Participants: Danny Milenkov
Series Code: FGW
Program Code: FGW000022A
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00:26 Welcome to The Search for Certainty.
00:29 It's good to see you here again today 00:31 and I'm looking forward to enjoying this journey 00:34 on this five part series, 00:36 as we discover the certainty that we can have in God's word 00:41 in these uncertain times that we're living. 00:44 Today's subject is entitled 00:46 "How to Face Today's Social and Economic Uncertainty." 00:50 And I don't need to remind you, don't need to remind any of us 00:54 that we are living in a time of great social 00:57 and in particular economic uncertainty. 01:00 Well today, we want to begin 01:02 by going to the ancient city of Pompeii. 01:06 I don't know how many of you've had the opportunity to go 01:08 to that ancient city of Pompeii, 01:10 there located in Southeast Italy, 01:13 couple of hundred kilometers away from Rome, 01:17 had the opportunity in 2010 with a bunch of other ministers 01:22 to go to Italy and in particular 01:24 to go to Pompeii. 01:26 It's a fascinating city, 01:27 because up until 250 years ago or so it remained buried. 01:31 It was buried by the volcano eruption 01:35 that took place in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius, 01:40 this mountain that overlooks the city of Pompeii 01:44 buried the city in three meters of ash. 01:47 And so today when you go to the city of Pompeii 01:49 it's like stepping back in time. 01:51 The city has been so well preserved 01:54 and I just have a few photos here to show you 01:57 that I was able to take. 01:59 There is the forum in the city of Pompeii, 02:04 here is another photo showing the bathhouses. 02:09 As you can see they are so well preserved, 02:11 even though we are talking 2000 years ago. 02:14 And the reason is as I shared Mount Vesuvius 02:17 which we can see there in the background, 02:21 Mount Vesuvius had erupted a number of times 02:24 and so the citizens of Pompeii were 02:27 well aware of this mountain, 02:29 this volcanic, active volcanic mountain. 02:32 However not too many took very serious note in 79 AD 02:39 when Mount Vesuvius blew its top 02:42 like at no other time in history. 02:47 Sadly this was the response of most of the citizens 02:53 as they watched the smoke pouring out of Mount Vesuvius 02:59 in the days leading up to the volcanic eruption 03:02 there in 79 AD. 03:04 One historian noted 03:07 this response from the people "... 03:09 the sighting of a column of smoke... 03:11 triggered a response more of curiosity than of alarm" 03:15 and sadly thousands and thousands were buried 03:18 and it was kind of eerie, very eerie, 03:21 very sober to look at some of these images. 03:24 Here is one image that you can see of individuals 03:28 who were buried by this volcanic ash 03:32 that descended upon the city of Pompeii. 03:35 A very wealthy city, 03:37 a very prominent city there in the Roman Empire 20, 000 03:40 or so people lived in the city 03:42 and that might not seem like a lot to you and me today 03:45 living in these millions and millions of people city, 03:49 however it was quite a lot in the ancient time. 03:52 This is in particular very sad picture here of a woman 03:55 who apparently was giving birth at the time. 03:58 This is the woman and she was buried 04:02 and she realized that there was no way to go. 04:04 The volcanic ash came suddenly and the volcano lava 04:10 came at over a 100 kilometers an hour 04:12 and engulfed the city of Pompeii in a vast area 04:17 that surrounded the city of Pompeii. 04:20 As I think of what took place there in Pompeii, 04:24 I cannot help, but think of what Jesus warned us 04:29 there in the Bible concerning the times 04:32 that you and I would be living in. 04:34 In our previous presentation we discovered 04:36 that Jesus gave us signs, a number of signs 04:40 that would help us to know when his coming would be near, 04:43 even at the doors. 04:45 Unlike the people of Pompeii, it is my prayer, 04:49 my earnest prayer that we will heed these signs of love. 04:52 These signs sharing with us the times we're living in 04:55 and how we can prepare. 04:58 Not all lost their lives in the city of Pompeii, 05:00 there were some that heeded the warnings 05:04 that the mountain was sharing with the population 05:07 and their lives were spared. 05:10 We want to again go to the words of Jesus 05:13 as we go to that ancient city of Jerusalem. 05:16 And in this city we are going to discover 05:20 that Jesus shared a very powerful message. 05:23 But before we do as always, 05:25 what do we need to do before we open up God's word? 05:28 We need to pray, so that's what we'll do. 05:30 Father in heaven, once again we want to ask and pray 05:33 that you'll be with us, 05:34 we pray that as we open up your holy word 05:37 that you have given to us, 05:38 that you will open up our minds and our hearts 05:40 that we may be willing and ready to receive 05:44 these beautiful truths from your word 05:47 to prepare us for the soon return of Jesus, 05:49 for this is our prayer in Jesus' name, amen, amen. 05:55 Well, I want to begin with the question, 05:56 a very important question 05:57 and I shared this in our very first presentation, 05:59 but I do want to restate this right from the get go, 06:03 right at the outset of this presentation. 06:05 The question is, 06:06 will knowing the signs of Jesus' coming save us? 06:10 Do you remember what I said earlier? 06:11 No, no. 06:13 Notice what Jesus said in John 17:3 06:17 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, 06:20 the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 06:22 whom You have sent." 06:23 So Jesus here makes it very clear 06:25 that the only way we are saved 06:27 is through a relationship with Jesus, 06:30 is by knowing Jesus, not by knowing the signs, 06:34 you can know all the signs in the world and still be lost. 06:37 But those signs are designed to drawer us to Jesus 06:41 and by knowing Jesus, 06:43 we then can have the assurance of eternal life in him. 06:48 Well, then why did Jesus give us so many signs? 06:52 Why did he spend so much time 06:54 in the scriptures signs concerning his coming? 06:57 Why did he give us all these signs 06:59 and he asked us to watch? 07:01 Notice what we find in John 14:29, 07:04 "And now I have told you before it comes, 07:07 that when it does come to pass, you may" what, 07:10 "you may believe." 07:11 So the whole purpose, 07:13 the main purpose of giving us the signs 07:16 that he did was to enable us to come to a point of belief, 07:21 to believe in Jesus. 