Music...
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Hello and welcome to our
Wednesday night Bible Study
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here at the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Thank you so much for
taking the time to tune in
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as we continue our
study on prophets...
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what the Bible says
about true and false prophets
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and the gifts of the Spirit
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so all you need tonight
to follow along is the Bible
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and just in a few moments
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we'll tell you where to
download a copy of the lesson,
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but we'd like to
welcome you with a hearty "Amen"
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can we all say, "Amen. "
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Audience: Amen.
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And wherever
you're joining us from,
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we know that this is
going to be a blessing
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when we ask for
the Lord's guidance
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and for the Holy
Spirit to be our teacher,
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so, right now,
before we do anything else,
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let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
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"Loving Father in heaven,
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we thank you so much for
your goodness and your mercy
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and surely for your grace,
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we pray that you will
guide our minds tonight
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as we open your Word,
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we pray that
you'll be our teacher...
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such a vitally important
topic as the prophets...
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the true and the false...
the gifts of the Spirit...
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we pray that tonight
you'll just give us wisdom
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and not only understanding
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but also a
determined heart to serve you,
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we pray in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Now we're in lesson number 41
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and if you'd like
to get a copy of that,
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go to the following
website, ASF.3ABN.org
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download lesson number 41,
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maybe you've done that before,
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but there are
additional questions added to it
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and the copy that you download
should have 23 questions.
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Make sure each of you has that,
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you should have 23 questions.
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Now, we always sing our theme
song before we go into our Study
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and our theme song
is, "Victory in Jesus"
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join us as we sing
that song together.
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Music...
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I heard an old, old story,
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How the Savior came from glory
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me,
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I heard about His groaning,
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Of his precious blood's atoning,
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Then I repented of my sins,
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And won the victory.
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O victory in Jesus,
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My Savior, forever.
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood,
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He loved me ere I knew Him,
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And all my love is due Him,
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood.
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory.
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea;
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About the angels singing,
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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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O victory in Jesus,
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My Savior forever.
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood;
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He loved me ere I knew Him,
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And all my love is due Him,
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood.
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Amen.
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Tonight's topic is,
"The Gifts of the Spirit"
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what is that? Say it with me...
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The Gifts of the Spirit.
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Now, before we get to the gifts,
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what we're doing
first is we're outlining
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how to understand and know
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whether or not a person
is a true prophet of God.
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We've been covering
that from week to week
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but what I wanted to
start with you tonight is
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a couple of passages that
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in the beginning of the
lesson we went to this verse,
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I'm going to point
to Amos 3 and verse 7,
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if you have your
Bibles, turn there with me.
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Amos 3 and verse 7,
there is an assurance text,
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this is not just
an assurance text,
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but this is an insurance text
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because the Lord makes a
promise that we can hold on to
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in Amos 3 and verse 7
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and the very first word
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really brings the
point home very clearly.
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Notice the very first word.
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What's the first word in
Amos 3 and verse 7, what is it?
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"Surely... surely the
Lord God does nothing,
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unless He reveals His secret
to His servants the prophets. "
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So, the Bible says, if
God's going to do anything,
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who is He going to reveal it to?
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His servants the prophets.
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Is He going to do
anything unless they know?
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No... He'll know first and
then He'll inform them next
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before He does anything
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so anything that
happens... God knows it
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then He reveals it to
His servants the prophets
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then it happens.
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It will never happen
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unless He reveals it to
His servants the prophets.
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That's an assurance
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and for that very reason,
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I want you to now turn
to the book of 1st Kings
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for that very reason
Satan always seeks to misguide
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or to preempt... whenever
God is at work with His prophet
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and He sends prophets
that are not sent by God
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to try to preempt the work that
God's prophet is going to do.
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Now, I'm turning to
1st Kings chapter 13.
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This is a very interesting story
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and it could be
simply summarized...
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"The Sin of the Prophet"
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is the way that it's summarized.
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Now, 1st Kings chapter 13
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begins with the word in
verse 1 or the phrase...
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"And behold, a man of
God went from Judah to Bethel
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by the word of the LORD,
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and Jeroboam stood by
the altar to burn incense.
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When you go down
throughout the story
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it begins to point out
that the one who was sent...
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God sent His prophet
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to communicate a
particular message.
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so we're going to
go down to verse 7.
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The king's name is
mentioned clearly... Jeroboam
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but now we go down to verse 7,
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"Then the king
said to the man of God,
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'Come home with me
and refresh yourself
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and I will give you a reward. '"
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You see, the man of God
communicated to the king
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what He needed to know
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and the king wanted to
reward the prophet of God
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but God told Him not
to go home with anyone
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and notice what he said,
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Verse 8: But the man
of God said to the king,
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"If you were to
give me half your house,
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I would not go in with you;
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nor would I eat bread nor
drink water in this place. "
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Verse 9, "For so
it was commanded me
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by the word of the...
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by the word of the LORD,
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'You shall not eat
bread, nor drink water,
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nor return by the
same way you came. '"
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So... it says in verse 10...
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"So he went another way
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and did not return by
the way he came to Bethel. "
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So the Lord sent His
prophet and the Lord said,
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"Don't go back the same way"
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because He said...
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the reason why... the
Lord sees before we see.
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Amen.
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He sees what's ahead of us
before we see what's ahead of us
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so the Lord said, we're
in 1st Kings chapter 13,
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so the Lord said to
the... to the man of God...
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the one he gave the
message to the king through,
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He said, "When you go
back, don't eat with anybody,
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don't go to their
house, don't sit with them,
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don't drink water with them
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and by-the-way, to stay
safe, go a different way. "
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Let's follow the
story showing you how...
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showing you how Satan seeks
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to preempt the work
of the prophet of God.
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Verse 11, "Now an old
prophet dwelt in Bethel,
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and his sons came and
told him all the works
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that the man of God had done"
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so you have a prophet...
then you have the man of God...
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now this old prophet...
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he is old and he is a...
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go ahead, say it
Yani... Yani: Prophet.
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He is old and he's a prophet
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but watch... not
everyone that's called a prophet
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is a prophet of God.
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Pause.
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And he says in verse 11,
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"Now an old
prophet dwelt in Bethel,
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and his sons came and
told him all the works
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that the man of God had
done that day in Bethel. "
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Bethel means,
"The house of God. "
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"They also told their father
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the words which
he spoke to the king.
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And their father said to
them, 'Which way did he go?'"
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He didn't go back
the same way he went:
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"For his sons had seen
which way the man of God went
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who came from Judah.
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Then he said to his sons,
'Saddle the donkey for me. '
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So they saddled
the donkey for him;
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and he rode on it, and
went after the man of God
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and found him
sitting under an oak. "
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Notice, a prophet
went after the man of God,
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Satan comes after those
who are doing God's work,
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He went after the man of God.
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Look at this, and it says:
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Found him sitting under an oak.
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Then he said to him,
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"Are you the man of
God who came from Judah?"
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And he said, "I am. "
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Then he said to him,
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"Come home with
me and eat bread. "
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And he said, "I cannot"
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because the
Lord told him not to.
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"I cannot return with
you nor go in with you;
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neither can I eat bread
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nor drink water
with you in this place.
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For I have been told
by the word of the LORD,
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'You shall not eat
bread nor drink water there,
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nor return by going
the way you came. '"
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Here's the point I
want to just bring up
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before we read
the very next verse,
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if someone comes along and
says... they are a prophet,
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but they are not
a prophet of God,
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the prophet of God should have
no association with him at all.
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Did you get that?
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The person that speaks for God
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should have no
association at all
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with the person that
does not speak for God
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even though he may
call himself a prophet.
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That's a lot...
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and you'll see how this
fits into the lesson tonight
00:11:38.46\00:11:41.80
but look at the key verse,
this is where Satan comes in
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verse 18: He said to him...
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that is the old prophet...
said to the man of God,
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"I too am a prophet"
or... I am a prophet also
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"I too am a prophet as you are"
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and here's
where the lie came in,
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"And an angel spoke to
me by the word of the LORD,
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saying, 'Bring him
back with you to your home,
00:12:05.32\00:12:07.82
that he may eat
bread and drink water. '"
00:12:07.86\00:12:10.33
But he... what?
00:12:10.36\00:12:11.76
but he lied to
him and look at this,
00:12:11.79\00:12:15.26
"So he went back with him,
and ate bread in his house,
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and drank water. "
00:12:19.37\00:12:20.70
Now, there's a particular
point I'm going to emphasize
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by reading the story
because today you'll see
00:12:22.74\00:12:25.84
how... how
relevant this is for today.
00:12:25.87\00:12:28.58
Now it happened... in verse
20: As they sat at the table,
00:12:28.61\00:12:32.81
that the word of the
LORD came to the prophet
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who had brought him back;
00:12:35.38\00:12:36.72
and he cried out
to the man of God
00:12:36.75\00:12:40.16
who came from Judah, saying,
00:12:40.19\00:12:41.89
"Thus says the LORD:
00:12:41.92\00:12:43.49
'Because you have
disobeyed the word of the Lord,
00:12:43.53\00:12:45.76
and have not
kept the commandment
00:12:45.79\00:12:48.00
which the LORD
your God commanded you,
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but you came back, ate bread,
00:12:50.27\00:12:52.53
and drank water in the place
of which the LORD said to you,
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"Eat no bread
and drink no water,"
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your corpse shall not come
to the tomb of your fathers. '"
00:12:58.97\00:13:02.28
So it was, after he had eaten
bread and after he had drunk,
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that he saddled
the donkey for him,
00:13:05.65\00:13:07.52
the prophet whom
he had brought back.
00:13:07.55\00:13:09.38
So when he was gone, a
lion met him on the road
00:13:09.42\00:13:13.42
and killed him.
00:13:13.46\00:13:14.79
And his corpse was
thrown on the road,
00:13:14.82\00:13:16.86
and the donkey stood by it.
00:13:16.93\00:13:18.49
The lion also
stood by the corpse.
00:13:18.53\00:13:20.73
And there, men passed by and saw
the corpse thrown on the road
00:13:20.76\00:13:25.80
and the lion
standing by the corpse.
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.27
Then they went and
told it in the city
00:13:28.30\00:13:30.71
where the old prophet dwelt.
00:13:30.77\00:13:32.21
So when the prophet who had
brought him back from the way
00:13:32.24\00:13:36.01
heard it, he said,
"It's the man of God
00:13:36.04\00:13:38.25
who was disobedient
to the word of the LORD.
00:13:38.28\00:13:40.42
Therefore the LORD has
delivered him to the lion,
00:13:40.45\00:13:43.12
which has torn
him and killed him,
00:13:43.15\00:13:44.92
according to
the word of the LORD
00:13:44.95\00:13:46.69
which He spoke to him. "
00:13:46.72\00:13:48.06
This is a very... a
very chilling story...
