His Gracious Forgiveness And Guidance Given Once Again Religion Essay

Well here we are one time once more with Word Alive. My name is Brenda Crichley and we have Dr Derek Stringer with us to take us into the Word of God and convey us out once more with something deserving hearing.

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I surely hope to make that Brenda. Yes, thank you for fall ining us.

GNB

Today ‘s programme is portion of a series called Great Bible Questions, and the one we tackle from John 21, the inquiry of the Lord Jesus to the apostle Peter is of import for us all – “ Do you love me? ”

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This is truly of import Brenda because it ‘s set in the context of a adult male who knows that he has failed large clip. And there are things we can larn from this to travel from our failures back to where God wants us to be.

GNB

Well, I ‘ll bit in here and at that place – but over to Derek.

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Stephen Pile wrote the Harmondsworth: Penguin book- The Return Of Heroic Failures. I merely love this narrative that he tells.

“ A trail-blazing burglar broke into a huge sign of the zodiac on millionaires ‘ row in June 1982 at Bel Air, Los Angeles. While on a sack-filling circuit of this palatial construction, he went through the dance hall into the hall, down the escalators to the single-lane swimming arbor, up to the library across the dining room, out of the extension and into the conservatory incorporating 63 assortments of tropical workss and a cageful of sulphur-crested parrots.

Deciding that now was the clip to do a speedy issue, he went back through the dining room, up to the secondary school across the indoor tennis-court, down a coiling stairway to an enclosed terrace with synchronized fountains, out of the cocktail sofa through junior ‘s sound-proof membranophone studio and back into the roomful of progressively excited parrots who usually see cipher from one twenty-four hours to the following.

Panicing somewhat, he ran back towards the library, through swing doors into a gallery incorporating the early plant of Jackson Pollock, out through the kitchen across a Jacuzzi enclosure and up two flights of stepss, at which point he became hysterical, ran outdoors along the balcony around the round corridors, up more stepss, down the landing into the maestro sleeping room and woke up the proprietors to inquire them how to acquire out.

In order to save him farther hurt they arranged for a local police officer to escort him from the premises. ”

Stephen Pileaa‚¬a„?s books were a success because we can all associate to failure. And if there is one manner that human existences systematically underestimate God ‘s love, it is possibly in His loving yearning to forgive. Our gracious God is the LORD of the 2nd opportunity. He wants to forgive us and assist us larn from our errors. He yearns to assist us to get down over and acquire back into the “ game. ”

Now if I had to pick anyone in the Bible as cogent evidence of this fantastic truth, it would be the Apostle Peter because he fouled up miserably over and over again-and each clip our Lord forgave him and gave him another shooting.

GNB

Warren Bennis one time wrote about a promising junior executive at IBM who was involved in a hazardous venture for the company and ended up losing ten million dollars in the gamble. He was called into the office of Tom Watson, Sr. , the laminitis and leader of IBM for 40 old ages, a concern fable. The junior White House, overwhelmed with guilt and fright, blurted out, “ I guess you ‘ve called me in for my surrender. Here it is. I resign. ” Watson replied, “ You must be jesting. I merely invested ten million dollars educating you ; I ca n’t afford your surrender. ”

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Well now, because of HIS frequent ballups, Peter might hold had several conversations merely like this with Jesus.

For illustration, do you retrieve that clip on the Sea of Galilee, when in the thick of a storm Jesus came walking on the H2O toward the boat His adherents were in and Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the H2O toward Jesus? Peter took His eyes off the Lord and was overwhelmed by fright and uncertainty and would hold drowned if Jesus had non bailed him out. Remember? Jesus referred to him as a adult male of small religion. Well, when they got in the boat I can conceive of Peter stating, “ You ‘re right about me, Jesus. I ‘m large on dramatic gestures but low on religion and trust. I ‘m full of inquiries and frights. It does n’t take much of a storm to halt me. Here ‘s my surrender. ” And I think Jesus would hold said, “ You must be jesting, Peter. I ‘ve merely invested a MIRACLE in you. I ca n’t afford your surrender. ”

