Good evening, it's
good to see everyone again.
00:00:10.41\00:00:13.74
Tonight, we're gonna be
going on a little bit farther
00:00:13.78\00:00:16.78
and the name of
our message is Ichabod,
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the Glory Has Departed.
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I want to give a quick
overview of why the title?
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It comes from
00:00:28.36\00:00:29.69
1 Samuel 4:19-22,
00:00:29.72\00:00:36.26
and I'm gonna just do
this in a very abbreviated way.
00:00:36.30\00:00:40.60
What had happened is
the children of Israel
00:00:40.64\00:00:43.47
were there in the land of Canaan
00:00:43.51\00:00:46.07
and their arch-enemy the
Philistines had attacked.
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And the High Priest Eli,
his two sons were priests,
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but they were
not God fearing men.
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And Israel knew that
whenever they went into battle,
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for them to win
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they had to take the
throne of God before them.
00:01:08.43\00:01:14.30
That's what the
Ark of the Covenant is.
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You have a covering
cherub on each side,
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you have a mercy seat,
it's the throne of God,
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it was a symbol
of where He dwells.
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And they went into battle
and they were not doing well
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and to the best of my memory,
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Hophni and Phinehas
said we need the Ark.
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And they did not
have permission from God
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to take the Ark but
they took it anyway.
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And they went into battle
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and because they
had taken the Ark
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but did not have God's blessing,
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they were defeated terribly.
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And a messenger
came running back to Eli,
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and when he got back to
Eli, he said, we've lost,
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I mean, Israel
has been defeated.
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The Ark or he said your
two sons have been killed
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and the Ark of the Covenant
has been taken by the enemy.
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When Eli heard that,
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he fell off of his chair
and broke his neck and died.
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One of his two
son's wife was pregnant,
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almost ready to give birth.
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And on the moment
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when the delivery
was about to happen,
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she heard this news
and she cried out Ichabod,
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the Glory Has Departed.
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The glory of God rested
upon that Ark of the Covenant.
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What was
underneath of the mercy seat?
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The law of God. The law of God.
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I want you to
make a note of that
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because we're gonna
talk about that tomorrow.
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God's law or the law of God,
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if you can think
about it in a different way,
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it's not just
something that belongs to Him.
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The word God in Greek is Theos,
it means deity and divinity,
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and I know that's God Almighty.
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But that's what the word,
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we're just looking
at what the word means?
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The law, the word
in Hebrew is Torah,
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it means instructions.
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It doesn't mean command
simply, it means instructions.
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With this computer, I
have code in the computer,
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when I buy the
computer brand new,
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it has laws code that
is written inside of it.
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It says, if I press enter
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this is what the
computer is supposed to do.
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If I press back space or escape,
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this is what the
computer is supposed to do.
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God's
instructions are like a code.
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There are instructions
in righteousness, in purity,
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in holiness, in victory.
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The law of God is
the law of what it takes
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to have the divine nature.
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That's why David
said, King David,
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"Thy law have I
hid in mine heart,
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that I might not
sin against thee."
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Your instructions I
have put inside of my heart.
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So when the law of God
is no longer being kept,
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the glory of God is no
longer upon the throne.
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If you remove
the Ten Commandments
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from the throne,
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you have a form of godliness,
but you have no power.
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Does that make sense?
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"And she named her
child I-chabod and said,
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the glory is
departed from Israel,
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for the ark or the
throne of God has been taken.
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Marvelous beyond expression
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is the blindness of the
people of this generation.
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There are few who
have any just conception
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of the deceptive
power of Spiritualism."
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Many people play
with it, they think,
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"Well, I'm not gonna go
that far, I'm just gonna,
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I'm just gonna buy Ouija board,
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or I'm just gonna
bring this movie home,
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or I'm just gonna
bring this music home,
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I'm not gonna go that far."
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It only takes one bite.
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"Few who have
any just conception
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of the deceptive
power of spiritualism
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and the danger of
coming under its influence.
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Thousands reject the Word of God
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as unworthy of belief,
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and yet with eager confidence
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they receive the
deceptions of Satan.
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So fully have they
yielded to the tempter,
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so closely are
they united with him,
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and so thoroughly are
they imbued with his spirit,
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that they have no
power and no inclination
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to break away from his snare."
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Do you remember
in our last message,
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we talked about yoga,
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but how it means to
be yoked to or joined to.
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In the very first
message or second one,
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we talked about how
these Hollywood stars
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and musicians had
become joined to evil spirits.
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They had invited
them into their lives
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and sometimes people say,
"Well, I'm not gonna that far?
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I'm just, it's
just a little sin."
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Ellen White says of Judas
when she talked about him,
00:07:09.72\00:07:13.76
the Bible says,
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"Christ looked at the
12 disciples, He said,
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'Have I not chosen you 12
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and yet one of you is a Devil.'"
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Ellen White said,
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"The demons
name was selfishness.
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She named it and she
listed a lot of other names
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that are there.
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Spirits are
named for what they do
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or for what their
character traits are.
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That's what they do.
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Selfishness caused
Judas to lose eternity,
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not just his physical life.
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Says the prophet, "I
saw three unclean spirits
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like frogs, words, tongues,
00:08:03.11\00:08:07.82
and they are the
spirits of devils,
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working miracles,
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which go forth unto
the kings of the earth
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and of the whole
world for one reason,
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to gather them
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to the battle of that
great day of God Almighty."
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You can read Revelation 19-21
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and it actually
talks about the fact
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that when Christ is returning,
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the kings of the
earth and their armies
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will gather themselves
together to make war with him
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that's sitting on the horse.
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And I'm not gonna take
time to go into this in depth,
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but have you ever
considered something.
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When Christ
returns the second time,
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it's a physical event,
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I mean, physically
He really is travelling
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all the way from heaven to here.
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Did you know that
astronomers will see Him coming
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before we do?
00:09:07.78\00:09:10.85
If they are
looking in outer space,
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they can see a
year ahead of time
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when the comet's coming.
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Have you ever considered that?
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And do you know
that the number one,
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the most expensive and
elaborate telescope array
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in the entire world
is owned by the Vatican.
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And the name of it used
to be the Lucifer Project,
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but they got so much
flack and controversy over it,
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that they changed it
and then called it Lucy.
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It's an acronym noun,
and they said it means this,
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but it was
originally called the Lucifer
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or Light Bearer Project.
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They are watching outer space
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because they are
preparing for this event.
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"Except
those..." Listen to this.
00:10:04.50\00:10:07.07
"Except those who are
kept by the power of God,
00:10:07.10\00:10:11.91
through faith in His Word,
the whole world will be swept
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into the ranks of this delusion.
00:10:18.58\00:10:21.55
The people are fast being
lulled into a fatal security,
00:10:21.58\00:10:26.45
to be awakened
00:10:26.49\00:10:27.82
only by the
outpouring of the wrath of God.
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As Spiritualism
more closely imitates
00:10:33.93\00:10:37.13
the nominal
Christianity of the day,
00:10:37.17\00:10:40.17
it has greater power
to deceive and ensnare.
00:10:40.20\00:10:44.27
Satan himself is converted
00:10:44.31\00:10:46.44
after the
modern order of things.
00:10:46.47\00:10:49.14
He will appear in the
character of an angel of light."
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You see, there on the
left hand of the screen
00:10:55.15\00:10:58.02
a book by Peter Tyler called
"The Return to the Mystical."
00:10:58.05\00:11:02.39
This is a book on returning
back to the Roman Catholic,
00:11:02.42\00:11:06.33
Desert Fathers and the Mystics.
00:11:06.36\00:11:09.66
On the far right,
you see another book
00:11:09.70\00:11:12.63
which I did not
include the details on
00:11:12.67\00:11:15.60
because I don't want me buy,
to go and try to purchase it,
00:11:15.64\00:11:20.41
it was called
"The Yoga of Jesus."
00:11:20.44\00:11:23.31
And they actually
are telling people
00:11:23.35\00:11:25.41
that the miracles of Jesus did,
00:11:25.45\00:11:28.02
anybody can do
because Jesus did this
00:11:28.05\00:11:30.65
because He understood pantheism
in the Hindu practice of yoga.
