Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000120A
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:41 I'm Chris Shelton, your host, 00:42 I want to thank you for joining us. 00:44 Today's message is entitled 00:46 "Move out of the cities, the end is near." 00:49 Back when Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, 00:52 speaking and teaching with His disciples, 00:54 they asked Him what the signs of His Second Coming 00:57 and the end of the world would be. 00:59 In Matthew 24, 01:01 He began to explain many of the signs 01:04 that would precede His returning, 01:06 many of which had been fulfilled thus far 01:09 and are being fulfilled currently. 01:12 Let's read verses 5-8 together. 01:14 It reads, "For many shall come in my name, saying, 01:17 I am the Christ and shall deceive many. 01:21 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. 01:24 See that ye be not troubled, 01:26 for all these things must come to pass, 01:29 but the end is not yet. 01:31 For nation shall rise up against nation, 01:33 and kingdom against kingdom, 01:35 and there shall be famines, and pestilence, 01:38 and earthquakes, in divers places. 01:40 All these are the beginning of sorrows." 01:44 Friends, these same warnings are expressed 01:47 in The Spirit of Prophecy as well. 01:49 Let's read from the book Counsels on Health page 461. 01:54 "While appearing to the children of men 01:56 as a great physician, 01:58 who can heal all their maladies," 02:00 referring here to the great deceiver, the devil, 02:03 "he will bring disease and disaster 02:06 until populous cities are reduced to ruin 02:09 and desolation. 02:10 Even now he is at work. 02:12 In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, 02:16 in great conflagrations, 02:18 in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, 02:21 in tempests, floods, and cyclones, 02:23 and tidal waves, and earthquakes, 02:25 in every place and in a thousand forms, 02:28 Satan is exercising his power. 02:31 He sweeps away the ripening harvest, 02:34 and famine and distress follow. 02:37 He imparts to the air a deadly taint, 02:40 and thousands perish by the pestilence. 02:43 These visitations are to become more 02:45 and more frequent and disastrous..." 02:49 Friends, Pastor Kenny is going to bring us 02:51 up to date on some of the fulfillments 02:55 of these prophecies and proclaim 02:57 what we need to do as God's people 03:01 in order to be prepared for the days 03:03 that are soon to come upon us. 03:05 But before we join Pastor Kenny Shelton, 03:08 let's visit 3ABN 03:09 and listen to a song as played by Stephen Bramblett 03:13 entitled "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." 05:37 Thanks for joining us once again 05:39 at Behold the Lamb Ministries. 05:40 We appreciate you so very, very much. 05:42 We ask that you be praying for us. 05:44 We need prayer, 05:45 and we're gonna be praying for you. 05:47 This lesson today, this subject matter, 05:50 I think, is very, very important 05:51 because of the time in which we live. 05:53 We're living in the last days, last hours of world's history. 05:56 Jesus is soon to come. 05:58 You know, Jesus said over and over in scripture, 06:01 He said, "When you see these things come to pass, 06:03 you've been warned. 06:05 When you see them come to pass, 06:06 know that it's near even at the door." 06:09 So I think, as we look at this lesson today, 06:11 it's gonna be a real blessing to us 06:13 because Jesus is speaking to us 06:15 that we need to get ready for His coming. 06:16 The title of the message, 06:18 maybe a little bit longer title, 06:19 but I want you to listen carefully to it. 06:21 "Move out of the cities," notice this, 06:23 "the end is near." 06:25 "Move out of the cities, the end is near." 06:27 I think we'll see the reasoning behind it as we study. 06:30 But right now, we're going to pray. 06:31 So I invite you to pray along with us 06:33 please if you can. 06:36 Loving Father in heaven, again, 06:37 we ask for the anointing of Thy Holy Spirit, 06:40 how desperately we need Your mind, 06:42 we need Your thoughts, we need Your wisdom, 06:43 we have none of our own. 06:45 Lord, we ask for forgiveness for saying anything 06:47 in our hearts and life that needs not be there. 06:49 We need open communion with You right now, 06:51 and so we pray for not only for ourselves here 06:54 but for your people today, those who are watching, 06:56 those who are listening, around the world 06:58 that each one will take in 07:00 that which You have in store for them, 07:01 that we might be ready to meet You, 07:03 that we may see the hour in which we live. 07:05 In Jesus' name we pray and for His sake, amen. 07:13 I really believe with all my heart 07:14 that God's wise and faithful servants today 07:17 will be preaching these kind of a message 07:19 or teaching these kind of messages here 07:21 to give the people meet in due season. 07:24 This is what it's all about. 07:26 And we see the things happening in the world. 07:27 We have to realize that Jesus is what? 07:30 He's speaking to us. 07:31 You're going to know these things. 07:33 When you see Him, you're going to know 07:35 is what He keeps telling us over and over. 07:37 But it's so sad that the world does not know. 07:40 They seem to be in some kind of a hypnotic trance. 07:43 They're not sure of what's going on in the world. 07:46 They're too wrapped up in things that are going on. 07:49 Look back in scripture, 07:51 Enoch had a special message for his time, 07:53 Noah had a special message for his time, 07:57 Abraham had a special message, 07:59 Moses had a special message for his time, 08:03 and certainly for ours too, but for their time, 08:05 and I think now that the servants of God 08:08 have a special message for the hour 08:10 right now that we're living in. 08:12 We need to be aware of that. 08:14 And I think one of them would be 08:16 is we need to be thinking 08:17 in terms of moving out of the cities. 08:20 Why moving out of the cities, why? 08:21 Because the end is coming. 08:23 The days will be trapped in these places. 08:25 We'll not be able to get out. 08:27 People who live in these things, 08:28 we're gonna see as we study the Word of God, 08:30 they're getting worse and worse, 08:32 things that are going on in the cities. 08:34 We need to be far away as possible as we can be. 08:37 We realized that will take a lot of self-denial. 08:40 That'll take maybe not, 08:42 you know, reducing the way in which you're used to living 08:44 but getting out 08:45 because things are going to happen. 08:47 That's going to take us by a surprise 08:48 if we are not careful. 08:50 You have your Bibles. I want you to turn with me. 08:52 Remember the title is "Move out of the cities," 08:56 why, "the end is coming." 08:58 The end is coming. 09:00 Now remember, for the sins of the priest 09:03 and the people 09:05 Jerusalem was completely destroyed. 09:08 Keep that in mind. 09:10 If you go back and study that part of history, 09:13 I'm telling you, I'm gonna say this nicely, 09:15 it'll make you sick 09:17 of what happened 09:18 in the destruction of Jerusalem. 09:20 And we will see that before Jesus comes, 09:22 it's going to be worse than those days. 09:25 And I read it and my poor mind says, 09:26 "I don't know how it can be." 09:28 But God says, and so I know that it's true. 09:30 Turn with me to your Bibles, if you will, to 2 Chronicles. 