Welcome to a Sharper Focus.
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This is a Bible
study coming to you
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live from the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and the 3ABN Worship Center.
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We welcome every one of you.
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We welcome every one
of you that are here.
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And we are glad that
you have joined us to study
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God's Word together,
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we're glad that you are here.
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And I see just about
everybody has their Bible,
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if not a literal
Bible, a digital Bible.
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So I praise the Lord for that.
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We are going to study a topic
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that I believe is in
the minds of many people,
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because many people
are asking themselves
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what is going on in this world.
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But before we continue,
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we like to go to
the Lord in prayer
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to ask for His
blessing for all of us,
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that as we study His
word, He will guide us.
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Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
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Our loving, heavenly
Father, we thank You so much
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for Your
goodness and mercy to us.
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We pray that as we
study Your Holy Spirit
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will help us to
understand the scriptures,
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and understand this topic.
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We pray, Lord, that
Your name will be glorified.
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I place myself in Your hands,
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and I pray that every word
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spoken will come
from Your throne of grace.
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Thank You, Lord,
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for the promise
of Your Holy Spirit,
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and we ask for this
blessing in Jesus name, amen.
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Amen.
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Perhaps, you have
noticed, I'm sure you have
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if you either face
another person in this world,
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or you listen to
the news, read the news,
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you know that there have
been many calamities going on
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during this year,
and even last year.
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Even last year, we heard
in the winter of tornadoes
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that were going
through different parts
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of the United States of America.
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And I want to talk to
you about some of the things
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that are going on in the world.
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Right now there is
financial insecurity.
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Perhaps, you may
have financial insecurity,
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I don't know,
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but I know the nations
have financial insecurity.
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We've heard many
times about the Europe
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that it may collapse,
that nations may pull out.
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The US dollar goes up and down.
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And there is
financial insecurity
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practically around the world.
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And currencies
are being devalued,
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and currencies are going
through great difficulties.
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I know one
country that has accused
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the United States of America
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because of all the poverty
that is in their country,
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because the gas
prices have just plummeted,
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as a result of the US
producing their own gasoline.
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So there is financial
insecurity in this world.
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So we ask ourselves,
how long will this go?
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How long will it last
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until we have
these things figured out?
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I tell you, the politicians
do not have the answers.
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Nobody has the answers
for the world's problems.
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But we have
hope in Jesus Christ.
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Now I want to
talk to you about war.
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I was doing a little research,
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and there are more than
15 active wars right now
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in some part of the world.
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You may be at peace,
you may walk in peace
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throughout your home,
throughout your little town,
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but there are people
that cannot walk in peace
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in their city, in their country.
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And I tell you, let's
go just over a few of them
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because hundreds of thousands
of people have been killed.
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Let me mention to you.
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Syria, since 2011,
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nearly 1.5 million
people have been killed in war.
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Iraq, there is civil war,
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thousands upon
thousands of people
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have died in civil war
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and other conflicts
that Iraq is involved in.
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The continent of
Africa, the Somali Civil War
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that since 1991,
people have been fighting
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about a half million
people have been killed.
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I'll talk to you
about Afghanistan
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that perhaps
rings a bell in the US,
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because the US is
involved in the Afghanistan war.
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And it's been years
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and they've talked
about pulling the troops out,
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but the Afghanistan war
began since around 1978,
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and they do not really
know how many people have died.
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It's between one
and two million people.
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There is war, and
there is rumors of war.
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Have you heard rumors of war?
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Would you say that's true?
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Yes, you have.
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Perhaps, you have heard
that there is this rumor of war
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between the US and North Korea.
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They're going back and
forth, "Yes, we can bomb you.
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No, we can bomb you better.
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We will devastate
you, we will destroy you."
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Back and forth they go,
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and we do not
know where it will end.
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We see that the
people are becoming uneasy,
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the people of North Korea
are getting ready for war,
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and the US is also appears
to be getting ready for war.
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So there are wars
and rumors of war.
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And I can talk to you about
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a horrendous amount of
crimes all over the world.
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The news is filled with them.
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You listen to the
radio, you read the newspapers.
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Go online, read news,
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and you will hear of
horrible, horrible crimes.
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The US was recently shocked
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when October the 1st, a
man went into a hotel room
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with many high
powered automatic weapons,
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and started shooting people
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that were
listening to a concert.
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Shot about 50 people, I
don't know the exact number.
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Yes, 58 people
dead, 489 injured.
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They say it was over
500, but 489 people injured,
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one man doing so much harm.
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So you ask
yourself, what is going on?
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So there are wars
and rumors of wars.
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Tornadoes, have any of
you heard of tornadoes?
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Yes, actually,
we live in an area
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that they call Tornado Alley.
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And, yes, tornadoes
have been causing devastation
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in the United States of America
and in other countries as well.
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As a matter of fact, they
have 1,423 tornado reports
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just in the year 2017 thus far.
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So tornadoes have
been causing devastation.
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And they began, they say,
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exceptionally
early in the year 2017
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having the second
most active January,
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since the year 1950,
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when they began to
keep records of tornadoes.
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Now, let's talk about hurricane.
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Recently, certain
hurricanes have become
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known in the minds of people.
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If I mention to
you Hurricane Harvey
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right away in the US,
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you start thinking of Houston,
flooding, homes destroyed,
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people lost their lives,
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and they estimate over
$180 billion in damage.
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And that's more than
any other natural disaster
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in the US history,
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flooding and people desperate
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because they lost their homes.
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So if we continue talking,
we can mention hurricane Irma.
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We have also that
caused widespread destruction
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throughout the Caribbean.
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And they say that
Barbuda, a tiny island
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over 90% of the
homes and vehicles
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were destroyed
by this hurricane.
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How many of you
have seen pictures
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of some of the destruction?
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Some of you are
shaking their heads
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and raising your hands.
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Yes, this is something
that we have to ask ourselves.
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What is going on?
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And if we
continue, Hurricane Irma
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went through Saint
Martin, Saint Barthelemy,
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US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico,
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Dominican
Republic, Cuba, and Florida.
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And just when people were
beginning to kind of pick up
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their feet from Hurricane Irma,
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along comes another
hurricane by the name of Maria,
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yes, Maria,
practically the same trajectory.
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But this time, it went straight
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almost through the
middle of Puerto Rico,
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and Puerto Rico
suffering the greater damage
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than any other place,
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however other damage
was done in other places.
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They say that in
Puerto Rico, according to CNN
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cost apocalyptic
devastation flooding,
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crippled communications,
decimated buildings,
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and knocked out electricity
over 90% of the country.
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And they say that even
today, after almost three weeks
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about 90% of the people
do not have electricity.
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So people are
going, they're starving
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because they don't
have access to food.
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All of the
vegetation has been destroyed,
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and so people are suffering.
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Fresh water is an issue.
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And I have heard of people dying
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because of lack of
electricity in hospitals.
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We were in Colombia
when the hurricane hit.
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We heard of two
people dying in a hospital
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because they did
not have enough fuel
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to keep the generator going.
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And so serious
problems still underway,
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people are still trying to pick
themselves up on their feet.
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But recently, we have
also heard of firestorms.
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Anybody hear about firestorm?
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Yes, firestorms.
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California has thousands
of wildfires each year.
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And they're often isolated
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to sparsely populated
area but not this time.
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The firestorm that engulfed
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large parts of
Napa and Sonoma Counties
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in California on
Monday, this past Monday,
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will go down in
history as one of the worse
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such events ever
recorded in the Golden State.
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And interestingly enough,
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when you talk about a firestorm,
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they call it a firestorm
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because the winds
increase to storm capacity
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if you want to call it.
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The storms, they measured
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reached winds of
79 miles per hour.
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In other words, the
firemen were not able
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to keep up with this fire
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as they quickly spread
destroying home, properties,
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I've seen vehicles
that you don't know
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what color they were,
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homes where there's
just a fireplace left.
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And home after home,
and people have been crying,
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devastated because
they have lost everything,
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and this is the
world that we live in.
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Again, interestingly enough,
they call them Diablo winds.
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Now recently somebody
asked me, what's Diablo?
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In Spanish, the
word means devil.
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They call these devil winds.
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And I think
they're rightly named
00:11:19.21\00:11:21.41
because the devil
is causing destruction,
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and people do not know
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it's the devil
causing destruction.
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So I say to you,
what is going on?
00:11:28.62\00:11:33.79
So about 100,000
acres have been destroyed
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because of fires,
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millions and
millions of dollars in damage.
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So what is going on?
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Who's responsible?
00:11:46.43\00:11:47.77
Is God causing the earthquakes
and tornadoes and hurricanes?
00:11:47.80\00:11:51.24
Is the devil causing them?
00:11:51.27\00:11:52.91
What does all this mean?
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I would like to
begin our Bible study
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by going to Jeremiah 31:3.
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We need to get
acquainted with these things,
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because the Bible tells us
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that there is a
great controversy
00:12:06.22\00:12:08.09
between good and evil.
00:12:08.12\00:12:10.39
On one side, you
have Satan and his angels
00:12:10.43\00:12:13.13
that rebel from heaven.
00:12:13.16\00:12:14.60
And on the other
side, you have God,
00:12:14.63\00:12:16.63
and his interest
in saving humanity
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from destruction,
00:12:20.60\00:12:22.40
and He wants to save
each and every one of us.
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We read in the Bible
that God is not willing
00:12:25.17\00:12:26.91
that any should perish,
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but that all come to repentance.
00:12:28.71\00:12:31.81
And so Jeremiah
31:3, the Bible says,
00:12:31.85\00:12:35.08
"The Lord has
appeared of old to me, saying,
00:12:35.12\00:12:39.15
'Yes, I have loved you
with an everlasting love.
