Welcome to "The Search for Certainty." 00:00:26.12\00:00:28.26 It's good to see you all here today 00:00:28.29\00:00:30.63 and I know that we're going to enjoy this journey 00:00:30.66\00:00:33.40 into God's word. 00:00:33.43\00:00:34.76 The Search for Certainty is the series 00:00:34.80\00:00:36.43 that I believe is so important for the times 00:00:36.46\00:00:39.60 that we are living in, because we are indeed 00:00:39.63\00:00:41.70 living in very uncertain times as we are all very well aware. 00:00:41.74\00:00:45.94 Today's first message in this series is entitled, 00:00:45.97\00:00:50.41 "Living on the Edge of Eternity." 00:00:50.45\00:00:52.98 And I believe that we are indeed 00:00:53.01\00:00:54.88 living on the edge of eternity awaiting the greatest event 00:00:54.92\00:00:58.49 that is about to take place 00:00:58.52\00:00:59.89 and that is soon return of Jesus. 00:00:59.92\00:01:03.12 I want to begin by taking a look at this wonderful 00:01:03.16\00:01:06.19 and most incredible story 00:01:06.23\00:01:07.66 that we're all very well familiar, 00:01:07.70\00:01:09.73 the story of the Titanic. 00:01:09.76\00:01:12.00 The most famous ship that has ever set sailed. 00:01:12.03\00:01:15.47 The Titanic set sail back in April of 1912, 00:01:15.50\00:01:21.14 April 10, 1912 headed to New York 00:01:21.18\00:01:24.41 on its maiden voyage. 00:01:24.45\00:01:25.98 It was the most luxurious, the greatest, 00:01:26.01\00:01:29.02 the grandest ship that had ever been built 00:01:29.05\00:01:31.75 up until that time. 00:01:31.79\00:01:33.12 In fact it had a swimming pool, 00:01:33.15\00:01:34.66 the first ship to have a swimming pool on board. 00:01:34.69\00:01:38.39 And so as the Titanic set sail, 00:01:38.43\00:01:40.90 this indestructible ship that not even God himself 00:01:40.93\00:01:44.33 could sink as someone said as the, 00:01:44.37\00:01:47.60 as the Titanic set sail. 00:01:47.64\00:01:49.74 The whole world wondered 00:01:49.77\00:01:51.94 as to how quickly the Titanic would make it 00:01:51.97\00:01:54.24 from one side of the Atlantic to the other. 00:01:54.28\00:01:57.41 But as we all know, four days into the maiden voyage, 00:01:57.45\00:02:01.62 the Titanic struck an iceberg, at about 20 to 12 on April 14, 00:02:01.65\00:02:07.79 2 hours and 40 minutes later, the Titanic sunk. 00:02:07.82\00:02:11.86 Sadly 1,500 of the 2,200 00:02:11.89\00:02:17.63 individuals on board lost their lives 00:02:17.67\00:02:20.44 in this great tragedy. 00:02:20.47\00:02:22.27 This was the front page headline of the London Herald 00:02:22.30\00:02:26.01 back on April 16, 1912, 00:02:26.04\00:02:28.84 "Great loss of life, Titanic, the tragic story." 00:02:28.88\00:02:33.45 And indeed it was a tragic story. 00:02:33.48\00:02:36.79 You see, the Titanic had received many warnings 00:02:36.82\00:02:40.56 that there were icebergs ahead. 00:02:40.59\00:02:42.62 In fact, on the last day 00:02:42.66\00:02:44.43 we know of at least four warnings 00:02:44.46\00:02:46.96 that the Titanic received, 00:02:47.00\00:02:49.26 but none of those warnings were taken seriously, 00:02:49.30\00:02:51.43 and some of them were not even recorded 00:02:51.47\00:02:53.94 and relayed to those that needed to receive them. 00:02:53.97\00:02:57.71 The Titanic was going way too fast. 00:02:57.74\00:03:00.18 In the ensuing investigation 00:03:00.21\00:03:01.84 that took place in London and New York 00:03:01.88\00:03:03.95 to determine why the Titanic came to grief, 00:03:03.98\00:03:07.92 a number of things were discovered 00:03:07.95\00:03:10.79 that that helped us understand that the Titanic was not doing 00:03:10.82\00:03:15.12 what it should have been doing, is going way too quickly. 00:03:15.16\00:03:18.33 It was not taking heed to the conditions. 00:03:18.36\00:03:21.80 And sadly 1,500 individuals lost their lives. 00:03:21.83\00:03:27.37 I want to take a look at the final message 00:03:27.40\00:03:30.64 that the Titanic received 00:03:30.67\00:03:32.91 on that fateful evening on April 14. 00:03:32.94\00:03:36.95 But before we take a look at that, 00:03:36.98\00:03:38.31 I want to introduce you to three individuals 00:03:38.35\00:03:40.68 that were key individuals there on the Titanic. 00:03:40.72\00:03:43.25 We have there Joseph Ismay, 00:03:43.28\00:03:45.49 who was the owner of the Titanic. 00:03:45.52\00:03:47.39 We have Captain Edward Smith and we have Jack Phillips, 00:03:47.42\00:03:50.99 who was the radio operator, 00:03:51.03\00:03:53.26 the one who was receiving and sending messages. 00:03:53.29\00:03:56.23 Now, Joseph Ismay the owner, he wanted to set the record. 00:03:56.26\00:04:00.64 He wanted to set the record for the fastest journey 00:04:00.67\00:04:03.81 from one side of the Atlantic to the other. 00:04:03.84\00:04:05.94 This is in the days before airplanes 00:04:05.97\00:04:08.84 were commuting individuals 00:04:08.88\00:04:10.21 from one side to the other, and so, 00:04:10.25\00:04:12.08 there was the prestige and there was the, 00:04:12.11\00:04:15.12 there was the fame and honor associated 00:04:15.15\00:04:17.52 with who could get the passengers 00:04:17.55\00:04:19.85 from point A to point B in the quickest possible time. 00:04:19.89\00:04:22.82 And so instead of slowing down, he said, "full steam ahead" 00:04:22.86\00:04:26.06 although there were many warnings 00:04:26.09\00:04:27.73 that were given of icebergs ahead. 00:04:27.76\00:04:29.40 Now, Captain Edward Smith, he was under a lot of pressure 00:04:29.43\00:04:31.90 in order to comply with what the owner wanted. 00:04:31.93\00:04:34.87 And Jack Phillips on the other hand, 00:04:34.90\00:04:37.44 he was very busy sending private messages 00:04:37.47\00:04:41.54 of some of the rich and famous to those there in New York. 00:04:41.58\00:04:47.88 One of the messages that came through, 00:04:47.92\00:04:51.09 the final message was from Mr. Cyril Furmstone Evans 00:04:51.12\00:04:55.89 and this was on board the California. 00:04:55.92\00:04:58.69 Now the California was only 15 miles away from the Titanic 00:04:58.73\00:05:02.96 when the Titanic struck that iceberg. 00:05:03.00\00:05:05.57 And notice these words 00:05:05.60\00:05:07.90 that came out of the investigation 00:05:07.94\00:05:10.67 into the Titanic tragedy. 00:05:10.71\00:05:12.81 "Mr Cyril Furmstone Evans, 20, 00:05:12.84\00:05:14.98 was wireless operator aboard the California. 00:05:15.01\00:05:17.81 On the night of April 14, 1912 00:05:17.85\00:05:20.38 he warned Titanic that ice in the vicinity 00:05:20.42\00:05:24.39 had forced them to stop, 00:05:24.42\00:05:26.79 but he was rudely rebuffed by the wireless operator 00:05:26.82\00:05:30.26 of the Titanic, that is Jack Philips, 00:05:30.29\00:05:32.49 who was sending private messages 00:05:32.53\00:05:34.56 to the wireless relay station at Cape Race. 00:05:34.60\00:05:37.60 After this Evans turned in for the night 00:05:37.63\00:05:40.47 thus failing to hear 00:05:40.50\00:05:42.57 the distress signals from Titanic 00:05:42.60\00:05:45.04 which were broadcast a short while later." 00:05:45.07\00:05:47.84 You see 11:30, 10 minutes before the Titanic struck, 00:05:47.88\00:05:52.38 Evans went to bed. 00:05:52.41\00:05:54.35 Now, what was this rude rebuff 00:05:54.38\00:05:57.65 that he received from Jack Phillips? 00:05:57.69\00:06:00.02 We have the words, the exact words 00:06:00.06\00:06:02.46 that Jack Philip shared with Evans here they are, 00:06:02.49\00:06:06.33 "Shut up. Shut up. I'm busy. I'm working Cape Race." 00:06:06.36\00:06:12.63 They were the final words. 00:06:12.67\00:06:15.04 The final message, 00:06:15.07\00:06:16.60 "Shut up. Shut up. I'm working Cape Race." 00:06:16.64\00:06:20.18 Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck the iceberg. 00:06:20.21\00:06:23.91 The only ship as it turned out 00:06:23.95\00:06:26.35 that could actually do something 00:06:26.38\00:06:28.38 and save the people 00:06:28.42\00:06:29.75 on the Titanic was the California. 00:06:29.78\00:06:31.52 That was the ship that was nearest to the Titanic 00:06:31.55\00:06:34.66 and it would have taken the California 00:06:34.69\00:06:36.66 about an hour and half to get to the Titanic, 00:06:36.69\00:06:39.19 and it would have had about an hour and 10 minutes 00:06:39.23\00:06:41.43 before the Titanic sunk to try and rescue 00:06:41.46\00:06:44.10 as many people as could have been rescued. 00:06:44.13\00:06:46.53 The only ship, the only ship that could have made 00:06:46.57\00:06:50.31 a difference was told to shut up. 00:06:50.34\00:06:53.48 How sad, how tragic. 00:06:53.51\00:06:55.51 As I think of this story, 00:06:55.54\00:06:57.58 I cannot help but think of the words 00:06:57.61\00:07:00.25 that Jesus shared with us 2000 years ago. 00:07:00.28\00:07:03.28 The words that Jesus shared with the world 00:07:03.32\00:07:06.19 in connection with His second coming. 00:07:06.22\00:07:08.42 Now what will our attitude be to these messages of warning, 00:07:08.46\00:07:11.86 these messages of love. 00:07:11.89\00:07:14.90 We can make a decision today as to how we will respond. 00:07:14.93\00:07:18.43 Today we want to take a look at the words of Jesus. 