Hello, friends.
00:00:28.09\00:00:29.42
Welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
00:00:29.46\00:00:30.99
I'm Pastor John Lomacang.
00:00:31.03\00:00:33.09
And I want to thank you
for taking the time to join us
00:00:33.13\00:00:35.90
this Sabbath morning for
a very potent and powerful,
00:00:35.93\00:00:40.20
relevant message entitled
the direction of the storm.
00:00:40.24\00:00:45.67
Before we open God's Word
and before we allow the Lord
00:00:45.71\00:00:48.84
through His Holy
Spirit to unpack this message,
00:00:48.88\00:00:51.91
let us go to the Lord in prayer.
00:00:51.95\00:00:54.75
Gracious Father in
heaven, what a blessing it is,
00:00:54.78\00:00:57.92
what a privilege it is,
00:00:57.95\00:00:59.29
and what a responsibility
to speak for heaven.
00:00:59.32\00:01:04.63
And I pray, Lord, that you
will anoint my mind and my lips
00:01:04.66\00:01:08.56
that what you have given to me
00:01:08.60\00:01:11.17
will find that willing
mind, that fertile heart,
00:01:11.20\00:01:15.94
that life looking for answers
00:01:15.97\00:01:18.51
in a world
filled with confusion.
00:01:18.54\00:01:21.74
We pray that you'll not
only enlighten the intellect
00:01:21.78\00:01:25.55
but that you will empower
the bones, the mind, the heart
00:01:25.58\00:01:29.62
to move in harmony
00:01:29.65\00:01:31.95
with what your spirit
reveals through your word today,
00:01:31.99\00:01:35.59
may all the glory
and honor go only to you
00:01:35.62\00:01:39.13
in Jesus' name I pray.
00:01:39.16\00:01:41.40
Amen.
00:01:41.43\00:01:44.57
The direction of the storm.
00:01:44.60\00:01:49.04
I think about our world
00:01:49.07\00:01:50.41
and I think about
00:01:50.44\00:01:51.77
what's happening in our society.
00:01:51.81\00:01:54.14
And not too long ago
00:01:54.18\00:01:55.51
as I was having
morning devotions
00:01:55.54\00:01:57.85
with my wife, in my devotions,
00:01:57.88\00:02:00.25
the Lord opened my mind
00:02:00.28\00:02:02.28
to something
more than just saying,
00:02:02.32\00:02:04.75
"Let us get
ready for the storm."
00:02:04.79\00:02:07.36
But He gave me an
insight into something
00:02:07.39\00:02:09.02
even a little deeper than that.
00:02:09.06\00:02:11.29
Because we've talked
about storms of life,
00:02:11.33\00:02:13.33
storms of finances,
00:02:13.36\00:02:14.70
storms of difficulty
00:02:14.73\00:02:16.80
but something came to my mind
00:02:16.83\00:02:18.73
after returning
home from vacation
00:02:18.77\00:02:21.04
in the Virgin Islands,
00:02:21.07\00:02:22.74
as I was
visiting with my brother,
00:02:22.77\00:02:24.77
he's a fisherman.
00:02:24.81\00:02:26.14
And we were on
the ocean quite often,
00:02:26.17\00:02:28.21
we were enjoying the water
00:02:28.24\00:02:30.08
and the wind was
blowing in various directions.
00:02:30.11\00:02:32.88
And the thought came to my mind,
00:02:32.91\00:02:34.55
coupled with God's
leading in my devotion
00:02:34.58\00:02:37.89
that it's not just important
to know about the storm,
00:02:37.92\00:02:41.76
but it is even more important
00:02:41.79\00:02:44.19
to understand the
direction of the storm.
00:02:44.23\00:02:48.23
And the Apostle Paul
joins in that very ideology
00:02:48.26\00:02:51.90
when he talks about the fact
00:02:51.93\00:02:53.57
that the Bible
00:02:53.60\00:02:55.44
through the
Apostle Paul has diagnosed
00:02:55.47\00:02:58.07
a condition that where
rest the Christian world
00:02:58.11\00:03:01.84
in the last days,
00:03:01.88\00:03:03.21
he is saying there
is going to be a storm
00:03:03.24\00:03:05.95
brewing in the Christian world
00:03:05.98\00:03:08.35
that will catch many
Christians by surprise.
00:03:08.38\00:03:12.65
And I feel sad to say this,
00:03:12.69\00:03:14.86
but it does not
exclude any denomination.
00:03:14.89\00:03:18.06
Because too often,
when we read the Bible,
00:03:18.09\00:03:20.40
we applied
passages about turning away
00:03:20.43\00:03:22.83
from the truth,
turning away from light.
00:03:22.86\00:03:24.93
We often apply those passages
00:03:24.97\00:03:27.24
to those who
openly reject the truth.
00:03:27.27\00:03:30.47
But I'm finding, as I get older,
00:03:30.51\00:03:31.84
and as I begin to look at
00:03:31.87\00:03:33.21
what's happening on the horizon,
00:03:33.24\00:03:34.98
that it is also
becoming prevalent
00:03:35.01\00:03:37.25
among those
professing to believe the truth.
00:03:37.28\00:03:42.28
Listen to the scripture
that we often apply outside.
00:03:42.32\00:03:45.32
But the Apostle Paul says
this applies to every Christian
00:03:45.35\00:03:50.39
in the last days.
00:03:50.43\00:03:51.79
2 Timothy 4:3-4.
00:03:51.83\00:03:55.96
And he wrote,
"For the time will come
00:03:56.00\00:03:59.60
when they will not
endure sound doctrine
00:03:59.63\00:04:03.30
but according to
their own desires or lusts,"
00:04:03.34\00:04:06.21
as the King James version says,
00:04:06.24\00:04:08.61
"because they
have itching ears,"
00:04:08.64\00:04:12.01
I'll come back to that,
00:04:12.05\00:04:14.05
"they will heap up
for themselves teachers."
00:04:14.08\00:04:18.85
And verse four says,
00:04:18.89\00:04:20.59
"And they will turn
their ears away from the truth
00:04:20.62\00:04:25.06
and be turned aside
to fables itching, ears."
00:04:25.09\00:04:29.33
What did you say?
00:04:29.36\00:04:30.70
What did God's Word say?
00:04:30.73\00:04:32.33
I don't believe that any longer.
00:04:32.37\00:04:34.07
What does that, what
does that I'm hearing?
00:04:34.10\00:04:36.91
We are living in the day and age
00:04:36.94\00:04:38.44
where the winds of doctrine
are blowing so intensely
00:04:38.47\00:04:43.55
that those that
you may have thought
00:04:43.58\00:04:45.81
are founded or have been founded
00:04:45.85\00:04:48.08
or were established
firmly on God's Word.
00:04:48.12\00:04:52.02
We are beginning to see shifts
take place in all directions.
00:04:52.05\00:04:56.83
Even within the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:04:56.86\00:05:00.76
People that we
thought would hang in there
00:05:00.80\00:05:02.60
through difficult times
00:05:02.63\00:05:04.07
are beginning to succumb
to the pressures of life.
00:05:04.10\00:05:07.27
Some are so coming to
ideologies and theologies
00:05:07.30\00:05:11.17
that are not
supported by scripture.
00:05:11.21\00:05:13.48
Others are choosing teachers
00:05:13.51\00:05:15.91
because what they
formerly believed,
00:05:15.94\00:05:17.95
they no longer believe.
00:05:17.98\00:05:19.81
And they are
denying the very Word of God
00:05:19.85\00:05:22.18
that has been
established unmovable
00:05:22.22\00:05:24.85
on the truths of God's Word.
00:05:24.89\00:05:27.06
God's Word like God
is the same yesterday,
00:05:27.09\00:05:31.76
today, and
forever, it doesn't change.
00:05:31.79\00:05:34.30
But this modern
thirst, this shifting society,
00:05:34.33\00:05:38.37
this metamorphosizing atmosphere
00:05:38.40\00:05:41.14
when people are saying, "Well,
00:05:41.17\00:05:43.47
do we still have to
believe those old doctrines?
00:05:43.51\00:05:47.18
Do we still have to hold
00:05:47.21\00:05:48.54
to those old ways of doing life?
00:05:48.58\00:05:51.15
And those old ways
of living in society."
00:05:51.18\00:05:54.45
And people are now saying,
"Let's look for something new.
00:05:54.48\00:05:57.22
Let us change those old ideas.
00:05:57.25\00:05:59.55
Let us embrace
the modern vernacular
00:05:59.59\00:06:02.66
of the way that
the world does life."
00:06:02.69\00:06:05.89
But the danger there is
the Prophet Jeremiah said,
00:06:05.93\00:06:09.20
"Ask for the old path
where righteousness dwells."
00:06:09.23\00:06:13.74
In other words, if
you're lost in a forest
00:06:13.77\00:06:16.07
and you cannot find your way,
00:06:16.10\00:06:17.61
I would strongly suggest
00:06:17.64\00:06:19.34
if you see a grooved worn
in the ground with footsteps,
00:06:19.37\00:06:22.64
follow that path,
00:06:22.68\00:06:24.21
it will be a lot more reliable
than the very smooth grounds
00:06:24.25\00:06:27.02
that surround you.
00:06:27.05\00:06:28.45
The Apostle Paul is saying
00:06:28.48\00:06:30.09
that we must
become acutely aware
00:06:30.12\00:06:32.82
that this
syndrome that is beginning
00:06:32.85\00:06:34.62
to grapple people
happens among those
00:06:34.66\00:06:38.39
that are not really
openly considering themselves
00:06:38.43\00:06:41.53
to be abandoning truths.
00:06:41.56\00:06:44.10
And seduction is amazing.
00:06:44.13\00:06:45.87
The way that people drift away
00:06:45.90\00:06:47.84
is all they've got to do
is lift their anchor slightly.
00:06:47.87\00:06:52.37
They don't even
have to pull the anchor
00:06:52.41\00:06:54.08
completely in the boat.
00:06:54.11\00:06:55.44
As long as the anchor
is no longer connected
00:06:55.48\00:06:58.05
to the ground over
which they are hovering,
00:06:58.08\00:07:00.92
they can begin to drift.
00:07:00.95\00:07:02.68
And some people are saying,
00:07:02.72\00:07:04.05
"Well, my anchor is
not pulled up completely."
00:07:04.09\00:07:06.65
But they pull their
anchor slightly enough
00:07:06.69\00:07:09.42
to begin to drift,
00:07:09.46\00:07:10.93
they are being pulled in
00:07:10.96\00:07:12.99
by the unpredictable elements
00:07:13.03\00:07:16.03
of a society gone mad.
00:07:16.06\00:07:20.54
Well, I think
about that friends.
00:07:20.57\00:07:22.37
You don't have to go very
far to look at our society today
00:07:22.40\00:07:25.27
and say, "Our world is
crazy off the chain, gone mad."
00:07:25.31\00:07:29.91
They have lost their
minds in some particulars.
00:07:29.94\00:07:33.48
And the sad reality is at a time
00:07:33.52\00:07:35.58
when Christians
should be trusting
00:07:35.62\00:07:37.59
what God has revealed to them
00:07:37.62\00:07:39.15
over the course of their growth.
00:07:39.19\00:07:40.72
As Christians, over
the course of Bible study,
00:07:40.76\00:07:42.99
they are beginning to succumb
to the unpredictable elements
00:07:43.02\00:07:46.96
of a world gone mad.
00:07:47.00\00:07:49.96
The Apostle
Paul in Romans 16:18,
00:07:50.00\00:07:52.63
he describes one of
Satan's most effective tools.
00:07:52.67\00:07:55.67
And he wrote in this
verse, Romans 16:18, he says,
00:07:55.70\00:08:01.18
"By smooth words
and flattering speech,
00:08:01.21\00:08:05.98
they deceive the
hearts of the simple."
