100:00:00,580 –> 00:00:10,280Lose touch with God you will become confused about values and when you’re200:00:10,280 –> 00:00:14,880confused about values you will end up drifting through life living on impulse300:00:14,880 –> 00:00:19,620and if you do that you set yourself up for a plunge to disaster. Welcome to400:00:19,620 –> 00:00:24,180Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with us500:00:24,180 –> 00:00:29,200today and today we’re continuing the message Establish True Values. Colin600:00:29,200 –> 00:00:33,240we need to be sure those values are based on God so the question is can you700:00:33,240 –> 00:00:38,599be good without God? That’s a great question and you know I think people who800:00:38,599 –> 00:00:44,480do not believe in God are able to do good things in this sense that all900:00:44,480 –> 00:00:49,560people are made in the image of God. But the story that we’re looking at today is1000:00:49,560 –> 00:00:56,520a real warning to us because it tells us that Esau became a godless man and1100:00:56,959 –> 00:01:03,799because he lived his life without God he ended up losing touch with values that1200:01:03,799 –> 00:01:08,879reflect the character of God. See, we live in a culture where people have the idea1300:01:08,879 –> 00:01:12,559that you can just select your own values and have really good values1400:01:12,559 –> 00:01:17,080without believing in God or without submitting yourself to God but at the1500:01:17,080 –> 00:01:24,800end of the day, godly values come from the God we worship and you take away1600:01:24,900 –> 00:01:32,040God you end up losing any coherent basis for values. That’s what happened to Esau1700:01:32,040 –> 00:01:35,459and so he ends up thinking that he’s doing the right thing, thinking that he’s1800:01:35,459 –> 00:01:39,400living a good life, but actually he’s taking a plunge to disaster.1900:01:39,400 –> 00:01:43,980Well that’s where we don’t want to go and God in his mercy is drawing near to2000:01:43,980 –> 00:01:46,500us to prevent us from taking that turn.2100:01:46,900 –> 00:01:49,500Today, I hope you’ll join us in your Bible if you can2200:01:50,099 –> 00:01:53,099we’re in Genesis chapters 25 and 272300:01:53,639 –> 00:01:57,120as we continue the message establish true values2400:01:57,120 –> 00:01:58,500Here’s Colin.2500:01:58,500 –> 00:02:00,300Now here’s the story.2600:02:00,800 –> 00:02:06,019one day Esau had been out haunting and he came back absolutely starving he was2700:02:06,019 –> 00:02:11,279ravenous and it so happened that his little brother Jacob was cooking some2800:02:11,279 –> 00:02:16,919stew. And Esau comes home absolutely ravenous, he smells this marvelous stew2900:02:17,399 –> 00:02:18,899and he says to his brother, verse 30,3000:02:19,300 –> 00:02:21,279I’ve got to have some of that red meat3100:02:22,759 –> 00:02:24,679now Jacob knew something that others3200:02:24,679 –> 00:02:30,320have discovered when a man comes home hungry and you’ve got food you can ask3300:02:30,320 –> 00:02:36,479for almost anything, so Jacob said, well now sell me your birthright.3400:02:37,839 –> 00:02:41,979Now that was a dirty trick, it really was. Jacob shouldn’t have done that, but we’re3500:02:41,979 –> 00:02:45,839going to stay with Esau’s side of the story today, so don’t get distracted onto3600:02:45,960 –> 00:02:52,080Jacob. Esau said verse 32 of Genesis 25, look I’m about to die,3700:02:52,080 –> 00:02:57,660what good is the birthright to me? In other words he was saying, hey who cares3800:02:57,660 –> 00:03:03,080about a stupid birthright? I’m dying for something to eat that’s all that3900:03:03,080 –> 00:03:07,979matters to me. Well Jacob wasn’t satisfied with that so he pressed it4000:03:07,979 –> 00:03:15,000further, now swear to me first he said and so verse 33, Esau swore an oath that’s a4100:03:15,000 –> 00:03:23,039binding promise selling his birthright to Jacob. Now before we see how the story4200:03:23,039 –> 00:03:31,639ended I want us to understand Esau’s problem and it comes at three levels.4300:03:31,639 –> 00:03:38,520The first and most obvious problem was that Esau was a man who acted on impulse,4400:03:38,679 –> 00:03:46,880he made a major life decision with hardly a moment’s serious thought. Now4500:03:46,880 –> 00:03:52,899here is a man then whose whole approach to life is I’ve got to have what I want4600:03:52,899 –> 00:04:01,320and I’ve got to have it now. He operated on the level of impulse. Now