The Bible plainly says
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that God will
someday judge the world
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but will He judge His church?
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You're about to find
out on His Voice Today.
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Welcome to
another His Voice Today
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with Steve Wohlberg.
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The title of this
shocking program is called
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When God Judges His Church.
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We've been looking at
the Book of Revelation
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in the last couple of
programs especially chapter 14
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which contains the
messages of three holy angels'
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flying in the sky
giving, giving a special call
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to the people of the earth
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to help them to
understand the issues,
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to avoid deception
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and to be on the
side of Jesus Christ.
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In Revelation 14:6-12
we find these messages
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and we know that they
come right before Jesus returns
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because in verse 14, 15 and 16
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we have this
powerful description
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of the return of the Lord.
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In verse 14 the Bible says
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"I looked, and
behold a white cloud,
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and upon the cloud one
sat like the Son of man,
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having on his
head a golden crown,
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and in his hand a sharp sickle."
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So we have three angels'
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giving their
messages in chapter 14:6-12
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and then in versus 14 to 16
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we have the
picture of Jesus return.
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In the days of Noah
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God raised up a man name Noah
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and he gave him
a special mission
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to build a boat and He
gave him a special message
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which was to call
people to come into the boat
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before the flood came.
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We looked at this
in previous programs
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that that ark in Noah's
day had three separate stories
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it was a three-storey ark.
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And the Book of
Revelation Chapter 14
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we have a three-story message
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that is designed to
prepare human beings
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for the big day when
Jesus will come again
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in the clouds of glory.
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In chapter 14 verse 6,
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John wrote "I saw another angel
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flying in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel"
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which is the
everlasting good news
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"to preach to those
who dwell upon the earth,
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to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people."
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We looked at this
in our last program.
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And when you keep
reading in verse 7
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the first angel
makes an announcement.
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He says not with the
whisper not with a whimper
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but with a loud voice,
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"Fear God, and
give glory to Him,
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for the hour of
His judgment is come."
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This verse tells us
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that there is
going to come a time
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there is a time
when we will arrive
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in a period called
the hour of His judgment.
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Now if you look
closely at this verse
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it tells us in verse 7
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that the announcement
about the hour of judgment
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occurring takes
place at the same time
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that the gospel
is being preached
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to the world on earth.
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So this is not a judgment
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that takes place
at the very, very end
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after all the dust settles
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but this is a judgment
that goes on up in heaven
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while the gospel
is being preached
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upon the earth.
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And it happens
before the return of Christ
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which takes place in
versus 14, 15 and 16.
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So let me again
just repeat that.
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There's an announcement
that we are in a judgment time
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and it happens while the gospel
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is being preached upon the earth
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and it happens before
Jesus Christ comes again.
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Now I am going to
prove to you shortly
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that this judgment has to do
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with the
judging of God's church.
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There are many judgments
described in the Bible.
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In John Chapter 12
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Jesus referred to
His death on the cross
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when He would be lifted up
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and when the
prince of this world
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representing the devil
would be judged or cast out.
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It's pretty common knowledge
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that when Jesus
Christ died on the cross
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and said "It is finished"
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but that was really the
death nail of the devil.
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That's when Lucifer knew
that that he wouldn't win.
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Jesus lived a holy life.
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He lived a perfect life.
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He never yielded to any
of the devil's temptations
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and when He finally
said "It is finished"
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the devil knew
that he was finished
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and that he couldn't win
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in the great controversy
between God and Satan.
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There's another judgment
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that is described in the
Book of Revelation Chapter 20
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at the end of the 1,000 years,
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you can read
about it in your Bibles.
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Very clear, it talks about
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when the 1,000
years are finished
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they would be a
massive resurrection
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of all of the lost
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and they would stand before God,
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books would be opened,
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there's a Book of
Life and it says that,
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the people were judged
according to their works.
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And there's,
there is an uncountable
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amount of people that
will be in that judgment.
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Revelation 20 talks
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about their number is
like the sand of the sea
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and just to clarify
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that that judgment at
the end at the millennium
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is a judgment of the lost.
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There's a resurrection
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which is the
second resurrection.
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The first resurrection
takes place when Jesus comes.
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The second
resurrection takes place
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at the end of the millennium.
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And those that
are in that judgment
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eventually they are thrown into
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what the Bible
calls the lake of fire.
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So that is the
judgment of the lost.
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But in Revelation 14:7
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there is an announcement
again from the first angel
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Saying with a loud voice,
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"Fear God, give glory to Him,
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for the hour of
His judgment is come."
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And this happens again
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while the gospel is
still being preached.
