Greetings and welcome
to Focus on God's Word.
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My name is Danny Milenkov,
and I am blessed to be with you
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in this final message
in this series on Noah.
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Noah, Another Storm is Coming.
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This is part six,
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and we have been journeying
through the story of Noah
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in the Book of Genesis.
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And we have been
thoroughly blessed
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to be partaking of
this extremely important.
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And should I say
extremely relevant message
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for those who are preparing
for the soon return of Jesus.
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So from wherever
you are watching,
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I'm going to give
you a big warm welcome,
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and I'll pray that
you will be richly blessed
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as we open God's Word together
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and meditate on
this beautiful message.
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Those who are
here in the 3ABN studio
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here in Lake Macquarie,
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beautiful New South
Wales here in Australia,
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I wanna also gave
you a big warm welcome,
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and it's great to have you.
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It's great to have
people who are smiling
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and happy to be here.
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And I praise the Lord for that.
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Home at last.
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Home at last, I love that sign
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that as you're exiting
the international departures
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there at Sydney
airport greets you,
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good day, welcome home.
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I just love that
sign as I make my way out
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of the Sydney
International Terminal.
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Why is that?
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Because wherever I
have been in the world
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and I've been blessed
to be in many countries,
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I've had the
privilege of journey
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through Africa
and the Middle East,
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and Europe and North
America, the Pacific Islands.
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I have been thoroughly blessed
in my work to go many places,
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but there is no place like what?
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No place like home,
no place like Australia.
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And every time, every time
I touched down in Australia
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and every time I see that
sign, good day, welcome home.
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I say, thank you,
Jesus that I was born
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and I'm a citizen of Australia
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that in the words of my father,
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he nicknamed a land
flowing with milk and honey.
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Now some of you
are from New Zealand
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who are watching this
and you're thinking, what,
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what about New Zealand?
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We're God's own country.
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Surely that is the
best nation on the planet.
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And I can speak from experience,
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I've lived in New Zealand
for six years, six years.
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That was six of some
of the most blessed years
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of my life.
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And I would live in New
Zealand for the rest of my life.
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The people there are beautiful.
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They're just friendly.
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And if the truth be
told in my humble opinion,
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New Zealanders, Kiwis
as we like to call them
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are friendlier than Australians.
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Can you believe that?
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I know it's impossible,
impossible to fathom,
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but I found that they were
friendlier than our lot here.
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So why don't you live
in New Zealand then, Danny?
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Thank you. Good question.
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Thank you for asking.
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It's because of the...
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It's because of
their hopeless beaches,
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it's their freezing cold weather
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and ultimately being
so far away from my family
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here in Australia.
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So after six years
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we made the
journey back to Australia,
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but they were blessed
years living in New Zealand
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during that time.
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Now, right now, right now,
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as we speak, there
are people, Australians
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who are
desperately trying to get home.
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Isn't that right?
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They're
desperately trying to get home.
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We know what took
place when COVID began
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to just sweep
through our nation,
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sweep through the
world like a tsunami
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and the fear
associated with that.
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The government
put out an urgent call
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to all Australians.
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And there were about
a million Australians
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living overseas
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when COVID first broke
out and they are invited
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by the Australian
government to do what?
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To make their way back
home, to come back home.
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And many took on board
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that opportunity
to come back home.
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But there were some
that decided to stay
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and maybe wait for a better
day and so on and so forth.
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And as the COVID
situation is escalating
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and especially in
some parts of the world,
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we thank God for the way
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it's been held in
check here in Australia.
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We praise the Lord for that
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for our government
leaders and so forth.
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But there are people trying
to scramble back home now,
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and they're finding
it really difficult.
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They're finding it a challenge.
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Home at last.
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Why this series, Danny?
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Why this series on Noah?
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That's because Jesus said,
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"As it was in the days of Noah,
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so it will be before I return."
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We're looking at a
story from 4,500 years ago,
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that has so much
significance to us today.
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Before we pray
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and open up God's Word together,
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let us remind one
another of the three key points
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that come out of the Noah story.
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Firstly, we
discover that the Noah story
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clearly identifies
earth's final generation.
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Secondly,
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the story of Noah enables
us to know and understand
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how we can be ready
when the Son of man returns.
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And thirdly,
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and may I suggest
most important of all,
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it provides instruction
on how we can prepare others
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for Jesus' soon return.
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The story of
Noah, is it important?
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What do you think?
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Absolutely.
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Those four chapters in Genesis,
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those first 11
chapters in Genesis
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spanned 2000
years of human history.
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And in four of those chapters,
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we have the story of
Noah in great detail.
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Now, why does God
go to such great length
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to give us such great
detail in the story of Noah
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in those four chapters?
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It's because
Jesus wants to prepare,
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especially those who are living
at the climax of human history,
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when a stupendous crisis,
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when a storm such as that,
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such as what you and I
cannot even begin to imagine
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will break forth on this world.
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God wants to give us assurance.
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He wants to give us His promises
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that He will be with
us through the final storm
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that will usher in
the coming of Jesus,
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just as He was
with Noah and his family
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during the storm
that he found himself in.
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So before we open
up God's Holy Word,
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once again, what do we
need to do, my friends?
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We need to pray.
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So let's do that
right now. Let's pray.
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Father in heaven,
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we're about to
open up Your Holy Word
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one final time in
this story of Noah.
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Father, we've only
really scratched the surface.
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There is so much more to unpack
from this incredible story
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that You have given
to us in Your Holy Word,
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inspired by Your Holy Spirit.
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So, Father, as Your Holy Spirit
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inspired the
authors of Scripture,
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in particular, Moses
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who penned the words
in the story of Noah.
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So too, we ask and
pray that Your Holy Spirit
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will impress upon
us beautiful truths.
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Truths that are lifesaving,
eternally lifesaving,
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not only for us, but for those
who are near and dear to us,
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our neighbors, our
friends, our entire community,
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who we want to reach with
this final message of Your love
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to prepare them
for Your soon return,
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for we pray this in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen.
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Well, just a quick summary
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before we plunge into this story
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where we have been thus far,
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and if you
haven't had an opportunity
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to watch any of
the previous messages,
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the previous five messages,
I'd encourage you to do that
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in order to be able to
understand more broadly
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the story of Noah
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and the important implications
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and relevance
for our day to day.
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But what we've discovered
in the very first verse
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there in Genesis
Chapter 6, the Bible says,
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"There was a great population
explosion taking place
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on planet earth
during the days of Noah."
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People were living for
almost a thousand years
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during that time.
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So you can imagine,
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ladies, how many
children you could have
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in almost 1000 years?
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Could you imagine?
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You probably don't
want to imagine that,
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do you, Linda,
you're shaking your head.
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You don't want to imagine
having that many children,
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but not only were
they having children,
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but the Bible says
because of this mingling
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of truth and error,
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this mingling of the
righteous line of Seth
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with the
unrighteous line of Cain,
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this comingling
that came together
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the Bible says.
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The earth was corrupt.
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It was filled with violence.
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There was wickedness
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and that's all
that was in the heart
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and the mind of man
was just evil continually.
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And the Bible says that
God was grieved in His heart.
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He was sorry that He
had created human beings.
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I looked at that word
grieved and that word sorry.
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And it literally means
that God's heart was breaking.
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God's heart was breaking
at the sin, the perversion,
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the lawlessness, the immorality,
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the violence, the wickedness,
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everything that
was taking place,
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corruption.
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We discovered
that that word corrupt
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that appears a number of times,
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three times in the account
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is describing
injustice that is taking place.
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It describes the inability
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to distinguish between
the holy and the unholy.
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And so the Bible says
God had no other choice,
00:10:04.03\00:10:08.10
but to eradicate this
sin virus, this cancer
00:10:08.14\00:10:13.27
that had almost overtaken
the entire human population
00:10:13.31\00:10:17.05
and God left it to
the very last moment
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when God only had
literally one witness left,
00:10:21.12\00:10:25.22
one witness left
in all the earth.
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Yes, there were those
that were faithful to God
00:10:28.39\00:10:30.99
as we
discovered like Methuselah,
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who lived for the
longest period of time
00:10:33.13\00:10:35.70
for 969 years.
00:10:35.73\00:10:37.27
And his name was a prophecy.
00:10:37.30\00:10:38.80
When he dies, it
shall come to pass.
00:10:38.83\00:10:41.77
The flood happened the
year that Methuselah died.
00:10:41.80\00:10:44.64
He was a
righteous and a godly man.
00:10:44.67\00:10:46.68
We have Lamech,
the father of Noah
00:10:46.71\00:10:50.15
who died five
years before the flood.
00:10:50.18\00:10:52.08
He too was a righteous man.
00:10:52.11\00:10:53.45
And there were
others that were righteous
00:10:53.48\00:10:55.35
and godly men and women
who died before the flood.
00:10:55.38\00:10:58.75
But when the flood
came, there was only one man
00:10:58.79\00:11:03.12
who by God's grace
00:11:03.16\00:11:04.76
and through the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:11:04.79\00:11:06.80
instructed and
encouraged and invited his wife
00:11:06.83\00:11:10.97
and his boys and their wives,
00:11:11.00\00:11:14.14
eight people in all
to join him on the ark
00:11:14.17\00:11:16.20
with all the animals.
00:11:16.24\00:11:17.84
God left it to
the very last moment.
00:11:17.87\00:11:20.81
And the Bible
says in Genesis 7:23,
00:11:20.84\00:11:26.15
as we pick up the story there.
00:11:26.18\00:11:28.08
"Only Noah and
those who were with him
00:11:28.12\00:11:32.32
in the ark remained alive."
00:11:32.35\00:11:34.16
Noah was a remnant.
00:11:34.19\00:11:35.76
Noah was a remnant.
00:11:35.79\00:11:37.16
And in our previous
message, we discovered
00:11:37.19\00:11:39.29
that God will have a remnant
at the end of time as well,
00:11:39.33\00:11:43.63
as He did with
Noah and his family.
00:11:43.67\00:11:47.90
Well, how did they remain alive?
00:11:47.94\00:11:49.64
Was it through Noah's
incredible engineering skills
00:11:49.67\00:11:54.08
and this boat that he built
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.41
that enabled
them to remain alive
00:11:56.44\00:11:58.71
and to be saved
through the storm?
