Amen.
00:04:31.91\00:04:33.77
Thank you so very much Tonia.
00:04:35.69\00:04:37.27
Beautifully done. One
of my favorite pieces.
00:04:37.57\00:04:40.16
Our subject is The
World's Greatest Turkey Dinner -
00:04:42.32\00:04:47.15
Eat It If You Can.
00:04:47.45\00:04:50.36
Going to ask you to
turn with me if you will
00:04:50.66\00:04:53.04
to the book of Ezekiel.
00:04:53.34\00:04:55.97
Ezekiel chapter 39...
and once you've found that
00:04:56.27\00:04:59.21
then I'm going to
ask you to pray with me
00:04:59.42\00:05:00.77
as we ask God's blessing
on our study this evening.
00:05:01.08\00:05:05.58
Ezekiel 39.
00:05:05.78\00:05:06.90
I do want to thank
Tonia while you're turning
00:05:09.06\00:05:13.08
for the music and
Pastor Mike and Dr. Lee Horton
00:05:13.38\00:05:16.50
for being with us
00:05:16.70\00:05:17.75
from the Lake Union Conference.
00:05:18.06\00:05:19.47
And Pastor Horton spent
a little time in New York
00:05:19.77\00:05:23.09
Anybody that spent
some time in New York is
00:05:23.39\00:05:25.44
all right with me... and so
we're happy to have him here.
00:05:25.64\00:05:29.66
Shall we pray. Father God,
00:05:30.94\00:05:33.86
we're turning to
Your words yet again.
00:05:34.16\00:05:37.28
We know that there
is power in the Word.
00:05:37.58\00:05:41.46
We know that there
is life in the Word.
00:05:41.67\00:05:45.22
We know that
Jesus is in the Word.
00:05:45.52\00:05:48.03
And so, dear Father,
this night give us Jesus.
00:05:48.33\00:05:51.32
Lord, we need
to hear from Jesus.
00:05:51.52\00:05:53.68
We need to see Jesus.
00:05:53.88\00:05:55.23
Not man or the
words of man or men,
00:05:55.43\00:05:59.31
but the heart, the
mind, the soul of Jesus.
00:05:59.61\00:06:02.73
And then help us,
Lord, once again to be
00:06:03.03\00:06:05.78
doers and not just
hearers of Your Word.
00:06:05.98\00:06:11.24
And we thank you for
Your presence and Your power
00:06:11.54\00:06:14.22
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:06:14.42\00:06:16.27
World's Greatest Turkey Dinner.
00:06:16.58\00:06:18.45
I'm in Ezekiel chapter
39. What book did I say?
00:06:18.65\00:06:21.24
Ezekiel 39 and
beginning at verse 17.
00:06:21.54\00:06:25.26
A bit of a lengthy reading
00:06:25.46\00:06:26.82
but I want you to follow
along with me if you will
00:06:27.03\00:06:28.91
Ezekiel 39
beginning at verse 17.
00:06:29.11\00:06:33.90
The Word of God says:
00:06:34.20\00:06:35.42
Thus saith the Word of God.
00:07:25.73\00:07:27.68
What is God trying to say?
00:07:41.04\00:07:46.34
What's the message that
the Lord wants you and I
00:07:46.84\00:07:51.94
to hear? These shocking words,
00:07:52.04\00:07:55.85
these disturbing words,
00:07:56.05\00:07:58.20
this terrible set of statements.
00:07:58.50\00:08:00.93
What is God trying to say?
00:08:01.23\00:08:03.95
Well, somebody's
throwing a party,
00:08:04.45\00:08:08.54
and this is the
invitation to that party.
00:08:08.84\00:08:12.45
Everybody loves a party
00:08:12.75\00:08:16.28
and you surely don't
want to miss this one.
00:08:16.58\00:08:19.80
Or do you?
00:08:20.10\00:08:22.06
All of the fatlings
of Bashan will be there.
00:08:22.56\00:08:25.83
Bashan was a fabulous region
00:08:26.13\00:08:28.65
known for its
lofty, sturdy oaks,
00:08:28.95\00:08:31.97
incredible healthy livestock,
00:08:32.27\00:08:34.74
fertile land,
00:08:35.04\00:08:36.59
giant, royal, regal inhabitants
00:08:36.89\00:08:40.57
who lived in walled cities
00:08:40.87\00:08:42.73
and ate and lived
off the fat of the land.
00:08:43.04\00:08:46.78
The word Bashan
actually means fertile plain.
00:08:47.08\00:08:51.24
Bashan was a place
you wanted to live.
00:08:51.54\00:08:53.85
Everybody wanted to
get a homestead in Bashan.
00:08:54.15\00:08:57.60
And so God is sending a people -
00:08:57.91\00:09:00.68
a message rather - to a people
00:09:00.98\00:09:02.87
who are or at least think
they are doing quite well.
00:09:03.17\00:09:08.71
You know the worst kind of
deception, ladies and gentlemen,
00:09:09.11\00:09:12.68
is self-deception.
00:09:12.98\00:09:14.61
I used to have a
professor in college
00:09:14.91\00:09:17.91
before I went to Oakwood
when I was in junior college.
00:09:18.22\00:09:21.44
He used to say: "You
know, as bad as it is
00:09:21.74\00:09:24.08
to breathe second-hand smoke, "
00:09:24.39\00:09:26.66
he used to tell us
all the time in school,
00:09:26.96\00:09:28.86
"it is worse to blow
smoke up your own nose"
00:09:29.16\00:09:32.36
he used to tell us.
00:09:32.56\00:09:33.64
Basically what he was saying:
"As bad as it is to be deceived
00:09:33.74\00:09:37.34
or tricked by somebody else,
00:09:37.54\00:09:38.97
it is worse to
be self-deceived. "
00:09:39.27\00:09:42.41
It is worse to deceive yourself.
00:09:42.72\00:09:45.39
But that, ladies and
gentlemen, brothers and sisters,
00:09:45.70\00:09:47.93
is the nexus... is
the root, the heart
00:09:48.23\00:09:50.80
of the Laodicean condition.
00:09:51.10\00:09:52.80
That's the problem
with the church today!
00:09:53.10\00:09:57.35
It's a problem
that exists in the world
00:09:57.65\00:09:59.66
and it also
exists in the church.
00:09:59.96\00:10:01.52
The problem with the church
today is it will not take stock
00:10:01.83\00:10:06.05
of itself.
00:10:06.25\00:10:07.45
It is deluding itself
00:10:07.75\00:10:10.83
and deceiving
itself as is the world
00:10:11.13\00:10:14.14
that we're doing
fine... we're doing all right...
00:10:14.44\00:10:17.49
when really the Bible
says we've got problems.
00:10:17.80\00:10:22.56
The world's got problems
00:10:24.72\00:10:26.63
and the church -
00:10:28.83\00:10:34.72
um-hmm -
00:10:35.03\00:10:36.49
has got problems.
00:10:36.80\00:10:38.39
And the only way
to fix those problems
00:10:38.69\00:10:42.47
is for the church
to fasten its eyes
00:10:42.77\00:10:45.78
squarely upon Jesus.
00:10:45.98\00:10:47.31
You can't look at yourself.
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.38
You can't look at your pastor.
00:10:49.68\00:10:51.12
You can't look at
the deacons, the elders,
00:10:51.42\00:10:53.22
the conference president,
because like it or not
00:10:53.52\00:10:56.08
sooner or later
they might let you down.
