Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in heaven, we
thank you for the awesome
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privilege of being in
Your house of worship.
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We thank you for Your Word
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which is a sure compass
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in a world of
confusion and rebellion.
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We ask that as we
study about Unshakeable
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and Unbreakable Faith -
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the Biblical meaning of faith -
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that You will not only help
us to understand the meaning of
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faith but that You will
help us grasp and experience it
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in our lives
because we know that it's
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the only thing that's
going to keep us firm and strong
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in these last days.
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So be with us and teach us
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we pray in the precious
name of Jesus, Your beloved Son,
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Amen.
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In the book of
Hebrews chapter 11
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we find in the first 22 verses
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a list of heroes
that are first mentioned
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in the book of Genesis.
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Now these individuals that
are mentioned in Hebrews 11
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are great heroes of faith.
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And our subject for today
is Unshakeable and Unbreakable
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Faith.
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Basically we're going to study
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the meaning of faith
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in holy scripture.
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Let's begin then at Hebrews
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chapter 11 and I would like to
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read verse 1
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where we find the
definition of faith.
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Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 1.
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It says here in this
very well-known verse:
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Now the word substance
could better be translated
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the assurance.
"Faith is the assurance
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of things hoped for...
" And the word evidence
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could better be
translated proof.
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"the proof of things
that you cannot see. "
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And so faith gives us assurance
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of the things that
have not taken place yet.
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Assurance of things we hope for.
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And faith is the proof
of things that we cannot see
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as of now with
our physical eyes.
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So obviously, faith
helps us look into the future.
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Faith helps us see what is
invisible to the naked eye.
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Now we want to begin discussing
faith - the meaning of faith -
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in Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 3.
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We've defined
the meaning of faith.
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Now we want to take
a look at Hebrews 11:3.
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It's the first event that is
described where we need faith
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in order to grasp it.
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It says there:
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Basically, this text is telling
us that God made the visible
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universe from that
which could not be seen.
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In other words, He created
the universe out of nothing.
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Now you try making
something out of nothing.
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We use pre-existent
matter to create things.
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But Hebrews 11 and verse 3
is telling us that God created
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the worlds from nothing.
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He spoke... and it
came into existence
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according to Psalm 33:9.
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Now how do we know
that God created this world
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by the word of His mouth?
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That He spoke and
it came into existence?
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How do we know that for sure?
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Hebrews 11 and verse 3
says that we understand that
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by faith.
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In other words, we
know it happened because God
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said so in His Holy Word.
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Now it's interesting to
notice in the creation story
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that Adam and Eve did
not see God create anything.
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They weren't around the
first day, the second day,
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the third day, the
fourth day, the fifth day.
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The sixth day God
made the animals...
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they still weren't around.
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And then God made Adam.
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Obviously Adam did
not see God create him.
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He just suddenly
appeared on the scene.
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And then when God made
Eve He put Adam to sleep
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and made Eve, so Adam did
not see the creation of Eve.
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And Eve did not see
the creation of Adam.
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In other words, Adam and Eve
also had to believe in creation
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by faith. The only proof
- if you can speak of proof
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that they had - that God
was the Creator of everything
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is because God said
that He was the Creator.
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In other words, faith in God's
word was proof of creation.
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Was evidence of creation.
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Was the assurance of creation
even though they had not seen it
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with their eyes, they
had not experienced it.
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After all, there
could be other explanations
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for the origin of the universe.
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You could believe, for example,
in spontaneous generation
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like for many years
individuals believed.
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You could believe that
this world came into existence
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by a Big Bang. That's
a possible explanation.
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You could believe that
this world came into existence
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by progressive creation.
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That is, that God intervened
at certain critical points
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in the history of this world
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to advance the
process of evolution.
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In other words, God
used evolution as His method
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of creation according
to progressive creationism.
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But we don't believe in
any of those explanations
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or theories.
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We believe that God
spoke things into existence.
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We believe that God created
this world in six literal days
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and He rested on
the seventh literal day.
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Now how do we
know that God did that?
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Simply because God says so
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and we believe what God speaks.
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In other words, faith
is faith in what God says.
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It's trusting in what He speaks
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because we know Him
and because we trust Him
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as a person. Now there
are many heroes in Hebrews 11
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that are
mentioned after creation.
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I want us to examine
these heroes that are mentioned
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in the book of Genesis
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and I want to show you how
they manifested their faith
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in God's word.
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Notice Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 4.
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Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 4.
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This is the first hero
who is mentioned in Hebrews
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and by the way he's
also mentioned in Genesis.
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It says here:
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We're told here
that by faith Abel
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offered a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain.
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Now what was involved in
this sacrifice that made it more
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excellent? How did
Abel have to manifest faith
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when he offered this sacrifice?
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The answer is very simple.
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If you read the story in Genesis
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you'll discover that it
tells us that Abel brought
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the firstlings of
his flock and their fat.
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Now why would he bring the
firstborn and why would he bring
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the fat? Simply because
later on in the sacrificial
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service of Israel the
firstborn of the flocks
00:10:02.73\00:10:06.58
were brought and their
fat was burned on the altar
00:10:06.78\00:10:10.17
because the fat represented sin.
00:10:10.27\00:10:12.67
And of course the firstborn
of the flock represented
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Jesus... the firstborn of
Mary according to scripture...
00:10:17.87\00:10:22.80
who was brought and
presented before the Lord.
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What I'm saying is that
Abel offered a more excellent
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sacrifice because he believed
that in the future God was going
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to send Jesus the Messiah.
00:10:34.33\00:10:36.72
He believed God's
word that that sacrifice
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represented the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world.
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By faith as he
observed that sacrifice
00:10:43.96\00:10:46.99
he was allowed to look into the
future to what that sacrifice
00:10:47.19\00:10:51.32
represented. His
sacrifice was more excellent
00:10:51.53\00:10:55.00
than the sacrifice of
Cain because it was a sacrifice
00:10:55.20\00:10:58.20
of blood. And
without the shedding of blood
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there is no remission of sin.
00:11:01.80\00:11:04.49
In other words Abel had faith...
As he looked at that sacrifice
00:11:04.89\00:11:10.45
he had faith that God was
going to send Jesus Christ
00:11:10.65\00:11:14.16
to the world to
die for our sins.
00:11:14.36\00:11:16.72
Something which at that
moment could not be seen.
00:11:17.02\00:11:20.07
Something at that
moment which had to be grasped
00:11:20.27\00:11:23.34
by faith in God's promise:
the promise of Genesis 3:15.
00:11:23.54\00:11:28.69
So once again we
find the idea of Abel
00:11:28.89\00:11:32.47
trusting the word of
God that God would send
00:11:32.68\00:11:35.82
in the future Jesus
Christ to die for sin.
00:11:36.03\00:11:39.81
And then of course
we have the next hero:
00:11:40.58\00:11:42.77
Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 5.
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This individual is not mentioned
very frequently in scripture.
00:11:46.76\00:11:50.42
In fact, he's
mentioned in Genesis 5;
00:11:50.72\00:11:53.17
he's mentioned in Hebrews 11;
00:11:53.37\00:11:55.50
and in Jude 14 and 15.
00:11:55.70\00:11:58.31
Notice Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 5:
00:11:58.61\00:12:02.45
Now what faith did Enoch have?
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Where was his faith focused?
00:12:28.72\00:12:31.86
If you read for example
00:12:32.20\00:12:33.94
the description in the book
00:12:34.04\00:12:35.29
Patriarchs and Prophets
00:12:35.39\00:12:37.31
you'll discover that
as Enoch lived his life
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day after day year after year
00:12:40.86\00:12:43.80
his mind was focused
less and less on earth
00:12:44.10\00:12:49.37
and more and more on heaven.
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His eyes were focused on
that which he could not see
00:12:53.80\00:12:57.04
but on that
which God had promised.
