Participants: Kenneth Cox
Series Code: GMTB
Program Code: GMTB000006
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00:20 Well good evening, and we welcome you
00:23 to Give Me The Bible. 00:25 And we're coming to you live 00:27 from the 3ABN Worship Center 00:29 right here in Thompsonville, 00:31 Illinois. 00:32 Tonight we begin a series that will last for five programs 00:37 on the second coming of Jesus Christ. 00:39 And we are going to be looking at the promise of His coming 00:43 tonight with a message entitled We Have This Hope. 00:47 Pastor Kenneth Cox is presenting this series. 00:50 Pastor Cox has preached all over this world 00:54 on every continent of this planet on which we live. 00:59 And he's a man who not only is a theologian 01:03 and a student of God's Word 01:05 but he is also a historian. 01:08 And he understands history and the different events 01:12 that we are facing and how they fit into history 01:15 and how the Bible and history go together. 01:19 So we are going to really enjoy this series this weekend, 01:24 and especially tonight's subject. 01:27 Before we listen to Pastor Cox, 01:29 we are going to have the pleasure of listening to 01:32 Walter Arties. 01:34 The first time I heard Walter Arties 01:36 he was singing for Billy Graham. 01:39 Since then he has sung for people like C.D. Brooks. 01:43 He was the founder, Walter Arties was, 01:46 of the Breath of Life television program. 01:49 And I had the pleasure of working with him at the 01:53 Voice of Prophecy where he was the manager 01:55 of the Voice of Prophecy. 01:57 And through all of that experience 01:59 he continued to sing and to uplift Jesus Christ. 02:04 He's been associated with Pastor Kenneth Cox 02:07 for many years, and we welcome Walter Arties 02:11 who is going to sing for us Amazing Grace. 02:48 Amazing grace 02:52 will always be 02:56 my song of praise. 03:00 For it was grace 03:07 that bought my liberty. 03:15 I do not know 03:22 just why Christ came 03:25 to love me so. 03:31 He looked beyond 03:36 my fault 03:39 and saw my need. 03:45 I shall forever 03:51 lift my eyes 03:55 to Calvary, 04:00 to view the Cross 04:05 where Jesus died 04:10 for me, 04:14 How marvelous 04:21 this grace that bought 04:25 my falling soul. 04:31 He looked beyond 04:34 my fault 04:37 and saw my need. 04:46 I shall 04:48 forever 04:53 lift my eyes 04:56 to Calvary, 05:01 to view the Cross 05:07 where Jesus died 05:11 for me, 05:16 How marvelous 05:23 this grace that bought 05:28 my falling soul. 05:37 He looked beyond 05:41 my fault 05:45 and saw my need. 05:53 What 05:56 amazing grace, 06:01 God's 06:05 amazing grace. 06:18 He 06:22 saw 06:26 my need. 06:43 Amen. 06:47 Thank you, Walter. Thank you very, very much. 06:50 Marvelous. God's grace. 06:53 What He gives to each one of us, how wonderful it is! 06:57 Welcome. Welcome to Give Me The Bible. 07:01 This is a series in which we 07:05 spend five presentations 07:09 on a particular subject. 07:10 Like this one, we're spending it on the second coming of Christ. 07:15 What does the Bible say about the second coming of Christ? 07:19 What says the Bible, the blessed Bible? 07:22 This my only question be. 07:25 The signs of Christ's coming are now taking place 07:29 all around us. What says the Bible to me? 07:33 That's what we want to find out. 07:34 What does God's Word say about the coming of Jesus Christ? 07:38 And so we hope that you'll tune in and be with us. 07:42 Those of you in the television audience or that are listening 07:45 by radio, we hope you'll tune in as we go through these subjects 07:49 and cover them each time and talk about different ones. 07:53 Tonight we're talking about We Have This Hope. 07:57 We have this hope... the promise, what the scripture says 08:01 about the coming of Jesus Christ. 08:03 Tomorrow night, or the next presentation I should say... 08:07 is on the Signs of the End of Time. 08:12 Christ gave us specific signs telling us where we were 08:18 in the stream of time. 08:20 And you and I need to look at those and see what the Bible 08:23 tells us about that and what is taking place. 08:26 So that's what our subject will be... our next one: 08:28 Signs of the End of Time. 08:32 But tonight we're looking at We Have This Hope. 08:36 We Have This Hope. 08:38 What are you looking for? 08:39 What do you want to see in this subject? 08:41 Well, you certainly want to see the promises that God gives. 08:47 God gives us promises of His return. 08:50 We need to look at those promises. 08:52 What assurance is there of these promises? 