Good evening and welcome
to this beautiful auditorium
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here in Thompsonville, Illinois.
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And it's the Three Angels
Broadcasting Worship Center.
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And it's a place that
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those of us who live in this
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area love very much.
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And we enjoy the programs
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that are produced here.
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And we are
especially enjoying this series
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with Pastor Kenneth Cox
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entitled Give Me The Bible.
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What a... what a
great theme that is!
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And tonight he
continues his... this series
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which is five nights on
the second coming of Christ.
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And the title of the service
tonight is "The Night Watch. "
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I urge you to stay tuned
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and to listen to this program
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because he's going to
answer a question that you find
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in Isaiah where
the Bible speaks of the
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morning and the night
coming at the same time.
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A lot of Bible scholars
through the years have said:
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"How can this be?
How can it be morning
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and how can it be night? "
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And Pastor Cox is going to
answer that question tonight.
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So you will be sure that you
stay by and call your friends
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and invite them to join
this telecast this evening.
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But before Pastor Cox comes,
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Dona Klein is
going to play for us
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that fantastic spiritual
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. "
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Amen! Thank you, Dona Klein.
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I appreciate that very much!
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Well, good
evening to each of you.
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Very happy to welcome
you back again tonight
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to Give Me The Bible.
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And we hope that as we've taken
a look at the second coming
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of Christ during
this season... series,
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we hope that it has helped you
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get a sense of the urgency
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of the hour and that
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Jesus is coming back.
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And that each of
us need to be ready.
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Little poem that we
mention from night to night:
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What says the
Bible, the blessed Bible?
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This my only question be.
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The signs of Christ's
coming are now all around us,
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what says the Bible to me?
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That's what we want to know.
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And so tonight, as we
take a look at the scripture
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and what it has to
say, we want to take a look
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at where we are in a subject
entitled "The Night Watch. "
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What does the
scripture say about it?
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And how that that
affects you and me.
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Are we to be watching?
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What is it talking about?
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What does the scripture tell us?
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That's what we're
going to be looking at.
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And then we just wanted
to say a word to you about
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our coming series next month.
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Next month we're going to be
talking about the Holy Spirit.
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Going to be dealing
with the Holy Spirit.
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We'll have five
nights on the Holy Spirit.
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Our first night will be
The Promise of the Holy Spirit.
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Promise that's given
there of the Holy Spirit.
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And then after that
we'll be looking at why
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some people don't receive any
benefit from the Holy Spirit.
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Why there's people
who, uh, pray for it and all
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but they never receive any
benefit from the Holy Spirit.
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Why not?
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And then we're going
to take a look at the
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Fruits of the Spirit.
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What does the
scripture talk about that?
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The Gifts of the Spirit,
and then we're going to close up
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with a subject
on The Latter Rain.
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That will be what we'll be
looking at on the Holy Spirit.
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So we hope that you
can be sure and join us
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as we take a look at the
subject of the Holy Spirit.
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Tonight we look at this
question of The Night Watch.
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What you and I need
to ask ourselves is:
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"How do we stand? "
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How do we stand concerning
the coming of Jesus Christ?
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Where are we?
What's our situation,
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and what does the Lord
expect from you and from me?
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So we're glad that you're here.
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God bless you.
We've enjoyed so much
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having Walter Arties
with us during this series.
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Great, great friend...
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and we always are
blessed by his music.
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He's going to sing
for us a song entitled
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"Lord, I'm Coming Home. "
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I've wandered far
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away from God,
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Now I'm coming home;
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The paths of sin
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so long I've trod,
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Lord, I'm coming
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home.
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Coming home,
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coming home,
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Nevermore
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to roam,
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Open wide Thine arms
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of love,
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Lord, I'm coming home.
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I've wasted many
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precious years,
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Lord, I'm coming home;
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I now repent
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with bitter tears,
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Lord, I'm coming home.
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Coming home,
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coming home,
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Nevermore to roam,
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Open wide
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Thine arms of love,
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Lord, I'm
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coming
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home.
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Amen.
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Father in Heaven,
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we look forward to the
day when You're coming back.
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The day when we can go home.
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Certainly when you get a glimpse
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of heaven, a
taste of the good things
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that You offer to each of us,
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we become
pilgrims in this old world.
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We ask Lord
tonight as we take a look
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at the admonition
that You have given us,
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the counsel
concerning Your coming,
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may we take it to heart
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and may our lives be
placed in Your hands.
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May we each walk as You lead us.
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For this we pray in
Christ's name, Amen.
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Probably without any doubt
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you and I are living in probably
one of the darkest periods
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of earth's history:
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the midnight hour.
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And the Bible says that Christ
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will come at the midnight hour.
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That doesn't necessarily mean
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physically, but it will be
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a time of darkness as far
as the earth is concerned.
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And you remember the statement
that says that at midnight...
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Certainly,
morally, it's midnight.
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Across the
earth, morality has sunk
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to a great low.
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Mankind today is...
doesn't seem to have anything
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that gives them guidance or
direction in their life and all.
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When you take a look
as we did the other night
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to the resources as far
as the world is concerned,
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and some of the things that are
absolutely necessary for life
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we're running out of.
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And so we've reached the very,
very low period or dark period
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in earth's history.
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And it says that He
will come back at midnight,
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and it speaks of the watchman,
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the watchman giving the call.
And they ask him the question
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What... what is about the night?
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And it gives a rather
strange answer. Listen to this:
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"The morning comes,
and also the night. "
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How can you have
morning and night
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both coming at the same time?
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Cause that's what he says.
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"The morning comes,
and also the night. "
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Both of them
come at the same time.
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Well it happens
simply this way, folks.
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At the coming of Jesus,
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it's the dawning of
eternal day for the saved
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and it's the settling in
of eternal night for the lost.
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All happen at
the same time here.
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So: "Watchman,
what of the night"
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that Jesus
Christ is coming back?
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It's going to
dawn to eternal day
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Never again, never again to face
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what we have faced on
this old earth for 6,000 years.
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Never again will that happen.
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But He's coming to set up His
kingdom that will last forever.
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The thing that bothers me...
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the thing that I guess disturbs
me as much as anything...
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is I hear people say
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"Oh, we don't know
when the Lord's coming back.
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Why it could be a
thousand years from now. "
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Or they'll say: "Oh,
don't you know that the
00:13:05.75\00:13:08.92
Lord's going to come back
like a thief in the night? "
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.65
Well, let me tell you something
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and you can write this down;
you can put it in your book.
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If Christ comes back
as a thief in the night
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to you or to me, you're lost.
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You're lost.
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I want you to listen clearly
to what the scripture says
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about this:
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Now Paul is writing
out, and he says here...
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in I Thessalonians 5 he said:
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"Concerning the times and
the seasons, I really don't
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need to write to
you about this. "
00:13:47.09\00:13:49.36
Because listen to his
admonition as he continues:
00:13:49.56\00:13:52.63
And I have people say:
"See! Right there it says
00:14:00.67\00:14:04.37
that He's coming back
as a thief in the night.