00:10:56.38\00:10:58.90
So you've got to
fasten your eyes on Christ
00:10:59.20\00:11:01.78
who will never
let you down. Amen!
00:11:02.08\00:11:03.82
And only in Jesus
can you see yourself
00:11:04.12\00:11:06.97
as you really are.
00:11:07.27\00:11:08.31
Amen? Amen!
00:11:08.62\00:11:10.58
and Amen. So we need to
look at and assess and redress
00:11:10.88\00:11:14.43
our own spiritual condition.
00:11:14.53\00:11:16.31
I'm in the book of
Revelation. What book did I say?
00:11:16.61\00:11:18.13
Revelation chapter 3,
and I want to take a look at
00:11:18.43\00:11:21.02
verse 17.
Revelation chapter 3 verse 17.
00:11:21.22\00:11:24.10
Let's read the Word
of God. The Bible says:
00:11:24.20\00:11:25.62
That's the true state of
the church and the world.
00:11:41.41\00:11:46.57
Jesus says: "Wake up, please,
and assess the situation.
00:11:46.87\00:11:51.87
Don't be fooled. "
00:11:52.17\00:11:54.98
God, ladies and gentlemen,
has one eternal, everlasting
00:11:55.29\00:11:59.93
all-encompassing
message for the human family.
00:12:00.13\00:12:03.70
It is above all, it is in all,
00:12:04.01\00:12:06.78
it undergirds all,
00:12:07.08\00:12:08.61
it drives all that God
is and that God does for us.
00:12:08.91\00:12:12.90
The message is the same
now as it has always been:
00:12:13.20\00:12:17.01
simple words... "I love you. "
00:12:17.31\00:12:22.53
That's God's message,
00:12:22.83\00:12:25.85
and it is a message that
we tend to neglect oft times.
00:12:26.15\00:12:29.85
In this world where the
word love may be among the most
00:12:30.15\00:12:34.58
over-used,
over-rated, over-saturated,
00:12:34.98\00:12:40.05
over-sentimentalized,
00:12:40.35\00:12:41.98
under-valued, under-appreciated,
00:12:42.28\00:12:44.14
word in this absolute
junk yard of a human race
00:12:44.44\00:12:47.91
that we have, God still
resorts to three simple words:
00:12:48.11\00:12:53.20
"I love you. "
00:12:53.50\00:12:56.45
No other way to state it.
00:12:56.85\00:12:58.82
No better way
that it can be stated.
00:12:59.12\00:13:01.37
Simple, sweet: God loves us!
00:13:01.67\00:13:06.52
Can you say Amen?
00:13:06.82\00:13:08.13
God maintains "I still love you.
00:13:08.43\00:13:11.80
I have always loved you.
00:13:12.10\00:13:13.88
I always will love you. "
00:13:14.18\00:13:16.08
Now let me re-state something
00:13:16.38\00:13:19.03
that I have alluded to before
00:13:19.33\00:13:21.14
and that I
suspect you already know.
00:13:21.24\00:13:24.05
Love is risky business.
00:13:24.35\00:13:28.52
It is!
00:13:29.42\00:13:31.81
Loving somebody
is risky business.
00:13:32.11\00:13:36.49
See Pastor and Sister, Pastor
and Sister, Pastor and Sister
00:13:36.79\00:13:41.05
Kioshina, conference secretary.
00:13:41.35\00:13:44.74
Everybody sitting
close to their wives.
00:13:45.04\00:13:48.64
That's risky business.
00:13:50.21\00:13:51.83
Um-hmm.
00:13:54.23\00:13:55.87
Love puts you at risk.
00:13:56.17\00:13:58.79
Love makes you vulnerable.
00:14:00.48\00:14:02.62
Amen? It does!
00:14:02.92\00:14:05.26
You can get hurt loving people.
00:14:05.56\00:14:09.63
Sheila, Raquel... you can!
00:14:09.93\00:14:15.61
When you give
someone your heart,
00:14:17.43\00:14:19.53
the first thing you give
them is the ability to hurt you.
00:14:20.03\00:14:23.29
Did you know that?
00:14:24.61\00:14:26.25
Before you give the flowers, the
candy, all of those sweet things
00:14:26.55\00:14:29.46
the moment you yield your heart
00:14:29.66\00:14:30.78
you place in that person's
hands the ability to hurt you.
00:14:31.08\00:14:34.38
Huh? And the ability
00:14:35.56\00:14:39.18
to inflict pain
00:14:39.38\00:14:41.13
is directly proportional
00:14:41.43\00:14:43.51
to the amount of
love you give that person.
00:14:43.81\00:14:46.09
So if you give
them a lot of love
00:14:46.39\00:14:48.51
they could hurt you real bad!
00:14:48.81\00:14:51.19
Huh? That's why
when we were children
00:14:53.06\00:14:56.02
and we used to like the
little girls in our classroom,
00:14:56.32\00:14:58.05
you know, we would
never tell them we liked them.
00:14:58.25\00:14:59.90
Because when you tell
a girl that you like her
00:15:00.21\00:15:02.64
she can mess with you.
00:15:02.94\00:15:03.98
Want to get your
lunch money... you know.
00:15:05.71\00:15:07.78
So we never told them.
00:15:09.96\00:15:11.95
In fact, the way you
could... when I was growing up,
00:15:12.25\00:15:14.23
if you liked a
girl you punched her.
00:15:14.43\00:15:16.25
Dark Ages... what can I say?
00:15:20.24\00:15:21.62
But loving a
person puts you at risk.
00:15:23.94\00:15:26.37
It makes you vulnerable.
00:15:26.57\00:15:28.05
Great love
unrequited causes great pain.
00:15:28.35\00:15:32.66
Let me show you
something beautiful.
00:15:34.07\00:15:35.68
Let's go to the
book of Ephesians.
00:15:35.88\00:15:37.01
What book did I
say? Ephesians chapter 3.
00:15:37.31\00:15:39.61
I want to begin at
verse 16. I'll turn with it...
00:15:39.81\00:15:41.82
turn with it... turn with...
turn with it... turn to it
00:15:42.12\00:15:46.89
also. Ephesians
chapter... Ephesians...
00:15:47.09\00:15:50.47
I want Ephesians
chapter 3 verse 16.
00:15:50.67\00:15:53.28
I will turn to it with you.
00:15:53.58\00:15:55.50
Amen!
00:15:55.80\00:15:57.71
I knew I'd wake you up!
00:15:58.01\00:15:59.76
That's makes you just
want to kind of just breathe in
00:16:42.95\00:16:46.96
and breathe out, you know.
00:16:47.16\00:16:48.50
It's a good text. God is saying
He wants a kind of relationship
00:16:48.80\00:16:52.73
so that you can
know the unknowable.
00:16:52.93\00:16:54.96
So that you can
see the unseeable.
00:16:55.26\00:16:57.36
So that you can understand
those things that cannot be
00:16:57.66\00:17:01.56
understood. God is saying
00:17:01.76\00:17:02.90
"I want you to know what
you cannot know unless you have
00:17:03.10\00:17:05.28
a loving relationship with Me.
00:17:05.39\00:17:07.07
I want to fill you with My love.
00:17:07.37\00:17:08.82
I want to
surround you with My love.
00:17:09.12\00:17:10.70
I want to drown you in My love.
00:17:10.90\00:17:12.28
I want to just
encompass you with My love.
