Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000151S
|
00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:41 I want to thank you for tuning in. 00:43 Our message for today is entitled, 00:46 "The Value of Pain." 00:48 And it is based upon Romans 8:16-18. 00:53 So I thought maybe we should just read these verses together 00:56 to begin with, 00:57 then we might have an idea 00:58 of where Pastor Shelton's focus will be upon today. 01:03 It reads, 01:04 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, 01:07 that we are children of God: 01:09 And if the children, then heirs, 01:12 heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 01:15 if so be that we suffer with Him, 01:18 that we may also be glorified together. 01:21 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time 01:25 are not worthy to be compared with the glory 01:29 which shall be revealed in us." 01:32 You know, 01:33 I know when I first accepted Christ into my heart, 01:36 I really didn't understand or grasped 01:39 the depths of the warfare between good and evil. 01:42 I suppose in that respect, 01:44 many of us are like the disciples of old, 01:47 where while Christ was yet with them, 01:49 teaching, loving, healing and drawing others to Himself. 01:54 When Christ tried to explain that He would be put to death, 01:58 it is a thought they refused to contemplate or accept 02:03 that happening to the Messiah that they love so very dearly. 02:08 In their minds, 02:09 their newfound relationship and belief in the Messiah 02:12 would only continue to become grander 02:16 and wonderful, 02:17 as they believed 02:18 He would become Israel's earthly King at that time. 02:21 What overwhelming joy and happiness 02:24 they must have experienced in His presence, 02:27 as they witnessed thousands being fed 02:30 from two small fish and five loaves of bread, 02:33 and to empathize 02:35 with the untold number of people 02:37 who would be healed 02:39 as they traveled from place to place. 02:42 Just think about it, the blind would see, 02:44 the lame would walk again, 02:46 the dead would come back to life. 02:49 Imagine witnessing such miracles. 02:52 In some respect, 02:54 we know we really do imagine these experiences. 02:57 We do see them to a point in our mind's eye. 03:01 And there are times that we do experience 03:04 the presence of the Holy Spirit from time to time in our lives. 03:08 Many have seen the sick miraculously healed. 03:12 And what a blessing is that 03:14 peace that passes all understanding 03:17 in this life of turmoil. 03:19 Our minds tend to dwell on these blessings, 03:22 while avoiding the heartache, 03:25 anguish, pain, and struggles with faith 03:29 that are also a part of our walk with Christ. 03:33 In His love He has left us prophetic 03:36 and literal examples of these struggles 03:38 that even He Himself suffered through. 03:42 These sufferings are the result of the warfare for our souls. 03:47 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 03:50 but against principalities, against powers, 03:53 against the rulers of the darkness of this world, 03:55 against spiritual wickedness in high places. 03:59 Ephesians 6:12. 04:01 I do believe that Pastor Kenny Shelton 04:04 is going to be led with the Spirit of God 04:06 to take us down this path of anguish and pain, 04:10 while showing us its value 04:12 and it is used to develop a Christ like character 04:16 within each of us. 04:18 But before we join Pastor Kenny Shelton 04:20 for today's message, 04:21 "The Value of Pain," 04:23 let's visit 3ABN 04:25 and listen to Brother Kendol Bacchus 04:28 as he plays, "Here's One." 08:08 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Ministries. 08:10 We appreciate you so very much. Glad you joined us. 08:12 We have a wonderful message today. 08:14 We believe that the Holy Spirit wants to speak to your heart 08:17 because of what we're going through 08:19 the world today 08:20 and people that we talk to on every hand, 08:23 they are in pain. 08:25 There's things that are going on 08:26 that they just can't explain. 08:28 They're looking for answers to their dilemma. 08:31 And today we're going to be studying about 08:32 the value of pain. 08:35 My, the value of pain? 08:36 Absolutely when we line up with the Word of God. 08:39 Again, we're glad you joined us, 08:41 thank you for your prayers, your support, 08:42 what you do to help us get this message 08:44 around the world. 08:46 We do not believe in keeping the message inside these walls. 08:50 This is a very small part of it. 08:52 We believe in getting it out 08:53 that it may be a blessing to someone today. 08:56 And before that, before we get into always 08:58 before we study the Word of God, 08:59 we have prayer. 09:00 And we're going to kneel here 09:02 and if you'd like to kneel, fine, 09:03 and those of you who are maybe right now you're here, 09:05 you're driving in the car, you're doing whatever, 09:07 just pray along with us if you will, please. 09:10 Merciful Father in heavens, we come to You. 09:13 We pour our heart out to You, Lord. 09:14 We realize we have nothing good to offer Your people today. 09:17 But Your word is good 09:19 and You said it would not return void. 09:21 We asked for the power of thy 09:22 Holy Spirit now to take every little mess 09:25 that we're getting ready to make 09:26 and you will illuminate the beautiful, 09:28 the power of the Holy Spirit upon every word 09:30 that will penetrate the heart and the mind 09:32 of every one of Your children 09:34 that we can see that there's value in everything 09:37 that You have ordained on this earth 09:39 that can be for the good and even pain. 09:41 Bless us now we pray 09:42 as we journey toward heaven in Jesus' name, amen. 09:49 Our passage of scripture that we want to read 09:51 just a couple of verses are found in Romans. 09:54 Romans, I think it's Chapter 8. 09:56 We're going to read verses 16 and 17 and 18. 10:00 Romans 8:16-18. 10:04 I love this passage of scripture. 10:05 I love these verses 10:07 and we could probably spend all time on it. 10:08 But we're not going to do that, 10:09 we're going to move quickly right along. 10:11 Romans Chapter 8, starting with verse 16 and on. 10:14 It says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness," 10:16 notice this, 10:18 "with our spirit, 10:19 that we are the children of God: 10:21 And if children, then heirs, heirs of God," 10:24 I love that, 10:25 "joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we," 10:28 notice, so be that we suffer with him, 10:31 that we may be also glorified together." 10:34 Verse 18, notice this, 10:36 "For I reckon 10:37 that the sufferings of this present time 10:40 are not worthy to be compared with the glory 10:44 which shall be revealed in us." 10:47 I love that passage of scripture. 10:48 I love it, 10:50 because we're going to be going through the value of pain, 10:52 and then our travels toward heaven. 