00:14:04.37\00:14:06.64
That's what it
says right there! "
00:14:06.84\00:14:08.48
The problem is: that's
where they quit reading.
00:14:08.68\00:14:11.68
You've got to read on.
00:14:12.98\00:14:14.35
Listen to what it has to say:
00:14:14.55\00:14:16.18
Said: "It's going to come.
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They won't... won't be expected
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but it's going
to come up on them
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when they are
least expecting it. "
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And then Paul says:
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Paul said: "No! You're not
in darkness. That day's not
00:14:43.18\00:14:47.52
to come upon you as
a thief in the night. "
00:14:47.72\00:14:50.69
Listen:
00:14:50.89\00:14:52.25
That's not where we are.
00:14:58.69\00:15:00.06
That's not to
come upon you or me.
00:15:00.06\00:15:02.73
So when the admonition is given
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.77
that you and I are to
watch, we are to wait...
00:15:04.97\00:15:08.60
I can tell you for sure
00:15:08.80\00:15:10.04
if a thief is coming to my house
00:15:10.24\00:15:12.71
you'd better believe I'm going
to be waiting and watching.
00:15:12.91\00:15:16.88
See? And that's what you
and I are supposed to be doing
00:15:17.08\00:15:20.18
concerning the
coming of the Lord.
00:15:20.38\00:15:21.72
We are supposed to be waiting,
00:15:21.92\00:15:23.69
and we're
supposed to be watching
00:15:23.89\00:15:25.39
for the coming of the Lord.
00:15:25.39\00:15:26.79
In other words, I need
to spend time in this book.
00:15:35.50\00:15:40.40
I need to be
watching what's taking place.
00:15:41.57\00:15:45.84
Dear friends, let
me tell you something.
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Get into the
prophecies of God's Word.
00:15:48.44\00:15:51.11
Get into this and find
out about those prophecies
00:15:51.31\00:15:54.78
and get them in your
mind and in your heart
00:15:54.78\00:15:57.72
so you know what is happening.
00:15:57.92\00:16:00.29
In fact, I'll assure you if
you'll spend time in the book
00:16:00.49\00:16:04.16
and particularly
in the prophecies,
00:16:04.36\00:16:06.29
it should be like you
watching a play take place.
00:16:06.59\00:16:12.57
And you should know every actor
00:16:12.77\00:16:14.80
and exactly
what's going to happen
00:16:15.00\00:16:16.97
so that as it goes on you know
exactly what's taking place.
00:16:17.17\00:16:20.68
And you can do that by
understanding the prophecies
00:16:20.88\00:16:24.01
of God's Word.
00:16:24.01\00:16:25.38
You can know where we are.
00:16:25.58\00:16:26.85
You can know what's happening
and what's taking place that we
00:16:26.85\00:16:30.22
should watch and be ready
for the coming of the Lord.
00:16:30.22\00:16:34.79
It's not! Not to
come upon you or to me
00:16:34.99\00:16:39.83
as a thief in the night.
00:16:40.03\00:16:42.06
We are children
of light and of day,
00:16:42.30\00:16:45.17
and we are to know what
is happening, taking place.
00:16:45.37\00:16:48.57
No, we don't know that.
00:16:55.84\00:16:57.28
We don't know
when He's coming back.
00:16:57.48\00:16:59.18
We don't know, as it says here:
00:16:59.38\00:17:01.38
We... we don't know
when He's going to come.
00:17:07.72\00:17:11.19
Don't know the day;
we don't know the hour.
00:17:11.19\00:17:15.66
But dear friend, that
doesn't mean that you and I
00:17:15.86\00:17:20.40
are not to know
that it is near...
00:17:20.60\00:17:23.27
even at the door.
00:17:23.57\00:17:26.74
THAT we are to know.
00:17:26.98\00:17:28.31
I don't know the day;
I don't know the hour.
00:17:28.31\00:17:30.38
But I should know that
it's near... even at the door,
00:17:30.58\00:17:33.55
Be ready. Be looking
for the coming of the Lord.
00:17:42.19\00:17:45.46
Watching and waiting
for Him to come back.
00:17:45.66\00:17:50.17
That's what we're
supposed to be doing.
00:17:50.37\00:17:51.73
The problem is... too
many people aren't watching.
00:17:51.93\00:17:56.81
Too many people are going
about their daily activities
00:17:57.01\00:18:01.31
really not... not concerned
with what's taking place
00:18:01.51\00:18:07.32
in the world.
00:18:07.52\00:18:09.12
OK? He's fought it and said:
"Well, he's not coming back. "
00:18:30.77\00:18:35.24
But the master shows up
when he's not looking for him.
00:18:35.44\00:18:39.01
Now listen carefully
because there's some admonition
00:18:45.82\00:18:49.09
here that
applies to you and to me.
00:18:49.09\00:18:51.86
Do you know what God's will is?
00:19:13.25\00:19:14.95
Do you know what God's will is?
00:19:16.82\00:19:18.92
You should!
00:19:20.09\00:19:21.26
I mean, that's not
something you can't know.
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.26
God's will, dear friend,
is that you're in His kingdom.
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.93
God's will is
that... you to be saved.
00:19:28.10\00:19:32.10
That's what God wants.
00:19:32.10\00:19:33.50
That's what Christ came to do.
00:19:33.70\00:19:35.30
So you and I can know God's will
00:19:35.50\00:19:38.74
for His will is
that we're saved.
00:19:38.94\00:19:41.28
His will is also
that you share...
00:19:41.48\00:19:45.91
that you share what you have.
00:19:46.21\00:19:49.02
That's God's will that
you tell somebody else.
00:19:49.22\00:19:52.05
That you and I are
witnesses of His grace.
00:19:52.25\00:19:56.73
And therefore, God's will is
that we share with other people.
00:19:56.93\00:20:00.96
That's God's will.
00:20:01.13\00:20:02.16
And it says that you
and I are to do His will.
00:20:02.46\00:20:08.37
Now listen as it goes on here:
00:20:08.57\00:20:10.01
Person who didn't know,
00:20:23.08\00:20:25.29
didn't understand,
00:20:25.49\00:20:27.09
says he'll be
beaten with few stripes.
00:20:27.29\00:20:30.29
Do you understand?
00:20:53.28\00:20:55.92
Do you understand
that you have a knowledge
00:20:58.52\00:21:03.99
concerning this book
00:21:04.19\00:21:05.83
that other people don't?
00:21:06.03\00:21:07.66
And that as Christians you
and I have the responsibility
00:21:08.53\00:21:13.47
of sharing that
with other people?
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.44
That's what it's talking about.
00:21:16.71\00:21:18.11
And since you have
a knowledge of that,
00:21:18.31\00:21:22.08
God will hold you
accountable for that...
00:21:22.28\00:21:25.08
because you knew
and you didn't share.
00:21:25.28\00:21:30.09
Tonight I'd just
like to say a word.