00:11:30.69\00:11:36.62
In the center, there
is a book and a series
00:11:36.66\00:11:42.16
that was released
within the last 12 years,
00:11:42.20\00:11:45.97
it's called "A
Course in Miracles."
00:11:46.00\00:11:49.04
Oprah Winfrey was the
one that promoted this book
00:11:49.07\00:11:53.44
in this series.
00:11:53.48\00:11:55.28
"It was published in
1976 by Dr. Helen Schucman,
00:11:55.31\00:12:00.28
with the help
of William Thetford
00:12:00.32\00:12:02.25
and Judith Skutch.
00:12:02.28\00:12:04.15
The manuscript was
said to be dictated to her
00:12:04.19\00:12:08.56
by a "voice which
claimed to be "Jesus,"
00:12:08.59\00:12:14.13
this voice began speaking
to her in the years 1965-1972."
00:12:14.16\00:12:20.97
This is coming
right out of the '60s
00:12:21.00\00:12:23.47
when you had all the
new age and Hindu practices
00:12:23.51\00:12:27.11
coming into the
United States of America.
00:12:27.14\00:12:30.55
"After receiving
the first few messages,
00:12:30.58\00:12:33.62
Dr, Schucman
contacted the daughter
00:12:33.65\00:12:36.75
of renown
psychic Edger Cayce..."
00:12:36.79\00:12:39.55
Remember, we talked about him
in our second or first message.
00:12:39.59\00:12:44.93
"She contacted the daughter
of Edger Cayce for advice
00:12:44.96\00:12:49.30
on what she should
do with the teachings
00:12:49.33\00:12:51.70
which were being given to her.
00:12:51.73\00:12:54.24
The series was aired
worldwide by Oprah Winfrey
00:12:54.27\00:12:58.44
beginning in January 1, 2008."
00:12:58.47\00:13:02.68
Ten years ago,
00:13:02.71\00:13:05.05
Oprah Winfrey is said to have
the largest church in the world
00:13:05.08\00:13:09.62
because of her audience.
00:13:09.65\00:13:13.46
Now, I'm gonna be careful
here before I go any further,
00:13:13.49\00:13:17.43
I'm gonna read some
statements that are in that book
00:13:17.46\00:13:22.13
that was dictated by this entity
00:13:22.16\00:13:26.23
that claimed to be Jesus.
00:13:26.27\00:13:28.67
I'm gonna read this
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.51
and I'm asking that you
will ask the Lord to help us
00:13:30.54\00:13:34.11
as we are hearing this.
00:13:34.14\00:13:35.74
These are all lies of the devil.
00:13:35.78\00:13:39.51
On page 45, it says,
"God is in everything I see."
00:13:39.55\00:13:45.42
On page 70, it says,
"My mind is part of God's,
00:13:45.45\00:13:50.43
I am very holy.
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.76
My holiness is my salvation
00:13:52.79\00:13:55.43
and my salvation comes from me!"
00:13:55.46\00:13:59.77
Page 99 says,
"God does not forgive,
00:13:59.80\00:14:03.71
because He has never condemned."
00:14:03.74\00:14:07.08
Page 10 says, "A slain
Christ has no meaning."
00:14:07.11\00:14:12.58
Page 11-12 says,
00:14:12.61\00:14:14.72
"Do not make the
pathetic error of clinging
00:14:14.75\00:14:17.62
to the old rugged cross.
00:14:17.65\00:14:19.89
For the journey to the cross
00:14:19.92\00:14:21.82
should be the
last useless journey."
00:14:21.86\00:14:26.66
Page 13 says,
00:14:26.70\00:14:28.20
"The name of Jesus
Christ as such is but a symbol.
00:14:28.23\00:14:33.57
It is a symbol
that is safely used
00:14:33.60\00:14:36.50
as a replacement
for the many names
00:14:36.54\00:14:39.67
of all the gods
to which you pray."
00:14:39.71\00:14:44.15
Page 15 says,
00:14:44.18\00:14:46.72
"The recognition of God
00:14:46.75\00:14:49.28
is the recognition of yourself."
00:14:49.32\00:14:53.05
This was promoted heavily
by Oprah Winfrey, heavily.
00:14:53.09\00:14:59.53
Now, I want to
show a video clip,
00:14:59.56\00:15:03.16
and we're gonna
take a look at this,
00:15:03.20\00:15:04.77
it's about two
and half minutes long
00:15:04.80\00:15:07.14
and then we'll continue.
00:15:07.17\00:15:08.50
Our first show,
00:15:12.61\00:15:14.61
maybe 10,000 people
worshiping, celebrating,
00:15:14.64\00:15:19.31
each of them having his own
personal experience with God.
00:15:19.35\00:15:23.12
This is clearly
faith in the God in you,
00:15:23.15\00:15:28.49
your inspiration, your power.
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.76
God is so many
things to so many people.
00:15:35.86\00:15:38.33
The warm light of the sun...
00:15:41.84\00:15:43.20
the sound of sweet music,
00:15:47.08\00:15:50.88
and inner voice that
drives us forward, a friend.
00:15:50.91\00:15:57.85
If you ask me who God is?
00:15:57.89\00:16:00.49
I would say,
00:16:00.52\00:16:01.86
"There's a bit of
divine in all of us.
00:16:01.89\00:16:04.23
There's God in
you, there's God in me."
00:16:04.26\00:16:07.90
The God in me
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.37
is who I really am at my core.
00:16:10.40\00:16:15.60
The God in me is
the best version of me.
00:16:15.64\00:16:21.58
The God in me is
to who I strive to be,
00:16:21.61\00:16:26.65
who I was meant to be.
00:16:26.68\00:16:29.52
That is startling.
00:17:59.17\00:18:01.61
The first clip
that we just viewed
00:18:01.64\00:18:03.95
is from a three hour documentary
00:18:03.98\00:18:07.05
where Morgan Freeman
goes around the world
00:18:07.08\00:18:10.15
and interviews people of
different religious faiths.
00:18:10.19\00:18:14.82
There was one part in particular
00:18:14.86\00:18:16.76
that really shocked me was
when he was doing an interview
00:18:16.79\00:18:19.43
with Pastor Joel
Osteen and that was the end.
00:18:19.46\00:18:24.53
And then he
came out and he said,
00:18:24.57\00:18:26.74
"God is in everyone."
00:18:26.77\00:18:30.54
The exact same
thing that we're hearing
00:18:30.57\00:18:33.41
all these Eastern Mystics say.
00:18:33.44\00:18:36.85
And you think, why
are we hearing this now.
00:18:36.88\00:18:40.28
And then you heard
earlier where we actually quoted
00:18:40.32\00:18:45.79
one of the Japanese
masters and he said,
00:18:45.82\00:18:50.09
"There's many
paths up Mount Fuji,
00:18:50.13\00:18:54.00
but there is only
one summit, love."
00:18:54.03\00:18:57.33
All of those people
said the same thing.
00:18:57.37\00:18:59.90
We worship different, we
have different names for God,
00:18:59.93\00:19:02.90
but we believe in love.
00:19:02.94\00:19:04.84
The Bible says,
00:19:04.87\00:19:06.78
"This is the love of God
that we keep His commandments
00:19:06.81\00:19:12.85
and His
commandments are not grievous."
00:19:12.88\00:19:15.62
This is how you know
who truly loves the Lord God
00:19:15.65\00:19:22.02
if they're willing
to follow and obey Him.
00:19:22.06\00:19:25.59
Now, I want to identify
some of the new age gurus
00:19:25.63\00:19:30.43
that we're seeing now.
00:19:30.47\00:19:32.00
And we're gonna take
that into the emergent church
00:19:32.03\00:19:36.04
and the spiritual
formation that we're seeing.
00:19:36.07\00:19:39.71
Here we have Oprah Winfrey with
three very, very popular guests
00:19:39.74\00:19:44.05
that are on her show.
