Hello, friends, and
welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
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So glad that you could join us
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for this worship
hour in the Word of God.
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We are going to be
studying Matthew Chapter 24.
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There are three basic stages
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of deception laid out
for us in Matthew Chapter 24.
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And these stages of
deception help us to know
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where we are in
present earth's history.
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So it's vital for us to be
able to study the Word of God
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and navigate our
present time and situation
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because we live
in tremendous times.
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And we need to be
able to rely on something
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to help us to
recognize where we are,
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where we're going
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and what is coming ahead of us.
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Matthew Chapter 24
gives us a tremendous insight
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into the times in which we live.
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And this, of course,
was a special discourse
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given by Jesus to His disciples
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who are concerned
about the times before them,
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the destruction of Jerusalem
and the end of the world
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is covered in
Matthew Chapter 24.
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You know, when
I was a young man,
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I used to fill my gas
tank with maybe five dollars
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or 10 dollars worth of gas.
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I never filled my tank up.
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And that's because I
didn't have a lot of money.
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And it's also
because back in the day,
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gas was about well 65
cents a gallon and it was pink
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when it came out of the nozzle.
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So I could put
about five dollars
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worth of gas in my tank
and have maybe a quarter
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to a half a tank
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somewhere in there is
where I always used to sit.
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I was always, it
seemed like running on empty.
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Nowadays, when I get to a half
a tank, I want to fill it up.
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But back then just
getting to a half a tank
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was almost impossible.
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I was running on empty and
at times I would run out of gas.
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So today we want to
look at this illustration
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and understand how it is that
we can fill our gas tank up?
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How it is that we can make sure
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that we are not running on empty
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because according
to Matthew Chapter 24,
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we're going to
need enduring love
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to get through these last days.
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We're going to start
in Matthew Chapter 24.
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Do a little summary
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of what we've covered so
far in a previous meeting
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and the first
deception in Matthew 24:1-10.
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And then we're going to
pick up in Matthew 24:11.
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So I hope you can
hang in there with us
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as we study these
important subjects.
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Before we begin,
we're going to pause
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and ask the Holy
Spirit to be here with us
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to guide direct and instruct us.
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Father in heaven, thank You
again so much for Your Word.
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Thank You for this
opportunity to study together
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with the viewers,
those who are listening,
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those who are wanting to know
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and to navigate the
times in which we live.
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Father, we're lifting up
our hearts to You right now.
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We're lifting up our
situations to You right now.
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You know, our
circumstances, the difficulties
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that we're facing.
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We need a word from the Lord.
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We need Your
direction in our lives.
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We need Your Holy Spirit
to throw a path before us,
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a path of light
and understanding
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so that we can
navigate the darkness
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and the difficulties
that we're presently facing
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not only in this
country, but all over the world
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we are facing perilous times.
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We are facing pressure.
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And it seems
overwhelming at times.
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And, Father, we're asking
that You would please help us
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to understand where we are now
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and where we are attending.
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Do this for us we
pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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All right Matthew Chapter 24.
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Let's just, if you
have your Bibles with you,
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let's just open up
there to Matthew Chapter 24.
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And just a quick summary
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of what we've covered
in a previous meeting.
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We talked about
God's prophetic alarm clock
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and how God wants to wake us up
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and we see that in the
context of Matthew Chapter 24.
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Actually, verse,
Chapter 25 there are 10 versions
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which represent God's
people and they're all sleeping
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and there's a
cry made at midnight
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and it causes
them all to wake up.
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And, of course, we
look in Romans 13:11.
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We're also told
there that it's high time
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to wake out of sleep.
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Well, what is it that wakes up
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the sleeping
virgins in Matthew 25?
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What is it is going
to wake us up in this,
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in this time
and this urgent time
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that we wake up out of sleep?
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Well, according to
Jesus, the things that are going
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to wake us up are
the signs of the times.
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Matthew Chapter 24,
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the signs that are
fulfilling and telling us
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where we are in earth's history.
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I was in a meeting not long ago
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and we were talking
about all the things
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that are
happening in the world today
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and in our
country and a young man
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that was there was
interacting with us
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and he said to
the group, you know,
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there's no way we can
figure out truth from error.
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There's no way
that we can figure out
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the fake news from the true news
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because there's
so many counterfeits.
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There's so many conspiracy
theories all over the place.
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There's no way we're going
to be able to sort it all out.
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And he said that twice.
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And then he
said it a third time.
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And I finally had to speak up
and say to him, you know what?
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I believe that we can navigate
through all of these theories,
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we can navigate
through all of the fake news,
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we can navigate all
of the misinformation
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and we can know exactly
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where we are in earth's history.
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But even more
important than that,
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not only is the Bible help
us to navigate where we are
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and where we're attending,
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but the Bible also instructs
us as to what we need to do.
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In our previous
session, we talked about
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the Jesus huddle,
that's what it was called
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the Jesus huddle.
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And that is what we
see in Matthew 24:3,
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it says there that "As He
sat upon the Mount of Olives,
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the disciples came on
to Him privately saying,
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'Tell us, when
shall these things be
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and what shall be
the sign of Thy coming
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and of the end of the world?'"
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Now Jesus here is talking
specifically to His disciples
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who are really troubled, why?
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Because He's just
told them that the temple
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that they see is the
center of their worship,
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the center of their religious
life is going to come down
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and not one stone
will be left upon another
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that will not be thrown down.
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And so Jesus
basically is telling them,
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that the end of all
that they cherish religiously
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is going to come down.
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And they are troubled by this.
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And so they asked
Jesus privately, they say,
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"What is this going to be?
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When is this destruction
going to take place?"
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And to them, it's
the end of the world
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and what is the sign
of the end of the world?
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And Jesus begins
to declare to them,
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to lay out for them
a step by step outline
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of the events that
are going to take place,
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preceding His second coming
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and the
destruction of Jerusalem.
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So Matthew 24 is
like a parallel...
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A dual prophecy, we should say.
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It applies to the
destruction of Jerusalem,
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which took place in AD 70.
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All the signs in
these first verses
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were fulfilled
and then it applies
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to the end of the world,
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which is just before
Jesus comes the second time.
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And so we're going to see
here in Matthew Chapter 24,
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the most important thing
for us to do in the context
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of the signs is
to huddle with Jesus.
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Before Jesus gives any
signs, His disciples come to Him
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and they say, privately,
"Tell us about these things."
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And that's what God
wants us to do, friends.
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God wants us to
connect with Jesus.
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God wants us to come to Jesus.
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God wants us to be in
the huddle with Jesus.
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You know, we
talked about the idea
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that if Jesus were here today,
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He would say the
kingdom of heaven
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is like unto a football team.
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You know, in a football
team, you have the quarterback
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and everyone huddles
around the quarterback.
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They get the play
from the quarterback.
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And they know the play
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because when the
quarterback calls it out,
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they've been, they're
familiar with the playbook.
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The Bible is our playbook
as Christians as believers.
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They're familiar
with the playbook.
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And when the
quarterback calls out the play,
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they know what route to run,
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they know what
position occupying the line,
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they know what block to make.
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That's what the Bible
is for. It's the playbook.
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It tells us what
it is we need to do,
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what route we need to run
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and how it is that
we are going to get
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to the end zone in this,
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well, in this game
for life, in a sense.
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And so Jesus,
first and foremost,
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the disciples huddled
with Jesus and Jesus tells them
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all about these events.
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And then just a
quick summary, He tells us,
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it's going to be
wars and rumors of wars.
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First of all, He
tells us in verse 4,
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there's going to be deception.
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And that deception
is going to cause a lot
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of people to
misunderstand what's going on.
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The wars and rumors of wars,
the famines, the pestilence,
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which is a disease, infectious,
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contagious disease
and natural disasters,
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earthquakes are
going to be everywhere.
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And it's going to
lead all of the world
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to unite in a
hatred for God's people.
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God's people are
going to be afflicted
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and they're going to be hated
for My namesake, Jesus says.
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And the name of
God, of course, is love.
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And love involves freedom.
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It involves risk,
it involves choice,
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you can't force someone to love.
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And therefore, love
automatically denotes
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the freedom to
choose or not to choose.
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God has given us His Son
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because we chose
to sin against Him.
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And he's given us His
Son to die on Calvary,
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to preserve that
freedom of choice,
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even if we choose against Him,
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God still gave
His Son to die for us.
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God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son.
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And so we see
this as a main issue,
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essential issue in
Matthew Chapter 24.
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Stage one of
deception, verses 1 through 10.
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And that's where we are today.
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Today we are seeing the
fulfillment of Matthew 24:1-10.
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Now, we've already covered
this in a previous meeting,
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if you'd like to review that
00:09:48.95\00:09:51.12
you can look for
God's prophetic alarm clock,
00:09:51.15\00:09:53.79
the Thompsonville Church.
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We're going to look to the
second part of this series now.
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And that is
stage two of deception.
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The reason why I say there
are three stages of deception
00:10:00.53\00:10:03.63
is because we see
this in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:10:03.67\00:10:06.40
We see Jesus warn
about deception three times.
00:10:06.43\00:10:09.74
He warns about it in verse 4.
00:10:09.77\00:10:11.87
And then He warns
about it again in verse 11
00:10:11.91\00:10:14.48
and He warns about
it again in verses 22
00:10:14.51\00:10:17.48
and 20 or 23 and 24.
00:10:17.51\00:10:19.81
So those three warnings set
up for us three basic stages
00:10:19.85\00:10:24.82
of deception.
00:10:24.85\00:10:26.19
And what I'm
suggesting to you today is,
00:10:26.22\00:10:27.99
is that each stage brings us
00:10:28.02\00:10:30.19
a heightened level of deception.
00:10:30.23\00:10:33.70
Each stage builds upon the next.
00:10:33.73\00:10:35.93
We are in the first stage,
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.70
the wars and
rumors of wars stage,
00:10:37.73\00:10:39.10
the famines and
pestilence and disease stage,
00:10:39.13\00:10:41.67
the natural disaster
stage that leads to all nations
00:10:41.70\00:10:44.67
uniting to put
pressure on God's people.
00:10:44.71\00:10:47.94
We're going to be
moving to the next stage,
00:10:47.98\00:10:50.05
which we're not into yet.
00:10:50.08\00:10:51.55
We're going to be
moving to the next stage,
00:10:51.58\00:10:52.95
which we're going
to study right now.
00:10:52.98\00:10:54.42
And that second
stage is defined here,
00:10:54.45\00:10:57.59
beginning in Matthew 24:11.
00:10:57.62\00:11:01.62
It says, "And many
false prophets shall arise
00:11:01.66\00:11:04.83
and deceive many.
00:11:04.86\00:11:06.46
And because
iniquity shall abound,
00:11:06.49\00:11:09.46
the love of
many shall wax cold."
00:11:09.50\00:11:12.17
But verse 13, "He
that endures until the end,
00:11:12.20\00:11:16.04
the same shall be saved.
00:11:16.07\00:11:18.67
And this gospel of the kingdom
is going to preach in all
00:11:18.71\00:11:20.88
the world for a
witness unto all nations
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.01
and then shall the end come."
00:11:23.04\00:11:26.61
Now I love what
Jesus is doing here.
00:11:26.65\00:11:28.72
Because in each
stage of development,
00:11:28.75\00:11:30.89
He tells us what
we need to focus on.
00:11:30.92\00:11:33.05
And what we need to focus
on in this stage of development
00:11:33.09\00:11:36.29
is enduring love, he
that endures unto the end.
00:11:36.32\00:11:41.40
Many people will
have their love wax cold,
00:11:41.43\00:11:44.63
but he that
endures unto the end.