00:07:18.47\00:07:20.54 Today we want to take a look at the words of God's word, 00:07:20.57\00:07:22.87 and we're gonna begin by asking God 00:07:22.90\00:07:24.97 to bless our time together in His Word. 00:07:25.01\00:07:27.08 So let's just bow our heads as we pray. 00:07:27.11\00:07:29.71 Father in heaven, as we're about to open up Your word, 00:07:29.74\00:07:32.68 we pray that You will open up our hearts and our minds 00:07:32.71\00:07:35.28 that we may be willing and able to receive the messages 00:07:35.32\00:07:39.22 that you have for us in these, in these uncertain times Lord, 00:07:39.25\00:07:43.26 we are seeking for certainty from Your precious word. 00:07:43.29\00:07:46.83 So we pray that you will guide and lead us 00:07:46.86\00:07:49.50 through Your Holy Spirit in Jesus' name amen, amen. 00:07:49.53\00:07:53.44 I want to begin by taking a look at 00:07:53.47\00:07:56.47 one of the most famous sermons 00:07:56.50\00:07:58.14 that Jesus shared on the eve of His crucifixion 00:07:58.17\00:08:00.78 found there in Matthew 24. 00:08:00.81\00:08:03.58 And notice how Matthew begins his account, 00:08:03.61\00:08:06.38 Matthew 24:1, 00:08:06.41\00:08:08.52 "Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, 00:08:08.55\00:08:11.05 and His disciples came up to show Him 00:08:11.09\00:08:13.39 the buildings of the temple. 00:08:13.42\00:08:14.99 And Jesus said to them, 00:08:15.02\00:08:16.62 "Do you not see all these things? 00:08:16.66\00:08:18.59 Assuredly, I say to you, 00:08:18.63\00:08:20.20 not one stone shall be left upon another, 00:08:20.23\00:08:23.06 that shall not be thrown down." 00:08:23.10\00:08:24.80 And so Jesus here makes an incredible statement. 00:08:24.83\00:08:27.57 He told the disciples that this temple, 00:08:27.60\00:08:30.41 that is the pride of the Nation of Israel 00:08:30.44\00:08:33.98 will one day be destroyed 00:08:34.01\00:08:35.58 and not one stone will be left upon another. 00:08:35.61\00:08:37.78 Now we're gonna take a look at this story 00:08:37.81\00:08:39.68 in a future presentation, in the third presentation, 00:08:39.71\00:08:42.48 but the disciples believe 00:08:42.52\00:08:43.99 that this would bring about the end of the world, 00:08:44.02\00:08:46.96 and so notice what the disciples do 00:08:46.99\00:08:50.99 and what they say in Matthew 24:3, 00:08:51.03\00:08:52.96 we keep reading. 00:08:52.99\00:08:54.33 "Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, 00:08:54.36\00:08:55.73 the disciples came to Him privately saying, 00:08:55.76\00:08:58.17 "Tell us when will these things be? 00:08:58.20\00:09:00.44 And what will be the sign of Your coming, 00:09:00.47\00:09:02.37 and of the end of the age?" 00:09:02.40\00:09:04.57 And Jesus answered and said to them: 00:09:04.61\00:09:06.81 "Take heed that no one deceives you. 00:09:06.84\00:09:08.91 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I'm the Christ,' 00:09:08.94\00:09:11.68 and will deceive many. 00:09:11.71\00:09:13.05 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 00:09:13.08\00:09:15.68 See that you are not troubled, 00:09:15.72\00:09:17.22 for all these things must come to pass, 00:09:17.25\00:09:19.25 but the end is not yet. 00:09:19.29\00:09:20.99 For nation will rise against nation, 00:09:21.02\00:09:23.12 and kingdom against kingdom. 00:09:23.16\00:09:24.59 And there will be famines, pestilences, 00:09:24.63\00:09:27.03 and earthquakes in various places." 00:09:27.06\00:09:30.07 Nonsense says the skeptics. 00:09:30.10\00:09:32.20 These aren't really signs of Jesus' coming. 00:09:32.23\00:09:34.87 We've always had individuals that have claimed to be Christ. 00:09:34.90\00:09:37.81 We've always had wars and rumors of wars 00:09:37.84\00:09:40.24 and pestilences and earthquakes and famines, 00:09:40.28\00:09:43.18 these aren't signs at all. 00:09:43.21\00:09:46.31 Well, Jesus went on 00:09:46.35\00:09:48.38 and He gave us incredible conclusive evidence 00:09:48.42\00:09:51.85 of what we were to look for regarding these signs. 00:09:51.89\00:09:55.49 Notice what He went on and said in verse 8, 00:09:55.52\00:09:58.76 "All these are the beginning of sorrows." 00:09:58.79\00:10:02.26 Sorrow, that's a very interesting word 00:10:02.30\00:10:03.87 that Jesus used for sorrows. 00:10:03.90\00:10:06.17 The word for sorrows that Jesus used 00:10:06.20\00:10:10.11 is the word labor pains, labor pains or contractions. 00:10:10.14\00:10:15.28 So what here, what Jesus was saying was that 00:10:15.31\00:10:18.25 "Yes, these, these signs will be evident 00:10:18.28\00:10:21.48 all the way from, from my day all the way 00:10:21.52\00:10:23.92 till the second coming, but like labor pains 00:10:23.95\00:10:27.12 they will intensify in frequency and severity." 00:10:27.16\00:10:32.36 That is the significance of the words of Jesus. 00:10:32.39\00:10:38.00 So today, we want to take a look at these signs. 00:10:38.03\00:10:40.77 The signs of Jesus which will be visible, 00:10:40.80\00:10:45.47 that will be progressive and that will be climactic 00:10:45.51\00:10:49.28 just like those labor pains. 00:10:49.31\00:10:52.91 So the question is, can we know the exact time 00:10:52.95\00:10:57.55 of Jesus' coming? 00:10:57.59\00:10:58.92 That's a good question, isn't it? 00:10:58.95\00:11:00.29 That's a question that a lot of people want to know, 00:11:00.32\00:11:02.02 "Can we know the exact time when Jesus will come?" 00:11:02.06\00:11:06.66 Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, 00:11:06.70\00:11:10.20 "But of that day and hour no one knows, 00:11:10.23\00:11:13.40 not even the angels of heaven, but who, My Father only, 00:11:13.44\00:11:18.34 My Father only." 00:11:18.37\00:11:20.08 So we cannot know 00:11:20.11\00:11:21.44 the exact time of Jesus' coming. 00:11:21.48\00:11:23.98 Why is that? 00:11:24.01\00:11:25.35 Because human nature being human nature, 00:11:25.38\00:11:27.38 we would leave our run until when? 00:11:27.42\00:11:29.32 Until right at the very end, 00:11:29.35\00:11:31.82 and so the world would not truly be converted, 00:11:31.85\00:11:35.19 the world would not really be in love with Jesus, 00:11:35.22\00:11:37.89 the world will not be fit for the Kingdom of God, 00:11:37.93\00:11:41.13 and so heaven would be 00:11:41.16\00:11:42.50 far worse than this world ever has been. 00:11:42.53\00:11:45.00 And so Jesus says, 00:11:45.03\00:11:46.43 "You cannot know the exact day of My coming." 00:11:46.47\00:11:49.97 It's important that we are ready. 00:11:50.01\00:11:51.77 It's important that our motives are right 00:11:51.81\00:11:54.28 when it comes to the coming of Jesus 00:11:54.31\00:11:56.04 but Jesus balanced up that statement with these words. 00:11:56.08\00:11:59.25 In Matthew 24:32, Jesus said, 00:11:59.28\00:12:02.15 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: 00:12:02.18\00:12:04.55 When its branches already become tender 00:12:04.59\00:12:06.89 and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 00:12:06.92\00:12:10.46 So you also, when you see all these things, 00:12:10.49\00:12:13.40 know that it, that is his second coming 00:12:13.43\00:12:15.96 is near even at the what, even at the doors!" 00:12:16.00\00:12:19.50 So we cannot know the exact day when Jesus will come, 00:12:19.53\00:12:23.10 but we can certainly know 00:12:23.14\00:12:24.47 when it is near even at the door, 00:12:24.51\00:12:26.47 just like a woman, she does not know 00:12:26.51\00:12:28.78 the very moment that baby will be born. 00:12:28.81\00:12:31.51 But once those labor pains begin 00:12:31.55\00:12:33.82 and they intensify, 00:12:33.85\00:12:35.22 she knows that the baby is about to be born. 00:12:35.25\00:12:38.09 She knows that it is near. 00:12:38.12\00:12:39.92 Today, right now, we are living in the time of spring 00:12:39.95\00:12:44.93 and we are seeing the, the flowers budding 00:12:44.96\00:12:48.26 and we are seeing new life. 00:12:48.30\00:12:50.30 And we know that 00:12:50.33\00:12:51.67 what time of the season is near, 00:12:51.70\00:12:53.10 summer is near. 00:12:53.13\00:12:54.67 In the same way when we see these labor pains intensifying. 00:12:54.70\00:12:58.44 When we see different world events 00:12:58.47\00:13:00.88 that we're gonna be studying 00:13:00.91\00:13:02.24 in these next three presentations 00:13:02.28\00:13:03.61 all coming together. 00:13:03.65\00:13:04.98 When we see them all climaxing at the same time 00:13:05.01\00:13:07.72 and we see all the graphs heading north exponentially, 00:13:07.75\00:13:11.29 all at the same time, that tells us 00:13:11.32\00:13:13.72 that the coming of Jesus is near even at the doors. 00:13:13.76\00:13:17.79 So let's ask some very important questions 00:13:17.83\00:13:20.06 that by God's grace we'll seek to answer. 00:13:20.10\00:13:22.40 Is the coming of Jesus "even at the door?" 00:13:22.43\00:13:26.50 How big are the contractions on planet earth? 00:13:26.53\00:13:29.77 Are they getting bigger? 00:13:29.80\00:13:31.87 And the most important question of all, 00:13:31.91\00:13:34.24 how should we respond to the signs of the times? 00:13:34.28\00:13:39.98 It doesn't matter that you and I 00:13:40.02\00:13:42.05 know the signs of the times, 00:13:42.08\00:13:44.42 if we are not ready to meet Jesus, 00:13:44.45\00:13:47.39 knowing these things will not save anybody. 00:13:47.42\00:13:50.93 The only thing that will save us 00:13:50.96\00:13:52.79 is a relationship with Jesus. 00:13:52.83\00:13:54.90 That's the only thing that will save us. 00:13:54.93\00:13:57.17 All these signs designed to draw us to Jesus, 00:13:57.20\00:14:01.20 designed to bring us to a point of seriousness, 00:14:01.24\00:14:04.71 are designed to bring our priorities to the place 00:14:04.74\00:14:07.61 where they need to be. 00:14:07.64\00:14:09.71 And so as we take a look at these signs, 00:14:09.74\00:14:12.31 we want to take a look at how we can respond. 