Good evening. Welcome to The Revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:00:21.60\00:00:25.68 Tonight we are continuing with 00:00:25.78\00:00:28.69 our fourth session. 00:00:28.89\00:00:30.91 And tonight we're taking a look at the church of Pergamos 00:00:31.21\00:00:35.25 and the letter that Christ wrote to that church 00:00:35.55\00:00:38.93 telling them of certain things that were taking place... 00:00:39.23\00:00:41.82 giving them counsel. And that's what we're going to be 00:00:42.12\00:00:44.24 looking at. And we hope it will be helpful to you 00:00:44.44\00:00:47.52 as you follow along. 00:00:47.82\00:00:49.72 And so those of you that have been watching 00:00:49.92\00:00:52.27 and joining us by television 00:00:52.47\00:00:54.29 or by radio or on the Internet we welcome you. 00:00:54.59\00:00:57.47 If you're joining us tonight for the first time, 00:00:57.77\00:01:01.50 we would encourage you - as we do every evening - 00:01:01.80\00:01:04.64 get your Bible... because this is a study 00:01:04.94\00:01:07.76 of the book of Revelation chapter by chapter. 00:01:08.06\00:01:12.17 And so we're going through it step by step. 00:01:12.47\00:01:15.20 So get your Bible. Get you a highlighter, 00:01:15.50\00:01:19.26 a piece of paper for some notes because we're going to look 00:01:19.56\00:01:22.47 at what God had to say to this church. 00:01:22.67\00:01:25.42 And hopefully that by the time we're through 00:01:25.73\00:01:30.24 with our study - this seminar - 00:01:30.54\00:01:33.47 you'll be able to pick up the book of Revelation and read it. 00:01:34.88\00:01:37.70 As I told you the first night, 00:01:37.91\00:01:39.73 as far as I'm concerned this is the most important 00:01:40.56\00:01:44.84 book of the Bible for people that are living today. 00:01:45.04\00:01:48.66 There's just not one more important 00:01:49.16\00:01:51.78 because it talks about our day - the time we are living in. 00:01:51.98\00:01:55.31 It talks about the things that you and I will face. 00:01:55.61\00:01:58.53 Also talks about the victories that we can have in Christ. 00:01:58.83\00:02:02.11 So you need to understand this book of Revelation. 00:02:02.41\00:02:05.42 God meant for you to understand it 00:02:05.72\00:02:07.94 because it's called what? Revelation... 00:02:08.14\00:02:12.86 which means a revealing. That's what it is. 00:02:13.06\00:02:16.16 And He said clearly... He said: "Don't shut this book up. 00:02:16.46\00:02:19.42 Don't seal it. " 00:02:19.62\00:02:21.09 Said: "I want you to understand it. " 00:02:21.40\00:02:23.16 And He promises a blessing to each of us if you do. 00:02:23.36\00:02:27.41 "If you read it, listen, keep those things, " 00:02:27.71\00:02:30.13 He said: "I'll bless you in a special way. " 00:02:30.44\00:02:33.02 So follow along as we study God's Word together. 00:02:33.32\00:02:36.79 All right. 00:02:37.49\00:02:38.63 Uh, our next session - our next presentation I should say - 00:02:38.83\00:02:42.87 our next presentation will be the church of Thyatira. 00:02:43.17\00:02:47.64 This church Christ wrote more to 00:02:50.25\00:02:55.90 and said more to them than any of the other churches. 00:02:56.20\00:02:59.56 He has more to say to the church of Thyatira 00:02:59.86\00:03:03.05 than any other. So you'll want to be sure and follow it 00:03:03.35\00:03:06.87 as we study about the church of Thyatira 00:03:07.17\00:03:10.36 and what was happening there 00:03:10.56\00:03:11.87 and why Christ had so much to say to them. 00:03:12.07\00:03:15.77 But tonight we're looking at Pergamos. 00:03:16.07\00:03:19.63 So we hope it will bless you in a special way 00:03:22.43\00:03:25.57 as we study God's Word together. 00:03:25.87\00:03:27.83 As I told you before, it's very, very pleasing 00:03:28.13\00:03:33.14 and always a great, great privilege to me 00:03:33.35\00:03:36.37 to have Joe Pearles with us. 00:03:36.57\00:03:38.23 We're thankful that he's been able to be here 00:03:38.43\00:03:40.20 and to join us during this first session. 00:03:40.50\00:03:43.25 And we hope you've been blessed by his music 00:03:43.55\00:03:46.01 from night to night. Tonight he's going to sing 00:03:46.21\00:03:48.99 a song titled When the Storm Passes By. 00:03:49.19\00:03:53.52 But before he does, Chuck Allgaier is going to come out 00:03:53.82\00:03:57.27 and he's going to read to you what Christ had to say 00:03:57.47\00:04:01.21 to the church of Pergamos. 00:04:01.51\00:04:04.06 Again if you have your Bibles tonight 00:04:10.04\00:04:12.04 please turn in them to the book of Revelation. 00:04:12.34\00:04:15.09 Revelation the 2nd chapter verses 12 through 17. 00:04:15.39\00:04:20.42 Revelation chapter 2 00:04:20.72\00:04:25.37 12 through 17. 00:04:25.67\00:04:27.09 May the Lord add His blessing to His Word. 00:05:42.95\00:05:45.48 In the dark of the midnight 00:06:01.44\00:06:05.96 I have oft hid my face 00:06:06.27\00:06:10.98 while the storm howls above me 00:06:11.28\00:06:16.13 and there's no hiding place. 00:06:16.44\00:06:20.71 Mid the crash of the thunder 00:06:21.58\00:06:25.90 precious Lord, hear my cry... 00:06:26.21\00:06:31.05 Keep me safe till the storm 00:06:31.35\00:06:36.03 passes by. 00:06:36.33\00:06:39.26 Till the storm passes over, 00:06:40.99\00:06:45.33 till the thunder sounds no more. 00:06:46.15\00:06:50.57 Till the clouds roll forever 00:06:50.87\00:06:55.50 from the sky. 00:06:55.80\00:07:00.50 Hold me fast, 00:07:00.80\00:07:03.10 help me stand 00:07:03.40\00:07:05.72 in the shadow of Thy hand. 00:07:06.02\00:07:10.46 Keep me safe 00:07:10.86\00:07:13.00 till the storm 00:07:13.50\00:07:15.75 passes by. 00:07:16.05\00:07:19.13 Many times Satan whispers 00:07:30.83\00:07:35.30 "there's just no need to try. 00:07:37.12\00:07:39.66 For there's no end to the sorrow 00:07:41.36\00:07:44.14 and for you... there's just no hope bye and bye. " 00:07:44.64\00:07:49.06 But I know Thou art with me 00:07:50.77\00:07:54.91 and tomorrow I'll rise 00:07:55.42\00:08:00.31 where the clouds 00:08:00.61\00:08:02.62 never darken the skies. 00:08:02.72\00:08:08.02 Till the storm passes over, 00:08:10.20\00:08:14.40 till the thunder sounds no more. 00:08:15.08\00:08:19.69 Till the clouds roll forever 00:08:20.19\00:08:24.57 from the sky. 00:08:25.07\00:08:29.71 Hold me fast, 00:08:30.01\00:08:32.30 let me stand 00:08:32.60\00:08:34.84 in the hollow 00:08:35.24\00:08:37.50 of Thy hand. 00:08:37.80\00:08:39.69 Keep me safe 00:08:39.99\00:08:42.15 till the storm 00:08:42.45\00:08:44.89 passes by. 00:08:45.09\00:08:48.74 Oh, keep me safe 00:08:49.44\00:08:52.10 till the storm 00:08:52.40\00:08:54.69 passes by. 00:08:54.99\00:09:00.10 Father, we come to You tonight 00:09:19.85\00:09:23.39 simply inviting Your Holy Spirit to be present. 