Good morning,
friends, and welcome again
00:00:35.60\00:00:37.13
to Sabbath School Study Hour
00:00:37.17\00:00:38.67
here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:00:38.70\00:00:40.84
in Sacramento, California.
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Very warm welcome to our friends
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who are joining us online,
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our online members
who tune in every week
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to study the lesson with us,
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also our friends
across the country
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and around the world,
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the various television networks,
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very warm welcome to you,
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as well as to the
members and the visitors
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right here in person
at the Granite Bay Church.
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Thank you for joining us today.
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Now for many of you,
you know we've been studying
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through the past 13 weeks
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on the theme of
Oneness in Christ.
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Today, we find ourselves
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on the final
lesson in the series,
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Lesson Number 13, it's entitled
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Final Restoration of Unity.
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So this will be our final lesson
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in this quarterly.
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Starting next week,
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we start a brand
new series of studies.
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I'm very excited about this.
It's on the book of Revelation.
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So that's going to
be our theme of study
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for the next 13
weeks, starting next week.
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Now for our
regular church members
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that attend here at Granite Bay,
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you can pick up your
copy of the new lesson courtly
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in the church foyer on
the book of Revelation.
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For those of you
who are visiting,
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if you plan on coming back,
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you are more than
welcome to get a book as well.
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Otherwise, if you are already
a member at a different church,
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be sure to pick
up the book from them
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on the book of Revelation
and study along with us.
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We do have a free offer
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that goes along
with our study today.
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It is a DVD, a sermon
DVD by Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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It's entitled How
Perfect Must a CHRISTIAN Be?
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And for friends
who are watching,
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if you'd like to
receive a copy of this DVD,
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the number to
call is 866-788-3966,
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and you can ask
for offer number 863.
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And we'll be happy
to send that to anyone
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who calls and asks.
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Or if you'd like
to download the video,
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you'll be able to do so
by texting the code SH117
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to the number 40544.
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And you'll be able to download
and watch that sermon online.
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Well, before we go to
our lesson this morning,
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we're going to invite
our song leaders to come,
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and they'll lead us in
some music this morning.
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I want to thank
our young musicians
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who are joining us today.
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You all did a very lovely job.
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And I love to see
young people getting involved
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and using their
talents at a young age,
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and that just stays with them
for the rest of their lives.
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At this time, Pastor Ross
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is going to have
our opening prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven, again,
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we thank You for the opportunity
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to gather together
and open up Your Word
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and study this
very important subject
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talking about unity.
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And throughout
the entire quarter,
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we've been
looking at this theme,
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we recognize it's
so important to You,
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it's important
to us as believers.
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And once again, we
ask for Your spirit
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to guide our hearts, our minds.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning
is going to be brought to us
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by Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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Today, we're going to be
going through our last lesson
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on Oneness in
Christ, talking about unity.
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And I'm really
excited about this one.
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And I'm also very excited,
as Pastor Ross mentioned,
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next week, and I get
to teach the first lesson
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in the new
quarterly on Revelation.
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You know, theoretically,
when this is over,
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you'd have a real
good evangelistic program
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on the tapes of the
studies on Revelation.
00:07:07.02\00:07:10.93
So I'm looking forward to that.
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Now our lesson
today is talking about
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the final restoration of unity.
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This is Lesson
Number 13 in the quarterly.
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And we have a memory verse.
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Memory verse is 2 Peter 3:13.
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It's from the New
King James Version.
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If you want to say
it out loud with me,
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I appreciate that.
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2 Peter 3:13. You ready?
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"Nevertheless, we
according to His promise,
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look for a new
heavens and a new earth
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in which dwells righteousness."
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I'm looking forward
to that, aren't you?
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Now I wanted to say something
since I read this verse,
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and it appears several
times in our lesson today.
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When people start
reading the Bible,
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they're going to hear
several references too.
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"As the new
heavens and the new earth
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that I will make
shall remain before Me.
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The new heavens
and new earth..."
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When people say
new earth, I get that.
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You know, the earth has
got lots of problems right now.
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"The whole creation
groans and travails."
00:08:03.78\00:08:06.75
Why new heavens?
What's wrong with the heaven?
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They've got a
need to make a new one.
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You just need to understand
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that the word
heaven in the Bible,
00:08:12.55\00:08:14.49
there were three ways
the Jews talked about heaven.
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There was the heaven
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which was the
atmosphere around the planet.
00:08:19.23\00:08:22.16
It's where the
clouds float, the birds fly,
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and right now we
got some pollution
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in that atmosphere.
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Then you have the heavens
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that was called
the second heavens,
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that was the
heavens where you've got
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the heavenly bodies,
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the stars, the sun,
the moon, and so forth.
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Third heaven was paradise,
the dwelling place of God.
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That's why Paul
says, "I knew a man
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who was caught up
to the third heaven,"
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meaning, the presence of God.
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But when it talks about
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"The heavens are
dissolved with a great noise,"
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it's the
atmosphere of the world.
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It's the first heaven.
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And so nothing
wrong with the heaven
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where God lives right now.
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It's perfect. God is perfect.
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It's talking about a new
atmosphere and a new earth.
00:08:56.10\00:08:58.57
Remember, in Genesis, it says,
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"God separated the
heavens from the waters,"
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and it's about the atmosphere
that was above the earth.
00:09:04.64\00:09:07.71
So just wanted to
throw that in for free
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right there at the beginning,
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everything else is
going to be charged.
00:09:11.85\00:09:13.25
So get your credit card out.
00:09:13.28\00:09:15.22
No. All right. So
we're talking about unity.
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And you know what I really
like about our lesson today
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is we're talking about a time
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when unity is
going to be natural.
00:09:24.69\00:09:28.83
Right now when
we talk about unity,
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we all, really in
this world, because of sin,
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need to strive for unity, right?
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We need to make an
effort to maintain unity,
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whether it's in the
church, in work relationships,
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in families, you're smart,
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you know that you
got to work for unity.
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In heaven, is it going
to be an effort for unity
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or will it be natural?
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In fact, unity in heaven
is going to be more natural
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than unity in
the Garden of Eden.
00:09:58.23\00:10:00.46
Who will tell me why?
00:10:00.50\00:10:04.83
Why will the
unity we have in the end
00:10:04.87\00:10:08.47
to be even more natural?
00:10:08.50\00:10:10.84
What happens to the devil
00:10:10.87\00:10:13.04
once we get to the
other side of the millennium?
00:10:13.07\00:10:16.44
He's cast in the lake of
fire, he burns day and night.
00:10:16.48\00:10:20.42
We don't know how long.
00:10:20.45\00:10:21.45
But the Bible says
that he will be no more.
00:10:21.48\00:10:25.19
And so in the Garden of Eden,
00:10:25.22\00:10:26.82
they still had a
tree of good and evil
00:10:26.86\00:10:28.49
where there was some
risk involved, right?
00:10:28.52\00:10:30.99
Will we have that
test in the new earth?
00:10:31.03\00:10:33.86
So there'll be
perfect unity, natural unity.
00:10:33.90\00:10:36.10
It will flow from us to
each other for eternity,
00:10:36.13\00:10:41.10
were right now
we strive for unity.
00:10:41.14\00:10:43.87
There are several verses
in the Bible that talks about
00:10:43.91\00:10:46.11
strive for unity, you
know, to labor for this unity.
00:10:46.14\00:10:50.01
But it won't be a labor,
00:10:50.05\00:10:51.21
it's going to be
natural at that point.
00:10:51.25\00:10:53.05
All right. So...
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Well, let's get into
the first section here.
00:10:54.95\00:10:56.55
It talks about the
certainty of Christ's return.
00:10:56.58\00:10:58.89
Now this marks the
beginning of eternity
00:10:58.92\00:11:01.46
and reaching this perfect unity.
00:11:01.49\00:11:03.66
And we're also in this series,
we're kind of going through
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.89
some of the
foundational doctrines
00:11:05.93\00:11:08.40
that talk about this
unity, the return of Christ.
00:11:08.43\00:11:12.20
When did we first begin to hear
00:11:12.23\00:11:13.87
about the
second coming of Jesus?
00:11:13.90\00:11:15.87
Wasn't it after
His first coming?
00:11:15.90\00:11:19.31
Or do we first hear about
the second coming of Jesus
00:11:19.34\00:11:21.78
even in the Old Testament?
00:11:21.81\00:11:24.55
Which is it?
00:11:24.58\00:11:26.68
The Second
Coming, matter of fact,
00:11:26.72\00:11:28.38
the Jews in Jesus' day,
00:11:28.42\00:11:31.15
one reason they
didn't accept Him
00:11:31.19\00:11:32.95
is they had been
reading the prophecies
00:11:32.99\00:11:34.69
about the Second Coming,
00:11:34.72\00:11:36.32
and they didn't understand
00:11:36.36\00:11:37.43
the prophecies
about His First Coming,
00:11:37.46\00:11:39.06
and they thought,
"You can't be the Messiah
00:11:39.09\00:11:41.06
because You're supposed to
come like a roar of a lion,
00:11:41.10\00:11:43.57
You're supposed
to come with fire,
00:11:43.60\00:11:45.33
You'll plead with all flesh."
00:11:45.37\00:11:46.43
The Bible says,
00:11:46.47\00:11:47.47
"The Lord will come in
with fire, He'll plead..."
00:11:47.50\00:11:48.97
"But what is this?
00:11:49.00\00:11:50.07
A guy riding around on a donkey,
00:11:50.11\00:11:51.47
and that's not our Messiah.
00:11:51.51\00:11:53.54
We expected
something a little..."
00:11:53.58\00:11:55.34
They're thinking
about the Second Coming.
00:11:55.38\00:11:57.15
So the prophecies
about the Second Coming
00:11:57.18\00:11:59.18
go all the way back.
00:11:59.21\00:12:00.48
But you know what
I'd like to emphasize is
00:12:00.52\00:12:04.79
the Bible is so
clear that this is not it,
00:12:04.82\00:12:08.46
that the Lord is going to come.
00:12:08.49\00:12:10.76
And for those who are
worshiping with us today,
00:12:10.79\00:12:12.89
in our sermon later,
00:12:12.93\00:12:14.73
we're also going to be
talking about the Second Coming,
00:12:14.73\00:12:17.80
but so it's very
fresh in my mind.
00:12:17.83\00:12:20.20
But it is so important to
know that things are not going
00:12:20.24\00:12:23.04
to go on like this indefinitely.
00:12:23.07\00:12:25.74
And that there's
going to be a culmination,
00:12:25.77\00:12:28.04
the second coming of Jesus
00:12:28.08\00:12:29.44
is the climax of
history on earth.
00:12:29.48\00:12:31.71
Let's look at some
verses that talk about this.
00:12:31.75\00:12:33.98
How many of you
have memorized John 14,
00:12:34.02\00:12:36.69
the first three
verses, those promises?
00:12:36.72\00:12:39.32
Karen raised her
hand, I knew she would.
00:12:39.35\00:12:41.32
I see another.
00:12:41.36\00:12:43.56
This is where Jesus says,
00:12:43.59\00:12:44.73
"Let not your heart be troubled,
00:12:44.76\00:12:46.36
neither let it be afraid.
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.60
In my Father's
house are many mansions.
00:12:48.63\00:12:50.97
If it were not so,
I would have told you
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.37
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:12:53.40\00:12:55.84
And if I go and
prepare a place for you,"
00:12:55.87\00:12:57.81
what's the next part?
00:12:57.84\00:12:59.77
"I will come
again." Is that definitive?
00:12:59.81\00:13:04.45
Now did He go?
