¤ ¤
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Hello friends. Welcome
to another Wednesday night
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Bible study here at the
3ABN Worship Center. This is A
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Sharper Focus. Thanks so much
for taking the time to tune in.
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We're continuing our studying
on the topic of heaven. Who
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wants to be in heaven say Amen.
And you know I'll tell you the
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day is coming. We've been
talking about this for at least
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most of my adult life and I
believe there are Christians of
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generations past, some are now
sleeping in Jesus, waiting for
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the Lord to come and take them
home. Heaven is something that
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we need to talk about. Because
this world is not our home. Can
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we all say amen to that? This
world is not the place that God
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intends for us to stay eternally
and so thank you so much for
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becoming a part of our audience.
Get your Bibles and invite your
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friends so that we can sit
down and study the word of God
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together. In just a moment I'll
tell you how you can get a copy
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of our lesson to follow us along
but before we do anything we
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always begin with a word of
prayer. So let's bow our heads
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together. Heavenly Lord, thank
you for the goodness that we
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will receive tonight as we study
Your word together. We pray that
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you'll strengthen us. We pray
that our minds and our hearts
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will be open to understand your
word and to hear the voice of
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the Lord speaking to us on a
personal level. So come Lord to
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those who have tuned to
the program. Speak to them and
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strengthen them we pray in
Jesus' name, amen. Now before we
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sing our theme song which is
Victory in Jesus, just to let
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you know where you can get a
copy of the lesson. Go to this
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website ASF.3ABN.ORG and down
load lesson number 26. Now some
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of you may have downloaded them
last week but I update them. So
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last week we had eight questions
Now if you download the newer
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one which is under the same
title, The Truth About Heaven
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and the New Earth, it is 17
questions. So download the new
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one because chances are we're
going to get to go through the
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second half of the questions.
And also any past lessons of any
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topic that you have missed, they
are there. But there is also
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another tab, a video tab,
and some people don't know it's
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there. Right to the right, click
on that tab and you can look at
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all the videos from the very
first program we've done all the
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way up to the present.
Well let's sing our theme song
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tonight, Victory In Jesus. ¤ ¤
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¤I heard an old, old story
how the Savior came from glory¤
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¤How He gave His life on Calvary
to save a wretch like me¤
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¤I heard about His groaning
of His precious blood atoning¤
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¤And I repented of my
sin and won the victory¤
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¤Oh victory in
Jesus my Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood¤
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¤He loved me e're I knew
Him and all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood¤
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¤I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory¤
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¤I heard about
the streets of gold¤
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¤Beyond the crystal sea¤
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¤About the angels singing,
and the old redemption story¤
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¤And some sweet
day I'll sing up there¤
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¤The song of victory¤
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¤Oh victory in
Jesus my Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood¤
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¤He loved me e're I knew
Him and all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood¤
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Amen. That is a song that has
gained popularity. Also if you
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go to the same website I
gave you, ASF.3ABN.ORG you can
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download the lesson. Just
look down the tabs and you'll
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see the words Victory in Jesus
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and you can have the lyrics for
that song. Now getting back to
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the topic of heaven. Heaven is
an interesting topic because no
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really knows what's waiting for
us in heaven outside of what the
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the Bible has revealed to us.
No one really knows. Paul the
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apostle has done his job by
saying to us, Eyes have not seen
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ears have not heard and neither
has it entered into the heart of
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man the things that God has
prepared for those that love Him
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So outside of what the Bible has
revealed about the description
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of heaven in Revelation chapters
21 and 22, we really don't know
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what's there. We just
have the description of the new
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Jerusalem. That's just the city,
that's not the whole of heaven.
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That's just the city. The Bible
talks about the fact that there
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was war in heaven
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in the very beginning. Satan
did not prevail, neither did his
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angels. We don't even know
much about outside of the new
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Jerusalem, the Bible I believe
is silent on that and I believe
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one of the reasons is the Lord
is waiting to wow His saints.
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Because if you had all the
description you'd say okay well
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this is that and that is this
but the reality is, the truth
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about heaven is amazing that
we're going to get to heaven one
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day and we're going to see
heaven in a way... Well let me
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just rephrase that. We're going
to see heaven because we've
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never seen heaven before. What
we also learned when we began
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the lesson is no one has seen
God, no one has gone to heaven
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to see God. There's a lot that's
being talked about. There's a
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movie now called Heaven Is for
Real. And heaven is for real.
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Amen to that. But we don't
really know. We don't really
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know because until we are
changed, we will never know what
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is in heaven. And a person who
has not yet been changed cannot
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go to heaven and see what is
there. So tonight we're going to
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begin with Question Number Four
because we got up to Question
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Number Three last week and it's
amazing, out of eight questions
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we've got up to Question Number
Three. But we were finishing the
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prior lesson also. And, by the
way, I want to just say hello to
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those of you who are viewing
it and especially a couple that
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we had a chance to talk to in
Carbondale. If you're watching
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tonight just want to say hello
to you. But Question Number Four
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let's begin with that and see
what the Bible reveals to us.
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Here it is:...
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And let's turn to Revelation
chapter 3 and verse 12. By the
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way, it's called Revelation
because it's a revelation of
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Jesus. All that is revealed
in Revelation brings us into a
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clear picture about Jesus. Here
it is. Revelation 3. I want you
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to notice the wording of this
because it's very important.
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It's not saying everybody's
going to go, but notice the
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first two words. Let's read that
together and it's on the screen.
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Are you ready? Here we go...
The Bible says he who does what?
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He who overcomes...
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So now if you think about the
text in answer to the question,
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What specifically does the Bible
say is in heaven? Let's go back
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and you'll see clearly. I will
make him a pillar in the temple
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of my God. So what is in heaven?
The temple of God is in heaven.
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We'll find out more about
that. Also the city of God is in
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heaven. The temple is there and
the City of God is in heaven.
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And by the way, what is that
city called? What is it called,
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say it together. The New
Jerusalem. There are a lot of
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people who like to go to the
middle East. I haven't gone yet,
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I'm looking forward to going.
There's a lot of Bible history
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there, lot of good information.
People have gone there and have
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said I feel so much closer to
the Lord. I've seen the Jordan
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River, I've seen the Dead Sea,
I've seen... Oh well their list
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goes on and on and on and
on. Mt. Sinai, the Pyramids, the
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temple mount, the walls
in Jerusalem. There's so much
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description there that it's a
wonderful thing that you can go
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to Jerusalem there in the middle
East now and look at some very
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interesting things about it.
However, I'm looking forward...
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If I never go to the Jerusalem
existing today, I cannot wait
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to go to the New Jerusalem.
What do you say to that? The NEW
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Jerusalem where there is no war,
there is no sickness, there is
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no death, that list goes on and
on and on. Something I want to
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point out, someone read
this before and I was kind of
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perturbed by this because when
you see the Bible text say I
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will write on him and then I
will write on him not only the
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name of my God and the name
of the city of my God but I will
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write on him my new name.
Somebody once used that text
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and said God believes in tattoos
That's not what that is. That is
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not what that is What that means
is simply God is describing
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His ownership of us. God is
describing his ownership of us.
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As the Bible talks about the
mark in the forehead or in the
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hand. The seal of God in
the forehead. What is in the
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forehead is the brain, the mind.
