Hello, friends,
welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
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I am Pastor John Lomacang.
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Thank you once again for
taking the time to join us,
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as we attempt to
keep you prepared
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for the soon return of Jesus.
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Today's message is
entitled "Unprecedented Crisis."
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You heard it
correctly, Unprecedented Crisis.
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And we are going to need
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the guidance of
God's Holy Spirit
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to war your understanding
and to guide my mind,
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so let us pray together.
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Loving Father in heaven, we
thank You for the privilege.
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Yet a great responsibility
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to communicate in
behalf of Your kingdom.
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We ask for Your
Holy Spirit now, Lord,
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to go through the airways,
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whether by television
or by radio or by computer,
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whatever the
means of communication
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and reach into the
hearts and minds of those
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who will be
listening to this message
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to affect a
change in their lives
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in these unprecedented times.
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In Jesus name, I pray.
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Amen.
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It is a very, very short passage
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in the Book of Matthew.
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It's Matthew 24:25, very
short, but very profound,
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when we see what's
taking place in our world today.
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Let's begin by listening
to the words of Christ.
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He says in Matthew 24:25.
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"See, I have
told you beforehand."
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In other words,
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nothing is happening
that is catching Jesus
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or heaven by surprise.
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We look at our world
unfolding the way it is.
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And in the estimation of many,
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the world seems to
be suddenly changing.
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But in the mind of heaven,
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we are seeing the world
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in the way that God has
always known it would be.
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That's why I chose
the word unprecedented.
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I did some research
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and I found out
at dictionary.com,
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that second only
to the word pandemic
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is the word unprecedented.
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It was voted by
the people's choice
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as the most used word in 2020,
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second only to
the word pandemic.
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Friends, we are living
in unprecedented times.
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We are seeing
things unfold in our world
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that the imagination
could not even conceive,
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let alone the
eyes begin to view.
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These times help us
understand more deeply
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what Noah went
through in his day.
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You see God told
Noah to build the ark
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because the flood was coming.
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Yet Noah faced
unbelief and resistance,
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but it did not discouraged Noah
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from continuing
to build the ark.
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On the same note,
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God is urging His servants today
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to keep on preaching
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and not to allow the
unbelief of this generation
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to deter us from
proclaiming the fact
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that Jesus is coming soon,
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because this
generation is now paralleled
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to the generation of Noah's day.
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Listen to the words of Christ.
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Once again, in the
Book of Luke 17:27,
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he says the
words as they follow.
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Notice what he says,
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"They ate, they
drank, they married wives,
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they were given in marriage
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until the day that
Noah entered the ark,
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and the flood came
and destroyed them all."
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You see, friends, we
have undeniable evidence
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based on the words of Christ
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that this unprecedented
crisis is leading us
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to the sure and second
return of Jesus Christ.
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Now in the midst of
bad news, the good news is,
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Jesus is in fact coming again.
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The Bible doesn't
stop there though.
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It describes another
parallel similar to our times
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that was prevalent
in the days of Noah.
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We find this in the
Book of Genesis 6:11,
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listen to the
word of God once again.
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The Bible says,
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"The earth also
was corrupt before God,
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and the earth was
filled with violence."
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Notice the Bible
says filled with violence,
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not just had some
pockets of violence.
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Now we may see in
the climate of today,
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specifically in America,
violence is on the increase,
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violence in places
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that we never
thought it would even occur.
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Our nation's capital,
unprecedented amazing crisis.
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The nation's capital
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under crisis, under
violence, unimaginable.
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But Ellen White,
the servant of the Lord,
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I praise God for her insight.
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The insight of God,
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giving her understandings
of the times to warn us,
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to let us know that
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what is taking
place in our world today,
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once again did not
catch heaven by surprise.
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In the book
Letters and Manuscripts,
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volume 18, and paragraph 11,
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inspiration tells us
these following words
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about Noah's day.
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"In the days of Noah,
violence filled the land,
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and thus Christ has told us that
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it will be in the last days.
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The history of the old
world is to be repeated.
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The perversity
and cruelty of men
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will reach such a height
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that God will reveal
Himself in His majesty."
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And then she says,
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"Very soon the
wickedness of the world
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will have reached its limits,
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and as in the days of Noah,
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God will pour
out His judgments."
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Amazing, friends.
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As in the days of Noah,
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God is gonna
pour out his judgment.
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Now I feel beyond
a reasonable doubt
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that the judgments of
God are on the horizon
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because our world is just
like it was in the days of Noah.
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Violence is sold in video games
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and on television and in movies.
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But violence is
now brimming over
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from places we never
thought that it would come.
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And so, friends,
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welcome to the
preview of the final movements
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in the battle of the ages,
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the forces of light and darkness
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are preparing for
Armageddon's showdown.
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Every heaven opposing entity
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is amalgamating for
the last great assault.
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And 2020 has forced us
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to acknowledge that overnight
the world can collapse,
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overnight the world can change.
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2020 also lifted the
curtain on the toxic merger
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between religion and politics.
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And what we're
seeing in our world today
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in religious circles
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does not by any means identify
with the Christ of the Bible
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does not by any means
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come from the inspiration of God
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and the hearts of human men,
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because God is not
the author of confusion.
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He is the author of peace.
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But when you study the Bible,
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you begin to see
that front and center
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in the amplification
of the fire movements,
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Revelation reveals
the future of America
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and Revelation also reveals
the future of the entire world.
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Look at Revelation
13:11, let's begin with America.
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The Bible tells us
what's going to happen.
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And it says,
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"Then I saw another beast
coming up out of the earth,
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and he had two horns like a lamb
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and he spoke like a dragon."
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The Bible is describing
the power of the United States.
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Two horns like a lamb.
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One horn is the
horn of a Republic,
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by the people for the people.
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The other horn
represents our infancy
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as a nation that was
Protestant from its birth.
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Now that's very
important, remember that.
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A nation that was
Protestant from its birth,
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but when you study the Bible,
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you begin to see
the following realities.
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The political liberties
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that we have been
taking for granted
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are slowly coming
to an end in America.
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The constitutional freedoms
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that we have taken for
granted are ceasing around us.
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We are looking
at a nation fragile
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on the brink of collapse,
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both politically,
as well as religiously.
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The Bible describes the
United States as a nation
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that will fulfill
the forecast of God.
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God said it, and
we can believe it.
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The role that God
predicted concerning America
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will be fulfilled.
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The religious
and political merger
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that has been
forecast in Scripture
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is being
fulfilled before our eyes.
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Are we seeing it?
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And the consolidation
of Protestant America
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and papal Rome
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is being fulfilled with
blazing and amazing accuracy.
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Now, what are the dangers there?
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When you roll back
the pages of history,
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you'll find that
the tyranny and unrest
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that existed in the Dark Ages
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are beginning to
surface in America.
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Have you
watched the news lately?
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No matter where
you are in the world,
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it is almost impossible to miss
what's taking place in America,
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but God's Word does not label
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any political party as innocent.
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It doesn't matter
whether we are on the right.
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It doesn't matter
if we are on the left.
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It doesn't matter even
if we're in the center,
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God's Word does not call
political parties innocent
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in the promulgation of events
taking place in our world.
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And when we think about it,
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the entire world is on an
irreversible conveyor belt
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to prophetic fulfillment.
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That's why, friends,
this is the best time
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to begin to trust God's Word.
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This is the best time
to say God's Word said it
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and I believe it.
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This is the time
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to open the books of
Daniel and Revelation
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and begin to remind yourself
of the prophetic scenarios
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because so many Christians.
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And I would even add to that,
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so many Seventh-day
Adventist Christians
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are forgetting what
God's Word has predicted.
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And they're listening
to the rhetoric of people
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whose minds are not
guided by God's Word.
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And then we see the
outgrowth in society.
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We see the
imbalance, we see the arguments,
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we see fighting and
fussing even among those
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who claim to have the
same doctrinal beliefs.
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And that can only continue,
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if we fail to look at God's Word
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and look only, and listen only
to the rhetoric of humanity,
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but 2021 behind us
with 2020 behind us,
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2021 is not painting a picture,
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that's going to look
like it's getting better.
00:11:03.96\00:11:05.73
As a matter of fact,
the world is getting worse.
00:11:05.76\00:11:08.93
As a matter of fact,
it's gone from bad to worse.
00:11:08.96\00:11:13.00
We are just beginning to see
00:11:13.03\00:11:15.74
that this year 2021 is refusing
00:11:15.77\00:11:19.87
to give us permission to exhale.
00:11:19.91\00:11:23.14
But once again, I go
to words of inspiration
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in the book
Councils for the Church,
00:11:25.95\00:11:27.85
page 337 in paragraph 1.
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This is an
amazing quotation, listen.
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Ellen White says,
00:11:34.52\00:11:35.86
"Soon grievous troubles
will arise among the nations,
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trouble that will not
cease until Jesus comes."
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And she continues,
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"As never before we
need to press together."
00:11:47.47\00:11:51.47
Doing what?
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"Serving Him, who has prepared
His throne in the heavens
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and whose
kingdom ruleth over all."
00:11:57.28\00:12:00.35
And I love the way it ends.
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"God has not
forsaken His people,
00:12:01.85\00:12:05.12
and our strength lies
and not forsaking Him."
00:12:05.15\00:12:11.13
Now, let me say something.
00:12:11.16\00:12:12.76
If I preach this sermon
before the elections in 2020,
00:12:12.79\00:12:16.53
some might suggest
00:12:16.56\00:12:18.03
that the purpose of my
message is to influence voting,
00:12:18.07\00:12:21.34
but let me make it clear.
00:12:21.37\00:12:22.70
This message is not
about any political platform
00:12:22.74\00:12:25.94
or any politician.
00:12:25.97\00:12:27.48
It is not about their
rhetoric, their slogans.
00:12:27.51\00:12:30.38
It is not even about
the results of the election,
00:12:30.41\00:12:34.52
whether we believe them or not.
00:12:34.55\00:12:36.99
And so, Christians,
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allow me to shock
your sense of abilities
00:12:39.25\00:12:42.29
as I rip the band-aid
off of your political scars.
