Today we're going to
go on a different journey.
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I'd like you to
open your Bibles with me
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to Revelation 1.
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Revelation 1:7.
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Revelation 1:7,
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"Behold, He is
coming with clouds,
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and every eye will see Him,
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even those who pierced Him.
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And all the tribes of the earth
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will mourn because of Him.
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Even so, Amen.
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Let us pray.
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Father in heaven,
bless this message now
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for the glory of Your name.
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In Jesus' name I pray,
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amen.
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It was 1983, when my wife and I
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were living in Orlando, Florida,
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we decided to move down there
shortly after we got married.
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We moved down three
months after we were married.
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We got married in
May, June, July, August,
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found us in Orlando, Florida.
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Still finding out
more about the terrain,
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we decided to take a
short journey to Miami.
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And at the time I
still had my Toyota Corona,
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the station wagon
I've spoken so much about
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that had cancerous
fenders that were already
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rusted at the very base.
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And that car had
gone through many changes.
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But this particular day,
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we were on our
way to Miami, Florida.
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And I don't remember
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how far outside
of Orlando we were,
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but before us we saw
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the most frightening
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apparition
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if I could use that
word to describe what we saw.
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We saw the darkest clouds
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that up until that point
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I had ever remembered seeing.
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It looked as though
it was a wall of night
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waiting in front of us.
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Well, since we were going south,
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it was inevitable that we're
going to meet these clouds,
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and we met them head on,
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and when we
drove into these clouds
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we experienced the
rainstorm of our lives.
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It maybe rains like this
in Texas or maybe Florida,
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or sometimes we get them here.
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But this is the first time,
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I was ever in a rainstorm
where it was raining so hard
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that the rain
actually found a way
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in through closed windows,
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raining tenaciously.
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So hard that we decided to
pull over under an overpass
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just to wait until
the rain had stopped,
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where
motorcyclists had pulled over,
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it was so intense,
the clouds were so dark
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that I almost hit a
motorcyclist as I pulled over
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because the clouds
had barred my vision
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to that degree.
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But there was a
very amazing lesson
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that the Lord taught
me about those clouds,
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that heavy rain,
the dark ominous clouds
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that waited ahead of me
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is after we went
into those dark clouds
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which we could not see beyond
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and experience the
most tenacious rainstorm
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up until that point
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that I had ever
experienced with my wife
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is there was not a speck of dust
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on our vehicle.
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It looked as though it had
just come out of the showroom
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because anything
that was on that car
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was blasted away
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by the tenacity of the rain
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that was wrapped in
those dark ominous clouds.
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Have you ever been there before
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driving into an ominous
scene wondering what to expect.
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But coming through it
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with whatever you took into it
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cannot be found on that vehicle.
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When we pulled over eventually,
had stopped at a rest area,
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I looked at my vehicle,
and although at that time
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it had been very
old, it looked like
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it had just gone
through a brand new paint job,
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no dirt on the windshields,
no dirt to be found anywhere.
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The darkness of the clouds
had brought to us a rainstorm,
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but had cleansed everything
that we took into the clouds.
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And when I thought
about the sermon for today,
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the Lord has been
taking my wife and I
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on a very beautiful journey.
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So today, what
we're going to do is
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I'm going to invite you to go
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with us, with me on a journey
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where clouds are dominant.
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I'm going to
invite you to revisit
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the clouds of your past
so that you can discover...
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that in every cloud
you have ever faced,
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they were not only
ordained, and aloud,
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and permitted by God.
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But God used
those clouds to reveal,
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and to allow you to discover
that even in the clouds,
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God's greatest
blessings can be realized.
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But showers cannot come
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unless they are
preceded by clouds.
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And I'm going to say
to you today in many ways,
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in different tones,
and do various scenarios
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that the clouds of God
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are the precursor of
the blessings of God.
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And I'm sure that
every one of us in here today
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has had cloudy
moments in our lives
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where God had
seemed to be absent,
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where God seemed
to be contradictory,
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where it didn't make
sense as to why as His children
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He allows us to
go through the things
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that we have been
confronted with or faced with.
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But remember,
this is very important,
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showers don't
fall on cloudless days.
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They don't fall
on cloudless days.
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Showers don't
produce showers, clouds do.
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The meteorologists
call it precipitation.
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Have you heard the word before,
precipitation probability?
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And I try to educate
myself just recently, you know,
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we pastors like to sound
like we know what we're saying
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when in fact
we're just communicating
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somebody else's data or data,
where you're from data, data.
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But I was
listening to a meteorologist
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explain how rain is produced.
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And he says in
certain environments,
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he says, especially
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where large bodies of
water or water at all exist
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in something called
condensation the water rises
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and the clouds begin to
receive the rising water
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and because of the
temperature in the clouds
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being lower than the
temperature on the ground
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depending on the other
extenuating circumstances,
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the clouds begin to
turn the water colder,
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it begins to
crystallize the water.
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And if it's the
colder time of the year,
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it can crystallize it
so much so to the time
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that when it
returns it to the ground,
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it comes down in snowflakes.
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In those times of the year
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when storms
begin to be prevalent,
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it sometimes will send
it down in larger droplets
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as these smaller
droplets when they begin to fall
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from higher altitudes,
Cumulonimbus clouds...
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Do I sound educated?
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We call them thunderheads.
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That's why pilots when they fly,
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they go around the
thunderheads because many of us
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don't know that
in those thunderheads
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there can be
small crystals of ice,
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there can be golf ball size ice,
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tennis ball size
ice, or ice as large
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and as heavy as a bag of sugar.
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So pilots are very leery
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about going
through Cumulonimbus clouds
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especially in the storm.
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You've heard the phrase
downdrafts and updrafts,
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that's what happens.
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It's just waiting for us,
in the clouds ice is waiting.
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But on warm
days or tropical days
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because the surface is
warmer as those snowflakes fall
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even over St. Thomas
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in the Virgin
Islands, those snowflakes
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as they get close to the ground,
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they defrost and come down
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as showers of blessings.
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Here in the
Midwest, we've had both.
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We've had showers of blessings
and we've had those days
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where the
Cumulonimbus clouds produce
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what is called as
golf ball size hail.
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But showers never
come on cloudless days.
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And I've had to learn
that in a very real way
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because without
clouds the grass will wither,
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without clouds the
earth will suffer and die
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from thirst.
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Without clouds rivers
becomes parched and dry up.
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Without clouds
flowers bow their heads
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in defeat and the
harvest is delayed.
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And so today come
with me on this journey
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where clouds are dominant.
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Come with me today
as I introduce to you
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the beauty of the darkness
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and the ominous
nature of clouds.
00:10:00.16\00:10:03.50
And today I guarantee
you, when the sermon is over,
00:10:03.53\00:10:06.17
you gonna say, Father in heaven,
00:10:06.20\00:10:08.07
thank You for the
clouds 'cause I've learned
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.71
that God will never
send to His children
00:10:10.74\00:10:12.91
what they are not
by His loving hand
00:10:12.94\00:10:16.04
ready and willing to receive.
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Come with me to
the first attention
00:10:18.81\00:10:20.22
of clouds in Genesis 7:4
00:10:20.25\00:10:23.28
because it was through
clouds that rain introduced
00:10:23.32\00:10:25.89
God's judgment to our
world hardened by sin.
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We read the
record in Genesis 7:4.
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And I believe
it's on the screen,
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thank you for that.
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In antediluvian
environment, the Lord spelled
00:10:36.20\00:10:39.67
of the becoming judgments
00:10:39.70\00:10:41.04
and He says as Moses
recorded these words,
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"For after seven
more days," how many days?
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"Seven more days I will cause it
00:10:48.38\00:10:50.71
to rain on the earth
00:10:50.75\00:10:52.48
forty days and forty nights,
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and I will destroy
from the face of the earth
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all living things
that I have made."
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Now when the
clouds begin to gather,
00:11:04.63\00:11:07.63
to Noah and his family
00:11:07.66\00:11:09.13
the clouds were a confirmation
of the promises of God.
00:11:09.16\00:11:13.40
Did you hear what I just said?
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When the clouds began to gather,
00:11:15.14\00:11:17.01
they were a confirmation
that what Noah was preaching
00:11:17.04\00:11:21.81
was in fact the words
of God that we can lean on,
00:11:21.84\00:11:26.61
that we can trust in Noah,
00:11:26.65\00:11:28.98
when the clouds began to gather,
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there were two reactions.
00:11:31.49\00:11:33.09
Noah said, "Lord you are right."
00:11:33.12\00:11:38.49
And the evil antediluvians
came to the conclusion,
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"Lord you were right."
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I want the Lord's realization.
00:11:51.87\00:11:56.48
I want that realization
that the Lord is right
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to come to me
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as one on the
inside of God's blessings
00:12:01.78\00:12:04.79
not on the
outside of God's blessing.
00:12:04.82\00:12:07.56
Did you get what I'm saying?
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.12
When the clouds of
God's judgments come
00:12:09.16\00:12:12.19
and they are coming,
00:12:12.23\00:12:15.16
we must come to the realization
00:12:15.20\00:12:17.23
that clouds are a precursor
00:12:17.27\00:12:21.37
to the promises of God.
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.54
Say that with me
clouds are a what?
00:12:23.57\00:12:26.54
Precursor to
the promises of God.
00:12:26.57\00:12:29.74
When those clouds
came and brought with them
00:12:29.78\00:12:32.85
40 days worth of rain,
00:12:32.88\00:12:36.22
Noah knew
00:12:36.25\00:12:39.85
that preaching the Word of God,
00:12:39.89\00:12:41.82
he had done it faithfully,
and God was affirming
00:12:41.86\00:12:44.59
Noah's faithfulness
by bringing the rain.
