Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: GMTB
Program Code: GMTB000031
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00:19 Good evening and welcome to Thompsonville, Illinois,
00:23 and Give Me The Bible 00:25 with Pastor Kenneth Cox. 00:27 We've been having this series 00:28 now for... this is the seventh 00:30 month of this series. 00:32 Every month for one week 00:35 on the weekend - Thursday, Friday, Sabbath, Sunday - 00:38 we have an emphasis upon one of the great Bible doctrines 00:43 that we have in God's Word. 00:45 Pastor Cox has been bringing this series to us. 00:48 It's been going around the world 00:50 and I have spoken to people in many countries who have told me 00:55 how much they are enjoying this series... 00:58 and especially right here in the good old 01:01 United States of America. 01:03 And I was just back from Oregon for a Camp Meeting 01:07 and then Arizona, and I don't know how many people told me 01:10 how much they were enjoying Give Me The Bible 01:14 and how much they appreciated the ministry 01:16 of Pastor Kenneth Cox. 01:18 Now tonight we have a real privilege. 01:22 We have the Hinsdale Men's Chorus with us. 01:25 It's under the direction of Arnold Hutabarat, 01:29 and we're so glad that you're here! 01:32 Thank you. We're glad to be here. 01:33 We're going to bring that group on now, and we're going to be 01:36 hearing some music from them in just a moment. 01:39 But I want to talk to you for just a few seconds here 01:43 about tonight's subject. 01:45 Tonight's subject is The Conflict of the Ages. 01:49 In fact, this whole weekend series 01:51 is The Conflict of the Ages. 01:53 And we're going to be looking 01:55 at how there is a great conflict going on 01:59 between God and Satan. 02:01 And in this conflict we know who the one who is going to be 02:06 that's victorious... 02:07 and that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 02:11 Listen now as we have the Hinsdale Men's Chorus. 02:31 Amazing grace, 02:35 how sweet the sound. 02:40 That saved a wretch... 02:44 a wretch like me. 02:48 I once was lost 02:53 but now am found. 02:57 I once was blind 03:02 but now I see. 03:10 'Twas grace that taught 03:13 'twas grace that taught 03:15 my heart to sing 03:17 my heart to sing. 03:19 And that same grace 03:21 and that same grace 03:23 my fears relieved. 03:25 my fears relieved. 03:28 How precious did 03:32 that grace appear 03:37 the hour when 03:41 I first believed. 03:50 Through many dangers, 03:55 toils, and snares 03:58 I have already 04:03 safely come. 04:07 'Tis grace that brought 04:12 me safe thus far 04:16 and surely - surely - grace 04:21 will lead me home. 04:25 I shall go home. 04:39 When we've been there 04:45 ten thousand years 04:50 bright shining as 04:55 the glorious sun, 05:00 we've no less days 05:05 to sing God's praise 05:10 than since the day 05:16 we'd first begun. 05:27 Than since the day 05:34 we'd first begun. 05:54 Thank you Hinsdale Men's Chorus. Did you enjoy that? 05:59 Great. We're glad that you enjoyed it. 06:02 We're very happy to have them with us here for this weekend, 06:06 and we hope that as they're here each night 06:09 we'll be treated to some very wonderful music. 06:12 Thankful for that. 06:14 Well... welcome back! 06:16 Those of you who are tuning in 06:18 by television or radio 06:21 or watching it here with us... 06:23 maybe you're here for the first time... 06:25 we just want to say welcome to you. 06:27 We're glad that you're here. 06:28 Those of you that are watching for... 06:31 have tuned back in for the maybe 4th, 5th, 6th time, 06:36 well welcome back. We're glad that you're following us 06:38 as we're going through this series entitled 06:41 Give Me The Bible. 06:43 That's what we want to be concerned about 06:45 is Give Me The Bible. 06:48 You know, it really doesn't make a great lot of difference 06:51 what philosophers have said. 06:54 Doesn't make a great lot of difference 06:56 what wise men have said. 06:58 What makes a great difference is what GOD SAID. 07:02 See? And that's what we want to know. 07:04 And so often we get that mixed up 07:07 and we get to listening to the wrong voice. 07:11 You know... What says the Bible, the blessed Bible? 07:14 This my only question be. 07:18 The teachings of men so often mislead us. 07:22 What says the Bible to me? 07:25 That's what we want to find out. 07:27 And tonight's subject particularly we want to... 07:30 I should say this weekend's subject particularly... 