00:13:04.48\00:13:06.01
He said, "If I go, I will come."
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.95
So He's going to come back.
That's the promise He's made.
00:13:07.98\00:13:11.39
Now people say,
"Well, when Lord?
00:13:11.42\00:13:12.99
It seems like it's
taking a long time."
00:13:13.02\00:13:15.29
When God first
promised to Adam and Eve
00:13:15.32\00:13:17.26
that He would sent His Son,
00:13:17.29\00:13:18.86
how long was it from the promise
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.43
in the Garden of Eden
00:13:20.46\00:13:22.53
when He said that the seed
00:13:22.56\00:13:23.70
would strike the serpent's head?
00:13:23.73\00:13:26.23
How long until
Jesus' first coming?
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.04
Four thousand years.
00:13:29.07\00:13:31.04
Don't you think
some of them thought
00:13:31.07\00:13:32.27
that was a long time?
00:13:32.31\00:13:34.01
So is God late?
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.28
Or is He operating right
in the way He normally does?
00:13:36.31\00:13:39.75
All right, look at
another one. We just...
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.45
We'll read this one
again later as well.
00:13:41.48\00:13:43.49
Titus 2:13.
00:13:43.52\00:13:45.25
"Looking for the blessed
hope and the glorious appearing
00:13:45.29\00:13:49.59
of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ."
00:13:49.62\00:13:52.96
Now is Jesus just
Savior or He's the great, what?
00:13:52.99\00:13:56.60
Great God and Savior.
00:13:56.63\00:14:00.04
He's not dividing them.
00:14:00.07\00:14:01.30
Our great God and our Savior
00:14:01.34\00:14:02.87
are going to be
two different people.
00:14:02.90\00:14:04.51
He's identifying Jesus
as our great God and Savior.
00:14:04.54\00:14:08.68
It's like when
Christ rose from the dead,
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.91
it says that Thomas...
00:14:10.95\00:14:12.05
When He appeared to
Thomas the second week,
00:14:12.08\00:14:13.92
Thomas missed Him the
first week, and Jesus said,
00:14:13.95\00:14:17.09
"Thomas, look,
don't be doubting,
00:14:17.12\00:14:18.32
here's the scars on
my hand, on my side."
00:14:18.35\00:14:20.89
He knelt and he said,
"My Lord, and my God," right?
00:14:20.92\00:14:24.86
So Jesus is our
great God and our Savior.
00:14:24.89\00:14:27.93
Christ is God the
Son, He's eternal.
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.37
There's been a lot of discussion
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.80
about that lately,
00:14:31.83\00:14:32.87
some are letting
go of that truth.
00:14:32.90\00:14:35.77
Jude 14.
00:14:35.80\00:14:36.84
Now here's Jude
quoting from a text,
00:14:36.87\00:14:40.24
and this is kind
of an apocryphal text.
00:14:40.28\00:14:41.84
It's called The Book of
Enoch that the Jews had.
00:14:41.88\00:14:44.15
It probably was
not written by Enoch,
00:14:44.18\00:14:45.71
but it was written by
some Babylonian author,
00:14:45.75\00:14:48.55
one of the Jews in Babylon.
00:14:48.58\00:14:51.45
But there's one part
of it that Jude quotes
00:14:51.49\00:14:53.72
and believes is evidently true.
00:14:53.76\00:14:56.16
"Now, Enoch, the
seventh from Adam,
00:14:56.19\00:14:58.33
prophesied about
these men, saying,
00:14:58.36\00:15:01.03
'Behold, the Lord comes.'"
00:15:01.06\00:15:04.57
And so it was understood that...
00:15:04.60\00:15:06.30
Now did Enoch live
before or after the flood?
00:15:06.33\00:15:10.31
Before the flood.
00:15:10.34\00:15:11.44
So the idea of the Lord
coming, how far back does it go?
00:15:11.47\00:15:16.58
It says that He was coming
00:15:16.61\00:15:17.65
and that He wasn't
coming alone as well.
00:15:17.68\00:15:19.61
It says, "Behold, the Lord comes
00:15:19.65\00:15:20.92
with ten
thousands of His saints."
00:15:20.95\00:15:24.29
Not ten thousand, "Ten
thousands of His saints
00:15:24.32\00:15:28.06
to execute judgment
on all, to convict all
00:15:28.09\00:15:30.56
who are ungodly among them
of all their ungodly deeds.
00:15:30.59\00:15:32.93
It's a time of judgment
00:15:32.96\00:15:34.56
which they have
committed in an ungodly way,
00:15:34.56\00:15:36.87
and all the harsh
things which ungodly sinners
00:15:36.90\00:15:39.03
have spoken against Him.
00:15:39.07\00:15:40.37
There is a day of judgment.
00:15:40.40\00:15:41.47
The Lord is going to come."
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.67
And so that he says,
00:15:43.71\00:15:44.74
"This is Enoch who
prophesied of these."
00:15:44.77\00:15:47.48
Now is it possible
that Enoch said that?
00:15:47.51\00:15:51.21
And Jude said that he did.
00:15:51.25\00:15:52.75
That doesn't mean the
whole book of Jude is true.
00:15:52.78\00:15:55.95
Paul periodically even
quoted from some Greek authors.
00:15:55.98\00:16:00.69
It doesn't mean
everything they said was true,
00:16:00.72\00:16:02.62
but he quoted something
they said that was true.
00:16:02.66\00:16:05.83
And so, you
know, inspired writers
00:16:05.86\00:16:08.76
have the prerogative
to take excerpts and say,
00:16:08.80\00:16:12.93
"You know, this is true,
00:16:12.97\00:16:14.80
like God helps those
that help themselves."
00:16:14.84\00:16:18.77
Is that in the Bible?
00:16:18.81\00:16:20.68
No, that's in
Poor Richard's Almanack
00:16:20.71\00:16:22.31
written by Benjamin Franklin.
00:16:22.34\00:16:23.88
But it is true,
you know what I mean?
00:16:23.91\00:16:26.92
So there are truths out there.
00:16:26.95\00:16:28.28
That doesn't mean everything
00:16:28.32\00:16:29.35
that Benjamin
Franklin wrote is inspired.
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.82
You see what I'm saying?
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.09
So they have the Holy Spirit,
00:16:33.12\00:16:35.56
they can make
that determination.
00:16:35.59\00:16:37.93
Here's another
Old Testament prophecy
00:16:37.96\00:16:40.46
about the Second Coming.
00:16:40.50\00:16:41.63
In a moment, I'm
going to ask someone to read
00:16:41.66\00:16:43.43
1 Thessalonians 4,
you'll have that, okay?
00:16:43.47\00:16:46.43
Psalms 50:3,
"Our God shall come."
00:16:46.47\00:16:50.87
Is that clear?
00:16:50.91\00:16:53.01
"Our God shall come
and not keep silence."
00:16:53.04\00:16:55.21
It's not a secret
coming, secret rapture.
00:16:55.24\00:16:58.51
"A fire shall devour before Him,
00:16:58.55\00:17:01.02
and it will be very tempestuous,
00:17:01.05\00:17:03.02
stormy all about him."
00:17:03.05\00:17:04.65
Storms of glory.
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.42
"He will call to the
heavens from above and the earth
00:17:06.45\00:17:09.02
that He may judge His people,
00:17:09.06\00:17:11.09
'Gather My
saints together to Me,
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.29
those who've made a
covenant with Me by sacrifice.'"
00:17:13.33\00:17:15.56
So here He is even
saying, "Gather My saints,"
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.87
which is what our next verse is.
00:17:17.90\00:17:19.43
Why don't you read that for us?
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.54
The verse says,
"For the Lord Himself
00:17:21.57\00:17:24.44
will descend from
heaven with a shout,
00:17:24.47\00:17:28.14
with the voice of an archangel,
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.55
and with a trumpet of God.
00:17:30.58\00:17:33.21
And the dead of
Christ will rise first."
00:17:33.25\00:17:36.05
Yeah, Good. Thank you.
00:17:36.08\00:17:37.12
And of course,
that's 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
00:17:37.15\00:17:39.42
There again, He's talking about
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.06
He will come and
gather His saints,
00:17:41.09\00:17:43.73
"The dead in Christ shall rise."
00:17:43.76\00:17:45.46
Even in the Old Testament,
it says, "The Lord will come.
00:17:45.49\00:17:47.60
He is going to gather them."
00:17:47.66\00:17:48.63
Not only will the
dead in Christ rise,
00:17:48.66\00:17:49.96
what happens to the
living when He comes?
00:17:50.00\00:17:52.37
"Those of us who are alive
and remain will be caught up
00:17:52.40\00:17:54.34
to meet them
together in the clouds."
00:17:54.37\00:17:56.67
And so there's a
gathering that happens.
00:17:56.71\00:17:58.37
There's a judgment that
happens when the Lord comes.
00:17:58.41\00:18:01.31
Zachariah 14.
00:18:01.34\00:18:03.11
This is a verse that
has caused some confusion,
00:18:03.14\00:18:06.21
but it is pretty
clear about this part.
00:18:06.25\00:18:08.15
"Then the Lord will go forth
00:18:08.18\00:18:09.35
and fight against those nations,
00:18:09.38\00:18:11.15
as He fights in
the day of battle.
00:18:11.19\00:18:12.69
And in that day,
His feet will stand
00:18:12.72\00:18:14.79
on the Mount of Olives,
00:18:14.82\00:18:16.42
which faces
Jerusalem on the east,
00:18:16.46\00:18:19.06
and the Mount of
Olives will be split in two."
00:18:19.09\00:18:21.53
Now you've heard about
the first coming of the Lord,
00:18:21.56\00:18:24.67
and what happens
after the First Coming?
00:18:24.70\00:18:28.30
What happens after
the first of anything?
00:18:28.34\00:18:30.67
Second Coming. Second Coming.
00:18:30.71\00:18:32.04
How many of you have
heard of the Second Coming?
00:18:32.07\00:18:34.24
Okay.
00:18:34.28\00:18:35.31
How many of you have heard
00:18:35.34\00:18:36.38
a good sermon on
the Third Coming?
00:18:36.41\00:18:39.55
Is there a Third Coming?
00:18:39.58\00:18:40.75
Yes. Yes.
00:18:40.78\00:18:42.25
So when the Lord
comes next, sequentially,
00:18:42.28\00:18:46.55
He doesn't touch the earth.
00:18:46.59\00:18:48.22
We are caught up to meet Him.
00:18:48.26\00:18:50.69
"The dead in
Christ rise to meet Him."
00:18:50.73\00:18:53.43
He says, "I take
you to the mansions
00:18:53.46\00:18:55.06
which I prepared."
00:18:55.10\00:18:56.13
Didn't we just read that?
00:18:56.16\00:18:57.77
We live and reign with
Him for a thousand years.
00:18:57.80\00:19:00.34
We're not here on earth
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.34
reigning over the
destruction and the wicked.
00:19:01.37\00:19:04.27
That's what some churches teach.
00:19:04.31\00:19:05.34
I don't believe
the Bible teaches that.
00:19:05.37\00:19:07.21
There's a judgment
that's taking place.
00:19:07.24\00:19:08.68
At the end of the 1,000 years,
the New Jerusalem comes down.
00:19:08.71\00:19:14.25
The Lord raises all the wicked.
00:19:14.28\00:19:15.58
The Bible says, "The rest
of the dead don't live again
00:19:15.62\00:19:17.69
till the thousand
years is finished,"
00:19:17.72\00:19:19.02
which means they do live again
00:19:19.05\00:19:20.22
after the thousand
years are finished.
