And this morning as we go
before the Lord in message,
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I invite your prayer
00:00:29.22\00:00:32.19
as I go to the Lord in prayer.
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Bow your heads with me.
00:00:38.20\00:00:39.53
Loving Father in
heaven, we thank You, Lord,
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for...
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That the reality
that when we don't see...
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Your plan, when we
cannot trace Your hand,
00:00:52.25\00:00:56.99
and when we don't understand
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we can trust Your heart.
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In this world that
is steadily in decline,
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we do pray that we can remember
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that we have not arrived
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where we are by
cleverly devised plans
00:01:09.73\00:01:14.14
by the guidance and protection
that You have provided for us
00:01:14.17\00:01:18.01
every moment of every day.
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And now as we...
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Pause to listen to the
message You have ordained
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for this day,
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may we understand in a
more real and practical way
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what it means to
trust Your heart,
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in Jesus' name I ask,
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amen.
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If you have your
Bibles with you this morning,
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turn with me to
the scripture reading.
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It's Isaiah 60:1-2,
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Isaiah 60:1-2,
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"Arise," together,
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"Arise, shine, for
your light has come!
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And the glory of the
Lord is risen upon you.
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For behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth,
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and deep darkness the people,
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but the Lord
will arise over you,
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and His glory
will be seen upon you."
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It was called the worst
dust storm in American history,
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April 14, 1935.
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According to some counts
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it was referred to
as the black blizzard,
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as the Midwestern
states of Texas and Oklahoma
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were covered by a cloud
that was estimated to be
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more than a mile high
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of just dust and dirt.
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When the damage was
estimated, it was suggested that
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more than 300 million tons
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of top soil was moved by winds
of more than 60 miles an hour
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across the Midwestern plains.
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When you begin to
read the personal accounts
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of what occurred,
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people said that
you could not see
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your hand in front of your face.
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It was of such intensity that
it was dangerous to breathe...
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and surely when
they saw the approaching
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black blizzard as it were,
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people ran for cover for
more than an hour and a half.
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Let me suggest
to you this morning
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that there is a
black blizzard coming.
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A dust storm is building...
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On the horizon.
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And it is in light of
this approaching darkness
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that Isaiah, the prophet
00:04:04.27\00:04:06.91
is calling on to people of
God to run for spiritual cover,
00:04:06.94\00:04:13.25
as he pulls back the stage,
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introducing us to an
age that is approaching
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with a contrast
between light and darkness
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will reach its
extreme fulfillment.
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Not too far distant
we will arrive at a time
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where all the grey
areas no longer exist
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and everyone on planet earth
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will be in one
camp or the other.
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It is on this
complete stage of divergence
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that we will stand in contrast
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to those who have
joined the alliance of darkness
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if we would continue standing
with the alliance of light.
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Dr. Luke, introducing
us to this depraved society
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writes these
words in Luke 17:26,
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speaking of this
generation of darkness,
00:05:09.34\00:05:12.24
he writes these words,
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"And as it was
in the days of Noah,
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so it will be in the
days of the Son of Man."
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And just so that we are clear
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about how the days of Noah were,
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Moses...
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preserves the
words in Genesis 6:5
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when he says...
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in his Genesis commentary,
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"Then the Lord saw
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that the wickedness of
man was great in the earth,
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and that every intent of
the thoughts of his heart
00:05:39.43\00:05:42.30
was only evil continually."
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In Desire of Ages, page 636,
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the servant of the
Lord writes these words.
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"Everything in the
world is in agitation."
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Do you believe that?
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"The signs of the
times are ominous.
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Coming events cast
their shadow before."
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And then she says,
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"The spirit of God is
being withdrawn from the earth."
00:06:08.83\00:06:13.17
In Revelation 7, John,
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from the Island of Patmos,
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inserts his
commentary in 1:1, he says,
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"After these things I saw
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four angels standing at
the four corners of the earth,
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holding the four
winds of the earth,
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that the wind should
not blow on the earth,
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on the sea,
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or on any tree."
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I want to pause in this
point of the sermon and say,
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thank God, he is
still holding the winds.
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The sad reality is, many
see the approaching signs,
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many see the
society being developed,
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but many choose to ignore
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and they insert
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into their point
of willing ignorance
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things that are not contributory
00:07:05.25\00:07:08.12
to these signs at all.
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The Apostle Peter tells
us that in the last days,
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people are going to
see the world around them
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going down as it were
going down in flames gradually,
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politically,
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socially,
00:07:21.27\00:07:22.60
morally, economically.
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They are going to
see a weather pattern
00:07:26.44\00:07:27.78
that is unpredictable,
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a society that is unhinged.
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They are going to see
the homes falling apart,
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churches being divided.
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They are going to see
the rise of complacency
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and the Laodicean condition,
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but they are going to
somehow contribute these things
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to forces and circumstances
completely unrelated.
00:07:46.70\00:07:51.37
Listen to the words
of the Apostle Peter.
00:07:51.40\00:07:54.14
If you have your Bibles,
turn with me to 2 Peter 3:3-7.
00:07:54.17\00:08:00.01
Peter gives us a commentary
of this dark generation
00:08:00.04\00:08:04.18
that is being
developed before our eyes.
00:08:04.21\00:08:08.18
He says, "Knowing this first:
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that scoffers will
come" in the what days?
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"In the last days,
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walking according
to their own lusts,
00:08:17.53\00:08:20.90
and saying, "Where is
the promise of His coming?
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For since the
fathers fell asleep,
00:08:25.77\00:08:28.77
they say, all things
continue as they were
00:08:28.80\00:08:32.51
from the beginning of creation."
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Before I go any
further, let me just say it,
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"All things have not
continued as they were
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from the beginning of creation."
00:08:39.51\00:08:41.32
Matter of fact,
things are quite different
00:08:41.35\00:08:42.75
than they were
just a few years ago.
00:08:42.78\00:08:45.25
Things are extremely
different than they were
00:08:45.29\00:08:47.49
when I was being
raised in high school.
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Come on, some
old people say amen.
00:08:48.92\00:08:50.29
Amen.
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The world is quite
different than it used to be
00:08:51.69\00:08:53.03
just 10 years ago.
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Politically,
socially, morally, economically,
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every way you can think of,
00:08:56.73\00:08:58.07
the world is not the same world.
00:08:58.10\00:09:00.74
But Peter inserts
why they think that.
00:09:00.77\00:09:03.17
He says in verse 5,
00:09:03.20\00:09:04.64
"For this they
willingly forget:"
00:09:04.67\00:09:07.98
they choose to forget,
00:09:08.01\00:09:11.71
"that by the word of
God the heavens were of old,
00:09:11.75\00:09:15.42
and the earth standing
out of water and in the water,
00:09:15.45\00:09:19.25
by which the
world that then existed
00:09:19.29\00:09:22.32
perished,
00:09:22.36\00:09:23.79
being flooded with water.
00:09:23.83\00:09:26.53
But the heavens and the
earth which are now preserved
00:09:26.56\00:09:29.56
by the same word,
00:09:29.60\00:09:31.83
are reserved for fire
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until the day of judgment
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and perdition of ungodly men."
00:09:36.40\00:09:40.78
The world is on the
verge of a complete breakdown.
00:09:40.81\00:09:45.45
It is in this context
00:09:45.48\00:09:49.18
that Isaiah the
prophet says to the people,
00:09:49.22\00:09:51.29
arise, shine, for
your light has come.
00:09:51.32\00:09:54.89
Not your light is coming,
00:09:54.92\00:09:56.86
but arise and shine.
00:09:56.89\00:09:58.39
It is in this dark
generation that the apostle,
00:09:58.43\00:10:02.46
that the prophets of Old
Testament and New Testament
00:10:02.50\00:10:06.87
together are saying,
00:10:06.90\00:10:08.37
if ever there was a
time that the people of God
00:10:08.40\00:10:11.67
should be shining in contrast
to the world, it is now.
00:10:11.71\00:10:18.35
If ever there should be
a marked difference between
00:10:18.38\00:10:21.18
what's going on out there
and what's going on in here,
00:10:21.22\00:10:24.72
it ought to be now.
00:10:24.75\00:10:28.62
And excuse me as I
read another quotation
00:10:28.66\00:10:30.79
from God's inspired messenger.
00:10:30.83\00:10:34.10
Testimonies for the Church,
00:10:34.13\00:10:36.36
Volume 6, page 408, she says,
00:10:36.40\00:10:38.93
"The signs thickening around us
00:10:38.97\00:10:43.44
telling us of the near
approach of the Son of God
00:10:43.47\00:10:47.38
are attributed to any other
00:10:47.41\00:10:50.48
than the true cause.
00:10:50.51\00:10:52.51
Men cannot
discern the sentinel angel
00:10:52.55\00:10:55.02
restraining the four winds
00:10:55.05\00:10:57.85
that they shall not blow until
the servants of God are sealed.
00:10:57.89\00:11:02.59
But when God shall bid
His angels to lose the winds,
00:11:02.62\00:11:07.30
there shall be
such a scene of strife
00:11:07.33\00:11:10.57
as no pen can picture."
00:11:10.60\00:11:13.94
Think about it.
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.37
You think about the worst war
00:11:15.40\00:11:17.24
and your mind fails in
comparison to even conjure up
00:11:17.27\00:11:22.04
what's on the horizon.
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.28
You think of
the worst earthquake
00:11:24.31\00:11:25.95
ever gripping this planet
00:11:25.98\00:11:27.52
and the human
estimation falls far short
00:11:27.55\00:11:33.05
of even bringing
to the cerebral cortex
00:11:33.09\00:11:37.06
that the slightest imagination
00:11:37.09\00:11:39.46
of what is on the horizon.
00:11:39.49\00:11:41.70
You think of the
collapse of society
00:11:41.73\00:11:44.33
where every moral fiber
has been finally abandoned
00:11:44.37\00:11:49.37
and it's on the horizon.
00:11:49.40\00:11:51.67
If you think where
00:11:51.71\00:11:54.21
the human feeling
00:11:54.24\00:11:55.91
for taking human life
has been completely exhausted
00:11:55.94\00:12:00.88
and nothing but
murder and death run rampant,
00:12:00.92\00:12:03.99
it's on the horizon.
00:12:04.02\00:12:06.45
If you think of a
world where immorality...
00:12:06.49\00:12:10.03
Is not only peddling the dark
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.63
but sold in the light
00:12:12.66\00:12:14.20
on the street
corners of your cities,
00:12:14.23\00:12:16.56
in your homes,
through your televisions,
00:12:16.60\00:12:18.77
through your devices,
00:12:18.80\00:12:20.14
the time is not far distance,
00:12:20.17\00:12:22.24
it is being built
right before our eyes.
00:12:22.27\00:12:25.37
And when it all
comes to fruition
00:12:28.94\00:12:30.65
and when the stage
is finally erected,
00:12:30.68\00:12:32.85
and it stands as it were
on the plains of Babylon,
00:12:32.88\00:12:37.59
we will see such a
scene as no pen can picture.
