It's been 2000 years
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since the
glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world
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veiled in darkness and confusion
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about the character of God.
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And still today the
greatest need of mankind
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is a revelation of God's love
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that's revealed in
the life of Christ.
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Amazing Facts
presents the everlasting gospel
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with Pastor Doug Batchelor
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coming to you each week
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from Sacramento Central Church
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in Sunny, California.
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Discover hidden
treasures in God's word today.
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You know what,
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secret is a powerful word.
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It must be
because everybody uses it.
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If you look at book titles,
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Ten Secrets to
Investing, Secret Recipes,
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Secrets to a Happy Marriage.
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You have the magazine covers,
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secrets to the future of the--
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secrets, secrets, secrets.
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People always want to know
something that they don't know.
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They're wanting to acquire
this additional knowledge.
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Well, the
message today is gonna be
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dealing with secret things
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on array of secrets of things.
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You know, the Bible has
a lot to say about secrets.
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Matter of fact you
will find the word secret
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over a hundred
times in the Bible.
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Now to begin with
you might have secrets
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and I might have secrets,
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God has secrets but
nothing is a secret to God.
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You can't keep
information from Him.
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You cannot surprise
or tempt God by saying
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I've got a secret
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or I know
something You don't know
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because God knows everything.
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We're the ones that
have limited knowledge.
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And as always I
thought it would be a good idea
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if we're gonna talk
about the word secret
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and secrets in the Bible.
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We'd begin with the definition.
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So we're gonna put that
Up on the screen for you.
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A secret is something
that is kept hidden from others
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or known only to
oneself or to a few.
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It's hidden
from view, concealed.
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Not expressed, confidential,
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discreet, inward,
secluded, mysterious.
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I have got some secrets
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but if I tell you,
they stop being secrets.
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You probably
have some of your own.
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This special
exclusive restricted knowledge.
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Some secrets are
best left secrets,
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if you know what I mean.
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And there are some secrets
that God wants us to pursue.
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You know I was
thinking about this subject
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and I was wondering,
what is the best kept
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secret of history
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and the jury is
out but I had some--
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I had some possibilities.
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You think about it for a minute,
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the d-day invasion
during the World War II
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was one of the
best kept secrets,
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the most momentous
secrets ever kept in history.
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That this invasion
was about to be launched
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from England across the channel
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against France and Europe
and the occupied countries
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but it was one of the
most open things to the public.
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By the end of May 1944,
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there are over two million
troops stationed in Britain.
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Five thousand ships had been
gathered in ports and harbors.
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And the thousands of bombers
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were ready on fields
all over the country.
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And yet the invasion came
as a surprise when it came.
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To keep that information secret,
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oh, you just think about
that that was a monumental task.
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You know, what they
say in Washington D.C.
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if two people know something
then it's not a secret anymore.
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One of the great
secrets of history
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is the military secrets
were guarding the nuclear war.
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They managed to
keep that pretty secure.
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The single
integrated operations plan
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that outlines how a
nuclear war would be conducted.
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That's one of
the great secret is
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three have been
connected with this.
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The national
strategic target list
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which lists the
nuclear war targets,
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if a nuclear war broke out
where are the missiles aimed.
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And three of the national
military command authorities
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from the
president to the chairman
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of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
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who would have hold
the cryptic graphic key
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to the nuclear trigger.
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The identities to the
nuclear line of succession
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have never been disclosed.
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Somehow, they
managed to keep that secret.
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Even though
every living president,
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ex-president, they all
know what that line is,
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that's one reason the
president still had secrets,
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security people even
after they're out of office
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is because they have
been given national secrets
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that are very
important to protect
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if someone should kidnap
and torture the presidents,
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it would be all those
things, even the ex-presidents.
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Proverbs 11:13.
Can you keep a secret?
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Is it good to keep
secrets? Well, it depends.
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You ought to be able to
keep something to yourself.
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Proverbs 11:13, "A
talebearer reveals secrets,
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but he who is of a faithful
spirit conceals a matter."
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There is a time when you
need to know to keep silent
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and just to keep
something in private.
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You know, if you're
involved in ministry,
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people need to be
able to trust the pastors.
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That when, it's not that
we're priests you confessed to
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but sometimes they are
private things you talk about.
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And you want to know that
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when you're done
and you pray about it
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that it's not going to suddenly
be in the church bulletin.
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You know what I mean?
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You've got to be able to
keep people's confidence.
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Something should be kept secret.
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That's between you
and that person and God.
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There are no
secrets with God. Amen.
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Someone once said,
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he who gives up the
smallest part of the secret
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has the rest no
longer in his power.
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When you say, well
like this is the secret.
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I can't tell the
whole thing but--
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as soon as you start to give up
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some of it, it's like
trying to pop a balloon slowly.
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You let it out and it's gone.
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So you got to know how
to don't even go there.
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Sometimes we have
secrets We're just bursting
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to tell somebody
'cause it's gossip.
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And we feel like we've got
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inside
information and its power.
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And people say I've got
inside information with power.
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Insider trading is
illegal on Wall Street
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'cause those people
have tremendous power,
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they know that a stock is gonna
go up within a matter of hours
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and they can use that
power to make a lot of money,
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Martha Steward of course--
she went to prison for that.
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Lot of other people should
go because lot of that goes on
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using that secret information
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and the power associated with
it and people feel it sometimes.
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I've thought of some of
the great biblical secrets.
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For instance,
somewhere out there
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you got some missing arks.
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You got Noah's Ark and you
got the Ark of the Covenant.
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And there are people
out there searching for it.
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They call it
arkheology but it's spelt ark.
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Oh, where are they?
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Can you imagine
what would have happened
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if the news were to announce,
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I'm talking about a--
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of a respected
source of the news.
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Noah's Ark discovered,
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it's up there
somewhere I believe it.
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I think there are
probably still enough
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remains where the evidence
would be a very compelling.
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And by the way if
Noah's Ark is true,
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think about every other
fantastic story in the Bible.
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You'd have to believe
all of them, wouldn't you?
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What would that do to evolution?
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If Noah's Ark was discovered
intact, think about it.
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I believe it's up there.
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You know you can
read in the Book Prophets,
00:08:09.51\00:08:11.04
I'm sorry Patriarchs
and Prophets, page 105.
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"As the waters began to subside,
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the Lord caused the
ark to drift to a spot
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protected by a
group of mountains
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that had been
preserved by His power.
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These mountains were
but a little distance apart,
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and the ark moved
about in this quiet haven,
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and was no longer
driven upon the boundless ocean
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which made the sea sick."
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Occupants probably
feel much better too.
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And it's still
there, water subsided.
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Remember after the
flood there was a great wind
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that went blasting around
the planet to drive the earth.
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And it was good
that the ark had settled
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into this haven
surrounded by hills
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to protect it during that time.
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It's still there
probably covered by glacial ice
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up on the mountains of Ararat
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or somewhere in the vicinity.
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What about the
Ark of the Covenant?
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Wouldn't that be
something to find that?
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You've all heard stories,
they made movies about it,
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a lot of speculation
about where the ark is.
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I've seen on Discovery Channel,
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History Channel and
even in the Hollywood,
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they produce
movies where is the ark.
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This would be the
greatest national treasure
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of the Jewish nation.
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Any Christian, any believer,
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Protestant, Catholic, Jew,
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the Ark of the
Covenant are writing written
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by the hand of God
himself in that golden box
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that would be
something we're finding.
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When did it
increase people's confidence
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in the rest of the Bible?
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I hope it is discovered,
I'm talking about in the broad
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and compelling way
in the end of time.
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See a lot of things are secrets
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not because the
knowledge is not available,
00:09:45.65\00:09:47.59
it's because
they're secret to you.
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And you just don't know
'cause you haven't read.
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Prophets and Kings, page 453.
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"Among the
righteous still in Jerusalem."
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Now remember this
is during the time
00:10:00.56\00:10:01.90
when Nebuchadnezzar
was about to destroy
00:10:01.93\00:10:04.02
the temple in the
city of Jerusalem.
00:10:04.05\00:10:06.27
And Jeremiah had
foretold to King Zedekiah,
00:10:06.30\00:10:10.24
you need to turn yourself in
00:10:10.27\00:10:11.36
'cause he's
gonna burn the temple.
00:10:11.39\00:10:13.23
He's gonna destroy the city.
00:10:13.26\00:10:15.69
So among the
righteous they realize
00:10:15.72\00:10:17.35
if they didn't do anything
00:10:17.38\00:10:18.83
to preserve their
national treasure,
00:10:18.86\00:10:21.20
the Ark of the Covenant
00:10:21.23\00:10:22.53
was gonna fall into
the hands of enemies.
00:10:22.56\00:10:24.40
Keep in mind had
there been another time
00:10:24.43\00:10:26.15
in the history of Israel
00:10:26.18\00:10:27.21
when the ark had fallen
into the hands of the enemies.
00:10:27.24\00:10:30.09
The philistines had captured it,
00:10:30.12\00:10:31.46
they said we're never
gonna let this happen again.
00:10:31.49\00:10:34.44
"So among the
righteous in Jerusalem
00:10:34.47\00:10:36.52
to whom had been made
plain the divine purpose,
00:10:36.55\00:10:39.12
were some who determined
00:10:39.15\00:10:40.18
to place beyond the
reach of the ruthless hands,"
00:10:40.21\00:10:43.35
the Babylonians,
00:10:43.38\00:10:44.49
"the sacred ark
containing the tables of stone
00:10:44.52\00:10:47.30
on which had been traced
the precepts of the Decalogue."
00:10:47.33\00:10:50.42
With the finger of
God. "This they did.
00:10:50.45\00:10:53.26
With mourning and sadness
they secreted the ark in a cave,
00:10:53.29\00:10:58.57
where it has been
hidden from the people
00:10:58.60\00:11:00.47
of Israel and Judah
because of their sins,
00:11:00.50\00:11:04.01
and was to be no
more restored to them.
00:11:04.04\00:11:06.49
That sacred ark is yet hidden.
00:11:06.52\00:11:09.01
It has never been disturbed
since it was secreted."
00:11:09.04\00:11:13.18
And I mean it was very heavy.
00:11:13.21\00:11:17.35
Normally required
12 men to carry it.
00:11:17.38\00:11:19.86
A smaller group of men
could probably carry it
00:11:19.89\00:11:21.86
under desperate circumstances.
00:11:21.89\00:11:24.28
You didn't want too many
people to be in that group
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.24
because the more
people to know a secret,
00:11:26.27\00:11:27.73
what happens? It gets out.
00:11:27.76\00:11:31.02
And probably in the
wee hours of some night
00:11:31.05\00:11:33.55
they had found--if
you've ever been to Jerusalem
00:11:33.58\00:11:36.26
you notice it's riddled
with caves and tombs and tunnels
00:11:36.29\00:11:40.58
and they found some
tomb or some tunnels
00:11:40.61\00:11:43.00
somewhere not far from the city
'cause they had to do it all.