07:33 Life in the Son... is an area that many, many people 07:39 don't understand... are confused about. 07:42 And so we hope that you will follow as we go into 07:45 tonight's subject on Conflict of the Ages. 07:48 What is happening there. 07:49 Also then tomorrow night 07:52 the next presentation is entitled: 08:00 A lot of people don't understand that. 08:02 They don't know what the Bible talks about 08:04 when it speaks about a soul. 08:06 That's our next presentation after that. 08:08 And then after that we're going to talk about 08:10 Life in Christ. 08:12 What does the Bible say about life in Christ? 08:16 That'll be our next presentation. 08:18 After that we're going to talk about the subject 08:20 of Spiritualism 08:21 and what is happening in the world today 08:23 concerning Spiritualism and so forth. 08:26 And then we're going to end up this series 08:28 with the subject entitled No More Sin. 08:32 So this is what we're going to look at this weekend. 08:35 We hope you'll be here or be tuning in 08:38 each night as we take a look at God's Word. 08:41 And we thank you for following 08:44 week after week, month after month. 08:46 We're about halfway... or a little over halfway 08:49 through this entire series entitled Give Me The Bible. 08:55 And I hope that as we've gone through it 08:57 it has helped you to pick up your Bible 09:01 and read it... begin to understand what it says, 09:04 what God is talking about, and to build your faith on. 09:07 So God bless you as you continue to study God's Word. 09:11 As I mentioned, we're delighted to have with us 09:14 the Hinsdale Men's Chorus. 09:16 And they're going to be with us all weekend, be singing for us. 09:20 You're going to be blessed in a very, very special way. 09:23 And they're going to sing a wonderful song for us tonight 09:26 entitled Lift Up The Cross. 09:54 The Word of God is powerful. 10:00 As mighty as the sword. 10:06 It pierces through the ages... 10:11 proclaims a loving Lord. 10:19 It speaks of One who sacrificed 10:25 that we might have eternal life. 10:31 His call to us His call to us 10:35 His call to us is just to lift Him up. 10:43 Lift up the cross 10:47 Lift up the cross 10:50 till every eye has seen 10:54 the Lamb of Calvary. 10:56 Lift up the cross 10:59 Lift up the cross 11:02 Lift up the Son of God who died... 11:06 Lift up His cross and lift it high 11:09 till every eye has seen the Lord. 11:16 Lift up the cross. 11:29 The message of the cross of Christ 11:35 is one of peace and hope. 11:40 The power of the cross 11:45 is the sinless blood that flowed. 11:53 How can anyone believe 11:59 the message they have not received? 12:05 A call today a call today 12:08 a call today for us to lift Him up. 12:16 Lift up the cross 12:19 Lift up the cross 12:22 till every eye has seen 12:26 the Lamb of Calvary. 12:28 Lift up the cross 12:31 Lift up the cross 12:34 Exalt the Son of God who died. 12:37 Take up His cross and lift Him up 12:40 till every eye has seen the Lord. 12:45 Lift up the cross 12:48 Lift up the cross 12:51 till every eye has seen 12:55 the Lamb of Calvary. 12:58 Lift up the cross 13:01 Lift up the cross 13:04 Lift up the Son of God who died 13:07 Take up His cross and lift Him up 13:10 till every eye has seen the Lord. 13:14 Till every eye has seen the Lord. 13:19 Till every eye has seen 13:22 the Lord. 13:28 Lift up the cross 13:31 Lift up the cross 13:35 Lift up the cross! 13:44 Amen. 14:01 Heavenly Father, 14:03 tonight we want to lift up 14:07 Jesus Christ. 14:10 Lord, we pray that the words that are spoken 14:15 might hold Him up as the Savior of the world. 14:21 As the Redeemer. 14:23 As the Creator. 14:26 As our Mighty God. 14:29 Give us Your Spirit. 14:33 Fill our hearts. 14:34 May they be open, receptive to Your Word 14:38 and may each of us be drawn into close communion with You. 14:43 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 14:54 Tonight we're taking a look 14:58 at The Conflict of the Ages. 15:02 What is a Soul? 15:06 Look at that and find out what it's talking about. 15:08 But tonight we're taking a look at a conflict that's going on. 15:12 A conflict that started 15:15 centuries ago... 15:17 ages ago... up in heaven. 15:20 A conflict between two powers 15:22 that is going on even to this day. 15:26 And what many, many people don't see and don't understand 15:31 is what's involved in that conflict 15:34 and what's happening there. 