100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:03,800Walking in the light is not perfection.200:00:04,340 –> 00:00:09,840This is really, really good news, because of course, if walking in the light meant300:00:11,100 –> 00:00:14,920that we had to be completely free of all sin before any of us could have fellowship with God,400:00:15,020 –> 00:00:18,360none of us would ever have fellowship with God, in fact no one would ever have fellowship with God.500:00:18,799 –> 00:00:21,860Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.600:00:22,080 –> 00:00:24,340I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with us today.700:00:24,639 –> 00:00:29,639And Colin, that is good news isn’t it, because I think we need simply to come ahead.800:00:29,760 –> 00:00:35,919I think every believer struggles with the thought that well if I’m a Christian, why do I still struggle so much with sin?900:00:36,540 –> 00:00:38,200Does that mean I’m not really a Christian?1000:00:38,900 –> 00:00:43,959Yeah that’s an issue that I think every Christian riots with, because nobody is1100:00:44,740 –> 00:00:49,939the Christian that they want to be and none of us are what we one day will be.1200:00:50,320 –> 00:00:54,180There’s a distinction that I found really, really helpful here.1300:00:54,279 –> 00:00:59,080And it’s the distinction between reigning sin and remaining sin.1400:00:59,080 –> 00:01:03,320So sin no longer reigns over us when we’re in Christ.1500:01:03,320 –> 00:01:05,080It shall no longer be your master.1600:01:05,080 –> 00:01:08,419That’s what Paul says in Romans chapter six in verse fourteen.1700:01:08,680 –> 00:01:10,779We’re no longer under the power of sin.1800:01:10,820 –> 00:01:12,680We’re no longer held captive.1900:01:12,699 –> 00:01:18,139We may lose some battles against temptation, but we’re no longer prisoners of the darkness.2000:01:18,660 –> 00:01:22,040But the reality is that sin does remain in our lives.2100:01:22,120 –> 00:01:28,199If John says, if anyone thinks that he’s without sin, well the truth is not in him.2200:01:28,739 –> 00:01:33,559So we do live with this reality that we’re not yet what one day we will be2300:01:33,559 –> 00:01:35,800in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.2400:01:35,839 –> 00:01:40,739And yet we can have fellowship with God even though we’re not yet all that he calls us2500:01:40,739 –> 00:01:44,279to be, and that really is the Good News that we’re looking at today.2600:01:44,379 –> 00:01:50,639And we’ll find out in the first letter of John, chapter one, as we continue the message2700:01:54,459 –> 00:01:57,820So what does it mean to walk in the light?2800:01:58,099 –> 00:01:59,540Three things.2900:01:59,839 –> 00:02:08,039First, walking in the light means submitting yourself to the light of God’s word.3000:02:08,039 –> 00:02:16,740Your word, the scripture says, is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.3100:02:17,699 –> 00:02:28,660If you want to have fellowship with God, you must know what pleases Him and what offends Him.3200:02:28,660 –> 00:02:34,339And if you want to know what pleases and offends God, you have to let Him tell you.3300:02:34,339 –> 00:02:40,899And the way that He tells you what pleases Him and what offends Him is through the Bible.3400:02:40,979 –> 00:02:43,699So submit yourself.3500:02:44,259 –> 00:02:48,979If you want to have fellowship with God, you begin here by walking in the light,3600:02:48,979 –> 00:02:54,880which means that you submit yourself to the light of God’s Word.3700:02:54,880 –> 00:03:01,100What that means—and this is radically counter-cultural for our world today—3800:03:01,100 –> 00:03:03,300if you want to have fellowship with God,3900:03:03,300 –> 00:03:08,660you have to quit defining sin for yourself.4000:03:08,660 –> 00:03:12,100You may have heard the story about the archer4100:03:12,800 –> 00:03:19,820who claimed that he hit