00:09:24.96\00:09:29.65 Asking, Lord, that we might be given insight. 00:09:30.84\00:09:34.44 That our minds may be open. 00:09:35.81\00:09:38.98 That the Holy Spirit may be able to guide and lead us. 00:09:39.31\00:09:44.69 That we will understand what You had to say 00:09:45.12\00:09:49.18 to the church of Pergamos. 00:09:49.38\00:09:50.87 That we may apply it to our own lives 00:09:51.21\00:09:53.84 and might walk with You in all that we do. 00:09:54.18\00:09:57.13 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 00:09:57.47\00:10:01.52 We've had some people say 00:10:08.42\00:10:10.32 that this is upside down. 00:10:10.65\00:10:13.75 They say this is the legs... 00:10:13.88\00:10:15.59 but this is the altar of incense. 00:10:15.83\00:10:18.42 And that's not the legs. 00:10:18.76\00:10:20.70 Those are what's called the horns of the altar. 00:10:21.03\00:10:24.69 And if you've ever spent any time in scripture, 00:10:25.03\00:10:27.74 you'll find that this is where they came when they brought 00:10:28.07\00:10:32.20 blood from the lamb... touched it to the horns of the altar. 00:10:32.53\00:10:36.24 Also if you'll remember when Solomon became king 00:10:36.38\00:10:41.25 uh, Adonijah... who had tried to take the kingdom... 00:10:41.59\00:10:45.44 and when they were going to execute him 00:10:45.77\00:10:48.43 he went to the temple and grabbed the horns of the altar. 00:10:48.76\00:10:51.48 Also, remember when they were going to put Joab to death 00:10:51.78\00:10:55.74 he also went in and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 00:10:55.97\00:10:58.49 That's what these are. 00:10:58.83\00:10:59.88 So it's not the legs... it's the horns of the altar. 00:11:00.12\00:11:03.88 Anyhow, tonight we're into the 00:11:04.21\00:11:07.77 church of Pergamos 00:11:08.01\00:11:10.10 and we want to take a look and see what the scripture 00:11:10.43\00:11:12.56 has to say about it as Christ walks among 00:11:12.76\00:11:16.19 the seven golden candlesticks. 00:11:16.39\00:11:19.10 Those candlesticks represent churches. 00:11:19.44\00:11:22.40 That's what they stand for. 00:11:22.73\00:11:24.35 And He's walking among them... 00:11:24.68\00:11:26.02 and it depicts His care and His concern. 00:11:26.25\00:11:31.44 And I'm so glad that He walks among the candlesticks 00:11:31.74\00:11:35.56 and that Christ does not turn that over to man. 00:11:35.90\00:11:40.35 It says that He is the head of the church. 00:11:40.68\00:11:43.74 And He doesn't turn that over to man... He's in charge. 00:11:44.07\00:11:47.23 And that's talking about His care of the churches. 00:11:47.57\00:11:50.51 And we've looked at Ephesus; we've looked at Smyrna; 00:11:50.74\00:11:54.54 and now we're going to take a look at Pergamos. 00:11:54.87\00:11:57.90 And He starts out by speaking to that church... 00:11:58.10\00:12:01.46 addressing that church... saying: 00:12:01.70\00:12:03.58 So He's speaking to that church. 00:12:06.83\00:12:08.19 This word Pergamos actually means 00:12:08.39\00:12:12.34 height or elevation... is what it stands for. 00:12:12.58\00:12:16.83 Height or elevation. And there's another part to that word 00:12:17.06\00:12:21.08 that I'll come to as we get a little farther in 00:12:21.32\00:12:24.00 because it's very, very important 00:12:24.24\00:12:26.98 and that word has great, great significance to this church. 00:12:27.22\00:12:31.92 As you can see... uh, we studied about Ephesus 00:12:32.22\00:12:36.02 and we found that if you went up about 40 miles 00:12:36.26\00:12:38.57 north of Ephesus you came to Smyrna. 00:12:38.81\00:12:42.31 Both these are on the sea coast 00:12:42.54\00:12:46.17 along the Aegean Sea. 00:12:46.41\00:12:47.84 You go about 50 miles farther and a little to the east 00:12:48.07\00:12:51.39 and you come to Pergamos. 00:12:51.63\00:12:53.34 This is where Pergamos... not far from the coast either. 00:12:53.68\00:12:56.75 That's where Pergamos is. 00:12:57.09\00:12:58.60 But all of a sudden when you get up to Pergamos 00:12:58.84\00:13:01.68 and you're going across the country there and it's flat 00:13:01.91\00:13:04.79 all of a sudden there's a mountain that rises 1,300 ft. 00:13:05.02\00:13:08.73 straight up. And it's just almost perpendicular. 00:13:08.96\00:13:12.83 And on top of that mountain was where the city of Pergamos was. 00:13:13.16\00:13:17.96 This is the ruins of Pergamos. 00:13:19.52\00:13:22.70 Uh, this great theatre they had there... 00:13:23.03\00:13:26.31 you can see it down here... 00:13:26.54\00:13:27.70 a lot of it has fallen off and is not there now... 00:13:27.93\00:13:31.43 but you can imagine the view that they had there 00:13:31.67\00:13:35.16 of that theatre looking out from that mountain 00:13:35.46\00:13:37.91 1,300 ft. out across that plains and all. 00:13:38.15\00:13:41.33 But this was the city of Pergamos. 00:13:41.57\00:13:45.12 Uh, in the city of Pergamos they worshiped 00:13:45.35\00:13:49.42 Rome also as many of them did. 00:13:49.65\00:13:53.69 But also they worshiped Greek gods 00:13:53.92\00:13:56.70 and they had a temple there for the god Zeus 00:13:56.93\00:14:00.05 which they worshiped. 00:14:00.29\00:14:02.31 In that temple of Zeus 00:14:02.54\00:14:04.76 they also worshiped the god Asclepius... 00:14:04.99\00:14:09.25 the serpent god... 00:14:09.59\00:14:12.15 snake... that they kept there. 00:14:12.49\00:14:14.88 Asclepius was the god of the serpent they worshiped. 00:14:15.08\00:14:19.95 And they had connected with this a school, 00:14:20.39\00:14:24.27 and they also practiced a medicine... 00:14:24.50\00:14:27.83 taught medicine here. 00:14:27.86\00:14:29.68 And... and this is where you get the emblem 00:14:29.92\00:14:35.23 that medicine uses today of the serpent wrapped around 00:14:35.47\00:14:38.82 the pole. That's where this comes from is right here 00:14:39.06\00:14:41.89 in Pergamos. And that's part of the god Asclepius 00:14:42.12\00:14:46.76 that they worshiped and it's been handed down 00:14:46.99\00:14:49.25 through the years to us. 00:14:49.48\00:14:51.21 Uh, in this city... uh... 00:14:51.54\00:14:56.41 was one of the greatest libraries. 00:14:56.64\00:14:59.07 The library here had over 200,000 manuscripts in it 00:14:59.40\00:15:04.20 and it rivaled the library in Alexandria, Egypt. 