08:56 You want to look for that, 08:57 and how have other people related to those promises? 09:01 That's what you're looking at in tonight's subject. 09:04 So we hope you can follow along as we take a look at it 09:07 and see what the scripture tells us about the promises 09:11 that Christ has given us that He's coming back. 09:14 That you and I may be ready for that. 09:19 That we each are prepared for His coming. 09:22 I'm going to ask Walter to come back and sing for us 09:26 the beautiful song entitled 09:28 "Shall We or Shall I? " 09:30 "Shall You, Shall I? " 09:46 Someone will enter 09:50 the pearly gate 09:56 By and by, 10:01 by and by. 10:06 Taste of the glories 10:10 that there await, 10:16 Shall you? Shall I? 10:21 Shall you? Shall I? 10:27 Someone will travel 10:32 the streets of gold, 10:37 beautiful visions 10:42 will there behold, 10:48 Feast on the pleasures 10:53 so long foretold: 10:58 Shall you? Shall I? 11:03 Shall you? Shall I? 11:21 Someone will gladly 11:25 His cross lay down 11:31 By and by, 11:37 by and by. 11:41 Faithful, approved, 11:45 will receive a crown, 11:51 Shall you? Shall I? 11:57 Shall you? Shall I? 12:03 Someone the glorious King 12:09 will see, 12:12 Ever from sorrow 12:16 of earth be free, 12:22 Happy with Him thro' 12:27 eternity: 12:33 Shall you? Shall I? 12:37 Shall you? 12:41 Shall I? 12:54 Amen. 13:08 Heavenly Father, 13:10 tonight as we look at the promises 13:14 that You have given of the return of Your Son, 13:17 Jesus Christ, I pray that You would give us understanding. 13:23 May we see and may we know 13:27 the assurance of Your Word. 13:29 May we reach out in faith, 13:32 take hold of those promises, 13:34 and prepare for Thy soon return. 13:37 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 13:47 The word advent is a word that is used 13:52 to denote the coming of Christ. 13:56 People that believe in the 14:00 coming of Jesus Christ 14:01 are called Adventist. 14:03 That's what it means: 14:05 they believe in the return of Jesus Christ 14:08 and so they are called Adventist. 14:11 Are you an Adventist tonight? 14:13 Do you believe in the coming of Jesus Christ? 14:16 Do you believe He's coming back? 14:18 The Bible says that is one of the glorious promises 14:22 of God's Word. 14:32 "Glorious appearing; the Blessed Hope... " 14:35 the hope that Jesus Christ is coming back. 14:39 That's a promise that you and I should be looking for 14:43 and expecting as we look at the Word of God. 14:47 If you pick up your Bible and you begin to read through it, 14:51 you'll find the promise 14:52 concerning Christ's first coming. 14:55 You read through it you'll find that Micah in the Old Testament 15:00 foretold the very place that Christ would be born. 15:04 Daniel in his prophecies told the time... the exact time... 15:10 when the Savior would appear, 15:12 and yet they weren't ready. 15:14 When the prophetic clock struck the hour, 15:17 He was born right on time. 15:21 When the prophetic clock strikes the midnight hour, 15:26 Jesus Christ will come back right on time. 15:30 Those are promises that are given to us in God's Word. 15:35 And it says: "Nevertheless, we according to His" what? 15:39 Promise. 15:42 A promise that God has given to you and to me. 15:46 So tonight we need to ask ourselves: 15:49 What did God promise? 15:54 Are they things that I can believe? 15:57 And the things that He promised, did they happen? 16:01 Did they take place? 16:03 And so let's take a look at a few of the promises 16:07 that He gave. 16:08 Hebrews. Hebrews the 11th chapter 16:11 verse 7 it speaks of one of the promises. 16:30 This was a promise that God gave to Noah 16:34 saying that the earth was going to be destroyed by water. 16:41 Gave that promise to Noah. 16:43 How long was it before that promise was fulfilled? 16:49 Hmmm? 16:50 120 years. 16:53 Gave him the promise; 120 years later 16:57 that promise was fulfilled just as God said it would be. 17:01 Gave another promise. Here in Galatians it says: 17:10 Isaac was a child of promise. 17:14 God appeared to Abraham and said: "Abraham, 17:17 I'm going to give you a son. " 17:21 Abraham said: "Lord, I've always wanted a son. " 17:24 He said: "Well, just go out here and look at the stars, 17:28 and your offspring will be as the stars of heaven 17:32 and as the sands of the sea. " 17:33 And Abraham said: "This is wonderful, Lord. " 17:36 How long was it before that promise was carried out? 17:45 Twenty-five years. 17:49 Twenty-five years from the time God gave him that promise 17:53 until it was fulfilled... 