the bull’s eye every time he shot an arrow.4200:03:19,820 –> 00:03:24,199People were amazed at this claim, and asked him,4300:03:24,199 –> 00:03:27,199How do you do that?4400:03:27,199 –> 00:03:29,979He said, It’s easy.4500:03:29,979 –> 00:03:35,100I shoot the arrow and then I draw the target round wherever it lands.4600:03:35,800 –> 00:03:39,720Now, coming up with your own4700:03:39,720 –> 00:03:41,800definition of the target.4800:03:41,800 –> 00:03:46,300Coming up with your own definition of what you think pleases god and what you think4900:03:46,300 –> 00:03:47,479offends god.5000:03:47,479 –> 00:03:50,440That is the surest path to self-deception.5100:03:50,440 –> 00:03:54,759You cannot get to fellowship with god that way.5200:03:54,759 –> 00:03:58,679This is how people end up thinking that they have fellowship with god.5300:03:58,679 –> 00:04:02,199When actually, they are walking in darkness.5400:04:03,000 –> 00:04:07,800Walking in the light means submitting yourself to the light of god’s word.5500:04:07,800 –> 00:04:11,460You quit defining sin for yourself.5600:04:11,460 –> 00:04:16,440You say, god, you must tell me what it is that pleases you and what offends you.5700:04:16,440 –> 00:04:20,059And whatever it is, I’m gonna submit to what you say because I want to have fellowship5800:04:20,059 –> 00:04:21,600with you in reality.5900:04:21,600 –> 00:04:23,540I don’t want to be self-deceived.6000:04:25,040 –> 00:04:30,600Second, walking in the light means confessing your sin in the light of God’s word.6100:04:30,600 –> 00:04:33,920This is where John goes next and we’ll follow it over these next weeks.6200:04:33,920 –> 00:04:41,660Look at verse 9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins6300:04:41,660 –> 00:04:44,640and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.6400:04:45,600 –> 00:04:47,899Here’s the reality that you will find.6500:04:47,899 –> 00:04:52,859You’ve been wandering along defining sin for yourself and you say, wait a minute, this6600:04:52,859 –> 00:04:54,119is the road to self-deception.6700:04:54,119 –> 00:04:56,260I’ve got to get off this path.6800:04:56,640 –> 00:05:00,880And now you say, okay, I’m going to start submitting myself to the Word of God and I’m6900:05:00,880 –> 00:05:05,839going to let God tell me through the scriptures, what is right and what is wrong.7000:05:05,839 –> 00:05:07,720What pleases him and what offends him.7100:05:07,720 –> 00:05:09,260You start down that road.7200:05:09,260 –> 00:05:13,119It won’t be long before you are thoroughly convinced that you are much more a sinner7300:05:13,119 –> 00:05:14,679than you ever thought.7400:05:16,559 –> 00:05:21,799Light reveals what is hidden in darkness.7500:05:21,799 –> 00:05:28,940And the surest evidence that a person is walking in the Light is that he or she feels7600:05:28,940 –> 00:05:31,100his or her need of cleansing.7700:05:32,700 –> 00:05:40,880You might feel very virtuous if you are walking beside someone who’s lifestyle you despise.7800:05:41,640 –> 00:05:52,940But no one feels virtuous walking beside the God who is holy, holy, holy.7900:05:52,940 –> 00:05:57,940Walking in the Light means not only that you submit yourself to God’s Word, but that8000:05:57,940 –> 00:06:00,519you confess your sins in the light of it.8100:06:02,100 –> 00:06:07,720And third, walking in the Light means ordering your life in the light of God’s Word.8200:06:08,720 –> 00:06:11,980You order your life according to his Word.8300:06:11,980 –> 00:06:15,8991 John chapter 2 and verse 3, we’ll come to this later in the series.8400:06:15,899 –> 00:06:20,980By this we know that we have come to know him.8500:06:20,980 –> 00:06:21,980We know that we know.8600:06:21,980 –> 00:06:23,200See, that’s assurance.8700:06:23,200 –> 00:06:24,720That’s being sure.8800:06:24,720 –> 00:06:26,920You know that you know.8900:06:26,920 –> 00:06:30,200By this, that we have