Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
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live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Hi, I'm Brian Hamilton.
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It is my privilege and pleaser
to welcome you once again
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back to the 3ABN
worship studio, worship center,
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for another Anchors Of Truth.
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And we bring
these Anchors Of Truth
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live to you every
couple of months or so.
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And each time, we make a
presentation of a subject
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that's vital for Christians
to know and understand.
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This particular series
called, The Danger Zone,
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is no exception.
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We have been blessed with
four parts of a five part series
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on danger; The
Danger of Neglect,
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The Danger of Unbelief,
The Danger of Not Maturing,
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and then most recently,
The Danger of Drawing Back.
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Elder Lomacang, John Lomacang,
the pastor of our Thompsonville
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church, will present
in just a few minutes,
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The Danger of Refusing God.
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So if you're joining us
on television, you're coming
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to us on internet
or radio, don't leave.
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Stay with us, because
you won't want to miss
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the last presentation,
The Danger of Refusing God.
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I want to have a little
fun with Pastor Lomacang
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if I could for just a minute.
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When I was a kid,
I enjoyed toy stores.
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And I think most
of us as children did.
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We like going into toy stores.
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And when I was a kid and
you went into a toy store,
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they had these little
toys that you could wind up.
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Nowadays, they don't wind up.
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They just run on
batteries, you know.
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But back in
yesteryear they wound them up.
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It could be a little
train or a car, or it might be
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a stuffed animal.
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And you would wind that
thing up and then it would go.
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And I was mesmerized by
watching those little toys go.
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Well you know, if you want to
wind up our own Pastor Lomacang,
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give him a series
of sermons to present.
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And boy does he get wound up.
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And we know that from our
last presentation, don't we.
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He was wound up.
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So you'll want to stay with us
for, The Danger of Refusing God.
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But before Elder Lomacang comes
and makes the presentation,
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we'll be privileged
to have Yvonne Lewis
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sing, Amazing Grace.
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Let me tell you a
little bit about Yvonne.
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Yvonne is the manager of
one of our newest networks,
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Dare To Dream.
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And it's for
inner city minorities.
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That's the focus
of Dare To Dream.
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And if you have not had a
chance to see Dare To Dream,
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one of the easiest
ways you can do that
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is just go to
the 3ABN home page.
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3ABN.org Go to the home page.
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And right under our
logo and name, you'll see a
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series of buttons.
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They happen to
be blue right now.
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Blue buttons.
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The first button, you
just press that button.
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It says, "Watch and Listen."
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And on the list of broadcasts
you'll find Dare To Dream.
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In fact, Yvonne, I
think it's the bottom one
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on the list, is it not?
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Yes it is.
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You'll need to go
there and check it out.
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I just know it's on there.
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It's the bottom one.
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But remember, those who
come first will be last,
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and those last will be first.
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The greatest will be
least, and the least greatest.
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So the fact that it's on
the bottom is no problem.
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Just hit it and get acquainted
with one of our newest
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networks or
channels, Dare To Dream.
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So Yvonne is going to bless
us with the song, Amazing Grace.
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And after Yvonne finishes,
the next voice that you'll hear
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will be the voice of our own
pastor, Pastor John Lomacang.
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Amazing Grace,
how sweet the sound
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that saved a wretch like me.
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I once was lost
but now I'm found,
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was blind but now I see.
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T'was Grace that
taught my heart to fear,
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and Grace my fears relieved.
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How precious did
that Grace appear
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the hour I first believed.
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Through many
dangers, toils and snares
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I have already come;
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'Tis Grace that
brought me safe thus far,
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and Grace will lead me home.
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When we've been
there ten thousand years,
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bright shining as the sun,
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we've no less days
to sing God's praise
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than when we've first begun.
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Amazing Grace.
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Thank you, Yvonne. Amen.
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That's what this
series is all about;
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the amazing grace of the Lord.
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I don't think we're going to
know how amazing His grace is
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until we're at
that first banquet.
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I've been sitting back
there thinking about that
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very theme in my mind;
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the amazing thought
that these hands of mine
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will one day
touch the hand of God.
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How amazing that thought is.
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The God who made all
of the unseen worlds,
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the unnumbered stars, and
solar systems, and galaxies;
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one day we'll be able
to sit down and watch God
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remake earth all over again.
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Then hear Him say, "Welcome,
come ye blessed of My Father.
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Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the
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foundation of the world."
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That you for that
kind introduction, Brian.
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If I'm wound up, it's
because I've been looking at
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Jesus all week long.
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You cannot behold the glory of
God and not be excited about it.
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But this most solemn
ending to our series entitled,
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The Danger Zone,
with the final topic,
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The Danger of Refusing God.
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Before we open
the Word together,
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let's go to the Lord in prayer.
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Gracious Father in heaven,
we shutter at the thought of
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ever saying no to You, of
ever walking away from the
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invitation of our lifetime.
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The thought permeates my
mind, "To whom shall we go,
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and to what shall we
cling, if we refuse so great
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an invitation."
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And so, Father, as we close
out our journey through the
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book of Hebrews, may we
close it out with a resolve
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to continue to go
forward, to say yes to God
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when He speaks to our hearts.
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So send Your Spirit now
that He may speak to us.
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In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
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Yesterday when I was sitting
at the chiropractor's office
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getting some therapy on my neck,
I picked up a TIME magazine
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that I began to read the
article about Flight MH17.
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You know, Malaysia Airlines.
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What an unfortunate
airline over the last series of
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six months or more.
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It's an airline that has
been so terribly damaged by
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unfortunate events
one after the other.
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But the reason the article
caught my attention is because
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they said that, in the
speculative world of aviation,
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they said that the pilot
on Flight MH17, as he was
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flying to his destination,
as he approached the region
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where the accident occurred,
he said he felt a little
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uncomfortable, and he
said, "I'm going to transition
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to a different location."
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He thought he was
transitioning away
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from the danger zone,
when in fact he transitioned
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into the danger zone.
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And then they showed six
other flights that preceded him
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and the courses and
the routes that they took.
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They had flown
around and above and below.
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And he thought, he
thought, he thought he was
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flying away
from the danger zone.
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And the article starts,
"He flew into the danger zone."
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And I thought about that.
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The Lord gave me that article
towards the end of the series.
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And the reason I'm
being so emphatic about
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what I'm pointing out is
because it doesn't make sense
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for the people of God to base
their destination on feeling
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that they're transitioning
out of the danger zone.
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We've got to know
from God's Word that we are
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far clear of the danger zone.
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That's why the book
of Hebrews winds down.
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If you take the time to
read the book of Hebrews,
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it is in fact a logistical
journey of the life of
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the children of Israel.
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Every particular.
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And today you'll find
out the two opposites,
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as I wind down
the message today.
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But Paul, I believe, winds
down the book with an emphatic
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appeal to hold on.
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He says, "Hold on. Don't let go.
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Don't give up."
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The apostle reminds us
that we have come too far
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to turn back now.
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He says to the
church, "Be encouraged.
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It's not easy, but
it's going to be worth it."
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Can you say amen today?
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It is not easy
being a Christian.
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But when we get to
where we're headed,
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it is going to be worth it.
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I begin by using the
ending scripture that I read
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in the last presentation.
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So I point your
attention to Hebrews chapter 10
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verse 36 to verse 39.
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This is the
scripture of encouragement
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to keep going forward.
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Do not draw back.
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The writer of Hebrews says...
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In other words,
hold on. Don't let go.
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Don't turn back.
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Can the church say
hallelujah to that?
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He's coming.
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It's been a long
time, but He's on His way.
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We are not going back.
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What do you say?
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We're going forward.
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We've come too far.
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As the song writer said, "It's
too late to turn back now."
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We've got to go forward.
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Regardless of what comes our way
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we've got to
continue to going forward.
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We are reminded
of the cost of faith.
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We are reminded of
the reward of faith.
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And the faithful are now
silent, but as we read their
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record today, they are
silent now, but they will not
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be silent eternally.
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And so come with me
to the wall of faith.
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Come with me as we
trace the testimonies.
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They have left a record
of testimony to strengthen
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our resolve to go
forward, to trust God,
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and not to refuse God.
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We begin with Abel.
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Remember, remember,
my brothers and sisters,
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to be faithful like Abel.
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His choice to be
faithful cost him his life.
00:14:01.58\00:14:04.86
But God is able and God will
reward him in the resurrection.
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What do you say?
00:14:08.93\00:14:09.97
Be faithful like Abel.
00:14:10.00\00:14:12.01
How long has he been waiting?
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He trusted God at the
inception of his life.
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And although he's waited long,
He that shall come will come
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and will not tarry.
00:14:21.27\00:14:22.73
Don't forget to
walk with God like Enoch.
00:14:23.01\00:14:25.38
He walked so closely to
God that one writer said,
00:14:25.41\00:14:28.60
"One day God said to
Enoch, 'Enoch, come to My house.
00:14:28.63\00:14:33.27
It's closer than
going back to yours.'"
00:14:33.30\00:14:35.88
Enoch walked closely with God.
00:14:36.11\00:14:38.34
We've got to have a
daily close walk with God.
00:14:38.37\00:14:41.31
We've got to know He's with us.
