Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021639A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS. WELCOME AGAIN TO SABBATH 00:37 SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR 00:39 EXTENDED SABBATH SCHOOL CLASS WATCHING ACROSS THE COUNTRY 00:42 AND, YES, AROUND THE WORLD. WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE PART 00:45 OF OUR STUDY TIME TOGETHER. ALSO, A WARM WELCOME TO THE 00:49 MEMBERS AND THOSE VISITING HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH - GLAD 00:52 TO SEE YOU HERE FOR SABBATH SCHOOL THIS MORNING. 00:54 WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THROUGH A LESSON QUARTERLY ENTITLED THE 00:57 ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE ACTUALLY 01:00 COME TO THE END OF THIS QUARTER'S LESSONS AND SO WE'RE 01:03 ON #13 - LESSON #13 - AND IT'S ENTITLED HOW SHALL WE WAIT? 01:09 NOW, FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE WATCHING, IF YOU'D LIKE TO 01:11 FOLLOW ALONG WITH OUR STUDY FOR TODAY, JUST GO TO THE AMAZING 01:13 FACTS WEBSITE - JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - AND YOU CAN 01:17 DOWNLOAD LESSON #13 AND YOU CAN STUDY ALONG WITH US. 01:22 WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY. 01:25 IT'S AN AMAZING FACTS STUDY GUIDE ENTITLED RIGHT ON TIME AND 01:29 THIS IS THE FREE OFFER FOR ANYBODY [IN NORTH AMERICA] WHO 01:31 WOULD CALL AND ASK FOR IT. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO 01:33 SEND IT TO YOU. THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 01:35 866-788-3966 AND ASK FOR OFFER #131. 01:41 THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS 866-STUDY-MORE - 788-3966 - AND 01:47 ASK FOR OFFER #131 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. 01:54 (PIANO MUSIC) 02:15 >>THE TIMELESS THEME, EARTH AND HEAVEN WILL 02:21 PASS AWAY; IT'S NOT A DREAM, GOD WILL MAKE ALL THINGS NEW THAT 02:33 DAY. GONE IS THE CURSE FROM WHICH 02:41 I STUMBLED AND FELL, EVIL IS BANISHED TO ETERNAL HELL. 02:57 NO MORE NIGHT, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE TEARS, NEVER CRYING AGAIN. 03:15 PRAISES TO THE GREAT, 'I AM'; WE WILL LIVE IN THE LIGHT 03:26 OF THE RISEN LAMB. SEE ALL AROUND, NOW THE NATIONS 03:42 BOW DOWN TO SING, THE ONLY SOUND IS THE PRAISES TO 03:51 CHRIST, OUR KING. SLOWLY THE NAMES FROM THE BOOK 04:02 ARE READ, I KNOW THE KING SO THERE'S NO NEED TO DREAD. 04:15 NO MORE NIGHT, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE TEARS, NEVER CRYING AGAIN. 04:32 PRAISES TO THE GREAT, 'I AM'; WE WILL LIVE IN THE LIGHT 04:43 OF THE RISEN LAMB. SEE OVER THERE IS A MANSION 04:54 PREPARED FOR ME, WHERE I CAN LIVE WITH MAY SAVIOR ETERNALLY. 05:09 NO MORE NIGHT, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE TEARS, NEVER CRYING AGAIN. 05:26 PRAISES TO THE GREAT, 'I AM'; WE WILL LIVE IN THE LIGHT 05:37 OF THE RISEN LAMB. WE WILL LIVE IN THE 05:49 LIGHT OF THE RISEN LAMB. HALLELUJAH TO THE RISEN LAMB. 06:17 >>AMEN. >>HAPPY SABBATH EVERYONE. 06:25 >>HAPPY SABBATH. >>PLEASE JOIN US IN SINGING HYMN 06:29 #528 - A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM . 06:33 NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTIES YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH, OR WHAT 06:36 MAY BE GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE, REMEMBER THAT THE LORD IS YOUR 06:40 MIGHTY ROCK, HE IS YOUR COOLING SHADE, HE IS YOUR FAITHFUL GUIDE 06:45 AND HE WILL SURELY SUSTAIN YOU TO THE END. 06:48 WE WILL SING ALL FOUR VERSES. (PIANO MUSIC) 06:56 >>THE LORD'S OUR ROCK, IN HIM WE HIDE, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF 07:05 STORM; SECURE WHATEVER MAY BETIDE, 07:13 A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM. 07:17 MIGHTY ROCK IN A WEARY LAND, COOLING SHADE ON THE BURNING 07:27 SAND, FAITHFUL GUIDE FOR THE PILGRIM BAND - A SHELTER IN THE 07:35 TIME OF STORM. A SHADE BY DAY, DEFENSE BY 07:43 NIGHT, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM; NO FEARS ALARM, NO FOES 07:53 AFFRIGHT, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM. 07:59 MIGHTY ROCK IN A WEARY LAND, COOLING SHADE ON THE BURNING 08:08 SAND, FAITHFUL GUIDE FOR THE PILGRIM BAND - A SHELTER IN THE 08:16 TIME OF STORM. THE RAGING FLOODS MAY ROUND US 08:24 BEAT, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM; WE FIND IN GOD A SAFE 08:33 RETREAT; A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM. MIGHTY ROCK IN A WEARY 08:43 LAND, COOLING SHADE ON THE BURNING SAND, FAITHFUL GUIDE FOR 08:51 THE PILGRIM BAND - A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM. 08:59 O ROCK DIVINE, O REFUGE DEAR, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM; BE 09:09 THOU OUR HELPER, EVER NEAR, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM. 09:18 MIGHTY ROCK IN A WEARY LAND, COOLING SHADE ON THE BURNING 09:27 SAND, FAITHFUL GUIDE FOR THE PILGRIM BAND - A SHELTER IN THE 09:35 TIME OF STORM. >>THANK YOU FOR SINGING WITH US. 09:42 PASTOR ROSS WILL NOW HAVE OUR OPENING PRAYER. 09:49 >>LET US BOW OUR HEADS. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU 09:53 ONCE AGAIN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO STUDY TOGETHER AND WE'RE TALKING 09:56 ABOUT AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT - WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO AS WE WAIT 09:59 FOR THE GLORIOUS COMING OF JESUS. 10:01 SO WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD LEAD US BY YOUR SPIRIT INTO A CLEARER 10:04 UNDERSTANDING OF OUR DUTY AS CHRISTIANS EVER LOOKING FOR THE 10:07 BLESSED HOPE. FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 10:11 >>AMEN. >>OUR LESSON TODAY WILL BE 10:13 BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. 10:20 MORNING, CLASS. >>MORNING. 10:22 >>HOW'S EVERYBODY? >>GREAT. 10:24 >>I THINK HE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE A FREE OFFER 10:26 DEALING WITH RIGHT ON TIME AND THAT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE OUR 10:30 STUDY TODAY IS THE LAST STUDY IN THIS QUARTERLY TALKING ABOUT 10:34 'HOW DO WE WAIT FOR THE LORD'S RETURN?' 10:37 AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS IS THE LAST IN THIS QUARTER - THAT 10:40 MEANS NEXT WEEK WE'RE STARTING - AT LEAST IN OUR CLASS HERE - THE 10:44 BEGINNING OF OUR NEW QUARTER'S LESSON. 10:46 AND I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THIS - IT'S ON THE BOOK OF JOB. 10:49 THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REGULAR MEMBERS HERE AT GRANITE BAY 10:52 KNOW, WE JUST GOT DONE WITH A SERIES ABOUT JOB. 10:54 I'M HOPING I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING SO I'LL BE BETTER 10:56 PREPARED TO TEACH. MATTER OF FACT, I THINK WE'VE 10:59 GOT THAT SERIES AVAILABLE FOR THE TEACHERS IF THEY WOULD LIKE 11:03 TO BETTER PREP FOR THAT SERIES ON THE BOOK OF JOB. 11:07 TODAY'S LESSON IS LESSON #13, HOW DO WE WAIT? 11:11 WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE AND THE MEMORY VERSE COMES TO US FROM 11:15 ROMANS CHAPTER 12, VERSE 11 AND IT'S - HERE IN THE LESSON IT'S 11:20 FROM THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION - NOT MY FAVORITE 11:25 VERSION, BUT SO WE CAN ALL SOUND THE SAME WHEN WE READ IT, IF YOU 11:28 WANT TO READ IT OUT OF YOUR QUARTERLY, HERE WE GO. 11:31 YOU READY? "NEVER BE LACKING IN ZEAL, BUT 11:35 KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL FERVOR, SERVING THE LORD. 11:38 BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER. 11:44 SHARE WITH THE LORD'S PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED. 11:47 PRACTICE HOSPITALITY." THIS VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT 11:50 JUST, SORT OF, AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE TO BE DOING IN THE 11:54 CHRISTIAN LIFE TO STAY BUSY IN GOD'S WORK. 11:57 YOU KNOW, THIS LESSON STARTS OUT WITH AN INTERESTING QUOTE FROM 12:00 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY WHERE ELLEN WHITE WAS REFERRING TO TWO 12:04 CHURCHES AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THE 12:07 TWO CHURCHES ARE OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO. 12:11 TODAY, IF YOU GO TO OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO, OUR CHURCHES 12:16 THERE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL. 12:18 MATTER OF FACT, THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE AND THE 12:22 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE ARE WORKING TOGETHER IN HARMONY 12:25 TO TRY TO BRING A REVIVAL TO THAT AREA BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME 12:29 ACTIVE CHURCHES THERE. BUT FOR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE 12:32 THERE, THERE WERE ACTUALLY BIGGER ADVENTIST CHURCHES BACK 12:36 IN ELLEN WHITE'S DAY THAN THERE ARE TODAY. 