00:19:20.26\00:19:22.19
God raises all the wicked.
00:19:22.22\00:19:24.09
Jesus said, "There's
the resurrection of the just
00:19:24.13\00:19:26.90
and the
resurrection of the unjust."
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.93
He comes back
with a New Jerusalem
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.83
and He actually...
00:19:30.87\00:19:32.03
When He calls for the wicked,
00:19:32.07\00:19:33.90
He touches His feet
to the Mount of Olives.
00:19:33.94\00:19:36.57
That is the Third Coming.
00:19:36.60\00:19:38.91
So if someone is
walking around the world,
00:19:38.94\00:19:40.91
and they're on the
earth in the near future,
00:19:40.94\00:19:43.08
and they say they're Jesus,
how do we know it's not Jesus?
00:19:43.11\00:19:46.55
One very clear simple fact,
00:19:46.58\00:19:49.02
Christ is never
touching the ground
00:19:49.05\00:19:50.35
in the Second Coming.
00:19:50.39\00:19:51.75
He doesn't
touch the ground again
00:19:51.79\00:19:52.89
until the Third Coming.
00:19:52.92\00:19:54.36
So anybody walking
around, says I'm Jesus,
00:19:54.39\00:19:56.62
you know right away
he's a false Christ.
00:19:56.66\00:19:59.16
He said, "That coming will be
00:19:59.19\00:20:00.46
like lightning shining
from the east to the west."
00:20:00.50\00:20:02.53
Lightning is up in the sky.
00:20:02.56\00:20:04.47
We're going to be caught
up to meet Him in the air.
00:20:04.50\00:20:06.90
So then there's
the Third Coming.
00:20:06.94\00:20:08.60
Now this is all
moving towards the unity
00:20:08.64\00:20:10.31
that we're talking about.
00:20:10.34\00:20:11.54
That must happen.
00:20:11.57\00:20:12.81
That's when it says that
00:20:12.84\00:20:14.51
"With fire, He will
plead with all flesh."
00:20:14.54\00:20:17.11
There's a great judgment.
00:20:17.15\00:20:19.15
When the wicked
finally seek to take the city,
00:20:19.18\00:20:21.35
all the wicked are called
00:20:21.38\00:20:22.75
"May God surround
the beloved city,"
00:20:22.78\00:20:25.39
Christ then rises
up on His white throne,
00:20:25.42\00:20:27.39
all are judged,
every knee will bow,
00:20:27.42\00:20:30.26
fire comes down
from God out of heaven,
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.96
devours the wicked.
00:20:31.99\00:20:33.80
And the devil, and his angels
00:20:33.83\00:20:35.10
are all cast
into this lake of fire
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.60
that's formed from this rain.
00:20:36.63\00:20:38.60
You ever seen a lot
of rain form a lake?
00:20:38.63\00:20:40.87
I have.
00:20:40.90\00:20:43.61
There are some
places in the world
00:20:43.64\00:20:44.67
where it dries up in the summer
00:20:44.71\00:20:45.87
and turns into a
lake in the winter.
00:20:45.91\00:20:48.48
And there's lake of
fire all around the world.
00:20:48.51\00:20:51.05
God is going to use that
fire to purify the planet.
00:20:51.08\00:20:53.78
But just like a
moat around the castle,
00:20:53.82\00:20:56.95
that lake of fire will
surround the New Jerusalem,
00:20:56.99\00:20:59.25
it will not be harmed.
00:20:59.29\00:21:01.26
When the fire goes out,
00:21:01.29\00:21:02.42
God is, then on the
ashes of this purified world,
00:21:02.46\00:21:04.93
going to create a new
heavens and a new earth
00:21:04.96\00:21:07.76
wherein dwells righteousness,
and it talks about that
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.87
"The saved will go forth
and tread upon the wicked
00:21:10.90\00:21:14.00
for they will be ashes
under the soles of your feet.
00:21:14.04\00:21:16.67
Blessed are the meek,
they will inherit the earth."
00:21:16.71\00:21:20.01
This is the time
those verses all come true.
00:21:20.04\00:21:22.78
And that's a
time when we'll have
00:21:22.81\00:21:24.45
the perfect
restoration of unity.
00:21:24.48\00:21:27.35
Here's another verse.
00:21:27.38\00:21:28.32
And I better wrap up
my Second Coming verses
00:21:28.35\00:21:30.82
because there are a lot of them.
00:21:30.85\00:21:32.29
Isaiah 66:15, "For behold,
the Lord will come with fire
00:21:32.32\00:21:36.93
and with
chariots, like a whirlwind,
00:21:36.96\00:21:39.16
to render his anger with fury,
00:21:39.19\00:21:40.96
and his rebuke
with flames of fire.
00:21:40.96\00:21:43.03
For by fire and by His sword,
the Lord will judge all flesh,
00:21:43.06\00:21:47.07
and the slain of
Lord will be many."
00:21:47.10\00:21:49.10
Bible says it's not
going to be good news
00:21:49.14\00:21:51.61
for most of the
world when Jesus comes.
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.01
Isn't that what it tells us?
00:21:53.04\00:21:55.11
"Then all the
tribes of the earth,
00:21:55.14\00:21:56.61
they'll see the sign of
His coming in the heavens,
00:21:56.64\00:21:58.18
and all the tribes of
the earth will mourn."
00:21:58.21\00:22:01.05
Let's talk about
the majority of people
00:22:01.08\00:22:02.48
"Because strait is the gate
00:22:02.52\00:22:04.89
and narrow is the
way that leads to life,
00:22:04.92\00:22:06.39
and few find it,"
few want to find it.
00:22:06.42\00:22:09.19
"Broad is the way
that leads to destruction."
00:22:09.22\00:22:11.13
It seems like majority
go down that wrong road.
00:22:11.16\00:22:15.20
And that by the
way was Matthew 24:30.
00:22:15.23\00:22:18.17
It says, "The Son of Man,
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.37
His sign will
appear in the heavens."
00:22:19.40\00:22:22.17
So when He comes
again, He's in the heavens.
00:22:22.20\00:22:24.24
We're caught up to
meet Him. All right.
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.97
Now we're going to talk about
the promise of restoration.
00:22:26.01\00:22:28.71
Someone is going to read
for me a verse in just a moment.
00:22:28.74\00:22:31.28
I think it's from
1 Corinthians 2:9.
00:22:31.31\00:22:33.62
Before you read that,
I'm going to read Isaiah 11.
00:22:33.65\00:22:36.15
I like this verse.
00:22:36.18\00:22:38.19
"The wolf also will
dwell with the lamb,
00:22:38.22\00:22:41.39
and the leopard will lie
down with the young goat,
00:22:41.42\00:22:44.56
the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together,
00:22:44.59\00:22:48.10
and a little
child will lead them."
00:22:48.13\00:22:49.70
Okay. Stop. Several things here.
00:22:49.73\00:22:51.13
Will there be
animals in the new earth?
00:22:51.17\00:22:52.53
Yes.
00:22:52.57\00:22:54.47
Will there be any children?
00:22:54.50\00:22:57.74
Will there be new marriages?
00:22:57.77\00:23:01.38
Will there be new births?
00:23:01.41\00:23:03.88
No new marriages. No new births.
00:23:03.91\00:23:05.28
So how do the children
get to heaven as children?
00:23:05.31\00:23:10.69
They either were
children when Jesus came
00:23:10.72\00:23:12.42
or they died as children.
00:23:12.45\00:23:14.89
Sometimes, people say, "Why?
00:23:14.92\00:23:16.83
Isn't the Lord mean
that during the flood,
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.89
maybe there were some kids
that wanted to get in the ark?
00:23:19.93\00:23:21.96
And only know... And
these kids were in there...
00:23:22.00\00:23:24.17
They're all losses."
00:23:24.20\00:23:25.27
No, they'll be resurrected
if any of them were saved.
00:23:25.30\00:23:29.60
There may be some children
without parents in the kingdom.
00:23:29.64\00:23:33.11
Have you ever thought of that?
00:23:33.14\00:23:35.41
And so there'll be
some adoptions taking place.
00:23:35.44\00:23:39.21
And they will grow up.
00:23:39.25\00:23:40.28
I'm going to talk
to you about that.
00:23:40.32\00:23:41.35
They're going to
grow more slowly.
00:23:41.38\00:23:42.42
I'll get to that
in just a minute.
00:23:42.45\00:23:45.62
Let me read on here.
00:23:45.65\00:23:46.89
So there's animals there,
00:23:46.92\00:23:47.96
"The cow and the
bear will graze."
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.93
You know, bears while we always
think of them as carnivorous,
00:23:50.96\00:23:53.43
you know, bears eat
more grass than meat.
00:23:53.46\00:23:56.56
They do a lot of grazing.
00:23:56.60\00:23:58.07
"The cow and
the bear will graze.
00:23:58.10\00:24:00.94
And the lion will
eat straw like the ox."
00:24:00.97\00:24:03.81
Any of you ever read
that book about Little Tyke,
00:24:03.84\00:24:07.68
it was a lioness that
was adopted by this couple.
00:24:07.71\00:24:10.98
They thought the lioness,
00:24:11.01\00:24:12.18
the little lion
cub, was going to die
00:24:12.21\00:24:14.75
'cause its mother just
kept trying to kill her.
00:24:14.78\00:24:16.48
And they rescued
it from its mother.
00:24:16.52\00:24:17.79
This family had a
sort of an animal farm.
00:24:17.82\00:24:19.65
They had all kinds of
animals on their farm.
00:24:19.69\00:24:21.59
I think it was in Oregon.
00:24:21.62\00:24:24.06
They adopted this
little lioness and fed it.
00:24:24.09\00:24:27.03
But they
discovered they could not
00:24:27.03\00:24:29.06
get it to drink milk,
00:24:29.10\00:24:30.07
but it would not eat
meat under any circumstances.
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.80
Turned up its nose or
rather starve than eat meat.
00:24:32.83\00:24:35.47
So they could give it
porridge, and vegetables,
00:24:35.50\00:24:38.44
and all kinds of different food,
00:24:38.47\00:24:39.81
and it would eat it.
00:24:39.84\00:24:40.91
But it would not eat meat.
00:24:40.94\00:24:43.08
And that was all
chronicle grew into a...
00:24:43.11\00:24:44.85
Everyone said, "Oh,
it's never going to make it."
00:24:44.88\00:24:46.15
It grew into a healthy,
full size, massive lioness.
00:24:46.18\00:24:49.58
Very happy, very gentle.
00:24:49.62\00:24:50.69
You could put a
lamb down next to it,
00:24:50.72\00:24:52.52
would not hurt the
lamb, a living lamb.
00:24:52.55\00:24:55.66
And some of you read that book?
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.63
You can just
look up Little Tyke.
00:24:57.66\00:25:00.30
In heaven, will the
animals eat each other?
00:25:00.33\00:25:02.66
Was it ever God's
plan for there to be death?
00:25:02.70\00:25:06.23
Will we be eating animals there?
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.77
No. No.
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.34
So you just picture the
saints running around heaven
00:25:11.37\00:25:13.94
with a meat cleaver
chasing the chicken.
00:25:13.98\00:25:16.81
It doesn't fit. Does it?
00:25:16.85\00:25:19.58
And so can you see
benefits in vegetarianism?
00:25:19.61\00:25:23.99
Do we need to wait
00:25:24.02\00:25:25.05
till we get to
heaven to try that?
00:25:25.09\00:25:27.19
Are we better off
maybe trying it now?
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.76
I went to the doctor this week
00:25:30.79\00:25:33.93
and they took my
blood pressure...