15:36 And that's what we're going to take a look at tonight... 15:38 that conflict. We find that there is an angel, 15:42 an angel that was created over and above 15:46 all the angels of heaven, 15:48 and what was to happen there with that angel 15:52 and what he believed and what happened. 15:55 And I want you to listen to his words 15:57 because he says very clearly what his intentions are 16:02 and what he intends to do. 16:04 This is what he had to say: 16:17 Now listen carefully. 16:38 Now if you don't get a picture of what's happening here... 16:41 This angel is talking about exalting himself 16:45 above all the angels of heaven, the stars of heaven. 16:49 When it says that he would have his seat 16:51 on the farthest side of the north 16:54 that represents the very choice spot. 16:58 In other words, we're talking about Israel 17:01 where it was arid and so forth. 17:03 Where it was nice and where it was green was the north. 17:06 And he said "I'm going to sit on the very best side. " Listen: 17:19 Now this was his intentions. 17:22 This is what he intended to do, 17:24 and because of that a conflict has started. 17:30 Now tonight I'm going to begin this 17:34 with an allegory. 17:36 And I hope this allegory will help you in a little bit 17:40 sense what's happening here and what's taking place. 17:43 And so let's take a look at this allegory. 17:47 All of you are familiar with this picture. 17:50 All of you recognize this as the castle 17:55 at Disneyland or Disney World. 17:59 That's the castle there, 18:01 and everybody sees it. In every theme park 18:04 that Walt Disney has built this castle is there. 18:07 This castle is NOT in Disney Word or Disneyland. 18:13 This castle happens to be in Bavaria. 18:18 Germany. 18:19 That's where it's at. 18:21 And it was the original castle 18:24 and Walt Disney duplicated it 18:27 and had it in all of his theme parks, 18:30 because of all the castles in the world 18:32 it's probably one of the most beautiful and symmetric 18:37 of any one that's ever been built. 18:39 But, this castle fits into the story 18:45 of the allegory that I'm sharing with you tonight, 18:48 so I want you to watch as we talk about it. 18:51 Back in the year of 1661 AD 18:55 a young man came to the throne in France. 18:59 His name was Louis XIV. 19:03 About 24 years of age, and at this time 19:07 the nation of France was probably the strongest, 19:11 most powerful nation in all of Europe. 19:16 And so, Louis XIV who took over this power 19:21 set up what he called his Sunrise Kingdom. 19:26 And he became known as the sun king 19:30 because he said there was no place on earth 19:34 where the sun rose 19:36 that it didn't rise on French territory. 19:39 And so he had his famous Sunrise Kingdom 19:42 that he intended to continue to grow until it ruled the world. 19:49 That it was the strongest of all of them. 19:51 And Louis XIV went outside of Paris 19:56 about 10 miles and had a friend that lived there. 20:00 And they went hunting there. 20:03 And he liked the area very well, 20:05 and so he was able to purchase some land in this area. 20:10 And he began to have a lodge there where he could hunt 20:14 and so forth. But as time progressed, 20:16 he began to build some buildings on it. 20:18 And then he got it in his mind 20:22 that he would build a palace there. 20:26 And he built it, and it became known as Versailles. 20:31 And here he built marvelous beautiful buildings. 20:36 I mean, beyond... They're one of the marvels 20:40 of today, folks, when you go to Versailles where he built. 20:44 This became the capitol of France 20:47 and was the capitol of France for many, many years. 20:51 And he built these buildings like this 20:54 that were just absolutely marvelous places. 20:57 And you can go there today and walk through the halls 21:01 of this palace and see the wonderful things that he built. 21:04 The statues, and all the marble, and all that took place there. 21:08 Or you can even go to what is called the Hall of Mirrors 21:13 where you stand and there just doesn't seem to be an end to it. 21:18 Louis XIV intended that his power 21:22 would encircle the earth, and that he was the Sunrise Kingdom 21:26 and this would be his. 21:29 As happens to all men 21:32 as well as to nations, 21:35 they go downhill. 