Or what about when Peter made his celebrated confession that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the life God? Remember, Jesus said, ‘This was non REVEALED to you by adult male but by My Father in Eden. God told you this Peter! ” Well, you should retrieve that non long after that Jesus told His adherents that it was necessary for Him to travel to the cross and when He did this, Peter pulled Him aside and began to call on the carpet Him in kernel stating, “ Jesus do n’t speak like that! ” Jesus responded by stating Peter was talking for Satan – that in kernel he was playing on the incorrect squad. Well, I can conceive of Peter stating, “ You ‘re right about me Jesus. I speak impetuously ; I ‘m ever seting my pes in my oral cavity. Here ‘s my surrender. ” And so Jesus stating, “ You must be jesting. I ‘ve merely invested a REVELATION in you Peter. I ca n’t afford your surrender. ”

But I think the BEST EXAMPLE was when, at the great crisis minute of Jesus ‘ life, Peter had vowed, “ I ‘ll follow you no count how much it costs, Jesus, no affair what everybody else does. ” But Peter could n’t maintain that pledge for even a few hours and ended up denying Jesus three times before the dark was over. Well Luke tells us that after Jesus ‘ Resurrection He appeared to Peter in private and when He did I can conceive of Peter stating to Him, “ You were right about me all along, Jesus. I failed You most wholly at Your point of greatest demand. I denied and abandoned You. Here ‘s my surrender. ” And Jesus would hold said, “ You must be jesting Peter. I ‘ve merely invested a RESURRECTION in you. I ca n’t afford your surrender. ”

GNB

All this brings us to our text for today – a transition of Bible that I think best shows Jesus ‘ forbearance in working with Peter – His gracious forgiveness and counsel given one time once more to assist Peter acquire up from that clip of awful failure and acquire back into the game.

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And I want us to analyze it today because as I said, all of us are similar Peter. We all disgusting up-we sin-we fail miserably and I believe Peter ‘s experience can learn us the things we need to make to get down over.

GNB

Take your Christian bibles if you can and turn to John 21 as we look at poetries 1-19.

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Okay – Lashkar-e-Taiba ‘s endorse up a spot so we can break understand all that went on that twenty-four hours by the Sea of Galilee. In his Gospel John tells us after Jesus rose from the dead He appeared to the adherents as a group twice.

GNB

And Matthew ‘s Gospel tells us the 2nd clip Jesus met with them, He told them to travel to Galilee and wait there for Him.

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Well, they obeyed – they made the journey up from Jerusalem and began to wait for Jesus to look.

Now, these yearss right after the Resurrection must hold been a confusing clip for the adherents. I mean they were excited and awed that Jesus was alive, but they still felt sort of like they were in oblivion.

I mean, Jesus had appeared to them but merely briefly and so He would vanish. They ne’er knew precisely when they might see Him following. He came and went without much account or proclamation. Well, this left the adherents with an unsure and perplexed feeling. Plus, they were ungratified because nil seemed settled. They did n’t understand what was supposed to go on next. So, everything was still up in the air for them that twenty-four hours in Galilee.

Jesus had told them WHERE to run into Him but non WHEN so they waited and waited hours – likely even yearss – with no mark of Jesus. And I think Jesus tarried like this to learn His adherents that they must larn forbearance. After all, if they were traveling to be used to further His land, they would hold to larn to wait on His timing and swear His ageless position. And, we must larn this subject every bit good because when we grow impatient with waiting and take affairs in our ain custodies, we ever get into problem.

Waiting is the hardest work of religion. It is difficult but it is worth it for as the prophesier Isaiah promised, there is a approval for those who trust God ‘s timing.

GNB

In Isaiah 64:4 he said, “ Since antediluvian times no ear has heard, no oculus has seen any God beside You Who ACTS ON BEHALF of those who wait for Him. ”

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Well, impatient Peter had non yet learned this lesson so he said to the others, “ I ca n’t sit around any longer. I ‘ve got to make something. Let ‘s travel fishing. ” They got a boat and spent the dark seeking to catch fish on the Sea of Galilee-which is the manner professionals like Peter and John and James did it back so. They would utilize torches to pull the fish and so trap them in their cyberspaces.