12:39 AND IT'S - THEY - THOSE CHURCHES WERE SO BUSY - YOU JUST READ 12:42 ABOUT SOME OF WHAT WAS GOING ON BACK THEN AND IT SAYS THEY WERE 12:45 'BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN VISITING THE 12:49 SICK AND THE DESTITUTE, THEY STARTED HOMES FOR THE ORPHANS, 12:53 THEY HELPED THE UNEMPLOYED. 12:54 THEY NURSED THE SICK, THEY TAUGHT THE BIBLE, THEY HAD A 12:56 HEALTH FOOD RESTAURANT, A LITERATURE MINISTRY, CLASSES ON 12:59 HEALTHFUL LIVING - THEY HAD SPECIAL MEETINGS DURING THE 13:03 WEEK, A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN, MISSIONS WERE MAINTAINED, HEALTH 13:07 FOOD STORE, VEGETARIAN CAFÉ, AND THEY WENT DOWN TO THE PORT TO 13:11 WORK WITH THE SAILORS COMING AND GOING AND HAD LARGE EVANGELISTIC 13:15 MEETINGS. SO SHE REFERRED TO THESE 13:17 CHURCHES AS BEEHIVES OF ACTIVITY. 13:21 AND THAT'D BE A GREAT FORMAT FOR ALL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, 13:26 ESPECIALLY NEAR THE BORDERS OF THE CITIES. 13:30 BUT WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE MEANTIME WHILE WE'RE 13:33 WAITING FOR THE LORD TO COME? 13:34 I FAINTLY REMEMBER HEARING AN ILLUSTRATION, YEARS AGO, ABOUT 13:38 THIS LARGE DEPARTMENT STORE IN CHICAGO OR NEW YORK, AND THEY 13:44 WERE LOOKING FOR A STORE MANAGER. 13:46 AND THE OWNER OF THE STORE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT - HE WAS 13:49 INTERVIEWING DIFFERENT STORE MANAGERS - AND THEY WOULD, ONE 13:52 BY ONE, COME TO THE PLACE OF INTERVIEW, WHICH WAS STRANGE 13:55 BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT THEM IN THE BACK OF THE DEPARTMENT STORE AND 13:57 THEY'D HAVE THEM WAIT IN THIS WAREHOUSE INVENTORY ROOM, WHICH 14:03 WASN'T FAR FROM THE OWNER'S OFFICE. 14:05 AND THIS MAN ARRIVED TO INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB AND THE 14:09 SECRETARY CAME OUT AND SAID, 'YOU KNOW, MR. WILLIAMSON IS 14:11 BUSY RIGHT NOW. IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU PLEASE WAIT HERE? 14:15 IT MAY BE AWHILE SO JUST MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE.' 14:17 WELL, HE SAT DOWN AND HE'S WAITING FOR HIS INTERVIEW FOR 14:20 THIS MANAGERIAL POSITION IN A DEPARTMENT STORE AND HE BEGINS 14:22 TO LOOK AROUND THE INVENTORY ROOM AND IT'S RATHER DISHEVELED, 14:26 WHICH SURPRISED HIM BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT STORE WAS KNOWN FOR 14:29 BEING A HIGH-END STORE. EVERYTHING WAS VERY NEAT AND 14:31 CRISP INSIDE THE STORE, BUT THE BACK ROOM WAS SORT OF A MESS. 14:35 YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TABLE WITH SOME CLOTHES THAT LOOKED LIKE 14:37 CLOTHES THEY WERE GOING TO SELL, BUT THEY WERE JUST IN A PILE. 14:39 AND THEN THEY HAD - THERE WERE BOOKS ON ANOTHER TABLE AND THEY 14:42 WERE ALL, KIND OF, PILED UP. 14:44 AND THERE WAS A RACK AND SOME CLOTHES WERE ON THE FLOOR NEXT 14:46 TO THE RACK AND HE SAT THERE FOR AWHILE AND PRETTY SOON HE GOT 14:50 TIRED OF SITTING SO HE STOOD UP AND HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF, SO 14:53 HE WALKED OVER AND HE DECIDED, 'WELL, I MAY AS WELL STACK THESE 14:56 BOOKS IN ORDER.' AND SO HE KIND OF STARTED STACKING THE BOOKS 14:59 AND HE HOPED HE WOULDN'T GET IN TROUBLE FOR IT. 15:01 AND HE STACKED THE BOOKS IN ORDER AND MADE IT LOOK A LITTLE 15:02 NICER. AND HE LOOKED AT THE CLOTHES THAT WERE ALL, SORT OF, 15:06 DISHEVELED IN A PILE AND HE PULLED THEM OUT AND SHOOK THEM 15:08 AND FOLDED THEM AND PUT THEM IN SOME KIND OF AN ORDER. 15:10 AND THEN HE SAW SOME OTHER CLOTHES AND HE BEGAN TO HANG 15:12 THEM ON THE RACK AND HE JUST WENT AROUND THE ROOM AND HE - IT 15:15 WAS AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE THE VISIT. 15:17 AND FINALLY HE HEARD THE SECRETARY'S DOOR OPEN AND HE 15:20 WENT AND HE SAT DOWN REAL QUICK AND SHE CAME OUT AND SHE LOOKED 15:22 AROUND THE ROOM AND HE WENT IN FOR THE INTERVIEW. 15:26 FIRST THING THE GUY SAID TO HIM WAS, 'YOU'RE HIRED.' HE SAID, 15:30 'WELL, I HAVEN'T REALLY SHOWN YOU MY RESUME AND MY QUALIFI - 15:33 MY EXPERIENCE.' HE SAID, 'NO, WE WERE KIND OF WAITING FOR 15:35 SOMEBODY THAT WAS GOING TO FIX UP THAT ROOM.' 15:38 HE SAID - HE SAID, 'WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE 15:41 THAT WANT A JOB AND ORDER PEOPLE AROUND. 15:42 WE WANT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND 15:46 DO IT.' AND A LOT OF CHRISTIANS I MEET ARE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH 15:55 THE PROPHECIES AND THE END AND THE SECOND COMING, AND THEY WANT 15:58 TO KNOW HOW TO RUN OUT IN THE HILLS AND SAVE THEMSELVES AND 16:03 THEY'RE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT 'WHAT DO I DO IN THE 16:05 MEANTIME TO SAVE THE LOST?' WE'VE GOT A WORK TO DO. 16:09 JESUS SAID, 'UNTIL HE COMES, WE'RE TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE THE 16:13 WORLD A BETTER PLACE AND SHOW PEOPLE WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS. 16:16 NOW, WE TALKED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT VOTING AND PEOPLE 16:22 THINK, 'THE WORLD'S ENDING, WHY BOTHER VOTING?' 16:25 AND THE IDEA, FOR A CHRISTIAN, SHOULD BE, 'YES, WE KNOW HOW 16:32 IT'S GOING TO END. WE KNOW THAT SOMEDAY AMERICA, 16:35 WHO STARTED LIKE A LAMB, IS GOING TO SPEAK LIKE A DRAGON. 16:38 BUT WHAT DO WE DO IN THE MEANTIME?' 16:41 DO WE TRY TO HELP THE DRAGON? OR DO WE TRY TO 16:45 PROLONG THE LAMB? AND SO, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO 16:49 EVERYTHING WE CAN, AS LONG AS WE CAN, TO TRY TO PRESERVE FREEDOM 16:54 AND DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE UNTIL JESUS COMES. 16:58 >>AMEN. >>WE NEED TO STAY BUSY. 17:00 THIS IS WHAT OUR LESSON IS DEALING WITH TODAY. 17:03 AND WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF VERSES. MATTER OF FACT, I THINK 17:05 IN A FEW MOMENTS I'M GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY READ A VERSE FROM 17:09 LUKE 19 - WILL YOU BE, HAFDIS? OKAY. 17:12 I'M GOING TO READ MATTHEW 24 - AND THIS MIGHT BE A MOMENT 17:15 BEFORE WE GET TO LUKE - BUT LOOK AT MATTHEW 24, VERSES 4 TO 6. 17:19 WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE SIGNS OF JESUS' COMING, WE 17:22 AUTOMATICALLY GET EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE WORLD ENDING, 17:27 THE TIME OF TROUBLE, RUNNING FOR THE HILLS, AND WHAT ARE THE 17:31 SIGNS? AND WE FORGET THAT JESUS SAID, 17:34 'DON'T GET TOO EXCITED, YOU MAY BE HERE AWHILE.' NOW, I'M 17:38 PARAPHRASING, BUT YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF. CHRIST SAYS - MATTHEW 17:43 24, VERSE 4 - "JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM: 'TAKE HEED 17:46 THAT NO ONE DECEIVES YOU. FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME, 17:49 SAYING, 'I AM THE CHRIST,' AND WILL DECEIVE MANY. 17:53 AND YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS. 17:56 SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT TROUBLED; FOR ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME 18:00 TO PASS, BUT THE END IS NOT YET.'" WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE 18:06 WARS, RUMORS OF WARS, FALSE CHRISTS - AND WE ALL BUNCH THAT 18:08 TOGETHER IN THE LAST DAYS. CHRIST SAID, 'THIS IS GOING TO 18:11 HAPPEN FROM MY DAY 'TIL THE END - 'TIL THE SECOND COMING.' HAVE 18:16 THERE BEEN WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS? 18:18 ALL - HE SAID, 'DON'T LET EVERY WAR THAT COMES ALONG MAKE YOU 18:21 THINK, 'THIS IS IT!' HE SAID - I MEAN, WE'VE 18:23 HAD TWO WORLD WARS. WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE IN - 18:26 CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD THOUGHT DURING WORLD WAR I? 18:31 DON'T YOU THINK THEY WERE THINKING, 'THIS IS IT!' 18:34 COME ON, LET'S BE HONEST. WHOLE WORLD'S ENGAGED IN A WAR. 18:38 AND THEN WORLD WAR II - WAS BIGGER THAN WORLD WAR I AND THE 18:42 WEAPONS WERE MORE DEADLY AND MORE PEOPLE DIED. 18:45 AND THEN WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMBS WENT OFF AND WE ENTERED THE 18:49 NUCLEAR AGE AND THE COLD WAR. EVERYONE WAS JUST WAITING. 