Three Angels
Broadcasting Network
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is pleased to bring
you something better,
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a faith inspiring picture
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of a loving God
from the Book of Hebrews.
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Welcome to 3ABN's
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Virtual Homecoming Camp Meeting.
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Hello, I'm Shelley
Quinn, and we welcome you
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to 3ABN Homecoming
Fall Camp Meeting, 2021.
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We so wish you could be here.
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We really miss
our live audience.
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This is a virtual event
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naturally because
of the pandemic but we
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welcome you, it's still
going to be a wonderful time.
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James Rafferty
kicked us off last night
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with such a superb message
and the speaker of this hour
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is my pastor,
Pastor John Lomacang.
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He's the pastor
of the Thompsonville
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Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and John is going to speak to us
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about the leaning
church but before he does,
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John is also a dear
friend and a minister of music,
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and he's going to sing
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
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Whoa, so are you weary
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And troubled
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No light in the darkness
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You see
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There's light for look
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At the Savior
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And there's life more abundant
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And free
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Turn your eyes
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Upon Jesus
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Look fully into His
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Wonderful face
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And the things of earth
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Will grow strangely
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Dim In the light
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Of His Glory
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And Grace
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His word
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Will not fail
you for He's promised
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Believe it
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And all will be well
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Then go to a world
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That is dying
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With His perfect salvation
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To tell
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Turn your eyes
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Upon Jesus
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Look fully into His
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Wonderful face
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And the things of earth
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Will grow strangely
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Dim Yeah
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The light of His Glory
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And Grace
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In the light
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Of God's Glory
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And Grace
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In the light
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Of His Glory
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And Grace
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Let us pray.
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Our gracious,
kind, Father in Heaven.
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Your grace is far
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more amazing than
we can ever anticipate.
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And Your Word continues to
shine amidst the dark world.
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And we find that when we
turn our eyes upon Jesus,
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when we look away
from what's around us
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and look to who
stands before us,
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we find the glory and
grace that each one of us
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is in need of.
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And so, Lord, I pray
even now that as this message
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is imparted about
the leaning church,
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that You will direct
our eyes to see Christ
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is the one that stands strong,
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stands firm, stands
unmoved in a shaken world
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and that we can make a decision
that we too by His grace
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can stand with Him.
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Now take this message
and use it for your glory
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and honor and speak
to me and through me,
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that Your name alone
will receive the praise.
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In Jesus' name I pray.
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Amen.
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Want to begin with a scripture
in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10.
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If you have your Bibles,
you can turn there with me.
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1 Corinthians Chapter 10.
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It is a small but
potent verse in the writings
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of the Apostle
Paul to the Corinthians
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which now in fact is
conveyed to us in this modern
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age of challenges.
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He says to us today,
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"Therefore let him
who thinks he stands
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take heed lest he falls."
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My wife and I have
these conversations about
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how God brings messages to me.
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And this is one
of those of the many
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of the many
that as I was driving
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the Lord brought this to my mind
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the title The Leaning Church.
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And then He directed me
to a story that many of you
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may have been familiar
with, that I'm going to use
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today to illustrate
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the powerful revelation that God
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has entrusted to me
to communicate to you.
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And so pause with me as
we look at one of the most
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unintentionally famous
buildings in the world,
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unintentionally
famous, the Bell Tower of Pisa.
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When the Lord brought
that picture to my mind,
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I couldn't help but to
start doing my homework
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and I discovered that the Bell
Tower in Pisa in Italy stands
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183 feet tall.
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It is now recognized, however,
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for reasons
unintended by the architect
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and the builders.
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I want to say
that one more time,
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so you can grab it,
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grab the reins
of that statement.
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This tower is now
recognized for reasons
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unintended by the
builders and the architect.
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What began being built
in 1173 and finished in 1399
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was a tower made to
accompany the Grand Cathedral
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of the Italian city of Pisa.
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What amazed me is,
most of us don't talk about
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the Grand
Cathedral in the Italian city
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of Pisa which is right next
to the Bell Tower that we all
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know so well.
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There's something about
the Bell Tower that robbed
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that Grand Cathedral of
the glory and the admiration
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and the
recognition that it needed
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and I'll talk
about that in a moment.
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But I discovered that during
the construction of this tower,
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this Bell Tower,
in the 12th century,
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the tower began to
lean due to the soft ground
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which could not
adequately support its weight.
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But instead of
halting the project to correct
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the issue,
construction continued.
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The weak
foundation continued to worsen
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giving birth to
the now famous name,
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the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
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You see the correctable issues
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confronting the
builders were ignored.
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And in hindsight,
the weakened foundation
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could have been addressed
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and remedied
almost 850 years ago.
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When I thought about that,
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three questions poured
into my mind that I had to find
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the answers for.
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One was, why did the builders
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refuse to correct
the Leaning Tower of Pisa
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when they discovered the
soft foundation beneath it?
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Why didn't they
strengthen the foundation
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beneath this now leaning tower?
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But the most important question,
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what prompted them to allow
the tower to continue leaning?
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And what the Lord revealed
to me is an amazing insight.
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You see, I also
discovered that the foundation
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and first floor of the tower
were finished in the year 1174.
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The second floor was
built four years later in 1178.
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They didn't have the modern
machinery that we have today.
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So they had to hew
the marble stones out
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of the rock by handheld tools.
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They didn't have compressors
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and they didn't have anything
that was dynamically powered
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so they had to use manpower,
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thus the delay to begin
to build a second floor.
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They began in 1178.
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When they began
building the second floor,
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the tower began to sink.
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And after
construction had progressed,
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they realize that as
they added the second floor,
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they saw the
frailty of the foundation,
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then something happened.
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A war broke out in Italy
and for the next 100 years,
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they halted the
building of the leaning tower.
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But something
happened during that 100 years.
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And this gave me an
insight, the spiritual insight
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as to what happens
when we don't immediately
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remedy the
things, immediately remedy
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the things in our lives
that the Lord reveals is soft
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and is not
strong and firm enough.
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For you see the
delay gave time to allow
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the underlying
soil to begin to settle
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and to begin to get firm.
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In December 1233,
construction remained
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and they would build
for the next 51 years
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and by the year 1284
construction halted again.
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When the Pisans
were defeated in battle,
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the battle had
not been completed,
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but because the
battle had not been finished,
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they were defeated bringing
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the construction
to a halt temporarily.
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After
returning, the seven floors
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were completed by the year 1319.
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For today, if you
go to the city of Pisa,
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you see a tower with seven
floors and on the very top like
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a wedding cake the
floor is a little smaller,
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which is the bell
tower that houses seven bells
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thereby calling it
the Bell Tower of Pisa.
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By 1655, the
largest of the seven bells
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were installed in the tower.
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But due to the worsening
conditions of the lean,
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numerous attempts were
made, but look how long
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numerous attempts were made
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way down the road
to try to correct it.
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Let's go fast
forward to the year 1964.
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In February 1964,
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the Italian government
requested financial aid to keep
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the tower from falling.
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But now think about that.
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From 1172 to 1964,
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the question that
came to my mind almost like
00:12:56.24\00:12:58.64
a flood was what took so long?
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By 1990,
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the Tower of Pisa was
leaning at a dangerous lean
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of five and a half degrees,
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which forced
construction crews to stabilize
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the foundation that reduced
the tilt to 3.97 degrees.
00:13:12.39\00:13:17.13
And once again, the
question came to my mind.
00:13:17.16\00:13:20.23
Why didn't the architects
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and the construction
team straighten the tower?
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Why did they not return it
to what the original architects
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and builders
intended a straight tower,
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straight up and
down not leaning?
00:13:30.27\00:13:32.41
Why did they
leave the tower leaning?
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And I want to tell you
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what the Lord poured
into my mind was fascinating.
00:13:36.51\00:13:39.11
It showed that
when God wants to reveal
00:13:39.15\00:13:42.08
and when God wants to
give a picture clarity,
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.22
He begins to pour into our
minds things that human eyes
00:13:44.25\00:13:47.36
will often
ignore and often miss.
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The answer the Lord revealed
to me about the Tower of Pisa
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describes the spiritual climate
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of the church of the last days.
00:13:56.40\00:13:58.73
And this is powerful
and listen carefully.
00:13:58.77\00:14:01.54
The tower was
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admired for what it
had become rather than
00:14:03.57\00:14:07.44
what the original
architect had intended it to be.
00:14:07.48\00:14:12.65
You see that the
tower now leaning was
00:14:12.68\00:14:15.02
more admired than all
00:14:15.05\00:14:16.48
the straight
buildings in the city of Pisa.
00:14:16.52\00:14:18.89
Its leaning gave
it a special look
00:14:18.92\00:14:21.32
and people were now attracted.
00:14:21.36\00:14:23.99
The leaning
condition gave it preference
00:14:24.03\00:14:26.93
over the straight
buildings around it.
00:14:26.96\00:14:30.80
People admired the tower
00:14:30.83\00:14:33.84
not for what the
architects intended,
00:14:33.87\00:14:37.44
but for what the
building had become.
00:14:37.47\00:14:41.38
And, friends, I had seen
00:14:41.41\00:14:42.74
a parallel that the
Lord had given to me.
00:14:42.78\00:14:45.28
What is happening to the church
today is the modern church,
00:14:45.31\00:14:48.58
the last day church is being
00:14:48.62\00:14:50.32
admired for what it
has become naturally
00:14:50.35\00:14:54.99
rather than what the
original architect Jesus
00:14:55.02\00:14:58.99
intended for it
to be recognized for.
00:14:59.03\00:15:02.03
The church today is
recognized for entertainment,
00:15:02.06\00:15:04.37
for music, for
lights, camera, action.
00:15:04.40\00:15:06.87
The church today is
recognized for doctrinal,
00:15:06.90\00:15:10.27
that's not doctrinal integrity.
00:15:10.31\00:15:12.27
The church is
recognized today for tradition
00:15:12.31\00:15:14.58
and things that fit man
preference but not for what God
00:15:14.61\00:15:17.55
intended it to be.
00:15:17.58\00:15:19.78
How amazing the
parallel that Jesus
00:15:19.81\00:15:22.28
can bring out in the
basic things of life.