00:08:06.01\00:08:09.88
Listen to that, smooth
words and flattering speech.
00:08:09.92\00:08:14.06
You're going to
find somebody smooth
00:08:14.09\00:08:15.52
that the devil is smooth.
00:08:15.56\00:08:17.43
He can study the way you think,
00:08:17.46\00:08:19.46
he can watch
your body movements.
00:08:19.49\00:08:21.40
He can even see your reactions
00:08:21.43\00:08:23.13
while a sermon
is being preached.
00:08:23.16\00:08:24.97
He can look at your mind.
00:08:25.00\00:08:27.34
He could see your eye flicker.
00:08:27.37\00:08:28.97
He can see the
expression on your face
00:08:29.00\00:08:30.71
when you hear something
proclaimed from God's Word.
00:08:30.74\00:08:33.88
And he will note,
"Ah, they didn't accept
00:08:33.91\00:08:37.18
that will be a
good person to work on."
00:08:37.21\00:08:40.08
But I suggest to you
00:08:40.12\00:08:42.28
that the reason
why many Christians
00:08:42.32\00:08:43.99
are being drawn in
00:08:44.02\00:08:46.25
is because they don't see
the direction of the storm.
00:08:46.29\00:08:52.09
I pointed out, I was visiting
with my brother and family
00:08:52.13\00:08:55.50
in the Virgin Islands, my
wife and I were there together.
00:08:55.53\00:08:58.43
And as I was sitting
down and talking with him
00:08:58.47\00:09:00.14
as we were on a catamaran
00:09:00.17\00:09:02.44
floating there in the
wonderful Caribbean ocean,
00:09:02.47\00:09:05.31
I asked about the
various hurricanes,
00:09:05.34\00:09:08.14
but he pointed me back
to one of the hurricanes
00:09:08.18\00:09:10.25
that was not
Marilyn or Irma or Maria.
00:09:10.28\00:09:15.12
He pointed me way
back to a hurricane
00:09:15.15\00:09:17.85
that took place
in the late 1980s,
00:09:17.89\00:09:22.46
Hurricane Hugo.
00:09:22.49\00:09:24.36
He said Hurricane Hugo was
one of the strongest hurricanes
00:09:24.39\00:09:27.66
that ever hit
the Virgin Islands.
00:09:27.70\00:09:29.60
Meteorologist said it
was the strongest hurricane
00:09:29.63\00:09:31.90
that ever hit in
South Carolina's history.
00:09:31.93\00:09:35.10
And they said at that time,
00:09:35.14\00:09:37.01
it was the strongest
and costliest hurricane
00:09:37.04\00:09:39.27
in the Atlantic for 15 days,
00:09:39.31\00:09:42.04
Hurricane Hugo devastated
00:09:42.08\00:09:44.25
everything in its
path and meteorologists say
00:09:44.28\00:09:47.68
at its height, it
was a category five.
00:09:47.72\00:09:50.89
But my interest in
the impact of Hugo came
00:09:50.92\00:09:54.49
when my brother
began to explain something
00:09:54.52\00:09:56.56
that really fascinated me.
00:09:56.59\00:09:58.56
He said, Hurricane Hugo
00:09:58.59\00:10:01.23
was 130 miles
south of St. Thomas.
00:10:01.26\00:10:07.10
He said it was 90
miles south of St. Croix.
00:10:07.14\00:10:12.31
And I asked myself the question,
00:10:12.34\00:10:13.88
"How could a
hurricane 130 miles away
00:10:13.91\00:10:18.61
do so much damage?"
00:10:18.65\00:10:20.55
Well, I went to weather.gov
00:10:20.58\00:10:22.98
to find out some of the
facts about Hurricane Hugo.
00:10:23.02\00:10:25.75
And I'll share
that with you as I read.
00:10:25.79\00:10:27.99
It says Hurricane
Hugo's eye crossed St. Croix
00:10:28.02\00:10:30.93
in the United
States, Virgin Islands,
00:10:30.96\00:10:32.89
early in the
morning of September 18th,
00:10:32.93\00:10:36.83
then just six hours later
00:10:36.87\00:10:39.23
struck the island of Vieques
00:10:39.27\00:10:41.20
along the east
coast of Puerto Rico
00:10:41.24\00:10:42.90
with winds estimated near
00:10:42.94\00:10:45.11
125 miles per hour.
00:10:45.14\00:10:48.98
And anemometer on the
ship called the Night Cap
00:10:49.01\00:10:52.21
in the Harbor of
Culebra measured the winds
00:10:52.25\00:10:55.72
at gusts of 170 miles an hour.
00:10:55.75\00:11:00.52
And when I asked about
00:11:00.56\00:11:01.89
the greatest
impact of the hurricane,
00:11:01.92\00:11:03.26
I was told
00:11:03.29\00:11:04.63
that the greatest
impact of the hurricane
00:11:04.66\00:11:07.13
comes from the
Northeast side of the hurricane.
00:11:07.16\00:11:11.23
Pause and think
about that for a moment.
00:11:11.27\00:11:12.70
The Northeast side,
00:11:12.73\00:11:15.00
according to geological surveys
00:11:15.04\00:11:17.11
and according to those
that follow the weather,
00:11:17.14\00:11:19.37
they said, hurricanes
rotate around the eye,
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.71
which is the
lowest pressure point
00:11:22.74\00:11:24.28
of the hurricane.
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.05
They also point out
that the Northeast quadrant
00:11:26.08\00:11:29.78
is always rotating in the area
00:11:29.82\00:11:33.39
the storm is approaching.
00:11:33.42\00:11:35.86
And they point out that
all the major rain bands
00:11:35.89\00:11:38.19
are coming in from that side.
00:11:38.23\00:11:41.20
And especially
when it hits landfall,
00:11:41.23\00:11:44.20
making it the most
powerful part of the storm,
00:11:44.23\00:11:47.30
they also point out
00:11:47.34\00:11:48.67
the other side of the hurricane,
00:11:48.70\00:11:50.14
the Northwest or the Northeast,
00:11:50.17\00:11:52.54
the west and the Southwest sides
00:11:52.57\00:11:54.71
are drier than the North
Eastern side of the storm.
00:11:54.74\00:12:00.52
Let me break that down.
00:12:00.55\00:12:02.12
To a great degree,
00:12:02.15\00:12:03.52
hurricanes are unpredictable
00:12:03.55\00:12:05.39
because until the
Northeast quadrant
00:12:05.42\00:12:08.32
of the storm makes landfall,
00:12:08.36\00:12:10.53
the damage prediction
00:12:10.56\00:12:14.13
is at best speculation.
00:12:14.16\00:12:17.30
In simple English,
00:12:17.33\00:12:18.67
you don't know
what's going to happen
00:12:18.70\00:12:20.04
until the Northeast
part of the storm hits.
00:12:20.07\00:12:24.04
Meteorologists are
predicting that this year,
00:12:24.07\00:12:26.84
I don't want to give
the date of the year,
00:12:26.88\00:12:28.44
could be one of the most active
hurricane seasons in decades.
00:12:28.48\00:12:32.11
And with back to
back category fives
00:12:32.15\00:12:35.02
that hit the Virgin
Islands, Irma and Maria,
00:12:35.05\00:12:37.72
some of the Virgin Islanders
are making preparation already.
00:12:37.75\00:12:41.12
And here's why, my brother said,
00:12:41.16\00:12:43.43
they don't take soft
winds for granted anymore.
00:12:43.46\00:12:49.06
When they see the
winds beginning to pick up,
00:12:49.10\00:12:51.53
people become concerned
00:12:51.57\00:12:53.17
and they begin to
stock bottles of water,
00:12:53.20\00:12:55.67
batteries, flashlights,
all the things necessary,
00:12:55.70\00:12:59.17
extra food
supplies because they know
00:12:59.21\00:13:01.44
that this could be an indication
00:13:01.48\00:13:03.78
that a storm is on the way.
00:13:03.81\00:13:05.95
Well, the Apostle Paul gives us
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.08
a glimpse into
how storms are formed
00:13:08.12\00:13:10.52
and what happens when we ignore
00:13:10.55\00:13:13.46
the soft blowing
winds of the south,
00:13:13.49\00:13:16.39
the leading edge of the storm.
00:13:16.42\00:13:18.49
Acts 27:13-14.
00:13:18.53\00:13:21.43
Listen to what he says.
00:13:21.46\00:13:23.67
He says, "When the
south wind blew softly,
00:13:23.70\00:13:27.27
supposing that they
had obtained their desire.
00:13:27.30\00:13:31.04
Putting out to see
that as setting sail,
00:13:31.07\00:13:33.34
they sailed close to Crete."
00:13:33.38\00:13:36.21
And verse 14,
"But not long after
00:13:36.24\00:13:39.48
a tempestuous head wind
arose called Euroclydon."
00:13:39.51\00:13:45.02
Now you and I know that
whenever you name a storm,
00:13:45.05\00:13:47.66
it's a hurricane.
00:13:47.69\00:13:49.02
It's a typhoon,
00:13:49.06\00:13:50.39
it's beyond the
regular mundane storms
00:13:50.43\00:13:52.89
that blow things around lightly.
00:13:52.93\00:13:54.63
It's a storm that we
have to take seriously.
00:13:54.66\00:13:57.17
Well, my friends, we
are living in a world
00:13:57.20\00:13:59.43
that is changing rapidly.
00:13:59.47\00:14:01.97
The storms of the future
are unpredictable to many.
00:14:02.00\00:14:04.84
And people are
building their hopes
00:14:04.87\00:14:07.04
on the shifting
winds of uncertainty.
00:14:07.08\00:14:10.58
The world is shackled
together by unstable promises.
00:14:10.61\00:14:15.22
They trust politicians.
00:14:15.25\00:14:16.95
They trust the news.
00:14:16.99\00:14:18.39
They trust the stock market.
00:14:18.42\00:14:20.76
They trust
those who were saying,
00:14:20.79\00:14:22.12
"Well, the stock
is going to go up.
00:14:22.16\00:14:23.49
It's going to go down.
00:14:23.53\00:14:24.86
This is the time to invest.
00:14:24.89\00:14:26.59
This is the time to
pull your money out."
00:14:26.63\00:14:28.83
They are trusting
the predictions of men
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.00
when they should be trusting
the predictions of God's Word.
00:14:31.03\00:14:36.17
But the sad part of
the storms that are coming,
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.11
the sad part of the
south leading storms
00:14:38.14\00:14:40.78
that turn ferocious
when the north wind hits
00:14:40.81\00:14:43.88
is many that
claim to know the truth.
00:14:43.91\00:14:46.11
And I'm going to say this again,
00:14:46.15\00:14:47.98
many that claim to
believe the remnant message
00:14:48.02\00:14:51.25
are beginning to
embrace superficial speculation.
00:14:51.29\00:14:56.09
Can I expand on
that for a moment?
00:14:56.12\00:14:58.06
Thank you for saying yes.
00:14:58.09\00:14:59.63
Superficial
speculation, replaces certainty,
00:14:59.66\00:15:05.03
and when you do that,
00:15:05.07\00:15:06.40
it leads you to
dial back your urgency.
00:15:06.43\00:15:09.80
What's happening?
00:15:09.84\00:15:11.17
What's happening to the church?
00:15:11.21\00:15:12.54
What is happening
to the remnant church
00:15:12.57\00:15:14.01
that claims to believe
00:15:14.04\00:15:15.38
the prophecies of
Daniel in Revelation?
00:15:15.41\00:15:17.65
What's happening to those
that claim to believe the truth
00:15:17.68\00:15:20.32
that they have understood
and have stood by for many,
00:15:20.35\00:15:22.42
many decades?
00:15:22.45\00:15:23.79
What is happening?
00:15:23.82\00:15:25.49
They are having itching ears.