07:22 And according to John 3:16 that wonderful scripture 07:25 that almost the entire Christian world knows 07:28 and many others besides, 07:30 John 3:16 says " For God so loved the world, 07:33 that he gave his only begotten Son, 07:35 that whosoever what, 07:36 believes in him should not perish, 07:38 but have everlasting life." 07:39 So the whole purpose of the signs of the times 07:43 that Jesus gave was that we may have faith 07:45 and trust in him that as we see the things 07:48 that Jesus shared 2000 years ago, 07:50 coming to pass before our very eyes, 07:52 that they may bring us to a point of belief 07:55 and trust in God's word. 07:56 And if we can trust God, if we can trust his word, 07:59 we can trust our lives into his hands, 08:03 his safe and secured hands. 08:05 And so that is the main purpose 08:07 why God has given us signs to help us believe. 08:12 Notice what Jesus said in Luke 21:34, 08:16 "But take heed to yourselves, 08:18 lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, 08:21 drunkenness, and the cares of this life, 08:23 and that day, speaking of the second coming, 08:25 come on you unexpectedly. 08:27 For it will come as a snare for all those 08:29 who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 08:32 Watch therefore, 08:33 and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape 08:36 all these things that will come to pass, 08:39 and to stand before the Son of Man." 08:41 Notice Jesus over and over again, 08:43 as we discovered in our last presentation, 08:46 he says watch, watch, why? 08:48 So that we may be able to stand 08:51 when Jesus comes that we may be prepared, 08:54 that we may be ready for his soon return. 08:57 That is the reason why Jesus has given us all these signs. 09:01 So let's review, 09:02 let's take a look at what we have looked at thus far. 09:04 We have discovered that Jesus gave us signs 09:07 in the political world. 09:09 Secondly, we discovered that Jesus also gave us signs 09:12 in the world of nature. 09:15 Today, we want to take a look at signs in the social world 09:19 as well as signs in the economic world. 09:23 We want to begin with signs in the social world, 09:26 the things that are happening around us in society. 09:28 Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 24:37, 09:32 "But as the days of Noah were, 09:34 so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." 09:38 So Jesus told us very clearly 09:40 that as it was in the days of Noah, 09:42 it will be the same in the world 09:44 just before Jesus comes. 09:47 Now what was it like in the days of Noah? 09:49 There were many things that were going on 09:51 but I've just put down a few key points. 09:54 Firstly it was business as usual, 09:57 it was she'll be right mate kind of world 10:00 in the days of Noah, 10:01 and those who are in Australia 10:03 are well familiar with she'll be right mate, 10:05 those of you who are watching 10:07 and you're from another part of the world, 10:09 she'll be right means it was just business as usual, 10:12 carrying on every day the same as the previous day 10:16 and so on and so forth. 10:18 Jesus went on in verse 38 and 39, 10:22 "For as in the days before the flood, 10:25 they were eating and drinking, 10:26 marrying and giving in marriage, 10:27 until the day that Noah entered the ark, 10:30 and did not know until the flood came 10:32 and took them all away, 10:33 so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." 10:37 Now the life was going on as it was always, 10:40 just like in the city of Pompeii, 10:41 people were going about their as they always had, 10:45 and then all of the sudden, Mount Vesuvius erupted 10:48 and it was all over in a matter of few short minutes. 10:52 Jesus is saying as it was in the days of Noah, 10:55 so will be just before he comes, 10:57 life will be carrying on business as usual. 11:01 I find these words fascinating where Jesus says 11:04 and they did not know until the flood came 11:06 and took them all away. 11:08 Did the people of Noah's day know 11:10 that there was a flood coming? 11:11 Absolutely. 11:13 God had raised up Noah 11:15 who preached according to the Book of Peter 11:18 in the New Testament for 120 years 11:20 Peter was preaching day in and day out, 11:23 that there was a flood coming, 11:24 and the only safety was in the ark, the animals, 11:28 the Bible tells us were making their way into the ark 11:31 just prior to the flood, two by two. 11:34 Incredible. 11:35 And the people watched all these signs 11:38 and yet they continued on business as usual. 11:44 The second thing I want to point out 11:46 from the days of Noah is that the earth 11:49 was filled with violence and corruption. 11:53 Notice what the Bible tells us 11:55 in Genesis 16:11 concerning the days of Noah, 12:00 "The earth also was corrupt before God, 12:02 and the earth was filled with violence." 12:06 Do we live in a world today that is filled with violence? 12:10 Absolutely, there is violence everywhere, isn't it? 12:12 There is violence on TV, 12:14 there is violence on the sporting field, 12:17 there are violent video games, 12:19 there are violent movies, 12:20 sadly there is even violence in the home. 12:23 Today we live in a world filled with violence, 12:27 we live in a world filled with corruption. 12:29 Corruption is everywhere sadly. 12:33 Notice what else Jesus had to say. 12:35 In Matthew 24:12, 12:37 "And because lawlessness will abound, 12:40 the love of many will grow cold." 12:42 Lawlessness, is there such a thing as lawlessness today? 12:47 Absolutely, there is great lawlessness today. 12:51 What is lawlessness? 12:52 Lawlessness is the opposite to lawfulness. 12:56 What's lawfulness? 12:58 Lawfulness is people who are law-abiding citizens 13:01 and the majority, 13:02 I thank God are law-abiding citizens 13:05 but more and more, there is lawlessness. 13:08 Jesus went on... 13:10 Before we get to what Jesus said next, 13:12 notice what Arnold Toynbee, who is a professor of history, 13:18 he wrote this epic series A Study of History: 13:22 Why do they Disintegrate and Collapse? 13:24 He wrote these series of 17 volumes 13:29 documenting the rise and fall of a number of empires, 13:34 19 or 21 empires altogether that have grown to prominence 13:41 and then they have finally succumbed 13:43 and they are no longer with us. 13:46 And the number one reason 13:48 according to Professor Arnold Toynbee 13:51 why civilizations disintegrate and collapse 13:57 is because lawlessness leads to destruction. 14:00 Lawlessness leads to destruction. 14:02 So the more and more lawlessness 14:04 we find in our world, 14:06 the greater the destruction that will be taking place, 14:10 that is based on history, 14:11 that is based on previous civilizations 14:14 that have gone before us. 14:16 This is a picture of two of my favorite people in the world. 