Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: 13RVT
Program Code: 13RVT000005
|
00:06 In today's troubled world
00:08 people are wondering where we are headed? 00:13 Revelation Today presents the answers. 00:17 Bible prophecy reveals what the future holds in store. 00:23 Revelation Today. 00:37 Good evening, everyone. 00:38 Glad to be able to join you tonight 00:40 and I'm glad you are here at Revelation Today. 00:43 Now there is no doubt that we live in a sinful world. 00:47 In fact, the world is always being sinful 00:49 that is ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit 00:51 that they should not have eaten in the Garden of Eden. 00:54 But it seems today that society is out of control 00:59 as though things are getting worse and worse. 01:02 I think few people doubt that. 01:04 Why is it though that we see 01:06 such a dramatic increase in hostility. 01:09 Why is there mass murder? 01:11 Why is it that marriage 01:12 and moral values are under such attack? 01:15 The Bible tells us why and tonight you will find out 01:18 why in The Reason Behind Riots, Crimes and Immorality. 01:22 Please welcome the presenter of Revelation Today, 01:26 Ron Halvorsen. 01:30 Good evening. Good evening. 01:32 Good evening. 01:33 Someone said to me, you know, revelation-- 01:35 where are we looking at revelation? 01:38 Everything we've talked about is about revelation. 01:42 We first of all saw the revelation of Jesus Christ 01:44 that He's reliable, 01:46 that His prophecy comes to pass 01:50 and then the second night we looked at it 01:52 and saw that rise and fall of nations 01:54 that God is in the midst of all that's happening in our world. 01:57 That he is gonna abstract 01:58 God far-off far away from everything 02:01 but he's God up close and help take down kings 02:04 and set up kings and rulers. 02:06 And someday He will rule with the rod of iron. 02:09 Someday He will be the ruler of the earth again. 02:13 That's a marvelous promise, that second night. 02:17 We looked at her the Middle East crisis 02:19 and what's happening in the Middle East 02:20 and how that's a fulfillment of the words of God in prophecy 02:24 Old and New Testament and how that in the-- 02:27 New Testament revelation 02:29 God has His people called the remnant of God. 02:33 And so we saw the remnant 02:35 will be kept by God in these latter days. 02:39 Then last night we talked about 02:41 the most important thing the nature of God. 02:44 In the first chapter and second chapter 02:45 and third chapter and fourth chapter, 02:48 fifth-- revelation 02:49 almost every chapter deals with this Christ who is God. 02:53 This Christ who is the Almighty God 02:55 the Creator and the Savior 02:57 and he talks about this who walks amid 02:59 who walks amid the candlesticks. 03:03 And so tonight we want to look 03:04 at the reason behind riots, 03:05 crime and immorality. 03:07 Let's bow our heads in the word of prayer. 03:09 Gracious Father, we pray send your Holy Spirit to us tonight. 03:12 May we be blessed as we open Your word 03:14 because You told us three fold blessing 03:17 may we receive that in the name of Christ, 03:19 amen and amen. 03:23 In Revelation we have God and san in collusion. 03:26 We have a loss race hanging in the balance. 03:29 In fact, the destiny of all nations 03:34 revealed in the scenes of the Book a Revelation. 03:38 In Revelation we have two mountains. 03:40 We have Mount Sinai that mighty mountain 03:42 I mean, that was the mountain majestic and rugged 03:46 Mount Sinai that rose out of the valley of sin. 03:49 I mean it was there that windswept mountain cracks 03:52 that felt the footsteps a Moses that great leader 03:55 and also felt the presence the presence of God. 03:59 Mighty Sinai, that mountain filling the whole horizon 04:03 and it was on that mountain the God 04:05 with His own finger wrote to Ten Commandments 04:07 which most Christians today adhere to and love and respect 04:12 and have written on their hearts. 04:14 That was Mount Sinai 04:16 but there was also another mountain. 04:18 I mean, there was Mount Calgary. 04:21 Mount Calvary was another visit of God to man. 04:24 I mean this felt the footsteps of the Creator. 04:27 He's lifted up on the rough wooden cross 04:30 hanging between heaven and hell a Savior. 04:33 Calgary rises upon the horizon. 04:36 Two mountains far apart in time and close in destiny. 04:41 Two mountains, in Revelation John writes 04:44 and he says this, there are two mountains. 04:46 He says in Revelation there are two cities. 04:49 In Revelation there are two leaders. 04:52 In Revelation there are two groups of people 04:54 the saved and the lost, 04:56 the remnant God and those of false Israel. 05:00 I mean it's all there in the Book of Revelation. 05:03 The two groups of people. 05:05 Now Calgary and Sinai the drama of law and grace 05:10 and on the battle of those two mountains 05:12 the Lord of God and the grace of Christ. 05:15 Now the Bible says 05:17 the Revelation 12:17 these words. 05:20 "And the dragon was angry with the woman," 05:23 by the way I'm going to give you that sheet of paper 05:25 that give you all the symbols in Revelation 05:27 so you can when you see the word woman 05:29 or beast or horn or what is that represent 05:32 and I'm gonna show you 05:33 the Bible representation of that symbol. 05:36 One person asked me is Revelation literal or symbolic? 05:40 Well, its literal in some sense and it's symbolic in another. 05:43 Well, how do I know? 05:45 Well, you look to see if it's a symbol of-- 05:47 for instance I John saw that's literal. 05:51 Right, He's coming with the clouds 05:53 every eye shall see Him, that's literal 05:56 but where a beast comes out of that water that's symbolic. 05:59 And so we're gonna give you those symbols 06:01 so you'll be able to understand it more 06:03 in a clearer way the Revelation. 06:05 Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. 06:07 There's no quick fix. 06:09 We want to look at the basic foundation 06:12 before we get into the study 06:13 of those latter experience of any Christ 06:16 and the struggle for good and evil. 06:17 But here he says 06:18 "The dragon is angry with the woman." 06:20 The woman is the church 06:21 "and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 06:23 which keep the commandments of God, 06:25 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 06:28 Here comes that mountain into the Book of Revelation. 06:31 Here God reveals that there's the mountain 06:33 the mountain of the commandments 06:35 and then there's the mountain 06:36 of the testimony of Jesus Christ. 