00:11:44.67\00:11:46.80
And so the title
of this presentation
00:11:46.84\00:11:48.47
is enduring love,
because God is encouraging us
00:11:48.50\00:11:52.24
to have a love that
endures unto the end.
00:11:52.27\00:11:54.54
And we can see this parallel
a little bit in the parable
00:11:54.58\00:11:57.01
of the 10 Virgins
because five of them
00:11:57.05\00:11:59.58
have extra measure of oil,
extra measure of Holy Spirit
00:11:59.61\00:12:02.42
presence in their
lives and that gives them
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.32
that enduring love.
00:12:04.35\00:12:06.59
You know that old
habits die hard and even though
00:12:06.62\00:12:09.99
I like to have my
gas tank filled now,
00:12:10.03\00:12:12.26
as opposed to
when I was a young man,
00:12:12.29\00:12:14.06
there have been still
been times when I like to,
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.40
on long trips on long journeys,
I like to let my gas station,
00:12:16.43\00:12:20.10
my gas tank get all the way down
00:12:20.14\00:12:22.60
to as low as it
can before I'll fill up
00:12:22.64\00:12:24.67
and I'm always looking
to get as much mileage out
00:12:24.71\00:12:28.48
of the gas so that when
I pull into a gas station,
00:12:28.51\00:12:31.21
I can fill it up and
then go as many miles
00:12:31.25\00:12:33.62
as possible on the journey.
00:12:33.65\00:12:35.12
Now my wife gets a
little bit nervous about that.
00:12:35.15\00:12:37.39
And as we journey down I-5
which we've done so many times
00:12:37.42\00:12:40.32
because we've always
lived in Washington State
00:12:40.36\00:12:42.29
or Oregon State and
gone down to California
00:12:42.32\00:12:44.59
where her family lives.
00:12:44.63\00:12:46.36
There are many times
00:12:46.39\00:12:47.73
when she's getting
nervous she's saying,
00:12:47.76\00:12:49.10
"James, should we fill up now.
00:12:49.13\00:12:50.47
James, should we fill up now?"
00:12:50.50\00:12:51.83
And I'm always
looking to get as many miles
00:12:51.87\00:12:53.97
as possible out of the tank.
00:12:54.00\00:12:55.50
And then I'm also looking
for that Love's Gas Station
00:12:55.54\00:12:58.34
because that's
got the best price.
00:12:58.37\00:13:00.34
So I'm looking for
Love's Gas Station,
00:13:00.38\00:13:02.54
I'm looking to get as
many miles as possible.
00:13:02.58\00:13:04.35
My wife's getting
a little bit nervous.
00:13:04.38\00:13:06.21
Finally we see a
Love's Gas Station we pull in.
00:13:06.25\00:13:08.48
We get the best
price and we fill the tank
00:13:08.52\00:13:10.75
with that gasoline
from Love's Gas Station.
00:13:10.79\00:13:14.26
And that's exactly
what God wants us to do.
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.39
He wants to fill
the tank with His love.
00:13:16.42\00:13:19.03
He wants to feel, He
wants us to fill our tanks
00:13:19.06\00:13:21.63
with His love and use
the Holy Spirit credit card.
00:13:21.66\00:13:24.93
He wants to fill us
with a love that is enduring
00:13:24.97\00:13:27.97
that endures through the hatred,
00:13:28.00\00:13:29.64
that endures
through the pressure,
00:13:29.67\00:13:31.24
that endures
through the iniquity
00:13:31.27\00:13:33.58
that abounds that
endures through the love
00:13:33.61\00:13:35.31
of many waxing cold,
through the coldness of others.
00:13:35.34\00:13:39.31
He wants us to have a
love that is so filled,
00:13:39.35\00:13:42.52
a love tank
that is so filled up,
00:13:42.55\00:13:44.45
that we can endure
through all of that.
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.79
And at the same time
we can preach the gospel
00:13:46.82\00:13:49.22
to all nations as a
witness so that He can return.
00:13:49.26\00:13:53.53
So this second stage
00:13:53.56\00:13:55.23
that we're moving
into in Matthew Chapter 24
00:13:55.26\00:13:57.53
also comes with an answer.
00:13:57.57\00:13:59.37
It comes with encouragement,
00:13:59.40\00:14:00.74
it comes with
directive from God.
00:14:00.77\00:14:02.50
God is directing us.
00:14:02.54\00:14:03.94
He wants us to
be in the playbook.
00:14:03.97\00:14:05.31
He wants us to be in the huddle.
00:14:05.34\00:14:06.88
He wants us to
know what we need to do.
00:14:06.91\00:14:08.31
And what we
need to do is fill up
00:14:08.34\00:14:10.55
with that Holy
Spirit credit card,
00:14:10.58\00:14:12.21
fill up the tank
with a love of God.
00:14:12.25\00:14:13.88
Don't be overly anxious about
what's happening in this world.
00:14:13.92\00:14:16.85
Don't be troubled, Jesus says
00:14:16.89\00:14:18.89
about what's
happening in this world.
00:14:18.92\00:14:20.46
We need to stay focused on God.
00:14:20.49\00:14:23.12
We need to stay
focused on the Word of God.
00:14:23.16\00:14:25.13
We need to stay
filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:14:25.16\00:14:27.96
That's the
directive from heaven.
00:14:28.00\00:14:29.33
So if you're out
there and you're wondering,
00:14:29.36\00:14:30.77
what is the
future going to hold?
00:14:30.80\00:14:32.13
Maybe you've, you
personally have had some losses
00:14:32.17\00:14:35.37
in the deal, the situations
that are developing here
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.74
and you've been
dealt some difficult blows
00:14:38.77\00:14:41.31
and you're not sure what to do?
00:14:41.34\00:14:42.68
Well, maybe this
time is perfect for you
00:14:42.71\00:14:46.05
to get deeper into God's Word
00:14:46.08\00:14:48.68
and to find more of
the Holy Spirit's presence
00:14:48.72\00:14:51.15
in your life and
it becomes stronger
00:14:51.19\00:14:53.49
as a Christian.
00:14:53.52\00:14:54.86
You know, trials can make
us stronger as Christians.
00:14:54.89\00:14:58.29
In fact, there's a verse
that I want to consider now
00:14:58.33\00:15:00.70
in the context of this
that is found in 1 John 4:18-19.
00:15:00.73\00:15:04.80
1 John 4:18-19.
00:15:04.83\00:15:06.50
Here's what it says.
00:15:06.53\00:15:07.87
It says, "There is no fear
in love but perfect love casts
00:15:07.90\00:15:13.27
out fear because
fear has torment.
00:15:13.31\00:15:16.61
He that fears is not
made perfect in love.
00:15:16.64\00:15:19.75
We love Him
because He first loved us."
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.55
1 John 4:18-19.
00:15:22.58\00:15:24.32
So you see what
God is saying here,
00:15:24.35\00:15:26.22
love casts out fear.
00:15:26.25\00:15:28.42
God wants to fill
our tank with love,
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.76
so the fear goes out.
00:15:30.79\00:15:32.23
My wife would be a
little bit fearful.
00:15:32.26\00:15:33.76
And I have to
be honest with you,
00:15:33.80\00:15:35.23
sometimes I'd get
a little fearful too
00:15:35.26\00:15:37.03
because I was letting
that gas tank get down just
00:15:37.07\00:15:39.30
a little bit too low, you
know, when the lights coming on
00:15:39.33\00:15:41.67
and there's no
gas station in sight.
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.77
God wants to fill
our tank with His love,
00:15:43.81\00:15:47.18
so that it casts
out all of that fear.
00:15:47.21\00:15:50.15
And that's
exactly what we need today
00:15:50.18\00:15:52.01
because when you look
at the world around us,
00:15:52.05\00:15:53.78
when you look what's
happening with the wars
00:15:53.82\00:15:55.15
and rumors of
wars, with the famine
00:15:55.18\00:15:57.19
and with the
pestilence and disease,
00:15:57.22\00:15:59.15
when you look at
the natural disasters,
00:15:59.19\00:16:01.06
the earthquakes and
natural disasters and the things
00:16:01.09\00:16:03.09
that are being pushed upon us,
as a nation and in the world,
00:16:03.12\00:16:07.60
it can cause you to be anxious,
it can cause you to be fearful,
00:16:07.63\00:16:11.10
it can cause you to be filled
with anxiety about the future.
00:16:11.13\00:16:14.80
And God says
there's a remedy for that.
00:16:14.84\00:16:16.71
And the remedy for
that is to allow His love
00:16:16.74\00:16:19.27
to come into our hearts,
00:16:19.31\00:16:21.14
to fill that tank
at Love's Gas Station
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.21
with the Holy Spirit credit card
00:16:24.25\00:16:26.05
and allow that love
to come in to saturate us
00:16:26.08\00:16:29.25
so that we can endure, so
that we can have that love
00:16:29.28\00:16:32.02
that endures unto the end.
00:16:32.05\00:16:33.79
You know, Jesus
even says it this way.
00:16:33.82\00:16:35.16
He says, "See to it
that you be not troubled.
00:16:35.19\00:16:37.69
See to it that you be
not, be not troubled."
00:16:37.73\00:16:40.13
In other words, it's something
we have to set our mind to,
00:16:40.16\00:16:42.13
it's not going to
be natural for us,
00:16:42.16\00:16:43.67
it may not be easy for us
but we need to set our mind
00:16:43.70\00:16:46.94
to not be in
trouble, which means we need
00:16:46.97\00:16:49.97
to be in the Word and
allowing the Holy Spirit
00:16:50.01\00:16:52.87
to come in, God's love to come
00:16:52.91\00:16:54.91
in so that fear can be expelled,
00:16:54.94\00:16:57.75
fear can be pushed out.
00:16:57.78\00:16:59.11
We can't get rid
of fear ourselves.
00:16:59.15\00:17:01.85
We are going to
be naturally tend
00:17:01.88\00:17:03.62
to be filled
with fear and trouble.
00:17:03.65\00:17:05.62
We can't get rid
of that ourselves.
00:17:05.65\00:17:07.59
Only God's love coming
in can get the fear out.
00:17:07.62\00:17:11.79
And the other thing
I like about the Bible
00:17:11.83\00:17:13.60
is it's not only the
playbook for God's team
00:17:13.63\00:17:16.16
but it also shows us some
of the plays of the other team.
00:17:16.20\00:17:21.14
And that's what we see
here in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:17:21.17\00:17:24.01
We see Jesus Christ
telling us about deception,
00:17:24.04\00:17:26.54
He tells us what
it's going to look like.
00:17:26.57\00:17:28.51
And you know, when
football teams play other teams,
00:17:28.54\00:17:31.18
they also spend some
time looking at the plays
00:17:31.21\00:17:33.75
of the other teams,
looking at their games,
00:17:33.78\00:17:35.95
their previous
games, to figure out
00:17:35.98\00:17:37.49
what kind of plays they
run, what they like to run,
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.89
what's successful
for the other team
00:17:39.92\00:17:41.29
so that they can be prepared,
00:17:41.32\00:17:43.22
their defense can be prepared
for the other team's offense.
00:17:43.26\00:17:47.23
And that's exactly
what the Bible does.
00:17:47.26\00:17:48.83
The Bible not only tells us
00:17:48.86\00:17:50.23
what we need to
be doing offensively
00:17:50.27\00:17:52.37
but it also tells us
what the plays of the enemy
00:17:52.40\00:17:54.40
is that we need
to be prepared for.