00:15:04.43\00:15:09.31 And it rivaled it so much that Ptolemy V 00:15:09.64\00:15:14.09 was afraid that it was going to outdo the one in Alexandria. 00:15:14.32\00:15:20.23 And so since that time people used papyrus to write on 00:15:20.46\00:15:25.82 and it came from the papyrus reeds in Egypt, 00:15:26.06\00:15:29.49 he decided that he would not let them export any of it. 00:15:29.73\00:15:33.57 That way would stop them from being a rivalry to the library 00:15:33.80\00:15:40.22 in Alexandria. And the people here in Pergamos - 00:15:40.46\00:15:43.45 since they couldn't get papyrus to write on - 00:15:43.68\00:15:46.71 they took and began to develop animal skins to write on. 00:15:46.95\00:15:52.66 And they developed a very fine animal skin to write on. 00:15:52.89\00:15:57.12 It was called Pergamos... but as time went along 00:15:57.35\00:16:00.13 it became known as parchment. 00:16:00.46\00:16:03.00 One of the best writing materials there is today 00:16:03.20\00:16:05.85 is parchment. And so that's where parchment came from. 00:16:05.98\00:16:09.23 And these two libraries were rivals 00:16:09.47\00:16:13.07 and it went back and forth for years 00:16:13.31\00:16:15.31 until along came a fellow by the name of Mark Antony. 00:16:15.55\00:16:19.98 And Mark Antony took the library at Pergamos 00:16:20.22\00:16:24.67 and gave it to Cleopatra in Egypt... 00:16:24.91\00:16:29.98 and it went to Alexandria. 00:16:30.21\00:16:31.93 And that's what happened to the library here in Pergamos. 00:16:32.16\00:16:35.70 So you find there's a lot of history 00:16:35.93\00:16:38.06 that's connected with this as they worshiped. 00:16:38.29\00:16:41.48 The temple of Zeus was here. 00:16:41.81\00:16:44.44 Maybe I should say something about this at this point 00:16:44.88\00:16:47.83 and then we'll talk about it as we go on in. 00:16:48.07\00:16:49.86 And that is... uh, 00:16:50.16\00:16:52.49 this temple of Zeus and the worship that all went on here 00:16:52.72\00:16:56.51 and particularly of the serpent god 00:16:56.74\00:16:58.78 you'll find back when Babylon was in... 00:16:58.92\00:17:03.76 going and all... and the Persians came down - 00:17:03.96\00:17:06.84 the Medes and Persians - and they overthrew 00:17:06.98\00:17:09.43 the city of Babylon. 00:17:09.67\00:17:11.39 Well when the Persians overthrew it 00:17:11.62\00:17:13.99 the priests in Babylon fled 00:17:14.02\00:17:18.12 and they came to Pergamos. 00:17:18.39\00:17:21.61 That's where they came; set up the school. 00:17:21.84\00:17:24.25 And so you have the doctrines of the pagans in Babylon 00:17:24.49\00:17:30.45 being transferred to Pergamos 00:17:30.69\00:17:32.97 which carried it right on in to the Romans. 00:17:33.20\00:17:36.68 And so this is where this all comes through 00:17:36.91\00:17:39.49 and follows through that line of thought, 00:17:39.69\00:17:42.06 and they worshiped many of the pagan gods here. 00:17:42.29\00:17:46.57 So it's an interesting situation that you find here. 00:17:46.80\00:17:51.01 That was the greeting to the church there at Pergamos. 00:17:51.25\00:17:54.78 He goes on... identifies Himself now... and He says this: 00:17:55.01\00:17:58.71 Christ, who has the sharp, two-edged sword. 00:18:05.90\00:18:09.93 As we read about Christ there in the first chapter 00:18:10.16\00:18:14.15 it said: "out of His mouth went a sharp, two-edge sword. " 00:18:14.39\00:18:19.66 The two-edged sword is for thrusting and cutting. 00:18:19.99\00:18:24.70 That's what it's used for. 00:18:24.93\00:18:26.74 And it speaks of God's Word being that. 00:18:27.08\00:18:31.28 And, you know, the Bible is that way. 00:18:36.71\00:18:40.65 Have you ever found it to be that way? 00:18:40.89\00:18:43.31 You know? Like a preacher who was preaching 00:18:43.65\00:18:46.64 and as he was preaching, this lady about... 00:18:46.87\00:18:49.69 out in the congregation every once in a while 00:18:49.92\00:18:52.04 he would hit something that really touched her heart 00:18:52.28\00:18:54.62 and she would say "Amen! " 00:18:54.85\00:18:56.37 You know, I mean she was really right with him 00:18:56.60\00:18:59.92 and just every so often she was saying "Amen! " 00:19:00.16\00:19:03.56 And all of a sudden as he was preaching 00:19:03.79\00:19:06.48 he got on something that just cut her. I mean 00:19:06.71\00:19:09.43 went right to the heart and cut her and she said: 00:19:09.67\00:19:12.22 "Ooh-wee, he's stopped preaching and started meddling. " 00:19:12.35\00:19:14.79 See? And some people feel that way. 00:19:15.02\00:19:17.70 But that's what the Word of God does. 00:19:17.94\00:19:19.88 It cuts... and sometimes it's not very pleasant 00:19:20.12\00:19:24.61 because it requires that you and I must get rid of some things. 00:19:24.85\00:19:30.83 Cuts it out of us. This has to be. 00:19:31.17\00:19:33.82 Listen: 00:19:41.98\00:19:43.06 That's what the Word of God does. 00:19:53.40\00:19:55.56 Have you ever considered that the Word of God? 00:19:55.90\00:20:01.01 It says it's powerful. 00:20:01.24\00:20:04.86 I mentioned this the other night. 00:20:05.09\00:20:06.71 In this, folks, in this book 00:20:07.05\00:20:10.60 is contained the same energy 00:20:10.83\00:20:15.45 that was used to create the world... 00:20:15.69\00:20:19.17 in this book. 00:20:20.72\00:20:22.12 That's why this book - like no other book - 00:20:22.26\00:20:25.39 can change our hearts. 00:20:25.62\00:20:27.78 Can make us different. 00:20:28.02\00:20:29.59 Not that you and I have that within ourselves... 00:20:29.82\00:20:32.52 we don't! 00:20:32.66\00:20:33.71 But the Word of God does... it's powerful. 00:20:34.05\00:20:36.35 And that's the reason it cuts. That's the reason it requires 00:20:36.68\00:20:40.46 of you and me to change... 00:20:40.69\00:20:43.83 to leave things off that we were doing. 00:20:43.96\00:20:47.46 This is what God's Word does for us. 00:20:47.79\00:20:50.63 No, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. 00:20:57.61\00:21:00.00 Now let's see what it says here: 00:21:06.73\00:21:09.26 Have you found it that way in your life 00:21:24.10\00:21:27.93 that as you read the Word of God... 00:21:28.27\00:21:31.96 You know, one thing I found out when I became a Christian 00:21:33.53\00:21:37.14 and read the Word of God it always says the same thing. 00:21:37.38\00:21:40.85 You know, I'd read something and it didn't set well with me. 00:21:41.18\00:21:45.70 And some while later I read it again 00:21:45.93\00:21:48.66 and it still said the same thing. 