09:33 Back in the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles 36, 09:39 and we're going to read two verses, 15 and 16. 09:42 2 Chronicles 36:15-16. 09:48 Now when I'm reading this, when I'm reading this, 09:50 remember, it has to do with the sins of what? 09:53 The priest and the people that Jerusalem was destroyed, 09:58 God allowed it to be destroyed. 09:59 Here's what these two verses tell us here, 10:02 2 Chronicles 36:15-16. 10:05 It says "The Lord God of their fathers 10:07 sent to them by His messengers, 10:10 rising up," how many, "betimes, and sending, 10:14 because He had compassion on His people 10:18 and on His dwelling place." 10:20 Verse 16, 10:22 "But they mocked the messengers of God, 10:25 they despised," what, "His words, 10:28 misused His prophets, 10:30 until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, 10:34 till there was no remedy." 10:37 That means there was what? No healing. 10:40 It came to the point 10:41 where there would be no healing, 10:43 that probation as it were closed, 10:45 God let it go until there's no... 10:47 Why let it go on anymore? 10:50 Very, very interesting thought. 10:51 So as we're looking at this and thinking about 10:54 these passages of scripture, 10:56 I looked over some things and I just thought, 10:58 you know, I'm not gonna spend a whole lot of time on, 11:00 I really can't 11:02 because I'm looking at the signs of the times 11:04 and the destruction that's in the world today. 11:07 Remember Jesus said, "When you see these things, 11:09 right, when you see things developing 11:11 and things that are happening, 11:12 you're going to know, you're going to know." 11:14 But see, people are not seeing 11:15 what's going on in the world today, 11:17 disaster after disaster is happening. 11:20 Many of us are in our cities, many are on the islands, 11:22 many are just around the world, destruction, 11:26 what does that really mean? Destruction is everywhere. 11:29 Dictionary says the action 11:31 or process of causing so much damage 11:35 to something that it no longer exists 11:38 and cannot be repaired. 11:40 Have you seen anything take place like that 11:43 in the last few months, in the last few years, 11:45 that things have happened in this land, 11:47 in this country that is completely devastated? 11:51 Now we're looking at some places, say, 11:52 we're going to rebuild, we're going to redo. 11:56 But remember, it completely destroyed 11:59 that signs of the times. 12:02 We need to listen and we need to really be studying 12:05 into these things because as signs of the times, 12:09 fires, horrible fires 12:14 have displaced thousands and thousands of people, 12:17 billions of dollars of damage. 12:20 As I was looking at these lists, I said, 12:21 "You could go on for a whole week almost 12:23 with what's just happened in 2018." 12:26 You really could of the disaster, 12:28 selling their what? 12:29 One upon the heels of the other 12:30 that the coming of the Lord is near. 12:33 But if you go and you look at things like, 12:35 you know, you have a member Andrew and Florence, 12:38 you remember those, and Opal, and even Dennis, 12:41 and Katrina, and Michael, these hurricanes, 12:44 disastrous things take place. 12:47 Fires everywhere, even in our country. 12:51 And so I said, you know, I've jotted down 12:53 three pages of things, I said, 12:54 I can't really spend a whole lot of time 12:56 but other than to say, for instance, 12:58 North American Blizzard. 13:00 That wasn't too long ago. 13:02 In the US and Canada, what really took place? 13:05 Snow fell and ice fell 13:07 where there... usually is not accustomed to falling. 13:10 We're talking about in places 13:12 like Northern Florida and Southern Georgia, 13:16 they were named by several different names, 13:18 but one interesting name stuck out to me, 13:20 nothing official on it, 13:22 but it simply said, going into this storm, 13:24 the ice and what took place, 13:25 they call it historic bomb cyclones. 13:31 They're naming them like things that 13:32 they've never named before 13:33 that they haven't seen before. 13:35 Damage in the billions and billions, 13:37 power outages by the hundreds of thousands 13:40 and millions of people, deaths, 13:43 flooding in United States, oh, you know, tornadoes, 13:47 and they start categorizing them and, 13:49 you know, they call them, well, EF1s, and EF2s, and Ef3s. 13:54 It's a horrible nightmare, they list those. 13:57 In 2018, there was 968, 14:02 listen, 968 tornadoes that they listed. 14:06 See, a lot of time, we don't hear 14:08 a whole lot about all of these different things 14:11 but they're signs of the time. 14:14 They're historic, and we need to pay 14:16 special attention to them today. 14:18 Just quickly, I've got another page. 14:19 I'm just gonna read a couple of notes 14:21 I thought very interesting 14:22 because we realize as we read the scripture 14:25 that these disasters are going to be worldwide, 14:28 not just here in this country, 14:30 and I just jotted down that talked about 14:31 10 deadliest natural disasters in 2018. 14:36 The 10, notice, deadliest natural disasters, 14:40 US News & World Report. 14:43 And I'll just simply read. 14:45 Number one, they talked about Greece, what was it? 14:47 Wildfire, deaths. 14:49 And Papa New Guinea, oh, man, earthquake. 14:52 North Korea, there were floods. 14:55 Pakistan, a heatwave that killed many, many people. 14:58 Nigeria, there was floods, Japan, there was floods, 15:02 India, there was floods, Guatemala, volcanic eruptions, 15:06 Indonesia, Indonesia has been hit pretty hard this year. 15:10 Not just... not a few days ago, 15:12 but we're talking about few months ago 15:14 to where hundreds and hundreds died, 15:17 volcanic eruptions. 15:19 I'll tell you, we talk about tsunamis, 15:22 things that are happening without warning. 15:25 We're living in that time, famine, and certainly disease, 15:30 pestilence. 15:31 We can think of many countries around the world 15:34 that are suffering right now for the lack of water and food 15:37 and certainly disease. 15:40 As 2 Chronicles tells us, 15:42 when the messengers were sent, 15:43 just like today, people will hear. 15:45 You know what they'll say about this talk today? 15:48 They'll say, "Oh, boy, doom and gloom again. 15:50 It's nothing but doom and gloom again. 15:52 These are the warnings that God gives in His Word 15:55 that we may go back and we may read, 15:57 for examples, aren't they? 15:58 But the Bible said 15:59 that we may live, we may learn from these things. 16:02 The verses that we just read there in 2 Chronicles 16:05 apply more today than they even did back then. 16:09 They apply as a warning that Jesus is coming, 16:12 warning after warning, but what happened? 16:15 There was no change took place. 16:17 Today, you can say this, 16:18 the probation, is soon to close. 16:20 We need to get ready for Jesus' coming, 16:22 and we see basically no change. 