I'm delighted that
you've joined us for this series
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titled Three Cosmic Messages:
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This is the sixth
in a 13-part series
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on the Bible prophecies
of Revelation... especially
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focusing on
Revelation 14 verses 6 to 12.
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In those verses God gives to us
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three messages pictured
as being carried by angels
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in mid heaven that are to
go to the end of the earth
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just before His return.
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In this presentation
we're going to focus on verse 6.
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"Fear God and give glory to Him
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for the hour of
His judgment is come.
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And worship Him that made
heaven, earth, and the fountains
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of waters. " So stay with us.
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You will be absolutely thrilled
as you sense the meaning
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of these verses and God speaking
to your own heart through them.
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So let's pray.
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Father in heaven,
we want to thank you
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that You have not left
this world in uncertainty.
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You've not left this
world without a message...
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a message that
comes from Your heart
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to prepare us
for Your soon return.
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Help us to have open minds,
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receptive spirits, to grasp
Your message for this hour.
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In Christ's name, Amen.
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The title of my presentation
is An Urgent Call to Action.
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The book of
Revelation is not merely a book
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to fill our heads with
mystic symbols, cryptic signs,
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and strange beasts.
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The book of Revelation
is designed to compel us
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to lead us to
make eternal decisions
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in our lives and to
really compel us to action.
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Some time ago I
was thinking about
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a concert that may have
taken place in Carnegie Hall
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with the London
Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Now this is in
my imagination only
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and I need to clarify that
before I go into the story.
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So let's suppose that you've
bought tickets to Carnegie Hall.
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Let's suppose that
you're sitting in this concert.
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It's an
absolutely amazing concert.
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You sit on the edge of
your seat; you're thrilled
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with the music; you're taken
into the stratosphere with the
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rapturous playing of the
London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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You paid a great
deal for those seats,
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and then somebody in
the middle of that concert
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begins to yell "Fire! Fire! "
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Now you have really
three choices if that happens.
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Choice #1: You think "This
guy is an absolute lunatic.
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They're a crazy nut. I can't
wait till the security comes
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and takes them away. "
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Secondly you might
think: "You know what?
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This may be true. "
You're thankful that a person
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has yelled "Fire! "
There's been no danger yet.
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You jump up and run
out with a thankful spirit.
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The third option is
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maybe you think "I'd
better get out of here"
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but you're angry, you're bitter
because you spent a lot of money
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for the tickets. You
may have those 3 options.
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I mean, somebody
can get trampled.
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Some others can get severely
injured rushing to the exit.
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Somebody may be stress-filled
and have a heart attack.
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So if you yell "Fire!
" and there's no fire,
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it's pretty serious. But:
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When you have a real crisis
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and somebody
warns you of that crisis
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that indeed is
extremely a valid warning.
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The warning in
the book of Revelation
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is not a warning
that comes in harshness.
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It's not a warning from a God
that is an authoritarian Judge
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or a tyrant. The warning
in the book of Revelation
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is a warning in love.
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And Revelation really
is a book about the grace,
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the mercy, the
goodness, the love of God.
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The book of
Revelation is an appeal to us
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to know Christ
as the dying Lamb.
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To know Christ as
the living Priest.
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The book of Revelation is
a book about Jesus Christ.
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And the warnings that
we receive in Revelation
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are warnings
given to us in love.
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They're warnings
given by three angels
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that symbolically
fly in mid heaven.
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These warnings are very
similar to the warnings that God
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gave to Noah before the
earth was destroyed by water.
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The earth was
destroyed then by water
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and it will be
destroyed another time by fire.
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In Noah's day Noah
preached for 120 years
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warning that the
flood was coming.
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In the book of Revelation
we have Revelation's end-time
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judgment, and we saw
in our last presentation
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that the clock struck
the hour prophetically
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at the end of the
2,300-year prophecy
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in 1844. So
just as Noah preached
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for decades, over a century,
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so the message of God has
been going out for well over
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a century in this world
population to prepare people
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for the coming of Jesus.
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What were the
conditions like in Noah's day?
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And how did they compare
to our conditions in our day?
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Notice Genesis 6:3 says:
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So God reaches out in mercy.
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He graciously
reaches out in love.
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But His Spirit
that leads to decision
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does not always
appeal to human beings.
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There'll come a time
when human beings have made
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their final
irrevocable decision.
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There'll come a period
of time in earth's history
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where every person
has had ample opportunity.
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Where every person
has had the privilege
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of responding to God's love
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and they've made their
solid irrevocable choice.
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God does not withdraw
His Spirit arbitrarily.
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He doesn't withdraw His Spirit
and say: "Those that are in
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are in and those
that are out are out. "
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When God's message went
forth in the days of Noah
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and when Noah and his
family entered into the ark
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and the door was shut
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it was not shut when
many more could have honestly
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graciously repented, confessed
their sin, and entered in.
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It was shut because they
had made their final decision.
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So probation in this world will
not arbitrarily close by God.
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It will be the signal
that every human being
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has already made their decision.
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What were the
conditions in the days of Noah?
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Genesis 6:5. It really
seems like conditions today.
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You don't have to spend
too much time on television
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even looking at the ads
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too much time on the
Internet when you recognize
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quite dramatically
that the wickedness of man
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has been great in the earth.
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You don't have to spend
much time with news media,
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news magazines, or newspapers
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to understand that the
intents of the thoughts
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of his heart is
evil continually.
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When Billy Graham
finished writing his first draft
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of one of his
books called World Aflame
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it's reported that he gave the
first chapter to his wife Ruth
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and when she read it she
said something like this:
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"Billy, if Jesus
does not come soon,
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He's going to have to
resurrect Sodom and Gomorrah
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and apologize to them. "
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In every age of earth's history
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there has been a period
of time when human probation
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has come to an end.
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In every age of earth's history
there's been a time when the
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wickedness of man has
filled the cup of iniquity
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where God has given
opportunity after opportunity
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after opportunity. And
that's really the message
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in the days of Noah.
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It's the message in the
days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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It's the message in the
days of Daniel in Babylon
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with Belshazzar when the hand-
writing was written on the wall.
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"Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin:
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thou art weighed in the
balances and found wanting. "
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And it's really the
message of the 3 angels.
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It is the message of the first
angel which is an urgent appeal
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to men and women everywhere
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to make their decisions
for Christ and make them today.
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The message of these three
angels is God's final warning.
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It's His final message of hope.
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It is a hope-filled,
grace-filled message
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of love to this generation.
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The earth was
destroyed by water once
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and it will indeed be
destroyed by fire a second time.
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Jesus is coming, though, not
primarily to destroy the earth.
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Christ's intent is not
simply to destroy our world.
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It is rather to destroy
wickedness so righteousness
00:10:11.57\00:10:15.14
will reign. It's
not to destroy the evil
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although that will be the
natural result of His coming.
00:10:18.11\00:10:20.65
It is to redeem the righteous.
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Jesus is coming because
heaven is empty without you.
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The fellowship that Christ has
with the angels and the cherubim
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and seraphim... that
fellowship is incomplete
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without you. Jesus is
coming because He wants you!
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He wants you to live in a
land where there is no sickness,
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suffering, death,
heartache, pain any more.
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He wants you to
be with Him forever.
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And that's the
message of the three angels.
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That's the message of
these three cosmic beings
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that fly in mid heaven.
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That's the message in
earth's final conflict:
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the message of a loving God.
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A message to
prepare men and women
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for the last
days of human history.
00:10:58.42\00:11:00.92
Let's go to the heart
of the book of Revelation
00:11:01.12\00:11:03.12
and see the details
of this specific message.
00:11:03.53\00:11:06.96
We studied that in the last two
presentations in this series.
00:11:15.00\00:11:18.71
The hour of God's judgment
is come; the clock has struck
00:11:18.91\00:11:21.34
the hour.