00:12:57.34\00:13:00.09
Because we're told in
Hebrews 11 that these heroes
00:13:00.39\00:13:03.48
looked forward to a
city whose builder and maker
00:13:03.68\00:13:07.53
is God. In other words,
they knew that there was a city
00:13:07.63\00:13:10.88
coming that God was going
to come and inhabit forever
00:13:10.98\00:13:14.35
with His people.
And Enoch by faith
00:13:14.45\00:13:17.14
looked to heaven and he
longed for that day to come
00:13:17.34\00:13:21.08
even thought it had
not taken place yet.
00:13:21.28\00:13:23.09
And his mind become so closely
identified with the mind of God
00:13:23.49\00:13:29.13
that eventually he was totally
disconnected from this world,
00:13:29.53\00:13:35.22
from the things of this world.
00:13:35.42\00:13:36.86
And God said to Enoch:
"Enoch, your mind is totally
00:13:37.16\00:13:40.90
in heaven, you're
totally heavenly minded,
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there's no reason
for you to stay on earth.
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If your mind is
here in the city with Me,
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you walk down there day by day
spiritually by faith in Me... "
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God says "Enoch, I'm
going to have you come up here
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and you no longer
will have to walk by faith.
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You can now walk by sight.
00:14:02.18\00:14:04.47
We'll walk the street of
gold together in the Holy City
00:14:04.77\00:14:08.07
towards which you are looking. "
00:14:08.17\00:14:09.98
And so Enoch was allowed
to see the Holy City by faith
00:14:10.49\00:14:14.95
and was taken there.
00:14:15.05\00:14:16.34
Abel was allowed to see
the future sacrifice of Jesus
00:14:16.64\00:14:20.06
because God had promised it
like He promised the Holy City.
00:14:20.36\00:14:24.18
Now the next hero that we
find in the book of Hebrews
00:14:25.15\00:14:29.43
which is also
mentioned in Genesis is Noah.
00:14:29.63\00:14:33.26
Notice Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 7.
00:14:34.22\00:14:38.45
Now let's take a
look at the story of Noah.
00:14:59.82\00:15:02.76
By the way,
faith is very simple.
00:15:02.96\00:15:05.20
Faith means that God speaks.
00:15:06.07\00:15:08.96
You trust what God says
00:15:09.26\00:15:12.11
and you act upon what He says.
00:15:12.42\00:15:15.83
That's what faith is.
00:15:16.13\00:15:17.79
It always is linked
with the word of God.
00:15:18.10\00:15:20.60
God speaks or gives
a command or a promise.
00:15:20.80\00:15:23.31
We trust and
believe God's promise
00:15:24.55\00:15:27.12
and we trust it
enough to act upon it.
00:15:27.42\00:15:31.15
So God says to Noah:
"Noah, I am going to send
00:15:32.07\00:15:35.44
a flood to the world.
00:15:35.64\00:15:37.50
I'm going to cause
water to come from heaven
00:15:37.70\00:15:40.01
and I'm going to cause the
fountains of the great deep
00:15:40.21\00:15:43.05
to be broken up. I'm going
to fill the planet with water. "
00:15:43.15\00:15:45.98
That was God's word.
00:15:47.23\00:15:49.50
Let me ask you: did
Noah believe God's word?
00:15:49.80\00:15:52.44
Of course he did.
00:15:53.62\00:15:54.95
Was the word of God apparently
absurd, illogical, unreasonable?
00:15:55.25\00:16:00.25
Absolutely!
00:16:00.65\00:16:01.97
See, faith many
times acts upon God's word
00:16:02.27\00:16:04.98
when God's word
appears to be ridiculous.
00:16:05.18\00:16:07.86
But that which is
impossible to man with faith
00:16:08.82\00:16:11.91
is possible... because with
faith ALL THINGS are possible
00:16:12.11\00:16:16.47
according to Jesus Himself.
00:16:16.77\00:16:18.42
And so when God said to Noah:
"There's going to be a flood;
00:16:18.72\00:16:21.28
there's going to
be rain from heaven"
00:16:21.38\00:16:22.89
Noah says: "I've known
You long enough to know that
00:16:23.09\00:16:26.48
when You say things it's
going to happen. I trust You. "
00:16:26.58\00:16:30.23
And so what does Noah do?
00:16:30.53\00:16:32.49
He goes and he gets the
saws and he gets the hammers
00:16:32.69\00:16:37.08
and he gets the
nails and he says:
00:16:37.28\00:16:39.29
"Let's act upon God's word;
let's do something about it. "
00:16:39.49\00:16:43.84
And so notice: God speaks,
Noah believes what God spoke,
00:16:44.24\00:16:48.94
and his belief is
shown by his actions.
00:16:49.14\00:16:52.99
In other words,
he builds a boat.
00:16:53.29\00:16:55.82
No matter how
ridiculous it might appear,
00:16:55.92\00:16:58.54
no matter how illogical
what God is asking for,
00:16:58.84\00:17:01.70
no matter how impossible it is
00:17:01.90\00:17:03.97
Noah says: "God has spoken.
I can trust what God says
00:17:04.17\00:17:08.14
and I am going to do it. "
00:17:08.34\00:17:10.79
And so he builds
this boat... this ark.
00:17:11.09\00:17:14.93
And of course,
when the flood came
00:17:15.27\00:17:18.00
it became evident
that Noah was right
00:17:18.20\00:17:21.90
in trusting the word of God
00:17:22.10\00:17:24.02
and building that
boat or building that ark.
00:17:24.32\00:17:28.63
Now the next example that
we find in the book of Hebrews
00:17:29.47\00:17:34.03
chapter 11 is
the case of Abraham.
00:17:34.13\00:17:38.18
And there's several
episodes here about Abraham.
00:17:38.38\00:17:41.07
Notice chapter 11 and verse 8.
00:17:41.37\00:17:45.49
Would that take faith?
00:18:00.96\00:18:03.06
Imagine, God says to Abraham:
00:18:03.96\00:18:06.44
"Abraham, I want you to leave. "
00:18:06.54\00:18:09.57
Abraham says: "Yes,
Lord. Where am I going? "
00:18:10.61\00:18:13.46
"I'll tell you later. "
00:18:14.36\00:18:15.90
I mean, at this time he
was established in Heron.
00:18:16.71\00:18:19.25
He'd left Ur of the
Chaldees with Terah his father.
00:18:19.65\00:18:22.05
He was in Heron. And
God says: "I'm going to
00:18:22.15\00:18:24.87
take you somewhere.
Just pick everything up
00:18:24.97\00:18:27.50
and move. "
00:18:27.80\00:18:30.49
And what did Abraham do?
00:18:30.79\00:18:32.73
He said: "God has
spoken. God's word is clear.
00:18:33.23\00:18:37.64
I'm supposed to get
up, pack, and move. "
00:18:37.94\00:18:43.18
And so the Bible tells us
that Abraham - even though
00:18:43.48\00:18:46.29
he didn't know
where they were going -
00:18:46.49\00:18:48.05
he had Sarah and his
servants pack everything up
00:18:48.35\00:18:52.41
and who knows how much
later they began their journey
00:18:52.62\00:18:56.80
to Canaan without
knowing where they were going.
00:18:56.91\00:19:00.39
Once again we have this idea
00:19:00.69\00:19:03.19
that faith means
listening to God's word,
00:19:03.40\00:19:06.76
trusting God's word
because we trust Him,
00:19:06.96\00:19:10.43
trusting His word enough
to do what God tells us to do
00:19:10.63\00:19:15.33
in His word. Faith
means believing God's word
00:19:15.63\00:19:20.62
because we trust God
and acting upon what He says
00:19:20.82\00:19:25.13
because we know that God
is going to come through.
00:19:25.23\00:19:29.17
By the way, Abraham didn't
always have this kind of faith.
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.02
Sometimes he walked
by sight not by faith.
