Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO210064S
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00:28 Hello, friends, welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
00:31 I'd like to extend a greeting to you 00:32 from our family to yours. 00:35 And we like to pray and ask for the Lord to guide our minds 00:39 for this very urgent and important message entitled, 00:44 "The Coming World Blackout." 00:48 Every time the Lord gives me an opportunity 00:50 to share from His Word, I always need to know 00:54 that what I'm doing is in harmony with God's will. 00:57 And I don't want to make any attempt on my own effort 01:00 to give glory that only God is worthy of receiving 01:03 or to receive glory that only God is worthy to receive. 01:07 But I also want to pray that God will send His Holy Spirit 01:10 that your mind and His Word will find a meeting place, 01:15 and our lives will be empowered by the work He does. 01:18 So let's pray. 01:19 Gracious Father in heaven, thank You, Lord, 01:22 that we can open Our Word, which is in fact Your Word, 01:26 we can open our Bibles. 01:28 But even more than opening the Bibles 01:30 we pray that You'll open our hearts, 01:33 open our minds, speak to us in a way 01:36 that you know each one of us is capable of understanding 01:42 and capable of receiving. 01:44 Take this message and find I pray 01:48 that heart, that mind, that life 01:52 that not only needs to hear what is proclaimed, 01:55 but also needs to be empowered to live in harmony 01:59 with what is proclaimed. 02:01 And so, Lord, I give you my hearts and hand and mind. 02:04 Use it, Father, for Your glory alone. 02:09 In Jesus name, I pray. 02:12 Amen. 02:14 The Coming World Blackout. 02:18 A number of years ago, 02:19 my wife and I lived in Fairfield, California. 02:23 It was August 10th, 1996. 02:27 We had just arrived home from church after preaching 02:31 at my local church not too far away from where we lived. 02:35 And as was the case, every day or every Sabbath 02:39 we pressed our garage door opener, 02:42 expecting the garage door to go up, 02:45 but it didn't budge. 02:47 Well, in my mind, I thought, 02:48 well, I didn't press it correctly. 02:49 So I pressed it again. 02:51 And the garage door didn't budge. 02:55 And I thought, well, maybe the batteries died. 02:57 So I took the battery out, put it back in, shook it up. 03:01 You know, we do things to try to somehow find power 03:04 where there is none. 03:05 And the garage door would not budge. 03:09 And then I found, tried to find alternative ways 03:14 to get into the house. 03:16 But then I realized 03:18 that we had shut the doors and windows tightly. 03:23 I'm a native of New York City. 03:24 And I know that it's a habit of mine 03:27 that even still today I practice, 03:29 I make sure my car doors are locked. 03:31 My keys are in a safe location. 03:33 I make sure my windows are shut when I go away 03:35 and the doors are fastened tightly. 03:38 And so in essence, we locked ourselves outside of the house. 03:42 But then I noticed something. 03:44 I noticed that people in the community 03:46 were coming outside of their homes looking bewildered. 03:50 And I could not help but asking them what had happened. 03:54 And I heard people talking amongst themselves, 03:55 they're saying the power went off. 03:58 Everything in our house has stopped working. 04:01 It was daytime, the impact was not immediate. 04:04 But then as I listened, I found out that there was a blackout 04:09 in our neighborhood. 04:12 I turned on the car radio to find out more about it. 04:15 And I found out that the blackout 04:17 was not localized just to our neighborhood. 04:21 But the blackout had affected Northern California. 04:25 And as I continued listening, it bewildered me, it shocked me 04:29 because the commentator said it's not just 04:32 Northern California, but the entire West Coast, 04:36 including Western Canada. 04:38 And as I listened, I found out what the cause was. 04:42 I was told that a power grid had failed 04:45 because of the intense heat of the summer. 04:48 They said that the power grid had been overburden 04:51 and they did not know when the power would come back on. 04:56 And I thought to myself, 04:58 if I had only known the blackout was coming, 05:01 I would have made decisions, 05:03 I would have made provision to do something differently. 05:08 Friends, we spent the greater part of the afternoon 05:11 in our vehicle waiting for the power to come back on. 05:15 When I think about that, 05:17 I think about what the Word of God says, 05:19 if the people of the world only knew 05:22 that there would be a coming world blackout. 05:27 To define that even more, the day is coming, 05:29 when everything that we rely on will no longer be available. 05:34 The banking systems, all electronics, 05:38 all means of communication, 05:40 everything material will lose its impact on our lives. 05:44 All the things that we have leaned on and learn to trust 05:48 in and rely on will no longer have any effect at all, 05:52 and everything in the world, not only economically, 05:55 and socially, and electronically, 05:57 and all forms of communication. 05:59 But there's going to be something that's even darker 06:02 than the material impact of this coming world blackout. 06:06 And Isaiah the prophet describes this coming day. 06:09 Isaiah the prophet gives a stark, 06:12 vivid description to the coming world blackout. 06:15 Listen to his words. 06:17 In Isaiah 60:1-3. 06:21 And the Bible says, "Arise, shine, 06:24 for your light has come! 06:27 And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 06:30 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 06:35 and deep darkness the people, 06:38 but the Lord will arise over you, 06:42 and His glory will be seen upon you." 06:45 And look at the impact. 06:47 "The Gentiles shall come to your light, 06:50 and the kings to the brightness of your rising." 06:54 What an amazing day the Bible is describing. 06:57 A day of darkness, 06:59 a day that's not going to just cover the people, it says, 07:02 darkness will cover the inhabitants 07:05 and gross or dense darkness the people. 07:11 When you think about why Isaiah the prophet wrote this, 07:15 he's emphasizing that this approaching hour 07:18 is one of unavoidable darkness. 07:21 And when you study this, the Bible is in essence saying, 07:24 only those that have prepared for this hour 07:28 will shine when this dark moment arrives. 07:32 You see the world has arrived 07:34 at a time of unpredictable apprehension. 07:37 A lot of people today are concerned 07:39 about what's going to happen in the future. 07:40 They have no idea what's coming down the pipe. 07:43 We are confronted by something called 07:45 an indiscriminate contagion. 07:48 We're coming out of COVID, we're coming to normalcy. 07:51 But on the horizon, there is still this apprehension. 07:54 And the question is being asked what's next, 07:57 and we're hearing about this delta variant. 