00:15:25.52\00:15:27.72
And they're beginning
to listen to voices outside
00:15:27.76\00:15:30.19
of the church, politicians,
favorite news networks,
00:15:30.23\00:15:35.80
conspiracy theories.
00:15:35.83\00:15:37.90
And they're going down these
rabbit holes and before long,
00:15:37.93\00:15:41.40
we can't even identify
those individuals any longer
00:15:41.44\00:15:44.94
because they
have lost their minds.
00:15:44.97\00:15:47.04
They have embraced speculation,
superficial speculation,
00:15:47.08\00:15:51.01
and they have dialed back
their urgency, a sad reality.
00:15:51.05\00:15:56.95
So the question is
when the storm comes,
00:15:56.99\00:16:00.09
will they endure?
00:16:00.12\00:16:01.46
When the most
intense storms of the future
00:16:01.49\00:16:03.32
really hit the
church, will they be left?
00:16:03.36\00:16:06.29
Let me make an application.
00:16:06.33\00:16:08.06
The devil knows that
this is the remnant church.
00:16:08.10\00:16:11.70
He also knows
that when you proclaim
00:16:11.73\00:16:13.77
the three angels' messages,
00:16:13.80\00:16:15.54
you are
proclaiming a remnant message.
00:16:15.57\00:16:18.61
But he knows
even more than that,
00:16:18.64\00:16:20.88
he knows that he can't
change the remnant church
00:16:20.91\00:16:23.31
Revelation 12:17.
00:16:23.35\00:16:25.05
He knows he can't
change the remnant message,
00:16:25.08\00:16:27.28
the three angels' messages.
00:16:27.32\00:16:28.65
So he aims at
the remnant people.
00:16:28.68\00:16:30.89
He's seeking to
shake their faith
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.05
so that when
the shaking is done,
00:16:33.09\00:16:35.92
their anchors
would have been removed,
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.29
and they would have drifted away
00:16:38.33\00:16:39.73
from the shore
promises of God's Word.
00:16:39.76\00:16:42.36
What an hour
that we should be sure
00:16:42.40\00:16:44.83
about God's Word,
00:16:44.87\00:16:46.20
never replace
certainty with speculation,
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.74
and don't allow speculation
to dial back your urgency.
00:16:49.77\00:16:54.14
And here's the reason
why 1 Thessalonians 5:3,
00:16:54.18\00:17:00.12
the Apostle Paul warns us
00:17:00.15\00:17:03.15
about changing
those certain things
00:17:03.18\00:17:07.12
when we are unsure
about where the future leads.
00:17:07.16\00:17:10.59
He says, "For
when they shall say,
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.09
peace and safety,
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.66
then sudden
destruction comes upon them,
00:17:15.70\00:17:18.77
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman,
00:17:18.80\00:17:22.37
and they shall not escape."
00:17:22.40\00:17:26.34
Think about it.
00:17:26.37\00:17:27.71
Would you want to be caught
in the world winds of a storm
00:17:27.74\00:17:30.75
in a small rubber dinky
00:17:30.78\00:17:32.65
or would you want to be standing
00:17:32.68\00:17:35.65
on the shore foundation
00:17:35.68\00:17:37.25
of the unmovable
rock Christ Jesus,
00:17:37.29\00:17:40.32
the unmovable
promises of His Word.
00:17:40.36\00:17:43.16
So that as he said in the
Word, the winds will come,
00:17:43.19\00:17:45.79
the rains will come,
00:17:45.83\00:17:47.16
and they will
beat with ferocity,
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.36
but you will stand
00:17:49.40\00:17:50.73
because you have based your life
00:17:50.77\00:17:52.57
on the stability of God's Word,
00:17:52.60\00:17:54.50
on the certainty
of God's promise,
00:17:54.54\00:17:56.57
on the surety of the
prophecies of God's Word.
00:17:56.60\00:18:00.11
What happens,
00:18:00.14\00:18:01.48
sudden
destruction will shock those
00:18:01.51\00:18:03.21
who are focusing in
the wrong direction.
00:18:03.24\00:18:05.71
That's why in these
closing hours of verse history,
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.72
I want to say it with urgency.
00:18:08.75\00:18:10.09
It is critical to pay attention
to the direction of the storm.
00:18:10.12\00:18:15.89
Why has this stirred
my heart as a pastor?
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.39
Because I am amazed,
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.66
I am amazed
00:18:21.70\00:18:23.63
how Christians exposed
to the unlimited knowledge
00:18:23.67\00:18:28.10
of the scriptures
would consciously unplug
00:18:28.14\00:18:32.41
and disable their
reasoning capacity.
00:18:32.44\00:18:35.48
Why am I saying that?
00:18:35.51\00:18:37.45
I'm hearing stuff in my church
00:18:37.48\00:18:38.85
that I never
thought I would hear.
00:18:38.88\00:18:41.02
I'm hearing people that
I thought had clear minds
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.62
and stable
intellect, speakers though,
00:18:43.65\00:18:46.15
that they have unplugged
their reasoning capacity.
00:18:46.19\00:18:49.02
They have disabled
their ability to see
00:18:49.06\00:18:51.29
between light and
darkness, truth and era,
00:18:51.33\00:18:55.06
speculation and
evidence of God's Word.
00:18:55.10\00:18:59.33
And people are going down this,
00:18:59.37\00:19:01.70
"Oh, Lord, give me help."
00:19:01.74\00:19:03.07
People are going down
this conspiratorial path
00:19:03.10\00:19:06.88
and speaking things that
just don't make any sense.
00:19:06.91\00:19:11.28
And they don't
understand that there's a storm
00:19:11.31\00:19:13.11
gathering on the horizon.
00:19:13.15\00:19:15.25
People are
succumbing to the polarization
00:19:15.28\00:19:17.72
of nonsense.
00:19:17.75\00:19:19.22
The devil is having a party
over distracted Christians.
00:19:19.25\00:19:24.43
The argument,
00:19:24.46\00:19:25.79
which was once the blue state
00:19:25.83\00:19:27.56
versus the red state
is now being shifted.
00:19:27.60\00:19:31.80
And the
controversy over mass squaring
00:19:31.83\00:19:34.77
has finally
replaced the controversy over
00:19:34.80\00:19:37.71
who you're going to vote for.
00:19:37.74\00:19:39.44
Now I want to tell
you, I'm speaking clearly,
00:19:39.47\00:19:42.14
I'm speaking
directly as vividly as I can,
00:19:42.18\00:19:45.48
the contention over vaccines
00:19:45.51\00:19:47.48
has replaced the argument
and debate over patriotism.
00:19:47.52\00:19:51.45
And I've asked
myself the question,
00:19:51.49\00:19:52.95
and I'm putting
this question to you,
00:19:52.99\00:19:54.42
what on earth does a vaccine
have to do with your salvation?
00:19:54.46\00:19:59.29
What on earth does
a vaccine have to do
00:19:59.33\00:20:02.13
with the truth of God's Word?
00:20:02.16\00:20:04.23
But there are some
that are so sidetracked.
00:20:04.27\00:20:07.20
They're
contending that the vaccine
00:20:07.24\00:20:09.80
will somehow lead to
the mark of the beast.
00:20:09.84\00:20:12.17
Lord, wake them up
before it is too late.
00:20:12.21\00:20:15.74
The hour is too
late to allow speculation
00:20:15.78\00:20:19.78
to replace spiritual
scriptural stability.
00:20:19.81\00:20:24.85
There are those that
will hear this message
00:20:24.89\00:20:26.82
and they'll say,
"Well, I have a video
00:20:26.86\00:20:29.12
or I got this
email from somebody.
00:20:29.16\00:20:30.83
Well, I found this on Facebook
00:20:30.86\00:20:32.33
and you got to
watch this pastor.
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.00
I can tell you if I can tell you
00:20:34.03\00:20:35.36
how many times
00:20:35.40\00:20:36.73
people have sent
me links to videos.
00:20:36.77\00:20:38.40
And I've said to them,
don't send me any video.
00:20:38.43\00:20:40.90
I'm going to keep my
mind fixed on God's Word
00:20:40.94\00:20:43.27
because the Bible
says the Lord declares
00:20:43.30\00:20:44.94
the end from the beginning.
00:20:44.97\00:20:46.37
I'm going down
any man's rabbit hole.
00:20:46.41\00:20:49.31
I'm not following
somebody who claims to have
00:20:49.34\00:20:51.65
some kind of a hidden
secret that nobody else knows.
00:20:51.68\00:20:55.45
And if you listen to my videos,
somehow, you'll be secure.
00:20:55.48\00:20:58.69
The only way that
you're going to be secure
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.22
is if you stand firmly on
the unmovable Word of God,
00:21:00.26\00:21:04.13
not a video, not
Facebook, not a Twitter link,
00:21:04.16\00:21:07.63
or a YouTube link,
00:21:07.66\00:21:09.00
stand on the
unchanging Word of God.
00:21:09.03\00:21:12.90
That's why Peter, the
apostle makes it so clear.
00:21:12.93\00:21:15.50
In 2 Peter 1:19, in
the king James version,
00:21:15.54\00:21:18.64
he said these words, "We have,"
00:21:18.67\00:21:21.41
and I'm going to
repeat those words,
00:21:21.44\00:21:23.08
"We have also a more
sure word of prophecy,"
00:21:23.11\00:21:29.98
not a video,
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.35
not a YouTube link,
not a Facebook post.
00:21:31.39\00:21:34.12
He says, "We have also a
more sure word of prophecy,
00:21:34.16\00:21:39.03
whereunto ye do
well that ye take heed,
00:21:39.06\00:21:44.07
as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place,
00:21:44.10\00:21:48.07
until the day dawn,
00:21:48.10\00:21:49.44
and the day star
arise in your hearts."
00:21:49.47\00:21:53.41
What is Peter saying?
00:21:53.44\00:21:54.78
Peter saying, "I know
00:21:54.81\00:21:56.14
what it's like
to be in darkness.
00:21:56.18\00:21:57.51
I was there once myself.
00:21:57.55\00:21:59.48
I was at the place where I said,
00:21:59.51\00:22:00.85
I will never deny the Lord."
00:22:00.88\00:22:02.28
And given a
change in circumstances,
00:22:02.32\00:22:04.35
Peter saying, "I denied Him
00:22:04.39\00:22:05.72
before the rooster
crowed three times.
00:22:05.75\00:22:07.52
I understand what it's
like to be in a dark place."
00:22:07.56\00:22:09.59
Peter is saying,
00:22:09.62\00:22:11.03
"I deny the
sure words of Jesus."
00:22:11.06\00:22:12.83
And I'm telling you
from his experience,
00:22:12.86\00:22:14.93
Peter is saying, "Don't deny
the sure words of God's Word."
00:22:14.96\00:22:20.64
Don't deny the
stability of the promises
00:22:20.67\00:22:23.14
that Jesus has established
for us to remain safe
00:22:23.17\00:22:26.64
in this storm-driven society,
in this media tossed society,
00:22:26.68\00:22:31.38
in this speculative generation,
00:22:31.41\00:22:33.88
do not give up those
things that are true,
00:22:33.92\00:22:36.89
for those things
that have actually no aim
00:22:36.92\00:22:40.29
but to keep you following
in the footsteps of insanity.
00:22:40.32\00:22:45.46
One of my favorite writers,
00:22:45.49\00:22:48.26
Oswald Chambers
pointed out the impact
00:22:48.30\00:22:51.93
of what happens when you
follow things that are uncertain
00:22:51.97\00:22:55.57
in one of his
devotions entitled,
00:22:55.60\00:22:57.91
be aware of the
least likely temptation.
00:22:57.94\00:23:00.74
Oswald Chambers cited
one of our Bible characters
00:23:00.78\00:23:05.11
by the name of Joab.