00:19:33.22\00:19:36.86
Do you remember for example
when he went down into Egypt
00:19:38.93\00:19:41.34
and his wife was very
beautiful. He says: "Pharaoh
00:19:41.55\00:19:43.81
is going to look at my
wife and he's going to see she's
00:19:43.84\00:19:46.10
very beautiful. He's
going to kill me and take her. "
00:19:46.20\00:19:48.12
So he said to Sarah: "Just
tell him that you're my sister.
00:19:49.28\00:19:53.23
Don't tell him
the whole truth. "
00:19:53.73\00:19:55.01
Lack of faith, because God
could have protected Sarah.
00:19:55.13\00:19:57.74
He did the same thing when he
00:19:58.04\00:19:59.64
went to visit Abimelech.
00:19:59.74\00:20:01.82
It happened twice according to
00:20:02.02\00:20:03.64
scripture. And then when God
00:20:03.74\00:20:05.49
promised him a son
and the years went by
00:20:05.59\00:20:08.56
and Sarah says: "Abraham,
now do you really believe that
00:20:08.76\00:20:11.37
the word of the Lord is going
to be fulfilled the way He said?
00:20:11.47\00:20:14.08
Maybe we need to help
God just a little bit.
00:20:14.28\00:20:16.91
So don't you think it'd
be a good idea to take this
00:20:18.22\00:20:20.47
servant girl Hagar?
And maybe that's the way
00:20:20.57\00:20:24.93
that God's promise...
God's word will be fulfilled. "
00:20:25.03\00:20:27.40
And Abraham
showed a lack of faith.
00:20:27.70\00:20:29.48
He listened to Sarah,
and we're still suffering the
00:20:29.78\00:20:32.21
effects of this in
the Middle East today
00:20:32.31\00:20:34.18
as the result of
Abraham's lack of faith.
00:20:35.37\00:20:38.13
You see, God wanted
these heroes to walk by faith
00:20:39.19\00:20:42.39
not by sight. Even though
they couldn't see things...
00:20:42.59\00:20:45.48
even though things had
not transpired or happened yet
00:20:45.68\00:20:48.98
God wanted them to believe
in His word, to trust in Him
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.41
and leave things in God's hands.
00:20:52.71\00:20:55.16
And then, of course,
you have Sarah mentioned
00:20:55.66\00:20:58.70
in Hebrews 11.
Let's go there to Hebrews
00:20:59.00\00:21:01.67
chapter 11 and let's
notice verses 11 and 12.
00:21:01.87\00:21:05.60
Hebrews 11 and verses 11 and 12.
00:21:06.00\00:21:09.42
It says here in verse 11:
00:21:10.30\00:21:15.13
By the way, at first
Sarah kind of chuckled
00:21:47.89\00:21:51.23
at this promise of God.
00:21:51.97\00:21:53.56
In Genesis 18
verses 11 through 14
00:21:54.06\00:21:56.95
God says to her: "You
were laughing, weren't you? "
00:21:57.16\00:21:58.92
"No, no... I
wasn't... I wasn't laughing. "
00:21:59.02\00:22:01.19
You know, she was
adding lying to laughing
00:22:01.69\00:22:05.76
incidentally
because she HAD laughed.
00:22:06.06\00:22:07.83
She was saying: "How
can an old woman like myself
00:22:08.03\00:22:11.24
have a child? "
00:22:11.64\00:22:13.14
Did you notice it says here that
Abraham was as good as dead?
00:22:14.16\00:22:17.33
Some way to
describe your husband.
00:22:19.33\00:22:22.73
"My husband is as good
as dead. " Imagine that!
00:22:23.23\00:22:27.49
And yet it appears
that in the course of time
00:22:27.99\00:22:31.34
Sarah decided that
she would trust God
00:22:31.64\00:22:37.44
according to Hebrews 11, even
though at first she disbelieved.
00:22:38.79\00:22:41.99
And finally when she is 89
00:22:42.39\00:22:45.00
and Abraham is 99
00:22:45.30\00:22:48.28
Abraham says to Sarah:
00:22:49.86\00:22:51.71
"Sarah, don't you think it
might be a good idea for us
00:22:51.91\00:22:54.08
to have marital relations? "
00:22:54.28\00:22:57.58
By the way, they did
have to act on God's word.
00:22:59.58\00:23:01.64
Hello? It was not
going to happen by osmosis.
00:23:01.84\00:23:06.56
And so Sarah said:
"Abraham, have you looked at me
00:23:07.82\00:23:12.23
in the mirror?
00:23:12.43\00:23:13.82
Can you believe
that an 89-year-old woman
00:23:16.50\00:23:19.19
is going to have a
baby? " And Abraham said:
00:23:19.40\00:23:22.06
"God promised! "
00:23:22.26\00:23:24.13
And when God promises
we can take it to the bank.
00:23:25.34\00:23:28.08
And I guess Sarah said:
"Hey, you know you're probably
00:23:28.18\00:23:31.90
right. " And so they decided
to have marital relations.
00:23:32.00\00:23:36.11
And when they did - when
they acted upon God's word -
00:23:36.41\00:23:40.33
God intervened and He
did that which is humanly and
00:23:40.54\00:23:44.49
biologically what? Impossible!
00:23:44.59\00:23:47.60
You see, faith makes
the impossible possible.
00:23:47.90\00:23:51.73
It makes the impossible true.
00:23:52.03\00:23:55.65
It fulfills that which God says.
00:23:55.95\00:23:58.91
And then, of course, you
have the experience of Abraham
00:23:59.21\00:24:02.32
when God asked
him to offer Isaac.
00:24:02.52\00:24:05.04
That's the next
event in Hebrews 11.
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.23
All of these are Genesis heroes,
by the way, illustrating faith.
00:24:07.43\00:24:11.86
God says to Abraham:
"Abraham, I want you to take
00:24:12.10\00:24:14.95
that son that you
had in your old age
00:24:15.16\00:24:17.31
and I want you to
take him to Mount Moriah
00:24:17.71\00:24:21.70
and sacrifice him on one of
the mountains that are in the
00:24:22.99\00:24:26.58
region of Moriah. "
00:24:26.68\00:24:28.32
That was God's word.
00:24:29.46\00:24:31.02
Did Abraham trust God?
00:24:32.47\00:24:34.66
Did he? You know what
Abraham could have done?
00:24:36.14\00:24:39.25
Abraham could have said:
00:24:40.38\00:24:42.09
"I just can't
bring myself to do that.
00:24:43.20\00:24:45.61
It'll be too painful.
00:24:46.01\00:24:48.07
I mean, sacrificing my own son?
00:24:48.58\00:24:50.30
My emotions and my
feelings say I can't do this. "
00:24:50.50\00:24:53.61
But Abraham did not live
by emotions and feelings.
00:24:54.11\00:24:57.12
He could have used logic.
00:24:58.16\00:24:59.54
"Oh well, God said
'Thou shalt not kill'
00:25:00.35\00:25:02.68
so this can't be God's voice. "
00:25:02.98\00:25:04.87
He could have waked up his wife
to give him some moral support
00:25:05.91\00:25:11.06
'cause he knew that
she would say "No way...
00:25:12.20\00:25:17.08
you're not taking
him to sacrifice him. "
00:25:17.48\00:25:20.02
But he left Sarah sleeping
purposely because he knew
00:25:20.32\00:25:24.91
what she was going to say.
00:25:25.01\00:25:26.49
Abraham could have followed
00:25:27.77\00:25:29.64
many different
sources of authority.
00:25:30.58\00:25:33.45
But when God spoke the
Bible says that Abraham
00:25:33.95\00:25:37.90
trusted God. He
trusted God's word
00:25:37.93\00:25:41.04
because he knew God.
00:25:41.24\00:25:42.72
And he says: "If God
says it, I believe it
00:25:43.02\00:25:46.83
and I'm going to do it. "
00:25:47.03\00:25:48.48
And so he got up real
early before Sarah was awake
00:25:48.78\00:25:51.45
and he traveled
three days to Mount Moriah.
