Participants: John Dinzey (Host), Christopher Hudson
Series Code: FDOF
Program Code: FDOF000024A
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00:19 Hello and welcome once again to "Foundation of our Faith."
00:23 We want to thank you for joining us once again. 00:26 And this is the last in a four part series 00:30 that we have been dealing with. 00:33 And this time we have, number four, 00:36 "Calm Before the Crisis," "Calm Before the Crisis." 00:41 Our evangelist, Christopher Hudson, 00:43 has presented "The Stars and the Fig Tree," 00:46 "The Judgment of the Whore," "Return of the Dragon," 00:50 and now "Calm Before the Crisis." 00:52 When you hear the name Chris Hudson you may remember 00:55 that he is on the Dare to Dream network 00:57 in a program called, The Four Runner Chronicles. 01:01 And actually, he has over 300 presentations on YouTube 01:07 and so far there are over 20 million views. 01:11 So we see that the Lord is leading people 01:14 to hear these messages 01:16 and we praise the Lord for that. 01:18 We know that it will be 01:20 another topic based on the Bible. 01:22 And this is what this program is all about, 01:23 "Foundation of our Faith." 01:25 It's about the Holy Scriptures and the message it has for us 01:28 and that it is a vital importance for our lives. 01:31 Amen. 01:33 Well, we have, again, a time to invite you to join us 01:37 in the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 01:39 It is located in Thompsonville, Illinois. 01:42 As you go through Route 149, 01:45 coming from the West Frankfurt area, 01:47 just before you get to Route 34, 01:49 which is about 10 miles from West Frankfurt. 01:52 On the left hand side, 01:53 you'll see the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 01:56 And here Pastor John Lomacang, as the pastor 01:59 and it's a, there a lot of good people here. 02:03 So you'll be loved as you come in 02:05 and you'll be welcome as you come in. 02:08 So we invite you to pray in this moment. 02:12 We're going to pray briefly. 02:15 Before we pray I'd like to mention 02:17 our musical guest is Sister Celestine Barry. 02:21 Sister Celestine Barry 02:23 will be singing "God will make a way." 02:26 "God will make a way." 02:28 A message that is a positive, encouraging message in song. 02:33 Afterwards, we'll hear the preaching of God's word 02:36 and our evangelist Chris Hudson. 02:38 Before that, we're going to ask you 02:40 to please stand for prayer 02:41 and let us approach God's throne of grace 02:44 to ask for His mercies. 02:47 And those of you that are at home 02:50 or wherever you might be, 02:51 we invite you to join us as well. 02:53 Let us pray. 02:55 Our loving Heavenly Father, 02:57 we come before You in Jesus' name. 03:00 And we thank You for Your mercy 03:03 and concern for us. 03:05 In this moment, Lord, we ask that You will extend Your mercy 03:08 and bless us with a message from heaven. 03:11 Bless Your servant Christopher Hudson 03:14 with Your Holy Spirit. 03:16 Use him once again to bring the message 03:18 Your children need to hear. 03:20 And we pray that all honor and glory be on to Your name. 03:23 Blessed also those of us that are present 03:26 and those that will join us from any corner of the earth. 03:30 We thank You for providing the means 03:33 through Dare to Dream 03:35 and 3ABN to bring this message to the world. 03:38 And we pray that You will continue to bless 03:40 so that we can reach more people for Jesus Christ. 03:44 And we thank You for hearing our prayer 03:46 for we ask it in the wonderful name of Jesus. 03:50 Amen. Amen. 03:52 You may be seated. 03:53 I leave you with Sister Celestine Barry. 03:55 God's blessings upon you. 04:12 It must have felt strange To end up stranded 04:17 Between an army and the sea 04:21 It must have feel forsaken Wondering why God wasn't 04:26 All He said He'd be 04:30 When your back's against the wall 04:34 It's the hardest place of all 04:39 But somewhere between provision and impossibility 04:52 God will make a way 04:58 When there seems to be no way 05:04 Forever He is faithful 05:08 He will make a road 05:14 When you bear a heavy load 05:19 I know God will make a way 05:27 When a wall of circumstances 05:32 Leaves you crying in the night 05:36 And you struggle 'Till your strength 05:39 Is almost gone 05:44 God will gently hold you 05:47 In the shelter of His heart 05:52 Carve a road for you to carry on 05:59 So carry on You can carry on 06:05 Travel on Travel on 06:08 God will make a way 06:14 When there seems to be no way 06:20 Forever He is faithful 06:24 He will make a road 06:29 When you bear a heavy load 06:34 I know God will make a way 06:40 God will make a way 06:45 When there seems to be no way 06:51 Forever He is faithful 06:55 He will make a road 07:00 When you bear a heavy load 07:06 I know 07:13 God will make a way 07:23 God will make a way 07:35 God will make a way 07:40 He will make a way 07:43 God will make a way 07:57 God will make a way 08:03 When there seems to be no way 08:09 Forever He is faithful 08:13 He will make a road 08:18 When you bear a heavy load 08:23 I know God will make a way 08:28 God will make a way 08:33 When there seems to be no way 08:39 Forever He is faithful 08:43 He will make a road 08:48 When you bear a heavy load 08:54 I know God will make a way 09:15 Happy Sabbath once again. Happy Sabbath. 09:19 And this is our last meeting together. 09:21 But I've been blessed my time 09:23 that we've been able to spend here 09:24 together in the word of God. 09:26 And I'm not going to waste too much time talking once again 09:29 because I'm more interested in the Scriptures, amen. 09:32 So before we open up the Holy Scriptures, 09:34 once again I want to invite you 09:35 to have a word of prayer with me, 09:37 inviting the Spirit of God to be our instructor. 09:42 Father in heaven, I thank You, Lord, for the blessing 09:45 that we have experienced in Your presence on this, 09:48 Your holy Sabbath-day. 09:49 I thank You for Your word which is a lamp unto our feet 09:53 and a light into our path. 09:56 And I thank You for "Thy Spirit that searches all things, 09:58 yea, the deep things of your heart." 10:01 And You've sent Him into this world 10:02 to reveal unto us Your truth, 10:07 Your truth which can sanctify the soul. 10:10 And so right now it is my desire 10:12 to ask of You once again, please God, bless us 10:17 with the presence of Your Holy Spirit. 10:20 Let Him inhabit our minds, move upon our thoughts, 10:23 illuminate our understanding, dispel the darkness. 10:27 May angels, oh, Lord, 10:29 that stand in Thy presence be with us in Your courts. 10:33 And may all of us gain a clear understanding 10:37 of where we are 10:39 and what Your desire is for our lives. 10:42 Thank you, Father, for hearing our prayer. 10:44 This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 10:48 I want to invite you to open your Bibles with me. 10:50 We're going to the Book of 1 Corinthians. 10:52 1 Corinthians 10:11. 1 Corinthians 10:11. 11:00 Very important Scripture that the word of God 11:03 presents to us here in 1 Corinthians 10:11. 11:07 The Bible says, "Now all these things happened 11:09 unto them for ensamples 11:12 and they are written for our admonition, 11:14 upon whom the ends of the world are come." 11:18 The word ensamples means types or symbols. 