00:15:22.32\00:15:24.89
Things that we often overlook
00:15:24.92\00:15:26.76
and when I look
at the church today,
00:15:26.79\00:15:28.12
when I travel around the world,
00:15:28.16\00:15:29.49
and I begin to
see the challenges,
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.09
not only facing the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:15:31.13\00:15:33.60
but I've spoken to
Christians in many denominations
00:15:33.63\00:15:36.03
and you will be surprised
how many people say that's not
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what my church was
intended to be by God.
00:15:38.93\00:15:42.60
Just recently, I
heard a conversation,
00:15:42.64\00:15:44.11
I had a
conversation with a young
00:15:44.14\00:15:45.47
man for more than three hours
00:15:45.51\00:15:47.11
and he's a Baptist
young man and he said to me,
00:15:47.14\00:15:49.24
"The Bible doesn't
support eternally burning hell.
00:15:49.28\00:15:52.28
And as a Baptist, I've
been trying to straighten
00:15:52.31\00:15:54.32
out my Baptist brethren
saying that's not in Scripture."
00:15:54.35\00:15:57.42
Another leaning belief that took
00:15:57.45\00:15:59.85
a long time to
solidify in the minds
00:15:59.89\00:16:02.79
of those who
embrace it as though
00:16:02.82\00:16:04.69
the original architect Jesus
00:16:04.73\00:16:07.00
intended for the
church to be built on that.
00:16:07.03\00:16:11.10
But I must say
when Jesus established
00:16:11.13\00:16:12.97
His church He made
sure that the foundation
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.54
was sufficient because He
built the church on Himself.
00:16:15.57\00:16:19.04
And the Apostle Paul in
1 Corinthians 3:11 says,
00:16:19.07\00:16:22.38
"For no other
foundation can anyone lay
00:16:22.41\00:16:25.38
than that which is
laid which is Jesus Christ."
00:16:25.41\00:16:28.68
Praise God for that.
00:16:28.72\00:16:30.05
The church today,
although frail and enfeebled
00:16:30.09\00:16:33.62
and wind beaten
and torn by the trials
00:16:33.66\00:16:37.43
and the challenges of life,
00:16:37.46\00:16:39.03
not only what it
has gone through but
00:16:39.06\00:16:40.96
what is still
going through today.
00:16:41.00\00:16:42.66
The political challenges,
the financial challenges,
00:16:42.70\00:16:45.30
the social challenges,
the family challenges,
00:16:45.33\00:16:47.94
the church is being
challenged by so many things
00:16:47.97\00:16:50.14
that God never intended.
00:16:50.17\00:16:52.77
But when it was built, it
was built on the foundation
00:16:52.81\00:16:56.48
of Jesus Christ.
00:16:56.51\00:16:57.85
And that is why Jesus looking
at the disciples in His day,
00:16:57.88\00:17:00.02
He said to them,
00:17:00.05\00:17:01.98
"Upon this rock I
build My church and the gates
00:17:02.02\00:17:05.25
of hell shall not
prevail against it."
00:17:05.29\00:17:07.62
When I think
about that, friends,
00:17:07.66\00:17:08.99
when I think about that
statement that Jesus made,
00:17:09.02\00:17:12.23
what He in essence
is saying is the gates
00:17:12.26\00:17:14.63
of hell have more
to be concerned about
00:17:14.66\00:17:17.13
than the church
because the church
00:17:17.17\00:17:18.73
is pushing against
the powers of darkness
00:17:18.77\00:17:23.14
and the powers of
darkness cannot resist
00:17:23.17\00:17:26.27
the forward motion
of the Christian Church.
00:17:26.31\00:17:28.84
The darkness of
hell cannot resist
00:17:28.88\00:17:31.25
the brightness of God's truth.
00:17:31.28\00:17:34.55
But I must say,
God never intended
00:17:34.58\00:17:36.52
the church to be built on
what is being built on today.
00:17:36.55\00:17:39.89
And it saddens my
heart as a pastor,
00:17:39.92\00:17:41.92
to hear members and
hear people that speak more
00:17:41.96\00:17:44.19
about politics than about Jesus.
00:17:44.23\00:17:46.73
God never intended the church
to be built on the political
00:17:46.76\00:17:50.13
agenda of the many or the few.
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.83
As a matter of
fact, He never intended
00:17:52.87\00:17:55.00
the church to be built on
the rhetoric of man at all.
00:17:55.04\00:18:00.11
That's why Jesus once again
communicated a picture to us
00:18:00.14\00:18:03.51
that I encourage you to embrace.
00:18:03.55\00:18:05.38
Put this picture above your bed,
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.28
in your
bathroom, in your mantel,
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.38
put it on the
dashboard of your car,
00:18:09.42\00:18:11.35
this mental picture that
Jesus draws for us today.
00:18:11.39\00:18:15.02
In Matthew 7:24-25, He says,
00:18:15.06\00:18:17.59
"Therefore, whoever
hears these sayings of mine
00:18:17.63\00:18:19.66
and does them, I will
liken him to a wise man
00:18:19.69\00:18:23.13
who built his house on the
rock and the rain descended
00:18:23.16\00:18:26.07
and the floods
came, and the winds blew
00:18:26.10\00:18:29.14
and beat on that
house and it did not fall."
00:18:29.17\00:18:31.51
Why? "For it was
founded on the rock."
00:18:31.54\00:18:36.44
But we noticed the church
that is founded on the Rock.
00:18:36.48\00:18:39.91
The problem is not
the Rock, Christ Jesus,
00:18:39.95\00:18:42.48
the problem is those
that are standing on Him.
00:18:42.52\00:18:45.82
And I noticed that
this was not immediate
00:18:45.85\00:18:47.92
because from the days
of Christ to the present,
00:18:47.96\00:18:50.16
the foundation of the Christian
church has gone through
00:18:50.19\00:18:52.96
several tests and trials.
00:18:52.99\00:18:55.53
Let's begin with the church
of Ephesus in Revelation 2:1.
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.40
The church of Ephesus,
00:18:58.43\00:18:59.77
this brand new
baby from the hand
00:18:59.80\00:19:01.54
of God unfolding
from the heart of God.
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.37
The Lord looked at
that victorious church
00:19:04.41\00:19:06.94
symbolized by the white horse
00:19:06.98\00:19:08.51
in Revelation
in the four horses.
00:19:08.54\00:19:10.98
But these are the words
He said about that church.
00:19:11.01\00:19:13.65
Revelation 2:1,
00:19:13.68\00:19:15.32
"To the angel of
the church of Ephesus,
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.05
write, these
things, He says, who holds
00:19:17.09\00:19:21.62
the seven stars
in His right hand,
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.56
who walks in the
midst of the seven
00:19:23.59\00:19:24.93
golden candlesticks."
00:19:24.96\00:19:26.36
You see, when the church
of Ephesus was established,
00:19:26.39\00:19:28.96
that first church
faced the burgeoning trials
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.23
of growth
challenged by the power
00:19:32.27\00:19:34.50
of the Roman
Empire but they endured.
00:19:34.54\00:19:37.44
Why? Because that baby church
was established on the rock.
00:19:37.47\00:19:42.61
And the Lord looking at
that church understanding
00:19:42.64\00:19:44.55
what they're facing.
00:19:44.58\00:19:45.91
He says in Revelation
2:2-3, "I know your works,
00:19:45.95\00:19:49.52
your labor and your patience
and that you cannot bear
00:19:49.55\00:19:52.65
those who are evil."
00:19:52.69\00:19:54.79
If they were evil
back then how much more
00:19:54.82\00:19:57.19
is evil advanced today?
00:19:57.23\00:19:59.43
Because the Bible says, "Evil
men will wax worse and worse."
00:19:59.46\00:20:03.60
He continues in verse 2,
00:20:03.63\00:20:06.37
"You cannot bear
those who are evil
00:20:06.40\00:20:08.34
and you have tested
those who say they are apostles
00:20:08.37\00:20:11.91
and are not and
have found them liars
00:20:11.94\00:20:15.58
and you have
persevered and have patience
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.51
and have labored for my namesake
00:20:18.55\00:20:20.98
and have not become weary."
00:20:21.02\00:20:23.18
I want to tell you in
an age where the world
00:20:23.22\00:20:25.79
is challenging the church,
in an age where we are being
00:20:25.82\00:20:28.62
battered by issues
from the left and the right,
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.53
from up and down,
family issues and social issues
00:20:30.56\00:20:33.36
and political issues
and issues of marriage
00:20:33.40\00:20:35.86
and issues of children.
00:20:35.90\00:20:37.47
In an age where
we are challenged,
00:20:37.50\00:20:39.13
the Lord is saying, "Endure,
persevere, have patience,
00:20:39.17\00:20:42.87
labor in my name and
do not become weary."
00:20:42.90\00:20:46.78
And that infant
church stood firm against
00:20:46.81\00:20:49.51
the monolith of pagan Rome.
00:20:49.54\00:20:53.01
Some endured, but some wavered.
00:20:53.05\00:20:57.39
We find Revelation 2:4-5,
He said to that young church,
00:20:57.42\00:21:00.96
"Nevertheless, I have
something against you,
00:21:00.99\00:21:03.86
that you have
left your first love.
00:21:03.89\00:21:06.09
Remember therefore
from when you have fallen,
00:21:06.13\00:21:08.86
repent and do the first
00:21:08.90\00:21:11.10
work or else I
will come to you quickly
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.10
and remove your
lampstand from its place
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.47
unless you repent."
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.21
Oh, I wish today, more
pastors would preach repentance
00:21:17.24\00:21:22.98
and not success.
00:21:23.01\00:21:24.58
Not ships coming in and
bank accounts burgeoning,
00:21:24.61\00:21:28.15
not your job, your
favorite job is coming your way.
00:21:28.18\00:21:30.72
But if they would
preach repentance,
00:21:30.75\00:21:33.56
people will become content
with the little that they have,
00:21:33.59\00:21:36.93
as the Bible says,
"Godliness with contentment
00:21:36.96\00:21:39.86
is great gain."
