Thank you very much to all of you for coming and to the leadership of this Bolton conference for inviting me.

And to all of you also for ministering to me in singing.

We prayed in the room over there a few minutes ago that God would come

during those moments in worship and begin a work in your hearts that would make a way for the words so that it would have more effect and more power in each of us.

And I believe he's done that and will continue to draw near and apply his truth to us.

That's my prayer that he would.

The theme of the conference is justification and the joy of God.

I think it's almost impossible to exaggerate the cultural and mental obstacles that stand in the way of grasping

the biblical truth of justification by faith at the end of the 21st century.

I'm going to talk in the three messages that I have about the the ground of justification tonight and

tomorrow morning the nature of justification and tomorrow every stage we will hit massive

cultural obstacles to grasping what the Bible means by these things.

And I want you to be aware of that and have some understanding of why I try to address some of those

obstacles as we begin tonight because it isn't just the doctrine preached that makes the difference. It's something that removes these

massive mindsets that are in the minds even inside the church that will make the difference in transforming our churches and transforming our culture.

And right at the center of those obstacles is a great spiritual enemy, the devil,

and I think it would be fitting if we began.

I just feel the need to begin for my own self by asking God to draw near and protect us and to release his

power in his word.

Would you pray with me?

Oh Father in heaven, I love your word and I love your glory and these people are

gathered because I believe they share that heart.

...