Participants:
Series Code: PTL
Program Code: PTL000001A
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00:50 Hello, everyone.
00:51 Those of you that have found us from television land, 00:54 thank you for inviting us into your home 00:58 to look over Pathways To Life. 01:02 It is my hope and my prayer that you will be blessed 01:06 from this experience. 01:08 We'll invite you to be looking in this same time period 01:11 over the next fifteen days because we will be looking at 01:15 pathways to life. 01:17 I come to you from Phoenix, Arizona. 01:20 And I'm glad to be able to invite everyone of you 01:24 into our humble abode here as we talk about 01:29 things that have to do with pathways to life. 01:33 Within Pathways To Life here, you're going to be able to 01:35 experience some music, 01:39 and some good opening of the Scriptures together. 01:43 Three Angels Broadcasting is here in Phoenix, Arizona, 01:47 and we thank them for coming and being a part 01:51 of the experience here. 01:53 I invite again that you stay with us all the way through. 01:57 The special music in this event, Mr. Tim Parton has been sharing 02:02 the word of God through music for about 30 years now. 02:06 And I look forward to turning the time over to him 02:10 in just a moment. 02:11 When he completes the song that he is singing and playing, 02:15 and the song is referred to as, Draweth Nigh, 02:19 and when that is completed, we will invite out here 02:24 to the platform and invite into your homes in tv land 02:29 around the world wherever you're coming from 02:31 Pastor John Lomacang who will be opening the Word of God for us. 02:36 I hope that whether you are here in this studio, 02:40 or whether you are engaged at home via computer, 02:45 or via your television set, that you will plan on 02:49 spending some moments together, looking together, 02:52 at the Word of God as Pastor Lomacang... 02:56 This presentation will be called, It Is Coming. 03:03 And after our special music let's be thinking about, 03:06 "Okay, and what is it?" 03:08 That is, It Is coming. 03:12 Again, thank you. 03:13 And again, welcome. 03:28 Years of time have come and gone 03:34 since I first heard it told 03:39 how Jesus would come again someday. 03:51 If back then it seemed so real, 03:58 then I just can't help but feel 04:03 how much closer His coming is today. 04:17 Signs of the times are everywhere. 04:27 There's a brand new feeling in the air. 04:38 Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky, 04:49 life up your head; redemption draweth nigh. 05:03 War and strife on every hand, 05:09 and violence fills our land; 05:13 still some people doubt that He'll ever come again. 05:24 Oh, but the Word of God is true, 05:31 He'll redeem His chosen few. 05:36 So don't lose hope, 05:40 for soon Christ Jesus will descend. 05:49 Signs of the times are everywhere. 05:59 There's a brand new feeling in the air. 06:10 So keep your eyes upon the eastern sky, 06:21 life up your head, lift up your head; 06:30 redemption draweth nigh. 06:47 Amen. 06:49 Can we say amen again? 06:50 ~ Amen. 06:52 So glad to have you here to begin our fifteen nights 06:55 together walking through the Word of God. 06:57 Thank you so much, Tim, for that urgent message 07:00 that Jesus is coming again. 07:03 And wherever you're joining us, if you're joining us from 07:05 television or internet, we'd like to welcome you also. 07:08 We believe that Jesus is coming again. 07:10 Can you say amen? 07:12 And we have come to let that message resonate 07:15 throughout the Phoenix area. 07:17 To let people know that in spite of what's happening 07:20 in the world today, we can trust the Word of God. 07:23 I'm excited about the message tonight. 07:25 It's Coming. 07:27 The pastor said, "It Is Coming." It's Coming. 07:29 But let's go to the Word of God... 07:31 Let's go to God in prayer before we go to the Word of God. 07:36 Loving Father in heaven, we thank You so much 07:38 for the wonderful opportunity to break the bread of life 07:43 this evening, to guide our hearts and minds 07:46 that we may not only hear what Your Word says, 07:50 but that we might seek a relationship with You. 07:55 Send throughout the Phoenix area, Lord, Your holy angels 07:59 and your Holy Spirit to gather Your people in these 08:03 closing hours of earth's history. 08:05 And Father, tonight may the message be clear, 08:09 and may Jesus be uplifted. 08:11 In Your precious name we pray, amen. 08:15 Very few of you may have heard about hesitant Harry Truman. 08:20 And no I'm not talking about the former president 08:22 of the United States. 08:24 But a lone resident of Spirit Lake in Washington state 08:28 in the shadow of Mount St. Helen. 08:32 Despite the vicious rumblings beneath his feet 08:35 and all the warnings from the U.S. Geological Survey station, 08:39 Harry Truman decided to ignore the warnings. 08:42 And if you remember when Mount St. Helen blew, 08:46 Harry was one of the tragic loses in that crisis 08:50 that could have been avoided. 08:52 He chose to ignore the signs. 08:55 And today the only thing that reminds us that Harry 08:57 lived there is a tombstone reminding people of his 09:01 birth date and death date. 09:04 Well, you know, the sad reality is, today with all the 09:06 signs around the world, the Bible says to us, 09:08 "Now when these things begin to come to pass 09:10 or begin to happen..." 09:12 What should we do? 09:13 "...look up and lift up your heads, 09:16 because your redemption draws near." 09:19 Harry received the warnings. 09:22 Harry felt the rumblings. 09:25 But Harry chose to make a decision that was fatal. 09:29 Well tonight, as we begin these meetings, there are many people 09:31 tonight that are listening to the rumblings of the 09:33 second coming of Jesus. 