100:00:00,960 –> 00:00:06,440One of our boys said from the backseat of the van I200:00:06,440 –> 00:00:15,680wish dad would mess up more. I will tell you that was a wake-up call to me as I300:00:15,680 –> 00:00:23,680thought this boy actually thinks that his dad has got his life all sorted out400:00:24,639 –> 00:00:26,799and that he really hardly messes up at all.500:00:28,000 –> 00:00:34,160I have got to change that perception welcome to open the bible with pastor colin smith I’m600:00:34,160 –> 00:00:38,959David Pick and Colin I think a lot of parents hope that their children hold them in such700:00:38,959 –> 00:00:44,639high esteem why is it you think the perception should change well first because it’s not true800:00:45,360 –> 00:00:50,119and i certainly started after that after my son in middle school said that from the back of the900:00:50,119 –> 00:00:56,439van i started making a regular habit of saying to him hey your dad just messed up again he’s1000:00:56,439 –> 00:01:04,440very tired of hearing that nowadays but here’s the reality who will be drawn to jesus christ1100:01:05,000 –> 00:01:11,480apart from an awareness that we are all messed up inside there isn’t a single person in this1200:01:11,480 –> 00:01:16,599fallen world that’s some kind of a paragon of virtue and i think it’s really important1300:01:16,680 –> 00:01:21,080for us as parents to be able to communicate effectively to our children and especially1400:01:21,080 –> 00:01:25,320in their teenage years when they’re thinking about these things that we’re not setting1500:01:25,320 –> 00:01:31,239ourselves before them as some kind of example of virtue but rather as those who know that we1600:01:31,239 –> 00:01:35,800depend upon the grace of god and are seeking the help of God in pursuing the life to which1700:01:35,800 –> 00:01:41,959he calls us only then are children going to see that they also have a need and that there is a1800:01:41,959 –> 00:01:46,440saviour who’s able to meet that need and after that did you start to notice any difference1900:01:48,040 –> 00:01:51,959Well I think my son knows that he messes up too and I’m very very thankful that both of2000:01:51,959 –> 00:01:58,199our boys love christ. Yeah, so join us today if you can in Ephesians chapter 2 as we continue2100:01:58,199 –> 00:02:05,559the message the heart wants what it wants. Here is pastor Colin. Now what are the cravings of2200:02:05,559 –> 00:02:13,320the sinful nature. Well let me just give you 10 quickly randomly chosen examples and you2300:02:13,320 –> 00:02:17,559could double the list I think very very quickly but just to give you the idea.2400:02:19,479 –> 00:02:25,080When you are blessed the sinful nature produces2500:02:25,880 –> 00:02:28,039pride. Hey look what I did!2600:02:30,520 –> 00:02:39,000When other people are blessed the sinful nature produces envy. Why them and not me?2700:02:41,320 –> 00:02:47,720When you do good the sinful nature produces self-righteousness.2800:02:48,360 –> 00:02:54,759When you do wrong the sinful nature goes into denial. Oh it wasn’t my fault, no no no no,2900:02:54,759 –> 00:03:04,600you got to understand. When you suffer you will find that the sinful nature produces within you3000:03:04,600 –> 00:03:12,119self pity. And you have to deal with that. When you don’t get what you want3100:03:12,119 –> 00:03:19,720the sinful nature will get irritable, it will get frustrated and get angry.3200:03:22,199 –> 00:03:24,360When your work is not appreciated3300:03:25,320 –> 00:03:31,160or what you do is not recognized by others the sinful nature will get resentful.3400:03:33,320 –> 00:03:39,479When you’re in a conflict the sinful nature will tell you how absolutely right you are at