Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO200001S
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00:27 Hello, friends, my name is John Lomacang,
00:29 and welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour. 00:32 You know 3ABN as well as the rest of the world 00:34 is now in a pandemic. 00:36 And the Lord has moved upon our hearts 00:38 to provide Sabbath programming 00:41 for those of you which are many 00:42 that are not able to go to their worship services 00:45 or to gather together in groups to worship the Lord, 00:48 and we pray that we could encourage your hearts 00:50 to trust the Lord in this time of many questions. 00:54 And so from Sabbath to Sabbath, we encourage you to tune in 00:57 for an encouraging uplifting message 01:00 to let us know that in spite of the fact 01:02 that the world is gripped in a pandemic, 01:04 heaven is still open for business. 01:07 Today our message is going to be entitled, 01:09 "Pandemic." 01:10 And before the message though, I'm going to have Ryan Day come 01:13 and begin with an encouraging song. 01:16 You know, there are many things to complain about, 01:18 but I believe the words of this song 01:20 will encourage you the words entitled, 01:22 "I Can't Complain." 01:36 I've had bad days 01:41 And I've hills to climb 01:47 Then I've had sad days 01:53 And then a weary mile 01:58 Yet when I look about 02:05 And I think These things all out 02:11 All of the good things 02:15 Outweigh the bad things 02:17 I can't complain 02:23 God is so good to me 02:30 He is so good to me 02:37 More than this world could be 02:42 He's so good to me 02:48 His spirit came to me 02:54 And gave me victory 03:01 God is so good to me 03:07 I can't complain 03:13 Sometimes the clouds hang low 03:19 And I'd like to see them go 03:25 Then I ask the question, Lord 03:32 Why so much pain 03:37 But He knows what's best for me 03:44 Although I cannot see 03:50 I just say thank you, Lord 03:56 I can't complain. 04:01 Oh, God is so good to me 04:08 Yes, He's so good to me 04:14 More than this world could be 04:20 He's so good to me 04:25 His spirit came to me 04:32 And gave me victory 04:38 God is so good to me 04:44 I can't complain 04:50 My God is so good to me 04:57 I can't complain 05:12 Amen. Amen. 05:14 What an encouraging song. 05:15 There's so many things to complain about. 05:18 Praise the Lord when we turn our hearts 05:20 to Christ and recognize that heaven 05:23 is still open for business and Jesus is still Lord of all. 05:28 I cannot complain. 05:30 Bow your heads with me as I invite the Lord 05:33 to speak to you at this very critical hour. 05:37 Father in heaven, 05:39 in this hour where there are so many things 05:42 to think about, 05:44 in this moment when the world is 05:46 on the precipice of many questions 05:48 without answers. 05:50 We thank You, Lord, that when we turn away 05:52 from the darkness to the light, 05:54 that the things that we can complain about 05:57 begin to vanish away. 06:00 Thank You, Lord, for being near to us. 06:02 We pray that You'll continue to be. 06:04 And now take this message and speak to Your people 06:08 and bring peace to their troubled souls. 06:10 In Jesus' name I pray, amen. 06:15 You know, friends, you most likely 06:17 don't know who He is. 06:20 But if you were alive at the time, 06:23 or if I jolt so your memory, 06:25 you may remember what He is known for. 06:28 His name is Victor Perrin. 06:30 He was the ominous voice of the 1960s 06:34 in a very well-known program called The Outer Limits. 06:39 Now if you were not born, then you may not remember 06:41 or if you were not in America, 06:43 it may be something new to you, 06:44 but here's what he said very interesting. 06:46 The following words, he said, 06:48 "There is nothing wrong with your television, 06:52 your television set. 06:53 Do not attempt to adjust the picture. 06:56 We are controlling transmission. 06:58 For the next hour, sit quietly, 07:01 and we will control all that you see and hear. 07:04 We repeat: there is nothing wrong 07:07 with your television set." 07:09 He went on to say, "You are about to experience 07:12 the awe and mystery 07:14 which reaches from the inner mind 07:16 to The Outer Limits." 07:19 Friends, I can say with certainty today 07:22 that we have reached the outer limits 07:24 in our imagination 07:26 when we look at what's happening 07:28 in the world today. 07:29 For the first time in modern history, 07:32 the world has taken a collective breath 07:35 in anticipation of what is coming. 07:38 People are wondering how to make sense of it. 07:42 Where do I go, 07:43 and we would like to adjust our television sets 07:46 to see something differently. 07:47 But every channel we turn to, 07:49 whether in English or in Spanish, 07:52 or in Italian, 07:53 or in the many languages of the countries of the world, 07:57 there is bad news on every channel. 08:00 While trying to make sense of it, 08:01 the Bible makes it very clear as to where we are headed. 08:04 The words of the Apostle Paul fit 08:06 in this critical hour. 08:08 Notice what he says in 2 Timothy 3:1. 08:11 But he said, "But know this, 08:14 that in the last days perilous times will come." 08:19 Well, friends, think about it. 08:21 When you look at the rising death tolls, 08:23 a very sad picture, we have entered perilous times. 08:26 When you look at governments trying to find answers 08:30 to the crisis that's gripping the world uncontrollably, 08:33 we have entered perilous times. 08:36 When we look at the basic necessities of life 08:38 vanishing away, we have entered perilous times. 08:42 When we look at how nations 08:44 that have often been places of vacation destinations 08:48 now closing their borders, we have entered perilous times. 08:53 But also when we think of what's happening, 08:55 when we go into the deeper recesses of our minds, 08:58 it's hard to understand what's actually taking place. 09:01 But in the Testimonies for the Church, 09:03 volume 9, page 43, 09:06 the servant of the Lord makes it clear 09:08 as to what time we're living in. 09:09 Notice what she says. 09:11 She says, "We are on the verge of the time of trouble," 09:15 the very verge of the time of trouble, 09:17 "and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of 09:21 are before us." 09:23 Now look at those words scarcely dreamed of, meaning, 09:27 if months ago, we came up with a scenario in our minds, 09:30 we could scarcely dream of the kind of world 09:32 that we're living in today. 09:33 I'm a native of New York City. 09:35 I received phone calls from family members 09:37 and they're saying, 09:39 the streets are practically empty. 09:40 The highways and cars are traveling at minimum. 09:44 I have family in the Virgin Islands. 09:46 They were told by their governor recently 09:49 to prepare for this as though a hurricane is coming. 09:53 And people are buying food, the store shelves 09:55 and the supplies are vanishing. 09:57 People are wondering 09:58 when a virus antidote will be developed. 10:01 We are living in difficult times, 10:03 and things that we can hardly dream of, 10:05 scarcely dream of are before us. 10:08 For the first time the entire world has arrived 10:11 at an unpredictable hour of apprehension. 