18:53 THEY FIGURED IF JESUS DOESN'T COME, SOMEONE'S GOING TO HIT 18:55 THAT RED BUTTON AND IT'S GOING TO ALL BE OVER. 18:58 SO EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT THE SECOND COMING WAS JUST RIGHT 19:02 THERE AT THE CUSP. JESUS TOLD US IN MATTHEW 24, 19:05 'YOU MAY BE HERE AWHILE.' WHY DO YOU THINK THE LORD SAYS, 'HE 19:08 THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED'? RIGHT? 19:11 THERE'S SOMETHING THAT MUST BE ENDURED. GO AHEAD, PLEASE, READ 19:14 FOR US LUKE 19 - I THINK IT'S 12 AND 13. 19:18 >>"THEREFORE HE SAID: 'A CERTAIN NOBLEMAN WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY 19:23 TO RECEIVE FOR HIMSELF A KINGDOM AND TO RETURN. 19:26 SO HE CALLED TEN OF HIS SERVANTS, DELIVERED TO THEM TEN 19:30 MINAS, AND SAID TO THEM, 'DO BUSINESS TILL I COME.'" 19:34 >>NOW, IT'S INTERESTING THE WAY THE KING JAMES SAYS THIS: 19:37 "OCCUPY TILL I COME" - DO BUSINESS - STAY BUSY. 19:42 AND HE GIVES THEM MONEY - GIVES THEM GIFTS - TALENTS - MINAS IS 19:48 ANOTHER WAY TO SAY 'MONEY' - ANOTHER FORM OF MONEY - AND HE'S 19:53 SAYING, 'INVEST THESE RESOURCES I'VE GIVEN YOU 'TILL I COME 19:57 BACK. I'M GOING INTO' - WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY? 19:59 FAR COUNTRY. IF YOU WERE GOING IN A FAR 20:02 COUNTRY BACK THEN, THEY DIDN'T HAVE JETS AND IF YOU WENT TO 20:05 A FAR COUNTRY IT MEANT A LONG TRIP. 20:08 AND IF YOU WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE 20:09 INTERNET AND TELEPHONE, YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THEY 20:12 WERE COMING BACK. AND SO HE'S BASICALLY 20:14 SAYING, 'I'M GOING. I'M GOING TO BE GONE AWHILE. 20:17 I'M WANTING YOU TO INVEST AND' - YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PARABLE 20:21 SAYING, 'I'LL REPAY YOU WHEN I COME BACK.' WELL, THAT'S WHAT 20:24 THE LORD'S TOLD US. HE SAYS, 'OCCUPY. 20:26 STAY BUSY.' NOW, OUR CHURCH IS INVOLVED IN A BUILDING PROGRAM 20:32 AND BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS, THEY'RE NOT GETTING 20:37 CHEAPER. IT'S EXPENSIVE. 20:39 AND, EVERY NOW AND THEN, I'LL HEAR SOMEBODY SAY, 'BUT THE LORD 20:43 IS COMING SO SOON. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO BUILD?' 20:50 WHAT WOULD HAPPEN - LOOK AT OUR HOSPITALS AND OUR UNIVERSITIES 20:56 AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR PUBLISHING HOUSES. 20:58 WHAT IF WE HAD SAID THAT ALL ALONG THE WAY? 21:02 WHERE WOULD WE BE NOW? THERE'S A DELICATE BALANCE FOR 21:06 CHRISTIANS BETWEEN BEING READY EVERY DAY AS THOUGH IT COULD BE 21:11 YOUR LAST BECAUSE, BY THE WAY, IT COULD BE YOUR LAST. 21:14 WE NEVER KNOW, RIGHT? EVERY DAY'S A GIFT. 21:16 ON THE WAY TO CHURCH THIS MORNING KAREN AND I GOT CUT OFF 21:20 - I MEAN, SOMEBODY TOTALLY DIDN'T SEE ME. 21:23 THEY NOT ONLY CHANGED LANES, THEY DID A U-TURN RIGHT INTO ME 21:28 AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES AND HONK - AND I USUALLY DON'T 21:30 HONK MY HORN BUT, I MEAN, I - AND EVEN AFTER THEY SAW US, WE 21:34 WERE - HAD TO COME TO A FULL STOP - THEY KEPT THEIR TURN 21:37 GOING. THEY JUST TURNED AROUND AND JUST - I DON'T KNOW. 21:41 BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'LL MAKE YOUR HEART STOP FOR A SECOND WHEN 21:46 SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS AND YOU THINK IT'S - BUT FOR THE 21:49 GRACE OF GOD NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE. 21:51 SO NONE OF US KNOWS. SO YOU - BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO 21:54 LIVE YOUR LIFE IN FEAR AND YOU DON'T WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE 21:56 NEVER BUILDING - NEVER INVESTING - NEVER ADVANCING. 22:00 WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN? 22:03 SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT? 22:05 SHOULD YOU SAVE FOR RETIREMENT? IS IT A LACK OF FAITH? 22:09 NO, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T THINK JESUS IS COMING AGAIN IF 22:12 YOU SAVE FOR RETIREMENT. YOU NEED TO PLAN LIKE YOU COULD 22:16 BE HERE A THOUSAND YEARS. AND IF THE LORD COMES AND YOU'VE 22:19 SAVED FOR RETIREMENT, HE WON'T PUNISH YOU. IF THE LORD COMES 22:22 AND YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A CHURCH, HE WON'T 22:24 PUNISH YOU, BECAUSE HE TOLD US TO 'OCCUPY 'TILL I COME.' RIGHT? 22:29 WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STAY BUSY AND CONTINUE. 22:31 LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER VERSE HERE - 2 THESSALONIANS 2, VERSE 22:35 1 - 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-4, "NOW, BRETHREN," - PAUL IS WRITING. 22:42 THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE HE SAID YOU'RE GETTING SO 22:44 EXCITED ABOUT THE IMMINENCE OF THE LORD'S COMING THAT YOU'RE 22:48 GOING TOO FAR - "NOW, BRETHREN, CONCERNING THE COMING OF OUR 22:52 LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR GATHERING TOGETHER TO HIM, WE 22:56 ASK YOU, NOT TO BE SOON SHAKEN IN MIND OR TROUBLED, EITHER BY 23:00 SPIRIT OR BY WORD OR BY LETTER, AS IF FROM US, AS THOUGH THE DAY 23:06 OF CHRIST HAD COME. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU BY ANY 23:10 MEANS; FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNLESS THE FALLING AWAY 23:15 COMES FIRST," - NOW WHAT IS HE SAYING? 23:18 HE'S SAYING, 'LOOK, EVERYONE'S GETTING YOU ALL SHAKEN UP AND 23:20 YOU'RE THINKING THE DAY OF THE LORD IS EITHER ALREADY COME OR 23:23 IT'S ABOUT TO COME.' HE SAYS, 'NO, IT HASN'T COME YET. 23:25 SOME THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED.' AND HE TALKS 23:28 ABOUT A MAJOR FALLING AWAY AND HE TALKS ABOUT A FALLING AWAY IN 23:32 THE CHURCH. NOW THAT HAS HAPPENED. 23:35 BUT DO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO 23:37 HAPPEN BEFORE THE LORD COMES? >>YES. 23:39 >>THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO RELAX, BECAUSE LIKE 23:42 I SAID, WE NEVER KNOW. FINAL EVENTS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN 23:45 QUICKLY. LET ME GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: IF YOU 23:51 HAD GONE TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL A WEEK BEFORE MOSES 23:54 SHOWED UP AND SAID, 'LET MY PEOPLE GO.' IF YOU HAD GONE TO 23:58 THEM AND SAID, 'HEY, I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS.' 'WHAT'S THAT?' 24:02 'I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE LEAVING EGYPT IN ABOUT THREE 24:06 WEEKS.' THEY'D SAY, 'YOU'RE CRAZY. 24:09 WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. 24:11 WE COULD NEVER GET OUT OF HERE IN THREE WEEKS. 24:13 PHARAOH'S NOT IN ANY MINDSET TO LET US GO. 24:16 HIS FAMILY, THEY ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY. 24:18 THE POLITICAL CLIMATE, WELL, THEY'LL NEVER LET US GO. 24:22 AND THINK OF ALL THE PACKING THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED AND HOW 24:24 ARE WE GOING TO GET READY? AND ALL THE LEGISLATION - GET 24:27 PASSED - IN ORDER' - AND THEY COULD THINK OF ALL THE REASONS 24:29 IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WHEN MOSES SHOWED UP AND GOD 24:32 BEGAN TO RAIN THOSE PLAGUES ON EGYPT, DID THINGS START 24:35 HAPPENING QUICKLY? ARE THERE GOING TO BE 24:39 PLAGUES IN THE LAST DAYS TOO? >>YES. 24:41 >>DON'T UNDERESTIMATE HOW RAPIDLY THINGS COULD HAPPEN. 24:47 HAVE YOU EVER SEEN LAWS PASS QUICKLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID? 24:52 LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN WORLD WAR II AFTER PEARL HARBOR - WELL, 24:55 NOT ALL OF YOU WERE HERE. I WASN'T HERE. MY BROTHER WAS 24:59 BORN ON PEARL HARBOR DAY - DECEMBER 7TH. HE WASN'T HERE 25:03 THEN EITHER SO, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT? 1942 - IS THAT RIGHT? 