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.63
Noah got to the place,
"Lord, send the rain, "
00:12:47.66\00:12:50.70
and God sent the rain.
00:12:50.73\00:12:52.67
It was showers of blessing
to those who trusted God.
00:12:52.70\00:12:57.01
It was showers of the judgment,
doom to an obstinate world.
00:12:57.04\00:13:01.91
A confirmation to Noah
00:13:01.94\00:13:04.21
of the validity
of God's promises.
00:13:04.25\00:13:06.35
Today, clouds are a precursor
00:13:06.38\00:13:09.72
to the promises of God.
00:13:09.75\00:13:12.09
You see when we live
by the promises of God,
00:13:12.12\00:13:15.32
our reaction to
clouds that gather
00:13:15.36\00:13:18.89
ought to be different
00:13:18.93\00:13:21.36
than the one that
does not know God.
00:13:21.40\00:13:24.23
I want to say that again.
00:13:24.27\00:13:26.57
When things come into our
lives that we cannot understand
00:13:26.60\00:13:31.74
because we have a
connection with God,
00:13:31.77\00:13:33.94
there should be a
different reaction in us
00:13:33.98\00:13:37.05
than the person that doesn't
have a connection with God.
00:13:37.08\00:13:40.65
You know that very statement
has allowed me recently
00:13:40.68\00:13:43.35
to understand
that I no longer...
00:13:43.39\00:13:47.56
And you might get there with me,
00:13:47.59\00:13:48.92
that I no longer crave
00:13:48.96\00:13:50.99
the lifestyle of
the rich and famous.
00:13:51.03\00:13:53.36
'Cause I listen to their junk.
00:13:56.73\00:13:59.83
And I say this, you know,
00:13:59.87\00:14:03.47
killing
themselves at 49 years old,
00:14:03.51\00:14:06.31
overdosing on drugs,
00:14:06.34\00:14:08.34
in the hospital
and they are atheists
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.01
and they have nobody to call on.
00:14:10.05\00:14:11.65
The worst position to
be in is to be an atheist
00:14:11.68\00:14:16.69
when you're on your deathbed.
00:14:16.72\00:14:18.12
Can I get an amen?
00:14:18.15\00:14:19.49
You've got nobody to
call, nobody to say help me,
00:14:19.52\00:14:23.83
nobody to turn to.
00:14:23.86\00:14:26.19
And I've seen in
such a clear and stark way
00:14:26.23\00:14:28.86
those who are surrounded...
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.27
That's why Asaph,
00:14:30.30\00:14:31.77
the Lord had to
send Asaph a letter
00:14:31.80\00:14:34.04
in the 73rd
division of the Psalms,
00:14:34.07\00:14:36.64
He had to send Asaph
the letter to clear up
00:14:36.67\00:14:39.21
Asaph's misunderstanding of God.
00:14:39.24\00:14:41.64
Asaph thought he
served God for no reason
00:14:41.68\00:14:44.41
because the clouds
that came into his life,
00:14:44.45\00:14:46.72
it was not until he stepped
into the sanctuary of God
00:14:46.75\00:14:49.88
that he
understood the end of those
00:14:49.92\00:14:52.15
that seem to have enough
to buy their way to heaven.
00:14:52.19\00:14:54.99
But I say today, I'm so glad,
00:14:55.02\00:14:57.09
I rather go
through clouds with God
00:14:57.13\00:15:01.53
than be caught in
a storm without it.
00:15:01.56\00:15:05.13
There's so many
wealthy people and we get,
00:15:05.17\00:15:07.70
we kind of sometimes
get inoculated by the draw
00:15:07.74\00:15:12.01
of how much money they have
00:15:12.04\00:15:15.54
and what kind of car...
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.08
Now you know, I wouldn't hurt...
00:15:17.11\00:15:20.05
I mean I wouldn't lose
sleep, if I woke up tomorrow
00:15:20.08\00:15:23.15
and there was a
Lamborghini in my driveway.
00:15:23.18\00:15:24.65
I mean I wouldn't lose sleep.
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.69
I probably would be
able to afford the insurance
00:15:26.72\00:15:28.59
and return it
for that very reason.
00:15:28.62\00:15:32.06
God is not a God
who cannot bless us.
00:15:32.09\00:15:35.90
But I'd rather
have little in this life
00:15:35.93\00:15:38.93
and look forward to everything
than have all that I can desire
00:15:38.97\00:15:44.44
in this corrupt world
00:15:44.47\00:15:45.81
and miss out on what is to come.
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.74
And so sometimes God has
to bring the clouds to us
00:15:48.78\00:15:52.98
so that when we
get into the valley,
00:15:53.01\00:15:54.88
we can remember
00:15:54.92\00:15:56.25
that it's not the
phone call you make,
00:15:56.28\00:15:57.62
it's not the friends you have,
it's not your bank account,
00:15:57.65\00:16:00.29
but it is you and God.
00:16:00.32\00:16:01.96
That's why the
Psalmist David said,
00:16:01.99\00:16:04.03
"Yea, though I
walk through the valley
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.00
of the shadows of
death," what else did he say?
00:16:07.03\00:16:10.37
"I will fear no evil," why?
00:16:10.40\00:16:12.47
Not because of my bank account,
but because You are with me.
00:16:12.50\00:16:17.94
And I've learned,
00:16:17.97\00:16:19.31
I'm getting old
and I can say that,
00:16:19.34\00:16:21.18
I just had a birthday.
00:16:21.21\00:16:23.35
I hit a number.
00:16:23.38\00:16:26.08
That's all I'm telling you.
00:16:26.11\00:16:27.45
I hit a number.
00:16:30.02\00:16:32.22
I didn't play the
numbers, it just showed up.
00:16:32.25\00:16:35.22
And I said there
it is I embraced it.
00:16:35.26\00:16:38.73
JD, I embraced it.
00:16:38.76\00:16:40.96
I now know what it feels
like to be another number.
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.47
So I'm not saying.
00:16:46.17\00:16:49.04
I'm not saying
what the number is.
00:16:49.07\00:16:52.07
But I'm learning that it's okay
to add another number to life
00:16:52.11\00:16:57.91
'cause God has taken my
wife and me through cloud
00:16:57.95\00:17:01.82
after cloud, after
cloud, after cloud.
00:17:01.85\00:17:06.19
Can I get an amen?
00:17:06.22\00:17:07.76
Has He taken you through clouds?
00:17:07.79\00:17:10.03
And you come out
on the other side
00:17:10.06\00:17:11.39
and you wonder how
because in the clouds,
00:17:11.43\00:17:14.26
He says, don't fear
any evil, for I'm with you.
00:17:14.30\00:17:18.53
My rod and my
staff, rod and staff,
00:17:18.57\00:17:21.94
rod to keep the devil as
far away from us as He can
00:17:21.97\00:17:26.41
and staff to keep
us from running away.
00:17:26.44\00:17:29.38
Thy rod and thy staff...
00:17:29.41\00:17:30.85
they come for me.
00:17:33.65\00:17:36.12
Had to learn
that in the hard way.
00:17:36.15\00:17:38.75
You see one of the most
beautiful promises of God
00:17:38.79\00:17:41.59
was also ratified on
the heels of the destruction
00:17:41.62\00:17:45.63
of the antediluvian world.
00:17:45.66\00:17:47.20
Let's look at some more clouds.
00:17:47.23\00:17:48.66
Genesis 9, look
at me to verse 12-15,
00:17:48.70\00:17:51.87
the most
beautiful promises of God.
00:17:51.90\00:17:53.74
We think of God's promises,
00:17:53.77\00:17:55.34
we wake up on a beautiful
bright blue day and we say,
00:17:55.37\00:17:59.64
"God is on the throne."
00:17:59.67\00:18:01.14
And when the clouds
are gathering, we say,
00:18:01.18\00:18:03.68
"Where is God?"
00:18:03.71\00:18:05.21
While I want to let you know
as you turn to Genesis 9:12-15,
00:18:05.25\00:18:09.02
I want you to know
00:18:09.05\00:18:10.99
that when Jesus
was on the cross,
00:18:11.02\00:18:13.36
the reason why
there was darkness
00:18:13.39\00:18:15.22
on Mount Calvary,
00:18:15.26\00:18:17.49
the reason why
there was darkness
00:18:17.53\00:18:18.96
on the hill called Golgotha
00:18:18.99\00:18:20.83
is because the
Father was closer to His Son
00:18:20.86\00:18:23.40
than ever before
00:18:23.43\00:18:26.30
and His visitation had
to be introduced by clouds
00:18:26.33\00:18:30.31
or He would have
consumed everyone
00:18:30.34\00:18:33.51
on that mountain by His glory.
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.31
So clouds are a precursor
to the promises of God.
00:18:36.34\00:18:39.75
Look at Genesis 9:12-15.
00:18:39.78\00:18:42.18
"This is the
sign of the covenant
00:18:42.22\00:18:43.95
which I make
between Me and you."
00:18:43.99\00:18:47.29
Remember, the
clouds are a covenant,
00:18:47.32\00:18:49.79
in the clouds God's
covenant is revealed.
00:18:49.82\00:18:52.73
And he says, "And
every living creature
00:18:52.76\00:18:54.73
that is with you, for a" what?
00:18:54.76\00:18:57.80
"Perpetual generations.
00:18:57.83\00:18:59.97
I set my rainbow,
together, in the cloud,
00:19:00.00\00:19:04.11
and it shall be for
the sign of the covenant
00:19:04.14\00:19:06.44
between Me and the earth.
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.48
It shall be..."
00:19:08.51\00:19:10.25
Come on, here we go now.