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Now notice the expression: "Fear
God and give glory to Him. "
00:11:26.55\00:11:30.02
We ask the question: "What
does it mean to fear God? "
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"What does it mean
to give glory to Him? "
00:11:35.46\00:11:38.33
What appeal is this
practically to our hearts?
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How indeed do we fear God?
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How indeed do we place
our allegiance on the behalf
00:11:47.44\00:11:51.37
of God and in
His grace and mercy?
00:11:51.57\00:11:54.21
Is this message "fear
God" one in which God appeals
00:11:54.41\00:11:58.38
to us to tremble
and shake before Him?
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Certainly there is
that sense of reverence
00:12:01.42\00:12:03.79
and respecting God.
00:12:03.99\00:12:06.22
But this word fear in the ori-
ginal language of the NT Greek
00:12:06.42\00:12:10.86
is phobeo and it has
this sense of reverence,
00:12:11.06\00:12:15.06
awe, and respect...
but it goes beyond that.
00:12:15.26\00:12:19.03
This word fear or
phobeo in Scripture
00:12:19.23\00:12:23.37
has to do with a large idea.
00:12:23.57\00:12:26.84
It has to do with the
idea that I respect God enough
00:12:27.04\00:12:29.94
to obey Him. It has to
do with a thinking process
00:12:30.15\00:12:33.58
in my mind that
leads me to decide
00:12:33.78\00:12:36.92
to do whatever Christ commands
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.62
knowing that His commands
are best and in my best behalf.
00:12:39.82\00:12:43.96
It is not a command of force.
00:12:44.36\00:12:46.66
It is a loving
appeal for obedience.
00:12:46.86\00:12:49.30
In the book Desire of
Ages on the life of Christ
00:12:49.50\00:12:52.30
on page 22 I read:
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.70
You see the devil
uses force... not God.
00:12:59.97\00:13:02.21
He - God - desires
only the service of love.
00:13:02.41\00:13:05.35
Only by love is love awakened.
00:13:13.86\00:13:16.06
And so that's why in
Revelation 14 verse 6
00:13:16.26\00:13:19.69
it says: "I saw another angel
flying in the middle of heaven
00:13:19.89\00:13:22.70
with the everlasting gospel. "
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.53
The gospel - the love of
God revealed in the life, death,
00:13:24.73\00:13:29.54
resurrection, and
intercession of Christ
00:13:29.94\00:13:32.87
in heaven above
- that love of God
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.74
enables us to respond phobeo:
00:13:35.94\00:13:39.81
to fear God or to obey God.
00:13:40.12\00:13:42.72
That love leads us to obedience.
00:13:42.92\00:13:44.95
You know, it continues
in Desire of Ages page 22:
00:13:45.15\00:13:49.39
So in the book of Revelation
00:13:56.26\00:13:58.03
God's love reaches out to us
00:13:58.23\00:14:02.57
leading us to loving obedience
00:14:02.77\00:14:05.51
leading us to respect, rever-
ence Him... that's fear Him...
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.98
enough to obey Him.
00:14:09.18\00:14:10.58
That is in
contrast to the beast power.
00:14:10.78\00:14:13.72
The beast power
in Revelation forces.
00:14:13.92\00:14:16.75
The beast power in
Revelation coerces.
00:14:16.95\00:14:19.29
The beast power in the book
of Revelation passes a decree
00:14:19.49\00:14:23.86
where no man can buy or sell
unless they worship the beast.
00:14:24.06\00:14:27.20
The beast power in
the book of Revelation -
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.56
this political
religious antichrist power -
00:14:29.76\00:14:33.40
persecutes the people of God
00:14:33.60\00:14:35.70
like church-state
unions have done in the past.
00:14:35.90\00:14:38.47
He also passes a death
decree on the people of God.
00:14:38.67\00:14:42.04
So you see this
amazing contrast:
00:14:42.24\00:14:44.71
a contrast between God's love
00:14:44.91\00:14:47.22
that leads to willing obedience
00:14:47.42\00:14:49.25
outlined in this
message of the first angel
00:14:49.75\00:14:52.69
and Satan, who tries to
coerce and force allegiance.
00:14:52.89\00:14:58.49
The contrast
could not be greater.
00:14:58.89\00:15:01.23
This battle over the law of God,
00:15:01.63\00:15:04.80
this battle over
the throne of God,
00:15:05.00\00:15:07.64
this battle over who
has the authority to rule
00:15:07.84\00:15:10.77
is described in Isaiah
chapter 14 verses 13 and 14.
00:15:10.97\00:15:14.88
Lucifer says: "I
will ascend into heaven. "
00:15:15.08\00:15:17.18
Wasn't he already in heaven?
He wanted a higher place.
00:15:17.38\00:15:20.08
Throne implies ruler
ship... he wants to rule.
00:15:26.89\00:15:29.82
What was the mount of
the congregation on the sides
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.23
of the north of
Israel? Mt. Sinai.
00:15:37.43\00:15:39.03
What came from Mt.
Sinai? The law of God.
00:15:39.23\00:15:40.84
So Lucifer, a created being,
00:15:44.57\00:15:47.21
did not want to
worship the Creator.
00:15:47.41\00:15:49.24
Lucifer, a created
being, wanted to exalt himself
00:15:49.44\00:15:52.38
above the Creator. He wanted
to sit on the throne and rule.
00:15:52.58\00:15:56.18
He wanted to make
law and not obey law.
00:15:56.38\00:15:59.89
So the question of the con-
troversy between good and evil
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.69
was over authority.
00:16:02.89\00:16:04.43
Does God have the
authority to rule?
00:16:04.63\00:16:06.53
Is God a loving ruler?
00:16:06.73\00:16:08.16
Does God have the best interest
of His creatures in view?
00:16:08.36\00:16:11.40
In the last days
of earth's history
00:16:11.80\00:16:13.27
in the messages of the
three angels that go forth
00:16:13.47\00:16:16.77
God sends an eternal
message to the ends of the earth
00:16:16.97\00:16:19.64
showing that His people
willingly, lovingly, openly
00:16:20.04\00:16:25.38
desire to please Him
in everything they do.
00:16:25.58\00:16:28.05
This "fear God" has to do
with this mental commitment
00:16:28.25\00:16:31.59
that we make
knowing that God's commands
00:16:31.79\00:16:34.69
are for our best good and to
lovingly, graciously serve Him.
00:16:34.89\00:16:39.29
In other words, if you want
to know what the Bible teaches
00:16:46.47\00:16:48.94
on a subject, you
take that expression
00:16:49.14\00:16:51.51
and you travel
through the Bible.
00:16:51.71\00:16:53.54
And as you
travel through the Bible
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.54
you look at how that
expression is used in the Bible.
00:16:55.74\00:16:58.51
So when the Bible uses
the expression "fear God"
00:16:58.71\00:17:02.18
what does it mean? What does
this expression indicate to us?
00:17:02.38\00:17:07.59
Let's journey through Scripture
00:17:07.79\00:17:09.52
and let's look at the
expression and how it's used.
00:17:09.72\00:17:12.73
So here fearing God
is linked to a reverence,
00:17:21.54\00:17:26.01
a respect for God
that leads us to obey Him
00:17:26.21\00:17:29.74
and keep His commandments.
00:17:29.94\00:17:31.35
Here is another
one: Psalm 119:73-74.
00:17:31.55\00:17:35.78
So what
according to these passages
00:17:51.70\00:17:54.17
does it mean to fear God?
00:17:54.37\00:17:55.90
It means to be
glad, to be joyous
00:17:56.10\00:17:58.74
in our obedience to Him.
00:17:58.94\00:18:01.01
Now this is the
conclusion of the matter:
00:18:08.85\00:18:10.35
What duty of man is this?
00:18:17.76\00:18:19.56
It's the WHOLE duty of man.