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.89
City was
surrounded by the Babylonians,
00:11:45.92\00:11:47.44
right? They couldn't
00:11:47.47\00:11:49.55
take it out on a
chariot, they were besieged
00:11:49.58\00:11:53.30
probably underneath Jerusalem
00:11:53.33\00:11:55.07
somewhere in one
of the many caverns,
00:11:55.10\00:11:56.59
they was a cave or tomb.
00:11:56.62\00:11:58.35
They opened it, they sealed it
00:11:58.38\00:11:59.85
and hid the entrance
00:11:59.88\00:12:01.12
and it's never been
found but it's there.
00:12:01.15\00:12:05.23
So I just told you a secret,
you just need to find it.
00:12:05.26\00:12:09.66
All go on a tour
like a bunch of moles,
00:12:09.69\00:12:12.28
so we can tunnel around,
see if we can find it there.
00:12:12.31\00:12:15.38
That would be a great
secret to have revealed.
00:12:15.41\00:12:19.21
Now the Bible says
God has some secrets.
00:12:19.24\00:12:22.75
And some of them He reveals.
00:12:22.78\00:12:25.34
Deuteronomy
29:29, "The secret things
00:12:25.37\00:12:28.93
belong to the Lord our God,
00:12:28.96\00:12:31.56
but the things that are revealed
00:12:31.59\00:12:32.91
belong to us and to
our children forever,
00:12:32.94\00:12:35.06
that we may do the
works of this law."
00:12:35.09\00:12:38.61
God reveals certain secrets
to empower us to do His will.
00:12:38.64\00:12:44.53
He doesn't give us
secrets to entertain us.
00:12:44.56\00:12:47.69
Matter of fact
certain elements of truth
00:12:47.72\00:12:49.35
are hidden from the laws
00:12:49.38\00:12:50.41
because they are not
willing to do God's will.
00:12:50.44\00:12:52.46
So who does God
reveal His secret to?
00:12:52.49\00:12:56.55
Those who are
willing to do His will.
00:12:56.58\00:13:00.35
Psalm 25:14, "The
secret of the Lord
00:13:00.38\00:13:03.64
is for those who fear Him,
00:13:03.67\00:13:05.93
and He will show
them His covenant."
00:13:05.96\00:13:09.95
God is gonna
reveal secrets of truth
00:13:09.98\00:13:13.01
to those who are
willing to do His will.
00:13:13.04\00:13:16.09
Bible says if any man,
John Chapter 10, Jesus said,
00:13:16.12\00:13:18.64
"If any man is
willing to do His will,
00:13:18.67\00:13:20.17
he will know of the doctrine
whether it would be of God."
00:13:20.20\00:13:25.38
And again you
will search for Me,
00:13:25.41\00:13:28.48
Jeremiah 29:13,
"And you will find Me
00:13:28.51\00:13:31.35
when you search for
Me with all your heart."
00:13:31.38\00:13:34.11
Secrets like hidden gold
are found to those who dig.
00:13:34.14\00:13:37.94
Proverbs 3:32,
00:13:37.97\00:13:41.35
"For the perverse person
is an abomination to the Lord,
00:13:41.38\00:13:44.18
but His secret
counsel is with the upright."
00:13:44.21\00:13:49.21
J.I. Packer
said "One of the many
00:13:49.24\00:13:51.82
divine qualities
of the Bible is this,
00:13:51.85\00:13:54.59
that it does not
yield its secrets
00:13:54.62\00:13:56.66
to the irreverent
and the censorious."
00:13:56.69\00:13:59.96
If you open the
word of God reverently
00:13:59.99\00:14:02.46
there's a lot of
secrets in the Bible.
00:14:02.49\00:14:04.93
There are secrets in
the Bible about investing.
00:14:04.96\00:14:09.08
There are secrets in
the Bible about planting.
00:14:09.11\00:14:12.21
There are secrets in the
Bible about relationships,
00:14:12.24\00:14:14.85
there are secrets about
science that are in the Bible.
00:14:14.88\00:14:17.98
The Bible is filled with
secrets people don't see.
00:14:18.01\00:14:21.77
If you go let
the holy book of God,
00:14:21.80\00:14:23.94
irreverently well,
you're gonna miss it.
00:14:23.97\00:14:27.17
But if you go with a
prayerful heart and submission,
00:14:27.20\00:14:30.54
He will reveal
secret things to you.
00:14:30.57\00:14:35.39
In the Bible
there's even secret code.
00:14:35.42\00:14:40.05
How many of you have heard
the story of the Enigma machine?
00:14:40.08\00:14:44.67
During World War II, even
just prior to World War II,
00:14:44.70\00:14:49.50
the Nazis had developed this
00:14:49.53\00:14:51.34
extremely
intrigued complex machine
00:14:51.37\00:14:55.12
that would receive messages.
00:14:55.15\00:14:56.59
They were typed
out on these rolls
00:14:56.62\00:14:58.71
and through the
gears and the sequences,
00:14:58.74\00:15:01.67
they were able to put in
these key codes and numbers.
00:15:01.70\00:15:05.07
And unless you know
what those key codes were
00:15:05.10\00:15:06.75
you could not
decipher this message
00:15:06.78\00:15:09.09
that had been typed
on this special machine.
00:15:09.12\00:15:12.42
And only others who
had the enigma machine
00:15:12.45\00:15:15.35
with the key code,
00:15:15.38\00:15:16.55
you needed the
combination to decipher it.
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.09
But there was a
group of extremely
00:15:19.12\00:15:21.69
brilliant Jewish
Polish mathematicians.
00:15:21.72\00:15:26.42
And they had been working
on cracking the enigma code.
00:15:26.45\00:15:29.50
Matter of fact the machine's--
00:15:29.53\00:15:31.87
that's where you
get the word enigma.
00:15:31.90\00:15:33.62
It's an enigma means something
that cannot be resolved.
00:15:33.65\00:15:38.62
And also the British
Navy, the American Navy,
00:15:38.65\00:15:41.76
they managed to
capture few German submarines
00:15:41.79\00:15:44.27
that had key codes
in them and they broke--
00:15:44.30\00:15:47.66
the cryptographers broke
the code of the enigma machine.
00:15:47.69\00:15:51.40
They just needed
to do some comparisons
00:15:51.43\00:15:54.14
and it all came together.
00:15:54.17\00:15:56.10
Well, in the Bible, in
the prophecies of the Bible
00:15:56.13\00:16:00.04
there's a lot of truth
00:16:00.07\00:16:01.26
that is there
waiting to be discovered.
00:16:01.29\00:16:03.77
All kinds of
truth about history,
00:16:03.80\00:16:06.29
truth about future events,
00:16:06.32\00:16:08.28
a lot of things that
were revealed in the past.
00:16:08.31\00:16:10.59
When Jesus came the
first time did His people know?
00:16:10.62\00:16:15.22
Were the majority
of them in darkness?
00:16:15.25\00:16:17.69
Oh, you got to a few
shepherds in the fields
00:16:17.72\00:16:19.46
that were praying
about when He might come
00:16:19.49\00:16:21.38
and we had some wise men reading
00:16:21.41\00:16:23.12
the oracles of
Balaam in the east.
00:16:23.15\00:16:26.40
Simon who had revelation
from the Holy Spirit--
00:16:26.43\00:16:28.95
but that's about
three people there
00:16:28.98\00:16:31.04
out of a whole
nation that were looking
00:16:31.07\00:16:33.54
when the Messiah
came the first time.
00:16:33.57\00:16:36.31
Could they have
known from the prophecies
00:16:36.34\00:16:38.39
when He was coming?
00:16:38.42\00:16:40.22
Could they have known
when the time was fulfilled?
00:16:40.25\00:16:42.29
Sure.
00:16:42.32\00:16:43.35
From the prophecies
of Daniel and Isaiah
00:16:43.38\00:16:45.76
and Ezekiel and the
Psalms, the evidence was there.
00:16:45.79\00:16:49.63
But they were not reading,
and if they were reading
00:16:49.66\00:16:52.19
they didn't know
how to decipher it.
00:16:52.22\00:16:55.97
Well, let me turn your
attention to something.
00:16:56.00\00:16:57.60
Turn with me to the
Book of Revelation Chapter 1.
00:16:57.63\00:17:00.89
There are some prophecies
in the Bible that are called
00:17:00.92\00:17:03.68
well, they are apocalyptic
prophecies if you will.
00:17:03.71\00:17:07.54
If you look right in
the Book of Revelation
00:17:07.57\00:17:08.87
I thought it was amazing
00:17:08.90\00:17:09.96
because I heard
many pastors say,
00:17:09.99\00:17:13.01
well, the Book of
Revelation is a sealed book.
00:17:13.04\00:17:15.41
It's full of mysteries,
you shouldn't even read it.
00:17:15.44\00:17:18.46
But some would have said,
00:17:18.49\00:17:19.52
first of all the
title of the Book,
00:17:19.55\00:17:20.76
the Revelation,
what is it Reveal mean?
00:17:20.79\00:17:23.79
It's a Book of revelation.
00:17:23.82\00:17:28.62
"The revelation
of Jesus Christ,"
00:17:28.65\00:17:30.16
verse 1 "which God gave Him
to show His servants things."
00:17:30.19\00:17:35.62
He is showing us secret
things. He wants us to know.
00:17:35.65\00:17:39.01
"To show His servants
00:17:39.04\00:17:40.21
things that must
shortly take place."
00:17:40.24\00:17:42.47
The beginning of
these fulfillments was
00:17:42.50\00:17:43.89
when it was given and
they're still being fulfilled.
00:17:43.92\00:17:47.40
"And He sent and signified it."
00:17:47.43\00:17:50.09
Now you know that word signify.
00:17:50.12\00:17:52.19
In the
original, you can actually
00:17:52.22\00:17:54.39
break it up in the English
to find out what it means.
00:17:54.42\00:17:56.69
S-i-g-n, spells what?
00:17:56.72\00:17:59.37
Sign. I-f-i-e-d, sign-ified.
00:17:59.40\00:18:03.91
This message of events
that were going to take place
00:18:03.94\00:18:08.11
of the history of the world
is given in signs and symbols.
00:18:08.14\00:18:13.38
These visions and
dreams of strange creatures
00:18:13.41\00:18:16.38
and beasts it's
filled with symbolism.
00:18:16.41\00:18:19.10
The code to understand it
is the stories of the Bible.
00:18:19.13\00:18:23.31
You probably heard
me say before that.
00:18:23.34\00:18:25.16
There are about 404
verses in Revelation.
00:18:25.19\00:18:28.17
Of those 404 verses,
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.19
you can find 278 of
them almost word for word
00:18:30.22\00:18:34.26
in the others
books of the Bible.
00:18:34.29\00:18:35.92
Like Daniel and
Zachariah and Ezekiel
00:18:35.95\00:18:40.70
and Hosea and Psalms.
00:18:40.73\00:18:43.85
And so as you look through
the other clues that are given
00:18:43.88\00:18:47.47
you do a little
bit of calculating.
00:18:47.50\00:18:49.14
All of a sudden you
have these epiphanies
00:18:49.17\00:18:50.96
and illuminations comes
in the meaning all opens up.