00:12:37.62\00:12:42.76
But the Apostle
Paul explains why
00:12:42.79\00:12:45.09
humanity chooses
to dismiss the signs.
00:12:45.13\00:12:47.66
Notice his words of
wisdom in Romans 1:28.
00:12:47.70\00:12:51.53
In other words,
as you turned there,
00:12:51.57\00:12:53.03
Paul the Apostle is saying,
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.40
"It is not that
men don't understand,
00:12:54.44\00:12:57.34
it's that they
don't want to understand."
00:12:57.37\00:13:00.54
It is not that God has not
made the knowledge available.
00:13:00.58\00:13:04.35
But notice what he says,
00:13:04.38\00:13:06.08
in Romans 1:28,
00:13:06.11\00:13:08.88
"And even as they did not like
00:13:08.92\00:13:12.82
to retain God
in their knowledge,
00:13:12.85\00:13:17.36
God gave them
over to a debased mind,
00:13:17.39\00:13:21.63
to do those things
which are not fitting."
00:13:21.66\00:13:23.37
In other words,
00:13:23.40\00:13:25.80
God has been
knocking on the hearts
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.27
and minds of
everyone in society.
00:13:28.30\00:13:31.27
And let me make it very clear,
00:13:31.31\00:13:32.64
when the day of judgment come,
00:13:32.67\00:13:34.54
there will be
nobody that ever lived,
00:13:34.58\00:13:37.18
that ever would be able to say
00:13:37.21\00:13:39.15
that they have
not had an opportunity
00:13:39.18\00:13:42.75
to receive God,
00:13:42.78\00:13:44.62
to know Jesus.
00:13:44.65\00:13:48.16
From the society
where Jesus has been erased
00:13:48.19\00:13:51.46
from the pages of
their daily lives,
00:13:51.49\00:13:55.53
till the society where
Jesus is on every Bible,
00:13:55.56\00:13:58.90
on every iPad, on every device,
00:13:58.93\00:14:01.77
in every corner of the globe.
00:14:01.80\00:14:03.77
There will not be
a single individual
00:14:03.81\00:14:06.54
that will be able to say
00:14:06.57\00:14:08.41
that God has not
appeared to them.
00:14:08.44\00:14:12.38
Titus, the Apostle says,
00:14:12.41\00:14:14.78
"The grace of God
that bring of salvation
00:14:14.82\00:14:17.22
has appeared to all men."
00:14:17.25\00:14:18.65
Has appeared to how many men?
00:14:18.69\00:14:20.82
Every society.
00:14:20.86\00:14:22.86
But Paul makes it clear,
00:14:22.89\00:14:24.23
they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge.
00:14:24.26\00:14:28.96
And when I think
about a particular word
00:14:29.00\00:14:30.33
that jumped out at me
00:14:30.37\00:14:31.70
when I was putting
my message together,
00:14:31.73\00:14:33.27
I thought of the word debased.
00:14:33.30\00:14:35.54
What is a debased mind?
00:14:35.57\00:14:38.17
A debased mind
is a degraded mind,
00:14:38.21\00:14:40.78
a contaminated mind,
00:14:40.81\00:14:43.04
a corrupted mind.
00:14:43.08\00:14:45.68
A mind that has been
degraded intentionally,
00:14:45.71\00:14:49.08
a mind that has been
contaminated voluntarily,
00:14:49.12\00:14:53.05
a mind that has been corrupted
by one's own participation
00:14:53.09\00:14:58.59
and that which degrades,
00:14:58.63\00:15:00.13
that which contaminates,
and that which corrupts.
00:15:00.16\00:15:02.96
Nothing gets
corrupted involuntarily.
00:15:03.00\00:15:06.20
It always gets corrupted
00:15:06.23\00:15:07.74
by the
participation of the individual
00:15:07.77\00:15:09.70
that eventually
00:15:09.74\00:15:11.94
experiences the result
of his or her own choice.
00:15:11.97\00:15:16.91
They did not like to
retain God in their knowledge.
00:15:16.95\00:15:19.75
They chose to push God out.
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.32
And when God is
not in your mind,
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.02
every and anything
00:15:24.05\00:15:25.72
that debases, degrades,
00:15:25.75\00:15:27.56
and contaminates will be there.
00:15:27.59\00:15:30.36
Amen, somebody?
00:15:30.39\00:15:32.43
And our world,
00:15:32.46\00:15:34.13
think about it, our world,
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.43
the devil is busy
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.30
contaminating, degrading,
00:15:38.33\00:15:40.84
and corrupting our society.
00:15:40.87\00:15:43.04
Just look at your
television for a brief moment
00:15:43.07\00:15:45.67
and see how many
times you can sit
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.48
without choosing
to change the channel.
00:15:47.51\00:15:50.05
Listen to the music on the radio
00:15:50.08\00:15:52.21
and the music being
pushed by modern artists
00:15:52.25\00:15:56.22
who are choosing to
intentionally corrupt
00:15:56.25\00:15:59.65
the minds of our young.
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.69
I was raised when you didn't
have to go to the record store
00:16:01.72\00:16:04.46
and try to choose an
album or CD where it says,
00:16:04.49\00:16:07.30
"Explicit lyrics content."
00:16:07.33\00:16:10.70
When I was being raised,
you didn't have to get a rating
00:16:10.73\00:16:13.64
at the beginning of the
show, rated G, rated whatever.
00:16:13.67\00:16:17.91
There were no ratings.
00:16:17.94\00:16:20.28
Right, Pastor CA.
00:16:20.31\00:16:21.78
There were no ratings.
00:16:21.81\00:16:23.85
We were raised in
an innocuous society
00:16:23.88\00:16:26.61
where television
was for entertainment,
00:16:26.65\00:16:28.78
not for corruption.
00:16:28.82\00:16:30.59
But somewhere along
the way, the switch...
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.65
Switched over from
entertainment to corruption.
00:16:32.69\00:16:35.19
Somewhere even in society,
the law enforcement went,
00:16:35.22\00:16:38.43
they went from police officers
00:16:38.46\00:16:40.73
that were public
servants to law enforcers.
00:16:40.76\00:16:46.30
They were peace keepers,
now they are law enforcers.
00:16:46.33\00:16:50.61
Everything in our
world is an agitation.
00:16:50.64\00:16:54.24
I was raised in a
community where we have fun
00:16:54.28\00:16:56.91
with the people that
drove by in the police car.
00:16:56.95\00:16:59.91
They'd stop and we
would laugh and talk together.
00:16:59.95\00:17:01.88
Now when a police car
drives by, many communities,
00:17:01.92\00:17:05.15
people are running
here that aren't young,
00:17:05.19\00:17:08.62
because something
has happened in our world
00:17:08.66\00:17:12.43
where society at every level
00:17:12.46\00:17:14.63
has been degraded,
contaminated and corrupted.
00:17:14.66\00:17:18.27
What that means is when
wrong no longer appears wrong
00:17:18.30\00:17:20.87
and sin no longer appears
sin, for the mind is degraded,
00:17:20.90\00:17:25.14
contaminated, and corrupted.
00:17:25.17\00:17:27.84
One of my favorite
devotionals is Oswald Chamber's
00:17:27.88\00:17:30.58
"My Utmost for His Highest."
00:17:30.61\00:17:33.05
And a few days
ago, I was reading,
00:17:33.08\00:17:34.52
my wife and I read
this either in the morning
00:17:34.55\00:17:36.12
or the evenings, and then we...
00:17:36.15\00:17:37.55
If the morning
is our devotional,
00:17:37.59\00:17:39.02
we read our Bibles in
the evening and vice versa.
00:17:39.05\00:17:42.76
But he made a
statement and I believe
00:17:42.79\00:17:44.36
the Lord allowed
this one to come in light
00:17:44.39\00:17:46.33
of the reality of what
my sermon was going to be.
00:17:46.36\00:17:49.06
Listen to this, it's a
very powerful quotation.
00:17:49.10\00:17:52.80
And by the way,
if you have the book,
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.17
it's from the date March 16th.
00:17:54.20\00:17:57.01
He says, "One of
the penalties of sin
00:17:57.04\00:18:00.18
is our acceptance of it.
00:18:00.21\00:18:02.54
It is not only God
who punishes for sin,
00:18:05.55\00:18:08.92
but listen to this,
00:18:08.95\00:18:10.35
but sin establishes
itself in the sinner
00:18:10.39\00:18:15.09
and takes its toll.
00:18:15.12\00:18:18.43
No struggling or praying
00:18:18.46\00:18:20.43
will enable you to
stop doing certain things,"
00:18:20.46\00:18:24.53
because sin has
established itself in the sinner
00:18:24.57\00:18:29.10
and it takes its
toll, it takes over.
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.81
As Paul says, in Romans 7:17,
00:18:31.84\00:18:34.38
"It is no longer I who do
it, but sin that dwells in me."
00:18:34.41\00:18:39.01
When sin takes up
residence in the soul
00:18:39.05\00:18:41.92
and establishes
itself, he says, no struggling
00:18:41.95\00:18:45.62
or praying will enable
you to stop certain things,
00:18:45.65\00:18:50.39
and the penalty of sin
00:18:50.43\00:18:52.76
is that you
gradually get used to it
00:18:52.79\00:18:56.10
until you
finally come to the place
00:18:56.13\00:18:58.10
where you no longer
realize that it is sin.
00:18:58.13\00:19:02.24
That's degradation,
that's contamination,
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.87
that's corruption.
00:19:04.91\00:19:06.51
Then he goes on to say,
00:19:06.54\00:19:07.94
"Only as we pray for the Lord
00:19:07.98\00:19:11.65
to break the hold, is
there any hope for us,"
00:19:11.68\00:19:14.58
what do you say? Amen.
00:19:14.62\00:19:15.95
Only as we pray for
the Lord to break the hold.
00:19:15.98\00:19:20.12
There are some people
that could pray and struggle
00:19:20.16\00:19:22.89
and never be
freed, you know why?
00:19:22.92\00:19:25.03
Because Jeremiah 13:23 says,
"When it is by human effort,
00:19:25.06\00:19:29.16
we will never be able to
accomplish our own freedom."
00:19:29.20\00:19:33.40
Listen to the words.
00:19:33.44\00:19:35.00
Can the
Ethiopian change his skin?
00:19:35.04\00:19:36.84
What's the answer?
00:19:36.87\00:19:38.21
No.
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.57
Or the leopard its spots?
00:19:39.61\00:19:40.94
What's the answer? No.
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.31
Then may you also do good
00:19:42.34\00:19:44.75
who are accustomed,
00:19:44.78\00:19:47.68
there's that word, accustomed.
00:19:47.72\00:19:49.85
The word accustomed
means that is my practice.