06:38 And what greater testimony was 06:40 when Jesus hung on the cross and cried 06:42 Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. 06:44 Why? 06:45 Because they had transgressed the moral Lord of Sinai. 06:49 And so he says Father, forgive them. 06:51 So there Calvary and Sinai meet 06:54 and are wedded that day in God's love. 06:58 Then in Revelation Chapter 5 he says 07:01 "Saying with a loud voice," 07:02 now every time when he says thunder 07:05 or he says trumpet or he says loud voice 07:08 that's for you to listen to. 07:10 "He says with a loud voice, 07:11 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 07:13 to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, 07:17 and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." 07:21 You see, that's the blessing 07:22 you receive from the Lamb of God. 07:24 He is the one slain the Lamb of God Jesus Christ. 07:30 Jesus is the center, the motive of revelation. 07:34 You can't study Revelation 07:35 without coming into a great experience with Jesus Christ. 07:38 That's why for these 50 years 07:40 I've been studying, reading the Book a Revelation. 07:43 Ever learning from the Book of Revelation. 07:46 Ever learning about this Christ 07:48 who walks amid the candlesticks. 07:50 This Christ who comes to redeem a fallen world, 07:53 this Christ who slain as a lamb, 07:55 this Christ who comes as a king. 07:57 I mean, you can slay the lamb to redeem us 08:00 He comes as a king to rescue us. 08:02 All here in the Book of Revelation, 08:05 it's all here in the Book of Revelation. 08:08 So we must climb in a sense 08:09 we must climb both mountains. 08:11 We must climb Calvary and we must climb Sinai. 08:16 Tonight I want you to come to grips with Sinai. 08:20 Now it was dark night in Coney Island. 08:22 This was in my neighborhood. 08:23 How many ever been to Coney Island can I see you? 08:25 Look at this well, you were in my neighborhood. 08:30 It was a dark night in Coney Island. 08:33 A light fog rolled in from the sea 08:35 and wrapped the dingy tenements in a halo of gloom. 08:38 Tenants lined the street like beaten old men 08:41 bent over from years of hardship. 08:43 I mean teenagers are going through their nightly ritual. 08:46 They had a needle 08:47 and they were sticking themselves with the needle. 08:50 They were hooked. 08:51 They had that look of anticipation. 08:53 They waited their turn, 08:55 they have a monkey on their back. 08:57 Now perhaps you heard that expression, 08:59 monkey on your back. 09:02 Now that expression come from a modern-day parable 09:05 told by pushers and pimps and junkies 09:07 it goes something like this. 09:09 And the first time I heard it 09:10 I was in Fox Street in South Bronx Mott Haven 09:13 and I was visiting a shooting gallery. 09:16 Not that I was shooting up 09:18 but I was bringing Jesus to the shooting gallery. 09:21 And there were four young men 09:22 who would come out to my meetings 09:24 and they were mainline heroin addicts. 09:26 They started snorting and then it burns tissue 09:29 and then their skin pop 09:30 and then they shoot it directly in the vein 09:32 and then death. 09:37 And so I went to visit these four boys 09:39 and I got to the shooting gallery, 09:40 college shooting gallery that's where they shoot up 09:42 and its usually vacant building 09:45 and when I got to the door was off the chain hinges 09:47 and I stepped over some of the drug addicts 09:50 that are half in and half out 09:53 and I found my boy sitting near. 09:55 And I sat down beside them and I had my Bible with me. 09:59 I want to study the Word of God with them 10:01 and they said man, we're dead man walking. 10:05 He says, you see preacher, 10:07 we have a monkey on our back. 10:10 I said, monkey on your back? 10:11 What do you mean monkey on your back? 10:13 He said well, it's a parable. 10:14 It's a story that we addicts talk about. 10:17 It's about a young man and this young man 10:19 he thought wow, it would be nice 10:21 if I could get away from my problems, 10:23 if I could get away from all my burdens, 10:24 all my troubles 10:26 and he's thinking about all the things 10:27 that are bothering him and he says, 10:29 well, I think I'll take a walk into the into the jungle 10:32 or out into the forest the jungle. 10:35 And so he says the boy starts out in the path 10:39 and you know as he's walking to the jungle 10:41 its kind of nice to get away from his problems 10:44 and I mean, he is looking around 10:46 in all everything look so beautiful 10:47 and these birds flying 10:50 and animal scurrying through the forest 10:52 and the young man is fascinated by it all 10:55 and he forgets his problems and forgets his troubles 10:58 and now he's free at last and he is walking 11:02 and then he notices this little monkey playing in the tree. 11:05 The young boys looked at me, 20 year old boys, 21 11:11 and there were tears in their eyes. 11:14 And this is in a young man looked at the monkey 11:16 and he thought it was a cute little monkey 11:18 and so we he took up a banana 11:20 and he offered it to the monkey 11:21 the monkey swung down landed on the main shoulders. 11:25 And the man thought wow, this is fun 11:27 and he started to play with the money. 11:31 And he started to feed the monkey. 11:34 And so it came time that he had to leave 11:36 and so he tried to get rid of the monkey 11:38 but the monkey wouldn't let go. 11:39 The monkey held on tighter and wouldn't let go 11:41 and so the man thought well, bring him with me. 11:44 And so he started carry the monkey 11:46 and trying to find his way back and-- excuse me, 11:49 he came to the crossroad and took the wrong road 11:52 and he is deeper and deeper in the jungle 11:53 and there is this monkey on his back. 11:57 And boys told me the story they said preacher, 12:01 soon he was spending more time feeding the money 12:06 than he was trying to find his way back home. 12:09 And he said preacher, 12:12 the monkey grew bigger and bigger 12:15 and it became bigger than a man 12:18 crashed him to the ground 12:20 and only then did it leave him, dead on the ground. 12:25 That's why we say, we have a monkey on our back. 12:32 I believe that's a perfect example 12:35 of how sin begins and how it ends. 12:38 I mean, the Bible tells us very plainly 12:42 about this monkey on the back. 12:43 He uses the expression "For all have sinned, 12:47 and come short of the glory of God." 12:49 All have sinned and come short. 12:52 Not only the drug addict but the deacon in the church. 