come to know him.9000:06:30,200 –> 00:06:31,519How?9100:06:31,519 –> 00:06:35,299If we keep his commandments.9200:06:35,380 –> 00:06:38,859Isn’t that striking?9300:06:38,859 –> 00:06:42,940John says this is how you come to know that you know God.9400:06:42,940 –> 00:06:45,940This is one of the strands of assurance.9500:06:45,940 –> 00:06:53,339Not the only one, but it’s one of them—a life of obedience.9600:06:53,339 –> 00:07:01,279The more you pursue obedience to God, the more confident you will become that you really9700:07:01,279 –> 00:07:02,779do belong to him.9800:07:03,119 –> 00:07:10,079There’s an old hymn that some of us will know and perhaps recognize—Trust and Obey.9900:07:10,079 –> 00:07:11,799It begins with these words,10000:07:11,799 –> 00:07:14,679When we walk with the Lord……10100:07:14,679 –> 00:07:15,980Remember the next line?10200:07:15,980 –> 00:07:24,480… in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way.10300:07:24,480 –> 00:07:26,000This is how assurance is found.10400:07:26,000 –> 00:07:30,600We walk with the Lord in the light of his word.10500:07:30,760 –> 00:07:33,440That’s fellowship with God, walking in the light.10600:07:33,440 –> 00:07:37,399It’s right out of 1 John, that’s him.10700:07:37,399 –> 00:07:39,679What a glory he sheds on our way.10800:07:39,679 –> 00:07:46,059So fellowship with God is the joy of a person who walks with the, in the light.10900:07:46,059 –> 00:07:50,160It’s impossible for the person who stays in the darkness, but it is the joy of the11000:07:50,160 –> 00:07:52,700person who walks in the light.11100:07:52,700 –> 00:07:57,799Walking in the light means that you’re submitting yourself to the light of God’s word, that11200:07:57,799 –> 00:08:00,600you are confessing in the light of God’s word.11300:08:00,600 –> 00:08:05,279And that you are seeking to order your life according to God’s word.11400:08:05,279 –> 00:08:13,720And then that’s what it means, John tells us wonderfully, what walking in the light11500:08:13,720 –> 00:08:16,920brings.11600:08:16,920 –> 00:08:18,799Two things.11700:08:18,799 –> 00:08:25,839First, walking in the light, brings fellowship.11800:08:25,839 –> 00:08:40,080If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.11900:08:40,080 –> 00:08:45,960Now of course he’s begun by telling us how we have fellowship with God but you see here12000:08:45,960 –> 00:08:53,119that he’s telling us that in coming into fellowship with God, we have another wonderful blessing,12100:08:53,119 –> 00:08:59,679which is that we have fellowship with one another.12200:08:59,679 –> 00:09:03,140Darkness is a lonely place you know.12300:09:03,140 –> 00:09:04,859Darkness is a lonely place.12400:09:04,859 –> 00:09:08,640It’s full of secrets.12500:09:08,640 –> 00:09:12,400Terribly isolating.12600:09:12,400 –> 00:09:18,099Walking in darkness means you’re not honest with yourself.12700:09:18,099 –> 00:09:20,719And of course if you’re not honest with yourself, you can’t be honest with anyone12800:09:20,719 –> 00:09:22,419else, you certainly can’t be honest with God.12900:09:22,780 –> 00:09:23,780So you’re just isolated.13000:09:23,780 –> 00:09:27,539It’s very lonely place to walk in darkness.13100:09:27,539 –> 00:09:29,380But you know what?13200:09:29,380 –> 00:09:35,500If you walk in the light you will never walk alone.13300:09:35,500 –> 00:09:39,780Other people are also seeking fellowship with God.13400:09:39,780 –> 00:09:45,400And as you walk with Him, you’re going to find that you’re walking with them.13500:09:45,400 –> 00:09:48,340That will be your experience.13600:09:48,580 –> 00:09:53,900The more closely you walk with God, the more you will find yourself entering fellowship13700:09:53,900 –> 00:09:56,599with other people.13800:09:56,599 –> 00:10:03,840A purely private walk with God is impossible for this reason.13900:10:03,840 –> 00:10:07,780If you walk with God, there are lots of other