00:19:10.28\00:19:11.61
"When I bring a
cloud over the earth,
00:19:11.65\00:19:16.08
that the rainbow
shall be seen in the cloud,
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.72
and I will remember my covenant
which is between Me and you
00:19:19.75\00:19:22.99
and every living
creature of all flesh,
00:19:23.02\00:19:25.46
the waters shall
never again become a flood
00:19:25.49\00:19:29.33
to destroy all flesh."
00:19:29.36\00:19:31.37
Amen?
00:19:31.40\00:19:32.73
Now here's the blessing.
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.24
We love rainbows,
00:19:34.27\00:19:35.60
but rainbows don't
come without clouds.
00:19:35.64\00:19:40.88
No clouds, no rain.
00:19:40.91\00:19:43.04
No rain, no rainbows.
00:19:43.08\00:19:44.95
No rainbows, no reminder
00:19:44.98\00:19:48.98
that God will
never destroy the earth
00:19:49.02\00:19:52.35
by a flood again.
00:19:52.39\00:19:54.42
So that when we forget
God's promises here it is my...
00:19:54.46\00:19:57.43
When we forget God's
promises, God sends the clouds.
00:19:57.46\00:20:02.96
I was thinking, would you want
to get some clouds this week.
00:20:08.87\00:20:12.57
You say amen today.
00:20:12.61\00:20:14.28
Say amen on Monday.
00:20:14.31\00:20:16.08
Say amen on Thursday.
00:20:16.11\00:20:18.18
Say amen when your
paycheck don't get deposited
00:20:18.21\00:20:20.38
when you want it to be set.
00:20:20.42\00:20:22.62
Say amen when
your car breaks down
00:20:22.65\00:20:25.15
two miles short of
your destination, clouds.
00:20:25.19\00:20:29.69
I'm convinced that some of
us won't even have a prayer life
00:20:29.72\00:20:34.70
unless God send some clouds.
00:20:34.73\00:20:36.70
I'm convinced that
unless our children
00:20:39.63\00:20:42.84
mess up over and over again,
00:20:42.87\00:20:46.01
we won't understand where
in the house our Bible is,
00:20:46.04\00:20:49.94
clouds.
00:20:49.98\00:20:53.01
I'm convinced
that this new number...
00:20:53.05\00:20:57.05
That God...
00:21:02.99\00:21:04.33
is the best
00:21:07.00\00:21:10.30
evaluator of where I am
00:21:10.33\00:21:14.77
and what I need to get me
back to where I need to be.
00:21:14.80\00:21:20.74
He says, "Is Pam on track?"
00:21:20.78\00:21:25.71
Nah, see some clouds.
00:21:25.75\00:21:29.38
So he sent some
clouds and Pam says,
00:21:29.42\00:21:32.45
"Mike, I'm going
to church with you."
00:21:32.49\00:21:34.96
Amen. I'm messing with Pam.
00:21:34.99\00:21:38.79
When God knows that we
are not where we need to be.
00:21:38.83\00:21:44.50
Hear me today,
00:21:44.53\00:21:45.97
He's going to
send you some clouds
00:21:46.00\00:21:51.37
because there's a profound truth
00:21:51.41\00:21:52.74
about God that many
have not yet learned.
00:21:52.77\00:21:57.65
Let's go to one of
your favorite books Nahum,
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.52
if you could find it.
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.95
Come with me to Nahum.
00:22:02.98\00:22:05.72
Nahum 1:3, I'm just going
to read the last part of Nahum.
00:22:05.75\00:22:08.89
It's amazing how
God shows himself,
00:22:08.92\00:22:12.49
just the last part.
00:22:12.53\00:22:13.86
I'm going to read
just the last part.
00:22:13.90\00:22:15.73
It said, "The Lord is slow
to anger and great in" what?
00:22:15.76\00:22:19.33
"Power.
00:22:19.37\00:22:20.74
And will not at
all acquit the wicked.
00:22:20.77\00:22:24.44
The Lord has his way
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.91
in the whirlwind
and in the storm..."
00:22:26.94\00:22:29.31
And look at the last
part, this will blow you away.
00:22:29.34\00:22:32.01
"The clouds are
the dust of His feet."
00:22:32.05\00:22:37.85
So if your life gets dusty...
00:22:37.89\00:22:40.46
If there are
clouds in your life,
00:22:43.29\00:22:47.46
God's in your neighborhood.
00:22:47.50\00:22:48.83
Come on, help me out somebody.
00:22:48.86\00:22:51.30
If there are
clouds in your life,
00:22:51.33\00:22:52.83
the Lord is saying, "I
got to go visit Luis again.
00:22:52.87\00:22:57.01
Got to go see Jenny again."
00:22:57.04\00:23:00.78
Isn't that powerful?
00:23:00.81\00:23:02.94
The clouds are
the dust of His feet.
00:23:02.98\00:23:05.81
I mean, you've seen people
00:23:05.85\00:23:07.18
with these tractors around here,
00:23:07.22\00:23:08.78
the reason why I know
some of the farmers at work
00:23:08.82\00:23:11.59
is I see what?
00:23:11.62\00:23:13.19
Dust clouds.
00:23:13.22\00:23:15.39
When God is at
work, don't forget this.
00:23:15.42\00:23:18.93
When God is at work,
clouds follow the track
00:23:18.96\00:23:24.47
that God makes on
His way to our situation,
00:23:24.50\00:23:30.14
clouds.
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.34
Secondly, clouds
are an indication
00:23:32.37\00:23:35.28
of the presence of God.
00:23:35.31\00:23:37.21
So don't be upset
when the clouds come
00:23:37.25\00:23:39.15
because it means God
is walking where you are,
00:23:39.18\00:23:42.12
so that you can see.
00:23:42.15\00:23:43.49
if God wasn't
walking where you are,
00:23:43.52\00:23:45.69
then you wouldn't see the clouds
00:23:45.72\00:23:47.09
which are in fact
just the dust of His feet.
00:23:47.12\00:23:51.79
Secondly, clouds
are an indication
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.40
of the presence of God.
00:23:53.43\00:23:54.76
Exodus 33:9 and 10.
00:23:54.80\00:23:56.60
Exodus 33:9 and 10.
00:23:56.63\00:24:01.14
Clouds are an indication
of the presence of God.
00:24:01.17\00:24:03.77
Verse 9 says,
"And it came to pass
00:24:03.81\00:24:05.64
when Moses enter the tabernacle
00:24:05.67\00:24:08.58
that the pillar
of cloud descended,
00:24:08.61\00:24:11.81
and stood at the
door of the tabernacle,
00:24:11.85\00:24:14.52
and the Lord talked with
Moses, and all the people
00:24:14.55\00:24:18.02
saw the pillar of clouds,
00:24:18.05\00:24:20.92
saw the pillar of cloud standing
00:24:20.96\00:24:22.89
at the tabernacle door..."
00:24:22.92\00:24:24.86
And what did they see
when they saw the cloud?
00:24:24.89\00:24:27.76
"And all the people
rose and worship each man
00:24:27.80\00:24:31.37
in his tent."
00:24:31.40\00:24:34.04
This is powerful.
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.57
If the cloud didn't show up,
00:24:40.48\00:24:44.35
the people wouldn't
rise up and worship.
00:24:44.38\00:24:47.28
Which means when God knows
that you're worshiping Him...
00:24:52.52\00:24:58.43
He's going to send you a cloud.
00:25:02.36\00:25:04.27
Some of us don't
like to worship God.
00:25:09.64\00:25:14.18
So God's got to come to
you in a pillar of a cloud
00:25:14.21\00:25:19.81
in our suffering,
and our disappointments,
00:25:19.85\00:25:21.38
and our trials,
and tribulations.
00:25:21.42\00:25:23.25
God's got to manifest a call.
00:25:23.28\00:25:24.85
When they saw the cloud,
if you follow this carefully,
00:25:24.89\00:25:28.56
it's the Shekinah Glory.
00:25:28.59\00:25:30.16
What is it I said it again?
00:25:30.19\00:25:32.56
The Shekinah Glory,
00:25:32.59\00:25:33.93
the clouds that
come into your life
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.73
is the presence of
God coming to us saying,
00:25:37.77\00:25:40.70
my brother, my sister,
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.60
you're not shipping
Me the way you ought to,
00:25:42.64\00:25:44.84
so I've got to
bring clouds in your life
00:25:44.87\00:25:47.78
to get you to
rise up and worship Me.
00:25:47.81\00:25:52.41
And I'm going to tell
you in my own experience,
00:25:52.45\00:25:53.98
I don't know about you,
00:25:54.02\00:25:55.62
and it's not
necessary that I do.
00:25:55.65\00:25:57.99
But I'm going to tell you
the sweetest Bible studies
00:25:58.02\00:26:01.16
that I've had, my wife and me
00:26:01.19\00:26:03.73
have been when the
deepest and darkest clouds
00:26:03.76\00:26:05.79
have been in our lives.
00:26:05.83\00:26:07.16
Right, Tita?
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.87
When you don't even
want to pick up the phone
00:26:11.90\00:26:13.34
and call anybody,
00:26:13.37\00:26:16.10
because you don't know
who's going to understand
00:26:16.14\00:26:17.67
what you're going through.
00:26:17.71\00:26:19.17
It's those
moments where God said,
00:26:19.21\00:26:20.81
"Hey, forget the phone,
00:26:20.84\00:26:22.54
let's worship, let's
worship, let's worship."
00:26:22.58\00:26:27.78
So he comes to us in clouds,
00:26:27.82\00:26:30.85
but the clouds
have a dual purpose.
00:26:30.89\00:26:33.25
Let's go to Exodus 14:9 and 10.