00:13:48.09\00:13:51.29
because the
chilling aspect of it is,
00:13:51.33\00:13:53.90
God had a prophet who He said,
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.93
"Go tell the king
what you need to tell him
00:13:56.97\00:13:59.27
and when you go back,
no matter who needs you
00:13:59.30\00:14:01.57
along the way, don't stop... "
00:14:01.60\00:14:02.94
but somebody
comes along and says,
00:14:02.97\00:14:04.94
"I'm a prophet too. "
00:14:04.97\00:14:06.31
And today you have
that going on in the world.
00:14:06.34\00:14:08.94
There are many
people... there are many...
00:14:08.98\00:14:11.15
so, let's go to the question now
00:14:11.18\00:14:12.78
because this lays the
foundation perfectly...
00:14:12.81\00:14:15.05
this lays the
foundation perfectly
00:14:15.08\00:14:17.55
for Question Number 14.
00:14:17.59\00:14:20.46
When the Lord
gives you a message
00:14:20.49\00:14:23.26
and He says, "Don't stop
and ask anybody anything,
00:14:23.29\00:14:27.63
don't even go back
the same way you came... "
00:14:27.66\00:14:29.86
He says, "Don't have
association with anybody
00:14:29.93\00:14:32.10
because I'm not sending anybody"
00:14:32.13\00:14:33.64
but somebody comes along
and says, "I'm a prophet also"
00:14:33.70\00:14:36.71
and I think that's how the
King James Version says it,
00:14:36.74\00:14:39.71
"I am a prophet
also... I too am a prophet... "
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.64
be careful and
here's the reason,
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.55
Jesus, I believe...
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.72
because He is
the One who knows...
00:14:46.75\00:14:49.38
the One who gives wisdom...
the One who gives direction...
00:14:49.42\00:14:52.05
the One who has
spoken these things to us,
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.56
look at His warning...
00:14:54.59\00:14:56.09
Question Number 14,
00:14:56.12\00:14:57.56
"What did Jesus warn us about
concerning the last days...
00:14:57.59\00:15:02.86
What did Jesus warn us
about concerning the last days?"
00:15:02.90\00:15:08.90
Notice what He says,
very powerful... Mathew 24:24,
00:15:08.94\00:15:12.87
Matthew 24:24,
that's a chilling story.
00:15:12.94\00:15:16.61
It's a chilling story
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.81
and today in our world
you got schools of prophets,
00:15:18.85\00:15:23.22
you got prophets selling
oil, prophets selling napkins,
00:15:23.25\00:15:27.62
prophets selling
splinters of the cross,
00:15:27.66\00:15:30.23
prophets on television saying,
"If you send them this amount,
00:15:30.26\00:15:33.19
you're going to get
the blessing on the way. "
00:15:33.23\00:15:35.03
False prophets are
all over the place,
00:15:35.06\00:15:38.00
but the man of God
who has measured up
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.94
to the test of a man of God,
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.14
should never have
association with anyone
00:15:44.17\00:15:46.21
who God has not given the
authority to speak for Him.
00:15:46.24\00:15:50.31
Matthew 24:24,
00:15:50.35\00:15:51.81
what did Jesus warn us
about concerning the last days?
00:15:51.88\00:15:54.08
here is the answer, let's
read this first one together.
00:15:54.12\00:15:56.25
It's on the
screen, "For... " what?
00:15:56.28\00:15:58.25
"false Christs and
false prophets will rise
00:15:58.29\00:16:02.92
and show... " what?
00:16:02.96\00:16:04.63
"great signs and wonders
00:16:04.66\00:16:06.26
to deceive, if
possible, even the elect. "
00:16:06.29\00:16:10.27
Now I want to
bring this passage out
00:16:10.30\00:16:11.93
because it didn't say
the elect will be deceived
00:16:11.97\00:16:14.00
but it says, "If possible... "
00:16:14.04\00:16:15.90
which means, are the
signs going to be amazing?
00:16:15.94\00:16:18.84
Oh yeah, you can't...
00:16:18.87\00:16:20.44
you know, you can't trust...
00:16:20.48\00:16:21.81
you can't trust
the sleight of hand...
00:16:21.84\00:16:24.48
today they give them a new word,
they wall them illusionists.
00:16:24.51\00:16:27.38
I remember, you
know, the illusionists...
00:16:27.42\00:16:29.82
they have so many famous ones,
00:16:29.85\00:16:31.19
I don't want to
even remember the name
00:16:31.22\00:16:32.85
but years ago...
David Copperfield
00:16:32.89\00:16:34.52
and... David Copperfield...
a very well-known one,
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.39
and you know you
have Edgar Cayce,
00:16:37.43\00:16:39.49
you have so many other prophets
that claimed to have that gift,
00:16:39.53\00:16:42.20
but in fact, they
were lying prophets,
00:16:42.23\00:16:44.60
we're going to
point that out also,
00:16:44.63\00:16:46.94
because sometimes, a
prophet will say something
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.91
and portions of
it will come to pass
00:16:50.94\00:16:53.27
and they'll say,
"See there, I'm a prophet"
00:16:53.31\00:16:55.81
and if you look at
the story we just read,
00:16:55.84\00:16:58.31
you'll notice
that the old prophet
00:16:58.35\00:17:00.58
that lied to the man of God...
00:17:00.62\00:17:03.59
the Lord used His
mouth to tell the man of God
00:17:03.62\00:17:08.56
that he had
gone the wrong way...
00:17:08.59\00:17:11.19
in the very same
way, check this out,
00:17:11.23\00:17:13.56
in the very
same way that Saul...
00:17:13.60\00:17:15.56
when he went to
the Witch of Endor
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.53
and she brought up
this conjured spirit
00:17:17.57\00:17:21.20
that looked like Samuel,
00:17:21.24\00:17:23.10
he spoke to Saul... and warned
him what the Lord had said
00:17:23.14\00:17:27.71
pause
00:17:27.74\00:17:31.55
which says to me,
00:17:31.58\00:17:32.91
the Lord can
communicate through trees,
00:17:32.95\00:17:35.32
He can communicate through
a donkey... didn't He do that?
00:17:35.35\00:17:38.59
Balaam's donkey...
00:17:38.62\00:17:40.19
can you imagine,
Balaam was a prophet of God
00:17:40.22\00:17:43.43
and Balaam...
going awry for money
00:17:43.46\00:17:46.13
was... was propositioned to
curse the children of Israel
00:17:46.16\00:17:49.46
but he couldn't curse them
00:17:49.50\00:17:50.83
and on his way
to do his evil deed,
00:17:50.87\00:17:53.30
the Lord started
talking to him through a donkey
00:17:53.34\00:17:55.80
and the donkey...
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.24
wouldn't that get your attention
if your donkey starts talking?
00:17:57.27\00:17:59.31
He starts talking to
him through an animal
00:17:59.37\00:18:01.58
and he doesn't pay
attention to the animal
00:18:01.61\00:18:03.78
and the animals says,
00:18:03.81\00:18:05.41
"What have I done to you
wrong that you keep hitting me?"
00:18:05.45\00:18:08.22
So the question is,
which prophet was dumber?
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.52
Which one was dumb...
the animal or the prophet?
00:18:10.55\00:18:13.92
The prophet was
00:18:13.96\00:18:15.76
but notice what it says,
00:18:15.79\00:18:18.33
so here's the
answer, "What warning...
00:18:18.36\00:18:21.20
what did Jesus warn us
about concerning the last days?"
00:18:21.23\00:18:23.73
False prophets...
00:18:23.77\00:18:26.50
and they'll show
what kind of signs?
00:18:26.53\00:18:28.60
Great signs and wonders
to deceive if possible...
00:18:28.64\00:18:33.07
now the reason why they won't
or cannot deceive the elect
00:18:33.11\00:18:36.58
is because the elect
00:18:36.61\00:18:38.21
are shielded by the
truth of God's Word...
00:18:38.25\00:18:41.38
the elect are shielded
by the truth of God's Word
00:18:41.42\00:18:44.75
so if someone comes along...
let me give you an example.
00:18:44.79\00:18:48.09
We're going to
go now to a very...
00:18:48.12\00:18:50.26
and there are some
that we read before...
00:18:50.33\00:18:52.19
so I'm just going to quote
them off the top of my head,
00:18:52.26\00:18:54.16
Isaiah 8 and verse
20, the Bible says,
00:18:54.20\00:18:57.00
"To the law and
to the testimony:
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.37
if they do not speak
according to this word,
00:18:58.40\00:19:00.60
it is because there
is... " how much light in them?
00:19:00.64\00:19:03.20
"there is no
light in them at all. "
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.14
So if somebody comes
along and says, "I'm a prophet"
00:19:05.17\00:19:07.68
you got to simply
ask the first question,
00:19:07.71\00:19:09.61
"Do you honor the
commandments of God?"
00:19:09.64\00:19:11.48
"Well, uh... some of them...
00:19:11.51\00:19:13.82
they've been
nailed to the cross...
00:19:13.85\00:19:15.18
well they're...
they're just for the Jews. "
00:19:15.22\00:19:16.55
When you start modifying
that and turning away...
00:19:16.58\00:19:18.95
you say, "Sorry, see ya... "
00:19:19.02\00:19:20.76
because the
Lord made that clear.
00:19:20.79\00:19:23.19
"To the law and
to the testimony... "
00:19:23.22\00:19:25.53
and wouldn't Satan focus
on distorting God's message
00:19:25.59\00:19:31.60
when he knows as
Amos 3 verse 7 says,
00:19:31.63\00:19:34.10
he knows that
before God does something,
00:19:34.14\00:19:36.57
He's going to
let his prophet know
00:19:36.60\00:19:38.87
to warn His
people before it happens
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.98
and that's how you see the
pattern all through the Bible.
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.65
God... before He
allows anything to come...
00:19:43.68\00:19:46.65
any calamity or any
blessing or any direction,
00:19:46.68\00:19:49.55
He tells His prophet first
then they tell the people of God
00:19:49.58\00:19:52.92
and they know
that when it happens,
00:19:52.95\00:19:54.86
God has spoken.
00:19:54.89\00:19:56.42
Now, the next two questions...
so write that down...
00:19:56.46\00:19:59.23
great signs...
00:19:59.26\00:20:00.60
and don't forget...
it says, "if possible. "
00:20:00.63\00:20:03.53
What phrase did I
just say? "If possible... "
00:20:03.57\00:20:06.37
that means, it's not possible
but it's going to be so close
00:20:06.40\00:20:10.14
that unless you check out what
a person does... by God's Word,
00:20:10.17\00:20:13.88
you could be deceived
00:20:13.91\00:20:15.24
because people
could twist stuff.
00:20:15.28\00:20:16.91
They'll say phrases
like this and this is the...
00:20:16.95\00:20:19.11
this is the closest
twist you get in the Bible.
