Hello friends. Grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's Word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Hello friends. Welcome to
the places that still makes
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house calls. That's
right. This is the place.
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And thank you for tuning
in for a program that's always
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informative, Bible-centered,
and driven by the power
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of the Holy Spirit.
And I guess you can see
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there's another guy
here. I think his name is John.
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I'm here... I'm here today.
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OK. Good to have you here, John.
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It's good to be here, John.
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You know what's nice about the
fact that we... we don't just
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share the same name but
we share a lot of thoughts
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and we like drive each other.
And we're having a good time.
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I mean, this is a place we
can sit down and just chat.
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And enjoy God's Word together.
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It's like catching up on
things a bit, too, now that I'm
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in Idaho. That's right.
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Coming back here is a
chance for us to get together
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and just kind of enjoy
the Word together again.
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That's right. We were
in California together
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and Missouri together
and Thompsonville together.
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Then you ran off to Springfield;
now you're in Idaho.
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I don't know. I guess
you're going to keep moving
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till you get to heaven?
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You know, I guess they ask
us to do that once in a while.
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OK. Well before we dive into the
program I know you like to pray
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and I appreciate that, so let's
bow our heads. Let's do that.
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Gracious Father, what a blessing
it is to come before You
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here and open Your Word.
And we just pray that today
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You will lead us and
guide us into all truth.
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That as we open our hearts
to You to hear Your voice,
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Lord, we will
sense Your leading.
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But also Lord that that
word that goes out from our lips
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will have an impact on those
who have the chance to sit down
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with us here and to view their
television or to listen to their
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program on the radio,
Lord we just pray that it will
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change lives out there.
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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And friends as you know
we always appreciate what you
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do to keep this
program going and growing.
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And 3ABN as your
favorite network is the one that
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really appreciates your prayers
and also your financial support.
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But what makes this program
really exciting is the Bible
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questions you send us.
And I tell you, you go to
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the website and there
are hundreds of questions.
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And some of you mail them
in. But today we have some
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very important
questions and some good ones.
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And we pray that God's Word
will give you the best answer.
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So John, what do
you have for us today?
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Well our first
question is from Paula.
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OK. And she says that:
"We read in the gospels
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that Jesus went through
towns and healed multitudes.
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And in huge groups of
people He healed all of them.
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I read that many of these
people had no faith at all.
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In fact, many did not
even know who Jesus was.
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Hmmm. Just that so has
been healed they thought
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they'd try it. " In
other words, some of them just
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"well let's try
this out. " Um-hmm.
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Um, and that's supposition
a bit because the Bible really
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doesn't say what
their motives were.
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OK. "My question is to
you: do you know of any text
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that would support this concept?
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Is it possible that
simply because of who Jesus is
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not who we are
or what we believe
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people will be healed... not
only physically but spiritually
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and emotionally as well. "
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A great question.
Great question because we
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know that in many instances
when Jesus came into a house
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or came in before a
smaller contingent of people,
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a family, whatever it may be,
a situation where there weren't
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as many - wasn't
multitudes - that He seemed to
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put those that were not
believers out of the room -
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true - and then He
healed by faith. By their faith
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and the faith of His disciples
and His trust in His Father
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He healed them.
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But you know it's a
little different situation
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when you get into multitudes.
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Not only do you not have
any text in the Bible that
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really gives you the motives
of why these individuals are
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coming to Jesus. You do find
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other places in scripture
which are very clear that
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Jesus tends to meet
them where they are.
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Right. He goes to find them.
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That's why He was often
accused as drinking and eating
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with sinners because He
met them where they were
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and then He brought them through
a spiritual encounter with Him
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into a knowledge of salvation.
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And so I believe
there were people there
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that were just kind
of checking it out...
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testing the waters...
finding out who this Jesus is
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that were healed. And
that in fact drew them
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into a closer relationship
with Him because they saw Him
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as not only
Healer but their Savior.
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So all I can give you is
not a "thus saith the Lord"
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but I can give you from
principles of God's Word
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that Jesus does
meet us where we are.
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By His grace He
meets us where we are
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and then He brings us
into a relationship with Him.
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And He does that by many means
which some include healing.
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That's right. You know,
the Bible makes it clear that
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when Jesus came He didn't
come looking for the goodly men.
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He didn't come looking
for those who felt they
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did not need a Physician.
He came to look for those
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who knew they were sick.
And so Jesus, as you just said,
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meets people where they are.
Luke 19:10 is a favorite passage
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of ours. In fact, many many
years ago we taught our niece
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this passage. And she
still when we call her
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and she is able to say
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"For the Son of Man is
come to seek and to save
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that which was lost. "
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And so that's
the mission of Jesus.
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He doesn't come...
He comes to some people
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that at that moment
doesn't fully realize the impact
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of what it means to meet Jesus.
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Kind of like if you
meet a famous person
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whether they're a political
figure or whether they're
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somebody you admire,
somebody that's famous,
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somebody that just
really you are enamored by
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or you've always wanted to meet.
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You meet that individual
and then you don't realize
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until hours later or
maybe days later you say:
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"I can't that I shook
the hand of... " Um-hmmm.
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And you never really understood
the encounter with that person.
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And so is the case with Jesus.
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I believe even
those who followed Jesus
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didn't understand.
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Jesus said to them: "I
have many things to say to you
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right now but you
cannot bear them. "
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And I believe in
eternity the disciples that
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walked with Jesus every day
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will finally realize
the power and the blessing
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of being in the
presence of Jesus.
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So praise the Lord that
we serve that kind of God -
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Amen - who will
continually throughout eternity
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unfold to us mysteries
that still boggle our minds.
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That's going to be
an amazing experience.
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I have one here. The person's
name is... let's see, oh,
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I didn't copy their
name. But it's: "House Calls:
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Can someone be baptized even
if they are smoking and living
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together unmarried?
Don't they need to accept
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Christ and then work at
eliminating the sin in their
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lives? Or eliminate
the sin then accept Christ?
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Doesn't acceptance of Christ
and baptism start the process of
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perfecting a
Christlike character because we
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can't stop sinning alone?
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Thanks. P.S. A rapid
answer would be appreciated. "
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OK. I'm going to give you a
very fast answer. Are you ready?
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Here we go... No really, listen.
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Acts 3 verse 19. Truly
when you talk about this
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it's important when you
start a new relationship
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that the old
relationship is gone.
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Before I give you a Bible
answer... which I have three
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verses in the
Bible to give you...
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If the person was getting
married and they got to the
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altar - whether it
was a man or a woman -
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and they said:
"forsaking all others. "
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That pretty much means
whoever I was connected to
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up to this point I'm severing.
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No more intimate relationships
with them in the sense of
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courting them, dating
them, going out with them
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because I am now committing
myself to you and to you alone.
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In the same way, Jesus
wants commitment to Him
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and to Him alone. And
so that puts these texts
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in the proper context
when in Acts chapter 3 verse 19
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Jesus... Peter on the
Day of Pentecost preached
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to the multitudes and they
wondered what they should do.
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And here's what he said.
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And this applies by the
way to anybody regardless of
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the sin, whether it's smoking,
drinking, living with someone.
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Whether they used to
be a thief, a murderer,
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whatever the case may be, that
former life has to be laid down.
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Acts 3:19. And
John, by the way, this
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first word is something we don't
hear very much about nowadays.
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Listen to it: "Repent
therefore and be converted"
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um-hmm - "that your
sins may be blotted out
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so the times of
refreshing may come
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from the presence of the Lord. "
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There are some
individuals that, um,
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we just baptize them
but they don't repent.
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And the word conversion is not
really talked about very much.
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Membership is talked
about rather than conversion
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and repentance.
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That shows that we have
disconnected from an old life -
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and are now
walking in a new life.
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As a matter of fact,
here is another scripture.
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Go with us to Romans chapter 6.
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Romans chapter 6: I call that
the old life/new life passage
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in scripture. It
makes it abundantly clear
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what it means to
put down that old life
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and put on the new life.
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Which means get
rid of our old self
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and put on the
Lord Jesus Christ.
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OK. It says now... verse 1:
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"What shall we say then?
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Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound? "
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And the answer
is: "Certainly not.
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How shall we who died to sin
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live any longer in it? "
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And that's the
context. How shall we who
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used to smoke, used
to live with people,
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used to party, used to gamble,
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how do we who died to
that continue to live in that?
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And Paul says:
"Certainly not! " You can't.
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And notice verse 3:
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"Or do you not know that
as many of us as were baptized
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into Christ were
baptized into His death?
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Therefore we were
buried with Him through baptism
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into death that just as
Christ was raised from the dead
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by the glory of the Father
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even so we also should
walk in newness of life. "
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And verses 5 and 6 and
then I'll wind up at verse 7.
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Matter of fact, John,
just change the voices here.
00:10:01.14\00:10:02.67
Read verses 5 to 7 for us.
00:10:02.87\00:10:04.54
"For if we have been united
together in the likeness of
00:10:04.74\00:10:07.11
His death certainly we
also shall be in the likeness of
00:10:07.21\00:10:10.48
His resurrection. "
Um-hmm. "Knowing this: that our
00:10:10.69\00:10:13.14
old man was crucified with Him
00:10:13.17\00:10:15.03
that the body of sin
might be done away with
00:10:15.23\00:10:17.29
that we should no
longer be slaves of sin.
00:10:17.49\00:10:19.76
For He who has died
has been freed from sin. "
00:10:19.96\00:10:23.01
Exactly. And then
you see in verse 9
00:10:23.21\00:10:25.31
do not let... death no
longer has a dominion over you.
00:10:25.51\00:10:29.77
In other words, you are no
longer living the lifestyle
00:10:29.97\00:10:31.57
of a person who
doesn't know Christ.
00:10:31.67\00:10:33.01
You are not longer living
that old dead way of life.
00:10:33.21\00:10:36.25
That old... all these
things that you talk about here.
00:10:36.45\00:10:39.41
So it's true that we need
to eliminate the things in our
00:10:39.61\00:10:42.21
lives. And by the way,
let me also make this clear:
00:10:42.31\00:10:44.73
if you feel that you need to
wash up before you take a bath
00:10:44.93\00:10:47.69
let me make it very
clear what I mean by this.
00:10:47.89\00:10:49.80
We can't clean ourselves up.
00:10:50.00\00:10:52.27
But when we invite
Christ to come into our lives -
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and you see the
evidence in scripture - when we
00:10:55.62\00:10:57.58
invite Him into our
lives He brings us to the place
00:10:57.78\00:11:00.56
of acceptance of Him and
then He removes the obstacles
00:11:00.76\00:11:03.92
in our lives that
keep us from living that
00:11:04.02\00:11:05.67
Christ-centered life.
So don't say: "Well let me
00:11:05.77\00:11:08.11
clean up my life first then
let Christ clean whatever else
00:11:08.22\00:11:11.71
is left. " Come
to Him as you are.