00:25:33.96\00:25:35.33
I'm bragging, I'm sorry.
00:25:35.36\00:25:38.07
And it was like,
you know, 112/72.
00:25:38.10\00:25:41.97
And they went, "Whoa!
00:25:42.00\00:25:44.17
You're doing
okay for an old guy."
00:25:44.21\00:25:46.61
And then the doctor
said, "Are you vegetarian?"
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.34
I said, "Yes." He
said, "Are you a vegan?"
00:25:48.38\00:25:50.01
I said, "Yes." He
said, "I could tell.
00:25:50.05\00:25:52.85
You'll live longer."
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.22
Okay. Go ahead. Read for us.
00:25:54.25\00:25:57.42
Oh, no, I
didn't finish my verse.
00:25:57.45\00:25:58.69
Sorry, I keep stopping you.
00:25:58.72\00:26:01.56
It says, "The nursing child
will play on the cobra's hole,
00:26:01.59\00:26:05.76
and the weaned child
00:26:05.79\00:26:07.40
will put his hand
on the viper's den.
00:26:07.46\00:26:09.43
They will not hurt or destroy
in all My holy mountain."
00:26:09.46\00:26:12.63
No animals will be harmful.
00:26:12.67\00:26:14.34
"For the earth will be full
of the knowledge of the Lord,"
00:26:14.37\00:26:16.87
not just people,
but even animals,
00:26:16.91\00:26:18.81
"as the waters cover the sea."
00:26:18.84\00:26:20.78
Right now. Go ahead and read.
00:26:20.81\00:26:22.94
1 Corinthians 2:9.
00:26:22.98\00:26:25.25
"But as it is written,
00:26:25.28\00:26:26.45
eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
00:26:26.48\00:26:28.58
nor have entered
into the heart of man,
00:26:28.62\00:26:30.42
the things
which God has prepared
00:26:30.45\00:26:32.02
for those who love Him."
00:26:32.05\00:26:33.59
You can't even imagine.
00:26:33.62\00:26:35.02
By the way, he's
quoting from Isaiah here
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.36
when he says this.
00:26:37.39\00:26:38.46
He says, "As it is written."
00:26:38.49\00:26:40.00
You can't even imagine
00:26:40.03\00:26:41.46
the things that
God has prepared.
00:26:41.50\00:26:42.76
So no matter how far
you try to stretch your mind
00:26:42.80\00:26:46.10
about the glories,
how bright heaven will be,
00:26:46.13\00:26:48.10
you cannot
picture it bright enough.
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.84
No matter how far you
try to stretch your mind
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.34
about what the bliss
and the joy will be like
00:26:53.38\00:26:56.04
in being in heaven,
you can't imagine it.
00:26:56.08\00:26:59.41
The beauty and the harmony
00:26:59.45\00:27:01.08
of the animals and the creation,
00:27:01.12\00:27:03.55
when you try to picture that,
it can probably thrill you,
00:27:03.59\00:27:06.39
you can't imagine it.
00:27:06.42\00:27:09.19
Paul was
probably taken to heaven.
00:27:09.22\00:27:10.59
He said, "I
knew a man caught up,
00:27:10.63\00:27:12.89
saw the third
heaven and saw things
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.30
that can't be uttered."
00:27:14.30\00:27:15.80
And John saw things, he
says, "I can't even write it."
00:27:15.83\00:27:18.77
I mean, there are so many things
00:27:18.80\00:27:19.90
that are so indescribable.
00:27:19.93\00:27:21.67
Some of you have read
some of Ellen White's visions.
00:27:21.70\00:27:24.37
She's said, "Oh, if I
had the tongue of an angel
00:27:24.41\00:27:26.17
that I could describe to
you the things that I've seen,
00:27:26.21\00:27:29.31
but it's beyond description."
00:27:29.34\00:27:32.31
All she could do
when she came back was say
00:27:32.35\00:27:33.95
"Dark, dark, dark."
00:27:33.98\00:27:35.35
It is so dark here
compared to that world.
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.09
So God has a
beautiful world prepared.
00:27:38.12\00:27:41.32
And then you go to Revelation,
00:27:41.36\00:27:42.46
we're talking about the
promise of restoration still.
00:27:42.49\00:27:45.06
Revelation 21:1.
00:27:45.09\00:27:49.33
"Now I saw a new
heaven and a new earth,
00:27:49.36\00:27:53.40
for the first
heaven and the first earth
00:27:53.44\00:27:55.34
were passed away."
00:27:55.37\00:27:56.54
Now I just want to
pause and make a point here.
00:27:56.57\00:27:59.27
When he says the first heaven
00:27:59.31\00:28:00.41
and the first
earth were passed away,
00:28:00.44\00:28:01.68
is it because
this planet exploded
00:28:01.71\00:28:03.98
and He had to go
make another one?
00:28:04.01\00:28:06.15
Or did He come back
and recreate on this planet
00:28:06.18\00:28:08.62
what He had originally planned?
00:28:08.65\00:28:11.22
See, God had an original plan.
00:28:11.25\00:28:13.99
His plan was
frustrated by a rebellious angel
00:28:14.02\00:28:18.56
known as Lucifer, Satan, devil.
00:28:18.59\00:28:22.13
And so God's
plan was interrupted.
00:28:22.16\00:28:23.80
But can you ever
stop God from doing
00:28:23.83\00:28:26.17
what He ultimately wants to do?
00:28:26.20\00:28:29.74
So is the planet...
00:28:29.77\00:28:30.87
Is God going to
restore this world?
00:28:30.91\00:28:32.37
It's this world...
00:28:32.41\00:28:33.51
He is going to
do with this world
00:28:33.54\00:28:34.98
what He originally
planned with this world,
00:28:35.01\00:28:37.28
except as I like to say,
00:28:37.31\00:28:40.12
sometimes, I go to
pick up a rental car,
00:28:40.15\00:28:43.39
and when I get there, they say,
00:28:43.42\00:28:45.05
"You know, there's
been a convention in town,
00:28:45.09\00:28:46.72
and the car you
rented is not available."
00:28:46.76\00:28:49.16
And at first I go, "Oh."
00:28:49.19\00:28:51.23
And then they say,
00:28:51.26\00:28:52.29
"So we're going to
give you an upgrade."
00:28:52.33\00:28:56.46
Once or twice, I was just
in Canada a little while ago,
00:28:56.50\00:29:01.67
and they said, "Sorry,
00:29:01.70\00:29:03.91
your mid-sized
economy car is not available,
00:29:03.94\00:29:06.64
so you've got to
drive this premium car."
00:29:06.68\00:29:09.84
"Oh man, it's really nice."
00:29:09.88\00:29:12.88
It was really nice also
because it was brand new.
00:29:12.91\00:29:15.68
You know,
sometimes, you get a rental car
00:29:15.72\00:29:16.89
and it's got, like,
90,000 miles on it, you know?
00:29:16.92\00:29:19.75
And it's really high mileage
00:29:19.79\00:29:21.09
'cause people don't
take care of rental cars
00:29:21.12\00:29:22.96
like they do their own car.
00:29:22.99\00:29:24.86
But if you can get a
rental car where it's like
00:29:24.89\00:29:26.33
they just take off the
dealer sticker, you know,
00:29:26.36\00:29:29.46
still it's a brand
new car, you get in,
00:29:29.50\00:29:31.03
it's got 10 miles on it.
00:29:31.07\00:29:34.20
It was brand new,
00:29:34.24\00:29:35.94
and it had all
these new features,
00:29:35.97\00:29:38.17
and it even had the
free satellite radio upgrade.
00:29:38.21\00:29:42.31
So wherever we were
driving in the country...
00:29:42.34\00:29:43.95
Karen, I had this car,
we were going across...
00:29:43.98\00:29:48.08
Yeah, we went by Pennsylvania,
Michigan, up into Canada.
00:29:48.12\00:29:50.52
We had a great time.
00:29:50.55\00:29:51.92
And so much...
"Got it upgraded."
00:29:51.95\00:29:54.36
So are things going to
be as good as they were
00:29:54.39\00:29:56.49
in the Garden of Eden or better?
00:29:56.52\00:29:58.89
Better.
00:29:58.93\00:30:00.16
You know, whenever
God makes something over,
00:30:00.20\00:30:01.80
do you think He makes
it as well or does He say,
00:30:01.83\00:30:03.47
"I'm God, I can make it better"?
00:30:03.50\00:30:05.50
Right?
00:30:05.53\00:30:06.50
And so it's going to be
even better than before.
00:30:06.53\00:30:09.97
And...
00:30:10.01\00:30:12.14
Oh, I lost my verse here.
00:30:12.17\00:30:14.51
So you've got the
restoration. Now listen to this.
00:30:14.54\00:30:17.31
"New heavens, new earth,
00:30:17.35\00:30:18.38
first heaven and
earth are passed away.
00:30:18.41\00:30:20.08
There is no more sea."
00:30:20.12\00:30:22.35
Now does that mean
there's no more water?
00:30:22.38\00:30:25.52
Bible says there are
rivers in the new earth,
00:30:25.55\00:30:28.86
isn't that right?
00:30:28.89\00:30:30.19
"River of crystal flows
from the throne of God."
00:30:30.23\00:30:33.13
So there are
rivers in the new earth?
00:30:33.16\00:30:34.93
Where does the
river usually run?
00:30:34.93\00:30:37.67
Into a body of water.
00:30:37.70\00:30:39.13
Why does God say
there's no more sea?
00:30:39.17\00:30:41.97
For them, the sea...
00:30:42.00\00:30:43.84
You could not drink sea water,
you could not water your plants
00:30:43.87\00:30:46.34
with seawater,
it burned your eyes.
00:30:46.37\00:30:50.11
They meant
there's no more briny sea.
00:30:50.15\00:30:52.15
In the Garden of
Eden, originally,
00:30:52.18\00:30:53.65
there was no salt water.
00:30:53.68\00:30:54.72
The salt water all happened
00:30:54.75\00:30:55.82
from the breaking
up of the earth mantle,
00:30:55.85\00:30:58.02
exposing these rich salt
caverns beneath the earth,
00:30:58.05\00:31:01.79
and it's, you
know, tainted the water.
00:31:01.82\00:31:03.83
You know, what I
think is really interesting
00:31:03.86\00:31:05.06
is you got sharks that
swim in salt water, right?
00:31:05.09\00:31:11.73
And most sharks now
00:31:11.77\00:31:13.30
if you take them
out of salt water,
00:31:13.34\00:31:14.37
you put them in a
lake, they'll die.
00:31:14.40\00:31:16.81
But you know, there are sharks
in the Lake Titicaca that is...
00:31:16.84\00:31:22.48
whatever it is, 14,000
feet up in the Andes Mountains
00:31:22.51\00:31:26.11
because when the world
went through this change,
00:31:26.15\00:31:29.12
these original
sharks swam in freshwater.
00:31:29.15\00:31:32.02
And this mountain
range was pushed up
00:31:32.05\00:31:33.96
with these sharks still
there, and the water was fresh.
00:31:33.99\00:31:36.73
And they were used to it.
00:31:36.76\00:31:38.16
The other sharks had
to get used to salt water.
00:31:38.19\00:31:40.76
And it probably, as the
salt was released gradually,
00:31:40.80\00:31:43.93
they were able
to get used to it.
00:31:43.97\00:31:45.43
I don't know if any of
that made sense to you.
00:31:45.47\00:31:46.90
But there's still
water. There are still seas.
00:31:46.94\00:31:50.11
They're fresh water.
00:31:50.14\00:31:51.91
It's like you got great lakes.
