Participants: Pr. Louis Torres
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000728
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01:00 Hello and welcome back to Digging Up The Future,
01:04 Bible Prophecy Exposed. 01:06 We have been studying God's word, 01:08 we've been not only looking at the prophecies 01:11 and looking at archeology, 01:12 we've been looking for practical things 01:14 that can help us on our walk with Jesus. 01:17 And I believe that you are going to find tonight's topic 01:21 just another, just real feast and I'm looking forward to 01:24 what the Lord wants to do for us again here and now. 01:28 Let's bow our heads and pray together 01:30 before we begin this seminar. 01:31 Father in Heaven, today we're indeed grateful 01:34 that You've given us another day, 01:35 that You've given us another opportunity 01:38 to serve You and today we just ask that 01:40 Your Holy Spirit would come now 01:42 around this set, around this auditorium, 01:47 that You would give our speaker Your Holy Spirit, 01:51 that You would just connect with our hearts 01:54 in what we need to hear today. 01:56 And we thank You and we come in Christ's name. 02:00 Amen. 02:02 Well, we've been delighted to have some special numbers, 02:04 again we have Chris Albrecht with us with a trumpet, 02:07 I know that if you're like me, you've been enjoying this 02:09 and Anthia, he will accompany him on the piano. 02:14 "If My People" is the title of today's special number. 04:58 Thank you so much again. 05:00 If my people will come to themselves and pray. 05:07 In New York City, Downtown Manhattan, 05:12 there is a prison, 05:16 that prison has a name, it's called the Tombs. 05:24 Now you may ask yourself why do they call it the Tombs 05:26 because it's actually underground. 05:32 And from the prison to the courthouse, 05:35 there's actually an underground tunnel 05:40 and as the prisoners are taken from the prison, the cells, 05:45 and ushered in through to the courtroom, 05:51 as they are about to enter through the door, 05:54 right above the doorway, 05:57 there is a text, biblical text inscribed 06:01 and that text is found 06:03 in the Book of Proverbs Chapter 15. 06:06 And here's what it says, 06:07 "Good understanding giveth favor, 06:10 but the way of the transgressor is hard." 06:15 Let's pray together as we study the subject. 06:17 Our Father, thank You 06:20 for the privilege to study Your word again. 06:22 We pray Your spirit to help us, to draw near to thee. 06:26 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 06:30 Now think of the text, 06:32 the way of the transgressor is hard. 06:41 There are many people who disagree with this text. 06:44 There are people who think that 06:46 it's not the way the sinneth is difficult or hard 06:51 but rather the way of the Christian is hard. 06:54 I've heard a lot of people say 06:56 it's so easy not to be a Christian. 06:59 Ah, you don't have anything to have to meet up to, 07:03 no responsibilities, no requirements, 07:06 no rules, no regulations, 07:08 you can just go with the flow and do what you want, 07:10 it's so easy not to be a Christian. 07:16 But it's so hard to be a Christian. 07:21 Yes, there are lot of people, lot of Christians, 07:24 lot of believers who feel that way. 07:27 But did God make a mistake when He said, 07:30 "The way of the transgressor is hard"? 07:38 I don't believe so. 07:40 I don't believe that God has made a mistake in that. 07:44 But here's the question. 07:47 I recall that when I was in show business 07:52 playing with the Comets, 07:55 and I went home on a vacation, 07:58 it was then that I was confronted 08:01 with the whole dynamics of becoming a Christian. 08:06 And I remember one of the thoughts 08:08 that came into my mind 08:10 that was a temptation to keep me from 08:12 following the Lord was this. 08:14 If I become a Christian, I won't have any fun. 08:19 And there are a lot of people who think that way. 08:21 If I become a Christian, I won't have any fun. 08:25 And so whether they realize it or not, 08:27 they're thinking it's hard to be a Christian, 08:31 and easy to be a sinner. 08:34 But again, the Lord speaks here quite eloquently 08:40 as He spoke these words when He said, 08:42 "The way of the transgressor is hard." 08:46 Why did He say this? 08:48 And what do we find in the scriptures 08:51 'cause we're talking about digging up the future 08:53 but in order to understand the future, 08:55 it is important to us to understand the past. 08:58 You recall that we talked about 09:02 in the first two chapters of the Bible, 09:04 there's a perfect world, 09:06 a perfect relationship with God and man, 09:08 the animal kingdom was at peace, 09:11 there's eternal life, the man does not die, 09:15 a perfect home, 09:17 and then the last two chapters of the Bible you recall, 09:19 again, the same thing. 09:22 The relationship with God, man is with God again, 09:24 God is with man, a perfect home, 09:27 the tree of life, all is gorgeous again. 09:32 But in order to get to that new world, 09:34 we need to understand 09:36 what was the problem and where we fell 09:38 and how to get from point A to point Z. 09:43 So let's think about what the Bible says 09:45 concerning this. 09:46 Think in your mind going back to our first parents. 09:52 It was a perfect world. 09:56 Adam and Eve had all that they wanted 09:59 and all that they needed. 10:01 The world was harmonious. 10:04 I can imagine 10:06 that it must have been a gorgeous place. 10:08 I have been to many beautiful gardens, 10:11 one of the most beautiful gardens 10:13 I've ever visited is called Butchart Gardens. 