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While the doors are still open
for human beings to be saved
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and before the return of Christ
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which is in
versus 14, 15 and 16.
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And I'm about to prove
to you, I know it's shocking
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but this
judgment described in 14:7
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is actually a
judgment of God's church.
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Or let me clarify His
professed Christian church.
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And I know that that
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me saying that
might shock you like,
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you know, imagine a
person he has a heart attack
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and he his surrounded by doctors
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and they hook him
up and they start,
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you know, using
their electrical impulses
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to try to revive his
heart so that he'll survive.
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Maybe you feel like
that when I said to you
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that God is
gonna judge His church.
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But it's not that
difficult to understand
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and it is completely biblical
as we just reason this out.
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I'll explain this to you.
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So let's take a
look at a Bible verse so
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you know that I'm
not just making this up.
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In the Book of
1 Peter Chapter 4,
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Peter has a very plain statement
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in verse 17.
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1 Peter 4:17 this
is what Peter wrote.
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"For the time the time has come"
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or the time will come
"that judgment must begin"
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and where does it begin?
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It doesn't begin in the
world or with the world.
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Peter said "judgment must
begin at the house of God."
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And Paul is very
clear that the house of God
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represents the
church, God's church.
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Now why would
God judge His church?
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Well as you
keep reading it says,
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Paul wrote-- I'm
sorry Peter wrote
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"And if it first begin at us"
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and the word us
refers to believers.
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If the judgment
first begin-- first begins
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"with us what
shall be the end of them
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that obey not
the gospel of God?"
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If you think it through
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and if you look
closely at the text
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the purpose of the judgment
beginning at the house of God,
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beginning with the church
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is to see who are really those
that obey the gospel of God
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and who are
those that do not obey
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the gospel God.
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There has always been
inside of the Christian church
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two groups of people.
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There have been professed
followers of Jesus Christ
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and there have been true
followers of Jesus Christ.
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That make sense and
it's pretty easy to,
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to see and to understand
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as you just look around
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at all the
different Christian churches.
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I read recently
that somebody estimated,
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now it's not really
possible to really know exactly,
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but somebody estimated
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that since the
time of Jesus to today
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there have been
approximately 34,000
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different
Christian professed groups
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that have sprung up
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ever since the
days of the apostles
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and I can just read you a
list of some of them I know
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and this is just a few.
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And these are the ones
that are mainly active today.
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We've got the
Roman Catholic Church
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and you've got
the Protestant world
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and the Protestant churches
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are made up of many
different kinds of churches
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there are Lutherans
there are Methodist,
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Congregationalists, Baptist,
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couple hundred years ago
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they were the Quakers,
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there are of
course Presbyterian.
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And then within
the Presbyterian Church
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you've got that
reformed Presbyterian.
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There's different
kinds of Presbyterian,
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there's different
kinds of Lutherans,
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there are
Seventh-day Adventists,
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there are Pentecostals,
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there are those that
belong to the Assembly of God,
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then there are Mormons,
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and there are
Jehovah's Witnesses,
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Calvary Chapel
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and the list
just goes on and on.
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Like I said this is just
a, the tip of the iceberg.
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From the time of Jesus until now
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estimates are approximately
34,000 different groups
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and I think it's safe to say
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that just about all of them
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have claimed to be true
followers of Jesus Christ.
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You look at the
different churches today
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name me one that doesn't
claim to be following the Lord
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and on the right path
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and following the
truth of the Bible.
00:10:03.20\00:10:05.47
But the question is,
you know, are they all?
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Is every church right
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and is every person
in every church right?
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If you think about
even the apostles of Jesus,
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Jesus chose 12 men
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and yet even
among His chosen ones
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there was still a Judas.
00:10:20.98\00:10:22.42
And then you've got of
course the Jewish people
00:10:22.45\00:10:25.05
that tried Christ,
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they claim to
be followers of God
00:10:26.45\00:10:28.89
and yet there was an
Annas, there was a Caiaphas
00:10:28.92\00:10:32.19
and there were many,
00:10:32.23\00:10:33.56
many among the Jewish leadership
00:10:33.60\00:10:35.60
that wanted nothing
to do with Jesus Christ.
00:10:35.63\00:10:40.27
Paul who wrote most
of the New Testament
00:10:40.30\00:10:42.10
he was-- believed he
was a follower of God
00:10:42.14\00:10:45.07
and his name used to be Saul
00:10:45.11\00:10:47.61
and then when he became
a Christian, it was Paul
00:10:47.64\00:10:50.45
And so Saul was not
really following God,
00:10:50.48\00:10:53.95
he thought he
was, but he wasn't,
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.52
and then when he became Paul
00:10:55.55\00:10:57.12
when Jesus changed his life
then he became a true disciple.