11:21 You see, within the scripture 11:24 we can find many true historical accounts. 11:28 But these things have not simply been chronicled 11:30 for the purpose of giving us some good moral instruction 11:34 in the way of righteousness. 11:35 But the Bible says that these things 11:37 have been left on record by 11:38 God to stand as ensamples for those of us 11:41 that are living here at the end of time. 11:45 So there's a prophetic application 11:47 to many of these historic events 11:48 that we can find within the Bible. 11:51 And when we look at them in this prophetic sense, 11:53 God admonishes us, He warns us, 11:55 He gives us instructions 11:57 as to how we should be conducting ourselves 11:58 here in these last days, 12:00 so that we might pass through the final event safely 12:02 to be able to stand 12:03 before the presence of the Son of man. 12:06 And so with that in mind 12:07 I wanted to go to a very familiar I believe, 12:10 historic account in the Bible, 12:12 we're going to the Book of Matthew Chapter 26. 12:15 Matthew Chapter 26 12:16 and we're going to begin at verse 1 12:19 Matthew Chapter 26, beginning at verse 1, 12:21 Jesus now making His way to the cross. 12:26 The Bible says this, "Then saith Jesus unto them, 12:30 all ye shall be offended 12:32 because of me this night for it is written, 12:34 I will smite the shepherd, 12:36 and all the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 12:39 But after I am risen again, 12:41 I will go before you into Galilee. 12:43 Peter answered and said unto him, 12:46 though all men shall be offended 12:47 because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 12:50 Jesus said unto him, 12:52 verily I say unto you, that this night, 12:54 before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 12:57 Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, 13:01 yet will I not deny thee. 13:03 Likewise also said all the disciples. 13:06 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, 13:09 and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, 13:11 while I go and pray yonder. 13:14 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 13:16 and began to be heavy and very sorrowful." 13:19 And the word of God goes on to say, 13:20 "And then saith He unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, 13:23 even unto death, tarry ye here, and watch with me. 13:28 And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, 13:29 and prayed, saying, O, my Father, 13:32 if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: 13:34 nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. 13:38 And he cometh unto His disciples, 13:39 and findeth them asleep, 13:42 and saith unto Peter, 13:43 What, could ye not watch with me-- " 13:44 How long? "One hour?" 13:49 He says, "Watch and pray, 13:50 that ye enter not into temptation, 13:52 the spirit indeed, it's willing, 13:54 but the flesh, it's weak. 13:57 He went away again the second time, 13:58 and prayed, saying, O, my Father, 14:00 if this cup may not pass away from me, 14:02 except I drink it, Thy will be done. 14:06 And He came to them again. 14:08 He came again and He found them asleep," why? 14:10 "Because their eyes were heavy." 14:13 "And He left them, and went away again, 14:16 and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 14:19 Then cometh He to his disciples, 14:21 and saith unto them, what, 14:23 sleep on now, and take your rest, 14:26 behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man 14:29 is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 14:32 Rise, let us be going, behold, 14:34 he is at hand that doth betray me." 14:36 Now I want you remember, 14:38 all these things happened unto them for ensamples, 14:42 types or symbols, they are written 14:44 for our admonition upon whom the end of the world are come. 14:47 What we're looking at right now? 14:51 Our moments, the final moments 14:54 that Jesus speak with his disciples 14:56 before they come upon the greatest crisis 14:59 that they would ever experience. 15:03 They were getting ready to see the one 15:04 in whom they had invested 15:06 all of their hopes taken from them. 15:08 As Jesus was approaching the cross, you'll notice, 15:11 if you look at the previous chapters 15:12 that His message begins to change. 15:14 He begins to put His focus on the cross. 15:16 He tells them, "Listen, I'm going to die, 15:18 I am going to raise again on the third day." 15:19 "I'm going to die, I am going to raise again 15:20 on the third day. 15:22 They're going to take me, they are going to kill me. 15:23 I am going to raise again on the third day." 15:25 He begins to make the cross the focus of his message, why? 15:27 Because that was the present truth for their hour. 15:31 They needed faithful instruction 15:34 concerning the crisis that was right before them 15:36 because He knew, if they did not understand that 15:39 and they were not preparing for it, 15:41 when the crisis came, 15:42 they will react the same way that they did. 15:46 And so He made the cross the focus of his message 15:50 because that was the present truth for their time. 15:55 Because what they were getting ready to experience 15:56 was the greatest crisis that they would ever go through, 15:59 they would see Jesus taken by the leaders of the church, 16:02 delivered into the hands of the state 16:05 and unitedly the church and the state 16:07 will put their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 16:09 upon the cross, making his life of no effect 16:12 The reason I find this so interesting 16:14 is because that very same Jesus 16:15 they were getting ready to put on the cross, 16:17 Jesus said of himself in the Book of John 14:6, 16:20 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 16:22 No man cometh unto the Father but by me." 16:25 Moments from that time they were with Jesus 16:27 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 16:28 They were going to see the truth, 16:30 the very living embodiment of the truth 16:32 taken by the leaders of the church, 16:33 delivered into the hands of the state, 16:35 and the church and the state united, 16:36 will put the truth on the cross, 16:38 making the truth of no effect. 16:42 Very interesting, in the Book of Psalms 119:142, 16:45 the Bible says this about the truth, 16:48 "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, 16:50 and Thy law is the truth." 16:53 Jesus was the living embodiment of truth 16:56 because Jesus was the living, 16:57 breathing revelation of the law of God. 17:01 And so the crisis that the disciples 17:03 were getting ready to face, 17:05 was that they were going to see the leaders of the church 17:08 unite with the leaders of the state, 17:10 collectively they were put the will of God upon the cross 17:14 and make the law of God of no effect. 17:20 Another thing interesting about Jesus, Mark 2:27, 28, 17:23 Jesus said this, "The Sabbath was made for man, 17:25 and not man for the Sabbath, 17:27 therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." 17:32 Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath. 17:34 What were the disciples getting ready to experience? 