00:17:12.59\00:17:14.84
But you don't want it. You
haven't positioned yourself
00:17:15.14\00:17:17.94
to get it. I want to give you
a relationship that is so close
00:17:18.24\00:17:21.30
and so wonderful
and so satisfying
00:17:21.50\00:17:23.71
that you'll never
need anything else. "
00:17:24.01\00:17:25.90
Amen!
00:17:26.20\00:17:27.27
"But you've got to
want that relationship. "
00:17:27.47\00:17:30.00
God is offering us a
relationship the height,
00:17:30.30\00:17:34.20
the width, the depth of
the world cannot understand.
00:17:34.41\00:17:38.41
They can't know
it; they can't see it;
00:17:38.71\00:17:41.55
they can't feel it;
they can't touch it;
00:17:41.85\00:17:43.78
they can't taste it;
they cannot understand it;
00:17:43.98\00:17:46.05
they cannot hear it;
they cannot accept it;
00:17:46.35\00:17:48.32
they cannot enter into it...
00:17:48.62\00:17:50.14
but YOU CAN
through Jesus Christ.
00:17:50.24\00:17:53.22
God is offering us a
supernatural, superhuman,
00:17:53.52\00:17:57.95
all-encompassing, rock-solid,
00:17:58.25\00:18:00.38
everlasting love relationship,
00:18:00.68\00:18:02.62
and you can have it
any time you want it.
00:18:02.92\00:18:06.19
Amen!
00:18:08.55\00:18:10.00
Jeremiah 31:3.
What book did I say?
00:18:11.33\00:18:13.40
Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3.
00:18:13.70\00:18:16.63
Let's read the Word
of God. Jeremiah 31:3.
00:18:18.18\00:18:21.22
Give you a second to find it.
Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3.
00:18:21.52\00:18:25.51
The Bible says:
00:18:25.71\00:18:26.75
God is saying:
"This is not a new thing.
00:18:38.44\00:18:40.18
I've always loved you...
I've loved you from afar.
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.54
I've love you from
near. I've loved you when
00:18:42.84\00:18:44.26
you're running towards
Me; I've loved you when you're
00:18:44.46\00:18:45.84
running away from Me.
I've always loved you.
00:18:46.04\00:18:47.71
I love you now and I
always will love you. "
00:18:47.91\00:18:51.43
That's God's first
and foremost message.
00:18:51.73\00:18:56.64
If no one else loves you,
00:18:56.94\00:19:01.37
God loves you...
and He always will.
00:19:01.67\00:19:05.62
His second message: "My
grace is sufficient for you. "
00:19:05.92\00:19:11.51
So I'm not just
going to stand by and say
00:19:11.81\00:19:14.77
"Hey, I love you! "
00:19:15.07\00:19:16.39
"I want you to know
whatever you're going through
00:19:16.70\00:19:20.02
My love, My grace, is enough
00:19:20.22\00:19:24.37
to keep you. " Can you say Amen?
00:19:24.68\00:19:26.29
All God's
biddings are enablings.
00:19:26.59\00:19:29.18
And so when God
asks you to do something,
00:19:29.48\00:19:31.15
He gives you the
power, the authority -
00:19:31.35\00:19:33.09
as we said our last evening
or rather two evenings ago -
00:19:33.29\00:19:35.40
to do exactly
what He asks us to do.
00:19:35.70\00:19:38.10
If He asks us to
live sinless lives,
00:19:38.30\00:19:40.30
it's because with His help, His
grace, we can do exactly that.
00:19:40.50\00:19:45.34
That's God's second message.
00:19:45.64\00:19:48.07
Listen. Romans 8:26...
God even helps us in our
00:19:48.37\00:19:52.14
prayers through the Holy Spirit.
00:19:52.34\00:19:53.62
The Bible says the
Lord takes our prayers,
00:19:53.92\00:19:55.51
dresses it up with
moanings and groanings...
00:19:55.81\00:19:57.21
The Holy Spirit,
rather, takes our prayers,
00:19:57.51\00:19:58.97
dresses them up with
moaning and groaning,
00:19:59.27\00:20:01.25
and brings them
before God and says:
00:20:01.46\00:20:02.69
"Hey, God, you've got
to help this little sinner
00:20:02.89\00:20:04.74
because he needs it so badly. "
00:20:04.94\00:20:06.99
So His grace is sufficient.
00:20:08.24\00:20:09.95
Number 1: God loves us.
00:20:10.15\00:20:11.79
Number 2: Grace sufficient
for all of your needs.
00:20:12.09\00:20:16.33
You got problem? God's got
the answer. Can you say Amen?
00:20:16.63\00:20:19.34
And He's waiting
to give it to you.
00:20:20.06\00:20:21.75
Number three: In the
context with one and two,
00:20:21.95\00:20:25.46
Number 3: God
says: "Obey My law. "
00:20:25.76\00:20:29.54
Amen? Amen. What's number three?
00:20:29.84\00:20:32.05
Obey My law. I love you,
00:20:32.36\00:20:35.23
My grace is
sufficient, obey My law.
00:20:35.53\00:20:38.11
"For not just the hearers
of the Word are just before God
00:20:38.41\00:20:41.56
but the doers of the
law will be justified. "
00:20:41.76\00:20:44.39
Now, let's look at
what God is now doing.
00:20:44.69\00:20:49.64
I'm in Matthew chapter
23. What book did I say?
00:20:49.74\00:20:52.09
Matthew 23 and verse 34.
00:20:52.39\00:20:55.46
And I'm getting a little antsy
'cause I'm looking at that clock
00:20:55.76\00:20:57.98
already and I've
got a lot to go, Raquel.
00:20:58.18\00:20:59.41
I'm trying.
00:20:59.61\00:21:00.86
She's my clock-watcher here.
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.79
That's God's messenger.
00:21:16.30\00:21:19.57
God is saying: "I'm trying
to get this message through
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.36
so I'm sending you My
Word. I'm sending you prophets,
00:21:22.66\00:21:25.36
but you seem to be
a little stiff-necked
00:21:25.56\00:21:28.71
or hard of
hearing. And for some reason
00:21:28.91\00:21:31.49
you're not
wanting this relationship
00:21:31.69\00:21:33.72
that I'm trying to offer you.
00:21:33.92\00:21:35.52
I've sent you prophets,
but you have rejected them.
00:21:35.82\00:21:38.57
What do I need to do more? "
00:21:38.87\00:21:41.38
So then God sends His Word.
00:21:41.59\00:21:43.50
Psalms chapter
119:158. What book did I say?
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.99
Psalms... the book is Psalms
00:21:47.02\00:21:48.50
chapter 119, the verse 158.
00:21:48.80\00:21:52.21
Let's read from the Word of God.
00:21:52.24\00:21:53.68
God said: "I send My prophets.
00:22:00.96\00:22:03.70
I send people to talk to you.
00:22:04.00\00:22:05.30
I send
preachers; I send teachers.
00:22:05.61\00:22:07.35
I send individuals to
explain the Word of God to you,
00:22:07.65\00:22:10.34
but you don't want to hear.
00:22:10.54\00:22:11.73
So I send now My Word.
00:22:12.03\00:22:13.52
I send the Word.
There is power in the Word.
00:22:13.82\00:22:16.00
There is life in the Word.
00:22:16.20\00:22:17.42
There is joy in the Word.
