Participants: Pr. David Asscherick
Series Code: DP
Program Code: DP000012
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00:15 Our presentation this morning has kind of an interesting
00:17 title, doesn't it. 00:18 Discover How to Get and To Remain Undeceived, 00:23 and that's going to be the topic of our presentation 00:26 this morning, so let's begin with a word of prayer, 00:28 and then we'll get right in to How to Get and Remain 00:32 Undeceived. 00:34 Father we pause here just a moment on this 00:39 special Sabbath morning, and our hearts are thrilled 00:43 Father, as we consider that this is the first of what 00:47 we will prove to be many comings together for this new 00:52 church plant. 00:54 Father we are thrilled about those that have come 00:57 and those that are looking, and those that are 00:59 investigating, and those that are wondering about Bible truth. 01:03 Today Father we are dealing with a very important topic 01:08 how to stay and get un-deceived. 01:13 Father deception abounds in these last days, 01:17 that's no mystery to you, but Father we pray that today 01:21 you will give us practical, tangible, implement able steps 01:27 so that we will know, this is how I can be sure 01:31 that I am not being deceived. 01:33 This is how I can be sure that I can know, 01:37 that I am standing on your word, and your will, 01:41 and your plan. 01:43 Father be with us now as we open your word, 01:46 so we're asking again that you will open our hearts, 01:49 in Jesus name, let everyone say "Amen!" 01:53 Well I hope everyone has a study guide, it's yellow today. 01:57 Take that study guide out, if you need a study guide 02:00 you could raise your hand, we can get our ushers 02:01 to get you one. 02:02 There's a couple that need study guides, 02:04 quite a few actually, so maybe our ushers 02:06 would like to run out, thank you Michael, 02:07 that was very gracious of you. 02:08 Notice there the first three words of our study guide 02:10 what do they say, Deception is dangerous. 02:16 Deception is dangerous, you've heard that saying 02:20 ignorance is bliss, but this is not the case. 02:24 This is not bliss at all, especially when it comes 02:26 to eternal truths, and eternal realities. 02:28 If we think we are going the right way, 02:30 but in fact we're going the wrong way, 02:32 at the end of the day we're going to discover 02:34 that deception is in fact very dangerous. 02:38 Notice it goes on to say, unfortunately deception 02:41 can be difficult to "what" detect, of course 02:45 it must be difficult to detect, 02:46 if it wasn't difficult to detect it wouldn't be deception at all. 02:49 We're going to talk a little bit more about that 02:50 in a moment. 02:51 Deception apes truth and remains as close as possible 02:56 to truth. 02:57 It is close enough to be convincing, 02:59 but oft enough to be wrong. 03:01 This is what makes deception so very "what," dangerous. 03:07 This lesson deals with the essence of deception, 03:10 but more than the essence of deception, 03:11 it deals with the great cure for deception. 03:14 These are both topics that we have already addressed somewhat, 03:17 and we're going to go into more detail in this lesson. 03:19 Let's begin by defining the essence of deception. 03:25 What is deception? 03:27 Here it is, the definition of deceit, 03:29 you can write that in there on your study guide 03:30 of course you are not going to be able to get all 03:32 of it probably, but the basic thrust of it. 03:35 The first dictionary definition is this: 03:47 So it's any declaration, any statement, 03:49 anything that is done to mislead another 03:52 and cause them to beloved as true, what is really false. 03:56 2. second definition of deception or deceit: 04:08 So the idea of deception, is that we begin to think 04:12 what is true, what is actually in reality false. 04:17 We described the essence of deception, 04:21 is that you are unaware that you are being deceived, 04:23 remember that, because deceived people 04:25 do not think of themselves as deceived. 04:28 You might be sitting there thinking to yourself, 04:30 well I'm just glad that I'm not deceived. 04:31 The only problem is that is exactly how "what" 04:34 deceived people think. 04:36 Nobody believes that they are being deceived, 04:39 because if you know you are being deceived, 04:41 by the definition, you are not being "what" deceived, 04:44 and so the idea is that you think you are going 04:46 down the right path, but in reality you are going down the 04:49 "what?" The wrong path. 04:51 That's exactly right. 04:52 Ok, there are three categories of deception: 04:55 The first is intentional deception, that is to say 04:59 that there are people who are out there intentionally 05:02 deceiving others. 05:04 They know that they are being deceptive, 05:05 they are purposefully, intentionally, volitionally 05:08 seeking to lead others astray. 05:11 Of course this would be the kind of deception that Satan 05:14 himself employs. 05:15 He is purposefully seeking to lead others astray 05:18 and into the wrong path. 05:20 But there is a second kind of deception 05:22 and that is unintentional deception. 05:24 This is when someone thinks that they are giving you 05:27 the goods, but when in reality, they are not. 05:29 They may not even know that what they believe 05:31 is wrong, not at all, in fact I sometimes think of this 05:34 when I see those faithful Mormon Missionaries 05:37 riding around on their bikes, dutifully, industriously, 05:40 going out and trying to find Bible studies. 05:42 Most of those people imagine believe that they are telling 05:46 what they think is true. 05:48 I don't believe that those young boys, most of them 05:49 probably very few of them believe that they are going out 05:52 to lead somebody astray. 05:53 No! no! no! no! So they would be 05:54 unintentionally leading others astray, if what they say 05:58 is not traceable to what the Bible teaches. 06:01 Can you say "Amen" to that? 06:02 Of course we're not here picking on the 06:03 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons. 06:06 I myself am a Latter Day Saint, are you comfortable with that? 06:10 I meet my friends the Jehovah's Witnesses 06:12 and I say oh, you are a Jehovah's Witness, 06:14 don't worry I'm a witness for Jehovah too. 06:15 Ha! ha! ha! ha! I witness for Jehovah, 06:18 and I meet them, you know what they say, I'm a Mormon. 06:20 I say great, you know we are going to get along wonderful 06:21 because you are a Latter Day Saint, 06:22 and I'm a Latter Day Saint. 06:24 I too believe that God is calling people to be saints 06:27 in the last days. 06:28 I meet a Baptist, and I say oh, you are a Baptist, 06:30 I too am a Baptist, because I believe in baptism by immersion. 06:33 I meet a Methodist, I say oh you are Methodist, 06:34 I too am a Methodist, because I love John and Charles Wesley, 06:37 and I believe that we should be living holy lives. 06:39 We should be looking to build bridges where we can. 06:42 Can you say "Amen?" 06:43 So the vast majority of people do not believe 06:46 that they are intentionally leading someone to believe 06:49 what is false, ok, that's unintentional deception, 06:52 and in some ways that's even worse, and more dangerous. 06:55 But there is a third kind, and that is "what?" 06:57 Self-deception, we'll talk more about that 07:00 in just a moment. 07:01 So you have intentional deception, 07:02 unintentional deception, and self-deception. 07:05 We're on page two of your study guide. 07:07 Now open your Bibles, to Matthew 24. 07:11 Matthew 24, we spent some time here last night 07:14 and I want you to notice something very interesting. 07:17 Matthew in the 24th chapter first book of the New Testament. 07:19 They have given you all the verses here, 07:23 it says at the top of the study guide according to Jesus, 07:25 deception will be rampant in the last days. 07:30 That's exactly right, the last days. 07:32 That is the days just before, His guess what, "Return. " 07:39 Consider for example the following text, 07:41 and we're there in Matthew 24, and notice with me beginning 07:43 in verse one: "Then Jesus went out and departed 07:46 from the temple: and His disciples came to shew Him 07:48 the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said, 07:50 "Do you not see all of these things?" 