00:11:11.81\00:11:14.17
Give yourself to Him
and say: "Lord Jesus,
00:11:14.37\00:11:16.46
I want to be Your disciple. "
00:11:16.66\00:11:18.44
And notice what happens
when it comes to discipleship.
00:11:18.65\00:11:21.08
They forsake all.
Peter even said that.
00:11:21.48\00:11:24.56
"Lord, we have left
everything to follow You. "
00:11:24.77\00:11:26.61
And that's in fact when you
say "I want to be Your disciple.
00:11:26.81\00:11:29.57
Change my life that I
could represent You. "
00:11:29.77\00:11:31.85
the Lord will in fact do that.
00:11:32.06\00:11:33.46
Good. OK. I have a
real encouraging e-mail here
00:11:33.66\00:11:39.05
from Olivia. And we
enjoy these kind of e-mails
00:11:39.25\00:11:42.17
as well and we enjoy the ones
that challenge us at times too.
00:11:42.37\00:11:45.12
But this one is an
e-mail of encouragement
00:11:45.32\00:11:48.39
with a question as well.
00:11:48.59\00:11:49.66
"I don't know how we survived
00:11:49.86\00:11:51.42
spiritually
before House Calls. "
00:11:51.45\00:11:53.02
Hey, praise the Lord.
"You don't know what you're
00:11:53.19\00:11:54.86
missing until you have it.
" And so that's kind of a neat
00:11:54.96\00:11:57.24
thing for Olivia to say. Thank
you very much for saying that.
00:11:57.34\00:11:59.89
She says she appreciates
what we do here on the program.
00:12:00.09\00:12:03.15
And then she goes down
to the question that she has
00:12:03.45\00:12:06.91
with some other comments there:
00:12:07.11\00:12:09.21
Um, she says: "In Joel chapter 2
00:12:09.41\00:12:12.28
what are these people
that Joel talks about?
00:12:12.48\00:12:14.65
Are they for God or against God?
00:12:14.95\00:12:17.54
Thank you. "
00:12:17.74\00:12:18.89
And she wishes us a blessed day.
00:12:19.10\00:12:20.36
So let's turn to Joel chapter 2.
00:12:20.56\00:12:23.12
We won't spend a
lot of time on this, but
00:12:23.32\00:12:25.64
you'll see that
in Joel chapter 2,
00:12:26.04\00:12:28.23
an army of beings are
going to be doing some
00:12:28.44\00:12:34.29
pretty damaging things. Um-hmm,
that's an understatement.
00:12:34.49\00:12:39.56
Just for lack of a
better word. And it says here
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.74
beginning with verse 1 in Joel 2
00:12:41.88\00:12:43.76
"Blow the trumpet in
Zion and sound an alarm in
00:12:43.96\00:12:46.55
My holy mountain. Let all the
inhabitants of the land tremble
00:12:46.75\00:12:49.72
for the day of the Lord is
coming, for it is at hand. "
00:12:49.92\00:12:52.37
Um-hmm. So we're talking about
the day of the Lord, which is a
00:12:52.57\00:12:55.09
period of time where calamity
is coming upon the world.
00:12:55.29\00:12:59.34
Judgment is being completed
00:12:59.54\00:13:01.55
and really the world is setting
itself up or getting itself
00:13:01.75\00:13:05.39
ready for the appearance
- the visible appearance -
00:13:05.49\00:13:07.65
of Christ. So the day of
the Lord isn't just the visible
00:13:07.75\00:13:10.84
appearance of Christ
on the clouds of heaven
00:13:10.94\00:13:13.25
with His angels to
take His people home
00:13:13.45\00:13:15.18
and to resurrect them first.
00:13:15.38\00:13:17.24
It is talking about this
long day which is a calamitous
00:13:17.44\00:13:20.66
period of time that
also goes along with that.
00:13:20.86\00:13:22.98
Some people refer to it as
just the "time of trouble. "
00:13:23.18\00:13:25.11
It says here in verse
2: "A day of darkness and
00:13:25.31\00:13:28.40
gloominess. A day of
clouds and thick darkness
00:13:28.50\00:13:30.91
like the morning clouds
spread over the mountains.
00:13:31.11\00:13:33.62
Of people come great and strong
00:13:33.82\00:13:36.12
the like of whom has never
been nor will there ever be
00:13:36.32\00:13:40.52
any such after them even
for many successive generations.
00:13:40.66\00:13:44.93
A fire devours
before them and behind them
00:13:45.14\00:13:47.50
a flame burns. The land
is like the Garden of Eden
00:13:47.70\00:13:50.58
before them and behind
them a desolate wilderness.
00:13:50.68\00:13:52.76
Surely nothing
shall escape them.
00:13:52.97\00:13:55.50
Their appearance is
like the appearance of horses
00:13:55.70\00:13:57.64
and like swift steeds they run.
00:13:57.84\00:13:59.77
His stench will come up
and his foul odor will rise
00:14:01.39\00:14:04.25
because he has
done monstrous things.
00:14:04.35\00:14:08.53
Fear not, o land.
Be glad and rejoice
00:14:08.73\00:14:11.33
for the Lord has
done marvelous things.
00:14:11.53\00:14:13.40
Actually you know
what? I jumped two...
00:14:15.04\00:14:17.24
I turned two pages
on that, so I'm sorry
00:14:17.44\00:14:19.61
for you that are
following along with me.
00:14:19.71\00:14:21.14
Let's pick it back up
where I'm supposed to be.
00:14:21.44\00:14:24.04
I thought "I don't
remember reading that. "
00:14:24.14\00:14:25.53
In verse 5... I
went from 4 to 20,
00:14:25.74\00:14:29.12
so let's go from 4 to 5.
00:14:29.32\00:14:31.31
I knew you were
fast, but... All right.
00:14:31.41\00:14:33.18
"with a noise... " I didn't
even finish their description.
00:14:33.38\00:14:35.87
"With a noise like chariots
over mountaintops they leap.
00:14:36.07\00:14:39.02
Like the noise of a flaming
fire that devours the stubble
00:14:39.26\00:14:41.98
like a strong
people set in battle array.
00:14:42.18\00:14:45.52
Before them the
people writhe in pain.
00:14:45.72\00:14:48.25
All faces are drained of color.
00:14:48.45\00:14:50.42
They run like mighty men.
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.44
They climb a
wall like men of war.
00:14:52.55\00:14:54.55
Everyone marches in formation;
they do not break ranks. "
00:14:54.75\00:14:57.37
Anyway it goes on
to talk about just...
00:14:57.58\00:15:00.08
destruction that
is in their wake.
00:15:00.28\00:15:02.76
And as it gets
down a little further
00:15:02.96\00:15:05.48
some are a little
confused by this verse. But,
00:15:05.58\00:15:08.53
we need to read this. Verse 10:
"The earth quakes before them.
00:15:08.73\00:15:11.53
The heavens tremble.
The sun and moon grow dark.
00:15:11.64\00:15:13.54
The stars diminish
their brightness. "
00:15:13.74\00:15:15.01
And then verse 11: "The
Lord gives voice before His
00:15:15.21\00:15:17.93
army" - That's right -
"for His camp is very great.
00:15:18.04\00:15:23.25
For strong is the
one who executes His Word
00:15:23.49\00:15:26.29
for the day of the Lord
is great and very terrible.
00:15:26.49\00:15:28.81
Who can endure it? "
00:15:29.01\00:15:30.36
Now this description
here of this army with its
00:15:30.56\00:15:34.73
devastating, destructive
mission that they seem to be on
00:15:34.93\00:15:40.27
is being described
here as the Lord's army.
00:15:40.47\00:15:43.31
But the description... We
cannot miss the connection
00:15:44.54\00:15:48.08
to Revelation chapter 9.
00:15:48.28\00:15:50.73
Because not only does Joel
2 begin with the blowing of
00:15:50.93\00:15:55.16
a trumpet but Revelation
9 talks about this trumpet -
00:15:55.26\00:15:59.29
the fifth trumpet
specifically - and how the
00:15:59.49\00:16:02.55
bottomless pit was opened.
And as the smoke arises out of
00:16:02.76\00:16:06.71
the pit these
locusts came upon the earth
00:16:06.81\00:16:10.61
and they began to do
things that are so descriptive,
00:16:10.82\00:16:13.89
so similar to the
description in Joel chapter 2
00:16:13.99\00:16:16.32
that you have to connect it.
00:16:16.52\00:16:17.77
But John, there's no denying its
connection to Joel chapter 2-
00:16:17.87\00:16:21.71
that's right - where the
commentary is coming from.
00:16:21.91\00:16:23.75
And it says that this
group is commanded not to harm
00:16:24.05\00:16:27.50
the grass of the earth. And
I'm reading from Revelation 9:4.
00:16:27.60\00:16:30.14
"Or any green thing or any
tree but only those men who
00:16:30.34\00:16:33.35
do not have the seal of
God on their foreheads. "
00:16:33.45\00:16:35.82
Um-hmm. "They do not
have authority to kill them
00:16:36.02\00:16:39.11
but to torment
them for five months.
00:16:39.31\00:16:41.04
The torment was like the torment
of a scorpion when it strikes
00:16:41.24\00:16:44.72
a man. In those days men will
seek death and will not find it.
00:16:44.82\00:16:48.51
They will desire to die and
death will flee from them. "
00:16:48.71\00:16:51.24
Talking about verse 7
"they are like horses"
00:16:51.44\00:16:53.79
as described in Joel chapter 2.
00:16:53.89\00:16:55.78
Like: "their faces
were the faces of men. "
00:16:55.98\00:16:58.11
More description here.
00:16:58.32\00:17:00.76
Anyway, look at
verses 10 and 11.
00:17:00.97\00:17:03.65
OK. "They had
tails like scorpions
00:17:03.85\00:17:07.72
and there were stings in
their tails. Their power was
00:17:07.92\00:17:10.21
to hurt men five months.
And they had a king over them:
00:17:10.31\00:17:12.92
the angel from
the bottomless pit
00:17:13.12\00:17:16.17
whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon
00:17:16.37\00:17:19.34
but in Greek he
has the name Apollyon.
00:17:19.54\00:17:22.75
One woe is past;
behold two more are coming. "
00:17:22.95\00:17:25.51
This description including the
opening verses - verses 1 and 2
00:17:25.71\00:17:29.27
of Revelation 9- are clearly
a description of Satan himself.
00:17:29.37\00:17:33.34
In fact, we read in Luke 10
00:17:33.54\00:17:36.08
also a
description of the scorpion.
00:17:36.28\00:17:38.65
That's right. The
authority that God's people have
00:17:38.85\00:17:40.73
over this people, this
army that comes against mankind.
00:17:40.83\00:17:45.03
And so how do we harmonize?