09:35 The signs are all around us. 09:38 The signs are in the news, the signs are in the newspaper, 09:41 the signs are on every network, violence on every hand. 09:46 But there are many people today like Harry Truman 09:48 that don't believe that the signs are as bad 09:52 as what is coming really is. 09:54 But tonight we thank God that we can trust the Word of God. 09:58 What do you say? 09:59 The most earth shattering event in human history 10:03 is soon to take place. 10:04 We're looking forward to the coming of our 10:06 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 10:08 When I was a young man living in New York City 10:12 and I was watching a television program once. 10:15 It was, 2001 Space Odyssey. 10:17 I forgot how old I was, but I was in high school. 10:19 And I thought to myself, "2001? By then the world will be over." 10:25 Here we are, by God's grace, in 2018. 10:29 But I do believe, even though the world hasn't ended yet, 10:31 it's soon to come to a close. 10:33 Amen, somebody. 10:35 All the signs around us indicate that the coming of the Lord 10:39 is not far away. 10:40 The sequential signs, one after the other, 10:43 forecast the coming of Jesus. 10:45 In Phoenix, in New York, in Los Angeles. 10:49 Not only in the United States, but around the world 10:51 all the signs are being fulfilled on a tragically 10:55 scientific as well as scriptural scale. 10:58 Look at the crumbling world around us. 11:01 Look at the communities, the instability of nations, 11:06 the breakdown of the family, crime and violence. 11:11 And there are people today, and I thought about this myself, 11:13 there are people today that look at what's happening 11:16 around us, and somehow they think that these are just 11:19 incidental signs. 11:21 But in every age God has a people that believe that 11:25 while these signs are being ignored by the world 11:28 we can trust the Word of God. 11:31 The Word of God is clear. 11:32 Think about it. 11:33 These are days of war and international conflict, 11:36 days of terrorism and fearful hearts, 11:39 days of economic instability and political uncertainty. 11:43 There was a time that I would think about 11:45 who the next president is going to be. 11:47 Can I look to the White House? 11:48 But tonight I don't look to the White House. 11:51 I look to the right house. 11:53 The house that never failed. 11:55 The house where the King of kings makes the laws 11:59 and empowers His people to stand firmly 12:01 on the promises of God. 12:03 And tonight I could tell you that the answer, 12:05 regardless of what side you are on, the left or the right, 12:09 the only side that we can trust is God's side. 12:12 Can you say amen? 12:13 The only place the answers are coming from. 12:16 Look at the broken families, the crumbling marriages, 12:20 the fear that's gripping our schools. 12:22 I just came back from Florida not too long ago 12:25 to interview a young lady that was involved in the 12:27 tragic school shootings at Douglas High School. 12:31 When the world gets to the place where going to school, 12:35 something that should be normal, becomes fearful, 12:39 it's another indication that our world is falling apart. 12:43 One other reason why I say, 12:45 "Thank God for Christian education." 12:47 Because our Christian schools thus far, 12:50 as we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, 12:52 we're getting people ready, not just for a life in this world, 12:56 but for the world to come. 12:57 Think about it. 12:59 Broken families, crumbling marriages. 13:01 And then prophets on every hand; those who firmly established 13:06 the accuracy of God's Word, and those who predict things 13:09 that are not found in God's Word. 13:11 But when we trust God's Word, we can see 13:13 that the coming of our Lord draws near. 13:17 "When these things begin to happen, then look up 13:19 and lift up your head, because your redemption draws nigh. 13:23 You know, tonight my hope is not found in what people say. 13:26 My hope is found in God's Word. 13:27 What do you say? 13:29 Because the promise that Jesus made is a promise 13:31 that we can trust. 13:34 It's a promise that is reliable. 13:36 It's a promise that will never fail. 13:37 Look at the scriptures. 13:39 John 14:1-3 13:42 In a world where heart trouble is something far 13:45 deeper than just a physical malady, but a spiritual malady. 13:49 Look at the words of Christ. 13:50 He says to us... 13:52 Let's read this together. 14:12 Pause for a moment. 14:14 Now I've never lived in a mansion, but one day 14:16 I look forward to living in heaven. 14:18 What do you say? 14:19 And I don't even need a mansion in heaven. 14:21 All I need is a sleeping bag. What about you? 14:23 As long as I make it, I don't care what I sleep in. 14:27 My wife and I have traveled around the world, 14:29 and we've been to many countries. 14:30 And there is no place on this planet 14:35 that I would rather trade for a kingdom where there is 14:38 peace forever more. 14:40 No violence, no heartache, no death, no suffering. 14:45 The words of everyone can be trusted. 14:47 So when the Lord says, "I go to prepare a place for you," 14:51 look at the promise, He continues... 15:13 One of the signs that I believe the Lord is coming soon... 15:15 And my wife and I have talked about this. 15:17 After 34 years of marriage, and we look back at where we began, 15:20 God found me in Brooklyn, New York. 15:24 The son of a broken family. 15:26 An abandoned child. 15:28 And one of the signs that I believe that the Lord 15:30 is coming soon is He even has me in the ministry. 15:34 He's called me now to preach the gospel, 15:36 to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. 15:39 To let people know that He can take us from the 15:42 guttermost to the uttermost. 15:43 From the streets of New York City, 15:45 from the streets of Phoenix, 15:47 from the streets of any major city, God can change 15:50 anyone's life and get him or her ready 15:53 for the coming of the Lord. 15:55 So I stand on the promise of God tonight 15:57 that He's gone to prepare a place for you and for me. 16:01 And we can trust God's word when He says 16:04 He is coming again. 16:06 Think about a heart trouble. 