1 Corinthians Chapter 13:8-10

Whatever God brings you to, He'll bring you through. And you get locked into something, you go, oh, this is... No, no, no, no.

Everything will be changed. You may have some scars, emotionally, physically, whatever, but you know what? You may take them to the gates of heaven, but you will not take them in.

There will only be one scarred person in heaven, and that will be Jesus. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. In a world of pain and hardship and often frustration, it's good to know one day everything will change.

Everything. David McGee discusses this today as he continues in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Before we join Pastor David, we want to let you know about an outreach opportunity that could bring hope to countless prisoners. This month, Cross the Bridge is teaming with men and women like yourself in order to provide Pastor David's devotional book, Cross the Bridge Every Day to inmates. When you call today and help support the ministry with a gift of $25 or more, we'll send you a book and also provide one to a prisoner in need. To take part in this important outreach, call 877-458-5508. That's 877-458-5508.

Or go online to crossthebridge.com. Now here's David McGee with part two of his teaching, God is the Only Know It All. We're looking at 1 Corinthians 13 and we're going to pick it up at verse 9. And what we're doing here is we're continuing our verse by verse, chapter by chapter study of the Word of God. And so we're at verse 9, but let's back up to verse 8 for context's sake.

And there's something in there we want to look at. Verse 8 says, Love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Where there are tongues, they will cease.

Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

The New Living Translation, 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 9, reads, Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture. This is an interesting section of scripture for a lot of different reasons. You know, one of the things that evangelical Christians who believe in the Bible are, they agree on a lot of things.

They agree on the Bible being the Word of God, Jesus being the only way to heaven. But the Spirit who gives unity, interestingly enough, comes to be a dividing point. And some people believe that the Holy Spirit used to give gifts and used to give the ability to predict the future, used to give the ability to have supernatural knowledge, used to heal people, but doesn't anymore.

Now, let me be open and honest. If you believe that, I'm glad you're here. And we can agree to disagree because I believe that God still heals, that God still gives supernatural knowledge. Now, we here at the bridge, we adhere to the Bible, sola scriptura. During the Reformation, that was a Latin phrase they came up to say, you know what, we gotta go back to the Bible, not tradition, not because headquarters says this or denomination says that. And what's interesting is the folks that say that God no longer heals, the Holy Spirit no longer baptizes or indwells or fills people, what scripture do they base that on? Well, the passage ran now. I see some confused looks.

I'm serious. This is the passage that they believe says there will be an end to the gifts. Because verse 8 says, where there are prophecies, they will fail. Where there are tongues, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, and we'll tie verse 10 in there, but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. Now, whenever you're reading the Bible, studying the Bible, the best thing is just to take the main and plain interpretation. You know, if you read it and you think it says something, it probably is saying just that. If you need somebody to explain the hidden meaning that if you take every seventh letter and walk backwards while you're reading it, then you get this other meaning, this obscure meaning. This obscure meaning. Be careful with that.

Be careful with that. The main and plain interpretation of this, which I feel is pretty obvious, is talking about when Jesus returns. When that which is perfect, because part of the wording and the Greek there is that when that who is pure, morally pure, comes back, then that which is in part will be done away.

And that which is perfect, Jesus is perfect. In First Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 51, it says, Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. It's a very interesting verse for a lot of reasons.

At some point, should the Lord tell you, I'm going to write a book about the seven feasts and how they fit into the prophetic time clock, because there's some really cool stuff there. But the trumpet is going to sound and we're all going to be changed. You're going to be changed, I'm going to be changed. Part of what's going to be changed is physical, mental, and your theology.

To be honest, the way my mind works and I love to learn, I'm going to be excited to learn where I've messed up. Get there and go, what? Seriously? Loud guitars weren't supposed to be part of worship?

I don't get put. You said worship you with a loud noise. I took it literally. No, that's not me.