00:11:58.75\00:12:00.68
No, notice the
heart of the story
00:12:00.72\00:12:04.02
one last time,
00:12:04.05\00:12:05.39
let's be
reminded the very center,
00:12:05.42\00:12:07.16
the very bull's eye
of the story of Noah
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.66
is Genesis 8:1 where we read.
00:12:09.69\00:12:13.16
"Then God remembered Noah,
00:12:13.19\00:12:14.93
and every living
thing and all the animals
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.00
that were with him in the ark.
00:12:17.03\00:12:18.83
And God made a wind
to pass over the earth,
00:12:18.87\00:12:21.34
and the waters subsided."
00:12:21.37\00:12:23.10
God remembered Noah.
00:12:23.14\00:12:26.01
He remembered Noah.
00:12:26.04\00:12:28.04
And let me suggest to you that
00:12:28.08\00:12:31.35
"God remembered
Noah and his family.
00:12:31.38\00:12:34.45
He delivered them
safely through the storm
00:12:34.48\00:12:37.59
to the other side."
00:12:37.62\00:12:39.09
He delivered them
safely through the storm
00:12:39.12\00:12:42.16
to the other side.
00:12:42.19\00:12:43.53
The Lord shut him
in, the Bible says.
00:12:43.56\00:12:46.13
He shut him in.
00:12:46.16\00:12:47.50
He enclosed him.
00:12:47.53\00:12:48.86
He wrapped him in
His arms of protection
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.27
and in His arms of love,
00:12:51.30\00:12:52.77
and Noah was safe and
secure in the hands of God.
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.80
Amen?
00:12:55.84\00:12:57.17
And the storm
came, and the storm left
00:12:57.21\00:13:01.01
and Noah made it
through to the other side.
00:13:01.04\00:13:04.21
Now you may be thinking,
00:13:04.25\00:13:05.58
well, that's all
good and well, Danny,
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.32
for Noah and his family.
00:13:07.35\00:13:08.78
God protect them,
00:13:08.82\00:13:10.15
God saved them
through the storm.
00:13:10.19\00:13:13.39
What about me?
00:13:13.42\00:13:14.76
What about me living
in the third millennium?
00:13:14.79\00:13:17.86
When this world
is falling apart,
00:13:17.89\00:13:20.73
every which way you
look, will God save me?
00:13:20.76\00:13:25.10
Will God save my family
00:13:25.13\00:13:26.94
if they too put their
faith and trust in God?
00:13:26.97\00:13:30.14
Will God preserve us?
00:13:30.17\00:13:31.71
Will God see us
through to the other side?
00:13:31.74\00:13:35.54
I was thinking of
calling this message,
00:13:35.58\00:13:37.68
the other side,
getting to the other side,
00:13:37.71\00:13:40.32
home at last.
00:13:40.35\00:13:43.12
Notice what Jesus
said in Matthew 24:37.
00:13:43.15\00:13:45.92
Let's be reminded of
His words once again.
00:13:45.95\00:13:48.16
Jesus said,
00:13:48.19\00:13:49.52
"But as the days of Noah were,
00:13:49.56\00:13:51.96
so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be."
00:13:51.99\00:13:56.30
And in Luke Chapter
17, Jesus also adds,
00:13:56.33\00:13:59.73
"As it was in the days of Lot,
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.14
so it will be when I return."
00:14:02.17\00:14:05.91
Did God save
Noah and his family?
00:14:05.94\00:14:08.58
Yes, indeed.
00:14:08.61\00:14:10.38
Did God save Lot and his family?
00:14:10.41\00:14:13.21
Yes, indeed.
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.85
God preserved
Noah, God preserved Lot,
00:14:14.88\00:14:18.85
and God will preserve you.
00:14:18.89\00:14:20.52
God will deliver you.
00:14:20.56\00:14:21.89
He will keep you safe.
00:14:21.92\00:14:24.36
So the question is,
00:14:24.39\00:14:25.73
is there really
another storm coming?
00:14:25.76\00:14:30.23
Is there really
another storm coming?
00:14:30.27\00:14:34.40
Let's go to the words
of Jesus for that answer.
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.91
In Luke 21,
00:14:36.94\00:14:38.27
Jesus unpacks signs
concerning His return.
00:14:38.31\00:14:43.95
And at the
conclusion of those signs,
00:14:43.98\00:14:46.51
Jesus describes our world
00:14:46.55\00:14:48.78
just before He returns.
00:14:48.82\00:14:52.89
During the days of Noah,
00:14:52.92\00:14:54.32
this world was
destroyed by a worldwide flood.
00:14:54.36\00:15:00.20
After Jesus has
returned, the Bible says
00:15:00.23\00:15:03.63
and taken those
who remained alive.
00:15:03.67\00:15:06.50
And He saves those
like Noah and his family,
00:15:06.53\00:15:09.44
like Lot and his family
00:15:09.47\00:15:12.07
just as in the days of
Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah
00:15:12.11\00:15:15.24
when God rained fire and
brimstone down from heaven,
00:15:15.28\00:15:17.88
so to this world
at the end of time.
00:15:17.91\00:15:20.05
Before God makes the new
heaven and the new earth,
00:15:20.08\00:15:22.78
this world will be overwhelmed
00:15:22.82\00:15:26.62
and this world will be
flooded with a flood of water,
00:15:26.65\00:15:29.59
or with a flood of fire.
00:15:29.62\00:15:31.13
Not of water,
but a flood of fire.
00:15:31.16\00:15:34.46
Now, before that,
during earth's final crisis,
00:15:34.50\00:15:38.93
notice what we read in Luke 21.
00:15:38.97\00:15:41.40
Luke 21:25-26.
00:15:41.44\00:15:46.34
Luke 21:25-26.
00:15:46.37\00:15:52.21
And this is what it
says, words of Jesus.
00:15:52.25\00:15:55.48
"And there will
be signs in the sun,
00:15:55.52\00:15:57.79
in the moon, and in the stars,
00:15:57.82\00:15:59.55
and on the earth
distress of nation or nations,
00:15:59.59\00:16:03.32
with perplexity, the
seas and the waves roaring,
00:16:03.36\00:16:06.86
men's hearts
failing them from fear
00:16:06.90\00:16:09.70
and the
expectation of those things
00:16:09.73\00:16:11.90
which are coming on the earth,
00:16:11.93\00:16:13.27
for the powers of the
heavens will be shaken."
00:16:13.30\00:16:15.47
Wow!
00:16:15.50\00:16:16.84
What a description of
what life will be like
00:16:16.87\00:16:20.44
immediately prior
to the coming of Jesus.
00:16:20.48\00:16:25.51
Do we find
ourselves living in a time
00:16:25.55\00:16:29.48
where we are having
00:16:29.52\00:16:31.02
more and more
distress of nations?
00:16:31.05\00:16:35.26
Is there more and
more distress of nations?
00:16:35.29\00:16:39.49
Tick.
00:16:39.53\00:16:41.00
What about perplexity?
00:16:41.03\00:16:43.93
Are world
leaders today perplexed
00:16:43.97\00:16:47.97
and not sure and
completely at a loss
00:16:48.00\00:16:51.64
to know how to deal
with the Titanic problems
00:16:51.67\00:16:54.38
that this world faces?
00:16:54.41\00:16:55.74
Yes or no? Absolutely.
00:16:55.78\00:16:57.71
Like at no other
time in human history,
00:16:57.75\00:17:00.05
the nations of the earth,
00:17:00.08\00:17:01.78
the leaders of the
earth are perplexed.
00:17:01.82\00:17:06.42
Perplexed, look that
word up in the dictionary.
00:17:06.45\00:17:09.82
And you'll see that
it's describing life
00:17:09.86\00:17:12.46
in a 21st century, life
in the third millennium.
00:17:12.49\00:17:15.36
Tick to perplexity.
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.97
And then finally Jesus says,
00:17:18.00\00:17:19.43
men's hearts
failing them from fear
00:17:19.47\00:17:23.74
and the
expectation of those things
00:17:23.77\00:17:25.17
that are coming up on the earth.
00:17:25.21\00:17:26.54
Are we living in an age of fear?
00:17:26.57\00:17:29.04
Are people afraid today?
00:17:29.08\00:17:30.75
Do you know
someone who is afraid?
00:17:30.78\00:17:32.85
Have you possibly
experienced emotions of fear?
00:17:32.88\00:17:35.95
We all do.
00:17:35.98\00:17:37.39
We all do.
00:17:37.42\00:17:39.12
Tick, Jesus is
describing life in our day.
00:17:39.15\00:17:43.39
Now what's so significant
about what Jesus has said?
00:17:43.43\00:17:46.73
We go to the words
of Jesus in Matthew 24.
00:17:46.76\00:17:48.93
In Matthew 24,
00:17:48.96\00:17:50.30
Jesus there also gives
signs concerning His coming.
00:17:50.33\00:17:54.67
Luke 21 is the
parallel passage to Matthew 24.
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.31
We've also got the
signs of Jesus' coming in,
00:17:57.34\00:17:59.74
Mark Chapter 13,
00:17:59.77\00:18:01.11
all three gospels share on
the signs of Jesus' coming.
00:18:01.14\00:18:05.21
Notice what Jesus had
to say in Matthew 24:8,
00:18:05.25\00:18:08.55
as He speaks of the
signs of His coming.
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.69
He says, "All these are
the beginning of," what?
00:18:10.72\00:18:14.22
"Sorrows."
00:18:14.26\00:18:15.69
Now that word there
sorrows that Jesus uses
00:18:15.72\00:18:19.33
is the word labor
pains or contractions.
00:18:19.36\00:18:23.30
Now, I don't know too
much about labor pains
00:18:23.33\00:18:26.57
from a personal point of view.
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.90
I've been there to
see my wife deliver
00:18:28.94\00:18:34.64
our two precious
children by God's grace.
00:18:34.68\00:18:38.01
And I was there in
person to watch what took place.
00:18:38.05\00:18:43.02
And I discovered
00:18:43.05\00:18:44.75
something that I had
known only through theory,
00:18:44.79\00:18:47.99
but now I discovered in person
00:18:48.02\00:18:52.53
that those labor pains as
the baby's birth draws near,
00:18:52.56\00:18:57.23
they intensify in frequency
00:18:57.27\00:19:00.74
and severity.