00:14:12.35\00:14:15.32 And I believe that this message will bring us great hope 00:14:15.35\00:14:17.95 and great certainty 00:14:17.99\00:14:19.59 in these times of uncertainty that we live in. 00:14:19.62\00:14:23.12 That is what Jesus said in Matthew 24:42-44. 00:14:23.16\00:14:27.66 Jesus said, "Watch therefore, 00:14:27.70\00:14:30.27 for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 00:14:30.30\00:14:33.44 But know this, that if the master of the house 00:14:33.47\00:14:36.00 had known what hour the thief would come, 00:14:36.04\00:14:38.07 he would have watched 00:14:38.11\00:14:39.44 and not allowed his house to be broken into. 00:14:39.47\00:14:41.68 Therefore you also what, be ready, 00:14:41.71\00:14:44.51 for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 00:14:44.55\00:14:47.98 So the message of Jesus is clear. 00:14:48.02\00:14:50.09 Watch and be ready always. Be ready always. 00:14:50.12\00:14:55.76 And the truth is, we do not know 00:14:55.79\00:14:58.13 when our last day on planet earth will be? 00:14:58.16\00:15:00.13 Do we? 00:15:00.16\00:15:01.50 Does anyone have any idea 00:15:01.53\00:15:02.86 when they're gonna breathe their last? 00:15:02.90\00:15:04.23 No. We have no certainty. 00:15:04.27\00:15:06.84 And so Jesus says, "Be ready always." 00:15:06.87\00:15:10.44 That way, whenever it is that I come 00:15:10.47\00:15:13.27 or whenever it is that you breathe your last, 00:15:13.31\00:15:15.28 you are safe and secure in my arms 00:15:15.31\00:15:17.58 because the truth and the reality is that 00:15:17.61\00:15:19.98 the day I breathe my last, I have made my decision 00:15:20.02\00:15:23.39 for or against Jesus, 00:15:23.42\00:15:25.45 for or against eternity with Him. 00:15:25.49\00:15:28.12 And so Jesus made it clear, 00:15:28.16\00:15:30.79 "Be ready now. Be ready always. Watch and be ready." 00:15:30.83\00:15:35.43 In fact, this is not something 00:15:35.46\00:15:36.80 that Jesus shared once or twice. 00:15:36.83\00:15:38.47 Over and over again. 00:15:38.50\00:15:40.67 We don't have time to take a look at all these scriptures, 00:15:40.70\00:15:43.27 but I've just pulled out just those, 00:15:43.30\00:15:45.34 those all important points that Jesus is seeking 00:15:45.37\00:15:48.94 to encourage us to watch in Matthew 25:13. 00:15:48.98\00:15:52.31 In Mark 13:37, Jesus says, "And I say to you, 00:15:52.35\00:15:55.58 I say to all: Watch!" 00:15:55.62\00:15:57.12 In Luke 21:36, 00:15:57.15\00:15:59.02 "Watch therefore and pray always." 00:15:59.05\00:16:00.69 And then finally in the Book of Revelation, 00:16:00.72\00:16:02.52 the last book of the Bible, Revelation 16:15, Jesus, 00:16:02.56\00:16:06.03 these are the words of Jesus, 00:16:06.06\00:16:07.53 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. 00:16:07.56\00:16:09.06 Blessed is he what, watches." 00:16:09.10\00:16:11.70 So the importance of watching cannot be understated, 00:16:11.73\00:16:17.11 and Jesus shares that over and over again. 00:16:17.14\00:16:19.97 So today, we want to begin by taking a look 00:16:20.01\00:16:23.11 at Signs in the Political World, 00:16:23.14\00:16:25.85 signs you can't ignore, Signs in the Political World. 00:16:25.88\00:16:30.79 In Matthew 24:6, 00:16:30.82\00:16:32.62 let's take a look at these words 00:16:32.65\00:16:33.99 that we've just read. 00:16:34.02\00:16:35.36 "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 00:16:35.39\00:16:38.09 See that you are not troubled, 00:16:38.13\00:16:39.56 for all these things must come to pass, 00:16:39.59\00:16:41.80 but the end is not yet. 00:16:41.83\00:16:43.77 For nation will rise against nation, 00:16:43.80\00:16:46.23 and kingdom against kingdom." 00:16:46.27\00:16:48.07 Now the truth is, ever since Cain killed his brother Abel, 00:16:48.10\00:16:52.37 conflict has been part and parcel 00:16:52.41\00:16:55.14 of this sin sick world that we live in. 00:16:55.18\00:16:57.61 There have been wars and rumors of wars 00:16:57.65\00:17:00.02 for the past 6000 years. 00:17:00.05\00:17:02.05 But the significance of Jesus' statement 00:17:02.08\00:17:04.45 and remembering the analogy that He used of labor pains. 00:17:04.49\00:17:08.52 Jesus predicted that just before His coming, 00:17:08.56\00:17:12.73 there would be conflicts on an international scale, 00:17:12.76\00:17:16.56 on a global scale such as we have 00:17:16.60\00:17:19.23 not witnessed in the history of this world, 00:17:19.27\00:17:22.80 and sure enough the last century 00:17:22.84\00:17:26.21 there were almost 200 million people 00:17:26.24\00:17:29.68 that were killed due to war and conflict. 00:17:29.71\00:17:33.18 World War I took the lives of some 20 million people 00:17:33.21\00:17:39.25 and it's called World War I because what? 00:17:39.29\00:17:41.92 World War II followed where there was more death, 00:17:41.96\00:17:46.19 and more destruction, and more loss of life. 00:17:46.23\00:17:49.70 Today, we are living in a world that is best summed up 00:17:49.73\00:17:53.37 by this front page of this Time Magazine. 00:17:53.40\00:17:56.91 I subscribe to Time Magazine 00:17:56.94\00:17:58.84 and it gives me a handle on what's happening in the world. 00:17:58.87\00:18:03.01 Don't have too much time to look at the news 00:18:03.04\00:18:05.68 or to see what is taking place and Time Magazine is, 00:18:05.71\00:18:08.35 is a good magazine, it just gives me, 00:18:08.38\00:18:10.35 gives me in a nutshell some of the key events 00:18:10.39\00:18:13.46 that are taking place, and this was the front cover 00:18:13.49\00:18:15.96 of Time Magazine back in January 12, 2009. 00:18:15.99\00:18:19.46 Notice that word, "Again, Again" 00:18:19.49\00:18:23.16 and that sums up the world that we live in. 00:18:23.20\00:18:25.60 You turn on your news, again there is another conflict 00:18:25.63\00:18:29.14 that has broken out in some part of the world. 00:18:29.17\00:18:32.04 Again, there is, there is a rumor 00:18:32.07\00:18:35.11 of another war about to brew. 00:18:35.14\00:18:37.01 There is conflict everywhere again, again and again. 00:18:37.05\00:18:41.92 Notice what the Apostle Paul said regarding our times. 00:18:41.95\00:18:45.79 So in 2 Timothy 3:1, the Apostle Paul wrote, 00:18:45.82\00:18:49.72 "But know this that in the last days 00:18:49.76\00:18:52.23 perilous times will come." 00:18:52.26\00:18:55.60 Now the last days according to scripture 00:18:55.63\00:18:58.80 began with the coming of Jesus 00:18:58.83\00:19:02.77 and would continue all the way through to, 00:19:02.80\00:19:04.61 through to the second coming of Jesus. 00:19:04.64\00:19:06.78 Now you're thinking, how does that work Danny. 00:19:06.81\00:19:08.54 The last days, I thought the last days 00:19:08.58\00:19:10.28 were right at the end, 00:19:10.31\00:19:11.65 while Jesus through His sacrifice 00:19:11.68\00:19:14.22 ushered in the last days of human history. 00:19:14.25\00:19:17.89 We could spend a lot of time on that, 00:19:17.92\00:19:19.25 but we don't have time, 00:19:19.29\00:19:20.62 but the importance of the last days 00:19:20.66\00:19:22.79 is that the last days, 00:19:22.82\00:19:24.63 just like those labor pains will intensify 00:19:24.66\00:19:28.63 until the very end of those last days 00:19:28.66\00:19:31.63 which is the coming of Jesus. 00:19:31.67\00:19:33.20 And so the Apostle Paul here speaks of the last days 00:19:33.23\00:19:35.54 and he says, "Perilous times will come." 00:19:35.57\00:19:38.04 That word there perilous, 00:19:38.07\00:19:39.77 I looked it up in the original Greek 00:19:39.81\00:19:43.95 which is what the New Testament was written in 00:19:43.98\00:19:46.61 and that word literally means 00:19:46.65\00:19:49.38 difficult, dangerous, hazardous, risky, unsafe, 00:19:49.42\00:19:53.66 treacherous, times fraught with danger. 00:19:53.69\00:19:57.46 Does that describe the times that we're living in? 00:19:57.49\00:19:59.39 Absolutely. 00:19:59.43\00:20:01.20 Today, we live in a time when we have the capability 00:20:01.23\00:20:05.60 to destroy this world a number of times over. 00:20:05.63\00:20:09.24 We know of, we know of eight countries 00:20:09.27\00:20:12.71 that have nuclear weapons. 00:20:12.74\00:20:15.11 There's a couple of others like Iran and North Korea 00:20:15.14\00:20:19.25 that we're not quite sure. 00:20:19.28\00:20:21.12 The jury's out 00:20:21.15\00:20:22.48 as to where they're at with their nuclear aspirations. 00:20:22.52\00:20:27.99 But we have the ability today, 00:20:28.02\00:20:30.99 for the first time in human history 00:20:31.03\00:20:33.33 to destroy this planet a number of times over. 00:20:33.36\00:20:37.83 We are living indeed in perilous times 00:20:37.87\00:20:40.77 unlike at any other time in human history. 00:20:40.80\00:20:45.47 These are clear signs that we are living 00:20:45.51\00:20:49.38 at the very end of time and the coming of Jesus 00:20:49.41\00:20:52.71 as He pointed out was even at the doors. 00:20:52.75\00:20:56.69 I find this statement 00:20:56.72\00:20:58.05 from the Book of Revelation fascinating, 00:20:58.09\00:20:59.89 incredible, prophetic. 00:20:59.92\00:21:02.72 Notice these words 00:21:02.76\00:21:04.09 from the Book of Revelation 11:18. 00:21:04.13\00:21:08.10 John the Revelator writes, 00:21:08.13\00:21:10.20 "The nations were angry and Your wrath has come, 00:21:10.23\00:21:14.20 and the time of the dead, that they should be judged. 