Participants: Luis Capote
Series Code: TWH
Program Code: TWH000026A
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00:31 Our loving, Father.
00:34 I thank You, Lord, 00:35 for the opportunity that You give me 00:39 to come into the presence of Your children, 00:43 and to be able to speak about Your love, 00:47 and to be able to show them Your heaven. 00:54 And to be able to portray to them 00:57 the sacrifice of the cross that won it all for us. 01:02 Lord, you know there is nothing in me. 01:06 I lend You my voice, 01:07 I lend You my thoughts, I lend You. 01:12 All that is in me, 01:14 Lord, that You may speak to Your children today, 01:19 that they may put in practice 01:22 that You have prepared for them 01:25 that they may know 01:27 that You have given them the victory. 01:32 I think you, Lord. 01:34 Please blot all iniquities in our lives 01:38 and help us to surrender ourselves to You. 01:41 I ask these things in Christ's name, amen. 01:45 What a beautiful song, 01:48 it's well in our heart. 01:50 As I was studying and preparing myself 01:53 for the sermon. 01:55 The sermon is basically around 02:01 the prayer that Jesus had in John 17. 02:06 But in order for us to understand the prayer 02:09 in John 17, 02:10 we must first understand what he's talking about. 02:15 And I want to take you today a little glimpse 02:17 of Ellen White's first vision. 02:21 I want to try to paint in your life 02:24 what we are searching for, 02:26 what this world is really truly about why we are born? 02:33 When I walked in here and I looked at this picture 02:35 and I just almost fell into tears 02:39 because I look at Christ praying, 02:42 and I look at this prayer, 02:43 and I look what Christ has done and Christ is doing, 02:46 and what Christ wants and what Christ yearns, 02:49 and you'll be able to see it in these verses. 02:54 And I'm looking at and I'm understanding 02:56 and I'm thinking, 02:57 Lord, why is this so important for You 03:00 to let us understand what heaven is about? 03:04 And I'm looking at the words 03:06 that Ellen penned about her first vision 03:09 and it gave me so much joy 03:10 and yet it gave me so much suffering. 03:14 Our memory verse is found in John 17:6. 03:19 I'm reading on the King James Version 03:22 and it says, 03:23 "I have manifested thy name 03:26 unto thou... unto me 03:30 which thou unto the men which thou has given me 03:33 out of the world, thine they were, 03:37 and thou gavest to me, 03:38 and they kept thy words." 03:45 I love this prayer. 03:48 I love this prayer because it's talking to you, 03:51 is saying that Christ came to give you a word. 03:56 Christ came to show you the Father. 03:59 Christ came to involve 04:01 and to give you a glimpse of exactly 04:04 what He has intended what He has prepared, 04:08 and it's interesting 04:10 because it's not part of this vision, 04:12 but the Bible tells us that no man 04:14 or not nobody have seen, not perhaps imagine 04:17 what Christ has prepared for you. 04:20 And he's saying that these men that God has given Him, 04:24 He has sealed them with His Word. 04:30 I love the fact that we are free to come 04:32 to this country and open our Bibles. 04:35 You all know that I was born in a communist country 04:38 and there is countless individuals 04:40 that have difficulties to study. 04:43 And God gives us the opportunity 04:45 to be able to come here and open freely and we can go 04:49 almost anywhere slowly starting to slow down 04:52 and slowly being taken out. 04:53 The Ten Commandments are taken out of places, 04:56 prayer taken out of places, 04:57 so slowly but surely you got an understanding 04:59 that there are things 05:01 that are starting to creeping in this world 05:03 to stop you from having the freedom 05:05 to be able to open these words. 05:09 But unfortunately now 05:10 that the Word is so accessible to us 05:13 through so many means 05:14 is the time that individuals have taken 05:17 not to read it. 05:18 We have so much stuff that is thrown on us. 05:20 There are so many things that are given. 05:22 When they give us a tool like this 05:26 and we spend so much more time 05:28 without being in the Word when it's given to us, 05:31 you can right download all of Ellen White's writing, 05:34 you can download your Bible, 05:35 you have everything at your fingertip, 05:37 but then we decide not to do so. 05:40 So this prayer today, 05:41 Christ is trying to tell you, wake up. 05:45 Wake up, I'm coming. 