00:21:31.52\00:21:33.05
There, out here in the
00:21:33.25\00:21:36.59
television audience,
00:21:36.59\00:21:38.29
people that are
watching by television
00:21:38.49\00:21:41.80
or maybe
listening over the radio,
00:21:41.80\00:21:43.63
there may be some
ministers out there -
00:21:43.83\00:21:48.40
men who studied God's Word,
00:21:48.60\00:21:52.94
men who were
called to the ministry
00:21:53.14\00:21:58.71
and they know they were
called to the ministry -
00:21:58.91\00:22:00.72
and they've spent
time studying God's Word
00:22:00.92\00:22:03.65
and they have left the ministry.
00:22:03.85\00:22:06.22
And they're gone out and they're
making a living some other way.
00:22:06.42\00:22:11.63
They're more concerned
about making money than they are
00:22:11.83\00:22:14.93
preaching the Word.
00:22:14.93\00:22:16.00
I'd just like to tell you...
00:22:16.93\00:22:18.37
Dear friend, you have a
heavy responsibility upon you
00:22:18.57\00:22:22.24
because you KNOW
what the book says.
00:22:22.44\00:22:25.24
And God has
called you to do that,
00:22:25.44\00:22:28.61
and you need to be back
in preaching God's Word.
00:22:28.61\00:22:32.15
We're down at the time
when the Lord's coming back,
00:22:32.35\00:22:34.58
and we need to be prepared
for the coming of the Lord.
00:22:34.78\00:22:37.39
And dear friend,
you're responsible for that.
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.69
I'll take it a step farther.
00:22:40.89\00:22:43.12
There may be some
Bible teachers out there...
00:22:44.23\00:22:47.00
teachers that have taught
God's Word, maybe in a college
00:22:47.50\00:22:53.54
or in some school and you've
done that and you've left that
00:22:53.54\00:22:56.84
and you're not
teaching God's Word any more.
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.31
Dear friend, God has
called you to teach God's Word.
00:22:59.51\00:23:03.14
You cannot just pass it up.
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.58
You have been given much,
00:23:05.78\00:23:07.38
and much of you
will be required.
00:23:07.58\00:23:10.72
And you and I need to
come back and follow the book
00:23:10.92\00:23:14.22
and preach it and prepare
for the coming of the Lord.
00:23:14.42\00:23:17.23
What God called us to do.
00:23:17.43\00:23:19.86
And I'll take this farther.
00:23:21.00\00:23:23.70
There are some laymen
who are very, very qualified
00:23:24.70\00:23:30.61
to be out and
witnessing concerning God's Word
00:23:30.91\00:23:35.51
that are not doing it.
00:23:35.71\00:23:37.91
And dear friend,
you have been given much
00:23:38.11\00:23:41.15
and much will
be required of you.
00:23:41.15\00:23:43.59
You need to be
proclaiming God's Word.
00:23:43.79\00:23:46.86
That is a responsibility
that you and I have
00:23:47.06\00:23:50.13
to tell people about
the coming of Jesus Christ
00:23:50.36\00:23:53.66
and prepare them for that day.
00:23:53.86\00:23:56.50
The Bible talks
about ten virgins.
00:23:57.90\00:24:01.70
Those ten virgins are
there to meet the Lord...
00:24:03.97\00:24:09.88
to meet the bridegroom.
00:24:10.08\00:24:11.68
Gone out to meet the bridegroom.
00:24:19.82\00:24:23.19
And there's a lot of people,
folks, that they're in this
00:24:23.39\00:24:27.30
very situation.
They came in, and they
00:24:27.30\00:24:31.37
found the truth of God's Word,
and they opened up their hearts
00:24:31.57\00:24:35.14
and they saw things they had
never seen before in God's Word.
00:24:35.14\00:24:38.44
And the truth warmed their
heart, and they rejoiced in it
00:24:38.64\00:24:41.88
and they accepted it and
they were telling everybody
00:24:42.08\00:24:45.98
about what they heard
and what they learned,
00:24:46.18\00:24:48.52
and rejoicing in
it. And then it says:
00:24:48.72\00:24:51.92
Now you have to get
some things clear here.
00:25:08.17\00:25:10.77
We're not talking
about... weren't talking about
00:25:10.97\00:25:13.91
five wise and five foolish.
00:25:14.14\00:25:16.04
We're not talking
about five church members
00:25:16.24\00:25:19.08
and five non-believers.
00:25:19.28\00:25:20.98
We're not talking about that.
00:25:22.22\00:25:24.39
These are all believers.
00:25:24.59\00:25:26.49
These are all people who have
accepted the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:25:26.69\00:25:31.33
These are all people
who believe God's Word.
00:25:31.53\00:25:34.30
These are not people
that haven't done that.
00:25:34.50\00:25:38.03
They've done those things,
00:25:38.23\00:25:39.67
but five of them didn't
take any oil in their lamp.
00:25:39.97\00:25:44.04
While the
bridegroom was what? Delayed...
00:25:45.67\00:25:49.78
Now, you see, they came in.
00:25:49.78\00:25:51.58
They accepted the
message; they were excited.
00:25:51.78\00:25:54.58
They believed it; they
were sharing it with everybody.
00:25:54.58\00:25:57.25
But the bridegroom delayed his
coming and they got discouraged.
00:25:57.45\00:26:01.59
And so they
slumbered and they slept.
00:26:02.66\00:26:08.50
Slumbered and they slept.
00:26:10.93\00:26:14.04
Uh, just ask yourself:
00:26:14.24\00:26:18.94
where are you in that picture?
00:26:19.14\00:26:22.41
Are you slumbering and sleeping?
00:26:25.08\00:26:27.98
Or am I ready
for the Lord to come?
00:26:29.78\00:26:34.12
What I am
telling you this evening
00:26:34.32\00:26:36.73
is you are living in the
00:26:36.93\00:26:40.36
midnight hour.
00:26:40.36\00:26:42.13
That I am telling you.
00:26:42.53\00:26:44.80
You're living in
the midnight hour.
00:26:45.00\00:26:47.07
You're living at the time
when the Lord is going to come,
00:26:47.07\00:26:50.94
and you and I should be actively
prepared for His coming.
00:26:51.14\00:26:57.01
I ask you: how can the
signs of the times be shouting
00:27:02.02\00:27:06.79
any louder than they are today?
00:27:06.99\00:27:10.13
How can that take place?
00:27:11.29\00:27:12.89
Telling us that
the Lord's coming!
00:27:13.09\00:27:15.70
We need to be
telling people about it.
00:27:15.90\00:27:18.20
We need to be preaching it.
00:27:18.40\00:27:20.04
We need to be
witnessing concerning the Lord.
00:27:20.24\00:27:22.37
All ten of these
virgins went out to meet him.
00:27:22.87\00:27:28.64
All ten of them did.
00:27:28.84\00:27:31.25
All ten of them did.
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.19
Not just five...
00:27:40.39\00:27:42.96
all ten of them
went out to meet him.
00:27:43.16\00:27:47.23
You see, dear friend,
nobody can do it for you.