00:12:42.32\00:12:46.13
What am I saying?
00:12:46.16\00:12:47.53
Have you forgotten
00:12:47.56\00:12:49.40
what Christ has
shown us in His Word?
00:12:49.43\00:12:52.53
What we are seeing in
the world in Christianity
00:12:52.57\00:12:56.04
is almost an
abandonment of the reason
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why Jesus had
to go to the cross.
00:12:59.51\00:13:02.08
We are blaming
those on the right
00:13:02.11\00:13:04.11
and those on the right
are blaming those on the left.
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.28
But let's focus
for a brief moment
00:13:06.31\00:13:08.42
to the man in the middle.
00:13:08.45\00:13:10.32
Look at Isaiah 53:5.
00:13:10.35\00:13:13.25
Why are we going through
what we are going through?
00:13:13.29\00:13:16.12
The Bible makes it clear.
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"He was wounded
for our transgressions,
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He was bruised
for our iniquities,
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the chastisement of
our peace was upon Him,
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and by his
stripes we are healed."
00:13:30.17\00:13:33.71
We are not healed.
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I got to say this again.
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We are not healed,
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nor are we rescued
by political rhetoric.
00:13:38.85\00:13:43.99
We are only healed and rescued
by the shed blood of Jesus
00:13:44.02\00:13:49.26
brought up by the
broken body of our Savior.
00:13:49.29\00:13:52.39
Today, I can rejoice
that the tomb is empty.
00:13:52.43\00:13:54.93
That the Resurrected
Lord is not sitting somewhere
00:13:54.96\00:13:58.30
wondering
00:13:58.33\00:13:59.67
what is going to
happen in politics next.
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.07
Friends, let me say,
00:14:02.10\00:14:03.47
the only answer
for a dying world
00:14:03.51\00:14:06.57
is the exaltation of Jesus.
00:14:06.61\00:14:09.24
The only remedy
for a world gone mad
00:14:09.28\00:14:13.35
and a world under
lockdown is Jesus.
00:14:13.38\00:14:16.72
The only hope
for a divided church
00:14:16.75\00:14:20.99
and a division in Christianity
is the person of Jesus.
00:14:21.02\00:14:26.16
Listen to the
words of Christ Himself
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.30
in the book of John 12:32,
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.67
He buttresses what I just
said with these following words.
00:14:31.70\00:14:34.70
And he says,
00:14:34.74\00:14:36.17
"And I, if I am
lifted up from the earth,
00:14:36.20\00:14:40.88
will draw all people to Myself."
00:14:40.91\00:14:45.38
If Christ is being lifted up,
00:14:45.41\00:14:47.55
not if politicians
are being lifted up.
00:14:47.58\00:14:49.95
It is amazing to me,
00:14:49.98\00:14:51.72
as I've lived through
a number of presidents.
00:14:51.75\00:14:53.89
I have not been
around for 20 presidents,
00:14:53.92\00:14:56.09
but I've seen
quite a few presidents
00:14:56.12\00:14:57.53
come and go.
00:14:57.56\00:14:58.89
And what I've learned is that
00:14:58.93\00:15:00.33
one president makes a promise
00:15:00.36\00:15:02.16
and another
president makes a promise
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.97
and another
president makes a promise
00:15:04.00\00:15:05.93
and we go in and out
of political campaigns,
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.97
we go from one man to the
next, to the next, to the next.
00:15:09.00\00:15:12.17
And we discover that
00:15:12.21\00:15:13.54
not a single one can
keep all of his promises.
00:15:13.58\00:15:16.64
And I now add even her promises
00:15:16.68\00:15:19.68
as we now see what's
taking place in America.
00:15:19.71\00:15:23.59
So what's the focus
of this message today?
00:15:23.62\00:15:26.12
Two questions are
going to be answered today.
00:15:26.15\00:15:29.09
Who are we?
00:15:29.12\00:15:30.89
And where do we go from here?
00:15:30.93\00:15:33.73
I'm also going to
include many quotations
00:15:33.76\00:15:35.76
from pastors of
different denominations,
00:15:35.80\00:15:38.70
evangelical leaders.
00:15:38.73\00:15:40.30
Because what I'm noticing
is not something exclusive
00:15:40.34\00:15:44.24
to Seventh-day
Adventist pastors,
00:15:44.27\00:15:46.47
the churches in Christianity
00:15:46.51\00:15:48.04
are all going
through the very same strife
00:15:48.08\00:15:50.55
as pastors of
different denominations
00:15:50.58\00:15:52.81
are struggling with
00:15:52.85\00:15:54.22
how they are going to
recover their congregations.
00:15:54.25\00:15:57.39
How are they
going to recalibrate
00:15:57.42\00:15:59.15
the minds of their people
00:15:59.19\00:16:00.62
after what we have seen,
00:16:00.66\00:16:02.19
and after what we are continuing
00:16:02.22\00:16:04.06
to see in America?
00:16:04.09\00:16:05.76
Because this is the generation
00:16:05.79\00:16:07.53
where
Christians are compromising
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.80
with the world,
00:16:09.83\00:16:11.17
but let me make it very clear.
00:16:11.20\00:16:12.53
We cannot trade
the message of divinity
00:16:12.57\00:16:14.94
for the rhetoric of humanity.
00:16:14.97\00:16:17.77
We got to trust God's Word.
00:16:17.81\00:16:19.57
There's no word
that we can trust other
00:16:19.61\00:16:22.04
and above God's Word.
00:16:22.08\00:16:23.45
We talk about people
00:16:23.48\00:16:24.81
that are going to be in
one position or the other.
00:16:24.85\00:16:26.55
Let me make it
very clear, friends.
00:16:26.58\00:16:28.12
Everybody that
has walked this earth
00:16:28.15\00:16:29.98
is only alive
00:16:30.02\00:16:31.35
because God has
allowed their heart
00:16:31.39\00:16:32.95
to beat another day.
00:16:32.99\00:16:34.32
God has given them breath
in their lungs for another day,
00:16:34.36\00:16:37.53
but the wise men
made it very clear.
00:16:37.56\00:16:39.66
And James the Apostle
also second step by saying,
00:16:39.69\00:16:42.60
our lives are like a vapor.
00:16:42.63\00:16:44.17
We appear and
then we vanish away.
00:16:44.20\00:16:46.84
So, why would
Christians put such anger
00:16:46.87\00:16:51.14
and such force of hatred
and such political intensity?
00:16:51.17\00:16:55.44
Why would they
argue one with another
00:16:55.48\00:16:58.15
when they both are hoping
00:16:58.18\00:16:59.61
to keep their minds
focused on nobody but Christ?
00:16:59.65\00:17:04.89
We are living in
a society of hatred
00:17:04.92\00:17:08.36
skewed by
political and cultural bias.
00:17:08.39\00:17:12.73
And the world is reminding us
00:17:12.76\00:17:14.66
that we are
facing an ominous future.
00:17:14.70\00:17:18.40
In the book Christian
Service, page 53, paragraph 3,
00:17:18.43\00:17:23.37
it describes almost
with blazing accuracy
00:17:23.41\00:17:26.88
what we just recently saw.
00:17:26.91\00:17:28.24
Listen to this,
00:17:28.28\00:17:29.78
"The spirit of anarchy
is permeating all nations,
00:17:29.81\00:17:36.58
and the outbreaks
00:17:36.62\00:17:37.95
that from time to time
excite the horror of a world
00:17:37.99\00:17:41.66
are but indications of
the pent-up fires of passion
00:17:41.69\00:17:46.16
and lawlessness
00:17:46.19\00:17:48.00
that, having
once escaped control,
00:17:48.03\00:17:50.90
will fill the earth
with woe and desolation."
00:17:50.93\00:17:54.07
But listen to this,
00:17:54.10\00:17:55.97
"The picture
00:17:56.00\00:17:57.44
which Inspiration has
given of the antediluvian world,
00:17:57.47\00:18:01.08
represents too truly
00:18:01.11\00:18:03.68
the condition to
which modern society
00:18:03.71\00:18:07.32
is fast hastening."
00:18:07.35\00:18:09.55
Our world, friends,
00:18:09.58\00:18:10.92
is becoming like
the world in Noah's day.
00:18:10.95\00:18:13.25
What an amazing description?
00:18:13.29\00:18:14.86
Anarchy, outbreaks,
00:18:14.89\00:18:17.26
hearts are losing the
ability to control themselves,
00:18:17.29\00:18:20.63
people argue in airports,
00:18:20.66\00:18:22.80
almost coming fist to cuffs,
00:18:22.83\00:18:24.73
profanity flowing
from the mouths of those
00:18:24.77\00:18:27.54
who claimed to know
the person of Christ.
00:18:27.57\00:18:29.87
And then we all are saying
that Jesus is behind this.
00:18:29.90\00:18:33.31
No greater lie has existed
in the history of humanity.
00:18:33.34\00:18:37.45
God does not gain
ascendancy by violence.
00:18:37.48\00:18:41.78
He already gained ascendancy
by resurrecting from the tomb
00:18:41.82\00:18:45.22
and being declared victorious.
00:18:45.25\00:18:46.96
There is no need to fight
to get Jesus on the throne.
00:18:46.99\00:18:50.53
He is sitting in a seat
00:18:50.56\00:18:51.89
that nobody can
ever topple Him from.
00:18:51.93\00:18:54.53
Praise God for that.
00:18:54.56\00:18:57.07
What's happening in our world?
00:18:57.10\00:18:59.03
Let me make it clear.
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.44
Spiritual darkness
is invading the church
00:19:00.47\00:19:03.04
and it is flowing
in from the world.
00:19:03.07\00:19:04.94
Scriptural ignorance
00:19:04.97\00:19:06.57
has led Christians to
abandon the seat of true power.
00:19:06.61\00:19:11.01
Professed Christians
00:19:11.05\00:19:12.48
are being converted to an agenda
00:19:12.51\00:19:15.42
that is being guided by
men whose minds are finite.
00:19:15.45\00:19:19.32
And the Bible is being set aside
00:19:19.35\00:19:20.72
in favor of human
theories and speculations.