10:54 What is it going to take? 10:55 We're on a road toward heaven, are we not? 10:57 Now, if you're not on the road toward heaven, 10:59 I'm going to pray that you'll get on that road, right, 11:01 before this program ends. 11:04 We must get on the road, but heaven is going to cost. 11:08 If you're not willing to give all, 11:10 you know, we may not stay on that road. 11:12 I want to talk a little bit before I get on that 11:15 about a value of pain 11:17 and about a man who suffered some pain. 11:21 And notice what it says, it says, he was supposed, 11:24 this man was going to speak and he was going to speak 11:27 at the Moody Founder's Week Conference. 11:30 And he received a letter from the president, 11:33 you know, of that committee. 11:34 And he said, 11:35 "You know, I want all the speakers there. 11:37 I want them to really get down and labor with God in prayer. 11:40 I want them pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, 11:42 and I want them to go, I want to be a blessing." 11:45 But it says every, 11:46 every speaker there needs to understand 11:48 what it means to receive the blessings 11:50 that God wants to give 11:51 that we must come to this meeting 11:54 with a broken heart. 11:56 Broken heart, what does all that mean? 11:59 And this man thought was interesting, 12:00 a broken heart. 12:02 He loved those words and he embraced those words. 12:05 And as soon as he heard them, he got down on his knees, 12:08 and he said, 12:09 "Oh, God, I can't speak for other speakers 12:12 that's going to be there this week 12:14 but I'm responsible for my own state of heart. 12:19 And, Lord, I asked you," 12:20 notice these words, 12:22 "Lord, I ask you now, whatever," 12:23 notice, 12:24 "whatever the cost may be, 12:26 to send me with a broken heart." 12:31 And so he began, he prayed that, 12:33 so he prayed several days in advance, 12:35 and he was, oh, 12:36 he was in some other country for a little while 12:38 and then he was just getting ready to come back. 12:39 He's going to meet his wife, 12:41 and they were just going to go to this conference together. 12:43 But notice what happened 12:44 while he was still going away in another country, 12:47 he got a overseas telephone call, 12:50 says your wife died of a heart attack at 1 pm. 12:55 Yeah. 12:58 And he said she was to have met me 13:01 on Monday in Chicago, 13:02 where we planned on be at the Founder's Week together 13:04 at this meeting. 13:06 She was supposed to meet me there, 13:07 but now she's dead. 13:08 He said, 13:10 "My, this was such a difficult struggle for me. 13:13 I fell to my knees beside my bed. 13:17 And I said, 13:18 "Lord, I'll still go. 13:20 You give me the grace and the power and the strength, 13:24 and I'll speak at this Founder's Week meeting 13:27 that You've planned 13:28 and You have answered my prayers in a way 13:32 I never anticipated or thought. 13:37 But I will accept Your answer." 13:40 He prayed to God, he said, 13:41 "I want my heart broken." 13:44 Very interesting. 13:45 And so he says, 13:47 "Now I go to that meeting with my heart broken, 13:50 humbling before You." 13:53 And he stood before this huge audience 13:56 and he began to speak. 13:59 Two days after he buried, he says here, 14:02 "Buried my sweet Christian wife. 14:05 But this was the first step in victory 14:08 over what others might have been a crushing defeat." 14:12 He looked at it as a first step of victory 14:14 that he needed in his Christian experience. 14:17 "Lord, break my heart before these meetings," 14:19 and his heart was broken in a way 14:21 that he never thought it would be. 14:23 But it drew him closer to Jesus, 14:26 not separating him. 14:28 That's God's plan for us as we will know. 14:31 Verse 18 of Romans Chapter 8 14:33 that we read, he said, 14:34 "For I reckon," I like that, 14:36 "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time 14:38 are not worthy to be compared with the glory 14:41 which shall be revealed in us." 14:43 I wonder how often that we as a people, 14:45 when we're going through tests and trials 14:47 and going through what we're going through with the COVID-19 14:49 and all these things, 14:51 and you have to stay inside, 14:52 you got to be six feet apart, 14:53 and you have to wear a mask 14:55 and they're trying to make it that law to really confine us 14:57 and put us in a box, 15:00 want to close the churches down, 15:01 a lot of them are closed down, they have half a services, 15:03 when the only place that 15:05 maybe should be open is the church. 15:07 Instead of closing the doors 15:09 and telling you can't have church, 15:10 the devil is heckling and laughing. 15:12 And by God's grace, 15:14 we need to keep our doors open right now, 15:16 because people are suffering. 15:18 Many have died. 15:20 Think about this, if you have loved ones 15:21 who may be in nursing home, and they've died, 15:23 and they've contacted this COVID-19, 15:25 and you couldn't even basically go to the funeral. 15:27 You can't visit them in the nursing homes. 15:30 You couldn't see them and they passed away 15:32 and you couldn't visit, you couldn't pray. 15:34 It's just... 15:35 What a horrible nightmare that would be. 15:36 It's hard enough to face it, 15:38 when you can go through all the necessary steps to heal. 15:43 I found that many times 15:45 that God doesn't prevent evil men to work evil. 15:51 Many times He doesn't prevent them 15:52 to do that, 15:53 but He has a way of turning that evil into good 15:55 as you will know, 15:57 especially when persecution comes. 15:59 You know, my thought always is with God's people 16:04 who hear these messages to be encouraged 16:07 that there is persecution coming. 16:11 There is, Paul said what? 16:13 "For I reckon that the sufferings 16:15 of the present time 16:16 are not worthy to be compared 16:18 to what's going to happen in the future." 16:19 Paraphrasing, did you get it? 16:22 So sometime we have to weigh, 16:23 every time we go through persecutions and distress 16:27 and heartache and test and trials, 16:29 what's coming around the corner? 16:31 There's better things that are coming. 16:34 There's opposition 16:35 that's every time you want to move forward, 16:37 there's opposition in the cause of Christ. 16:40 There's accusations that even come. 16:43 When you're in the public eye, 16:45 there's people you're in a glass house, 16:47 and people see things that maybe they shouldn't see 16:49 or maybe that's not really taking place. 16:52 And it hits you pretty hard. 16:55 It tears your family apart. 16:58 And sometimes the church family gets involved, 17:00 and they decide they want to do 17:02 a little bit of talking about things. 17:04 They want to gossip a little bit, 17:05 they want to talk about some things. 17:07 And then once they have their little meetings 17:09 and a little gossip, 17:10 they decide that they're going to have a court. 17:13 And so they set it up 17:14 as it were and they talk about it. 17:17 And then they make a judgment on it 17:18 and then they pass sentence on the people of God. 17:23 Maybe it's your family, maybe it's your friends. 17:27 Surely we have something better to do by the grace of God. 17:33 Remember, we are to go through, 17:35 notice this, the furnace of affliction. 