00:18:50.99\00:18:54.62
Now there's still
a lot of mysteries
00:18:54.65\00:18:55.71
and I don't claim to understand
00:18:55.74\00:18:56.94
all the
mysterious of the prophecy.
00:18:56.97\00:18:58.79
But I know that
the more you search
00:18:58.82\00:19:00.98
and you compare scripture
with scripture it unfolds.
00:19:01.01\00:19:03.70
God wants us to know.
00:19:03.73\00:19:05.64
Don't you
appreciate a treasure more
00:19:05.67\00:19:07.86
when you got to
dig for yourself?
00:19:07.89\00:19:10.49
When you discover these things
00:19:10.52\00:19:12.36
and you're reading the word
00:19:12.39\00:19:13.42
and the Lord
reveals secrets to you.
00:19:13.45\00:19:16.11
Well, so often the things
that you think you've discovered
00:19:16.14\00:19:19.83
they're the secrets for
you 'cause you didn't know it.
00:19:19.86\00:19:22.76
There's someone else
out there that knew it.
00:19:22.79\00:19:25.93
I mean, the men that hid
00:19:25.96\00:19:27.51
the Ark of the
Covenant in a cave.
00:19:27.54\00:19:30.13
Can you imagine the vow
00:19:30.16\00:19:31.66
that they took with each other
00:19:31.69\00:19:32.80
when they said, "No,
we can't tell anybody."
00:19:32.83\00:19:35.53
Many of them
may have been killed
00:19:35.56\00:19:36.63
by the Babylonians
during the sacking of the city.
00:19:36.66\00:19:41.13
But if, if you find
something for yourself
00:19:41.16\00:19:43.85
that no one else has ever found
00:19:43.88\00:19:45.24
before then you
really feel special, right?
00:19:45.27\00:19:47.86
When the Lord speaks to you
00:19:47.89\00:19:49.66
and gives you
something just for you
00:19:49.69\00:19:52.34
that's when you really
have the precious treasure.
00:19:52.37\00:19:55.01
And He does that.
00:19:55.04\00:19:57.13
So some of these
messages in the Bible
00:19:57.16\00:19:59.28
are given like in a secret code.
00:19:59.31\00:20:00.81
If you read for
instance in Matthew 13:10,
00:20:00.84\00:20:03.58
why did Jesus speak in parables?
00:20:03.61\00:20:05.84
To make the truth
hard to understand?
00:20:05.87\00:20:08.88
Matthew 13:10, "And
the disciples came to Him
00:20:08.91\00:20:12.58
and they said, 'Why do You
speak to them in parables?'
00:20:12.61\00:20:16.58
He answered and He said,
00:20:16.81\00:20:18.33
'Because it has
been given to you
00:20:18.36\00:20:20.48
to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven.'"
00:20:20.51\00:20:22.79
There are
mysteries in the gospel.
00:20:22.82\00:20:25.55
There are
mysteries in the Bible.
00:20:25.58\00:20:27.78
There are things
that not everyone can see.
00:20:27.81\00:20:31.20
But it's given
to us to understand.
00:20:31.23\00:20:33.53
Jesus will help us,
He'll reveal these things.
00:20:33.56\00:20:37.53
"But to them it
has not been given.
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.90
For whoever has, to
him more will be given,
00:20:39.93\00:20:42.38
and he will have abundance,
but whoever does not have,
00:20:42.41\00:20:45.37
even what he has
will be taken away.
00:20:45.40\00:20:47.25
Therefore I speak
to them in parables,
00:20:47.28\00:20:49.21
because seeing they do not see,
00:20:49.24\00:20:50.86
and hearing they do not
hear, nor do they understand."
00:20:50.89\00:20:54.36
What did we read earlier?
00:20:54.39\00:20:56.29
The secret things of the
Lord are revealed to those
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.45
who are willing to do His will.
00:20:58.48\00:21:00.99
Why does God do that?
00:21:01.02\00:21:03.72
You realize that in judgment,
00:21:03.75\00:21:05.44
you're
responsible for what you know.
00:21:05.47\00:21:08.95
If you know something
you're more responsible
00:21:08.98\00:21:11.89
if you violate some
offense then if you don't know.
00:21:11.92\00:21:14.56
If a policeman pulls you over
and he says you're speeding.
00:21:14.59\00:21:17.27
And you say, officer, I
haven't seen a speed sign
00:21:17.30\00:21:21.27
on the freeway for 10 miles.
00:21:21.57\00:21:23.00
And the officer
looks up and down
00:21:23.03\00:21:24.06
he says, "You
know, you're right.
00:21:24.09\00:21:25.12
This is a section of road
where they are no posted speeds.
00:21:25.15\00:21:28.51
I guess I probably
should go easy on you.
00:21:28.54\00:21:30.89
But if he pulls you over
00:21:30.92\00:21:32.43
and you just parked
right underneath a sign
00:21:32.46\00:21:34.64
that says 55
and you're doing 70.
00:21:34.67\00:21:37.43
And you say, "I didn't know."
00:21:37.46\00:21:38.49
And he goes, you're little
more culpable then, right?
00:21:38.52\00:21:42.47
God loves His children.
00:21:42.90\00:21:46.16
He does not want to
judge you more severely
00:21:46.19\00:21:49.15
because you knew something.
00:21:49.18\00:21:50.69
And so if you are not
willing to do His will,
00:21:50.72\00:21:52.71
He's not gonna show you
00:21:52.74\00:21:53.83
because it's just
harder for you in the judgment.
00:21:53.86\00:21:56.28
Did that make sense?
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.19
He loves you too much to
make it more difficult than He--
00:21:58.22\00:22:00.45
if there's a truth out there
and for all the truth He reveals
00:22:00.48\00:22:04.45
to who much is
given, much is required.
00:22:04.73\00:22:07.45
And He knows that you
don't have a willing heart
00:22:07.48\00:22:09.97
He doesn't want to
make you more responsible.
00:22:10.00\00:22:12.71
But when your heart is willing,
00:22:12.74\00:22:14.60
you will
understand the prophecies,
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.03
you will
understand the parables.
00:22:16.06\00:22:17.61
God will illuminate your
mind with these secret things.
00:22:17.64\00:22:21.02
And it's exciting.
00:22:21.05\00:22:23.27
I mean isn't it fun when
you say, "I've got a secret.
00:22:23.30\00:22:25.97
I've discovered the
answer to a secret."
00:22:26.00\00:22:28.55
Can you imagine what
it must have been like
00:22:28.58\00:22:31.66
for some of these
great curious inventors
00:22:31.69\00:22:35.33
when they finally said, Eureka.
00:22:35.36\00:22:37.87
When Ben Franklin felt that
zap coming from the kite key
00:22:37.90\00:22:41.87
to discover
lightning is electricity.
00:22:42.51\00:22:45.31
That was--really,
that was a great discovery.
00:22:45.34\00:22:48.36
And when he found
that out between the time
00:22:48.39\00:22:49.98
he discovered that he
got to notify everybody,
00:22:50.01\00:22:52.44
he was probably pretty excited,
00:22:52.47\00:22:53.64
he had this inside knowledge.
00:22:53.67\00:22:54.84
Well, if you are Robert
Fleming in the laboratory
00:22:54.87\00:22:57.20
doing experiments with molds
00:22:57.23\00:22:59.56
and you discover
there is actually a mold
00:22:59.59\00:23:02.18
that will kill these bacteria
but it will not hurt a human.
00:23:02.21\00:23:06.18
That can heal from diseases
and infection called penicillin.
00:23:06.68\00:23:10.32
And you've got that knowledge
00:23:10.35\00:23:11.61
and most of the
world doesn't know
00:23:11.64\00:23:13.85
how exciting
will that be to know
00:23:13.88\00:23:15.98
that you've got
what was virtually--
00:23:16.01\00:23:17.66
it was considered to be
one of the greatest inventions
00:23:17.69\00:23:20.45
of the last century, penicillin.
00:23:20.48\00:23:23.16
And you got that information,
wouldn't that be exciting?
00:23:23.19\00:23:26.44
What would be more exciting,
00:23:26.47\00:23:27.50
to have that or
to have the gospel?
00:23:27.53\00:23:30.35
You've got-- when
you got the gospel
00:23:30.38\00:23:32.58
you realize it's a secret.
00:23:32.61\00:23:35.58
Remember what the
definition for the secret was,
00:23:35.61\00:23:37.11
you got knowledge
that others don't have.
00:23:37.14\00:23:39.85
The harvest is
great, the labors are few.
00:23:39.88\00:23:41.72
Most people in the
world don't have the gospel.
00:23:41.75\00:23:43.82
When you've got the gospel
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.77
you possess a secret
cure for the disease of sin.
00:23:45.80\00:23:49.77
Spurgeon, Charles Spurgeon
said this great preacher.
00:23:51.23\00:23:54.17
"There are many
locks in my house
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.56
all with different keys
00:23:56.59\00:23:58.35
but I have one master
key that opens them all.
00:23:58.38\00:24:01.73
The Lord has many
treasures and secrets
00:24:01.76\00:24:03.75
all shut up from the carnal mind
00:24:03.78\00:24:06.19
with locks that
they cannot open.
00:24:06.22\00:24:08.36
But he who walks in
fellowship with Jesus
00:24:08.39\00:24:10.73
possesses the master-key
which will open to him
00:24:10.76\00:24:14.16
all the
blessings of the covenant
00:24:14.19\00:24:16.55
and even the very heart of God.
00:24:16.58\00:24:18.64
Through Jesus the well beloved
00:24:18.67\00:24:20.64
we have access to God to heaven
00:24:20.67\00:24:23.68
and to every
secret of the Lord."
00:24:23.71\00:24:26.08
You get that?
00:24:26.11\00:24:27.92
Through Jesus, He
is the master-key.
00:24:27.95\00:24:30.58
Remember Jesus
says in the Revelation,
00:24:30.61\00:24:32.09
"I'm the one who has the keys."
00:24:32.12\00:24:34.33
Through Jesus we get the keys
00:24:34.36\00:24:35.73
to all the
mysteries that we need
00:24:35.76\00:24:38.26
that give us access to
the elements of salvation.
00:24:38.29\00:24:42.26
There are some mysteries
about God that are not revealed.
00:24:42.75\00:24:46.75
Some things remain mysteries.
00:24:47.68\00:24:49.88
And you always run into people
that they are preoccupied,
00:24:49.91\00:24:53.88
we're trying to
figure out the mysteries
00:24:54.64\00:24:56.41
that are not to be figured out.
00:24:56.44\00:24:58.32
And they are ignoring the ones
00:24:58.35\00:24:59.44
that God wants
them to figure out.
00:24:59.47\00:25:01.77
And I've met people before,
they wait and wait and wait
00:25:01.80\00:25:03.85
to make a commitment to Jesus
00:25:03.88\00:25:05.22
because they are
constantly trying
00:25:05.25\00:25:06.49
to figure out these mysteries
00:25:06.52\00:25:07.79
that you know, are high above
the earth as the heavens are
00:25:07.82\00:25:11.79
and they are ignoring the
things that had been revealed.