00:21:14.24\00:21:17.21 And that You should reward 00:21:17.24\00:21:18.67 Your servants the prophets and the saints..." 00:21:18.71\00:21:20.78 Notice the context of John's words here 00:21:20.81\00:21:23.61 are very clearly the second coming of Jesus. 00:21:23.65\00:21:26.15 It's at the second coming of Jesus 00:21:26.18\00:21:28.28 that Jesus gives His rewards to His servants, 00:21:28.32\00:21:31.62 the prophets and the saints. 00:21:31.65\00:21:33.59 It's at the second coming of Jesus 00:21:33.62\00:21:35.62 that that judgment takes place. 00:21:35.66\00:21:40.23 Notice John goes on, 00:21:40.26\00:21:42.63 "And those who fear Your name, small and great. 00:21:42.66\00:21:46.10 And that You should destroy those who what, 00:21:46.13\00:21:48.84 destroy the earth." 00:21:48.87\00:21:50.67 When John wrote these words 00:21:50.71\00:21:52.64 at the end of the first century, 00:21:52.67\00:21:54.91 some 1900 years ago, these words were laughable. 00:21:54.94\00:21:59.35 The mockers and the scoffers and the skeptics, 00:21:59.38\00:22:02.42 they had a field day. 00:22:02.45\00:22:05.05 How is it possible that humans will come to the point 00:22:05.09\00:22:08.76 where they have the opportunity, 00:22:08.79\00:22:11.13 where they have the capability to destroy this world? 00:22:11.16\00:22:15.36 Could you destroy the world 1900 years ago? 00:22:15.40\00:22:18.27 Absolutely not. What did they use for warfare? 00:22:18.30\00:22:21.57 They had knives, spears, bows and arrows, 00:22:21.60\00:22:26.27 catapult possibly, horses, that's what they had for their, 00:22:26.31\00:22:31.31 for their war and for their military. 00:22:31.35\00:22:33.48 There was no way you could destroy the world with, 00:22:33.52\00:22:36.28 with such weaponry. 00:22:36.32\00:22:38.15 But nobody's laughing today, are they? 00:22:38.19\00:22:40.02 Nobody is laughing today. 00:22:40.06\00:22:42.06 For the first time in human history, 00:22:42.09\00:22:44.23 these words are fulfilled. 00:22:44.26\00:22:47.13 We today have the capability to destroy the earth. 00:22:47.16\00:22:52.67 But I thank God for His Word. I thank God for His Holy Word. 00:22:52.70\00:22:57.17 I thank God for that same Book of Revelation 00:22:57.21\00:23:00.61 where God says that humans will not destroy this world. 00:23:00.64\00:23:04.95 The Bible tells us in the Book of Revelation 00:23:04.98\00:23:07.42 that God will hold back the winds of strife. 00:23:07.45\00:23:10.62 You can read about that in Revelation Chapter 7 00:23:10.65\00:23:12.99 that God's four angels will hold back 00:23:13.02\00:23:15.26 the winds of strife. 00:23:15.29\00:23:17.53 So that humans will not come to the point 00:23:17.56\00:23:20.43 where they will destroy this world 00:23:20.46\00:23:22.30 because the coming of Jesus 00:23:22.33\00:23:23.77 will be the climax of human history. 00:23:23.80\00:23:25.93 It will be the coming of Jesus that will put an end to life 00:23:25.97\00:23:29.57 on planet earth as we know it, not man. 00:23:29.60\00:23:32.67 And so I thank God for His word 00:23:32.71\00:23:34.31 because it gives me certainty in these uncertain times. 00:23:34.34\00:23:37.75 I can go to bed knowing that all will be well. 00:23:37.78\00:23:42.52 Relatively speaking in the world 00:23:42.55\00:23:45.15 and that man will not do. 00:23:45.19\00:23:47.09 Well, man may want to do if it was left up to man alone. 00:23:47.12\00:23:52.89 I love these words from Matthew 24:35. 00:23:52.93\00:23:55.76 You'll notice that we're spending 00:23:55.80\00:23:57.13 a lot of time in Matthew 24. 00:23:57.17\00:23:58.50 This is a key chapter on the signs of Jesus' 00:23:58.53\00:24:00.77 coming along with Mark Chapter 13 and Luke 21. 00:24:00.80\00:24:04.64 Notice here what Jesus says in Matthew 24:35, 00:24:04.67\00:24:07.94 "Heaven and earth will pass away, 00:24:07.98\00:24:09.91 but My words will by no means pass away." 00:24:09.94\00:24:13.01 You can take the word of God to the bank. 00:24:13.05\00:24:16.58 We can put our certainty, our faith. 00:24:16.62\00:24:19.52 We can put our confidence in God's word, 00:24:19.55\00:24:22.62 heaven and earth will pass away, 00:24:22.66\00:24:24.99 but God's word will never pass away. 00:24:25.03\00:24:28.00 This is true, this is faithful. 00:24:28.03\00:24:30.57 You and I can have total confidence 00:24:30.60\00:24:33.50 and 100 percent certainty in God's word, 00:24:33.54\00:24:36.27 and I thank God for His Word. 00:24:36.30\00:24:39.14 Notice these words from the Book of Isaiah 40:8, 00:24:39.17\00:24:42.71 "The grass withers, the flower fades, 00:24:42.74\00:24:46.28 But the word of our God stands" for how long? 00:24:46.31\00:24:49.42 "It stands forever." 00:24:49.45\00:24:51.05 God's word stands forever, 00:24:51.09\00:24:54.19 and I thank God that we have His word. 00:24:54.22\00:24:58.89 In Luke 21:25, this is the parallel passage 00:24:58.93\00:25:02.90 to Matthew 24 as I've mentioned along with Mark Chapter 13. 00:25:02.93\00:25:06.87 Here Jesus gives us these words. 00:25:06.90\00:25:09.40 Luke here fills in a few gaps that, 00:25:09.44\00:25:12.44 that Matthew misses out on, and here we read the words 00:25:12.47\00:25:16.51 "and there shall be distress of nations, with perplexity." 00:25:16.54\00:25:20.18 And once again, this is in the context of riot 00:25:20.22\00:25:23.18 at the end of time. 00:25:23.22\00:25:24.82 This world is described by Jesus 00:25:24.85\00:25:27.46 as a time where there will be great distress and perplexity. 00:25:27.49\00:25:31.93 I looked up those words distress and perplexity, 00:25:31.96\00:25:35.36 so that all could be sure of what Jesus was saying. 00:25:35.40\00:25:38.77 Notice these words 00:25:38.80\00:25:40.14 and they're just straight out of your dictionary, 00:25:40.17\00:25:42.34 extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain. 00:25:42.37\00:25:46.61 Perplexity, the inability to deal with 00:25:46.64\00:25:49.51 or understand something. 00:25:49.54\00:25:50.95 Does that describe our time? 00:25:50.98\00:25:53.15 Does that describe the Titanic issues 00:25:53.18\00:25:56.08 that our world leaders are grappling with? 00:25:56.12\00:25:58.75 It absolutely does. 00:25:58.79\00:26:00.49 We're living in a time of great perplexity, 00:26:00.52\00:26:03.06 of great distress, and there are, 00:26:03.09\00:26:05.16 there are just too many questions 00:26:05.19\00:26:07.00 and not enough answers. 00:26:07.03\00:26:09.06 And things are becoming more and more strenuous. 00:26:09.10\00:26:12.63 Jesus went on in Luke 21:26, 00:26:12.67\00:26:16.81 "Men's hearts failing them from fear 00:26:16.84\00:26:19.97 and the expectation of those things 00:26:20.01\00:26:21.81 which are coming on the earth..." 00:26:21.84\00:26:23.21 Fear, what's another word for fear? 00:26:23.24\00:26:26.38 Terror, terror. 00:26:26.41\00:26:28.58 Anyone familiar with the word terror? 00:26:28.62\00:26:30.99 We absolutely are. 00:26:31.02\00:26:32.95 Sadly fear is part and parcel of life on planet earth today. 00:26:32.99\00:26:38.69 And notice what the dictionary defines fear as, 00:26:38.73\00:26:41.73 an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, 00:26:41.76\00:26:45.70 pain, or harm. 00:26:45.73\00:26:47.40 So you put these three words together, 00:26:47.44\00:26:49.04 distress, perplexity, and fear, 00:26:49.07\00:26:52.01 and this is a perfect summary of the world 00:26:52.04\00:26:55.08 that we live in today. 00:26:55.11\00:26:57.48 We will never forget where we were 00:26:57.51\00:27:00.52 were or what was taking place in our lives 00:27:00.55\00:27:03.62 when September 11 took place. 00:27:03.65\00:27:06.55 We are all well familiar that it was on this day 00:27:06.59\00:27:10.76 that the world changed forever. 00:27:10.79\00:27:13.53 The newspaper headlines around the world. 00:27:13.56\00:27:17.13 This world will never be the same again. 00:27:17.17\00:27:22.07 Has the world changed since September 11? 00:27:22.10\00:27:24.57 Absolutely, this world has changed dramatically. 00:27:24.61\00:27:30.18 This Time Magazine back in 2010, December 6, 00:27:30.21\00:27:36.28 was an interesting magazine because it looked to compare 00:27:36.32\00:27:40.16 what this world was like in the year 2000 00:27:40.19\00:27:44.13 as to what it was like at the end of the first decade 00:27:44.16\00:27:48.30 of the third millennium at the end of 2009. 00:27:48.33\00:27:52.47 It had many statistics of different areas of life, 00:27:52.50\00:27:57.81 and I took a look at this very interesting statistic 00:27:57.84\00:28:01.54 which I want to share with you. 00:28:01.58\00:28:03.18 Terrorist attacks around the world. 00:28:03.21\00:28:06.35 In the year 2000, 00:28:06.38\00:28:08.55 there were 423 terrorist attacks around the world 00:28:08.58\00:28:13.05 that were recorded. 00:28:13.09\00:28:14.46 Notice, in 2009, 00:28:14.49\00:28:17.89 we have 11,000 terrorist attacks 00:28:17.93\00:28:21.96 recorded around the world, 00:28:22.00\00:28:24.20 almost four and a half thousand in Iraq 00:28:24.23\00:28:26.94 and Afghanistan alone. 00:28:26.97\00:28:28.30 Now let me ask you, 00:28:28.34\00:28:29.67 have the labor pains intensified? 00:28:29.70\00:28:31.61 Absolutely, absolutely. 