25:11 IT WAS AFTER WORLD WAR II STARTED BUT WE WEREN'T IN THE 25:13 WAR YET. '41 - '42? HOW MANY SAY '42? (LAUGHTER) DO I HAVE A 43? 25:21 (LAUGHTER) ANY ONE HERE POSITIVE ABOUT WHAT DATE THAT IS? 25:28 WAS ANYONE ALIVE THEN? '41 - '41 - OKAY, THANK YOU. 25:34 I WONDERED WHEN I SAID '42 - I THINK IT WAS '41 - YEAH. 25:37 WHAT WAS I SAYING? OH, LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED. 25:41 THEY STARTED TO MAKE LAWS, THEY BEGAN TO RATION - THEY STARTED 25:44 RATIONING EVEN THINGS LIKE RUBBER FOR TIRES AND THEY - 25:47 PEOPLE GOT ROUNDED UP AND PUT IN INTERNMENT CAMPS JUST ALMOST 25:52 OVERNIGHT BECAUSE OF FEAR. JUST ALL THESE LAWS - LOOK AT - 25:54 AFTER 9/11 - DID THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU FLY? 25:58 LOOK HOW QUICKLY LAWS PASS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THINGS 26:01 CAN HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW 26:03 EXACTLY WHEN THAT IS, WE NEED TO PLAN LIKE WE COULD BE HERE 26:07 AWHILE AND WE NEED TO PLAN BASED ON WHAT WE SEE TODAY 26:10 GOING ON AROUND US. STAY BUSY FOR THE LORD, AMEN? 26:15 WHAT DO YOU WANT HIM TO SEE YOU DOING WHEN HE COMES? 26:20 DO YOU WANT TO HAVE - DO YOU WANT TO BE SITTING ON YOUR HANDS 26:22 WHEN JESUS COMES, WAITING FOR HIS COMING? OR WOULD YOU RATHER 26:25 HAVE HIM SEE YOU BUSY - INVOLVED IN DOING MISSION WORK? 26:30 THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANT THE LORD 26:33 TO COME DURING. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? 26:38 ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING YOU WOULDN'T WANT THE LORD TO COME 26:40 AT THAT TIME? DON'T DO IT. 26:42 YOU NEVER KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR. 26:44 BE READY ALWAYS - ISN'T THAT WHAT IT SAYS? 26:47 ALRIGHT, REVIVAL AND REFORMATION WHILE WE WAIT . 26:51 I'LL START OUT WITH A QUOTE - IT'S IN YOUR LESSON - FROM THE 26:53 BOOK SELECTED MESSAGES , BOOK 1, PAGE 121, "A REVIVAL OF TRUE 26:59 GODLINESS AMONG US IS THE GREATEST AND MOST URGENT OF ALL 27:03 OF OUR NEEDS. TO SEEK THIS SHOULD 27:05 BE OUR FIRST WORK." WHAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST WORK? 27:09 A REVIVAL. NOW SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, OUR CHURCH 27:13 IS IN A LAODICEAN CONDITION. HOW MANY AGREE? HOW MANY FEEL 27:17 YOU ARE IN A LAODICEAN CONDITION. 27:21 YOU KNOW, THAT WASN'T NEAR AS MANY HANDS. 27:24 (LAUGHTER) WHEN I ASKED IF THE CHURCH WAS IN A LAODICEAN 27:26 CONDITION ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE HANDS WENT UP. 27:29 WHEN I ASKED IF YOU WERE IN A LAODICEAN CONDITION, VERY FEW 27:32 HANDS WENT UP. I'LL PUT MY HAND UP. 27:36 COMPARED TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, I THINK WE'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT 27:41 LUKEWARM AND WE NEED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 27:45 I'M NOT SURE WHETHER GODLY LIVING WILL BRING PERSECUTION OR 27:51 PERSECUTION WILL BRING GODLY LIVING, BUT SOMETHING'S GOING TO 27:54 HAPPEN. BIBLE SAYS ALL THAT LIVE GODLY 27:57 WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION. AND NOTHING GETS THE DEVIL 28:00 MADDER THAN THE HOLINESS OF THE CHURCH. 28:03 BUT SOMETIMES, THE CHURCH DOESN'T APPRECIATE THE 28:06 IMPORTANCE OF HOLINESS UNTIL WE'RE GOING THROUGH TRIALS. 28:09 SO I'M NOT SURE HOW IT'LL HAPPEN, BUT SOMETHING'S GOING TO 28:12 HAPPEN THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE - IS GOING TO TRIGGER A REVIVAL. 28:17 NOW THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT THAT REVIVAL FROM 28:19 HAPPENING NOW. 'IF MY PEOPLE, WHICH ARE 28:23 CALLED BY MY NAME, WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY 28:26 FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL 28:30 HEAR FROM HEAVEN. I WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN. 28:32 I WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.' YOU KNOW THAT VERSE THERE IN 2 28:36 CHRONICLES - 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 OR IS IT 14:7? 28:40 >>7:14. >>7:14 - THANK YOU. 28:42 I'VE MENTIONED I'M DYSLEXIC, HAVEN'T I? WITH NUMBERS. 28:46 WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE TIMES WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE SOUGHT HIS 28:50 FACE AND TURNED FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS? 28:52 I REMEMBER, IN THE DAYS OF JEHOSHOPHAT, THREE NATIONS - THE 28:55 MOABITES, AND THE AMMONITES, AND THE EDOMITES ALL GATHERED AT ONE 28:59 TIME TO ATTACK ISRAEL AND THEY ALL GATHERED TOGETHER. 29:02 THE ISRAELITES, THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES, THEY PRAYED, 29:05 THEY SOUGHT THE FACE OF THE LORD. 29:06 THERE WAS A REVIVAL AND THEN GOD WORKED A MIRACLE FOR THEM. 29:09 IN THE DAYS OF HEZEKIAH, THE ASSYRIANS WERE AT THE WALL 29:12 THREATENING - THEY DESTROYED ALL THE SURROUNDING NATIONS. 29:15 THEY DESTROYED ISRAEL - THE NORTHERN KINGDOM - AND THEY 29:18 SAID, 'YOU'RE NEXT.' AND THE PEOPLE ALL GATHERED. 29:20 HEZEKIAH PUT THE LETTER BEFORE THE LORD. 29:22 THEY REPENTED OF THEIR SINS. THEY SOUGHT GOD'S FACE. THERE 29:24 WAS A REVIVAL AND GOD DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR ENEMIES. 29:28 IT MIGHT TAKE SOME TRIALS FOR US TO REALLY GET ON OUR KNEES AND 29:32 SEEK GOD'S FACE, BUT SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN THAT'S GOING TO 29:35 WAKE US UP AND SHAKE US UP AND GET US OUT OF OUR LUKEWARM 29:38 CONDITION. A REVIVAL IS OUR GREATEST NEED. 29:42 LET ME READ SOMETHING TO YOU - AND THIS IS A LONG PASSAGE. 29:46 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN JUST A MOMENT, 2 CORINTHIANS 29:48 5:17, OKAY? 2 PETER 3, SPEAKING OF THE 29:53 SECOND COMING, PETER SAYS HERE IN HIS SECOND BOOK, CHAPTER 29:57 3 - I'LL START WITH VERSE 3 - "KNOWING THIS FIRST: THAT 30:00 SCOFFERS WILL COME IN THE LAST DAYS, WALKING ACCORDING TO THEIR 30:04 OWN LUSTS," - NOW I'VE GOT TO JUST PAUSE RIGHT HERE. 30:07 PETER SAYS THERE'LL BE SCOFFERS IN THE LAST DAYS. 30:10 WHAT'S A SCOFFER? MOCKERS - PEOPLE WHO ARE CYNICAL. 30:13 IS PETER TALKING ABOUT CYNICAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT WILL 30:17 MOCK WHAT WE BELIEVE, OR IS HE TALKING ABOUT CYNICAL PEOPLE 30:19 AMONG OUR OWN? THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CYNICAL 30:24 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT MOCK THE CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. 30:27 THERE WERE IN PAUL'S DAY. THERE WERE IN PETER'S DAY. 30:30 I BELIEVE PETER'S TALKING ABOUT EVEN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES 30:34 CYNICS WILL ARISE, MOCKERS WILL ARISE SAYING, 'YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, 30:39 WE'VE HEARD - SECOND COMING - THE LORD'S IN HIS SANCTUARY AND 30:44 JESUS IS GOING TO COME OUT AND THE PLAGUES - YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.' 30:47 AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, 'ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE 30:49 FROM' - I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE CHURCH. 30:52 I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUT A DAY WHEN, EVEN AMONG THOSE WHO CLAIM 30:55 TO BE BELIEVERS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE SECOND 30:58 COMING. ARE WE THERE YET? >>YES. 31:03 >>I THINK WE ARE, YEAH. AND IT SAYS THEY'RE WALKING 31:06 AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS. WHY? THEY DOUBT THE SECOND COMING - 31:09 "SAYING, 'WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? 31:11 FOR SINCE THE FATHER'S FELL ASLEEP, ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS 31:14 THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION.'" THE FOUNDERS OF OUR 31:18 MOVEMENT BELIEVED IN THE IMMINENCE OF OUR LORD'S COMING 31:20 AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ALL FALLEN 31:22 ASLEEP AND HE'S STILL NOT HERE YET. 31:24 HERE WE ARE A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY YEARS LATER, ALL THINGS 31:31 CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING. 31:33 "FOR THIS THEY WILLFULLY FORGET: THAT BY THE WORD OF GOD THE 31:38 HEAVENS WERE OF OLD, AND THE EARTH STANDING OUT OF WATER AND 31:42 IN THE WATER, BY WHICH THE WORLD THAT THEN EXISTED PERISHED, 31:44 BEING FLOODED WITH WATER." HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DID GOD TELL 31:48 NOAH BEFORE THE FLOOD CAME? A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS. 31:53 AND WHEN NOAH BEGAN TO BUILD AND PROCLAIM 'THE FLOOD IS COMING!' 