00:25:51.75\00:25:55.89
And we all know the story
00:25:56.82\00:25:58.51
how he raised the knife to
plunge it into his own son,
00:25:58.81\00:26:02.56
obeying the word of God.
00:26:02.86\00:26:05.97
Acting upon God's word by faith
00:26:06.27\00:26:10.17
because he trusted God.
00:26:10.47\00:26:12.73
Now notice Hebrews chapter 11
and how it describes this event.
00:26:13.03\00:26:17.95
Hebrews 11, and let's begin
reading... Let's see here...
00:26:18.25\00:26:23.02
let's begin reading at verse 17.
00:26:23.12\00:26:25.48
It says here:
00:26:25.78\00:26:27.62
So Abraham says: "I
can't understand this.
00:27:03.24\00:27:05.44
This is a child of the promise.
00:27:05.74\00:27:07.46
There's supposed to be a
multitude that comes from him
00:27:07.66\00:27:10.24
and ultimately the Messiah.
00:27:10.34\00:27:11.61
I can't understand why
God is asking me to do this
00:27:11.81\00:27:14.22
but God has spoken. I
will do it and God will take
00:27:14.32\00:27:17.72
care of the consequences.
I believe that if necessary
00:27:17.82\00:27:20.69
He can resurrect
him from the dead. "
00:27:20.89\00:27:23.43
So once again, God speaks.
00:27:23.93\00:27:26.79
Abraham trusts in
God and what God says
00:27:27.29\00:27:31.97
and he acts upon what God says.
00:27:32.18\00:27:35.45
And then, of course in
Hebrews 11 we also have
00:27:35.76\00:27:38.72
the story of Jacob and Esau.
00:27:38.92\00:27:40.71
I'll just mention
this. In Hebrews chapter 11
00:27:41.01\00:27:43.54
and verse 20 we find Isaac
00:27:43.74\00:27:49.08
blessing Jacob and Esau.
00:27:49.28\00:27:51.44
And the things that he
says he could have never known
00:27:52.26\00:27:54.87
that the descendants of
Jacob and Esau would have
00:27:55.07\00:27:58.05
those characteristics.
00:27:58.16\00:27:59.58
In other words, Isaac is
00:27:59.68\00:28:01.52
looking into the future
00:28:01.72\00:28:03.08
prophetically because God has
00:28:03.28\00:28:05.12
shown him what's going to happen
00:28:05.22\00:28:06.63
with Jacob and what's
going to happen with Esau.
00:28:06.73\00:28:08.68
And he's simply
repeating what God has said
00:28:08.98\00:28:11.33
because he believes it.
00:28:11.63\00:28:13.21
He utters it with his voice.
00:28:13.31\00:28:15.18
And then, of course,
in Hebrews 11 verse 22
00:28:16.28\00:28:18.62
we have the last Genesis hero
that is mentioned in the book
00:28:18.82\00:28:21.43
of Hebrews... and that's Joseph.
00:28:21.53\00:28:24.54
Notice Hebrews 11 and verse 22.
00:28:24.84\00:28:28.31
Hebrews 11 and verse 22.
00:28:28.61\00:28:31.02
Here Joseph is mentioned.
00:28:31.32\00:28:33.59
And it says here in this verse:
00:28:33.79\00:28:35.90
Did you notice this?
00:28:50.86\00:28:52.36
What did Joseph do?
00:28:52.66\00:28:54.38
He spoke about the release
of the children of Israel
00:28:54.68\00:28:58.32
and he spoke about them
not leaving his bones in Egypt.
00:28:58.52\00:29:03.19
How could Joseph be sure
that Israel was going to be
00:29:04.70\00:29:09.10
delivered from Egypt?
00:29:09.20\00:29:10.68
This wasn't going to happen
for several hundred years more.
00:29:10.98\00:29:15.63
And yet Joseph is saying:
"When you leave Egypt for Canaan
00:29:16.56\00:29:20.42
make sure you take
my bones with you. "
00:29:21.37\00:29:24.11
On what basis could he say that?
00:29:25.47\00:29:27.44
You see, in Genesis 15
God had given a promise.
00:29:27.84\00:29:30.73
He'd said that after 400
years He was going to intervene
00:29:31.67\00:29:36.01
and He was going to
deliver God's people from Egypt
00:29:36.24\00:29:39.98
and He was going to
take them to Canaan.
00:29:40.18\00:29:41.86
And Joseph
believed what God said.
00:29:42.16\00:29:44.62
He spoke about the
deliverance before it happened.
00:29:44.93\00:29:47.84
And he also said: "Make sure
00:29:48.14\00:29:50.84
you take my bones
with you as well. "
00:29:51.04\00:29:56.60
And so basically,
when God speaks His word
00:29:56.83\00:29:59.45
you can take it to the bank.
00:29:59.55\00:30:00.84
You can trust His word
because you can trust God.
00:30:01.04\00:30:04.34
His word never
returns unto Him void.
00:30:04.64\00:30:07.27
Notice what we
find in Isaiah 55...
00:30:07.57\00:30:10.44
Isaiah 55 and let's
read verses 10 and 11.
00:30:10.74\00:30:14.60
Isaiah 55:10-11.
00:30:14.90\00:30:16.75
Notice the power
of God's holy word.
00:30:17.05\00:30:19.24
It says here:
00:30:19.64\00:30:21.21
Does the word of
God ever return empty?
00:30:58.00\00:31:00.50
Or does it accomplish what God
says it is going to accomplish?
00:31:00.70\00:31:04.42
You can take it
to the bank, folks.
00:31:04.72\00:31:07.30
That's why we need to learn
to trust in the promises of God.
00:31:07.60\00:31:10.65
It doesn't mean that God
is going to do it immediately.
00:31:10.95\00:31:13.21
We need to be patient
sometimes. But it means
00:31:14.14\00:31:16.83
that God when He makes a
promise, when He speaks His word
00:31:17.03\00:31:20.02
we can trust what He
says because we can trust Him.
00:31:20.22\00:31:23.58
You can take it to the bank.
00:31:23.88\00:31:25.10
The Bible says in Hebrews...
actually, the book of Romans
00:31:25.40\00:31:28.74
chapter 10 and verse 17.
00:31:28.94\00:31:31.02
Romans 10 verse 17:
00:31:31.22\00:31:32.85
How does faith come?
Faith comes by hearing.
00:31:40.30\00:31:44.61
By hearing what? By
hearing the Word of God.
00:31:44.81\00:31:48.70
And let me explain
how the process is.
00:31:49.00\00:31:51.10
God speaks His
word; you believe His word
00:31:51.60\00:31:56.53
because you believe in Him;
00:31:57.70\00:32:00.32
because you know Him;
00:32:00.62\00:32:03.41
because you've
spent time with Him.
00:32:03.71\00:32:05.96
Let me go over that again.
00:32:07.10\00:32:08.57
God speaks His word;
00:32:09.01\00:32:10.65
you believe His word
00:32:11.70\00:32:14.06
because you believe in Him;
00:32:14.97\00:32:16.68
because you
have come to know Him
00:32:18.34\00:32:20.86
and because you
have spent time with Him.
00:32:22.78\00:32:25.18
Because you need to spend time
with someone if you're going to
00:32:25.29\00:32:27.62
know them. So you
spend time with God;
00:32:27.72\00:32:29.85
you come to know God;
00:32:30.05\00:32:31.65
and therefore you
trust God when God speaks
00:32:31.86\00:32:34.81
because you know
that God is trustworthy.
00:32:35.01\00:32:38.38
That means that the
more time we spend with God
00:32:40.13\00:32:43.02
the more powerful
our faith is going to be
00:32:43.92\00:32:46.30
because the more we will
have experienced what it means
00:32:46.80\00:32:49.95
to trust in God...
to trust in someone.