00:19:49.88\00:19:53.96
You see, the
Bible says of Jesus,
00:19:53.99\00:19:55.79
when He went into the synagogue,
00:19:55.82\00:19:57.43
He stood up to
read as His custom was.
00:19:57.46\00:20:02.43
He practiced,
being in the synagogue,
00:20:02.46\00:20:04.70
on the Sabbath,
00:20:04.73\00:20:06.07
reading and so it became
something that was easy to do.
00:20:06.10\00:20:09.80
When we are practicers of sin,
00:20:09.84\00:20:11.87
and we become accustomed to it.
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.01
We cannot free ourselves from it
00:20:14.04\00:20:16.04
because it takes up
residence in our soul,
00:20:16.08\00:20:20.52
into sin itself.
00:20:20.55\00:20:23.52
We become so unfamiliar with it
00:20:23.55\00:20:26.52
that it becomes us.
00:20:26.55\00:20:29.72
When we refuse to abandon
what we know to be wrong,
00:20:29.76\00:20:33.40
it is like slowly
getting into cold water.
00:20:33.43\00:20:35.86
Have you ever done that before?
00:20:35.90\00:20:38.03
Ever got into cold water before?
00:20:38.07\00:20:40.64
I was in a situation
once where we were...
00:20:40.67\00:20:42.87
I was at Oakwood University,
00:20:42.90\00:20:44.24
it was Oakwood
College at the time.
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.64
And I was in the
Edward's Hall dorm,
00:20:46.68\00:20:51.55
3B2C,
00:20:51.58\00:20:53.52
Pastor CA know what I am
talking about, third floor,
00:20:53.55\00:20:55.82
3B2C, that was my room.
00:20:55.85\00:20:59.15
And I'd get up
every morning to run
00:20:59.19\00:21:01.06
and my roommate,
00:21:01.09\00:21:02.42
who was also from New York,
00:21:02.46\00:21:03.79
he would say to
me, "You're crazy."
00:21:03.83\00:21:06.80
Because I'd get up
in the morning to run
00:21:06.83\00:21:08.60
during the winter months
and it was practically cold.
00:21:08.63\00:21:11.23
It wasn't as cold as here.
00:21:11.27\00:21:12.60
but I'd get up in
the morning to run.
00:21:12.63\00:21:14.30
Every morning I'd run the
whole campus and come back.
00:21:14.34\00:21:16.77
By the time I got back,
00:21:16.81\00:21:18.14
he's just getting out of bed,
00:21:18.17\00:21:19.51
wiping the
crust out of his eyes,
00:21:19.54\00:21:21.11
and I am all awakened.
00:21:21.14\00:21:22.48
I'm excited
00:21:22.51\00:21:24.11
and, you know, just
like the urban flavor,
00:21:24.15\00:21:26.51
he'd say, "You're crazy?"
00:21:26.55\00:21:28.22
You know, I'd
come into the room,
00:21:28.25\00:21:29.58
I am all excited,
"Wake up Chris, wake up."
00:21:29.62\00:21:31.85
He'd say, "Leave me alone.
00:21:31.89\00:21:33.22
Are you crazy running out
there in that cold weather?"
00:21:33.25\00:21:34.86
But this is what I
remember more than that.
00:21:34.89\00:21:37.56
As I'd get back, and
by the time I got back,
00:21:37.59\00:21:40.13
everybody already showered.
00:21:40.16\00:21:41.96
So there was
only cold water left.
00:21:42.00\00:21:45.90
And I got to get ready,
00:21:45.93\00:21:47.27
I had to shower,
00:21:47.30\00:21:48.64
go to breakfast, then
get ready to go to class.
00:21:48.67\00:21:51.27
But all the cold
water is all that's left.
00:21:51.31\00:21:57.15
I wasn't going to
class sweaty and smelling?
00:21:57.18\00:22:01.35
So you kind of go like...
00:22:01.38\00:22:02.72
Just me and you, cold water.
00:22:06.15\00:22:08.29
Who's gonna win?
00:22:08.32\00:22:10.09
And you get in there
and you kind of go, whoa.
00:22:10.13\00:22:13.90
You know what I
am talking about?
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.86
But because you...
00:22:15.90\00:22:17.23
It shocks you at first,
00:22:17.27\00:22:19.53
but because you stay in it,
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.70
all of a sudden you get
accustomed to the cold water.
00:22:22.74\00:22:27.34
That's how sin is.
00:22:27.38\00:22:29.14
You know it's not good for
you, it's going to shock you.
00:22:29.18\00:22:32.98
But the longer
you stay under it,
00:22:33.01\00:22:36.52
your body adjusts
00:22:36.55\00:22:38.89
to something that will shock
00:22:38.92\00:22:40.76
somebody's system into reality.
00:22:40.79\00:22:44.83
That's how sin is,
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.19
you slide your way into it.
00:22:46.23\00:22:48.50
It shocks you initially
00:22:48.53\00:22:51.43
but because you stay in it,
00:22:51.47\00:22:54.14
your body adjusts to it.
00:22:54.17\00:22:57.31
That's how sin is.
00:22:57.34\00:22:59.41
You get into a cold tub,
00:22:59.44\00:23:03.48
you get into a cold lake,
00:23:03.51\00:23:06.31
you become a member
of the polar bear club
00:23:06.35\00:23:08.78
and they dive into
the ice in the winter.
00:23:08.82\00:23:11.95
Nothing is more foolish,
00:23:11.99\00:23:15.29
but because they get in it,
00:23:15.32\00:23:17.99
and they stay in it,
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.20
and they've done
it over and over.
00:23:20.23\00:23:22.83
It gets easier every time
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.70
to dive into
something that will shock
00:23:25.73\00:23:28.20
the system of the normal person.
00:23:28.24\00:23:30.44
That's how sin is.
00:23:30.47\00:23:34.11
The danger of sin is
not just the sin itself
00:23:34.14\00:23:37.11
but getting used to it.
00:23:37.15\00:23:39.15
You see when the
world gets to the place
00:23:39.18\00:23:40.68
where its completely dark,
00:23:40.72\00:23:43.18
when the darkness is introduced
00:23:43.22\00:23:44.65
and we don't
reject it, after a while,
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.46
the mind convinces itself
00:23:47.49\00:23:51.49
that darkness is light.
00:23:51.53\00:23:55.76
Now we know darkness is darkness
00:23:55.80\00:23:59.27
but if light becomes darkness,
00:23:59.30\00:24:02.40
how dark is the darkness?
00:24:02.44\00:24:06.64
Here, do you follow me?
00:24:06.68\00:24:08.08
Now if I turned a flashlight
on, and that's dark to you,
00:24:08.11\00:24:12.45
how dark will it be if I
turned the flashlight off?
00:24:12.48\00:24:16.35
That's why when you
look at the conditions
00:24:16.38\00:24:17.72
that Revelation talks
about in Revelation 16,
00:24:17.75\00:24:20.19
the reason why we are moving
00:24:20.22\00:24:21.66
towards the
system of gross darkness
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.76
is in the religious world,
00:24:24.79\00:24:27.10
people don't want
light, they want religion,
00:24:27.13\00:24:29.60
they want to
have a good old party,
00:24:29.63\00:24:31.63
they want to feel good.
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.00
Nowadays, in Christianity,
the new term is "experience."
00:24:33.03\00:24:37.54
And our church is being affected
00:24:37.57\00:24:38.91
by that same foolishness.
00:24:38.94\00:24:41.14
All around...
00:24:41.18\00:24:42.51
Did you experience God, hey?
00:24:42.54\00:24:44.28
Go Jesus.
00:24:44.31\00:24:46.75
Look at some of our universities
00:24:46.78\00:24:48.12
making a fool out of themselves
00:24:48.15\00:24:50.05
for feeling and experience.
00:24:50.09\00:24:52.79
That same nonsense will lead
you down to experience hell.
00:24:52.82\00:24:55.96
You can be emotional but
that ain't righteousness.
00:24:55.99\00:24:59.26
If emotion is righteousness,
00:24:59.29\00:25:00.70
look at the Mount
Carmel showdown all day long.
00:25:00.73\00:25:04.03
All day long yelling
for their God to respond,
00:25:04.07\00:25:06.80
nobody...
00:25:06.84\00:25:08.17
The phone was disconnected.
00:25:08.20\00:25:10.74
'Cause when you
worship the false gods,
00:25:10.77\00:25:12.47
you could be
emotional all you want,
00:25:12.51\00:25:14.21
but ain't no God is
gonna respond to that.
00:25:14.24\00:25:16.14
And all Elijah did was got
down on his knees and said,
00:25:16.18\00:25:19.08
"Lord, if God be God,
then respond by fire."
00:25:19.11\00:25:23.28
You want fire in your life?
00:25:23.32\00:25:24.65
Humble yourself before God.
00:25:24.69\00:25:27.29
Forget about emotion.
00:25:27.32\00:25:28.66
When light
becomes darkness in you,
00:25:33.29\00:25:36.16
how great is that darkness?
00:25:36.20\00:25:38.73
how great is that darkness?
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.20
That's why it is in this
age that the prophet screams,
00:25:40.24\00:25:43.77
"Darkness will
cover the inhabitants.
00:25:43.81\00:25:45.77
Gross darkness the people."
00:25:45.81\00:25:47.84
But...
00:25:47.88\00:25:49.21
The glory of God
shall be risen upon you
00:25:49.24\00:25:51.78
and shall be seen on you.
00:25:51.81\00:25:53.25
It will only be seen on
us if we embrace the truth.
00:25:53.28\00:25:57.62
But even deeper than
that, if we love the truth.
00:25:57.65\00:26:02.99
Because Paul, the Apostle,
writes in 2 Thessalonians,
00:26:03.02\00:26:05.69
"Because they received
not a love of the truth
00:26:05.73\00:26:08.16
that they might be saved."
00:26:08.20\00:26:09.96
God sends them a strong delusion
00:26:10.00\00:26:12.20
that they will believe a lie.
00:26:12.23\00:26:13.57
Let me make it clear.
00:26:13.60\00:26:14.94
When what God has given
you, you no longer want,
00:26:14.97\00:26:17.21
He'll give you
what you don't want.
00:26:17.24\00:26:19.17
Let me say that, He'll
give you what you do want.
00:26:19.21\00:26:22.88
I used to sit down
at the dinner table.
00:26:22.91\00:26:24.25
My mother used to
day, "That's dinner."
00:26:24.28\00:26:27.52
I'd say, "I don't want that."
00:26:27.55\00:26:28.88
She said, "Well,
that's all you're getting."
00:26:28.92\00:26:30.59
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:26:30.62\00:26:33.39
"Here's God's
Word." "I don't want that."
00:26:33.42\00:26:34.82
"Well, that's
all you are getting."
00:26:34.86\00:26:37.63
And so what happens we
go outside of God's Word.