10:18 And I remember up there in Victoria Island in Vancouver 10:23 how gorgeous that garden was. 10:26 But I think that what God created far exceeded 10:32 anything that we have today. 10:35 Listen, perfect world, perfect home, 10:39 everything that they could desire 10:42 was before them, 10:43 and God had warned them that there was a test 10:49 that they had to pass through. 10:51 Now you may ask the question why? 10:53 I'll explain that when I present the next subject, 10:56 but right now just think of it. 11:00 The Scripture says that Eve wandered away from her husband 11:04 and came to that beautiful tree and saw the fruit. 11:12 The most beautiful woman ever created 11:16 standing before the fruit. 11:21 And I believe, friends, 11:22 that this is an example of the first drug seller 11:29 recorded in the Bible. 11:31 Let me explain what I'm saying. 11:32 When I was a little boy in New York City, 11:35 growing up in the ghettos of New York, 11:37 I recall people would come down on street 11:40 and they would say something like this, 11:42 you don't know what living is until you try this. 11:48 Man, if you want to have an experience 11:53 that is out of this world, you got to try this. 11:57 And I believe that that's what happened with Eve. 12:01 You think you're living a good life? 12:03 You think that you really have it good? 12:06 Wait until you try this and you'll understand 12:09 that you've been missing out. 12:13 Well, unfortunately mother Eve fell into the trap, 12:18 believed the enemy rather than believing God. 12:22 And the Scripture reveals then that the couple fell into sin. 12:33 Think of Adam and Eve now in transgression. 12:38 Think of this pair 12:40 that had been in bliss and in happiness, 12:42 now with dread forebodings, dreadful forebodings, 12:49 now fearful of consequences. 12:54 That which they had never experienced before, 12:57 now they're experiencing. 13:06 I'm not sure what went through their minds. 13:09 What I think you and I would understand 13:11 how they felt. 13:13 How many of you for example 13:15 have not been told by mom or dad, 13:19 especially mom as she bakes something or cooks something 13:21 would say to you, 13:22 don't touch it until supper time. 13:26 And how many of you after mom was out of sight, 13:31 yielded to the temptation 13:33 and took that cookie from the jar 13:35 or swiped that cake behind 13:38 so that mother could not see behind 13:40 but only see the front of the cake. 13:42 You know what I'm talking about. 13:45 And how many of you 13:47 as you heard the footsteps of mom 13:50 coming towards the kitchen and there you were 13:53 with the goods in hand felt good about her coming? 14:00 Many times we do things 14:02 that we know we shouldn't have done 14:04 and after we do them we fear the consequences. 14:08 And Adam and Eve felt the fear of those consequences. 14:16 But fortunately, God is a wonderful, merciful God. 14:21 And God had other plans than Adam and Eve supposed. 14:28 But listen, the Bible says 14:30 that as the result of what they did, 14:33 Adam and Eve had to leave their beautiful home. 14:41 So the first experience of sin, 14:44 they began to feel the consequences, 14:47 the result of their actions. 14:49 They began to sense that things are no longer 14:52 the same as they used to be. 14:55 There's in fact alienation between Adam and Eve 15:00 so that when God said to Eve, what have you done, 15:03 Eve then blamed Adam or Adam blamed Eve, pardon me, 15:08 and right there you see them accusing one another. 15:13 And finally, Eve blames God 15:16 and said the serpent whom You have made caused me to sin. 15:21 It's so easy, isn't it for us 15:23 to put the blame on somebody else. 15:25 You've even heard somebody say that devil made me do it. 15:31 It doesn't matter who you blame or who you don't blame, 15:34 the reality is this. 15:36 If you are the perpetrator, 15:37 if you are the one that committed sin, 15:39 you are the one that feels the results 15:44 and experiences the consequences of what we do. 15:47 Now think of Adam and Eve, think of that beautiful woman, 15:54 as a result of her transgression, 15:57 think of that moment when Cain being upset with Abel, 16:04 finally resorted to kill his brother, 16:08 murdered him in cold blood. 16:10 And now look at mother Eve, 16:13 bowing over her lifeless boy, weeping 16:19 and I can guarantee you 16:21 that mother Eve must have said it a thousand times, 16:25 the way of the transgressor is hard. 16:33 Think of Adam, poor Adam, 16:38 who lived for years, for centuries, 16:45 every dying leaf, every sickness, 16:50 every pain, every argument, 16:55 every sign of hatred, of envy must have pierced his soul 17:02 in thinking that he was responsible for it. 17:07 Friends, I don't understand how it is 17:10 that Adam did not go insane. 17:16 I don't understand how it is that the Bible does not record 17:20 and Adam could not bear it any longer 17:23 and committed suicide. 17:28 And I could say about Adam as I said about Eve, 17:30 I can guarantee you 17:32 that Adam must have said many a times 17:34 and felt many a times the way of the transgressor is what? 17:39 Is hard. 17:48 From Adam, we pass on to others. 17:52 Cain, for example, who after he'd slaughtered 17:55 or slained his brother 17:59 said to God, it is too much for me, 18:03 in other words, 18:06 I can't handle the results of what I've done. 18:12 Then we come to through the Bible history, 18:15 we find other examples there of this particular issue. 