The reason why it talks about
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the seal of God or the mark of
the beast on the forehead or on
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the hand, it talks about
by assent and by our works
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but God is not going to be
tattooing us. Can you say amen
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to that? I know you could just
do it by the thought but there
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are not going to be people
walking around with tattoos
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of God. Who's name you got on
your forehead. That's God's name
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What's that on your arm. That's
the name of the New Jerusalem.
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That's not what the Bible is
suggesting. So glad to know that
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it's not what the Bible is
saying. But what is true, is in
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heaven the temple of God is
there and the New Jerusalem is
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there. Let's go to
Question Number Five.
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Now this is very important. I
think in a few weeks I'm going
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to get to the specifics about
describing the walls and the
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gates and all of that. Often
times when we talk about heaven
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that's what we talk about, the
size of the walls and the gates
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and they're made of pearl and
all the different levels and the
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names of the disciples and the
apostles. That's what we often
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talk about. There there's
so many more interesting facts
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about heaven that we don't often
get, and I'm going to talk about
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those before we get to the
actual architecture of what the
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Bible describes as the New
Jerusalem. All right So here's
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question. What does Jesus
describe as the origin of His
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mission, or where? John 6:38.
Some of you are already there.
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And here's what the Bible says:
Jesus said: For I have come down
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from where? From heaven, not
to do My own will, but the will
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of Him who did what? Who
sent me. Now why is this text
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important you may ask yourself?
Some people may say well we know
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that Jesus is from heaven.
Not everyone knows. Some people
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believe that Jesus began on
earth through the birth that
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Mary gave to the Child.
Some believe that that's when He
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started. And let me add another
interesting fact. I mentioned
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this a few weeks ago but
it serves the purpose for the
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answer right here. Some people
say, Well in the Old Testament
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you cannot find the name of
Jesus. One of the names that the
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names that the Bible gives in
the Old Testament as well as in
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the New Testament His pre-
condescension name is talked
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about in the Bible. You want
to see it, you want to see it?
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Let's go to Daniel. Let's
see His precondescension name
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because when Jesus was being
born the commission was call His
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name Jesus for He shall save His
people from their sins. That was
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His mission name. Call His name
Jesus. He will save His people
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from their sins. But he had a
pre-name. And sometimes we get
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it backwards. Let me just go
ahead and show it to you. Why
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am I in Matthew when you guys
are in Daniel. Hold on, I'll get
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there. I'm back and forth. Okay,
here we are. Daniel 12. Let's
00:14:34.70\00:14:40.94
look at Daniel 12, all right.
Okay. Daniel 12:1. The Bible
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says: At that time, what's the
next word? Michael shall stand
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up, the great prince who stands
watch over the sons of your
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people. There shall be a time of
trouble such as never was since
00:15:02.60\00:15:07.44
there was a nation, even to
that time and at that time your
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people shall be delivered,
everyone who is found written
00:15:11.34\00:15:15.58
in the book. Michael, the one
above the angels, the highest of
00:15:15.61\00:15:21.92
angels. When Paul the apostle
says the Lord himself shall
00:15:21.95\00:15:26.02
descend from heaven with a shout
with the voice of the Archangel.
00:15:26.05\00:15:31.03
That's Michael. He's higher than
all the angels. He's the one
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above all the angels. He's the
highest. He's the commander of
00:15:36.13\00:15:40.07
the heavenly host. The Bible
describes Him as such in the Old
00:15:40.10\00:15:43.54
Testament. So many people today
ask the question: How do we know
00:15:43.57\00:15:46.44
that Jesus is Michael? The more
appropriate question is how do
00:15:46.47\00:15:49.84
we know that Michael is
Jesus? Because Michael, the
00:15:49.88\00:15:56.28
pre-condescension name, Jesus,
the post-condescension name.
00:15:56.32\00:15:59.82
The word condescension means
when he came to walk among men.
00:15:59.85\00:16:03.49
Call His name Jesus. The Old
Testament calls Him Savior, the
00:16:03.53\00:16:09.33
Old Testament calls Him Redeemer
all the things that He would do.
00:16:09.36\00:16:13.34
Go with me to Isaiah 44. Since
we're on this thought, I'll give
00:16:13.37\00:16:16.40
you another New Testament text.
Go with me to the book of Isaiah
00:16:16.44\00:16:23.14
And, okay. Isaiah 44 Okay. Let's
look at verse 6. Isaiah 44:6.
00:16:23.18\00:16:43.97
The Bible says, Thus says the
Lord, the King of Israel and His
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Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I
am the first and I am the last.
00:16:51.47\00:17:00.28
Beside me there is no God.
Powerful. Who's saying it? The
00:17:00.32\00:17:05.92
King of Israel and His Redeemer,
the Lord of hosts. What are they
00:17:05.95\00:17:09.86
saying about themselves? I Am.
Say that with me, I Am. Now it's
00:17:09.89\00:17:18.73
an amazing topic to discuss.
A lot of people that tumble and
00:17:18.77\00:17:22.10
trip over the Trinity must
understand that the Lord our God
00:17:22.14\00:17:26.61
is One God. That's the Godhead.
So the Lord Jesus, before
00:17:26.64\00:17:32.48
Abraham, He said that to the
Jews, before Abraham was, what
00:17:32.51\00:17:36.28
did He say? I Am. So the great
I Am has always been. The self
00:17:36.32\00:17:41.62
existing one. Let's go to the
book of John, and see a couple
00:17:41.66\00:17:45.76
more things about this beautiful
Savior that we have. John 1. You
00:17:45.79\00:17:51.10
know, there are three books in
the Bible that are like Genesis.
00:17:51.13\00:17:53.57
Genesis 1 is one of those. John
1 is the other. And who can tell
00:17:53.60\00:18:00.61
what the third one is? I don't
often ask for answers. Who can
00:18:00.64\00:18:02.84
tell me what the third one is.
There are like three Genesis's
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.91
in the Bible. Genesis 1, John
1 and Hebrews 1. Matter of fact,
00:18:05.95\00:18:13.72
Hebrews goes further back. Let's
look at John 1. The Bible says
00:18:13.76\00:18:18.16
here in John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the
00:18:18.19\00:18:21.70
Word was with God and the
Word was God. John 1:1 In the
00:18:21.73\00:18:28.70
beginning was the Word and the
Word was with God and the Word
00:18:28.74\00:18:31.71
was God. Notice in the beginning
was the Word, the Word was with
00:18:31.74\00:18:36.58
God and the Word was God.
Clearly all things, I want to
00:18:36.61\00:18:42.15
look at verse 2. He was
00:18:42.18\00:18:44.29
in the beginning with God. All
things were made through Him or
00:18:44.32\00:18:49.89
by Him as the King James Version
says, and without Him nothing
00:18:49.92\00:18:52.63
was made that was made. Verse
4: In Him was life, unborrowed,
00:18:52.66\00:18:59.67
underived. Unborrowed. He didn't
borrow life. If He had borrowed
00:18:59.70\00:19:05.51
life, all things could not have
been made by Him. He would have
00:19:05.54\00:19:09.64
made and then He would have
continued the practice of making
00:19:09.68\00:19:13.52
The Creator is the only One
that has the right to redeem His
00:19:13.55\00:19:19.05
creation. Not the created.
