If you have your Bible, turn to 8, 31 through 39 of Paul's letter to the Romans, before we study that text, let's go before the throne. Father, we're glad for another week. Remind us that we wear the purple of loyalty. Remind us that we are a king's kid. Remind us who we are. Remind us who we are this week. Father, help us to be clear in our witness, not because we're good, but because you are. Help us to be honest and vulnerable, help us to be loving and kind. Father, we're better than we were last week, and we love more than we did last week, and we can see that you're working in our lives, and we praise you for all of that, and we thank you for it. Father, we're thankful for the gift of Christ. You gave your only son, your beloved and only son, to dial the cross in our place, and we're glad, and we'll never be condemned again because of that, and we're thankful. Father, we're thankful for our family, the laughter of children, for the place where you've allowed us to live, where we're free. Father, we're thankful for all of that, but we're also people of praise. Who, if you had never done anything for us, or still God, and worthy of our praise and worship? Father, when we pray to you, we feel sort of uncomfortable because it's hard to be phony in your presence, it's hard to hide and pretend to be spiritual, because we know that you know. And so, Father, we ask forgiveness for our sins. We ask that you would continue to work in our lives and make us better tomorrow than we were today. Father, we are reminded by you of home, and we're glad that you have promised to get us there before the dark. Father, you know, every person who's listening to this broadcast, you know, those who are in great pain, those who are going through financial and family problems, the man who doesn't have a job and is looking hard, the woman who's husband just left. Father, you know all that and more when you've promised us that all things work together, including those things. Father, help us to be faithful even when tears well up in our eyes and remind us again of home. And then Father, forgive the one who teaches on key life. His sins, for they are many, we would see Jesus and Him only, and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. This week, we're continuing with our study in the Book of Romans. If you have your Bible turn, if you will, to the 8th chapter of Romans, verse 31 to 39. And while you're finding that, let's take just a moment to review last week in our study of Romans, the text then was Romans 8, 18 to 30. We went down a couple of side roads. We noted the meaning of the word forward, new. It doesn't mean that God looked into the future and chose those who would choose Him. It refers to the most intimate of all human relationships, that He loved us, not that He looked into the future, and said, I sure hope that person chooses me. And if that person didn't choose God, then God didn't choose them. That's not what it's saying. Then we noted in Romans 8, 26b, how ignorant we really are in terms of what we should ask for in our prayers. Then we examined some important things about personal eschatology. That's a study of the end. We saw the promise of the future, 8, 18, the reality of the present, 8, 18, the turmoil of creation, 8, 19 through 22. The yearning of the Christian, something's always missing, 823. The character of Hope, 824, the commitment of the Spirit, 826 through 27. The specific of the promise, 828, the completion of the process, 829 through 30. Now, we're ready to turn to our texts for this week. And if you're driving, forget it. You just listen to me. And if you're in a place where you look kind of funny, getting out of Bible, don't worry about it. But if you're at home, and I appreciate you're inviting me into your home, get a cup of coffee and glass of orange juice or a glass of milk and let's study together. Paul writes his follows, but then shall we say to these things, if God is for us who can be against us. He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us whole things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is He who condemns, it is Christ who died, and for the more is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation or distress or... Persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or soared, as it is written for your sake, we are killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded to neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. You remember the song by Bobby McFarron, I think, who, saying, don't worry, be happy. I don't know if Bobby was a Christian or is a Christian, but whenever I heard that song I really felt happier than I did before. Now, Christian, you know you can sing that song and it can be a reality in your life. I'm going to tell you why most of this week, but first as you usual, I'm going to go down a couple of side roads. Number one, I want you to note the honesty of the Psalms as found in the quote from Psalm 44. That quote from Psalm 44, you'll find in Romans 836 as it is written, for your sake, we're being killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. People are always saying to me that they read