00:26:33.29\00:26:36.49
The clouds have a dual purpose.
00:26:36.52\00:26:39.29
You see God uses clouds
to bring us to the place
00:26:39.33\00:26:42.40
where we worship Him.
00:26:42.43\00:26:44.93
So when there are clouds
in your life, don't forget it,
00:26:44.97\00:26:48.20
as you turn to Exodus,
00:26:48.24\00:26:49.57
when there are
clouds in your life
00:26:49.60\00:26:51.47
nothing matters more
than your special private time
00:26:51.51\00:26:56.24
where you are in
worship with God.
00:26:56.28\00:26:59.78
Are you listening?
00:26:59.81\00:27:01.22
Amen.
00:27:01.25\00:27:02.58
When the clouds
come, it's time to worship,
00:27:02.62\00:27:05.12
nothing will remedy
that moment, but worship.
00:27:05.15\00:27:07.92
And if God sees you
haven't understood it,
00:27:07.96\00:27:10.96
get this, God doesn't
want to teach you anything,
00:27:10.99\00:27:15.46
He wants you to
unlearn something.
00:27:15.50\00:27:19.00
We think, what God,
00:27:19.03\00:27:20.37
what's God's trying to teach me.
00:27:20.40\00:27:21.74
No, He's trying to get
you to unlearn something
00:27:21.77\00:27:23.17
because you've been
trying to find God other places,
00:27:23.20\00:27:25.21
you've been trying to find God
00:27:25.24\00:27:26.57
in the balance bank
account, and a good working car,
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.41
and a wonderful
family, and a nice secured job.
00:27:28.44\00:27:30.85
But God is saying,
no, you're too snug,
00:27:30.88\00:27:32.65
you're too snug and
you do not worship me.
00:27:32.68\00:27:34.78
You see when success
is pouring into our lives,
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.49
when everything is working
00:27:37.52\00:27:38.85
when the cylinders
are hitting all together
00:27:38.89\00:27:40.56
and the car is brand new,
00:27:40.59\00:27:41.92
we don't find our need.
00:27:41.96\00:27:43.86
That's why Asaph said,
00:27:43.89\00:27:45.23
"Lord, they have more
than their eyes can wish
00:27:45.26\00:27:48.26
that even in their
death there is abundance, "
00:27:48.30\00:27:51.30
speaking about the
wealthy, speaking about those
00:27:51.33\00:27:53.20
that have all these things.
00:27:53.23\00:27:54.57
That's why when we
travel around the world,
00:27:54.60\00:27:56.40
this is context to our travel.
00:27:56.44\00:27:58.27
When we travel,
we go to New Guinea
00:27:58.31\00:28:02.38
where they don't
have two outfits,
00:28:02.41\00:28:05.35
but when they sing,
you got to come tonight,
00:28:05.38\00:28:08.62
but when they sing,
they didn't come to church
00:28:08.65\00:28:10.89
in a brand new car,
00:28:10.92\00:28:12.25
they walked six miles
with the peer sandals.
00:28:12.29\00:28:16.09
One day we were in India
and the Hindu women heard
00:28:16.12\00:28:20.50
that a Christian
pastor was there,
00:28:20.53\00:28:23.16
they told me I
was blown away by it.
00:28:23.20\00:28:25.53
They said, the Hindu women
00:28:25.57\00:28:27.20
started walking
from 1 o'clock today
00:28:27.24\00:28:29.97
to get here at 7
o'clock in the evening
00:28:30.01\00:28:31.74
because they heard a
Christian man was here
00:28:31.77\00:28:34.68
and they came to
hear about Jesus.
00:28:34.71\00:28:38.28
They walked for six hours.
00:28:38.31\00:28:42.78
But those of us who
could drive to church
00:28:42.82\00:28:44.52
don't even drive to church.
00:28:44.55\00:28:48.86
I'm not telling
you to drive to church.
00:28:48.89\00:28:50.23
If you don't want
to drive to church,
00:28:50.26\00:28:51.59
you don't have
to drive to church.
00:28:51.63\00:28:52.96
You can walk, if you don't want
to walk you could stay home.
00:28:52.99\00:28:54.80
But I'm telling you
00:28:54.83\00:28:56.16
where abundances are lacking,
00:28:56.20\00:28:59.47
worship is abundant.
00:28:59.50\00:29:00.84
Come on, say amen.
00:29:00.87\00:29:02.20
You've got to
travel to understand that.
00:29:02.24\00:29:04.17
We went to New Guinea.
00:29:04.21\00:29:07.81
One day when we were
walking into the place,
00:29:07.84\00:29:11.11
when we were walking
in, they're sitting down...
00:29:11.15\00:29:15.05
Excuse me for being kind
of hard on the camera guy,
00:29:15.08\00:29:17.29
they are sitting down like
this and somebody starts singing
00:29:17.32\00:29:19.85
To God, nobody
up front leading us,
00:29:19.89\00:29:23.29
to God be the Glory.
00:29:23.32\00:29:25.79
And like a barrel that has
00:29:25.83\00:29:28.30
just exploded
00:29:28.33\00:29:29.76
with praise gas,
00:29:29.80\00:29:33.80
everybody just starts singing
and you walk into a tent,
00:29:33.84\00:29:37.51
you're walking
through a cloud of praise
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.78
as you get to the front.
00:29:40.81\00:29:43.21
They're singing,
they're not singing
00:29:43.24\00:29:44.95
because somebody is
telling them to sing,
00:29:44.98\00:29:47.12
they're singing
because God is near to them.
00:29:47.15\00:29:50.72
And they sit there
in reverence singing.
00:29:50.75\00:29:55.22
And when they sing, they sing.
00:29:55.26\00:29:57.56
And when you talk to them
00:30:00.76\00:30:02.46
as I talk to some
of these students.
00:30:02.50\00:30:05.10
Two students
came to me and said,
00:30:05.13\00:30:07.34
"Pastor, what do we
do, we have a hard time
00:30:07.37\00:30:09.47
staying awake
through your classes
00:30:09.50\00:30:13.27
and where we live
is a long way away
00:30:13.31\00:30:14.84
and the people that house us
00:30:14.88\00:30:17.01
they sometimes they
don't feed us breakfast."
00:30:17.05\00:30:20.45
And I said,
"Well, do you eat lunch?
00:30:20.48\00:30:21.98
They said, "No."
00:30:22.02\00:30:24.89
I said, "Then when do
you eat your first meal?"
00:30:24.92\00:30:26.45
They said, "About 7 or
8 o'clock in the evening."
00:30:26.49\00:30:28.99
I said, "No wonder
you can't stay awake
00:30:29.02\00:30:30.39
in your classes."
00:30:30.43\00:30:31.83
And Lord impressed me
00:30:31.86\00:30:33.19
take the money
out of your pocket,
00:30:33.23\00:30:34.86
make sure they're eating.
00:30:34.90\00:30:36.73
And I took the
money out of my purse,
00:30:36.77\00:30:38.10
you gonna eat today
and they were so desirous,
00:30:38.13\00:30:41.84
they found four other students,
and took them all to lunch,
00:30:41.87\00:30:46.41
and they all ate.
00:30:46.44\00:30:47.94
They didn't have much,
00:30:47.98\00:30:49.71
they didn't have
anything to be specific.
00:30:49.74\00:30:51.68
And I went back to
the room and told my wife.
00:30:54.32\00:30:57.69
She said, "No, no, no, no,
we've got to bless them more.
00:30:57.72\00:31:00.76
What do you have?
How much you have?"
00:31:00.79\00:31:02.56
I said, "Here." She
said, "No, no, more."
00:31:02.59\00:31:05.66
She said, "How
we're going to find them?
00:31:05.69\00:31:07.03
I don't know but
they're on the campus somewhere.
00:31:07.06\00:31:09.06
God sets appointments.
00:31:09.10\00:31:10.90
We walked out of our place
00:31:10.93\00:31:13.70
that we're staying
there in New Guinea.
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.27
And as we walked out there
were the two ladies walking by
00:31:15.30\00:31:18.17
not too far away,
an appointment of God.
00:31:18.21\00:31:20.51
Amen somebody.
00:31:20.54\00:31:22.14
And when we put
that money on their head,
00:31:22.18\00:31:24.18
they don't know how to
react, but you know what?
00:31:24.21\00:31:26.88
God said to us
00:31:26.92\00:31:29.12
when people are
in their own cloud
00:31:29.15\00:31:32.45
and we can lighten their burden,
00:31:32.49\00:31:34.39
let us come to them
with the blessings of God
00:31:34.42\00:31:37.93
letting them see
that if God can bless us,
00:31:37.96\00:31:40.63
we ought to be willing to bless
somebody else in New Guinea,
00:31:40.66\00:31:46.30
in places in the Pacific,
in the islands where praise is
00:31:46.33\00:31:50.71
most abundant is where
00:31:50.74\00:31:52.71
materials are most scarce.
00:31:52.74\00:31:57.38
But it said, in the
places where materialism
00:31:57.41\00:31:59.45
is most abundant
that praise is scarce
00:31:59.48\00:32:03.92
'cause we are distracted.
00:32:03.95\00:32:07.22
The clouds have a dual purpose.
00:32:07.26\00:32:10.16
Exodus 14:19 and 20,
00:32:10.19\00:32:13.23
"And the angel of God
went before the camp of Israel
00:32:13.26\00:32:15.56
moved and went behind them,
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.30
the angel that went before
moved and went behind them,
00:32:17.33\00:32:20.00
and a pillar of
cloud went from before them
00:32:20.04\00:32:22.90
and stood behind them,
00:32:22.94\00:32:24.37
the cloud moved from before them
00:32:24.41\00:32:26.41
and went behind them.