00:19:44.08\00:19:45.61
The first man over to the left,
00:19:45.65\00:19:47.28
his name is Eckhart
Tolle or Eckhart Tolle.
00:19:47.32\00:19:50.89
He is a strong new
ager, has written many books.
00:19:50.92\00:19:55.22
The man at the
top is Tony Robbins.
00:19:55.26\00:19:59.66
This man is one of the most
popular motivational speakers
00:19:59.69\00:20:04.17
in the world.
00:20:04.20\00:20:05.53
This is the type of man
00:20:05.57\00:20:06.90
I was talking to
you about earlier
00:20:06.94\00:20:08.64
that came to
address those masters
00:20:08.67\00:20:11.44
in the martial art circle.
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.94
He teaches people something
that Norman Vincent Peale did
00:20:13.98\00:20:18.71
called the power
of positive thinking.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.52
It's not of God. It's
not faith in God's Word.
00:20:21.55\00:20:25.25
It's faith in self.
00:20:25.29\00:20:27.52
And then right below that
you have Oprah with her show
00:20:27.56\00:20:31.09
called Sunday's
Super Bowl Sunday
00:20:31.13\00:20:34.60
and she's doing an interview
00:20:34.63\00:20:36.60
with one of the
spiritual formation
00:20:36.63\00:20:38.50
and emerging church leaders
name Rob Bell, Pastor Rob Bell.
00:20:38.53\00:20:44.87
Eckhart Tolle,
you'll have to forgive me
00:20:44.91\00:20:48.48
because I have got a
slide that I forgot to edit.
00:20:48.51\00:20:53.55
He said, "Heaven is not a place.
00:20:53.58\00:20:57.89
It's not a physical place.
00:20:57.92\00:21:01.89
It is a realm of consciousness."
00:21:01.92\00:21:06.16
He said,
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.53
"I am the source
of my own salvation."
00:21:07.56\00:21:11.50
Deepak Chopra
founded a wellness system
00:21:15.07\00:21:18.84
based on a
combination of Western medicine
00:21:18.87\00:21:22.54
and Ayurvedic principles
of health and spirituality.
00:21:22.58\00:21:26.75
Due to his
dissatisfaction with the ability
00:21:26.78\00:21:30.09
of conventional Western medicine
00:21:30.12\00:21:32.32
to help his patients.
00:21:32.35\00:21:34.59
Chopra's teachings
about the human being
00:21:34.62\00:21:37.73
and its wellness are
based on Hindu pantheism.
00:21:37.76\00:21:42.73
He is also a well respected
00:21:42.76\00:21:45.33
and often seen
guest on Oprah show.
00:21:45.37\00:21:50.17
He said, "Thus the 'divine'
pervades the entire universe
00:21:50.21\00:21:54.34
as well as human beings,
00:21:54.38\00:21:56.78
and every person has divinity
within himself or herself."
00:21:56.81\00:22:02.55
Chopra goes on and writes,
00:22:02.58\00:22:04.59
"We remain unfulfilled
00:22:04.62\00:22:07.06
unless we nurture the
seeds of divinity inside us.
00:22:07.09\00:22:12.99
In reality, we are
divinity in disguise,
00:22:13.03\00:22:18.27
and the gods and
goddesses in embryo
00:22:18.30\00:22:23.77
that are contained within us
00:22:23.81\00:22:26.51
seek to be fully materialized."
00:22:26.54\00:22:31.71
He's talking about demons,
00:22:31.75\00:22:33.18
he's talking
about fallen angels.
00:22:33.21\00:22:35.28
This is a quote that I
have heard so many Christians,
00:22:38.72\00:22:43.36
even of our church repeat to me.
00:22:43.39\00:22:46.76
"We are not human beings
having a spiritual experience,
00:22:46.80\00:22:51.03
we are spiritual beings
having a human experience."
00:22:51.07\00:22:55.70
This quote comes
from a book called
00:22:55.74\00:22:58.14
"Chicken Soup for the Soul,"
00:22:58.17\00:23:00.04
which many Christians
are running out and buying.
00:23:00.08\00:23:03.18
They have no idea
who the quote came from.
00:23:03.21\00:23:07.18
It came from a man named
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
00:23:07.22\00:23:12.59
He's a Jesuit priest.
00:23:12.62\00:23:14.82
He is also been a advisor
to the UN on spirituality.
00:23:14.86\00:23:20.26
Ellen White says, "The
warnings of the Word of God
00:23:25.03\00:23:28.30
regarding the perils
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.14
surrounding the Christian church
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.84
belong to us today,
00:23:32.87\00:23:35.74
just as in the
days of the apostles,
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.91
men tried by
tradition and philosophy
00:23:38.95\00:23:42.55
to destroy faith
in the scriptures.
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.99
So today,
00:23:46.02\00:23:47.82
by the pleasing
sentiments of higher criticism,
00:23:47.86\00:23:52.49
evolution, spiritualism,
00:23:52.53\00:23:56.13
theosophy and pantheism,
00:23:56.16\00:23:59.00
the enemy of righteousness
is seeking to lead souls
00:23:59.03\00:24:03.54
into forbidden paths.
00:24:03.57\00:24:06.07
This is a book by Brian McLaren.
00:24:06.11\00:24:08.38
He's a well-known
pastor in the emerging church.
00:24:08.41\00:24:11.61
He's a strong supporter
of spiritual formation.
00:24:11.65\00:24:14.85
The name of the book is
called "Why Did Jesus, Moses,
00:24:14.88\00:24:19.15
the Buddha, and
Mohammed Cross the Road?:
00:24:19.19\00:24:23.02
Christian Identity
in a Multi-Faith World."
00:24:23.06\00:24:26.80
What he just did was he
made all of those men equal,
00:24:26.83\00:24:31.40
He put them all
on the same level.
00:24:31.43\00:24:36.00
Today, these same teachings
are being suddenly introduced
00:24:36.04\00:24:39.77
into the Christian church.
00:24:39.81\00:24:41.98
This is a university,
if I remember correctly,
00:24:42.01\00:24:44.61
that is in
Oregon, Biola University.
00:24:44.65\00:24:48.22
They are one of the
strongest proponents
00:24:48.25\00:24:50.79
of spiritual formation
00:24:50.82\00:24:52.39
The MN Fox University,
00:24:52.42\00:24:55.62
that we have a book
over here to the left called
00:24:55.66\00:24:58.79
"Spiritual Formation
in Emerging Adulthood,
00:24:58.83\00:25:02.70
A Practical Theology for College
00:25:02.73\00:25:05.77
and Young Adult Ministry."
00:25:05.80\00:25:08.77
This book is being promoted
even within our denomination,
00:25:08.80\00:25:14.18
in our universities.
00:25:14.21\00:25:17.41
For those that are practicing
or that have to take classes
00:25:17.45\00:25:21.18
in spiritual
formation for a theology major.
00:25:21.22\00:25:25.99
When you go into those classes,
00:25:26.02\00:25:28.22
the instructor or
professor will give you
00:25:28.26\00:25:30.53
recommended reading
and you have young adults
00:25:30.56\00:25:34.26
that often look up
to their professors,
00:25:34.30\00:25:37.40
and they go and they
buy the recommended reading
00:25:37.43\00:25:39.77
because they want
to do the best they can
00:25:39.80\00:25:42.60
when they're in school.
00:25:42.64\00:25:46.11
Acts of the
Apostles, page 474, we're told,
00:25:46.14\00:25:50.08
"To many the Bible is
as a lamp without oil,
00:25:50.11\00:25:54.78
because they have
turned their minds
00:25:54.82\00:25:57.12
into channels of
speculative belief
00:25:57.15\00:26:00.16
that bring
misunder-standing and confusion.
00:26:00.19\00:26:03.93
The work of higher
criticism, in dissecting,
00:26:03.96\00:26:08.53
conjecturing, reconstructing,
00:26:08.56\00:26:11.97
is destroying faith in the Bible
00:26:12.00\00:26:14.80
as a divine revelation.
00:26:14.84\00:26:17.67
It is robbing God's Word
of power to control, uplift,
00:26:17.71\00:26:23.35
and inspire human lives.
