Our presentation tonight
is "Discover How to Get on"
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"and Stay On the
Straight and Narrow Path".
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Open your Bibles
to Revelation 12.
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Our presentation last night was
"God Has a Church on Earth, "
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"No Kidding! ", and we did our
very best to communicate to you
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that God is not only calling
people out of something, He's
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calling people into something.
What is God calling people
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out of? Babylon. Revelation 18:4
"Come out of her My people",
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and of course, Babylon is
the mother church, but remember,
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she has daughters, and
those daughters are any church,
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any communion that has
residual elements of Paganism
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or papalism bound up
with their various teachings.
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So God says "Come out of
her My people, that you partake"
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"not of her sins, and you
receive not of her plagues. "
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So here in Revelation
12, and last night we asked
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the question: God is calling us
out of something, but what is He
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calling us into? He
not only shows us the exit
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sign, He shows us the entrance
sign, so in Revelation 12 we
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pick it up in verse 1.
"A great sign appeared in"
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"heaven, a woman clothed with
the sun, and the moon under"
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"her feet, and on her
head a garland of 12 stars. "
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So I want you to notice that
she is clothed with the sun,
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and the stars, and she
has under her feet the moon.
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Those are the 3 things that
God gave in the opening chapters
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of Genesis to bring
light to this world.
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So "Thy Word is a lamp
under my feet, and a light unto"
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"my path", so this true church,
these true people would be
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spreading and illuminating
this dark, dark world with
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the Gospel truth. "Then
being with child, she cried out"
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"in labor and in pain to
give birth. And another sign"
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"appeared in heaven, behold:
a great, fiery red dragon"
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"having seven heads and
ten horns, and seven diadems"
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"on his heads. And his
tail drew a third of the stars"
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"of heaven and threw them to
the earth. And the dragon stood"
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"before the woman who was ready
to give birth to devour her"
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"child as soon as it was born.
" And who would that child be?
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Jesus of course. In
verse 5: "She bore a male"
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"child who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron, "
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"her child was caught up
to God and to His throne. "
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So this woman here represents
the true people of God,
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if you would like to use
the word "church" that's fine,
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but remember that Jesus
was a Jew. There's no question,
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as we've already discussed that
Jesus had to make a transition,
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remember? At the beginning
of His ministry: "Take these"
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"things hence, you have
made My Father's house a den of"
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"thieves", but at the close
of His ministry: "Behold, your"
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"house is left to you desolate".
So here we find this woman
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representing that transition
period, always God's true
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people, but you could say
the Jewish nation transitioning
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into the church. Verse 6,
it says: "Then the woman fled"
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"into the wilderness, where
she has a place prepared by God"
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"that they should feed her there
1260 days", that's the 1260
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prophetic days, or literal
years of Papal persecution when
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basically there was only 1 show
in town, and there wasn't many,
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many different churches, there
was THE church, and basically,
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THE church did not allow
people access to the Bible,
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and the Bible was kept away from
people in the common language,
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and more or less, you were
told that if you didn't bow,
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if you didn't capitulate,
if you insisted on standing on
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something other than what
the cardinals were teaching,
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and the priests were teaching,
and the others were teaching,
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you could be killed, or you
could be put into a dungeon,
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or worse. So many
people fled this Papal
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persecution, and that's exactly
what we find in Revelation 12,
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is that the woman would flee.
Now we jump down to verse 13,
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where we see this exact
same imagery, identical imagery.
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It says: "Now when the
dragon saw that he was cast"
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"to the earth, he persecuted
the woman who gave birth"
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"to the male child. But
the woman was given 2 wings"
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"of a great eagle that she
might fly into the wilderness"
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"to her place where she is
nourished for a time, times"
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"and half a time, from
the presence of the serpent. "
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There it is again, identical
situation: God's true church
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fleeing from the face of the
serpent, fleeing from the face
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of Satan, who was persecuting
her. Verse 15: "So the serpent"
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"spewed water out of his mouth",
and water in Bible prophecy
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represents what?
People. So the Devil basically
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joined the church. You've heard
the old saying: "If you can't"
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"beat them, you join them. "
So he spewed water out of his
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mouth, that is people, to
try and basically infiltrate,
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and infect the true church
of God, many of whom were hiding
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up in the northern valleys
of Northern Italy, and other
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places, people like the
Waldensians, and the Huguenots,
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and the Albigensians, God's true
people, who insisted on standing
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on the Word of God, and refused
to capitulate to the various
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Papal dogmas, and decrees,
etc. So we continue on, it says
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in verse 16: "But the earth
helped the woman, and the earth"
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"opened its mouth and swallowed
up the flood", and then it says,
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very interesting, "swallowed
up the flood which the dragon"
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"had spewed out of its
mouth. " And then verse 17,
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sort of the climax of
Revelation 12, and certainly
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the climax of the entire
book of Revelation right there
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in verse 17, it says: "And the
dragon was wroth", or enraged,
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"with the woman, and went to
make war with the rest of her"
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"seed", or if you have the
King James, "the remnant of"
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"her seed, who keep
the commandments of God, "
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"and have the
testimony of Jesus. "
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Now, I want you to remember,
way back, several meetings ago,
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probably 15 meetings ago we
looked at this war and we made
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this important point, and
that is that the war, this great
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conflict, this great
controversy began in heaven.
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But where is it going
to be finished? On Earth.
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And that's exactly
what we discovered here in
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Revelation 12:17, is that
when the dragon saw that he was
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cast to the earth, and
we've already talked about that,
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he had some kind of limited
access to heaven, but when he
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saw that he no longer had
any access to heaven, he put
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all of his energies, all of his
resources right here on planet
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earth to attack this remnant,
this "rest of her offspring, "
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"who keep the commandments
of God, and have the testimony"
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"of Jesus". To put it in
very plain language: Satan's
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undiluted fury is being poured
out upon God's true people
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at the end of time. So
during the Dark Ages God's
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church fled into the
wilderness, as we have already
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said. Why did they
flee to the wilderness?
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Because they had to. They
had to flee to the wilderness,
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as we've already said,
there was only 1 gig in town,
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only 1 church in town, and if
you were unwilling to capitulate
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to the various decrees and
dogmas of the papal church,
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you had to flee. It was
either fleeing, or facing
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punishment, or death, or
some other terrible situation.
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So in Revelation 12 the
woman was persecuted by Satan.
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We talked about this last night,
basically, during the Dark Ages
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as people were going
through the Reformation, God was
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leading His people
step by step out of Rome.
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We talked about this, how the
Waldensians said "The Bible, "
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"and the Bible only";
John Huss emphasized obedience;
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Martin Luther said "The just
shall live by faith", and then
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he took that hammer and
he nailed those 95 Theses
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to the door at Wittenberg,
the hammer blows that were heard
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all around the world.
John Calvin said Christian
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growth and God's sovereignty;
the Anabaptists said "it's not"
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"this sprinkling thing",
and Scotty talked to us about
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that this morning, baptism
by immersion. John Wesley said
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"holiness", he was referred
to pejoratively by the people
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that were his detractors
as Methodist, but he actually
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took that term, he internalized
it, he used it, and they became
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known as the Methodists,
even though originally it was
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a derogatory term. William
Miller with the second coming,
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the Advent movement, the
Sabbath, the death and health,
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1800s to the present.
Basically what you see here is
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that at different stages of,
coming out of Rome many people
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instead of continuing to march
with truth, they set up their
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flag, they set up
their banner, and they said
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"We're Lutherans",
"We're Calvinists",
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"We're Presbyterians",
"We're Wesleyans",
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but truth was marching
on. So what God is doing here
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is He is reforming, that's why
it's called "The Reformation",
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but He's not just
reforming, He's restoring truth.
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Very, very interesting.
So here God is working,
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working, bringing new truth,
bringing new light, bringing
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new Biblical insights, and
then God opens up a whole new
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continent, a whole new
hemisphere, and the church,
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who basically, as we've already
discussed in Revelation 12,
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was very much under
the persecution of both,
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the kings and the monarchs,
and others, and the popes.
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So to flee, both religious
tyranny and civil tyranny,
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they came to a new land,
and that's why when they got off
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of those boats, many of
them got down on the ground
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and kissed the ground because
they were coming to a new place
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where they could escape
the tyranny of the popes
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and the tyranny of the kings,
and they established a new
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government, a government
that did not have subjects
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but citizens. A government
of the people, for the people
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and by the people. And they said
"No, religion is going to be"
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"over here, and the state
is going to be over here, "
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"and it's imperative that they
stay separate" because every
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single time in past experience
when religion and state had
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gotten together they proved
to be very unhappy bed partners.
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They set up a whole
new radically different...
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I mean, the American experiment,
just do a little bit of
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research, was a
radical experiment in civil
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and religious liberty, and
God opened up this whole new
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continent so that His
people who wanted to worship Him
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in spirit and in
truth had a place to do it.
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Of course, today the USA is
the front runner of democracy,
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and not just the front runner
of democracy, it's the most
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powerful nation in the
world. Think about that for just
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a minute, the meteoric
rise of the US is unprecedented
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in the history of
the human experience.
00:10:08.94\00:10:11.03
I mean, in 200 short
years it goes from basically
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non-existent to being the
single most powerful nation
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that the world has ever
seen? Beloved, if you don't see
00:10:16.56\00:10:20.59
the providence of God in that,
you can't see the providence
00:10:20.62\00:10:23.09
of God anywhere. Are
you hearing me? Yes or no?
00:10:23.12\00:10:27.06
[Audience] Yes.
Absolutely incredible.
00:10:27.09\00:10:29.31
So tonight we're talking
about how to get on, and stay on
00:10:29.34\00:10:31.68
the narrow path. I
believe that God has a church
00:10:31.71\00:10:34.24
on earth, I believe that Jesus
was telling the truth when He
00:10:34.27\00:10:36.71
said in Matthew 16 that the
gates of hell would not prevail
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against His church. Now,
I want to be crystal clear
00:10:39.58\00:10:42.56
about something, God has
His people in every church.
00:10:42.59\00:10:46.18
Does God have faithful
people in the Catholic church?
00:10:46.21\00:10:48.61
[Audience] Yes. Does
God have faithful people
00:10:48.64\00:10:50.19
in the Baptist
church? [Audience] Yes.
00:10:50.22\00:10:52.64
Methodist
church? [Audience] Yes.
00:10:52.67\00:10:54.99
Presbyterian
church? [Audience] Yes.
00:10:55.02\00:10:57.81
Absolutely, God has His faithful
people everywhere, but I believe
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in my heart of hearts that
God also has an organization
00:11:00.30\00:11:03.77
on earth that He can point to
and say "those are My people".
00:11:03.80\00:11:06.71
Are they perfect?
No. Are they better? No.
00:11:06.74\00:11:09.41
But are they living up
to what the Bible teaches?
00:11:09.44\00:11:12.12
I think the answer is "Yes".
