Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: 13RVT
Program Code: 13RVT000021
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00:05 In today's troubled world, people are wondering
00:10 where we're 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 One of the great things about God, 00:39 one of the many wonderful things about God 00:42 is that God is ready to forgive. 00:44 Is there anything that you have done 00:46 that God wouldn't forgive? 00:49 If we go to the Bible 00:50 we discover that the answer is no. 00:52 We've been told that if we confess our sins 00:54 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 00:58 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 01:00 Having said that the Bible talks 01:03 about an unpardonable sin. 01:05 Well, is it murder? Moses was a murderer. 01:08 Well, is it cursing God? Is it blasphemy? 01:12 Is it-- well, we'll go to the Bible tonight 01:15 and we'll find out just what it is the unpardonable sin. 01:21 But before we do I want to remind you 01:23 about this DVD presentation. 01:26 The Ron Halverson story, "From Gangs to God." 01:30 You don't want to miss this presentation. 01:32 You can get it on your way out tonight 01:34 or if you can't get it on your way out tonight 01:36 go to itiswritten.com and click on 01:38 where it says store and you can get it there. 01:41 The Ron Halverson story, "From Gangs to God." 01:46 Our subject tonight is "The Sin God Cannot Forgive" 01:49 and our presenter is again Ron Halverson. 01:54 Let's bow our heads now in a word of prayer. 01:55 I want to speak on this subject, 01:57 "The Sin that God Cannot Forgive." 02:00 Father God, I thank you so much 02:01 for what You've done here tonight. 02:03 I thank you, Father, that you can bless us, 02:06 even though we're so human and mistakes are made. 02:08 But I pray, Father, that everyone realizes 02:13 that there is great joy in heaven right now 02:16 of the one sinner who repents. 02:19 And we thank You and give You honor 02:20 and give You praise and give You glory. 02:22 And we pray it in Christ's name, amen. 02:24 Amen. Amen. 02:26 "The sin that God Cannot Forgive." 02:30 One of the great themes of the Bible 02:32 is the theme of forgiveness. 02:34 God is mighty to forgive. 02:38 I mean, when Adam sinned 02:40 and hid himself in the garden behind the tree, 02:45 God went searching for him and God forgave him. 02:50 There was forgiveness. 02:52 When Noah sinned, the sin against his children, 02:56 I mean, God was there to forgive. 03:00 When Moses struck the rock and God was there to forgive. 03:03 When David sinned-- sinned against evil 03:08 and committed sin of murder, God was there to forgive. 03:10 When a woman taken in adultery was cast at the feet of Jesus, 03:15 He was there to forgive. I mean everywhere in Scripture. 03:18 "And I will pray the Father, 03:20 and He shall give you another Comforter, 03:22 that he may abide with you for ever, 03:25 even the Spirit of truth, 03:26 whom the Lord cannot receive," the Bible tells us. 03:29 "Because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, 03:32 but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, 03:35 and shall be in you. 03:36 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost," 03:39 he goes on to say, 03:40 "whom the Father will send in my name, 03:43 he shall teach you all things, 03:45 and bring all things to your remembrance, 03:48 whatsoever I have said to you." 03:51 Everywhere the story is the same, 03:54 in every page, every chapter, 03:57 I mean every book, there is the remaining, 04:00 the same, the word of God, the Holy Spirit, the dove. 04:06 The Holy Spirit that comes down 04:08 and touches the life of Jesus Christ in His baptism. 04:12 The Holy Spirit that's left for a Comforter, 04:14 for every generation, for every age 04:16 this Comforter comes to us. 04:18 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, 04:20 it is expedient for you that I go away, 04:24 for if I go not away, 04:25 the Comforter will not come unto you, 04:27 but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 04:30 And when he is come," 04:31 the Bible says, he will do this, 04:33 "he will reprove the world of sin, 04:35 and of righteousness, and of judgment of sin, 04:37 because they believe not on me, of righteousness, 04:40 because I go to my Father, 04:41 and ye see me no more, of judgment," he says, 04:46 "because the prince of the world is judged. 04:49 I have yet many things to say unto you, 04:51 but ye cannot bear them now. 04:53 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, 04:56 he will guide you," what? 04:58 "Into all truth," the Bible says, 05:01 "for he shall not speak of himself, 05:04 but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, 05:07 and he will show you things to come. 05:11 If we confess our sins, he is faithful 05:13 and just to forgive us of our sins, and to," what? 05:16 "Cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 05:19 No one need to carry the burden of unforgiven sin. 05:23 No one here tonight needs to be 05:25 under the guilt-- under the guilt of sin. 05:28 No one needs to go from this place 05:30 carrying the burden of sin. 05:32 Jesus Christ is willing, Jesus Christ is able, 05:36 and He is wanting to forgive. 05:38 That's the very nature of the God that we serve, 05:41 the very nature of the God we serve, 05:43 came quickly to a garden 05:45 when our first parents sinned against God, 05:48 when they sinned against the Holy Spirit, 05:50 right away the Father was there in the garden, 05:53 the Father was searching him out, 05:54 seeking him out, searching to bring 05:58 the boy back to the heavenly Father. 06:01 Jesus is always doing this. 06:03 "Ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek, 06:06 and ye shall find, knock, 06:08 and it will be opened unto you." 06:10 That's the story of Jesus, 06:11 knocking at the door of the human heart. 06:14 Once I found that God forgives, it was wonderful. 06:18 Once I found that God forgives, it was a way to God, 06:21 the door was open to God, I did not hesitate any longer, 06:25 I did not put off any longer. 06:27 I said, the door is open, 06:28 I better get in while it's still open. 06:31 Amen. Amen. 06:32 While its still open. 06:34 And so Jesus is longsuffering toward us, 06:37 willing and able to forgive. 06:40 And who here in this place, 06:42 who here in this place this evening, 06:44 who watching on television or watching the downlink, 06:48 who here can say they don't need to be forgiven? 06:52 Who in this place hasn't sinned? 06:54 The Bible tells us "For all who have sinned, 06:56 and come short of the glory of God." 06:59 We all have come short of the ideal of God for us. 07:02 God designed us to live in a perfect harmony with Him. 07:05 God designed us to be without sin. 07:08 God wanted us to walk in His ways forever. 