Hello and welcome to
3ABN's Spring Camp Meeting!
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And as you heard, we are
talking about the second coming:
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an in-depth look.
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Are you ready for the
second coming of Jesus Christ?
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Amen! Amen! Amen! We have
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wonderful folks that have
joined us from different parts
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of the United States.
Anyone come from outside
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the United States here?
Anyone? Yes, we see a hand.
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Maybe a couple...
several! Praise the Lord!
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We are glad that you're here
and we are glad that all of you
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are joining us
throughout the world
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as we hear
messages from God's Word
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that are going to help us
prepare for the soon return
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of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
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During this hour we will
have a message from God's Word
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with Pastor David Shin.
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Pastor David Shin is happily
married to his wife Tennille
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and he has a Master's
Degree in Historical Theology.
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His passion is to bring God's
Word to millions of people...
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especially the young
people at the university level.
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And God has used him in
a mighty way in times past
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and we know that through the
mighty power of the Holy Spirit
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He will use him again during
this hour. Amen? Amen. Amen.
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We are blessed to have
Pastor C.A. Murray with us
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during this hour. He
will be sharing a song,
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a hymn, that will carry
us to the throne of grace
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and bring our thoughts, prepare
our thoughts for the message.
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The message in the
song is Do You Love God?
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Do You Love God? How
many would say amen to that?
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Amen! Amen. I hope those
at home can also say the same.
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The message is a message
that should help us wake up
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and realize that
the end is soon to come.
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It is entitled The
Close of Probation.
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The Close of Probation.
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Some people perhaps are
not acquainted with this topic
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so we hope that you
have your Bible with you
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and something to write
with because there is a definite
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time when probation
will what? Close. Close.
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And everyone at that moment
should have his decision made,
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her decision made,
as to who they want to
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make their life with.
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Either eternal
life or eternal death.
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There are only two choices:
eternal life or eternal death
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because the Bible says
the wages of sin is? Death.
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But the gift of God
is what? Eternal life.
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And so I'm happy
that I'm among people
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that are hoping for that
eternal life. Amen? Amen. Amen.
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Before we begin, we'd
like to invite you to pray.
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If you will please stand. Before
we have the message in song
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we will pray. Then
after Pastor C.A. Murray
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brings us to God's
throne of grace we will hear
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the voice of Pastor David Shin
in the message for this moment.
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Let us pray together.
Our loving heavenly Father,
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how grateful we are,
Lord, for the holy scriptures
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that are able to make
us wise unto salvation.
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We thank you, Lord, that we can
approach Your throne of grace
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with confidence to
know that You will listen,
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to know that You will hear, and
to know that You will bless us
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according to our needs.
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Father, we approach
Your throne of grace
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in the name of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
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and we pray, Lord, that You
will bless Pastor David Shin
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with the Holy Spirit.
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That You will use him
once again to lead our thoughts
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and help us
understand the holy scriptures.
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And help us to understand
that the time will come
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when probation will close.
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And we ask You, Lord, to help
us to be drawn closer to You
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and to understand that Your
love is beyond our comprehension
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and that in You
we can have security,
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salvation, and hope
through Jesus Christ.
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We thank you, Lord,
for this opportunity
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and we ask You for these
blessings in Jesus' holy and
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blessed name, Amen, amen.
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You may be seated. We leave
you with Pastor C.A. Murray.
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God's blessings upon you.
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The Bible asks us
for self-examination.
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A very simple song. It asks
the question: Do You Love God?
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If you love God, how
much do you love God?
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And if you say
you love Him a lot,
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what are you
prepared to do about it?
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Do you love God
more than anything?
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Do you love God?
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Do you love God more
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than anything? Do you love God?
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Love is all that He asks
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in return
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for all that He has given.
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Love will be
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the endless theme
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through all the
courts of heaven.
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Do you love God more
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than your car or home?
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Do you love God?
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And do you love God more
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than all you own?
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Do you love God?
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Do you love God more
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than your family?
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Really really love Him?
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If you do, just let
the whole world know...
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that's all He asks of you.
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Do you love God more
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than that car or home?
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Do you love God?
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And do you love God more
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than all you own?
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Do you love God?
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Tell me... do you love God more
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than your family?
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Really, really,
really, really love Him?
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If you do, just let
the whole world know
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that you love
the Lord. Come on...
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let the whole world know...
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let 'em know that
you love the Lord.
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Let the whole world know...
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let the whole world know...
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let the whole world know
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that's all
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He asks
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of you.
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Amen.
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Amen. Praise the Lord
for the words of that song.
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Thank you, C.A.
I'd like to invite you
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to bow your heads
with me as we pray today...
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this morning for this message.
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Our Father in
heaven, we thank you for
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this privilege and opportunity
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that we have to study Your Word.
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We thank you for the
promise of the second coming:
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that one day the sky
will split open like a scroll
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and Jesus will come in the
clouds of glory to take us home.
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We pray that You
would help us to be prepared
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for the second coming.
Help us to be faithful, to share
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the good news of the eminent
soon return of Jesus Christ.
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So bless us as we open
Your Word this morning.
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Speak to our hearts.
Hide me behind the cross.
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May Jesus be seen. For we
ask these things in Jesus' name,
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Amen. Amen. Amen.
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Our topic today is
entitled The Close of Probation.
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And I want to invite you
to turn with me in your Bibles
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to Hebrews
chapter 3 verses 7 and 8.
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I want to look as we
set the stage for the topic
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of discussion here this morning
00:10:05.13\00:10:07.34
at the relationship between
character and the close of
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probation. Hebrews 3:7-8.
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And while you're turning
there I want us to define
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the definition of
what we mean by probation.
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Probation comes from
the Latin word probare
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which means to test. And
I want to read a definition
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of the word probation. In
the Biblical sense it means:
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the general doctrine of
religion that presents life
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is a state of
probation for the future one.
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That this present life
is in a temporary state
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of probation for a future one.
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This is another quotation
from a Christian author.
00:10:50.48\00:10:52.91
It says: "Everywhere the
scriptures teach that in time
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and life man is on probation
with the power to choose
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eternal life or eternal death. "
00:11:02.89\00:11:06.63
So when we talk about
the concept of probation
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.63
it is the notion that
this life - this existence
00:11:09.76\00:11:13.97
that we have here on
planet earth - is not our home.
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It is a temporary state which
determines our eternal state.
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It is a temporary time in
which we have the opportunity
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to choose where we're
going to spend eternity.
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When we think of the term
probation, many individuals
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think of it in a negative sense.
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You think of a probation officer
and when you hear the term
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"close of probation"
there is an implication of
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fear that is many times
aroused in the human emotion.
00:11:43.73\00:11:47.37
But I'd like to
propose here this morning
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that when we talk about
probation it is really grace.
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Amen. Amen.
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Because if it was
not for Jesus Christ
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and the plan of redemption
00:12:01.32\00:12:03.69
there would be no probation.
00:12:03.82\00:12:05.85
Are you following me
here this morning? Yes or no?
00:12:05.99\00:12:07.99
So the very fact that
we have probation is grace
00:12:08.32\00:12:11.56
because Jesus came.
And because of Jesus
00:12:11.59\00:12:14.83
we have this time to determine
where we are going to spend
00:12:14.96\00:12:20.14
eternity. Eternal existence
or eternal non-existence?
00:12:20.27\00:12:25.41
This is a solemn thought: that
this is not our permanent place.