05:48 Christ is trying to tell you, 05:50 Christ is trying to picture for you, 05:51 Christ is trying to tell you, 05:53 I have put the Word in your self, 05:56 so you may know the Word of God 05:58 and you may know 05:59 where I've come from, and we'll go to that. 06:02 It's a story of a young Upson man. 06:05 He's going on a train and the conductor is coming in 06:07 to get the tickets. 06:10 And the gentleman starts looking 06:12 all around frantically and he says, 06:13 don't worry about it, 06:15 I'm sure that you have it 06:16 and he says, "Oh, no, sir, you don't understand. 06:20 I need that ticket to know where I'm going." 06:25 How many of us have the same issue? 06:29 How many of us have the same ticket? 06:32 How many of us has God given the ticket for heaven? 06:36 And how many of us have misplaced this ticket? 06:39 How many of us have it on the back burner? 06:41 How many of us are looking, 06:43 and we are so busy doing other things 06:46 that we don't have the time 06:47 in order to give Him a few minutes in the morning, 06:50 or give Him a few minutes at night, 06:52 or give Him a few minutes in the mid week, 06:54 or give Him all our time. 06:56 How many of us have misplaced our ticket? 07:02 Because without the ticket, 07:04 we don't know where we're going. 07:14 In order to understand Christ prayer, 07:19 we must first long for heaven. 07:27 Many of us are traveling 07:29 through this world not wondering 07:31 what God is our purpose in life. 07:36 We're going and we come and many of us are saying, 07:39 Lord, why did You bring us to 3ABN? 07:42 When I was out there in the world, 07:44 Lord, I was able to worship. 07:45 I was able to do so many things. 07:47 I was able to give Bible studies 07:49 to my fellow coworkers. 07:50 I was able to do so much more. 07:52 Why did you bring me here to 3ABN? 07:58 What is my purpose? 08:01 And Christ is telling you today 08:03 that your purpose is to long for Him. 08:07 Christ is telling you today 08:08 that your purpose is to walk with Him. 08:11 Christ is telling you today 08:13 that your purpose is to surrender self 08:15 and to allow the Holy Spirit to walk through you, 08:19 so others can see the joy and the greatness that it is 08:23 to be a son and a daughter of God. 08:29 The only thing that you need to worry 08:31 for those 47 minutes 08:33 that you have on this earth is to be able to know 08:36 that you are walking in the light 08:39 that the Word is in you, 08:40 because when the Word is in you, 08:42 then you will belong to Christ, 08:46 because God has given you to Him. 08:56 Second coming is the title of her vision. 09:02 And says, "It was no long after passing by in 1844, 09:06 that my first vision was given to me. 09:10 I was visiting a dear friend in Christ 09:13 and the heart was knit with mine, five of us, 09:18 all women were kneeling quietly at the family 09:20 altar while we were praying the power of God came unto me 09:25 as I had never felt it before." 09:31 In order for us to fill the power of the Holy Spirit, 09:36 we must serve self first. 09:43 Come to the throne 09:45 we must first get off upright and get on our knees. 09:51 If you want to hear God, 09:53 then get on your knees and humble yourself 09:55 because when you stand up, 09:57 you're telling God I can do it when you kneel down, 10:00 you're telling Him you can do it. 10:05 It seems to be surrounded by light, 10:07 I seem to be surrounded by light never felt 10:11 and to be riding high and higher 10:13 and higher on the earth, 10:15 and I turned to look for the advent people 10:18 in the world but I could not find them. 10:23 When a voice said to me, "Look again 10:27 and I looked a little higher." 10:32 A lot of us are trying to look down 10:35 for our reward. 10:38 A lot of us are trying to look down 10:40 and looking at this earthly things 10:43 and what God can do for us, 10:46 we need to start to look up and what we can do for Christ. 10:50 Because it's when we start looking up 10:52 what we can do for Christ 10:53 is that's when we're going to start seeing 10:55 the saints that are working for Christ, 10:56 and those are the ones 10:58 that we're going to want to mingle with. 10:59 Those are the ones 11:01 that we're going to have friendship with. 11:02 Those are the ones 11:03 that are going to lead us to paradise. 11:08 "At this I raised my eyes, 11:11 and I saw a straight narrow path, 11:15 cast up high above the world. 