00:32:26.44\00:32:27.78
Look at the dual
purpose of the clouds.
00:32:27.81\00:32:30.15
Verse 20, "So it came between
the camp of the Egyptians
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.81
and the camp of Israel,
00:32:32.85\00:32:34.18
the cloud
separated the Egyptians
00:32:34.22\00:32:35.98
from the Israelites.
00:32:36.02\00:32:37.49
Thus it was a
cloud of darkness to one
00:32:37.52\00:32:42.09
and it gave light
by night to the other.
00:32:42.12\00:32:44.89
So that the one did not come
near the other all that night."
00:32:44.93\00:32:49.06
The clouds that were darkness
to the enemies was light
00:32:49.10\00:32:52.73
to the children of God.
00:32:52.77\00:32:54.10
Can somebody say amen?
00:32:54.14\00:32:55.47
Now here's a reason
I asked for an amen.
00:32:55.50\00:32:56.91
Your clouds, you ought to react
differently as a child of God
00:32:56.94\00:33:01.08
to clouds than the nonbeliever.
00:33:01.11\00:33:05.68
I don't know how many
times I hear people complain
00:33:05.71\00:33:07.68
and this is perfect timing
00:33:07.72\00:33:09.08
because the
school year is starting,
00:33:09.12\00:33:10.55
and some of you are
going to have more check book
00:33:10.59\00:33:13.09
than you gonna have money.
00:33:13.12\00:33:16.66
But if God open the
door for your children
00:33:16.69\00:33:18.56
to go to a school,
the Lord will provide,
00:33:18.59\00:33:24.90
the Lord will provide,
00:33:24.93\00:33:28.20
but don't forget to be faithful,
00:33:28.24\00:33:30.54
and I'm
convinced that in eternity
00:33:30.57\00:33:32.37
when the rest of
the story is revealed,
00:33:32.41\00:33:34.84
God will disclose to us
00:33:34.88\00:33:37.61
that when clouds
appeared in our lives,
00:33:37.65\00:33:41.12
they were not necessarily
a sign of God's disapproval,
00:33:41.15\00:33:45.15
but a sign of
God's protective care.
00:33:45.19\00:33:50.53
We think of clouds...
00:33:50.56\00:33:51.89
Oh, it's cloudy outside,
we don't want to do anything,
00:33:51.93\00:33:54.10
but God would
say, wait a minute,
00:33:54.13\00:33:55.60
I'm offended by that.
00:33:55.63\00:33:56.97
I'm in your neighborhood
00:33:57.00\00:33:58.33
and you don't want to go outside
00:33:58.37\00:33:59.70
because clouds are
the dust of His feet.
00:33:59.73\00:34:03.54
He came to visit us.
00:34:03.57\00:34:05.07
God will never
visit us without clouds
00:34:05.11\00:34:08.58
because we couldn't handle it.
00:34:08.61\00:34:11.11
I tell you why in a moment.
00:34:11.15\00:34:13.15
When God frees us, He
inserts a cloud between us
00:34:13.18\00:34:16.38
and our adversary.
00:34:16.42\00:34:18.19
I say that again
because you didn't catch it.
00:34:18.22\00:34:20.16
When God frees us, He
inserts a cloud between us
00:34:20.19\00:34:24.59
and our adversary.
00:34:24.63\00:34:26.80
The cloud in our
lives are intended
00:34:26.83\00:34:30.53
to trouble the enemy,
but not to trouble us.
00:34:30.57\00:34:34.50
Look at Exodus 14:24.
00:34:34.54\00:34:39.41
Why am I
preaching the sermon to you,
00:34:39.44\00:34:41.28
because I'm telling
us as children of God,
00:34:41.31\00:34:43.65
stop allowing the clouds
that God allows to trouble us,
00:34:43.68\00:34:48.02
they should strengthen us.
00:34:48.05\00:34:49.42
Look at the reason why.
00:34:49.45\00:34:51.19
Verse 24,
00:34:51.22\00:34:52.85
"Now it came to
pass in the morning watch
00:34:52.89\00:34:55.86
that the Lord looked down
upon the army of the Egyptians
00:34:55.89\00:34:59.06
through the pillar of
fire and cloud, and get this,
00:34:59.09\00:35:02.46
and he troubled the
army of the Egyptians."
00:35:02.50\00:35:05.37
He didn't trouble
the children of Israel,
00:35:05.40\00:35:07.97
He troubled the
army of the Egyptians.
00:35:08.00\00:35:10.41
The clouds were
trouble to the Egyptians,
00:35:10.44\00:35:12.87
not to the children of Israel.
00:35:12.91\00:35:16.88
How are you going to react
this week when clouds come?
00:35:16.91\00:35:19.31
But don't forget,
God cannot come to us
00:35:24.22\00:35:26.45
except through clouds.
00:35:26.49\00:35:28.39
If He comes to us
through any other method,
00:35:28.42\00:35:31.89
we will cease to exist
because the Bible says,
00:35:31.93\00:35:35.03
"Our God is a
consuming" what? "Fire."
00:35:35.06\00:35:39.80
He always shields His glory.
00:35:39.83\00:35:42.94
We can't handle His glory.
00:35:42.97\00:35:45.31
That's why we have to
cease to ask the question
00:35:45.34\00:35:49.11
as Moses did,
show me Your glory.
00:35:49.14\00:35:53.72
Now when I was
putting this message together,
00:35:53.75\00:35:56.48
Karen, this came to me.
00:35:56.52\00:35:58.42
When I was putting
this message together,
00:35:58.45\00:36:00.79
the Lord revealed to me
something that is profound.
00:36:00.82\00:36:04.13
You see, we often say, Lord,
You need to show me Your glory
00:36:04.16\00:36:06.56
because I need to
see Your glory right now.
00:36:06.59\00:36:08.40
And I came to
discover as Moses said,
00:36:08.43\00:36:11.37
Lord please, show me Your
glory and the Lord responded
00:36:11.40\00:36:14.24
in Exodus 33:20 says,
00:36:14.27\00:36:15.94
"But you cannot see my face,
00:36:15.97\00:36:17.67
for no man shall
see me and live."
00:36:17.71\00:36:20.58
So the Lord chose not to
reveal His glory to Moses
00:36:20.61\00:36:23.35
because He would
have ceased to exist.
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.71
He hid him in
the cleft of the rock
00:36:25.75\00:36:28.72
and he said, "Now
when I pass by just peek."
00:36:28.75\00:36:31.09
So when the glory of God
00:36:39.69\00:36:42.56
seems to be
absent from your life.
00:36:42.60\00:36:44.93
God is not absent,
00:36:44.97\00:36:46.87
but He's coming
to you in clouds.
00:36:46.90\00:36:50.37
He's shielding His glory.
00:36:50.41\00:36:53.98
He cannot come
to us any other way
00:36:54.01\00:36:56.21
other than through clouds.
00:36:56.24\00:36:58.81
That's why my third point today
is clouds are a preparation
00:36:58.85\00:37:04.05
for the revelation
of the glory of God.
00:37:04.09\00:37:07.69
I'm going to say that again.
00:37:07.72\00:37:09.06
Clouds are a
preparation for the revelation
00:37:09.09\00:37:13.63
of the glory of God.
00:37:13.66\00:37:15.60
Now, clouds are a
preparation for the revelation
00:37:15.63\00:37:20.27
of the glory of God,
meaning, when clouds show up,
00:37:20.30\00:37:24.77
God is about to
reveal His glory.
00:37:24.81\00:37:28.71
But I just said
you a moment ago,
00:37:28.74\00:37:30.18
don't ask for God
to reveal His glory,
00:37:30.21\00:37:32.08
but it now seems like
I'm contradicting myself
00:37:32.11\00:37:34.12
by saying that
when cloud show up,
00:37:34.15\00:37:36.12
God is about to
reveal His glory.
00:37:36.15\00:37:38.55
1 Peter 4:12 and 13,
go there quickly with me.
00:37:38.59\00:37:42.86
I just have 20 minutes left.
00:37:42.89\00:37:44.46
1 Peter 4:12.
00:37:48.80\00:37:50.63
We are told in God's Word,
"Beloved, do not think it, "
00:37:50.67\00:37:55.04
what?
00:37:55.07\00:37:56.40
"Strange,
concerning the fiery trial
00:37:56.44\00:37:59.74
which is to try you
00:37:59.77\00:38:01.14
as though some strange
thing happened to you."
00:38:01.18\00:38:03.68
Don't think it's strange,
but rejoice to the extent
00:38:03.71\00:38:06.61
that you are
partaker of Christ suffering.
00:38:06.65\00:38:09.95
Now what does that
mean you're partaker
00:38:09.98\00:38:11.52
of Christ suffering?
00:38:11.55\00:38:12.89
When Christ was suffering
at the highest level...
00:38:12.92\00:38:16.56
what was the circumstances?
00:38:19.16\00:38:22.53
There was a
cloud above His head.
00:38:22.56\00:38:25.97
It was the
darkest part of the day
00:38:26.00\00:38:29.50
when Christ was
suffering the most.
00:38:29.54\00:38:33.14
It was the
darkest part of the day
00:38:33.17\00:38:36.48
when Christ was
suffering the most.
00:38:36.51\00:38:38.91
The Apostle
Peter who knows that,
00:38:38.95\00:38:41.08
he says when Christ
00:38:41.12\00:38:42.88
was at his highest
point of suffering,
00:38:42.92\00:38:45.79
He was overshadowed by clouds.