00:26:23.38\00:26:26.28
I want to pause
there for a moment.
00:26:26.31\00:26:27.82
There's a verse in Scripture
00:26:27.85\00:26:30.22
that I would like for
you to look up with me,
00:26:30.25\00:26:33.32
it's 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
00:26:33.36\00:26:39.29
The Apostle Paul says,
00:26:39.33\00:26:41.96
"For this cause also
thank we God without ceasing,
00:26:42.00\00:26:48.60
because, when you
received the Word of God,
00:26:48.64\00:26:53.38
which you heard from us,
00:26:53.41\00:26:55.91
you received it not as the word
of a man or the word of men."
00:26:55.94\00:27:01.95
The word of man is
yay or nay or maybe.
00:27:01.98\00:27:05.02
I can tell you,
I'm going to be here.
00:27:05.05\00:27:07.46
I can tell my wife,
00:27:07.49\00:27:08.82
I'll be there to
pick you up at 5 o'clock,
00:27:08.86\00:27:11.53
and there's a traffic accident,
00:27:11.56\00:27:13.90
they have the
interstate closed off.
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.23
I cannot find a way around
and I show up at 7 o'clock
00:27:16.26\00:27:20.34
and she says, "Honey,
what happened to you?"
00:27:20.37\00:27:22.87
And I'm like there,
"I couldn't do anything.
00:27:22.90\00:27:25.34
I was stuck on a
four lane interstate.
00:27:25.37\00:27:28.11
I had no way to get around it."
00:27:28.14\00:27:30.81
I meant to be there,
but I can't guarantee it.
00:27:30.85\00:27:37.02
Paul says, "When you
receive the Word of God
00:27:37.05\00:27:39.89
what you heard from us,
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.36
you didn't receive
it as the word of men
00:27:41.39\00:27:44.83
yay, nay or maybe
00:27:44.86\00:27:48.26
but you received it
00:27:48.30\00:27:49.90
as it is in truth in verity,
00:27:49.93\00:27:54.80
the Word of God,
the Word of deity,
00:27:54.84\00:27:59.44
which effectually worketh
00:27:59.47\00:28:02.44
also in you that believe."
00:28:02.48\00:28:08.62
"By Spiritualism,
multitudes are taught to believe
00:28:08.65\00:28:12.49
that desire is the highest law,
00:28:12.52\00:28:15.82
that license means liberty,
00:28:15.86\00:28:18.56
and that man is
accountable only to himself."
00:28:18.59\00:28:23.60
Now we want to
look at some quotes
00:28:23.63\00:28:25.37
from some very
well-known emergent church
00:28:25.40\00:28:28.60
and spiritual
formation teachers and leaders.
00:28:28.64\00:28:32.37
Brian McLaren,
well-known pastor, he said,
00:28:32.41\00:28:37.81
"The Bible is not considered
an accurate, absolute,
00:28:37.85\00:28:42.75
authoritative or
authoritarian source,
00:28:42.78\00:28:47.59
but a book to be experienced,
00:28:47.62\00:28:50.99
and one experience can be
as valid as any other can.
00:28:51.03\00:28:56.20
Experience, dialogue, feelings,
00:28:56.23\00:28:59.67
and conversations are
equated with Scripture,
00:28:59.70\00:29:04.24
while certitude,
authority, and doctrine
00:29:04.27\00:29:08.18
are to be
eschewed or distained."
00:29:08.21\00:29:12.25
He doesn't want of
thus saith the Lord.
00:29:12.28\00:29:15.15
He says, this is just
supposed to be something
00:29:15.18\00:29:17.59
that you read and you
discuss and you talk about it,
00:29:17.62\00:29:21.69
but you can't depend on this
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.56
as being
absolutely right or wrong.
00:29:23.59\00:29:27.70
He says, "No
doctrines are to be absolute,
00:29:27.73\00:29:31.40
and truth or
doctrine must be considered
00:29:31.43\00:29:35.17
only with personal experiences,
00:29:35.20\00:29:38.17
traditions,
historical leaders, etc.
00:29:38.21\00:29:42.71
The Bible is
not an answer book."
00:29:42.74\00:29:46.61
This is a pastor.
00:29:46.65\00:29:49.38
You want to see why people
are having a form of godliness,
00:29:49.42\00:29:52.45
but no power?
00:29:52.49\00:29:54.29
And that goes
even in our church.
00:29:54.32\00:29:56.06
Marcus Borg, he said,
"Seminary also introduced me
00:29:59.06\00:30:03.90
to the
'historical' study of Jesus."
00:30:03.93\00:30:08.14
That means the higher
criticism or critical.
00:30:08.17\00:30:11.54
Looking at Jesus from a
secular historical standpoint
00:30:11.57\00:30:16.24
and of Christian origins.
00:30:16.28\00:30:19.08
"I learned from my professors
00:30:19.11\00:30:20.85
and the
readings they assigned me
00:30:20.88\00:30:23.89
that Jesus almost certainly
was not born of a virgin.
00:30:23.92\00:30:29.49
He did not think of
himself as the Son of God,
00:30:29.52\00:30:33.46
and he did not see his purpose
00:30:33.50\00:30:35.76
as dying for the
sins of the world."
00:30:35.80\00:30:39.33
This is exactly what we read
from the people in the 1800's.
00:30:39.37\00:30:43.61
This is what Thomas Jefferson
wrote the Jefferson Bible.
00:30:43.64\00:30:47.04
Jesus was not born of a
virgin, that's miraculous.
00:30:47.08\00:30:52.21
Borg goes on and says,
00:30:52.25\00:30:53.88
"I also found the
claim when I was in seminary
00:30:53.92\00:30:58.35
that Jesus and Christianity
were the only way of salvation
00:30:58.39\00:31:03.29
to be troublesome."
00:31:03.32\00:31:06.13
He was bothered by that.
00:31:06.16\00:31:08.06
Pastor Rob Bell,
00:31:11.13\00:31:14.14
"Now from way back when
our ancestors understood
00:31:14.17\00:31:17.67
that there's something
divine about our breath.
00:31:17.71\00:31:22.04
They believed
there's something sacred
00:31:22.08\00:31:25.58
and holy about the
every act of breathing."
00:31:25.61\00:31:30.85
And then he goes on
00:31:30.89\00:31:32.22
in this sermon
that he gave in 2005,
00:31:32.25\00:31:35.12
he says, "Central to
the Christian tradition,
00:31:35.16\00:31:38.13
for thousands of years have
been disciplines of meditation,
00:31:38.16\00:31:42.26
reflection,
silence, and breathing."
00:31:42.30\00:31:46.00
That's never been part
of the Christian religion,
00:31:46.03\00:31:48.40
that's been part of
Roman Catholicism and paganism.
00:31:48.44\00:31:52.84
And he says, "The yoga
masters say this is how it is
00:31:52.87\00:31:56.85
when you follow Jesus
and surrender to God."
00:31:56.88\00:32:00.25
And then he ends with a
quote that is scary, he says,
00:32:00.28\00:32:04.79
"I wonder sometimes
00:32:04.82\00:32:06.25
when we feel as though
God is far, God is thinking
00:32:06.29\00:32:10.79
'I gave you breathing, I
can't get closer than that.'"
00:32:10.83\00:32:16.20
Us breathing is not God,
00:32:16.23\00:32:19.40
it's a gift that God gives us
00:32:19.43\00:32:21.54
to be able to
breathe that oxygen in.
00:32:21.57\00:32:26.04
Pastor Tony Campolo says,
00:32:26.07\00:32:28.71
"Mysticism provides
some hope for common ground
00:32:28.74\00:32:33.42
between Christianity and Islam."
00:32:33.45\00:32:37.02
And I'm not gonna go into this,
00:32:37.05\00:32:38.55
because I can
spend two hours on that.
00:32:38.59\00:32:42.42
I know right now
within our church,
00:32:42.46\00:32:44.39
we're seeing just like
00:32:44.43\00:32:45.79
all the other
Protestant churches,
00:32:45.83\00:32:48.06
we're seeing a very strong
push to indoctrinate people
00:32:48.10\00:32:53.80
and introduce people to the idea
00:32:53.84\00:32:56.67
that Allah and Jehovah are
the same God, they are not.