00:17:45.43\00:17:48.48
Here's the question
really: how do we harmonize
00:17:48.68\00:17:50.22
then in Joel 2 where it says
this army is the Lord's army
00:17:50.42\00:17:55.22
and in Revelation 9
which describes it as being
00:17:55.42\00:17:59.20
led by the angel
from the bottomless pit...
00:17:59.30\00:18:01.51
a reference to Satan himself?
00:18:01.71\00:18:02.97
Well the interesting
thing about God's Word
00:18:03.38\00:18:06.03
is that often
things that God allows
00:18:06.23\00:18:09.50
it describes as Him doing.
00:18:09.70\00:18:12.43
Hmmm. Or being
related or connected to Him.
00:18:12.63\00:18:15.05
And this is very true. I
mean, we intuitively know this:
00:18:15.26\00:18:18.10
that when God allows something
He's just... He's giving
00:18:18.30\00:18:23.37
way to someone such as Satan
00:18:23.57\00:18:26.64
who is being released
from the bottomless pit -
00:18:26.84\00:18:28.77
from the abyss
- to harm mankind.
00:18:28.87\00:18:30.39
He's allowing him
to do these things.
00:18:30.49\00:18:32.37
God isn't doing them, but
by allowing him to do them
00:18:32.57\00:18:36.07
He is giving him permission.
00:18:36.28\00:18:38.62
Yes. And that
giving of permission
00:18:38.82\00:18:40.88
is what Joel is speaking of.
00:18:41.08\00:18:43.02
That they're actually...
in giving them permission
00:18:43.22\00:18:45.47
they actually do God's work.
00:18:45.57\00:18:47.38
As a matter of fact, build
on that. In the book of Daniel
00:18:47.58\00:18:50.51
you find... One of the
reasons why the book of Daniel
00:18:50.61\00:18:53.83
is talked about is because
the Lord allowed the king of
00:18:54.03\00:18:58.10
Babylon to take
His people captive.
00:18:58.20\00:19:01.88
Now why would God
allow the king of Babylon
00:19:02.08\00:19:05.64
to take His people captive?
00:19:05.84\00:19:07.96
Because when you
read the book of Jeremiah
00:19:08.17\00:19:10.55
you read the book of Ezekiel
00:19:10.65\00:19:12.02
you see that the
Lord... Even Isaiah says
00:19:12.22\00:19:14.57
that the Lord had
looked at the king of Babylon
00:19:14.78\00:19:17.54
as a golden cup in His hand.
00:19:17.64\00:19:19.35
That's right. And He
had given him strength.
00:19:19.55\00:19:21.25
Now when you look at
Babylon you think: God
00:19:21.45\00:19:23.58
associated with
Babylon? Well, in fact,
00:19:23.78\00:19:26.80
as John just pointed out,
sometimes the Lord empowers
00:19:27.00\00:19:29.60
evil powers in order
to accomplish His will.
00:19:29.80\00:19:35.60
He doesn't, in
fact, inflict punishment
00:19:35.80\00:19:38.59
but He removes the restraint
from powers that could bring
00:19:38.79\00:19:41.56
punishment in order for
His will to be accomplished.
00:19:41.66\00:19:44.23
One of the most
classic examples you find...
00:19:44.43\00:19:46.54
Well let me just read this
passage in Daniel chapter 1.
00:19:46.74\00:19:49.02
The Bible says: "In the third
year of the reign of Jehoiakim
00:19:49.22\00:19:53.54
king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
00:19:53.75\00:19:56.02
came to Jerusalem
and besieged it. "
00:19:56.22\00:19:58.38
How could God
allow the king of Babylon
00:19:58.58\00:20:01.38
to besiege Jerusalem?
I mean, that's my city.
00:20:01.58\00:20:04.63
If God didn't want them to,
they could never have besieged
00:20:04.83\00:20:07.94
Jerusalem. But because of
the evil and the wickedness
00:20:08.14\00:20:10.94
in Jerusalem God says:
"You're not going to live like
00:20:11.14\00:20:12.97
Babylonians in Jerusalem. "
00:20:13.17\00:20:14.98
If you want to live like
Babylonians, you live like
00:20:15.18\00:20:16.82
Babylonians in Babylon. "
00:20:16.92\00:20:18.41
And that's why they were
there for as long as they were.
00:20:18.61\00:20:20.64
And Daniel prayed: "How long
is it going to be before we are
00:20:20.84\00:20:23.31
returned to our home? "
00:20:23.41\00:20:24.70
And in some cases they
were in captivity for 70 years.
00:20:24.90\00:20:27.19
Sometimes a
generation... 40 years.
00:20:27.39\00:20:29.38
But God allows the
wicked powers. Another example
00:20:29.58\00:20:31.85
is the book of
Job. Satan said: "Lord,
00:20:31.88\00:20:34.86
if You remove the blessings
from Job I'm sure he'll
00:20:35.06\00:20:37.76
curse You. " And the
Lord said: "No he won't!
00:20:37.86\00:20:39.49
But I'll go ahead and give
you permission to touch him
00:20:39.69\00:20:42.09
but just don't take his life. "
00:20:42.29\00:20:43.68
And so in the book of
Joel chapter 2 you find
00:20:43.88\00:20:47.26
that for many
centuries - praise the Lord -
00:20:47.46\00:20:49.98
since the fall of humanity
there has been a restraint on
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.92
Satan and his evil angels.
00:20:55.12\00:20:56.65
You find that in the book of...
in the gospels where the...
00:20:56.85\00:20:59.70
where the demons are
talking to Jesus and He says:
00:20:59.90\00:21:02.39
"Who are you? " And he
says "My name is Legion
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.58
for we are many. " And
then they said to the Lord:
00:21:04.78\00:21:06.86
"Do not send us into the pit.
00:21:07.06\00:21:09.02
Have You come to
torment us before our time? "
00:21:09.22\00:21:12.48
And so there are
restrained evil angels
00:21:12.68\00:21:15.52
who God holds down
from doing an evil work.
00:21:15.55\00:21:19.36
But Joel chapter 2
talks about the impenitent.
00:21:19.56\00:21:22.46
Those who refuse...
those who absolutely refuse
00:21:22.56\00:21:26.03
to receive the um...
the saving grace of Christ.
00:21:26.13\00:21:29.60
And that's why you read
such verses in the Bible.
00:21:29.80\00:21:32.61
Here it says...
Proverbs 1 verse 26:
00:21:32.71\00:21:35.09
"I will also
laugh at your calamity.
00:21:36.32\00:21:38.15
I will mock when
your terror comes. "
00:21:38.25\00:21:40.02
That's what God says.
00:21:40.22\00:21:41.76
And if you read
the next verse He says:
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.20
"Because you have
rejected Me, I'll reject you. "
00:21:43.30\00:21:46.42
That's not really
what judgment is about.
00:21:46.62\00:21:48.03
Yeah when we reject the...
When God withholds or withdraws
00:21:48.23\00:21:51.58
His protection - that's right
- or withdraws His blessing
00:21:51.78\00:21:54.57
what happens?
The enemy swoops in.
00:21:54.78\00:21:56.14
It's still seen as the
judgment of God - that's right -
00:21:56.34\00:21:58.53
but the enemy is doing and
administering that judgment
00:21:58.63\00:22:01.52
as his tool.
00:22:01.62\00:22:02.80
There you go. So
God... Does God use evil
00:22:03.00\00:22:08.22
as well as good? The Bible says
every good and every perfect
00:22:08.42\00:22:11.85
gift comes from God. This army
that's talked about here in Joel
00:22:11.95\00:22:15.19
chapter 2 is when the
restraint of God is removed
00:22:15.29\00:22:17.60
from the evil angels
and they now have control
00:22:17.80\00:22:20.18
of the finally impenitent: those
who refuse to give their lives
00:22:20.28\00:22:22.99
to Christ. That's the
picture that you have here.
00:22:23.09\00:22:25.03
Yeah. And the one
that's commanding them now
00:22:25.23\00:22:27.93
unequivocally is
Lucifer... now called Satan.
00:22:28.13\00:22:31.62
And that's what you
find in Revelation chapter 9.
00:22:31.82\00:22:34.80
They had a king over them:
the angel of the bottomless pit
00:22:35.00\00:22:37.82
who is talked about in
Revelation 9:1 as a star
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.66
that had fallen from heaven.
00:22:40.76\00:22:42.05
And we clearly
know who that star is.
00:22:42.25\00:22:44.63
Very good question, John.
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.28
I like that.
Thank you for that one.
00:22:46.48\00:22:47.61
That kind of gives us a chance
to go in various directions.
00:22:47.71\00:22:50.69
Here's another one from Jason.
00:22:50.89\00:22:53.89
And I don't know if his
last name is Pentecost or not,
00:22:54.09\00:22:56.26
but there's a Jason
Pentecost. That's a unique name.
00:22:56.36\00:22:58.93
But it says: "Love the show.
Could you please help me out
00:22:59.13\00:23:01.58
with this one? John 15:10
separates the commandments
00:23:01.78\00:23:05.38
that Jesus gave
from God's commandments.
00:23:05.48\00:23:07.35
So is Jesus
being God in the flesh
00:23:07.56\00:23:10.05
giving us a new set of
commandments to follow?
00:23:10.25\00:23:12.51
Could you please
e-mail me back? "
00:23:12.71\00:23:14.68
Well we kind of
answer these on the air
00:23:14.88\00:23:16.18
and somebody may be
thinking the same thing.
00:23:16.28\00:23:17.92
So to answer the question:
00:23:18.12\00:23:20.01
when Jesus says in John
15:10 "If you love Me, keep My
00:23:20.22\00:23:23.59
commandments, you will
abide in My love just as I
00:23:23.69\00:23:25.72
have kept My Father's command-
mets and abide in His love. "
00:23:25.82\00:23:28.13
The word here "commandments"
doesn't just refer to the
00:23:28.43\00:23:31.68
Ten Commandments, which is the
abiding place of all of those
00:23:31.88\00:23:35.34
who honor God, but
specifically here it means
00:23:35.44\00:23:38.34
"I have done what
My Father commanded Me
00:23:38.54\00:23:40.91
so you do what I command you. "
00:23:41.11\00:23:43.41
Um-hmm. "So if you
do what I command you
00:23:43.61\00:23:45.26
you're following the example
of Me doing what My Father
00:23:45.46\00:23:48.18
commands Me. " That's
the general application
00:23:48.28\00:23:50.46
of this word "commandments"
in this verse right here.
00:23:50.56\00:23:52.61
It's not necessarily talking
about the Ten Commandments.
00:23:52.81\00:23:55.34
Although when you follow
God the Ten Commandments is the
00:23:55.54\00:23:58.80
delight that each Christian
has who is following God.