00:19:20.76\00:19:24.19
It amazes me
00:19:24.23\00:19:25.56
how many things that
people believe in the Bible
00:19:25.59\00:19:27.36
that's not really there.
00:19:27.40\00:19:28.73
So when we look at
00:19:28.76\00:19:30.10
what's been
happening for centuries,
00:19:30.13\00:19:31.47
we begin to
understand more clearly
00:19:31.50\00:19:33.67
why people today
cannot believe the truth?
00:19:33.70\00:19:37.67
It's not new.
00:19:37.71\00:19:39.04
For thousands of years,
00:19:39.07\00:19:40.41
people did not
believe in Sabbath,
00:19:40.44\00:19:41.78
although it's in God's Word.
00:19:41.81\00:19:43.38
Any surprise
00:19:43.41\00:19:44.75
that people can be lied to today
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.15
and believe it?
00:19:46.18\00:19:47.52
People still don't believe that
you die and go to the grave.
00:19:47.55\00:19:50.02
Pastors today are teaching,
you die and go to heaven.
00:19:50.05\00:19:52.52
Is it easy then
00:19:52.55\00:19:53.99
when you live your
Christianity on a lie
00:19:54.02\00:19:56.93
that the devil can come
in and insert another lie?
00:19:56.96\00:19:59.26
It's an easy thing.
00:19:59.29\00:20:00.63
When we don't
receive a love of the truth
00:20:00.66\00:20:03.40
and a lie becomes the
darling thing of our walk,
00:20:03.43\00:20:06.84
then the devil has a
platform on which to work,
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.87
that's what's
happening in America.
00:20:09.90\00:20:12.77
Men claiming to
know God reject the Bible
00:20:12.81\00:20:16.48
in favor of fables.
00:20:16.51\00:20:18.18
And thus today,
00:20:18.21\00:20:19.65
our society fables
are flying left and right,
00:20:19.68\00:20:23.65
but there's one other thing
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.02
that shows how close we
are to the coming of Christ.
00:20:25.05\00:20:28.52
As the Jewish
leaders formed an alliance
00:20:28.56\00:20:31.99
with ancient papal Rome,
00:20:32.03\00:20:35.10
Christianity today
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.73
is forming an
alliance with papal Rome.
00:20:36.77\00:20:40.90
The Jews formed an
alliance with pagan Rome
00:20:40.94\00:20:44.61
and Christianity today,
00:20:44.64\00:20:46.14
apostate Protestantism
is forming an alliance
00:20:46.17\00:20:50.75
with papal Rome.
00:20:50.78\00:20:53.78
But as it was in
the days of Jesus.
00:20:53.82\00:20:56.32
As it was in the days of Jesus.
00:20:56.35\00:20:58.29
Let me tell you
something, friends,
00:20:58.32\00:20:59.65
the more things change,
the more they stay the same
00:20:59.69\00:21:03.53
because in the days of Jesus,
00:21:03.56\00:21:05.46
politicians were more concerned
00:21:05.49\00:21:07.10
about appealing to
the desires of the crowd.
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.63
Nothing has changed.
00:21:10.67\00:21:12.00
Look at Mark 15:15.
00:21:12.03\00:21:14.80
This is amazing parallel
to help us see where we are
00:21:14.84\00:21:17.81
in the unfolding of the times.
00:21:17.84\00:21:20.18
We read,
00:21:20.21\00:21:21.54
"So Pilate, wanting
to gratify the crowd,
00:21:21.58\00:21:25.31
released to Barabbas to
them, and he delivered Jesus,
00:21:25.35\00:21:29.55
after he had scourged
Him, to be crucified."
00:21:29.58\00:21:34.46
Pilate, a political
leader delivered Jesus,
00:21:34.49\00:21:37.89
the Christ to be scourged.
00:21:37.93\00:21:40.00
Friends, it's amazing to me,
00:21:40.03\00:21:41.46
it's amazing to me,
00:21:41.50\00:21:42.86
that people claiming to
have possession of Christ.
00:21:42.90\00:21:46.57
People claiming
00:21:46.60\00:21:47.97
that somehow their religion
00:21:48.00\00:21:49.34
and their
politics are mixed together
00:21:49.37\00:21:51.24
are once again
crucifying Jesus afresh.
00:21:51.27\00:21:54.48
What's more amazing than
the statement that I just read
00:21:54.51\00:21:57.05
is the diabolical
nature of the actions of Pilate
00:21:57.08\00:22:00.52
is the fact that
00:22:00.55\00:22:01.88
those to whom
he delivered Jesus,
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.39
hear me carefully,
00:22:04.42\00:22:06.62
for those who
claimed to be religious.
00:22:06.65\00:22:11.06
Look at their
reaction in Luke 23:20-21.
00:22:11.09\00:22:17.10
It revealed the alliance
00:22:17.13\00:22:18.80
that Christians had in that day.
00:22:18.83\00:22:21.17
"Pilate, therefore,
wishing to release Jesus,
00:22:21.20\00:22:23.97
again called out to them."
00:22:24.01\00:22:26.07
That is to the Jewish leaders
00:22:26.11\00:22:27.91
that have the
truth of God's Word
00:22:27.94\00:22:29.61
for thousands of
years, as it were.
00:22:29.64\00:22:32.55
What did they say?
00:22:32.58\00:22:33.92
What did religious
people respond by saying?
00:22:33.95\00:22:35.78
"But they shouted, saying,
'Crucify Him, crucify him!' "
00:22:35.82\00:22:41.16
Wow.
00:22:41.19\00:22:42.52
Let me ask you the question.
00:22:42.56\00:22:43.89
Is Jesus being crucified
again in Christian circles?
00:22:43.93\00:22:47.60
Is the behavior that we see
in our world around us today
00:22:47.63\00:22:52.07
in the lives of those
00:22:52.10\00:22:53.44
that claim to be
connected to Christ,
00:22:53.47\00:22:55.70
something that
Jesus is connected to?
00:22:55.74\00:22:57.94
You know, the answer is no.
00:22:57.97\00:22:59.51
But what is amazing to me
00:22:59.54\00:23:00.91
is that people that
claim to know Christ,
00:23:00.94\00:23:03.41
people that said
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.01
that somehow their
religion is based on God's Word
00:23:05.05\00:23:08.48
are somehow
either missing the point
00:23:08.52\00:23:11.25
or being misguided
by some other force
00:23:11.29\00:23:14.42
other than the Word
of God, Jesus Christ.
00:23:14.46\00:23:18.46
I would say to you, friends,
00:23:18.49\00:23:19.89
is being
crucified all over again.
00:23:19.93\00:23:22.46
And those claiming to know God
00:23:22.50\00:23:23.90
are once again by their behavior
00:23:23.93\00:23:26.57
crucifying the
Son of God afresh.
00:23:26.60\00:23:29.54
But it's not just being noticed
00:23:29.57\00:23:31.17
by Seventh-day
Adventist pastors,
00:23:31.21\00:23:33.17
many pastors in
the evangelical world
00:23:33.21\00:23:35.88
are noticing it in
their congregations.
00:23:35.91\00:23:38.48
I begin by sharing
00:23:38.51\00:23:39.85
a pastor by the name
of Timothy Dalrymple.
00:23:39.88\00:23:42.68
He is the president and
CEO of Christianity Today.
00:23:42.72\00:23:46.86
In November, 2020,
00:23:46.89\00:23:49.72
the issue of
November, 2020 on page nine.
00:23:49.76\00:23:52.39
This is the editorial that
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.23
the president and CEO of
Christianity Today wrote.
00:23:54.26\00:23:57.27
He said,
00:23:57.30\00:23:58.63
"Americans will remember 2020
00:23:58.67\00:24:01.77
as a year in which
our union of states fell
00:24:01.80\00:24:06.27
far more fragile than
we had imagined it to be.
00:24:06.31\00:24:10.91
In one recent survey,
00:24:10.95\00:24:12.78
80% of American voters said
00:24:12.81\00:24:15.02
the country is
00:24:15.05\00:24:17.02
"out of control."
00:24:17.05\00:24:18.49
And he said,
00:24:18.52\00:24:19.85
"The once-rich fabric
00:24:19.89\00:24:21.92
that weaves us
together is now thin, strained,
00:24:21.96\00:24:25.53
and splitting."
00:24:25.56\00:24:27.76
That was said in November, 2020.
00:24:27.80\00:24:31.90
Look at where we are in 2021.
00:24:31.93\00:24:34.50
If it was splitting
then or fragmented then
00:24:34.54\00:24:38.37
or strained then,
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.01
what identity do
we give it today?
00:24:40.04\00:24:42.71
He pointed out
also in the article
00:24:42.74\00:24:44.31
that temporary things
are eclipsing the permanent.
00:24:44.35\00:24:48.08
And the more critical
observation once again is,
00:24:48.12\00:24:50.62
he's not saying
this about the world.
00:24:50.65\00:24:53.22
He is saying this
about the Christian Church,
00:24:53.25\00:24:55.99
Christianity
today, but He's not alone.
00:24:56.02\00:24:59.86
Another pastor Daniel Silliman
00:24:59.89\00:25:03.16
in the same
magazine Christianity Today,
00:25:03.20\00:25:05.87
November, 2020,
that issue page 14
00:25:05.90\00:25:09.10
in an article entitled,
when the pews are polarized.
00:25:09.14\00:25:12.87
Listen to what he wrote.
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.24
Listen carefully.
00:25:14.28\00:25:15.61
He said,
00:25:15.64\00:25:16.98
"The problem is not that
00:25:17.01\00:25:18.35
people in the church
disagree about who to vote for.
00:25:18.38\00:25:21.05
The problem is not
that people get angry,
00:25:21.08\00:25:23.59
shoot fiery
emails to the pastor,
00:25:23.62\00:25:26.02
and get into bruising fights
00:25:26.05\00:25:27.49
with other church
members on Facebook.
00:25:27.52\00:25:29.92
(Though that does happen.)
00:25:29.96\00:25:32.69
And really, the problem
is not even that some things
00:25:32.73\00:25:35.46
are suddenly
intensely political."