people who are walking with Him as well.14000:10:07,780 –> 00:10:09,780You cannot walk with God alone.14100:10:09,780 –> 00:10:14,640You are listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message called, Assurance14200:10:14,640 –> 00:10:16,140Grows As You Walk in the Light.14300:10:16,340 –> 00:10:18,440It’s part of the series, How Can I14400:10:18,479 –> 00:10:23,219Be Sure?, all about how Christians can have assurance of salvation.14500:10:23,219 –> 00:10:26,900And if you’ve ever missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again,14600:10:26,900 –> 00:10:33,719you can do that by coming online to our website www.OpenTheBible.org.uk, or as a podcast you14700:10:33,719 –> 00:10:36,479can find us on all our main podcast sites.14800:10:36,479 –> 00:10:41,640Search for Open the Bible UK, or follow the link from our website.14900:10:41,799 –> 00:10:50,119…and each month we have an offer for anybody who’s starting to set up a new donation to15000:10:50,119 –> 00:10:51,299the work of Open The Bible.15100:10:51,299 –> 00:10:55,320I’ll be talking to Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham later in the program about our15200:10:55,320 –> 00:10:58,179offer this month, so I hope you’ll stay with us for that.15300:10:58,179 –> 00:11:01,099Back to the message now, here again is Colin.15400:11:01,099 –> 00:11:07,440A purely private walk with God is impossible for this reason.15500:11:08,739 –> 00:11:11,520If you walk with God there are lots of other people that are walking with Him as well.15600:11:11,619 –> 00:11:14,659You can not walk with God alone.15700:11:16,539 –> 00:11:19,700Then John gives us this most wonderful blessing of all.15800:11:21,380 –> 00:11:27,780Walking in the light brings not only fellowship, it brings cleansing.15900:11:28,500 –> 00:11:37,400But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another16000:11:37,460 –> 00:11:42,640and the blood of Jesus, his son,16100:11:43,799 –> 00:11:45,700cleanses us from all sin.16200:11:49,599 –> 00:11:54,200Now, I want you to think about this with me for a moment.16300:11:54,200 –> 00:12:02,200John could have said if we believe in Jesus, his blood will cleanse us from16400:12:02,200 –> 00:12:02,979all sin.16500:12:02,979 –> 00:12:03,979That’s true, isn’t it?16600:12:04,780 –> 00:12:10,820He could have said that, but John’s concern here is that some of his16700:12:10,820 –> 00:12:17,559readers may have bought a lie that perverts the Gospel, a lie that some16800:12:17,599 –> 00:12:19,880might be tempted to believe even today.16900:12:21,159 –> 00:12:26,020That lie is that the blood of Jesus cleanses from sin, even if a person17000:12:26,020 –> 00:12:27,580continues to walk in darkness.17100:12:27,580 –> 00:12:30,979And John wants to expose that lie, because he wants us to have genuine17200:12:31,039 –> 00:12:33,440fellowship with God and to have eternal life.17300:12:34,200 –> 00:12:42,260So what he says is, if we walk in the light, that’s a condition— the blood17400:12:42,260 –> 00:12:45,460of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.17500:12:46,559 –> 00:12:48,059It flows from walking in the light.17600:12:48,059 –> 00:12:49,859It’s part of fellowship with God.17700:12:52,520 –> 00:12:55,380The blood of Jesus cleanses us.17800:12:56,380 –> 00:13:01,700Sin stains, it spoils.17900:13:03,619 –> 00:13:09,419It has an internal effect that changes us from the inside out.18000:13:11,760 –> 00:13:14,359It twists the mind.18100:13:16,440 –> 00:13:20,500It distorts the heart so it’s drawn to all the wrong things.18200:13:20,539 –> 00:13:23,159It dulls the conscience.18300:13:23,739 –> 00:13:30,400So you see we need more than forgiveness because sin has had an internal effect in us as well18400:13:30,400 –> 00:13:33,979as an external effect of making us guilty before God.18500:13:33,979 –> 00:13:37,260It’s actually brought twistedness into us.18600:13:38,099 –> 00:13:46,200But here we have this wonderful statement that the blood of Jesus cleanses us.18700:13:46,900 –> 00:13:49,400The blood of Jesus cleanses us.18800:13:49,400 –> 00:13:58,000We need cleansing and John says if we walk in the light the blood of Jesus cleanses18900:13:58,000 –> 00:14:00,359us.19000:14:00,359 –> 00:14:04,599And he says from all sin.19100:14:04,599 –> 00:14:10,239Do you notice that all sin?19200:14:10,239 –> 00:14:17,719So just think about what that means in regards to us gathered here in this service today.19300:14:17,719 –> 00:14:22,679James Denny lists some of the sins that may be ours.19400:14:22,679 –> 00:14:29,000And John speaks later in his letter about the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes19500:14:29,000 –> 00:14:31,780the pride of life.19600:14:31,780 –> 00:14:36,919You could add to that the impulsive sins of youth.19700:14:36,919 –> 00:14:41,539The lazy, self indulgent sins of old age.19800:14:41,539 –> 00:14:55,400Pride discontent envy love of money love of this world ingratitude to God the list goes19900:14:55,400 –> 00:14:59,140on and on and on.20000:14:59,140 –> 00:15:10,219And then James Denny says this, think of the deep stain these things leave and then consider20100:15:10,219 –> 00:15:19,719that it is the will of God to cleanse us all together from them and that he has provided20200:15:19,719 –> 00:15:27,919a power that is able to do so dreadful as is the power of sin that is a power in the20300:15:27,960 –> 00:15:33,359world which is still more strong and more wonderful the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses20400:15:33,359 –> 00:15:41,679us from all sin. Try and take this in today it will give you hope and strength and encouragement.20500:15:41,679 –> 00:15:51,000The most powerful thing in the world is not the sin that we know all too well the most20600:15:51,000 –> 00:15:57,159powerful thing in the world is the blood of Jesus Christ that is able to cleanse us from20700:15:58,039 –> 00:16:05,340it. And John wants us to know this is amazing that as we walk in the light this actually20800:16:05,340 –> 00:16:12,799happens the blood of Jesus Christ that would not have reached you if you had remained in20900:16:12,799 –> 00:16:27,039the darkness. It will progressively cleanse you. It will wash you. It will sanctify you21000:16:27,039 –> 00:16:34,640as you walk in the light. And that is how it is possible for us sinners though we are21100:16:34,799 –> 00:16:44,239to walk with our Holy God in fellowship. Now I want us to end here today by calling all of us21200:16:44,239 –> 00:16:53,119to respond to these scriptures in two ways. The first is to renounce the lie and then more briefly21300:16:53,760 –> 00:16:59,119to practice the truth. If we say we have fellowship with Him,21400:16:59,119 –> 00:17:07,839while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. So let’s take this in.21500:17:07,839 –> 00:17:14,560John’s identifying a lie that still circulates today. The lie is sin doesn’t matter as long21600:17:14,560 –> 00:17:21,599as you believe in Jesus, doesn’t matter how you live. The lie is that it is possible to walk21700:17:21,599 –> 00:17:24,959in darkness and still to have fellowship with God at the same time.21800:17:28,079 –> 00:17:34,400John wants us to know that the blood of Jesus does not cleanse those who remain in darkness.21900:17:35,839 –> 00:17:41,839It cannot reach you there. You want the blood of Jesus to cleanse you, you have to come out22000:17:41,839 –> 00:17:49,280into the light. What a terrible thing. I’ve shuddered as I’ve thought about this during the22100:17:49,280 –> 00:18:01,199week. What a terrible thing it would be for someone here to spend his or her whole life22200:18:03,599 –> 00:18:08,560telling yourself that you have fellowship with God, only to wake up in eternity and find that22300:18:08,560 –> 00:18:14,000you’ve