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Therefore with lovingkindness
I have drawn you.'"
00:12:43.19\00:12:48.33
So I question, is this the God
00:12:48.36\00:12:51.87
that we would
consider responsible
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for the widespread
damage and destruction?
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I would say to you, no.
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When you look at the Bible,
00:12:59.44\00:13:00.78
you see that God
is consistent there.
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When God takes into
action to punish people,
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He does it for a reason.
00:13:07.05\00:13:08.38
But God does not do
indiscriminate destruction,
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such as these devastations
caused by hurricanes,
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tornadoes, cyclones, typhoons
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whatever you may
want to call them.
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In Jeremiah 29:11,
00:13:22.33\00:13:25.30
just a couple
of chapters before.
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Jeremiah 29:11,
the Bible tells us,
00:13:27.74\00:13:30.41
"For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,
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says the Lord,
00:13:33.78\00:13:35.18
thoughts of
peace and not of evil,
00:13:35.21\00:13:37.81
to give you a
future and a hope."
00:13:37.85\00:13:40.35
To give you an expected end,
00:13:40.38\00:13:42.48
you read in the
King James Version.
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So this is God.
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God has thoughts of
peace, thoughts of love,
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loves you with
an everlasting love.
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.03
And I ask you,
does the devil love you?
00:13:52.06\00:13:55.03
No.
00:13:55.06\00:13:56.40
The Bible tells us concerning
the devil in 1 Peter 5:8,
00:13:56.43\00:14:01.20
1 Peter 5:8.
00:14:01.24\00:14:03.00
I don't know if you'll
have a chance to find it
00:14:03.04\00:14:05.71
before I began reading it.
00:14:05.74\00:14:07.08
1 Peter 5:8, so I have
it in my notes, I read.
00:14:07.11\00:14:11.78
It says, "Be sober, be vigilant,
00:14:11.81\00:14:14.85
because your
adversary the devil walks
00:14:14.88\00:14:18.99
about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour."
00:14:19.02\00:14:25.03
So I ask, what is going on?
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.50
Is the Bible...
00:14:27.53\00:14:28.86
Is the God,
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.23
the Bible says is
love that loves us
00:14:30.27\00:14:31.60
with an everlasting
love doing destruction?
00:14:31.63\00:14:34.04
Or is the devil
that the Bible says
00:14:34.07\00:14:35.84
is going around
like a roaring lion,
00:14:35.87\00:14:38.27
seeking whom he may devour?
00:14:38.31\00:14:40.38
I would like to encourage you
00:14:40.41\00:14:41.74
to continue studying
with us throughout this hour.
00:14:41.78\00:14:43.81
We only have
about 43 minutes left,
00:14:43.85\00:14:45.61
and you will see that the
Bible helps us to understand
00:14:45.65\00:14:49.02
who is causing destruction.
00:14:49.05\00:14:50.99
In John 10:10,
00:14:51.02\00:14:54.06
Jesus says concerning the devil.
00:14:54.09\00:14:57.59
John 10:10, he
tells us the following.
00:14:57.63\00:15:02.83
"The thief," that is the devil
00:15:02.86\00:15:04.23
"does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy.
00:15:04.27\00:15:12.04
I have come" Jesus says
"that they may have life,
00:15:12.07\00:15:15.88
and that they may
have it more abundantly."
00:15:15.91\00:15:19.75
So this is Jesus.
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.35
This is God that
says He loves us.
00:15:22.38\00:15:25.05
And so let's go to a scripture
that helps us understand
00:15:25.09\00:15:29.52
that the devil is involved
in causing pain and suffering.
00:15:29.56\00:15:34.26
We're going to go now
to the Book of Luke 13,
00:15:34.30\00:15:38.77
Luke 13,
00:15:38.80\00:15:41.14
and we're gonna
begin reading in verse 10.
00:15:41.17\00:15:43.71
We're gonna read
a lot of scriptures,
00:15:43.74\00:15:45.27
so that we can get a nice firm
foundation about this topic.
00:15:45.31\00:15:51.05
Luke 13:10, "Now he was teaching
00:15:51.08\00:15:54.78
in one of the
synagogues on the Sabbath.
00:15:54.82\00:15:57.19
And behold, there was a woman
00:15:57.22\00:15:58.99
who had a spirit of
infirmity eighteen years,
00:15:59.02\00:16:02.82
and was bent over
00:16:02.86\00:16:04.19
and could in no
ways raise herself up.
00:16:04.23\00:16:07.73
But when Jesus saw her,
00:16:07.76\00:16:09.46
He called her to
Him and said to her,
00:16:09.50\00:16:11.53
'Woman, you are
loosed from your infirmity.'
00:16:11.57\00:16:16.37
And He laid His hands on her,
00:16:16.40\00:16:18.14
and immediately she was made
straight, and glorified God."
00:16:18.17\00:16:23.48
She was healed.
00:16:23.51\00:16:24.85
Jesus healed this woman.
00:16:24.88\00:16:27.62
And all should be
praising the Lord.
00:16:27.65\00:16:30.05
However, some
people were not happy.
00:16:30.09\00:16:31.82
It says in verse 14,
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.32
"But the ruler of the synagogue
answered with indignation,
00:16:33.36\00:16:37.66
because Jesus had
healed on the Sabbath.
00:16:37.69\00:16:40.40
And he said to the crowd,
00:16:40.43\00:16:41.93
'There are six days on
which men ought to work,
00:16:41.96\00:16:44.90
therefore come
and be healed on them,
00:16:44.93\00:16:47.94
and not on the Sabbath day.'"
00:16:47.97\00:16:49.30
This man did not
recognize the work of God
00:16:49.34\00:16:54.11
and blamed Jesus to
doing work on the Sabbath.
00:16:54.14\00:16:59.51
And he says in verse 15,
00:16:59.55\00:17:00.88
"The Lord then answered
him and said, 'Hypocrite!
00:17:00.92\00:17:05.45
Does not each one
of you on the Sabbath
00:17:05.49\00:17:08.12
loose his ox or his donkey
00:17:08.16\00:17:10.63
from the stall, and
lead it away to water?
00:17:10.66\00:17:13.63
So ought not this woman,
being a daughter of Abraham,
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.70
whom Satan has bound..."
00:17:16.73\00:17:18.07
Who bound her?
00:17:18.10\00:17:19.87
"Satan has bound.
00:17:19.90\00:17:21.77
Think of it, for eighteen years,
00:17:21.80\00:17:24.07
be loosed from this
bond on the Sabbath.'
00:17:24.11\00:17:28.11
And when He said these things,
00:17:28.14\00:17:29.54
all His
adversaries were put to shame,
00:17:29.58\00:17:31.91
and all the multitude rejoice
00:17:31.95\00:17:33.62
for all the glorious
things that were done by Him."
00:17:33.65\00:17:37.39
So here, Jesus reveals to
us that this woman was sick,
00:17:37.42\00:17:42.42
bent over, couldn't
straighten herself up,
00:17:42.46\00:17:45.49
because Satan had bound her.
00:17:45.53\00:17:48.70
Now mind you, I
want to draw a difference
00:17:48.73\00:17:50.67
between Satan causing a disease,
00:17:50.70\00:17:54.77
and we causing
ourselves a disease.
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.14
We know nowadays,
especially nowadays,
00:17:57.17\00:18:00.44
there's some a lot
of information out there
00:18:00.48\00:18:02.88
that tells you, if you eat this,
00:18:02.91\00:18:05.21
your veins are gonna get clogged
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.12
and you may have heart disease.
00:18:07.15\00:18:09.82
You eat a lot of
this type of food
00:18:09.85\00:18:12.85
and you're gonna
get high blood pressure.
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.62
You keep eating
these other kinds of food,
00:18:15.66\00:18:17.66
and you may get diabetes.
00:18:17.69\00:18:20.00
You keep smoking, and
you may get lung cancer
00:18:20.03\00:18:24.93
or any other type of cancer
00:18:24.97\00:18:26.30
because it causes many
different kinds of cancers.
00:18:26.33\00:18:28.64
And so we today have
better information than before.
00:18:28.67\00:18:33.74
So I'm drawing a
difference between
00:18:33.78\00:18:35.21
those that cause
themselves disease,
00:18:35.24\00:18:38.35
and the ones
that the devil causes.
00:18:38.38\00:18:40.88
But the devil causes diseases
00:18:40.92\00:18:43.95
and inflicts pain
and suffering on people.
00:18:43.99\00:18:48.16
In Acts 10, Acts 10:38,
00:18:48.19\00:18:52.76
the Bible once again tells us
that the devil causes sickness.
00:18:52.79\00:18:59.30
The Bible says in Acts 10:38,
00:18:59.33\00:19:01.94
"How God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth
00:19:01.97\00:19:05.27
with the Holy
Spirit and with power,
00:19:05.31\00:19:07.98
who went about doing good
00:19:08.01\00:19:09.84
and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil,
00:19:09.88\00:19:14.08
for God was with Him."
00:19:14.12\00:19:16.48
So the Bible teaches us
that the devil causes diseases.
00:19:16.52\00:19:21.92
And we need to be aware of that
00:19:21.96\00:19:23.63
because the devil, it
goes around doing evil
00:19:23.66\00:19:27.76
and nobody points
the finger at him.
00:19:27.80\00:19:30.07
Nobody says it is him,
00:19:30.10\00:19:31.93
except the Christians
00:19:31.97\00:19:33.30
that understand
this little better.
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.87
And so insurance companies,
00:19:34.90\00:19:36.44
they still have
it in their records
00:19:36.47\00:19:38.97
that when a
tornado or an earthquake
00:19:39.01\00:19:41.18
or some other thing
happens not caused by man,
00:19:41.21\00:19:45.65
they say it's an act of God.