17:40 God sees fit for that. 17:42 This is a furnace of trial and affliction, 17:45 is worth all the pain that it cost. 17:50 That's hard when we're going through that pain 17:53 and that affliction. 17:54 And that difficult time of our job 17:56 or loss of job and loss of home, 17:58 loss of everything, loss of business, 18:00 which is going on in the world today 18:02 by the hundreds of thousands 18:03 and people are still saying in high places, 18:05 let's close it down again. 18:11 All because of maybe an elected official. 18:14 They're willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands 18:17 and millions of people. 18:20 I understand we need to be safe, 18:21 and so on so forth. 18:23 But there's a way I'm sure 18:24 that we can be approached by the grace of God. 18:29 Furnace of affliction, is it really worth the pain? 18:34 I might say, "Yes, it is," 18:36 and you'd say, "Well, how is that?" 18:40 During these times of persecution 18:42 and pain and sorrow and gossiping and backbiting 18:45 and maybe throwing you say underneath the bus, 18:48 God draws you closer to Him than ever. 18:52 He draws you so close to Him. 18:55 Yes. 18:57 And so we need to hold fast to Him 18:59 during this time. 19:00 Someone mentioned while ago, you behold the Lamb of God. 19:04 If you do not, you will fall apart, 19:06 you will be deceived, 19:08 and we will not be able to meet the emergencies 19:11 and for our purpose of being here. 19:14 Remember, emergencies are on the horizon. 19:19 Beige, you talk about nothing but just the good times, 19:22 but we need to warn that 19:23 there are emergencies that are coming, 19:25 that the world doesn't have an answer. 19:28 We don't have the answers, but God has the answers. 19:31 And it may seem like it's a furnace of affliction, 19:33 why go through all of these things. 19:35 But God has His eye on you. 19:37 And He has His eye on me 19:38 and He knows exactly what I need. 19:40 And what need, may I say this in nice way, 19:42 what needs to be burnt out of me. 19:45 What needs to be destroyed out of me? 19:46 Why? 19:47 Because God is searcher of the heart and the mind. 19:49 He knows what you might be thinking, 19:51 we don't. 19:53 But God does and He knows that might keep you 19:55 from spending eternity with Him. 19:57 And so He's allowing these things to happen 19:59 because He loves you and He loves me. 20:03 I mean, what is your purpose? 20:04 Why are you here? Why am I here? 20:08 But I found this out. 20:10 And I think most of you have had found this out too 20:14 that those who stand for truth, 20:16 those who advocate what is truth. 20:19 We open yourself 20:21 to test and trials and difficult times 20:26 because the Bible is very clear in 2 Timothy, 20:29 the Bible said 3:12, 20:31 it says, "Yea, and all that will live," 20:33 what? 20:34 "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall," what? 20:39 This is old passage, you know it well. 20:41 Shall suffer what? "Persecution," 20:43 but when we're persecuted, 20:44 we say, "Oh, no, why me? Why is it me? 20:47 Why am I all alone? Why is it all falling on me? 20:50 I can't take it." 20:53 We should be praising God but you know what, 20:55 that's pretty difficult sometime 20:57 if our eyes are not on Him. 20:59 If our eyes are on ourself, 21:00 then we're going to have all kinds of problems. 21:04 But to realize if you stand for truth, 21:06 and as God's last day people, we need to know what truth is, 21:09 and stand rigidly for what is truth. 21:12 But knowing at the same time, 21:14 eventually, that there's going to be some persecution, 21:17 somebody is not going to like it. 21:19 Your neighbors not going to like 21:21 and sometimes people in the church 21:22 don't like it. 21:25 Sometimes they don't want to hear. 21:26 Oh, that's a little bit too much. 21:28 Now, let's be careful. We're going to run people off. 21:31 You know what? 21:32 People who don't love truth, they'll be run off by truth, 21:35 if you don't love it. 21:37 But wouldn't it be nice if people say, 21:39 "Oh, which what we hear is truth 21:40 until we're going to come and fellowship 21:42 where we hear truth. 21:44 Where we hear that preparation to meet Jesus." 21:49 I mean, be like Paul 21:50 that was mentioned there in 2 Corinthians 12. 21:52 The Bible said, verse 10, 21:54 notice what it says, 2 Corinthians 12:10, 21:56 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities..." 22:01 I'm not sure I'm there. 22:05 Hello. 22:07 See, it got just real quiet. 22:10 It's the time not to be honest. 22:11 I'm not sure I'm there. 22:13 I want to be there. 22:14 And I know I should be there 22:15 and it's easy for people to blow smoke. 22:19 Easy for people to talk it. 22:21 Oh, well, soon as you say, 22:22 well, I'm going through difficult time. 22:24 Well, just look at Jesus. 22:25 Yes, certainly, that's the answer. 22:27 But it needs to be real 22:30 because when they go through the smoke, 22:31 they're not looking to Jesus. 22:33 Come on now. 22:35 He said, notice, 22:37 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities," 22:39 oh, wow, 22:40 "and reproaches," 22:42 and I don't like to be reproached. 22:43 You don't either, 22:45 "and infirmities and then necessities, 22:46 and then persecution in distressed." 22:48 Notice what he says, "for Christ's sake." 22:52 I go through these things, 22:53 because He's here who strengthens me 22:55 to go through them. 22:57 It's for Christ's sake that I do it. 22:59 Notice, I love this. 23:00 He said, "For when I am weak, then I am," what? 23:06 Notice, "then I am strong." 23:08 When we are weak, what is it? 23:10 Then I'm strong. 23:11 When I'm weak, what do I need? 23:13 I need Jesus. 23:14 And I go to Him, right? 23:16 The author and finisher of our faith, 23:17 the one who strengthens us 23:19 rather than gripe and complain and carry on, 23:22 when we live in a world 23:24 where we need to be exercising faith 23:25 so that faith may grow and become stronger, 23:29 because this is what we're going to have to hold on to. 23:32 I feel like in the very near future. 23:35 Things are getting ready to blow. 23:38 It's like somebody has let run out 23:39 and they took a match and they lit the fuse. 23:42 And you see that fuse going like this 23:43 and when it hits over here, boom. 23:46 It's really going to change 23:47 and am I spiritually sound enough 23:51 by the grace of God 23:53 to make it through that time so heaven can be my home. 23:58 Millions, millions around the world, 24:01 I know millions have physical needs, 24:03 they have mental needs, they have spiritual needs 24:05 or conditions you call it. 24:07 And they plead, 24:08 I talk to people 24:10 and they plead with God to remove it. 24:12 You know anyone like that? 24:14 Yeah, that physical problem, mental problem, 24:16 whatever it might be, spiritual problem. 24:18 And they'll say, 24:19 "I want God to take it and I want Him to remove it." 24:21 And I understand that 24:22 but you know, sometimes it doesn't happen. 24:24 They'll say, 24:25 "I prayed and I prayed and God doesn't hear." 24:28 Could there be a reason? 24:29 Or it could be a lot of reasons. 