In the 15th chapter
of Revelation, we find
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an interesting scene,
just to get a little bit
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of the background.
Remember chapter 13 and 14
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describe this cosmic
conflict, this struggle
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over the true
worship of the true God
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or the worship of the
beast, the counterfeit worship
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of a counterfeit
God. Chapter 14 shows the
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three angels
messages going out to every
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living being on this earth,
every person on earth is gonna
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have the opportunity to
hear the everlasting Gospel.
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In the setting of
the judgment hour,
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the hour of his
judgment has come and every
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living person on this
earth will hear the call
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to worship God, the creator
of the heavens and the earth.
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And then there will be warned
about the errors of Babylon.
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Babylon has fallen,
Babylon and those who are
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in Babylon trample upon
the Holy things. Things that
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God himself had set aside
and made Holy and therefore
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they find
themselves worshiping the beast
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instead of the creator,
the creature rather than
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the creator and
then the third angel says
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if anyone worships the
beast or his image and takes
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his mark on the right
hand or the forehead, he will
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also drink the
wine of the wrath of God
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poured full strength from
the cup of his indignation.
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So the truth goes to
everyone, everyone is
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warned about the
false worship and
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warned about the consequences
of worshiping the beast.
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Therefore no one has
an excuse, no one is left
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with an excuse for
not worshiping God.
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God has done everything
that he could possibly do.
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Then in the 15th chapter
in verse 5, it says I looked
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in heaven, I looked
and in heaven the temple
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that is the Tabernacle
of the Testimony was opened,
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the sanctuary in
heaven is now opened and
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out of the temple
came the seven angels
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with seven plagues.
They were dressed in clean,
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shining linen and
wore golden sashes around
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their chests and one of
the four living creatures
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gave to the seven angels,
seven golden bowls filled
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with the wrath of God,
who lives forever and ever.
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And the temple was
filled with smoke from the glory
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of God and from his
power, and no one could enter
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the temple anymore
until the seven plagues
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of the seven
angels were completed.
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Now salvation only comes
by faith, by grace through
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faith in Jesus Christ
and we've access to Christ
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through the sanctuary in
heaven where he ministers
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for us today. So the
time is coming, when those
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seven angels with the
seven bowls come out of the
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sanctuary and the
sanctuary is filled with smoke.
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No one is allowed to enter
that means that there is no
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more access to the saving
grace of God, every decision
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has been made and now
the angels go to pour out
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the bowls of God
wrath upon the earth.
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In Revelation chapter 22
verse 11, Jesus says as he
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finishes his ministry
in the sanctuary in heaven.
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He stands up and he
says, let him who does wrong
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continue to do wrong
and let him who is vile
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continued to be vile, let
him who does right continue
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to do right and let him who
is Holy continue to be Holy.
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Behold I am coming soon
and my reward is with me
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and I'll give to
everyone according to what he
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has done. In other words,
sometime before Jesus comes,
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the temple in heaven
fills with smoke. Now one can
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enter, no more access
to the saving grace of God,
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the wicked will stay
wicked, the righteous will stay
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righteous, Jesus is
coming soon. Now, this doesn't
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mean that all of a
sudden one day God wakes up
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from a goodnight sleep
and says man this is it,
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I've had it. I've had
it up to here with those
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stubborn
stiff-neck people, that's it,
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I'm finished, no
more. That's not what
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it is all about. What
it's all about is that God
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knows that he has
finally reached the point where
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he has done everything he
could possibly do. He bore
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through the years of
the Old Testament times
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with the prophets.
He send his own son
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Jesus Christ and he died
on the cross 2000 years ago
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and even after 2000
years, he has had men and women
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stand for the Cross of
Christ proclaiming Jesus
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to the world and then
finally at the judgment time
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God raises up a people to
say this is the end, time is
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running short. The hour
of God judgment has come,
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if there was ever a
time to get right with God,
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the time is now and the
message goes to every tribe,
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every language,
every nation, every people,
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they're warned
against the errors of Babylon.
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They're called to come
out of Babylon, lest they
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share in her plagues
and they are warned against
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taking the mark of
the beast and worshiping
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the beast. God knows
that the time has come when
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if he allowed time
to go on to an eternity,
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he knows that no one
else will change their minds.
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He has done all that
he can do and all that he
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could possibly do at
that point he says is done.
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The righteous stay righteous,
the wicked stay wicked,
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I'm coming soon.
Now the question is,
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when that day comes
what will you be doing?
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What will you be
doing on the last day,
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the answer to that question
is found in the word of God.
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In Luke, the Gospel of
Luke, the 17th chapter,
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Luke chapter 17 verse 26.
Justice it was in the days
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of Noah, so also it
will be in the days of
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the son of man. So
what was it like in the
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days of Noah? If we can
find out what it was like
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in the days of Noah,
then we'll know what we will
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be doing then, because
look he says in verse 27,
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people were eating and
drinking, marrying, being
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given in marriage up
until the day Noah entered the
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Ark and then the flood
came and took them all away,
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it destroyed them. It
says, verse 28, it was the same
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in the days of Lot.
People were eating, drinking,
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buying, selling, planting,
building. But today that
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Lot left Sodom, fire
and sulfur rained down from
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heaven and destroyed
them all. It will be just
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like this on the day that
the son of man is revealed.
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What will it be like, it
will be like it was in the
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days of Noah. What will
it be like on the last day,
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it'll be like it was in
the days of Lot, what was it
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like in the days of
Noah? What was it like in the
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days of Lot? What were
they doing at that time?
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They were eating,
drinking, marrying, giving in
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marriage, buying,
selling, building, planting.
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Well, what's wrong with
those things? Not a thing,
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not a thing, you see that's
the point on that day when
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Jesus says it's done,
righteous stay righteous,
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the wicked stay
wicked, on that day it will be
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business as usual.
Things you're doing now
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are probably the things
that you're gonna be doing then.
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Business as usual,
just like it was in the days
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of Noah, going about
life, you see we don't like
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to change. No one likes to
make changes in their lives,
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we're creatures of
habit, we like to just go on
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doing things the way
we've done it all alone.
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Business as usual, the
things you're doing now
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are probably what you're
gonna be doing on that day,
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just like it was in the
days of Noah. What was it like
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in Noah's day? What a
man, Noah. He preached for
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120 years that God was
gonna destroy this world by
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flood and the only way to
be saved was to get into the
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Ark that he was building
as a visible evidence of
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his faith and trust in God,
120 years. Now that's a long,
00:12:02.06\00:12:11.91
long evangelistic
campaign. Some of you wrote on
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your cards the other
night what would you change
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if you could change
one thing. I asked you
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some of you said, make
it shorter. Imagine living
00:12:21.16\00:12:25.58
in the days of Noah, 120
years and after 120 years,
00:12:25.61\00:12:32.14
he made his final altar
call and only seven people
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came forward, and
they were his own family.
00:12:36.47\00:12:39.81
After 120 years, sometime
I confess I get a little
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discouraged because
God doesn't seem to move as
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fast as I wished he
would move, but I've never gone
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for 120 years and
just seven people. What a
00:12:52.60\00:12:58.93
committed man of
God Noah must have been.
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I've got to believe
that Noah was so impassioned,
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he was so confident
to preach for 120 years
00:13:07.38\00:13:10.53
without ever giving
up. He believed his heart
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burned with the truth
and I believe he must have
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preach his heart out as
deep as he possibly could,
00:13:16.21\00:13:21.22
I believe that he moved
the hearts of those people
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they heard things they
had never heard before.
