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THIS IS KENNEDY CLASSICS WITH DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY
WELCOME TO KENNEDY CLASSICS
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON KENNEDY CLASSICS.
I'M JERRY NEWCOMBE.
AND I'M JENNIFER KENNEDY CASSIDY.
IN THESE DIFFICULT DAYS WHERE EVIL SEEMS TO BE
SPREADING AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ON THE DECLINE,
THE WORLD NEEDS HEROES.
ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE BEGIN A MONTH-LONG LOOK AT TRUE HEROES.
IN AMERICA TODAY, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE
CLAMORING FOR POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP.
BUT THE NUMBERS OF TRUE LEADERS PEOPLE WHO STAND
FOR THE TRUTH WITHOUT COMPROMISE IS DWINDLING BY THE DAY.
THAT IS TRUE IN OUR POLITICAL LIFE, AND SADLY
IT'S ALSO TOO OFTEN TRUE IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE OF
THE GREAT, WORLD-CHANGING HEROES OF THE FAITH,
AND WE'LL ALSO TELL YOU ABOUT AN EXCITING NEW RESOURCE THAT
WILL POINT YOU TO THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE TRULY NEED.
AND I'M JOHN SORENSEN. LATER IN THE PROGRAM, I'LL SHARE
WITH YOU THE NEWS THAT WILL FOREVER CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
BUT FIRST, WHEN MY FATHER, THE LATE DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY,
DECIDED TO FOUND A SEMINARY IN 1990, HE CHOSE TO NAME IT
AFTER ONE OF HIS OWN GREAT HEROES: THE GREAT 16TH CENTURY
REFORMER JOHN KNOX.
IN HIS MESSAGE TODAY, MY FATHER INTRODUCES US TO THIS
GREAT SCOTTISH FOUNDER OF PRESBYTERIANISM IN HIS
STIRRING MESSAGE, MORE CHRISTIANS LIKE JOHN KNOX.
"WIFE," HE SAID, "READ THAT PLACE WHERE FIRST
I CAST MY ANCHOR."
AND WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTION NEEDED,
SHE QUICKLY TURNED TO THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER OF JOHN
AND READ FROM CHRIST'S HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER.
THAT WAS THE SCENE AT THE END, ONLY MINUTES BEFORE
HIS SPIRIT LEFT HIS BODY.
BUT A GREAT DEAL HAD HAPPENED SINCE HE FIRST
CAST HIS ANCHOR INTO THE SOLID ROCK.
JOHN KNOX, THE MAN AFTER WHOM OUR SEMINARY IS NAMED.
JOHN KNOX, THE GREAT REFORMER OF SCOTLAND.
JOHN KNOX, ONE OF THAT GREAT TRIAD THAT BROUGHT ABOUT
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION: MARTIN LUTHER IN GERMANY;
JOHN CALVIN IN SWITZERLAND, AND JOHN KNOX IN SCOTLAND.
"NO MAN," SAID CARLISLE "HAS EVER SO TOTALLY
TRANSFORMED ANY NATION AS DID JOHN KNOX."
HIS IS A REMARKABLE LIFE AND I THINK THAT PERHAPS
YOU WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY I CHOSE HIS NAME TO
ADORN THE FRONT OF OUR SEMINARY.
AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE MAY HAVE NOT ONLY MORE
MINISTERS LIKE KNOX, BUT MORE CHRISTIANS LIKE JOHN KNOX.
IN 1530, THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE PROTESTANT
REFORMATION BEGAN, JOHN KNOX WAS ORDAINED AS A
PRIEST IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE
CHURCH OF HIS BIRTH AND THE CHURCH OF HIS REARING.
HE WAS A ZEALOUS FOLLOWER OF THAT CHURCH, WHICH HE
HAD LEARNED ALL THAT HE KNEW OF RELIGION.
AND FOR YET ANOTHER 14 YEARS, JOHN KNOX WAS TO
REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THAT COMMUNION.
HE HAD NOT YET, HOWEVER, DISCOVERED WHAT A
CHRISTIAN REALLY WAS.
