Participants: Kenny Shelton, Pastor
Series Code: POF
Program Code: POF000015A
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00:26 Hello, and welcome once again to, Pillars of Faith.
00:30 A word for today in today's world. 00:33 My name is C. A. Murray, and once again it's 00:36 my privilege, my pleasure to welcome you to 00:38 the last of this five part series as presented by our 00:42 pastor, our friend, Kenny Shelton. 00:45 The theme for this series has been, 00:48 A Vessel For The Refiner. 00:51 We have heard the messages, Holiness is Not Just a Feeling, 00:55 a powerful message, Filled With the Spirit, 00:59 followed by, Shake Off the Dust. 01:02 And then the message just before this one was, 01:04 God Will Visit This Planet Again. 01:09 And today he addresses, Satan's Greatest Fear. 01:15 An interesting topic. 01:16 I remember reading a wonderful book called, 01:18 Patriarchs and Prophets, written by Ellen White 01:21 where she says, at the time of the flood the waters rose 01:26 some 26 feet above the highest mountains 01:30 in a storm so violent that Satan himself feared for his live. 01:36 So we know that he can experience fear. 01:39 And today Kenny Shelton is going to give us 01:43 a glimpse into Satan's greatest fear. 01:48 And we are all anxious to hear that message 01:52 and to hear what God has brought to his heart 01:56 for our thirsty souls this day. 01:58 So we want you to prepare your minds, prepare your hearts, 02:00 for a word from the Lord. 02:03 We will have prayer and then we will ask 02:05 Pastor Kenny Shelton to come and speak to us. 02:09 I want to hold him up in prayer. 02:10 Hold his ministry, his wife, his family up in prayer; 02:13 as each of these preachers who come to us from time to time 02:17 who are lifting up the name of Jesus 02:20 are always assaulted by the enemy. 02:22 You know, we know that the Lord never sleeps 02:26 and never slumbers. 02:27 But it is also true that Satan never sleeps, never slumbers. 02:31 He is constantly on the trail of those who would be 02:36 soldiers of the cross. 02:37 So pray with and for these men and women of God 02:42 who lift up the name of Jesus. 02:43 For surely they stand in need of your prayers. 02:47 And that is true for Pastor Kenny Shelton. 02:50 Shall we pray, and then we will hear a word from the Lord. 02:54 Father God, how we praise You and thank You. 02:59 How we bless Your name. 03:01 How thankful we are for the Word which is preached with power. 03:06 And we're thankful for students of the Word, 03:09 For when we give ourselves to the study of the Word, 03:12 we find nuggets of gold and rivers of living water 03:18 that will enrich us and help us to be strong in the Lord, 03:25 and to walk the walk, talk the talk, and live the life 03:30 of men and women for Jesus. 03:33 Bless now he who has been called to lift up the Word, 03:38 to preach the Word, to dig into the depths of the Word, 03:43 and bring forth truths for this hour. 03:47 Fill us with Your Spirit. 03:49 Help us to be not just hearers of this Word, 03:54 but doers thereof. 03:56 For it is in the doing that we are made like Christ Jesus. 04:01 Bless us now this sitting as You have the previous four. 04:07 And we give You honor, praise, and glory. 04:10 In Jesus' name, amen and amen. 04:15 And now our speaker, our pastor, our friend, 04:17 Pastor Kenny Shelton. 04:21 Oh, it's a good word. Thank you. 04:28 Praise the Lord for another opportunity to share the Word. 04:32 It makes my heart glad to be able to share the Word 04:35 with God's people around the world. 04:38 I'm thankful for the Pillars of Faith. 04:40 You know, what an opportunity for us to come together 04:42 to study the Word and really concentrate 04:47 upon those beautiful truths that God has made so plain 04:50 in His Word that we might, by the grace of God, be obedient 04:54 and be prepared for His coming. 04:57 I was very grateful and thankful for Brother C.A. 05:00 who has just done the introduction. 05:02 Before he came up here to do that we were sitting in 05:06 the back and we sang a line or two, or hummed, 05:10 Sitting at the Feet of Jesus. 05:12 You know, that we should be sitting at the feet of Jesus. 05:15 Oh what words I hear Him say. 05:18 I'm sure some of you are humming that right now. 05:21 We're going to be talking about, the subject about, 05:24 Satan's Greatest Fear. 05:26 And so before we do, once again I'd like to 05:28 kneel and have prayer. 05:29 And where you can, how about you kneeling with me and praying. 05:32 Because, you know, I sense I need 05:34 the power of the Holy Spirit. 05:36 And I know that maybe today you're sensing something special 05:39 in your life that you need. 05:40 God is able. 05:42 Let's pray together, shall we? 05:46 Merciful God in heaven, again we thank You for Jesus. 05:48 We thank You for the cross of Calvary. 05:51 We thank You that we have the Word of God. 05:54 We thank You that You've made it clear for us and You've 05:56 given us the Holy Spirit that we might be able to 05:59 understand spiritual things. 06:01 I pray now for Your Holy Spirit to consume each and every 06:04 one of us, every one of Your children. 06:05 Those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, 06:09 may they be filled. 06:10 I pray You'll clear my mind and my heart. 06:13 Cleanse me with Your blood that I may stand 06:15 righteous before Thee. 06:17 Not because of who I am, anything I've ever 06:19 done or ever will do. 06:20 It's as filthy rags. 06:22 It's not good without Jesus, but because of Jesus. 06:25 I pray now that the words that will be spoken 06:27 will bring light and life to each one who hears. 06:30 And I'm going to thank You in advance for what 06:32 You're going to do, because Your word will not return void. 06:35 In Jesus' name, amen. 06:39 I know you have your notebook and pencil and pen, 06:42 and so on, and you have your Bible, 06:43 and you're going to be writing some things down as we go along. 06:46 But in my mind and heart here in our fifth part, 06:51 I remember reading this one time. 06:52 And I think about Calvary. 06:54 So I'll give you a little hint here. 06:55 We're talking about Calvary. 06:57 It simply said, many minds are hungering for something... 07:01 Now think about it. 07:02 Many minds are hungering for something, 07:04 but they're seemingly unaware where that something is. 07:11 Could that be Calvary? 07:13 Could that be Jesus? 07:15 They know they're hungry. They want something. 07:18 But they don't quite know where that something is. 07:21 I hope that's not you. I hope you know where it is. 07:25 And some people, I heard this, they said that, you know, 07:28 confession of ignorance. 07:30 And many times I've had to say, "Oh, I don't know." 07:33 Ignorance means, you know, not knowing. 07:35 But confession of ignorance is disgrace to no man. 07:40 Just say, "I don't know. I heard that." 07:42 That's not a disgrace to any man. 07:44 But to make no effort to escape from it is inexcusable. 07:50 What a thought! 07:52 I like the thought about Calvary. 07:54 You have your Bible, turn with me to John 12:32. 07:58 Well I think we can include this in that 08:02 with Satan's greatest fear. 08:05 He is afraid. 08:06 And we will look at that issue. 08:08 But here, notice what Jesus says to us in John 12:32. 08:14 Now remember, Jesus is predicting His death. 