00:25:13.14\00:25:16.95
They are trying to, you know,
00:25:16.98\00:25:18.04
constantly use that
as an excuse to postpone.
00:25:18.07\00:25:21.81
Daniel 12:4, "But you, O
Daniel, shut up the words,
00:25:21.84\00:25:25.81
and seal the book
until the time of the end."
00:25:27.70\00:25:31.70
You know, the lot of the
interpretation of Daniel,
00:25:31.77\00:25:34.21
the truth about
the Book of Daniel
00:25:34.24\00:25:36.17
was not really revealed
00:25:36.20\00:25:38.60
until the 18th
century and the 19th century.
00:25:38.63\00:25:41.24
People began to study it.
00:25:41.27\00:25:42.75
All of a sudden
the Book of Daniel
00:25:42.78\00:25:44.00
through comparing
scripture with scripture
00:25:44.03\00:25:45.76
at the same time
all around the world
00:25:45.79\00:25:48.40
people began to understand
these prophecies of Daniel
00:25:48.43\00:25:51.07
that had been
sealed for hundreds,
00:25:51.10\00:25:53.17
well, technically
thousands of years.
00:25:53.20\00:25:57.04
Now there are some mysteries
that are still not exposed.
00:25:57.07\00:26:00.79
For instance Revelation 10:4.
00:26:00.82\00:26:04.36
"Now when--" John is in vision.
00:26:04.39\00:26:06.59
"Now when the seven
thunders uttered their voice,
00:26:06.62\00:26:08.94
I was about to write."
00:26:08.97\00:26:10.18
Because all through this
he's saying write these things.
00:26:10.21\00:26:13.54
"And I heard a
voice from heaven saying,
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.45
'Seal up the things that
the seven thunders uttered,
00:26:15.48\00:26:18.42
do not write them.'"
00:26:18.45\00:26:20.90
Now why don't you like to tap
John the apostle on the shoulder
00:26:20.93\00:26:23.93
and say, "Come on John,
what did the thunder say?"
00:26:23.96\00:26:27.93
God said, "Don't write it."
00:26:28.11\00:26:29.91
You can read in 2
Corinthians 12:2, 3, 4.
00:26:29.94\00:26:33.91
Paul talks about knowing
the man in Christ 14 years ago
00:26:35.11\00:26:38.99
who was caught up
to the third heaven.
00:26:39.02\00:26:41.70
You've heard
before the seventh heaven.
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.63
Bible doesn't talk about
00:26:43.66\00:26:44.69
the seventh
heaven, that's a myth.
00:26:44.72\00:26:46.01
There is no seventh heaven.
00:26:46.04\00:26:47.07
The third
heaven is the best one.
00:26:47.10\00:26:49.69
First heaven is the
atmosphere around the earth,
00:26:49.72\00:26:51.64
second heaven is
the starry space.
00:26:51.67\00:26:54.56
The Hebrews talked about
the third heaven as paradise,
00:26:54.59\00:26:56.87
the dwelling place of God.
00:26:56.90\00:26:58.51
So here Paul, he's
probably talking about himself
00:26:58.54\00:27:01.60
just to protect his identity.
00:27:01.63\00:27:04.34
"He was caught up into paradise
00:27:04.37\00:27:06.96
and he heard inexpressible words
00:27:06.99\00:27:09.39
that it is not
lawful for a man to utter."
00:27:09.42\00:27:12.58
And you naturally want to
say, what are those words?
00:27:12.61\00:27:15.54
So I can't tell
you, it's not lawful.
00:27:15.57\00:27:18.00
I heard some things
that I can't even repeat.
00:27:18.03\00:27:21.22
Not because they are
bad but they are so good,
00:27:21.25\00:27:23.07
they are so mysterious,
they are so profound,
00:27:23.10\00:27:24.76
I can't tell
you, it's a mystery.
00:27:24.79\00:27:27.87
There are some
mysteries that God has
00:27:27.90\00:27:29.19
that they stay mysteries.
00:27:29.22\00:27:30.75
Acts 1:7, another mystery.
00:27:30.78\00:27:34.19
Mystery of God. Acts 1:7.
00:27:34.22\00:27:38.19
After Christ was
about to ascend to heaven,
00:27:38.34\00:27:41.64
the disciples came
to Him and they said,
00:27:41.67\00:27:43.22
"Are You gonna now
reveal to us the kingdom of God?
00:27:43.25\00:27:46.24
When is it gonna happen?"
00:27:46.27\00:27:48.09
"And Jesus said to them,
00:27:48.12\00:27:49.22
'It is not for you to
know the times or the seasons
00:27:49.25\00:27:53.22
that the Father has
put in His own authority."
00:27:53.33\00:27:57.33
Have--we all met people
that are trying to calculate
00:27:58.05\00:28:00.73
the day and the
hour of Jesus coming.
00:28:00.76\00:28:02.58
Let me see, show of hands.
00:28:02.61\00:28:03.67
How many of you met somebody
trying to calculate that?
00:28:03.70\00:28:06.38
Come on, face up.
00:28:06.41\00:28:09.13
How many of you have met
lots of people like that?
00:28:09.16\00:28:12.82
What does Jesus say?
00:28:12.85\00:28:14.45
Of the day and
the hour knows no man.
00:28:14.48\00:28:16.66
Now it is possible
after the close of probation
00:28:16.69\00:28:19.02
when it won't
make any difference
00:28:19.05\00:28:20.15
that the day and the
hour may be revealed.
00:28:20.18\00:28:22.33
But until that time
God's not gonna reveal it
00:28:22.36\00:28:24.91
'cause He does not
want us getting ready
00:28:24.94\00:28:26.80
based on a calendar.
00:28:26.83\00:28:29.56
It's like people who are saying,
00:28:29.59\00:28:30.83
oops, it's almost April
15, I've got to pay my taxes,
00:28:30.86\00:28:33.53
I better start
getting my counting done now.
00:28:33.56\00:28:36.33
God wants us to live a life
of preparation all the time.
00:28:36.36\00:28:39.49
Because in reality He
could come for you tomorrow,
00:28:39.52\00:28:43.49
He could come
for you today, right.
00:28:43.99\00:28:47.04
What I mean by that is
your next conscience thought
00:28:47.07\00:28:49.35
will be the Lord coming.
00:28:49.38\00:28:52.08
And none of us knows that
00:28:52.11\00:28:53.54
and so it's silly for
us to be putting it off
00:28:53.57\00:28:55.75
and picking a date at
sometime in the future.
00:28:55.78\00:28:58.84
Now I think it's
important to understand
00:28:58.87\00:29:00.45
and study last day events.
00:29:00.48\00:29:01.70
But even Jesus
when He was on the earth
00:29:01.73\00:29:05.13
that knowledge
was a mystery to Him.
00:29:05.16\00:29:08.12
Mark 13:32, "But of that
day and hour no one knows,
00:29:08.15\00:29:12.06
not even the angels in heaven,
00:29:12.09\00:29:14.48
nor the Son, but
only the Father."
00:29:14.51\00:29:17.98
Now there's a mystery.
00:29:18.01\00:29:20.11
The day and the
hour of Jesus coming.
00:29:20.14\00:29:21.90
By the way does
Jesus know now? Yes.
00:29:21.93\00:29:25.79
When He was on earth in the
form of a man He didn't know.
00:29:25.82\00:29:29.11
Think about that, Jesus
said, "I don't even know."
00:29:29.14\00:29:31.80
So it's a little bit outrageous
00:29:31.83\00:29:34.85
when you got church
members walking around saying,
00:29:34.88\00:29:37.34
I got inside information,
00:29:37.37\00:29:39.41
I know Jesus
didn't know but I know."
00:29:39.44\00:29:42.49
Be careful about people
who tell you they have now
00:29:42.52\00:29:44.24
figured out the day and
the hour of the Lord's coming
00:29:44.27\00:29:46.79
while we don't
know the precise date.
00:29:46.82\00:29:50.45
And be careful about
anyone who even picks a year.
00:29:50.48\00:29:54.27
Can we know when it's near?
00:29:54.30\00:29:57.43
Yeah, every headline tells
us that we are getting closer.
00:29:57.46\00:30:00.90
Matter of fact common sense
tells you that every breath,
00:30:00.93\00:30:04.82
every tick of the
clock we're getting closer.
00:30:04.85\00:30:07.56
And so I think that especially
Adventists ought to be excited
00:30:07.59\00:30:11.56
about the
eminence of the advent,
00:30:11.73\00:30:13.70
don't lose that, but
don't be picking dates.
00:30:13.73\00:30:16.89
That's not a safe thing to do.
00:30:16.92\00:30:20.09
Now we're talking
about secret things
00:30:20.12\00:30:22.68
and so someone might
be thinking secret sin.
00:30:22.71\00:30:26.45
Well, I wasn't
gonna say anything
00:30:26.48\00:30:27.78
but since you brought it up,
00:30:27.81\00:30:29.01
we probably ought
to talk about that.
00:30:29.04\00:30:31.73
Psalm 90:8, "Thou have set
our iniquities before thee,
00:30:31.76\00:30:35.73
our secret sins in the
light of Thy countenance."
00:30:37.81\00:30:41.81
Now are there any sins
that are secret to God?
00:30:42.31\00:30:45.70
So when we talk about secret
sins, who are they secrets to?
00:30:45.73\00:30:49.70
To others around us.
00:30:49.92\00:30:52.23
And I would
venture to say probably,
00:30:52.26\00:30:54.59
good that you've
asked me to talk about this
00:30:54.62\00:30:56.37
because everybody has something
00:30:56.40\00:31:00.15
that would fit
into this category.
00:31:00.18\00:31:03.27
What really
makes it dangerous is
00:31:03.30\00:31:04.95
have you confessed and forsaken?
00:31:04.98\00:31:07.99
I got some things in my
life, I'm not telling you,
00:31:08.02\00:31:09.94
I have not told nobody
no, not even Mrs. Batchelor.
00:31:09.97\00:31:13.94
And I'm not gonna tell you now
00:31:14.90\00:31:17.05
because I'm good
at keeping secrets.
00:31:17.08\00:31:19.34
You want me to
keep your secrets,
00:31:19.37\00:31:20.41
you've told me, right?
00:31:20.44\00:31:22.30
So you would naturally
want me to keep my secrets.
00:31:22.33\00:31:25.83
But those things if they
are not confessed and forsaken
00:31:25.86\00:31:29.05
people who are living
and practicing secret sin
00:31:29.08\00:31:31.64
that's gonna come to the light.
00:31:31.67\00:31:33.89
One reason to turn away
from those secret sins is that
00:31:33.92\00:31:36.89
you want to keep them a
secret between you and God,
00:31:36.92\00:31:38.90
you need to
confess them, forsake them
00:31:38.93\00:31:42.01
and have them covered
by the blood of Jesus.
00:31:42.04\00:31:45.46
You know, they say
that one of the best paints,
00:31:45.49\00:31:48.90
if you're painting
over building or sign
00:31:48.93\00:31:51.43
and you want to
paint a new sign,
00:31:51.46\00:31:52.59
you got the old
lettering keeps jumping through
00:31:52.62\00:31:54.48
because maybe it
was black or white
00:31:54.51\00:31:55.90
and little of
it showing through.