00:17:54.44\00:17:57.01
And one of the
biggest plays of the enemy
00:17:57.04\00:17:59.37
that works over and over again,
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.94
according to Jesus in Matthew
Chapter 24, is deception.
00:18:01.98\00:18:06.05
Deception is a
hugely successful play
00:18:06.08\00:18:09.78
that the devil pulls
on us almost every time.
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.19
The word deception
means to make someone believe
00:18:12.22\00:18:15.46
something that is not
true, to practice deceit.
00:18:15.49\00:18:20.10
Now, let me just repeat
that, to make someone believe
00:18:20.13\00:18:23.00
something that is not
true, to practice deceit.
00:18:23.03\00:18:27.54
Now I know in this country,
00:18:27.57\00:18:29.20
and I'm talking about
the United States of America,
00:18:29.24\00:18:31.31
and I think in
many countries today,
00:18:31.34\00:18:33.74
there's a lot of
deception going on.
00:18:33.78\00:18:35.34
There's a lot of being
convinced or people trying
00:18:35.38\00:18:38.21
to convince you about
something that is not true,
00:18:38.25\00:18:42.25
that is to practice deceit.
00:18:42.28\00:18:44.85
There are synonyms
for this to beguile,
00:18:44.89\00:18:47.89
to buffalo, to con, to
delude, to dupe, to fake,
00:18:47.92\00:18:51.13
to mislead, to
snooker, to take in, to trick.
00:18:51.16\00:18:55.96
I think one of
the first deceptions
00:18:56.00\00:18:57.33
I have
experienced as a young man
00:18:57.37\00:18:58.97
was the idea of Santa Claus.
00:18:59.00\00:19:01.47
Yeah, I remember when I
was seven or eight years old
00:19:01.50\00:19:03.97
and finally realized there
was no such thing as Santa Claus
00:19:04.01\00:19:06.51
and it was devastating to me.
00:19:06.54\00:19:07.94
I had believed that lie
for seven or eight years ago
00:19:07.98\00:19:12.58
and my mother was
the one that told to me.
00:19:12.61\00:19:14.22
And so my confidence,
my trust in her was shaken
00:19:14.25\00:19:18.05
at that young age.
00:19:18.09\00:19:19.49
And I started to learn as
I got older and older that,
00:19:19.52\00:19:22.62
you know, you can't trust
everything that people tell you
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.19
because sometimes
they're going to tell you
00:19:25.23\00:19:27.13
what's called a noble lie.
00:19:27.16\00:19:29.50
This was what Santa
Claus was in my young years.
00:19:29.53\00:19:32.23
It was a noble lie.
00:19:32.27\00:19:33.60
It was supposed to be
something that was good,
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.17
you know, for kids to
believe in Santa Claus
00:19:35.20\00:19:37.24
that brings these
presents, et cetera, et cetera.
00:19:37.27\00:19:39.54
But I don't think
my mother realized
00:19:39.57\00:19:41.81
how devastating it was
for me in my relationship
00:19:41.84\00:19:44.81
with her to realize
that it wasn't true.
00:19:44.85\00:19:47.28
And this is what we need
to be aware of in relationship
00:19:47.32\00:19:50.32
to society today.
00:19:50.35\00:19:51.69
There's a lot of
people telling noble lies
00:19:51.72\00:19:53.62
that they think are good for you
00:19:53.66\00:19:55.06
because well maybe
they think you're immature,
00:19:55.09\00:19:57.69
you're not able to
handle the truth or,
00:19:57.73\00:20:00.20
you know, you're like kids
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.56
and you just really aren't
ready for the reality of life.
00:20:01.60\00:20:05.80
But, friends, we've got to be
ready for the reality of life.
00:20:05.83\00:20:08.30
We've got to be ready
for the truths of God's Word.
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.84
We cannot neglect the
books of Matthew and Matthew 24
00:20:10.87\00:20:15.01
and Revelation and
Daniel and the prophecies
00:20:15.04\00:20:16.95
that God has given to us.
00:20:16.98\00:20:18.41
We've got to be awake and aware
00:20:18.45\00:20:20.98
of what's going on
in our world today.
00:20:21.02\00:20:23.15
We don't want to be
children in this sense,
00:20:23.18\00:20:24.75
we want to be
mature, we want to be adults,
00:20:24.79\00:20:26.76
we want to be preparing
ourselves for the things
00:20:26.79\00:20:29.52
that are coming upon this earth.
00:20:29.56\00:20:30.96
God wants us to wake up. Why?
00:20:30.99\00:20:32.83
Well, in Matthew 24:11,
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.73
let's just get
back to our verse here,
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.87
"Many false prophets
shall arise and deceive many."
00:20:37.90\00:20:41.10
That's why there's going
to be deception everywhere.
00:20:41.14\00:20:45.14
Now, what's really
interesting about this verse
00:20:45.17\00:20:47.18
is that the word many is
actually translated a great,
00:20:47.21\00:20:51.65
singular, a great over 30
times in the New Testament.
00:20:51.68\00:20:55.42
In other words, this word
many can actually be referring
00:20:55.45\00:20:58.45
to one that is great,
many or one that is great.
00:20:58.49\00:21:03.29
And the word prophet is
actually in the singular
00:21:03.32\00:21:05.29
in the Greek.
00:21:05.33\00:21:06.66
So a great is
probably a better translation
00:21:06.70\00:21:09.13
for the word prophet.
00:21:09.16\00:21:10.50
You could
actually read this verse
00:21:10.53\00:21:12.33
that in the end of time,
00:21:12.37\00:21:15.94
a great prophet shall
arise and deceive many.
00:21:15.97\00:21:19.31
A great prophet
rather than many prophets.
00:21:19.34\00:21:21.78
So I think this
is really powerful
00:21:21.81\00:21:23.35
because here we
see Matthew Chapter 24,
00:21:23.38\00:21:26.41
connecting us directly
with Revelation Chapter 13.
00:21:26.45\00:21:30.45
Revelation Chapter 13,
00:21:30.49\00:21:32.02
also talks about
deception in the end of time.
00:21:32.05\00:21:35.49
Revelation Chapter 13
00:21:35.52\00:21:37.19
and I love this
because Matthew 24,
00:21:37.23\00:21:39.39
is Jesus Christ
huddling with His disciples
00:21:39.43\00:21:42.93
or them huddling with Him,
00:21:42.96\00:21:44.30
telling them about
the end time deceptions
00:21:44.33\00:21:46.50
and what's going to take
place in the end of time,
00:21:46.53\00:21:47.97
what they can expect.
00:21:48.00\00:21:49.37
And Revelation,
the Book of Revelation
00:21:49.40\00:21:51.77
is also the
revelation of Jesus Christ
00:21:51.81\00:21:54.58
which God gave unto Him
to show His servants things
00:21:54.61\00:21:58.31
which must shortly come to pass.
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.22
Blessed are they that read
and hear and keep the things
00:22:00.25\00:22:03.52
that are written
therein for the time is at hand.
00:22:03.55\00:22:05.49
Revelation 1:1-3.
00:22:05.52\00:22:08.69
So Matthew 24 and
Revelation connect together
00:22:08.72\00:22:12.86
in more ways than one.
00:22:12.89\00:22:14.56
And this is one of the
ways they connect together.
00:22:14.60\00:22:17.07
This great false
prophet is going to arise.
00:22:17.10\00:22:20.14
Matthew 24:11, connects
us with Revelation Chapter...
00:22:20.17\00:22:25.34
Well, I'm going to just
say Chapters 13, 16, 19 and 20.
00:22:25.37\00:22:30.58
Now in Revelation
13:11, we read about a beast
00:22:30.61\00:22:35.55
that comes out of the earth.
00:22:35.58\00:22:37.35
It has two horns like a lamb
and it speaks like a dragon.
00:22:37.39\00:22:42.59
And Revelation Chapter 13
00:22:42.62\00:22:45.53
is what we first see
this beast identified.
00:22:45.56\00:22:48.13
Its lamb-like horns
represent Christian principles.
00:22:48.16\00:22:53.67
Principles that are
lamb-like or Christ-like
00:22:53.70\00:22:57.07
because the lamb refers
to symbolically Jesus Christ.
00:22:57.11\00:23:00.28
And so this beast,
00:23:00.31\00:23:01.91
which is an
earthly power kingdom,
00:23:01.94\00:23:03.95
according to Daniel 7:17 and 23.
00:23:03.98\00:23:07.55
This earthly power kingdom
has lamb-like principles,
00:23:07.58\00:23:10.89
two of them.
00:23:10.92\00:23:12.25
These lamb-like principles
represent civil liberty
00:23:12.29\00:23:17.16
and religious liberty.
00:23:17.19\00:23:19.19
That's what we see
in this earthly power
00:23:19.23\00:23:21.43
that rises up here with
these lamb-like principles
00:23:21.46\00:23:23.87
but then it says it's
going to speak like a dragon.
00:23:23.90\00:23:27.44
There's going to be a
transition that takes place
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.27
from the lamb-like principles
of civil and religious liberty,
00:23:30.31\00:23:33.98
to the dragon like voice
00:23:34.01\00:23:36.31
that according to
Revelation 12:3, deceives.
00:23:36.34\00:23:40.62
According to
Revelation 12:11 or 10, accuses.
00:23:40.65\00:23:45.59
According to Revelation 12:17,
makes war with God's people.
00:23:45.62\00:23:50.29
According to Revelation
Chapter 13, seeks to coerce,
00:23:50.33\00:23:54.56
to control, to force worship.
00:23:54.60\00:23:58.17
So we're seeing a transition
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.60
that's indicated
here in Revelation 13:11.
00:23:59.63\00:24:02.70
I believe that we are
presently in Matthew 24:1-10
00:24:02.74\00:24:08.54
and in Revelation
13:11, prophetically.
00:24:08.58\00:24:11.78
I believe that we're
just seeing the transition
00:24:11.81\00:24:14.78
that's taking place
in this lamb-like power
00:24:14.82\00:24:18.09
here in the
United States of America.
00:24:18.12\00:24:20.09
We're seeing a
transition that's taking place
00:24:20.12\00:24:22.52
from the principles,
00:24:22.56\00:24:23.89
the lamb-like principles
of civil and religious liberty
00:24:23.93\00:24:26.70
to the dragon-like
principles of deception,
00:24:26.73\00:24:30.00
of accusation and control.
00:24:30.03\00:24:33.34
And that is where we are
in Bible prophecy right now.
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.77
Once that transition is made,
00:24:36.81\00:24:39.34
this earthly
power in Revelation 13,
00:24:39.37\00:24:41.94
has two lamb-like horns
and speaks like a dragon,
00:24:41.98\00:24:45.28
once the transition
of the dragon is made,
00:24:45.31\00:24:47.42
this earthly power is never
identified as lamb-like again.
00:24:47.45\00:24:52.09
It is mentioned in
the Book of Revelation.
00:24:52.12\00:24:54.32
It's mentioned three other
times but it's never identified
00:24:54.36\00:24:57.29
as lamb-like
because the dragon-like
00:24:57.33\00:24:59.69
speaking causes it to lose
those lamb-like principles.
00:24:59.73\00:25:03.53
And I believe that
it's a prophetic prediction
00:25:03.57\00:25:06.10
of what is taking place
in our country right now.
00:25:06.13\00:25:08.77
We're seeing that
transition take place.
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.44
Let me just share with
you a couple of the verses.
00:25:11.47\00:25:13.31
The first one is found
00:25:13.34\00:25:15.54
in Revelation 16:12.
00:25:15.58\00:25:19.61
And then the next
one is Revelation 19:20.
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.25
And the final one
is Revelation 20:10.