00:14:41.34\00:14:42.90
We've got to be able
to talk to Him as He's
00:14:43.42\00:14:45.81
right there by our side.
00:14:45.84\00:14:47.80
Walk with God like Enoch did.
00:14:47.83\00:14:50.21
Then be steadfast like Noah.
00:14:50.24\00:14:52.90
In a generation that wrote
God off, Noah kept believing,
00:14:53.42\00:14:56.63
he kept
preaching, he kept building.
00:14:56.66\00:14:58.85
And like Noah, one day we
too will walk through the door
00:14:58.88\00:15:02.96
of our eternal deliverance.
00:15:02.99\00:15:04.63
What do you say?
00:15:04.66\00:15:05.71
Keep preaching, keep
believing, keep building.
00:15:06.02\00:15:08.63
Like Abraham and Sarah,
as they eventually learned,
00:15:08.73\00:15:12.46
we have to be patient and
learn to wait on the Lord.
00:15:12.49\00:15:15.89
Gloria, God's promises
are sure and His blessings
00:15:16.09\00:15:19.85
are never late.
00:15:19.88\00:15:20.97
Abraham and Sarah
had to learn that lesson.
00:15:21.20\00:15:23.27
It may seem like God's timetable
is out of harmony with yours,
00:15:23.30\00:15:26.88
but be patient.
00:15:26.91\00:15:28.14
God is always on time.
00:15:28.17\00:15:30.50
Like Isaac, don't
forget to pass the blessing on
00:15:30.79\00:15:33.34
to the next generation.
00:15:33.54\00:15:34.84
Like Jacob, we must refuse to
let God go until He blesses us.
00:15:34.87\00:15:40.10
Like Joseph,
endure undeserved trial.
00:15:40.13\00:15:43.45
Because God is going
to turn it around one day.
00:15:43.48\00:15:47.04
Like Moses, know
that being raised in Egypt
00:15:49.05\00:15:52.42
prepares you for
the call on your life.
00:15:52.45\00:15:54.42
Remember like Joshua that
God can bring down the walls
00:15:54.94\00:15:58.63
in your life.
00:15:58.66\00:15:59.70
And like Rahab the
harlot, don't forget that God
00:15:59.73\00:16:02.78
can redeem you from your past.
00:16:02.81\00:16:04.63
What do you say?
00:16:04.66\00:16:05.69
We don't have to be eternally
identified by who we were
00:16:05.72\00:16:09.65
if we keep trusting in God,
if we keep believing in God.
00:16:09.68\00:16:12.60
If we do not
neglect the grace of God,
00:16:12.63\00:16:15.39
one day God is going
to turn our lives around
00:16:15.42\00:16:18.20
for the good, for the best.
00:16:18.23\00:16:20.17
And that's
going to be eternally.
00:16:20.20\00:16:21.36
What do you say?
00:16:21.39\00:16:22.42
But I'd like to tell you more,
but as the song writer said,
00:16:22.62\00:16:25.39
"Word of God, speak."
00:16:25.62\00:16:27.43
Come with me to
Hebrews chapter 11
00:16:27.46\00:16:29.70
verses 32 to 40.
00:16:29.73\00:16:31.34
And notice what else
we are told to not forget.
00:16:31.37\00:16:33.93
"And what more shall I say?
00:16:34.47\00:16:36.37
For the time would
fail me to tell of Gideon...
00:16:36.67\00:16:38.78
Look at what they went
through, and be encouraged.
00:16:48.47\00:16:51.08
And you think our
life is difficult?
00:17:29.69\00:17:31.54
Can you say hallelujah?
00:18:06.05\00:18:07.23
You see, brothers and
sisters, the day is coming that
00:18:07.84\00:18:10.27
God is going to place
a crown on Abel's head
00:18:10.30\00:18:12.78
and on mine at the same time.
00:18:12.81\00:18:15.09
God is going to
crown Abraham and Sarah
00:18:15.27\00:18:17.85
for their righteousness
as God is going to crown
00:18:17.88\00:18:20.55
John and Angie for
their righteousness.
00:18:20.58\00:18:22.71
And it's all because of Him.
00:18:22.74\00:18:24.15
God is going to bless
us all at the same time.
00:18:24.52\00:18:27.20
We're going to be at the
banquet at the same time.
00:18:27.23\00:18:29.99
We're going to walk through
the gates into the New Jerusalem
00:18:30.02\00:18:32.37
on the same occasion.
00:18:32.40\00:18:33.67
So it may be tough, but
when the days get difficult,
00:18:33.94\00:18:37.27
revisit the
wall of the faithful.
00:18:37.30\00:18:39.66
Revisit what they went
through to get where they are.
00:18:39.69\00:18:42.32
Revisit the steps they took.
00:18:42.88\00:18:45.21
And if your steps become
difficult, just remember,
00:18:45.48\00:18:48.25
it is not as
bad as it use to be,
00:18:48.28\00:18:50.97
and it's going to
get better eternally.
00:18:51.00\00:18:52.55
What do you say?
00:18:52.58\00:18:53.61
And don't forget, just
when you think it's not worth
00:18:54.34\00:18:56.46
pressing on, we can get
off of our bench of excuses
00:18:56.49\00:19:00.30
and look around us.
00:19:00.33\00:19:02.14
Look at what Paul
continues to say to us,
00:19:02.17\00:19:04.49
Hebrews chapter
12 verses 1 and 2,
00:19:04.52\00:19:06.77
as he unfolds those
things that bring us faith.
00:19:06.80\00:19:09.98
He says...
00:19:10.48\00:19:11.62
Let's read this together.
00:19:13.31\00:19:14.36
That's where Jesus is now.
00:19:53.99\00:19:55.47
But he tells us, as one of
the churches in Revelation,
00:19:55.77\00:19:58.59
"If you are faithful,
you'll get the chance to
00:19:58.62\00:20:01.48
sit with Me on My throne."
00:20:01.51\00:20:03.43
Come on, think about that.
00:20:03.46\00:20:04.74
Not sit in the White House,
00:20:05.13\00:20:06.79
not sit on the seat of congress,
00:20:07.08\00:20:09.14
not sit as the head
of the United Nations,
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.77
but sit with the King of
the universe on His throne.
00:20:11.80\00:20:14.37
What a privilege.
00:20:14.40\00:20:15.61
But sometimes we think
it's so ethereal and so far away
00:20:16.13\00:20:18.65
that we don't grasp that.
00:20:18.68\00:20:20.84
We don't think of
that as a reality.
00:20:21.20\00:20:22.68
Sometimes we think of that
as a really good Bible story.
00:20:22.71\00:20:25.28
But I want to tell you,
when I think about what God has
00:20:25.38\00:20:28.51
done in my own
life individually,
00:20:28.54\00:20:31.11
in our lives collectively,
I know that it's not
00:20:31.14\00:20:34.06
coincidence, I know
it's not an accident.
00:20:34.09\00:20:35.91
So because God has promised,
He who has promised is faithful.
00:20:35.94\00:20:40.57
One day, we're going to sit
down with Jesus on His throne.
00:20:40.60\00:20:45.11
Amen?
00:20:45.14\00:20:46.17
And do you know what?
00:20:46.20\00:20:47.23
Even if I don't
sit on His throne,
00:20:47.26\00:20:48.95
I'll just be glad to be there.
00:20:48.98\00:20:50.28
What about you?
00:20:50.31\00:20:51.34
I don't need a mansion,
just give me a sleeping bag,
00:20:51.98\00:20:54.26
as long as I make it
into the New Jerusalem,
00:20:54.29\00:20:56.02
as long as the
door closes behind me.
00:20:56.05\00:20:57.92
What do you say?
00:20:57.95\00:20:58.98
I don't care if my
name is called first,
00:20:59.14\00:21:00.70
as long as it's called.
00:21:00.73\00:21:02.26
I don't care where
I sit on the table,
00:21:02.80\00:21:04.47
as long as I sit on the table.
00:21:04.50\00:21:06.32
I don't need many crowns,
I just need a single star.
00:21:06.82\00:21:10.29
I just want to be
there. What about you?
00:21:11.56\00:21:13.45
We've got to start
thinking of the eternal world.
00:21:13.72\00:21:16.29
We've got to go beyond the
muck and mire of this daily life
00:21:16.32\00:21:20.72
that the devil brings to
us that seeks to press us
00:21:20.75\00:21:23.53
into this mold of depression.
00:21:23.56\00:21:25.32
And you know what?
00:21:25.35\00:21:26.38
I think about those
who live up in Michigan.
00:21:26.64\00:21:28.60
When we went up there for
a funeral not too long ago,
00:21:28.63\00:21:31.41
for Owen Troy's
funeral, somebody said to me,
00:21:31.64\00:21:34.22
"This corner of the world is a
place where depression is high.
00:21:34.85\00:21:38.44
People hardly see the sun."
00:21:38.64\00:21:40.16
God's got an answer
for that, because the sun
00:21:40.42\00:21:42.48
will never set in
the New Jerusalem.
00:21:42.51\00:21:44.10
What do you say?
00:21:44.13\00:21:45.16
There will be no
depressed people there.
00:21:45.35\00:21:47.40
I'm looking forward for
that day for another reason.