14:19 These are two of... 14:21 some of my favorite people in the world. 14:22 Can anyone guess who they might be? 14:24 Yes, they're my grandparents, 14:27 they're my grandparents. 14:28 And in this year my grandparents celebrated 14:31 70 years of marriage. 14:34 Isn't that incredible? 70 years of marriage. 14:38 Those numbers you see there on the cake, 14:41 that was when we celebrated 14:42 their 84th and their 83rd birthday. 14:44 In case you're wondering, what those numbers mean. 14:48 That was a few years ago. 14:50 Grandma now is 88, and granddaddy is 87 14:54 so she was 18 and he was 17 14:57 when they got married in Macedonia 15:00 all those years ago. 15:02 When I talk to my grandparents, 15:04 and I love to spend time with them, 15:05 they live down in Melbourne, so there's a bit of a distance, 15:07 but every time I go down there, 15:09 I always seek to spend at least a day or two or more 15:12 if I can with them. 15:13 And I love to talk with my grandparents 15:16 and find out what life was like in their day. 15:19 What was it like growing up in their village as a teenager, 15:22 in their early 20s and so on so forth? 15:25 And when I talk to my grandparents, 15:27 apart from them not having electricity in the village, 15:30 apart from them not having telephones, 15:33 apart from them not having our whole bunch of things 15:35 that we have today, life was so, so different, 15:40 especially in the area of morality. 15:43 Some of the things that are happening today, 15:45 my grandmother and grandfather, 15:46 they just cannot get their heads around. 15:48 The way life was back then, 15:50 the morals and the values 15:53 that were rock solid back in their day, 15:56 back in their society 15:58 they might as well have lived the 1000 years ago 16:00 compared to the way we live today 16:02 and the way society is today 16:04 and the things that are viewed as okay, 16:08 and the things that are I guess are viewed as not okay. 16:13 Notice what Jesus went on and said, he said, 16:16 "Because lawlessness will abound, 16:18 the love of many will grow cold. 16:21 The love of many will grow cold." 16:24 Sadly today the love of many is growing cold. 16:27 Sadly today the divorce rate, I don't need to remind you, 16:31 the tragedy of the divorce rate were almost one in two 16:36 here in Australia and in some countries 16:38 it's even greater. 16:40 One in two that say I do come to the point 16:42 where they say I no longer, I no longer do. 16:47 Sadly as we know the children are the ones 16:50 that are caught up in the crossfire 16:53 and it's devastating, it's terrible, it's terrible, 16:57 divorce and separation and all the ills 17:02 that are associated with families disintegrating. 17:06 I find that today we're living in a very immoral world, 17:10 in a very immoral world, 17:12 and let me put to you based on what I see, 17:15 based on what Danny sees 17:17 and I haven't been around for a long time. 17:19 I've been around for some 40 odd years, 45 to be exact. 17:24 But based on the way I see the world 17:26 and what I have seen, this is what I've witnessed, 17:30 and this is what I want to put to you here today. 17:33 The Downward Spiral of Morality, 17:36 firstly immoral acts, they are first abhorred, 17:40 then they are tolerated, 17:42 then they are finally accepted 17:44 and then finally they are defended. 17:48 Are we living in a day like this? 17:51 We absolutely are. 17:52 Where once upon a time 17:54 something that I just would not even be spoken of, 17:57 little I'm practiced, 17:58 today that is not only accepted, 18:00 but today it is defended. 18:02 And sadly even in Christian circles, 18:05 even Christian leaders today are promoting, 18:09 are condoning practices 18:11 that are clearly in opposition to God's word. 18:14 You see God has given us all the principles 18:17 for how we can enjoy healthy and prosperous relationships, 18:21 how we can have a healthy and prosperous society. 18:24 They are all found here in his word. 18:27 In particular they are found in the Ten Commandments, 18:31 the very first commandment invites us to put God first, 18:36 what has society done with God, 18:38 it's throwing God out the window altogether. 18:43 The very first commandment 18:44 dealing with our relationships with one another. 18:47 Commandment number five deals with 18:49 honoring your mother and your father, 18:51 deals with the family unit. 18:53 God has been thrown out the window, 18:55 and today sadly the bedrock of any society, 18:58 the family is under great attack, 19:02 and today sadly the family is disintegrating 19:05 and as goes the family so goes society. 19:09 That's the time that we are living in. 19:12 Today the things that are permissible, 19:15 once upon a time were not even dreamed of. 19:17 I remember reading in some book or some article 19:22 that the first time 19:24 Hollywood decided to take their cameras into the bedroom 19:27 to view a husband and a wife 19:29 sitting in bed reading together, 19:32 there was an outcry, an outcry, why? 19:35 What right does Hollywood 19:37 have to bring their cameras into a bedroom 19:40 to videotape husband and wife in their pajamas, 19:44 sitting in bed? 19:46 Where do Hollywood cameras go in today? 19:48 Well, the sky is the limit, isn't that right? 19:51 Things have completely changed. 19:54 Notice what Isaiah 5:20 says, 19:58 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, 20:02 Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, 20:04 Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" 20:07 That is so... 20:10 That is so, so, so, so what it's like today, 20:15 that describes I should say, 20:17 that describes what it's like today, 20:20 what life is like today those who plays evil for good, 20:24 and good for evil. 20:26 I don't know if you're familiar 20:28 with this historical work of Edward Gibbon, 20:33 he wrote this just over 200 years ago, 20:35 the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 20:39 Now I want to share with you 20:40 what Edward Gibbon had to say regarding the reasons, 20:44 the main reasons for the decline 20:47 and fall of the Roman Empire. 20:48 Here they are, the five major reasons, 20:51 there are others but these are the five major reasons, 20:53 and I've summarized them in my words. 20:56 "There was a rapid increase of divorce, 20:58 with the undermining of the family unit 21:00 which is the basic foundation 21:01 for a healthy and prosperous society. 21:03 There were higher and higher taxes. 21:06 There was a mad craze for pleasure and sports. 21:09 The building of gigantic armaments, 21:12 when the real enemy was within, the decadence of the people. 