16:08 I'm getting to the place, my wife and I talk about this, 16:10 and sometimes we say, "Well, should I change my hair color 16:13 or should I leave it gray?" 16:16 And I decided to leave it gray because I want people to know 16:19 that I am getting older and I'm getting wiser. 16:23 Somewhere along the way, when you see the world around you, 16:28 some of these signs have to let you know 16:31 the older you get, you should be getting wiser. 16:35 But there's something far greater, 16:37 something of greater assurance, than a planet where money 16:41 controls the atmosphere, where crime is rampant, 16:45 where promises are not kept. 16:47 I look forward to the day when I can step off of this planet 16:52 into a world where there will be peace and joy forever more. 16:56 That's why thinking people... 16:58 What kind of people did I say? 17:00 ...thinking people are not waiting for someone else 17:03 to decide their fate. 17:05 Thinking people. 17:06 I was talking to an atheist 17:07 in the upper northwest not too long ago. 17:10 And he was saying that he's not sure that God exists. 17:14 He's not sure that there is even a God. 17:17 And I said, "To be an atheist is proof that there is a God. 17:20 How can you start a movement against somebody 17:22 that you don't know exists?" 17:26 You'll get that on Monday. 17:32 The only hope that our world has today 17:35 is the promises made in the Word of God. 17:39 How can there not be a God when the Bible predicts 17:43 the world that has become exactly as God said it would be? 17:47 How could there not be a God when the Lord said 17:50 thousands of years ago, "I am God and there is none like Me, 17:54 declaring the end from the beginning, 17:57 and from ancient times things that are not yet done." 18:00 How can there not be a God when the world is exactly 18:04 predicted as it has become in the Word of God? 18:08 And so, thinking people. 18:12 Economically strong and economically weak people. 18:14 Social status is no longer the category to get us ready 18:18 for the coming of the Lord. 18:20 All we've got to do is open God's Word 18:22 and believe its promises, and trust that what He says 18:26 is going to come to pass. 18:29 That's why tonight, as we think of what God's promises are, 18:33 He's not coming back for those who are unprepared. 18:38 He's coming back for those who are looking for Him. 18:41 And I want to tell you, there's no better thing to do 18:44 in these closing hours of earth's history than to be 18:46 looking for the coming of our Lord. 18:48 Look at the words of the writer of Hebrews. 18:49 He says in Hebrews 9:28... 19:04 The first time Jesus came, He came to save us from the 19:08 penalty and the power of sin. 19:11 But one day He's going to come back to save us from 19:14 the presence of sin. 19:15 Think about it. 19:16 Think about a world where there is no more sin. 19:20 Think about a world where there is no more death. 19:23 Think about a world where there are no more hospitals. 19:26 Thank God for doctors, but one day even doctors 19:29 will be out of work. 19:31 Think of a world where there are no funeral parlors. 19:33 No more need for eye glasses, no more need for contact lenses. 19:37 No more sad good-byes. 19:39 Amen, somebody. 19:40 No more laying your loved ones to rest. 19:44 I laid two mothers to rest, two fathers to rest. 19:50 A mother that gave me life, and a mother that led me to Christ. 19:55 And one day I was preaching a sermon about 19:57 what happens when you die. 19:58 And I wanted to be in New York City where one was laid to rest, 20:02 then I wanted to be in the Virgin Islands where 20:04 the other was laid to rest, to see them come forth 20:06 in the resurrection. 20:07 And I said, "Lord, I want to be in New York, 20:09 but then again I want to be in the Virgin Islands." 20:10 And He said to me, "Don't worry about it. 20:12 Just meet them in the air." 20:18 All that have died in the promise of Christ 20:20 will one day come forth. 20:22 And he said, "To those who eagerly wait for Him 20:26 will He appear the second time." 20:27 When He comes, He's not only going to usher in 20:30 a permanent change, but when He comes He's going to 20:33 bring a reward. 20:34 Notice the Word of God. 20:36 Revelation 22:12, the Bible says... 20:50 When we think about the reward, the reward will one day 20:53 remind us that waiting for Jesus has been the best 20:57 decision that we have made. 20:59 When that reward is given to us, it will remind us 21:01 that choosing Jesus is the best decision we have ever made. 21:06 Amen. 21:08 What other decision can you make that's better than that? 21:10 Think about it. 21:12 If you had a choice between never ending finances 21:17 or eternal life, what would you prefer? 21:20 I prefer eternal life. 21:22 I'm one that has become, I would say, an amateur astronomer. 21:28 Meaning, the only exposure to astronomy I have is my iPad. 21:34 But some nights I lay on my bed in the dark, and my wife and I, 21:37 we look at the different planets 21:39 and the different constellations. 21:41 And one day I was so infatuated by it, I said, 21:44 "Honey, look at this planet, this galaxy." 21:46 And she said, "How far away is it?" 21:48 I said, "Well, it's 34,000 light years away." 21:53 And she said, "We'll never see that." 21:56 I said, "No, we will see that." 21:59 Amen? 22:00 If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 22:03 if you have given your life to Him, 22:04 if you are waiting for Him to come, 22:07 all the unnumbered stars, all the worlds that He has 22:12 called into existence... 22:15 So many people are fighting over this little planet. 22:18 But the Lord wants to give us the unnumbered worlds. 22:21 So keep the world, but give me Jesus. 22:26 If you haven't been there, one day by God's grace 22:29 we will be there. 22:30 If you haven't seen it, one day by God's grace... 