the Psalms for comfort. I suppose it's found there, but not all of the Psalms. I mean, there are Psalms that will keep you awake all night. For instance, do I not hate them with a perfect hatred? Those who hate you. Now, if that causes you to sleep better, you got a serious problem. So, some Psalms I only read in the morning, but you know what I like most about the Psalms? I love the Psalms because they're so honest. We're able to look at the heart of the Psalmist and nobody erases it or fixes it or tries to spiritualize it. And this quote in Romans 836 is a good example of that. I write a lot of letters from our key life office. I write a lot of books and I write a lot of pamphlets, but you know what happens after I write all that stuff? There are staff people, editors and people who go, everything I write. And they're necessary to keep me from being sued or to keep me from saying anything really stupid or offensive. I do have a tendency to do that, you know. So, I'm thankful for the editors, but the book of Psalms is a book without a editor, without a censor. And I'm glad because it reminds me that God's love doesn't stop because we're angry or upset, have failed or have seen His love is unconditional. My wife and I had dinner with Monica Celis, the tennis player, not too long ago with some friends. Now, you need to know that Monica Celis is one of the top tennis players in the world. She had played in a couple of years because some twit did something bad. It was not very pleasant. But she's a delightful young lady. And in any rate, you need to know that I don't know Dean about sports. Over the years, I've spoken a number of times to professional sports teams. And the reason they asked me is because they know I don't know anything about sports. So, I won't talk about the game of life. Sometimes I'll say to a football or baseball chapel, I'm going to talk about the game of life and the athletes roll their eyes and moan. And I said, just kidding. I don't know anything about the game of life, but I do know something about Jesus. Let's talk about Him at any rate. How was I to know that Monica Celis is one of the top tennis players in the world? Maybe the finest woman's player anywhere in the world. The conversation went into a lull and because my friends play a lot of tennis, I said to Monica, tell me Monica. Do you play tennis? Let me tell you that things got very quiet around the table. It was sort of like I burped at a funeral. Let me tell you, Monica is a very gracious young lady. And she made me feel fine and okay about it. One of my friends across the table said, stay beat your meal. She's only number one in the world. And for those of you in our television audience, you can tell that I'm blushing. Oh, I like the Psalms. You know what? Because I get the feeling that Psalmist would do something stupid like that and tell God about it. The book of Psalms is a wonderful book because it brings to believers a pattern of honest prayer where time with God is a soft place where you can say anything and know that he's not going to kick you out. Have you discovered the joy of prayer? I know, I know. For some of you guys, it's a chore or something that one ought to do because one doesn't do enough of it. Prayer is good for you. It's sort of like vitamins and spinach. But let me, let me tell you something I've discovered. Prayer is the gift from the Father where I can be totally honest. I don't have to watch what I say. I don't have to be good or pure or do it right. Yeah. And it's about the only place I can do that. Let me tell you something that's truly, are you listening? Something truly amazing. God likes to spend time with me. How about that? God likes to spend time with me and God wants to spend time with you. How about that? Now, that is a true gift. So go to him. And don't tell him you love him if you don't say silly things. You don't have to put a censor on your mouth. You don't have to be careful what you say. Just go to him. Be still before him. Tell him what's on your heart. He won't kick you out. He'll just love you and hug you and you'll find it for years. A good thing. Then secondly, I want you to see the second side observation. Note if you will be affirmation of the supernatural in general and satanic and demonic power in particular Romans 838 for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels. And here comes our principalities and our powers. Now, how do I know that that refers to Satan and the nonic? I'll tell you because I'm a Bible teacher. And I know these things. Besides I've read Ephesians 6, 11 through 12, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wilds of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. I'm an intellectual once in that man that we intellectuals didn't believe in a personal devil. The devil was a symbolic representation of evil, the metaphorical personification of evil. I was quite happy with the way I dealt with the symbol until that symbol attacked me. You have been tempted by a metaphorical personification of evil. Have you ever been lied to by a myth? Well, I have. And it had a tendency to shatter my silly superficial pseudo-intellectual, spurious