00:22:17.62\00:22:20.04
The Spirit of
God is in the Word,
00:22:20.34\00:22:22.30
but you're not reading the Word.
00:22:22.50\00:22:23.86
You don't want to hear
and you don't want to read...
00:22:24.06\00:22:26.24
and I want to love you,
I want to take care of you,
00:22:26.54\00:22:28.89
I want to save you, I
want to be with you...
00:22:29.09\00:22:31.12
but you're ignoring Me.
00:22:31.42\00:22:33.00
What more do I need to do? "
00:22:33.20\00:22:35.17
II Peter chapter 2 verse 8.
00:22:35.47\00:22:37.14
What book did I say?
I'm in II Peter chapter 2
00:22:37.34\00:22:40.26
and verse 8. Let's
read the Word of God:
00:22:40.46\00:22:43.11
And so He's saying -
the Word of God is saying -
00:22:55.21\00:22:57.92
"I'm sending you preachers,
I'm sending you teachers,
00:22:58.22\00:23:02.77
I'm sending words
I'm asking you to do,
00:23:03.07\00:23:06.47
and you're not doing. "
00:23:06.68\00:23:08.45
You know, years ago I
was studying with a family.
00:23:08.55\00:23:10.25
I remember... you know,
you come out of college.
00:23:10.45\00:23:11.98
You come out
with a head of steam.
00:23:12.28\00:23:13.66
You think you
can save the world.
00:23:13.86\00:23:15.05
You're young and
sometimes kind of foolish.
00:23:15.15\00:23:16.81
And I was giving a Bible
study with a whole family
00:23:17.01\00:23:19.16
and I studied with
them for six weeks...
00:23:19.36\00:23:20.88
every Wednesday -
one hour - six weeks.
00:23:21.08\00:23:24.34
I got the son to see,
and the Lord... had him
00:23:24.64\00:23:29.28
give his heart to the Lord.
00:23:29.48\00:23:30.50
The daughter who was 18
gave her heart to the Lord.
00:23:30.71\00:23:32.53
And after a while the mother
gave her heart to the Lord.
00:23:32.83\00:23:34.63
And this father just
didn't want to do it.
00:23:34.93\00:23:36.95
Oh my goodness, he was just...
he just fought against it.
00:23:37.15\00:23:39.75
And we'd go over the doctrines
00:23:40.05\00:23:41.48
and I said: "Do you see
it? Do you understand? "
00:23:41.68\00:23:44.57
He said: "I just don't
see it. I just can't see it. "
00:23:44.87\00:23:47.00
And the wife was
getting a little short-tempered,
00:23:47.10\00:23:49.80
and the daughter said
"Daddy, it's really plain.
00:23:50.00\00:23:53.67
We want to go to this church;
we want to serve the Lord
00:23:53.87\00:23:55.82
and we want to get baptized. "
00:23:55.92\00:23:56.95
He said: "Well, I
just don't see it. "
00:23:57.15\00:23:58.66
And the mother is saying:
"Well, I don't know if I want to
00:23:58.86\00:24:00.18
get baptized if he's going
to be fighting against it. "
00:24:00.38\00:24:02.62
And after six weeks the
mother just got frustrated.
00:24:02.82\00:24:05.24
She said: "Why don't you
just give your heart to the Lord
00:24:05.44\00:24:07.31
and stop being a knucklehead? "
00:24:07.41\00:24:08.56
And I heard myself say: "Yeah,
man. Stop being a knucklehead. "
00:24:08.86\00:24:11.92
And I said: "Oh! "
00:24:12.22\00:24:15.85
I said: "I
shouldn't have said that! "
00:24:16.15\00:24:17.44
And the wife said: "That's OK
because he is a knucklehead! "
00:24:17.74\00:24:20.36
Said "Yeah, you can call him
a knucklehead... but I can't;
00:24:20.56\00:24:22.04
I shouldn't. " And I apologized.
00:24:22.24\00:24:23.89
And you know, apologizing to him
00:24:24.09\00:24:25.26
for calling him a
knucklehead did it!
00:24:25.46\00:24:26.89
True story.
00:24:27.19\00:24:28.81
I apologized to him. I
said: "I'm sorry for... "
00:24:29.11\00:24:30.64
I said: "that's ungodly.
I shouldn't have called you
00:24:30.84\00:24:32.80
a knucklehead. I apologize.
" And right after he said:
00:24:33.00\00:24:35.52
"OK. You know what, I'm going
to give my heart to the Lord. "
00:24:35.73\00:24:37.92
And I said: "Lord, thank
you for taking my mistake
00:24:39.77\00:24:43.20
and turning it into gospel. "
00:24:43.50\00:24:44.56
Because that's not
what you're supposed to do.
00:24:44.86\00:24:46.65
That's self... that's not Jesus.
00:24:46.96\00:24:48.21
But my point is, God
is doing so much for us
00:24:48.51\00:24:52.49
and sometimes some of us
can be a little stiff-necked.
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.49
We reject His
love, reject His message.
00:24:55.79\00:24:58.17
We reject His Word.
What else can God do?
00:24:58.48\00:25:01.08
You know, you've got to
fight to walk away from God.
00:25:01.58\00:25:05.73
It's tough to
ignore the Spirit of God.
00:25:06.03\00:25:08.68
It is not an easy
thing to hear the gospel
00:25:08.98\00:25:11.22
and turn your mind off to the
gospel and to the Spirit of God
00:25:11.42\00:25:15.55
which is prodding your heart.
00:25:15.75\00:25:17.29
Remember I told you the other
day you feel a little something
00:25:17.39\00:25:18.65
in the pit of your stomach -
just a little tickling down in
00:25:18.85\00:25:20.74
the pit of your stomach
- that's the Holy Spirit?
00:25:20.94\00:25:22.73
That's His job
to just quietly...
00:25:22.93\00:25:24.46
if you get a little
squirmy in those cushions,
00:25:24.49\00:25:28.57
it is the Spirit's job
to stick a little pin up
00:25:28.67\00:25:31.20
through the
bottom of those cushions
00:25:31.30\00:25:32.46
and prick your conscience.
That's the Spirit's job.
00:25:32.66\00:25:34.83
So if you feel a little nervous,
the Spirit's doing His work
00:25:35.13\00:25:38.59
and you need to
respond to the Spirit of God.
00:25:38.90\00:25:40.75
Can you say Amen?
00:25:41.05\00:25:42.43
As bad as it is to
believe that God does not exist,
00:25:42.73\00:25:46.69
it is worse to
believe that God does exist
00:25:46.99\00:25:49.85
and then live like He does not.
00:25:50.15\00:25:51.64
Amen.
00:25:53.98\00:25:55.80
Running from God is
like running from yourself.
00:25:56.10\00:25:59.12
It is like running in a circle.
00:25:59.32\00:26:00.70
You cannot outrun God.
00:26:01.00\00:26:02.54
You can't run too
fast, you can't run too far.
00:26:02.74\00:26:05.23
Wherever you go, God
is already there. Amen!
00:26:05.43\00:26:08.74
So you might as well serve Him
00:26:09.31\00:26:10.59
because you
cannot run away from Him.
00:26:10.89\00:26:14.20
If you read the Word of
God, you will be convicted,
00:26:14.50\00:26:17.39
ladies and gentlemen...
because the convicting power
00:26:17.59\00:26:19.46
is in the Word. I'm
in II Timothy chapter 2.
00:26:19.66\00:26:21.58
What book did I say?