00:25:35.50\00:25:38.03
He says, "The
problem of polarization,
00:25:38.07\00:25:40.27
according to the
pastor of purple churches,
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.87
struggling to
minister to red Republicans
00:25:43.91\00:25:47.18
and blue Democrats
00:25:47.21\00:25:48.74
during another
divisive election,
00:25:48.78\00:25:50.95
is that people stop fighting.
00:25:50.98\00:25:53.62
They part ways.
00:25:53.65\00:25:55.12
And they sort themselves
by political preference.
00:25:55.15\00:25:58.75
Polarization makes it seem like
00:25:58.79\00:26:00.42
unity in Christ can only
come after political unity."
00:26:00.46\00:26:05.09
And then he ends by saying,
00:26:05.13\00:26:06.66
"Polarization makes
it seem like partisanship
00:26:06.70\00:26:10.77
is stronger than the gospel."
00:26:10.80\00:26:14.14
Well, let me make it
very clear today, Friends.
00:26:14.17\00:26:16.10
You could be on the
left or on the right,
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.11
but when you study
the setting of the cross.
00:26:18.14\00:26:20.58
On the left was a criminal
00:26:20.61\00:26:22.44
and on the right was a criminal.
00:26:22.48\00:26:24.75
They both were thieves.
00:26:24.78\00:26:26.31
The one that we need
to be focusing on today,
00:26:26.35\00:26:28.82
my church friends,
00:26:28.85\00:26:30.19
my friends in the society
of this age in this world
00:26:30.22\00:26:33.19
and this nation
and around the world,
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.16
we need our attention.
00:26:35.19\00:26:37.89
Let me say that emphatically.
00:26:37.93\00:26:39.29
We must focus our attention
on the man in the middle
00:26:39.33\00:26:45.17
because neither criminal
has the answers for tomorrow.
00:26:45.20\00:26:48.70
Neither criminal on that cross
00:26:48.74\00:26:51.21
had the power to
bring himself down,
00:26:51.24\00:26:54.04
but at least one of them
was smart enough to ask Jesus
00:26:54.08\00:26:56.44
to remember him when
he comes in the kingdom,
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.81
and the Bible doesn't say
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.25
whether he was
Republican or Democrat,
00:27:00.28\00:27:02.62
just to add some
fuel to the fire.
00:27:02.65\00:27:05.32
For instance, not
the left or right.
00:27:05.35\00:27:06.82
It's the man in the middle.
00:27:06.86\00:27:08.32
It's the Christ.
00:27:08.36\00:27:09.69
He is the answer
for our world today.
00:27:09.72\00:27:15.83
And the gospel of
Jesus is one of unity
00:27:15.86\00:27:19.53
and not division,
00:27:19.57\00:27:21.70
but division,
irritation and anger
00:27:21.74\00:27:25.44
are pouring from those
claiming a connection to Christ.
00:27:25.47\00:27:31.81
Another Pastor Bonnie
Kristian in Christianity Today,
00:27:31.85\00:27:37.19
October 30th, 2020
00:27:37.22\00:27:39.25
in an article entitled
the Civil War of the Heart,
00:27:39.29\00:27:42.69
wrote an editorial
00:27:42.72\00:27:44.23
and then a Christian reader
responded to her editorial.
00:27:44.26\00:27:48.36
And the question was
what motivated you to vote?
00:27:48.40\00:27:51.00
And here's the
response on the screen.
00:27:51.03\00:27:53.64
"His reason for voting
for his preferred candidate
00:27:53.67\00:27:57.01
has nothing to do with
the policy considerations."
00:27:57.04\00:28:00.88
This is sad from a Christian.
00:28:00.91\00:28:02.71
"He responded,
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.08
'he'll stick with his pick
00:28:04.11\00:28:05.58
to 'cause irritation and anger'
for voters on the other side.'
00:28:05.61\00:28:10.89
" And let me remind you that,
00:28:10.92\00:28:12.25
that editorial that
you just read or just saw
00:28:12.29\00:28:15.52
was something
written by a Christian.
00:28:15.56\00:28:19.03
His aim was to irritate
those on the other side,
00:28:19.06\00:28:22.53
not to support his candidate,
00:28:22.56\00:28:24.20
but to irritate
those on the other side,
00:28:24.23\00:28:27.37
to anger those
on the other side.
00:28:27.40\00:28:30.24
I have to ask the question.
00:28:30.27\00:28:32.27
Is that the fruit of the spirit?
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.81
Love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness,
00:28:33.84\00:28:38.21
meekness, patience.
00:28:38.25\00:28:39.68
Is that what Jesus
said about the disciples
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.05
that you will know that
00:28:42.08\00:28:43.42
they are my disciples by
their love for one another?
00:28:43.45\00:28:45.85
Can I say that
00:28:45.89\00:28:47.22
Christianity today
00:28:47.26\00:28:48.59
is not Christianity from Christ?
00:28:48.62\00:28:50.86
In many cases,
00:28:50.89\00:28:52.26
innocent Christians
00:28:52.29\00:28:53.63
who are not participating
in such cancerous behavior
00:28:53.66\00:28:57.63
are being labeled by the
world as just like them all.
00:28:57.67\00:29:01.57
That's the sad reality,
00:29:01.60\00:29:03.07
because people
that are not Christians
00:29:03.10\00:29:04.94
are looking at
Christianity and saying,
00:29:04.97\00:29:07.04
"Why would I want to
become a part of that
00:29:07.08\00:29:09.81
when those claiming
to be connected to Christ
00:29:09.84\00:29:12.15
don't behave any better
00:29:12.18\00:29:13.52
than the people that I
drink in the bars with,
00:29:13.55\00:29:15.65
or the people that I
smoke my marijuana with,
00:29:15.68\00:29:17.85
or the people that I
hang out and party with?
00:29:17.89\00:29:20.12
There ought to be a difference.
00:29:20.16\00:29:22.49
There ought to be a
difference, a marked difference
00:29:22.52\00:29:25.79
between those of the world
00:29:25.83\00:29:27.56
and those claiming to
be connected to Christ.
00:29:27.60\00:29:30.47
The same pastor Bonnie
Kristian in the same magazine.
00:29:30.50\00:29:34.27
She further wrote
about the article,
00:29:34.30\00:29:35.64
The Civil War of the Heart.
00:29:35.67\00:29:37.01
She says, listen
to this, a very short,
00:29:37.04\00:29:38.77
very short sentence.
00:29:38.81\00:29:40.14
She says, "The
church has been seduced
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.01
into abandoning
the greater kingdom
00:29:43.04\00:29:46.58
for the lesser kingdom."
00:29:46.61\00:29:49.52
They're giving up
the kingdom of heaven
00:29:49.55\00:29:51.39
for this
temporary brick and mortar
00:29:51.42\00:29:54.36
made by the hands of man.
00:29:54.39\00:29:56.49
Let me make it very clear today.
00:29:56.52\00:29:58.09
I'm not worried
about the White House,
00:29:58.13\00:29:59.46
I've said this before.
00:29:59.49\00:30:00.83
My mind is on the right house.
00:30:00.86\00:30:02.53
I'm not looking for that,
00:30:02.56\00:30:03.90
which was
painted and built by men.
00:30:03.93\00:30:05.37
I'm like Abraham,
I'm looking for a city
00:30:05.40\00:30:07.64
who has foundations,
whose builder and maker is God.
00:30:07.67\00:30:11.17
And I'm gonna tell you today,
00:30:11.21\00:30:12.91
wherever you are in the world,
00:30:12.94\00:30:14.81
you are affected
in one way or another
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.54
by what's taking
place here in America.
00:30:16.58\00:30:18.61
Because when America sneezes,
00:30:18.65\00:30:20.58
the rest of the world
is gonna catch a cold.
00:30:20.62\00:30:23.25
I can guarantee you that.
00:30:23.28\00:30:24.92
There are some countries
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.29
where they are
locking people out
00:30:26.32\00:30:27.66
because they don't
have a COVID vaccine.
00:30:27.69\00:30:29.12
And the world is divided.
00:30:29.16\00:30:30.96
The world is
quarantined from itself,
00:30:30.99\00:30:34.26
and there's a
general sense of fear.
00:30:34.30\00:30:37.63
And in trepidation
00:30:37.67\00:30:39.13
and uncertainty
all around the world,
00:30:39.17\00:30:43.71
and crime and violence
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.71
is hopping from
community to community,
00:30:45.74\00:30:48.94
from pulpit to pulpit,
00:30:48.98\00:30:50.98
from one heart to the other.
00:30:51.01\00:30:53.15
Friends, we ought to
be a part of the solution
00:30:53.18\00:30:55.12
and not a part of the problem
00:30:55.15\00:30:57.32
because I asked the question,
00:30:57.35\00:30:58.69
how can
Christian values and hatred
00:30:58.72\00:31:01.56
be a part of the same platform?
00:31:01.59\00:31:04.16
Somewhere along the road,
00:31:04.19\00:31:05.83
the words of Jesus have
been intentionally overlooked,
00:31:05.86\00:31:09.96
somewhere on the
Christian journey road,
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.13
the words of Jesus
has been overlooked,
00:31:13.17\00:31:15.77
and listen to what he said?
00:31:15.80\00:31:17.31
John 18:36,
profound, short, but profound.
00:31:17.34\00:31:21.11
"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom."
00:31:21.14\00:31:23.51
I'll say that again.
00:31:23.55\00:31:24.88
"My kingdom is
not of this world.
00:31:24.91\00:31:29.22
If My kingdom
were of this world,
00:31:29.25\00:31:32.45
My servants would fight."
00:31:32.49\00:31:35.02
Well. Well, God
asked the question.
00:31:35.06\00:31:37.93
So, if there are
people on both sides fighting,
00:31:37.96\00:31:41.16
what kingdom are
they fighting over
00:31:41.20\00:31:42.93
when the Lord's
kingdom is not on this planet,
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.37
it's not on this earth.
00:31:45.40\00:31:46.74
It's not in Washington.
It's not in Australia.
00:31:46.77\00:31:49.27
It's not in New
Zealand. It's not in Asia.