LIKE MANY ANOTHER PERSON, HE BECAME A CLERGYMAN
BEFORE HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THREE
BOTH LUTHER AND CALVIN AND KNOX, ALSO.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT MARTIN LUTHER WENT INTO A
MONASTERY LIBRARY, AND THERE HE FOUND, TO HIS
UTTER SURPRISE, SOMETHING CALLED THE BIBLE.
HE WAS A CLERGYMAN AND HE WAS A DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY,
AND HE HAD NEVER SEEN A BIBLE.
WELL, KNOX COULDN'T FIND A BIBLE, BUT HE DID FIND A
SECTION ENTITLED, "WRITINGS BANNED BY THE INQUISITION."
AND IS NOT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD AMAZING.
GUESS WHAT VOLUME HIS EYES FELL UPON, AND HE REMOVED,
PERHAPS WITH ALMOST TREMBLING FINGERS, FROM THE SHELF.
IT WAS A VOLUME CONDEMNED BY THE INQUISITION
ENTITLED THE INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION,
BY SOME UNKNOWN FRENCHMAN NAMED JOHN CALVIN.
AND HE READ THOSE, AND WHEN HE DID, IT SEEMED
THAT HIS HEART BEGAN TO GLOW AND LIGHT BEGAN TO
FILL HIS MIND, AND HE FINALLY MANAGED TO GET
HOLD OF A BIBLE.
AND AS HE READ THE BIBLE, HIS EYES FELL UPON THIS
WORD IN THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER OF CHRIST IN JOHN 17,
"AND THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE THE ONLY
TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM HE HAD SENT."
AND JOHN KNOX WAS BORN ANEW.
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WAS PLEASED TO TAKE THOSE
WORDS AND DRIVE THEM INTO HIS HEART AND BRING FORTH NEW LIFE.
HE CAME TO SEE THE UTTER FOLLY IN TRUSTING IN HIS
OWN GOOD WORKS AND HIS OWN EFFORTS, TO BE RELIGIOUS,
TO HAVE SALVATION, WHICH OF COURSE, WAS THE ALMOST
UNIVERSAL VIEW IN EUROPE UNTIL THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
AND, BY THE WAY, TRAGICALLY IS STILL A COMMON VIEW,
AND EVEN MANY PROTESTANT AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES TODAY.
MANY AND MANY A CHURCH MEMBER TRUSTS IN NOTHING OTHER
THAN HIS OWN PIETY, HIS OWN GOOD WORKS, HIS OWN STRIVINGS.
BUT KNOX HAD NOW CAST HIS ANCHOR INTO THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST, INTO SOLID ROCK, AND THAT WAS GOOD THAT THE
ROCK WAS SOLID, FOR THERE WERE FURIOUS STORMS THAT
WERE ABOUT TO BREAK OVER THE LIFE OF THIS MAN.
HE CAME ACROSS A YOUNG MAN A NUMBER OF YEARS HIS JUNIOR,
WHO WAS ALSO A SCOTSMAN AND WAS DECLARED
TO BE THE HANDSOMEST ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T USE
THAT WORD THEN, THE FAIREST YOUNG MAN IN ALL OF THE LAND.
FURTHERMORE, THEY SAID HE WAS THE FAIREST YOUNG MAN
THAT HAD EVER LIVED IN THE LAND OF SCOTLAND.
HE WOULD HAVE DONE WELL IN HOLLYWOOD, WOULD HE NOT?
BUT HE HAD BETTER THINGS AND HIGHER THINGS ON HIS MIND.
HIS NAME WAS GEORGE WISHART.
SADLY, ONE DAY, APART FROM THE PULPIT, WISHART WAS TAKEN.
HE WAS TRIED BY CARDINAL BEATON, CONDEMNED AS A
HERETIC, CONDEMNED TO BE BURNED AT THE STAKE.
AND AS THE FLAMES ROARED AROUND HIM, HIS VOICE WAS
HEARD TO CRY, "BRING MORE WOOD.
I AM NOT CONSUMED."
BUT AT LENGTH HE DIED, AND JOHN KNOX WOULD NEVER BE
THE SAME AGAIN.
HE GAVE HIMSELF OVER TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO
PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS THAT HE HAD HEARD WISHART PROCLAIM.