17:54 took place. 17:56 And God also gave Abraham another promise. 18:05 Now it says Abraham dwelt in a land of promise. 18:08 God said "Abraham, I'm going to give to you and your descendants 18:12 this land... " 18:22 This was a promise that God had given to Abraham, 18:24 to Isaac, to Jacob... and they lived in that promise. 18:27 Did you know that when God gave Abraham that promise 18:31 He told him how long it would be before it would be fulfilled? 18:36 Yeah, you can read it there in Genesis 15. 18:38 Gave him the promise and said it would be... 18:44 four hundred years. 18:48 The scripture is most interesting here 18:50 because it says this: 19:01 The time of the promise drew near. 19:04 He had told Abraham it's going to be 400 years. 19:07 Four hundred years has passed and the... 19:16 I hope you are beginning to understand 19:18 that God gives promises, folks. 19:21 But the fulfillment of those promises is not based 19:27 on your timetable or mine. 19:29 It's based on God's timetable. 19:33 He fulfills it, and He doesn't fail. 19:37 But He gives the promise and says: "This is going to happen; 19:41 this is going to take place. " 19:51 When did God give a promise that there would come a Savior? 19:57 Way, way back in the beginning. 20:01 Genesis 3 verse 15 gives the promise of a Savior. 20:05 And here it was 4,000 years later 20:09 before the promise was fulfilled. 20:13 The Savior appeared. But He appeared, folks. 20:16 Came just exactly as the scripture said. 20:35 God gave a promise here, and Jesus told the disciples 20:39 He said: "It is expedient for you that I go away 20:43 because if I don't go away the Comforter will not come. " 20:46 Gave them the promise. 20:47 How long was it before it was fulfilled? 20:51 Fifty days. 20:54 It wasn't long on that one. 20:56 Gave the promise of the Holy Spirit. 20:58 Fifty days later it was poured out. 21:01 Promise given to them. 21:03 But He also gave us a promise of something else. 21:16 He's promised to you and to me eternal life. 21:21 Now I want to ask you something. 21:24 If all these promises that God made - 21:26 and we've looked at them and every one of 'em 21:29 has been fulfilled just exactly as God said, 21:33 do you believe this one about eternal life will be fulfilled? 21:36 Absolutely folks, no question about it. 21:40 That will be fulfilled. 21:44 And it will be fulfilled in which we will be given 21:48 immortality that we will receive eternal life... 21:54 never to die. That will be given when Jesus comes. 22:19 There is the promise! 22:27 He's given us that promise that He's going to come back. 22:32 That's the promise. 22:34 All these promises He's given have been fulfilled as He said. 22:39 And even when He left and those disciples were standing there 22:44 on the mount looking up into the clouds of heaven 22:48 He gave them the assurance and the promise 22:51 that He was coming back because He said: 23:05 That very same Jesus that they had spent 3-1/2 years with 23:09 had listened to Him, walked with Him, talked with Him, 23:12 ate with Him, had watched Him as He healed the sick, 23:15 as He cared for the children, 23:16 that very same Jesus was coming back. 23:20 And He gave them the promise. 23:22 They said "Look for Him, He'll come back in like manner 23:25 as you have seen Him go into heaven. " 23:27 So you and I have the promise that He's coming back. 23:32 Says: 23:42 He's going to come back a second time 23:45 and, dear friend, when He comes back that second time 23:48 He's coming back for you. 23:51 That's what He's coming back for... 23:52 He's coming back for you and for me. 23:54 The promise that He gives to us. 23:56 So if I have these promises, 23:58 and really, that's what prophecies are in many respects 24:03 are promises. Prophesied that this is going to happen, 24:07 it's a promise that's going to take place. 24:09 Said: 24:13 What does it mean confirmed? 24:17 Means it's sure... can't fail. 24:27 It says if there's anything that is sure, 24:31 it's the prophetic word. 24:33 And God said this is going to happen: 24:36 Jesus Christ is coming back. 24:38 You and I can count on that. 24:41 We can depend on that. 24:43 If you've got your Bible, take your Bible. 24:46 If you're at home watching, well go get your Bible. 24:49 I want you to look at something with me. 24:52 Prophecies given here in the book of Revelation. 