The created cannot redeem the
00:19:19.09\00:19:22.86
created. The Creator redeems the
created. Amen. Last verse and
00:19:22.89\00:19:27.33
verse 4. In Him was life and the
life was the light of the men.
00:19:27.36\00:19:35.00
And the darkness did not
comprehend it. So in the answer
00:19:35.04\00:19:41.48
to Question Number Five:
Where does Jesus describe as the
00:19:41.51\00:19:44.15
origin of His mission? Where
is the origin of His mission,
00:19:44.18\00:19:46.72
somebody tell me? Heaven.
He began there. He began there.
00:19:46.75\00:19:51.92
That's why Revelation describes
Him as the Lamb slain from the
00:19:51.95\00:19:57.13
foundation of the world. He
was there in the very beginning.
00:19:57.16\00:19:59.66
Therefore, another beautiful
fact we find out about heaven
00:19:59.69\00:20:03.77
is He came down from heaven.
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.20
I only can imagine what
He left to come down here.
00:20:06.23\00:20:11.51
He didn't leave just the
New Jerusalem. There's so
00:20:11.54\00:20:16.75
much more. We'll get a chance
to see that. Once in a while I
00:20:16.78\00:20:20.18
get enamored by, and I
think Ralph is somewhat of an
00:20:20.22\00:20:24.19
astronomer. He loves to study
the stars and He and Len Wenzel
00:20:24.22\00:20:30.29
did a program not too long ago
talking about the stars and the
00:20:30.33\00:20:33.13
constellations and I have a
lot of pictures on my iPad of
00:20:33.16\00:20:37.37
different nebulae and different
planets and constellations that
00:20:37.40\00:20:41.60
are just mind boggling to think
how far away they are. And I
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.81
think that when we get to heaven
we're not just going to be
00:20:44.84\00:20:48.74
isolated in this little small
city, it's going to be huge, but
00:20:48.78\00:20:51.71
that's not it. That's the
beginning stage. I believe that
00:20:51.75\00:20:55.25
is the entrance into all we have
never seen and never beheld with
00:20:55.28\00:20:59.65
our eyes. Let's go to
Question Number Six. All right.
00:20:59.69\00:21:04.79
Here we are...
00:21:04.83\00:21:08.33
Psalm 103:19. You know when you
think about the study of heaven
00:21:16.81\00:21:25.45
you think ah great we're going
to talk about the fruits and the
00:21:25.48\00:21:29.35
river of life, the leaves of the
tree that bears fruit are all
00:21:29.38\00:21:34.52
year-long and the leaves of the
tree are for the healing of the
00:21:34.56\00:21:36.16
nations. We're going to study
that but let's look at some
00:21:36.19\00:21:39.59
of the often not talked about
facts about heaven. Psalm 103:19
00:21:39.63\00:21:43.97
and here's what it says...
00:21:44.00\00:21:45.33
Whenever you think that your
world is in trouble, remember
00:21:54.94\00:21:58.68
that God's world is not in
trouble. Amen? His kingdom rules
00:21:58.71\00:22:04.59
over all. That's like Daniel
when it talks about the stone
00:22:04.62\00:22:06.69
that hits the image replaces all
the kingdoms of the earth and
00:22:06.72\00:22:11.49
His kingdom lasts forever.
It shall never be destroyed. But
00:22:11.53\00:22:16.26
something that's very important.
His throne is where? In heaven.
00:22:16.30\00:22:21.14
Let's go now to Isaiah 66:1.
This is a fascinating thought.
00:22:21.17\00:22:27.58
I have a very imaginative mind
and the picture that came to my
00:22:27.61\00:22:31.51
mind I'll describe to you after
you read this text. Isaiah 66:1:
00:22:31.55\00:22:38.89
The picture that came to my mind
is amazing because usually if
00:22:38.92\00:22:44.99
somebody's sitting on the
throne, if somebody is sitting
00:22:45.03\00:22:48.93
on the throne and they have
their legs hanging down, you
00:22:48.96\00:22:55.30
think wow; you'll get the
picture here in just a moment.
00:22:55.34\00:22:59.11
Here it is. We know that His
throne is in heaven but look at
00:22:59.14\00:23:01.98
Isaiah 66:1: Thus says the Lord,
Heaven is my throne and earth is
00:23:02.01\00:23:11.25
my what? Footstool. I like
the these questions are asked.
00:23:11.29\00:23:14.36
Where is the house
that you will build me, and
00:23:14.39\00:23:20.26
where is the place of my rest?
Isaiah 66:1 Where is the house
00:23:20.30\00:23:25.93
you will build me? You know why
the Lord is asking that question
00:23:25.97\00:23:31.67
Can you build me a house?
Now just think about this for a
00:23:31.71\00:23:33.74
moment. If He's sitting on
His throne, which he is, if His
00:23:33.78\00:23:36.98
throne is in heaven and the
earth is His footstool. I don't
00:23:37.01\00:23:43.22
want to be sacrilegious at all,
but that's a long way. If you
00:23:43.25\00:23:48.62
think about yourself, because if
you look at the pictures of the
00:23:48.66\00:23:51.89
kings in the context of
the kings, whenever they sat on
00:23:51.93\00:23:55.06
their throne they had a place
to rest their feet. Throne in
00:23:55.10\00:23:59.67
heaven, divine legs, earth
is His foot stool. God is far
00:23:59.70\00:24:06.98
greater, far more encompassing
than our minds can ever fathom
00:24:07.01\00:24:15.98
and ever imagine I mean, earth
is so small and that's why He
00:24:16.02\00:24:20.79
asks the question, where is the
house that you will build for
Me? Oh man, I'll tell
00:24:20.82\00:24:29.13
you. But let's answer the
question. What does the Bible
00:24:29.16\00:24:32.03
teach about God's throne. What
did you put down. His throne is
00:24:32.07\00:24:37.41
in heaven. And add this other
component, the earth is His
00:24:37.44\00:24:41.04
foot stool. The earth is His
foot stool, the place where He
00:24:41.08\00:24:47.08
rests as a king does, he rests
his feet. Question Number Seven:
00:24:47.12\00:24:51.72
Here it is:...
00:24:51.75\00:24:55.49
One of the reasons I took on
this study and I really got into
00:25:05.63\00:25:10.34
looking into the Bible, looking
up all the words about heaven
00:25:10.37\00:25:12.77
and throne and the dwelling
place of God is because I need
00:25:12.81\00:25:19.01
to know why this place is so
glorious, I need to know what's
00:25:19.05\00:25:23.82
there at least what is revealed
and the Bible says those things
00:25:23.85\00:25:27.46
that are revealed belong to
us and to our children. But the
00:25:27.49\00:25:31.23
things that are not revealed
belong to God. At least I know
00:25:31.26\00:25:35.03
this. 1 Kings 22:19
and here is the answer...
00:25:35.06\00:25:45.01
Then Micaiah said, Therefore
hear the word of the Lord: and
00:25:45.04\00:25:52.78
notice what it says: I saw the
Lord sitting on His what? Throne
00:25:52.81\00:26:01.49
and all the host of heaven
standing by. Where are they
00:26:01.52\00:26:05.09
standing? On His right hand
and on His left. Where were they
00:26:05.13\00:26:10.20
standing? On His right hand
and on His left. In other words,
00:26:10.23\00:26:14.34
when you look at the King all
His retinue are standing around
00:26:14.37\00:26:18.64
Him. What were you saying? His
angels are there and I thought
00:26:18.67\00:26:21.84
to myself okay. Let's go to
Isaiah 6 and see a little bit
00:26:21.88\00:26:28.62
more. I couldn't put all
the statements in here but we do
00:26:28.65\00:26:33.12
have additional scriptures.