HE PREACHED THE GOSPEL WITH GREAT FERVOR.
HE WENT TO EDINBURGH, AND THERE IN THAT GREAT CITY
HE PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, AN ARMY OF FRENCHMEN WAS SENT
TO PUT DOWN THE REFORMATION IN SCOTLAND,
AND EDINBURGH WAS SURROUNDED AND FINALLY TAKEN,
AND KNOX WAS CHAINED TO A ROWER'S BENCH IN A FRENCH
SHIP OF WAR, AND THERE HE SPENT TWO YEARS PULLING ON
THE OAR, ENDURING THE BITING, STINGING LASH UPON
HIS BACK, WHILE ALL OF THE TIME PROCLAIMING THE GOOD
NEWS TO HIS FELLOW PASSENGERS.
HE WAS TAKEN WITH A FEVER AND BROUGHT TO THE PLACE
ALMOST OF DEATH.
AND YOUNG KING EDWARD VI OF ENGLAND HE WAS
A GODLY YOUNG MAN.
HE DIDN'T LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING,
BUT HE DID INTERCEDE FOR JOHN KNOX AND HAD HIM RELEASED.
KNOX WENT TO GENEVA.
HE REMEMBERED THIS YOUNG FRENCHMAN, JEAN CAUVIN,
WHOM WE CALL JOHN CALVIN, AND THERE, THOUGH CALVIN
WAS FOUR YEARS HIS JUNIOR, HE SAT HUMBLY AT HIS FEET
AND HE HEARD THE REFORMED FAITH AND THE SCRIPTURES
TAUGHT IN A WAY THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
BUT NOW HE WAS APPROACHING FIFTY, AND HE WANTED TO
TRANSLATE THE BIBLE, AND HE DIDN'T KNOW HEBREW.
SO HE SET HIMSELF, AT THAT LATE AGE, ESPECIALLY IN
THAT DAY, TO LEARN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE, AND HE SO
MASTERED IT WELL ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THE
ENTIRE BIBLE FROM BOTH THE HEBREW, ARAMAIC AND THE GREEK.
IT IS CALLED THE GENEVA BIBLE ONE OF THE GREATEST
OF TRANSLATIONS FROM THE HEART AND MIND AND PEN OF JOHN KNOX.
FINALLY, HIS COURAGE, BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF HOW
MUCH KNOWLEDGE, FAITH OR ZEAL WE HAVE, IF WE DON'T
HAVE MUCH COURAGE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH A
LOT IN THE MINISTRY, OR FOR THAT MATTER, IN LIFE.
LET ME SAY, IT IS MY OPINION THAT MOST PREACHERS ARE COWARDS.
IT IS ALSO MY OPINION THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE COWARDS,
SO THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL THAT MOST PREACHERS ARE COWARDS.
BUT JOHN KNOX KNEW NO FEAR-AT LEAST IT SEEMED
THAT WAY TO THOSE THAT KNEW HIM.
HE WAS A MAN OF COURAGE.
KNOX KNEW WHERE HIS ANCHOR WAS CAST.
HE KNEW WHAT HE TRUSTED IN, AND THEREFORE, HE FEARED NO ONE.
IN FACT, WHEN HE DIED, THE THEN ACTING KING OF
SCOTLAND CAME TO THE FUNERAL AND MADE THIS COMMENT:
WHAT WOULD IT BE NICE TO HAVE THE KING COME AND SAY THIS
ABOUT YOU. "HERE LIES A MAN THAT NEVER FEARED THE FACE OF MEN."
YES, IN THE MIDST OF THE FINAL STORM, HIS ANCHOR HELD.
MAY WE PRAY: OH GOD, MAY OUR ANCHOR BE CAST
INTO THAT SOLID ROCK WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST,
TRUSTING IN HIS ATONING DEATH, RESTING UPON HIS RISING VICTORY,
AND REJOICING IN HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING,
THAT WHEN WE SHALL SEE HIM FACE TO FACE, WE SHALL KNOW,
O CHRIST, THAT THOU HATH BEEN SUFFICIENT FOR
ALL THE STORMS OF LIFE.