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.63
So this says: "Fear
God... keep His commandments
00:18:21.83\00:18:24.50
for this indeed is the
whole, the entire duty of man. "
00:18:24.70\00:18:30.27
So the book of Revelation
the appeal of the first angel's
00:18:30.47\00:18:34.88
message is an appeal that
leads us back to obedience.
00:18:35.08\00:18:39.28
It leads us back to
the gladness and the joy
00:18:39.48\00:18:43.15
that we have in
life when we please God.
00:18:43.35\00:18:46.39
Now notice: judgment is included
in Revelation 14 verse 7
00:18:49.32\00:18:54.76
"the hour of His
judgment is come. "
00:18:54.96\00:18:56.50
Commandments of
God are included there
00:18:56.70\00:18:58.57
and the idea of
respect or obey Him.
00:18:58.77\00:19:00.54
Again, throughout the
Bible you have this linkage.
00:19:07.18\00:19:10.15
You have this integrated unity
00:19:10.35\00:19:13.38
of obeying God
because we love God.
00:19:13.58\00:19:17.02
Responding to His
grace in obedience.
00:19:17.22\00:19:19.92
And the idea of judgment:
that we'll be judged by the very
00:19:20.12\00:19:23.63
choices we make, judged
by the lives that we live.
00:19:23.83\00:19:28.06
Now there are those people
that have this strange idea
00:19:35.20\00:19:38.47
that when I come to
Jesus it's Jesus only.
00:19:38.67\00:19:42.48
And for them,
the Jesus only means
00:19:42.68\00:19:45.91
Jesus only from the sense
that He saved me from the guilt
00:19:46.11\00:19:49.52
and condemnation of my sin
but there's not much emphasis
00:19:49.72\00:19:52.85
on obedience... not much
emphasis on Bible doctrine.
00:19:53.05\00:19:56.93
You cannot separate
Christ from doctrine.
00:19:57.13\00:20:00.50
To accept Jesus is not
to accept some mythical
00:20:00.70\00:20:03.80
Jesus, some mystical
Jesus, some ethereal Jesus.
00:20:04.00\00:20:08.80
To accept Jesus is to
accept the teachings of Christ.
00:20:09.00\00:20:12.27
It's to understand
that when I come to Christ:
00:20:12.57\00:20:14.81
When I come to
Jesus I'm saved by grace.
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.68
Saved TOTALLY by grace.
00:20:21.88\00:20:23.59
There is no other
salvation beside grace.
00:20:23.79\00:20:27.49
But when I am saved by grace
00:20:27.69\00:20:29.96
that leads me not to
disobedience but to obedience.
00:20:30.16\00:20:34.66
It leads me not to walk
away from the commandments
00:20:34.86\00:20:39.83
but walk toward
the commandments.
00:20:40.04\00:20:41.64
Not as legalistic
requirements but as glad tidings
00:20:41.84\00:20:47.34
of the character of
Jesus Christ Himself.
00:20:47.54\00:20:50.75
So the gospel is
a complete gospel.
00:21:01.19\00:21:04.06
It delivers us from the guilt
of sin and delivers us from
00:21:04.26\00:21:08.30
the grip of sin.
00:21:08.50\00:21:09.83
It delivers us from
the penalty of a broken law
00:21:10.00\00:21:12.77
and it delivers us
from the bondage and power
00:21:12.97\00:21:15.97
of the broken law.
00:21:16.17\00:21:18.34
The grace of Christ is the
grace He gives us for obedience.
00:21:18.54\00:21:22.21
So faith does not lead
me from works but to works.
00:21:33.92\00:21:39.13
When people ask me: "Do
you believe in Jesus only? "
00:21:39.33\00:21:41.66
I say to them: "I believe in
the Jesus only of the Bible. "
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.73
The Jesus only of the
Bible saves us by His grace.
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.74
The Jesus only of the
Bible transforms us by His love.
00:21:47.94\00:21:51.14
The Jesus only of the
Bible empowers us by His power.
00:21:51.54\00:21:55.11
The Jesus only of the
Bible transforms our lives.
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.01
The Jesus only of the Bible
00:21:58.21\00:21:59.61
is the Jesus of
the book of Revelation
00:21:59.81\00:22:01.65
that leads us to fear
God, respect God, and obey God.
00:22:01.85\00:22:05.29
In the book Christ
Triumphant page 235 I read:
00:22:05.49\00:22:09.22
Now what is this
error that they may accept
00:22:17.67\00:22:21.14
in the place of
truth? Here it is:
00:22:21.34\00:22:22.90
What kind of ground
are they on, everybody?
00:22:31.11\00:22:33.38
They're on dangerous ground
because you cannot separate
00:22:33.58\00:22:37.75
Christ from the
teachings of Christ.
00:22:37.95\00:22:40.42
You cannot separate
Christ from doctrine.
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.12
So the Jesus that was
here talked about the Bible
00:22:43.32\00:22:46.19
as His Word. He said:
"Sanctify them through My Word;
00:22:46.39\00:22:49.00
Thy Word is truth.
" John 17 verse 17.
00:22:49.20\00:22:51.83
When you accept
Christ you accept His Word.
00:22:52.03\00:22:54.34
Jesus said for example
that there is no other way
00:22:54.74\00:22:58.54
of salvation.
When you accept Christ
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.84
you accept Him as
the way of salvation.
00:23:01.04\00:23:02.58
Jesus said: "Let not
your heart be troubled;
00:23:02.78\00:23:04.91
you believe in
God... believe also in Me.
00:23:05.11\00:23:06.72
In My Father's house
there are many mansions. "
00:23:06.92\00:23:08.62
John 14:1-3. "If it were not so,
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.99
I would have told
you. I am coming again. "
00:23:11.19\00:23:13.46
If you accept Christ,
you believe His teachings.
00:23:13.66\00:23:15.69
He's coming again!
If you accept Christ,
00:23:15.89\00:23:18.16
you accept fully the teachings
of Christ about obedience,
00:23:18.36\00:23:22.63
the Bible Sabbath, and the
teachings of the Creator God.
00:23:22.83\00:23:26.10
If you accept Christ,
you accept what He has said
00:23:26.30\00:23:29.07
about death and life
and the resurrection.
00:23:29.27\00:23:31.97
So when we accept Christ
00:23:45.82\00:23:47.69
we accept the embodiment
of truth as it's revealed
00:23:47.89\00:23:51.36
in Scripture. We do not
turn our backs on the Christ
00:23:51.56\00:23:55.06
who has proclaimed that truth.
00:23:55.26\00:23:57.77
Andrew Bonar, great
Christian writer, states it
00:23:57.97\00:24:01.27
really succinctly
when he says this:
00:24:01.47\00:24:03.44
You see, the issue is far
more than the specific command.
00:24:56.32\00:25:01.23
The issue is the
authority of the Lawgiver.
00:25:01.43\00:25:05.00
The issue is do we
accept a limited Christ
00:25:05.20\00:25:09.27
or do we accept
the fullness of Christ?
00:25:09.47\00:25:12.27
Do we accept the beauty
of the greatness of Christ?
00:25:12.47\00:25:16.01
And to disobey the
commands of Christ is to disobey
00:25:16.21\00:25:20.32
accepting the
fullness of Christ.
00:25:20.52\00:25:23.59
Christ has more for you
than you can possibly imagine.
00:25:23.79\00:25:28.16
Christ has more for
you beyond in your life
00:25:28.56\00:25:32.13
that's greater than simply
saying: "Oh, I accept Christ.
00:25:32.33\00:25:35.33
Now I can live like I please;
now I can do like I please. "
00:25:35.53\00:25:38.17
Jesus invites you into
the depths of His experience.
00:25:38.57\00:25:41.90
That's why He said:
"Fear God... obey God. "
00:25:42.10\00:25:45.41
"Respect God... fear God. "
00:25:45.61\00:25:47.91
That respect is the
mental attitude of obedience
00:25:48.11\00:25:51.11
that leads us to do
whatever Jesus says.