08:01 And people are saying, I hope it is not as bad 08:04 as what just passed by until they hear on the news, 08:07 it could be more deadly, more intense, 08:10 more effective, more infective, 08:13 and people are wondering to themselves, not again. 08:16 But that's not the only thing. 08:19 We live in a world that's wracked by calamity 08:21 and disease. 08:22 And when you look at the Bible, and you begin to see 08:24 how this worked in the Old Testament, 08:26 using Job as an example. 08:28 We begin to see that calamity and disease 08:31 are Satan's tools to prepare the world for its ends. 08:36 And there is an irreversible, 08:38 fearful anxiety hovering over humanity. 08:43 But let's add to the picture. 08:44 Let's add to the picture that God sees. 08:47 Let's go to the West Coast, unquenchable fires 08:49 that are consuming life's accomplishments in seconds. 08:53 People that thought that let me move out of the city 08:56 and find a nice, comfortable, safe place in the country 08:58 only to realize that we are living in a season of drought, 09:02 where lake levels are lower than 09:04 they've ever been before in some states, 09:06 where water is beginning to be rationed. 09:08 And they can't even use that to water their lawns. 09:11 Something's happening in the world 09:13 that's letting us know that there's an unexplainable, 09:17 fearful sign just on the horizon. 09:20 And when you put those categories together, 09:22 medically, socially, economically, and religiously, 09:26 the citizens of our world are paused in a solemn awe 09:31 about the future that's coming to this world. 09:34 Men just really don't know. 09:35 And the bottom line is, 09:37 men are not reading the Word of God. 09:39 Thinking men are not able to think beyond what they see. 09:43 But God's Word gives evidence as to what is coming 09:47 and what our responsibilities are. 09:49 One of my favorite authors writes this quotation 09:53 about what's coming down the road. 09:55 We read in the book Testimonies for the Church, 09:57 volume 9 and page 43 these words. 10:00 "We are on the very verge of the time of trouble, 10:05 and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed 10:09 of are before us." 10:11 Think about that, scarcely dreamed of, 10:15 stretch your imagination, 10:17 reach back into the experience of some of the things 10:19 you've seen on television, and maybe some of the things 10:21 you've seen in movies. 10:23 And we are told that the perplexities 10:25 that are scarcely dreamed of are before us. 10:29 Let me make it very clear. 10:30 This is not an attempt to frighten you 10:32 into accepting Christ. 10:34 But this is an attempt to awaken us 10:36 to the hour that's coming, 10:38 to the things that are unavoidable to realize 10:41 that in this hour where evil is fueled 10:44 with a demonic intensity. 10:46 God is saying, what is coming has never existed before. 10:51 And He's trying to awake His people. 10:53 He's trying to say to us, this is the hour to get ready. 10:57 If ever there was a time that the people of God 11:00 should be awake, this is the hour. 11:03 And when you study God's Word, you begin to see 11:05 that evil angels and evil men are uniting 11:11 in a coalition against righteousness. 11:15 And Revelation makes it very clear that the final contest 11:18 between light and darkness, good and evil, 11:22 Christ and Satan, in this final battle 11:25 there will be no middle ground. 11:29 And if you've known that, if you understand that, 11:31 it makes sense to make our decision now 11:34 as to where we're going to stand when that hour comes. 11:37 Because Revelation expands the picture, 11:40 and adds another brush stroke 11:44 to what Isaiah the prophet has already said. 11:46 Look at Revelation 12:12. 11:48 We are told in this book of apocalyptic understanding, 11:53 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!" 11:59 But look at the next phrase. 12:00 "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! 12:05 For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, 12:09 because he knows that he has a short time." 12:14 Satan is working with demonic intensity, 12:17 his coalition is building, 12:19 religiously his coalition is building, 12:21 immorally his coalition is being built. 12:24 Men of greed and hatred, 12:26 as 2 Timothy describes this crumbling society. 12:29 Men that have a form of godliness, 12:32 religion that has run off the tracks and has gone away 12:36 from righteousness to just entertainment. 12:38 What a world we're looking at. 12:40 And what a picture the Bible is describing. 12:42 And why is this happening? 12:44 Because the devil has come down with great wrath, 12:46 knowing that he has, but a short time. 12:51 Well, the fact is, time is short. 12:53 But the question is, what preparation are you making 12:56 for this trying hour ahead of you? 12:59 How should you respond to the knowledge 13:02 that we're living in the time of the end? 13:05 What should we do? 13:06 And what difference should there be between us 13:09 and the world knowing that God is saying, 13:12 it is not even sensible for the people of God, 13:15 to hear this, and remain unmoved by it, 13:18 to remain complacent, 13:20 to do nothing to prepare for what's coming? 13:22 Well, the Prophet Joel not only describes this coming calamity, 13:27 but he does something else which I praise God for. 13:30 He instructs the servants of God 13:32 concerning their responsibility. 13:35 Look at Joel 2:1-2. 13:37 Notice what he says in this descending hour of darkness. 13:40 He says, "Blow the trumpet in Zion." 13:43 In other words, wake up the church, 13:45 "and sound an alarm in My holy mountain." 13:48 In other words, call the people to urgency, but he expands it. 13:52 "Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble." 13:55 And look at his description. 13:57 "For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand." 14:03 Look at his description. 14:05 "A day of darkness and gloominess, 14:08 a day of clouds and thick darkness, 14:12 like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. 14:15 A people come, great and strong, 14:19 the like of whom has never been, 14:21 nor will there ever be any such after them, 14:26 even for many successive generations." 14:30 Joel the prophet, Isaiah the prophet, 14:33 John the Revelator are saying, 14:34 "Brethren, this is coming. 14:36 God is giving us instruction." 14:38 I like to follow instructions. 14:40 As a matter of fact, sometimes, 14:42 I think I have it put all together. 14:44 I think I have my mind already calibrated to what's coming. 14:47 But then when I read the Word of God, it's like, 14:51 it's like a dressing or listening carefully 14:54 to directions given by our GPS, 14:57 because sometimes we drive and our feelings 14:59 may say go left or go right. 15:01 But when the GPS points as we begin to say, wait a minute, 15:04 what I thought was happening is not, in fact, 15:06 what's really happening. 15:08 You see, Joel the prophet is saying, 15:10 "This is the hour that God is saying to His people, 15:13 it is time to turn up the volume, 15:15 it is time to turn up the light, 15:17 it is time to ignite the gospel candle." 