17:37 They were getting ready to see the leaders of the church 17:40 unite with the leaders of the state 17:42 and collectively the church and the state united, 17:45 will put the Lord of Sabbath on the cross, 17:48 making the Lord of Sabbath's life of no effect. 17:51 Something very interesting, 17:53 it was the Roman God that was responsible for this. 17:54 I made sure when I went to Rome recently that I had, 17:57 that I just quality this information as factual. 18:01 The soldiers of pagan Rome, 18:05 their patron God was the God Mithra, 18:08 the sun god. 18:11 So when they could survive someone 18:12 on the course they would also offer 18:13 a sacrifice to the sun God Mithra. 18:16 What's the point? 18:17 They were going to see their Lord and Savior, 18:19 the Lord of Sabbath placed on the cross. 18:22 His life made of no effect but at the same time 18:25 homage would be paid to the sun. 18:30 I wonder if we're getting ready 18:31 to pass through a similar crisis. 18:34 Are we getting ready to see the church and state unite, 18:39 take God's law, maliciously deal with it 18:43 and make the truth of no effect, 18:45 in particular, attack God's Holy Sabbath day 18:48 and at the same time exalt a day 18:49 that has no grounds of authority 18:52 within the word of God, Sunday rest. 18:57 Bible says all these things happen 18:58 unto them for ensamples, 19:00 they are written for our admonition 19:01 upon whom the ends of the world are come. 19:03 I am fully convinced that if we look at this event 19:06 right here in Matthew 26 19:08 and look at how the disciples reacted 19:09 and how we should react, we will be able to stand 19:12 in that hour of our crisis. 19:16 Let's take a look at Matthew 26. 19:18 Let's look at it closely, okay, Matthew 26. 19:21 So it's very familiar, Jesus tells them, listen, 19:24 "All of you are going to be offended 19:25 because of me this night." 19:26 He didn't just say this because of what He thought, 19:28 he said, "For it is written," according to the word of God, 19:31 "It is written, I will smite the shepherd, 19:34 and all the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." 19:36 But Peter, Peter says, No, no, listen. 19:40 "Though all men shall be offended 19:41 because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." 19:46 What was he denying? 19:47 Was he denying just the word of Christ 19:49 or was he denying the word of God? 19:51 Did Jesus say, "This is what I think," 19:53 or did He say, "It is written"? 19:55 He said, this is what is written. 19:57 This is what the word of God says will take place. 19:59 And in it's pomposity he says, no, no. 20:04 Everybody would be offended but not me. 20:07 But yet when Jesus goes and praises His father, 20:11 "If it be possible let this cup pass from me, 20:13 nevertheless not as I will but as Thy will." 20:15 And He comes unto the disciples, 20:16 He finds them all asleep, including Peter, 20:19 who is the first person that He addresses. 20:22 Who does He go to, James? Who does He go to, John? 20:25 I mean, think about it, it would've been good for Him 20:27 to go to John as well. 20:28 John was just, he was the one 20:30 that was lying on his bosom, right? 20:31 Last supper, He should close communion with him, 20:34 but He went to Peter. 20:36 He went to Peter, he said, "What? 20:38 Could you not watch with me one hour?" 20:40 And of course, the immediate thought in our minds would be, 20:42 yeah, of course he went to Peter 20:43 because Peter was the one that was so arrogant, so sure 20:50 that he would not offend or be offended 20:57 because of his Lord and savior in that hour. 21:01 But I find something very interesting. 21:04 There's a reason why Jesus addressed Peter 21:06 and that reason goes very, very, very deep down 21:11 into the heart of the matter. 21:14 There was a name that Jesus gave to Peter. 21:15 Do you remember what it was? 21:17 See the Book of John, Chapter 1:46. 21:19 John 1. Open your Bibles there, quick. 21:21 John 1:42. In John 1:42. 21:24 When Philip brought John unto Jesus-- 21:32 Listen to this, John 1:42, the Bible says this, 21:35 "And he brought him to Jesus. 21:37 And when Jesus beheld him," when Jesus beheld him, 21:39 "He said, Thou art Simon, son of Jonah, thou name shalt," 21:44 "thou name shalt be called Cephas, 21:48 which is by interpretation, A stone." 21:52 When did Jesus give him this name? 21:53 The Bible said, when he beheld him. 21:56 When he beheld him. 21:57 He saw something in Peter that made Him call him a stone. 22:01 Remember, the Bible says, 22:02 "Man look at on the outward appearance 22:04 but God looks on the," 22:06 Jesus named Peter Cephas because Peter was a Cephas. 22:10 There was something stony about Peter. 22:13 Something stony about his heart. 22:15 So let's see the Bible says about the stony heart. 22:17 Open the Bible with me, open your Bible with me, 22:18 we're going back to Matthew 13. 22:20 In Matthew 13, Jesus presents to us 22:22 a parable concerning different soils. 22:26 The sower sowing the seed 22:27 and the, the seed falls on different soils. 22:30 Look what the Bible says concerning 22:32 the stony ground in Matthew 13, we're beginning at verse 20. 22:36 The word of God says, "But he that received 22:38 the seed into stony places, 22:40 the same is he that heareth the word, 22:42 and anon with joy receiveth it." 22:44 So the man that receives this seed, 22:46 the word of God at the stony places, 22:47 when he hears the word of God, he says, that's the truth. 22:50 That's the truth. 22:53 I have to tell everyone. 22:55 That's how I reacted when I hear it, by the way. 22:58 He said, I have to tell everybody about this. 23:00 I have to tell my family members, 23:01 my friends, my neighbors, 23:03 everybody needs to hear this truth. 23:04 I am willing to die for this. This is it. 23:06 I don't care what anybody says, 23:08 I'll lose all my family members and friends for this truth. 23:10 Have you ever seen people like that before? 23:12 Have you been that person before? 23:16 He says, anon with joy receives it. 23:18 But look at verse 21, the Bible says this, 23:20 "Yet hath he not root in himself, 23:22 but dureth for a while." 23:25 The stony ground here, 23:26 although he hears the word of God, 23:27 he's excited about the word of God, 23:29 he can immediately identify that the word of God is truth, 23:32 the Bible says he only endures in that truth for a while 23:36 because he has no root in himself. 23:39 What is the root that he is lacking? 23:41 Let's look at couple of Scriptures. 23:43 Open your Bibles with me to Ephesians 3, 23:44 we're going to begin a verse 16. 23:46 Ephesians 3, beginning at verse 16. 23:48 What does it mean to lack root in oneself? 23:50 What does it mean to have root in oneself? 23:52 Ephesians 3, beginning at verse 16. 23:55 Bible says this, "That he may grant you, 23:57 according to the riches of His glory, 24:00 to be strengthened with might 24:02 in the inner man by his Spirit." 24:06 Look at this, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, 24:12 that ye, being rooted and grounded in love. 24:17 May be able to comprehend with all saints 24:20 what is the breadth, and length, 24:21 and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, 24:23 which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled 24:26 with all the fullness of God." 24:28 Open your Bibles now to Colossians 2. 