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.23
We have a
philosophy and a teaching today
00:21:41.26\00:21:42.63
that's coming from
the pulpits of the world.
00:21:42.66\00:21:44.43
People are looking
for diamonds and jewels
00:21:44.47\00:21:46.10
and cars and planes and houses.
00:21:46.13\00:21:47.90
They're looking for
possessions that they can
00:21:47.94\00:21:49.80
hold on to rather than
asking for the Holy Spirit
00:21:49.84\00:21:53.17
to possess them.
00:21:53.21\00:21:55.68
How different the
church has become,
00:21:55.71\00:21:58.08
leaning in a way that
the architect Jesus Christ
00:21:58.11\00:22:01.98
has never
intended for it to lean.
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.62
He told them to repent
and I say to you today,
00:22:04.65\00:22:08.02
repentance has always
been extended by Jesus.
00:22:08.06\00:22:10.23
What was true to the
church of Ephesus is still true.
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.86
God accepts the
heart of true repentance.
00:22:12.89\00:22:16.36
But Ephesus began the journey
and then we go to Smyrna,
00:22:16.40\00:22:18.93
the church of
Smyrna, Revelation 2:9.
00:22:18.97\00:22:21.24
He said to this
church, "I know your works,
00:22:21.27\00:22:23.64
tribulation and
poverty but you are rich."
00:22:23.67\00:22:27.14
And I know the blasphemy
of those who say they are Jews
00:22:27.18\00:22:30.65
and are not, but are
a synagogue of Satan.
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.62
When the church began to grow,
00:22:33.65\00:22:35.25
one of the greatest
battles they had was against
00:22:35.28\00:22:37.05
the Jewish church established.
00:22:37.09\00:22:38.62
They buffeted
the growing church,
00:22:38.65\00:22:40.49
they buffeted the apostles,
00:22:40.52\00:22:42.06
they couldn't stand by
and see the church advance.
00:22:42.09\00:22:44.96
And the Lord knew that
as the apostles died off,
00:22:44.99\00:22:48.83
the church would
face fierce persecution.
00:22:48.86\00:22:51.27
But the persecution
that the church faced was not
00:22:51.30\00:22:53.64
a shock to Jesus.
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.34
For in John 16:1-3, he
said this to the fledgling
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.54
Christian Church,
00:22:58.57\00:23:00.21
"These things I have
spoken to you that you
00:23:00.24\00:23:03.95
should not be made to stumble."
00:23:03.98\00:23:06.65
Get it? Falling over.
00:23:06.68\00:23:09.72
They will put you
out of the synagogues.
00:23:09.75\00:23:11.59
Yes.
00:23:11.62\00:23:12.95
He said, "The time will
come when whoever kills you
00:23:12.99\00:23:14.89
will think that he
offers God's service."
00:23:14.92\00:23:17.33
Distorted Christianity.
00:23:17.36\00:23:18.93
That's why today you
can see people attacking
00:23:18.96\00:23:20.90
the Capitol saying
they're Christians,
00:23:20.93\00:23:22.96
naming the name
of God and fighting,
00:23:23.00\00:23:25.23
willing to beat each
other up in the name of God,
00:23:25.27\00:23:28.00
how dare they take God's name
00:23:28.04\00:23:30.71
and connect it to
their nefarious behavior?
00:23:30.74\00:23:33.54
That's not the Spirit of Christ.
00:23:33.58\00:23:35.74
And I will never
support that kind
00:23:35.78\00:23:37.48
of behavior on the left or
on the right, to be candid.
00:23:37.51\00:23:41.82
Jesus said, "These
things they will do to you
00:23:41.85\00:23:44.49
because they have not
known the Father nor Me."
00:23:44.52\00:23:47.16
Today, we want
politicians to be Christians.
00:23:47.19\00:23:50.69
The Lord never
said that politicians
00:23:50.73\00:23:52.36
would be Christians.
00:23:52.39\00:23:53.73
He said, "Give to Caesar
what's his but give to God
00:23:53.76\00:23:57.07
what's His."
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.43
And the church ought to
wake up and stop trying to stand
00:23:58.47\00:24:00.74
behind a man when it's
called to stand behind Christ.
00:24:00.77\00:24:04.24
But looking at
that fledgling church,
00:24:04.27\00:24:05.81
Jesus revealed their fate.
00:24:05.84\00:24:07.71
He said, it's going
to get bad but hold on.
00:24:07.74\00:24:10.25
Revelation 2:10, He said,
00:24:10.28\00:24:12.25
"Do not fear
any of those things,
00:24:12.28\00:24:13.92
do not fear any of those things,
00:24:13.95\00:24:15.78
which you are about to suffer.
00:24:15.82\00:24:17.29
Indeed, the devil
is about to throw some
00:24:17.32\00:24:20.02
of you into prison
that you may be tested.
00:24:20.06\00:24:22.39
And you will have tribulation
10 days from 303 to 313 AD
00:24:22.42\00:24:27.43
under Roman Emperor Diocletian."
00:24:27.46\00:24:29.40
Rome made a
valiant attempt to wipe out
00:24:29.43\00:24:32.13
the church but
because they were firmly
00:24:32.17\00:24:34.57
standing on the
Rock, Christ Jesus,
00:24:34.60\00:24:38.37
they were not successful.
00:24:38.41\00:24:39.91
He said to them,
"Be faithful unto death
00:24:39.94\00:24:42.51
and I will give
you a crown of life."
00:24:42.54\00:24:44.88
You see, friends,
when I look at this,
00:24:44.91\00:24:46.68
I wonder how
different the church is today.
00:24:46.72\00:24:49.08
We can't handle suffering.
00:24:49.12\00:24:50.99
So many people are
turned off by little things.
00:24:51.02\00:24:54.06
I'm offended.
00:24:54.09\00:24:55.42
Well, if you were
living in those days,
00:24:55.46\00:24:56.79
offence would be nothing.
00:24:56.83\00:24:58.36
We're talking about
persecution, being beheaded,
00:24:58.39\00:25:00.33
torn apart by
lions, put in dungeons.
00:25:00.36\00:25:02.46
Offended?
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.33
That's why the
Lord allows suffering.
00:25:04.37\00:25:05.70
There is something about
suffering that brings out
00:25:05.73\00:25:08.20
a determination that
evades us in times of ease.
00:25:08.24\00:25:12.31
What happens
when suffering comes,
00:25:12.34\00:25:14.28
the Bible becomes more real.
00:25:14.31\00:25:16.01
Jesus becomes a friend that
sticks closer than a brother.
00:25:16.04\00:25:19.48
Like the three Hebrews we
find deliverance in the fire.
00:25:19.51\00:25:22.85
But today Christian say
Lord saved me from the fire.
00:25:22.88\00:25:25.65
What if God intended for
you to go through the refining
00:25:25.69\00:25:28.12
fires of your life?
00:25:28.16\00:25:30.29
Like the Hebrews,
could somebody testify
00:25:30.33\00:25:33.06
about God's goodness in a fire?
00:25:33.09\00:25:35.13
Whatever happened to those days?
00:25:35.16\00:25:37.10
God has forsaken me?
00:25:37.13\00:25:38.47
He has not, you've forsaken him.
00:25:38.50\00:25:40.14
And like Daniel, we discover
comfort in the lions' den.
00:25:40.17\00:25:43.34
How would you like to
spend a night in the motel
00:25:43.37\00:25:46.01
where it's not on
a comfortable bed,
00:25:46.04\00:25:47.94
not on a posturepedic mattress,
00:25:47.98\00:25:49.61
but you're leaning on the
belly of a ferocious lion?
00:25:49.64\00:25:52.01
And you can only do
that by God's grace.
00:25:52.05\00:25:54.45
I'm so thankful
today that God can spend
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.22
the night with me in a
den of lions, that's God.
00:25:57.25\00:26:02.12
But the church is soft today.
00:26:02.16\00:26:04.29
We discover
comfort in the lions' den,
00:26:04.33\00:26:07.06
we find joy that sustains
us in the midst of trial.
00:26:07.10\00:26:11.30
And like Paul and
Silas, we can sing behind
00:26:11.33\00:26:15.20
the prison bars of despair.
00:26:15.24\00:26:18.21
What has happened to the church?
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.38
It's leaning so far
that it has forgotten
00:26:20.41\00:26:24.68
that Jesus has declared
00:26:24.71\00:26:26.15
unto him that is able
to keep you from falling.
00:26:26.18\00:26:30.72
But David the Psalmist
reminds us in Psalm 34:15
00:26:30.75\00:26:35.32
when we are going
through difficulty and despair
00:26:35.36\00:26:37.43
when we are
facing trials, he says,
00:26:37.46\00:26:39.39
"The eyes of the
Lord are on the righteous
00:26:39.43\00:26:41.80
and His ears are
open to their cries."
00:26:41.83\00:26:44.50
You see, we often
cry to one another.
00:26:44.53\00:26:46.13
And if somebody cries
to you, pray for them.
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.60
Do not allow their failures
00:26:48.64\00:26:50.51
and their
weaknesses to become the top
00:26:50.54\00:26:53.04
newspaper article in
your life with your friends.
00:26:53.07\00:26:55.71
Do not broadcast the weaknesses
of your brothers and sisters,
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.68
for God has given you
grace, that you may grow through
00:26:58.71\00:27:01.65
the times of your weakness.
00:27:01.68\00:27:03.92
Whatever happened to
bearing one another's burdens
00:27:03.95\00:27:07.19
and fulfilling
the law of Christ?
00:27:07.22\00:27:09.62
The eyes of the
Lord are on the righteous
00:27:09.66\00:27:12.06
and His ears are
open to their cries.
00:27:12.09\00:27:15.53
That's why I asked the question,
00:27:15.56\00:27:16.97
how well do you
know about the power
00:27:17.00\00:27:18.70
of God to
deliver unless you need
00:27:18.73\00:27:23.47
the power of God to deliver?
00:27:23.51\00:27:26.84
And David who knows well
what deliverance is all about.
00:27:26.88\00:27:30.11
He says in Psalm 34:17,
00:27:30.15\00:27:32.15
"The righteous cry
out and the Lord hears
00:27:32.18\00:27:35.08
and delivers them out
of all their troubles."