00:21:47.72\00:21:49.90
I've got two mothers I'm going
to meet in the resurrection.
00:21:49.93\00:21:52.39
And I'm praying
for the two fathers.
00:21:52.51\00:21:54.06
I hope they're there, but
if not, I'm just going to be
00:21:54.09\00:21:57.40
glad that God is
going to call my name.
00:21:57.43\00:21:59.34
So you've got to look at these.
00:21:59.60\00:22:00.69
You've got to, when the
world is saying it's not
00:22:00.72\00:22:03.14
going to work out,
you've got to look unto Jesus,
00:22:03.17\00:22:06.11
the Author and
Finisher of your faith.
00:22:06.21\00:22:08.89
You've got to sing
when nobody else is singing.
00:22:09.10\00:22:11.06
You've got to pray
when nobody wants to pray.
00:22:11.28\00:22:13.80
You've got to talk to
God when it doesn't seem like
00:22:13.83\00:22:16.08
a logical thing to do.
00:22:16.11\00:22:17.61
When you feel down,
you've got to look up.
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.28
When you feel broken,
you've got to remember that
00:22:20.43\00:22:22.00
God has held you together.
00:22:22.03\00:22:23.58
Oh, I look at the life of those.
00:22:24.33\00:22:26.48
And what I want you to know
today is, heaven has invested
00:22:26.74\00:22:29.48
in the outcome of our story.
00:22:29.51\00:22:31.81
Do you know that
angels have watched over us
00:22:31.84\00:22:35.25
since the day of our birth?
00:22:35.28\00:22:36.90
Amen, somebody?
00:22:36.93\00:22:37.97
I remember reading in
Ellen White's writings one day,
00:22:38.12\00:22:40.14
and some people get
kind of fickle about that,
00:22:40.17\00:22:42.01
but I use to always
think I had one angel.
00:22:42.21\00:22:43.83
She said, "No, no, no.
00:22:43.86\00:22:44.89
In this world we have
one angel on our left,
00:22:44.92\00:22:47.25
and one angel on our right."
00:22:47.28\00:22:48.88
And then all of a sudden,
the words of David make sense.
00:22:48.91\00:22:51.55
"The angel of the
Lord encampeth..." What?
00:22:51.85\00:22:54.38
"...round about those that
fear Him, and deliver them."
00:22:54.59\00:22:58.35
Well, if I have one angel
or two, I'm going to be able to
00:22:58.38\00:23:01.90
recognize them,
because they will have
00:23:01.93\00:23:03.74
gray hair just like me.
00:23:03.77\00:23:05.18
How difficult it has been.
00:23:07.88\00:23:09.58
But day by day when we are
driving and we are delivered,
00:23:10.18\00:23:13.45
when something that could
have happened doesn't happen,
00:23:13.48\00:23:16.10
it's because the angels of
the Lord have been assigned
00:23:16.13\00:23:19.49
to watch over us from
the day that we were created.
00:23:19.52\00:23:22.92
But not only that is
good news; the Holy Spirit
00:23:23.30\00:23:25.74
has wrestled with us
since the day of our new birth.
00:23:25.77\00:23:29.52
And praise the
Lord, I can say today
00:23:29.84\00:23:31.19
the Holy Spirit hasn't left me.
00:23:31.22\00:23:32.36
Come on, somebody.
00:23:32.39\00:23:33.48
The Holy Spirit hasn't left us.
00:23:34.12\00:23:35.29
This ideology that we
must live in the sight of God
00:23:35.32\00:23:37.81
without the Holy
Spirit is not true.
00:23:37.84\00:23:39.63
Jesus will one day
end His mediatorial work,
00:23:40.32\00:23:43.09
but we'll never make it
without the Holy Spirit.
00:23:43.12\00:23:45.55
Don't ever get those mixed up.
00:23:45.87\00:23:47.34
He said, "I'll never leave
you, I'll never forsake you."
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.67
The Holy Spirit
is going to be there
00:23:50.70\00:23:52.05
and He will wrestle with us.
00:23:52.08\00:23:55.02
Even at the hour of our greatest
doubt, He will sustain us
00:23:55.10\00:23:59.32
if we trust in the Lord.
00:23:59.35\00:24:01.44
Not only is heaven
invested by the angel
00:24:02.74\00:24:04.99
and the Holy Spirit, but God.
00:24:05.02\00:24:06.66
Think of the investment of God.
00:24:06.69\00:24:08.12
He gave His only Son.
00:24:08.15\00:24:10.16
His only Son.
00:24:10.73\00:24:12.10
Not to good people, but in
that while we were yet sinners
00:24:12.38\00:24:16.31
Christ did what?
00:24:16.34\00:24:17.39
Died for us.
00:24:17.42\00:24:19.04
What a thing to do;
to lay down your glory,
00:24:19.07\00:24:21.66
to leave an unsullied
world, a place where angels
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.86
adore you, to come
down and face the fury
00:24:24.89\00:24:28.33
of a demon cut loose.
00:24:28.36\00:24:30.05
All of that.
00:24:30.26\00:24:32.00
And I have been told
if there was only one,
00:24:32.64\00:24:34.80
Jesus would have come.
00:24:34.83\00:24:36.13
Praise the Lord for that.
00:24:36.16\00:24:37.77
And think about the
investment of Jesus.
00:24:39.11\00:24:41.22
He saved us, He claimed us,
00:24:41.77\00:24:44.46
and He's building a
home for every one of us.
00:24:44.88\00:24:47.91
What do you say?
00:24:47.94\00:24:48.97
There's nothing that
heaven wouldn't do just to see
00:24:49.44\00:24:52.10
that we will make it through.
00:24:52.67\00:24:53.77
Look at Romans 8
verses 31 and 32.
00:24:53.80\00:24:55.91
You'll understand where this
is going, about refusing God.
00:24:55.94\00:24:58.23
I'm going to take a
turn on you so sharp that
00:24:58.26\00:25:00.07
you're going to
have to stay with me.
00:25:00.10\00:25:01.45
There's nothing
that heaven wouldn't do
00:25:01.48\00:25:03.25
just to see that
we make it through.
00:25:03.28\00:25:04.75
Look at Romans 8
verse 31 and verse 32.
00:25:04.78\00:25:08.58
Paul says...
00:25:09.06\00:25:10.09
We've got a guarantee.
00:25:30.57\00:25:32.14
We don't just have a
judge, we've got an attorney.
00:25:32.76\00:25:37.07
And He's the same person.
00:25:37.10\00:25:38.22
Amen, someone.
00:25:38.25\00:25:39.48
I remember years ago
when I discovered what
00:25:39.58\00:25:41.24
Revelation actually meant.
00:25:41.27\00:25:42.59
I was reading and
studying Revelation.
00:25:42.62\00:25:44.21
I have these small
little very thin books,
00:25:44.24\00:25:46.19
about the
thickness of Steps To Christ,
00:25:46.22\00:25:48.11
and it breaks down
the seven churches.
00:25:48.21\00:25:49.94
One deals with each
of the seven churches.
00:25:49.97\00:25:52.35
And I was sitting one
day wondering what was this
00:25:52.38\00:25:54.65
black stone and
white stone all about.
00:25:54.68\00:25:58.59
And I discovered
that in Roman courts,
00:25:58.72\00:26:00.80
if the jury didn't reach a
verdict, Steve, it would be
00:26:01.22\00:26:05.00
up to you to decide your fate.
00:26:05.03\00:26:06.67
And what they did is
they brought out a bag
00:26:06.90\00:26:09.64
that you couldn't see into.
00:26:09.74\00:26:11.37
And in that bag was a
white stone and a black stone.
00:26:11.40\00:26:14.57
And think of the
terror of that, Karen.
00:26:14.60\00:26:16.43
You have to reach in that bag.
00:26:16.46\00:26:17.71
You pick the black
stone, it's certainly death.
00:26:17.75\00:26:20.31
But you pick that white
stone, it's certainly life.
00:26:20.65\00:26:23.41
And how terrifying it was for
the one that had been accused
00:26:24.52\00:26:29.11
to reach in the bag of his
fate and reach for the stone
00:26:29.14\00:26:34.34
that would set him free.
00:26:34.37\00:26:35.69
And then I read
the text, hallelujah,
00:26:35.72\00:26:38.52
I read the text where
Jesus said in Revelation,
00:26:38.55\00:26:41.60
"I will give you a white stone."
00:26:41.63\00:26:43.84
Come on, amen, somebody.
00:26:43.87\00:26:45.23
You don't have
to reach in there.
00:26:45.26\00:26:46.71
"I'm your lawyer,
here's a white stone.
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.54
I'll give you a white
stone with a new name on it.
00:26:48.57\00:26:51.71
I'll not only set you free,
but I'll change your name."
00:26:51.74\00:26:54.04
And you will have
not only a new identity,
00:26:54.07\00:26:57.10
but like Jacob changed
to Israel, your name will
00:26:57.30\00:27:00.76
no longer be connected
to your deceptive past.
00:27:00.79\00:27:03.48
That's the good news.
00:27:03.51\00:27:04.78
So when I read that He
will do everything for us,
00:27:05.71\00:27:08.24
He will freely
give us all things,
00:27:08.27\00:27:10.69
I want to tell you today,
Jesus gave me a white stone.