00:23:05.15\00:23:06.72
And I'm going to
read a quote from this
00:23:06.75\00:23:08.22
Oswald Chambers devotional.
00:23:08.25\00:23:09.85
He said this about Joab.
00:23:09.88\00:23:12.55
He said, "Joab withstood
the greatest test of his life
00:23:12.59\00:23:17.33
remaining
absolutely loyal to David
00:23:17.36\00:23:20.86
by not turning to
follow after the fascinations
00:23:20.90\00:23:24.30
and ambitions of Absalom."
00:23:24.33\00:23:26.94
But here was the caution.
00:23:26.97\00:23:28.30
He said, "Yet toward
the end of his life,"
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.91
speaking about Joab,
00:23:30.94\00:23:32.41
"he turned to
follow after the weak
00:23:32.44\00:23:36.01
and cowardly Adonijah."
00:23:36.04\00:23:38.81
You got to read that
story, it's in first Kings 2.
00:23:38.85\00:23:41.45
It's an amazing story.
00:23:41.48\00:23:42.92
A man that was a
strong military leader,
00:23:42.95\00:23:45.75
remaining stable
00:23:45.79\00:23:48.09
focused on
standing behind King David.
00:23:48.12\00:23:52.13
But as his life went
on, something happened,
00:23:52.16\00:23:56.06
the winds began to
push him out of center.
00:23:56.10\00:23:59.13
He began to get off kilter
and somewhere along the way,
00:23:59.17\00:24:02.04
he lost his bearing like
a boat without an anchor,
00:24:02.07\00:24:04.87
somewhere along the way,
00:24:04.91\00:24:06.24
he ended up into the port
00:24:06.27\00:24:07.61
of abandonment rather
than into the port of security.
00:24:07.64\00:24:12.68
And 1 Kings
2:28, says it this way,
00:24:12.71\00:24:15.48
a very amazing
passage that shows how,
00:24:15.52\00:24:18.62
when you fail to understand
00:24:18.65\00:24:20.76
the safety of
your walk with Christ,
00:24:20.79\00:24:22.82
somewhere along the way,
the place that people failed,
00:24:22.86\00:24:26.59
you might fail
in the same place.
00:24:26.63\00:24:29.16
The Bible says in 1 Kings 2:28,
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.33
"The news came to Joab,
00:24:32.37\00:24:35.20
for Joab had
defected to Adonijah.
00:24:35.24\00:24:40.91
Though he had not
defected to Absalom."
00:24:40.94\00:24:44.51
And then the Bible says,
"So Joab fled to the tabernacle
00:24:44.55\00:24:47.28
of the Lord and took hold
of the horns of the altar."
00:24:47.32\00:24:50.89
Now what is the Bible saying?
00:24:50.92\00:24:52.55
When they heard that
Joab had defected to Adonijah,
00:24:52.59\00:24:57.89
they realized
that, wait a minute,
00:24:57.93\00:24:59.36
they began to trace
Joab's defection and realized
00:24:59.39\00:25:01.93
that his hands were stained
00:25:01.96\00:25:04.03
with the lives
of two individuals.
00:25:04.07\00:25:06.33
He had killed two individuals
and he thought after his crime,
00:25:06.37\00:25:11.17
that by holding onto the altar
of the Lord, he will be safe.
00:25:11.21\00:25:14.68
Although he had not repented,
00:25:14.71\00:25:16.24
although he had not
asked for forgiveness.
00:25:16.28\00:25:18.48
And the sad
reality of Joab's life,
00:25:18.51\00:25:20.52
he lost his life in the temple.
00:25:20.55\00:25:22.98
He lost his life
in the sanctuary.
00:25:23.02\00:25:25.19
They killed him
00:25:25.22\00:25:26.55
at the place where he
thought he found security.
00:25:26.59\00:25:29.19
What happened to Joab?
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.99
He abandoned his security.
00:25:31.03\00:25:33.56
The observation of the text
00:25:33.60\00:25:35.33
is because Joab
did not follow Absalom.
00:25:35.36\00:25:37.87
It was unthinkable that later
00:25:37.90\00:25:39.67
he would later
on follow Adonijah.
00:25:39.70\00:25:42.34
What happened?
00:25:42.37\00:25:43.71
Listen carefully, as
we analyze Joab's life.
00:25:43.74\00:25:46.94
The victory of his past.
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.64
I'm going to say
that one more time.
00:25:49.68\00:25:51.15
The victory of his
past failed to be a barrier
00:25:51.18\00:25:56.92
to the failure of his future.
00:25:56.95\00:25:59.39
He turned his eyes away
00:25:59.42\00:26:00.76
from the place
where he was victorious.
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.12
And when he turned his eyes away
00:26:03.16\00:26:04.49
from the place of his victories,
00:26:04.53\00:26:06.19
he turned his eyes
toward the place of his failure
00:26:06.23\00:26:09.50
toward his defeat.
00:26:09.53\00:26:11.30
Joab failed
because he was unaware
00:26:11.33\00:26:15.50
of the direction of the storm.
00:26:15.54\00:26:17.77
He did not understand
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.14
where his greatest
test would come from.
00:26:19.17\00:26:21.88
Joab did not
prepare himself spiritually.
00:26:21.91\00:26:24.35
So when the storm came
from an unexpected direction,
00:26:24.38\00:26:29.42
Joab failed.
00:26:29.45\00:26:31.49
I've got to pause and
ask you the question today.
00:26:31.52\00:26:33.89
Where are the storms
blowing in your life?
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.29
Where are you finding
the greatest challenges
00:26:36.32\00:26:38.19
in your walk?
00:26:38.23\00:26:39.56
Is it in your
marriage, in your worship,
00:26:39.59\00:26:41.40
in your devotional life?
00:26:41.43\00:26:43.13
Is it with your spouse?
00:26:43.16\00:26:44.90
Is it with your children?
00:26:44.93\00:26:46.57
Is it the tough,
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.37
forceful battle
on Sabbath morning
00:26:48.40\00:26:51.11
to get up and go to church?
00:26:51.14\00:26:52.77
Where is the storm
blowing in your life?
00:26:52.81\00:26:55.01
Are you taking the
soft winds of this commonly
00:26:55.04\00:26:58.08
calm society and saying, well,
00:26:58.11\00:27:00.35
the world is just
like, it's always been,
00:27:00.38\00:27:01.95
I know the news has bad things
00:27:01.98\00:27:03.75
but there's nothing
really to be cautious about.
00:27:03.79\00:27:06.45
I know there have been
wars in the Middle East
00:27:06.49\00:27:08.42
and they've been
earthquakes and fires
00:27:08.46\00:27:10.13
and floods and
all kinds of things.
00:27:10.16\00:27:11.69
So it's been happening.
00:27:11.73\00:27:13.13
I'm not concerned about that.
00:27:13.16\00:27:14.50
Well, don't fall
into the Joab trap
00:27:14.53\00:27:17.43
and fail to observe
the direction of the storm.
00:27:17.47\00:27:21.37
The example of Joab is
as Oswald Chambers says,
00:27:21.40\00:27:25.34
he says, "Always
remain alert to the fact
00:27:25.37\00:27:29.28
that where one
person has turned back
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.15
is exactly where anyone
may be tempted to turn back."
00:27:32.18\00:27:37.62
And I'm seeing
that in our church.
00:27:37.65\00:27:39.72
I'm seeing people in our church,
00:27:39.75\00:27:44.26
a church that
proclaims the remnant message.
00:27:44.29\00:27:47.26
I am seeing
people that I thought
00:27:47.30\00:27:49.10
had solid footing.
00:27:49.13\00:27:51.40
I'm seeing people that I heard
00:27:51.43\00:27:52.90
proclaimed
without a bone of fear,
00:27:52.93\00:27:56.74
the surety and the stability
of the three angels' messages,
00:27:56.77\00:28:00.74
I'm seeing them lose their job.
00:28:00.78\00:28:02.11
I'm seeing them
walk away to follow these
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.18
offshoot movements.
00:28:04.21\00:28:05.55
I'm wondering to
myself what's happening,
00:28:05.58\00:28:07.28
"Well, like Joab
they fail to realize
00:28:07.32\00:28:09.58
that the victories of their past
00:28:09.62\00:28:12.25
was pointing
them to the foundation
00:28:12.29\00:28:14.06
of this security.
00:28:14.09\00:28:15.42
And they turned their
eyes in the wrong direction
00:28:15.46\00:28:18.26
and they lost their footing.
00:28:18.29\00:28:21.80
They failed to realize
the victories of their past
00:28:21.83\00:28:25.37
pointed them to the
security of their future.
00:28:25.40\00:28:29.54
What's amazing to me
is the most sobering time
00:28:29.57\00:28:33.04
is the time in
which we're living.
00:28:33.07\00:28:34.61
The most sobering
time in your life is after
00:28:34.64\00:28:38.08
you think you have gone
through the greatest test.
00:28:38.11\00:28:41.85
I'm going to
repeat that one more time.
00:28:41.88\00:28:43.62
You know, some people say, "Man,
00:28:43.65\00:28:44.99
I never thought
I'd survive that.
00:28:45.02\00:28:47.12
Ooh, the worst is behind me."
00:28:47.16\00:28:48.96
Don't fool yourself.
00:28:48.99\00:28:50.93
If you think the
worst is behind you,
00:28:50.96\00:28:53.50
you don't know the devil.
00:28:53.53\00:28:54.86
If you think you have faced
00:28:54.90\00:28:56.23
the worst
challenge of your life,
00:28:56.26\00:28:57.60
you are not on your knees
as regularly as you should be.
00:28:57.63\00:29:00.24
Well, you're not in God's Word
00:29:00.27\00:29:01.84
because the
worst is ahead of us.
00:29:01.87\00:29:03.61
The Bible talks
about a time of trouble,
00:29:03.64\00:29:05.31
such as never was.
00:29:05.34\00:29:06.68
The Bible talks
about those things
00:29:06.71\00:29:08.78
that will not be
shaken will remain.
00:29:08.81\00:29:11.31
The Bible says that God is not
just going to shake the earth,
00:29:11.35\00:29:13.82
but he's gonna
shake the heavens also.
00:29:13.85\00:29:15.78
And when that heavens
are shaking men's hearts,
00:29:15.82\00:29:18.72
men's hearts are
going to fail them for fear
00:29:18.75\00:29:21.36
because they thought that
the worst was behind them.
00:29:21.39\00:29:24.49
You ain't seen nothing yet.
00:29:24.53\00:29:26.29
The world hasn't seen the best
that Satan has unfurled yet.
00:29:26.33\00:29:30.83
The church has not yet been hit
00:29:30.87\00:29:34.17
by Satan's shoulder missiles,
shoulder-mounted missiles.
00:29:34.20\00:29:39.61
They haven't seen
Satan's arsenal yet.
00:29:39.64\00:29:42.41
And, friends, if
ever there was a time
00:29:42.44\00:29:44.01
that we need to keep
praying, these are the hours.
00:29:44.05\00:29:47.15
The apostle Paul
in 1 Corinthians 10:12
00:29:47.18\00:29:50.09
says these words to those
00:29:50.12\00:29:51.45
who think the
storms are behind them.
00:29:51.49\00:29:52.92
He says, "Therefore, let
him who thinks he stands,
00:29:52.95\00:29:58.36
take heed, lest he fall."
00:29:58.39\00:30:02.33
You think you're standing,
00:30:02.36\00:30:04.30
you better allow the
Lord to retrofit you.
00:30:04.33\00:30:06.84
I'm mindful of
00:30:06.87\00:30:08.20
what happened
there in California.
00:30:08.24\00:30:09.57
Many years ago,
00:30:09.60\00:30:10.94
when the
Embarcadero Freeway buckled
00:30:10.97\00:30:13.74
as an unpredictable
earthquake hit the bay area,
00:30:13.78\00:30:16.71
it buckled like it
was made of wafers.