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.24
Isn't that true?
00:19:03.27\00:19:04.94
Isn't that true?
00:19:04.97\00:19:06.31
So what Jesus is saying
in the signs of the times.
00:19:06.34\00:19:10.21
Yes, these things
have always been with us.
00:19:10.25\00:19:13.48
There has
always been perplexity.
00:19:13.52\00:19:15.78
There has always been distress.
00:19:15.82\00:19:17.75
There has always been fear.
00:19:17.79\00:19:19.45
Yes, yes, yes.
00:19:19.49\00:19:20.82
But before I return
just like those labor pains,
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.46
they're going to increase
00:19:24.49\00:19:26.43
with the intensity,
00:19:26.46\00:19:28.10
frequency and intensity.
00:19:28.13\00:19:31.40
So what do we have to do?
00:19:31.43\00:19:32.77
What are we to do as we
see this world falling apart
00:19:32.80\00:19:36.30
more and more?
00:19:36.34\00:19:37.67
As we see more and
more fear and perplexity,
00:19:37.71\00:19:41.21
and anxiety and
distress, what are we to do?
00:19:41.24\00:19:44.31
Let's keep reading.
00:19:44.35\00:19:45.68
Jesus here tells us
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.05
what we are to
do during this time
00:19:47.08\00:19:48.78
when all the powers of
the heavens will be shaken.
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.32
Verse 27, then, notice,
00:19:51.35\00:19:54.66
during this time
in earth's history,
00:19:54.69\00:19:56.89
"Then they will
see the Son of Man
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.46
coming in a cloud
with power and great glory.
00:19:59.49\00:20:02.56
Now when these things
begin to happen," do what?
00:20:02.60\00:20:06.97
Look up, lift up your heads,
00:20:07.00\00:20:09.54
because your
redemption draws near."
00:20:09.57\00:20:12.37
Jesus is saying,
00:20:12.41\00:20:13.84
"When you see this world
falling apart that it seems,
00:20:13.88\00:20:17.31
don't look at
yourself, don't look around,
00:20:17.35\00:20:20.02
you don't look at other
people, but instead do what?
00:20:20.05\00:20:23.22
Look up because your
redemption is drawing near.
00:20:23.25\00:20:26.35
I'm at the door.
00:20:26.39\00:20:27.72
I'm about to come.
00:20:27.76\00:20:29.39
And, my friends, I've said this
before, and I'll say it again.
00:20:29.42\00:20:33.29
And I just want to
share that with you
00:20:33.33\00:20:34.83
out there wherever
you're watching from,
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.80
as I watch what's going on
00:20:37.83\00:20:41.67
in our world right now.
00:20:41.70\00:20:44.14
And as I compare
00:20:44.17\00:20:45.51
what's going on in
the world right now
00:20:45.54\00:20:48.24
with what Jesus said,
00:20:48.28\00:20:49.84
I am coming under
increasing conviction
00:20:49.88\00:20:53.42
day by day, each passing day,
00:20:53.45\00:20:56.35
that we are indeed on the verge
00:20:56.38\00:20:59.85
of the stupendous crisis
that we have just read about
00:20:59.89\00:21:03.46
that Jesus warned us about
00:21:03.49\00:21:05.79
will come on the entire planet.
00:21:05.83\00:21:09.20
And there is only safety
to be found in Jesus Christ.
00:21:09.23\00:21:13.60
Only safety to be
found in Jesus Christ.
00:21:13.64\00:21:16.00
Just like in Noah's day,
00:21:16.04\00:21:17.37
there was only safety
to be found in the ark,
00:21:17.41\00:21:20.38
so too at the end of
time, there will only be safety
00:21:20.41\00:21:24.45
to be found in Jesus Christ.
00:21:24.48\00:21:28.72
A beautiful insight on
what God's people can expect
00:21:28.75\00:21:33.62
during the time of trouble.
00:21:33.66\00:21:35.52
This time from
that apocalyptic classic
00:21:35.56\00:21:38.06
written by Ellen White,
00:21:38.09\00:21:39.86
The Great Controversy.
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.23
At the end of her book,
00:21:41.26\00:21:43.00
she shares this
statement that I came across
00:21:43.03\00:21:45.30
and I thought I have
to share this with you.
00:21:45.33\00:21:47.67
Notice what she writes.
00:21:47.70\00:21:49.80
"The time of trouble
00:21:49.84\00:21:51.87
is a fearful
ordeal for God's people,
00:21:51.91\00:21:55.04
but it is the time
for every true believer
00:21:55.08\00:21:57.81
to look up,"
00:21:57.85\00:21:59.41
using the words of
Jesus that we've just read,
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.58
"and by faith
00:22:01.62\00:22:02.95
he may see the bow of
promise encircling him."
00:22:02.98\00:22:06.72
Wow!
00:22:06.76\00:22:08.82
So when we see all
these things taking place,
00:22:08.86\00:22:11.79
we had to do what?
00:22:11.83\00:22:13.43
We had to do look up.
00:22:13.46\00:22:15.16
And just as we discovered
in our previous message,
00:22:15.20\00:22:19.03
there is a rainbow
that encircles God's throne.
00:22:19.07\00:22:22.34
There is a rainbow
that encircles Jesus Christ,
00:22:22.37\00:22:26.34
who sits on the throne.
00:22:26.37\00:22:27.71
So too we have read
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.24
from these words of inspiration,
00:22:29.28\00:22:31.51
that God will encircle
all of His believing children
00:22:31.55\00:22:35.35
with what?
00:22:35.38\00:22:36.72
A rainbow.
00:22:36.75\00:22:38.12
A rainbow.
00:22:38.15\00:22:39.49
And as someone pointed out to me
00:22:39.52\00:22:41.12
after the previous message,
00:22:41.16\00:22:42.79
how many colors are
there in the rainbow?
00:22:42.82\00:22:44.99
Seven, there are seven
colors in God's rainbow.
00:22:45.03\00:22:50.77
The rainbow encircles,
00:22:50.80\00:22:56.71
embraces,
00:22:56.74\00:22:58.87
and it's a symbol of protection
00:22:58.91\00:23:01.08
and loving embrace,
perfect loving embrace.
00:23:01.11\00:23:04.11
The number seven is
the number of perfection.
00:23:04.15\00:23:07.82
God's perfect love
00:23:07.85\00:23:10.65
through the
symbol of the rainbow
00:23:10.69\00:23:12.72
will wrap around each and
every believing child of His.
00:23:12.75\00:23:18.53
Isn't that beautiful?
00:23:18.56\00:23:20.20
So we have
nothing to be afraid of.
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.66
So let me, let me
make this statement.
00:23:21.70\00:23:24.40
As the trouble
increases in this world,
00:23:24.43\00:23:28.34
our trust in God also increases.
00:23:28.37\00:23:31.54
Amen?
00:23:31.57\00:23:33.78
God's promises to His
end time Noah generation
00:23:33.81\00:23:36.68
during the time of
trouble are precious
00:23:36.71\00:23:41.02
and they are beautifully
articulated in all of Scripture
00:23:41.05\00:23:44.32
and especially in
the Book of Daniel.
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.52
I love Daniel 12:1 notice here
00:23:46.55\00:23:50.93
what Daniel writes.
00:23:50.96\00:23:52.73
At that time, he's
speaking of the time of trouble,
00:23:52.76\00:23:57.10
at the very end of time
on the eve of Jesus coming.
00:23:57.13\00:24:00.94
When the seven last plagues
are about to be poured out
00:24:00.97\00:24:04.21
or during the
seven last plagues.
00:24:04.24\00:24:06.71
At that time,
writes Daniel, Michael,
00:24:06.74\00:24:09.74
that's another
name for Jesus Christ.
00:24:09.78\00:24:11.58
"Michael shall
stand up, the great prince
00:24:11.61\00:24:14.08
who stands watch over
the sons of your people,
00:24:14.12\00:24:16.72
and there shall
be a time of trouble,
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.75
such as never was
since there was a nation,
00:24:18.79\00:24:20.99
even to that time.
00:24:21.02\00:24:22.36
And at that time,
your people shall be what?
00:24:22.39\00:24:25.76
Shall be delivered,
00:24:25.79\00:24:27.13
everyone who is
found written in the book.
00:24:27.16\00:24:31.57
In our previous message
00:24:31.60\00:24:33.70
entitled, will God remember you?
00:24:33.74\00:24:37.87
If you haven't
seen that message,
00:24:37.91\00:24:39.27
I think it was the second part
in this six part Noah series,
00:24:39.31\00:24:42.34
I'd encourage you to watch that.
00:24:42.38\00:24:43.91
We discovered
that God will deliver.
00:24:43.95\00:24:46.82
God remembers His
people and God will see them
00:24:46.85\00:24:50.02
through to the other side.
00:24:50.05\00:24:51.39
And here we are told
that Michael will stand up,
00:24:51.42\00:24:53.66
Jesus Christ
Himself will stand up
00:24:53.69\00:24:56.12
and He will deliver His
faithful end time people,
00:24:56.16\00:24:59.76
just like He
delivered Noah and his family,
00:24:59.79\00:25:02.76
just like God
delivered Lot, so too,
00:25:02.80\00:25:06.47
He will deliver you
and He will deliver me
00:25:06.50\00:25:08.54
if we put our faith
and trust in Him also.
00:25:08.57\00:25:13.07
So let's ask another question.
00:25:13.11\00:25:15.38
How close are we to
the final end time storm
00:25:15.41\00:25:20.52
and deliverance?
00:25:20.55\00:25:21.88
How close are we
00:25:21.92\00:25:23.25
to what we just read from Jesus?
00:25:23.28\00:25:26.39
This time of
perplexity, this time of fear,
00:25:26.42\00:25:29.19
such as the world has never
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.93
before experienced or witnessed.
00:25:30.96\00:25:32.69
How close are we?
00:25:32.73\00:25:34.36
Well, Jesus said
00:25:34.40\00:25:37.13
concerning the
day of His coming.
00:25:37.17\00:25:39.73
"But of that day
and hour, no one knows,
00:25:39.77\00:25:42.20
not even the angels of
heaven, but My Father only."
00:25:42.24\00:25:45.47
So can we know
00:25:45.51\00:25:46.84
when that day will come exactly?