00:27:10.79\00:27:13.66
Come on, what about you?
00:27:13.69\00:27:14.98
A white stone
with a new name on it.
00:27:15.36\00:27:17.78
Sometimes we spend so
much time talking about all the
00:27:17.81\00:27:20.22
bad things of life.
00:27:20.25\00:27:21.34
I think sometimes we
should get our chairs designed
00:27:21.37\00:27:24.18
so that we can have it
lean back automatically.
00:27:24.21\00:27:26.79
So that if we can't look
up, at least our chairs will
00:27:26.82\00:27:29.52
recline so we can look up.
00:27:29.55\00:27:31.12
We need to look unto Jesus,
00:27:31.72\00:27:33.93
the Author and
Finisher of our faith.
00:27:34.13\00:27:36.93
And I look at what they've
gone through, and you know,
00:27:37.44\00:27:39.00
I think about some of us
and we complain about the
00:27:39.03\00:27:40.94
most mundane things.
00:27:40.97\00:27:42.49
Some of us rarely miss a
meal, and we talk about hunger.
00:27:42.59\00:27:45.48
Did you read what
they went through?
00:27:46.24\00:27:47.59
The clouds begin to
gather and we run for cover.
00:27:48.25\00:27:51.02
The temperature drops and
we talk about how cold we are.
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.69
Some of them slept in
dungeons and lion's dens.
00:27:53.72\00:27:57.00
Read the book, if you
can, Foxe's Book Of Martyrs.
00:27:57.03\00:28:00.12
Oh how tragic it is to read.
00:28:00.15\00:28:01.45
You've got to have a
strong faith to read that.
00:28:01.48\00:28:03.27
It'll mess you up.
00:28:03.30\00:28:04.33
It'll give you some bad dreams
if you ain't close to Jesus.
00:28:04.36\00:28:07.05
But we haven't
gone through anything
00:28:09.13\00:28:10.76
compared to those
who have gone before us.
00:28:11.05\00:28:12.78
We haven't gone
through nothing...
00:28:12.81\00:28:15.27
...compared to
what they went through.
00:28:18.29\00:28:19.68
We haven't seen
the enemy cut loose.
00:28:20.93\00:28:24.32
But just give it some time.
00:28:24.35\00:28:26.56
That's why if you
don't have faith in God now,
00:28:27.71\00:28:29.61
if your faith in God is not
being strengthened day by day,
00:28:29.91\00:28:32.83
there is no way that you're
going to stand before your fate
00:28:32.86\00:28:35.51
and be willing to give
your life if you have not given
00:28:35.54\00:28:37.98
your life to the Lord
on a day by day basis.
00:28:38.01\00:28:40.87
Sometimes the light goes
out for a few minutes and we
00:28:42.18\00:28:44.54
think the world is ending.
00:28:44.57\00:28:46.03
They spent hours and
days in dungeons and darkness,
00:28:46.38\00:28:49.72
but they trusted God.
00:28:49.79\00:28:50.92
And you know what?
00:28:50.95\00:28:51.98
When you trust God,
even in the darkest moment
00:28:52.01\00:28:54.97
the light of God
continues to shine.
00:28:55.00\00:28:57.43
He is the light of the world.
00:28:57.46\00:28:59.02
Fear not what happens in
the darkness of your life,
00:28:59.05\00:29:02.15
because the light of the
world is always there with you.
00:29:02.18\00:29:06.37
When I think about
the hours that Paul spent
00:29:07.59\00:29:12.66
in his moments of persecution.
00:29:12.69\00:29:14.46
I read his letter.
00:29:14.49\00:29:15.84
And if you ask the apostle
Paul to tell you his story
00:29:15.87\00:29:18.19
about how he held on,
how he did not refuse God,
00:29:18.22\00:29:21.16
he will tell you the story.
00:29:21.19\00:29:22.59
Listen to his story.
00:29:22.62\00:29:23.75
2 Corinthians
11 verses 23 to 27.
00:29:23.78\00:29:26.24
Listen to what the apostle says.
00:29:26.27\00:29:28.29
He tells us his account.
00:29:28.32\00:29:30.16
He tells us how he
found courage by looking back
00:29:30.19\00:29:33.05
to find faith to look forward.
00:29:33.08\00:29:34.76
Notice what he says.
00:29:34.79\00:29:36.10
Have mercy, somebody.
00:30:09.10\00:30:10.55
And he kept trusting God.
00:30:24.04\00:30:26.12
I wonder at what
point we would have said,
00:30:29.14\00:30:30.48
you know, "That's it.
00:30:30.51\00:30:31.67
I ain't staying
in Thompsonville,
00:30:32.16\00:30:33.35
I'm going through too much."
00:30:33.38\00:30:34.84
When I get to heaven,
I'm going to ask Paul,
00:30:41.40\00:30:43.65
"How did you do it?"
00:30:44.24\00:30:45.35
Because you read this
record and it's so amazing
00:30:46.69\00:30:49.81
at what he went through.
00:30:49.84\00:30:51.18
He had had to have an encounter
00:30:51.48\00:30:54.36
with God to
make it through that.
00:30:54.39\00:30:56.23
Amen?
00:30:56.26\00:30:57.29
Sometimes you wonder,
"How am I going to make it?"
00:30:57.50\00:30:59.39
If you think your day is
bad, check Paul's life out.
00:30:59.50\00:31:02.15
If you think his life ain't
bad enough, check out what the
00:31:02.18\00:31:04.37
faithful before
him went through.
00:31:04.40\00:31:06.04
And that will tell you, if God
can deliver them in their time
00:31:06.07\00:31:09.55
of difficulty, God will deliver
us in our time of difficulty.
00:31:09.58\00:31:13.24
Amen?
00:31:13.27\00:31:14.30
I think of the fiery furnace.
00:31:14.33\00:31:15.48
You know, it was
fire to the Babylonians,
00:31:15.51\00:31:17.66
but it was cool to
the children of Israel.
00:31:17.69\00:31:20.72
In the lion's den...
00:31:20.95\00:31:22.03
I've looked at this
video recently, there's a
00:31:22.06\00:31:23.88
guy called, the lion whisperer.
00:31:23.91\00:31:26.05
I'm always amazed by that.
00:31:26.25\00:31:27.43
It's all over the internet.
00:31:27.46\00:31:28.55
This guy hugs lions daily.
00:31:28.58\00:31:30.66
These massive cats, when
they see him they run to him
00:31:30.99\00:31:35.05
and jump on his neck,
and they rub their cheek
00:31:35.08\00:31:37.47
and their face together.
00:31:37.50\00:31:38.64
And they say, well he
raised all those lions.
00:31:39.52\00:31:42.06
I hope he did.
00:31:42.70\00:31:43.95
Because if he
picks up the wrong one,
00:31:44.69\00:31:46.57
he'll discover that the nature
of the lion is to destroy.
00:31:46.60\00:31:49.64
It's amazing to me.
00:31:49.84\00:31:50.87
I see him, he walks into the...
00:31:50.90\00:31:52.26
Even his camera
crew, as he walks into the
00:31:52.29\00:31:54.12
jungles of Africa, his
camera crew is surrounded by
00:31:54.15\00:31:57.27
strong caging, lest
they lose their lives.
00:31:57.30\00:32:01.50
But he walks among a prey,
he walks among a pride of lions,
00:32:01.53\00:32:05.00
both male and female.
00:32:05.03\00:32:06.21
And they come to him,
700, 800, 1200 pounds.
00:32:06.31\00:32:10.54
And he just lays on their belly.
00:32:10.91\00:32:13.42
I'm telling you, I said
to my wife today when she
00:32:13.65\00:32:15.39
showed me this video, I said,
"Honey, don't worry about it.
00:32:15.42\00:32:17.77
Our day is coming."
00:32:17.80\00:32:19.08
Amen?
00:32:19.75\00:32:20.78
The lion and the lamb
will lie down together.
00:32:21.16\00:32:24.83
And we're going to get a chance
to experience what it's like to
00:32:25.04\00:32:27.61
finally get a lion to hug us.
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.09
Amen? Without any fear.
00:32:29.12\00:32:30.85
But these who went
before us spent the night...
00:32:31.10\00:32:34.28
Daniel is the only one that
knew before the lion whisperer
00:32:34.31\00:32:37.92
what it's like to spend
the night with hungry lions
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.72
and come out in
the morning unscathed.
00:32:40.75\00:32:42.47
Only God can keep us through
the difficulties of our lives.
00:32:42.50\00:32:46.00
What do you say, church?
00:32:46.03\00:32:47.26
Paul looks over the shoulder
of his shredded garments
00:32:47.70\00:32:49.85
and asks us the question
in Romans 8 and verse 35.
00:32:49.88\00:32:52.98
Notice what he says.
00:32:53.01\00:32:54.25
He asks us...
00:32:54.28\00:32:56.01
I hope the answer is no.
00:33:10.08\00:33:11.49
Because some people leave just
because they get a bad look.
00:33:11.52\00:33:14.11
"Where have you been?"
00:33:16.17\00:33:17.26
"I didn't like the
way so and so looked at me
00:33:17.29\00:33:18.97
a couple of weeks ago."
