Hello, everyone.
00:00:30.42\00:00:31.90
I want you to take
your lesson outline
00:00:31.93\00:00:34.06
that was handed
to you as you came
00:00:34.09\00:00:35.46
into the seminar this evening
00:00:35.49\00:00:37.31
to the chart of the two tunnels.
00:00:37.34\00:00:39.48
It should look
something like this.
00:00:39.51\00:00:41.32
Coordinators in
the downlink locations,
00:00:41.35\00:00:43.40
you can find
that on your website,
00:00:43.43\00:00:44.73
in case you didn't get them
00:00:44.76\00:00:45.80
into the hands of
your local students.
00:00:45.83\00:00:48.25
And hand that
out tomorrow night.
00:00:48.28\00:00:50.47
You'll notice on the back
00:00:50.50\00:00:51.61
a very helpful glossary of
keys to the prophetic symbols
00:00:51.64\00:00:55.88
that we've been
studying from night to night.
00:00:55.91\00:00:57.16
And if you're watching at home,
00:00:57.19\00:00:58.93
I want you to run and
get your Bible and join us.
00:00:58.96\00:01:01.02
There's a big class tonight
00:01:01.05\00:01:02.10
and turn to the Book of
Revelation 1:1, 2 and 3.
00:01:02.13\00:01:06.25
And each time we
read off a little text
00:01:06.28\00:01:08.52
which is printed for
you there on your outline,
00:01:08.55\00:01:11.03
I'd like to invite
you to take your Bible
00:01:11.06\00:01:12.26
and do a little homework.
00:01:12.29\00:01:13.94
As we refer to the text
just draw a neat little circle
00:01:13.97\00:01:16.75
around the verse
numerals that we're studying
00:01:16.78\00:01:19.73
and we'll do
some underlining, too.
00:01:19.76\00:01:21.13
That will appear on the
screen, in case I forget.
00:01:21.16\00:01:24.42
Now we all have
that passage together,
00:01:24.45\00:01:26.57
I'd like to have you read,
00:01:26.60\00:01:27.90
everyone here tonight,
out loud, Revelation 1:1.
00:01:27.93\00:01:31.80
You might want to
follow the screen to make sure
00:01:31.83\00:01:33.72
we're all reading
the same translation.
00:01:33.75\00:01:35.79
All together, opening
the Book of Revelation,
00:01:35.82\00:01:37.61
read with me.
00:01:37.64\00:01:38.72
"The--" Hidden Book of--
00:01:38.75\00:01:43.18
Did I make a mistake? Yes.
00:01:43.21\00:01:45.14
What does your
Bible say? Revelation.
00:01:45.17\00:01:47.78
You mean this isn't
hidden? This isn't deep?
00:01:47.81\00:01:49.93
This isn't perplexing? No.
00:01:49.96\00:01:51.72
What does the second
word of your Bible say?
00:01:51.75\00:01:54.93
Revelation. "The Revelation."
00:01:54.96\00:01:57.12
What does
revelation mean? Revealed.
00:01:57.15\00:01:59.16
That which has been revealed.
00:01:59.19\00:02:00.86
There's nothing hidden, there's
nothing secret about this.
00:02:00.89\00:02:03.52
And it is the
revelation of whom?
00:02:03.55\00:02:05.58
Jesus Christ. I
feel better already.
00:02:05.61\00:02:08.17
Don't you? Amen.
00:02:08.20\00:02:10.30
Now let's read
again, all together.
00:02:10.33\00:02:11.92
"The Revelation of Jesus
Christ which God gave unto Him
00:02:11.95\00:02:17.95
to show His servants
things which must," what?
00:02:17.98\00:02:22.05
"Shortly come to pass."
00:02:22.08\00:02:23.91
And notice, "He
sent and signified,"
00:02:23.94\00:02:27.14
see that word,
sign-if-y, signify.
00:02:27.17\00:02:31.10
This is sign
language, this is symbols.
00:02:31.13\00:02:34.99
Now you continue to watch
in your Bible while I read.
00:02:35.02\00:02:38.00
"Who bore witness
to the word of God,
00:02:38.03\00:02:40.19
and to the
testimony of Jesus Christ
00:02:40.22\00:02:42.19
and to all things that he saw."
00:02:42.22\00:02:43.77
Now you join me and
everybody read together again.
00:02:43.80\00:02:46.34
Cursed is he who-- Blessed.
00:02:46.37\00:02:48.99
Did I make another mistake? Yes.
00:02:49.02\00:02:50.64
You better keep on me tonight.
00:02:50.67\00:02:52.57
What does your
Bible say? Blessed.
00:02:52.60\00:02:54.50
Circle that word, blessed.
00:02:54.53\00:02:56.62
The pastor of a
3,000 member church,
00:02:56.65\00:02:59.12
who had President
Eisenhower as a member,
00:02:59.15\00:03:02.57
told his
congregation, "You will go crazy
00:03:02.60\00:03:05.19
if you read the
Book of Revelation."
00:03:05.22\00:03:07.06
What does your Bible say
will happen if you read it?
00:03:07.09\00:03:09.58
Blessed.
00:03:09.61\00:03:10.66
"Blessed is he who
reads and those who hear,"
00:03:10.69\00:03:13.62
you might want to circle that.
00:03:13.65\00:03:14.95
"And the words of this
prophecy and keep those things
00:03:14.98\00:03:17.73
which are
written in it," for what?
00:03:17.76\00:03:19.57
"The time is near."
00:03:19.60\00:03:21.91
All right, we're ready now
00:03:21.94\00:03:23.03
to plunge into
the heart of the Book.
00:03:23.06\00:03:24.70
Turn over just 3 pages forward
to Chapter 12 of Revelation.
00:03:24.73\00:03:30.40
When we get to Revelation 12,
00:03:30.43\00:03:32.08
I'd like to invite you
to take your little pen
00:03:32.11\00:03:33.72
and circle numeral
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
00:03:33.75\00:03:37.14
Revelation 12:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
00:03:37.17\00:03:39.94
then put a little
circle around 14 and 17.
00:03:39.97\00:03:44.92
When you've done that, I
want you to try to forget
00:03:44.95\00:03:46.83
all of our plans for
the week that's coming up,
00:03:46.86\00:03:49.69
all of the
pressures you might have,
00:03:49.72\00:03:51.10
maybe the vacation
you're planning to Myrtle Beach
00:03:51.13\00:03:53.07
or wherever, all of the problems
00:03:53.10\00:03:54.92
and I want you
to try to visualize
00:03:54.95\00:03:57.35
what I read as you follow along.
00:03:57.38\00:03:59.61
Revelation 12:1-6.
00:03:59.64\00:04:01.47
Follow in your
Bible, if you'd like
00:04:01.50\00:04:02.68
or look at the screen.
00:04:02.71\00:04:04.67
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven,
00:04:04.70\00:04:08.04
a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
00:04:08.07\00:04:11.08
and on her head a
garland of twelve stars.
00:04:11.11\00:04:14.38
Then being with
child, she cried out in labor
00:04:14.41\00:04:17.29
and in pain to give birth.
00:04:17.32\00:04:18.71
And another sign
appeared in heaven,
00:04:18.74\00:04:20.93
behold, a
great, fiery red dragon
00:04:20.96\00:04:23.38
having seven
heads and ten horns,
00:04:23.41\00:04:25.62
and seven diadems on his heads.
00:04:25.65\00:04:27.61
His tail drew the third
part of the stars of heaven
00:04:27.64\00:04:31.56
and threw them to the earth.
00:04:31.59\00:04:33.38
And the dragon
stood before the woman
00:04:33.41\00:04:35.18
who was ready to give birth,
00:04:35.21\00:04:37.21
to devour her Child
as soon as it was born.
00:04:37.24\00:04:40.64
She bore a male Child
00:04:40.67\00:04:43.09
who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron.
00:04:43.12\00:04:45.41
And her Child was caught
up to God and His throne.
00:04:45.44\00:04:48.96
Then the woman fled
into the wilderness,
00:04:48.99\00:04:51.05
where she has a
place prepared by God,
00:04:51.08\00:04:53.13
that they should feed her there
00:04:53.16\00:04:54.40
one thousand two
hundred and sixty days."
00:04:54.43\00:04:57.36
Someone says, "Lon, look.
00:04:57.39\00:04:59.84
You just told us this
was not a hidden book.
00:04:59.87\00:05:02.58
What on earth do
these verses mean?"
00:05:02.61\00:05:05.65
May I have your eyes?
00:05:05.68\00:05:08.02
Let me just try to
re-live what we just read.
00:05:08.05\00:05:10.92
And then we'll go
back to the Bible.
00:05:10.95\00:05:12.46
Remember John, the beloved
disciple who wrote Revelation,
00:05:12.49\00:05:15.57
he was exiled on a
lonely island called Patmos.
00:05:15.60\00:05:18.50
And God showed
him there a vision
00:05:18.53\00:05:21.36
of this beautiful woman,
standing off in the heavens.
00:05:21.39\00:05:25.07
And she is clothed with nothing
00:05:25.10\00:05:27.15
except for the pure iridescent
folds of the light of the sun.
00:05:27.18\00:05:31.85
On this woman's head is a diadem
00:05:31.88\00:05:33.80
of 12 sparkling,
brilliant, living stars.
00:05:33.83\00:05:37.82
She's pregnant,
about to deliver.
00:05:37.85\00:05:41.27
But something is
beneath her feet.
00:05:41.30\00:05:43.36
She's standing on the moon.
00:05:43.39\00:05:46.50
Now over to one side
00:05:46.53\00:05:47.83
is a red dragon
snapping furious,
00:05:47.86\00:05:51.40
intending to destroy the
Child as soon as it's born.
00:05:51.43\00:05:55.29
Well, she gives to
birth to a man child
00:05:55.32\00:05:57.35
destined to rule all nations,
but he's caught up to God.