10:15 There is an irreversible, fearful anxiety 10:18 that has descended on humanity. 10:20 And for the first time, 10:22 it doesn't matter what your race is, 10:23 doesn't matter your political convictions, 10:25 it doesn't matter 10:26 whether you're Christian or atheist, 10:28 every one of us is in the same basket, 10:31 every one of us has the very same concern. 10:35 And the climate of the world should not be surprised. 10:38 When the student of the Bible 10:40 looks at the climate of the world, 10:42 we should not be surprised by what we see 10:45 because God's Word revealed to us 10:48 that these times would come. 10:51 Notice the words of the Apostle Paul 10:53 in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. 10:56 Notice what he says. 10:58 He says, "But concerning the times 11:00 and seasons, brethren," 11:01 he's speaking to the Christians, 11:02 "you have no need that I should write to you." 11:05 In other words, 11:06 God has told you this was coming. 11:08 "For you yourselves know perfectly 11:11 that the day of the Lord so comes 11:13 as a thief in the night." 11:16 And he continues in verse 3. 11:18 "For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' 11:22 then sudden destruction comes upon them, 11:25 as labor pains upon a pregnant woman." 11:28 And notice how he ends, "And they shall not escape." 11:32 You know, friends, 11:33 people are wondering how to escape. 11:35 People are wondering, 11:36 is there some place in the world 11:38 that I can go where this disease is not? 11:40 But hey, there's no place to escape. 11:42 The only place that we can find escape 11:45 is under the almighty power of God. 11:48 As Psalms 91 says, 11:50 "Under His wings we shall take refuge." 11:52 And so, friends, let me encourage you, 11:54 since we cannot find any place on the planet to escape to, 11:58 let's escape to the presence of God through prayer. 12:01 Let us escape to the presence of God 12:03 through the study of the Word. 12:04 Let us take time to pull our families together 12:07 and revisit those passages that bring hope 12:10 and courage to our hearts. 12:12 Let us look away from the news that's nothing but bad news. 12:15 And remember, the gospel is still good news, 12:18 and God has not lost control. 12:21 This is the time to recalibrate our walk with Christ, 12:24 examine our hearts because we are on the cusped. 12:27 And the worst is yet to come. 12:29 But after the worst has passed, 12:31 the best will be there eternally. 12:33 In the book Great Controversy, 12:35 we find some very startling words 12:37 that bring us to a picture painting moment 12:41 that helps us to see on a larger scale 12:43 what God sees from heaven. 12:45 Notice, the Great Controversy, page 589 and paragraph 2, 12:50 these words fit the times in which we live. 12:54 "In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, 12:57 in great conflagrations, 12:59 in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, 13:02 in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, 13:07 and earthquakes, 13:08 in every place and in a thousand forms," 13:12 notice, "Satan is exercising his power. 13:16 He sweeps away the ripening harvest, 13:18 and famine and distress follow. 13:20 He imparts to the air a deadly taint, 13:24 and thousands perish by the pestilence." 13:28 Another word for disease. 13:29 "These visitations are to become 13:31 more and more frequent and disastrous." 13:34 Friends, the climate in which we live 13:36 is just a taste of what's to come. 13:38 We are just seeing the harbingers. 13:41 We are seeing the clouds forming on the horizon. 13:43 This is just a taste of what is to come. 13:47 You know, the Lord said in His words, 13:48 "There'll be famines, 13:49 there'll be pestilences, 13:51 and there'll be earthquakes in various places." 13:53 But He said, "These are the beginning of sorrows." 13:56 And right now the governors of our world, 13:58 the presidents, the kings, the leaders, 14:01 religious and secular alike are trying to find an answer 14:05 to this virus. 14:06 But so far the only answer, 14:08 I say it again is found in Christ. 14:10 The only place that we can find safety 14:13 is putting our lives in the hand of the Lord 14:15 who has never lost a case. 14:17 The Master Physician is our only hope, 14:20 when there is no hope from our hospitals. 14:22 But I want to say, pray for our doctors. 14:26 Pray for the medical professionals. 14:27 Pray that supplies will come 14:30 to replenish all the supplies being used. 14:33 Pray for the strength of those who stand 24 hours a day. 14:37 Pray for our emergency workers, our police officers. 14:40 Pray for those who are standing in the gap for us, 14:43 hoping to find an answer 14:45 to the perplexities that find us. 14:47 You know, friends when you look at the spread of this COVID-19 14:50 as it's now called. 14:51 In just a matter of two weeks, 14:54 it has gone from 57 countries to more than 150 countries 14:59 around the world. 15:01 And then look at the impact. 15:02 Major sporting events in America and around the world 15:05 have been canceled indefinitely. 15:07 Schools are closed indefinitely. 15:10 But here's the good news, but heaven is still open. 15:13 Heaven has not closed. 15:14 God is still on His thrones. 15:16 Churches, I hate to say this, 15:18 churches are canceling services, 15:20 minimizing the crowds, 15:22 but God is still answering our prayers. 15:25 If you breathe a prayer, heaven doesn't need a text. 15:28 They don't need a phone line, 15:29 God will answer your prayers in this crisis hour. 15:33 Major airlines are canceling travel. 15:36 There are places where airlines don't go. 15:38 Some airports look like ghost towns. 15:40 Hotels are closing. 15:42 Countries are restricting entrance 15:44 from outsiders and even in some cases 15:47 when you come into the country, 15:48 you have to quarantine yourself for two weeks 15:50 before you can enter into the general population. 15:54 Major countries are closing their borders. 15:56 What a crisis hour? 15:58 But there is no crisis in the kingdom of glory. 16:00 There is no crisis among the angels. 16:03 We may not be able to see them, 16:05 but God is sending reinforcements to your home. 16:07 God is sending His Holy Spirit into your life. 16:10 Just open His Word and you'll find the light 16:12 has not been cut off. 16:13 The power has not been disconnected. 16:15 Heaven is busy. 16:17 And when we cannot find answers in our local communities, 16:21 we can always find answers at the throne of grace. 16:26 But, friends, what's happening to men? 16:28 Luke. 16:29 Faithful Dr. Luke has written the words 16:31 that brings us to this crisis hour. 16:33 Notice what he says in Luke 21:26, 16:37 he describes it accurately, 16:38 he says, "Men's hearts failing them from fear 16:43 and the expectation of those things 16:45 which are coming on the earth." 16:46 Notice what he says, 16:48 "For the powers of the heavens will be shaken." 