Beloved, I've told you before
00:11:12.15\00:11:15.07
many, many, many times: don't
go find a church that suits you
00:11:15.10\00:11:18.53
and then hope they preach
the Bible, rather, find what
00:11:18.56\00:11:20.87
the Bible teaches and then go
find a church that teaches what
00:11:20.90\00:11:23.36
the Bible teaches. People
say: "Aww, but you're going to"
00:11:23.39\00:11:26.07
"a cult". Beloved, let people
say what they want to say.
00:11:26.10\00:11:29.18
What other people think
of me is none of my business.
00:11:29.21\00:11:31.77
What I care about is what
Jesus and God think of me.
00:11:31.80\00:11:34.63
Let people say what they
want to say, they said Jesus was
00:11:34.66\00:11:37.00
a Samaritan, they said Jesus
was Beelzebub, they said Jesus
00:11:37.03\00:11:39.93
was a wine [?], they
said Jesus was a glutton.
00:11:39.96\00:11:42.35
If there had been the Internet
and websites in the days
00:11:42.38\00:11:44.79
of Jesus, He would have
been taken to task by everybody.
00:11:44.82\00:11:51.19
So beloved, I do believe that
God does have a church on earth
00:11:51.22\00:11:53.53
today, and I want to walk you
through that, I want to tell you
00:11:53.56\00:11:56.23
why I believe that, and
I want to walk you through
00:11:56.26\00:11:58.50
the identifying
characteristics of God's church.
00:11:58.53\00:12:01.24
Now, I've made this
already clear, but I want to say
00:12:01.27\00:12:03.91
it again: that does not mean
that I believe that these are
00:12:03.94\00:12:07.34
the only people that
are saved or that are
00:12:07.37\00:12:09.80
going to heaven. I
don't know how I can
00:12:09.83\00:12:12.58
say it any more plainly, let me
just make it very, very clear,
00:12:12.61\00:12:16.35
there are Baptists that are
following the Lord Jesus Christ
00:12:16.38\00:12:19.11
with all their heart, mind
and soul, and they are saved
00:12:19.14\00:12:21.10
because they love the Lord
Jesus. There are Methodists,
00:12:21.13\00:12:25.74
the same, who love the
Lord Jesus with all their heart,
00:12:25.77\00:12:28.01
who love God, who want to
serve God, and they're saved,
00:12:28.04\00:12:30.28
and they're going to heaven
because they're living up to
00:12:30.31\00:12:32.82
the light that they
have. Is this clear?
00:12:32.85\00:12:35.34
Do I need to go down the list
of every single denomination?
00:12:35.37\00:12:38.06
Okay, so are we clear what
Pastor Asscherick is saying?
00:12:38.09\00:12:40.75
There's no question that God
has His people in every church,
00:12:40.78\00:12:43.91
in every communion, in every
body of faith, that's not what's
00:12:43.94\00:12:47.75
up for negotiation, so
don't think for a moment that
00:12:47.78\00:12:50.20
Pastor Asscherick has
said, because he hasn't said,
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.43
and he never would say
that only members of his church
00:12:52.46\00:12:55.27
are going to heaven, I don't
believe it, I wouldn't believe
00:12:55.30\00:12:57.50
it, and it's not Biblical.
What I do believe is that
00:12:57.53\00:13:01.16
God will have a people on earth,
an identifiable group of people
00:13:01.19\00:13:05.53
on earth, who will be, to the
best of their ability, living up
00:13:05.56\00:13:08.94
to Bible truth. My
question for you tonight is
00:13:08.97\00:13:12.44
if that's true, and if there is
a communion where God's people
00:13:12.47\00:13:16.53
are trying their best, by
the grace of God, to live up
00:13:16.56\00:13:19.36
to the Word, is that a communion
that you would be interested
00:13:19.39\00:13:22.32
in joining? And if
not, I'd say "Why? "
00:13:22.35\00:13:26.45
And please don't tell me
that you enjoy the donuts
00:13:26.48\00:13:29.31
and the coffee hour at your
local church; please don't tell
00:13:29.34\00:13:32.58
me that you love the organ,
and that your uncle paid for
00:13:32.61\00:13:35.18
the stained glass window at
your local church, please don't
00:13:35.21\00:13:37.82
tell me that. The only
thing that would satisfy me,
00:13:37.85\00:13:40.48
and frankly, the only thing
that would satisfy the Lord
00:13:40.51\00:13:42.98
Jesus is if you could say "My
church follows the Bible more"
00:13:43.01\00:13:45.59
"closely than your church. "
Incidentally, if that's true,
00:13:45.62\00:13:48.85
I'll join your church, because
I'm not out to be an apologist
00:13:48.88\00:13:52.75
for a church, I'm out to be
an apologist for the Lord Jesus
00:13:52.78\00:13:55.81
Christ and His Word.
Okay, but here's the point:
00:13:55.84\00:13:59.86
you've been coming to these
meetings 24, 25, 26 nights,
00:13:59.89\00:14:02.97
and we have not been saying
"You've got to come to our"
00:14:03.00\00:14:05.46
"church, our church is the true
church, our church is the only"
00:14:05.49\00:14:07.97
"church", have
you heard me say that?
00:14:08.00\00:14:10.62
No way, haven't said it,
wouldn't say it, but at the end
00:14:10.65\00:14:13.06
of this thing people are
saying "But where do you go"
00:14:13.09\00:14:15.57
"to church? " "Where
do you go to church? "
00:14:15.60\00:14:18.41
"Where do you fellowship?
" "Where do you worship"
00:14:18.44\00:14:20.87
"the Lord? " Listen,
what would be weirder:
00:14:20.90\00:14:23.11
if at the end of the meetings I
said: "You know, you've really"
00:14:23.14\00:14:25.71
"enjoyed coming", "I've learned
so much Pastor Asscherick, "
00:14:25.74\00:14:28.35
and you've been enjoying coming,
"Oh, I didn't know this, "
00:14:28.38\00:14:30.67
"and I didn't know this,
and I didn't know this, "
00:14:30.70\00:14:33.07
"and praise God, I've never
heard the Word preached this"
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.29
"way before", by the way,
it's not because of a man,
00:14:35.32\00:14:37.56
it's because of the Son of man.
Now, what would be stranger,
00:14:37.59\00:14:39.89
of at the end of all that they
say "Now listen, where do you"
00:14:39.92\00:14:42.28
"fellowship? Where do you go to
church? I'd be very interested"
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.87
"to go to church where
you go to church", and I'd say
00:14:44.90\00:14:47.27
"You know, I'm not going to
tell you because this isn't "
00:14:47.30\00:14:49.76
"about building up my church,
I'm not going to tell you",
00:14:49.79\00:14:52.13
you'd say "What?!"
Would that be weirder?
00:14:52.16\00:14:54.81
Or would it be stranger for
me to tell you: "Hey listen, "
00:14:54.84\00:14:57.47
"let me show you where I do
go to church, let me show you"
00:14:57.50\00:14:59.90
"the organization that I do
believe God is using on earth, "
00:14:59.93\00:15:02.08
"not the only organization, but
definitely the one that I have"
00:15:02.11\00:15:05.21
"found that is following
the Bible most closely. "
00:15:05.24\00:15:08.20
Which would be stranger: for me
to tell you, or not to tell you?
00:15:08.23\00:15:11.65
Not to tell you, that
would be downright odd.
00:15:11.68\00:15:15.18
You'd say "Are you
kidding me? I mean, come on. "
00:15:15.21\00:15:17.73
"No, I'm not going to
tell you, you can twist my arm"
00:15:17.76\00:15:20.24
"and I'll never tell you", no,
of course I'm going to tell you.
00:15:20.27\00:15:24.65
I believe God does have a church
on earth today, and I've given
00:15:24.68\00:15:27.22
you enough caveats, I
think we can get through this.
00:15:27.25\00:15:29.43
These are the identifying
characteristics of God's true
00:15:29.46\00:15:31.68
church, number
1: [text on screen]
00:15:31.71\00:15:34.19
They're called the remnant.
Remember, the remnant is
00:15:36.49\00:15:39.45
the last, so the remnant has
to look mostly like, or exactly
00:15:39.48\00:15:45.28
like the original? It has to
look exactly like the original.
00:15:45.31\00:15:48.23
If you were going to
find a remnant of this fabric,
00:15:48.26\00:15:50.77
it would have to be the
same weight, it would have to be
00:15:50.80\00:15:53.02
the same color, it would
have to be the same pattern,
00:15:53.05\00:15:55.73
it would have to be the same
texture, it would have to be
00:15:55.76\00:15:58.02
the same! So
when we're looking for
00:15:58.05\00:16:01.56
a church in the last days
we have to look for a church
00:16:01.59\00:16:04.16
that's like the apostolic
church. We have to look
00:16:04.19\00:16:06.76
for a church that will recapture
the vision and the faith
00:16:06.79\00:16:09.67
of the original
church of the disciples.
00:16:09.70\00:16:12.27
Number 2: [text on screen]
00:16:12.30\00:16:14.48
Now you say "wait a minute,
I didn't catch that last part".
00:16:17.31\00:16:20.03
You're still at
Revelation 12:17.
00:16:20.06\00:16:24.49
First of all, the commandments
one is an easy one, that's
00:16:24.52\00:16:27.28
a so called "no brainer"
because we've been going over
00:16:27.31\00:16:30.05
that night, after night, after
night, but let's look at it
00:16:30.08\00:16:32.71
again, Revelation 12:17, it says
"And the dragon was enraged"
00:16:32.74\00:16:36.40
"with the woman and
went to make war with"
00:16:36.43\00:16:39.96
"the rest of her offspring, who
keep the commandments of God".
00:16:39.99\00:16:44.74
Is there any question in
anyone's mind in this room
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.63
that God's last day people will
be keeping His commandments,
00:16:47.66\00:16:50.13
not in order to be saved,
but because they are saved?
00:16:50.16\00:16:53.75
Look beloved, that's
Revelation 12:17, you can look
00:16:53.78\00:16:56.26
at Revelation 14:12, in fact,
why don't you do that since
00:16:56.29\00:16:58.65
it's probably on the same
page. Revelation 14:12, it says:
00:16:58.68\00:17:03.41
"Here is the patience of
the saints, here are those"
00:17:03.44\00:17:05.75
"who keep the commandments
of God and have the faith"
00:17:05.78\00:17:11.11
"of Jesus. " So
beloved, never forget this,
00:17:11.14\00:17:13.70
that the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus go
00:17:13.73\00:17:16.04
hand in hand because
Jesus saves, but the question is
00:17:16.07\00:17:22.34
"Saves from what? "
I remember before I was
00:17:22.37\00:17:25.09
a Christian I'd see these bumper
stickers all over the place:
00:17:25.12\00:17:27.78
"Jesus saves", or somebody
would be wearing a t-shirt,
00:17:27.81\00:17:29.99
"Jesus saves", and I
used to think to myself:
00:17:30.02\00:17:32.62
"Saves from what? "
Beloved, to tell somebody
00:17:32.65\00:17:35.15
that Jesus saves before they
first understand that they're
00:17:35.18\00:17:37.70
lost is a nonsensical statement,
so in order for us to have
00:17:37.73\00:17:41.12
the Gospel, if we only have
the Gospel it's like standing on
00:17:41.15\00:17:43.72
one leg, we need the
commandments of God to show
00:17:43.75\00:17:46.55
us 2 things, number 1: God is
righteous and we're unrighteous.