12:55 You see the problem we face tonight 12:57 in the ghetto and its grief, 12:58 in the Middle Easton its hate. 13:00 In the cities of America and their crime 13:03 I mean, all that stems from the fact of sin. 13:07 And you see the politician 13:09 cannot solve the problems in America 13:11 because the problem is sin problem. 13:13 There is something within our nature, 13:15 there's something within our heart 13:16 that brings us down to the road to addiction 13:19 to this kind of sinful addiction. 13:23 And so we have a monkey and the drummer man's violence 13:29 and the crime we see and the tears in the world 13:32 were written centuries ago in the very early stages 13:36 of a man's existence here in this planet. 13:38 I mean, virtue turn to wise and love turns to hate 13:40 and righteousness and sinfulness why, 13:43 because man habitually denied the truth for error, 13:47 our first parents 13:48 according to scripture and Genesis chose 13:50 to inject into the nature the heroin of hate 13:53 and the marijuana maliciousness and sin in the universe began. 13:59 It began just as an innocent thought. 14:01 It began as an innocent desire within the heart. 14:05 It began in the innocent way as an innocent touch 14:08 and it began as an innocent look 14:10 and it ended in complete departure. 14:13 They stumbled into sin 14:15 and they were cast out of the garden. 14:18 And the result to crust head of his son Abel 14:22 mid generation of genocide and rumors of wars 14:26 and rape and murder and lawlessness 14:28 and 6,000 years ago man became separated from God. 14:33 I mean, because his stubbornness 14:35 and his pride and desire to see it see it all 14:37 and touch it all and possess it all 14:39 and to be like God 14:43 and sin lets itself to its soul. 14:47 And so we always have a monkey on our sole 14:49 that's the problem. 14:52 It made us corrupt, degenerate, perverse 14:55 and it tarnished our character, even the best of us. 14:59 There's none righteous no not one 15:00 and we all seem to fall under the spell. 15:06 And it's crushed the image of God in us. 15:09 All of our sorrows and all of our violence 15:11 and all of our tragedy stem from Adam sin. 15:14 Satan the pusher of pot called pride. 15:16 I mean, Satan 15:17 pusher of marijuana and maliciousness 15:19 and the heroin of hate to deceived mankind 15:22 and now we're all hooked to hell. 15:25 One cannot study Revelation, one cannot study the Bible 15:31 and see human nature without realizing 15:36 it's dangerous. 15:38 I mean, it's totally dangerous. 15:41 The wages of sin is, what? 15:43 Death. Death. 15:45 But what it doesn't end there 15:46 but the gift of God is eternal life 15:49 through Jesus Christ our Lord. 15:51 There is the broken Lord at Sinai. 15:54 At the foot of Sinai there were the saints. 15:56 And what were they doing? 15:57 They were not praying, they were not serving God, 16:00 they were doing aerobics in front of a golden calf. 16:06 Broken law 16:08 and then there came Calvary disciples had run 16:13 and there was Jesus, there was Jesus. 16:18 The wage of sin is that-- by the way sin is dangerous. 16:24 You probably heard about the preachers 16:25 is preaching little country church 16:26 and he got a call to go to a big city church 16:30 and you know use kind of puffed up a little 16:32 for a while, I think I'll take this 16:34 and he took this city church 16:36 and he though I'll get away from those problems 16:38 they're in that church in the country. 16:39 Little did he know the bigger the church 16:41 the bigger problem. 16:45 I mean, hey, some people say I don't want to go to church 16:48 because there so many hypocrites there. 16:50 Where else would they be. 16:55 And so he went to this big church, 16:56 you know, and sit up to preach in there were people there 16:59 and he felt good about it and he's preaching away 17:02 and after the service people come out 17:05 and shake your hand, you know, how it is. 17:07 Preacher we really liked that sermon. 17:10 You should have know the guy 17:11 who was here before you know 17:13 and you know we love you-- 17:16 next he preached, preached about sin 17:18 and he got a little more specific 17:20 about the sins of the city. 17:22 And the next week he preached about 17:24 sin and salvation and sin 17:26 and finally in the middle the week 17:27 there was a knock at the door 17:29 and the head deacon was there and preaches said, 17:31 oh, good afternoon. 17:33 He invited him in and the deacon sat down. 17:35 He said, preacher, we really enjoy your sermons 17:38 but-- listen to me friend, here's a secret. 17:45 If you come to the but during these series of meetings 17:49 but, ask yourself has this been the Word of God. 17:59 There's no buts when it comes to Word of God. 18:04 Anyway but he says, but okay, you can yeah, you can. 18:08 He says are-- he says, but what? 18:11 He says well, 18:12 we wish you wouldn't talk so openly about sin. 18:18 The preacher is thinking to himself 18:19 there goes 50 percent of my sermons 18:23 and he said you see, 18:25 we feel as a congregation the more you talk about sin 18:28 the more opt we ought to become sinners. 18:34 Can you imagine that kind of reasoning? 18:37 So the preacher was taken back for just a minute 18:39 and usually a just a minute for any preacher. 18:42 He walked over to the bookcase 18:45 and on top of the bookcase was a bottle 18:48 and on the bottle was a skull and crossbones 18:52 and red-letter poison. 18:55 So he took the bottle down, came over to the desk, 18:58 sat down put the bottle on the desk 19:00 and said deacon would you, would you take a drink? 19:05 That's not a good way to get rid of deacons believe me. 19:10 But he said will you take a drink? 19:11 Oh no, he says well, that says poison. 19:15 Oh, no, I can solve it. 19:17 I'll take the label of 19:18 and I'll put a new label on essence of peppermint. 19:24 The milder you make the label 19:28 the more dangerous you make the poison, 19:32 the dangerous you make the poison. 19:34 You see the cry of humanity today is 19:37 what must I do to be saved? 19:39 And the psychologist has a way, the sociologists has a way, 19:42 the politician has a way but God has a better way. 19:46 What must I due to be saved, 19:47 is there any end to the international 19:50 and national problems and dilemmas, 19:52 the paradox of our society. 19:54 Everything improving, science ever-improving, 19:57 living conditions ever-improving, 19:59 economy ever-improving. 