16:51 People are wondering where do I turn. 16:53 But I want to tell you, 16:54 as he talks about the powers of heaven, 16:56 he is saying that men are looking up wondering 16:58 what's coming next? 17:00 What do we do? 17:01 To whom do we turn? 17:03 How can we find answers 17:05 when the people with the professional skills, 17:08 the people at the highest levels 17:10 in the CDC, 17:11 or the World Health Organization, 17:13 even they are seeking answers to this crisis hour? 17:17 But notice, in the book Prophets and Kings, 17:19 a beautiful picture is drawn 17:21 as to what kind of climate we are all now facing. 17:24 Prophets and Kings, page 277. 17:27 Notice these very words. 17:29 "How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, 17:33 of destruction by fire and flood, 17:37 with great loss of life and property! 17:39 Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks 17:44 of disorganized, unregulated forces of nature, 17:48 wholly beyond the control of man," 17:50 but listen to these words, 17:52 "but in them all God's purposes may be read. 17:57 They are among the agencies by which He, that is God, 18:01 seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger." 18:06 Friends, danger, danger. 18:09 Danger is on the right hand, on the left hand. 18:12 Danger is above us, danger is below us. 18:15 Danger is right outside your doors 18:17 as some people haven't left their homes 18:19 for days and in some cases for weeks, 18:22 quarantining themselves, danger. 18:24 But I want to tell you, God is allowing these moments 18:28 to be a time where He's saying to humanity, 18:31 all the things you've trusted. 18:32 And notice, casinos are closed. 18:35 All the pleasure loving palaces are being closed. 18:38 Crowd sizes are being limited and discouraged altogether. 18:41 Restaurants are closing, but I tell you, 18:43 you can't find food in restaurants, 18:45 but you can always find food in the Word of God. 18:48 And I want to tell you every time you open God's Word, 18:50 the fruit is never stale. 18:52 It is new every morning as God's faithfulness is. 18:57 At crisis hour, God is allowing these times 19:00 to come to let us know 19:02 that when all the banks are closed, 19:03 and all the schools are closed, 19:05 and all the movie theaters are closed, 19:07 and all the amusement parks are closed, 19:09 and all the things that we had turned to 19:11 are no longer there, we can turn to God. 19:15 In America, in some of our major cities, 19:19 National Guards are being activated 19:21 to keep down populations to sometime, 19:24 somehow marshal the resource and to keep people safe. 19:29 Large businesses are closed, 19:31 telling employees to work at home. 19:33 Work in your own privacy. 19:35 Stay safe, do the necessary things. 19:38 Movie theaters, major stores and shopping malls are closed. 19:42 Food supplies are vanishing. 19:44 And I want to pause and say, 19:46 did you ever think that this kind of hour 19:49 would come to the entire world. 19:51 For the first time, not World War II, 19:53 not World War I, not the Vietnam War. 19:56 This is not communist versus capitalism 19:59 or republicanism or democracy, 20:02 the entire world is gripped in an atmosphere 20:05 of what do we do next, 20:08 and people are in panic mode, 20:10 stocking up on food and water and supplies. 20:14 Politicians, the wealthy, and the poor alike, 20:18 are facing the same things. 20:19 In America, we're praying for our president. 20:21 We're praying for your president. 20:23 We're praying for your leaders. 20:25 We're praying for your Parliament, 20:27 for your Congress to come up with answers. 20:29 But the question is, what's next? 20:31 Well, friends, when we are wondering, 20:33 God knows. 20:35 When we think of the words in Matthew Chapter 24, 20:37 it describes perfectly what God knows. 20:40 Listen to these inspired words. 20:42 Matthew 24:32 and 33. 20:45 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: 20:49 When its branch has already become tender 20:51 and puts forth leaves, 20:53 you know that summer is near. 20:55 So you also, when you see all these things, 20:59 know that it is near, even at the doors." 21:03 Well, friends, we're seeing all of these things. 21:05 We're seeing earthquakes. 21:06 They were months 21:08 when there were uncontrollable fires in America 21:09 and in Australia. 21:11 There were famine and pestilences 21:12 around the world. 21:14 People are dying of other diseases. 21:15 We are seeing all these things and the Lord is saying to us 21:18 in His Word, know that these are signs, 21:21 indicators, harbingers 21:23 that the coming of the Lord is near. 21:26 So we have to make it through by faith. 21:29 Because one day, all the sadness, 21:31 all the heartaches, all the suffering, 21:33 all the disease and death will one day 21:35 not even be a memory. 21:37 That's why it's important to trust God's Word. 21:39 If there's anything that you can trust, 21:41 you can trust God's Word. 21:44 But I'm gonna take you to a quotation 21:45 that really for me, 21:47 puts the entire label, 21:49 the entire context of our world in perfect clarity. 21:52 In the book Education, page 179, 21:56 these words are amazingly accurate 21:59 to the times in which we live. 22:00 Notice these words. 22:02 "The present is a time of overwhelming interest 22:05 to all living." 22:07 We can say that's true. 22:08 "Rulers and statesmen, 22:10 men who occupy positions of trust and authority, 22:14 thinking men and women of all classes, 22:18 have their attention fixed 22:20 upon the events taking place about us. 22:23 They are watching the strained, 22:25 restless relations that exist among the nations. 22:28 They observe the intensity that is taking possession 22:31 of every earthly element, 22:34 and they recognize that something great 22:37 and decisive is about to take place," 22:39 and notice how it ends, 22:41 "that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis." 22:46 Of stupendous crisis, that word pandemic crisis, 22:50 emergency, danger, it all fits into this climate. 22:53 We are on the verge of something even larger. 22:56 And the waves that are beating 22:58 against the shores of time, 23:00 the clouds that are gathering on the horizon 23:03 are all letting us know 23:04 that the worst is yet ahead of us. 23:06 That's why, friends, listen carefully. 23:08 If there's ever a time that you need to trust in the Lord, 23:11 because you can't trust your bank account, 23:13 you can't trust the stock market. 23:15 The stocks are going down, savings are vanishing. 23:18 And there is no answer in Wall Street. 23:21 There is no answer 23:22 in the parliaments of our world. 23:24 Look on the horizon and listen to the heartbeat of the times. 23:27 Look at the sands of times that are seeping through 23:30 the hourglass of human history. 23:32 We are on the verge of a stupendous crisis. 23:35 And the only way to avert the crisis 23:39 is to put your life in the hands of the Lord. 23:42 Put your life in the hand of One 23:44 who can deliver you through the crisis. 23:46 In the Bible, God delivered Daniel. 23:49 In the Bible, God delivered the Hebrews. 23:51 In the Bible, God saved Elijah in a time of famine. 23:54 In the Bible, God provided food for Israel, 23:57 when there were famines in Egypt. 23:59 God provides, friends, 24:00 and He has and will continue to provide for us today. 