00:23:58.91\00:24:02.06
But this word here: "If
you keep My commandments"
00:24:02.26\00:24:05.19
that means "If you do what I say
00:24:05.29\00:24:07.55
you will be just like Me 'cause
I did what My Father said. "
00:24:07.75\00:24:10.55
OK. That's the general
application for the word
00:24:10.75\00:24:12.97
"commandments" here. In
some translations it says
00:24:13.01\00:24:15.20
"If you do what I command
you will abide in My love
00:24:15.40\00:24:18.12
as I have done
what My Father commands
00:24:18.32\00:24:20.39
and abide in His love. "
That's simply what it means.
00:24:20.49\00:24:22.74
Good. Well you know, we
need to jump into our topic.
00:24:22.94\00:24:26.80
Let's do that. We've
got quite a bit to cover.
00:24:26.90\00:24:28.48
All right. We have... We
want to finish this topic
00:24:28.68\00:24:31.33
that we're doing 4 programs on
00:24:31.53\00:24:33.76
which is the Top 10 Counterfeits
the enemy is using here
00:24:33.96\00:24:36.36
in these last
days - that's right -
00:24:36.57\00:24:37.90
to oppose the
advancing gospel of Christ.
00:24:38.10\00:24:42.80
And so we've
already covered in two days
00:24:43.00\00:24:47.09
four of them, which
means we've got six to cover -
00:24:47.29\00:24:49.24
that's right - in
the last couple programs
00:24:49.44\00:24:52.09
of the series of four.
00:24:52.29\00:24:53.96
Well let's do some
housekeeping on House Calls
00:24:54.07\00:24:55.75
before we transition
there. Go ahead... you go ahead.
00:24:55.85\00:24:57.65
There's some persons that
may say: "Hey, you mentioned
00:24:57.75\00:24:59.58
something I'd like to
get some clarification on
00:24:59.78\00:25:01.66
or maybe we open the
door to another question.
00:25:01.86\00:25:03.74
If we have, here's
the e-mail that you need
00:25:03.94\00:25:06.57
to send those questions to us:
00:25:06.67\00:25:08.06
And we will be glad to
respond to your questions.
00:25:14.36\00:25:16.80
Appreciate what you do for us.
00:25:17.00\00:25:18.41
Well we're going to talk
about what three today, John?
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.53
The Top Ten
Counterfeits. And brethren,
00:25:20.63\00:25:22.53
this is a powerful topic.
00:25:22.73\00:25:24.12
Well the first...
Let's recap real quick.
00:25:24.32\00:25:26.50
The first one
was the Word of God.
00:25:26.70\00:25:28.33
All right.
Opposing the Word itself.
00:25:28.53\00:25:30.17
The second one
was his hiding evil
00:25:30.37\00:25:35.99
and who he is...
the real nature of Satan
00:25:36.20\00:25:38.84
in the whole
Great Controversy theme.
00:25:38.98\00:25:41.49
That's right. So he's trying
to obscure himself within that
00:25:41.77\00:25:45.13
and work in ways where people
don't perceive him as Satan.
00:25:45.23\00:25:47.64
The third one is spiritualism.
00:25:47.84\00:25:49.75
That opens the door for
spiritualism... understanding
00:25:49.95\00:25:52.79
what happens when you
die and leaving that open -
00:25:52.89\00:25:55.57
the immortality of
the soul issue open -
00:25:55.70\00:25:57.75
for him to
communicate with mankind.
00:25:57.88\00:25:59.81
Um-hmm. And then,
of course, number four:
00:26:00.02\00:26:02.13
he uses the immortality of the
soul and eternal torment in hell
00:26:02.33\00:26:06.27
to begin to or to cause people
to misunderstand the character
00:26:06.48\00:26:11.83
of God. And really,
Satan is on a smear campaign
00:26:11.93\00:26:14.60
of God's character so that
people don't want a judgmental,
00:26:14.70\00:26:18.23
you know, God who is doing
nothing but sending this storm
00:26:18.43\00:26:22.54
and destroying people with
its... you know, with hurricanes
00:26:22.74\00:26:25.81
and earthquakes and all
these other things which we call
00:26:25.91\00:26:28.21
"acts of God. "
Um-hmm. But those are the four
00:26:28.31\00:26:30.71
that he first uses. Now we're
going to get into 5, 6, and 7.
00:26:30.91\00:26:34.29
Number five is the misunder-
standing of the covenants.
00:26:34.50\00:26:39.50
OK. The covenants of God.
You see, Satan looks at the
00:26:39.70\00:26:43.16
Word of God and he
sees all these promises.
00:26:43.27\00:26:45.81
Um-hmm. And covenants are
promises that God has made
00:26:46.01\00:26:49.58
to His people and
the people have accepted.
00:26:49.78\00:26:53.33
So there's a covenant
then. A promise made by God
00:26:53.53\00:26:56.04
and a promise made by
the people that follow God.
00:26:56.25\00:26:58.32
Um-hmm. And Satan looks
at those things and he says:
00:26:58.53\00:27:01.61
"not going to happen. "
00:27:01.64\00:27:03.76
And so he's doing all he can
to confuse people about God's
00:27:03.96\00:27:07.98
covenants. And one
of the things, um...
00:27:08.09\00:27:11.40
Let's kind of open the
topic here. One of the things
00:27:11.70\00:27:13.67
that I think he is
doing here is, um, he is so...
00:27:13.77\00:27:18.53
he's got people so
connected in or so focused on
00:27:18.73\00:27:22.03
the nation of Israel, the
Jews as they are a nation today
00:27:23.40\00:27:29.16
as God's covenant
people, that they misunderstand
00:27:29.26\00:27:34.15
God's principle of covenant
with mankind as a whole.
00:27:35.50\00:27:39.37
Um-hmm. Other parts
of this as well include
00:27:39.57\00:27:43.25
old and new
covenants. Misunderstandings of
00:27:43.55\00:27:46.42
the old and new covenants.
00:27:46.52\00:27:47.99
Some that are within the
church have actually so...
00:27:48.19\00:27:51.64
go to the other extreme.
They've written off the Jews
00:27:51.84\00:27:54.59
to the point where they
say: "Well the old covenant
00:27:54.79\00:27:57.37
that's just for the Jews and
how they handle their religion.
00:27:57.57\00:28:00.09
We're new covenant... we're
New Testament Christians. "
00:28:00.29\00:28:02.60
And you hear often that
said as if you can completely
00:28:02.70\00:28:05.47
eliminate the old in the Bible -
00:28:05.57\00:28:07.84
more than half your Bible,
two-thirds of your Bible -
00:28:08.04\00:28:09.97
and just go with the new.
00:28:10.18\00:28:12.12
But the devil's running
a lot of interference here.
00:28:12.33\00:28:14.62
He's creating a lot of confusion
with regard to God's promises,
00:28:14.72\00:28:17.32
God's covenant with mankind.
00:28:17.52\00:28:20.00
And so let's dive into
this topic just a little bit
00:28:20.21\00:28:22.98
so you can see some of the
errors that are out there today.
00:28:23.18\00:28:26.14
OK. Well let me start with
one of the covenants that often
00:28:26.28\00:28:28.52
has nothing to do
with Israel - um-hmm -
00:28:28.62\00:28:30.39
which everyone is the benefactor
of. And I thank God for this
00:28:30.59\00:28:33.39
covenant. You know, when
the Lord established His first
00:28:33.49\00:28:36.04
covenant He did that with Noah.
00:28:36.14\00:28:38.00
And we find this
in Genesis chapter 6.
00:28:38.20\00:28:40.61
The Lord says: "But I
will establish My covenant
00:28:40.82\00:28:42.68
with you and you
shall go into the ark.
00:28:42.78\00:28:45.11
You, your sons, your
wife, and your sons' wives
00:28:45.31\00:28:48.01
with you. " Noah
had only one wife.
00:28:48.11\00:28:50.77
I want to make it clear then
this dual-wife thing came around
00:28:50.97\00:28:55.38
the time of Abraham when
polygamy started to perpetrate
00:28:55.49\00:28:57.90
to be introduced into the earth.
00:28:58.00\00:29:03.45
So Noah had one wife.
00:29:03.65\00:29:05.31
But the covenant we have
benefitted from was after
00:29:05.52\00:29:08.16
the flood. "I will establish
My covenant, " Genesis 9:11
00:29:08.26\00:29:11.82
"with you. Never again
shall all flesh be cut off by
00:29:12.02\00:29:16.70
the waters of the flood.
Never again shall there be
00:29:16.81\00:29:20.38
a flood to destroy the earth. "
00:29:20.48\00:29:22.87
And so today no matter
how badly it rains, John,
00:29:23.07\00:29:25.64
the Lord has made a covenant.
And by the way, friends,
00:29:25.74\00:29:28.03
God made that
covenant after the flood
00:29:28.23\00:29:29.92
nearly 6,000
years ago. That's right.
00:29:30.02\00:29:33.47
And to this day that shows you
that this covenant had nothing
00:29:33.57\00:29:36.97
to do with Noah but He made the
covenant by saying it to Noah.
00:29:37.07\00:29:41.42
Um-hmm. But every
person ever born after that
00:29:41.62\00:29:43.77
has the benefit of
saying: "OK, I know God made
00:29:43.97\00:29:46.61
an agreement. As bad as it
looks down here in Louisiana,
00:29:46.71\00:29:49.54
as bad as it looks here in
France with the waters coming
00:29:49.74\00:29:52.22
down from the
mountains, as bad as it looks
00:29:52.33\00:29:54.72
here in... wherever the water
is rising higher and higher...
00:29:54.93\00:29:58.58
God said that there shall never
be a flood to destroy the earth.
00:29:58.78\00:30:02.92
And so that's
why to this very day
00:30:03.03\00:30:04.54
there has never been a
second deluge - yeah - come upon
00:30:04.64\00:30:07.90
the earth. So that's a
pre-Jew, for every humanity,
00:30:08.00\00:30:12.00
first covenant God made.
00:30:12.10\00:30:13.65
And we actually see a picture
of God's original covenant
00:30:13.86\00:30:16.25
back... way back...
in Genesis chapter 3
00:30:16.45\00:30:18.39
where He made the promise
that He would put enmity between
00:30:18.59\00:30:21.74
the woman and Satan himself.
00:30:21.85\00:30:24.87
That's a very good point.
And so, you know, the covenant
00:30:25.07\00:30:27.08
and then we see the two altars.
Obviously, Abel's sacrifice
00:30:27.18\00:30:29.85
and the lamb on his
altar which is an expression of
00:30:29.95\00:30:33.63
the covenant, a response to
the covenant that has been made
00:30:33.83\00:30:36.38
with mankind. So the
idea of the covenants
00:30:36.48\00:30:39.03
doesn't start with the
Jews. It doesn't start even with
00:30:39.33\00:30:42.63
Abraham. It's way
before that. Noah, as you said,
00:30:42.73\00:30:45.06
way back in Genesis 3 with
Adam and Eve and their sons.