21:15 And finally the decay of religion 21:18 where faith had faded into a mere form." 21:21 Does that describe our day today? 21:24 These were some of the major reasons 21:26 that brought down the mighty Roman Empire 21:28 that ruled then known word for some six centuries. 21:32 That is a carbon copy of our society today. 21:36 What did Jesus say? 21:37 Lawlessness will what? 21:39 Lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will what? 21:42 Grow cold. 21:44 And that is clearly 21:46 what we are witnessing today in our society. 21:50 What else was taking place in Noah's Day? 21:54 Notice there was a population explosion. 21:57 Notice what the Bible says in Genesis 6:1, 22:01 "And it came to pass, 22:02 when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, 22:05 and daughters were born unto them." 22:06 So there was a population explosion, 22:08 there was a multiplication of the population 22:12 in Noah's Day. 22:14 Have a look at where our population graph is. 22:18 For thousands of years from the time of Noah 22:22 and his flood about 2,500 years before Christ, 22:26 all the way through to the beginning of the 1800 22:30 so almost 4,500 years of time, 22:33 the population remain steady, as you can see by that graph. 22:37 But then all of a sudden, we moved to 1800 22:40 and the population began to grow exponentially. 22:46 And as you can see that line is going upward 22:50 very, very dramatically, isn't that right? 22:54 We are up to over almost 7.5 billion people. 23:00 And so this is another clear sign, 23:02 another clear evidence that the coming of Jesus is near. 23:06 As we shared in our previous program, 23:08 the signs of Jesus' coming are important, 23:13 in that Jesus gave the analogy of the labor pains. 23:17 You remember the labor pains? 23:18 And those labor pains as we know 23:20 before the coming of Jesus, before the birth of the baby, 23:23 those labor pains, 23:24 they intensify in frequency and severity. 23:28 And that is what we are seeing with all these signs, 23:31 all the graphs are heading north. 23:34 I find this statement very interesting 23:37 from The Little Green Handbook 23:40 published in 2005 by Ron Nielson. 23:44 And this is what he wrote 23:46 concerning our population explosion. 23:48 "The population explosion came suddenly." 23:51 Notice the words that he uses suddenly, 23:53 the words of Jesus in Luke 21. 23:56 "It took the world by" what? "By surprise." 23:59 It shouldn't have taken God's people 24:00 by surprise, should it? 24:02 Because we ought to have known that this was coming. 24:05 "And we are still not sure 24:07 how to react or how to it will end, 24:09 except that it will leave a great deal of damage behind. 24:13 We are not even sure of surviving it." 24:16 Writes Ron Nielson. 24:18 So this population explosion 24:20 has caught the world by surprise, 24:22 and I don't need to remind you 24:24 that population is especially exploding 24:28 in what part of the world? 24:29 The third world, isn't that right? 24:31 The third world where they don't have enough food 24:33 to feed those that they already have 24:35 and so there is a great explosion 24:38 there in the third world. 24:40 Notice what else was taking place 24:41 during the days of Noah. 24:43 The Bible says there were scoffers and skeptics. 24:47 Notice these words from 2 Peter 3:3. 24:53 "Knowing this first, writes Peter, 24:55 that scoffers will come in the last days, 24:58 walking according to their own lusts. 25:01 And saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?' 25:04 For since the fathers fell asleep, 25:06 all things continue as they were 25:08 from the beginning of creation." 25:09 And as you read these words from Peter, 25:11 you discover that he is speaking of, 25:14 and the context is in relation to the flood. 25:17 He's saying as it was in the days of Noah, 25:20 people were scoffing, they were like, 25:21 "Well, where is Jesus, 25:23 why hasn't he arrived, where is he?" 25:26 And today we live in a world, 25:29 in a western world here 25:31 where religion has been placed to the side, 25:34 isn't that right? 25:36 People are just not interested in religion. 25:38 In fact here in Australia, 25:39 those of you who are in Australia, 25:41 you will know that we have just had our senses. 25:44 And when it comes to ticking 25:48 which religion you may or may not be part of 25:51 for the first time in our senses, 25:53 that no religion box was placed at the top of that question, 25:58 for good reason. 26:00 Because those who are not interested 26:02 in any religion, they wanted to ensure that 26:05 their box received the most votes. 26:07 And so today we're living in a day 26:09 where more and more people claim 26:12 they don't have a religion, 26:13 more and more people claim they have no need of God 26:16 or they don't believe in God. 26:18 That doesn't mean people are not interested 26:20 in the supernatural. 26:21 As we're all aware, books like Harry Potter, 26:24 movies like Lord of the Rings 26:26 and Star Wars are more popular today than ever, 26:29 isn't that right? 26:30 But people just have no interest in this book here, 26:33 they have no interest in the word of God, 26:36 they have no interest in the things of God, 26:39 but they are interested in the dramatic 26:42 and the interesting 26:44 and the sensational supernatural 26:46 which Hollywood is pumping out each and every day. 26:50 Now why hasn't Jesus come? 26:52 Why does he delay his coming? 26:55 Notice what Peter goes on and he says in 2 Peter 3:9, 27:00 "For the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, 27:03 as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, 27:06 not willing that any should perish 27:08 but that all should come to" what? 27:10 "Repentance." So why hasn't Jesus come yet? 27:13 He hasn't come yet, 27:15 because he's still waiting for more people 27:18 to give their lives to him to repent, 27:21 to turn from where they are heading 27:24 to turn to the kingdom of God instead of being lost. 27:29 Jesus invites all to be saved. 27:31 That's the reason why Jesus hasn't come yet. 27:34 He is waiting for those to repent, but the truth is, 27:38 the truth is that Jesus will come, he will come, 27:42 the flood did come. 27:44 Noah preached for 120 years and the flood did come. 27:49 God is patient, God is merciful, 27:51 God is long suffering, 27:53 but the day will come when God will say enough is enough, 27:57 enough of this sickness, enough of the sorrow, 28:00 enough of the suffering, 28:01 it's time to bring my people home, 28:03 it's time to bring those home 28:05 that have put their faith and trust in me. 28:10 I want to go now to the signs in the economic world. 