08:18 He's talking to His disciples. 08:20 He's talking about what is soon to take place. 08:22 And He said... You know what? 08:24 Verse 31, in fact let's just read that too. 08:25 It says, "Now is the judgment of this world: 08:28 Now shall the prince of this world be cast out." 08:31 Now is the judgment: the prince of this world 08:33 is going to be cast out. 08:35 But Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, 08:40 will draw all men unto Me." 08:43 Jesus talking about the cross of Calvary. 08:46 If He be lifted up. 08:47 If He would give His life. 08:50 You're going to get rid of the ole prince of darkness. 08:53 Praise God for that. 08:55 Every one of our discourses, everything that we do, 08:57 every sermon that's preached needs to be centered 08:59 around the cross of Calvary. 09:02 The devil fears it. 09:04 He hates the cross of Calvary. 09:07 He hates when you and I say, we talk about the blood 09:10 that flows so freely that cleanses us from all sin 09:13 and all unrighteousness. 09:15 He's afraid of this thing called Calvary 09:17 and he doesn't want you to hear about it, 09:19 and he doesn't want me to hear about it. 09:22 What is it that Satan really, really fears in this life? 09:26 We get real personal. Certainly the cross. 09:27 Certainly Christ. 09:29 But you know, I got to thinking about this. 09:32 He's afraid that you and I are going to have a revival 09:36 of true godliness. 09:37 Please think with me. 09:39 A revival of what? 09:40 Of true godliness. 09:42 He hates the word when you say, "prepare." 09:45 We've talk about it several times in our meeting. 09:46 When you use the word, prepare, or preparest, or prepared, 09:50 and you know, whatever might be in that vein. 09:53 That's used over 200 times in Scripture, that word. 09:56 But no, you say, "Well, it's not important." 09:58 Really? Over 200 times. 10:00 But on the other hand you have, "unprepared," 10:02 is only used one time in Scripture. 10:05 It shows the importance of being prepared for His coming. 10:10 Being prepared for that which is soon to take the world 10:12 by an overwhelming surprise. 10:14 Don't let it surprise you. 10:18 If you'll turn with me to 2 Timothy 3:5. 10:22 2 Timothy 3:5 10:25 Now notice this passage. 10:26 You've read it before, but remember, we're leading up to 10:29 Satan fears this. 10:31 But it's going to happen. 10:33 Notice, 2 Timothy 3:5. 10:36 The Bible is talking about here, he said there's a group of 10:38 people, they have "a form of godliness, 10:41 but denying the power thereof. 10:44 From such turn away." 10:46 Interesting. 10:47 There are people who have a form of godliness. 10:50 I've thought about that form. 10:52 That word, "form," there in the Greek, they have 10:54 a formation of godliness. 10:56 They have the appearance of godliness. 10:59 Oh it looks pomp. 11:01 It looks, oh it looks like... Oh this is the thing. 11:02 Heaven must look... 11:04 This is the way the angels may talk. 11:05 This is the appearance. 11:07 It has the semblance... 11:09 ...interesting, of God. 11:11 But it's denying the power, the power of God to change 11:16 hearts and lives. 11:17 There's a lot of talk going on. 11:21 How does God's last day people, 11:24 how does God's last day people gain these victories 11:28 over the things in our characters that 11:30 just doesn't need to be there? 11:32 How can that take place? 11:33 You think the devil, the enemy, is afraid that somehow 11:36 God's people will somehow come to the point 11:40 that they also want a revival, not a form of godliness, 11:44 but they want true godliness? 11:46 What might happen to the church that's really on fire? 11:50 What happens to a church that really has revival? 11:53 Think about having revival in a church 11:55 where all the church members are one and they're unified. 11:59 They want the gospel preached, they want to be set on fire, 12:02 they want to work for Jesus. 12:05 You think the devil fears that? 12:09 Let's read a little article from, Review and Herald. 12:12 In March 22, 1887 this was written. 12:15 But notice, "A revival of true godliness among us 12:20 is the greatest and most important," did you get it, 12:23 "and urgent of all of our needs." 12:25 So what's the most urgent of our needs? 12:28 A revival of true godliness. 12:31 But before this can take place, "There must be an earnest effort 12:36 to obtain the blessings of the Lord." 12:39 Notice, "Not because He's not willing to bestow His blessing 12:43 upon us," but notice this, "but because we are unprepared 12:47 to receive it." 12:49 God wants to shower us with His blessings. 12:51 We're talking about the latter rain, 12:53 we're talking outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 12:54 the Holy Ghost, 12:56 which we need to revive us from this Laodicea, 12:58 this lukewarm condition that God's going to spew out 13:02 in these last days. 13:03 He's going to spew us right out of His mouth. 13:05 It makes Him sick. 13:07 Greatest need is a revival of this true godliness, 13:11 not the forms. 13:13 The enemy is afraid of that. 13:16 He wants us to have a form of godliness. 13:19 He doesn't care if you have a form of godliness. 13:21 He doesn't care if you go to church every week. 13:22 He doesn't care if you pay your tithe. 13:24 He doesn't care if you pray. 13:26 He doesn't care if you read the Word. 13:28 And really, to be honest, he doesn't care if you 13:30 mention the cross of Christ. 13:32 Unless it begins to change you. 13:35 Then he is afraid, then he begins to fear. 13:39 His greatest fear is that God's people will, notice, 13:44 will clear the way so that the power of the latter rain 13:48 can fall upon us. 13:50 The devil is afraid that we will get on the ball. 13:53 That we will understand our sinfulness 13:56 and we want to get rid of these sins, 13:58 we want to be ready for the outpouring of the Spirit, 14:01 we want to be used in these last days. 14:03 So the devil fears that you and I will clear the way. 14:06 Clearing the way is taking that sin and giving it to Jesus. 14:09 Being covered by the blood. 14:10 Because he knows then, you will not be silent. 14:13 He knows you're going to tell everybody you meet about Him. 14:18 Let me give you just a small example. 14:20 You remember the Pharisees? 14:22 Oh the Pharisees, oh my, you know, they prayed 14:25 and they fasted, they observed all kind of forms, 14:29 they gave money, you know, they... 14:31 But you know what? They were corrupt in the heart. 14:33 Think about it. 14:35 They did all of these things, but they were corrupt in heart 14:39 and in life. 14:40 So would we say Satan's greatest fear, what is it? 14:43 That we're going to clear the way, 14:44 that we're going to get right with God, 14:46 that we're going to get rid of sin. 14:49 By the grace of God. 14:52 Again, Review and Herald, this is March 22, 1887 still. 14:56 It says this, notice, "When the way is prepared 15:00 for the Spirit of God, the blessings will come." 15:03 See, this encourages me. 15:05 This gives me strength. 15:06 Notice, "When the way is prepared 15:08 for the Spirit of God..." 15:09 How is the way going to be prepared? 15:11 When the sin is out of our life. 15:13 When God gives us victory. 