00:13:23.95\00:13:26.11
In the way they had never
heard it delivered before,
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but they didn't
change. Just seven people, why?
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They we're too busy
building and planting,
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buying and selling,
they didn't want to change.
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As it was in the days
of Noah. I'm sure that
00:13:50.11\00:13:54.15
people hearts were
touched and I'm sure that when
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people went to hear him
preach they thought I never
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heard anything like this
before, what if it's true.
00:14:00.13\00:14:03.31
I am sure they even went
running to their churches,
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in their temples and wherever
they went to worship and
00:14:06.54\00:14:09.13
asked their pastors and
their priests what about this.
00:14:09.16\00:14:12.08
He said that God is
gonna destroy the world
00:14:12.18\00:14:14.90
in six days, in seven
days, God is gonna destroy
00:14:14.93\00:14:18.09
the world by
flood. What about it?
00:14:18.12\00:14:22.77
Pastor said, give me a
break. God is gonna wipe
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out the whole world,
just whoever joins his little
00:14:30.68\00:14:34.73
boat church is gonna be
saved. Can't get very many
00:14:34.76\00:14:38.48
people in there, he even
said he is gonna save animals
00:14:38.51\00:14:41.12
in there, that doesn't leave
room for people and besides
00:14:41.15\00:14:45.71
that God would never do
anything like that, he is
00:14:45.74\00:14:51.47
Santa Claus, he gives
us whatever we ask him for.
00:14:51.50\00:14:55.30
Or another one would go
to that church and pastor
00:14:59.13\00:15:01.92
would say, don't you
listen to Noah, he don't
00:15:01.95\00:15:05.98
have it all together up
here, he's got a few loose
00:15:06.01\00:15:08.08
screws up there,
doesn't know what
00:15:08.11\00:15:10.32
he is talking about.
Have you ever seen rain,
00:15:10.35\00:15:12.64
it never rained on the
earth before till that time.
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.86
It's impossible, it is
scientifically impossible,
00:15:17.46\00:15:20.22
besides that, he is building
that boat up on the hill,
00:15:20.72\00:15:23.21
everybody knows water
doesn't go up the hill,
00:15:23.87\00:15:25.93
how is he gonna float
the boat anyway. One day,
00:15:25.96\00:15:33.44
they were listening and
Noah said time is short,
00:15:33.47\00:15:38.96
one day soon you're gonna
see the animals coming out
00:15:40.53\00:15:44.21
of the woods and they're
gonna lineup and they are
00:15:44.24\00:15:47.22
gonna get in that boat,
don't wait until it's too
00:15:47.25\00:15:50.86
late, because one
day soon God's angels are
00:15:50.89\00:15:56.05
gonna seal that door
shut and when the door shuts
00:15:56.08\00:15:59.91
it will be too late,
you need to get in now.
00:16:00.04\00:16:03.14
Well, I'll wait till
those animals start going in
00:16:04.47\00:16:07.12
and then I'll go in the
Ark. I'll wait till I see the
00:16:07.15\00:16:12.37
prophesies unfold then
I'll know that it's true,
00:16:12.40\00:16:15.55
I here that all the
time, I'm sure glad I learned
00:16:16.39\00:16:19.72
those prophesy in Revelation,
I'm gonna wait until I see
00:16:19.75\00:16:22.74
those things start happening
and then I'm gonna step
00:16:22.77\00:16:25.60
across the line.
Folks they're happening now.
00:16:25.63\00:16:28.35
In the days of Noah,
they saw, they saw animals
00:16:30.34\00:16:33.97
lining up, two by two
coming out of the woods
00:16:34.02\00:16:36.73
by the unseen hands of
the angels guiding them
00:16:36.76\00:16:39.20
up to gangplank into
the Ark, they saw it happen,
00:16:39.38\00:16:42.45
they heard the prophesy,
they saw a miracle with
00:16:42.62\00:16:44.87
their own eyes and
not one person changed
00:16:44.90\00:16:47.15
their mind, not one, why
not, business as usual. We don't
00:16:47.18\00:16:54.98
like to change, they didn't
like it back then, we still
00:16:55.01\00:16:59.69
don't like it today. I am
sure the scientists had an
00:16:59.72\00:17:03.25
explanation. Oh!
Those animals just got tired
00:17:03.28\00:17:06.12
of living in the
woods, they wanted to try
00:17:06.15\00:17:07.39
something different, so
they went inside the boat,
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.34
you know you can explain
away anything if you want to.
00:17:10.40\00:17:12.63
Noah makes his last appeal.
You've heard me, 120 years,
00:17:18.42\00:17:24.50
you've seen the prophesies,
you've see it happen,
00:17:24.53\00:17:26.75
now is the time, this
is your last opportunity,
00:17:27.79\00:17:30.15
no one. Oh! How are
you gonna get that big door
00:17:32.41\00:17:37.36
closed Noah, you made
it too big, its too heavy,
00:17:37.39\00:17:39.46
you'll never get it shut
and the unseen hands of the
00:17:39.49\00:17:44.33
angel slowly close
that big door to the Ark,
00:17:44.36\00:17:49.07
slam shut. You know I've
got to believe that there
00:17:50.33\00:17:55.39
were people standing on
the outside of that boat
00:17:55.42\00:17:57.83
wishing they were on the
inside, but it was too late,
00:17:57.86\00:18:04.04
they had every opportunity,
they didn't want to change.
00:18:04.50\00:18:07.78
Bible says Noah was in
that boat for seven days,
00:18:10.37\00:18:12.87
nothing happened and
everyday that went by
00:18:14.65\00:18:18.48
the people started
feeling more and more relieved,
00:18:18.51\00:18:20.61
whew! Boy then, wow!
Glad I didn't get in there.
00:18:20.64\00:18:23.87
Noah, what's it smell
like in there by now. Noah,
00:18:24.62\00:18:26.60
come on out, the air
is clear and fresh not a
00:18:26.63\00:18:28.70
cloud in the sky, but
one day they did see a cloud,
00:18:28.73\00:18:34.88
first one they ever
saw and then another one,
00:18:36.02\00:18:38.65
another one and
another one. Rains came down
00:18:38.68\00:18:42.85
and flood waters
came up, and every living
00:18:44.17\00:18:47.43
person on the earth
was destroyed except Noah
00:18:47.46\00:18:54.21
and his seven family
members, that is impossible but
00:18:54.85\00:19:03.13
it's true. Sometimes people
ask, hey, if the things we
00:19:03.16\00:19:08.40
hear in Revelation Now
is really true why doesn't
00:19:08.43\00:19:10.69
everybody else see it?
Why didn't they all see it
00:19:10.72\00:19:13.10
in the days of Noah? You
can't find truth by what's
00:19:13.13\00:19:18.43
popular. It's eight
people in the whole world,
00:19:18.46\00:19:23.91
saw a miracle and nobody
changed their mind. As it was
00:19:25.56\00:19:29.17
in the days of Noah, so
shall it be at the coming
00:19:29.20\00:19:31.66
of the son of
man. In 18th May, 1980,
00:19:31.69\00:19:38.68
I remember we were driving
to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
00:19:38.71\00:19:43.83
to do a Revelation
Now meeting, we heard
00:19:43.86\00:19:46.53
the news, Mount Saint Helens
began to spew ash and some
00:19:46.56\00:19:53.49
of you will remember that.