that was the4700:04:01,320 –> 00:04:03,960first level of Esau’s problem but let’s go a little4800:04:03,960 –> 00:04:14,339deeper now. Why did he live at the level of impulse? Why would he do that? And the4900:04:14,339 –> 00:04:18,500Bible gives us a very clear answer to that question because he was confused5000:04:18,500 –> 00:04:23,200about values. Look at verse 34 of Genesis 25.5100:04:23,200 –> 00:04:34,980Esau despised his birthright. The reason that Esau acted on impulse was that he5200:04:34,980 –> 00:04:40,359never saw the value of his birthright and under a particular set of5300:04:40,359 –> 00:04:45,119circumstances, a plate of stew seemed more important to him than a place in5400:04:45,119 –> 00:04:50,760the purpose of God. When Jacob offers him the stew, he says,5500:04:51,059 –> 00:04:59,559I’m about to die. What good is my birthright to me? But5600:04:59,559 –> 00:05:03,799let’s go one more time a level deeper and ask this question. Why was he5700:05:03,799 –> 00:05:09,700confused then about values? And the New Testament gives us a very clear answer5800:05:09,700 –> 00:05:16,079to that question because Esau was godless. That’s the stunning5900:05:16,079 –> 00:05:21,179word that the New Testament uses to describe this man, Hebrews 12 16, see to6000:05:21,179 –> 00:05:29,140it that nobody in the church is godless like Esau, who sold his inheritance6100:05:29,140 –> 00:05:36,700rights as the eldest son or a single meal. Esau had no place for God in his6200:05:36,700 –> 00:05:43,179life. He loved the open country but he had no love for God. He was brought up to6300:05:43,179 –> 00:05:48,239know God but he didn’t ever see his need for God. The things of God remained at a6400:05:48,239 –> 00:05:55,200distance from him. He was godless. Godless.6500:05:55,200 –> 00:06:00,679Now, do you see how these three things tie together as the three levels of6600:06:00,679 –> 00:06:07,980Esau’s fundamental problem that led to disaster? You lose touch with God. You6700:06:08,140 –> 00:06:14,079will become confused about values. And when you’re confused about values you6800:06:14,079 –> 00:06:18,179will end up drifting through life living on impulse and if you do that you set6900:06:18,179 –> 00:06:24,540yourself up for a plunge to disaster. Now, of course that plunge to disaster may7000:06:24,540 –> 00:06:30,179not be immediately obvious. The person who is confused about values7100:06:30,179 –> 00:06:33,160like Esau very often can go for years without7200:06:33,160 –> 00:06:37,820ever realizing what they’ve lost. It’s a fascinating thing at the end of7300:06:37,820 –> 00:06:43,720Genesis chapter 25. Esau sold his birthright and had no clue that he’d7400:06:43,720 –> 00:06:49,220given away the most important thing in his life. So let’s for that reason take7500:06:49,220 –> 00:06:55,160up the story and see where it ends. Will you turn forward a page in your Bible to7600:06:55,160 –> 00:07:03,000Genesis and Chapter 27. I’m going to follow the story here of what happened7700:07:03,260 –> 00:07:11,799end of Isaac’s life. Isaac the father is an old man now and he’s about to die.7800:07:11,799 –> 00:07:18,019Before he died he knew that God would enable him to speak God’s Word of7900:07:18,019 –> 00:07:23,160blessing. In other words, he would be given the special gift to speak like a8000:07:23,160 –> 00:07:29,079prophet, words that God would actually give him that would predict the future8100:07:29,200 –> 00:07:34,600and would certainly come true. It would be a great moment for the old man before8200:07:34,600 –> 00:07:40,760he died to speak the future that would come to be for his sons and their8300:07:40,760 –> 00:07:44,700descendants, and he knew that this was the most important thing that he had to8400:07:44,700 –> 00:07:51,959do before they died. Isaac was close to Esau, so he wanted that God’s special8500:07:51,959 –> 00:07:56,700blessing would be on him, so one day he said to Esau, now you go out and catch8600:07:56,700 –> 00:08:03,000some game, prepare some food and then come in and I will give you my blessing.8700:08:03,000 –> 00:08:08,179Rebecca overheard what Isaac had said and she rushed over to the younger boy8800:08:08,179 –> 00:08:15,820Jacob. Look Jacob, she said, your father’s ready to announce God’s blessing and he8900:08:15,820 –> 00:08:22,519wants to give it to Esau. You can go in and pretend to be Esau and then the9000:08:22,519 –> 00:08:29,059blessing will be yours. I’ll never