ideas. Listen to me, intellectuals. Satan is real. He's mean, he's alive, and he's out to eat your lunch. I've just finished reading David Paulinson's book, Power Encounters Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare. It's a professor at Westminster, and this is a dot, and I don't think it's out yet, but you go down and tell your Christian bookstore owner for a prior to her that you want to get this book. It's David Paulison, P-O-W-L-I-S-O-N, Power Encounters Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare. If it isn't out, I'll be out really soon. I read it in manuscript. And I recommend it, highly. It's balanced, it's clear, it's biblical. It's published by Hourglass Baker. And you want to get a copy. So I read the manuscript for that book. I was once again reminded in a powerful way that Satan is not a myth. He's real, and he's scary to problem is, that we've made Satan into some kind of weirdo, who wears red long johns and carries a pitchfork, or who's cast out with magic formulas. We look for a demon under every bed, and have made Satan into such a weird individual that anyone with the brains of a peanut would have trouble believing in him. Well, that's his trick, too, and he laughs, and he laughs, and he laughs. We're not dualists, that means that we don't believe that there are two powers in the universe who are equal, and who are doing battle with one another, and the outcome is in doubt. Satan's already defeated. He's the lackey of God, he serves at God's behest, but listen to me, he is very real. Paul is well aware of the supernatural world. And he said, and he said, don't worry, even Satan is real as he is, as dangerous as he is, and don't forget that, can't separate you from the love of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Do you remember what Jesus said to Peter? Simon, Satan has desired to have you. He wants to sift you like wheat, but be cool. That's the literal Greek. I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. When you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers. That's what Jesus says to us. First Satan is going to try to get you. He's going to lead you away, he's going to tempt you, but be cool. When, not if, but when, you return, comfort others, we're going through the same thing. You're going through temptations, and you're just barely holding on. Perhaps you've sinned big time, and wonder if God's ever going to use you again. Perhaps you've been through a devastating and painful time in your life, and you don't know where all of this has come from. It's probably from Satan, but Jesus says, don't worry, I pray for you. You're going to return, and when you do, and I've given you a compass, and it points in the right direction, don't forget where you have been, what you have learned, and what I've done for you, then go and tell somebody about it. Okay, now, I could have heard the way to get to this. We've talked about the song by Bobby McFarron, don't worry, be happy. Now that may be a pagan song, but I liked it a lot, and the problem is that it isn't true for those who don't know Christ. Let me tell you why. It's a Christian you don't have to worry, and you can be happy. You say, Steve, you don't mean happy, and it's you mean joy. I tried to be godly about this. I don't enjoy something you get, regardless of circumstances, and even when the circumstances are bad, and happiness comes from good circumstances, you must show a godly respect for definition. Well, I may be right, but let me tell you something. It sort of feels the same. Sometimes they both cause you to giggle. Sometimes they both make you feel good. Sometimes they both cause great ecstasy and delight, so you can call it whatever you want to. Joy or happiness, but it is in fact a reality in the life of the believer. I love this text. It makes me happy, and for you people want to be precise. It makes me joyful. I teach through the Bible, line upon line, and precept upon precept, and that means that I don't skip the bad parts. Jefferson and his Bible cut out the supernatural from his New Testament, and I had a copy of that, and I recently gave or threw away a couple of thousand volumes from my library, because I don't have room for anymore, and I said it to you to me or those books. And one of the books I threw away was Jefferson's Bible, and I was glad to get rid of it. But, you know, you can't cut out the stuff you don't like, and I've tried not to do that. I mean, if the Bible says something bad, I say it. The Bible says something disappointing, I say it. The Bible says something that I don't particularly like, I still say it, because I'm a Bible teacher. But I don't have to skip the good parts either, and that's what this text is all about this week. A lot of Christians give the impression that they have had a drink of persimmon wine. My friend, Fred Smith, talks about a Baptist church in Texas where they wanted to do everything by the letter of the Bible, and they read where wine was served at the Lord's Supper and decided to do the same thing. But nobody knew much about wine. One dear saint had a brother who made wine, so they asked her to get a