24:04 But when you look at the Bible, 24:05 you understand that these times are not a surprise 24:09 to those who are studying the Word of God. 24:11 The Apostle Paul now says to us, 24:13 look, look at what God's Word says. 24:16 These are not new, the student of Scripture. 24:19 And I say that again, 24:20 the one who's reading his Bible, 24:22 the young lady 24:23 who is spending hours in her Bible. 24:25 Let me say something to our young folks. 24:27 You know, this virus is not exempt 24:29 to the younger generation. 24:31 Just recently on the news, 24:33 they said those between 20 and 44, 24:35 there's a spike in the rise of this Coronavirus, 24:38 the COVID-19 among the young. 24:40 So many believe that 24:42 it's just susceptible to the older population. 24:44 But I tell you what? 24:45 Friends, disease does not discriminate. 24:48 It affects the old and the young. 24:50 Young people, put down your devices 24:52 and pick up God's Word. 24:53 Get off of Facebook and start facing the book. 24:56 Put down Instagram, those moments that give you joy 24:59 and find joy in the presence of God. 25:02 That's the only place that we can find joys 25:06 forevermore in a world that keeps us enamored 25:09 by pleasure and entertainment. 25:11 Turn off the television 25:12 and get into the presence of Christ, 25:14 because one day all the power in the world will be shut off. 25:17 One day, there will be no more answers. 25:19 This is the time to get back in touch. 25:22 And if you don't know Christ, this is a perfect time to say, 25:25 Lord, I don't know who You are. 25:28 I've never given my life to You. 25:30 But give me an indication, show me that You are real. 25:33 Friends, when you pray that prayer, 25:34 no matter where you are, 25:36 whether you're in Europe or in Asia, 25:38 whether you're in the Caribbean islands, 25:39 whether you're in South America or in Russia, 25:41 wherever you are, God will answer that prayer. 25:45 God understands every language, 25:47 and He's listened and open to the cries of His children. 25:50 The Apostle Paul gives us a very clear picture. 25:53 Notice what he says to the student of the Bible, 25:56 those studying Bible prophecy. 25:58 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6, these words are inspiring. 26:03 He says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, 26:07 so that this Day should overtake you as a thief." 26:10 In other words, you should have known this is coming, 26:12 not necessarily the disease but tough times. 26:15 "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. 26:19 We are not of the night nor of darkness. 26:23 Therefore, notice the encouragement, 26:25 "let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch. 26:31 Let us watch and be sober." 26:34 Friends, watch and be sober, two powerful words, 26:37 watch and be sober. 26:39 What should people of God be doing? 26:41 Watch and be sober. 26:43 That means don't watch the wrong things, 26:46 watch the right things. 26:48 Don't watch just for the next news broadcast. 26:51 I tell you what? 26:52 As I flip through the channels from ABC, and Fox, and NBC, 26:57 and MSNBC, and CBS, and BBC, 27:00 and Al Jazeera, 27:01 it seems like they have all conglomerating together 27:04 to bring us bad news. 27:05 But the reality is, the reality is, 27:08 we must be sober, we must watch, 27:11 watch with a vigilance 27:13 because it is in these crisis times 27:15 that Satan is looking for those that are not watching. 27:18 That's why the Apostle Peter said, "Be sober, 27:21 be vigilant because your adversary, the devil, 27:24 walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." 27:29 There are those that are saying, well, 27:31 like every other disease, this is going to also pass. 27:33 Well, that may be true. 27:35 But, friends, the worst is yet ahead of us. 27:37 Like any other pandemic, somebody is going to survive. 27:40 Well, you may not know whether or not you will survive. 27:43 But when you put your life in the hand of the Lord, 27:46 there is no need for despair 27:48 when you're standing with Christ. 27:50 Graves may be filled but I tell you, 27:53 there's going to be a resurrection morning. 27:54 People are dying 27:56 and it's so sad to hear the numbers going up, 27:58 but anyone who dies in the Lord, 28:00 there's hope and encouragement. 28:01 The future is not bleak. 28:03 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. 28:05 Precious in the sight of the Lord 28:07 is the death of His saints. 28:09 They're also saying that 28:10 even though you may not die from this disease, 28:12 the impact could be irreversible to your lungs 28:17 and to your future. 28:18 So do all that you must do. 28:20 But the most essential thing that you can do 28:23 is find the Bible. 28:24 Call your friends on the phone, pray with them. 28:28 Pastors, call your church members, 28:30 pray with them, encourage them, 28:32 send out emails, words of encouragement. 28:34 Don't go on Facebook and put frivolous things. 28:37 Put, I'm praying for you. 28:38 If you have friends, send them encouraging words. 28:41 Take quotations from the Bible, and post it. 28:44 This is the hour, if Facebook is going to help us at all, 28:47 put something that can bring somebody hope 28:49 and encouragement in this dark hour. 28:51 There are things that we can all do. 28:54 But let's do those things that will bring hope, 28:56 and courage, and light to somebody. 28:58 There are those who are all by themselves. 29:01 There are those who are retirees. 29:03 There are those who are older people. 29:05 It seems like their world has been silent for so long. 29:08 If you know if someone that's older, that silent, 29:11 you may go and knock on their doors, 29:12 if you can help them with groceries, 29:14 can bring some encouragement, 29:15 bring them food or bring them water. 29:17 Seek to do a good deed at this crisis hour. 29:20 Go to your neighbors at a distance, 29:22 as we know social distancing, 29:24 but see what you can do to bring hope, and courage, 29:27 and light to somebody that may not know Christ. 29:29 I tell you what? 29:30 When the news is passed, 29:32 and when finally we know by God's grace, 29:34 one day even this pandemic will pass. 29:38 The relationships that we build at this time 29:40 will last far beyond the bad news. 29:43 See, God is calling His people to turn their light on. 29:46 God is calling Christians to stand firmly in this hour. 29:50 God is calling us to say, 29:52 it's not just about what you believe, 29:54 but who are you. 29:56 Let people see Christ shining through you. 29:58 Let your neighbors say, 29:59 I know I've seen them go to church 30:01 from week to week. 30:02 But it's so good to see them smile at me 30:04 and bring me words of encouragement. 30:06 Take a track, put a put a CD on somebody's doorstep, 30:10 bring light to their homes. 30:11 I received a phone call the other day from somebody 30:14 whose town has been shut down. 30:15 And he said to me, a doctor, he said, 30:17 you know, day by day, we are encouraged. 30:19 We're playing your music, and it brings us hope, 30:21 and it brings us encouragement. 