07:10 That was the intention and will of God, 07:12 but man sinned against God. 07:14 He was cast-- He was cast down because of that sin 07:18 and God has been searching him ever since. 07:21 And you cannot go far enough that God can't find you. 07:24 And you can't sneak into the crowd 07:27 that God can't see you in the crowd. 07:29 God will find you. 07:30 In fact, God is seeking to bring you home. 07:34 I discovered why God created a round world. 07:38 Physicist, because the further you go away from home, boom, 07:46 the closer you come to home and that's the seeking Father. 07:50 That's the loving Father. 07:52 That's the one who wants to forgive you. 07:54 He is already willing to forgive you of your sins. 07:58 When I was a college pastor, a university pastor, 08:01 a girl came into my office and she was heartbroken 08:05 and I could tell she was carrying a burden 08:07 that she shouldn't carry. 08:09 And she confessed to me, she says-- She said, 08:11 "Pastor Ron," she says, "I can't feel forgiving." 08:15 I said, "Why do you have feel it?" 08:17 It's not a feeling. 08:20 It's a fact. We have to feel. 08:23 Well, I have to-- in fact they tell us 08:26 75% of people that forgive themselves, 08:28 there'll be 75% less emotional 08:31 and mental illness in the world. 08:35 Forgiveness, I finally taught her to seek God 08:39 and believe God through His word. 08:41 And you should have seen her after that, 08:43 she found forgiveness 08:45 and she was able to forgive herself. 08:47 Great problem with many of you, 08:49 you say God forgive me 08:50 and then you carry that with you the next day 08:52 and next week and the next month. 08:54 When you ask Him to forgive you, 08:55 He forgives you. 08:57 That's it, bottom line, no more. 08:59 He's forgotten that sin, 09:01 cast it into the depths of the sea 09:03 not to be remembered anymore. 09:04 So why should you remember it? Amen, amen. 09:07 Everywhere in the Bible you find His willingness 09:10 to forgive us of our trespasses. 09:12 I mean, here's just a few texts. 09:14 Leviticus 4:31. Leviticus 5:13, 16, 18. 09:19 Numbers 14:19. Numbers 15:26, 28. 09:23 Psalm 32:1. Psalm 85:2. 09:27 Isaiah 33:24, on and on, and Matthew 9: 2, 5. 09:33 Do you need more proof that God forgives? 09:36 Matthew 12:31, 32. 09:38 Mark 3:28. Mark 4:12. 09:41 Luke 5:20. Luke 7:47, 48. 09:44 Acts 8:22. Romans 4:7. 09:46 I mean, 1 John 2-- I could go on and on and on. 09:49 God is able and willing to forgive. 09:53 Amen. Amen. 09:55 And be forgiving. Be forgiving. 09:59 Quit feeling sorry for yourself and be forgiving. 10:04 The Bible doctrine of forgiveness 10:05 is absolutely clear. 10:07 God is ready and able to forgive you of your sin 10:10 and I've seen in my ministry, the downtrodden, the sin sick, 10:14 the habitual sinner saved and forgiven, 10:17 cleansed to go on to great things in their life, 10:20 to go on to a great place in their life. 10:23 You see, everywhere He's willing to forgive. 10:26 In Genesis to Jesus, He's willing to forgive. 10:29 The prophets and the patriarchs, 10:30 the people of the Old Testament. 10:32 From Jesus to John, the New Testament people, 10:35 He was willing to forgive. 10:36 And from John to Ron, 10:39 He is willing and He is able to forgive. 10:44 And there's no sin of the flesh 10:48 that He cannot and will not forgive. 10:53 In a dream, Martin Luther found himself 10:54 being attacked by Satan. 10:57 The devil unrolled a long scroll 10:58 containing a list of Luther's sins 11:02 and he held it before him. 11:04 On reaching the end of the scroll 11:06 Luther asked the devil, "Is that all?" 11:08 "No," came the reply. 11:11 And a second scroll was thrust in front of him. 11:14 And it was opened up. 11:19 "Is that all?" "No." 11:21 And a third scroll. 11:24 And the devil-- He asked the devil, 11:27 "Do you have anymore?" 11:29 He says, "No more." 11:31 "Oh, you've forgotten something," Luther said. 11:34 "Quickly write on each of them, 'The blood of Jesus Christ, 11:37 God's Son, cleanses us from all sin.' " 11:40 Amen. Amen. 11:42 And God has written on your name, 11:45 God has written on your heart, if you are repentant, 11:49 God is willing and able to forgive, 11:53 that's everywhere in Scripture. 11:55 He's willing to accept you and He accepts you on His love 11:59 and on His forgiveness. 12:01 And forgiveness is found everywhere in the Bible. 12:04 You don't go anywhere in the Bible 12:06 without finding this idea of forgiveness. 12:09 There are three prerequisites. 12:10 You don't have to have money to be forgiven 12:13 or only the rich would be forgiven. 12:15 And if I reached in my pocket 12:16 I would see that I couldn't be forgiven. 12:20 You don't have to have the best clothes. 12:23 You don't have to go to church. 12:25 Well, it's good to go to church, 12:26 so you grow in grace, 12:27 but that isn't what saves you and forgives you. 12:31 I mean, only the-- only the good people would-- 12:33 I mean-- You don't have to do things 12:37 that are special to try to make up, 12:40 in marriage to try to make up, 12:42 so that you can try to prove to God or try to persuade God 12:45 or try to influence God to forgive you. 12:48 He's already forgiving you. 12:49 He's already there in the place. 12:51 He is a God of forgiveness, 12:53 that is His job, that is His job description. 12:57 Praise the Lord. 12:59 His job description is to forgive you. 13:01 Remember, your job description, 13:03 no matter what you say, is sinner. 13:06 Now some of you cover it pretty good. 13:09 Happy Sabbath, Brother Halverson. 13:10 You cover it pretty good. 13:13 Sing in the choir, you cover it pretty good. 13:17 The wage of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life 13:19 through Jesus Christ our Lord. 13:21 Everywhere is forgiveness 13:23 and there's the three perquisite, no, here it is. 13:26 Repent. 13:27 You have to have a heart sorrow for sin. 13:29 I don't care who you are, you have to repent. 13:32 Many years ago I was visiting, I was in New York, evangelist, 13:35 a pastor and evangelist in New York City 13:37 and I was doing great work for God there in that city. 13:40 We had an evangelistic center just go up on Broadway 13:44 there at Times Square. 13:47 And I would preach there and hold crusades 13:49 and hold Bible studies. 13:51 And I had a name to visit, 13:55 it was the name of a preacher's kid. 13:59 And when I looked at the address, 14:00 I said to myself, 14:01 "Wow, how did this kid ever get there? 14:04 What is this child-- 14:05 What is that child doing there?" 14:08 And so I decided I'd go make a visit. 14:11 I got my ghetto car and drove out to that part of Brooklyn. 14:15 My ghetto car I called it 14:16 because it wasn't worth stealing. 