bottle. The problem was it was persimmon wine. So they had communion at the end of the bridge. Everybody was really puckered up, and the pastor said, now in closing, we will all stand and whistle the doxology. So if you feel like you've been drinking a lot of persimmon wine lately, if you've been under conviction lately, if your pastor's sermon has made you feel guilty and properly, so if you feel ashamed and down, you want to listen to what I'm going to teach the rest of this week. In other words, don't worry, be happy. So without further chit chat, let's look at it. First, I want you to note the good news about God's government, Romans 831. What then shall we say to these things? God is for us who can be against us. One time, Saint Teresa set out to build a convent with half a crown, and people laughed, and somebody said not even Saint Teresa. Can it accomplish that much with that little truce? And Teresa, but Saint Teresa, half a crown, and God can accomplish anything. Well, she was right. You know why God, plus anyone, or anything, equals a majority. God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, and I work for him. That's why you don't hear me whining on this broadcast. That's why I don't beg for Jesus. That's why I don't manipulate her, put guilt drips on people. I just do what he told me to do, teach the Bible, and let God be God. Sometimes we forget that, don't we? We forget God, His power, His control, and His sovereignty, and then life can become frustrating, can't it? I read a poem by Michael. I've been not too long ago about a parenting, a teenager, who was the this child raising theories did about him before my children were around. Then one day I had my own. Now all those theories, I disown. Energy was once my friend. Now I am at my strengths in. Fortune gone. The fridge is clean. My child has now become a teen. After Sandy Ford died, that's Layton and Jeannie Ford's son. Layton and Jeannie were absolutely devastated. But listen to what Layton prayed about his deceased son. This is what he prayed for. Father, he was yours long before he was mine. And I give him back to you. You know you can do that too, because he's sovereign. He knows what he's doing. God is the president. Nobody elected him, and nobody will ever oppose him. Listen, God loves your kids more than you do. And the difference between you and God is that he has all the power in the universe. My friend Rob Allen in Memphis tells about a group of people who hired a guide to take them into the backwoods of Maine. And after some days they became hopelessly lost. And quite naturally began to doubt the confidence of their guide. You said you were the best guide in Maine, they reminded him. I am, he replied. But I really think we're in Canada now. Well God has never lost. Never in a minority, never without resource. I once had a very rich man say to me, Steve, I want you to know that I'm going to stand behind you in whatever you do. I want you to remember that you will never be without my considerable resource. No matter where you are, what you do, if you need me, you just have to call. And I will be there, and I will fix whatever problem you have. A couple of years after that, I went out of savor with his man. He became really angry with me about something. And he won't even speak to me now. I became quite depressed, and I told the father I was depressed about. The father said, child, I have more than he does. I've made the same promise he made. I'll never turn my back on you. Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. He is there, and he really is in charge. Then secondly, I want you to see the, not only the good news about God's government, but I want you to note, if you will, the good news about God's gift, Romans 8.22. He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Now this is an argument that Paul is making by comparison. You know, if this big thing is true, then this little thing is certainly true. When I was a liberal, you know, I believed in the resurrection of Christ, but didn't believe in the virgin birth of Christ. Somebody said to me, one time, Steve, are you crazy? That's like swallowing a camel and choking on a net. Well, that's what Paul was saying here. He's saying, look, if God gave us his son, he's only begotten, beloved son. If God gave us that, everything else is small stuff, and he'll give us anything. It's an old story, maybe you haven't heard it. The chicken and the pig were watching a man eat his breakfast, and the chickens and said, isn't that nice? That we can contribute to that man's breakfast. And the pig said, that's fine for you to say. For you, it's a contribution to his breakfast. For me, it's total commitment. Listen to me, you can kill commitment to us and giving us his son. He said, I love you so completely and totally that I've given my son. Now, if you think that's... If you think, if that doesn't make you feel really good, and that that's the biggest thing that God could give, and if he gave us the biggest thing, yeah, he certainly is not going to sniff at something that's small, that doesn't make you feel better or something wrong with you. I think it's wonderful that