And they had enough warning,
00:19:53.52\00:19:57.93
people were warned to
get off of the mountain,
00:19:58.83\00:20:00.56
get out of the area,
many did, but you know I saw
00:20:00.59\00:20:07.02
that interview. I'm sure
you saw it a number of times,
00:20:07.05\00:20:09.67
crusty old Harry
Truman. I've been here 50 years,
00:20:10.52\00:20:15.49
nobody's getting me off
that mountain, he is still
00:20:15.55\00:20:17.61
there buried under
Spirit Lake, he didn't want
00:20:17.64\00:20:21.92
to change. People will
die for what they've been
00:20:21.95\00:20:28.97
living for all along, we
just don't like to change.
00:20:29.00\00:20:34.91
79 AD Mount Vesuvius
did the same thing, began
00:20:37.75\00:20:44.27
to spit ash into the
atmosphere, people and
00:20:44.30\00:20:49.54
citizens of Pompeii
were warned to get out of the
00:20:49.57\00:20:53.54
city because Mount Vesuvius
is about to erupt and it did.
00:20:53.57\00:21:01.70
My wife and I had
the opportunity to visit
00:21:05.00\00:21:09.43
a museum in Dallas,
Texas years ago and they
00:21:09.46\00:21:13.90
had brought over some of
the artifacts that had been
00:21:13.93\00:21:16.36
excavated from Pompeii,
we went to see that. And I
00:21:16.39\00:21:23.70
wanna tell you, it
wasn't a very pretty site,
00:21:23.73\00:21:26.82
the art work, the sculpture
was the grossest kind of
00:21:28.12\00:21:31.73
immorality you could
think of, it didn't take
00:21:31.76\00:21:34.09
a lot of imagination
to wonder why God allowed
00:21:34.25\00:21:37.40
Pompeii to be destroyed.
But the reason I went was
00:21:37.43\00:21:45.72
because I'd heard about
the exhibit that they had
00:21:45.75\00:21:49.84
at the exit door. The
last exhibit in the museum,
00:21:51.39\00:21:56.12
it was a large glass
case and inside the case were
00:21:57.90\00:22:05.56
two plaster of Paris
molds, models, statues
00:22:05.59\00:22:12.09
of people trapped at
the instant of their death,
00:22:13.41\00:22:19.27
you see when they
excavated the city of Pompeii
00:22:20.77\00:22:23.20
they noticed these
empty cylindrical shaped holes
00:22:24.75\00:22:28.74
that looked kind of
like people and they thought
00:22:29.93\00:22:34.74
Oh! This can't be, is it
true, so they filled some
00:22:34.77\00:22:41.23
with plaster of Paris and
then after the plaster had
00:22:41.52\00:22:46.10
time to set they
chipped away the lava and what
00:22:46.13\00:22:53.22
was left, it was a
perfect replica of those two
00:22:53.25\00:22:59.77
individuals trapped at
the moment of their death.
00:22:59.80\00:23:02.57
Now, there were just
a handful of dust in the
00:23:04.75\00:23:06.73
bottom of an empty hole
and we saw those statues
00:23:06.76\00:23:12.48
made of plaster, the
last exhibit on the way out,
00:23:16.78\00:23:17.75
a big glass case,
stopped by there, and I read
00:23:17.76\00:23:21.37
the sign, one was a lady,
they found her on the door,
00:23:21.40\00:23:27.63
the doorstep of her house.
She has had an opportunity
00:23:28.30\00:23:33.31
to escape, the little
story told on the wall, she had
00:23:33.34\00:23:36.54
an opportunity to
escape. But she went back in
00:23:36.57\00:23:40.86
to get something and they
found her over the doorstep
00:23:41.49\00:23:47.15
with a tiny pearl
earring clutched tightly
00:23:48.59\00:23:52.92
in each fist. She could
have gotten away, but she went
00:23:52.95\00:23:59.24
back to get those earrings
and it cost her, her life.
00:23:59.27\00:24:03.96
See people will die for
the things that they've been
00:24:05.86\00:24:09.46
living for all along.
The man, the other statue was
00:24:09.49\00:24:13.33
a man, they found him in
the center street of Pompeii,
00:24:13.36\00:24:17.95
trying to run and
escape the molten lava, he was
00:24:19.44\00:24:23.59
carrying a big wooden
chest full of gold and silver
00:24:23.62\00:24:29.34
and gems and it was so
heavy that it slowed him down
00:24:29.37\00:24:33.77
and he died, he could
have just set it down and run
00:24:36.51\00:24:41.79
for his life, but he
died. He died for what he had
00:24:41.82\00:24:46.39
been living for all
along. On that day it will be
00:24:46.42\00:24:49.34
business as usual,
that's why we need to be sure
00:24:49.37\00:24:55.46
that now, today, our
business is God's business.
00:24:56.92\00:25:04.35
Amen. "Amen." And there was the,
00:25:04.38\00:25:13.03
the prophet Balaam.
Numbers, chapter 22, if you
00:25:14.67\00:25:20.17
wanna follow with me tonight.
In Numbers 22, Balak the son
00:25:20.20\00:25:28.25
of Zippor saw all that
God had done to Amorites
00:25:28.28\00:25:33.37
through Israel and he was
terrified because there was
00:25:33.82\00:25:38.53
so many people, indeed all
of Moab, that was his country,
00:25:38.56\00:25:42.77
all of Moab was
filled with dread, afraid of
00:25:43.08\00:25:47.25
the Israelites. And so
in verse 4, it says Balak
00:25:47.28\00:25:51.63
the son of Zippor, who
was King of Moab at the time
00:25:51.66\00:25:53.85
sent messengers to
summon Balaam the prophet,
00:25:53.88\00:25:58.49
so they went to call
Balaam and the messenger said in
00:26:00.32\00:26:04.13
verse 6, now the
King says to come and put
00:26:04.16\00:26:07.67
a curse on these people
the Israelites, come and put
00:26:07.70\00:26:11.18
a curse on these people.
Because they're too powerful
00:26:11.21\00:26:14.46
for me and perhaps then
I'll be able to defeat them
00:26:14.49\00:26:18.08
and drive them out of
the country. Now, Balaam
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.48
was a prophet. He knew
that is was not God's plan
00:26:22.51\00:26:28.57
to crush and destroy his
own people. Balaam knew that,
00:26:28.60\00:26:33.19
but the Bible tells us
that he told them in verse 8,
00:26:35.48\00:26:38.69
he said spend the night
here, Balaam said and I'll bring
00:26:38.72\00:26:44.11
you back the answer that
the Lord gives me. Now the
00:26:44.14\00:26:47.69
King said come with
us and put a curse on the
00:26:47.72\00:26:51.96
Israelites and
Balaam knew that it wasn't
00:26:51.99\00:26:57.34
God's plan, he was a prophet,
but he said you wait here
00:26:57.37\00:27:02.34
I'm gonna go pray
and seek God's will and
00:27:02.51\00:27:05.92
I'll tell you what God says.
Now don't misunderstand me,
00:27:05.95\00:27:10.77
I believe in prayer,
I believe in much prayer
00:27:12.24\00:27:16.33
and I believe in
seeking God's will, but Balaam
00:27:18.97\00:27:24.06
already knew God's will
and there's a difference. So
00:27:24.09\00:27:30.74
the Lord said to Balaam
in verse 12, he said don't go
00:27:31.29\00:27:34.69
with them. You must not
put a curse on these people
00:27:34.72\00:27:38.18
because they are
blessed. Now God's will is
00:27:38.21\00:27:41.62
crystal clear. Amen. "Amen."