24:31 Maybe even like Paul, you know, he had a... 24:35 We believe that 24:37 he had affliction with the eyes. 24:39 And he had a very difficult time to see, 24:41 couldn't see very well 24:43 and he asked God to take it away from him. 24:46 And that's who we go to, when we have an affliction, 24:47 why not ask God? 24:49 But God came back 24:51 and said to him after about what three prayers. 24:55 Remember, he thought if I be earnest with God, 24:56 and I plead with God, God's going to hear me 24:58 and God's going to answer, 24:59 but the Lord had His own purpose. 25:02 See, God has His own purpose. 25:04 We have our purpose, I want to be healed. 25:06 I want everything to go like I'd like for it to go, 25:07 I like for it to go smooth. 25:11 But God had His own purpose there. 25:13 Paul prayed three times 25:14 as we well know that he might be healed. 25:16 And here's Christ's answer 25:17 found in Scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:9. 25:22 Remember, what's the first word? 25:23 He says, My what? 25:25 "My grace is sufficient..." 25:28 What if you went to God say, 25:29 I need this, all I want to be healed. 25:31 And God says, "My grace is sufficient." 25:33 It's like at that point in time, stop. 25:37 Stop. 25:38 And that's basically what he told Paul 25:40 after three times, was it not? 25:41 He's saying, "Paul, stop, My grace will be sufficient." 25:45 Wow, what does all that mean? 25:48 He said, "For my strength is made," 25:49 what? 25:51 "Perfect in weakness..." 25:55 Was God not telling Paul, 25:57 I can use you in a greater way with this ailment 26:02 than if you didn't have it. 26:05 You know, Bible said, Jesus said one time, 26:06 it's better to enter in the kingdom maimed. 26:09 Somebody get that? 26:12 Than not at all. 26:14 Because if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, 26:17 your hand, even cut it off. 26:19 That sounds pretty stout and pretty strong. 26:23 But better to enter the kingdom, 26:24 in fact which is offensive, we need to turn it over to God. 26:28 But he said notice it, 26:30 "Most gladly, 26:31 therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities," 26:33 here's a word again, 26:35 "I'm going to glory in my," what? 26:37 See, we need to learn this, 26:38 I think we need to learn it like never before, 26:41 because we're going to be faced with infirmities 26:43 that we have not went through before. 26:47 Infirmities translated there in the Greek, 26:50 it could be, mean a lot of things. 26:51 It could mean a disease. 26:53 Paul said, 26:55 "I'm going to glorify you, 26:56 even if there's a disease on my body. 26:59 If it's a sickness, I'm going to glorify you. 27:02 If it's some kind of a weakness, 27:04 whatever it might be, 27:07 if I'm just weak and tired," 27:13 if I'm just weak, and tired, 27:17 it's an infirmity. 27:19 Notice this, 27:21 "that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 27:25 So we have to decide 27:26 whether we willing to go through all of these things 27:28 without griping and complaining, 27:29 and just simply say, 27:31 because I want the grace of God to rest upon me. 27:36 See, I want the grace of God to rest upon me, if it's not, 27:39 you're not going to have peace in this world. 27:42 Without the grace of God, 27:43 none of us is going to make it into the kingdom. 27:45 I want the grace of God to rest upon me, when I'm weak, 27:49 therefore, I would become strong. 27:50 I'm close to Him, He draw close to me. 27:54 He wants me to be in health, there's no doubt about it. 27:57 But I'd rather have regardless of what goes on in the world, 27:59 I'd rather have the Bible is talking about here, 28:01 I don't have that power of Christ, 28:03 resting in my heart and in my life. 28:06 May give you a few quick examples 28:08 of faithfulness of God's people to bear witness to Christ, 28:11 then we're going to take a little journey 28:13 as it were toward heaven. 28:16 Because after all, that's where we're headed, 28:17 is it not? 28:19 I mean, I hate to think about anybody be sitting here 28:21 or anybody hears the sound of the voice, 28:23 they see, they hear, whatever it might be, 28:25 and simply saying, 28:26 I don't think heaven's going to be my home. 28:28 I don't think heaven's going to be my home. 28:30 How miserable you must be. 28:33 We've come up with a good answer, 28:34 haven't we, Brother John? 28:36 Somebody asked you, are you saved? 28:37 That, you know, 28:39 we're careful with the word saved. 28:40 We understand that like it's over and done. 28:41 But still, yes, I would say, and we say what? 28:43 By the grace of God? 28:47 Are you going to make it to heaven? 28:48 What are you going to say? 28:49 By the grace of God, 28:51 that's the only way you're going to make it. 28:52 That's the only way I'm going to make is 28:53 by the grace of God, regardless of how you roll it. 28:57 By the grace of God. 29:00 The enemy loves for you to talk doubt. 29:03 And to think doubt as it were, like, 29:05 oh, he wants you to be very, you know, 29:09 God wants us to be very positive 29:11 about our relationship with Him, 29:12 not based upon you or me, 29:14 but based upon His promises, 29:17 the promises that He has made for us, 29:19 we may claim them all. 29:21 But we're not doing that very often. 29:24 We're lifting up the enemy as it were, 29:26 and we don't want to do that. 29:28 We need faithfulness right now for what's getting to rip 29:31 right in front of us right now. 29:35 We need faithfulness and steadfast. 29:37 Let's for instance, John the Revelator, right, 29:39 John the Revelator, whatever, 29:40 he was banished to the Isle of Patmos for what? 29:44 For the Word, good. 29:46 For the Word of God and the testimony of what? 29:48 Of Jesus Christ. 29:49 Now remember, he was a good guy. 29:53 But the good guy was banished to the aisle. 29:55 Well, if you were living right and doing right, 29:58 surely this wouldn't happen to you. 29:59 No, not necessarily. 30:02 Yeah. 30:03 Was it not for the God's had a purpose for him. 30:07 It's very interesting 30:08 as we read and study about it, 30:10 we realize the glory 30:12 after he was exiled right into the island right there, 30:16 Jesus came and visited him. 30:19 And He hadn't visited him 30:20 since right here He went back up into heaven. 30:22 John, the beloved disciple, Jesus still loved him, 30:25 and he couldn't wait to come down and talk to him. 30:31 Awesome, awesome experience. 30:33 One of the best experiences John ever had 30:35 was when he was exiled. 30:40 Maybe there's pain and, you know, 30:44 suffering that will go on. 30:48 But God can certainly turn it around. 30:51 How about Joseph? 30:53 Would you say he was a man of God? 30:55 Oh, yes. 30:56 But he was lied on, was he not? 30:58 He was maligned, we understand that. 31:00 He was persecuted 31:02 because of his virtue and his integrity. 31:06 So sometimes you may have virtue, 31:08 you may have integrity, 31:10 you may have love for Jesus, 31:11 but somebody is going to say something bad. 31:13 Somebody is going to put you in a bad light. 31:17 But you know what? 31:18 He was certainly what, 31:19 but he didn't do anything for that. 31:21 But he persevered 31:22 and God blessed him in a wonderful way. 31:23 Jeremiah, think about Jeremiah. 