00:17:46.58\00:17:51.31
That's the 2 great
purposes of the law, to show us
00:17:51.34\00:17:53.41
the righteousness, the infinite
holiness of God, and to show
00:17:53.44\00:17:56.12
us our own failings and our
own short comings, so the law
00:17:56.15\00:17:59.35
is like a schoolmaster
that leads us to Jesus.
00:17:59.38\00:18:03.14
So you need both, you need
the Gospel leg that saves you,
00:18:03.17\00:18:06.13
and you need the law leg that
shows you how to live and leads
00:18:06.16\00:18:08.63
you to the Lord. So notice,
God's last day people, they have
00:18:08.66\00:18:11.66
the commandments of God and
they have the faith of Jesus.
00:18:11.69\00:18:16.10
I want to say it again: an
apple tree does not bear apples
00:18:16.13\00:18:20.63
in order to be an apple
tree, an apple tree bears apples
00:18:20.66\00:18:29.92
because it is an apple tree.
Christians do not do good works
00:18:29.95\00:18:34.76
in order to be saved, Christians
do good works because they
00:18:34.79\00:18:38.61
are saved. See, this
whole faith and works
00:18:38.64\00:18:41.76
thing, it's not a mystery
at all, you're saved by grace
00:18:41.79\00:18:45.01
alone through faith alone,
to the glory of God alone,
00:18:45.04\00:18:48.40
but the faith which
saves always works. Amen?
00:18:48.43\00:18:53.63
That's a piece of cake.
People talk about the strange
00:18:53.66\00:18:56.52
subtleties and difficulties
in nuances of faith and works,
00:18:56.55\00:18:59.55
are you kidding me?
It's as plain as the noonday
00:18:59.58\00:19:02.42
sun, you're saved by
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:19:02.45\00:19:05.33
His life becomes your life, His
substitutionary death is your
00:19:05.36\00:19:07.93
death, you're saved by faith.
And anybody who's been saved
00:19:07.96\00:19:12.47
by the Lord Jesus Christ does
not want to continue to live
00:19:12.50\00:19:15.22
in that pathetic life of sin
that they were called out of,
00:19:15.25\00:19:17.86
they want to get victories
in their life, they want to live
00:19:17.89\00:19:20.95
for the Lord Jesus Christ,
they want to live for the glory
00:19:20.98\00:19:23.11
of God, and that takes
the power of the Spirit.
00:19:23.14\00:19:25.50
It's a piece of cake! So
there should be no question
00:19:25.53\00:19:29.43
in anyone's mind that
God's last day people are going
00:19:29.46\00:19:32.30
to keep His commandments,
including the one commandment
00:19:32.33\00:19:35.04
that the whole world has
forgotten that begins with
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.57
the word "remember".
Revelation 22:14, you might
00:19:37.60\00:19:41.75
as well look at it since you're
so close, Revelation 22:14.
00:19:41.78\00:19:45.14
How many people tonight
want to go to the New Jerusalem,
00:19:45.17\00:19:48.04
raise your hand. I want to
go to the new Jerusalem, me too.
00:19:48.07\00:19:50.93
Look at Revelation 22:14, it
says: "Blessed are those who"
00:19:50.96\00:19:55.37
"do His commandments, that they
may have a right to the tree"
00:19:55.40\00:19:58.61
"of life and may enter through
the gates into the city. "
00:19:58.64\00:20:02.77
Are those people
that enter the city going
00:20:02.80\00:20:05.19
to be keeping God's
commandments, yes or no?
00:20:05.22\00:20:07.60
[Audience] Yes. Absolutely.
00:20:07.63\00:20:10.15
In order to be saved?
Because they are saved.
00:20:10.18\00:20:12.74
You're "A" students.
Back to Revelation 12.
00:20:12.77\00:20:15.11
So one of the identifying
characteristics is that they
00:20:15.14\00:20:17.95
would keep the commandments
of God, but look at that second
00:20:17.98\00:20:20.30
one there, kind of interesting.
Revelation 12, it says in
00:20:20.33\00:20:22.98
verse 17: "The dragon was
wroth with the woman and went"
00:20:23.01\00:20:25.11
"to make war with the
remnant of her seed, "
00:20:25.14\00:20:27.97
let's all say it together,
"which keep the commandments"
00:20:28.00\00:20:30.90
"of God, " and notice
this, "and have the testimony"
00:20:30.93\00:20:35.34
"of Jesus. " Well,
what's the testimony of Jesus?
00:20:35.37\00:20:37.69
Someone says "The testimony
of Jesus is testifying about"
00:20:37.72\00:20:40.60
"Jesus", and
you're right... mostly.
00:20:40.63\00:20:44.16
Let me show you what the Bible
says the testimony of Jesus is,
00:20:44.19\00:20:46.68
is that a good idea
everyone? So you're still there
00:20:46.71\00:20:49.59
in Revelation, look
at Revelation 19:10.
00:20:49.62\00:20:54.79
Here we find an exact
grammatical, verbal equivalence.
00:20:54.82\00:21:00.44
We're trying to ask and
answer the question: what is
00:21:00.47\00:21:03.92
the testimony of Jesus? Because
that's one of the identifying
00:21:03.95\00:21:06.67
characteristics of God's
last day people, they keep
00:21:06.70\00:21:09.30
the commandments of God and they
have the testimony of Jesus.
00:21:09.33\00:21:13.64
I'm in Revelation
19:10. John here sees an angel:
00:21:13.67\00:21:19.08
"And I fell at his feet to
worship him, but he said, "
00:21:19.11\00:21:21.78
"No, see that thou do it
not. I am your fellow servant, "
00:21:21.81\00:21:24.33
"and of your brethren who
have the testimony of Jesus. "
00:21:24.36\00:21:27.10
There it is again, that's
the same phrase, now watch what
00:21:27.13\00:21:29.47
the angel says: "Worship
God, for the testimony of Jesus"
00:21:29.50\00:21:33.97
"is the spirit of prophecy.
" Do you see that everyone?
00:21:34.00\00:21:39.86
It's just as plain
as the noonday sun.
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.07
The angel said it,
Pastor Asscherick didn't say it.
00:21:42.10\00:21:45.01
The testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy.
00:21:45.04\00:21:48.03
So God's last day people,
according to Revelation 12:17,
00:21:48.06\00:21:51.11
have the commandments of
God and they have the testimony
00:21:51.14\00:21:53.87
of Jesus, and the angel tells
us the testimony of Jesus is
00:21:53.90\00:21:57.94
the spirit of
prophecy. [text on screen]
00:21:57.97\00:22:03.90
Some little church cannot
pitch up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
00:22:11.52\00:22:14.90
and say they're the remnant
church of God, they could be
00:22:14.93\00:22:19.10
in Tuscaloosa, but they can't be
only in Tuscaloosa, and here's
00:22:19.13\00:22:21.97
why: this message that this
church is going to be preaching
00:22:22.00\00:22:25.29
has to go to every
nation, and every kindred,
00:22:25.32\00:22:27.66
and every tongue, and
every people, it's got to be
00:22:27.69\00:22:30.43
a worldwide church. You
might have your nice little
00:22:30.46\00:22:34.06
church over in Sterling Heights
that you love, the donuts
00:22:34.09\00:22:36.35
and the stained glass
window, and the organ, well good
00:22:36.38\00:22:38.98
for you, are you reaching people
outside of Sterling Heights?
00:22:39.01\00:22:43.34
Is that an
important question? Yes or no?
00:22:43.37\00:22:45.82
[Audience] Yes. Does
God love people in Sterling
00:22:45.85\00:22:48.35
Heights more than
the rest of the world?
00:22:48.38\00:22:50.92
No, so we're looking for
a church that's a worldwide
00:22:50.95\00:22:53.44
mission driven movement.
By the way, as soon as you say
00:22:53.47\00:22:58.01
"worldwide church", if you want
to talk about true churches,
00:22:58.04\00:23:01.00
that is groups that are not
classified by some as "cults",
00:23:01.03\00:23:04.56
you've only got 2 options.
Did you hear what I said?
00:23:04.59\00:23:09.03
You've only got 2 options,
the moment that you decide
00:23:09.06\00:23:12.61
that the Bible teaches it has
to be a worldwide church you've
00:23:12.64\00:23:15.21
got 2 choices. If you want
to talk about groups that some
00:23:15.24\00:23:17.84
would label as "cults",
and I would agree with that,
00:23:17.87\00:23:19.96
the Jehovah's Witnesses,
and the Church of Jesus Christ
00:23:19.99\00:23:22.07
of Latter Day Saints - The
Mormons, I'm not even including
00:23:22.10\00:23:24.80
those because those are
considered so non-orthodox
00:23:24.83\00:23:27.64
that the majority of people
wouldn't call them churches
00:23:27.67\00:23:31.34
anyway, not to say that there
are not good people in those
00:23:31.37\00:23:33.22
communions, no question about
that. But if you're just going
00:23:33.25\00:23:35.74
to talk about churches, that
is, churches that are accepted
00:23:35.77\00:23:38.68
by the mass populous as being
churches that are "worldwide",
00:23:38.71\00:23:41.85
you've got 2 options.
How many? [Audience] Two.
00:23:41.88\00:23:46.11
I challenge you to look
through this, you know what your
00:23:46.14\00:23:48.47
first option is? The Catholics.
00:23:48.50\00:23:52.15
They are a worldwide,
they are all over the globe,
00:23:52.18\00:23:55.63
they're a worldwide church.
And you've got another option,
00:23:55.66\00:23:59.37
and that's the option I'm
going to tell you about in just
00:23:59.40\00:24:01.59
a little minute, happens to be
the church that I'm a member of.
00:24:01.62\00:24:03.99
Look at number
4: [text on screen]
00:24:04.02\00:24:06.70
It's not going to be this:
"I'm a religious person on"
00:24:10.35\00:24:13.35
"Sunday morning, and then I
go home to watch the football"
00:24:13.38\00:24:16.07
"games, and I leave my religious
self back at the church. "
00:24:16.10\00:24:20.24
That doesn't mean, and I
want to be strong on this,
00:24:20.27\00:24:22.40
that does not mean that
everybody who's a member of
00:24:22.43\00:24:24.18
the church that I consider
to be God's last day church
00:24:24.21\00:24:26.36
has God all their cards in a
row, and all their ducks lined
00:24:26.39\00:24:29.89
up, and that
they're all Spirit filled.