00:32:49.98\00:32:52.65
Because faith is not
trusting in something;
00:32:52.85\00:32:55.29
faith is trusting in someone
00:32:55.49\00:32:57.41
because we know that someone,
because we've spent time
00:32:57.72\00:33:00.64
with someone, and we're willing
to do what that someone told us
00:33:00.84\00:33:04.04
because we know them.
00:33:04.24\00:33:06.12
Let me illustrate what I mean.
00:33:07.17\00:33:08.60
Supposing that
you'd never seen me before
00:33:10.34\00:33:12.41
and I meet you on the street
00:33:12.81\00:33:14.84
and I say to you: "Would
you please lend me $1,000?
00:33:16.01\00:33:21.07
I promise to
pay you next week. "
00:33:22.27\00:33:24.38
Do you think anybody
would lend me the money?
00:33:26.63\00:33:28.60
Of course not.
00:33:29.10\00:33:31.30
If I'm walking down the street
and nobody's ever seen me,
00:33:32.29\00:33:34.88
even if I have a suit
on - especially, probably
00:33:35.08\00:33:37.33
if I have a suit on -
they'd say "What guarantee
00:33:37.43\00:33:41.33
do I have that you're going
to pay me back next week? "
00:33:41.43\00:33:43.30
"Trust me. "
00:33:44.62\00:33:46.06
"I'm promising it. "
00:33:47.40\00:33:49.79
"I give you my word. "
00:33:50.09\00:33:51.77
Is that going to do any good?
00:33:52.07\00:33:53.62
Absolutely not.
00:33:53.93\00:33:55.38
Why won't they
lend me that money?
00:33:55.68\00:33:57.21
Because they don't know me.
00:33:58.25\00:34:00.38
They haven't spent time with
me and they don't know if what I
00:34:01.26\00:34:04.32
say is trustworthy.
00:34:04.42\00:34:05.96
But now let's suppose
that I talk with Elaine.
00:34:06.87\00:34:10.41
And I say: "You know, Elaine,
I'm in a tough situation here.
00:34:11.81\00:34:14.62
You know I don't have enough
money to pay for my mortgage
00:34:15.71\00:34:19.53
this month. Would you
please lend me $1,000?
00:34:19.73\00:34:22.93
I promise to pay
you back next week. "
00:34:23.13\00:34:25.15
What would Elaine say?
00:34:26.29\00:34:27.73
She said:
"You've got it, Pastor! "
00:34:28.03\00:34:29.87
I'll talk to you
after the service today.
00:34:30.07\00:34:31.85
Why would Elaine
lend me the money?
00:34:34.75\00:34:37.28
Because she knows me.
00:34:38.39\00:34:40.48
She knows that my
word is trustworthy
00:34:40.88\00:34:44.12
because she's
become acquainted with me.
00:34:44.42\00:34:46.45
Is that true also
in the realm of faith?
00:34:46.95\00:34:50.08
Absolutely!
00:34:50.38\00:34:52.14
Why do we do what God
says even if it appears to be
00:34:52.24\00:34:55.77
ridiculous? Because
by previous experience
00:34:55.88\00:34:59.31
we have formed a
relationship with God.
00:34:59.51\00:35:02.13
We know Him to be trustworthy
00:35:02.33\00:35:04.65
because of what He
says in His Holy Word.
00:35:05.05\00:35:07.36
And in the Bible we have a
plethora of examples of faith.
00:35:07.66\00:35:11.88
You remember the
miraculous fishing expedition
00:35:13.05\00:35:15.68
where the disciples had been
- this is in Luke chapter 5-
00:35:16.08\00:35:18.94
the disciples had
been on the lake all night
00:35:19.14\00:35:22.06
and they had not
fished one single fish.
00:35:22.37\00:35:26.39
They were kind of discouraged.
The next day Jesus got into the
00:35:27.63\00:35:31.01
boat and they
launched out into the deep.
00:35:31.11\00:35:32.96
It was daytime.
00:35:33.37\00:35:35.02
And Jesus said to Peter that he
was supposed to do the absurd.
00:35:35.42\00:35:38.80
I mean, Peter was a fisherman;
Jesus was a carpenter.
00:35:39.00\00:35:41.10
And so Jesus said to Peter:
"Peter, throw out your nets. "
00:35:42.20\00:35:45.58
You don't throw out
your nets in the daytime.
00:35:45.78\00:35:47.29
The fish can see the nets
00:35:47.49\00:35:48.96
because the water of
the Sea of Galilee is clear.
00:35:49.26\00:35:52.41
You don't fish in
the daytime with nets.
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.70
It's that simple.
00:35:54.91\00:35:56.06
And yet Peter says to Jesus:
00:35:56.90\00:35:58.63
"Because I know that Your
word can do something special. "
00:36:10.26\00:36:13.59
And so because
Jesus spoke the word
00:36:13.89\00:36:17.45
and Peter trusted Jesus in
spite of the fact that he knew
00:36:17.65\00:36:20.71
that they weren't going to
fish anything humanly speaking
00:36:20.91\00:36:24.44
he cast down the nets.
00:36:24.75\00:36:26.92
And the Bible says that
the nets had so many fish
00:36:27.12\00:36:30.51
that they were breaking.
So they had to call their
00:36:30.71\00:36:32.69
companion fishermen
and they filled both boats
00:36:32.79\00:36:35.56
because Peter acted
upon the word of Jesus.
00:36:37.01\00:36:41.19
Because he
trusted the word of Jesus.
00:36:41.39\00:36:43.36
Because he trusted Jesus because
he had spent time with Jesus.
00:36:43.56\00:36:46.63
How about it? You know,
you have an interesting story
00:36:46.93\00:36:50.56
that's found in John
chapter 4 verses 46 through 54.
00:36:50.76\00:36:54.88
I'm going to tell you the story.
00:36:55.08\00:36:56.14
We're not going
to read the verses
00:36:56.34\00:36:57.92
but I'm going to read a
couple of statements from the
00:36:58.22\00:37:00.47
Spirit of Prophecy on this.
00:37:00.57\00:37:02.15
Jesus was in Cana of Galilee.
00:37:02.35\00:37:04.76
There was a man who was
visiting there from Capernaeum
00:37:05.72\00:37:08.09
and he comes to
Jesus and he says
00:37:08.32\00:37:09.87
"My son is at home
00:37:10.07\00:37:12.41
in Capernaum; he's dying.
00:37:12.52\00:37:14.11
Could you please
come and heal him? "
00:37:14.81\00:37:16.95
Now what does Jesus do?
00:37:19.68\00:37:21.53
Let's notice...
I'll read just one verse.
00:37:23.66\00:37:26.25
Verse 50 of John 4.
00:37:26.65\00:37:29.31
John 4 verse 50. I
want you to notice this.
00:37:29.61\00:37:32.66
It's very, very significant.
00:37:32.76\00:37:34.22
John 4 and verse
50. It says here:
00:37:34.52\00:37:40.46
"Jesus said to him:
00:37:43.86\00:37:46.31
'Go your way.
Your son lives. ' "
00:37:47.50\00:37:51.21
Is that what Jesus said?
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.22
He said: 'I don't have to go.
00:37:54.52\00:37:55.88
Just go your
way. Your son lives. "
00:37:56.87\00:37:59.09
And now notice:
"So the man... " What?
00:37:59.39\00:38:04.37
By the way, that word believed
is the word pisteuo in Greek
00:38:04.77\00:38:08.69
and faith is pistis.
00:38:08.89\00:38:11.08
We would never know in
English that the word believed
00:38:11.18\00:38:13.26
and the word faith
are the same Greek word.
00:38:13.37\00:38:15.66
So you could translate
this: "So the man trusted
00:38:16.87\00:38:21.37
or had faith in the
word that Jesus spoke to him.
00:38:21.67\00:38:26.54
And he went his
way. " Now listen up:
00:38:26.74\00:38:30.34
Capernaum was close
enough to Cana for that man
00:38:30.74\00:38:34.87
to have rushed home to see
whether his son really had been
00:38:35.08\00:38:38.54
healed. But do you
know what's interesting?