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That this life is to determine
our choice for or against
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eternal life. Now
let's look in our Bibles
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to Hebrews
chapter 3 verses 7 and 8.
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Here Paul is establishing
the reality of our heavenly
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High Priest and the reality
of the heavenly sanctuary.
00:12:48.16\00:12:51.63
And Hebrews chapter 3
verses 7 and 8 he actually
00:12:51.87\00:12:55.27
quotes a Psalm. And
it's repeated three times
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in the book of Hebrews: "There-
fore just as the Holy Spirit
00:12:59.71\00:13:05.41
says, today if you hear His
voice do not harden your... "
00:13:05.55\00:13:11.32
What? Hearts. "do
not harden your hearts
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as they did when they
provoked Me in the day of trial
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in the wilderness. "
Now skip down to 4 verse 15
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and it says:
"While it is said today
00:13:21.30\00:13:25.10
if you hear His voice
do not harden your hearts
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as when they provoked Me...
" And let's go to 4 verse 7.
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He again picks a certain day
- today - saying through David:
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"After so long a time
just as has been said before
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today if you hear His voice
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do not harden your hearts. "
00:13:46.62\00:13:49.99
Here not one time, not
two times, but three times
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Paul quotes Psalm
95. And he says: "Today
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if you hear His voice do
not harden your hearts. "
00:13:59.43\00:14:03.67
How do we hear God's voice?
00:14:04.61\00:14:06.44
The Holy Spirit.
Through God's Word.
00:14:06.57\00:14:09.11
Through conviction.
These are the ways that God
00:14:09.34\00:14:12.31
speaks to our hearts.
00:14:12.35\00:14:13.82
And the implication of this
passage is that if you put Him
00:14:13.95\00:14:17.42
off today you will
hear Him less tomorrow.
00:14:17.45\00:14:21.76
That is what this
passage is saying.
00:14:22.09\00:14:23.99
And it says: "Today
if you hear His voice
00:14:24.23\00:14:27.40
do not harden your hearts. "
00:14:27.60\00:14:31.57
When we look at the word
harden it means to become firm
00:14:32.57\00:14:37.91
or solid. To solidify.
00:14:38.04\00:14:41.74
To become set; to calcify.
00:14:41.98\00:14:45.78
To become
inflexible or unchangeable
00:14:46.01\00:14:50.52
or to become cemented.
00:14:50.65\00:14:53.39
Now when you look at this
passage, the passage does not
00:14:54.49\00:14:57.36
say that God hardens our hearts.
00:14:57.39\00:15:00.30
It says that WE
harden our hearts.
00:15:00.53\00:15:03.53
Now when you look at the
relationship between God and
00:15:04.00\00:15:07.04
ourselves and the
transmission of truth
00:15:07.07\00:15:11.04
this passage is telling
us that God is unchanging.
00:15:11.27\00:15:14.81
God is always calling.
00:15:15.24\00:15:18.08
God is always seeking to save.
00:15:18.21\00:15:20.72
God is always reaching out.
00:15:20.95\00:15:23.39
The issue is that if
we do not respond today
00:15:23.42\00:15:27.99
God does not
change... we change.
00:15:28.22\00:15:31.09
Is that tomorrow we will be in
a different state of existence
00:15:31.53\00:15:36.13
because we did
not respond today.
00:15:36.36\00:15:39.17
That's why the Bible says:
"Today if you hear His voice
00:15:39.40\00:15:42.77
do not harden your hearts... "
Because you will be a different
00:15:42.80\00:15:44.91
person tomorrow. That is
what this passage is saying.
00:15:44.94\00:15:48.64
In regards to the notion
of the close of probation
00:15:48.98\00:15:51.88
is the reality that God
does not close probation on us;
00:15:52.11\00:15:56.35
we ultimately
close it on ourselves.
00:15:56.58\00:15:59.89
Is that God closes probation
on us when we through our own
00:16:00.89\00:16:03.96
choices and decisions have
brought ourselves to a state
00:16:03.99\00:16:08.30
of solidified - of fixedness,
00:16:08.43\00:16:11.33
of a solid, cemented state -
00:16:11.47\00:16:13.60
so that we can no
longer hear the voice of God.
00:16:13.74\00:16:16.47
This is what this
passage is saying.
00:16:16.50\00:16:18.01
That's why today
is so important...
00:16:18.24\00:16:21.44
because you will be a
different person tomorrow.
00:16:21.68\00:16:24.68
I've seen this so
many times in Bible studies
00:16:25.11\00:16:27.95
as I pastor at
the University church.
00:16:28.08\00:16:30.69
I sit down with an
individual and they are sold
00:16:30.82\00:16:33.99
on the Sabbath.
They see it in scripture.
00:16:34.02\00:16:37.19
They say:
"Pastor, it is so clear!
00:16:37.43\00:16:40.06
I need to keep
the Sabbath, but...
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.50
I don't want to respond today.
00:16:43.87\00:16:46.10
Let me think about
it a little more. "
00:16:46.33\00:16:48.14
And it's
fascinating what happens.
00:16:48.27\00:16:50.27
I sit down with them
the next week and they say:
00:16:50.31\00:16:54.21
"Pastor, I just don't
see the Sabbath any more. "
00:16:54.34\00:16:58.48
What has happened?
Has God changed? No!
00:16:58.91\00:17:02.18
Has the Word of God changed? No!
00:17:02.32\00:17:03.95
They have changed. Because
they did not respond today
00:17:04.29\00:17:08.16
the next week they are
in a different mental state.
00:17:08.39\00:17:12.13
They are in a
different framework.
00:17:12.56\00:17:15.26
They are not able to decide
what they were able to decide
00:17:15.60\00:17:18.87
the previous week because their
hearts have become hardened.
00:17:18.90\00:17:23.41
The reality is that our
choices every single day
00:17:23.54\00:17:27.78
in a moral sense are
changing us spiritually.
00:17:27.81\00:17:33.58
You will never have a better
opportunity to respond to the
00:17:33.75\00:17:37.79
Holy Spirit's
conviction than today.
00:17:37.82\00:17:41.52
At the moment that you
hear the Holy Spirit speaking to
00:17:41.76\00:17:45.13
your heart the
Bible says respond.
00:17:45.16\00:17:48.30
Because just in the
reality of not responding
00:17:48.53\00:17:52.07
you will be a
different person tomorrow.
00:17:52.20\00:17:56.20
"Today if you hear His voice
do not harden your hearts. "
00:17:56.54\00:18:01.98
I want to read this
quotation from Review and Herald
00:18:02.41\00:18:05.18
November 2, 1886,
Ellen White writes:
00:18:05.41\00:18:11.35
"If the voice of Jesus
is not heeded at once... "
00:18:12.42\00:18:18.56
At what? "at once
00:18:18.59\00:18:21.10
it becomes confused in
the mind with a multitude
00:18:21.33\00:18:26.97
of other voices. The
world's care and business
00:18:27.10\00:18:32.67
engross the attention and
the conviction dies away. "
00:18:32.81\00:18:37.68
What does it say? "the
conviction dies away. "
00:18:37.91\00:18:41.45
Why? Because they
did not respond at once.
00:18:41.68\00:18:44.45
"The heart becomes
less impressible and lapses
00:18:44.89\00:18:50.59
into a perilous unconsciousness
00:18:50.73\00:18:54.23
of the shortness of time and
of the great eternity beyond. "
00:18:54.36\00:19:00.14
So this is what happens.
00:19:00.40\00:19:01.87
God calls. We don't respond.