00:24:29.92\00:24:32.20
Uh-uh, you can find bad people
in every church, and you can
00:24:32.23\00:24:35.08
find good people in
every church, but we're talking
00:24:35.11\00:24:37.90
as a system. The
call would be to a total
00:24:37.93\00:24:42.38
commitment to Christ. I
don't want to stand up here
00:24:42.41\00:24:45.58
and say "Oh, look at my fancy
car, my car's prettier than"
00:24:45.61\00:24:48.37
"your car, my dad could beat up
your dad, my church is better"
00:24:48.40\00:24:51.15
"than your church",
no, it's not about that.
00:24:51.18\00:24:55.17
It has nothing to do with
that, what we're looking for is
00:24:55.20\00:24:58.30
a body of believers who are
trying, by the grace of God,
00:24:58.33\00:25:02.13
to cling to the Word in
it entirety, and to prepare
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.52
a people for the soon coming
of Jesus Christ, that's what
00:25:04.55\00:25:07.23
we're looking for.
Are we saying that every
00:25:07.26\00:25:09.69
person in that church
is perfect? Not even close.
00:25:09.72\00:25:12.47
Are we saying that every person
in that church is absolutely
00:25:12.50\00:25:15.72
just exactly what
you would expect to find?
00:25:15.75\00:25:17.41
No, we're not saying
that, what we are saying is that
00:25:17.44\00:25:20.02
it's an organization,
and organizations are made up
00:25:20.05\00:25:22.70
of people, and not
everybody is perfect.
00:25:22.73\00:25:25.38
Okay, here we go.
Number 5: [text on screen]
00:25:25.41\00:25:28.19
Why? Because we've been studying
00:25:30.96\00:25:33.71
that, the whole mark of
the beast issue, the whole US
00:25:33.74\00:25:36.30
in Bible prophecy issue centers
around this whole big picture
00:25:36.33\00:25:40.16
of God's commandments
versus the traditions of men;
00:25:40.19\00:25:43.08
God's commandments
versus the rules, and dogmas,
00:25:43.11\00:25:45.52
and decrees of men.
So whoever this last day
00:25:45.55\00:25:47.95
church is, they have got
to be keeping God's Sabbath,
00:25:47.98\00:25:51.36
and not the mark of
Rome's ecclesiastical authority.
00:25:51.39\00:25:56.20
Now think of it this way,
somebody said to me one time
00:25:56.23\00:25:59.05
"Well how do I know what church
to go to? I mean, it would"
00:25:59.08\00:26:01.90
"take me so long, if I
opened up the phone book, and I"
00:26:01.93\00:26:04.21
"started with the 'CH', you
know, 'church', and I'm going"
00:26:04.24\00:26:06.84
"to go to this church, and
this church, and this church, "
00:26:06.87\00:26:10.13
"to go find God's remnant
church, I'm going to go find"
00:26:10.16\00:26:12.97
"God's true church",
beloved, you know what?
00:26:13.00\00:26:15.05
You can basically make your task
infinitely easier by just going
00:26:15.08\00:26:19.96
through all of the churches
that don't keep the Sabbath
00:26:19.99\00:26:22.63
and discarding them.
Does that make sense?
00:26:22.66\00:26:26.24
Am I saying that that doesn't
mean that God doesn't have His
00:26:26.27\00:26:28.83
people there? Am I saying that?
00:26:28.86\00:26:31.02
God has people in there, but if
God's last day church is going
00:26:31.05\00:26:33.88
to be leading people to
the Biblical Sabbath, then all
00:26:33.91\00:26:36.54
you have to do is start
going through and looking for
00:26:36.57\00:26:39.38
the churches that are
keeping the Biblical Sabbath,
00:26:39.41\00:26:41.92
not the papal sabbath. So
you go through, and that's
00:26:41.95\00:26:44.71
going to reduce
your list by about 90%.
00:26:44.74\00:26:47.88
Your job just go
infinitely easier right there.
00:26:47.91\00:26:50.46
Let's continue on here,
number 6: [text on screen]
00:26:50.49\00:26:53.27
Absolutely, that's what we
saw in Revelation 14, the first
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.47
angel's message is fear
God, and give glory to Him,
00:27:02.50\00:27:07.66
and Paul says in 1 Corinthians,
he says: "Therefore, whatever"
00:27:07.69\00:27:10.80
"you do, whether you eat, or
whether you drink do everything"
00:27:10.83\00:27:16.76
"to the glory of God", so these
people would be spiritually
00:27:16.79\00:27:19.71
healthy, socially healthy,
mentally healthy, and physically
00:27:19.74\00:27:22.75
healthy, a call to give our
lives, our bodies back to God.
00:27:22.78\00:27:27.32
This is what I like to call
is, it's the Gospel lifestyle.
00:27:27.35\00:27:32.03
Beloved, it you're a Christian
it should impact every aspect
00:27:32.06\00:27:34.92
of your life. As
somebody has said one time,
00:27:34.95\00:27:37.96
if you're accused in a court
of law of being a Christian,
00:27:37.99\00:27:40.50
would there be enough
evidence to convict you?
00:27:40.53\00:27:43.33
[Audience laughs] Do you follow?
If you're a Christian somebody
00:27:43.36\00:27:48.77
ought to be able to look
at your check book and know.
00:27:48.80\00:27:53.66
If you're a Christian somebody
should be able to go to even
00:27:53.69\00:27:56.29
your cupboards and be able
to tell, somebody should be able
00:27:56.32\00:27:58.98
to go through your library
and know if you're a Christian.
00:27:59.01\00:28:01.33
Come on now, beloved, it's
a lifestyle. So many of us,
00:28:01.36\00:28:05.84
we have this little
compartmentalized view of what
00:28:05.87\00:28:08.45
it means to be a Christian.
"Oh, this is where I'm"
00:28:08.48\00:28:11.10
"a religious person
over here on Sunday morning"
00:28:11.13\00:28:13.61
or "Saturday morning", "and now
I leave my religious person at"
00:28:13.64\00:28:16.22
"church, I don't want him/her
to get dirty. And then I go out"
00:28:16.25\00:28:19.07
"for the rest of my life and
I'm my normal, regular self. "
00:28:19.10\00:28:21.79
No!
00:28:21.82\00:28:23.41
The Gospel lifestyle says "I'm
a Christian 24/7, I live for"
00:28:23.44\00:28:28.37
"the glory of God all the time".
I tell you, I'm never going
00:28:28.40\00:28:34.74
to finish
this... [Audience laughs]
00:28:34.77\00:28:37.17
Now look at
this: [text on screen]
00:28:37.20\00:28:40.22
You're saying "What?! How
could that be? How can you say"
00:28:40.25\00:28:43.91
"that the church has
to arise after 1798? "
00:28:43.94\00:28:46.55
It's actually a piece of cake.
Remember that God's true church
00:28:46.58\00:28:49.64
goes into hiding into the
wilderness for 1260 years.
00:28:49.67\00:28:55.07
That 1260 years begins in 538,
ends in 1798, and so basically,
00:28:55.10\00:29:00.90
the true church comes out of
hiding, God's true people come
00:29:00.93\00:29:05.31
out of hiding after the
time of papal persecution.
00:29:05.34\00:29:10.16
So basically, what we're looking
for, because if the woman
00:29:10.19\00:29:12.99
is in the wilderness from
538 to 1798, if the woman is
00:29:13.02\00:29:15.73
in the wilderness for the
1260 years of papal persecution,
00:29:15.76\00:29:18.94
we really can't look for
this woman to come on the scene
00:29:18.97\00:29:21.43
as a prominent figure
until after that time.
00:29:21.46\00:29:27.77
It's actually pretty simple.
Right there in Revelation 12.
00:29:27.80\00:29:30.89
[text on screen]
00:29:30.92\00:29:33.00
I can tell you beloved
that all over the world, and I'm
00:29:35.22\00:29:38.84
not overemphasizing when I
say that, all over the world...
00:29:38.87\00:29:42.33
I want to say it again, all over
the world people are preaching
00:29:42.36\00:29:46.24
meetings exactly like
the meetings you have been
00:29:46.27\00:29:49.09
attending for the
last 20 some nights.
00:29:49.12\00:29:51.94
So we're looking for all
of these different identifying
00:29:51.97\00:29:54.49
characteristics, and if
we find those identifying
00:29:54.52\00:30:00.17
characteristics, I'm going
to venture a guess, I'm going
00:30:00.20\00:30:02.62
to hazard a guess that we're
going to find God's church.
00:30:02.65\00:30:06.97
I believe that with my whole
heart, I believe what I've told
00:30:07.00\00:30:09.76
you with my whole
heart. [text on screen]
00:30:09.79\00:30:12.27
And you're thinking "Whoa,
whoa, wait a minute there, "
00:30:14.40\00:30:16.88
"the spirit of prophecy? "
Absolutely. Let me just put
00:30:16.91\00:30:19.96
all of the cards right out
on the table because you know
00:30:19.99\00:30:22.31
me, I'm transparent, there's
no hidden agenda with me,
00:30:22.34\00:30:25.44
I'll tell you everything
right up front, and I'm going
00:30:25.47\00:30:28.13
to tell you this right up front:
I believe that God has raised up
00:30:28.16\00:30:31.50
someone in the last
days who He has given
00:30:31.53\00:30:34.45
the gift of prophecy, I
want you to know I believe that.
00:30:34.48\00:30:37.13
Now, that should make
you nervous, I'm going to be
00:30:37.16\00:30:39.95
totally honest, that should make
you nervous because Jesus warned
00:30:39.98\00:30:42.51
in Matthew 24 about false
prophets, and false Christs
00:30:42.54\00:30:45.27
that would arise and deceive
many. So if somebody came
00:30:45.30\00:30:47.40
to me and said "Hey
listen, there's somebody who I"
00:30:47.43\00:30:50.26
"believe has the gift of
prophecy", my initial reaction
00:30:50.29\00:30:53.16
is total skepticism.
If that's not your initial
00:30:53.19\00:30:57.04
reaction you need to check
yourself. Your initial reaction
00:30:57.07\00:31:01.27
should be total skepticism,
but you should be open to see.
00:31:01.30\00:31:06.69
Does that make sense?
Because when Jesus said
00:31:06.72\00:31:08.96
in Matthew 24 "Beware of
false prophets", I want you to
00:31:08.99\00:31:11.40
notice what He didn't
say, He didn't say "Beware of"
00:31:11.43\00:31:14.25
"all prophets". If Jesus knew
that there was never going to be
00:31:14.28\00:31:17.35
any true prophets down to
the end of time, what He would
00:31:17.38\00:31:20.09
have said is "Beware of anybody
who claims to be a prophet",
00:31:20.12\00:31:24.12
but the very fact that He
said "Beware of false prophets"
00:31:24.15\00:31:27.11
demonstrates that He knew
that there would be some true,
00:31:27.14\00:31:29.98
but you'd have to sort through
all of the rubbish in order
00:31:30.01\00:31:32.28
to find what's true.