00:38:45.82\00:38:48.26
When we are sometimes
00:38:48.29\00:38:49.62
at the highest
point of our suffering,
00:38:49.66\00:38:51.59
we will be
overshadowed by clouds,
00:38:51.63\00:38:54.20
but here is the
purpose of the clouds.
00:38:54.23\00:38:56.36
The clouds were not to
hide Jesus from His Father,
00:38:56.40\00:39:00.87
but in His humanity just
like in our humanity we say
00:39:00.90\00:39:05.01
what He said.
00:39:05.04\00:39:07.38
And He said,
00:39:07.41\00:39:08.98
"My God, My God," come on,
00:39:09.01\00:39:12.71
"why has Thou forsaken Me?
00:39:12.75\00:39:15.95
Was God absent?
00:39:15.98\00:39:17.32
No.
00:39:17.35\00:39:18.69
Spirit of Prophecy
said, Ellen White says,
00:39:18.72\00:39:20.62
He was nearer to His Son
than at any other moment.
00:39:20.66\00:39:24.13
Had the clouds not
accompanied that moment,
00:39:24.16\00:39:28.16
everyone on that mountain
would have ceased to exist.
00:39:28.20\00:39:31.40
So when the clouds
are darkest in your life,
00:39:31.43\00:39:35.60
listen to the rest of the text.
00:39:35.64\00:39:38.04
But rejoice to the
extent that you are partaker
00:39:38.07\00:39:40.24
of Christ suffering that
when His glory is revealed,
00:39:40.28\00:39:43.51
you may also be, what?
00:39:43.55\00:39:45.65
Glad with what kind of joy?
00:39:45.68\00:39:47.78
Exceeding joy.
00:39:47.82\00:39:49.15
Oswald Chambers in My Utmost
for His Highest, July 29th,.
00:39:49.18\00:39:53.29
He says, "What a revelation
it is to know that sorrow,
00:39:53.32\00:39:56.73
bereavement, and suffering
are actually the clouds
00:39:56.76\00:40:01.20
that come along with God."
00:40:01.23\00:40:03.53
So when God comes to us,
00:40:07.87\00:40:10.27
He'll choose when
to bring blessings,
00:40:10.31\00:40:12.27
but for the most part
when sorrow, bereavement,
00:40:12.31\00:40:15.44
and suffering come,
those are the clouds
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.41
that actually come
along with God, you know why?
00:40:18.45\00:40:21.48
Because that's how
we interpret clouds.
00:40:21.52\00:40:24.89
That's how we interpret them.
00:40:24.92\00:40:26.79
But I would from now on
interpret them differently.
00:40:26.82\00:40:30.03
I would be able to say,
Lord, I'm glad You're here.
00:40:30.06\00:40:33.26
I'm glad You're here.
00:40:36.26\00:40:37.70
I'm glad You're here.
00:40:41.94\00:40:43.91
When I see those clouds,
00:40:43.94\00:40:45.27
Lord, I'm glad You're
here, I need You right now.
00:40:45.31\00:40:48.78
And like He did
00:40:48.81\00:40:50.15
to the faithful
man called Moses,
00:40:50.18\00:40:51.98
He spoke to him
through the clouds,
00:40:52.01\00:40:54.52
He speaks to us
through the clouds.
00:40:54.55\00:40:57.75
The greatest blessing I
want you to get this now
00:40:57.79\00:41:01.16
because this if you
forget everything else
00:41:01.19\00:41:02.99
in the sermon,
00:41:03.02\00:41:04.36
this is
something you cannot miss.
00:41:04.39\00:41:05.99
The greatest blessing is
not that the glory of God
00:41:06.03\00:41:10.23
is revealed to us.
00:41:10.27\00:41:13.54
You ready for the rest.
00:41:13.57\00:41:16.44
And I know Donna would like this
00:41:16.47\00:41:18.31
because she studies
righteousness by faith.
00:41:18.34\00:41:21.34
The greatest blessing is
not that the glory of God
00:41:21.38\00:41:24.11
is revealed to us,
00:41:24.15\00:41:26.68
but that the glory of
God is revealed through us.
00:41:26.72\00:41:32.05
Did you get that?
00:41:32.09\00:41:35.09
Look at the
confirmation, Romans 8:18.
00:41:35.12\00:41:37.53
Romans 8:18.
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.46
I think the guy's
putting it on the screen.
00:41:39.49\00:41:43.33
Paul the Apostle says,
00:41:43.37\00:41:44.70
"For I consider
that the sufferings
00:41:44.73\00:41:47.07
of this present time,
00:41:47.10\00:41:48.50
that the
sufferings of this," what?
00:41:48.54\00:41:50.67
"Present time here and now
00:41:50.71\00:41:52.37
this earth, this life
are not worthy to be compared
00:41:52.41\00:41:57.15
with the glory that
shall be revealed," where?
00:41:57.18\00:42:00.98
"In us."
00:42:01.02\00:42:02.95
Not to us, but in us.
00:42:02.98\00:42:05.65
You see if the Lord...
00:42:05.69\00:42:07.06
Let's put it together.
00:42:07.09\00:42:08.42
The Lord comes with
clouds to shield His glory
00:42:08.46\00:42:12.79
so that He can step
out of the clouds into us
00:42:12.83\00:42:16.26
and reveal Himself
not to us, but through us.
00:42:16.30\00:42:20.24
Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
00:42:20.27\00:42:24.97
He doesn't reveal
Himself to us, that's easy.
00:42:25.01\00:42:28.51
The sun and the rain,
00:42:28.54\00:42:30.31
shine and fall on
the just and the unjust.
00:42:30.35\00:42:32.85
They see the
sunlight we see the sun,
00:42:32.88\00:42:34.88
but the difference
between the unjust and us
00:42:34.92\00:42:37.55
is in the moments of suffering,
00:42:37.59\00:42:39.99
the Lord wants His
glory to be reveal through us.
00:42:40.02\00:42:45.16
That's why more
people are not what we are
00:42:45.19\00:42:47.03
because we are
not what we should be.
00:42:47.06\00:42:49.73
If more of us
were what we should be
00:42:49.76\00:42:51.97
in times of
suffering, a person would say,
00:42:52.00\00:42:55.04
I want to be that
00:42:55.07\00:42:57.51
when my tough times come.
00:42:57.54\00:42:59.34
I want to be that
when my tough times come.
00:43:05.61\00:43:08.35
1 Peter 1:6 and 7.
00:43:08.38\00:43:11.32
I'm on a mission,
00:43:11.35\00:43:12.85
1 Peter 1:6 and 7.
00:43:12.89\00:43:14.59
God uses clouds to reveal
the genuineness of our faith.
00:43:14.62\00:43:18.99
You might think
it's a title of a point,
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.40
but you going to get it later.
00:43:20.43\00:43:21.76
God uses clouds
00:43:21.80\00:43:23.63
to reveal the
genuineness of our faith.
00:43:23.67\00:43:27.44
Look at Peter what he says.
00:43:27.47\00:43:29.80
1 Peter 1:6 and 7,
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.61
"In this you greatly rejoice,
00:43:32.64\00:43:37.91
though now for a little
while," for how long my friends,
00:43:37.95\00:43:42.08
"a little while," if
you think your trials along
00:43:42.12\00:43:44.52
is just a little while,
00:43:44.55\00:43:47.62
"though now for a little while
00:43:47.66\00:43:50.83
if need be you have been grieved
00:43:50.86\00:43:53.06
by various trials.
00:43:53.09\00:43:55.70
That the
genuineness of your faith
00:43:55.73\00:43:58.80
being much more precious
than gold that perishes,
00:43:58.83\00:44:04.11
though it is tested by fire,
00:44:04.14\00:44:07.41
may be found to," what?
00:44:07.44\00:44:09.61
"Praise, honor, and glory" when?
00:44:09.64\00:44:14.12
"at the
revelation of Jesus Christ."
00:44:14.15\00:44:18.62
Apostle Peter says,
00:44:18.65\00:44:19.99
if you've got to
suffer a little bit Matthew,
00:44:20.02\00:44:23.29
if you've got a
little bit Philis.
00:44:23.32\00:44:25.33
Chris, if you got to suffer
a little bit for a short while,
00:44:29.16\00:44:34.20
hang on
00:44:34.24\00:44:36.07
'cause this fire
is getting you ready
00:44:36.10\00:44:37.74
for the Revelation of Jesus.
00:44:37.77\00:44:39.67
Amen, Tracy?
00:44:39.71\00:44:41.81
I'm just getting you
ready for the revelation.
00:44:41.84\00:44:45.21
So I got to let some
fires come in to test,
00:44:45.25\00:44:48.35
to see are you
ready for the revelation,
00:44:48.38\00:44:51.15
give him some more
clouds, give him some more fire,
00:44:51.19\00:44:54.06
test him are you
ready for the revelation.
00:44:54.09\00:44:56.12
You see, this is powerful
because when clouds come,
00:44:56.16\00:45:00.56
many of us
change our view of God.
00:45:00.60\00:45:03.97
Numbers 21:5,
00:45:09.44\00:45:11.77
when clouds come, we
change our view of God.
00:45:11.81\00:45:15.38
And I'm going to go fast now.
00:45:15.41\00:45:17.65
"And the people
spoke against God and Moses
00:45:17.68\00:45:20.05
in their wilderness journey,
00:45:20.08\00:45:21.98
the one who freed them,
00:45:22.02\00:45:23.35
the one who broke the bondage
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.32
of the Egyptian
slave taskmasters."
00:45:25.35\00:45:28.26
When God brought
them out, the Bible says,
00:45:28.29\00:45:31.16
"In their clouds
and the people spoke
00:45:31.19\00:45:33.90
against God and
against Moses and they said,
00:45:33.93\00:45:36.26
'Why have you brought
us up out of Egypt to die
00:45:36.30\00:45:38.73
in the wilderness?'