America's got the great lakes.
00:31:51.94\00:31:56.08
Some are fresh, some are salt.
00:31:56.11\00:31:57.91
I forget which are
which, some of you know.
00:31:57.95\00:32:00.48
Anyway. All right.
00:32:00.52\00:32:02.98
And it says,
"There's no more sea.
00:32:03.02\00:32:05.05
And I saw the holy
city, the New Jerusalem,
00:32:05.09\00:32:07.52
coming down
from heaven from God,
00:32:07.56\00:32:10.96
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband."
00:32:10.99\00:32:13.26
The Bible says,
"Husbands, love your wives,
00:32:13.29\00:32:15.30
even as Christ loves," what?
00:32:15.33\00:32:17.57
Who is in...
00:32:17.60\00:32:18.63
Is God marrying a city
with buildings and minerals?
00:32:18.67\00:32:20.94
Or is He marrying
people that live in the city?
00:32:20.97\00:32:23.64
It's His church. This
is the home of the church.
00:32:23.67\00:32:27.44
"Behold, the tabernacle,
the dwelling place of God..."
00:32:27.48\00:32:30.05
It says, "I heard a
voice out of heaven, saying,
00:32:30.08\00:32:32.28
'The dwelling
place of God is with men.
00:32:32.31\00:32:34.12
He will dwell with them.
00:32:34.15\00:32:36.18
They will be His people.
00:32:36.22\00:32:37.25
God Himself will be
with them and be their God.'"
00:32:37.29\00:32:41.72
Now you think about that.
00:32:41.76\00:32:42.92
That is one of the
most beautiful promises.
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.83
Yeah.
00:32:45.86\00:32:47.00
When we talk about unity,
00:32:47.03\00:32:49.70
is it just unity
between people and families
00:32:49.73\00:32:52.40
and relationships and countries?
00:32:52.43\00:32:56.71
Where is the biggest
disunity in the world right now?
00:32:56.74\00:32:59.91
When Adam ran from
God in the Garden of Eden,
00:33:03.91\00:33:08.68
God says, "Your sins
have separated you from Me,"
00:33:08.72\00:33:12.65
right?
00:33:12.69\00:33:13.79
The purpose of
the plan of salvation
00:33:13.82\00:33:15.42
is to restore the relationship
between man and God.
00:33:15.46\00:33:19.76
When you get to
Revelation, the Bible says,
00:33:19.79\00:33:21.60
"God Himself will be with them."
00:33:21.63\00:33:23.97
That is like
underlined and highlight.
00:33:24.00\00:33:27.87
It's one of those
verses that screams.
00:33:27.90\00:33:32.27
God Himself will be with them.
00:33:32.31\00:33:34.34
God is going to move
the capital of the universe
00:33:34.38\00:33:36.61
to our planet.
00:33:36.64\00:33:37.65
Just think about that.
00:33:37.68\00:33:39.05
How wonderful
that's going to be.
00:33:39.08\00:33:40.95
I just realized, Pastor Ross,
00:33:40.98\00:33:42.18
I got to preach about
the same thing next week,
00:33:42.22\00:33:43.75
I better not say too much.
00:33:43.79\00:33:46.02
We're talking about heaven.
00:33:46.05\00:33:47.09
We're having an
amazing doctrines program
00:33:47.12\00:33:49.26
that will be broadcasting
here the next Friday.
00:33:49.29\00:33:52.53
I think it is
next Friday, right?
00:33:52.56\00:33:53.86
Yeah. Next Friday,
and all day Sabbath.
00:33:53.90\00:33:56.23
And one of my assignments
is to talk about heaven.
00:33:56.26\00:33:59.73
"And God will wipe away
all tears from their eyes,
00:33:59.77\00:34:02.47
and there'll be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying,
00:34:02.50\00:34:05.94
neither will
there be any more pain."
00:34:05.97\00:34:08.18
All right.
00:34:08.21\00:34:09.54
Suppose you get to
heaven when Jesus comes
00:34:09.58\00:34:12.38
and some of you are crying.
00:34:12.41\00:34:17.25
Why would you cry?
00:34:17.29\00:34:20.32
Because there
are people in heaven
00:34:20.36\00:34:21.42
you hoped would never be there.
00:34:21.46\00:34:24.13
No.
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.16
Some of them would be like,
00:34:26.19\00:34:27.13
"Oh, I was hoping
there won't be my neighbor."
00:34:27.20\00:34:30.67
No, because there are
people you hoped would be there
00:34:30.70\00:34:33.44
that are not there, right?
00:34:33.47\00:34:35.07
That would cause some tears.
00:34:35.10\00:34:36.84
Some people say, "Well,
there'll be no tears in heaven.
00:34:36.87\00:34:38.54
Heaven is a
place of perfect joy."
00:34:38.57\00:34:40.01
That's not biblical.
00:34:40.04\00:34:42.28
Do angels just
laugh and sing giddy songs
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.65
when Jesus was on the cross?
00:34:44.68\00:34:47.25
The fact that angels
rejoice over a sinner that turns
00:34:47.28\00:34:50.42
means that they
have emotion in heaven.
00:34:50.45\00:34:54.59
Just like the children of Israel
00:34:54.62\00:34:55.96
hung their harps in the willows
by the rivers of Babylon,
00:34:55.99\00:34:59.13
the angels hang
their harps in sadness
00:34:59.16\00:35:02.46
when people are
lost in this world,
00:35:02.50\00:35:04.83
when there's tragedy.
00:35:04.87\00:35:06.80
And they rejoice
when people turn to God.
00:35:06.84\00:35:09.47
So when people get to heaven,
00:35:09.50\00:35:11.37
if they see there
are certain people
00:35:11.41\00:35:12.91
that are not
there that they love,
00:35:12.94\00:35:14.41
and there may be some sadness,
there may be some sadness.
00:35:14.44\00:35:17.18
And when we get to
heaven, we think, "Oh,
00:35:17.21\00:35:18.38
if I had only done some more,
more people would be here."
00:35:18.41\00:35:21.58
We might have
regrets. That's right.
00:35:21.62\00:35:24.19
People are going
to get to heaven.
00:35:24.22\00:35:25.29
Do you realize that
even among the saved,
00:35:25.32\00:35:26.99
there are varying
degrees of reward?
00:35:27.02\00:35:28.89
How many of you know that?
00:35:28.92\00:35:32.06
That's why we want to
build on a solid foundation.
00:35:32.09\00:35:34.73
Some are building with
wood, hay, and stubble.
00:35:34.73\00:35:36.83
Paul says, "And
when they get to heaven,
00:35:36.87\00:35:38.47
they're going to see that
very little is accomplished."
00:35:38.50\00:35:45.34
Bible says, "Every man is judged
00:35:45.37\00:35:46.68
and rewarded
according to their works."
00:35:46.71\00:35:48.21
We may have some regret.
00:35:48.24\00:35:49.28
We think, "Oh, why
didn't I care more?
00:35:49.31\00:35:51.61
Why didn't I believe
more? Why didn't I do more?
00:35:51.65\00:35:53.95
There are people maybe
that could have been here
00:35:53.98\00:35:57.09
if I had cared more."
00:35:57.12\00:36:00.09
And so there
maybe tears at first.
00:36:00.12\00:36:05.73
There may be
tears when we see...
00:36:05.76\00:36:08.33
Does for Lord, is
He sad at the lost?
00:36:08.36\00:36:12.27
He calls the destruction
of the wicked His strange act.
00:36:12.30\00:36:15.47
The Lord is not
willing that any should perish.
00:36:15.50\00:36:19.61
So there may be some
sadness among God's redeemed.
00:36:19.64\00:36:23.41
We'll be, you know,
joyful, they'll be raptured,
00:36:23.45\00:36:26.68
and praise for being there,
00:36:26.72\00:36:28.15
but we'll have
moments of reflection
00:36:28.18\00:36:30.79
when there may be some sadness.
00:36:30.82\00:36:32.32
When we're in the New Jerusalem
00:36:32.35\00:36:33.42
and God once finally rained fire
00:36:33.46\00:36:35.02
down upon the wicked,
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.32
do you think we're going
to be singing in the city?
00:36:36.36\00:36:38.53
Or will it be a sad time?
00:36:38.56\00:36:40.70
I think
there'll be some sadness.
00:36:40.73\00:36:42.06
That's why it
puts in that verse,
00:36:42.10\00:36:43.53
"God will wipe away all tears."
00:36:43.57\00:36:45.40
Some of you might be
thinking, "Pastor Doug,
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.44
if my daughter or my
son is not in the kingdom,
00:36:48.47\00:36:50.94
I don't think I
could ever recover.
00:36:50.97\00:36:52.81
I don't see how I could
ever get over the sadness."
00:36:52.84\00:36:57.78
Well, I probably
couldn't console you
00:36:57.81\00:36:59.55
but God could.
00:36:59.58\00:37:01.52
It's not a man
wiping away your tears,
00:37:01.55\00:37:03.92
it's God wiping away your tears.
00:37:03.95\00:37:06.45
You know, there's a
statement in the Bible.
00:37:06.49\00:37:07.96
King David had many sons,
00:37:07.99\00:37:09.26
and several of them,
their lives ended tragically.
00:37:09.29\00:37:12.03
And Amnon in particular,
David was mourning for Amnon,
00:37:12.06\00:37:16.43
but he finally
dried his tears twice.
00:37:16.46\00:37:18.77
He mourned for a baby
that died for seven days.
00:37:18.80\00:37:21.77
But finally, he got up
and he wiped his tears away,
00:37:21.80\00:37:24.24
he said, "It's the Lord's will,"
00:37:24.27\00:37:26.31
and he went on with life.
00:37:26.34\00:37:28.18
And he was able
to write more songs.
00:37:28.21\00:37:30.88
Yeah. God can dry your tears.
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.65
And you ever heard
the expression time heals.
00:37:32.68\00:37:36.02
How much time will you have
00:37:36.05\00:37:37.22
between the Second
Coming and the Third Coming?
00:37:37.25\00:37:40.22
A thousand
years. Thousand years.
00:37:40.26\00:37:42.26
That can do a lot of
healing, especially when you're,
00:37:42.29\00:37:45.46
you know, walking
down golden streets
00:37:45.49\00:37:47.03
and you get to talk
to Bible patriarchs.
00:37:47.03\00:37:49.73
God will wipe away all the tears
00:37:49.76\00:37:51.60
from their eyes
during that time.
00:37:51.63\00:37:53.80
All right.
00:37:53.84\00:37:54.87
Now it talks
about the resurrection
00:37:54.90\00:37:56.40
and restored relationships.
00:37:56.44\00:37:58.97
And I know, this
seems out of order,
00:37:59.01\00:38:00.64
but I'm doing it the
way the lesson is written.
00:38:00.68\00:38:02.98
1 Thessalonians 4:13.
00:38:03.01\00:38:05.48
"But I do not want you
to be ignorant, brethren,
00:38:05.51\00:38:07.75
concerning those
who have fallen asleep
00:38:07.78\00:38:10.12
that you do not sorrow
as others who have no hope.
00:38:10.15\00:38:13.66
For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again,
00:38:13.69\00:38:16.39
even so God will bring with
Him those who sleep in Jesus.
00:38:16.42\00:38:20.03
For this we say to you
by the word of the Lord,
00:38:20.06\00:38:22.00
that we who are alive and remain
00:38:22.03\00:38:23.43
until the coming of the Lord
00:38:23.47\00:38:25.00
will by no means
precede those who are asleep.