00:20:19.15\00:20:21.25
"To be absent from the body is
to be present with the Lord. "
00:20:21.28\00:20:25.55
That's not in Scripture.
00:20:25.59\00:20:27.19
It says, "I would
rather be absent from the body
00:20:27.22\00:20:30.69
and be present with the Lord. "
00:20:30.73\00:20:32.06
So, they're going to say,
00:20:32.09\00:20:33.43
"To be absent from
the body is to be... "
00:20:33.46\00:20:35.50
that's not in Scriptures
00:20:35.53\00:20:36.87
and the devil also
came to Christ and says,
00:20:36.90\00:20:38.67
"Cast yourself down... He will
give His angels charge over you"
00:20:38.70\00:20:43.67
he said that to Jesus
00:20:43.71\00:20:45.11
and he left out the
middle of the verse,
00:20:45.14\00:20:47.84
"He'll keep you
in all your ways. "
00:20:47.88\00:20:50.48
So, the devil can
quote Scripture also,
00:20:50.51\00:20:53.11
he leaves out the key components
00:20:53.15\00:20:54.68
that will prevent
you from being deceived
00:20:54.72\00:20:56.92
but he couldn't deceive Jesus
because He is the Word, amen.
00:20:56.95\00:20:59.95
Couldn't deceive
Jesus, so, when you see this,
00:21:00.02\00:21:02.79
false Christs and
false prophets will arise...
00:21:02.82\00:21:05.63
as a matter of fact, go
with me to Revelation 13,
00:21:05.66\00:21:08.40
I want to just give you a...
a follow-up Scripture on this,
00:21:08.46\00:21:11.90
Revelation chapter 13 because
we're living in the day and age
00:21:11.93\00:21:15.30
where we haven't
seen anything yet...
00:21:15.37\00:21:18.21
we haven't seen anything yet.
00:21:18.24\00:21:20.68
Satan is going to
come with great power...
00:21:20.71\00:21:23.48
great signs... great wonders...
00:21:23.51\00:21:25.88
and the world is
going to be deceived by it.
00:21:25.91\00:21:29.95
Okay, look at Revelation
chapter 13, all right,
00:21:29.98\00:21:34.06
pause
00:21:34.09\00:21:36.16
speaking of this Power to come,
00:21:36.19\00:21:37.66
verse 13, it says,
00:21:37.69\00:21:42.56
"He performs... "
what kinds of signs?
00:21:42.60\00:21:46.70
"great signs,
00:21:46.74\00:21:48.47
so that he even makes fire come
down from heaven on the earth
00:21:48.50\00:21:53.34
in the sight of men. "
00:21:53.38\00:21:54.71
Can you remember two
other examples in Scripture
00:21:54.74\00:21:57.25
where fire came down
from heaven as a response...
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.98
as a sign that God sent it?
00:22:00.02\00:22:01.95
Two key ones.
00:22:01.98\00:22:03.42
Mount Carmel... that's right,
in response to Elisha's prayer
00:22:03.45\00:22:07.49
and what was the
other one, very key...
00:22:07.52\00:22:09.49
the day of Pentecost,
the day of Pentecost...
00:22:09.52\00:22:14.63
cloven tongues as of fire...
00:22:14.66\00:22:16.50
it was the sign of the
Holy Spirit coming down.
00:22:16.53\00:22:19.13
So, all of a sudden, you
have now the devil saying,
00:22:19.17\00:22:21.70
"Well, God brought down fire
00:22:21.77\00:22:23.67
and destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:22:23.71\00:22:25.51
He brought down fire
00:22:25.54\00:22:26.88
and destroyed
Jerusalem for disobedience,
00:22:26.91\00:22:29.34
He brought down fire on the
day of Pentecost in response,
00:22:29.38\00:22:32.45
He brought down fire in
response to Elisha's prayer,
00:22:32.48\00:22:35.92
let me do the same thing,
it says, "He brings down...
00:22:35.95\00:22:39.72
he even makes fire come
down from heaven on the earth
00:22:39.75\00:22:43.02
in the sight of men. "
00:22:43.09\00:22:44.43
and look at verse
14, and he does what?
00:22:44.46\00:22:46.93
"and he deceives those
who dwell on the earth. "
00:22:47.00\00:22:52.07
That's the earth... that's
the world he's talking about,
00:22:52.10\00:22:54.37
not just the...
not just a local area.
00:22:54.40\00:22:56.34
"... by those signs
which he was granted to do
00:22:56.37\00:23:00.11
in the sight of the beast... "
00:23:00.14\00:23:01.74
and then what
happened as a result?
00:23:01.78\00:23:04.48
"Telling those who
dwell on the earth,
00:23:04.51\00:23:07.22
to make an image to the beast
00:23:07.25\00:23:09.08
who was wounded by
the sword and did live. "
00:23:09.12\00:23:11.52
And you see this...
00:23:11.55\00:23:12.95
and I just...
very candid with you,
00:23:13.02\00:23:14.39
these... these
signs are going to happen
00:23:14.42\00:23:16.99
here in the United States.
00:23:17.03\00:23:18.59
Satan appearing as Christ...
00:23:18.63\00:23:20.10
uniting the world
together under false signs
00:23:20.16\00:23:23.06
that he's going to be
given the power to do...
00:23:23.10\00:23:26.00
that he's going to
be allowed to do...
00:23:26.03\00:23:27.44
and then pointing
people back to the first beast
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.37
of Revelation chapter 13...
00:23:30.41\00:23:33.31
the risen healed
power of the kingdom of Rome
00:23:33.34\00:23:39.68
which right now... if you
look at the hierarchy of Rome,
00:23:39.71\00:23:43.32
there's no power on earth
with such great power as them
00:23:43.39\00:23:46.35
although they've been going
through their recent scandals,
00:23:46.39\00:23:50.59
their power still stays... as
far as dignitary and politics.
00:23:50.63\00:23:54.83
Let's go to...
now... Question Number 15.
00:23:54.86\00:23:57.70
This is a fascinating...
this is a fascinating example
00:23:57.73\00:24:01.24
of what we just talked about
00:24:01.27\00:24:02.90
why you have to be
really, really careful
00:24:02.94\00:24:05.67
because if the devil's going
to show great signs and wonders,
00:24:05.71\00:24:09.18
he's going to try to bring the
false... so close to the true
00:24:09.21\00:24:12.68
that it will be hard...
except by the Word of God
00:24:12.71\00:24:16.32
to tell the difference.
00:24:16.35\00:24:17.69
It will be very difficult
except by the Word of God
00:24:17.72\00:24:19.99
to tell the difference.
00:24:20.02\00:24:22.22
Now... okay, here I am...
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.39
pause
00:24:24.43\00:24:26.09
okay, now here's the
question, Number 15, here it is,
00:24:26.13\00:24:28.46
"Why are signs and miracles
unreliable in following God...
00:24:28.50\00:24:34.00
why are signs and miracles
unreliable in following God?"
00:24:34.04\00:24:39.51
And as you go
to Deuteronomy now,
00:24:39.54\00:24:40.94
we're going to go to
Deuteronomy chapter 13,
00:24:40.98\00:24:43.65
and this question
extends into two questions...
00:24:43.68\00:24:46.31
these answers extend
to the two questions.
00:24:46.35\00:24:49.08
"Why are signs and
miracles unreliable?"
00:24:49.15\00:24:51.85
Okay, here it is,
00:24:51.89\00:24:54.06
let's start with verses 1
and 2 of Deuteronomy chapter 13,
00:24:54.09\00:24:59.43
it says: "If there arises among
you a prophet or a... " what?
00:24:59.46\00:25:04.77
"dreamer of dreams,
00:25:04.80\00:25:07.27
and he gives you a
sign or a wonder... "
00:25:07.34\00:25:10.41
and watch this...
00:25:10.44\00:25:12.04
"and the sign or the
wonder comes to pass,
00:25:12.07\00:25:16.04
of which he spoke to you saying,
00:25:16.08\00:25:19.78
'Let us go after other gods...
which you have not known...
00:25:19.81\00:25:24.05
and let us serve them... '"
00:25:24.09\00:25:25.42
let's go on...
that's what happened...
00:25:25.45\00:25:28.72
so notice what he's doing...
00:25:28.79\00:25:30.13
he's... he's
making... let's pause...
00:25:30.16\00:25:31.89
because we're going to go to
verse 3 and 4 in just a moment,
00:25:31.93\00:25:33.90
the first thing he does
is... let's look at the answer,
00:25:33.93\00:25:38.03
"Why are signs and miracles
unreliable in following God?"
00:25:38.07\00:25:42.17
somebody tell me...
00:25:42.20\00:25:44.11
I don't often open up
but somebody tell me... why?
00:25:44.14\00:25:46.51
Pause.
00:25:46.54\00:25:48.88
Okay, I'll answer it,
00:25:48.91\00:25:50.78
because somebody might
perform a sign or a miracle
00:25:50.81\00:25:53.75
to get you to
serve a different God.
00:25:53.78\00:25:56.38
That's what he
says, he might say,
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.99
"Let us go after other
gods which you have not known
00:25:59.02\00:26:02.16
and which you have not served"
00:26:02.19\00:26:03.53
and he'll give you
a sign and he'll say,
00:26:03.56\00:26:05.89
"Okay, if you think that
signs and wonders and miracles
00:26:05.93\00:26:08.26
is an evidence of a true God,
00:26:08.30\00:26:09.63
here is a sign...
here is a dream...
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.27
it happened... so,
let's go follow this god"
00:26:11.30\00:26:14.84
pause
00:26:14.87\00:26:16.37
and you might
say, "Well, it is true,
00:26:16.40\00:26:18.27
you did tell me and
it did come to pass,
00:26:18.31\00:26:20.08
so, therefore, maybe I
should follow another god. "
00:26:20.11\00:26:23.18
but that's not... that's
not the end of the story,
00:26:23.24\00:26:26.28
so, write the
answer down, here it is.
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.28
"Why are signs and miracles
unreliable in following God?"
00:26:28.32\00:26:31.82
It's an attempt...
it could be an attempt
00:26:31.85\00:26:35.46
to get you to be...
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.23
an attempt to create an
allegiance with a different god
00:26:37.26\00:26:41.56
and you'll see that
as the story unfolds...
00:26:41.60\00:26:44.43
this is very powerful
00:26:44.47\00:26:45.80
because there are people...
00:26:45.83\00:26:47.27
I remember we were in
Hawaii a number of years ago...
00:26:47.30\00:26:50.31
oh... a long time ago...
00:26:50.34\00:26:52.24
so long ago... it was before you
needed ID to get on the plane.