00:21:48.90\00:21:50.57 You know, it just tells you you've got to change. 00:21:50.81\00:21:54.78 You've got to... casting down every thought that's contrary 00:21:55.02\00:21:59.34 to the Word of God. 00:21:59.48\00:22:00.78 I bring my life into conformity 00:22:01.12\00:22:04.32 to the Word of God and what it has to say. 00:22:04.55\00:22:07.22 That's what He's telling us here. 00:22:07.46\00:22:08.87 Sharp, two-edged sword. 00:22:09.20\00:22:11.75 Let's take a look at what the condition 00:22:11.98\00:22:14.61 of the church in Pergamos was, 00:22:14.85\00:22:17.85 what the Bible has to say about it. 00:22:18.08\00:22:20.09 I told you that in every one of these churches 00:22:24.49\00:22:27.34 He says that: "I know your works. " 00:22:27.57\00:22:30.94 OK. "and where you dwell, " Where what? 00:22:31.18\00:22:35.83 He said: "I know where you dwell. 00:22:42.80\00:22:44.41 You dwell where Satan's throne is. " 00:22:44.54\00:22:47.19 You see, He's making reference to the temple of Zeus 00:22:47.42\00:22:52.60 and to where the Satan god is. 00:22:52.84\00:22:55.19 That's what He's talking about. 00:22:55.32\00:22:56.66 These people, folks... these Christians here 00:22:56.90\00:22:59.26 in Pergamos and all these churches 00:22:59.50\00:23:01.57 they're living in a time in which they are 00:23:01.80\00:23:05.54 faced with severe persecution. 00:23:05.77\00:23:08.30 This is a time in which Rome 00:23:08.54\00:23:11.32 has vowed that it will destroy Christianity... get rid of it. 00:23:11.56\00:23:16.62 And so they're not only living at that time 00:23:16.96\00:23:20.55 but they're also in the midst of it. 00:23:20.79\00:23:24.01 They're where Satan's throne is. 00:23:24.24\00:23:26.14 They're right in the heart of it. 00:23:26.37\00:23:27.74 And there's all kinds of things going on there 00:23:27.97\00:23:31.54 that is contrary to Christianity. 00:23:31.78\00:23:34.41 Heathenism... 00:23:37.34\00:23:39.16 Heathenism or paganism, folks, is immoral. 00:23:39.46\00:23:45.19 I don't know if you understand that, 00:23:45.33\00:23:47.18 but the whole principles of it is immoral 00:23:47.42\00:23:50.01 and the practice of it involves immorality. 00:23:50.35\00:23:53.56 So there's all kinds of things going on here, 00:23:53.79\00:23:55.96 and this is what Christ is referring to when He says: 00:23:56.19\00:23:59.33 "You're in the very heart of it. 00:23:59.56\00:24:00.97 You're where Satan's throne is. That's where you are. " 00:24:01.20\00:24:04.07 He said: "I know that... I know where you dwell. " 00:24:04.30\00:24:07.37 OK? And He said: "But you hold fast to My name, 00:24:07.61\00:24:11.79 did not deny My faith. " 00:24:12.02\00:24:13.92 See, Antipas was martyred for his faith there. 00:24:24.92\00:24:30.94 And these... many, many - as I have told you - 00:24:31.17\00:24:34.77 of the church of Smyrna... thousands of them died 00:24:35.00\00:24:38.92 for their faith. Stood up and said "No, 00:24:39.15\00:24:41.82 we will not worship the Emperor, 00:24:42.05\00:24:44.24 we will not worship a pagan god. " 00:24:44.38\00:24:46.58 And they gave their lives to keep from doing that. 00:24:46.81\00:24:50.73 This represents a church age - 00:24:50.97\00:24:54.09 and as I told you before, don't try to tie down 00:24:54.33\00:24:58.13 these dates very tight - but I'm going to tell you 00:24:58.36\00:25:01.09 some important things that happened here. 00:25:01.23\00:25:03.22 Because you remember last night as we talked about Smyrna 00:25:03.45\00:25:06.64 it said you would have persecution ten days. 00:25:06.87\00:25:09.35 And we found out that that covered the period of time 00:25:09.58\00:25:12.72 in which Diocletian persecuted the church for ten years 00:25:12.95\00:25:16.71 terribly. Well, when Diocletian died in 331 AD... 00:25:16.95\00:25:22.93 See right here? 331 AD... 00:25:23.26\00:25:27.27 then Constantine came to the throne 00:25:27.51\00:25:31.43 and all of a sudden Constantine could see. 00:25:31.67\00:25:35.28 Constantine could understand that the Roman Empire 00:25:35.52\00:25:39.80 was going Christian 00:25:40.04\00:25:41.80 because by this time almost half of the Roman Empire 00:25:42.20\00:25:47.36 was Christian in belief. 00:25:47.50\00:25:49.34 And he could see that there was no use in continuing 00:25:49.57\00:25:52.50 the persecution that they were doing 00:25:52.64\00:25:54.50 and he stopped it right there. 00:25:54.64\00:25:56.72 313 AD... that was it... persecution stopped. 00:25:56.96\00:26:01.15 OK? 00:26:01.49\00:26:03.94 Let me just say this: 00:26:05.30\00:26:06.81 if you can't win them by persecution 00:26:08.75\00:26:14.75 or you can't succeed by persecution, 00:26:14.98\00:26:17.44 then you can always 00:26:19.09\00:26:23.15 beat them by popularity. 00:26:23.39\00:26:27.35 Don't forget it. 00:26:28.69\00:26:30.62 You'll see what I'm talking about... 00:26:30.85\00:26:32.78 because this was a hard, hard time. 00:26:33.01\00:26:36.33 Antipas, all them gave their lives for their faith. 00:26:36.57\00:26:41.75 They stood up... took their lives. 00:26:41.98\00:26:43.82 But all of a sudden with Constantine 00:26:44.05\00:26:46.45 now the church was in favor. 00:26:46.68\00:26:48.94 It was no longer persecuted... 00:26:49.97\00:26:52.13 now it became popular. 00:26:52.36\00:26:54.89 Constantine said that he had seen a cross in a vision, 00:26:55.12\00:27:02.63 in a dream, and that he was going to become a Christian. 00:27:02.87\00:27:05.66 Don't know that he ever did... 00:27:05.90\00:27:08.10 but he said he was going to be one. 00:27:08.34\00:27:09.96 Took his army out and marched them through the river 00:27:10.20\00:27:12.88 and told them they had all been baptized 00:27:13.01\00:27:14.58 and were Christians now. 00:27:14.71\00:27:16.07 Also as you can see here in 321 AD 00:27:17.34\00:27:22.19 he signed the Edict of Constantine 00:27:22.33\00:27:25.48 in which he took the day of worship for the pagans, 00:27:25.61\00:27:29.57 Sunday, and transferred it as to a day of worship 00:27:29.81\00:27:34.13 for the Christians - 321 AD - 00:27:34.27\00:27:36.92 and all of a sudden you found that all the paganism 00:27:37.16\00:27:41.57 and many of the rites and beliefs that they had 00:27:41.81\00:27:44.31 now began to infiltrate the church. 00:27:44.54\00:27:47.46 And all of a sudden you had baptized paganism. 