14:19 And I got to the address, 14:20 I ran up the stairs, down the hall, 14:22 when I got to the door, there were boom this-- boom, 14:25 you know, the music boom going, 14:27 you hear the base, you know, boom, boom, boom. 14:31 And so I knocked on the door, 14:32 my Christian knocking boom, boom. 14:36 So I got back about three feet 14:38 and I ran at the door and went "boom, boom, boom." 14:44 Finally, she came to the door, 14:46 and unlocked the door except the chain locking. 14:49 Said "Who is it?" I said, "Ron Halvorsen." 14:53 "Who's he?" 14:54 Now I knew the girl needed a visit. 14:58 I get that on Thursday, but anyway, 15:02 I knew she needed a visit. 15:04 And I said, "I'm an evangelist, I'm pastor. 15:06 I'm an evangelist, Seventh-day Adventist evangelist. 15:08 I'm preaching in town and in the city here." 15:12 "I'm not interested," she says. 15:14 I said, "I know. That's why I'm here." 15:21 So she opened the door, I went in. 15:24 It was poor scene, a little child clinging to her. 15:31 What do you do? 15:32 Preach to her? No. 15:35 Some of you love to do that. Tell her how bad she is. 15:40 We have people around here that does that. 15:42 No. You listen. 15:45 I said, "honey, tell me your story." 15:47 She said, "Well, I'm a PK." 15:48 I said, "Whoa, that's interesting." 15:50 And she told me her story. 15:51 She grew up in a church, she went to a church school 15:53 just like the student in Berean 15:55 and in our little church school over Sharon's. 15:58 And she went to the church school 16:00 and she-- Her daddy was a preacher. 16:02 And she would sit in there and then she went to MV 16:06 and all those sang in the youth choir 16:08 and all those good things and she's growing up 16:11 and she is a Christian girl, at least in lifestyle. 16:18 Listen, you can dress up a pig, but it's still a pig. 16:23 You can dress up a sinner, but it's still a sinner. 16:27 But she went through all that, 16:28 you know, went off to academy, got in with the wrong kids 16:32 and got to drinking and carrying on 16:35 and found out she was pregnant. 16:38 When told to daddy and her daddy got angry. 16:41 Now something about getting upset, 16:42 any father would. 16:44 But she got angry, he got angry. 16:47 He said, "You're no longer my daughter, 16:48 get out of this house." 16:51 Packed her little suitcase and she hitchhiked across 16:53 from California to New York. 16:55 And by the way those lechers are waiting for them, 16:59 at the bus terminal and at the-- 17:01 Hey, they're waiting for them. 17:02 And so they put her up to lay her down. 17:08 And here she is. 17:13 And I said this to her finally, I said, 17:14 "Honey, have you ever thought about going home?" 17:17 "And so I can't go home." I said, "Why?" 17:20 She said "Because I did this terrible thing." 17:22 She hadn't forgiven herself. 17:24 And she said, "My father wouldn't want me home." 17:27 I couldn't believe that. 17:29 A father that wouldn't let his-- 17:31 want his daughter home? 17:33 I said, "What if he wanted you to come home?" 17:35 And there came a glint in her eye, just enough, 17:37 I saw it and I said this girl wants to go home. 17:42 So I pray for her and I got my ghetto car 17:44 and drove back home 17:46 and when I got there, I searched up. 17:48 You can run from evangelists, but you can't hide. 17:53 So don't get-- Hey, buddy, 17:54 don't get nervous if I want to visit you. 17:56 Better I visit you here. 18:00 Right? Come on now. 18:03 Why shouldn't I want to visit you? 18:05 Why shouldn't I want to tell you 18:07 about Jesus' way of life? 18:10 I mean, a mechanic wants to work on the motor, 18:13 I wonder if they'll be there to work on the human heart. 18:16 And so I looked up in the General Conference Book, 18:21 they have a book of ministers 18:22 and the city he lived in, didn't have his phone number, 18:24 but once I found the city, the man's caught. 18:30 And so I found his phone number and I dialed up the preacher. 18:34 Here it is. Can you imagine him? 18:36 Professional. 18:38 Oh, you could see him, black suit, black shoes, 18:41 black tie, black underwear-- I mean, this man is-- 18:44 This man is clerical, he's clergy. 18:48 And then he gives me this heavy line, 18:51 "May I help you?" 18:53 Hypocrisy. 18:57 I said, "I just was visiting your daughter. 19:00 I just wanted to call you and tell you 19:02 I was visiting your daughter." 19:03 He says, "I have no daughter." I said, "You're a liar." 19:08 What is this political correct stuff? 19:11 A liar. 19:13 He may have a PhD, but he's a liar. 19:17 And I said, "You have a beautiful daughter, 19:19 and not only that, you have a beautiful granddaughter. 19:21 I had that little grandchild on my lap, let me tell you. 19:24 What a wonderful little child and so cute and--" 19:29 "You don't understand." I said, "No, I do understand. 19:33 How many times have you preached 19:34 on the Prodigal Son?" 19:43 So he tried to, you know, you don't-- 19:47 you don't fight with me on the phone, 19:48 I invented this boy. 19:53 And I said "You have a girl and she's in the wrong place. 19:58 It's not safe for her, 19:59 it's not safe for your grandkid." 20:04 There was a pause and he started to cry. 20:10 Repentance. 20:14 I said, "You've got to forgive your girl." 20:19 He started to cry, he said, " I forgive her, 20:22 I got to forgive myself." 20:25 I said, "Would you like her home?" 20:28 He said, "Preacher, get her home." 20:30 I said, "I'll get her home." 20:32 And I had prayer on the phone with that preacher. 20:35 Even preachers can repent. 20:36 Amen. Amen. 20:38 Even preachers can repent. 20:42 So the next day I got my ghetto car 20:44 and drove out to Brooklyn 20:45 and up the stairs, down the hallway 20:47 and there was the boom, boom. 20:49 Hey, listen to me, people, don't wait till the boom stops. 20:52 Don't wait till you clean them all up. 20:54 What do you think you are? 20:57 Let the Holy Spirit do His work and you do your work 21:00 and your work is to love them for the kingdom of God. 21:06 Love them for the kingdom of God. 21:09 Old saint, 50 years, serving God, 21:11 wants the new Christian to serve God in the same level? 21:15 You are mixed up in your brain. Mixed up in your brain. 21:22 You stand between Jesus Christ 21:24 and a peep person for the kingdom of God 21:26 and baptism, you are the Antichrist 21:29 because you're taking the prerogative of God alone. 21:33 Now I know you don't like to hear those sermons. 21:36 But don't ask me to preach if I'm not gonna preach 21:39 what God wants me to preach. 21:43 Think they're so holy. He repented. 21:50 There was hope for Him, and unless you repent, 21:52 there's no hope for you. 21:53 I don't care how happy you are on Sabbath. 21:57 I don't care how many you keep. 21:59 If you don't love, you don't love. 22:03 Repent. So I went back. 22:07 Boom! Don't wait till they clean up. 22:10 So I went booming. 