22:33 "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 22:36 neither has it entered into the hearts of man 22:39 the things that God prepares for those that love Him." 22:42 What do you say? 22:44 Who do you know that can call every star by name? 22:48 Who do you know that can create galaxies without limits? 22:52 Who do you know that can command the waves 22:54 of the great seas, of the ocean, to stand still with His voice? 22:58 Who do you know that can do that? 23:00 Who do you know that can bring peace 23:02 in the midst of your storms? 23:04 Or hope in the midst of your tragedy? 23:07 Who do you know that can tell death it has an expiration date? 23:11 Come on, say amen to that. 23:13 Even death itself is on the clock. 23:16 Only the power and the presence of Jesus 23:19 can bring death to an end one day. 23:21 That's the reason why we've come to Phoenix. 23:24 To let those of you that are here know that even when 23:28 you take your last breath, if you trust in God 23:31 it's really not your last breath. 23:34 It's just the breath before the great exhale. 23:38 Before the great inhale on the other side of the resurrection. 23:41 What do you say? 23:44 I thought about it; last night my wife and I 23:45 had a conversation. 23:47 We like to read our Bibles together. 23:49 And last night as we read our Bibles together, 23:52 reading about David when he was finally laid to rest, 23:56 the patriarch David. 23:58 The Bible said he rested with his fathers. 24:01 And his throne was given to his son, Solomon. 24:04 And I thought about that. 24:05 And it said David was advanced in years. 24:08 And in the side it said he was 70 years old. 24:10 And I said, "Honey, 70 years old. 24:12 Think about that." 24:14 Now I'm not going to tell you my age, but 70 years old 24:16 is ahead of us. 24:23 But maybe somebody here already passed seventy. 24:27 But even if the Lord gave you 100 years in this life, 24:32 I would never trade 100 years in this life for eternal life. 24:37 Amen? 24:38 The best is yet ahead of us. 24:41 We began to talk about that in a very spiritually intimate way. 24:46 And I looked at my wife and I said, "Honey, all I really want 24:51 is eternity." 24:53 And my wife said to me, "Eternity sounds 24:55 really good right about now." 24:58 Tonight, when you visit someone in the hospital 25:01 that is holding on to hope, and the doctors have no answer, 25:04 the only think we have is the promises of Jesus. 25:07 "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, 25:10 to give to every one according as his work has been." 25:15 Or shall be. 25:17 Tonight, we can trust the promises of God's Word. 25:20 Amen? 25:21 The Lord has not abandoned us to a decaying world. 25:23 Look at the promise He makes in Acts 1:11. 25:47 The part that gets me is, "Why stand ye gazing." 25:50 It is too late to stand around. 25:52 It's time to tell somebody else that Jesus is coming again. 25:56 My wife and I went to the mall recently here. 25:58 Just to the mall, we didn't know where the malls were. 26:00 We said, "Take us to Nordstrom." 26:02 That's a mall. 26:03 And we walked into the store. 26:05 Into Saks Fifth Avenue. 26:06 We didn't buy anything. We can't afford anything there. 26:10 But we met a lady that was from Russia. 26:15 We can tell by her accent. 26:17 And I said, "Honey, give her a flier to the meetings." 26:21 And we said, "We have a network that has the Russian language 26:26 in gospel on the network." 26:27 She says, "Really?" 26:29 My wife took out her phone and showed her 26:30 3ABN in Russian. 26:32 And she got excited about that and gave us her business card. 26:37 And before the meetings tonight, I said, 26:38 "Honey, let me write her and let her know." 26:40 I believe that every person that you come in contact with 26:44 is a soul for the kingdom of God. 26:48 The young lady at the front desk; 26:49 "Honey, give her a flier." 26:51 The person at the restaurant; "Honey, give him a flier." 26:55 Now I say, "Honey," because she has a bag. 26:57 I don't have anything to carry fliers in. 27:00 But everyone we see, everybody you see is a candidate 27:04 for the kingdom of heaven. 27:06 In Macy's as we were standing and talking to the young man 27:08 who was telling us about the sale coming in the future, 27:10 I said, "Honey, give him a flier. 27:12 Get his business card." 27:13 Everybody we see. 27:15 If you really believe that Jesus is coming, 27:17 it is too late to stand around gazing, 27:20 looking for Christ to come. 27:21 It's time to get busy 27:23 to let people know that Jesus is soon to come. 27:26 Here's the reason I know that. 27:27 Look at the words of the apostle Paul. 27:29 Our world is a world of false security. 27:32 The apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 27:36 notice what he says... 27:54 There was a time when evil men perpetuated crimes 27:57 behind closed doors. 27:59 And they believed that because they took their own lives 28:02 that they escaped the judgment. 28:03 But no, tonight, they shall not escape. 28:06 There are those that refuse the voice of God when He has 28:09 called them over and over again to give their lives to Him. 28:12 And they believe by ignoring God that they'll escape. 28:15 But no, they will not escape. 28:17 There's a world that's gone mad on every side. 28:19 Whether you're political, or whether you're social, 28:22 or whether you're spiritual, whatever your focus is 28:25 it doesn't take a lot of brain cells 28:28 to see that our world is in trouble. 28:33 On every side our world is in trouble. 28:38 And those that ignore the call of God, 28:40 those that ignore the urgency of the hour, 28:43 those that mock you for standing on the promises of God, 28:47 the Bible says when the peace and safety that they believe 28:50 exists is pulled out from under them, 28:53 only those that have their foundation 28:55 on Christ will escape. 28:57 And I believe it's just a matter of time. 28:59 I was invited to Washington, D.C. a few years ago 29:02 to stand and listen to the pope speak to Congress. 29:05 And I thought to myself, as I was invited by 29:07 a Baptist senator. 