00:38:25.03\00:38:27.94
For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.57
with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel,
00:38:30.61\00:38:33.31
with a trumpet of God,
00:38:33.34\00:38:34.68
and the dead in
Christ will rise first.
00:38:34.71\00:38:37.01
Then we who are alive and remain
00:38:37.05\00:38:38.75
will be caught up
together with them."
00:38:38.78\00:38:40.62
Do you notice those words?
00:38:40.65\00:38:42.82
Now we're separated.
00:38:42.85\00:38:44.45
When you say the
words together with them,
00:38:44.49\00:38:45.99
you're talking
unity, aren't you?
00:38:46.02\00:38:48.42
And how long
will that unity last?
00:38:48.46\00:38:51.06
As long as you want.
00:38:51.09\00:38:52.99
You might say, you
know, to your friend
00:38:53.03\00:38:54.93
or some family member
that you meet in the clouds,
00:38:54.96\00:38:58.07
after you spend a few
hundred years together,
00:38:58.10\00:39:00.30
say, "You know, I
hope you don't mind,
00:39:00.34\00:39:01.30
but I'm going to just
take a little road trip.
00:39:01.34\00:39:02.74
I want to go to another planet.
00:39:02.77\00:39:04.04
I'll be back in 50 years."
00:39:04.07\00:39:05.71
I mean, you got forever.
00:39:05.74\00:39:08.58
But there's a
unity there, right?
00:39:08.61\00:39:14.28
"We'll be caught up together
with them in the clouds,
00:39:14.32\00:39:16.48
to meet the Lord in the air,
00:39:16.52\00:39:17.65
and thus we shall
always be with the Lord."
00:39:17.69\00:39:20.26
You see the word unity in there?
00:39:20.29\00:39:22.26
United with the Lord,
united with each other, always.
00:39:22.29\00:39:25.89
There's a unity in those verses.
00:39:25.93\00:39:27.93
"Therefore,
comfort one another."
00:39:27.96\00:39:30.13
So if a Christian comes
to the funeral of a believer,
00:39:30.17\00:39:34.27
if we cry, who
are we crying for?
00:39:34.30\00:39:38.84
For them or for ourselves
00:39:38.87\00:39:40.98
that we're going to miss
them until the resurrection?
00:39:41.01\00:39:43.81
Don't cry for them?
Because what do they get?
00:39:43.85\00:39:48.82
You might even be jealous.
00:39:48.85\00:39:50.55
If they die saved,
their next conscious thought
00:39:50.59\00:39:52.79
is the presence of the Lord,
right, and the resurrection.
00:39:52.82\00:39:56.39
And so why would
you cry for them,
00:39:56.42\00:39:57.53
you rejoice for them.
00:39:57.56\00:39:58.63
If you're thinking about them,
00:39:58.66\00:40:00.80
they've laid down their armor,
they don't study word anymore.
00:40:00.83\00:40:04.47
I mean, I've been
at funerals of people
00:40:04.50\00:40:06.07
who I knew were saved.
00:40:06.10\00:40:07.17
Let's all face it.
00:40:07.20\00:40:08.17
We go to some
funerals, we hope they're saved.
00:40:08.20\00:40:10.44
But I've been at
funerals of people
00:40:10.47\00:40:11.71
who I knew would be saved,
00:40:11.74\00:40:12.84
and I just stood there
jealous 'cause I thought, "Wow!
00:40:12.87\00:40:16.85
If I could be Mrs. Philips...
00:40:16.88\00:40:19.15
I can't imagine what it's
going to be like for her."
00:40:19.18\00:40:21.78
First of all, she's old.
00:40:21.82\00:40:23.49
She's going to wake up young,
00:40:23.52\00:40:25.45
and she's going to
wake up with Jesus,
00:40:25.49\00:40:27.92
be together with her
husband, and just the joy,
00:40:27.96\00:40:30.06
just thinking about
her next experience,
00:40:30.09\00:40:32.33
actually made me
very happy for her,
00:40:32.36\00:40:33.76
but it made me jealous,
'cause I'd like to have that.
00:40:33.80\00:40:37.33
We're still stuck in this world.
00:40:37.37\00:40:39.60
All right.
00:40:39.63\00:40:40.60
And so continuing on,
it says, "He will send...
00:40:40.64\00:40:44.77
When Jesus comes,
He'll send His angels
00:40:44.81\00:40:46.61
with the sound of a trumpet."
00:40:46.64\00:40:48.28
Now you notice it says
the Lord will send from heaven
00:40:48.31\00:40:50.05
the shout and the trumpet.
00:40:50.08\00:40:52.18
"He will send His angels,"
this is in Matthew 24:31,
00:40:52.21\00:40:54.58
"with the sound of a trumpet,
00:40:54.62\00:40:55.88
they will gather
together His elect
00:40:55.92\00:40:58.49
from the four winds of heaven."
00:40:58.52\00:41:00.99
Now when it says four
winds, what does that mean?
00:41:01.02\00:41:03.36
North, south, east, west.
00:41:03.39\00:41:04.49
It's just talking about
the four corners of the earth.
00:41:04.53\00:41:06.73
You've read in Revelation,
four angels holding back
00:41:06.76\00:41:08.83
the four winds,
they should not blow.
00:41:08.86\00:41:13.34
You can also read
1 Corinthians 15:51,
00:41:13.37\00:41:18.24
"Behold, I tell you a
mystery, we will not all sleep,
00:41:18.27\00:41:21.64
some of us won't
die, but we'll be changed
00:41:21.68\00:41:25.05
in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye at the last trumpet,"
00:41:25.08\00:41:27.95
there it is, again,
"For the trumpet will sound
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.42
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:41:30.45\00:41:32.75
and we will be changed.
00:41:32.79\00:41:34.99
For this corruptible,"
these bodies that get old,
00:41:35.02\00:41:38.26
"must put on incorruption
00:41:38.29\00:41:40.16
and this mortal
must put on immortality.
00:41:40.20\00:41:42.60
So when this corruptible
body shall put on incorruption,
00:41:42.63\00:41:46.07
and this model has
put on immortality,
00:41:46.10\00:41:47.84
then is brought
to pass the saying,
00:41:47.87\00:41:49.44
that is written,"
he's quoting from Psalms
00:41:49.47\00:41:51.61
"Death is
swallowed up in victory.
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.01
O death, where is your sting?
00:41:54.04\00:41:55.61
O grave, where is your victory?"
00:41:55.64\00:41:57.61
All right.
00:41:57.65\00:41:58.65
Someone's going
to read for me now
00:41:58.68\00:42:00.18
from Hebrews 11.
00:42:00.22\00:42:02.68
Just before you do that,
I'm going to read Isaiah 30:26,
00:42:02.72\00:42:06.22
talking about the new
earth for the redeemed.
00:42:06.25\00:42:10.46
It says here in Isaiah 30:26,
00:42:10.49\00:42:12.13
"Moreover, the light of the moon
00:42:12.16\00:42:13.80
will be like the
light of the sun,
00:42:13.83\00:42:16.03
and the light of the
sun will be sevenfold
00:42:16.06\00:42:19.53
as of the light of the day.
00:42:19.57\00:42:20.64
And in the day
that the Lord binds up
00:42:20.67\00:42:23.91
the bruise of his people
00:42:23.94\00:42:24.97
and heals the
stroke of their wound."
00:42:25.01\00:42:26.71
It says, "The light of the
moon is bright as a sun is now
00:42:26.74\00:42:29.64
and the light of the sun then
00:42:29.68\00:42:31.05
will be seven times
brighter than the sun now."
00:42:31.08\00:42:34.18
Now you would think,
"Seven times brighter,
00:42:34.22\00:42:35.55
why don't that
burn everything up?"
00:42:35.58\00:42:36.85
It doesn't say seven
times hotter, does it?
00:42:36.89\00:42:39.45
It says seven times brighter.
00:42:39.49\00:42:41.36
How God's going to
do that? I don't know.
00:42:41.39\00:42:42.76
But I think, it just means
00:42:42.79\00:42:44.09
everything's
going to seem brighter.
00:42:44.13\00:42:45.69
Your eyes will
probably be brighter.
00:42:45.73\00:42:48.43
You know, sometimes,
00:42:48.46\00:42:49.50
your eyes are dim as we get old.
00:42:49.53\00:42:51.97
And everything is
going to be a brighter world.
00:42:52.00\00:42:54.90
Good. Read your verse for us.
00:42:54.94\00:42:56.81
Hebrews 11:9-10,
00:42:56.84\00:42:59.81
"By faith, he dwelt
in the land of promise,
00:42:59.84\00:43:02.31
as in a foreign
country dwelling in tents
00:43:02.34\00:43:04.88
with Isaac and Jacob,
00:43:04.91\00:43:07.02
the heirs with him
of the same promise,
00:43:07.05\00:43:09.78
for he waited for the
city, which has foundations,
00:43:09.82\00:43:12.95
whose builder and maker is God."
00:43:12.99\00:43:15.76
And here he's
talking about Abraham
00:43:15.79\00:43:18.56
who believes
that this is not it.
00:43:18.59\00:43:21.16
He's looking
forward to a world restored,
00:43:21.20\00:43:24.77
and the New City of God.
00:43:24.80\00:43:26.27
And then you go to
verse 35, Hebrews 11,
00:43:26.30\00:43:28.20
same chapter, verse 35.
00:43:28.24\00:43:30.14
"Women received their
dead raised to life again.
00:43:30.17\00:43:32.61
Others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance,
00:43:32.64\00:43:35.38
that they might obtain
a better resurrection."
00:43:35.41\00:43:38.11
They all believe there
was that better resurrection
00:43:38.15\00:43:40.12
that was coming.
00:43:40.15\00:43:41.42
Go to Isaiah 60:19.
00:43:41.45\00:43:44.19
Old Testament is
full of these promises.
00:43:44.22\00:43:46.52
"The sun shall no
longer be your light by day,
00:43:46.55\00:43:50.19
nor for brightness,
00:43:50.23\00:43:51.26
shall the moon
give light to you,
00:43:51.29\00:43:52.56
but the Lord will be
an everlasting light,
00:43:52.59\00:43:56.23
and God your glory, your
son will no longer go down."
00:43:56.26\00:44:00.57
Now it doesn't mean
there won't be days.
00:44:00.60\00:44:02.00
Just keep reading.
00:44:02.04\00:44:03.64
"Nor the moon withdraw itself,
00:44:03.67\00:44:05.21
for the Lord will be
your everlasting light,
00:44:05.24\00:44:09.68
and the days of your
mourning shall be ended.
00:44:09.71\00:44:11.75
No more sadness.
00:44:11.78\00:44:12.78
Now what is
Isaiah talking about?
00:44:12.81\00:44:14.35
You read in Revelation 21,
00:44:14.38\00:44:16.12
"The city had no
need of the sun."
00:44:16.15\00:44:18.35
Now will there be days
and night in new earth?
00:44:18.39\00:44:23.09
Yes. There's separation of time.
00:44:23.12\00:44:25.79
We have day and night,
part of God's original plan.
00:44:25.83\00:44:28.86
God is going to
restore His original plan,
00:44:28.90\00:44:30.90
but there'll be one upgrade.
00:44:30.93\00:44:32.73
God is moving His
capital to the universe.
00:44:32.77\00:44:34.67
So in the New
Jerusalem, God dwells,
00:44:34.70\00:44:36.64
the temple of
God is in the city.
00:44:36.67\00:44:38.27
He says He is the temple
of it, His presence is there.
00:44:38.31\00:44:41.51
He'll be flanked by two angels
like He is in heaven there.