00:28:12.42\00:28:18.39
Your wife is not going
to get you into the kingdom.
00:28:20.03\00:28:23.93
Or your husband
00:28:24.90\00:28:26.60
is not going to get
you into the kingdom.
00:28:26.80\00:28:28.47
You gotta do it yourself.
00:28:28.67\00:28:31.71
Yourself.
00:28:31.91\00:28:33.21
"Go and buy for yourself. "
00:28:33.41\00:28:35.51
Of course we know that
the oil referred to here
00:28:35.71\00:28:39.15
is the Holy Spirit.
00:28:39.15\00:28:42.25
And our next series
we're going to be talking about
00:28:42.45\00:28:45.22
the Holy Spirit.
00:28:45.22\00:28:46.42
How that fits in there,
and I'll be sharing with you
00:28:46.62\00:28:49.19
some things on this very
point here in the next series.
00:28:49.19\00:28:53.46
But dear friend, they
didn't have the Holy Spirit.
00:28:53.66\00:28:57.53
Oh, they were believers.
00:28:57.73\00:28:59.40
They had accepted Christ.
00:28:59.60\00:29:01.17
They attended church.
00:29:01.37\00:29:02.94
They went out to
meet the bridegroom.
00:29:03.14\00:29:04.91
They did all those things,
00:29:05.11\00:29:06.57
but they didn't have enough oil.
00:29:06.78\00:29:10.58
They didn't have enough oil.
00:29:10.78\00:29:13.38
And that is a real
problem; we'll talk about that
00:29:13.58\00:29:17.79
when we talk
about the Holy Spirit...
00:29:17.99\00:29:20.89
the series on it.
00:29:20.89\00:29:21.92
While they went to
buy the bridegroom came.
00:29:32.60\00:29:38.57
I hope that you
won't find yourself short.
00:29:41.18\00:29:46.48
I hope you won't
say: "Uh, I missed it. "
00:29:46.88\00:29:51.72
You see what's
happened here, folks,
00:29:51.92\00:29:53.62
is these five foolish virgins...
00:29:53.82\00:29:56.49
their religious
experience was superficial.
00:29:56.69\00:29:59.53
That's the problem.
00:29:59.73\00:30:01.96
It was superficial.
00:30:02.16\00:30:03.67
It wasn't deep;
00:30:03.87\00:30:05.70
it didn't have the
anointing of the Holy Spirit.
00:30:05.90\00:30:08.30
It didn't have the
oil, and they missed it.
00:30:08.50\00:30:11.64
While they were out
trying to find this,
00:30:11.84\00:30:14.71
the bridegroom came and
those five wise virgins went in.
00:30:14.91\00:30:20.28
Open the door; let us in.
00:30:26.99\00:30:29.02
Most terrible words
in scripture, folks...
00:30:29.42\00:30:33.66
I do not know of any words
worse than the next ones...
00:30:33.86\00:30:38.83
"I do not know you. "
00:30:45.44\00:30:48.21
The door was not opened;
they were not allowed in.
00:30:50.01\00:30:54.32
You and I,
folks, I plead with you.
00:30:55.38\00:30:59.29
Now is the time... now
is the time to get serious
00:30:59.49\00:31:04.73
about the
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:31:04.93\00:31:07.50
You and I need to realize
that the things that we see
00:31:08.56\00:31:12.63
happening all around us
00:31:12.83\00:31:15.60
are shouting out
that Jesus is coming back.
00:31:15.90\00:31:19.21
We need to
prepare... be prepared.
00:31:19.41\00:31:22.01
I said to you the
other night. It says:
00:31:22.21\00:31:25.11
You don't know
when He's coming back.
00:31:32.55\00:31:34.72
We're not told that;
we'll never know that.
00:31:34.92\00:31:37.69
But I need to be ready;
I need to be watching...
00:31:37.89\00:31:42.26
looking for Him to come.
00:31:42.46\00:31:44.73
As I said to you the
other night, how can you know...
00:31:44.93\00:31:46.97
How... how can I know that?
00:31:53.04\00:31:54.41
Well, I shared
something with you. I told you:
00:31:54.61\00:31:56.48
OK? If you're right
with the Lord right now,
00:32:03.85\00:32:07.29
then you're ready for Christ
to come if He'd come today.
00:32:07.49\00:32:12.23
But I ask you, what
about your neighbor next door?
00:32:13.66\00:32:18.47
Have you talked to them?
00:32:20.77\00:32:22.34
Do you even know their name?
00:32:22.54\00:32:26.01
I mean, you
have a responsibility
00:32:29.24\00:32:31.65
to talk to them, to
say something to them,
00:32:33.35\00:32:35.25
to invite them.
00:32:35.25\00:32:36.28
That's the responsibility
that you and I have.
00:32:36.48\00:32:40.02
How? How can I be ready
00:32:40.22\00:32:44.53
for Jesus to come?
00:32:45.76\00:32:47.30
I'd like to share with
you how you can be ready.
00:32:47.50\00:32:51.00
Jesus said:
00:32:52.37\00:32:53.84
That's very, very
comforting, folks,
00:32:55.74\00:32:58.71
when Christ says: "Don't
let your heart be troubled. "
00:32:58.71\00:33:02.34
So if you want to be
ready for Christ to come,
00:33:07.28\00:33:11.29
then you must believe
in Christ and accept Him.
00:33:11.29\00:33:14.36
I must accept Him
as my personal Savior.
00:33:14.56\00:33:18.73
And... and let me tell
you, that's not difficult.
00:33:19.03\00:33:23.87
That's not hard to do.
00:33:24.07\00:33:26.40
God's not asking you
to climb some mountain.
00:33:26.60\00:33:29.80
He's not asking
you to go to the moon.
00:33:30.01\00:33:32.84
All that you and I
have to do is come to Him.
00:33:33.04\00:33:36.88
In fact, this is
what the scripture says.
00:33:37.08\00:33:39.11
How difficult is that
00:33:44.82\00:33:46.45
to call on the name of the Lord?
00:33:46.65\00:33:49.32
If tonight you
know that you're lost,
00:33:49.52\00:33:52.96
you know that if
Jesus was to come right now
00:33:53.16\00:33:56.50
you would not make
it into God's kingdom,
00:33:56.70\00:33:59.77
you would be
lost, then I ask you:
00:34:00.04\00:34:02.27
CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
00:34:02.47\00:34:04.44
You remember Peter,
00:34:06.57\00:34:09.68
out there trying
to walk on the water.
00:34:09.88\00:34:13.28
Doing pretty good
00:34:14.55\00:34:16.48
until he took
his eyes off the Lord
00:34:16.69\00:34:19.69
and he began to
look at the waves.
00:34:19.89\00:34:23.16
And by the way, waves can
get very, very high on the
00:34:23.16\00:34:27.73
Sea of Galilee.
00:34:27.73\00:34:29.06
In fact, waves can
get as high as 14 feet
00:34:29.26\00:34:34.37
on the Sea of Galilee.