20:00 I mean, that's-- I almost choked on that one. 20:05 But anyway everything in our material world 20:09 in our physical world except man himself 20:11 he still lies, he still cheats, he still be debauches. 20:16 I mean, he discovers implements of peace 20:20 but he turns them into implements of war. 20:23 He dropped napalm and burns and destroyed 20:25 he justifies himself only as we destroy 20:28 can we secure peace. 20:29 But where is peace in our world? 20:32 Not until Jesus Christ comes 20:34 who is forever Prince of peace in Revelation, 20:39 amen and amen. 20:41 Amen. 20:42 Where use that peace? We are sick with lawless. 20:49 We are sick with murder and prejudism 20:52 and all this we see it's around us. 20:55 There's only a hope is to reach up 20:57 to reach out as He reaches down. 21:00 That's the great story of Revelation. 21:02 That's the story of the lamb slain. 21:03 That's the story of your hope, my hope. 21:05 This very day He is the way out, 21:08 Jesus Christ is the way out 21:11 and He wants to lift us up and to take us to heaven. 21:15 Now what we don't need today his new laws. 21:18 We have enough of them, don't we? 21:19 Yes. 21:20 We don't need new diplomacy. 21:22 We don't need new government. 21:25 We don't need new moral codes. 21:27 We don't need new permissiveness. 21:29 We need new characters. We need a new nature. 21:32 Come on now, that would change it 21:34 when if-- if we were changed. 21:37 We could change a nation. 21:39 If we were really changed by the power and grace of God 21:42 we could change a world. 21:45 That change comes about 21:47 only through the Lord Jesus Christ, 21:50 only through the Lord Jesus Christ. 21:53 Now thus we come face to face with the law. 21:57 Why? 21:58 First because the law reveals the fact 22:00 that I'm separated from God. 22:03 The law shows God's holy character 22:06 and reveals that I'm a character. 22:10 You remember God is sovereign you seek God has a will 22:14 and by himself without our existence 22:16 He makes decisions and policies and sets of principles. 22:20 He is righteous God absolutely perfect 22:23 and it is impossible for God to do anything wrong. 22:26 He is just, He is love, He is eternal love, 22:29 He is that love, He is the object 22:32 and we are the object of that love 22:35 and we are the one loved. 22:37 He is eternal life, 22:38 we have eternal life through Him. 22:40 He is on this of sin all wise you are not all wise. 22:44 For sure this preacher isn't all wise. 22:47 Ask my third-grade teacher. 22:50 Omnipresent, God is everywhere. 22:54 if I make my bed in hell God comes to me at hell. 22:57 If I make my bed-- He's there, He's everywhere. 23:01 You cannot escape Him. 23:03 Someday you will come face to face with Him. 23:06 You see, God is immutable He never changes. 23:10 God is veracity, God is absolute truth, 23:13 all this is seen in this perfect law 23:15 through past history. 23:16 The Lord is not ten rules 23:18 the Lord is of expression of the character of his God 23:21 and you see all those things wrapped up in ten laws. 23:24 Have to say to you in ten ways 23:27 God is trying to express himself for you. 23:29 In ten ways Jesus is kind to make Himself known to you. 23:33 And so those Ten Commandments. 23:35 I mean they were given to protect us. 23:38 You see those Ten Commandments 23:39 were given to protect our families, 23:42 a beautiful family. 23:44 You see God gave those commandments 23:47 that He might protect the home, 23:49 He might protect your health, 23:50 He might protect-- by the way 23:52 He might protect not only your health 23:54 but your happiness. 23:57 I thought it was all-- I mean, so was important 23:59 then why shouldn't it be important now? 24:02 But someone say Ron, that's old-fashioned. 24:09 Ron, but so is love. 24:13 And so is the sanctity of the home 24:16 and so is kindness and they are all old-fashioned. 24:22 Perhaps we as a nation, 24:23 perhaps we as the people need to get back 24:25 to the old-fashioned things, amen. 24:27 We need to get back to old-fashion. 24:29 We need to get back to the God of our forefathers 24:32 and our foremothers. 24:34 We need to get back to that. 24:35 God is the same yesterday, 24:37 God is the same today and God is the same forever. 24:40 He never changes. 24:43 Now you may try to change Him 24:45 and the church may try to change Him 24:47 and men may try to change Him 24:49 and smart theologians may try to change Him 24:52 but my God never ever changes. 24:59 And that's why, that's why the Bible tells us 25:03 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, 25:06 it is not subject to the law of God, 25:08 neither indeed can be." 25:10 What's the carnal mind? That's the sinful mind. 25:13 It's at enmity to law. 25:15 Before I knew Christ, 25:17 before I was born again by the grace of God, 25:19 before I came in contact with Jesus 25:22 I lived to break the law. I lived to break the law. 25:27 I woke up in the morning said, 25:29 I wonder how I can get in trouble today? 25:34 I mean, I live to break, 25:40 who could I hurt today? 25:44 Who can I rip-off today? 25:47 Until He came into my life 25:50 and then He took a moral law written on tables of stone 25:54 and he wrote it on the fleshy tablets of my heart. 25:56 I never met a born again thief 25:58 that wanted to go on stealing. 26:02 Come on now, I never met a born-again murderer 26:07 that wanted to go on murdering, amen. 26:10 I was in Birmingham, Alabama preaching the Word of God 26:13 and a man came up to me one night 26:15 and he said, you know, I just got out of prison. 26:16 I spent 28 years. 26:19 He said, I sent there for murder. 26:21 It was during that month that I led him to Christ. 26:24 It was during that month that that murder 26:26 became a soft and gentle person, 26:30 so gentle he joined the church, 26:32 he got involved with Christ, 26:34 he got involved with the church, 26:35 he became a deacon in a church. 26:37 You see, from the moment he came to know Christ 26:40 he did not want to and would not think of it. 26:45 Why do we think that when I get saved, 26:50 I don't need it, I'm not to abide by it? 26:56 What is that about? 26:58 Listen, Matthew 5:17 27:00 "Think not that I've come to destroy the law, 27:01 or the prophets. 27:03 I'm not come to destroy, but to over fill." 27:05 Preach again not recent said I only read the New Testament. 27:09 You can't understand the New Testament of the old. 27:13 Do you know how many times the Old Testament 27:16 is mention in the Book of Revelation? 27:20 You come to my advanced seminar on Saturday morning on that 27:24 and I'm gonna show you how many times. 