00:26:52.27\00:26:56.58
That's a long
time ago... in the '90s
00:26:56.61\00:27:01.35
and the reason why
this is amazing is because
00:27:01.38\00:27:03.45
we were going to Hawaii
00:27:03.49\00:27:04.82
pause
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.19
and we went to a
church on Sabbath
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.02
really, really
close to the beach
00:27:08.06\00:27:09.56
so there were
some people that said,
00:27:09.62\00:27:11.09
"Hey, come go walk
down to the beach with us"
00:27:11.13\00:27:13.56
and we walked... and it
was such a beautiful area,
00:27:13.60\00:27:15.30
we looked at the sand
00:27:15.33\00:27:16.67
and this was a side of the
island we had never seen before
00:27:16.70\00:27:18.67
and they said... so
we had a small car...
00:27:18.70\00:27:22.04
we parked and it was
in visual sight of us
00:27:22.07\00:27:25.97
and we had...
00:27:26.01\00:27:27.88
our wallets in the
trunk, Angie had her purse...
00:27:27.91\00:27:30.68
I had... whatever I had, I
think I put it in her purse,
00:27:30.71\00:27:33.08
whatever... it was
in the bag in the trunk
00:27:33.11\00:27:36.15
and we went back and
when we got to the hotel,
00:27:36.18\00:27:38.85
we opened the trunk
and there was her bag...
00:27:38.89\00:27:41.62
her wallet was
gone, my wallet was gone,
00:27:41.69\00:27:44.39
I mean, gone...
00:27:44.46\00:27:46.93
and I thought, "This is crazy"
00:27:46.96\00:27:51.27
and thankfully, it
was before you needed ID,
00:27:51.30\00:27:55.24
all you needed was a ticket,
00:27:55.30\00:27:56.64
so, that was back then, if
you... any of you older now,
00:27:56.67\00:27:59.27
if you
remember, you buy a ticket
00:27:59.31\00:28:00.78
but you won't
use the "return" part
00:28:00.81\00:28:02.21
and you would sell it to
somebody if they wanted it,
00:28:02.24\00:28:04.25
remember that,
anybody ever did that?
00:28:04.28\00:28:05.75
well, that was back in the
day, but you can do that now
00:28:05.78\00:28:08.45
so, I made a funny
little video on the bed...
00:28:08.48\00:28:12.22
"My wallet is stolen,
it's all gone, I feel horrible"
00:28:12.25\00:28:14.39
and we found out later
on, that while we were...
00:28:14.42\00:28:17.73
and the car was locked...
00:28:17.76\00:28:19.13
in the short time it
took us to walk just like...
00:28:19.16\00:28:22.10
maybe from here to the kitchen
00:28:22.13\00:28:23.80
for those of you
who know how far that is
00:28:23.83\00:28:25.73
and turned around and
walked back to the car,
00:28:25.77\00:28:27.67
they had broken into the car,
00:28:27.70\00:28:29.24
popped the trunk...
closed it without us hearing
00:28:29.30\00:28:31.81
took what they
wanted and just left,
00:28:31.84\00:28:33.84
pause
00:28:33.88\00:28:36.01
but that's just half the story,
00:28:36.04\00:28:38.11
a few days earlier
while we were in the room
00:28:38.15\00:28:41.75
just thumbing
through the channels,
00:28:41.78\00:28:45.69
we came to show that we
thought was quite innocuous
00:28:45.72\00:28:48.62
and unthreatening,
it was David Copperfield
00:28:48.66\00:28:51.59
and David Copperfield...
he's an illusionist
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.53
and he makes airplanes disappear
00:28:54.56\00:28:56.30
and cows show up
in milkshake bottles
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.07
and all kinds of strange stuff
00:28:59.10\00:29:02.04
so, here we are... he shows...
00:29:02.07\00:29:04.21
he says, "Hey, for those of you
that are watching this Program,
00:29:04.24\00:29:07.11
I'd like you to participate
in this next puzzle. "
00:29:07.14\00:29:09.38
I said, "Angie, turn
that off... turn that off...
00:29:09.41\00:29:11.85
that's the devil trying
to put... turn that off.
00:29:11.88\00:29:14.32
she said, "I'm
a participate... "
00:29:14.35\00:29:15.98
she said, "Now, it couldn't
really be that bad of a problem"
00:29:16.02\00:29:19.12
I said, "Honey, turn it off. "
00:29:19.15\00:29:20.52
She said, "But how many
other people are participating,
00:29:20.56\00:29:23.66
we... he could not possibly... "
00:29:23.69\00:29:25.29
so he put all these things,
00:29:25.33\00:29:26.66
guess this... guess
this... guess this... guess this
00:29:26.70\00:29:28.03
guess this...
and he eliminate...
00:29:28.06\00:29:29.40
eliminate...
eliminate, eliminate
00:29:29.43\00:29:30.77
and he gets down to
about seven steps later
00:29:30.80\00:29:32.53
and he says, "And the
number you picked was... "
00:29:32.57\00:29:34.54
and she said...
oh yeah, he said,
00:29:34.57\00:29:37.34
"Touch the screen
00:29:37.37\00:29:38.71
and put your hand over
the number you selected"
00:29:38.74\00:29:40.71
and she touched the screen,
00:29:40.74\00:29:42.78
and that was the
number he had selected
00:29:42.81\00:29:45.45
whatever the number was
00:29:45.48\00:29:47.58
and he said,
"That's your number"
00:29:47.62\00:29:49.08
and she went, "Aaahh... "
00:29:49.12\00:29:50.45
she said, "How
could he know that
00:29:50.49\00:29:52.22
because all these other
people are participating
00:29:52.25\00:29:54.36
all over the
world... everybody...
00:29:54.39\00:29:55.72
how can they all have
chosen the number 12?"
00:29:55.76\00:29:57.53
I said, "Honey,
you let the devil in"
00:29:57.56\00:29:59.23
and two days later,
our wallets got stolen
00:29:59.26\00:30:03.43
and I said, "Honey, I... "
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.13
I couldn't help but to say,
00:30:05.17\00:30:06.74
"Now, if you hadn't
let him in our room,
00:30:06.77\00:30:08.34
he wouldn't know what
color our wallets were. "
00:30:08.37\00:30:09.94
Audience: Laughter.
00:30:10.01\00:30:14.01
And thankfully, we
didn't have a lot of stuff,
00:30:14.04\00:30:16.75
we just had a few
credit cards at the time,
00:30:16.78\00:30:19.45
and... but it was still
traumatizing because any...
00:30:19.48\00:30:22.88
come on ladies, if
you lose your wallet,
00:30:22.92\00:30:24.82
is that the end of
life for most of you?
00:30:24.85\00:30:26.72
Pretty close, right?
00:30:26.76\00:30:28.49
Audience: Laughter.
00:30:28.52\00:30:30.19
I had old pictures
that I never got back...
00:30:30.23\00:30:32.03
I had my... you know...
and then, the Bank traced it...
00:30:32.06\00:30:34.33
they used it in gas stations
and different places in Hawaii,
00:30:34.36\00:30:37.07
but we haven't
got back anything,
00:30:37.10\00:30:38.60
and I had a copy of my
Social Security Card in there
00:30:38.63\00:30:41.94
that I always carried around
with me... never got it back,
00:30:41.97\00:30:44.31
that's what happened to it,
I was wondering how I lost it,
00:30:44.34\00:30:46.68
just reminded me...
00:30:46.71\00:30:48.04
but here's the point, this
sign or wonder that came up
00:30:48.08\00:30:51.41
notice what the prophet said...
00:30:51.45\00:30:53.62
notice what the
dreamer... the liar said,
00:30:53.65\00:30:55.88
it came to
pass... and then he says,
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.35
"Now, let us go after other
gods which you have not known
00:30:58.39\00:31:02.56
and let us serve them. "
00:31:02.59\00:31:03.93
Pause.
00:31:03.96\00:31:05.33
So, the reason why
we cannot use miracles
00:31:05.36\00:31:08.16
as an indication that
this person is led by God,
00:31:08.20\00:31:12.37
is because when
they do not measure up,
00:31:12.40\00:31:15.20
because the devil could
perform signs and wonders.
00:31:15.24\00:31:17.57
He could easily do that.
00:31:17.61\00:31:19.51
He did that in Egypt...
00:31:19.54\00:31:21.38
when Moses threw down a
rod, he duplicated that,
00:31:21.41\00:31:25.31
Janness and Jambres resisted
him with a miracle of their own
00:31:25.35\00:31:28.55
and James talks about
that in the book of James.
00:31:28.58\00:31:31.05
They... they resisted the
miracle that God had wrought
00:31:31.09\00:31:34.79
but, let me tell you something,
00:31:34.82\00:31:36.16
God will always
give you ways of knowing
00:31:36.19\00:31:38.96
whether or not this
is a prophet from Him.
00:31:38.99\00:31:41.76
Let's finish it, let's
go to the next two verses.
00:31:41.80\00:31:45.27
Question Number 16, here it is.
00:31:45.30\00:31:47.57
"What are the issues
behind God allowing miracles?"
00:31:47.60\00:31:51.14
Now you go to ask...
very important question...
00:31:51.17\00:31:54.64
"Why would God allow a false
prophet to perform a miracle?"
00:31:54.68\00:31:59.88
Why would He allow it?
00:31:59.91\00:32:02.28
Pause.
00:32:02.32\00:32:03.89
Very important question, right?
00:32:03.95\00:32:05.52
Let's go to the same
chapter verse 3 and 4
00:32:05.55\00:32:07.96
here it is,
00:32:07.99\00:32:11.39
"You shall not listen to
the words of that... " who?
00:32:11.43\00:32:16.40
"prophet or that
dreamer of dreams,
00:32:16.43\00:32:19.77
for the Lord
your God is... " what?
00:32:19.83\00:32:22.70
"testing you to know
00:32:22.74\00:32:26.07
whether you love the Lord
your God with... " how much?
00:32:26.11\00:32:29.61
"all your heart
and with all your soul.
00:32:29.64\00:32:32.61
You shall walk after the
Lord your God and fear Him... "
00:32:32.68\00:32:37.29
and do what?
00:32:37.32\00:32:39.05
"keep His
commandments and obey His voice;
00:32:39.09\00:32:42.12
you shall serve Him
and hold fast to Him. "
00:32:42.16\00:32:45.99
So, when this
prophet comes along,
00:32:46.03\00:32:47.70
you can be sure
that he's not a person
00:32:47.73\00:32:49.16
that honors the
commandments of God
00:32:49.23\00:32:50.60
so the Lord says, "Let
me see if a miracle... "
00:32:50.63\00:32:54.47
this is huge...
00:32:54.50\00:32:55.84
"is a miracle by a
false prophet is enough
00:32:55.87\00:32:59.04
to get my people
away my commandments. "
00:32:59.07\00:33:02.34
Did you get that?