Let's look at Isaiah 6. Okay.
00:26:33.15\00:26:37.73
Let's try to develop in our
minds a picture of the beauty of
00:26:37.76\00:26:41.73
the Lord. This is an amazing
thing. It's an amazing thing.
00:26:41.76\00:26:45.20
Let's go back to where it
is. Sitting on a throne, all the
00:26:45.23\00:26:50.44
host of heaven standing by on
His right hand and on His left.
00:26:50.47\00:26:53.41
Look at Isaiah 6. In the year
that King Uzziah died, I say the
00:26:53.44\00:27:01.12
Lord sitting on a throne. What
was it? High and lifted up and
00:27:01.15\00:27:07.99
the train of His robe filled
the temple. Now I must make a
00:27:08.02\00:27:13.66
statement right here. I'm sure
that the train of His robe was
00:27:13.70\00:27:17.20
far greater and longer than
that of Princess Diana, or any
00:27:17.23\00:27:22.67
monarch. Think of that. But it
goes on further to say in Verse
00:27:22.70\00:27:25.97
2. Above it, that is above His
throne, stood what? Seraphim.
00:27:26.01\00:27:31.51
So when the Bible says, all the
host of heaven standing by some
00:27:31.55\00:27:35.08
of those hosts are seraphim and
cherubim, four-winged angels and
00:27:35.12\00:27:40.62
six-winged angels. Seraphim four
wings. Cherubim six wings. Just
00:27:40.66\00:27:47.90
get the picture now. Powerful
and these angels... You've got
00:27:47.93\00:27:51.50
to just get a picture of these
angels. It only took one angel
00:27:51.53\00:27:54.94
to take out an entire army. You
remember the story? A hundred
00:27:54.97\00:28:00.38
and twenty thousand killed
by one angel. Mighty angel,
00:28:00.41\00:28:04.38
standing far taller than Goliath
But all the host of heaven
00:28:04.41\00:28:10.22
saying this. Let's continue to
go on. Verse 2. Above it stood
00:28:10.25\00:28:17.69
seraphim each one had six wings.
I had it the other way around.
00:28:17.73\00:28:23.43
With two he covered his face,
with he covered his feet and
00:28:23.47\00:28:26.57
with two he flew. With two
he covered his face, with two he
00:28:26.60\00:28:32.81
covered his feet and with two
he flew; and what did he say?
00:28:32.84\00:28:36.04
Verse 3 And one cried to another
and said; let's just read this
00:28:36.08\00:28:42.82
together, are you ready? Holy,
Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.
00:28:42.85\00:28:49.29
The whole earth is full of
His glory. So the seraphim, six
00:28:49.32\00:28:57.30
winged angels, the
cherubim, four-winged angels
00:28:57.33\00:28:59.63
I had it backwards the last
time, I've got that clear now.
00:28:59.67\00:29:02.84
So you look at this in Question
Number Seven: What further
00:29:02.87\00:29:05.94
detail does the Bible reveal
about heaven? Where God is
00:29:05.97\00:29:09.94
sitting on His throne the hosts
of heaven are on His right and
00:29:09.98\00:29:14.72
on His left. And who are the
hosts of heaven? Somebody tell
00:29:14.75\00:29:17.99
me. The angels are there and
when you think of the judgment
00:29:18.02\00:29:21.69
scene that's given to us
in Daniel 7. Let's go there.
00:29:21.72\00:29:24.99
Daniel 7. So we can get an
expanded picture of the hosts of
00:29:25.03\00:29:29.73
heaven. Daniel 7. Wow. Hmm.
Ooo. Okay Daniel 7 and let's
00:29:29.76\00:29:51.72
look at verse 26. Daniel 7:26,
also, verse 9. Yes. Let's start
00:29:51.75\00:30:01.53
with verse 9. Verse 9 of Daniel
chapter 7, Daniel says speaking
00:30:01.56\00:30:07.54
of the Ancient of Days: I
watched till thrones were put in
00:30:07.57\00:30:11.07
place and the Ancient of
Days was seated. His garment was
00:30:11.11\00:30:17.11
white as what? Snow and the hair
of His head was like pure wool.
00:30:17.15\00:30:23.62
His throne was a what? Fiery
flame. So not only is His throne
00:30:23.65\00:30:29.16
heaven but what is His throne?
A fiery flame. Are the details
00:30:29.19\00:30:35.06
popping out now? Not only
is His throne heaven. You know
00:30:35.10\00:30:38.27
sometimes you see the throne,
Oh a wonderful kingly throne
00:30:38.30\00:30:40.34
but how many times have you seen
a throne on fire? And the king
00:30:40.37\00:30:44.74
sitting on it. And His train
filling the temple and His foot
00:30:44.77\00:30:50.48
stool the earth and all the
hosts of heaven standing around
00:30:50.51\00:30:54.42
Him? Let's keep going. A fiery
stream, well I didn't finish the
00:30:54.45\00:31:01.36
verse 9. His garment was white
as snow and the hair of his head
00:31:01.39\00:31:05.86
was like pure wool. His throne
was a fiery flame, it's wheels a
00:31:05.89\00:31:13.70
what burning fire If You want to
spend some time really soaking
00:31:13.74\00:31:17.44
that up read Ezekiel
chapter 1 and chapter 2. And it
00:31:17.47\00:31:21.44
says in verse 10, A fiery stream
issued and came forth from
00:31:21.48\00:31:26.58
before Him. Now how many are
standing on his right and left?
00:31:26.61\00:31:31.52
Here it is. A thousand thousand
ministered to Him, ten thousand
00:31:31.55\00:31:39.53
times ten thousand stood before
Him. Can somebody say Amen?
00:31:39.56\00:31:44.10
This text, it falls so far short
the host of heaven standing by.
00:31:44.13\00:31:50.74
How many? Nine, 15. Oh no!