Now I should indicate out that they likely were n’t merely killing clip. I think they were besides trusting to do some pocket money – something they would hold been short on since Judas had absconded with the group ‘s exchequer.

Well, they laboured all dark but to no help. I imagine they tried every fast one in the book on every known fishing hole in the lake and were still left exhausted and exasperated because nil worked.

In my head ‘s oculus other boats that were out that dark had no problem but to Peter and the others it seemed as if the fish avoided THEIR boat on intent. And I think that is what was precisely what go oning. The fish did n’t come near the adherents ‘ boat because they had been ordered non to.

Possibly Jesus commanded them to remain off to learn the adherents another lesson-to give them an experience to look back on and be reminded that as He said in John 15:5, “ … without Me you can make nil. ”

That dark of failure was non without it ‘s lessons and its benefits. We can make worse than fail. You see, we can win and be proud of OUR success. We can win and bury the Hand whose it is to give or keep back, to kill or to do alive.

Failure can learn us how much we need God. It can remind us that any success we have is because of Him – that He is the beginning of “ … every good and perfect gift. ”

You see if we are non careful we tend to be proud of our achievements. We praise ourselves for our successes.

GNB

As person has one time sagely said, “ the job with SELF-made work forces is they tend to idolize their Godhead! ”

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So possibly the adherents needed a dark of fruitless fishing to remind them one time once more of their demand for Jesus!

Well, approximately 6:00 A.M. they gave up and began heading back in. When they were approximately 100 paces off shore they heard a Voice naming out to them through the early forenoon mist. It was a Voice they ‘d heard before but did n’t rather recognize at first and it said, “ Friends, have n’t you caught anything? ”

Now be certain and note that the inquiry had a small sting to it. I mean no fisherman worth his come-on wants to be reminded of failure! But an astonishing thing happened. They were honest in their answer. A group of fishermen really admitted they had n’t caught anything! They did n’t even notice on the 1 that got off.

So the Voice replied, “ Well, seek once more. Put your cyberspace down on the right side of the boat. Do n’t discontinue yet. Give it another attempt. ” And they did and when they pulled the cyberspace in it was full of fish-so full in fact that could n’t raise it back up into the boat. Their gimmick was so a miracle because the same fish which had been ordered to remain off were now ordered to come. I imagine every fish in the lake clamoured to acquire in the adherents ‘ cyberspaces that forenoon! And they did so because unlike work forces, fish ALWAYS obey their Maestro!

At this point John, who tended to Understand more rapidly than Peter recognised the Speaker and said, “ It is the Godhead! ” and Peter who tended to ACT more rapidly than John, wrapped his robe around himself, leapt in the sea, and swam ashore.

GNB

Does this look rearward to you? Put on apparels, THEN leap in the H2O?

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Actually, it was n’t truly because the Jews regarded a salutation as a spiritual act that could be done merely when 1 was clothed… so even in his unprompted act… Peter had sufficiency of his marbless about him to retrieve to fix himself to recognize the Lord.

And I can understand Peter ‘s avidity because something like this had happened three old ages earlier. Remember? After another dark of angling with nil to demo for it Jesus had asked them to row out a small deeper in the H2O. They did and caught so much fish that their boats began to drop. And, that first “ fishing miracle ” was what led to Peter ‘s call to follow Jesus and angle for work forces. So possibly with this memory in his head Peter-who was n’t patient plenty to wait on the to a great extent loaded boat to take him to shore-jumped in and swam.

GNB

When they all caught up with Peter they discovered that Jesus had already started doing a breakfast of broiled fish and staff of life.

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He asked them to convey some of the fish they had caught to augment the repast and so encouraged them to all dig in-but no 1 wanted to travel foremost. They all merely kind of stood at that place. To me, the manner John words it makes it look as if the adherents were hesitating to near Jesus and I can understand how they might hold felt because as I said earlier, things had changed. I mean they were eager to see Jesus once more but they were awed by Him. He was the same-but He was besides different. They loved Him, but could no longer be familiar with Him – non like the old yearss.