07:51 "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here 07:54 upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 07:56 3.Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, 07:58 the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 08:00 Tell us, when will these things be? 08:02 And what will be the sign of Your coming, 08:03 and of the end of the age? 08:04 Notice the very first words out of Jesus' mouth, 08:07 as the disciples were inquiring about the end of the world. 08:09 4. First thing Jesus says: Take heed that no one 08:16 "what?" deceives you. 08:17 That's the very first thing He said, 08:20 Be careful that no one deceives you. 08:23 Now think about that for just moment, 08:25 they're saying tell us about the end of the world. 08:27 What's the end of the world going to be like? 08:28 What will be the sign of your coming in the end of the age, 08:30 and Jesus says: "Be careful that no one deceives you. " 08:32 To me, that communicates to me that Jesus believed 08:36 that there was a very real chance, a very real possibility, 08:41 of deception in the last days, yes or no? 08:45 So just imagine, you go up to a house, there's a fence there 08:47 and there's a sign on that fence that says "Beware of Dog. " 08:52 Whenever I see that sign, I'm under the general impression, 08:55 that there is a dog on the other side of that fence 09:00 that is probably not a Chihuahua. 09:02 Are you with me? 09:04 Right, because even if a Chihuahua was ferocious, 09:06 even if a Chihuahua was mean, it would come up and do it's 09:09 little yipity yap thing and you just drop kick it 09:11 into the next yard right? 09:13 So my understanding is, that when it says 09:16 "Beware of Dog," it means there is a Doberman Pinscher 09:18 over there, or there is a Rotweiller over there, 09:20 or there is a Pit Bull over there, something is over 09:22 on the other side of that fence that you should be aware of. 09:25 In other words, that sign indicates a real danger, 09:28 It indicates a real "what" everyone? 09:30 A real danger! 09:31 So when Jesus says take heed, or beware, or be careful, 09:35 that no one deceives you, Jesus wasn't just saying 09:37 something for the sake of saying it, He was saying listen 09:40 this is a very real concern, the first words out of my mouth, 09:43 and answer to your question are don't be deceived, 09:46 be careful. 09:47 He goes on notice verse five: 09:49 Matthew 24:5, For many will come in My name, 09:53 saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive a few ignorant, 09:59 naive, knuckleheads, who aren't paying attention. 10:02 Is that what the Bible says? It says For many will come 10:07 in My name saying, 'I am the Christ' 10:09 and will deceive "what," many. 10:11 So Jesus the first two verses, the first two things He says 10:15 right out of the gate when they ask about the last days, 10:17 as He says: Take heed that no man deceives you 10:19 because many will be deceived. 10:21 Jump down to verse 11: 10:23 Jesus speaking, He says: Then many false prophets 10:26 will rise up and deceive "what?" 10:29 There it is again, will deceive many! 10:31 Jump down to verse 24: 10:32 For false Christ's and false prophets show great signs 10:36 and wonders to "what" deceive, if possible, even 'who" 10:41 even the elect. 10:42 Now here's something very interesting, 10:43 I have a little Bible program that allows me to type in 10:45 any word into the little search engine there, and it will search 10:49 how many times does the word deceived, or deception 10:51 occur in the Old Testament, the New Testament, 10:53 just the gospel of Matthew, just the gospel of Luke, 10:55 whatever, it's a fantastic program, and its interesting 10:58 to note that Jesus here uses the word deceived in Matthew 24, 11:02 more than He does in any other place in the entire 11:05 New Testament. 11:06 In other words Jesus knew that Matthew 24, where 11:09 he's addressing issues about the last days, 11:11 that this idea of deception, was a very real 11:14 and critical issue. 11:16 Are we all together on that everyone? 11:18 Very powerful! The first thing that He says, 11:21 Is take heed that no man deceives you, 11:22 and for three subsequent times, for a total of four, 11:25 He says deception, deception, deception, deception, 11:28 watch out! 11:29 That communicates to me, I think that Jesus was an 11:32 excellent communicator. 11:33 That tell me that deception is a very real danger 11:37 for people who are living in the last days. 11:39 Is that what it communicates to you, yes or no? 11:40 Ok, so far so good, so let's continue on here. 11:43 According to Jesus, deception, many will be deceived by these 11:47 false prophets, not all false prophets work miracles 11:50 of course, but apparently those that do are more dangerous 11:53 and convincing. 11:54 In fact I have to tell you something that is so ridiculous 11:56 but I just have to bring it to your attention. 11:58 Several night ago when we presented our message entitled 12:01 "Discover, How Near Is the End," and we said that there are false 12:05 Christ's and false prophets, and we put up Jim Jones, 12:07 and Marshall Applewhite, and some of the others, 12:09 We put up that man Dr. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, 12:12 how many of you remember that? 12:13 Ok, this guy who is in Miami there claims to be who? 12:15 Who does he claim to be? 12:17 He claims to be the Christ, did anyone go to the website? 12:19 You can go to his website and actually watch the interviews 12:21 with him there on Anderson Cooper 360 Live on CNN, 12:25 you can watch him on NBC's Today show, you can watch him on 12:28 Fox News Live, I mean the guy literally claims to be Jesus, 12:32 and he has conservatively two million followers, 12:34 and some would say, he says more that ten million 12:37 followers. 12:38 Now here is the amazing thing, they are interviewing him 12:40 and Anderson Cooper puts the question to him, and says: 12:44 What would you say to somebody who says 12:45 you are a false prophet? 12:47 What would you say to someone who says you are a 12:49 false Messiah, that you're a cult leader, 12:51 do you know what he said? 12:52 He said, Jesus said that false Christ's and false prophets 12:55 would work miracles, and I don't work miracles, 12:57 therefore I'm not the false. 12:58 I thought to myself, well at least he went to the 13:03 first day of class on logic, but Jesus didn't say 13:07 that if you don't work miracles it doesn't mean 13:09 that you are the true Christ. 13:10 What He is saying is that many times people will utilize 13:13 miracles in order to deceive people. 13:15 Are you with me everyone? 13:16 I mean I just thought to myself, Lord have mercy. 13:18 I'm not picking on the guy and I'm not picking on his followers 13:21 but the reality is, it goes to show how gullible, how naive, 13:24 and more important than that, how scripturally illiterate 13:28 many people are today, are you with me? 13:29 I mean can you just imagine people sitting there, I mean 13:31 they show his congregation nice looking people, 13:33 good looking people, the man that basically finances 13:36 and bankrolls his ministry is a huge multi, 13:39 multi-millionaire web guy, and they show them all sitting 13:41 there, and can you just imagine him sitting there and he says 13:43 let me prove to you that I'm not a false prophet. 13:44 Let me prove to you that I'm not a false messiah. 13:47 I can't work a miracle, and they all go Ahhh! 13:51 It's really him, I mean it's absolute insanity. 13:57 Are we all together on that one everyone? 13:58 Now it doesn't mean that every false Christ, 14:01 and every false Prophet will be miracle workers 14:03 but clearly someone who worked a supernatural act 14:06 would be more convincing and more potentially dangerous 14:09 than those who didn't, are we all together? 14:11 Unless they are so smart as this guy as to say well 14:13 that's my proof that I'm really not the false thing 14:15 is that I can't do it. 14:16 Absolutely amazing, so notice there on your study guide 14:19 False prophets do not announce that they are "what?" 14:21 False prophets! 14:23 False prophets don't just show up and say 14:25 hey listen by the way, I've got to tell you something 14:28 my name is: false prophet, you can get a hold of me 14:31 at 1-666-Anti-Christ, that's 1-666-A-N-T-I-Christ, 14:37 your local neighborhood false prophet. 