00:30:45.26\00:30:48.76
And so this idea of
covenant is not a new thing
00:30:48.97\00:30:54.09
when it comes down
to Abraham, the Jews,
00:30:54.19\00:30:57.40
the nation of Israel.
00:30:57.60\00:30:58.90
Um-hmm. But... God
does renew His covenant -
00:30:59.10\00:31:02.52
um-hmm - that through them
He would bless all mankind.
00:31:02.73\00:31:07.05
See, there's this over-arching,
everlasting, eternal covenant
00:31:07.25\00:31:10.95
with mankind and then
there are individual covenants
00:31:11.05\00:31:13.84
that He makes to help
to work out that overall
00:31:13.94\00:31:17.38
covenant that
He has with mankind
00:31:17.42\00:31:19.09
through the lives
of Adam and Eve, Noah,
00:31:19.22\00:31:24.81
through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
00:31:24.94\00:31:27.74
He even had one with
David and the various patriarchs
00:31:27.94\00:31:33.20
who we look to as being
foundational to Bible faith.
00:31:33.40\00:31:38.44
You know, John, you and I
both lived on the west coast.
00:31:38.64\00:31:40.41
You are a product of
the west coast: Los Angeles,
00:31:40.61\00:31:43.07
northern California. You
know, Napa Valley, Angwin...
00:31:43.18\00:31:46.81
that's all your stomping ground.
00:31:47.01\00:31:48.15
When I was out in
the west I got this...
00:31:48.35\00:31:51.40
this idea came to my mind
that because of the covenant
00:31:51.60\00:31:54.95
that God made with Noah,
it's time that Christians
00:31:55.05\00:31:57.45
reclaim that covenant. You
know, I saw the terrible use
00:31:57.55\00:32:02.83
and even to this very day
the terrible application that
00:32:03.03\00:32:06.43
the rainbow is a
symbol of immorality.
00:32:06.53\00:32:08.83
Um-hmm. That it's taken
on the symbol of immorality
00:32:09.03\00:32:11.63
and homosexuality and deviants.
00:32:11.83\00:32:14.28
When people put
rainbows on their cars
00:32:14.48\00:32:16.53
it means that they are...
I'm trying to be kind here.
00:32:16.74\00:32:20.04
But they have chosen
a different lifestyle.
00:32:20.24\00:32:22.30
They're no longer
heterosexual in their practices
00:32:22.40\00:32:25.64
but sometimes
bisexual and homosexual.
00:32:25.84\00:32:27.86
But that's not what the purpose
of the rainbow is at all.
00:32:28.16\00:32:30.73
The rainbow was a connection
to the covenant God made
00:32:30.93\00:32:33.36
with us. And I always said this:
"So often Christians easily
00:32:33.46\00:32:37.53
give up ground to the misuse
of the promises God has made
00:32:37.63\00:32:41.25
to us. " And that's
one of the first things...
00:32:41.46\00:32:43.61
one of the first
things the devil did.
00:32:43.71\00:32:45.67
And when you see a rainbow
nowadays you almost think:
00:32:45.97\00:32:48.57
"Oh, that
person's not straight. "
00:32:48.77\00:32:50.59
And here is the covenant
that God had made. He says:
00:32:50.69\00:32:53.26
"I set My rainbow in the clouds
00:32:53.46\00:32:56.41
and it shall be for the
sign of the covenant between
00:32:56.61\00:32:59.71
Me and the earth. "
And the covenant is:
00:32:59.81\00:33:02.41
"This is the sign of the
covenant which I will make
00:33:02.61\00:33:06.60
between Me and you and every
living creature that is with you
00:33:06.70\00:33:09.54
for perpetual generations.
00:33:09.74\00:33:12.19
I will set My
rainbow in the clouds. "
00:33:12.39\00:33:14.65
So the rainbow should
be and HAS BEEN by God
00:33:14.85\00:33:17.66
a symbol of God's promise
to never destroy the earth
00:33:17.76\00:33:20.81
again. Um-hmmm. But now
the rainbow and society have
00:33:20.91\00:33:23.74
taken on a
picture of destruction...
00:33:23.84\00:33:26.10
destructive behavior. Um-hmm.
00:33:26.20\00:33:27.68
And it's time we made
some rainbows and put on it:
00:33:27.89\00:33:29.73
God's eternal
covenant - yes - rather than
00:33:29.84\00:33:32.95
making it take on
this deviant dark meaning.
00:33:33.15\00:33:36.58
Yes. And so this is a
covenant that God never renewed
00:33:36.78\00:33:39.72
and God never changed. Right.
00:33:39.83\00:33:41.41
But now the covenant
that people are confused about
00:33:41.54\00:33:43.30
is the covenant that
God made with Israel.
00:33:43.40\00:33:45.09
Yeah, because the term
is used within the Bible
00:33:45.29\00:33:47.36
and we understand
this. And the church has used
00:33:47.46\00:33:49.64
the terminology and
used it, you know, often:
00:33:49.84\00:33:54.89
old and new covenant.
00:33:55.09\00:33:57.16
Um-hmm. You've heard
this: old and new covenant.
00:33:57.36\00:33:59.65
How the church is
under the new covenant;
00:33:59.85\00:34:02.87
we are no longer
under the old covenant.
00:34:03.07\00:34:04.74
Um-hmm. And so while
that is true Biblically
00:34:04.94\00:34:09.75
there is an error in
this teaching as well.
00:34:09.99\00:34:13.51
And here's where
the error comes in.
00:34:13.71\00:34:15.53
Um, there is something
called dispensationalism.
00:34:16.62\00:34:20.69
The dispensation
theory where the old covenant
00:34:20.89\00:34:24.23
was a covenant of
law and the new covenant
00:34:24.33\00:34:27.44
is the covenant of
grace. That's what they say.
00:34:27.54\00:34:29.59
That's what they say. We're
talking about the error now.
00:34:29.69\00:34:32.04
That is
error... that's not true.
00:34:32.24\00:34:34.39
In fact if you
read Hebrews chapter 11
00:34:34.49\00:34:37.08
over and over again "by
faith, by faith, by faith. "
00:34:37.28\00:34:41.14
And everyone named there
are Old Testament figures.
00:34:41.27\00:34:44.47
Um-hmm. So clearly it's not
an era of or covenant of law
00:34:44.67\00:34:48.94
nor is the new
covenant a covenant of grace.
00:34:49.14\00:34:53.33
But the overall covenant
- the everlasting covenant -
00:34:53.53\00:34:57.17
is a covenant of grace
that includes God's law.
00:34:57.37\00:35:00.25
And as we go from
the old to the new
00:35:00.45\00:35:04.80
many view it as two
different covenants:
00:35:05.00\00:35:08.57
this dual covenant theory where
the Jews are under one covenant.
00:35:08.77\00:35:12.50
It carries forward
from their Old Testament...
00:35:12.70\00:35:15.17
we call it Old Testament
but they call it the Quran...
00:35:15.37\00:35:18.29
not the Quran...
the Torah. Um-hmm.
00:35:18.49\00:35:21.80
And so they have their way
of conducting their religion,
00:35:21.94\00:35:25.84
Judaism, and now we as a church
we have the new covenant way.
00:35:26.04\00:35:28.80
And this is such the separation.
It's this dual covenant theory
00:35:28.90\00:35:31.49
that simply doesn't exist. There
is one everlasting covenant
00:35:31.69\00:35:34.98
in its old and its new form.
00:35:35.18\00:35:37.17
Um-hmm. And to best
explain this I am reading from
00:35:37.37\00:35:40.33
Hebrews chapter 8. It says here:
00:35:40.44\00:35:43.71
"But now... " in verse 6:
00:35:44.87\00:35:46.93
"But now He has obtained a
more excellent ministry... " -
00:35:47.13\00:35:50.17
which is Jesus has obtained it -
00:35:50.38\00:35:51.91
"inasmuch He is also a
mediator of a better covenant
00:35:52.11\00:35:55.64
which was
established on better promises.
00:35:55.84\00:35:59.19
For if that first
covenant had been faultless
00:35:59.39\00:36:02.52
then no place would have
been sought for a second. "
00:36:02.72\00:36:05.41
And then it goes on
a little bit further...
00:36:05.61\00:36:07.48
verse 13 after it
restates that new covenant...
00:36:07.69\00:36:10.57
"in that He says a new covenant
He has made the first obsolete.
00:36:10.77\00:36:15.77
Now what is becoming
obsolete in growing old
00:36:15.97\00:36:19.30
is ready to vanish away. "
00:36:19.40\00:36:20.81
Here's the deal: it's
not that the old covenant
00:36:21.01\00:36:23.89
and new covenant are
running simultaneously.
00:36:24.09\00:36:26.36
And it's not that the old
covenant has no applicability
00:36:27.63\00:36:31.00
with understanding
the new covenant at all.
00:36:31.11\00:36:33.14
It's that God has
designed that the old covenant
00:36:33.44\00:36:37.38
would point to Christ forward
and that the new covenant
00:36:37.58\00:36:40.97
after Christ came would be
managed by for the lack of a
00:36:41.07\00:36:46.25
better word or would
be ministered by Jesus
00:36:46.35\00:36:50.17
who from the very get go in
the old covenant it pointed to
00:36:50.37\00:36:54.02
as the new
covenant began to unfold.
00:36:54.03\00:36:56.99
But it is yet one solid covenant
00:36:57.19\00:36:59.70
that is made
with all of mankind.
00:36:59.80\00:37:02.29
And because the Jews
who were a centerpiece of
00:37:02.49\00:37:05.78
sharing that
covenant with the world
00:37:05.98\00:37:07.95
rejected Jesus - the minister
of the heavenly sanctuary,
00:37:08.05\00:37:11.47
the High Priest that came to
be that focus of the covenant
00:37:11.58\00:37:15.91
with mankind -
because they rejected Him
00:37:16.11\00:37:18.20
the church was
born and it entered into
00:37:18.40\00:37:21.22
the new covenant phase.
00:37:21.32\00:37:22.43
Had the Jews
accepted their mission
00:37:22.63\00:37:26.27
they would have been the
ministers of the new covenant
00:37:26.47\00:37:29.18
on this earth. They would not
have been old covenant people.
00:37:29.38\00:37:32.30
Right. They would have
been new covenant people
00:37:32.50\00:37:34.36
as the church is.
So this is confusion.
00:37:34.46\00:37:36.99
And I say this confusion
is very damaging because
00:37:37.20\00:37:39.77
the focus on prophecy
has been so much on the Jews
00:37:39.97\00:37:44.72
and what they're doing and what
God's going to do through them
00:37:44.83\00:37:47.28
as a people that we miss
the fact that God has made
00:37:47.38\00:37:50.88
a covenant with all mankind.
He wants to redeem all mankind.
00:37:50.98\00:37:54.58
And He used the Jews back
then... He now uses the church
00:37:54.79\00:37:58.93
to wrap everything up
and to save all of mankind.