As John says "Prove all"
00:31:32.31\00:31:36.62
"things and hold
fast that which is good. "
00:31:36.65\00:31:40.78
Now I'm going to share something
with you tonight that is
00:31:40.81\00:31:43.54
absolutely, totally
awesome. [text on screen]
00:31:43.57\00:31:46.25
There are 3 lists: 1
Corinthians 12, Romans 12
00:31:49.38\00:31:53.58
and Ephesians 4, that's
it, those are all the lists of
00:31:53.61\00:31:55.80
spiritual gifts the apostle
Paul talks about, and you
00:31:55.83\00:31:58.20
know some of the gifts:
the gift of tongues, the gift
00:31:58.23\00:32:00.72
of discernment, the gift of
healing, the gift of miracles,
00:32:00.75\00:32:03.38
the gift of prophecy, etc,
but there is only 1 gift that
00:32:03.41\00:32:06.07
occurs in all 3 lists, and
that's the gift of prophecy.
00:32:06.10\00:32:09.87
Unquestionably the most
preeminent, and we're going to
00:32:09.90\00:32:12.22
actually talk more about
this, and especially the issue
00:32:12.25\00:32:14.88
of tongues in a future night. So
look at this: [text on screen]
00:32:14.91\00:32:17.59
That's a Biblical precedent
that God has established,
00:32:22.92\00:32:25.55
and I want to try
and show that to you.
00:32:25.58\00:32:27.43
Amos 3:7, Amos
speaking on behalf of God says:
00:32:27.46\00:32:31.91
[text on screen]
00:32:31.94\00:32:34.02
In other words, God's not
trying to do things over in
00:32:38.00\00:32:40.38
a corner to hope you
don't find out, God sends His
00:32:40.41\00:32:42.96
prophets so that you can
find out, and they're available
00:32:42.99\00:32:45.63
all through the Old and the
New Testament if we're willing
00:32:45.66\00:32:48.40
to hear the voice of
God. Powerful, man, I wish
00:32:48.43\00:32:51.53
I had time, I've
just go to keep going.
00:32:51.56\00:32:54.08
Okay, here we
go. [text on screen]
00:32:54.11\00:32:56.69
Incidentally, who was
the oldest man in the Bible
00:33:01.91\00:33:04.57
that ever lived? No,
the oldest man that ever
00:33:04.60\00:33:07.12
lived was Enoch, the oldest man
that ever died was Methuselah.
00:33:07.15\00:33:12.19
Gotcha. The name "Methuselah"
means "when he dies, it will"
00:33:12.22\00:33:19.70
"come". That's what the name
means: "when he dies, it will".
00:33:19.73\00:33:25.91
"come". Methuselah lived 969
years, have you ever wondered
00:33:25.94\00:33:30.39
why did he live so
long? Because his name and he
00:33:30.42\00:33:35.51
himself was basically a
prophecy of the coming flood:
00:33:35.54\00:33:39.85
"when he dies, it will
come", and God is holding back
00:33:39.88\00:33:44.06
the winds of strife, God
is holding back the winds
00:33:44.09\00:33:46.32
of adversity that are going
to come, God knows the flood is
00:33:46.35\00:33:49.13
coming, He raised up Noah
and He said "I'm not going to"
00:33:49.16\00:33:52.04
"always put with this
stiff necked, obstinate people",
00:33:52.07\00:33:54.69
so He lets this man, Methuselah,
live...Adam lived 930,
00:33:54.72\00:34:00.10
and he bypasses Adam.
He was getting to be an old
00:34:00.13\00:34:02.44
man, and a man named Jerod lived
to be 962, and he lives right
00:34:02.47\00:34:06.17
past that, he goes all the way
to 969, and in the year he died
00:34:06.20\00:34:12.12
the flood came. God
raised up Noah to foretell
00:34:12.15\00:34:17.68
that when
Methuselah died it would come.
00:34:17.71\00:34:20.72
So there was that prophecy
"When he dies, it will come",
00:34:20.75\00:34:23.40
God raises up Noah and
says "God's not kidding, "
00:34:23.43\00:34:26.92
"it's going to come".
So before a major event God
00:34:26.95\00:34:28.98
raised up Noah. And
then there was another
00:34:29.01\00:34:32.47
time prophecy, God gave it
to Abraham, He basically said
00:34:32.50\00:34:35.35
"Your children, your descendants
are going to be in Egypt"
00:34:35.38\00:34:38.05
"for 400 years. " And
that time prophecy went,
00:34:38.08\00:34:43.96
went, went, and just as
that time prophecy was about
00:34:43.99\00:34:46.66
ready to come to a close
God raised up a prophet because
00:34:46.69\00:34:50.53
the time prophecy was being
fulfilled. Who did He raise up?
00:34:50.56\00:34:53.72
[Audience] Moses.
He raised up Moses,
00:34:53.75\00:34:56.20
that's exactly right, He raised
up Moses before the Exodus
00:34:56.23\00:34:58.86
of God's people. So
there was the time prophecy,
00:34:58.89\00:35:01.55
it goes forward, God
raises up a prophet, why?
00:35:01.58\00:35:04.13
To foretell the end of
the time prophecy, and to get
00:35:04.16\00:35:06.83
people ready for a major event.
A man by the name of Jeremiah,
00:35:06.86\00:35:09.36
he prophesied that Israel
would be in Babylonian captivity
00:35:09.39\00:35:12.15
for how many years? 70
years, and then God raised
00:35:12.18\00:35:15.01
up another prophet to foretell
the coming of the end of
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.56
the 70 years.
Who was that? Daniel,
00:35:17.59\00:35:20.49
God raised up Daniel to foretell
the end of the 70 years.
00:35:20.52\00:35:24.86
Then Daniel foretold
that the 70 week prophecy,
00:35:24.89\00:35:29.66
490 years, and that prophecy
extended all the way down
00:35:29.69\00:35:33.40
until the coming of
the Messiah. Remember that?
00:35:33.43\00:35:38.04
"70 weeks are determined
upon your people and upon your"
00:35:38.07\00:35:41.02
"holy city to finish the
transgression" all the way
00:35:41.05\00:35:43.53
through, and then he says:
"Know therefore and understand"
00:35:43.56\00:35:46.44
"that from the going
forth of the command to restore"
00:35:46.47\00:35:49.30
"and rebuild Jerusalem unto
Messiah the Prince shall be"
00:35:49.33\00:35:52.00
"69 weeks". So
here's this prophecy that
00:35:52.03\00:35:54.64
the Messiah's going to
come, and who did God raise up
00:35:54.67\00:35:57.29
to foretell the
finishing of that prophecy?
00:35:57.32\00:35:59.72
Of course, John the
Baptist, absolutely.
00:35:59.75\00:36:02.51
God raise up John the
Baptist to announce the coming
00:36:02.54\00:36:05.15
of Christ. So in every instance
you have here, Methuselah,
00:36:05.18\00:36:07.80
God raises up Noah and
says the prophecy is coming
00:36:07.83\00:36:10.43
to an end. Abraham, God
raises up Moses to say the time
00:36:10.46\00:36:13.05
prophecy's coming to an end.
Jeremiah, God raises up Daniel
00:36:13.08\00:36:15.67
to say the time
prophecy is coming to an end.
00:36:15.70\00:36:19.52
Daniel has a prophecy,
God raises up John the Baptist
00:36:19.55\00:36:22.05
to say that time
prophecy is coming to an end.
00:36:22.08\00:36:24.31
You see what God is
doing? God here has a timeline
00:36:24.34\00:36:27.47
and He's not saying "Well,
I'm going to keep it from you, "
00:36:27.50\00:36:30.04
"nanny-nanny-boo-boo,
try and figure it out".
00:36:30.07\00:36:32.72
What God's saying is "It's
right here, it's for you, "
00:36:32.75\00:36:35.48
"I'm showing you through
My prophets, this is my plan"
00:36:35.51\00:36:38.06
"of action for the earth.
" Powerful. [text on screen]
00:36:38.09\00:36:40.87
I'm going to give you
several reasons to believe that.
00:36:51.20\00:36:54.06
In other words if we discover
today that God does, in fact,
00:36:54.09\00:36:57.13
have someone on earth who
is a prophet, we shouldn't say
00:36:57.16\00:37:00.32
"Oh, I can't believe
it...I just can't believe it! "
00:37:00.35\00:37:03.31
Beloved, why not? Why
couldn't you believe it?
00:37:03.34\00:37:07.40
Number 1: we've already seen
that in Revelation 12:17 that
00:37:07.43\00:37:10.90
the last day people would
keep the commandments of God
00:37:10.93\00:37:13.65
and have the testimony of Jesus,
but the testimony of Jesus
00:37:13.68\00:37:16.68
is the spirit of prophecy,
so we should be expecting it.
00:37:16.71\00:37:21.36
In fact, look in Joel 2, that's
the Old Testament, see if you
00:37:21.39\00:37:24.90
can find it, minor prophets
towards the end of the Old
00:37:24.93\00:37:27.11
Testament, you
might get there before me.
00:37:27.14\00:37:29.97
Joel 2, see if you can
find it, just after Hosea.
00:37:30.00\00:37:39.30
Here we go, in verse
Joel 2:28. Is everyone there?
00:37:39.33\00:37:46.53
Joel 2:28, it says: "And it
shall come to pass afterwards"
00:37:46.56\00:37:50.77
"that I will pour out My
Spirit on all flesh. ", now look
00:37:50.80\00:37:54.92
at this, "Your sons and
your daughters will prophesy, "
00:37:54.95\00:37:58.54
"your old men shall
dream dreams, your young men"
00:37:58.57\00:38:00.47
"shall see visions, also
upon My men servants and upon"
00:38:00.50\00:38:03.18
"My maid servants I will pour
out My Spirit in those days. "
00:38:03.21\00:38:06.95
You say "Well which are 'those
days'? " Look at verse 30:
00:38:06.98\00:38:09.52
"And I will show wonders in
the heavens and on the earth, "
00:38:09.55\00:38:12.26
"blood and fire, and pillars of
smoke, the sun shall be turned"
00:38:12.29\00:38:15.10
"into darkness, the moon
into blood before the coming"
00:38:15.13\00:38:17.85
"of the great and
awesome day of the Lord. "
00:38:17.88\00:38:20.62
What is the coming of
the great and awesome day
00:38:20.65\00:38:23.18
of the Lord?
[Audience] Second coming.
00:38:23.21\00:38:25.85
Yeah, that's the second coming
of Jesus. In fact, if you look
00:38:25.88\00:38:28.12
at the language there: "blood
and fire, and pillars of smoke",
00:38:28.15\00:38:30.82
that's judgment language,
this is a direct reference
00:38:30.85\00:38:33.27
to the second coming of Jesus,
and Joel says that He's going
00:38:33.30\00:38:35.61
to raise up His sons, and
His daughters, and men servants,
00:38:35.64\00:38:37.98
and maid servants, who will
dream dreams and prophesy just
00:38:38.01\00:38:40.75
before the coming of the Lord.