31:26 He spoke exactly what God wanted him to do 31:28 and it was not popular. 31:30 And he even spoke it to the kings and the princess, 31:32 you remember, his life was on the line, 31:35 and it caused him to be thrown into the pit. 31:37 We say, 31:39 "Well, I'm not going to say that 31:40 because somebody will throw me in the pit." 31:42 He didn't think about 31:43 being thrown in the pit at that point. 31:45 He was doing what God asked him to do. 31:47 I wonder how many of us are really doing 31:50 what God has asked us to do right now. 31:52 Even if it all now, even if it means being in, 31:55 maybe end up in jail. 31:58 And the time will come. 31:59 This is why we're talking about this. 32:04 Maybe, you say maybe the Bible is very clear. 32:07 The time will come when God's going to ask you 32:10 to deliver a message, 32:11 a word in due season that's going to cost. 32:14 Will you do that or will you make excuses? 32:18 Steven, when you think about him, 32:20 he was stoned because he... 32:22 Listen, he was stoned because he preached Jesus Christ 32:25 and Him crucified. 32:29 He was what? 32:30 He was stoned, he was murdered. 32:32 He was killed, painful. 32:35 And what did he do? 32:37 He preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 32:40 Pain. 32:44 The dictionary talks about pain and pain. 32:47 It can be physical suffering, 32:50 any kind of discomfort 32:53 caused by an illness or caused by an injury 32:57 by some kind of care or trouble. 33:01 Pain, an unpleasant sensory 33:05 and emotional experience. 33:09 Pain, no one likes it. 33:12 But are we willing to put it all on the line 33:15 as Daniel was when he was cast into the den of lions? 33:20 Listen, he was cast into the den of lions 33:22 because he was true to his God. 33:24 So I'm trying to encourage you as God's people 33:26 be true to your God. 33:29 There's going to be a cost if heaven's going to be. 33:31 You think, they say get there scot free. 33:35 Jesus said what? 33:36 You're going to have to go through what I went through. 33:40 And I look at all that and I say, 33:41 "Oh, Lord, have mercy on my soul. 33:44 I need a closer walk with You. 33:45 I need You closer in my life." 33:47 I need not complain and gripe. 33:48 We have a roof over our head. We have food to eat. 33:51 We have shelter. 33:52 We have a vehicle maybe to drive. 33:53 We have the necessities of life at this point in time. 33:56 When they're taken, how are you going to act? 33:58 How am I going to act? 34:01 Yeah. 34:02 Are we going to believe the promises of God? 34:03 Your bread and water are sure. 34:05 Are we just going to gripe and complains, 34:06 I can't believe He's done this to me. 34:07 I've stood fast for Him. 34:09 Now look what He's done, He's forsaken me. 34:10 The Bible says, 34:11 "I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake you." 34:15 That's what we count on as we're entering 34:17 I believe these last hours as it were of earth's history. 34:21 That could come very quickly and it seems like, 34:25 listen, this troubles me. 34:26 Don't seem like God's people 34:28 are really that interested anymore. 34:29 That's just personal. 34:31 There's always a few, praise God for that. 34:34 But sometime you're talking to them, 34:35 oh, I love it when they go around, 34:37 they stand up 34:38 and they kind of adjust their pants a little bit, 34:40 you know. 34:41 And they say, "Well, you know, my dad said, grandpa said." 34:47 I went through that 34:48 and I listened some big-time people 34:49 one time said that. 34:51 I said, "We believe that 34:52 we should be giving three angels' message 34:54 to the world, 34:55 to warn them to be prepared for what's coming 34:56 and be ready for heaven." 34:58 He said, "Well, you know." 34:59 I said, "I believe Jesus could be coming very quickly." 35:02 "Well, you know, my dad said that, 35:05 and his dad before had said." 35:07 I said, "My lands of love 35:08 you're fulfilling Bible prophecy." 35:11 That's exactly what it says. 35:13 Others will say, "Oh, yeah." 35:19 How about David? 35:22 Was he not, when things were made right, 35:24 a man after God's own heart. 35:26 I don't know if you've ever prayed that 35:28 it'd be a man or woman after God's own heart. 35:30 I encourage you to pray that. 35:33 We're all sinners, we've all done wrong. 35:35 We realize, we come, we cover by the blood of the lamb 35:36 and say, 35:38 "Oh, Lord, I want to be a man or woman 35:39 after your own heart. 35:41 Please, Lord, help me." 35:43 He was, listen, 35:44 He was hunted like a wild animal 35:46 by his enemies. 35:47 He was still a man of God, notice that. 35:50 He was a chosen messenger. 35:52 Even though you can look a lot of things 35:54 and say blah-blah. 35:55 God still chose him to do a work. 35:58 Yeah. 35:59 And I believe we'll see by the grace of God 36:01 and David in heaven, don't you? 36:05 How about Job? 36:08 Oh, my, family and possessions taken 36:10 and his body afflicted, 36:12 racked with pain, friends turned on him. 36:16 Yet he remained true to God. 36:17 They always slay me in. Will I trust him? 36:20 Doesn't matter. I trust God. 36:23 See how many of us are in that? 36:24 We have one little thing go, 36:26 "Hey, what else that we don't trust God anymore. 36:27 He doesn't hear me, doesn't answer prayer. 36:29 He doesn't, now something's wrong." 36:33 But we need to remain true to God. 36:37 The believers in Christ Jesus, 36:38 are you a believer in Christ Jesus? 36:40 Absolutely we are. 36:41 Don't be bashful and shy about it. 36:44 But as a believer in Christ, 36:45 you will be hated and persecuted. 36:49 That's not because I like to say it 36:51 but it's a warning that we must be ready. 36:53 If we can't take it now, 36:56 what makes us think when it really going gets tough 36:58 that we'll be able to take it? 37:02 God's last day people 37:03 are walking on a narrow path right now. 37:07 It's pretty rickety it seems. 37:10 It seems like it's going to fall apart. 37:12 There's no hope. 37:16 But God's people, 37:17 the Bible makes it clear are going to be purified, 37:19 sanctified, prepared for heaven in that furnace of affliction. 37:24 Are you there with me? 37:26 So if you're going through some kind of affliction, 37:30 whether it be that we talked about disease 37:31 or things of this world 37:33 or whatever it might be coming on, you know, 37:34 they all might be, 37:36 be like Paul say, 37:37 "Lord, thank you." 37:38 I said sometimes, 37:40 "Lord, I'm not real happy about it 37:41 but you said to be happy. 37:44 Help me to be happy." 37:47 Isaiah 48:10. 37:51 Jesus makes it so clear, Isaiah 48:10. 37:54 He said, but I have done something, 37:55 notice, "I have refined thee, but not in silver," 37:58 do you notice that? 37:59 "With silver, I have chosen you in the furnace," of what? 38:03 "Of affliction." 38:05 He's looked down, 38:06 said I've chosen you in the furnace of affliction. 38:09 Now remember, God seen everybody here 38:11 before they were ever born 38:12 before the foundation of the world. 38:14 He knew exactly what was going on, 38:15 and He knows who He's calling. 