00:34:34.57\00:34:36.60
So it was in
the midst of a storm
00:34:36.81\00:34:39.81
that Peter was
walking on the water.
00:34:40.01\00:34:42.48
And it says this:
00:34:42.68\00:34:44.05
And what did Jesus do?
00:34:57.76\00:34:59.46
Reached down and got him
by the hand and picked him up.
00:34:59.66\00:35:04.13
You see, the Lord's
wanting to save you.
00:35:04.33\00:35:07.20
He's not wanting to keep
you out of God's kingdom.
00:35:07.40\00:35:10.04
Who? Why do we come up
with these terrible ideas
00:35:10.24\00:35:14.18
that God's trying to keep
people out of His kingdom?
00:35:14.38\00:35:16.68
No, He's not trying to do that!
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.78
He's trying to get you in.
00:35:18.98\00:35:20.22
He's trying to
invite you and say come.
00:35:20.42\00:35:22.75
And it says that if you
and I will call on the Lord,
00:35:22.95\00:35:26.09
then He'll save us.
00:35:26.29\00:35:28.79
And so tonight if you
want to be ready for the coming
00:35:28.99\00:35:32.93
of Jesus Christ,
then - dear friend -
00:35:32.93\00:35:35.16
CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
00:35:35.36\00:35:37.13
Reach out in faith; take hold
00:35:37.33\00:35:40.17
of the promise that's given
00:35:40.37\00:35:42.94
and it says you'll be saved.
00:35:43.14\00:35:44.94
Secondly, if you
want to be saved,
00:35:45.14\00:35:50.45
then surrender your
life to Christ each day.
00:35:50.65\00:35:54.15
You see, I need
to surrender my life
00:36:08.16\00:36:13.27
to Christ every day.
00:36:13.47\00:36:16.67
When I get up in the
morning, right then and there
00:36:18.71\00:36:21.94
I need to commit
my life to the Lord.
00:36:22.14\00:36:24.91
Sure, you've accepted Him
as your personal Savior...
00:36:25.11\00:36:28.95
but I need to walk with
Him day by day, dear friend.
00:36:29.15\00:36:32.29
And I need to
surrender my life to Him
00:36:32.49\00:36:35.72
so the Holy Spirit can
do its work in my life.
00:36:35.72\00:36:39.13
That's necessary.
00:36:40.26\00:36:41.96
There is no such thing
00:36:42.26\00:36:45.77
as somebody surrendering
their life to the Lord
00:36:45.97\00:36:50.07
each day and missing heaven.
00:36:50.27\00:36:52.41
That is not... doesn't
work that way, dear friend.
00:36:54.01\00:36:57.15
That person who
commits his life to the Lord
00:36:57.35\00:36:59.78
every day will be in heaven.
00:37:00.05\00:37:02.85
See? And you and
I need to do that.
00:37:04.49\00:37:06.65
People say to me:
"Well, Brother Cox,
00:37:06.86\00:37:08.12
how do you surrender?
00:37:08.32\00:37:10.09
How do you surrender?
00:37:10.29\00:37:12.26
What do you mean when you say
00:37:12.26\00:37:13.53
surrender? "
00:37:13.53\00:37:14.56
Well, there's an
excellent example in the Bible
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.90
of what surrender is.
00:37:18.10\00:37:19.77
There was a king of Israel -
00:37:20.90\00:37:22.60
not a good king,
00:37:22.80\00:37:24.77
probably one of the worst.
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.27
His name was Ahab.
00:37:26.47\00:37:28.68
He wasn't a good king.
00:37:29.94\00:37:31.38
And because he did
not follow the Lord,
00:37:31.58\00:37:35.12
he didn't have
the Lord's protection.
00:37:35.32\00:37:37.75
And the king of
Syria, Ben-Hadad,
00:37:37.95\00:37:42.26
came down to
overthrow the country of Israel.
00:37:42.46\00:37:48.06
And it says this:
00:37:48.26\00:37:50.07
now listen...
00:38:02.28\00:38:03.48
Quite a letter!
00:38:14.52\00:38:15.69
Wrote a letter and said:
00:38:15.89\00:38:17.33
"Everything you have
belongs to me, is mine. "
00:38:17.53\00:38:21.83
That is surrender.
00:38:35.44\00:38:37.51
That's surrender.
00:38:37.71\00:38:40.22
When I will take and
surrender everything that I have
00:38:40.42\00:38:44.82
to the Lord.
00:38:45.02\00:38:46.52
And I must do that, folks.
00:38:46.72\00:38:49.29
Each morning I must
surrender to Him and say: "Here,
00:38:49.49\00:38:53.86
it's Yours.
00:38:54.03\00:38:56.90
Give me guidance,
give me direction today. "
00:38:57.10\00:39:00.97
And I'm talking to
you about how to be ready
00:39:01.17\00:39:06.07
to meet the Lord.
00:39:06.27\00:39:08.44
Let me tell you a little secret.
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.48
Five minutes of
prayer in the morning
00:39:13.35\00:39:17.62
will save 1/2 hour
of confession at night.
00:39:17.82\00:39:21.19
So take the time in the
morning to talk to the Lord.
00:39:21.59\00:39:26.73
Pray to Him. And then when you
get up and start through the day
00:39:26.93\00:39:32.83
the scripture
gives you this counsel:
00:39:33.03\00:39:35.30
It says that you and I
00:39:52.49\00:39:56.16
must walk as He walked.
00:39:56.36\00:39:58.59
So I must walk as Christ walked.
00:40:05.77\00:40:10.34
I must follow His steps.
00:40:10.54\00:40:13.81
That means that sometimes
that's not an easy way to go.
00:40:17.05\00:40:21.85
Sometimes that's hard...
00:40:23.39\00:40:24.95
but I have to trust Him;
I have to believe in Him;
00:40:26.05\00:40:30.06
I have to follow Him.
00:40:30.26\00:40:31.76
And if I do that, He
will lead me and guide me.
00:40:31.96\00:40:35.43
But dear friends,
you have been given much!
00:40:35.63\00:40:38.73
Therefore, much
will be required of you.
00:40:40.70\00:40:44.91
And therefore walk with Him,
00:40:45.11\00:40:48.68
follow Him day by day.
00:40:48.98\00:40:51.71
And then it just simply says:
00:40:52.95\00:40:54.82
You see, I must learn
00:41:09.33\00:41:12.97
to walk by faith.
00:41:13.17\00:41:16.67
I must learn to walk day by day
00:41:28.78\00:41:33.52
by faith.
00:41:33.72\00:41:35.22
And faith
requires me to move out
00:41:36.39\00:41:40.20
in areas where I
am uncomfortable.
00:41:40.40\00:41:45.23
Rather interesting. I
was flying on a plane...
00:41:45.57\00:41:48.50
Southwest. And if you remember,
Southwest right at the front
00:41:48.70\00:41:54.18
has some seats that face
each other if you've ever flown.
00:41:54.38\00:41:57.55
And I happened to be
sitting in one of those, and
00:41:57.75\00:42:00.45
so there was two
people on each side of me
00:42:00.45\00:42:02.45
and three across
right in front of me.