00:19:02.10\00:19:06.54
We become hardened.
00:19:06.88\00:19:09.14
God calls again.
We don't respond.
00:19:09.58\00:19:13.21
We become hardened.
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.55
And through a
lifestyle of choices,
00:19:15.68\00:19:18.95
through a lifestyle of
not heeding the voice of God,
00:19:19.19\00:19:23.59
we become set.
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.80
We become fixed.
00:19:27.13\00:19:29.46
We become solidified.
00:19:29.70\00:19:32.60
This is a scary nature of
our characters in relationship
00:19:33.03\00:19:37.11
to the close of
probation is that ultimately
00:19:37.14\00:19:41.44
God closes probation on us when
we, through our own decisions,
00:19:41.58\00:19:47.12
have closed it on ourselves
00:19:47.25\00:19:50.39
and have, through
out choices and decisions
00:19:50.75\00:19:53.69
of not heeding the Holy Spirit,
00:19:53.82\00:19:56.59
have come to the place that
even though God may be calling
00:19:56.73\00:20:00.96
we cannot hear
His voice any more.
00:20:01.30\00:20:05.93
Some people ask: "I'm afraid
I've committed the unpardonable
00:20:06.37\00:20:09.57
sin. " Well probably if
you're asking that question
00:20:09.70\00:20:13.68
you haven't committed it
because the person that is in
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.18
that solidified state
just does not care any more.
00:20:16.21\00:20:20.18
They're apathetic
to the Spirit's voice.
00:20:20.52\00:20:24.15
When we talk about the
stages of character development
00:20:25.25\00:20:28.49
and the close of
probation, the reality
00:20:28.62\00:20:31.39
is that our
characters are like cement.
00:20:31.53\00:20:34.73
Now when I was in
academy I worked with cement
00:20:36.20\00:20:40.07
when I went on a
mission trip to Central America.
00:20:40.30\00:20:43.14
And the fascinating thing
about cement is that there are
00:20:43.30\00:20:46.51
essentially two stages
that you can divide cement into.
00:20:46.64\00:20:50.48
When you pour the cement
there is that stage of cement
00:20:51.18\00:20:54.75
when it is still
soft and pliable.
00:20:54.78\00:20:57.22
It is called the forming stage
00:20:57.25\00:20:59.05
for the sake of
our illustration.
00:20:59.19\00:21:01.06
You can still form it.
You can put it in forms
00:21:01.19\00:21:03.46
and then you can mold it to
the direction that you desire.
00:21:03.69\00:21:07.23
So it's up to the
individual to form the cement
00:21:07.23\00:21:11.53
during the forming stage.
But during the process of time
00:21:11.73\00:21:15.37
as the cement starts to
react with carbon dioxide
00:21:15.70\00:21:20.21
it starts to set.
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.81
It starts to solidify
and after a certain stage
00:21:23.24\00:21:26.98
you can no longer form the
cement because it has become
00:21:27.22\00:21:31.49
solid. It is impossible to
form after a certain stage.
00:21:31.62\00:21:37.63
The same way with
our own characters.
00:21:37.86\00:21:40.30
Our characters are really
in two stages just like cement.
00:21:41.10\00:21:46.37
You have the forming stage:
00:21:46.57\00:21:48.77
the time that the
character still can be impressed
00:21:49.10\00:21:53.04
and formed and
shaped and molded.
00:21:53.17\00:21:57.41
Then you have the fixed stage.
00:21:58.45\00:22:02.58
The fixed stage is the stage
00:22:03.02\00:22:06.22
when you are so
set in your ways.
00:22:06.25\00:22:10.76
Have you heard that term before?
00:22:10.89\00:22:12.29
The character
has become so settled
00:22:12.63\00:22:16.20
through a lifestyle of decisions
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.73
that you are crafted
in a certain direction
00:22:18.97\00:22:23.74
that it can no
longer be formed any more.
00:22:23.97\00:22:27.71
That is the
implication of this verse:
00:22:27.94\00:22:29.98
"Today if you hear His
voice harden not your hearts. "
00:22:30.21\00:22:32.51
The implication is that one day
through a series of decisions
00:22:32.75\00:22:36.25
you will arrive at a set stage
00:22:36.38\00:22:39.25
that you can no longer
hear the Holy Spirit's voice.
00:22:39.39\00:22:42.16
This is the
warning of this passage:
00:22:42.39\00:22:44.39
"Today if you hear His voice
do not harden your hearts. "
00:22:44.53\00:22:49.66
Now I want to invite you
to turn with me in your Bibles
00:22:50.77\00:22:53.10
to Revelation
chapter 20 and verse 9.
00:22:53.23\00:22:55.04
This is after the millennium.
00:22:55.47\00:22:56.97
Revelation is the
last book of the Bible.
00:22:57.21\00:22:59.17
Revelation
chapter 20 and verse 9.
00:22:59.31\00:23:01.14
The wicked are raised.
00:23:02.04\00:23:04.25
The righteous are inside
the city of the New Jerusalem.
00:23:04.38\00:23:07.45
Satan goes out to
deceive the multitude
00:23:07.68\00:23:09.88
and they go to attack the city.
00:23:09.92\00:23:11.69
Now imagine for yourselves...
00:23:12.29\00:23:14.92
Maybe this is not a good
thing to imagine, but imagine
00:23:15.06\00:23:17.39
for yourselves that
you're outside of the city.
00:23:17.43\00:23:19.19
Now let's say that I
am outside of the city.
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.26
I pray that I'm not...
But if I arise on the outside
00:23:21.43\00:23:25.30
of the city and I see
that I'm on the wrong side...
00:23:25.33\00:23:28.90
I look next to
me... I see the devil.
00:23:30.57\00:23:33.38
I see other people that
I know that I should not be
00:23:33.71\00:23:36.98
in their company. And
then I look inside of the city
00:23:37.01\00:23:40.18
and I see Jesus
and the righteous.
00:23:40.22\00:23:42.38
Automatically
from this vantage point
00:23:42.65\00:23:45.05
living in 2014 I
would hope and I would think
00:23:45.19\00:23:48.32
that in my own mind I would
say: "Lord, I need more time. "
00:23:48.46\00:23:53.63
"I need more probation
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.63
because if I just had a little
bit more time I would have
00:23:56.87\00:23:59.93
made the right decision
and I would not be here.
00:24:00.04\00:24:02.27
You didn't give
me enough time! "
00:24:02.30\00:24:03.77
That's what I
would think I would say.
00:24:04.11\00:24:06.57
I get up on that resurrection
day and I'm 1,000 years too late
00:24:06.81\00:24:10.31
and I get up and I say: "Oh
no! Please give me more time.
00:24:10.35\00:24:14.08
I need more probation. "
But notice what happens in
00:24:14.22\00:24:17.02
Revelation chapter 20 verse 9.
00:24:17.05\00:24:18.75
"And they came up on
the broad plain of the earth
00:24:20.62\00:24:24.76
and surrounded
the camp of the saints
00:24:24.99\00:24:27.76
and the beloved
city. And fire came down
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.43
from heaven and devoured them. "
00:24:31.57\00:24:34.94
The reality is that the wicked
that are outside of the city
00:24:35.27\00:24:39.67
are there trying
to take the city.
00:24:39.91\00:24:43.41
They are trying
to storm the city.
00:24:43.75\00:24:46.15
They are trying
to capture the city
00:24:46.38\00:24:48.62
meaning that the
characters have become fixed.