15:15 When we're ready to receive the blessings, they will come. 15:17 He will give them to us. 15:19 I've often said, why don't we see more blessings, 15:22 more miracles, more signs, more wonders, 15:24 things happening in the world? 15:25 Well, certainly issues to be studied out. 15:28 But when God's people are ready. 15:31 You look at the churches today and say, "Where are the people? 15:33 Where are the people? 15:34 Why aren't the people coming to church?" 15:36 Maybe because they don't love Jesus, I don't know. 15:38 Maybe they've grow lukewarm. 15:40 But I do know this. 15:42 When the church as a body, when we are ready to receive, 15:46 God will bring the people. 15:49 That might tell us something, huh? 15:51 It might tell us that maybe we are not ready. 15:54 We might drive them out. 15:57 We have to be ready to receive them. 15:58 When we are, when God can trust us with them, 16:01 He will bring the people. 16:03 When sin is gone. 16:05 When we're confessing and faithful and just 16:07 to forgive us, He says. 16:09 "When the way is..." What? 16:11 ...prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessings will come." 16:14 I want those blessings. 16:16 And you say, "Well, how? 16:18 How can this be done?" 16:20 1 Corinthians 15:28 16:22 When you get a chance, you read that. 16:23 Because it talks about here... 16:25 If they will, if you, me, the church, if we will 16:29 with subdued, contrite hearts... 16:33 Subdued means what? 16:34 With submitting our hearts to Him. 16:36 Submitting self to Him. 16:40 Contrite hearts means, oh, humble hearts, 16:44 broken hearts. 16:47 I wonder how many of us really have broken hearts 16:49 because we maybe have done something wrong. 16:51 We know we shouldn't have done it. 16:52 We confess that, but it broke our hearts 16:55 and it hurts so bad that we purpose, by the grace of God, 16:58 that it'll never happen again. 17:01 Think about it. 17:02 Humble, broken. 17:04 And that word also means crushed. 17:07 Sin crushes us. 17:09 Sin will crush you, sin will crush me. 17:12 That's why we need to give it to Jesus. 17:14 When we confess, notice, the church, when we confess, 17:17 we're subdued, right, then we have contrite hearts, 17:19 we confessed, and then we put away the sins, 17:23 and in faith claim His promises. 17:26 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins..." 17:28 So if we want real revival, more than just a form of godliness, 17:32 we need to come to Him subdued, contrite, confessed, 17:35 put away sin. 17:36 Then His blessings are going to be poured out. 17:38 And the devil says, "Oh, I'm trembling. 17:41 Whoa, I don't want that to happen. 17:43 I'm going to lose a lot of people. 17:44 So I'm going to try to keep them busy on some other things. 17:48 I'm going to try to keep them busy on things of the world. 17:50 I'm going to make them think they're doing some good things 17:52 once in a while here and there. 17:53 Maybe they'll be happy with that." 17:56 It's time that we held on. 17:58 It's time that we hold fast to Jesus Christ. 18:01 We need to be pleading and striving and crying between 18:04 the porch and the altar, "Lord, have mercy on us." 18:07 A little letter that was written, Letter 20, 18:09 August 5, 1888, notice. 18:12 When I read these things, many times I go over and over, 18:15 and I read it again because it bothers my soul, 18:17 it bothers my heart. 18:19 I read it because a lot of times the issue will say 18:22 something like, "Many will be lost." 18:25 "Many will not make it because..." 18:28 And I say to myself, "Oh how wonderful, Lord, You are. 18:32 How wonderful, how precious, how holy You are! 18:35 You tell us these things." 18:37 "Many will be lost because..." 18:40 "Many will be lost..." Why? "...because..." 18:43 And so now we can learn so we're not lost. 18:46 Notice this, "Many, many..." 18:48 "Many, many..." It's used twice. 18:49 "Many, many will be lost because they have not studied the Bible 18:54 upon their knees with earnest prayer to God..." 18:59 Notice, "...that the entrance..." What is it? 19:01 "...of the Word of God might give light and understanding." 19:06 How long has it been since we've really studied 19:10 the Word of God upon our knees begging and pleading, 19:14 "Oh God, I want to understand it. 19:16 I want power and strength to be an overcomer." 19:19 How long has it been? 19:20 Or have we been occupied with the other things. 19:22 Maybe not bad within themselves, 19:24 but it's not leading us toward heaven. 19:26 Actually, it's leading us the opposite direction. 19:29 You can't be going up and down at the same time. 19:33 Which way are you really heading? 19:34 What's your heart's desire? 19:36 Psalm 119, we realize that, you know, the entrance of 19:40 the Word of God gives us light. 19:41 Read that when you get an opportunity. 19:43 If you want light, we're going to have to be 19:44 reading the Word of God. 19:47 Also the spirit of prophecy in, Letter 11, in 1890 19:50 this was written, please pay attention. 19:53 It says, "The Lord has shown me clearly..." 19:56 Listen carefully, because this is pretty heavy duty. 19:58 Maybe you're familiar with this lingo, maybe you're not, 20:02 or with the Word of God. 20:03 Many people don't realize the mark of the beast, 20:05 the image to the beast, and so on, is even in the Word of God. 20:07 Many of the preachers, bless your heart, 20:09 you're going to be heal accountable for 20:10 saying, "Don't study the book of Daniel. 20:12 Don't study the book of Revelation." 20:13 Shame on you. 20:15 If you don't mind, I'm just going to say it like that. 20:16 Shame on you. 20:17 Revelation is a revealing of Jesus Christ and prophecy; 20:20 what we need to do to prepare for the coming of Jesus. 20:23 We need to be studying those two books like never before. 20:27 It says, "The Lord has shown me clearly that the image 20:30 of the beast will be formed," notice, 20:32 "before probation closes." 20:34 There's a point to this. Don't miss it. 20:36 Because we're talking about preparation. 20:37 We're talking about being holy, gaining victory over sin. 20:40 Things that the devil fears the most. 20:43 Holiness is more than just a feeling. 20:46 These are some things that's coming together, 20:47 things that we have studied here. 20:48 But look at it. 20:50 Notice, "...the image to the beast will be formed 20:52 before probation closes. 20:54 For it is to be the great test for the people of God," 20:59 notice, "by which their eternal destiny will be decided." 21:05 Wow, did you get this? It's the truth. 21:08 "This is the test that the people of God must have," 21:11 here's the word, "before they are sealed. 21:15 Hmmm. 21:16 Before they are sealed. 21:18 A lot of messages going here, a lot of messages going there. 21:20 We realize we take them in context, we read the Scripture. 21:23 And sealing time. 21:25 God has given a specific message here. 21:27 His last day people will grasp that message. 21:29 But before He can finally seal them and save them for eternity, 21:33 notice the test to the people of God. 21:39 The image to the beast will be formed before 21:41 because it's going to test before they can be sealed. 21:47 You read, The Great Controversy, certainly Scripture, 21:49 things of the world, tells us on page 640, 21:52 "Soon, none know how soon, it will pass 21:56 into the cases of the living." 