00:26:37.66\00:26:39.73
We find our popular speaker,
teachers having itching you
00:26:39.76\00:26:42.26
as we pick this
evangelist there,
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.40
or that TV personality there,
00:26:44.43\00:26:45.97
or that one that
makes me feel good,
00:26:46.00\00:26:47.34
I'm gonna laugh every
time I look at his sermons.
00:26:47.37\00:26:49.77
You could laugh
your way to hell.
00:26:49.80\00:26:53.51
Jesus didn't laugh
His way to the cross.
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.81
The disciples didn't laugh
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.18
their way to
persecution in dungeons.
00:26:57.21\00:26:58.61
They didn't laugh.
00:26:58.65\00:26:59.98
They stood for what was right.
00:27:00.02\00:27:02.28
And somehow, this modern
age has made Christianity
00:27:02.32\00:27:05.12
into a marshmallow religion.
00:27:05.15\00:27:07.06
"Is your ship coming in?"
00:27:07.09\00:27:08.56
"What ship?
00:27:08.59\00:27:09.92
I didn't send any ship out."
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.49
My salvation is nearer
than when I first believed.
00:27:12.53\00:27:14.90
That's coming.
00:27:14.93\00:27:17.20
But nowadays, the eyes are bad.
00:27:17.23\00:27:19.50
And if we start
looking in the wrong direction,
00:27:19.53\00:27:21.50
and it's so sad when some
of our churches are wondering,
00:27:21.54\00:27:23.61
"Well, why are we not awake?"
00:27:23.64\00:27:24.97
Well, you ain't
awakers, you ain't preaching,
00:27:25.01\00:27:26.91
and you are not living,
and you are not embracing,
00:27:26.94\00:27:29.24
and I've come to the
place, thank you Jesus,
00:27:29.28\00:27:31.41
I've come to the
place where I don't feel
00:27:31.45\00:27:33.85
that it's not
what I'm doing up here,
00:27:33.88\00:27:35.88
but it's what you
are doing down there.
00:27:35.92\00:27:38.59
I don't come to
your house and feed you
00:27:38.62\00:27:39.95
but if you ain't eating God's
Word, you will be complacent.
00:27:39.99\00:27:42.82
If you are not feasting
on God's Word day by day
00:27:42.86\00:27:45.13
in your own personal life,
00:27:45.16\00:27:46.59
you are starving by the time
you come on Sabbath morning.
00:27:46.63\00:27:49.66
Emaciated.
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.63
And lot of preachers
are trying to give you candy
00:27:51.67\00:27:53.67
on Sabbath morning,
00:27:53.70\00:27:55.30
I hope I'm not doing that.
00:27:55.34\00:27:56.67
The Apostle Paul
continues to talk
00:28:02.11\00:28:03.65
about this gross darkness
00:28:03.68\00:28:05.01
and he says in
2 Corinthians 4:4,
00:28:05.05\00:28:07.42
he says that, "The gross
darkness is orchestrated."
00:28:07.45\00:28:10.05
It's not coincidental.
00:28:10.09\00:28:11.42
Notice his words.
00:28:11.45\00:28:12.92
2 Corinthians 4:4,
notice who is behind it.
00:28:12.95\00:28:16.59
He said, "Whose minds the
god of this age has blinded,"
00:28:16.62\00:28:22.56
why?
00:28:22.60\00:28:23.93
"Who do not believe."
00:28:23.97\00:28:26.84
I don't believe that.
00:28:26.87\00:28:29.00
I've had people tell me,
"I know about the Sabbath
00:28:29.04\00:28:30.87
but I don't believe it."
00:28:30.91\00:28:32.61
Well, because
you don't believe it.
00:28:32.64\00:28:33.98
I like what's the Chronicle...
00:28:34.01\00:28:35.34
What's the guy in
Chronicle, what's his name,
00:28:35.38\00:28:36.71
Chris Hudson?
00:28:36.75\00:28:38.21
He'd say, "The
truth is the truth
00:28:38.25\00:28:39.85
whether you believe it or not."
00:28:39.88\00:28:41.95
Amen?
00:28:41.98\00:28:43.32
It's ain't the truth
'cause you believe it?
00:28:43.35\00:28:45.55
Four is four whether
you believe it or not?
00:28:45.59\00:28:47.72
Two plus two is four
whether you believe it or not?
00:28:47.76\00:28:50.43
But so many of our
pastors are giving people
00:28:50.46\00:28:52.09
what they believe and
what they don't believe.
00:28:52.13\00:28:53.96
I'm gonna tell you
what the Bible says.
00:28:54.00\00:28:57.77
Your mind is blind
00:28:57.80\00:28:59.13
but the Word of
God is not the problem.
00:28:59.17\00:29:01.00
He said, "Who do not believe."
00:29:01.04\00:29:02.40
Why?
00:29:02.44\00:29:03.77
Lest the light of the
gospel of the glory of Christ
00:29:03.81\00:29:06.21
who is the image of
God should shine on them.
00:29:06.24\00:29:10.28
The devil doesn't want
00:29:10.31\00:29:11.65
the glory of God
to shine on anybody.
00:29:11.68\00:29:14.28
But here is where we come in.
00:29:14.32\00:29:16.05
Here is where we come in.
00:29:16.08\00:29:17.42
If they miss the glory of God
00:29:17.45\00:29:19.15
that was given to them
from the courts of glory,
00:29:19.19\00:29:22.72
the glory of God
ought to shine through us.
00:29:22.76\00:29:25.63
The glory of God ought
to shine through our lives.
00:29:29.03\00:29:31.77
How can you be a
child of a light,
00:29:31.80\00:29:33.44
but darkness is
shining through your life.
00:29:33.47\00:29:36.17
The glory of God
has to shine through us,
00:29:36.20\00:29:38.31
that's what the apostle says,
00:29:38.34\00:29:39.81
that's what the prophet says.
00:29:39.84\00:29:41.44
But the question is,
00:29:41.48\00:29:42.81
how does the God of
this age create blindness?
00:29:42.84\00:29:46.11
How does he do it?
00:29:46.15\00:29:48.28
He does it by
creating substitutes.
00:29:48.32\00:29:52.65
I thought about
that the other day.
00:29:52.69\00:29:54.02
I was looking on the
internet about substitutes,
00:29:54.06\00:29:55.62
and I came to find out
that there's this one substance
00:29:55.66\00:29:57.63
that has been
substituted more than any other
00:29:57.66\00:29:59.53
and that's sugar.
00:29:59.56\00:30:02.10
Sugar
substitutes, remember that?
00:30:02.13\00:30:05.57
If you are old
enough, remember saccharin?
00:30:05.60\00:30:09.10
Everybody wanted saccharin,
00:30:09.14\00:30:10.47
another big thing, you
got to rest strike them,
00:30:10.51\00:30:12.31
until they found out
that it causes cancer.
00:30:12.34\00:30:14.94
Some of you are
looking for substitutes
00:30:14.98\00:30:16.51
and it's causing
cancer in your spiritual life,
00:30:16.54\00:30:18.81
come on now.
00:30:18.85\00:30:20.25
Back down on your sugar
00:30:20.28\00:30:21.62
but stay away
from the substitutes
00:30:21.65\00:30:23.99
or give it over
sugar altogether.
00:30:24.02\00:30:25.52
But don't accept any substitutes
00:30:25.55\00:30:27.49
because there is no
substitute for genuine truth.
00:30:27.52\00:30:31.56
Any substitute for
the truth is a lie.
00:30:31.59\00:30:35.16
No matter how good it feels,
00:30:35.20\00:30:36.70
no matter how much
enthusiasm is behind it,
00:30:36.73\00:30:38.90
any substitute for
the truth is a lie.
00:30:38.93\00:30:43.07
Don't accept it.
00:30:43.10\00:30:45.94
But this is a point
that is so very important.
00:30:45.97\00:30:48.31
Whatever you decide
to substitute for truth,
00:30:48.34\00:30:50.91
just like saccharin, and false
things created in laboratories.
00:30:50.95\00:30:55.18
Eventually, your body
00:30:55.22\00:30:57.35
and your mind will
crave the substitutes
00:30:57.39\00:31:00.49
because you no
longer want the real thing.
00:31:00.52\00:31:04.36
So there are
substitutes for Bible study.
00:31:04.39\00:31:06.09
What is it?
00:31:06.13\00:31:07.46
The Grammys? What is it?
00:31:07.50\00:31:09.06
What are you doing
on Wednesday night?
00:31:09.10\00:31:10.43
What's your substitute?
00:31:10.47\00:31:12.23
We have studies
on Wednesday nights.
00:31:12.27\00:31:13.60
What's your substitute?
00:31:13.64\00:31:17.77
Some of us who live
so close to the church,
00:31:17.81\00:31:19.14
we could fall out of our
house right into the church.
00:31:19.17\00:31:21.94
Don't show up on Wednesday
night Bible study, why?
00:31:21.98\00:31:24.05
Because pastor John is talking.
00:31:24.08\00:31:26.38
I'm gonna get straight with you.
00:31:26.41\00:31:28.25
Noah talked for 120 years.
00:31:28.28\00:31:30.85
What were their substitute?
00:31:30.89\00:31:32.22
Well, they got substitutes
00:31:32.25\00:31:33.89
but they ended up on
the outside of the ark.
00:31:33.92\00:31:35.26
Let me tell you
something, church,
00:31:35.29\00:31:36.62
I'm talking to my people now.
00:31:36.66\00:31:38.59
You can ignore Bible
studies all you want,
00:31:38.63\00:31:40.70
but the time is gonna
come that your ignorance
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.50
is gonna be so stark
00:31:42.53\00:31:44.93
because you didn't
come when the Word of God
00:31:44.97\00:31:46.77
was being taught.
00:31:46.80\00:31:48.37
We got Wednesday
night, we got Thursday night.
00:31:48.40\00:31:51.07
If you can't make
one, make the other.
00:31:51.11\00:31:53.78
But you cannot
ignore Bible studies.
00:31:53.81\00:31:55.78
Why?
00:31:55.81\00:31:57.15
Because you know what?
00:31:57.18\00:31:58.51
Somewhere along the way you
got down into the cold water
00:31:58.55\00:32:00.72
and it is comfortable now.
00:32:00.75\00:32:02.95
Cannot break yourself away.
00:32:02.98\00:32:06.65
I like this morning's
devotion in Oswald Chamber's.
00:32:06.69\00:32:10.66
He says, "The
problem with so much of us
00:32:10.69\00:32:13.80
is we don't understand
what we are dealing with."
00:32:13.83\00:32:16.23
We are dealing
with a corruptible body.
00:32:16.26\00:32:18.60
We may be born again
but we got one more thing
00:32:18.63\00:32:20.80
that we are fighting with
until the day that Jesus comes,
00:32:20.84\00:32:23.14
sorry, until the day we are
made into His image perfectly.
00:32:23.17\00:32:27.28
We got this corruptible body.
00:32:27.31\00:32:28.84
This what?