Tonight if we discover that
00:38:40.78\00:38:43.33
God has raised up a prophet,
you shouldn't say "What?!"
00:38:43.36\00:38:46.15
"I can't believe it. "
We should say "I expect it".
00:38:46.18\00:38:49.87
I'm going to give you a
third reason to believe that...
00:38:49.90\00:38:52.91
The Devil is no dummy.
See, the moment that you talk
00:38:52.94\00:38:57.54
about a prophet, everybody
gets immediately skeptical
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.99
You know why?
Because of false prophets.
00:39:01.02\00:39:06.66
When somebody told me "Yeah,
there's somebody on earth"
00:39:06.69\00:39:09.04
"that I think is a prophet",
the first thing I thought of
00:39:09.07\00:39:11.69
was "Joseph Smith".
Right? I'm immediately skeptical
00:39:11.72\00:39:15.19
because I know that there have
been false prophets that have
00:39:15.22\00:39:17.92
come on the scene. Is
this making sense, everyone?
00:39:17.95\00:39:20.81
See, now think about this
for just a minute, have you
00:39:20.84\00:39:23.55
ever seen a counterfeit
$97 bill? [Audience laughs]
00:39:23.58\00:39:28.19
Can you imagine that? Do
you know why you've never
00:39:28.22\00:39:30.78
seen a counterfeit $97
bill? There's no real one.
00:39:30.81\00:39:35.20
So if the Devil is going
to start raising up false
00:39:35.23\00:39:37.78
prophets, and Joseph
Smith is not to the only one.
00:39:37.81\00:39:40.64
And I have no problem saying,
by the way, that the man was
00:39:40.67\00:39:43.12
a false prophet. No question.
If the Devil's going to start
00:39:43.15\00:39:45.88
raising up false
prophets, why is he doing that?
00:39:45.91\00:39:48.29
Because he wants to muddy the
waters because he knows that God
00:39:48.32\00:39:50.31
is going to raise up a
true prophet, and that way
00:39:50.34\00:39:53.07
when you come to the church
and you say "Hey listen, "
00:39:53.10\00:39:55.94
"I want to tell you something,
there's this person I think"
00:39:55.97\00:39:58.64
"has the gift of prophecy",
and you say "Yeah right! "
00:39:58.67\00:40:01.36
"Been there, done that. "
But beloved, if we come to any
00:40:01.39\00:40:04.16
prophet, here's prophet A,
prophet B, prophet C, prophet D,
00:40:04.19\00:40:07.76
prophet E, we can't just
say they're all false prophets
00:40:07.79\00:40:10.19
because what if
one is the real deal?
00:40:10.22\00:40:13.11
Does that make sense? I
mean, we don't want to turn
00:40:13.14\00:40:16.41
our back on an Ezekiel, we
don't want to turn our back on
00:40:16.44\00:40:18.84
a Jeremiah, we don't want
to turn our back on the John
00:40:18.87\00:40:20.87
the Baptist, I mean, Israel did
that, we don't want to commit
00:40:20.90\00:40:24.15
the...so how are
we going to know?
00:40:24.18\00:40:26.57
How would we know?
Well, let me tell you how you
00:40:26.60\00:40:28.82
wouldn't know: you wouldn't
ask for a burning in the bosom.
00:40:28.85\00:40:33.09
That's what one of the
Mormon missionaries said to me,
00:40:33.12\00:40:35.45
they said: "Oh, you know Joseph
Smith is a true prophet, "
00:40:35.48\00:40:38.11
"and if you pray and ask
God to give you a burning in"
00:40:38.14\00:40:41.00
"the bosom, you'll know too. "
Well, let me tell you something,
00:40:41.03\00:40:43.55
I'm not going to trust
my gastrointestinal system
00:40:43.58\00:40:46.03
to determine whether or not
a prophet is a true one of God.
00:40:46.06\00:40:48.75
[Audience laughs] And
I'm not saying that to make
00:40:48.78\00:40:51.24
fun, that doesn't make sense
to me. I mean, I might pray
00:40:51.27\00:40:54.49
and my heart is so deceitful
and desperately wicked that
00:40:54.52\00:40:57.34
I might really want my bosom
to burn, so "I think I felt"
00:40:57.37\00:41:01.01
"something", and I
would question, or maybe I ate
00:41:01.04\00:41:03.41
too many Doritos, or too much
ice cream, and before I know it
00:41:03.44\00:41:06.37
I've got a burning in the bosom
and I'm duty bound to believe
00:41:06.40\00:41:08.98
that this guy's a prophet even
though so much of what he said
00:41:09.01\00:41:11.48
contradicts the
Bible. So how would I know?
00:41:11.51\00:41:16.44
Come on, tell me,
how would you know?
00:41:16.47\00:41:19.13
Here's prophet A, B, C, D, E and
F, are they all false prophets?
00:41:19.16\00:41:25.80
I'd go to the Bible, wouldn't I?
00:41:25.83\00:41:30.84
And if I'm going down,
and he says this, and I say
00:41:30.87\00:41:35.63
"Whammy, out! " Then go down,
listen to this guy: "Ahm, ahm, "
00:41:35.66\00:41:38.84
"so far so
good"...'Whammy, you're out. "
00:41:38.87\00:41:41.63
Go down, listen to
this guy "Yeah...yeah...",
00:41:41.66\00:41:44.35
"Whammy, you're out".
I mean, it would be very
00:41:44.38\00:41:46.92
easy; "To the law and to the
testimony, if they speak not"
00:41:46.95\00:41:49.15
"according to this Word it
is because there is no light"
00:41:49.18\00:41:51.70
"in them. " [Audience] Amen.
00:41:51.73\00:41:54.05
Isaiah 8:20, to the law,
and to the testimony, if they
00:41:54.08\00:41:56.71
don't speak
according to this they're out.
00:41:56.74\00:41:59.48
Now, think about that for
just a minute, you've never seen
00:41:59.51\00:42:02.28
a counterfeit $97 bill.
Why? Because there's no real
00:42:02.31\00:42:04.85
$97 bill. I believe in my
heart of heart of hearts that
00:42:04.88\00:42:09.92
the Devil has started raising
up all of these false prophets
00:42:09.95\00:42:12.12
to muddy the waters so that
if someone did come on the scene
00:42:12.15\00:42:15.36
the vast majority of Christians
would be so nervous about
00:42:15.39\00:42:17.68
the whole concept they
say "No, no, not interested",
00:42:17.71\00:42:20.59
but beloved if we did that
we would be giving the Devil
00:42:20.62\00:42:23.75
the victory, what if God
has raised up someone to give us
00:42:23.78\00:42:26.03
a special message
a the end of time?
00:42:26.06\00:42:28.65
Is what I'm saying making
sense? Does it sound rational?
00:42:28.68\00:42:32.98
[Audience] Yes.
Does it sound reasonable?
00:42:33.01\00:42:35.43
[Audience]
Yeah. Yeah, I hope so.
00:42:35.46\00:42:37.85
I hope it does because it
is, it 100%. [text on screen]
00:42:37.88\00:42:40.66
False prophets will be raised up
in the last days, is that true?
00:42:45.77\00:42:49.20
Yes or no? Well, how do
you know a false prophet?
00:42:49.23\00:42:52.55
Right there, from the
Word. It makes good sense.
00:42:52.58\00:42:55.79
Edgar Cayce, the so
called "Sleeping Prophet",
00:42:55.82\00:42:58.27
"The life, prophecies, and
readings of America's most"
00:42:58.30\00:43:00.63
"famous mystic", false prophet.
How do I know he's a false
00:43:00.66\00:43:03.41
prophet? He doesn't
exult Jesus and he doesn't keep
00:43:03.44\00:43:06.16
the law. He has
nothing to do with
00:43:06.19\00:43:08.72
the Word, he's a false prophet.
I don't care if he gets 97%
00:43:08.75\00:43:11.44
of his predictions right, all
that tells me is that the Devil
00:43:11.47\00:43:14.27
knows the future pretty well,
or at least he's a good guesser.
00:43:14.30\00:43:17.20
This woman here, "The Phenomenal
Jeane Dixon", she was accurate
00:43:17.23\00:43:19.79
30-60% of the time,
1 million copies sold,
00:43:19.82\00:43:22.93
"A gift of Prophecy".
Listen, 30-60% isn't going
00:43:22.96\00:43:26.32
to cut it because God knows
the future 100% of the time.
00:43:26.35\00:43:30.13
[Audience] Amen.
Makes sense everyone?
00:43:30.16\00:43:33.05
Okay, I hope we're
all on the same page here.
00:43:33.08\00:43:35.34
[text on screen]
00:43:35.37\00:43:37.45
We are flooded with
them. [text on screen]
00:43:39.10\00:43:41.60
We'd go to the Word.
Jeremiah 28:9: [text on screen]
00:43:43.43\00:43:48.40
So, if God raises up a prophet
and what they say comes to pass
00:43:53.08\00:43:55.99
that would indicate that
this could, in fact be a true
00:43:56.02\00:43:58.83
prophet of God.
Deuteronomy 13:1,2:
00:43:58.86\00:44:01.89
[text on screen]
00:44:01.92\00:44:04.00
Did you follow that? In
other words, if somebody
00:44:24.34\00:44:27.02
raises up and they say
"This certain event is going"
00:44:27.05\00:44:29.60
"to happen", and it happens,
but then they say "You don't"
00:44:29.63\00:44:33.96
"have to honor the Lord Jesus",
true prophet, false prophet?
00:44:33.99\00:44:37.61
[Audience] False.
False prophet because even
00:44:37.64\00:44:40.42
though the prediction may have
come right if they don't speak
00:44:40.45\00:44:43.25
according to the Word they're
out. So we're beginning to see
00:44:43.28\00:44:45.90
tests that can help.
God is a rational, logical,
00:44:45.93\00:44:50.09
reasonable God, He doesn't ask
you to believe without giving
00:44:50.12\00:44:53.51
you sufficient evidence
upon which to base your belief,
00:44:53.54\00:44:56.00
that's why it says in
Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is"
00:44:56.03\00:44:58.75
"the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things"
00:44:58.78\00:45:01.69
"not seen. " Some people think
00:45:01.72\00:45:03.78
that Christianity is all about
a blind leap into the darkness,
00:45:03.81\00:45:07.52
I hope it's not that.
Beloved, when I come to
00:45:07.55\00:45:09.86
the church I don't want to have
to check my brain at the door.
00:45:09.89\00:45:12.38
When I became a Christian I
didn't say "Well...here we go",
00:45:12.41\00:45:16.65
[Audience laughs] I
didn't just jump and hope
00:45:16.68\00:45:23.41
for the best, I walked through
and I said "Okay, that makes"
00:45:23.44\00:45:26.68
"sense", and all the while
the Spirit of God is leading,
00:45:26.71\00:45:29.86
His Word is leading,
and God is a logical God.