24:56 I want you to look at what's happening, what's taking place 25:00 here in this book 25:01 and turn over in the book of Revelation with me. 25:06 If you take a look at the first chapter 25:10 of the book of Revelation, that first chapter is a description 25:15 of Jesus. 25:17 That's what it is. Tells what He looks like. 25:20 Describes Him as walking among the candlesticks and so forth. 25:25 The second and third chapter of Revelation 25:28 is about the seven churches. 25:31 That's what it's talking about: the seven churches. 25:33 And when you study the seven churches, 25:37 and they talk about those churches in sense of periods 25:40 of time, where are we? 25:44 Well, we're down to the seventh church. 25:47 That's where we are. So basically, 25:49 the second and third chapters of Revelation are fulfilled 25:53 because we're into the seventh church. 25:56 The fourth and fifth chapter of Revelation 26:00 are pictures of the throne room in heaven. 26:04 And all the prophecies in the book of Revelation... 26:07 all of them... come out of the throne room. 26:10 As you read them, if you'll look for it 26:12 in every case they are in the setting of the throne room. 26:16 All the prophecies come out of there... 26:18 that's the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation. 26:21 When you get over to the sixth, 26:24 and basically the sixth and seventh chapter of Revelation, 26:29 it's talking about what? 26:31 Well it's talking about the seven seals. 26:34 Now if you start studying through the seven seals, 26:38 you'll find that the sixth seal, we'll be talking about this 26:43 in another presentation, 26:44 you'll find out the sixth seal has already been fulfilled. 26:48 The seventh seal deals with the coming of Jesus Christ. 26:54 So basically, if you want to take a look at it, 26:56 we're through the sixth and seventh chapters of Revelation 26:59 because that's what it's talking about: the coming of Christ. 27:03 We're down to that point. 27:05 Talks about His people in chapter seven and what they do. 27:10 But when you get to chapter eight and nine 27:12 it talks about the trumpets. 27:15 Trumpets. If you read those trumpets carefully, 27:19 you'll find that those trumpets are put with the plagues 27:24 and they come with the plagues. 27:27 That takes place, folks, right just before Jesus comes. 27:32 That's when that takes place. 27:34 So you get the eighth and ninth chapter of Revelation 27:39 that deals with the trumpets there. 27:42 When you get over to the tenth chapter of Revelation, 27:45 the tenth chapter deals with the little book and God's people 27:49 and the message they have been given 27:51 and how they are to proclaim it. 27:53 Chapter eleven deals with 27:57 the country of France 28:00 and the rise of atheism 28:02 and what there. And that's past already. 28:05 You get to the twelfth chapter of Revelation, 28:07 and the twelfth chapter of Revelation talks about 28:10 pagan Rome and its influence and what it did and so forth. 28:14 And we're past that period of time. 28:16 You get to the thirteenth chapter of Revelation 28:19 and its talking about papal Rome and the United States. 28:23 And basically, the prophecies given about those two bring us 28:27 clear down to the end of that chapter. 28:29 The last few things that are to take place there. 28:32 The fourteenth chapter of Revelation again deals with 28:36 God's people and a message that they have 28:39 and what they are to do at the end of time. 28:42 Chapter fifteen and sixteen 28:45 deal with the seven last plagues. 28:49 Those happen just before Jesus comes. 28:54 OK? The seventeenth and eighteenth chapter 28:58 I'm going to have you hold that for a minute 29:01 because I want to go on to the nineteenth chapter. 29:04 The nineteenth chapter of Revelation deals with the 29:07 marriage supper of the Lamb. 29:09 That has to do with the coming of Christ. 29:13 The twentieth chapter of Revelation 29:17 deals with the millennium... 29:19 the thousand years after the coming of Christ. 29:22 And chapter twenty-one and twenty-two deal with the 29:25 new earth and heaven. 29:26 So what I'm trying to get across to you this evening 29:29 is we're down to the seventeenth and eighteenth chapter 29:34 of Revelation. 29:35 That's where we're at. 29:37 That is what those chapters are dealing with 29:39 is the time in which we are living today. 29:42 That's where we stand. 29:44 So what I'm trying to get across tonight, folks, 29:47 is there's not a lot of time left. 29:51 We're down to the end... 29:53 seventeenth and eighteenth chapter of Revelation. 