29:09 And he sat me in his chambers and he said to me, 29:11 "What do you think is happening in the world?" 29:12 He said, "I may not necessarily agree with all the things 29:15 that the pope says, but what do you think is happening?" 29:18 And I walked him through Daniel 2, Daniel 7, 29:21 Revelation 13, Revelation 14. 29:24 Somebody ought to say amen somewhere. 29:26 And he sat there with his eyes pinned and his mouth open 29:29 as I walked him through the surety of God's Word, 29:31 the Bible prophecy that tells us where we stand. 29:36 And I told him what the Bible reveals about the movements of 29:39 Rome in the last days. 29:41 And all he said to me is, "Please don't tell me 29:43 you're going to say that tonight." 29:46 Every chance I get, I told my wife, 29:49 my relationship with Christ has been renewed. 29:52 And I'm a soldier of the cross. 29:54 And my marching order is to tell everyone everywhere 29:59 that Jesus is soon to come. 30:01 Amen, somebody. 30:03 The promises are sure. 30:04 They shall not escape. 30:07 Look at the climate of the world as the 30:09 apostle Paul describes it. 30:11 Look at these words. 30:12 He says in 2 Timothy 3:13... 30:19 "..and impostors..." 30:20 Or seducers, as the King James said. 30:27 Now I don't want to get on the issue of whether guns are 30:31 right or guns are wrong, but I want to tell you, 30:37 the world is quite different than it was 30:39 when I was being raised. 30:43 I would go to school, and the worst thing that could happen 30:45 is I'd get into a fight with somebody. 30:47 I was not a violent child. 30:49 But the only thing I had to worry about growing up was 30:51 fists and throwing things at each other. 30:54 But now when we look at the climate of our world, 30:57 when we look at the climate of our world, 30:59 and young people, not only here in America, 31:03 young people are starving around the world. 31:07 There's fear gripping our planet. 31:08 And the Bible says the reason for this is, 31:11 evil men will wax worse and worse. 31:16 And so when somebody says the world really hasn't changed, 31:19 just look at the Word of God. 31:20 Evil men will wax worse and worse. 31:26 Because God's Spirit is being withdrawn from the earth. 31:28 There's evil unprecedented on one side, but the good news is 31:32 there's truth unprecedented on the other side. 31:36 While the world is getting darker on one side 31:39 the glory of the gospel is getting 31:41 brighter on the other side. 31:43 The mystery of iniquity is unfolding on one side, 31:46 but the mystery of godliness is being revealed on the other. 31:51 People are losing heart on one side, 31:53 but Jesus Christ is giving hope on the other side. 31:57 And our world is getting worse, 31:59 because evil is grooming the world for the 32:02 preparation of the end. 32:03 And as you look at the world today, we have more evil 32:06 accessible on our devices, on our phones, 32:11 than the antediluvians had in their day. 32:15 There's more evil at the push of a button 32:17 than the antediluvians practiced in their evil day. 32:20 When the Bible says that God's heart was saddened 32:24 that He had even made man. 32:26 Today, devices. 32:30 As Simon Sinek once said, we have an age limit for children 32:35 for drinking, and for driving, and for smoking, 32:38 but we have no age limit for them having cell phones. 32:41 He said the evil on their cell phones is far greater 32:44 than what's in the car when they're driving. 32:47 Today we've got to pray for our young people. 32:49 Say amen, somebody. 32:52 Our world is getting worse and worse. 32:54 But the Bible says we are moving toward the end. 32:57 Here are the words of Dr. Luke in Luke 17:26. 33:10 What kind of world was it? What kind of world was it? 33:16 It was a world where immorality was practiced and applauded. 33:21 Is that not our world today? 33:24 It's a world where men lost their bearings 33:29 as to how God had created man and woman to be united together. 33:34 Has our world become like that world? 33:38 Now in our society today you can wake up one morning 33:41 and feel that you're this gender, go to bed and 33:43 wake up the next morning and feel that you're that gender. 33:46 And society applauds it. 33:48 As it was in the days of Noah, 33:50 so also will it be in the day of the Son of Man. 33:55 But he goes on to say what kind of world it was. 33:59 Luke 17:27, the Bible says... 34:04 "...they married wives..." 34:06 That means polygamy. 34:18 When I was a young boy and I use to go to Coney Island 34:20 in Brooklyn, I use to like to go on the merry-go-round 34:24 or the Ferris Wheel. 34:25 It would just go around and around in circles. 34:27 And after a while you see the same thing over and over. 34:30 And there are people today that have gone 34:32 onto the merry-go-round of life. 34:34 They do the same thing day in and day out, 34:37 not understanding that the world is coming to an end. 34:40 The merry-go-round; the life, the liberty, 34:42 and the pursuit of happiness. 34:44 Millions in our world, millions in our country, 34:47 and millions around the world, all they want 34:50 is just to be happy. 34:52 But I'm getting to the place, all I want to be is saved. 34:54 Come on, somebody. 34:56 All I want to be is in the kingdom of God. 35:01 Just eat, just drink, just be merry, just go to the movies. 35:05 Just get locked in the entertainment. 35:08 And if you look at our world today, the music is 35:10 becoming darker, the movies are becoming darker. 35:13 Why would our world not think that violence is something 35:16 that's normal when it's being pushed by the movie producers? 35:22 Young people are being conditioned in their minds 35:24 by the video games. 35:25 So to some of them it seems not an unusual thing 35:29 when they cannot separate reality from fiction. 35:32 It doesn't seem unusual for them to want to do the 35:34 very same things in life. 35:37 As one young man once said, "I just shot him to experience 35:41 what it was like to take someone's life." 35:44 That's the kind of world we're in today. 