21:37 And he died. 21:39 And France, over time, lost the position that it once held. 21:45 But 200 years later 21:50 1864 AD 21:53 down in Bavaria there is a young man who has become 21:59 the king: the king of Bavaria... 22:03 and his name was Ludwig II. 22:07 Ludwig II saw himself 22:11 as the embodiment of the Sun King. 22:15 And he thought that he now would take over 22:19 and his kingdom would become the Sunrise Kingdom 22:22 and that it would encompass the world... 22:25 and he would be this sunrise king of all. 22:29 And so Ludwig set out to do that. 22:32 He built this castle that you looked at. 22:37 which is called, by the way, New Swanstein. 22:41 New Swanstein Castle. 22:43 And if you go there and visit it 22:46 and walk through it, it's beautiful on the outside. 22:49 It's not very beautiful on the inside. 22:53 It just doesn't strike you that much on the inside. 22:56 But the symmetry of it... the way it is built and all... 22:59 wonderful outside. 23:01 But that really wasn't his intentions of ruling from there. 23:05 He went over to a place called Linderhoff 23:09 and he built his home and palace there. 23:14 And this was his home and palace at Linderhoff. 23:18 Now folks, you've got to remember... this is a man 23:21 who sees himself as the embodiment now of the Sun King 23:27 and that his kingdom's going to rule all the world. 23:30 One problem... he doesn't even rule Germany. 23:33 He just rules Bavaria. That's all he has. 23:37 But this is the way he sees himself, 23:39 and the people of Bavaria thought he was crazy. 23:44 I'm not really sure he was crazy, folks. 23:47 He was enamored with the arts, 23:51 and he spent all of this time in music and art 23:55 and all this kind of stuff... 23:56 and I think the people didn't understand him. 23:58 But he intended to take over everything 24:01 and he built this home... and it's fabulous. 24:04 But you've got to remember that it doesn't even start - 24:08 I mean doesn't even start - 24:10 to be what Versailles was. 24:13 I mean, doesn't even get close. 24:15 But this is one of the fountains out in front of this house. 24:18 You can see. And the gardens around it are marvelous. 24:23 This was the guest room in his palace. 24:28 And this was his bedroom. 24:34 So you can see, this isn't, as far as I'm concerned, 24:37 the work of a crazy man. 24:39 This man had a vision of what the arts were and so forth 24:43 and what he wanted to do. 24:44 But he just was envisioned. 24:48 He was not... he was not financially fixed to do that. 24:52 He didn't have the power to do the things. 24:55 He just lacked all the things that were necessary. 24:57 And he spent so much money doing all this 25:01 that the people had him declared crazy. 25:05 And they arrested him, and they took him 25:09 and were going to lock him up. 25:12 And they had his psychiatrist go with him, 25:15 and they spent the night 25:16 at another palace. 25:19 And I don't know what he did. 25:21 Nobody does. 25:22 But he talked the psychiatrist into going for a walk with him 25:26 and they found him and the psychiatrist drowned in the lake 25:31 the next morning. 25:33 And so no one to this day knows how that happened 25:36 or what happened, you know. 25:38 But his kingdom came to an end. 25:40 OK. Now, I want to talk to you about a special king. 25:46 A King of Kings. 25:49 A king that is over all the others. 25:54 And it says this about Him: 26:10 So here is the King of Kings who created all things. 26:15 It's by His power that they exist. 26:18 It's by His power that you and I breathe tonight. 26:21 It's by His power that this world stays in orbit. 26:24 It's by His power that all the universe operates 26:28 as it should. 26:30 He is the King of Kings. 26:43 So He has the power to create. 26:47 To call things into existence. 26:50 This is all within His hands... what He is able to do. 26:54 He is over all: 27:05 Why? Because He is the God of the universe. 27:10 He's the greatest of all gods. 27:14 But... He created an angel, 27:18 a special angel. 27:22 That angel was over all the angels of heaven. 27:28 Listen. 27:29 This angel said: 27:51 So all of a sudden here you have someone 27:54 who is a created being. 27:58 He's... he doesn't have the power to create. 28:02 He's... he is an angel, 28:07 and yet he has decided that he would be God. 28:13 That he would take God's place. 28:17 Listen to what the Lord says: 28:29 Now here in Ezekiel he's comparing the king of Tyre 28:33 and Lucifer, this archangel. 