00:32:56.71\00:33:01.78
When you look at their character
00:33:01.81\00:33:03.41
and when you read the
Quran, the Quran says,
00:33:03.45\00:33:06.68
"Allah cannot have a
son." It's impossible.
00:33:06.72\00:33:12.35
And the Bible says,
00:33:12.39\00:33:13.82
"Whoever denies the Father
and the Son is antichrist."
00:33:13.86\00:33:18.13
I don't believe
Islam is antichrist.
00:33:18.16\00:33:20.73
I believe they're the
daughter of antichrist.
00:33:20.76\00:33:24.53
He says, "Both religions,
Christianity and Islam
00:33:24.57\00:33:28.74
have within their
histories examples
00:33:28.77\00:33:32.54
of ecstatic or
esoteric union with God,
00:33:32.57\00:33:36.95
which seem at odds with
their own spiritual traditions,
00:33:36.98\00:33:41.18
but have much in
common with each other.
00:33:41.22\00:33:44.39
I do not know what to
make of the Muslim mystics,
00:33:44.42\00:33:47.92
especially those who have
come to be known as the Sufis.
00:33:47.96\00:33:52.99
What do they experience in
their mystical experiences?
00:33:53.03\00:33:57.93
Could they have
encountered the same God we do
00:33:57.97\00:34:01.94
in our Christian mysticism?"
00:34:01.97\00:34:07.48
Pastor Alan Jones says,
00:34:07.51\00:34:10.05
"The image of the child Jesus
sitting on the Buddha's lap
00:34:10.08\00:34:15.68
appeals to me
00:34:15.72\00:34:17.59
and captures the
spirit of my book,"
00:34:17.62\00:34:21.16
called Reimaging Christianity
or Reimagining Christianity.
00:34:21.19\00:34:26.36
"It is an image of the Kingdom.
00:34:26.39\00:34:29.20
The Kingdom is a
sort of short-hand
00:34:29.23\00:34:31.80
signifying an
inclusive community of faith,
00:34:31.83\00:34:36.81
love and social justice."
00:34:36.84\00:34:40.38
This is Roman
Catholicism, but he says,
00:34:40.41\00:34:44.41
"I can picture in my mind
00:34:44.45\00:34:47.28
Jesus sitting on
the Buddha's lap."
00:34:47.32\00:34:53.25
The son of almighty God,
00:34:53.29\00:34:57.49
and yet people
are buying his books
00:34:57.53\00:34:59.69
even within our church.
00:34:59.73\00:35:03.26
Brian McLaren in his book
"A Generous Orthodoxy" says,
00:35:03.30\00:35:08.00
"I don't believe
in making disciples
00:35:08.04\00:35:10.81
must equal making adherence
to the Christian religion.
00:35:10.84\00:35:16.24
It may be advisable
in many circumstances
00:35:16.28\00:35:20.58
to help people
become followers of Jesus
00:35:20.62\00:35:24.75
and yet remain
within their Buddhist,
00:35:24.79\00:35:28.02
Hindu, and Jewish context.
00:35:28.06\00:35:31.63
Buddhists who feel so called
00:35:31.66\00:35:34.53
will become
Buddhist followers of Jesus,
00:35:34.56\00:35:38.37
and they should be given that
opportunity and invitation."
00:35:38.40\00:35:43.97
How do you follow Christ Jesus
00:35:44.01\00:35:49.08
and yet participate in things
00:35:49.11\00:35:53.18
that He came to set
us free and save us from.
00:35:53.21\00:35:56.55
Pastor Rick Warren,
00:35:59.65\00:36:02.69
he said almost the
same identical thing,
00:36:02.72\00:36:06.76
"You can keep your own
religion Buddhism, Islam,
00:36:06.80\00:36:12.13
Hinduism, Mormonism,
00:36:12.17\00:36:15.14
you just need to add
Jesus to the equation,
00:36:15.17\00:36:19.14
then you become complete.
00:36:19.17\00:36:22.01
You become a Buddhist
with Jesus, a Hindu with Jesus,
00:36:22.04\00:36:26.45
a Muslim with Jesus and so on.
00:36:26.48\00:36:29.85
You can even throw
out the term Christianity
00:36:29.88\00:36:34.99
and still be a
follower of Jesus.
00:36:35.02\00:36:38.16
In fact, you can throw
out the term Christian too.
00:36:38.19\00:36:41.90
Because in some countries
you could be persecuted
00:36:41.93\00:36:45.30
for calling
yourself a Christian,
00:36:45.33\00:36:47.40
and there is no need for that.
00:36:47.44\00:36:50.81
Just ask Jesus into your heart,
00:36:50.84\00:36:54.08
you don't have to identify
yourself as a Christian."
00:36:54.11\00:36:59.48
Jesus said, "Whosoever is
ashamed of Me and My words,
00:36:59.51\00:37:03.42
I will be ashamed of them."
00:37:03.45\00:37:05.09
The book this man wrote
that took the world by storm,
00:37:08.86\00:37:14.46
"The Purpose Driven Life,"
00:37:14.50\00:37:17.37
and you would not believe
00:37:17.40\00:37:18.73
how many Seventh-day
Adventist Christians have read
00:37:18.77\00:37:22.07
or already in the
book, and they don't know.
00:37:22.10\00:37:25.27
They have no idea.
00:37:25.31\00:37:27.18
Great Controversy, page 561,
00:37:31.51\00:37:36.42
"Except those who are
kept by the power of God,
00:37:36.45\00:37:41.16
through faith in his word,
the whole world will be swept
00:37:41.19\00:37:46.09
into the ranks of this delusion.
00:37:46.13\00:37:49.10
The people are fast being
lulled into a fatal security,
00:37:49.13\00:37:53.74
to be only awakened
00:37:53.77\00:37:55.10
only by the
outpouring of the wrath of God."
00:37:55.14\00:37:58.41
That fatal
security is you thinking
00:37:58.44\00:38:01.71
or someone thinking,
00:38:01.74\00:38:03.28
I don't really have to surrender
00:38:03.31\00:38:05.41
my whole heart to God.
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.82
I'm always gonna be in
sin until Christ returns.
00:38:07.85\00:38:11.02
There is no way
you can be perfect.
00:38:11.05\00:38:13.66
There's no way
that you can live a life
00:38:13.69\00:38:15.99
victorious over every sin.
00:38:16.02\00:38:18.13
I ask people
when they call, I say,
00:38:18.16\00:38:21.23
"I used to drink
a lot of alcohol.
00:38:21.26\00:38:23.70
Now I used to
drink a lot of alcohol.
00:38:23.73\00:38:26.87
I don't drink anymore,
00:38:26.90\00:38:28.24
I haven't had a drop of alcohol
since I was 22 years old.
00:38:28.27\00:38:32.84
If God gave me
victory over that,
00:38:32.87\00:38:35.44
can He not give me
victory over every other sin?
00:38:35.48\00:38:41.08
The Bible says, "We
limit the Holy One of Israel."
00:38:41.12\00:38:45.25
Ellen White says,
00:38:45.29\00:38:46.62
"We expect the meagerest
of showers of blessing,
00:38:46.65\00:38:52.06
that's why we
receive so little."
00:38:52.09\00:38:55.30
She said, "If we
would ask for the fullness
00:38:55.33\00:38:59.23
of the divine
presence, we would receive it."
00:38:59.27\00:39:02.94
The Bible says,
00:39:02.97\00:39:04.31
"Of Christ
fullness we have received."
00:39:04.34\00:39:09.71
We are joint heirs with Him
00:39:09.74\00:39:13.11
in whom dwells the fullness
00:39:13.15\00:39:16.72
of the Godhead bodily."
00:39:16.75\00:39:20.99
That means we can
lay hold on Christ,
00:39:21.02\00:39:25.36
and as we surrender
00:39:25.39\00:39:27.40
every room of His temple to Him,
00:39:27.43\00:39:32.63
He will fill the
house with His glory.