11:17 On that path the advent people were traveling 11:20 towards the city behind them 11:23 and the beginning of the path was a bright light 11:27 which an angel told me 11:29 was the midnight cry." 11:34 Is this path that she's going in 11:37 and the saints are going with her, 11:39 but in order for us to understand, 11:41 we have to go through with the midnight cry, 11:43 we want to go to Matthew. 11:46 Matthew 25, 11:48 and I'm going to read verses 4-12, 11:51 we know that story well. 11:55 Matthew 25. 11:58 And you're asking yourself, 11:59 what does this have to do with the story. 12:04 And you will see when we go and it says, 12:06 I'm reading verse 4, 12:08 "But the wise took the oil 12:11 in their vessels with their lamps. 12:12 But while the bridegroom was delayed, 12:15 they slumbered and slept." 12:20 Verse 6. 12:22 "And the midnight cry was heard 12:24 'Behold the bridegroom is coming, 12:26 go out to meet him! 12:28 Then all those virgins arose 12:30 and trembled their lamps.' 12:34 And the foolish said to the wise, 12:36 'Give us some of your oil for our lamps 12:40 are going out.'" 12:43 We're talking about individuals that are in the church. 12:46 We're talking about individuals that have the same purpose. 12:49 We're talking about individuals that have been taught. 12:52 We're talking about individuals that have the same tools. 12:55 We're talking about individuals 12:56 that their parents have guided them. 12:58 We're talking about individuals that they're on that walk, 13:02 they're on their way, they're on their on, 13:05 Ellen White to see in these particular individuals. 13:13 It says, "But the wise answered, saying, 13:17 'No, lest there should not be enough 13:21 for us and you, 13:23 but go rather to those who sell, 13:26 and buy for yourself.' 13:28 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, 13:32 and these who were ready went in to the wedding, 13:37 and the door was shut." 13:43 But it's verse 11, the one that breaks my heart. 13:48 It says, "Afterwards the other virgins came also, 13:51 saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 13:56 But He answered and said, 13:58 'Assuredly, I say to you, 14:01 I do not know you.'" 14:09 The midnight cry. 14:11 Can you taste it? 14:13 Can you taste Christ coming? 14:16 Can you see all of the things being fulfilled? 14:20 Is your bottle filled with the Holy Spirit? 14:26 Can you go through this last earth moment? 14:30 Are you sure? 14:33 Are you understanding 14:34 even if you look at the other virgins, 14:37 they're saying, "I can't give you any 14:39 because I'm not sure if I have enough." 14:42 Every day God is giving you the opportunity 14:45 to fulfill your purpose. 14:47 Every day as God is giving you 14:48 the chance to be able to understand 14:50 that when you surrender yourself 14:53 and you give all to Him, 14:56 then your lamp is full of the spirit 15:00 and then He will welcome you in. 15:04 Having little spirit equates 15:07 to Jesus knowing you not. 15:15 The vision continues. 15:18 "This light shone all along the path 15:20 that their feet might not stumble. 15:24 Jesus Himself went just before His people 15:27 to lead them forward. 15:30 And as long as they kept their eyes fixed on Him, 15:34 they were saved." 15:38 I don't know how many of you 15:40 when you're trying to give Bible studies 15:42 and you're talking about the Bible, 15:44 when you opened a Bible 15:45 and you're telling all these people 15:47 how God has asked us to do certain things 15:50 and then they come back and they tell us, 15:52 oh, you're just a legalist. 15:55 Christ save us by grace and grace alone. 15:57 We need not worry about those aspects 16:01 and those are individuals 16:02 that have taken their focus from Christ, 16:05 they've taken their eyes from God. 16:07 They've taken their eyes from their purpose. 16:09 They've taken their eyes from their reward, 16:12 because there is nothing in us 16:14 that would help us to keep the commandments. 16:18 It is when we focus in Christ that we are walking with Him 16:22 and the Holy Spirit is the one that takes us step by step, 16:26 by step, by step and we are following 16:28 Christ example in our life 16:31 and when we are following Christ 16:33 nothing but the victory is what's important to us. 16:39 "But soon some grew weary, 16:43 and said city was a great way off 16:47 and they expected to have entered it before. 16:51 Then Jesus would encourage them 16:54 by rising His glorious right arm 16:58 from which came the light 17:00 that waved over the advent band 17:03 and they shouted hallelujah." 