00:32:28.88\00:32:30.35
It's called sinful flesh.
00:32:30.38\00:32:32.58
You may be born of the spirit,
00:32:32.61\00:32:34.08
but you got to battle
every morning with sinful flesh.
00:32:34.12\00:32:36.38
Sinful flesh remembers
what brings you pleasure
00:32:36.42\00:32:40.19
and it will present that to you
00:32:40.22\00:32:41.82
to get you to walk away
from the things that you need.
00:32:41.86\00:32:45.03
So the sinful flesh will say,
00:32:45.06\00:32:47.73
"We don't need to
go to prayer meeting."
00:32:47.76\00:32:50.90
And like a fool you'd
say, "You know, you are right."
00:32:50.93\00:32:54.37
Listen to me.
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.04
Oswald Chamber said,
00:32:56.07\00:32:57.44
"When the flesh says
sit, listen to Jesus.
00:32:57.47\00:33:01.38
He says, go.
00:33:01.41\00:33:03.65
When the flesh says, eat,
Jesus says, don't eat that.
00:33:03.68\00:33:07.68
When the flesh says,
yawn, Jesus says pray."
00:33:07.72\00:33:12.65
And we give in to the flesh.
00:33:12.69\00:33:14.59
We give in to the flesh more
than we give in to the spirit.
00:33:14.62\00:33:18.13
That's why the Bible says,
00:33:18.16\00:33:19.49
"Those who are
led by the Spirit,
00:33:19.53\00:33:22.56
these are the sons of God,
these are the children of God."
00:33:22.60\00:33:26.60
But so often now,
00:33:26.63\00:33:27.97
Christianity has become
this comfortable practice
00:33:28.00\00:33:29.97
in so many of our churches.
00:33:30.01\00:33:31.34
I have even...
00:33:31.37\00:33:32.71
I don't want to be too clear,
00:33:32.74\00:33:34.08
I don't want to be too specific,
00:33:34.11\00:33:35.44
but I remember
meeting a pastor who told me,
00:33:35.48\00:33:37.48
"I'm comfortable baptizing
people with jewelry on."
00:33:37.51\00:33:41.88
I said, "I'm not."
00:33:41.92\00:33:44.22
So the Lord said to me, "Now,
00:33:44.25\00:33:45.59
are you comfortable with
what he is comfortable with?
00:33:45.62\00:33:47.72
Or you are comfortable
with what My Word teaches?"
00:33:47.76\00:33:50.83
I said, "Lord, I'm comfortable
with what Your Word teaches."
00:33:50.86\00:33:54.16
If you're comfortable
to law, the standards
00:33:54.20\00:33:56.33
because you don't
want to offend somebody,
00:33:56.36\00:33:57.97
you do that and
then you stand before God
00:33:58.00\00:34:00.24
and give Him an account
for what you decide to do.
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.34
You can't modify God's Word.
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.14
When you accept
the call to stand here,
00:34:05.17\00:34:07.71
you got to do two things,
00:34:07.74\00:34:09.08
you got to ode your
life in harmony with it,
00:34:09.11\00:34:11.28
and then live it and preach it.
00:34:11.31\00:34:12.78
There are no substitutes.
00:34:17.15\00:34:18.49
John 3:19, "This
is the condemnation,
00:34:18.52\00:34:22.06
that light has
come into the world,
00:34:22.09\00:34:23.93
and men loved
darkness rather than light
00:34:23.96\00:34:26.59
because their deeds were evil."
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.36
Three dangers we have to
guard against, so you hear me?
00:34:29.40\00:34:31.50
How many dangers
did I say? Three.
00:34:31.53\00:34:32.97
Here they are.
00:34:33.00\00:34:34.34
The first one, to
be exposed to the light
00:34:34.37\00:34:36.60
and refuse to embrace it.
00:34:36.64\00:34:39.44
To be exposed to the
light and refuse to embrace it.
00:34:39.47\00:34:43.35
It's like somebody
shows up to rescue you
00:34:43.38\00:34:46.05
in the midst of a power outage
00:34:46.08\00:34:49.38
and you say,
"I'll find another way."
00:34:49.42\00:34:51.25
And they drive away and
you see the light going away
00:34:51.29\00:34:53.89
and all of a sudden, you
are caught in abject darkness,
00:34:53.92\00:34:56.93
and you have no
idea where you are going.
00:34:56.96\00:35:00.40
The second danger
is to have the light
00:35:00.43\00:35:02.70
and refuse to walk in it.
00:35:02.73\00:35:05.00
The first one,
exposed to the light
00:35:05.03\00:35:06.80
and refuse to embrace it.
00:35:06.84\00:35:08.30
There are those
that have heard hundred,
00:35:08.34\00:35:10.41
maybe thousands of sermons
00:35:10.44\00:35:12.64
and walk away
from it every Sabbath,
00:35:12.67\00:35:15.18
because they have been
so immersed in cold water,
00:35:15.21\00:35:17.25
they can't feel the truth.
00:35:17.28\00:35:20.18
Well, there are
those that have...
00:35:20.22\00:35:22.75
They have accepted the truth,
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.12
but they have not
embraced the truth.
00:35:25.15\00:35:28.86
The difference between
that is having your wife
00:35:28.89\00:35:30.56
and hugging your wife.
00:35:30.59\00:35:33.83
Some of you never hug your wife.
00:35:33.86\00:35:36.23
You might have
her but she don't...
00:35:36.26\00:35:37.60
She is dying for lack of touch.
00:35:37.63\00:35:39.73
The truth is the same way,
00:35:39.77\00:35:41.10
some of the truth is
dying for lack of embrace.
00:35:41.14\00:35:44.14
We got the truth in our Bibles,
in our Sabbath school lessons,
00:35:44.17\00:35:47.44
in our quarterlies, in all
the writings on our shelves,
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.91
but we don't embrace it,
00:35:49.94\00:35:51.68
because we're
embracing everything else.
00:35:51.71\00:35:55.68
Got to embrace it.
00:35:55.72\00:35:57.05
You got to do what? Embrace it.
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.02
You know what embrace means?
00:35:59.05\00:36:00.39
If you have a water ski,
that's what embrace means.
00:36:00.42\00:36:03.69
You try to water ski with
one finger, see what happens.
00:36:03.73\00:36:08.26
Embrace it like
your very existence
00:36:08.30\00:36:11.30
depends on how much you hold on.
00:36:11.33\00:36:15.44
And the third category.
00:36:15.47\00:36:17.77
Oh, this is even more devious
than the first and the second.
00:36:17.81\00:36:20.64
The third one is,
creating a version
00:36:20.68\00:36:25.45
of what you believe
walking in the light means.
00:36:25.48\00:36:29.18
Creating your own version
00:36:29.22\00:36:31.29
of what you believe
walking in the light means.
00:36:31.32\00:36:34.59
Now let me make
this clear. This is deep.
00:36:34.62\00:36:36.56
You see many of
us walk in the light,
00:36:36.59\00:36:38.49
but what that means
is we walk in the light
00:36:38.53\00:36:40.80
according to the
standards we set up.
00:36:40.83\00:36:44.27
We say, "I'm an Adventist,
but I'm gonna just do this."
00:36:44.30\00:36:49.54
I'm an Adventist, but
I'm only gonna do this.
00:36:49.57\00:36:54.64
I've heard it, I've been there.
00:36:54.68\00:36:56.14
I've talked to
people in Phoenix like that.
00:36:56.18\00:36:58.05
I'm an Adventist, but I still
believe in speaking in tongues.
00:36:58.08\00:37:01.98
I talked to somebody
like that in Phoenix.
00:37:02.02\00:37:04.45
Now I know what the Bible said.
00:37:04.49\00:37:07.59
But I still believe in that
00:37:07.62\00:37:08.96
because that's
what I used to be.
00:37:08.99\00:37:10.76
I talked to somebody who said,
"Now why do you want that?"
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.29
Because it makes me feel good,
00:37:13.33\00:37:15.10
and it brings me peace.
00:37:15.13\00:37:16.46
I said, "No.
00:37:16.50\00:37:17.83
But the Bible says my peace
00:37:17.87\00:37:19.20
I leave with
Jesus gives you peace."
00:37:19.23\00:37:20.57
So eventually, thank you Jesus.
00:37:20.60\00:37:22.04
Eventually, I kept on
with his sister until she said,
00:37:22.07\00:37:25.11
"So I guess I must abandon it."
00:37:25.14\00:37:26.47
I said "Yeah."
00:37:26.51\00:37:27.84
'Cause it ain't in
harmony with God's Word.
00:37:27.88\00:37:29.24
Whatever is not in
harmony with God's Word,
00:37:29.28\00:37:31.61
abandon your version of what
it means to walk in the truth.
00:37:31.65\00:37:35.22
Amen. Your version.
00:37:35.25\00:37:37.72
I like what Pastor
CA did in this church.
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.22
I haven't come up and
do it, but I remember it.
00:37:39.25\00:37:41.29
I'll let you do another sermon,
but I must feel it right now.
00:37:41.32\00:37:45.06
How many of you
want to be saved?
00:37:45.09\00:37:46.43
How many of you want to
be saved, raise your hand.
00:37:46.46\00:37:48.70
There better not
be a hand down here.
00:37:48.73\00:37:51.13
How many of you
want to be saved?
00:37:51.17\00:37:52.50
Come on, let's do it again.
00:37:52.53\00:37:53.87
All right. Okay,
put your hand down.
00:37:53.90\00:37:55.24
How many of you
really want to be saved?
00:37:55.27\00:37:58.27
All right.
00:37:58.31\00:37:59.64
Come on up here. Anyway, wait.
00:37:59.67\00:38:01.54
He says, some of you
ain't going to be saved
00:38:01.58\00:38:05.91
because of your spouse.
00:38:05.95\00:38:08.25
You put your
spouse ahead of God.
00:38:08.28\00:38:10.29
Am I doing right so for?
00:38:10.32\00:38:12.25
Some of you ain't going to
be saved because of your job.
00:38:12.29\00:38:16.36
You put your job ahead of God.
00:38:16.39\00:38:19.23
Some of you ain't going to
be saved, I may add some stuff.
00:38:19.26\00:38:21.03
Some of you
ain't going to be saved
00:38:21.06\00:38:22.40
because you put your
beliefs ahead of God's Word.
00:38:22.43\00:38:25.60
Some of you ain't going to
be saved because of your bling.
00:38:25.63\00:38:29.80
You put your
jewelry ahead of God's Word.
00:38:29.84\00:38:33.14
You put your way of
life ahead of God's Word.
00:38:33.17\00:38:35.31
You put your version of
Adventism ahead of God's Word.
00:38:35.34\00:38:42.32
How many of you
want to be saved now?
00:38:42.35\00:38:46.92
If you want to be saved,
you got to walk in the light
00:38:46.96\00:38:49.22
not according to your standard
00:38:49.26\00:38:50.63
but according to God's standard.