30:23 Friends, that's what God is calling us to do. 30:26 This is a crisis hour, 30:27 and there's something that God's people 30:29 must be prepared to do. 30:31 Which brings me to a very important point. 30:33 Point number one, what should we do? 30:35 Notice, 30:37 the signs around us is a call to readiness. 30:42 The signs around us is a call to readiness. 30:46 When my wife and I get ready for vacation. 30:48 We don't wait to the day of vacation to pack, 30:50 we get ready ahead of time. 30:52 We are looking at the world today. 30:53 We cannot wait for things to get worse to get ready. 30:56 There are people today that can't go to the bank, 30:58 banks are closed. 31:00 There are people that can't even go and get money 31:02 that are being sent by loved ones, 31:03 because the points of touch are closed. 31:06 And all the things that we thought 31:08 will always be there, like water and food. 31:12 We go to some of the stores and all their bread is gone. 31:15 And in some cases, 31:16 even dog food in some cases is gone. 31:18 I brought, it brought a smile to my mind 31:20 when somebody called me and said, 31:21 I couldn't find my favorite dog food, 31:23 even my dog is suffering, everybody's included. 31:26 But, friends, this calls for time of readiness. 31:29 Being ready is what the Lord wants us to do. 31:33 Notice why we must all be ready? 31:35 In the Book of Luke 12:39 and 40, 31:38 Dr. Luke tells us 31:40 through the inspiration of the words of Christ, 31:42 why we should be ready. 31:44 He said this, "But know this, 31:46 that if the master of the house had known 31:49 what hour the thief would come, 31:51 he would have watched and not allowed his house 31:54 to be broken into." 31:55 Notice verse 40. 31:57 "Therefore you also," look at the next two words, 32:00 "be ready, for the Son of Man is coming 32:03 at an hour you do not expect." 32:06 Let me emphasize those words again. 32:08 Be ready. 32:10 You can say that with me, Be ready. 32:12 That's right, friends, be ready. 32:14 Don't allow yourself to be caught off guard. 32:16 You know why? 32:17 We cannot wait for the world to get worse 32:19 before we get better. 32:21 We've got to get better before the world gets worse. 32:24 We've got to be ready. 32:25 We can't wait for the plane to land to say, 32:28 I must buy a ticket. 32:29 We can't wait for the train to pull away to say, 32:32 I'm not sure if that's my train. 32:33 We've got to be ready because the reality is, 32:36 we do not know when Jesus is coming. 32:39 But He did say, 32:41 when all these things begin to happen, 32:43 it's time to be ready. 32:45 Get your spiritual bags packed. 32:47 Get your life in order, confess your sins. 32:50 Put your life before the Lord and say, 32:52 Father, show me the things 32:53 that I need to change in my life. 32:55 Show me the habits I need to lay down. 32:58 Show me the direction that I must take. 33:00 And God will give you guidance. 33:02 He'll send us Holy Spirit to convict your heart. 33:05 You can pray for your loved ones. 33:07 I've been praying for my loved ones. 33:08 I have family members that don't know Christ. 33:10 And I'm praying that in this pandemic hour, 33:15 their hearts would be open 33:16 to the voice of the Spirit of God. 33:18 You can write names down, 33:20 begin to activate your prayer life. 33:22 Now that you have time, 33:23 now that you're home from school, 33:25 you're home from church, you're home from work. 33:28 Don't sit idly by. 33:30 Don't sit by wondering who's going to bring answers 33:32 because the answers are already there. 33:35 Open God's Word. 33:36 Begin to write down the names of those family members 33:38 that you're praying about. 33:40 Begin to pray for your brother, your sister. 33:41 Pray for your husband, your wife. 33:43 Pray for your community. 33:45 Pray for your clergy. 33:47 This is the time that God's people must be ready. 33:51 We cannot wait for the world to get worse 33:53 before we get better. 33:54 We've got to get better before the world gets worse. 33:58 In the book Testimonies for the Church, volume 9, 34:01 and page 11, these words are so fitting. 34:04 Notice, why we must understand what's coming. 34:07 We are told, "The calamities by land and sea, 34:11 the unsettled state of society." 34:14 That's where we find ourselves. 34:16 "The alarms of war, are portentous," 34:18 meaning you can hear them sounding everywhere. 34:21 "The forecast approaching events 34:26 of the greatest magnitudes," but it gets deeper. 34:30 "The agencies of evil are combining their forces 34:34 and consolidating. 34:36 They are strengthening for the last great crisis. 34:40 Great changes," what kind of changes? 34:42 "Great changes are soon to take place in our world, 34:46 and the final movements will be rapid ones." 34:51 You may have heard that quotation before, 34:52 rapid ones. 34:54 What's rapid mean? 34:55 That means by the time you hear the plane coming is passed, 34:58 the movements of our day, 35:00 like a jet breaking the sound barrier, 35:03 by the time you hear the boom, it's already past. 35:06 The final movements will be rapid ones. 35:09 Friends, what an urgency? 35:11 The final movements will be rapid. 35:13 That means before you can think about 35:14 what's going to happen next, 35:16 it's happening, 35:17 before you can think of the bills being selected. 35:19 There are those who are saying, Pastor, 35:22 could this possibly be the opening of the doors 35:25 for the Sunday law coming in? 35:27 I don't know. 35:28 But it doesn't mean that we have to wait until that time 35:30 to have a relationship with Christ. 35:32 Don't look for specific things to occur to say, 35:35 "Well, this is now when I should get ready. 35:37 Friend, the time has come, 35:38 because the final moments will be rapid, 35:40 they will unfold before you can even think of 35:43 what to do next. 35:44 That's why God wants His people to be on guard to be awake, 35:49 to understand that as urgent as it is, 35:51 the people of God must be urgent also. 35:54 What also amazes me though, 35:56 and I've been looking at some of the people 35:57 that are in society that are complacent. 35:59 You know, there are those that are saying, "Well, 36:01 I'm going to go to the beach as normal. 36:02 I'm going to surf as normal. 36:04 I'm gonna live my life because this is no big deal." 36:06 There are those who are denying the urgency 36:09 and the critical nature of the hour. 36:11 But even that is a sign of the coming of the Lord. 36:13 Notice the Apostle Peter, 2 Peter 3:3-4, 36:17 he calibrates and helps us understand 36:19 why that attitude exists. 36:21 He said these words to us, 36:23 "Knowing this first: 36:25 that scoffers will come in the last days," 36:28 that's why people are doubting, 36:30 "walking according to their own lust," 36:32 meaning their own ideas, their own desires. 36:34 And they're saying, verse 4, 36:36 "Where is the promise of His coming?" 36:39 They're saying that to Christians. 36:40 "For since the fathers fell asleep, 36:43 all things continue as they were 36:46 from the beginning of creation." 36:48 Well, friends, you've got to be unaware 36:51 because things have changed from the time I went to school. 