00:27:35.12\00:27:40.32
That passage is important
to me because if that were
00:27:40.36\00:27:43.26
not the case, I
wouldn't be here today.
00:27:43.29\00:27:46.49
Many of you
wouldn't be where you are.
00:27:46.53\00:27:48.30
You wouldn't be standing
firmly where you are if God
00:27:48.33\00:27:51.30
did not hear your
cries and deliver you out of,
00:27:51.33\00:27:55.00
listen to this,
all of your troubles.
00:27:55.04\00:27:59.01
There's nothing you can
face that is too difficult
00:27:59.04\00:28:02.11
for God to deliver.
00:28:02.14\00:28:03.75
Psalms 34:19,
00:28:03.78\00:28:05.18
"Many are the
afflictions of the righteous,
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.42
but the Lord
delivers him out of them all."
00:28:07.45\00:28:11.09
But the problem today
with the Christian churches,
00:28:11.12\00:28:13.05
people want easy religion.
00:28:13.09\00:28:15.16
They can't handle
the simplest of offences.
00:28:15.19\00:28:17.69
When something or
somebody rubs them wrong,
00:28:17.73\00:28:19.69
they shrink or
they're ready to fight.
00:28:19.73\00:28:22.33
That's what's
happening in our nation,
00:28:22.36\00:28:24.03
Christians fighting
Christians over what?
00:28:24.07\00:28:27.34
Over what?
00:28:27.37\00:28:29.47
A vaccine and a mask?
00:28:29.50\00:28:31.84
Go back to the
days of real persecution
00:28:31.87\00:28:34.98
when things
were really an issue.
00:28:35.01\00:28:37.65
If you think that
wearing a mask is a trial,
00:28:37.68\00:28:39.71
ask the Hebrews
how the furnace felt.
00:28:39.75\00:28:42.68
And some of us have never
been in the furnace because
00:28:42.72\00:28:44.65
we are not strong
enough to even go that far.
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.19
The Lord will never put
some of us in a furnace because
00:28:47.22\00:28:49.36
we will deny our faith
because we have become soft
00:28:49.39\00:28:54.13
bed Christians,
00:28:54.16\00:28:56.13
leaning so far, that we have
00:28:56.16\00:28:58.57
forgotten that we
should be leaning on Christ.
00:28:58.60\00:29:01.67
In Testimonies for the
Church, volume 6, page 408,
00:29:01.70\00:29:05.27
the servant of the Lord
Ellen White makes it clear about
00:29:05.31\00:29:07.48
what the church
is going to face.
00:29:07.51\00:29:08.84
She says, "The signs
thickening around us,
00:29:08.88\00:29:12.95
telling of the
near approach of the Son
00:29:12.98\00:29:14.58
of God are
attributed to anything
00:29:14.62\00:29:16.85
other than the true cause.
00:29:16.89\00:29:18.69
Men cannot discern the
sentinel angels restraining
00:29:18.72\00:29:22.22
the four winds that
they shall not blow until
00:29:22.26\00:29:24.53
the servants of God are sealed.
00:29:24.56\00:29:26.59
But when God shall bid
his angels loose the winds,
00:29:26.63\00:29:30.83
there shall be such a
season or scene of strife,
00:29:30.87\00:29:35.00
as no pen can picture."
00:29:35.04\00:29:36.94
If you don't strengthen
your foundation today,
00:29:36.97\00:29:39.07
if you're comfortable
leaning, if you're comfortable
00:29:39.11\00:29:42.04
just leaning, if all you
want to do as a Christian
00:29:42.08\00:29:44.78
is lean on the
foolishness of this life,
00:29:44.81\00:29:47.38
the uncertainty,
the changing climate,
00:29:47.42\00:29:49.65
a horizon that has
nothing of assurance in it.
00:29:49.68\00:29:52.72
If you are content to lean
in this kind of environment
00:29:52.75\00:29:55.99
you won't be able to stand
when the strife that is coming
00:29:56.02\00:30:01.46
is something that our
minds could never even imagine.
00:30:01.50\00:30:05.37
Today, friends, truth based
Christianity has been avoided
00:30:05.40\00:30:08.84
like a plague.
00:30:08.87\00:30:10.54
The Apostle Paul predicted
that the time would come
00:30:10.57\00:30:13.01
when Christians will
be identified by a form
00:30:13.04\00:30:15.98
of godliness.
00:30:16.01\00:30:17.35
But there'll be
denying the power thereof.
00:30:17.38\00:30:19.75
And we are living in that time.
00:30:19.78\00:30:22.48
The church today, so many
Christians are content to feel
00:30:22.52\00:30:27.19
good when the music sounds good.
00:30:27.22\00:30:30.59
But my favorite preacher,
one of my favorite preachers,
00:30:30.63\00:30:32.73
Pastor CD Brook said,
"It is not how high you jump
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.16
when you sing,
but it's how straight
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.03
you walk when
you hit the ground."
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.57
What's happened
to the church today?
00:30:40.60\00:30:42.80
The church, we fight each other.
00:30:42.84\00:30:45.34
We have forgotten
that sickness and death
00:30:45.37\00:30:47.08
and suffering doesn't
come from a God that snatches
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.74
children away.
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.11
God is not an assassin,
He does not take your mother
00:30:51.15\00:30:52.91
or your father, He
did not plan the death
00:30:52.95\00:30:54.88
of your child in
that car accident.
00:30:54.92\00:30:56.89
He did not go to the
hospital and say your son
00:30:56.92\00:30:59.05
would not make it
through this COVID environment.
00:30:59.09\00:31:02.86
An enemy has done that.
00:31:02.89\00:31:04.66
Give the blame to
whom the blame is due,
00:31:04.69\00:31:07.16
the devil, who is a liar
00:31:07.20\00:31:08.70
and a murderer
from the very beginning.
00:31:08.73\00:31:10.63
Stop blaming God and
saying that God took,
00:31:10.67\00:31:12.93
God does not take,
He takes the bad things
00:31:12.97\00:31:15.77
and give the good things.
00:31:15.80\00:31:17.17
Every good and every
perfect gift comes from God.
00:31:17.21\00:31:21.04
He said, "I've come
that you might have life
00:31:21.08\00:31:23.14
and have it more abundantly."
00:31:23.18\00:31:24.55
But He talks about the
thief who comes to steal,
00:31:24.58\00:31:27.12
to kill and destroy.
00:31:27.15\00:31:28.75
What has happened to the church?
00:31:28.78\00:31:31.15
It is leaning, this is
the leaning generation,
00:31:31.19\00:31:34.36
the generation where Christians
are leaning on preferences.
00:31:34.39\00:31:38.83
And Isaiah the prophet
describes that the church
00:31:38.86\00:31:41.23
would come to this.
00:31:41.26\00:31:42.60
Isaiah 4:1. Notice what he says.
00:31:42.63\00:31:44.80
He says, "In that day,
seven women shall take hold
00:31:44.83\00:31:48.50
of one man, seven
churches, seven conditions."
00:31:48.54\00:31:51.91
What are
Christians today saying?
00:31:51.94\00:31:54.01
We will eat our own bread.
00:31:54.04\00:31:55.98
This is our own doctrines.
00:31:56.01\00:31:57.48
We will wear our own apparel.
00:31:57.51\00:31:59.28
This is what my righteousness
is comfortable with.
00:31:59.31\00:32:04.65
Only let us be called by your
name to take away our approach.
00:32:04.69\00:32:08.82
And that's what
Jesus meant when He said,
00:32:08.86\00:32:10.89
"Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain."
00:32:10.93\00:32:13.96
To name the name of God means
to live the life that Christ
00:32:14.00\00:32:17.53
intended for us to live.
00:32:17.57\00:32:18.97
Don't be content
with just the name
00:32:19.00\00:32:21.54
and be discontent with the life.
00:32:21.57\00:32:25.14
When you think about it,
what good is your preference
00:32:25.17\00:32:28.61
if you are not determined
to stand on God's requirements?
00:32:28.64\00:32:32.01
What good is your preference?
00:32:32.05\00:32:33.62
The church has become like
the Cain of the days of Abel.
00:32:33.65\00:32:37.05
Cain killed his brother Abel.
00:32:37.09\00:32:38.82
Why?
00:32:38.85\00:32:40.19
Because Cain gave God
what he wanted to give him.
00:32:40.22\00:32:43.93
When Abel gave
God what he required.
00:32:43.96\00:32:47.16
Today, Christians give Jesus
00:32:47.20\00:32:48.86
what they want to
and not what He requires.
00:32:48.90\00:32:52.07
Why? Because they are
leaning in the wrong direction.
00:32:52.10\00:32:56.07
But make no mistake about it.
00:32:56.10\00:32:57.84
Jesus is not bought by
your leaning preferences.
00:32:57.87\00:33:02.04
His Word is sure John 4:23.
00:33:02.08\00:33:05.08
He says, "But the hour is coming
00:33:05.11\00:33:07.05
and now is when the
true worshipers will worship
00:33:07.08\00:33:10.82
the Father in
spirit and in truth."
00:33:10.85\00:33:12.39
Why? For the Father is
seeking such to worship Him.
00:33:12.42\00:33:16.26
Verse 24, "God is spirit
and those who worship Him,
00:33:16.29\00:33:19.89
notice, not should
or might think about it,
00:33:19.93\00:33:22.50
must worship in
spirit and in truth.
00:33:22.53\00:33:27.44
It's amazing, the more
arguments I've ever had,
00:33:27.47\00:33:30.67
the most arguments
I've ever had are not
00:33:30.71\00:33:32.67
with people that
are drinking and smoking
00:33:32.71\00:33:34.31
and dancing and partying.
00:33:34.34\00:33:35.88
I've had more arguments
with pastors and Christians
00:33:35.91\00:33:39.31
about the truth of God's Word
00:33:39.35\00:33:41.15
because they're content
to lean on their preferences.
00:33:41.18\00:33:45.79
Jesus is not in the business
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.86
of trading His Word
for a well written song.