28:35 So that's what's happening here. 28:37 Watch as he describes him here 28:40 and what he says about him: 28:47 I mean, when He made Lucifer 28:50 he was the ideal of perfection. 28:54 In other words, he's saying you're one of the best 28:58 created things I've ever done. 29:00 You were the seal of perfection. 29:07 In other words, in every way he was perfection. 29:12 He was perfection in wisdom. 29:15 He was perfection in beauty. 29:17 He was perfection in everything that he did. 29:19 Absolutely marvelous... this creation. 29:29 There wasn't anything that God didn't give 29:33 and put to this angel. 29:53 Said: "Everything that I could take 29:57 I gave you and you were absolutely perfect. " 30:00 When it talks about his timbrels and pipes 30:02 it's talking about his voice. 30:04 Must have had a marvelous voice 30:06 that when he spoke it must have been absolutely fabulous. 30:10 And he led the angelic choir. 30:14 Just think of what he did when he sang. 30:17 Absolutely perfect. 30:24 You know what that means? 30:25 It meant that he stood right next to the throne 30:31 of God. 30:47 If you read the scripture, 30:50 when it talks about the fiery stones 30:52 it's talking about the sea of glass. 30:54 It's talking about where God's throne is 30:56 and it talks about the sea of glass and stones of fire there. 31:00 It meant that he ministered or stood there before God. 31:04 He was invited into the very inner sanctum 31:07 of the courtroom of God. 31:10 You were... what? 31:19 Get it clear, folks. 31:20 GOD DID NOT CREATE A DEVIL! 31:25 God created an angel called Satan... 31:30 or later called Satan... but to begin with called Lucifer, 31:34 son of the morning, who was absolutely perfect. 31:39 There was no sin in him. 31:43 He was perfect in every way. 31:45 That's the way God created him. 31:47 That does not mean that when God created him 31:51 that God took away from him his power of choice. 31:55 In fact, if God had taken away his power of choice, 31:59 he wouldn't have been a perfect creation. 32:03 But it was a perfect creation, 32:04 and God granted to this marvelous, marvelous angel 32:08 the ability to choose: to say "yes, " to say "no. " 32:13 He gave him that right. 32:14 So he was perfect from the day he was created 32:19 "till iniquity was found in you. " 32:23 Lucifer, son of the morning, made a decision 32:28 to rebel against God. 32:32 To go the opposite direction. 32:36 Now, this angel that was created so perfect 32:42 just didn't have certain things, folks. 32:47 He wasn't omnipotent. 32:49 Oh, yes, he's powerful... 32:51 but he's not omnipotent. 32:54 He doesn't have all power. 32:56 Never will... never has. 32:59 He lacked that. 33:01 He not only was not omnipotent, 33:04 he was no omnipresent. 33:07 That meant he couldn't be every place at one time... 33:09 although you and I sometimes think he is. 33:13 You know, the devil and all of his imps. 33:16 But nevertheless he's not omnipresent. 33:19 He can't be every place at one time. 33:22 He's also not omniscient. 33:24 He doesn't know all. 33:26 He doesn't have that. 33:28 But let me tell you something. There's something that he lacks, 33:33 that he can't give more than any of those things, 33:38 and that is: he cannot give life. 33:44 He is a created being. 33:47 God made him. 33:49 He does not have the ability 33:52 to give life. 33:54 And keep it clear, folks. 33:56 We live in an age today where they're all the time 33:58 talking about this and all. Let me tell you something. 34:01 Man... man can clone. 34:06 God does not clone... He creates. 34:10 It's a great, great difference there. 34:13 And Lucifer cannot create. 34:17 He cannot give life. 34:19 If you get that clear, you'll begin to see something 34:22 concerning this great conflict that's going on today. 34:26 And because of this, war broke out in heaven. 34:30 Lucifer decided he wanted to be God. 34:34 "I will be like the Most High. " 34:43 Strange! 34:45 You don't think of war in heaven, do you? 34:48 But it broke out in heaven, and that conflict's been going on 34:53 now for thousands of years. 34:59 Said that war broke out there, but the devil and his angels 35:02 did not prevail. 35:07 They were cast out. 35:25 Now let me ask you something, folks. 35:27 When the devil was cast out and he came to this earth, 35:31 do you think that he changed his ambition? 