God created the world. And first Corinthians three teaches that it was all for us. I'm impressed with the sovereignty and power of God. I think that the Creator and the Sustainer God is worthy to be worshipped and adored and praised just because it is. But I tell you something, when I think that he didn't even spare his own son for us, everything else pales to insignificant. If you're a believer and you were the only person on the face of the earth, do you know he still would have sent a son just for you? It was a counseling session and he said to me, Steve, he doesn't love me. And I said to him, Sam, you love her. You're a blood. You believed me a little ago. I love her. I married her, didn't I? How insensitive. How insensitive. But in God's place, there's something else. God, do you love me? I gave my son, didn't I? Do you care? Look child at the cross, and then you will know. Do you have good plans or bad plans for me? Child, go to Calvary, and you will know about my plans for you. Laying forward tells about a man who was quite rich and gave his testimony at a stewardship missions conference at the church. He was one of those people with his peacock feathers flying in the breeze. He liked to brag about everything that he did. Never gave a thing that he didn't have his name on it. He told the congregation that when he was a boy, he attended a missions conference in his local church, and he had 50 cents in his pocket, and he said, that's all the money I had in order. The missionary told his story and asked for funds. The man went on to say that when the offering plate came by, he paused. Then he thought about it for a long time, and he reached into his pocket, took out his 50 cents, all that he gave, and he gave it for the missionaries work. Then there was a long, dramatic pause, and the man said that the congregation, I gave everything I had to the work of God. Then quite proud of himself, his peacock feathers flying in the breeze, he went back down and sat in the congregation. An elderly lady sitting behind and leaned over and sat on the stage, whisper for everybody to hear, I dare you to do it again. Well, God gave everything. He gave us his son. He did that, Paul says, don't worry about the small stuff. In other words, he gave us everything, and he continues to do that. The Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the earth. Bobby McFarron, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. Thirdly, I want you to know not only the good news about God's government, and the good news about God's gift. I want you to know if you will the good news about God's grading system. Romans 8.33, who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Listen to me. You shouldn't be happy because God grades on the curve. He doesn't. His standards are absolute. But listen to me. Someone else has taken your test for you and made an A, and nobody can take it from you. That's what Jesus did. God has justified you. Now we spent two or three weeks on the doctrine of justification by faith and Christ alone. And I hope you were listening during that time. You can, by the way, subscribe to our broadcast, and you get some 23 programs on three tapes. Those are the you who subscribe to it. And if you'll call it 1-800-Key-Life, we'll tell you how you can do that. And then you can go back and review those places where we talked about justification by faith and Christ. What does that mean? That means that Jesus took your test. And he made an A. And then he gave the A to you, and nobody can ever take it from you because you belong to Christ. You were justified in God's eyes no matter how just you really are. One of my colleagues at the seminary, Mike Gloto, said the other day that he never saw an ugly bride. Well, he thought maybe he said one or two, but I'll tell you this. I never saw a groom who ever saw an ugly bride. Isn't that good? And it's true. I never saw a groom ever saw an ugly bride. That's what Christ is. He is the bridegroom, and he will present us without spot or winkle. He never saw an ugly bride because we are justified in his eyes. Listen, Steve Brown is perfect in God's eyes. You say, well, that's certainly not very humble. No, it's just true. No matter what I've done, no matter how much I've struggled, no matter how simple I am, I am perfect in the eyes of God because I have been justified by the blood of Christ. I don't have to feel guilty or feel condemnation because I have been justified. Some of you guys who feel so guilty, and we get like, we get six, seven thousand letters a month, you're key life. And some of you guys tell me stuff that you wouldn't tell somebody else because you don't know me, and you figure, I probably won't use it as an illustration on the broadcast. And so you tell me stuff. I think that's one reason the other reason is that you figure, I'm struggling too, and you can tell me almost anything and you do. But let me tell you something. If you're a Christian, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. But it doesn't matter before God because you are perfect. You are justified. You don't have to wine. You don't have to feel guilty. That's good news, and Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. Note not only the good news about God's government, God's gift, God's grading system. Now I want you to note the good news about God's grace, Romans 8.34. Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died. And furthermore, it is also risen, who is even now, at the right hand of God, and also makes intercession for us. Isn't that wonderful? No one can ever shame you if you remember that God doesn't shame you, no matter what. As you know, I teach it, reformed theological seminary. My pastor, it's would have been a lot more pleasant if I could have, as I do it, the seminary get rid of my congregation every three years, and grade them at the end of every six months. At any rate, I teach communications, homologics, practical theology. And there are those of you who think that practical theology is an oxymoron. Those are all subjects that are very pragmatic, very practical, and will be of you in the church when my students become pastors. So I generally don't give them bad grades. I tell the students, I'm not going to give you a difficult test. The difficult test will be given by your congregation. You mess up that test, and it's going to cost you big time. So don't worry about my grade. worry about their grade. Well, God, as we mentioned yesterday, is already graded you, and you got an eight. Not only that, he affirms you, as he's child, it doesn't matter what I think about you, if God accepts you, or impervious to shame-based manipulation and guilt. I may have told you on this broadcast that I'm an adult child with an alcoholic, and you say, oh, great, you're going to whine about that. Not only that, it goes back a number of generations. If you have that problem, you know how easy it is for your life to be shame-based. We were always trying to cover up the problem with my father. We were always trying to avoid shame. We were always trying to put up a good front, because we didn't want anybody to know. I can remember a friend of mine, when I was a kid, telling me that some of the other boys had seen my father drunk in one of the bars in town. I was so ashamed. I was so very ashamed. But let me tell you something. I'm not ashamed of anything anymore. Why? Romans 8.34. Nobody can condemn me. Nobody can shame me. Nobody can manipulate me, because I'm his, and he's accepted me totally, unconditionally, so no, no, no, no, no, no. No, let me say, one more thing about that. If we're no longer ashamed, because we are no longer condemned, then we don't ever have to condemn anybody else. Whenever I see Christians making fun of, highly critical of, judging other Christians really harshly, I know they don't understand Romans 8.34. Let me give you a principle. People who are not condemned don't condemn. And you can always tell how condemned a person feels by checking how condemned you feel around that person. And you say, Steve, would you repeat that? Yes, I will. And slower for the slower among us. People who are not condemned don't condemn. And you can tell how condemned a person feels by checking how condemned you feel around that person. So, I don't have to be ashamed anymore. You know, I'm very careful. I mean, I don't tell all the family secrets, but I would. I just don't want to embarrass anybody else. I am accepted. No matter what, I'm accepted. I'm not ashamed. You cannot shame me into doing what you want me to do, because I'm accepted. Now, that's good news. Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. Now, physically, I want you to know, not only the good news about God's government, God's GIF, God's grading, and God's grace. Also, note all these start with a G. I work hard at that. It's sort of like working out a crossword puzzle. Note also the good news about God's grip. Romans 8.35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 38 through 39, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor death, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and that just about covers it. I mean, you can follow almost anything under that. That means, and the Greek that Paul uses here doesn't mean I just think this, or this is a part of my belief system. Paul is saying I'm absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt, totally, completely persuaded. In fact, this is the absolute truth. Do you hear about the little boy who was walking with his grandfather and holding on to his grandfather's hand, as they walked out over the field, a little boy kept hitting a hole and falling down, and he would brush himself off. Grab his grandfather's hand, they'd start walking again. After this happened two or three times, little boy said to his grandfather, grand daddy, I have a good idea. Instead of my holding your hand, why don't you hold my hand? Hold on to God. They say, hold on to God, and everything will be okay. Listen, that's not the message of the Bibles. From the pit of hell, smells like smoke. The truth is, you don't hold of God's hand. God holds your hand. Paul says, he will never, ever let you go. Why do I believe in the doctrine of eternal security or perseverance of the saints? Because if it isn't true, I'm not going to make it. If