00:33:19.00\00:33:20.06
And you left?
00:33:22.25\00:33:23.38
You know, I've always said,
if you don't like the way that
00:33:23.55\00:33:25.62
people look at
you, let them leave.
00:33:25.65\00:33:27.20
You stay.
00:33:27.23\00:33:28.40
Right?
00:33:29.60\00:33:30.63
Somebody is going to
give you a hard time.
00:33:30.66\00:33:32.81
Does it make sense that I
miss out on heaven just because
00:33:33.02\00:33:35.58
you gave me a bad look?
00:33:35.61\00:33:37.00
Are you going to get off
the plane because somebody
00:33:37.85\00:33:39.66
across the aisle
gave you a bad look?
00:33:39.69\00:33:41.19
Come on, talk to me.
00:33:41.22\00:33:42.25
Absolutely not.
00:33:42.69\00:33:43.91
To get off of an
airplane because of a bad look
00:33:43.94\00:33:46.75
is just as
ridiculous as leaving the church
00:33:46.78\00:33:48.98
because of a bad look.
00:33:49.01\00:33:50.31
Let that person deal
with his or her issues,
00:33:50.61\00:33:52.95
but I'm not going anywhere.
00:33:53.15\00:33:54.22
What do you say?
00:33:54.25\00:33:55.32
"Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine,
00:33:56.07\00:33:58.56
or nakedness, or
peril, or the sword?"
00:33:58.59\00:34:00.30
We don't go through any of that.
00:34:00.33\00:34:01.70
We've got to
get some thick skin.
00:34:01.73\00:34:03.63
One of the problems
with modern Christianity is,
00:34:03.66\00:34:06.81
it always talks
about God's blessings.
00:34:07.03\00:34:08.99
You know, I think that
I've heard some preachers,
00:34:09.09\00:34:11.13
you would think that the second
half of the book of Hebrews
00:34:11.16\00:34:14.04
has been deleted, because they
only talk about the blessings.
00:34:14.07\00:34:17.15
They never talk about the
persecutions, the difficulty.
00:34:17.32\00:34:19.58
They never talk about
the times that the prayer
00:34:19.79\00:34:21.67
was not answered.
00:34:21.70\00:34:22.76
They never talk about the moment
that the life wasn't spared.
00:34:22.79\00:34:25.60
They never talk about when
somebody did die in the Lord.
00:34:25.70\00:34:29.06
I want to tell you,
if you die in the Lord
00:34:29.16\00:34:31.22
it's going to be okay, because
there is a resurrection coming.
00:34:31.25\00:34:34.58
I read in Ellen
White's writings, she said
00:34:36.05\00:34:37.82
sometimes we should not
always pray for even the
00:34:37.85\00:34:40.29
young to be healed, because
only God in His sovereignty
00:34:40.32\00:34:43.88
understands whether or not that
person needs to be laid to rest
00:34:43.91\00:34:47.63
to be spared from the
trouble that's coming.
00:34:47.66\00:34:50.00
So sometimes we're
saying, "Lord, heal them."
00:34:50.94\00:34:52.63
"Lord, fix them."
"Lord, deliver them."
00:34:52.66\00:34:54.58
We've got to say,
"Let Your will be done."
00:34:55.07\00:34:57.75
Because only God is sovereign.
00:34:58.23\00:34:59.50
Only God sees the
end from the beginning.
00:34:59.53\00:35:01.69
So when we lay to
rest our loved ones,
00:35:04.56\00:35:06.76
we've got to know
there's a better day coming.
00:35:06.79\00:35:10.49
When we consider the
offers of this world,
00:35:11.58\00:35:14.86
the eternal
realities are far greater.
00:35:14.89\00:35:17.80
Look at this, 2
Corinthians 4 verses 16 and 17.
00:35:17.83\00:35:21.46
Paul continues...
00:35:22.28\00:35:23.45
You know, I love this.
I've embraced this text.
00:35:37.01\00:35:39.15
Now you understand why
Moses chose to suffer affliction
00:35:50.31\00:35:53.94
with the people of
God rather to enjoy the
00:35:53.97\00:35:56.41
pleasures of sin for a season.
00:35:56.44\00:35:58.12
Momentary pleasure cannot
contribute to eternal joy.
00:35:59.75\00:36:03.55
Momentary pleasure
eclipses the permanent joy
00:36:04.08\00:36:06.89
that God has in store for us.
00:36:06.92\00:36:08.24
And so when you're going
through difficulty, Paul says,
00:36:08.27\00:36:10.22
"It's just light affliction.
00:36:10.25\00:36:11.68
It's just but a moment."
00:36:11.71\00:36:13.10
We know that.
00:36:13.49\00:36:14.52
Sometimes it lasts for
longer than we want to.
00:36:14.55\00:36:16.46
But in the light of eternity,
it wouldn't even be a thin line
00:36:16.49\00:36:20.50
on the scale of the eternal
world that's waiting for us.
00:36:20.53\00:36:23.95
That's why Paul encourages
us to follow in his footsteps.
00:36:24.11\00:36:27.42
Notice what he says in
Romans 8 verses 37 to 39.
00:36:27.45\00:36:30.94
We haven't gotten to
the refusing God yet.
00:36:30.97\00:36:32.81
That's going to be a
twist toward the end.
00:36:32.84\00:36:34.80
But I'm building the foundation
so that when we get there
00:36:34.83\00:36:37.56
you'll ask
yourself the question,
00:36:37.59\00:36:39.00
"How could somebody go
through and refuse a God
00:36:39.03\00:36:43.45
who can deliver
us from all of that?"
00:36:43.48\00:36:46.11
Look at it, Romans 8
verse 37 to verse 39.
00:36:46.55\00:36:50.40
Whatever you go
through, Paul says...
00:36:50.43\00:36:52.15
You've got to get persuaded.
00:36:59.78\00:37:00.97
You just can't be
lightly convinced.
00:37:01.00\00:37:03.02
You've got to draw from
the coldness of other people.
00:37:30.05\00:37:33.37
You can't wait for
everybody to love you.
00:37:33.87\00:37:36.66
You've got to come to the
place of solace that Jesus
00:37:36.69\00:37:39.83
loves you with
an everlasting love.
00:37:39.86\00:37:42.92
You've got to come to the
reality that not everybody is
00:37:43.29\00:37:45.31
going to even like you.
00:37:45.34\00:37:46.67
I had to learn
that the hard way.
00:37:48.27\00:37:49.93
I think about the
second church I pastored.
00:37:50.48\00:37:52.50
I kept getting offended.
00:37:52.53\00:37:54.01
People, you know, it seemed
like some people didn't like me.
00:37:54.61\00:37:57.05
And I thought, "Was
it something I did?"
00:37:57.08\00:37:58.94
And I fell into the category
of trying to please everybody.
00:37:58.97\00:38:01.69
You know, there's
no formula for success.
00:38:01.72\00:38:03.67
But the formula for failure
is trying to please everybody.
00:38:03.70\00:38:06.72
I haven't found the
formula for success.
00:38:07.41\00:38:09.28
But I've discovered
this, as Jeremiah learned
00:38:09.53\00:38:13.91
when Jeremiah was
faced as a young man with the
00:38:13.94\00:38:15.92
very same difficulty.
00:38:15.95\00:38:17.10
He was called to proclaim
as a prophet of the children
00:38:17.30\00:38:19.77
of Israel, and he said, "Lord,
I'm afraid of their faces."
00:38:19.80\00:38:23.10
And the Lord said, "Jeremiah,
I'm going to be with you
00:38:25.18\00:38:28.38
and I'll give you a
head as hard as flint.
00:38:28.41\00:38:32.25
Just do what I've
called you to do."
00:38:32.28\00:38:34.65
Amen?
00:38:34.68\00:38:35.71
I remember after
that second church,
00:38:35.77\00:38:37.23
I went to the third church.
00:38:37.26\00:38:38.32
And I remember
after going through about
00:38:38.35\00:38:39.68
three and a half years
of trials and tribulations,
00:38:39.71\00:38:41.44
I declared to the church one
day, "I'm not going anywhere.
00:38:41.47\00:38:43.88
Y'all just need to stop
trying to get rid of me."
00:38:43.91\00:38:46.18
Amen?
00:38:46.89\00:38:47.92
And we had two more
years and four months
00:38:48.08\00:38:50.12
of good church attendance.
00:38:50.15\00:38:52.35
We had two more years,
they figured the coalition
00:38:52.58\00:38:54.86
of destruction
had to fall apart.
00:38:54.89\00:38:56.52
Because you know what?
00:38:56.55\00:38:57.58
You've got to be determined that
no matter how difficult it gets,
00:38:57.61\00:38:59.99
you're going to
keep on plowing through.
00:39:00.02\00:39:01.88
If God be for us, as we
said this morning, what else?
00:39:02.08\00:39:04.71
Who can be against us?
00:39:04.74\00:39:06.32
When you think about
Paul, you've got to take up
00:39:06.87\00:39:09.46
where the
faithful have left off.
00:39:09.49\00:39:11.17
And when you think about taking
up, it's a sobering thought.
00:39:11.20\00:39:14.51
Because to gain assurance
from our faithful family
00:39:15.73\00:39:19.06
will inspire resilience.