24:31 Colossians 2, we're going to look at verse 7. 24:32 What does that mean to possess root in oneself? 24:34 You saw something right there. 24:35 Colossians 2, looking at verse 7 now. 24:39 Let's start at verse 6, I like it. 24:40 It says, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus, 24:44 the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, 24:50 and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, 24:54 abounding therein with thanksgiving." 24:57 What does it mean for a man to possess root in himself? 25:01 The man that has root in himself is the man 25:03 that is filled with the Spirit of God. 25:08 The Spirit of God dwells in that man, 25:10 strengthening his frail, 25:12 mortal flesh to walk in the will of God. 25:15 Christ reigns in that man's heart by faith 25:19 so the works that he does, it is not in his own strength, 25:21 it is through the power of God operating through him. 25:26 But the stony ground here, he hears the word of God, 25:28 he gets excited about the word of God 25:30 but he tries to perform the will of God 25:33 in his own fleshly strength. 25:38 He's not strengthened 25:40 with the might of the Spirit in his inner man. 25:42 That's why Jesus said, listen, 25:44 "the spirit indeed is willing but your flesh is weak," 25:46 you need root in yourself, Peter. 25:48 I wonder how many of us need root in ourselves. 25:53 Trying to live out this truth in our own might, 25:54 in our own strength, in our own intellect, 25:56 in our own understanding, that will not cut it. 25:59 Humanity cannot meet the demands of divinity. 26:05 That is why God has given us a Spirit. 26:07 The Bible says in John 16:13, "Howbeit when he, 26:09 the Spirit of truth, is come, 26:11 He will guide you into all truth." 26:15 And the Bible says that He will guide us into all truth. 26:17 It does not simply mean that He will instruct us 26:19 in the ways of truth but He will empower us 26:20 so that we can walk in the path of truth. 26:24 Acts 1:8, "And ye shall receive power, 26:26 after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." 26:30 We have no root in ourselves if we have no Spirit. 26:32 I don't care how much you believe 26:33 the truth is the truth, 26:35 if you do not have the Spirit of God, 26:37 you will reject that truth. 26:40 Look, the Bible says it right there, stony ground, 26:42 here back in Matthew 13, looking at verse 21. 26:44 It says, "Yet he dureth for a while 26:48 because he has no root in himself, 26:52 because when tribulation or persecution ariseth 26:56 because of the word, by and by he is offended." 27:02 Is that what happened to Peter? 27:04 Peter said, though all men should be offended 27:06 because of thee, yet will I never be offended, 27:07 I will die with thee. 27:09 But as soon as offence came 27:10 because of the living word of God, 27:12 Jesus Christ, he was out of there. 27:16 He was offended, he departed, he left the truth 27:18 that he pledged his life to. 27:21 Do you know the Bible says? 27:23 That's exactly what's getting ready to happen 27:24 in these last days. 27:25 Many of us that say we believe in this truth, 27:27 oh, we stand on the Ten Commandments of God, 27:30 I'll never give it up. 27:33 Many of us because we possess no root, 27:35 the Bible says this is exactly 27:36 what's going to transpire in these last days. 27:38 Look at it, it's right there, Matthew 24. 27:41 Matthew 24, you can begin at verse 7. 27:44 It says, "For nation shall rise against nation, 27:46 and kingdom against kingdom: 27:47 and there shall be famines, and pestilences, 27:49 and earthquakes, in divers places. 27:50 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 27:53 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted." 27:56 Here it is, it's the bad part now. 27:58 "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, 28:00 and they shall kill you, and ye shall be hated 28:02 of all nations for My name's sake." 28:05 Here comes offense. 28:07 Look what it says, next verse, "Then shall many be offended, 28:11 and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another." 28:15 Some of the same people that you sat in church with, 28:17 they will betray you into the hands 28:19 of the enemies of God 28:22 because of lacking root in themselves. 28:28 Jesus said to Peter, "What, could you 28:30 not watch with me one hour?" 28:32 Do you know our one hour is coming? 28:34 Our one hour is coming. 28:36 The Bible says it, look at it, Revelation 3, 28:38 Revelation 3, we're going to verse 10. 28:40 The Bible says this very clearly, 28:42 "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, 28:45 I also will keep thee in the hour of temptation, 28:49 which shall come upon all the world, 28:51 all the earth to try them that dwell upon the earth." 28:57 That our temptation is coming. 28:59 All of us are going to be brought 29:00 face to face with this crisis. 29:03 None of us will be able to escape it. 29:05 The same council that Jesus gave to Peter comes down 29:08 through the ages to us. 29:09 Watch and pray. 29:13 That's the only way we'll be able to stand. 29:15 Watch and pray. Watch and pray. 29:19 Because our hour is coming. 29:22 But when Jesus left then them, He came back the second time. 29:26 The Bible says when He came back the second time, 29:28 He finds them asleep again. 29:30 Why? Because their eyes were heavy. 29:36 I wonder what this spiritual application may mean for us 29:38 in these last days. 29:40 What does it mean, the eyes are heavy? 29:41 Well, their literal eyes were evidently heavy. 29:42 How can our eyes-- 29:44 Are there spiritual eyes that we have? 29:47 And can they become heavy? What are these spiritual eyes? 29:49 Let's look at the couple of Scriptures. 29:50 Go with me to, let's go to Ephesians 1:18. 29:53 Ephesians 1:18. 29:56 Just going to give you 29:57 the first portion of that Scripture. 29:59 In Ephesians 1:18 it says that, 30:01 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened." 30:07 So the eyes they are connected to one's understanding, 30:10 that word understanding in the original language, 30:12 the original Greek means the mental faculties, 30:15 the mind, the reasoning in the judgment. 30:17 Matter of fact, there's another scripture 30:19 identifying the operation of the spiritual eyes. 30:21 I believe it's in the Book of Matthew Chapter 6:22. 30:24 Let me open my Bible there, quickly. 30:26 That's correct, it says there, in Matthew 6:22, 30:29 "The light of the body is the eye, 30:31 if therefore thine eye be single, 30:33 thy whole body shall be full of light. 30:36 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body 30:38 shall be full of darkness. 30:39 And if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, 30:41 how great is that darkness thereof." 30:43 Ladies and gentlemen, the eye in the Bible 30:45 can stand as a symbol of our mental faculties, 30:47 our reasoning of our judgment, 30:49 the same way that I'm using my literal eyes 30:50 right now to judge myself surroundings, 30:52 whether I should go too far left, 30:54 and fall off the stage here. 30:57 I am using them to judge, where my feet are going to go. 30:59 Same way we're supposed to use our mental faculties to judge 31:02 the course of our lives in this world. 