15:20 And that's why we are committed to the proclamation 15:23 of the first, second and third angel's message. 15:27 It is a message of urgent appeal. 15:31 Now, when you think about it, 15:33 in an hour of darkness, what do you need? 15:34 You need light. 15:36 The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet 15:37 and a light unto our paths. 15:39 And as a pastor, I've often said to my church members, 15:41 are you studying your Bible? 15:43 How much time are you spending in your Bible? 15:46 And I'm saying the same to you. 15:47 Is your Bible close enough 15:49 so that when descending darkness comes, 15:52 you will be ready because the Word of God 15:54 has been hidden in your heart? 15:57 It has informed and ignited your life, 16:00 and your life will be the one that's shining 16:02 when this darkness comes. 16:04 Because Isaiah the prophet said, 16:06 "If your light is shining in this hour 16:08 of descending darkness, people are going to see it." 16:11 The Gentiles shall come to your light 16:14 and the kings to the brightness of your rising. 16:18 Meaning God intends to turn up the light 16:22 in the life of His people. 16:24 He's calling us to an intensity, a reach, 16:27 an emphasis that the everlasting gospel 16:31 in this hour of approaching darkness, 16:33 the everlasting gospel says that there is still hope, 16:37 even though the horizon has a foreboding 16:41 of darkness and gloominess. 16:43 And that's why in this age of descending darkness, 16:46 Zachariah the prophet tells us what we need to be doing, 16:50 not only the proclamation of the gospel, 16:52 but notice what he says, when we proclaim the gospel, 16:55 God is going to turn the gospel up to a another level. 17:00 Look at Zechariah 10:1. 17:04 He's saying to us, "Ask the Lord for rain 17:08 in the time of the latter rain. 17:12 The Lord will make flashing clouds, 17:15 He will give them showers of blessing, 17:18 grass in the field for everyone." 17:22 Notice what Zachariah is saying. 17:24 He says ask, are you asking? 17:26 Are you praying? 17:28 Are you saying, Lord, I need the latter rain in my life? 17:30 Or are you comfortable with just 17:33 a remedial humdrum nominal Christian life? 17:37 Are you comfortable just going to church sitting for a sermon 17:41 and going back home and falling into complacency? 17:43 Or is there an urgency in your household? 17:47 Are you leading your family before the altar of God daily 17:50 in prayer and Bible studies? 17:52 Are you putting down the devices 17:54 and picking up the all powerful Word of God? 17:56 It is by the study of the Word of God 17:58 that two things happen. 18:00 One, we become informed about what's coming. 18:02 And secondly, God begins to ignite us 18:05 by putting His Word in our lives. 18:08 And let me tell you something, 18:10 when the Word of God enters your life, 18:11 it begins to affect your life. 18:13 It begins to guide your thinking, 18:15 it begins to become your guiding light. 18:18 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 18:21 It lets us know that what is before us 18:24 is either good or evil. 18:27 But you'll never know that unless God's Word 18:29 is a part of your daily study. 18:31 But not only that, not only will the message be empowered, 18:35 but the people of God will be empowered. 18:37 And I can tell you today, 18:39 the church needs to be empowered, 18:40 because when you look at modern Christianity, 18:43 with all the trials and difficulties, 18:46 God is saying, He does not want His church to end 18:51 less glorious than it began. 18:53 And there are many people that are comfortable 18:55 with the phrase Christianity or being church members, 18:59 but their lives are not growing. 19:01 Their experience is not flourishing. 19:04 And God is saying, He wants to empower the church 19:07 because we do not have self possessed vitality. 19:11 There's nothing in us that can ignite us, because Paul says, 19:16 I know that in my flesh, nothing good dwells. 19:20 But God wants to galvanize the latter day church 19:23 as He galvanized the early church, but He's saying to us 19:28 that there's only one power that can make the difference. 19:30 Look at Zachariah 4:6. 19:33 Zechariah 4:6, He tells us about that power. 19:38 "So he answered and said to me," 19:39 speaking of the lamp stands and the oil. 19:42 He said, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:" 19:48 What is the word? 19:49 "Not by might nor by power, 19:52 but by 'My Spirit,' says 'the Lord of hosts.'" 19:56 Notice, not by might, 19:58 that's programs and ideas and outreaches, 20:01 and things that are happening in our church. 20:03 It's good to have programs. 20:05 That's a sign of an active church. 20:07 But when the church is growing, 20:08 when the membership is flourishing, 20:10 when the person's life is being ignited by the work 20:12 that God is doing inside of him, or inside of her, 20:16 something else happens. 20:17 It goes from just programs to conversion. 20:21 It goes just from great ideas to the church 20:25 becoming empowered, unified, strengthened, 20:28 all the walls of division go down, 20:31 and the walls of the unity hold the church together. 20:35 But the life that the church needs is a prelude to the life 20:39 that the Lord knows we can have. 20:42 But we have to understand where this power comes from. 20:44 You see, the prelude to a life of power 20:48 is a life of prayer. 20:50 I'm gonna say that again. 20:52 If you want your life to be a life of power, 20:54 it has to begin as a life of prayer. 20:58 Simply meaning before the church can stand 21:00 on its knees, the church has to learn how to bow. 21:04 Before the church can stand on its feet, 21:06 the church has to learn how to bow on its knees. 21:09 Look at Acts 1:12-14, 21:13 the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 21:15 is a response and not a prelude. 21:19 What is it a... 21:20 what is it a response to that Acts answer the question. 21:24 Acts 1:12-14, speaking about 21:28 what God did on that Day of Pentecost. 21:31 The Bible says, "Then they returned to Jerusalem 21:34 from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, 21:39 a Sabbath day's journey. 21:42 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room 21:47 where they were staying:" 21:49 look at those who were there, 21:51 "Peter, James, John, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, 21:56 Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus 22:00 and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James." 22:04 But look at what it says in verse 14, 22:05 about this illustrious crowd. 22:08 "These all continued with one accord in prayer 22:12 and supplication, with the women and Mary 22:17 the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers." 22:22 What's happening in the upper room? 22:24 What took place in the upper room? 22:26 Let me make a very important point, 22:28 before it took place in the church, 22:31 before it took place in Jerusalem, 22:34 before it went from Jerusalem to Judea, 22:37 to Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth, 22:39 it began in the upper room. 22:42 Now, when you look at that list of names, 22:44 I know that Peter was different from James, 22:46 and James was different from John, 22:48 and John was surely different from Doubting Thomas. 