00:39:19.09\00:39:21.27
To have their stories
preserved will renew our hope.
00:39:21.30\00:39:24.56
Look at Romans 15 and verse 4.
00:39:24.59\00:39:26.81
This is an amazing thought.
00:39:26.84\00:39:28.36
Romans 15 and verse 4.
00:39:28.39\00:39:29.87
And then after this
we're going to transition
00:39:29.90\00:39:31.72
into an area that will
catch you slightly off guard.
00:39:31.75\00:39:34.38
Notice what he says
in Romans 15 and verse 4.
00:39:34.41\00:39:37.59
"All these things
we read," Paul says...
00:39:38.01\00:39:41.10
I want to testify
before I turn the page.
00:39:58.84\00:40:01.29
This book...
00:40:04.23\00:40:05.45
Got so many
different translations,
00:40:09.33\00:40:10.85
they're all in digital form.
00:40:10.88\00:40:12.04
But let me just
tell you something.
00:40:12.07\00:40:13.44
If you want to find hope...
00:40:13.47\00:40:15.01
...dive into this book.
00:40:16.62\00:40:18.09
You want to read a love letter?
00:40:19.32\00:40:21.34
Dive into this book.
00:40:21.62\00:40:22.96
You want some more wisdom?
00:40:23.27\00:40:24.70
Dive into this book.
00:40:25.38\00:40:27.87
Don't read it
because you want to,
00:40:27.90\00:40:29.84
read it because you have to.
00:40:29.87\00:40:31.46
If you read it because you
have to, you'll get to the place
00:40:31.49\00:40:34.17
where you'll read
it because you want to.
00:40:34.20\00:40:36.22
It's not a normal book.
00:40:37.36\00:40:38.67
It's the only book that
the devil fights tooth and nail
00:40:38.70\00:40:42.41
to keep us from.
00:40:42.44\00:40:44.23
He doesn't want to keep
us from the movie guide.
00:40:44.51\00:40:47.74
He doesn't even want to keep
us from other devotional books,
00:40:47.99\00:40:50.24
because there's no more
concentration in any other book
00:40:50.27\00:40:53.24
about the love of
God, and the power of God,
00:40:53.34\00:40:55.48
and the freedom of
God, and the joy of God,
00:40:55.51\00:40:57.82
and the sustaining power of
God than you find in this book.
00:40:57.85\00:41:01.78
It's like
diluting your medication.
00:41:02.63\00:41:04.42
The person that
wants to keep you sick
00:41:05.85\00:41:07.23
will dilute your medication.
00:41:07.26\00:41:08.92
The devil wants to dilute
our medication by getting us
00:41:09.18\00:41:11.47
to look in every other direction
other than the Word of God
00:41:11.50\00:41:14.44
where we find the
only power and comfort
00:41:14.47\00:41:16.93
that can really resolve
the issues of our human walk.
00:41:16.96\00:41:20.09
Even our spiritual walk.
00:41:20.23\00:41:21.63
This is the book.
00:41:21.66\00:41:22.76
And this whole
week, I tell you...
00:41:23.35\00:41:24.87
You've got to see
my little pod there.
00:41:26.01\00:41:27.68
I got a little, I got my chair,
I finally got to the place
00:41:27.71\00:41:30.75
where I could get
a comfortable chair.
00:41:30.78\00:41:31.88
Because, you know, if you
sit down six or seven hours
00:41:31.91\00:41:34.41
days on end to work
on sermons, you've got to
00:41:34.75\00:41:37.24
have something comfortable.
00:41:37.44\00:41:38.79
I've got all the
Bible commentaries.
00:41:39.19\00:41:41.03
They're there and my
extra materials are there.
00:41:41.06\00:41:44.25
But the closest
book to me is the Bible.
00:41:44.28\00:41:47.03
It's the first source,
it's the first reference guide.
00:41:48.50\00:41:51.05
It's the thing that you digest.
00:41:51.08\00:41:52.52
And you know what happens?
00:41:52.55\00:41:53.58
This is what happens to me
after I do a series like this.
00:41:53.78\00:41:56.43
I get so fired up...
00:41:56.46\00:41:58.06
Not that you can tell.
00:41:59.62\00:42:01.23
But I get so fired up that I'm
going to go, I don't get tired.
00:42:02.18\00:42:05.61
I mean, I just don't get tired.
00:42:05.80\00:42:07.28
I eat because I have to.
00:42:07.31\00:42:09.06
I finally understand, when
I spend time in God's Word,
00:42:09.09\00:42:12.61
what Jesus meant when
He said to the disciples
00:42:12.64\00:42:14.75
when they perceived that
He was physically hungry,
00:42:14.78\00:42:17.44
He said to them, "I have food
that you don't even know about."
00:42:17.47\00:42:20.87
And then He says,
"My food is to do the
00:42:22.33\00:42:25.24
will of Him that sent me."
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.17
Brothers and
sisters, the best...
00:42:27.57\00:42:29.09
That's the best
diet, studying God's Word.
00:42:33.06\00:42:34.88
Come on help me out, somebody.
00:42:34.91\00:42:36.25
You could burn
calories by eating this.
00:42:37.73\00:42:40.39
You'll be physically
fit and spiritually fit
00:42:42.77\00:42:44.85
by spending more
time in this book.
00:42:44.88\00:42:47.21
Amen.
00:42:47.24\00:42:48.27
When you get it together with...
00:42:49.23\00:42:50.79
I remember when one day
I couldn't find my Bible.
00:42:51.10\00:42:55.37
And hours went by and I couldn't
00:42:55.57\00:42:57.23
remember what I
had done with it.
00:42:57.26\00:42:58.32
Because sometimes I go from
this Bible to the brown Bible.
00:42:58.35\00:43:01.15
When I travel, I
take the lighter Bible.
00:43:01.25\00:43:03.14
Because my real Bible
weighs about eight pounds.
00:43:03.46\00:43:06.19
And you know you're only
allowed about so much weight.
00:43:06.29\00:43:08.24
And I thought one
day, did I lose my Bible?
00:43:08.65\00:43:10.97
And the very thought
that I almost lost it
00:43:11.00\00:43:13.40
brought me to a state of panic.
00:43:13.43\00:43:15.37
"Lord, where is my Bible."
00:43:15.61\00:43:17.14
You know what I'm
talking about, Shelley?
00:43:17.17\00:43:18.27
"Where's my Bible?
00:43:18.30\00:43:19.49
I feel like I've
lost my sustaining grace.
00:43:19.52\00:43:23.10
My battery pack
has been unplugged."
00:43:23.13\00:43:25.82
That actually happened to
me in the Heritage Singers,
00:43:27.53\00:43:29.20
until three or four days
later when Federal Express
00:43:29.23\00:43:32.29
delivered my Bible to
the ranch in Placerville.
00:43:32.39\00:43:34.81
Everybody in the group said,
"Yea, John's got his Bible back.
00:43:34.91\00:43:38.08
Now we can talk to him."
00:43:38.11\00:43:39.72
I felt like I
lost my reason to live.
00:43:43.37\00:43:46.41
My Bible.
00:43:46.75\00:43:48.00
And I tell you, my brethren,
we've got to get such a
00:43:48.41\00:43:50.43
connection with our Bible now,
because the danger is coming
00:43:50.46\00:43:53.09
when men are going to search
from the east to the west,
00:43:53.12\00:43:55.29
from the north to the south.
00:43:55.32\00:43:56.65
There's a famine coming.
00:43:56.68\00:43:57.87
Not a famine for
bread or for water,
00:43:57.90\00:43:59.94
but of the hearing
of the Word of God.
00:43:59.97\00:44:01.81
How valuable it is whenever
the Word of God is going forward
00:44:01.91\00:44:05.43
that we're there to
ingest, digest, to masticate,
00:44:05.46\00:44:08.76
and to be nourished on
what God is feeding us;
00:44:08.79\00:44:11.66
truly the bread of life.
00:44:11.69\00:44:13.10
What do you say?
00:44:13.13\00:44:14.23
But with such
impeccable stories of robust
00:44:15.21\00:44:17.76
faith and unwavering dedication,
you've got to ask the question,
00:44:17.79\00:44:21.17
why use the title, The
Danger of Refusing God?
00:44:22.85\00:44:26.92
When I studied back
into this particular story,
00:44:29.33\00:44:31.59
and I tell you, in putting
all these sermons together,
00:44:31.62\00:44:33.86
this was the hardest one.
00:44:33.96\00:44:35.89
Because I couldn't fathom
after reading all that I did
00:44:35.92\00:44:39.41
in the book of
Hebrews, the hall of faith,
00:44:39.70\00:44:41.68
I couldn't fathom that knowing
that, having that kind of
00:44:41.71\00:44:44.79
experience with God, will still
lead somebody to refuse God
00:44:44.82\00:44:49.39
when He appealed
for them to follow Him.
00:44:49.42\00:44:51.30
I couldn't figure that out.
00:44:51.33\00:44:52.79
And so I began to
look behind the scenes,
00:44:52.82\00:44:54.38
and I discovered that
Moses and Israel witnessed
00:44:54.41\00:44:58.10
the terrible power of God
when Moses ascended Mount Sinai
00:44:58.20\00:45:02.20
to receive the Ten Commandments.