work, said Jacob, why?9100:08:29,059 –> 00:08:33,919Well, I’m nothing like Esau, he’s as hairy as a goat9200:08:33,919 –> 00:08:39,140and my skin is smooth. Dad only needs to touch my arms and he’ll know I’m not9300:08:39,140 –> 00:08:44,820Esau. Don’t you worry, says his mother, we’ll make you as hairy as a goat too.9400:08:44,820 –> 00:08:48,500Your father will never know the difference. Don’t you worry, I have pulled9500:08:48,500 –> 00:08:53,900the wool over his eyes many many times. Well, Rebecca had thought of everything.9600:08:53,900 –> 00:09:00,859She took some hair from a goat’s skin and covered Jacob’s arms. She dressed him9700:09:00,859 –> 00:09:07,099in Esau’s clothes and then Jacob took his mother’s stew into his father’s room.9800:09:07,099 –> 00:09:11,940The old man was blind and had only the most limited9900:09:12,619 –> 00:09:20,200awareness of vision. Who is it said the old man as Jacob came into the room.10000:09:20,200 –> 00:09:29,239Esau, he said. Sit up and take some food and then give me your blessing.10100:09:29,239 –> 00:09:33,419Isaac sensed something wasn’t quite right. How did you get the game so10200:09:33,419 –> 00:09:40,179quickly, he said? And Jacob had already answered, oh the Lord helped me, he said.10300:09:40,219 –> 00:09:47,880Come near and let me touch you my son to know whether you are Esau or not, verse10400:09:47,880 –> 00:09:53,14021. So Jacob went right up to his father, he must have been trembling, you10500:09:53,140 –> 00:10:00,760would think wouldn’t you? The old man touched his hands. The voice is the voice10600:10:00,760 –> 00:10:07,479of Jacob, he said. But the hands are the hands of Esau.10700:10:07,520 –> 00:10:11,640I love the comment that Martin Luther makes at this point he said, if it had10800:10:11,640 –> 00:10:14,940been me at this point I would have dropped a dish of stew and ran out of10900:10:14,940 –> 00:10:18,919the room in terror. Don’t you think you would have done that? But not11000:10:18,919 –> 00:10:26,000Jacob, he holds his nerve he’s the coolest liar in the business. Once more11100:10:26,000 –> 00:10:35,419Isaac asks him, are you really Esau, verse 24? I am, said Jacob. Then Isaac11200:10:35,659 –> 00:10:41,960began to speak out words that God was giving him. Words of blessing poured out11300:10:41,960 –> 00:10:48,700from his mouth. Look at them in verse 28 and 29. May God give you, of heaven’s11400:10:48,700 –> 00:10:53,219dew and of earth’s riches an abundance of grain and new wine.11500:10:53,219 –> 00:10:59,780May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you, be Lord over your brothers11600:11:00,640 –> 00:11:06,299And may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Then this, may those who curse you be11700:11:06,299 –> 00:11:12,219cursed, and those who bless you be blessed. That was God’s promise to11800:11:12,219 –> 00:11:20,659Abraham, and now it belongs to Jacob. It was the Word of God and it had been11900:11:20,659 –> 00:11:27,239spoken. Isaac thought he was giving this blessing to Esau but he had given it12000:11:27,419 –> 00:11:30,919unwittingly to Jacob which was God’s purpose all along. He12100:11:30,919 –> 00:11:35,539had spoken the Word of God and God’s Word stands forever.12200:11:35,539 –> 00:11:39,739You’re listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open The Bible and a message called12300:11:39,739 –> 00:11:45,440Establish True Values. Part of our series Deckchairs On The Titanic. and if you12400:11:45,440 –> 00:11:49,299ever miss one of the series don’t forget you can always catch up or go back and12500:11:49,299 –> 00:11:55,219listen again online at our website OpenTheBible.org.uk or by12600:11:55,239 –> 00:11:59,659finding us as a podcast and those are on all the main podcast sites. Search for12700:11:59,659 –> 00:12:04,940Open the Bible UK and subscribe if you want to receive regular reminders.12800:12:04,940 –> 00:12:10,460Back to the message now we’re in Genesis chapters 25 and 27. As we continue the12900:12:10,460 –> 00:12:13,640message Establish True Values, here’s Colin.13000:12:13,640 –> 00:12:18,719Then Isaac began to speak out words that God was giving him.13100:12:19,200 –> 00:12:25,760May God give you of heavens Jew and of earth’s riches an abundance of grain and13200:12:25,760 –> 00:12:32,000new wine, may nations serve you and people’s bow down to you, be Lord over13300:12:32,000 –> 00:12:38,119your brothers and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Then