16:23 We don't see church attendants on the rise. 16:26 And in fact, we see it falling off. 16:29 We don't see a whole lot of evangelism 16:31 as we need to be seeing it now 16:33 because we have other things to do 16:35 and we are busy, 16:36 but we'd say signs of the times are here, 16:39 devastation, uncertainty, 16:42 strange events are taking place 16:46 every day of our life. 16:49 Jesus has said before warns us of these things. 16:52 And He said when they come to pass, 16:54 then you're going to know, 16:56 we see Him coming to pass today. 16:59 One on the heels of the other, 17:00 but it's still like we don't know. 17:03 See, if people really believed that this is it, 17:05 would there not be a change? 17:07 Will there not be a change in our own hearts, 17:09 in our own lives, church attendants, 17:10 the churches should be full, 17:13 should be a priority, 17:14 Jesus should be a priority, 17:16 but it's not the things of this world. 17:19 One of the things I'm very grateful and thankful, 17:22 Revelation 7:1. 17:25 It talks about the angels' revelation. 17:27 They're holding back the winds of what? 17:30 Yes, God's promise. 17:31 I'm going to take care of you. 17:32 He said there was four angels 17:34 standing on the four corners of the earth, 17:36 holding the four what? 17:37 The winds of the earth 17:39 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 17:42 nor the sea, nor on any tree. 17:44 God's saying there's a work to be done 17:46 and when this work is complete, 17:48 then He's gonna let those angels loose, 17:50 think about that. 17:52 There's angels now that's commissioned 17:53 to hold back. 17:54 Now I'm sure there's more than four angels 17:56 that are involved, is somebody home? 17:58 You know, many, many angels are involved 18:00 because there's so much going on 18:01 around the world today. 18:03 But God says there in Revelation 18:06 that there are four angels representing the four corners, 18:08 you know, north, south, east, and west of the world. 18:10 What are these four angels doing? 18:13 They're holding the enemy in check. 18:16 They're stopping the enemy from going 18:18 where he wants to go. 18:20 Aren't you glad we have a God in heaven 18:22 that cares and watches over and says, "You know what? 18:25 You guys, you can't take care of yourself. 18:26 I'm gonna take care of you. 18:28 I'm gonna take care of you." 18:29 You can't do. You're no match for the enemy. 18:32 Hold back these evil forces until God's work is done. 18:35 What is God's work? 18:36 God's work is to seal the people of God. 18:39 The sealing processes take place. 18:42 You remember as you're studying the Book of Revelation 6:17, 18:46 there's a question that's asked. 18:48 And I think about this often, this question, 18:51 "Who shall be able to stand?" 18:53 In other words, the condition of the world, 18:55 we're talking about Revelation 6, 18:57 we're talking about, you know, the seals, 19:00 things that are going on. 19:01 It's a hard time in the world. 19:04 And it seems so bad 19:05 that there will be no survivors. 19:07 But God in His infinite wisdom 19:09 takes time and He stops it, 19:11 you see, in the sixth verse, 19:13 for the seventh one, and He says, 19:15 "There's gonna be a people who will be victorious. 19:19 There's going to be a people that's going to be preserved. 19:21 And I thought, how wonderful. 19:23 "Who shall be able to stand," the Bible said. 19:26 So I called this pause or this time out, 19:30 where this question is addressed, 19:33 that the situation is so bad on this earth. 19:36 Well, chapter 7 gives us the answer. 19:39 There will be a people 19:40 and then it goes into addressing what? 19:42 The 144,000, you see, 19:47 it's going to be like Jesus. 19:49 So there will be a people. 19:51 And that's not the purpose of our study today, 19:53 but I encourage you to get into that 19:55 and spend some time on that, 19:56 especially 7:1-4. 20:00 Our purpose today is to look at the world, 20:02 the condition of the world, 20:03 and see if what Jesus said 20:06 is coming to pass right now before our very eyes, 20:08 or have we grown immune? 20:11 I think, sometimes, we've grown immune 20:12 to everything that's going on in the world 20:13 because we see it, hear it all the time. 20:15 We look at it in terms of a storm pass through 20:17 and 20 people lost their lives. 20:18 "Oh, well, that's not as bad as the one over here. 20:20 It was 120." 20:22 The other one's 1,000 or 1,900 20:24 or 2,000 lives in there. 20:25 Well, that wasn't as bad as 300,000 in the earthquake. 20:29 And so we're just a people, 20:32 every person is important to God, 20:34 every person is one 20:36 who's potential candidate for heaven. 20:39 But John in Revelation in a symbolic, 20:42 in a symbolic vision, 20:43 he saw these angels holding back the enemy 20:46 who's come down the Bible, as said, 20:48 "as a roaring," what? 20:50 "He's come down as a roaring lion." 20:52 1 Peter 5:8, 20:53 he's coming down with intense, you know, 20:56 a meanness in his bones. 20:58 It says He's going to try to devour. 21:01 All the enemy has on his mind is ruin and destruction. 21:05 And if anything or anybody is in his way, 21:07 he's going to make... he's going to destroy. 21:09 He's looking to destroy us, not to bless us, 21:12 not to take care of us, but to fool us 21:13 that we will take his side. 21:16 Now remember, that four angels, 21:18 when they let go of the winds, 21:20 a lot of people have never studied Revelation, 21:22 they'd realize that the winds, 21:24 symbolic of strife, and war, and bloodshed. 21:27 You can read that in the book of Jeremiah 21:29 when you have time. 21:31 Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 49, 21:35 and also in Zachariah 7, 21:37 and even in Revelation 7:3. 21:40 Remember, it says here about the wind blowing, it says what? 21:43 "Hurt not the earth." 21:46 So there's a time, I'm saying, right now is the time of grace, 21:48 why go through all of this now? 21:50 It's the time of grace 21:51 that God is putting on this world 21:52 to say is the time now to make a decision for him. 21:55 You see these things taking place, 21:56 it should help us to say, "Okay, I've got it now. 21:59 I need to make a decision. 22:01 Can't ride the fence anymore 22:02 because it's going to be sudden things that take place. 22:06 You ask some of these countries 22:07 where some of the disasters has happened, 22:08 they say, "We weren't even warned, we didn't know." 22:11 Life was gone. 22:13 What if that happened to you? 22:14 What if that happened to me today? 22:16 Where will we stand with God? 22:17 Where would we stand with God 22:19 if our lives should close today, 22:21 I mean, today? 22:23 Would we still be bumbling back and forth 22:25 and trying to make a decision, 22:26 you know, just to have a... 22:27 Or would we have... 22:29 Have we made that decision for Him? 22:31 Great Controversy is a book that I thoroughly enjoy 22:34 and love, and so good, help us understand the Bible, 22:38 praise God for it. 22:39 Great Controversy page 614, notice this paragraph. 