00:19:45.68\00:19:48.15
And many of these times,
it is an act of the devil,
00:19:48.18\00:19:51.62
and they need to correct
those insurance policies.
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.76
Now let's go into
another scripture,
00:19:54.79\00:19:59.56
set of scriptures
that helps us understand
00:19:59.59\00:20:01.30
how God deals with things.
00:20:01.33\00:20:03.77
In Genesis 18, Genesis 18,
00:20:03.80\00:20:07.47
we are going to read verses
20 through 32 rather quickly,
00:20:07.50\00:20:12.51
so please follow along.
00:20:12.54\00:20:14.58
Actually, we may skip
a few just to save time,
00:20:14.61\00:20:18.38
but the context is very similar,
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.82
so you'll understand why I am
00:20:20.85\00:20:23.39
for the sake of time
moving along in these.
00:20:23.42\00:20:26.42
Let's begin in verse 20.
00:20:26.45\00:20:27.79
"And the Lord said,
'Because the outcry against
00:20:27.82\00:20:30.79
Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
00:20:30.83\00:20:32.26
and because their
sin is very grave.'"
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.36
Verse 21, "I will go down now
00:20:34.40\00:20:36.20
and see whether
they have done altogether
00:20:36.23\00:20:38.93
according to the
outcry against it
00:20:38.97\00:20:41.64
that has come to Me.
00:20:41.67\00:20:43.00
And if not, I will know."
00:20:43.04\00:20:45.27
In other words,
God does an inspection
00:20:45.31\00:20:47.61
before He goes into action.
00:20:47.64\00:20:51.28
"Then the men
turned away from there
00:20:51.31\00:20:53.08
and went toward Sodom,
00:20:53.11\00:20:54.45
but Abraham still
stood before the Lord.
00:20:54.48\00:20:58.95
And Abraham came near and said,
00:20:58.99\00:21:00.66
'Would you also
destroy the righteous
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.26
with the wicked?'"
00:21:04.29\00:21:05.83
That is a good question.
00:21:05.86\00:21:07.70
Abraham that knows God
and knows about Him says,
00:21:07.73\00:21:12.77
"Are you also gonna destroy
the righteous with the wicked?"
00:21:12.80\00:21:15.87
Now says verse 24,
00:21:15.90\00:21:17.24
"Suppose there were fifty
righteous within the city,
00:21:17.27\00:21:21.81
would you also destroy the place
00:21:21.84\00:21:24.21
and not spare it
00:21:24.25\00:21:25.58
for the fifty
righteous that were in it?"
00:21:25.61\00:21:28.55
Notice what he says then.
00:21:28.58\00:21:29.95
"Far be it from You to
do such a thing as this,
00:21:29.98\00:21:34.12
to slay the
righteous with the wicked,
00:21:34.16\00:21:36.73
so that the righteous
should be as the wicked,
00:21:36.76\00:21:39.73
far be it from You!
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.26
Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right?"
00:21:41.30\00:21:46.03
Amen.
00:21:46.07\00:21:47.40
So Abraham knew
something about God.
00:21:47.44\00:21:49.94
He knew that God will not slay
the righteous with the wicked.
00:21:49.97\00:21:53.81
In other words, God does
not cause random destruction.
00:21:53.84\00:21:58.25
If somebody is doing
evil, then God goes into action,
00:21:58.28\00:22:01.98
does an inspection,
but interestingly enough,
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.72
we know that God warns
people about coming destruction.
00:22:04.75\00:22:09.42
How many of you
remember Noah's Ark?
00:22:09.46\00:22:13.93
Before the flood came,
00:22:13.96\00:22:16.80
was Noah sent
to warn the people?
00:22:16.83\00:22:19.03
Yes or no?
00:22:19.07\00:22:20.40
Yes, Noah was sent
to warn the people.
00:22:20.44\00:22:22.70
And we understand for 120 years,
00:22:22.74\00:22:25.94
he preached to the people.
00:22:25.97\00:22:27.91
And we also see in
another discussion,
00:22:27.94\00:22:31.78
Abraham with God,
that God says to Abraham,
00:22:31.81\00:22:35.85
know for a surety
that your children
00:22:35.88\00:22:39.42
will go into captivity
in such and such a land.
00:22:39.45\00:22:42.72
And after 430 years,
00:22:42.76\00:22:47.76
yes, they will be
delivered from their bondage.
00:22:47.80\00:22:52.13
And he says,
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.50
because the
iniquity of the Amorites
00:22:53.54\00:22:55.64
is not yet full, the Bible says.
00:22:55.67\00:22:58.77
In other words,
God has a measuring,
00:22:58.81\00:23:02.04
a measure of sin,
00:23:02.08\00:23:03.58
when they reach
this level of sin,
00:23:03.61\00:23:05.51
then God has to
move into action,
00:23:05.55\00:23:07.62
and it was 430 years
later for the Amorites.
00:23:07.65\00:23:11.35
Is God merciful?
00:23:11.39\00:23:12.95
Would you say, yes?
00:23:12.99\00:23:14.32
God is merciful.
00:23:14.36\00:23:15.69
If He is merciful,
has been merciful to you,
00:23:15.72\00:23:17.59
would you say amen?
00:23:17.63\00:23:18.96
Amen.
00:23:18.99\00:23:20.33
The Lord has been
merciful to you and I,
00:23:20.36\00:23:22.26
and we're gonna
see that in a moment.
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.00
Notice what the Lord says.
00:23:24.03\00:23:25.63
Verse 26, "So the Lord said,
00:23:25.67\00:23:27.00
'If I find in Sodom fifty
righteous within the city,
00:23:27.04\00:23:32.97
then I will spare all
the place for their sakes.'"
00:23:33.01\00:23:38.15
Would you say amen to that?
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.71
God was willing to be
merciful to thousands of people,
00:23:39.75\00:23:44.49
if only 50 righteous,
00:23:44.52\00:23:47.06
50 good people
were found in the city.
00:23:47.09\00:23:50.49
That's wonderful.
00:23:50.53\00:23:51.86
But Abraham has learned
00:23:51.89\00:23:54.43
to love his neighbor as himself.
00:23:54.46\00:23:56.67
Abraham does not
know all the inhabitants
00:23:56.70\00:23:59.63
of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.00
but he's concerned,
00:24:01.04\00:24:02.37
he's concerned
about the good people.
00:24:02.40\00:24:05.31
And so he continues
asking, he goes down 5 to 45,
00:24:05.34\00:24:09.78
he goes down to 40,
and let's go to verse 30,
00:24:09.81\00:24:13.75
because Abraham
that started at 50,
00:24:13.78\00:24:16.48
now he's asking
the Lord about 30.
00:24:16.52\00:24:19.29
"Then he said, 'Let
not the Lord be angry,
00:24:19.32\00:24:21.79
and I will speak, suppose
thirty should be found there?'
00:24:21.82\00:24:25.69
So he said, 'I will not do
it if I find thirty there.'"
00:24:25.73\00:24:32.03
Isn't that wonderful?
00:24:32.07\00:24:33.40
Thirty.
00:24:33.44\00:24:34.77
If 30 people, good people
00:24:34.80\00:24:36.40
are found in Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:24:36.44\00:24:38.11
the whole, the
cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
00:24:38.14\00:24:41.74
would not be destroyed,
00:24:41.78\00:24:43.11
thousands of
people will be spared
00:24:43.14\00:24:44.81
because of the 30 good people.
00:24:44.85\00:24:47.45
Did Abraham stop there?
00:24:47.48\00:24:49.02
No.
00:24:49.05\00:24:50.39
According to the Bible,
in verse 32, let's go there.
00:24:50.42\00:24:56.06
I skipped a few,
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.43
because, you
know, the trajectory
00:24:57.46\00:24:58.79
he kept going down,
00:24:58.83\00:25:00.16
first by five, and then by ten.
00:25:00.20\00:25:01.93
Verse 32, "Then he said,
'Let not the Lord be angry,
00:25:01.96\00:25:04.27
and I will speak but once more,
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.07
suppose ten
should be found there?'
00:25:06.10\00:25:09.94
And he said, 'I
will not destroy it
00:25:09.97\00:25:12.47
for the sake of the ten.'
00:25:12.51\00:25:14.91
So the Lord went His way
00:25:14.94\00:25:16.61
as soon as He had
finished speaking with Abraham,
00:25:16.64\00:25:18.85
and Abraham
returned to his place."
00:25:18.88\00:25:21.78
Was Abraham encouraged?
00:25:21.82\00:25:23.49
Yes, he was.
00:25:23.52\00:25:24.85
He was encouraged
00:25:24.89\00:25:26.22
because he knew that the
Lord was gonna go and check.
00:25:26.25\00:25:29.56
And if ten good people were
found in Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:25:29.59\00:25:33.23
they would be spared.
00:25:33.26\00:25:35.33
Unfortunately, the Bible reveals
00:25:35.36\00:25:37.27
that there were not
even ten good people
00:25:37.30\00:25:39.57
in Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:25:39.60\00:25:41.30
But what did the Lord do?
00:25:41.34\00:25:43.61
The Lord went, sent the
angels to find the good people
00:25:43.64\00:25:49.14
to ask them to
leave Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:25:49.18\00:25:52.05
so that they would not be
destroyed with the wicked.
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.42
Is the Lord good?
00:25:55.45\00:25:56.79
Yes. The Lord is good.
00:25:56.82\00:25:59.59
So we see that the
Lord before He takes action
00:25:59.62\00:26:03.12
to punish the
wicked, there is a warning.