00:33:02.38\00:33:04.21
He says, "If all
it takes is a miracle
00:33:04.25\00:33:07.32
to get you to stop
honoring my commandments,
00:33:07.35\00:33:10.12
then you're
really not grounded. "
00:33:10.15\00:33:12.99
So he allowed the test to come
00:33:13.05\00:33:15.49
and there are many people
today... and I hate to say it
00:33:15.52\00:33:18.39
I know some people that
are even through the years...
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.90
members of our church...
00:33:20.93\00:33:22.26
I know of a... years
ago... a pastor went to a...
00:33:22.30\00:33:25.43
he had a bad disease...
bad leg or something...
00:33:25.47\00:33:28.87
he was praying
like Paul to get healed
00:33:28.90\00:33:31.14
and he wasn't getting healed
00:33:31.17\00:33:32.51
so he went to
this "Miracle Service"
00:33:32.54\00:33:35.61
and he got
healed or so he thought
00:33:35.64\00:33:38.61
and the next week he came
up walking just perfectly fine.
00:33:38.65\00:33:43.18
What he did not know...
00:33:43.22\00:33:44.55
whatever was
happening in his life...
00:33:44.59\00:33:46.45
he was... he was
afflicted by the devil...
00:33:46.49\00:33:49.42
the devil removed it...
00:33:49.46\00:33:50.83
but the Elders
in his church said,
00:33:50.86\00:33:52.86
"Pastor, how
did you get healed?"
00:33:52.89\00:33:54.46
This is an Adventist Pastor...
00:33:54.53\00:33:55.86
"How did this happen?"
00:33:55.90\00:33:57.23
He said, "I went
to a Miracle Service,
00:33:57.27\00:33:58.60
they prayed over me
and the affliction left. "
00:33:58.63\00:34:00.90
He said,
"Pastor, are you willing
00:34:00.94\00:34:03.00
for us to pray over
you and here's our prayer,
00:34:03.04\00:34:06.24
'If this is not
from God, reverse it. '"
00:34:06.27\00:34:09.94
This is a true story,
00:34:09.98\00:34:12.28
"If this is not
from God, reverse it. "
00:34:12.31\00:34:14.88
They prayed over
him and it reversed.
00:34:14.92\00:34:17.42
He was limping around again.
00:34:17.45\00:34:18.95
You know what happened?
00:34:18.99\00:34:21.59
He went to a false prophet
00:34:21.62\00:34:24.13
to get an answer where
God would not answer him.
00:34:24.16\00:34:27.90
Saul did the same thing,
God would not answer Saul
00:34:27.93\00:34:31.47
and Saul went to a witch
00:34:31.53\00:34:33.20
and then
guaranteed that the witch
00:34:33.23\00:34:35.37
would receive God's protection.
00:34:35.40\00:34:37.41
He said, "As long as I live,
00:34:37.44\00:34:39.34
the Lord your God will
not bring any harm to you. "
00:34:39.37\00:34:41.68
He promised a
witch divine protection.
00:34:41.71\00:34:44.71
Pause.
00:34:44.75\00:34:48.18
When you are not obedient
to the commandments of God,
00:34:48.22\00:34:51.52
you'll find yourself
eating at the table of a witch
00:34:51.55\00:34:54.82
because the witch put some
food together for Saul to eat.
00:34:54.86\00:34:58.83
So you got to be careful.
00:34:58.86\00:35:00.83
The commandments of God
is the line of demarcation
00:35:00.86\00:35:03.70
that's going to help you...
that's going to protect you.
00:35:03.73\00:35:06.84
Let's go to Revelation 12:17,
00:35:06.87\00:35:08.30
this is a... this
is an example of it.
00:35:08.37\00:35:10.01
By-the-way, don't go
yet, sorry, don't go yet
00:35:10.04\00:35:13.38
because we didn't finish the
story... it has one more verse,
00:35:13.41\00:35:15.08
one more verse...
00:35:15.11\00:35:16.44
so, what are the issues
behind God allowing miracles?
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.05
What's the issue?
00:35:19.08\00:35:20.42
"You're being tested. "
00:35:20.45\00:35:21.92
Say it again,
Marlina, you're being tested.
00:35:21.95\00:35:24.32
He is... he is
trying to figure out
00:35:24.35\00:35:26.09
what is... what's strong enough
00:35:26.15\00:35:27.82
to get you away from
honoring my commandments
00:35:27.86\00:35:29.82
and there are people that
know the Sabbath is right...
00:35:29.86\00:35:32.63
there are people that understand
the truth of God's Word
00:35:32.66\00:35:35.40
but they'll find
themselves in other places
00:35:35.46\00:35:37.83
trying to get
miracles and trying to get...
00:35:37.87\00:35:40.24
your... your ship is coming in
00:35:40.27\00:35:41.90
and somebody's
going to bless you
00:35:41.94\00:35:43.47
if you put this oil in your lamp
00:35:43.51\00:35:45.04
all these kinds of nonsense
00:35:45.07\00:35:46.41
and they're going to
the false altars of men
00:35:46.44\00:35:48.78
that are not chosen by God
00:35:48.81\00:35:50.21
and some of them
get their answers
00:35:50.25\00:35:52.31
but what happens?
00:35:52.35\00:35:53.68
They walk away from
the commandments of God.
00:35:53.72\00:35:55.78
We had a lady in
one of our churches,
00:35:55.82\00:35:57.45
remember she used to come to
Wednesday night prayer meeting,
00:35:57.49\00:35:59.42
remember in
Fairfield, California.
00:35:59.45\00:36:00.82
She used to come to
Wednesday night Prayer Meeting
00:36:00.86\00:36:02.52
all the time, she
was a faithful lady,
00:36:02.56\00:36:04.06
our Prayer
Meeting used to be full...
00:36:04.09\00:36:06.29
our chapel was full
out on to the hallway,
00:36:06.33\00:36:07.86
she'd come all the
time and she'd say,
00:36:07.90\00:36:09.33
"Pray for me to get a job,
pray for me to get a job...
00:36:09.36\00:36:11.53
pray for me to get a
job... " well, she got a job
00:36:11.57\00:36:14.67
and we didn't see
her for a few weeks
00:36:14.70\00:36:17.87
that is... on Sabbath...
00:36:17.91\00:36:19.27
we said, "Haven't
seen you for a few weeks. "
00:36:19.31\00:36:21.81
She said, "Well, the
Lord answered my prayer. "
00:36:21.84\00:36:24.75
I said, "Well, praise
the Lord, what happened?"
00:36:24.78\00:36:27.62
I got a job working at
such-and-such a company
00:36:27.65\00:36:30.45
but it's on Sabbath. "
00:36:30.49\00:36:31.82
Is the Lord
going to give you a job
00:36:31.85\00:36:34.32
that gets you to
violate the Sabbath, yes or no?
00:36:34.36\00:36:35.96
No...
00:36:36.02\00:36:37.36
I said, "Really?"
00:36:37.39\00:36:38.73
She said, "But I've been praying
the Lord answered my prayer
00:36:38.76\00:36:40.63
and I got this job, it's
a very good-paying job. "
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.13
I said, "But
would the Lord give you
00:36:42.16\00:36:44.87
an answer to
violate His commandments?"
00:36:44.90\00:36:47.54
She wouldn't answer me,
she said, "Well, I was praying
00:36:47.57\00:36:48.90
she said, "Well, I was
praying and I asked Him... "
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.74
let me tell you, the
devil will hear your prayers
00:36:50.77\00:36:52.74
and will bring an
answer to test you
00:36:52.77\00:36:54.48
and the Lord will allow it
00:36:54.51\00:36:55.84
because He knows the
secret issues of our hearts.
00:36:55.88\00:36:57.68
He'll allow that test to come,
00:36:57.71\00:36:59.48
He'll say, "She's not really
dedicated to me, watch this. "
00:36:59.51\00:37:02.35
You know what happened?
00:37:02.38\00:37:04.82
Not only did she accept the job,
00:37:04.85\00:37:06.76
but in about six months,
she was a Lutheran Minister,
00:37:06.82\00:37:10.53
left the church all together
and joined the Lutheran Church
00:37:10.56\00:37:14.46
and compromised
in her head that,
00:37:14.53\00:37:16.56
"At least I'm
still serving God. "
00:37:16.60\00:37:18.53
Ended up at a
different altar all together
00:37:18.60\00:37:21.17
and that shows that
she really wasn't grounded.
00:37:21.20\00:37:23.57
We always wondered...
00:37:23.61\00:37:24.94
"This... you know...
what's going on here?"
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.47
But I'll give you a
flip side of another story.
00:37:26.51\00:37:28.24
We had another
guy who was a trucker
00:37:28.28\00:37:31.58
and he kept trying to find a job
00:37:31.61\00:37:33.88
from week to
week to week to week
00:37:33.92\00:37:36.12
and one Sabbath he came to
me and he said, "Pastor... "
00:37:36.15\00:37:38.29
this is in California... in
another church that we pastored
00:37:38.35\00:37:40.66
and he said,
00:37:40.69\00:37:42.02
"Well, if we don't
get an answer this week,
00:37:42.06\00:37:43.39
we're going to be
moving back to Michigan. "
00:37:43.43\00:37:44.76
And this was in
Antioch, California
00:37:44.79\00:37:47.23
and I said, "Ron,
what's the issue?"
00:37:47.26\00:37:49.73
He said, "Every trucking company
requires me to work on Sabbath"
00:37:49.76\00:37:53.23
I said, "Ron, I'll
see you next Sabbath. "
00:37:53.27\00:37:55.40
He said, "I told you if I
don't get a job, I'm leaving...
00:37:55.47\00:37:57.64
we're gone. "
00:37:57.67\00:37:59.01
I said, "I'll see
you next Sabbath. "
00:37:59.04\00:38:00.38
He said, "Well, how
could you say that?"
00:38:00.41\00:38:01.74
I said, "Because
you made a declaration
00:38:01.78\00:38:03.11
that you will not
dishonor God's Sabbath
00:38:03.14\00:38:04.48
so God's going to bless you. "
00:38:04.51\00:38:05.98
He called me next
Thursday, "Pastor, guess what?"
00:38:06.01\00:38:10.55
I said, "What?"
00:38:10.59\00:38:11.95
He said, "I got a job and
at the interview I told them
00:38:11.99\00:38:14.86
I'm shutting my truck
down before sunset on Friday,
00:38:14.89\00:38:17.73
I'm not moving it
until sunset on Saturday,
00:38:17.76\00:38:20.26
and they said,
'That's just fine. '" Amen.
00:38:20.30\00:38:23.33
Audience: Amen.
00:38:23.37\00:38:24.70
But he honored God
and he got the job,
00:38:24.73\00:38:27.00
you see, sometimes
God will stretch you
00:38:27.04\00:38:29.27
to see whether your
allegiance is to His truth
00:38:29.30\00:38:32.17
or to something else
00:38:32.21\00:38:33.54
and that's what the problem is,
00:38:33.58\00:38:35.84
when your allegiance
is not to God's Word,
00:38:35.88\00:38:37.95
He will send a prophet along
to give you what you asked for,
00:38:37.98\00:38:40.85
He'll let the
devil answer your prayer.