00:25:46.88\00:25:48.98
No, we can't.
00:25:49.01\00:25:50.35
No, we can't.
00:25:50.38\00:25:51.71
But Jesus
balances up this statement
00:25:51.75\00:25:54.38
of not knowing
the exact day or hour
00:25:54.42\00:25:57.09
with another
statement in the same chapter,
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.29
Matthew 24, the signs
of Jesus coming chapter
00:25:59.32\00:26:01.96
with these
words, verses 32 and 33.
00:26:01.99\00:26:03.93
Jesus says,
00:26:03.96\00:26:05.93
"Now learn this
parable from the fig tree:
00:26:05.96\00:26:08.06
When its branch has
already become tender
00:26:08.10\00:26:10.30
and puts forth leaves,
00:26:10.33\00:26:11.67
you know that summer is near."
00:26:11.70\00:26:14.20
He goes on.
00:26:14.24\00:26:15.57
"So you also, when
you see all these things,
00:26:15.60\00:26:18.64
know that it is
near even at the," what?
00:26:18.67\00:26:22.84
"Even at the doors."
00:26:22.88\00:26:24.98
Even at the doors.
00:26:25.01\00:26:28.08
So is the coming of
Jesus near even at the doors?
00:26:28.12\00:26:33.36
As I pointed out earlier,
00:26:33.39\00:26:35.09
I really do
believe in all my heart,
00:26:35.12\00:26:38.26
that the things that
are taking place around us,
00:26:38.29\00:26:40.53
that we can see and hear
00:26:40.56\00:26:43.67
and are
experiencing is telling us
00:26:43.70\00:26:46.30
that the coming of
Jesus is indeed near
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.67
even at the
doors, even at the doors.
00:26:49.70\00:26:52.27
In Matthew 25:6,
Jesus shared a powerful...
00:26:52.31\00:26:57.18
Well in Matthew 25,
00:26:57.21\00:26:58.55
Jesus shared a powerful parable,
00:26:58.58\00:27:00.28
the parable of the 10 virgins,
00:27:00.32\00:27:02.52
a parable designed to prepare
00:27:02.55\00:27:05.99
those who are
waiting for the bridegroom,
00:27:06.02\00:27:07.82
Jesus Christ for His coming.
00:27:07.86\00:27:10.86
This parable of preparation
00:27:10.89\00:27:14.50
has this key scripture
00:27:14.53\00:27:18.47
found in the midst
of it that Jesus gives
00:27:18.50\00:27:21.80
concerning His coming.
00:27:21.84\00:27:23.17
It says in Matthew
25:6, Jesus speaking, he says,
00:27:23.20\00:27:27.44
"And at midnight," at what time?
00:27:27.48\00:27:30.55
"At midnight a cry was heard:
00:27:30.58\00:27:33.15
'Behold, the
bridegroom is coming,
00:27:33.18\00:27:35.72
go out to meet him!'"
00:27:35.75\00:27:37.89
At what time in earth's
history is the cry heard?
00:27:37.92\00:27:42.92
The bridegroom is coming,
go out to meet Him at midnight.
00:27:42.96\00:27:45.93
Why midnight?
00:27:45.96\00:27:47.30
Well, midnight is a
symbol or a metaphor
00:27:47.33\00:27:51.33
that Scripture uses
for the darkest time
00:27:51.37\00:27:54.60
of the night or the
darkest time in human history.
00:27:54.64\00:27:57.54
And we are now
entering that time.
00:27:57.57\00:28:01.68
I find it fascinating
that this midnight metaphor
00:28:01.71\00:28:06.25
has been taken
from the scriptures.
00:28:06.28\00:28:08.72
And today is being used
by a group of scientists
00:28:08.75\00:28:13.32
who have developed
what has become known
00:28:13.36\00:28:15.39
as the doomsday clock.
00:28:15.42\00:28:17.99
The doomsday clock
first initiated in 1947,
00:28:18.03\00:28:23.16
shortly after World War II,
00:28:23.20\00:28:25.53
a group of eminent
scientists well-renowned
00:28:25.57\00:28:29.30
and
well-respected in their field,
00:28:29.34\00:28:30.84
came together
00:28:30.87\00:28:32.21
and they put
together this metaphor
00:28:32.24\00:28:33.91
called the doomsday clock.
00:28:33.94\00:28:36.54
These doomsday
clock is a metaphor
00:28:36.58\00:28:39.11
to help humanity
understand how close we may be
00:28:39.15\00:28:43.32
because of our
actions to midnight,
00:28:43.35\00:28:45.29
which is the end of the world
according to these scientists.
00:28:45.32\00:28:48.92
Now, in case you're wondering
who these scientists are,
00:28:48.96\00:28:51.49
you can look them up on Google
00:28:51.53\00:28:54.06
and you can just
Google doomsday clock.
00:28:54.10\00:28:55.90
And you'll discover that
00:28:55.93\00:28:57.33
there's a dozen
or so Nobel laureates
00:28:57.37\00:29:00.60
amongst these scientists.
00:29:00.64\00:29:01.97
So these are
kind of the who's who
00:29:02.00\00:29:03.51
of the scientific world.
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.61
And based on what's
happening in the world,
00:29:05.64\00:29:08.81
they move the minute
hand either closer to midnight
00:29:08.84\00:29:13.55
and dooms day or further away.
00:29:13.58\00:29:18.12
This was their
statement in 2021,
00:29:18.15\00:29:22.62
their Doomsday Clock Statement.
00:29:22.66\00:29:24.49
This is the headline.
00:29:24.53\00:29:26.63
"This is your
COVID wake-up call:
00:29:26.66\00:29:29.93
It is 100 seconds to midnight."
00:29:29.96\00:29:32.70
Wow!
00:29:32.73\00:29:34.07
We're no longer
minutes to midnight.
00:29:34.10\00:29:35.70
We are now seconds to midnight.
00:29:35.74\00:29:38.31
Notice this doomsday clock
00:29:38.34\00:29:40.24
as it has been moved up and down
00:29:40.28\00:29:42.61
during the years from
its inception in 1947.
00:29:42.64\00:29:45.88
You can see where
the doomsday clock
00:29:45.91\00:29:47.95
first began in 1947,
00:29:47.98\00:29:49.88
about seven minutes to midnight.
00:29:49.92\00:29:52.09
And it's been going
down and up and down
00:29:52.12\00:29:56.06
during that period of
time until we get to 1991.
00:29:56.09\00:29:59.46
Until we get to
1991, and from 1991,
00:29:59.49\00:30:03.16
it's heading in
only one direction.
00:30:03.20\00:30:04.63
And what direction is that?
00:30:04.67\00:30:06.70
That's down, that's south.
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.77
And that is where our
world has been heading
00:30:08.80\00:30:11.17
in the past three decades or so.
00:30:11.21\00:30:14.61
We have been heading south.
00:30:14.64\00:30:17.61
The doomsday clock back in 2018
00:30:17.65\00:30:21.32
was brought down to
two minutes to midnight.
00:30:21.35\00:30:23.72
It was two minutes to
midnight at a previous time.
00:30:23.75\00:30:26.35
That was the lowest.
00:30:26.39\00:30:28.49
Then it was two
minutes to midnight
00:30:28.52\00:30:29.92
again the following year.
00:30:29.96\00:30:31.29
Every January, they
update the doomsday clock.
00:30:31.33\00:30:34.86
And then in 2021
and 2020, they said,
00:30:34.90\00:30:39.30
"It's no longer
two minutes midnight,
00:30:39.33\00:30:40.87
now it's 100
seconds to midnight."
00:30:40.90\00:30:44.17
We are getting very, very
close to that midnight hour.
00:30:44.21\00:30:48.04
And Jesus said,
00:30:48.08\00:30:49.41
"When you see all
these things, look up
00:30:49.44\00:30:51.51
because your
redemption is drawing near."
00:30:51.55\00:30:53.98
After having
observed what is taking place,
00:30:54.02\00:30:57.82
this is the
conclusion I have come to.
00:30:57.85\00:31:00.96
The COVID-19 pandemic
00:31:00.99\00:31:03.99
has clearly revealed
00:31:04.03\00:31:05.43
the fault lines
that have existed
00:31:05.46\00:31:07.13
beneath the
surface of our world.
00:31:07.16\00:31:10.00
Our world has been
steadily deteriorating.
00:31:10.03\00:31:12.60
The pandemic has
been instrumental
00:31:12.63\00:31:14.70
in simply bringing to light
00:31:14.74\00:31:16.27
how fractured and
broken our planet is.
00:31:16.30\00:31:19.71
That's been my observation.
00:31:19.74\00:31:23.04
I'm going to take a look
at some of these labor pains
00:31:23.08\00:31:25.41
that Jesus spoke of
these end time labor pains.
00:31:25.45\00:31:29.38
We don't have time to
unpack each and every one.
00:31:29.42\00:31:31.45
I just kind of
list them for you.
00:31:31.49\00:31:33.52
These end time
labor pains that have been
00:31:33.56\00:31:35.46
intensifying in
frequency and intensity,
00:31:35.49\00:31:38.63
natural disasters, pandemics,
00:31:38.66\00:31:40.46
do we need to say
anything about pandemics?
00:31:40.50\00:31:43.20
Wars and rumors of
wars, economic uncertainty,
00:31:43.23\00:31:46.30
social and moral disintegration,
00:31:46.33\00:31:49.24
which we've looked at.
00:31:49.27\00:31:50.87
Prophetic
religious developments,
00:31:50.91\00:31:52.84
well, we could
spend a whole hour
00:31:52.87\00:31:54.54
or two on just that.
00:31:54.58\00:31:56.98
And those who are deceived
into a false sense of security.
00:31:57.01\00:32:01.05
This is what we have
taking place right now.
00:32:01.08\00:32:04.72
And it is growing exponentially.
00:32:04.75\00:32:07.66
The train is speeding
up more and more and more.
00:32:07.69\00:32:11.89
We see all these
things taking place
00:32:11.93\00:32:13.80
and we are like
someone said to me,
00:32:13.83\00:32:16.26
after one of the presentations,
00:32:16.30\00:32:17.63
we are like that frog.
00:32:17.67\00:32:19.37
We're like that frog.