00:25:51.31\00:25:54.38
Revelation is:
00:25:54.58\00:25:55.92
Some people make money
the center of their lives.
00:26:02.32\00:26:05.46
You see, we all have a
certain center in our life.
00:26:05.66\00:26:08.13
Some people make pleasure
the center of their lives.
00:26:08.33\00:26:11.40
Some people make sports
the center of their lives.
00:26:11.60\00:26:14.60
Some people make entertain-
ment the center of their lives.
00:26:14.80\00:26:18.07
But Revelation's
appeal is an urgent appeal
00:26:18.47\00:26:21.78
to make Jesus Christ as
the center of our lives.
00:26:21.98\00:26:25.28
So Revelation's appeal
in Revelation 14 verse 7
00:26:39.66\00:26:44.50
"Fear God" is an appeal
for priorities in our lives.
00:26:44.70\00:26:49.30
It is an appeal to make
Christ the priority of our life.
00:26:49.50\00:26:53.98
Notice the verb
here: "Set your mind. "
00:27:01.58\00:27:05.35
Set your mind means to
make a conscious decided choice.
00:27:05.55\00:27:11.33
A decided choice to
place Christ first in your life
00:27:12.33\00:27:17.27
and to make your greatest desire
00:27:17.47\00:27:20.67
to please Him.
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.90
Now what does it mean
to "give glory to God? "
00:27:23.10\00:27:25.97
Fearing God has to do
with your thinking process.
00:27:26.71\00:27:29.84
A thought process in
which you desire to obey Him,
00:27:30.05\00:27:34.32
to please Him,
in whatever He asks.
00:27:34.52\00:27:36.82
Now what does it mean
to "give glory to God? "
00:27:37.22\00:27:39.95
Because remember our text says:
00:27:40.16\00:27:41.69
"Fear God and give glory to Him
00:27:41.89\00:27:45.13
for the hour of
His judgment is come. "
00:27:45.33\00:27:47.23
So in the hour of God's judgment
we live respectful, reverential
00:27:47.43\00:27:52.47
lives that obey God. And we say:
00:27:52.67\00:27:55.30
"God, whatever You ask
me to do I want to do. "
00:27:55.50\00:27:57.67
Giving glory to God has
to do with our lifestyle.
00:27:58.07\00:28:02.51
It has to do
with the way we live.
00:28:02.71\00:28:04.51
Carrying out that commitment
in our minds, in our lives.
00:28:13.86\00:28:19.29
As you look at life today
00:28:19.69\00:28:21.80
there are many
people that have this idea.
00:28:22.00\00:28:24.63
They have the idea that their
body is some kind of fun house
00:28:24.83\00:28:28.27
and whatever is pleasurable
they want to do that...
00:28:28.47\00:28:31.54
whether it's smoking,
drinking, whatever they eat.
00:28:31.74\00:28:34.41
Their idea is: "Look,
what I take into my body
00:28:34.61\00:28:38.68
is separate and
distinct from my faith. "
00:28:38.88\00:28:41.88
Their idea is that:
"I can believe in Christ
00:28:42.28\00:28:46.19
but yet I can
act how I desire. "
00:28:46.39\00:28:49.46
When we come to Jesus Christ
00:28:49.86\00:28:52.16
we act not how we
desire but how He desires.
00:28:52.36\00:28:55.53
We do not what we
want but what He wants.
00:28:55.93\00:28:58.87
Our daily commitment is
like the commitment of Jesus
00:28:59.07\00:29:03.27
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:29:03.47\00:29:04.81
Remember what Jesus prayed
in the Garden of Gethsemane?
00:29:05.07\00:29:09.08
Three times He
said: "Father, not My will
00:29:09.28\00:29:13.75
but Your will be done. "
00:29:14.15\00:29:16.15
Was Jesus looking
forward to the cross?
00:29:16.35\00:29:18.92
Did He walk to the
cross singing the Doxology:
00:29:19.32\00:29:22.26
"Praise God from
whom all blessings flow? "
00:29:22.46\00:29:24.49
Not at all. Jesus knew that
He would be betrayed by Judas.
00:29:24.69\00:29:30.23
He knew that His closest
followers would forsake Him.
00:29:30.43\00:29:33.70
He knew that He would have
nails driven through His hands
00:29:33.90\00:29:37.21
and be filled
with pain and anguish.
00:29:37.41\00:29:39.47
He knew as well that He would
bear the sins of all humanity
00:29:39.67\00:29:43.14
on Calvary's cross.
00:29:43.35\00:29:44.88
Jesus knew that. He said:
"Father, if it is possible
00:29:45.08\00:29:48.62
let this cup pass
from Me. But not My will. "
00:29:48.82\00:29:52.15
Jesus took the cup of suffering,
00:29:52.35\00:29:54.59
the cup of
sorrows, to save you and me.
00:29:54.79\00:29:57.73
As we come to Christ
and enter into the depth
00:29:58.69\00:30:02.33
of His love, life
becomes not one insane
00:30:02.53\00:30:07.04
desire for pleasure but
it becomes a deep commitment
00:30:07.24\00:30:11.14
to do God's will...
00:30:11.34\00:30:12.71
a deep commitment to
please Him in all things.
00:30:12.91\00:30:17.18
We pray with Jesus:
"Father, not my will
00:30:17.38\00:30:21.35
but Thy will be done. "
00:30:21.55\00:30:23.99
We say: "Lord, I want to
glorify You in everything. "
00:30:24.19\00:30:26.92
"I want to glorify You in
what I take into my body. "
00:30:27.32\00:30:30.26
"I want to glorify You
in the example that I make
00:30:30.66\00:30:33.16
to other people. "
Some time ago I was helping
00:30:33.36\00:30:36.43
a dear lady quit smoking.
00:30:36.63\00:30:38.20
She had smoked
for over 30 years.
00:30:38.40\00:30:42.47
She was a grandmother by
now and loved her grandchildren,
00:30:42.87\00:30:47.18
often told me
about her grandchildren.
00:30:47.38\00:30:49.34
And she was having this terrible
struggle to quit smoking.
00:30:49.74\00:30:52.41
I was praying for her.
00:30:52.61\00:30:54.12
I was quoting the
promises of God for her.
00:30:54.32\00:30:56.58
And one day she came to
see me and said: "Pastor!
00:30:56.79\00:30:59.22
You're never going to guess
what! " I said: "What is it? "
00:30:59.42\00:31:00.96
Said: "I quit! I quit! "
00:31:01.16\00:31:02.62
I said: "Well what motivated
you? What prompted you? "
00:31:02.82\00:31:05.39
She said: "You know, I was
sitting in a chair at home -
00:31:05.79\00:31:08.70
my favorite chair -
watching my favorite TV program
00:31:08.90\00:31:11.63
and I had lit up a
cigarette and I was smoking it.
00:31:11.83\00:31:14.50
And my little granddaughter
jumped up on my lap,
00:31:14.70\00:31:18.21
little 6, 7-year-old,
00:31:18.41\00:31:20.11
and she looked in my
eyes and said: 'Grandma,
00:31:20.31\00:31:22.18
when I grow up I want to
light a cigarette just like you.
00:31:22.38\00:31:27.52
I want to hold it just
like you hold it, Grandma,
00:31:27.72\00:31:30.35
and I want to
smoke just like you. ' "
00:31:30.55\00:31:32.35
She said: "Look, pastor,
I love that girl so much.
00:31:32.85\00:31:36.99
I know that I
have the raspy throat.
00:31:37.19\00:31:39.33
I know that I have
the burning in my lungs.