31:56 THEY PROBABLY STARTED, 'OOH, WOW' - SOME EVEN MAYBE HELPED 31:59 HIM BUILD THE ARK. BUT AFTER A YEAR WENT BY AND 32:02 AFTER A DECADE WENT BY, AND AFTER A CENTURY WENT BY - NO 32:07 FLOOD - YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAID? 'ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY 32:11 WERE FROM THE BEGINNING. IT'S NEVER RAINED. 32:14 IT'S NEVER GOING TO RAIN. YOU'RE CRAZY.' AND BUT THEN HE 32:19 SAYS, 'BUT IT DID COME.' THEY'RE WILFULLY IGNORANT - THEY'RE 32:23 FORGETTING THE PAST "BY WHICH THE WORLD THAT THEN EXISTED 32:28 PERISHED, BEING FLOODED WITH WATER. 32:30 BUT THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WHICH ARE NOW PRESERVED BY THE 32:33 SAME WORD, ARE RESERVED FOR FIRE UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGMENT AND 32:37 PERDITION OF UNGODLY MEN. BUT, BELOVED, DO NOT FORGET THIS 32:41 ONE THING, THAT WITH THE LORD ONE DAY IS AS A THOUSAND YEARS, 32:44 AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY." 32:45 SO IF IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TAKING LONGER THAN IT SHOULD, GOD 32:48 DOESN'T MEASURE TIME THE WAY WE DO. 32:50 OUR LIVES ARE LIKE VAPOR. OUR LIVES ARE LIKE GRASS THAT 32:53 SPRINGS UP AND A WEEK LATER IT'S DEAD. 32:56 I'M USING BIBLE METAPHORS. A DAY WITH THE LORD IS LIKE A 33:01 THOUSAND YEARS AND A THOUSAND YEARS LIKE A DAY. NOW, YOU'VE 33:06 MAYBE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A COINCIDENCE 33:09 THAT CREATION GOES BACK APPROXIMATELY 6,000 YEARS AND 33:15 WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A THOUSAND YEARS WITH THE LORD IN HEAVEN. 33:19 AND GOD HAS A PATTERN OF YOU WORK SIX DAYS AND THEN YOU REST 33:23 THE SEVENTH. 6,000 YEARS GOD HAS BEEN OUT 33:26 SOWING THE SEED OF THE GOSPEL. DURING THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS WE 33:29 LIVE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST, IT'S LIKE A MILLENNIAL SABBATH. 33:32 THIS IS NOT NEW WITH ME. I THINK J.N. ANDREWS TAUGHT WHAT 33:35 THEY CALL THE MILLENNIAL WEEK - JESUS COMING TO HARVEST, JUST 33:40 LIKE HE'S HARVESTING FROM SOWING THE SEED. THERE'S A NUMBER OF 33:44 PRINCIPLES IN THE BIBLE THAT TALK ABOUT THAT. 33:49 THE LORD IS LONGSUFFERING TO US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD 33:52 PERISH BUT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. 33:54 BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME. 33:57 PETER SAYS IT WILL COME 'AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT' - WHEN IT 34:00 HAPPENS WE'RE GOING TO THINK THAT IT'S TOO SOON - 'IN WHICH 34:02 THE HEAVENS PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE' - I'VE GOT TO 34:04 PAUSE: THE DAY OF THE LORD'S COMING AS A THIEF - THAT'S THE 34:08 SECRET RAPTURE? YOU KNOW THE STORY OF THE SECRET RAPTURE - 34:11 YOU'LL BE WALKING ALONG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SAYS 'LEFT 34:13 BEHIND' - YOU KNOW, TIM LEHAY JUST DIED RECENTLY. I DON'T KNOW 34:17 IF YOU KNOW THAT - THE AUTHOR OF THE LEFT BEHIND BOOKS - THE IDEA 34:23 THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DISAPPEAR. 34:24 YOU KNOW, PILOTS ARE GOING TO POP OUT OF JETS AND DRIVERS OUT 34:26 OF TRUCKS AND CARS'LL CAREEN OFF THE ROAD AND - AND, YOU KNOW, 34:30 SOMEONE'LL BE COOKING YOUR BREAKFAST AND THEN POOF! 34:32 THEY'RE GONE AND THERE'S A PILE OF CLOTHES ON THE FLOOR AND YOUR 34:34 BREAKFAST IS THERE BURNING AND JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE FOLKS 34:38 JUST - AND THEN LIFE'S GOING TO GO ON FOR SEVEN MORE YEARS. 34:41 AND THEY SAY THIS IS WHEN THE LORD COMES AS A THIEF. 34:43 LISTEN TO WHAT PETER SAYS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WORLD WHEN 34:46 THE LORD COMES AS A THIEF: "BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS 34:49 A THIEF IN THE NIGHT, IN WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH 34:52 A GREAT NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT; 34:56 BOTH THE EARTH AND THE WORKS THAT ARE IN IT WILL BE BURNED 34:58 UP." DOES IT SOUND LIKE LIFE GOES ON 35:00 AS NORMAL AFTER HE COMES AS A THIEF? OR IS IT CATACLYSMIC AND 35:05 EVERYBODY KNOWS? IT'S THE END. WHEN HE COMES AS A 35:06 THIEF, THAT'S IT. BOTH THE EARTH AND THE WORKS IN 35:10 IT BURNED UP - "THEREFORE, SINCE THESE THINGS WILL BE DISSOLVED" 35:14 - NOW THIS GETS BACK TO OUR LESSON - HOW DO WE WAIT? 35:17 SINCE ALL THIS IS GOING TO BE BURNED UP, "WHAT MANNER OF 35:19 PERSONS OUGHT WE BE IN HOLY CONDUCT AND GODLINESS, LOOKING 35:24 FOR AND HASTENING" - BY OUR GODLINESS IT'LL PROBABLY HASTEN 35:29 THE PERSECUTION - "LOOKING FOR AND HASTENING" BY OUR 35:32 PREACHING THE GOSPEL IN ALL THE WORLD. 35:34 ISN'T THERE A VERSE IN MATTHEW 24 THAT SAYS, 'AND WHEN THE 35:37 GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM IS PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD AS A 35:39 WITNESS, THEN THE END WILL COME'? 35:41 SO IF WE'RE HELPING PREACH THE GOSPEL IN ALL THE WORLD, WE'RE 35:45 HELPING, IN A SENSE, HASTEN THE DAY OF HIS COMING. 35:49 "LOOKING FOR AND HASTENING THE DAY OF GOD IN WHICH THE HEAVENS 35:51 WILL BE DISSOLVED, BEING ON FIRE, AND THE ELEMENTS MELT WITH 35:55 FERVENT HEAT. NEVERTHELESS, WE, ACCORDING 35:58 TO HIS PROMISE, LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN 36:01 WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS. YOU THEREFORE, BELOVED" - LOOK 36:04 FORWARD - IF YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THESE THINGS, BE DILIGENT TO BE 36:08 FOUND BY HIM IN PEACE WITHOUT SPOT AND BLAMELESS." 36:11 TWICE HE SAYS, 'IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN THE SECOND COMING YOU 36:15 OUGHT TO CONDUCT YOURSELF WITH HOLY CONVERSATION AND 36:17 GODLINESS.' HE SAYS, 'IF YOU BELIEVE THESE THINGS, BE FOUND 36:20 BY HIM IN PEACE WITHOUT SPOT AND BLAMELESS.' 36:23 HOW DO WE WAIT? BY LIVING GODLY, HOLY LIVES. 36:27 HOLINESS IS THE GREATEST THING THAT WE COULD STRIVE FOR. 36:29 PLEASE READ FOR ME 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17. 36:34 >>THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; 36:39 OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME 36:43 NEW." >>HAVE YOU HEARD PEOPLE SAY 36:46 BEFORE, 'CHRISTIANS AREN'T PERFECT, THEY'RE JUST FORGIVEN'? 36:50 IT'S SORT OF LIKE A BIG SPRAY CAN THAT THEY CAN GLOSS OVER 36:54 UNGODLY LIVING. 'I'M JUST FORGIVEN.' THE ONLY 36:58 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND THE LOST IS ONE GROUP 37:01 HAS DECIDED TO ASK FOR GOD'S FORGIVENESS, BUT THEY CONTINUE 37:04 LIVING LIKE EVERYONE ELSE - THERE'LL BE NO DIFFERENCE. 37:07 THE BIBLE DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT 37:10 CHRISTIANS ARE RADICALLY DIFFERENT. 37:13 IT SAYS WE ARE A PECULIAR PEOPLE. 37:15 WE ARE TO LIVE HOLY LIVES. IT TELLS US THAT WE'RE TO BE 37:18 FOUND OF HIM WITHOUT SPOT AND BLAMELESS. 37:21 MOST OF ALL, IT SAYS, 'OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY. 37:23 BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.' - BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A NEW 37:27 HEART, YOU'RE A NEW CREATURE, RIGHT? 37:30 SO THIS IDEA THAT CHRISTIANS ARE JUST FORGIVEN, IS THAT TRUE? 37:35 IT MAKES A GOOD BUMPER STICKER, BUT IT'S NOT A TRUE BUMPER 37:39 STICKER. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT 'JUST FORGIVEN'. 37:42 MATTHEW 25, VERSE 1 - LET'S GO THERE REAL QUICK. 37:46 "THEN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHALL BE LIKENED TO TEN VIRGINS 37:49 WHO TOOK THEIR LAMPS AND WENT OUT TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM. 37:52 NOW FIVE OF THEM WERE WISE, AND FIVE WERE FOOLISH. 37:55 THOSE WHO WERE FOOLISH TOOK THEIR LAMPS AND TOOK NO OIL WITH 37:57 THEM, BUT THE WISE TOOK OIL IN THEIR VESSELS" - 37:59 WHAT DOES THAT OIL REPRESENT? >>HOLY SPIRIT. 