00:27:48.29\00:27:54.29 And the church before who wouldn't tolerate any of this 00:27:56.17\00:28:01.77 and was persecuted for it 00:28:02.00\00:28:03.84 and stood up and said: "No, we won't go along, " 00:28:04.07\00:28:06.95 now all of a sudden they just... paganism reached out 00:28:07.19\00:28:10.13 her arms and took them into the fold 00:28:10.27\00:28:13.05 and Christianity now was the state religion. 00:28:13.28\00:28:19.12 What a difference it made. 00:28:20.39\00:28:22.33 Put it down, folks: we don't war according to the flesh. 00:28:30.79\00:28:35.28 That's not the way God wants it. 00:28:35.51\00:28:38.83 We don't use guns; we don't use swords. 00:28:44.17\00:28:48.40 Our warfare is not carnal, OK? 00:28:48.73\00:28:52.55 This is how you and I as Christians 00:29:10.86\00:29:15.63 are to live. 00:29:15.83\00:29:17.94 And this is what we're to face. 00:29:18.17\00:29:19.94 The Word of God is to be our sword. 00:29:20.17\00:29:24.22 This is our sword. 00:29:24.45\00:29:26.43 This is our weapon. 00:29:26.66\00:29:28.38 Not... not guns, not cannons, not bombs... 00:29:28.62\00:29:34.02 but the Word of God. 00:29:34.36\00:29:35.72 And this - by this - you and I 00:29:35.95\00:29:38.66 are to live and walk and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:29:38.89\00:29:42.18 This is what He wants us to do. 00:29:42.38\00:29:44.34 OK, what problems does the church here face? 00:29:44.57\00:29:49.22 "My, " He said: "there's some of you here that hold 00:30:00.10\00:30:02.39 the doctrine of Balaam. " 00:30:02.53\00:30:03.53 Now folks, this is not talking about Balaam in flesh and blood. 00:30:03.66\00:30:07.56 Balaam's been dead for years, OK? 00:30:07.90\00:30:11.58 Now you remember the story, don't you, of Balaam? 00:30:21.97\00:30:25.82 You remember Balak had hired him to come 00:30:26.16\00:30:28.96 and to curse Israel. 00:30:29.20\00:30:33.05 Took him up on the mountain. 00:30:33.29\00:30:34.95 Let him look out over the camp of Israel... 00:30:35.19\00:30:37.48 all the camp of Israel... and said: 00:30:37.61\00:30:39.49 "Curse these people. " 00:30:39.62\00:30:41.19 And you remember Balaam had him offer sacrifices 00:30:41.42\00:30:46.23 and Balaam prayed. And came back and instead of 00:30:46.47\00:30:49.65 cursing them he blessed them. 00:30:49.88\00:30:52.52 And Balak said: "That's not what I hired you to do. " 00:30:52.76\00:30:56.68 Took him to another place... 00:30:56.91\00:30:59.27 again showed him the camp of Israel 00:30:59.51\00:31:01.54 and again offered sacrifices 00:31:01.77\00:31:04.15 and said: "Curse these people. " 00:31:04.39\00:31:06.06 And when Balaam spoke, he blessed them. 00:31:07.42\00:31:10.84 What happened. 00:31:12.08\00:31:14.45 Took him to a place where he could not see 00:31:14.68\00:31:17.04 the children of Israel 00:31:17.18\00:31:18.90 and offered sacrifices and said: "Now curse these people. " 00:31:19.11\00:31:23.05 But the third time he blessed them... he didn't curse them. 00:31:23.38\00:31:27.25 Now he couldn't curse them - Balaam couldn't... 00:31:38.60\00:31:42.12 but he told Balak... He said: "Just go down 00:31:42.36\00:31:48.08 and mingle with them. " 00:31:48.21\00:31:49.89 "Invite them into your tents 00:31:50.22\00:31:54.66 and let them eat with you. 00:31:54.99\00:31:58.08 And let them dance, and let them have a good time. 00:31:58.31\00:32:02.35 That's all you need to do. 00:32:02.68\00:32:04.67 And if you'll just do that and have them there 00:32:04.90\00:32:07.51 and let them mix and mingle with you, 00:32:07.75\00:32:10.11 then you will be able to undo. " 00:32:10.35\00:32:13.66 Said: "You know... just come on. 00:32:25.54\00:32:30.16 You can sacrifice to our gods. 00:32:31.15\00:32:33.62 You can have a good time with us... enjoy it. " 00:32:33.86\00:32:38.15 Church of Pergamos... that's what it's saying. 00:32:39.41\00:32:44.32 He said: "You have the doctrine of Balaam, " see? 00:32:44.66\00:32:47.47 Inviting you in to be part of the pagan worship 00:32:47.70\00:32:51.94 and all the things that's going on here. 00:32:52.18\00:32:54.02 This is what He's talking about. 00:32:54.26\00:32:55.78 Exactly what Balaam did. 00:32:56.02\00:32:57.95 And so He says you and I today 00:32:58.19\00:33:02.76 find ourselves in that same place. 00:33:03.00\00:33:05.82 I find so much, folks, 00:33:05.96\00:33:08.34 that if you stand and say: "Here's where I stand, 00:33:08.57\00:33:14.31 I won't be moved... this is what I believe, " 00:33:14.54\00:33:18.69 people say: "Well you're intolerant. " 00:33:18.93\00:33:21.93 You just are... you know, "you're bigoted. 00:33:23.96\00:33:27.84 You're not sociable. 00:33:28.08\00:33:32.91 You are legalistic, fanatical. " 00:33:33.15\00:33:37.72 All those terms they want to say concerning 00:33:37.95\00:33:41.22 the fact that you want to stand for what the Bible says. 00:33:41.46\00:33:45.22 What I'm trying to tell you 00:33:45.46\00:33:47.88 is God says: "Stand... don't give up your faith. 00:33:47.91\00:33:53.59 Follow what the Word of God says. " Don't misunderstand me. 00:33:53.83\00:33:58.44 I'm to stand, and I'm to stand firmly. 00:34:01.57\00:34:04.32 But I need to do it in a kind, 00:34:05.90\00:34:08.63 gentle, compassionate way. 00:34:09.03\00:34:13.77 That I need to do. 00:34:14.17\00:34:16.43 But I shouldn't let things move me or change me... 00:34:16.66\00:34:21.02 I need to stand by the Word of God. 00:34:21.25\00:34:25.24 This is the same problem they had in the church at that time. 00:34:25.67\00:34:31.10 This is what the problem in Jerusalem 00:34:31.33\00:34:33.16 at the Council of Jerusalem was all over 00:34:33.30\00:34:35.14 was the fact that there were people that were willing to say 00:34:35.37\00:34:39.07 uh, "this is where we stand" 00:34:39.31\00:34:41.50 and there were people arguing against it. 00:34:41.64\00:34:43.99 You had some of the Jewish converts 00:34:44.22\00:34:48.17 that were arguing for certain things and others 00:34:48.40\00:34:51.14 and they had the Council at Jerusalem. 00:34:51.37\00:34:53.30 And when that Council was through 00:34:53.54\00:34:55.72 this was the advice they gave to the churches back then - 00:34:55.96\00:34:59.10 and Pergamos was involved in this. 00:34:59.34\00:35:01.28 See they were just saying: "Come on, doesn't hurt. 00:35:20.68\00:35:23.41 You can take part of this. " OK? 00:35:23.64\00:35:26.26 This was their problem. 00:35:34.17\00:35:35.88 They were trying to involve the people 00:35:36.12\00:35:38.09 into all their pagan rites and sacrifices, and they said: "No! 00:35:38.22\00:35:43.61 Don't be involved in this. " 00:35:43.85\00:35:46.73 Dear friends, you and I are in the world. 