00:10:57.15\00:11:01.12
I heard a story
once about two men
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.06
that were having a conversation
00:11:03.09\00:11:04.86
and they turned to
the topic of religion
00:11:04.89\00:11:06.76
and one of the man said,
00:11:06.80\00:11:08.23
"What do you
believe about religion"
00:11:08.26\00:11:09.60
to the other guy
00:11:09.63\00:11:10.97
and the other man
said "Oh, that's easy."
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He said, "I believe
what my church beliefs."
00:11:12.47\00:11:14.14
So the first person said,
00:11:14.17\00:11:15.50
"Well what does
your church believe?"
00:11:15.54\00:11:17.07
And second man
said, "Oh, that's easy."
00:11:17.11\00:11:18.57
He said, "My church
believes what I believe."
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.24
And the first man
wasn't satisfied and he said,
00:11:21.28\00:11:23.35
"Well, okay,
tell me what do your--
00:11:23.38\00:11:25.25
what do you and
your church believe?"
00:11:25.28\00:11:27.98
And second man
said, "Oh, that's easy."
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He said, "We both
believe the same thing."
00:11:29.78\00:11:32.72
And after hearing that
story you wonder whether
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.56
the second man
really had any idea
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.02
really what he believed?
00:11:36.06\00:11:37.39
And sadly that's the way it is
00:11:37.43\00:11:38.96
with many professed
followers of Jesus Christ.
00:11:38.99\00:11:41.56
May be they grow up
in a certain church,
00:11:41.60\00:11:42.96
certain denomination
00:11:43.00\00:11:44.73
but they really don't
really know what they believe.
00:11:44.77\00:11:47.30
They just know what
their church believes.
00:11:47.34\00:11:48.97
And as far as
actually reading the Bible,
00:11:49.00\00:11:51.17
reading God's book
00:11:51.21\00:11:52.91
this is not something
that they do very often.
00:11:52.94\00:11:56.61
So lot of different churches,
lot of different groups,
00:11:56.64\00:11:59.45
lot of different denominations
00:11:59.48\00:12:01.42
and obviously not
every single person
00:12:01.45\00:12:06.09
is a true follower of Jesus.
00:12:06.12\00:12:08.92
When we go to the book of Daniel
00:12:08.96\00:12:10.73
there is a judgment described
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.03
that is very similar
00:12:13.06\00:12:14.40
to what we read
in Revelation 14.
00:12:14.43\00:12:18.27
This is in Daniel Chapter 7.
00:12:18.30\00:12:23.61
Daniel 7:9, 10
00:12:23.64\00:12:26.64
describe a great judgment scene
00:12:26.68\00:12:29.31
that takes place
before the coming of Christ.
00:12:29.34\00:12:33.72
In verse 9 the Bible
says "I thought I saw thrones
00:12:33.75\00:12:37.25
set up and the
Ancient of Days did sit
00:12:37.29\00:12:40.62
whose garment was white as snow,
00:12:40.66\00:12:42.56
the hair of His head
was like the pure wool,
00:12:42.59\00:12:44.59
"His eyes"
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.20
"His throne was
like the fiery flame
00:12:47.23\00:12:49.33
and His wheels as burning fire.
00:12:49.36\00:12:52.10
A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him
00:12:52.13\00:12:55.24
thousand
thousands minister to Him
00:12:55.27\00:12:57.61
and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him."
00:12:57.64\00:13:00.61
These were angels, holy angels.
00:13:00.64\00:13:02.44
Revelation describes them as
ten thousand times ten thousand
00:13:02.48\00:13:05.38
and thousands of thousands.
00:13:05.41\00:13:07.12
And then verse 10
says "The judgment was set
00:13:07.15\00:13:10.75
and the books were opened."
00:13:10.79\00:13:12.69
So the judgment is
set, books are opened
00:13:12.72\00:13:15.42
and all these angelic
eyes look at those books
00:13:15.46\00:13:18.93
to see the records of the lives
00:13:18.96\00:13:21.70
of those who professed to
be followers of Jesus Christ
00:13:21.73\00:13:24.97
on earth.
00:13:25.00\00:13:26.40
This is a judgment of
those who claim to be believers.