22:12 Said "Who is it?" I said, "Ron Halvorsen." 22:13 Now she knows Ron Halvorsen. She invited me. 22:16 And, oh, by the way, on the way there 22:19 I stopped at the airport. 22:22 Don't invite people the way out and not give them a way out. 22:25 I got a one-way ticket to California. 22:29 And I got the ticket right here and I-- 22:32 I come in and she says, "You're back." 22:34 I said, "Yeah." 22:35 I said "Because I got to help you pack, 22:37 because you're going home to your father to California." 22:41 She said, "No, he wouldn't want--" 22:42 I said, "No, he wants you home. 22:43 Here's the ticket." 22:45 Amen. Amen. 22:49 For the first time she was able to forgive herself. 22:54 I was there in LaGuardia, little baby in my arms, 22:59 with the little mother and gave them a holy hug, 23:05 send them on their way. 23:07 About five years later-- four, five years later 23:10 I was out in Anaheim, California 23:12 preaching to 35,000 people in the Coliseum there. 23:16 And when I finished preaching 23:17 I couldn't shake hands with everybody, 23:20 and so I said "If you'd like to come, 23:21 come visit me upfront." 23:22 And this woman came up and a child 23:25 and a nice-looking young man. 23:27 And she said to me, "You know who I am?" 23:32 I said, "Honey, I'm sorry, I don't know who I am. 23:37 I got to look in the mirror two times a day 23:40 just to see who I am." 23:44 And she said, "Remember Brooklyn 23:46 and boom, boom, boom?" 23:49 I said-- she said "My daddy took me home, took me in. 23:56 He loved me again and I loved him again. 23:58 He sent me off to school. 23:59 I studied to be a teacher 24:01 and now I'm teaching in a church school 24:03 and serving God in a church school. 24:05 Listen to me-- That's repentance. 24:10 That's what you have to do. 24:12 Oh, I got to do this and this and this. 24:13 Oh, if I can-- I don't know if I can do this. 24:15 I don't know if I can be all these things. 24:17 You don't have to be all those things. 24:19 You got to repent. 24:21 You got to have a heart sorrow for your sinning. 24:23 You can't overcome sinning 24:25 until you have a heart sorrow for it. 24:29 People-- here's what the Bible tells us, 24:33 I mean, I'm not making this up. 24:35 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, 24:36 that your sins may be blotted out, 24:38 when the times of refreshing come 24:40 from the presence of the Lord." 24:41 That's all there. He says "Draw near to God." 24:44 Listen to me "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." 24:47 Steps for forgiveness. Confess your sins. 24:49 Listen, the Word of God tells us this. 24:51 "If ye confess your sins, He is faithful 24:53 and just to forgive you of your sins, 24:55 to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." 24:58 I mean, not just part of it, He says 24:59 "all unrighteousness," all unrighteousness. 25:04 That's what it says. 25:06 You confess, you repent, you confess. 25:08 Here it is. You want forgiveness? 25:11 Then you convert, change. You can't do that. 25:15 Only God can do that, but it has to happen. 25:19 You see a person who can come 25:20 under the influence of Jesus Christ 25:22 and not be a different person. 25:24 No man can come into the presence of Jesus 25:26 and remain the same. 25:27 Amen. Amen. 25:29 God changes your life. 25:31 Some of you are being change right here, you know. 25:33 And some of you don't know 25:34 the length of which He's changing you. 25:36 I mean, you can hardly fathom the greatness 25:40 which He's transforming you as God converts. 25:45 That's it. 25:46 "And said, Verily I say unto you, 25:47 Except ye be converted, 25:49 become as little child, ye shall not" what? 25:51 "Enter the kingdom of heaven." You got to become as a child. 25:54 You noticed that? 25:56 What is a child? A child is simple. 25:59 Child cuts through all this other stuff. 26:02 A child-- We want to make adults of them 26:04 and God wants them to be a child. 26:07 Hey, except you be converted, become-- listen to me, 26:14 the Word of God tells us here 26:16 "There was a man of the Pharisees, 26:17 named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, 26:18 The same came to Jesus by night, 26:20 said unto him, Rabbi, we know," here comes the snow job. 26:23 This is the religious snow job. We know you are a great person. 26:27 He doesn't want them to tell Him 26:28 he's a great person. 26:30 He wanted to ask the man to ask Him to save him. 26:34 He wanted to be the Savior, not a great teacher. 26:37 He wanted to be the great Rabbi, 26:39 he said I don't want to recognize, 26:41 you need to recognize me as a Savior. 26:44 "For no man can do these miracles," 26:45 there he goes, "except God be with him. 26:48 Jesus answered and said unto him, 26:50 Verily, verily, I say unto you, 26:51 Except the man be born again 26:53 he cannot see the kingdom of God." 26:55 Listen, forgiveness is a free gift from God, 26:58 its amazing grace. 27:00 It's amazing grace. And why? 27:04 He's able to forgive the grossest sin, Jesus Christ. 27:09 I could talk to you about the murder 27:10 in Birmingham, Alabama. 27:12 Spent 28 years in prison. 27:14 He gets out, he's wandering 27:15 down the street in Birmingham, Alabama. 27:17 I'm in a little hall there in Birmingham, Alabama 27:20 with the sign out front 27:21 Revelation office hope at that time. 27:24 And in walks this man, 28 years in prison for murder. 27:28 And I tell you that man was touched by the grace of God, 27:31 that man was filled with the Holy Spirit 27:33 and that man went from that place a different man. 27:36 He became a deacon, listen, he became a follower of Christ 27:40 and a leader in his own church. 27:42 Listen to me, there's no sin that God can't forgive. 27:45 You say, how many times can He-- 28 years he was in prison. 27:53 God forgave him. 27:55 He repented, confessed and was converted. 27:57 His life was changed. 27:59 Hardcore criminals, I've seen it. 28:02 Moses in anger kills an Egyptian. 28:04 What does God do? He tries to hide the sin. 28:08 God forgives. 28:09 David was a man killed, get his wife. 28:12 What does he do? God forgives. 28:13 Listen, here He goes, He forgives 28:15 and forgives and forgives, 28:17 but there is a sin that even God can't forgive. 28:21 Even Jesus who forgave all these people out of love 28:25 that even Jesus cannot forgive 28:28 and it's called the unpardonable sin. 28:30 I'm gonna read what I consider be 28:32 some of the most terrifying 28:33 awesome versus in the all Bible. 