29:56 Now, the thing that's interesting and what you've 30:00 got to look at is this: 30:01 When you get to the twenty- second chapter of Revelation, 30:07 down to the last chapter of the Bible, 30:09 I want you to watch what the Lord does. 30:12 Revelation 22 verse 7. 30:16 Now He's talking about the prophecies in the book of 30:19 Revelation and He says: "When these are done, 30:23 behold I come... " what? 30:27 Now we're down to the end of the book 30:29 and He says when these prophecies are done 30:32 it's not going to be a long period of time. 30:35 I'm going to come quickly. 30:37 Let's look at the twenty-second chapter again. 30:40 Verse 12 says: 30:47 Twice He says "When we're down to the end of this, 30:52 it won't be a long period of time. 30:54 I'm going to come quickly. " 30:55 Let's go back to the 22nd chapter. 30:58 Verse 20: 31:06 So dear friend, what I'm trying to tell you tonight 31:09 is it's not a long time till the coming of Jesus Christ. 31:13 He says that when these things are fulfilled 31:16 "Behold, I am coming quickly. " 31:20 You and I can depend on it. 31:22 Marvelous statement. 31:24 Marvelous statement. 31:32 Not one has failed. 31:35 So if none of them have failed, 31:37 can you live in confidence and in hope 31:40 that Jesus Christ is coming back? 31:43 We sure can! 31:44 No question about it. 31:46 Not one of His promises has failed. 31:49 Do you believe the promises? 31:50 Do you believe them? 31:53 If you believe them, 31:59 then it has to change your life. 32:03 If you believe it, 32:05 it has to change the way you approach life. 32:11 Just has to. 32:24 We have a lot of scoffers today. 32:27 Saying: "Oh, I've heard this for years. " 32:31 Scoffers... we run into them all the time. 32:35 They'll say: "Oh, I've heard that all my life. " 32:37 In fact, I can remember talking to this old minister. 32:41 And I had preached a sermon on the coming of Jesus Christ 32:44 and he came up to me after it was over and he said to me... 32:47 he said: "I've heard that all my life. " 32:49 He said: "In fact, when I gave my heart to the Lord, " 32:52 he said, "I didn't think there would be time 32:54 for me to go to school. " 32:56 He said: "I didn't think I'd make it through school. " 32:58 He said: "I went to school and then I thought 33:01 well if I get out of school I won't have any time 33:03 to work in the ministry... The Lord will come. " 33:05 And he said: "I got out of school and I got in the ministry 33:08 and I've worked all these years 33:10 and I've retired now, and Jesus hasn't come. " 33:16 And I said to him: "The fact that you believed 33:21 that Jesus was coming 33:24 and you believed that it was soon and all. 33:28 Did that hurt you? 33:32 Did that do something to you that hurt you any way? " 33:36 And he thought a while and he said: 33:40 "No, I can't think of any way it hurt me. " 33:43 No dear friend. You and I need to live in the expectancy 33:48 of the coming of the Lord. Amen. 33:51 We live in a time, unfortunately, 33:56 in which people don't believe. 34:00 Unfortunately, we live in a country 34:02 that doesn't believe. 34:05 You know, true enough we claim that we are a Christian country. 34:11 But that's just in talk, folks. 34:14 I mean, our universities teach that there is no God. 34:19 They teach evolution. 34:21 They teach everything contrary to it. 34:24 So we live in a world full of scoffers that don't believe. 34:29 But you and I... WE MUST BELIEVE. 34:33 We must hang on and believe the promises of God's Word 34:38 that Jesus Christ IS coming back. 34:40 Hebrews 11 verse 13: 34:43 wonderful text. 34:59 Moses died without receiving the promise. 35:06 David died without receiving the promises. 35:13 Mary died without receiving the promises. 35:18 Samuel died without receiving the promises. 35:22 All these believed, 35:27 died in faith, not having received the promises. 35:31 Listen to what it says about it: 35:48 I ask you this evening, have you seen them afar off? 35:54 Have you seen those promises that God has given 35:56 maybe afar off? Are you assured of them tonight? 36:00 They were! 36:02 They died hoping, believing, in the promises of God. 36:07 Will that promise be fulfilled to them? 36:11 Absolutely. 36:12 It will be fulfilled to each one of them. 36:15 They died in the faith 36:17 not receiving the promises but they WILL receive them. 36:20 And so you will receive the promises of God... 36:25 the promise that God gave you that He's coming back. 36:45 So He is saying: "Just don't give up. 36:49 You're in need of endurance. 36:52 Hang on. The promise is given. 