22:51 And Philip, the evangelist was surely different 22:53 from Bartholomew and Matthew, they had all their differences. 22:57 But the Bible says, when they got together and prayed, 23:00 it says these all continued with one accord in prayer 23:04 and supplication. 23:06 You mean to tell me that when they got together and prayed, 23:08 walls came down? 23:10 That's what the Bible is saying. 23:12 When they got together, not only the men, 23:14 but also the women 23:15 that came from Galilee that followed Christ, 23:18 and Mary the mother of Jesus, 23:20 and with his brothers, God created a unity. 23:24 God brought down the walls that they had before 23:28 because when you study the disciples' lives, 23:30 you begin to see they had a lot of contention. 23:33 Peter was the one that spoke quickly and thought last. 23:36 His mouth was in fifth gear, his mind was in first. 23:39 James and John was contending for seats in heaven, 23:42 as their mother requested, 23:44 sit one of my son's on the right hand, 23:46 and the other on the left. 23:48 But when they got together and prayed, 23:50 they became less of the focus, 23:52 and the work of the kingdom 23:54 became the most important focus of their lives. 23:58 It empowered them, because God was about to do 24:01 something on the Day of Pentecost. 24:03 And he needed the disciples, 24:05 now the apostles to lay aside their differences, 24:09 and get ready for the outpouring 24:11 of the early rain. 24:13 Now, let's look at the comparison. 24:15 The early rain, what the Lord did to prepare the church 24:18 for the early rain is what God wants to do 24:22 to prepare the church for the latter rain. 24:25 Now, this is very important. 24:27 This is vitally important, 24:29 because a lot of people are contend, 24:31 you know, we excuse the behavior 24:32 of some of our church members. 24:33 We say, well, is that, that's how she is. 24:37 That's how he is. 24:38 He's always tempestuous. He's always angry. 24:40 He's always in controversy with somebody. 24:43 Brethren, we can't expect to be in controversy and angry, 24:46 and divided amongst ourselves and expect the Holy Spirit 24:50 to be poured out on a divided church. 24:53 That's why they got together and prayed. 24:55 What does prayer do? 24:57 Prayer humbles us. 25:00 It doesn't change God's mind. 25:02 You see, God wants us to pray, so that He can reveal to us 25:05 the weak walls in our lives, 25:07 the weak places of our character, 25:09 the things that we think that we should not be thinking. 25:12 God wants His church to be empowered, 25:14 because an empowered church is evidence to the world 25:18 that Christianity is alive, and it's revealed. 25:22 But if the world sees a divided church, 25:24 what appeal could a divided church be to a divided world? 25:27 If the world sees a church that's, 25:30 that have members that are at odds with each other, 25:32 what appeal could a church at odds 25:34 have for a world that is at odds? 25:37 If the world sees a church that is bound in sin, 25:41 what appeal is a church that's bound in sin 25:44 to a world that's bound in sin? 25:46 God wants the church to be different. 25:49 God wants to bring the church back to life. 25:54 And that's exactly what God assures us He can do. 25:59 God can take a church that's dead, 26:01 and bring it back to life. 26:04 And then fill that church with the power that it needs 26:07 to accomplish an urgent work in these last days. 26:10 Look at Ezekiel 37:5-6. 26:15 Notice what God promises to do 26:17 to the church that needs vitality. 26:20 "Thus says the Lord God to these bones," 26:24 Ezekiel was standing in front of a valley of dry bones, 26:27 and look at the word that the Lord says, 26:29 "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, 26:33 and you shall live. 26:35 I will put sinew on you and bring flesh upon you, 26:41 cover you with skin and put breath in you, 26:45 and you shall live. 26:47 Then you shall know that I am the Lord.'" 26:53 You see, Ezekiel is painting a picture 26:57 of a people empowered by a vitality, 27:01 that is beyond their natural abilities. 27:03 Ezekiel is saying that we cannot possibly 27:06 by our own strength, by our own intellect, 27:09 by our own understanding possibly accomplish the work 27:13 that only divinity can accomplish. 27:15 Now, why is that the case? 27:16 Because we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. 27:19 We're living in a very real world, a thirsty world, 27:22 and men are running to and fro looking for something 27:24 to satisfy their thirst, their hunger, 27:27 but they're looking in places 27:29 that will never satisfy their needs. 27:32 But what would happen if men of the world, 27:35 and women of the world, and leaders of the world 27:37 begin to see something happen to the church 27:39 as they saw it happen on the Day of Pentecost? 27:42 What would happen if they see people that are like Peter 27:45 in character that gets converted? 27:48 And the Lord says, when you are converted, 27:49 strengthen the brethren? 27:51 What would happen if they see people like Thomas 27:54 who used to doubt that doubt the Lord no longer? 27:57 What happen if they see people like Philip 28:00 that are content in the position he's in, 28:02 all of a sudden becomes an effective 28:05 and empowered evangelist? 28:07 What would happen if they see a man like a tax collector 28:11 finds conversion at the feet of Jesus and goes out 28:14 and begins to be active in empowering the church 28:16 to accomplish a divine mission? 28:18 You know, what happened to these men 28:20 that we read about, what happened in their lives, 28:22 caused the world to be turned upside down in just 34 years. 28:26 And get this. 28:27 It wasn't that many, began with 12, 28:30 and the numbers expanded. 28:32 But on that first day, when God poured out His Spirit, 28:35 3,000 conversions happened in a day. 28:40 What am I saying? 28:41 I'm saying that if the church is just content with sermons, 28:44 and music, and all the religious activities 28:47 without praying for this earnest infilling 28:50 of the power of God, it will never understand 28:53 what God really wants to do. 28:55 He wants to empower the church. 28:57 But listen to this quotation. 29:00 It opens our minds as to what God is showing us 29:04 that He wants to do in our lives. 29:06 It comes from a book that I value very highly. 29:08 It's a book about Evangelism. 29:10 And it comes from page 699, in paragraph five. 29:14 Listen to what is said, "As the time comes for it, 29:18 that is the message of the third angel 29:20 to be given with greatest power, 29:23 the Lord will work through humble instruments..." 29:27 What kind of instruments? 29:28 "Humble instruments, leading the minds of those 29:32 who consecrate themselves to His service." 29:36 And watch this. 29:38 "The laborers will be qualified 29:41 rather by the unction of His Spirit 29:44 than by the training of literary institutions. 