You see, before they had ever been more cognizant of His humanity than of His divinity. Now they were more witting of His divinity than of His humanity. So they were awkward and hesitant at first.

GNB

Verse 13 says that to interrupt the ice Jesus took the staff of life and the fish and set it in their custodies and urged them to eat-and they did.

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The more they ate the more they talked.

Like some Church Socials. And shortly it was merely similar old times. It was a fantastic forenoon of family with Jesus that they ne’er forgot. After the repast, the other adherents must hold gone back to the boat to clean the remainder of the fish and stow their cogwheel and this gave Jesus an chance to speak to Peter entirely.

And in the conversation that ensued we see three stairss that Peter had to take to get down once more – three things he had to make to acquire back in the game – after his most recent failure. They are the same stairss God guides us through so that we can have the 2nd opportunities that He so gracefully offers.

And the first measure involves a CONFESSION – specifically a confession of LOVE.

Expression at the text and you ‘ll see that as Peter and Jesus began to speak, our Lord did non admonish him, or condemn him for his failure in the garden the dark of His apprehension.

He did n’t inquire, “ Peter, are you sorry for what you ‘ve done? Make you assure ne’er to neglect Me once more? Will you seek harder? ” No – alternatively, three times He probed Peter ‘s bosom to detect the deepness of his love.

I besides want to indicate out that Jesus did n’t even mention to Peter by the moniker He had given him that twenty-four hours in the hills of Caesarea Philippi. He merely called him, “ Simon boy of John. ” And I think He did this as if to state, “ I wo n’t assume that you want the old confidant relationship back. I wo n’t assume you still want to have on the name I gave you. I wo n’t assume on your love for Me Simon. Just state Me Simon, do you – make you love Me? ”

GNB

Well, why would Jesus START here?

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Good inquiry. I mean why would it be so of import for Peter to squeal his love in order for him to get down over?

The ground is simple. You see, wickedness is non merely interrupting the COMMANDMENTS of God. It is interrupting the HEART of God. Sin, by its very nature is non merely against LAW but against LOVE.

Think about it. When a adult male cheats on his married woman, what is the first thing she wonders? “ Does n’t my hubby LOVE me any longer? If he LOVES me, why would he make this. ”

When our childs disrespect us – it breaks our Black Marias and we wonder, “ How could they make that and still Love me? I wonder… do they? Do they still Love me? ” And this is the manner it is with God for as Jesus said, “ If you love Me, you will obey what I command. ”

So, if we are to retrieve and get down once more, there must be more than an recognition of wickedness. There must besides be an recognition of our love for God. Our love for Him must be greater than our love for the pleasances of wickedness. You see, the truth is if we love Jesus we wo n’t bewray Him. We wo n’t disobey Him-our love will be the motive for our obeisance.

GNB

This is what Augustine was acquiring at when he said, “ Love God and make whatever you want. ”

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Yes, he knew that if we truly love God – if He is genuinely first in our lives-we will merely make things that please Him. It is merely when our love of ego rises to the top that we get into problem.

Another thing – if we truly love person we will care about the things they do. This is why Jesus said, “ Do you love Me? Then attention for My sheep. ” You see the thing that Jesus cares most approximately is people and this was seen so clearly during His earthly ministry. I mean, even though He was Holy God in the flesh, He showed a passion for all people – even those who failed-fouled up – most in life-tax aggregators, cocottes, penitent stealers. He was repeatedly moved with compassion for worlds like you and me – even to cryings because Jesus loves people. When He died on the cross He was n’t deceasing for a political cause or for some obstinate personal docket. No, He volitionally died for people.

GNB

As Romans 5:8 says that our Lord demonstrated His love for us in this, ‘While we were yet sinners –

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while we continued to foul up –

GNB

aa‚¬A“Christ died for us. ”

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So, with Christ in a really existent sense, it is, “ love Me, love My people. ” If we want to show our love for Jesus it will be by puting our clip in loving others.