00:30:16.75\00:30:19.58
It buckled like it was
made of little balsa wood.
00:30:19.61\00:30:23.49
It was not retrofitted
in an area where earthquakes
00:30:23.52\00:30:26.42
of intensity could
happen at any moment.
00:30:26.45\00:30:29.39
I'm saying to you, Christian,
retrofit your life by prayer,
00:30:29.42\00:30:32.86
retrofit your life
by studying God's Word.
00:30:32.89\00:30:35.86
Retrofit, what does that mean?
00:30:35.90\00:30:38.13
You might say,
what does that mean?
00:30:38.17\00:30:39.87
Well, after they built
the Embarcadero Freeway back,
00:30:39.90\00:30:44.14
they built metal bands
around the concrete columns.
00:30:44.17\00:30:49.74
They wrapped
the concrete columns
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.81
in metal retrofits.
00:30:51.85\00:30:54.32
That means if the
concrete crumbles,
00:30:54.35\00:30:57.12
the metal will hold.
00:30:57.15\00:30:59.42
Many years ago when I
broke my tibia bone in my leg
00:30:59.45\00:31:03.12
and I had a cast.
00:31:03.16\00:31:04.49
The doctor told
me afterward he says,
00:31:04.53\00:31:06.66
"When the cast comes off,
00:31:06.70\00:31:08.03
take your time to
develop your strength again."
00:31:08.06\00:31:10.33
But then he said
something that really shocked me
00:31:10.37\00:31:12.17
and brought me
to this very point.
00:31:12.20\00:31:14.30
He says, "That bone that broke
00:31:14.34\00:31:17.04
is stronger than the
one that didn't break."
00:31:17.07\00:31:18.94
And I said, "Well, how's that?"
00:31:18.97\00:31:20.81
He said,
"Because your body builds
00:31:20.84\00:31:23.48
a calcified
retrofitting around the bone
00:31:23.51\00:31:26.85
that was once broken so
that it could secure it,
00:31:26.88\00:31:29.98
that it will not break
as easily the second time.
00:31:30.02\00:31:34.76
You may have found
broken places in your life.
00:31:34.79\00:31:37.43
And I'm saying, if
there's a place in your life
00:31:37.46\00:31:39.36
where you broke in the past,
00:31:39.39\00:31:41.73
pray and study and prepare
your life to be retrofitted,
00:31:41.76\00:31:47.17
don't take those
fragile places for granted,
00:31:47.20\00:31:50.17
which brings me
to my first point.
00:31:50.21\00:31:52.24
I only have two.
00:31:52.27\00:31:54.01
Don't attempt to predict
where the test will come from.
00:31:54.04\00:31:57.35
It is often the
least likely thing
00:31:57.38\00:31:59.85
that presents
the greatest danger.
00:31:59.88\00:32:03.45
You might say,
"That'll never happen to me."
00:32:03.49\00:32:06.69
If you're not praying
and committing your life
00:32:06.72\00:32:08.12
to Christ on a day by day basis,
00:32:08.16\00:32:10.09
don't think that
your boxing gloves
00:32:10.13\00:32:11.66
are sufficient for the devil
00:32:11.69\00:32:13.56
because you can't
even fight an enemy
00:32:13.60\00:32:15.00
that you cannot see but
only by trusting God's Word
00:32:15.03\00:32:17.90
and reading the
promises every day
00:32:17.93\00:32:19.27
will you be able to be prepared
for the battle when it comes.
00:32:19.30\00:32:22.60
Don't attempt to predict
00:32:22.64\00:32:23.97
where the test is
going to come from.
00:32:24.01\00:32:25.77
Well, who better to
remind us of that statement than
00:32:25.81\00:32:28.94
the example of false security
00:32:28.98\00:32:30.68
that Peter allowed
himself to be a victim of.
00:32:30.71\00:32:34.75
In Matthew 26:31,
00:32:34.78\00:32:37.29
there is an example
00:32:37.32\00:32:39.02
in the life of Peter
that we should take note of.
00:32:39.05\00:32:42.16
And these things, as
Paul the apostle says,
00:32:42.19\00:32:44.46
what happened was
written for our examples
00:32:44.49\00:32:47.60
upon whom the end
of the world is coming.
00:32:47.63\00:32:50.23
Kind of look back on the Bible.
00:32:50.27\00:32:51.90
You got to look
at all those people
00:32:51.93\00:32:53.27
that failed and find
out where they failed
00:32:53.30\00:32:55.34
and why they failed
00:32:55.37\00:32:56.91
and then begin to prepare
for the storms of the future.
00:32:56.94\00:33:01.24
Matthew 26:31-33 points us
00:33:01.28\00:33:05.95
to a man who didn't
understand his own weaknesses.
00:33:05.98\00:33:11.22
Matthew 26:31.
00:33:11.25\00:33:12.92
The Bible said,
"Then Jesus said to them,"
00:33:12.95\00:33:15.46
that is to his disciples,
00:33:15.49\00:33:17.59
"All of you will
be made to stumble
00:33:17.63\00:33:20.03
because of Me this
night for it is written.
00:33:20.06\00:33:23.97
I will strike the shepherd
00:33:24.00\00:33:26.10
and the sheep of the
flock will be scattered."
00:33:26.13\00:33:29.77
Look at verse 32 of Matthew 26.
00:33:29.80\00:33:33.84
"But after I have been raised,
00:33:33.88\00:33:36.64
I will go
before you to Galilee."
00:33:36.68\00:33:40.48
Verse 33, Peter
couldn't keep his mouth shut.
00:33:40.52\00:33:43.85
"Peter answered
and said to Him,"
00:33:43.89\00:33:45.39
that is to Jesus,
00:33:45.42\00:33:47.22
"Even if all are made
to stumble because of you,
00:33:47.26\00:33:51.96
I will never be
made to stumble."
00:33:51.99\00:33:55.50
I would put that in the category
00:33:55.53\00:33:56.87
of famous last words.
00:33:56.90\00:33:58.23
I will never...
00:33:58.27\00:34:00.07
Don't ever say never
00:34:00.10\00:34:01.50
if you're not
trusting in God's Word.
00:34:01.54\00:34:02.94
Don't ever say never if
you're not praying every day
00:34:02.97\00:34:05.84
because the frailty of humanity
00:34:05.87\00:34:08.41
is the alter on which
many of us have failed.
00:34:08.44\00:34:11.65
Peter said, "Even if
everybody leaves you,
00:34:11.68\00:34:14.22
I'm not going anywhere."
00:34:14.25\00:34:16.42
Well, no one is more fragile
00:34:16.45\00:34:18.19
than when he is
unaware of his weakness.
00:34:18.22\00:34:22.36
Peter had two blind spots.
00:34:22.39\00:34:24.69
The first blind spot was,
he was unaware of himself.
00:34:24.73\00:34:28.56
How well do you know yourself?
00:34:28.60\00:34:30.53
Sometimes you need to sit down
00:34:30.57\00:34:31.90
or maybe stand in
front of a mirror,
00:34:31.93\00:34:33.27
make sure nobody's around
00:34:33.30\00:34:34.64
because this could
look pretty off the chain.
00:34:34.67\00:34:36.84
You could look like
you're out of your mind.
00:34:36.87\00:34:38.21
If somebody walks in the house
00:34:38.24\00:34:39.57
and you're talking
out loud to yourself,
00:34:39.61\00:34:41.74
but you need to have a
conversation with yourself
00:34:41.78\00:34:43.48
to find out where you stand.
00:34:43.51\00:34:46.01
You need to say to
yourself, did I really do that?
00:34:46.05\00:34:48.52
Lord give me strength
and not to do that again.
00:34:48.55\00:34:50.89
Peter was unaware of himself.
00:34:50.92\00:34:52.89
Look at Matthew 26:34-35.
00:34:52.92\00:34:58.43
The Bible said,
"Jesus said to him,"
00:34:58.46\00:35:01.96
that is to Peter,
00:35:02.00\00:35:03.57
"Assuredly, I say
to you that this night,
00:35:03.60\00:35:07.54
before the rooster crows,
00:35:07.57\00:35:09.74
you Peter, will
deny me three times."
00:35:09.77\00:35:14.18
The Lord said that to Peter.
00:35:14.21\00:35:15.81
And Peter's response was
as though Jesus didn't know
00:35:15.84\00:35:18.18
what he was talking about.
00:35:18.21\00:35:19.58
Let me say
something to your, friends.
00:35:19.61\00:35:21.18
Don't ever read
God's Word and say,
00:35:21.22\00:35:23.35
"He doesn't know
what He's talking about.
00:35:23.39\00:35:24.72
It doesn't apply to me.
00:35:24.75\00:35:26.09
I'm above that.
00:35:26.12\00:35:27.46
I'm not like that.
00:35:27.49\00:35:28.82
It won't happen to me."
00:35:28.86\00:35:30.19
If you're not
trusting in God's Word
00:35:30.23\00:35:31.56
and taking God's Word seriously,
00:35:31.59\00:35:33.43
then you are unprepared,
00:35:33.46\00:35:34.86
you are unaware of yourself
00:35:34.90\00:35:36.77
because Peter's
response is evidence
00:35:36.80\00:35:38.93
that he was unaware of himself.
00:35:38.97\00:35:41.10
Look at verse 35.
00:35:41.14\00:35:43.54
"Peter said to Him,"
given Jesus' advice now,
00:35:43.57\00:35:46.81
"Even if I have to die with You,
00:35:46.84\00:35:49.08
I will not deny You."
00:35:49.11\00:35:53.31
And so said all the disciples.
00:35:53.35\00:35:58.19
The amazing thing as the
Lord was focusing on Peter.
00:35:58.22\00:36:01.92
Sometimes the Lord will
pull you out of the crowd.
00:36:01.96\00:36:04.76
Sometimes the
Lord will say to you,
00:36:04.79\00:36:06.29
"I'm not
worried about the crowd.
00:36:06.33\00:36:07.66
I'm worried about you."
00:36:07.70\00:36:09.53
Don't get focused on the crowd
00:36:09.56\00:36:11.33
when the most important
focus ought to be yourself,
00:36:11.37\00:36:13.87
examine yourself, test yourself,
00:36:13.90\00:36:16.67
to see whether or
not you're in the faith.
00:36:16.71\00:36:18.67
Try yourself.
00:36:18.71\00:36:20.04
Look at your own study life.
00:36:20.08\00:36:21.64
How much time do you
spend reading the Word of God?
00:36:21.68\00:36:24.48
How much time do you pray?
00:36:24.51\00:36:26.21
How much time do
you get on your knees
00:36:26.25\00:36:28.18
when the
temptations are coming at you
00:36:28.22\00:36:30.52
like winds out of a gun
that has no empty barrels.
00:36:30.55\00:36:34.36
How much do you
say, "Father, I'm weak,
00:36:34.39\00:36:37.23
give me strength
at this very moment."
00:36:37.26\00:36:39.89
Well, friends, I tell you.
00:36:39.93\00:36:41.26
Peter didn't understand.
00:36:41.30\00:36:42.63
Peter did not understand.
00:36:42.66\00:36:44.00
His first blind spot was
he was unaware of himself
00:36:44.03\00:36:47.47
that there was a
second blind spot.
00:36:47.50\00:36:49.77
That maybe you could
learn something from,
00:36:49.80\00:36:52.17
Peter was also
unaware of his adversary.
00:36:52.21\00:36:56.38
He was unaware of
what Satan was about to do.
00:36:56.41\00:37:00.42
You see Satan had studied Peter.
00:37:00.45\00:37:02.52
Peter was a loud mouth.
00:37:02.55\00:37:04.59
He always was talking.
00:37:04.62\00:37:05.95
His mouth was in fifth gear.