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.96
And after warning
after warning after warning,
00:26:05.99\00:26:09.00
He does a study to see,
00:26:09.03\00:26:13.10
is it as evil as
I have come to know
00:26:13.13\00:26:16.54
as I have heard from the angels?
00:26:16.57\00:26:18.37
And He checks and
then He takes action.
00:26:18.41\00:26:20.71
Do you remember Jonah?
00:26:20.74\00:26:22.34
Jonah went to warn
the people of Nineveh.
00:26:22.38\00:26:26.48
Yes, he went to warn the people
00:26:26.51\00:26:28.18
and they repented,
and they were spared.
00:26:28.22\00:26:32.29
And so we see
that God takes action
00:26:32.32\00:26:34.46
only after
warning after warning.
00:26:34.49\00:26:38.19
But the devil is different.
00:26:38.23\00:26:39.93
In the Bible, we
read that the devil
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.70
goes about seeking
whom he may devour,
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.97
and who can get
devoured by the devil.
00:26:44.00\00:26:48.30
The Bible tells us
that he's trying to destroy
00:26:48.34\00:26:50.97
whomever he can.
00:26:51.01\00:26:52.37
The best thing we can do
00:26:52.41\00:26:53.74
is to place
ourselves in the Lord's hand,
00:26:53.78\00:26:56.58
so that we can
have His protection.
00:26:56.61\00:26:59.31
Let's go to Job 1.
00:26:59.35\00:27:01.65
In Job 1,
00:27:01.68\00:27:05.55
we're gonna start
reading in verse 6,
00:27:05.59\00:27:07.59
and we're gonna
try to go to verse 22.
00:27:07.62\00:27:11.46
And some of you are
familiar with this story,
00:27:11.49\00:27:13.03
but it reveals to us,
00:27:13.06\00:27:14.40
it's like the
curtain is pulled aside,
00:27:14.43\00:27:17.17
so that we can see how
the devil is so wicked.
00:27:17.20\00:27:21.64
If there's anybody
bad, it's the devil, right?
00:27:21.67\00:27:24.94
Job 1:6, "Now there was a day
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.01
when the sons of God came
00:27:27.04\00:27:28.38
to present
themselves before the Lord,
00:27:28.41\00:27:30.65
and Satan came also among them.
00:27:30.68\00:27:34.32
And the Lord said to
Satan, 'From where do you come?'
00:27:34.35\00:27:37.62
From whence comest thou?
00:27:37.65\00:27:38.99
So Satan answered
the Lord and said,
00:27:39.02\00:27:41.26
'From going to
and fro on the earth,
00:27:41.29\00:27:43.53
and from walking up
and back and forth on it.'
00:27:43.56\00:27:46.56
Then the Lord said to Satan,
00:27:46.59\00:27:47.93
'Have you
considered My servant Job,
00:27:47.96\00:27:50.37
that there is none
like him on the earth,
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.47
a blameless and upright man,
00:27:52.50\00:27:54.80
one who fears
God and shuns evil?'"
00:27:54.84\00:27:59.11
Question, did the
devil know about Job?
00:27:59.14\00:28:04.31
Oh, yes, Notice,
"So Satan answered..."
00:28:04.35\00:28:06.41
Verse 9, "And said does
Job fear God for nothing?"
00:28:06.45\00:28:11.59
Have you not made a hedge
00:28:11.62\00:28:13.52
around about him,
around his household,
00:28:13.56\00:28:16.99
and around all that
he has on every side?
00:28:17.03\00:28:21.56
You have blessed
the work of his hands,
00:28:21.60\00:28:23.57
and his possessions
have increased in the land.
00:28:23.60\00:28:27.87
Wow, what a
tremendous testimony.
00:28:27.90\00:28:30.11
But we also understand
that the devil had tried,
00:28:30.14\00:28:34.18
had tried to get into Job.
00:28:34.21\00:28:35.64
You have
protected him on every side.
00:28:35.68\00:28:37.25
It's like he tried this
side, that side, this side,
00:28:37.28\00:28:39.35
that side, this side
and he couldn't get in,
00:28:39.38\00:28:41.18
he couldn't cause
harm and damage to Job.
00:28:41.22\00:28:44.05
And Job was still
faithful, faithful.
00:28:44.09\00:28:47.46
Tempt the Job
and Job was faithful.
00:28:47.49\00:28:50.99
And so what happens...
00:28:51.03\00:28:53.60
How did he know?
00:28:53.63\00:28:54.96
Because he had tried.
00:28:55.00\00:28:56.33
Let's go to, for a moment,
keep your finger in Job 1,
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.87
and we'll go to Psalm 34,
00:28:59.90\00:29:03.41
we'll read two
verses in Psalm 34:7 and 8,
00:29:03.44\00:29:06.51
Psalm 34:7 and 8.
00:29:06.54\00:29:09.58
The Bible says,
00:29:09.61\00:29:10.95
"The angel of the
Lord encamps all around
00:29:10.98\00:29:14.48
those who fear
Him, and delivers them."
00:29:14.52\00:29:17.59
I know this in the
King James Version,
00:29:17.62\00:29:18.95
I'm reading from
the New King James.
00:29:18.99\00:29:20.32
"The angel of the Lord encamps
all around those who fear him,
00:29:20.36\00:29:23.43
and delivers them."
00:29:23.46\00:29:24.79
Verse 8.
00:29:24.83\00:29:26.16
"Oh, taste and see
that the Lord is good,
00:29:26.19\00:29:30.17
blessed is the man
who trusts in Him."
00:29:30.20\00:29:33.87
So what does the Bible
say? That the Lord is good.
00:29:33.90\00:29:38.37
And He sends his angel
00:29:38.41\00:29:39.87
to encamp around all
the saints of the Lord,
00:29:39.91\00:29:44.11
and protects them.
00:29:44.15\00:29:45.58
They may suffer
damage to property,
00:29:45.61\00:29:47.78
but the Lord
protects their life.
00:29:47.82\00:29:50.22
Let's go, let's
continue in Job 1:13.
00:29:50.25\00:29:55.32
I think I skipped a few verses.
00:29:58.93\00:30:01.90
Yes, we continue with
verse 13, we read last verse...
00:30:01.93\00:30:04.67
I think I skipped
somewhere since here.
00:30:07.90\00:30:09.54
Let's go to Job,
we were at verse what?
00:30:09.57\00:30:11.64
Verse 9, so it's Job 1.
00:30:14.64\00:30:18.35
And Job 1, we've
read through verse 9,
00:30:18.38\00:30:20.82
so now we're
gonna read verse 10.
00:30:20.85\00:30:23.18
No, we read 10.
00:30:23.22\00:30:25.02
And so the devil says,
00:30:25.05\00:30:26.86
"But put forth your hand
now and touch all that he has,
00:30:26.89\00:30:32.29
and he will curse
you to your face."
00:30:32.33\00:30:35.26
Job, I mean, the devil
is now challenging God.
00:30:35.30\00:30:40.07
He says, "Put
forth your hand now,
00:30:40.10\00:30:42.17
and touch all that he has,
00:30:42.20\00:30:43.54
and he will curse
you to your face."
00:30:43.57\00:30:45.71
And the Lord said onto Satan,
00:30:45.74\00:30:48.98
"Behold, all that he has
00:30:49.01\00:30:51.15
is in your power
only upon himself,
00:30:51.18\00:30:56.89
put not forth your hand."
00:30:56.92\00:30:58.69
So Satan went forth
from the presence of Lord.
00:30:58.72\00:31:02.59
Satan went forth
from the presence of Lord.
00:31:02.62\00:31:05.06
So Satan now could reach Job,
00:31:05.09\00:31:10.57
but he had orders,
what were the orders?
00:31:10.60\00:31:12.73
Do not touch? Do not touch him.
00:31:12.77\00:31:18.07
Also in other
words, do not kill him.
00:31:18.11\00:31:21.44
Now verse 13,
00:31:21.48\00:31:22.91
"Now there was a day
00:31:22.94\00:31:24.28
when his sons and daughters
were eating and drinking wine
00:31:24.31\00:31:26.72
in their oldest brother's house.
00:31:26.75\00:31:28.78
And a messenger
came to Job, and said,
00:31:28.82\00:31:30.49
'The oxen were plowing,
00:31:30.52\00:31:32.39
and the donkeys
feeding beside them.
00:31:32.42\00:31:34.96
When the Sabeans raided
them, and took them away.
00:31:34.99\00:31:37.89
Indeed, they have
killed the servants
00:31:37.93\00:31:40.06
with the edge of the sword,
00:31:40.10\00:31:41.43
and I alone have
escaped to tell you.'"
00:31:41.46\00:31:45.50
Is that bad
news? That's bad news.
00:31:45.53\00:31:49.67
But I don't know
00:31:49.70\00:31:51.04
if you've ever had
an experience like this
00:31:51.07\00:31:53.34
that sometimes
something happens to you,
00:31:53.38\00:31:55.28
and then sometimes later,
something else happens to you,
00:31:55.31\00:31:57.75
perhaps in the same day,
and you go, another thing.
00:31:57.78\00:32:02.28
It's going from bad to worse.
00:32:02.32\00:32:03.65
But in this scripture,
00:32:03.69\00:32:06.12
we find that while
this man was still speaking,
00:32:06.15\00:32:10.16
according to verse 16,
00:32:10.19\00:32:11.53
while he was still
speaking, another also came,
00:32:11.56\00:32:13.40
and he said,
00:32:13.43\00:32:14.76
"The fire of God
fell from heaven,
00:32:14.80\00:32:17.50
and burned up the sheep,
00:32:17.53\00:32:18.97
and the servants,
and consumed them,
00:32:19.00\00:32:20.97
and I alone have
escaped to tell you."