28:14 Signs in the economic world, 28:16 we've looked at signs in the political world, 28:18 signs in the world of nature, 28:20 signs in the social world 28:21 and now these titanic signs in the economic world. 28:26 Notice what Jesus said in Luke 17:28-30, 28:31 "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: 28:35 They ate, they drank, they bought, 28:37 they sold, they planted, they built, 28:39 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom 28:42 it rained fire and brimstone from heaven 28:44 and destroyed them all. 28:46 Even so will it be in the day 28:49 when the Son of Man is revealed." 28:51 So here Jesus tells us not only as it was in the days of Noah, 28:55 but also as it was in the days of Lot, 28:58 so it will be just before Jesus comes. 29:02 Now we don't have time to take a look at the grose immorality 29:08 and destructive violence that was part 29:12 and parcel of life in Sodom. 29:14 You can read that for yourself there in the Book of Genesis. 29:17 But apart from the immorality, and apart from the violence, 29:23 what was one of the other characteristics 29:26 of the city of Sodom before God destroyed it 29:29 with fire and brimstone from heaven? 29:31 Well, let's go to a scripture 29:33 that not many people are aware of 29:36 that describes what life was like in the city of Sodom 29:40 found in Ezekiel 16:49, God says, 29:45 "Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom:" 29:48 He's here speaking to his children Israel, 29:51 and he's comparing them to the city of Sodom, notice. 29:55 "She and her daughter had pride..." 29:58 I guess speaking of Gomorrah, Sodom and Gomorrah. 30:01 "Fullness of food, and abundance of idleness, 30:04 neither did she strengthen 30:06 the hand of the poor and needy." 30:08 Does that describe life like today? 30:11 It absolutely does. 30:12 That describes life in the 21st century, 30:15 in particular here in the western world, 30:17 where we have those who have a lot 30:20 and then we have those that don't have much at all, 30:23 isn't that right? 30:24 The gap between the rich and the poor is what? 30:28 It's growing, and growing, and growing, and growing. 30:31 As someone once said, the rich are getting richer 30:34 and the poor are getting babies, 30:37 that's true, the poor are getting babies, 30:40 they're the ones that are multiplying. 30:42 Those of us that have got 30:43 hundreds of thousands of dollars, 30:45 all these big homes, 30:46 we don't want more than one or two kids. 30:48 And those that have a little shack, 30:50 they've got six, seven, eight and 10 kids. 30:55 We have an abundance. 30:57 Notice this magazine 30:59 that I referred to in our last presentation, 31:01 what really happened between 2000 and 2010 31:05 this Time Magazine back in December 6, 2010. 31:09 Notice these statistics, 31:11 it compared the billionaires in the world of the year 2000, 31:16 as well as the billionaires 31:17 in the world at the end of 2010. 31:19 In 2000 there were 306 billionaires 31:23 roaming around in the world. 31:25 In 2010 some 10 years later, 31:27 that number had tripled to more than 1,000. 31:31 But notice, we also find that the undernourished 31:34 from the year 2000 to the year 2010 31:37 had grown by almost 75 million people. 31:41 Now you maybe thinking what 75 million people, 31:43 that's not a lot, that's not a lot, 31:46 that's like three Australia's, isn't that right? 31:49 That's the population of Australia 31:51 three times over that are today hungrier 31:54 than they were back in 2000 from 2010. 32:00 I came across this very interesting article 32:03 in the Australian Business Review 32:05 that pointed to this gap between the rich and the poor, 32:11 and I discovered in this article 32:13 that 1% of the world's population 32:15 now own 50% of the world's resources. 32:20 That's phenomenal, think about that. 32:21 1% of this world's population 32:24 own 50% of the world's resources, 32:28 that's incredible. 32:30 And just in case, 32:31 you didn't think you were very wealthy, 32:34 those of us who are living in the western world, 32:37 if you have $3,000 in assets or cash, 32:43 $3,000 you are part of the richest 50% in the world. 32:48 So that's all of you, isn't that right? 32:50 If you have $87,000 32:54 worth of assets in cash 32:56 minus after you've taken out all your debts, 32:59 you were part of the top 10% in the world, 33:02 as far as wealth is concerned. 33:04 And if you have $700,000 worth of cash and assets, 33:08 you're part of that 1% part of the 1%. 33:12 Today, there are those 33:14 who are working for a $1 or $2 a day, 33:17 while there are huge corporations 33:19 making billions and billions and billions of dollars. 33:22 I don't need to remind you of that, 33:24 we are well familiar with that. 33:26 The Book of James actually describes our day to a tea. 33:30 Notice these words that we find in the Book of James 5:1-8, 33:35 "Come now, you rich, 33:36 weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 33:40 Your riches are corrupted, 33:41 and your garments are moth-eaten. 33:43 Your gold and silver are corroded, 33:45 and their corrosion will be a witness against you 33:47 and will eat your flesh like fire. 33:50 You have heaped up treasure in what days? 33:53 In the last days." 33:54 And as we discovered in our previous presentation, 33:56 the last days begin when? 33:59 They begin when Jesus came, the first time. 34:01 That's when the last days begin 34:03 according to the Book of Hebrews 1 34:05 but those last days will intensify 34:08 until the coming of Jesus. 34:10 And in particular here 34:12 James is speaking of the coming of Jesus 34:14 and we'll discover that in just a few moments. 34:16 He goes on, 34:18 "Indeed the wages of the laborers 34:19 who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, 34:22 cry out, and the cries of the reapers 34:25 have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." 34:28 James goes on, 34:29 "You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury, 34:32 you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. 34:35 You have condemned, you have murdered the just, 34:38 he does not resist you. 34:39 Therefore be patient, brethren, 34:41 until the coming of the Lord..." 34:43 And he finishes off with these words, 34:45 "You also be patient. 34:47 Establish your hearts, 34:48 for the coming of the Lord is what? 34:50 Is at hand." 34:51 So when you see the gap between the rich and the poor 34:55 growing like at no other time in human history, 34:58 then you can know 35:00 that the coming of the Lord is near even at hand. 35:04 Yes, we've always had poor people. 35:07 Yes, we've always had rich people. 35:08 In fact Jesus said, 35:10 "The poor you will always have in your midst." 