29:48 Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth 29:52 with holy zeal, 29:55 declaring the words which God gives them." 30:00 Notice what's going to happen. 30:02 They're not going to allow society to say, 30:04 you can preach this, but you can't preach that. 30:07 And we're living in a day and age 30:08 where so many laws have been passed to, 30:11 to authorize and approve things that are not 30:15 approvable in God's sight. 30:16 And men are today becoming fearful of preaching 30:19 what God has given to them. 30:21 But God is saying that He is looking for men 30:23 like Joshua and Caleb, 30:25 at a time when people are looking and thinking 30:28 that things are impossible. 30:29 God is looking for men like Caleb that says, 30:33 we are able to overcome it. 30:34 Caleb was a man that existed 30:37 during the time of the journey of the Israelites. 30:39 And just before they crossed over into the Promised Land, 30:42 God gave the leaders of the different tribes 30:45 in Israel, a glimpse of the Promised Land, 30:48 but they saw obstacles, they saw the giants. 30:50 They saw the people that were great and strong. 30:53 They saw people that were far greater number than they were. 30:58 And instead of saying that God can give us 31:00 victory over these obstacles, 31:02 they said, "We are just grasshoppers. 31:04 What are we going to do with the obstacles before us?" 31:07 Well, friends, what's the problem? 31:08 The problem was their focus. 31:10 They saw the obstacles, and the obstacles to them 31:13 became bigger than the God that sent them on this mission. 31:16 He gave them a glimpse 31:17 of what He was going to bless them with, 31:19 but they focused on the obstacles. 31:21 And I would suggest today 31:24 that a lot of what's happening to us, 31:25 a lot of what is happening to the church today 31:27 is where they are focused. 31:29 If you focus on the problems more than the problem solver, 31:33 you will feel the very same way. 31:35 The world makes us look like grasshoppers. 31:37 It makes us look like we cannot do anything to impact it. 31:41 But if you remember what God did on the Day of Pentecost, 31:46 when He turned these ordinary men and women 31:49 into vessels of light, He turned the world upside down. 31:53 And the Word of God continued to progress 31:58 and cause division and concern in the kingdom of darkness. 32:03 But what did God do? 32:04 He turned up the light. 32:06 Look at Acts 1:8, he turned up the light. 32:09 And He's saying the same thing for us. 32:11 What does God want to do for us? 32:13 He says, "But you shall receive power 32:16 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 32:19 and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, 32:22 and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 32:27 God is saying, "Wait a minute, you want to be a witness?" 32:30 Let me make a suggestion. 32:31 I firmly believe that one of the reasons 32:34 why people are uncomfortable about witnessing 32:36 is because they think that witnessing happens 32:40 only as I finished the course on how I could witness. 32:45 You know, what course of witnessing 32:46 the disciples had. 32:48 They pray for the Holy Spirit's infilling. 32:50 The Lord trained them as He walked with them 32:54 as they walked with Him. 32:57 But they went from head knowledge to life activity, 33:01 when they prayed for the infilling 33:02 of the Spirit of God, 33:04 but notice the Word of God said, 33:05 "But you shall receive power 33:07 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. 33:10 Is there power in your life? 33:12 What do you feel as a church member? 33:14 And I use the word feel because many of us go by feeling. 33:17 I don't feel like going to church today, I'm tired. 33:20 I don't feel like going out 33:21 and giving out tracks in the community. 33:23 I don't think people want to hear about that. 33:26 These disciples, these apostles went out. 33:30 And in spite of all the obstacles, 33:32 they turned Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Antioch, 33:38 and the surrounding cities, Philippi, 33:39 they turned the world upside down, 33:42 and kings tried to stop them. 33:44 Governors tried to stop them. 33:47 The Pharisees and scribes tried to stop them. 33:51 The officials in the cities tried to stop them, 33:54 but they could not. 33:55 And the Word of God grew and multiplied. 33:59 Why? 34:00 Because they changed their focus. 34:02 They were no longer focused on the cities, 34:04 they were focused on the Christ. 34:06 They were no longer focused on the authority of man, 34:09 but they were standing on the authority of God. 34:11 And I can tell you, I can look back in my own life and realize 34:14 that the transitioning point from who I was, 34:18 to who I am continually becoming, 34:20 is when I pray and ask for the Spirit of God 34:22 to be in my life, 34:23 for the Spirit of God to guide my life. 34:26 And I've seen lives turned upside down. 34:27 I've seen people ignited by the power of God 34:31 when they say, Lord, 34:32 I'm at a standstill in my walk with you. 34:35 I want something different. 34:37 I want to ask for the power that I need. 34:40 I don't want my Christian walk to end humdrum. 34:43 I need that infilling power. 34:46 We are told that the church is not going to end 34:50 on a wet noodle note. 34:51 The church is not going to fizzle out. 34:53 It's going to be more glorious 34:54 than it was on the Day of Pentecost. 34:56 I go back to an article written in 1914, 34:59 and when Christians were concerned about this. 35:02 I was thanking God for this signs at the Times article. 35:05 It was written February 17, 1914, 35:08 and notice the encouraging words 35:09 given to the Christians of that era. 35:12 "Christians ask in faith for the promised blessing, 35:16 and it will come. 35:18 The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles 35:22 was the former rain, and glorious was the result. 35:27 But the latter rain will be more abundant." 35:31 The latter rain will be more abundant. 35:35 What do you mean more abundant? 35:37 It's going to be more powerful. 35:38 It's going to be more glorious. 35:40 It's going to be far greater than it was 35:42 in the localized area of Jerusalem. 35:44 It's not just going to be Jerusalem, 35:46 it's going to be New York, it's going to be Detroit, 35:48 it's going to be Miami, California, 35:50 all the major cities. 35:52 It's going to be from the East Coast to the West Coast, 35:54 it's going to be in Canada, and in Europe, and in Asia, 35:58 and in Africa, and the Caribbean. 35:59 God this time is not going to light up 36:02 just the local part of the world, 36:04 He is going to light up the world all together. 36:06 But something has to happen, 36:09 which Satan is working tenaciously to try to prevent 36:14 from happening in the Christian Church. 36:16 What is that secret? 36:18 Look at Acts 2:1. 36:20 You see, this is a powerful passage. 36:22 The Bible says, "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, 36:25 they were all with one accord in one place." 