31:05 Question, can the mental faculties, 31:07 the mind of man become overcharged, 31:10 burdened down, heavy? 31:12 Because the word heavy means overcharged, or burdened down. 31:16 Is it possible? And by what means? 31:18 Luke 21, go with me there. 31:20 Luke 21, we're going to look at verse 34. 31:22 Luke 21:34. 31:25 Bible says this, "Take heed to yourselves, 31:30 lest by any means your hearts be overcharged." 31:35 The heart is the mind, the spiritual eye. 31:37 Your hearts be overcharged, 31:39 the word overcharged means heavy, burden down. 31:43 Lest by any means your eyes become heavy. 31:46 How? Number one. 31:47 "By surfeiting, and drunkenness, 31:50 and the cares of this life, 31:52 and so that day come upon you unawares." 31:56 So the mind can become burdened down, 31:59 the mind, the mental faculties, 32:00 they can become laden down with burdens. 32:04 And the Bible says through three means, 32:05 surfeiting, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. 32:09 I present to you this evening 32:11 that Jesus did not just present these 32:13 in any old fashion or any old order 32:15 but I believe he presented them in their respective order. 32:20 Surfeiting, what does surfeiting mean? 32:21 Surfeiting can mean excess, intemperance. 32:25 We are living in an age of excess, 32:29 we are living in the age of intemperance. 32:34 Surfeiting, overeating, glutting. 32:37 Surfeiting in what we see and what we hear. 32:40 Be numbing the mental faculties 32:42 whether it be through the belly or through the mind, 32:46 through the eyes, through the senses. 32:49 Crippling our minds. Do you think that's possible? 32:55 I know sometimes people get upset 32:57 when you start talking about their food. 32:58 Let me talk about food then. 33:00 Surfeiting, you know what happens 33:02 when you overeat, right? 33:04 Because the blood has to be focused 33:05 on the digestive process. 33:07 You overeat then the blood really has to be focused 33:09 on the digestive process. 33:11 And then it can't be where? 33:15 This organ which is the only organ 33:17 through which the Spirit of God can communicate with humanity. 33:22 Matter of fact, through the servant of the Lord, 33:24 Sister Ellen G. White, 33:25 she makes a very interesting statement, 33:27 she talks about how glutting 33:28 is the prevailing sin of this age. 33:30 Men and women have become the slaves of appetite. 33:34 And says that when we become slaves of appetite 33:37 it cripples our more sensibilities 33:39 and stupefies our intellect to such a degree 33:42 that the sacred elevated 33:44 truth of God's word cannot be appreciated. 33:47 So the mind is crippled 33:49 and then drunkenness comes in next. 33:51 Now you're thinking, drunk, okay, 33:52 if I eat too much I can become drunk. 33:54 That's true. That's true. 33:55 But brothers and sisters, I really don't believe 33:56 that the drunkenness that the Bible is talking about here 33:58 because in these last days, there is a wine 34:01 that's being dispensed in the land, 34:02 that's to make all the nations drunk 34:04 and it's the wine of Babylon. 34:06 Revelation 14:8, "And the second angel follow, 34:10 saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, 34:12 because she has made all nations drink of the wine 34:15 of the wrath of her fornication." 34:18 If you look in Jeremiah 51:7, the Bible gives us 34:20 more information about this wine of Babylon. 34:22 Not literal wine, we're talking about false education, 34:25 we're talking about deceptions, 34:27 we're talking about evil ideologies, teachings, 34:29 and principles that are not in harmony 34:31 with the principles of the word of God. 34:35 To be very up forthright, 34:39 they are antagonistic to the word of God. 34:42 And in Jeremiah 51:7, the Bible says this, 34:45 "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, 34:48 which hath made all the earth drunken: 34:50 the nations have drunken of her wine; 34:52 therefore the nations are mad." 34:56 That word mad in the original Hebrew means that 34:58 when you drink the wine of Babylon, 34:59 it turns you into a fool. 35:02 Now what does the Bible say about fools in Psalms 14:1? 35:05 "The fool says in his heart, there is no God." 35:09 So when someone drinks the wine of Babylon, 35:11 they reject the knowledge of God. 35:13 So we think about all those people 35:14 out there in the world, right, that are atheists 35:17 and all that, makes us feel good 35:19 'cause we are in the church and we believe in God, right? 35:22 Can I submit to you that it means more than 35:25 just rejecting the knowledge of God in that sense? 35:28 "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." 35:31 What if you live your life daily 35:34 as if God is not watching you taking an accurate account 35:36 of your thoughts, your words and your actions, 35:39 and the motives behind your thoughts, 35:41 your words, and your actions? 35:42 Are you not living like the fool? 35:46 Are you not living as if there is no God, 35:48 even though you profess that there is a God? 35:51 You've fallen to the wine of Babylon. 35:55 See, through all of the excess, 35:57 the devil wants to cripple our mental faculties 35:59 so that we will succumb to the wine of Babylon 36:02 which makes us begin to live our lives 36:04 as if we are not subject of the Creator of the universe. 36:07 And then what happens next? 36:08 The cares of this life overcome us. 36:11 Because that's all that we live for now. 36:13 Heavenly things are no more the focus of our life. 36:17 It's a strategic attack. 36:20 "For as a snare shall come upon all them 36:22 that dwell upon the earth." 36:23 I want you to see what goes on to say right there, 36:25 Luke 21:35, Jesus says this. 36:28 Verse 36, I believe it is. Luke 21:36, Jesus says this. 36:32 And I want you to see if His counsel to us 36:34 here in these last days is the same counsel 36:36 that He gave to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. 36:39 Luke 21:36, he says this, "Watch ye therefore, 36:43 and pray sometimes." 36:46 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always," why? 36:48 "That ye may be accounted worthy 36:50 to escape all these things that will come to pass, 36:52 and stand before the Son of man." 36:57 The message comes once again, watch and pray, 37:00 watch and pray, watch and pray. 37:04 The only way we will be able to stand, 37:06 the only way we can beat the crisis, 37:08 watch and pray. 37:10 Go back with me, Matthew Chapter 26. 37:14 Matthew, 26. 37:16 Matthew, the 26 chapter. 37:20 Oh, brothers and sisters, I believe we're closer 37:24 than what we think. 37:26 Matthew Chapter 26, we are looking at verse 45 now. 37:31 Jesus comes to them the third time now 37:33 and once again, when He comes to the disciples, 37:35 he find them asleep again. 37:36 But look at how Jesus reacts to them. 37:38 He says, sleep on now and take your rest. 37:41 Now when Jesus said to them, sleep on now 37:43 and take your rest, you think you are saying, 37:44 oh, Peter, James and John, these three times 37:47 I've come to you and you really can stay awake. 