21:58 So we're talking about we're in the judgment hour. 22:00 Have been since, right, 1844. 22:04 It's a long time to be in the judgment hour. 22:07 It starts with, you know, those who profess... 22:09 ...the righteous dead. 22:10 Then it goes over, it transfers to the living. 22:14 Names could be coming up in the judgment. 22:17 Once your name comes up, sentence is passed; that's it. 22:21 Because God knows the future. 22:24 How would it stand today if your name came up? 22:29 Would you pass the grand final test, as it were? 22:34 Hmmm. 22:36 Why has the latter rain not fallen? 22:39 We desperately need more power. 22:42 We desperately need that Revelation 18 angel 22:46 to lend power to the three angels' messages 22:48 because they've almost all, whoa glory, almost all died. 22:54 People don't want to mention the three angels' messages 22:56 hardly anymore. 22:58 They don't want to talk about the three angels' messages. 23:00 "Well, somebody is liable to get offended by it." 23:03 "We don't want to offend other people of other faiths." 23:06 That's not the issue. 23:07 The issue is what's the truth of God's Word 23:09 and what He's given us as a people to give to the world. 23:12 The testing truths before He comes in this hour 23:16 that we are living. 23:19 You want to give it because you care. 23:21 You're not trying to cause trouble. 23:23 You're not trying to say, "Some people, they love Jesus." 23:24 "They don't love Jesus." 23:26 It's what has God said is the testing truths 23:28 before He shall come. 23:31 A lot of people will try to give the three angels' messages. 23:33 They don't want to talk about, we talked before, 23:35 the mark of the beast. 23:37 They don't want to give about the image to the beast, 23:38 the United States in Bible prophecy. 23:40 The don't want to talk about the Sabbath/Sunday issue. 23:45 They just don't want to. 23:46 I want to talk about it because God said to talk about it. 23:49 I would be an unfaithful servant if I did not. 23:53 And you are too, if you've been called to give the message. 23:57 I want to be counted faithful. 24:01 Why hasn't the latter rain fallen? 24:04 Simple. Because we're not prepared. 24:07 As soon as we're prepared, we're told what? 24:09 It will fall. 24:10 As soon as we're ready, God's going to pour it out on us. 24:12 Sad to say, why hasn't He? Because we're not ready. 24:15 Instead of sitting around and saying, "Oh I think 24:17 we're ready and we're, oh boy, we've got it all made. 24:19 Everything's going..." No, we don't. 24:21 We need help. 24:24 We're poor, blind, miserable, naked. 24:26 We don't know it, and we say, "We're increased with goods. 24:28 We've got it all going our way." 24:30 Something's wrong with us. 24:34 The Bible tells us clearly. 24:36 I like this little book, the little book, you know, 24:38 The Faith I Live By. 24:40 Kind of like a daily devotional. 24:41 We should have these books and just read them. 24:43 They'll encourage you. 24:45 They'll give you what you need for the day 24:46 to gain some victories. 24:47 Encouragement. 24:49 The Faith I Live By, page 287, notice what it says. 24:51 Talking about the seal of God again. 24:53 Now remember, God can't seal anybody, right? 24:55 You've got the latter rain. 24:58 The latter rain is going to have to fall. 25:00 The test is going to have to come. 25:02 Are we going to pass those tests? 25:04 The seal of God is "a settling into the truth..." 25:08 How do we settle into the truth? 25:10 "...both intellectually and spiritually, 25:12 so that we cannot be moved." 25:15 God's looking for a people today who will not be moved 25:18 from the truth, from the pillars of truth. 25:22 You're going to be moved if you don't know what they are. 25:26 You're going to be sidetracked if you don't 25:28 know the importance of it. 25:30 If all the time you hear, "Well, this is really not important. 25:32 This is not really the way that it's going to be." 25:35 Remember, you're going to re-populate heaven, 25:36 by the grace of God. 25:38 I am too. 25:39 What kind of a character does it take to re-populate heaven? 25:42 Be like the angels of heaven. 25:44 To occupy a place closer to Jesus 25:47 than the angels do and will. 25:49 Wow! 25:53 That's an interesting thought. 25:57 Let's remind ourselves here. 25:59 We talked about the purpose of the latter rain, 26:01 for those who maybe have not tuned in. 26:03 Maybe you haven't heard of it. 26:05 The purpose. 26:07 Notice, what are we to be doing 26:08 during the time of the outpouring? 26:09 We're to, first of all, empty our hearts 26:13 of all selfishness. 26:17 Clean up the heart, clean up the life. 26:19 Get it ready. 26:21 Confessing and forsaking our sin in preparation 26:24 to receive the latter rain, or the outpouring of the 26:26 Holy Spirit from heaven. 26:29 See, that's going to lend power and strength 26:31 to God's last day people. 26:33 He knew that we would need it. 26:35 He knows that we have grown careless and indifferent. 26:38 There's no difference between us and this group over here, 26:41 or this group over here. 26:42 You know, it's not a compliment. 26:44 It's not a compliment if you're preaching a sermon and 26:46 somebody visiting from another church goes up and says, 26:48 "Well that's the same thing I hear in my church." 26:52 I'm not trying to say what's good or bad. 26:54 I'm just simply saying, God said He's going to have a 26:57 different people, they're going to be peculiar, 26:59 they're going to have a different message. 27:04 So that's not very complimentary as you think about it here. 27:08 You're a peculiar people, 27:10 you're preaching a different message, 27:11 you're living a different kind of life. 27:13 Following the Word of God. 27:15 In which most people say, "We've put that on a shelf. 27:17 Now we don't have to worry about it. 27:18 After all, you know, 2016 or whatever." 27:21 Time doesn't change the truth. 27:25 Preparation for the latter rain is getting rid of selfishness. 27:29 To deny self and take up the cross and follow Him. 27:32 Cleansing from every sin, the Bible is clear on that. 27:36 It comes first before receiving the latter rain. 27:40 I hope you get that. 27:42 If you haven't, we need to keep going over it until we do. 27:47 We understand the necessity of the latter rain, do we not? 27:51 But it cannot fall on us until every sin besetment 27:56 is turned to the blood of Jesus Christ and cleansed. 28:00 We must reach full maturity before probation closes. 28:06 Someone says, "Man, I don't get it." 28:09 Victory, we talk about victory. 28:11 If you'd just do me a little favor. 28:13 I know you've got your pencil and paper, so just 28:16 jot down, we're going to say, Romans chapter 6. 28:19 Just Romans chapter 6 right now. 28:21 Let's give five, six, seven passages just talking about 28:25 victory over sin in our life. 28:27 Just in Romans chapter 6. 28:29 Read Romans 6:6, and then Romans 6:7, 28:36 Romans 6:12, Romans 6:14, Romans 6:18, Romans 6:22. 28:43 You know, it just goes on just in that chapter. 28:46 You can't just tear it out and throw it away. 28:48 We just must look at it. 28:52 And we know, we've heard it said over and over, 28:54 nearly all who profess to believe present truth... 29:01 ...are not really qualified to receive the latter rain. 29:04 And again, we talked about it before, that was written 29:06 quite a few years ago, but let me tell you, 29:08 I don't think things have gotten any better. 