38:16 He knows what you can be through Him. 38:20 But many times we don't, well, we just fall apart. 38:22 He's looking at you and said, "I've chosen you." 38:25 Man, how awesome. 38:27 I've chosen you. 38:30 Letter 69 in 1897. 38:32 This was written, Letter 69. 38:35 Notice what it says. 38:36 It says, "Sorrow and trial must come to all." 38:40 This is what we read in Scripture 38:42 over and over and we read a lot of passages, 38:43 sorrow and what, and trial must come to all, notice this, 38:48 "It's beautiful only as it works to polish." 38:53 It's what? 38:54 It's beautiful as it works to polish, 38:57 "to sanctify and to refine the soul 39:00 as a fit instrument to do service for the Lord." 39:05 So why is God polishing you? 39:06 Why is He allowing test and trial 39:08 and different things to come? 39:09 So that we can be polished, 39:11 so that we can be used 39:12 to help win souls in His service. 39:17 He's polishing and, you know, 39:19 polishing can be a little painful sometime, 39:21 can it not? 39:22 Yeah. 39:23 Sanding the rough edges 39:25 can be a little bit painful sometimes 39:27 and we don't like that 39:28 and we don't want to be agitated sometime. 39:31 Yeah, but I want to be an instrument 39:33 in the service of God, don't you? 39:37 And I believe this with all my heart, 39:38 Jesus wants to buy the gospel, 39:41 the gospel comes in, it purifies us, 39:44 reforms His church, 39:47 and by the Holy Spirit 39:48 and the power of the Holy Spirit 39:49 to sanctify a people inwardly from that dross, 39:54 the dross that's in and outwardly, 39:56 you notice, the spots of the world. 39:59 See, if we live in a world here, 40:02 would you walk through, 40:03 there's maybe some spots that jump up on us. 40:07 And those spots have to be taken 40:09 by the blood of the Lamb, taken off. 40:14 The Holy Ghost, 40:15 the Holy Spirit working like fire. 40:18 See, we need that. 40:20 The church is dead most of the time. 40:21 It's dry bones. Are you still with me? 40:24 I mean, it shouldn't be, we shouldn't be dry bones. 40:28 We should be well watered, right? 40:31 We should be going to the, right, 40:32 to the well to drink of that living water as it were. 40:35 But it's like dry bones. 40:37 God said, 40:38 "One of these days, I'm going to speak to those dry bones, 40:39 and they're going to get up. 40:43 And they're going to do the work 40:44 that I've asked them to do. 40:49 1 Peter 1:6 and 7 40:51 just quickly talk about the people of God, 40:53 "That their trial of their faith, 40:56 may be found in praise and honor." 40:59 The trial of what? 41:00 Of their faith will be found in praise and honor. 41:03 God wants us to be what? 41:05 Praise Him and honor Him. 41:07 Even when things are not going like, I'm telling, 41:09 we're going to need this 41:10 more than what you realize because it does you good, 41:12 it does me good. 41:14 Because you know what? 41:16 Things change when you begin to praise God. 41:19 Even in the mess that we're going through right now, 41:21 and I understand, I'm saying, oh, this is a horrible mess, 41:24 only God can straighten it out. 41:27 But instead of griping and complaining, 41:28 we praise God, we glorify Him. 41:31 You say, 41:33 "How do we glorify God? How can we do that?" 41:37 Remember, until we as God's people are refined, 41:41 until we are purified by the grace of God, 41:46 we cannot do anything that will bring glory to God. 41:50 Did you get it? 41:53 We can't bring glory to God until we are refined, 41:56 until we are purified, 41:58 we cannot give the message of Revelation 14:6 and 7 42:01 or on through 10 and 12, 42:03 the three angels' message we just can't do it. 42:07 So how do we bring glory and honor to God? 42:11 I found this in Manuscript 16 and 1890. 42:14 Notice how it reads. 42:15 How can we give glory to God? 42:16 It says this, 42:18 "Give glory to God 42:19 is to reveal His character in our own 42:23 and thus make Him known." 42:25 Not make a man known, right? 42:28 You want to make God known what do you want to do? 42:30 Let His character, right, living in you. 42:32 If God's character, 42:33 if He's really living inside you and me, 42:35 we will talk different, act different, eat different, 42:37 dress differently, 42:39 conduct ourselves differently instead of like, you know. 42:43 There'll be a change that will take place. 42:46 We're going to be excited when we hear the Word of God. 42:49 Sometime we're going to say amen even if we don't want to, 42:51 we think our face is going to break 42:52 if we do, it won't. 42:55 We can say praise God. 42:58 And then next time, it's easier to say praise God. 43:01 We might even say hallelujah sometime. 43:05 I mean, that's really stepping over 43:07 for Adventist for sure, is it not? 43:09 Sometime we have a hard time saying hallelujah, praise God. 43:12 I mean, surely you feel it inside. 43:14 When you read passage of Scripture that encourage you 43:16 in this dark hour that we live in 43:19 to say hallelujah, praise God, 43:21 and all of a sudden that darkness dispelled. 43:24 And then there's lightness there. 43:26 We feel, oh, circumstances may still be the same, 43:28 but our attitude is different. 43:31 How desperately we need that in our life, give Him glory. 43:37 So whatever we do, 43:38 remember whatever way we make known 43:40 the Father and the Son, we glorify God. 43:46 Simply boils down maybe to this, 43:48 His life must be our life. 43:51 It must be. 43:53 We must seek to be like Him, 43:56 bring our wills into conformity with His will 44:02 so that He may be revealed. 44:05 Boy, that's kind of like denying self, 44:06 taking up the cross, is it not? 44:09 Job 19:25 says during this, 44:11 this was said during his affliction, 44:12 we will know he says this. 44:15 He said, "I know that my redeemer liveth..." 44:19 Somebody said you just, you just lost your job. 44:23 I know that my redeemer liveth. 44:28 I don't know where my next meal is going to come from. 44:30 I know my redeemer liveth. 44:34 May lost your dog or your cat, 44:37 but I know that my redeemer liveth 44:40 and certainly goes on, that fits and says, 44:43 "Oh, no, I don't know what I'm going to do." 44:45 I know my redeemer liveth. 44:49 And because He lives, I can face tomorrow. 44:54 I live because He said I could live. 44:58 Because He lives, I shall live also. 45:03 I talked about the doctrine of the teaching 45:05 of the Second Coming is exciting to me. 45:09 That's a very key note of Scripture 45:12 as far as I'm concerned. 45:15 And I love it 45:16 as there was discussion about in the Scripture, 45:18 and I won't go into it, right now our time is going. 45:19 John 14:4, simply Jesus was telling them, 45:23 He said, the way you know, 45:27 the way you know, 45:28 you want to make it to heaven, you know, the way. 45:31 And there's only one way and that's who? 45:32 Jesus Christ. 45:34 In the midst of the COVID, 45:35 in the midst of whatever's coming upon, 45:37 and we're told right now we need to be very careful. 