00:37:59.13\00:38:02.16
You know this is amazing, John.
00:38:02.36\00:38:03.97
This covenant that
you're talking about:
00:38:04.17\00:38:05.99
truly you are putting it so
wonderfully... packaging it.
00:38:06.19\00:38:09.10
Because the covenant really
is if you look at another word
00:38:09.30\00:38:12.16
promise. That's right. The
Lord is saying: "I'm making
00:38:12.26\00:38:14.10
a promise with you. "
And when you think about that
00:38:14.20\00:38:16.43
promise, listen to
what the Bible says.
00:38:16.53\00:38:18.48
Genesis 17 verse 19:
"Then God said: 'No Sarah... ' "
00:38:18.68\00:38:22.87
No! "Sarah your
wife shall bear you a son
00:38:23.97\00:38:28.26
and you shall
call his name Isaac.
00:38:28.46\00:38:30.71
I will establish
my covenant with him
00:38:30.91\00:38:33.52
for an everlasting covenant...
" notice that the Bible says...
00:38:33.72\00:38:37.00
"and with his
descendants after him. "
00:38:37.20\00:38:39.95
And when you look at the Bible
there in the promise of this
00:38:40.15\00:38:43.03
covenant you'll notice that
the word covenant is used again.
00:38:43.13\00:38:46.26
Because who is Isaac?
Isaac is the son of...
00:38:46.46\00:38:49.49
Abraham. And notice
what Galatians says,
00:38:49.69\00:38:53.93
Galatians 3:19,
looking at this whole covenant.
00:38:54.13\00:38:57.15
"And if you are Christ's
then you are Abraham's seed
00:38:57.35\00:39:01.79
and heirs
according to the promise. "
00:39:01.99\00:39:04.77
Here's another one:
Ephesians chapter 3 verse 16.
00:39:04.97\00:39:07.50
"That the Gentiles should be
fellow heirs of the same body
00:39:07.70\00:39:12.02
and partakers of His promise
in Christ through the gospel. "
00:39:12.22\00:39:16.59
The same what? "The same body. "
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.91
"The same body...
partakers of the promise. "
00:39:20.11\00:39:23.04
So we are... In fact,
this promise is a promise to
00:39:23.24\00:39:26.22
bless all of humanity.
00:39:26.42\00:39:27.98
And if they chose not to
bless humanity, God chose
00:39:28.18\00:39:31.62
to accomplish it
with someone else.
00:39:31.82\00:39:33.46
And that's where you
brought out Hebrews chapter 11.
00:39:33.66\00:39:36.25
And this is the
one: Hebrews 11 verse 9.
00:39:36.46\00:39:40.01
"By faith he dwelt
in the land of promise
00:39:40.21\00:39:42.54
as in a foreign country
dwelling in tents with Isaac
00:39:42.74\00:39:45.52
and Jacob: the heirs with
him of the same promise. "
00:39:45.55\00:39:49.56
So everyone who comes
after the promise of Christ
00:39:49.76\00:39:52.72
are heirs of the same promise.
00:39:52.92\00:39:54.93
That's right. Now because,
for the essence of time,
00:39:55.13\00:39:59.29
we've got two more to cover,
let's transition to our next
00:39:59.39\00:40:01.55
counterfeit. And
they are related.
00:40:01.65\00:40:03.70
Because of the
confusion of the covenants and
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.58
this dual covenant
idea and the old and new
00:40:05.69\00:40:08.13
and some confusion
there, prophetically
00:40:08.33\00:40:12.25
we have most of the
world today - Christian world -
00:40:12.45\00:40:15.08
has its eyes on the
nation of Israel and what God is
00:40:15.28\00:40:19.64
going to do with His covenant
with the nation of Israel.
00:40:19.74\00:40:22.12
And there's a complete ignorance
00:40:22.32\00:40:26.67
to this everlasting
covenant with all mankind
00:40:26.87\00:40:30.00
now coming through the church
that when Israel is spoken of
00:40:30.20\00:40:33.40
in Revelation... When you talk
00:40:33.60\00:40:38.93
and the message that is given...
00:40:39.14\00:40:40.25
it typically... most
people refer to that or identify
00:40:40.46\00:40:44.25
that group as being the
nation of Israel still. Um-hmm.
00:40:44.36\00:40:47.33
And it's like this smokescreen.
00:40:47.57\00:40:49.85
Satan has got this smokescreen.
Go ahead, focus on the nation
00:40:50.06\00:40:52.84
of Israel. Focus on
the battle of Armageddon
00:40:52.94\00:40:54.95
being a physical battle and
look, the Arabs are going to
00:40:55.16\00:40:57.35
attack and
they've already begun to.
00:40:57.45\00:40:59.29
There's so much attention
on that that they're missing
00:40:59.49\00:41:01.61
the true battle that's
coming: the battle between truth
00:41:01.82\00:41:05.22
and error. That's right.
00:41:05.32\00:41:07.02
I mean, the reason why
there's so much confusion today
00:41:07.22\00:41:11.52
in the world in the sense of...
00:41:11.62\00:41:14.01
and I don't want
to get political here
00:41:14.21\00:41:16.32
and I don't want to
choose any political party
00:41:16.52\00:41:18.10
in particular... but we focus
so much on what's happening
00:41:18.30\00:41:20.63
over in Jerusalem or
what's happening in Israel,
00:41:20.73\00:41:23.54
what's happening
between the Arabs and the Jews,
00:41:23.74\00:41:25.56
and then all of this...
supposedly all of this fighting
00:41:25.86\00:41:30.74
about terrorism is because
the United States favors one
00:41:30.84\00:41:33.31
over the other. I don't
want to get into all of that.
00:41:33.41\00:41:35.42
But all of that
discombobulation -
00:41:35.62\00:41:38.94
that's a word I don't
even know if it exists
00:41:39.14\00:41:41.78
but you know it
means confusion -
00:41:41.88\00:41:43.10
all of that exists
because of this misunderstanding
00:41:43.30\00:41:45.51
in the covenants. Um-hmm.
00:41:45.61\00:41:46.88
So we believe now we've
got to stand behind one nation
00:41:47.08\00:41:50.13
as a nation and
we're one nation under God.
00:41:50.33\00:41:53.19
And so we've got to
stand behind one nation
00:41:53.39\00:41:56.28
when in fact the covenant
that God made is available
00:41:56.48\00:41:59.82
to everyone. Um-hmm.
00:42:00.02\00:42:02.22
It's a world... The same body.
The same body of believers.
00:42:02.42\00:42:06.31
Available to everyone.
And so when you think about
00:42:06.51\00:42:08.24
these covenants
that have been made
00:42:08.44\00:42:09.77
it's a covenant that is
a covenant of salvation.
00:42:09.97\00:42:12.41
It's not a genetic covenant
it's a spiritual covenant.
00:42:12.61\00:42:17.26
That's what it is.
00:42:17.46\00:42:19.13
And so now then... as
we're moving now to prophecy
00:42:19.16\00:42:22.52
and his - right - his smoke-
screen and this counterfeit
00:42:22.72\00:42:26.08
prophetic
interpretation you can call it.
00:42:26.28\00:42:29.78
What we find at the
center of that is not only
00:42:29.99\00:42:32.62
this idea of misunderstanding
of the covenants
00:42:32.82\00:42:35.88
but what we find is that
this battle of Armageddon
00:42:36.08\00:42:40.39
is as such and it's
coming together in such a way
00:42:40.49\00:42:43.41
that there's going to be...
and here's the interpretation,
00:42:43.61\00:42:47.37
the error in the...
the prophetic error...
00:42:47.47\00:42:49.31
there's going to be an
antichrist, a human being
00:42:49.51\00:42:54.55
who stands up to
oppose the covenant.
00:42:54.75\00:42:58.30
To oppose the covenant
that God has with the Jews
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.09
because remember
they're thinking locally.
00:43:02.29\00:43:03.92
A literal interpretation there.
00:43:04.12\00:43:06.26
And that he is going to
deceive and create this battle
00:43:06.46\00:43:11.06
from the side of
error to not only oppose but
00:43:11.26\00:43:14.17
to bring down God's
covenant-keeping people.
00:43:14.27\00:43:17.50
So while the mass conversion
of the Jews is occurring
00:43:17.70\00:43:21.05
the antichrist is setting
up his side to battle that.
00:43:21.25\00:43:24.55
And that's the big prophetic
movement at the end of time.
00:43:24.75\00:43:27.26
And that's not
what the Bible says.
00:43:27.46\00:43:29.44
Right. They focus on
a single person. Right.
00:43:29.64\00:43:32.30
And here's the amazing thing
about this... this counterfeit.
00:43:32.50\00:43:36.02
The devil wants everybody
to think that this person,
00:43:36.25\00:43:40.99
this human being, is
going to stand up to lead people
00:43:41.19\00:43:44.97
against the people of God
who they say are the Jews -
00:43:45.07\00:43:48.63
um-hmm - and the
covenant they have with God
00:43:48.83\00:43:51.18
that they're missing
who the real antichrist is.
00:43:51.38\00:43:54.35
The real
antichrist is Satan himself.
00:43:55.76\00:43:59.71
And he is going to
personate the coming of Christ.
00:44:00.01\00:44:03.95
That's right. And he'll
say: "I am the deliverer. "
00:44:04.15\00:44:07.37
And while people may say:
"Oh, well we had a little bit
00:44:08.83\00:44:11.01
of a misunderstanding
in our interpretation
00:44:11.11\00:44:13.82
they still will not think
of him being the antichrist
00:44:14.02\00:44:17.36
because the antichrist
is supposed to be who?
00:44:17.56\00:44:19.27
A human being opposing the Jews.
00:44:19.47\00:44:21.49
So when Jesus comes down
as... when Satan comes down as
00:44:21.69\00:44:25.53
Jesus and says "I'm
here to deliver the Jews"
00:44:25.73\00:44:27.63
they're going to say:
"Oh, he's not the antichrist
00:44:27.73\00:44:29.66
because the
antichrist opposes the Jews.
00:44:29.76\00:44:31.56
He's got to be
the real Savior! "
00:44:31.66\00:44:34.13
Ummm. And the
whole stage has been set
00:44:34.33\00:44:37.30
for Satan to be
exactly who he wants to be:
00:44:37.50\00:44:40.96
the savior of the world.
00:44:41.16\00:44:43.58
You know, John, you're talking
about Matthew chapter 24 here.
00:44:43.78\00:44:45.84
That's why the warning
was to clearly put by Jesus
00:44:46.04\00:44:49.22
in Matthew chapter 24.