00:37:05.99\00:37:07.32
His mind was in first.
00:37:07.36\00:37:08.69
He was saying things so fast.
00:37:08.72\00:37:10.09
He didn't even
hear himself speaking.
00:37:10.13\00:37:12.29
He just had to say something.
00:37:12.33\00:37:13.66
He's that person
that just can't keep
00:37:13.70\00:37:15.06
his or her mouth shut.
00:37:15.10\00:37:17.13
And what they're trying
to give people advice on,
00:37:17.17\00:37:20.04
they need to take
that advice themselves.
00:37:20.07\00:37:22.80
Peter was that
kind of individual.
00:37:22.84\00:37:24.64
He was unaware of himself.
00:37:24.67\00:37:26.71
And secondly, he was
unaware of his adversary.
00:37:26.74\00:37:29.44
Look at Luke 22:31-33.
00:37:29.48\00:37:32.85
And I'm reading in
the King James Version
00:37:32.88\00:37:34.75
for these passages.
00:37:34.78\00:37:36.92
"The Lord said, 'Simon, Simon,
00:37:36.95\00:37:41.66
behold, Satan hath
desired to have you,
00:37:41.69\00:37:46.29
that he may sift you as wheat.
00:37:46.33\00:37:51.60
But I have prayed for
thee, that thy faith fail not.
00:37:51.63\00:37:55.90
And when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren.'"
00:37:55.94\00:38:01.48
In verse 33, "And he
said unto him, 'Lord,
00:38:01.51\00:38:04.85
I'm ready to go with thee,
00:38:04.88\00:38:06.55
both into prison and to death."
00:38:06.58\00:38:08.92
Peter, couldn't
just keep his mouth shut.
00:38:08.95\00:38:10.95
And instead of saying,
"Okay, Lord, I hear you.
00:38:10.99\00:38:12.92
I hear you.
00:38:12.95\00:38:14.29
I hear you.
00:38:14.32\00:38:15.69
The devil is coming after me.
00:38:15.72\00:38:17.23
Thank you for praying for me."
00:38:17.26\00:38:19.06
What amazes me
about this passage
00:38:19.09\00:38:20.96
is the Lord did
not stop the devil
00:38:21.00\00:38:23.53
from coming after Peter.
00:38:23.57\00:38:25.40
And why was that?
00:38:25.43\00:38:26.87
Sometimes the Lord will allow
the devil to shake your faith,
00:38:26.90\00:38:30.51
to show you that you
are unaware of yourself
00:38:30.54\00:38:33.17
and you are
unaware of your adversary.
00:38:33.21\00:38:35.08
Sometimes the Lord will allow
the devil to give you an upper,
00:38:35.11\00:38:38.11
upper cut or left hook or
knock the wind out of you.
00:38:38.15\00:38:42.65
So your self-confidence
will become confidence
00:38:42.68\00:38:45.52
only in Christ.
00:38:45.55\00:38:47.16
That's what the Lord
had to do with Peter.
00:38:47.19\00:38:48.69
He had to break him
where he thought he was strong.
00:38:48.72\00:38:51.09
He had to open his eyes
00:38:51.13\00:38:52.46
where he thought
he was not frail.
00:38:52.49\00:38:53.96
Lord says, "I'm going
to let the devil hit you,
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.06
but I'm going to pray
that your faith won't fail."
00:38:56.10\00:38:58.73
And I love what the Lord said.
00:38:58.77\00:39:00.10
And when you are converted,
00:39:00.14\00:39:01.60
meaning you are
going to be converted.
00:39:01.64\00:39:03.57
This is going to open your eyes.
00:39:03.61\00:39:04.94
You're not going
to be the same, Peter.
00:39:04.97\00:39:06.88
And when you study the Bible,
what you're going to see is
00:39:06.91\00:39:09.31
that the Lord had planned
for Peter to be the preacher
00:39:09.34\00:39:12.31
on the day of Pentecost,
00:39:12.35\00:39:13.88
but he was not
going to allow shaky Peter
00:39:13.92\00:39:16.65
to preach for Him at all.
00:39:16.69\00:39:18.82
He had to get Peter's life right
00:39:18.85\00:39:20.86
before he could
put Peter in the pulpit
00:39:20.89\00:39:23.16
on the day of Pentecost.
00:39:23.19\00:39:24.66
Say that three times,
00:39:24.69\00:39:26.09
the Lord had Peter said
00:39:26.13\00:39:27.46
to be the speaker on
the day of Pentecost.
00:39:27.50\00:39:29.66
And on the day of
Pentecost, when it came,
00:39:29.70\00:39:31.93
Peter preached
with fervency, repent,
00:39:31.97\00:39:34.74
and be converted
00:39:34.77\00:39:36.34
because he finally understood
that conversion often comes
00:39:36.37\00:39:40.38
on the heels of
your greatest defeat.
00:39:40.41\00:39:43.45
He realized he
was unaware of himself
00:39:43.48\00:39:46.75
and he was unaware of the enemy.
00:39:46.78\00:39:48.88
The Bible shows
you how unaware he was.
00:39:48.92\00:39:52.05
Peter was unaware of
the direction of the storm.
00:39:52.09\00:39:55.02
Look at Luke 22:56-57.
00:39:55.06\00:39:59.26
Now Jesus is arrested.
00:39:59.29\00:40:01.86
Jesus is arrested.
00:40:01.90\00:40:03.40
He's being questioned by pilot,
00:40:03.43\00:40:06.00
being questioned by
the religious priests.
00:40:06.03\00:40:08.07
He's being questioned.
00:40:08.10\00:40:09.44
He's being scourged,
he's being spat upon.
00:40:09.47\00:40:12.51
And Peter now
seeing the condition
00:40:12.54\00:40:14.78
that Jesus has going
through thinks, "Wait a minute,
00:40:14.81\00:40:17.98
if they identify me with Him,
00:40:18.01\00:40:19.38
I might go through
the very same thing."
00:40:19.41\00:40:21.68
And look what
happens in Luke 22:56-57.
00:40:21.72\00:40:25.85
And the Bible says,
"And a certain servant girl
00:40:25.89\00:40:28.52
seeing him as
he sat by the fire,
00:40:28.56\00:40:31.89
looking intently at him,"
00:40:31.93\00:40:34.13
because the fire up lit him up,
00:40:34.16\00:40:36.43
said, "This man
was also with Him."
00:40:36.46\00:40:41.07
She pointed to Peter said,
"This man was also with Him.
00:40:41.10\00:40:44.04
This man was
also with the Jesus."
00:40:44.07\00:40:46.61
Peter realizing what
Jesus is going through.
00:40:46.64\00:40:48.88
The Bible says in verse
57, "But he denied it, saying,
00:40:48.91\00:40:53.08
"Woman, I do not know Him."
00:40:53.11\00:40:56.48
He said to the
girl that identified him
00:40:56.52\00:40:58.39
as being with Jesus.
00:40:58.42\00:40:59.75
He said, "I don't know Him."
00:40:59.79\00:41:01.12
Let me make a powerful point.
00:41:01.16\00:41:02.89
Peter was right.
00:41:02.92\00:41:04.53
He didn't know Him.
00:41:04.56\00:41:06.39
You see if you
really know the Lord,
00:41:06.43\00:41:07.76
you wouldn't deny Him.
00:41:07.80\00:41:09.13
If you know how
much He loved you,
00:41:09.16\00:41:10.50
you wouldn't deny Him.
00:41:10.53\00:41:11.87
If you know how much
strength He makes available
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.50
to you at the weak
points of your life,
00:41:13.54\00:41:15.20
you wouldn't deny Him.
00:41:15.24\00:41:16.57
Peter was right,
he didn't know Him.
00:41:16.60\00:41:19.44
And when you don't know
the Lord, anything is possible.
00:41:19.47\00:41:22.11
When you don't have
a relationship with God
00:41:22.14\00:41:24.45
beyond what He has said
and what He has provided
00:41:24.48\00:41:27.62
you are fit to be just
like the Apostle Peter.
00:41:27.65\00:41:30.52
You could blurt out
in the critical moments
00:41:30.55\00:41:32.55
of your life,
"I don't know Him."
00:41:32.59\00:41:35.02
Well, friends,
he didn't know Him.
00:41:35.06\00:41:36.76
You know why he didn't know Him
because the storm did not come
00:41:36.79\00:41:40.03
from being with Jesus,
00:41:40.06\00:41:42.66
the storm did not come
from just being with Jesus,
00:41:42.70\00:41:45.53
it came from whether
or not he knew Jesus.
00:41:45.57\00:41:49.67
Some people think
because they go to church,
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.67
they're safe.
00:41:51.71\00:41:53.04
Some people
think because they go
00:41:53.07\00:41:54.41
to Sabbath school, they're safe.
00:41:54.44\00:41:55.81
Oh, you go to
Sabbath school all your life,
00:41:55.84\00:41:57.41
you can go to
church every weekend
00:41:57.45\00:41:59.58
whether you go on
Sabbath or Sunday,
00:41:59.61\00:42:01.48
that's not the point,
00:42:01.52\00:42:02.85
the point is God has
established a Sabbath.
00:42:02.88\00:42:04.55
We know that but
some people find security
00:42:04.59\00:42:06.96
and just going to church.
00:42:06.99\00:42:08.46
That's the point I'm making.
00:42:08.49\00:42:10.43
And they think as
long as I go to church,
00:42:10.46\00:42:11.96
I'm just fine.
00:42:11.99\00:42:13.40
Well, friends, being
religious and knowing Jesus
00:42:13.43\00:42:17.23
is not the same thing.
00:42:17.27\00:42:19.07
Eternal life is not
knowing about Jesus.
00:42:19.10\00:42:22.44
Eternal life is not
just walking with Jesus
00:42:22.47\00:42:24.87
because as you see in the Bible,
00:42:24.91\00:42:27.31
after the crucifixion
and resurrection of Christ,
00:42:27.34\00:42:29.98
Cleopas and the other
disciple was on the road
00:42:30.01\00:42:32.08
to Emmaus and Jesus
is walking with them
00:42:32.11\00:42:34.18
from Jerusalem all
the way down to Emmaus.
00:42:34.22\00:42:37.15
And they didn't even
know that He was there.
00:42:37.19\00:42:39.65
So it's possible
to walk with Jesus
00:42:39.69\00:42:41.86
and not even know He's with you.
00:42:41.89\00:42:45.13
That's what the Bible says.
00:42:45.16\00:42:46.49
What's the
difference between knowing Jesus
00:42:46.53\00:42:49.53
and just being with Jesus.
00:42:49.56\00:42:51.33
Here's what John 17:3,
00:42:51.37\00:42:55.20
"And this is eternal
life, that they may know You,
00:42:55.24\00:42:59.61
the only true
God and Jesus Christ
00:42:59.64\00:43:03.45
whom you have sent.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.51
Salvation is knowing Jesus.
00:43:05.55\00:43:07.75
Salvation is having
the connection with God,
00:43:07.78\00:43:10.52
through His Son, Christ Jesus.
00:43:10.55\00:43:12.55
If you don't know God,
if you don't know Jesus,
00:43:12.59\00:43:15.42
if all you know are
the 28 fundamentals,
00:43:15.46\00:43:18.13
even if you know the
prophecies backward and forward,
00:43:18.16\00:43:20.43
if you don't know
Jesus, you're just like Peter.
00:43:20.46\00:43:22.96
You're eating with
Jesus, you're watching Jesus
00:43:23.00\00:43:25.80
perform miracles and
change people's lives,
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.40
but you are on the cusp of
the failure of your journey
00:43:28.44\00:43:31.71
because you are
denying the very fact.
00:43:31.74\00:43:34.44
And you don't know yourself
00:43:34.48\00:43:36.51
and you don't
know your adversary.