00:45:02.23\00:45:04.08
When you study that
in the various writings,
00:45:04.25\00:45:06.48
you'll discover that
the thunderous voice of God,
00:45:06.51\00:45:08.75
it's in Deuteronomy,
it's in Numbers, it's there.
00:45:08.78\00:45:11.09
The thunderous voice
of God, it's in Exodus.
00:45:11.12\00:45:13.82
His voice was so magnificent
and so strong and so thunderous
00:45:15.38\00:45:18.71
that it made Moses
and Israel tremble.
00:45:18.74\00:45:22.63
But they feared nothing,
00:45:23.64\00:45:24.88
they feared nothing
but the voice of God.
00:45:26.05\00:45:28.13
They heard the voice of
God, they saw the mountain glow
00:45:28.16\00:45:31.53
with the presence of God,
00:45:31.63\00:45:32.70
they heard the
thunder on the mountain.
00:45:32.73\00:45:34.41
And they said, "There's
only one thing that we fear
00:45:34.51\00:45:36.57
more than
hearing the voice of God.
00:45:36.60\00:45:38.11
That is doing what
God has asked us to do."
00:45:38.14\00:45:41.12
And the reason why God
spoke to them in that manner
00:45:42.34\00:45:44.46
is He know the
rebellion that was among them
00:45:44.49\00:45:47.27
that still had to be rooted out.
00:45:47.42\00:45:49.77
And so when God spoke
with that voice of thunder,
00:45:51.04\00:45:53.32
it was somewhat
of a, "Listen up.
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.85
Listen up, Israel.
00:45:57.92\00:45:59.26
Here's what I need to say."
00:45:59.29\00:46:00.70
And even though it
was a spectacular event,
00:46:02.20\00:46:04.53
there was a problem.
00:46:04.56\00:46:05.94
There was a problem of
what happened that day.
00:46:06.23\00:46:08.63
And Paul introduces
that occasion kind of in the
00:46:08.66\00:46:11.56
context of; if you
missed it, here it is again.
00:46:11.59\00:46:14.05
Look at Hebrews chapter 12.
00:46:14.08\00:46:15.60
Hebrews chapter
12 verses 22 to 24.
00:46:15.63\00:46:18.86
He takes us now behind
the scenes of what happened
00:46:18.89\00:46:21.67
on Mount Sinai.
00:46:21.72\00:46:22.75
And he says to
us, and he says to us,
00:46:22.78\00:46:26.52
"You may not have been there,
00:46:26.64\00:46:28.22
you haven't
come to the mountain,
00:46:28.83\00:46:30.38
you haven't come
to the mountain..."
00:46:30.77\00:46:32.22
Let's look at
Hebrews chapter 12,
00:46:32.25\00:46:34.05
I believe that's
where I am, verses 18 to 21.
00:46:34.08\00:46:37.08
Hebrews chapter 12
verses 18 to 21, he says...
00:46:37.11\00:46:39.84
We were not there.
00:46:44.88\00:46:46.22
"You weren't there."
00:46:51.86\00:46:52.93
Can you imagine that kind
of thunderous voice and say,
00:46:59.40\00:47:01.35
"I don't want to hear it.
I don't want to hear that."
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.59
Can you imagine?
00:47:23.38\00:47:24.51
That's the setting that
Moses went forth to receive
00:47:24.54\00:47:29.11
the Ten Commandments.
00:47:29.14\00:47:30.87
It was such a
spectacular, earth shattering,
00:47:32.43\00:47:35.84
mountain shaking event
that Moses trembled to be
00:47:35.87\00:47:42.40
in the presence of
that kind of power.
00:47:42.43\00:47:44.41
So powerful it was that he
asked for a peak, and God said,
00:47:44.82\00:47:47.69
"You better hide in the
rock, because if you don't,
00:47:47.72\00:47:49.62
it's lights out for you."
00:47:50.54\00:47:52.00
And the children of Israel
heard, they heard the thunder,
00:47:52.15\00:47:55.35
they saw the lightening, and
it brought to them great fear.
00:47:55.38\00:47:58.44
But there was a greater problem.
00:47:58.57\00:47:59.93
Even though they
feared the voice of God,
00:48:01.33\00:48:03.33
they did not
fear disobeying God.
00:48:03.55\00:48:07.39
Look at verse 22 to verse...
00:48:07.42\00:48:09.57
They feared the voice of
God, but they did not fear
00:48:09.60\00:48:12.20
disobeying God.
00:48:12.23\00:48:13.30
Now let me put
that into context.
00:48:13.33\00:48:15.07
When I was being
raised, I want to tell you,
00:48:15.21\00:48:17.19
when I was being raised,
and I heard my father's voice...
00:48:17.22\00:48:20.85
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:48:21.46\00:48:22.70
...and I heard my
father's voice, that was enough
00:48:22.94\00:48:25.55
to get me to straighten up
00:48:26.05\00:48:27.46
before we had a
personal encounter.
00:48:27.49\00:48:29.19
You know what I mean?
00:48:29.22\00:48:30.25
He would walk through the house
with his strong Barbadian accent
00:48:31.10\00:48:33.95
and he'd say, "Junior..."
00:48:33.98\00:48:35.58
And I remember
that Mama earlier said,
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.96
"You wait till Papa gets home."
00:48:39.99\00:48:41.64
And when Papa came home
and the voice of a trumpet
00:48:42.37\00:48:44.77
just resonated through that
house, I knew what that meant.
00:48:44.80\00:48:47.60
And that was the moment that
I came to him with such humble,
00:48:48.51\00:48:51.04
humble, such a subdued spirit.
00:48:51.07\00:48:53.62
I wasn't rebellious
like when he was at work,
00:48:53.65\00:48:55.70
but I came and
said, "Yes, papa."
00:48:55.73\00:48:58.42
You know how you do,
right? You know how you do.
00:48:59.07\00:49:00.77
You come, you almost
come like, "I repent.
00:49:00.80\00:49:03.26
Please don't beat me to death.
00:49:03.81\00:49:05.60
I repent. Don't
hit me any further."
00:49:06.18\00:49:08.08
God put the fear
of the Lord in them.
00:49:08.28\00:49:11.89
But it didn't change their
attitude about refusing God.
00:49:12.88\00:49:17.70
They were not that fearful.
00:49:17.73\00:49:19.75
Because when the clouds were
gone, and the thunder ceased,
00:49:20.24\00:49:24.31
and the
lightening no longer flashed,
00:49:24.34\00:49:26.94
they got caught
in one rebellious
00:49:28.10\00:49:31.03
situation after the other.
00:49:31.06\00:49:33.25
And then the writer of Hebrews
said, "You weren't there.
00:49:33.65\00:49:37.21
You didn't have to go
to that terrifying setting.
00:49:37.24\00:49:39.68
You were not there;
God did not bring you
00:49:39.71\00:49:41.60
to the point of terror."
00:49:41.63\00:49:42.70
But he said, "God has
something better for you."
00:49:43.08\00:49:45.75
Listen to what he says
in verse 25 to verse 29
00:49:45.78\00:49:49.36
of Hebrews chapter 12.
00:49:49.39\00:49:50.61
Notice what he says.
00:49:50.64\00:49:51.82
Israel refused God,
but this time God is not
00:49:51.85\00:49:55.86
just going to
shake the mountain.
00:49:55.89\00:49:57.26
He said, "See that
you do not refuse Him..."
00:49:57.40\00:49:59.71
If they didn't make it,
and He only spoke on earth,
00:50:12.41\00:50:14.81
how are we going to
make it, and this time
00:50:15.01\00:50:17.17
He's going to speak from heaven?
00:50:17.20\00:50:18.43
He goes on, "...whose
voice then shook the earth..."
00:50:18.46\00:50:22.16
That means this
is the last time.
00:50:29.87\00:50:31.39
That's what the
shaking is all about.
00:50:47.94\00:50:50.35
When the shaking
comes, the question is,
00:50:50.38\00:50:52.62
will we refuse God or
will we continue trusting.
00:50:52.65\00:50:55.96
Look at verse 28.
00:50:55.99\00:50:57.27
Oh, I told you about that.
00:51:22.78\00:51:25.40
There are two seats at
the end of this journey;
00:51:25.64\00:51:27.54
smoking and non-smoking.
00:51:27.64\00:51:29.74
I'm going to pick
a non-smoking one.
00:51:29.84\00:51:31.28
Come on help me out, somebody.
00:51:31.31\00:51:32.67
That's why I
sell fire insurance.
00:51:34.74\00:51:36.52
Fire insurance.
00:51:37.15\00:51:38.18
I don't want to be lost
in the fires of destruction.
00:51:38.21\00:51:40.44
Because our God
is a consuming fire.
00:51:40.47\00:51:43.22
I once heard a preacher
say, "God is not going to
00:51:43.25\00:51:46.53
destroy sinners."
00:51:46.56\00:51:47.86
And I had a problem with that.
00:51:47.89\00:51:49.89
Because the Lord said He
is going to deal with sin.
00:51:50.21\00:51:52.23
And then he went
and explained himself.