Thousand thousands ministered
00:31:50.77\00:31:56.88
to Him and ten thousand times
ten thousand. When you multiply
00:31:56.91\00:32:01.72
ten thousand times ten thousand
you get millions. The court was
00:32:01.75\00:32:06.29
seated and the books were
opened So when you add the whole
00:32:06.32\00:32:09.19
picture together: He's sitting
on His throne, His throne is a
00:32:09.22\00:32:12.93
flaming fire, the wheels of it
are flaming fire and a stream of
00:32:12.96\00:32:18.13
fire issues and comes forth from
before Him. This ought to give
00:32:18.17\00:32:21.34
you enough evidence to know that
no one has gone to heaven, stood
00:32:21.37\00:32:25.87
in the presence of God and
come back. They would have been
00:32:25.91\00:32:30.55
consumed before they got
to heaven. You've got to be
00:32:30.58\00:32:35.32
immortal before you go to heaven
You cannot go to heaven. Mortal
00:32:35.35\00:32:38.49
man cannot exist in the presence
of immortal God because David
00:32:38.52\00:32:41.49
the psalmist says a mortal man
cannot exist in the presence of
00:32:41.52\00:32:49.30
an immortal God. Because
the Bible says our God is a
00:32:49.33\00:32:52.03
consuming fire. What
would happen? You've seen those
00:32:52.07\00:32:56.60
furnaces where you throw stuff
and some of them are so flimsy
00:32:56.64\00:32:58.87
before it gets in there... God
is not somebody... Let me just
00:32:58.91\00:33:06.45
pause here and just tell you,
one of the reasons I decided to
00:33:06.48\00:33:08.88
get this deep into the
study about heaven, is because I
00:33:08.92\00:33:11.89
wanted heaven to be seen
not just as a wonderful place,
00:33:11.92\00:33:15.22
streets of gold, gates made of
pearl, perfectly square, fruit
00:33:15.26\00:33:21.66
trees, water that I would want
to drink from. I wanted us to
00:33:21.70\00:33:24.77
get the magnitude of the majesty
of God as He exists today and
00:33:24.80\00:33:32.41
help us understand that to be
in that kind of Presence, to be
00:33:32.44\00:33:36.75
in the presence of that kind
of God is something that we have
00:33:36.78\00:33:40.85
to prepare for. See the
preparation is now. That's why
00:33:40.88\00:33:44.32
this lesson's going to take a
turn. You're going to say, wait
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.86
a minute, that took a turn that
I did not expect. The throne of
00:33:46.89\00:33:49.82
God is an awesome thing to
consider. I want to show you one
00:33:49.86\00:33:53.23
more component. Go with me now
to Revelation 4. The Bible says
00:33:53.26\00:33:59.93
a lot about the throne of
God. Revelation 4. And now when
00:33:59.97\00:34:05.24
you're reading all this just
consider this is kind of a small
00:34:05.27\00:34:10.15
picture of what Jesus left
to come down here. Ministering
00:34:10.18\00:34:17.79
angels. Look at Revelation
4. Hmm. They were glorifying the
00:34:17.82\00:34:27.53
Lord, they were ministering to
Him. When they ministered to Him
00:34:27.56\00:34:29.46
what did they say? Revelation
4. I'm going to go quickly now.
00:34:29.50\00:34:33.64
Verse 1: After these things
I looked and behold a door
00:34:33.67\00:34:37.04
standing open in heaven. And the
first voice which I heard was
00:34:37.07\00:34:40.78
like a trumpet speaking with me
saying, come up here and I will
00:34:40.81\00:34:46.11
show you things which must take
place after this, or shortly
00:34:46.15\00:34:48.52
take place. Immediately I was in
the Spirit and behold a throne
00:34:48.55\00:34:54.09
set in heaven and One sat on the
throne. Now when we read that
00:34:54.12\00:34:58.39
what kind of throne do we see?
Somebody tell me, what kind of
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.70
throne do we see? A fiery throne
hosts everywhere. When you get
00:35:00.73\00:35:07.70
this picture do you just run-up
to that throne haphazardly? Oh
00:35:07.74\00:35:12.27
no. You know, you could
understand why when Isaiah saw
00:35:12.31\00:35:16.71
the Lord, these men bowed their
face to the ground. These men
00:35:16.75\00:35:22.18
fainted at the glory of
God. This is not some frivolous
00:35:22.22\00:35:26.49
vision they saw. It goes on. And
it says in verse 3: And He who
00:35:26.52\00:35:33.53
sat there was like a jasper and
a Sardis stone in appearance.
00:35:33.56\00:35:37.93
Now we're getting to something
more about His appearance. Not
00:35:37.97\00:35:39.73
only was His throne a flame of
fire, but He's a flame of fire
00:35:39.77\00:35:43.64
the wheels are a flame of fire,
what does He look like. Now John
00:35:43.67\00:35:47.01
begins to describe who he
saw. He who sat there was like a
00:35:47.04\00:35:52.41
jasper and a Sardis stone
in appearance, and there was a
00:35:52.45\00:35:55.12
rainbow around the throne in
appearance like an emerald. What
00:35:55.15\00:36:00.59
was around the throne, tell me.
A rainbow. And then it goes on
00:36:00.62\00:36:04.49
to say in verse 4: Around the
throne were 24 thrones. On them
00:36:04.53\00:36:09.76
and on thrones were 24 elders
sitting clothed in white robes
00:36:09.80\00:36:15.77
and they had crowns of gold on
their heads and from the throne
00:36:15.80\00:36:20.98
proceeded what? Lightening,
thunders and a voice. Okay, now
00:36:21.01\00:36:25.71
we're getting some more.
Can you see the description of
00:36:25.75\00:36:27.95
heaven here? Flames of fire,
wheels of fire, ten thousand
00:36:27.98\00:36:31.99
times ten thousand, emerald,
sapphire, Sardis stone and then
00:36:32.02\00:36:38.79
as he looked at the throne, what
proceeded from it? Lightening
00:36:38.83\00:36:43.83
and thunder. And I can say this,
I don't think that voice was a
00:36:43.87\00:36:50.51
small voice. The voice of God
probably shook the heavens and
00:36:50.54\00:36:54.91
the earth. Okay, let's go
on. And then it says: There were
00:36:54.94\00:37:00.55
seven lamps of fire burning
before the throne which are the
00:37:00.58\00:37:05.89
seven Spirits of God. That
is the complete work of the Holy
00:37:05.92\00:37:11.99
Spirit. Now let's get a
different description of the
00:37:12.03\00:37:14.50
throne. Look at verse 6. Before
the throne there was a sea of
00:37:14.53\00:37:18.53
what? Glass like crystal and
in the midst of the throne and
00:37:18.57\00:37:23.64
around the throne were four
living creatures full of eyes in
00:37:23.67\00:37:29.51
front and in back. This is
becoming more descriptive. And
00:37:29.54\00:37:34.15
verse 7: The first living
creature was like a lion, the
00:37:34.18\00:37:36.79
second living creature was like
a calf the third living creature
00:37:36.82\00:37:40.06
had the face like a man, the
fourth living creature was like
00:37:40.09\00:37:43.09
a flying eagle and the four
living creatures each having
00:37:43.12\00:37:46.90
six wings were full of eyes
around and within and they do
00:37:46.93\00:37:49.83
not rest day or night. What kind
of angels were they? Six wings.
00:37:49.86\00:37:54.60
We just read about a moment ago.
Seraphim. And what do they say?
00:37:54.64\00:38:00.44
They don't rest day or night.
What do they say all the time?
00:38:00.48\00:38:02.58
Together: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord
God Almighty who was, and is and
00:38:02.61\00:38:09.82
is to come. Whenever the living
creatures give glory and honor
00:38:09.85\00:38:15.92
and thanks to Him who sits on
the throne who lives forever and
00:38:15.96\00:38:21.13
ever. Whenever they do that what
happens? The 24 elders fall down
00:38:21.16\00:38:24.80
before Him who sits on the
throne and worship Him who lives
00:38:24.83\00:38:29.07
forever and ever and cast their
crowns before the throne saying
00:38:29.10\00:38:33.27
together: You are worthy O God
to receive glory and honor and
00:38:33.31\00:38:37.85
power for you created all
things and by your will they
00:38:37.88\00:38:41.78
exist and were created. I hope
you got a more complete picture
00:38:41.82\00:38:46.76
of heaven. This is just
the throne of God. This is just
00:38:46.79\00:38:52.13
what's in the proximity, in the
vicinity of where God is. Wow!