00:24:48.85\00:24:53.46
Meaning that even if
probation were to be extended
00:24:53.69\00:24:59.13
the people will still
choose to make the exact
00:24:59.26\00:25:03.67
same decision because
the character has been set.
00:25:03.70\00:25:08.44
The character has been fixed.
00:25:08.57\00:25:10.87
The issue is no longer
time or the duration of time.
00:25:11.11\00:25:15.18
The issue is that every
decision that has been made
00:25:15.41\00:25:18.85
is the final answer
and the final decision.
00:25:18.98\00:25:23.02
I want to read this statement
from the book Great Controversy
00:25:23.79\00:25:27.76
663.
00:25:27.89\00:25:29.72
Ellen White comments on this.
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.33
Talking about at the
end of the millennium.
00:25:33.43\00:25:36.36
It says: "They are
to have no new probation
00:25:37.40\00:25:42.74
in which to remedy the
defects of their past lives. "
00:25:42.97\00:25:47.38
Now listen to
this next sentence:
00:25:48.64\00:25:50.81
"Nothing would
be gained by this. "
00:25:51.05\00:25:55.58
How much? Nothing.
00:25:55.92\00:25:57.69
"A lifetime of transgressions
00:25:57.92\00:26:00.76
have not
softened their hearts. "
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.22
Now notice the language here.
00:26:03.26\00:26:05.16
"A lifetime of transgression
has not softened their hearts.
00:26:05.39\00:26:08.46
A second
probation were it given them
00:26:08.70\00:26:13.80
would be
occupied as was the first:
00:26:14.04\00:26:17.71
evading the requirements
of God and exciting rebellion
00:26:17.94\00:26:23.14
against Him. " The implication
is that at the millennium
00:26:23.28\00:26:28.58
when the dead are resurrected,
the wicked are resurrected,
00:26:28.72\00:26:31.85
is that they - even if
they were given a million years
00:26:31.99\00:26:35.52
or a billion years -
they would still make the same
00:26:35.76\00:26:39.63
exact decision. That is the
implication of what is happening
00:26:39.66\00:26:44.80
here at the end
of the millennium.
00:26:44.83\00:26:46.87
Now I want to invite
you to turn with me to
00:26:47.20\00:26:49.27
Revelation
chapter 22 and verse 11.
00:26:49.30\00:26:51.67
And here we have a
familiar passage where Jesus
00:26:51.91\00:26:55.91
stands up and makes
the final proclamation
00:26:56.04\00:26:58.78
at the end of what we call
the Investigative Judgment.
00:26:58.91\00:27:02.15
Revelation
chapter 22 and verse 11.
00:27:02.38\00:27:04.49
It says: "Let the one who
does wrong still do wrong.
00:27:06.09\00:27:11.06
And let the one who is
filthy still be filthy.
00:27:11.29\00:27:16.06
Let the one who is righteous
still practice righteousness
00:27:16.30\00:27:21.14
and the one who is holy
still keep himself holy. "
00:27:21.37\00:27:26.41
This is talking
about the character.
00:27:27.44\00:27:29.68
Notice that not only are
the wicked are in a two-phase
00:27:29.91\00:27:35.68
or a two-stage of development
when it comes to character -
00:27:35.72\00:27:38.99
the forming and the fixed -
00:27:39.02\00:27:40.49
but it's also the
same for the righteous.
00:27:40.72\00:27:42.79
For the righteous
it is in the same way.
00:27:42.92\00:27:44.63
We are forming our characters
and there will be a time when
00:27:44.76\00:27:47.66
our characters have
matured and become solidified
00:27:47.73\00:27:50.93
and become fixed. Here
is a universal proclamation
00:27:51.07\00:27:55.30
of the close of probation
in which every character
00:27:55.44\00:27:59.71
whether for good or
for evil will be fixed.
00:27:59.84\00:28:05.18
Will be set.
00:28:05.81\00:28:07.42
Will be solidified.
00:28:07.65\00:28:09.45
Now I would venture to
contend here this morning
00:28:10.59\00:28:14.19
that this proclamation by
Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary
00:28:15.16\00:28:19.73
is not an
arbitrary proclamation.
00:28:19.86\00:28:23.87
Rather it is a proclamation
of the reality on planet earth
00:28:24.30\00:28:29.84
that every decision has been
made, every character has been
00:28:29.97\00:28:34.41
matured, and Jesus
then closes probation.
00:28:34.44\00:28:38.28
There is the forming
stage and the fixing stage.
00:28:38.61\00:28:42.42
When we talk about the
concept of our character,
00:28:42.75\00:28:46.62
character development - the
forming and the fixing stage -
00:28:46.76\00:28:50.79
responds and
interacts with the proclamation
00:28:50.93\00:28:56.06
or the knowledge of light.
00:28:56.20\00:28:59.07
The accelerant that takes
us through the forming stage
00:28:59.40\00:29:04.47
and the fixing stage
is in direct proportion
00:29:04.61\00:29:08.48
to the amount of light
that you and I have been given.
00:29:08.61\00:29:12.95
Now that's a scary
thought because we as SDA's
00:29:13.58\00:29:16.18
have been given a lot of light.
00:29:16.32\00:29:17.92
It's an accelerant
because every time you're
00:29:18.89\00:29:21.82
presented with light and
you respond to that light
00:29:21.86\00:29:24.56
you are forming your character
00:29:24.79\00:29:26.83
toward a trajectory of
becoming fixed in character
00:29:28.23\00:29:33.23
through your own decisions
and through your own response.
00:29:33.47\00:29:37.74
In the book of Revelation
- Revelation chapter 18-
00:29:38.57\00:29:40.64
it says "the whole earth
was lit with the glory of God. "
00:29:40.78\00:29:44.15
Meaning that in the end of
time right before Jesus comes
00:29:44.28\00:29:47.95
planet earth will be
given a revelation of light,
00:29:48.18\00:29:51.49
a revelation of Jesus Christ,
that has never been given
00:29:51.62\00:29:54.96
in human history.
That is a good thing!
00:29:55.09\00:29:57.36
That is a wonderful thing.
00:29:57.39\00:29:59.09
The world will see a witness
of Jesus Christ as never before
00:29:59.33\00:30:02.93
in human history.
But the problem with that
00:30:02.96\00:30:05.60
if I were to say
that there is a problem
00:30:05.73\00:30:08.34
is that the proclamation
of unprecedented light
00:30:08.47\00:30:13.01
means that the forming and
the fixing of human character
00:30:13.14\00:30:17.98
is accelerated.
Is what? Accelerated.
00:30:18.11\00:30:22.22
Remember Pharaoh's heart was
hardened? Why was it hardened?
00:30:22.58\00:30:25.92
Because he had been
given unprecedented evidence
00:30:26.05\00:30:30.66
of the power and the grandeur
of God in the 10 plagues
00:30:30.89\00:30:35.80
so it accelerated his
forming and fixing of character.
00:30:36.13\00:30:40.74
In the same way
in the end of time
00:30:40.97\00:30:42.90
as the proclaiming of the
witness of Jesus Christ is given
00:30:43.04\00:30:47.04
every character on planet earth
00:30:47.38\00:30:51.51
will be accelerated
00:30:51.75\00:30:54.35
from the forming
to the fixing stage
00:30:54.58\00:30:58.35
to the maturation of
character to the point
00:30:58.59\00:31:03.39
that Jesus says:
"You're solidified.