00:38:38.64\00:38:42.26
He had no sense of urgency
after Jesus spoke the word.
00:38:42.67\00:38:46.39
No sense of urgency at all.
00:38:47.65\00:38:49.94
In fact, he decided
to take the scenic route
00:38:52.39\00:38:54.70
and to smell the flowers
the next day. By the way,
00:38:54.90\00:39:00.28
this healing had taken place
at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
00:39:00.51\00:39:04.16
"At the seventh
hour" the Bible says.
00:39:05.47\00:39:07.46
That's 1 o'clock
in the afternoon.
00:39:07.76\00:39:09.11
So he could have made it home
before sundown if he rushed.
00:39:09.52\00:39:14.14
"I wonder whether my son
is healed or not? " He didn't.
00:39:14.44\00:39:16.59
He waited till the next day and
then he took the scenic route.
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.53
He smelled the flowers.
00:39:19.63\00:39:21.26
And when he gets home he
asks some of the servants:
00:39:21.66\00:39:25.44
"How's my son doing? "
00:39:25.64\00:39:26.98
They said: "He's healed. "
00:39:27.28\00:39:29.16
He says: "When was he healed? "
00:39:29.36\00:39:30.87
"Yesterday... at
the seventh hour. "
00:39:31.17\00:39:34.05
Now allow me to read
you a statement here from
00:39:36.23\00:39:38.40
Desire of Ages page 200.
00:39:38.50\00:39:40.36
This is marvelous.
00:39:42.23\00:39:43.56
Talk about trusting God's word.
00:39:43.86\00:39:45.55
See, he didn't even
have to see the healing.
00:39:46.38\00:39:48.39
When Jesus spoke the
word he said: "That's it!
00:39:48.89\00:39:51.00
He's healed. " It says:
00:39:51.20\00:39:53.95
Hello? Even before we receive it
00:40:52.37\00:40:55.82
because He speaks and He is
00:40:56.02\00:40:57.78
trustworthy.
00:40:57.88\00:40:59.03
And it says:
00:40:59.23\00:41:00.26
By the way, do you know how
Jesus healed this man who was...
00:41:15.91\00:41:19.55
this young man who
was over in Capernaum
00:41:19.75\00:41:22.01
when He actually
pronounced the word in Cana?
00:41:22.21\00:41:24.33
I'll give you a little inkling.
00:41:24.53\00:41:25.89
The Bible tells us that the
angels are ministering spirits
00:41:26.29\00:41:31.45
that perform the will
of God all over the earth.
00:41:31.65\00:41:35.92
In fact, we find in
Desire of Ages page 143
00:41:37.20\00:41:40.77
that all of the miracles
of Christ were performed by
00:41:41.01\00:41:43.90
the power of God through
the ministration of the angels.
00:41:44.00\00:41:46.49
Do you remember the story of
the centurion who came to Jesus
00:41:47.59\00:41:50.41
and said: "My son is
sick... he's deathly sick.
00:41:50.51\00:41:52.74
Could You please heal him? "
00:41:53.04\00:41:55.16
Jesus says: "OK, I'll go. "
00:41:55.46\00:41:56.89
He says: "No, You don't need
to come. Just speak the word. "
00:41:57.09\00:42:00.78
"I trust Your word. Just speak
the word and he'll be well. "
00:42:01.76\00:42:04.01
He says: "Because I'm
also a man of authority. "
00:42:04.31\00:42:07.13
He says: "I tell this soldier
'Go here' and I tell this
00:42:07.33\00:42:10.10
servant 'Do that over
there' and they do it. "
00:42:10.20\00:42:12.65
He says: "So just speak
the word and it will be done. "
00:42:13.05\00:42:15.99
Do you know... when
Jesus spoke the word
00:42:16.22\00:42:18.44
the angels actually went
and healed the centurion's son.
00:42:18.84\00:42:23.13
The angels actually were
the ones who spooked the fish
00:42:24.40\00:42:27.31
to come to the side of the boat.
00:42:27.52\00:42:29.40
The angels were really the
ones that went to Capernaum
00:42:30.47\00:42:33.55
and implemented
the word of Jesus
00:42:33.75\00:42:36.86
because the miracles of Jesus
were performed by the power
00:42:37.16\00:42:40.15
of God through the
ministration of angels.
00:42:40.26\00:42:41.80
There are millions and millions
of angels all over the world
00:42:42.10\00:42:44.69
just waiting to
execute God's will.
00:42:44.90\00:42:47.45
We have a lot of
helpers in this world.
00:42:48.63\00:42:50.71
Praise the Lord!
00:42:51.79\00:42:53.29
And then we have the
experience of Jesus...
00:42:54.37\00:42:56.44
the greatest illustration
of faith in the whole Bible.
00:42:57.39\00:43:00.45
Imagine Jesus on
the cross of Calvary.
00:43:02.20\00:43:05.31
It's about the ninth hour
00:43:06.35\00:43:08.09
and Jesus cries out with
a loud voice and He says:
00:43:08.59\00:43:13.76
Let me ask you: did Jesus
feel forsaken by His Father?
00:43:20.32\00:43:23.64
Did He feel
forsaken by His Father?
00:43:24.55\00:43:26.17
Yes He did.
00:43:27.22\00:43:28.93
He says: "My God, My God,
why hast Thou forsaken Me? "
00:43:29.23\00:43:32.62
He felt forsaken by His Father.
00:43:32.92\00:43:34.83
But did Jesus know that He
00:43:36.72\00:43:38.22
wasn't forsaken by the Father?
00:43:38.32\00:43:40.07
Yes He did.
00:43:41.43\00:43:42.91
Now you say: "This is strange. "
00:43:43.31\00:43:45.04
You say: "He knew that He
wasn't forsaken by the Father
00:43:45.34\00:43:47.62
but He felt
forsaken by the Father.
00:43:47.82\00:43:49.94
Now how do you explain that? "
00:43:50.24\00:43:51.79
It simply teaches us,
folks, that we are not to go by
00:43:52.09\00:43:54.77
feelings. We are to
go by what God says!
00:43:54.97\00:43:58.89
Had God the Father said to Jesus
that if He was faithful to Him
00:44:00.11\00:44:04.74
that He would not forsake
Him? That He would resurrect Him
00:44:06.42\00:44:09.47
the third day? Had the
Father promised that to Jesus?
00:44:09.57\00:44:12.29
Yes! Now Jesus on the cross
could not feel the presence
00:44:12.49\00:44:15.91
of His Father. He
felt forsaken by His Father
00:44:16.01\00:44:19.53
but He relied upon
the promise of His Father.
00:44:19.83\00:44:22.61
His Father had said: "If
You go through with this,
00:44:22.81\00:44:25.01
if You are victorious, I
guarantee that I will come
00:44:25.21\00:44:28.51
and resurrect You from the tomb.
You can take it to the bank. "
00:44:28.61\00:44:31.65
And so even though Jesus
on the cross felt forsaken
00:44:31.95\00:44:35.17
by His Father, by faith
in the promises of His Father
00:44:35.37\00:44:39.60
which He had received previously
00:44:39.80\00:44:41.48
He knew that
death was not the end.
00:44:41.68\00:44:44.62
In fact, we clearly grasp
that because immediately after
00:44:45.76\00:44:48.96
Jesus says: "My God, My
God, why has Thou forsaken Me? "
00:44:49.17\00:44:53.38
He then says:
00:44:54.08\00:44:55.80
Evidently He wasn't forsaken
00:45:00.94\00:45:03.11
or else He wouldn't
have asked His Father
00:45:03.31\00:45:04.51
to take care of His spirit.
00:45:04.71\00:45:05.97
And by the way, those of you
who have studied with me before
00:45:07.24\00:45:10.18
know that the word
spirit indicates much more than
00:45:10.28\00:45:12.18
the breath. It's
actually the record of the life.