37:50 Evidently, you boys are tired. Pull up a stone, Peter. 37:53 Put some grass, James. 37:55 You boys lay down and enjoy yourself. 37:57 I'll just go and pray, I'll pray for us all. 38:00 You guys go ahead and sleep. 38:02 Do you think that's what he meant? 38:03 It's evident that's not what He meant 38:05 because the very next statement is, 38:06 "Rise, let us be going." 38:09 What was he saying then when he said, 38:10 sleep on now, and take your rest? 38:12 He was saying, how can you still be sleeping? 38:15 Are you still sleeping now? 38:17 How can you still be sleeping, the hour is at hand? 38:23 Brothers and sisters, how in the world 38:24 can we still be sleeping? 38:27 How in the world can we still be engrossed 38:30 in the things of this world? 38:33 How in the world can we allow all the things 38:38 that the enemy presents to us on a day-by-day basis 38:41 and grows our intention, 38:42 when it is clear from the signs of the times 38:44 that the hour's at hand. 38:47 And the Son of Man is getting ready to betrayed 38:49 into the hands of sinners once again. 38:52 I want you to see what Jesus said. 38:55 He said, "Rise, let us be going." 38:57 Why, "behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." 39:02 Who is the one that was getting ready to betray Jesus? 39:04 You all know who it is, everybody knows who it is. 39:07 Don't even have to read the Bible to know this one. 39:09 Judas. 39:11 Judas was the one that was going to betray Jesus. 39:17 Do you know Jesus call Judas by another name, 39:21 the one that was going to betray him? 39:22 Do you know the other name that Jesus called Judas by? 39:27 It's right here, John 17. 39:31 You should open your Bibles there, 39:32 John 17, we're going to look at verse 12. 39:35 This is what Jesus said, 39:38 "While I was with them in the world, 39:40 I kept them in Thy name: 39:43 those that Thou gavest me I have kept them, 39:46 and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; 39:53 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled." 39:55 What did He call Judas? The son of perdition. 39:59 He said, "Behold, he is at hand that doth betray me," 40:03 the son of perdition was on his way. 40:05 Brothers and Sisters, the son of perdition 40:07 is on his way once again. 40:09 He's coming to a city near you. 40:15 Bible says in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, 40:18 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2. 40:19 If you don't know what I'm talking about, 40:21 the Bible makes it clear. 40:22 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the word of God says, 40:24 "Let no man deceive you by any means: 40:27 for that day shall not come." 40:28 Speaking of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 40:30 That day, that hour will not come 40:33 except there come a falling away first, 40:35 and apostasy would take place 40:36 in the ranks of the church of God. 40:38 Then what would happen? 40:39 Then that man of sin shall be revealed, 40:42 the son of perdition. 40:46 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself 40:47 above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; 40:49 so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, 40:52 shewing himself that he is God." 40:53 We are talking about the development 40:55 of the papal power, the son of perdition there, 40:57 none other than the Pope of Rome himself. 40:59 Brothers and Sisters, rise, let us be going, 41:02 behold, he is at hand that doth betray our Lord. 41:05 The son of perdition is coming. 41:07 He's coming into the borders 41:09 of the United States of America. 41:11 He's coming to make history to speak to the joint houses 41:13 of Congress very first time. 41:14 Do you think he's not going to use 41:16 this opportunity to make waves? 41:22 Waves. 41:26 The son of perdition, he's coming. 41:29 And as we can see these movements 41:31 rapidly taking place, Jesus says, "watch and pray." 41:35 What should we be watching? Signs of the times. 41:38 Evidently, we need to watch the signs of the times. 41:39 What else should we be watching? 41:41 The person next to us. 41:43 Brother, you need to get your life right. 41:46 That's what we need to be watching. 41:48 Brothers and sister, we need to be 41:50 watching ourselves, watching. 41:53 Am I allowing pride to take hold in my heart? 41:57 Are there are some evil passions 41:59 that are overcoming me 42:00 and that I am not gaining the victory 42:02 over by faith in Jesus Christ? 42:05 Am I being kind, am I my speaking words of life 42:08 and truth and beauty in my home, 42:09 those things which are encouraging, 42:11 building up to my family members? 42:14 We need to be watching ourselves. 42:16 And as we're watching ourselves, 42:17 we need to pray, saying, 42:18 Lord, keep my feet in the narrow way 42:20 because I want to meet you in peace. 42:23 Watch and pray. 42:27 We have to. 42:31 We have some serious decisions we need to make. 42:34 I have a few minutes left. 42:36 I want to share with you a short testimony. 42:39 Few years ago as I was working as a call porter- 42:41 I was with the call porter stores. 42:44 I knew I'd get an amen from you. 42:48 I was really blessed to get Bible studies everyday 42:52 as I would go out and I remember one day 42:54 I was unable to go out 42:55 because I had a dental appointment. 42:56 Anyhow, I came back from the dental appointment 43:00 and I had to go to the pharmacy to fill my prescription 43:03 and I was just down that day 43:04 because I wasn't able to get that Bible study, 43:07 I was so accustomed to getting my Bible study. 43:10 And so I went to the pharmacist to fill this prescription 43:13 and as I was getting ready to leave 43:14 out of the pharmacy, 43:16 the Spirit of the Lord just impressed me, 43:17 go sit down in the waiting area and read your Bible. 43:20 So I sat down, I pulled out my little pocket Bible 43:23 and I began to read and there was an older lady 43:26 that was seated across from me and she said to me, 43:28 "Oh, that's a great book that you are reading." 43:30 And I said, it's the best book. 43:32 And then we began to talk about the Bible 43:33 and then as, wait a second, 43:35 this is my Bible study for today. 43:36 I said, "Ma'am, would you like to study the Bible with me?" 43:39 She said, "I would love to study the Bible with you. 43:40 Matter of fact, my husband and I would love 43:42 to study the Bible with you." 43:44 So she gave me her contact information 43:46 and as she finished giving me her contact information 43:48 she said, okay, I have to go now. 43:50 Now she was in the waiting area 43:51 before I got to the waiting area, 43:53 so I figured she was waiting for what I was waiting for. 43:54 Do you get what I'm saying? 43:56 But evidently, she was waiting for me. 43:59 And as she got up, out and as she began 44:01 to try to get up, out of the chair, 44:04 I know she had some trouble getting up. 44:06 And so my mother taught me to, 44:08 you know, be a gentleman in all these things, 44:09 praise the Lord. 44:10 So I said, "Would you like me to help you to your car?" 44:12 And she said, "I would love that." 44:13 So I, I started to assist her, and as I began assisting her 44:17 I realized she started walking so much better, 44:20 almost immediately. 