GOD GRANT US THAT KNOWLEDGE, THAT FAITH,
THAT ZEAL, THAT COURAGE THAT CAN MAKE US ALSO
GREAT MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
O LORD, GRANT US MORE CHRISTIANS LIKE KNOX. AMEN.
WE NEED TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL IF PEOPLE'S LIVES
ARE GOING TO BE CHANGED, BUT WE NEED FOR CHRISTIANS
TO GET INVOLVED IN THE CULTURE IF WE ARE GOING TO
BRING THAT TRANSFORMING POWER OF CHRIST TO BEAR ON
EVERY DIFFERENT FACET OF LIFE.
NO SMALL TASK - BUT IF GOD CALLS US TO DO SOMETHING,
HE WILL, BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT, ENABLE US TO DO IT.
I HOPE YOU'LL ASK HIM TODAY TO ENABLE YOU TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR HIS KINGDOM.
BUT YOU REALLY CAN'T HELP TRANSFORM OTHERS OR OUR
NATION IF YOU YOURSELF HAVEN'T BEEN TRANSFORMED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS A FREE GIFT
BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST PAID FOR OUR SINS AND PURCHASED
A PLACE FOR US IN HEAVEN WHICH HE OFFERS US RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM TO COME INTO YOUR
HEART, TO FORGIVE YOU, AND CLEANSE YOU, TO GIVE YOU
ETERNAL LIFE, WE CAN GO TO HIM TOGETHER RIGHT NOW AND PRAY,
LORD JESUS CHRIST, I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS.
PLEASE, COME INTO MY LIFE AND CLEANSE ME, FORGIVE ME.
I RECEIVE YOU AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR AND I THANK YOU
NOW FOR THE FREE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE.
IN YOUR HOLY NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
I HOPE YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER, AND IF YOU DID,
AND SINCERELY MEANT IT THEN I WANT TO BE THE
FIRST TO SAY, "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!"
NOW, TO HELP YOU GROW IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE, WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU BEGINNING AGAIN, A BOOK
WRITTEN BY DR. KENNEDY FOR THAT VERY PURPOSE.
IN THIS BOOK YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO PRAY, HOW TO STUDY
THE BIBLE, HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH, AND MUCH MORE.
TO RECEIVE YOUR COPY OF BEGINNING AGAIN, JUST
WRITE TO OUR ADDRESS, OR CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER.
YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS THIS RESOURCE AND MANY OTHERS
AT OUR WEBSITE: TRUTHINACTION.ORG.
PLEASE CONTACT US TODAY.
GOD BLESS YOU!
JOHN KNOX WAS NOT ONLY A GREAT CHRISTIAN HERO, BUT
HE WAS ONE OF MY FATHER'S PERSONAL HEROES AS WELL;
A MAN DAD WANTED TO MODEL HIS LIFE ON.
DAD WAS AN EDUCATED MAN, AS YOU CAN TELL, BUT AS HE SAID,
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH EDUCATION YOU HAVE;
IF YOU LACK COURAGE TO TAKE A STAND FOR CHRIST,
WHAT GOOD IS IT?
INDEED, DR. KENNEDY WAS ONE MAN IN OUR TIME
WHO DID NOT LACK COURAGE.
HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE LORD,
WHATEVER THE COST, AND OFTEN AGAINST GREAT OPPOSITION.
I REMEMBER SAYING TO HIM ONE TIME WHEN PROTESTERS
SURROUNDED THE CHURCH, "OH, LOOK!
HERE COME THE SHOCK TROOPS OF TOLERANCE AGAIN!"
BUT SUCH OPPOSITION NEVER DETERRED DR. KENNEDY.
THOUGH IT GRIEVED MY DAD'S HEART
TO SEE HOW SO MANY PEOPLE DISTORTED HIS MESSAGE AND
TRIED TO VILIFY HIM AS IT WOULD ANY OF US HE KNEW
THAT PLEASING GOD WAS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN PLEASING MEN.
HE OFTEN SAID THAT GOD CALLED US TO BE THE SALT
OF THE WORLD NOT THE SUGAR.
ABOVE ALL, IT WAS HIS GOAL TO POINT OTHERS TO JESUS
CHRIST, AND HE LEFT A WONDERFUL LEGACY IN THAT REGARD.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.