00:28:31.64\00:28:33.84 You can clearly see that the distress, the fear, 00:28:33.88\00:28:37.88 the perplexity has intensified and today terrorism 00:28:37.91\00:28:42.98 is just part of life. 00:28:43.02\00:28:44.45 It's the new way of doing life. 00:28:44.49\00:28:47.39 You go to the airport, you go to the bus station, 00:28:47.42\00:28:50.03 you go to the restaurant, you go to wherever, 00:28:50.06\00:28:53.33 you fill in the blank and we have no idea 00:28:53.36\00:28:56.43 whether we will come home safely. 00:28:56.46\00:28:58.43 Terrorism today is sadly a household word, 00:28:58.47\00:29:02.07 wars and rumors of wars. 00:29:02.10\00:29:03.97 There is so much conflict. 00:29:04.01\00:29:05.37 In fact, it's become, it's become normal. 00:29:05.41\00:29:08.84 We can sit at home and eat our spaghetti, 00:29:08.88\00:29:12.28 we can eat our salad, we can eat our potatoes 00:29:12.31\00:29:15.12 and we can watch the news 00:29:15.15\00:29:16.92 and yes, there's another terrorist strike 00:29:16.95\00:29:18.79 somewhere in the Middle East or somewhere in Africa 00:29:18.82\00:29:20.92 and we're like whatever, pass me the potatoes. 00:29:20.96\00:29:24.43 We've become blasé, we've become conditioned, 00:29:24.46\00:29:27.03 we're used to it. 00:29:27.06\00:29:28.40 And unless a terrorist attack takes place 00:29:28.43\00:29:32.23 in the middle of one of our large cities here in Australia 00:29:32.27\00:29:35.00 or somewhere in the western world, 00:29:35.04\00:29:36.91 we don't even blink an eyelid. 00:29:36.94\00:29:38.77 It's just normal. It's normal. 00:29:38.81\00:29:42.34 That's the kind of world we're living in. 00:29:42.38\00:29:45.55 The refugee crisis. 00:29:45.58\00:29:48.05 Today, we have some 60 million people 00:29:48.08\00:29:52.29 that are displaced from their homes 00:29:52.32\00:29:54.46 due to war and conflict. 00:29:54.49\00:29:57.96 More so than any other time since World War II. 00:29:57.99\00:30:02.26 Today, today, this very day 40,000 people, 00:30:02.30\00:30:06.53 men, women and children will have to leave their homes 00:30:06.57\00:30:10.34 due to war and conflict. 00:30:10.37\00:30:12.37 We only see a little bit on the television, 00:30:12.41\00:30:14.74 it's not just in Europe. 00:30:14.78\00:30:17.51 It's not just coming out of the Middle East. 00:30:17.55\00:30:19.51 It's all over the world, 00:30:19.55\00:30:21.18 and so we're living in very, very difficult times. 00:30:21.22\00:30:24.52 Notice these words 00:30:24.55\00:30:25.89 from the Prime Minister of Australia 00:30:25.92\00:30:28.32 on the day before the election, 00:30:28.36\00:30:31.23 the day before the federal election. 00:30:31.26\00:30:33.63 He stated this on ABC Radio, I was driving, 00:30:33.66\00:30:37.73 and I mean, I was listening to an interview 00:30:37.77\00:30:39.73 with the Prime Minister, 00:30:39.77\00:30:41.10 and I stopped the car 00:30:41.14\00:30:42.87 and I jotted down these words that he shared, 00:30:42.90\00:30:45.07 so this is the day before the election, 00:30:45.11\00:30:47.54 July 1, 2016, "We are living in uncertain times. 00:30:47.58\00:30:52.95 We are experiencing unprecedented changes globally 00:30:52.98\00:30:56.72 at unprecedented speed." 00:30:56.75\00:30:58.89 And then he went on to state 00:30:58.92\00:31:00.96 that that's why the 23 million Australians 00:31:00.99\00:31:03.86 need to vote for my government 00:31:03.89\00:31:05.69 which will provide for security and stability 00:31:05.73\00:31:08.20 and blah, blah, blah. 00:31:08.23\00:31:09.56 He is stating, he is clearly stating 00:31:12.83\00:31:16.44 the times that we are living in. 00:31:16.47\00:31:18.41 We are indeed living in unprecedented times 00:31:18.44\00:31:23.95 of unprecedented instability. 00:31:23.98\00:31:29.15 Uncertain times, and that's why the search 00:31:29.18\00:31:32.82 for certainty begins and ends with Jesus. 00:31:32.85\00:31:36.96 The search for certainty begins and ends in God's Word. 00:31:36.99\00:31:41.50 The search for certainty begins and ends in the hope 00:31:41.53\00:31:44.93 that we have in Jesus. 00:31:44.97\00:31:47.54 It must begin there. 00:31:47.57\00:31:49.30 It must begin there, that is our only hope, 00:31:49.34\00:31:51.57 our only safety and security. 00:31:51.61\00:31:53.54 Notice this from page from Time Magazine 00:31:53.58\00:31:56.75 back in 2009 December 7, "The Decade From Hell. 00:31:56.78\00:32:02.58 Subtitle And Why the Next One will be Better. 00:32:02.62\00:32:06.86 When Time Magazine took a look at our first decade 00:32:06.89\00:32:09.46 of the new millennium, it described the first decade 00:32:09.49\00:32:13.56 of this third millennium that was supposed to be 00:32:13.60\00:32:15.90 an age of prosperity and peace for all, 00:32:15.93\00:32:19.60 as the decade from hell. 00:32:19.63\00:32:22.60 I don't know about you but this decade, 00:32:22.64\00:32:24.47 this new decade hasn't, hasn't done anything for me. 00:32:24.51\00:32:28.51 This was the front cover of Time Magazine 00:32:28.54\00:32:31.05 at the end of 2015 World War ISIS. 00:32:31.08\00:32:35.32 We've had World War I, we've had World War II. 00:32:35.35\00:32:38.35 And now we have World War ISIS. 00:32:38.39\00:32:42.96 The Apostle Paul spoke of our day 00:32:42.99\00:32:45.19 in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, "For when they say, 00:32:45.23\00:32:48.76 "Peace and safety!" 00:32:48.80\00:32:50.77 then sudden destruction comes upon them, 00:32:50.80\00:32:52.70 as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. 00:32:52.73\00:32:54.90 And they shall not escape." 00:32:54.94\00:32:56.64 Peace and safety, we are living in a time 00:32:56.67\00:33:00.18 when world leaders are seeking for peace and safety. 00:33:00.21\00:33:05.01 The United Nations, a place designed where, 00:33:05.05\00:33:09.68 where nations can come together and without war 00:33:09.72\00:33:13.82 and without conflict settle their disputes. 00:33:13.86\00:33:17.79 I find it interesting that the United Nations logo has, 00:33:17.83\00:33:22.10 has to two olive branches that circle the world. 00:33:22.13\00:33:26.40 These olive branches are symbol for what? 00:33:26.43\00:33:29.10 A symbol for peace, circling the world, 00:33:29.14\00:33:32.47 and yet we find ourselves living in a time 00:33:32.51\00:33:35.94 of less stability and less peace, 00:33:35.98\00:33:38.65 and less security and safety. 00:33:38.68\00:33:41.65 That is why the words of Jesus are the only words 00:33:41.68\00:33:45.45 that we can put our faith and trust in. 00:33:45.49\00:33:47.06 Notice these words from Jesus, in John 16:33, Jesus said, 00:33:47.09\00:33:52.46 "These things I have spoken to you, 00:33:52.49\00:33:54.66 that in Me you may have what, peace. 00:33:54.70\00:33:57.67 In the world you will have tribulation, 00:33:57.70\00:34:00.04 but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 00:34:00.07\00:34:04.24 In Jesus alone we can have peace. 00:34:04.27\00:34:07.81 Jesus here made it abundantly clear 00:34:07.84\00:34:10.21 that in this world we will have tribulation. 00:34:10.25\00:34:12.78 In this world we will have trouble. 00:34:12.81\00:34:14.95 In this world there will be distress, 00:34:14.98\00:34:17.12 there will be perplexity, there will be fear. 00:34:17.15\00:34:19.65 But Jesus says, in Me you can have peace. 00:34:19.69\00:34:23.53 And that's the wonderful assurance 00:34:23.56\00:34:25.26 that we have that in these uncertain times, 00:34:25.29\00:34:28.20 we can have peace in Jesus Christ, in Him alone. 00:34:28.23\00:34:32.60 He is the Prince of peace the Bible tells us. 00:34:32.63\00:34:35.27 The wonderful Prince of peace, 00:34:35.30\00:34:38.11 that is why Jesus is our only hope. 00:34:38.14\00:34:41.61 That is why we have the Apostle Paul 00:34:41.64\00:34:44.58 writing these wonderful words in Titus 2:13, 00:34:44.61\00:34:48.48 "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing 00:34:48.52\00:34:52.45 of great God and Savior Jesus Christ." 00:34:52.49\00:34:55.49 That is why the second coming is the great and grand theme 00:34:55.52\00:35:00.03 that goes from one end of scripture 00:35:00.06\00:35:02.56 all the way to the other. 00:35:02.60\00:35:03.93 It appears more than 1500 times the coming of Jesus, 00:35:03.97\00:35:07.97 that is the blessed hope. 00:35:08.00\00:35:09.90 I pray for the government. 00:35:09.94\00:35:11.31 I pray for our politicians, but our politicians 00:35:11.34\00:35:13.64 don't have what it takes 00:35:13.68\00:35:15.38 to solve the titanic problems that this world faces. 00:35:15.41\00:35:18.48 Our only hope is in Jesus. 00:35:18.51\00:35:20.82 Our only hope is in His second coming. 00:35:20.85\00:35:23.22 That's why the Apostle Paul speaks of the second coming 00:35:23.25\00:35:25.95 as the blessed hope. 00:35:25.99\00:35:29.36 Let's take a look at another sign 00:35:29.39\00:35:30.99 that Jesus gave us. 00:35:31.03\00:35:32.36 We're gonna take a look at Signs in the World of Nature. 00:35:32.39\00:35:37.07 Jesus said, "And there will be famines, 00:35:37.10\00:35:39.43 pestilences, and earthquakes in various places." 00:35:39.47\00:35:43.61 Let's begin by taking a look at famines. 00:35:43.64\00:35:47.48 Today, one billion people in the world 00:35:47.51\00:35:52.98 don't have enough to eat. 00:35:53.01\00:35:55.32 I know that's something that you and I cannot comprehend 00:35:55.35\00:35:58.65 because we like those who live in the western world 00:35:58.69\00:36:02.19 live in a land of plenty. 00:36:02.22\00:36:05.76 We have problems here because we eat too much. 00:36:05.79\00:36:08.10 Not because we don't eat enough. 00:36:08.13\00:36:11.03 But sadly, one billion people are going to bed 00:36:11.07\00:36:14.40 hungry every night. 