35:48 Getting like the days of Noah. 35:51 That's why Jesus made the statement, 35:54 "Focus on what I've said in My Word." 35:56 Be ready, for the end is coming faster than we think. 36:00 One of the signs of the last days, Jesus made it very clear, 36:03 is found in Matthew 24, look at this, in verses 4 and 5. 36:16 "For many will come in My name saying, 'I am the Christ,' 36:21 and will deceive many." 36:24 I decided to look at this, because I've 36:27 preached this for many years. 36:28 But I thought, well really, have people come... 36:31 How many have come claiming to be Christ? 36:34 And I found out these very unusual facts. 36:37 "Many will come in My name saying, 'I am Christ,' 36:39 and will deceive many." 36:41 And I found a man by the name of John Nicholas Thom, 36:44 a Cornish tax rebel... 36:58 The followers, he had followers that believed that he was 37:03 in fact the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. 37:06 The words of Christ being fulfilled. 37:08 "Many will come in my name saying, 'I am Christ,' 37:10 and will deceive many." 37:14 Then there's also in the 20th century 37:17 a man you may have heard of. 37:19 Sun Myung Moon. 37:31 The members of the church believed that he and his wife 37:35 were the true parents of the human race 37:39 and the reincarnation, as it were, of Adam and Eve. 37:44 Thousands of followers believed that he was in fact, 37:47 and his wife, the reincarnation or the 37:50 restoration of Adam and Eve. 37:51 But what happened to him? 37:53 He died in 2012 at age 92. 37:55 Once again, "Many will come in My name saying, 37:59 'I am Christ," and will deceive many." 38:01 But you may remember more recently a man by the 38:04 name of Marshall Applewhite. 38:06 This man believed that behind the Hale-Bopp comet, 38:11 in the tail, he believed and taught his followers 38:13 that there's a spaceship hidden behind the 38:15 tail of the Hale-Bopp comet. 38:18 And if we take our lives, as this comet is passing 38:22 it will take us to our eternal home. 38:24 The sad reality is, 38:28 in 1997 thirty-nine people took their lives, 38:31 believing that he was in fact, and here are the words, 38:34 he believed, he said... 38:45 Claiming himself to be Christ Jesus, the Son of God. 38:49 Well you know the rest of that story. 38:51 But even closer to home, you may remember him. 38:55 The leader of the Branch Davidians. 39:09 You know the rest of the story. 39:10 Seventy-six people died. 39:12 They didn't necessarily believe that he was Jesus, 39:14 but they believed to some degree that he was the final prophet. 39:18 And they lost their lives in a very unusual way. 39:22 "Many will come in My name saying, 'I am Christ,' 39:25 and will deceive many." 39:29 But I want to tell you tonight, the return of Jesus will not 39:32 be an isolated event. 39:34 When Jesus comes, the entire world will know that 39:37 Jesus has come again. 39:38 Amen, someone. 39:39 Here's the words of Christ. 39:41 In Revelation 1:7 He says in the Word... 39:59 Not too long ago I interviewed somebody who says that 40:02 more recently there are people that are believing in the 40:05 flat earth theory. 40:09 They're believing in the flat earth theory. 40:11 They're saying the reason why every eye will see Jesus 40:14 is the earth is flat. 40:15 And I said to him, I didn't hear about it until the interview, 40:19 but I said to him, "All you've got to do to prove that the 40:21 earth is not flat is take your first ride on an airplane 40:25 and look out the window." 40:28 Amen? 40:31 And he said, "Well they believe the moon is round, 40:33 they believe the sun is round. 40:36 But they believe the earth is flat. 40:37 And that's the reason why they believe that Jesus Christ 40:39 will be seen every place at the same time." 40:41 I said, "Well now think about it from a realistic perspective." 40:45 Light travels at 186,200 miles per second. 40:48 The planet is only 24,000 miles around. 40:51 That means Jesus can be seen everywhere on this planet 40:55 in one-third of a second when He comes. 41:00 He's not coming in New York first. 41:02 And then in Phoenix. 41:04 And then in Detroit. 41:05 "Behold, He cometh with clouds..." 41:07 And I believe when the Bible says, "He cometh with clouds," 41:09 that means He's coming with angels. 41:11 Ten-thousand times ten-thousand. 41:14 You know why He's coming? To take us home. 41:15 Can somebody say amen? 41:18 He's coming. 41:19 And He's going to wrap this planet with a retinue of angels 41:23 to come and claim His own. 41:25 That's why tonight we're excited. 41:26 This is just the first time, 41:28 but we have fourteen more meetings. 41:30 You've got to invite somebody. 41:31 Because there's somebody here in Phoenix that wants to be 41:34 ready when Jesus comes. 41:35 They don't know it yet. 41:38 But there will be no greater joy than to know that 41:40 when life on this planet has ended, life has just begun. 41:44 There's no greater joy than to know when all the 41:46 pain and suffering that we have experienced, 41:49 has been a part of our past, nothing but joy forever more 41:52 will be a part of our future when Jesus comes again. 41:57 Those that are not ready will mourn. 41:59 All the tribes of the earth will mourn. 42:02 Only those that have not been ready for the coming 42:04 of the Lord will mourn. 42:06 When Jesus comes, it's not going to be a silent event either. 42:09 Look at the words of the psalmist. 42:11 Psalm 50:3 42:27 When Jesus comes, He's not coming to sneak in and say, 42:30 "Hey, let's leave." 42:32 There will be no secret rapture. 42:35 He's not coming the way He came the first time, 42:38 as a babe in a manger. 42:39 He's coming back this time as King of kings and Lord of lords. 42:44 And there is no leader, there is no military. 42:47 Somebody once said, "Well now look at all these devices..." 