36:54 Since I've been married things have changed. 36:57 Things have changed in just the last month. 36:59 Since December of 2019, 37:01 things have drastically changed. 37:03 You have got to be in serious denial to think 37:07 that things haven't changed. 37:09 Things are changing so quickly. 37:11 Things are changing so rapidly that we cannot predict. 37:14 When I turn on the evening news, 37:16 looking for good news. 37:17 And then they say, "Well, the death toll has climbed." 37:20 And there's a phrase being used in the news today, 37:22 they're saying, we're trying to flatten the curve, 37:24 meaning they're trying to get ahead of the virus. 37:27 They don't want to see 37:29 this exponential spike in death tolls. 37:32 But, friends, there's only one person 37:33 that can calm that down. 37:35 And His name is Jesus. 37:37 There's only one person that can bring hope 37:39 in this climbing hour, 37:41 in this curve flattening moment, 37:43 and His name is Jesus. 37:45 But I'm praying, I am surely praying. 37:47 My wife and I commit ourselves to prayer every day. 37:50 And every evening we open our Bibles. 37:52 We are reading through the Book of Psalms. 37:54 And I want to tell you, it's encouraging. 37:56 What a place to find hope in this crisis hour. 37:59 But there are those that say, it doesn't matter. 38:02 This is how the world has always been. 38:04 And they deny the very signs that are taking place about us. 38:07 But the reality is, 38:09 the world has changed forever and so should we. 38:14 The world is collapsing. 38:16 And this is the hour when the people of God 38:19 should be rising. 38:20 The world is on its way down. 38:22 Soon the people of God are going to be on their way up 38:25 to meet Jesus. 38:26 Oh, friends, let me encourage you, 38:28 this is the time to get ready. 38:29 This is the time to have your bags 38:32 already packed by the front door 38:34 when we hear the trumpet, 38:36 when we see the economy firmly collapsed. 38:38 They're going from the word recession now 38:41 to the word depression. 38:43 Who wants to hear that word? 38:44 It's saying to us one day, 38:46 and you think about the Great Depression in America 38:49 in the 1930s, in the early 40s. 38:51 When you think of the Great Depression, 38:54 that's not what America wants to see. 38:57 That is not what we want to hear. 38:59 Bread lines, soup lines, banks were totally ineffective. 39:04 They had no answers for the collapsing society. 39:07 We do not want to see a depression. 39:09 But here's the reality. 39:11 If a depression hits, 39:12 it's not going to be America alone. 39:14 It's going to be England, and the islands of the sea, 39:17 and Australia, and the Asian countries, 39:20 and the Spanish countries, 39:22 every continent, from the north, to the south, 39:25 to the east, to the west will be depressed. 39:28 Friends, in this depressing hour, 39:30 there's a place that I have found 39:32 that I can turn where there is no depression. 39:35 I can speak to the Lord and I can open His Word 39:37 and hear Him speak back to me. 39:39 Friends, don't be caught by depression. 39:42 This is the time that we should not look to recession, 39:44 or even think about the collapsing markets. 39:47 But think about a place 39:48 where there is no collapsing market. 39:50 The Lord still owns the cattle on a thousand hills. 39:53 He still says the gold and silver is mine. 39:56 As a matter of fact, in an hour of food shortage, 39:59 the Lord says, If I were hungry, 40:01 I wouldn't even tell you. 40:03 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. 40:06 And here's the good news. 40:07 If He can provide for Elijah in his hour of crisis, 40:11 my friends, He can provide for your family, 40:13 He can provide for your children 40:15 while we're home teaching our children. 40:17 Some parents have now been given the daunting task 40:20 of being a teacher trying to train their children. 40:23 They have now taken on the task 40:24 of giving their children educational instruction. 40:28 But, friends, let me tell you something. 40:30 Before you enter into educational instruction, 40:33 enter into scriptural instruction, 40:35 open the Bible and say to your young people, 40:38 your children, your son, your daughter, say to them, 40:41 let's go to God's Word. 40:42 And I wanna tell you, He can equip you to do things 40:45 as the Bible says, He's able to do exceedingly, 40:49 abundantly above all that we can ask or think, 40:52 according to the power 40:53 that will be willing or is at work in you. 40:57 Also pray for 3ABN. 40:59 We're praying for your prayers. 41:01 We want you to keep praying for us. 41:02 We're praying for your financial support. 41:05 We have stepped up our programming. 41:07 We want to do all that we can to bring hope 41:10 and encouragement to your hearts. 41:11 You can reach out and make a difference in this ministry, 41:14 as we are working with a skeleton crew, 41:16 but I want to tell you, they're working tirelessly, 41:18 because this is the hour 41:19 where God is calling for soldiers 41:22 to endure hardship, 41:24 which takes me to the second and very important point. 41:27 The condition of the world is a call to change. 41:32 The condition of the world is a call to change. 41:37 Change, think about change. 41:39 What in your life can you change? 41:42 What habits can you lay down? 41:45 What? 41:46 What addiction can you give to the Lord? 41:50 What thing has been binding you for so long? 41:52 What chain of circumstances have you been praying 41:56 to lay down and give to Christ? 41:57 I tell you, friends, if ever there was a time for change, 42:01 this is the hour for change. 42:04 Why change? 42:06 We cannot do the same thing, expecting different results. 42:10 We cannot live for the world expecting heaven. 42:13 We cannot live and practice darkness 42:15 and expect light to show up. 42:17 We've got to change something. 42:19 Say, Lord, show me what I need to change. 42:21 There are some of you that know 42:22 what needs to change in your life. 42:24 There are those of you that have been denying 42:26 and God has been calling you for years. 42:29 But I wanna tell you right now, you're locked into your home, 42:31 you're afraid to go to the elevator, 42:33 you don't want to go to your car. 42:34 You don't want to rub shoulders with your neighbors. 42:36 You may be in large cities 42:38 where you don't want to touch hands. 42:39 You don't want to... 42:41 You're afraid that the disease or the virus may be 42:42 on something around you. 42:43 And you're now hopelessly locked into your apartment. 42:46 And because you don't know Christ, 42:48 you're afraid to call Him. 42:49 And I wanna say you what? 42:51 He's willing to hear your voice, 42:52 even if this is the first time you call His name. 42:55 Say Jesus, come close to me. 42:57 Heavenly Father, come and speak to my heart. 43:00 Bring hope to my apartment, bring hope to my family, 43:04 bring encouragement to my children. 43:06 Help me to see what I must do in this crisis hour. 43:09 Why should we change? 43:11 Because there are those who 43:13 if the restaurants were still open, they would go. 43:15 If the malls were still open, they would go. 43:18 But let's take a lesson from the pages of history. 