35:13 So that's nothing new, 35:15 but what is new is this gap between the rich and the poor, 35:20 which is never been the case, certainly not in recent times, 35:25 not in the past 2,000 years, since Jesus shared these words, 35:31 and since James shared these words. 35:34 Notice these words from the Book of Revelation, 35:36 in Revelation 11:18 35:39 we looked at these in our previous presentation. 35:41 "The nations were what? 35:44 Angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, 35:46 that they should be judged." 35:47 The nations were angry. 35:50 We know that the nations are angry, 35:52 that's not news to anyone, 35:54 you can just turn on your news tonight 35:56 and you'll discover that the nations are angry, 35:58 very, very angry with one another. 36:00 But I want to put a slight twist 36:03 on the words of John here in Revelation. 36:06 Let me add a couple of words 36:09 the people of the nations were angry. 36:13 Are people angry today? 36:15 Absolutely. 36:17 More and more people are angry. 36:19 Let me share with you the front cover of Time Magazine 36:23 back in December 14, 2011 36:26 "The Protester" subheading 36:30 'From the Arab Spring to Athens, 36:32 From Occupy Wall Street to Moscow' The Protester. 36:35 Person of the year for 2011 36:39 according to Time Magazine was the protester, 36:42 for the first time in Time's history, 36:46 it wasn't a person, one person, one individual, 36:50 that was the person of the year, 36:52 now it was a group of people. 36:54 I have this magazine here with me. 36:58 And in the article, 37:01 in the article it was pointed out 37:03 that for the first time in history, 37:05 we had protests in nations 37:08 that comprise almost half the world's population 37:12 taking place during that year 2011. 37:17 The year of the protester, people are angry, 37:21 there was a very sad article 37:25 in this particular Time Magazine, 37:27 the article was concerning young 26 year old street vendor 37:33 by the name of Mohamed Bouazizi 37:35 who in fact sparked the Arab Spring 37:39 as it is become known there in Tunisia, 37:42 in a small village in Tunisia. 37:43 Now what sparked the Arab Spring? 37:46 Well, Mohamed, a 26 year old street vendor 37:49 just selling his fruit there on the side of the road, 37:51 trying to make ends meet, 37:52 trying to feed his young family, 37:54 his wife and his children, 37:56 he kept getting harassed by the authorities 37:58 over, and over and again, 38:00 he just be harassed almost on a weekly basis. 38:04 And then finally, 38:06 what finally did it for Mohamed 38:09 was to be interrogated by a police officer, 38:13 a female police officer who interrogated him once more, 38:17 she slapped in the face 38:21 and in the Middle East that is a sign of great shame 38:25 and just something absolutely despicable 38:30 and she confiscated his scales. 38:33 Well, they decided to go to the authorities to complain, 38:36 he went to the authorities to complain, 38:39 they told him not interested, 38:41 he walked outside the offices, 38:44 the government offices and he poured, 38:48 he poured a paint thinner on him, 38:51 lit a match and killed himself 38:55 that is what sparked the Arab Spring 38:57 according to this article there in Tunisia back in 2011. 39:02 That's what happening in the world today. 39:04 People don't protest because they want to protest, 39:06 because they've got nothing better to do. 39:09 The reason why people are protesting 39:11 all around the world especially in the third world 39:15 is because they have had enough, 39:17 they can longer live in this unjust society 39:22 that they are part of, 39:23 and they've made a decision either we die, 39:26 or there is a change, 39:28 but living like this just doesn't work anymore. 39:31 That's why hundreds and thousands 39:33 and millions leave their home, they get on these little boats, 39:38 these little rubber dinghies and they risk life and limb 39:42 to get to a part of the world 39:44 where they believe there will be safety, 39:45 there will be peace, there will be prosperity 39:47 for them and for their children. 39:49 We are living in a time such as we have never lived before 39:54 where people are angry, they're upset, 39:56 even here in our country in Australia, 39:58 in the United States. 40:01 Take a look at what's happening over there, 40:03 and in many other parts of the world, Western Europe, 40:05 there is just anger, there is just frustration 40:08 that is building up more and more, and more. 40:12 Notice these words from Luke 21:9, 40:17 "But when you hear of wars and commotions, 40:20 do not be terrified, 40:21 for these things must come to pass first, 40:24 but the end will not come immediately." 40:27 This is a very interesting word commotions. 40:29 I looked that world up commotions 40:31 and the world literally means unrest, 40:34 it means revolts and riots. 40:38 Do we have revolts and riots today? 40:40 Absolutely, there have been revolts and riots 40:43 ever since Jesus spoke these words 2000 years ago. 40:46 But the revolts and the riots are on a scale 40:49 such as we have not seen before. 40:51 Notice these words in the Book of Mark, 40:53 in the Book of Mark 13:8, 40:58 "For nation will rise against nation, 41:00 and kingdom against kingdom. 41:02 And there will be earthquakes in various places, 41:04 and there will be famines and" what? 41:06 Troubles. 41:08 These are the beginnings of sorrows. 41:09 "Troubles, I looked up that word trouble 41:12 and the original meaning for that word is a disturbance, 41:15 a provocation, or sedation. 41:18 Now I have to get my dictionary out to workout 41:21 exactly what that word sedition was. 41:24 I had a vague idea, a pretty good idea 41:27 but this is what the word means according to the dictionary. 41:30 It means to conduct or to office speech 41:35 inciting people to rebel against the authority 41:38 of a state or a monarch. 41:40 Is there rebellion today against state, 41:43 against authority? 41:45 Absolutely. 41:46 What's it called? 41:47 It's called the Arab Spring or the Arab Uprising. 41:50 People are rising up, they're overthrowing governments, 41:53 and that's exactly what Jesus said 41:55 when he spoke of troubles, 41:57 he spoke of uprisings, he spoke of riots, 41:59 he spoke of whole nations being turned upside down 42:04 and great turmoil taking place. 42:07 And that's why Jesus said in Luke 21:25, 42:10 "And there shall be distress of nations, with perplexity." 42:13 As we discovered in our last presentation, 42:16 distress is great perplexity, great distress. 42:21 Today in Australia, in Australia, 42:25 the economy may seem that it's going reasonably well, 42:28 that's why we are told by the various political leaders 42:32 and by the various economists, 42:34 they're trying to keep everyone happy and contend, 42:37 and not trying to alarm the public. 