18:19 When I was a lad there in New York City, 18:22 I remember one day, 18:24 we had no place to play except on the streets of New York, 18:27 I happened to live on Strauss Street 18:29 in Brooklyn, New York, between Southern Pitkin Avenue, 18:33 for those of you who may know New York City or know Brooklyn. 18:36 And we played on the street all the time. 18:39 Sometimes we played punch ball and that was a game 18:42 when you take a little rubber ball 18:44 and you play like a baseball, 18:46 you punch the ball with your fist 18:49 or sometimes we played skully 18:51 and that was you made a box and you make some squares 18:54 and then you took a bottle cap and dug up some of the asphalt 18:58 so it'd put some weight on it 18:59 and then you used it like a marble 19:01 going from box to box to box to box. 19:03 All of this was on the street 19:04 and of course we always had to be watching for the cars 19:07 which came sweeping by 19:08 as we were playing in the streets. 19:10 But one particular day, a truck came by, 19:14 and we looked at this thing, 19:17 And it looked like something out of the movies, 19:20 because it had the shape of a house in the back 19:24 and it had portals for windows and we thought this is strange. 19:30 Well, the truck parked and we were looking to see 19:34 who would come out of this truck, 19:35 it was one of those old trucks, 19:37 I don't remember how many of you 19:38 remember the old trucks, they didn't have transmission, 19:41 they actually had a chain in the back. 19:43 So they had a motor and a chain 19:45 that moved the back wheels. 19:50 So out of the truck stepped out an old man, 19:55 long white hair and a white beard. 20:00 We began to think to ourselves, 20:04 teasing him would be more fun than playing skully 20:09 and so we began to tease the old man, unfortunately. 20:12 We shouldn't have done that but we teased him 20:15 and the man got angry 20:17 and so ha-ha-ha, you can't catch us 20:19 and we took off and what do you suppose? 20:22 That man could run just as fast as we could. 20:25 We were calling him Moses and so forth, 20:28 well, he ran after us and we were frightened then 20:33 'cause this old man that we thought 20:34 could just barely walk actually could keep with us, 20:37 finally he stopped 20:39 and went back to his truck and said 20:40 come back over here, boys, let me show you something. 20:43 So we cautiously approached him 20:46 and he then pulled a handkerchief 20:49 out of his pocket, then he took a spike, 20:52 I'm talking about one of those nails 20:54 that you drive into telephone poles, 20:56 those thick spikes. 20:58 And he wrapped the handkerchief around the spike, 21:01 put it in his mouth and bent it. 21:07 And we were sure that this man was playing a trick on us. 21:11 And so then he took the nail 21:15 and put the u-end of it into his mouth 21:20 and bit it shut like a bobby pin. 21:25 We were amazed. 21:29 Well, I'm still not sure that this thing was not a trick. 21:33 We asked to see the thing and we threw it on the ground 21:37 and it sounded just like a spike. 21:38 We pulled and pulled and pulled 21:40 and we could not unbend it, it was a real spike. 21:44 Then he said, let me show you something, 21:47 so he opened up the back of his truck 21:48 and pulled out a poster board 21:50 and there he was pictured in the poster board 21:55 with a chain tied to his hair 22:00 and on the other hand tied to the back of a plane 22:04 and he could hold back the plane 22:06 from taking off with his hair. 22:11 Then he took out another poster 22:13 and there he was with a bar, a metal bar in his mouth, 22:18 he was holding a metal bar with his mouth 22:20 and on both sides, there were two women 22:24 sitting on swings and rocking or swinging 22:28 as he held the metal bar in his mouth. 22:31 We were just amazed and thankful 22:35 that he did not catch up with us. 22:40 It turned out that he was the brother 22:42 of our barber Harry. 22:45 Harry was Jewish and he happened to be our barber 22:49 and this particular man was his brother 22:53 who came to visit with him. 22:55 Well, this is his picture here, you can see him 23:00 and he was called The Mighty Atom. 23:03 A-t-o-m. 23:05 Real name was Joseph Greenfield 23:08 and Joseph was considered to be 23:13 the strongest man of his time. 23:16 In Madison Square Gardens, he actually took horseshoes 23:21 and would put them in his mouth and bend them. 23:28 They would tie a chain around his chest 23:30 and he could actually just burst the chains asunder. 23:35 He was an amazing man and by the way, 23:37 you know how old he was when he chased up after us? 23:41 He was 80 years old. 23:44 He was an amazing man, the Mighty Atom. 23:50 Why am I sharing this with you? 23:52 Because in the Scriptures, we're told about another man, 23:56 that man was Samson. 24:00 Samson was the strongest man in human history. 24:08 I have in show business encountered 24:11 many a strong people. 24:13 I remember when I was performing in New York-- 24:17 New Jersey, pardon me, there was a fellow named-- 24:21 well, I won't tell his name but anyway he was Mr. America 24:24 and with him was another fellow, 24:26 his associate, he was a very huge individual, 24:30 a weightlifter, very strong individuals. 24:35 But nothing compared with Samson. 24:38 The Scripture reveals that the Spirit of God 24:41 was the one who gave Samson the strength. 24:45 The Bible says that Samson had been born 24:48 for a specific purpose 24:50 and that was to be a deliverer of the people, 24:53 a type of deliverer that Christ would be. 24:58 But the Scripture also reveals 25:01 that strength is not sufficient to deliver. 