00:38:50.66\00:38:52.29
Amen.
00:38:52.33\00:38:53.70
We are living
in such a dark age.
00:38:53.73\00:38:55.90
We're living in such a dark age.
00:38:55.93\00:38:57.47
Oswald Chamber says, "For
many of us walking in the light
00:38:57.50\00:38:59.63
means walking according to
the standard we have set up.
00:38:59.67\00:39:04.17
If the standard
by which you walk
00:39:04.21\00:39:05.54
has not been set
up by God's Word,
00:39:05.57\00:39:07.14
the standard is darkness."
00:39:07.18\00:39:08.51
Only God's Word is reliable
to determine the standard.
00:39:08.54\00:39:14.98
Isaiah 59, the latter part,
00:39:15.02\00:39:17.39
"That's why we got to
keep God's Word nearby us."
00:39:17.42\00:39:19.82
Can I get an amen on that?
00:39:19.85\00:39:21.39
We got to keep
God's Word nearby us
00:39:21.42\00:39:24.33
like a sword in the battle.
00:39:24.36\00:39:26.93
The last part of
Isaiah 59:19 says,
00:39:26.96\00:39:29.20
"When the enemy
comes in like a flood,
00:39:29.23\00:39:32.07
the Spirit of
the Lord will lift up
00:39:32.10\00:39:33.77
a standard against him."
00:39:33.80\00:39:35.34
God's Spirit lifts
the standard, not us.
00:39:35.37\00:39:40.48
And our church today is
going through a standard storm.
00:39:40.51\00:39:44.31
Some churches are thrown
out, Ellen White over here.
00:39:44.35\00:39:46.92
Some churches
want women ordination
00:39:46.95\00:39:48.55
more than they want salvation.
00:39:48.58\00:39:50.89
All this foolishness.
00:39:50.92\00:39:52.95
The devil's got us
making idiots out of ourselves.
00:39:52.99\00:39:55.49
And the church that
should be so perfectly united,
00:39:55.52\00:39:58.29
have made so many internal gods
00:39:58.33\00:40:00.60
that they don't
know which one is which.
00:40:00.63\00:40:03.53
And that's why a
storm is gonna come,
00:40:03.57\00:40:04.90
a storm has to come.
00:40:04.93\00:40:06.70
A storm has to
come to this church.
00:40:06.74\00:40:09.74
God's got to send a
storm to wake some of us up.
00:40:09.77\00:40:12.57
He's got to send
earthquakes into our lives
00:40:12.61\00:40:14.41
to wake some of us up
00:40:14.44\00:40:15.78
because until our house
is crumbled beneath our feet,
00:40:15.81\00:40:17.85
we will not look up to God.
00:40:17.88\00:40:19.21
Amen.
00:40:19.25\00:40:20.58
So He's got to send a storm.
00:40:20.62\00:40:22.08
Some of us are so
recalcitrant in the way we live,
00:40:22.12\00:40:24.52
we don't care
what God's Word says.
00:40:24.55\00:40:26.49
We made an idol of how
we feel about other people.
00:40:26.52\00:40:31.59
Another danger is,
00:40:31.63\00:40:35.63
the Lord dealt
with me in this message.
00:40:35.66\00:40:37.10
Another danger is, there are
those that are not comfortable
00:40:37.13\00:40:40.84
with God's Word at
this point in their lives.
00:40:40.87\00:40:44.44
Let me make that clear.
00:40:44.47\00:40:45.81
Some people say, "Well, yeah,
00:40:45.84\00:40:47.18
I'm gonna eventually join
the church but right now...
00:40:47.21\00:40:51.48
See I got this job."
00:40:51.51\00:40:54.35
Going to go to hell for a job.
00:40:54.38\00:40:57.59
Some people know about
the truth, but they say,
00:40:57.62\00:40:59.22
"At this point, my
spouse is not comfortable
00:40:59.25\00:41:03.19
with going to
church on the Sabbath.
00:41:03.22\00:41:05.46
So I'm gonna chill with
him or her for right now
00:41:05.49\00:41:08.56
because I'm not
comfortable with God's Word
00:41:08.60\00:41:10.57
at this point in my life."
00:41:10.60\00:41:13.20
They have not
rejected God's Word,
00:41:13.23\00:41:15.20
it just don't fit right now.
00:41:15.24\00:41:18.24
That's what Agrippa said,
00:41:18.27\00:41:20.78
"I'll call you at a
more convenient time."
00:41:20.81\00:41:23.95
And it never...
00:41:23.98\00:41:25.75
I think it was Festus,
00:41:25.78\00:41:27.12
and the
convenient time never came.
00:41:27.15\00:41:32.02
And then Agrippa said,
00:41:32.05\00:41:33.39
"You almost
persuaded me to be a Christian,
00:41:33.42\00:41:35.12
but as one of my
favorite preacher said
00:41:35.16\00:41:37.03
to be almost persuaded
is to be totally lost."
00:41:37.06\00:41:42.00
To be almost saved
is to be totally lost.
00:41:42.03\00:41:46.10
John 12:35 says,
00:41:46.13\00:41:50.41
"A little while longer
the light is with you."
00:41:50.44\00:41:52.41
This is a powerful passage.
00:41:52.44\00:41:54.38
"A little while longer
and the light is with you,
00:41:54.41\00:41:56.95
walk while you have the light."
00:41:56.98\00:41:59.31
While what?
00:41:59.35\00:42:00.68
While you have the light,
lest darkness overtakes you.
00:42:00.72\00:42:04.35
"He who walks in darkness
00:42:04.39\00:42:05.72
does not know
where he is going."
00:42:05.75\00:42:11.63
And there's some
people, they have a life
00:42:11.66\00:42:12.99
but they walk away from it.
00:42:13.03\00:42:14.36
So they think,
"Well, I didn't really...
00:42:14.40\00:42:15.73
I mean, I didn't...
00:42:15.76\00:42:17.10
I did not intellectually,
I mean it's confusing."
00:42:17.13\00:42:18.60
It is confusing at best when
you walk away from the light.
00:42:18.63\00:42:20.77
You know why?
00:42:20.80\00:42:22.14
Because you think, "Well,
00:42:22.17\00:42:23.51
I haven't intellectually
abandoned the life."
00:42:23.54\00:42:25.24
But you have
physically abandoned the life.
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.28
When you intellectually
and physically are going
00:42:27.31\00:42:29.84
in two opposite directions,
that's called confusion.
00:42:29.88\00:42:33.35
When you say in your
mind, I still believe its truth,
00:42:33.38\00:42:36.42
but I'm going in this direction,
00:42:36.45\00:42:37.99
you are in confusion.
00:42:38.02\00:42:42.19
When you walk in darkness,
00:42:42.22\00:42:43.63
when you know about the
light and you walk in darkness,
00:42:43.66\00:42:45.79
you don't know
where you are going
00:42:45.83\00:42:48.76
and the danger is we think
that somewhere along the way,
00:42:48.80\00:42:51.40
but Jesus said to His disciples,
00:42:51.43\00:42:53.07
"Walk in the light
while you have it."
00:42:53.10\00:42:55.60
What does that mean?
00:42:55.64\00:42:56.97
Eventually, 70
disciples walked away from Jesus
00:42:57.01\00:43:00.24
and never walked with
Him ever again, 70 of them.
00:43:00.28\00:43:04.51
If 70 disciples
could walk away from Jesus,
00:43:04.55\00:43:08.98
I don't feel so bad
when people say to me,
00:43:09.02\00:43:12.32
"Pastor, I ain't
coming to church anymore."
00:43:12.35\00:43:13.69
"Why?"
00:43:13.72\00:43:15.06
Because of something
you said in your sermon.
00:43:15.09\00:43:16.42
"Was it a lie?" "No."
00:43:16.46\00:43:17.79
"But it offended me."
00:43:17.83\00:43:20.73
And Peter...
00:43:20.76\00:43:22.10
The lawyer looked
at Peter and said,
00:43:22.13\00:43:23.47
"You leave in two
or I'm a Peter today."
00:43:23.50\00:43:25.17
He said, "Lord
to whom shall I go?"
00:43:25.20\00:43:28.74
Amen.
00:43:28.77\00:43:30.14
We got to get to
the place in these days
00:43:30.17\00:43:31.81
when the world is
calling us to compromise,
00:43:31.84\00:43:34.14
when the church is
calling us to compromise,
00:43:34.18\00:43:36.34
when voices in the church
are calling us to compromise.
00:43:36.38\00:43:39.41
We got to look at Jesus
and say, "To whom shall I go?"
00:43:39.45\00:43:43.82
You have the words of
life and the danger is,
00:43:43.85\00:43:48.02
people think that God is
going to always be available
00:43:48.06\00:43:50.33
but Noah said it in those days,
00:43:50.36\00:43:52.69
"My spirit shall not
always strive with man."
00:43:52.73\00:43:56.43
Shall not
always strive with man.
00:43:56.46\00:43:58.87
When light is
repetitiously rejected,
00:43:58.90\00:44:01.44
the ultimate deception occurs.
00:44:01.47\00:44:03.61
Look at Proverbs 14:12,
00:44:03.64\00:44:06.74
Proverbs 14:12,
00:44:06.78\00:44:09.28
Luis, you might have
to ear this in two parts.
00:44:09.31\00:44:13.75
I love you, my brother.
00:44:13.78\00:44:16.72
Proverbs 14:12,
00:44:16.75\00:44:18.75
when the truth of God
is repetitiously rejected,
00:44:18.79\00:44:21.79
the ultimate deception occurs.
00:44:21.82\00:44:23.39
Here it is.
00:44:23.43\00:44:24.76
"There is a way
that seems right."
00:44:24.79\00:44:26.66
Together, there
is a way that what?
00:44:26.70\00:44:28.60
"Seems right to
a man but its end
00:44:28.63\00:44:32.40
is the way of death."
00:44:32.43\00:44:36.14
The danger of
walking in the darkness
00:44:36.17\00:44:39.47
when there's a cliff
ahead of you is eventually,
00:44:39.51\00:44:43.04
you'll reach the tipping point
where there is no coming back.
00:44:43.08\00:44:48.08
Nobody ever fell up a cliff.
00:44:48.12\00:44:51.65
Think about that.
00:44:51.69\00:44:53.12
Nobody ever fill up a cliff,
00:44:53.15\00:44:55.02
but they have
fallen down a cliff.
00:44:55.06\00:44:56.56
Some people live their lives
00:44:56.59\00:44:57.93
so close to the
cliff spiritually,
00:44:57.96\00:44:59.29
that they're gonna
fall off eventually.
00:44:59.33\00:45:01.80
I was watching the
news the other night
00:45:01.83\00:45:03.67
and there was a
particular show on television
00:45:03.70\00:45:05.43
where Oprah Winfrey,
Oprah Winfrey made a statement,
00:45:05.47\00:45:07.90
I don't listen to
everything she says,
00:45:07.94\00:45:09.57
but she hit a chord
and I didn't forget it.