00:35:47.06\00:35:53.02 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:35:53.36\00:35:57.84 God expects us to be. 00:35:58.18\00:35:59.98 We're to bear a witness in the world. 00:36:00.21\00:36:02.72 The problem that you and I must be very careful of 00:36:02.95\00:36:06.55 is we must not let the world be in us. 00:36:06.65\00:36:08.78 God has called us out, and we must walk with the Lord 00:36:09.01\00:36:14.76 in what we do in a kind, gentle way. 00:36:14.90\00:36:20.69 Now we've run onto this before in the churches. 00:36:27.50\00:36:31.61 In the church of Ephesus we were faced with this doctrine 00:36:31.75\00:36:34.37 of the Nicolatians. Here it is again. 00:36:34.51\00:36:36.69 That had invaded the whole country. 00:36:36.93\00:36:39.89 These were people that were followers of the deacon Nicolas. 00:36:40.22\00:36:45.72 And the deacon Nicolas said 00:36:45.95\00:36:48.67 that spirituality and physical part 00:36:48.81\00:36:54.65 really didn't have any relationship to one another. 00:36:54.88\00:36:57.75 What you did physically had no effect upon your spiritual. 00:36:57.99\00:37:03.51 This came much from the teachings of Gnosticism 00:37:03.75\00:37:06.76 and out of Alexandria, Egypt, a lot of this came 00:37:06.79\00:37:11.26 and out of Rome 00:37:11.39\00:37:12.60 they taught this, and it was invading the whole country. 00:37:12.80\00:37:15.92 And He said: "Thus you also have those who hold 00:37:16.16\00:37:19.82 the doctrine of the Nicolatians. " 00:37:19.95\00:37:21.64 And there were people in the church there at Pergamos 00:37:21.88\00:37:25.07 that were going along with this. 00:37:25.30\00:37:27.73 This also involved the belief 00:37:28.16\00:37:32.36 that we talked about which was antinomianism. 00:37:32.59\00:37:36.45 Antinomianism takes the law of God 00:37:36.68\00:37:42.33 and says that the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:37:42.57\00:37:47.37 frees me from the law 00:37:47.61\00:37:50.28 and I don't have to pay any attention to it 00:37:50.41\00:37:52.82 or worry about it. I'm not concerned about keeping it. 00:37:52.95\00:37:56.51 I am under grace... I'm not under law. 00:37:56.74\00:38:00.60 That's what it says. 00:38:00.83\00:38:02.44 And it says that I don't have to worry about that. 00:38:02.68\00:38:05.36 That is not something that I need to be concerned with. 00:38:05.60\00:38:08.81 And yet God... Christ said: "I HATE this. " 00:38:09.05\00:38:12.12 "Hate this... " because He, Himself, 00:38:12.46\00:38:15.55 is the embodiment of God's law. 00:38:15.68\00:38:18.67 And you and I must be willing to walk in accordance 00:38:18.91\00:38:24.61 with God's law. I cannot tread it underfoot. 00:38:24.75\00:38:29.86 Just can't do that. 00:38:30.09\00:38:32.10 God makes it clear that the law 00:38:32.44\00:38:34.80 is something that you and I are to keep. 00:38:34.93\00:38:37.88 That we are to walk in His law, follow it. 00:38:38.12\00:38:42.66 Also, it simply taught that since the 00:38:42.89\00:38:48.59 physical had no relationship to the spiritual 00:38:48.72\00:38:52.39 that I could do anything I wanted 00:38:52.53\00:38:54.60 and it didn't affect my salvation. 00:38:54.74\00:38:56.87 Therefore if I just accepted Christ 00:38:57.11\00:39:00.30 I could live like the devil and that was still all right. 00:39:00.53\00:39:05.79 But no... that's not what the scripture teaches. 00:39:06.03\00:39:09.23 In fact, unless Christ comes into your heart and changes you, 00:39:09.47\00:39:14.66 then there's something wrong... there's no change there. 00:39:14.86\00:39:19.08 So God simply says antinomianism was contrary to that. 00:39:19.32\00:39:24.15 Now... back to Pergamos. 00:39:24.38\00:39:26.57 Purgos meant castle or tower or exalted, 00:39:26.81\00:39:32.62 lifted up. The city was on this mountain 00:39:32.85\00:39:37.34 and the temple and all, and it was looked upon 00:39:37.48\00:39:40.52 as being impregnable. 00:39:40.66\00:39:42.57 Couldn't be taken. 00:39:42.87\00:39:44.46 And the only times it was ever taken was by strategism 00:39:44.60\00:39:48.09 and someone getting there 00:39:48.13\00:39:50.70 because it was easily guarded and cared for. 00:39:50.94\00:39:53.51 But gamos - that word part of Pergamos - 00:39:53.75\00:39:58.51 gamos stood for marriage. 00:39:58.64\00:40:02.15 And so it says exalted or lifted up through marriage. 00:40:03.14\00:40:08.90 What it talks about. 00:40:09.04\00:40:10.40 And so what you have here is you have union 00:40:10.63\00:40:14.58 of church and state, see? 00:40:14.81\00:40:20.52 This is where the state reached out and took the church in 00:40:20.76\00:40:25.35 and they became married. 00:40:25.59\00:40:27.89 Paganism has always been that way, folks. 00:40:28.12\00:40:30.63 Paganism had always been that the 00:40:30.83\00:40:34.80 leader, the Emperor, or whoever was in charge 00:40:34.93\00:40:38.94 was not only in charge of the state 00:40:39.17\00:40:41.50 but he was also in charge of the religion. 00:40:41.74\00:40:44.04 That's always been the case. 00:40:44.27\00:40:46.07 So now all of a sudden here the state has reached out 00:40:46.31\00:40:51.09 and has taken in the church. 00:40:51.33\00:40:53.52 And the state now is not only the political head 00:40:53.75\00:40:57.15 but it becomes the religious head as well. 00:40:57.29\00:41:00.95 It's always the case. 00:41:02.25\00:41:04.62 And here it opened up its doors and invited in, 00:41:04.85\00:41:09.34 and the church and the state became married 00:41:09.57\00:41:12.81 and you had unification of church and state. 00:41:12.95\00:41:17.18 This was a major, major problem 00:41:17.42\00:41:21.46 because now you find that the state 00:41:21.69\00:41:26.46 is interested in doing what it can 00:41:27.95\00:41:30.77 to make religion more popular. 00:41:31.01\00:41:35.15 More people accept it and invite them in. 00:41:35.39\00:41:38.67 And so you get the church infiltrated with all kinds 00:41:38.91\00:41:43.10 of pagan customs. And even to this day 00:41:43.24\00:41:46.76 many, many of the things that is practiced 00:41:46.90\00:41:50.47 comes about as the result of paganism. 00:41:50.70\00:41:53.66 You just went through a period. 00:41:54.00\00:41:56.75 Have you ever heard of 40 days of Lent? 00:41:57.35\00:42:02.16 If you wanted to go back and look at it 00:42:04.15\00:42:07.05 and study it, you'll find those 40 days 00:42:07.29\00:42:11.29 were 40 days of weeping for the god Tammuz... 00:42:11.52\00:42:15.59 what they were doing. And so they just took a pagan custom 00:42:15.79\00:42:20.20 and Christianized it and brought it into the church. 