00:45:12.28\00:45:14.75
It's actually the
character of the individual.
00:45:15.99\00:45:18.28
The self-identity. In
other words, Jesus is saying
00:45:18.38\00:45:20.99
"Preserve who I
am in Your books... "
00:45:21.19\00:45:24.92
Not in conscious
state but in Your records...
00:45:25.86\00:45:28.17
"because You have promised
that on the third day You are
00:45:28.47\00:45:31.38
going to return to Me who I am
00:45:31.48\00:45:34.42
by resurrecting
Me from the dead. "
00:45:34.52\00:45:36.70
And of course, we know
that on the third day the Father
00:45:37.13\00:45:39.69
fulfilled His promise.
And He says: "I preserved Your
00:45:39.89\00:45:43.19
spirit, I
preserved Your character.
00:45:43.29\00:45:45.16
Now I've come to give it back. "
00:45:45.36\00:45:46.92
"Oh thou Son of
God come forth! "
00:45:47.22\00:45:49.58
And Jesus came forth.
00:45:49.88\00:45:51.49
So you have these mixed feelings
on the cross of Calvary.
00:45:51.79\00:45:54.54
Jesus feeling
forsaken but saying: "Father,
00:45:54.84\00:45:57.44
into Your hands I
commend My spirit.
00:45:57.64\00:45:59.20
I feel forsaken
but I know I'm not
00:45:59.40\00:46:01.54
because You told
Me that I'm not. "
00:46:01.74\00:46:03.37
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:46:04.25\00:46:05.88
Allow me to read a
statement from Desire of Ages
00:46:06.18\00:46:10.24
page 756 about how
Jesus overcame on the cross.
00:46:10.44\00:46:14.24
Here Ellen White says:
00:46:17.39\00:46:18.45
He trusted His Father
because He knew His Father
00:47:36.66\00:47:41.73
from previous experience.
00:47:42.03\00:47:44.10
He had received
the word of His Father;
00:47:44.40\00:47:47.60
believed the word of His Father;
00:47:47.80\00:47:49.19
lived the word of
His Father before.
00:47:49.39\00:47:51.56
And He knew that His Father was
going to raise Him from the dead
00:47:52.54\00:47:55.42
not because He felt it
but because God said so.
00:47:55.62\00:47:58.96
In fact, Ellen White says
that Jesus could not see beyond
00:47:59.16\00:48:02.03
the portals of the tomb.
00:48:02.13\00:48:03.44
He felt that sin
was so offensive to God
00:48:03.75\00:48:07.20
that the separation
would be everlasting.
00:48:07.23\00:48:09.45
That's how Jesus felt!
00:48:09.65\00:48:10.90
But Jesus did not go
by feelings and emotions.
00:48:11.10\00:48:14.03
Jesus trusted the
word of God. Amen!
00:48:14.33\00:48:18.98
One time I had a young
lady come to me. She said:
00:48:20.36\00:48:22.23
"Pastor, I don't feel
that God has forgiven me. "
00:48:22.44\00:48:25.55
I said: "Well
that's interesting. "
00:48:27.39\00:48:28.88
I said: "Why not? " She
said: "Because I've committed
00:48:29.08\00:48:31.89
this sin several times.
I'm positive that the Lord
00:48:31.99\00:48:34.89
has not forgiven me. "
00:48:35.09\00:48:36.90
I said: "Well, have
you repented of that sin? "
00:48:37.20\00:48:39.31
She says: "Yes I have. "
00:48:39.62\00:48:41.05
I said: "Have you
confessed that sin? "
00:48:41.25\00:48:42.88
She says: "Yes,
I've confessed it also. "
00:48:42.98\00:48:44.80
I said: "Then you're forgiven! "
00:48:45.11\00:48:47.07
Because in I John 1:9 it says:
00:48:49.16\00:48:51.68
If you fulfill the conditions,
if you have repented,
00:48:58.36\00:49:01.17
if you've confessed your sin,
00:49:01.37\00:49:02.83
believe it... not because you
feel it but because God says it.
00:49:03.03\00:49:06.44
We trust our feelings too much!
00:49:07.78\00:49:10.54
We say: "Well I don't feel
that God has forgiven me. "
00:49:10.74\00:49:12.79
Feelings have
nothing to do with this.
00:49:13.09\00:49:15.39
If God says it and
you've fulfilled the conditions,
00:49:15.69\00:49:18.80
you can take it to the bank.
00:49:19.00\00:49:20.94
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:49:22.89\00:49:24.55
Faith means trusting what
God says because we know God
00:49:24.85\00:49:29.11
and because we've
spent time with God...
00:49:29.31\00:49:32.15
quality time with God.
We've come to know Him.
00:49:32.35\00:49:35.13
You remember the experience
of the three young men who were
00:49:35.43\00:49:37.93
thrown in the fiery furnace?
00:49:38.13\00:49:39.50
Do you know that they
claimed a promise from scripture
00:49:40.84\00:49:45.18
that had been written
before this experience?
00:49:45.41\00:49:47.79
Notice Isaiah 43...
00:49:48.10\00:49:50.18
Isaiah 43 and verse 2.
00:49:50.48\00:49:55.19
Isaiah 43 and verse 2.
00:49:55.49\00:49:57.88
They claimed that promise.
00:50:23.64\00:50:25.98
They knew their God and
therefore they remained firm.
00:50:26.18\00:50:29.89
And by the way, this experience
is going to take place again.
00:50:30.12\00:50:33.78
This experience in
Daniel 3 was historical but also
00:50:34.99\00:50:39.09
a prophetic experience.
00:50:39.29\00:50:40.76
Because in Daniel 3 you have
Nebuchadnezzar who for a while
00:50:41.26\00:50:44.74
lived as a beast.
He raised an image.
00:50:44.94\00:50:47.12
He commanded everyone to worship
the image that he had raised up,
00:50:47.42\00:50:50.43
and he was going to have
everybody killed who did not
00:50:50.73\00:50:53.05
worship the image
that he had raised.
00:50:53.15\00:50:55.17
Is that the scenario
in Revelation chapter 13?
00:50:55.57\00:50:58.66
It most certainly is.
00:50:58.96\00:51:00.53
And as those three young men
had to face the fiery furnace
00:51:00.63\00:51:03.64
we will have to face the
period of the seven last plagues
00:51:03.85\00:51:07.95
when the wrath of God is
poured out without mixture
00:51:08.05\00:51:10.58
in this world.
00:51:10.88\00:51:12.33
The fullness of
God's wrath is poured out.
00:51:12.43\00:51:14.39
And yet like those 3 young men
00:51:14.69\00:51:16.77
the plagues will be falling
on one side and on the other
00:51:16.97\00:51:19.62
but the plagues will not touch
00:51:19.82\00:51:21.49
God's people
00:51:21.59\00:51:22.96
because they have learned
00:51:22.99\00:51:24.57
to trust in God.
00:51:24.68\00:51:25.91
This is what Revelation 13:10
00:51:26.11\00:51:27.96
means when it says: "Here is
the patience of the saints. "
00:51:28.06\00:51:31.79
Here is the patience and
the perseverance and the faith
00:51:32.09\00:51:34.99
of the saints. In other
words, we're going to need
00:51:35.19\00:51:37.55
perseverance,
we're going to need faith
00:51:37.75\00:51:39.83
because we're going to
lose everything that we have.
00:51:40.23\00:51:42.23
Our freedom.
00:51:43.59\00:51:45.30
Some people in the little time
of trouble are even going to
00:51:46.00\00:51:48.68
lose their lives. And if
we trust in our feelings,
00:51:48.78\00:51:52.49
our emotions, and our things
and in what other people say
00:51:52.69\00:51:56.01
we're going to fall
in an instant, folks.
00:51:56.22\00:51:58.25
We have to
learn to trust in God.
00:51:58.75\00:52:01.44
We have to get into the Word.