45:39 We're starting to enter the flu season 45:40 as you well know, 45:42 and they're looking for another outbreak of this, 45:43 they're looking, right, 45:45 they're trying to pull the economy down, 45:46 there's no doubt about it. 45:47 No telling what all is going on behind the scenes, 45:49 but you need to know Jesus like you've never known Him, 45:51 I need to know Him like I've never experienced it 45:54 or I'm not going to make it through. 45:56 The last six months has been like, 45:58 we all, it's like a nightmare. 45:59 We haven't seen anything yet we've talked about it, 46:01 but what are we doing about it? 46:04 Jesus said, "You know the way." 46:08 Take a short trip real quick, 46:09 we've 10 minutes or so we have left. 46:12 What is it going to cost? 46:15 Wish to have a lot more time. 46:16 Found in 2 Testimonies 2, 594-97, 46:22 an impressive dream, some of you do. 46:24 I had a lot of comments on it, 46:25 we're not going to have time 46:26 to get through all those comments, 46:28 but I like to just read it and I like for you just, 46:30 I like for you to bask in this but to realize what heavens, 46:33 it's going to cost to get to heaven. 46:36 It's not going to be set back going through the same things 46:38 that you've been going through for 20 or 30 or 40 years 46:40 and think you're going to make it. 46:43 Old things got to pass away, behold all things become new. 46:45 We got to be different. 46:47 We got to be different people. 46:48 We've got to be reformed people. 46:51 We've got to be a people that goes to God in prayer. 46:53 We've got to be a people 46:54 that believes in forgiveness of sin. 46:56 We've got to be people of God 46:57 that quits judging everybody else 46:59 and condemning and you know setting up a jury, 47:02 you know, jury and executive orders 47:04 to get rid of them so on so. 47:05 We need to be focusing on our message 47:07 to give to the world 47:09 rather than think we're better than somebody else. 47:13 Impressive dream says this, you remember this, 47:15 talks about here, it said, 47:16 "I had a dream of being with a large body of people." 47:20 Notice what it said, a large what? 47:22 A body of people, notice this, 47:23 "A portion of this assembly started out in the journey." 47:26 I want to say quickly, notice this. 47:28 It said a portion of those 47:30 who were making their journey toward heaven, 47:32 a portion was ready to go. 47:34 Remind you the five wise and the five foolish, 47:36 isn't that right? 47:37 Only a portion was ready to go, notice this, 47:40 "We were heavily," 47:41 notice, "wagons were heavy and were laden. 47:43 We journeyed, the road seem to ascend. 47:44 On one side of this road was a deep precipice, 47:47 on the other side was the high, smooth, 47:49 white wall like the hard finish upon the plastered rooms." 47:54 This is on the road 47:55 and notice as it continued 47:57 to travel closer to the coming of Jesus, 47:58 it was getting steeper and more narrow the pathway. 48:02 Things are going to be taken away, 48:04 things that we need to be getting rid of right now 48:06 while we can get rid of them. 48:08 "As we journeyed on, 48:10 the road grew narrower and steeper. 48:11 In some places, 48:12 so narrow that we concluded 48:14 that we could no longer travel with loaded wagons." 48:16 Notice, 48:18 "We then lose them from the horses, 48:20 took a portion of the luggage from the wagon, 48:22 placed it on the horses and journeyed on horseback." 48:25 All right, you see things are being cut loose 48:28 as we on our journey toward heaven. 48:30 We need to be cutting back on these things 48:32 is what we're being told right here. 48:34 It's a matter of trusting God. 48:36 "As we progress the path still continued to grow narrow. 48:40 We were obliged to press close to the wall, 48:43 to save ourselves from falling off 48:45 the narrow road down the deep, steep precipice. 48:47 As we did this, 48:49 the luggage on the horses pressed against the wall," 48:51 are you there? 48:52 "Caused us to sway toward the precipice. 48:55 We feared that we should fall 48:56 and be dashed to pieces on the rocks. 48:59 We then cut the luggage from the horses 49:01 and it fell over the precipice. 49:03 We continued on horseback greatly fearing, 49:06 as we came to the narrower places in the road, 49:08 we should lose our balance and fall. 49:11 At such time, 49:12 a hand seemed to take the bridle 49:14 and guide us over the perilous way." 49:16 When things get rough 49:18 and we're cutting loose of these things 49:19 that stopping us and whatever it might be, 49:21 in some instances 49:22 your relationship is cut and tied down and rained down 49:25 because you won't take your stand 49:27 for what is right or I won't take my stand. 49:29 The husband is stifling the wife, 49:31 the wife is stifling the husband, 49:33 they're stifling the family, everything. 49:36 We've got to cut loose from all these encumbrances right now 49:39 that we may stand right before God. 49:41 Notice, 49:43 "As the path grew more narrow, 49:44 we decided that we could no longer 49:46 go with safety on horseback, we left the horses." 49:49 Did you get it? 49:50 "We went on on foot, 49:52 in single file 49:53 one following in the footsteps," of what? 49:55 "Of another." 49:56 Notice, what it meant, 49:58 every person is going to have to stand before God 49:59 on their own. 50:01 We might be a meeting in groups, 50:02 but the day will come 50:03 that we're going to stand alone by yourself. 50:06 Think about this as we go. 50:08 At this point, notice this, 50:09 "At this point small cords," 50:11 notice, 50:12 "were let down from the top of the pure white wall." 50:16 We know that pure white wall 50:17 is none other than Jesus Christ. 50:19 The going got tough, 50:20 you're getting ready to fall off the precipice 50:21 or come these chords down so that we can hold on to that 50:24 we wouldn't fall over the side. 50:26 Jesus is always there on time. 50:28 "We eagerly grasped, 50:29 in keeping our balance upon the path. 50:31 As we traveled," 50:32 notice this, "the cords moved," 50:33 oh, I love it, "along with us." 50:37 Whoo! Glory. 50:38 "The path finally became so narrow 50:40 that we concluded 50:41 we could travel more safely without our shoes off." 50:45 And so, the God saints are going toward heaven, 50:47 all of sudden their shoes come off. 50:49 And then right after there said, 50:50 their stockings came off, 50:52 and they were going barefooted. 50:55 "We then thought of those 50:57 who had not accustomed themselves," 50:58 listen, 51:00 "to privations and hardships," 51:02 those who are not used to doing without, you know. 51:05 Are we really here in this country 51:06 in the United States of America, 51:08 we've been blessed abundantly and it's very difficult for us 51:10 and I realized in times past, 51:12 electricity goes out for a day or two 51:14 in town of West Frankfurt years ago. 51:16 They didn't have any ice. 51:17 And so they shipped in some ice through a truck 51:19 and people got in fistfights 51:21 because they wanted a bag of ice. 51:24 Well, maybe you were one of them, 51:26 I'm not too convinced. 51:28 Did you get it? 51:30 Didn't say you didn't like ice, 51:32 I'm simply saying is what happened. 