14:40 Now if that's what false prophets look like, 14:42 and if they have business cards that read false prophets, 14:44 we wouldn't have to present presentations like this, 14:47 because, how to avoid deception, how to get undeceived 14:50 and how to remain undeceived would just be to avoid the guy 14:52 walking around with the placard around his neck that says, 14:54 I'm the anti-Christ and I'm a deceiver. 14:56 Right, but the essence of deception and what makes 14:58 this deception so dangerous is that it gets as close 15:01 to truth as possible without being truth. 15:05 Think of it this way, if I offered you a glass 15:07 of poison, and I said hey drink this, you know 15:09 you're famished, you're hot it's a whew, I'm so thirsty, 15:13 and I say oh have a nice cold glass of arsenic 15:16 oh, I'll tell you, it feels good going down, 15:18 I mean the kick is a little much, 15:19 but you'll love the taste of it. 15:20 You would say what are you kidding me, but, 15:22 if I took a nice cold glass of water and I made it look 15:26 all good with the droplets coming down on the outside, 15:29 and then I put just a single drop of arsenic in it, 15:31 stirred it up so that you didn't know, 15:32 you said oh I'm thirsty, I'm famished, 15:35 I need something to drink, and I said have a nice cold 15:37 glass of water, is that more dangerous or less dangerous 15:41 than the full undiluted arsenic? 15:44 Far more dangerous, because people could actually be tempted 15:47 to drink that, thinking that it's the good thing, 15:50 when in reality they end up dead, just the same way. 15:53 False prophets don't come looking like that, 15:56 Jesus said that they would actually claim to be the Christ, 16:00 and many of them incidentally are going to be a lot 16:02 smarter than this Dr. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, 16:04 many people are going to be smarter than that. 16:06 Now notice this, it goes on to say here, 16:10 in fact they themselves might not even know 16:13 that they are false prophets, 16:14 they would be self-deceived. 16:17 They would be "what" everyone? 16:19 Jesus describes these prophets as wolves in sheep's clothing, 16:27 wolves in sheep's clothing. 16:30 Paul even went so far as to say that Satan himself 16:34 transforms himself into an angel of Light! 16:38 2 Corinthians 11:14, and no wonder, Paul says 16:42 for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 16:48 So the Devil doesn't show up in the red leotards with the 16:51 pokey tail and the pitch fork saying, I'm the devil, 16:53 come and follow me. 16:54 Beloved do you know who invented that caricature of Satan? 16:59 He did, because people look at that and think you've got 17:02 to be kidding me, there's no way, impossible, 17:04 if the Devil showed up, if he is going to try to deceive 17:07 religious people, he's not going to look against religion, 17:10 he's not going to look anti- religious, he's going to look 17:13 what do you think? 17:14 He's going to look religious. 17:16 That's exactly right, he's going to become religious 17:20 in order to deceive religious people, 17:22 that just stands to reason. 17:23 Jesus said to you, "Be Careful" because the wolves don't come 17:26 in wolves clothing. 17:28 The wolves don't come looking like wolves, 17:30 if they did, you would just spy them out immediately, 17:31 they come looking like "what?" Sheep! That's exactly right! 17:35 Now we're right in the middle there of the second page, 17:37 it says what Revelation says 17:39 about deception in the last days. 17:42 The book of Revelation foretells that deception will reach 17:46 epidemic proportions in the last days, 17:50 that's what you would write in there on the blanks. 17:52 The book of Revelation foretells that deception will reach 17:55 epidemic proportions in the last days, 17:58 and let's go look at that together 17:59 in the book of Revelation, we've got all those texts there 18:01 let's go look up each one of them. 18:03 Revelation 12:9, this is a verse we've read before, 18:13 but let's look at it again, Revelation 12:9. 18:15 The Bible says Revelation 12:9: "The great dragon was cast out, 18:21 that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, 18:23 who deceives the whole world," who deceives "what?" 18:27 The whole world. 18:29 He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out 18:31 with him, so according to that verse, 18:32 how many would be deceived? 18:34 The whole world, or at least it appeared that way to John 18:37 that basically everybody was wandering after the sophistries 18:40 of Satan. 18:41 Notice Revelation 13:14, the next one there on your list, 18:45 it says, And he deceives those, and he "what?" 18:49 he deceives those who dwell on the earth, by those signs 18:58 Revelation 13:14, by those signs which he was granted to do 19:01 in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell 19:03 in the earth, to make an image to the beast who was wounded 19:06 by the sword and lived, and you might be looking at that verse 19:08 thinking what does that mean, 19:09 we're going to spend time on this. 19:10 By the way those of you who are astute Bible students 19:12 have already noticed that there are in fact two beasts 19:15 in Revelation chapter 13, we've only identified 19:17 the first beast. 19:18 Who's the second beast that comes up out of the earth 19:20 that has two horns like a lamb, we are going to spend time 19:22 on that. 19:23 The point here is this, when he goes to deceive, 19:27 he uses signs and wonders and miracles. 19:31 I had a young man just the other day say, 19:33 you know there's this strange fire in Jerusalem, 19:36 I don't know if you've heard about this, it's called 19:37 the holy fire, and it just happens once every year. 19:40 They will light a candle and there will be a fire there 19:44 and you can light that candle from that fire, 19:49 it only lasts for like thirty minutes or thirty three minutes, 19:51 or something like this. 19:52 I went to the web site and checked this out 19:54 and they show people holding these candles, 19:56 and they can put their hands right in the fire. 19:59 They can hold the fire right to their faces 20:01 and it doesn't burn, they can hold their clothes 20:03 and it doesn't burn anything, but as soon as the thirty three 20:06 minutes is over, it begins to burn. 20:07 He said what do you think of that? 20:09 I said well, I don't know what I think of it. 20:11 I said let me ask you a question, 20:13 when Moses..., do I believe that that could be true? 20:16 Of course I believe that could be true, I mean to say that it 20:19 couldn't be true, would be to set yourself up for even 20:22 greater deception, I don't know if it is or isn't, 20:24 it may be a hoax, but what is the point. 20:25 If it's not a hoax, that is not proof that it is from God. 20:30 Moses went there into Pharaoh's court and God had told him 20:33 what to do, he said hey when Pharaoh says who sent you, 20:36 he said take your staff and do "what?" 20:39 Throw it down and it would become a snake, 20:42 ok so Pharaoh goes in there and says "Hey" let my people go, 20:45 well why should I let these people go, who is this God, 20:47 I don't know who this God is. 20:49 So he said "ah" I'll show you, whoom, he throws his staff down 20:51 and it becomes a snake. 20:53 What did the magicians of Pharaoh do? 20:55 They did the same thing, they threw down their staffs, 20:58 and says nanny, nanny, boo boo, we have snakes to. 21:00 Beloved that tells me, that the Devil can work miracles. 21:06 In fact right there in Revelation, this one is not 21:08 on your page there, but look at Revelation 16. 21:12 This is during the sixth plague, the sixth plague, 21:16 Revelation 16,notice with me verse 12. 21:19 You might want to write this one down 21:22 because it's not there in your notes. 21:23 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river 21:25 Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way 21:28 of the kings from the east might be prepared. 21:29 We might spend some time on this. 21:31 Verse 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out 21:36 of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, 21:39 and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 21:41 There's the false trinity right there by the way, 21:42 the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. 