agrippa -like Felix was an immoral man. There were reports he was having an incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice talking to Colorado that he did. This is where what's going on with you and your sister that would've ended his talk he could've attacked him for his lifestyle and here's the thing, I don't care what lifestyle a person is engaged. I don't care what particular sin that they are living in.

The first thing I want to do is tell them about Jesus right and sometimes we start with the sin and we start coming down on them for the sin. What I think the best thing to do is first build a bridge. The woman at the well was immoral.

She had been married and divorced five times she was living with a guy when she met Jesus.

Jesus in Colorado you adulterous women talked to Maria he said, referring to her water pot.

If you drink of this water you'll thirst again but if you drink of the water. I give you'll never thirst again. What's that building a bridge, though ultimately he called her out for what she was doing when she was a bit resistant, but the point is, he started by building this bridge of communication to reach her in the best way to do that is with your personal testimony and that's what Paul did in fact it was that powerful testimony of the woman at the well caused others to believe after she believed in Jesus.

We read in John 439. Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified come see the one who told me all that I ever did. The power of a changed life okay so the beginning of this message. I brought up the idea of almost Christians or pretend Christians. How do you know if you're a real Christian, how can you go from being an almost Christian to a genuine wine. Christian Paul gives the answer what he says now to hear it. Agrippa he's telling this leader.

What the gospel is new says in verse 18 to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God and receive the forgiveness for their sins and can be given a place among God's people were set apart by faith in me. Two big steps must be taken to become a real Christian, your step number one if you're taking notes you need to have your eyes opened need to have your eyes open now.

I don't mean literally. Some of you may have had your eyes closed up to this point he just woke up. Welcome back, but I'm talking about having your spiritual eyes opened in second Corinthians 4 we read of the good news we preach is veiled from anyone to sign their parish Satan, the God of this evil world has blinded the guys who of those who don't believe so they don't see the light of the good news and they don't understand the message about Jesus. Paul prayed in Ephesians 118 for nonbelievers that their eyes would be open so we are sharing your faith first thing you should do is pray Lord open their eyes to something you can say or I can say that will make a person believe that people come up to regroup with the one thing you can say to a nonbeliever that will cause them to accept Christ like.

I know that this is the ultimate evangelist hack triad is no such thing is just I do the same thing you do. I just tell my story. I tell them about Jesus and I pray that the Lord will open their eyes and you can talk to one person and it's like you're talking to a brick wall right then you talk to another person, family, get it in the response of doing so.

Pray that the Lord would open a person's eyes. I remember when my eyes were open. I was 17 years old I was listening to Lonnie Frisbee will be portrayed in this film as we mentioned, and he made one statement Jesus said your for me or against me. He said, and all of a sudden I got I don't know why I suddenly got it at that moment I don't know why was that statement.

In particular, but it was a damn.

The lights went on and I was looking cynically and critically at all the Christians prior to that, all of a sudden, I thought this is all true.

This is real.

Jesus can be no my eyes were open but listen to this you can have your eyes open and still not be a Christian because you bet people would say I agree that Jesus is the son of God.

I believe he lived a sinless life. I believe he died on the cross for my sin. I believe he rose again from the dead.

I believe is coming back again.

I believe the Bible is the word of God, but that's it. I believe it I'm not can act on it so you can have your eyes open. Listen only God can open a person's eyes.

I can't. You can't been. Here's my part. God opened your eyes. Now here's what I need to do you turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God. Only you can do that no will. God can do anything know, but he doesn't violate your free will.

This is your part. The next move is yours.

You opened your eyes. You know it's true.

Are you willing now to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Romans 13 says a night is almost gone the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds shed them like dirty clothes, clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light.

This is what it means to repent. See sometimes people say they believe in Jesus, but they've never repented of their sins. What is it mean to repent means you change your direction. It's a military term that means an about-face, you turn from your sin. Remember, the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus forgave her and he said go and sin no more mercy of a guy who was hired to clean the church and so we bid the job and figured out how much you haven't supplies, labor and and and you know faith in the paint out.

I would make more money so report about you paint thinner into the pain, and is almost done with this job appealing this church is at the steeple putting the finishing touches on thinking about all the monies going to make. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck him and there was a voice from heaven that said repainting for no more. These are the jokes people would he want for without sick peacefully. We need to repent and sin no more.

Peter said on the day of Pentecost repent in times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord sometimes were remorseful but were not repented. You robbed the bank and got away with it for a while and then you're arrested, your remorseful why because you got caught driving on the freeway and you break the speed limit and you're pulled over by the CHP you're sorry your remorseful any right to the ticket or she writes to the ticket and as soon as they take the next offramp you go back to speeding again see that's not repentance that's remorse. Repentance means your sorry enough to stop and change your behavior. Second Corinthians 710 says godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation. So okay God opened your eyes. That's God's part. You turn from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God, that's what you do. Now here's what the Lord does for you in return he gives you the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance.

Verse 18, the forgiveness of sins and think about how amazing this is, God forgives you of all of your sins birch on 19 says that we will confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But God is not just forgive us of our sin, he forgets our sin. He reminds us their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 812. If that wasn't enough and that would be enough air forgive you your sins.

He gives and gives us an inheritance which means he brings us into the family says now you're my son.

Now you're my daughter and you have access to me all the time no matter when you want to come you can come you know if I'm busy or do whatever I do in any given day if I get a text or a phone call from one of my grandchildren. I stop what I'm doing and we enter into the conversation. By the way, sometimes that's weird. Emoji's going back and forth. We don't even use gorgeous, but how they want to talk to talk to them. They have access to me anytime they want.