36:29 Now watch this. 36:31 God ignited the church at its inauguration. 36:35 God also want to ignite the church 36:37 as it's preparing for its coronation. 36:39 God ignited the church when it was small. 36:43 God wants to reignite the church 36:45 as it becomes a mighty army in all parts of the globe. 36:49 But what happened? 36:51 And this is where there's a caution 36:53 I need to add right here. 36:55 Right now the devil knows that 36:57 when we argue over doctrinal differences, 37:01 when he brings in thoughts and ideologies that cause us 37:05 to question things that God's Word has confirmed 37:08 through the decades and through the centuries. 37:11 When we know what God's Word says, 37:13 and someone comes to uproot that, 37:15 and supplant that with theories and ideologies 37:18 that are not supported by God's Word. 37:20 What is Satan trying to do? 37:21 He's trying to break that one accord 37:23 that God is intending for the church to have. 37:26 He wants to bring in division. 37:27 He wants to weaken the church, 37:30 because he knows that if we could begin to argue 37:32 over whether or not the Holy Spirit 37:34 is the third person of the Godhead, 37:36 the church is going to get weak. 37:38 He knows that if we begin to reinterpret prophecies 37:41 in Daniel and Revelation, 37:43 and begin to add what we call contemporary applications, 37:47 and say, well, that no longer applies, 37:50 which is happening on a large scale, 37:52 he knows the church becomes divided. 37:54 And a divided church cannot be a united church. 37:57 And a united church is the only condition 38:01 that God is looking for to pour out His Holy Spirit. 38:06 But look what happened. 38:08 The Bible makes it clear in Acts 2:41, what happened? 38:12 The first impact record 38:13 is recorded there for us to understand. 38:17 The Bible says in Acts 2:41, 38:19 "Then those who gladly received the word were baptized, 38:24 and that day about three thousand souls 38:28 were added to them." 38:29 Now, don't look at the souls being added to them 38:32 part first of all, first of all, look at what they did. 38:35 Those who gladly received the word. 38:38 Don't look at the baptism yet. 38:40 Those who gladly received the word. 38:42 What's your attitude toward the Word of God? 38:45 Are you gladly receiving the Word of God? 38:47 Or is the Word of God a stumbling block to you? 38:50 I remember meeting with a family. 38:55 My wife and I call them the three ladies. 38:58 They came to our church. 39:00 And they came from a different denomination. 39:03 And they responded to our church 39:05 by a Revelation seminar that we were giving. 39:08 And they came, one came, then the other came, 39:10 then the other came. 39:11 And they began to hear things that were out of harmony 39:14 with what they had believed, but what they did, 39:16 which is what God instructs us to do 39:18 is to check out what is being proclaimed by God's Word, 39:21 so they did that. 39:23 And they took it back home. 39:25 Well, that one lady became two ladies. 39:28 And then the third one followed. 39:30 And when the series was over, 39:31 we were able to baptize seven family members, 39:34 husbands and wife, husband and wife of both women, 39:38 sons, sons, sons, God created an amazing harvest. 39:44 Why did He do that? And how did He do that? 39:46 Because they received the Word of God, 39:48 they gladly received the Word of God. 39:51 In these last days, the world is distracting us so much 39:55 that people are not glad to receive the Word of God. 40:00 But God has given us the ability. 40:02 God has given us various tools. 40:05 God is saying, maybe they are not able to read the Bible, 40:08 or maybe they're not ready to read the physical Bible. 40:11 And this is where God is saying to us, be creative. 40:14 Don't use Facebook for propaganda, 40:16 post scriptures on Facebook, 40:18 use your Instagram to put things there 40:21 that will activate the minds of those looking at your page. 40:24 Don't tweet, don't tweet divisive statements. 40:27 Tweet the Word of God, connect Sabbath School lessons to that, 40:31 connect websites that will teach somebody the Word of God 40:35 and begin to ignite in their lives, 40:37 so that as they begin to grow, 40:39 they can gladly receive the Word of God. 40:42 And then what happened? 40:44 The Bible says in Acts 2:44, 40:46 "Now all who believed were together, 40:50 and had all things in common." 40:53 So notice, the first thing I pointed out, 40:56 is that before we can stand on our feet, 40:59 we have to bow on our knees. 41:01 And when the unity of Christ is being developed, 41:04 unity in Christ proceeds the outpouring 41:07 of the Holy Spirit. 41:09 And that's why the Holy Spirit is needed. 41:12 But unity, the thing that we must pray for 41:15 and work towards is unity. 41:17 My wife and I have discovered this beautiful passage. 41:20 And even after many years of marriage, 41:22 we disagree on certain things. 41:24 But if I disagree, and she disagrees, 41:26 we say let's go to God in prayer. 41:28 Let's put down the walls between us and ask for the Lord 41:31 to give us a unity not based on our likes and dislikes, 41:35 but based on the instruction of God's Word. 41:37 Pastors and leaders, 41:38 God is saying the same thing to you. 41:40 When the church is confronted with division, 41:43 bring them to the place of prayer, 41:45 pray for them to have a receptive heart, 41:47 work with them to bring down the walls of division, 41:50 and guide them to the place 41:52 where they can be unified together, 41:54 because God can take Pentecostals, 41:56 and Presbyterians, and Methodists, and Catholics, 41:58 and Anglicans, and Lutherans and every other ism, 42:02 and unify them together, how? 42:04 When the Word of God 42:06 becomes the focus of their minds. 42:09 Why do you think the devil will try to keep you away 42:11 from God's Word because he knows, 42:12 if they believe the Word of God, 42:15 they can have all things in common, 42:17 and they can believe and be together. 42:20 Unity in Christ is a precursor to the corporate outpouring 42:26 of the Holy Spirit. 42:28 Listen to this quotation, 42:29 comes from another favorite book of mine 42:30 called Testimonies, volume seven, page 236. 42:34 Listen to this. 42:36 "It is God's purpose that men entrusted with responsibility 42:42 should counsel and pray together in Christian unity." 42:48 And here's the reason why. 42:50 "In Christian, in unity there is a life, 42:53 a power that can be obtained in no other way. 42:57 There will be a vast power in the church 43:01 when the energies of the members 43:03 are united under the control of the Spirit." 43:08 And look at the promise. 43:10 "Then will God be able to work mightily 43:15 through His people for the conversion of sinners." 43:19 Wow. It's amazing. 