LITERALLY, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME
TO KNOW JESUS AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR THROUGH A
MAN WHO WAS A PREACHER AT A CHURCH, A LITTLE CHURCH
IN THE BEGINNING IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA.
HE MET WITH A CONGREGATION ON A SUNDAY EVENING,
17 MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
HE SAID TO THIS LITTLE GROUP A STATEMENT THAT
I'LL NEVER FORGET.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD."
AND YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND.
I THOUGHT WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?
HOW IN THE WORLD?
WHAT DOES HE MEAN WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD?
WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED?
I HAD NOT A CLUE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE ELSE
THERE IN THAT LITTLE GROUP HAD A CLUE.
BUT HE HAD A VISION.
AND HIS VISION, OF COURSE, WAS TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
OF THE GOSPEL.
AND HE COULD SEE A WORLD, I MEAN, HE COULD SEE IT
LIKE HE COULD REACH OUT AND TOUCH IT.
HE COULD SEE A WORLD WHERE THE CHURCH BEGAN TO BE THE
CHURCH AND TO ENGAGE THE CULTURE AND TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE CULTURE, CHANGING PEOPLE'S HEARTS
BY THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL.
IT IS OUR PRAYER THAT THROUGH THIS CHURCH,
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST MIGHT BE
RADIATED THROUGH TELEVISION AND RADIO,
MOTION PICTURES AND CASSETTES, BOOKS AND CLINICS,
AND BY WAYS YET UNDREAMED OF UNTO THE ENTIRE WORLD.
THAT THE COMMAND OF CHRIST TO GO AND PROCLAIM THE
GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN OUR GENERATION.
YOU MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THAT 25 OR 30 YEARS AGO,
HE WAS LITERALLY A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
THERE WERE NOT VERY MANY PASTORS WHO WERE PREACHING
WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE FULL COUNSEL OF GOD,
PREACHING BOTH THE GREAT COMMISSION, IN WHICH WE'RE
TO SHARE THE LOVE OF GOD BUT ALSO PREACHING THE
CULTURAL MANDATE THAT WE, AS BELIEVERS, ARE TO BRING
THE MIND OF CHRIST TO THE CULTURE.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS, EVERYONE KNOWS HE HAS NO SEX.
IF THAT IS THE CASE, WHY DID JESUS CHRIST SAY, AFTER THIS
MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE, OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN.
WHY DID CHRIST SAY THAT?
HE DIDN'T USE THE WORD FATHER, HE USED THE WORD ABBA,
WHICH MEANS DAD, DADDY, PAPA.
I'M ASTONISHED, HE SAID, (QUOTES GREEK)
OUR FATHER IS WHAT HE SAID.
HE WAS, WITHOUT QUESTION, A MAN OF GREAT COURAGE.
HE WOULD SAY THINGS THEY WERE ALL BIBLICAL BUT HE
WOULD SAY THINGS PUBLICLY THAT OTHER MINISTERS WERE
AFRAID TO SAY, BECAUSE OF THE REACTION THEY MIGHT GET.
WE'VE PROBABLY ALL HEARD THE CLICHE,
THE CHURCH IS FULL OF HYPOCRITES. WHY DO PEOPLE SAY THAT?
BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS FULL OF HYPOCRITES,
THAT'S WHY THEY SAY THAT.
AND WHY IS THE CHURCH FULL OF HYPOCRITES? IT'S BECAUSE CHURCH
DISCIPLINE IN MOST CHURCHES IS AS DEAD AS A DODO BIRD.
FOLKS IT'S TIME FOR CHRISTIANS TO GET MAD
AND SAY, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
AND I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
BECAUSE IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS MY FRIENDS MUCH OF THE BLAME
MUST BE LAID RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP. RIGHT AT THE DOORSTEP
OF THE CHURCH, OF PASTORS WHO WON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANY
MATTER THAT IS CONTROVERSIAL LEST THEY STEP ON
SOMEBODY'S TOES. DID I STEP ON YOUR TOES TODAY?
TOUGH! YOU NEEDED THEM STEPPED ON.