35:37 Do you think he changed what he wanted to do? 35:40 No, not at all. 35:42 He didn't change it. 35:44 He still wanted to be God. 35:48 All right. 35:51 Man fell. 35:55 Man succumbed to his temptation, 35:58 and Jesus Christ came to this earth 36:03 to win back this earth to God. 36:09 Next time you pick up your Bible 36:13 and you read the story of the one lost sheep, 36:19 just understand that it's talking about this world. 36:26 See? And Jesus came to redeem this world 36:30 and to win it back to God. 36:33 And so when He got here, 36:35 one of the first things that the devil did 36:38 was to tempt Him, and to tempt Him on this point. 36:54 Took Him up on this mountain and showed Him 36:57 all the kingdoms... all its glory. 37:12 Let me tell you something, friends, 37:14 He didn't need gold. 37:19 What use does he have of gold? 37:21 He doesn't need silver. 37:24 Has no use for those things. 37:27 He doesn't have any use for position. 37:31 He had all that. 37:33 God gave Him all that. 37:36 What does he want? Worship. 37:40 See? And he said: "I'll give all this to You, 37:44 every bit of it, if You'll just worship me. " 37:50 Of course, Christ said: "Get behind Me, Satan. 37:56 Should worship the Lord, and Him only shall you worship. " 38:02 No one else. 38:08 Let me just tell you something. 38:11 Since that day, the devil has been offering that 38:15 to every individual he can... 38:18 either by lies or by position 38:23 or by money. 38:25 He's offered to mankind, tried to allure them 38:28 into following him. 38:30 And he promises them certain things 38:34 if they will just follow him. 38:37 "I'll give you this if you'll worship me. " 38:41 Let's go back. 38:45 Well let me look at this. It says here: 39:04 Folks, put it down. 39:06 Quit, you know... there's no truth in the devil. 39:10 That's never there. 39:21 OK. Watch what happens here because it... it's a tremendous 39:27 move to try to take care of one thing. 39:31 And Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden... 39:35 And God told them... He said: "You can have anything 39:40 here in the garden you want. 39:42 Just of this one tree you can't eat. " 39:46 And the devil said: "Can you eat of all the trees 39:52 here in the garden? " 40:11 Now she told the serpent... She said: 40:13 "The Lord made it clear we're not to touch this tree 40:15 or eat of it. If we do, we're going to die. " 40:18 Listen to his words: 40:27 I don't know if you're catching what's here. 40:31 You see, the devil can't give life. 40:37 He can't create; he can't give life. 40:41 so the ideal way to take care of that 40:44 is to tell you you'll never die. 40:49 That you have life within yourself. 40:51 And God tried to make that very clear. 40:54 I mean, God answers this question, folks. 40:57 I mean clearly answers 40:58 this question. Watch: 41:14 Said: "Man has eaten of this tree. 41:17 He's like one of us. He knows good now 41:19 and he knows what evil is, 41:20 lest he put out his hand and take of this tree 41:23 and live forever... " Watch: 41:41 God said: "Not going to let man eat of this tree 41:46 and live forever. " 41:50 See, man does not have life within himself. 41:56 Just doesn't have it. 41:59 That is a deception of the devil. 42:06 Today the market is full of books 42:12 that tell you that you do. 42:14 These are just a few books I picked up. 42:16 Look at them. 42:19 Life After Death. 42:21 Ghosts Among Us. 42:25 After Death, Life! 42:28 All these books that you can just pick up that tell you 42:31 when you die, you really don't die. 42:35 That there's life after death. 42:38 You're going to continue to live. 42:40 You are... this book... these books will tell you 42:43 that you have an immortal soul. 42:47 That you cannot die, 42:49 you just change existence. 42:50 The media is full of this stuff. 42:54 I mean, look at this. This is just a couple 42:59 of the movies... one that's playing right now 43:03 is called Demons and Angels or Angels and Demons. 43:07 Tom Hanks. The whole thing is about 43:10 the fact that you don't die, you go on living. 43:14 Or there's others that you can read there: 43:16 Better Off Dead. Snow Angels. 43:19 Those are all about being able to live after you die. 43:23 In fact, we even have whole... whole series 43:29 of things on television about this. 43:31 You'll recognize some of these 43:32 like Buffy the Vampire Slayer 43:37 or the one Touched by an Angel. 