21:45 Notice verse 14. For they are spirits of demons, 21:49 performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth 21:54 and the whole world, to do "what," to gather them 21:56 to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 21:58 15. Behold, I am coming as a thief. 22:00 Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, 22:02 lest he walk naked and they see his shame. 22:03 16. And they gathered them together to the place called 22:07 in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon. 22:08 You might be wondering, whew, when is that, 22:10 when is that Armageddon battle, and who are these three 22:13 unclean frogs that come out, ect., ect., that's not the point 22:17 we will spend some time on that if the Lord allows us time. 22:19 Here's what I want you to see, is that they use miracles 22:23 to gather people. 22:24 Do you see that, yes or no? 22:26 That agrees perfectly with Revelation 13, 22:29 that miracles, signs, and wonders would be used. 22:33 Does God still work miracles today, yes or no? 22:35 Listen God worked and actual bonfire, non-negotiable, 22:40 inarguable, unequivocable, miracle in my life. 22:44 I had been a Christian for four months, 22:48 many of my non-Christian friends said he's been 22:51 brainwashed, and I used to say to them, 22:53 when they would say that, my brain could use 22:55 a good washing, "Amen. " 22:56 They said oh, he's been brainwashed, and oh David, 22:59 he's lost his mind, and bla, bla, bla, 23:01 and many of my friends, 23:02 because I came from a very interesting community, 23:04 I came from the punk rock community. 23:05 My hair was purple, blue, red hair, orange, long hair, 23:08 no hair, dreadlock hair, tattoos all over me, 23:10 that was my community, and when I became a religious person 23:13 and I had committed the highest form of treason. 23:15 You could have been anything in the community I was in, 23:17 you could have been a transvestite, 23:19 you could have been a child molester, 23:20 you could have been anything, but to become 23:22 a Christian was to become the worst of all in my Community. 23:24 So I became a Christian, and all my friends 23:26 totally disowned me. 23:27 I went from having lots of friends, or at least 23:29 what I thought were friends, to having basically no friends 23:31 over night, and something happened, 23:34 I was out rock climbing with one of the few friends 23:35 that would still spend a little time with me, 23:37 his name was Luke, and I was up rock climbing, 23:39 and I was doing actually a maneuver called the heel hook, 23:41 which I don't recommend unless you know rock climbing, 23:43 I was trying to pull over top of this rock, 23:45 and you hook your heel up just like that, 23:47 and you use your heel to help pull over. 23:49 You might be thinking is he really doing that on the pulpit, 23:51 yeah, I'm really doing it. 23:52 So I was trying to pull myself up over, 23:54 and what happened is that it had rained the day before, 23:56 and there was a little water down in the pocket, 23:57 and so when I reached up to grab that little hand hold, 23:59 guess what happened? 24:00 I slipped, so as I slipped I'm coming off the rock 24:03 like this, I was about 20 feet in the air, no ropes, 24:05 ok, I was doing what's called bouldering, 24:07 and I come down like this and there's a great big triangular 24:10 pyramid shaped rock right below me. 24:12 Bad choice, normally it would have been a very easy thing 24:15 for me to do, but I forgotten about the rain, 24:17 and there was water in that pocket, so I come shooting off 24:19 this thing like a rubber band, I'm looking at that rock, 24:22 and I try to step over the rock, but I catch my toe, 24:25 right near the tip of my toe, on the tip of that rock, 24:27 when I fall down, I fall down just like that. 24:29 Guess what happened to my leg? 24:30 Broken, for the third time, I broke my right ankle 24:34 three times because before that I was trying my lot 24:36 as a professional skate boarder. 24:37 I've done many things, here's the point, my leg broke 24:40 and I knew it, I knew it immediately. 24:41 Here's what happened, my two buddies Luke and Travis, 24:45 they put one arm around this side and one arm 24:47 around this side, they take me into town, 24:49 and I called up the person I was working for, 24:51 I was actually working in a vegetarian restaurant, 24:53 because I was taking time off of medical school 24:55 trying to decide what God wanted me to do with my life. 24:56 So I called her and said "hey listen," I'm not going 24:58 to be able to come to work tomorrow, why not? 25:00 I said I broke my leg again, and I broke my ankle, 25:06 said well I've got this doctor over here, 25:08 and we'll provide him some free meals, 25:10 because I didn't have medical insurance, we'll provide him 25:11 some free meals, go up there, and get it x-rayed, 25:12 and get it taken care of, so I went up there 25:14 to Dr. Gary's office. 25:15 I go into Dr. Gary's office, sure enough he x-rays me, 25:17 and he says third time you broke it, 25:19 it's a hairline fracture, I can see it, 25:21 my ankle was all swollen up, big purple and black & blue, 25:25 and now I was on crutches. 25:26 I went down to Rushmore Medical Supply there, 25:28 it's in Rapid City, South Dakota, 25:29 got myself some crutches, the lady said, 25:31 that ankle looks terrible, I said yeah, it looks really bad 25:33 I went hobbling out of there, I went home 25:34 I said to Mom, look what happened to my ankle 25:35 Oh no, third time, here's the point. 25:37 I knelt down that night and I said God, I'm sorry, 25:41 I said Lord I'm sorry, I should not have been climbing 25:44 under those circumstances, I should have known better. 25:46 Please forgive me, I was frankly chiefly concerned 25:50 that the restaurant that I was working at was not 25:51 going to have enough help, because there were only 25:52 four of us that helped her, and I knew she was basically 25:54 going to be in trouble, because I couldn't chop carrots, 25:56 and do all of the things that I needed to do 25:57 while I was on these crutches. 25:58 So I said God please forgive me for the mistake I made, 26:01 if it could be possible by Your grace, heal my ankle. 26:06 I just asked, I said if that is possible, 26:08 if there is some way in Your plan, 26:10 that you could forgive me for this thing, 26:12 I see that I done wrong, and so I went to bed that night, 26:14 and the next morning I just had this voice, 26:16 this sense that said hop out of bed. 26:19 Hop out of bed on a broken ankle, right, 26:22 and I had one of these air casts on where your toes 26:25 still stick out the front, so I just hopped out of bed 26:28 and I began to flex up on my toes, 26:30 and I felt there was no pain, 26:32 I began to jump around and then I started to jump 26:34 around on my broken foot, and I praise the Lord 26:36 and I grab my crutches and I ran upstairs and 26:38 I said Mom, you're not going to believe this, 26:39 my Mom's a certified nurse and I say Mom look at this, 26:42 my ankle is..., she said ahh! 26:43 It's just adrenalin, get back on your crutches 26:45 and I said no Mom the Lord healed me. 26:47 So then I went back, I actually literally grabbed my crutches, 26:50 I was on my way to work, and I stopped by the 26:52 very Rushmore Medical Supply Store, the day before 26:55 I had gotten my crutches at, and just to the glory of God 26:58 because I had gotten them just the day before at 5 o'clock 26:59 and that was early in the morning about 9 o'clock, 27:01 just to the glory of God, the same lady was working. 27:05 I walk in and she said what are you doing in here 27:07 I said God healed my ankle. 