00:38:52.16\00:39:00.97
Wow! We were there in England,
in London and we went to the
00:39:01.00\00:39:04.94
Parliament and we saw this
room the moment we walked in our
00:39:04.97\00:39:10.15
eyes were captured. It just
dragged our eyes through the
00:39:10.18\00:39:13.42
whole room and we could
not leave the room until we saw
00:39:13.45\00:39:16.89
every facet of it and we said
what is this room? And they said
00:39:16.92\00:39:19.89
this is the throne room. This
is where the queen comes when
00:39:19.92\00:39:23.16
she's getting ready for a
magnificent event. The whole
00:39:23.19\00:39:27.13
room, bigger than this,
gold everywhere, finely carved,
00:39:27.16\00:39:32.73
beautiful, magnificent, ornate.
They said you can walk up to the
00:39:32.77\00:39:39.97
throne, she's not on it right
now but when she's on it this
00:39:40.01\00:39:42.94
whole wing is shut down and
there's security that you cannot
00:39:42.98\00:39:46.15
even imagine. How much security
does Jesus have? The hosts of
00:39:46.18\00:39:52.22
heaven standing on the right and
on the left, thousand thousands
00:39:52.25\00:39:55.56
ten thousand times ten thousand.
Security, an understatement.
00:39:55.59\00:39:58.36
Let's go to Question Number
Eight. Wow. We just took a
00:39:58.39\00:40:02.13
little turn there but think that
turn was educational, what do
00:40:02.16\00:40:04.40
you say? Question Number Eight.
00:40:04.43\00:40:08.44
After what we just read now this
is coming into clearer view.
00:40:16.75\00:40:20.88
Psalm 11:4 This is one of
the psalms. All right. Hmm. Hmm.
00:40:20.92\00:40:33.56
Here it is...
00:40:33.60\00:40:34.93
Now you've got to pause for a
brief moment when you read that.
00:40:53.62\00:40:56.99
How does David the psalmist
describe the Lord's dwelling
00:40:57.02\00:41:01.02
place? The Lord is in His what
kind of temple? Holy temple.
00:41:01.06\00:41:04.39
Right next to Psalm 11:4
the Lord is in His holy temple.
00:41:04.43\00:41:09.06
The Lord is in His holy temple.
The Lord's dwelling place is
00:41:09.10\00:41:13.50
the HOLY temple. All right.
Now when you think about His
00:41:13.54\00:41:18.07
eyelids testing the son of
men. I remember growing up and
00:41:18.11\00:41:21.34
children are very interesting, I
was going to say creatures, but
00:41:21.38\00:41:26.08
children are very interesting.
When they don't think their
00:41:26.11\00:41:29.35
parents see them sometimes
parents go... They glance and
00:41:29.38\00:41:37.83
their eyelids tell the whole
story. I see it. What that is
00:41:37.86\00:41:46.03
actually saying is God sees
everything. That's all that's
00:41:46.07\00:41:49.90
saying. As the writer of
Hebrews there's nothing hidden.
00:41:49.94\00:41:53.84
Everything is naked and open
to the eyes of Him with whom we
00:41:53.88\00:41:58.28
have to give an account. God
sees everything. That's why when
00:41:58.31\00:42:02.82
the Bible describes His throne
as being holy, we've got to live
00:42:02.85\00:42:05.42
holy in the presence of a holy
God. Can you say amen to that?
00:42:05.45\00:42:09.09
Living holy in the presence of
a holy God, and this is a very
00:42:09.12\00:42:12.93
important point. Living holy
doesn't start when we get there.
00:42:12.96\00:42:15.73
Living holy starts when? Down
here. If we serve a holy God
00:42:15.76\00:42:20.90
live holy. Look at the next
text Psalm 115:2,3. Turn there.
00:42:20.94\00:42:25.14
Psalm 115:2,3. Let's look at the
next text. All right. David the
00:42:25.17\00:42:31.15
psalmist had a lot to say about
God and His beautiful temple,
00:42:31.18\00:42:33.92
about God and His dwelling place
Here it is, okay. Why should the
00:42:33.95\00:42:45.19
Gentiles say, where is their God
What's the response? But our God
00:42:45.23\00:42:50.17
is where? In heaven; He
does whatever He pleases.
00:42:50.20\00:42:53.67
Can anybody stop the hand
of God? What's the answer? The
00:42:53.70\00:42:57.51
answer is absolutely not. Got
does whatever He pleases. God
00:42:57.54\00:43:01.21
is the One who makes the
decisions, who rises, who falls,
00:43:01.24\00:43:04.88
who lives and whose reign comes
to an end. God does whatever He
00:43:04.91\00:43:10.85
wills. Matter of fact, I like
the way the psalmist says, well
00:43:10.89\00:43:14.36
actually Isaiah says it. He says
Remember the former things of
00:43:14.39\00:43:18.09
old for I am God and there is
none like Me, declaring the end
00:43:18.13\00:43:21.66
from the beginning and from
ancient times things that are
00:43:21.70\00:43:27.07
not yet done saying, I will
do all my pleasure. So God is in
00:43:27.10\00:43:31.41
charge, amen? Now it's important
to understand that because God
00:43:31.44\00:43:34.28
does whatever He wills and we
have to keep this in mind that
00:43:34.31\00:43:37.15
God never has a moment like we
have like what do I do now? God
00:43:37.18\00:43:41.38
doesn't have the economy is
going downhill, what do we do?
00:43:41.42\00:43:44.89
God doesn't have those moments.
God is never caught off guard.
00:43:44.92\00:43:48.39
God doesn't have I man, I didn't
think the devil would do that.
00:43:48.42\00:43:52.63
God doesn't have those moments.
He does whatever He pleases and
00:43:52.66\00:43:56.00
He understands before something
comes to pass He sees the motion
00:43:56.03\00:44:00.04
of how it is moving and where
it's headed and what's going to
00:44:00.07\00:44:02.74
come to pass. God is in heaven.
He does whatever He pleases.
00:44:02.77\00:44:07.61
Let's put that down. Psalm
115:2,3. Where is our God? In
00:44:07.64\00:44:19.22
heaven. That's why the Lord says
thou shalt have no other gods
00:44:19.25\00:44:22.22
before Me. Don't make a god
on earth because rust and dust
00:44:22.26\00:44:29.93
and moths will eat your earthly
god, but the heavenly God is
00:44:29.96\00:44:36.67
forever. One other very
important wonderful fact about
00:44:36.71\00:44:39.74
the throne of God and then we're
going to transition to Question
00:44:39.77\00:44:43.24
Number Nine. Psalm 119:89.
Are you all there for that one.
00:44:43.28\00:44:48.88
Psalm 119:89. Something about
the Lord's dwelling place. Let's
00:44:48.92\00:44:56.99
read this one together. It's
very short. What's the first
00:44:57.03\00:45:00.66
word? What word? His written
word, His communicated word, His
00:45:06.70\00:45:14.18
living word is settled in heaven
There's a lot of discussion
00:45:14.21\00:45:16.31
about what the word of God says.
While men are trying to figure
00:45:16.34\00:45:19.61
out what the word of God says,
the fact of the matter is it's
00:45:19.65\00:45:22.92
settled. Where's it settled?