22:43 We're talking about now, 22:44 the angels are holding 22:46 until God's servants are sealed in there for it. 22:49 What does that mean? 22:50 Until they made a decision, a final decision for Him. 22:54 And while they're still yet one in the whole world, 22:56 He's going to tell those angels to hold, 22:59 hold because there's one over here 23:01 that hasn't made that decision that will. 23:05 But what happens to this earth 23:06 when the angels let go as it were 23:09 or, worse, let the enemy have his way. 23:12 The enemy doesn't have his way in the world right now. 23:15 God allows so much, doesn't He? 23:17 But right now, but when the winds are let go, 23:20 the enemy will have his way. 23:22 No more mercy, what a world to live in. 23:25 And we won't be ruptured away like a lot of people talk. 23:28 Find in the Bible where anytime came in time of trouble 23:32 that God's people were rapture away. 23:34 They went through it. 23:35 What did Daniel do? 23:37 He went to the lion, didn't he? Now what did the Hebrews do? 23:39 They went to the fiery furnace. 23:40 They weren't raptured away from it. 23:42 We need to get it straight. 23:44 We need to get it right 23:45 because that's the devil's lies telling us to say, 23:47 "Well, I won't be here during that time." 23:49 Yes, you will if you're alive, if you don't pass before. 23:54 This time, we will go through it 23:55 because it's perfecting time for God's people. 23:59 Great Controversy 614 says, "When the angels let go, 24:03 the whole world will be involved in ruin," 24:05 notice this, 24:07 "more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old." 24:11 Did we get that? 24:13 When the angels let go, 24:14 come on, church, think about it, 24:16 when the angels let go, 24:17 think about reality 24:18 because it could happen any moment, 24:21 it's already being loosened. 24:24 That's why we see what we're seeing, 24:26 the judgments of God are in the land, 24:28 but we will do basically what they did back then 24:31 that we read in 2 Chronicles, 24:33 we will say, God will say 24:34 "I sent messenger after messenger. 24:37 You studied it, you knew it was coming to pass, 24:39 but you didn't act on it." 24:43 And so He said, 24:44 "There come a time there's no healing." 24:47 Let's not leave that Bible verse out 24:50 and many others in scripture where God just let them alone 24:53 because they wanted their own way, 24:55 and God gave them their way. 24:59 When the angels let go, it's going to be worse. 25:03 The ruin will be worse. 25:05 Remember, in Jerusalem, there was not what? 25:07 One stone left upon the other. 25:10 Millions lost their life, 25:15 mothers, fathers, they boiled and ate their own children. 25:20 They tried to get nourishment out of leather, 25:21 Brother Mark, you remember that, 25:23 they're chewing now on leather. 25:25 That's where the Bible prophecy is fulfilled so much 25:28 in that day and certainly in our day, 25:30 where it says that fathers are going to turn against son 25:32 and mother and daughter and so on and so forth, 25:34 turn upon each other. 25:36 They turned up on each other then and as it was that day, 25:38 it's going to be again. 25:40 It's almost too much for our mind to comprehend 25:42 about what God has said. 25:45 That makes the difference to me. 25:47 I can't comprehend all of it. 25:49 You read it, but He said, 25:50 but God said it's going to happen. 25:52 It says it's going to be worse than that day, 25:54 three areas are mentioned here quickly as we go on. 25:56 I think my clock has stopped, so I don't know where I'm at. 25:59 But notice, three areas are mentioned here 26:00 telling us that threatening destruction 26:03 on the universe, 26:05 on the whole world, did you get that? 26:07 The whole world, it's a worldwide destruction. 26:10 Notice what the Bible said, it's going to be where? 26:12 It's going to be on the earth, it's going to be where? 26:15 In the sea, 26:16 and it's going to be on the trees. 26:18 Remember, we're studying the Book of Revelation, 26:20 so other parts of the Bible use trees. 26:23 What does it mean that this... all this problem 26:24 is going to... the trees. 26:26 Let's just quickly go over that so we understand 26:29 what we're talking about here. 26:30 In Mark 8, this is fascinating if you study it, 26:34 Mark 8:24. 26:36 Jesus was in the process of healing a blind man. 26:41 And we know that he spit a little on His hand. 26:42 And first of all what He did was He touched the man's eyes. 26:47 Now every time Jesus did anything 26:49 and He touched somebody, boom, they were healed. 26:51 This time, it didn't happen. 26:54 Ah, what do you mean it didn't happen? 26:57 This is the only miracle recorded, 26:58 I think, in scripture that was done in two stages, 27:02 very interesting. 27:05 Jesus knew what was taking place. 27:07 Now remember, I think the man just had a little bit of faith, 27:10 it wasn't quite enough faith, 27:11 "Thy faith hath made thee whole," 27:13 and Jesus was giving him a chance 27:15 to touch him just a little bit so his faith was increased. 27:18 He wouldn't leave him where he was at. 27:19 Jesus came to the blind man and the Bible said He took him 27:22 and He took him out of the city. 27:25 Sometimes, we have to be taken away 27:26 from some of the mess and the junk 27:27 that we're involved with in this world 27:29 in order to see what God has in mind for us. 27:32 There has to be some separation. 27:33 You can't have things on you all the time 27:35 that's dragging you down, 27:37 dragging you out, knocking you out. 27:39 Somebody not with me? 27:41 Spiritually, there's things 27:42 that drag us down in this world, 27:45 and we have to cut those things loose 27:47 in order to do God's will. 27:50 Didn't say it'd be pleasant, 27:51 didn't say it wouldn't be painful. 27:53 Just think about Gethsemane, just think about Calvary 27:56 if you want to know something be painful. 27:58 What Jesus is willing to do for us, 28:00 we must be willing to do for Him. 28:02 And so Jesus touched this blind man, his eyes, 28:05 and then Jesus asked him a question there, Mark 8:24, 28:09 He said, "And He looked up, and said," 28:11 Jesus asked him, He said, "What do you see?" 28:14 And that man that was blind, "He looked up and he said, 28:17 'I see men as trees walking'" Did you get it? 28:22 We're talking about here, 28:24 the earth, and the sea, and the tree. 28:26 Let's get it where we put it together here. 28:28 He said, he wasn't seeing real well, 28:30 but it's lot better than he was before. 28:33 Now his faith is increasing, now he's excited 28:35 knowing something good is happening. 28:37 He said, "I don't know, but I see there's men, 28:40 they look like trees walking." 28:43 Interesting thought. 28:45 Two stages in this miracle and then, of course, 28:47 Jesus touches his eyes again, and the Bible says what? 28:50 He saw clearly, Jesus wasn't going to leave him 28:54 seeing men as trees, but just the illustration 28:56 that we use here talking about trees 28:59 is dealing with mankind here in this world, right, 29:02 talking about the earth and the sea 29:03 and mankind, wow. 29:06 Also, just know the illustration 29:07 there in Judges 9, 29:08 just jot it down and do some study on that. 29:11 It says, "The trees went forth." 29:13 Well, I didn't know the trees went forth, 29:14 I thought on this planet, that's where they stayed 29:16 till they died and they fell over. 29:18 So you can see here, right, an allegory, 29:20 many times in scripture, there's allegory, 29:22 it's representing something. 29:24 And so these trees were representing something. 