been lying to yourself, and that your supposed fellowship with God was only a figment22400:18:14,000 –> 00:18:20,319of your own imagination. And someone will say, well now you’re scaring me.22500:18:22,560 –> 00:18:25,439And I thought you said that the aim of this series was that we might22600:18:25,439 –> 00:18:29,920know that we have eternal life. Yes it is.22700:18:32,640 –> 00:18:39,599John says, I write these things that you may know that you have eternal life.22800:18:39,599 –> 00:18:45,680So why in the world would John begin that letter with that purpose by raising the horrible22900:18:45,680 –> 00:18:51,280possibility that some of his readers may be deceiving themselves by believing a lie?23000:18:54,160 –> 00:18:55,439Well of course he does that.23100:18:57,599 –> 00:19:01,520Because nothing could be more disastrous than to think that you have eternal23200:19:01,520 –> 00:19:06,959life when you do not. And that is the position of any person who23300:19:06,959 –> 00:19:10,079claims to have fellowship with God while walking in darkness.23400:19:13,439 –> 00:19:16,719My dear friend, from the heart I plead with you.23500:19:20,160 –> 00:19:30,160If you are living in a way that God says is sinful, your claim to have fellowship with God is23600:19:30,160 –> 00:19:37,119empty. The only way for you to have fellowship with God will be for you to23700:19:37,119 –> 00:19:41,359come out of the darkness. You must start walking in the light.23800:19:43,839 –> 00:19:49,839And I give you this promise that if you will do that, you will find fellowship23900:19:49,839 –> 00:20:02,140and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse you from all sin. But you must24000:20:02,140 –> 00:20:10,520renounce the lie. You must come out of the darkness. You must walk in the light24100:20:10,520 –> 00:20:18,900and then we must practice the truth. If we say we have fellowship with him while24200:20:18,959 –> 00:20:24,180we walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth. So you see that truth24300:20:24,180 –> 00:20:27,939is more than something we know. Yes, we’ve got our notes. We know all this.24400:20:27,939 –> 00:20:37,400Truth is something that we do and the call of God through scripture today to24500:20:37,400 –> 00:20:41,920each and every one of us speaker and hearers alike is that we walk in the24600:20:41,920 –> 00:20:47,280light that our pattern of life is to submit ourselves to the light of God’s24700:20:47,439 –> 00:20:51,780confess our sins in the light of that word and order our lives according to24800:20:51,959 –> 00:20:58,640that word. Walk in the light dear brother sister. You will have fellowship with24900:20:58,800 –> 00:21:08,459God, you will have fellowship with others and the blood of Jesus Christ will25000:21:08,500 –> 00:21:19,339cleanse you from all sin, and as Jesus said to his disciples now that you know25100:21:19,439 –> 00:21:27,560these things you will be blessed if you do them.25200:21:27,560 –> 00:21:32,339Pastor Colin Smith there, ending our message Assurance Grows as You Walk In the Light.25300:21:32,339 –> 00:21:36,819It was the first message in our series How Can I Be Sure? all about how25400:21:36,859 –> 00:21:41,300Christians can be sure of their salvation and if you’ve missed any of25500:21:41,300 –> 00:21:44,859the series or if you ever want to go back and listen again all the messages25600:21:44,859 –> 00:21:49,079which have already been broadcast can be found on our website, that’s at25700:21:49,079 –> 00:21:54,859openthebible.org.uk and you can also find them simultaneously as a podcast on25800:21:54,859 –> 00:22:00,560all the main podcast sites and you can do that by searching for Open the Bible UK.25900:22:00,560 –> 00:22:05,239Also on our website you’ll find our Bible study course Fly Through the Bible.26000:22:06,079 –> 00:22:09,819This short simple journey through the Bible story can be enjoyed