00:52:01.64\00:52:02.98
We have to get to
know God personally.
00:52:03.18\00:52:06.05
And we need to claim
the promises and act upon
00:52:06.28\00:52:09.17
those promises of God.
00:52:09.37\00:52:10.66
Allow me to say this
as we near the close:
00:52:11.92\00:52:14.60
Do you know that one of
the great deceptions of Satan
00:52:15.82\00:52:18.52
in the end time is going
to be to disguise himself -
00:52:18.62\00:52:21.81
along with his evil angels -
00:52:22.01\00:52:23.45
as departed relatives?
00:52:23.65\00:52:25.75
And don't you be surprised
if there's a John Paul II
00:52:26.80\00:52:30.64
appearing some
place all over the earth.
00:52:30.75\00:52:32.54
And don't you be surprised
if the supposed Virgin Mary
00:52:34.61\00:52:38.23
is appearing in
different parts of the earth.
00:52:38.43\00:52:40.31
That's, of
course, already happened!
00:52:42.12\00:52:44.15
You say: "Ah, I
would never believe that.
00:52:46.02\00:52:48.17
The dead don't know anything. "
00:52:48.47\00:52:50.12
Listen, Ellen White says
that this will be an almost
00:52:50.82\00:52:55.78
overmastering delusion.
00:52:55.98\00:52:58.22
Notice what she says in
Great Controversy page 552.
00:52:59.46\00:53:02.68
Speaking about Satan's power:
"He has power to bring before
00:53:03.84\00:53:07.33
men the appearance of
their departed friends.
00:53:07.43\00:53:09.57
The counterfeit is perfect. "
00:53:10.07\00:53:12.48
Did you catch that?
The counterfeit is what?
00:53:13.78\00:53:16.91
Perfect.
00:53:17.21\00:53:18.92
"The familiar
look, the words, the tone
00:53:19.22\00:53:22.10
are reproduced with
marvelous distinctness.
00:53:22.40\00:53:25.89
Many are comforted with the
assurance that their loved ones
00:53:27.06\00:53:30.07
are enjoying the bliss of heaven
00:53:30.27\00:53:31.80
and without suspicion of danger
they are giving ear to seducing
00:53:32.10\00:53:37.29
spirits and
doctrine of devils. "
00:53:37.49\00:53:40.19
Listen folks, have we reached
the point in our experience
00:53:41.16\00:53:45.14
where we are so
saturated with the Word of God
00:53:45.35\00:53:47.97
that we will ignore
what our eyes, our ears,
00:53:48.92\00:53:52.16
our touch, our
smell, our feelings,
00:53:52.36\00:53:55.45
our reasonings,
the words of others?
00:53:55.65\00:53:58.14
Ignore all of these things
00:53:58.34\00:54:01.01
and to just trust
the naked Word of God?
00:54:01.21\00:54:04.31
Though someone appear
disguised as a relative
00:54:06.27\00:54:09.73
or as a friend or
one of the great heroes
00:54:09.93\00:54:11.99
of the Christian church?
00:54:12.09\00:54:14.15
And they look the
same, they talk the same,
00:54:15.22\00:54:18.40
they make us feel good.
00:54:18.60\00:54:21.35
They speak about
peace and love and kindness.
00:54:21.65\00:54:24.50
Are we going to be
willing to say: "I hear you,
00:54:25.57\00:54:28.83
I see you, I feel you
00:54:29.03\00:54:31.14
but the Bible says: "The
living know that they shall die
00:54:33.56\00:54:37.47
but the dead know nothing. "
00:54:37.67\00:54:41.70
Will I live by
faith in God's Word
00:54:42.00\00:54:44.83
and only in God's Word
00:54:45.13\00:54:47.53
and not on the basis of
my reasonings and my emotions
00:54:48.62\00:54:51.81
and what other people say?
00:54:52.11\00:54:53.48
You know, most of the
world is going to be deluded.
00:54:53.68\00:54:55.88
Listen - and this is a
supposition but I think it's
00:54:56.90\00:55:00.56
a very possible thing -
00:55:00.66\00:55:03.49
if John Paul should appear
in different parts of the world
00:55:03.79\00:55:06.51
speaking to the living
how many people in the world
00:55:07.60\00:55:10.06
would be deceived? How
many Christians would be
00:55:10.16\00:55:12.12
deceived by that?
00:55:12.22\00:55:13.43
The majority of the Christian
world including Protestants
00:55:14.58\00:55:18.73
will be deceived by that
00:55:20.05\00:55:21.99
if the funeral of John
Paul II has anything to say.
00:55:22.19\00:55:25.41
But Adventists
will not be deceived.
00:55:26.52\00:55:28.49
Some of them will
according to Ellen White
00:55:28.79\00:55:30.56
because they go by
their feelings and emotions.
00:55:30.86\00:55:32.93
They don't follow
what the Word of God says.
00:55:33.13\00:55:34.83
They haven't
learned to trust God.
00:55:35.13\00:55:36.59
Do you know that the devil
is even going to counterfeit
00:55:37.42\00:55:39.36
the second coming of Jesus?
00:55:39.46\00:55:41.01
In Great Controversy
you find the description
00:55:41.95\00:55:44.27
as well as in II
Thessalonians chapter 2.
00:55:44.47\00:55:46.55
Wow! She says that Satan
will appear in different parts
00:55:47.72\00:55:51.49
of the earth. His
appearance will be like
00:55:51.59\00:55:54.80
Christ in Revelation chapter 1
00:55:54.90\00:55:56.53
with his face
shining as the sun.
00:55:56.73\00:55:58.60
He's going to speak
some beautiful words of peace
00:55:59.71\00:56:01.95
and love and kindness
like people love to hear
00:56:02.05\00:56:04.25
in church today. And then
he's going to perform miracles!
00:56:04.35\00:56:08.62
Undeniable miracles!
00:56:09.51\00:56:11.38
And she says that this is the
almost overmastering delusion.
00:56:11.68\00:56:14.44
People who trust their
feelings and their emotions
00:56:14.64\00:56:16.98
and what their preachers
say and what their reason says
00:56:17.09\00:56:20.44
and what their senses
say. Immediately they will say:
00:56:20.54\00:56:23.30
"This is Christ
who has returned! "
00:56:23.50\00:56:26.35
Of course it doesn't help
that most Christians believe
00:56:26.49\00:56:28.88
that when Jesus comes
again He's going to set up His
00:56:29.09\00:56:31.10
millennial kingdom on earth.
00:56:31.20\00:56:32.46
They're leaving
themselves wide open
00:56:33.23\00:56:35.41
to the acceptance
of the false Christ
00:56:35.71\00:56:37.49
when he walks upon the earth.
00:56:37.69\00:56:39.03
But we know... And by
the way, and then she says
00:56:39.53\00:56:41.83
that the devil is going
to say that he is Christ
00:56:41.93\00:56:45.08
and that he is being
greatly offended because
00:56:45.28\00:56:47.98
Sunday is not being kept.
00:56:48.18\00:56:49.63
God's people
will not be deceived
00:56:50.69\00:56:52.94
because first of all
they know that the Bible says
00:56:53.79\00:56:56.09
that Jesus will not come
all the way down to the earth.
00:56:56.29\00:56:58.86
Number two: Jesus is not coming
to set up His millennial kingdom
00:57:00.42\00:57:03.61
here. And furthermore, the
teaching that we're supposed to
00:57:03.81\00:57:07.42
keep the first day of the
week does not square with a
00:57:07.52\00:57:10.26
"thus saith the Lord. "
00:57:10.46\00:57:12.22
Ellen White says
that our only safeguard
00:57:13.07\00:57:15.77
will be in following the Bible.
00:57:15.97\00:57:17.71
How about it? Get into
the Word; study the Word;
00:57:18.01\00:57:21.20
and obey the Word is my prayer.
00:57:21.50\00:57:24.21