they say may13400:12:38,119 –> 00:12:44,799those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed that was God’s13500:12:44,799 –> 00:12:53,320promise to Abraham, and now it belongs to Jacob. It was the word of God and it13600:12:53,320 –> 00:12:59,400had been spoken. Isaac thought he was giving this blessing to Esau but he had13700:12:59,400 –> 00:13:04,400given it unwittingly to Jacob which was God’s purpose all along. He had spoken13800:13:04,400 –> 00:13:11,919the Word of God and God’s word stands forever. It was rather like signing a13900:13:12,119 –> 00:13:15,520contract on a house when the papers are finalized.14000:13:15,520 –> 00:13:20,359Once the documents are signed and sealed the deal is completed. It cannot be14100:13:20,359 –> 00:13:29,479undone. So now try to imagine the scene a few moments later when our man Esau14200:13:29,479 –> 00:13:38,440arrives back with the game, the meal that he’s prepared, ready for his father.14300:13:38,780 –> 00:13:46,039Verse 32. Sit up Dad, got some food, I’m here to receive your blessing. As the old14400:13:46,039 –> 00:13:52,200man hears another visitor unexpectedly coming in he says, who are you?14500:13:52,200 –> 00:14:00,099I’m your firstborn son Esau,’ he says and then when Isaac realized what was14600:14:00,099 –> 00:14:06,840happening we’re told he began shaking. Picture this, the old man and he’s at14700:14:06,840 –> 00:14:11,880death’s door and he’s in his bed and there verse 33 we’re told he trembled14800:14:11,880 –> 00:14:20,799violently shaking in his bed. Who was it that hunted game then and brought it to14900:14:20,799 –> 00:14:34,159me? Suddenly both of them knew it was Jacob. Then we’re told verse 34, when15000:14:34,239 –> 00:14:51,539Esau heard this, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry AHHHH because he knew he had15100:14:51,539 –> 00:15:01,299lost everything that really mattered. He lost the blessing because he sold15200:15:01,299 –> 00:15:10,840the birthright. He had no place for God in his life and at the end he found15300:15:10,840 –> 00:15:21,679himself outside of God’s blessing, with only a loud and a bitter cry. And that’s15400:15:21,679 –> 00:15:25,859seen in the story you see points us directly to some words of the Lord Jesus15500:15:25,979 –> 00:15:32,119Christ because he spoke about a day when some people would find themselves15600:15:32,119 –> 00:15:41,580outside of God’s Kingdom. And he said on that day there would be weeping and15700:15:41,580 –> 00:15:52,880gnashing of teeth. Now nobody here wants to find themselves there on the last day,15800:15:52,880 –> 00:16:00,039nobody here wants to end their life and stand in eternity with Esau’s loud and15900:16:00,039 –> 00:16:07,539bitter cry. So the greatest question that this story poses for us is16000:16:07,539 –> 00:16:17,520obviously how then can you avoid Esau’s plunge the disaster? And if you’ve16100:16:17,520 –> 00:16:24,419understood how he got there then you will see very clearly how God leads us16200:16:24,419 –> 00:16:30,979to be delivered from there. You have to start with the heart of the matter.16300:16:30,979 –> 00:16:37,419Remember at the core, Esau’s problem was that he was godless and so if you are to16400:16:37,419 –> 00:16:44,219avoid Esau’s plunge to disaster, you have to begin by submitting yourself fully to16500:16:44,299 –> 00:16:47,559authority of God. You have to begin with the heart of the problem.16600:16:47,559 –> 00:16:52,979Now Esau was brought up to believe in God, but he allowed God no weight in his16700:16:52,979 –> 00:16:57,619life. He never submitted to the authority of God. He’s just going around saying,16800:16:57,619 –> 00:17:05,979oh yes, yes, I believe in God. When you come to God, you will find that he is16900:17:05,979 –> 00:17:13,640merciful. Understand this today, whatever you have done, there is mercy for you in17000:17:13,959 –> 00:17:18,619God’s today. This is why Jesus Christ has come into the world, so that there may17100:17:18,619 –> 00:17:24,060be forgiveness for the most desperate and vile of sins and offenses.17200:17:24,060 –> 00:17:28,900And you can come to him in the name of Jesus Christ and he will forgive your17300:17:28,900 –> 00:17:37,040sin, but you must submit to his authority. You must come unlike Esau,17400:17:37,560 –> 00:17:45,760to that place of saying, Lord as I come to you seeking mercy, I crown you as Lord17500:17:45,760 –> 00:17:54,800of