00:42:02.65\00:42:04.49
And when I sat down, this
man... he was talking about
00:42:04.69\00:42:09.96
a book he had just read.
00:42:09.96\00:42:11.19
I mean, he was all excited
about this book he had read,
00:42:11.39\00:42:15.56
and he was going on about
what a wonderful book it was.
00:42:15.76\00:42:18.37
And the title of the
book was Who Stole My Cheese.
00:42:18.57\00:42:22.50
That was the name of it.
00:42:22.70\00:42:23.81
And he pulled out the
book, and it wasn't very big...
00:42:24.01\00:42:27.11
just a little book.
00:42:27.31\00:42:28.84
And he went on raving
about how wonderful it was.
00:42:29.04\00:42:32.61
And I don't know why he
turned to me, but he said:
00:42:32.81\00:42:35.08
"Would you like to read it? "
00:42:35.28\00:42:36.45
Handed it to me, and the flight
was a couple hour flight...
00:42:36.65\00:42:39.59
and I said: "Sure. "
00:42:39.79\00:42:41.12
And so he handed me
the book and so I read it.
00:42:41.32\00:42:43.99
And when I finished
I gave it back to him
00:42:44.23\00:42:48.56
and said I really enjoyed it.
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.17
And what the
book was about, folks,
00:42:50.37\00:42:52.63
was about stepping
out of your comfort zone.
00:42:52.83\00:42:55.80
You know, not being in
your comfort zone and how
00:42:56.00\00:42:59.37
it's necessary for you to
step out of your comfort zone
00:42:59.37\00:43:02.24
in order to grow. See?
00:43:02.24\00:43:04.51
And I said: "Fine,
I really enjoyed it. "
00:43:04.51\00:43:06.88
It was a good book. And I
reached into my attaché case
00:43:07.08\00:43:11.02
and picked up a book on
scripture... on prophecy.
00:43:11.22\00:43:15.56
And I turned to him and I said:
"Here's a little book I think
00:43:15.76\00:43:18.16
you'd enjoy. " He
said: "Oh, no. No, no. "
00:43:18.16\00:43:20.70
And he absolutely would
not take that book, folks.
00:43:20.90\00:43:23.90
You see, he read that
book and it did him no good
00:43:24.10\00:43:27.47
because he was not willing
to come out of his comfort zone
00:43:27.67\00:43:31.01
at all. See? No!
Just drew the line.
00:43:31.21\00:43:34.61
You see, you and I by
faith must be willing to get out
00:43:34.81\00:43:39.08
of the comfort zone.
00:43:39.28\00:43:40.58
I must walk by
faith. That's required.
00:43:40.78\00:43:44.55
And if I do that, God
will lead in a special way.
00:43:44.75\00:43:47.86
Christ had just
walked into the city of
00:43:48.16\00:43:54.10
Capernaeum. And as He walked
into the city of Capernaeum,
00:43:54.30\00:43:57.97
He was met by a
soldier... a centurion.
00:43:58.17\00:44:01.77
And this centurion
soldier was pleading with Him.
00:44:01.97\00:44:05.21
He said: "My servant's sick.
00:44:05.41\00:44:07.88
He's paralyzed; he's dying.
00:44:08.08\00:44:11.01
Would You heal him? "
00:44:12.88\00:44:14.82
And Jesus said: "Come. "
Said: "Let's go to your house
00:44:15.05\00:44:19.02
and I'll heal him. "
That's what Christ said to him.
00:44:19.22\00:44:21.42
And the centurion
said to Him, said:
00:44:21.62\00:44:24.16
"Sir, that's not necessary. "
00:44:24.16\00:44:26.73
He said: "I'm a
solider under authority. "
00:44:27.96\00:44:30.33
He said: "I have
servants under me. "
00:44:30.63\00:44:33.47
And he said: "I tell
them where to go, and they go.
00:44:33.67\00:44:36.97
And I tell them when
to come, and they come. "
00:44:37.17\00:44:40.18
And he said: "All you
need to do is speak the word
00:44:40.38\00:44:45.35
and my servant will be healed. "
00:44:45.55\00:44:48.68
Jesus looked at
the crowd and said:
00:44:49.88\00:44:52.55
"I haven't seen faith
like this in Israel. "
00:44:53.66\00:44:56.36
And it says:
00:44:56.73\00:44:57.89
The servant was
healed that same hour.
00:45:11.67\00:45:14.54
You see, when you walk by faith
00:45:14.74\00:45:17.95
then God can do
special things for you.
00:45:18.15\00:45:23.15
Did you know that?
00:45:23.15\00:45:24.25
If you don't walk by
faith, God can't do that.
00:45:24.45\00:45:27.99
But if you walk by faith, He
can do special things for you.
00:45:27.99\00:45:30.89
We had... when the
Iron Curtain came down
00:45:32.56\00:45:35.73
and all we had an
opportunity to go to Russia.
00:45:35.93\00:45:41.40
over to a place
called Vladivostok.
00:45:41.60\00:45:46.27
I had never been to Russia.
00:45:46.68\00:45:49.31
I can't speak the language.
00:45:49.51\00:45:53.25
I didn't know a
soul in Vladivostok,
00:45:53.25\00:45:57.72
but the invitation was
there to go do something.
00:45:57.92\00:46:02.29
It was even given by some
people outside of Russia...
00:46:02.49\00:46:05.43
not in Russia and all.
00:46:05.63\00:46:08.06
And so a friend of mine by
the name of Steve Gifford and I
00:46:08.26\00:46:11.73
decided we would go
over to Vladivostok...
00:46:11.93\00:46:14.54
see what we could do. We felt
the Lord had opened the door
00:46:14.74\00:46:18.91
that we ought to go.
00:46:19.11\00:46:20.18
And so we got on the plane...
00:46:20.38\00:46:22.24
flew to Vladivostok.
00:46:22.44\00:46:24.98
Got off the plane;
didn't know a soul.
00:46:25.18\00:46:29.42
Couldn't speak
a word of Russian.
00:46:30.95\00:46:33.72
And we just began to
inquire around there and uh...
00:46:34.72\00:46:38.26
and uh, finally
we found a fellow
00:46:38.26\00:46:41.50
who could speak some English.
00:46:41.70\00:46:43.03
And we told him
what we were needing, and
00:46:43.23\00:46:46.67
he was able to get a
taxi cab lined up for us.
00:46:46.87\00:46:50.01
And we told him we
would like to go to the
00:46:50.21\00:46:52.17
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:46:52.17\00:46:53.58
Fortunately, the taxi
cab driver knew where it was.
00:46:54.54\00:46:57.38
And we got in the cab
and went to the church.
00:46:58.31\00:47:03.35
Got there and it was closed.
00:47:03.55\00:47:05.15
Wasn't anybody there.
00:47:05.35\00:47:07.12
But there was a sign up which
this interpreter read for us,
00:47:07.32\00:47:11.93
and it said that the
Adventist church met there
00:47:11.93\00:47:14.30
and also the
Baptist church met there.