00:27:41.65\00:27:43.77
I mean there is no way to
understand this, do not go
00:27:43.96\00:27:47.33
God said it, don't bless
them don't go and curse them,
00:27:47.51\00:27:50.36
they're blessed people.
So the next morning verse 13,
00:27:50.57\00:27:53.61
Balaam got up and he went
to Balak's prince's, he says
00:27:53.66\00:27:56.44
go back to your own
country the Lord has refused
00:27:56.69\00:27:58.41
to let me go. No doubt
that he understood what
00:27:58.44\00:28:01.73
God said crystal
clear. Well then verse 15,
00:28:01.76\00:28:06.66
Balak sent the
other princes even more
00:28:06.69\00:28:08.30
numerous and more
distinguished then the first
00:28:08.33\00:28:10.37
ones and they came to
Balaam and said, this is what
00:28:10.40\00:28:14.08
Balak the son of
Zippor the King, this what the
00:28:14.28\00:28:16.90
King says, do not let
anything keep you from
00:28:16.93\00:28:21.65
coming to me because I
will reward you handsomely
00:28:21.68\00:28:26.68
and do whatever you
say, come and put a curse on
00:28:26.71\00:28:30.10
these people. Wow! I've
never been tempted like that,
00:28:30.13\00:28:38.06
have you? I've never
had a king tell me anything
00:28:38.09\00:28:42.17
you want, you can
have. Now Balaam knew,
00:28:42.20\00:28:45.68
remember no doubt
about it, Balaam knew it was
00:28:46.31\00:28:49.27
not God's will, but he
could not resist. He was
00:28:49.30\00:28:54.85
blind to his own evil
desires, he wanted, he wanted
00:28:54.88\00:29:00.58
more and so he tells them
verse 19, stay here tonight
00:29:00.61\00:29:07.79
just like the others did
and I'll find out what else
00:29:08.16\00:29:10.32
the Lord will tell me.
So he said, you wait here
00:29:10.35\00:29:14.22
and I'm gonna go pray and
I'm gonna seek God's will.
00:29:14.25\00:29:16.64
So he prayed. In verse
20, God said go with them,
00:29:18.98\00:29:25.62
go with them. So
Balaam got up in the morning
00:29:27.66\00:29:32.28
verse 21, saddled his
donkey and he went with him.
00:29:32.31\00:29:34.50
verse 22, God was
very angry when he went
00:29:35.89\00:29:39.56
and the angel of the
Lord stood in the row to
00:29:40.73\00:29:43.03
oppose him, well why did
God say go with him and then
00:29:43.06\00:29:46.06
get angry at him
because he went, listen to me
00:29:46.09\00:29:50.23
and please get this,
it is very, very dangerous
00:29:51.59\00:29:58.85
to ask God what to
do when he has already
00:30:01.50\00:30:09.12
clearly told you
what to do. God doesn't
00:30:09.15\00:30:14.72
force anyone. The
devil forces. God loves and
00:30:14.75\00:30:22.30
you can't force
love. And Balaam showed
00:30:22.33\00:30:29.45
by asking God what
is your will, he showed
00:30:29.48\00:30:33.30
that he really
didn't want God's will.
00:30:33.33\00:30:36.29
He wanted to do his
own thing and God is
00:30:36.32\00:30:40.29
not gonna force
Balaam or anyone else. And so
00:30:40.32\00:30:45.02
what he really said
was Balaam if that's what
00:30:45.05\00:30:47.38
you want, what can
I do? I've loved you,
00:30:47.41\00:30:50.94
I've given you
everything and if you
00:30:50.97\00:30:53.61
want to do that after
I've made it clear that
00:30:53.64\00:30:56.33
it's not my will
then go with them. Folks,
00:30:56.36\00:31:02.28
I hear it all the
time. Yeah! Pastor, I've
00:31:02.31\00:31:07.82
never heard that
before. Saturday is the
00:31:07.85\00:31:10.51
Sabbath day, not
Sunday. Is it clear in
00:31:10.54\00:31:15.34
the Bible to you? Yes,
it's clear, it's clear.
00:31:15.37\00:31:17.33
You tell me, have
you given any thought to
00:31:18.73\00:31:21.41
keeping the Sabbath
on Saturday now that you
00:31:21.44\00:31:23.66
know that's what the
Bible says. Well, I'll
00:31:23.69\00:31:27.57
tell you what I'm
gonna do pastor. I'm
00:31:27.60\00:31:29.06
going to pray about
it. And I'm gonna see
00:31:29.09\00:31:32.25
what God wants me to
do. Don't do it folks.
00:31:32.28\00:31:36.92
Now don't misunderstand
me, there is nothing wrong
00:31:38.88\00:31:40.62
about praying and
there is nothing wrong
00:31:40.65\00:31:43.48
with saying God give
me the strength and the
00:31:43.51\00:31:45.48
courage to do what
you're telling me to do.
00:31:45.51\00:31:48.19
But don't say God do
you want me to do it.
00:31:48.93\00:31:51.62
When he has
commanded over 400 times in his
00:31:51.65\00:31:54.45
scripture to keep
my commands, when he
00:31:54.48\00:31:56.67
wrote with his own
finger on the tables of
00:31:56.70\00:31:58.86
stone and then we
say, God do you want me
00:31:58.89\00:32:02.44
to do this. What you're
really saying is, I don't
00:32:02.47\00:32:10.40
want to do it
God, show me a way out.
00:32:10.43\00:32:13.50
And he'll show you
a way out because God
00:32:14.29\00:32:16.87
loves you. And he
knows that he can't
00:32:16.90\00:32:19.78
force love and he
is going to say go with
00:32:19.81\00:32:24.07
them. So Balaam
saddled his little
00:32:24.10\00:32:29.58
donkey, he went.
The God was angry.
00:32:29.61\00:32:33.49
An angel of the
Lord stood on the road to
00:32:33.52\00:32:34.99
oppose him. Verse
23 says, the donkey saw
00:32:35.02\00:32:38.30
the angel, not
Balaam, the donkey. And so the
00:32:38.33\00:32:42.26
angel had a sword
in his hand and she
00:32:42.29\00:32:44.22
turned off the road
into a field and Balaam got
00:32:44.25\00:32:49.27
so angry at his donkey
that he beat her and got
00:32:49.30\00:32:53.39
her back on the
road. Blind to the divine
00:32:53.42\00:32:58.06
intervention of
God because he was
00:32:58.09\00:33:00.55
possessed with his own
evil desires, as you see
00:33:00.58\00:33:03.74
it was business as
usual for Balaam. And
00:33:03.77\00:33:10.73
so then verse 24,
says the angel of the Lord
00:33:10.76\00:33:13.58
stood in a narrow
path between two vineyards
00:33:13.61\00:33:16.59
with walls on both
sides and the donkey
00:33:16.62\00:33:19.36
saw the angel of
the Lord and so she
00:33:19.39\00:33:21.56
pressed close to
the wall trying to get
00:33:21.59\00:33:23.75
around that angel
with the sword drawn and
00:33:23.78\00:33:26.23
crushed Balaam's foot
against the rock wall.