And the Bible says in verse 23
00:44:49.43\00:44:52.54
down to verse 26:
00:44:52.74\00:44:54.30
"Then if anyone says to
you: 'Look, here is the Christ
00:44:54.50\00:44:58.00
or there' do not believe it
00:44:58.20\00:44:59.73
for false Christs and
false prophets will arise
00:44:59.94\00:45:03.14
and show great signs and wonders
00:45:03.35\00:45:05.10
so as to deceive if
possible even the elect.
00:45:05.30\00:45:07.78
See, I have told you beforehand.
00:45:07.98\00:45:10.27
Therefore if they say to
you: 'Look, he is in the desert'
00:45:10.47\00:45:13.61
do not go out. 'Look,
he is in the inner room, '
00:45:13.64\00:45:15.62
do not believe it. "
And that's referring to the
00:45:15.72\00:45:17.55
coming of the Lord
because verse 27 says
00:45:17.65\00:45:19.22
"As lightning shines
from the east to the west... "
00:45:19.42\00:45:21.30
That's how the coming of
the Son of Man is going to be.
00:45:21.50\00:45:23.55
Satan is going to come
appearing to be the Christ.
00:45:23.76\00:45:26.23
II Corinthians chapter 11...
00:45:26.43\00:45:29.28
chapter 13 verses 11-14...
00:45:29.48\00:45:33.64
makes it clear that Satan
is going to come appearing as
00:45:33.84\00:45:37.53
an angel of light. Um-hmm.
And so what's happening nowadays
00:45:37.63\00:45:40.67
is so many religious
groups are priming themselves
00:45:40.77\00:45:44.38
to be deceived. Because
they say: "Well the antichrist
00:45:44.48\00:45:47.71
is going to rise out of Russia
00:45:47.81\00:45:49.47
or is going to rise
out of the Middle East
00:45:49.57\00:45:51.35
or is going to rise
out of the Roman Empire. "
00:45:51.55\00:45:53.36
While there are
many false Christs,
00:45:53.56\00:45:56.75
false prophets, there are
those who claim to be God.
00:45:56.95\00:46:00.42
We know that's the
statement the pontiff has made
00:46:00.52\00:46:03.06
to be God on earth.
That's an antichrist stand.
00:46:03.26\00:46:07.16
While we know that there
are those who reject the very
00:46:07.40\00:46:09.86
divinity of Christ,
that's an antichrist stand.
00:46:09.96\00:46:12.36
The word antichrist
doesn't mean against Christ
00:46:12.46\00:46:16.31
as much as it
means to replace Him.
00:46:16.51\00:46:19.03
So there are lots of
people that connect themselves
00:46:19.23\00:46:21.99
to this antichrist
system. But THE antichrist...
00:46:22.19\00:46:25.97
Remember this: the controversy,
and I think you're talking
00:46:26.17\00:46:28.29
about this, John, is
between Satan and Christ.
00:46:28.39\00:46:31.51
Not between Rome and
Christ or Islam and Christ
00:46:31.71\00:46:35.05
or Judaism and Christ
but between Satan and Christ.
00:46:35.25\00:46:38.70
And here's... In II
Thessalonians compare
00:46:38.90\00:46:41.64
these two verses. We
don't have time to go into
00:46:41.74\00:46:43.43
these things in
depth. OK, a very good one.
00:46:43.53\00:46:45.06
We're tempted to, but these
two verses. If you just compare
00:46:45.16\00:46:47.05
them on your own time.
II Thessalonians chapter 2-
00:46:47.15\00:46:50.22
um-hmm- verses 3 and
4 and compare that with
00:46:50.42\00:46:53.36
Isaiah chapter 14 and the
description of Satan himself
00:46:53.46\00:46:58.10
you will find that specifically
verse 4 of II Thessalonians 2
00:46:58.34\00:47:03.13
is so parallel with
what is in Isaiah chapter 14
00:47:03.33\00:47:08.19
that you can't miss it's
connection to Satan himself
00:47:08.39\00:47:12.39
and the
appearance of the antichrist.
00:47:12.59\00:47:14.11
Now I recognize that
II Thessalonians chapter 2
00:47:14.31\00:47:16.91
also has application that
can be made and should be made
00:47:17.11\00:47:20.68
to the papacy and its work.
00:47:20.79\00:47:24.00
That's right. But in its
literal final fulfillment
00:47:24.20\00:47:27.01
it is speaking of
Satan himself. You know why?
00:47:27.11\00:47:30.52
"Who opposes and exalts himself
above all that is called God
00:47:30.62\00:47:33.39
that is worshiped or so that he
sits as God in the temple of God
00:47:33.59\00:47:36.50
showing himself
that he is God. "
00:47:36.60\00:47:39.59
Same exact what Satan said:
"I will be like the Most High.
00:47:39.79\00:47:43.88
I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds. "
00:47:44.08\00:47:46.77
He said: "I will sit
above the congregation. "
00:47:46.97\00:47:50.06
He wanted to be that. "I
will be like the Most High. "
00:47:50.26\00:47:53.02
So how could this statement
refer to someone other than
00:47:53.22\00:47:57.01
the ultimate antichrist?
00:47:57.11\00:47:59.18
There are others who
have made these claims.
00:47:59.38\00:48:01.64
And by the way,
when Paul wrote this
00:48:01.75\00:48:04.05
Paul was writing this
under the reign obviously of the
00:48:04.25\00:48:07.53
Roman Empire was in power then.
00:48:07.64\00:48:09.18
And the pontiff and
the Vatican on the earth
00:48:09.38\00:48:12.50
has claimed so much of this
so this also associates with
00:48:12.70\00:48:16.34
that power. But
ultimately... ultimately
00:48:16.44\00:48:19.96
the reason why Satan
has forces on earth that try
00:48:20.16\00:48:23.01
to replace Christ is because
that was his initial aim.
00:48:23.11\00:48:25.84
Um-hmm. But when it comes to
saying "sitting in the temple
00:48:26.04\00:48:28.84
of God" claiming...
"showing himself that he is God"
00:48:28.94\00:48:32.46
let me just make
it very, very clear:
00:48:32.66\00:48:35.05
the Vatican is not
sitting in the temple of God
00:48:35.15\00:48:38.48
'cause God's temple
is not in Rome. Right.
00:48:38.69\00:48:41.62
OK. So this is going to
say that when somebody comes -
00:48:41.82\00:48:44.96
and get the whole picture now
00:48:45.16\00:48:46.27
because so many people are
looking to the Middle East -
00:48:46.47\00:48:48.40
when the false Christ
comes looking like Christ and he
00:48:48.60\00:48:51.02
goes to Jerusalem
and sits in the temple
00:48:51.12\00:48:53.64
they'll say: "Wait a minute.
00:48:53.84\00:48:56.02
It's God. He's actually
in His temple on earth. "
00:48:56.22\00:48:59.12
Um-hmm. That's when
this is going to be fulfilled
00:48:59.33\00:49:02.57
in such magnificence.
As Revelation 17 says:
00:49:02.77\00:49:06.89
"When they say the
beast they marveled at him. "
00:49:06.99\00:49:10.64
And Revelation 13 says:
"Who is like unto the beast?
00:49:10.84\00:49:13.43
Who is able to make
war with him? " Yes.
00:49:13.63\00:49:15.48
So he comes as the
deliverer, as the savior.
00:49:15.89\00:49:18.90
He's setting the world
up. Now, a few minutes left.
00:49:19.10\00:49:22.04
We've got to cover
one more. Go for it.
00:49:22.24\00:49:23.73
Here's the next counterfeit
because it parallels right in,
00:49:23.83\00:49:26.12
it falls right into this.
We're trying to take these
00:49:26.22\00:49:27.66
from one step to the next.
00:49:27.76\00:49:29.16
The return of Christ. Oh, wow!
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.69
Now we're already talking about
this - you're killing me, John -
00:49:31.79\00:49:33.98
that the return of Christ is
going to be mimicked by Satan
00:49:34.08\00:49:36.31
himself. That's right.
But notice what's happening
00:49:36.42\00:49:38.50
in the whole context of
prophecy as they have shared it.
00:49:38.61\00:49:42.39
Now this isn't the
context of the true prophecies
00:49:42.49\00:49:44.22
but of prophecies they
have shared. The counterfeits.
00:49:44.33\00:49:46.50
What they, the counterfeit -
this is about the counterfeit -
00:49:46.60\00:49:48.60
they say in the secret rapture
that the church will be raptured
00:49:49.99\00:49:54.73
out - um-hmm - prior to the
seven-year period of tribulation
00:49:54.84\00:49:59.32
in which the antichrist appears
00:49:59.52\00:50:01.90
who is a human being.
This is what they say, OK?
00:50:02.10\00:50:05.38
But if you adopt that
view here's what can happen.
00:50:05.48\00:50:09.50
And this is where it
just ties in so well.
00:50:09.64\00:50:11.28
And you... I'm
going to let you loose
00:50:11.31\00:50:14.36
and you're going to be just
firing on all cylinders here.
00:50:14.57\00:50:16.57
So we know the Bible doesn't
say there's a secret rapture
00:50:16.77\00:50:21.34
nor does the Bible say
that there are seven years of
00:50:21.54\00:50:23.72
tribulation where the
battle of Armageddon is raging
00:50:23.82\00:50:26.72
which in the middle of
it - after 3-1/2 years -
00:50:26.82\00:50:28.96
a human being who is the
antichrist sets himself up.
00:50:29.06\00:50:31.93
That's not what the Bible says.
00:50:32.13\00:50:33.18
But if you believe that, when
the church isn't raptured out
00:50:34.46\00:50:38.94
and Satan appears as Christ
00:50:39.04\00:50:41.48
you will look and you will say
00:50:41.88\00:50:45.14
"Hmmm, very interesting,
00:50:45.34\00:50:48.50
because this can't
be the antichrist. "
00:50:48.70\00:50:53.78
Why? "Because the
rapture hasn't happened yet. "
00:50:53.98\00:50:57.89
Do you understand what the
implication of this is here?
00:50:59.22\00:51:01.32
If you're so
expecting the rapture,
00:51:01.52\00:51:04.05
when Satan appears as Christ
00:51:04.25\00:51:06.75
and sets up a temple as if
he's Christ performing miracles
00:51:06.95\00:51:09.96
if you're so into
the rapture you will say:
00:51:10.16\00:51:12.66
"The rapture hasn't happened yet
00:51:12.86\00:51:14.42
so the
antichrist can't appear yet
00:51:14.52\00:51:16.50
therefore this cannot be the
antichrist. " Yeah I follow you.
00:51:16.70\00:51:19.72
"It's got to be Jesus. " Um-hmm.
00:51:19.82\00:51:21.40
To me - I'm sorry -
to me that is amazing.
00:51:23.12\00:51:27.56
That thought - um-hmm -
that when he comes down here
00:51:27.76\00:51:30.27
as the antichrist
people won't know it.
00:51:30.47\00:51:32.54
In fact, they'll even put it
out of their mind that it could
00:51:32.64\00:51:34.33
possibly be because the
rapture hasn't occurred.