43:21 As Matthew, the converted tax collector tells us 43:25 what kind of hour we're living in. 43:26 Notice in Matthew 24:38 and 39. 43:31 Notice, he talks about an hour 43:33 when people didn't change either. 43:35 He says, "For as in the days before the flood," 43:38 notice, "they were eating and they were drinking, 43:42 they were marrying and giving in marriage, 43:45 until the day that Noah entered the ark." 43:49 And here's the sad reality. 43:51 "And they did not know until the flood came 43:54 and took them all away," 43:57 but look at the caption, 43:58 "so also will the coming of the Son of Man be?" 44:03 Think about it. 44:05 So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 44:07 Matthew is saying, 44:08 there are those who didn't change anything, 44:10 they continued eating and drinking. 44:12 Is there anything wrong with eating and drinking? 44:13 No. 44:15 But, friends, don't allow your habits 44:16 to rob you of your salvation. 44:18 Is there anything wrong with buying and selling? 44:21 No. 44:22 But we cannot live for the world 44:24 and expect the outcome to be heavenly. 44:25 There's something that must be changed in our lives. 44:29 Matthew said, they didn't change, 44:31 they refused to change. 44:32 There are those that continue drinking alcohol, 44:34 there are those that continue smoking, 44:36 saying, it doesn't really matter. 44:38 I'll enjoy myself and when this is passed, 44:40 I'll go back to life as usual. 44:42 But I want to tell you. 44:43 We've all experienced 9/11 on some stage either in America 44:47 or around the world in 2001. 44:49 Everybody remembers 9/11 but right now, 44:52 the world is on its own 911. 44:55 Emergency is everywhere. 44:59 This is the hour that change must take place in our hearts. 45:03 Change must take place in our lives. 45:08 Why is change so important? 45:11 Notice once again, I go to the inspired words, 45:14 Councils for the Church, page 335. 45:18 Notice why change is so imperative? 45:21 We are told, "Soon grievous troubles will arise 45:26 among the nations," 45:29 and, friends, it already has, 45:31 "troubles that will not cease until Jesus comes." 45:36 Listen to these sobering words. 45:38 "As never before we need to press together, 45:42 serving Him who has prepared His throne in the heavens, 45:47 and whose kingdom ruleth over all." 45:50 And this is powerful. 45:51 "God has not forsaken His people, 45:55 and our strength lies in not forsaking Him." 46:00 What an encouraging word? 46:01 God has not forsaken us. 46:03 He refuses to forsake us. 46:05 But, friends, the trouble is, have we forsaken Him? 46:09 Have we turned our backs on Christ? 46:11 Have we said, I'm done with a God who allows disease? 46:14 I want to make it very clear, what God allows, 46:17 God does not orchestrate. 46:19 He did not orchestrate this virus. 46:21 He did not send this disease. 46:22 The Bible says every good and every perfect gift 46:26 comes down from the Father of lights, 46:29 in which there is no shadow of turning. 46:31 Meaning, He's the same yesterday, today, 46:34 and forever. 46:36 God is not a bad guy tomorrow, and a good guy yesterday. 46:39 God is not one who uses disease, 46:42 and then uses prayer. 46:43 Oh, God is the same all the time. 46:45 We've got to give the credit. 46:47 If there's ever one to the one who's behind this, 46:50 the same enemy that tainted the atmosphere 46:54 in the days of Job. 46:55 Satan is the same one that 46:57 is working in the laboratories of darkness, 46:59 in the laboratories of hell to bring about disease, 47:02 and disaster, and suffering. 47:03 He's hoping to get men distracted 47:05 from the crisis ahead of us. 47:07 Because when all the crises have passed, 47:10 the only real question is, are we ready for Jesus to come? 47:16 And Jesus is giving the world time to turn to Him 47:19 and be saved. 47:20 This is the time He's saying, "Brethren, 47:22 the furnace is heating up seven times hotter 47:24 than it was before." 47:26 There are more lions in the den. 47:28 Don't enter a den filled with lions 47:30 until you know Christ. 47:32 Don't enter a fiery furnace 47:34 until you're committed to stand with Christ. 47:37 Because we cannot enter such situations 47:40 and hope for Christ to be on our sides. 47:42 We've got to stand with Him. 47:43 As the Bible says, draw near to God, 47:45 and God will draw near to you. 47:47 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 47:51 He's not fleeing from us. 47:52 He's fleeing from the Christ, to whom we have drawn close. 47:56 He's fleeing from the Christ that we know through prayer. 47:59 I want you to pray. 48:00 Sometimes you want to get together 48:02 with your families. 48:03 If you have a hymnal, maybe on your digital device, 48:06 maybe you can download from the internet, 48:08 sit with your children, sing them songs of hope, 48:11 songs of encouragement. 48:12 Before you lay your children to bed at night, 48:15 say to them, "Mommy and Daddy is here. 48:18 There's no need to fear, God is on the throne. 48:20 He will carry us through." 48:22 Friends, I'm praying that in this crisis hour, 48:25 you decide to change whatever is standing 48:28 between you and the Lord, 48:30 you are willing to lay that aside and change. 48:33 And I said again, God is giving His people time. 48:37 Why is He giving us time? 48:38 Because He wants us to be saved. 48:40 Notice the words of the Apostle Peter 48:42 in 2 Peter 3:9. 48:44 Here is the reason why the Lord 48:47 is giving the world more time. 48:49 He says in 2 Peter 3:9, 48:52 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, 48:55 as some count slackness, 48:58 but is longsuffering," 49:00 praise God for that word, "longsuffering toward us, 49:03 not willing that any should perish, 49:07 but that all should come to repentance." 49:10 How many, friends? 49:11 All should come to repentance. 49:14 That means there's room at the cross for everyone. 49:17 There's room at the cross for every nationality. 49:19 There's room at the cross for every nation, 49:22 every kindred, every tongue, every people. 49:26 This is the hour when the three angels' messages 49:29 will be echoed off of 49:30 the one continent after the other, 49:33 whether large populations or small villages. 49:36 This is the hour where the message 49:39 needs to be proclaimed, 49:40 that the Lord is not willing that any should perish. 49:44 Think about it. 49:45 When He says that, 49:46 He's not willing that any should perish. 49:48 He's in essence saying to us, there's room for you. 49:50 There's room for your family. 49:52 There's room for your spouse. 49:53 There's room for your husband. 49:55 There's room for your wife. 49:56 There's room for your children that have strayed away. 49:59 Pray for them, keep them before the Lord. 50:01 Because repentance will bring conversion 50:04 and conversion will bring change. 50:07 If you're going in the wrong direction, 50:09 friends, don't forget it. 50:10 Get off the next exit and change your direction. 50:13 The Lord is waiting for you. 50:15 And when you change your direction, 50:17 He will be, listen carefully, 50:19 don't make Jesus the co-pilot, 50:22 give Him the steering wheel, 50:24 and He'll guide your life into a place where blessings 50:26 are there forevermore. 