00:31:39.53\00:31:41.93
I know the potential
and pastor, I would not want
00:31:42.13\00:31:46.17
that for my
granddaughter. My love for her:
00:31:46.37\00:31:48.44
I'd give this up,
I'd throw this down! "
00:31:48.64\00:31:51.11
If love for a granddaughter
00:31:51.51\00:31:54.41
can cause a grandma
to give up cigarettes,
00:31:54.61\00:31:57.71
if love can do that,
00:31:58.11\00:32:00.95
doesn't our love for
Christ fill our hearts
00:32:01.15\00:32:05.95
and say: "Lord, whatever it is -
00:32:06.15\00:32:08.62
alcohol, tobacco, foods
that are destroying my body,
00:32:08.82\00:32:12.39
a lifestyle of worldliness and
the pleasures of this world -
00:32:12.59\00:32:17.93
Lord, I want to set my
affection on things above.
00:32:18.13\00:32:20.84
I want to give glory to
You in what my eyes see.
00:32:21.04\00:32:24.01
I want to give glory to
You in what my ears hear.
00:32:24.21\00:32:26.47
I want to give glory to
You in everything I do. "
00:32:26.68\00:32:29.84
Somebody says: "Is
not this legalism? "
00:32:30.05\00:32:32.38
It's not legalism...
this is Christianity!
00:32:32.58\00:32:34.92
In Christianity we
live not please ourselves.
00:32:35.12\00:32:39.29
In Christianity, we live
to please the living Christ.
00:32:39.49\00:32:43.99
In Christianity our
desire is one thing:
00:32:44.19\00:32:48.00
our desire is to say:
"Lord, whatever it is in my life
00:32:48.20\00:32:51.00
I desire to please You. "
00:32:51.20\00:32:52.77
Here the apostle Paul
makes this urgent appeal.
00:33:26.03\00:33:30.07
He says: "I beseech
you by the mercies of God
00:33:30.27\00:33:34.38
to present your
body... " Now notice:
00:33:34.58\00:33:37.31
Now sumata is an
interesting word.
00:33:40.85\00:33:42.78
What word do we get
from the word sumata?
00:33:42.98\00:33:46.86
What word do we get
for that in English?
00:33:47.06\00:33:48.46
That's right: sum.
You get sum or summary.
00:33:48.66\00:33:52.03
And so what Paul
is saying here is
00:33:52.59\00:33:54.53
"I beseech you therefore
that you present your bodies. "
00:33:54.73\00:33:58.67
And he uses the word
for bodies as sumata.
00:33:58.97\00:34:02.00
What does that mean?
00:34:02.20\00:34:03.54
It's better translated as the
collective sum of who you are:
00:34:03.57\00:34:08.21
your body, your
mind, and your emotions.
00:34:08.41\00:34:11.38
So what Paul is saying
is: "I'm beseeching you
00:34:11.58\00:34:13.75
that you present
your mind to Christ.
00:34:13.95\00:34:16.92
You present your body to Christ.
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.95
You present your
emotions to Christ.
00:34:19.15\00:34:21.22
You present the sum of
everything you are to Christ. "
00:34:21.42\00:34:24.79
This is the message
of that first angel:
00:34:24.99\00:34:28.46
"Fear God; obey
God; make a decision
00:34:28.66\00:34:31.67
in your mind to respect
Him, to please Him in everything
00:34:31.87\00:34:35.37
you do, and let that be
translated into your life
00:34:35.57\00:34:39.17
to give glory to God in
the things that you look at. "
00:34:39.37\00:34:42.48
How would you feel
00:34:42.68\00:34:44.95
if Jesus were sitting
next to you when you were
00:34:45.15\00:34:48.68
when you were flipping
the dial of the television?
00:34:48.88\00:34:50.45
How would you feel
if Jesus were with you
00:34:50.95\00:34:54.36
when you walked
into that TV theater?
00:34:54.56\00:34:56.56
How would you feel if
He was sitting next to you
00:34:56.76\00:34:59.39
when you were
flipping through the Internet?
00:34:59.59\00:35:03.50
How would you feel
if Christ were with you
00:35:03.70\00:35:07.90
in the late hours of the night
00:35:08.10\00:35:09.97
when you are
watching a late late show?
00:35:10.17\00:35:11.84
You see, Jesus invites
us to give Him our minds.
00:35:12.24\00:35:16.78
And He's given us in Scripture
a screen for our minds.
00:35:17.55\00:35:20.18
The Bible says in Philippians
00:35:20.38\00:35:21.98
chapter 4 verses 7 and 8...
00:35:22.18\00:35:25.22
It says there that God
is going to keep our minds.
00:35:25.62\00:35:30.33
You know, the whole
world's going to lose its mind
00:35:30.53\00:35:32.39
to worldliness, to
secularism, to humanism.
00:35:32.59\00:35:35.56
Then he tells us how to
put a screen on our minds.
00:35:35.96\00:35:39.00
You know, I live in Virginia,
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.37
the state of Virginia,
not far from Washington, D.C.
00:35:41.57\00:35:44.14
And at the summertime we
like to open our windows.
00:35:44.34\00:35:47.91
My wife and I love to
get the draft to come through
00:35:48.11\00:35:50.25
but we have
screens on the windows.
00:35:50.45\00:35:52.25
Why do you put
screens on the windows?
00:35:52.45\00:35:53.92
You put screens on the windows
to keep the mosquitoes out.
00:35:54.12\00:35:56.48
God puts a screen on our mind.
00:35:56.89\00:35:58.45
Here in Philippians chapter
4 the Bible puts it this way
00:35:58.65\00:36:02.46
in verse 8:
00:36:02.66\00:36:03.99
"Finally brethren,
whatever things are true,
00:36:04.06\00:36:06.09
whatever things are
noble, whatever things are just,
00:36:06.29\00:36:08.83
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
00:36:09.03\00:36:11.03
whatever things
are of good report.
00:36:11.23\00:36:12.60
If there's any virtue, any
praise, think on these things. "
00:36:12.80\00:36:14.77
Whatever things are true...
So you fill your mind with
00:36:14.97\00:36:17.57
that which is false and
then you try to read the Bible
00:36:17.77\00:36:20.01
and the Bible seems
boring, insipid, and dull.
00:36:20.21\00:36:22.31
But why? Because
you filled your mind
00:36:22.51\00:36:23.85
with fictitious tales.
00:36:23.91\00:36:25.25
You fill your mind with violence
00:36:25.41\00:36:27.65
and that changes your character
so you become inpatient
00:36:27.85\00:36:29.95
much more quickly
because "by beholding we become
00:36:30.15\00:36:32.42
changed. " It's
a law of the mind
00:36:32.62\00:36:34.32
that it gradually adapts itself
00:36:34.52\00:36:36.73
on the subjects on
which it's allowed to dwell.
00:36:36.93\00:36:38.69
See, this message
of the three angels
00:36:38.89\00:36:40.50
is a message of restoration
00:36:40.70\00:36:43.67
to restore us
into the image of God
00:36:43.87\00:36:46.27
by the transformation
of our thinking process
00:36:46.47\00:36:49.50
and the
transformation of our minds.
00:36:49.70\00:36:51.24
And so God appeals to
us to give Him our bodies,
00:36:51.44\00:36:53.88
to give Him our minds,
to give Him our emotions.
00:36:54.08\00:36:57.65
Romans 12:1 you
know where it says there:
00:36:57.85\00:37:00.75
"which is your
reasonable service"
00:37:00.95\00:37:02.85
I love the way
Phillips translation puts it:
00:37:03.05\00:37:05.52
"I beseech you, therefore,
brothers and sisters... "
00:37:05.72\00:37:08.32
I urge you. "that you
present your bodies... "
00:37:08.52\00:37:10.59
the sum of who you are: mental
faculties, physical faculties,
00:37:10.79\00:37:15.46
emotional faculties...