00:33:26.26\00:33:28.86
Oh! Balaam wasn't
very happy about that,
00:33:29.84\00:33:31.92
so he beat her
again, the Bible says. So
00:33:33.50\00:33:37.72
possessed with his
own evil desires, blind to
00:33:37.75\00:33:40.92
the intervention
of God, he beat his
00:33:40.95\00:33:42.66
donkey again. The
donkey saw the angel
00:33:42.69\00:33:44.75
and Balaam didn't. In
verse 26, the angel of
00:33:44.78\00:33:49.04
the Lord moved on
and stood in a narrow
00:33:49.07\00:33:50.65
place, where there
was no room to go, either
00:33:50.68\00:33:52.93
right or left. Now
the poor little donkey
00:33:52.96\00:33:55.79
didn't know what
to do. So she just sat
00:33:55.82\00:33:59.91
down. She knew
what was coming, but she
00:33:59.94\00:34:03.75
didn't have any
choice and she just sat down
00:34:03.78\00:34:06.85
and the donkey saw
the angel of the Lord,
00:34:07.92\00:34:09.35
she sat down on
the Balaam and he was
00:34:09.38\00:34:12.65
beside himself. He
was so angry this time he
00:34:12.68\00:34:16.55
beat her with his
stick and then verse 28, the
00:34:16.58\00:34:21.13
Lord opened the
donkey's mouth and
00:34:21.16\00:34:25.88
she said to Balaam,
what I've done to you
00:34:25.91\00:34:29.52
to make you beat
me these three times
00:34:29.55\00:34:31.06
haven't I always
been a good donkey. Now
00:34:31.09\00:34:37.14
you would think that
Balaam would begin to
00:34:37.17\00:34:41.42
get suspicious.
Something unusual is
00:34:41.45\00:34:47.19
going on here, the
donkey is talking to
00:34:47.22\00:34:49.30
me, but he was so
blind to the intervention
00:34:49.33\00:34:54.86
of God. The Bible
says, Balaam answered
00:34:54.89\00:35:00.76
the donkey. Balaam
stood there and talked
00:35:00.79\00:35:05.75
back to the dumb
beast. You made a fool
00:35:05.78\00:35:10.39
of me, he said, if I
had a sword in my hand
00:35:10.42\00:35:12.01
I would kill you
right now. Then the Lord
00:35:12.04\00:35:18.52
opened Balaam's eyes
in verse 31, and he saw
00:35:18.55\00:35:21.70
the angel of the
Lord standing in the road
00:35:21.73\00:35:24.10
with the sword
drawn, so he bowed low and
00:35:24.13\00:35:28.44
he fell face down to
the ground. Verse 32,
00:35:28.47\00:35:33.45
the angel of the
Lord asked him, why have
00:35:33.48\00:35:37.12
you beaten your
donkey these three
00:35:37.15\00:35:38.71
times, I have
come here to oppose you
00:35:38.74\00:35:42.74
because your path is
a reckless one before
00:35:42.77\00:35:46.60
me. The donkey saw
me these three times
00:35:46.63\00:35:49.72
and turned away and
if she had not turned
00:35:49.75\00:35:53.44
away I would
certainly have killed you by
00:35:53.47\00:35:56.37
now. But I would
have spared her. Balaam
00:35:56.40\00:36:02.60
said to the angel of
the Lord, I've sinned,
00:36:02.63\00:36:08.50
I have sinned. I
didn't realize that you're
00:36:10.73\00:36:15.20
standing in the
road to oppose me. I have
00:36:15.23\00:36:18.68
sinned. Now you
would think that at this
00:36:18.71\00:36:24.79
point Balaam would
hop back on that little
00:36:24.82\00:36:28.49
donkey, turned her
around and head home
00:36:28.52\00:36:31.63
as fast as those
little legs would take him.
00:36:31.66\00:36:33.77
Is that what he did,
no. He said, now if you are
00:36:37.03\00:36:46.50
displeased I'll go
back, unbelievable or is it?
00:36:46.53\00:36:56.31
You see it just
isn't human nature to
00:36:57.87\00:37:00.95
change. Business
as usual all the way
00:37:00.98\00:37:05.44
through the end.
And so the angel of the
00:37:05.47\00:37:09.36
Lord said to
Balaam, go with the men. God
00:37:09.39\00:37:15.43
doesn't force
anyone. God knows the heart
00:37:15.46\00:37:20.04
and he is going to
give you what you desire in
00:37:22.50\00:37:25.08
your heart. Let's
be sure we desire him,
00:37:25.11\00:37:27.65
Amen. "Amen."
Go with the men, so
00:37:28.34\00:37:32.53
Balaam went.
Unbelievable, I don't
00:37:32.56\00:37:40.31
know, not really,
it's just human nature.
00:37:40.34\00:37:43.77
You know many times
people wait until the
00:37:46.15\00:37:48.99
last minute to do
things. Did you know
00:37:49.02\00:37:53.12
that, how many of
you have already finished
00:37:53.15\00:37:56.22
your income tax. Few
of you, I haven't, I'll
00:37:56.25\00:38:01.93
wait till April
14th. Deathbed conversions
00:38:01.96\00:38:09.85
do happen. I've
seen people at the last
00:38:09.88\00:38:15.42
moment accept Jesus
Christ as their savior.
00:38:15.45\00:38:18.75
And I believe that
you can be saved on your
00:38:19.95\00:38:22.38
deathbed. But folks,
I also believe that it's
00:38:22.41\00:38:27.06
extremely
dangerous to wait till then.
00:38:27.09\00:38:30.01
Acts chapter 24, verse
25, Paul preached a sermon
00:38:36.76\00:38:41.87
to Felix and he made
a powerful and passion
00:38:41.90\00:38:48.11
plea for him to accept
the Gospel of Jesus Christ
00:38:48.14\00:38:51.18
and to be saved
and Felix responded. He
00:38:51.21\00:38:55.79
said, Paul, call me
back at a convenient
00:38:55.82\00:39:02.43
time, see it
wasn't convenient for him
00:39:02.46\00:39:06.73
then, Paul I got a
few things I got to get
00:39:06.76\00:39:10.17
taken care of first.
You know, I got my work
00:39:10.20\00:39:14.37
here and I got
these things and I got my
00:39:14.40\00:39:16.96
family, I got to work
it through all, work it all
00:39:16.99\00:39:19.19
through with them and I
got, I just got a lot of
00:39:19.22\00:39:21.72
stuff that I have to
get worked out, but then,
00:39:21.75\00:39:24.10
you know, it makes
sense when I get the
00:39:24.13\00:39:26.65
time to think it
over a little bit more,
00:39:26.68\00:39:28.07
studied all
through again and then I'll
00:39:28.10\00:39:30.89
make my decision.
Call me back when it's
00:39:30.92\00:39:33.30
more convenient
Paul, I'm too busy right
00:39:33.33\00:39:35.07
now. We never read
in the Bible where that
00:39:35.10\00:39:39.89
convenient time
ever came, never. Paul
00:39:39.92\00:39:46.48
appeared before
came King Agrippa, same
00:39:46.51\00:39:51.08
thing in passion Gospel appeal,
00:39:51.11\00:39:53.33
surrender to
Jesus Christ as Lord and
00:39:53.36\00:39:56.47
Master. Agrippa
said, Paul, it sounds good.
00:39:56.50\00:40:00.88
You have almost
persuaded me. Oh! I'm
00:40:02.64\00:40:05.70
right there, but
we never read where he
00:40:05.73\00:40:08.86
was ever persuaded.
Can we say no to God
00:40:08.89\00:40:13.75
when God tugs at
the strings of our own
00:40:15.00\00:40:17.11
hearts. When
God appeals with us,
00:40:17.14\00:40:20.53
appeals to us to come
to him, can we say, no
00:40:20.56\00:40:24.19
God, not yet? Can
we say, no God, I'm not
00:40:24.22\00:40:27.44
ready yet, no God I
got a few more things
00:40:27.47\00:40:29.58
I want to do first,
no God I want to live out
00:40:29.61\00:40:31.50
a little more my life
first, no God it's not
00:40:31.53\00:40:33.85
convenient. Well, God
I'm close just hang on,
00:40:33.88\00:40:36.20
no God not quite yet.