00:31:55.93\00:31:57.40
You paint it in red and it
seems that the intensity of red
00:31:57.43\00:32:01.40
it will block out
whatever was behind it.
00:32:02.43\00:32:05.44
Red primer, then
put on your new paint.
00:32:05.47\00:32:09.44
The blood of Jesus
will cover those things.
00:32:09.64\00:32:11.99
But it's a
dangerous thing to think that,
00:32:12.02\00:32:13.67
well, I'm just gonna
hide it from everybody.
00:32:13.70\00:32:16.57
And that won't last.
00:32:16.60\00:32:19.08
Ecclesiastes
12:14, "For God will bring
00:32:19.11\00:32:22.65
every work into judgment,
including every secret thing,
00:32:22.68\00:32:26.65
whether it would
be good or evil."
00:32:27.34\00:32:29.47
Romans 2:16, "In the
day when God will judge
00:32:29.50\00:32:33.10
the secrets of
men by Jesus Christ,
00:32:33.13\00:32:35.15
according to my gospel."
00:32:35.18\00:32:37.20
All those things
will be brought to life,
00:32:37.23\00:32:38.61
they will brought to judgment.
00:32:38.64\00:32:40.23
1 Corinthians 4:5, "Therefore
judge nothing before the time,
00:32:40.26\00:32:44.23
until the Lord comes,
who will both bring to light
00:32:45.03\00:32:47.96
the hidden things of darkness
00:32:47.99\00:32:49.60
and reveal the
counsels of the heart."
00:32:49.63\00:32:52.38
Not only will the
secret things be revealed.
00:32:52.41\00:32:54.24
The motive, the
counsels of the heart
00:32:54.27\00:32:55.84
behind those things is revealed.
00:32:55.87\00:32:59.84
When David got into
trouble with Bathsheba,
00:33:00.57\00:33:03.37
I'm not gonna go back
through the whole story,
00:33:03.40\00:33:05.44
you all know it.
00:33:05.47\00:33:07.39
For a while there he thought
00:33:07.42\00:33:08.46
that he had
affected the perfect crime.
00:33:08.49\00:33:12.46
He had, basically had Uriah
00:33:13.11\00:33:16.94
assassinated at
the hands of the enemy.
00:33:16.97\00:33:20.22
And he then married Bathsheba
00:33:20.25\00:33:21.86
and they have the baby
and everything looked good.
00:33:21.89\00:33:25.21
And he thought, well, I've got
that behind, it's all covered.
00:33:25.24\00:33:29.21
But when it was finally exposed
00:33:29.43\00:33:31.04
Nathan the prophet
came to him and he said--
00:33:31.07\00:33:33.24
this is 2 Samuel 12:12.
00:33:33.27\00:33:36.50
"You did it secretly,
but I will do this thing
00:33:36.53\00:33:40.02
before all
Israel, before the sun."
00:33:40.05\00:33:43.51
The thing that David thought
00:33:43.54\00:33:44.87
it was done
secretly in a hidden chamber
00:33:44.90\00:33:47.61
really became advertise on
the headlines of the nation.
00:33:47.64\00:33:51.61
That's happened with political
leaders before, hasn't it?
00:33:51.68\00:33:54.93
That which they
thought nobody will know
00:33:54.96\00:33:57.93
becomes international scandal.
00:33:57.96\00:34:01.93
I forget the verse in Numbers
00:34:04.04\00:34:05.60
where Moses said to
the children of Israel,
00:34:05.63\00:34:08.06
"Be sure of this your
sin will find you out."
00:34:08.09\00:34:11.06
Someone will find that
for me and called it out.
00:34:11.09\00:34:13.75
Ephesians 5:12,
"For it is shameful
00:34:13.78\00:34:17.22
even to speak of those
things that are done in secret."
00:34:17.25\00:34:21.03
You know one of the keys of
a truly converted Christian,
00:34:21.06\00:34:24.22
you don't have
to hide what you do.
00:34:24.25\00:34:27.19
You can live a transparent life.
00:34:27.22\00:34:29.52
You don't feel guilty wondering
00:34:29.55\00:34:31.60
if someone's gonna walk around
the corner at the wrong moment.
00:34:31.63\00:34:34.24
You have a peace,
you don't have anxiety
00:34:34.27\00:34:36.59
'cause you're not
trying to hide anything.
00:34:36.62\00:34:38.71
You ever walked up on somebody
00:34:38.74\00:34:39.94
and also they look very nervous
00:34:39.97\00:34:41.09
and you wondered,
wonder what they are hiding.
00:34:41.12\00:34:45.09
What's going on?
00:34:46.01\00:34:50.01
Luke 12:2-3,
Jesus speaking here.
00:34:50.36\00:34:54.36
"For there is nothing covered
that will not be revealed,
00:34:55.89\00:34:58.80
nor hidden that
will not be known.
00:34:58.83\00:35:00.89
Therefore whatever you
have spoken in the dark
00:35:00.92\00:35:03.42
will be heard in the light.
00:35:03.45\00:35:04.95
Whatever you have spoken
in the ear in inner rooms
00:35:04.98\00:35:07.71
will be
proclaimed on the housetops."
00:35:07.74\00:35:10.35
You know, both times He
says what you have spoken,
00:35:10.38\00:35:12.83
sometimes we talk and we think
what we're saying is a secret.
00:35:12.86\00:35:16.59
And more than once, matter
of fact it happened this week.
00:35:16.62\00:35:20.59
Somebody was talking
to me about somebody else.
00:35:22.54\00:35:26.54
And while they are
talking to me about someone else
00:35:26.64\00:35:28.68
that someone else
walked up behind them.
00:35:28.71\00:35:32.68
And I don't think the Lord
00:35:34.84\00:35:36.20
wants us
gossiping about each other.
00:35:36.23\00:35:38.41
You notice He says,
twice here, Jesus says,
00:35:38.44\00:35:40.27
"That which is
spoken in the dark,
00:35:40.30\00:35:42.37
that which is
spoken in the inner rooms."
00:35:42.40\00:35:45.38
What does Jesus
say, we're judged by?
00:35:45.41\00:35:47.93
Matthew Chapter 12, every
ideal word that men will speak
00:35:47.96\00:35:51.38
for giving a counter
of in the Day of Judgment.
00:35:51.41\00:35:54.23
That's all I'm
gonna say about this.
00:35:54.26\00:35:55.60
We all know what to do
with those secret things
00:35:55.63\00:35:58.35
we need to confess our sins.
00:35:58.38\00:36:00.08
God will cover them with
the blood of Jesus. Amen.
00:36:00.11\00:36:03.08
And then forsake
them, live a new life.
00:36:03.11\00:36:05.25
We're gonna
have a life of peace.
00:36:05.28\00:36:06.77
Your life is not a life
of hypocrisy and cover up
00:36:06.80\00:36:09.61
when you are delivered
from those secret sins.
00:36:09.64\00:36:13.49
Some are bearing secret burdens.
00:36:13.52\00:36:15.61
I'm not talking about sin
now I'm talking about struggles.
00:36:15.64\00:36:18.80
Others don't know about
it, be sensitive to that.
00:36:18.83\00:36:22.23
Virtually everybody has
some burden in their life,
00:36:22.26\00:36:24.38
some experience
that they are carrying
00:36:24.41\00:36:26.77
that is a struggle for them
and you may not know about it.
00:36:26.80\00:36:30.77
Sometimes we're very
harsh in how we judge people.
00:36:31.06\00:36:33.97
We don't know
about their secret burden
00:36:34.00\00:36:36.11
that they are bearing.
00:36:36.14\00:36:37.74
Bible tells a
story about a woman.
00:36:37.77\00:36:40.46
Mark 5:25, "Now a certain woman
00:36:40.49\00:36:44.27
had a flow of
blood for twelve years,
00:36:44.30\00:36:46.82
and had suffered many
things from many physicians.
00:36:46.85\00:36:49.95
She had spent all that
she had and was no better,
00:36:49.98\00:36:53.05
but rather grew worse.
00:36:53.08\00:36:55.19
When she heard about Jesus,
00:36:55.22\00:36:56.42
she came from
behind Him in the crowd
00:36:56.45\00:36:58.72
and she touched His garment.
00:36:58.75\00:37:00.85
For she said, 'If I
can only touch His clothes,
00:37:00.88\00:37:02.81
I shall be made well.'"
00:37:02.84\00:37:05.15
She had this
embarrassing infirmity
00:37:05.18\00:37:07.59
and rendered her
unclean according to Jewish law
00:37:07.62\00:37:11.45
and she had a financial problem,
00:37:11.48\00:37:13.72
she had spent everything,
she had been humiliated.
00:37:13.75\00:37:16.21
She didn't want to talk to Jesus
00:37:16.24\00:37:17.64
and announce in front of
everybody about this problem.
00:37:17.67\00:37:21.57
And she thought, you
know, I've got this burden
00:37:21.60\00:37:23.66
but Jesus I think can help me
00:37:23.69\00:37:25.26
with a secret
burden that I'm carrying.
00:37:25.29\00:37:27.99
If I just reach out
in faith, He can heal me.
00:37:28.02\00:37:31.35
And did He? He healed her.
00:37:31.38\00:37:34.11
There are a lot of
people like that out there.
00:37:34.14\00:37:36.78
And some of them are
happy and sunny dispositions
00:37:36.81\00:37:40.15
and some of them look
like everything in their life
00:37:40.18\00:37:43.12
from the outside
is just wonderful.
00:37:43.15\00:37:45.19
And you may not know that
00:37:45.22\00:37:46.30
they got a
tremendous health problem
00:37:46.33\00:37:48.11
which is secret
and they are hiding it.
00:37:48.14\00:37:50.50
Others it looks like
they got everything together
00:37:50.53\00:37:52.30
but they went through
some experience in their life
00:37:52.33\00:37:54.18
that scarred them
deeply and they can't go a day
00:37:54.21\00:37:57.33
without thinking
about it, it pains them.
00:37:57.36\00:38:00.95
Others because of the
way they are brought up,
00:38:00.98\00:38:03.49
they may seem a little bit
difficult to get along with.
00:38:03.52\00:38:06.03
But if you only knew
the burden they carried
00:38:06.06\00:38:08.67
it would be a lot easier for you
00:38:08.70\00:38:10.00
to be patient and
forgiving with them.
00:38:10.03\00:38:12.95
People have secret burdens
that we may not know about.
00:38:12.98\00:38:16.31
But I'm so glad you can
cast your cares on the Lord.
00:38:16.34\00:38:19.93
You can take those things
00:38:19.96\00:38:21.03
and He will bear the
burdens with you and for you.
00:38:21.06\00:38:25.03
Just wanted to mention that
to help you think about that
00:38:25.14\00:38:28.11
and while we're
talking about secrets,
00:38:28.14\00:38:30.57
you ever heard of
secret Christians?
00:38:30.60\00:38:34.57
Are there some?
00:38:34.88\00:38:36.77
There are some who tried to be?