00:32:19.40\00:32:20.74
You put the frog in cold water,
00:32:20.77\00:32:24.81
and you turn up the heat
on that frog little by little,
00:32:24.84\00:32:28.91
and what's going to
happen to that frog?
00:32:28.94\00:32:31.25
It's gonna boil to death.
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.21
Whereas if you take
that frog from cold water
00:32:33.25\00:32:36.38
and you put it
immediately into boiling water,
00:32:36.42\00:32:38.82
what's the frog gonna do?
00:32:38.85\00:32:40.19
It's gonna jump out.
00:32:40.22\00:32:42.32
But when you turn up the heat
00:32:42.36\00:32:43.86
little by little
by, little by little,
00:32:43.89\00:32:46.90
the frog gets
comfortable and nice and warm
00:32:46.93\00:32:52.00
and nice and warmer.
00:32:52.03\00:32:54.07
And until it, it's a bit like,
00:32:54.10\00:32:56.57
it's a bit like those who suffer
00:32:56.60\00:32:59.17
when they're in the
cold and what's that called?
00:32:59.21\00:33:01.54
Hypothermia.
00:33:01.58\00:33:02.91
Hypothermia.
00:33:02.94\00:33:04.28
I've never
suffered from hypothermia,
00:33:04.31\00:33:05.65
but they tell me that
00:33:05.68\00:33:07.12
those who are
experiencing hypothermia,
00:33:07.15\00:33:10.12
which as we know is deadly,
00:33:10.15\00:33:12.22
they experience
a beautiful warmth.
00:33:12.25\00:33:16.99
And unless they
snap out of that warmth,
00:33:17.03\00:33:20.40
that they
eventually go to sleep in
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.10
and lose consciousness.
00:33:22.13\00:33:23.67
And then ultimately
die from, they will die.
00:33:23.70\00:33:28.50
Feeling warm
and fuzzy and cuddly
00:33:28.54\00:33:30.54
is not necessarily
always a good sign.
00:33:30.57\00:33:35.01
And sadly Jesus
described in Luke 21,
00:33:35.04\00:33:38.45
a world that was
focused on the here and now,
00:33:38.48\00:33:42.85
here for a good
time and not a long time.
00:33:42.88\00:33:44.65
Notice what we
read in Luke 21:34-36.
00:33:44.69\00:33:48.39
Jesus says,
00:33:48.42\00:33:49.99
"But take heed to yourselves,
00:33:50.03\00:33:51.79
lest your hearts be
weighed down with carousing,
00:33:51.83\00:33:54.70
drunkenness, and
the cares of this life,
00:33:54.73\00:33:57.30
and that Day come on you," what?
00:33:57.33\00:33:59.70
"Unexpectedly."
00:33:59.73\00:34:01.07
He goes on,
00:34:01.10\00:34:02.50
"For it will come as a snare
00:34:02.54\00:34:04.37
on all those who dwell on
the face of the whole earth.
00:34:04.41\00:34:08.01
Watch therefore, and pray always
00:34:08.04\00:34:10.15
that you may be counted worthy
to escape all these things
00:34:10.18\00:34:13.15
that will come to pass,
00:34:13.18\00:34:14.52
and to stand
before the Son of Man."
00:34:14.55\00:34:16.48
What did Jesus say?
00:34:16.52\00:34:18.62
He said, watch, watch,
because just before I come,
00:34:18.65\00:34:23.53
they will be eating
and drinking and marrying
00:34:23.56\00:34:26.83
and giving in marriage,
and buying and selling,
00:34:26.86\00:34:29.56
and planting and building
00:34:29.60\00:34:30.97
according to the words of Jesus
00:34:31.00\00:34:32.97
continued the days of
Noah and the days of Lot,
00:34:33.00\00:34:37.07
and it will come upon them what?
00:34:37.11\00:34:39.41
Unexpectedly.
00:34:39.44\00:34:41.54
Unexpectedly,
00:34:41.58\00:34:43.68
We need to be careful
00:34:43.71\00:34:45.88
that we are not deceived.
00:34:45.91\00:34:48.18
How did sin enter this world?
00:34:48.22\00:34:50.72
Through deception.
00:34:50.75\00:34:52.45
The one whose name is the devil,
00:34:52.49\00:34:56.32
who is a deceiver, a destroyer.
00:34:56.36\00:35:00.80
The world had sin come
into it through deception,
00:35:00.83\00:35:06.30
and the final attack
will be on deception.
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.87
And the only way to remain
undeceived, my dear friends,
00:35:08.90\00:35:11.87
is to spend time in this book,
00:35:11.91\00:35:14.14
spend time in this
book called the Bible.
00:35:14.18\00:35:17.61
As someone once pointed out
00:35:17.65\00:35:19.11
Bible, that stands for
00:35:19.15\00:35:20.48
Basic Instructions
Before Leaving Earth.
00:35:20.52\00:35:24.35
These are the basic instructions
00:35:24.39\00:35:25.85
that God has given us.
00:35:25.89\00:35:27.22
I want to encourage you
more time in the Holy Word,
00:35:27.26\00:35:30.83
less time with Hollywood,
00:35:30.86\00:35:32.73
and someone
should have said amen.
00:35:32.76\00:35:34.53
Yeah.
00:35:34.56\00:35:35.90
Spend more time with
your face in God's book
00:35:35.93\00:35:39.23
and maybe a little
less time on Facebook.
00:35:39.27\00:35:42.87
Have you heard of Facebook?
00:35:42.90\00:35:44.74
Anyone here, anyone out
there heard of Facebook?
00:35:44.77\00:35:48.31
The enemy doesn't care
00:35:48.34\00:35:49.68
how he keeps us
away from God's Word,
00:35:49.71\00:35:52.25
how he keeps us
away from Christ,
00:35:52.28\00:35:54.38
how he keeps us from preparing
00:35:54.42\00:35:58.62
for what is
coming upon the world
00:35:58.65\00:36:00.32
as an overwhelming surprise.
00:36:00.36\00:36:01.99
The enemy doesn't care
00:36:02.02\00:36:03.63
how he does that
as long as he does.
00:36:03.66\00:36:08.43
Let us not be deceived.
00:36:08.46\00:36:10.20
We don't need to be deceived.
00:36:10.23\00:36:12.37
Jesus spent so much time
in the signs of the times
00:36:12.40\00:36:16.24
focusing on
deception, don't be deceived.
00:36:16.27\00:36:18.91
Don't be deceived
over and over again.
00:36:18.94\00:36:20.74
Jesus says don't be deceived.
00:36:20.78\00:36:25.01
The Apostle Paul
speaks of watching and waiting
00:36:25.05\00:36:28.25
for the coming of Jesus.
00:36:28.28\00:36:30.25
In 1 Thessalonians
5:1-6, he writes these words
00:36:30.29\00:36:35.59
to the believers in Thessalonica
00:36:35.62\00:36:36.99
which are words that
we need to heed today.
00:36:37.03\00:36:40.06
"But concerning the
times and the seasons,
00:36:40.10\00:36:41.90
brethren, you have no need
that I should write to you.
00:36:41.93\00:36:45.70
For you
yourselves know perfectly
00:36:45.73\00:36:47.77
that the day of the
Lord so comes as a," what?
00:36:47.80\00:36:51.17
"A thief in the night."
00:36:51.21\00:36:52.54
Unexpectedly, he goes on.
00:36:52.57\00:36:53.94
"For when they say," what?
00:36:53.98\00:36:56.04
"Peace and safety."
00:36:56.08\00:36:58.05
Wow.
00:36:58.08\00:36:59.41
Are our government,
00:36:59.45\00:37:00.82
world leaders today
calling for peace and safety?
00:37:00.85\00:37:05.22
Are they saying, we need to act
00:37:05.25\00:37:08.42
in order that they
may be peace and safety?
00:37:08.46\00:37:10.39
Is everyone seeking a world
00:37:10.43\00:37:13.83
that will go back
to some kind of normal?
00:37:13.86\00:37:16.16
Are we talking
about a new normal?
00:37:16.20\00:37:17.53
Yes, we are.
00:37:17.57\00:37:18.90
But we're talking
about normal still.
00:37:18.93\00:37:20.27
We want things to
go back to normal.
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.64
We want peace and safety.
00:37:21.67\00:37:23.47
That's the time
we're living in right now.
00:37:23.51\00:37:25.54
A time when they're
crying out peace and safety.
00:37:25.57\00:37:27.98
He goes on, "Then sudden," what?
00:37:28.01\00:37:31.71
"Destruction comes
upon them as," what?
00:37:31.75\00:37:34.38
"Labor pains,"
there's that metaphor,
00:37:34.42\00:37:36.52
that analogy that Jesus used,
00:37:36.55\00:37:38.59
"upon a pregnant woman
and they shall not escape."
00:37:38.62\00:37:41.39
And he goes on,
00:37:41.42\00:37:42.79
"But you, brethren,
are not in darkness,
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.59
so that this Day,"
00:37:44.63\00:37:46.23
speaking of the second coming,
00:37:46.26\00:37:47.73
"should overtake you as a thief.
00:37:47.76\00:37:50.33
You are all sons of
light and sons of the day.
00:37:50.37\00:37:52.87
We are not of the
night nor of darkness."
00:37:52.90\00:37:55.30
And he finishes off by saying,
00:37:55.34\00:37:56.67
"Therefore let us not," do what?
00:37:56.71\00:37:59.07
"Sleep as others
do, but let us," what?
00:37:59.11\00:38:02.34
"Watch, watch, watch."
00:38:02.38\00:38:05.48
Jesus over and over again
says, watch, watch, watch.
00:38:05.51\00:38:10.55
The Apostle Paul says watch.
00:38:10.59\00:38:13.89
And the final
time the word watch
00:38:13.92\00:38:16.19
appears in the New Testament.
00:38:16.22\00:38:17.59
It appears almost
two dozen times that word
00:38:17.63\00:38:20.16
is in the Book of Revelation.
00:38:20.20\00:38:21.63
The last time the
word watch appears
00:38:21.66\00:38:24.17
and notice who is
speaking that word?
00:38:24.20\00:38:26.43
It is Jesus Himself.
00:38:26.47\00:38:27.80
Revelation 16:15,
Jesus speaking and He says,
00:38:27.84\00:38:32.07
"Behold, I am
coming as a," what?