00:42:20.45\00:42:23.44 Also tell me - if you would... what does Easter bunnies 00:42:24.87\00:42:30.74 have to do with the resurrection of Christ? 00:42:31.08\00:42:33.60 Where did that come from? 00:42:33.84\00:42:36.84 Because they were gods of fertility. 00:42:36.97\00:42:39.49 They worshiped them as such. 00:42:39.72\00:42:41.86 This is where all this infiltrated into the church 00:42:42.09\00:42:45.56 and came... And today it's handed out and people accept it 00:42:45.70\00:42:49.55 as part of the Christian religion 00:42:49.79\00:42:52.59 which really in reality it's not. 00:42:52.82\00:42:55.17 And you and I need to follow what the Word of God says. 00:42:55.40\00:43:00.29 He said: "Change, repent. If you don't, 00:43:08.26\00:43:12.22 I'll come against you and fight with you 00:43:12.45\00:43:15.93 with the sword of My mouth. " And the sword of His mouth 00:43:16.16\00:43:18.96 is sharp... a sharp, two-edge sword. 00:43:19.20\00:43:24.11 And He said: "I'll fight with you on this. " 00:43:24.34\00:43:27.68 The Word of God... powerful. 00:43:27.91\00:43:33.08 This book and the teachings of this book 00:43:37.52\00:43:43.23 has captured nations. 00:43:43.46\00:43:49.11 It has changed entire countries. 00:43:49.45\00:43:55.25 This book is not just a history book, 00:43:57.05\00:44:02.05 not just a book of literature. 00:44:02.28\00:44:05.62 It's not just a book of literature or grammar. 00:44:05.86\00:44:11.10 This book is divine... 00:44:12.70\00:44:14.68 it's the Word of God, OK? 00:44:14.88\00:44:19.36 This is what you and I must be willing to follow. 00:44:21.01\00:44:25.29 In other words, He's saying that you and I 00:44:43.31\00:44:45.66 are going to be judged by this book. 00:44:45.89\00:44:48.20 That's how we're going to be judged is by this book. 00:44:49.71\00:44:51.94 "It will judge them in the last days. " 00:44:52.02\00:44:54.28 And therefore, if I have opened my heart and accepted it 00:44:54.51\00:44:59.38 and followed it, 00:44:59.81\00:45:01.87 you're going to be in good shape. 00:45:02.21\00:45:04.53 Because if you do that, 00:45:04.97\00:45:07.24 then Jesus Christ is going to represent you. 00:45:07.47\00:45:11.55 And if Christ represents you, you can't lose. 00:45:11.78\00:45:16.66 OK? So the Word of God will judge the people 00:45:16.90\00:45:22.06 in the last days. 00:45:22.30\00:45:24.31 Well, let's look at what He says here: 00:45:24.55\00:45:26.58 You and I need to listen carefully to what it has to say. 00:45:34.12\00:45:39.29 We need to make sure that we understand 00:45:40.24\00:45:43.95 what God is saying to you and to me. 00:45:44.18\00:45:47.06 The promise... the promise that's given: 00:45:47.26\00:45:50.92 OK. He said: "I will give him some of the hidden manna. " 00:46:07.16\00:46:11.94 Ah, there's something to be learned about the hidden manna. 00:46:12.27\00:46:16.08 Very much so. 00:46:16.41\00:46:18.27 Speaking of the children of Israel it says here 00:46:18.61\00:46:20.89 in I Corinthians 10:3,4: 00:46:21.02\00:46:23.30 OK. Now it says feed them "with the hidden manna. " 00:46:35.60\00:46:40.04 What is that talking about... 00:46:41.63\00:46:43.53 the hidden manna? 00:46:45.03\00:46:47.42 Bread. Angel's food as it was called. 00:46:47.76\00:46:52.36 I want to share something with you. 00:46:52.59\00:46:55.18 When the manna fell, when did it fall? 00:46:55.42\00:46:58.10 Yeah, early in the morning. 00:46:59.78\00:47:02.72 When they woke up, it was on the ground, right? 00:47:02.96\00:47:06.02 How long did it stay there? 00:47:07.65\00:47:09.66 What does the scripture say? 00:47:12.11\00:47:13.84 It says that when the sun came up 00:47:14.18\00:47:19.08 it melted is what it says. 00:47:19.32\00:47:22.61 Now what I'm trying to get across to you 00:47:22.84\00:47:26.05 is this is manna... this is the Word of God. 00:47:28.54\00:47:32.73 It's manna. Much, much better 00:47:32.97\00:47:36.72 if you eat of it early in the morning. 00:47:36.96\00:47:40.16 If you eat of it early in the morning it's much, much better. 00:47:42.85\00:47:46.53 And a little secret: 00:47:46.87\00:47:49.62 Five minutes with that... and the Lord help you 00:47:51.79\00:47:55.30 if that's all you spend with it... 00:47:55.44\00:47:57.07 but five minutes with that 00:47:57.41\00:47:59.63 will save a half hour of confession at night. 00:47:59.67\00:48:03.44 Spend time with the Lord in the morning. 00:48:03.78\00:48:07.13 Listen to the words of Jesus here: 00:48:07.37\00:48:09.48 HE is the Bread of Life. 00:48:14.00\00:48:15.45 Do you want life? 00:48:15.69\00:48:17.27 Huh? Do you want life? 00:48:17.50\00:48:19.17 Jesus said: "I am the Bread of Life. " 00:48:19.41\00:48:22.38 See, that's what... that's 00:48:27.61\00:48:31.32 what these Jewish people after He had fed the 5,000 00:48:31.55\00:48:34.30 they all came down there and they said... 00:48:34.54\00:48:36.00 "You know, this miracle... " they said to Him... 00:48:36.24\00:48:40.31 They said: "This miracle You did; that wasn't so great. " 00:48:40.45\00:48:43.03 They said: "Moses gave our fathers bread 00:48:44.36\00:48:47.11 in the wilderness. " 00:48:47.24\00:48:48.45 And Jesus said: "Yeah, your fathers ate manna 00:48:49.54\00:48:53.92 in the wilderness. They're dead. " 00:48:54.05\00:48:55.83 That's a promise: one may eat of this and not die. 00:49:07.34\00:49:12.24 Learn to eat the Word of God. 00:49:13.83\00:49:18.70 And I can tell you right now, there was for years 00:49:18.94\00:49:22.15 that the devil saw to it in my own life 00:49:22.35\00:49:25.24 that I didn't spend the time with the Word of God 00:49:25.47\00:49:28.09 that I should. 00:49:28.22\00:49:29.27 I mean, I was doing good things and I was busy, 00:49:30.29\00:49:35.53 but I wasn't spending time with the Word of God. 00:49:35.77\00:49:38.28 And finally one day I woke up 00:49:38.51\00:49:41.27 and I said: "Listen, if you have time to eat physically 00:49:41.50\00:49:47.94 then you have time to read God's Word. " 00:49:48.18\00:49:51.27 And I made a pact that if I didn't have time 00:49:51.70\00:49:56.41 to read God's Word, I didn't have time to eat. 00:49:56.64\00:50:00.40 Since that day, I've always found time for both. 00:50:03.39\00:50:06.07 So... make it part of your life 00:50:06.50\00:50:10.82 to spend time with the Word of God. 00:50:11.16\00:50:13.99 Take time, friends, 00:50:34.61\00:50:37.12 to read God's Word. Take it into your heart. 