44:21 I said, "Wow, you're walking a whole lot better." 44:23 She said, "Well, you're helping me." 44:24 I thought nothing of it. 44:26 So I took her to a car, 44:27 said, God bless, you have a nice day. 44:29 Got my prescription, I went home rejoicing 44:30 because I got a Bible study even though I didn't get to go 44:32 into the street that day. 44:34 And so the next day early in the morning 44:36 as I was having my devotions in that little apartment 44:38 that we stayed in, after I finished my devotions, 44:42 all charged up, 44:46 I remember picking up my cell phone 44:47 and seeing multiple missed calls 44:49 from the same number. 44:52 I am saying, who in the world would be calling me 44:54 as this hour in the morning this many times, 44:56 it's got to be important. 44:58 So I try to call back, but every time I try to call 45:00 I got a busy signal. 45:02 Then I got on my knees and I said, Lord, 45:04 if you want me to talk with this person open up the line. 45:09 And so I picked up the phone again, 45:10 I dialed the number and it rang. 45:14 And I heard a voice of a female on the other end. 45:18 Then I said, "Hello." 45:20 And it turned out to be the woman 45:22 that I met the day previous in the pharmacy. 45:24 And she said to me, "I'm not feeling well, 45:27 I need to see you today." 45:29 I said, I said, "Okay. 45:32 What time do you want to see me?" 45:33 She said, "I'm at my daughter's house right now, 45:35 it will take me about 45 minutes to get home. 45:36 Can you meet me at my house?" And she gave me her address. 45:39 I said, "I could meet you there." 45:41 And she said, "Okay, I'll see you later." 45:43 Hung up the phone. I was excited. 45:44 Because I didn't think I was going to get 45:46 the Bible study that quick. 45:48 So I got up and I, I'm getting myself together for the day 45:52 and all of the sudden as I'm going, 45:54 the Spirit of God just came upon me strongly 45:56 and said, "Chris, 45:58 this is not a normal Bible study you're going to. 46:01 This woman is possessed with a demon." 46:04 Now, I had never experienced anything like this before. 46:07 I've heard about these things. 46:09 It's not that I had any unbelief, 46:10 truly I didn't have any unbelief in that 46:12 because I knew I was possessed with demon. 46:14 But I've never experienced dealing with somebody 46:16 that was possessed with demons. 46:18 And I remember hearing from some season pastors that, 46:23 if you deal with somebody that's possessed with demons, 46:25 you better confess and forsake your sins, 46:27 because whatever is in them, is going to be in you. 46:30 And so I just remember that I said, okay, I need to pray. 46:33 And so I started asking the Lord, 46:35 please show me whatever is in me, 46:37 whatever sins I'm committing, that I'm not doing, 46:40 whatever I'm not doing that's pleasing in your sight, 46:42 Lord, please cleanse my life of all sin. 46:44 And I'm just praying as I'm getting my stuff together 46:46 and I am packing my call porter bag 46:48 and I'm putting everything in the bag. 46:49 I am putting my Bible in there, my books in there, 46:51 my concordance in there, 46:52 these are weapons of my warfare, you know. 46:53 So putting everything. I don't need all that stuff. 46:57 But I just thought I need to bring everything 46:58 that I can bring with me. 46:59 I don't know what I'm going up against. 47:01 Left the house. Didn't have a car at that time. 47:04 So I remember I called the taxi cab, 47:05 I'm in the back of a taxi, praying and asking God 47:07 to forgive me of my sins. 47:10 Finally, I get to the woman's house, 47:11 jump out the car, ring the doorbell, 47:14 nobody answers. 47:15 Ring the doorbell again, nobody answers. 47:19 I stopped and I thought to myself, what is this? 47:22 Lord, you, I asked you if you want me 47:23 to talk to the person, open up the line, 47:25 you open the line up. 47:28 I know it's you that told me that this person 47:30 is demon possessed but nobody's here. 47:33 Then the Spirit of God impressed me 47:34 and said, open your Bible 47:36 and turn to this particular book in the Bible, 47:39 to this particular chapter. 47:41 And when you're finished reading 47:43 she's going to drive up. 47:46 I was led to open my Bible to the account 47:50 where Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration. 47:53 Many of you are familiar with it. 47:55 And when He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, 47:57 He saw His disciples in a little bit of a dispute 47:59 because they were not able to cast a demon 48:02 out of a young boy. 48:04 And before Jesus casted this demon out, 48:06 he asked the father of the young boy, 48:08 how long has he been in this condition? 48:09 And the father said, since he was a youth 48:11 and how the demon cast him sometimes in the fire, 48:13 sometimes in the water. 48:16 As I finished reading the very last word 48:19 in association with that account, 48:20 I lifted my eyes and there was the car rolling 48:22 right in front of the house. 48:26 She parks the car, never looks left never looks right. 48:29 Her head is wrapped with a scarf. 48:30 This is the middle-- I mean, things are different now 48:34 because everything is changed with the weather. 48:35 But this was the middle of August. 48:38 Ha, she has a scarf wrapped around her head. 48:42 Never looks left, never looks right. 48:44 And goes into her purse, pulls out a cigarette 48:47 and begins to smoke. 48:49 And I'm wondering why she sitting in the car 48:50 just smoking a cigarette 48:52 when I'm standing here on her doorstep. 48:53 Then I thought to myself, 48:55 well, maybe she needs me to help her get out the car 48:57 because I remember she had some problems 48:58 walking the other day. 49:00 So I walked up to the driver's side window 49:01 and I knocked on the window and asked her, 49:04 you know, can I help you get out of the car? 49:06 And she said to me, get in. 49:09 Remember, I prayed, so I am getting in. 49:12 So I got into the car, looking at her and only at her, 49:16 she said, I need you to go with me. 49:17 I said, okay. 49:19 And she begins to drive down the road. 49:20 As she's driving down the road, 49:23 she turns the air conditioning all the way up, 49:26 then she turns the heat all the way up. 49:27 Then she turns the air-conditioning 49:29 all the way up, then she turns the heat all the way up. 49:31 She turns the A/C all the way up, 49:32 she turns the heat all the way up. 49:33 I don't know what to do with myself now. 49:37 And I am like, what is going on? 49:39 And then I remember sometimes in the fires 49:41 sometimes in the water. 49:44 I said, wow, what would Jesus do? 49:45 What did Jesus do? 49:47 And I said, okay, he assess the situation. 49:48 I said to her, "Pam, how long did you have this, 49:52 how long have you had this problem 49:53 with your arthritis?" 49:55 And she said, "Since I was nine years old." 49:58 I said, okay, this doesn't seem normal to me. 50:02 Then we got to our destination, our destination was FedEx. 50:05 She parks. 