00:25:23.28\00:25:27.09
And what we find here is that
the beast with lamb-like horns,
00:25:27.12\00:25:30.33
once it speaks like a dragon
00:25:30.36\00:25:32.03
is identified as
the false prophet.
00:25:32.06\00:25:35.83
Whoa, there's a
direct connection now
00:25:35.86\00:25:38.13
between Matthew 24:11
and Revelation 13, 16, 19
00:25:38.17\00:25:43.61
and 20 because
the lamb-like power,
00:25:43.64\00:25:46.57
once it speaks like a dragon,
is never again identified
00:25:46.61\00:25:50.45
as lamb-like, it is
identified as a false prophet.
00:25:50.48\00:25:54.95
So the beast with lamb-like
horns makes this transition
00:25:54.98\00:25:58.42
to the false prophet
when it speaks like the dragon
00:25:58.45\00:26:01.09
and once that
transition is made,
00:26:01.12\00:26:03.56
the beast with lamb-like
horns is always identified
00:26:03.59\00:26:06.49
as the false prophet according
to Revelation Chapter 16, 19
00:26:06.53\00:26:10.50
and 20.
00:26:10.53\00:26:11.87
And this is what we see
in relationship to Matthew 24
00:26:11.90\00:26:15.47
and this great
prophet rising up in stage two
00:26:15.50\00:26:19.04
of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:26:19.07\00:26:20.41
And stage two of the
deception in Matthew 24.
00:26:20.44\00:26:23.68
Okay, now here's the evidence,
00:26:23.71\00:26:25.05
I'll just share
with you a few verses
00:26:25.08\00:26:26.41
so that you can look them up
00:26:26.45\00:26:27.78
and have them in
relationship to understanding
00:26:27.82\00:26:30.25
this transition
that takes place.
00:26:30.29\00:26:32.15
Matthew 16:13,
here's what it says,
00:26:32.19\00:26:35.56
three powers lineup.
00:26:35.59\00:26:36.93
They're the same
powers that are described
00:26:36.96\00:26:38.29
in Revelation 13:12-13.
00:26:38.33\00:26:41.06
The dragon, the sea
beast and the land beast.
00:26:41.10\00:26:43.47
So the same three
powers are identified
00:26:43.50\00:26:45.47
in Revelation 16:13
00:26:45.50\00:26:47.07
as in Revelation 13:11-12,
but in Revelation 16:13,
00:26:47.10\00:26:50.81
you have the dragon, you
have the leopard-like beast
00:26:50.84\00:26:54.48
or the sea beast and then
you have the false prophet.
00:26:54.51\00:26:58.28
No longer lamb-like horns.
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.22
Now it's
identified as a false prophet.
00:27:00.25\00:27:02.48
Revelation 19:20, the
false prophet there is described
00:27:02.52\00:27:06.49
as working
miracles before the beast
00:27:06.52\00:27:08.49
and deceiving the
world by those miracles.
00:27:08.52\00:27:10.76
And this is the same
beast with the lamb-like horns,
00:27:10.79\00:27:14.00
that speaks like a dragon,
00:27:14.03\00:27:15.63
according to
Revelation 13:13-14,
00:27:15.66\00:27:18.30
because in Revelation 13:13-14,
00:27:18.33\00:27:20.87
this same lamb-like
beast deceives the world,
00:27:20.90\00:27:24.44
the nations with miracles.
00:27:24.47\00:27:26.57
Revelation 20:10 says the
beast and the false prophet
00:27:26.61\00:27:30.21
work with the dragon to
deceive the whole world.
00:27:30.25\00:27:32.98
And that's what we see
in Revelation 13:11-14,
00:27:33.01\00:27:36.62
it was the beast
with the lamb-like horns
00:27:36.65\00:27:38.92
that helps to deceive the world
00:27:38.95\00:27:40.96
so therefore it
must be the same power
00:27:40.99\00:27:42.92
as the false prophet.
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.86
So Revelation
16:13, Revelation 19:20,
00:27:44.89\00:27:48.63
Revelation 20:10,
all identifying the beast
00:27:48.66\00:27:52.63
with the lamb-like
horns as the false prophet,
00:27:52.67\00:27:55.74
once it transitions to
speaking like a dragon.
00:27:55.77\00:28:00.08
That's when it fully
embodies this prophetic destiny
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.91
of the great false
prophet in Matthew 24:11,
00:28:02.94\00:28:08.75
that deceives many.
00:28:08.78\00:28:10.39
And that leads us into
Matthew 24:12 and onwards.
00:28:10.42\00:28:16.19
Now we want to look at this
in the context of Revelation,
00:28:16.22\00:28:19.53
the Book of Revelation
because the Book of Revelation
00:28:19.56\00:28:21.23
talks about this great
false prophet that's going out
00:28:21.26\00:28:24.67
to gather the world on
the wrong side of a battle
00:28:24.70\00:28:27.97
called the Battle
of Armageddon, right?
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.51
He's working with the
dragon and with the first beast
00:28:30.54\00:28:33.48
to gather the world to
the Battle of Armageddon.
00:28:33.51\00:28:36.61
And we need to understand
what this gathering is,
00:28:36.64\00:28:39.31
what that word means
and how that gathering
00:28:39.35\00:28:41.42
is taking place.
00:28:41.45\00:28:42.78
And one of the ways we're going
to be able to understand this
00:28:42.82\00:28:44.65
is by going back now
to Matthew Chapter 24.
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.69
So let's just go back
there to Matthew Chapter 24.
00:28:47.72\00:28:49.99
And let's look at a
couple more verses here
00:28:50.03\00:28:51.93
that we need to
cover in more detail.
00:28:51.96\00:28:53.83
Matthew 24:12,
00:28:53.86\00:28:55.50
"And because
iniquity shall abound,
00:28:55.53\00:28:58.73
the love of many shall wax cold,
00:28:58.77\00:29:01.20
but he that
endures unto the end,
00:29:01.24\00:29:03.94
the same shall be saved."
00:29:03.97\00:29:06.14
Now this is where we want
to land for just a minute here,
00:29:06.17\00:29:09.11
abound in iniquity.
00:29:09.14\00:29:10.58
Where does iniquity
abound in our world today?
00:29:10.61\00:29:15.85
And I want to
suggest that iniquity abounds
00:29:15.88\00:29:18.45
in the
entertainment world today.
00:29:18.49\00:29:21.19
The iniquity that is
abounding in our world today
00:29:21.22\00:29:24.43
is abounding in entertainment
00:29:24.46\00:29:27.66
and that is how
we are being gathered
00:29:27.70\00:29:31.63
in the Battle of
Armageddon, on the wrong side.
00:29:31.67\00:29:34.74
God wants us to
understand the principles
00:29:34.77\00:29:38.74
of beholding and
becoming changed.
00:29:38.77\00:29:42.78
In 2 Corinthians 3:18, it says,
00:29:42.81\00:29:44.98
"We all, as in a
glass, beholding the glory
00:29:45.01\00:29:48.68
of the Lord are
changed into the same image
00:29:48.72\00:29:50.59
from glory to glory even
as by the Spirit of the Lord."
00:29:50.62\00:29:54.62
This is a principle that
holds true not only for good
00:29:54.66\00:29:58.53
but also for bad.
00:29:58.56\00:29:59.89
It's the law of our
nature that by beholding,
00:29:59.93\00:30:03.20
we become changed.
00:30:03.23\00:30:04.63
What we focus on, what we watch,
00:30:04.67\00:30:07.50
what we take in,
impacts our nature,
00:30:07.54\00:30:10.77
our character, our personality,
00:30:10.81\00:30:12.97
who we are.
00:30:13.01\00:30:14.61
That's why and I'm
suggesting that you might
00:30:14.64\00:30:16.14
want to consider this,
00:30:16.18\00:30:17.51
that's why I have shut
down media, shut off the TV,
00:30:17.55\00:30:21.82
gotten rid of a lot of my media
because there's so much garbage
00:30:21.85\00:30:25.82
coming in that I'm beholding
that it's transforming me
00:30:25.85\00:30:28.86
into the wrong image,
into the image of the world.
00:30:28.89\00:30:31.49
It's filling me with fear.
00:30:31.53\00:30:33.09
Even the news is
filling us with fear
00:30:33.13\00:30:36.00
and apprehension and anxiety.
00:30:36.03\00:30:37.73
And so God is
telling us, you know,
00:30:37.77\00:30:39.20
you've got to take a
break from all of that,
00:30:39.23\00:30:41.07
you've got to stop
beholding all of that
00:30:41.10\00:30:42.70
because that's just
filled with iniquity and filled
00:30:42.74\00:30:45.17
with anxiety and
filled with fear,
00:30:45.21\00:30:48.11
you need to behold Me.
00:30:48.14\00:30:49.54
We need to behold
the Lord, Jesus Christ,
00:30:49.58\00:30:52.28
and the contents, by the
way, of 2 Corinthians 3:18
00:30:52.31\00:30:55.35
and verse 17, you
know what it says there?
00:30:55.38\00:30:57.52
It says, "Where the
spirit of the Lord is,
00:30:57.55\00:31:00.82
there is liberty.
00:31:00.86\00:31:02.66
There is freedom."
00:31:02.69\00:31:04.39
God wants to free
us from addiction,
00:31:04.43\00:31:06.26
to free us from
bondage, to free us from sin
00:31:06.29\00:31:09.26
and He also wants to
free us from deception
00:31:09.30\00:31:11.57
and fake news
and misinformation.
00:31:11.60\00:31:14.00
And the only
information, the only news
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.81
that we can
actually trust is the news
00:31:16.84\00:31:20.21
that is found
in the Word of God.
00:31:20.24\00:31:21.58
The Word of God
is our only source
00:31:21.61\00:31:24.51
of truth in these last
days because God doesn't lie.
00:31:24.55\00:31:27.95
He can't lie. It's
impossible for Him to lie.
00:31:27.98\00:31:30.12
And His Word is true
and it's to the point.
00:31:30.15\00:31:32.55
And God is all
powerful, omniscient.
00:31:32.59\00:31:34.79
He has seen the past,
the present and the future
00:31:34.82\00:31:36.73
with clarity that is
greater than 2020 vision.
00:31:36.76\00:31:39.83
He knows what's
coming around the corner,
00:31:39.86\00:31:41.93
He knows what
we're going to face,
00:31:41.96\00:31:43.47
He knows what we are facing,
00:31:43.50\00:31:45.37
and we can trust Him
and we can trust His Word.
00:31:45.40\00:31:48.07
It's right on target.
00:31:48.10\00:31:50.47
The visions of the Word of God
are true and they are certain.
00:31:50.51\00:31:54.61
And so God is telling
us to be aware of beholding
00:31:54.64\00:31:58.65
the wrong things.
00:31:58.68\00:32:00.02
Why?
00:32:00.05\00:32:01.38
Because when we
behold the wrong things,
00:32:01.42\00:32:02.75
we become filled
with those things.
00:32:02.78\00:32:04.52
And one of the
most powerful ways
00:32:04.55\00:32:06.82
that we're being
influenced and affected
00:32:06.86\00:32:09.02
is through the media,
is through entertainment.
00:32:09.06\00:32:12.79
And, by the way,
that word, gather,
00:32:12.83\00:32:15.00
in Revelation
16:16, that word, gather,
00:32:15.03\00:32:18.83
it says that these
three powers are like frogs,
00:32:18.87\00:32:21.10
that means they're everywhere.
00:32:21.14\00:32:22.74
The frogs is a direct
connection to the 10 plagues
00:32:22.77\00:32:27.08
that fell in
Egypt and one of them
00:32:27.11\00:32:29.14
was the plague of the frogs.