00:26:21.78\00:26:23.03
II Timothy chapter 2 verse 16.
00:26:23.33\00:26:25.02
Gentlemen, I don't
think that's what I want.
00:26:33.73\00:26:35.21
Let me just turn here.
00:26:35.61\00:26:37.46
Let me just...
00:26:37.76\00:26:43.68
That is not the one I want.
00:26:46.41\00:26:50.23
I think I may have given
my gentlemen the wrong text
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.51
and I'm trying to...
00:26:58.71\00:27:03.57
find it...
00:27:03.87\00:27:05.28
Ah, here we go.
00:27:11.68\00:27:14.50
What I want is I Timothy 3:16.
00:27:14.80\00:27:20.15
Ah, no... I want I Timothy 4:16.
00:27:27.68\00:27:31.43
That's what I want. Here we go:
00:27:31.46\00:27:32.44
"Take heed to
yourself and to the doctrine.
00:27:32.64\00:27:35.49
Continue in them
for in doing this
00:27:35.79\00:27:38.22
you will save yourself
and those who hear you. "
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.75
Amen? So God is
giving us a call.
00:27:41.05\00:27:43.60
God is giving us a
call to stand by and stay in
00:27:43.90\00:27:47.38
and live for Jesus. In doing so,
00:27:47.41\00:27:49.95
we save ourself,
we save our families,
00:27:50.25\00:27:51.99
we save those who are around us.
00:27:52.19\00:27:53.51
See, it's not just
about gettin' you saved.
00:27:53.71\00:27:56.03
It's about getting all of those
who you have influence over
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.61
saved also. That also
is our responsibility.
00:27:58.81\00:28:01.31
God has given us inspiration.
00:28:01.61\00:28:03.09
The inspiration is in His Word.
00:28:03.29\00:28:04.63
We need to read the Word.
00:28:04.83\00:28:05.84
Now, God then
sends us the Holy Spirit.
00:28:06.04\00:28:09.10
Hebrews chapter 10 verse 29.
00:28:09.40\00:28:11.62
Hebrews 10:29.
00:28:11.92\00:28:13.87
This is a text that we've
00:28:14.17\00:28:15.67
looked at before, but it is a
00:28:15.87\00:28:17.05
powerful one
00:28:17.18\00:28:18.25
and an important one.
00:28:18.45\00:28:20.01
God is saying:
"I'm doing all I can
00:28:35.95\00:28:39.01
including sending
God the Holy Spirit
00:28:39.31\00:28:42.08
to get you to
listen, to get you to hear,
00:28:42.39\00:28:44.88
to get you to
understand how much I love you
00:28:45.18\00:28:47.84
and how much I
want to be with you. "
00:28:48.14\00:28:50.31
Lastly, God sent Jesus.
00:28:50.61\00:28:55.52
Amen? I'm in Acts chapter 3.
00:28:55.82\00:28:58.35
What book did I say?
00:28:58.65\00:29:00.23
Acts chapter 3
verses 13 through 15.
00:29:00.53\00:29:03.78
Let's read the Word of God:
00:29:03.98\00:29:05.02
And so Paul is again
re-emphasizing this case.
00:29:31.77\00:29:35.81
What more can God do to
His church and to this world?
00:29:36.01\00:29:39.79
He sent
preachers; He sent teachers;
00:29:40.09\00:29:41.97
He sent
prophets; He sent His Word;
00:29:42.27\00:29:44.48
He sent the Holy Spirit;
00:29:44.78\00:29:46.18
lastly He sent
Jesus Christ Himself.
00:29:46.48\00:29:49.54
God has done all
that heaven can do
00:29:49.84\00:29:52.43
and is doing all
that heaven can do
00:29:52.73\00:29:55.73
to save His
people. Can you say Amen?
00:29:56.03\00:29:58.10
When we reject the Word of God,
00:29:58.60\00:30:01.33
the prophet of
God, the Spirit of God,
00:30:01.43\00:30:04.07
the Son of God, we
put ourselves I say again
00:30:04.27\00:30:06.78
in dangerous, dangerous...
in a dangerous position.
00:30:06.98\00:30:11.35
I'm in Hosea
chapter 4 and verse 6.
00:30:11.65\00:30:14.05
Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6:
00:30:14.35\00:30:16.39
Powerful text.
00:30:31.05\00:30:32.86
God says: "There's
no reason not to know
00:30:33.16\00:30:35.34
because I want you to know.
00:30:35.64\00:30:37.46
I have given you My
Spirit so you can know.
00:30:37.66\00:30:39.28
I want you to be with Me.
00:30:39.48\00:30:41.49
I want you to love Me.
00:30:41.69\00:30:43.36
I want to be with you;
I've got a plan for you. "
00:30:43.66\00:30:46.18
"I know the plans I have
for you" Jeremiah 29 says.
00:30:46.48\00:30:50.73
"But you wouldn't do it
00:30:51.03\00:30:53.63
because you have forgotten
00:30:53.93\00:30:55.24
the love of your God. "
00:30:55.44\00:30:56.78
Psalms 119:126.
00:30:57.08\00:30:59.79
Psalms the 119th chapter 126.
00:31:00.09\00:31:03.45
I know we're doing a
lot of text-hopping tonight.
00:31:03.58\00:31:05.30
Trying to prove my point.
00:31:05.51\00:31:06.56
God is saying: "The time
for judgment is about to come.
00:31:16.44\00:31:22.07
The time of the end
is about to be upon us.
00:31:22.37\00:31:26.51
I've done all of these things.
00:31:26.81\00:31:28.97
I am doing all of these things.
00:31:29.17\00:31:31.25
I will continue to do
all of these things for you,
00:31:31.55\00:31:34.74
but the truth is:
it's coming to an end,
00:31:34.94\00:31:37.99
ladies and gentlemen,
and we've got to be ready.
00:31:38.19\00:31:40.87
We have got to be ready.
00:31:41.37\00:31:43.13
All the drinking, all the
smoking, all the destroying,
00:31:43.44\00:31:46.72
all the
rejection of God's law...
00:31:47.02\00:31:49.25
it's going to come to an end.
00:31:49.55\00:31:51.68
The people who
deny His existence,
00:31:51.98\00:31:54.39
the people who
don't want to hear,
00:31:54.69\00:31:56.51
the people who just don't care.
00:31:56.81\00:31:58.61
Good friend of mine called
us from New York the other day,
00:31:58.91\00:32:02.34
was talking to my wife. And
she was saying: "You know, my
00:32:02.54\00:32:04.10
two daughters
grew up in the church.
00:32:04.30\00:32:05.76
Both atheists. Both
have turned their hearts
00:32:06.06\00:32:08.45
against God. Both want
nothing to do with God.
00:32:08.65\00:32:10.65
God has blessed them;
they've got really good jobs.
00:32:10.85\00:32:12.60
Really well-paying
jobs; really nice careers.
00:32:12.80\00:32:15.13
And their thanks to God
is saying 'I don't believe
00:32:15.43\00:32:17.41
You even exist.
I reject You. ' "
00:32:17.61\00:32:19.72
That's a dangerous statement
to make, ladies and gentlemen.
00:32:19.83\00:32:22.55
You've got atheists...
people who deny that God exists.
00:32:22.86\00:32:26.60
People who say: "OK, He exists.
00:32:26.90\00:32:31.28
but... so what? "
00:32:31.58\00:32:34.00
They call themselves agnostics.