27:27 See that how I do that that's a commercial. 27:30 Back to the message all right. 27:32 I got to do that every now and then. 27:33 You know your-- you get that blink. 27:35 Won't you get tired that stuff anyway? 27:38 What is sin? 27:39 It's transgression the Bible says of the law. 27:42 And is there sin in the world tonight? 27:44 Yes. 27:45 Then the law must be in existence now. 27:49 Of course it has to. 27:51 I had not known sin 27:52 but first of all he says I not know sin, 27:54 secondly I could not have committed sin. 27:57 And if we say there's sin in the world 27:59 don't you tell me 28:00 that the Lord has done away with 28:01 that there's no law any longer. 28:04 That's the reason I need a Savior, 28:08 there's a broken law. 28:10 "What shall we say then? 28:11 Is the law sin? God forbid. 28:12 Nay, not known sin, but by the law, 28:14 for I have not known lust, except the law said, 28:17 Thou shalt not lust." 28:20 Look at Matthew 22:35-40. 28:22 "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, 28:24 asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 28:26 Master, which is the great commandment?" 28:28 And notice what he says. 28:30 And "Jesus said unto him, 28:31 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 28:33 with all thy soul, with all thy mind. 28:35 This is the first great commandment. 28:37 And the second is like unto it, 28:38 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 28:42 On these two commandments 28:43 hang all the law and prophets." 28:44 Some one says, well, now brother Halverson, 28:46 since we are under this New Testament says, 28:47 one of the New Testament now we have only two laws. 28:51 But it says on those two laws hang what? 28:54 Just like on these two arms hang ten fingers, 29:01 on those two principal hang the moral law. 29:03 You see first of all your love for God 29:05 and secondly your love for men. 29:08 You can't love men till you learn to love God. 29:10 You can't love God until you're willing to love man, 29:13 that's what the Bible says. 29:14 Those two commandments hang all the Ten Commandments. 29:18 All the Ten Commandments. 29:20 Preacher once said to me, I've been saved. 29:22 I said, well, so have I. 29:24 That was the surprise to him he thought he was the only one. 29:30 I don't have to keep that old law. 29:32 Well, let's look at that. 29:33 Loves is the what? Fulfilling of law. 29:36 Says if I love him I'm gonna what? 29:39 Fulfill the law. 29:40 Listen, I had a friend like that. 29:43 You know, he was walking along Coney Island, 29:45 Neptune Avenue, Brighton Beach 29:46 he saw a car he didn't want to walk all the way it was hot. 29:49 So he looked in it was an air conditioned in that car. 29:52 So he got in the car. 29:53 I won't tell you how he got in the car. 29:56 My wife once locked her keys in the car. 29:58 I just coming out of church-- the keys. 30:03 That's language only husbands understand. 30:07 And I said what, honey? 30:11 Before she got the-- I was in the car. 30:16 I mean, I was so good in it 30:17 when I want old-fashioned camp meetings 30:19 they used to make me chief of police on the campus 30:22 so I could get old ladies into their car. 30:26 And so my friend he brakes into this car sits, 30:29 I won't tell you how he started the car 30:30 but anyway he's driving along cool air 30:33 blowing his face came to Neptune Avenue, 30:35 came to about West 3rd Street 30:38 complete stop like penny fell off 30:40 and got stop dead in traffic. 30:42 He got down he was, 30:43 he felt as a knock on the-- there's a knock on the window 30:46 and there standing a policeman. 30:51 He says, where is your license? 30:53 He didn't have license. 30:55 Kid was an old enough to have a license. 30:58 He says, where is your registration? 30:59 He dived for the glove compartment. 31:02 Got him out lead him up against the car. 31:04 For 17 years in my life I thought this was attention. 31:11 So he gets booked-- you know, 31:12 they just tap it in your first offense, 31:14 you know, how that is and. 31:16 Got off and he is enjoying his freedom 31:18 and he's walking through the neighborhood. 31:22 Listen, not of these preacher stories, 31:23 one is true stories. 31:24 I mean, he's walking through the neighborhood he sees a car. 31:30 He says why should I walk I could get in the car. 31:33 He gets in the car starts it up drive the same thing happened 31:39 and the same policeman from 60th Precinct 31:43 pulls him out of the car. 31:44 But officer, you don't understand. 31:46 You see, I've already broken that commandment. 31:51 But you see I been set free I'm saved. 31:56 Yeah, he did hard time after that. 31:59 Listen to me, 32:00 you see great denominations have said a lot 32:03 about the law being moral, 32:04 Presbyterian say, the Baptists say, 32:07 the Methodists say. 32:08 I could go on, most every church 32:11 talks about that moral law the Ten Commandments. 32:14 And David the psalmist said which by the way 32:16 is even more important than what they have said. 32:19 "I delight to do thy will, 32:21 yea, O my God, thy law" is written where? 32:24 "Its written on my heart" the Bible says. 32:28 "Here is the patience of the saints 32:30 here are they that keep the commandments of God," 32:31 and have what? 32:33 "The faith of Jesus Christ." So here it is the moral law. 32:39 Now change the law which commandment? 32:43 I mean, which commandment should I do away with? 32:46 I mean, shall I do away with that first commandment? 32:48 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." 32:50 Hey, listen to me. 32:51 We may not worship some thousand, thousand, 32:53 thousand, thousand, gods like the Hindu 32:55 but listen to me we have God's. 32:59 Sometime our job is our God. 33:01 Have no time for Jesus, no time, that's our God. 33:08 For some it's their home that's their God for others 33:10 it's their family that a God. 33:11 I mean, I think we need this, 33:13 this has never before when we made 33:15 so many Gods of plastic and chrome and. 33:21 Second commandment says, 33:22 Thou shalt not make into graven image 33:23 and bow down to them." 33:25 I mean we've made images and last days the Bible says 33:28 we're gonna make an image to the beast. 33:32 I mean, graven image. 33:35 What, do away with that commandment? 