00:31:49.30\00:31:50.97
It's not in Europe.
It's not in Jerusalem.
00:31:51.01\00:31:53.51
It's not in this world.
00:31:53.54\00:31:54.88
Jesus has gone to prepare
a New Jerusalem, a holy city.
00:31:54.91\00:32:01.25
And any city that
keeps Jesus out of the mix.
00:32:01.28\00:32:04.99
Although we don't push
Jesus into the political mix,
00:32:05.02\00:32:08.79
but those that buy
their rights as citizens
00:32:08.82\00:32:11.73
participate in
the political process,
00:32:11.76\00:32:14.26
which they have the right to do.
00:32:14.30\00:32:15.86
Should never
allow political rhetoric
00:32:15.90\00:32:19.00
to damage and demolish
the fruit of the spirit
00:32:19.03\00:32:22.60
that should be seen
in the lives of those
00:32:22.64\00:32:25.17
claiming to be
citizens of a kingdom
00:32:25.21\00:32:28.08
that is not down here?
00:32:28.11\00:32:29.44
My kingdom is not of
this world, is yours?
00:32:29.48\00:32:32.48
Are you fighting over something
that's gonna fade away?
00:32:32.51\00:32:34.82
Are you fighting for something
that's gonna go up in flames?
00:32:34.85\00:32:38.22
Are you fighting for something
00:32:38.25\00:32:39.62
that's gonna be ashes
under the soles of your feet?
00:32:39.65\00:32:43.06
Not me, my friends.
00:32:43.09\00:32:44.43
I'm looking for a
city that has golden walls
00:32:44.46\00:32:47.20
and gates made of pearls
00:32:47.23\00:32:48.80
and foundations of
12 precious stones.
00:32:48.83\00:32:51.97
I'm looking for a city
00:32:52.00\00:32:53.97
where the light
will never grow dim,
00:32:54.00\00:32:55.57
where the gates
won't have to be closed
00:32:55.60\00:32:57.97
day nor night for sin and sorrow
00:32:58.01\00:33:00.51
and suffering will have
all forever been obliterated,
00:33:00.54\00:33:04.85
and nothing that
defiles will ever enter into it
00:33:04.88\00:33:09.02
because it will
never exist again.
00:33:09.05\00:33:11.25
But this is what
00:33:11.29\00:33:12.62
pastors of other
denominations are noticing.
00:33:12.65\00:33:14.82
Let's do another pastor,
00:33:14.86\00:33:16.42
Donald McGavran
00:33:16.46\00:33:18.59
of the Fuller
Theological Seminary.
00:33:18.63\00:33:20.63
Notice what he said
00:33:20.66\00:33:22.00
as he begins to analyze
00:33:22.03\00:33:23.37
what we are seeing
taking place in America.
00:33:23.40\00:33:25.37
He said,
00:33:25.40\00:33:26.74
"People should be able
to convert to Christianity
00:33:26.77\00:33:30.71
and join a church
00:33:30.74\00:33:32.31
without having to cross
00:33:32.34\00:33:33.84
too many barriers
of race, class, caste,
00:33:33.88\00:33:38.65
language, or even politics.
00:33:38.68\00:33:43.55
These are pastors
of other denominations.
00:33:43.59\00:33:46.09
They're all noticing it.
00:33:46.12\00:33:47.46
As clergy, we are all noticing
that something is happening
00:33:47.49\00:33:50.39
in our congregations.
00:33:50.43\00:33:51.99
And I'm pleading
with those of you
00:33:52.03\00:33:53.40
that understand
the everlasting gospel.
00:33:53.43\00:33:55.26
I'm pleading with those of you
00:33:55.30\00:33:56.63
to whom the
responsibility has been given
00:33:56.67\00:33:59.17
to proclaim the
three angels' message
00:33:59.20\00:34:00.90
enough already.
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.27
Cut it out,
00:34:02.30\00:34:03.64
get back to
proclaiming the light
00:34:03.67\00:34:05.54
that will bring us together,
00:34:05.57\00:34:07.21
not the light that
will push us apart.
00:34:07.24\00:34:09.38
For the writer
of the Book of Acts,
00:34:09.41\00:34:11.61
Dr. Luke says in Acts 17:26.
00:34:11.65\00:34:14.42
He says this, speaking of God,
00:34:14.45\00:34:16.55
"And He has made
from one blood..."
00:34:16.58\00:34:19.39
Look at the scripture.
00:34:19.42\00:34:20.76
"And he has made from one blood,
00:34:20.79\00:34:23.32
every nation of men,
00:34:23.36\00:34:25.83
every nation to dwell on
all the face of the earth
00:34:25.86\00:34:29.53
and has determined
their preappointed times
00:34:29.56\00:34:32.70
and the boundaries
of their dwellings."
00:34:32.73\00:34:36.00
This planet doesn't belong
to any one particular person.
00:34:36.04\00:34:40.04
The city doesn't belong
to any one particular person,
00:34:40.08\00:34:43.24
race, class,
creed, ethnic diversity,
00:34:43.28\00:34:45.71
or religious beliefs.
00:34:45.75\00:34:47.45
This nation is
one nation under God
00:34:47.48\00:34:50.09
or so it claimed to be.
00:34:50.12\00:34:53.36
America is not a
nation with one nationality
00:34:53.39\00:34:56.02
or one religion or one race
00:34:56.06\00:34:58.39
or one ethnic or
financial category.
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.93
We are a melting pot of nations.
00:35:00.96\00:35:03.16
And any moment,
00:35:03.20\00:35:04.53
you think that this
country belongs to you alone,
00:35:04.57\00:35:06.70
you have become a
part of its destruction
00:35:06.74\00:35:09.07
and not a part of this unity.
00:35:09.10\00:35:10.81
The everlasting gospel
is not a partisan message.
00:35:10.84\00:35:14.44
It is a bipartisan
message. It is for everyone.
00:35:14.48\00:35:16.85
Look at Revelation 14:6.
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.81
The message
that we must proclaim
00:35:19.85\00:35:21.92
is for everybody,
not just somebody.
00:35:21.95\00:35:25.75
John, the
Revelator says these words.
00:35:25.79\00:35:28.62
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:35:28.66\00:35:32.66
having the everlasting gospel
00:35:32.69\00:35:36.33
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth."
00:35:36.36\00:35:39.87
To who?
00:35:39.90\00:35:41.24
"To every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:35:41.27\00:35:46.01
To everybody,
00:35:46.04\00:35:47.44
regardless of
where you came from,
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.41
He is saying the
gospel can allow all of us
00:35:49.44\00:35:52.58
to be aimed in
the right direction.
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.35
It doesn't matter
if you come from India
00:35:54.38\00:35:55.72
or Australia or from
Poland or from Russia
00:35:55.75\00:35:58.59
or from the Caribbean or
from Jamaica or from Cuba,
00:35:58.62\00:36:01.66
it doesn't matter
where you come from.
00:36:01.69\00:36:03.26
In Christ, we can all be
moving in the same direction.
00:36:03.29\00:36:07.46
We can all be on the same
road to an eternal kingdom.
00:36:07.50\00:36:11.83
So why do you think
that devil is going to allow
00:36:11.87\00:36:13.54
that eternal kingdom to
come without any resistance?
00:36:13.57\00:36:17.21
And he's gonna
do it in the country
00:36:17.24\00:36:20.31
that has
specifically been pointed out
00:36:20.34\00:36:22.64
as a key player in
end time Bible prophecy,
00:36:22.68\00:36:27.35
America, this country.
00:36:27.38\00:36:29.52
This is the country
00:36:29.55\00:36:30.89
where Protestants
are going to reach over
00:36:30.92\00:36:32.92
and clasp the hands of Romanism.
00:36:32.95\00:36:35.76
This is the
country where spiritualism,
00:36:35.79\00:36:38.43
evil spirits will stir
up the hearts of politicians
00:36:38.46\00:36:42.50
and economists together
00:36:42.53\00:36:43.87
to unite people
00:36:43.90\00:36:45.23
for the great
battle of Armageddon.
00:36:45.27\00:36:48.10
Why should the
people of God be sleeping
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.47
at such a critical hour?
00:36:50.51\00:36:51.84
This is the hour
00:36:51.87\00:36:53.21
that every one
of us must be awake
00:36:53.24\00:36:56.14
to the coming crisis
00:36:56.18\00:36:57.51
because it's not getting better.
00:36:57.55\00:36:59.28
It's going to get worse
before it's better permanently.
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.42
Another pastor by the
name of Pastor Jeff Schultz.
00:37:02.45\00:37:05.95
He's pastor of the
Evangelical Free Congregation.
00:37:05.99\00:37:09.36
And he also
chimed into the article
00:37:09.39\00:37:11.49
in Christianity Today,
00:37:11.53\00:37:13.16
November, 2020.
00:37:13.19\00:37:14.53
Notice what he said,
a very short sentence.
00:37:14.56\00:37:16.36
He says,
00:37:16.40\00:37:17.73
"Our identity
should be in Jesus,
00:37:17.77\00:37:21.74
not in anything else,
00:37:21.77\00:37:25.11
our political persuasion
00:37:25.14\00:37:27.31
should not be
our primary identity.
00:37:27.34\00:37:31.38
Our political persuasion
00:37:31.41\00:37:33.98
should not be our
primary identity."
00:37:34.02\00:37:38.09
What's happening
in our world today?
00:37:38.12\00:37:40.12
Is a shame, it's
a crime, it's sad,
00:37:40.16\00:37:43.63
and heaven is calling for
there to be a change of heart
00:37:43.66\00:37:47.83
among those who are claiming
a connection with Christ.
00:37:47.86\00:37:50.93
You see, the gospel of Jesus
00:37:50.97\00:37:53.67
is becoming less
attractive to the world
00:37:53.70\00:37:56.47
because it has been labeled
00:37:56.50\00:37:58.27
to attract only a
certain segment of society.
00:37:58.31\00:38:02.14
But Jesus is saying,
00:38:02.18\00:38:03.51
go into the highways and hedges
00:38:03.55\00:38:04.88
and compel all men.