00:32:34.30\00:32:36.20
You've got deists:
people who say "He's there
00:32:36.50\00:32:40.43
but He doesn't
really care about us.
00:32:40.63\00:32:42.17
We've got to run it on ourselves
because God's on vacation. "
00:32:42.47\00:32:45.90
You've got
humanists: people who say He's
00:32:46.20\00:32:49.12
there but our logic is
enough to run this world.
00:32:49.32\00:32:52.73
He is irrelevant and
we just don't need Him. "
00:32:52.93\00:32:56.15
You've got secularists
00:32:56.45\00:32:58.39
who say: "Who cares
if He's there or not?
00:32:58.69\00:33:01.30
We don't need Him. We're
doing fine all by ourselves. "
00:33:01.60\00:33:05.22
I heard a famous
talk-show host in this city
00:33:05.52\00:33:08.30
tell a woman on her program:
"You know, you've got...
00:33:10.19\00:33:12.77
You lack spirituality. "
00:33:12.97\00:33:14.75
Now she said: "I
don't mean religion.
00:33:15.05\00:33:16.71
I'm not talking
about going to church.
00:33:16.91\00:33:18.03
You have to be spiritual.
00:33:18.23\00:33:19.26
You need to get in touch
with your spiritual self, "
00:33:19.36\00:33:21.87
she said.
00:33:22.17\00:33:23.25
You see, that kind of
pseudo- spiritual, sanctimonious
00:33:23.55\00:33:26.33
psychobabble is
confusing people.
00:33:26.53\00:33:28.59
Um-hmm.
00:33:29.90\00:33:31.91
That doesn't make you spiritual.
00:33:32.42\00:33:34.76
That makes you metaphysical.
00:33:35.06\00:33:37.10
That makes you New Age.
00:33:37.40\00:33:39.20
That takes you away from God.
00:33:39.50\00:33:41.53
That has you looking
for the answers within.
00:33:41.83\00:33:44.38
And Paul says the
answers to the questions we have
00:33:44.68\00:33:49.32
are not within... they're...
00:33:49.53\00:33:52.76
in Jesus.
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.47
So instead of looking for God,
00:33:55.98\00:33:57.25
we're looking for
the answers within.
00:33:57.45\00:33:59.04
We are functioning under
the illusion that mankind is
00:33:59.44\00:34:02.86
still basically good.
00:34:02.89\00:34:04.25
It's an illusion.
00:34:04.55\00:34:05.77
It's not a delusion.
00:34:06.07\00:34:07.28
There are those who
think... basically...
00:34:07.58\00:34:09.98
we're good.
00:34:10.28\00:34:11.47
And Paul says: "I
know... " Romans 7...
00:34:11.78\00:34:14.41
"in me dwells no good thing. "
00:34:14.61\00:34:17.44
The truth is: it
is the Spirit of God
00:34:17.74\00:34:21.49
and His angels that keep
this world from exploding
00:34:21.70\00:34:24.65
and destroying itself.
00:34:24.95\00:34:26.62
We look at the
nightly news every night
00:34:26.92\00:34:29.12
and yet we are deluded -
if not downright deceived -
00:34:29.32\00:34:33.16
that we're good.
00:34:33.46\00:34:35.92
We're not!
00:34:36.23\00:34:38.03
And by the way, we
ain't so smart, either.
00:34:38.33\00:34:40.45
Huh?
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.47
God didn't invent guns;
God didn't invent bombs;
00:34:43.77\00:34:46.15
God didn't invent hand grenades;
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.19
God didn't invent war.
00:34:48.40\00:34:49.55
We're not so smart.
00:34:49.85\00:34:51.67
Not really.
00:34:51.97\00:34:54.13
Not as smart as
we pretend to be.
00:34:54.43\00:34:55.92
But for the power
of the Spirit of God,
00:34:56.22\00:34:57.94
this world would have
been destroyed long ago.
00:34:58.14\00:35:00.37
We are not yet as
post-Christian as Western Europe
00:35:02.14\00:35:05.50
but we are on the way.
00:35:05.70\00:35:07.27
Let me give you in the
time that remains to me
00:35:07.57\00:35:09.15
the four mindsets,
the four characteristics
00:35:09.36\00:35:11.36
of modern-day society.
00:35:11.56\00:35:12.68
I was playing with
this just the other day.
00:35:12.99\00:35:15.26
First you've got the philosophy
that we call ontology.
00:35:15.56\00:35:19.98
It is the philosophy
that deals with the concept of
00:35:20.28\00:35:22.80
reality... the nature of being.
00:35:23.00\00:35:24.89
It says man owes
his existence to no one.
00:35:25.19\00:35:29.48
This is what you
find in the world.
00:35:29.78\00:35:31.41
Man owes his
existence to no one.
00:35:31.52\00:35:34.27
What I have, I deserve.
00:35:34.57\00:35:38.12
What I am, I make of myself.
00:35:38.42\00:35:41.66
I owe no outside force.
00:35:43.11\00:35:46.04
You know, it's
like in the Bible days
00:35:46.24\00:35:47.48
the Sadducees believed that.
00:35:47.68\00:35:48.92
No angels, no miracles,
no divine intervention.
00:35:49.25\00:35:51.56
These are modern-day Sadducees.
00:35:51.86\00:35:53.48
They call
themselves ontologists.
00:35:53.78\00:35:55.03
Basically they say
this: "God is not in charge,
00:35:55.33\00:35:58.80
and what I have
I'm responsible for.
00:35:59.10\00:36:01.44
I don't have to thank
anybody because it's mine. "
00:36:01.74\00:36:04.13
We call that
Nebuchadnezzar disease.
00:36:04.43\00:36:06.10
Heard that before?
00:36:06.40\00:36:08.42
Nebuchadnezzar disease is
when you go out to your car.
00:36:08.72\00:36:10.55
You've got a brand new car
00:36:10.75\00:36:11.83
and you look at that car and you
say: "You know who got that car?
00:36:12.03\00:36:14.21
I did. "
00:36:14.45\00:36:15.96
"Know whose car that is? Mine. "
00:36:16.17\00:36:18.70
You look at your
nice house and you say:
00:36:19.00\00:36:22.05
"You know who works
for this house? I do. "
00:36:22.25\00:36:24.61
"You know whose
house this is? Mine. "
00:36:24.91\00:36:27.88
"You know who I give
credit to and thanks to? Me. "
00:36:28.18\00:36:31.86
That's Nebuchadnezzar disease.
00:36:32.16\00:36:34.39
You go in the closet. You
see your suits, your clothes,
00:36:34.69\00:36:39.11
your shoes and you say:
"You see all of these clothes?
00:36:39.31\00:36:41.64
You know who bought
those clothes? I did. "
00:36:42.79\00:36:46.23
"You know whose money
paid for those clothes? Mine. "
00:36:46.53\00:36:50.32
"You know whose
clothes those are? Mine. "
00:36:50.62\00:36:54.03
"You know who I have to
thank for those clothes? Me. "
00:36:54.33\00:36:58.12
That's ontology.
00:36:59.82\00:37:02.11
"I don't have to
thank God for a good job.
00:37:02.42\00:37:04.34
I worked for that job. My job! "
00:37:04.54\00:37:06.62
The second is autonomy.
00:37:09.77\00:37:11.44
We are an independent society.
00:37:11.94\00:37:15.25
We owe no one anything.
00:37:15.55\00:37:17.70
If it's good, it's on me.