29:25 The trees were representing what? 29:27 Men or people, people of God, and it says to him, 29:30 the trees were supposed to be talking trees. 29:34 And remember what took place here? 29:35 The people wanted a king and we're talking about not... 29:38 We're talking about time of Gideon here, 29:41 they wanted to put... crowned him as king. 29:44 He said, "No, there's no way I'm going to do that." 29:46 He said, "The Lord shall rule over you," 29:47 don't you like that? 29:49 Because he knew that wasn't what God wanted, 29:51 but they wanted a king and why? 29:54 They wanted somebody to rule over them 29:55 because they were being defeated in battle. 29:58 Everything they went to do went sour. 30:00 Maybe you have that in your life today 30:02 that you're trying this, you're trying that, 30:03 everything you do is going sour, 30:05 you might look at your own life. 30:07 I might look at my own. 30:09 It may be test and trials 30:10 and may not necessarily be anything, 30:12 maybe like Job, but still yet, 30:14 the people here were causing the trouble. 30:16 They're looking, saying, "Well, let us give us the king, 30:18 everything is gonna be a whole lot better." 30:21 But it was due to their apostasy 30:23 the things that they were going through 30:25 and said, "Give us a king." 30:27 Well, Gideon certainly refused. 30:29 Now think about 30:30 the terrible conditions of the world, 30:32 the things existing in the world today. 30:34 Here's fact number one, 30:35 I'll give you a few facts here quickly. 30:37 Fact number one, the restraining power of God 30:42 and the Holy Spirit is being withdrawn 30:43 from the earth, is that true? 30:45 We say true or false. 30:47 The restraining power of God is being what? 30:51 It's been withdrawn. 30:52 It just makes sense because of all the bad things 30:55 that are happening. 30:57 Men have lost their minds. 31:00 They've absolutely lost, many of their mind, 31:02 doing the things that take place. 31:04 You think that never happened in our world? 31:06 Not this day and time. 31:08 They're staying in power, 31:10 is that what happened in Genesis? 31:11 What was that, 6:3? 31:15 Remember, before the flood, 31:17 the Holy Spirit was being withdrawn from man. 31:20 And as the Holy Spirit's withdrawn, 31:22 men get worse, not better. 31:24 You and I need the Holy Spirit, 31:25 we need to be praying for the Holy Spirit. 31:27 That gives us power 31:29 and gives us victory in our life, 31:30 gives us insight, gives us strength to endure 31:32 the mess that we live in. 31:34 Think about it. This world is a mess. 31:36 We need God, we need help, we need encouragement. 31:41 We sense that the Spirit is being withdrawn. 31:43 And remember, when it's withdrawn like so, 31:46 the enemy comes in like so. 31:48 He can't do it as long as the spirit is here. 31:50 Are you still with me? 31:51 Back up just a little bit more, here come the enemy again, 31:55 until he has full control because he thinks 31:57 he owns this world anyway, doesn't he? 31:59 Fact two, Satan is confusing the religious world. 32:04 Is he not? 32:06 He's placing a terrible twist. 32:09 He's knotting up the truth of God's Word 32:12 to make it look like, 32:14 you know, it's saying something 32:15 that's not really saying at all. 32:17 And all of these things, I see, resulting and changing 32:21 of the laws of the land 32:23 to where they will go against the people of God, 32:27 which will result in a Sunday law, 32:29 you know that. 32:32 God says, "Hold back those winds now, 32:36 don't hurt the earth, 32:38 don't hurt the people of God till my work is done." 32:42 Fact three, the enemy has stirred up 32:45 the political world as never before. 32:48 I've never seen it. 32:50 I've never seen it like this. 32:52 Maybe I just hadn't seen it. 32:55 Just like my eyes have been opened to say, 32:57 "What is going on?" 32:59 The spirit is being withdrawn. 33:03 Sometimes, pathetic influence that our leaders 33:07 are leaving upon us as a people, 33:08 and sometimes, as people, 33:11 pathetic influence that we're leaving upon others. 33:13 God, help us to be the right kind of influence. 33:17 The political world is in activity right now. 33:22 They're warring against each other. 33:24 They're not for the best for the people at all. 33:27 They're going against the party. 33:29 I'm gonna stand... 33:30 This is our party, this is your party. 33:32 We're not going to budge. 33:33 We don't care whether you work or not. 33:35 We don't care whether you have... 33:38 800,000 people right now, 33:41 a part of government shutdown. 33:45 And both parties said we're not budging. 33:49 This is, listen, these are signs of the times. 33:52 These are signs of the times. 33:54 People are going to get more upset, 33:55 people are going to become more violent, 33:57 there's going to be more crime, 33:59 there's going to be more stealing, 34:00 there's going to be more shooting. 34:02 Let's say I don't have food. 34:04 I didn't want to steal it, but... 34:08 God knows. 34:11 Fact number four, the law of God 34:13 is in the process of being made void. 34:16 Is it? 34:17 The law of God is in the process, 34:19 everything that's going on behind that. 34:24 We see in Psalms, what is it? 34:26 1:19, 1:26. 34:28 "It is time for the, O Lord, 34:30 to work for they have made void Thy law." 34:33 The time is coming. 34:34 The time is here 34:35 that everything's going to center around that, 34:37 and it's going to look like it's best for the country. 34:40 The cities are becoming so contaminated. 34:43 Now it's time we need to think about leaving. 34:48 It's sad people can't see this. 34:51 Fact number five, I give it maybe dozens and dozens. 34:53 I'm not going to do that because of our time. 34:56 Nature is crying out and rebelling, 34:59 nothing seems the same. 35:02 Have you thought about that? 35:04 How this nature, how... Nothing seems right. 35:07 Everything's just... events that are happening 35:09 are just different. 35:10 They're not like the way it used to. 35:13 Things are strange. 35:17 Great Controversy says this, listen carefully, 35:19 page 589, time going by quickly. 35:23 Now notice this, why do we just say 35:26 things are happening different, storms, 35:29 everything you can think about is different, 35:31 kind of, like than it used to be. 35:32 Why? 35:33 Because Satan is working the elements. 35:37 Somebody with me? 35:38 Great Controversy page 589 says 35:40 "Satan works through the elements 35:43 also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls." 35:48 Something goes through my mind all the time 35:50 when big disasters happen 35:51 and thousands and tens of thousands lose their life. 35:54 I say, probation must have closed 35:55 for these individuals. 35:57 God knows 35:59 because if there'd be one righteous, 36:01 could He had, would He had saved? 36:03 You remember that, when you said, 36:04 "If there'd be 10, if there'd be 5, 36:05 if there'd be 1, would you?" 36:07 He said, "Yes." 36:09 The enemy is in the laboratory. 36:14 Listen carefully. 36:15 He's trying to do what? Harvest unprepared souls. 36:19 If there'd be anyone unprepared today, 36:22 I suggest, please, by the grace of God, 36:24 be prepared. 36:25 It's simple to be prepared. 36:26 Simply just surrender your life to Jesus Christ 36:29 and say, "Man, I can't take this anymore. 