every3500:03:39,479 –> 00:03:46,919point and will fill you with self-justification. When you hear about the love of God the sinful3600:03:46,919 –> 00:03:51,479nature will produce unbelief, it will produce this sense of now that can’t be right, that3700:03:51,479 –> 00:03:58,600can’t be true, yes but that’s what the sinful nature does then. And when you hear what the3800:03:58,600 –> 00:04:08,839Bible says about sin, the sinful nature produces evasion. Dodges and weaves. I tell you the sinful3900:04:08,919 –> 00:04:15,639nature is at the height of its production during the preaching of the Word of God.4000:04:17,480 –> 00:04:24,679It will dodge and it will weave to make sure as far as is possible that nothing lands on you4100:04:26,600 –> 00:04:35,000and nothing comes into you so that you would go out as you came in never having4200:04:35,720 –> 00:04:43,799encountered God and then here’s my second practical description. The cravings of your4300:04:43,799 –> 00:04:50,359sinful nature will find expression in your thoughts and in your desires. Notice how4400:04:50,359 –> 00:04:56,119that’s made very very clear in this verse gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature4500:04:56,140 –> 00:05:02,359and following its desires and its thoughts.4600:05:04,100 –> 00:05:12,420Now, I have a quotation that I want to give to you that speaks about sins in the thoughts and in the4700:05:12,420 –> 00:05:19,700imagination and in the desires probably more powerfully than any other quotation that I have4800:05:19,820 –> 00:05:27,700read on this subject. Here’s what’s fascinating to me about it. I’m going to quote to you from a4900:05:27,700 –> 00:05:37,059Scottish pastor by the name of Thomas Boston, who described so perceptively how the imagination5000:05:38,260 –> 00:05:45,540enables the sinner to indulge the cravings of his heart, and all of us know what he’s talking about.5100:05:45,700 –> 00:05:53,859Here’s the fascinating thing. The quotation I am going to read to you he wrote in 17295200:05:55,619 –> 00:06:00,579which is long before the internet, long before the television,5300:06:02,019 –> 00:06:04,500and more than a century before the invention of the camera.5400:06:07,059 –> 00:06:12,260So when we think about the battles we experience in terms of sins of the imagination and we say5500:06:13,220 –> 00:06:16,820well the problem of course is all out there. You know we live in this media saturated culture and5600:06:16,820 –> 00:06:22,980all these images that we’re bombarded with and poor us and so forth. Boston writing in 17295700:06:22,980 –> 00:06:31,140lived before any of that. And what’s so fascinating is that he describes as if he5800:06:31,140 –> 00:06:38,820was writing last week what all of us experienced. Which makes the point you see that the problem –5900:06:38,820 –> 00:06:43,220I know there’s all kinds of problems out there but the real place for the problem exists in here.6000:06:44,339 –> 00:06:49,059Which is what Paul is saying in Ephesians. So listen to Boston,6100:06:50,579 –> 00:06:58,739the sinful mind supplies the lack of real objects to the corrupt heart6200:07:00,420 –> 00:07:08,339so that it may make sinners happy at least in the imaginary enjoyment of their lusts.6300:07:09,140 –> 00:07:16,100The corrupt heart feeds itself with imagination sins.6400:07:17,619 –> 00:07:25,619Imagination sins, the unclean person is filled with speculative impurities.6500:07:27,140 –> 00:07:33,140The covetous man fills his heart with the world even though he cannot get his hands on it.6600:07:33,140 –> 00:07:42,820The malicious person fills his mind with acts of revenge and the envious man beholds with6700:07:42,820 –> 00:07:48,339satisfaction his neighbor laid