00:13:26.43\00:13:31.67
As I mentioned, you
know, we know it's obvious
00:13:31.71\00:13:34.28
that not everybody who
claims to be a follower of Jesus
00:13:34.31\00:13:37.21
or a follower of
God is a true one
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.95
and the two groups
00:13:39.98\00:13:41.32
have actually
gone all the way back
00:13:41.35\00:13:43.52
to the very
beginning of the Bible
00:13:43.55\00:13:45.69
to the Book of Genesis.
00:13:45.72\00:13:47.52
In Genesis Chapter 4
00:13:47.56\00:13:49.32
we find the biblical
account of Cain and Abel
00:13:49.36\00:13:52.63
not long after sin entered
or at least some time after
00:13:52.66\00:13:56.80
the Bible says in verse 3
00:13:56.83\00:13:59.17
that "In the process
of time it came to pass
00:13:59.20\00:14:02.20
that Cain brought an offering
00:14:02.24\00:14:05.31
of the fruit of the
ground to the Lord."
00:14:05.34\00:14:08.68
So Cain was
coming to worship God.
00:14:08.71\00:14:11.98
He brought the fruit
of the ground that he had,
00:14:12.01\00:14:15.35
he had raised
00:14:15.38\00:14:16.72
and this represented
basically Cain's own works,
00:14:16.75\00:14:20.49
his own fruit.
00:14:20.52\00:14:21.86
But notice that he brought
it as an offering to the Lord.
00:14:21.89\00:14:25.86
So he was claiming to
be a worshipper of God.
00:14:25.89\00:14:29.23
And then in verse 4 it says
00:14:29.26\00:14:30.73
"Abel also brought of
the firstlings of the flock
00:14:30.77\00:14:34.97
and of the fat thereof."
00:14:35.00\00:14:36.81
So here's Abel and he brings
00:14:36.84\00:14:38.67
an animal, a lamb.
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.64
And it says that "The
Lord had respect to Abel
00:14:40.68\00:14:43.61
and to his offering
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.18
but to Cain and to his
offering He had not respect."
00:14:45.21\00:14:50.45
Cain was
instructed by God what to do
00:14:50.49\00:14:52.79
to bring an animal
representing Jesus.
00:14:52.82\00:14:55.66
Jesus was gonna come later on
00:14:55.69\00:14:57.03
but the animal
represented Christ
00:14:57.06\00:14:58.79
and Cain chose
to do his own thing,
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.46
to go his own way.
00:15:00.50\00:15:02.23
He brought his own
fruit instead of an animal
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.43
but Abel believed
in God's instructions.
00:15:04.47\00:15:07.40
He brought a lamb
00:15:07.44\00:15:09.47
which pointed
forward to Jesus Christ
00:15:09.50\00:15:12.81
but it also says that he
did what God told them to do,
00:15:12.84\00:15:15.54
so he really obeyed the gospel.
00:15:15.58\00:15:18.05
And that's what
Peter talked about
00:15:18.08\00:15:19.41
those that
really obey the gospel
00:15:19.45\00:15:21.68
or those that
don't obey the gospel.
00:15:21.72\00:15:23.79
And Cain did not obey the gospel
00:15:23.82\00:15:25.85
by what he did but Abel did.
00:15:25.89\00:15:29.02
And so we can see clearly
00:15:29.06\00:15:31.29
two different ways
of worshipping God.
00:15:31.33\00:15:34.86
One was the way
of works and self
00:15:34.90\00:15:38.13
and just going your own way
00:15:38.17\00:15:39.50
and the other one was a man
who chose to do what God said,
00:15:39.53\00:15:43.67
he really followed the Bible.
00:15:43.71\00:15:45.47
When we go down
to the New Testament
00:15:45.51\00:15:48.04
we find a story that Jesus
told in Matthew Chapter 22.
00:15:48.08\00:15:52.51
It's a parable about a king
00:15:52.55\00:15:56.82
who had a wedding for his son.
00:15:56.85\00:16:00.32
In Matthew 22:1,
00:16:00.36\00:16:02.26
the Bible says that
"Jesus spoke to them again
00:16:02.29\00:16:05.13
by parables and He said,
00:16:05.16\00:16:06.49
'The kingdom of
heaven is like a certain king
00:16:06.53\00:16:09.20
who had a marriage for his son,
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.07
and then he
sent out his servants
00:16:11.10\00:16:13.07
to call them that
were bidden to the wedding
00:16:13.10\00:16:15.44
and they would not come.
00:16:15.47\00:16:16.91
Then he sent more servants
out, he said come to the wedding
00:16:16.94\00:16:19.57
and they didn't come.
00:16:19.61\00:16:20.94
Some with the made light of it,
00:16:20.98\00:16:22.31
they went their ways,
they did different things."