27:08 I said I just became a Christian four months ago, 27:10 and look at this, I started hopping around 27:14 and she goes Ahhh! she said you got a twin, 27:16 it's not really you, and I said no, and I pulled down my sock, 27:21 and pulled up my pants to show her and it was still very 27:23 black & blue but no swelling, 27:24 I'm hopping around, whew, like a kangaroo, 27:27 she couldn't believe it. 27:28 So I go to the place where I'm working at, 27:31 there's a vegetarian restaurant called Veggies, 27:33 and the woman who owned it Mary, she's the one 27:35 that I called the day before and said that I can't make it. 27:36 She was a woman of such incredible prayer, 27:39 she would say Lord Jesus, we need a new refrigerator, 27:42 and we would open our eyes and there would be a new 27:44 refrigerator there, not exactly, God answers her prayers, 27:47 I feel like she has some sort of special access VIP pass. 27:52 Sometimes I go to these airports and the people who travel a lot 27:55 get to go in the Red Carpet Room, I feel like she has that 27:57 sometimes with the Lord, she's praying and Boom! 28:00 the Lord will answer her prayer right in front of our eyes. 28:01 So I'm on fire, God has healed my ankle, a four month Christian 28:05 I'm on fire and I come walking in, and she's there 28:07 cutting the carrots, and doing her thing, 28:10 and I'm Mary, Mary, God healed my ankle, 28:12 and I'll never forget, she was totally unfazed. 28:14 She's like yeah, I thought He might do that, 28:16 now get to chopping the radishes. 28:19 Literally she was totally unfazed, she expected it, 28:27 to her that was like everyday life, of course He healed 28:30 your ankle, I need you in here, now get to work boy. 28:32 I couldn't believe it! 28:35 Beloved does God still work miracles? 28:37 Yes, sure He works miracles, and by the way, 28:40 healing a broken ankle is nothing compared to healing 28:43 a broken heart. 28:44 Every one of us suffers from a broken heart, 28:48 every one of us has a terrible cancer, 28:51 worse that Ebola, worse that AIDS, worse than the Bird Flu, 28:54 worse than any of those diseases you can imagine, 28:56 it's called the cancer of sin. 28:57 The most amazing miracle that God can work, 29:00 is to save someone and to get them to hate their sin 29:04 and to love the Lord Jesus Christ, can you say "Amen?" 29:06 "Amen!" 29:07 But that doesn't mean that every miracle is from God, 29:10 and that's the point. 29:12 Listen! The Devil is no dummy he knows, 29:19 he knows that most people spend way to much time watching 29:22 the game, to much time watching the television, 29:24 to much time watching the computer, to much time 29:26 doing anything, and everything but reading the Bible, 29:29 so that he knows if he presents a miracle, and he put a little 29:33 Christian brush on it, most of the Christian people 29:37 who are spending very little time, not to mention 29:39 the non-Christian people of course there going to be 29:40 duped immediately. 29:41 But the Christian people are spending very little time 29:42 in their Bibles, oh miracle, ahh, this is from God. 29:47 Look there is twenty thousand people here 29:49 who also think it's from God. 29:50 No! no! no! just because a miracle is worked, 29:53 doesn't mean it's from God, are we clear? 29:57 Look at Revelation 19:20: 30:01 Revelation 19:20, It says: Then the beast was 30:06 captured and with him the false prophet who worked "what?" 30:10 signs, do you see that? 30:12 Worked signs in his presence by which he deceived those 30:17 who received the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped 30:19 his image, they were cast alive into the lake of fire 30:21 burning with fire and brimstone. 30:22 Notice, deception is actually going to play a role in people 30:26 receiving the mark of the beast. 30:27 There's all kinds of crazy ideas out there 30:30 about what the mark of the beast is. 30:31 I'm going to show you directly from the Bible. 30:34 From the "what" everyone? 30:35 From the Bible exactly what the mark of the beast is. 30:38 You don't have to be afraid of some computer in Belgium 30:40 or that you got a social security number, 30:42 Listen don't worry about your license plate 30:44 if it happens to have 666 on it, I'll show you 30:46 from the Bible, what the mark of the beast is. 30:49 Does that sound like a good idea, yes or no? 30:50 Here's the point, many people are going to be led 30:53 to receive the mark of the beast because 30:54 they'll be deceived by miracles, so far so good? 30:59 Revelation 20:10, you can read it on your own. 31:02 Notice what it says: The dragon uses deception, 31:06 it is the hallmark of his plans and strategies, 31:09 he used it on the heavenly angels, he used it on 31:11 Eve in Eden, and today, no surprise, 31:14 he continues to employ deception. 31:17 His deceptive power will only increase as we near the end 31:24 of time. 31:26 Paul shared Jesus' concern and warning against 31:29 widespread deception just before Jesus returns. 31:33 Open your Bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 31:36 Paul shared Jesus' concern, look at what we're hearing. 31:38 Jesus says don't be deceived, don't be deceived, 31:40 don't be deceived, don't be deceived. 31:41 Revelation says there's going to be deception, 31:43 deception, deception, miracles, deceit. 31:46 Paul says the very same thing, 31:47 2 Thessalonians 2: we spent some time in here last night, 31:51 looking at he who restrains until he's taken out of the way 31:56 ect., that's the passage we're going to, 31:58 2 Thessalonians 2, and I'm just going to read it through, ok. 32:02 I've given you several blanks that you can fill in there, 32:04 see if you can fill in the blanks as we go. 32:06 2 Thessalonians 2:1: Now brethren concerning the coming 32:10 our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together 32:12 to Him, we ask you, 2. not to be soon shaken in mind 32:15 or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, 32:18 as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 32:20 Even if you get a letter signed Paul, even if a spirit 32:23 appears to you, even if an angel appears to you, 32:25 it says don't be deceived, because something has to happen 32:28 first, don't believe that the day of Christ has come 32:30 because something else has to happen first. 32:31 3. Let no one deceive you just like Jesus, Paul says 32:36 in the last days be careful of deception. 32:39 by any means; for that Day, the coming of Jesus, 32:42 will not come until a "what comes first? 32:45 "a falling away, and the word falling away, 32:47 what does it mean in the Greek? 32:48 A divorce, that's right. 32:50 When a falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed 32:53 the son of perdition, talking of the anti-Christ. 32:55 4. Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called 32:57 God or that is worshiped, remember worship at the end 33:03 is the issue, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, 33:08 showing himself that he is God. 33:11 Now think about it, if he is showing himself that he is God, 33:13 clearly he is a religious figure. 33:15 Am I the only person in the world that that makes sense to? 33:19 Could an antagonistic religious figure go in to the temple 33:23 of God, and say I'm God and deceive anyone? 33:25 Paul was smarter than that, Jesus was smarter than that. 33:28 Come on they're not going to say, when this guy comes on 33:31 the scene that clearly hates Jesus, is antagonistic to Jesus 33:33 defies Jesus, and stands against Jesus, and overtly opposes 33:37 Jesus, don't be deceived. 33:38 Don't be deceived? 33:40 I wouldn't even give the guy one second. 33:42 The problem here is that this guy goes into the temple 33:44 of God, pretending that he is God, oh and by the way, 33:47 he's working miracles, 33:49 so he even looks like he is God's representative on earth. 33:52 Paul says don't be deceived. 33:55 5. Do you not remember that when I was still with you 33:57 I told you these things? 33:59 6. And now you know what is restraining, 34:01 that he may be revealed in his own time. 34:03 We talked about that last night. 34:04 7. For the mystery of lawlessness, 34:07 by the way I just want to say something very quickly, 34:08 some people say why did Satan sin? 34:10 I don't understand that, why did Satan sin in the 34:12 first place, I'm confused, how does a perfect being 34:14 in a perfect environment, with a perfect God, 34:16 and a perfect creator sin? 34:18 Notice it calls it the mystery of lawlessness. 34:21 Quick question for you, is a mystery something you do know, 34:24 or don't know? 34:25 You don't know. Beloved you cannot explain 34:28 the origin of sin. 34:29 If sin could be explained it could be excused. 34:33 If you could give a reason for sin, 34:36 then you could give a justification for sin, 34:38 it's the mystery of lawlessness. 