on26100:22:09,819 –> 00:22:15,479your own, with a friend or as a group. For each of the 15 sessions you can watch a26200:22:15,479 –> 00:22:19,819short video then work through the questions. If you want to do a more26300:22:19,819 –> 00:22:24,140detailed Bible study a guide is available for you to use in small groups26400:22:24,140 –> 00:22:29,239or one-to-one. To make the most of Fly Through the Bible we recommend buying26500:22:29,239 –> 00:22:33,900the book. There is also a free app that can be used alongside all the materials.26600:22:34,180 –> 00:22:41,079To find Fly Through the Bible go to our website openthebible.org.uk and click on26700:22:41,079 –> 00:22:47,560courses. Open the Bible is supported financially by our listeners, by many26800:22:47,560 –> 00:22:52,979groups and individuals who make generous donations regularly, or just once. If26900:22:52,979 –> 00:22:57,819you’re considering becoming one of our contributors thank you so much. You can27000:22:57,819 –> 00:23:02,719give online at our website which makes it easy to set up either a one-off gift27100:23:02,719 –> 00:23:07,760or a regular direct debit just click on the donate button at the top right of27200:23:07,760 –> 00:23:12,020your computer screen, or at the bottom of the drop-down menu on your phone.27300:23:12,020 –> 00:23:15,920Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to talk about this month’s27400:23:15,920 –> 00:23:21,000thank-you gift. Thanks David. Well as I’ve been at home during the summer27500:23:21,000 –> 00:23:26,199holidays with three children I think I’ve become aware that we all face27600:23:26,199 –> 00:23:32,300battles that seem impossible to win at times and in the 10 greatest struggles27700:23:32,579 –> 00:23:38,180of your life Colin Smith unpacks those real-life challenges we all face like27800:23:38,180 –> 00:23:43,280wrestling with God, or time or truth or contentment.27900:23:43,280 –> 00:23:47,660He then shows us how they connect to something deeper our relationship with28000:23:47,660 –> 00:23:52,560God and the ten commandments but this book isn’t about rules, it’s about28100:23:52,560 –> 00:23:53,420freedom.28200:23:53,420 –> 00:23:58,099Colin reveals how these age-old commandments are actually life-giving28300:23:58,500 –> 00:24:05,339guidance designed to lead you and me into peace purpose and fulfillment.28400:24:05,339 –> 00:24:09,599And what I particularly love about this book is the really helpful study guide28500:24:09,599 –> 00:24:13,979at the back which means is ideal for doing in a book group with others or on28600:24:13,979 –> 00:24:14,660your own.28700:24:14,660 –> 00:24:20,219We would love to send you a free copy with five psalm 23 note cards in28800:24:20,219 –> 00:24:26,300September. When you donate a one off gift of at least 50 pounds or set up with new28900:24:26,300 –> 00:24:31,979direct debit of at least five pounds but please do remember to give your address29000:24:31,979 –> 00:24:36,119details when you donate if you would like to receive this gift.29100:24:36,479 –> 00:24:41,060This offer is available all this month when you set up a new direct debit for 529200:24:41,060 –> 00:24:45,979pounds or more or a one off gift of 50 pounds or more. Full terms and29300:24:45,979 –> 00:24:50,959conditions are on our website openthebible.org.uk and you can give29400:24:50,959 –> 00:24:55,660directly online. Please remember to include your full name and address so29500:24:55,739 –> 00:25:00,359that we can send you your free gift. For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith29600:25:00,359 –> 00:25:03,780I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time.29700:25:12,680 –> 00:25:16,520The danger for Christians is to get the idea that in our pursuit of holiness29800:25:16,520 –> 00:25:19,500we’ve moved beyond the realm of sin.29900:25:19,500 –> 00:25:22,219Find out about that next time on Open the Bible.