And so another thing Peter ‘s experience Teachs us is that in order for us to get down over at that place must besides be honest CONTRITION.

You see, while a love for Christ is indispensable, it is non sufficient. There must besides be a deep sorrow over our wickedness in order for us to even Desire to get down over.

GNB

King David learned this lesson through his ain iniquitous failures. In Psalm 51 he prayed, “ For You do non want forfeit or I would give it. You do non want burned offering. The forfeits of God are a broken spirit: a broken and remorseful bosom, O God You will non contemn. ”

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When we sin, the route back to family and service is ever drenched with cryings. Merely those who genuinely grieve over their wickednesss, will go forth their wickednesss and return to God!

And I think this is why Jesus set things up the manner He did that forenoon, to assist Peter re-live what he had done so he could gain the earnestness of his actions.

For illustration, I do n’t believe it was an accident that Jesus cooked the fish on a wood coal fire. No, I think He did it to remind Peter of the other wood coal fire-the 1 he had sat around a few yearss before when he claimed non to cognize Jesus. This is besides the ground Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him – as a reminder of the fact that he had denied Jesus three times.

Remember? Prior to His apprehension Peter had often boasted that his devotedness to Jesus – his love for our Lord was greater than that of the other adherents.

For illustration in Matthew 26:33 Peter had said, “ If everyone else falls off on history of You, I ne’er will… .even if I have to decease with You, I will ne’er disinherit You, Jesus! ” But a few short hours subsequently when push came to jostle Peter denied his Lord three times. Do you retrieve the three things he said that atrocious dark? “ I do cognize the Man… I do non cognize what you are speaking about… ! am non His adherent. ” I like the manner The Jesus Film pictures this because right after the 3rd denial the cock crows as Jesus is led out and He makes oculus contact with Peter and Peter realises what he has done.

And Peter got the message.

GNB

Verse 17 says that he was grieved because Jesus asked him the 3rd clip.

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He was grieved because he realised afresh precisely what he had done that atrocious dark. He felt hurting for his sin-he had a broken and remorseful bosom. He knew this was his biggest foul-up of all time!

I imagine he thought, “ Some ‘rock ‘ I turned out to be! I ‘ve acted more like switching grains of sand! ” Jesus did all this to assist Peter on the route to a new start because there can be no religious recovery without a sense of sorrow over wickedness.

So, for us to get down over at that place must be a CONFESSION of love. There must be a deep Attrition over our actions… And so, 3rd, there must be a new COMMITMENT.

We must make up one’s mind to once more populate for Jesus – no affair what it costs to make so. After Peter ‘s confession of love, Jesus told him that a twenty-four hours would come when Peter would stretch forth his custodies on the cross and another would fix him, and would transport him where he did n’t desire to travel to the topographic point of executing. Peter would be crucified because of His COMMITMENT to Jesus.

GNB

Jesus told Peter this before He used the same words He had three old ages earlier, “ Follow me. ”

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In other words Jesus was stating, “ Peter regardless of your past failures, I am still naming you to follow Me. I am ask foring you to function Me but it will be dearly-won. If you accept, you will so carry through your pledge to decease for Me. ”

Well, Peter accepted Jesus ‘ 2nd opportunity. He courageously renewed his committedness. In fact he was a changed adult male after that forenoon. Peter became strong, powerful and important. He preached at Pentecost so boldly that 3,000 people put their religion in Jesus. Peter became one of the cardinal leaders in the early church. He took earnestly his new committedness to care for Jesus ‘ sheep. The adherent who failed became the adherent who could be counted on because he put his religion in the Lord of the 2nd opportunity.

GNB

An old verse form goes like this:

“ / want there was some fantastic topographic point

Called the Land of Begin once more.

Where all our errors and all our griefs

and all our hapless selfish heartaches

Could be cast like a shabby old coat at the door

And ne’er be put on once more

I wish there was some fantastic topographic point

Called the Land of Begin once more. ”

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You know, there is such a topographic point. It is at the pes of the cross of Christ. Peter began once more and so can we. We can acquire up from your past failures and travel on to go all God wants us to be.