00:31:03.53\00:31:07.36
Whatever through your choices
and through your decisions
00:31:08.80\00:31:13.20
you are right now you
will continue to be. "
00:31:13.34\00:31:18.84
It's a scary thought.
00:31:19.67\00:31:21.34
Scary thought when we
think about the nature
00:31:21.88\00:31:25.01
of the close of probation.
00:31:25.25\00:31:28.52
Every character
will be fully matured.
00:31:28.85\00:31:33.39
Then Christ will
make the pronouncement:
00:31:33.62\00:31:37.69
"He that is just
let him be just still.
00:31:37.83\00:31:41.06
He that is holy
let him be holy still.
00:31:41.40\00:31:46.33
He that is filthy let
him be filthy still. "
00:31:46.67\00:31:51.17
At this point I want us
to transition a little bit
00:31:51.61\00:31:54.94
as we talk about
the close of probation
00:31:55.08\00:31:58.11
and ask this
fundamental question
00:31:58.55\00:32:02.02
as we talk about the forming
and the fixing of character
00:32:02.15\00:32:05.72
and we're headed toward
that trajectory, I believe
00:32:05.85\00:32:08.79
in the very near future when
00:32:08.82\00:32:10.46
Jesus will stop
His intercession,
00:32:10.49\00:32:13.09
stop His work in the
Investigative Judgment
00:32:13.13\00:32:16.50
and make that pronouncement...
And right now every one of us
00:32:16.63\00:32:19.97
are in a trajectory
toward one of those two areas.
00:32:20.10\00:32:24.27
Toward righteousness
or unrighteousness.
00:32:24.51\00:32:27.98
And I want to ask this question:
00:32:28.31\00:32:30.68
why hasn't God closed probation?
00:32:30.91\00:32:36.18
What is Jesus waiting for?
00:32:37.52\00:32:42.12
We are here 2,000 years
00:32:42.82\00:32:47.13
after the cross, after arguably
00:32:47.50\00:32:53.30
the greatest revelation of
God - I would say the greatest,
00:32:53.44\00:32:56.81
not even arguably - the
greatest revelation of God
00:32:56.94\00:32:59.51
hanging upon the
cross - "God is love" -
00:32:59.64\00:33:02.78
and yet Jesus has not
come. Two thousand years!
00:33:02.91\00:33:06.78
We're not talking about a
hundred years or 200 years.
00:33:06.92\00:33:09.32
We're talking about two
millenniums after the cross
00:33:09.45\00:33:13.05
and we have to
ask ourselves why.
00:33:13.19\00:33:16.19
Why are we still here?
00:33:16.52\00:33:18.49
Paul himself wrote
in the New Testament
00:33:19.29\00:33:23.23
that the gospel had been
preached to every creature
00:33:23.37\00:33:26.77
under heaven during his day.
00:33:26.80\00:33:28.87
How much longer will this go on?
00:33:29.30\00:33:32.24
Why hasn't Jesus come?
And we don't have the time
00:33:32.47\00:33:35.98
here this morning to go
through all the nuances of
00:33:36.21\00:33:39.01
the answer to this question
because it relates to what
00:33:39.15\00:33:41.22
Christ is doing in
the Investigative Judgment
00:33:41.25\00:33:43.89
in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:33:44.02\00:33:45.42
It also has to do with
issues in the great controversy.
00:33:45.55\00:33:48.59
But I want us to look at
one aspect of what heaven
00:33:48.72\00:33:52.83
is waiting for and why probation
has not closed immediately
00:33:52.99\00:33:57.90
after the cross.
And I want to invite you
00:33:58.03\00:34:00.30
to turn with me in the book of
Revelation, Revelation chapter 6
00:34:00.34\00:34:03.14
and verse 14. Revelation
chapter 6 and verse 14.
00:34:03.27\00:34:07.71
What is Jesus waiting
for? Why hasn't He come?
00:34:08.04\00:34:11.85
Why are the doors of
probation still open?
00:34:12.08\00:34:15.82
And why is Jesus still inter-
ceding in the heavenly sanctuary
00:34:16.05\00:34:21.29
for us and has not
said those final words:
00:34:21.42\00:34:24.46
"Let him that is
filthy be filthy still.
00:34:24.59\00:34:26.59
Holy be holy
still. " Revelation 6:14.
00:34:26.73\00:34:29.96
"Then the sky was split
apart like a scroll when it was
00:34:30.73\00:34:33.23
rolled up, and every mountain
and island were moved out of its
00:34:33.27\00:34:36.47
place. Then the kings of
the earth and the great men
00:34:36.50\00:34:40.44
and the commanders and
the rich and the strong
00:34:40.48\00:34:42.88
and every slave
and every free man
00:34:43.01\00:34:45.85
hid themselves in the caves and
among the rocks of the mountains
00:34:45.98\00:34:49.62
and they said to
the mountains and rocks:
00:34:49.85\00:34:52.19
'Fall on us and
hide us from the presence
00:34:52.42\00:34:55.69
of Him who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb
00:34:55.82\00:35:00.06
for the great day
of His wrath has come
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.96
and who shall be
able to stand? ' "
00:35:03.10\00:35:05.07
Judgment Day has come.
00:35:06.33\00:35:07.97
Jesus is coming, and
there's a group of people
00:35:08.30\00:35:10.84
that are not ready for Jesus
to come, and they're crying for
00:35:10.87\00:35:13.11
the mountains and the
rocks to fall on them.
00:35:13.14\00:35:14.94
We could preach a
whole sermon on this.
00:35:14.98\00:35:16.51
But I want you to notice
the words that come out of their
00:35:16.95\00:35:19.45
mouths in verse 17. It says:
"The great day of His wrath has
00:35:19.48\00:35:23.99
come... " And what is
the last part of that?
00:35:24.12\00:35:26.09
"And who shall
be able to stand? "
00:35:26.32\00:35:29.09
The question that arises
in the mouths of the wicked
00:35:29.52\00:35:32.49
when Jesus is coming
in the clouds of glory
00:35:32.73\00:35:34.50
"Hide us from the
face of the Lamb...
00:35:34.63\00:35:36.56
Who shall be able to stand? "
00:35:36.70\00:35:39.70
The answer to this question
is actually found in chapter 7.
00:35:40.04\00:35:43.47
Chapter 7 gives the answer
of who will be able to stand
00:35:44.64\00:35:49.71
when Jesus comes. Chapter 7
verse 1: "After these things
00:35:49.84\00:35:54.02
I saw four angels standing
at the four corners of the earth
00:35:54.15\00:35:57.22
holding back the
four winds of the earth
00:35:57.35\00:35:59.02
so that no wind would
blow on the earth or on the sea
00:35:59.15\00:36:01.82
or on any tree.
And I saw another angel
00:36:01.86\00:36:04.46
ascending from the sun having
the seal of the Living God.
00:36:04.59\00:36:08.60
And he cried with a
loud voice to the four angels
00:36:08.83\00:36:12.27
to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea
00:36:12.40\00:36:14.97
saying: 'Do not harm the
earth or the sea or the trees
00:36:15.10\00:36:19.11
until we have sealed
the servants of our God
00:36:19.24\00:36:23.41
on their... ' Where?
'on their foreheads. ' "
00:36:23.45\00:36:25.98
So this is what's happening.
What's happening is that John
00:36:26.11\00:36:30.09
sees in the heavens there
are four angels standing at the
00:36:30.22\00:36:32.75
four corners of the
earth, and they're holding back
00:36:32.79\00:36:35.16
the four winds.