33:36 I don't think so. 33:37 And this commandment 33:39 "Thou shalt not take the name Lord thy God in vain." 33:41 If ever there was a need now the name of Jesus 33:43 is being used in such a careless crude way. 33:46 I get tired of hearing those godless 33:49 people throwing the name the purest name 33:51 in all the universe casting it from filthy lips. 33:56 I was playing golf once 33:57 I only go once in a while its good 34:00 because I walk in the woods a lot. 34:05 And I was playing golf 34:06 and I was playing it all by myself 34:08 and by the way it was just at a Charlotte North Carolina. 34:13 And I was playing golf but you like to play along 34:15 because ever do get a good shot 34:17 you want someone see it, come on. 34:19 So I called up to these dreadfully gentlemen 34:21 I was just out of New York and they are so nice 34:23 and general and kind in the south. 34:25 In the south they are so friendly. 34:27 And they saw me and they said 34:28 would you like to join us, they said. 34:29 No, they said y'all want to join us? 34:32 And I said y'all what? Yeah, I'll want to join you. 34:37 And they asked me where I came from 34:38 and all they knew in a few minutes. 34:40 But anyway there was this one guy 34:43 had the worst slice I ever seen in my life. 34:47 I mean, he hit that 34:48 and then he used the name of Jesus 34:51 and I'm kind of humming to myself, 34:54 Jesus loves me this I know, 34:57 please keep me from hitting him 34:59 with the third-- three iron, you know what I mean. 35:02 I'm trying to stay in the spirit. 35:05 And got up there-- just got a tea 35:08 I said Lord, somehow let me witnessing 35:09 and got up to the tea and he just bow raised, 35:11 head off he says, by the way what do you do for a living? 35:14 I killed the rest of his game. 35:19 I think I like to pull that commandment, 35:22 don't you come on, friend. 35:23 The purest name, I mean, "Remember the Sabbath day." 35:26 We have to have a day of worship. 35:28 Honor thy father and mother. 35:29 There's not a parent here to say 35:31 let's do away with that one. 35:34 Let's do away with that one. Thou shalt not kill. 35:37 If ever there was a time 35:39 when that pure commandment living God gave to His people 35:45 I think it's now, don't you? 35:47 Come on, now we kill, we murder 35:52 before the whom and after whom. 35:55 We kill, thou shalt not steal. 36:00 Crime-- so the other night 36:01 I showed you the crime of this city alone. 36:05 Thou shall not covet. 36:08 Bear false witness and thou shall not covet. 36:10 You see the Ten Commandments 36:13 the Ten Commandments are this we look at that. 36:16 Now notice the Ten Commandments. 36:18 Thou shalt not covet 36:20 but it's like a ten link chain, ten links. 36:25 If I were hanging from the Empire State Building 36:29 on a ten link chain which link would be important? 36:41 No pick and choose. 36:45 Which link is important? 36:51 Now don't get me wrong follow me, 36:53 the law does not, the law cannot, 36:54 the law will not save you only the grace of Jesus can 37:01 but the grace of Jesus 37:05 writes his law in your heart. 37:11 The first time I met grace, I mean the grace a God 37:15 I had thrown a rock through the window, 37:19 public school 100. 37:21 I started to run and I was laughing 37:22 I ran right into the arms 37:24 to the Irish cop from 60th Precinct. 37:27 He lifted me up my legs were still going 37:32 and he said young man, 37:33 you just threw a rock through a window. 37:34 I did what most people do. 37:36 I said, no I didn't, officer. He said, I saw you. 37:40 You're going down to the station house. 37:43 Well, and I'm thinking 37:45 he's walking he didn't put me in cuffs 37:48 but he had me by the scruff of the neck 37:50 and got to 60th Precinct. 37:54 I thought to myself oh, no, my father's 37:57 is gonna come down and get me. 38:00 And then I thought oh, no, my mother-- my mother. 38:08 And he set me down he said young man, 38:10 you won't do that again will you? 38:12 No officer. 38:14 He said, all right, go home. 38:16 I ran for home, that was grace. 38:19 But I got to admit 38:21 I did throw a few with the rocks 38:25 saved for the grace of God. 38:28 Listen, listen to me the law of gravity, 38:32 the law of gravity doesn't hurt you 38:33 until you break it, right. 38:36 Law of gravity, you see that's terrible, that law. 38:39 No, if it weren't for the law of gravity 38:41 you would all be up at that ceiling. 38:44 Gravity holds you in your seat. 38:46 Hey, gravity obey, is what? It's a protection. 38:53 Disobeying is more than that. 38:57 Speed laws, you know, how and Asian driving 39:00 down the road 35 miles now you get up to 40 39:02 you start adjusting your mirrors, come on. 39:07 Get up to 50 every time 39:08 you go by billboard you look to the right. 39:13 I was breaking to my grandkids 39:14 once was driving down from New York in 39:16 I had a I had not an accident I mean a ticket in years 39:21 and I'm driving down I said 39:22 and was in Carolina was coming from New York 39:24 and I said all grandsons, this is Poppy's you going over, 39:28 I did not have an ticket in 20 some years 39:31 in just turned the light 39:32 and my grandson looked back he said, 39:34 I think that's a policeman. 39:36 I said, yeah and I pulled I got a ticket. 39:39 Pride goeth before the fall. 39:42 Let's look at the Bible let's see what the Bible says. 39:44 "But be ye doers of the word, 39:46 not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 39:49 For if any be a hearer of the word, 39:51 and not a doer, 39:53 he is like unto a man be holding 39:54 his natural face in a glass." 39:55 By the way translated this class is mirror. 39:59 He says like beholding your face in a mirror. 40:04 And why do you wrap these things up honey, 40:07 it's gonna take me longer to open then than use them. 40:10 I'm gonna, I'm gonna give you little illustration. 40:13 I want to get a little dramatic, 40:14 a little dramatic but anyway he says like "beholding 40:19 and you forgetteth what manner of man he was. 40:21 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, 40:24 and continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer, 40:26 but a doer of the work, 40:27 this man shall be blessed in his deed." 40:29 Now men you never really grow up. 40:32 Your momma tells you when your face is dirty 40:37 when you get married your wife tells you. 40:40 Carrol says to me honey, your face is dirty. 40:43 I said, no dear. 40:45 She says, go look in the mirror. 40:48 So what I do I go to the mirror, 40:55 well, first to go to the mirror and I look you. 41:02 Now there's two things I can do. 41:05 Throw away the mirror I've been saved. 41:11 Come on now, 41:13 I have been saved, Brother Ron. 41:19 The law is the mirror. 41:22 Throw away the law that doesn't man you are clean. 41:25 But then as the legalist 41:32 trying to get clean with the mirror. 