00:05:57.38\00:06:01.06
So evidently the dragon
fails to destroy the Child
00:06:01.09\00:06:04.37
and he becomes so angry
00:06:04.40\00:06:05.93
he turns his
destructive fury on the woman
00:06:05.96\00:06:08.63
and so persecutes and
attempts to destroy her
00:06:08.66\00:06:11.44
that God takes her and hides her
00:06:11.47\00:06:13.50
in the
wilderness for 1,260 days.
00:06:13.53\00:06:18.17
You say, "Well, Lonnie,
the picture is a bit clearer.
00:06:18.20\00:06:19.81
But what on
earth does that mean?"
00:06:19.84\00:06:22.29
Obviously, we're
dealing with symbolic prophecy.
00:06:22.32\00:06:25.99
And as we've
learned from night to night,
00:06:26.02\00:06:27.13
we borrow symbols, even
today in our world, don't we?
00:06:27.16\00:06:30.88
You've got an outline page
00:06:30.91\00:06:32.13
with the keys to
prophetic symbols.
00:06:32.16\00:06:33.73
That will be handy
to tuck in your Bible.
00:06:33.76\00:06:35.82
Now some people
say, "Well, you know,
00:06:35.85\00:06:37.38
all of those
beasts of Revelation,
00:06:37.41\00:06:39.21
I know what they are,
00:06:39.24\00:06:40.28
they are just
the beastly doctrines
00:06:40.31\00:06:41.92
that some churches teach."
00:06:41.95\00:06:44.08
I've even heard some say that,
00:06:44.11\00:06:45.94
"Well, that
beast of Revelation 13,
00:06:45.97\00:06:47.55
that must be Henry Kissinger."
00:06:47.58\00:06:50.56
Now, folks, you
get into difficulty
00:06:50.59\00:06:52.05
if you place your
own interpretation
00:06:52.08\00:06:53.63
on these symbols.
00:06:53.66\00:06:55.01
But if the
scripture provides the key
00:06:55.04\00:06:57.64
that unlocks the
meaning of the symbols,
00:06:57.67\00:06:59.60
there's no problem, right?
00:06:59.63\00:07:01.62
Now Daniel 7:23 we discovered,
00:07:01.65\00:07:04.19
says that in prophecy
a beast represents, what?
00:07:04.22\00:07:08.41
A nation or a kingdom.
00:07:08.44\00:07:10.43
And we, of
course, borrow this idea
00:07:10.46\00:07:11.89
of using animals
for symbols for nations.
00:07:11.92\00:07:14.98
If you see a bear
in a political cartoon,
00:07:15.01\00:07:17.47
what nation's in the news?
00:07:17.50\00:07:18.65
Russia.
00:07:18.68\00:07:19.86
If you see an eagle
flying through the air?
00:07:19.89\00:07:22.10
United States of America.
00:07:22.13\00:07:23.34
If you see a lion,
what country is there?
00:07:23.37\00:07:25.73
Great Britain.
00:07:25.76\00:07:26.86
Okay, now if you see a
beaver, what country is that?
00:07:26.89\00:07:31.89
My folks, north of the 49th
00:07:31.92\00:07:33.76
parallel in
Canada, let me hear it.
00:07:33.79\00:07:35.85
Canada. Now a question.
00:07:35.88\00:07:39.18
What is this woman in
Revelation a symbol of?
00:07:39.21\00:07:44.35
Well, that's our next text.
00:07:44.38\00:07:46.14
We got to have
several texts for this.
00:07:46.17\00:07:47.67
You don't build any
doctrine on one text.
00:07:47.70\00:07:49.55
You got to have at least
two. Let's look at Jeremiah 6:2.
00:07:49.58\00:07:54.02
You can look at
it on the screen,
00:07:54.05\00:07:55.27
we'll be staying in Revelation,
00:07:55.30\00:07:56.39
but if you want to quickly
flip over there, Jeremiah 6:2.
00:07:56.42\00:07:59.09
You can put a
circle around verse 2.
00:07:59.12\00:08:01.03
It says, "I have
likened the daughter of Zion
00:08:01.06\00:08:04.59
to a lovely and delicate woman."
00:08:04.62\00:08:07.62
You see,
friends, Zion in scripture
00:08:07.65\00:08:09.62
refers to
Jerusalem or God's people.
00:08:09.65\00:08:12.66
The daughter of Zion
refers to God's church.
00:08:12.69\00:08:16.62
A woman represents God's people.
00:08:16.65\00:08:18.42
Well, let's have one more text.
00:08:18.45\00:08:20.13
Let's go to
Apostle Paul to make sure.
00:08:20.16\00:08:22.08
2 Corinthians 11:2.
00:08:22.11\00:08:25.50
You've got those
written on your outline,
00:08:25.53\00:08:27.13
so you can look them up later.
00:08:27.16\00:08:28.45
Notice the screen.
00:08:28.48\00:08:29.81
"For I am jealous for you,"
00:08:29.84\00:08:32.60
Paul says,
"with godly jealously.
00:08:32.63\00:08:35.89
For I have
betrothed you to one husband."
00:08:35.92\00:08:38.46
Now what does betrothed
means? It means engaged you.
00:08:38.49\00:08:42.91
"That I may present you as
a chaste virgin to,"" whom?
00:08:42.94\00:08:47.03
"Christ."
00:08:47.06\00:08:48.61
See, Christ in scripture
is symbolized as the groom,
00:08:48.64\00:08:52.56
His bride is His church.
00:08:52.59\00:08:54.68
Amen.
00:08:54.71\00:08:55.75
So God gives us
this gorgeous metaphor,
00:08:55.78\00:08:57.82
a lovely symbol, a
woman is God's church.
00:08:57.85\00:09:02.23
But I want you to notice
00:09:02.26\00:09:03.31
though that the
character of the woman
00:09:03.34\00:09:05.33
determines the
character of the church.
00:09:05.36\00:09:07.32
If she's pure,
if she's innocent,
00:09:07.35\00:09:09.08
if she's a virtuous woman,
00:09:09.11\00:09:11.11
a virgin that
represents a pure church,
00:09:11.14\00:09:14.93
a holy church, a true church.
00:09:14.96\00:09:17.37
Some parents say,
"Oh, brother Lonnie,
00:09:17.40\00:09:19.08
I sure don't want my kids
00:09:19.11\00:09:20.46
to get a hold of
the Book of Revelation
00:09:20.49\00:09:21.77
'cause it talks
about the harlot there.
00:09:21.80\00:09:23.83
That woman in
scarlet, loose and fallen."
00:09:23.86\00:09:26.16
Folks, that is not talking
about physical impurity at all.
00:09:26.19\00:09:29.37
It's talking about a
church that's played harlotry
00:09:29.40\00:09:32.70
and been unfaithful to her Lord.
00:09:32.73\00:09:34.74
See? Now let's go
to something else.
00:09:34.77\00:09:38.69
This picture of the
church is talking about
00:09:38.72\00:09:41.64
the Presbyterian
church, is that right?
00:09:41.67\00:09:45.92
A Baptist church? No.
00:09:45.95\00:09:47.82
What does this woman mean?
Which church in particular?
00:09:47.85\00:09:52.03
A little Greek lesson right now.
00:09:52.06\00:09:53.77
Ekklesia.
00:09:53.80\00:09:56.05
That's the word
that's translated "church".
00:09:56.08\00:09:57.62
You say it with me
in three syllables.
00:09:57.65\00:09:59.46
Ek-kle-sia.
00:09:59.49\00:10:03.98
Put them together now. Ekklesia.
00:10:04.01\00:10:06.82
What does that
mean in the Greek?
00:10:06.85\00:10:09.20
It literally means
"God's called out ones."
00:10:09.23\00:10:15.16
I want to be one of
God's called out ones.
00:10:15.19\00:10:17.15
Don't you? Amen.
00:10:17.18\00:10:19.10
If you're one of
God's called out ones,
00:10:19.13\00:10:21.11
you belong to His church.
00:10:21.14\00:10:23.62
Now once we have the
key symbols in place,
00:10:23.65\00:10:26.74
watch how this unfolds
in a beautiful picture.
00:10:26.77\00:10:29.03
Because here in Revelation
12, John sees the pure woman,
00:10:29.06\00:10:33.16
this pure church
of his day pictured
00:10:33.19\00:10:37.19
as a virgin in white.
00:10:37.22\00:10:39.54
She's a pure church then.
00:10:39.57\00:10:40.91
This is the church of
Jesus in the New Testament,
00:10:40.94\00:10:43.75
clothed with the iridescent
light of the noonday sun
00:10:43.78\00:10:46.65
or with Jesus who's known
as the light of the world.
00:10:46.68\00:10:50.42
I want you to notice
that this New Testament church
00:10:50.45\00:10:52.82
is crowned with a
diadem of 12 stars.
00:10:52.85\00:10:56.99
Help me out, class.
00:10:57.02\00:10:58.55
Who were the brilliant,
sparkling 12 living stars
00:10:58.58\00:11:01.52
of the New Testament church?
00:11:01.55\00:11:03.81
The 12 apostles, right?
00:11:03.84\00:11:06.06
So the earliest days of
the New Testament church
00:11:06.09\00:11:09.20
are symbolized
here by this virgin,
00:11:09.23\00:11:11.91
crowned with the 12 apostles.
00:11:11.94\00:11:14.52
And she's standing on something.
00:11:14.55\00:11:16.93
She's standing on the moon.
00:11:16.96\00:11:19.40
Question for you,
does the moon shine
00:11:19.43\00:11:22.69
from its own light
or from borrowed light?
00:11:22.72\00:11:24.78
Which? Borrowed light.
00:11:24.81\00:11:25.98
Borrowed, that's right.
00:11:26.01\00:11:27.54
So, here the New
Testament church,
00:11:27.57\00:11:29.41
you see, is standing
on something, the moon.
00:11:29.44\00:11:31.68
Something is passing away.
Something's beneath her feet.