29:10 I'm entitled to my opinion. 29:14 We should know better than some of the things that we are 29:18 teaching and preaching and watered down from the pulpit. 29:21 God can't bless you, pastor, when you do that. 29:25 He did ask and say, "Well, you do this 29:27 and you're going to be popular." 29:29 Jesus wasn't very popular, was He? 29:31 Look what they did to Him. 29:34 I've heard people say to me, "Well, if you were just a little 29:35 kinder and a little bit sweeter, and said it 29:37 in a little different way." 29:38 There's no one could say it any different, any better, 29:40 any sweeter than Jesus did. 29:42 And look what they did to Him. 29:45 Isn't it time to stir the pot? 29:49 Isn't it time for the cream to come to the top? 29:50 Is somebody still there with me? 29:53 Isn't it time that we say something that would maybe 29:57 provoke somebody to get back into the Word of God, 30:00 rather than you hear truth day in and day out 30:03 and you sit in your, you know, sleepy state, 30:06 or I sit in my sleepy state, and do nothing. 30:08 It brings no conviction upon me. 30:09 In fact, if I don't accept it, I'm hardened in it. 30:13 Does that make sense? 30:15 The more that you hear these truths and the more you 30:18 reject them, the harder you get against it. 30:24 God's calling you, He's calling me. 30:31 Early Writings, page 71, another book I love. 30:34 "I saw that none could share the 'refreshing'..." 30:38 Do we need the refreshing, outpouring of the Holy Spirit? 30:40 Absolutely. None could share. 30:43 Notice, "...until they receive victory over every besetment..." 30:49 Every constant harassments of the devil. 30:54 Every attack of the devil. 30:57 And then it goes on and says, until victory over pride, 31:01 victory over selfishness, "love of the world, 31:04 and over," listen, "every wrong word and action." 31:10 See, I can't get any clearer than that. 31:11 You can say, "Well, that doesn't..." 31:13 The Bible is clear. 31:14 The spirit of prophecy is clear. 31:16 I'm not trying to be difficult and hard, but I'm trying to say, 31:18 why are we fighting this thing? 31:21 Many people are fighting. 31:22 We must gain the victory. 31:24 We know "pride cometh before a fall." 31:26 That's what the Bible said. 31:28 Prideful people are in the world. 31:30 And if we have that tendency and say, "God, help me with that," 31:34 He will humble that into the dust. 31:36 If you have it in your life and you submit it to Him. 31:41 And most of us maybe have a little too much at times. 31:43 "Well you didn't do this, you didn't do this. 31:45 You didn't tell it right." 31:46 Oh, right quick we rise up and say, "Oh yeah, well..." 31:50 We have too much love of the world. 31:53 We go to every fellowship lunch and every church picnic, 31:55 and everything else, but we can't come to church. 31:58 We're part time Christians, you know. 31:59 We can't come to Sabbath school, we can't teach this, 32:02 we can't come to Wednesday night, 32:03 but we'll go to the worship hour. 32:05 You're just one step from falling out completely. 32:07 I've watched it over the years, years, years, years. 32:10 First of all, people get dissatisfied with 32:12 prayer meetings, so they stop. 32:13 Then they get dissatisfied with the Sabbath school, 32:15 then they stop. 32:17 Then it won't be long till the worship hour, 32:18 that's no longer any good. 32:20 And then they'll tell you, "Well I kind of have 32:22 my doubts on the Word anymore. 32:23 I have my doubts on the spirit of prophecy." 32:25 There's nothing to doubt. 32:28 It truth. 32:29 We need to look at it and say, "Thank You, Lord, for that. 32:31 Now help me to shape my life accordingly." 32:35 I mentioned before, we may pray, we may plead with God 32:39 for the latter rain, "Oh God." 32:41 "No one will ever receive," notice, "the seal of God 32:46 while our characters have one spot or stain upon them." 32:50 Did somebody get that? 32:52 5 Testimonies, page 214. We've read it before. 32:54 Listen, no one will ever receive the seal of the 33:00 living God while we have one spot or one stain 33:05 oh my, upon our character. 33:09 To cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. 33:14 See, there can be no room for excuse here. 33:17 There can be no room to say, 33:18 "Well this here, but this here is an exception." 33:20 There's no exceptions. I'm no exception. 33:24 And I look at it and I say, "Oh wow, oh this is..." 33:27 I look at it, in the flesh that's an impossibility. 33:29 But I don't look at it in the flesh. 33:31 I look through the spiritual eyes that God has 33:33 given in His Word to say it's possible. 33:35 All things are... Don't quote the Scripture, 33:36 "All things are possible through Jesus Christ," 33:38 if you don't mean it. 33:40 Why say it and then say, "Well yeah, He really 33:42 can't do this though." 33:44 Really? 33:45 He said He came to do away with sin, isn't that right? 33:47 The works of the devil, the deeds of the devil. 33:50 He came to do away with the sin issue. 33:52 Praise God. 33:54 Remember, sin is going to have to go, 33:56 or we're going to have to burn with it. 33:57 Are you still with me? I know you are. 34:01 "The latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain 34:04 fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost..." 34:07 When what? 34:09 "...the soul temple is cleansed of every defilement." 34:14 How often we forget that we'll miss heaven 34:16 because we've been backbiting our neighbor, 34:19 a church member. 34:20 We'll miss heaven doing a little cannibalizing. 34:26 We'll miss heaven because we're a little bit too prideful. 34:28 The Bible is very clear. We've talked about it. 34:33 Selfishness. 34:35 We'll miss heaven because we're selfish. 34:38 I've often said... 34:39 You say, "Well so and so... We've got a lot of enemies." 34:41 Listen church, the enemy... 34:43 My greatest enemy I have in this whole world is me. 34:48 The greatest enemy I face every day is myself. 34:52 I need help from heaven. 34:55 That's every person, because every sin, everything that 34:58 any of us may do wrong is based upon... 35:02 Somebody pray for me. 35:03 ...is, "I want." 35:06 "I did it because I wanted to." 35:09 It always is based when we do wrong on, "I wanted to." 35:14 That's what the Devil said. "I want." 35:18 Look what he's getting. 35:23 Early rain fell on the disciples. 35:25 Man, what a time to be present to see it take place. 35:30 You have the opportunity and privilege, and I do to, 35:32 to be here as the latter rain falls upon the people of God. 35:35 Some, we understand, will receive it in the pew 35:38 right next to others, and others won't even 35:39 know that it's falling. 35:41 They won't even know someone's on fire 35:42 because you're so dead, as it were. 35:43 You're the walking dead. 35:46 You'd have to be. 35:48 Somebody at least think with me for a moment. 35:50 The Holy Spirit, latter rain, falls upon somebody 35:53 sitting shoulder to shoulder with you, 35:54 and you can't tell any difference from them 35:56 and what else is going on. 35:57 You must really be asleep. 36:05 Jesus said, "I'm coming after that church..." 36:07 We read before in Ephesians 5:27. 36:09 "I'm coming after a church without spot or wrinkle." 