34:40 Don't ask me how he did it or why he did it, I'll ask God 34:43 when I get to heaven, I don't even know if God knows. 34:45 It is a total mystery, how does it happen? We don't know. 34:51 The mystery of lawlessness. 34:52 8. And then the lawless one will be revealed, 34:56 that's the antichrist whom the Lord will destroy 34:58 with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness 35:00 of His coming. 35:01 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working 35:04 of who? Satan, notice verse 9: 35:07 9. With all power and signs and what else? 35:12 Lying wonders, so he's clearly using miracles 35:16 and supernatural things. 35:17 10. and with all unrighteous deception among those who 35:22 perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, 35:27 that they might be saved. 35:29 Beloved according to that passage, if all you knew 35:32 was that passage, what is the cure for deception? 35:36 Truth!, and not just a truth, but what does it say? 35:40 The love of the truth, ok, 35:43 now you can fill in those blanks there. 35:44 Paul was concerned about: 1. The day of the Lord's return. 35:47 2. The deception of the man of sin and Satan himself. 35:51 So number one the day of the Lord's return, 35:54 number 2 the deception of the man of sin and Satan himself. 35:56 3. The rejection of truth and the embracing of lies. 36:02 Lying wonders. 36:04 4. The deceitful nature of both sin and Satan. 36:09 Jesus was concerned about deception, 36:12 Paul was concerned about deception, we should be 36:15 concerned about deception. 36:17 Oh please Christian person, oh please believe her, 36:20 don't sit there and say whoo wee!, I'm glad he's 36:23 not talking about me, because I'm undeceived, 36:25 because as we said again, that is exactly how deceived 36:29 people think. 36:30 Is that clear everyone? 36:32 Let's continue on everyone. 36:35 Jesus, Paul and John in the book of Revelation 36:37 make it clear: 36:44 But it gets even worse, notice that my own heart betrays me. 36:47 That's the next study guide headline there, 36:49 according to Jeremiah 17:9, what is the most deceitful 36:53 of all things? Here it is: 37:02 You think, oh I wonder who that is talking about? 37:03 That must be talking about Sudan Hussein, 37:05 that must be talking about Osama Bin Laden, 37:07 do you know who's heart that is talking about? 37:09 Yours! The heart is deceitful above all things, 37:13 and desperately wicked, so much so who can know it. 37:15 Notice this: 37:21 Self-deception, I'm going to give you four verses 37:24 very quickly write them down. 37:26 Here is the first one, Perhaps the most dangerous kind 37:29 of deception is self-deception. 37:30 1. James 1:22, that's the first one: 37:44 According to that verse can you deceive yourself? 37:46 Second verse, verse 26: 37:50 How many people here think that you are religious? 37:52 Raise your hand, I think I'm a religious person, why not. 37:57 I love the Lord Jesus Christ, I would consider myself to be 37:59 a religious person, but notice what he says: 38:12 James wasn't against religion, but he was against 38:14 useless religion. 38:15 According to these two verses here, is it possible 38:18 to deceive yourself? 38:19 Absolutely! Notice this one: 38:21 Galatians 6:3: 38:32 1 Corinthians 3:18: Let no one deceive himself, 38:37 why does he say that, let no one deceive himself? 38:39 Because that's Satan's job. 38:40 He's basically saying don't do the Devil's job for him. 38:51 We could go look at all these texts in context 38:53 and see what they are actually teaching, 38:54 but the broader point is this. 38:56 Self-deception is a very potent reality. 39:01 You can deceive yourself, if you want to see the most 39:06 powerful chapter in the entire Bible on self deception, 39:09 does anyone know what chapter that will be? 39:10 The most powerful chapter how people literally, 39:14 trick themselves into believing what is a lie. 39:18 Romans 1, go read it today in the afternoon, 39:21 you will not find a more powerful chapter than 39:24 Romans 1, that describes how people can literally 39:27 deceive themselves. 39:29 Absolutely amazing! 39:31 Notice this on the study guide, 39:33 it says this is very important, an often overlooked point. 39:36 The heart is steeped in "what?" Sin and selfishness! 39:42 and thus it longs to accept that which accommodates and 39:45 caters to it's unregenerate nature. 39:47 In other words, the heart is looking to be deceived. 39:49 The unconverted heart loves to hear 39:53 that which flatters it, it is almost as though our heart 39:56 wants to be deceived and lied to, this is especially true 40:00 if the lie that we are told frees our heart and mind 40:03 to indulge in unrighteous pleasure and sin. 40:06 Isn't that true? 40:08 That's why, you know the preachers that say... 40:10 some people say oh, that was a fire and brimstone sermon. 40:12 Beloved, listen to me, a fire and brimstone sermon 40:14 is not what you think of traditionally, 40:15 is a fire and brimstone sermon. 40:16 A fire and brimstone sermon is a sermon 40:18 that sounds like this, don't worry, its ok, 40:20 everything is fine, don't worry about changing, 40:23 don't worry about getting victory over sins, 40:25 don't worry about all those things. 40:26 Is it true that God accepts you just the way you are? 40:29 Of course, He receives you as you are, 40:32 but He wants to change you and transform you 40:34 and give you victory, and make you the person that you 40:37 can be in Christ, Amen! 40:39 So the true fire and brimstone sermon is the preacher that 40:41 stands up and says don't worry about it, everything is 40:43 going to be fine, because that sermon is going to 40:45 get someone in fire and brimstone. 40:46 The heart longs to believe that which says oh really! 40:53 Oh really! Now that I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour 40:56 and because I'm fully free and forgiven, 40:58 I can go and do whatever I want. 40:59 Because Jesus is my Saviour I can go live like the Devil? 41:02 Ha ha! Lord have mercy! 41:06 The cure for deception, here it is. 41:08 The cure for deceptions that abound in this age 41:12 the Bible, you've got it, the Bible is the elixir 41:16 for deception, the cure for deception. 41:18 It alone can free us from the deceptions, 41:22 the deceptions power and influence. 41:25 Think for example of Eve in the Garden of Eden, 41:28 how different would things have been, if Eve like Jesus 41:33 in the wilderness had stood on a plain thus saith the Lord. 41:39 Think about it let's go to that experience there, 41:43 Eve stumbles upon the tree and there's the serpent 41:47 he was crafty, he was clever, he said hey, 41:49 I got a question for you. 41:50 Has God really said..., God is keeping something 41:54 from you isn't He? 41:55 Has God really said you should not eat of every tree 41:57 in the garden? 41:58 She wanted that fruit, didn't she want it? 42:02 Now she is thinking now really, interesting, 42:05 well, God has said that we can't eat of it 42:07 neither can we touch it. 42:08 He says hey listen! It's good for you, in fact if you eat it 42:11 you'll become as God's knowing good and evil. 42:13 Now her heart wants it, she wants it, 42:16 and she's been deceived, and she's easily deceived because 42:20 the devil has tricked her into wanting something 42:22 that God knows is not for her best good. 42:24 Can you say Amen? 42:26 That's the danger, see our hearts are naturally going to 42:29 gravitate towards things that sound pleasing 42:31 to the ears, but beloved we need to not test things 42:34 by how nice they sound, but how do they sound 42:37 in comparison to the Word of God. 42:39 Amen! That's the point. 42:41 The only cure for deception is God's word. 42:46 Let's continue on here. 42:47 Eve should have trusted the word of God 42:48 it could have immediately dispelled the darkness 42:50 of Satan's power. 42:51 In John 1:1-3, Jesus is referred to as the Lo-gos 42:55 that is the word, you know that verse, John 1:1, 42:58 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God 43:02 and the Word was God. 43:04 Now consider the following text, that equate truth 43:07 with God's Word. 43:08 Jesus is the Word! Who's the Word everyone? 