25:07 You can be a mighty man, 25:10 you can have great strength and power 25:13 But, my friends, unless God is with you, 25:19 unless you're connected with the Savior, 25:22 your strength is not sufficient to deal with sin. 25:26 Adam failed, perhaps the individual 25:32 who had the keenness and sharpest 25:34 intellect of any man who have been created. 25:37 Eve, the most beautiful woman, failed. 25:41 Samson, the strongest man that ever lived as well failed. 25:46 The Bible says that Samson 25:48 though he knew what he was supposed to do, 25:50 began to allow himself to be enticed with women. 25:55 And the Scripture says then that Samson got together 26:00 with that young woman called Delilah. 26:04 Many of you know the story. 26:06 And perhaps you've seen the film 26:08 how Samson finally gave the secret to Delilah, 26:12 betrayed the sacred trust that God had given to him 26:15 and finally ended up with his eyes plucked out 26:19 and doing work like a beast of labor. 26:26 There he found himself 26:29 surrounded by the Philistines mocking and deriding him 26:33 and ridiculing him, 26:34 blind and walking around in circles 26:40 grinding wheat for the Philistines. 26:43 Think of it. 26:45 From such a high calling, betraying sacred trust, 26:50 Samson believed somehow that because he had his strength, 26:55 he could escape any consequences of sin. 27:00 But, friends, remember what the scripture says. 27:03 Be sure your sins will find you out. 27:06 And so the Bible says then 27:08 that Samson found himself in this condition. 27:14 And can you imagine Samson as he is pushing that wheel 27:19 round and round and round. 27:22 I can imagine that Samson must have said 27:24 a thousand times, 27:26 the way of the transgressor is what? 27:29 Is hard. 27:31 There he was with troubled conscience, 27:38 but he repented. 27:39 The Scripture says and in his repentance, 27:43 he committed himself back to God, 27:46 and it was the last act that he ever did. 27:49 Samson, the strongest man that ever lived, 27:53 experienced the consequences of transgression 27:57 and I can guarantee you that if he were here today, 28:01 he would counsel us to avoid sin 28:04 because the way of the transgression is what? 28:07 Hard. 28:08 Listen, there are other people in the Scriptures, 28:11 we find King Saul. 28:13 King Saul became the first king of Israel. 28:17 God was directing the children of Israel, 28:22 but finally they came to the place 28:23 where they did not want to be as peculiar as they were. 28:29 And, friends, let me say this to you, sometimes. 28:31 Sometimes young people as they grow up as Christians 28:35 begin to feel like they're peculiar, 28:38 they think themselves odd 28:40 because they don't do what the other young people do. 28:43 And the tendency is to become like the John says, 28:47 to emulate others. 28:50 My friends, remember this. 28:52 There's nothing wrong in being peculiar 28:54 if the peculiarity that you're experiencing 28:57 is because you're walking in the life 28:59 and teachings of Christ. 29:01 Listen, King Saul then as the people wanted 29:06 a different leader, King Saul was chosen. 29:09 God chose Saul and God permitted this. 29:14 When the Prophet Samuel was upset 29:18 that they had chosen somebody else, 29:21 Samuel thought that they had bypassed him 29:23 and no longer wanted him 29:24 and God said they have not rejected you, Samuel, 29:27 they have rejected me. 29:31 Think of the outcome of what took place. 29:34 Saul then was given a new heart. 29:36 You can read that in the Book of 1 Samuel, 29:38 and God then gave him the spirit, 29:40 Saul then became the leader of Israel, 29:42 first leader. 29:44 And unfortunately the Bible says that 29:46 Saul was not careful to follow God 29:50 as God had dictated. 29:52 He always had the knack of doing half 29:55 of what God had asked,. 29:57 Half obedience, 29:58 it's not half obedience but disobedience. 30:01 Saul always found a way to justify what he did. 30:05 And if he could not justify, 30:07 He would always have somebody to blame. 30:09 It was always somebody else, when he did 30:11 what he knew he shouldn't do 30:13 and the prophets asked, why did you do that? 30:16 He would say, well, the people made me do it 30:18 or I couldn't help it or I had no other alternative. 30:22 My friends, have you found yourself in that predicament, 30:24 when you know that what's right, 30:26 you know what you should do 30:27 and for some reason, you are not able to do 30:30 all that you ought to do 30:32 and there's always somebody else to blame, 30:34 always somebody else that you can point out and say-- 30:38 you know, I couldn't help myself. 30:40 Or even to the extent that you may say, 30:43 well, my dad did it and that's the way my dad is 30:47 and that's the way mom is and so I can't help myself. 30:49 My friends, listen, Saul did that. 30:57 And from the high position that God had granted to Saul, 31:01 the Scripture says that it came to the place 31:05 when God could no longer direct him. 31:09 And finally, the Bible says 31:12 that the Spirit of God was withdrawn from Saul. 31:16 Friends, listen, 31:18 there is nothing more terrible on this earth 31:21 than to discover that the Spirit of God 31:24 is no longer able to reach your heart. 31:30 Saul, in his fear, 31:35 since God would no longer communicate with him, 31:39 decided to turn to find counsel from the enemy of God 31:44 and to seek counsel from a witch. 