low. He’s saying all of this goes on in the human mind,6800:07:48,980 –> 00:07:56,500the imagination. He says every lust finds the corrupt imagination to be a friend to6900:07:56,820 –> 00:08:06,500time of need. And he adds finally, this the heart does not only when people are awake but sometimes7000:08:06,500 –> 00:08:14,100even when they are asleep whereby it comes to pass that those sins are acted in dreams7100:08:14,899 –> 00:08:24,739which their hearts pant after when they are awake. Everybody here knows exactly what he’s talking7200:08:25,299 –> 00:08:32,179about and that’s the struggle of the human heart in 1729. What’s changed?7300:08:35,539 –> 00:08:43,700The title for today’s message is a quip from Woody Allen, the heart wants what it wants.7400:08:45,539 –> 00:08:51,859Woody Allen said this in 1992 when he had been living with a woman for some years7500:08:52,820 –> 00:08:59,700and then he left her to take up with her daughter and even the secular world was at least surprised7600:08:59,700 –> 00:09:03,700by that and asked the question why he would do that and when he was asked that question7700:09:03,700 –> 00:09:07,780Woody Allen came up with this comment, the heart wants what it wants.7800:09:10,260 –> 00:09:15,460And friends, that is exactly the teaching of Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 3.7900:09:15,539 –> 00:09:24,020That’s exactly what it’s saying. The heart wants what it wants. So all of us are going to have8000:09:24,020 –> 00:09:28,820to make, and it will have to be made on a daily and a continuing basis, a choice as to how we will8100:09:28,820 –> 00:09:36,500live, and the choice you make about how you live will be a direct reflection about what you most8200:09:36,500 –> 00:09:43,299deeply believe regarding the condition of your own heart. If you believe that your heart is good,8300:09:43,299 –> 00:09:47,859if that at the deepest level is what you continue to believe, you will follow the8400:09:47,859 –> 00:09:52,260inclination of your heart and you will live on impulse just as Woody Allen did.8500:09:54,179 –> 00:10:00,739But, if you believe what we are learning from the Bible today, you will learn to distrust your8600:10:00,739 –> 00:10:07,460own heart, and so the next time someone says to you, oh follow your heart, doesn’t that phrase8700:10:07,539 –> 00:10:14,099sound so wonderfully pious? Follow your heart, you’ll say, wait a minute, follow my heart?8800:10:16,340 –> 00:10:19,140This heart was born in the likeness of Adam.8900:10:21,539 –> 00:10:25,859If I follow my heart, it may lead me into all kinds of sin and folly.9000:10:28,900 –> 00:10:30,739I need to follow the Word,9100:10:30,739 –> 00:10:32,419This heart is my heart and I need to follow it.9200:10:32,419 –> 00:10:38,419And check what is in my heart against it and put what is in my heart under it9300:10:38,419 –> 00:10:45,619and let it be the Judge of my heart, otherwise, I will drive myself to a wreck.9400:10:45,619 –> 00:10:49,539You’re listening to Open the Bible, with pastor Colin Smith and a message called9500:10:49,539 –> 00:10:54,659The heart wants what it wants part of our series The inside story of human life.9600:10:55,299 –> 00:11:00,500We’ve got to pause briefly here but will be back very shortly so please stay with us.9700:11:00,500 –> 00:11:06,099Open the Bible is supported by our many listeners and if you’re one of them thank you so much.9800:11:06,820 –> 00:11:12,419It’s not just the radio program, the website and podcast that you’re supporting.9900:11:12,419 –> 00:11:15,619Here’s Open the Bible’s executive director John Martin.10000:11:15,619 –> 00:11:18,979Well, David, it’s great to be with you and share more about10100:11:18,979 –> 