43:10 Jesus! Now Jesus was speaking 43:12 on one occasion and He said, I am the Way 43:16 the Truth and the Light, so Jesus was the Word 43:20 and He was the Truth, Amen! 43:23 John 17:17, take a look at that, I could just quote it for you 43:26 but I want you to see it in your own Bible, 43:28 John 17:17. 43:29 Notice this, powerful! 43:32 John 17:17, Jesus speaking, Sanctify them by Your truth. 43:38 Sanctify them by your "what?" 43:40 Truth! Your word is truth. There's two other verses there 43:47 you can look up on your own. 43:48 Your Word is truth! 43:51 Write this verse down quickly, I Timothy 3:15, 43:56 just write that down, scribble that down somewhere. 43:58 1 Timothy 3:15 Here the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy, he 44:02 calls the church the pillar and ground of truth, 44:05 The pillar and ground of "what?" 44:08 Truth, now we said this the other day, 44:10 but it bears repeating. 44:11 Beloved we don't find a church that suits us and then hope 44:14 they preach the truth. 44:15 What we do is, we find the truth, 44:18 and then we go find a church that's preaching 44:19 what's true, can you say Amen? 44:20 People choose churches for some of the foolish, 44:23 mostly insane, ridiculous reasons, well I like the 44:26 Choir, and I like the organ, and my grandmother went here, 44:29 and I like the doughnuts after church, and what in the... 44:32 What do you think you are talking about? 44:33 You're not talking about Elks Club, 44:35 you're not talking about the Rotary, 44:37 you're talking about eternal truth. 44:39 It's more than the doughnuts, Amen! 44:42 It's more than the Children's Program, 44:44 I would rather worship under an Oak tree, 44:46 according to God's Word, than in the most beautifully 44:49 ornate Cathedral with the best music, 44:51 and all of the accoutrement's if I was following error. 44:56 Yes or no? 44:58 By the way Jesus Himself had to change churches didn't He? 45:02 He began His ministry, He said take these things out 45:04 of here, you've made My Father's house, 45:05 a den of thieves, but at the end of His three and a half 45:07 years of ministry, He said your house is left to you desolate. 45:10 Jesus didn't want to leave that church 45:12 but when they rejected truth, He had no choice, 45:15 because He was the Truth, Amen! 45:19 Last page. 45:21 Hebrews 4:12: 45:42 There it is, the heart was deceitful above all things, 45:45 and desperately wicked, so what can guide our heart 45:48 that is prone to deception, that is prone to lying wonders, 45:51 that is prone to errors, we need something that can 45:53 reign our heart in and keep it on the straight and narrow, 45:56 and the only thing that can do that, is the Word of God. 45:59 Amen! 46:00 Notice it discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. 46:02 Have you every just been reading the Bible, 46:04 and just sitting down for a nice morning devotion 46:07 and all of a sudden Boom! God drops a bomb, 46:09 and I think Wow! how did He do that? 46:11 I feel like this whole verse was written and 46:13 preserved down through two thousand years of 46:15 human history, just to speak to me on this morning. 46:16 Anyone ever have that experience? 46:19 Beloved God speaks through His word, 46:22 but if you are not spending time in His word, 46:24 if you are spending more time in front of the television 46:25 or at the sports arena, or wherever, you're setting 46:27 yourself up for deception. 46:31 We're on the last page there, the Bible says in Revelation 19 46:37 Jesus returns and a sharp sword goes out of His mouth. 46:41 What's that sharp sword it, doesn't mean He literally 46:42 has a sword, it's the Word of God coming from His mouth. 46:45 We're at the top of the paragraph there. 46:48 Here's a couple of words for you to love and to learn, 46:51 Elucidation, or obfuscation, hmm you say, what does that mean. 46:57 Elucidation means to make light or clear, 47:01 obfuscation means the exact opposite, 47:03 that is to darken or obscure. 47:05 The Bible especially prophecy is sent to enlighten 47:08 that which is what? 47:10 Dark! We've already seen in 2 Peter 1 where it said 47:12 that the word of God is like a light that shines in a 47:16 dark place, Isaiah 60 is the same. 47:18 The one thousand two hundred and sixty years 47:20 extending from 538 A.D. to 1798, that we have already 47:23 spoken of, are commonly referred to the "what" ages? 47:26 The Dark Ages, the reason they were dark among others, 47:30 is that the word of God, God's lamp and God's light 47:33 was nearly extinguished by the Roman Church-State. 47:36 I've quoted there for you Psalm 119:105, 47:39 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 47:43 A recent Barna Report said that 90% of American homes 47:47 have at least one Bible. 47:48 90% of American homes have at least one Bible, 47:52 that is to say that it is sitting there in it's 47:54 token fashion, right next to the porcelain Blue Jay. 47:59 One day C.S. Spurgeon was preaching to his church there 48:05 in London, and he said many of you have enough 48:08 dust on your Bibles, that you could write the word 48:10 condemnation in it. 48:11 Interesting isn't it, something to think about. 48:15 There was a time when being a Christian meant something, 48:17 there was a time when being a Christian meant more than 48:20 having a little fish on the back of your Honda Accord. 48:22 There was a time when if you stood for Christ, 48:25 that was the last thing you would ever do. 48:27 You can read that book right there: Foxe's Book of Martyrs' 48:33 if you don't believe what I'm telling you, 48:34 that's one of the most powerful books you will 48:36 ever read, stories of men and women standing for truth 48:41 under the most severe persecution, I mean grotesque 48:45 things, things that are so ugly and repulsive 48:48 that I wouldn't even mention them in a church 48:49 service like this, I mean grotesque things that were done 48:52 to people for why? 48:53 Standing for God and standing for His truth. 48:55 Terrible! 48:58 William Tyndale... in October of 1536, was killed 49:04 he was martyred under the King of England's decree 49:06 by the Roman Church-State, it was the Roman Church-State 49:09 who said kill that man. 49:10 Do you know what William Tyndale's crime was, 49:12 he translated the Bible into English, 49:15 that was his crime. 49:17 His last words were oh God open the eyes of the king 49:22 of England, and they strangled him 49:23 to death and burned his body. 49:25 Beloved that book you have in your hand right there, 49:27 that's a blood bought book. 49:29 Thousands of men and women down through the ages 49:34 shed their blood so that you could have that Bible. 49:37 Today we have every kind of Bible you could imagine, 49:39 today we have the Women's Devotional Bible, 49:40 and the Men's Devotional Bible, and the African American 49:42 Devotional Bible, and the Gay and Lesbian Study Bible, 49:44 I mean every kind of study Bible, we've got every Bible 49:47 for every person, but so few people are reading their Bibles. 49:50 Are you hearing me? Very few people actually sitting 49:55 down to read... Beloved William Tyndale, 49:57 and hundred of others, thousands of others, 50:00 those pages in that Book are stained with blood. 50:03 Those people said we've got to let people have 50:07 the truth, why, because the Bible had been locked up 50:09 in a language that common people didn't understand 50:12 and it was chained to Monastery walls, it was chained 50:14 to temple walls, in the Latin language 50:16 which the common person couldn't understand, 50:18 and people like Tyndale and others, Huss and Jerome's 50:21 no! no! no! we've got to get this out into the 50:24 common circulation. 50:25 People need to see that the Roman Church State is leading 50:28 people astray, if they can just get the word for themselves 50:31 they'll have the cure for the deceptions of the anti-Christ. 50:34 Powerful! 50:37 There was a time when being a Christian really did 50:40 mean something: 50:44 You were caught with that book in your hands 50:46 you could be stoned or burned or far worse. 50:50 This here is a picture of a Waldensian museum 50:53 in the northern valleys of Italy, this was a group 50:55 of people the Waldensians in the Piedmont Valleys there 50:58 that were sitting down at copy tables and they would 51:02 write sections of scripture and go into town 51:06 as merchants and sell goods and other articles 51:10 and things, and give them little pieces of scripture 51:12 they were trying to get the word out 51:15 in those dark, dark ages 51:18 Sure enough in the providence of God, in 1455 a man 51:22 by the name of Gutenberg printed the Bible 51:24 it was the first book ever printed. 