36:11 The church is me. The church is you. 36:13 It's not a building, it's not this denomination. 36:15 It's not. It's a people. 36:17 That's exactly what it means. 36:19 "I'm coming after that without a spot 36:21 or wrinkle, or any such thing. 36:23 Without fault. Faultless before God. 36:24 Faultless before the throne." 36:26 "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me 36:28 on the throne." 36:31 Again, who's going to receive this latter rain? 36:35 I'm praying for it. 36:37 But I also know, when I pray for it I have to do some 36:39 self-examination to say, "Lord, where am I falling short?" 36:43 If you don't know. You may not know. 36:46 In fact, if I knew ten years ago what I'm trying to learn 36:49 even at this point in time, I'd really be discouraged. 36:51 I thought I might be doing pretty... 36:53 You know, by the grace of God, I'm looking and striving. 36:55 And right now a lot of other stuff has been 36:57 revealed to me, and I'm saying, "Oh no." 36:58 It'd be overwhelming if everything was revealed, 37:01 my issues, all at once. 37:04 Isn't it nice, He's graceful and gracious, and loves us, 37:07 and He shows us a step at a time. 37:10 Gives us one at a time. 37:12 We need to walk in that, we need to receive that 37:14 grace and that strength and that victory. 37:17 1 Testimonies, 187-188. 37:20 This is interesting, because who's going to 37:21 receive the latter rain? Notice. 37:24 This is interesting. 37:26 I'm talking about heavy duty. 37:27 Jot it down. 1 Testimonies, 187-188. 37:30 It says, now those who will receive the 37:32 latter rain are going to be tested. 37:34 We understand that. 37:36 This article says, "Those who come up to every point, 37:41 stand the test, and overcome..." 37:45 Look how often you and I have flunked it. 37:50 This is different. 37:52 This is different than school. 37:53 Is somebody with me? 37:55 I know we're in the school of Christ. 37:56 I'm talking about maybe, you know, high school, 37:59 or whatever it might be, college. 38:00 This is different than getting a grade. 38:04 Probably one of the worst... 38:06 Oh, look out now. 38:07 ...one of the worst mistakes I ever made and choices I made, 38:10 in school I took a year of chemistry. 38:13 Well, my, my, my. 38:15 Well. 38:17 The teacher knew right off the reel that I wasn't the 38:20 chemistry student. 38:21 Ha, ha. 38:22 And I really didn't want to be one, but I thought, you know, 38:24 it'd be a pretty easy class because the teacher, 38:27 I could pass pretty easy and not have to do anything. 38:30 He was pretty smart. 38:32 Looked around and saw those who would study 38:33 and those who would prepare for the test, 38:35 and so on and so forth. 38:36 And you know, he said, "The bottom line: 38:37 Those who are preparing for the test are going to 38:39 make the good grades. 38:40 They're going to pass on. 38:41 They're going to make something of their life. 38:43 Most of you are just here to try to get a passing grade 38:45 and go somewhere else." 38:47 He said, "If that's your attitude, fine. 38:49 You just work hard as you can, I'll give you a passing grade 38:51 so you can get out of my class." 38:54 Well, bless their heart, I got out of his class 38:57 with a passing grade. 38:59 I hope somebody is thinking spiritual with me. 39:04 Are we really spending that time? 39:07 "Those who come up to every point, stand the test, 39:11 and overcome," notice this, listen, 39:14 "be the price what it may..." 39:17 No matter how much, oh church, no matter how much it costs. 39:22 It gives me, kind of like, goosebumps. 39:28 I know the Spirit is impressing my mind. 39:29 It's just, I feel goosebumps when it says, 39:31 whatever the price. 39:37 "...be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel 39:40 of the True Witness, they will receive the latter rain..." 39:46 Only those who stand the test, only those who overcome, 39:50 regardless of what it costs you in this life. 39:53 And I tell you, it costs to be a Christian. 39:57 He doesn't take anything good away from you. 40:00 But the devil is pursuing. He's after you. 40:02 He does not let off. 40:04 People think it's so easy to be in ministry. 40:07 3ABN here and all the people working here 40:09 and leading out in worldwide ministry. 40:11 The devil is harassing every one of them. 40:16 Can't get them to get off track, he can't get them to 40:18 do something willfully that's wrong, 40:20 so he attacks their character. 40:23 Absolutely he does. 40:25 To destroy a person's character, you destroy them. 40:29 That's why you have to be careful about 40:31 backbiting and gossiping. 40:32 And people tell me, they say to me, "Well, why? 40:34 Because that was true." 40:36 Even if it be true, we won't say it if it hurts their character. 40:39 Because, you know, they can confess their sin. 40:41 He's faithful and just to forgive. 40:43 But a lot of times you can't get it out of people's mind. 40:45 We know that. 40:46 So the devil then is going to try to destroy the character. 40:50 Brethren, keep our eyes focused upon Jesus Christ 40:53 regardless of the cost. 40:58 There's a price. 41:00 They will receive the latter rain. 41:03 And I remember, I thought, "Oh, a price! 41:06 Well how far? 41:08 How far is one willing to go?" 41:13 And Christ was willing to go to Calvary. 41:15 He gave His life rather than sin. 41:18 You and I have to come to that point rather than 41:21 willfully, knowingly sin. 41:23 To give our life before we will knowingly do that. 41:28 In the Bible, Matthew 5:29-30, it talks about... 41:35 I kind of see my name in here. 41:36 I don't know if you ever see your name 41:38 when you're reading Scripture. 41:39 Some people think you're out of your mind. 41:40 But I think when I read, the Spirit of God is talking to me. 41:43 I hope you feel the same way. 41:46 As I was reading here, it talks about here, 41:50 "Kenny, if you're right eye," ooh, "if your right eye 41:54 offends, pluck it out." 41:57 Have you read that? 41:58 People read that and they kind of chuckle about it. 42:00 "Well, you know, that's not really what it meant." 42:02 Well, I'm not encouraging people to do that. 42:04 But what is He saying here? 42:07 "If your right hand is offending..." 42:09 You can't get victory because that hand, you know, 42:12 is causing all kind of trouble. 42:13 It says what? 42:15 It's better to cut it off and enter the kingdom 42:16 maimed than not enter at all. 42:19 It's talking about here how far, how willing we are, 42:21 how far we will go, by the grace of God, 42:24 that we don't willfully commit something, to sin. 42:28 Does that make any sense to you at all? 42:33 It says, "offend." 42:34 If your right eye, your hand, offends you. 42:37 Do you know what that means, "offend," here in the Greek? 42:40 If that right eye or the hand trips you up. 42:44 Let me tell you what. That dirty devil. 42:46 He's tripped us up many times, has he not? 42:48 Don't sit there all snug and say it didn't happen to you. 42:52 Most righteous is filthy rags. 42:54 There's none good, no not one. 42:56 Yeah, you are a sinner. And I am a sinner. 42:58 The only way we'll be saved is by grace. 42:59 That's what the Bible says. 43:02 See, that's good news. 43:03 Instead of looking at somebody else, "Oh, they're this," 43:05 "Oh, they're that," look at yourself. 