00:11:31.71\00:11:35.45
What a beautiful symbol
00:11:35.48\00:11:36.95
of the Old Testament
dispensation, passing away,
00:11:36.98\00:11:40.49
all which had
pointed forward to Christ.
00:11:40.52\00:11:43.94
All of those
types and ceremonies
00:11:43.97\00:11:45.47
and symbols pointed forward
to Christ the true Lamb of God
00:11:45.50\00:11:49.10
who died on Calvary's cross.
00:11:49.13\00:11:51.43
You see the light in
those lambs of the Old Testament
00:11:51.46\00:11:53.91
was only a
reflection of a greater light
00:11:53.94\00:11:56.81
that pointed to Jesus.
00:11:56.84\00:11:58.87
So all of this
now was passing away,
00:11:58.90\00:12:01.26
it was beneath her feet.
00:12:01.29\00:12:03.11
The moon is a
perfect representation
00:12:03.14\00:12:05.14
of the Old Testament
which shone from light borrowed
00:12:05.17\00:12:08.32
from Jesus in the New Testament.
00:12:08.35\00:12:11.13
Well, now this
woman is pregnant,
00:12:11.16\00:12:14.74
she's about ready to
give birth to a man Child,
00:12:14.77\00:12:17.31
who would rule all
nations with a rod of iron,
00:12:17.34\00:12:20.14
but who would be caught
up to God and to His throne.
00:12:20.17\00:12:22.34
Who is this? Jesus.
00:12:22.37\00:12:25.60
But someone says,
"Well, wait a minute.
00:12:25.63\00:12:26.70
Then isn't this woman Mary?"
00:12:26.73\00:12:29.89
No. Remember
this is just a symbol.
00:12:29.92\00:12:32.73
Yes, Mary is
the mother of Jesus,
00:12:32.76\00:12:34.95
but prophecy tells us
00:12:34.98\00:12:36.61
that we will see
this woman in white,
00:12:36.64\00:12:39.23
clear to the second coming.
00:12:39.26\00:12:41.82
Anybody here seen Mary? No.
00:12:41.85\00:12:45.08
See this is the
symbol of the church.
00:12:45.11\00:12:47.02
The New Testament
church of Jesus Christ
00:12:47.05\00:12:49.62
gives birth to Christ.
00:12:49.65\00:12:51.77
But now there's a
snapping, furious,
00:12:51.80\00:12:54.27
red dragon nearby in verse 4.
00:12:54.30\00:12:56.66
Who is that red dragon? Satan.
00:12:56.69\00:12:59.27
Are you sure? Yeah.
00:12:59.30\00:13:00.62
Notice verse 9.
00:13:00.65\00:13:02.01
"So the dragon was cast out,
00:13:02.04\00:13:05.06
that serpent of old,
called the Devil and Satan,
00:13:05.09\00:13:07.63
who deceives the whole
world, he was cast to the earth,
00:13:07.66\00:13:10.87
and his angels
were cast out with him."
00:13:10.90\00:13:12.28
So who is the
dragon? Satan, primarily.
00:13:12.31\00:13:16.48
But you know
Satan never comes out
00:13:16.51\00:13:17.97
into the battle in
visible form, does he?
00:13:18.00\00:13:20.68
Anybody here
ever seen Satan? No.
00:13:20.71\00:13:23.46
You might think you might
have seen somebody like him,
00:13:23.49\00:13:25.58
but he usually
works through persons,
00:13:25.61\00:13:28.15
he works through institutions,
he works through evil things.
00:13:28.18\00:13:31.91
All right.
00:13:31.94\00:13:32.97
Now through whom did Satan work
00:13:33.00\00:13:34.37
to destroy the Christ
Child as soon as He was born?
00:13:34.40\00:13:39.27
Herod who tried to destroy
00:13:39.30\00:13:41.49
all the babies in
Bethlehem, remember?
00:13:41.52\00:13:43.31
But he failed.
00:13:43.34\00:13:44.46
And then the Bible says,
00:13:44.49\00:13:45.52
Jesus was caught up
to God and to His throne.
00:13:45.55\00:13:48.60
And so furious was
Satan to destroy Christ,
00:13:48.63\00:13:52.04
that when he couldn't
destroy Him personally,
00:13:52.07\00:13:54.19
he turned his
destructive fury on the woman.
00:13:54.22\00:13:57.17
He tried to destroy
the New Testament church
00:13:57.20\00:14:00.36
by persecuting her until it
got so bloody and so furious,
00:14:00.39\00:14:04.07
God had to take the
woman and hide His church
00:14:04.10\00:14:07.93
in the
wilderness for 1,260 days.
00:14:07.96\00:14:13.29
Now one more symbol to unlock.
00:14:13.32\00:14:15.41
We've learned that a day
00:14:15.44\00:14:17.01
in prophetic symbolic
prophecy represents what?
00:14:17.04\00:14:19.75
A year.
00:14:19.78\00:14:20.81
Ezekiel 4:6, Numbers 14:34,
00:14:20.84\00:14:23.47
two texts at least
to prove any point.
00:14:23.50\00:14:26.37
It says, "Each day for a year,"
00:14:26.40\00:14:28.12
so this would represent
then 1,260 literal years
00:14:28.15\00:14:33.23
of persecution that God would
take His church, the woman,
00:14:33.26\00:14:36.45
and hide her in the
wilderness for 1,260 years.
00:14:36.48\00:14:41.43
Now I want you to take
your pen and your pencil,
00:14:41.46\00:14:42.92
let's go to the chart
of the tunnels right now.
00:14:42.95\00:14:45.51
I'm gonna go to the chart board.
00:14:45.54\00:14:49.36
Now over this
timeline at the top,
00:14:49.39\00:14:51.11
if you'd like to
write on your page,
00:14:51.14\00:14:52.98
let's just put
that in, 1,260 years.
00:14:53.01\00:14:58.21
All right.
00:14:58.24\00:14:59.27
Where is this in
the Christian era?
00:15:03.74\00:15:06.25
Where does that come in?
00:15:06.28\00:15:08.18
To get our bearings,
00:15:08.21\00:15:09.75
let's put the cross in
over here on the left, okay?
00:15:09.78\00:15:13.64
And over on the right,
00:15:13.67\00:15:14.76
why don't we put in our
day, this is us here today.
00:15:14.79\00:15:19.19
Okay, so this is beginning
00:15:19.22\00:15:20.51
to get a little
bit more definition.
00:15:20.54\00:15:23.05
Our day.
00:15:23.08\00:15:25.58
1,260 years of
persecution, tribulation.
00:15:25.61\00:15:29.64
Well, we know that
after the apostles died,
00:15:29.67\00:15:32.21
persecution
grew worse and worse,
00:15:32.24\00:15:35.13
greater and greater and greater
00:15:35.16\00:15:37.56
for the first few hundred years,
00:15:37.59\00:15:39.02
second hundred
years, third hundred years
00:15:39.05\00:15:40.83
until one day, history actually
tells us that 300 leaders
00:15:40.86\00:15:43.92
of the early Christian church
came together for a meeting
00:15:43.95\00:15:46.64
and not one of
them had a normal body.
00:15:46.67\00:15:49.01
Every one of them
was crippled and stoned
00:15:49.04\00:15:51.05
and eyes plucked
out, missing limbs,
00:15:51.08\00:15:53.41
they'd been
tortured and persecuted.
00:15:53.44\00:15:55.27
How many of you
came into this meeting
00:15:55.30\00:15:56.79
tonight that way
because of your faith.
00:15:56.82\00:16:00.06
No.
00:16:00.09\00:16:01.28
You haven't been tortured,
00:16:01.31\00:16:02.43
you haven't been
persecuted like that.
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.85
You know, maybe our
religion is too cheap, isn't it?
00:16:04.88\00:16:07.57
Friend, unless you
have something to die for,
00:16:07.60\00:16:10.52
you don't have
anything worth living for.
00:16:10.55\00:16:12.58
Amen.
00:16:12.61\00:16:13.64
But Satan's very subtle.
00:16:13.67\00:16:15.71
At first he used the
Roman Empire to persecute.
00:16:15.74\00:16:19.26
Gladiator fights.
00:16:19.29\00:16:20.44
Throw those Christians to
the lions in the coliseum.
00:16:20.47\00:16:22.52
Torture them.
00:16:22.55\00:16:23.58
But then Satan got the church
to begin persecuting itself.
00:16:23.61\00:16:28.37
You say, how did he do that?
00:16:28.40\00:16:30.01
Well, under these
torturous threats,
00:16:30.04\00:16:31.65
some of the
Christians began to weaken
00:16:31.68\00:16:33.95
and they compromised their faith
00:16:33.98\00:16:35.46
and they made some
concessions to heathenism
00:16:35.49\00:16:37.70
and paganism and
watered down certain teachings.
00:16:37.73\00:16:42.12
But they were embarrassed
00:16:42.15\00:16:43.19
by these other more
courageous Christians
00:16:43.22\00:16:45.20
who lived up to
their conscience.
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.50
So these
compromising drifters turned
00:16:47.53\00:16:50.22
and persecuted
their own brethren.
00:16:50.25\00:16:51.70
And it's always
that way, isn't it?
00:16:51.73\00:16:53.99
Some people are
probably laughing at you
00:16:54.02\00:16:55.90
for spending three
weekends with your Bible
00:16:55.93\00:16:58.12
at these meetings
here at the Jamil center.
00:16:58.15\00:17:00.08
And they haven't
cracked the Book in 20 years.
00:17:00.11\00:17:03.44
Friend, don't
worry about ridicule.
00:17:03.47\00:17:05.88
Thank God you have the courage
to come to these study seminars
00:17:05.91\00:17:08.90
and learn about
God's prophetic truth.
00:17:08.93\00:17:10.58
Amen.
00:17:10.61\00:17:11.75
But the persecution got so
bad that by the year 533 A.D.