00:36:14.44\00:36:16.30 That is those who manage to make it through the day. 00:36:16.34\00:36:20.64 Some 20,000 people die every single day 00:36:20.68\00:36:23.91 due to hunger related diseases, 00:36:23.95\00:36:26.72 and most of them as you're aware are children. 00:36:26.75\00:36:30.05 Jesus talked about pestilences. 00:36:30.09\00:36:32.55 What are pestilences? 00:36:32.59\00:36:34.22 Well, pestilences are strange and overwhelming diseases 00:36:34.26\00:36:39.06 that affect huge population masses. 00:36:39.09\00:36:43.06 One pestilence that we've had 00:36:43.10\00:36:45.10 and some of you may be familiar with it 00:36:45.13\00:36:47.14 was the Black Death or the Black Plague 00:36:47.17\00:36:50.54 that swept through Europe 00:36:50.57\00:36:53.17 where, where some 75 to 200 million people 00:36:53.21\00:36:57.31 lost their lives during those years in the 1400s 00:36:57.35\00:37:02.18 when the Black Plague just, just took the lives 00:37:02.22\00:37:06.22 of millions and millions and millions of people. 00:37:06.25\00:37:09.82 We are living now in a time where a pestilence 00:37:09.86\00:37:14.00 of such significance could sweep the world 00:37:14.03\00:37:19.43 in a matter of hours literally 00:37:19.47\00:37:21.77 with the way that we travel today. 00:37:21.80\00:37:24.21 You know, you can be from one side of the world 00:37:24.24\00:37:26.07 to the other side of the world in a day, isn't that right? 00:37:26.11\00:37:28.54 In 24 hours, and so disease today 00:37:28.58\00:37:31.85 can spread like at no other time in human history. 00:37:31.88\00:37:36.28 The Zika Virus, we're familiar with that currently, 00:37:36.32\00:37:39.99 but there have been many others, 00:37:40.02\00:37:41.89 and who knows what's going to take place tomorrow. 00:37:41.92\00:37:44.39 Who knows what virus will be on the radar tomorrow, 00:37:44.43\00:37:48.73 or next week, or next month. 00:37:48.76\00:37:51.17 It's a mysterious illness with devastating effects. 00:37:51.20\00:37:54.17 Is the next public health crisis 00:37:54.20\00:37:56.17 in your backyard who knows? 00:37:56.20\00:37:58.44 Who knows? 00:37:58.47\00:37:59.81 That's the uncertain world that we live in. 00:37:59.84\00:38:03.18 But once again, I thank God that in His word, 00:38:03.21\00:38:07.62 we can have peace and security. 00:38:07.65\00:38:09.58 In His word, we can have hope. 00:38:09.62\00:38:12.25 In His word, no matter what happens around us as we, 00:38:12.29\00:38:15.56 as we look at the words of Jesus earlier, 00:38:15.59\00:38:17.69 we can have peace. 00:38:17.73\00:38:19.66 We can have peace in these uncertain times. 00:38:19.69\00:38:23.16 This was an article that I stumbled across 00:38:23.20\00:38:26.67 as I was doing a little bit of research 00:38:26.70\00:38:28.34 in this area entitled, it was from National Geographic 00:38:28.37\00:38:31.94 back in 2015 January 14, 00:38:31.97\00:38:35.08 Mass Animal Die-Offs are on the Rise, 00:38:35.11\00:38:38.28 Killing Billions and Raising Questions. 00:38:38.31\00:38:40.98 And then the subtitle there, "Huge animal die-offs 00:38:41.02\00:38:44.29 along with disease outbreaks and other population stresses, 00:38:44.32\00:38:47.66 are happening more often. 00:38:47.69\00:38:50.93 We're not to be surprised because Jesus gave us 00:38:50.96\00:38:53.80 that analogy of labor pains. 00:38:53.83\00:38:56.26 And so we had to expect 00:38:56.30\00:38:57.90 that just before the coming of Jesus, 00:38:57.93\00:39:00.47 there will be more disease, there will be more war, 00:39:00.50\00:39:04.91 there will be more famine, 00:39:04.94\00:39:06.84 there will be more of all these signs 00:39:06.88\00:39:09.18 that Jesus gave to us before His coming. 00:39:09.21\00:39:12.78 So we're not to be surprised, 00:39:12.81\00:39:14.38 because these things are all designed 00:39:14.42\00:39:16.35 to help us realize that the coming of Jesus is near. 00:39:16.38\00:39:20.62 This was a very concerning, Time Magazine front cover, 00:39:20.66\00:39:26.49 A World Without Bees back in 2013, August 19, 00:39:26.53\00:39:31.60 A World Without Bees. 00:39:31.63\00:39:33.70 The price we'll pay if we don't figure out 00:39:33.74\00:39:36.04 what's killing the honeybee. 00:39:36.07\00:39:37.47 Are you aware that, that we're losing 00:39:37.51\00:39:39.81 millions and millions and possibly billions of bees? 00:39:39.84\00:39:43.41 They have been wiped out. 00:39:43.45\00:39:44.78 I have a brother-in-law who operates a large farm 00:39:44.81\00:39:51.15 there in Queensland, 00:39:51.19\00:39:52.52 he grows berries and raspberries and figs, 00:39:52.55\00:39:55.36 and he was sharing with me just the other day, 00:39:55.39\00:39:57.69 that he is having to pay more and more for the bees 00:39:57.73\00:40:01.20 that are being placed there on his farm 00:40:01.23\00:40:02.86 that he has to pay for in order to pollinate his fruit. 00:40:02.90\00:40:08.60 He's having to pay more and more 00:40:08.64\00:40:10.21 because there is less and less to go around, 00:40:10.24\00:40:13.78 and so imagine a world without bees. 00:40:13.81\00:40:17.45 Well, I can't imagine a world without bees, 00:40:17.48\00:40:19.25 we'd be in a whole heap of trouble, isn't that right? 00:40:19.28\00:40:21.55 The bees are the very foundation 00:40:21.58\00:40:24.12 for our food supply as we are all well aware. 00:40:24.15\00:40:28.52 The Apostle Paul in the Book of Romans 00:40:28.56\00:40:30.29 summed up this world in his day, 00:40:30.33\00:40:33.06 let alone in our day. 00:40:33.09\00:40:35.33 Romans 8:22, "For we know that the whole creation groans 00:40:35.36\00:40:39.67 and labors with birth pangs together until now." 00:40:39.70\00:40:44.07 The Apostle Paul here is saying that 00:40:44.11\00:40:46.07 all of creation is laboring. 00:40:46.11\00:40:48.18 He's using those same words that Jesus used of labor pains. 00:40:48.21\00:40:51.95 He's using the same words that the Apostle Paul used 00:40:51.98\00:40:55.55 when he spoke of the time of the end 00:40:55.58\00:40:58.19 when this world will experience 00:40:58.22\00:41:00.66 labor pains such it has never experienced before. 00:41:00.69\00:41:04.83 The whole world, the whole creation is groaning, 00:41:04.86\00:41:08.36 and as we take a look at this world 00:41:08.40\00:41:11.00 whether it be, whether it be the environment, 00:41:11.03\00:41:14.10 whether it be some of the things 00:41:14.14\00:41:15.90 taking place in the natural world, 00:41:15.94\00:41:17.71 natural disasters in whatever sphere of life, 00:41:17.74\00:41:20.74 as we take a look at, 00:41:20.78\00:41:22.11 we can we can see that things are not right 00:41:22.14\00:41:23.55 and this world is groaning. 00:41:23.58\00:41:26.45 Climate change, we're all familiar 00:41:26.48\00:41:27.98 with climate change, and yes, 00:41:28.02\00:41:29.35 there are those that believe that climate change is manmade 00:41:29.38\00:41:33.99 as in we have a lot that we have contributed 00:41:34.02\00:41:37.76 towards the rise in temperature 00:41:37.79\00:41:40.46 and the rise in natural disasters. 00:41:40.50\00:41:42.83 Then there are those that are saying, 00:41:42.86\00:41:44.20 "Well, it's just, it's just the way it is 00:41:44.23\00:41:46.80 and we don't really have too much." 00:41:46.84\00:41:49.44 I do know that today this world is experiencing distress 00:41:49.47\00:41:53.88 on a scale that it is not, not seen in a long, long time. 00:41:53.91\00:41:57.05 The Secretary General Ban Ki-moon 00:41:59.05\00:42:02.65 of the United Nations 00:42:02.68\00:42:04.95 speaking of climate change, he said that, 00:42:04.99\00:42:07.06 "Humanity has never faced a greater challenge." 00:42:07.09\00:42:11.63 And it's true. 00:42:11.66\00:42:12.99 The last 15 years, some of you will be aware of this, 00:42:13.03\00:42:15.33 for the last 15 years, 00:42:15.36\00:42:16.70 each year has been the hottest on record. 00:42:16.73\00:42:18.90 You remember hearing that? We hear that every year. 00:42:18.93\00:42:21.60 We hear that every year since records began in 1880. 00:42:21.64\00:42:24.74 This is what... 00:42:24.77\00:42:26.11 This is what the scientists are telling us, 00:42:26.14\00:42:28.44 the weather people since 1880, 00:42:28.48\00:42:32.88 from the year 2001 all the way to today, 00:42:32.91\00:42:36.69 every year has been getting hotter and hotter 00:42:36.72\00:42:39.65 and hotter and hotter, 00:42:39.69\00:42:41.92 and last year was the hottest on record 15 years in a row. 00:42:41.96\00:42:47.00 In fact, I saw an article just recently 00:42:47.03\00:42:50.03 that in the Middle East temperatures were reaching 00:42:50.07\00:42:52.83 60 degrees Celsius. 00:42:52.87\00:42:55.90 Now for our viewers that are, that are watching 00:42:55.94\00:42:59.21 and they only deal with Fahrenheit, 00:42:59.24\00:43:00.88 I'm not quite sure what that is, 00:43:00.91\00:43:02.34 I should have probably found that out earlier, 00:43:02.38\00:43:04.01 it's probably up around 120 or somewhere there 130, 00:43:04.05\00:43:06.78 I don't know 125, 60 degrees Celsius 00:43:06.82\00:43:10.65 and it's, and it's, it's at the point 00:43:10.69\00:43:13.22 where humans cannot exist in that kind of heat. 00:43:13.25\00:43:16.93 We struggle with 40 degrees, let alone 60 degrees. 00:43:16.96\00:43:21.16 Then just a few days ago, I looked at, 00:43:21.20\00:43:25.33 I looked at an article 00:43:25.37\00:43:26.80 that was speaking of these devastating floods 00:43:26.84\00:43:29.04 that were taking place there in the United States. 