28:36 It's found in Matthew 12:30-32 28:41 "He that is not with me is against me." 28:43 Hey, you can with Him here but until you take those steps 28:47 you are not with Him. 28:49 You can believe it here but until you take those steps 28:52 you are not with Him. 28:54 "He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 28:56 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin 28:58 but blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." 29:00 He goes on to tell us what this sin is. 29:04 "But whosever speaketh against the Holy Ghost 29:06 it shall not be forgiven him." 29:08 I mean that's how clear it is. 29:10 He will not forgive that sin 29:13 which is against the Holy Spirit, 29:16 the Holy Spirit. 29:18 When it gets too deep for some 29:21 there is no way back or no way out. 29:23 "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, 29:25 it shall be forgiven him, but unto him that blasphemeth 29:28 against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven." 29:30 Here's the unpardonable sin. 29:31 Listen to me, He says, 29:33 this is the sin against the Holy Spirit. 29:35 And by the way Mark 3:20 tells the story 29:37 it's the background. 29:38 "The multitude cometh together again, 29:40 so they could not so much as eat bread." 29:42 It was so crowded they crowded around Jesus, 29:45 they couldn't even eat their lunch. 29:46 Now they want to know more about Jesus 29:49 and there in the Word of God it tells us about Jesus 29:52 and Jesus later on Hebrew says, "How shall we escape, 29:54 if we neglect so great salvation." 29:56 And Jesus is teaching and He says this, 29:59 "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, 30:02 and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 30:04 and were made partakers 30:05 of the Holy Spirit of the Holy Ghost, 30:08 have tasted the good word of the God, 30:09 and the powers of the world to come, 30:11 if they shall fall away, 30:13 to renew them again unto repentance." 30:17 Don't go back sliding on God, that's serious. 30:23 Don't back sliding on God. 30:26 Listen to the word 30:28 "Seeing they crucify to themselves 30:30 the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame." 30:35 Put him to open shame. 30:39 Now in the story there in Mark Chapter 3 30:42 Jesus is performing great miracles. 30:45 In fact, even the Pharisees are impressed by. 30:48 They could deny the miracle. 30:50 I mean, blind man seeing, lame man walking 30:52 and all these miracles are happening 30:54 and now they're gonna question 30:56 they're not gonna deny the miracle 30:58 they gonna say, where is this miracle come from? 31:00 Does it come from God or Beelzebub, Satan? 31:06 It's all there. 31:09 He restore that insane-- 31:13 He even wanted to admit can this be the son of God, 31:15 or can this be the son of David 31:17 or the son of David was messianic, 31:19 he was messianic term and they were saying, 31:21 he could just be the Messiah 31:23 and the Pharisees came in, oh, not really-- 31:28 And that's what's called the apostasy. 31:32 There is full revelation of the gospel 31:33 and they turned away from him. 31:36 They saw Jesus in action and he turned it away from Him. 31:39 They heard truth from lips of Jesus from His word 31:42 and they turned away from Him. 31:44 You see, it's not the sin of the flesh, 31:47 not because we stumble and commit a sin it 31:49 because we turn away from it, we turn our back on it. 31:53 We have the opportunity but we shut the door, 31:56 we backup, we say well, well, well, 31:59 well, not now wait, wait, wait, we backup. 32:01 You see, that's the sin against the Holy Spirit 32:04 because the Holy Spirit is trying to convict you 32:06 and trying to win you and trying to vow you 32:08 and you feel the conflict in your heart but you backup. 32:16 Backup. 32:21 They crucified Christ afresh. 32:25 Matthew 12 says "When the Pharisees heard it, 32:28 they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, 32:30 but by Beelzebub." 32:31 There it is the same story in Matthew. 32:36 They deny Jesus the Son of God. They denied what He was doing. 32:40 Now these three accusations 32:41 they made against Jesus understand it. 32:43 First of all these were so illogical 32:46 and then the other was so inconsistent 32:49 and then it was so-- How was it illogical, 32:51 Satan cast out Satan? 32:53 Duh, I mean-- I mean, it was inconsistent. 33:00 There he writes from the word he writes the word 33:02 and he writes about how inconsistent this word is 33:05 and he says, "Who was before a blasphemer, 33:08 and a persecutor, and injurious, 33:09 but I obtained mercy, 33:10 because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." 33:13 He was doing the things in unbelief 33:16 but once he came to belief Saul became Paul. 33:21 And you'll say, no, I am Saul, I'm a Jew. 33:33 He got a new name, a new name. 33:38 1 Timothy tells us "The grace of our Lord 33:41 was exceeding abundant with faith and love 33:43 which is in Christ Jesus." 33:45 My friend, listen to me, the Pharisees heard it 33:47 and yet they try to claim it on Beelzebub. 33:50 Paul, on the road to Damascus which was Saul understood 33:54 what the voice was saying to him 33:56 and he was moved by it, you see he was move 33:59 and there came the in-reputable answer 34:01 Jesus answered the accusers in three arguments. 34:04 He said, literally Satan can't cast out Satan. 34:07 He says inconsistent Pharisees disciples cast out demons 34:11 inconsistent impossible to receive power from Satan 34:15 he could not possibly be stronger 34:17 than the one who receive power from. 34:20 Pretty smart Jesus, don't play around, 34:25 He gets right to the point and the point. 34:29 What is the work of the Holy Spirit? 34:30 Well, let's see what the Bible says, 34:32 what's the work of the Holy Spirit? 34:33 Because this is what the blasphemy 34:34 against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin. 34:37 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, 34:38 it is expedient for you that I go away, 34:40 for if I got not away, 34:42 the Comforter will not come unto me, 34:44 but if I depart," He says, "I will send him unto you. 34:48 And when he is come, 34:49 he will reprove the world of sin, 34:51 and of righteousness, and of judgment of sin, 34:53 because they believe not on me." 34:55 Listen to what he says, "Of righteousness, 34:57 because I got to my Father 34:59 and ye see me no more of judgment, 35:00 because the prince of this world is judged. 35:03 I have yet many things to say unto you," 35:05 and then he goes on "but ye cannot bear them. 35:08 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come," 35:10 the Spirit of truth. 35:13 Oh, Brother Halverson, I really do believe that, 35:15 that's so true, 35:16 but the Spirit of truth comes to you. 35:24 "He will guide you into all truth 35:27 for he shall not speak of himself." 35:30 What the Holy Sprit is been doing through these baptism 35:32 what Jesus has done to many of you 35:34 will be baptized tomorrow and tomorrow night. 