43:20 When we are united, God takes over and began to work, 43:25 begin to work for the conversion 43:27 of those who are not yet converted, 43:29 for the strengthening of those who are weak, 43:31 for the opening of eyes for those who are in darkness, 43:35 for the guidance of those who have no compass at all, 43:38 to give them wisdom as to where to go next. 43:41 And that's why the devil fights as difficult as he does. 43:44 He wants us to be bound in this coming world blackout. 43:48 He wants us to lose power by having no access 43:51 to the very things that can empower our lives. 43:54 And I've said it a number of times, 43:56 and I'll say it again, this is the hour 43:58 that the only reliable light on the planet 44:02 is the unalterable, the reliable, 44:06 the never ending, never changing Word of God. 44:11 And when you look at the New Testament Church, 44:12 you find something. 44:14 You see, when the Word of God got into their lives, 44:16 violent opposition rose up against them, 44:20 but something happened. 44:22 When the violent opposition rose up against them, 44:25 the church still grew exponentially. 44:28 Because here's the point. 44:30 When men stand against you, and God stands with you, 44:35 nothing that man can do can prevent the blessings of God 44:39 from coming down. 44:40 What kind of blessings 44:42 did the New Testament Church experience 44:43 that God wants us to experience? 44:45 Look at Acts 4:4. 44:48 Look at Acts 4:4. 44:50 The Bible says, "However, 44:52 many of those who heard the word believed, 44:55 and the number of the men came to about five thousand." 44:59 But look at the key again, I don't want you to miss this. 45:02 The number of those who heard the Word believed. 45:06 You see that Word. 45:07 It's one thing to hear the Word, 45:09 it's something altogether different to believe the Word. 45:11 When we hear the Word, it's one thing, 45:13 it goes into our auditory nerves. 45:16 It begins to inform us, but when we believe it, 45:19 it begins to transform us. 45:22 I'm gonna say that again. 45:23 When we hear the Word of God, it informs us, 45:27 but when we believe the Word of God, it transforms us. 45:31 You ever wonder why your week is so busy. 45:34 You ever wonder why the children always make noise 45:36 when you pick up your Bible? 45:37 You ever wonder why the phone rings when you say, 45:39 let's take some time and study together? 45:42 All these are Satan's distractions. 45:45 And that's why I've said to my wife 45:46 and we have practices in our home. 45:48 If you're studying your Bible, and the phone rings, 45:50 let the answering machine get it. 45:53 Let it go to your voicemail. 45:56 Don't be controlled by the things around us. 46:00 You must be more determined than ever 46:03 to allow God's Word to permeate your life. 46:05 And if the devil knows that you're sitting before a meal 46:08 that's going to empower your life, 46:09 he's going to do everything in his power 46:13 to distract you from that. 46:15 But what about those of you 46:16 that are living in an environment 46:17 where you are surrounded by conflict in your home, 46:20 conflict maybe from your husband, or your wife, 46:23 family member, family members turning against you? 46:25 What do you do in those situations? 46:27 You begin to trust God. 46:29 What do you do when people that that you trusted 46:31 turn their backs on you? 46:33 You continue trusting God. 46:34 Because there will be persecution, 46:36 there will be difficulty, 46:38 but at no point will God allow you to go through 46:41 what you cannot handle by His grace. 46:44 And so when the persecution comes, 46:46 when the difficulty arises, God will still be your strength, 46:50 and God will still be your defense. 46:53 What happened? 46:54 God added to the church. 46:56 Look at Acts 5:14, in fierce resistance, 47:00 the church continue to grow. 47:02 And so don't expect the resistance to go down, 47:04 but in the presence of fierce resistance, 47:07 God is going to still bless His people. 47:09 Notice Acts 5:14, 47:11 "And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, 47:15 multitudes of both men and women." 47:21 Multitudes of both men and women. 47:25 We were visiting the country of New Guinea, 47:27 wasn't too long ago, and my wife and I were there. 47:32 And I was having a series of meetings. 47:34 And a young lady approached us and said to me, 47:36 she said, "You know, I want to give my life 47:38 to the Lord last year, but my parents told me, 47:40 I'm not old enough yet to make that decision. 47:44 And I want to give my life to the Lord again." 47:46 And I said, "Young lady, how old are you?" 47:47 And she said, "I'm 22." 47:49 I said, "You're old enough 47:51 to make your own personal decision 47:53 about your life for the future." 47:56 And so, with tears in her eyes, she said, 47:58 Pastor John, Sister Angela, can you pray with me 48:02 that I won't be fearful of my parents, 48:05 because when they hear that I'm going to be baptized, 48:08 when they hear that I am baptized, 48:10 they're going to get angry with me, 48:12 they've already threatened me, 48:14 because she came from a home with a different background. 48:17 I won't mention the religion. 48:18 She said, "They're upset with me. 48:20 They don't want me to join this church. 48:22 They don't want me to be baptized." 48:24 I said, "Young lady, give your life to Christ. 48:26 It's your decision about where you're going." 48:28 And so as they were having the baptisms 48:30 and one school student after another was being baptized, 48:34 and she stepped into the baptistery. 48:36 And the pastor said, 48:38 "I know your family is rejoicing over the decision 48:41 you're making right now to be baptized." 48:44 And she turned and looked at my wife 48:45 and I with tears running down her eyes, 48:47 because we knew that her family didn't even know. 48:49 We knew that her family was not rejoicing about her decision. 48:54 But when she came out of that baptistery, 48:55 she said, "Thank you for giving me the courage. 48:58 Thank you for giving me the courage and the strength 49:01 to make a decision about my future. 49:03 Because if anything happens, she said to us, 49:05 if anything happens to me, I want to know 49:09 that I've made the decision for eternity. 49:12 And so the question is, 49:13 what obstacle is standing before you? 49:15 What is Satan threatening you with, 49:17 preventing you from giving your life to Christ? 49:20 Because I say it again, the coming world blackout 49:23 is not far away. 49:24 Everything that humanity has relied on will one day be gone. 49:29 And if we don't make decisions for eternity, 49:32 then we cannot stand when that time comes. 49:35 But this is the hour that multitudes 49:37 are still being added, 49:39 because God wants to empower His church. 49:41 You see, the Day of Pentecost took place only in Jerusalem. 49:47 But when the Day of Pentecost comes this time, 49:49 it's going to take place around the world. 49:51 Just imagine, when God pours out His Spirit 49:54 on the Day of Pentecost 49:56 is going to be in every corner of the globe. 49:59 Can you imagine the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 50:02 on every continent? 50:03 Denominational walls will crumble. 50:05 Seekers of truth will be liberated. 