00:43:29.07\00:43:32.04 And I spoke of these floods 00:43:32.07\00:43:34.01 as one in a thousand year flood. 00:43:34.04\00:43:37.71 The only problem with that one in a thousand year flood 00:43:37.75\00:43:40.88 is that we're beginning to hear that more and more often. 00:43:40.92\00:43:43.35 Isn't that right? 00:43:43.39\00:43:44.72 It used to be one in a decade. 00:43:44.75\00:43:46.89 Then one in a century flood. 00:43:46.92\00:43:49.32 Now it's what? 00:43:49.36\00:43:50.69 One in a one thousand year flood. 00:43:50.73\00:43:54.13 It's just happening more and more and more. 00:43:54.16\00:43:56.67 Today, I do know one thing, 00:43:59.73\00:44:02.80 regardless of what the climate change debate 00:44:02.84\00:44:06.91 may center on. 00:44:06.94\00:44:09.28 Regardless of what one group says 00:44:09.31\00:44:12.01 or one group doesn't say. 00:44:12.05\00:44:13.55 I do know that we are indeed destroying our environment. 00:44:13.58\00:44:17.75 When I look at our waterways, when I look at our seas, 00:44:17.79\00:44:20.99 when I look at our rivers, when I look at out... 00:44:21.02\00:44:23.73 Well, when I, when I smell out air 00:44:23.76\00:44:26.53 especially in our large cities, 00:44:26.56\00:44:28.46 I can tell that something is not right. 00:44:28.50\00:44:30.63 We are indeed destroying our environment. 00:44:30.67\00:44:33.57 What did the Book of Revelation say, 00:44:33.60\00:44:35.07 "And that you should destroy those who destroy the earth." 00:44:36.17\00:44:38.81 We are doing a great 00:44:38.84\00:44:40.18 and grand job in destroying our environment. 00:44:40.21\00:44:42.74 We ought to be looking after this environment. 00:44:42.78\00:44:45.31 This world was given to us, not to, not to use and abuse, 00:44:45.35\00:44:49.82 but this world was given to us by God for us to take care of. 00:44:49.85\00:44:54.66 We are, we are to be carers, 00:44:54.69\00:44:57.99 we are to take care of this world 00:44:58.03\00:45:00.43 that God has given to us. 00:45:00.46\00:45:02.23 But God is one day preparing a new world, 00:45:04.33\00:45:06.97 He's preparing a new world. 00:45:07.00\00:45:09.14 You see regardless of how well we take care of this world, 00:45:09.17\00:45:13.27 the truth is that this world will never ever be 00:45:13.31\00:45:16.31 what God designed it to be. 00:45:16.34\00:45:18.11 I love these words in the Book of Revelation 21:1, 00:45:18.15\00:45:21.75 at the end of the Bible, 00:45:21.78\00:45:23.39 "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth," writes John. 00:45:23.42\00:45:26.62 "For the first heaven and the first earth 00:45:26.65\00:45:28.32 had passed away. 00:45:28.36\00:45:29.76 Also there was no more sea." 00:45:29.79\00:45:31.39 Aren't you looking forward to that day 00:45:31.43\00:45:33.26 when God will create a new heaven and a new earth? 00:45:33.29\00:45:37.20 Yes, we need to take care of this world, 00:45:37.23\00:45:39.33 but this world sadly cannot be fixed up by humans. 00:45:39.37\00:45:46.17 No matter how hard we try and we ought to do all we can, 00:45:46.21\00:45:48.98 but this world needs God to intervene 00:45:49.01\00:45:53.21 to create a new heaven and a new earth. 00:45:53.25\00:45:55.95 Let's take a look at 00:45:55.98\00:45:57.32 what Jesus had to say regarding earthquakes. 00:45:57.35\00:46:00.92 Now, I find it interesting that Jesus chose earthquakes 00:46:00.96\00:46:05.03 and He focused His attention on earthquakes. 00:46:05.06\00:46:07.50 He could have looked at floods, 00:46:07.53\00:46:09.36 He could have looked at cyclones, 00:46:09.40\00:46:11.77 He could have looked at hurricanes, 00:46:11.80\00:46:14.04 He could have looked at a number of fires. 00:46:14.07\00:46:17.61 He could have looked at a number 00:46:17.64\00:46:19.07 of other disasters that that destroy... 00:46:19.11\00:46:22.81 That destroyed buildings and destroy, 00:46:22.84\00:46:25.41 destroy things around us 00:46:25.45\00:46:26.78 and take life but He focused on earthquakes. 00:46:26.82\00:46:30.05 I've been asking myself why earthquakes, 00:46:30.09\00:46:32.22 and I came to the conclusion that the reason why 00:46:32.25\00:46:34.69 Jesus spoke of earthquakes is earthquakes 00:46:34.72\00:46:37.63 that is the only, 00:46:37.66\00:46:39.46 that is the only natural disaster 00:46:39.49\00:46:41.03 that you have no warning for. 00:46:41.06\00:46:42.63 Have you ever thought about that? 00:46:42.66\00:46:44.00 That's the only natural disaster 00:46:44.03\00:46:45.67 you have no warning for. 00:46:45.70\00:46:47.04 If there's a fire coming, you have some time. 00:46:47.07\00:46:49.64 Even if there is a... 00:46:49.67\00:46:51.01 If there's a flood coming, 00:46:51.04\00:46:52.37 there's been lots of rain or so on and so forth. 00:46:52.41\00:46:54.91 If there's a cyclone, if there's a hurricane brewing, 00:46:54.94\00:46:57.55 you have some warning, you have time to prepare. 00:46:57.58\00:47:00.02 But an earthquake is the only natural disaster 00:47:00.05\00:47:02.35 you have no time to prepare. 00:47:02.38\00:47:04.32 You have to be ready right now. 00:47:04.35\00:47:08.46 Earthquakes, they claim the lives 00:47:08.49\00:47:13.03 of more people than any other natural disaster 00:47:13.06\00:47:15.96 because of the horrible destruction 00:47:16.00\00:47:18.10 that follows an earthquake. 00:47:18.13\00:47:20.24 Now, when it comes to earthquakes, 00:47:20.27\00:47:21.87 I want to take a look at 00:47:21.90\00:47:23.97 what's been happening in the world, 00:47:24.01\00:47:26.47 especially in the past 100 years. 00:47:26.51\00:47:30.18 Because you see when it comes to earthquakes, 00:47:30.21\00:47:33.05 the skeptics and the scoffers will simply say, earthquakes, 00:47:33.08\00:47:36.42 they're not really signs at all. 00:47:36.45\00:47:39.02 You can't say that 200 years ago, 00:47:39.05\00:47:41.62 there were like five earthquakes recorded 00:47:41.66\00:47:43.86 and this year there were 20,000 earthquakes record 00:47:43.89\00:47:46.59 because today we have the technology, 00:47:46.63\00:47:48.60 today we have these fancy-dancy apparatus that can, 00:47:48.63\00:47:52.47 that can pick up an earthquake even if it's tiny 00:47:52.50\00:47:57.07 that no one else can pick up. 00:47:57.11\00:47:58.94 But these instruments can pick it up 00:47:58.97\00:48:00.41 even though a human being may not be able to pick it up, 00:48:00.44\00:48:02.71 and so that's fair enough. 00:48:02.74\00:48:04.18 So I thought, yeah, that's true. 00:48:04.21\00:48:05.78 So I decided that I was going 00:48:05.81\00:48:08.32 to take a look at great earthquakes. 00:48:08.35\00:48:10.19 You see, I spent some time in New Zealand. 00:48:10.22\00:48:12.72 Anyone here from New Zealand? 00:48:12.75\00:48:14.49 Yes, I know there are some people from New Zealand. 00:48:14.52\00:48:17.23 New Zealand by the way 00:48:17.26\00:48:18.76 is the most beautiful country in the world. 00:48:18.79\00:48:21.86 And I lived there for six years, 00:48:21.90\00:48:23.47 I had a wonderful time there, 00:48:23.50\00:48:25.00 one of our children were born there, 00:48:25.03\00:48:27.17 and a beautiful place, 00:48:27.20\00:48:28.80 Kiwis are just the most friendly, 00:48:28.84\00:48:30.21 the most beautiful people in the world. 00:48:30.24\00:48:31.77 If there's any Kiwis out there watching, 00:48:31.81\00:48:33.74 you are just the most beautiful people in the world. 00:48:33.78\00:48:35.64 Although I'm Australian and I was born here, 00:48:35.68\00:48:37.81 but I just love the Kiwis, 00:48:37.85\00:48:39.41 and if it wasn't for their horrible beaches 00:48:39.45\00:48:42.22 especially where I live and the cold weather 00:48:42.25\00:48:44.75 and being so far away from home and family, 00:48:44.79\00:48:47.19 I would live there for the rest of my life. 00:48:47.22\00:48:49.36 But anyway, I'm in New Zealand 00:48:49.39\00:48:51.09 and I became well acquainted with earthquakes. 00:48:51.13\00:48:55.20 Sadly, as we're well aware 00:48:55.23\00:48:57.77 New Zealand suffered a horrific earthquake 00:48:57.80\00:48:59.60 a few years ago, 00:48:59.63\00:49:00.97 where 100 something 150, 60 people 00:49:01.00\00:49:03.67 lost their lives there in Christchurch. 00:49:03.71\00:49:05.71 And I remember the first earthquake 00:49:05.74\00:49:07.51 that hit whilst we were living in Palmerston north, 00:49:07.54\00:49:10.95 towards the bottom end of the North Island, 00:49:10.98\00:49:13.11 just north of Wellington, 00:49:13.15\00:49:14.78 and it was the middle of the day 00:49:14.82\00:49:16.15 and this earthquake hit and my wife was in the kitchen, 00:49:16.18\00:49:20.16 I was just there in the, in the laundry 00:49:20.19\00:49:23.06 and everything started to shake. 00:49:23.09\00:49:25.06 I've never been in an earthquake before, 00:49:25.09\00:49:26.66 everything started to shake 00:49:26.70\00:49:28.23 and my wife comes out from the kitchen towards me 00:49:28.26\00:49:31.60 and she gives me such an enormous hug 00:49:31.63\00:49:34.90 such as she's never given me before in our whole life. 00:49:34.94\00:49:38.67 And I was like, "Oh, thank you for the earthquake, Lord." 00:49:38.71\00:49:41.11 As I thought about earthquakes, 00:49:45.98\00:49:48.15 I decided I was going to take a look at 00:49:48.18\00:49:51.15 what Jesus had to say about earthquake. 00:49:51.19\00:49:52.89 You've seen Luke 21:11, 00:49:52.92\00:49:57.06 Jesus said, "There will be what? 00:49:57.09\00:50:00.16 Great earthquakes in various places." 