41:35 You can get clean with a mirror. 41:38 I just spread it all over my face. 41:43 But they're is the mirror 41:44 and their is the grace of God the soap. 41:49 Hey listen to this, pretty dramatic isn't it? 41:53 But we will get across the point. 41:55 I mean, look the grace of God 41:58 the grace of God look at that. 42:04 Now the mirror is in its right place. 42:07 The mirror shows that I'm dirty 42:09 and it drives me to Jesus Christ. 42:11 Can you say amen here tonight? 42:12 Amen. That's the moral law. 42:14 Do away with the moral law 42:15 and you'll find yourself in a dilemma. 42:17 Do away with the grace of God and you'll never get clean. 42:20 It's Lord in grace, its Sinai and Calvary 42:24 that embrace and set us free. 42:29 It set us free. 42:31 My Bible tells me, my Bible tells me 42:35 to look in the mirror that's the law. 42:39 The Bible says, "If you love me, keep my" what? 42:42 Commandments. Commandments. 42:44 The Bible says, 42:45 "For then must he often have suffered 42:47 since the foundation world, 42:49 but now once in the end of the world 42:50 hath he appeared to put away sin 42:52 by the sacrifice of himself." 42:56 What a beautiful description of what Jesus Christ does for us. 43:00 "Thy word is true from the beginning 43:03 and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." 43:08 "Blessed are they that do his" what? 43:10 Come on, now. Come on. 43:11 Commandments. 43:12 I can imagine why preachers are fighting 43:15 to keep the Ten Commandments in the classroom 43:19 but they don't want you to keep 43:21 the Ten Commandments in your heart. 43:25 Why does he say you can't do away 43:27 with the Ten Commandments in the church 43:29 but they can't in municipal buildings? 43:32 I don't understand it. 43:35 When God comes into your heart, when grace fills you, 43:39 you want to do God's will, amen, 43:41 you want to walk in the path of God, amen. 43:44 You want to be obedient to God 43:46 and God takes the Lord of tables of stone 43:48 and he writes them in your heart. 43:50 You serve Jesus in your heart 43:55 and He changes the life. 43:58 I was in Hawaii, 43:59 I told you the other night how I got to go to Hawaii. 44:02 You know, I was all excited about that prayer, 44:04 you know the instant prayer 44:05 I went out there and I do prayer walking. 44:10 I do Joshua model of prayer walking 44:12 and we are prayer walkers all of this city right now. 44:15 But get to Hawaii 44:17 and I usually go into the worst neighborhoods 44:19 and I prayer walk 44:21 because they make the best disciples. 44:26 Sometimes the worst people make the best disciples. 44:29 I mean, Peter, peter was a blustering, 44:32 blundering, cursing, drunken fisherman. 44:34 Look what he did for the glory of God 44:37 without the Holy Spirit 44:39 and Peter there would have been no Pentecost. 44:42 I mean he takes the word 44:43 so I was praying for the meanest stuffiest, 44:44 Snornest, fightness, chewness, shootness 44:49 guy in Oahu. 44:52 And I stood up about the first night 44:53 in the series of meetings, I'm more excited. 44:55 By the way, I don't know 44:56 if you're getting excited about this but I am. 45:01 Someone said to me 45:02 you're as excited about this thing 45:05 is when you first came to it. 45:06 I said yeah I'm still saved. Come on, I'm still saved. 45:11 And so I was looking out and in walks this big Samoan, 45:15 Samoans they are big. 45:20 You think this guy is big. 45:23 This Samoan came down must've been 6'6'', 45:28 must've been well, I could only get this 45:31 far around him once I hugged him. 45:33 I'm a hugger but it took me 45:34 about three days to get them-- to hug him 45:36 and he had all the scars, 45:43 all the scars. 45:46 Wasted human 22-23 years old 45:52 and I kept praying for him. 45:54 He came out of the territory I had been praying. 45:58 I wish I had been there when God touch his heart. 46:01 I wish I had been there when Jesus came in his life. 46:05 I wish you'd been here 46:06 when he came and gave his life to Jesus. 46:09 And you know he-- I said to him you know, 46:11 I tell most people to come the Christ. 46:13 You have a habit in your life that's no problem 46:15 we have unknowingly we pray, you know, 46:16 and I said well, if you are having a problem 46:18 bring that stuff in a bound paper bag 46:22 and I will pray and take it away 46:23 and pray in the name of Jesus set you free. 46:25 You should have been there the night in anointed him. 46:28 He came down with two big shopping bags full of stuff. 46:34 I mean, I filled up my trunk I prayed all the way home 46:37 that I wouldn't be stopped by an officer 46:39 and he looked in my trunk 46:40 I would have done 40 years. 46:45 But that seems his life 46:49 was changed in such a way. 46:53 You know what, first year as a Christian 46:56 he won 100 people to Christ and built up-- listen amen. 47:01 Come on now, built up his church 47:03 and built up the youth group in his church. 47:05 Listen to me God is able 47:08 He says blessed to do His commandments 47:11 you may have right to the tree of life. 47:12 "He that saith, I know him, 47:13 and keepeth not his commandments," is what? 47:16 "A liar, and the truth is not in him." 47:18 You see this is the equation. No law, no sin, no salvation. 47:23 We don't need a Savior if we don't have a law. 47:26 Because the law says 47:27 I need a Savior, amen and amen. 47:32 The law teaches me I need a Savior. 47:36 I need, I need a Savior. 47:39 Years ago Cesar Millan 47:40 which was a great preacher was invited to a concert. 47:45 By the way, this is the hall where that concert was. 47:49 And he was old-fashioned preacher 47:51 and he went to the concert 47:52 because he want to be there 47:54 so he could share his faith in some way. 47:57 And just at that beautiful cocktail party 48:00 after the singer gave a little concert 48:06 with the people of state by 48:07 into that little cocktail party. 48:10 And she played magnificently and sand. 48:13 You know they sing in another language 48:15 but it was beautiful. 48:18 And after she'd finished Cesar Millan walked up 48:22 to and says, you know young lady, 48:23 as I listen to you I thought how the cause of Christ 48:25 could be benefited by your good voice. 48:28 And then he said this, you know, young lady, 48:31 you're much a sinner as a drunk in a ditch 48:35 and woman on scholar street. 48:38 But I want to tell you the blood of Jesus 48:40 cleanses you from all sin. 48:42 Well, that woman huffed and puffed in went home 48:45 that night she couldn't sleep. 