Bible students tell us
00:36:35.19\00:36:39.29
and scholars believe that the
4 winds are the winds of strife.
00:36:39.43\00:36:42.86
These are the final judgments.
00:36:43.00\00:36:44.03
And when those four winds
are let go, it brings into a
00:36:44.17\00:36:48.30
series of events
that closes probation
00:36:48.44\00:36:51.17
and Jesus is soon to come.
00:36:51.31\00:36:53.01
But they are holding
back these four winds.
00:36:53.34\00:36:55.78
Another - a fifth angel
- arises out of the East
00:36:56.21\00:36:59.75
and he has in his hand
the seal of the Living God.
00:36:59.88\00:37:01.92
And he cries out to the
four angels and he says: "Look,
00:37:02.28\00:37:04.92
hold them back.
Continue to hold them
00:37:05.15\00:37:08.52
until we have sealed
the servants of our God
00:37:08.66\00:37:11.16
in their forehead. "
The rest of chapter 7
00:37:11.19\00:37:13.70
talks about the 144,000.
00:37:13.83\00:37:15.90
We don't have time to get
into that here this morning,
00:37:16.03\00:37:17.70
but the 144,000
is a group of people
00:37:17.73\00:37:21.14
that are alive when Jesus
comes. They are translated
00:37:21.27\00:37:24.17
without seeing death
just like Enoch was translated
00:37:24.31\00:37:27.61
without seeing death.
00:37:27.74\00:37:29.08
Now the important word
that I want us to look at
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.45
in this passage is verse 3.
00:37:32.58\00:37:35.82
There's a very important
word that I want us to highlight
00:37:37.15\00:37:40.79
here this morning.
00:37:40.92\00:37:42.46
"Saying: 'Do not harm the earth
00:37:42.59\00:37:46.46
or the sea or the trees... '
00:37:46.59\00:37:48.83
What does your Bible say?
00:37:48.96\00:37:50.47
'till... ' Right? Or
my Bible says: 'until
00:37:50.70\00:37:55.17
we have sealed the
servants of our God
00:37:55.20\00:37:58.51
on their foreheads. ' "
00:37:58.64\00:38:00.74
The implication of this passage
00:38:01.58\00:38:04.41
is that God is not
waiting for final events.
00:38:04.75\00:38:10.15
God is not waiting
for more earthquakes,
00:38:11.62\00:38:15.59
for more tsunamis, for even
what the beast power is doing.
00:38:15.92\00:38:20.76
The implication of this passage
00:38:21.06\00:38:23.90
is that God is
waiting for His people.
00:38:24.03\00:38:28.34
That's what the verse is saying.
00:38:28.77\00:38:30.57
The verse is not saying
00:38:31.61\00:38:32.97
"You know, until
church and state unite... "
00:38:33.11\00:38:35.91
Or "until
national Sunday law... "
00:38:36.24\00:38:39.28
Or "until we have this
beast power arising... "
00:38:39.51\00:38:43.15
The Bible is
telling us in this passage
00:38:43.39\00:38:45.95
that God is
holding back the four winds
00:38:46.19\00:38:49.72
until the servants of God
are sealed on their foreheads.
00:38:49.99\00:38:53.70
God is waiting for His people!
00:38:53.93\00:38:55.86
That is what this
passage is saying.
00:38:56.10\00:38:58.13
When we talk about the seal,
in ancient times the seal was
00:38:58.57\00:39:02.37
a signature. After
a document was written
00:39:02.40\00:39:06.24
many times the rulers or these
individuals would have a seal
00:39:06.37\00:39:10.48
that they would
impress onto the document
00:39:10.51\00:39:12.98
and it was the
signature of the document.
00:39:13.11\00:39:16.12
In Revelation
chapter 22 verse 9 it says:
00:39:16.15\00:39:18.09
"They shall see His
face, and His name shall be
00:39:18.22\00:39:20.96
on their foreheads. " So you
have the seal on the forehead.
00:39:20.99\00:39:23.59
You have the
name on the forehead.
00:39:23.73\00:39:25.16
It's the exact same concept.
00:39:25.29\00:39:27.96
The exact same notion
that we are talking about here
00:39:28.10\00:39:30.80
in Revelation chapter 7.
00:39:30.93\00:39:32.33
The seal IS the signature.
00:39:32.60\00:39:35.57
When we talk about a signature
00:39:35.94\00:39:37.97
most of the time
when we write a letter
00:39:38.31\00:39:42.71
when do you sign your signature?
Before you've finished it?
00:39:43.65\00:39:47.05
Or after you've finished it?
00:39:47.18\00:39:49.08
After, right? You never sign...
00:39:49.22\00:39:51.29
At least most of
the time I don't...
00:39:51.42\00:39:53.36
It's very rare. I
would say 99% of the time
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.89
or 100% of the time
when I write a letter
00:39:57.03\00:39:59.66
after I have edited the letter,
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.83
after I have
looked over the letter,
00:40:01.96\00:40:03.63
after I have completed
the letter that is when I say:
00:40:03.77\00:40:06.63
"Look... I'm
going to sign it now.
00:40:06.77\00:40:09.40
I can stand
behind this document. "
00:40:09.64\00:40:12.97
After I have created the
document I place my signature,
00:40:13.21\00:40:17.28
I place my seal, upon it.
00:40:17.51\00:40:20.05
In Genesis 2:2-3
the Bible tells us
00:40:20.38\00:40:22.85
"Then the earth and the
heavens and all the host of them
00:40:23.12\00:40:26.22
were finished and
on the seventh day
00:40:26.35\00:40:29.29
God ended His
work which He had done.
00:40:29.42\00:40:32.06
And He rested on the seventh day
00:40:32.29\00:40:34.86
from all His work
which He had done.
00:40:34.93\00:40:37.53
Then God blessed the seventh day
00:40:37.77\00:40:40.00
and sanctified it
because in it He rested
00:40:40.14\00:40:43.61
from all His work which
God had created and made. "
00:40:43.74\00:40:48.18
After God creates
His masterpiece...
00:40:48.81\00:40:52.98
He takes the earth -
which is without form and void -
00:40:53.21\00:40:57.35
and creates the
beautiful creation
00:40:57.59\00:41:01.36
in six literal,
contiguous, 24-hour days...
00:41:01.89\00:41:07.86
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.56
All right? So
God creates the earth
00:41:09.70\00:41:11.40
from this without form
and void in six literal days.
00:41:11.63\00:41:17.54
He's finished and He
says: "This is VERY good. "
00:41:17.71\00:41:21.91
He places His signature upon it.
00:41:22.24\00:41:26.65
It is the Sabbath. That
is the signature of creation.
00:41:26.98\00:41:31.59
That is His seal.
After He has completed it
00:41:31.82\00:41:35.92
just like when you're writing
a letter, after you've completed
00:41:36.06\00:41:38.29
the letter you place
your signature upon it.
00:41:38.33\00:41:40.93
"I stand behind
this. " In the same way
00:41:41.13\00:41:42.93
God creates the
earth in six literal days
00:41:43.16\00:41:45.77
and places His
signature upon it.
00:41:45.90\00:41:48.04
It is a sign of creation.