00:33:47.89\00:33:51.29
Because when He faced
temptation in the garden,
00:33:51.33\00:33:53.86
in the wilderness, He
did not say to the devil,
00:33:53.90\00:33:56.26
it is sung, He
said it is written,
00:33:56.30\00:33:58.60
but the church has been
seduced today leaning on a song
00:33:58.63\00:34:02.14
rather than leaning on
the undefeated Word of God.
00:34:02.17\00:34:05.97
Jesus didn't sing
00:34:06.01\00:34:07.34
a lullaby to Satan in
the wilderness of temptation.
00:34:07.38\00:34:09.61
He said it is
written. He said it is written.
00:34:09.64\00:34:11.55
He said it is written.
00:34:11.58\00:34:12.91
And today, if you
don't stand on it is written,
00:34:12.95\00:34:14.45
you can sing your way into hell.
00:34:14.48\00:34:16.48
It's not going to change
the devil's attitude about
00:34:16.52\00:34:19.15
his hold on your life.
00:34:19.19\00:34:21.76
The Lord is saying
to the church today,
00:34:21.79\00:34:23.22
"Stop leaning on emotion.
00:34:23.26\00:34:24.59
Stop leaning on lights
that make you feel good.
00:34:24.63\00:34:26.59
Stop leaning on an atmosphere
that is designed to seduce
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.26
you to ignore requirements
in place of preference."
00:34:29.30\00:34:34.70
And I'm speaking firmly
00:34:34.74\00:34:36.07
today because we're
living in a very crisis
00:34:36.10\00:34:39.54
centered environment.
00:34:39.57\00:34:42.28
This is the generation
leaning on sermons that lean.
00:34:42.31\00:34:48.02
They like leaning
sermons because just like
00:34:48.05\00:34:50.95
the Tower of Pisa,
00:34:50.99\00:34:52.42
the leaning sermons are more
attractive than the straight
00:34:52.45\00:34:54.66
testimony and thus
saith that the Lord
00:34:54.69\00:34:57.63
is not desired anymore.
00:34:57.66\00:34:59.59
Instead of doing
what God says many
00:34:59.63\00:35:01.23
Christians contend to
maintain their leaning beliefs,
00:35:01.26\00:35:04.50
their leaning positions.
00:35:04.53\00:35:06.13
I know what the Bible says
but that's the word that will
00:35:06.17\00:35:10.34
get you leaning until
one day you fall over.
00:35:10.37\00:35:13.07
This is the generation leaning
on tradition and not on truth.
00:35:13.11\00:35:16.85
This generation
prefers leaning on feeling
00:35:16.88\00:35:20.12
and not on Christ's Word.
00:35:20.15\00:35:22.75
They like to lean on religion
and not on the sure foundation
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.85
of the
unwavering promises of God.
00:35:25.89\00:35:28.96
This is the hour
00:35:28.99\00:35:30.46
where people are leaning
on their own understanding.
00:35:30.49\00:35:32.86
Some Christian said to me,
00:35:32.89\00:35:34.23
"I didn't think that God
would expose me to that."
00:35:34.26\00:35:37.03
You know why?
Because you're not God.
00:35:37.07\00:35:38.67
His ways are
higher than your ways.
00:35:38.70\00:35:40.34
His thoughts are
higher than your thoughts.
00:35:40.37\00:35:42.37
And like a person
that's washing clothes,
00:35:42.40\00:35:44.84
the Lord knows how long
you need to be agitated to get
00:35:44.87\00:35:47.98
the dirt out of your
life because His number
00:35:48.01\00:35:51.51
one commitment is to
get us into the kingdom.
00:35:51.55\00:35:53.55
He knows that we
cannot get into the kingdom
00:35:53.58\00:35:55.82
the way we are.
00:35:55.85\00:35:57.19
We will only
get into the kingdom
00:35:57.22\00:35:58.72
when as the Bible
says, "We shall be like Him,
00:35:58.75\00:36:01.82
for one day we
shall see Him as He is."
00:36:01.86\00:36:03.93
He's not done yet.
00:36:03.96\00:36:05.29
Praise God for that.
00:36:05.33\00:36:07.76
So when God chastens us
and tries us, He is saying,
00:36:07.80\00:36:11.10
"I cannot take you in that way.
00:36:11.13\00:36:14.34
I gotta clean you up.
00:36:14.37\00:36:16.40
Get the garbage
out of your life.
00:36:16.44\00:36:18.47
I don't want leaning Christians
in a kingdom that is standing
00:36:18.51\00:36:22.14
strong and firm.
00:36:22.18\00:36:23.51
We're not going to walk
through the gate tilting,
00:36:23.55\00:36:25.58
we're going to walk
through the gates on the firm
00:36:25.61\00:36:27.68
righteousness of Jesus."
00:36:27.72\00:36:30.22
Paul the Apostle says,
00:36:30.25\00:36:31.99
"Don't get confused by
how things are gonna work out.
00:36:32.02\00:36:35.02
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus,
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.56
the only one that can
work it out when you can't make
00:36:36.59\00:36:39.33
heads or tails
out of your trials.
00:36:39.36\00:36:40.70
Remember this
promise of the Word of God."
00:36:40.73\00:36:43.10
Romans 8: 28, and we
know that all things.
00:36:43.13\00:36:45.63
How many things?
00:36:45.67\00:36:47.00
All things work together
for good to those who love God,
00:36:47.04\00:36:50.01
to those who are called
according to His purpose.
00:36:50.04\00:36:52.71
You see, if there's
no purpose in your life,
00:36:52.74\00:36:54.51
things may not work out.
00:36:54.54\00:36:55.88
If you choose to try it your
way other than God's way it may
00:36:55.91\00:36:58.21
not work out because the promise
00:36:58.25\00:36:59.68
is not made to those
who don't do it God's way.
00:36:59.71\00:37:02.65
The promise is not made to those
00:37:02.68\00:37:04.02
who are
according to their purpose.
00:37:04.05\00:37:06.19
It is those
according to His purpose.
00:37:06.22\00:37:09.29
What's your purpose today?
00:37:09.32\00:37:10.99
Is your purpose
just to buy a new house,
00:37:11.03\00:37:12.56
buy a new car or is your
purpose to embrace eternity?
00:37:12.59\00:37:15.76
What's your purpose today?
00:37:15.80\00:37:18.03
Do you want a
great job at six figures?
00:37:18.07\00:37:20.57
Do you want a beautiful
wife or a handsome husband?
00:37:20.60\00:37:23.74
What's your purpose today?
00:37:23.77\00:37:25.11
If your purpose is to serve God,
00:37:25.14\00:37:27.78
all things will
work together for good.
00:37:27.81\00:37:30.88
You see, friends, the worries
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.25
and anxieties that are
causing Christian saline
00:37:32.28\00:37:35.35
is occurring by
putting weight on issues
00:37:35.38\00:37:37.89
that have nothing
to do with eternity.
00:37:37.92\00:37:40.92
This society is busy leaning on,
00:37:40.96\00:37:43.49
on the
shoulders of men that make
00:37:43.53\00:37:45.06
promises that they
cannot keep and they are not
00:37:45.09\00:37:47.33
leaning on the promises of God.
00:37:47.36\00:37:49.16
That's why Jesus once
again hear the words of Jesus.
00:37:49.20\00:37:51.60
He says to them in Luke
6:46, "Why do you call me Lord,
00:37:51.63\00:37:55.70
Lord and do not do
the things which I say?"
00:37:55.74\00:37:59.71
I was talking to a
Christian not too long ago
00:37:59.74\00:38:01.44
and I was showing
him the Word of God.
00:38:01.48\00:38:03.14
And I said that brother,
"Bro, you are doing some
00:38:03.18\00:38:05.45
serious acrobats
to try to get around
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.72
what God's Word clearly says."
00:38:07.75\00:38:11.25
We think that
we should file down
00:38:11.29\00:38:13.36
God's Word to fit our lives.
00:38:13.39\00:38:15.72
When God wants to file down
00:38:15.76\00:38:17.46
our lives to fit His words.
00:38:17.49\00:38:20.36
You see the like the
Leaning Tower of Pisa,
00:38:20.40\00:38:22.90
false doctrines have
taken years to solidify,
00:38:22.93\00:38:25.90
like the 100 years
00:38:25.93\00:38:27.27
when there was no work done
on the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
00:38:27.30\00:38:29.37
When they went back
the foundation was solid,
00:38:29.40\00:38:31.21
but let me make a point.
00:38:31.24\00:38:33.07
Errors taught for long
00:38:33.11\00:38:34.81
may be solid because
it's solid in your mind.
00:38:34.84\00:38:39.08
But what is true
about the Leaning Tower
00:38:39.11\00:38:40.68
is also true
about false doctrines.
00:38:40.72\00:38:42.95
It may be solid, but it
cannot support the Word of God.
00:38:42.98\00:38:47.32
It cannot be
supported by the Word of God.
00:38:47.36\00:38:50.73
You know, the tower couldn't
stand because the foundation
00:38:50.76\00:38:53.66
was solid, but it was shallow.
00:38:53.70\00:38:55.76
Shallow religion,
shallow doctrines,
00:38:55.80\00:38:59.30
with no foundation in
God's Word cannot stand.
00:38:59.33\00:39:03.67
There's something
else I learned about
00:39:03.71\00:39:05.04
this tower that I
want to share with you now,
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.51
I left parts of the story
for later because it's very
00:39:06.54\00:39:09.34
instrumental, very significant.
00:39:09.38\00:39:12.21
In 1998, something happened.
00:39:12.25\00:39:15.72
Architects learned that
if they don't do something
00:39:15.75\00:39:18.19
now the tower is going to fall.
00:39:18.22\00:39:19.65
So in 1998, the
architects in the city of Pisa,
00:39:19.69\00:39:23.46
they added lead counterweights.
00:39:23.49\00:39:25.99
Lead, if you
look at the internet,
00:39:26.03\00:39:28.30
you find on one
side of the building,
00:39:28.33\00:39:30.27
there are about
200 lead weights.
00:39:30.30\00:39:32.87
Large massive
pieces of lead weight.
00:39:32.90\00:39:36.34
They put it on the
opposite side of the building.