my life and at the very centre of what my life is about, I enthrone you.17600:17:54,800 –> 00:18:02,520Submit yourself to the authority of God. And when you submit yourself to17700:18:02,520 –> 00:18:06,959the authority of God, then God will give direction to your life. You will be17800:18:06,959 –> 00:18:13,599able to establish God’s values as the navigating points of your life.17900:18:13,599 –> 00:18:16,939You see, you can’t start with values. You can’t say oh, wow I’ve gone wrong, I maybe need a18000:18:16,939 –> 00:18:23,680new set of values. No, you start by establishing God at the centre of your18100:18:23,680 –> 00:18:31,280life by submitting to him and to his authority. When you have done that,18200:18:31,280 –> 00:18:36,420you’ll then be in a position to know what his values are that will become the18300:18:36,459 –> 00:18:43,939navigating points of your life. I was greatly helped at high school by18400:18:43,939 –> 00:18:47,859reading in a book by Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones a single phrase that has stayed18500:18:47,859 –> 00:18:54,680with me since I was 16 years old. This is what he said, every young man18600:18:54,680 –> 00:19:01,939he said should make it their business to vow that there are certain things that18700:19:02,000 –> 00:19:11,500they will never do. A very powerful phrase. Some things you will never do.18800:19:11,500 –> 00:19:17,260So what is there in your life that is sacred? Is that once you’ve established18900:19:17,260 –> 00:19:21,180the authority of God at the center of your life you’re not be searching around19000:19:21,180 –> 00:19:27,439in confusion for values you will value what God values. That means that life to19100:19:27,459 –> 00:19:33,359you will be sacred. That marriage will be sacred that sexual union will be sacred.19200:19:33,359 –> 00:19:39,939Your word will be sacred. God’s name will be sacred. And when you’ve19300:19:39,939 –> 00:19:44,400established God’s values as the navigating points of your life, that19400:19:44,400 –> 00:19:49,599will bring you to our third thing. You will be able to live with wisdom in the19500:19:49,599 –> 00:19:55,140power of the Holy Spirit. That’s a wonderful thing. You come to God whatever19600:19:55,260 –> 00:20:01,540you’ve done, whatever the mess-ups of the past, and there’s mercy if you will now19700:20:01,540 –> 00:20:08,180submit yourself to his authority. And as you do so he will give direction to your19800:20:08,180 –> 00:20:12,859life but not just direction he gives power don’t think that Christianity is19900:20:12,859 –> 00:20:18,760just taking on a big set of rules. God gives direction to your life but with20000:20:18,839 –> 00:20:27,680that direction he gives the power of his Holy Spirit to move in that direction20100:20:28,060 –> 00:20:34,680so where are you? With Essau who lived on impulse because he was confused about20200:20:34,680 –> 00:20:39,439values because he never really established the authority of God in his20300:20:39,439 –> 00:20:45,540life he was godless of that way and you’re set up for a plunge disaster and20400:20:45,540 –> 00:20:56,140in eternity itself you will utter Essau’s loud and bitter cry don’t go20500:20:56,140 –> 00:21:03,780there submit yourself to the authority of this merciful wonderful God who made20600:21:03,780 –> 00:21:10,099God who whatever you have done invites you now to come into his blessing20700:21:10,099 –> 00:21:15,780opened up to you through the coming of Jesus Christ into the world and as you20800:21:15,780 –> 00:21:22,439submit to him make that which he values the navigating points of your life so20900:21:22,439 –> 00:21:29,300that you will be able in the power of his spirit move in a new direction to21000:21:29,300 –> 00:21:35,920live with wisdom to arrive one day with great joy in his present21100:21:35,920 –> 00:21:39,979you’ve been listening to pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible and the21200:21:40,119 –> 00:21:44,599message called Established True Values. It’s part of our series deckchairs on21300:21:44,599 –> 00:21:49,760the Titanic all about eight characters who weren’t able to deal with the sin in21400:21:49,760 –> 00:21:55,140their lives and plunged a disaster as a result. If you ever miss one of the21500:21:55,140 –> 00:21:58,880messages come online to our website openthebible.org.uk21600:21:58,880 –> 00:22:01,939and there you can catch up or go back21700:22:01,939 –> 00:22:05,760and listen