Can we say no, no, no,
00:40:36.23\00:40:39.61
no to God and then
finally, well, God here
00:40:39.64\00:40:41.75
I'm, I'm ready.
Did you know the Bible
00:40:41.78\00:40:45.98
says the time is
coming when the Spirit
00:40:46.01\00:40:47.50
of God won't be
tugging at the string of
00:40:47.53\00:40:49.56
hearts, at the strings
of men's hearts? In fact,
00:40:49.59\00:40:53.41
in John chapter 6,
verse 43, 44, Jesus said
00:40:53.44\00:40:58.64
no one can come to
me unless the father who
00:40:58.67\00:41:01.73
sent me draws
him. We can't say no to
00:41:01.76\00:41:07.44
God over and over
again, every time he
00:41:07.47\00:41:09.98
calls us and then
when we decide the time is
00:41:10.01\00:41:12.92
right. Here I'm God.
He may not be calling
00:41:12.95\00:41:15.90
anymore. I'm gonna show you that
00:41:15.93\00:41:17.30
tomorrow night. Time
comes when he doesn't
00:41:17.33\00:41:20.05
call anymore. Nope,
on that day it will be
00:41:20.08\00:41:26.45
business as usual just
like it was in the days
00:41:26.48\00:41:29.28
of Lot. What was it
like in the days of Lot.
00:41:29.31\00:41:34.24
In Genesis, the
18th chapter verse 1, the
00:41:35.73\00:41:38.09
Lord appeared to
Abraham, sitting under
00:41:38.12\00:41:40.10
the tree in the
shade, the angel of Lord
00:41:40.13\00:41:42.42
appeared to him. In
fact, it says the Lord
00:41:42.45\00:41:44.56
appeared to Abraham.
In verse 20, the Lord
00:41:44.59\00:41:48.21
said to Abraham,
the outcry against Sodom
00:41:48.24\00:41:52.57
and Gomorrah, the two
cities in the plains, the
00:41:52.60\00:41:54.82
outcry against them is
so great and their sin is
00:41:54.85\00:41:59.35
so grievous that
I'm gonna go down there
00:41:59.38\00:42:01.62
and see if what they
have done is as the bad
00:42:01.65\00:42:03.82
as the outcry that
has reached me and then
00:42:03.85\00:42:05.24
I'll know, that's
interesting. Did God
00:42:05.27\00:42:10.14
have to go to
Sodom and Gomorrah to see
00:42:10.17\00:42:12.00
how wicked they
were. No, he didn't have to
00:42:12.03\00:42:15.39
go. He knew how bad
they were. So why did
00:42:15.42\00:42:19.68
he have to go
because God was about to
00:42:19.71\00:42:23.39
destroy Sodom
and Gomorrah and he
00:42:23.42\00:42:26.65
wanted to be sure
that Abraham understood
00:42:26.68\00:42:30.72
why, and so he
appeared to Abraham
00:42:30.75\00:42:34.24
and he told him
that. Abraham said, Lord,
00:42:34.27\00:42:37.76
you can't do that,
will you sweep away the
00:42:38.76\00:42:42.83
righteous with
the wicked. Lord, you
00:42:42.86\00:42:46.70
can't do that. What
if there are 50 righteous
00:42:46.73\00:42:48.76
people there far be
it from you, will not the
00:42:48.79\00:42:51.82
judge of all the
earth do right. Can you see
00:42:51.85\00:42:54.83
Abraham was scared
to death that God was
00:42:54.86\00:42:59.44
about to do
something that would prove that
00:42:59.47\00:43:01.79
he wasn't fair. He
was worried about God.
00:43:01.82\00:43:05.66
How can you
destroy the righteous along
00:43:06.46\00:43:08.34
with the wicked,
won't the judge of all the
00:43:08.37\00:43:10.38
earth do right. You
see he was worried God
00:43:10.41\00:43:14.10
was gonna be show
that he wasn't fair, that
00:43:14.13\00:43:16.61
he wasn't trustworthy,
that it wasn't just. And
00:43:16.64\00:43:20.83
so God said no if
there are 50 righteous people
00:43:20.86\00:43:23.00
there, no, I won't
destroy it. Then Abraham
00:43:23.03\00:43:28.98
started counting up,
no he couldn't get to 50?
00:43:29.01\00:43:31.29
And so he says Lord
what if there were just
00:43:32.03\00:43:34.75
five less then that
45. No, I won't destroy it,
00:43:34.78\00:43:39.00
he's counting again,
can't get the 45, 40,
00:43:40.86\00:43:43.75
no, 30, no, 20, no.
Lord what if there 10
00:43:43.78\00:43:50.11
righteous people
there. Would you destroy
00:43:50.14\00:43:52.86
that whole city if
they were 10 righteous
00:43:52.89\00:43:54.98
people. Would you
destroy the righteous
00:43:55.01\00:43:56.30
with the wicked.
What if they were 10. God
00:43:56.33\00:43:59.46
said, no, I
wouldn't. I don't know why he
00:43:59.49\00:44:03.21
stopped at 10? May
be he thought, may be
00:44:03.24\00:44:08.28
I push God far enough
here or most likely he
00:44:08.31\00:44:14.00
thought, aha! Surely
there are 10. You mean
00:44:14.03\00:44:20.79
in the whole city,
10. Truth is there weren't
00:44:20.82\00:44:27.77
even 4 and so Lot was
sitting at the gate and
00:44:27.80\00:44:38.70
that's the position
of honor and leadership
00:44:38.73\00:44:42.09
in the community in
Bible times. And two
00:44:42.12\00:44:45.16
angels arrived in
Sodom in the evening,
00:44:45.19\00:44:47.69
while Lot was
sitting at the gate. So, Lot
00:44:47.72\00:44:52.44
knew there was something special
00:44:52.47\00:44:53.53
about these two
men and he knew how
00:44:53.56\00:44:55.77
wicked Sodom was.
It's evening time, sun
00:44:55.80\00:44:59.64
going down. The
men were beginning to
00:44:59.67\00:45:01.10
break up, going to
their own little immoral
00:45:01.13\00:45:03.52
parties. And here
are these two righteous
00:45:03.55\00:45:07.69
looking strangers
coming and so Lot said
00:45:07.72\00:45:11.26
to them in verse 2, my
lords please turn aside,
00:45:11.29\00:45:13.50
come to your
servant's house, you can wash
00:45:13.53\00:45:15.88
your feet there
and spend the night and
00:45:15.91\00:45:17.60
then go on your
way in the morning. You
00:45:17.63\00:45:19.09
don't want to be here
overnight and they said
00:45:19.12\00:45:21.66
no we want to spend
the night in the square.
00:45:21.69\00:45:24.73
We want to see what
Sodom is really like,
00:45:24.76\00:45:27.25
but Lot in verse 3,
insisted so strongly
00:45:27.28\00:45:30.50
that they went
with him, so he went and
00:45:30.53\00:45:33.70
entertained his
two angels in his home.
00:45:33.73\00:45:35.02
Verse 4, before
they've gone to bed, all the
00:45:36.25\00:45:38.65
men from every part
of the city of Sodom both
00:45:38.68\00:45:40.49
young and old
surrounded the house.