00:47:14.50\00:47:16.87
And it said the Baptists
were going to have a meeting
00:47:17.07\00:47:19.07
that night... and
so Steve and I went.
00:47:19.07\00:47:22.67
And we got there, and
nobody could speak to us.
00:47:22.87\00:47:27.01
In fact, you know, they
hadn't seen anybody from the
00:47:27.21\00:47:30.35
United States. They had
some real questions about us.
00:47:30.35\00:47:33.68
Who we were and
why we were there
00:47:33.88\00:47:35.85
and all that kind of stuff.
00:47:35.85\00:47:36.92
And anyhow, we inquired
about it and we found out that
00:47:37.12\00:47:40.96
the Adventist church had
a meeting the next night.
00:47:41.16\00:47:43.63
But the caretaker of the
church who was a member of the
00:47:43.83\00:47:46.70
Adventist church was there,
00:47:46.70\00:47:47.96
and we visited
with him a little bit.
00:47:48.16\00:47:49.76
And much to our sorrow
00:47:49.96\00:47:52.63
we found out that the
pastor of the church was gone
00:47:52.83\00:47:56.60
and would be gone for 30 days.
00:47:56.81\00:47:59.71
And that was not
good news to us at all.
00:47:59.91\00:48:03.24
Anyhow, we went
back the next night.
00:48:03.45\00:48:07.28
Got there. There was
120 people there in church.
00:48:07.48\00:48:12.92
All of them was gray-headed.
00:48:13.12\00:48:17.29
Every one of them!
00:48:17.59\00:48:19.26
All of them... gray-headed.
00:48:19.46\00:48:21.40
Nobody... I mean, not
one of them spoke English.
00:48:21.40\00:48:24.97
Not a one. And we tried
to talk to them and all.
00:48:25.17\00:48:29.27
We just didn't get
anywhere, you know?
00:48:29.27\00:48:32.04
And we finally found
out that the pastor's wife
00:48:32.24\00:48:36.78
was still there, and so a couple
00:48:36.78\00:48:40.68
offered to take
us over to her house.
00:48:40.68\00:48:42.45
And we went over
to visit with her
00:48:42.65\00:48:44.22
and see what we could find out.
00:48:44.22\00:48:45.59
Got there, and she couldn't
speak any English either.
00:48:45.79\00:48:48.06
And so the door was
closed every way we turned.
00:48:48.26\00:48:52.39
And I mean just
couldn't get anywhere.
00:48:52.59\00:48:54.76
And we went back
and was at the hotel
00:48:55.06\00:49:01.04
where we were staying
and I told Steve. I said:
00:49:01.24\00:49:04.74
"Steve, there's only
two planes out of here.
00:49:04.94\00:49:07.68
There's one on Sunday and
there's one on Wednesday. "
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.75
And I said: "I know we're
scheduled to take the one on
00:49:10.95\00:49:15.38
Wednesday but I think we ought
to see if we can get the one out
00:49:15.62\00:49:17.79
on Sunday 'cause we're
not getting anywhere here.
00:49:17.99\00:49:20.22
We're not gaining anything. "
00:49:20.42\00:49:21.69
And he said: "Yeah,
you're probably right. "
00:49:21.89\00:49:24.03
So, come...
that was Friday night
00:49:24.23\00:49:28.26
we visited and all,
and talked about it.
00:49:28.46\00:49:32.87
I went to bed that
night and I had a dream.
00:49:33.07\00:49:37.04
And in the dream I
saw this young man,
00:49:37.24\00:49:41.48
black-headed
with Italian features.
00:49:41.68\00:49:44.95
And all it said in the
dream was "He speaks English. "
00:49:45.15\00:49:49.28
That's all it said.
00:49:49.58\00:49:51.15
Yeah, I didn't
think anything about it.
00:49:51.35\00:49:53.49
I got up the next morning,
we were eating breakfast.
00:49:53.49\00:49:55.36
I told Steve about it;
we both kind of laughed.
00:49:55.56\00:49:57.49
I said: "I guess I ate too
much last night, " anyhow...
00:49:57.69\00:50:00.70
and just passed it off that way.
00:50:00.70\00:50:04.17
Anyhow, we went to
church Sabbath. Got there...
00:50:04.37\00:50:09.04
same 120 people;
nobody spoke any English.
00:50:09.24\00:50:13.31
And there we sat;
couldn't understand a thing
00:50:13.51\00:50:16.31
that was going on all the
way through Sabbath School.
00:50:16.31\00:50:19.31
Church started; we
were just sitting there.
00:50:19.51\00:50:22.85
The door opened and
in came a young man,
00:50:23.05\00:50:28.79
black-headed, with
Italian features...
00:50:28.99\00:50:32.06
the exact one I
had seen in the dream.
00:50:32.26\00:50:34.86
I poked Steve and I
said: "Steve, there he is. "
00:50:35.06\00:50:38.20
And he went over and sat down.
00:50:38.40\00:50:40.87
In a little bit this Russian
woman went over and spoke to him
00:50:41.07\00:50:45.97
and he came over and talked to
us and spoke to us in English.
00:50:46.17\00:50:49.68
And I said: "Let's go outside. "
00:50:49.88\00:50:53.08
And we went outside,
and I introduced myself
00:50:53.28\00:50:56.69
and he introduced himself.
00:50:56.89\00:50:58.02
And I said: "What
are you doing here? "
00:50:58.22\00:51:02.62
And he said: "I don't
know what I'm doing here! "
00:51:02.82\00:51:05.46
And I said: "Well,
why are you here? "
00:51:05.66\00:51:07.66
He said: "I don't
know why I'm here. "
00:51:07.86\00:51:09.13
He said: "I don't
go to church here. "
00:51:09.13\00:51:10.43
Said: "I go to
church across town...
00:51:10.63\00:51:13.00
clear on the
other side of town. "
00:51:13.20\00:51:15.17
He said: "I just felt
like I should be here. "
00:51:15.40\00:51:18.01
And he said: "We have a
whole group of young people
00:51:18.21\00:51:21.28
that meet over there. "
00:51:21.28\00:51:22.38
Dear friend, we went
with him back over, and
00:51:22.58\00:51:26.01
met with this
group of young people.
00:51:26.01\00:51:27.85
Were able to go back and train
00:51:28.05\00:51:31.29
ten different
groups of young people
00:51:31.49\00:51:33.96
to share the gospel
there in Vladivostok.
00:51:34.16\00:51:37.09
You see, but what I'm trying
to get across to you, folks,
00:51:37.29\00:51:40.10
is you've got to
step out in faith.
00:51:40.30\00:51:43.06
You cannot stay in your comfort
zone all the time and make it.
00:51:43.26\00:51:48.64
It's required that you and I
00:51:48.84\00:51:50.87
by faith walk with Him,
and as we are coming down
00:51:51.07\00:51:54.58
to the coming of Jesus Christ,
00:51:54.78\00:51:56.41
it's going to require
that you and I MORE AND MORE
00:51:56.61\00:52:00.28
step out in faith.