00:45:09.60\00:45:12.74
She said, "The darkness is
spreading so fast these days
00:45:12.77\00:45:17.55
that you must become
a soldier of the light,
00:45:17.58\00:45:20.78
the darkness is there
to show you your light."
00:45:20.82\00:45:25.82
And I thought that is deep.
00:45:25.85\00:45:29.59
The darkness is
spreading so fast these days.
00:45:29.62\00:45:33.83
You must become a
soldier of the light.
00:45:33.86\00:45:37.40
The darkness is there
to show you your light.
00:45:37.43\00:45:43.71
We've had darkness
and darkness is gradual.
00:45:43.74\00:45:47.21
The world has
gone through changes
00:45:47.24\00:45:49.08
from the
beginning of civilization
00:45:49.11\00:45:50.95
to the very
present, very quickly.
00:45:50.98\00:45:53.08
The age of antiquity
00:45:53.11\00:45:54.45
from Babylon,
Medo-Persia, and Greece.
00:45:54.48\00:45:56.15
That's a long in the past.
00:45:56.18\00:45:58.05
There was a
different understanding
00:45:58.09\00:45:59.59
than the classic
age of antiquity.
00:45:59.62\00:46:01.99
During the times of Christ,
the Greek and Roman empires.
00:46:02.02\00:46:05.93
Antiquity, classic antiquity.
00:46:05.96\00:46:08.10
Then the Dark Ages, the decline
of the pagan empire of Rome
00:46:08.13\00:46:12.07
and the rise of the
papal empire of Rome,
00:46:12.10\00:46:14.77
when Europe merged
under the Roman rule.
00:46:14.80\00:46:17.64
Then the early
age of enlightenment,
00:46:17.67\00:46:19.71
during the time
of the Reformation
00:46:19.74\00:46:21.31
began in the year 1090.
00:46:21.34\00:46:23.88
Then early modern
history from the 16th century.
00:46:23.91\00:46:26.92
It was called
The Age of Discovery.
00:46:26.95\00:46:29.25
When all of a sudden, the
Bible began to mean something
00:46:29.28\00:46:32.35
because the Bible was once again
00:46:32.39\00:46:33.86
put in the hands
of the common man.
00:46:33.89\00:46:35.96
And the
Protestant Reformation began.
00:46:35.99\00:46:38.33
People that stood
on God's Word alone.
00:46:38.36\00:46:42.10
And then, late modern
history, the 18th century.
00:46:42.13\00:46:45.60
When the American Bible Society
and the Advent movement began.
00:46:45.63\00:46:48.90
Come on, say amen somebody.
00:46:48.94\00:46:50.27
God began to raise
up a movement that says,
00:46:50.31\00:46:52.67
"All I want is the Word of God.
00:46:52.71\00:46:54.84
Nothing else."
00:46:54.88\00:46:58.25
And then the
industrial revolution,
00:46:58.28\00:47:00.55
and then we finally
find contemporary history
00:47:00.58\00:47:03.22
which modernists say from 1945,
from the end of World War II
00:47:03.25\00:47:07.59
to the present has
been contemporary history.
00:47:07.62\00:47:11.46
What has happened
with contemporary history?
00:47:11.49\00:47:14.16
The devil went back
through his chronicles and said,
00:47:14.20\00:47:16.33
"At what point
00:47:16.36\00:47:17.70
in the
development of human history
00:47:17.73\00:47:19.13
have I been most successful?"
00:47:19.17\00:47:21.60
It was the Dark Ages.
00:47:21.64\00:47:24.67
So because he
doesn't create anything,
00:47:24.71\00:47:27.41
he went back and
decided to implement the tactics
00:47:27.44\00:47:31.05
that were best
during the Dark Ages.
00:47:31.08\00:47:33.18
Follow me
carefully, this is powerful.
00:47:33.21\00:47:36.48
He raised up pagan Rome,
00:47:36.52\00:47:39.65
then he brought pagan Rome down
00:47:39.69\00:47:41.96
and he raised up papal Rome.
00:47:41.99\00:47:44.03
And papal Rome is
enforced to this very day.
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.59
He was successful in bringing
Europe into complete darkness,
00:47:46.63\00:47:50.03
also called
"The Medieval Times."
00:47:50.07\00:47:52.67
When evil was grand.
00:47:52.70\00:47:54.10
Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
00:47:54.14\00:47:55.80
You want to see evil?
00:47:55.84\00:47:57.17
You have to
have a strong stomach
00:47:57.21\00:47:58.54
to read that book
to see the atrocities
00:47:58.57\00:48:00.68
perpetrated on human life.
00:48:00.71\00:48:03.45
And he thought
that was the point
00:48:03.48\00:48:04.88
where the world best
fits the kind of demon I am
00:48:04.91\00:48:09.62
and so he decided,
00:48:09.65\00:48:11.15
"I got to bring that back."
00:48:11.19\00:48:13.19
But there's a difference now,
00:48:13.22\00:48:14.76
praise God,
there's a difference now.
00:48:14.79\00:48:17.76
See the difference
now is the light got out.
00:48:17.79\00:48:21.26
Amen. Amen.
00:48:21.30\00:48:23.33
The light got out.
00:48:23.37\00:48:24.70
Hallelujah.
00:48:24.73\00:48:26.20
He couldn't turn the light
on too bright in the dark ages,
00:48:26.23\00:48:28.87
but the light is out.
00:48:28.90\00:48:30.24
The light is on now.
00:48:30.27\00:48:32.47
God's got a
movement all over this world,
00:48:32.51\00:48:34.21
the light is on now.
00:48:34.24\00:48:36.51
You can't turn off the light
00:48:36.54\00:48:38.21
because the devil
don't have the switch.
00:48:38.25\00:48:40.95
The light is on now.
00:48:40.98\00:48:43.05
Somebody got a light in
Europe, and in the Philippines,
00:48:43.08\00:48:45.85
and in the Caribbean, and
in Ireland, and in Europe,
00:48:45.89\00:48:48.42
the light is on now.
00:48:48.46\00:48:50.23
And the devil's going,
"How am I gonna do it?"
00:48:50.26\00:48:52.49
So he decides to do
it through immorality,
00:48:52.53\00:48:56.00
through violating the marriage,
sexual immorality, adultery,
00:48:56.03\00:49:01.97
Sabbath breaking Satanists.
00:49:02.00\00:49:04.57
You know something's wrong
00:49:04.61\00:49:06.27
when Satanists and Christians
believe the same thing,
00:49:06.31\00:49:10.68
that you have an immortal soul.
00:49:10.71\00:49:12.38
Darkness.
00:49:12.41\00:49:13.98
When the scriptural gospel
00:49:14.02\00:49:15.35
has been replaced
with the social gospel,
00:49:15.38\00:49:17.19
when political
corruption is applauded,
00:49:17.22\00:49:19.59
supported, and
celebrated, Lord, have mercy.
00:49:19.62\00:49:22.72
Our church, all over the
world, at least in this nation,
00:49:22.76\00:49:27.76
has become so
politically inoculated
00:49:27.80\00:49:31.17
that it's getting to the place
00:49:31.20\00:49:32.57
where Adventists
are becoming of no value
00:49:32.60\00:49:35.57
because we talk more
about Donald Trump than Jesus.
00:49:35.60\00:49:41.38
There was the Obama-ites
when he was in office.
00:49:41.41\00:49:43.38
Now they have the Trump-ites.
00:49:43.41\00:49:44.75
The only trumpet that's your
sound is the gospel trumpet.
00:49:44.78\00:49:47.95
Stop taking sides
on the left and right
00:49:47.98\00:49:49.88
and take sides on the center.
00:49:49.92\00:49:52.52
We come to church and
talk about what he said
00:49:52.55\00:49:54.02
and what she didn't
say, and who's in trouble
00:49:54.06\00:49:55.39
and what's not in trouble.
00:49:55.42\00:49:56.76
We are in trouble.
00:49:56.79\00:49:58.43
Got to get back to the
gospel God has given us.
00:49:58.46\00:50:01.43
Darkness is
covering the inhabitants.
00:50:01.46\00:50:03.16
When we are more in
favor of human frailty
00:50:03.20\00:50:06.00
than divine
perfection, something's wrong.
00:50:06.03\00:50:09.87
That's what's
happening in our world today.
00:50:09.90\00:50:12.01
We get together
in our little pockets
00:50:12.04\00:50:13.38
and discuss what was
said, what wasn't said,
00:50:13.41\00:50:14.74
and who didn't and who what...
00:50:14.78\00:50:18.78
I need a drink.
00:50:18.81\00:50:23.59
And we forget that we have been
called to hold up the light.
00:50:23.62\00:50:30.39
And right in the midst of
our meandering in the maze
00:50:30.43\00:50:33.13
of mediocrity and pondering
at the pool of popularity
00:50:33.16\00:50:36.23
and negotiating at
the table of the enemy,
00:50:36.26\00:50:38.33
in the midst of
this chiasm of confusion,
00:50:38.37\00:50:41.94
Protestantism and Catholicism
is building the grand stage.
00:50:41.97\00:50:47.34
And Rome is
saying, "Come on home",
00:50:47.38\00:50:49.74
and the
daughters are coming home.
00:50:49.78\00:50:52.08
And when it's all said and done,
00:50:52.11\00:50:53.45
we'll be the only one
still holding up the light.
00:50:53.48\00:50:55.45
But that may not be true
00:50:55.48\00:50:56.82
if that's not the
case in your life.
00:50:56.85\00:51:01.49
Can the blind lead the blind?
00:51:01.52\00:51:03.39
Will they not
both fall into the pit?
00:51:03.43\00:51:07.50
Today, my
brothers and my sisters,
00:51:07.53\00:51:09.26
I'm gonna just narrow this
down so it won't be edited.
00:51:09.30\00:51:12.57
But I'm gonna say this,
we've got to find an answer
00:51:12.60\00:51:16.37
to the darkness
in human history.
00:51:16.40\00:51:18.17
We've got to find an
answer to the darkness
00:51:18.21\00:51:19.91
in this world
that's corrupt to the core.
00:51:19.94\00:51:22.54
You know when
people get to the place
00:51:22.58\00:51:25.91
where they hate
those that are good,
00:51:25.95\00:51:28.18
something is wrong.
00:51:28.22\00:51:30.79
The Bible says, it's
going to be so corrupt
00:51:30.82\00:51:32.55
that people are
going to be despisers
00:51:32.59\00:51:34.16
of those that are good.
00:51:34.19\00:51:36.56
"When the world begins to
despise those that are good,
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.06
darkness has
covered the inhabitants
00:51:39.09\00:51:41.63
and gross darkness
has covered the people."
00:51:41.66\00:51:44.77
And my challenge to you today,
00:51:44.80\00:51:47.24
in a world where
Jesus has been deleted,
00:51:47.27\00:51:49.90
where morality is now...