42:39 But I was reading an article recently 42:42 on the ABC News website that shared with me 42:46 that in the last 25 years Australian debt has tripled, 42:51 Australian debt has what? 42:53 Tripled in the last 25 years. 42:55 And everybody knows you can't just keep accumulating debt 43:00 without any consequences. 43:03 I find it fascinating that for the first time in history 43:08 the average house price in Sydney, 43:12 the largest city here in Australia 43:14 has hit $1 million, isn't that incredible? 43:17 A million dollars. 43:18 Now I went and did a little bit of research. 43:20 I'm not an economist, okay, by any stretch, 43:24 I'm just the simple sign 43:25 and I'm just looking at the big picture, 43:28 taking a look at what the Bible says, 43:30 in particular what Jesus says 43:31 and trying to match up the facts and the figures 43:35 and trying to put all the dots together. 43:38 I discovered that in 1975, 43:41 okay, so that's many moons ago, 43:43 1975 some of you will probably remember 43:45 what life was like in 1975, 43:49 the average house price in Sydney was $30,000. 43:54 The average wage in Sydney was $7,500, that was in 1975. 44:01 Forty years later in 2015 44:04 while house price as we've shared has hit what? 44:07 Has hit a million dollars, it's gone up more than 30 fold, 44:10 the average wage in Sydney in 2015 was $75, 000 44:15 that's gone up ten times, 44:17 you don't need to be mathematician 44:19 or an economist to workout something's not right. 44:22 Wages have gone up by 10 times, 44:26 house prices have gone up by more than 30 times. 44:29 The greatest investment a person will make 44:31 in their lifetime in Australia 44:34 will be in a house, isn't that right? 44:36 So when we have low interest rates 44:38 as we do now and we have huge titanic debt, 44:42 it's setting us up for a huge fall. 44:45 That's what the economists are sharing with me, 44:48 with us and I won't go into it too much more, 44:51 but you probably know some of this yourself. 44:56 I found this graph fascinating. 44:59 Talking about the United States, 45:01 have a look at their public debt, 45:04 it's up around $20 trillion that's right, 45:07 not billion but $20 trillion dollars. 45:10 In 1990 it was around $3 trillion, 45:14 and have a look at that graph, 45:15 it's just going up and up and up 45:18 and we're almost at $20 trillion. 45:22 The United States is now in a position where it can, 45:25 where it's almost impossible for it 45:29 to pay simply the interest on its debt. 45:33 Things cannot keep going as they are, 45:35 they just cannot keep going, 45:37 the balloon will eventually have to pop, 45:39 and that's exactly what I read in this book 45:43 written by economists, 45:44 I don't believe they're Christian, 45:45 I'm not sure, 45:47 but it certainly didn't come across in their way. 45:49 They're just simply taking a look 45:50 at what's happening in the world. 45:51 Now these economists David Wiedemer, 45:56 Robert Wiedemer and Cindy Spitzer, 45:58 their readable entitled Aftershock: Protect Yourself 46:02 and Profit in the Next Global Financial Meltdown. 46:06 They wrote a previous book in 2006 46:09 entitled America's Bubble Economy. 46:11 And in that book they clearly identified 46:16 where America was at with its economy, 46:19 this bubble housing economy and where it was going 46:23 and how it would collapse eventually. 46:25 They basically predicted and they foretold step-by-step 46:31 the 2008 GFC or financial crisis, 46:37 the world financial crisis in that book. 46:40 Now they have written a book, these same authors, 46:43 and they are predicting phase two 46:46 of the economic crash. 46:48 And if you have trouble sleeping, 46:50 it's not a book I'd recommend 46:51 that you read just before you go to bed. 46:53 I wouldn't recommend that. 46:55 But what they are simply stating in this book 46:57 and they're not looking at it from a Biblical perspective, 46:59 they're simply stating 47:01 that the next economic crash which will come, 47:05 they're not saying may come, they're saying which will come 47:09 will make the great depression of the 1930s 47:12 look like a picnic in the park. 47:15 They're saying that life as we know it on planet earth 47:18 will be completely changed and transformed forever. 47:23 As I think about that, 47:25 I think about the only way that I can protect myself, 47:28 the only way you can protect yourself 47:30 is through Jesus. 47:31 Isn't that right? That's the only way. 47:33 Notice this front cover of Time Magazine. 47:36 "The next recession and where to hide." 47:40 Here they were also pointing out that we are due, 47:44 we are due for another financial crisis, 47:48 the world is due. 47:49 According to this magazine, 47:52 every seven or eight or nine years 47:57 from about the 1970s onwards 47:59 there has been a recession or a financial crisis. 48:03 Since 2008 how many years have transpired? 48:07 How long can this economic bubble keep going, 48:10 only God knows. 48:11 But when I look at that front cover, 48:13 the next recession and where to hide, 48:15 where to hide, where do you hide, 48:17 I love these words from the Psalmist David, 48:20 notice what he writes. 48:22 David writes in Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, 48:26 'He is my refuge and my fortress, 48:28 My God in Him I will trust.' 48:31 " Halleluiah. 48:33 I'm not putting my faith and trust in the government. 48:35 I'm not putting my faith and trust in my bank. 48:37 I'm not putting my faith and trust in my house, 48:39 in my mortgage, in my job, 48:41 I'm putting my faith and trust in God alone. 48:44 Where is our refuge? 48:46 Where do we hide? We hide in Jesus Christ. 48:50 If we have Jesus Christ, we can have peace, 48:52 we can have happiness, we can have joy. 48:54 If everything is falling apart around us, 48:57 we are not all that concerned because we are looking where? 49:01 We are looking up. 49:02 Jesus told us, when you see all these things come to pass, 49:06 look up, because your redemption is drawing near. 49:11 These are all signs that Jesus is on his way. 49:15 We are not to be afraid, 49:16 we're not to lose sleep over these things, 49:18 whatever will be, will be. 49:21 God knows when and what and how my role 49:25 and your role is for us to put our faith and trust in Jesus. 49:29 I love the words of Jesus. 49:30 Let's go to the words of Jesus in John 14:27 Jesus says, 49:33 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, 49:36 not as the world gives do I give to you. 49:38 Let not your heart be" what? 49:40 "Troubled, neither let it be afraid." 