51:26 It was just like God's timing is impeccable, 51:29 just as the printing press... because prior to that Bibles 51:32 were very expensive, because you had to pay somebody 51:34 to hand write it out, I mean it was extremely expensive 51:37 only the most elite and the wealthiest could own a Bible 51:39 but here a man named Gutenberg invents this thing 51:41 called the printing press, the first book that was 51:43 ever printed on a printing press was The New Testament, 51:45 second book was the Old Testament. 51:46 The Bible begins to go like wild fire at the same time 51:50 that it's getting translated into the common languages 51:53 English and German and other languages. 51:55 That was not just a coincidence God knew 51:59 just as the translations were coming 52:00 there needed to be a quick rapid way 52:02 to get those things out there, and it's no coincidence 52:04 that it was invented right on time, 52:06 and that the first book ever published on a printing press 52:08 was the Bible. 52:09 How powerful beloved. 52:17 He was the monk who had discovered the great truths 52:22 of scripture and he began to reject the pomposity 52:24 of the papacy, he began to reject all the accoutrements 52:27 and paraphernalia of this huge religious establishment 52:30 and he saw four words, The just shall live by faith, 52:34 he saw those four words, it changed everything. 52:37 Those four words changed the world beloved. 52:39 He was standing there before the council of Worms, 52:42 Martin Luther would later say in his diary, 52:43 he thought he was walking into that room 52:45 it will be the last thing he ever did 52:47 and this is what he said, you've heard this 52:48 probably before: 52:49 Unless I shall be convinced because they said retract 52:51 take it all back, it's all lies, take it back and 52:54 bow to the authority of the pope, and bow to the authority 52:56 of the church, he said listen: 53:13 And he walked out. 53:15 God miraculously preserved Martin Luther, 53:18 he didn't die a martyrs death, he died in his old age. 53:20 God preserved him, beloved we need that kind of 53:23 boldness, that kind of courage today, Amen! 53:25 Four essential questions of life: 53:39 The Bible has the answer to those questions. 53:42 The Bible has the answer to those questions. 53:45 Paul said..., 53:47 Notice it right there in your study guide, 2 Timothy 3:13: 54:02 Deception would reach epidemic proportions, colossal monumental 54:09 proportions, just before the end of time, 54:10 so then how do we do it? 54:12 It's very simple and everything hinges on the word. 54:14 You want to get undeceived, you want to remain undeceived, 54:18 it's actually very simple. 54:19 You got to read the Word. 54:21 Amen! 54:23 You got to read it, it's good to come to these seminars, 54:25 I'm thrilled you are coming to these presentations 54:27 listen, Praise the Lord Jesus, if you were presenting 54:29 and you were preaching what I'm preaching, 54:30 I would be sitting where you are sitting, I promise. 54:32 It's not about the man, it's about the message, Amen! 54:35 It's good to come to things like this, but you have to 54:38 spend some of your own time reading the Bible. 54:40 2. You've got to study the Bible. 54:42 You say whoa, I thought you just said that. 54:44 There's a big difference between reading and studying, 54:47 isn't that true, I learned that in Anatomy. 54:49 You can read the Anatomy textbook, but you get a 54:51 D or a C on the test, you want to get an A on the test, 54:54 what do you got to do? 54:55 You got to study it. 54:57 Ok, there's a big difference between reading and studying, 54:59 and what we're doing in these presentations is I don't just 55:01 stand up and start reading. 55:03 We're studying, it's one thing to study in a group, 55:06 Praise the Lord Jesus for that, but you also need to 55:08 learn how to study on your own. 55:09 Some people don't know how to study the Bible, 55:11 but you keep coming and we will give you the tools 55:12 to teach you how to do it for yourself. 55:14 Amen! 55:15 3. Believe the Word. 55:17 Believe it, it's true, it's absolutely true. 55:21 I wish I had time to go into why I believe the Bible is the 55:24 inspired Word of God, and give you many evidences, 55:27 many reasons. 55:28 4. Obey it, Amen! Don't be hard hearted, 55:32 don't be stiff necked, don't be stubborn. 55:33 If you see something that's in the Bible, and it plainly 55:36 is in the Bible, even if it's different than what you used to 55:38 believe, even if it's new from what you used to believe, 55:41 if it's in the Words, if it's in black and white, 55:44 or red and white, believe it and obey it. 55:46 Amen! 55:49 He says, oh I can't make a break, I can't make a break 55:51 from what I always believed. 55:52 I had a young man say to me just the other day, 55:53 how could I ever, how could I ever become a member 55:56 of your church. 55:57 I didn't ask him to become a member of my church, 55:58 I never even mentioned anything about my church, 56:00 he said how can I become a member of your church, 56:01 and leave this church that I was born and raised up in, 56:04 my whole culture surrounds this church. 56:05 I said, hey listen, you are, we'll just call him for the sake 56:08 of purposes, we'll call him a Macedonian, 56:10 ok I'll say hey listen, you are a Macedonian, 56:13 but before you were a Macedonian, you were a 56:14 child of God, and there is a stronger call on your life, 56:19 than the Macedonian call. 56:20 There's a stronger call on your life than your parents call 56:24 and your cultural call. 56:25 God knew you and made you, and formed you 56:28 before you were any of those things, and so your first 56:30 responsibility is to God. 56:32 Before you were black, before you were white, 56:34 before you were Jamaican, before you were Macedonian, 56:35 before you were whatever, you were God's. 56:38 Ok, so if God says hey, I want you to do A, He'll give you 56:42 the strength to do it. 56:43 Sometimes it can be hard to change, Amen! 56:45 I mean listen we're creatures of habit, we hate change. 56:47 But if we're changing for the Lord Jesus Christ, 56:50 He can give us the strength, and I'm going to go a step 56:52 further, He can make it enjoyable, even when our 56:55 friends are abandoning us, and our family says listen 56:57 when I dropped out of medical school, and it's not that I 56:59 dropped out in the sense, but when I dropped out of 57:01 medicine, my Dad went insane. 57:03 I was studying at the University of Wyoming, which was his 57:05 Alma Matter, I mean my Dad thought I had lost my mind. 57:07 All of my friends said no way, he's been brainwashed, 57:10 we're done with him, I literally felt like I was alone, 57:13 I had nothing, 57:14 and a young friend of mine came to my house, 57:17 and I asked him if he wanted to study the Bible, 57:19 and he said yeah I'd be interested in studying the Bible 57:21 and that Sunday we studied the Bible for eight hours. 57:24 The next Sunday we studied the Bible for eight hours, 57:28 two weeks later he was Baptized. 57:30 His name is Nathan Renner, he's the young man that 57:32 introduces me every night. 57:33 Can you say Amen? 57:34 One of my best friends in the world, 57:37 one of my best friends in the world is now my senior pastor. 57:40 Can you say "Amen?" 57:42 Say listen, I would have never had the experience 57:45 that I'm having today, I mean listen, no one in this room 57:47 has a better life than me. 57:48 No one in this room loves life more than I do, 57:50 you could love it as much as I do, but not more than I do 57:52 because I'm in love with the Lord Jesus Christ, 57:55 and what He's done in my life, Amen! 57:56 But what if I would have been afraid, 57:58 Oh, oh, I can't do it, I'll just go back 58:00 to what is comfortable, I just can't do it, 58:03 I'll go back to what I've always done, what's normal 58:05 no! no! no! no!, beloved, if God is calling you to do 58:08 something new, it's because He's calling you to 58:10 something great. 58:11 Amen! 58:13 So believe it, obey it, share it. |
Revised 2014-12-17