38:02 >>IT'S THE SPIRIT. "BUT WHILE THE BRIDEGROOM WAS 38:04 DELAYED," - NOW THAT OUGHT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. 38:07 IS THERE GOING TO BE THE APPEARANCE OF DELAY BEFORE JESUS 38:10 COMES BACK? >>YES. 38:12 >>CAN YOU THINK OF OTHER STORIES IN THE BIBLE CONNECTED WITH THE 38:15 SECOND COMING THAT SAY THERE MIGHT BE SOME APPEARANCE OF 38:19 DELAY? AT THE END OF MATTHEW - 38:21 WHAT'S MATTHEW 24 ABOUT? SECOND COMING. 38:25 YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS AT THE END OF MATTHEW 24? 38:28 'IF THAT EVIL SERVANT SAYS IN HIS HEART, 'MY LORD DELAYS HIS 38:30 COMING.'' AND DURING THIS TIME OF DELAY - OR APPARENT DELAY - 38:36 PETER SAYS, 'THEY'LL SAY - MOCKERS'LL SAY, 'ALL THINGS SEEM 38:40 TO CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING.'' YOU REMEMBER 38:44 WHEN MOSES DELAYED COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN? 38:47 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE BEING TESTED AND THEY MADE A 38:49 GOLDEN CALF. DID HE - DID MOSES COME? 38:53 >>YES. >>DOES THE BRIDEGROOM 38:54 EVENTUALLY COME? >>YES. 38:55 >>DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN SAUL - I'M SORRY, WHEN SAMUEL, THE 38:59 PROPHET, TOLD KING SAUL, 'WAIT FOR ME AT GILGAL BEFORE YOU GO 39:02 TO BATTLE WITH THE PHILISTINES. WAIT SEVEN DAYS AND I'LL COME TO 39:05 YOU.' AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEVENTH DAY, SAMUEL WASN'T 39:08 THERE AND SAUL GOT TIRED OF WAITING. SAMUEL WAS DELAYED. 39:12 AND IN THE DELAY, KING SAUL WAS BEING TESTED. 39:16 HE SAID, 'WELL, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THE PHILISTINES ARE GATHERING 39:19 AND THE PEOPLE ARE FRIGHTENED AND WE'RE GOING TO GET INVOLVED 39:21 IN A BATTLE AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO OFFER SACRIFICE AND, SINCE I'M 39:24 THE KING, I'M NEXT IN LINE. I'LL DO IT.' HE SHOULD 39:27 NOT HAVE DONE THAT. ONLY THE PRIEST WAS 39:28 SUPPOSED TO DO IT. AND SAMUEL FINALLY CAME. 39:33 HE CAME THE SEVENTH DAY LIKE HE SAID. 39:35 SAUL JUST GOT IMPATIENT DURING THE DELAY AND SAMUEL SAID, 'YOU 39:39 WERE BEING TESTED. SINCE YOU FAILED THE TEST, YOU 39:42 ARE GOING TO LOSE THE KINGDOM.' COULD IT BE, IN THE LAST DAYS, 39:45 THERE'LL BE ANOTHER APPARENT DELAY? 39:48 DOESN'T IT SAY IN HABAKKUK, 'THOUGH IT TARRIES, WAIT FOR IT; 39:52 IT WILL SURELY COME'? IT WILL NOT TARRY. 39:55 IT APPEARS TO TARRY. AND SO, GOD IS TELLING US - 39:58 ESPECIALLY ADVENTISTS - IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE HE'S LATE. 40:01 I REMEMBER, DURING 1999, EVERYONE HAD MILLENNIAL FEVER - 40:05 Y2K. THEY WERE SURE THIS WAS IT. 40:08 PEOPLE TOOK ALL THEIR MONEY OUT OF THE BANK AND FOLKS WERE SURE 40:11 IT WAS TIME TO GO TO THE HILLS AND - WE HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION 40:16 IN NET 99 BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS THE LAST EVANGELISTIC 40:19 PROGRAM AND THEY GOT INVOLVED - SOME OF THEM OUT OF GUILT - 'I 40:21 OUGHT TO DO ONE BEFORE I DIE.' AND - BUT HERE WE ARE NOW, IN 40:26 2016 AND ONE OF THE SIGNS OF THE NEARNESS OF CHRIST'S COMING IS 40:32 IF YOU'RE REAL QUIET, YOU CAN HEAR A COLLECTIVE SNORE IN THE 40:36 CHURCH. SOMETIMES YOU REALLY CAN 40:39 HEAR SNORING IN THE CHURCH. (LAUGHTER) SLEEPING - 40:46 AN APPEARANCE OF DELAY. AND THEN THE CRY SAYS, 'BEHOLD, 40:50 THE BRIDEGROOM COMES' AND THEY WAKE UP. 40:53 BUT, DURING THE DELAY, SOME OF THEM, THEIR LAMPS BURNED OUT AND 40:56 THEY DID NOT HAVE A RESERVE OF OIL. 40:59 WE NEED TO BE STORING AWAY THE WORD OF GOD. 41:02 THE REASON NOAH SURVIVED THE FLOOD IS THERE WAS A RESERVE OF 41:05 FOOD IN THE ARK - AND WE NEED TO STORE AWAY. 41:08 ALRIGHT, THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH WHILE WE WAIT - JAMES 2 - 41:12 IF YOU LOOK, WE'RE AT VERSES 14 TO 24 - TALKING ABOUT BEING 41:18 USEFUL - WORKING FOR THE LORD. WE - YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO SCARED 41:23 ABOUT THE WORD 'WORKS'. IF YOU'RE CHRISTIAN AND YOU TALK 41:26 ABOUT SOME - TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE ABOUT GOOD WORKS, 41:28 WHAT DO THEY CALL YOU? >>LEGALIST. 41:31 >>A LEGALIST. IF YOU SAY WE NEED TO BE 41:33 INVOLVED IN GOOD WORKS, YOU'RE CALLED A PHARISEE. 41:38 ARE GOOD WORKS BAD? >>NO. 41:41 >>YOU KNOW, YOU'D ALMOST THINK, THE WAY YOU HEAR SOME PASTORS 41:44 TALK, THAT IF YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT 41:47 GOOD WORKS, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU 41:50 ARE A LEGALIST. YOU ARE A PHARISEE. 41:53 THE BIBLE HAS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT GOOD WORKS. 41:56 GOOD WORKS ARE NOT BAD. LET ME GIVE YOU A 41:59 FEW VERSES HERE. JAMES 2:14, HE SAYS, "WHAT DOES 42:02 IF PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, IF SOMEONE SAYS HE HAS FAITH 42:04 BUT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM? 42:07 IF A BROTHER OR SISTER IS NAKED AND DESTITUTE OF DAILY FOOD, AND 42:11 ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM, 'DEPART IN PEACE, BE WARMED AND FILLED,' 42:15 BUT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM THE THINGS WHICH ARE NEEDED FOR THE 42:17 BODY, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT? THUS ALSO FAITH BY" - AND, YOU 42:22 KNOW WHAT THIS IS AN ALLUSION TO? 42:24 YOU KNOW THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 42:25 THIS MAN FALLS AMONG THIEVES. HE'S A JEW. 42:29 TWO OF HIS OWN CHURCH MEMBERS WALK BY. 42:33 THEY DON'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING PRACTICAL FOR HIS VERY SERIOUS 42:37 CRISIS. MAYBE THEY PRAY FOR HIM, 42:39 BUT THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING. THEY SAY, 'BE WARMED AND 42:40 FILLED.' BUT FINALLY, THE SAMARITAN DOES SOMETHING AND 42:45 HE'S THE ONE DOING THE GOOD WORKS AND HE'S NOT EVEN THE JEW. 42:48 AND SO, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT JAMES IS REFERRING TO. 42:50 BUT IF YOU SAY TO YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER THAT ARE HUNGRY AND 42:53 NAKED AND DESTITUTE, "'DEPART IN PEACE, BE WARMED AND FILLED,' 42:56 BUT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE 42:58 BODY, WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?" - YOU SAY, 'OH, BUT I'VE GOT 43:00 FAITH.' - THUS ALSO FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT DOES NOT - FAITH 43:05 BY ITSELF IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS, IS DEAD." 43:07 THE REASON IS, REAL FAITH WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY WORKS. 43:13 WE DON'T DO THE WORKS TO BE SAVED, WE DO THE WORKS BECAUSE 43:16 WE ARE SAVED AND WE HAVE FAITH. SO JAMES IS SAYING, 'IF YOU LOOK 43:19 AND YOU DON'T SEE ANY WORKS, YOU BETTER QUESTION YOUR FAITH. 43:23 DOES THAT UNDER - DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 43:25 "THUS ALSO FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS, IS DEAD. 43:28 BUT SOMEONE WILL SAY, 'WELL, YOU HAVE FAITH AND I HAVE WORKS.' 43:31 SHOW ME YOUR FAITH WITHOUT YOUR WORKS, I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH 43:34 BY MY WORKS. YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ONE GOD. 43:36 YOU DO WELL. EVEN THE DEVILS BELIEVE - AND TREMBLE!" 43:39 - THEY'RE NOT SAVED. JUST BELIEVING THERE'S A GOD IS 43:42 NOT THE KIND OF FAITH GOD SAYS WE NEED TO HAVE. "BUT DO YOU 43:46 KNOW, O FOOLISH MAN, THAT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD? 43:49 WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED BY WORKS WHEN HE 43:52 OFFERED ISAAC HIS SON ON THE ALTAR? 43:54 DO YOU SEE THAT FAITH WAS WORKING TOGETHER WITH HIS WORKS, 43:57 AND BY WORKS FAITH WAS MADE PERFECT?" 44:00 THE BIBLE SAYS "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS 44:02 ACCOUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." HOW DID ABRAHAM, 44:05 EVIDENTLY - OR LATER - SHOW HIS BELIEF IN GOD? HE PUT HIS SON ON 44:09 THE ALTAR. ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD AND HE WAS 44:13 ACCOUNTED AS RIGHTEOUS AND WAS CALLED THE FRIEND OF GOD. 44:15 YOU SEE THEN THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS AND NOT BY 44:18 FAITH ONLY." ALRIGHT, READ FOR ME, 1 PETER - WELL, I'LL GIVE 44:22 YOU A SECOND TO CATCH THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO READ, IN 44:24 JUST A MOMENT, 1 PETER 2:12. I'M GOING TO READ TITUS 2:11. 