00:44:41.54\00:44:45.01
The glory that
streams from heaven
00:44:45.05\00:44:48.22
and bounces off
of the atmosphere
00:44:48.25\00:44:49.88
is going to
illuminate the whole planet.
00:44:49.92\00:44:51.69
But the planet still revolves.
00:44:51.72\00:44:53.79
There still will
be these other bodies
00:44:53.82\00:44:55.46
that God's created,
00:44:55.49\00:44:56.52
the sun, and the
moon, and the stars.
00:44:56.56\00:44:57.89
We're still going
to have day and night.
00:44:57.93\00:44:59.29
How do we know that?
00:44:59.33\00:45:01.26
It tells us that we
won't need to afraid
00:45:01.30\00:45:02.90
of the forest at night.
00:45:02.93\00:45:04.90
It tells us that "From
one new moon to another
00:45:04.93\00:45:08.34
and one Sabbath to another..."
00:45:08.37\00:45:09.67
In order to have a Sabbath,
you got to have days, right?
00:45:09.70\00:45:12.61
"All flesh will come
and gather," not just Jews,
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.84
all flesh come
and worship before Him
00:45:15.88\00:45:19.11
in the new earth.
00:45:19.15\00:45:20.18
Amen.
00:45:20.22\00:45:22.18
And then you can read
also in Revelation 21:23,
00:45:22.22\00:45:28.19
"The city had no need
of the sun or the moon.
00:45:28.22\00:45:31.39
God's the glory."
00:45:31.43\00:45:32.69
Look in Isaiah
65:17, "For behold,
00:45:32.73\00:45:35.80
I create a new
heavens and a new earth,
00:45:35.83\00:45:38.73
the former world
not be remembered
00:45:38.77\00:45:40.74
or come into mind."
00:45:40.77\00:45:41.77
Okay, stop.
00:45:41.80\00:45:43.97
"Pastor Doug,
I've done some things
00:45:44.01\00:45:45.87
I'm ashamed of.
00:45:45.91\00:45:46.94
And I know
Jesus has forgiven me,
00:45:46.98\00:45:47.91
but I just wish I
could have my brain washed."
00:45:47.94\00:45:51.11
Well, you will someday.
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.01
Bible says, "The former
will not come into mind."
00:45:53.05\00:45:54.92
Does that mean we don't remember
00:45:54.95\00:45:56.05
Jesus saved us?
00:45:56.08\00:45:57.19
Or the former painful memories
no longer come into mind?
00:45:57.22\00:46:01.22
You notice, as you get older,
00:46:04.56\00:46:06.36
for those of you
who have gotten older,
00:46:06.39\00:46:08.53
things used to...
00:46:08.56\00:46:09.60
think about on a regular basis.
00:46:09.63\00:46:10.67
If you have
nothing that's happened,
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.40
or you haven't said
a name in a long time,
00:46:12.43\00:46:13.97
you haven't seen someone
00:46:14.00\00:46:15.04
you used to know in a long time,
00:46:15.07\00:46:16.17
you can actually
really forget the name
00:46:16.20\00:46:18.84
because it's been out
of your mind for so long.
00:46:18.87\00:46:21.14
Now people you see every day,
you can remember their names.
00:46:21.18\00:46:24.18
But if you haven't
seen somebody in years...
00:46:24.21\00:46:26.28
It happened to me last night.
Karen, I was laying in a bed.
00:46:26.31\00:46:28.62
I said, "That's a Pastor..."
She said, "I know who it is."
00:46:28.65\00:46:31.69
She couldn't think of the name.
I couldn't think of the name.
00:46:31.72\00:46:34.12
And we're falling asleep.
00:46:34.16\00:46:35.16
And finally, I
called out the name.
00:46:35.19\00:46:37.19
I couldn't rest
until I remember the name.
00:46:37.23\00:46:39.39
But it's just
someone I don't see every day
00:46:39.43\00:46:41.13
and so I forgot it.
00:46:41.16\00:46:42.43
Well, you know,
as the eons roll by,
00:46:42.46\00:46:45.97
the painful memories,
got to wipe away the tears.
00:46:46.00\00:46:48.20
"The former will
not be remembered
00:46:48.24\00:46:50.17
or coming to mind," meaning,
the sadness of this world.
00:46:50.21\00:46:52.81
We're still going to remember
what God did to save us, right?
00:46:52.84\00:46:57.01
"For behold, I create
Jerusalem as a rejoicing
00:46:57.05\00:47:00.52
and her people a joy.
00:47:00.55\00:47:02.25
I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy My people."
00:47:02.28\00:47:07.19
Pardon me.
00:47:07.22\00:47:08.26
"And the voice of weeping
00:47:08.29\00:47:09.42
shall no longer be heard in her,
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.36
nor the voice of crying.
00:47:11.39\00:47:13.33
No more..."
00:47:13.36\00:47:14.40
And this is a verse that
sometimes troubles people.
00:47:14.46\00:47:17.13
"No more shall an infant
00:47:17.17\00:47:18.77
from there live but a few days."
00:47:18.80\00:47:20.67
You know, often,
infant mortality is very high.
00:47:20.70\00:47:23.57
"Nor an old man that
is not fulfilled his days
00:47:23.61\00:47:25.81
for the child will
die a 100 years old."
00:47:25.84\00:47:27.84
People will go,
"What? Child will die?
00:47:27.88\00:47:30.58
We're talking about heaven.
00:47:30.61\00:47:31.65
It wouldn't mean
the child will die."
00:47:31.68\00:47:33.58
Have you ever
wondered about that verse?
00:47:33.62\00:47:35.98
He's just saying,
"There won't be an infant
00:47:36.02\00:47:38.15
that hasn't fulfilled his days.
00:47:38.19\00:47:40.02
The child will not even cease
being a child till it's 100.
00:47:40.06\00:47:44.49
Or die." There it means...
00:47:44.53\00:47:45.76
the word is die,
child will not die,
00:47:45.79\00:47:47.73
but it's talking about child
doesn't cease being at 100.
00:47:47.76\00:47:50.17
Have you ever read
the genealogies in Genesis
00:47:50.20\00:47:53.07
before the flood
00:47:53.10\00:47:54.27
that it says so
and so lived 120 years
00:47:54.30\00:47:56.27
and he got married?
00:47:56.30\00:47:57.97
He didn't get
married until he was 100,
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.34
he was a kid at 80.
00:47:59.37\00:48:02.31
You see what I'm
saying? It's how it's saying.
00:48:02.34\00:48:03.48
You know, once
we enter eternity,
00:48:03.51\00:48:05.05
they don't even cease
being children until later.
00:48:05.08\00:48:09.55
"They will build
houses and inhabit them."
00:48:09.58\00:48:11.35
Do we float on clouds or
does God have plans for us
00:48:11.39\00:48:13.92
to do real
things in the new earth?
00:48:13.96\00:48:16.46
"They'll build
houses and inhabit them.
00:48:16.49\00:48:18.29
They'll plant vineyards
and eat the fruit of them."
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.43
You know why it
adds "and eat the fruit,"
00:48:20.46\00:48:22.06
children of Israel,
often, they built houses
00:48:22.10\00:48:23.97
and they planted vineyards,
00:48:24.00\00:48:25.23
and then they were
driven away by their enemies.
00:48:25.27\00:48:28.30
The Philistines
would invade their country,
00:48:28.34\00:48:29.84
and they drive some away,
and they'd take their towns.
00:48:29.87\00:48:33.01
Or the Syrians
coming from the north,
00:48:33.04\00:48:34.74
they'd take their towns,
00:48:34.78\00:48:35.84
they'd take all
the work they've done,
00:48:35.88\00:48:36.91
all their vineyards
and all their farming.
00:48:36.95\00:48:39.08
God says, "You won't
have to worry about that.
00:48:39.11\00:48:40.82
You will build, inhabit,
you will plant, you will eat."
00:48:40.85\00:48:45.25
That'll be the nice part of it.
00:48:45.29\00:48:47.72
And then finally,
life on the new earth.
00:48:47.76\00:48:51.43
I've gone over. So I'm
just going to read, you know...
00:48:51.46\00:48:53.46
I read several verses about...
00:48:53.50\00:48:56.80
Revelation 21, "He
showed me a pure river of water,
00:48:56.83\00:49:00.64
clear as crystal, preceding
from the throne of God,
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.54
and the tree of life
that has 12 kinds of fruit
00:49:03.57\00:49:06.27
12 times a year,
the leaves of the tree
00:49:06.31\00:49:09.24
are for the
healing of the nations.
00:49:09.28\00:49:11.71
No more curse,
but the throne of God
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.22
and the lamb shall be in it."
00:49:14.25\00:49:16.08
The Throne of God,
00:49:16.12\00:49:17.19
the dwelling place
of God is in the city.
00:49:17.22\00:49:19.45
I like to close by
reading the quote to you
00:49:19.49\00:49:24.13
from special releases.
00:49:24.16\00:49:25.69
This is...
00:49:25.73\00:49:26.76
It says, "As the
years of eternity roll,
00:49:26.80\00:49:29.56
they'll bring richer and
more glorious revelations
00:49:29.60\00:49:32.23
of God and of Christ.
00:49:32.27\00:49:33.94
As knowledge is progressive,
so will love, reverence,
00:49:33.97\00:49:36.91
and happiness increase.
00:49:36.94\00:49:39.01
The more men learn of
God, the greater will be
00:49:39.04\00:49:41.38
there admiration
of His character.
00:49:41.41\00:49:43.55
As Jesus opens before
us the riches of redemption
00:49:43.58\00:49:47.02
and the amazing achievements
00:49:47.05\00:49:48.38
and the great
controversy with Satan,
00:49:48.42\00:49:50.35
the hearts of the ransom
beat with stronger devotion,
00:49:50.39\00:49:53.69
and they sweep the harps of gold
00:49:53.72\00:49:55.69
with a firmer hand,
00:49:55.72\00:49:57.09
and ten thousand
times, ten thousand
00:49:57.13\00:49:59.53
and thousands of
thousands of voices unite
00:49:59.56\00:50:03.50
to swell the
mighty chorus of praise."
00:50:03.53\00:50:06.20
And that's page 432 and 433.
00:50:06.23\00:50:09.50
It talks about great
unity in the kingdom there.
00:50:09.54\00:50:14.64
Have you ever
noticed that bees and ants
00:50:14.68\00:50:18.98
all seem to
communicate with each other,
00:50:19.01\00:50:21.38
they work together
as the united whole
00:50:21.42\00:50:24.32
for whatever they're doing?
00:50:24.35\00:50:25.39
It's almost like
they've got a telepathy
00:50:25.42\00:50:27.72
that gives them a unity.
00:50:27.76\00:50:29.99
And I can't explain it,
00:50:30.03\00:50:31.76
but through the
Holy Spirit in heaven,
00:50:31.79\00:50:33.33
I think we're going to be
united through God's Spirit,
00:50:33.36\00:50:35.60
where we kind of
have this telepathy
00:50:35.63\00:50:38.07
where we're all going to be one
and it's going to be wonderful.
00:50:38.10\00:50:42.04
It's going to be
wonderful. Get it.
00:50:42.07\00:50:44.37
Don't forget, next week,
00:50:44.41\00:50:45.51
we're going to be studying
our quarterly on Revelation.
00:50:45.54\00:50:48.01
I want to remind
those who came in.
00:50:48.04\00:50:49.84
We are out of
time for today's study.
00:50:49.88\00:50:51.38
Thank you very
much for joining us.
00:50:51.41\00:50:53.21
Oh, I forgot to
mention the free offer.