36:54 Don't weary. Hang on; believe. 36:58 The promise is there. Jesus Christ IS COMING BACK. " 37:03 An assurance is given to all of us. 37:18 I guess of all the things in scripture, that probably 37:23 worries me the most 37:25 where it says there: "Be careful, take heed. " 37:29 I'm not too worried about, oh, carousing and drunkenness. 37:36 That certainly will keep you away from the Lord, 37:39 no question about it. But what I'm concerned about 37:42 is the cares of this life. 37:45 That we get so wrapped up, 37:49 so involved with the things of this life, 37:53 that we get distracted. 37:57 We get our attention pulled away from it. 38:00 We don't take the time... 38:03 We don't take the time to prepare our own hearts 38:07 and our own souls for the coming of Jesus Christ. 38:11 We get distracted. Too concerned about making a living 38:18 rather than making sure that I'm right with the Lord 38:22 and I'm prepared for His coming. 38:40 In Noah's day they were eating, drinking, marrying. 38:46 Going on... life was just going on as usual. 38:50 It says it will be exactly that way when Jesus comes back. 38:59 You and I need to make absolutely sure 39:04 that I don't permit the things of this life 39:10 to cause me to be distracted, 39:13 to cause me to not spend the time that I need to 39:17 to prepare for the coming of the Lord. 39:19 What is your purpose in life? 39:22 You ever thought about it? 39:26 What is your purpose in life? To make money? 39:32 Make sure you have a good home? 39:36 Make sure you have a nice car? 39:38 Make sure you have all the toys that they talk about? 39:44 Is that your purpose in life? 39:47 You see, if I believe the promise, 39:50 then it's definitely going to affect my purpose in life. 39:55 If my purpose in life is to make sure above everything else 40:00 that I'm right with the Lord, 40:03 then that makes a great, 40:06 great difference what my purpose 40:09 in life is. What am I doing? 40:11 What... what am I planning to do with my life? 40:18 When we became Christians, I was just a teenager... 40:25 young teenager. 40:28 Uh, my mother would make me, 40:34 actually, sit down and read to her out of the Bible. 40:39 She just had me sit down and read to her out of the Bible. 40:42 I didn't like doing that. 40:45 I mean I didn't like it at all! 40:47 And I would... I would pick up the Bible where she wanted me 40:51 to read, and I would read it just as fast as I could read it. 40:54 You know? But you know, something rather strange 40:58 happened. All those scriptures that she made me read 41:05 they just stuck in my memory. 41:09 And as I got older, they just come flooding back all the time. 41:14 The things that she taught me and had me do, 41:17 they stayed there all my life. 41:19 There was a great preacher of the past... 41:27 Charles Finney. 41:28 Charles Finney, if you read his story, 41:32 his mother made him do that same thing... 41:34 made him read to her. 41:36 And he didn't like it any better than I did. 41:38 But the scriptures stuck in his mind. 41:43 And the first opportunity he got to get out of the home 41:48 he got... he got out of there. 41:50 And he decided that he was going to become a lawyer, 41:53 and he went away to law school. 41:56 And he was sitting in his room studying. 41:59 And as he was sitting in the room studying, 42:02 a voice just seemed to say to him: 42:09 "Charles Finney, what are you going to do with your life? " 42:15 He said: "Well, I'm going to become a lawyer. 42:20 That's what I'm going to do. " 42:23 And the voice said: "What then? " 42:28 And he said: "Well, uh, I hope to practice law. 42:34 Set up a practice somewhere and practice law 42:37 as I'm going to school for. " 42:39 And the voice said: "What then? " 42:44 He said: "Well, I hope I can get married and have a family. " 42:49 And the voice said: "What then? " 42:56 He said: "Well, I hope that I'll make a contribution 43:00 to the community and do something to be helpful 43:03 to mankind and the community and work that way. " 43:08 And the voice said: "What then? " 43:11 Said: "Well, I guess I'll die. " 43:17 And the voice said: "What then? " 43:21 And those scriptures come rolling back through his mind. 43:25 He got on his knees and gave his heart to the Lord. 43:30 Let me tell you, friend, the most important thing 43:32 that you can do in life is to make sure you're ready 43:36 to meet the Lord. 43:38 Not anything more important than that: 43:41 that you are ready to meet the Lord when He comes. 