00:38:04.91\00:38:06.25
How could I compel somebody
00:38:06.28\00:38:08.18
to come and be a
part of something
00:38:08.22\00:38:09.82
that hasn't
done anything for me?
00:38:09.85\00:38:11.59
How can I say to my neighbor
00:38:11.62\00:38:13.66
who may be of
different race or a class
00:38:13.69\00:38:15.76
or creed or social category
00:38:15.79\00:38:18.36
or some other
difference from me?
00:38:18.39\00:38:20.06
How can I say to him or
her to follow the Christ
00:38:20.10\00:38:23.63
when they see in my life
00:38:23.67\00:38:25.00
nothing that even
connects them to a change?
00:38:25.03\00:38:28.17
Nothing that says
that I am different
00:38:28.20\00:38:30.87
and that they are
in need of the Christ
00:38:30.91\00:38:33.84
that lives in my life.
00:38:33.88\00:38:35.74
But when you read the Bible,
00:38:35.78\00:38:37.48
you find out very clearly
00:38:37.51\00:38:39.41
that the Lord
that came to this earth
00:38:39.45\00:38:42.55
didn't come seeking
any particular individual.
00:38:42.58\00:38:47.39
He came seeking every individual
00:38:47.42\00:38:49.69
because every one of us
00:38:49.72\00:38:52.29
was at some
degree affected by sin.
00:38:52.33\00:38:54.96
Luke 19:10,
00:38:55.00\00:38:56.40
a passage that my wife
and I shared with our niece
00:38:56.43\00:38:59.27
when she lived with us
growing up in California.
00:38:59.30\00:39:01.94
Look at Luke 19:10.
00:39:01.97\00:39:03.74
The Bible says,
00:39:03.77\00:39:05.11
"For the Son of Man
00:39:05.14\00:39:07.58
has come to seek
00:39:07.61\00:39:09.74
and to save
that which was lost."
00:39:09.78\00:39:14.95
So can I ask the question.
00:39:14.98\00:39:16.92
Who's lost?
00:39:16.95\00:39:18.29
Every one of us
without Jesus is lost.
00:39:18.32\00:39:20.82
Every one of us without
Jesus will be condemned.
00:39:20.86\00:39:23.69
Every one of us born
00:39:23.73\00:39:26.06
on this
temporary ball of confusion
00:39:26.09\00:39:29.30
will have no hope
00:39:29.33\00:39:30.70
had it not been for the victory,
00:39:30.73\00:39:32.47
for the victory of
Christ over the grave.
00:39:32.50\00:39:34.50
Every one of us would go to
an endless Christless grave,
00:39:34.54\00:39:39.27
but now we don't have to.
00:39:39.31\00:39:41.08
We can go on to an endless
hope and a hope beyond the grave
00:39:41.11\00:39:45.35
that one day we will come forth
00:39:45.38\00:39:47.32
to enjoy the
blessings of a kingdom
00:39:47.35\00:39:50.89
that shall never be destroyed.
00:39:50.92\00:39:53.82
You see message, the
message of the cross is one
00:39:53.86\00:39:56.69
that includes everybody.
00:39:56.73\00:39:58.16
Revelation 22:17,
00:39:58.19\00:40:00.26
once again
focuses on that message.
00:40:00.30\00:40:02.26
Notice what John
the Revelator says.
00:40:02.30\00:40:04.23
What about the invitation?
00:40:04.27\00:40:05.60
Who is he calling?
00:40:05.63\00:40:06.97
"And the spirit and
the bride says, 'Come!"
00:40:07.00\00:40:10.01
And let him who
hears say, 'Come!'
00:40:10.04\00:40:12.91
And let him who thirsts come.' "
00:40:12.94\00:40:14.78
And watch this,
00:40:14.81\00:40:16.14
"Whoever desires,
00:40:16.18\00:40:18.98
let him take the
water of life freely."
00:40:19.01\00:40:22.42
Friends, today, I
keep right next to me,
00:40:22.45\00:40:25.25
a little bottle of water,
00:40:25.29\00:40:27.66
but the Lord is saying,
00:40:27.69\00:40:29.02
there's an
endless supply of water.
00:40:29.06\00:40:30.63
The grace of God,
00:40:30.66\00:40:31.99
He gave it to
the woman at the well
00:40:32.03\00:40:33.36
and she never thirst it again.
00:40:33.40\00:40:35.06
Friends, today,
the Lord is saying,
00:40:35.10\00:40:36.56
if you hunger and thirst
for that which is righteous,
00:40:36.60\00:40:40.04
you will be filled,
00:40:40.07\00:40:41.50
but the devil is
trying to change our hunger
00:40:41.54\00:40:43.81
and change our thirst
00:40:43.84\00:40:45.17
so that Christians
could go on to starvation
00:40:45.21\00:40:47.94
and dehydration.
00:40:47.98\00:40:49.34
If I could only gauge
how dehydrated spiritually
00:40:49.38\00:40:54.25
and how malnourished
00:40:54.28\00:40:55.68
spiritually that Christians are,
00:40:55.72\00:40:57.85
we might be amazed.
00:40:57.89\00:41:00.12
But today the Bible is saying,
whosoever will, let him come.
00:41:00.16\00:41:04.43
And we have been
given the highest privilege
00:41:04.46\00:41:07.10
to share the gospel with people
00:41:07.13\00:41:09.66
that are opposite
from us in every category.
00:41:09.70\00:41:12.63
Our message must
appeal to those on both sides.
00:41:12.67\00:41:16.37
Matter of fact,
those on every side,
00:41:16.40\00:41:19.01
and that's why the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:41:19.04\00:41:22.08
is a worldwide movement.
00:41:22.11\00:41:23.78
The sun never sets
00:41:23.81\00:41:25.28
on the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:41:25.31\00:41:27.15
We are on more
than 200 languages.
00:41:27.18\00:41:29.08
We are all over the globe. Why?
00:41:29.12\00:41:30.75
Because God has called us
00:41:30.79\00:41:32.12
to proclaim the
message to every nation,
00:41:32.15\00:41:33.99
every kindred, every
tongue, every people.
00:41:34.02\00:41:37.53
And we've got to be
a part of the solution
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.79
and not a part of the problem.
00:41:39.83\00:41:42.53
Therefore, we cannot
accomplish a divine mission
00:41:42.56\00:41:46.13
and replace it
with a carnal one.
00:41:46.17\00:41:49.44
Why am I saying
this with such passion?
00:41:49.47\00:41:51.94
You know why?
00:41:51.97\00:41:53.31
Because the adversary
is seeking to do among us,
00:41:53.34\00:41:56.21
what he did among
the Jews in the past,
00:41:56.24\00:41:58.45
those that rejected Christ.
00:41:58.48\00:42:01.02
And the amazing thing is
this, deception is never overt.
00:42:01.05\00:42:05.29
That means it's never blatant.
00:42:05.32\00:42:07.46
Deception is always covert.
00:42:07.49\00:42:09.66
That means it's
always concealed.
00:42:09.69\00:42:11.13
We don't know
00:42:11.16\00:42:12.49
how the devil
is going to attack,
00:42:12.53\00:42:14.33
but be sure he's trying
to figure out another way
00:42:14.36\00:42:17.27
to distract Christians
00:42:17.30\00:42:19.17
from the eternal
things of heavenly import,
00:42:19.20\00:42:22.80
and Satan never
informs of his intentions.
00:42:22.84\00:42:25.81
He seeps into the church
00:42:25.84\00:42:27.88
like water through a
window on a rainy day.
00:42:27.91\00:42:31.01
He comes in and
Ellen White says,
00:42:31.05\00:42:33.55
"His footsteps are noiseless."
00:42:33.58\00:42:36.69
As the Jews
betrayed Jesus for alliance
00:42:36.72\00:42:39.75
with political Rome,
00:42:39.79\00:42:41.42
Satan is seeking to do
what he did among them.
00:42:41.46\00:42:44.09
And when we follow
the pages of prophecy,
00:42:44.13\00:42:46.09
in the pages of history.
00:42:46.13\00:42:47.60
During the Dark Ages,
00:42:47.63\00:42:49.10
religion and
politics merged together
00:42:49.13\00:42:51.63
to be one of the most
powerful persecuting weapons
00:42:51.67\00:42:54.60
in the then known
history of the world.
00:42:54.64\00:42:57.31
More than 50 million
Christians lives, why?
00:42:57.34\00:42:59.74
More than 50
million Christians die, why?
00:42:59.77\00:43:02.84
Because politics
polluted religion,
00:43:02.88\00:43:05.51
and religion
compromised with politics.
00:43:05.55\00:43:08.62
And the Bible is informing us
00:43:08.65\00:43:10.62
that Satan is seeking to
do the very same thing again.
00:43:10.65\00:43:14.96
You see, Satan is duplicitous.
00:43:14.99\00:43:17.26
Meaning he'll change
00:43:17.29\00:43:18.63
into whatever
disguise he need to,
00:43:18.66\00:43:20.63
to gain access to those minds
00:43:20.66\00:43:23.00
who are
unsuspecting and unprepared
00:43:23.03\00:43:25.37
by God's Word for his attacks.
00:43:25.40\00:43:29.00
One of my favorite quotations
00:43:29.04\00:43:30.37
that really brings
this front and center
00:43:30.41\00:43:32.31
is in the book
Darkness before Dawn,
00:43:32.34\00:43:34.84
page 33 in paragraph 1,
00:43:34.88\00:43:37.78
once again listen to
words under God's inspiration.
00:43:37.81\00:43:41.18
Ellen White says,
00:43:41.22\00:43:43.28
"As spiritualism
more closely imitates
00:43:43.32\00:43:46.15
the nominal
Christianity of the day,
00:43:46.19\00:43:49.42
it has greater power
to deceive and ensnare.
00:43:49.46\00:43:52.63
Satan himself is converted
00:43:52.66\00:43:55.86
after the
modern order of things.
00:43:55.90\00:43:59.23
He will appear in the
character of an angel of light."