"as a living sacrifice. "
00:37:15.66\00:37:18.03
Well, Phillips translation says:
00:37:18.23\00:37:19.87
"as an
intelligent act of worship. "
00:37:20.07\00:37:22.24
So when we come to Christ
00:37:22.64\00:37:25.11
and give our whole lives to Him
00:37:25.31\00:37:27.68
and make the mental
decision to fear Him, obey Him,
00:37:27.88\00:37:31.35
respect Him. When we make
the decision to give glory
00:37:31.55\00:37:34.22
to God in our hearts and minds
00:37:34.42\00:37:36.52
that indeed is an
intelligent act of worship.
00:37:36.72\00:37:40.99
See, we're temples.
We are not a fun house.
00:37:46.39\00:37:48.36
So our bodies are
the temple of God.
00:37:54.20\00:37:57.44
God longs for what
we put in our minds
00:37:57.64\00:37:59.87
and feed our brains
with that mental food,
00:38:00.08\00:38:03.11
what we feed our
bodies with physical food
00:38:03.31\00:38:05.95
God wants to
restore us into His image
00:38:06.15\00:38:08.65
so the image of God can
shine gloriously without us
00:38:08.85\00:38:12.15
and through us.
00:38:12.35\00:38:13.69
You see, what you eat or
drink impacts how you think.
00:38:13.72\00:38:18.89
And so as we eat
food that is unhealthful
00:38:19.19\00:38:24.33
it clogs the bloodstream.
The red blood corpuscles
00:38:24.53\00:38:28.50
bringing oxygen to the brain.
Where does the Holy Spirit
00:38:28.70\00:38:31.87
communicate to us?
Not through our big toes
00:38:32.07\00:38:34.71
or our fingernails
but through our brain.
00:38:34.91\00:38:36.34
And so God longs
for us to be in health.
00:38:36.75\00:38:39.95
Not only so we live 6,
7, 8, 10, 12 years longer.
00:38:40.15\00:38:44.45
Not only so that we will be
free from many of the diseases
00:38:44.65\00:38:47.56
that afflict the human
race in this generation.
00:38:47.72\00:38:50.03
He longs for us to
have healthy bodies.
00:38:50.23\00:38:52.03
He came for us to be in
abundant health, certainly.
00:38:52.23\00:38:54.30
John 10 verse 10 says: "I
have come that you can have
00:38:54.70\00:38:56.90
life and have it
more abundantly. "
00:38:57.10\00:38:58.50
But there's
something beyond that.
00:38:58.70\00:39:00.37
The message of the first angel
00:39:00.57\00:39:03.30
is to prepare us
mentally and physically
00:39:03.51\00:39:06.88
for the coming of Jesus.
00:39:07.08\00:39:09.28
God longs
through His Holy Spirit
00:39:09.68\00:39:13.31
to prepare us for that great
day when Jesus will come again.
00:39:13.52\00:39:17.22
And He wants us to have
clear minds so we think clearly.
00:39:17.42\00:39:22.39
So we sense the moving
of His Spirit in our hearts
00:39:22.59\00:39:26.26
and in our minds.
So the appeal of Christ
00:39:26.46\00:39:29.93
in this final generation is:
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.07
Paul says: "I beseech
you you present your bodies
00:39:41.74\00:39:44.05
as a living sacrifice. "
00:39:44.25\00:39:45.81
It is an appeal to make
God the center of our lives.
00:39:46.01\00:39:50.89
For some people, appetite
is the center of their life.
00:39:51.09\00:39:55.32
For some people, entertainment
is the center of their life.
00:39:55.52\00:39:59.56
For some people, dress
is the center of their life.
00:39:59.76\00:40:03.90
But God appeals to
you, God appeals to me
00:40:04.30\00:40:08.60
to make Jesus Christ
the center of our lives.
00:40:08.80\00:40:12.84
In this final
moment of earth's history,
00:40:20.48\00:40:24.42
in these last days
of earth's history.
00:40:24.62\00:40:27.12
in this end-time
of earth's history
00:40:27.32\00:40:29.92
there is a message... a
message that's pictured as being
00:40:30.13\00:40:34.50
carried by three
angels in mid heaven.
00:40:34.70\00:40:37.63
The story of these
three cosmic messages
00:40:37.83\00:40:41.10
is more thrilling
than any Star Wars Trilogy
00:40:41.30\00:40:45.27
or any Star Wars drama.
00:40:45.47\00:40:47.01
It is the
intergalactic struggle,
00:40:47.41\00:40:50.01
the battle for the universe.
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.71
It is the battle for the throne.
00:40:52.91\00:40:55.02
And God sends a message to us:
00:40:55.22\00:40:57.25
a message that is as
important for this generation
00:40:57.45\00:41:00.32
as Noah's message
for his generation.
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.19
A message as important as
John the Baptist to prepare
00:41:03.59\00:41:07.20
men and women for the
first coming of Christ.
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.37
It is a message to
restore men and women
00:41:10.57\00:41:13.60
into the image of God.
00:41:13.80\00:41:15.44
It is a message to
restore men and women back
00:41:15.84\00:41:19.01
to knowing Christ in
a deep, intimate way.
00:41:19.21\00:41:23.88
It is a message
that restores the mind
00:41:24.28\00:41:27.58
and the thinking process.
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.12
A message that
restores health to the body.
00:41:29.45\00:41:32.15
It is a message to fear God
- to reverence, respect Him -
00:41:32.55\00:41:35.99
and to make a
commitment to obey Him.
00:41:36.19\00:41:37.69
It's a message to
give glory to Him.
00:41:37.89\00:41:40.16
Give Him glory in everything
we eat and drink and every
00:41:40.36\00:41:43.67
single thing we do.
It is a message of grace,
00:41:43.87\00:41:46.87
a message of salvation
in Christ that transforms
00:41:47.07\00:41:50.91
our lives into
obedient believers.
00:41:51.11\00:41:55.11
Paul was in a prison.
00:42:05.32\00:42:09.36
He was there in the
Mamertine Prison in Rome.
00:42:09.56\00:42:12.76
Paul's an old man now.
00:42:13.16\00:42:14.86
The year is in the mid 60's AD.
00:42:15.06\00:42:18.93
Paul writes with trembling hand.
There are deeply-etched lines
00:42:19.13\00:42:24.27
upon his face, and he
writes about his life.
00:42:24.47\00:42:28.48
He writes back to
the church at Philippi
00:42:28.68\00:42:31.01
that he visited
approximately ten years before.
00:42:31.21\00:42:34.12
And Paul writes
these words. He says:
00:42:34.32\00:42:38.35
"Hold fast to
the word of life. "
00:42:38.55\00:42:40.79
Paul makes an appeal...
an appeal to the generation
00:42:40.99\00:42:44.19
that then was and that
appeal is made to us as well.
00:42:44.39\00:42:47.10
"Hold fast to
the word of life. "
00:42:47.30\00:42:49.66
Do not compromise your integrity
00:42:49.86\00:42:52.70
and accept human
tradition and man's opinions.
00:42:52.90\00:42:55.70
But let your heart and mind
be filled with the Word of God.
00:42:55.90\00:42:59.57
"Hold fast the word of life
00:42:59.77\00:43:01.14
so that I may rejoice
in the day of Christ. "
00:43:01.34\00:43:03.75
Hold fast to the Bible.
00:43:03.95\00:43:05.61
Cling to the Word of God.
00:43:05.81\00:43:07.55
Let the living Christ
change your life by His grace
00:43:07.95\00:43:10.82
so you're obedient to the Word.
00:43:11.02\00:43:12.45
"Hold fast to the word of life
so I may rejoice in the day of
00:43:12.65\00:43:15.76
Christ that I have not run
in vain or labored in vain.
00:43:15.96\00:43:18.69
Yes, I am being poured
out as a drink offering
00:43:18.89\00:43:23.10
on the sacrifice and
service of your faith.
00:43:23.30\00:43:25.97
I am glad and
rejoice with you all. "
00:43:26.17\00:43:28.80
Paul says: "I'm
rejoicing in the hope
00:43:29.20\00:43:31.07
of Christ, the
hope of His salvation.