51:33 We're so spoiled if we can't have ice, 51:36 we're not going to... 51:37 How we think we're going to make it 51:39 when we have nothing? 51:41 Oh, remember down to the bare feet. 51:45 Notice, 51:46 "Where were those people now? 51:49 They were not in the company." 51:51 But we're not used to denying self, 51:54 doing what's needed today. 51:56 We need to ask God to help us. 51:57 "At every change some were left behind. 52:00 Those only remained who had accustomed themselves 52:03 to endure hardships." 52:06 Wow. 52:07 "Our danger of falling from the path increased. 52:10 We pressed close to the white wall," 52:12 Jesus, right? 52:13 "Yet we could not place our feet fully upon the path, 52:16 it was getting too narrow." 52:17 Notice this, 52:19 "We then suspended nearly 52:21 our whole weight on those cords, 52:23 exclaiming: 52:24 'We have hold from above! We have hold from above!" 52:29 The same words were uttered 52:31 by the company in the narrow path." 52:32 When times get tough, we have hold from above. 52:35 God is not going to let go. 52:37 He is going to reach down, He's going to hold us, 52:38 He's going to sustain us, He's going to take care of us. 52:41 But notice what happened. 52:42 It said, we heard sounds of what? 52:44 We began to look over the precipice, 52:45 the world was going on. 52:47 But don't know what they heard. 52:49 "They heard sounds of mirth and revelry 52:50 and it seemed abyss below, 52:52 we shuddered, heard the profane oath, 52:54 the vulgar jest, and low, vile songs, 52:57 war songs, and the dance songs." 52:59 And smite me, 53:01 if when Moses right went up to get the law of God, 53:03 are you still with me? 53:04 He came back down in the order we have Aaron, 53:05 we had all these people who were dancing and singing 53:08 and forgot their clothes. 53:11 "Much of the time we were compelled 53:13 to suspend our whole weight upon the cords," 53:15 notice this, 53:16 "which increased with size as we progressed." 53:19 As we go along and we're exercising our faith, 53:23 the more you exercise your faith, 53:24 the more it's going to be growing. 53:26 We need our faith to grow. 53:30 And then we have to rest our whole weight 53:32 as it were upon Jesus Christ and cling to Him. 53:34 It's the only way 53:36 we're going to make it to heaven. 53:37 "I noticed that the beautiful white wall 53:38 was stained with blood. 53:40 It caused a feeling of regret to see the wall thus stained. 53:43 This feeling, however, lasted but for a moment, 53:45 I soon thought it was all as it should be. 53:47 Those who are following after 53:48 will know others have passed this narrow, 53:51 difficult way before them, 53:53 and we will conclude that 53:55 others were able to pursue their own course that they," 53:57 notice it, "we could do the same. 54:00 At length we came to a large chasm, 54:01 at which our path ended. 54:03 There was nothing now," nobody put their feet. 54:05 "There was nothing now to guide our feet, 54:07 nothing upon which to rest them." 54:09 This is where it's coming, right? 54:10 Our earthly support is going to be what? 54:13 Come on, all earthly support is going to be cut off. 54:16 We're going to rely upon Christ and Christ only, 54:18 isn't it before it's all over. 54:20 Now do we do that? 54:21 Now do we have that kind of experience? 54:23 "Our whole reliance, it said, "It must be on the cords, 54:26 which increased in size 54:27 until they were as large as our bodies. 54:30 To what, we claim, "what is the cords attached?" 54:34 "My husband was just before me. 54:35 Large cords attached. 54:37 "My husband said, just before me. 54:39 Large drops of sweat were falling from his brow. 54:41 The veins," 54:43 notice what God's people are going through right now. 54:45 Notice, 54:46 "The veins in his neck 54:47 and temples were increased to double their size 54:50 and suppressed, 54:51 agonizing and groans came from his lips. 54:53 The sweat was dropping from my face, 54:55 I felt such anguish as I had never felt before." 54:59 God's people were going through a very difficult time, 55:01 time at the end, 55:02 we're talking about the large time of trouble, 55:04 when probation is already closed, 55:05 isn't that right? 55:07 And the seven last plagues are poured out. 55:08 God's sincere people will be going through that 55:11 without any kind of a mediator, be a very difficult time. 55:14 I like it when it says what? 55:16 Finally, because our time's running out here. 55:17 It finally says the good news is right, 55:19 grab a hold of those cords, 55:20 and they swung across into the new heaven, 55:23 and to the new earth. 55:25 "My husband swung himself over the fearful abyss 55:27 into the beautiful field, 55:29 I immediately followed, oh, 55:30 what a sense of relief and gratitude to God, we felt. 55:33 We raised our voice in triumph and praise to God. 55:35 I was happy and perfectly happy." 55:39 It's going to take everything. 55:42 It's going to take everything for heaven to be our home. 55:45 And the big question comes, are we willing, 55:47 are we willing to give everything to Him? 55:50 I'm praying right now, 55:52 in the last couple seconds we have here 55:53 and we may talk a little more here, 55:54 but make that decision for Christ right now. 55:56 Jesus is coming. 55:58 He want heaven to be your home. 56:00 Make sure you make that decision for Him right now. 56:03 Hello and welcome back. 56:04 We pray that your heart has been touched today 56:07 that the realization of the thought 56:10 that no matter the cost, 56:12 no matter the earthly loss, 56:14 no matter the pain in this life, 56:17 heaven will be cheap enough. 56:21 Christ desires to take our mortal minds 56:24 and fill them with His faith, 56:26 His hope and His assurance of eternal happiness and peace. 56:31 If we but hold on to Him for dear life, 56:35 we must hold on to His words of truth, 56:38 hold on dear to those things which are holy and good. 56:42 Don't let go of the cord of love, 56:45 safety and assurance 56:47 that He is extending down from heaven 56:49 to you literally on a daily basis. 56:53 But it is your choice, 56:55 whether to extend and reach 56:57 and hold on to His security or not. 57:01 Friends, to help you with this decision, 57:04 we are making this message, 57:06 The Value of Pain available to you. 57:09 I am certain that it is a message 57:11 that we will continue to learn 57:13 from as we listen to it 57:15 time and again and share it with others. 57:17 We'd love to send it to you 57:19 for a love gift of just $8 or more. 57:22 All you need to do is 57:23 simply call us here in the United States 57:25 at (618) 942-5044, Central Time, 57:30 or you may mail in your support 57:33 or order to Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:35 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:40 You may email us at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com 57:44 or donate and order on our website 57:46 at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 57:49 And once you come back and join us again next time 57:52 but until then, 57:53 may our precious Lord continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2020-12-27