00:45:40.52\00:45:42.05
They called to
Lot, where are those men
00:45:42.08\00:45:44.36
they came to you
tonight? Bring them
00:45:44.39\00:45:46.62
out here to us, so
that we can have sex with
00:45:46.65\00:45:49.84
them. Now that's
how wicked Sodom was.
00:45:49.87\00:45:53.50
Lot goes out and he
says, no my friends,
00:45:54.89\00:45:57.43
don't do this
wicked thing. Who do you
00:45:57.46\00:46:00.07
think you are, get
out of the way, we will do
00:46:00.10\00:46:01.69
worse to you then
we would do to them.
00:46:01.72\00:46:02.95
Verse 10, but the
men inside, those two
00:46:04.93\00:46:09.28
angels reached out,
pulled Lot back into
00:46:09.31\00:46:12.31
the house and they
shut the door and then
00:46:12.34\00:46:16.38
they struck the men
outside with blindness,
00:46:16.41\00:46:20.32
they couldn't see.
Now you think that they'd
00:46:21.41\00:46:25.22
get suspicious.
There must be something
00:46:25.25\00:46:28.82
unusual going on
here. Help me get back
00:46:28.85\00:46:31.41
home, no, struck
with blindness. The Bible
00:46:31.44\00:46:36.73
says they varied
themselves, groping
00:46:36.76\00:46:39.64
for the door. Blind to
the divine intervention
00:46:39.67\00:46:44.37
of God, possessed with
their own evil desires,
00:46:44.40\00:46:47.55
they were not
gonna change because it's
00:46:47.58\00:46:49.41
business as usual on
that day. As it was in
00:46:49.44\00:46:53.55
the days of Lot. So
the two men said to the
00:46:53.58\00:46:58.82
Lot, do you have
anyone else here in the
00:46:58.85\00:47:00.16
city?
Sons-in-laws, sons, daughters,
00:47:00.19\00:47:02.59
anyone else, go out
there and get them out
00:47:02.62\00:47:05.38
of here because we
are going to destroy this
00:47:05.41\00:47:08.11
place. The outcry
to the Lord against its
00:47:08.14\00:47:11.02
people is so great
that he has sent us to
00:47:11.05\00:47:13.81
destroy it and so
Lot went out. He spoke to
00:47:13.84\00:47:18.98
his son-in-laws.
Imagine in the middle
00:47:19.01\00:47:22.00
of the night, 'dad,
what are you doing here in
00:47:22.03\00:47:27.68
the middle of the
night?' Lot tells them
00:47:27.71\00:47:31.19
the whole story. You
can't be serious dad.
00:47:31.99\00:47:38.77
You're saying that
we need to pack up, now.
00:47:39.86\00:47:42.81
Take everything we
own now and get out
00:47:44.54\00:47:46.96
of here and leave our
house, so looters will
00:47:46.99\00:47:49.59
come in, take
everything. God isn't
00:47:49.62\00:47:52.86
that way, he is not
gonna destroy all of
00:47:52.89\00:47:54.94
these people. They
are good people. I mean
00:47:54.97\00:47:57.36
they don't believe
exactly like we do,
00:47:57.39\00:47:59.51
they have their own
ideas about what to do,
00:47:59.54\00:48:01.23
but you know, who
are they, they are good
00:48:01.26\00:48:03.92
people. God isn't just
gonna just destroy this
00:48:03.95\00:48:05.53
whole city and
besides that you have told us
00:48:05.56\00:48:09.18
all our lives, how
God let you and Uncle
00:48:09.21\00:48:12.19
Abraham down here
and he brought us to
00:48:12.22\00:48:14.95
this place. He led
us here. Do you think he
00:48:14.98\00:48:17.39
would lead us here
and now ask us to go on
00:48:17.42\00:48:20.09
somewhere else. No
dad, you just had a bad
00:48:20.12\00:48:25.76
day. Why don't you
go home and soak your
00:48:25.79\00:48:29.60
feet in a tub of hot
water, you feel better
00:48:29.63\00:48:31.49
tomorrow morning.
And so Lot goes to the
00:48:31.52\00:48:38.11
next door. And it
was his daughter, Dad,
00:48:38.14\00:48:43.93
what you doing here in
the middle of the night
00:48:45.21\00:48:47.15
like this, and he
tells the whole story. Oh!
00:48:47.18\00:48:51.02
Dad, you got to be
kidding. You know my
00:48:51.05\00:48:55.50
husband does not
believe the way we do,
00:48:55.53\00:48:57.39
if I started packing
up and taking the kids out
00:48:58.05\00:49:00.99
of here, he would just
tear this place apart, he
00:49:01.02\00:49:03.61
does not understand,
I need more time, you
00:49:03.64\00:49:06.09
know, just the
other day, he asked me
00:49:06.12\00:49:07.39
a little bit about
God and so I know that he
00:49:07.42\00:49:09.53
is gonna come
around. I know, I shouldn't
00:49:09.56\00:49:11.55
have married him, dad
you told me, I shouldn't
00:49:11.58\00:49:13.06
but I did and I just
need a little more time
00:49:13.09\00:49:15.32
with him now. No dad,
you just had a bad day.
00:49:15.35\00:49:20.46
God isn't gonna do
anything that quick,
00:49:20.49\00:49:22.10
that fast. Why
don't you go home and take
00:49:22.13\00:49:26.07
an aspirin or
two, you'll feel better
00:49:26.10\00:49:27.36
tomorrow morning.
Goes to another son,
00:49:27.39\00:49:32.45
knocks on the door,
dad, what's going on?
00:49:32.48\00:49:34.60
Tells him the
story, you know I can't
00:49:37.68\00:49:41.09
believe God wants
us to do that. We just
00:49:41.12\00:49:43.01
brought that big plot
of land on the East side of
00:49:43.04\00:49:45.00
town. We are gonna
build a shopping mall.
00:49:45.03\00:49:46.74
We'll have a lot
of money that we can
00:49:46.77\00:49:48.38
make and put
more into the church
00:49:48.41\00:49:50.01
offering and build
the church up really nice.
00:49:50.04\00:49:52.03
Dad, why don't you
to just go home and put
00:49:58.62\00:50:00.56
cold rag on your
head. I think you just had
00:50:00.59\00:50:02.18
bad day. Poor Lot,
all the excuses he heard
00:50:02.21\00:50:07.04
seem to make
sense. Nobody wanted to
00:50:07.07\00:50:10.85
listen. So he
went home and you know,
00:50:10.88\00:50:15.92
I really like this
part of the story. Went home
00:50:17.14\00:50:21.67
he sat down on his
big easy chair, his mind
00:50:21.70\00:50:25.18
whirling, confused,
not sure what to do. Verse
00:50:25.21\00:50:30.10
16, when he
hesitated, the men grasped his
00:50:30.13\00:50:35.08
hand and the hands of
his wife and one of his
00:50:35.11\00:50:37.25
two daughters and let
them safely out of the
00:50:37.28\00:50:40.86
city. He hesitated,
but God loved him so
00:50:40.89\00:50:48.80
much. He sent those
angels to take him by
00:50:48.83\00:50:52.63
the hand, come on
Lot, it's time to go. See
00:50:52.66\00:51:00.80
that's the way
God works. And I know
00:51:00.83\00:51:04.85
some of you have
probably felt like
00:51:04.88\00:51:06.85
Pastor you're coming
on a little strong in
00:51:06.88\00:51:08.56
these sermons. Just
leave me alone, don't
00:51:08.59\00:51:14.92
push me, some of you
maybe feeling like that
00:51:14.95\00:51:18.16
right now. Don't
resent it when God send
00:51:18.19\00:51:23.68
someone to tap you
on the shoulder and say
00:51:23.71\00:51:26.05
time is running out,
it's time to go, this is the
00:51:27.07\00:51:33.54
way God works. He
could have finished his
00:51:33.57\00:51:37.32
work with angels. He
could have finished it
00:51:37.35\00:51:39.92
himself, shouting
out the Gospel in a loud
00:51:39.95\00:51:41.73
voice, but he chose
to use people. Don't
00:51:41.76\00:51:45.47
resent it, when
someone cares enough
00:51:45.50\00:51:48.52
about you to be to
risk being rejected because
00:51:48.55\00:51:53.54
they want you to
take by the arm and say
00:51:53.57\00:51:54.89
hey, it's time. It's
the way God works. So
00:51:54.92\00:52:02.40
they took him by the
hand and they led him
00:52:02.43\00:52:05.20
and his wife and
two daughters, safely
00:52:06.69\00:52:10.03
outside to the edge
of the city. What a God!