00:41:48.27\00:41:50.54
And in Ezekiel
chapter 20 verse 12 it says:
00:41:50.67\00:41:52.77
"Also I gave them My
Sabbaths as a sign between us
00:41:52.91\00:41:56.54
so that they might know that
I the Lord make them holy. "
00:41:56.68\00:42:02.65
This is the reality is
that when God took David Shin
00:42:02.92\00:42:07.96
from the depths of
degradation and sin
00:42:08.12\00:42:11.93
and He builds me up. Not
only does He forgive my past
00:42:13.03\00:42:16.46
but He gives me
victory in the present
00:42:16.70\00:42:19.47
over my addictions, my
habits, and re-creates in me
00:42:19.60\00:42:22.77
the image of God and the
character of Jesus Christ.
00:42:22.90\00:42:25.74
And as He takes me through
the process of sanctification
00:42:25.97\00:42:29.88
that at some point God
can look down from heaven
00:42:30.01\00:42:33.45
and say: "I have
re-created David Shin. "
00:42:33.58\00:42:38.89
Amen! Amen. "In My image
00:42:39.12\00:42:43.02
to reflect the character
and the love of Jesus Christ. "
00:42:43.26\00:42:46.03
And when He has done this He
places His signature upon me.
00:42:46.26\00:42:52.20
That is the
reality of the gospel.
00:42:52.57\00:42:55.17
Friends, the gospel is
not just cleansing our past
00:42:55.40\00:42:58.47
but victory in the present.
The gospel is to take us back.
00:42:58.61\00:43:02.48
It is restoration of man
back to the image of God.
00:43:02.74\00:43:07.18
That is the concept
of salvation. That is the
00:43:07.55\00:43:11.12
concept of the
Sabbath: it is a seal.
00:43:11.15\00:43:15.19
When a painter
finishes his masterpiece...
00:43:16.32\00:43:20.20
Many times after
he has completed it
00:43:20.53\00:43:24.50
what does he do?
00:43:24.83\00:43:26.60
He signs it.
00:43:26.94\00:43:28.37
God is the
painter; we are the canvas;
00:43:29.67\00:43:34.78
and the painting
is His character.
00:43:35.11\00:43:39.08
Let me say that
again. God is the canvas...
00:43:39.31\00:43:42.25
God is the painter;
00:43:42.62\00:43:45.25
we are the canvas;
00:43:45.75\00:43:47.69
the painting is His character.
00:43:48.22\00:43:53.16
And the sealing
process is allowing God
00:43:53.43\00:43:58.47
to make us like
Jesus in character.
00:43:58.70\00:44:04.41
That is the
sealing process, friends.
00:44:04.67\00:44:07.08
is that God is looking down from
heaven for a group of people
00:44:07.41\00:44:10.85
that will allow
Him to place His image,
00:44:10.98\00:44:14.58
His stamp, His
character upon us.
00:44:14.72\00:44:17.95
That is what God is waiting for.
00:44:18.09\00:44:19.42
That is why God is holding
back the winds of strife.
00:44:19.45\00:44:21.66
He says: "Hold them back
till I can place My signature
00:44:21.79\00:44:24.79
upon them. But I can't
place My signature upon them
00:44:24.93\00:44:27.30
until I have a group of people
that will surrender their lives
00:44:27.46\00:44:30.77
to me to allow
God to be the painter
00:44:30.90\00:44:33.54
to paint the character
of Jesus upon us. Amen!
00:44:33.67\00:44:37.14
That is the reality of why
probation is still not closed.
00:44:37.37\00:44:41.24
That is the reality of
why Jesus has not come.
00:44:41.38\00:44:45.18
Because the
character of love of Jesus
00:44:45.21\00:44:49.38
still has to be
reproduced in you and me.
00:44:49.62\00:44:54.92
We are His creation,
00:44:55.26\00:44:58.09
and when we have matured
and allowed Jesus to place
00:44:58.33\00:45:02.23
His image upon us,
He's placed His signature,
00:45:02.26\00:45:06.07
His seal... the sign
symbolized by the Sabbath.
00:45:06.30\00:45:11.94
I want to invite you to
turn with me in your Bibles
00:45:12.17\00:45:14.11
to Matthew
chapter 24 and verse 14.
00:45:14.28\00:45:16.14
Matthew 24:14. We
know this; it's familiar.
00:45:17.55\00:45:21.48
Here Jesus is looking
down toward the end of time.
00:45:22.35\00:45:25.62
He's giving the signs of
the end, and in Matthew 24:14
00:45:25.75\00:45:29.26
this is the
pronouncement by Jesus Christ
00:45:29.39\00:45:33.03
talking about the end.
00:45:33.16\00:45:35.96
Matthew 24:14.
00:45:37.33\00:45:40.17
"And this gospel of the kingdom
00:45:40.50\00:45:44.04
shall be
preached in all the world
00:45:44.27\00:45:47.98
for a witness unto all nations
00:45:48.11\00:45:50.98
and... " What
does your Bible say?
00:45:51.21\00:45:53.05
"and then shall the end come. "
00:45:53.18\00:45:57.59
The word then is very
important. It is just like
00:45:58.42\00:46:01.19
the word until in
Revelation chapter 7.
00:46:01.22\00:46:03.76
The Bible here is saying
that the gospel of the kingdom
00:46:04.53\00:46:08.00
must be preached in all
the world "and then shall
00:46:08.03\00:46:11.17
the end come. " This is the
condition that must be fulfilled
00:46:11.20\00:46:15.27
for probation to
close and for Jesus to come.
00:46:15.40\00:46:18.71
But when you look at this
passage it says that the gospel
00:46:19.57\00:46:22.81
shall be preached in
all the world for a... What?
00:46:22.94\00:46:25.78
For a witness.
00:46:26.48\00:46:27.98
Now the preaching of the gospel
is not just the proclamation
00:46:28.42\00:46:32.39
of the gospel in words.
00:46:32.52\00:46:35.86
That is an important component,
00:46:36.09\00:46:38.29
but I would argue that
the words do not mean a lot
00:46:38.63\00:46:43.97
unless it is coming
from a character witness.
00:46:44.10\00:46:47.94
Isn't that right? Amen!
The character speaks as much
00:46:48.17\00:46:52.31
or if not more than the words.
00:46:52.44\00:46:54.18
What makes the words so
powerful is that it comes from
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.91
the character.
Desire of Ages says "No man
00:46:57.95\00:47:00.18
spoke like Jesus spoke because
no man lived like Jesus lived. "
00:47:00.22\00:47:03.62
So we must not come
under the impression
00:47:04.49\00:47:08.19
that we just need to go
out there preaching the gospel
00:47:08.42\00:47:10.63
and not live the gospel.
00:47:10.66\00:47:11.99
So when we talk about
this witness it is not only the
00:47:12.33\00:47:15.66
preaching of the gospel in
the words but in the life. Amen!
00:47:15.70\00:47:20.50
Which means that we must not
only preach the words of Jesus;
00:47:21.50\00:47:25.04
we must have the
character of Jesus. Amen.
00:47:25.17\00:47:28.51
So that just like the apostles
they say: "These people are...
00:47:28.78\00:47:31.88
have been with Jesus. "
00:47:31.91\00:47:33.52
That was the
power of the witness.
00:47:33.65\00:47:35.12
So what God is looking for
in the end of time is not just
00:47:35.55\00:47:38.69
the preaching of the gospel
in the words but in the life.
00:47:38.82\00:47:41.29
A group of people that
have allowed Jesus to reproduce
00:47:41.52\00:47:45.53
His character in you and I.
00:47:45.66\00:47:47.86
The character of Jesus
and the character of love.