31:50 And the Scripture says then that 31:52 the witch revealed to Saul his outcome 31:59 and the Bible says that he was so fearful 32:01 that he couldn't eat. 32:03 He trembled and shook. 32:05 And finally in the last battle, 32:08 when he would recognize that his end had come, 32:12 the Bible says that he could not think 32:16 of allowing others to capture him and torture him 32:19 and so he took his own life. 32:22 Saul went from the highest position 32:26 of honor in Israel 32:27 down to a dark, empty grave. 32:33 And I can guarantee you 32:35 that he must have thought often, 32:38 the way of the transgressor is what? 32:41 Is hard. 32:42 Friends, listen, 32:44 if you've been tempted to go through a medium, 32:47 if you've been tempted to go and seek counsel of those 32:50 whom God has said you ought not to go. 32:53 My friends, my advice to you is do not do it. 32:57 Let me give you an experience. 32:58 My mother though she was a Catholic, 33:01 she was also involved with spiritism, 33:04 and she always had all sorts of things in the house. 33:07 She would boil some herbs, and some things, 33:13 plants, et cetera 33:14 and then she'd go around the house 33:15 sprinkling the house with all of this water 33:18 that she had taken from the boiled leaves. 33:22 And we didn't believe in it, 33:24 we thought mother was practicing hocus pocus. 33:27 So finally my brother, one of my brothers 33:31 committed a crime 33:32 and he was going to be taken to court to trial. 33:35 My mother was fearful that he was gonna be sent to jail, 33:39 so you know what she did, she took me along with her 33:42 to go and see a spiritist medium. 33:45 When we arrived, I remember that the man stood there, 33:49 as he opened the door, he was all dressed in black, 33:52 he was a black gentleman, stood all dressed in black 33:54 and he stood there with a large sword. 33:57 And that kind of scared me a little bit. 34:01 And so then he asked us to come in, we went inside 34:05 and then my mother said, go and sit over there 34:07 and I'll go with him. 34:09 And as we passed, by the way, where my mother was to go, 34:12 it was a black room with all sorts of statues 34:15 and incense, etcetera. 34:17 And I began to get pretty upset of what was going on, 34:20 Especially, when the man closed the door 34:22 with my mother inside with him alone, do you understand? 34:25 And so I was fuming, I remember, 34:28 and finally when the man came out with my mother, 34:31 I said to the man, mother, I said, he is a fake, 34:35 he can't do anything for you. 34:37 See, what mother was doing was paying him $200 34:41 to somehow put a spell on the judge 34:43 so that the judge would give my brother 34:45 freedom and liberty, you see. 34:47 That's what she was hoping. 34:48 I said, mother, he can't do a single thing. 34:50 Well, the man said, you better watch it, little boy 34:53 or I'll make you go crazy. 34:54 Well, I took a handkerchief out of my pocket, 34:56 gave it to him, I said go ahead, I dare you, 34:57 you can't do a single thing. 34:59 He said I'm telling you that I'm gonna make you crazy. 35:01 My mother was so upset with me, 35:03 she slapped me and said, come on! 35:05 And I said, mother, he's only stealing your money, 35:07 he can't do a thing! 35:08 Well, what I said was true. 35:14 The court case came, the trial arrived 35:19 and rather than giving my brother two years, 35:21 they gave him five years in prison. 35:24 So my friends, listen, don't go the way of Saul. 35:30 The Bible says the way of the transgressor is what? 35:33 Hard. 35:35 If you want to know the future, 35:38 study the Scriptures, what do you say? 35:40 If you want to know what's ahead, 35:42 I should tell you this, 35:43 God says that the things that I reveal are for us, 35:47 but the things that are not revealed are not for us. 35:49 There are things, friends, 35:51 that we will not be able to know. 35:53 There are things that for our own good, God keeps secret. 35:56 But listen, there are things 35:58 that for our own good, God unveils. 36:01 And He unveils them in this wonderful book 36:03 called the Bible, what do you say? 36:05 My friends, there is nothing better on this planet 36:08 than this book to help you to understand what lies ahead 36:12 and that's why we've been studying prophecy. 36:15 Don't go to seances, 36:18 don't go to people who can really not help you. 36:21 Let me tell you another story. 36:24 I was in Romania 36:26 and I was called by some gypsies to come to their home. 36:29 I arrived at home 36:31 and discovered why they wanted me there. 36:33 Their daughter was desperately ill 36:36 and they asked me to pray for the girl 36:40 because her father said 36:41 somebody had put a spell on her. 36:43 When I went by the bedside, I saw and looked at the girl, 36:47 I'm a health educator, I also was a medic in the military 36:51 and I'm not a doctor 36:53 but I could figure out those basic things if something-- 36:58 When somebody is being affected by some normal illness. 37:02 And as I looked at the girl, 37:03 I thought this girl has some biological, 37:07 something is affecting her, 37:09 this had nothing to do with spiritual things, 37:11 there's something to do with something physical. 37:13 So I said to the parents, look, I think this girl is sick, 37:15 you need to take her to the hospital. 37:17 Oh, no, no, no, they said, she has a spell 37:20 and if you pray, the spell will be removed. 