00:52:10.60\00:52:14.51
He will do everything
he can do to save even
00:52:15.59\00:52:17.97
just one and here
were four, the rest didn't
00:52:18.00\00:52:24.83
care. He couldn't
do anything else with
00:52:24.86\00:52:28.16
them. And then the
angel said flee for your
00:52:30.12\00:52:31.90
lives and don't look
back. Wow! That's not
00:52:31.93\00:52:37.75
easy to do. You
see we're creatures of
00:52:37.78\00:52:41.29
habit, we don't
want to change, we always
00:52:41.32\00:52:42.81
want to look back.
We make a decision then
00:52:42.84\00:52:45.44
we look back, should
I had done this? Don't
00:52:45.47\00:52:49.19
look back. There is
Lot. He is standing on
00:52:49.22\00:52:52.29
the edge of the
city. The angel had to let
00:52:52.32\00:52:54.31
go. He can't take
the next step for him. He
00:52:54.34\00:52:57.99
will get us so far,
but the next step is up to
00:52:58.02\00:52:59.91
us. You can't
force people. You can't
00:52:59.94\00:53:03.71
pressure people to
make their decision.
00:53:03.74\00:53:06.44
Just left to let them
do it and pray to God they
00:53:07.43\00:53:09.86
do the right thing.
And so the angels let go of
00:53:09.89\00:53:13.53
his hand and there
was Lot and his one
00:53:13.56\00:53:16.78
daughter and other
daughter was standing
00:53:16.81\00:53:19.13
there. Everything
he owned, everything he
00:53:19.16\00:53:20.86
worked for,
everything he lived for was
00:53:20.89\00:53:22.12
behind him. Flee
for your life and don't
00:53:22.15\00:53:25.55
even look back. I'm
sure the Lot thought
00:53:25.58\00:53:27.69
Oh! What am I gonna
do? Man, I don't have
00:53:27.72\00:53:31.04
anything, I don't
even have my clothes with
00:53:31.07\00:53:32.53
me. I didn't even
bring my tooth brush, what
00:53:32.56\00:53:35.94
am I gonna do? But
you know the more he
00:53:35.97\00:53:37.96
thought about the
goodness of God and
00:53:37.99\00:53:40.09
the glory of God
and how he even sent the
00:53:40.12\00:53:42.26
angel to come and to
lead him to edge of the
00:53:42.29\00:53:43.90
city. He took that
first painful step and then
00:53:43.93\00:53:47.11
another one, but the
more he thought about
00:53:47.14\00:53:49.19
the goodness of God,
the easier those steps
00:53:49.22\00:53:52.06
came in, he and
his daughters fled. But
00:53:52.09\00:53:56.24
there were somebody
else there that day, it
00:53:56.27\00:54:00.37
was Lot's wife. She
was there. He couldn't
00:54:00.40\00:54:06.92
take her. She
had to make her own
00:54:06.95\00:54:09.57
decision. I wish
God could save us as a
00:54:09.60\00:54:13.50
group, but it's
an individual thing
00:54:13.53\00:54:16.36
because it's a love
thing. And she had to
00:54:16.39\00:54:20.24
love God. So she is
standing there on the
00:54:20.27\00:54:23.98
edge of the city.
Everything she owned,
00:54:24.01\00:54:26.73
lived for, loved and
cared for practically
00:54:26.76\00:54:28.86
was behind her, and
the angels said, don't
00:54:28.89\00:54:31.33
look back. How can
they even ask me not
00:54:31.36\00:54:35.89
to look back. My
daughter is there, my
00:54:35.92\00:54:39.07
sons are there. My
daughter is about to
00:54:39.10\00:54:41.26
get married. We
got the biggest wedding
00:54:41.29\00:54:43.31
planned that
Sodom had ever seen. We
00:54:43.34\00:54:45.35
rented the biggest
hall in town. I just moved
00:54:45.38\00:54:47.75
into my new house.
I got three brand new
00:54:47.78\00:54:49.93
camels parked in
the garage. Don't look
00:54:49.96\00:54:53.24
back. How can he do
this to me? About to
00:54:53.27\00:55:00.83
become a grandmother,
grandchildren, grand babies,
00:55:00.86\00:55:03.65
I can't go on, I
won't go on. She turned and
00:55:03.68\00:55:06.88
looked back. The
Bible says, she froze into a
00:55:06.91\00:55:13.22
pillar of salt, an
eternal reminder. She came so
00:55:13.25\00:55:20.03
close, so close, but
not close enough and so
00:55:20.06\00:55:31.65
some of you have
come a long way, have
00:55:31.68\00:55:36.65
been studying your
Bible night after night,
00:55:36.68\00:55:38.27
almost four weeks
now. You've learned
00:55:38.30\00:55:42.40
more in the last
four weeks. Some of
00:55:42.43\00:55:44.74
you've told me that
you have never learned
00:55:44.77\00:55:46.11
in our whole life
about the Bible and about the
00:55:46.14\00:55:48.16
word of God. But you
haven't yet quite made
00:55:48.19\00:55:53.62
that decision. Many
have, but a few are still
00:55:53.65\00:55:56.46
standing on the
edge, trying to decide what
00:55:57.37\00:55:59.28
to do. And I know
some are still looking
00:55:59.31\00:56:04.83
back. How can I
leave. My family doesn't see
00:56:04.86\00:56:09.96
it the way I do. My
Church doesn't see it
00:56:09.99\00:56:12.01
the way I do. I
love those people there.
00:56:12.04\00:56:14.37
They have loved
me. They've poured out
00:56:14.40\00:56:15.96
their lives to me.
How can I just walk on and
00:56:15.99\00:56:18.57
leave, without
even looking back. Jesus
00:56:18.60\00:56:24.78
said, don't look
back. Just follow the lamb.
00:56:24.81\00:56:31.81
He will never lead
you astray. Don't look to
00:56:32.96\00:56:36.74
the left, don't look to
the right, don't look to
00:56:36.77\00:56:40.12
the person behind you,
in front of you, to the
00:56:40.15\00:56:42.75
right or to the
left. Follow the lamb.
00:56:42.78\00:56:46.51
Don't look back.
Just move straight ahead.
00:56:48.33\00:56:51.20
There is
destruction back there. There is
00:56:51.23\00:56:55.64
a city of God
straight ahead. That's where
00:56:55.67\00:56:58.72
the lamb's going.
And you will always be
00:56:58.75\00:57:02.28
safe when you follow the lamb.
00:57:02.31\00:57:05.84