00:32:21.00\00:32:24.67
Now notice this for a moment.
00:32:24.71\00:32:27.91
His oxen and his
donkeys were taken away,
00:32:27.94\00:32:32.81
and they killed the
servants, so now he...
00:32:32.85\00:32:36.42
His possessions
are being effected,
00:32:36.45\00:32:38.89
and his sheep and his
servants were consumed.
00:32:38.92\00:32:43.26
Now he says, fire from where?
00:32:43.29\00:32:47.10
The servant reported
that it was fire from God.
00:32:47.13\00:32:50.77
Was it lightning?
00:32:50.80\00:32:52.13
The Bible doesn't
tell us what it was.
00:32:52.17\00:32:53.80
But it appeared to him
that it came from the sky,
00:32:53.84\00:32:56.50
so he's saying it was from God.
00:32:56.54\00:32:58.84
Who do we know
caused this destruction?
00:32:58.87\00:33:01.94
The devil.
00:33:01.98\00:33:03.38
The devil caused
this destruction,
00:33:03.41\00:33:05.98
and so that's the
curtain being pushed aside
00:33:06.01\00:33:09.48
so that we understand
who is doing the destroying.
00:33:09.52\00:33:12.49
Verse 17,
00:33:12.52\00:33:13.86
"While he was still speaking,
another also came and said,
00:33:13.89\00:33:17.23
'The Chaldeans
formed three bands,
00:33:17.26\00:33:20.50
raided the camels
and took them away,
00:33:20.53\00:33:22.90
yes, and killed the servants
with the edge of the sword,
00:33:22.93\00:33:25.97
and I alone have
escaped to tell you.'
00:33:26.00\00:33:29.94
While he was still speaking,
another also came and said,
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.67
'Your sons and daughters
were eating and drinking wine
00:33:32.71\00:33:35.38
in their oldest brother's house,
00:33:35.41\00:33:37.11
and suddenly a great wind
came from across the wilderness,
00:33:37.15\00:33:40.78
and struck the four
corners of the house,
00:33:40.82\00:33:42.95
and it fell on the
young man, and they are dead,
00:33:42.98\00:33:46.39
and I alone have
escaped to tell you.'"
00:33:46.42\00:33:50.26
Horrible, horrible news.
00:33:50.29\00:33:53.13
One after another
in quick successions,
00:33:53.16\00:33:56.77
while one is speaking,
00:33:56.80\00:33:58.13
another one comes with bad news.
00:33:58.17\00:34:00.17
And it says...
00:34:00.20\00:34:01.97
What kind?
00:34:02.00\00:34:03.74
A wind came from the wilderness.
00:34:03.77\00:34:06.11
Some natural disaster occurred.
00:34:06.14\00:34:08.74
And so I say these things to you
00:34:08.78\00:34:11.85
so that you understand,
00:34:11.88\00:34:13.21
so that we understand
00:34:13.25\00:34:14.82
that the devil is allowed
from time to time control
00:34:14.85\00:34:20.16
over the natural
elements of the earth.
00:34:20.19\00:34:22.72
In this case, we heard a
fire coming down from the sky,
00:34:22.76\00:34:26.09
it may have been lighting,
00:34:26.13\00:34:28.33
and the Lord allowed him
00:34:28.36\00:34:30.33
to have control
over these elements.
00:34:30.37\00:34:32.30
The Lord also allowed him
00:34:32.33\00:34:33.67
to have control over
the wind at that time,
00:34:33.70\00:34:36.74
and it caused the house
to fall on Job's children
00:34:36.77\00:34:40.48
and killed them.
00:34:40.51\00:34:42.91
So today, when you
think about natural disasters,
00:34:42.94\00:34:46.48
please understand
00:34:46.51\00:34:48.02
that just because I
say natural disaster
00:34:48.05\00:34:51.35
that you would
blame God for this.
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.42
We have to understand
00:34:53.46\00:34:54.79
that the devil
is allowed sometimes
00:34:54.82\00:34:57.83
to cause natural catastrophes.
00:34:57.86\00:35:01.46
And there is an understanding
00:35:01.50\00:35:04.17
that we need to have
before this hour is over,
00:35:04.20\00:35:06.27
and you need to stand by
so that we understand this.
00:35:06.30\00:35:08.97
"Then Job arose,"
verse 20, "tore his robe,
00:35:09.00\00:35:12.24
and shaved his head,
and he fell to the ground,
00:35:12.27\00:35:15.34
and worshiped.
00:35:15.38\00:35:16.71
And he said, Naked I
came from my mother's womb,
00:35:16.75\00:35:19.91
and naked shall I return there."
00:35:19.95\00:35:24.82
So we see that
00:35:24.85\00:35:26.55
the devil
caused great suffering,
00:35:26.59\00:35:29.59
lost his possessions,
00:35:29.62\00:35:31.19
lost including his
home, including his children,
00:35:31.23\00:35:35.56
and all the flock of
sheep that he had, etcetera.
00:35:35.60\00:35:40.80
If you continue reading in Job,
00:35:40.84\00:35:42.17
you will also know
00:35:42.20\00:35:43.54
that eventually
the Lord gave him,
00:35:43.57\00:35:45.21
allowed him to touch
Job with physical ailment,
00:35:45.24\00:35:50.95
and the
description is horrendous.
00:35:50.98\00:35:53.72
Sores all over his body,
00:35:53.75\00:35:55.38
he couldn't
even sit comfortably,
00:35:55.42\00:35:57.22
suffered greatly
that even friends,
00:35:57.25\00:35:59.95
when they came to see Job,
00:35:59.99\00:36:01.72
they were so
shocked at his appearance
00:36:01.76\00:36:04.53
that they couldn't say
a word for several days.
00:36:04.56\00:36:08.26
That's how bad it was.
00:36:08.30\00:36:10.30
And Job remained
faithful to the Lord.
00:36:10.33\00:36:12.80
And so in verse
21, it ends with,
00:36:12.83\00:36:15.10
"The Lord gave and
the Lord has taken away.
00:36:15.14\00:36:18.14
Blessed be the
name of the Lord."
00:36:18.17\00:36:20.14
Verse 22,
00:36:20.18\00:36:21.51
"In all this Job did not
sin nor charge God with wrong."
00:36:21.54\00:36:26.38
Praise the Lord.
00:36:26.41\00:36:28.28
And so when you think of
tornadoes and destruction,
00:36:28.32\00:36:33.12
please understand
that the devil is involved.
00:36:33.15\00:36:38.39
I'd like to
invite you to Luke 13.
00:36:38.43\00:36:43.43
Luke 13.
00:36:43.47\00:36:46.53
In Luke 13,
00:36:46.57\00:36:49.77
we have another scripture
00:36:49.80\00:36:51.57
that helps us to understand
00:36:51.61\00:36:54.94
the wickedness of the
devil and the damage he causes.
00:36:54.98\00:36:59.91
And we understand
00:36:59.95\00:37:02.72
that he uses
people, he uses people.
00:37:02.75\00:37:07.56
This man that we
mentioned about Las Vegas,
00:37:07.59\00:37:09.76
I have asked myself,
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.13
if this man was demon possessed,
00:37:11.16\00:37:12.99
they have found no
reason, no notes, nothing
00:37:13.03\00:37:16.36
about him that they can
say, oh, he was not well,
00:37:16.40\00:37:19.03
he was mentally
deranged or something.
00:37:19.07\00:37:22.27
But as I consider the killings
and police shooting people,
00:37:22.30\00:37:27.31
people shooting police.
00:37:27.34\00:37:29.04
In Chicago, every
week is a tale of murders,
00:37:29.08\00:37:35.35
it's horrendous.
00:37:35.38\00:37:37.02
Chicago is one of the
highest crime rate in the world.
00:37:37.05\00:37:42.89
And according to what I heard,
00:37:42.92\00:37:44.99
they have one of the
strictest gun control
00:37:45.03\00:37:47.80
and yet
00:37:47.83\00:37:49.16
there is a lot of shootings
and people being killed.
00:37:49.20\00:37:52.57
Luke 13, notice,
beginning verse 1,
00:37:52.60\00:37:57.41
"There were
present at that season some
00:37:57.44\00:38:00.58
who told him,"
00:38:00.61\00:38:01.94
that is Jesus,
"about the Galileans,
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.75
whose blood Pilate had
mingled with their sacrifices.
00:38:03.78\00:38:07.75
And Jesus
answered and said to them,
00:38:07.78\00:38:09.95
"Do you suppose
that these Galileans
00:38:09.98\00:38:12.19
were worse sinners than
all the other Galileans,
00:38:12.22\00:38:16.29
because they
suffered such things?
00:38:16.32\00:38:18.76
I tell you, no.
00:38:18.79\00:38:22.36
But unless you repent,
you will all likewise perish.
00:38:22.40\00:38:27.04
Or those eighteen,
00:38:27.07\00:38:28.40
on whom the tower in
Siloam fell and killed them,
00:38:28.44\00:38:31.11
do you think they
were worse sinners
00:38:31.14\00:38:33.01
than all other men
who dwelt in Jerusalem?"
00:38:33.04\00:38:36.64
I tell you what, no,
00:38:36.68\00:38:38.51
they were not worse sinners
00:38:38.55\00:38:39.88
than the people
that dwell in Jerusalem,
00:38:39.91\00:38:41.25
Jesus is telling them.
00:38:41.28\00:38:42.62
"But unless you repent,
you will all likewise perish."
00:38:42.65\00:38:47.59
So what is Jesus trying to say?
00:38:47.62\00:38:49.49
Jesus is trying to
say that just because
00:38:49.52\00:38:52.53
you hear about calamity,
00:38:52.56\00:38:54.23
let's say Houston,
00:38:54.26\00:38:55.60
let's say Puerto
Rico, Dominica, Barbuda,
00:38:55.63\00:39:00.94
and all these other places
where there is destruction.