49:42 In Christ we can have peace, 49:45 in Christ we do not need to be afraid. 49:48 Jesus over and over again says, 49:50 do not be afraid, do not fear, 49:52 be anxious for nothing writes the Apostle Paul, 49:55 and what's nothing? 49:57 Nothing is what? Nothing. 49:58 Be anxious for nothing, but just trust in God, 50:01 put your faith in him. 50:03 Where ought to be our priorities be 50:05 in these economic uncertain times that we live in? 50:08 Notice the words of Jesus, once again Matthew 6:19-21. 50:12 Jesus says, 50:13 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, 50:16 where moth and rust destroy 50:17 and where thieves break in and steal, 50:19 but lay up for yourselves treasures" where? 50:22 "In heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys 50:25 and where thieves do not break in and steal. 50:28 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 50:31 Jesus says do not lay up for yourself, 50:34 treasure here on this earth, 50:36 because we well know the stock market 50:38 can swallow it all up in a day. 50:39 Isn't that right? 50:41 Recently we had Brexit 50:43 and what happened to the world financial market? 50:45 They took a nosedive, 50:48 a nosedive in a matter of a day or two 50:51 $3 trillion was wiped off the stock market. 50:55 What? Is $3 trillion, I've got no idea either. 50:59 Who knows what $3 trillion looks like. 51:01 I'm not gonna have $3 in my pocket at any one time. 51:06 We can only put our faith and trust in Jesus, 51:10 store up for yourself treasure in heaven, 51:14 in heaven, in heaven. 51:17 Jesus said in Matthew 16:26 51:20 "For what profit is it to a man or a woman 51:23 if he or she gains the whole world, 51:25 and loses" what? 51:26 "His own soul? 51:28 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" 51:31 What is the point to gain the whole world, 51:36 to gain everything this world has to offer 51:39 and to lose your salvation? 51:41 What is the point says Jesus. 51:42 There is no point, there is no point. 51:46 I'd rather die without a dollar in my pocket 51:52 in the Lord 51:54 than die with billions and trillions of dollars, 52:00 because where my heart is 52:01 that's where my treasure will be 52:03 and my heart is in the kingdom of God. 52:06 My heart is in heaven, that's where I'm looking, 52:10 that's where my heart is, that's where I'm focused, 52:12 so my energies, my strength, my dollars and cents, 52:16 I want to place them toward the things 52:19 that will last for eternity, 52:21 not the things that will be for the here and now. 52:25 In 2009 a great tragedy took place 52:30 there in my home state of Victoria in Australia 52:35 where 160 something individuals lost their lives 52:40 in the greatest natural disaster 52:43 in Australian history, in modern Australian history 52:46 that we know today as Black Saturday. 52:49 February 7, 2009 52:52 after intense heat of over a number of days, 52:56 finally, finally bush fires just joined together 53:01 and sadly a lot of property was lost 53:05 but more importantly many lives were lost. 53:09 I read this news article 53:12 and you can see it up there on the screen. 53:14 This news article from the Australian, 53:16 September 9, 2009 in the inquest 53:19 that followed Black Saturday, 53:21 Black Saturday bush fire victims died 53:24 defending their houses. 53:27 I nearly cried, I nearly cried when I read that. 53:32 More than 100 people lost their lives 53:35 defending their homes. 53:37 Yes, they had put a lot of time and effort into their homes, 53:41 but sadly they lost their lives, 53:44 tragically they lost their lives 53:46 defending their homes. 53:47 What did Jesus say, what does it profit a man, 53:51 if he gains the whole world but loses his soul. 53:55 My friends, this is not our home, 53:58 this is not our home, we're just traveling through. 54:02 The home that Jesus has prepared for us 54:06 is not on this earth, 54:07 it's in the heavenly courts above. 54:09 Notice what Jesus said in John 14:1-3, 54:13 "Let not your heart be troubled, 54:15 you believe in God, believe also in Me. 54:17 In My Father's house are many mansions, 54:20 if it were not so, I would have told you. 54:22 I go to prepare a place for you. 54:24 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 54:27 I will come again and receive you to Myself, 54:29 that where I am, there you may be also." 54:33 This is the place that Jesus has in mind 54:36 for each and every one of us, amen. 54:39 The heavenly mansion, the heavenly mansion 54:42 is what Jesus is preparing for each and every one of us. 54:46 Yes, we need to live in our house here, in here and now, 54:49 whether you're renting or whether you own your home, 54:51 it makes no difference, 54:52 you're not taking it anywhere with you, are you? 54:56 We're not taking anything from this world away with us, 54:59 the only thing that we are taking with us 55:03 is our trust, is our faith, is our belief in Jesus Christ 55:08 that will prepare us for his heavenly mansions above. 55:12 In my father's house are many mansions. 55:15 Enough room for you? 55:16 Absolutely. Is there enough room for me? 55:19 Absolutely. 55:21 Is there enough room for everybody? 55:22 Yes, there is, there is enough room 55:25 or as I love as my Papua New Guinean friends say, 55:29 plenty good room, plenty good room. 55:32 There is plenty of good room. 55:34 Today, Jesus is inviting you and me 55:36 to make a decision, 55:38 to be part of his everlasting kingdom of love. 55:41 I want to be part of that everlasting kingdom of love, 55:44 how about you? 55:45 Do you want to join me in preparing 55:47 for the heavenly courts above? 55:49 Do you want to join me there in those heavenly mansions? 55:55 I'm so looking forward to that day. 55:57 And I know that God wants you and me 55:59 all of us to be part of that day. 56:01 If that's your desire, 56:02 why don't you just raise your hand and say Lord, 56:04 I want my mansion in heaven. 56:08 I don't care about the one down here, 56:09 I want my mansion in heaven. 56:11 Let's pray, Father in heaven, 56:12 we just want to thank you so much 56:15 that in this day and age of uncertainty, 56:19 Father, we can put our faith and trust in your word 56:23 where is there to hide, the question has been asked, 56:27 oh, the only place is in the secure, 56:29 in the safe nail scarred hands of Jesus. 56:32 We thank you Lord that you have given us the promise 56:35 that you're coming back soon 56:37 and all those that put their faith and trust in you 56:40 that will be with you forever more. 56:43 Oh, bless us Lord now I pray, 56:45 keep us close to Jesus each and every day, 56:48 we pray this in his precious name, 56:50 amen, amen. |
Revised 2016-12-01