00:45:38.77\00:45:41.20
For there is no
food and no water,
00:45:41.24\00:45:42.64
and our souls loath
this worthless bread."
00:45:42.67\00:45:45.57
Oh, my friends, I'm going
to blow you away right now.
00:45:45.61\00:45:49.34
Is this worthless bread...
00:45:49.38\00:45:51.25
then why when it's being broken
00:45:54.48\00:45:56.25
there are not enough people
getting together to eat it?
00:45:56.28\00:45:58.65
This is the bread that
was successful with Christ
00:46:01.26\00:46:05.49
in His wilderness temptations.
00:46:05.53\00:46:07.00
He said, "It is written."
00:46:07.03\00:46:08.36
He didn't say it is sung,
He didn't say it is performed,
00:46:08.40\00:46:10.50
He didn't say it is act
out, He said, it is written.
00:46:10.53\00:46:12.57
Amen somebody?
00:46:12.60\00:46:14.47
But when you don't have,
00:46:14.50\00:46:15.84
when your view of God is altered
00:46:15.87\00:46:17.61
by the trials of life,
00:46:17.64\00:46:19.37
the bread of God
seems to be worthless
00:46:19.41\00:46:21.64
because your
desire for something
00:46:21.68\00:46:23.31
other than God's Word.
00:46:23.35\00:46:24.75
Who wants this worthless
bread, I need some money,
00:46:26.92\00:46:28.85
I need a new car,
my kids are acting up,
00:46:28.88\00:46:30.69
get him to psychiatrist.
00:46:30.72\00:46:32.85
I don't need bread.
00:46:32.89\00:46:34.26
He's said, get
back to the bread.
00:46:34.29\00:46:36.06
Listen what Ellen White
says, In Signs of The Times,
00:46:36.09\00:46:38.33
December 4, 1884.
00:46:38.36\00:46:39.69
Powerful.
00:46:39.73\00:46:41.06
She says, "Do not compare notes
00:46:41.10\00:46:43.33
to see how sorrowful
a story you can tell.
00:46:43.37\00:46:47.44
There is enough to talk about
00:46:47.47\00:46:48.80
without raising
one unhappy strain,
00:46:48.84\00:46:53.14
when we are willing to
come as little children
00:46:53.17\00:46:55.78
conscious of our own weaknesses
00:46:55.81\00:46:58.45
and willing to be instructed
by the divine teacher,
00:46:58.48\00:47:01.68
our hearts will be
filled with the love of Jesus
00:47:01.72\00:47:04.95
and we shall long to
speak of his matchless worth.
00:47:04.99\00:47:09.56
We shall cease to talk of self.
00:47:09.59\00:47:12.66
Our trials will look so small
00:47:12.69\00:47:16.43
that we will
forget to mention them.
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.20
We have many blessings.
00:47:20.24\00:47:21.57
Let us cultivate gratitude
00:47:21.60\00:47:23.67
and talk of the goodness of God.
00:47:23.71\00:47:25.71
Amen.
00:47:25.74\00:47:27.08
You see, it is
not important to know
00:47:27.11\00:47:28.64
where the
clouds are coming from,
00:47:28.68\00:47:30.48
but it is important get us
not to damage God's character
00:47:30.51\00:47:35.78
when the clouds come.
00:47:35.82\00:47:38.19
We damage His character.
00:47:38.22\00:47:40.49
We get mad at Him.
00:47:40.52\00:47:42.36
I've heard Adventists
00:47:42.39\00:47:44.73
say the dumbest things about God
00:47:44.76\00:47:47.83
when they don't have money.
00:47:47.86\00:47:50.20
You don't care about me.
00:47:50.23\00:47:52.73
Where is He now?
00:47:52.77\00:47:54.14
Oswald Chambers
said in July 29th,
00:47:54.17\00:47:56.37
My Utmost for
His Highest, he says,
00:47:56.40\00:47:57.94
"Until we come face to face
00:47:57.97\00:47:59.74
with the deepest
darkest fact of life
00:47:59.77\00:48:02.74
without damaging our
view of God's character,
00:48:02.78\00:48:05.75
we do not yet know Him."
00:48:05.78\00:48:08.45
That's why Job said,
00:48:16.69\00:48:18.09
Job didn't know
where the trials came from
00:48:18.13\00:48:20.56
and he said in his
humanity, though He slay me.
00:48:20.60\00:48:23.50
It wasn't God slaying Job.
00:48:23.53\00:48:25.43
He let the devil beat Job up.
00:48:25.47\00:48:27.97
But he said, God didn't do this
00:48:28.00\00:48:30.57
so though He slay me yet will I.
00:48:30.61\00:48:34.88
Oh, my brothers and
sisters, when your clouds come,
00:48:34.91\00:48:38.15
do you still trust God,
00:48:38.18\00:48:39.51
no matter the
size of your boils...
00:48:39.55\00:48:41.62
because if the last message
00:48:44.75\00:48:46.79
is a revelation of the
character of God's love
00:48:46.82\00:48:50.69
as revealed in His
people, the question is,
00:48:50.73\00:48:54.36
when will it be
revealed in His people?
00:48:54.40\00:48:57.23
It's got to be
before that last message
00:49:00.40\00:49:03.71
because the last message
is not a preached message,
00:49:03.74\00:49:07.58
the last message is
a testimony message.
00:49:07.61\00:49:11.98
They overcame Him
by the blood of a lamb
00:49:12.01\00:49:13.65
and by the word
of their testimony.
00:49:13.68\00:49:16.18
The world's falling apart,
00:49:16.22\00:49:18.35
but there's a peace
that passes all understanding
00:49:18.39\00:49:20.92
because God's people know that
00:49:20.96\00:49:22.76
it's just a couple more
plagues and we're out of here.
00:49:22.79\00:49:26.36
Amen?
00:49:26.39\00:49:27.86
Family ain't acting right,
00:49:27.90\00:49:29.63
kids on drugs,
spouse messing up.
00:49:29.66\00:49:33.64
I just got fired,
00:49:33.67\00:49:35.00
but a couple
more trials like this,
00:49:35.04\00:49:37.31
I'm out of here.
00:49:37.34\00:49:39.11
Amen.
00:49:39.14\00:49:40.48
Oswald says,
00:49:43.71\00:49:45.15
"There is a
connection between the strange
00:49:45.18\00:49:47.32
providential
circumstances allowed by God
00:49:47.35\00:49:50.39
and what we know of Him
00:49:50.42\00:49:52.32
and we have to
learn to interpret
00:49:52.35\00:49:54.59
the mysteries of life
00:49:54.62\00:49:56.36
in the light of
the knowledge of God.
00:49:56.39\00:49:59.79
When we can understand
it, you got to say, okay,
00:49:59.83\00:50:02.63
what do I know about God.
00:50:02.66\00:50:04.00
Now you don't follow me,
00:50:04.03\00:50:05.37
I'm gonna hit this
real quick and then drop it.
00:50:05.40\00:50:08.77
What do we know about God?
00:50:08.80\00:50:10.14
Let's ask Isaiah.
00:50:10.17\00:50:11.51
Isaiah 41:10.
00:50:11.54\00:50:12.87
What did Isaiah know about
God when the difficulty come?
00:50:12.91\00:50:15.88
He said, "Fear
not, for I am with you,
00:50:15.91\00:50:19.51
be not dismayed,
for I am your God,
00:50:19.55\00:50:22.52
I will strengthen you.
00:50:22.55\00:50:24.09
Yes, I will help you.
00:50:24.12\00:50:26.39
I will uphold you with
My righteous right hand."
00:50:26.42\00:50:31.03
That's God. Somebody say, amen.
00:50:31.06\00:50:33.60
That's the God
that you got to see,
00:50:33.63\00:50:35.36
and remember
when the clouds come,
00:50:35.40\00:50:37.47
it's not where is
God, but who is God.
00:50:37.50\00:50:41.30
We think where is
He? No, who is He?
00:50:41.34\00:50:44.47
God is stuck in
traffic somewhere,
00:50:44.51\00:50:48.18
He said, "I will
never leave you."
00:50:48.21\00:50:50.28
Isaiah 43:2, "When you
pass through the waters,"
00:50:50.31\00:50:53.75
come on now church,
"I will be with you,
00:50:53.78\00:50:56.58
and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you."
00:50:56.62\00:50:59.52
Let me pause,
that's why I'm still here.
00:50:59.55\00:51:03.79
I don't mean physically,
00:51:03.83\00:51:05.16
I don't mean
location or GPS coordinates,
00:51:05.19\00:51:07.56
I mean that's
why I'm still alive
00:51:07.60\00:51:11.07
'cause I've been through waters,
00:51:11.10\00:51:12.70
but they have not over flown me.
00:51:12.73\00:51:14.54
When you walk through the fire,
00:51:14.57\00:51:15.90
you shall not be burned
00:51:15.94\00:51:17.27
nor shall the
flame scorched you,
00:51:17.31\00:51:19.67
praise God.
00:51:19.71\00:51:23.45
I wish I was talking to people
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.91
that know that
phrase, "praise God."
00:51:24.95\00:51:27.55
We don't give Him enough praise.
00:51:30.45\00:51:31.85
Do you know the Lord inhabits
the praises of His people?
00:51:31.89\00:51:34.79
You know the devil
gets in his car and leaves
00:51:34.82\00:51:37.19
when you start praising God?
00:51:37.23\00:51:40.20
He said to Joshua,
"Have I not commanded you,
00:51:40.23\00:51:42.66
be strong and of good courage.