36:31 I can't shoulder it anymore. 36:32 It's too heavy. I can't. 36:34 Please help me. 36:35 Come to the foot of cross, there's help. 36:37 There's room for you. There's room for me. 36:40 Article goes on and says, "He has..." Listen, 36:43 "He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature. 36:48 He uses all of his power to control the elements 36:51 as far as God allows." 36:56 Job is a good example 36:57 for those who are going to challenge that, 36:59 just really the life of Job and see what he did. 37:03 The lightning fire, whatever 37:04 and destroyed the homes and family. 37:07 Again, The Great Controversy. 37:08 Keep in mind, please keep in mind, 37:10 Satan has control of all 37:12 whom God does not especially guard. 37:16 Did you get it? 37:18 Satan has control 37:21 of everyone who God does not, 37:24 especially, notice this, guard. 37:30 We have to make that decision for Christ. 37:34 Again, Great Controversy page 589 and 590. 37:38 It says, "He, Satan," who? 37:40 "Satan will bring disease, disaster until populous cities 37:44 are reduced to ruin and desolation. 37:48 Even now he is at work in accidents and calamities 37:51 by sea and land." 37:54 Already he's at work, did you notice that? 37:58 Through what? 37:59 Great destruction, the article says here, 38:02 in fires, notice what it says. 38:04 "In the fierce tornadoes and terrific hail storms, 38:08 in tempest..." 38:09 Looked up the word tempest, notice tempest means weather, 38:12 but it also means wind, and rain, and snow, and famine. 38:17 Already he's at work in these things. 38:22 "In floods, and cyclones, 38:24 in tidal waves, earthquakes, famine. 38:29 These will be both on man and beast. 38:33 And they will become more frequent and disastrous." 38:37 Are we seeing that? 38:38 Remember, Jesus said, 38:39 "I'm going to tell you these things. 38:41 When they come to pass, you're going to know it." 38:43 Are they becoming more frequent? 38:44 Absolutely, they are. 38:46 They're more disastrous than they've ever been. 38:48 Yes, it's proven. 38:51 It's telling us that Jesus is coming. 38:53 We need to be ready. 38:56 In April 13 of 2018... 39:02 This article was in the New York Times. 39:05 It says, "United States says Syria has used chemical weapons 39:10 at least 50 times." 39:12 And some say that's very, very low. 39:15 Did you get that? 39:16 Listen, listen, it makes sense 39:17 because the Bible talks about it 39:19 and the spirit of prophecy says, 39:20 I'm going to read that quote in just a minute. 39:24 But also, chemical warfare 39:25 was used in World War I and World War II, 39:29 millions were destroyed. 39:32 It's a scary thought. 39:34 They're using it today. 39:36 But notice, we're talking nuclear, 39:37 we're talking biological, what? 39:40 Chemical, that's called NBC, 39:44 NBC of weapons. 39:47 And they're all considered 39:48 to be weapons of mass destruction. 39:52 Man has those, the capability to destroy this earth over 39:57 and over and over betimes. 40:00 And some madman is gonna do it or by accident. 40:03 Something is on the verge we need to know. 40:06 Here's what The Great Controversy 40:07 says about this. 40:09 Listen, page 590, put it together. 40:13 It says, "He, the enemy, Satan, 40:15 imparts to the air a deadly taint, 40:19 thousands perish by the pestilence." 40:22 Did you get it? 40:24 Prophesied a long time ago. 40:26 The enemy's gonna have things put out there in the air 40:28 that kills hundreds and thousands of people, 40:30 we've seen nothing yet. 40:34 Have we not seen about every one of these signs 40:37 taking place? 40:38 Confusion and anxiety and fear. 40:41 Bible said man's heart will be what? 40:44 See, here's may be an issue. 40:46 I know we're supposed to have peace. 40:48 But the world should be in such an agitated state 40:51 that hearts are failing them for fear 40:54 of what's coming on this world, 40:55 but it's not. 40:58 When they have anxiety, when they kill themselves 41:00 is when they lose their money. 41:04 When there's a disaster on Wall Street, 41:07 people take their life, they jump out of windows. 41:11 They can't take it. 41:12 But how about for fear of those things 41:15 coming up on this... 41:16 Man's heart, Luke 21:26, "Man's heart does," what, 41:21 "fails for the fear," yes. 41:24 Failing for fear of what's coming on the earth. 41:27 I'm talking about outrageous crimes. 41:30 Outrageous crimes committed by men. 41:33 And we're talking thousands 41:34 every day, every hour, every minute, every second. 41:39 I mean you get the people who do statistics, 41:41 they get down, they'll say 41:43 this amount of this crime happens 41:45 every five seconds, some every ten seconds, 41:49 some every second. 41:51 Wow. 41:56 We know the wrath of God is being poured out 41:58 on the inhabitants of this world. 42:00 Why? 42:02 You say, "Well, how do you know?" 42:04 Have we or have we not passed? 42:08 Maybe really passed at a long shot. 42:12 The corrupt condition of Sodom and Gomorrah. 42:16 The world is in worse condition today 42:20 than Sodom and Gomorrah was. 42:22 You realize what a mess the world was into, 42:24 the mess through the ages, through down 42:27 from the very beginning of time. 42:28 Realize, God used nations to destroy 42:31 and He was ready to put His own people 42:33 into captivity, did He not? 42:37 I think it's in Habakkuk 1, 42:41 that it simply says about God using 42:43 the heathen nations to put His people 42:46 into captivity or to destroy His people. 42:49 He said, "Because they are more righteous 42:51 and better than you are." 42:53 That makes me sink down in my chair, 42:55 that the heathen, those didn't even know him. 42:58 God looked at them and said, "They're more righteous 43:01 and better than you, which He calls us, hypocrites." 43:05 Why? 43:06 Because we know better, they didn't, 43:08 God doesn't hold them accountable. 43:10 He didn't hold them accountable. 43:11 He looks at you every day, 43:13 you're accountable for what you've learned, 43:14 you're accountable for what you know. 43:15 I'm accountable. 43:17 Wouldn't it be sad that God looks at the people 43:19 who don't even know Him and say, 43:21 "They're better than you." 43:22 Look at these people down through the ages, He said, 43:24 "You vipers, you know," His prophets said, 43:26 "You vipers, you hypocrites." 43:30 Lord, have mercy on us today. 43:33 So we know that God is moving what? 43:35 His protection 43:37 and the Holy Spirit from the earth 43:39 because we see it in death and destruction everywhere. 43:42 Increasing crime is an all-time high. 43:45 Eight Testimonies page 50 says this, notice, 43:48 "Human agents..." who's that? 43:49 That's us. 43:51 "Human agents, people, are being trained 43:54 and are using their inventive power 43:57 to put in operation the most powerful machinery 44:01 to wound and to kill." 44:04 Do we see that? Absolutely. 44:06 Billions are being spent that we can protect ourselves, 44:09 we say, but to kill other people, 44:12 to remain on top. 44:16 World, as I said before, 44:17 destroy itself over and over and over. 44:18 God says this, quickly, Isaiah, Isaiah 24. 44:22 Here's what God said. God warns again. 44:25 My thing is this, as God warns us, will I listen? 