00:39:00.97\00:39:04.07
It does not mean that
00:39:04.11\00:39:05.44
they were worse
sinners than we are,
00:39:05.47\00:39:08.68
worse sinners
than in Thompsonville,
00:39:08.71\00:39:10.65
West Frankfurt, Benton, Chicago
00:39:10.68\00:39:13.88
because if we
analyze these things
00:39:13.92\00:39:16.12
the way they should be.
00:39:16.15\00:39:17.69
The Bible says in
Romans 3:23, what does it say?
00:39:17.72\00:39:22.56
"For all have sinned,
00:39:22.59\00:39:24.26
and come short of
the glory of God."
00:39:24.29\00:39:26.93
If all have sinned,
00:39:26.96\00:39:28.30
and come short
of the glory of God,
00:39:28.33\00:39:29.96
the whole world
deserves to be punished.
00:39:30.00\00:39:32.83
Is that true? Yes or no?
00:39:32.87\00:39:34.40
The whole world
deserves to be punished.
00:39:34.44\00:39:36.40
But yet God is
merciful, God is kind,
00:39:36.44\00:39:40.81
and does not want any to perish,
00:39:40.84\00:39:43.24
but that all
should come to repentance.
00:39:43.28\00:39:46.15
But we ask ourselves,
what do these things mean?
00:39:46.18\00:39:50.39
I would like to
bring to your attention,
00:39:50.42\00:39:53.46
the people of Israel.
00:39:53.49\00:39:54.92
God told the people of Israel,
00:39:54.96\00:39:56.83
you can read in
beginning at Exodus,
00:39:56.86\00:39:58.79
Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy,
00:39:58.83\00:40:00.86
and you read how God
promised and did great things.
00:40:00.90\00:40:04.37
You will plant,
00:40:04.40\00:40:05.83
and they will
reap a great harvest.
00:40:05.87\00:40:09.24
Your wives will bear children,
00:40:09.27\00:40:11.24
there will be no
diseases among you,
00:40:11.27\00:40:13.11
many wonderful blessings.
00:40:13.14\00:40:15.14
And the Lord warned them.
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.51
If you walk away and
start doing wickedness,
00:40:16.54\00:40:21.18
then you will
begin to face trouble.
00:40:21.22\00:40:24.72
And you will be taken captives,
you will become slaves.
00:40:24.75\00:40:28.42
And you can read
the story of Israel,
00:40:28.46\00:40:30.23
and when you get
to the Book of Judges,
00:40:30.26\00:40:33.80
you already began to see
00:40:33.83\00:40:35.33
that God sent one
judge after another
00:40:35.36\00:40:39.57
and then you read about kings,
00:40:39.60\00:40:41.84
and the different
kings that come in,
00:40:41.87\00:40:43.51
and it's almost like every king
00:40:43.54\00:40:45.17
that came in was
worse than the other.
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.98
And he did more evil
than all the kings before him
00:40:47.01\00:40:49.98
and provoked God's anger.
00:40:50.01\00:40:52.48
And so now I bring you
to the Book of Ezekiel 39,
00:40:52.51\00:40:56.42
in the Book of Ezekiel 39,
00:40:56.45\00:40:58.62
God reveals something to
us that we need to understand.
00:40:58.65\00:41:02.92
In Ezekiel 39:23
and verse 23 says,
00:41:02.96\00:41:08.20
"And the nations shall know
00:41:08.23\00:41:11.23
that the house of Israel
00:41:11.27\00:41:13.20
was exiled for their iniquity
because they sinned against Me,
00:41:13.23\00:41:19.17
therefore I hid
My face from them,
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.74
and gave them into
the hand of their enemies,
00:41:21.78\00:41:24.81
so they all fell by the sword."
00:41:24.85\00:41:27.78
Notice verse 24,
00:41:27.82\00:41:29.25
"According to their uncleanness
00:41:29.28\00:41:30.89
and according to their
sins, I have done to them,
00:41:30.92\00:41:35.16
and have hidden
My face from them."
00:41:35.19\00:41:38.39
So what is going on here
with the people of Israel?
00:41:38.43\00:41:41.70
Please understand that
prior to the Lord allowing them
00:41:41.73\00:41:46.87
to be taken captive, the
Lord sent prophet, judges,
00:41:46.90\00:41:51.74
people to warn
them return to the Lord.
00:41:51.77\00:41:54.58
You read of Jeremiah,
00:41:54.61\00:41:55.94
return to the
Lord, return to the Lord.
00:41:55.98\00:41:58.55
Do the right thing,
00:41:58.58\00:41:59.91
put away the evil
from before my face,
00:41:59.95\00:42:02.75
put away the evil from before me
00:42:02.78\00:42:04.95
and lock in righteousness
00:42:04.99\00:42:07.46
and they continued to do
evil, continued to do evil.
00:42:07.49\00:42:10.43
So the time comes when
God says, this is enough.
00:42:10.46\00:42:14.46
Now I'm going to allow you
00:42:14.50\00:42:16.33
to reap what you have sown.
00:42:16.36\00:42:21.54
And so here we
have revealed to us
00:42:21.57\00:42:23.97
that the Lord allowed
00:42:24.01\00:42:25.34
the people of
Israel to be taken away
00:42:25.37\00:42:27.54
to exile and to suffer.
00:42:27.58\00:42:29.64
Why?
00:42:29.68\00:42:31.01
Because basically,
according to their sins,
00:42:31.05\00:42:34.62
that's the way the
Lord did unto them.
00:42:34.65\00:42:36.89
In other words,
God stepped back,
00:42:36.92\00:42:40.02
removed the hedge of protection,
00:42:40.06\00:42:42.72
and then they were suffering
because of their iniquity.
00:42:42.76\00:42:48.63
And so what does God do?
00:42:48.66\00:42:50.57
God warns
before He takes action.
00:42:50.60\00:42:53.54
And so when you
look at these fires
00:42:53.57\00:42:55.67
that suddenly came upon people,
00:42:55.70\00:42:57.84
hurricanes that
suddenly came upon people,
00:42:57.87\00:43:00.38
earthquakes that
suddenly came upon people.
00:43:00.41\00:43:02.84
We then even mentioned Mexico
00:43:02.88\00:43:05.35
that over 200 people
died in an earthquake,
00:43:05.38\00:43:11.02
and practically buried
alive many in a building.
00:43:11.05\00:43:14.89
We have to ask
ourselves, did God do this?
00:43:14.92\00:43:18.89
Or did the devil do this?
00:43:18.93\00:43:21.36
I have some
things to share with you
00:43:21.40\00:43:24.27
that we need to understand.
00:43:24.30\00:43:25.63
First, all have sinned
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.44
and fall short
of the glory of God.
00:43:27.47\00:43:29.67
So we all
deserve to be punished.
00:43:29.70\00:43:33.91
How many of you think
you deserve to be punished,
00:43:33.94\00:43:35.28
would you raise your hand?
00:43:35.31\00:43:36.64
Wow!
00:43:36.68\00:43:38.01
Just about everyone
raised their hand over here,
00:43:38.05\00:43:39.41
and perhaps, at
home, you may also agree.
00:43:39.45\00:43:41.48
I would say to you
00:43:41.52\00:43:42.85
that God has been kind
to each and every one of us.
00:43:42.88\00:43:45.52
I would like to ask you
to join me in Lamentations 3.
00:43:45.55\00:43:51.29
In the Book of Lamentations 3,
00:43:51.33\00:43:53.40
we have some
scriptures that open to us
00:43:53.43\00:43:57.60
an understanding of
God's wonderful mercy.
00:43:57.63\00:44:01.60
Lamentations 3:22 and 23.
00:44:01.64\00:44:04.61
If you found then say amen.
00:44:04.64\00:44:06.64
Amen, we read.
00:44:06.68\00:44:08.01
It says that,
00:44:08.04\00:44:09.38
''It is through the Lord's mercy
00:44:09.41\00:44:11.41
that we are not consumed
00:44:11.45\00:44:14.22
because His
compassions fail not.
00:44:14.25\00:44:17.49
They are new every morning,
great is your faithfulness."
00:44:17.52\00:44:23.36
Great is thy faithfulness,
says in the King James.
00:44:23.39\00:44:26.39
So the Bible says that is
00:44:26.43\00:44:27.96
because of God's great
mercy that we are not consumed.
00:44:28.00\00:44:34.90
God has been merciful to
each and every one of us.
00:44:34.94\00:44:38.17
And then if you look at
these natural disasters,
00:44:38.21\00:44:41.34
we have to ask
ourselves what is going on?
00:44:41.38\00:44:43.81
And I would like to read to you
00:44:43.85\00:44:46.65
something that I've
found that helps us understand
00:44:46.68\00:44:50.02
what is going on.
00:44:50.05\00:44:51.85
It says in
Testimonies for the Church.
00:44:51.89\00:44:55.46
This is written
by Ellen G. White,
00:44:55.49\00:44:57.66
volume 6, 408.
00:44:57.69\00:45:00.70
The condition...
00:45:00.73\00:45:02.93
Let me backup
before I read this.
00:45:02.96\00:45:04.40
The condition of this world,
00:45:04.43\00:45:08.00
Jesus warned us
00:45:08.04\00:45:09.37
that it would
become as the days of Noah.
00:45:09.40\00:45:14.61
Perhaps, we should
read this in Matthew 24.
00:45:14.64\00:45:17.98
Let's go ahead and
read this in Matthew 24.
00:45:18.01\00:45:21.35
And so we can paint the picture,
00:45:21.38\00:45:26.25
the true picture
of what things are.