00:38:40.88\00:38:43.15
That's a crazy concept,
00:38:43.18\00:38:45.15
but the devil says, "Hey, I
got a great miracle for you. "
00:38:45.19\00:38:49.02
"Expect your miracle... "
00:38:49.06\00:38:51.13
that's what you hear
on television now-a-days
00:38:51.16\00:38:52.89
not "follow God's Word"
but "expect your miracle"
00:38:52.93\00:38:54.56
and people are
flocking by the thousands...
00:38:54.60\00:38:57.00
if we put up a sign,
"Miracle Service... free oil...
00:38:57.03\00:38:59.87
free prayer cloths"
00:38:59.90\00:39:01.40
you won't have place
for this parking lot.
00:39:01.44\00:39:03.37
But if we say, "Come and
learn the truth of God's Word"
00:39:03.41\00:39:06.07
"I don't want to hear
no nothing about truth... "
00:39:06.14\00:39:07.58
that's a miracle... we want
everything like a microwave.
00:39:07.64\00:39:10.08
That's not a part
of the message tonight
00:39:10.11\00:39:12.01
but I just want
to put that in there.
00:39:12.05\00:39:14.12
But I want to
just make that point
00:39:14.15\00:39:15.72
because that's what's happening.
00:39:15.75\00:39:17.25
The Lord is... He's making
sure that when the end comes
00:39:17.29\00:39:20.92
and He's going to give His
final message to the world,
00:39:20.96\00:39:23.99
He's going to make sure
that everybody in that army
00:39:24.03\00:39:27.03
wants to be there.
00:39:27.06\00:39:28.46
That's what He
did to Gideon's army.
00:39:28.50\00:39:30.40
How many did they begin with?
00:39:30.43\00:39:31.83
Audience says something...
00:39:31.87\00:39:33.40
How many...? No... no...
00:39:33.44\00:39:34.94
large... large number than that
00:39:34.97\00:39:36.67
how many?
00:39:36.71\00:39:39.34
30,000 and the Lord
said, "Too much... "
00:39:39.37\00:39:43.41
"How many of you
don't want to fight?"
00:39:43.45\00:39:45.45
20,000 of them went home.
00:39:45.48\00:39:47.28
And the Lord said,
"Gideon, too much... "
00:39:47.32\00:39:50.32
So they said,
"Test... go down by the brook
00:39:50.35\00:39:53.36
and have them drink water,
00:39:53.39\00:39:54.99
whichever man put their face
all the way down to the water
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.06
send them home
00:39:57.09\00:39:58.43
but those who drink and keep
their eyes up looking around,
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.23
keep them. "
00:40:00.26\00:40:01.60
He narrowed it down to 300,
00:40:01.63\00:40:03.13
He said, "That's all I need"
00:40:03.16\00:40:05.07
and Gideon said, "Lord, 300...?
00:40:05.10\00:40:06.97
Do you realize the large...
00:40:07.00\00:40:08.47
do you realize
the army against us?"
00:40:08.50\00:40:10.51
The Lord told Gideon,
00:40:10.54\00:40:12.64
"I can deliver you
by many or by few. "
00:40:12.67\00:40:15.88
So, don't let
numbers even indicate
00:40:15.91\00:40:18.58
that God is on your side.
00:40:18.61\00:40:20.65
God plus one is the majority,
00:40:20.68\00:40:23.45
Elisha... case in point
00:40:23.49\00:40:25.85
so don't listen to them
00:40:25.89\00:40:28.16
because if they don't
keep the commandments of God,
00:40:28.22\00:40:30.26
I don't care what they give you,
00:40:30.29\00:40:31.86
I don't care
what they promise you,
00:40:31.89\00:40:34.03
don't take it...
don't associate...
00:40:34.06\00:40:36.16
let's go to Question Number 17,
00:40:36.20\00:40:38.13
"What are the issues
behind God allowing miracles
00:40:38.20\00:40:41.64
to see whether or not you are
allegiant to His commandments. "
00:40:41.67\00:40:45.94
That was clearly pointed out,
00:40:45.97\00:40:47.74
hold fast to Him, love
Him with all your heart.
00:40:47.78\00:40:51.51
Question Number 17, look at this
00:40:51.55\00:40:54.32
and this is a two-parter...
00:40:54.35\00:40:56.02
"What council does God
give concerning false prophets?"
00:40:56.05\00:40:59.75
Oooh... now we're
staying in the same chapter,
00:40:59.79\00:41:03.83
what council does God
give concerning false prophets?
00:41:03.86\00:41:06.73
Ha...
00:41:06.76\00:41:08.83
I'm enjoying my lesson,
I don't know about you...
00:41:08.86\00:41:11.73
I'm just... "Thank you Lord
for helping me out tonight. "
00:41:11.77\00:41:14.57
Pause.
00:41:14.60\00:41:15.97
Here it is,
Deuteronomy 13 verse 5,
00:41:16.00\00:41:18.87
now this is continuation
from verse 1 to verse 4,
00:41:18.91\00:41:22.54
now verse 5, so this
prophet that comes up
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.85
with all these miracles
and makes things happen,
00:41:24.88\00:41:26.82
look what the
Lord said we should do,
00:41:26.85\00:41:28.32
"But that prophet or
that dreamer of dreams
00:41:28.35\00:41:32.55
shall be... " what?
00:41:32.59\00:41:33.92
"put to death,
00:41:33.96\00:41:35.52
because he has spoken
in order to turn you away
00:41:35.56\00:41:39.79
from the Lord your God,
00:41:39.86\00:41:41.20
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt
00:41:41.23\00:41:44.60
and redeemed you
from the house of bondage,
00:41:44.63\00:41:48.00
to entice you away...
00:41:48.04\00:41:51.01
to entice you from the
way in which the Lord your God
00:41:51.07\00:41:54.61
commanded you to walk.
00:41:54.64\00:41:56.44
So that you... so you shall put
away the evil from your midst. "
00:41:56.48\00:42:01.32
So what the Lord is saying,
00:42:01.35\00:42:02.68
"If there's somebody
like that in the middle of...
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.42
stone him to
death... get rid of him. "
00:42:04.45\00:42:06.86
Get that evil away from you
00:42:06.89\00:42:08.72
because he's
trying to do... what?
00:42:08.76\00:42:10.13
He's trying to deceive you.
00:42:10.19\00:42:11.83
I brought you out of Egypt
and you see the exact reason...
00:42:11.86\00:42:14.86
is because this
Deuteronomy by-the-way
00:42:14.90\00:42:18.20
is the latter...
00:42:18.23\00:42:19.57
Deuteronomy is written
to the children of the...
00:42:19.60\00:42:22.14
of those who came out of Egypt.
00:42:22.20\00:42:23.77
You see, Exodus,
Leviticus... are for the adults,
00:42:23.81\00:42:27.58
Deuteronomy is written to
the children that came out of...
00:42:27.64\00:42:31.78
they grew up now in
the course of 40 years
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.22
so they didn't see
all the foolishness
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.58
that their family did,
00:42:36.62\00:42:38.29
those that died...
23,000 in one day...
00:42:38.35\00:42:40.62
they didn't see all that stuff,
they remembered like saying...
00:42:40.66\00:42:43.06
"Well, do you remember that?"
00:42:43.09\00:42:44.43
"Ah, very vaguely. "
00:42:44.46\00:42:46.56
So, the Lord
said, "Now let me...
00:42:46.59\00:42:47.93
let me give you
some experiences here"
00:42:47.96\00:42:49.43
so the Lord allowed them to
face some of the same things
00:42:49.46\00:42:52.27
to see whether or not
they were fit to go into Canaan
00:42:52.30\00:42:55.00
and sadly enough, out of all
the men that came out of Egypt,
00:42:55.07\00:42:59.47
pause
00:42:59.51\00:43:01.38
only Joshua and Caleb...
00:43:01.41\00:43:03.61
pause
00:43:03.65\00:43:06.88
and that, by-the-way is 20 years
older... and 20 years and older
00:43:06.92\00:43:11.55
because they were the
ones that were responsible.
00:43:11.59\00:43:13.96
20 years old and older...
they were the ones responsible.
00:43:13.99\00:43:17.63
So, notice what it
says, did I finish the text?
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.16
Did I finish it? Yes, I did.
00:43:20.20\00:43:21.93
So write this down,
00:43:21.96\00:43:23.30
"What council does God
give concerning false prophets?"
00:43:23.33\00:43:25.50
What does He say?
00:43:25.53\00:43:27.67
"Put them to death. "
00:43:27.70\00:43:29.80
Now, I'm not... I'm not
passing an edict tonight...
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.87
that's... go around
start killing people.
00:43:32.91\00:43:34.74
But I'm saying
that's how the Lord feels
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.08
about those who do
not speak in His behalf.
00:43:37.15\00:43:39.31
Pause.
00:43:39.35\00:43:40.88
All these ridiculous people.
00:43:40.92\00:43:42.72
Go with me to
Jeremiah chapter 27,
00:43:42.75\00:43:44.75
I want you to see this
00:43:44.79\00:43:46.12
and we're going to go to
Revelation 19 and verse 20
00:43:46.15\00:43:48.26
in just a moment.
00:43:48.29\00:43:49.62
I want to add some... inserts
from other passages in here,
00:43:49.66\00:43:52.23
Jeremiah...
00:43:52.26\00:43:57.33
Jeremiah 27... look at verse 15
00:43:57.37\00:44:03.84
okay...
00:44:03.87\00:44:08.14
Jeremiah 27 verse 14
00:44:08.18\00:44:12.35
and Jeremiah... Jeremiah
00:44:12.38\00:44:16.45
Jeremiah does not give
false prophets a break,
00:44:16.48\00:44:20.62
shouldn't... but notice
what he says in Jeremiah 27,
00:44:20.66\00:44:25.43
this is... this whole chapter
00:44:25.46\00:44:27.20
is the conflict
with false prophets.
00:44:27.23\00:44:30.00
It says in verse
14, "Therefore... "
00:44:30.03\00:44:32.73
Well, let me just... let me just
kind of go to verse 12 because:
00:44:32.77\00:44:38.41
I also spoke to
Zedekiah king of Judah
00:44:38.44\00:44:40.68
according to all
these words saying,
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.84
"Bring your necks under the
yoke of the king of Babylon,
00:44:42.88\00:44:46.51
and serve him and
his people, and live!