00:32:29.18\00:32:30.51
They were everywhere,
they were in the bedchambers,
00:32:30.55\00:32:31.88
they were in the kneading
dough, they were everywhere.
00:32:31.91\00:32:34.48
That use of the symbol, frogs,
00:32:34.52\00:32:37.19
is telling us that
these powers are gathering,
00:32:37.22\00:32:39.92
they're everywhere and
they're gathering that word,
00:32:39.95\00:32:41.82
gather, means to entertain.
00:32:41.86\00:32:44.29
That's what the actual
Hebrew word means to entertain.
00:32:44.33\00:32:48.16
In other words,
God is telling us
00:32:48.20\00:32:50.27
that the devil is working
through all of these different
00:32:50.30\00:32:54.70
channels and
avenues to entertain us,
00:32:54.74\00:32:56.97
to pull us into the
Battle of Armageddon on his side
00:32:57.01\00:33:00.14
rather than on God's side.
00:33:00.18\00:33:01.64
And we can talk more about that,
00:33:01.68\00:33:03.14
as we study in more
detail but let's move on
00:33:03.18\00:33:05.18
with our study right
now, in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:33:05.21\00:33:09.05
We want to keep our minds
according to Philippians 4:8
00:33:09.08\00:33:11.79
and what is true, what is pure,
what is holy, what is good,
00:33:11.82\00:33:15.86
what is right, what is just.
00:33:15.89\00:33:17.69
We want to keep focused on that
and not on this entertainment
00:33:17.73\00:33:21.86
of the world.
00:33:21.90\00:33:23.53
So we have here
in Matthew 24:12-13,
00:33:23.57\00:33:27.54
the iniquity abounding
00:33:27.57\00:33:29.10
and then it says we
need to endure unto the end.
00:33:29.14\00:33:31.34
And the way we endure
unto the end is by filling up
00:33:31.37\00:33:34.41
at Love's Gas Tank with
the Holy Spirit credit card.
00:33:34.44\00:33:37.38
And it says in verse 14,
00:33:37.41\00:33:38.91
"And this gospel shall
be preached in all the world
00:33:38.95\00:33:41.48
for a witness unto all nations
and then shall the end come."
00:33:41.52\00:33:45.49
Now, here's another connection
between the Book of Revelation
00:33:45.52\00:33:48.72
and Matthew Chapter 24
00:33:48.76\00:33:50.39
because in
Revelation Chapter 14,
00:33:50.43\00:33:52.63
we're told about
the everlasting gospel.
00:33:52.66\00:33:54.90
Revelation 14:6 then, it says,
00:33:54.93\00:33:56.33
"I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:33:56.36\00:33:59.17
having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them
00:33:59.20\00:34:01.87
that dwell on the earth,
to every nation, kindred,
00:34:01.90\00:34:03.64
tongue and people
saying with a loud voice,
00:34:03.67\00:34:06.41
fear God and give glory to Him,
00:34:06.44\00:34:08.51
for the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:34:08.54\00:34:09.98
And worship Him that
made heaven and earth,
00:34:10.01\00:34:12.85
and the seas and
the fountains of water."
00:34:12.88\00:34:14.68
We are called to
worship God as our Creator.
00:34:14.72\00:34:17.22
God created us
and He redeemed us.
00:34:17.25\00:34:19.62
We belong to Him.
00:34:19.65\00:34:21.09
We are made in His image.
00:34:21.12\00:34:22.79
We bear His superscription
even though we have sinned
00:34:22.82\00:34:27.00
and turned away, God has
come through Jesus Christ
00:34:27.03\00:34:29.90
to completely
redeem us from that sin.
00:34:29.93\00:34:32.33
And He is
calling us to acknowledge
00:34:32.37\00:34:34.47
in the everlasting
gospel, what He's done for us
00:34:34.50\00:34:36.64
to respond to the great gift
00:34:36.67\00:34:38.57
of His love in
the plan of salvation.
00:34:38.61\00:34:41.18
Well, this is the very
thing that Jesus is saying
00:34:41.21\00:34:43.31
in Matthew 24:14,
00:34:43.35\00:34:45.78
"And the gospel of the
kingdom will be preached
00:34:45.81\00:34:47.48
in all the world as a
witness unto all nations
00:34:47.52\00:34:51.35
and then shall the end come."
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.62
It's so powerful
when you think about this
00:34:53.66\00:34:55.22
because what it's
saying basically is,
00:34:55.26\00:34:57.73
is the gospel is
going to be preached,
00:34:57.76\00:34:59.26
but it's not just going
to be preached with words,
00:34:59.29\00:35:01.46
it's going to be
preached as a witness.
00:35:01.50\00:35:03.67
We're going to
testify, we're going to live
00:35:03.70\00:35:05.73
the gospel in our lives.
00:35:05.77\00:35:07.20
And, of course,
we're nearing this time.
00:35:07.24\00:35:09.90
Right now, we're
nearing this time
00:35:09.94\00:35:11.77
when the gospel is
not just being preached,
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.84
you know, through
radio and through television
00:35:13.88\00:35:15.44
and through literature.
00:35:15.48\00:35:16.81
But the gospel is going
to be preached as a witness
00:35:16.85\00:35:18.61
that is there are going to
be people who live the words
00:35:18.65\00:35:22.28
that are the everlasting gospel.
00:35:22.32\00:35:25.09
They actually take in
and are representatives
00:35:25.12\00:35:29.02
of those words that they preach,
00:35:29.06\00:35:31.19
those words that you hear.
00:35:31.23\00:35:32.76
And Jesus is
saying, when that happens,
00:35:32.79\00:35:34.70
when that witness is proclaimed,
00:35:34.73\00:35:36.20
not just when the
gospel is preached,
00:35:36.23\00:35:37.57
but when the
witness is proclaimed,
00:35:37.60\00:35:39.13
the witness of the gospel,
then the end is going to come.
00:35:39.17\00:35:42.30
And the parallel to
Revelation is so clear
00:35:42.34\00:35:44.21
because in
Revelation Chapter 14,
00:35:44.24\00:35:46.98
it talks about the
three angels' messages.
00:35:47.01\00:35:48.74
Revelation 14:6-7,
the first angel's message
00:35:48.78\00:35:52.31
and Revelation 14:8
the second angel's message,
00:35:52.35\00:35:55.15
and Revelation
Chapter 14: 9, 10, 11, 12,
00:35:55.18\00:35:57.85
the third angel's message
and right after those messages
00:35:57.89\00:36:00.49
are given, the everlasting
gospel is preached to the world
00:36:00.52\00:36:02.82
warning against
the mark of the beast,
00:36:02.86\00:36:05.16
warning against
receiving the mark of the beast,
00:36:05.19\00:36:07.40
identifying the fall of Babylon.
00:36:07.43\00:36:09.80
Right after that happens,
we see Jesus Christ returning.
00:36:09.83\00:36:12.93
We see the end coming.
00:36:12.97\00:36:14.40
So you have a perfect parallel
here with Matthew Chapter 24
00:36:14.44\00:36:18.11
and Revelation Chapter 14.
00:36:18.14\00:36:20.48
But Revelation Chapter
14 calls us to worship God
00:36:20.51\00:36:23.71
in relationship to
His creatorship and that,
00:36:23.75\00:36:26.25
of course,
directs us to the Sabbath.
00:36:26.28\00:36:27.72
In fact, the call to
worship God in Revelation 14:7
00:36:27.75\00:36:30.75
is almost a direct quotation
from the fourth commandment
00:36:30.79\00:36:35.26
of the Decalogue
in Exodus 20:8-11,
00:36:35.29\00:36:39.16
"Worship Him that
made heaven and earth,
00:36:39.19\00:36:40.76
and the seas and
the fountains of waters.
00:36:40.80\00:36:42.30
Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:36:42.33\00:36:43.83
Six days thou shall
labor, do all the work,
00:36:43.87\00:36:45.40
but the seventh
day is the Sabbath
00:36:45.43\00:36:46.77
of the Lord thy God.
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.14
For in six days, He
made heaven and earth,
00:36:48.17\00:36:49.60
and the seas and
the fountains of waters
00:36:49.64\00:36:50.97
and rested on the seventh day."
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.54
Revelation 14:7 is quoting
from the fourth commandment,
00:36:52.57\00:36:56.58
reminding us to worship
God and not to worship man
00:36:56.61\00:37:00.22
and earthly powers
and earthly governments.
00:37:00.25\00:37:02.78
And, of course,
there's a lot of pressure
00:37:02.82\00:37:04.49
that's going to come
against God's people.
00:37:04.52\00:37:06.76
Economic
coercion, economic pressure,
00:37:06.79\00:37:09.29
we're already feeling it.
00:37:09.32\00:37:10.66
We're already
feeling the pressure.
00:37:10.69\00:37:12.03
The issue right now is
not necessarily worship,
00:37:12.06\00:37:14.30
but we need to remember
that in the Book of Daniel,
00:37:14.33\00:37:16.83
we have this
insight, this amazing,
00:37:16.87\00:37:19.67
incredible history
that will be repeated
00:37:19.70\00:37:22.54
because there's
nothing that has been
00:37:22.57\00:37:23.91
that won't be
again and everything
00:37:23.94\00:37:25.27
that is has been once before.
00:37:25.31\00:37:27.58
Daniel was pressured or
his friends were pressured
00:37:27.61\00:37:30.91
to worship an image.
00:37:30.95\00:37:32.75
But before they were
pressured to worship an image,
00:37:32.78\00:37:34.78
they were pressured
in the area of health,
00:37:34.82\00:37:37.39
in the area of
their personal health.
00:37:37.42\00:37:38.79
In other words, they were told
00:37:38.82\00:37:40.39
that they
needed to eat the food,
00:37:40.42\00:37:42.02
the wine and
the food of Babylon,
00:37:42.06\00:37:44.23
and they didn't, in
their own convictions,
00:37:44.26\00:37:46.66
they didn't
believe that that was going
00:37:46.70\00:37:48.03
to be the best for
them, that was going
00:37:48.06\00:37:49.40
to be healthy for them.
00:37:49.43\00:37:50.77
Their conscience
said, "I can't do this."
00:37:50.80\00:37:53.64
And they sought for an exemption
00:37:53.67\00:37:56.30
from the wine from
the food of Babylon.
00:37:56.34\00:37:58.17
Now, males are
the head of Daniel
00:37:58.21\00:38:00.38
and his friends
demonstrated with him,
00:38:00.41\00:38:04.28
he said, "Hey, you know,
you got to eat this food.
00:38:04.31\00:38:07.28
This food is going to
make you healthy, this,
00:38:07.32\00:38:09.42
if you don't eat this food,
you're going get sick, right?"
00:38:09.45\00:38:11.95
And he also said
to him, "Besides that,
00:38:11.99\00:38:14.59
if you don't eat this food,
you're going to risk my head,
00:38:14.62\00:38:16.86
you're going to risk my life."
00:38:16.89\00:38:18.76
Some of the same
arguments that he made today
00:38:18.79\00:38:20.73
that we face
today in relationship
00:38:20.76\00:38:22.40
to our personal health choices.
00:38:22.43\00:38:24.50
And God is calling
us to stand for Him
00:38:24.53\00:38:27.04
in our personal health choices
00:38:27.07\00:38:29.10
and not to take in the
food and the wine of Babylon
00:38:29.14\00:38:31.71
if we know that it's
not going to do us good.