50:07 Tradition will be surrendered to a plain thus saith the Lord. 50:11 That is the power of the Holy Spirit, 50:13 things that people held on to. 50:15 Dissatisfying rituals will be abandoned 50:18 for the reliable Word of God. 50:20 The light of hope will be rekindled 50:22 in the lives of those who have been downhearted, 50:25 and repetitious dogma will be traded for a life 50:29 surrendered to the power of Christ. 50:34 Let me pose a question. 50:36 Let me pose a question and answer the question. 50:38 Why does God want His church to be empowered 50:42 in the way that He wants them to be ignited 50:44 in these last days? 50:45 Why does God want to turn the light on 50:47 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church? 50:50 Why does God want to empower those 50:51 who have the three angels' messages in these last days? 50:55 Here's the reason. 50:56 Look at John 10:16. 50:58 Here is the reason. 51:00 The Bible says in John 10:16, 51:05 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, 51:09 them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, 51:14 and there will be one flock 51:18 and one shepherd." 51:20 What is the Lord saying to us? 51:22 It is in this hour of challenging 51:24 circumstances that God is saying, "Wait a minute, 51:27 I'm not content to have My people just strewn in all 51:30 these various corners of the world. 51:32 I want to gather My people back into My fold. 51:35 I want to bring them to the place 51:36 where truth abides. 51:37 I want to bring them to the place 51:39 where the commandments of God are sure. 51:40 I want to bring them to the place 51:42 where the Sabbath is established. 51:43 I want to bring them to the place 51:46 where tradition is not more powerful than truth. 51:51 That's why the Lord says in John 4:23, 51:55 these following words. 51:56 Notice what He says. 51:58 And this is an amazing thing, because it's all about time. 52:02 He says, "But the hour is coming, 52:04 and now is, when the true worshiper 52:10 will worship the Father in spirit and truth, 52:15 for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 52:19 God is spirit, and those who worship Him," 52:25 notice, "must worship 52:27 in spirit and in truth." 52:31 That's what Jesus is looking for. 52:33 He's calling on you, young lady, young man, 52:36 to worship Him not based on what your parents did, 52:38 or what your grandparents did, 52:39 or what your great grandparents did. 52:41 But He's saying, "This is the hour 52:43 that God wants you to pick up your Word, 52:45 pick up the Bible, get on your knees and say, 'Father, 52:48 what do you want me to do in this hour 52:51 of descending darkness? 52:52 What do you want me to do in this hour 52:55 when the world has gone mad? 52:57 What do you want me to do 52:58 in a world that has lost its bearing, 53:01 and is seeking to ignite our lives 53:03 from one thrill to the next? 53:05 Lord, what do you want me to do?'" 53:07 Young lady, young man, the world 53:09 as it has become will not return to what it used to be. 53:13 This is not the world 53:14 that's going to get better one day. 53:16 Even if we could return the world 53:18 to what it was years ago, 53:20 the sad history of humanity is this, 53:23 there'll still be pain, there'll be heartache, 53:25 there'll be suffering, there will be death. 53:28 There is no lasting peace 53:30 and safety found on this planet. 53:33 There is no security found in the banks, 53:36 in the financial institutions. 53:38 There is no lasting pleasure found in the movie theaters. 53:41 There is no lasting joy and satisfaction found 53:44 in the social media part of our generation today. 53:49 The only lasting peace and joy 53:51 we can find is in the person of Christ Jesus. 53:54 What kind of world is this? 53:56 Political instability on one side, 53:58 social insecurity on the other. 54:00 Financial insecurity on one side, 54:03 and rising unemployment on the other. 54:05 A morally crumbling society on one side, 54:08 and a racially divided society on the other. 54:11 A world divided by ravaging diseases 54:14 amidst a society of mistrust. 54:17 It is in this kind of hour that God is saying, 54:20 He's wanting to reignite His church. 54:23 The world coming blackout is not too far away, 54:27 because the world is rejecting the only answer 54:30 to the darkness that is around them. 54:33 But when you open the Book of Revelation, 54:36 the light is turned up. 54:38 Revelation illuminates the pathway 54:40 to eternal peace and tranquility. 54:42 And I know that's what you need. 54:44 Revelation shines the light on a message 54:47 that can prepare the world for the soon return of Jesus. 54:51 And, friends, I'm encouraging you, 54:53 pray for the infilling of the Spirit of God, 54:57 pray and develop and train yourself 55:00 to increase in appetite in holy things, 55:03 because nothing happens by chance. 55:06 We've got to become personally, spiritually responsible 55:10 for the way that we are developing our character. 55:13 We've got to make choices and decisions, 55:15 because we are living at the most pivotal hour 55:18 in the history of the world. 55:21 Everyone's destiny is about to be decided for eternity. 55:24 It's life or death for the inhabitants 55:27 of this planet, and no one is exempt. 55:30 So what are you looking for? 55:32 What are you praying for? 55:34 Every one of us is going to be on one side 55:37 or the other of this coin. 55:41 In the final showdown between light and darkness, 55:45 there are only two choices, light and darkness. 55:48 And the question is, in this hour of approaching darkness, 55:53 in this hour when the world is going to be wrapped 55:56 in a dense darkness that it has never before experienced, 56:00 the question is where you're going to stand. 56:02 It's high time to get the three angels' messages 56:04 to your friends, your friends, your coworkers, 56:07 people on the streets. 56:09 And you'll be fulfilling the most urgent call 56:11 for the hour, the most earnest mission of heaven. 56:16 The darkness is coming. 56:17 The hour of descending darkness is coming all around us. 56:21 The clouds on the horizon is forecasting 56:25 something about to break 56:27 as an overwhelming surprise upon humanity. 56:30 And where you going to be? 56:33 What you going to do? 56:35 You see, while the world is heading for a blackout, 56:38 the people of God are preparing to turn up the light. 56:42 Isaiah the prophet says it one more time. 56:44 Isaiah 60:1-3, "Arise, shine, 56:49 for your light has come! 56:50 And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 56:54 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 56:56 and deep darkness the people, 56:58 but the Lord will arise over you, 57:01 and His glory will be seen upon you. 57:04 The Gentiles shall come to your light, 57:08 and the kings to the brightness of your rising." 57:11 And here's my appeal to you today. 57:14 Pray, Father, ignite my life. 57:17 Turn on the power 57:20 of Your Holy Spirit in my life. 57:23 Make me a living sacrifice 57:27 that someone may find the light and find Jesus. 57:31 God bless you. |
Revised 2021-11-16