GNB

Do n’t travel off because Derek will be back with a shutting idea.

You have been listening to Word Alive a Good News Broadcasting Association production. If we can assist you spiritually delight do n’t waver to reach us. We treat all calls in assurance. We ‘d love to pray for you.

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Now here once more is Dr Stringer.

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This inquiry and others like it came out of the bosom of a individual who had stumbled severely. He felt he had no right to pray, and when he tried, he felt self-incrimination and disapprobation. We all deny our Lord in so many small ways, but what do you make when the denial contradicts everything you ‘ve stood for and believed? Is there a manner back? How does the Lord trade with failures?

The reply is vividly portrayed in the manner Jesus Christ dealt with Simon Peter ‘s denial.

What was the ground Jesus asked his disarmament, upseting inquiry, “ Do you love me? ” It was n’t to expose one time and for all to Peter that he ‘d non loved and could n’t love him adequately. That was n’t the issue. The issue was leting the Lord to love him. Peter lived through some painful yearss of depression inverted on himself because he could n’t state the Lord how he felt and inquire for forgiveness and a new beginning.

Remember, he had three post-resurrection opportunities: two in the Upper Room and one as he stumbled out of the sea that twenty-four hours at Galilee. He had wholly missed the impact of the grace of God incarnate in the Lord.

You know, it ‘s astonishing to contemplate that the major push of Jesus ‘ message was n’t that we ought to love God on our ain strength, but that God ‘s love is freely given before we ask!

There ‘s a great significance in Jesus ‘ treble inquiry and Peter ‘s response. The inquiry, “ Do you love me? ” forced Peter to squeal that he had n’t and likely could n’t in his ain strength. Peter ‘s relentless three-times repeated response, “ You know I ‘m your friend ” – he ca n’t and wont use the large word for love that Jesus uses, a love of trueness and committedness – “ I ‘m your friend. ” This was a confession of a deficiency of love.

The Lord gave him the chance now to rinse the awful memory from his head. Twice Peter said, “ I ‘m your friend, ” in response to the inquiry about love. Then Jesus descended from the loftier word for love and asked if he was truly his friend.

Peter had n’t been a really good friend either. He ‘d failed at both loving and friendly relationship. And Jesus gave him both.

Because he allowed the Lord to forgive him, he became the most forgiving of all the leaders of the early church. Look at his relationship with John Mark. When this immature failure defected from the mission with Paul, it was Peter who picked him up and helped him allow God love him.

What should we make when we ‘ve failed?

Allow the Lord to give you back your sense of worth. Accept your position as His friend. Let His friendly relationship to capture your head and emotions. Then relax and let Him to blink before the screen of your head the sort of individual He wants to enable you to be in your relationships.

Peter was given a new image of himself as a leader and sensitive enabler of people. He became what the Lord sparked in his imaginativeness. Subsequently, at Pentecost, he received power to love the new life Christ had pictured in his imaginativeness. When the Living Christ returned in the power of the Holy Spirit and took up abode within the liberated apostle, Peter became a bold leader of the church.

Will you allow your ideas be this – “ Lord, you know what I ‘ve done with the gift of life. I know I ‘ve failed you. But more than that, Lord, I know I love you. And that ‘s all I need to cognize! ”

Jesus takes up abode in you, reconciled you, forgives and releases people like you and me.

Is n’t that deserving cognizing?

GNB

There ‘s nil better.

Derek Stringer has been our Bible Teacher. Word Alive is a Good News Broadcasting Association production, our manufacturer is Phil Critchley.

We love acquiring your remarks, questions and supplication petitions. We besides make recordings and transcripts of these programmes available. The recording for the handling cost. Transcripts are free to an electronic mail reference.

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Thank you for being with us today for this edition of Word Alive. All the staff here at Good News Broadcasting pray for you our hearer. I hope that you ‘ll fall in us once more following clip when we ‘ll look at another Great Bible Question.

GNB

That ‘s Derek Stringer and I ‘m Brenda Critchley. Good-bye for now and God bless you.