00:38:31.74\00:38:33.61
If that's our
conscientious conviction,
00:38:33.64\00:38:35.98
God is calling us to
follow that conviction,
00:38:36.01\00:38:37.91
as Daniel did.
00:38:37.95\00:38:39.28
And God blessed Daniel as
he followed that conviction.
00:38:39.31\00:38:40.82
That's where we are
in the Book of Daniel.
00:38:40.85\00:38:43.52
This is where we
are in Revelation.
00:38:43.55\00:38:45.25
We're in 13:11.
00:38:45.29\00:38:46.92
And this is where we
are in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:38:46.96\00:38:49.86
We are seeing the pressure,
we're seeing the hatred,
00:38:49.89\00:38:53.43
we're seeing the
nations uniting together,
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.43
to restrict
liberty of conscience,
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.13
to restrict freedom of choice.
00:38:58.17\00:39:00.84
And that's preparing
us for the next stage,
00:39:00.87\00:39:03.27
for the next level of deception,
00:39:03.30\00:39:05.67
for the next level
of intense pressure
00:39:05.71\00:39:08.54
and that's going to come
in relationship to worship.
00:39:08.58\00:39:10.65
How do we know that?
00:39:10.68\00:39:12.01
Let's read a little bit
further in Matthew 24:15,
00:39:12.05\00:39:15.78
"And when ye therefore
shall see the abomination
00:39:15.82\00:39:18.35
of desolation, spoken
by Daniel the prophet,
00:39:18.39\00:39:21.32
stand in the holy place,
whoso read let him understand,
00:39:21.36\00:39:24.59
then let them
which be into Judaea flee
00:39:24.63\00:39:26.36
to the mountains, and let
him which is on the housetop
00:39:26.39\00:39:28.43
come not down to take
anything out of his house,
00:39:28.46\00:39:30.77
neither let him which
is in the field return
00:39:30.80\00:39:32.50
back to take his clothes.
00:39:32.53\00:39:34.07
And woe unto them
that are with child,
00:39:34.10\00:39:36.67
to them that give
suck in those days!
00:39:36.71\00:39:38.71
But pray that your
flight be not in the winter,
00:39:38.74\00:39:41.88
neither on the Sabbath day."
00:39:41.91\00:39:44.68
Now here we have
the exact same conflict
00:39:44.71\00:39:48.05
that's been described in
Revelation Chapters 13 and 14.
00:39:48.08\00:39:51.62
We have the
abomination of desolation
00:39:51.65\00:39:53.59
and we have the Sabbath
in conflict with each other.
00:39:53.62\00:39:56.56
The abomination of
desolation simply put
00:39:56.59\00:39:59.63
is putting man
where God should be.
00:39:59.66\00:40:02.23
Man's laws where
God's law should be.
00:40:02.26\00:40:04.37
Man's mediation where
God's mediation should be.
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.60
Man's counsel where
God's counsel should be.
00:40:06.63\00:40:09.47
Anything that puts
man in the place of God
00:40:09.50\00:40:12.84
is an abomination
that makes us desolate.
00:40:12.87\00:40:15.98
And we're going
to see this primarily
00:40:16.01\00:40:17.95
in relationship to worship.
00:40:17.98\00:40:19.51
Man's laws, man's
institutions of worship,
00:40:19.55\00:40:22.98
put in the place of God's
instituted day of worship.
00:40:23.02\00:40:26.96
God's instituted day
of worship, of course,
00:40:26.99\00:40:28.66
is the seventh day Sabbath.
00:40:28.69\00:40:30.13
Now I was raised as a
Christian in a Christian home,
00:40:30.16\00:40:33.13
I was raised going
to a Catholic Church,
00:40:33.16\00:40:35.43
Roman Catholic, on
my mom's side, Irish,
00:40:35.46\00:40:38.47
and I went to church and
actually was an altar boy.
00:40:38.50\00:40:40.77
And I believe
that Sunday was the day
00:40:40.80\00:40:44.07
that everyone
was to go to church.
00:40:44.11\00:40:46.07
And I believe that
was what the Bible taught,
00:40:46.11\00:40:47.91
of course, I'd
never read the Bible.
00:40:47.94\00:40:49.34
I knew the Lord's Prayer.
00:40:49.38\00:40:50.71
I knew the Hail Mary
but I never read the Bible.
00:40:50.75\00:40:53.05
And I remember when I
was challenged on that
00:40:53.08\00:40:54.45
I was challenged by a
family member, my own sister,
00:40:54.48\00:40:56.52
and she said,
"You know what, James?"
00:40:56.55\00:40:57.89
She said, "Sunday is not
actually the Bible Sabbath,
00:40:57.92\00:41:01.26
Saturday is the Bible Sabbath."
00:41:01.29\00:41:02.76
And I thought she is nuts.
00:41:02.79\00:41:04.23
That's crazy.
00:41:04.26\00:41:05.69
Why would millions of
people all over the world
00:41:05.73\00:41:07.76
actually over a
billion people or two be going
00:41:07.80\00:41:11.37
to church on Sunday,
00:41:11.40\00:41:12.73
if Saturday is
the biblical Sabbath?
00:41:12.77\00:41:14.30
That can't be true.
00:41:14.34\00:41:15.67
But sure enough, as I
began to study this out,
00:41:15.70\00:41:17.91
as I looked at the
history, as I studied the Bible,
00:41:17.94\00:41:19.87
as I looked at the
various commentaries,
00:41:19.91\00:41:21.71
as I asked
different church people,
00:41:21.74\00:41:23.08
as I looked up the
history of the transference
00:41:23.11\00:41:26.61
of the day from
Sabbath from the seventh day,
00:41:26.65\00:41:28.82
Saturday Sabbath, the
biblical Sabbath to Sunday,
00:41:28.85\00:41:31.25
I realized my sister was right.
00:41:31.29\00:41:33.05
I realized I was wrong.
00:41:33.09\00:41:34.42
I realized that I really
didn't understand the Bible,
00:41:34.46\00:41:36.93
understand Bible truth
when I made that statement.
00:41:36.96\00:41:40.33
And that reality
is what we're going
00:41:40.36\00:41:42.26
to be facing here
in Matthew Chapter 24,
00:41:42.30\00:41:44.30
when we step into the
second stage of deception,
00:41:44.33\00:41:47.07
the reality is going
to be a conflict between
00:41:47.10\00:41:49.50
the biblical Sabbath and
God's seventh day Sabbath,
00:41:49.54\00:41:53.78
the Lord's Day, we're
told in Revelation 1:10,
00:41:53.81\00:41:56.81
and Jesus says, "I am
the Lord of the Sabbath."
00:41:56.85\00:41:58.78
In fact, in Exodus 20:8-11,
00:41:58.81\00:42:02.68
God says that He is
the Lord of the seven days,
00:42:02.72\00:42:05.69
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.
00:42:05.72\00:42:07.46
So we see here a
conflict that is preparing.
00:42:07.49\00:42:11.39
The setup is
taking place right now.
00:42:11.43\00:42:15.20
It's behind the
scenes, so to speak,
00:42:15.23\00:42:17.80
a conflict that is preparing
between the worship of God
00:42:17.83\00:42:21.04
and the worship
or the compliance
00:42:21.07\00:42:26.11
of human beings with
the powers of this earth.
00:42:26.14\00:42:29.61
And that's the
conflict that involves
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.61
the Battle of Armageddon
and the mark of the beast.
00:42:31.65\00:42:34.62
And coercion is at the
center of that conflict.
00:42:34.65\00:42:37.39
And we see the principles
centering around that conflict
00:42:37.42\00:42:40.96
being established right now,
00:42:40.99\00:42:42.32
the stage is
being set, if you will.
00:42:42.36\00:42:45.06
And once that stage is set,
00:42:45.09\00:42:46.70
the transition
from the health test,
00:42:46.73\00:42:49.56
which we're now in
to the worship test
00:42:49.60\00:42:52.03
is going to be very quick.
00:42:52.07\00:42:53.40
Most people are going
to be caught by surprise.
00:42:53.44\00:42:56.30
In fact, Jesus talks about that
later on in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:42:56.34\00:43:00.14
And we're going to spend
more time talking about that
00:43:00.18\00:43:02.11
when we get into the
third stage of deception.
00:43:02.14\00:43:05.15
The third stage of deception
talks about the next level
00:43:05.18\00:43:08.92
that is going to
be brought against us
00:43:08.95\00:43:10.92
that is still future.
00:43:10.95\00:43:12.29
And then again,
what God wants us to do.
00:43:12.32\00:43:14.26
How God wants us to relate
to that level of deception
00:43:14.29\00:43:18.03
that we are going to be
facing in the end of time.
00:43:18.06\00:43:21.53
So the
abomination of desolation.
00:43:21.56\00:43:23.40
Now, I mentioned
to you what that is.
00:43:23.43\00:43:25.40
The abomination of desolation
00:43:25.43\00:43:26.77
is basically putting
man in the place of God,
00:43:26.80\00:43:29.94
man's law in the
place of God's law.
00:43:29.97\00:43:32.17
It's putting man's
rules and regulations,
00:43:32.21\00:43:35.04
man's mandates and
coercion in the place
00:43:35.08\00:43:37.48
of the truth of God's Word.
00:43:37.51\00:43:39.95
But I want to share
with you why I believe that.
00:43:39.98\00:43:42.52
First of all, if you
look up the word abomination
00:43:42.55\00:43:45.69
of desolation, you're going
to find Jesus even tells us
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.89
that this is a word that
comes from the Old Testament,
00:43:48.92\00:43:51.69
comes specifically
from the Book of Daniel.
00:43:51.73\00:43:54.80
And you look in
the Book of Daniel,
00:43:54.83\00:43:56.33
you're going to find
that when the abomination
00:43:56.36\00:43:58.63
of desolation is set up.
00:43:58.67\00:44:00.40
It's set up by first of all,
the taking away of the daily.
00:44:00.44\00:44:05.51
The taking away
of the daily leads
00:44:05.54\00:44:07.24
to the
abomination of desolation.
00:44:07.28\00:44:08.61
And we find that in
verses like Daniel 11:31,
00:44:08.64\00:44:13.52
where it says they're
going to take away the daily
00:44:13.55\00:44:15.68
and they're going to set up
the abomination of desolation.
00:44:15.72\00:44:18.79
So there's a connection
here between the daily
00:44:18.82\00:44:21.29
and the
abomination of desolation.
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.39
What is that connection?
00:44:23.43\00:44:24.76
Well, when we rightly
understand the abomination
00:44:24.79\00:44:26.93
of desolation, we understand
00:44:26.96\00:44:28.76
that its connection
with the daily is telling us
00:44:28.80\00:44:31.13
the very same
thing that we talked
00:44:31.17\00:44:33.07
about in Revelation Chapter 14.
00:44:33.10\00:44:35.10
And it's implied
here in Matthew 24
00:44:35.14\00:44:37.21
second stage of deception
and that is that God's law
00:44:37.24\00:44:41.44
is going to be
superseded by man's law.
00:44:41.48\00:44:43.95
God's law is going to
be replaced by man's law
00:44:43.98\00:44:46.35
and the world is
going to be compelled,
00:44:46.38\00:44:48.75
forced, if you will,
to comply with man's law
00:44:48.78\00:44:52.25
over God's law, to comply with
00:44:52.29\00:44:54.49
what man mandates in
the place of the liberty
00:44:54.52\00:44:58.13
that God calls us to embrace
in the everlasting gospel
00:44:58.16\00:45:01.63
that calls us to
worship God as our Creator
00:45:01.66\00:45:03.16
and our Redeemer.
00:45:03.20\00:45:04.57
Couple of verses here
that I want you to consider.
