<TITLE>05. Par 38-48</TITLE>L-38 When Peter confessed Him, he said, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say, thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I'll build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Isn't that right? So you see where we're at.

L-39 Now, a core, now we're going to start. In the beginning, God calling down and called out His people...
Am I speaking too loud, Brother Cox, or not loud enough? A little too loud. I'm sorry I... This thing's got a awful voice, and I been used to great big old barns and auditoriums, and outdoors and things, and I guess I yell a little too loud. I don't mean to be yelling at you.

L-41 Now, in Genesis, the 12th chapter, we start for our first, tonight.
Now, the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless them that bless thee, and I will make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and will curse him that curse thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

L-42 Abraham, coming from Babylon, with his father, down into Shinar, the--the Shinar, the--the valley of Shinar, where the souls of many journeyed after the destroying of Babylon, or the confusion taken place... Abraham's father, parent, brought Abraham and his loved ones down into Shinar. And all that land, among all those people, God found favor with one--one man found favor with God, rather.

L-43 Now, I want you to notice, that is the beginning of Christianity, of the church. And I want you to notice: It wasn't because Abraham was a good man; it was because God elected and chose Abraham. It wasn't Abraham choosing God; it was God choosing Abraham. Can you see it? And now watch. Now, as it was then, so is it today. It isn't you choosing God; it's God choosing you.

L-44 Now, this may be very strong, and I want you to notice. Immediately after choice, election, it's separation from everything else, as soon as He calls. He elects, calls; then when He calls, He separates you from everything that hangs on to you. That proves that it isn't a denomination. It isn't two or three people together. He expects every individual. Amen. It's an individual affair with every person.

L-45 It isn't because my mother there is saved, that I'm saved. It's because God chose me in Christ. I want you to see it. Not you choosing yourself, not your choice, how much you prayed, when you turned a new page. You had nothing to do with it. God... Oh, my, when you get to see what's Truth... You say, "You mean that--that I--I didn't turn to the Lord?" No, sir. You had no way at all of turning to the Lord. Your whole nature, your whole makeup was against God. God called you. It's always been that way.

L-46 In the garden of Eden when man sinned, first, look at the nature of a sinner: hiding. But it should have been Adam calling God; it was Adam hiding, and God calling Adam. You see it? That's the nature of a sinner, hide, run away, get behind something. But God calling... Oh, my. Grace, amazing grace, God calling.
And now notice, you say, "Oh, that was Adam and Eve."
It's always, through the Bible, the same. Jesus said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him." Is that right? Now, that's the Word. And that's the way we want it, the Word, then you know where you're standing.

L-48 How many in here has--are Christians tonight, know that you're Christians, there's something in you says you are a Christian? That's... All right. You see? Why, you should be the happiest people in the world. You should just believe that. My, that's easy, take God's Word for it.


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