00:43:59.27\00:44:04.21
And she goes on to say,
00:44:04.24\00:44:05.57
"And as the spirits will profess
00:44:05.61\00:44:07.34
faith in the Bible
00:44:07.38\00:44:08.71
and manifest respect
00:44:08.74\00:44:10.35
for the
institutions of the church,
00:44:10.38\00:44:12.55
their work will be accepted
00:44:12.58\00:44:14.42
as a
manifestation of divine power."
00:44:14.45\00:44:17.59
What is she saying?
00:44:17.62\00:44:18.95
She is saying that
00:44:18.99\00:44:20.32
Satan is gonna take
on a religious exterior.
00:44:20.36\00:44:23.26
He's gonna even
say, I believe the Bible,
00:44:23.29\00:44:25.83
for the Bible says
in the Book of James,
00:44:25.86\00:44:27.30
the devil
believe, the demons believe
00:44:27.33\00:44:29.33
and they tremble.
00:44:29.36\00:44:30.70
So to believe in God
means absolutely nothing.
00:44:30.73\00:44:33.70
It doesn't make a
change at all in our lives,
00:44:33.74\00:44:36.07
but to dedicate our
hearts and minds to Christ
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.57
is where the change comes.
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.11
So the question is, who are we?
00:44:40.14\00:44:42.34
Who are you, my
brother and sister?
00:44:42.38\00:44:44.45
Who are we in the
eyes of the cross?
00:44:44.48\00:44:46.51
Who are we
00:44:46.55\00:44:47.88
in the eyes of
heaven's estimation?
00:44:47.92\00:44:50.55
Let's go to 1 Peter 2:9,
00:44:50.59\00:44:52.49
because I believe
00:44:52.52\00:44:53.86
that with the
behavior that I've seen,
00:44:53.89\00:44:55.32
Christians have
forgotten who they are.
00:44:55.36\00:44:57.99
Let us listen to the
words of the Apostle Peter,
00:44:58.03\00:45:00.10
1 Peter 2:9.
00:45:00.13\00:45:01.56
He says, this is who we are,
00:45:01.60\00:45:03.60
"But you are a
chosen generation,
00:45:03.63\00:45:06.94
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation,
00:45:06.97\00:45:11.24
His own special people."
00:45:11.27\00:45:13.84
And don't forget your mission,
00:45:13.88\00:45:15.41
"that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:45:15.44\00:45:19.35
who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light."
00:45:19.38\00:45:24.89
Friends, listen to
that, marvelous light.
00:45:24.92\00:45:27.72
What we are
seeing in the world today
00:45:27.76\00:45:30.36
that people are saying
are being done by Christians.
00:45:30.39\00:45:32.79
It's not marvelous light,
00:45:32.83\00:45:34.26
it's expedient darkness
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.36
becoming darker and
darker by the moment.
00:45:36.40\00:45:39.27
But that is the
plan of the enemy.
00:45:39.30\00:45:41.97
And so many of us,
and I would sadly say,
00:45:42.00\00:45:45.27
even in the
Seventh-day Adventist movement
00:45:45.31\00:45:48.01
are selling out,
00:45:48.04\00:45:50.08
and I don't understand why.
00:45:50.11\00:45:52.21
Political expediency
that cannot be it alone.
00:45:52.25\00:45:54.98
Has pride so
deeply ingrained itself
00:45:55.02\00:45:57.45
that we cannot call sin, sin?
00:45:57.49\00:46:00.29
Has our minds become so darkened
00:46:00.32\00:46:02.42
to Satan's sophistry
00:46:02.46\00:46:03.79
that we fail to see
00:46:03.83\00:46:05.16
how diabolical in
nature he is working
00:46:05.19\00:46:08.00
to corrupt the
hearts of men and women
00:46:08.03\00:46:10.40
in leadership in our world?
00:46:10.43\00:46:12.67
Brethren, it's time to wake up.
00:46:12.70\00:46:15.97
We should only
participate with those things
00:46:16.00\00:46:21.01
that will remind us
00:46:21.04\00:46:22.54
that we are walking
in a marvelous light.
00:46:22.58\00:46:25.71
That's right.
00:46:25.75\00:46:27.08
Not just the light
00:46:27.12\00:46:28.45
as the world gets
darker and darker,
00:46:28.48\00:46:30.49
Isaiah, the prophet says,
00:46:30.52\00:46:31.85
"Arise and shine,
for your light has come."
00:46:31.89\00:46:34.86
Has your light come?
00:46:34.89\00:46:36.93
Are you letting
your light shine?
00:46:36.96\00:46:38.39
As Jesus has said,
00:46:38.43\00:46:39.76
"Let your light so shine."
00:46:39.79\00:46:41.13
The devil says,
00:46:41.16\00:46:42.50
"No, I'm gonna pour
water on that light.
00:46:42.53\00:46:44.30
I'm gonna make
Christians a laughing stock
00:46:44.33\00:46:46.27
in the eyes of the world."
00:46:46.30\00:46:47.64
Why were the drunkard,
the alcoholic, the profligate,
00:46:47.67\00:46:50.77
why would the prostitute
and those who are unfaithful,
00:46:50.81\00:46:53.21
why would they wanna take on
00:46:53.24\00:46:56.24
what they see is
affecting Christians today?
00:46:56.28\00:46:59.21
Why would they
wanna stop cursing
00:46:59.25\00:47:01.18
when Christians are cursing?
00:47:01.22\00:47:02.72
Why would they
wanna stop fighting
00:47:02.75\00:47:04.52
when Christians are fighting?
00:47:04.55\00:47:06.55
The devil is
seeking to break us down.
00:47:06.59\00:47:08.56
Rather Christ is
trying to build us up.
00:47:08.59\00:47:11.46
We find we cannot
surrender our identity
00:47:11.49\00:47:14.23
to anything that
will hinder anyone
00:47:14.26\00:47:16.73
from receiving
the grace of Christ.
00:47:16.77\00:47:19.43
So what should we do?
00:47:19.47\00:47:20.87
Here's the
first thing I suggest.
00:47:20.90\00:47:22.90
Change our focus.
00:47:22.94\00:47:25.31
Change our focus.
00:47:25.34\00:47:27.78
Where should we look?
00:47:27.81\00:47:29.31
Hebrews 12:2,
00:47:29.34\00:47:31.15
"Looking unto Jesus,
00:47:31.18\00:47:33.42
the author and
finisher of our faith."
00:47:33.45\00:47:36.55
Stop looking at finite men
00:47:36.58\00:47:39.89
that are just a
breath away from eternity,
00:47:39.92\00:47:42.29
"Looking unto Jesus,
00:47:42.32\00:47:43.66
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:47:43.69\00:47:45.96
who for the joy
that was set before Him
00:47:45.99\00:47:48.56
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
00:47:48.60\00:47:52.33
and has sat down
00:47:52.37\00:47:53.84
at the right hand
of the throne of God."
00:47:53.87\00:47:56.87
That's where
your focus should be.
00:47:56.91\00:47:59.64
And so, friends,
00:47:59.67\00:48:01.01
when your agenda
becomes more important
00:48:01.04\00:48:03.28
than the
salvation of someone else
00:48:03.31\00:48:05.75
and the witness of the cross,
00:48:05.78\00:48:07.58
your agenda ceases
to be heaven's agenda.
00:48:07.62\00:48:10.45
Look unto Jesus,
00:48:10.49\00:48:11.82
stop looking at
temporary things.
00:48:11.85\00:48:13.72
That's why when we argue,
00:48:13.76\00:48:15.22
it's better to lose an
argument than to lose a soul.
00:48:15.26\00:48:18.29
And if this election
has taught us anything,
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.33
is that Christians have
argued more over finite things
00:48:20.36\00:48:24.83
than in behalf of
the cross of Christ.
00:48:24.87\00:48:27.37
So the question is, friends,
00:48:27.40\00:48:28.74
what should we be
doing in these crisis hours?
00:48:28.77\00:48:31.31
Point number two.
00:48:31.34\00:48:32.77
2 Peter 1:10,
00:48:32.81\00:48:34.54
"Cast your vote on
the side of Christ."
00:48:34.58\00:48:37.21
Who better knows that
than the Apostle Peter.
00:48:37.25\00:48:39.75
At one point,
00:48:39.78\00:48:41.12
he cast his vote against Christ,
00:48:41.15\00:48:42.48
but listen to the
words of a converted fighter
00:48:42.52\00:48:44.59
for the cross.
00:48:44.62\00:48:45.95
He said, "Therefore, brethren,
00:48:45.99\00:48:47.66
be even more
diligent to make your call
00:48:47.69\00:48:50.36
and election sure,
00:48:50.39\00:48:53.16
for if you do these
things, you will never stumble."
00:48:53.19\00:48:58.03
God is looking for Christians
that are tired of stumbling
00:48:58.07\00:49:01.94
through the
quagmire of a corrupt world,
00:49:01.97\00:49:04.74
Christians that are
looking for certainty,
00:49:04.77\00:49:07.18
accuracy and blessed assurance.
00:49:07.21\00:49:09.84
And that's not what the world
is offering today, friends.
00:49:09.88\00:49:12.31
We have to keep
our minds in the avenue
00:49:12.35\00:49:14.52
where when we
are called to vote,
00:49:14.55\00:49:16.32
we say, "I'm voting
in favor of Christ."
00:49:16.35\00:49:18.85
That eternal King, the King
that will never be outvoted,
00:49:18.89\00:49:21.59
the kingdom that
will never be destroyed.
00:49:21.62\00:49:24.59
And then point number three.
00:49:24.63\00:49:26.26
It's all about trust, friends.
00:49:26.29\00:49:28.00
It's all about trust.
00:49:28.03\00:49:30.27
Trust has been
broken in our world today,
00:49:30.30\00:49:33.13
politically, economically,
socially, and religiously.
00:49:33.17\00:49:36.57
Every place, it's hard to
trust what we hear anymore.
00:49:36.60\00:49:39.84
It's hard to trust
political rhetoric.
00:49:39.87\00:49:41.91
It's hard to trust
in a fragile society,
00:49:41.94\00:49:44.31
but, friends, on
the words of Christ,
00:49:44.35\00:49:46.82
I encourage you,
trust the Lord exclusively.