Where's it settled? In heaven.
00:45:22.95\00:45:26.99
It's clear. The truth of God
is nonnegotiable, it's settled.
00:45:27.02\00:45:30.63
While men are trying to figure
out what it says, the throne
00:45:30.66\00:45:33.86
room in heaven, the place of God
His dwelling place, the word of
00:45:33.90\00:45:38.17
God is settled in heaven.
And how long do you think it's
00:45:38.20\00:45:41.70
settled. Somebody tell me, how
long do you think it's settled?
00:45:41.74\00:45:44.47
Forever, that's the first word.
Let's turn the page. Let's turn
00:45:44.51\00:45:49.01
the page and I'll open up
another facet of heaven. All
00:45:49.04\00:45:53.85
right. Some very interesting
facts about heaven. Now let's
00:45:53.88\00:45:59.45
look at Question Number Nine.
00:45:59.49\00:46:13.87
Let's go to the book
of Philippians chapter 3.
00:46:13.90\00:46:17.64
Philippians 3. When the Lord
returns to prepare us for heaven
00:46:17.67\00:46:23.41
what will He do? Okay, all
right. Some of you already know
00:46:23.45\00:46:30.19
where I'm headed. Or I should
just say some of you already
00:46:30.22\00:46:32.65
know what the Bible text says.
And Paul the apostle writes...
00:46:32.69\00:46:37.66
When the Lord returns to
prepare us for heaven what will
00:47:06.76\00:47:09.56
He do? What is the answer?
What is the answer? What's the
00:47:09.59\00:47:15.33
word that was used? Transform.
Transform. The transformers.
00:47:15.36\00:47:22.70
Transform. We will be the
transformed. Be not conformed
00:47:22.74\00:47:27.04
to this world, but be ye
transformed by the renewing of
00:47:27.08\00:47:30.85
your mind. Now get this. Our
minds need to be renewed now.
00:47:30.88\00:47:34.12
Because our bodies will be
renewed later. Our minds need to
00:47:34.15\00:47:38.19
be transformed now so that our
transformed minds will be united
00:47:38.22\00:47:43.12
with our transformed bodies.
Amen to that? You don't wait for
00:47:43.16\00:47:46.39
your... You know everything
about us is going to become
00:47:46.43\00:47:52.03
immortal but the transforming
of our mind is to take place
00:47:52.07\00:47:54.17
when? Now so that our bodies,
when our bodies are transformed
00:47:54.20\00:48:01.21
we would mentally and
spiritually be ready for that
00:48:01.24\00:48:04.25
transformation. That's what this
life right here is now, that's
00:48:04.28\00:48:07.72
what this life is all about,
transforming, being ye not
00:48:07.75\00:48:11.39
conformed. And that's very
important because the world
00:48:11.42\00:48:12.75
if you don't do something to
significantly transform the way
00:48:12.79\00:48:17.19
you think then the world will
do everything to conform you to
00:48:17.23\00:48:21.06
the way that it thinks. Because
what's wrong in the world is
00:48:21.10\00:48:27.17
right in the kingdom of God.
What's right in the world is
00:48:27.20\00:48:34.01
wrong in the kingdom of
God. There's a dichotomy there.
00:48:34.04\00:48:38.51
There's a flipping of the _
Those things that are highly
00:48:38.55\00:48:43.62
esteemed among men are a
reproach to God. And those
00:48:43.65\00:48:47.26
things that seem to be praised
among men. This lesson's going
00:48:47.29\00:48:53.13
take a twist that you don't
see coming. So when Jesus comes
00:48:53.16\00:48:57.07
what's the answer? When the Lord
returns to prepare us for heaven
00:48:57.10\00:48:59.53
what will He do? The answer
again is, transform our bodies.
00:48:59.57\00:49:05.07
I want you to put down transform
our bodies, because I made the
00:49:05.11\00:49:09.04
point very importantly. He's not
going to transform our minds.
00:49:09.08\00:49:14.78
Our minds must be transformed
now. That's what this life is
00:49:14.82\00:49:17.52
all about. Get your mind
together for heaven, get your
00:49:17.55\00:49:20.39
mind in gear for heaven. Start
thinking, set your affections on
00:49:20.42\00:49:23.56
things above. That's right. Very
good point _ Our bodies don't
00:49:23.59\00:49:29.83
get transformed when we die.
Our bodies get transformed when
00:49:29.86\00:49:33.70
the Lord returns. We go back
to dust. From dust thou art and
00:49:33.74\00:49:39.41
unto dust thou shalt return.
That's what happens when we die.
00:49:39.44\00:49:43.95
But the transformation part
takes place when the Lord comes.
00:49:43.98\00:49:45.55
Let's go to the
next question. Okay...
00:49:45.58\00:49:58.23
When we receive our transformed
bodies what will we no longer do
00:49:58.26\00:50:03.47
Okay. Revelation 21:4 okay.
Yeah This is the text that I'm
00:50:03.50\00:50:14.14
looking forward to. Revelation
21:4. I think we ought to read
00:50:14.18\00:50:17.18
this one together. One day we're
going to see this happening in
00:50:17.21\00:50:20.05
our very presence. Okay. And God
the Bible says, will wipe away
00:50:20.08\00:50:26.02
what? Every tear from their eyes
and this is what's not going to
00:50:26.05\00:50:29.82
happen anymore. There shall
be no more death nor sorrow nor
00:50:29.86\00:50:34.80
crying...
00:50:34.83\00:50:43.81
Amen? No more crying, no more
sorrow, no more death, no more
00:50:43.84\00:50:48.11
pain. Ah, no more of that. Ah
my back hurts, oh my leg, oh my
00:50:48.14\00:50:55.18
knee. What was that? Come on
You all know what I'm talking
00:50:55.22\00:50:58.49
about. Right Mike, you know what
I'm talking about We got these
00:50:58.52\00:51:01.56
things that are happening in
our bodies. And we ohhh. One day
00:51:01.59\00:51:05.09
Mike is going to have a heart
that is all in rhythm, top and
00:51:05.13\00:51:07.46
and bottom together. He's going
to run and not be weary, walk
00:51:07.50\00:51:12.00
and not faint. Sometime Mike
has to... He's a diligent person
00:51:12.03\00:51:16.17
driven, but sometimes he has
to put that in neutral. When the
00:51:16.20\00:51:19.87
Lord comes back, no more
pain. Why? So all these things
00:51:19.91\00:51:23.45
described here will be former
things and Isaiah the prophet
00:51:23.48\00:51:27.75
says the former things will not
be remembered nor come into mind
00:51:27.78\00:51:32.12
So we won't be flying to the
nearest planet and say ohh my
00:51:32.15\00:51:36.32
wing hurts. I've got to find
a place to land. We won't be
00:51:36.36\00:51:40.06
running through the streets
of the New Jerusalem or even the
00:51:40.10\00:51:42.76
new earth and so ohh, hold on.
Wait up, wait up for a minute.
00:51:42.80\00:51:48.20
We will run and not be weary.
We will walk and not faint. Run
00:51:48.24\00:51:52.01
and not be weary, walk and not
faint. Pastor Brooks was telling
00:51:52.04\00:51:55.38
a story about his mother, how
she had so many aches and pains.