17:08 Have you had moments in your life 17:10 that you want to give up? 17:11 Have you got the moments in your life 17:12 that's been difficult? 17:14 Have you had moment in your life 17:15 that you wondered how much longer Lord? 17:19 I would need you to come today. 17:21 I need you to come 17:23 because I don't want to do this today. 17:24 I need you to come 17:25 because I don't know what to do. 17:27 Other times in your life 17:28 where you feel that there is no hope. 17:32 Christ is raising His hand and saying, "Come look to Me, 17:36 I've got the hope. 17:37 I can take care of all of your problems. 17:40 I can take care of all of your issues. 17:42 Surrender yourself to me and I will give you the power." 17:48 Just keep your eyes on the victory. 17:50 Just keep your eyes in heaven. 17:56 "Others wryly define the light behind them and said, 17:59 "Was not God that had led them out so far? 18:03 The light behind them went out leaving their feet 18:06 in perfect darkness and they stumbled 18:09 and lost sight of the mark of hand of Jesus, 18:14 and fell off the path down into the dark 18:18 and wicked world below." 18:22 Is that happening to you today? 18:26 Is the enemy 18:27 trying to show you how evil you are? 18:30 Is the enemy trying to show you 18:31 all the sins that you have committed? 18:33 Is the enemy trying to show you 18:35 how you are not worthy to be in the presence of God? 18:38 Is the enemy trying to tell you, look, 18:40 your great grandfather was preaching that. 18:42 This been talking for 6,000 for over a whole lot of times. 18:47 Why don't you just give up? 18:48 Is that's what's happening to you? 18:49 Are you looking at your victory, 18:52 or are you looking down? 18:54 Are you all falling weary? 18:56 Are you feeling that it's too long? 18:58 Are you feeling it's thirsty? 18:59 Are you feeling that it's too difficult? 19:06 "Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters 19:09 which gave us the day and the hour of Jesus' coming. 19:13 The living saints, 19:14 144,000 in numbers knew and understood the voice 19:19 while the wicked though it was, 19:22 thought it was thunder and earthquake." 19:29 So many of that is happening today. 19:31 So many of that is happening 19:33 when we're trying to plant the seed of Christ 19:35 in individual's life. 19:37 They're thinking that we are judging them. 19:39 They're thinking 19:40 that we are bringing condemnation to them. 19:42 I heard it just this past Thursday, 19:44 their past Sunday. 19:46 When I was at the prison ministry 19:47 one of the man there, he says, 19:49 "When you guys were talking about the Sabbath, 19:51 I was saved by grace, you're trying to condemn me." 19:59 And God spake the time 20:03 He poured out upon us the Holy Spirit. 20:08 And our faces begun and light up and shine 20:11 with the glory of God 20:12 and Moses did what when he came... 20:15 As Moses did when he came from Sinai, Mount Sinai. 20:20 Soon our eyes were drawn to the east 20:24 for the small black cloud had appeared 20:27 about half as large as a man's hand 20:32 which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man. 20:36 In the solemn silence, 20:37 we all gazed on the clouds and as it drew near 20:41 and became brighter, 20:42 glorious and still more glorious, 20:44 still it was great white cloud, 20:47 can you see it? 20:50 Can you experience it? 20:52 Can you see Christ coming? 20:55 Can you see that cloud? 20:58 Because He's coming. 21:00 And if it's in your heart, 21:01 it doesn't matter if you can't physically see it. 21:04 You can understand that my Christ, 21:06 the One that died on the cross, 21:08 the One that's praying there is the one 21:10 that is saying, "The victory has been won. 21:13 That cloud is coming. 21:15 I'm coming soon to take you home." 21:20 The bottom appeared like fire and rainbow 21:23 was over the clouds, 21:25 while around there were 10,000 angels singing 21:28 the most lovely song 21:30 and upon it sat the Son of man." 21:37 I don't know about you, 21:39 but I love my Jesus. 21:41 I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Him. 21:45 Unfortunately, I can't, I need to do more. 21:48 There's more brothers, there's more sisters, 21:50 there's more individuals that are needing to hear 21:53 about how great He is, how wonderful He is, 21:56 and the victory that He gave us 21:58 in order for Him to come in the cloud. 22:00 Are you waiting for Him, 22:01 then work for Him, go ye and teach. 