God doesn't hold my hand, I'm going to fall, and I'm going to lose it. I believe that people who believe that you can lose your salvation easily have too high an opinion of themself. The truth is, God doesn't disown his children. Now, wait, hold it. Let me back up. I'm not throwing rocks at those of you who believe you can lose your salvation. Some of my dearest brothers and sisters in Christ who walk it better than I do are a minion in their theology, are Wesleyan or Methodist and believe that you can lose your salvation. But let me tell you something. I never met a mature Wesleyan or a mature Armenian theologically who felt you could lose your salvation very easy. I mean, you got to do something really bad to lose your salvation. And I just don't think you can. Because I know, I know if you could, I would. If you could, I would. The truth is that God doesn't disown his children. Sick, abusive, and angry human parents do that. God doesn't. Don't try so hard to hold on to his hand. Just let go. You'll find out that he's holding your hand. His grip is secure. Absolutely secure. Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. Sixthly, I want you to know not only the good news about God's government, God's gift, God's grading, God's grace, God's grip. Note also the good news about God's goodness. Romans 8.35 A. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8.39 B. Shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus of our Lord. Now this says something about theology, the study of God. What is God like? We said this before, but let me say it again. The issue before human beings is not whether or not God exists. But what is God like? It tastes something. Never buy a used car from an atheist. If he's that off the wall about that issue, he's probably messed up about everything else. Only a fool thinks there is no God. I didn't say that the Bible says it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that creation by necessity requires a creator. The question is, now that I know that you're there, what are you like? I have a friend who was abused by her father. I mean, he was horrible. Every time she hears that God is our father, she winces because the only father she ever knew betrayed her. Listen, if the incarnation revealed nothing else, it revealed the nature of God. Mike Malone, a dear pastor friend of mine here in Orlando, gave me a great quote by Augustine the other day. I think I've given it to you before, but it's worth repeating. The cross of Christ did not secure the love of God. The love of God secured the cross of Christ. Let me say it again. The cross of Christ did not secure the love of God. The love of God secured the cross of Christ. In other words, the cross is not the cause of the love of God. It is the result of it. Let me say it again. The cross is not the cause of the love of God. It's the result of it. Let me repeat that. No, I repeated it twice. That's enough. I think you've got it. I believe that my ministry can be summed up in one statement. If you go to God, you will find that he isn't mad at you. If you will go to God, you will find he isn't mad at you. I have a friend that everyone thinks is an angry to it. He looks angry, talks angry, he seems angry. But he's one of my best friends and he's not angry at all. God just gave him an ugly face. I'm always telling everybody, look, he's not like that at all. He's a nice kind, gentle person. The good news is that God's nature is love. That makes me feel good about going to him. Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. Then I got one other point. Note not only the good news about God's government, God's gift, God's grading, God's grace, God's grip, God's goodness. Note also the good news about God's grip in us. Romans 837. Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him, who love does. Note that Paul doesn't say we will be conquerors, but that we are right now. In our present life, he said, I don't feel much like a conqueror right now. You're still walking around, aren't you? Well, that's what it means to be a conqueror. The truth is that I'm already a winner, a conqueror, and the prince because he loves me and holds me and will never let me go because I am his, I reflect his glory. I love the woman who chose to marry one man over another and she was asked why. She said, I'm when I'm around Jack. I feel that he's the smartest man in the world. When I'm around Sam, I feel that I'm the smartest woman in the world. Well, I don't feel that way around God, but I'll tell you what I do for you. He reminds me that I'm a king's kid. And a lot of you guys, and I include myself, are not what we ought to be. We're not successful in a godly way. We're not serving Christ and successful at it. We're not growing. We're not making the kind of witness we ought to make because we don't think we're worthy. We're just a poor worm. It's called wormology. Don't you buy into that? That's a lie. Satan will tell you that. You're something else. And God has given you His own grip in you and you are more than a conqueror because of us He loved you. Bobby, you're right. Don't worry. Be happy. You think about that. I'm in.