43:39 All those teach that. 43:42 Folks, we have just come through a period of time 43:48 when Michael Jackson died. 43:51 And if you have watched television, 43:55 you have seen the media say over and over and over 44:00 how he's not dead. 44:02 How he's now leading the angelic choir up in heaven 44:05 one person said, or how he's doing this. 44:08 Talks about all these things. 44:10 Folks, this is not what the Word of God says. 44:13 It just doesn't teach that. 44:16 It teaches that you and I are mortal. 44:20 That we are subject to death. 44:23 What I'm trying to get across to you 44:26 is life is found only in Jesus Christ. 44:32 You don't have it any other way. 44:36 Only in Christ. 44:38 This is what is says about God: 44:52 It says that God alone has immortality. 44:59 Nobody else. 45:00 Lucifer does not have immortality. 45:03 He's subject to death. 45:07 He doesn't have it, and he can't give you life. 45:13 Just can't do that. 45:15 Therefore, if you're going to go through this old world - 45:21 and I don't care who you are, 45:25 sometime you're going to face the question 45:31 that you're going to die. 45:34 Life's going to come to an end. 45:37 And then, where do you stand? 45:43 See? Who do you have? 45:47 "He that hath the Son hath life. " 45:51 "He that hath not the Son of God does not have life. " 45:57 Just not there. 46:14 Does not say in scripture 46:16 that you and I have an immortal soul 46:19 that cannot die. It says it CAN die. 46:23 Life is given to us in Jesus Christ. 46:30 And I have talked to many, many people 46:34 who have their hopes built 46:39 on a false assumption... on a lie 46:44 that the devil told 46:45 centuries ago... 46:47 believing there was life 46:49 within ourselves. No! 46:52 Listen. This is what it says is going to happen to Lucifer. 46:56 This is what happens to him. 47:11 Because he sinned, because he rebelled against God, 47:15 he was cast out of the mountain of God. 47:26 He said: "I threw you out... I destroyed you. " 47:34 And I mean folks, you can't put into words 47:38 and you and I can't imagine the beauty of this being. 47:42 OK? 48:09 Get the picture. He said: 48:12 "brought fire from your midst" - right out of you - 48:24 Man, when I was a young person and I read that text 48:28 and I learned that text, that brought great relief to me. 48:32 Because my mother... even though she - you know, 48:37 didn't intend to do anything other, but - you know - 48:42 as a kid I'd be playing and I'd probably get into some mischief 48:46 and she'd say: "Kenneth, behave yourself. " 48:48 You know? And I probably listened to what she said 48:54 but there were some times I was really interested 48:56 in what I was doing and I continued doing it. 48:59 And then she would say to me: 49:01 "Kenneth Otto. " Well then I knew, 49:05 you know, I'd better listen 49:08 when she would say: "You stop that! " 49:11 Well, probably 99 times I stopped. 49:15 But there was a few times that 49:18 I just... I was just really fascinated with what I was doing 49:24 and didn't want to stop and so I didn't stop. 49:27 And she would say to me: "Young man, 49:30 if you don't stop that 49:32 the devil's going to take care of you. " 49:35 Well, when I got older that bothered me. 49:40 I mean, I got into trouble over that because 49:42 I got to thinking when I was older: 49:45 if you don't obey, then God's going to give you to the devil. 49:50 And... and are you telling me that God and the devil 49:53 are in cahoots? 49:54 Boy, that really got... gave me problems. 49:57 I couldn't - you know - when I read that 50:00 where it said he was going to be turned into ashes 50:04 man, that answered the question for me right then and there. 50:07 He's not going to be around any more. 50:09 He doesn't have immortality. 50:10 He's going to be put to an end. 50:13 He's going to come to his end. He will be no more. 50:17 Going to end it. 50:32 Never again. He'll be destroyed; won't be. 50:36 And then, dear friends, there won't be this thing 50:40 of a conflict going on down through the ages. 50:43 That will come to an end. 50:58 Listen to what they're doing here, folks. 51:16 All those things will be given to Him. 51:19 Why? Because He is the King of Kings. 51:23 He's the Lord of Lords. 51:25 He holds in His hands the power to give life. 51:30 He can do that. 51:33 No one else. He alone has immortality. 51:38 Never again will there be sin. 52:03 How wonderful that'll be! 52:05 God will dwell with us. 52:08 There won't be such a thing as death. 