22:09 "His hair was white and curly and lay on His shoulder upon, 22:13 and upon His head were many crowns. 22:17 His feet had the appearance of fire, 22:19 and His right hand was a sharp sickle, 22:22 and His left a silver trumpet, 22:24 His eyes were as a flame of fire, 22:27 which searched His children 22:29 through and through. 22:34 Then the faces gathered paleness, 22:39 and those that God had rejected gathered blackness. 22:44 Then we all cried out, "Who shall be able to stand. 22:49 Is my robe spotless? 22:53 The angel ceased to sing, 22:56 and there was a time off awful silence 23:00 when Christ spoke those who have clean hands 23:06 and pure heart shall be able to stand. 23:14 My grace is sufficient for you." 23:21 How many are grateful for the grace of God? 23:25 I am glad, I'm not God. 23:27 I am glad, I'm not the one the judges. 23:30 I'm glad that I'm not the one 23:31 that's going to search your heart. 23:33 I'm glad that I'm not the one 23:35 that I'm going to put my earthly thoughts 23:37 and my earthly thinking in order for you to be saved 23:42 but it's Christ grace which is sufficient for you. 23:50 "At this our faces light up, and joy filled every heart. 23:55 And the angels struck a note higher and sang again, 24:00 while the clouds grew still nearer to the earth. 24:04 Then Jesus' silver trumpet sounded 24:07 as He descended on the clouds, 24:10 wrapped in the frames of fire. 24:12 He gazed on the graves and the sleeping saints, 24:16 then raised His eyes and hands 24:20 to heaven, and cried, "Awake! 24:22 Awake! Awake! 24:24 ye that are sleep in the dust, and arise." 24:29 Can you feel it? 24:31 Can you see those who we have lost? 24:33 Can you see individuals that are sleeping in Christ? 24:36 Can you hear the voice of Christ saying, 24:39 awake and awake? 24:41 Can you see them coming out in victory? 24:45 I don't know about you, 24:46 but I'm waiting for that day and He says, 24:48 "Then there was a mightily earthquake. 24:52 The graves opened 24:53 and the dead came up clothed with immortality. 24:58 The 144,000 shouted, "Hallelujah." 25:02 And they rejoiced their friends 25:04 who had been torn from them by death. 25:07 And in the same moment we were changed 25:10 and we were caught up together 25:11 with them to meet the Lord in the air." 25:16 Isn't that an amazing hope for each one of us? 25:19 Isn't it worth our 47 minutes like Michael said, 25:24 "Isn't that worth to follow God? 25:26 Isn't that worth following what God purpose 25:29 for us to be able to see Him 25:31 and be transformed in a twinkle of an eye, 25:34 to be able to be caught up with Jesus." 25:36 Whatever you're going through, 25:38 whatever the enemy is telling you, 25:39 you're not worth it, 25:40 I'm telling you Christ is telling you, 25:42 "My grace is sufficient to you." 25:48 "We all enter the cloud together, 25:50 and were seven days according to the sea and glass 25:53 and when Jesus brought the crown... 25:59 and which His own right hand 26:04 placed them on our heads. 26:09 Can you feel it? 26:12 Can you feel Christ hands 26:15 with the crown put it in your head? 26:17 Can you feel that victory? Can you feel it? 26:21 Do you understand that in order to understand 26:24 the prayer on John 17, 26:26 you must understand what heaven is all about? 26:30 You must understand what we're going for? 26:32 You must understand 26:34 that when we have our eyes upwards to Jesus, 26:37 when we can feel that crown in our head, 26:40 then the enemy has no chance to come and tempt us 26:43 because our goal, our mission, 26:46 our purpose is to follow 26:49 Christ and His anointing and His grace. 26:57 "He gave us harps of gold 27:01 and palms of victory. 27:04 Here on the sea of glass, 27:07 a 144,000 stood in a perfect square. 27:11 Some had even bright crowns, 27:15 others not so bright. 27:17 Some crown appeared 27:19 highly heavy with stars, 27:24 while others had but a few. 27:27 You know, let me tell you something. 27:31 It doesn't matter 27:33 how many stars are in that crown. 27:36 What matters is that you have the crown. 27:40 But you know 27:41 our purpose is to fill that crown with jewels. 27:45 You see we forget sometimes, we forget when we get so busy, 27:50 we forget when we start our aspirations, 27:52 we forget when we start worrying about other things. 27:55 We forget that God put us 27:58 here to fill the crown with jewels. 