00:43:31.27\00:43:33.98
The hope of the cross
that gives me the assurance
00:43:34.18\00:43:36.81
that my sins are forgiven.
00:43:37.01\00:43:38.35
The hope of Jesus' High
Priestly ministry there.
00:43:38.38\00:43:41.32
That from the sanctuary above
He'll give me power to endure
00:43:41.52\00:43:44.55
this trial. The hope of
His second coming... but
00:43:44.75\00:43:47.92
Paul says: "I am being poured
out as a drink offering. "
00:43:48.12\00:43:52.16
"I'm being poured out on the
altar of sacrifice for Christ. "
00:43:52.36\00:43:56.36
Every single one of us pour
out our lives for something.
00:43:56.77\00:44:01.57
Paul poured out
his life for Christ.
00:44:01.77\00:44:04.14
He poured out his
life to share Jesus,
00:44:04.54\00:44:07.28
to live for Jesus, to be
an ambassador for Christ.
00:44:07.48\00:44:10.58
Every single one of us pour
out our lives for something.
00:44:10.98\00:44:14.38
I have people come to me
all the time and they say:
00:44:19.72\00:44:21.79
"Pastor, what's
wrong with this? "
00:44:21.99\00:44:23.63
"Pastor, what's
wrong with that? "
00:44:23.83\00:44:25.29
"Pastor, what's wrong
with the next thing? "
00:44:25.49\00:44:27.20
There are many things
that may be legitimate
00:44:27.40\00:44:30.43
but as a Christian
- not legalistically -
00:44:30.63\00:44:33.67
you voluntarily
choose not to do them. Why?
00:44:33.87\00:44:37.21
Because you are so
sold out for Christ.
00:44:37.51\00:44:40.01
Now look: there is
legitimate entertainment
00:44:40.21\00:44:42.11
for the
Christian... but not everything
00:44:42.31\00:44:45.08
that is indeed legitimate
we desire to do. Why not?
00:44:45.48\00:44:49.18
Because our hearts are
sold out 100% for Christ.
00:44:49.38\00:44:54.69
Others may be able to
do it but you voluntarily
00:44:54.89\00:44:58.33
because of love for Christ
say: "Look, I'm not interested
00:44:58.53\00:45:00.93
in that... I'm not
interested in that.
00:45:01.13\00:45:03.06
I was interested at one time
00:45:03.26\00:45:04.60
but I have a
bigger purpose to live.
00:45:04.77\00:45:06.94
I have a larger purpose to live.
00:45:07.14\00:45:09.07
I have a
grander purpose to live.
00:45:09.27\00:45:11.41
I have a greater purpose
to live for. I'm no longer
00:45:11.61\00:45:13.98
interested in that. "
00:45:14.18\00:45:15.51
That is the deepest joy; that is
the greatest happiness in life.
00:45:20.15\00:45:25.09
We all are pouring out
our lives for something.
00:45:32.66\00:45:36.36
And Jesus says: "Pour out
your life in commitment to Me. "
00:45:36.56\00:45:40.77
"Pour out your life
in service for Me. "
00:45:40.97\00:45:43.64
"Pour out your life
in witness for Me. "
00:45:43.84\00:45:47.38
They are pleasure mad!
00:45:51.45\00:45:53.01
Did you read about that
interesting experience...
00:45:53.21\00:45:56.22
experiment that one of the
great eastern universities did
00:45:56.42\00:46:00.06
with monkeys?
They wanted to find out
00:46:00.26\00:46:03.02
what was the greatest
drive in these monkeys.
00:46:03.22\00:46:05.76
So they took an electrode
00:46:05.96\00:46:09.46
and put it in the pleasure
center of the monkey's brain.
00:46:09.66\00:46:13.10
They identified where
that pleasure center was
00:46:13.30\00:46:15.47
in the monkey's brain.
00:46:15.67\00:46:17.01
And as they put that
electrode in his brain
00:46:17.04\00:46:19.34
they were able to push a button
00:46:19.54\00:46:22.24
outside of the
cage of the monkey
00:46:22.44\00:46:24.31
that sent an electrical
impulse across the wires
00:46:24.51\00:46:27.62
down through the probe
into the monkey's brain.
00:46:27.82\00:46:31.25
Now the monkey... every
time that electrical impulse
00:46:31.65\00:46:35.16
would come the monkey would
jump up and clap and get happy,
00:46:35.36\00:46:37.89
do cartwheels in the cage.
00:46:38.09\00:46:39.56
Then they put food in the cage.
00:46:39.96\00:46:41.96
Pressed the electrode button.
The monkey wouldn't eat the food
00:46:42.16\00:46:45.97
he was so excited about
being so happy, so pleasurable.
00:46:46.17\00:46:48.94
They put the most beautiful
female monkey in the cage.
00:46:49.14\00:46:52.51
He didn't care about
that female at all...
00:46:53.78\00:46:55.64
didn't care about
his children at all.
00:46:55.84\00:46:57.25
All he wanted to
do was have pleasure.
00:46:57.45\00:46:59.28
Then you know what they did?
They put the pleasure button
00:46:59.48\00:47:01.82
in the cage and
taught the monkey
00:47:02.02\00:47:03.35
how to push the pleasure button.
00:47:03.45\00:47:05.79
The monkey kept pushing
and pushing and pushing.
00:47:06.09\00:47:07.76
The monkey actually
killed himself from pleasure.
00:47:07.96\00:47:13.66
There are scores
of people in this life
00:47:14.06\00:47:16.10
that are pouring their
life out for worldly pleasure
00:47:16.50\00:47:20.90
and entertainment.
00:47:21.10\00:47:22.44
And as they do that, they are
destroying their spiritual life
00:47:22.67\00:47:27.68
because they're obsessed
with the next greatest movie.
00:47:28.08\00:47:31.58
They're obsessed with the
next greatest music phenomena
00:47:31.98\00:47:37.55
in the rock
world. They're obsessed
00:47:37.75\00:47:39.85
with the greatest...
next program on Netflix.
00:47:40.06\00:47:43.56
And they're so
absorbed with that
00:47:43.76\00:47:45.69
that their spiritual life
is being totally strangled.
00:47:45.89\00:47:49.50
We all pour out our
lives for something.
00:47:49.70\00:47:51.80
Now these things are certainly
not wrong used in proportion.
00:48:02.58\00:48:07.15
Used in moderation.
00:48:07.35\00:48:09.45
But look: if that's what
you're pouring your life out,
00:48:09.65\00:48:12.22
if that destroys
human relationships,
00:48:12.42\00:48:14.99
if it absorbs your
devotional time for Christ...
00:48:15.19\00:48:18.39
You see, the three
angels' messages...
00:48:18.59\00:48:20.66
in this first angel's message,
to: "Fear God and give glory
00:48:20.86\00:48:23.60
to Him" it's not
some superficial message
00:48:23.80\00:48:26.60
like some child wading
in a kiddies' wading pool
00:48:26.80\00:48:29.90
to pick up pennies. I call you
not to something superficial.
00:48:30.11\00:48:33.84
I call you not to something
that is simply child's play
00:48:34.04\00:48:38.51
religion that
makes you feel good.
00:48:38.71\00:48:40.42
I call you today to
something deep, to preparing
00:48:40.62\00:48:43.92
for the coming of Jesus Christ.
00:48:44.12\00:48:45.72
To "Fear God"
with all your heart.
00:48:45.92\00:48:48.09
To live obedient, godly
lives; to give glory to God.
00:48:48.29\00:48:52.09
We all pour out our
lives for something.
00:48:52.29\00:48:54.53
Why not pour out your
life for that which counts?
00:48:54.73\00:48:57.07
That which matters
for the kingdom of God?
00:48:57.27\00:48:59.37
Why not pour out
your life for Jesus Christ
00:48:59.57\00:49:01.94
and make Him
number one in your life?