00:45:29.89\00:45:32.11
Sometimes He does things that we
don't understand, but He doesn't
00:45:32.14\00:45:34.62
do things that are just
off the charts illogical.
00:45:34.65\00:45:37.80
So "Yeah, uhum, got it...uhum,
got it... ", and that's one
00:45:37.83\00:45:41.10
of the things that appeals
to me about the Bible is that
00:45:41.13\00:45:43.78
the Bible is an intelligent book
written for intelligent people.
00:45:43.81\00:45:47.20
People have this misconception
idea that Christians are crazy
00:45:47.23\00:45:49.97
people and they don't think,
nothing could be further from
00:45:50.00\00:45:52.74
the truth. The God of the Bible
invented your mind, the God
00:45:52.77\00:45:55.79
of the Bible invented logic,
the God of the Bible invented
00:45:55.82\00:45:58.62
intelligence, He's given you a
mind, He expects you to use it,
00:45:58.65\00:46:01.96
and He expects you to reason
through in a very logical,
00:46:01.99\00:46:05.12
linear fashion. That
doesn't mean that everything
00:46:05.15\00:46:07.93
is strictly logical, of
course not, but it's consistent
00:46:07.96\00:46:10.81
with logic, and
that's the point.
00:46:10.84\00:46:14.89
Numbers 12:6: [text on screen]
00:46:14.92\00:46:17.60
That's exactly right,
nothing wrong with that.
00:46:23.70\00:46:26.47
So here are Biblical tests of
a true prophet: [text on screen]
00:46:26.50\00:46:30.15
Listen, I don't want to
have anything to do with any
00:46:38.46\00:46:40.81
Nostradamus figure, or anybody
else who just gets things
00:46:40.84\00:46:43.18
right occasionally,
but doesn't lift up Jesus.
00:46:43.21\00:46:45.83
If they don't lift up
Jesus, you're, out, you get
00:46:45.86\00:46:48.39
the whammy if you
don't lift up Jesus.
00:46:48.42\00:46:51.95
Commandment keeping would
have to be commandment keeping,
00:46:51.98\00:46:54.60
all of God's prophets
kept the commandments.
00:46:54.63\00:46:57.22
Listen, if somebody tells
you not to keep the commandments
00:46:57.25\00:46:59.98
of God, if somebody tells
you not to surrender to the Lord
00:47:00.01\00:47:02.69
Jesus as your personal Saviour,
if somebody tells you that
00:47:02.72\00:47:05.36
you don't need to study your
Bible, I don't care what they
00:47:05.39\00:47:08.17
say, they're a false
prophet. So a true prophet would
00:47:08.20\00:47:10.88
exalt Jesus, a true prophet
would keep God's commandments,
00:47:10.91\00:47:13.47
there are various physical tests
that we didn't go over here,
00:47:13.50\00:47:16.04
a true prophet would
show spiritual fruit.
00:47:16.07\00:47:18.51
[text on screen]
00:47:18.54\00:47:20.62
Tonight, I want to be crystal
clear about what I am saying
00:47:22.06\00:47:25.72
and what I'm not
saying. Here's what I'm saying:
00:47:25.75\00:47:28.45
I believe God has a church
on earth, I believe that with
00:47:28.48\00:47:32.01
all of my heart, and I've
already said it a million,
00:47:32.04\00:47:34.70
zillion, trillion times
that that does not mean that
00:47:34.73\00:47:37.13
those are the best people
or the only people that are
00:47:37.16\00:47:39.88
going to heaven. I mean, I can't
say it more strongly than I
00:47:39.91\00:47:42.80
have, if somebody goes out
and misunderstands that point
00:47:42.83\00:47:45.61
it's because they want
to misunderstand that point.
00:47:45.64\00:47:48.36
Here's the second thing
I want to say: I do believe
00:47:48.39\00:47:51.89
that amidst all of the trash
that the Devil has raised up,
00:47:51.92\00:47:54.71
amidst all of the confusion
that the Devil has raised up,
00:47:54.74\00:47:57.41
amidst all of THAT that Satan
has raised up, I believe that
00:47:57.44\00:48:00.26
there is a gem in
the mud, I believe that.
00:48:00.29\00:48:02.97
That book that you have in your
hand right there is actually
00:48:03.00\00:48:05.83
the second most
translated book in the world.
00:48:05.86\00:48:08.57
No joke. In fact,
you know what the first
00:48:08.60\00:48:10.87
most translated
book in the world is?
00:48:10.90\00:48:13.28
It's that book right
there. This book that you hold
00:48:13.31\00:48:16.15
in your hand right here
is actually a different title
00:48:16.18\00:48:18.72
for a book called "Steps
to Christ", the second most
00:48:18.75\00:48:21.18
translated book in the
world, and it was written by
00:48:21.21\00:48:23.54
Ellen White. Here's all
I'm going to say to you:
00:48:23.57\00:48:26.04
read the book and ask 1
question, just ask 1 question:
00:48:26.07\00:48:29.18
does it lead me closer to
Jesus? If the answer's "Yes",
00:48:29.21\00:48:32.74
then love it, if the
answer's "No", then discard it
00:48:32.77\00:48:35.10
and don't worry about it because
you've still got the Bible.
00:48:35.13\00:48:37.63
Is that reasonable? Yes or
no? I think that's very, very,
00:48:37.66\00:48:40.85
very reasonably. Someone
says: "Well, wait a minute, "
00:48:40.88\00:48:43.44
"can a woman have this
gift? " Does God discriminate?
00:48:43.47\00:48:47.39
No, look at this, Acts
21:8,9: [text on screen]
00:48:47.42\00:48:51.06
Can a woman prophesy?
Yeah, no problem, God's not
00:49:01.20\00:49:04.37
against that, He
doesn't mind that.
00:49:04.40\00:49:06.89
A woman by the name of Ellen
White, she was 17 years old
00:49:06.92\00:49:09.69
and God raised her up and she
became a very powerful writer,
00:49:09.72\00:49:12.51
a very powerful health
educator, an education educator,
00:49:12.54\00:49:16.10
and others, that is to say
she wrote on pedagogical theory,
00:49:16.13\00:49:19.28
and other things. "Pedagogical",
I'm talking crazy language,
00:49:19.31\00:49:23.44
she wrote about how to get
a good education, hows that?
00:49:23.47\00:49:26.10
[Audience laughs] The
ministry of Ellen G. White:
00:49:26.13\00:49:29.33
[text on screen]
00:49:29.36\00:49:31.44
In fact, this is
actually quite an amazing fact,
00:49:35.34\00:49:40.09
she is the most authored female,
non-fiction author in the world.
00:49:40.12\00:49:51.74
In the world
ever, in the history.
00:49:51.77\00:49:54.75
Look at this, this is what Paul
Harvey said, he's a huge fan
00:49:54.78\00:49:57.28
of Ellen White's, huge fan.
In fact, a good friend of mine
00:49:57.31\00:50:00.16
is a good friend of Paul
Harvey's, and he spends a lot
00:50:00.19\00:50:02.67
of time with Paul, anyway,
I could tell you some stories,
00:50:02.70\00:50:05.47
but I'm not going to do that
because this is being recorded.
00:50:05.50\00:50:08.05
Paul Harvey said on live
radio, September 25, 1997:
00:50:08.08\00:50:11.36
[text on screen] By
the way, they have taken
00:50:11.39\00:50:16.75
survey after survey after survey
and they have shown that Paul
00:50:16.78\00:50:19.37
Harvey is the single most
trusted person in the American
00:50:19.40\00:50:22.11
media, did you know that?
Consistently the single most
00:50:22.14\00:50:26.58
trusted person in
the American media, why?
00:50:26.61\00:50:29.28
Because he's a straight
shooter. Isn't that true?
00:50:29.31\00:50:31.71
He just tells you like it
is. "This is the way it is... "
00:50:31.74\00:50:34.07
He said: [text on screen]
00:50:34.10\00:50:36.58
That's what Paul Harvey said
beloved, and he's not a member
00:51:17.10\00:51:19.76
of my church, he's just
somebody who's read the writings
00:51:19.79\00:51:22.49
and said "Yeah, it
makes sense what she says".
00:51:22.52\00:51:25.86
This is from one of the official
librarians at The Library of
00:51:25.89\00:51:29.72
Congress, and as you
know, every single book that's
00:51:29.75\00:51:32.43
published in the US has to
go to The Library of Congress.
00:51:32.46\00:51:35.01
This is what he said, he
was asked "What's the best book"
00:51:35.04\00:51:36.80
"that's ever been written, apart
from the Bible, on the life"
00:51:36.83\00:51:39.89
"of Christ? " Best book
ever, and this is what the said:
00:51:39.92\00:51:42.62
[text on screen]
00:51:42.65\00:51:44.73
This was him speaking on
her book entitled "The Desire"
00:51:52.52\00:51:55.50
"of Ages". You can read
that book, it's about 800 pages,
00:51:55.53\00:51:58.27
and I'll tell you think, you
read that book and there is no
00:51:58.30\00:52:02.14
question that you will
come away with a deeper love
00:52:02.17\00:52:04.86
relationship with
your Lord, I guarantee it.
00:52:04.89\00:52:07.27
And if you find one thing in
there that doesn't square with
00:52:07.30\00:52:09.95
the Bible then you tell me about
it and throw it out, because
00:52:09.98\00:52:12.35
I want to know so I can
throw it out. I've read the book
00:52:12.38\00:52:14.67
through 3 or 4 times, it just
absolutely, totally magnifies
00:52:14.70\00:52:17.33
the Word and
magnifies the Bible. Incredible.
00:52:17.36\00:52:20.11
Listen, am I telling
you to take my word for it?
00:52:20.14\00:52:23.48
Am I doing that? [Audience] No.
00:52:23.51\00:52:25.93
Not at all, I'm saying "test
it", that's what the Bible says:
00:52:25.96\00:52:28.67
"Test all things and see
what's true". Look at this one:
00:52:28.70\00:52:31.29
this is what she says
in that book that I read,
00:52:31.32\00:52:33.96
this is the book that
I read, this is page 204:
00:52:33.99\00:52:37.13
[text on screen]
00:52:37.16\00:52:39.24
See beloved, for me
it's all about the fruit.
00:52:50.14\00:52:52.80
Jesus said "By their
fruits you shall know them".
00:52:52.83\00:52:55.37
I read that book, I read
200 pages of that book and
00:52:55.40\00:52:58.07
the very next morning I
went and bought a Bible.
00:52:58.10\00:53:01.76
In other words, it wasn't
like "Well, the Bible is not"
00:53:01.79\00:53:04.37
"properly translated", how many
of you have heard that garbage
00:53:04.40\00:53:07.00
before? People come
knock on your door and you say
00:53:07.03\00:53:09.56
"Well, wait a minute, well the
Bible says this, and the Bible"
00:53:09.59\00:53:12.08
"says this, and the
Bible says that", and they say
00:53:12.11\00:53:14.60
"Well, as far as the
Bible is properly translated, "
00:53:14.63\00:53:17.13
"you need another book", and
they give you this other book.