00:45:04.60\00:45:07.00
When you go to
the Old Testament,
00:45:07.04\00:45:08.37
you're going to
find that the word daily,
00:45:08.40\00:45:10.77
that's taken away in
order to put the abomination
00:45:10.81\00:45:13.21
of desolation in its place,
00:45:13.24\00:45:14.84
the word daily
is always identified
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.21
with the earthly
sanctuary services.
00:45:18.25\00:45:21.12
That's not the only
thing that's identified with
00:45:21.15\00:45:22.95
but it's identified with
the earthly sanctuary services.
00:45:22.98\00:45:25.12
For example, the
incense, the lamps of light,
00:45:25.15\00:45:29.89
the showbread,
00:45:29.92\00:45:31.39
the ministry of the priest
are all identified as daily
00:45:31.43\00:45:35.33
or the word
actually means the continual.
00:45:35.36\00:45:37.97
The showbread was continual.
00:45:38.00\00:45:39.87
The light was continual.
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.30
The ministration of
priest was continual.
00:45:41.34\00:45:43.14
The animal sacrifices
for sin were continual,
00:45:43.17\00:45:45.47
they were offered daily
or continually in behalf
00:45:45.51\00:45:49.31
of human beings.
00:45:49.34\00:45:50.81
Now, this old sanctuary service
and its divine ordinations,
00:45:50.85\00:45:55.58
its divine ordinances,
all pointed to Jesus.
00:45:55.62\00:45:59.15
They all pointed to the Lamb.
00:45:59.19\00:46:00.52
He was the sacrifice.
00:46:00.56\00:46:01.99
He is the priest.
00:46:02.02\00:46:03.63
He is the light of the world.
00:46:03.66\00:46:05.39
He is the bread of life.
00:46:05.43\00:46:06.96
All of that.
00:46:07.00\00:46:08.33
All of that sanctuary
service pointed to Jesus Christ.
00:46:08.36\00:46:11.27
And we see this in
the Book of Hebrews,
00:46:11.30\00:46:13.77
we see this in Ephesians.
00:46:13.80\00:46:15.14
We see this in John.
00:46:15.17\00:46:16.50
John 1:9, "He is the
light that lightens every man
00:46:16.54\00:46:18.37
that comes into the world."
00:46:18.41\00:46:19.74
John 6:51, "He's
the bread of life."
00:46:19.77\00:46:22.08
Hebrews 7:24, "He ever lives
to make intercession for us."
00:46:22.11\00:46:25.75
And so we see basically
that Jesus Christ's ministry
00:46:25.78\00:46:29.48
is represented in the symbols
00:46:29.52\00:46:31.32
and in the types
of the sanctuary.
00:46:31.35\00:46:33.89
They all pointed to Christ.
00:46:33.92\00:46:35.62
So all these verses
are typifying Christ.
00:46:35.66\00:46:38.83
Now, in that context,
00:46:38.86\00:46:40.70
we can
understand better the daily,
00:46:40.73\00:46:42.66
it's the taking away of Jesus,
00:46:42.70\00:46:44.83
it's the taking away
the ministry of Christ,
00:46:44.87\00:46:46.94
it's the taking away of
the intercession of Christ,
00:46:46.97\00:46:50.11
it's the taking away
of the bread of life,
00:46:50.14\00:46:52.14
the Word of God, it's
taking away the light of life,
00:46:52.17\00:46:55.68
which is Jesus
Christ, the Word of God,
00:46:55.71\00:46:58.15
the truth of God's
Word, taking that away,
00:46:58.18\00:47:00.58
removing that from people
00:47:00.62\00:47:02.15
and putting in
its place man's laws,
00:47:02.18\00:47:05.42
man's mandates, man's
authority, man's worship,
00:47:05.45\00:47:09.29
man's mediation, man's counsel.
00:47:09.32\00:47:12.09
This is exactly what
Jesus is warning us about
00:47:12.13\00:47:14.90
in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:47:14.93\00:47:16.33
And it's the same thing
that we see taking place
00:47:16.36\00:47:18.67
in Revelation
Chapters 13 and 14.
00:47:18.70\00:47:21.57
We have a conflict between
worshiping an earthly power,
00:47:21.60\00:47:24.81
Revelation Chapter
13, and worshiping God,
00:47:24.84\00:47:27.64
Revelation 14:7.
00:47:27.68\00:47:29.78
And so these
earthly powers are seeking
00:47:29.81\00:47:32.05
to set up their
authority in the place
00:47:32.08\00:47:34.65
of the authority of Jesus.
00:47:34.68\00:47:37.22
So the Hebrew word for
daily is found throughout
00:47:37.25\00:47:39.92
the Bible describing
how we should worship God,
00:47:39.95\00:47:42.46
how we should follow God.
00:47:42.49\00:47:44.09
The Bible directs
us to say, for example,
00:47:44.13\00:47:46.26
continually let
the Lord be magnified.
00:47:46.29\00:47:49.43
And that word
magnified or continue,
00:47:49.46\00:47:52.80
I should say in Psalm
40:16, is the same word,
00:47:52.83\00:47:55.47
tamid is the same
word for the word daily.
00:47:55.50\00:47:57.51
Let God
continually be magnified.
00:47:57.54\00:48:00.28
In 1 Chronicles 16:11,
00:48:00.31\00:48:02.64
the Bible says we should
seek God's face continually.
00:48:02.68\00:48:06.51
That word continually
is the same word, tamid,
00:48:06.55\00:48:09.88
it's the same
word for the daily.
00:48:09.92\00:48:12.22
His praise shall continually,
Psalm 34:1, be in our mouths.
00:48:12.25\00:48:17.03
Same word, tamid, continually
let God's loving kindness
00:48:17.06\00:48:21.26
and truth
preserve us, Psalm 40:11.
00:48:21.30\00:48:24.17
God alone is to be
our strong habitation
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.03
wherein we can
continually resort.
00:48:26.07\00:48:28.67
Psalm 71:3.
00:48:28.70\00:48:30.47
We will keep His law
continually in our hearts.
00:48:30.51\00:48:34.58
Psalm 119:44 and Proverbs 6:21.
00:48:34.61\00:48:38.35
So this word, tamid,
this word, daily, this word,
00:48:38.38\00:48:40.82
continual is not just
used in the sanctuary service.
00:48:40.85\00:48:44.89
This word is used
throughout the Bible to describe
00:48:44.92\00:48:48.89
a close
relationship between us and God.
00:48:48.92\00:48:51.96
Our continual dependence on Him,
00:48:51.99\00:48:53.93
our continually focusing on Him,
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.90
meditating on
Him, following Him,
00:48:55.93\00:48:58.40
continually following
the principles of His law
00:48:58.43\00:49:01.24
versus the laws
00:49:01.27\00:49:03.04
that are in
contradiction to His law.
00:49:03.07\00:49:05.81
So this is the conflict
that Jesus Christ is pointing
00:49:05.84\00:49:08.48
out to us in Matthew Chapter 24,
00:49:08.51\00:49:11.31
the abomination of desolation
is going to be set up,
00:49:11.35\00:49:13.82
man's laws are
going to be set up,
00:49:13.85\00:49:15.22
man's mediation, man's council,
00:49:15.25\00:49:16.75
man's authority
is going to be set up
00:49:16.79\00:49:18.29
and they're going
to take away the daily
00:49:18.32\00:49:20.02
and you're going to be praying
00:49:20.06\00:49:21.52
that your flight
isn't on the Sabbath
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.29
nor in the winter
because the Sabbath
00:49:23.32\00:49:25.79
is the one issue around
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.70
which this great
controversy centers.
00:49:27.73\00:49:29.96
It is the one issue of worship
in relationship to God versus
00:49:30.00\00:49:34.90
worshipping these earthly
powers that they are seeking
00:49:34.94\00:49:37.94
to coerce or force you into,
00:49:37.97\00:49:40.64
manipulate you
into through you're not,
00:49:40.68\00:49:43.28
an inability to buy or sell.
00:49:43.31\00:49:45.78
And we're just right on
the borders of that right now.
00:49:45.81\00:49:48.05
We see people being inhibited,
00:49:48.08\00:49:49.65
we see people being
restricted in their freedom
00:49:49.68\00:49:52.45
to buy and sell, and
their freedom to have jobs,
00:49:52.49\00:49:54.69
and their freedom to go to
public to get public access.
00:49:54.72\00:49:58.59
A lot of people are being
affected by this right now.
00:49:58.63\00:50:01.76
So we see the stage being set.
00:50:01.80\00:50:04.70
And it's the
devil's goal to take from us
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.80
all that is
promised in these scriptures.
00:50:06.84\00:50:08.67
And what's
promised in these scriptures
00:50:08.70\00:50:10.54
is dependence on
God and not on man.
00:50:10.57\00:50:12.61
And a lot of us are
struggling right now
00:50:12.64\00:50:14.58
because we're facing a
liberty of conscience issue.
00:50:14.61\00:50:18.71
And we're trying to decide
should I follow my conscience,
00:50:18.75\00:50:21.65
my conscientious convictions
00:50:21.68\00:50:23.52
or should I
follow the Word of God?
00:50:23.55\00:50:25.22
I had a friend who's
a nurse, anesthetist,
00:50:25.25\00:50:27.96
and he was being told
that he was going to have
00:50:27.99\00:50:31.89
to comply with vaccine mandates
00:50:31.93\00:50:33.60
because he was a health worker.
00:50:33.63\00:50:35.20
And, but his conscience told
that he didn't want to do that.
00:50:35.23\00:50:37.17
And I asked him the
question, I said, "Listen."
00:50:37.20\00:50:38.53
I said, "If you
were a multimillionaire,
00:50:38.57\00:50:41.54
would you, you know, do this?"
00:50:41.57\00:50:43.04
And he said, "No, I wouldn't."
00:50:43.07\00:50:44.44
He said, "My conscience tells
me that I shouldn't do this.
00:50:44.47\00:50:48.44
So I don't want to do this.
00:50:48.48\00:50:49.81
This isn't good for me."
00:50:49.84\00:50:51.18
Now, I want to just
emphasize right now,
00:50:51.21\00:50:53.48
the issue we're
facing right now,
00:50:53.52\00:50:54.88
it's not about being vaccinated
and not being vaccinated.
00:50:54.92\00:50:57.49
I have a lot of
friends that are vaccinated
00:50:57.52\00:50:59.22
and I have a lot of
friends that aren't vaccinated.
00:50:59.25\00:51:01.09
That's not the issue.
00:51:01.12\00:51:02.46
We need to support
people who want to be vaccinated
00:51:02.49\00:51:05.43
and we need support people
00:51:05.46\00:51:06.80
who don't want to be vaccinated.
00:51:06.83\00:51:08.16
The issue is
mandates, coercion, force.
00:51:08.20\00:51:11.00
We need to stand for
liberty of conscience,
00:51:11.03\00:51:14.24
for the freedom to
choose to make a choice.
00:51:14.27\00:51:18.04
And if my friend says,
00:51:18.07\00:51:19.41
"I don't want to be vaccinated."
00:51:19.44\00:51:20.78
I'm going to say,
"Well, I support that."
00:51:20.81\00:51:22.14
If my other friend says,
"I do want to be vaccinated."
00:51:22.18\00:51:23.51
I'm going to
say, "I support that."
00:51:23.55\00:51:25.08
But I don't want
anyone to be forced
00:51:25.11\00:51:27.15
to do something that's
against their own conscience,
00:51:27.18\00:51:29.62
against their
conscientious convictions.