That was just an example. But we'll all be changed in the moment. You understand that day's coming? And every day that you live brings you closer to that day. I don't know when that day is for you or when it is for me. But one thing I can guarantee you is every day that you live brings you one day closer to that. Whether you're talking about your appointment or the second coming or the rapture.

But friend, that's not something to shy away from. I'm not a doom and gloom kind of pastor. When we start talking about end time events, I'm not frightened, I'm excited.

I've read the book, I know how it ends. And there's a passage in Revelation chapter 21 verse four, it says, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. And there should be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, there should be no more pain for the former things have passed away.

That sounds like a good day. Amen. Praise God. Praise God. See, that's not something to shy away from. I don't mean go out and jump off a cliff or something so you can hasten that day.

We all have stuff to do. When Jesus was speaking about end times events in Matthew chapter 24 verse four, Jesus answered and said to them, take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many. Now that's an interesting verse in and of itself because here's this itinerant minister, pastor, an unknown that never traveled that far. And he said people are going to come over the ages pretending like they're me. Well, that's a pretty out there prediction if you think about it. But what has happened?

Well, exactly that. And he goes on and he says and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you're not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows. Reads like today's headlines, doesn't it?

Nation against nation. We live in interesting times. We live in times that believers have prayed about and looked for.

And we need to be ready. Matthew 24 chapter 24 verse 44 says therefore you also be ready for the sum of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Jesus tells in Matthew 24 about end times events and then the next chapter he tells about these bridegrooms and brides who aren't ready. Matthew chapter 25 verse 13 it says so you too must keep watch for you do not know the day or hour of my return.

You don't know, I don't know. But I can tell you what when you realize that Jesus already fulfilled over 300 prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures the compound probabilities of that happening are staggering. Compound probabilities if I said okay how many left-handed people are in here that would be you know percentage and if I said okay how many left-handed people who you know were born on a Tuesday that's a smaller group.

Left-handed people born on a Tuesday whose name begins with a T that's a smaller group. Every time you introduce another probability it reduces and by the time you get through 300 of those it's as if the entire state of North Carolina were covered nine feet deep in silver dollars and a person blindfolded picked one out at the first try and yet Jesus fulfilled 300 distinct and separate prophecies. Why do I say that?

If he's already fulfilled that many he's got a pretty incredible track record and he says he's coming back. Amen. And so we got to be ready. Now some of you here some of you listening are thinking okay I'll get ready one day when I see things kind of starting to shake loose.

I'll have some time. No no no this said everything will change in the twinkling of an eye. You blink and and there's it varies but anywhere from 1 30th to 1 300th to one three thousandths of a second in the twinkling in the blinking of an eye everything will change. You will get up that morning and start your morning like every morning maybe sit with your coffee the newspaper whatever and then everything will change in an instant. You won't have time at that point to change to even pray much less to witness, start serving, catch up on your tithe. You won't have time for that. Don't don't try to stand before God and go you know I was getting I now that I'm dead I was getting ready to live for you.

If that's your plan friend in love that's not a good plan. That's not a good plan. Well I'll repent at that moment in time. You won't have the time. You won't. An instant.

Well God I just want to tell you how well God. You won't have time. A life lesson here. One day everything will change. Everything. Everything. The stuff that you look around and this is interesting the stuff that you can see will be gone. Everything you can see will be gone. Everything. The stuff that you can't see now you'll see and it'll be forever.

Isn't that interesting? Everything you see this whole building all these lights and the sound system all this stuff be gone except these guitars over here they're gonna taking them in with me. I have a thus saith the Lord kind of thing but uh I'm kidding. But everything will change and you know what keep that in mind as you go through trials as you go through tribulations remember that moment in time. See because you get stuck and say oh this is so hard this is just going to go on forever.

No it's not. This too will pass. Whatever God brings you to he'll bring you through and you get locked into something you know oh this is so no no no no everything will be changed. You know what friend you you may have some scars emotionally physically whatever but you know what you may take them to the gates of heaven but you will not take them in. There will only be one scarred person in heaven and that will be Jesus. Interestingly enough that will be the only thing made by man in heaven will be the scars on the Savior. So what do you do? What do you do with this information? Jesus said in John chapter 4 verse 35 you know the saying four months between planting and harvest but I say wake up and look around.