44:29 Or will I be like people of all, 44:31 will I be like God's people all through scripture 44:33 that I rebelled? 44:34 I heard it, I understood it, but I rebelled 44:36 because I wanted my own way. 44:38 God said this world is waxing old 44:41 and it's going to come to an end. 44:42 And then what? 44:44 Isaiah 24:4-6 says, 44:48 Isaiah chapter what? 44:50 24:4-6, "The earth," does what, 44:54 "mourneth and fadeth away, 44:55 the world languisheth and fadeth away, 44:58 the haughty people of the earth," do what, 45:00 "they languish. 45:02 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof." 45:06 How was the earth defiled? 45:08 Has God defiled this earth? 45:09 Why would God get the blame for it? 45:11 No, the inhabitants, we have done it. 45:15 You say, "Well, how do we know?" 45:16 Why?" 45:17 "Because they have transgressed the laws, 45:20 changed the ordinance, 45:21 broken the everlasting covenant. 45:24 Therefore, hath the curse devoured the earth 45:26 and they that dwell therein are desolate. 45:29 Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned 45:32 and few men left." 45:33 That's pretty heavy-duty, powerful words, isn't it? 45:38 God says this world is coming to an end, notice that. 45:42 The inhabitants, they've defiled, 45:44 how have we defiled it? 45:45 Because we are preaching and teaching from the pulpit 45:48 that God's 10 Commandment Law has done away with. 45:51 That's what it says here. 45:53 His laws and His ordinances, His preset, 45:55 everything that has God stand for, 45:57 we're preaching that we don't need God anymore. 45:59 Why would God tolerate that? 46:01 He created us. 46:02 He created this world, 46:04 everything that's in this world, 46:05 everything belongs to Him, 46:06 and we're rebelling against him. 46:08 We serve a God that inhabits our praises, 46:11 not our complaints, and moaning, and groaning, 46:13 and we want new order and new rule. 46:15 God said it's waxing old. 46:19 The curse has devoured this earth. 46:22 Why move out of the cities? 46:25 Why? 46:26 Let me just give you a couple of Spirit 46:27 of Prophecy quotes, 3 Testimonies 205 says this, 46:30 3 T 305 if you're jotting down. 46:33 Notice this, this is a concern that I have 46:35 because, sometimes, if we're just not quite 46:37 wide awake to things here, but notice it starts out here, 46:40 it says sudden destruction, sudden destruction 46:44 is right upon the people 46:46 and yet they are not fearfully alarmed. 46:51 It seems like we would be, I'm thinking, my own life, 46:54 more than maybe we are. 46:56 That we would prioritize things, 46:58 that God would be that choice, our first choice, 47:01 winning souls would be our first choice. 47:04 Not everything else in the world but notice, 47:06 sudden destruction comes, 47:07 that Bible over and over says it. 47:11 But, you know, these things that have been happening 47:12 over and over for years now because God and His mercy 47:16 is leading us to that point to say, 47:17 "You see it, you see where it's growing, 47:19 you see the way that it's multiplying, 47:21 you see what's happening in the world?" 47:23 Because that's just a little foretaste 47:25 of what it's going to be like. 47:28 How you're going to deal with it? 47:30 Why do we need to get out of the cities? 47:32 Why? 47:33 Why should we as a people, 7 Testimonies 83, 47:38 notice this statement, everything I'm reading 47:40 is in harmony with scripture. 47:41 I guarantee you it's in harmony with scripture. 47:44 We've got to stay away from these places. 47:47 Did you notice, all the people of God 47:48 in past ages, when He used them, 47:50 He told them to get out of some cities, did He not? 47:52 "Go to a desert place. 47:54 Stay out of there. 47:56 Go in and try to win souls and then get back out 47:58 because it's contaminated." 48:00 Sin is on every hand, it's violent, it's catchy. 48:03 It's dirty. 48:05 7 T 83 says, "The time is near when the large cities," notice, 48:10 "will be visited by the judgments of God." 48:12 Did you get it? 48:14 "In a little while, 48:15 these cities will be terribly shaken. 48:19 The ungodly cities of our world 48:21 are to be swept away by the besom of destruction." 48:27 Wow. 48:28 "In the calamities that are now falling 48:31 immense buildings, 48:32 large portions of cities, God is showing us 48:35 what will come upon the whole earth." 48:40 Scripture is clear, bit of prophesy clear. 48:45 These cities, who wants to chance it? 48:48 "Well, my job..." 48:49 Yeah, that's horrible. 48:51 But it's the decision we're going to have to make... 48:57 Because this is going to happen. 48:59 Whole cities are going to be destroyed. 49:02 Have we not seen large towns 49:04 as it were and maybe little small cities now 49:07 of 28,000-30,000? 49:09 We just saw it in California, did we not? 49:12 Burnt, completely down. It doesn't exist. 49:15 Sudden destruction, come as boom, 49:16 it's all she wrote. 49:18 They didn't realize what was going to happen. 49:19 They weren't ready for it. 49:21 Are we ready today? 49:24 Jesus says, "We could know." 49:25 You remember in Matthew 24:32-33, 49:30 Matthew 24:32-33. 49:32 We can't read it all, 49:34 but essentially Jesus talks about 49:35 the parable of what? 49:37 The Fig Tree. Are you there? 49:39 The Parable of the Fig Tree. And what does He say? 49:41 He talks about the leaves and everything, 49:43 so He says what? 49:44 "You're not gonna know the day and the hour, 49:46 but you're gonna know when it's near 49:48 even at the door." 49:49 You remember, you're gonna know 49:51 that fig tree before the figs come out, 49:53 you're going to know it's ready to produce those figs. 49:56 And if it's not producing the figs, 49:58 God said we're gonna cut it down. 50:00 If we're not producing, Christians, as it were, 50:03 winning souls for Christ, a day will come, 50:05 I believe that He's gonna cut us down. 50:07 That's why He put us here. 50:09 It's to help win other's souls. 50:11 7 Testimony 84 says, 50:12 "Light has been given me 50:14 that the cities will be filled with confusion, 50:18 and violence, and crime, 50:20 and that these things 50:21 will increase till the end of earth's history." 50:24 Who wants to be a part of that? 50:25 God help us to be making decisions 50:27 if we're in those situations right now. 50:30 We're living there and we say 50:31 we can't afford to move. 50:33 Maybe it's the point you can't afford not to move. 50:37 You know, it's like, "Well, I can't afford 50:38 to accept Christ." 50:39 You know, you can't afford not to accept Christ. 50:42 He's gonna be our refuge, and our strength, 50:44 and our help in time of trouble, is He not? 50:47 This is our only hope during 50:49 what's coming on this world right now. 50:50 Not what's going to come way in the future, 50:53 it's what's happening right now. 50:56 The end is near. 50:58 How to be safe? Lord, have mercy. 51:00 How can we be saved 51:01 from this situation that's coming? 51:04 Remember, Jesus simply said there in Luke 21:33. 51:07 Remember, He said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away," 51:09 but what, 51:11 "but My word," thank you, 51:12 "but My words shall not pass away." 51:14 What's being said today... 51:16 we're reading from scripture here, 51:17 His Word's not going to pass away, 51:19 it is going to happen. 