00:51:42.70\00:51:45.20
Do not be afraid
nor be dismay," why?
00:51:45.23\00:51:48.30
"For the Lord your God is
with you wherever you go."
00:51:48.34\00:51:53.31
They told us in New
Guinea when we were down there.
00:51:53.34\00:51:55.71
They said every time
we have a week of prayer,
00:51:58.18\00:52:03.42
the devil shows up in
some demonic manifestation,
00:52:03.45\00:52:08.12
somebody gets possessed,
00:52:08.16\00:52:09.69
some demonic
display happens every time,
00:52:09.72\00:52:13.96
but when they were on the
way taking us to the airport,
00:52:14.00\00:52:16.26
then they tell us.
00:52:16.30\00:52:18.83
But I like what
they said they said,
00:52:18.87\00:52:20.20
"This is the first
time it never happened."
00:52:20.24\00:52:23.14
You know why?
00:52:23.17\00:52:24.94
Because my wife and I
were in our room prayed up,
00:52:24.97\00:52:28.08
studied up
00:52:28.11\00:52:29.78
before we stepped out
of the door every night.
00:52:29.81\00:52:32.31
Come on now, Ferrin,
start. Playing softly for me.
00:52:32.35\00:52:35.08
Before we stepped out
of that door every night,
00:52:35.12\00:52:39.25
we said, Father,
00:52:39.29\00:52:41.79
go ahead of us."
00:52:41.82\00:52:44.46
You see I'm
convinced that clouds do come,
00:52:44.49\00:52:47.40
difficulty does arise,
00:52:47.43\00:52:49.06
hardships do
manifest themselves,
00:52:49.10\00:52:53.80
but when trials come,
00:52:53.84\00:52:56.10
it's not important to
know where they come from
00:52:56.14\00:52:59.71
or where God is,
00:52:59.74\00:53:01.44
it's important to
remember who He is.
00:53:01.48\00:53:07.18
And finally,
00:53:07.22\00:53:08.68
which is probably
the most powerful one
00:53:08.72\00:53:10.49
of the entire sermon.
00:53:10.52\00:53:12.05
Lastly clouds are
employed to get us
00:53:12.09\00:53:15.82
to focus on Jesus alone.
00:53:15.86\00:53:19.73
Zephaniah the prophet
describes a day that's coming,
00:53:19.76\00:53:23.16
it's on the horizon,
it's not yet arrived yet
00:53:23.20\00:53:25.73
that will affect
the entire world,
00:53:25.77\00:53:27.47
but spiritually that day
has already come to many of us.
00:53:27.50\00:53:31.17
Zephaniah 1:15,
it's on the screen,
00:53:31.21\00:53:33.74
you won't find Zephaniah in
enough time, but here it is.
00:53:33.78\00:53:38.91
Zephaniah 1:15.
00:53:38.95\00:53:40.92
Speaking of the day of the Lord,
00:53:40.95\00:53:42.28
"That day is a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress,
00:53:42.32\00:53:46.76
a day of
devastation and desolation,
00:53:46.79\00:53:49.02
a day of
darkness and gloominess,
00:53:49.06\00:53:51.69
a day of clouds and"
what kind of darkness?
00:53:51.73\00:53:54.56
"Thick darkness."
00:53:54.60\00:53:58.60
A day of trouble and distress,
00:53:58.63\00:54:00.27
a day of
devastation and desolation,
00:54:00.30\00:54:02.44
a day of
darkness and gloominess,
00:54:02.47\00:54:04.77
a day of clouds,
and thickened darkness.
00:54:04.81\00:54:07.08
Now, that's on the way,
00:54:07.11\00:54:08.94
but let me make a point,
00:54:08.98\00:54:11.68
to many of you, those
days have already come.
00:54:11.71\00:54:16.58
And when they
came to the disciples,
00:54:16.62\00:54:18.25
my last text Mark 9:7and 8,
00:54:18.29\00:54:21.12
when they came to the disciples
00:54:21.16\00:54:23.59
on the Mount of Transfiguration,
00:54:23.63\00:54:25.46
the Lord
allowed Elijah and Moses
00:54:25.49\00:54:27.56
to be transfigured there
and he said to the disciples,
00:54:27.60\00:54:29.90
there is some of
you standing here today
00:54:29.93\00:54:31.40
that will not taste the death
00:54:31.43\00:54:32.77
until you see the Son of
Man coming in the clouds.
00:54:32.80\00:54:36.37
You see, my brethren,
00:54:36.40\00:54:38.47
this message is
not about the clouds
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.98
that will one day
welcome the return of Jesus.
00:54:41.01\00:54:45.61
This is about the clouds
that introduce us every day
00:54:45.65\00:54:51.69
to the person of Jesus.
00:54:51.72\00:54:55.09
What happened in Mark
9, look at it, verse 7-8.
00:54:55.12\00:54:59.79
After Elijah and Moses
00:54:59.83\00:55:02.00
and they had the transfiguration
00:55:02.03\00:55:03.73
and then all of a
sudden they're gone.
00:55:03.77\00:55:05.77
And the Bible says,
00:55:05.80\00:55:07.14
"And a cloud came
and overshadowed them,
00:55:07.17\00:55:09.40
and a voice came
out of a cloud saying,
00:55:09.44\00:55:12.11
'this is my beloved Son," what?
00:55:12.14\00:55:15.61
"Hear him.
00:55:15.64\00:55:16.98
Suddenly, when
they looked around,
00:55:17.01\00:55:20.12
they saw no one
anymore, but only Jesus.'"
00:55:20.15\00:55:25.15
I got to ask you the
question today as I close.
00:55:25.19\00:55:29.52
Is there anyone
except Jesus in your clouds?
00:55:34.56\00:55:38.60
It's a powerful question.
00:55:38.63\00:55:41.27
Because if there's somebody else
00:55:41.30\00:55:43.07
in your clouds except Jesus,
00:55:43.10\00:55:45.27
they're going to get
darker, and gloomier,
00:55:45.31\00:55:47.88
and thicker, and
more devastating,
00:55:47.91\00:55:50.31
and more filled with wrath.
00:55:50.35\00:55:51.95
The Lord allowed clouds
00:55:51.98\00:55:54.92
to obscure the
sight of everybody else
00:55:54.95\00:55:57.59
except Himself.
00:55:57.62\00:55:59.45
Do you see Jesus in your
clouds is my question today?
00:56:03.53\00:56:08.26
Because my appeal is this,
00:56:14.34\00:56:18.67
and clouds are going to come.
00:56:18.71\00:56:20.04
If it is your
determination today,
00:56:22.51\00:56:24.58
listen me carefully,
00:56:24.61\00:56:26.35
that when the clouds
come that you only see Jesus,
00:56:26.38\00:56:32.62
if you only want to see Jesus,
00:56:32.65\00:56:34.52
if you want the
clouds to obscure everything,
00:56:34.56\00:56:36.73
but Jesus, why
don't you stand right now.
00:56:36.76\00:56:40.00
My heavenly Father,
00:56:54.08\00:56:56.41
we've got clouds,
00:56:56.44\00:56:59.15
the clouds of wrath
fighting in our families.
00:56:59.18\00:57:04.22
Distress, and gloominess,
00:57:04.25\00:57:05.92
and darkness,
and thick darkness.
00:57:05.95\00:57:10.29
We've got clouds
of disappointment,
00:57:10.33\00:57:12.19
distresses of
financial instability,
00:57:12.23\00:57:17.13
we have clouds,
00:57:17.17\00:57:20.70
a broken relationships,
00:57:20.74\00:57:22.24
we've got clouds
of wayward children,
00:57:22.27\00:57:24.71
we've got
clouds of distractions,
00:57:24.74\00:57:27.68
we've got clouds of success
that has caused our view of You
00:57:27.71\00:57:31.41
to be obscured
00:57:31.45\00:57:32.95
and our understanding
of You to be damaged.
00:57:32.98\00:57:37.79
But You said to us today,
00:57:37.82\00:57:39.15
"Behold, I'm
coming with clouds."
00:57:39.19\00:57:42.19
And so Lord Jesus,
00:57:42.22\00:57:44.03
when the clouds
begin to be manifested
00:57:44.06\00:57:47.10
in our lives.
00:57:47.13\00:57:49.16
We pray that we can see no one,
00:57:49.20\00:57:53.94
but Jesus alone.
00:57:53.97\00:57:56.14
Who will deliver us?
00:57:59.57\00:58:01.78
Who will strengthen us?
00:58:01.81\00:58:04.38
Who will provide?
00:58:04.41\00:58:05.98
Who will help us?
00:58:06.01\00:58:07.35
Who will uphold us?
00:58:07.38\00:58:09.65
Who will be with us in the
fire and the flood of life?
00:58:09.68\00:58:14.26
Who will be there
00:58:14.29\00:58:16.19
when the road is
too difficult for us
00:58:16.22\00:58:18.29
to travel any more.
00:58:18.33\00:58:19.66
Today, Lord help us
to see You in our clouds.
00:58:19.69\00:58:22.16
And when the clouds of this life
00:58:25.53\00:58:28.90
have transformed us,
00:58:28.94\00:58:30.91
one day we will see you
00:58:30.94\00:58:33.94
in the clouds of glory.
00:58:33.98\00:58:37.25
Hold us and get
us ready for that day
00:58:37.28\00:58:40.35
and may when that
day comes we say, today,
00:58:40.38\00:58:44.22
tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday,
00:58:44.25\00:58:46.45
every other day it is
well, it is well, it is well.
00:58:46.49\00:58:51.59
I see the clouds, Father,
but it is well with my soul.
00:58:51.63\00:58:56.56
And I pray this
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:58:56.60\00:59:00.67