48:47 How many times I ask God 48:48 after I get done preaching don't let them sleep 48:52 until they made things right with God. 48:55 And during the night she felt to her knees 48:56 and Charlotte Elliott wrote those beautiful words. 48:58 "Just as I am without one plea, 49:03 but that Thy blood was shed for me, 49:06 and that Thou bidst me come to Thee, 49:07 O Lamb of God, I come! I come!" 49:11 He says, she says, 49:13 "Just as I am and waiting not 49:17 to rid my soul of one dark blot, 49:22 to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, 49:27 O Lamb of God, I come! I come!" 49:33 Nineteen hundred years ago 49:35 and more our Blessed Lord came to a world 49:39 that was rebellious. 49:41 The world it had such hate they even crucified Him. 49:46 And O Lord came and he touched 49:47 the lives of those around Him 49:49 and they found life and hope 49:52 and they found a new destiny. 49:54 You see there was Mount Sinai 49:56 and those people have been so religious 49:58 and trying to keep a law without a lamb, 50:03 trying to keep Ten Commandments 50:05 without conviction and without the Christ. 50:11 Ten Commandments without Christ 50:15 and there at the cross listen, 50:18 at the cross... 50:20 Jesus Christ died for sinners. 50:26 And because of that death on the cross you and I 50:30 can be victorious in our lives. 50:32 Amen. 50:33 God has called you to victory and not to defeat. 50:37 You may be in a moment of defeat in your life right now. 50:39 You may say Brother Halverson, 50:41 I'm really right down in a very pit say. 50:44 I can't see a way out. 50:46 I want to tell you that's Sinai, 50:47 Sinai says that's true but then Calvary comes 50:51 and Jesus says but I have a way out 50:53 and that way is by the old rugged cross. 50:56 That way is to come and say 50:58 "I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight of Lord, 51:01 will You forgive me. 51:02 Will You forgive me of my sin. 51:04 And that Jesus says Father, 51:06 forgive Mary and Ronnie and all the Ronnie's 51:13 and the Mary's that ever confess before God. 51:20 May you be driven to the fact and truth 51:22 that my moral law is now written in your heart 51:25 and may you be a child of God 51:28 willing to keep His commandments more than that 51:31 willing to surrender your will and your life 51:34 and you love to Jesus, amen. 51:36 Amen. 51:54 A Bible question I would like to share with you 51:56 is this Bible question let me read it. 51:58 "I still don't get it. 52:00 If God knows everything past, present and future 52:03 why on earth will He create Lucifer 52:06 knowing what he would-- knowing that 52:08 he would do what he has done." 52:10 Terrific question. 52:11 If God knew what was coming 52:13 why did he create Lucifer? 52:17 You know, the Bible tells us that God is love. 52:22 When God created the universe 52:23 He created angels sometime very long ago 52:28 and he gave angels freedom of choice. 52:31 It would appear to me that for 52:33 and extraordinarily long time Lucifer was the perfect angel. 52:36 The Bible tells us that he was a covering cherub, 52:39 he dwelled in the presence of God 52:41 but then for reasons... 52:43 we can't explain Lucifer turned bad. 52:47 The Word of God talks about this, 52:49 it doesn't explain it to explain 52:51 sin would be tantamount to excusing sin. 52:54 But I'll read to you from Isaiah Chapter 14. 52:58 Isaiah Chapter 14 and would begin at verse 12. 53:02 "How art thou fallen from heaven, 53:03 O Lucifer, son of the morning! 53:06 How art thou cut down to the ground, 53:07 you who did weaken the nations! 53:09 For you have said in your heart, 53:11 I will ascend into heaven, 53:13 I will exalt my throne above the stars of God 53:15 I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, 53:18 in the farthest sides of the north 53:19 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, 53:22 I will be like the most High." 53:26 Now Lucifer affect us, Satan affect us, yes he does, 53:31 but you know who's most affected 53:33 the one who was most affected is the God of heaven. 53:37 Now we might ask the question 53:38 oh, why would God let this happen to me? 53:41 I have a hardship in my life, 53:43 illness in my life, tragedy in my life 53:45 why would God let this happen to me? 53:48 Wait a minute. 53:49 Why would God let this happen to him? 53:52 You and I will get over the difficulties in our life. 53:55 In the resurrection, 53:56 we won't even have cause to think about it. 53:59 Will enjoy heaven... 54:00 and the glories of a recreated earth 54:03 and the splendor of the universe 54:04 for ever and ever and ever and ever. 54:08 What does God enjoy? Now God will enjoy us. 54:12 He wants to be with us, we are His payoff 54:15 which depending on how you look at it 54:17 doesn't seem like a great deal for God 54:19 but God has such love that 54:20 He considers it a deal worth doing. 54:23 But think of what salvation cost God? 54:26 Jesus came from heaven to earth 54:30 and He died a horrible death on a across. 54:35 And then if we understand the Bible correctly 54:37 we believe that when Jesus ascended to heaven 54:40 He ascended in bodily form and no longer want omnipresent. 54:46 I mean, think about this 54:47 heaven risk a lot allowing Jesus to die 54:50 and Jesus paid a lot in coming to this earth to die. 54:56 So why would God allow this thing to unravel? 55:04 Why would He create Lucifer 55:06 knowing what Lucifer might do? 55:08 Because God is love. 55:10 He couldn't remove free choice 55:13 knowing that somebody some angel 55:15 might squander His free choice. 55:18 God knew if that was the case 55:20 it would cost Him God more than anybody. 55:25 God was willing to pay the price. 55:27 Why did He allow it to happen? 55:28 Because He was willing to pay the price. 55:30 Why did He allow to happen? 55:32 Because God is a love and that's good news. 55:39 Thank you for your questions. 55:40 Tonight, we look forward to doing 55:42 more Bible questions next time. 56:13 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says 56:15 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 56:18 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 56:22 Every Word is a one minute Bible based daily devotional 56:25 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 56:28 and designed especially for busy people like you. 56:31 Look for Every Word on selected networks 56:33 or watch it online every day on our website itiswritten.com. 56:38 Receive a daily spiritual boost, 56:40 watch Every Word, you will be glad you did. |
Revised 2014-12-17