00:38:32.11\00:38:34.91
"As a thief."
There's that metaphor again.
00:38:34.94\00:38:37.15
"Blessed is he who," does what?
00:38:37.18\00:38:39.51
"Watches and keeps his garments,
00:38:39.55\00:38:41.42
lest he walk naked
and they see his shame."
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.52
What does Jesus say?
00:38:44.55\00:38:46.52
He says, "Watch."
00:38:46.55\00:38:47.89
And it's
fascinating that Jesus here
00:38:47.92\00:38:50.93
uses the language of
Revelation Chapter 3,
00:38:50.96\00:38:55.26
the language that Jesus shares
00:38:55.30\00:38:57.50
with His church of
Laodicea, the final church
00:38:57.53\00:39:00.64
before Jesus
comes that is lukewarm,
00:39:00.67\00:39:02.90
that is neither hot
nor cold, but is lukewarm.
00:39:02.94\00:39:06.71
And Jesus says,
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.84
I'm giving you My
robes of righteousness
00:39:08.88\00:39:13.28
that may cover your
nakedness and your filthy shame.
00:39:13.31\00:39:16.72
And here Jesus says,
00:39:16.75\00:39:18.69
put on My robe so that
you may not walk naked.
00:39:18.72\00:39:22.86
This is especially
a message to Laodicea.
00:39:22.89\00:39:26.63
A final message
from Jesus to watch.
00:39:26.66\00:39:29.66
And if you are part of Laodicea,
00:39:29.70\00:39:31.67
if you are living in
God's final end time church,
00:39:31.70\00:39:35.64
my dear friend, this
is a message for you,
00:39:35.67\00:39:37.64
this is a message for me.
00:39:37.67\00:39:39.01
This is a message
for the whole world.
00:39:39.04\00:39:41.14
But we need to take heed
00:39:41.18\00:39:43.24
to the words of
Jesus, watch, watch, watch.
00:39:43.28\00:39:45.58
Jesus also
speaks of labor pains.
00:39:45.61\00:39:49.02
We read them in
Paul's, in Paul's writings,
00:39:49.05\00:39:52.15
labor pains, labor pains.
00:39:52.19\00:39:53.76
They come upon you what?
00:39:53.79\00:39:55.12
Unexpectedly.
00:39:55.16\00:39:56.49
A woman knows
that she's pregnant.
00:39:56.52\00:39:57.89
She knows that she's
going to give birth some day,
00:39:57.93\00:40:00.83
but does she
knows exactly the moment
00:40:00.86\00:40:03.40
when the waters will break
and she will enter into labor?
00:40:03.43\00:40:05.37
No, she doesn't.
00:40:05.40\00:40:06.74
She's got no idea when
that's going to happen.
00:40:06.77\00:40:08.10
That happens
suddenly, unexpectedly,
00:40:08.14\00:40:11.94
but as every mother
or expectant mother knows
00:40:11.97\00:40:17.35
the pain is
followed by the what?
00:40:17.38\00:40:20.85
The joy.
00:40:20.88\00:40:23.65
The storm is
followed by the deliverance.
00:40:23.69\00:40:27.22
That's why we call
it delivering a baby.
00:40:27.26\00:40:31.79
Well, that's why I call it that.
00:40:31.83\00:40:33.53
Have a look at what Jesus said.
00:40:33.56\00:40:35.13
Have a look at what
Jesus said in John Chapter 16.
00:40:35.16\00:40:38.07
Beautiful
promise, beautiful promise.
00:40:38.10\00:40:40.87
He shares this
with His disciples.
00:40:40.90\00:40:42.27
John 16:20-22.
00:40:42.30\00:40:46.14
He's speaking to His
disciples on the night
00:40:46.17\00:40:48.18
before His crucifixion.
00:40:48.21\00:40:49.98
"Most assuredly, I say to you
that you will weep and lament,
00:40:50.01\00:40:53.92
but the world will rejoice
and you will be sorrowful,
00:40:53.95\00:40:56.32
but your sorrow
will be turned to," what?
00:40:56.35\00:40:58.59
"Into joy."
00:40:58.62\00:40:59.95
He goes on,
00:40:59.99\00:41:01.32
"A woman, when she is in labor,
00:41:01.36\00:41:03.53
has sorrow
because her hour has come,
00:41:03.56\00:41:05.96
but as soon as she has
given birth to the child,
00:41:05.99\00:41:08.73
she no longer
remembers the anguish,
00:41:08.76\00:41:11.07
for joy that a human being
has been born into the world."
00:41:11.10\00:41:14.24
And he finishes off with,
00:41:14.27\00:41:16.27
"Therefore, you
now have sorrow,"
00:41:16.30\00:41:19.21
but I will do what?
00:41:19.24\00:41:21.01
"I will see you again
and your heart will rejoice,
00:41:21.04\00:41:23.78
and your joy no one
will take from you."
00:41:23.81\00:41:27.78
Were these words fulfilled?
00:41:27.82\00:41:30.09
Yes.
00:41:30.12\00:41:31.45
Did Jesus rise
from the dead? Yes.
00:41:31.49\00:41:34.36
Were the disciples
filled with sorrow and grief
00:41:34.39\00:41:38.53
when they saw
their Lord and Savior,
00:41:38.56\00:41:40.60
the one who they put
their faith and trust
00:41:40.63\00:41:42.66
and when they saw Him crucified?
00:41:42.70\00:41:44.33
Yes.
00:41:44.37\00:41:45.70
But did their
sorrow turned to joy?
00:41:45.73\00:41:48.17
Yes.
00:41:48.20\00:41:49.54
Will those who
experience a time of trouble
00:41:49.57\00:41:51.44
such as the
world has never known
00:41:51.47\00:41:53.34
before, who are
God's end time people,
00:41:53.38\00:41:57.28
who are harassed
and mocked, and scoffed
00:41:57.31\00:42:00.62
and persecuted
00:42:00.65\00:42:01.98
according to the
Book of Revelation
00:42:02.02\00:42:03.35
by the world
00:42:03.39\00:42:04.72
for their
faithfulness to Jesus Christ
00:42:04.75\00:42:06.09
and His commandments?
00:42:06.12\00:42:08.29
Will they, those oppressed,
00:42:08.32\00:42:11.59
persecuted children of God
00:42:11.63\00:42:14.80
who have
experienced a great sorrow
00:42:14.83\00:42:16.93
such as we cannot
even begin to imagine now,
00:42:16.97\00:42:19.97
will they who experienced
that at the end of time
00:42:20.00\00:42:22.64
also experienced the
great joy when Jesus comes?
00:42:22.67\00:42:26.34
Yes, yes, yes.
00:42:26.37\00:42:30.25
We don't need to be afraid.
00:42:30.28\00:42:32.18
We do not need to be
afraid of the coming storm.
00:42:32.21\00:42:36.48
Those that put their
faith and trust in Jesus
00:42:36.52\00:42:39.49
can rest assured
00:42:39.52\00:42:41.46
in His loving nail scarred hands
00:42:41.49\00:42:45.19
that have promised,
00:42:45.23\00:42:46.56
I'll never leave
you nor forsake you,
00:42:46.59\00:42:48.50
I'll be with you always
even to the end of time.
00:42:48.53\00:42:52.87
These words that Jesus
shared with His disciples
00:42:52.90\00:42:55.24
on the eve of His own storm,
00:42:55.27\00:42:58.71
beyond what we can
comprehend for us today.
00:42:58.74\00:43:03.75
Further on in John 16,
00:43:03.78\00:43:06.45
Jesus shared these
words with His disciples
00:43:06.48\00:43:09.88
concerning His own experience
00:43:09.92\00:43:11.82
and what awaited Him.
00:43:11.85\00:43:13.52
John 16:32-33, Jesus said,
00:43:13.56\00:43:15.86
"Indeed, the hour is coming,
00:43:15.89\00:43:17.76
yes, has now come
that you will be scattered,
00:43:17.79\00:43:21.13
each to his own,
and will leave Me alone.
00:43:21.16\00:43:23.70
And yet I am not alone," why?
00:43:23.73\00:43:26.33
"Because the Father is with Me.
00:43:26.37\00:43:28.54
These things I've spoken to you
that in Me you may have," what?
00:43:28.57\00:43:32.57
"Peace.
00:43:32.61\00:43:33.94
In the world you
will have tribulation,
00:43:33.98\00:43:35.64
but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world."
00:43:35.68\00:43:40.18
I have overcome the world.
00:43:40.22\00:43:41.65
Jesus here shares
with us two realities.
00:43:41.68\00:43:46.89
Number one, in the
world you will have what?
00:43:46.92\00:43:49.26
Tribulations.
00:43:49.29\00:43:50.99
Is that news to anyone here?
00:43:51.03\00:43:53.19
No.
00:43:53.23\00:43:55.00
But he says reality number two,
00:43:55.03\00:43:57.93
look up because in Me,
in Me, you'll have peace.
00:43:57.97\00:44:03.14
Peace in the storms of
life, peace in the coming storm.
00:44:03.17\00:44:07.68
If you have the
Prince of Peace in your boat,
00:44:07.71\00:44:10.61
you can smile at the storm.
00:44:10.65\00:44:12.71
You can smile at the storm,
no matter what comes your way,
00:44:12.75\00:44:15.72
no matter what comes my way,
00:44:15.75\00:44:17.89
with Jesus in my vessel
I can smile at the storm
00:44:17.92\00:44:22.26
because we are sailing home.
00:44:22.29\00:44:24.33
Amen?
00:44:24.36\00:44:25.69
We are almost home.
00:44:25.73\00:44:27.06
And what will home look like?
00:44:27.10\00:44:29.06
Well, Jesus told us
00:44:29.10\00:44:30.43
He's going to
prepare a home for us.
00:44:30.47\00:44:32.80
Let's take a look
at John Chapter 14,
00:44:32.83\00:44:35.40
where Jesus gives
this beautiful promise
00:44:35.44\00:44:37.71
of the other side.
00:44:37.74\00:44:39.07
John 14:1-3 these
beloved words from Jesus.
00:44:39.11\00:44:42.38
Again on the eve
of His crucifixion,
00:44:42.41\00:44:45.21
He shares with His
disciples and all of us.