The fields are already ripe for harvest. If you know Jesus as your Savior it should be affecting the way you live. If you don't know him you should get to know him right now. The thing of well I'm gonna ask God to forgive me and start going to church once I work through some issues. You're always going to have issues to work through friend.

You're listening to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. We'll be back to the teaching in just a moment. This month we're focusing on prison ministry and I have the chance to sit down with Pastor David. Pastor we know that sharing the Word of God is always important to you and why is it so important to you? And why is it so important to get God's Word into the prisons as well? Our prison system is built around trying to change the lives of people who've made bad decisions and yet you can't change a life without changing the heart and that's where God's Word and God's Spirit are so powerful. They can change a life.

They can change your heart. We can share the Word of God with somebody. You can help send us into the prisons to share the plan of salvation. See that prisoner get saved and then begin to disciple him and teach him the Word of God so that when he gets out he is different than when he came in. With all that is going on in the world today, why are you so interested in prison ministry? You know Paul was in prison and he spent his time in prison writing letters to churches to encourage him.

Now we know these letters as the epistles of the New Testament. We have those because Paul made good decisions about how to use this time while in prison. We want to help people who've made bad decisions and find themselves in prison to make the best decision they've ever made and to choose Jesus Christ, to ask him to forgive them of their sins and then to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, following him, learning the Bible, allowing us to help teach them the Bible so they can follow Jesus. need. Also your gift of $200 or more will provide a case of 10 books that will be used to help change lives for eternity.

Again that number is 877-458-5508 or go online to crossthebridge.com. Now let's return to Pastor David's teaching. Proverbs chapter 10 verse 5 says, He who gathers in summer is a wise son. He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

Let me ask you a question. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, are you involved in the harvest? Are you actively involved in seeing lost people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? It seems like there's always a group of people that sits back and critiques those who are about the business of winning the lost. It's interesting to me that they have the time to do that. I don't have the time to do that. I'm too busy doing it to talk about it and they're too busy talking about it to do it.

You should be doing it. I'll tell you what, if I was looking around at churches, I would choose this one for a variety of reasons, but to be honest, I'll tell you one of them because so many people are getting saved in this church and through this church through Cross the Bridge Ministries. See because the Bible tells us that we get to share in those rewards.

If I'm looking across and I'm looking at ministries and I see a ministry where people are getting saved, I say, you know what, I'm with you guys. I'm going to be praying for you, sowing into the ministry, financially giving and helping out, sharing in the harvest because I don't want to be a son who causes shame. Again, that passage John chapter 4 verse 35 says, you know the saying, four months between planting and harvest, but I say wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What Julie awaits both the planter and the harvester alike. You know the saying one plants and another's harvest and it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant. Others have already done the work and now you will get to gather the harvest. If you support the bridge, you serve here, you support Cross the Bridge or serve with that.

You're tied in. There's going to be people that come up to heaven, come up to you and say, hey, thank you. Don't miss that. I know people that have been coming here for years that are just watching it go by.

They haven't given and served. I don't get that because the time is coming, friend. You look around, you hear about the wars, the earthquakes and yeah, granted these things have happened before but man, not like they're happening now and whether it's next week or next year or five years, you need to be ready and I don't want you sitting here listening to this going, oh man, I'm getting, I'm freaked out now.

No, don't be, if you're freaked out right now, something's wrong. If you're sitting there going, oh yeah man, I'm all about it. I'm sowing into the ministry.

I'm doing this. Praise God. Even so, Lord Jesus come but you're sitting there going, ah, I don't know if I'm ready.