51:20 We might as well grab a hold and say, 51:22 "Oh, God, have mercy on me." 51:25 We quoted already in Luke 21:28. 51:28 "When these things begin to come to pass," 51:30 then He said what, 51:31 "look up, lift up your head 51:33 for your redemption draweth nigh." 51:35 My brothers and sisters, 51:36 your redemption is drawing nigh. 51:38 We're to lift up our heads. 51:40 Why? We need to warn the world. 51:43 We need to warn the pleasure-lovers out there. 51:46 We need to warn the sleepy. 51:48 We need to warn the ungodly. 51:50 We need to warn the proud. 51:52 We need to warn the indifferent. 51:54 Those who make this world their home, 51:56 we need to warn them 51:58 before it's too late. 52:01 If you don't feel that in your heart, 52:02 I suggest we get on our knees 52:04 and we pray and don't get up until you feel that. 52:08 This is what this world is all about. 52:09 This is why we are here right now. 52:13 This world is not our home, we're just passing through. 52:15 Many will say this, quickly, 52:17 few minutes left, many say this. 52:18 Isaiah 56. 52:20 I've heard this over and over. I'm tired of this argument. 52:22 Somebody with me? 52:23 Is it okay to say that might be here? 52:25 Okay. 52:26 I had one say, okay, 52:28 I'll go ahead anyway, it's too late now. 52:29 Many say in Isaiah 56:12. 52:31 "Tomorrow shall be as today, this day, 52:35 and much more abundant." 52:37 You say the end of the world is coming, do you get it? 52:39 Things are happening in the world. 52:40 What are people saying? 52:42 They're saying, "Oh, tomorrow is going to be just like today. 52:45 It's gonna be more abundant." 52:47 They don't see, they're not spiritual-minded. 52:49 2 Peter 3:4. 52:51 I'm telling you right now. 52:52 The Bible said and people asked, 52:54 "Well, you know, end of time, it's coming, 52:56 and they said what? 52:58 "All things continue 52:59 as they were from the beginning." 53:00 Have you heard that? 53:02 Everything is just picking, everyday sun comes up 53:03 and goes down, it's going to continue like it. 53:05 God says, "No, it's not going to continue that way." 53:08 Others cry out at the end time. 53:10 "Oh, where's the promise of His coming?" 53:13 My grandpa said, my great grandpa before him, 53:15 they said, "Well, He's going to be come..." 53:17 2 Peter 3:4, 53:18 I think it's 2 Peter 3:4. 53:21 "Where's the promise of His coming?" 53:23 I tell you it's steadfast and it is sure. 53:25 He is coming 'cause He said 53:26 He's going to come and these things will proceed, 53:28 He's coming and we need to be aware of that. 53:30 Others cry peace and safety, don't they? 53:33 We don't have to worry about peace and safety. 53:34 We're signing peace contracts all around the world today. 53:37 Everybody's our friend. 53:38 We're supporting everybody. Every country loves us. 53:40 No, every country doesn't love us. 53:43 Those contracts are not worth anymore 53:44 than the paper that they're signed on. 53:47 But Jesus said this, 53:48 when they say peace and safety what? 53:51 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 53:54 "When they say peace and safety, 53:56 sudden destruction comes." 53:59 Do you think that was sudden destruction 54:02 in Indonesia, 54:03 when there's tsunami? 54:07 Hit right in there and what was it? 54:08 Four hundred and thirty people perished 54:09 just like that, that quick because of volcanic. 54:13 You know, they said that was... 54:14 You know what, the little volcanic thing, 54:16 it was only like two and a half minutes eruption, 54:19 and look what it did. 54:21 It floated through it, 54:22 killed all these people, and destroyed hundreds, 54:25 hundreds of homes. 54:28 Sudden, unexpected, 54:30 without warning. 54:33 Do we know the time of His coming? 54:37 I pray that you do, quickly Desire of Ages, 54:40 last one, 632 and 633 says, 54:43 "There are those who claim to know the very day 54:45 and the hour of our LORD'S appearing. 54:47 Every element," notice this, 54:49 "they are mapping out the future. 54:52 But the Lord has warned them 54:53 off this ground that they occupy. 54:56 The exact time of the second coming of Christ 54:58 is God's mystery." 55:00 There's people giving prophecies today 55:02 that we know the time the hour that Christ is coming, 55:04 now we're not trying to, they try to get out of it, 55:06 right here, it's very, very clear. 55:08 They're putting their stuff all together. 55:10 They're mapping out all kinds of things. 55:12 It said, "No man knows the day or the hour of His coming." 55:15 Let's keep it to that. 55:17 But we're going to know what's near, 55:18 even at the door and my... 55:20 I'm encouraging you right now "Quench not the Spirit of God." 55:22 1 Thessalonians 5:19. 55:24 "Despise not prophesying." 55:27 Verse 21, "Prove all things 55:28 and hold fast to those things that are good 55:31 and abstain from all appearances of evil." 55:35 This is my encouragement to you right now. 55:38 Preparation needs to be made. 55:39 Jesus is coming. 55:41 We want to be ready for that great day. 55:42 Signs of the time, all foretell it. 55:45 Will we be ready or will we be like the prophets of old, 55:48 where we heard it but we did nothing? 55:51 And then destruction cometh. 55:53 God help us, have mercy on our soul. 55:56 We have time. Let's get ready. 55:57 Before He comes, shall we? 55:59 Let's pray, shall we? 56:01 Loving Father in heaven, 56:03 we thank You for the privilege of prayer. 56:04 We thank You for Your Word. 56:06 I pray they'll sink deep in our hearts and our minds 56:08 that we would be ready for Your coming. 56:09 Oh, Lord, we need Your strength, 56:11 we need Your wisdom, we need Your help. 56:13 Lord, we just need that Your Holy Spirit 56:15 to instill upon our hearts and our minds 56:17 that the hour is short. 56:19 Let's make a decision 56:20 while we still can, while it's still day. 56:22 In Jesus' name we pray and for His sake, amen. 56:26 Hello and welcome back. 56:28 Christ's words are being fulfilled 56:30 right before our very eyes. 56:32 These visitations of disasters 56:34 have become more and more frequent 56:37 just as Pastor Kenny pointed out, 56:39 whole cities, towns, and villages 56:42 have been wiped right off the map 56:44 during these record breaking storms. 56:46 Is it time? 56:48 Possibly past time that we as God's people 56:51 move out of the cities and secure a little land. 56:54 We hope that you will pray about it. 56:56 There is a time of trouble approaching 56:59 that is much worse than the storms 57:01 that we are currently experiencing. 57:03 Ask God to open the door for you and your family. 57:07 We hope this message 57:08 has stirred your hearts to seek God 57:10 in asking for His guidance and direction 57:14 as to what you may do to be ready. 57:17 And should you desire this message 57:18 for your own study library, please call us here, 57:21 Behold the Lamb Ministries, in the US, 57:24 at (618) 942-5044 Central Time, 57:29 or write to Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:31 PO Box 2030, 57:33 Herrin, Illinois, 62948. 57:35 You may also email your order 57:37 at BeholdTheLambMinistries @yahoo.com. 57:41 Friends, until next time, 57:42 may our precious Lord 57:43 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2019-07-05