00:39:36.37\00:39:39.27
They were added to the opposite
side of the Leaning Tower
00:39:39.31\00:39:41.64
of Pisa to prevent the
weight on the front side
00:39:41.68\00:39:46.08
from causing the
building to topple on itself.
00:39:46.11\00:39:51.59
Because they
determined that even though
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.29
the foundation had
solidified, it was too shallow.
00:39:53.32\00:39:57.16
It was not deep enough
to guarantee the survival
00:39:57.19\00:40:00.40
of the bell tower.
00:40:00.43\00:40:02.43
Today, friends, I'm
going to come home to you.
00:40:02.46\00:40:04.83
Today, the greatest need
of the last day Christian
00:40:04.87\00:40:08.44
is counterweights.
00:40:08.47\00:40:10.41
Whoa, praise God.
He has counterweights.
00:40:10.44\00:40:15.41
The tower is
still standing today
00:40:15.44\00:40:17.35
because of the counterweights.
00:40:17.38\00:40:19.11
They realize left
to itself it will fall.
00:40:19.15\00:40:21.82
Left to yourself you will fall.
00:40:21.85\00:40:24.99
Today God is saying you need
00:40:25.02\00:40:26.79
counterweights
because you haven't seen
00:40:26.82\00:40:28.86
the best that Satan
has to unfurl before you.
00:40:28.89\00:40:32.49
You haven't seen
Satan's big guns.
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.36
We need
counterweights, because without
00:40:35.40\00:40:38.10
counterweights in our
lives, our lives cannot stand.
00:40:38.13\00:40:41.94
Without
counterweights in our lives,
00:40:41.97\00:40:43.74
we will eventually fall.
00:40:43.77\00:40:45.61
Why?
00:40:45.64\00:40:46.98
Because we are no
match for the forces
00:40:47.01\00:40:49.28
of darkness
that come against us.
00:40:49.31\00:40:51.55
So I'm going to bring
five points home today
00:40:51.58\00:40:54.45
just before I close and
I want to lean into them,
00:40:54.48\00:40:58.39
but the question to you,
00:40:58.42\00:40:59.75
what are the
counterweights that will
00:40:59.79\00:41:02.19
guarantee that as a Christian
00:41:02.22\00:41:04.83
you will survive?
00:41:04.86\00:41:08.76
Allow me to introduce
00:41:08.80\00:41:10.20
counterweight
number one, prayer.
00:41:10.23\00:41:12.93
The Apostle Paul, a
very short verse but very
00:41:12.97\00:41:15.70
relevant for
the Christian today.
00:41:15.74\00:41:17.97
1 Thessalonians 5:17.
00:41:18.01\00:41:20.21
He says these words,
"Pray without ceasing."
00:41:20.24\00:41:22.74
I'll say it again,
pray without ceasing.
00:41:22.78\00:41:24.68
Why would he say that?
00:41:24.71\00:41:26.48
Because he knows
that in these days
00:41:26.51\00:41:28.35
if we are not in
an attitude of prayer,
00:41:28.38\00:41:30.19
for those of you that think
you need to kneel all the time,
00:41:30.22\00:41:33.32
then you can pray
when you're driving
00:41:33.36\00:41:35.42
or you can pray when
you're in the checkout
00:41:35.46\00:41:37.03
line in the food
store or you can pray
00:41:37.06\00:41:39.23
when the salesperson
is trying to seduce you
00:41:39.26\00:41:41.26
into buying
something you can't afford.
00:41:41.30\00:41:43.13
The Bible says,
"Pray without ceasing."
00:41:43.16\00:41:44.70
We must always be in
an attitude of prayer,
00:41:44.73\00:41:47.04
Review and
Herald, June 15, 1886,
00:41:47.07\00:41:49.74
paragraph seven,
Ellen White describes
00:41:49.77\00:41:51.81
how important prayer is.
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.17
She says, "We need a
close connection with God.
00:41:53.21\00:41:57.15
We are not safe a
moment unless guided
00:41:57.18\00:42:00.62
and controlled
by the Holy Spirit.
00:42:00.65\00:42:03.89
The soul should be often
uplifted to God in prayer
00:42:03.92\00:42:09.16
even while we are engaged
in our business vocation."
00:42:09.19\00:42:14.50
Is prayer
something important to you
00:42:14.53\00:42:17.40
or is it just
something you do before you eat
00:42:17.43\00:42:20.20
or before you go to bed or
before you walk out the house?
00:42:20.24\00:42:23.87
Oh, Daniel prayed
three times a day.
00:42:23.91\00:42:26.78
I heard a story about a person
that was on the plane praying
00:42:26.81\00:42:29.44
and the pastor
turned to him and said,
00:42:29.48\00:42:30.81
"Are you a Christian?"
00:42:30.85\00:42:32.18
He says, "No,
I'm not a Christian.
00:42:32.21\00:42:33.55
I'm an atheist."
00:42:33.58\00:42:34.92
He said, "We pray five times a
day against Christian pastors."
00:42:34.95\00:42:38.32
How is your prayer
life going to sustain?
00:42:38.35\00:42:40.52
How are you going to
make it if there are forces
00:42:40.56\00:42:42.66
praying against you?
00:42:42.69\00:42:44.09
How will you make it
without prayer in your life?
00:42:44.13\00:42:46.70
In the book The Faith I Live
By, page 318 in paragraph 3,
00:42:46.73\00:42:50.73
we are told once
again by God's servant,
00:42:50.77\00:42:53.07
the people of God must
be prepared to withstand
00:42:53.10\00:42:55.54
the wily foe.
00:42:55.57\00:42:57.01
It is this
resistance that Satan dreads.
00:42:57.04\00:43:00.31
When you don't fight
against falling over,
00:43:00.34\00:43:02.51
he has no concern but when you
begin to make decisions about
00:43:02.54\00:43:05.71
I'm not going to fall,
00:43:05.75\00:43:07.08
I'm going to
stand firm on Christ.
00:43:07.12\00:43:08.48
All of a sudden he's concerned.
00:43:08.52\00:43:10.12
She goes on to say, he knows
better than we do the limit
00:43:10.15\00:43:13.72
of his power and how
easily he can be overcome.
00:43:13.76\00:43:17.49
If we resist and face him
00:43:17.53\00:43:21.73
and listen to how we can do it.
00:43:21.76\00:43:23.67
Through divine strength.
00:43:23.70\00:43:25.67
The weakest saint is
more than a match for him
00:43:25.70\00:43:29.57
and all his angels.
00:43:29.60\00:43:33.01
And if brought to the test,
00:43:33.04\00:43:35.04
he the weakest saint
would be able to prove
00:43:35.08\00:43:38.25
his superior power.
00:43:38.28\00:43:39.91
When you look at the
rest of the quotation,
00:43:39.95\00:43:41.78
what is she talking about?
00:43:41.82\00:43:43.15
When a Christian prays,
00:43:43.18\00:43:44.52
we have power that we
do not naturally possess,
00:43:44.55\00:43:46.99
but how many of you
call on Jesus in your time
00:43:47.02\00:43:49.32
of difficulty?
00:43:49.36\00:43:50.69
Or do you find a corner
somewhere and roll up like
00:43:50.73\00:43:52.99
a rolly poly in a pile
of yourself aggrandizement
00:43:53.03\00:43:56.73
trying to find answers
in your own empty life?
00:43:56.77\00:44:00.30
We are being told to
pray, pray without ceasing.
00:44:00.34\00:44:02.80
But the second thing
we must do is Bible study.
00:44:02.84\00:44:05.71
So many Christians leave
00:44:05.74\00:44:07.58
the Bible for
when they go to church
00:44:07.61\00:44:10.01
or when they pick up
their Sabbath School lesson
00:44:10.05\00:44:12.05
or their Sunday school lesson,
00:44:12.08\00:44:13.42
whatever the case may be
in your own practicing life.
00:44:13.45\00:44:15.95
But the Bible is the
sword that Satan fears.
00:44:15.98\00:44:18.65
That's why Jesus said
it's a two edged sword.
00:44:18.69\00:44:20.99
That's why Jesus in
His moments of temptation
00:44:21.02\00:44:23.89
and trial quoted it.
00:44:23.93\00:44:26.36
If Jesus quoted the
Word to defeat the devil,
00:44:26.39\00:44:31.23
how much more
do we need to quote
00:44:31.27\00:44:33.87
the Word to withstand
the forces of darkness?
00:44:33.90\00:44:38.27
The Apostle Paul
in 2 Timothy 2:15.
00:44:38.31\00:44:40.98
What does he say to us
about Bible study today?
00:44:41.01\00:44:42.74
He says, "Study to show
thyselves approved unto God,
00:44:42.78\00:44:46.05
a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed rightly dividing
00:44:46.08\00:44:50.85
the Word of truth."
00:44:50.89\00:44:52.99
Do you even know the
Word of truth that you can
00:44:53.02\00:44:54.76
rightly divide it?
00:44:54.79\00:44:56.12
Are you still saying, I know
it's in the Bible somewhere?
00:44:56.16\00:44:58.76
You won't make it unless
you stop making decisions about
00:44:58.79\00:45:03.06
storing the Word
of God in your life.
00:45:03.10\00:45:04.67
David said it, "Thy word have
I hid in my heart that I might
00:45:04.70\00:45:09.10
not sin against Thee."
00:45:09.14\00:45:10.47
The day is coming, friends,
00:45:10.51\00:45:11.84
that there's going to
be a famine in the land,
00:45:11.87\00:45:13.61
a famine in the
land, not for bread
00:45:13.64\00:45:16.58
and water but for the
hearing of the Word of God.
00:45:16.61\00:45:18.88
For those of you
that think church
00:45:18.91\00:45:20.25
is something that's optional,
you're going to stand around
00:45:20.28\00:45:22.48
one day and try to
break into the churches
00:45:22.52\00:45:24.32
when sermons are no
longer being preached.
00:45:24.35\00:45:26.65
When there's no more an
opportunity to give your
00:45:26.69\00:45:28.29
life to Christ.