00:37:18.01\00:37:21.06
If it's bad, it's on me.
00:37:21.09\00:37:23.53
God then is
unnecessary and irrelevant.
00:37:23.83\00:37:27.37
I am the captain of my ship,
00:37:27.67\00:37:30.16
the master of my soul,
00:37:30.46\00:37:32.39
the determiner of my fate,
00:37:32.69\00:37:34.46
and God has
nothing to do with it.
00:37:34.76\00:37:37.75
And I've heard people say that.
00:37:38.05\00:37:40.25
The third is relativity.
00:37:40.65\00:37:43.60
And I don't mean relativity like
Einstein's theory of relativity.
00:37:43.90\00:37:46.92
I mean everything is relative.
00:37:47.22\00:37:49.57
Nothing is fixed.
00:37:49.88\00:37:51.57
There are no
permanent moral absolutes...
00:37:51.87\00:37:54.08
sometimes called
situational ethics.
00:37:54.38\00:37:56.46
Right and wrong are
not moral goalposts,
00:37:56.76\00:37:59.82
they are just
general parameters.
00:38:00.12\00:38:02.14
They are guidelines
just like a football game.
00:38:02.44\00:38:04.87
The goalposts move depending
on what team is on the field.
00:38:05.17\00:38:08.97
So what's right today
may not be right tomorrow
00:38:09.27\00:38:11.84
and if I get in a
pinch, I'm going to lie,
00:38:12.14\00:38:14.56
cheat, steal... do
whatever I have to do
00:38:14.76\00:38:17.61
to get out of that fix.
00:38:17.91\00:38:19.12
Well that basically
denies the power of God
00:38:19.43\00:38:22.23
to rearrange circumstances.
00:38:22.43\00:38:24.07
You see, the Christian
says: "When I get in a pinch,
00:38:24.27\00:38:26.63
I know that Jesus is
in the pinch with me. "
00:38:26.84\00:38:29.80
So rather than figuring out how
am I going to get out of this
00:38:30.10\00:38:32.92
I turn to Jesus and say: "Jesus,
00:38:33.13\00:38:34.86
How are You going to get
us out of this problem? "
00:38:35.06\00:38:37.79
Because everything that
touches us touches Christ.
00:38:40.70\00:38:43.99
And everything that
concerns you concerns Him,
00:38:44.39\00:38:46.69
and you are never
alone. Hebrews 13:5.
00:38:46.89\00:38:49.44
You can boldly say
God is your helper.
00:38:49.64\00:38:52.88
And the last is temporality.
00:38:53.19\00:38:55.54
We live in a world
where the world view is that
00:38:55.84\00:38:58.54
everything is transitory...
everything is passing away.
00:38:58.74\00:39:01.59
Every law, every
rule, every relationship,
00:39:01.89\00:39:04.86
every moral marker
can be and should be
00:39:05.06\00:39:08.05
and will eventually be
moved. It is temporary.
00:39:08.25\00:39:12.00
It is only here
for a short while.
00:39:12.21\00:39:13.76
That includes
contracts, marriages,
00:39:13.96\00:39:16.08
umm, stipulations,
any kind of agreement.
00:39:16.38\00:39:19.49
It's all
temporary... nothing is forever.
00:39:19.69\00:39:21.88
You'd better get it today
because tomorrow it may be gone
00:39:22.18\00:39:25.38
or someone else will have it.
00:39:25.68\00:39:27.49
Get it while it lasts.
00:39:27.79\00:39:29.05
They've come up with
this new idea... I heard it on
00:39:29.25\00:39:30.86
TV just the other day...
00:39:30.96\00:39:32.00
the more you
spend the more you save!
00:39:32.20\00:39:33.97
And I'm trying to
figure out how in the world
00:39:34.17\00:39:35.32
does that make sense?
00:39:35.52\00:39:36.96
Get it now
because it may be gone.
00:39:38.96\00:39:41.72
The more you
spend the more you save.
00:39:42.04\00:39:44.64
Spend a lot... save a lot.
00:39:44.94\00:39:47.23
And I'm saying
the way to save a lot
00:39:48.63\00:39:51.61
is just keep your
wallet in your pocket.
00:39:51.81\00:39:53.29
All of these philosophies
dismiss the presence
00:39:56.52\00:40:01.06
and power of God.
00:40:01.26\00:40:02.56
That's why Romans
chapter 1 verse 22
00:40:02.86\00:40:06.44
says it very plainly:
00:40:06.64\00:40:07.80
Say it again
ladies and gentlemen:
00:40:14.57\00:40:15.92
we humans... we're not so smart.
00:40:16.22\00:40:19.65
"The fool hath said in his heart
00:40:20.15\00:40:24.02
there is no God. "
00:40:24.42\00:40:26.30
So God now has done all of this:
00:40:28.87\00:40:31.71
God has sent His Word;
God has sent His preachers;
00:40:32.01\00:40:36.39
His teachers; His messengers.
God has sent the Holy Spirit.
00:40:36.69\00:40:41.10
God has sent
Jesus Christ, His Son.
00:40:41.20\00:40:44.74
What more can God do?
00:40:45.04\00:40:47.88
I say again ladies and
gentlemen it's coming to an end.
00:40:48.18\00:40:53.12
So let's talk
about the punishment.
00:40:53.42\00:40:57.73
I'm in the book of
Isaiah. What book did I say?
00:40:58.03\00:41:00.46
Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 19.
00:41:00.77\00:41:04.59
Isaiah 2:19... we'll
read the Word of God:
00:41:04.89\00:41:08.27
and verse 19.
00:41:17.27\00:41:20.13
Give you a second to find it.
00:41:21.18\00:41:24.04
I'm in Isaiah 2 and verse 19.
00:41:24.34\00:41:28.59
"They shall go into
the holes of the rocks
00:41:28.90\00:41:34.51
and into the caves of the earth
00:41:34.71\00:41:37.18
from the terror of the Lord
and the glory of His majesty
00:41:37.48\00:41:43.16
when He arises to
shake the earth mightily. "
00:41:43.46\00:41:47.75
Isaiah is giving us a
clue to what's coming.
00:41:48.25\00:41:51.24
God is going to
shake this old earth.
00:41:51.54\00:41:55.12
This world cannot and
WILL NOT last much longer.
00:41:55.42\00:41:59.82
You can feel it; you can see it.
00:42:00.12\00:42:02.96
It's in the very air we breathe:
00:42:03.26\00:42:05.26
Jesus is coming soon and
God is going to call a halt
00:42:05.56\00:42:10.10
to the history of
this earth as we know it.
00:42:10.30\00:42:13.04
Something
momentous, catastrophic,
00:42:13.34\00:42:17.13
incredible is about to happen.
00:42:17.34\00:42:19.78
Christ is going to end time
00:42:20.08\00:42:23.24
and begin eternity.
You've got to be ready.
00:42:23.55\00:42:26.61
I'm in the book of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah. What book did I say?
00:42:26.74\00:42:29.31
Jeremiah chapter
25. You were in Isaiah,
00:42:29.61\00:42:32.53
over to Jeremiah. Jeremiah
25 beginning at verse 30.
00:42:32.73\00:42:37.16
A frightening
text. A sobering text.
00:43:46.93\00:43:49.82
The Bible calls
this God's "strange act"
00:43:50.13\00:43:54.06
because punishment
is so unlike the Lord.