00:52:00.48\00:52:02.15
That we have to
witness; we have to proclaim
00:52:02.35\00:52:06.05
that Jesus
Christ IS COMING BACK.
00:52:06.25\00:52:09.26
And we need to be
telling men and women to prepare
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.39
for that coming...
to get their lives ready
00:52:12.39\00:52:15.03
because Christ IS coming.
00:52:15.23\00:52:17.80
And so... you want to
be right with the Lord?
00:52:18.00\00:52:22.20
Believe in Jesus Christ.
00:52:22.40\00:52:25.14
Give Him your heart.
00:52:26.34\00:52:27.58
Accept Him as your Savior.
00:52:27.78\00:52:29.24
Surrender your life to Him.
00:52:29.44\00:52:31.91
Day by day put it in His hands.
00:52:33.05\00:52:36.38
Walk with Him.
00:52:37.29\00:52:38.69
Walk with Him; follow Him.
00:52:38.89\00:52:41.12
And then, dear
friend, follow Him by faith,
00:52:41.32\00:52:45.29
and you and I will have
the privilege of walking
00:52:45.49\00:52:50.70
with Him into His kingdom.
00:52:50.90\00:52:53.27
So tonight, are you
ready for Jesus to come?
00:52:53.47\00:52:58.04
Are you ready
00:52:59.41\00:53:03.48
for Jesus
00:53:03.68\00:53:06.85
to come?
00:53:07.05\00:53:11.62
Are you faithful
00:53:11.92\00:53:15.39
in all that you do?
00:53:15.59\00:53:21.50
Have you fought a good fight?
00:53:23.40\00:53:28.97
Have you stood for the right?
00:53:29.27\00:53:34.68
Can others
00:53:34.98\00:53:38.78
see Jesus
00:53:38.98\00:53:42.08
in you?
00:53:42.28\00:53:46.72
Are you ready to stand
00:53:47.72\00:53:52.06
in your place?
00:53:52.26\00:53:58.40
Are you ready to
00:53:58.40\00:54:02.00
look on
00:54:02.20\00:54:04.97
His face?
00:54:05.17\00:54:09.91
Can you look up
00:54:10.21\00:54:13.68
and say
00:54:13.68\00:54:17.65
"THIS IS MY LORD! "
00:54:17.85\00:54:24.66
Are you ready
00:54:26.80\00:54:30.57
for Jesus
00:54:30.77\00:54:35.47
to come?
00:54:35.74\00:54:41.71
Let us pray.
00:54:48.65\00:54:49.82
Heavenly Father,
please come soon.
00:54:50.02\00:54:54.19
May each one of us here tonight
00:54:54.39\00:54:57.43
whether we're
watching by television
00:54:57.63\00:55:01.43
or listening on the radio
00:55:01.63\00:55:04.00
or here in the auditorium,
00:55:04.20\00:55:06.33
may our hearts be
surrendered to You.
00:55:06.53\00:55:10.71
Help us to be aware
of Your soon return.
00:55:10.91\00:55:15.31
May we each, day by
day, stay surrendered.
00:55:15.61\00:55:21.58
We're thankful for the
promise that You WILL COME BACK
00:55:22.35\00:55:26.29
and that You're
coming back quickly.
00:55:26.49\00:55:29.16
Grant to us that each of
us may be in Your kingdom
00:55:29.36\00:55:33.29
with our families.
00:55:33.29\00:55:34.56
For this we ask in
Christ's name, Amen.
00:55:34.73\00:55:39.60
May God bless you.
00:55:39.80\00:55:41.20
Keep your eyes upon
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:55:41.40\00:55:44.31
Be ready for His return.
00:55:44.51\00:55:46.84
More than 2,000
years have passed
00:55:49.31\00:55:51.81
since Jesus promised to return.
00:55:52.18\00:55:54.75
And through the centuries,
the hearts of His faithful ones
00:55:54.75\00:55:57.65
have clung to
those precious words.
00:55:57.65\00:55:59.85
But His promise has
not yet been fulfilled.
00:56:00.12\00:56:02.99
The Lifegiver's voice has not
yet called the sleeping saints
00:56:03.19\00:56:06.49
from their graves.
00:56:06.70\00:56:08.33
Each day many more
Christians fall asleep in Jesus
00:56:08.60\00:56:12.77
clinging to the Blessed Hope
00:56:12.77\00:56:14.64
and believing that
the next thing they'll see
00:56:14.84\00:56:17.51
is their Savior
coming as He promised
00:56:17.74\00:56:20.28
in the clouds of glory.
00:56:20.58\00:56:22.64
But my friends, there
are so many who do not have
00:56:22.64\00:56:26.35
this Blessed Hope.
And many of them would
00:56:26.55\00:56:29.45
if they just had the
opportunity to hear about Jesus.
00:56:29.65\00:56:33.79
That is why we are
producing these programs.
00:56:35.69\00:56:38.26
We want to tell them
about God's amazing love.
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.60
About our Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:56:41.90\00:56:43.80
About His second coming.
00:56:44.10\00:56:45.77
We want to give each one
of them that Blessed Hope.
00:56:45.77\00:56:49.04
Think of it. Even
now all of heaven's astir
00:56:49.27\00:56:52.87
preparing for that great day.
00:56:52.87\00:56:54.61
The Lord is waiting for us
00:56:54.81\00:56:56.61
to join Him in
spreading the good news.
00:56:56.61\00:56:59.31
Praise God! The time
of waiting is almost over.
00:56:59.51\00:57:03.49
Light is gleaming upon the
clouds above the mountaintops.
00:57:03.49\00:57:06.89
Soon there will be a
revealing of His glory.
00:57:06.89\00:57:09.89
The Son of Righteousness
is about to shine forth.
00:57:10.13\00:57:12.73
NOW is the time to prepare
for the coming of the Lord.
00:57:12.96\00:57:17.00
Readiness to meet
Him cannot be attained
00:57:17.27\00:57:20.44
in a moment's time.
00:57:20.44\00:57:21.87
Each member of our ministry team
has focused on doing all we can
00:57:22.07\00:57:26.47
to spread the good news,
00:57:26.47\00:57:28.24
but we cannot do it alone.
00:57:28.24\00:57:30.28
We need your help.
00:57:30.51\00:57:31.95
Each of us must
prepare, watch, and wait.
00:57:31.95\00:57:35.28
But we also must work earnestly
00:57:35.48\00:57:38.25
for the salvation of souls.
00:57:38.25\00:57:40.29
Please consider what you can do
00:57:40.49\00:57:41.89
for those who still
don't know about Jesus.
00:57:42.09\00:57:44.63
As the Holy Spirit impresses,
00:57:44.63\00:57:46.59
you may send your
tax-deductible gifts to:
00:57:46.80\00:57:49.03
Thank you for helping us
to bring the Blessed Hope
00:58:01.58\00:58:03.98
to millions all
around the world.
00:58:03.98\00:58:06.78