00:39:32.67\00:39:36.74
Christ says through
the Prophet Malachi,"
00:39:39.74\00:39:43.14
Behold, I will
send my messenger,
00:39:43.18\00:39:47.52
and he shall prepare the way,
00:39:47.55\00:39:49.95
or the path
before me, and the Lord.
00:39:49.98\00:39:53.92
The sovereign King,
whom you are seeking,
00:39:53.96\00:39:57.93
shall suddenly
come to his temple,
00:39:57.96\00:40:01.13
even the
messenger of the covenant,
00:40:01.16\00:40:04.60
in whom ye delight.
00:40:04.63\00:40:06.87
Behold, he shall come,
saith the Lord of hosts.
00:40:06.90\00:40:10.81
But who may abide
the day of his coming?
00:40:10.84\00:40:14.14
And who shall
stand when he appeareth?
00:40:14.18\00:40:17.81
For He is like a refiner's fire,
00:40:17.85\00:40:21.42
and like fullers' soap.
00:40:21.45\00:40:23.79
And he shall
purify the sons of Levi,
00:40:23.82\00:40:27.46
and he will purge
them as gold and silver,
00:40:27.49\00:40:31.46
so that they and we
may offer unto the Lord
00:40:31.49\00:40:36.63
an offering in righteousness."
00:40:36.67\00:40:40.84
Do you know the Bible says
00:40:40.87\00:40:42.24
that we are to
present our bodies
00:40:42.27\00:40:44.71
as a living sacrifice?
00:40:44.74\00:40:47.51
God wants us to offer an
offering to Him in holiness,
00:40:47.54\00:40:53.28
in innocence, and in perfection.
00:40:53.31\00:40:56.25
And what we struggle with
so often is, how can I do this?
00:40:56.28\00:41:02.59
How is it
possible for me to do this?
00:41:02.62\00:41:06.33
I want to read something to you.
00:41:06.36\00:41:07.80
Turn with me to Micah Chapter 7.
00:41:07.83\00:41:11.37
This verse has become...
00:41:11.40\00:41:12.83
I read this
almost every single day
00:41:12.87\00:41:16.07
because this one verse
00:41:16.10\00:41:18.44
and its
companion verse in the Luke
00:41:18.47\00:41:23.41
say so much.
00:41:23.45\00:41:26.35
Micah 7:18-20,
00:41:26.38\00:41:32.12
listen to what
the Lord says here.
00:41:32.15\00:41:36.79
He says, "Who is a God..."
00:41:36.83\00:41:40.23
And the word God there
in Hebrew, it's Elohim.
00:41:40.26\00:41:44.20
Do you know what
the word Elohim means?
00:41:44.23\00:41:46.23
The mighty one
or the mighty ones.
00:41:46.27\00:41:50.11
When we say God, it
literally is telling us,
00:41:50.14\00:41:54.14
I am able to do
exceeding abundantly
00:41:54.18\00:41:58.18
above everything you
could ask or imagine.
00:41:58.21\00:42:01.95
"Who is a God like unto thee,
00:42:01.98\00:42:04.92
that pardons iniquity,
00:42:04.95\00:42:08.52
that passes by the transgression
00:42:08.56\00:42:11.79
of the remnant of His heritage?"
00:42:11.83\00:42:14.30
The word iniquity here in Hebrew
00:42:14.33\00:42:16.60
means perversity and mischief.
00:42:16.63\00:42:19.97
The word transgression
means rebellion and apostasy.
00:42:20.00\00:42:24.77
People will tell me, I
think I've gone too far,
00:42:24.81\00:42:27.98
I don't think God can
forgive me for this one.
00:42:28.01\00:42:30.05
This was too big.
00:42:30.08\00:42:31.41
I'm like, right here He says
00:42:31.45\00:42:33.82
and He says it in
Exodus Chapter 33,
00:42:33.85\00:42:37.39
"I forgive iniquity,
and transgression, and sin."
00:42:37.42\00:42:41.99
Iniquity is
perversity and mischief.
00:42:42.02\00:42:45.26
It means perversity
not just moral perversity
00:42:45.29\00:42:49.06
but it means
it's a perverse arrow.
00:42:49.10\00:42:51.73
If I have a straight
arrow, I know when I shoot it,
00:42:51.77\00:42:54.54
it's gonna hit the mark,
00:42:54.57\00:42:56.44
but if that arrow has
got a little crook in it,
00:42:56.47\00:42:59.74
it'll never hit the mark.
00:42:59.77\00:43:01.94
It's almost like
when you go to the fair,
00:43:01.98\00:43:03.85
and have one of those
mirrors that's got curves in it.
00:43:03.88\00:43:07.28
And you know what you look like,
00:43:07.32\00:43:08.78
you look at the regular
mirror and you go, "That's me."
00:43:08.82\00:43:11.82
And then you step over
in front of the other one,
00:43:11.85\00:43:13.76
and you go, "Oh, wow."
00:43:13.79\00:43:15.32
It makes you look
like you're this wide,
00:43:15.36\00:43:17.49
and this tall.
00:43:17.53\00:43:18.93
That's perverse,
it's not the perfect,
00:43:18.96\00:43:22.73
it's not the
way it was designed.
00:43:22.76\00:43:25.93
It says, "Who is a
God like unto thee,
00:43:25.97\00:43:28.20
that pardons iniquity,
00:43:28.24\00:43:31.17
and He passes by or
passes over the transgression,
00:43:31.21\00:43:37.15
the rebellion and the
apostasy of the remnant
00:43:37.18\00:43:40.75
of His heritage.
00:43:40.78\00:43:42.28
He retaineth not
his anger forever,
00:43:42.32\00:43:45.75
because He delights in mercy."
00:43:45.79\00:43:50.73
He delights, it means He goes.
00:43:50.76\00:43:53.26
I can't wait to show
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.46
what I'm gonna do
in this person's life,
00:43:55.50\00:43:58.43
and I'm gonna do it
because they don't deserve it
00:43:58.47\00:44:00.87
and they're helpless without me.
00:44:00.90\00:44:04.01
"He will turn again."
00:44:04.04\00:44:06.14
It means He had
His back turned to us
00:44:06.17\00:44:08.28
'cause He was ashamed
of what we were doing.
00:44:08.31\00:44:11.35
"He will turn again,
00:44:11.38\00:44:13.65
He will have compassion upon us,
00:44:13.68\00:44:16.85
He will..."
00:44:16.89\00:44:19.55
If you want to know
what the will of God is,
00:44:19.59\00:44:21.86
find a place where He
says He will do something.
00:44:21.89\00:44:25.13
That's His will.
00:44:25.16\00:44:27.56
"He will subdue
your and my iniquities,
00:44:27.60\00:44:33.97
and thou will
cast all of our sins
00:44:34.00\00:44:37.27
into the depths of the sea."
00:44:37.31\00:44:39.44
Now listen to this.
00:44:39.47\00:44:41.91
"Thou will perform
thy truth to Jacob."
00:44:41.94\00:44:47.58
What did Christ tell Jacob?
00:44:47.62\00:44:50.55
I'm gonna change your name.
00:44:50.59\00:44:52.49
Jacob means a swindler,
or somebody who trips the guy
00:44:52.52\00:44:57.43
in front of them so
they can win the race.
00:44:57.46\00:45:00.56
Christ said, "I'm
changing your name,
00:45:00.60\00:45:02.23
it'll no longer be
Jacob, but Israel."
00:45:02.26\00:45:05.43
That means one
who is victorious.
00:45:05.47\00:45:09.20
"Thou will
perform thy truth to Jacob
00:45:09.24\00:45:13.38
and thy mercy to Abraham,
00:45:13.41\00:45:16.08
which thou hast
sworn to our fathers
00:45:16.11\00:45:18.68
from the days of old."
00:45:18.71\00:45:20.85
He made an oath.
00:45:20.88\00:45:23.69
He swear that He would do this.