37:23 I said, well, look, I'll pray for the girl anyway 37:25 'cause I believe that God can hear and answer prayers 37:28 but I don't think there is a problem that's a spell, 37:31 I think this girl is sick, 37:33 you need to take her to the hospital 37:34 and his wife said, I'm gonna pray for her 37:36 and if she doesn't get well, 37:37 get her to the hospital as quicker as you can. 37:39 Oh, no, no, you pray for her, 37:41 the spell will be removed. 37:42 Well, I left and here's a sequel, 37:49 the girl got up after I left I was told 37:51 and got up went around and kissed people 37:53 and went back to bed and got worse. 37:57 The dad believing that somehow 37:59 my prayer was not powerful enough, 38:02 left immediately, went to one of the priests 38:06 there, an orthodox priest there in Romania 38:09 and this priest declared that 38:12 he could remove spells and put spells. 38:14 So the man went and paid him $200 38:17 so that the spell could be removed from his daughter. 38:21 Meanwhile while he was doing that, 38:23 they take the girl to the hospital, too late, 38:26 it turned out, my friends, 38:28 that that girl had spinal meningitis, 38:32 and she died. 38:34 She was a young wife and they had two children. 38:39 The father after paying the man to remove the spell 38:43 on the way back got into a car accident 38:45 and had a broken leg. 38:49 My friends, let me say this to you. 38:51 When I visited that man, 38:53 I asked him, why didn't you listen to me? 38:59 He bowed his head. 39:01 I said, I'm sorry that you've lost your girl. 39:05 Friends, I could tell you 39:07 that man was repenting of what he did, what do you say? 39:10 And I could tell you this 39:12 that he felt that the way of the transgressor is what? 39:14 Is hard. What a price to pay. 39:18 Friends, listen, 39:22 the Scripture is very clear concerning these things. 39:27 Think of another man, David, 39:33 King David, you remember him. 39:37 He saw Bathsheba 39:41 and it's interesting in English that her name is Bath-she-ba. 39:47 And that's what he should've done. 39:49 He should've said ba to Bath-she-ba. 39:53 Bathsheba was taking her bath, she was taking her bath, 39:57 you see, David saw her and lingered and what? 40:02 And lingered there. 40:05 My friends, the Bible says if you put a coal in your bosom 40:08 you will burn and David yielded to the temptation of lust 40:13 and the Scripture says then that David committed adultery 40:16 and then he committed murder 40:18 and then he decided that he would hide all this thing 40:21 and he thought that he did a good job. 40:23 But, friends, let me say this to you, 40:25 you can hide things from man 40:26 but you cannot hide them from God. 40:29 It doesn't matter 40:31 what you think you can do to cover things up. 40:33 Ultimately, God knows what you've done. 40:36 And the Lord sent a prophet to David 40:39 and revealed that God knew precisely what he had done. 40:43 Fortunately, David repented, But, my friends, 40:45 David was not delivered from the consequences 40:49 and the result of his sins. 40:51 He lost his son. 40:52 He lost that boy that was born of Bathsheba. 40:56 He lost Absalom, his own boy. 40:58 His kingdom was divided 41:00 and his own daughter was raped by another son of David. 41:04 My friends, the result of David's sin 41:07 brought a baleful of woe to David. 41:10 And I could tell you this, 41:12 David, I'm sure must have said 41:14 the way of the transgressor is hard. 41:17 Listen, listen to this commentary. 41:23 "Those who, by the pointing to the example of David, 41:26 try to lessen the guilt of their own sins, 41:31 should learn from the Bible record that--" What? 41:35 "That the way of the transgressor--" Is what? 41:38 "Is hard." 41:40 Can you see that? 41:42 The Scripture further reminds us of this. 41:45 Listen to the next part of this statement. 41:48 Notice it says, 41:52 "Though like David they should turn from their evil course, 41:57 the results of sin, even in this life, 42:01 will be found--" What? 42:03 "Bitter and hard to bear." 42:06 Friends, there's no question 42:09 that the way of transgressor is hard. 42:11 Look at Judas, Judas has somehow believed 42:15 that he would help the Master with his ministry. 42:19 Judas thought that he was smarter than the Lord. 42:23 And you know, it's interesting, 42:24 I believe that Judas by betraying Christ thought 42:28 that he could do a double win, you see. 42:32 Christ would not declare Himself as the Messiah 42:36 and Christ was not taken to throne 42:38 as Judas thought he should. 42:40 And so perhaps he thought that by betraying him that 42:44 that would force Jesus to finally 42:46 demonstrate His glory and defeat the Roman Empire 42:51 and then Judas not only did he get 42:53 the 30 pieces of silver but could say to the Lord, 42:55 you see, Lord, if I hadn't put you in that position, 42:58 You would have never come to the place 43:00 where you took the throne and reigned. 43:02 So I should sit next to you. 43:06 Sometimes, we do that. 43:09 But, friends, the Scripture says 43:14 that Judas ended up with a hoarse voice 43:19 as he ran into the temple 43:22 and realized that Jesus would not deliver himself. 43:26 He said I betrayed in the son of blood 43:29 and the priest said, "What is that to us, 43:34 see thou do it." 43:36 Friends, they had encouraged him to betray Christ, 43:42 but they took no responsibility, 43:45 only left the whole burden on poor Judas 43:48 and the Scripture says that Judas ran out into the light 43:52 and could not bear the thought 43:54 of facing the Lord in judgment and hung himself. 