00:11:21,380Open the Bible’s impact across the UK.10200:11:21,940 –> 00:11:24,260The ministry across the UK continues to grow.10300:11:24,260 –> 00:11:28,500Since the beginning of 2026 our online reach has doubled.10400:11:28,580 –> 00:11:32,340We’ve also enjoyed Pastor Colin speaking at significant events10500:11:32,340 –> 00:11:36,340and we’ve expanded our ministry with prisons and other marginalized groups.10600:11:36,340 –> 00:11:37,460It’s very exciting.10700:11:39,140 –> 00:11:41,380Let me tell you a story from England.10800:11:42,260 –> 00:11:45,700We have this one-hour film of the story of the thief on the cross10900:11:45,700 –> 00:11:47,780based on Colin’s book Heaven, How I Got Here.11000:11:48,340 –> 00:11:52,260We promoted the film to churches across the UK earlier this year11100:11:52,260 –> 00:11:55,460encouraging them to show it as an Easter outreach event.11200:11:56,020 –> 00:12:00,260Hundreds of churches accessed the film and our free promotional resources11300:12:00,260 –> 00:12:05,299and one church had the courage to book a cinema and invite guests to the showing.11400:12:06,020 –> 00:12:09,140Brian Craven of life church St Heelan said11500:12:10,179 –> 00:12:13,460It’s a truly excellent reproduction on the big screen.11600:12:13,460 –> 00:12:18,020Ours is a tale of just how much can be achieved by simply stepping out,11700:12:18,020 –> 00:12:22,820doing what we can, then watching as Father God brings everything else into line.11800:12:23,460 –> 00:12:27,460We really are so grateful for the connection we have made with Open the Bible11900:12:27,460 –> 00:12:30,179and for all the efforts made to support and encourage us.12000:12:30,739 –> 00:12:33,780My hope and prayer is that Open the Bible will now12100:12:33,780 –> 00:12:37,140be able to promote many more cinema screenings in the years to come.12200:12:38,179 –> 00:12:41,380So, David, if there are listeners that are interested in showing that film12300:12:41,380 –> 00:12:45,460at Easter or any other time, either in their churches or even being like12400:12:45,460 –> 00:12:48,820Life Church St Helens and booking a cinema screening then they should get in touch12500:12:48,820 –> 00:12:51,859with Open the Bible and we’ll do all we can to help them.12600:12:51,859 –> 00:12:53,140The film is free.12700:12:53,140 –> 00:12:56,260You can get involved in supporting Open the Bible’s work12800:12:56,260 –> 00:12:59,219by coming to our website openthebible.org.uk.12900:13:00,500 –> 00:13:05,380You’ll find lots more information, terms and conditions and you can give online.13000:13:05,380 –> 00:13:08,340Back to The Message now. Here again is Pastor Colin.13100:13:08,340 –> 00:13:13,380A few weeks ago I met with some of our pastors to talk about this series.13200:13:13,380 –> 00:13:16,020It’s one of the great joys of my life to gather with13300:13:16,900 –> 00:13:19,299the guys in different groups at different times.13400:13:19,299 –> 00:13:24,500Just for us to talk about the scriptures and for me to benefit from some of their insights.13500:13:24,500 –> 00:13:25,539One of our pastors said,13600:13:25,539 –> 00:13:31,299Colin, this series is going to be important because many of our13700:13:31,299 –> 00:13:36,739people are reading the Bible but they do not really believe what it says about sin.13800:13:36,739 –> 00:13:44,020The default position in middle class suburban evangelicalism13900:13:44,260 –> 00:13:46,659is that we’re basically good.14000:13:50,020 –> 00:13:53,940Then Josh Newton, who’s our youth pastor at Barrington said to me,14100:13:55,700 –> 00:14:00,020Pastor Colin, do you know the song by Lady Gaga called Born This Way?14200:14:05,059 –> 00:14:10,340He said, students at middle school and