43:06 I need to look at myself. 43:08 But whatever has entrapped you, 43:11 whatever made you take your eyes off of Jesus, 43:15 whatever entices you into sin, even into apostasy, 43:21 get rid of it. 43:24 Man, to come to the point... 43:25 God, help me to come to the point... 43:29 ...to where I would rather die than willfully commit sin. 43:36 Oh Lord, I need some help. 43:37 I don't know about any other people here. 43:41 Luke 11:34 goes on with that same kind of thought. 43:43 I want to bring it home to you. Come on, church. 43:47 It says, "...but when the eye is evil, 43:51 the body is full of..." What? 43:53 "...of darkness." 43:55 Like the tongue is small, remember, but oh it's deadly. 43:57 The eye, when the eye, it talks about here, is evil, 44:01 the body is full of darkness. 44:02 Darkness represents the devil, doesn't it? 44:05 Think about that. 44:06 Or when the vision is poor. Hmmm... 44:10 When the eye is evil; when the vision is evil. 44:15 That word is also translated, a side glance. 44:18 When the side glance is evil. 44:19 I'm going to look if no one is... 44:21 Somebody stay with me. 44:25 The word also means, continually inspecting. 44:30 Some people, they think their job is inspector. 44:36 They're inspecting everything and everybody else, 44:40 and things they shouldn't be inspecting. 44:44 Are you still with me? 44:46 "When the eye is evil, the body is full of darkness," 44:50 the Bible says. 44:52 Oh God, help me. 44:53 How do we remedy the defects in our character? 44:56 How are we going to be cleaned up? 44:59 How can the soul temple be cleaned up 45:01 from every defilement? 45:06 Well the Bible is very clear about 45:07 committing ourself to Christ. 45:09 The spirit of prophecy says this, 1 Selected Messages, 45:11 page 190, and then all the way through 192. 45:14 Notice this. 45:16 "It is our work today..." 45:17 Praise God, we've got some work to do. 45:19 Well I need to do some work. 45:20 Notice this, "It is our work today 45:22 to yield our souls to Christ..." 45:25 How do we gain the victory? 45:26 Every defilement, every sin; submitting it up. 45:29 Did not Jesus do that? Yes He did. 45:31 Is He our example? Yes. 45:32 Are we to copy His pattern? Yes. 45:36 Notice, "It is our work today to yield our soul to Christ..." 45:42 To yield our souls is to yield our wills, 45:45 that we've been talking about in this series, to Christ. 45:48 What? "...that we may be fitted for..." Translation. 45:52 Wait a minute. The refreshing. 45:53 "...the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord..." 45:58 Uh-oh, ooh! "...fitted for the baptism 46:01 of the Holy Spirit." 46:03 Did you get what it said here? 46:04 We yield ourself to Christ. 46:06 Body, soul, mind; all to Jesus Christ. 46:09 So that we can be what? 46:10 Fitted for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 46:13 The latter rain experience. 46:15 That's the only way that it can happen. 46:18 Remember, why the will? 46:20 Some of you say, "Oh the will. What do you mean, the will? 46:22 And what is the will?" 46:23 A little book called, My Life Today, page 318, says this, 46:26 "The will is the governing power in the nature of man." 46:30 What is it? 46:32 It's the governing power in the nature of man. 46:34 Everything stems from the choices that we make. 46:37 Make a decision and follow through with that. 46:40 Notice, the article is a warning. 46:42 It says, "You will be in constant," oooh, "peril until 46:47 you understand the true force of the will." 46:51 You will be, what? 46:52 You're going to be in peril until all of us understand, 46:55 until you understand the force of the will. 46:58 The force of the will is your part. 47:02 It's your part to put yourself on the side of Christ. 47:07 Somebody march with me. 47:08 I'm going to put myself on the side of Christ. 47:12 That means, that's all that you can do. 47:13 There's nothing, you're miserable, your lost, 47:15 you're on probation, the death penalty. 47:17 There's no way you can get out of this mess, 47:19 except for Jesus Christ. 47:20 And the only thing I can do is say, "God, help me. 47:23 I want to be on Your side." 47:25 Oh, don't you know heaven rejoices? 47:26 Don't you know there's music? 47:27 Don't you know there's singing and there's encouragement? 47:30 I just sense that in my heart. 47:32 Heaven is interested in you and interested in me. 47:35 They find joy when they see someone turning their 47:38 life around and asking Jesus to come in. 47:42 When you yield yourself to Him, notice, what happens? 47:46 "Well, it's going to take a week or two weeks. 47:48 I'm going to check you out to kind of see 47:50 how you're going to do." 47:51 No. Immediately... 47:54 Immediately when you give yourself to Christ 47:57 He takes possession of you. 47:59 He's wanting to take possession of you. 48:01 But the devil has a death grip. 48:03 There's going to have to be a fierce fight. 48:06 There's going to be a fierce struggle. 48:08 I'm not acting like, "Oh, this stuff is just easy and simple, 48:11 and one, two, three you've got it made." 48:13 I still have knots on my head. 48:15 I still have whelps. 48:16 I don't know about some of you. 48:19 But I know who is able. 48:20 I know what the Word says. 48:22 I know what God wants for me and wants for you. 48:24 He says, "I want to do My will through you." 48:27 "To will and to do of His good pleasure." 48:29 I read that in Philippians 2:13. 48:33 Commit your will, governing power, everything to Him, 48:36 and let Him continue to work in you. 48:39 What is His will? All man would be saved. 48:42 I need to come to the point, in Psalm 139, I need to say, 48:45 "Search me, oh God." Do you remember? 48:47 "Search me, oh God. Know my heart. 48:50 Try my reigns. 48:53 Know my thoughts." 48:56 I mean, how many can really do that with a 48:58 clear good conscience... 49:00 You know, "Oh God, search my heart." 49:03 ...and really mean it? 49:04 Don't talk to God that way if you don't mean it. 49:07 If you want to say, "I want to be saved 49:09 in the kingdom," mean it. 49:10 Don't say it if you don't mean it. 49:12 There will be things that will happen in your life 49:14 you'll not be able to take without being 49:15 on the side of Christ. 49:17 You want to give your life to Him, He knows exactly 49:20 how to work all that out. 49:22 He knows exactly who to put in your path. 49:25 He knows exactly what you need to encourage and strengthen 49:28 and growth to where He would have you to be. 49:31 The tests and the trials are God's little workmen. 49:34 The tests try and prove the character. 49:40 He immediately... Oooh! 49:43 See, there's none, my brothers and sisters today, 49:46 there's none, none in the universe that can fashion 49:53 the character that has been ruined by sin. 49:58 The characters, people, have been ruined by sin. 50:02 But there's only that can change that. 50:04 That's Jesus. 50:07 He came, praise God, He came to expel the demons of hell 50:13 that control the will. 50:14 Do you realize that? 50:16 If your will is not on the side of Christ, 50:17 the enemy has it. 50:20 Don't hear anybody snickering and carrying on, 50:22 because you know that's just not right. 50:23 Think, if you have not committed your will, 50:26 if you have not committed your will to God, 50:31 the devil has control of your will. 50:34 And the demons of hell is going to have to be expelled. 