44:29 "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HAS APPEARED TO 44:32 ALL MEN, TEACHING US THAT, DENYING" - THIS IS TALKING ABOUT 44:37 GRACE - WE'RE SAVED BY GRACE - "DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY 44:40 LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY IN THE 44:45 PRESENT AGE, LOOKING FOR THE BLESSED HOPE AND GLORIOUS 44:48 APPEARING OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO GAVE 44:51 HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM EVERY LAWLESS 44:55 DEED AND PURIFY FOR HIMSELF HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, ZEALOUS FOR 45:01 GOOD WORKS." THAT'S A LONG VERSE, BUT IT 45:04 SAYS HE WANTS TO PURIFY US FROM EVERY LAWLESS DEED AND MAKE US 45:09 HIS OWN PEOPLE, ZEALOUS - WHAT DOES ZEALOUS MEAN? 45:13 ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GOOD WORKS. IS IT OKAY TO BE EXCITED ABOUT 45:17 WANTING TO SERVE THE LORD, DO GOOD THINGS, STAY BUSY, MAKE AN 45:20 IMPRESSION FOR THE LOST WORLD? ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ 45:24 FOR US 1 PETER 2:12. >>"HAVING YOUR CONDUCT HONORABLE 45:28 AMONG THE GENTILES, THAT WHEN THEY SPEAK AGAINST YOU AS 45:33 EVILDOERS, THEY MAY, BY YOUR GOOD WORKS WHICH THEY OBSERVE, 45:40 GLORIFY GOD IN THE DAY OF VISITATION." 45:46 >>YOU KNOW, JESUS SAID, 'LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN 45:50 THAT THEY MAY SEE WHAT? >>YOUR GOOD WORKS. 45:54 >>JESUS SAID WE OUGHT TO LET OUR LIGHT SHINE SO THEY CAN SEE OUR 45:59 GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY US? GLORIFY YOUR FATHER, 46:02 WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. WE SHOULD NOT RUN AND DUCK AND 46:05 HIDE FROM THE IDEA OF GOOD WORKS, THE CHURCH SHOULD BE 46:08 KNOWN FOR DOING GOOD WORKS IN THE COMMUNITY. 46:12 THIS IS WHAT JESUS SAID. IT'S WHAT PETER SAID. 46:14 IT'S NOT A BAD THING. LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE - 46:18 TITUS 3:8 - "THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND THESE THINGS I WANT 46:22 YOU TO AFFIRM CONSTANTLY, THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD 46:26 SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS." 46:28 IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOD - FAITH - MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. 46:33 EPHESIANS 2 - NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT THE PRINCIPLE VERSE IS THAT 46:36 PEOPLE USE AGAINST GOOD WORKS? 46:37 THIS VERSE - EPHESIANS 2:8 - LET ME READ IT TO YOU, "FOR BY GRACE 46:43 YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF 46:46 YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANYONE 46:49 SHOULD BOAST." AND PEOPLE STOP THERE. 46:50 HAVE YOU HEARD THAT? READ THE NEXT VERSE. 46:54 "FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD 46:58 WORKS," - PEOPLE NEVER READ THE REST OF THE VERSE. 47:03 THEY USE THIS TO SAY, 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANY GOOD WORKS. 47:06 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT 47:08 YOUR CHURCH IS DOING. IT'S JUST FAITH THAT SAVES US.' 47:12 WELL, IT'S TRUE IT'S FAITH THAT SAVES US, BUT IF IT'S A SAVING 47:14 FAITH, IT WILL BE SEEN IN A CHANGED LIFE AND 47:18 DOING GOOD THINGS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 47:21 YOU'VE GOT TO READ THE WHOLE VERSE. 47:22 ALRIGHT, LAST SECTION. NO, I'VE GOT TWO SECTIONS TO GO. 47:26 PREPARING FOR THE HARVEST WHILE WE WAIT - 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6 AND 47:30 7 - NOW WHO'S GOT THAT VERSE? DO YOU HAVE THAT? 47:35 WHAT VERSE DO YOU HAVE? >>REVELATION 18:2. 47:37 >>OH GOOD. OKAY. 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6 AND 7, "I 47:41 PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED, BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE. 47:45 SO THEN NEITHER HE WHO PLANTS IS ANYTHING, NOR HE WHO WATERS, 47:48 BUT GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE." 47:50 WE'RE ALL TO BE INVOLVED IN THE HARVEST. 47:53 JESUS COMPARES SOUL WINNING TO FARMING. 47:55 DOES A FARMER GET FOOD INSTANTLY WHEN HE PLANTS IT? 48:01 IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE PLANTING. 48:02 IF YOU'RE PLANTING TREES, YOU MAY NOT GET FRUIT FOR YEARS. 48:06 IF YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE A SUCCESSFUL FARMER, PLANT 48:10 TURNIPS. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST PLANTED - MOVED TO THE HILLS - 48:14 FIRST PLANTED MY FIRST GARDEN, I PLANTED SOME TURNIP SEEDS. 48:16 I PLANTED THEM WAY TOO THICK BECAUSE THEY CAME UP LIKE GRASS 48:19 AND FINALLY, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL UP THE FIRST LITTLE TURNIPS 48:23 I WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A CROP IN TWO 48:27 WEEKS. BUT WHAT YOU'LL HAVE IS A TURNIP. 48:31 (LAUGHTER) BUT IF YOU WANT ORANGES, IT TAKES A LITTLE 48:36 WHILE. IF YOU WANT WHEAT, YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT A FEW MONTHS. 48:40 AND YOU'VE GOT TO WEED THINGS. YOU'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, 48:44 PLANT IT. YOU'VE GOT TO WORK THE SOIL. 48:46 FARMING TAKES TIME AND THEN YOU GET A HARVEST. 48:49 SOUL WINNING, IT TAKES GOOD WORKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEN 48:53 YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER AND THEN YOU GET A HARVEST. 48:56 NOW, IS THE PROBLEM THAT THERE'S NO PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANT TO 48:59 HEAR THE GOSPEL? OR IS THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T 49:01 HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS WORKING IN THE FIELD? 49:04 LUKE 10:1, JESUS SAID - LET ME READ IT, "AFTER THESE THINGS THE 49:09 LORD APPOINTED SEVENTY OTHERS ALSO, AND SENT THEM TWO BY TWO 49:12 BEFORE HIS FACE INTO EVERY CITY AND PLACE WHERE HE HIMSELF WAS 49:15 ABOUT TO GO." HE SENT OUT WORKERS. 49:17 THESE AREN'T DISCIPLES - I MEAN THESE AREN'T APOSTLES, THEY'RE 49:19 JUST DISCIPLES - "THEN HE SAID TO THEM, 'THE HARVEST TRULY IS 49:23 GREAT, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW;" - WELL HE HAD SEVENTY 49:26 EVANGELISTS AND HE SAYS IT'S TOO FEW - "THEREFORE PRAY THE LORD 49:30 OF THE HARVEST TO SEND OUT LABORERS INTO HIS HARVEST. 49:33 GO YOUR WAY; BEHOLD, I SEND YOU OUT AS LAMBS AMONG WOLVES." 49:38 WE'RE TO PRAY THAT THE LORD'LL SEND LABORERS INTO THE HARVEST. 49:42 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S - I'M GOING TO GO TO THE LAST SECTION 49:48 HERE WHERE IT SAYS THE WAIT IS OVER . 49:50 YOU'RE GOING TO READ FOR ME REVELATION 18:2. 49:53 THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPLE CITIES THAT ARE AT ODDS IN THE BIBLE. 49:58 YOU'VE GOT JERUSALEM AND BABYLON. 50:03 BABEL WAS A CITY BUILT IN REBELLION TO GOD AND GOD CURSED 50:06 IT BECAUSE THEY WERE BUILDING IT TO MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES. 50:10 IT REPRESENTED COUNTERFEIT MAN-MADE RELIGION - SALVATION BY 50:13 WORKS. THEY WERE GOING TO CLIMB THIS 50:15 TOWER AND SAVE THEMSELVES. AND THEN GOD INSTRUCTED DAVID 50:18 TO BUILD A CITY OF PEACE CALLED JERUSALEM, LATER - FIRST KNOWN 50:22 BY MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM - CITY OF PEACE. 50:26 REVELATION, YOU'VE GOT THE NEW JERUSALEM AND SPIRITUAL BABYLON. 50:32 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, PLEASE, REVELATION 18:2. 50:36 >>REVELATION 18:2, "AND HE CRIED MIGHTILY WITH A LOUD VOICE, 50:39 SAYING, 'BABYLON THE GREAT IS FALLEN, IS FALLEN, AND HAS 50:43 BECOME A DWELLING PLACE OF DEMONS, A PRISON FOR EVERY FOUL 50:47 SPIRIT, AND A CAGE FOR EVERY UNCLEAN AND HATED BIRD!" 50:51 >>THIS IS TALKING ABOUT A CITY THAT IS A MONUMENT TO OPPOSITION 50:55 TO GOD'S KINGDOM, CONTRASTED WITH REVELATION 21:2, "THEN I, 51:01 JOHN, SAW THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, COMING DOWN OUT OF 51:04 HEAVEN FROM GOD, PREPARED AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND. 51:09 AND I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, 'BEHOLD, THE 51:12 TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM, AND 51:16 THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE. GOD HIMSELF WILL BE WITH 51:18 THEM AND BE THEIR GOD. AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY 51:21 TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; THERE SHALL BE NOR MORE DEATH, 51:24 NOR SORROW, NOR CRYING. THERE SHALL BE NO MORE PAIN, FOR 51:27 THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY." YOU'VE GOT THE WOMAN 51:30 CLOTHED WITH LIGHT - THE NEW JERUSALEM; YOU'VE GOT THE WOMAN 51:34 CLOTHED WITH SCARLET AND PURPLE - AND BABYLON. 