00:47:48.06\00:47:51.80
Ministry of
Healing 470 says this:
00:47:52.03\00:47:54.50
"The strongest
argument in favor of the gospel
00:47:54.67\00:47:59.17
is a loving and
loveable Christian. "
00:47:59.41\00:48:04.71
Let me read that again.
00:48:04.95\00:48:06.51
The strongest...
the most powerful...
00:48:08.25\00:48:14.12
"The strongest
argument in favor of the gospel
00:48:14.26\00:48:19.09
is a loving and
loveable Christian. "
00:48:19.93\00:48:25.40
The character of Jesus Christ,
00:48:26.50\00:48:29.47
the character of love,
being reproduced in you and me
00:48:29.80\00:48:35.01
by the Master Creator
00:48:35.34\00:48:38.48
is what God is waiting for.
00:48:38.71\00:48:41.82
That is the witness.
00:48:42.85\00:48:44.65
There is going to be a
revelation of Jesus Christ
00:48:44.89\00:48:47.72
in the end of time
unprecedented in human history.
00:48:47.86\00:48:51.29
There will be a group
of people that will reflect
00:48:51.73\00:48:55.16
the character of love
of Jesus as never before.
00:48:55.30\00:48:59.17
By the grace of God
people will be able to say
00:48:59.30\00:49:02.70
"I see Jesus in you. "
00:49:02.94\00:49:06.44
"I see the character of Christ
being reproduced in you. "
00:49:06.78\00:49:12.08
God is holding back
the winds of strife.
00:49:12.45\00:49:16.38
God is holding back
the close of probation
00:49:16.62\00:49:20.56
waiting for a people
who allow Him to imprint
00:49:20.89\00:49:26.09
the character of
Jesus upon you and me.
00:49:26.23\00:49:31.13
This is what
heaven is waiting for.
00:49:32.20\00:49:34.64
This is what
Jesus is waiting for.
00:49:35.07\00:49:38.07
He's waiting for individuals
that will say: "Lord,
00:49:38.51\00:49:43.51
I surrender. I surrender to
the process of justification,
00:49:43.75\00:49:49.58
sanctification, and by the grace
of God ultimate glorification
00:49:49.72\00:49:55.42
by the grace of Jesus. "
00:49:55.59\00:49:57.16
I want to make this
practical here this morning.
00:49:58.09\00:49:59.69
How do we become like Jesus?
00:49:59.83\00:50:01.33
How do we allow the painter
to paint His masterpiece -
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the character of
Jesus - upon you and me?
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In II Corinthians
chapter 3 verse 18
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I want to read this to you:
"But we all with unveiled face
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beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord
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are being transformed... "
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It's a process. It
says: "Are being transformed
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into the same
image from glory to glory
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just as by the
Spirit of the Lord. "
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This is a principle of
character transformation.
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It does not happen overnight.
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Justification
happens immediately.
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The moment that you accept
Jesus, ask for the forgiveness
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of sin, it is
done... it is immediate.
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Sanctification is the
process of a lifetime.
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When we look at the process
of character transformation
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this is the principle: that
by beholding you become changed.
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By what you think
about, what you meditate upon,
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what you choose to listen to and
to allow into your consciousness
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is the thing that is
changing you from one character
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to another character.
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And this is the reality:
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that in the end of time there
will be two master artists.
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There will be two creations.
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One will look like Jesus Christ
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and the other would
look like antichrist...
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ultimately the devil.
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And when we look at this process
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we have to come to the
recognition that there are also
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two signatures. You
have the seal of God -
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those that are
re-created in the image of God -
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and you have the mark of the
beast which is really the mark
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of Satan... and that
will be the signature.
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Before Jesus comes a second time
there will be a group of people
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that will be like
Jesus in character.
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But there will be
another group of people
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that will be just
like Satan in character.
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This is a solemn
thought, friends.
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When we recognize that in
the end of time there will be
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the maturation of
two types of character.
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One that is like Jesus Christ
and one that is like the devil
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and antichrist.
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They will have
matured to a certain point
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that God can say:
"These are My people. "
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He places His seal;
He places His signature.
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There's another group of people
that will be just like the
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antichrist and the
devil and he'll say:
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"These are my people.
I'm going to mark them;
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I'm going to place my
signature upon them. "
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And in the presence
of these two characters
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that have become
pronounced and matured
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in the end of time, in the
context of the great controversy
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before the universe
every decision will be decided
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and every
character will be fixed.
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And the process of
forming and fixing of character
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is this principle of
beholding and becoming.
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What you behold you will become.
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I want to talk a little bit
about the media before we close.
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The things that are
coming down the airwaves:
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cable television, the Internet,
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online, the movies,
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Hollywood. I would say the
vast majority of these things
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are the programming
of the devil - Amen! -
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to prepare a group of people
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that will
become what they behold
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and will form and become fixed
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to reflect not
the character of Jesus
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but the character of the devil.
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God has His operation as well.
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I praise the Lord for 3ABN!
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I praise the Lord
for online resources
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that we have access to
and we have the proclamation
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of the gospel
going on as never before.
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And this is why, friends,
we need to be in our Bibles
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as never before. Because
the devil has the airwaves
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so covered and there is a
maturation happening right now
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before our eyes...
There is a group of people
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becoming like the devil
and there's a group of people
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becoming like Jesus. And
the question that I have for you
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here this morning: which
program are you in today?
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Which track are you in?
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You just have to ask yourself:
where do I spend the majority
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of my time? In the Word of God
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or on the
television? Or on the Internet?
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Or at the movies? Just
by default you are becoming
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what you behold. And there will
come through a series of events.
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You think to yourself: "Oh,
one day I'm going to change. "
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"One day I'm going to...
When I hear about the Sunday law
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or when I hear about
this I'm going to change. "
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But by that time
it will be too late
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because through a series
of decisions your character
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has become set. It
has become cemented.
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It has become solidified.
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Not that God has arbitrarily
closed His probation upon us
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but that we
through our own decisions
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have come to a place that
we no longer hear the voice
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of God. Which program are we in?
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The programming
to become like Jesus?
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Or the programming to
become like the devil?
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In the end, every
character will be fixed.
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Every character will be set.
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Every case will be decided.
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"Keep your Bible with you...
" Christian Education 582:
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"As you have opportunity, read
it. Fix the text in your memory.
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Even while you're
walking the streets you may read
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a passage, meditate upon it
and fixing it in the mind. "
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Now is the time, friends,
that we have the opportunity
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to allow God to form our
characters after the character
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of Jesus Christ for "by
beholding we become... "
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Now is the time to
spend time in the Word of God
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as never before. Now is
the time to get up early
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in the morning to
spend time with Jesus Christ
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so that you do not become
in the image of antichrist.
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We are seeing a time
of unprecedented light
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and unprecedented evil.
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And we must choose
today who we will serve...
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whether it be God or Satan.
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And I want to appeal
to you here this morning.
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How many of you want to say:
"Lord, by the grace of Jesus
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help me to spend time
in my morning devotions? "
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Amen? Amen! You know,
the spirit is willing but
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the flesh is weak.
Amen? But God can help us.
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And by raising our
hands we can say: "Lord,
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work in me both to will and
to do of Your good pleasure. "
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Because now is the time.
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"Today if you hear His voice
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harden not your hearts. "
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And the Holy Spirit is
speaking to us, friends.
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And by the grace of God
it's my prayer here this morning
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that when Jesus comes
in the clouds of glory
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that we will
say: "This is our God;
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we have waited for Him
and He will save us. " Amen!
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