00:45:28.32\00:45:29.66
You can think of it as
just something optional
00:45:29.69\00:45:31.46
and you can keep partying
and living the way you live,
00:45:31.49\00:45:33.50
but one day you're
going to be looking for bread
00:45:33.53\00:45:35.30
and water and
none will be found.
00:45:35.33\00:45:37.20
You'll be saying,
"Preach a sermon to me."
00:45:37.23\00:45:38.77
But the pulpits will be empty.
00:45:38.80\00:45:42.00
Stop leaning on the foolishness
00:45:42.04\00:45:44.31
of a life that
continues to lie to you.
00:45:44.34\00:45:46.81
Study God's Word.
00:45:46.84\00:45:48.48
We are told in the
book A Call to Stand Apart,
00:45:48.51\00:45:51.05
page 69, paragraph 1 once again,
00:45:51.08\00:45:53.75
the humble servant,
Ellen White says this
00:45:53.78\00:45:56.02
and I praise God
that she stands in harmony
00:45:56.05\00:45:58.15
with God's Word.
00:45:58.19\00:45:59.52
She says, "There is nothing
more calculated to energize
00:45:59.55\00:46:03.43
the mind and strengthen
the intellect than the study
00:46:03.46\00:46:05.53
of the Word of God."
00:46:05.56\00:46:06.90
No other book, hear me,
00:46:06.93\00:46:08.83
no other book is so
potent to elevate the thoughts,
00:46:08.86\00:46:12.90
to give vigor to the faculties
as the broad ennobling truths
00:46:12.93\00:46:16.67
of the Bible.
00:46:16.71\00:46:18.97
And this is powerful.
00:46:19.01\00:46:20.34
If God's Word was studied
00:46:20.38\00:46:23.65
as it should be,
00:46:23.68\00:46:27.32
men would have a breath of mind,
00:46:27.35\00:46:30.29
a nobility of character
00:46:30.32\00:46:33.19
and a stability of
purpose that are rarely
00:46:33.22\00:46:36.02
seen in these times.
00:46:36.06\00:46:38.93
The world needs an evidence
of a real Christian man,
00:46:38.96\00:46:42.40
a man that says no and means it.
00:46:42.43\00:46:45.23
A woman that
says no and means it.
00:46:45.27\00:46:47.34
A man that can, by God's
grace, resist the advancement
00:46:47.37\00:46:50.87
of seduction, whether by Satan
00:46:50.91\00:46:54.41
or by a woman or by money
or by power or by politics.
00:46:54.44\00:46:59.78
The world needs evidence
of a real Christian man.
00:46:59.81\00:47:03.12
The world need evidence
of Christian young people.
00:47:03.15\00:47:05.89
Too many people want to
be Christians one day a week.
00:47:05.92\00:47:08.86
That's why we argue
over Sabbath or Sunday.
00:47:08.89\00:47:10.79
Let me tell you something,
you can keep the Sabbath
00:47:10.83\00:47:12.26
and still be lost.
00:47:12.29\00:47:13.63
You can go to church
every Sunday and still be lost.
00:47:13.66\00:47:15.00
God's not looking for first
day or seventh day Christians.
00:47:15.03\00:47:17.50
He's looking for
everyday Christians.
00:47:17.53\00:47:20.84
Yes, the Sabbath is
God's day of worship.
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.37
Yes, the Sabbath is
ordained and blessed by God.
00:47:23.41\00:47:25.77
He didn't bless Sunday.
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.48
But my point is clear,
until you become a Christian
00:47:27.51\00:47:30.11
every day, one day is
not going to save you.
00:47:30.15\00:47:33.72
Give yourself to Bible
study, give yourself to prayer.
00:47:33.75\00:47:36.12
But there's something else
you have to do in these closing
00:47:36.15\00:47:37.85
hours of life.
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.25
You got to trust God.
00:47:39.29\00:47:40.62
Point number three, you
got to put your trust in God.
00:47:40.66\00:47:43.09
You got to put
your trust in God.
00:47:43.12\00:47:44.56
So many people don't
know what that means.
00:47:44.59\00:47:47.00
Proverbs 3:5-6.
00:47:47.03\00:47:50.20
A wise man who understood
00:47:50.23\00:47:52.57
what it meant to not
trust God wrote these words,
00:47:52.60\00:47:55.64
"Trust in the Lord
with all your heart
00:47:55.67\00:48:00.34
and lean not on your own
00:48:00.38\00:48:01.74
understanding in all your ways."
00:48:01.78\00:48:05.65
In all your ways, financially,
socially, in your marriage,
00:48:05.68\00:48:08.28
in your life, in your
dealing with your children,
00:48:08.32\00:48:10.52
when you walk through
the doors of the church
00:48:10.55\00:48:12.39
and you look at
other Christians,
00:48:12.42\00:48:13.76
see them as another
citizen of the kingdom,
00:48:13.79\00:48:15.86
not somebody that
you can't get along
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.66
with because you
can't get along with them
00:48:17.69\00:48:19.39
and they can't get along
with you, neither one of you
00:48:19.43\00:48:21.30
is going to make the kingdom.
00:48:21.33\00:48:23.33
Put your understanding aside.
00:48:23.37\00:48:25.47
Trust in the Lord
with all your heart,
00:48:25.50\00:48:27.17
lean not on your
own understanding,
00:48:27.20\00:48:29.07
in all your ways acknowledge
Him and what's going to happen?
00:48:29.10\00:48:32.14
And He will direct your paths.
00:48:32.17\00:48:34.68
The leaning church
needs some new direction.
00:48:34.71\00:48:37.45
In the book Confrontation,
our Redeemer, page 49,
00:48:37.48\00:48:42.68
in paragraph 2,
00:48:42.72\00:48:44.55
"Our Redeemer in the
victory here gained has left
00:48:44.59\00:48:48.79
man a perfect pattern,
00:48:48.82\00:48:50.93
showing him that his
only safety is an affirm trust
00:48:50.96\00:48:55.13
and unwavering
confidence in God in all trials
00:48:55.16\00:48:59.33
and perils."
00:48:59.37\00:49:00.70
Jesus did it.
00:49:00.74\00:49:02.57
What's preventing
you from doing it?
00:49:02.60\00:49:05.61
As I bring on
my last two points,
00:49:05.64\00:49:06.98
I want you to hear
that song in the background.
00:49:07.01\00:49:09.71
I'm having Tim
play learning to lean.
00:49:09.74\00:49:12.21
Oh, my brother and
sister, my pastor friends,
00:49:12.25\00:49:16.69
those of you called
to great responsibility
00:49:16.72\00:49:19.15
have you learned what it means?
00:49:19.19\00:49:21.56
Do you have a childlike faith?
00:49:21.59\00:49:23.26
Do you know what it means
00:49:23.29\00:49:25.53
when no one and nothing around
you can bring you satisfaction?
00:49:25.56\00:49:30.40
Do you know what it means
00:49:30.43\00:49:33.20
when Jesus sits with you
on the couch of your despair
00:49:33.23\00:49:37.11
and He says lean on me?
00:49:37.14\00:49:39.31
Do you know what it means?
00:49:39.34\00:49:41.14
When you can lean on Jesus,
you can do the fourth thing,
00:49:41.18\00:49:43.91
you can begin to
share your faith.
00:49:43.95\00:49:46.21
The Psalmist David
said in Psalm 107:2,
00:49:46.25\00:49:49.82
"Let the redeemed
of the Lord say so
00:49:49.85\00:49:52.15
whom the Lord hath redeemed
from the hand of the enemy."
00:49:52.19\00:49:54.99
I'm preaching this way
because I've been redeemed
00:49:55.02\00:49:56.93
from the hand of the enemy.
00:49:56.96\00:49:58.29
Are all my battles over?
00:49:58.33\00:49:59.66
Absolutely not.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.80
If I lean on Jesus every day,
He'll fight my battles for me,
00:50:01.83\00:50:05.13
I can stand still and see
the salvation of the Lord.
00:50:05.17\00:50:09.27
Like He told the
Israelites in the wilderness
00:50:09.30\00:50:12.71
of fear when
pharaoh and his metal armies
00:50:12.74\00:50:15.08
were coming after them.
00:50:15.11\00:50:16.44
They were free but
the devil didn't forget.
00:50:16.48\00:50:18.31
Let me tell you today, you may
say you're free from your past,
00:50:18.35\00:50:21.38
but the devil is
pursuing your life.
00:50:21.42\00:50:22.95
And if you think that
for a moment that he's gonna
00:50:22.98\00:50:25.09
leave you alone before
you get to the Promised Land,
00:50:25.12\00:50:27.09
you are mistaken.
00:50:27.12\00:50:29.06
Your faith has to stand up.
00:50:29.09\00:50:32.19
But if you've been redeemed,
you got to say to somebody,
00:50:32.23\00:50:34.06
I've been redeemed.
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.43
The children sing, I've
been redeemed by the blood
00:50:35.46\00:50:37.17
of the Lamb.
00:50:37.20\00:50:38.53
And I'm saying to you,
you got to learn how to lean.
00:50:38.57\00:50:41.74
If you've been redeemed say so.
00:50:41.77\00:50:44.41
In Councils for the
Church, page 356 in paragraph 6,
00:50:44.44\00:50:48.18
we are told by the
servant of the Lord once again,
00:50:48.21\00:50:51.41
"Perplexities will increase,"
and I can tell you they have,
00:50:51.45\00:50:55.65
"but let us as believers in God,
00:50:55.68\00:50:58.29
encourage one another."
00:50:58.32\00:51:00.42
Oh, how beautiful
would be if when you walk
00:51:00.46\00:51:03.46
through the church with
burdens on your shoulder,
00:51:03.49\00:51:05.33
you can walk up to
a brother or a sister
00:51:05.36\00:51:07.80
or a group of
Christians and say,
00:51:07.83\00:51:09.16
"I just want you to pray for me.
00:51:09.20\00:51:10.53
That's all I'm asking.
00:51:10.57\00:51:12.03
I don't need to tell
you what I'm burdened by,
00:51:12.07\00:51:13.87
but I just want
you to hold my arms,
00:51:13.90\00:51:15.50
I just want you to, it took all
I can find to get here today."
00:51:15.54\00:51:20.61
But instead, the leaning
Christian says, "Look at them.