51:37 YOU'VE GOT THESE TWO ECONOMIES THAT ARE COMPLETELY 51:41 DIAMETRIC OPPOSITE POLES - ONE OF GODLINESS AND 51:44 RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LIGHT AND GLORY; AND THE OTHER ONE IS 51:48 SPEAKING ABOUT THAT WHICH IS CURSED AND DOOMED IN THE BIBLE. 51:51 AND OUR JOB IS TO BE WORKING TO CALL PEOPLE OUT. 51:55 HE SAID, 'BABYLON IS FALLEN, COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE.' 51:58 WE ARE TO CALL PEOPLE OUT OF BABYLON INTO GOD'S CHURCH - 52:02 THE NEW JERUSALEM - AND THAT'S THE FINAL HARVEST. 52:07 SOME DAY, THEN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT ANYMORE, THE 52:10 LORD'LL BE HERE. AMEN? BUT IN THE MEANTIME - WE'RE ALL 52:12 LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE NEED 52:15 TO OCCUPY UNTIL HE COMES. >>AMEN. 52:17 >>WELL, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR LESSON ON THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH 52:20 IN THE COMMUNITY. I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN 52:21 BLESSED BY THAT, FRIENDS. DON'T FORGET: NEXT WEEK WE'RE 52:24 GOING TO BE DOING OUR FIRST STUDY IN OUR LESSON ON THE BOOK 52:27 OF JOB - ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS IN THE BIBLE. 52:29 AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET A COPY OF ONE OF 52:32 THOSE, YOU CAN SIMPLY GO TO THE ADVENTIST CHURCH SABBATH SCHOOL 52:35 WEBSITE OR SABBATHSCHOOL.NET AND THEY SHOULD BE POSTING THOSE. 52:39 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT. VISIT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 52:41 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND I'M SURE THEY'LL GIVE YOU ONE 52:43 AND INVITE YOU TO COME AND STUDY WITH THEM. 52:45 GOD BLESS YOU 'TIL WE STUDY HIS WORD TOGETHER NEXT TIME. 52:50 >>I LOVE THE QUOTE: "THE GREATEST WANT OF THE WORLD IS 52:53 THE WANT OF MEN ... MEN WHO WILL STAND FOR THE RIGHT THOUGH THE 52:56 HEAVENS FALL." YET STUDIES ARE SHOWING, FOR 52:59 SEVERAL YEARS NOW, THE SECULAR MEDIA AND CULTURE HAVE SOUGHT 53:03 TO PORTRAY MEN AS THE FAMILY IDIOTS. 53:06 SADLY, RESPECT FOR THE ROLE OF FATHERS AND HUSBANDS HAS REACHED 53:11 AN ALL-TIME LOW. SO NOW, AS THE DISPIRITED MEN 53:14 ABANDON THEIR ROLES OF GODLY LEADERSHIP, IT'S NOT SURPRISING 53:18 THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING A MORAL FREE-FALL IN OUR COUNTRY. 53:21 THAT'S WHY, STARTING SEPTEMBER 30TH I'LL BE PRESENTING A NEW 53:25 PROGRAM CALLED MIGHTY MEN OF GOD . 53:28 USING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES, THIS ENCOURAGING FOUR-PART SERIES 53:31 WILL ADDRESS HOW TO BE A LOVING FATHER, FAITHFUL HUSBAND, AND 53:35 ALL-AROUND MAN OF GOD IN THE FAMILY, CHURCH, AND NATION. 53:39 PLEASE PLAN NOW TO JOIN ME FOR THIS LIVE EVENT AND LEARN FROM 53:42 THE WORD HOW TO LIVE COURAGEOUSLY FOR THE KING. 53:50 (MUSIC) FRIENDS, IF YOU'RE SCARED OF SNAKES, THIS MAY NOT 54:03 BE FOR YOU. I'M HERE AT A REPTILE PARK 54:06 OUTSIDE OF DURBIN, SOUTH AFRICA AND I'M HOLDING MY FRIEND 54:09 HERE, WHO'S A RED-TAIL BOA. SNAKES ARE FOUND ALL OVER THE 54:13 WORLD AND THEY COME IN ALL SIZES. 54:16 SNAKES CAN BE FOUND THROUGH THE TREES, THEY CRAWL ON THE GROUND, 54:18 THEY LIVE UNDER THE GROUND, AND THEY SWIM IN THE WATER. 54:21 VERY INTERESTING CREATURES. SOME SNAKES ARE VENOMOUS. 54:25 NOT MY FRIEND HERE. BUT THE BLACK MAMBA - VERY POISONOUS. 54:30 MATTER OF FACT, THEIR BITE IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS 'THE KISS 54:33 OF DEATH'. THEY CAN GROW 15-FEET LONG AND 54:35 CAN TRAVEL UP TO SEVEN MILES AN HOUR. 54:37 THEY DON'T CALL THEM BLACK MAMBAS BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF 54:39 THEIR SKIN, BUT THE INTERIOR OF THEIR MOUTH IS BLACK. 54:43 SNAKES ALSO COME IN ALL SIZES - LIKE THIS BOA OR A PYTHON - THEY 54:47 CAN GROW TO GREAT SIZES. MATTER OF FACT, IN SOUTH 54:49 AMERICA, THEY FOUND SOME FOSSILS OF A SNAKE THAT THEY 54:53 CALL 'TITANIBOA'. THEY BELIEVE IT WAS AS BIG AS 54:56 50-FEET LONG AND WEIGHED AS MUCH AS A CAR. SAY 'CHEESE!' 55:02 A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF SNAKES. 55:04 I USED TO LIVE ON A MOUNTAIN IN A CAVE AND I RAN INTO SNAKES 55:06 FREQUENTLY. THEY NEVER BOTHERED ME 55:08 UNLESS I WAS BOTHERING THEM. IN THE BIBLE, THE SNAKE IS 55:11 OFTEN A SYMBOL OF THE DEVIL. IN REALITY, IT'S JUST A SYMBOL. 55:14 THEY'RE ANIMALS JUST LIKE OTHER ANIMALS, BUT IT SAYS THEY WERE 55:17 CURSED TO GO UPON THEIR BELLY BECAUSE THEY WERE THE FIRST 55:19 MEDIUM THAT THE DEVIL USED TO TEMPT ADAM AND EVE. 55:22 IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS CHAPTER 21, IT TELLS THE STORY OF HOW, 55:26 WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE GOING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, 55:28 THEY BEGAN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT GOD'S MANNA AND IT SAYS THE LORD 55:32 ALLOWED THESE FIERY SERPENTS TO GO AMONG THE PEOPLE AND MANY 55:35 WERE BITTEN AND THE VENOM WAS DEADLY. 55:38 I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION AT THIS POINT, THAT BREAD THEY WERE 55:40 COMPLAINING ABOUT IS A SYMBOL FOR THE WORD OF GOD. 55:43 AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE WERE DYING FROM THIS PLAGUE OF SERPENTS, 55:46 THEY WENT UNTO MOSES AND SAID, 'WHAT SHALL WE DO?' 55:49 GOD TOLD MOSES TO MAKE A BRONZE SERPENT AND PUT IT ON A POLE AND 55:52 LIFT IT UP, THAT WHOEVER LOOKED UPON THE SERPENT, 55:55 THEY WOULD BE HEALED OF THEIR VENOM. 55:57 THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE JESUS SAYS, IN THE 56:00 GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 3, VERSES 14 AND 15, "AS MOSES LIFTED UP 56:06 THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO THE SON OF MAN MUST BE 56:09 LIFTED UP, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT 56:13 HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AND TO LIVE. 56:17 YOU SEE, THOSE ANCIENT SHEPHERDS, WHEN THEY WOULD KILL 56:19 A VENOMOUS SNAKE, THEY WOULD CARRY IT OFF ON THEIR STAFF AND 56:22 BURY IT, SO A SERPENT ON A POLE REPRESENTED A DEFEATED SNAKE. 56:27 IT'S TALKING ABOUT DEFEATING THE DEVIL, FRIENDS. 56:30 HAVE YOU BEEN BITTEN BY THE SERPENT? 56:31 WE ALL HAVE. THE ONLY CURE FOR THE VENOM OF 56:34 SATAN IS TO LOOK IN FAITH AT JESUS. 56:37 HE THEN DEFEATED THE DEVIL. HE TOOK THE VENOM OF SIN IN HIS 56:40 BODY TO PROVIDE THE ANTIDOTE IN HIS BLOOD. 56:44 SO FRIENDS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK TODAY AND LIVE. 56:47 (MUSIC) 56:54 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 56:56 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 56:59 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY 57:04 AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY 57:09 VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL 57:13 FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR 57:17 COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 57:24 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:28 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:32 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:35 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST-DAY EVENTS OF 57:38 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:42 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:45 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 57:48 WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 57:56 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM 58:01 OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 58:05 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-09-20