00:17:11.78\00:17:18.00
the Emperor
Justinian issued a decree
00:17:18.03\00:17:22.22
removing all protective barriers
00:17:22.25\00:17:24.19
to allow full and relentless
persecution of any Christians.
00:17:24.22\00:17:27.01
No restraints, no
protection for the church.
00:17:27.04\00:17:30.14
And that decree
actually went into effect,
00:17:30.17\00:17:32.92
5 years later in the
year 538, that is in history.
00:17:32.95\00:17:38.59
That decree went into effect.
00:17:38.62\00:17:40.16
Now anyone could be slain
for the simple crime of belief
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.59
in the word of God
or studying the Bible.
00:17:43.62\00:17:46.61
All right, now
you add 538 to 1,260,
00:17:46.64\00:17:50.78
what does it come out to?
00:17:50.81\00:17:53.60
What year would it end?
00:17:53.63\00:17:55.90
1798. All right.
00:17:55.93\00:18:00.64
Historians call
these 1,260 years
00:18:00.67\00:18:03.83
of persecution
the Dark-- What? Ages.
00:18:03.86\00:18:07.70
So dark, that as
late as the 16th century
00:18:07.73\00:18:12.38
in France, 50,000 people,
00:18:12.41\00:18:15.07
the flower of France
were dragged from their beds
00:18:15.10\00:18:17.18
at the toll of
the bell at midnight
00:18:17.21\00:18:18.98
and they were
slain in the streets.
00:18:19.01\00:18:20.74
It's called the St.
Bartholomew's Day Massacre
00:18:20.77\00:18:23.58
in Paris, France,
when blood ran like water.
00:18:23.61\00:18:26.72
But 200 years later there was
a complete political reversal
00:18:26.75\00:18:31.04
and military coup
when the persecuted
00:18:31.07\00:18:34.09
became the persecutors.
00:18:34.12\00:18:35.75
And even the king lost his
head and all Europe was aghast.
00:18:35.78\00:18:39.37
You read European
history, it's phenomenal.
00:18:39.40\00:18:41.35
But suddenly the persecution
mysteriously diminished
00:18:41.38\00:18:44.43
and it dried up as
Jesus predicted, by the way.
00:18:44.46\00:18:46.81
Why did it dry up?
00:18:46.84\00:18:48.82
Because in 1787 we
have the French Revolution.
00:18:48.85\00:18:53.45
When suddenly
persecution just stopped in 1798
00:18:53.48\00:18:58.66
when the Pope was taken captive
00:18:58.69\00:19:00.73
by Napoleon's general, Berthier,
00:19:00.76\00:19:02.74
exactly 1,260 years later.
00:19:02.77\00:19:07.38
But you know,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:19:07.41\00:19:08.45
during those tragic Dark Ages,
00:19:08.48\00:19:11.57
creditable historians estimate
that 50 million people perished
00:19:11.60\00:19:16.92
for no other crime
than to protect this Book.
00:19:16.95\00:19:20.89
Folks, the story of
the Bible is a thriller.
00:19:20.92\00:19:23.86
It cost human blood.
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.34
Satan tried to stamp it
out. Prophecy predicted it.
00:19:26.37\00:19:30.39
But now let's come
down to the next chart.
00:19:30.42\00:19:33.86
The tunnels and
the railroad tracks.
00:19:33.89\00:19:36.75
I wonder how many budding young
artists we have here tonight.
00:19:36.78\00:19:39.51
And I want you to draw
right now with me a train,
00:19:39.54\00:19:43.83
maybe a locomotive, would you?
00:19:43.86\00:19:45.24
Come on, I don't want
to see you looking at me,
00:19:45.27\00:19:46.58
I want you to be
drawing. Right now, everybody.
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.21
Camera's gonna come
down, pick up on some of you,
00:19:48.24\00:19:49.90
so you got to have
something on your page
00:19:49.93\00:19:51.12
or we're gonna be embarrassed.
00:19:51.15\00:19:53.12
I'll draw something
here. How are you doing?
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.88
Don't make your train too big,
it can't get into the tunnel.
00:19:56.91\00:20:00.45
I'm gonna make an old
fashioned locomotive here.
00:20:00.48\00:20:03.33
How about you?
00:20:03.36\00:20:04.54
Put a couple of
cars on it if you want.
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.95
Maybe put a little
steam engine there on the top.
00:20:06.98\00:20:09.77
Okay?
00:20:09.80\00:20:10.86
All right.
00:20:13.84\00:20:15.78
May I have your eyes?
00:20:15.81\00:20:18.17
Suppose you're
standing on a mountain up
00:20:18.20\00:20:19.73
there in Banff, Canada
watching the railroad tracks
00:20:19.76\00:20:22.70
wind through the
valley heading for a tunnel.
00:20:22.73\00:20:25.42
And you watch a
black locomotive,
00:20:25.45\00:20:28.20
it's made out of iron,
00:20:28.23\00:20:29.29
it's one of the old iron horses.
00:20:29.32\00:20:30.92
It's on a single track tunnel
00:20:30.95\00:20:32.36
and approaches this
tunnel with 12 black iron cars
00:20:32.39\00:20:37.27
and it thunders down the track
and disappears into the tunnel.
00:20:37.30\00:20:41.31
What kind of a
train should come out
00:20:41.34\00:20:43.45
of the other end of the tunnel?
00:20:43.48\00:20:46.93
Same one. Same kind.
00:20:46.96\00:20:49.22
But suppose a black locomotive
00:20:49.25\00:20:53.90
with 12 iron cars
thunders down the track,
00:20:53.93\00:20:56.46
darts into this
tunnel and you watch
00:20:56.49\00:20:58.13
and out the other
end spurts a red diesel
00:20:58.16\00:21:03.94
with 250 red steel cars
steaming out the other end,
00:21:03.97\00:21:09.38
what would you say?
00:21:09.41\00:21:10.44
Something happened to that
train in the tunnel, right?
00:21:13.91\00:21:17.54
Yes. Now forget trains.
00:21:17.57\00:21:20.81
If you can, I want you to
come down to the next chart.
00:21:20.84\00:21:24.33
What do you see coming
down the track of time?
00:21:24.36\00:21:27.98
The church of Jesus Christ,
00:21:28.01\00:21:31.94
through the first hundred years,
00:21:31.97\00:21:33.50
the second hundred
years, through five centuries.
00:21:33.53\00:21:37.14
But Satan so terribly
persecuted that church
00:21:37.17\00:21:39.97
that God had to take her
00:21:40.00\00:21:41.66
and hide her in the
wilderness tunnel in 538 A.D.
00:21:41.69\00:21:45.50
For 1,260 years, after
which should emerge around 1798
00:21:45.53\00:21:52.13
the same church
before the world.
00:21:52.16\00:21:55.33
Now, friend, the true
00:21:55.36\00:21:56.39
and the faithful loyal
virgin Christian church
00:21:56.42\00:21:59.45
of Jesus Christ was hidden
from view for 1,260 years.
00:21:59.48\00:22:04.32
But notice, the same pure church
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.42
that Jesus and
the Apostles taught,
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.44
goes into the tunnel in 538 A.D.
00:22:08.47\00:22:12.79
Answer me, what kind of church
00:22:12.82\00:22:15.55
should come out of
the tunnel around 1798?
00:22:15.58\00:22:18.49
Same thing.
00:22:18.52\00:22:21.32
But instead, 250
different denominations
00:22:21.35\00:22:26.29
spurt out the other side,
00:22:26.32\00:22:27.92
each quarreling,
arguing, pointing fingers,
00:22:27.95\00:22:30.45
and claiming, "I'm
right, you're wrong."
00:22:30.48\00:22:34.92
What happened to the
church into the tunnel?
00:22:34.95\00:22:39.46
Why are there so
many denominations today?
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.45
You see, the Bible
came through unscathed.
00:22:41.48\00:22:46.36
But something happened
to the church in the tunnel.
00:22:46.39\00:22:49.34
In fact, Paul
predicted a falling away.
00:22:49.37\00:22:52.47
Centuries of
compromise with paganism
00:22:52.50\00:22:54.81
into the Christian
church infiltrated doctrines
00:22:54.84\00:22:57.45
and rites and
practices and teachings,
00:22:57.48\00:22:59.60
Paul or Peter never heard of,
00:22:59.63\00:23:01.40
that suddenly claimed the
rank of divine institution.
00:23:01.43\00:23:05.31
And, friend, is it
any wonder that God says
00:23:05.34\00:23:07.72
in these last
days of human history
00:23:07.75\00:23:10.48
you and I are to get our
Bibles and contend earnestly
00:23:10.51\00:23:13.93
for the faith that was
once delivered to the saints.
00:23:13.96\00:23:17.87
That is why,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:23:17.90\00:23:19.78
these Voice of
Prophecy Speaks meetings.
00:23:19.81\00:23:21.66
Amen.
00:23:21.69\00:23:22.76
Horrific changes took
place during those Dark Ages.
00:23:22.79\00:23:27.46
There's no more
fascinating story
00:23:27.49\00:23:29.88
than the story of the Waldenses
00:23:29.91\00:23:31.57
and the Huguenots
and the Albigenses.
00:23:31.60\00:23:33.84
There's a Huguenot
church, by the way, down here.
00:23:33.87\00:23:35.57
It's the only
one in North America,
00:23:35.60\00:23:36.63
it's in Charleston.
00:23:36.66\00:23:37.76
I went there, and
Jeanie and I wept,
00:23:37.79\00:23:39.72
the last Huguenot
church in North America.
00:23:39.75\00:23:42.56
These faithful Christian groups,
00:23:42.59\00:23:44.18
who all across Europe,
they were the guardians
00:23:44.21\00:23:47.49
of truth and God's word
during those terrible Dark Ages
00:23:47.52\00:23:50.56
when God's word was outlawed
and suppressed by the church.
00:23:50.59\00:23:55.58
And, folks, let's remember
now that was our church.
00:23:55.61\00:23:59.33
Whether you are Protestant
00:23:59.36\00:24:00.40
or Catholic,
this was our heritage.