again to any of the messages which have already been broadcast.21800:22:06,619 –> 00:22:10,640Many people also find Pastor Colin as a podcast and those are on all the main21900:22:10,640 –> 00:22:14,020podcast sites so search for open the Bible UK22000:22:14,020 –> 00:22:16,020Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda22100:22:16,020 –> 00:22:19,099Cunningham to talk about a special promotion this Easter.22200:22:19,099 –> 00:22:20,219How will you reach22300:22:20,219 –> 00:22:24,579out to your local community this Easter with the good news of the gospel?22400:22:24,579 –> 00:22:29,920How will you inspire awe in your church family at the wonder of the cross, when22500:22:29,920 –> 00:22:31,719the story is familiar?22600:22:31,719 –> 00:22:34,599Open the Bible UK would love to help you.22700:22:35,520 –> 00:22:39,560We filmed a one actor one-hour performance of Colin’s well-known22800:22:39,560 –> 00:22:44,699book, Heaven How I got Here, The story of the thief on the cross.22900:22:44,699 –> 00:22:49,439It’s a powerful gospel message and we’re making the film available to you for free.23000:22:49,439 –> 00:22:54,880Alongside it we have also created a complete Easter resource pack including23100:22:54,880 –> 00:22:59,959event artwork and an event guide designed as an easy evangelistic event23200:22:59,959 –> 00:23:04,640for inviting friends or the local community, especially those hesitant23300:23:04,640 –> 00:23:09,339about attending a church service. It’s also perfect for small groups to watch23400:23:09,339 –> 00:23:16,180and discuss during Holy Week. To find out more go to openthebible.org.uk23500:23:16,339 –> 00:23:21,239you know open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners and if that’s23600:23:21,239 –> 00:23:25,339something you’ve been considering doing but haven’t done up until now this month23700:23:25,339 –> 00:23:29,660if you’re able to support open the Bible financially in the amount of five pounds23800:23:29,660 –> 00:23:34,939per month or more or a one-off gift of fifty pounds or more we’d love to say23900:23:34,939 –> 00:23:39,780thank you by sending you a copy of Colin’s book Heaven How I Got Here? The24000:23:39,780 –> 00:23:44,699story of the thief on the cross and also the booklet how can I be sure of heaven24100:23:44,699 –> 00:23:50,420and a special Open the Bible pen and bookmark. Colin, how will people be helped24200:23:50,420 –> 00:23:56,300by reading Heaven How I Got Here? It’s a small book, very easy to read and it24300:23:56,300 –> 00:24:00,339tells the story of the thief on the cross in the first person and the24400:24:00,339 –> 00:24:05,099mission of the book the reason for writing it is that this story really24500:24:05,099 –> 00:24:11,479explains grace better than any story that I know or could think of. Many24600:24:11,479 –> 00:24:16,439people have the idea that if you’re going to get into heaven you’ll do that24700:24:16,439 –> 00:24:19,619by living a good enough life and obviously the thief on the cross didn’t24800:24:19,619 –> 00:24:24,819do that and he did get into heaven and he got there by God’s grace. So for24900:24:25,160 –> 00:24:30,599anyone who needs to grasp what the grace of God is this is a very simple story25000:24:30,599 –> 00:24:35,819that explains that. And so this is a book that you can read and enjoy and I hope a25100:24:35,819 –> 00:24:39,380book that you’ll think about passing on to a friend who needs to discover God’s25200:24:39,380 –> 00:24:43,780grace well this book heaven how I got here along with a booklet how can I be25300:24:43,780 –> 00:24:49,239sure of heaven and a special open the Bible pen and bookmark our thank-you25400:24:49,239 –> 00:24:53,140gift if you’re able to set up a new direct debit in the amount of five25500:24:53,380 –> 00:24:58,439per month or more or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more to the work of Open25600:24:58,439 –> 00:25:03,160the Bible in this month for full terms and conditions and to give online come25700:25:03,160 –> 00:25:09,359to our website open the Bible org UK for open the Bible and pastor Colin25800:25:09,359 –> 00:25:13,319Smith I’m David pick I’m glad you were with us today and I hope you’ll be able25900:25:13,319 –> 00:25:18,760to join us again tomorrow26000:25:18,880 –> 00:25:23,839when God has already said something in the Bible you don’t need to pray about26100:25:23,839 –> 00:25:29,239it find out why next time on open the Bible