00:51:34.43\00:51:36.78
Right. And of
course there is no rapture
00:51:36.98\00:51:39.26
so that should not be
your predetermining factor
00:51:39.46\00:51:42.26
for finding the antichrist.
But that is the mindset of
00:51:42.36\00:51:46.20
the church in Babylon today.
00:51:46.31\00:51:48.90
And you know what,
John? The world is so primed
00:51:49.00\00:51:51.56
by all these ridiculous
books that are being published.
00:51:51.66\00:51:53.85
The most cynical
00:51:54.05\00:51:57.38
and most demonically-inspired
00:51:57.58\00:52:01.43
is the whole
"Left Behind" series.
00:52:01.53\00:52:03.86
Fifty million books have gotten
into the minds of at least
00:52:04.16\00:52:07.90
fifty, twenty million people
- Mind you, I cut that in half.
00:52:08.00\00:52:11.25
twenty-five million
people. I cut that in half -
00:52:11.45\00:52:14.17
of believing the
foolish idea born in the mind of
00:52:14.37\00:52:18.21
Satan years ago used during
the Protestant Reformation -
00:52:18.31\00:52:21.84
used during the
Dark Ages, sorry -
00:52:21.95\00:52:23.83
and then brought back into life
through people like Hal Lindsey
00:52:24.03\00:52:27.58
and the book Late,
Great Planet Earth.
00:52:27.69\00:52:29.21
And then Tim
LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
00:52:29.42\00:52:30.70
and this entire
"Left Behind" series.
00:52:30.80\00:52:32.50
You've got to make it
very clear where it comes from.
00:52:32.70\00:52:34.28
This whole dispensational
thought of the antichrist
00:52:34.48\00:52:37.35
coming. The Jews
making a covenant with him.
00:52:37.55\00:52:39.82
They evangelize the world
and the rapture takes place
00:52:40.02\00:52:42.73
and the
Christians out of the world.
00:52:42.93\00:52:44.43
That's not what
the Bible talks about.
00:52:44.63\00:52:46.54
The evil one is going to
come. And get this in mind:
00:52:46.74\00:52:49.45
the New Testament
and the Old Testament
00:52:49.55\00:52:51.26
have a lot of parallels.
00:52:51.37\00:52:52.81
When destruction came to Egypt
00:52:53.01\00:52:54.95
were the people
of God in Egypt? Yes.
00:52:55.15\00:52:58.03
How were they protected?
By the blood of the Lamb.
00:52:58.23\00:53:01.07
When the plagues fell on Egypt
00:53:01.10\00:53:03.45
were the people
of God in Egypt? Yes.
00:53:03.65\00:53:06.00
How were they protected?
00:53:06.21\00:53:07.28
The plagues did not touch them
because they were protected by
00:53:07.49\00:53:10.30
the blood of the Lamb.
Um-hmm. In the very same way
00:53:10.40\00:53:12.81
when the plagues fall the
next time the church is not
00:53:12.91\00:53:14.77
going to be out of the world.
00:53:14.87\00:53:15.95
The people of God are
going to be here. That's why
00:53:16.05\00:53:18.15
Psalm 91 says:
"Only with your eyes" -
00:53:18.25\00:53:20.98
verse 8- "shall you look and
see the reward of the wicked. "
00:53:21.18\00:53:25.20
And then the
prayer that Jesus prayed.
00:53:25.40\00:53:27.55
He said to His
disciples... John 17 verse 15:
00:53:27.75\00:53:30.50
"I do not pray that You should
take them out of the world
00:53:30.70\00:53:34.80
but that You should keep
them from the evil one. "
00:53:34.90\00:53:37.59
There you go. And
then Revelation says
00:53:37.69\00:53:39.18
He's going to keep us from
00:53:39.21\00:53:41.03
"the hour of trial that shall
come upon the whole world. "
00:53:41.17\00:53:45.02
Yeah. And so
therefore there's no rapture
00:53:45.12\00:53:47.56
and there's no second chance -
right. That is also part of that
00:53:47.76\00:53:50.34
teaching - oh, yeah -
when the rapture happens
00:53:50.44\00:53:51.95
you don't make it and
you've got another chance here
00:53:52.05\00:53:53.53
during the period of the
antichrist and all that is
00:53:53.63\00:53:56.07
happening during those
7 years of tribulation.
00:53:56.17\00:53:58.17
Just... the devil has
these counterfeits lined up
00:53:58.47\00:54:02.69
one after the other
and they feed each other.
00:54:02.89\00:54:05.58
They feed into the next as
we've been talking about here
00:54:05.78\00:54:08.05
in this program
now for three programs.
00:54:08.26\00:54:09.75
And if you don't have these
in line or at least understand
00:54:10.05\00:54:14.18
even from different angles
these various counterfeits
00:54:14.38\00:54:17.02
we're talking about,
you are open to deception.
00:54:17.12\00:54:19.86
You are open to the
false teachings of Babylon
00:54:19.96\00:54:22.39
as described in
the book of Revelation.
00:54:22.49\00:54:25.28
And it's just a scary thought.
00:54:25.48\00:54:27.61
As a matter of fact, if Jesus
was going to give us a second
00:54:27.81\00:54:29.77
chance He wouldn't say this,
00:54:29.87\00:54:31.40
Matthew 24:44: "Therefore
you be ready for the Son of Man
00:54:31.60\00:54:36.03
is coming at an hour
that you do not expect. "
00:54:36.13\00:54:38.12
And then He says... He
talks about the servants.
00:54:38.32\00:54:41.03
That when they say:
"Our Lord delays His coming"
00:54:41.23\00:54:43.62
they begin to eat, they
begin to strike each other and
00:54:43.72\00:54:46.33
beat each other and
argue with each other.
00:54:46.43\00:54:48.19
And He says: "And the Master
will come at an hour that...
00:54:48.39\00:54:52.21
that you think not and
appoint you your portion
00:54:52.31\00:54:55.48
with the hypocrites. "
00:54:55.69\00:54:56.69
He didn't teach
anywhere second...
00:54:56.89\00:54:59.09
The second opportunity
we have is right now.
00:54:59.39\00:55:02.35
He didn't teach
second chance theology.
00:55:02.55\00:55:05.09
And the devil has
got the world unaware
00:55:05.29\00:55:06.99
and here is the foolishness
that the rapture movies produce:
00:55:07.19\00:55:09.73
all of a sudden the
person is eating breakfast.
00:55:09.93\00:55:11.90
They disappear and the husband
says: "Well we've got 7 years
00:55:12.00\00:55:14.33
to get our lives together. "
00:55:14.43\00:55:15.95
That's not the
theology of the Bible.
00:55:17.25\00:55:19.71
"Be ready for in such
an hour as you think not
00:55:19.91\00:55:23.00
the Son of Man cometh. "
00:55:23.20\00:55:24.40
And He comes, and when He comes
He comes with His holy angels
00:55:24.60\00:55:27.68
to take us out of
the world. So friends,
00:55:27.88\00:55:29.58
there is no secret
rapture. There is no tribulation
00:55:29.78\00:55:33.33
period that the Jews are
going to make a covenant with
00:55:33.36\00:55:35.39
Satan and evangelize
the world and be converted.
00:55:35.49\00:55:38.55
You get that all...
00:55:38.78\00:55:39.92
Well, it was very clear even
during the flood in Noah's day.
00:55:40.12\00:55:43.09
Right. And the reference is made
00:55:43.29\00:55:46.35
as well in Matthew by Jesus.
00:55:46.45\00:55:49.17
In Luke as well...
Luke records it that
00:55:49.27\00:55:51.24
in the days of Noah they'll be
marrying and giving in marriage
00:55:51.44\00:55:54.16
all these things until the flood
came and took them all away.
00:55:54.37\00:55:57.32
And then it talks about one
being taken, the other left.
00:55:57.42\00:55:59.79
One in the field: one
is taken the other left.
00:55:59.99\00:56:02.06
One grinding at the
mill... the other one.
00:56:02.26\00:56:04.11
Anyway, not to quote all that.
00:56:04.21\00:56:05.87
But if you look, the
common interpretation of that is
00:56:06.07\00:56:09.06
that the one taken
away is the raptured -
00:56:09.17\00:56:10.97
the one raptured out -
that's a common interpretation.
00:56:11.17\00:56:13.05
Common interpretation. But
if you read Luke chapter 17
00:56:13.15\00:56:18.32
on that it says that the
flood came. It didn't take them
00:56:18.42\00:56:20.61
all way. The flood
came and destroyed them all.
00:56:20.71\00:56:23.28
That's right. Is the way
that Luke records Jesus' words.
00:56:23.48\00:56:25.91
And then of course
to this "taking them" -
00:56:26.12\00:56:28.86
you know, two in the field:
the one taken, the other left -
00:56:29.06\00:56:31.15
the disciples asked:
"Where, Lord? " in verse 7.
00:56:31.35\00:56:35.32
Taken where exactly? Taken
where? Where are they taken?
00:56:35.56\00:56:37.44
And then Jesus
answers: "Wherever the body is
00:56:37.64\00:56:40.25
there the eagles will
be gathered together. "
00:56:40.35\00:56:42.11
And that word
"eagles" is actually vultures
00:56:42.21\00:56:44.00
is the kind of bird
that it's talking about.
00:56:44.21\00:56:45.62
The vultures...
Read Revelation 19.
00:56:45.83\00:56:47.90
The birds came and
ate the flesh of men
00:56:48.10\00:56:50.97
who were left behind
after the coming of the Lord.
00:56:51.17\00:56:53.80
And you clearly see that being
taken - where they're being
00:56:54.00\00:56:57.76
taken - you don't want to go.
00:56:57.86\00:56:59.13
Exactly. If you want
to be left and be alive
00:57:00.11\00:57:02.99
and remain until the
coming of the Lord as it says in
00:57:03.19\00:57:05.54
I Thessalonians chapter 4
"to meet the Lord in the air. "
00:57:05.64\00:57:09.20
Wow, John, there's so much
we can't even cover it all.
00:57:09.34\00:57:10.91
But we are just fired up
about the fact that there are
00:57:11.01\00:57:12.76
a lot of counterfeits.
Friends, study the Word of God.
00:57:12.87\00:57:14.83
Here at House Calls we
believe that the foundation of
00:57:15.03\00:57:17.34
trust and truth
is the Word of God.
00:57:17.44\00:57:19.03
Don't settle for counterfeits
even if they are the top ten
00:57:19.23\00:57:22.68
because one day the Lord
is going to come and make a
00:57:22.88\00:57:24.94
house call on your
life and if you're not ready
00:57:25.04\00:57:27.16
you will be lost.
Please make that decision
00:57:27.36\00:57:30.24
and accept Jesus Christ in
your life today. God bless you.
00:57:30.34\00:57:33.95