42:50 As I was talking to somebody not too long ago... 42:52 You know, to me, "not too long ago," 42:54 could be a year ago or a week ago. 42:56 They said, "With all these devices, they could find us 42:59 wherever we are. 43:00 They could track us with our cell phones, with our watches, 43:02 with our iPads, with our computers." 43:05 I said, "No they don't... Not necessarily. 43:07 What they need to be able to find us is electricity." 43:12 God could turn the power off in favor of His saints. 43:18 But even more wonderful than that, "He that dwelleth 43:21 in the secret place of the Most High shall abide 43:25 under the shadow of the Almighty." 43:27 I am not fearful what man can do, because when 43:30 Jesus comes He has a place to hide me that no man can find me. 43:36 Amen? 43:37 And He's com... He's so... You know what? 43:39 He's so excited about us that when He comes back 43:42 He wants to tell everybody, "I'm coming to receive My children." 43:48 Isn't that what parents do when they 43:49 get back together with their children? 43:51 "Mom, dad!" 43:53 He's coming, and He shall not keep silent. 43:56 What a day of rejoicing that's going to be. 43:58 He will come and He will not keep silent. 44:00 The earth is going to change. 44:01 We have a topic all about the second coming of Jesus. 44:05 But notice in a very summary way, notice how the earth 44:10 is going to be affected when Jesus comes. 44:12 Notice the signs that are taking place around us. 44:15 Luke makes it very clear in Luke 21:25-26. 44:30 A lot of religious leaders not too long ago 44:32 were really concerned about the blood moon. 44:34 They were saying, "This is a sign of the end." 44:38 When the war broke out in Iraq many years ago they said, 44:41 "That's the battle of Armageddon." 44:43 Well that war has come and gone. 44:45 Here's my point. 44:47 If you can trust in God's Word, if you read the Word of God, 44:49 you don't have to guess. 44:51 You can know for sure about the signs of the coming of our Lord. 44:54 Amen, somebody. 44:56 They said the blood moon must be an indication that 44:58 Jesus is coming again. 45:07 "...distress of nations..." 45:09 Do we doubt that? 45:18 Look at the floods that engulfed many of the coastal cities. 45:23 I believe it was in 2006 where over 300,000 people died 45:27 the day after Christmas when a terrible earthquake 45:31 unleashed a tsunami in many of the Pacific islands, 45:34 killing over 300,000 people. 45:36 The seas and the waves roaring. 45:38 But what the Bible is saying to us is, these things are going to 45:41 become worse and worse as we get closer and closer 45:45 to the coming of Jesus. 45:46 The seas and the waves roaring. 45:59 Not only will men be fearful of the things that are coming, 46:02 not just because of what's happening in the heavens, 46:04 but how many people when they look at the news 46:07 say to themselves, "What's next?" 46:11 Have you said that? 46:13 What's next? 46:14 What is the next earth shattering, 46:17 politically shattering, socially shattering 46:20 event to take place? 46:22 How bad can it get before it gets better? 46:26 It's going to get worse before it gets better. 46:29 Because today there is perplexity everywhere. 46:31 In the halls of our schools, there is military perplexity, 46:34 there is financial perplexity. 46:37 Nobody knows if the market is going to be stable today, 46:40 or if the market is going to be down tomorrow. 46:41 My wife and I... 46:43 Well, I can't tell you too much about my wife and I. 46:45 But I want to tell you, we're planning for retirement. 46:47 Which is a long way away. 46:53 But we sat down with a financial adviser. 46:55 We're by no means... 46:57 I'm talking about retirement on a pastor's salary. 47:01 Which is a prayerful salary. 47:04 But we said, "How much will we have when we retire?" 47:07 And when they told us the amount, I looked at my wife 47:09 and she looked at me, and she said, 47:11 "Honey, that wouldn't last very long at all." 47:14 And I thought to myself, "You know what?" 47:16 I said to her, "The Lord has been taking care of us 47:19 this long, and He can take care of us until He comes again." 47:25 Because one day we won't have a stock market. 47:27 That's why our hope is not based on what's 47:29 happening in the stock market. 47:31 Our hope is based on the financial foundation of Christ. 47:35 And in His kingdom there is no financial crisis. 47:40 He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. 47:43 "The gold and silver is mine." 47:45 He even said, "If I were hungry, I wouldn't even tell you." 47:49 He doesn't count His cattle by heads, 47:51 but He counts them by hills. 47:53 That's the kind of God we serve. 47:55 Amen, somebody. 47:56 So I'm not fearful tonight about these things 47:58 that are happening in the world. 47:59 Around us there's perplexity everywhere. 48:01 The family is in distress. 48:03 Marriage is in distress. 48:06 Children are in distress. 48:10 And here's some of the reasons why. 48:12 There is spiritual compromise on every side. 48:15 We see it everywhere. 48:17 Spiritual compromise is crippling Christianity. 48:19 While people are preaching about, "Your ship is coming in," 48:23 and, "You're about to become successful," 48:27 the prosperity gospel is not telling people about redemption, 48:32 but about financial success rather than a changed life, 48:36 a changed situation. 48:37 I don't need more money, I need a better hope. 48:41 I need a more solid future. 48:42 But the Bible says we're living in the hour 48:44 where spiritual compromise is crippling Christianity. 48:48 Look at the words of Revelation 3:17. 49:08 That is the condition of the world church today. 49:14 If ever there was a time that the church should be awake, 49:17 it is in these closing hours of earth's history. 49:19 If ever there's a time that we should examine 49:21 where we stand with Christ, it is in these closing 49:24 hours of earth's history. 49:27 And not be concerned about the person 49:29 on the right or left of us, but about our stand with Christ. 