28:02 You know, whenever I have a policy 28:04 that whenever somebody asked me 28:06 to do something for the Lord, I say yes, 28:08 and sometimes it gets me into pickles, 28:10 it gets me into situation, it gets me in front of you, 28:13 and I don't understand what I'm doing in front of you. 28:16 I'm not worthy to be in front of you, 28:19 but God tells me if you say, yes to me, 28:21 I will give you the words to say, 28:23 I will use you to My glory. 28:27 And glory be to God in the highest 28:29 that is the one that empowers you. 28:31 Don't be scared of God. 28:34 Don't be scared of what He asked you. 28:36 If He feels you are capable of doing it, 28:39 He will let you do it 28:41 and whether you're fearful or not, 28:43 whether you can hear your heart pumping, 28:45 whatever happens, let me tell you, 28:48 if it wins a crown, 28:50 if it wins a jewel in your crown, 28:52 then let it be. 28:55 It's not about the jewels, it's about the crown, 28:58 but the jewels are the one that makes it sweeter. 29:03 Because when you get to heaven, 29:06 when you get to heaven 29:07 and Christ is putting that crown on your head, 29:09 and you feel that that crown is full of jewels, 29:13 then you can say to yourself, 29:15 I'm not alone, I brought an army with me. 29:23 "All were perfectly satisfied with their crown. 29:26 And they were all clothed with the glorious white mantle 29:31 from their shoulders to their feet. 29:33 Angels were all about us 29:35 as we marched over to the sea of glass 29:38 to the gate of the city." 29:43 Can you imagine that day? 29:46 Can you imagine what those gates 29:47 are going to look like? 29:49 Or can you imagine 29:50 what that sea is going to look like? 29:53 Wouldn't you like your neighbor to be there? 29:56 Wouldn't you like your coworker to be there? 29:59 Wouldn't you like your family to be there? 30:04 "Jesus raised His mighty, 30:09 glorious arm, 30:11 laid hold of the pearly gates, 30:14 swung it back 30:16 on the glitters hinges, 30:20 and said to us, 30:22 "You have washed your robes in My blood, 30:27 stood stiffly for My truth, 30:33 enter in." 30:35 I don't know about you, 30:37 but my mind is going crazy right now. 30:40 My mind is seeing Christ 30:43 firmly with those gates and His arms 30:46 and my mind is seeing how He's opening the gates. 30:49 And I could see and I could hear, 30:52 I could hear those gates opening. 30:53 And I could hear when Christ is telling me, 30:56 you have taken all, 30:58 you have taken My Word, you have put it to practice, 31:01 you have been count worthy. 31:03 Come and enter into the kingdom that I have prepared for you. 31:10 When we look at it that way, 31:11 is there anything on this earth that compares to it? 31:16 Is there anything on this earth 31:17 that you're willing to give up that moment for? 31:21 Is there anything on this earth 31:22 that the enemy can tempt you 31:24 in order for you 31:26 to not vision that moment when Christ takes those gates 31:29 and open them up and He tells you, 31:34 "Come and enter, 31:37 you have washed your robe with My blood." 31:42 He says enter in. 31:47 "We all marched in and felt, 31:50 and we felt we had 31:52 a perfect right there." 31:57 How many of you feel that today? 32:00 I'm telling you, I don't. 32:03 Every day the enemy is trying to just bog me down 32:06 with all the things that he feels I do wrong, 32:09 with all the things that he tells me, 32:11 I'm not worthy to be in the kingdom, 32:13 but on that day I'm going to be worthy. 32:15 On that day I'm going to know I belong. 32:19 Don't let the enemy lie to you 32:21 because you know you belong 32:23 because the word is in you, if you accept, 32:27 if you have your ticket, here is your ticket, 32:30 don't lose it, this ticket is telling you 32:33 where you are going. 32:35 This ticket is putting you at that place. 32:37 Can't you feel it? 32:43 "Within the city we saw the tree and the life 32:46 and the throne of God. 32:47 Out of the throne came a pure river of water, 32:50 and on either side of the river 32:54 were the tree of life." 32:59 One of the things that my wife and I love to do 33:01 is to go to Raine Lake 33:03 whenever the sun down, it's coming. 33:06 And I love to see the water 33:07 but is that water going to pale anything 33:10 to what Christ has prepared for us. 33:12 Can you imagine, 33:13 can you see how we that river 33:15 we're going to go there's so clear, 33:17 there's no toxins, there's nothing, 33:20 it's all wonderful the way that Christ created it. 33:24 Are you imagining it with me? 33:26 Are you yearning for heaven 33:28 like I'm yearning for heaven right now? 33:30 Can you feel Christ 33:32 trying to come and tell you, son and daughter, 33:36 don't listen to the enemy, 33:38 don't listen to his negativity lesson to me. 33:42 And I am telling you with my blood, 33:43 I've given you 33:45 the righteousness with My blood. 