00:38:36.80\00:38:38.83
Let me give you
an example of one.
00:38:38.86\00:38:40.57
John 19:38, "After
this, Joseph of Arimathea,
00:38:40.60\00:38:44.57
being a disciple of
Jesus, but secretly,
00:38:45.82\00:38:49.82
for fear of the
Jews, he asked Pilate
00:38:50.06\00:38:53.04
that he might take
away the body of Jesus."
00:38:53.07\00:38:55.79
Did the secret come out?
00:38:55.82\00:38:57.68
You know, here
he had been sitting
00:38:57.71\00:38:59.01
as one of the
leaders of the Jews
00:38:59.04\00:39:00.27
and he was believing in
Jesus but he was hiding it.
00:39:00.30\00:39:03.25
And he wondered if maybe he had
come forward a little sooner,
00:39:03.28\00:39:07.03
things might have
been different of course,
00:39:07.06\00:39:09.37
and plan of salvation
still needed to be fulfilled.
00:39:09.40\00:39:11.95
John 12:42, "Nevertheless
even among the rulers
00:39:11.98\00:39:15.95
many believed in Him
but because of the Pharisees
00:39:16.05\00:39:19.30
they did not confess Him,
00:39:19.33\00:39:21.34
lest they should be
put out of the synagogue."
00:39:21.37\00:39:23.19
They were scared, so they
tried to hide their faith.
00:39:23.22\00:39:26.66
Like Peter when
Jesus was betrayed.
00:39:26.69\00:39:29.81
He followed
Jesus from a distance.
00:39:29.84\00:39:32.22
Well, if I
follow far enough back
00:39:32.25\00:39:34.01
they may not know I'm following,
00:39:34.04\00:39:35.13
I can be a secret follower.
00:39:35.16\00:39:37.72
How did that turn out?
00:39:37.75\00:39:40.00
Before the day was
over he denied Jesus
00:39:40.03\00:39:42.95
with cursing and swearing
00:39:42.98\00:39:44.07
and he went out
and wept bitterly.
00:39:44.10\00:39:46.54
Someone once said,
00:39:46.57\00:39:48.57
there is no such
thing as a secret Christian.
00:39:48.60\00:39:52.25
For either your Christianity
will destroy the secret
00:39:52.28\00:39:55.33
or your secrecy will
destroy your Christianity.
00:39:55.36\00:39:58.87
But they cannot co-exist.
00:39:58.90\00:40:00.97
You cannot keep
that secret for long
00:40:01.00\00:40:03.00
without losing the experience.
00:40:03.03\00:40:05.36
Christianity is
made to be shared.
00:40:05.39\00:40:08.55
And it needs to be shared
in the life by the example
00:40:08.58\00:40:11.13
and best yet by the words.
00:40:11.16\00:40:13.86
And so if you're trying
to be a secret Christian,
00:40:13.89\00:40:17.86
it doesn't work.
00:40:18.87\00:40:21.08
One of them is
gonna kill the other.
00:40:21.11\00:40:24.09
Better come out of
the closet friends,
00:40:24.12\00:40:25.65
and stand up for the Lord, amen.
00:40:25.68\00:40:27.05
The Bible talks
about a lot of verses
00:40:30.57\00:40:33.03
that deal with the
subject of a secret refuge.
00:40:33.06\00:40:37.03
You know, in the Land of Israel
00:40:37.57\00:40:40.79
when a person was involved
in some unintentional accident.
00:40:40.82\00:40:44.45
Somebody died they
have these cities of refuge
00:40:44.48\00:40:48.21
where person might flee.
00:40:48.24\00:40:50.07
If they were
cutting a tree in the woods
00:40:50.10\00:40:54.07
and accidentally they hit their
partner and there's no witness
00:40:54.79\00:40:57.38
and someone might think
they deliberately murder them,
00:40:57.41\00:40:59.44
they could flee to
one of these seven cities.
00:40:59.47\00:41:01.95
They were six throughout
the Land of Israel and Jerusalem
00:41:01.98\00:41:04.14
ultimately became the
seventh city, the temple.
00:41:04.17\00:41:06.77
And you could flee there and
if you could get into the city
00:41:06.80\00:41:08.72
before the
pursuer blood, the family
00:41:08.75\00:41:11.10
that was gonna take
vengeance could catch you,
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.18
your home free, it's like
home base and you are safe.
00:41:13.21\00:41:17.18
But that's really
not what is talking about
00:41:17.69\00:41:19.33
when it talks
about the secret refuges.
00:41:19.36\00:41:22.10
Psalm 91:1, "He who dwells
00:41:22.13\00:41:26.26
in the secret
place of the Most High
00:41:26.29\00:41:29.45
will abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.
00:41:29.48\00:41:32.41
I will say of the
Lord, 'He is my refuge
00:41:32.44\00:41:34.91
and my fortress, my
God, in Him I will trust.'"
00:41:34.94\00:41:39.11
It's a secret refuge.
00:41:39.14\00:41:43.18
Now you probably heard
about in near Colorado Springs
00:41:43.21\00:41:46.94
they have this great
big military operation base
00:41:46.97\00:41:49.89
that's hidden in a mountain.
00:41:49.92\00:41:52.58
And they've got a--there's
miles and miles of tunnels
00:41:52.61\00:41:55.51
and apparatus and in
theory they could conduct,
00:41:55.54\00:41:59.87
they could operate a
nuclear war from the bunker
00:41:59.90\00:42:02.86
that they've got built
underneath that mountain.
00:42:02.89\00:42:05.99
But for 30 years
they kept a secret
00:42:06.02\00:42:09.52
that not far from
Washington DC in West Virginia,
00:42:09.55\00:42:16.08
underneath a posh
hotel called the Greenbrier
00:42:16.11\00:42:18.71
that's still there today,
it's a resort in West Virginia
00:42:18.74\00:42:21.93
there was a bunker
built for Congress.
00:42:21.96\00:42:25.69
They spent probably
billions building it.
00:42:25.72\00:42:29.36
It was 700 feet underground
00:42:29.39\00:42:31.47
tunneled between 1959
and '62 they built it.
00:42:31.50\00:42:34.63
They had dormitories
for Congress, meeting rooms,
00:42:34.66\00:42:37.53
hospital, power plant, food,
00:42:37.56\00:42:39.48
everything needed to
keep Congress humming
00:42:39.51\00:42:43.73
while the world
above them was incinerated.
00:42:43.76\00:42:47.64
But it was meant
to be a hiding place,
00:42:47.67\00:42:49.54
a refuge, a place of protection.
00:42:49.57\00:42:51.46
All through the Bible you'll
hear about this secret place,
00:42:51.49\00:42:54.29
read for
instance in Psalms 31:20.
00:42:54.32\00:42:58.39
"You will hide
them in the secret place
00:42:58.42\00:43:00.72
of your presence
from the plots of men.
00:43:00.75\00:43:04.04
You shall keep them
secretly in a pavilion
00:43:04.07\00:43:06.97
from the strife of tongues."
00:43:07.00\00:43:09.62
All through the Psalms,
in many places in the Bible
00:43:09.65\00:43:12.18
it talks about the
secret place of the Most High.
00:43:12.21\00:43:15.69
Now here's a question.
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.52
Do you know where
that secret place is?
00:43:17.55\00:43:21.43
I believe every
Christian should know
00:43:21.46\00:43:24.71
where the secret
place of the Most High is.
00:43:24.74\00:43:28.47
It's a special relationship
between you and Jesus.
00:43:28.50\00:43:33.27
He's got a personal relationship
He wants to have with you.
00:43:33.30\00:43:39.06
Isaiah 32:2. "A man will be
as a hiding place from the wind,
00:43:39.09\00:43:45.88
and a cover from the tempest,
00:43:45.91\00:43:48.26
as rivers of
water in a dry place,
00:43:48.29\00:43:50.22
as the shadow of a
great rock in a weary land."
00:43:50.25\00:43:52.78
What shall be? A man.
00:43:52.81\00:43:54.51
Who is the man that is
our hiding place? Jesus.
00:43:54.54\00:43:58.11
The Lord is our
refuge. He's our hiding place.
00:43:58.14\00:44:01.50
How many times
in the New Testament
00:44:01.53\00:44:03.18
do you read
about being in Christ?
00:44:03.21\00:44:06.41
We are in Christ,
we are in the rock.
00:44:06.44\00:44:08.80
He is our refuge
that protects us,
00:44:08.83\00:44:10.47
you know, does that mean that,
00:44:10.50\00:44:12.47
you know, we're to go find
a tunnel somewhere in Jesus
00:44:12.50\00:44:16.92
and hide from the world
00:44:16.95\00:44:18.78
or is that a place
that you could be right now?
00:44:18.81\00:44:21.31
Right now you can be in Christ
00:44:21.34\00:44:23.07
and it is a
refuge, it is a fortress.
00:44:23.10\00:44:25.25
Who does God promise to
protect during the last days?
00:44:25.28\00:44:28.21
Read Psalm 91.
00:44:28.24\00:44:30.95
Neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling.
00:44:30.98\00:44:32.73
A thousand may fall at your
right hand, 10,000 at your side.
00:44:32.76\00:44:36.93
Yet it will not
come nigh unto thee
00:44:36.96\00:44:39.31
because the Lord is your refuge.
00:44:39.34\00:44:40.88
He is your hiding
place. He protects His people.
00:44:40.91\00:44:45.79
You know, you're reading
Revelation about another secret.
00:44:45.82\00:44:49.09
Jesus says in the kingdom,
00:44:49.12\00:44:50.61
Revelation 2:17
talks about secret stone.
00:44:50.64\00:44:54.97
We've just talked about Jesus
being a rock and a hiding place.
00:44:55.00\00:44:57.67
Jesus talks
about a secret stone.
00:44:57.70\00:45:00.27
Revelation 2:17,
"He who has an ear,
00:45:00.30\00:45:03.98
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.
00:45:04.01\00:45:07.13
To him who overcomes I will give
00:45:07.16\00:45:09.90
of the hidden manna
to eat," secret bread.
00:45:09.93\00:45:13.55
"And I will give
him a white stone,
00:45:13.58\00:45:16.08
and on the white
stone a new name written
00:45:16.11\00:45:18.48
that no one knows
except him who receives it."
00:45:18.51\00:45:21.92
Now this is an interesting
passage in the Bible.
00:45:21.95\00:45:25.15
Nathan, you can join
me up here if you want.
00:45:25.18\00:45:28.50
Nathan and I did a little
activity yesterday afternoon
00:45:28.53\00:45:31.85
trying to illustrate this.
00:45:31.88\00:45:33.43
We knew we had
some white stones.
00:45:33.46\00:45:35.01
Have you ever read about this
in the Bible, the white stone?
00:45:35.04\00:45:38.76
What they would sometimes--
00:45:38.79\00:45:39.85
good, open up your
bag there for a second.
00:45:39.88\00:45:42.10
What they would
sometimes do in Bible times is
00:45:42.13\00:45:44.26
they make a
covenant with somebody.
00:45:44.29\00:45:47.27
And a white stone
represented favor.