00:16:22.34\00:16:23.98
And finally in verse 9
the king said to his servants,
00:16:24.01\00:16:28.62
"Go therefore into the highways,
00:16:28.65\00:16:30.65
and as many as you shall find
00:16:30.69\00:16:32.15
bid to the marriage.
00:16:32.19\00:16:33.56
So those servants
went out into the highways
00:16:33.59\00:16:35.92
and they gathered together
all as many as they found
00:16:35.96\00:16:39.03
both good and bad
00:16:39.06\00:16:40.83
and the wedding was
furnished with guests."
00:16:40.86\00:16:44.53
So here you have this parable
00:16:44.57\00:16:45.90
where Jesus
describes a big wedding day,
00:16:45.93\00:16:49.67
you've got the king
which is the father.
00:16:49.70\00:16:52.44
He sets up a
marriage for his son
00:16:52.47\00:16:54.61
and he sends his servants
out to go invite people to come.
00:16:54.64\00:16:58.45
And in the first
half of the parable
00:16:58.48\00:16:59.98
a lot of people
they heard the message
00:17:00.02\00:17:01.55
but they didn't come.
00:17:01.58\00:17:02.92
And in the second
half of the parable
00:17:02.95\00:17:05.05
more servants are sent out
00:17:05.09\00:17:06.82
and finally all
these people respond
00:17:06.86\00:17:08.59
and they all come in
00:17:08.62\00:17:10.23
and the wedding feast
is packed with guests.
00:17:10.26\00:17:14.53
And that would represent
00:17:14.56\00:17:15.90
lots a different people that
claim to respond to the gospel
00:17:15.93\00:17:19.40
and pack the churches
00:17:19.43\00:17:21.00
and there's again all
kinds of different churches
00:17:21.04\00:17:23.07
in the world today.
00:17:23.10\00:17:24.77
Well, if you look at verse 11,
verse 11 is an amazing verse.
00:17:24.81\00:17:30.01
Verse 11 says,
00:17:30.05\00:17:31.65
"But when the king
came in to see the guests,"
00:17:31.68\00:17:36.45
now here is an
examination of those
00:17:36.48\00:17:39.02
who claim to accept
the wedding invitation,
00:17:39.05\00:17:42.76
those who claim to
believe in Jesus Christ.
00:17:42.79\00:17:46.83
The king eventually
comes in and he examines them.
00:17:46.86\00:17:51.03
He comes to see the guests
00:17:51.07\00:17:53.67
and to see
00:17:53.70\00:17:55.50
what's really
going on with them.
00:17:55.54\00:17:57.37
And if you keep on
reading verse 11 the Bible says
00:17:57.41\00:18:00.88
"When the king came
in to see the guests,
00:18:00.91\00:18:03.28
he saw there a man
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.31
which had not on
a wedding garment."
00:18:05.35\00:18:09.78
So here he looked
at the-- at the crowd
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.15
and the king had evidently
given an offer to everyone
00:18:12.19\00:18:17.33
and if they come
into the wedding feast
00:18:17.36\00:18:20.20
they had to accept his offer
00:18:20.23\00:18:21.63
and show that
they accepted his offer
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.20
by putting on a
special, a special garment,
00:18:23.23\00:18:25.87
a special robe
00:18:25.90\00:18:27.84
representing the robe of
the righteousness of Jesus.
00:18:27.87\00:18:31.04
But there was one particular man
00:18:31.07\00:18:33.01
and this man
didn't have on a robe,
00:18:33.04\00:18:34.64
he didn't have on
a wedding garment.
00:18:34.68\00:18:37.11
And in verse 12
the King said to him,
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.01
"He said 'Friend,
how did you get in here
00:18:39.05\00:18:41.52
without a wedding garment?'
00:18:41.55\00:18:42.95
And he was speechless."
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.19
Verse 13 says "Then the
king said to his servants,
00:18:45.22\00:18:47.99
'Bind him hand and foot,
00:18:48.02\00:18:49.72
take him away and cast
him into outer darkness,
00:18:49.76\00:18:52.86
and there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
00:18:52.89\00:18:55.43
For many are
called, but few are chosen."
00:18:55.46\00:18:58.67
This robe,
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.04
this wedding garment represents
00:19:00.07\00:19:01.54
the robe of the
righteousness of Jesus Christ,
00:19:01.57\00:19:03.77
His pure perfect
robe of righteousness
00:19:03.81\00:19:05.71
which He offers to
place upon every human being
00:19:05.74\00:19:09.08
who chooses to
give their lives to Him,
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.51
to turn away from their sins
00:19:12.55\00:19:14.05
and to truly accept Him
00:19:14.08\00:19:15.65
as their Savior
and to live for Him.