00:44:46.55\00:44:49.45
Why will you die,
you and your people,
00:44:49.48\00:44:52.35
by the sword, by the famine,
00:44:52.42\00:44:54.56
and by the pestilence,
00:44:54.59\00:44:56.06
as the LORD has
spoken against the nation
00:44:56.09\00:44:59.39
that will not serve
the king of Babylon?"
00:44:59.43\00:45:01.03
Now watch this.
00:45:01.06\00:45:02.56
"Therefore do not listen
to the words of the prophets
00:45:02.60\00:45:08.17
who speak to you, saying,
00:45:08.20\00:45:10.71
'You shall not serve
the king of Babylon,'
00:45:10.74\00:45:13.81
for they prophesy... " a what?
00:45:13.84\00:45:16.18
"a lie to you; for
I have not sent them,"
00:45:16.21\00:45:20.22
says the LORD,
00:45:20.25\00:45:21.58
"yet they prophesy
a lie in My name... "
00:45:21.62\00:45:24.35
didn't we read that earlier?
"Many will come in my name... "
00:45:24.39\00:45:27.02
"they prophesy a lie in My name,
00:45:27.06\00:45:29.52
that I may drive you
out, and that you may perish,
00:45:29.56\00:45:33.96
you and the prophets
who prophesy to you. "
00:45:34.00\00:45:38.37
In other words,
the Lord is saying,
00:45:38.40\00:45:39.73
"They're saying I said
stuff and I didn't say it. "
00:45:39.77\00:45:43.14
Look at one
more, Jeremiah 14:14.
00:45:43.17\00:45:46.17
Jeremiah the
prophet of stern rebuke,
00:45:46.21\00:45:49.48
continually had to give
the children of Israel guidance
00:45:49.51\00:45:52.88
because they
just wouldn't listen,
00:45:52.91\00:45:55.15
Jeremiah 14:14 is another one,
00:45:55.18\00:45:58.55
Jeremiah 14:14...
00:45:58.59\00:46:01.09
Pause.
00:46:01.12\00:46:05.53
I'll start with verse 13,
00:46:05.56\00:46:09.20
once again the Lord is
talking about the Israelites
00:46:09.23\00:46:12.93
to Judah particularly:
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God!
00:46:12.97\00:46:16.64
Behold, the prophets...
00:46:16.67\00:46:18.31
prophets say to them,
'You shall not see the sword,
00:46:18.34\00:46:22.61
nor shall you have famine,
00:46:22.64\00:46:24.21
but I will give you
assured peace in this place. '
00:46:24.25\00:46:28.08
And the LORD said to me,
00:46:28.12\00:46:29.52
'The prophets
prophesy lies in My name.
00:46:29.55\00:46:32.95
I have not sent
them, commanded them,
00:46:32.99\00:46:36.36
nor spoken to them;
00:46:36.39\00:46:37.89
they prophesy to
you a false vision,
00:46:37.93\00:46:41.03
divination, a worthless thing,
00:46:41.06\00:46:43.67
and the deceit
of their hearts. '"
00:46:43.70\00:46:46.23
Notice what... and
that's what happened.
00:46:46.27\00:46:48.60
God was continually
trying to lead Israel...
00:46:48.64\00:46:50.97
continually
trying to lead Judah...
00:46:51.01\00:46:53.48
but all along the way,
they encountered people
00:46:53.51\00:46:56.18
who claimed to be... what?
00:46:56.21\00:46:57.85
Fair... a prophet...
00:46:57.91\00:47:00.62
and the whole thing was to
keep them from their destination
00:47:00.65\00:47:05.35
and today, that's
what's happening in our world.
00:47:05.39\00:47:07.66
You can find them by the...
by the penny... everywhere...
00:47:07.69\00:47:12.96
but be careful of the ones
00:47:12.99\00:47:14.66
and these are the ones
you have to be careful of...
00:47:14.70\00:47:16.73
the ones that
come in Jesus' name.
00:47:16.77\00:47:18.97
Pause.
00:47:19.03\00:47:20.37
They claim His name.
00:47:20.40\00:47:21.74
Pause.
00:47:21.77\00:47:23.10
I remember reading a passage,
1st John 2 verse 3 to 4...
00:47:23.14\00:47:25.77
3 and 4 to somebody,
00:47:25.84\00:47:27.18
and he said,
"That's harsh Pastor. "
00:47:27.21\00:47:29.08
I said, "If I were the one that
wrote it, yeah, that is harsh
00:47:29.11\00:47:32.08
but the Lord wrote
it, I didn't write it,
00:47:32.11\00:47:34.25
I'm just
communicating the test. "
00:47:34.28\00:47:36.12
If somebody says to you...
because you know now-a-days
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.75
you can just go to the
nearest Army and Navy Store,
00:47:38.79\00:47:42.02
there's really a nice
one in... in West St. Louis,
00:47:42.06\00:47:45.26
a beautiful Army and Navy Store
00:47:45.29\00:47:47.30
I like all that
kind of paraphernalia
00:47:47.33\00:47:48.66
you know the caps and the
camouflage and all that stuff
00:47:48.70\00:47:50.67
and I like those
army types of things
00:47:50.70\00:47:53.00
but you can go buy a...
you could buy a Navy Uniform,
00:47:53.03\00:47:55.70
you could buy an
Air Force uniform,
00:47:55.74\00:47:57.37
you could buy an army uniform,
00:47:57.41\00:47:58.94
you can buy the whole regalia,
and say you're a soldier
00:47:58.97\00:48:02.84
and they'll say, "What Platoon?"
00:48:02.88\00:48:04.81
You have no clue...
you just look the part.
00:48:04.85\00:48:07.78
you could buy a
police uniform...
00:48:07.82\00:48:09.28
that happened, a lady
was driving home in Florida
00:48:09.32\00:48:11.82
and a car was coming behind
her... the lights were flashing
00:48:11.85\00:48:14.72
and she had heard about
somebody being pulled over
00:48:14.76\00:48:18.03
and she refused to
stop, she sped up...
00:48:18.06\00:48:21.20
because a few days
earlier a police...
00:48:21.23\00:48:24.20
a guy that
"looked" the part of police
00:48:24.23\00:48:26.94
pulled someone over...
had on the full regalia...
00:48:26.97\00:48:30.14
robbed them at
gunpoint and shot them
00:48:30.17\00:48:32.11
and it wasn't a police.
00:48:32.14\00:48:33.88
So, even if they look the part,
00:48:33.91\00:48:35.98
test them by the
Word of God, amen.
00:48:36.04\00:48:38.28
God always tests
them by God's Word.
00:48:38.31\00:48:40.52
Question 17, Revelation 19
verse 20 is the second part.
00:48:40.55\00:48:44.95
The second part... the
Bible is full of tests...
00:48:44.99\00:48:48.39
full of tests...
00:48:48.42\00:48:50.49
because there
are a lot of nice...
00:48:50.53\00:48:51.99
I mean, there are lot
of nice people in the world
00:48:52.03\00:48:53.80
but you got to check it out.
00:48:53.83\00:48:57.90
Pause.
00:48:57.93\00:48:59.37
"What counsel does God
give concerning false prophets?"
00:48:59.40\00:49:03.64
Revelation 19 and verse 20,
00:49:03.67\00:49:05.44
"Then the beast was captured,
and with him the... " what?
00:49:05.47\00:49:08.91
"false prophet who
worked signs in his presence,
00:49:08.94\00:49:13.55
by which he deceived those who
received the mark of the beast
00:49:13.58\00:49:18.89
and those who
worshiped his image.
00:49:18.92\00:49:21.26
These two were cast
alive into the lake of fire...
00:49:21.29\00:49:25.59
into the lake
burning with brimstone. "
00:49:25.63\00:49:28.06
Pause.
00:49:28.10\00:49:29.80
So, you see, what is
the prophet's job there?
00:49:29.83\00:49:34.20
To get people ready...
00:49:34.24\00:49:36.34
the false prophets
are to get people ready
00:49:36.37\00:49:38.57
to receive the mark of the beast
00:49:38.61\00:49:41.61
because the Mark of the Beast
is contrary to the Seal of God,
00:49:41.64\00:49:45.95
the Seal of God
is in the Law of God.
00:49:45.98\00:49:49.02
The Mark of the
Beast is in the creeds
00:49:49.05\00:49:51.85
that represent
the power of the Beast
00:49:51.89\00:49:54.66
and I tell you the coalition
00:49:54.69\00:49:56.36
is going to be
quite an extensive one
00:49:56.42\00:49:58.49
when Babylon is pulled together.
00:49:58.53\00:50:00.53
Okay, let's go to
Question Number 18,
00:50:00.56\00:50:03.00
we're making some good headway,
00:50:03.03\00:50:04.37
I think... I don't want
to prophesy anything falsely
00:50:04.40\00:50:08.50
but we may not finish tonight.
00:50:08.54\00:50:11.47
Okay, Question Number...
what question did I say?
00:50:11.51\00:50:15.54
Question Number
18, let's go there,
00:50:15.58\00:50:17.71
here it is, "What makes the gift
of prophecy indispensable...
00:50:17.75\00:50:24.12
What makes the gift of
prophecy indispensable?"
00:50:24.15\00:50:28.82
Matthew 26 verse 56
what makes it indispensable?
00:50:28.86\00:50:33.46
Pause.
00:50:33.50\00:50:35.20
I began the Program by saying,
00:50:35.23\00:50:37.73
"God will not do anything
00:50:37.77\00:50:39.43
unless He tells His
servants the prophets. "
00:50:39.50\00:50:41.70
When He tells
them... then it will happen.
00:50:41.74\00:50:43.91
but it will not happen unless He
tells them, Amos 3 and verse 7,
00:50:43.94\00:50:47.94
"Surely the Lord
God does nothing,
00:50:47.98\00:50:49.48
except He reveals His secrets
to His servants the prophets. "
00:50:49.51\00:50:52.21
All right... look at
verse... Matthew 26 verse 56
00:50:52.25\00:50:55.98
and here's what the Bible says,
00:50:56.02\00:50:57.82
Pause.
00:50:57.85\00:50:59.42
"But all this was done that
the Scriptures of the prophets
00:50:59.45\00:51:04.73
might be... " what?
00:51:04.76\00:51:06.66
"might be fulfilled.
00:51:06.70\00:51:08.46
Then all the disciples
forsook Him and fled. "
00:51:08.53\00:51:12.93
This was... this
was when the fear...
00:51:12.97\00:51:15.50
this was when the fear of the
crucifixion of Jesus was coming,
00:51:15.54\00:51:19.07
the disciples were
nervous, they thought that...
00:51:19.11\00:51:22.44
"How could Jesus be
persecuted this way?"
00:51:22.48\00:51:25.01
Well, this had to be fulfilled.
00:51:25.05\00:51:26.92
In the next chapters
you find the disciples
00:51:26.95\00:51:29.78
hiding behind some closed doors
00:51:29.82\00:51:33.29
and people...