00:45:47.30\00:45:49.56
Matter of fact
sometimes in judgment
00:45:49.59\00:45:51.52
when the jury came
out with their verdict
00:45:51.55\00:45:53.53
or the judge came
out with their verdict
00:45:53.56\00:45:55.12
they would either
toss a black stone
00:45:55.15\00:45:57.66
or a white stone at
the one who is being tried.
00:45:57.69\00:46:01.29
If they got the black stone,
00:46:01.32\00:46:02.84
it meant guilty,
condemned, sentence.
00:46:02.87\00:46:05.47
If they got the white stone,
innocent, freedom, release.
00:46:05.50\00:46:08.95
So there was a lot meant
by, first of all a white stone
00:46:08.98\00:46:11.48
that Jesus gives
us, what does that mean?
00:46:11.51\00:46:13.38
You're innocent.
00:46:13.41\00:46:15.01
But there is
more to it than that.
00:46:15.04\00:46:16.74
They also use to make
a covenant with a stone,
00:46:16.77\00:46:19.78
they would take a stone
and they would crack it.
00:46:19.81\00:46:21.94
And they give half
of it to one person
00:46:21.97\00:46:23.64
and half of it to the other.
00:46:23.67\00:46:25.10
And they might be
separated for a while.
00:46:25.13\00:46:27.25
And suppose I'm getting old,
00:46:27.28\00:46:28.48
all right, good pull
out, pull out the right half.
00:46:28.51\00:46:30.29
Okay, is that the right half?
00:46:30.32\00:46:31.35
Oh, we don't yet.
Are you hiding it?
00:46:31.38\00:46:34.13
Yes. Oh, okay.
00:46:34.16\00:46:35.58
You're all ready
for this. All right.
00:46:35.61\00:46:39.60
So we take this
stone, we split it.
00:46:39.63\00:46:42.36
I give half to him, half to me.
00:46:42.39\00:46:43.67
Years go by and
we've made this covenant
00:46:43.70\00:46:46.72
that we're gonna be family.
00:46:46.75\00:46:48.98
And I meet
somebody and they say,
00:46:49.01\00:46:50.05
look, I'm never gonna get back
to see my friend, Nathan again.
00:46:50.08\00:46:53.11
And but whatever he
has he will share with you,
00:46:53.14\00:46:57.15
we've made this
covenant together.
00:46:57.18\00:46:58.81
And the evidence is this.
00:46:58.84\00:47:00.60
So I give this to somebody,
they take it back to Nathan
00:47:00.63\00:47:03.06
and they say, "You
know, I knew your father,
00:47:03.09\00:47:04.73
we were good friends.
00:47:04.76\00:47:05.79
And he said he
made a covenant with you
00:47:05.82\00:47:07.35
and you're gonna
help take care of me
00:47:07.38\00:47:09.32
and that I could
live in your house."
00:47:09.35\00:47:11.47
He says, "Well,
what proof do you have?"
00:47:11.50\00:47:13.24
Well, so you got all
this different stones here.
00:47:13.27\00:47:15.78
If I say, look, I
got the white stone.
00:47:15.81\00:47:18.11
He says, "Great, let me see it."
00:47:18.14\00:47:19.17
So he takes the white stone
00:47:19.20\00:47:20.23
let me see you
got-- you half here.
00:47:20.26\00:47:21.84
You take that, you
put it together and say,
00:47:21.87\00:47:23.33
cameras you might have
to get close upon this.
00:47:23.36\00:47:27.07
All right, you
didn't make a covenant,
00:47:27.10\00:47:28.77
you tried to trick me
but this is no evidence,
00:47:28.80\00:47:31.52
you're not the right one.
00:47:31.55\00:47:33.24
Or you take any of
those others, they won't work.
00:47:33.27\00:47:35.65
But Nathan and I
cracked a stone yesterday,
00:47:35.68\00:47:37.78
it took a lot of time,
00:47:37.81\00:47:38.87
we crushed most of
them into a thousand pieces.
00:47:38.90\00:47:41.47
But finally you see that,
it becomes one uniform stone.
00:47:41.50\00:47:46.89
That's like you put water
between them, it will stick.
00:47:46.92\00:47:49.89
You can't fake that connection.
00:47:49.92\00:47:52.85
There is no other two
stones anywhere in the world
00:47:52.88\00:47:55.76
they are gonna fit
together like these two stones.
00:47:55.79\00:47:58.70
And so the Lord is saying
I've made a covenant with you.
00:47:58.73\00:48:01.58
How many of you remember when
the children of Israel were--
00:48:01.61\00:48:04.97
yeah, tell you what Nathan,
00:48:05.00\00:48:06.03
you can go share these
stone with your friends later.
00:48:06.06\00:48:07.64
You can take those
and sit down. Thank you.
00:48:07.67\00:48:09.31
How many of you remember
when the children of Israel
00:48:09.34\00:48:11.87
were going to the wilderness
they made the articles
00:48:11.90\00:48:13.98
for the vestments
of the high priest.
00:48:14.01\00:48:16.51
That he had the Urim and Thummim
00:48:16.54\00:48:19.03
and they would engrave a name,
00:48:19.06\00:48:21.32
they engraved the names
of the children of Israel,
00:48:21.35\00:48:23.92
six on one and six on the other.
00:48:23.95\00:48:26.07
So when you read
here in the Bible,
00:48:26.10\00:48:27.54
the Lord says I'm
gonna give you a white stone
00:48:27.57\00:48:29.63
and there's a new name in it.
00:48:29.66\00:48:31.06
I used to think
that it meant like,
00:48:31.09\00:48:32.59
you know, the Lord
gave a new name to Abraham
00:48:32.62\00:48:35.27
and a new name
to Israel, to Jacob.
00:48:35.30\00:48:38.27
That He's gonna
give us a new name not--
00:48:38.30\00:48:40.30
I don't mind Douglas that much
00:48:40.33\00:48:41.65
but He's giving me
new name, that's fine.
00:48:41.68\00:48:43.07
Heaven, we all
get a new name there.
00:48:43.10\00:48:45.60
Our Lord is gonna
give us a new name.
00:48:45.63\00:48:46.76
But it's really not
talking about our name,
00:48:46.79\00:48:49.72
it's talking about His
name, did you know that?
00:48:49.75\00:48:53.22
Revelation 3:12, notice here.
00:48:53.25\00:48:55.44
I'm going to another verse now.
00:48:55.47\00:48:56.90
Revelation 3:12,
"He who overcomes"
00:48:56.93\00:49:01.73
we just read that in
verse 2 or Chapter 2.
00:49:01.76\00:49:04.15
"He who overcomes,
00:49:04.18\00:49:05.26
I will make a pillar
in the temple of My God,
00:49:05.29\00:49:07.82
he will go out no more.
00:49:07.85\00:49:09.36
I will write on
him the name of My God,
00:49:09.39\00:49:13.43
the name of the city of
My God, the New Jerusalem,
00:49:13.46\00:49:16.55
which comes down
from heaven from My God.
00:49:16.58\00:49:19.60
And I will write
on him my new name."
00:49:19.63\00:49:23.03
You remember when
the Lord revealed himself
00:49:23.06\00:49:24.55
to Moses and He--
00:49:24.58\00:49:26.69
they are all alone
just Moses and Jesus,
00:49:26.72\00:49:28.55
the burning bush
out in the wilderness
00:49:28.58\00:49:30.33
and He says, look, I got a name,
00:49:30.36\00:49:31.44
I'm gonna tell you that
I've not told anyone else.
00:49:31.47\00:49:33.08
I've been known by other names
00:49:33.11\00:49:34.40
but My name is
Jehovah, is a name.
00:49:34.43\00:49:38.00
That's the name that
you're gonna take to them.
00:49:38.03\00:49:41.24
And so God is telling
us that He is gonna reveal
00:49:41.27\00:49:44.13
something about Himself to us
00:49:44.16\00:49:46.70
that is very unique,
00:49:46.73\00:49:47.82
it's very
intimate, it's very personal.
00:49:47.85\00:49:50.00
And He's making a covenant,
00:49:50.03\00:49:51.15
He's telling us
that we're forgiven,
00:49:51.18\00:49:52.73
all of that is
embodied in that white stone
00:49:52.76\00:49:56.02
with a new name in it.
00:49:56.05\00:49:58.63
Well, what shall I more say
in the few minutes that remain.
00:49:58.66\00:50:03.79
You remember in Judges 13:18,
when the parents of Manoah,
00:50:03.82\00:50:09.34
they asked for
the name of the angel,
00:50:09.37\00:50:11.19
and the angel said, why
do you ask after my name?
00:50:11.22\00:50:14.22
Seen it as a secret.
00:50:14.25\00:50:16.56
There are secrets
about the name of God
00:50:16.59\00:50:17.93
that you and I even don't know.
00:50:17.96\00:50:20.77
Then there is
the ultimate mystery,
00:50:20.80\00:50:24.07
which is the
mystery of the gospel.
00:50:24.10\00:50:26.41
You know, I don't know
00:50:26.44\00:50:27.47
that we can count how
many times in the Bible,
00:50:27.50\00:50:29.49
it says, that the gospel
is identified as a mystery.
00:50:29.52\00:50:32.52
Turn in your Bibles, this
is a very important verse.
00:50:32.55\00:50:35.23
Romans 16:25, Romans 16:25.
00:50:35.26\00:50:42.88
"Now to Him who is
able to establish you,
00:50:42.91\00:50:46.57
according to my gospel
00:50:46.60\00:50:48.54
and the
preaching of Jesus Christ,
00:50:48.57\00:50:51.08
according to the revelation
of the mystery kept secret
00:50:51.11\00:50:55.81
since the world began."
00:50:55.84\00:50:58.89
The plan of
salvation is mysterious.
00:50:58.92\00:51:02.30
The Bible talks about
the mystery of inequity.
00:51:02.33\00:51:06.30
Why a creation would want
to be the creator is a mystery.
00:51:06.33\00:51:09.79
Why the devil would
want God's position?
00:51:09.82\00:51:13.09
On the forehead of
Babel and it says mystery,
00:51:13.12\00:51:17.45
Babel and the great,
the mother of harlots.
00:51:17.48\00:51:19.92
There's a lot of
mysteries about sin,
00:51:19.95\00:51:21.32
I don't understand.
00:51:21.35\00:51:23.84
And while, some of these
things may be answered in time,
00:51:23.87\00:51:26.44
but the real
mystery that helps us
00:51:26.47\00:51:28.98
to understand everything
is the mystery of the Gospel.
00:51:29.01\00:51:32.08
It helps us explain
the purpose of life.
00:51:32.11\00:51:34.22
Think about all the
people you see everyday
00:51:34.25\00:51:36.06
that are going
around in the rat race,
00:51:36.09\00:51:38.63
they don't know
why they are alive,
00:51:38.66\00:51:39.98
they don't have purpose,
they're destroying themselves,
00:51:40.01\00:51:43.32
in the gospel you
have got the secret
00:51:43.35\00:51:46.01
for the purpose of life.