THE FACT THAT THE ROMANS CRUCIFIED THIS MAN AND DREW
BLOOD FROM HIM IS THE REASON WHY WE SHOULD BE CHRISTIANS?
WELL OBVIOUSLY SIR YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CHRISTIAN
GOSPEL OF OR YOU WOULDN'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE REASON THAT A PERSON IS A CHRISTIAN IS NOT BECAUSE OF
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, THOUGH AS A NEW CHRISTIAN I MEMORIZED
THE ENTIRE THING. AND I THINK ITS THE MOST MAGNIFICENT
STATEMENT OF HUMAN ETHICS THAT HAS EVER BEEN UTTERED,
BUT THE REASON A PERSON BECOMES A CHRISTIAN IS WHEN HE
UNDERSTANDS THAT HIS SINS HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY GOD HIMSELF.
AND IF YOU SEE THAT AS SIMPLY BEING BEAT UP BY A BUNCH
OF THUGS YOU HAVE NO CONCEPTION OF WHAT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
I HAPPEN TO KNOW FROM TALKING TO DR. KENNEDY PERSONALLY
THAT A NUMBER OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WHO CAME TO VISIT HIM
SEEKING HIS FAVOR, GAVE THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST ON HIS OFFICE.
BOWING THEIR HEADS, PRAYING TO RECEIVE CHRIST. NOW WHAT GOD
DID WITH THAT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW THAT'S ONLY KNOWN IN THE
COURTS ABOVE, BUT DR. KENNEDY HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON
THE POLITICAL CULTURE AS WELL.
HE HAS A GENUINE LOVE FOR AMERICA THAT OTHER THAN HIS LOVE
FOR HIS OWN WIFE AND FAMILY, HIS LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST,
I NEVER MET ANYONE WHO QUITE LOVED THIS NATION AND STUDIED
HER EARLY HISTORY, AND HAD A DESIRE TO SEE ITS INSTITUTIONS
CONTINUE TO BE USED IN SUCH A WAY TO ALLOW THE
GOSPEL TO GO FORWARD.
THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF EVANGELISM EXPLOSION
BETWEEN THE YEAR 2000 AND THE YEAR 2014, THE FIRST
15 YEARS OF THE THIRD MILLENNIA, WE WILL SEE 102
MILLION PEOPLE COME TO CHRIST.
THROUGH A MINISTRY THAT GOD BROUGHT TO THE EARTH
THROUGH D. JAMES KENNEDY.
HE SAID EVERY ONE OF US IS GOING TO BE A WITNESS FOR CHRIST
THE ONLY QUESTION IS ARE YOU GOING TO BE A
GOOD WITNESS OR BAD WITNESS?
THE SURPRISING THING IS, IF YOU COULD SOMEHOW CALL
FOR EVERY PERSON ON EARTH WHO COULD GIVE A STATEMENT
A TESTIMONY TO THE IMPACT OF DR. KENNEDY ON THEIR LIVES,
YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF HANDS
THAT WOULD BE RAISED, AT THE NUMBER OF AMEN'S THAT
YOU'D BE HEARD WORLDWIDE, PEOPLE'S LIVES WHO HAVE
BEEN TURNED RIGHT, WHO HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY THE
POWER OF THE GOSPEL, AND THAT GOD HAS USED THIS MAN,
D. JAMES KENNEDY TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
NOW, HE'D SHY BACK IF HE HEARD THAT.
HE'D SAY, "YOU KNOW, COME ON, IT'S CHRIST THAT MADE
THE DIFFERENCE," AND I AGREE.
BUT GOD ALWAYS, WHEN HE HAS AN END, HE ORDAINS THE MEANS TO
SEE THAT END COME TO PASS, AND DR. KENNEDY HAS BEEN THE
MEANS THAT GOD HAS USED TO SEE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF LIVES CHANGED WORLDWIDE.
TO SAY THAT WE ALL MISS MY DAD IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
ALTHOUGH HE HAS BECOME KNOWN THROUGH MUCH OF THE
CHRISTIAN WORLD, EVEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES, I HAD THE
BLESSING OF SEEING HIM UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AS HIS DAUGHTER.