00:24:00.43\00:24:02.87
Did they make tragic mistakes?
Yes, just like we do today.
00:24:02.90\00:24:06.93
But it got to the point
where no Bibles were allowed.
00:24:06.96\00:24:10.31
If you possessed a
Bible or even studied one
00:24:10.34\00:24:12.50
you were persecuted, prosecuted
and put to death by the church.
00:24:12.53\00:24:17.08
People were burned at the stake
00:24:17.11\00:24:18.36
because they wanted
to translate the Bible
00:24:18.39\00:24:20.14
into the language of
the dialects of the people.
00:24:20.17\00:24:23.31
In fact, for 1,200
years the Bible was forbidden.
00:24:23.34\00:24:26.98
It was only heard
occasionally in cathedrals
00:24:27.01\00:24:29.71
in a locked foreign
language on the weekends.
00:24:29.74\00:24:33.18
Well, this
gentleman, Peter Waldo
00:24:33.21\00:24:34.96
happened to have a Bible.
00:24:34.99\00:24:37.18
He was so persecuted
and hunted like a wild beast
00:24:37.21\00:24:40.50
that he and his
Waldensian followers
00:24:40.53\00:24:43.00
climbed up into the Piedmont
valleys of northern Italy.
00:24:43.03\00:24:46.42
But soon it
wasn't safe there either.
00:24:46.45\00:24:48.05
And they fled to the
Alps, hiding in caves
00:24:48.08\00:24:52.18
and the
wilderness for centuries.
00:24:52.21\00:24:55.54
Whole cultures lived
and died in those caves
00:24:55.57\00:24:58.94
trying to protect the Bible.
00:24:58.97\00:25:01.08
They felt their
heaven-sent mission
00:25:01.11\00:25:02.80
was to make
hand-written copies of the Word.
00:25:02.83\00:25:05.19
Printing hadn't
been invented yet.
00:25:05.22\00:25:07.41
So they would cautiously
send out these little pieces
00:25:07.44\00:25:10.83
of the Bible throughout Europe.
00:25:10.86\00:25:12.29
But they lived in
the stone fortresses
00:25:12.32\00:25:14.21
and caves and
copied scripture portions
00:25:14.24\00:25:16.26
on parchment
sitting on stone tables.
00:25:16.29\00:25:18.81
And they and their families
00:25:18.84\00:25:19.91
would copy just one
verse a thousand times,
00:25:19.94\00:25:22.18
maybe in German
or French or Italian.
00:25:22.21\00:25:25.05
And then they would send
their fine young boys and girls
00:25:25.08\00:25:27.91
down into the valleys to enroll
00:25:27.94\00:25:29.95
as university
students, disguised as students.
00:25:29.98\00:25:33.41
But they had sewn into
the hems of their garments
00:25:33.44\00:25:36.25
and linings
portions of those scriptures.
00:25:36.28\00:25:39.43
If they were caught,
they were slain immediately.
00:25:39.46\00:25:42.99
But when they would
find an earnest teacher,
00:25:43.02\00:25:44.97
maybe a sincere student
who just seemed discouraged
00:25:45.00\00:25:48.75
and bent over,
crushed with guilt,
00:25:48.78\00:25:51.53
not knowing what the
Bible said about forgiveness,
00:25:51.56\00:25:54.72
they would
produce a little passage
00:25:54.75\00:25:58.19
in their own language
and the truth would spread.
00:25:58.22\00:26:01.80
If the authorities found
the source, they would die.
00:26:01.83\00:26:05.38
Meanwhile, the
older folks, the parents,
00:26:05.41\00:26:06.89
they would disguise
themselves as peddlers.
00:26:06.92\00:26:09.64
And they'd go
down into the valleys
00:26:09.67\00:26:10.83
selling pots and pans and cloth.
00:26:10.86\00:26:13.18
And if they came
to a sincere home
00:26:13.21\00:26:14.71
and found someone discouraged
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.17
because of all
of their awful sins,
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.46
they would cautiously bring out
00:26:18.49\00:26:20.08
from the folds of
their garments a text.
00:26:20.11\00:26:23.01
My friend, the Bible
says, "If we confess our sins,
00:26:23.04\00:26:27.25
He is faithful to forgive us
00:26:27.28\00:26:29.64
our sins and cleanse
us from all unrighteous."
00:26:29.67\00:26:32.52
They had never heard
words like that before.
00:26:32.55\00:26:35.24
My sins? You mean even my sins?
00:26:35.27\00:26:38.27
I can go to the
Savior and ask forgiveness?
00:26:38.30\00:26:40.23
Yes.
00:26:40.26\00:26:41.63
And they would
produce more scripture
00:26:41.66\00:26:43.34
and read with
them into the night,
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.02
have a little
rest there, perhaps.
00:26:45.05\00:26:46.67
And in the morning,
they would slip away
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.57
before breakfast and off
that missionary would go.
00:26:48.60\00:26:51.03
The host would
rush outside, you know,
00:26:51.06\00:26:52.90
we didn't even get their
name or where she was from.
00:26:52.93\00:26:56.37
They hurried out to the street
00:26:56.40\00:26:57.48
just like other people
looking for their missionary.
00:26:57.51\00:27:00.98
And that was the signal
00:27:01.01\00:27:02.15
the authorities
were looking for.
00:27:02.18\00:27:03.47
And they found their missionary
00:27:03.50\00:27:05.14
lying in cold blood
at the street corner.
00:27:05.17\00:27:08.07
Any library will
tell you this story.
00:27:08.10\00:27:10.79
In fact, John Milton,
the blind poet of England,
00:27:10.82\00:27:13.85
Latin secretary
to Oliver Cromwell,
00:27:13.88\00:27:16.67
John Milton was so stirred
00:27:16.70\00:27:18.47
by the
slaughter of the Waldenses
00:27:18.50\00:27:20.15
as late as 1655,
that he wrote these words,
00:27:20.18\00:27:24.96
"Avenge, O Lord,
thy slaughtered saints,
00:27:24.99\00:27:28.64
Whose bones lie scattered
on the Alpine mountains cold.
00:27:28.67\00:27:32.13
E'en them who kept
thy truth so pure of old,
00:27:32.16\00:27:35.38
When all our fathers
worshiped stocks and stones."
00:27:35.41\00:27:40.32
The great hymn writer
of the church at this time,
00:27:40.35\00:27:42.05
Isaac Watts, he
composed this hymn, you know it.
00:27:42.08\00:27:45.44
"Am I a soldier of the cross?"
00:27:45.47\00:27:49.54
He wrote about the Waldenses,
00:27:49.57\00:27:50.85
the Huguenots, the Albigenses.
00:27:50.88\00:27:52.73
One of the
stanzas goes like this:
00:27:52.76\00:27:54.87
Must I be carried to the skies
00:27:54.90\00:27:58.26
On flowery beds of ease?
00:27:58.29\00:28:00.74
While others
fought to win the prize
00:28:00.77\00:28:03.29
And sailed through bloody seas?
00:28:03.32\00:28:06.36
Folks, that's why the founding
00:28:06.39\00:28:08.02
fathers of
America fled over here.
00:28:08.05\00:28:09.73
The pilgrims and the Puritans,
00:28:09.76\00:28:11.29
they boarded the Mayflower
00:28:11.32\00:28:12.86
to escape all of
that persecution,
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.72
bound for
America, land of freedom.
00:28:14.75\00:28:16.79
And America's poets, writing
about Plymouth Rock said,
00:28:16.82\00:28:19.95
"I call it holy ground,
the spot where first they trod,
00:28:19.98\00:28:24.80
They left unstained
what here they found,
00:28:24.83\00:28:27.69
Freedom to worship God."
00:28:27.72\00:28:30.21
Folks, the story
of the scriptures
00:28:30.24\00:28:31.79
is just a thriller.
00:28:31.82\00:28:35.13
There came a day in Europe
00:28:35.16\00:28:37.12
when 20,000 troops
under French Colonel DePerot
00:28:37.15\00:28:41.49
went up into those mountains
to destroy the Waldenses.
00:28:41.52\00:28:44.98
Now you talk about
hitting a fly with a hammer.
00:28:45.01\00:28:48.58
He sent 20,000
soldiers to exterminate
00:28:48.61\00:28:51.57
2,000 of the Waldenses,
00:28:51.60\00:28:53.81
boasting to the
villagers in the valley,
00:28:53.84\00:28:55.44
"Come to the public
hanging of the Waldenses
00:28:55.47\00:28:58.26
and see the end
of them tomorrow."
00:28:58.29\00:29:01.12
Well, they
started up the mountain.
00:29:01.15\00:29:02.32
But, you know, those Waldenses
00:29:02.35\00:29:03.43
have been living up
there for centuries,
00:29:03.46\00:29:04.97
they knew every tree,
they knew every boulder.
00:29:05.00\00:29:07.14
They were hiding
behind them, watching.
00:29:07.17\00:29:08.63
And when they saw
the troops coming up,
00:29:08.66\00:29:10.45
well, they simply dislodged
some of those boulders,
00:29:10.48\00:29:12.91
which thundered
down the mountain
00:29:12.94\00:29:14.21
and killed some of the soldiers
00:29:14.24\00:29:15.33
and even Colonel
DePerot was wounded.
00:29:15.36\00:29:18.40
He begged for refuge
in a Waldensian fort.
00:29:18.43\00:29:21.52
They were very kind to
give him food and lodging,
00:29:21.55\00:29:24.56
but the rest of them just fled.
00:29:24.59\00:29:26.61
Next day the army
moved in for the kill,
00:29:26.64\00:29:29.61
the soldiers moving
very cautiously now,
00:29:29.64\00:29:31.75
hiding behind
the trees and rocks.
00:29:31.78\00:29:34.77
Got up there and
the Waldenses were gone.
00:29:34.80\00:29:37.56
Their caves and
their forts were empty.