49:32 Because what the Bible in essence is saying 49:33 is the condition is going to be so bad that we are not even 49:36 aware of our own spiritual need of Christ. 49:40 Spiritual compromise. 49:41 But not only that. 49:43 The social distractions in our world today 49:46 have made its impact. 49:47 Social distraction, pleasure loving, everywhere is eroding 49:52 Christian values. 49:54 The apostle Paul tells his protégé Timothy these words 49:57 in 2 Timothy 3:1, 2, and 4. 50:06 The word, perilous, doesn't just mean, dangerous. 50:09 I looked the word up just a few weeks ago. 50:12 And I mean that, just a few weeks ago. 50:14 And the word, perilous, means it is so dangerous that 50:18 destruction is imminent. 50:21 Meaning, the world today is so bad that it can't go on 50:24 this way forever. 50:26 It's got to change somehow and somewhere. 50:28 We know the change coming, 50:29 and we know there's going to be a change for the better. 50:31 What do you say? 50:33 Social distraction. 50:35 Then there is also, it goes on... 50:44 Then also the storm of political polarization. 50:47 The storm of social distraction. 50:49 The storm of spiritual compromise. 50:51 Then the storm of spiritual polarization. 50:54 We... Can I say something? 50:58 We should be less concerned about the left and the right 51:01 and more concerned about the wrong and the right. 51:05 Amen? 51:07 How has politics found a home in the church today? 51:10 We speak more about what's happening in politics 51:12 than what's happening in God's Word. 51:14 This is the hour to get back to God's Word. 51:17 Can you say amen, somebody? 51:27 Pray for our political leaders. 51:30 Pray for our political leaders. 51:32 But put your hope and your trust in Christ. 51:35 And finally, one of the most solid indicators of 51:40 where we are in history is Bible prophecy. 51:45 We can tell by the sure Word of God 51:48 that the kingdoms that have come... 51:50 Babylon has come. 51:51 This great kingdom of gold came and it has fallen. 51:54 Medo-Persia came. 51:57 This great kingdom that brought down Babylon. 51:59 But that kingdom has passed off into antiquity. 52:04 Greece, with its great general and its great military 52:08 has come and gone, and is passed off into history. 52:14 And Rome is now on the stage, with the United States. 52:17 And those kingdoms will come and go, 52:20 and pass off into antiquity, because we can trust 52:24 the Word of God with these words. 52:25 Notice what He says in Daniel 2:44. 52:29 And the Bible says... 52:42 I'll say that again. 52:44 "A kingdom which shall never be destroyed." 52:47 That's the kingdom I want to be a part of. 52:48 What about you? 52:50 And you know what? One of the reasons... 52:52 We've heard this so often, we've heard this so repeated, 52:55 that sometimes we say, "Yes, Jesus is coming. 52:57 My father said it, his father said it, his father said it." 53:00 But let me tell you something. 53:01 It was the same way in the days of the antediluvian. 53:04 Somebody said it, and one day it was true. 53:08 "Be not weary in doing well, for in due time you'll reap 53:11 if you do not faint." 53:13 A kingdom that shall never be destroyed. 53:15 "...and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; 53:18 it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, 53:22 and it shall stand..." For how long? 53:24 ~ Forever. 53:26 Friends, the kingdom that shall stand forever, 53:28 it's coming. 53:29 Or as the pastor said, "It is coming." 53:32 The kingdom of God is coming. 53:34 It's going to be an eternal kingdom. 53:37 But even more than that eternal kingdom, 53:39 He is coming. 53:40 The eternal King is coming. 53:43 The eternal King is coming. 53:47 There's only one decision that we need to make tonight, 53:50 as I invite Tim to come to the piano. 53:51 There's only one decision that we need to make tonight, 53:54 those of you watching and listening. 53:56 There's only one sensible decision that we all 53:59 can make tonight that will secure our eternity. 54:04 Read these words with me before I have Tim play 54:07 for us this evening. 54:09 Joshua 24:15 54:12 That's the great event were looking for; 54:13 the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 54:15 I want to be in that number. What about you? 54:18 Tonight the only decision that we can make that will secure 54:21 our place in that eternal kingdom is found in these words. 54:25 Together. 54:36 Only those houses where Christ is being served 54:42 will meet Jesus in peace. 54:44 Only those young people, husbands and wives, 54:47 that have made their decision to follow Christ 54:50 will meet Him in peace. 54:51 Yes, we've been saying this for a long time. 54:54 But I'll tell you something. 54:56 I'm not tired of saying it, because I can see all the signs. 54:59 That what God's Word has said is coming to pass. 55:03 So be not weary. 55:05 The Lord is coming soon. 55:07 Tim, play for us. 55:11 I will serve Thee 55:17 because I love Thee. 55:24 You have given life to me. 55:36 I was nothing 55:43 before You found me. 55:49 You have given life to me. 56:01 Heartache, broken pieces, 56:12 ruined lives are why 56:17 You died on Calvary. 56:25 Your touch is what I longed for. 56:35 You have given life to me. 56:48 Do you love the Lord tonight? 56:51 Maybe you're watching or listening, 56:54 and you're saying, "In a world that's crumbling 56:56 around us, what can I do to secure my salvation? 57:00 What can I do to know that I'm ready for the coming of Jesus?" 57:04 Well, friends, tonight the only decision you can make 57:06 is to serve the Lord. 57:09 To serve the Lord in a world where there is no hope 57:12 found anywhere but in Christ. 57:14 To serve the Lord where promises are made, but 57:17 man is incapable of making those promises true. 57:22 I pray that when Jesus comes you will find joy 57:26 in your hearts and look forward to seeing Him in hope 57:31 because you have made your decision to serve Him eternally. |
Revised 2018-05-30