00:50:37.36\00:50:40.76 This is the hidden manna 00:50:40.99\00:50:43.85 that He's willing to give to you and me. 00:50:44.08\00:50:46.03 OK. 00:50:59.03\00:51:00.59 He said: "I'm going to give him a white stone, 00:51:11.03\00:51:14.44 and on that I'm going to write a new name. " 00:51:14.68\00:51:18.08 OK. "And the only one that knows that 00:51:19.77\00:51:21.85 will be that person. " 00:51:22.08\00:51:24.26 A new name. You see, back then 00:51:24.49\00:51:27.88 that's the way judges made decisions. 00:51:28.11\00:51:32.69 If you were acquitted, 00:51:33.02\00:51:35.49 they put out a white stone. 00:51:35.73\00:51:37.79 If you were condemned, it was a black stone. 00:51:38.42\00:51:42.55 Given a new stone... white stone. 00:51:44.72\00:51:47.90 Also, that's something that they gave to athletes. 00:51:48.13\00:51:51.22 Tessera or something like that 00:51:51.45\00:51:54.84 was the name of it. I can't remember exactly. 00:51:55.09\00:51:56.89 But the stone they gave them if they had won a victory 00:51:57.13\00:52:01.01 they gave them this white stone with their name 00:52:01.25\00:52:06.14 inscribed in that white stone. 00:52:06.37\00:52:07.89 And that stone gave them privileges because they had won. 00:52:08.12\00:52:13.71 This was done. This is what He's referring to. 00:52:13.94\00:52:16.72 He's going to give you and I a white stone. 00:52:16.82\00:52:20.41 You see, you and I don't even know our own hearts... 00:52:35.94\00:52:39.97 but God does. 00:52:41.63\00:52:43.22 He knows us 00:52:43.56\00:52:46.01 better than we know ourselves. 00:52:46.21\00:52:48.70 And to those people who follow Him and walk with Him 00:52:49.04\00:52:52.98 and obey Him and open up their hearts to Him 00:52:53.12\00:52:56.23 and accept Him, to them He's going to give a white stone, 00:52:56.37\00:53:00.24 and on that He's going to write a name 00:53:00.47\00:53:02.87 that has to do with you that nobody else will know 00:53:03.10\00:53:08.10 except only you because that fits your character 00:53:08.43\00:53:12.77 like nothing else you ever knew. 00:53:13.00\00:53:14.97 That is what He's going to write on that stone 00:53:15.30\00:53:17.79 and give you a new name 00:53:18.02\00:53:20.16 that will be especially meaningful to you. 00:53:20.39\00:53:25.99 Going to give you a new name, 00:53:40.01\00:53:41.51 and that will represent your character. 00:53:42.83\00:53:45.92 And so dear friend I would say 00:53:46.15\00:53:48.45 place your life in His hands. 00:53:48.78\00:53:51.69 Let Him change you. Let Him make you different. 00:53:51.92\00:53:55.98 Let Him speak to your soul 00:53:56.32\00:53:59.75 and change you that you may be a new person 00:53:59.99\00:54:03.50 in Christ Jesus. 00:54:03.74\00:54:05.37 This is what He wants to do for you and for me. 00:54:05.61\00:54:08.51 And He'll bless you in a special way as you do so. 00:54:08.84\00:54:13.24 Let us pray. 00:54:13.47\00:54:14.52 Heavenly Father, 00:54:14.76\00:54:16.15 We thank you... thank you that You are willing 00:54:16.38\00:54:19.62 to give us a new name. That we can feast, 00:54:20.93\00:54:25.52 that we can eat of the hidden manna... 00:54:25.85\00:54:29.55 the Bread of Life... that as we take it into our lives 00:54:29.88\00:54:35.11 that we each might know and understand 00:54:36.33\00:54:40.38 that in You is life 00:54:40.51\00:54:42.89 and in Christ Jesus we can find hope, 00:54:43.12\00:54:47.16 we can find peace, and we can find joy. 00:54:47.39\00:54:50.80 Bless each one here and those that are listening tonight. 00:54:51.04\00:54:54.62 For this we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior 00:54:54.85\00:54:59.18 Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:54:59.41\00:55:01.21 Our next presentation will be on the church of Thyatira 00:55:03.02\00:55:08.99 and we hope it will bless you in a special way 00:55:09.22\00:55:13.03 as we continue to study together. 00:55:13.26\00:55:15.05 Hello, folks. 00:55:17.09\00:55:18.35 One of my favorite things to do in the springtime 00:55:18.65\00:55:20.85 is to take a walk and look at all the new growth. 00:55:21.05\00:55:24.54 The earth seems so fresh, 00:55:24.84\00:55:26.61 and each tree bursts forth with buds and flowers. 00:55:26.81\00:55:29.63 That reminds me of a parable that Jesus told His followers 00:55:29.93\00:55:33.76 in Luke 21. 00:55:33.96\00:55:35.23 You see, He had just described the events which will happen 00:55:35.53\00:55:39.12 immediately before His second coming. 00:55:39.32\00:55:41.67 But in verse 29 Jesus turns their attention 00:55:55.75\00:55:59.31 to the fig tree. 00:55:59.51\00:56:00.78 And ever since then, the budding trees have served as a permanent 00:56:00.91\00:56:04.55 reminder that our time here is very short 00:56:04.75\00:56:07.69 and the second coming is very near. 00:56:07.89\00:56:10.86 Folks, many of these signs are already upon us. 00:56:25.72\00:56:29.69 The earth groans from the greed of those who have 00:56:29.89\00:56:32.36 exploited her resources, ravaged her land 00:56:32.56\00:56:36.22 and destroyed plants and animals and atmosphere alike 00:56:36.32\00:56:39.31 in a selfish pursuit of wealth. 00:56:39.51\00:56:42.02 Have you seen the signs? 00:56:42.32\00:56:43.88 Have you seen men's hearts failing with fear? 00:56:44.18\00:56:46.79 If you haven't, then I'm afraid you're not watching 00:56:46.99\00:56:49.81 very closely. However, the Holy Spirit is hard at work 00:56:50.01\00:56:53.86 and so are many Christians who long for an end to sin 00:56:54.06\00:56:57.68 and look forward to their soon-coming Savior. 00:56:57.88\00:57:00.90 And that's why we continue to preach the gospel 00:57:01.20\00:57:03.81 to as many as we can through any means that we can 00:57:04.01\00:57:07.85 as often as we can. 00:57:08.05\00:57:10.07 Our ministry team is supported solely 00:57:10.27\00:57:12.68 by your contributions... and we thank you for your 00:57:12.88\00:57:16.11 faithful prayers and financial support. 00:57:16.31\00:57:19.54 May God richly bless you. 00:57:19.74\00:57:21.85 Please consider what you can do for those who still don't know 00:57:22.25\00:57:25.58 about Jesus. As the Holy Spirit impresses, 00:57:25.88\00:57:28.38 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 00:57:28.58\00:57:30.67 Thank you for helping us spread the light of God's Word 00:57:42.82\00:57:45.15 through television and radio. 00:57:45.35\00:57:46.93 Your gifts help bring the blessed hope of salvation 00:57:47.13\00:57:49.36 to millions around the world. 00:57:49.56\00:57:51.87