00:19:15.68\00:19:18.72
And the king
looked at one person
00:19:18.75\00:19:20.66
which represented
a whole lot of people
00:19:20.69\00:19:22.86
and that person didn't
have on a wedding garment.
00:19:22.89\00:19:25.29
He hadn't truly
responded to the message
00:19:25.33\00:19:29.20
of the righteousness of Christ.
00:19:29.23\00:19:30.73
He wasn't a true
Christian in his heart.
00:19:30.77\00:19:33.47
And Jesus said at
the end of the parable
00:19:33.50\00:19:35.67
that he was
eventually bound hand and foot
00:19:35.70\00:19:38.41
and he was thrown
out into outer darkness
00:19:38.44\00:19:41.14
which represents
ultimately being lost.
00:19:41.18\00:19:45.18
And Revelation 20:15
00:19:45.21\00:19:47.82
the Bible talks about those
that don't have on the robe
00:19:47.85\00:19:50.65
whose names are not
written in the Book of Life
00:19:50.69\00:19:52.75
they are cast
into the lake of fire.
00:19:52.79\00:19:57.09
Solemn thought.
00:19:57.13\00:19:59.46
Very solemn.
00:19:59.49\00:20:01.36
Back to Revelation Chapter 14.
00:20:01.40\00:20:05.47
Revelation 14 again tells us
00:20:05.50\00:20:07.90
that we will
enter a special time
00:20:07.94\00:20:11.14
prior to the second coming.
00:20:11.17\00:20:14.18
Revelation 14:7,
00:20:14.21\00:20:15.81
says there's an announcement
that is made with a loud voice
00:20:15.84\00:20:19.78
and he says "Fear
God and give glory to Him
00:20:19.81\00:20:23.08
for the hour of
His judgment is come."
00:20:23.12\00:20:29.02
The hour of His
judgment is come.
00:20:29.06\00:20:31.16
According to the Bible,
according to 1Peter 4:17
00:20:31.19\00:20:34.66
judgment begins
at the house of God.
00:20:34.70\00:20:38.00
Peter said, if the
judgment first begins at us,
00:20:38.03\00:20:41.60
he said, what will
be the end of those
00:20:41.64\00:20:43.27
who obey not the gospel of God.
00:20:43.30\00:20:46.37
There have
always been two groups
00:20:46.41\00:20:48.51
inside of God's
professed church.
00:20:48.54\00:20:52.71
What about us?
00:20:56.02\00:20:57.39
What about you? What about me?
00:20:57.42\00:20:59.35
Are we real
followers of Jesus Christ?
00:20:59.39\00:21:02.32
The Bible tells us
to repent of our sins.
00:21:02.36\00:21:04.09
Jesus said repent in Luke 13:3,
"Repent turn away from sin."
00:21:04.13\00:21:07.90
Have we really done that
or do we just go to church?
00:21:07.93\00:21:11.40
Are we really
reading our Bibles?
00:21:11.43\00:21:13.44
Are we really giving our
hearts to Christ 100 percent
00:21:13.47\00:21:19.24
or are we following the word
than the flesh and the devil?
00:21:19.27\00:21:21.88
Are we just
professed Christians?
00:21:21.91\00:21:23.24
are you like Cain
or are you like Abel?
00:21:23.28\00:21:26.35
Are you one of the
followers of Jesus,
00:21:26.38\00:21:28.25
a true follower
like Peter or like Paul
00:21:28.28\00:21:30.82
or are you acting like Judas
00:21:30.85\00:21:32.45
and betraying
your Lord with a kiss?
00:21:32.49\00:21:35.92
God knows our hearts.
00:21:35.96\00:21:37.49
He knows whether we're
just honoring Him with our lips
00:21:37.53\00:21:40.70
and whether our
hearts are far from Him
00:21:40.73\00:21:44.20
or whether we, you know,
He knows what we are doing,
00:21:44.23\00:21:46.74
He knows everything.
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.40
Jesus said, "Every idle
word that men shall speak,
00:21:48.44\00:21:51.27
they will give an
account in the day of judgment.
00:21:51.31\00:21:53.74
For by our words
we will be justified,
00:21:53.78\00:21:55.48
and by our words
we will be condemned."
00:21:55.51\00:21:58.01
Are we wearing the robe
of Christ's righteousness
00:21:58.05\00:22:00.82
and are we
showing that we're wearing
00:22:00.85\00:22:02.85
that robe by the
lives that we're living?