00:50:53.25\00:50:55.72
What is the free offer?
00:50:55.75\00:50:58.09
They left it up here for me. Oh.
00:50:58.12\00:51:00.36
Hey, this is
good. It's a DVD by me.
00:51:00.39\00:51:04.29
How Perfect Must a Christian Be?
00:51:04.33\00:51:06.16
If you like that, then
ask for offer number 863.
00:51:06.19\00:51:09.33
It actually is good.
00:51:09.36\00:51:10.50
People wonder, "How perfect
must I be to get to heaven?
00:51:10.53\00:51:12.73
You can get this DVD
or call 866-788-3966.
00:51:12.77\00:51:17.74
That's 866-Study-More.
God bless you, friends.
00:51:17.77\00:51:21.04
We'll study His Word
together again next week.
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.65
Don't forget to request today's
life-changing free resource.
00:51:25.05\00:51:28.68
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:51:28.72\00:51:30.75
you can download a digital copy
00:51:30.79\00:51:32.15
straight to your
computer or a mobile device.
00:51:32.19\00:51:34.52
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:51:34.56\00:51:37.43
simply text the
keyword on your screen to 40544
00:51:37.46\00:51:41.50
or visit the web
address shown on your screen.
00:51:41.53\00:51:44.17
And be sure to select
00:51:44.20\00:51:45.20
that digital download
option on the request page.
00:51:45.23\00:51:47.84
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word
00:51:47.87\00:51:51.11
with Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
00:51:51.14\00:51:54.38
and most important,
to share it with others.
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.05
Amazing Facts Changed Lives.
00:52:01.22\00:52:04.62
I met my ex-wife,
00:52:09.09\00:52:10.33
and her family were
real big into drugs.
00:52:10.36\00:52:12.59
And it started out
with them wanting me
00:52:12.63\00:52:15.16
to go to the doctor
to help get them drugs.
00:52:15.20\00:52:17.70
And you know, I'm noticing
they're going to the doctor,
00:52:17.73\00:52:20.44
they're coming
back with like 60 pills,
00:52:20.47\00:52:22.30
and they're selling
these pills for like $1,000.
00:52:22.34\00:52:24.74
And I'm thinking, "Wow,
00:52:24.77\00:52:26.98
this is a lot of money
I'm giving these people,
00:52:27.01\00:52:29.01
so I'm just going to
start selling it myself."
00:52:29.04\00:52:31.28
But a problem with that
was we had all this money
00:52:31.31\00:52:34.58
but we were
absolutely miserable.
00:52:34.62\00:52:36.99
She would go out and sleep
with other guys to get drugs,
00:52:37.02\00:52:41.09
and that ended my marriage.
00:52:41.12\00:52:43.12
But during this
time, I have to get a job
00:52:43.16\00:52:45.43
to build back up
to where I was at,
00:52:45.46\00:52:47.46
to open my shop again.
00:52:47.50\00:52:48.50
So I get a job at Food City.
00:52:48.53\00:52:50.73
And when I get
this job at Food City,
00:52:50.77\00:52:52.83
there was my wife now,
Rebecca, she's a cashier there.
00:52:52.87\00:52:56.67
And when I walk in,
she's the most beautiful girl
00:52:56.71\00:52:59.31
I've ever seen in my life.
00:52:59.34\00:53:01.18
I was like, "Man,
00:53:01.21\00:53:02.24
I could never
have a girl like that.
00:53:02.28\00:53:04.45
Wow. She is so beautiful."
00:53:04.48\00:53:05.61
But as I'm working with her,
00:53:05.65\00:53:07.95
she's actually
kind of mean to me.
00:53:07.98\00:53:10.29
And she was saying,
00:53:10.32\00:53:11.69
"I don't want
anything to do with you,
00:53:11.72\00:53:12.99
get away from
me," stuff like that.
00:53:13.02\00:53:15.02
But you know, I just
kept being nice to her
00:53:15.06\00:53:17.06
and kept trying to
give her my phone number.
00:53:17.09\00:53:19.53
And it's around Christmas Eve,
00:53:19.56\00:53:21.86
we'd just been
dating for a little while
00:53:21.90\00:53:24.13
and moved in together.
00:53:24.17\00:53:25.07
My ex-wife shows up
with my three children
00:53:25.10\00:53:28.17
that I had by her.
00:53:28.20\00:53:29.60
And she's like,
"Here's your kids,
00:53:29.64\00:53:31.41
here's their birth certificates,
00:53:31.44\00:53:32.67
here's our
social security cards.
00:53:32.71\00:53:34.41
I'm done." And we
were starting a family.
00:53:34.44\00:53:36.75
We already have three kids.
00:53:36.78\00:53:39.18
During this time,
we spent the next year
00:53:39.21\00:53:41.45
watching nothing but
Amazing Facts on YouTube.
00:53:41.48\00:53:44.69
I didn't even know
00:53:44.72\00:53:45.72
they even had a
website at this time.
00:53:45.75\00:53:46.89
I just knew that
this little guy on YouTube
00:53:46.92\00:53:49.26
was super smart,
was teaching Bible,
00:53:49.29\00:53:51.86
and I wanted to follow
him, I wanted to be a Christian.
00:53:51.89\00:53:55.10
I gave my life to God
now because of these truths
00:53:55.13\00:53:58.20
that I'm learning
from Doug Batchelor.
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.47
Just because Doug taught it,
00:54:00.50\00:54:01.90
didn't make me real sure
about going to this church.
00:54:01.94\00:54:05.01
I really didn't want
anything to do with it.
00:54:05.04\00:54:06.61
But I called the
guy and I'm telling him,
00:54:06.64\00:54:09.44
and I'm not very
nice about it actually.
00:54:09.48\00:54:11.25
I'm telling him,
"Look, we were thinking about
00:54:11.28\00:54:13.31
coming to your church."
00:54:13.35\00:54:14.82
And he's really
nice and he's like,
00:54:14.85\00:54:16.92
"You're more than welcome
to. We'd love to have you come."
00:54:16.95\00:54:19.82
And I'm like, "Well, hold on.
00:54:19.85\00:54:20.89
I'm going to lay
down some ground rules."
00:54:20.92\00:54:23.09
I'm telling him, I said, "Look,
here, I'm covered in tattoos.
00:54:23.12\00:54:25.83
And I'm a tattoo artist."
00:54:25.86\00:54:27.23
And he didn't say,
"Well, you know, wow,
00:54:27.30\00:54:29.73
I didn't know all that,
Don't come to my church."
00:54:29.76\00:54:31.43
He says, "You're
more than welcome.
00:54:31.47\00:54:33.20
We would love to
have you. Please come."
00:54:33.23\00:54:37.17
He asked me what I want to do.
00:54:37.21\00:54:38.44
And I said,
"Well, I want to preach."
00:54:38.47\00:54:41.04
I said, "I have
all these truths.
00:54:41.08\00:54:42.71
I have all this knowledge,
stuff I've never known before,
00:54:42.74\00:54:45.75
stuff if I had
when I was younger,
00:54:45.78\00:54:47.62
that would have been
life changing to me."
00:54:47.65\00:54:50.45
I said, "I got to
share this with the world."
00:54:50.49\00:54:53.05
And I said, "I want to
preach, I want to teach."
00:54:53.09\00:54:55.89
He gives me the
book, says, "Study that."
00:54:55.92\00:54:57.99
Well, now that
I'm a Bible worker,
00:54:58.03\00:54:59.29
I'm able to go, reach people
00:54:59.33\00:55:01.40
that most of the normal churches
00:55:01.43\00:55:03.60
wouldn't even
bother to even speak to.
00:55:03.63\00:55:05.73
I'm able to go out
and reach the people
00:55:05.77\00:55:07.87
who have lived the
life that I've lived.
00:55:07.90\00:55:10.14
I'm able to let them
know that "I am like you.
00:55:10.17\00:55:13.68
I've been there, I've done that.
00:55:13.71\00:55:16.08
I want to show you
what my life is like now.
00:55:16.11\00:55:18.98
I want to teach you this Bible.
00:55:19.01\00:55:20.45
I want to show you
what Jesus can do for you.
00:55:20.48\00:55:22.98
It's not too late."
00:55:23.02\00:55:24.42
Have you ever heard
the expression before
00:55:53.48\00:55:55.48
they eat like a bird,
00:55:55.52\00:55:56.82
talking about somebody
that has a minuscule appetite?
00:55:56.85\00:56:00.29
Well, you might
want to think twice
00:56:00.32\00:56:01.52
next time you
use that expression.
00:56:01.56\00:56:03.53
For example,
take the hummingbird.
00:56:03.56\00:56:06.19
In order for it to maintain
its incredible metabolism,
00:56:06.23\00:56:09.30
it has to eat about 50%
of its bodyweight every day.
00:56:09.33\00:56:13.60
To put that in perspective,
00:56:13.64\00:56:15.00
if 100-pound woman was
to eat like a hummingbird,
00:56:15.04\00:56:18.21
she would have to eat
50 pounds of sugar a day
00:56:18.24\00:56:20.91
just to maintain her bodyweight.
00:56:20.94\00:56:22.71
Imagine that.
00:56:22.74\00:56:24.21
Maybe you don't
want to imagine that.
00:56:24.25\00:56:26.68
But perhaps, you want to
consider this another way.
00:56:26.72\00:56:29.22
The hummingbird
typically consumes
00:56:29.25\00:56:30.89
between four to
seven calories a day,
00:56:30.92\00:56:33.22
on the other hand, a human,
about 3,500 calories a day.
00:56:33.25\00:56:37.26
But if you were to eat
like a bird, a hummingbird,
00:56:37.29\00:56:39.86
you'd have to eat over
150,000 calories a day.
00:56:39.89\00:56:45.63
But that's like
a man, 170 pounds
00:56:45.67\00:56:47.74
that would be
eating 3000 Oreo cookies.
00:56:47.77\00:56:51.61
Under normal conditions,
00:56:51.64\00:56:52.97
a hummingbird needs to
eat every five or 10 minutes,
00:56:53.01\00:56:55.88
but there's actually
one time during the year
00:56:55.91\00:56:57.71
that hummingbird will eat
00:56:57.75\00:56:58.98
its entire bodyweight every day.
00:56:59.01\00:57:02.22
You see once a year,
they make this migration
00:57:02.25\00:57:04.92
of 500 miles
across the Gulf of Mexico
00:57:04.95\00:57:07.49
from Texas to the
Yucatan Peninsula.
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.49
In order to do that, the
hummingbird feast on nectar
00:57:11.53\00:57:14.93
and gorges
themselves on this nectar
00:57:14.93\00:57:17.40
for about a week,
doubling their bodyweight.
00:57:17.43\00:57:20.44
That's the only way they
can store enough calories
00:57:20.47\00:57:22.50
to help them with their
70 wing beats per second
00:57:22.54\00:57:26.24
or roughly 4 million
wing beats on that journey.
00:57:26.27\00:57:30.15
You know, in the
same way, friends,
00:57:30.18\00:57:31.21
as we near the end of
time, we need to be feasting
00:57:31.25\00:57:34.02
and gorging ourselves on
the nectar of God's Word.
00:57:34.05\00:57:37.05
We've got to be able
to have that strength
00:57:37.09\00:57:38.75
to get us through the
times of trouble that are ahead.
00:57:38.79\00:57:41.22
So when it comes to the Bible
and your personal devotions,
00:57:41.26\00:57:44.09
if you're going
to eat like a bird,
00:57:44.13\00:57:45.86
eat like a hummingbird.
00:57:45.89\00:57:47.23