00:49:02.14\00:49:03.67
Revelation will have
a people that overcome.
00:49:03.87\00:49:06.61
They overcome the
worldliness and the humanness
00:49:06.81\00:49:10.68
that sucks the spiritual
life out of us and strangles us.
00:49:10.88\00:49:14.52
And Christ appeals to you today:
00:49:17.85\00:49:20.19
by His grace, through
His power to be an overcomer.
00:49:20.39\00:49:24.53
God has something
amazing for you, something
00:49:31.00\00:49:33.37
beyond your wildest dreams.
00:49:33.57\00:49:35.44
Don't throw it away for the
cheap pleasures of this world.
00:49:35.64\00:49:40.08
The Bible says that God
will have a group of people.
00:49:40.28\00:49:42.78
They keep God's commandments
not out of some legalistic
00:49:49.88\00:49:53.56
obligation, but changed by
His love, charmed by His grace,
00:49:53.76\00:49:58.13
redeemed by His power
00:49:58.33\00:50:00.36
they live obedient
lives because they know
00:50:00.56\00:50:03.63
that that is the
very best way to live.
00:50:03.83\00:50:06.84
They know that's the
happiest way to live.
00:50:07.04\00:50:08.70
Jesus said: "I've come
that they might have life
00:50:08.90\00:50:11.47
and they might have it
more abundantly. " Notice:
00:50:11.67\00:50:13.71
"they keep the commandments
of God" and they have something?
00:50:13.91\00:50:16.34
What do they have?
"the faith of Jesus. "
00:50:16.54\00:50:19.01
Not simply faith IN Jesus
00:50:19.21\00:50:20.82
but the quality of
Christ's faith lives in them.
00:50:21.02\00:50:23.85
They have the faith of Jesus
00:50:24.25\00:50:25.89
living in their lives
because they know Christ.
00:50:26.09\00:50:29.12
They've spent time with Christ.
00:50:29.32\00:50:30.99
They've prayed to Him.
They've opened the Word
00:50:31.19\00:50:33.50
and Jesus has entered
and changed their lives.
00:50:33.70\00:50:37.00
We can come... come to Jesus.
00:51:11.10\00:51:13.47
Come to the sanctuary.
00:51:13.67\00:51:15.40
Come and receive His
strength and power for living.
00:51:15.60\00:51:18.57
Do you have a time of need?
00:51:31.25\00:51:32.59
Let us come...
come to that sanctuary.
00:51:32.72\00:51:35.26
In Christ, by Christ, through
Christ you can be an overcomer.
00:51:35.46\00:51:39.16
It is about Christ. The book
of Revelation is about Christ.
00:52:06.12\00:52:09.86
The prophecies of
Revelation 14:6-12
00:52:10.06\00:52:13.29
are about Christ.
Jesus says to you:
00:52:13.50\00:52:16.80
"Come. " Is the
response of your heart
00:52:17.20\00:52:20.94
"Not I, but Christ, be
honored, loved, exalted? "
00:52:21.14\00:52:24.24
Listen as Charles sings.
00:52:24.44\00:52:25.77
Not I, but Christ,
00:52:31.05\00:52:35.58
be honored, loved, exalted.
00:52:35.78\00:52:40.42
Not I, but Christ,
00:52:40.62\00:52:44.79
be seen, be known, be heard.
00:52:44.99\00:52:49.43
Not I, but Christ,
00:52:49.63\00:52:53.80
in every look and action.
00:52:54.10\00:52:58.74
Not I, but Christ,
00:52:58.94\00:53:03.08
in every thought and word.
00:53:03.38\00:53:09.12
Not I, but Christ,
00:53:09.72\00:53:14.86
to gently soothe in sorrow.
00:53:15.26\00:53:19.79
Not I, but Christ,
00:53:20.00\00:53:24.07
to wipe the falling tear.
00:53:24.27\00:53:28.50
Not I, but Christ,
00:53:28.90\00:53:32.67
to lift the weary burden.
00:53:33.07\00:53:37.51
Not I, but Christ,
00:53:37.71\00:53:41.65
to hush away all fear.
00:53:41.95\00:53:47.49
Christ, only Christ,
00:53:49.49\00:53:53.63
no idle word ever falling.
00:53:53.83\00:53:58.47
Christ, only Christ,
00:53:58.67\00:54:02.67
no heedless, bustling sound.
00:54:02.87\00:54:07.21
Christ, only Christ,
00:54:07.61\00:54:11.75
no self-importance bearing.
00:54:11.95\00:54:16.75
Christ, only Christ,
00:54:16.95\00:54:21.19
no trace of "I" be found.
00:54:21.39\00:54:26.80
Not I, but Christ,
00:54:29.03\00:54:32.93
my every need supplying.
00:54:33.34\00:54:37.84
Not I, but Christ,
00:54:38.04\00:54:42.01
my strength and health to be.
00:54:42.21\00:54:46.55
Christ, only Christ,
00:54:46.75\00:54:51.22
for body, soul, and spirit.
00:54:51.62\00:54:56.09
Christ, only Christ,
00:54:56.49\00:55:00.76
here and eternally...
00:55:01.06\00:55:06.07
here and
00:55:06.27\00:55:07.74
eternally.
00:55:07.94\00:55:13.91
Have you sensed Christ
speaking to your heart?
00:55:17.98\00:55:22.08
In the book of Revelation,
00:55:23.12\00:55:24.75
Jesus speaks and
the beast speaks.
00:55:25.25\00:55:29.19
The beast appeals for pleasure.
00:55:29.69\00:55:33.16
The beast appeals for power.
00:55:33.36\00:55:36.46
The beast appeals through money.
00:55:36.87\00:55:39.50
But Jesus makes a divine appeal
00:55:40.64\00:55:44.97
to you right now.
00:55:45.17\00:55:47.38
And as Christ is
appealing to your heart
00:55:47.78\00:55:50.55
with His still, small voice
00:55:50.75\00:55:54.58
would you like to say:
"Jesus, I want to respond.
00:55:55.88\00:55:59.95
I want to respond by
giving my life to You. "
00:56:00.36\00:56:03.59
"I want the words of this song
to be the words of my heart. "
00:56:03.79\00:56:08.36
Not I, but Christ, be
honored, loved, exalted.
00:56:09.33\00:56:13.70
Not I, but Christ, be
seen, be known, be heard.
00:56:14.20\00:56:18.67
"I don't want to listen
to the roar of the beast,
00:56:19.07\00:56:22.48
the roar of this world's
entertainment; the roar of this
00:56:22.68\00:56:25.18
world's pleasure,, the
roar of this world's appetite. "
00:56:25.38\00:56:30.82
"I want to listen
to the Spirit of Christ
00:56:31.22\00:56:35.49
and give my life
to Him right now. "
00:56:35.89\00:56:37.63
Is that your
decision as we pray? Oh Jesus,
00:56:37.83\00:56:39.93
thank you so much that Your
way is the way of life abundant.
00:56:40.33\00:56:44.57
Yours the way of true happiness.
00:56:44.97\00:56:47.07
Yours is the
way of joy complete.
00:56:47.47\00:56:49.60
And just now the
desire of our heart is to say
00:56:50.01\00:56:53.21
"Not I, but Christ, be
honored, loved, exalted. "
00:56:53.41\00:56:56.24
We want Christ to
live in our hearts
00:56:56.44\00:56:57.91
and flow through our lives.
00:56:58.31\00:57:00.32
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:57:00.72\00:57:03.22
Thank you for
joining us, my friend.
00:57:04.09\00:57:05.85
The appeal of Christ is
the appeal to your heart
00:57:06.25\00:57:10.69
to be ready when He comes.
00:57:10.89\00:57:13.93
As you go today, go
with a great blessing
00:57:14.13\00:57:17.30
and sense of His
divine presence in your life.
00:57:17.50\00:57:21.24