43:59 Friends, you can see why it says 44:02 the way of the transgressor is what? 44:05 Is hard. 44:07 In Los Angeles, there was a famous cemetery 44:10 called the Forest Lawn. 44:13 And the man who put this together was Mr. Eaton. 44:17 He brought trees from all over the world 44:19 and made this cemetery, the most gorgeous place. 44:23 In fact, many tourists like to visit this cemetery 44:27 because it's so beautiful. 44:30 Besides bringing trees from all over the world, 44:31 I remember one tree that he brought, 44:33 it cost him $25,000 to get it transported 44:37 and placed where he wanted it. 44:39 Mr. Eaton then decided that 44:42 he wanted also on one of the mausoleums 44:44 to put in the famous painting 44:48 of Leonardo da Vinci's, The Last Supper. 44:51 And so he wanted to find somebody 44:57 who could do the stained glass of this last supper. 45:02 And he looked and looked and looked until he found 45:04 a descendant of Leonardo Da Vinci 45:07 who could actually do this thing 45:09 at last in the original way. 45:12 And so she was hired then to do the work 45:18 and history tells us that when they tried to 45:25 finally make the image of Judas, 45:29 we're told that it actually broke six times 45:33 before it took. 45:38 There's an interesting story about this painting 45:40 and it's about how Leonardo da Vinci 45:44 went about to find people 45:46 that could sit for his different portrayals 45:49 of the different apostles and finally Christ. 45:52 Well, he finally, he decided to begin looking first 45:55 of course for the first one, 45:57 who should be the first one in our lives and who's that? 46:00 He looked for Jesus. 46:02 But the question is, where do you find a Jesus? 46:05 And so one day he was in church, 46:08 and he noticed in the choir a young man 46:12 who had a very innocent looking face 46:16 and decided that that could be his Jesus. 46:21 And so after the service he went to the young man 46:23 and invited him to sit for Jesus 46:25 and pay him a sum of money so that he could paint him 46:28 and so it happened. 46:30 The young man came and Leonardo did his artwork 46:34 until finally he was finished with the young man, 46:37 it took several sittings 46:38 and then he went about looking for his Peter 46:40 and looking for his James and looking for his Matthew 46:43 and looking for all of different people. 46:45 And who do you think he left for last? Judas. 46:49 So finally when he came to look for Judas, 46:52 where do you find Judas? 46:54 Where do you find somebody who has 46:56 a conniving looking face? 47:00 And so he decided to go to the worst part of town 47:04 to dive for a kind of a slum area 47:07 and found a derelict. 47:12 He offered the derelict money if the man would come 47:16 and sit as his Judas. 47:19 He thought his face looks very conniving, very evil, 47:22 and I'll pay him and make him my Judas. 47:26 Well, the man came and sat and sat and sat, 47:31 finally when Leonardo finished with the man, 47:34 Leonardo then paid him off 47:36 and the man said this to Leonardo, 47:38 you act as if you don't know me 47:41 and Leonardo is recorded to have said, 47:44 I've never seen you before. 47:46 Go on, beggar, I already paid you, 47:48 go on your way. 47:49 Well, the man said, but you do know me. 47:52 And Leonardo said, I've never seen you before, go on. 47:55 We're done. 47:57 And the man said, but you do know me. 48:00 I am Pietro Bandinelli, 48:03 I am the one who sat for your Jesus. 48:10 But look at what sin 48:13 and drink and cruelty has done to me. 48:18 Friends, listen, there's no question 48:21 that the way of the transgressor is what? 48:24 Hard. 48:25 I became a new pastor in a town, 48:28 Wilmington, Delaware, and met a very wonderful couple. 48:32 They were wealthy, they had a nursing home 48:34 and they had two children 48:36 but when the parents told me about their children, 48:41 I was saddened. 48:44 The father said, we had a boy and a girl 48:49 and we just loved our boy, he was a very handsome, 48:52 striking looking young man, 6'2" and very athletic. 48:58 We just loved him when we sent him off to school, 49:00 we sent him off to study theology 49:03 and there we were hoping that 49:06 he would become a minister and serve God. 49:10 He would come home with his friends 49:11 and we had a boat, we had a motor home, 49:13 anything he wanted we would give, 49:15 we just loved our boy. 49:16 We were so proud of him. 49:19 And all of a sudden, one day, he disappeared. 49:23 And the school officials told us that 49:26 somehow he was gone. 49:30 We looked for him, we couldn't find him. 49:33 The police looked for him, they couldn't locate him 49:35 and so we assumed that somebody had murdered him 49:37 and got rid of him, we were devastated. 49:41 Our boy that we thought would become a minister was gone. 49:47 Two years later, we got a telephone call, 49:51 we were shocked and amazed to discover 49:53 that our boy was not dead after all, he was alive. 49:58 He had fled to California and was living a riotous life. 50:06 He called us simply to tell us 50:07 that he was enjoying his drink and his alcohol 50:10 and his drugs and his sex and that he was free 50:14 and then he began to curse at us 50:16 and swear at us 50:17 and telling us that he hated us 50:19 for shoving religion down his throat. 50:22 We were just devastated. 50:25 Well, he hung up the phone. 50:31 And now we knew that he was alive 50:36 and we were pained. 