"false prophets" say
00:51:33.32\00:51:35.06
that was the Sunday Service.
00:51:35.09\00:51:36.49
Pause.
00:51:36.52\00:51:38.59
But they were hiding behind
the doors for fear of the Jews.
00:51:38.63\00:51:41.76
When they heard
about the persecution
00:51:41.80\00:51:45.20
that Jesus was going to face,
they said, "We're out of here,
00:51:45.23\00:51:48.04
thank you Master
but we're out of here. "
00:51:48.07\00:51:50.34
All of them
forsook Him and did what?
00:51:50.37\00:51:52.57
They all fled... but
what happened according to...
00:51:52.61\00:51:55.14
what happened to
Jesus was... so that all...
00:51:55.18\00:51:58.35
so that the Scriptures of
the prophets might be fulfilled
00:51:58.38\00:52:01.42
and when you see everything that
happened in the life of Jesus
00:52:01.45\00:52:04.29
happened according to prophecies
00:52:04.32\00:52:06.12
so, it could be a verification
00:52:06.15\00:52:07.89
that Jesus is, in
fact, the Messiah.
00:52:07.92\00:52:10.29
Now, if you looked
at the life of Christ
00:52:10.33\00:52:12.63
and something that was
prophesied did not occur,
00:52:12.66\00:52:15.53
you can be sure that
Jesus is not the Christ,
00:52:15.56\00:52:18.37
but everything that
happened in the life of Christ
00:52:18.40\00:52:21.10
was prophesied
in the Old Testament
00:52:21.14\00:52:22.97
and it came to pass
00:52:23.00\00:52:24.47
and He said, "I'm going
to tell you these things
00:52:24.51\00:52:26.74
so when it comes to
pass, you will believe
00:52:26.78\00:52:29.34
but it will never lead you
away from His commandments.
00:52:29.38\00:52:32.55
Amen.
00:52:32.58\00:52:33.98
So the answer is,
00:52:34.02\00:52:35.58
"What makes the gift of
prophecy indispensable?"
00:52:35.65\00:52:37.52
What makes it
indispensable based on this?
00:52:37.55\00:52:40.06
The Scriptures will be
fulfilled that's right,
00:52:40.09\00:52:44.03
it's indispensable,
00:52:44.06\00:52:45.39
those words will happen,
the Scriptures will be fulfilled
00:52:45.43\00:52:47.86
it will be
fulfilled, that's right, okay.
00:52:47.90\00:52:52.40
Now we're going
to start diving...
00:52:52.43\00:52:54.40
taking a little turn here
00:52:54.44\00:52:55.77
because we laid some
really serious foundation
00:52:55.80\00:52:57.67
about how to avoid being
deceived by false prophets
00:52:57.71\00:53:00.98
so, we're going
to take a turn now
00:53:01.01\00:53:03.14
and we're going to start
building on the foundation
00:53:03.18\00:53:05.15
of understanding the gifts
00:53:05.18\00:53:06.82
but let's go ahead and
do a couple of more things
00:53:06.85\00:53:09.28
before we get to that.
00:53:09.32\00:53:11.05
Question Number 19...
00:53:11.09\00:53:12.49
Question Number 19,
00:53:12.55\00:53:13.89
"What assurance does the Bible
give concerning a true prophet..
00:53:13.92\00:53:17.59
What assurance does the Bible
give concerning a true prophet?"
00:53:17.63\00:53:22.36
Okay, and that is
Jeremiah 28 verse 8 and 9.
00:53:22.40\00:53:28.54
It says, "The prophets
who have been before me
00:53:28.57\00:53:34.68
and before you of old
00:53:34.71\00:53:37.35
prophesied against many
countries and great kingdoms...
00:53:37.38\00:53:40.98
of war and
disaster and pestilence. "
00:53:41.02\00:53:45.45
And verse 9,
00:53:45.49\00:53:46.82
"As for the prophet
who prophesies of peace,
00:53:46.86\00:53:50.73
when the word of the
prophet comes to pass,
00:53:50.79\00:53:54.66
the prophet will be known
as one whom the LORD has... "
00:53:54.70\00:54:00.27
What? "truly sent. "
00:54:00.30\00:54:05.27
So... and by-the-way,
00:54:05.31\00:54:06.64
just so that you don't
see a... a contrast here
00:54:06.68\00:54:10.35
that may be
confusing in any sense
00:54:10.38\00:54:11.98
everything that a prophet
prophesies must come to pass.
00:54:12.01\00:54:16.95
When it does, you can know...
00:54:16.99\00:54:19.62
you say, "God sent him. "
00:54:19.65\00:54:21.96
Pause.
00:54:21.99\00:54:23.32
God sent that prophet.
00:54:23.36\00:54:25.33
Pause.
00:54:25.36\00:54:27.20
"As for the prophet
who prophesies of peace,
00:54:27.23\00:54:30.17
when the word of the
prophet comes to pass,
00:54:30.20\00:54:33.10
the prophet will be known as
one whom the Lord has sent. "
00:54:33.13\00:54:36.64
Last night we were reading...
00:54:36.67\00:54:38.01
Angie and I were
reading in the book of 2nd Kings
00:54:38.04\00:54:40.04
about
Benhadad... I think it was...
00:54:40.08\00:54:42.28
Benhadad... Benhadad was sick...
00:54:42.31\00:54:44.41
and Benhadad didn't
like the news anyway
00:54:44.45\00:54:47.05
so, Benhadad sent to Elisha...
00:54:47.08\00:54:48.98
he says, so...
00:54:49.02\00:54:51.22
a certain man from Benhadad
came to Elisha and says,
00:54:51.25\00:54:53.59
"What's going to
happen to Benhadad?"
00:54:53.62\00:54:54.99
He said, "Can I tell
Benhadad he's going to make it?"
00:54:55.02\00:54:57.53
He said, "You can tell
him he's going to make it...
00:54:57.56\00:55:00.03
sure you can tell him that...
00:55:00.06\00:55:01.40
but the Lord told
me... he's going to die...
00:55:01.43\00:55:02.83
you can tell him anything
00:55:02.86\00:55:04.97
but the Lord told
me he's going to die. "
00:55:05.00\00:55:06.74
So, he went back to Benhadad
00:55:06.80\00:55:08.24
and said, "You're
going to make it. "
00:55:08.27\00:55:09.60
And Benhadad knew that
this was not going to happen
00:55:09.64\00:55:12.11
so, he put water...
00:55:12.14\00:55:13.78
he put water over his own
face and took his own life.
00:55:13.81\00:55:16.85
He put a towel full of
water over his own face
00:55:16.91\00:55:21.25
and drowned
himself he... he knew...
00:55:21.28\00:55:22.88
and earlier... and Elijah...
00:55:22.92\00:55:24.85
in Elijah's day...
00:55:24.89\00:55:26.22
before Elijah passed
the mantle to Elisha,
00:55:26.25\00:55:28.89
the false kings that
were against the Israelites
00:55:28.92\00:55:33.26
always wondered...
00:55:33.29\00:55:34.63
"How... how do they
always know what we're up to?"
00:55:34.66\00:55:36.83
And they said,
"They got Elijah...
00:55:36.87\00:55:39.63
he knows what you're
thinking while your sleeping. "
00:55:39.67\00:55:42.30
So, they said,
"Where could we find him...
00:55:42.34\00:55:44.57
where could we find him?"
00:55:44.61\00:55:47.64
It's amazing... God
always lets His prophet know
00:55:47.68\00:55:50.61
so, the prophet of
God is resting securely
00:55:50.65\00:55:54.42
and the house is
surrounded in which he is
00:55:54.48\00:55:58.22
pause
00:55:58.25\00:56:01.12
and he wakes up in the
morning and his servant says,
00:56:01.16\00:56:03.96
"We're surrounded... "
00:56:03.99\00:56:05.73
Elisha says,
"Relax... relax... "
00:56:05.76\00:56:10.33
and he goes outside
and he sees all these men
00:56:10.37\00:56:13.84
and he says,
"Lord... " to his servant...
00:56:13.87\00:56:17.31
"open his eyes
that he may see. "
00:56:17.34\00:56:20.24
And the Lord opened, I
think it was Gehazi's eyes,
00:56:20.28\00:56:22.74
if I'm mistaken...
I'll correct that later...
00:56:22.81\00:56:26.41
the Lord opened
the eyes of his servant
00:56:26.45\00:56:28.38
and he said... he saw around...
in all the mountain around
00:56:28.45\00:56:34.46
chariots of fire and horses,
00:56:34.49\00:56:38.63
those chariots
surrounding the army...
00:56:38.66\00:56:41.00
can you hear the chariots
ready, just a mmm... mmm...
00:56:41.03\00:56:45.60
can you hear the fire crackling?
00:56:45.63\00:56:47.00
"Lord, open his
eyes that he may see"
00:56:47.04\00:56:49.70
and he said to his servant,
00:56:49.74\00:56:51.54
"They that be with us are more
than they that be with them"
00:56:51.57\00:56:56.24
and the prophet
prayed, "Lord, blind them... "
00:56:56.28\00:57:00.98
and the Lord blinded the whole
army... led them to Samaria
00:57:01.02\00:57:05.49
"give them something to
eat" and when they were eating
00:57:05.52\00:57:09.96
"Lord, open their eyes"
00:57:10.03\00:57:11.66
And He opened the
eyes of the soldiers
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.33
they realized,
"they could kills us"
00:57:14.36\00:57:16.97
and then he says, "Go home"
00:57:17.00\00:57:19.07
and they went back to their king
00:57:19.13\00:57:21.14
and the Bible says,
"And they came no more"
00:57:21.17\00:57:23.51
they didn't come back because
they said to their Commander,
00:57:23.54\00:57:26.61
"You want to
fight them, you go back,
00:57:26.68\00:57:28.21
after what we saw, there's
no way we're going back. "
00:57:28.24\00:57:30.75
You see, when you
can trust God's Word,
00:57:30.81\00:57:32.98
God's Word is
reliable, can you say, "Amen. "
00:57:33.01\00:57:35.18
Beautiful stories
of the reliability
00:57:35.25\00:57:37.52
of the prophet of God...
00:57:37.55\00:57:38.89
never to fear
but here's the test,
00:57:38.92\00:57:40.72
if they do not speak according
to the commandments of God,
00:57:40.76\00:57:43.69
it's because there
is no light in them.
00:57:43.73\00:57:45.83
Friends our study
has come and gone,
00:57:45.86\00:57:47.93
keep studying God's Word
00:57:47.96\00:57:49.76
and we can guarantee
you, by the Word of the Lord,
00:57:49.80\00:57:51.97
if it doesn't
make sense one day,
00:57:52.00\00:57:53.90
it will come
into a sharper focus.
00:57:53.94\00:57:55.80
God bless you.
00:57:55.84\00:57:57.57