00:50:00.20\00:50:02.33 So I decided to take a look at the great earthquakes, 00:50:02.36\00:50:05.13 the earthquakes that you don't need a fancy-dancy 00:50:05.17\00:50:08.20 bit of equipment to tell you that 00:50:08.24\00:50:09.70 there's an earthquake going on. 00:50:09.74\00:50:12.54 But that, you know an earthquake is going on, 00:50:12.57\00:50:15.18 it's a huge earthquake. 00:50:15.21\00:50:16.85 I decided to take a look at the mega titanic earthquakes 00:50:16.88\00:50:21.25 in the last 100 years. 00:50:21.28\00:50:22.62 So I went to the United States Geological Society website, 00:50:22.65\00:50:28.06 they're the official earthquake monitoring station. 00:50:28.09\00:50:32.96 And I punched in great earthquakes 00:50:32.99\00:50:36.20 in the past 100 years, 00:50:36.23\00:50:37.83 from the year 1900 up until our day. 00:50:37.87\00:50:41.17 And I discovered that 00:50:41.20\00:50:42.67 there have been 17 great earthquakes 00:50:42.70\00:50:46.04 8.5 on the Richter scale and greater 00:50:46.07\00:50:48.71 that have taken place from 1900-1912. 00:50:48.74\00:50:52.68 Notice, from 1900-1999, 00:50:52.71\00:50:57.35 so for the last 100 years, for the, 00:50:57.39\00:50:59.72 in the 20th century, 00:50:59.75\00:51:01.72 we had 11 earthquakes measuring 8.5 and greater. 00:51:01.76\00:51:06.33 From 2000-2012 we had 6, 00:51:06.36\00:51:09.86 so one in every ten years in the last century 00:51:09.90\00:51:13.07 and so far up until 2012 we've had one every two years. 00:51:13.10\00:51:19.51 Now, that tells me 00:51:19.54\00:51:20.91 that the labor pains are intensifying. 00:51:20.94\00:51:22.44 Notice 9.0 and greater. 00:51:22.48\00:51:26.48 Between 1900-1999 we had three. 00:51:26.51\00:51:29.92 Thus far in the last 12 years, we've had 2, great earthquakes. 00:51:29.95\00:51:35.36 This is a sure sign, a sure sign 00:51:35.39\00:51:38.06 that Jesus is on His way. 00:51:38.09\00:51:41.00 Notice what Jesus said in Luke 21:28, 00:51:41.03\00:51:43.40 "Now when these things begin to happen, 00:51:43.43\00:51:45.57 look up and lift up your heads, because what, 00:51:45.60\00:51:48.47 your redemption is drawing near." 00:51:48.50\00:51:50.97 When you see all these things taking place, 00:51:51.01\00:51:53.41 when you see earthquakes, when you see commotion, 00:51:53.44\00:51:55.91 when you see all the graphs heading north, 00:51:55.94\00:51:59.68 then you know that my coming is near even at the doors. 00:51:59.71\00:52:04.02 So it's not a time for us to be down and discouraged. 00:52:04.05\00:52:07.22 It's not a time for us to look at one another. 00:52:07.26\00:52:09.56 No, it's a time now for us to look up 00:52:09.59\00:52:12.96 because our redemption is drawing near. 00:52:12.99\00:52:15.26 Jesus is about to come. 00:52:15.30\00:52:17.17 Those labor pains are about to come to the very end. 00:52:17.20\00:52:20.24 The baby is about to be born. 00:52:20.27\00:52:23.14 And in fact, this is what 2 Peter 3:13 says, 00:52:23.17\00:52:27.81 "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, 00:52:27.84\00:52:30.61 look for a new heavens and a new thing 00:52:30.65\00:52:32.68 which righteousness dwells." 00:52:32.71\00:52:34.32 This is the great and grand promise 00:52:34.35\00:52:36.42 that God has for those that put their faith 00:52:36.45\00:52:38.32 and trust in Him. 00:52:38.35\00:52:39.69 There is a new heaven and a new earth 00:52:39.72\00:52:41.39 in which righteousness dwells. 00:52:41.42\00:52:43.29 There will no longer be any more pain 00:52:43.32\00:52:45.39 and suffering and sorrow, that will be gone forever more. 00:52:45.43\00:52:48.93 But righteousness that which is right, 00:52:48.96\00:52:51.30 that which is part of God's plan, 00:52:51.33\00:52:53.23 that which is part of God's will, 00:52:53.27\00:52:54.60 that which is part of God's original design for us 00:52:54.64\00:52:57.37 will be ushered in righteousness, 00:52:57.41\00:52:59.77 everlasting righteousness. 00:52:59.81\00:53:01.38 I love this promise at the back of the Bible 00:53:01.41\00:53:04.08 in Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away what, 00:53:04.11\00:53:09.35 every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, 00:53:09.38\00:53:12.69 nor sorrow, nor crying. 00:53:12.72\00:53:14.39 There shall be no more pain, for the former things 00:53:14.42\00:53:17.19 have passed away." 00:53:17.23\00:53:18.56 Don't you long for that day? 00:53:18.59\00:53:20.30 Don't you long for the day when they will be no more war, 00:53:20.33\00:53:22.83 there will be no more pain, 00:53:22.86\00:53:24.20 there will be no more hungry children, 00:53:24.23\00:53:26.17 there will be no more families having to leave their homes 00:53:26.20\00:53:28.90 because of all the pain and the suffering, 00:53:28.94\00:53:31.14 and the war and the conflict that is raging around them. 00:53:31.17\00:53:34.31 There will be no more earthquakes. 00:53:34.34\00:53:36.64 No more, no more, 00:53:38.68\00:53:40.38 the former things have passed away. 00:53:40.42\00:53:46.25 I love this story I'm about to share with you. 00:53:46.29\00:53:51.26 This story that tells us 00:53:51.29\00:53:53.73 how close we are to the coming of Jesus 00:53:53.76\00:53:56.60 and what we can learn from the story of Tillie Smith. 00:53:56.63\00:54:00.57 Tillie Smith, Tillie Smith along with her family 00:54:00.60\00:54:05.97 left England back in 2004 to head to warmer parts 00:54:06.01\00:54:12.91 to enjoy their Christmas holidays. 00:54:12.95\00:54:15.45 And Tillie along with mom and dad 00:54:15.48\00:54:17.02 and a seven year old sister, went to Phuket 00:54:17.05\00:54:21.06 there in Thailand 00:54:21.09\00:54:22.42 to enjoy and celebrate Christmas together 00:54:22.46\00:54:25.26 on those beautiful sandy beaches 00:54:25.29\00:54:27.86 and enjoy that beautiful warm water 00:54:27.90\00:54:29.56 and that warm climate. 00:54:29.60\00:54:32.07 Tillie Smith is a hero, a eleven year old Tillie Smith 00:54:32.10\00:54:36.91 back then she was eleven in 2004 she is a hero. 00:54:36.94\00:54:41.11 She had the opportunity of meeting 00:54:41.14\00:54:43.04 the president of the United States of America, 00:54:43.08\00:54:45.41 at the time President Bill Clinton. 00:54:45.45\00:54:48.65 Why is she a hero? 00:54:48.68\00:54:50.39 Why did Tillie Smith meet the president 00:54:50.42\00:54:53.49 of the most powerful nation on earth? 00:54:53.52\00:54:55.52 You see on Boxing Day, 2004 as Tillie Smith was playing 00:54:55.56\00:55:01.26 there on the sand with her sister, 00:55:01.30\00:55:04.47 she all of a sudden noticed the water beginning to recede 00:55:04.50\00:55:09.50 there at the beach that they were on, 00:55:09.54\00:55:11.14 there were bubbles, the boats were bobbing up and down 00:55:11.17\00:55:13.78 and immediately Tillie Smith remembered 00:55:13.81\00:55:16.51 what her geography teacher had taught her 00:55:16.54\00:55:19.35 and her classmates two weeks before 00:55:19.38\00:55:21.78 signs before a tsunami strikes. 00:55:21.82\00:55:24.75 She saw all the signs and immediately she recognized 00:55:24.79\00:55:28.99 that a tsunami was on its way. 00:55:29.02\00:55:30.63 She went to her mother and father and she told him, 00:55:30.66\00:55:32.73 mom and dad, there is a tsunami coming. 00:55:32.76\00:55:35.23 Whilst, whilst the rest of the beach goers 00:55:35.26\00:55:38.77 were fascinated by what was taking place 00:55:38.80\00:55:41.50 and were out there busy collecting shells 00:55:41.54\00:55:43.81 and everything that had been left behind 00:55:43.84\00:55:46.14 as the water receded. 00:55:46.17\00:55:48.44 Tillie Smith was calling for a warning. 00:55:48.48\00:55:52.18 Her parents took her seriously thank God, 00:55:52.21\00:55:54.68 they gave the warning to the lifeguards, 00:55:54.72\00:55:56.92 they evacuated every single person 00:55:56.95\00:55:59.12 within a matter of minutes. 00:55:59.15\00:56:00.49 And that was one of the only beaches, 00:56:00.52\00:56:02.62 one of the very few beaches 00:56:02.66\00:56:05.56 where not one person lost their lives. 00:56:05.59\00:56:08.56 Tillie Smith gave the warning, she saw the signs, 00:56:08.60\00:56:12.13 she gave the warning and through her act of bravery, 00:56:12.17\00:56:16.07 she saved 100 people, she saved a 100 people. 00:56:16.10\00:56:21.18 Jesus has given us warnings there in His word. 00:56:21.21\00:56:24.58 He wants us to be ready. 00:56:24.61\00:56:26.48 Not just us to be ready, 00:56:26.51\00:56:27.88 He wants us to prepare others to be ready also. 00:56:27.92\00:56:30.75 Would you like to be ready for the coming of Jesus? 00:56:30.79\00:56:32.62 Would you like to be like Tillie Smith 00:56:32.65\00:56:34.56 and encourage others to be ready for the coming of Jesus? 00:56:34.59\00:56:38.39 If that's your desire, 00:56:38.43\00:56:39.76 why don't you join me as we pray. 00:56:39.79\00:56:41.56 Father in heaven, we just want 00:56:41.60\00:56:42.93 to thank You so much for Your word. 00:56:42.96\00:56:44.83 We want to thank You so much for the promises You've given. 00:56:44.87\00:56:47.90 Thank you for the signs You have given 00:56:47.94\00:56:49.37 because You love us and You want us to be ready. 00:56:49.40\00:56:51.57 Bless us now as we, as we continue this journey 00:56:51.61\00:56:55.48 with you Lord, keep us close to You always 00:56:55.51\00:56:58.68 in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 00:56:58.71\00:57:01.48