50:38 But you know, Jesus said, "I'm willing to do that. 50:41 I'm willing to come and fight the battle. 50:43 I'll cast out those demons of hell. 50:44 You just need to tell Me you want Me to do it." 50:47 Friend, how simple can it get? 50:50 He took the stripes, He took Calvary. 50:52 He paid it all. 50:55 Without sin. 50:56 He's my example. 50:59 He did all the things right that I messed up. 51:02 And He says, "Kenny, I give them to you. 51:05 Just follow Me." 51:07 How many of us really are willing to do that? 51:12 Never say, "I cannot." 51:14 Say, "Because the Bible says, I can, by the grace of God. 51:19 I will, by the grace of God." 51:22 And when you say, "I give my live to You, 51:24 I pledge myself to You, oh God," 51:26 all of heaven is on your side. 51:29 The pleasure of the Holy Spirit, God, the Son, all the angels; 51:32 all of heaven is on your side. 51:34 You cannot lose. 51:36 You're losing now because they're not on your side. 51:38 The demons of hell, you can't count on them. 51:41 They're going to use you as long as they can 51:43 and throw you out. 51:44 That's right. 51:45 Heaven won't do that. 51:47 Heaven wants you for eternity. 51:51 People say, "I need to destroy this earthly nature. 51:53 Man, I mean, it's just rooted and grounded in me. 51:55 I need the earthly nature... 51:57 How is the earthly nature destroyed?" 52:01 Remember, the answers will always be the same. 52:03 Maybe coming from a different angle. 52:04 But you know, Desire of Ages, again, the life of Christ, 52:07 a beautiful book, page 391, says this... 52:09 It makes it so simple. Even I can understand it. 52:12 It says, "The word," or truth... 52:14 The Word of God, the truth, "...destroys the natural 52:19 earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus." 52:25 If we're tired of that natural, earthly, sinful, 52:29 pathetic nature, it says right here all we have to do 52:34 is get into the Word of God and begin to 52:35 let the truth come in. 52:37 It destroys that natural earthly nature, 52:41 and it imparts new life in Jesus Christ. 52:43 I want new life in Jesus Christ. 52:47 Are you excited about every day that you get up? 52:49 You get up and you say, "What are the possibilities? 52:52 What does God have in mind for me today? 52:55 What is it that God has in mind? 52:56 I know it's got to be something good. 52:58 It's a new day that God can use me maybe to 53:00 touch someone else's life. 53:02 To help to train and to teach me, and be ready 53:04 for the outpouring of the latter rain." 53:08 How many of us are excited about it, 53:09 rather than get up and say, "Oh, not another day." 53:14 Oh a brother one time told me, they said, 53:17 "First two hours I'm up, don't anybody even look at me. 53:20 First two hours I'm up, I'm too grouchy. 53:22 I don't want to talk to anybody." 53:24 Maybe we all felt that way at different times. 53:26 But you know what? 53:28 When My eyes pop, I think about possibilities. 53:32 What does God have in store? 53:35 It's exciting. 53:37 Because I find every day He has something good. 53:40 Why? 53:41 Psalm 119, he says, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, 53:45 that I might not sin against Thee." 53:50 "Thy word have I hid..." 53:53 God, my friends, is leading a people today. 53:56 There's no doubt about it. 53:58 But He's doing it so merciful, so gracious, so kind. 54:01 He's leading us a step at a time. 54:04 He brings us up to one position. 54:07 And then you know what? Some of us, you know... 54:10 What that position is, it's calculated to show me 54:13 who I really am. 54:15 Are you thinking with me? 54:18 He puts these tests out here so that you and I are confronted 54:21 so that we look and see who we really are, 54:25 not who we say we are. 54:28 Some will gain a victory at that point. 54:30 Others will be discouraged and defeated. 54:35 And then the Lord comes back in His long suffering, 54:38 and He wants us to gain the victory, 54:39 with more scrutiny and we're tested a little 54:42 closer than we were last time. 54:44 Wow! 54:49 Are you thanking Him for those tests and those trials? 54:54 He's doing a work in you. 54:56 I know He's doing a work in me. 55:00 The Great Controversy says, in our last couple of minutes, 55:02 pay attention, page 593, "The word is clear, none..." 55:08 None means none. 55:10 "...none but those who have fortified the mind with 55:13 the truths of the Bible will stand through the 55:16 last great conflict." 55:19 Friend, if you don't know what you believe; why? 55:24 You think you're always going to be able to run to the pastor 55:26 and he's going to help you, or an elder of the church, 55:27 or a husband is going to help the wife? 55:29 You are going to, one of these days, stand alone 55:32 and have to give an account for the hope that's in you. 55:36 Will you be able to do that, by the grace of God? 55:38 You can't do it unless you're putting it in your heart. 55:40 You can't recall what you've not put there. 55:43 God's not going to work that miracle for you. 55:44 He said, "If you hide it in your heart, then I'll bring it up 55:47 when it needs to be." 55:51 We must take great care in the truths that 55:54 God's entrusted to us, these warnings 55:56 He's made clear in Scripture. 55:59 "And if I be lifted up," He says, "will draw all men 56:03 unto Me." 56:04 Friend, I pray that this little study that we've done, 56:07 just touching on the edges of this, about being 56:10 right before God, receiving the latter rain, 56:12 doing the work that God wants you to do, 56:14 get sin out of our life. 56:16 See, that's part of John the Baptist's message. 56:18 The Elijah message is what? 56:19 Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand. 56:23 Are you ready for the kingdom? 56:25 You want Jesus to come? 56:26 See, if you say, "Well, I don't know if I want Him to come," 56:28 it's probably because you're still holding on to something. 56:31 Lord, I want you to come. 56:33 And I want to pray for those who have made that decision. 56:35 I believe every time that people hear the Word, 56:37 I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction, 56:40 and decisions will be made. 56:42 Write 3ABN and tell them you made the decisions, 56:44 you were watching the Pillars, it's been an encouragement. 56:47 Let's pray together, shall we? 56:49 Father in heaven, again I thank You for Your precious Word. 56:51 I thank You for the decisions that are being made right now. 56:54 I believe it in faith that the Holy Spirit is working 56:57 upon hearts and minds and lives that maybe have never 56:59 made the decision before, but they want to be 57:01 on the side of Christ. 57:02 And as they do, I pray You'll bless them, encourage them, 57:05 strengthen them, and save them. 57:06 In Jesus' name, praying for His sake, amen. 57:10 It's been good to be able to spend this time with you. 57:12 You know, a five part series is an awful lot of information. 57:14 Again, we just went around the edges of it. 57:17 But I pray it's been a blessing to you. 57:19 Let 3ABN know that it's a blessing. 57:20 Support that which has been a blessing to you. 57:22 We love ya, thank you for spending the time with us. 57:24 We'll see you next time. |
Revised 2017-03-29