00:29:37.59\00:29:39.60
They were up in
their stocking feet
00:29:39.63\00:29:42.10
on the tops of the mountains,
singing Psalm 124:2, 3,
00:29:42.13\00:29:46.21
"If the Lord
were not on our side,
00:29:46.24\00:29:47.90
then when men
rose up against us,
00:29:47.93\00:29:49.57
we would have been
swallowed up quick."
00:29:49.60\00:29:51.17
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:29:51.20\00:29:52.55
And the soldiers cursed,
00:29:52.58\00:29:54.29
"Heaven itself seems to
be blessing these people."
00:29:54.32\00:29:59.23
But tragically
it wasn't always so.
00:29:59.26\00:30:02.57
I hope I can share this.
00:30:02.60\00:30:03.82
There came a day
when 260 Waldenses
00:30:07.64\00:30:11.79
were in a little cave.
00:30:11.82\00:30:13.94
The soldiers
discovered they were inside.
00:30:13.97\00:30:17.32
So they built a fire
at the opening of the cave
00:30:17.35\00:30:19.68
and you know what happened.
00:30:19.71\00:30:21.47
It licked up the
oxygen, all 260 of them died.
00:30:21.50\00:30:26.67
I hope if I live long
enough I get to go to Europe,
00:30:26.70\00:30:29.29
some day I want to go
down and crawl into that cave.
00:30:29.32\00:30:33.14
You got to get in on
your hands and knees.
00:30:33.17\00:30:36.58
Would the light of truth
be entirely extinguished?
00:30:36.61\00:30:40.29
Oh, no.
00:30:40.32\00:30:41.54
There came a
day in the seclusion
00:30:41.57\00:30:43.41
of a German
library, that a young monk,
00:30:43.44\00:30:46.26
soon to become a priest,
00:30:46.29\00:30:47.73
found a Bible chained
to the monastery wall.
00:30:47.76\00:30:52.27
Martin Luther had
never even seen a Bible
00:30:52.30\00:30:54.62
even though he was
studying for holy orders.
00:30:54.65\00:30:56.51
He'd only heard
fragments in Latin.
00:30:56.54\00:30:59.84
Square-jawed,
independent Luther,
00:30:59.87\00:31:04.63
he was
fascinated with the Bible.
00:31:04.66\00:31:06.28
He came back again
and again for months
00:31:06.31\00:31:08.52
and he would study that Bible.
00:31:08.55\00:31:10.64
He didn't find anything
about painful pilgrimages
00:31:10.67\00:31:13.58
to holy shrines or
indulgences or penance.
00:31:13.61\00:31:17.53
You see, Luther was taught
00:31:17.56\00:31:19.49
that he needed to
lie on the ground,
00:31:19.52\00:31:22.51
cold ground and
lacerate his back
00:31:22.54\00:31:24.26
to show God how bad he was.
00:31:24.29\00:31:26.74
But he found nothing
about that in the Bible.
00:31:26.77\00:31:29.51
But he found a lot about Jesus,
he found lot about forgiveness.
00:31:29.54\00:31:34.00
And his favorite
text was Romans 1:17,
00:31:34.03\00:31:36.41
"The just shall live by faith."
00:31:36.44\00:31:40.50
And Martin Luther
turned to his church
00:31:40.53\00:31:42.23
of his day and he
shook civilization
00:31:42.26\00:31:44.40
to its very foundations
with the Reformation.
00:31:44.43\00:31:47.32
A new renaissance was
coming. The new world.
00:31:47.35\00:31:50.37
In fact, Luther began
to translate the Bible
00:31:50.40\00:31:52.42
into German, the
language of the people.
00:31:52.45\00:31:54.54
Luther was one of
the first Protestants.
00:31:54.57\00:31:58.36
You folks here in
Carolina heard about Protestant?
00:31:58.39\00:32:01.77
You say, but, Lonnie,
we're a little more cultured,
00:32:01.80\00:32:03.80
we say Protestant.
00:32:03.83\00:32:06.49
Friend, a protestant
is simply one who protests
00:32:06.52\00:32:09.83
against any doctrine
or practice or teaching
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.54
that's not found in the Bible.
00:32:12.57\00:32:15.12
Luther turned to his
church with some big questions,
00:32:15.15\00:32:18.30
expecting to receive
appreciation for his research.
00:32:18.33\00:32:21.75
But they said,
"Oh, father Martin, no.
00:32:21.78\00:32:26.22
Luther, the church hasn't taught
00:32:26.25\00:32:27.88
this for centuries
and we don't intend to.
00:32:27.91\00:32:32.67
Martin, you recant or you'll
be excommunicated for heresy."
00:32:32.70\00:32:38.38
What was he to do?
00:32:38.41\00:32:40.29
Let truth die? No.
00:32:40.32\00:32:42.56
I'm so glad that
Luther championed truth.
00:32:42.59\00:32:45.29
He stepped out of
the church of his day.
00:32:45.32\00:32:48.71
And when Luther died,
his followers built a fence
00:32:48.74\00:32:51.33
around what
Martin Luther believed
00:32:51.36\00:32:53.03
and they called it a creed.
00:32:53.06\00:32:55.94
You ever hear of creed?
00:32:55.97\00:32:58.55
Now there's
nothing wrong with a creed,
00:32:58.58\00:33:01.05
except that it makes no
provision for advancing light.
00:33:01.08\00:33:04.92
It locks you in to that century.
00:33:04.95\00:33:07.85
We know that his
followers were called Lutherans.
00:33:07.88\00:33:11.10
You ever heard
of a Lutheran? Yes.
00:33:11.13\00:33:13.77
But you see, friend,
00:33:13.80\00:33:14.83
the Reformation
was only beginning.
00:33:14.86\00:33:17.56
Along came other
groups of reformers
00:33:17.59\00:33:20.08
who recovered truths that
Luther hadn't even found yet.
00:33:20.11\00:33:23.74
Wycliffe over in England.
00:33:23.77\00:33:25.36
Reformers like
John Knox of Scotland.
00:33:25.39\00:33:27.59
John Calvin in Switzerland.
Zwingli, Hus, Jerome.
00:33:27.62\00:33:30.60
They came to the leaders
00:33:30.63\00:33:31.67
of the Lutheran reform movement,
00:33:31.70\00:33:33.77
"Look what we found."
00:33:33.80\00:33:35.26
But they were met with
the same cold and icy reserve
00:33:35.29\00:33:38.62
"Well, Luther didn't believe
this, so we can't accept it."
00:33:38.65\00:33:44.10
What were these reformers to do?
00:33:44.13\00:33:46.13
Let truth die?
00:33:46.16\00:33:48.19
No, they
followed Luther's example
00:33:48.22\00:33:50.41
and they stepped
out of Lutheranism,
00:33:50.44\00:33:53.14
stepped forward
in the light of truth
00:33:53.17\00:33:55.01
and they founded
the Presbyterian church.
00:33:55.04\00:33:58.35
And then the
Anglicans and the Methodists.
00:33:58.38\00:34:00.93
The Anabaptist reformers,
they came along and said,
00:34:00.96\00:34:02.67
"Look, what we've discovered,
baptism by immersion."
00:34:02.70\00:34:05.93
And the Baptists were founded.
00:34:05.96\00:34:07.95
Each recovering new rays
of light from the word of God.
00:34:07.98\00:34:11.34
Friend, listen, Revelation 12
00:34:11.37\00:34:14.29
tells us the history
of the Christian church
00:34:14.32\00:34:16.64
and why there are so
many denominations today.
00:34:16.67\00:34:19.63
Folks, God never
intended it to be this way.
00:34:19.66\00:34:23.15
Because you see the
Reformation isn't finished yet.
00:34:23.18\00:34:26.78
The denominations
we have out there today
00:34:26.81\00:34:29.44
are the sad human tendency
of dependence upon the past.
00:34:29.47\00:34:34.85
Well, if father
and mother believed it,
00:34:34.88\00:34:36.42
it's okay for them,
00:34:36.45\00:34:38.09
I guess it's good enough for me.
00:34:38.12\00:34:39.84
If you ever hear anyone
say that, you pray for them.
00:34:39.87\00:34:43.83
That is devastating.
00:34:43.86\00:34:45.85
Now I thank God
for my grandfather
00:34:45.88\00:34:47.82
and my mother and my father.
00:34:47.85\00:34:49.99
But God says He
expects us to grow,
00:34:50.02\00:34:53.25
to keep following new light,
to keep the Reformation alive.
00:34:53.28\00:34:57.09
God wants end-time Christians
00:34:57.12\00:34:59.42
to gather all of the rays
of light, truths that were lost
00:34:59.45\00:35:03.04
in the Dark
Ages for 1,260 years.
00:35:03.07\00:35:06.38
Jude 1:3 says,
00:35:06.41\00:35:08.08
Lonnie, "You must
contend earnestly for the faith
00:35:08.11\00:35:11.95
that was once
delivered unto the saints."
00:35:11.98\00:35:15.36
My Christian
friend, please listen.
00:35:15.39\00:35:18.24
The Bible says the
truth is progressive.
00:35:18.27\00:35:21.41
We need to grow in
it, daily move in it,
00:35:21.44\00:35:24.04
daily change, daily progress.
00:35:24.07\00:35:26.41
God does not save
us by denominations.
00:35:26.44\00:35:30.20
One of my favorite
texts, Proverbs 4:18, says,
00:35:30.23\00:35:33.49
"The path of the just
is as the shining light
00:35:33.52\00:35:37.27
that shines more and
more unto the perfect day."
00:35:37.30\00:35:44.51
All right, we are ready
now for Revelation 12 again.
00:35:44.54\00:35:46.78
Would you look
at verse 14 with me?
00:35:46.81\00:35:49.71
Now we're gonna
understand some things
00:35:49.74\00:35:51.10
we didn't know
before this evening.
00:35:51.13\00:35:53.82
It says, and you can
look at this chart, too,
00:35:53.85\00:35:55.72
and see what this
text is talking about.