00:43:36.54\00:43:37.88
You are denying
the very analysis
00:43:37.91\00:43:40.55
and diagnosis that
Jesus has about you.
00:43:40.58\00:43:44.59
The devil is going to
try to sift you, Christian,
00:43:44.62\00:43:47.56
the devil is going to try
to sift you, husband, wife,
00:43:47.59\00:43:50.53
young lady, young man.
00:43:50.56\00:43:51.89
The devil is going
to try to sift you.
00:43:51.93\00:43:53.29
He's going to try to hit
you with the best he has.
00:43:53.33\00:43:58.43
But if you're not
aware, you're going to succumb,
00:43:58.47\00:44:00.24
you're going to crumble.
00:44:00.27\00:44:02.14
That's why I
look at Peter's life
00:44:02.17\00:44:03.57
before and Peter's life after.
00:44:03.61\00:44:06.44
And you'll find that
after Peter's conversion,
00:44:06.47\00:44:08.74
he revealed the key
to spiritual security.
00:44:08.78\00:44:12.51
He now knowing
that he had failed,
00:44:12.55\00:44:15.22
his eyes were open clearly.
00:44:15.25\00:44:17.42
And he was able now
by his new commitment,
00:44:17.45\00:44:20.06
not to the things
that Jesus gave him
00:44:20.09\00:44:22.22
but to the man himself,
00:44:22.26\00:44:23.73
he was able to discover the keys
00:44:23.76\00:44:25.89
that the Lord gave him.
00:44:25.93\00:44:27.46
2 Peter 1:4 in the
New King James Version,
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.10
we read these words.
00:44:31.13\00:44:32.97
Listen to what he says.
00:44:33.00\00:44:35.30
"By which have been given to us
00:44:35.34\00:44:38.31
exceedingly great
and precious promises,
00:44:38.34\00:44:41.04
in God's Word,
00:44:41.08\00:44:42.58
that through these you may be
partakers of the divine nature,
00:44:42.61\00:44:47.12
having escaped the corruption
00:44:47.15\00:44:48.68
that is in the
world through lust."
00:44:48.72\00:44:51.35
Peter said, "Wait a minute,
00:44:51.39\00:44:52.92
I am now a
recipient of a divine nature."
00:44:52.95\00:44:55.92
Only by having
this divine nature,
00:44:55.96\00:44:58.43
allowing Christ to live in me,
00:44:58.46\00:45:00.40
that's the only way
that I can find security.
00:45:00.43\00:45:02.83
So now Peter wasn't
concerned about the storms
00:45:02.86\00:45:05.03
because he had his
eyes fixed on Christ.
00:45:05.07\00:45:07.24
He had his hands in
the hands of Christ.
00:45:07.27\00:45:09.24
He was not walking with Christ.
00:45:09.27\00:45:10.97
Christ was walking in him.
00:45:11.01\00:45:12.57
He was walking in Christ.
00:45:12.61\00:45:14.14
Christ in us as
the hope of glory,
00:45:14.18\00:45:16.14
us in Christ is where
our security is found.
00:45:16.18\00:45:19.18
After his
conversion and deliverance,
00:45:19.21\00:45:21.22
Peter then
unfolded God's blueprint
00:45:21.25\00:45:23.99
to failure prevention.
00:45:24.02\00:45:26.45
The blueprint to
failure prevention.
00:45:26.49\00:45:29.79
Listen to the Apostle
Peter, this converted man,
00:45:29.82\00:45:32.79
listen to the place
that he finds security.
00:45:32.83\00:45:35.50
2 Peter 1:5-10.
00:45:35.53\00:45:38.13
The Bible says,
00:45:38.17\00:45:40.30
"But also for this very reason,"
00:45:40.34\00:45:42.37
now he begins to unfold
the blueprint to security,
00:45:42.40\00:45:45.34
"giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue,
00:45:45.37\00:45:49.21
to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control,
00:45:49.24\00:45:53.52
to self-control
perseverance," hang in there,
00:45:53.55\00:45:56.69
"to perseverance to
perseverance godliness,"
00:45:56.72\00:45:59.65
look at the kind
of life you live,
00:45:59.69\00:46:01.42
"to godliness
brotherly kindness."
00:46:01.46\00:46:05.29
How are you with your
family, with your children,
00:46:05.33\00:46:07.43
with those you worship with?
00:46:07.46\00:46:09.66
He says, "And to
brotherly kindness love."
00:46:09.70\00:46:12.93
Not because people are lovely
00:46:12.97\00:46:14.94
but because you
are allowing Jesus
00:46:14.97\00:46:17.01
to love them in
spite of who they are.
00:46:17.04\00:46:19.21
And then he says in
verse 8 of 2 Peter 1,
00:46:19.24\00:46:22.98
"For if these things
are yours and abound,
00:46:23.01\00:46:26.05
you will be neither
barren nor unfruitful
00:46:26.08\00:46:28.98
in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:29.02\00:46:32.02
For he who lacks these
things is shortsighted."
00:46:32.05\00:46:36.29
Unaware of himself,
unaware of his adversary.
00:46:36.32\00:46:39.36
"Shortsighted,
even to blindness,
00:46:39.39\00:46:41.96
and has forgotten
that he was cleansed
00:46:42.00\00:46:44.30
from his old sins."
00:46:44.33\00:46:45.87
And then he ends in
verse 10 of 2 Peter 1,
00:46:45.90\00:46:48.90
"Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent
00:46:48.94\00:46:52.51
to make your call
and election sure,"
00:46:52.54\00:46:56.34
and I love this,
only Peter can say this,
00:46:56.38\00:46:59.11
"for if you do these
things, you will never stumble."
00:46:59.15\00:47:03.15
Think about that.
00:47:03.18\00:47:04.52
A man that stumbled can say,
00:47:04.55\00:47:05.89
"If you do this,
you'll never stumble."
00:47:05.92\00:47:07.66
You know what?
00:47:07.69\00:47:09.02
Sometimes, you don't know
00:47:09.06\00:47:10.39
how weak you are until you fail.
00:47:10.43\00:47:12.33
And sometimes you don't
know how strong you could be
00:47:12.36\00:47:15.13
until Christ shows you
the source of your strength.
00:47:15.16\00:47:19.40
Peter, I love the fact
that the rest of his life,
00:47:19.43\00:47:22.40
there is no evidence
that Peter failed ever again.
00:47:22.44\00:47:25.67
Why?
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.04
Because Peter realized
I got to do these things
00:47:27.08\00:47:30.01
so that I will
never stumble again.
00:47:30.05\00:47:33.15
You know, when
people in a hurricane
00:47:33.18\00:47:35.68
and typhoon prone areas
00:47:35.72\00:47:37.29
know that the storm is coming,
00:47:37.32\00:47:38.89
they begin to do something
that we should begin to do
00:47:38.92\00:47:41.22
as we're looking
toward the last days.
00:47:41.26\00:47:43.29
They begin to stock up
on supplies for survival.
00:47:43.32\00:47:46.80
Now I'm not saying
start canning fruits
00:47:46.83\00:47:48.93
and doing preserves and
buying unlimited water supplies
00:47:48.96\00:47:53.50
and, you know, go nuts and buy
dried foods and saying, well,
00:47:53.54\00:47:57.01
I'm going to have all the food
I can because I tell you what,
00:47:57.04\00:47:59.64
when the time of trouble comes,
00:47:59.67\00:48:01.01
you're not going to be running
with a backpack of dried fruits
00:48:01.04\00:48:05.08
and preserves and peaches
00:48:05.11\00:48:07.32
that you have
preserved in your pantry.
00:48:07.35\00:48:10.29
The only thing that
we're going to be able
00:48:10.32\00:48:11.65
to run on is the
promises of God's Word.
00:48:11.69\00:48:14.32
But people that are stocking up,
00:48:14.36\00:48:16.09
they understand that
we've got to have preparation.
00:48:16.12\00:48:18.86
The Apostle Paul tells us
00:48:18.89\00:48:20.80
that this
generation is not prepared,
00:48:20.83\00:48:23.70
but he's saying to you,
brother, to you, sister,
00:48:23.73\00:48:25.80
to you, Christian,
00:48:25.83\00:48:27.17
this is the
generation to get prepared.
00:48:27.20\00:48:29.00
And if you're not a Christian,
he is saying, you can be one,
00:48:29.04\00:48:32.34
and you also can prepare.
00:48:32.37\00:48:33.88
You also can give
your life to Christ
00:48:33.91\00:48:36.44
because the storm is coming
00:48:36.48\00:48:37.81
whether you want
it to come or not.
00:48:37.85\00:48:39.18
The storm is on its way
00:48:39.21\00:48:40.92
whether you are in
denial about it or not.
00:48:40.95\00:48:44.95
The Apostle Paul
says in Romans 13:11-12,
00:48:44.99\00:48:47.86
in the king
James Version, he says,
00:48:47.89\00:48:49.82
"And that, knowing the time,"
00:48:49.86\00:48:51.66
see what time
it is in the world,
00:48:51.69\00:48:53.70
"knowing the time,
that now it is high time
00:48:53.73\00:48:58.20
to awake out of sleep."
00:48:58.23\00:49:00.94
Wake up, look at the news,
00:49:00.97\00:49:02.57
look at what's
happening in the world.
00:49:02.60\00:49:03.94
Look at the crumbling society.
00:49:03.97\00:49:05.31
Look at the
demoralizing atmosphere
00:49:05.34\00:49:08.24
that's sucking in the
minds of your children.
00:49:08.28\00:49:11.11
It's time to awake
out of sleep, pastor,
00:49:11.15\00:49:14.85
church member,
00:49:14.88\00:49:16.32
people that are just
complacent Christians,
00:49:16.35\00:49:18.52
it's time to awake out of sleep.
00:49:18.55\00:49:20.06
Why?
00:49:20.09\00:49:21.42
The apostle Paul says,
"For now is our salvation
00:49:21.46\00:49:23.76
nearer than when we believe."
00:49:23.79\00:49:25.76
You thought Jesus is
coming in 1980, 1990, or 2000,
00:49:25.79\00:49:29.86
and now you're in 2021
and he hasn't come yet?
00:49:29.90\00:49:32.33
Don't fool yourself.
00:49:32.37\00:49:33.70
We're on the toes of
the major prophecies.
00:49:33.74\00:49:35.90
And the last
movements are going to be rapid.
00:49:35.94\00:49:39.34
That's why
Romans 13:12 says this,
00:49:39.37\00:49:43.01
"The night is far
spent, the day is at hand,
00:49:43.04\00:49:47.02
let us therefore cast
off the works of darkness,
00:49:47.05\00:49:49.25
and let us put on
the armor of light."
00:49:49.28\00:49:52.19
You got to have on the light.
00:49:52.22\00:49:53.82
And I'll tell you why.
00:49:53.86\00:49:55.19
Because the most valuable
commodity during a storm
00:49:55.22\00:49:57.96
are batteries and a generator.
00:49:57.99\00:50:01.10
When the storm hit
the Virgin Islands,
00:50:01.13\00:50:02.50
my wife stocked upon batteries,
00:50:02.53\00:50:04.73
my wife and I have
stocked up on batteries.
00:50:04.77\00:50:06.53
And our church
members got together
00:50:06.57\00:50:08.20
and helped raise funds
00:50:08.24\00:50:09.80
to get generators to my family
in that hurricane torn region
00:50:09.84\00:50:14.58
down in the Caribbean.
00:50:14.61\00:50:16.64
When we got down there
with batteries and generators,
00:50:16.68\00:50:19.58
it was more valuable than gold.
00:50:19.61\00:50:22.38
They said, "Finally,
we can have the lights.
00:50:22.42\00:50:24.62
Finally, we can have power."