43:46 So what is your purpose in life? 43:49 What are you going to do with your life? 44:06 No, the Lord's not slack concerning that promise, folks. 44:10 He's longsuffering. He's doing everything He can 44:13 to see that every soul is saved in His kingdom. 44:17 Longsuffering... but don't be fooled. 44:23 Rest assured that God knows what He is doing. 44:28 Rest assured of that. 44:45 This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world 44:49 and then the end is come. 44:52 And, folks, we're to that place today. 44:56 Technically... technologically 45:00 there's nothing really standing 45:03 without taking the gospel to all the world. 45:06 That can happen. That can happen quickly. 45:09 That's not the point. 45:13 When that happens, the end will come. 45:17 God's more concerned... more concerned that you 45:22 and that I and each person is ready to meet Him. 45:27 He's longsuffering, not wantin' anybody to perish... 45:33 that we will all be saved in His kingdom. 45:37 But let me assure you, I've run onto people that seem to think 45:42 that God doesn't know what He's doing. 45:45 You know, I talk to people that seem to think 45:48 that God doesn't know what He's doing. 45:50 This book tells me that God has done everything right on time. 45:55 I mean everything. When it came to the first 46:00 coming of Jesus Christ it says in scripture: 46:02 "When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, 46:07 born of a woman. " 46:08 It was right on time. 46:11 When it comes to the second coming of Jesus, 46:14 it will be right on time. It says here in Daniel 8:19: 46:27 "At the appointed time the end shall be. " 46:29 It's going to come, and it'll going to come right on time 46:34 according to God's timetable. 46:38 Not yours, not mine... but God's. 46:41 But folks, that doesn't change the promise, does it? 46:46 The timetable doesn't change the promise at all. 46:49 The promise is sure. 46:51 It's going to happen; it's going to take place. 46:55 God promises that to you and to me. 46:58 And so Daniel, who walked with the Lord, 47:05 followed the Lord, 47:07 comes down to the end of his life 47:10 and God simply says this to him: 47:26 He said: "Daniel, you've been faithful. 47:28 You've served the Lord. 47:30 You're going to rest now, 47:32 and you're going to rest until the end... 47:37 the end of days and then you will arise, 47:40 you'll come forth to your inheritance. " 47:43 Promise that He gives to Daniel of old. 47:46 So that promise is given to you and to me. 47:49 The same one. 47:52 Christ is going to come back. 47:54 Therefore what? 47:59 Don't give up. Continue... hang on. 48:07 Be patient... wait. 48:15 And so to you tonight I would say BE PATIENT 48:21 because the prophecies all tell us 48:24 that the coming of the Lord is at hand. 48:29 You and I have the privilege 48:32 of living in a time that the prophets talked about. 48:37 We have the privilege of living in a time 48:40 in which they looked forward to.. the time when the promise 48:43 will be fulfilled and Jesus will come back. 48:46 You and I are living in that time. 48:49 "Therefore, be patient. " 48:51 God will fulfill His promise. 48:54 He won't fail. 48:57 People say to me: "Well, Brother Cox, 49:00 How? How can I know that I'm ready for Jesus to come? 49:08 How can I know that if Christ was to come right now 49:11 I'd be ready to meet him? 49:14 How can I know that? 49:16 Well let me tell you how to know that. 49:30 Say that to you again. 49:31 If your heart is right with God today, 49:35 you are ready if Christ should come today. 49:40 So the question is: 49:43 if you have any doubts, make sure your 49:45 heart's right with God. 49:47 And by the way, folks, that doesn't take 49:50 beating your back. 49:52 That doesn't take that. 49:54 That just takes coming to Him 49:56 and surrendering your heart 49:57 and soul to Him 49:59 that you and I can be ready 50:01 to meet the Lord. 50:03 That He will be coming back. 50:12 And I hope tonight that's true of you. 50:14 That you desire something better. 50:23 He's prepared a special place for you; 50:26 He's going to come back. 50:29 He's going to come back and He's going to gather His people, 50:33 take them home. 50:34 You and I have the assurance that He's coming back. 50:41 With the death of Jesus, all the ambition, 50:46 all the hopes, all the things that those disciples believed in 50:51 and hoped for died. 50:55 Disappointed. 50:58 The one that they believed to be the Messiah, 51:00 the one they believed that was going to deliver them, 51:02 was dead. 51:04 And the women had gone out to the tomb early that morning, and 51:10 when they got out there they found the stone rolled away. 51:16 And they went running to tell the disciples. 