35:36 Listen to me, what Jesus is doing to you 35:39 He's bringing you to truth and you obeyed Him. 35:43 And so therefore you've avoided ever thinking 35:45 of committing of sin against the Holy Ghost. 35:49 Never sin against the Holy Spirit. 35:52 "But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, 35:57 and he will shew you things to come. 35:59 He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, 36:02 and shall shew it unto me." 36:04 Again and again He speaks of this power, 36:07 the dove the Holy Spirit, 36:09 the Bible that's the light that we have. 36:11 If you cannot be moved by what the word says 36:14 then the Holy Spirit comes, 36:16 you cannot be moved by what the Holy Spirit does 36:18 why you cometh the sin against God 36:22 and God cannot intervene. 36:26 Wow, wow. 36:28 "And when he is come, 36:29 he will reprove the world of sin" 36:30 He is reproved some of you people. 36:32 This not Ron Halverson reproving you, 36:34 the Holy Spirit reproving you. 36:36 He's correcting some of you 36:38 of righteousness of judgment of sin 36:41 because they believe not on me 36:43 and then he goes "Of righteousness, 36:44 because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more, 36:47 and judgment because the prince of this world is judged." 36:50 He goes on to say, "And I Jesus have sent my angel 36:53 to testify unto you these things in the churches. 36:56 I am the root and the offspring of David, 36:58 the bright and morning star." 36:59 I'm Messiah, that's what He saying. 37:01 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. 37:03 And let me that heareth say, Come. 37:05 And let him that is athirst come. 37:07 And whosoever will, 37:08 let him take the water of life" what? 37:11 "Freely." 37:13 The water of life. 37:15 But we refuse the cup. 37:17 We're not read to drink. 37:20 Well, not being ready and refusing is 37:23 two different things, two different things. 37:28 You see, without the Holy Spirit 37:29 you won't even be able to repent. 37:33 Without the Holy Spirit you wouldn't-- 37:35 you would feel no need to confess. 37:39 Without the Holy Spirit, 37:40 listen to me, without the Holy Spirit 37:42 you would not know the way of righteousness, 37:44 without the Holy Spirit you're be incapable 37:45 of making decision to follow Christ. 37:47 Are you close to committing that sin 37:50 you've known the message 37:51 from months and years, some of you? 37:56 Some of you had to share with you by the loved ones 37:58 and relatives and friends through the years. 38:02 You've been in the meetings like this many times 38:05 but yet you refuse the calling of the Holy Spirit. 38:10 Refuse to the follow the Holy Spirit. 38:17 Come, drink of the water. Jesus Christ offers that water. 38:23 I mean, He offers it to you, He offers it to me this Jesus. 38:30 Let me talk to you for few minutes. 38:34 I think that man there in Scotland 38:37 he was walk along the beach. 38:40 And the water was way out, the tide was way out. 38:44 I've been in those areas and the tide, 38:47 sometimes its 50 foot tides. 38:50 I've been in Newfoundland, 50 foot tide. 38:54 And he is walking along the beach having a great time 38:56 and the water was way, way out 38:58 and you know, he is just enjoying himself, 39:00 enjoying everything about it 39:01 as he was walking along the beach 39:06 and as he got half way down the beach, 39:08 he noticed this sign. 39:10 It says, "Don't go any further 39:14 or you will be caught by the tide." 39:16 He looked at the tide, it was way out there. 39:20 He was having such a wonderful time, 39:22 I mean, the tide is so far away, 39:25 such a wonderful time. 39:27 And so he thought "Well, that won't affect me." 39:31 And so he kept going down the beach. 39:34 But after a while he noticed the tide 39:36 was coming in, it was rushing in. 39:38 And it was 10 feet away and so he turned around 39:41 and started walking back and tide before he knew 39:44 it was up through his feet. 39:45 And so he started running and that was up to his angles. 39:48 And he started running and he was running 39:50 and running and running 39:51 but so it was up to his knees and that he was floundering. 39:55 He doesn't seem to be able to make it, I mean. 39:58 And then the water is up to his hips. 40:05 He saw the cliffs he thought, maybe I could climb up on the-- 40:08 maybe I could climb up on the, on the cliff 40:14 and avoid being drowned. 40:16 And so he started climbing up on the cliff. 40:18 But there was a water rushing higher and higher and higher, 40:21 he got as far as he could go, high as he could go. 40:24 And soon the water, the water rushed in on him 40:30 and swept him away and swept him to his death. 40:36 Listen to me, you see, 40:39 Christ invitation is to you. 40:46 This is Christ invitation to come, 40:50 to avoid the unavoidable outside of Holy Spirit. 40:55 You see this Christ invitation is to come to the woman 40:58 seeking love and multiple marriages, 41:00 God says, "Come on," the Spirit says, "Come." 41:05 There is forgiveness but you need to come. 41:10 Come to the well of living water. 41:13 To the workaholic, striving so hard 41:17 to achieve the good life apart from God. 41:21 Too busy, too involved in your work, 41:24 too involved in the things you do, 41:26 too involved to get involved with Jesus Christ. 41:29 You see the Spirit says, 41:30 "Come, come to the well of living water." 41:36 For a person here this evening burden 41:37 with a heavy load of sin and guilt 41:41 Spirit says, "Come and I will lift 41:42 that guilt and take away that sin." 41:45 But you have to come, you have to come. 41:50 To who has been abused, maybe abandoned and detach, 41:57 takes pills to get through a day, 41:59 the Spirit says, "Come." 42:02 I mean, "Come, come to the light of the world 42:04 who can turn your dark night of depression 42:06 and despair into a new day." 42:08 Spirit of God says, "Come." 42:11 To the one who is terrified by the diagnosis 42:13 and some terrible illness. 42:15 If you don't know what's gonna happen 42:18 you cannot cope with it, you can't-- 42:20 I mean, you can't face it. 42:21 The Spirit of God says, "Come." 42:24 Come to Him who is the resurrection and the life. 42:28 You see don't deny Him any longer. 42:30 You see you can deny me but you can't deny Him. 42:36 Don't say another time, God. 42:40 Well, push Him away any longer, 42:43 how long will you push Him away? 42:45 Oh, Brother Halvorsen, you don't know, 42:46 you see, it's my church. 42:47 What's your church have to do with it? 42:50 If its truth, its truth. 42:52 If it's the Holy Spirit, it's the Holy Spirit. 42:57 Come to me, you will say, 42:58 "Oh, church can't save me, brother Halverson." 43:00 Of course, it can't 43:01 but you can't push away the Holy Spirit. 