00:53:17.16\00:53:19.68
No beloved, the moment that
you tell that the Bible is not
00:53:19.71\00:53:22.28
properly translated, that moment
that you tell me that this has
00:53:22.31\00:53:25.21
to be corrected by another book,
game over, I'm not interested.
00:53:25.24\00:53:29.87
Totally disinterested
immediately, you're not going
00:53:29.90\00:53:32.49
to find any of that garbage.
Look at this: "The Bible and"
00:53:32.52\00:53:35.20
"the Bible only is the rule
of faith and study", continue on
00:53:35.23\00:53:38.13
here very quickly. Ellen
White actually said in her book
00:53:38.16\00:53:40.52
"The Ministry of Healing",
that's a fascinating book
00:53:40.55\00:53:43.09
on the miracles of Jesus,
the healing ministry of Jesus,
00:53:43.12\00:53:46.59
she said: [text on screen]
00:53:46.62\00:53:48.70
Now let me tell you something,
she said that at about
00:53:51.04\00:53:53.82
the turn of the century.
You see that word "malignant"?
00:53:53.85\00:53:57.99
Do you know how long it took
the American Medical Association
00:53:58.02\00:54:00.97
doctors to figure out
that smoking was cancerous?
00:54:01.00\00:54:04.52
About 60 years
later they figured it out.
00:54:04.55\00:54:08.65
How did she know? I
believe she knew because God
00:54:08.68\00:54:11.31
revealed it to her. In
fact, if you read her counsels
00:54:11.34\00:54:14.42
on health, very simple, simple
practical counsels on health
00:54:14.45\00:54:17.42
she says things like you
should eat a [meal]? that's high
00:54:17.45\00:54:20.28
in fibers, high in fresh fruits
and vegetables, high in nuts
00:54:20.31\00:54:23.37
and grains and legumes, high
in all of those kinds of things,
00:54:23.40\00:54:26.58
and you should watch
your diet and be sure you're
00:54:26.61\00:54:29.21
not consuming too much meat.
Does that sound familiar at all?
00:54:29.24\00:54:32.47
Yes or no? [Audience] Yes.
00:54:32.50\00:54:35.08
Now, you're sitting and thinking
"Of course, we've been hearing"
00:54:35.11\00:54:37.73
"that for the last 10
years", you're exactly right,
00:54:37.76\00:54:40.07
you've been hearing it for
maybe the last 10 or 20 years,
00:54:40.10\00:54:42.62
but you know what?
She was saying it in
00:54:42.65\00:54:44.93
the mid 1800s. Totally
revolutionary, totally cutting
00:54:44.96\00:54:47.55
edge, incredible
stuff. Absolutely incredible.
00:54:47.58\00:54:50.13
This is what she said in
her book "Gospel Workers",
00:54:50.16\00:54:52.44
Look at this: [text on screen]
00:54:52.47\00:54:54.66
I've done my very best in
these seminars to lift up Jesus,
00:54:54.69\00:54:56.92
I don't know if I failed
or succeeded, but that's what
00:54:56.95\00:54:59.11
I've been trying to do. I'm
not trying to lift up myself,
00:54:59.14\00:55:01.89
I'm trying to lift up the
Lord Jesus. You have to be
00:55:01.92\00:55:04.30
the judge of whether or not
I've succeeded, and if I have
00:55:04.33\00:55:06.86
succeeded, I haven't succeeded,
the Lord has succeeded.
00:55:06.89\00:55:08.28
[text on screen]
00:55:08.31\00:55:10.39
"By their fruits you shall know
them", and I can tell you this:
00:55:18.70\00:55:20.89
this book that you hold in your
hands right here, this little
00:55:20.92\00:55:23.40
book entitled "Steps to Christ",
this book has led hundreds
00:55:23.43\00:55:26.36
of thousands of people to faith
in Jesus, hundreds of thousands
00:55:26.39\00:55:30.83
of people to give their
lives to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:55:30.86\00:55:32.91
I should know, I was one
of them. This book has played
00:55:32.94\00:55:35.23
a huge role in my life in
giving me a closer, clearer,
00:55:35.26\00:55:38.76
more Biblical conception of
Jesus. And let me tell you this:
00:55:38.79\00:55:41.54
the Devil is not going to raise
up a false prophet that's going
00:55:41.57\00:55:44.41
to lead millions, or hundreds
of thousands of people to come
00:55:44.44\00:55:47.19
to Jesus. Does that makes sense?
That's totally counterproductive
00:55:47.22\00:55:50.59
to his cause. If the
Devil raises up a false prophet
00:55:50.62\00:55:53.46
that false prophet
will say things like
00:55:53.49\00:55:55.87
"Well, the Bible...only as far
as it's properly translated",
00:55:55.90\00:55:58.65
and all of these doctrines
that are crazy and off the wall.
00:55:58.68\00:56:01.98
Nope, nope, nope, nope.
Revelation 12, does God have
00:56:02.01\00:56:04.83
a church on
earth? I believe He does.
00:56:04.86\00:56:07.57
I want you to know that I
believe in my heart of hearts
00:56:07.60\00:56:10.15
that this church on earth
is not perfect, but it is an
00:56:10.18\00:56:12.65
organization that God is
working through in a marvelous,
00:56:12.68\00:56:15.56
wonderful, end time way.
I'm putting all the cards out
00:56:15.59\00:56:18.64
on the table, I believe
this with my heart of hearts,
00:56:18.67\00:56:21.23
but I want to be clear
about several things here,
00:56:21.26\00:56:24.13
number 1: this is a conclusion
that I have come to through
00:56:24.16\00:56:26.86
my study of the Word, and
don't take my word for it,
00:56:26.89\00:56:30.57
you have to come to this
same conclusion through your
00:56:30.60\00:56:32.83
study of the Word. Tonight I'm a
Seventh Day Adventist Christian
00:56:32.86\00:56:35.55
for 1 reason because I
keep the 7th day Sabbath
00:56:35.58\00:56:40.16
and I believe in the advent
of Jesus, that's what it means,
00:56:40.19\00:56:42.57
"Seventh Day Adventist". I
believe that Jesus is coming
00:56:42.60\00:56:45.83
soon, I believe the Sabbath is
important, I believe that with
00:56:45.86\00:56:48.35
my whole heart, and that's
why I'm a Seventh Day Adventist
00:56:48.38\00:56:50.92
Christian. Somebody turns
and says "Oh, he's a member"
00:56:50.95\00:56:53.58
"of a cult, let him
say what they want to say".
00:56:53.61\00:56:56.20
Amen? Who cares what people say?
00:56:56.23\00:56:58.86
Who cares what people say
about you? You be truthful
00:56:58.89\00:57:01.53
to the Lord. Now, I'm going to
tell you something in closing:
00:57:01.56\00:57:04.42
you can go on the Internet,
you can look up "Seventh Day"
00:57:04.45\00:57:07.18
"Adventist" and you're going
to find people say we're crazy,
00:57:07.21\00:57:09.71
we're off the wall, we're
this, we're that. Hey listen,
00:57:09.74\00:57:12.16
it's out there, you can find it,
but let me tell you something
00:57:12.19\00:57:14.83
child molesters, you can go
on the Internet and find people
00:57:14.86\00:57:17.54
that think Jesus was gay, you
can go on the Internet and find
00:57:17.57\00:57:20.13
all kinds of
terrible, ridiculous trash.
00:57:20.16\00:57:22.72
The Internet is
not the test of truth.
00:57:22.75\00:57:26.28
You can find any wacko can
get a website and say whatever
00:57:26.31\00:57:29.40
he wants to say.
And sometimes people put
00:57:29.43\00:57:34.88
the worst configuration on
things, think of it this way,
00:57:34.91\00:57:38.30
I get nervous even talking
to the media sometimes because
00:57:38.33\00:57:41.00
the media can put things in
such a way that it automatically
00:57:41.03\00:57:44.95
makes the person guilty.
For example: if somebody came
00:57:44.98\00:57:47.65
up to me and said "Pastor
Asscherick, is it true or not"
00:57:47.68\00:57:50.23
"true that you had an affair
on your wife, and that you're"
00:57:50.26\00:57:52.82
"embezzling money
from the church? "
00:57:52.85\00:57:55.40
I'd say "No, that's
not true". Headlines reads
00:57:55.43\00:57:57.96
"Pastor Asscherick
Denies Adulterous Affair"
00:57:57.99\00:58:00.44
"And Laundering of
Money". [Audience laughs]
00:58:00.47\00:58:02.91
Are you
following what I'm saying?
00:58:02.94\00:58:05.29
So beloved, it's all in the
way that you communicate it.
00:58:05.32\00:58:07.78
What I'm going to tell you,
I think this is so reasonable,
00:58:07.81\00:58:10.36
so totally reasonable,
number 1: stick with the Bible.
00:58:10.39\00:58:14.26
Night by night in these sermons
you've heard us preach what?
00:58:14.29\00:58:16.97
[Audience] The
Bible. The Bible, period.
00:58:17.00\00:58:19.65
The Word of God, the
Word of God, the Word of God.
00:58:19.68\00:58:22.97
But people have said to me
"Well Pastor, how have you"
00:58:23.00\00:58:25.74
"learned? I mean, in 9
short years how do you know"
00:58:25.77\00:58:28.48
"so much of what you know?
" I'll tell you, it's through
00:58:28.51\00:58:30.94
the power of the Holy
Spirit, it's through the Bible,
00:58:30.97\00:58:33.31
and I believe in my heart
of hearts it's through reading
00:58:33.34\00:58:36.59
these writings that God has
raised up this woman to give us
00:58:36.62\00:58:39.33
that actually illumine the
Word in a way that I have never
00:58:39.36\00:58:42.00
seen before. When
I picked up this book
00:58:42.03\00:58:45.89
and I read this book I was
driven immediately to the Bible,
00:58:45.92\00:58:50.33
and I was driven immediately
to Jesus, and I was driven
00:58:50.36\00:58:53.31
immediately to
surrender everything to the Lord
00:58:53.34\00:58:55.64
Jesus Christ. "By their
fruits ye shall know them. "
00:58:55.67\00:58:59.75
If you've gotten
anything out of these meetings
00:58:59.78\00:59:02.50
this is what I want you
to get: God's Word if true;
00:59:02.53\00:59:06.34
God's Word is trustworthy;
God's Word is reliable;
00:59:06.37\00:59:11.15
Jesus is the only Saviour;
you're not saved by your works,
00:59:11.18\00:59:14.49
you're saved by Jesus; that
there's going to be a change
00:59:14.52\00:59:17.93
in the Sabbath, that that
change has happened; that God is
00:59:17.96\00:59:20.42
raising up a people; that
Babylon is fallen. I mean,
00:59:20.45\00:59:22.96
the whole list goes down,
and basically the bottom line is
00:59:22.99\00:59:26.33
check it out for
yourself in the Word of God.
00:59:26.36\00:59:30.59