50:38 Then they discover I was going to California 50:40 and said, Pastor, would you visit our boy? 50:42 They found out the address and so after my business, 50:46 I went to San Francisco 50:48 and I found the place where he was living 50:50 and there was an iron rod gate, couldn't get in, 50:54 and so I was trying to see if the name was in the mailbox, 50:57 well, it wasn't there, pardon me, I could see it 50:59 because it was on the wall there 51:01 and the taxi drove up 51:03 and out came from one side the black young lady 51:06 and on the other side an old man, 51:08 and he had an extended stomach 51:11 and he could only just shuffle his feet, 51:13 he was gaunt and looking very skinny like a skeleton, 51:17 had white hair and as he came close, 51:21 I said, Mister, would you let me inside to see 51:24 if I could see the name of a person I'm looking for there? 51:27 Get out of here, he said. And I said, Mister, please. 51:30 He said, get lost! 51:31 I'm not gonna let you do that. 51:34 I went back to the car and told my wife, 51:35 she said, honey, don't let him turn you away that easy. 51:38 Well, it's easy for her to say that, you understand? 51:41 I went back again and then I plead with the man. 51:43 He said, who are you anyway? 51:45 I told him who I was, Pastor Torres 51:48 and I said who sent me. 51:52 He said, I am he. I couldn't believe it. 51:57 A 30 year old man-- 32 year old man 52:01 looked like he was over 80, could barely walk. 52:06 He looked like a ghost. 52:09 I went upstairs with him, he sat up, put up his feet, 52:15 burn out a marijuana 52:16 and began to puff the smoke in my face. 52:20 And then he began to address me as Mister 52:23 and being derogatory and cursing 52:25 and swearing and telling me how terrible his parents were. 52:29 They were lovely people 52:31 but he thought they were terrible. 52:33 Finally, I said look, 52:35 if you need me someday, here's my card. 52:37 He took my card and threw it on the floor, he said, 52:39 get out of my house, I'll never need you, 52:41 you have to be stupid to believe in God, he said. 52:46 And I said, well, someday if you need me, call me. 52:49 I left. 52:50 My friends, it was difficult for me to tell those parents 52:53 what I discovered. 52:55 But I told them, they wept and the mother said, 52:57 oh, if only God could bring him back home. 53:00 I said, well, let's pray. 53:01 God can still perform miracles, so we prayed together. 53:04 And the next day, I got a telephone call, 53:06 the wife said, pastor, you'll never believe it. 53:09 God answered our prayer, my boy called me up and said, 53:12 I'm coming home. 53:14 Well, the father when I finally talked to him 53:19 said I went to pick them up at the airport, pastor, I wept 53:23 because I could not recognize my boy. 53:28 Well, that boy came home 53:32 to make the life miserable for the parents. 53:35 The girl had kicked him out 53:37 and he decided that he would come 53:39 and do all he could to trouble the family. 53:43 He wanted the parents to buy his drugs. 53:45 He's smoking there 53:46 and throw smoke in their face. 53:49 The guy was troubled, the father, 53:51 finally, finally one night 53:54 I was called, four in the morning, 53:56 come, pastor, quickly to the hospital. 54:00 I got there and the father said last night, 54:03 I heard the voice, dad, dad! 54:06 I got up to follow the voice 54:07 and there was my son in a pool of blood, 54:10 he was throwing up blood. 54:12 We took him to the hospital emergency. 54:14 It looked like there was no chance for him to live, 54:16 his blood pressure went down to zero. 54:18 We began to pray and I'm gonna ask the God 54:20 to give him a chance to live. 54:22 And then we began to administer some remedies 54:26 that the father and mother 54:28 who was a physical therapist and the mother a nurse, 54:31 they allowed us to do that 54:33 and the boy's health began to turn around. 54:38 And one morning as I went to visit the young man, 54:41 I heard his voice say, Brother Torres. 54:46 I was surprised 54:47 because he never called me brother before, it was mister. 54:53 I went to him and he said, pastor, 54:58 last night I gave my heart to Jesus 55:02 and he said, oh, pastor, I'd been a fool, 55:08 pray that God would give me health again. 55:12 I want to live so I can demonstrate to my parents 55:16 how much I love them. 55:18 Oh, the way of the transgressor is what? 55:21 Is hard. 55:24 My friends, we wrestled with that boy 55:27 and finally he stabilized, they put him in a private room. 55:31 One morning I went to see him 55:34 and on his chest he had the Bible, 55:38 the book that he despised. 55:41 And as I touched him, he was dead. 55:47 My friends, the way of the transgressor is what? 55:51 Hard. 55:53 But Lord invites us to turn to Him, 55:58 to give our hearts to Him, to accept His ways. 56:03 Maybe you've been tempted in thinking 56:07 that it is easy to take the easy track, 56:12 but friends, you'll pierce yourself 56:14 through with many a sorrow. 56:17 Turn to God, will you tonight? 56:19 How many of you will turn to God tonight 56:21 and say, oh, I want to avoid that hard way 56:25 and turn to Jesus. 56:26 Let us pray, shall we? 56:29 Our Father, there are so many, many, many illustrations 56:36 and stories in the scriptures written by the prophets of old 56:40 to help us in our day to understand 56:43 that the way of the transgressor is hard. 56:46 Oh, Father, you've seen our hands, 56:50 help us to turn from our wicked ways 56:54 and find peace with You. 56:57 Give us strength, and Lord, return unto us as David prayed 57:02 the joy of thy salvation 57:05 and then shall sinners be converted unto you. 57:09 Bless as we pray 57:11 and help us, we ask, in Jesus' name, amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17