high school believe what that says.14300:14:10,900 –> 00:14:15,280So I said, well, can you get the words and email them to me?14400:14:15,280 –> 00:14:17,219He had a cell phone and he said, I just did.14500:14:17,219 –> 00:14:22,599It’s another world, isn’t it?14600:14:22,599 –> 00:14:24,700Let me read the words to you.14700:14:27,179 –> 00:14:32,859My mama told me when I was young, we’re all born superstars.14800:14:32,859 –> 00:14:39,739There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are, she said, because14900:14:39,739 –> 00:14:41,719he made you perfect, babe.15000:14:41,719 –> 00:14:46,739So hold your head up, girl and you’ll go far, listen to me15100:14:46,739 –> 00:14:52,219when I say, I’m beautiful in my way, because God makes no15200:14:52,219 –> 00:14:52,960mistakes.15300:14:52,960 –> 00:14:54,679I’m on the right track, baby.15400:14:54,900 –> 00:14:56,000I was born this way.15500:14:58,200 –> 00:14:59,979Don’t hide yourself in regret.15600:15:00,020 –> 00:15:01,580Just love yourself.15700:15:01,580 –> 00:15:02,619And you’re set.15800:15:03,700 –> 00:15:05,419I’m on the right track, baby.15900:15:06,619 –> 00:15:07,940I was born this way.16000:15:10,140 –> 00:15:13,979Let me say this word from a deep place in my own heart to all16100:15:13,979 –> 00:15:14,799parents today.16200:15:17,460 –> 00:15:22,179You may not allow your son or your daughter to watch or16300:15:22,179 –> 00:15:23,979listen to Lady Gaga.16400:15:26,419 –> 00:15:31,739But could it be that you are unwittingly teaching your16500:15:31,739 –> 00:15:34,299children exactly what she is saying?16600:15:36,500 –> 00:15:41,200We live in an affirming culture that gives us the idea that the16700:15:41,200 –> 00:15:45,059best thing we can do for our children is to constantly tell16800:15:45,059 –> 00:15:46,979them how good they are.16900:15:49,299 –> 00:15:51,979And here’s the problem and I choose my word very carefully.17000:15:53,760 –> 00:16:00,340That is the most damning thing you could tell your children.17100:16:00,340 –> 00:16:01,179And here’s why?17200:16:02,419 –> 00:16:05,539If nothing in your child is broken, what is there in your17300:16:05,539 –> 00:16:06,559child to redeem?17400:16:08,640 –> 00:16:13,260How will your child ever see his or her need of a redeemer if17500:16:13,260 –> 00:16:17,719you keep telling him or her how good and how great they really17600:16:17,719 –> 00:16:18,219are?17700:16:21,539 –> 00:16:30,140You say, are you suggesting that I start telling my child that17800:16:30,159 –> 00:16:32,859he or she is a little sinner?17900:16:34,940 –> 00:16:36,659And I say to you no,18000:16:37,979 –> 00:16:43,619I’m suggesting that you start by telling your son or your18100:16:43,619 –> 00:16:47,320daughter, that you are a big sinner.18200:16:48,500 –> 00:16:49,179I’m serious.18300:16:50,659 –> 00:16:53,099Let me tell you about my aha moment on this.18400:16:56,000 –> 00:16:57,659When our boys were in middle school,18500:16:57,900 –> 00:17:00,020we were driving together in the van,18600:17:00,020 –> 00:17:01,940we were heading up to Dora county at the end of the year,18700:17:01,940 –> 00:17:04,660we had a couple of days break and we were bringing in the new18800:17:04,660 –> 00:17:07,020year up there together.18900:17:07,540 –> 00:17:10,699So we have five hour trip or whatever it is and as often19000:17:10,699 –> 00:17:12,260happened in our family,19100:17:12,260 –> 00:17:15,339we managed to get into a good and an interesting conversation.19200:17:16,780 –> 00:17:18,099And we got going on this thing,19300:17:18,099 –> 00:17:19,619it’s going to be new year in two days.19400:17:19,619 –> 00:17:25,500So let’s all come up with ideas about one thing that each19500:17:25,500 –> 00:17:26,579of us could change.19600:17:26,819 –> 00:17:29,260What would you want that would be different from each of us19700:17:29,260 –> 00:17:31,699and we all had a free opportunity to throw in19800:17:31,699 –> 00:17:32,660our suggestions.19900:17:32,660 –> 00:17:34,939Well, it went round the family and you know that20000:17:34,939 –> 00:17:37,579the suggestions for dad are always going to come last20100:17:37,579 –> 00:17:39,579And finally the moment comes.20200:17:39,579 –> 00:17:41,380OK, what do we want that to change?20300:17:43,660 –> 00:17:46,300And one of our boys said from the backseat of the van,20400:17:48,260 –> 00:17:51,619I wish dad would mess up more.20500:17:51,819 –> 00:17:53,579Mess up more.20600:17:58,260 –> 00:18:01,619I wish dad would mess up more.20700:18:04,140 –> 00:18:09,900I will tell you that was a wake up call to me because I thought20800:18:10,060 –> 00:18:17,140this boy actually thinks that his dad has got his life all20900:18:17,140 –> 00:18:21,500sorted out and that he really hardly messes up at all.21000:18:21,979 –> 00:18:28,339I have got to change that perception otherwise he will21100:18:28,339 –> 00:18:29,920never be drawn to Christ21200:18:31,979 –> 00:18:40,599Or could be so I started a new habit called confessing the21300:18:40,599 –> 00:18:41,380mess ups.21400:18:43,099 –> 00:18:45,219And of course we had some fun with it too.21500:18:45,939 –> 00:18:50,020It was not at all unusual when our family was eating during the21600:18:50,880 –> 00:18:53,359years that followed that kids were in middle school at that21700:18:53,359 –> 00:18:56,939time for me to come in and say, well, that messed up again today21800:18:56,939 –> 00:19:00,300let me tell you about it and I would come something and you21900:19:00,300 –> 00:19:02,959know what happened within a very short period of time when22000:19:02,959 –> 00:19:07,859it was that messed up again today then it was Oh no dad not22100:19:07,859 –> 00:19:08,979again now.22200:19:13,099 –> 00:19:15,020So sometimes it was with great humour.22300:19:17,099 –> 00:19:19,819But I will tell you as they grew in middle school and then began22400:19:20,099 –> 00:19:23,880to build up for my high school years more privately and one on22500:19:23,880 –> 00:19:29,199one. There were repeated and very real moments. With genuine22600:19:29,199 –> 00:19:34,319sadness. And on a couple of occasions with tears.22700:19:37,160 –> 00:19:41,540Of staying son, you need to know how much your dad right now22800:19:42,199 –> 00:19:43,640needs the savior.22900:19:46,739 –> 00:19:48,479What are you teaching your children?23000:19:50,079 –> 00:19:53,219Are you helping them realistically as they grow up to23100:19:53,219 –> 00:19:57,060understand the mystery of sin in their life. Because,23200:19:58,920 –> 00:20:00,900they’re about all the same things you are.23300:20:01,859 –> 00:20:02,839Why don’t you come clean with them.23400:20:04,699 –> 00:20:05,760Why don’t you get real with them.23500:20:08,160 –> 00:20:11,579Are you helping your children to understand the mystery of sin23600:20:11,579 –> 00:20:16,739that is in them? Are you actively blinding their minds to23700:20:17,420 –> 00:20:19,780the gospel by drip feeding them the false gospel of self esteem.23800:20:23,680 –> 00:20:26,699I have a great burden as you can tell on my heart today that in23900:20:26,699 –> 00:20:31,219too many of our homes, we may actually be undercutting the24000:20:31,219 –> 00:20:32,900credibility of the gospel.24100:20:34,640 –> 00:20:37,020By drip feeding the false gospel of self esteem.24200:20:42,020 –> 00:20:44,239And, nearly through, I just want to tell you this,24300:20:44,239 –> 00:20:44,780that my mama,24400:20:47,099 –> 00:20:50,420didn’t tell me when I was young that we are all born superstars.24500:20:53,060 –> 00:20:54,420And I am very thankful for it.24600:20:56,319 –> 00:20:59,160My mama loved me greatly and still does.24700:20:59,760 –> 00:21:03,939And I am so grateful for her and her godly influence in my life.24800:21:05,699 –> 00:21:07,959But with apologies to Lady Gaga24900:21:09,439 –> 00:21:10,900I have rewritten her song.25000:21:13,239 –> 00:21:14,739And with this we end.25100:21:14,739 –> 00:21:16,199Because this is my story.25200:21:17,119 –> 00:21:18,380And it’s polar opposite25300:21:19,319 –> 00:21:22,619of what the vast majority of students are believing today.25400:21:24,420 –> 00:21:26,979My mama told me when I was young25500:21:27,839 –> 00:21:29,339we are all born sinners.25600:21:31,280 –> 00:21:34,479There’s everything wrong with loving who you are, she said,25700:21:35,599 –> 00:21:38,339because you’re far from perfect, babe.25800:21:41,800 –> 00:21:45,339So bow your head down, boy, and you’ll go far.25900:21:45,660 –> 00:21:49,780Listen to me when I say, become beautiful in God’s way,26000:21:50,939 –> 00:21:52,880because God makes no mistakes.26100:21:52,880 –> 00:21:55,979You’re on the wrong track, baby, you were born that way.26200:21:57,780 –> 00:22:00,099Draw near to God in regret.26300:22:01,579 –> 00:22:04,619Seek faith in Christ, then you’ll be set.26400:22:06,380 –> 00:22:08,099You’re on the wrong track, baby.26500:22:09,420 –> 00:22:10,560You were born this way.26600:22:12,500 –> 00:22:14,540And I ask you for the good of your own soul26700:22:14,540 –> 00:22:16,699and for the good of your extended family.26800:22:16,699 –> 00:22:19,099What do you most deeply believe today?26900:22:19,099 –> 00:22:21,260Do you believe the Word of God27000:22:21,260 –> 00:22:23,219or do you believe the words of Gaga?27100:22:25,619 –> 00:22:29,540Because if nothing in you is broken,27200:22:29,540 –> 00:22:31,900there’s nothing in you to redeem.27300:22:31,900 –> 00:22:34,699And if you can see nothing in you to redeem,27400:22:34,699 –> 00:22:36,260then as long as that is the case,27500:22:36,260 –> 00:22:37,599you will never come to Christ27600:22:37,599 –> 00:22:39,520and then you will die in your sins.27700:22:41,060 –> 00:22:43,099But if you see today that you are a sinner,27800:22:43,099 –> 00:22:44,540by nature and by practice,27900:22:44,540 –> 00:22:46,339and you believe the Word of God,28000:22:47,560 –> 00:22:49,780then I say to you there is a redeemer today28100:22:49,780 –> 00:22:51,140to whom you can come,28200:22:51,140 –> 00:22:52,900Jesus Christ, the righteous one,28300:22:52,900 –> 00:22:54,380and he is ready to receive you28400:22:54,380 –> 00:22:55,680and to walk with you,28500:22:55,680 –> 00:22:57,020and he will change you.28600:22:57,020 –> 00:22:59,540And there is hope for every person28700:22:59,540 –> 00:23:02,319in him today.28800:23:03,180 –> 00:23:04,680You’ve been listening to Open the Bible28900:23:04,680 –> 00:23:05,979with Pastor Colin Smith29000:23:05,979 –> 00:23:09,180and a message called The Heart Wants What It Wants.29100:23:09,180 –> 00:23:11,500And Colin, I think there might be29200:23:11,579 –> 00:23:14,020quite a few parents out there listening today29300:23:14,020 –> 00:23:16,439who are caught off guard by the idea29400:23:16,439 –> 00:23:17,959that we should tell our kids29500:23:17,959 –> 00:23:20,000that we’re really major sinners.29600:23:20,000 –> 00:23:21,040Yeah, you know, and I remember29700:23:21,040 –> 00:23:22,500when I gave this message,29800:23:22,500 –> 00:23:24,160getting some reaction along these lines.29900:23:24,160 –> 00:23:25,660Some folks who wanted to say,30000:23:25,660 –> 00:23:27,780well, you