FROM EVANGELISM EXPLOSION WHICH IS NOW IN
EVERY COUNTRY ON EARTH TO HIS DOZENS OF BOOKS AND
HUNDREDS OF SERMONS WE STILL HAVE, WHAT A LEGACY
HE LEFT TO ME, AND TO ALL THE CHRISTIAN WORLD!
AND NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, TRUTH IN ACTION MINISTRIES
IS OFFERING A TERRIFIC RESOURCE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET TO
KNOW DR. KENNEDY UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AS WELL.
THIS RESOURCE IS THE AMAZING, HARDCOVER BOOK
THE TRUTH THAT TRANSFORMED ME: THE LIFE OF D. JAMES KENNEDY
BY MARY LOU DAVIS.
YOU WILL BE GREATLY ENCOURAGED AND EMBOLDENED
BY THE STORY OF HOW THE TRUTH TRANSFORMED DR. KENNEDY'S LIFE.
YOU WILL WANT TO SHARE THIS BOOK WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY SO THAT THEY, TOO, CAN HAVE A TRANSFORMED
LIFE AND THE BOLDNESS TO STAND UP FOR THE FAITH.
THIS COMPELLING BOOK READS LIKE A NOVEL, AND WE ARE
MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO YOU AS OUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR
GENEROUS GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT FOR THE ON-GOING
WORK OF THIS MINISTRY.
TO MAKE YOUR GIFT AND RECEIVE YOUR COPY OF
THE TRUTH THAT TRANSFORMED ME: THE LIFE OF D. JAMES KENNEDY,
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE: OR GO ONLINE TO:
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE YOUNG JIM KENNEDY ABANDONED CHURCH AS A
BOY AND WAS NOT CONVERTED UNTIL HIS EARLY 20'S?
IN FACT, HE WAS SO FAR FROM THE LORD THAT,
AFTER HIS CONVERSION, A SURPRISED FRIEND TOLD HIM,
"WOW, JIM. YOU WERE THE LAST PERSON IN THE WORLD I THOUGHT
WOULD BE INTERESTED IN GOD."
THE TRUTH THAT TRANSFORMED ME: THE LIFE OF D. JAMES KENNEDY
IS FILLED WITH FASCINATING STORIES AND ANECDOTES ABOUT
THE LIFE OF DR. KENNEDY, AND WE'VE NEVER OFFERED IT BEFORE.
SO YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS.
CONTACT US TODAY WITH YOUR GENEROUS GIFT IN
ORDER TO GET YOUR COPY AND HELP US CONTINUE
TO SPREAD DR. KENNEDY'S LEGACY TO THE NEXT GENERATION.
AGAIN, SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE: OR GO ONLINE TO:
IT'S YOUR GIFTS THAT KEEP US BEING ABLE TO
BROADCAST THESE MESSAGES, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THEM.
SOME OF YOU COULD GIVE $30, SOME $50, SOME
$100 OR EVEN MORE.
WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
AGAIN, AS OUR WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS
GIFT, WE WANT TO SEND YOU THIS GREAT BIOGRAPHY OF MY DAD.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO.
AND MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA.
NEXT WEEK ON KENNEDY CLASSICS
GOD NEEDS MEN WHO WILL SPEAK OUT ON THE GREAT ISSUES OF THE DAY.
MARTIN LUTHER SAID, "THOUGH WE BE ACTIVE IN THE BATTLE IF
WE'RE NOT FIGHTING WHERE THE BATTLE IS THE HOTTEST
WE ARE TRAITORS TO THE CAUSE" GOD GRANT YOU COURAGE.
GOD HAS ALWAYS ORDAINED MEN AND WOMEN TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSES
AND I KNOW HE'LL DO IT AGAIN. BUT THE QUESTION IS
WILL THE YOUNGER GENERATION HEED THE CALL?
WHO WILL DEFEND THE UNBORN CHILD? WHO WILL SPEAK FOR THEM?
THAT'S NEXT WEEK.
A VIDEO OF TODAY'S PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR YOUR GIFT
TO THIS MINISTRY OF ANY AMOUNT.
SO PLEASE, CALL, WRITE OR LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN A PRODUCTION OF TRUTH IN ACTION MINISTRIES.