00:51:29.65\00:51:32.95
And so that says in
verse 16 of Matthew Chapter 24,
00:51:32.99\00:51:36.39
"Then him which is in
Judea flee to the mountains."
00:51:36.42\00:51:39.13
Now, God is telling me
00:51:39.16\00:51:40.90
something very
significant here, I believe.
00:51:40.93\00:51:43.33
The fleeing to the
mountains is to go to a place
00:51:43.37\00:51:47.54
that is away from the cities,
to get out of the cities,
00:51:47.57\00:51:51.34
they were to get out of
Jerusalem, out of the city.
00:51:51.37\00:51:53.61
Why?
00:51:53.64\00:51:54.98
Because the city was
going to be destroyed
00:51:55.01\00:51:56.34
when the Romans came.
00:51:56.38\00:51:57.71
The city was going to
go down, as Jesus said,
00:51:57.75\00:51:59.08
"Not one stone would
be left upon another."
00:51:59.11\00:52:01.08
And I think this applies
to us in these last days.
00:52:01.12\00:52:03.95
I think God is
telling us right now,
00:52:03.99\00:52:05.85
the cities are not
the safe place to be,
00:52:05.89\00:52:08.69
they're not the best
place to be for God's people,
00:52:08.72\00:52:11.06
it's time to get
out of the cities.
00:52:11.09\00:52:13.43
And we know when
this was finally passed,
00:52:13.46\00:52:15.70
when this
worship issue comes down,
00:52:15.73\00:52:18.63
it's definitely time
to get out of the cities.
00:52:18.67\00:52:21.24
But I would like to
encourage those of you
00:52:21.27\00:52:23.30
who have an ear to
hear, now is the time.
00:52:23.34\00:52:25.87
Rocks are crying now.
00:52:25.91\00:52:27.61
I live in the country, I've
lived in the country forever,
00:52:27.64\00:52:30.25
it seems, you
know, for the whole time
00:52:30.28\00:52:31.61
that I've been married
plus some and I was a city boy,
00:52:31.65\00:52:33.85
I was raised in London
and my wife is a city girl,
00:52:33.88\00:52:36.38
you know, she was raised
in Loma Linda, California,
00:52:36.42\00:52:39.12
both of us have been
living in the country,
00:52:39.15\00:52:40.56
all of our married life.
00:52:40.59\00:52:41.92
And we love living in a country
00:52:41.96\00:52:43.53
because we see the reason
why God lay this out for us.
00:52:43.56\00:52:49.16
We see the reason
why it's important
00:52:49.20\00:52:51.07
to be in an environment
where we're not going
00:52:51.10\00:52:53.54
to be forced by
neighbors and others around us
00:52:53.57\00:52:57.27
to comply with things
that maybe we don't believe.
00:52:57.31\00:52:59.54
And the country is
going to be a place
00:52:59.57\00:53:02.24
where we can raise our own food,
00:53:02.28\00:53:03.81
where we can have the
freedoms and liberties
00:53:03.85\00:53:05.38
a little bit longer,
of course, eventually,
00:53:05.41\00:53:07.72
I think we're just going to
have to flee to the mountains
00:53:07.75\00:53:09.28
where we're just to
camp and flee out there.
00:53:09.32\00:53:10.65
And, of course, we
see this in the verse
00:53:10.69\00:53:12.39
also very clearly
fleeing to the mountains.
00:53:12.42\00:53:14.96
But right now the
country is the place to be.
00:53:14.99\00:53:17.69
And you know
what? People know that.
00:53:17.73\00:53:19.06
Like I said, the
rocks are crying out.
00:53:19.09\00:53:20.83
I bought a house not long
ago in the country and now,
00:53:20.86\00:53:26.27
not even a year
later, that house has gone up
00:53:26.30\00:53:28.74
in value 26%
whereas houses in the cities
00:53:28.77\00:53:33.31
like San Francisco and
LA are just barely going up
00:53:33.34\00:53:37.48
by 2 or 3% marks.
00:53:37.51\00:53:39.55
That's because people
are moving out of the cities
00:53:39.58\00:53:42.32
and moving into the country.
00:53:42.35\00:53:43.69
And I'm not just
talking about believers,
00:53:43.72\00:53:45.05
I'm just talking
about people in general.
00:53:45.09\00:53:46.55
They are seeing what is coming.
00:53:46.59\00:53:48.56
They understand and
God is speaking to them,
00:53:48.59\00:53:50.46
the Holy Spirit
is speaking to them.
00:53:50.49\00:53:52.36
And they understand
what is taking place
00:53:52.39\00:53:54.30
in the world today.
00:53:54.33\00:53:55.66
And God wants us to understand
00:53:55.70\00:53:57.47
what is taking
place in the world today.
00:53:57.50\00:53:59.27
It's time for us to really
think about where we focus,
00:53:59.30\00:54:03.51
it's time for us to
really think about our future,
00:54:03.54\00:54:06.24
it's time for us
to really think about
00:54:06.27\00:54:08.11
what's taking place
on planet earth right now
00:54:08.14\00:54:10.21
because we're told and
we'll study this further
00:54:10.25\00:54:11.91
in our next segment, we're told
00:54:11.95\00:54:14.58
that for a lot of people
00:54:14.62\00:54:16.05
who profess to believe in Jesus,
00:54:16.08\00:54:17.89
His return is
going to come in a time
00:54:17.92\00:54:19.95
that they don't expect it.
00:54:19.99\00:54:21.32
They're not aware of it.
00:54:21.36\00:54:22.69
Well, they could have been
aware of it if they would have
00:54:22.72\00:54:24.06
opened their ears
and opened their eyes
00:54:24.09\00:54:26.13
to discern the spiritual
truths that God is showing us
00:54:26.16\00:54:29.76
right now in a
time in which we live.
00:54:29.80\00:54:31.67
They could have discerned it,
00:54:31.70\00:54:33.03
but they weren't
willing to discern it.
00:54:33.07\00:54:34.80
So it says here, we need
to, if we're on the housetop,
00:54:34.84\00:54:38.07
verse 17, if
you're on the housetop
00:54:38.11\00:54:39.94
don't come down to take
anything out of your house.
00:54:39.97\00:54:41.78
If you're in the field,
00:54:41.81\00:54:43.31
don't go back to
get your clothes.
00:54:43.35\00:54:45.25
And then in the context of this,
00:54:45.28\00:54:47.62
we need to recognize that
we need to be willing to let go
00:54:47.65\00:54:50.32
of earthly possessions
00:54:50.35\00:54:51.69
basically that's the principle.
00:54:51.72\00:54:53.12
We need to hold earthly
possessions with loose hands.
00:54:53.15\00:54:56.56
We need to be willing to let
go of these earthly possessions.
00:54:56.59\00:55:00.06
I still remember a
video of tsunami in Japan
00:55:00.10\00:55:02.23
some years ago.
00:55:02.26\00:55:03.60
And they had
video footage of people
00:55:03.63\00:55:04.97
that were fleeing in
their cars and vehicles.
00:55:05.00\00:55:06.74
And then they
showed this one man
00:55:06.77\00:55:08.27
that was had this heavy suitcase
00:55:08.30\00:55:09.97
and they were trying to drag.
00:55:10.01\00:55:11.57
He was trying to
drag it up a hill,
00:55:11.61\00:55:12.94
he was going up and up
in the water's rising rise,
00:55:12.97\00:55:14.48
he's trying to
drag the suitcase up.
00:55:14.51\00:55:16.08
And finally the
water gets to him
00:55:16.11\00:55:17.45
and takes a suitcase and him.
00:55:17.48\00:55:19.28
And if he would have
just let go of that suitcase,
00:55:19.31\00:55:21.32
let go of that stuff and
just himself tried to get
00:55:21.35\00:55:25.29
to that higher elevation,
he would have been saved.
00:55:25.32\00:55:28.79
That was a really sad
video, friends, and Jesus Christ
00:55:28.82\00:55:31.43
doesn't want that
video to represent us.
00:55:31.46\00:55:33.80
He is pleading with us
right now through His Word.
00:55:33.83\00:55:37.27
Don't go back for your
stuff, just leave it and flee.
00:55:37.30\00:55:41.07
It's time for us to be
focused on what is coming
00:55:41.10\00:55:45.17
upon this earth as an
overwhelming surprise.
00:55:45.21\00:55:47.98
And my appeal to you right
now is that you will consider
00:55:48.01\00:55:50.85
the words of Jesus
Christ in Matthew Chapter 24,
00:55:50.88\00:55:53.45
that you would
huddle with Jesus Christ
00:55:53.48\00:55:55.35
that is make Him a priority.
00:55:55.38\00:55:57.75
Spend more time
in the Word of God
00:55:57.79\00:55:59.42
than you spend in
anything else in your life.
00:55:59.45\00:56:02.49
Don't just spend a
few moments in the Bible.
00:56:02.52\00:56:04.33
Don't just spend a
few moments in prayer.
00:56:04.36\00:56:06.93
But really get into God's Word,
00:56:06.96\00:56:09.73
seek to
understand the Word of God.
00:56:09.76\00:56:12.00
Pray earnestly
for God to guide you.
00:56:12.03\00:56:14.10
Ask Him day and
night even fast and prayer,
00:56:14.14\00:56:16.17
God where do You want me to be?
00:56:16.20\00:56:18.44
What position do You want me
to occupy on the offensive line?
00:56:18.47\00:56:22.78
What position or what
route do You want me to run?
00:56:22.81\00:56:25.01
Remember, the kingdom of heaven
is likened to a football team,
00:56:25.05\00:56:27.92
Jesus is the quarterback.
00:56:27.95\00:56:29.55
We need to know the playbook.
00:56:29.58\00:56:31.25
What route do
You want me to run?
00:56:31.29\00:56:33.05
What position You
want me to occupy?
00:56:33.09\00:56:34.66
What block do
You want me to make?
00:56:34.69\00:56:36.29
Friends, it is time for us
to assess our spiritual life
00:56:36.32\00:56:41.36
with Jesus Christ.
00:56:41.40\00:56:42.73
It's time for us
to examine ourselves
00:56:42.76\00:56:44.47
to see if we're in the
faith, to prove our own selves,
00:56:44.50\00:56:48.04
lest we be reprobates.
00:56:48.07\00:56:50.24
It's time for us
to grow in faith.
00:56:50.27\00:56:52.77
Romans 10:17 says,
00:56:52.81\00:56:54.88
"Faith comes by
hearing and hearing
00:56:54.91\00:56:57.05
by the Word of God."
00:56:57.08\00:56:58.61
You've got extra time,
perhaps you've been laid off,
00:56:58.65\00:57:00.78
perhaps you're not able to work,
00:57:00.82\00:57:02.15
perhaps you've
been down with COVID,
00:57:02.18\00:57:03.52
who knows what you're facing.
00:57:03.55\00:57:05.05
You got that extra time,
invest it in the Word of God.
00:57:05.09\00:57:08.29
Spend time in the Word of God.
00:57:08.32\00:57:10.43
Give your heart to Jesus.
00:57:10.46\00:57:11.79
Get in the huddle.
00:57:11.83\00:57:13.16
Let the tank be
filled with His love
00:57:13.19\00:57:15.66
so that you can
endure through the end.
00:57:15.70\00:57:17.87
So you can endure
through the coldness.
00:57:17.90\00:57:19.90
So you can endure through a time
00:57:19.93\00:57:22.00
when the love
of many waxes cold.
00:57:22.04\00:57:23.71
That's my plea.
That's my prayer.
00:57:23.74\00:57:25.37
That's my appeal to you friends
right now in Jesus' name.
00:57:25.41\00:57:28.24