00:44:45.25\00:44:46.98
"Let not your
hearts be troubled,
00:44:47.02\00:44:48.88
you believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:44:48.92\00:44:51.25
In my Father's house are,"
00:44:51.29\00:44:52.89
how many mansions?
00:44:52.92\00:44:54.29
"Many mansions,
if it were not so,
00:44:54.32\00:44:56.22
I would have told you.
00:44:56.26\00:44:57.59
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.79
And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will do," what?
00:44:59.83\00:45:03.30
"I will come again
and receive you to Myself,
00:45:03.33\00:45:06.30
that where I am
there, you may be also."
00:45:06.33\00:45:10.87
Good news, Jesus
is coming back soon.
00:45:10.91\00:45:14.08
Not I might
come, not I may come,
00:45:14.11\00:45:17.01
but I will come
again to take you
00:45:17.05\00:45:20.12
that you may be with Me
00:45:20.15\00:45:21.65
so that where I
am, you may also be.
00:45:21.68\00:45:24.99
Jesus talked and
described His second coming
00:45:25.02\00:45:29.32
in Matthew 24:30-31.
00:45:29.36\00:45:33.63
He shared that when He comes,
00:45:33.66\00:45:35.00
there will only be two
groups, only two groups.
00:45:35.03\00:45:37.17
Just like in Noah's
day, there were two groups.
00:45:37.20\00:45:39.43
When Jesus comes, there
will only be two groups.
00:45:39.47\00:45:41.34
And here are the words of Jesus.
00:45:41.37\00:45:44.17
"Then the sign of the Son of Man
00:45:44.21\00:45:45.77
will appear in heaven,
00:45:45.81\00:45:47.31
and then all the tribes
of the earth will," do what?
00:45:47.34\00:45:50.05
"They will
mourn, and they will see
00:45:50.08\00:45:51.61
the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven
00:45:51.65\00:45:53.42
with power and great glory.
00:45:53.45\00:45:55.55
And He will send His angels
00:45:55.58\00:45:57.05
with a great sound of a trumpet,
00:45:57.09\00:45:58.65
and they will
gather together His elect
00:45:58.69\00:46:01.32
from the four winds,
00:46:01.36\00:46:02.69
from one end of
heaven to the other."
00:46:02.72\00:46:04.73
When Jesus comes, there
will only be two groups.
00:46:04.76\00:46:09.36
One group will mourn.
00:46:09.40\00:46:11.60
The other group
00:46:11.63\00:46:13.13
are described as the elect.
00:46:13.17\00:46:17.67
This is what the group
00:46:17.71\00:46:19.27
who will mourn, those
who are lost will say.
00:46:19.31\00:46:22.64
We have the words
of what they will say
00:46:22.68\00:46:24.91
from the Book of Revelation
00:46:24.95\00:46:26.28
when they see Jesus
coming in the clouds of heaven.
00:46:26.31\00:46:30.12
John the Revelator
describes their response
00:46:30.15\00:46:32.62
when they see Jesus come.
00:46:32.65\00:46:35.06
"Then the sky
receded as a scroll
00:46:35.09\00:46:37.16
when it is rolled up,
00:46:37.19\00:46:38.53
and every mountain and island
was moved out of its place."
00:46:38.56\00:46:41.13
He goes on in verse 15
of Revelation Chapter 6,
00:46:41.16\00:46:43.90
"And the kings of the earth,
the great men, the rich men,
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.60
the commanders, the mighty men,
every slave and every free man
00:46:46.63\00:46:49.67
hid themselves in the caves
00:46:49.70\00:46:51.27
and in the
rocks of the mountains
00:46:51.31\00:46:53.24
and said to the
mountains and the rocks,"
00:46:53.27\00:46:55.51
notice what they cry out,
00:46:55.54\00:46:56.98
"Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:46:57.01\00:47:00.85
who sits on the throne
00:47:00.88\00:47:02.22
and from the wrath of the Lamb!
00:47:02.25\00:47:04.65
For the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:47:04.69\00:47:07.32
and who is able to stand?"
00:47:07.36\00:47:09.49
Hide us.
00:47:09.52\00:47:11.23
Hide us.
00:47:11.26\00:47:14.36
Who is able to stand I ask.
00:47:14.40\00:47:16.73
And in the
following verses in Chapter 7,
00:47:16.77\00:47:19.10
as we discovered in
our previous message.
00:47:19.13\00:47:21.34
Those who are able to stand
00:47:21.37\00:47:22.87
are those who are sealed by God.
00:47:22.90\00:47:25.77
Those who have
been shut in by God
00:47:25.81\00:47:28.14
and His mercy and His love,
00:47:28.18\00:47:29.51
just like Noah
was shut in by God
00:47:29.54\00:47:32.55
when the storm came,
00:47:32.58\00:47:34.02
they will be able to stand
00:47:34.05\00:47:35.38
because they
have stood for Christ,
00:47:35.42\00:47:37.42
they have stood by Christ,
and they have stood for God
00:47:37.45\00:47:42.26
and His principles
of love in His Word.
00:47:42.29\00:47:44.73
But there'll be
another group, another group.
00:47:44.76\00:47:46.70
When they see Jesus come,
00:47:46.73\00:47:48.16
they will not cry for
the rocks to fall on them,
00:47:48.20\00:47:52.00
but they will cry out
something altogether opposite.
00:47:52.03\00:47:55.70
Notice what Isaiah
describes in Isaiah 25:9.
00:47:55.74\00:48:00.28
"And it will be
said in that day,"
00:48:00.31\00:48:01.78
speaking of the
coming of Jesus, behold,
00:48:01.81\00:48:04.55
this is what the
elect will cry out.
00:48:04.58\00:48:06.48
"Behold, this is our
God, we have waited for Him,
00:48:06.51\00:48:10.09
and He will do," what?
00:48:10.12\00:48:11.59
"He will save us.
00:48:11.62\00:48:12.95
This is the Lord,
we have waited for Him,
00:48:12.99\00:48:16.42
we will be glad and
rejoice in His salvation."
00:48:16.46\00:48:20.60
Two groups at the end of
time, one group will mourn.
00:48:20.63\00:48:24.40
The other group will do what?
00:48:24.43\00:48:26.23
They'll rejoice.
00:48:26.27\00:48:28.10
They'll rejoice.
00:48:28.14\00:48:30.44
Jesus will have
something to say to both groups.
00:48:30.47\00:48:36.01
Notice to those that
mourn, those who are lost,
00:48:36.04\00:48:40.15
the sad and tragic words
00:48:40.18\00:48:42.02
that Jesus will share
with them on that day.
00:48:42.05\00:48:45.25
Matthew records
the words of Jesus
00:48:45.29\00:48:48.02
in verse 7, 7:23,
00:48:48.06\00:48:51.06
Jesus will say
these most sad words
00:48:51.09\00:48:54.76
that have ever been
uttered by Jesus Christ.
00:48:54.80\00:48:57.73
"I never knew
you, depart from Me,
00:48:57.77\00:49:00.64
you who practice lawlessness!"
00:49:00.67\00:49:02.20
I never knew
you. I never knew you.
00:49:02.24\00:49:04.17
But to the saved, to the elect,
this is what Jesus will say.
00:49:07.44\00:49:12.25
Once again, Matthew
records the words of Jesus
00:49:12.28\00:49:15.45
in Matthew 25:34,
00:49:15.48\00:49:18.25
where Jesus will say to
them, those that have looked up
00:49:18.29\00:49:20.89
and said,
behold, this is our God.
00:49:20.92\00:49:22.72
He has come to save us.
00:49:22.76\00:49:24.09
Jesus will say
to them, the elect
00:49:24.13\00:49:26.43
"Come, you blessed of My Father,
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.16
inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:49:29.20\00:49:32.00
from the
foundation of the world."
00:49:32.03\00:49:34.94
Jesus is coming back.
00:49:34.97\00:49:37.11
He's coming back.
00:49:37.14\00:49:38.64
He is coming back,
and He's coming back soon.
00:49:38.67\00:49:41.68
And He wants you and
me, He wants all of us,
00:49:41.71\00:49:44.68
He wants you out
there who are watching
00:49:44.71\00:49:46.38
wherever you
may be watching from
00:49:46.41\00:49:47.95
to be ready, to be prepared,
00:49:47.98\00:49:49.88
to be part of His new
world that He will create.
00:49:49.92\00:49:54.29
And we have a
description of the new world
00:49:54.32\00:49:56.86
that Jesus will create
00:49:56.89\00:49:58.89
when sin has been
vanquished forever more.
00:49:58.93\00:50:01.80
John the Revelator describes
00:50:01.83\00:50:05.17
what this new
world will look like
00:50:05.20\00:50:07.87
and what will be
the experience of those
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.87
that inhabit the new
world, In Revelation 21:1-5.
00:50:10.91\00:50:14.71
We read these
words. John writes.
00:50:14.74\00:50:16.31
"Now I saw a new
heaven and a new earth,
00:50:16.34\00:50:18.75
for the first heaven
00:50:18.78\00:50:20.12
and the first
earth had passed away.
00:50:20.15\00:50:21.48
Also there was no more sea.
00:50:21.52\00:50:24.02
Then I, John,
00:50:24.05\00:50:25.39
saw the holy
city, New Jerusalem,
00:50:25.42\00:50:27.42
coming down out
of heaven from God,
00:50:27.46\00:50:29.29
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.
00:50:29.32\00:50:32.33
And I heard a loud
voice from heaven saying,
00:50:32.36\00:50:34.93
'Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men,
00:50:34.96\00:50:37.23
and He will dwell with them,
00:50:37.27\00:50:38.60
and they shall be His people."
00:50:38.63\00:50:40.34
God Himself will be with them.
00:50:40.37\00:50:43.00
"And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes,
00:50:43.04\00:50:45.64
there shall be no more
death, no sorrow, nor crying.
00:50:45.67\00:50:48.38
There shall be no more pain,
00:50:48.41\00:50:50.01
for the former
things have passed away."
00:50:50.05\00:50:51.71
And he concludes
with these words.
00:50:51.75\00:50:53.31
"Then He who sat
on the throne, said,
00:50:53.35\00:50:55.45
'Behold, I make all things new.'
00:50:55.48\00:50:58.75
And he said to me,
00:50:58.79\00:51:00.12
'Write for these words
are true and faithful.'"