50:08 And for the first time now I begin to survey 50:10 my surroundings in the car 50:12 because up until then I keep my eyes fixed on her. 50:15 So now I have started to look around 50:17 and she has multiple cigarette lighters, 50:20 multiple boxes of cigarettes, some of them open, 50:22 some of them closed, 50:23 some of them have five cigarette, 50:25 some of them have ten cigarettes, 50:26 some of the have one cigarette, some of them are full packs. 50:28 Opens the glove compartment, same scenario. 50:30 And I'm saying now, I've been around 50:31 a lot of chain smokers in my life. 50:34 This is not chain smoking. 50:37 That's when I was convinced in my mind 50:39 this woman is dealing with something supernatural. 50:42 So I said to her, ever so humbly, 50:45 "Pam, do you realize that you have a problem?" 50:48 She just nods her head, yes. 50:52 And then I asked her, I said, 50:53 "Pam, do you realize that your problem is not normal?" 50:57 She nod's her head, yes. 50:59 Every time she says yes, I get a little more courage. 51:02 I said, "Pam, do you realize your problem is supernatural?" 51:07 She nods her head, yes. 51:10 I said, "Pam, do you realize that 51:13 your problem is, you're dealing with demons?" 51:16 And she nods her head, yes. 51:18 I said, "Pam, today God wants to make you free." 51:21 And she had a smile that came on her face, 51:23 and she put her hand on top of my hands, older lady. 51:26 Then I said to her, we're going to need 51:28 to go to your house 51:29 and there's probably some things 51:31 that you may have in your house 51:32 that we're going to need to get rid of. 51:33 But we're going to put them in a garbage bag, 51:35 we're going to put them out and then we're going to pray. 51:38 And when we pray, God is going to set you free. 51:41 And she smiled. 51:42 And then I said to her, 51:44 and we're going to have to get rid of the cigarettes. 51:46 And then she said, the cigarettes are my pleasure, 51:48 Jesus said I can keep the cigarettes. 51:49 The cigarettes are my pleasure. 51:52 And then I paused. 51:55 And I said, what am I going to do now? 51:58 Then I began to open my Bible and I shared with her 52:01 how the body is the temple of the Living God, 52:04 how the Lord desires for us to be in good health 52:06 and prosper even as our souls prosper. 52:08 I began to share with her all of these basic principles 52:11 of health and salvation. 52:12 And as we were going through them, 52:14 I could see that the Spirit of God 52:16 was moving on her heart and then I came to my appeal 52:18 and I said, this is why we're going to have 52:20 to get rid of the cigarettes. 52:22 As he said, the cigarettes are my pleasure. 52:24 Jesus said I have to keep this, 52:26 Jesus said I can keep the cigarettes. 52:27 The cigarettes are my pleasure. 52:30 And now I'm a bit frustrated, to be honest, 52:33 because I'm saying to myself, wait a second, 52:35 I thought the Lord brought me here to cast a demon out today. 52:39 And every time 52:41 I'm saying we need to get rid of something, 52:44 she's fighting to keep it. 52:47 Then I said to repent, "Why did you call me today?" 52:53 She said to me, "Because you're the only Bible man 52:55 that I know." 52:57 I said to her, "Pam, why did you need a Bible man today?" 53:00 She reaches in the back of the car, 53:02 she grab a FedEx envelop and she puts it in my hand. 53:05 I looked at the FedEx envelop 53:09 and I said, what this FedEx have to do with this? 53:13 And she said to me, FedEx means F the exorcist, 53:15 I abbreviated the wording for your hearing. 53:18 You understand what I'm talking about. 53:20 You know who was speaking. 53:24 I was taken back. 53:27 And then I said to her, "Pam, say Jesus is Lord." 53:29 She refused. 53:31 Then I asked her, "Does it hurt to say, Jesus is Lord?" 53:33 She nodded her head, yes. 53:35 To end the testimony with Pam, 53:37 I never saw a demon casted out of Pam that day. 53:41 And I was so distraught when I left from her 53:43 because I said, Lord, 53:45 now, I was not lacking in faith, God. 53:48 I know I confessed my sins. 53:52 I was not lacking in faith because You gave me 53:55 more than enough evidence to have total faith. 53:58 You told me the woman going to be demon possessed, 54:00 you told me to read a scripture, 54:01 when I'm finished reading it, she'll roll up. 54:03 You gave me enough for my faith to be up here. 54:08 So why wasn't the demon casted out? 54:11 For the, almost, for almost the whole day I was disturbed, 54:16 asking God, why, why, why, why, why? 54:18 Then all of a sudden the Spirit of God 54:20 came to me said, you want to know why? 54:24 Pam had to make a choice. 54:27 She knew what her problem was, but she had to make a choice. 54:33 And as long as she refused to choose, 54:35 she would remain in bondage to the devil 54:38 and the same as for us. 54:41 We are here in these last days, the truth is clear, 54:44 it's abounding in the land of signs. 54:46 They are right before our faces, 54:48 the Lord is showing us this is what we need to do, 54:50 so we can stand but we have to make a choice. 54:57 You can know as much as you want 55:00 but if you refused to choose righteousness, 55:03 you will remain in bondage to your sin. 55:08 We cannot afford to be indecisive in this hour. 55:15 And this is why God says, 55:17 "Choose you this day whom you will serve." 55:21 If God is God, serve God with all of your heart, 55:24 with all your soul, with all your might. 55:26 Serve Him. 55:28 But if the world is your God, the job is your God, 55:32 the money is your God, 55:33 that man, that woman is your God, 55:37 then serve them. 55:39 Good luck with that. 55:41 Just remember, there's no such thing as good luck. 55:46 Brothers and Sisters, the hour is at hand. 55:50 All of us, all of us in this room, 55:54 all of us that are viewing this, 55:56 wherever you are viewing it, 55:58 we are living in the final generation. 56:03 We will see Jesus 56:08 and God is saying, "watch and pray." 56:14 I pray for all of us here, that in this decisive hour 56:19 we will choose to surrender 56:21 our all into the hands of our Savior. 56:26 Because the son of perdition is coming. 56:31 Let's pray. 56:35 Father in heaven, I thank You for your word. 56:39 These records, these accounts that You've given us 56:42 in the Scripture to give us instruction, 56:45 to warn us, to guide us, to encourage us, 56:51 we know we're living in perilous times. 56:56 All the signs are pointing to the conclusion 57:01 of the great controversy. 57:05 And now you are calling us to choose the service 57:11 of You, the most high God. 57:15 Lord, You gave up everything, everything 57:20 so that we might be partakers 57:23 of an eternal weight of glory that our minds 57:25 can't even begin to concede at this time. 57:29 Help us to be wise, help us to set aside 57:33 whatever we are clinging to, that is keeping us 57:39 from experiencing the fullness of Your presence. 57:45 May we not be stony ground hearers, 57:49 grant us the presence of Your spirit 57:53 that we all might have root in ourselves 57:57 so that when the crisis comes, 58:00 not by our might, nor by our power 58:05 but by Thy Spirit 58:08 we will be able to withstand the storm. 58:14 Thank you so much for hearing our humble prayers. 58:17 For these things we ask in Jesus' name. 58:19 Amen. |
Revised 2015-12-10