00:50:24.65\00:50:26.49
And I'll tell you friends
00:50:26.52\00:50:27.86
in the closing
moments of our history,
00:50:27.89\00:50:29.79
there's nothing more distressing
00:50:29.82\00:50:31.46
than having no power
and no light in your life.
00:50:31.49\00:50:35.80
Nothing more debilitating
and realizing you're in a storm
00:50:35.83\00:50:40.30
and you can't do
a thing about it.
00:50:40.34\00:50:42.50
This is the hour to get ready.
00:50:42.54\00:50:44.21
The storm is coming.
00:50:44.24\00:50:45.67
Revelation reveals
that the most intense storm
00:50:45.71\00:50:48.14
is just before us.
00:50:48.18\00:50:50.51
Revelation 7:1-3
00:50:50.55\00:50:53.31
in the New King James Version,
00:50:53.35\00:50:55.12
John, the Apostle says,
00:50:55.15\00:50:57.35
"After these things I
saw four angels standing
00:50:57.39\00:50:59.99
at the four
corners of the earth,
00:51:00.02\00:51:01.79
holding the four
winds of the earth,
00:51:01.82\00:51:04.36
that the wind should
not blow on them earth,
00:51:04.39\00:51:07.06
on the sea, or on any tree."
00:51:07.10\00:51:11.33
Then verse two.
00:51:11.37\00:51:12.70
"Then I saw another
angel ascending from the east,
00:51:12.73\00:51:15.44
having the seal
of the living God.
00:51:15.47\00:51:18.37
And he cried with a
loud voice to the four angels
00:51:18.41\00:51:21.28
to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea."
00:51:21.31\00:51:25.61
And listen to what he said.
00:51:25.65\00:51:27.72
"Saying," In verse three,
00:51:27.75\00:51:30.62
"Do not harm the earth, the sea,
00:51:30.65\00:51:34.12
or the trees till we have sealed
00:51:34.16\00:51:37.86
the servants of our
God in their foreheads."
00:51:37.89\00:51:42.16
He said, "Don't
harm it until I've sealed
00:51:42.20\00:51:45.37
the people of God
in their foreheads."
00:51:45.40\00:51:48.60
What is he saying?
00:51:48.64\00:51:49.97
Until the truth has
settled in our minds,
00:51:50.01\00:51:52.57
until our minds
cannot be bought or sold,
00:51:52.61\00:51:55.48
until we have
established a concrete position
00:51:55.51\00:52:00.05
on the truth of
God's Word, unmovable,
00:52:00.08\00:52:03.12
totally
convicted, totally converted,
00:52:03.15\00:52:05.82
until we get to that place
00:52:05.85\00:52:07.49
where we are so
firmly established
00:52:07.52\00:52:09.12
on the truth of God's
Word, we've got batteries,
00:52:09.16\00:52:12.99
we've got
power, we've got light.
00:52:13.03\00:52:16.00
God's Holy
Spirit is working in us
00:52:16.03\00:52:17.67
until we get to that place,
we're not ready for the storm.
00:52:17.70\00:52:21.40
In the book Education
page 179 and paragraph 6.
00:52:21.44\00:52:25.41
My favorite writer,
Ellen White says, she says,
00:52:25.44\00:52:27.91
"Angels are now
restraining the winds of strife,
00:52:27.94\00:52:32.31
that they may not
blow until the world
00:52:32.35\00:52:34.32
shall be warned
of its coming doom,
00:52:34.35\00:52:37.15
but a storm is gathering,
00:52:37.19\00:52:39.45
ready to burst upon the earth,
00:52:39.49\00:52:41.72
and when God shall bid
His angels loose the winds,
00:52:41.76\00:52:45.73
there will be
such a scene of strife
00:52:45.76\00:52:49.16
as no pen can picture."
00:52:49.20\00:52:52.93
Wow, amazing.
00:52:52.97\00:52:55.67
There's a storm coming.
00:52:55.70\00:52:57.47
There's a storm coming.
00:52:57.51\00:52:59.24
And when that storm hits,
00:52:59.27\00:53:01.34
it's not going to
be a category five.
00:53:01.38\00:53:03.48
I want to tell you,
00:53:03.51\00:53:04.85
according to man's
measurement of a storm
00:53:04.88\00:53:07.18
it's going to be a
storm that humanity has never,
00:53:07.22\00:53:10.12
ever anticipated,
00:53:10.15\00:53:12.22
a storm that will blow you
00:53:12.25\00:53:14.32
into the kingdom
00:53:14.36\00:53:15.69
or farther away
from the kingdom.
00:53:15.72\00:53:18.06
A storm that will say
everything you've trusted in
00:53:18.09\00:53:21.06
has failed you or a
storm that will say on Christ,
00:53:21.10\00:53:24.43
the solid rock I stand, all
other ground is sinking sand,
00:53:24.47\00:53:28.47
a storm that will remind you,
00:53:28.50\00:53:30.31
I am so glad, I
trusted God's Word.
00:53:30.34\00:53:33.14
I am so glad that I
determined to be in church
00:53:33.17\00:53:36.71
when church is open,
00:53:36.75\00:53:38.08
to be there on Sabbath
when the sermons are preaching,
00:53:38.11\00:53:40.22
to be there when
Bible studies are given,
00:53:40.25\00:53:42.68
I'm so glad that the tests
00:53:42.72\00:53:45.05
have come to my
doctrinal beliefs
00:53:45.09\00:53:47.32
and I could endure the
test came to the things
00:53:47.36\00:53:51.09
that I thought didn't matter.
00:53:51.13\00:53:53.09
And I now see that they matter.
00:53:53.13\00:53:55.26
Friends, not only be aware
of what's happening around you
00:53:55.30\00:53:58.57
but my last point be
aware of your strengths.
00:53:58.60\00:54:02.94
You see, this is
a powerful point.
00:54:02.97\00:54:04.31
You might say,
"Wait, not my weakness?"
00:54:04.34\00:54:05.81
No, your strengths
00:54:05.84\00:54:07.18
because when
you study the Bible,
00:54:07.21\00:54:09.14
Joab was one example
and Samson was another.
00:54:09.18\00:54:12.58
When you study the scriptures,
00:54:12.61\00:54:14.05
you find that
the Bible characters
00:54:14.08\00:54:17.05
did not fall on
their weak points,
00:54:17.09\00:54:20.42
they failed at
their strong points.
00:54:20.46\00:54:23.66
Satan study their
strengths to bring them down
00:54:23.69\00:54:27.83
because the devil knew
00:54:27.86\00:54:29.20
if I could break
the strongest man,
00:54:29.23\00:54:31.43
all the other men are weak,
00:54:31.47\00:54:33.34
they would not even
be a point of contention.
00:54:33.37\00:54:35.77
Be aware of your strengths.
00:54:35.80\00:54:37.97
If your strength
is studying the Bible,
00:54:38.01\00:54:40.08
don't take it for granted.
00:54:40.11\00:54:41.74
If your strength is
prayer, don't stop praying.
00:54:41.78\00:54:44.58
If your strength
is attending church,
00:54:44.61\00:54:46.82
don't stop attending.
00:54:46.85\00:54:48.18
If your strength is being
faithful in your marriage,
00:54:48.22\00:54:50.79
don't stop being faithful.
00:54:50.82\00:54:52.92
If your strength is
listening to your parents,
00:54:52.95\00:54:55.39
don't take your
parents' advice for granted.
00:54:55.42\00:54:57.96
If your
strength is standing firm
00:54:57.99\00:55:00.10
in a world that's shaky,
00:55:00.13\00:55:01.80
don't stop standing firm
00:55:01.83\00:55:04.00
because the world is
going to be become more shaky.
00:55:04.03\00:55:06.84
Samson failed at
his strong point,
00:55:06.87\00:55:10.31
Judges 16:5, listen to this.
00:55:10.34\00:55:13.38
And the Bible says,
00:55:13.41\00:55:14.74
"And the Lords
of the Philistines
00:55:14.78\00:55:16.11
came up to her,"
00:55:16.14\00:55:17.48
that is to Jezebel, not
to Jezebel, but to Delilah.
00:55:17.51\00:55:21.08
"The Lord of the
Philistines came up to Delilah
00:55:21.12\00:55:22.98
and said to
her," they said to her,
00:55:23.02\00:55:25.62
"Entice him, and find out
where his great strength lies,
00:55:25.65\00:55:31.43
and by what means
we may overpower him,
00:55:31.46\00:55:35.70
that we may bind
him to afflict him."
00:55:35.73\00:55:40.97
Friends, the
devil wants to bind you.
00:55:41.00\00:55:43.57
He wants to afflict you.
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.47
He wants to break you
00:55:45.51\00:55:46.88
at the strongest
point in your life.
00:55:46.91\00:55:49.34
He wants to study
you like a scientist
00:55:49.38\00:55:52.35
studying a bit latest germ.
00:55:52.38\00:55:54.62
He wants to find an
opening into your heart,
00:55:54.65\00:55:57.25
an opening into your home,
an opening into your marriage,
00:55:57.29\00:56:00.79
an opening into
your relationship
00:56:00.82\00:56:02.29
with your spouse,
with your children,
00:56:02.32\00:56:04.23
an opening into the relationship
00:56:04.26\00:56:05.59
you have with your Lord.
00:56:05.63\00:56:07.23
And when you look
at those who endured
00:56:07.26\00:56:09.20
in the
difficult avenues of life,
00:56:09.23\00:56:11.57
you find something consistent.
00:56:11.60\00:56:13.70
The three
Hebrews remained loyal.
00:56:13.74\00:56:15.94
Even if it meant the
furnace of fire, they said,
00:56:15.97\00:56:18.61
"We're not bowing
to Babylon's images."
00:56:18.64\00:56:21.51
Daniel kept
praying three times a day,
00:56:21.54\00:56:24.45
even if it meant the lion's den.
00:56:24.48\00:56:28.22
Joseph refuse part
of his wife's advances,
00:56:28.25\00:56:31.89
even if it meant
I'm going to go to jail.
00:56:31.92\00:56:34.62
Job refused to deny God,
00:56:34.66\00:56:36.52
even if it caused conflict
in his marriage with his wife.
00:56:36.56\00:56:40.46
She said, "Curse God and die."
00:56:40.50\00:56:41.96
He said, "No, I
rather be afflicted
00:56:42.00\00:56:45.07
and remain faithful."
00:56:45.10\00:56:46.43
Peter was thrown
in prison for refusing
00:56:46.47\00:56:48.27
to stop preaching Jesus,
00:56:48.30\00:56:50.01
and Paul and Silas
chose faithfulness,
00:56:50.04\00:56:52.67
instead of incarceration.
00:56:52.71\00:56:54.21
They said, "I don't
care if I go to jail,
00:56:54.24\00:56:55.84
I'll just sing at
midnight when I go to jail."
00:56:55.88\00:56:58.01
Friends, they were
prepared for the storm
00:56:58.05\00:57:00.92
because their
minds are fixed on Jesus.
00:57:00.95\00:57:03.42
Isaiah 26:3 says,
00:57:03.45\00:57:05.95
"You will keep
him in perfect peace,
00:57:05.99\00:57:08.32
whose mind is stayed on
you because he trusts in you."
00:57:08.36\00:57:12.66
Friends, a storm is coming.
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.60
Do you know what the
direction of the storm?
00:57:14.63\00:57:16.83
I say today, you
don't have to worry
00:57:16.87\00:57:18.20
about the direction if
your mind is on Christ.
00:57:18.23\00:57:20.14
If your mind is on
Jesus, you are safe.
00:57:20.17\00:57:22.47
If your mind is on
Jesus, you are secure.
00:57:22.50\00:57:25.21
If ever there was a time
to prepare for the direction
00:57:25.24\00:57:28.04
of the storm, the time is now.
00:57:28.08\00:57:30.48
God bless you.
00:57:30.51\00:57:31.85