00:51:00.16\00:51:04.26
My dear friend,
00:51:04.29\00:51:06.36
you and I can put
our faith and trust
00:51:06.39\00:51:08.26
in the words that
we have just read, why?
00:51:08.30\00:51:11.47
That's, because these words
have been uttered by the one
00:51:11.50\00:51:14.44
who is faithful and
true, and that is God Himself.
00:51:14.47\00:51:17.97
There is a new day coming
00:51:18.01\00:51:19.57
where there'll be no more
sin, sorrow and suffering,
00:51:19.61\00:51:23.08
no more disease,
death and destruction,
00:51:23.11\00:51:26.05
no more, no more
00:51:26.08\00:51:28.88
on this new earth
that God has created.
00:51:28.92\00:51:31.79
And on this new
earth in Revelation 22:3-4,
00:51:31.82\00:51:35.92
that is the promise
that God gives to us
00:51:35.96\00:51:38.93
of what we will experience.
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.33
This is beyond belief,
beyond even imagination.
00:51:40.36\00:51:44.33
"And there shall
be no more curse,
00:51:44.37\00:51:47.10
but the throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be in it,
00:51:47.14\00:51:50.14
and His
servants shall serve Him.
00:51:50.17\00:51:53.78
They shall see His face,
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.91
and His name shall
be on their foreheads."
00:51:55.94\00:51:58.28
Wow.
00:51:58.31\00:51:59.65
They shall see His face,
00:51:59.68\00:52:02.72
and their names and
His name I should say,
00:52:02.75\00:52:07.49
shall be on their foreheads.
00:52:07.52\00:52:08.86
His character will be
written on their foreheads.
00:52:08.89\00:52:13.80
The final
invitation that scripture gives
00:52:13.83\00:52:17.73
in Revelation 22:17
00:52:17.77\00:52:19.93
is surely for all of
us, surely for us all.
00:52:19.97\00:52:23.57
"And the Spirit and
the bride say, 'Come!'
00:52:23.61\00:52:25.74
And let him who
hears say, 'Come!'
00:52:25.77\00:52:27.78
And let him who thirsts come.
00:52:27.81\00:52:29.74
Whoever desires, let him
take the water of life freely."
00:52:29.78\00:52:33.52
Come, come, come,
God wants you come.
00:52:33.55\00:52:37.49
God wants you to
be part of His kingdom
00:52:37.52\00:52:41.19
of everlasting love
00:52:41.22\00:52:42.99
where there will
be no more curse,
00:52:43.02\00:52:44.79
no more sin, no more
pain, no more suffering.
00:52:44.83\00:52:48.90
It matters not
where you have been,
00:52:48.93\00:52:51.90
what you have done.
00:52:51.93\00:52:54.17
It matters that
you come right now,
00:52:54.20\00:52:56.54
right now, right now.
00:52:56.57\00:52:59.17
I wanna take you
finally to an experience
00:52:59.21\00:53:02.31
that I had with this
lady by the name of Jayne.
00:53:02.34\00:53:06.15
There's Jayne in the
center of that photo, she is...
00:53:06.18\00:53:09.08
I've got the
privilege of baptizing Jayne.
00:53:09.12\00:53:12.89
And by her side is her
friend, a great friend of hers
00:53:12.92\00:53:17.13
by the name of Liz
00:53:17.16\00:53:18.69
who studied the Bible with her.
00:53:18.73\00:53:21.33
Now, Jayne was brought up
00:53:21.36\00:53:24.57
with the
teachings of God's Word.
00:53:24.60\00:53:26.70
She was brought
up with God's love.
00:53:26.74\00:53:28.10
She was adopted into a
family, into a Christian family,
00:53:28.14\00:53:31.41
into a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian home,
00:53:31.44\00:53:33.31
a loving home
where she was taught all
00:53:33.34\00:53:35.21
about Jesus and His love.
00:53:35.24\00:53:37.11
However, due to circumstances
that ensued in her life
00:53:37.15\00:53:42.32
during her teenage
years and further on,
00:53:42.35\00:53:45.52
and as well as just, just,
you know, getting distracted.
00:53:45.55\00:53:49.19
You know what it's like.
00:53:49.22\00:53:50.56
You get easily
distracted and discouraged.
00:53:50.59\00:53:56.13
They're the two primary
attacks that the enemy uses
00:53:56.16\00:54:00.20
there in his toolbox,
distraction and discouragement.
00:54:00.24\00:54:03.51
He loves to use
both, one at a time
00:54:03.54\00:54:06.61
or preferably
both at the same time.
00:54:06.64\00:54:09.61
And she walked away from God.
00:54:09.64\00:54:11.28
She walked away from God.
00:54:11.31\00:54:13.15
But then shortly
before her 50th birthday,
00:54:13.18\00:54:16.32
she was diagnosed with cancer.
00:54:16.35\00:54:19.55
And during that
dark time in her life,
00:54:19.59\00:54:23.63
when she was far away from
God, she turned to Jesus Christ.
00:54:23.66\00:54:29.56
She turned to the
invitation of come, come, come.
00:54:29.60\00:54:34.07
Her friend Liz
studied the Bible with her
00:54:34.10\00:54:37.01
and introduced her to Jesus.
00:54:37.04\00:54:40.44
And I had the privilege
00:54:40.48\00:54:42.94
on February 20, 2016
on a Sabbath afternoon
00:54:42.98\00:54:48.08
of baptizing Jayne.
00:54:48.12\00:54:51.75
She gave her heart to the Lord.
00:54:51.79\00:54:53.99
Look at the smile on her face.
00:54:54.02\00:54:56.12
Look at the joy on her face.
00:54:56.16\00:54:59.19
She no longer feared death.
00:54:59.23\00:55:02.10
She no longer feared.
00:55:02.13\00:55:03.53
Why?
00:55:03.57\00:55:04.90
Because now
she'd given her heart
00:55:04.93\00:55:06.33
and life to Jesus Christ.
00:55:06.37\00:55:08.57
She'd given her
life to the one who says,
00:55:08.60\00:55:10.91
fear not, do not be afraid.
00:55:10.94\00:55:12.91
I am the
resurrection and the life,
00:55:12.94\00:55:16.01
he who believes in Me,
00:55:16.04\00:55:17.38
though he may
die, yet he shall live.
00:55:17.41\00:55:22.52
Before Jayne passed away,
00:55:22.55\00:55:25.45
she gave me
something very special
00:55:25.49\00:55:28.09
that I have kept
00:55:28.12\00:55:29.52
and will keep until Jesus comes.
00:55:29.56\00:55:31.79
She made this
beautiful crochet cross for me,
00:55:31.83\00:55:36.16
Pastor Danny, she put on there.
00:55:36.20\00:55:39.03
I said, Jayne, "Why are
you giving me this Jayne?"
00:55:39.07\00:55:41.50
She says,
00:55:41.54\00:55:42.87
"I want you to
always remember that
00:55:42.90\00:55:45.51
I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.
00:55:45.54\00:55:47.51
I received His
sacrifice on my behalf.
00:55:47.54\00:55:51.18
And I want you
never to forget that
00:55:51.21\00:55:53.21
not only what I experienced,
00:55:53.25\00:55:55.95
but what you need to
cling to each and every day."
00:55:55.98\00:55:58.45
My dear friends, as
Jesus' coming draws near,
00:55:58.49\00:56:01.36
we need to cling to the cross
of Jesus Christ more and more.
00:56:01.39\00:56:05.39
That is our only hope.
00:56:05.43\00:56:07.00
At her baptism on
that Saturday afternoon,
00:56:07.03\00:56:10.37
she shared her testimony
00:56:10.40\00:56:12.43
and these were her
words that she shared.
00:56:12.47\00:56:16.04
Her title, Hope,
Peace, and Prayer,
00:56:16.07\00:56:17.94
A Story of Redemption.
00:56:17.97\00:56:19.31
She Writes,
00:56:19.34\00:56:20.68
"If you haven't invited
Jesus into your own life as yet,
00:56:20.71\00:56:23.08
I can highly
recommend the experience."
00:56:23.11\00:56:25.05
And that's her smiley.
00:56:25.08\00:56:26.41
"It is my belief that
our time here on earth
00:56:26.45\00:56:28.45
is very short indeed
00:56:28.48\00:56:29.92
and that Jesus will soon return,
00:56:29.95\00:56:31.89
just as He has promised,
00:56:31.92\00:56:33.25
to claim His believers
00:56:33.29\00:56:34.62
and destroy Satan
and sin forever more.
00:56:34.66\00:56:37.43
How I long to see
that day, she writes.
00:56:37.46\00:56:40.53
I pray that we will all be ready
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.96
to go home with Him."
00:56:43.00\00:56:45.43
Oh, what beautiful
words, what beautiful words,
00:56:45.47\00:56:49.94
Jesus is coming back soon.
00:56:49.97\00:56:52.17
And in the words of Jayne,
00:56:52.21\00:56:53.88
He wants all of us to
be with Him forever more.
00:56:53.91\00:56:57.58
He's coming back.
00:56:57.61\00:56:58.95
He's coming back.
00:56:58.98\00:57:00.32
He is soon to return.
00:57:00.35\00:57:01.95
I can just hear the
trumpet being prepared to sound.
00:57:01.98\00:57:06.79
Jesus is coming back.
00:57:06.82\00:57:08.49
He's coming back.
00:57:08.52\00:57:09.86
You want to be
part of His kingdom?
00:57:09.89\00:57:11.53
Do you want to be
ready when Jesus comes?
00:57:11.56\00:57:13.29
If you do, why don't you
just raise your hand and say,
00:57:13.33\00:57:15.40
Lord, I want to be ready.
00:57:15.43\00:57:16.77
I want to be
ready. I want to be ready.
00:57:16.80\00:57:19.07
Let's pray together.
00:57:19.10\00:57:20.44
Father in heaven, we thank You.
00:57:20.47\00:57:21.90
We thank You for Your promise
that You're coming back soon,
00:57:21.94\00:57:24.77
and we can't wait for that
day when we'll be home at last,
00:57:24.81\00:57:29.91
we pray this in
Jesus' precious name,
00:57:29.94\00:57:32.15
and everybody said,
amen, and amen, and amen.
00:57:32.18\00:57:35.35