43:05 You see the spirit and bride say come. 43:08 Jesus holds out His hand of love to you and says, 43:11 "Come, this very hour, this very moment." 43:13 He wants to cover your sins, He wants to wash away your sins 43:17 to empower you, to empower you. 43:23 I was preaching in Greenwich Village many years ago. 43:29 And as I stood up to preach that night, 43:31 four young men came in to this hall. 43:35 They were flying their collars, their gang collars, 43:37 social sevens, South Bronx, Mott Haven. 43:42 They were mainline heroin addicts, 43:44 first they snot it, it burns out the membranes 43:47 and their skin pop and finally it's mainlining. 43:51 And these young men are mainlining their heroin addicts 43:54 from the moment they wake up in the morning 43:55 till they go to bed at night, they are trying to find a way 43:58 to get enough money to have their next fix. 44:01 They live from moment to moment, 44:04 for the monkey on their soul. 44:07 Moment to moment, you can't trust them, 44:12 their friends can't trust them. 44:14 They can't trust themselves. 44:17 But somehow they stag it 44:18 in to an evangelistic meeting like this 44:21 and sat in the front row. 44:24 Now right away, I forgot the audience 44:25 I was thinking about these four boys 44:28 'cause I would rather preach to one person 44:31 at the gate of hell than the whole choir. 44:35 And they were four there. 44:39 And so I started to preach and I-- throwing things in 44:42 I wasn't even thinking I was gonna talk about. 44:44 And I talked about things I didn't even know I knew. 44:50 At the end of the meeting 44:51 and those-- we stood up to sing. 44:54 Those were the meetings we used to love to sing 44:57 and we stood up to sing and when we stood up to sing, 45:01 the four boys started out. 45:04 And I couldn't lose them. 45:07 So I ran off the platform 45:09 and I'm glad I wasn't on television, 45:10 I don't know what they would have done. 45:14 But I ran off the platform and I went out the side door 45:19 and down the alleyway above the ash barrels 45:21 and I'm running fast as I could, 45:22 I was young man, I could run faster then. 45:25 I still can jump fences they are just smaller now. 45:30 And I came around from the alleyway 45:32 and I came to the front, it was about 10 steps 45:35 down from the church door down to the sidewalk. 45:39 I believe its 9th street or 11th street on the Westside 45:45 and these boys, four of them coming out. 45:49 Still a little high from I don't know 45:51 it was from my preaching or for the drugs but anyway. 45:55 And they coming down the stairs and they went, 45:58 "Ooh, you're the preacher" I said, "Yeah." 46:03 This is their foggy mind couldn't understand it. 46:08 This is you in there, how could you be out here? 46:13 I said, "Well, you're out here that's why I'm out here. 46:18 And I talk to those boys, the four boys. 46:21 I told them that God loves them. 46:23 What else do you tell them? 46:28 We're gonna be held responsible for a lot of things 46:30 we've done in the name of the truth. 46:35 You tell them that God loves them 46:37 and by the way He does. 46:40 And then I said to myself, 46:41 hope you come back tomorrow night. 46:43 Now drug addict will promise you 46:44 anything to get out of here. 46:46 So all you young man, we begin 46:48 and I knew I said, God-- I said, let's pray. 46:51 Here? Yeah. 46:53 We knelt down on the sidewalk 46:54 and New York is strange they see that, 46:56 they just step over you around, you know on their way. 47:01 And I prayed with those four men, 47:03 young men, 21, 22, 18, 23, four. 47:10 Next night I stood up to preach 47:11 and sure enough they came in the back door 47:14 from Mott Haven, South Bronx, mainline heroin addicts. 47:20 They kept coming to me, I was shocked, 47:22 I mean, well, I wasn't shocked 47:23 as the Holy Spirit can do anything 47:25 but I was shocked because of knowing 47:27 working with the drug addicts 47:28 I have for years in New York City. 47:30 You know, the promises they make, 47:32 they never keep until God gets to them. 47:36 And I could see God working on their heart, 47:38 God getting into their soul. 47:41 And then one night they were going out, 47:42 I said, "Hey, man, I got to visit you." 47:44 "Hey, man, you don't want to come to Mott Haven. 47:48 You don't want to come, we live in a shooting gallery." 47:51 They-- what they do is takeover this faking apartment 47:53 and you know, in the older mainline heroin addicts 47:57 and drug addicts and meth, 47:59 they all meet there and shoot up drugs. 48:02 And I said, "No, I'll be there." 48:03 And Jesus never said I have an office hour 48:06 between 8 and 10, never. 48:08 So I got up, I got there and I always put 48:10 $5 in my socking, $2 in my pocket. 48:14 And I ran for stairs 48:15 and the door was off with hinges 48:16 and I saw my boys up against the wall 48:19 there sitting, nodding in and out. 48:23 Stepped over the people got to them, sat out. 48:25 They said, "Oh, preacher, you're here." 48:27 I said, "Yeah." 48:28 It was there that I heard the story, 48:29 the monkey on the-- on the back. 48:33 It was there that I led those four boys to Jesus Christ. 48:42 When I finished I took their drugs, 48:47 I flushed then. 48:49 They came back to the meetings 48:51 and they gave their life to the Lord. 48:54 Hey, listen, one of them 48:57 his mind was so messed up with drugs, 48:59 he's had institutionalized 49:01 but he was such a sincere boy, 49:02 walk around the street with his Bible. 49:05 But three of those four boys went on to school, 49:10 studied the ministry and now they serve 49:13 Jesus Christ as ministers of Gospel. 49:21 The Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit 49:24 can move four boys in Mott Haven 49:31 to know God why don't you think 49:34 God can do that to people here in Ovens Auditorium? 49:37 Amen. 49:38 Why don't you think 49:40 that you should listen to the Holy Spirit? 49:43 That you should listen to what He is saying 49:46 and you should give your life over to Him 49:49 and follow His truth. 49:51 I mean, it's available to every person here 49:56 just as it was to me. 49:58 I took it and I've spent the 57 years, 50:03 most wonderful years a man could ever spend 50:07 preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. 50:12 And so I want to encourage you, 50:14 if the Holy Spirit's been speaking to you, 50:17 you will know I don't have to tell you, 50:19 you know when it is speaking to you. 50:22 You know when you've heard the truth 50:23 and you have to stand up for it. 50:24 You know that, I don't-- I can't tell you but you know. 50:29 You know that you prayed 50:31 that God would bring you here and He did. 50:34 Was that the Holy Spirit? 50:37 Sent a brochure to your house and you came. 50:41 Was that the Holy Spirit? 