00:45:23.72\00:45:26.96
Now turn with me
to Luke Chapter 1,
00:45:26.99\00:45:29.12
and let me show you
where He fulfilled it.
00:45:29.16\00:45:31.86
Luke 1:67-75,
00:45:31.89\00:45:35.96
and I'm gonna just
highlight these verses.
00:45:36.00\00:45:38.97
This was John the
Baptist's father speaking
00:45:39.00\00:45:42.17
under inspiration
of the Spirit of God.
00:45:42.20\00:45:45.07
He says,
00:45:45.11\00:45:46.44
"Blessed be or praise
be the Lord God of Israel,
00:45:46.47\00:45:50.88
for He has visited
and redeemed his people.
00:45:50.91\00:45:55.88
And hath..."
00:45:55.92\00:45:57.49
Hath means past tense, right?
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.36
Hath is not I'm gonna do
it sometime in the future.
00:46:00.39\00:46:04.49
"He hath raised up a horn,
00:46:04.53\00:46:07.93
a mighty one of salvation for us
00:46:07.96\00:46:10.80
in the house of
His servant David.
00:46:10.83\00:46:13.57
As He spake by the
mouth of His holy prophets,
00:46:13.60\00:46:17.27
which have been
since the world began.
00:46:17.31\00:46:20.81
That we should be
saved from our enemies
00:46:20.84\00:46:25.38
and from the hand
of all that hate us.
00:46:25.41\00:46:29.32
To perform the mercy
00:46:29.35\00:46:31.45
which He promised to our fathers
00:46:31.49\00:46:33.92
and to remember
His holy covenant."
00:46:33.96\00:46:37.59
Covenant means an oath.
00:46:37.63\00:46:39.89
It's not a contract,
it's not an agreement,
00:46:39.93\00:46:42.86
it's an oath.
00:46:42.90\00:46:44.73
And he says that in verse 73,
"To remember His holy covenant,
00:46:44.77\00:46:50.34
the oath which He
sware to our father Abraham
00:46:50.37\00:46:55.08
that he would grant unto us."
00:46:55.11\00:46:59.25
Let me ask you a question.
00:46:59.28\00:47:00.82
What's the difference between
the school loan and the grant?
00:47:00.85\00:47:06.29
A school loan,
you've got to pay back.
00:47:06.32\00:47:09.29
I mean, people get school loans
and they're paying them back
00:47:09.32\00:47:11.96
sometimes for ten years.
00:47:11.99\00:47:14.63
A grant, there's
no pay back necessary.
00:47:14.66\00:47:19.00
God knew what He was doing
00:47:19.03\00:47:20.37
when He inspired
this book to be written,
00:47:20.40\00:47:23.44
"That He would grant unto us,
00:47:23.47\00:47:27.24
that we being delivered
out of the hand of our enemies
00:47:27.28\00:47:32.15
might serve Him without fear."
00:47:32.18\00:47:35.58
It doesn't say that
you've got to get free
00:47:35.62\00:47:38.45
and then God will accept you.
00:47:38.49\00:47:40.36
It says God sets you free,
00:47:40.39\00:47:42.76
so that you then can
serve Him without fear,
00:47:42.79\00:47:48.06
in holiness and
righteousness before Him
00:47:48.10\00:47:52.90
all the days of our lives.
00:47:52.93\00:47:56.30
Amen.
00:47:56.34\00:47:58.07
Halleluiah.
00:47:58.11\00:47:59.84
We're trying to do
it the other way around.
00:47:59.87\00:48:02.11
If I can just clean my act up,
00:48:02.14\00:48:04.05
God will accept me and
maybe He'll give me His Spirit.
00:48:04.08\00:48:07.92
Ellen White says,
00:48:07.95\00:48:09.28
"Without the Holy Spirit,
you can't do anything but sin."
00:48:09.32\00:48:13.09
She said, "Not
even for one moment."
00:48:13.12\00:48:16.83
She said, "We cannot
keep ourselves from sinning
00:48:16.86\00:48:21.16
even for one moment
00:48:21.20\00:48:24.60
without Christ and His Spirit."
00:48:24.63\00:48:28.80
That's inspiring,
00:48:28.84\00:48:31.17
and I want to
tell you something,
00:48:31.21\00:48:32.54
I don't preach cheap grace.
00:48:32.57\00:48:35.84
It's free, but
it cost your life.
00:48:35.88\00:48:40.35
As we surrender, the
promise is yay and amen.
00:48:40.38\00:48:46.25
It's guaranteed
because He cannot lie.
00:48:46.29\00:48:49.92
"And they shall be
mine saith the Lord of host,
00:48:53.56\00:48:57.37
in that day when I
make up My jewels."
00:48:57.40\00:49:01.90
You remember the New Jerusalem,
it talked about the foundation,
00:49:01.94\00:49:05.97
all those beautiful
jewels that it was made out of,
00:49:06.01\00:49:09.58
and you remember
the walls of Jerusalem,
00:49:09.61\00:49:12.21
they were as clear as jasper
and they were 144 cubits high.
00:49:12.25\00:49:18.59
That's the 144,000.
00:49:18.62\00:49:22.19
That New Jerusalem
is a picture of us.
00:49:22.22\00:49:25.53
Yes, I know
it's a real building,
00:49:25.56\00:49:27.93
but it also is a
symbol of us as God's people.
00:49:27.96\00:49:32.43
He says, "In that day
I will make up my jewels,
00:49:32.47\00:49:35.77
and I will spare them as
a man spareth his own son
00:49:35.80\00:49:39.77
that serve with him.
00:49:39.81\00:49:41.74
Then shall ye return
00:49:41.78\00:49:43.68
and discern between the
righteous and the wicked.
00:49:43.71\00:49:47.05
Yea, between
him that serveth God
00:49:47.08\00:49:50.22
and him that serve Him not.
00:49:50.25\00:49:53.22
And I saw another
angel come down from heaven,
00:49:53.25\00:49:56.36
having great power,
00:49:56.39\00:49:58.26
and the earth was
lightened with His glory."
00:49:58.29\00:50:02.13
You know, this world
is in darkness right now.
00:50:02.16\00:50:05.37
They are waiting
to hear good news.
00:50:05.40\00:50:11.91
They don't just
need another set of facts
00:50:11.94\00:50:16.85
to add to their collection,
they need glad tidings.
00:50:16.88\00:50:22.45
And that's what
Christ came to share,
00:50:22.48\00:50:27.19
and this angel cried mightily
with a strong voice, saying,
00:50:27.22\00:50:31.53
"Come out of her, my people,
00:50:31.56\00:50:33.33
that you be not
partakers of her sins,
00:50:33.36\00:50:36.26
and that you
receive not of her plagues.
00:50:36.30\00:50:39.63
For her sins have
reached unto heaven.
00:50:39.67\00:50:42.77
And God has
remembered her iniquities."
00:50:42.80\00:50:47.98
The other night,
we talked about that
00:50:48.01\00:50:50.38
in the promise
of the new covenant,
00:50:50.41\00:50:52.61
God said your
sins and iniquities
00:50:52.65\00:50:54.58
will I remember no more.
00:50:54.62\00:50:57.02
I want you do something.
00:50:57.05\00:50:58.45
Go home and get your
Strong's Concordance out
00:50:58.49\00:51:00.72
or if you have
e-Sword on your computer,
00:51:00.76\00:51:03.83
it's a free program.
00:51:03.86\00:51:05.19
I encourage everybody to use it.
00:51:05.23\00:51:07.93
Look up that word remembered.
00:51:07.96\00:51:10.23
He says it in Micah,
He says it in Psalms 130,
00:51:10.27\00:51:14.97
"Oh Lord, if thou
should us mark iniquities,
00:51:15.00\00:51:18.87
who should stand?
00:51:18.91\00:51:20.68
But there is
forgiveness with thee
00:51:20.71\00:51:22.64
that thou mayest be feared."
00:51:22.68\00:51:24.55
Look those words up.
00:51:24.58\00:51:26.31
Do you know what the
word remembered means?
00:51:26.35\00:51:29.68
It means to mark
down and keep record of.