52:12 That'll be gone. 52:30 This is what God will do for you and for me 52:35 if we just reach out in faith. 52:38 Accept Christ, folks. He came; He died. 52:41 He'll put an end to this conflict that's been going on 52:45 for eternity... all through time. 52:51 God shall "wipe away all tears; " 52:57 There's no death, 53:00 no pain, nor fears; 53:04 And they count 53:07 not time by years, 53:11 For there is 53:15 "no night there. " 53:22 Let us pray. 53:24 Father in Heaven, 53:26 As we see this conflict 53:30 that's been going on, 53:33 the rebellion that took place, 53:36 Lord may we tonight 53:39 settle the question in our own hearts 53:42 and place ourselves squarely upon your side. 53:48 That we will walk with You, follow you. 53:54 To know that in You we have hope, 53:59 we have life. That this isn't the end of it. 54:03 That there's a much, much better world in store. 54:08 May each one of us reach out in faith, 54:12 take hold of the promises of God, 54:15 and walk with You day by day. 54:17 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 54:25 Well our next presentation is entitled 54:28 What is a Soul? 54:31 Because many, many people don't understand 54:36 what's involved in a soul. 54:37 They've been told many, many 54:40 different things about 54:41 what's involved in a soul. 54:43 So we're going to take a look at what a soul is, 54:46 how the scripture refers to it, what it talks about 54:49 concerning that. So... and hope it will help you 54:53 put together what has happened here 54:56 so that as you read the scripture 54:59 you begin to see and understand 55:02 what God's talking about and how this all comes together. 55:05 Because you're going to find 55:07 that God simply does some marvelous things 55:11 in our lives and in us 55:13 that helps us day by day 55:16 to look to Him for guidance and direction. 55:18 So we appreciate you being here. 55:20 We hope you'll continue to tune in and be with us. 55:23 Those of you that are watching by television, 55:26 listening to it on the radio, or are here with us tonight, 55:30 may God bless you. 55:31 And we hope that you'll have a great day. 55:33 Stay close to the Lord Jesus Christ, folks. 55:36 These are times in which we are living 55:39 where men and women - above any other time - 55:42 need to stay close to the Lord. 55:43 May God bless you. 55:45 Have a great evening. 55:46 Take care of yourself. Good night. 55:50 You can find them everywhere. 55:53 In every city, town, out-of-the-way place. 55:56 In some areas, they're more plentiful than gas stations. 56:00 Small and large. Modern, old-fashioned. 56:03 Millions of them exist all over the world. 56:07 We're talking about churches, of course. 56:09 Houses of worship. 56:10 They stand as a testament to the hunger for truth 56:14 that's built into the heart of every man, woman, and child. 56:18 But truth cannot be found in a building. 56:21 In fact, churches are homes to millions 56:25 who still don't know Jesus. 56:27 And that means they don't know the truth. 56:30 In John 17:17 56:33 Jesus prayed to His Father asking that His followers 56:37 not be taken out of the world 56:39 but that the Father protect them and sanctify them 56:42 by the truth. 56:44 Then Jesus said: "Your Word is truth. " 56:48 Think about it. 56:50 "Your Word is truth. " 56:52 But friends, just reading the Bible is not enough. 56:56 Knowing the truth without a relationship 56:59 is like an empty church building 57:01 without people to give it life. 57:03 It's knowledge of God's law 57:05 without power to live up to it. 57:08 To be a true Christian 57:09 we must have a relationship with the author of truth. 57:13 By beholding the One to whom the Bible points 57:17 we are changed into His likeness. 57:20 In John 14:6 Jesus says: 57:23 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 57:27 No one comes to the Father except through Me. " 57:30 That's why we're doing this series: 57:32 so you can develop a wonderful relationship 57:36 with the author of truth, Jesus Christ. 57:39 With your help, we can bring the truth to the world. 57:43 Please consider what you can do 57:45 for those who still don't know about Jesus. 57:48 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:50 you may send your tax-deductible gifts to: 58:04 Thank you for helping us to bring the Blessed Hope 58:06 to millions all around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17