00:35:55.75\00:35:57.79
It says, "But
the woman was given
00:35:57.82\00:35:59.09
two wings of a great eagle,
00:35:59.12\00:36:01.37
that she might fly
into the wilderness
00:36:01.40\00:36:04.17
to her place,
where she is nourished
00:36:04.20\00:36:06.33
for a time and
times and half a time,
00:36:06.36\00:36:08.86
from the
presence of the serpent."
00:36:08.89\00:36:10.15
Now that's just another way
of figuring the 1,260 years,
00:36:10.18\00:36:12.99
a time is a
year, times two years,
00:36:13.02\00:36:14.96
half a times 180 days,
come out to 1,260, same thing.
00:36:14.99\00:36:18.72
It says, "So the
serpent or the dragon
00:36:18.75\00:36:20.70
spewed water out of his mouth
like a flood after the woman,
00:36:20.73\00:36:23.74
that he might cause her to
be carried away by the flood.
00:36:23.77\00:36:26.78
But the earth helped the woman,
00:36:26.81\00:36:29.39
and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood
00:36:29.42\00:36:32.00
which the dragon had
spewed out of his mouth."
00:36:32.03\00:36:34.38
Can you see God
hiding the Waldenses there,
00:36:34.41\00:36:36.56
in the earth, in that verse?
00:36:36.59\00:36:39.67
Now here's where you and I
come in today in 2003-2004.
00:36:39.70\00:36:44.62
Here's where we
come into the picture.
00:36:44.65\00:36:46.59
Read with me verse 17.
All together, out loud.
00:36:46.62\00:36:51.13
"And the dragon was
enraged at the woman,
00:36:51.16\00:36:54.76
and he went to make war
with the rest of her offspring,
00:36:54.79\00:36:58.10
who keep the commandments of God
00:36:58.13\00:37:00.60
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:37:00.63\00:37:03.98
Who is the dragon? Satan.
00:37:04.01\00:37:06.92
Write that in on your Bible,
00:37:06.95\00:37:08.18
write over that verse
so you'll never forget it.
00:37:08.21\00:37:10.38
Satan.
00:37:10.41\00:37:12.48
He's angry with whom? Church.
00:37:12.51\00:37:16.23
The woman or the church.
00:37:16.26\00:37:18.26
Write in church
over top of woman there
00:37:18.29\00:37:20.42
so you won't forget this.
00:37:20.45\00:37:22.46
And Satan goes to make war
with the rest of her offspring
00:37:22.49\00:37:26.22
or as the King
James says the remnant,
00:37:26.25\00:37:30.24
the last end of the church.
00:37:30.27\00:37:33.25
That's us.
00:37:33.28\00:37:35.76
Now let's read with
me again that passage
00:37:35.79\00:37:37.72
as interpreted
by your own Bible.
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.55
And you want to
look on the screen
00:37:39.58\00:37:40.84
because I've
kind of adjusted it.
00:37:40.87\00:37:42.22
Here's how it's
interpreted. All together.
00:37:42.25\00:37:44.39
"And Satan was
angry with the church,
00:37:44.42\00:37:48.95
and he went to make war
00:37:48.98\00:37:50.08
with the last
end of her offspring,
00:37:50.11\00:37:53.13
who keep the commandments of God
00:37:53.16\00:37:55.08
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:37:55.11\00:37:57.77
Can I have your
eyes one more time?
00:37:57.80\00:38:00.53
Tell me. Listen carefully.
00:38:00.56\00:38:02.49
In the first part of Chapter 12
00:38:02.52\00:38:05.11
Satan or the dragon was angry
00:38:05.14\00:38:07.07
with which part of
the Christian church?
00:38:07.10\00:38:12.53
Which part of the
New Testament church
00:38:12.56\00:38:14.67
was he angry with at first?
00:38:14.70\00:38:17.79
The first part,
the early church.
00:38:17.82\00:38:20.63
In the last verses we just read
00:38:20.66\00:38:22.52
Satan is angry with
what part of the church?
00:38:22.55\00:38:25.22
The last end or the remnant.
00:38:25.25\00:38:28.50
Ladies and
gentlemen, Revelation 12
00:38:28.53\00:38:31.20
is the history of
the Christian church
00:38:31.23\00:38:34.24
and 80% of this
audience tonight,
00:38:34.27\00:38:36.47
I don't care where
you're watching me,
00:38:36.50\00:38:37.92
you have never
heard this before.
00:38:37.95\00:38:40.10
But I want you to notice.
00:38:40.13\00:38:42.01
Friend, God is so concerned
that we get this message
00:38:42.04\00:38:44.43
and recover the truth lost
00:38:44.46\00:38:45.90
in the tunnel of those Dark Ages
00:38:45.93\00:38:47.96
and recover the same
faith that went into the tunnel
00:38:47.99\00:38:51.66
that He describes
two outstanding features
00:38:51.69\00:38:55.09
of God's true called out
people in the very last days.
00:38:55.12\00:38:59.65
He says they keep
the commandments of God
00:38:59.68\00:39:02.65
and they have the
same faith as Jesus.
00:39:02.68\00:39:05.64
Amen.
00:39:05.67\00:39:07.01
Some people
say, "Well, you know,
00:39:07.04\00:39:09.07
if you try to
keep the commandments,
00:39:09.10\00:39:11.12
you're not
really saved by grace."
00:39:11.15\00:39:13.65
God says, commandment-keeping
00:39:13.68\00:39:15.86
and the faith of
Jesus go together.
00:39:15.89\00:39:19.01
'Cause listen, friend,
00:39:19.04\00:39:20.69
if I have enough of the
grace of God in my heart,
00:39:20.72\00:39:24.15
I'm not gonna kill
you if I don't like you.
00:39:24.18\00:39:26.94
I'm not gonna steal from you.
00:39:26.97\00:39:29.51
I will certainly
not take your wife.
00:39:29.54\00:39:32.42
You see, commandment-keeping
00:39:32.45\00:39:33.49
isn't a means of salvation,
it's an evidence of salvation.
00:39:33.52\00:39:37.63
Amen.
00:39:37.66\00:39:38.69
And God clearly says here,
00:39:38.72\00:39:40.06
"Lon, My last
day called-out ones,
00:39:40.09\00:39:43.51
My people waiting for
the second coming of Jesus
00:39:43.54\00:39:46.40
will be keeping the commandments
00:39:46.43\00:39:48.14
and have the
testimony of Jesus."
00:39:48.17\00:39:50.07
I want to be part of that group.
00:39:50.10\00:39:51.37
Don't you? Amen.
00:39:51.40\00:39:53.87
You
seamstresses who like to sew,
00:39:53.90\00:39:59.16
you go downtown here
and you see a 70% off
00:39:59.19\00:40:01.77
remnant sale,
yardage at a store.
00:40:01.80\00:40:05.05
And you go, and to your delight,
00:40:05.08\00:40:06.20
you find
something that will match
00:40:06.23\00:40:07.91
the garment or
moving right along,
00:40:07.94\00:40:09.82
something else, maybe a
beautiful piece of cloth,
00:40:09.85\00:40:13.31
lots of
accessories you purchased.
00:40:13.34\00:40:14.98
So you buy enough cloth
to make a matching blouse.
00:40:15.01\00:40:18.24
And it's blue material.
00:40:18.27\00:40:20.77
Kind of got a pattern on it,
00:40:20.80\00:40:21.99
you can't get rid of the
family quick enough after dinner
00:40:22.02\00:40:24.38
so that you can spread
out your simplicity pattern
00:40:24.41\00:40:27.04
and you start to stitch and sew.
00:40:27.07\00:40:28.44
But alas, you discover,
00:40:28.47\00:40:29.95
well, you've
just got enough cloth,
00:40:29.98\00:40:32.39
except for one sleeve.
00:40:32.42\00:40:35.25
So you hurry back to the store,
00:40:35.28\00:40:36.41
you know it's the
last day remnant sale,
00:40:36.44\00:40:37.94
you find the same sales clerk.
00:40:37.97\00:40:39.43
And you even know her.
00:40:39.46\00:40:40.76
And she says, "Oh, I'm so sorry,
00:40:40.79\00:40:41.97
the material is all gone."
00:40:42.00\00:40:43.85
Oh, but she happens to know
00:40:43.88\00:40:44.91
three ladies
from your neighborhood
00:40:44.94\00:40:46.47
who came in for that sale
and they bought material, too.
00:40:46.50\00:40:49.57
So you know them, so
you go to each of them
00:40:49.60\00:40:52.32
and you knock at the first door
and you explain your problem.
00:40:52.35\00:40:54.54
"I just need a
little bit more material."
00:40:54.57\00:40:55.77
She says, "Sure,
I'll be glad to help you,
00:40:55.80\00:40:57.12
I bought plenty of material."
00:40:57.15\00:40:58.81
She brings out her package
00:40:58.84\00:40:59.90
and she opens it,
it's the wrong color.
00:40:59.93\00:41:03.78
You bought blue, hers is red.
00:41:03.81\00:41:06.72
Well, you don't
disturb her anymore,
00:41:06.75\00:41:08.00
you thank her very much,
you hurry to the next address.
00:41:08.03\00:41:10.53
She brings out her material,
well, you're kind of happy,
00:41:10.56\00:41:13.28
it's the same
pattern but hers is purple.
00:41:13.31\00:41:17.18
Yours was blue.
So you try again.
00:41:17.21\00:41:20.52
You go to the third door
00:41:20.55\00:41:21.67
and this lady
brings out her material.
00:41:21.70\00:41:24.11
Oh, it's the same pattern,
00:41:24.14\00:41:25.62
the same
identical weave, same color.
00:41:25.65\00:41:27.65
In fact, there's
even a matching thread,
00:41:27.68\00:41:29.53
you know, where they cut it
00:41:29.56\00:41:30.62
and tore a little
bit at the bottom.