See, this is prophecy and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is not supposed to strike fear into your heart. Do you understand when they're talking about it in Thessalonians and Paul is a different sort of teacher as you go through the scriptures, Paul doesn't often repeat himself. Jesus repeated himself a lot, you know, very, very, I say to you, you know, I used to wonder about that. Why does Jesus keep repeating himself?

And then I had kids and I figured out he's saying that over and over so they get it. Paul doesn't do that but he does and it's one of the few exceptions I can find in First Thessalonians chapter four verse 18. He says, therefore comfort one another with these words.

What words? He's talking about the coming of Jesus Christ and he's talking about the anti-Christ. Well, why would that be comforting? Because he's talking about Jesus and then a few verses later in First Thessalonians chapter five verse 11 he says, therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing. These words should be in comfort to you, joy to you. Oh yeah, he's gonna wipe away all the tears from my eyes.

I've been in ministry a while and tell you one thing that I live by and I think about every time I get up here to teach. I think about it and it's not morbid but I think what is it, what if this is it? Well, this is the last time I teach. Well, this is the last time I get to share in this place. Again, that's not morbid. I mean sometimes when I'm inviting people to come forward and as they're coming forward I wonder is the last person that's going to get saved on the face of this planet before the rapture or is he one of the people coming forward right now? See, because I want to make sure that my last is my best and there's a saying that live this day as if it was your last.

One of these days you will be right. That's not morbid. That's a celebration in a sense and look, the statistics are you can't beat them.

They're staggering. Ten out of ten people die. You need to be ready whether we're talking about death or we're talking about the rapture and part of my calling is to make sure you're ready. Not just in the sense that you've said that prayer but are you living for it?

Are you building the kingdom and changing the world? See, because you know what? Have you ever noticed with an hourglass the sand always goes down? It doesn't go back up. Can you become younger than you are now? No. Time is moving. Yesterday's done. Tomorrow's a maybe. Today is now. You live in the now. Do you realize there were people that went to sleep last night that didn't wake up today?

Why? Well, their journey was complete. Whatever they were called to do, they had done or some of them missed the opportunity. You're on a journey. You have a task, a quest, a mission and when you get to the end, you're there. You can't purchase another breath with your dying breath. You can't change that. But with your final breath, you can talk about God's goodness.

We talk about spending time. That's an interesting phrase. Why?

Because it really is true. You spend time but unlike things, if you spend money or you lose money, guess what? You can always work and earn and invest and try to get more money back. When you spend time, it's gone. You can't go out there and buy more time. You can't go to Walmart and say, I'd like to get a couple weeks.

You can't do that. So use the time you've been given well and make sure that you enjoy your friends, enjoy your rest but be about kingdom, business and change in the world. Make every day count.

Make every moment count because that which is perfect is coming. If you're listening right now and you've thought, you know what? I'm going to ask God to forgive me one day. Today's the day. All these promises in the Bible and there's some incredible ones in here.

The promise of tomorrow is not in there. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 2 says, for God says at just the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.

Indeed the right time is now. Today is the day of salvation. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Now God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life and I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus name.

Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they could be forgiven. Those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we would love to hear from you. You can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. God is using Cross the Bridge to impact lives in our country, including the lives of those currently serving time in our nation's prisons. While materials provided by Muslim organizations continue to increase within our prisons, our distribution of Pastor David's book Cross the Bridge Every Day has been making a significant impact for Jesus with prisoners. And you can help continue that outreach by calling today. When you call today with a gift of $25 or more, we will send you David McGee's devotional book Your Gift by sending a copy to a prisoner in need. And if you're able to give a gift of $200 or more, we will send a case of 10 books to inmates who are without hope. Help us reach those in prison. Call today at 877-458-5508.

That's 877-458-5508. Or go online to crossthebridge.com. Also, if you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday, why not join us for our live stream at 9 and 1130 Eastern. Just visit crossthebridge.com and click on our live stream link. There you can watch Pastor David teach from his home church, The Bridge, in Kernersville, North Carolina. Again, that website is crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening. We hope you'll join us next time as we continue to cross the bridge.