00:22:02.88\00:22:05.95
I remember when I first
became Christian years ago,
00:22:05.99\00:22:08.42
I was sitting in a Jacuzzi
00:22:08.46\00:22:11.23
underneath the night sky
00:22:11.26\00:22:12.86
and I was reading a book
00:22:12.89\00:22:14.23
and in that book there
was a chapter on the judgment
00:22:14.26\00:22:17.53
and how God is
going to judge His church.
00:22:17.57\00:22:19.63
He is gonna judge
His professed followers
00:22:19.67\00:22:21.87
to see if they're
really true followers
00:22:21.90\00:22:24.41
or whether they're not.
00:22:24.44\00:22:25.77
And as I read
different things in that book
00:22:25.81\00:22:28.64
says in Ecclesiastes Chapter 12
00:22:28.68\00:22:31.65
that "Every secret thing
will be brought into judgment."
00:22:31.68\00:22:34.95
Chapter 11 says that "You can
follow the ways of your heart"
00:22:34.98\00:22:38.29
it says "but know that God
will bring you into judgment."
00:22:38.32\00:22:41.22
And it quoted also Matthew
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.06
I believe it's chapter
12 where Jesus again said
00:22:43.09\00:22:45.29
"Every idle word
that men will speak,
00:22:45.33\00:22:47.10
they will give an
account in the day of judgment."
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.23
And as I read that book
and read those Bible verses
00:22:49.26\00:22:52.80
I was deeply convicted
00:22:52.83\00:22:55.17
that I needed to be a
true follower of Christ,
00:22:55.20\00:22:57.67
not just a professed one
00:22:57.71\00:22:59.44
and the spirit of
God made a move on me
00:22:59.47\00:23:01.84
and I actually
jumped out the Jacuzzi,
00:23:01.88\00:23:04.61
I was there by myself
00:23:04.65\00:23:05.98
and I knelt down on
the cold hard concrete
00:23:06.01\00:23:09.78
around that Jacuzzi
next to a pool and I prayed.
00:23:09.82\00:23:13.29
I prayed earnestly I said again,
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.12
"Jesus, please"
00:23:15.16\00:23:16.66
I had-- I had
accepted Him prior to that
00:23:16.69\00:23:18.83
but the spirit went deep.
00:23:18.86\00:23:20.46
And again I said
"Lord, cleanse me,
00:23:20.50\00:23:22.33
cleanse me from all my sins,
00:23:22.36\00:23:23.70
change my heart, change my life,
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.67
make me a real follower of You
00:23:25.70\00:23:30.24
so that I'm not
just a professed follower
00:23:30.27\00:23:33.54
like so many in this world."
00:23:33.58\00:23:36.41
It was a deeply
convicting moment for me
00:23:36.44\00:23:40.18
and I remember even though
00:23:40.22\00:23:41.72
the Holy Spirit
was convicting me
00:23:41.75\00:23:43.79
I was also very blessed
to know that God loved me
00:23:43.82\00:23:50.03
and that He was
working in my heart
00:23:50.06\00:23:51.83
and I sensed deeply
00:23:51.86\00:23:54.20
that Jesus was
getting me ready for heaven.
00:23:54.23\00:23:56.30
He was purifying me.
00:23:56.33\00:23:57.67
In Daniel 12:10 the Bible
says that "Many will be purified
00:23:57.70\00:24:02.10
in these last days
and made white and tried,
00:24:02.14\00:24:05.67
but the wicked will do wickedly
00:24:05.71\00:24:07.04
and none of the
wicked will understand
00:24:07.08\00:24:08.81
but the wise will understated."
00:24:08.84\00:24:11.25
It says in Daniel 12:9, 10.
00:24:11.28\00:24:16.08
Going back to the
first angel's message
00:24:19.89\00:24:22.46
in Revelation Chapter 14
00:24:22.49\00:24:26.53
in a time of judgment
00:24:26.56\00:24:27.90
when verse 7 says
00:24:27.93\00:24:29.70
"Fear God, give glory to Him
00:24:29.73\00:24:31.63
for the hour of
His judgment has come."
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.97
The good news is that
the verse right before it
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.57
which is in verse 6 tells us
00:24:36.60\00:24:39.17
that "The everlasting
gospel is to be preached
00:24:39.21\00:24:42.14
to every nation,
kindred, tongue and people."
00:24:42.18\00:24:46.11
And so in verse seven
00:24:46.15\00:24:47.48
we've got that
announcement of the judgment
00:24:47.52\00:24:48.88
and in verse six we
have the hope of the gospel.