51:20 And they told the disciples, and Peter and John went running 51:26 to the tomb. 51:28 Uh, John is younger... and he outrun Peter. 51:34 Got to the tomb but for some reason he didn't go in... 51:37 he waited on Peter to come. 51:38 And this is rather a strange scripture, folks. 51:42 Listen very carefully: 51:52 He got there, got in the tomb, and here these cloths were 51:55 laying there... 52:08 Strange! 52:10 Why would the scripture pick up that incident 52:12 and talk about that? 52:14 That that handkerchief was there, folded, 52:18 when the rest of the grave clothes were throw to the side? 52:24 But you see, Jewish custom knew that 52:29 if the master came home 52:32 and the servant had prepared a meal for him, 52:35 the master sat down and ate 52:38 and the servant knew he was not to be disturbed. 52:42 But when the master had finished eating, 52:45 if he got up and took the napkin 52:50 and wiped his mouth, threw it there on the table 52:54 and left, then the servant knew that he could go in and 52:58 clean up the table and take up the dishes and so forth. 53:02 But if the master got up and took that napkin 53:06 and folded it and laid it beside his plate, 53:11 the servant knew he was not to touch anything 53:14 because the master was coming back. 53:17 So Jesus when He left, He left those disciples 53:22 a message. He left a message to you and to me 53:25 that He's coming back. 53:36 We have this hope 53:39 that burns within our hearts, 53:45 Hope in the coming 53:48 of the Lord. 53:53 We have this faith that 53:58 Christ alone imparts, 54:01 Faith in the promise 54:05 of His Word. 54:10 We believe the time is here, 54:14 When the nations far and near 54:18 Shall awake, and shout, and sing 54:23 Hallelujah! 54:26 Christ is King! 54:31 We have this hope 54:35 that burns within our 54:38 hearts, 54:41 Hope in the coming 54:46 of the Lord. 54:59 Let us pray. 55:00 Father in Heaven, 55:02 we thank you for the assurance 55:03 that Jesus Christ is coming back. 55:06 May we each one reach out in faith 55:11 and claim those promises. May our hearts be surrendered. 55:15 May we each one be prepared for the soon return of our 55:20 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 55:23 This we ask in His name, Amen. 55:27 Hang on. Jesus is coming. 55:30 It won't be long. 55:37 More than 2,000 years have passed 55:40 since Jesus promised to return. 55:42 And through the centuries, the hearts of His faithful ones 55:45 have clung to those precious words. 55:47 But His promise has not yet been fulfilled. 55:50 The Life giver's voice has not yet called the sleeping saints 55:54 from their graves. 55:56 Each day many more Christians fall asleep in Jesus 56:00 clinging to the Blessed Hope 56:02 and believing that the next thing they'll see 56:05 is their Savior coming as He promised 56:08 in the clouds of glory. 56:10 But my friends, there are so many who do not have 56:14 this Blessed Hope. And many of them would 56:17 if they just had the opportunity to hear about Jesus. 56:23 That is why we are producing these programs. 56:26 We want to tell them about God's amazing love. 56:29 About our Savior, Jesus Christ. 56:31 About His second coming. 56:33 We want to give each one of them that Blessed Hope. 56:36 Think of it. Even now all of heaven's astir 56:40 preparing for that great day. 56:42 The Lord is waiting for us 56:44 to join Him in spreading the good news. 56:47 Praise God! The time of waiting is almost over. 56:50 Light is gleaming upon the clouds above the mountaintops. 56:54 Soon there will be a revealing of His glory. 56:57 The Son of Righteousness is about to shine forth. 57:00 NOW is the time to prepare for the coming of the Lord. 57:04 Readiness to meet Him cannot be attained 57:08 in a moment's time. 57:09 Each member of our ministry team has focused on doing all we can 57:14 to spread the good news, 57:15 but we cannot do it alone. 57:18 We need your help. 57:19 Each of us must prepare, watch, and wait. 57:23 But we also must work earnestly 57:26 for the salvation of souls. 57:27 Please consider what you can do 57:29 for those who still don't know about Jesus. 57:32 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:34 you may send your tax-deductible gifts to: 57:48 Thank you for helping us to bring the Blessed Hope 57:51 to millions all around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17