50:42 Would the Holy Spirit bring you here, 50:44 show you truth and then say, that's all right, go away. 50:46 No. He says, come. 50:50 And I want you to bow your head, 50:51 close your eyes, I want you to pray, 50:53 I want you to ask the Holy Spirit, 50:56 you don't want to commit a prodigal sin against Him. 50:59 You want to tell Him, you don't want to commit 51:01 that sin that cannot be forgiven. 51:05 And you want to say, Jesus, all to You I surrender 51:09 and I'm gonna follow truth because You have called me to. 51:14 Will you just lift up your hand where you are 51:17 and I'm gonna pray for you? 51:19 God bless you. God bless you here. 51:23 God bless you. God bless you here. 51:26 We're gonna seek His face now. 51:29 Gracious Father, which art in heaven. 51:32 I humbly bow in Your presence to ask for the Holy Spirit. 51:36 I thank You how You've convicted here tonight. 51:38 These people, they've raised their hand to You, 51:40 they made that commitment and now Holy Spirit lead them. 51:46 May they come to a place 51:47 in their experience with their baptize, 51:50 become a part of your church, become a part of the movement 51:53 it's going to preach the gospel 51:54 in all the world until You come. 51:57 I pray these favors in the blessed name of Jesus. 52:02 Now still with the head bowed its not another, 52:04 I don't want to miss you. 52:06 Just lift your hand up for the Holy Spirit 52:07 speaking in your heart. 52:09 Don't resist the Holy Spirit, 52:10 He cannot forgive you if you resist him 52:15 as there not or another in this place. 52:21 God bless them in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. 53:02 When the Bible says, 53:03 "One will be taken and one will be left," 53:05 does that mean that when Jesus comes back, 53:07 some will be saved and some will be left here 53:10 to have a second chance at salvation? 53:13 Well, let's take a look at that 53:14 in the Word of God in Matthew Chapter 24 53:17 and we'll just go to it in verse 40, 53:19 "Then shall two be in the field, 53:21 the one shall be taken, and the other left. 53:23 Two women shall be grinding at the mill, 53:25 the one shall be taken, and the other left." 53:28 Well, no, it doesn't mean that at all 53:30 and I'll tell you why. 53:31 I mean, it means what it says, 53:33 but it doesn't mean someone will be saved 53:35 and someone left behind to have a second chance. 53:37 "As the days of Noah were, 53:39 so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. 53:42 For as in the days that were before the flood 53:44 they were eating and drinking, 53:45 marrying and giving in marriage, 53:47 until the day that Noah entered into the ark. 53:51 And knew not until the flood came, 53:53 and took them all away, 53:55 so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. 53:58 Two shall be in the field, 54:00 one shall be taken and the other left." 54:03 In Noah's day one was on the ark, one was not. 54:07 Those on the ark were saved 54:08 and those on the outside of the ark were lost, 54:11 they weren't left out there to get a second chance. 54:15 In fact, it says in the Word of God, 54:17 "Then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn 54:21 when the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven." 54:24 People don't get to live on 54:25 and have a second chance at salvation. 54:27 There isn't a time after Jesus returns 54:29 that there will be people here on the earth. 54:32 You read in the Bible that when Jesus comes back, 54:34 the earth will be destroyed. 54:36 People who are on the earth at that time and are not saved, 54:40 well, it won't be pretty for them at all. 54:42 So where it says "one will be taken, 54:44 one will be left," it is meaning 54:46 that one is going to be saved and one is going to be lost, 54:49 it doesn't indicate or intimate 54:52 that anybody is going to be left on earth 54:54 with a few more years to get things right. 54:58 We might, out of the compassion in our heart, 55:01 wish that that were so. 55:02 If that were so, you know what it would to do some people? 55:05 They'd say, "Well, I don't really need 55:07 to give my heart fully to Jesus 55:09 because there's going to be another period of time." 55:12 Somebody is going to think like that. 55:15 I remember I lived in London, England, for about this long. 55:18 Well, it was about this long actually. 55:20 And I used to catch the number 73 bus to King's Cross station. 55:26 Now when I was a kid, I would catch the bus, 55:28 it came past our house at 20 minutes past the hour, 55:32 and I would catch the bus from just outside the store, 55:35 a little up the road. 55:36 And if I got there at 22 past the hour, 55:40 that means I needed to come back 55:41 almost an hour later and catch the next bus. 55:43 If you missed it, you missed it. 55:45 But in London, if I miss the number 73 bus, 55:48 it was no big deal 55:49 because often you look up the street, 55:51 there was another one coming right away. 55:53 Sometimes they traveled in little fleet of three. 55:56 It only ever seemed to be two, three, four minutes 55:58 before another number 73 bus came along. 56:00 So if I wasn't there on time, whenever time was, 56:04 didn't matter, another bus coming. 56:07 It isn't going to be like that 56:09 with the second coming of Jesus. 56:10 We need to be ready. 56:12 And ready doesn't mean pull up your socks, 56:14 it means surrender to Jesus. 56:15 It doesn't mean scrub yourself clean, 56:18 it means surrender to Christ 56:19 and let His blood wash you clean. 56:21 Let the grace of God transform you. 56:24 So when Jesus comes back, that's it. 56:26 There isn't another second coming of Jesus. 56:29 We want to be ready then, 56:30 so, the way to be ready then is to be ready now. 56:35 Be sure, your life is given to Jesus 56:37 and that you surrender completely to Him. 56:50 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says, 56:52 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 56:55 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' 56:59 " Every Word is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional 57:02 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 57:04 and designed especially for busy people like you. 57:07 Look for Every Word on selected networks 57:10 or watch it online every day 57:12 on our web site, itiswritten.com. 57:15 Receive a daily spiritual boost, 57:17 watch Every Word. 57:18 You'll be glad you did. 57:23 It Is Written is dedicated to sharing the gospel 57:26 around the world. 57:27 To discover more about It Is Written, 57:29 I invite you to visit our website itiswritten.com 57:32 and browse the dozens of pages 57:34 that describe what we do and how we do it. 57:37 Let's get to know each other better. 57:38 Visit our website itiswritten.com today. |
Revised 2015-01-22