00:51:55.41\00:51:58.85
He said one day my mom and I are
going to be able to run the full
00:51:58.88\00:52:02.32
length of the streets of the New
Jerusalem and not even slow down
00:52:02.35\00:52:04.89
What a wonderful day. And for
those of you who are getting old
00:52:04.92\00:52:07.82
and you got the walkers and the
canes and the wheel chairs and
00:52:07.86\00:52:11.56
you have to get assistance to go
from one place to the next. Oh,
00:52:11.59\00:52:14.40
that's going to end. That
transformed body will not know
00:52:14.43\00:52:19.30
pain, sorrow, death, crying,
none of those things, because
00:52:19.33\00:52:25.17
that's what God is going to get
rid of. He's going to eliminate
00:52:25.21\00:52:26.91
all of that from the experience
of the saints that reign
00:52:26.94\00:52:30.35
eternally with Him. Let's go to
Isaiah 33:24 and look at another
00:52:30.38\00:52:35.08
component. Isaiah 33:24:
Hmm. Whenever we start getting a
00:52:35.12\00:52:45.96
tickle in our throat let me just
give you sense. You probably
00:52:45.99\00:52:49.43
haven't thought about it,
you won't get a tickle in your
00:52:49.46\00:52:52.83
throat in heaven as an indi-
cation that a cold is coming on.
00:52:52.87\00:52:56.20
You'll be going
oh what's happening.
00:52:56.24\00:52:59.87
I'm getting a
cold. No more. Can I
00:52:59.91\00:53:03.48
get an amen? No more medication
neither throughout eternity. No
00:53:03.51\00:53:07.92
more people lined up for shots.
Oh there's a flu season. There
00:53:07.95\00:53:11.85
will be no flu season in heaven
nor in the new earth. I have
00:53:11.89\00:53:15.29
proof for that. Together...
00:53:15.32\00:53:17.09
No more sin, no more sickness.
Okay. I got to slow down. I'm
00:53:25.70\00:53:32.87
getting in my New York form.
I'm about to get happy here.
00:53:32.91\00:53:35.21
But when I get sick it happens
at odd times. God is so gracious
00:53:35.24\00:53:39.51
We had a wedding here not too
long ago. Mike and Celestine did
00:53:39.55\00:53:43.85
their 15th rededication,
15 years of marriage. She's a
00:53:43.89\00:53:48.49
singer, couldn't sing. It
was the most painful experience.
00:53:48.52\00:53:52.59
Voice is shot, cold, crud, she
was a bass voice, couldn't sing.
00:53:52.63\00:54:01.07
In heaven she'll be able to
sing. Amen Mike? No more cold
00:54:01.10\00:54:04.57
No more problems. No more
injuries. The inhabitants will
00:54:04.61\00:54:09.14
not say I am sick. Doctors and
nurses I love you but you will
00:54:09.18\00:54:13.68
be forever retired in
the kingdom of heaven.
00:54:13.72\00:54:18.22
CDC because God's got that all
taken care of. Okay go to Number
00:54:18.25\00:54:25.29
11. Got to look at my
time here. Number 11...
00:54:25.33\00:54:37.74
1 Corinthians 15:50. Why
is it important for us to be
00:54:37.77\00:54:41.84
transformed before we enter
heaven? Okay. I'm going to move
00:54:41.88\00:54:48.08
on a little bit of pace here.
1 Corinthians 15:50 This is a
00:54:48.12\00:54:52.39
text that is often misunderstood
sadly misunderstood and
00:54:52.42\00:54:54.96
I'll take a little time to
explain it. Paul the apostle
00:54:54.99\00:54:57.33
speaking of the earth
being heaven, he says...
00:54:57.36\00:55:02.20
Now let's get this. Flesh and
blood. Do we walk in the flesh
00:55:13.07\00:55:17.41
or do we walk in the Spirit?
Help me out. Do we walk in the
00:55:17.45\00:55:21.65
flesh or do we walk in the
Spirit. We walk in the Spirit
00:55:21.68\00:55:23.99
and the Bible says do not yield
to the lust of the flesh. So we
00:55:24.02\00:55:32.23
are living in the flesh but when
Paul talks about flesh and blood
00:55:32.26\00:55:35.93
he's not talking about the
physical dimension of humanity.
00:55:35.96\00:55:40.14
He's talking about the sinful
dimensions of humanity. That's
00:55:40.17\00:55:43.91
why he says nor does corruption
inherit incorruption. I got to
00:55:43.94\00:55:52.15
go to the next question
very quickly. This body that's
00:55:52.18\00:55:56.58
corrupt, not only are we in
a corrupt world, but our bodies
00:55:56.62\00:55:59.22
are corrupt. Our cells are dying
by the thousands. Explosions are
00:55:59.25\00:56:09.10
taking place in our bodies all
the time. New cells are being
00:56:09.13\00:56:11.73
born, but the important
transition is right here in the
00:56:11.77\00:56:14.87
very next question. Let's get
to that very quickly. Question
00:56:14.90\00:56:17.37
Number 12...
00:56:17.41\00:56:25.68
I'm going to go over it very
quickly. Just bring it up on the
00:56:25.78\00:56:27.95
screen. Here it is. The
transformation. It is sown a
00:56:27.98\00:56:35.02
natural body, it is raised as
a what kind of body? Spiritual
00:56:35.06\00:56:37.26
body. There is a natural body
and there is a what else though.
00:56:37.29\00:56:40.70
Spiritual body. Go to the very
next text. Here's our reference.
00:56:40.73\00:56:45.00
And this is the difference.
For this corruptible must put on
00:56:45.03\00:56:50.91
what? In corruption and
this mortal must put on what?
00:56:50.94\00:56:55.64
Immortality. Let me spend a
moment to talk about these three
00:56:55.68\00:56:58.15
things that are very important
to us. Flesh and blood, this
00:56:58.18\00:57:01.92
sinful human being that I
am, this sinful flesh. We're not
00:57:01.95\00:57:07.26
going to go to heaven with this
defective body. We're not going
00:57:07.29\00:57:09.82
go to heaven with this body
that has ailments and sinful
00:57:09.86\00:57:15.26
tendencies and thoughts that are
corrupt and attitudes that are
00:57:15.30\00:57:18.37
in conflict with our testimonies
All those things will have been
00:57:18.40\00:57:23.34
changed because this corruptible
this mind that can be corrupted
00:57:23.37\00:57:26.98
will put on incorruption. The
day is coming, and I want you to
00:57:27.01\00:57:30.95
just embrace this. The day is
coming that we won't think bad
00:57:30.98\00:57:34.05
thoughts anymore. We won't think
evil thoughts, we won't think
00:57:34.08\00:57:40.82
mean thoughts, we won't
think anything corrupt. That's a
00:57:40.86\00:57:45.09
better saying. This corruptible
will put on incorruption. We
00:57:45.13\00:57:48.76
won't have a mind that people
don't what to hear what's in it.
00:57:48.80\00:57:52.80
One day my brothers and sisters,
we'll be just like Jesus. Until
00:57:52.83\00:57:57.31
that day we pray that you keep
studying the word of God and if
00:57:57.34\00:58:00.54
it doesn't make sense one day
it'll come into A Sharper Focus.
00:58:00.58\00:58:03.95
God bless you.
00:58:03.98\00:58:05.71
¤ ¤
00:58:05.75\00:58:07.08