00:45:26.29\00:45:28.46
Basically, if you
were able to bring video
00:45:28.49\00:45:32.46
or have video of
what was going on
00:45:32.49\00:45:35.33
during the time of Noah,
00:45:35.36\00:45:37.33
and then if you compare
it to what is going on now,
00:45:37.37\00:45:42.30
we are practically
in the same condition,
00:45:42.34\00:45:45.31
practically in
the same condition.
00:45:45.34\00:45:47.14
And even if you were to
be able to pile up the sins
00:45:47.18\00:45:50.68
that were going
on in those days,
00:45:50.71\00:45:52.11
the Bible says that the sins...
00:45:52.15\00:45:54.42
The thoughts of
man's hearts were, what?
00:45:54.45\00:45:56.85
Evil, continually.
00:45:56.89\00:45:59.12
And in today's
society, we are reaching,
00:45:59.15\00:46:02.86
practically
reaching that level of sin.
00:46:02.89\00:46:06.63
And so there in Luke,
00:46:06.66\00:46:11.97
I mean, Matthew 24, Matthew 24,
00:46:12.00\00:46:17.27
beginning in verse 37.
00:46:17.31\00:46:19.51
Matthew 24:37,
00:46:19.54\00:46:22.84
"But as the days of Noah were,
00:46:22.88\00:46:27.65
so shall also at the
coming of the Son of man be.
00:46:27.68\00:46:31.52
For as in the days
that were before the flood
00:46:31.55\00:46:34.36
they were eating and drinking,
00:46:34.39\00:46:36.22
marrying and giving in marriage,
00:46:36.26\00:46:38.13
until the day
00:46:38.16\00:46:39.49
that Noah entered into the ark."
00:46:39.53\00:46:41.76
We'll stop there for a moment.
00:46:41.80\00:46:43.40
So question, is it wrong to eat?
00:46:43.43\00:46:48.24
No, it's okay to eat.
00:46:48.27\00:46:49.84
It's okay to eat,
00:46:49.87\00:46:51.21
but they were
doing it to excess.
00:46:51.24\00:46:53.27
Is it wrong to drink?
00:46:53.31\00:46:54.64
Well, in this case,
we have to ask ourselves,
00:46:54.68\00:46:57.21
Christians should not drink
00:46:57.25\00:46:58.58
wine or liquor
or any such thing.
00:46:58.61\00:47:00.35
The Bible says
that wine is a mocker,
00:47:00.38\00:47:03.25
strong drink is raging.
00:47:03.28\00:47:04.75
And fool is the man,
00:47:04.79\00:47:06.12
fool is the man
that is deceived thereby.
00:47:06.15\00:47:08.92
This is talking
about drinking things
00:47:08.96\00:47:11.03
to excess to begin with.
00:47:11.06\00:47:12.99
So they were going
to excess in the things
00:47:13.03\00:47:15.40
that they were doing.
00:47:15.43\00:47:16.77
Is it wrong to marry?
00:47:16.80\00:47:19.43
No.
00:47:19.47\00:47:20.80
The Bible says,
00:47:20.84\00:47:22.17
that a man shall
leave his mother and father,
00:47:22.20\00:47:23.54
should be joined onto his wife,
00:47:23.57\00:47:24.91
and the two
shall become one flesh,
00:47:24.94\00:47:26.27
but they were
doing this to excess.
00:47:26.31\00:47:28.04
In today's time,
00:47:28.08\00:47:29.48
people are doing
this to excess again.
00:47:29.51\00:47:31.71
"And giving in marriage
00:47:31.75\00:47:33.08
until the day that
Noah entered into the ark,
00:47:33.11\00:47:34.88
and knew not
until the flood came
00:47:34.92\00:47:36.85
and took them all away,
00:47:36.89\00:47:38.22
so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be."
00:47:38.25\00:47:41.52
And so we have a warning
00:47:41.56\00:47:44.29
that the conditions of the world
00:47:44.33\00:47:46.09
would reach such a level of sin,
00:47:46.13\00:47:49.36
just like the days of Noah.
00:47:49.40\00:47:52.87
Are you seeing
widespread wickedness?
00:47:52.90\00:47:55.34
You read the newspapers
and you hear of horrible crimes
00:47:55.37\00:47:58.64
being done by people.
00:47:58.67\00:48:00.01
We have not even mentioned
which I will mention now
00:48:00.04\00:48:02.48
that people appear
to be out of control.
00:48:02.51\00:48:06.51
Almost every year,
00:48:06.55\00:48:07.88
you hear of two, three,
or more young man or person
00:48:07.92\00:48:12.62
that goes into school
00:48:12.65\00:48:14.39
and begins to
shoot different people
00:48:14.42\00:48:17.56
with practically no explanation,
00:48:17.59\00:48:19.49
and sometimes kill themselves.
00:48:19.53\00:48:22.13
And we heard of
people going into churches,
00:48:22.16\00:48:24.50
killing other people, and
horrible, horrible crimes.
00:48:24.53\00:48:29.40
Fathers against children,
mothers against children,
00:48:29.44\00:48:32.17
children against their fathers,
00:48:32.21\00:48:33.74
the world is mounting up
00:48:33.78\00:48:36.31
the amount of
wickedness they are doing.
00:48:36.34\00:48:38.51
And so having this,
00:48:38.55\00:48:41.78
this as a foundation,
00:48:41.82\00:48:44.95
let's read Testimonies
for the Church, 6, 408,
00:48:44.99\00:48:50.53
it says,
00:48:50.56\00:48:52.03
"The restraining Spirit of God
00:48:52.06\00:48:56.60
is even now being
withdrawn from the world.
00:48:56.63\00:49:00.50
Hurricanes, storms,
tempests, fire and flood,
00:49:00.54\00:49:06.21
disasters by sea and land,
00:49:06.24\00:49:08.51
follow each other
in quick succession."
00:49:08.54\00:49:11.98
Has this been happening? Yes.
00:49:12.01\00:49:14.55
Science seeks to
explain all these.
00:49:14.58\00:49:18.39
The signs thickening around us,
00:49:18.42\00:49:20.16
tell us of the near
approach of the Son of God,
00:49:20.19\00:49:24.89
are attributed to any
other than the true cause.
00:49:24.93\00:49:29.46
Men cannot discern
00:49:29.50\00:49:30.97
the sentinel angels
restraining the four winds
00:49:31.00\00:49:34.67
that they shall not blow
00:49:34.70\00:49:36.40
until the
servants of God are sealed,
00:49:36.44\00:49:39.11
but when God shall bid
his angels loose the winds,
00:49:39.14\00:49:43.24
there shall be
00:49:43.28\00:49:44.61
such a scene of
strife as no pen can picture.
00:49:44.65\00:49:49.02
So we see here
that I submit to you
00:49:49.05\00:49:52.75
that we're living in a time
00:49:52.79\00:49:55.39
because of the
increase of sin in the world
00:49:55.42\00:49:58.73
that God is
beginning to step back,
00:49:58.76\00:50:02.73
and the devil is being allowed
00:50:02.76\00:50:04.80
to do more and more destruction.
00:50:04.83\00:50:07.64
God steps back and the devil
is allowed to do destruction.
00:50:07.67\00:50:13.74
Question, does it mean...
00:50:13.78\00:50:15.34
Like I said
before that the places
00:50:15.38\00:50:17.98
where
destruction is taking place
00:50:18.01\00:50:19.35
that they're more
sinners than this little town?
00:50:19.38\00:50:22.08
No.
00:50:22.12\00:50:24.89
These things are
happening as a warning to us,
00:50:24.92\00:50:28.99
to let us know that
Jesus is coming soon,
00:50:29.02\00:50:31.69
to let us know
that it is high-time
00:50:31.73\00:50:34.43
to awake out of sleep,
00:50:34.46\00:50:36.20
repent and seek the
Lord with all of your heart.
00:50:36.23\00:50:40.64
If you believe
that, would you say amen?
00:50:40.67\00:50:42.17
Amen. Amen.
00:50:42.20\00:50:43.67
I would like to read to
you, again, from the book,
00:50:43.71\00:50:45.54
Great Controversy,
00:50:45.57\00:50:47.28
well, first time from
the Great Controversy,
00:50:47.31\00:50:48.74
the other one's from
Testimonies to the Church,
00:50:48.78\00:50:51.41
volume 6, page 408.
00:50:51.45\00:50:54.02
And for those of you
that want to write that down.
00:50:54.05\00:50:56.38
Talking about the devil,
00:50:56.42\00:50:58.29
it says the following,
in Great Controversy, 589,
00:50:58.32\00:51:02.32
paragraph 3,
00:51:02.36\00:51:04.06
"Even now he's at
work," talking about the devil.
00:51:04.09\00:51:07.56
"In accidents,
00:51:07.60\00:51:09.53
in calamities
by sea and by land,
00:51:09.56\00:51:13.47
in great conflagrations,"
00:51:13.50\00:51:18.51
what's a conflagration?
00:51:18.54\00:51:20.51
It's a fire,
intense fire that destroys.
00:51:20.54\00:51:23.78
So let me start again,
"Even now he's at work.
00:51:23.81\00:51:25.85
In accidents,
calamities by sea and by land,
00:51:25.88\00:51:28.18
in great conflagrations,
00:51:28.22\00:51:30.35
in fierce tornadoes
and terrific hailstorms,
00:51:30.39\00:51:34.29
in tempests, floods, cyclones,
00:51:34.32\00:51:38.09
tidal waves, and earthquakes,
00:51:38.13\00:51:40.20
in every place
in a thousand forms,
00:51:40.23\00:51:44.17
Satan is exercising his power."