know, I’m righteous in Christ,30100:23:27,780 –> 00:23:30,060as if belonging to Christ30200:23:30,060 –> 00:23:32,579meant that it was no longer true30300:23:32,579 –> 00:23:34,339that I am a sinner,30400:23:34,339 –> 00:23:36,699and that surely is to move beyond30500:23:36,699 –> 00:23:38,859what we’re told in the New Testament30600:23:38,859 –> 00:23:41,640if we say that we are without sin.30700:23:41,640 –> 00:23:44,920We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.30800:23:44,920 –> 00:23:46,380So it’s a marvelous thing30900:23:46,380 –> 00:23:48,660to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ31000:23:48,660 –> 00:23:52,760and to know that God does not count your sins against you.31100:23:52,760 –> 00:23:54,640But, there’s a big difference between saying,31200:23:54,640 –> 00:23:56,500God does not count my sins against me31300:23:56,500 –> 00:23:58,780and saying I no longer have any sins31400:23:58,780 –> 00:24:00,020that could be counted against me.31500:24:00,020 –> 00:24:01,459It’s His grace and His mercy31600:24:01,459 –> 00:24:02,660that puts me in that position.31700:24:02,660 –> 00:24:05,660So, we want to be authentic believers,31800:24:05,660 –> 00:24:06,760not the kind of parents31900:24:06,760 –> 00:24:08,619who are kidding our kids along32000:24:08,780 –> 00:24:11,439this pretense of sort of, righteousness32100:24:11,439 –> 00:24:12,920and you’ve got to be a righteous person32200:24:12,920 –> 00:24:14,479as I’m a righteous person.32300:24:14,479 –> 00:24:17,000What that does is it puts me at the center32400:24:17,000 –> 00:24:18,660and that displaces Christ.32500:24:18,660 –> 00:24:20,959That’s the worst kind of idolatry32600:24:20,959 –> 00:24:23,760and I don’t want to be pointing my kids to myself.32700:24:23,760 –> 00:24:27,520I want to be pointing my kids and my grandchildren to Christ32800:24:27,520 –> 00:24:29,319and to say, I need Him32900:24:29,319 –> 00:24:31,619and I need Him because of my many sins33000:24:31,619 –> 00:24:33,000and my many failings33100:24:33,000 –> 00:24:35,000and I am not yet the person that I want to be33200:24:35,000 –> 00:24:36,520and you need Him too33300:24:36,939 –> 00:24:37,739and by His grace,33400:24:37,739 –> 00:24:39,900He will not count your sins against you33500:24:39,900 –> 00:24:41,699and by His Spirit,33600:24:41,699 –> 00:24:42,979you will be put in a position33700:24:42,979 –> 00:24:45,459where you’re able to grow in the likeness of Jesus.33800:24:45,459 –> 00:24:46,300Thanks, Colin.33900:24:46,300 –> 00:24:48,140I think it’s really helpful for those of us34000:24:48,140 –> 00:24:49,319who are raising children34100:24:49,319 –> 00:24:50,979or maybe grandchildren34200:24:50,979 –> 00:24:53,699to share our failings with them.34300:24:53,699 –> 00:24:55,380You’ve been listening to Open the Bible34400:24:55,380 –> 00:24:56,900with Pastor Colin Smith34500:24:56,900 –> 00:24:58,839and the message called The Heart Wants34600:24:58,839 –> 00:25:01,280What it Wants part of the series34700:25:01,280 –> 00:25:02,939The Inside Story of Human Life34800:25:02,939 –> 00:25:03,780and don’t forget,34900:25:03,780 –> 00:25:05,339you can always go back and listen again35000:25:05,459 –> 00:25:06,599to any part of the series35100:25:06,599 –> 00:25:08,640that have already been broadcast.35200:25:08,640 –> 00:25:11,099For Pastor Colin and Open the Bible,35300:25:11,099 –> 00:25:12,020I’m David Pick35400:25:12,020 –> 00:25:15,140and I hope you’ll join us again next time.35500:25:15,140 –> 00:25:21,900[♪ Music ♪35600:25:23,099 –> 00:25:24,880Why are Christians always talking35700:25:24,880 –> 00:25:27,079about the problem of sin?35800:25:27,079 –> 00:25:29,640Find out next time on Open the Bible.