And in the same way we have access to God because the Bible says you've not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but one of adoption, whereby you cry, Abba, father, which is sort of the Hebrew version of the daddy years ago we were doing a crusade somewhere member and I left my Bible in my hotel room that preacher and so I said to my son Christopher, my oldest son Christopher gold to get my Bible. I need it for tonight and so he went to the hotel room. He retrieved my Bible came up to the place were I was staying and there was some usher kind of watching the door and Christopher said I need to give this Bible to my dad because his words your credentials.

Christopher says I know I don't have any had to, but I'm his son won't approve it. So Christopher pulls out his driver's license Christopher David Lori Ellie you are i.e. okay and look at the Bible, Greg Laurie, his name is on the Bible guides as II can't let you in and then I heard about it and then he came in immediately. So here's the take away turn from it. The usher said no but the father said, right, by the way, had that usher killed the limits when God's not true. I did slap him though I did know slapping is bad. We all know slapping this bad lead to say the usher was a little overzealous in doing his job so we come to God. Satan says your you're not cleared. You don't have the credentials to sleep. That's my father get out of the way because of what Jesus Christ did for you.

You always have access to that the inheritance that God has for you is going to take all eternity for us to grasp all that God has done for us. Ephesians 27 says God points us to the future ranges will Hill revealed the incredible wealth of his grace and kingdom. He has shown for each shown for us and done for us. It's going to take all eternity to discover all the Lord has done for each of us will confess this is getting irritated and but Agrippa and contrast seems convinced of her 24 suddenly Festus shouted Paul you're crazy.

What's done is made you mad men. Paul replies I'm not insane, most excellent Festus. I'm speaking this over truth, and King Agrippa knows all these things I speak frankly I'm sure these events are familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner. Then Paul sets aside on Agrippa and withholding boldness says in verse 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets, I know you do think a hush fell over the room.

No one talks to Harriet Agrippa that way called us and then he continues on you believe these things.

I know you do too assertive a little trap always setting for Agrippa and awake if Agrippa said no I don't believe these things, and that would cause the very people he was the interface with on the part of Rome to turn against him. However, if he said he didn't believe the property sort of falling into Paul's trap so Agrippa tries to put Paul in this place. Verse 28. Oh, you almost persuade me to become a Christian. Rose said earlier, the way to translate it. You think you can make me become a Christian so quickly.

Yeah, you know how long conversion takes about this long.

It could even happen quicker than just a flash in a moment you could be converted. It doesn't take years, though it can take years. It took years for my mother to put her faith in Christ over 30 years of praying for her. It took hours for my father who adopted me to become a Christian, just a little bit of time talking with him.

He put his faith in Christ. So I'm talking to somebody right now that maybe has been praying for someone for years to come to Jesus.

It might be your husband, your wife, your parents, your kids someone else that you know. Don't give up on them. Paul responds verse 29 whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am except for these chains. Agrippa the governor Bernice all the others get up and leave Agrippa so close but so far the almost Christian enclosing here some take away truth number one. It is not enough to be exposed to the truth. I need to act on it. Otherwise you can get a hardened heart.

The promise when you hear the gospel and you don't respond in the affirmative. Your heart can get harder so it's not enough to just believe it in. Have your eyes open you need to act on it. Number two God wants us as Christians to share the gospel because he's called us to wherever you are godly, have you there for a reason. So instead of trying to get out of the place you read why don't you bloom where you're planted, why don't you take all of opportunities that are around you: want to be in his stinking Roman prison for two years.

But when he saw Herod Agrippa walked in.

He probably felt all right. Lord I see was going on now I see you in a purpose in all of this and he sees the moment he didn't back away sees the moment where you are and as we share the message we should try to build bridges not burned. Build bridges not burn them, engage your listener use your personal story would ultimately take them to what Jesus did for them on the cross and for Leslie was we must realize that only God can open the spiritual eyes of a listener. I can't do it you can do, but we can pray and share the truth with them. Maybe I'm speaking to somebody right now who just had their eyes open. You came in here a cynic.

Your arms have been cross for the whole service and some of you just a cluster around a liquid it's cool alleges it was trying to stay warm. Okay here that I believe a word of this. But I came because someone brought me with lunch. Okay, so were almost done. So let's wrap it up preacher boy but all of a sudden something happened.

It may have been something said some of the thing you decide this is all true.

Also, you're on your way. Now you have to.

It's true, but are you going to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.

Are you willing to say I turn my back of my sin and I want to follow Jesus. Only you can do that but you can do that and only can you do that you can do that right here right now because going to close with a prayer I'm going to extend an invitation for anybody here are watching to give their life over to Jesus Christ to be forgiven of their sins, think how amazing that is and have the assurance that when you die you will go to heaven.

What is more important than that, I ask you answer nothing. It's a most important thing of all.

So if you need Jesus in your life if you want your sin forgiven. You want that second chance in life is your moment to make your decision. Let's all pray father I pray for everyone here wherever they are. If they don't know you. I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their sin, and of their need for Jesus to help them to come to you and believe we pray. How many of you would say I need Jesus in my life. I need my sin forgiven. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. Listen if you want Jesus to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin, pray these words Lord Jesus I know in the center but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead. I now turn from darkness to light. I turned from the power of Satan to the power of God.

I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen. Everybody, thanks for listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God