00:24:48.92\00:24:52.12
And when I knelt
down outside that pool
00:24:52.15\00:24:55.72
I not only was
convicted of the judgment
00:24:55.76\00:24:58.26
but the hope of the gospel
became very, very real to me.
00:24:58.29\00:25:02.36
And right now my
trust is in Lord.
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.63
I'm not trusting myself,
00:25:04.67\00:25:06.00
I'm not trying to be like Cain
00:25:06.03\00:25:07.67
where I'm trusting my own works.
00:25:07.70\00:25:09.20
My faith is in Jesus Christ
and in His sacrifice for me.
00:25:09.24\00:25:13.17
And I'm also doing my
best by the grace of God
00:25:13.21\00:25:15.84
to obey the gospel
00:25:15.88\00:25:17.31
and to be like Abel and
to follow the instruction
00:25:17.35\00:25:20.05
that is given to
us in God's word.
00:25:20.08\00:25:24.05
We're living in
a very solemn time.
00:25:24.09\00:25:26.32
We're living in
an hour of judgment.
00:25:26.35\00:25:28.82
We're living in a time when God
is judging His professed people
00:25:28.86\00:25:31.83
and we need to make sure
that we are true Christians
00:25:31.86\00:25:34.10
and not just talkers
00:25:34.13\00:25:36.53
but that we are
livers and believers
00:25:36.56\00:25:40.34
and those that act out
our faith in Jesus Christ.
00:25:40.37\00:25:43.94
My little girl Abigail we
were talking the other day.
00:25:43.97\00:25:46.17
She is four years old
and we talked about heaven.
00:25:46.21\00:25:48.48
How important it
is going to heaven
00:25:48.51\00:25:50.25
and being with Jesus
in a beautiful new world.
00:25:50.28\00:25:52.91
And then also I told my kids
00:25:52.95\00:25:54.78
that those that aren't there
00:25:54.82\00:25:56.18
are gonna end up
in the lake of fire.
00:25:56.22\00:25:58.19
That's what the Bible says
00:25:58.22\00:25:59.55
Revelation 20 and 21
00:25:59.59\00:26:00.92
and Abbey looked at
me and she said, "daddy,"
00:26:00.96\00:26:02.69
she said, "Daddy, I don't
want to go to the lake of fire,
00:26:02.72\00:26:04.79
I want to be
ready for Jesus to come.
00:26:04.83\00:26:06.83
I want to go to heaven."
00:26:06.86\00:26:08.20
And I looked at her and said,
00:26:08.23\00:26:09.56
"Abbey, there's
nothing Jesus wants more
00:26:09.60\00:26:11.03
than for you to
be ready for heaven.
00:26:11.07\00:26:13.34
And there's nothing
Jesus wants more than for you
00:26:13.37\00:26:15.67
to be ready for
heaven and for me.
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.77
Revelation Chapter 14 tells us
00:26:17.81\00:26:20.18
that while the
gospel is being preached
00:26:20.21\00:26:22.78
in verse 7 it says "Fear
God and give glory to Him
00:26:22.81\00:26:27.68
for the hour of
His judgment is come."
00:26:27.72\00:26:31.45
We are now in a time when
God is judging His church.
00:26:31.49\00:26:34.72
Let's be true
believers in Jesus.
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.79
You've just
heard His voice today.
00:26:37.83\00:26:41.96
If you've been blessed
00:26:42.00\00:26:43.33
by His Voice Today
with Steve Wohlberg
00:26:43.37\00:26:44.80
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00:26:44.83\00:26:46.84
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00:26:46.87\00:26:48.50
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00:26:48.54\00:26:50.51
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00:26:53.34\00:26:55.08
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00:26:55.11\00:26:59.25
To order, call 1.800.78.BIBLE
00:26:59.28\00:27:01.68
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00:27:01.72\00:27:03.95
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00:27:03.99\00:27:11.93
We hope you've
enjoyed this timely message
00:27:11.96\00:27:13.90
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00:27:13.93\00:27:15.60
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00:27:15.63\00:27:16.97
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00:27:17.00\00:27:19.10
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00:27:19.13\00:27:21.70
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00:27:21.74\00:27:24.67
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00:27:24.71\00:27:26.04
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00:27:26.07\00:27:27.41
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00:27:27.44\00:27:29.58
To learn more
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00:27:29.61\00:27:31.51
or to watch more
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00:27:31.55\00:27:33.21
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00:27:33.25\00:27:35.08
including his
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00:27:35.12\00:27:36.92
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00:27:36.95\00:27:38.39
visit hisvoicetoday.com.
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.46