00:51:20.64\00:51:24.68
They got what they deserve."
00:51:24.71\00:51:26.05
Oh, my brothers and sisters,
00:51:26.08\00:51:27.65
that should never
come from the mouth
00:51:27.68\00:51:29.42
of someone claiming to
be connected with Christ.
00:51:29.45\00:51:31.59
He saw people in the
deepest of sin and He says go
00:51:31.62\00:51:33.69
and sin no more and
neither do I condemn you.
00:51:33.72\00:51:36.32
What happened to the church?
00:51:36.36\00:51:38.36
What are you leaning on?
00:51:38.39\00:51:40.66
She says, Councils
for the Church, page 356,
00:51:40.70\00:51:42.96
paragraph 6, she says,
"Perplexities will increase,
00:51:43.00\00:51:46.63
but let us as believers
in God encourage one another.
00:51:46.67\00:51:50.54
Let us not lower the standard,
00:51:50.57\00:51:52.11
but keep it lifted
high looking to Him,
00:51:52.14\00:51:55.64
who is the author and
finisher of our faith."
00:51:55.68\00:51:59.48
Yes.
00:51:59.51\00:52:01.22
We've got to
pray, study our Bibles,
00:52:01.25\00:52:03.62
trust in God, we
got to share our faith.
00:52:03.65\00:52:06.65
But there's
something else the last thing
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.02
I want you to do, today.
00:52:08.06\00:52:11.63
When I saw the picture of
the Leaning Tower of Pisa,
00:52:11.66\00:52:14.53
I sat back in
amazement, I said, "Honey,
00:52:14.56\00:52:17.30
God just showed me a picture
00:52:17.33\00:52:20.20
that I cannot be
a leaning person.
00:52:20.24\00:52:22.07
I can't be a leaning pastor
leaning in this direction today
00:52:22.10\00:52:25.61
and leaning in
that direction tomorrow.
00:52:25.64\00:52:27.31
I cannot be a person leaning
00:52:27.34\00:52:29.34
when one person
says this on the left
00:52:29.38\00:52:31.01
and another person
says this on the right.
00:52:31.05\00:52:32.71
I can't be leaning on
what I hear on the internet.
00:52:32.75\00:52:34.88
I can't be leaning on
what people are saying
00:52:34.92\00:52:36.48
and arguing about
vaccines and mass.
00:52:36.52\00:52:39.45
God have mercy on us.
00:52:39.49\00:52:43.69
I can't be leaning
on the understanding
00:52:43.73\00:52:46.06
of one physician over another."
00:52:46.09\00:52:49.10
There's only one
master physician,
00:52:49.13\00:52:50.57
His name is Jesus.
00:52:50.60\00:52:53.13
Whatever happened to
the church is leaning.
00:52:53.17\00:52:56.84
It's leaning.
00:52:56.87\00:52:58.57
My last point,
take a firm stand.
00:52:58.61\00:53:03.75
Take a firm stand.
00:53:03.78\00:53:07.88
Who better to say that
than the Apostle Peter,
00:53:07.92\00:53:10.92
take a firm stand.
00:53:10.95\00:53:12.65
This milky way of disciple.
00:53:12.69\00:53:16.32
This back boneless disciple
of Jesus had to go through
00:53:16.36\00:53:20.83
the trials that the
Lord exposed him to.
00:53:20.86\00:53:23.06
The Lord said, "You are
too weak to preach on the day
00:53:23.10\00:53:24.93
of Pentecost.
00:53:24.97\00:53:26.30
I am going to let
the devil sift you.
00:53:26.33\00:53:27.84
The devil desires
to sift you as wheat,
00:53:27.87\00:53:29.57
but I have prayed that
your faith will not fail."
00:53:29.60\00:53:33.44
Are you going through stuff?
00:53:33.48\00:53:35.34
Because God is trying to
teach you how to learn to lean.
00:53:35.38\00:53:39.18
He will not put you through
what He doesn't see necessary.
00:53:39.21\00:53:42.25
He said to Peter,
"You're going to say some stuff.
00:53:42.28\00:53:45.19
I've got your name on
the roll to preach on the day
00:53:45.22\00:53:48.12
of Pentecost, but
you're not ready yet.
00:53:48.16\00:53:49.76
So I'm gonna let
the devil sift you.
00:53:49.79\00:53:51.93
And when you are converted,
00:53:51.96\00:53:54.66
then you'll be able to
strengthen the brethren."
00:53:54.70\00:53:57.77
I tell you today,
a leaning Christian
00:53:57.80\00:54:00.14
is no value in the
kingdom or the work of God.
00:54:00.17\00:54:04.21
But I want to say this,
00:54:04.24\00:54:05.61
but God loves
leaning Christians.
00:54:05.64\00:54:08.38
He doesn't love their lean.
00:54:08.41\00:54:10.28
He wants to tell
them and teach them
00:54:10.31\00:54:12.68
and show them and guide
them on how they can stand
00:54:12.71\00:54:15.98
strong in Christ.
00:54:16.02\00:54:17.72
And who better to tell us
that than the Apostle Peter.
00:54:17.75\00:54:21.52
2 Peter 1:10.
00:54:21.56\00:54:23.53
Peter gives the list of
things that he learned to do.
00:54:23.56\00:54:27.23
And he said, "Wherefore,
the wrath of brethren?"
00:54:27.26\00:54:31.23
He said brethren.
00:54:31.27\00:54:32.60
A converted man saying brethren.
00:54:32.63\00:54:34.27
He's talking to
the people, brethren,
00:54:34.30\00:54:36.10
give diligence
to make your calling
00:54:36.14\00:54:39.34
and election sure.
00:54:39.37\00:54:42.54
And then this converted
fisherman who no longer curses,
00:54:42.58\00:54:46.58
who no longer has a
desire to deny Jesus,
00:54:46.61\00:54:49.05
this converted fisherman
00:54:49.08\00:54:50.45
who knows what it's
like for the Lord to say,
00:54:50.49\00:54:52.45
"Do you love me?
00:54:52.49\00:54:53.82
Do you really love me?"
00:54:53.86\00:54:55.89
I've been saying
that the Christians
00:54:55.92\00:54:57.26
if you love the Lord, He
doesn't want lip service.
00:54:57.29\00:54:59.49
If you love Him, He
says, keep His commandments.
00:54:59.53\00:55:02.03
Pastor, if you
love Him feed His sheep.
00:55:02.06\00:55:04.73
God does not get
persuaded by lip service,
00:55:04.77\00:55:09.00
no matter what your position is.
00:55:09.04\00:55:11.31
He said, "Make your
calling and election sure."
00:55:11.34\00:55:14.14
And Peter ends with
these words in 2 Peter 1:10,
00:55:14.18\00:55:17.01
"For if you do these things,"
00:55:17.05\00:55:19.48
listen, "you shall never fall."
00:55:19.51\00:55:24.82
Now let me give you
the last part of the story
00:55:24.85\00:55:26.35
of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
00:55:26.39\00:55:28.72
In May 2008,
00:55:28.76\00:55:30.96
engineers announced
that the Tower of Pisa
00:55:30.99\00:55:35.90
had finally been stabilized.
00:55:35.93\00:55:39.43
They announced to the
city fathers in Pisa, Italy,
00:55:39.47\00:55:43.27
they said it has stopped moving
for the first time in history.
00:55:43.30\00:55:47.44
They stated that it would
remain stable for the next
00:55:47.48\00:55:50.38
200 years.
00:55:50.41\00:55:52.35
Wow.
00:55:52.38\00:55:54.28
When I heard
that, I said, Father,
00:55:54.32\00:55:57.09
that's just too much for me.
00:55:57.12\00:56:01.02
Can it be said about me
that I'm no longer leaning
00:56:01.06\00:56:05.13
and for the next 200 years
00:56:05.16\00:56:07.86
my life will be
stable in Christ?
00:56:07.90\00:56:11.33
I want that to be said about
me that I'm finally at the place
00:56:11.37\00:56:14.30
where heaven can announce,
00:56:14.34\00:56:16.40
"John has stopped moving
for the first time in history.
00:56:16.44\00:56:20.21
He'll be stable for
the rest of his life."
00:56:20.24\00:56:23.14
Peter knows what that's like.
David knows what that's like.
00:56:23.18\00:56:25.58
Solomon knows what that's like.
00:56:25.61\00:56:28.15
Men who have failed, finally
found a way to lean on Jesus.
00:56:28.18\00:56:32.69
In that short little
quotation in Ellen White's
00:56:32.72\00:56:34.56
writings in Selected
Messages, book 2, page 380.
00:56:34.59\00:56:37.09
She says, "The church may appear
00:56:37.13\00:56:41.43
as about to fall
but it does not."
00:56:41.46\00:56:44.63
You know why it doesn't
fall because it's leaning
00:56:44.67\00:56:46.77
on the everlasting arms.
00:56:46.80\00:56:48.44
It's leaning on Jesus.
00:56:48.47\00:56:49.84
The church will
not fall, you know why?
00:56:49.87\00:56:51.71
Because they're
leaning on the promises of God.
00:56:51.74\00:56:53.88
They're leaning on
the truth of God's Word.
00:56:53.91\00:56:55.68
And so the question is
not what are you leaning on?
00:56:55.71\00:56:58.55
The question is
more specifically,
00:56:58.58\00:57:00.82
who are you leaning on?
00:57:00.85\00:57:05.35
It's not too
late to lean on Jesus.
00:57:05.39\00:57:07.96
For I end with the
scripture that I began with.
00:57:07.99\00:57:11.06
The Apostle Paul says
in 1 Corinthians 10:12,
00:57:11.09\00:57:14.46
"Therefore that him
who thinks he stands,
00:57:14.50\00:57:18.40
take heed lest he fall."
00:57:18.43\00:57:20.64
My prayer for you,
my brother and sister,
00:57:20.67\00:57:23.61
is that you learn what
it means to lead on Jesus
00:57:23.64\00:57:27.94
and you no longer be a
part of a leaning church.
00:57:27.98\00:57:31.25
God bless you.
00:57:31.28\00:57:32.61