00:43:54.36\00:43:57.15
And yet the Bible says
one day soon and very soon
00:43:57.35\00:44:01.17
calamity is
coming upon this earth
00:44:01.37\00:44:03.88
and God is pleading.
While you hear His voice,
00:44:04.18\00:44:06.95
when you hear His voice,
00:44:07.15\00:44:08.66
when you feel the
moving of His Spirit,
00:44:08.76\00:44:11.19
harden not your hearts...
00:44:11.50\00:44:14.30
follow Him. I'm in Jeremiah
- Jeremiah chapter 4 verse 24.
00:44:14.60\00:44:19.23
Same book of
Jeremiah. You're just backing up
00:44:19.53\00:44:21.46
several verses
for Jeremiah 4 and 24.
00:44:21.66\00:44:25.88
Jeremiah chapter 4 and 24.
00:44:26.38\00:44:29.30
Let's read the Word of God.
00:44:29.50\00:44:31.27
Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 24:
00:44:31.57\00:44:37.14
"I beheld the mountains,
and indeed they trembled
00:44:40.99\00:44:44.67
and all the hills
moved back and forth. "
00:44:44.87\00:44:47.64
God's going to shake this
world, ladies and gentlemen.
00:44:47.94\00:44:50.10
The calamity that was spoken of
00:44:50.40\00:44:52.82
as coming to Jerusalem
00:44:53.02\00:44:54.46
is a type of the calamity that
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.08
is going to come
upon this whole world.
00:44:56.28\00:44:58.11
You know, back in the 1800-1900s
00:44:58.31\00:45:00.88
pastors used to preach what
they called hell fire sermons.
00:45:01.08\00:45:04.14
You know, my favorite
author - Ellen White - says
00:45:04.44\00:45:06.99
"every now and again
you need to hold the saints
00:45:07.19\00:45:08.62
over the flame and
let them feel the heat. "
00:45:08.82\00:45:10.70
But we don't preach that much
anymore because it's unpopular.
00:45:11.00\00:45:13.65
Folks don't like to
talk about judgment.
00:45:13.95\00:45:15.21
They don't like to
talk about spankings.
00:45:15.41\00:45:17.49
You know we didn't like to get
spankings when we were children.
00:45:17.69\00:45:19.54
You didn't like to
see the belt come out.
00:45:19.74\00:45:21.48
But Ellen White says
that as there are rewards -
00:45:21.78\00:45:25.78
there is a reward called heaven,
00:45:25.99\00:45:27.33
there is a reward
called everlasting life -
00:45:27.53\00:45:28.90
there's also going to be
punishment come Judgment Day.
00:45:29.10\00:45:31.17
And every now and again
we've got to pull out the truth.
00:45:31.47\00:45:33.70
It makes you uncomfortable...
00:45:33.91\00:45:35.18
not something
you like to hear...
00:45:35.38\00:45:36.78
but it's part
of the Word of God.
00:45:36.98\00:45:38.62
Calamity is coming on this earth
00:45:40.50\00:45:42.19
and Ezekiel says:
"Pastor CA Murray,
00:45:42.39\00:45:44.63
Pastor Mike Horton,
00:45:44.83\00:45:46.55
Pastor Ruel Backus,
00:45:46.75\00:45:47.89
Pastor Richard Pinero,
00:45:48.09\00:45:49.43
Pastor Ernesto Sanchez,
00:45:49.63\00:45:50.65
if you don't preach
it, I hold you accountable.
00:45:50.85\00:45:53.52
I require their
blood at your hand. "
00:45:53.62\00:45:57.00
So I'm preaching it.
Not just because I like to
00:45:57.30\00:45:59.05
preach about hell
fire and judgment...
00:45:59.25\00:46:00.92
I'm delivering
my soul from hell.
00:46:01.13\00:46:03.04
I'm preaching it
because God says: "Preach it...
00:46:03.34\00:46:05.72
or if they don't hear I'm
going to hold you accountable
00:46:05.92\00:46:08.16
for telling them
everything's going to be fine,
00:46:08.46\00:46:10.43
it's all going to be nice,
00:46:10.63\00:46:11.93
when you KNEW
judgment was coming. "
00:46:12.13\00:46:15.22
Amen? Amen!
00:46:15.52\00:46:17.50
So let's close
with these three texts.
00:46:17.70\00:46:18.77
Jeremiah 7:33. What did I say?
00:46:18.97\00:46:20.63
Book is
Jeremiah... chapter 7 verse 33.
00:46:20.93\00:46:23.61
Let's do it real quick.
00:46:23.81\00:46:24.85
Talking about Judgment Day
00:46:33.83\00:46:34.93
when the scattered of the Lord
will be all over the ground.
00:46:35.13\00:46:37.28
Ezekiel chapter 39
verses 17 through 19.
00:46:37.48\00:46:39.87
We began with this
one... let's read it again:
00:46:40.07\00:46:41.73
The last one:
Revelation chapter 19.
00:47:19.88\00:47:22.55
Let's go quickly to
Revelation 19 verse 17.
00:47:22.75\00:47:26.05
It's a summons to the birds.
00:47:58.50\00:48:01.80
It's a summons to all of us
00:48:02.10\00:48:04.34
for a great turkey dinner.
00:48:04.54\00:48:08.32
The problem is... if you go,
00:48:08.62\00:48:11.96
you're not going
to be the guest...
00:48:12.16\00:48:15.08
you're going to be the dinner.
00:48:15.38\00:48:19.10
God is saying to His people
00:48:20.56\00:48:22.43
"Come now... while you can.
00:48:22.94\00:48:26.76
In the day that I'm
calling, hear My voice
00:48:28.07\00:48:33.98
and respond.
00:48:34.18\00:48:36.05
Don't look to the
person on your right.
00:48:36.35\00:48:39.38
Don't look to the
person on your left.
00:48:39.58\00:48:41.68
Look to Jesus.
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.97
I love you; My
grace is sufficient.
00:48:44.27\00:48:48.89
Obey My law... walk with Me
00:48:50.13\00:48:54.36
and I'll walk with you.
00:48:54.66\00:48:56.73
Stand up for Me and
I'll stand up for you.
00:48:57.03\00:49:02.07
Follow Me and I'll
lead you through the gates
00:49:02.37\00:49:07.75
into the city. "
00:49:08.05\00:49:09.51
How many love Jesus tonight?
00:49:09.61\00:49:12.03
How many are determined in
your mind and in your heart
00:49:12.34\00:49:15.43
I'm going to follow
Jesus come what may?
00:49:15.63\00:49:17.91
I don't want to go
to this particular party
00:49:18.21\00:49:21.26
because there's another party
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.15
going to be held
somewhere up there.
00:49:23.36\00:49:25.82
That's the
party I want to go to.
00:49:26.12\00:49:27.86
The one that's going to
be held on the sea of glass.
00:49:28.17\00:49:30.37
The one where we
stand around the throne
00:49:30.67\00:49:32.78
and sing the victory
song of Moses and the Lamb.
00:49:32.99\00:49:35.66
The one where we'll receive
our crowns and our white robes.
00:49:35.86\00:49:38.54
The one where we get
a personal hug and kiss
00:49:38.74\00:49:40.79
from Jesus Christ Himself.
00:49:40.99\00:49:42.40
That's the
party I want to crash!
00:49:42.60\00:49:44.66
That's the one I want
to go to. How about you?
00:49:44.86\00:49:46.68