00:41:30.65\00:41:32.81
Of what can you be
reasonably certain?
00:41:32.84\00:41:36.20
You have found the
remnant of the original.
00:41:36.23\00:41:39.77
Amen.
00:41:39.80\00:41:41.39
Now, friend, I want to be saved,
00:41:41.42\00:41:45.62
I want my family to be saved.
00:41:45.65\00:41:47.28
When Jesus forgives my sins,
00:41:47.31\00:41:48.81
I want to walk in all
the light of God's truth,
00:41:48.84\00:41:51.37
the prophetic light
that shines brighter
00:41:51.40\00:41:53.34
and brighter to the perfect day.
00:41:53.37\00:41:55.05
God says, "Lonnie,
Revelation 12 provides
00:41:55.08\00:41:58.23
absolute certain
thumbprint identification marks
00:41:58.26\00:42:01.36
to help you find God's
truth in these last days,
00:42:01.39\00:42:04.44
identical features
to match up exactly
00:42:04.47\00:42:07.30
with the
original faith of Jesus.
00:42:07.33\00:42:09.50
You can find My last-end remnant
00:42:09.53\00:42:12.56
of what started way back
there in the New Testament.
00:42:12.59\00:42:14.69
Jeremiah 29:13 says, Lon,
00:42:14.72\00:42:17.27
'And you shall seek
Me and you shall find Me
00:42:17.30\00:42:20.36
when you search for
Me with all your heart.'"
00:42:20.39\00:42:23.95
So you take the Bible,
00:42:23.98\00:42:27.40
the original that
went into the tunnel.
00:42:27.43\00:42:30.08
Then you take what you believe.
00:42:30.11\00:42:33.30
If it has the
same pattern of belief,
00:42:33.33\00:42:35.99
the same weave of doctrine,
the same texture of harmony,
00:42:36.02\00:42:39.85
the same consistency
of practice and teaching,
00:42:39.88\00:42:43.23
then, friend, you can know
you have found the remnant.
00:42:43.26\00:42:49.82
As you consider your
decision for Jesus Christ,
00:42:49.85\00:42:52.26
I want you to
take that response card
00:42:52.29\00:42:54.03
as the row captains
pass the containers.
00:42:54.06\00:42:56.54
I don't want you
to mark anything yet
00:42:56.57\00:42:58.03
but God's word has identified
00:42:58.06\00:43:00.08
God's called out ones
in these last end-times.
00:43:00.11\00:43:04.56
Right now I want you to
listen to Joey as she sings.
00:43:04.59\00:43:07.81
Why have You chosen me
00:43:12.18\00:43:17.00
Out of millions Your child to be
00:43:17.03\00:43:22.97
You know all the
wrongs that I have done
00:43:23.00\00:43:30.96
Oh, how could You pardon me
00:43:30.99\00:43:36.04
Forgive my iniquities
00:43:36.07\00:43:40.65
To save me in Jesus Your Son
00:43:40.68\00:43:48.65
But, Lord, help me be
00:43:48.68\00:43:53.72
What You want me to be
00:43:53.75\00:43:58.50
Your word I will strive to obey
00:43:58.53\00:44:05.99
My life I now give
00:44:06.02\00:44:10.45
For You I will live
00:44:10.48\00:44:15.66
And walk by
Your side all the way
00:44:15.69\00:44:22.66
Let us pray together.
00:44:26.29\00:44:27.43
Eternal Father, Jesus
tonight has identified for us
00:44:27.46\00:44:31.81
a precious truth
through the Voice of Prophecy,
00:44:31.84\00:44:36.50
how to identify
present truth out there
00:44:36.53\00:44:40.30
and the importance of being part
00:44:40.33\00:44:41.92
of God's called-out ones.
00:44:41.95\00:44:45.42
We simply take what we believe
00:44:45.45\00:44:47.04
and we measure it up against
00:44:47.07\00:44:48.52
the original
blueprint of scripture.
00:44:48.55\00:44:51.75
But, Lord,
tonight, then that means
00:44:51.78\00:44:53.45
we must make a choice to
keep walking in the light
00:44:53.48\00:44:57.89
that shines
brighter and brighter
00:44:57.92\00:44:59.62
to the perfect day.
00:44:59.65\00:45:01.81
So, Father, would
You help us just now
00:45:01.84\00:45:03.66
as we make our
choice and choose to be
00:45:03.69\00:45:07.67
one of God's called-out ones.
00:45:07.70\00:45:10.75
I want you to take your
pencil and your commitment card.
00:45:10.78\00:45:14.27
I'd like to have you
choose one of these responses.
00:45:14.30\00:45:17.11
Number one, I hope
everyone can understand clearly
00:45:17.14\00:45:20.43
the importance of
belonging to a church.
00:45:20.46\00:45:23.81
Check that, if I understand
00:45:23.84\00:45:25.15
the importance of
belonging to a church.
00:45:25.18\00:45:27.46
God wants us to
take our beliefs,
00:45:27.49\00:45:29.63
He lights the candle of
our lives, Revelation says,
00:45:29.66\00:45:32.45
for you to put
that on a lamp stand,
00:45:32.48\00:45:34.34
which represents the church.
00:45:34.37\00:45:36.67
Secondly, there
may be some tonight
00:45:36.70\00:45:38.24
who haven't yet made a
decision to join a church.
00:45:38.27\00:45:41.83
This is so important, I
want you to consider carefully.
00:45:41.86\00:45:44.60
I would like to belong
to God's called-out ones.
00:45:44.63\00:45:49.30
Check number two if
that's your decision tonight.
00:45:49.33\00:45:52.21
And I hope many individuals
00:45:52.24\00:45:53.40
who haven't taken
the step of baptism
00:45:53.43\00:45:55.09
will now see how
that is so important.
00:45:55.12\00:45:57.23
And you'll check number
three, I want to be baptized.
00:45:57.26\00:45:59.94
Make your decision
just now as Joey sings.
00:45:59.97\00:46:02.94
I am amazed to know
00:46:07.11\00:46:11.45
That a God so
great could love me so
00:46:11.48\00:46:17.03
Is willing and wanting to bless
00:46:17.06\00:46:25.02
His grace is so wonderful
00:46:25.05\00:46:29.76
His mercy so bountiful
00:46:29.79\00:46:34.48
I can't understand it, I confess
00:46:34.51\00:46:42.31
But, Lord, help me be
00:46:42.34\00:46:46.81
What You want me to be
00:46:46.84\00:46:51.41
Your word I will strive to obey
00:46:51.44\00:46:59.16
My life I now give
00:46:59.19\00:47:03.54
For You I will live
00:47:03.57\00:47:09.70
And walk by
Your side all the way
00:47:09.73\00:47:16.70
My life I now give
00:47:19.19\00:47:23.69
For You I will live
00:47:23.72\00:47:29.90
And walk by
Your side all the way
00:47:29.93\00:47:37.90
Father, we thank
you for the message
00:47:44.20\00:47:45.90
of that song that
touches our hearts.
00:47:45.93\00:47:48.50
We want to walk by
Your side all the way.
00:47:48.53\00:47:52.02
Give us the courage and the will
00:47:52.05\00:47:54.57
to follow our convictions.
00:47:54.60\00:47:57.01
Because it's not just
enough to talk about religion,
00:47:57.04\00:48:00.43
Jesus wants us to
put it into practice,
00:48:00.46\00:48:02.51
to do, to follow, to obey.
00:48:02.54\00:48:05.04
Bless every heart
who listens tonight
00:48:05.07\00:48:06.72
and as we make our
choice, seal it for eternity.
00:48:06.75\00:48:10.04
In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:48:10.07\00:48:14.48
I want you to be sure now
00:48:14.51\00:48:15.63
that you place
your response card
00:48:15.66\00:48:18.14
in that container as
it comes down the row.
00:48:18.17\00:48:22.08
Tomorrow night,
"The Great Pretender."
00:48:22.11\00:48:26.85
Friend, do not miss
tomorrow night's meeting.
00:48:26.88\00:48:29.95
It will be one of the
most revealing sessions
00:48:29.98\00:48:32.27
you will have ever heard.
00:48:32.30\00:48:33.76
Tomorrow night,
"The Great Pretender."
00:48:33.79\00:48:35.28
By the way, last night,
I went onto our chat room
00:48:35.31\00:48:39.02
and I found 235 of
you waiting for me there,
00:48:39.05\00:48:42.07
I couldn't answer
all of the questions,
00:48:42.10\00:48:43.51
but it was fun to be talking
with you up until midnight.
00:48:43.54\00:48:45.55
I'll be on the
chat room tonight again.
00:48:45.58\00:48:47.10
If you have a
computer just dial in,
00:48:47.13\00:48:48.97
prophecyspeaks.com.
00:48:49.00\00:48:50.58
And I'll be there
00:48:50.61\00:48:51.68
from 10 o' clock
on till whenever.
00:48:51.71\00:48:54.37
But we have some
special materials
00:48:54.40\00:48:56.49
for you tonight at
the downlink sites.
00:48:56.52\00:48:58.51
This special pamphlet
produced by Pacific Press,
00:48:58.54\00:49:01.97
we so much
appreciate signs of the times.
00:49:02.00\00:49:04.22
"What the Bible
says about God's church."
00:49:04.25\00:49:06.83
Be sure to get
your copy as you leave.
00:49:06.86\00:49:08.75
Tomorrow night,
"The Great Pretender."
00:49:08.78\00:49:10.49
Over in the
hospitality centers tonight
00:49:10.52\00:49:12.61
our host and hostesses would be
00:49:12.64\00:49:14.04
so pleased to greet you.
00:49:14.07\00:49:15.38
I'll spend just a
few minutes in ours
00:49:15.41\00:49:17.04
because I got to get away
and get on that chat room.
00:49:17.07\00:49:19.65
Remember, friend, as we
go, God really does love you.
00:49:19.68\00:49:26.82
Amen. Goodnight.
00:49:26.85\00:49:28.14