00:51:44.20\00:51:47.80
When? Even now.
00:51:47.84\00:51:50.14
"He sweeps away
the ripening harvests,
00:51:50.17\00:51:53.27
and famine and distress follow.
00:51:53.31\00:51:55.44
He imparts to the
air a deadly taint,
00:51:55.48\00:51:59.25
and thousands
perish by the pestilence.
00:51:59.28\00:52:02.62
These visitations are to become
00:52:02.65\00:52:05.12
more and more
frequent and disastrous.
00:52:05.15\00:52:08.42
Destruction will be
upon man and beast."
00:52:08.46\00:52:12.86
Great
Controversy, 589, paragraph 3.
00:52:12.89\00:52:16.83
And so I say to you
that the devil has...
00:52:16.87\00:52:23.14
is allowed to
control the elements.
00:52:23.17\00:52:26.37
And so be not surprised
that he can cause a cyclone,
00:52:26.41\00:52:30.61
a hurricane, and earthquake.
00:52:30.65\00:52:34.45
And so I say to you, it
is time to awake from sleep,
00:52:34.48\00:52:40.22
it is time to repent and seek
the Lord while he can be found.
00:52:40.26\00:52:45.33
I would like to read
to you from John 16:33,
00:52:45.36\00:52:50.33
John 16:33.
00:52:50.37\00:52:53.07
It is time for God's people
00:52:53.10\00:52:54.44
to preach the
good news of salvation
00:52:54.47\00:52:56.81
that God is loved
00:52:56.84\00:52:58.17
and he's offering to a world
00:52:58.21\00:52:59.61
the opportunity to be saved
00:52:59.64\00:53:01.24
and find
salvation in Jesus Christ.
00:53:01.28\00:53:03.98
But when all
these things happen,
00:53:04.01\00:53:05.78
what are we to do?
00:53:05.81\00:53:07.15
What if we are found in an
area where there is flooding,
00:53:07.18\00:53:10.09
where there is an earthquake,
00:53:10.12\00:53:11.69
where you see people
that need water, need food?
00:53:11.72\00:53:14.66
What are we to do?
00:53:14.69\00:53:16.66
Are we to say,
00:53:16.69\00:53:18.03
you deserve what you're getting,
00:53:18.06\00:53:19.53
or should we try
to relieve suffering?
00:53:19.56\00:53:22.80
What would Jesus do?
00:53:22.83\00:53:24.67
Let's look John 16:33,
00:53:24.70\00:53:27.97
because we need
to also understand
00:53:28.00\00:53:30.07
that we will
face difficult times.
00:53:30.11\00:53:32.84
"These things I
have spoken to you
00:53:32.87\00:53:35.14
that in Me you may have peace.
00:53:35.18\00:53:38.45
In the world you
will have tribulation,
00:53:38.48\00:53:41.25
but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world."
00:53:41.28\00:53:45.32
Praise the Lord.
00:53:45.35\00:53:46.69
And because Jesus
has overcome the world,
00:53:46.72\00:53:49.62
we can take hope and
courage in that He that said,
00:53:49.66\00:53:55.43
"I will come again,
00:53:55.46\00:53:56.87
and receive you unto myself
00:53:56.90\00:53:59.00
that where I am
there you may be also."
00:53:59.03\00:54:02.04
We can take courage
and accept His peace.
00:54:02.07\00:54:08.21
He says that he
speaks these things unto you,
00:54:08.24\00:54:10.31
shares these things with
us that we may have peace.
00:54:10.35\00:54:13.15
Notice, there in Romans 8:28,
00:54:13.18\00:54:16.58
if you encounter
any type of suffering
00:54:16.62\00:54:20.56
than take courage in
knowing that God may allow this,
00:54:20.59\00:54:24.69
just like He allowed
things to happen to Job.
00:54:24.73\00:54:28.33
If you look at Joseph, was it a,
00:54:28.36\00:54:31.70
what you call a walk
in the park for Joseph?
00:54:31.73\00:54:35.44
Or did he go
through difficult times?
00:54:35.47\00:54:38.01
And if the Lord
allows trials and problems
00:54:38.04\00:54:41.14
to come to you,
00:54:41.18\00:54:42.51
is because He sees
00:54:42.54\00:54:44.61
that something needs
00:54:44.65\00:54:46.25
to be developed
in our character,
00:54:46.28\00:54:47.85
He sees that
00:54:47.88\00:54:49.22
there is work
for us to understand
00:54:49.25\00:54:51.95
that we must
change certain things.
00:54:51.99\00:54:54.09
If you face a trial,
00:54:54.12\00:54:56.42
it is but an opportunity
00:54:56.46\00:54:58.39
to grow in grace and in faith.
00:54:58.43\00:55:02.66
So Romans 8:28,
00:55:02.70\00:55:04.77
this scripture has given
me a lot of hope and it says,
00:55:04.80\00:55:07.04
"And we know
00:55:07.07\00:55:08.40
that all things work
together for good to those
00:55:08.44\00:55:12.51
who love God,
00:55:12.54\00:55:13.88
to those who are the called
according to His purpose."
00:55:13.91\00:55:17.41
Amen.
00:55:17.45\00:55:18.78
So I've been
through difficult things
00:55:18.81\00:55:20.15
in my life
00:55:20.18\00:55:21.52
and this scripture
has given me courage.
00:55:21.55\00:55:23.79
And sometimes, I don't know
what good is being worked out,
00:55:23.82\00:55:27.89
but if I trust in the Lord,
00:55:27.92\00:55:29.56
I know that He
will work it to my good,
00:55:29.59\00:55:31.99
even if I don't
understand it in this world.
00:55:32.03\00:55:34.56
Matthew 5:16,
00:55:34.60\00:55:36.56
we talked about
00:55:36.60\00:55:37.93
what should you
do if you're in...
00:55:37.97\00:55:40.17
See somebody going
through some suffering?
00:55:40.20\00:55:42.57
Matthew 5:16
helps us to understand
00:55:42.60\00:55:46.27
that what we need to do.
00:55:46.31\00:55:49.04
"Let your light
so shine before men,
00:55:49.08\00:55:52.05
that they may see your good work
00:55:52.08\00:55:53.98
and glorify your
Father in heaven."
00:55:54.02\00:55:57.22
So I say to you,
00:55:57.25\00:55:58.92
when you see somebody in
need is but an opportunity
00:55:58.95\00:56:02.86
to share the love
of Jesus with them
00:56:02.89\00:56:06.09
and to lead them to Jesus,
00:56:06.13\00:56:07.50
to let them know
00:56:07.53\00:56:08.86
that God is not
willing that any should perish,
00:56:08.90\00:56:11.10
but that all come to repentance.
00:56:11.13\00:56:12.73
And that they can have peace
and salvation in Jesus Christ.
00:56:12.77\00:56:16.91
We have time to
read one more scripture,
00:56:16.94\00:56:18.87
and that is found in
Matthew 11:28 through 30.
00:56:18.91\00:56:22.68
And some of you may know
either all of it or part of it,
00:56:22.71\00:56:25.95
and I read to you
Matthew 11:28 through 30.
00:56:25.98\00:56:29.18
Jesus said, "Come to Me,
00:56:29.22\00:56:31.55
all you who labor
and are heavy laden,
00:56:31.59\00:56:35.12
and I will give you rest.
00:56:35.16\00:56:37.79
Take My yoke upon
you and learn from Me,
00:56:37.83\00:56:40.90
for I am gentle
and lowly in heart,
00:56:40.93\00:56:43.63
and you will find
rest for your souls.
00:56:43.67\00:56:46.03
For My yoke is easy
and My burden is light."
00:56:46.07\00:56:50.94
I praise the Lord that
this invitation of Jesus
00:56:50.97\00:56:54.61
is still available for us today.
00:56:54.64\00:56:57.28
He says to me, He says to you,
00:56:57.31\00:57:00.18
come unto me
00:57:00.22\00:57:01.55
if you're weary and heavy laden.
00:57:01.58\00:57:03.45
If you don't have peace,
00:57:03.49\00:57:04.95
Jesus invites
you to come to Him,
00:57:04.99\00:57:06.89
and He will give you rest.
00:57:06.92\00:57:09.42
And when you have rest in Jesus,
00:57:09.46\00:57:11.73
you have true rest.
00:57:11.76\00:57:14.26
So I invite you all to
accept the invitation of Jesus.
00:57:14.30\00:57:18.07
How many are willing to
accept the invitation of Jesus,
00:57:18.10\00:57:20.50
accept His rest,
00:57:20.54\00:57:22.00
accept for Him to
take your burdens,
00:57:22.04\00:57:24.94
accept for Him to
take your sorrows,
00:57:24.97\00:57:27.11
your sufferings, your needs,
00:57:27.14\00:57:29.61
and so that He
can give you rest?
00:57:29.64\00:57:31.85
God promises to be with us,
00:57:31.88\00:57:34.02
God promises to help us
00:57:34.05\00:57:36.25
in whatever
conflict we may face.
00:57:36.28\00:57:38.29
And again, I say to you,
00:57:38.32\00:57:39.99
the calamities and the crime
00:57:40.02\00:57:41.89
that we face in this
world are telling us the signs
00:57:41.92\00:57:46.39
that the Lord Jesus
Christ is coming soon.
00:57:46.43\00:57:49.26
So I hope that as you
consider these things,
00:57:49.30\00:57:51.03
by no means, this
is a complete study.
00:57:51.07\00:57:53.50
I encourage you to
continue studying this topic
00:57:53.54\00:57:55.70
so that you may
understand that God is good.
00:57:55.74\00:57:59.07
Or taste and see
that the Lord is good.
00:57:59.11\00:58:02.44