00:49:46.85\00:49:51.09
Proverbs, you know the
passage, Proverbs 3:5-6.
00:49:51.12\00:49:55.16
Listen to these words as
Tim begins to play softly.
00:49:55.19\00:49:58.63
He says, "Trust in the
Lord with all your heart
00:49:58.66\00:50:04.03
and lean not on
your own understanding,
00:50:04.07\00:50:09.07
in all your
ways acknowledge Him,
00:50:09.10\00:50:13.71
and He shall direct your paths."
00:50:13.74\00:50:17.28
See, friends, as Tim plays.
00:50:17.31\00:50:20.18
If we trust God's path,
00:50:20.22\00:50:23.52
if we trust the
blessed assurance
00:50:23.55\00:50:26.52
that we find in God's Word,
00:50:26.55\00:50:29.52
if we can embrace
00:50:29.56\00:50:30.89
the words coming
from this script,
00:50:30.93\00:50:33.90
not from the scripts
written by finite men,
00:50:33.93\00:50:36.87
we'll find out
that it's so sweet
00:50:36.90\00:50:39.60
to trust in Jesus.
00:50:39.63\00:50:41.10
It is so sweet to
take Him at His Word.
00:50:41.14\00:50:45.07
As Tim plays this song,
00:50:45.11\00:50:46.74
I want you to think about
00:50:46.78\00:50:48.11
what 2021 is
going to be in your life
00:50:48.14\00:50:50.58
and in your walk with Christ.
00:50:50.61\00:50:52.15
Listen carefully.
00:50:52.18\00:50:53.52
Christ is
calling you to trust Him.
00:50:53.55\00:50:55.65
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
00:50:59.35\00:51:02.52
Just to take Him at His Word
00:51:07.06\00:51:10.50
Just to rest upon His promise
00:51:15.64\00:51:19.57
Just to know,
Thus saith the Lord
00:51:23.21\00:51:27.38
I'm so glad
00:51:33.46\00:51:37.13
I learned to trust Him
00:51:37.16\00:51:40.46
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
00:51:40.50\00:51:44.13
And I know that He is with me
00:51:47.60\00:51:51.71
And He will be with me
00:51:55.84\00:52:00.35
Till the end
00:52:00.38\00:52:04.69
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
00:52:04.72\00:52:08.29
How I've proved
Him o'er and o'er
00:52:12.83\00:52:18.23
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus
00:52:21.80\00:52:25.57
Oh, for grace to trust Him more
00:52:31.18\00:52:34.95
As we listen to the
music in the background,
00:52:52.43\00:52:54.80
let me ask you
the question today,
00:52:54.84\00:52:57.31
is your trust shaken?
00:52:57.34\00:52:58.71
Are you one of those
00:53:00.44\00:53:01.78
that feel your
vote wasn't counted
00:53:01.81\00:53:03.98
or that your vote did count?
00:53:04.01\00:53:07.02
Let me recalibrate
your thoughts today,
00:53:07.05\00:53:08.85
my friends.
00:53:08.88\00:53:10.29
If we trust God's path,
00:53:10.32\00:53:13.96
we don't have to worry
about the paths of finite men.
00:53:13.99\00:53:18.03
I was listening
recently to a statistic,
00:53:18.06\00:53:19.86
and somebody said,
00:53:19.89\00:53:21.23
you realize that
00:53:21.26\00:53:22.76
more than 144 million
votes were cast in America.
00:53:22.80\00:53:29.64
But I wanna say to you, friends,
00:53:29.67\00:53:31.01
it only took one vote
to put Jesus on the cross.
00:53:31.04\00:53:34.94
It only took one sin to
send a savior to this earth.
00:53:34.98\00:53:39.88
It only took one transgression
00:53:39.91\00:53:42.58
to plunge humanity
00:53:42.62\00:53:44.45
into millennia of
pain and suffering,
00:53:44.49\00:53:48.26
and heartache and
death, and disappointment.
00:53:48.29\00:53:50.73
And in these
critical crumbling hours
00:53:50.76\00:53:52.76
that just are before us,
00:53:52.79\00:53:54.96
as the sands of time
00:53:55.00\00:53:56.33
are pouring out of that
glass of human probation,
00:53:56.36\00:54:00.37
heaven is saying to the church,
00:54:00.40\00:54:02.64
arise and shine,
00:54:02.67\00:54:04.47
cast off the
rhetoric of frail humanity
00:54:04.51\00:54:09.11
and pick up the
unchanging Word of God.
00:54:09.14\00:54:11.81
Trust in a path
00:54:11.85\00:54:13.18
that will never
give you a detour
00:54:13.21\00:54:15.28
or a yield to any of
the powers of darkness,
00:54:15.32\00:54:18.32
but trust in the
path that never grows dim.
00:54:18.35\00:54:22.32
I realized it
only took one vote.
00:54:22.36\00:54:24.66
Only one vote.
00:54:24.69\00:54:26.39
The Father voted in the Son
together to come and save us.
00:54:26.43\00:54:29.26
And I'm so thankful today
00:54:29.30\00:54:31.03
that Jesus came and He saved us.
00:54:31.07\00:54:33.23
He broke out of
those walls called the tomb
00:54:33.27\00:54:35.70
that the imps of
darkness sought to hold Him,
00:54:35.74\00:54:38.67
but he broke out
00:54:38.71\00:54:40.04
claiming all
power is given to me.
00:54:40.08\00:54:42.81
Have you forgotten
where true power lies?
00:54:42.84\00:54:46.15
144 million votes in
the world is still split.
00:54:46.18\00:54:48.95
America is still in crisis.
00:54:48.98\00:54:50.45
But one vote,
00:54:50.49\00:54:51.99
and we have hope for the future.
00:54:52.02\00:54:54.69
When we keep our focus on Jesus,
00:54:54.72\00:54:56.42
our eyes will be redirected.
00:54:56.46\00:54:59.39
We will begin to
see things that matter.
00:54:59.43\00:55:02.13
We will begin to see
people that disagree with us
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.90
as our brothers and sisters.
00:55:04.93\00:55:06.74
We will see
people from every class,
00:55:06.77\00:55:08.97
whether from
Europe or from Mexico
00:55:09.00\00:55:11.14
or from the Muslim
countries or from Asia,
00:55:11.17\00:55:13.71
wherever they come from,
00:55:13.74\00:55:15.08
we'll say they are candidates
of the kingdom of eternity,
00:55:15.11\00:55:19.01
and my life as a Christian
00:55:19.05\00:55:20.92
can get that person ready
for the coming of the Lord.
00:55:20.95\00:55:24.09
If we focus on Jesus,
our hopes will be revived.
00:55:24.12\00:55:28.22
Our eyes
redirected, our hopes revived,
00:55:28.26\00:55:30.83
no longer flailing in
the seeping out waters
00:55:30.86\00:55:36.67
where men can no longer
swim to the shores of safety.
00:55:36.70\00:55:39.87
That's the kind
of world that we see
00:55:39.90\00:55:41.77
and it's going to get worse.
00:55:41.80\00:55:44.14
We're just getting glimpses
00:55:44.17\00:55:45.54
of a world that's
going to implode on itself.
00:55:45.57\00:55:48.18
If we focus on Jesus,
00:55:48.21\00:55:49.64
our walk as
Christians will be renewed.
00:55:49.68\00:55:52.81
I won't have to wake
up tomorrow and wonder
00:55:52.85\00:55:54.65
what CNN or ABC or Fox
00:55:54.68\00:55:56.38
or whatever other
affiliate station says.
00:55:56.42\00:55:58.79
I won't worry about
00:55:58.82\00:56:00.16
what's going to
happen in Australia next
00:56:00.19\00:56:01.52
or New Zealand?
00:56:01.56\00:56:02.89
Is COVID going to come back
or are we going to remain safe?
00:56:02.92\00:56:05.49
I won't have to worry
about nuclear proliferation,
00:56:05.53\00:56:08.93
because my mind
is set on Christ.
00:56:08.96\00:56:11.07
My walk will be renewed.
00:56:11.10\00:56:12.97
If we focus on Jesus,
00:56:13.00\00:56:14.47
our passion to serve
Christ will be restored.
00:56:14.50\00:56:18.44
Have you lost your
desire to talk about Jesus,
00:56:18.47\00:56:22.31
to share with
somebody the Christ
00:56:22.34\00:56:24.38
who wants to save them
and transform their lives?
00:56:24.41\00:56:26.82
If we focus on Jesus,
00:56:26.85\00:56:28.78
our longing to
hasten the coming of Christ
00:56:28.82\00:56:31.72
will be regenerated.
00:56:31.75\00:56:33.82
Our eyes
redirected, our hopes revived,
00:56:33.86\00:56:36.49
our walk renewed,
our passions restored
00:56:36.52\00:56:38.69
and our longings to get ready
00:56:38.73\00:56:40.06
for the coming of
Jesus regenerated.
00:56:40.10\00:56:43.03
I say as the young man
00:56:43.06\00:56:44.97
who was about to give
his life for the cross,
00:56:45.00\00:56:46.97
he said, my pace is set.
00:56:47.00\00:56:48.94
My gate is fast.
00:56:48.97\00:56:50.31
My hope is
heaven. My road is narrow.
00:56:50.34\00:56:52.34
My journey may be rough.
00:56:52.37\00:56:54.41
My companions may be few.
00:56:54.44\00:56:56.61
My mission is clear
though and my God is reliable.
00:56:56.64\00:57:00.78
Friends, when we
place our trust in God
00:57:00.82\00:57:05.62
and His Word,
00:57:05.65\00:57:08.22
we will abandon
00:57:08.26\00:57:10.06
and no longer be fearful
00:57:10.09\00:57:11.76
by the unprecedented crisis.
00:57:11.79\00:57:14.36
But finally, we will embrace
the unprecedented Christ.
00:57:14.40\00:57:19.70
May God embrace you.
00:57:19.73\00:57:21.20
And you may embrace
Him again until we see you.
00:57:21.24\00:57:25.24
God bless you.
00:57:25.27\00:57:26.61