00:51:52.26\00:51:53.60
And I thought, that's a
very interesting take on
00:51:53.63\00:51:56.81
the destruction of God.
00:51:56.84\00:51:58.02
That is a very interesting
approach to the fact that
00:51:58.05\00:52:00.74
God is going to eradicate sin.
00:52:00.77\00:52:02.29
God will eradicate sin.
00:52:02.32\00:52:03.73
But when he explained it
this way, he did this in the
00:52:03.76\00:52:06.54
context of the
fact that God is love.
00:52:06.57\00:52:08.25
He said that the final
destruction of the wicked
00:52:08.28\00:52:13.34
is going to happen when
they receive the final embrace
00:52:13.37\00:52:17.93
from a God of love.
00:52:18.33\00:52:19.72
When they have
not been fire proofed,
00:52:20.98\00:52:22.39
there's only one
thing that can happen.
00:52:22.42\00:52:24.98
When you are not
immortal and incorruptible,
00:52:25.18\00:52:28.27
and your final
embrace from a God of love
00:52:28.30\00:52:30.76
is that of a consuming fire,
there's nothing else to happen
00:52:30.86\00:52:34.33
but that person
will be consumed.
00:52:34.69\00:52:36.56
Oh how sad it's going to be when
God reigns fire down from heaven
00:52:36.59\00:52:41.27
on earth in the sight of men.
00:52:41.30\00:52:42.93
It doesn't make sense.
00:52:43.08\00:52:44.11
And I made up my mind.
00:52:44.14\00:52:45.17
I want to tell you, there
are days it's not easy to be a
00:52:45.20\00:52:47.16
Christian, but I'm making
my declaration very clear.
00:52:47.19\00:52:49.85
I'm going to keep trusting God.
00:52:49.88\00:52:51.17
I'm going to go
all the way through.
00:52:51.20\00:52:52.23
What about you, church?
00:52:52.26\00:52:53.47
I don't want to be lost.
00:52:53.67\00:52:55.25
You know, you get to
the place where you think,
00:52:55.81\00:52:57.15
"Oh, is it really worth it?"
00:52:57.18\00:52:58.40
Don't base your worth on
what happens in your life
00:52:58.50\00:53:01.50
on a day by day basis.
00:53:01.53\00:53:02.64
Because when Paul
really narrows down the story,
00:53:02.67\00:53:06.05
he does a comparison
that really caught me
00:53:06.08\00:53:09.02
and pulled me in center
stage, which made me say,
00:53:09.05\00:53:12.14
"Praise God that's not
the only part of the story."
00:53:12.17\00:53:15.62
You see, if I made my
decision to follow God because
00:53:16.22\00:53:19.44
I don't want to be consumed,
that's a fire escape religion.
00:53:19.47\00:53:22.85
I'm just afraid of the fire.
00:53:23.29\00:53:25.40
I want to serve God because
I'm not afraid of the fire,
00:53:25.65\00:53:28.37
but I'm in love with the Lord.
00:53:28.40\00:53:29.43
Come on, somebody.
00:53:29.46\00:53:30.49
I want to be saved
because I love the Lord,
00:53:30.64\00:53:32.59
not because I'm
afraid of the fire.
00:53:32.62\00:53:34.31
And then I discovered,
as the book of Hebrews
00:53:34.50\00:53:36.51
from beginning to end, all
of a sudden it dawned on me
00:53:36.54\00:53:40.27
that this is not a comparison
between Abel, and Moses,
00:53:40.30\00:53:44.16
and Sampson, and
Barak, and Abraham, and Sarah,
00:53:44.19\00:53:47.49
and all the other
names of the faithful.
00:53:47.52\00:53:49.71
But this is a comparison
between the weakness of man
00:53:49.74\00:53:56.02
and the superiority of Christ.
00:53:56.05\00:53:58.75
You see, our story doesn't have
to end like their story did,
00:53:59.60\00:54:03.74
our story doesn't have to
wind up like their story did,
00:54:04.05\00:54:07.62
because of the
superiority of Christ.
00:54:07.65\00:54:09.75
They missed out on the greatest
blessing of all the ages.
00:54:09.78\00:54:12.53
They refused
the blessing of God.
00:54:12.56\00:54:14.43
But Abel didn't. Come on.
00:54:14.46\00:54:15.77
Enoch didn't, Noah didn't,
Abraham and Sarah didn't.
00:54:15.80\00:54:19.28
Isaac didn't miss out.
00:54:19.31\00:54:20.77
Jacob, and Joseph, and
Moses, and Joshua, and Rahab,
00:54:21.18\00:54:24.01
and Sampson, and David, and
Samuel, they didn't miss out.
00:54:24.04\00:54:27.11
And neither do
we have to miss out.
00:54:27.14\00:54:29.23
What do you say?
00:54:29.26\00:54:30.29
They didn't miss it.
00:54:30.65\00:54:31.78
They caught it.
00:54:32.05\00:54:33.10
They didn't miss it.
00:54:33.32\00:54:34.35
But the reason why
they did not miss it
00:54:34.53\00:54:38.75
is because they learned
that the story of redemption
00:54:39.63\00:54:43.76
was not about
their faithfulness,
00:54:43.79\00:54:46.35
but about the
faithfulness of Christ.
00:54:46.38\00:54:48.91
You see, the superiority
of the deity of Christ
00:54:49.54\00:54:52.26
is more powerful
than the deity of angels.
00:54:52.52\00:54:55.17
The superiority of Christ's
leadership is greater than
00:54:55.20\00:54:57.89
the leadership of Moses.
00:54:57.92\00:54:59.56
The superiority of Christ's
foresight is greater than
00:54:59.59\00:55:02.50
the insight of the prophets.
00:55:02.53\00:55:03.96
The superiority of
the mission of Christ
00:55:03.99\00:55:05.99
is greater than the
mission of the disciples.
00:55:06.02\00:55:09.11
The superiority of
the message of Christ
00:55:09.14\00:55:11.68
is greater than the
sermons of the apostles.
00:55:11.71\00:55:13.99
The superiority of
Christ and His power
00:55:14.02\00:55:17.01
is greater than the
mission of the church.
00:55:17.04\00:55:19.37
And the superiority of
the sacrifice of Christ
00:55:19.40\00:55:22.03
is greater than
just dying on the cross.
00:55:22.13\00:55:24.58
It's leaving an
empty tomb for us
00:55:24.61\00:55:27.05
to get that blessed assurance.
00:55:27.08\00:55:28.21
What do you say?
00:55:28.24\00:55:29.27
It's the superiority of Christ.
00:55:29.63\00:55:31.63
It's not how good Moses was.
00:55:31.98\00:55:33.90
It's not how good Sampson was.
00:55:33.93\00:55:35.97
They were good.
00:55:36.00\00:55:37.03
But it's all about Jesus.
00:55:37.48\00:55:39.16
It's about His
willingness to give His life,
00:55:39.64\00:55:42.04
His determination to save
us, His decision to risk it all,
00:55:42.24\00:55:46.99
that we one day
might inherit it all.
00:55:47.93\00:55:52.13
And so my favorite quotation
from the book, Steps To Christ,
00:55:52.86\00:55:57.11
I cannot miss it.
00:55:57.57\00:55:58.91
I cannot miss it.
00:55:59.55\00:56:00.92
"Christ was
treated as we deserve
00:56:01.33\00:56:04.90
that we might be
treated as He deserves.
00:56:05.28\00:56:09.79
He was condemned for our
sins, in which He had no share,
00:56:09.99\00:56:15.76
that we might be
justified by His righteousness,
00:56:15.96\00:56:19.59
in which we had no share.
00:56:19.62\00:56:22.34
He suffered the
death which was ours,
00:56:22.37\00:56:25.61
that we might receive
the life which was His."
00:56:26.26\00:56:31.03
And together, "By His
stripes we are..." What?
00:56:31.06\00:56:34.61
"...we are healed."
00:56:34.64\00:56:36.93
How could anyone,
00:56:37.03\00:56:38.99
how could anyone
refuse a God like that?
00:56:39.38\00:56:44.50
Come with me to the
banquet of the ages.
00:56:45.52\00:56:47.57
The day that we're
going to meet Abel, and Noah,
00:56:47.98\00:56:50.64
and Abraham, and
Isaac, and Sarah, and Jacob,
00:56:50.67\00:56:53.95
and Joseph, and
Moses, and Joshua, and Rahab,
00:56:53.98\00:56:56.01
and Sampson, and David.
00:56:56.04\00:56:57.14
And then finally
we're going to meet Jesus.
00:56:57.25\00:56:59.48
What do you say?
00:56:59.51\00:57:00.54
We're going to see Him
step out in His regal robes of
00:57:01.04\00:57:04.38
majesty and royalty.
00:57:04.41\00:57:06.53
And the first thing
that we're going to do
00:57:06.73\00:57:08.45
is throw our crowns at His
feet and show Him by our act
00:57:08.48\00:57:13.88
of homage that outside of Jesus,
we would not make the kingdom.
00:57:13.91\00:57:20.33
My brothers and sisters,
it is too late to refuse God.
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Make up your mind
that, come what may,
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you will accept His
invitation that you might have
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eternal life.
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God bless you.
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