00:51:46.04\00:51:47.92
Paul refers to it as a mystery
because for the majority,
00:51:47.95\00:51:51.74
brought us the way
that leads to destruction,
00:51:51.77\00:51:53.53
they don't have
the secret truth.
00:51:53.56\00:51:55.77
God doesn't
wanted to stay a mystery.
00:51:55.80\00:51:57.84
Ephesians 6:19, he
says, "And pray for me,
00:51:57.87\00:52:01.37
that utterance
may be given to me,
00:52:01.40\00:52:03.51
that I might
open my mouth boldly,
00:52:03.54\00:52:06.07
and make known the
mystery of the gospel."
00:52:06.10\00:52:10.68
You know, there is a mystery,
let me tell you what it is.
00:52:10.71\00:52:15.73
I can't explain
how the power of Christ
00:52:15.76\00:52:19.84
can come into an
unregenerate heart
00:52:19.87\00:52:23.34
and create a new birth.
00:52:23.37\00:52:25.18
There is a
mystery of the new birth.
00:52:25.21\00:52:27.10
Just like Solomon says,
who can tell how the bones
00:52:27.13\00:52:30.62
do grow in the womb of
her that is it with child.
00:52:30.65\00:52:33.82
How those two
cells come together
00:52:33.85\00:52:37.05
and start growing
into another human being
00:52:37.08\00:52:39.62
within a human
being. Now that's a mystery.
00:52:39.65\00:52:43.23
It's marvelous,
when you think about it.
00:52:43.26\00:52:45.47
And we might
study that for 100 years
00:52:45.50\00:52:46.92
and learn some new things,
00:52:46.95\00:52:47.98
but we are not
gonna know it all.
00:52:48.01\00:52:49.93
It's incredibly
profound mysterious.
00:52:49.96\00:52:54.94
How a heart can be changed
00:52:54.97\00:52:56.44
and that old
stony heart can be made?
00:52:56.47\00:52:58.67
How we become new creatures?
00:52:58.70\00:53:00.09
How the things we
once loved we now hate,
00:53:00.12\00:53:02.56
and the things we
once hated we now love?
00:53:02.59\00:53:04.78
The mystery of the
gospel is the conversion.
00:53:04.81\00:53:07.73
But you got to believe in it
00:53:07.76\00:53:08.79
even though you may
not understand it all.
00:53:08.82\00:53:12.10
You know, years ago
there was a young man
00:53:12.13\00:53:16.83
who became
something of a song writer
00:53:16.86\00:53:19.78
and a radio celebrity,
his name was Stuart Hamblin,
00:53:19.81\00:53:23.24
and he actually
developed a radio program
00:53:23.27\00:53:25.94
in Southern California,
and he became very popular.
00:53:25.97\00:53:29.16
He hobnob with some of
the people in Hollywood,
00:53:29.19\00:53:30.98
made some movies with
people like Gene Autry
00:53:31.01\00:53:34.59
and Roy Rogers and he
did a lot of drinking,
00:53:34.62\00:53:37.24
did a lot of cursing,
did a lot of womanizing.
00:53:37.27\00:53:41.58
Matter of fact one
of the popular songs
00:53:41.61\00:53:43.30
he wrote was, "I'm not
gonna go hunting with you,
00:53:43.33\00:53:45.67
Jake, but I'll
go chasin' woman."
00:53:45.70\00:53:48.60
And he had this radio program.
00:53:48.63\00:53:51.13
Well, a preacher was
in Southern California
00:53:51.16\00:53:53.42
and he thought he'd
go hear the preacher
00:53:53.45\00:53:55.38
and start making fun of him.
00:53:55.41\00:53:57.76
And actually that night
00:53:57.79\00:54:01.49
that he went to
hear the preacher,
00:54:01.52\00:54:02.66
preacher said, "There
is someone in this crowd
00:54:02.69\00:54:04.22
and they are total fake."
00:54:04.25\00:54:06.13
And Stuart had this
overwhelming conviction
00:54:06.16\00:54:08.23
that he was the one.
00:54:08.26\00:54:10.73
And even though he'd been making
00:54:10.76\00:54:12.15
fun of the evangelistic meetings
00:54:12.18\00:54:14.13
going on there in
Southern California,
00:54:14.16\00:54:16.77
he came under great conviction.
00:54:16.80\00:54:17.93
He found out where
the preacher was staying,
00:54:17.96\00:54:19.23
he went to pastor's hotel
room, 2 in the morning drunk.
00:54:19.26\00:54:22.54
Banging on the door saying,
00:54:22.57\00:54:23.60
you know, I'm just
under great conviction,
00:54:23.63\00:54:25.32
conviction, pastor,
would you please pray for me.
00:54:25.35\00:54:27.73
Pastor says, no I'm
not going to pray for you.
00:54:27.76\00:54:29.79
Says you are battling with God
00:54:29.82\00:54:31.53
and I don't want to
get between you both,
00:54:31.56\00:54:32.80
it's between you and Him.
00:54:32.83\00:54:35.78
Said but I'll talk to
you and he brought him in
00:54:35.81\00:54:37.16
and they talked
until 5 in the morning.
00:54:37.19\00:54:40.86
He surrendered,
he fell to his knees
00:54:40.89\00:54:42.34
before the evening was over
he gave his heart to the Lord,
00:54:42.37\00:54:45.56
and was a changed man.
00:54:45.59\00:54:47.75
Matter of fact he eventually
lost his radio program
00:54:47.78\00:54:50.27
because he refused to advertise
for the alcohol sponsors
00:54:50.30\00:54:54.18
that were wanting to buy time.
00:54:54.21\00:54:55.74
He became a dedicated Christian,
00:54:55.77\00:54:56.95
his friends, all
said, what's come over.
00:54:56.98\00:54:58.97
yeah, he had this one
very close friend named John
00:54:59.00\00:55:01.34
and he said, you
seem so different.
00:55:01.37\00:55:03.77
He said, don't
you miss your drinking
00:55:03.80\00:55:06.07
and your carousing.
00:55:06.10\00:55:08.31
He said, isn't it
hard living like that?
00:55:08.34\00:55:10.70
He said no, I
don't miss it one bit.
00:55:10.73\00:55:12.46
So how are you able to quit?
00:55:12.49\00:55:15.27
And he said, well,
it's really no secret,
00:55:15.30\00:55:16.88
what He did for
me, He can do for you.
00:55:16.91\00:55:19.05
And his friend John said,
00:55:19.08\00:55:20.11
that sounds like a
good name for a song.
00:55:20.14\00:55:22.93
And so, Stuart
Hamblin put it into a song
00:55:22.96\00:55:25.37
and it became very
popular, it is no secret.
00:55:25.40\00:55:30.04
Oh, by the way, the preacher
00:55:30.07\00:55:31.12
that spoke to
him was Billy Graham
00:55:31.15\00:55:33.65
and John was John Wayne.
00:55:33.68\00:55:36.64
That's the rest of the story.
00:55:36.67\00:55:39.21
It's a miracle
and it's a mystery,
00:55:39.24\00:55:41.87
we may not understand it all,
00:55:41.90\00:55:43.21
the power of the
gospel that change hearts,
00:55:43.24\00:55:46.46
but it-- it works.
00:55:46.49\00:55:49.07
In the same way
that I can't understand
00:55:49.10\00:55:52.70
how a baby can be born,
00:55:52.73\00:55:54.35
I can't understand so many
mysteries in the world of life.
00:55:54.38\00:55:58.07
Matter of fact,
if you think about it
00:55:58.10\00:55:59.43
there's a whole lot more
00:55:59.46\00:56:00.59
that you don't
know than you do know.
00:56:00.62\00:56:03.73
And the longer you
study and the longer you live,
00:56:03.76\00:56:06.45
the more you will
know, you don't know.
00:56:06.48\00:56:09.93
But there's some
things that God has revealed
00:56:09.96\00:56:12.05
He does want us to know.
00:56:12.08\00:56:13.44
He loves us and He can change us
00:56:13.47\00:56:15.23
and give us new hearts
and make us new creatures.
00:56:15.26\00:56:18.80
That's a good
news we ought to be
00:56:18.83\00:56:19.99
sharing with people everywhere,
00:56:20.02\00:56:22.46
the secret, the
mystery of the gospel,
00:56:22.49\00:56:24.45
in that you have the serum
00:56:24.48\00:56:27.85
for the disease of the
world that changes lives.
00:56:27.88\00:56:31.05
I want to accept that good news
00:56:31.08\00:56:32.63
and believe in its power
and I want to share that.
00:56:32.66\00:56:35.05
Don't you, friends? Is
that your prayer today?
00:56:35.08\00:56:39.00
Father in heaven, dear Lord,
00:56:39.03\00:56:42.19
we are so thankful for
what You have revealed.
00:56:42.22\00:56:45.96
What You have
revealed about Yourself,
00:56:45.99\00:56:47.64
but Lord we want more.
00:56:47.67\00:56:49.49
We want to know
more about Jesus.
00:56:49.52\00:56:51.97
For most of the
world it's a secret,
00:56:52.00\00:56:53.65
it's a mystery, they
don't know You, Lord.
00:56:53.68\00:56:55.53
We are so thankful that we
have that intimate relationship
00:56:55.56\00:56:58.71
but we want to be closer.
00:56:58.74\00:57:00.31
We want to understand
the deep things of truth
00:57:00.34\00:57:03.65
that reveal Your greatness.
00:57:03.68\00:57:06.28
Lord, we also want
to better understand
00:57:06.31\00:57:08.07
and experience the mystery,
00:57:08.10\00:57:09.88
the power, the
science of the gospel
00:57:09.91\00:57:12.23
that totally converts
and transforms our lives.
00:57:12.26\00:57:16.17
May not always understand it,
00:57:16.20\00:57:17.91
but we want to
experience it, Lord.
00:57:17.94\00:57:20.72
And we are so
thankful for Your love for us.
00:57:20.75\00:57:24.46
I pray that the
good news of the Gospel
00:57:24.49\00:57:27.34
that is hidden
from most of the world,
00:57:27.37\00:57:29.19
that You reveal
through Your truth,
00:57:29.22\00:57:30.93
through Your
prophecy, through Your parables.
00:57:30.96\00:57:33.57
I pray that we will seek
after more of that knowledge
00:57:33.60\00:57:36.24
and then we will share it.
00:57:36.27\00:57:37.72
If we're willing
to live the life,
00:57:37.75\00:57:39.27
Lord, we know that
You will reveal the truth.
00:57:39.30\00:57:42.05
Bless us all, we thank You
00:57:42.08\00:57:43.27
for the knowledge
of Christ that we have.
00:57:43.30\00:57:45.47
We pray that it
will be ever unfolding.
00:57:45.50\00:57:47.56
That light will grow
brighter and brighter
00:57:47.59\00:57:49.65
as that day approaches.
00:57:49.68\00:57:51.58
We may not know
the day and the hour,
00:57:51.61\00:57:53.58
but we pray that we can
be ready now and each day.
00:57:53.61\00:57:56.81
Thank You and
we ask these things
00:57:56.84\00:57:59.08
in the name of
Your son Jesus. Amen.
00:57:59.11\00:58:01.56