50:28 And my third and final point. 50:30 This is the hour when the people of God 50:34 ought to be awake, ought to be awake. 50:38 That's right. 50:40 The alarm clock is saying, wake up, wake up, everybody. 50:43 This is the time to be awake. 50:45 Don't sleep and slumber pass this solemn hour. 50:49 The words of the Apostle Paul ringing to our ears. 50:52 In Romans Chapter 13, notice these words, 50:55 verses 11 to 14, 50:56 some of my favorite words in the Bible. 50:58 He says, "And do this, knowing the time, 51:02 that now it is high time to awake out of sleep." 51:07 Wake up my brother and sister. 51:09 Why? 51:10 "For now our salvation is nearer 51:12 than when we first believed." 51:14 Either it was 10 years ago or 20 years ago, 51:16 it's a lot nearer today. 51:18 Notice what else he says, "The night is far spent, 51:21 the day is at hand. 51:22 Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, 51:27 and let us put on the armor of light." 51:30 Verse 13. 51:32 "Let us walk properly or honestly, as in the day, 51:35 not in revelry," 51:37 that is in dancing and partying and drunkenness, 51:40 "not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy." 51:44 But I love these next two words. 51:46 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, 51:50 and make no provision for the flesh, 51:53 to fulfill its lust." 51:55 Notice, take off the past and get ready for the future. 51:59 Take off the world and get ready for heaven. 52:02 Take it off and put it on. 52:04 Take off your past life and get ready for the future 52:08 that God has in store for you. 52:09 And I can tell you as one who took a hold of God's hand, 52:12 my best life began 52:14 when I gave my life to the Lord. 52:16 He delivered me from the world of New York City 52:18 from the partying and the gambling, 52:19 the pool hustling and the nightlife. 52:21 And I wanna tell you, 52:23 it's been nothing but uphill from there. 52:25 Have they been trials? 52:26 Yes. 52:28 But it's better to be in the boat 52:29 in a storm with Christ 52:30 than be outside of the boat, 52:32 where there is no hope without Christ. 52:34 It's better to be walking with Him 52:36 through the winds of life, 52:37 knowing that He's holding your hand 52:39 than to try to walk through it alone. 52:42 It's better to face the valley of the shadows of death 52:45 with Christ 52:46 than to try to face 52:48 the valley of the shadows of death without Him. 52:50 Take off your past and get ready for God's future. 52:54 Take off the world and get ready for heaven. 52:57 Here's the reason why. 52:58 Another quotation in the book Child Guidance. 53:00 Look at this. 53:02 We are to first, 53:04 the biblical evidence that we are alive 53:06 is look at Child Guidance. 53:07 Notice what it says to us. 53:09 "Transgression has almost reached its limit. 53:13 Confusion fills the world, 53:16 and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. 53:21 The end is very near. 53:23 God's people should be preparing for what is 53:26 to break upon the world," 53:28 and get this, "as an overwhelming surprise." 53:32 Friends, people don't see what's coming, 53:34 an overwhelming surprise. 53:36 That's why Isaiah the Prophet says these words. 53:38 Notice what he says to us. 53:40 Isaiah 55:6 and 7. 53:42 He says, "Seek the Lord while he may be found, 53:45 call upon Him while He is near. 53:47 Let the wicked forsake his way, 53:49 and the unrighteous man his thoughts. 53:51 Let him return to the Lord," that is return to the Lord, 53:54 "and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, 53:58 for He will abundantly pardon." 54:02 Praise God that He's still a God who pardons, 54:04 which brings me to my last point. 54:07 This is the time that God's people 54:10 must hold up the light. 54:13 In this hour of darkness, it's time to hold up the light. 54:18 Let your light so shine, don't dim it, 54:21 brighten it by the study of God's Word. 54:23 Don't dim it, sharpen it by the study and prayer life 54:26 that you now enter into. 54:27 Here's the reason why. 54:29 Why should the people of God turn up the light? 54:31 Isaiah makes it clear in Isaiah 60:1 and 2. 54:35 Notice what he says. 54:38 He says in the Word of God, "Arise and shine," 54:40 that is to the people of God, "for your light has come! 54:44 And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." 54:47 Look at the climate. 54:48 "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 54:51 and deep darkness the people, 54:54 but the Lord will arise over you, 54:58 and His glory will be seen upon you." 55:01 Oh, friends, what a promise. 55:03 The Lord is saying, in this hour of great darkness, 55:06 let your light shine. 55:08 In this hour when people are looking for hope, 55:11 let the character of Christ radiate from you. 55:14 Let the joy of the Lord still be upon your face. 55:17 Let your face not be a face of crisis and worry. 55:21 But let your face be a face of calm and blessed assurance, 55:24 because the Lord has not forsaken His people. 55:27 The world is getting darker. 55:29 The children of God must shine brighter. 55:33 And what's the benefit of shining brighter? 55:35 Notice the words of the Apostle John 55:38 in 1 John 1:7, he says this to us. 55:40 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, 55:45 we have fellowship with one another, 55:46 and the blood of Jesus Christ 55:48 His Son cleanses us from all sin." 55:51 Friends, it's time to walk in the light. 55:55 How do we do that? 55:56 Hold up the truths of God's Word. 55:59 Walk in the truths of God's word. 56:02 Share the Jesus of the Word. 56:05 That's what He wants us to do. 56:06 Hold up the truth of God's Word. 56:08 Walk in the truths of God's Word. 56:10 And share the Jesus of the Word. 56:14 And watch this. 56:15 When we do our part, 56:19 an even better pandemic will cover the world. 56:23 I used the word pandemic follow. 56:25 Right now there is disease everywhere. 56:28 There's no hope everywhere. 56:30 There is collapsing markets and financial crises everywhere 56:34 but look at the best pandemic that is yet to come. 56:38 A good pandemic if I might say in the Book of Habakkuk 2:14, 56:43 these are our ending words. 56:45 The Lord says through the Prophet Habakkuk, 56:47 "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge 56:50 of the glory of the Lord, 56:53 as the waters cover the sea." 56:55 Did you hear that, friends? 56:57 The earth will be filled with the knowledge 56:59 of the glory of the Lord, 57:01 as the waters cover the sea. 57:03 Where's that glory going to be seen? 57:05 It's going to be seen in your praying life, 57:07 in your trusting life, 57:09 in the life that is sitting 57:10 before the Lord in hope and courage. 57:11 Friends, we here at 3ABN encourage you to trust God. 57:15 The pandemic has come, but Jesus is soon to come. 57:18 Pray for us as we pray for you. 57:21 Trust God, as we know 57:23 that He's the only one we can trust 57:24 and soon the pandemic will be passed 57:27 and Jesus will become. 57:28 God bless you until we see you again. |
Revised 2020-04-16