00:51:49.94\00:51:53.31
Where morality is denied
and immorality is celebrated,
00:51:53.34\00:51:57.65
in a world where even
amongst our own ranks,
00:51:57.68\00:52:00.12
darkness is becoming
more palatable than light.
00:52:00.15\00:52:03.62
When we're saying
that the everlasting gospel
00:52:03.65\00:52:06.45
is no longer
the relevant gospel.
00:52:06.49\00:52:09.26
When we're saying the
three angels' messages
00:52:09.29\00:52:11.33
must be abandoned
in favor of feeling
00:52:11.36\00:52:14.16
and emotion and experience.
00:52:14.20\00:52:17.50
God is saying, this is the
generation that I'm saying,
00:52:17.53\00:52:20.80
"Arise and shine,
for your light has come.
00:52:20.84\00:52:24.57
And the glory of the
Lord shall be risen upon you,
00:52:24.61\00:52:26.61
for behold darkness
will cover the inhabitants
00:52:26.64\00:52:29.14
and gross darkness the people."
00:52:29.18\00:52:31.38
But, thank God for the word but.
00:52:31.41\00:52:33.98
Come on, somebody?
00:52:34.02\00:52:35.35
But in this case the
Lord will rise over you
00:52:35.38\00:52:40.29
and His glory
will be seen on you.
00:52:40.32\00:52:43.26
Amen.
00:52:43.29\00:52:44.63
Let me ask you
the question today.
00:52:44.66\00:52:45.99
Here my appeal is to the point.
00:52:46.03\00:52:49.46
How many of you are
determined by God's grace,
00:52:49.50\00:52:53.10
that the glory of the
Lord will be seen on you?
00:52:53.13\00:52:57.81
Would you stand with me?
00:52:57.84\00:53:00.41
Would you stand with me?
00:53:00.44\00:53:03.14
This is the age of darkness
00:53:03.18\00:53:04.61
but somebody has
got to be in the light
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.52
and I love it, the
benefits of the light,
00:53:07.55\00:53:09.28
Jesus said, "If
you walk in the light
00:53:09.32\00:53:11.55
as He is in the light,
you will have fellowship
00:53:11.59\00:53:14.32
with one another and
the blood of Jesus Christ,
00:53:14.36\00:53:17.23
His Son, will
cleanse us from all sin."
00:53:17.26\00:53:22.43
You got to walk in the light.
00:53:22.46\00:53:24.33
There's another
dust storm coming
00:53:24.37\00:53:26.20
and it's going to be ferocious.
00:53:26.23\00:53:28.37
It's going to be ferocious,
just play softly for me.
00:53:28.40\00:53:31.27
I thought you
were already there.
00:53:31.31\00:53:32.64
It's going to be ferocious.
00:53:32.67\00:53:34.44
It ain't gonna be a
dust storm in the Midwest,
00:53:34.48\00:53:37.78
not in Texas, and
Oklahoma, and Kansas,
00:53:37.81\00:53:40.32
it's going to be a dust
storm that is planet size.
00:53:40.35\00:53:44.09
And it's coming.
00:53:44.12\00:53:45.85
It's coming but God
is saying to His people,
00:53:45.89\00:53:48.36
"While the dust is coming.
00:53:48.39\00:53:50.96
Run for cover in the
righteousness of Jesus."
00:53:50.99\00:53:55.50
Run for cover on the foundation
of His unshakable Word,
00:53:55.53\00:54:00.50
run for cover
under the angel's wings.
00:54:00.54\00:54:07.14
When there is going to be
destruction all around us,
00:54:07.18\00:54:10.45
somebody is going to
be in the secret place.
00:54:10.48\00:54:13.35
He that dwelleth
in the secret place
00:54:13.38\00:54:14.98
of the most High shall abide
00:54:15.02\00:54:16.45
under the
shadow of the Almighty.
00:54:16.48\00:54:18.49
And I will say of
the Lord, He is my refuge
00:54:18.52\00:54:20.22
and my fortress, my
God in him will I trust."
00:54:20.26\00:54:24.39
Today God is calling
somebody to the secret place,
00:54:24.43\00:54:27.13
where truth is love,
00:54:27.16\00:54:29.56
where unity among brothers
and sisters is celebrated,
00:54:29.60\00:54:32.97
where even our attitude
00:54:33.00\00:54:34.34
toward somebody
else has been abandoned
00:54:34.37\00:54:35.97
because we cannot
afford to misrepresent Jesus.
00:54:36.00\00:54:40.28
If there's somebody here today
00:54:40.31\00:54:41.64
that wants to
make that commitment,
00:54:41.68\00:54:43.01
let me make a point today
00:54:43.04\00:54:44.38
and the Lord is saying to
me, Pastor John, go further.
00:54:44.41\00:54:47.52
There may be somebody here today
00:54:47.55\00:54:48.88
that did not
ever give their lives
00:54:48.92\00:54:50.52
to the truth of God's Word.
00:54:50.55\00:54:52.09
You may not be, by profession
00:54:52.12\00:54:54.16
and by existence a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
00:54:54.19\00:54:57.89
But God is calling you
today to make your decision
00:54:57.93\00:54:59.89
and you're here.
00:54:59.93\00:55:03.00
And you want to
say, "Lord Jesus,
00:55:03.03\00:55:04.93
I see the dust storm coming.
00:55:04.97\00:55:08.50
And I want to be a part of those
00:55:08.54\00:55:13.07
that are going to be in
that rank of saved people."
00:55:13.11\00:55:17.08
If God is saying to you
today, my brother, my sister,
00:55:17.11\00:55:20.05
if the Lord is
saying to you today,
00:55:20.08\00:55:21.95
it's time for you to join
those who hold up the light,
00:55:21.98\00:55:27.22
and you're here today and you
know you need to be baptized.
00:55:27.26\00:55:32.19
Don't worry about the details,
00:55:32.23\00:55:34.16
the Lord will
work out the details.
00:55:34.20\00:55:35.93
But you know you
need to be baptized.
00:55:35.96\00:55:37.87
Don't think about
what you got to get right
00:55:37.90\00:55:39.57
because you can't
get it right first.
00:55:39.60\00:55:42.20
Don't worry about the details.
00:55:42.24\00:55:43.57
God is just simply saying,
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.11
"I want to know
where your heart is,
00:55:45.14\00:55:47.98
I want to know where you stand."
00:55:48.01\00:55:50.05
Not your circumstances
but where you stand?
00:55:50.08\00:55:53.45
Where you want to be when
all the cloud is all past?
00:55:53.48\00:55:57.09
Will you still stand there,
00:55:57.12\00:55:59.39
or will you be covered
with a 300 tons of darkness?
00:55:59.42\00:56:03.66
Will you be covered
00:56:03.69\00:56:05.03
by the
righteousness of Jesus Christ?
00:56:05.06\00:56:07.56
Is there somebody here today
00:56:07.60\00:56:08.93
that want to make that decision?
00:56:08.96\00:56:11.03
Is there somebody here
today that want to make that...
00:56:11.07\00:56:12.57
I'm looking around.
00:56:12.60\00:56:14.37
I know there's got
to be somebody here,
00:56:14.40\00:56:16.24
we can't all be perfect.
00:56:16.27\00:56:18.57
I don't believe
that to be the case.
00:56:18.61\00:56:19.97
I never knew we had a
perfect church before.
00:56:26.41\00:56:29.22
I never knew we had
everybody in Jesus already,
00:56:29.25\00:56:32.25
or maybe that's the case here.
00:56:32.29\00:56:36.12
But if the Lord is calling
you, make your call today.
00:56:36.16\00:56:41.16
The decision is
all He is looking for.
00:56:41.20\00:56:47.47
The storm is coming.
00:56:47.50\00:56:49.80
It's time to hold up the light.
00:56:49.84\00:56:56.64
Father in heaven.
00:56:56.68\00:57:02.05
You told us storm is coming.
00:57:02.08\00:57:04.42
I'm praying Lord that
You'll pour some warm water
00:57:09.16\00:57:11.09
in that cold tub,
00:57:11.13\00:57:16.23
that You might execrate
and rescue your children,
00:57:16.26\00:57:18.33
that you might pull them
00:57:18.37\00:57:19.70
out of what they've
become comfortable with,
00:57:19.73\00:57:22.90
that you might make
their comfort so uncomfortable,
00:57:22.94\00:57:28.94
that they'll cry out
for your deliverance,
00:57:28.98\00:57:33.05
that you'll make
their darkness so dark,
00:57:33.08\00:57:39.02
that from the depths of
their soul they'll scream
00:57:39.05\00:57:41.02
for the light to be
turned back on one more time.
00:57:41.06\00:57:45.66
Father, You've given us
the blessing of understanding
00:57:45.69\00:57:50.97
the truth as it is in
Your Word and as it is in You.
00:57:51.00\00:57:56.07
And in this age of
compromise and complacency
00:57:56.10\00:57:58.94
and where there are
coalitions being built
00:57:58.97\00:58:03.85
and where there is a drawing
to one side and to the other,
00:58:03.88\00:58:08.68
where there's a
polarization taking place.
00:58:08.72\00:58:11.72
Help us to stand and hold on
00:58:11.75\00:58:14.66
in the midst of this dust storm.
00:58:14.69\00:58:18.63
And we do pray, Lord Jesus,
00:58:18.66\00:58:22.06
that when the storm is over,
00:58:22.10\00:58:25.17
that You will call us to rise
00:58:25.20\00:58:28.97
above the plains of destruction.
00:58:29.00\00:58:31.94
That you will call us to
enter into the joy of our Lord
00:58:31.97\00:58:35.78
eternally,
perfectly, and permanently.
00:58:35.81\00:58:41.62
And that we will
look back on our lives
00:58:41.65\00:58:43.59
and at the moments of decision,
00:58:43.62\00:58:44.95
at the intersections of choosing
00:58:44.99\00:58:46.65
the darkness above the light,
00:58:46.69\00:58:48.62
at the intersection of choosing
the light above the darkness,
00:58:48.66\00:58:51.69
we will be able to look back
at that pivotal moment and say,
00:58:51.73\00:58:54.73
thank You Father
00:58:54.76\00:58:58.23
for holding up the light.
00:58:58.27\00:59:03.14
And so, Lord
Jesus, I thank You today
00:59:03.17\00:59:05.41
for Your light that
has never ever grown dim.
00:59:05.44\00:59:10.45
But may we now as lights
in this dark world as candles
00:59:10.48\00:59:16.69
that are out in the open.
00:59:16.72\00:59:18.82
May Jesus be seen,
reflected and revealed in us,
00:59:18.85\00:59:24.79
on us and through us,
00:59:24.83\00:59:28.76
in Jesus' name I pray.
00:59:28.80\00:59:32.40
And all of God's
children said amen.
00:59:32.43\00:59:35.90