00:51:29.72\00:51:34.76
When you ask
Christ to forgive you,
00:51:34.79\00:51:39.03
it's gone.
00:51:39.06\00:51:41.46
He takes that sin
upon Himself and He died
00:51:41.50\00:51:46.87
and took that to the
grave 2000 years ago.
00:51:46.90\00:51:51.37
It will never be
brought back to you again.
00:51:51.41\00:51:55.41
People tell me,
00:51:55.44\00:51:56.78
"Yeah, but there's books
of record kept in heaven."
00:51:56.81\00:51:58.91
Let me ask you a question.
00:51:58.95\00:52:00.32
How many sins do you have
to commit to deserve death?
00:52:00.35\00:52:05.02
One.
00:52:05.05\00:52:06.55
Jesus doesn't have to
keep a huge book of every sin
00:52:06.59\00:52:10.43
you've committed, and
confessed, and repented of.
00:52:10.46\00:52:15.36
All you got to
do is let go of Him
00:52:15.40\00:52:17.53
and you're gonna
sin within the hour,
00:52:17.57\00:52:19.67
that's all it
takes for you to be lost.
00:52:19.70\00:52:23.34
He says,
00:52:23.37\00:52:24.71
"Your sins and iniquities
00:52:24.74\00:52:26.64
will I remember no more."
00:52:26.68\00:52:32.88
"We are standing
upon the threshold
00:52:32.91\00:52:35.38
of great and solemn events.
00:52:35.42\00:52:38.49
Prophecies are fulfilling.
00:52:38.52\00:52:40.72
Strange, eventful
history is being recorded
00:52:40.76\00:52:43.89
in the books of heaven.
00:52:43.93\00:52:45.79
Everything in our
world is an agitation.
00:52:45.83\00:52:49.43
There are wars
and rumors of wars,
00:52:49.46\00:52:53.17
the nations are angry
and the time of the dead
00:52:53.20\00:52:56.84
has come that
they should be judged."
00:52:56.87\00:53:00.81
I'm not negating what
we know about the judgment,
00:53:00.84\00:53:04.95
but I want to add
something to that.
00:53:04.98\00:53:09.18
Do you remember
where Jesus said,
00:53:09.22\00:53:10.55
"Let the dead bury their dead."
00:53:10.59\00:53:13.25
How does a dead
person bury somebody else?
00:53:13.29\00:53:16.66
They were
spiritually dead. Right?
00:53:16.69\00:53:19.43
That's what Jesus was saying.
00:53:19.46\00:53:21.40
They don't know Me,
they don't accept Me,
00:53:21.43\00:53:24.93
they are as good as dead.
00:53:24.97\00:53:26.30
They're living on death row.
00:53:26.33\00:53:29.47
Paul tells us,
00:53:29.50\00:53:30.84
"We had the sentence
of death in ourselves
00:53:30.87\00:53:34.24
from the day we were born,
we were born on death row."
00:53:34.28\00:53:40.02
He says, "But we
were done that way,
00:53:40.05\00:53:42.12
so that we would
not trust in ourselves
00:53:42.15\00:53:44.92
but in God that
raises the dead."
00:53:44.95\00:53:49.72
The time of the dead has
come that they should be judged.
00:53:49.76\00:53:52.53
Who did the plagues fall upon?
00:53:52.56\00:53:55.76
Those that have not Christ,
00:53:55.80\00:53:59.87
they are spiritually dead.
00:53:59.90\00:54:03.20
You have judgment
that is passed on somebody
00:54:03.24\00:54:08.14
and they go to the
tank, solitary confinement,
00:54:08.18\00:54:13.55
maybe a man
murdered a bunch of people.
00:54:13.58\00:54:15.88
Solitary confinement.
00:54:15.92\00:54:17.45
The day comes where
judgment has to be executed.
00:54:17.49\00:54:21.56
That's the seven last plagues.
00:54:21.59\00:54:24.59
"Only a moment
of time, as it were,
00:54:24.63\00:54:27.16
remains in this time
of prevailing iniquity,
00:54:27.20\00:54:32.40
we may know
00:54:32.43\00:54:33.77
that the last
great crisis is at hand!
00:54:33.80\00:54:38.04
Transgression has
almost reached its limit.
00:54:38.07\00:54:41.88
Confusion fills the world,
00:54:41.91\00:54:44.25
and a great terror is soon
to come upon human beings."
00:54:44.28\00:54:50.45
This is not just talking about
the second coming of Christ,
00:54:50.49\00:54:54.86
the end is very near.
00:54:54.89\00:54:57.59
We who know the truth,
00:54:57.63\00:55:00.40
that means the unfailing
verity of Christ's word
00:55:00.43\00:55:04.93
should be preparing for what
is soon to break upon the world
00:55:04.97\00:55:10.11
as an overwhelming surprise!
00:55:10.14\00:55:13.07
That overwhelming surprise
the Apostle Paul talks about
00:55:17.41\00:55:22.38
in 2 Thessalonians,
00:55:22.42\00:55:25.22
I'm gonna read a
verse 2 to you from there.
00:55:25.25\00:55:30.46
2 Thessalonians 2:4,
00:55:30.49\00:55:36.26
it's talking here
about the man of sin.
00:55:36.30\00:55:39.00
It says, "Who
opposeth and exalts himself
00:55:39.03\00:55:42.14
above all that is called
God, or that is worshiped,
00:55:42.17\00:55:46.14
so that He as God
sitteth in the temple of God,
00:55:46.17\00:55:50.25
showing Himself that He is God."
00:55:50.28\00:55:53.65
And then Paul says,
00:55:53.68\00:55:56.48
"For the mystery of
iniquity doth already work."
00:55:56.52\00:56:00.96
And he talks about
this mystery of iniquity
00:56:00.99\00:56:04.39
that there is going to be a man
00:56:04.43\00:56:07.20
that will actually be
filled with the spirit of Satan.
00:56:07.23\00:56:12.40
Satan,
00:56:12.43\00:56:13.77
I believe will literally take
possession of a human being.
00:56:13.80\00:56:19.34
And I believe a day will come
00:56:19.37\00:56:22.78
when he will be unmasked.
00:56:22.81\00:56:26.15
And do you know
what the world will say
00:56:26.18\00:56:29.45
when they see?
00:56:29.48\00:56:33.69
When they see him unmask
00:56:33.72\00:56:36.83
and there's this
brilliance and glory,
00:56:36.86\00:56:40.26
they're gonna say,
"Man has become a God."
00:56:40.30\00:56:46.23
And we're gonna
show that's exactly
00:56:46.27\00:56:48.64
what the occult
and Eastern mysticism
00:56:48.67\00:56:50.74
are all striving for.
00:56:50.77\00:56:53.78
For man to reach
that point of Godhood.
00:56:53.81\00:57:00.38
It says, "Even him,
00:57:00.42\00:57:02.08
whose coming as
after the working of Satan
00:57:02.12\00:57:05.62
with all power and
signs and lying wonders."
00:57:05.65\00:57:10.59
I believe that,
00:57:10.63\00:57:12.63
that man of sin we have
in the Vatican right now,
00:57:12.66\00:57:18.67
beyond a shadow of a doubt.
00:57:18.70\00:57:21.40
And I believe the
day is going to come
00:57:21.44\00:57:24.41
when like Revelation
says, "He'll be unmasked."
00:57:24.44\00:57:29.44
And it says,
00:57:29.48\00:57:31.51
"That those that
have followed him
00:57:31.55\00:57:36.99
are gonna turn on him."
00:57:37.02\00:57:40.69
Right now what is coming,
00:57:40.72\00:57:43.19
Ellen White said this would
be an overwhelming surprise.
00:57:43.22\00:57:46.43
She said, "We're
not to even go look."
00:57:46.46\00:57:49.10
She said, "It will be
the over mastering delusion.
00:57:49.13\00:57:53.00
If you even turn
the television on
00:57:53.03\00:57:54.94
to see what he looks like,
00:57:54.97\00:57:56.44
it'll be more than what
a mortal can explain away.
00:57:56.47\00:58:00.91