33:46 I've cleansed you with My blood, 33:48 I've made you free. 33:49 Come enter into my kingdom. 33:53 "On one side of the river was a trunk of a tree 33:56 and the trunk on that side of the river, 33:59 both of pure, transparent gold. 34:03 Then at first, I thought I saw two trees. 34:08 I looked again, and I saw 34:09 that they were united on the top 34:15 in one tree. 34:16 So it was the tree of life 34:19 on either side of the river of life. 34:22 It branches brood to the place 34:26 where we stood and the fruit was glorious, 34:32 which looked like gold mixed with silver." 34:36 You know some of you really don't know 34:40 what a mango tastes like. 34:43 And some of you really don't know 34:45 what avocado tastes like. 34:47 And some of you really don't know 34:49 what a lot of things is supposed to taste like. 34:53 But in that day we're going to taste the fruit 34:56 the way the Creator intended it to be. 35:02 I long to be in heaven. 35:05 I want to be in heaven. 35:09 "We all were under the tree 35:11 and we sat down to look at the glory of the place, 35:15 when Brethren Fitch and Stockman, 35:18 who had preached the gospel of the kingdom, 35:21 and whom God had laid into the grave 35:23 to save them came up to us and ask us 35:28 what we had passed through 35:29 while they were asleep." 35:35 Can you imagine? 35:37 Can you imagine the stories 35:38 that we're going to be able to tell 35:41 those who slept before us. 35:43 How things have changed. 35:46 When I look at, when I read the book Great Controversy, 35:50 and I look at those pioneers, 35:51 and I look what they went through, 35:52 I look how they were burned at the stake for their belief, 35:55 and I see my commitment to God, and I shrivel. 35:59 I just said, Lord, 36:00 how is it possible that a man like that 36:03 can actually just surrender fully to You and me. 36:06 I'm saying, oh, woe with me, 36:08 for any little things that happen in my life. 36:12 When our eyes are fixed in Christ, 36:15 when our eyes are fixed in the victory, 36:17 the woes with me go away and all we can say, 36:21 glory, glory, glory to God on high. 36:26 "We tried to call up our greatest trials. 36:30 Oh, Lord Jesus. 36:32 But they looked so small compare 36:35 with the far more exceedingly 36:38 and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us 36:42 that we could not speak them out, 36:45 and we all cried out 'Hallelujah, 36:48 heaven is cheap enough.' 36:54 And we touched our golden harps 36:59 and made heaven's arches ring." 37:04 I could imagine we all were listening to Jenny 37:07 as she was playing and we said, "Amen, how wonderful." 37:10 Imagine when all of us are playing a harp. 37:12 Imagine when all of us are making music. 37:15 Can you taste it? Can you feel it? 37:17 Can you experience? Can you hear it? 37:23 I relayed this vision to the believers in Portland 37:27 who had full confidence that it was from God, 37:31 the Spirit of the Lord, 37:33 attended to the testimony 37:36 and the solemnity 37:37 and eternity rest upon us. 37:43 While under the power of the Lord, 37:45 I was filled with joy seeming to be surrounded 37:49 by the holy angels 37:50 in the glorious courts of heaven 37:52 were all in peace and gladness, 37:55 and it was a sad bitter change 38:00 to wake up to the realities of mortal life. 38:10 The enemy knows. 38:13 The enemy understands 38:14 that when we are in the presence of God, 38:19 he can't do anything. 38:21 The enemy understands 38:23 that when we surrender ourselves to Him, 38:28 he's powerless. 38:30 The enemy knows that when our purpose in life 38:34 is to be in heaven. 38:38 The enemy knows that when our eyes 38:41 are fully fixed on that day 38:43 when Christ put the crown on our heads. 38:46 On that day when Christ's arms opens the gates 38:49 and tells us to come in. 38:51 The enemy knows that he can't do anything. 39:01 We must be in a place 39:02 where this world is eternal. 39:07 We must be in a place 39:08 that when we realize... 39:13 that we're not following exactly what God is asking us 39:17 that we are in raged, 39:20 we are sad, we are not. 39:23 We need to understand that the only thing 39:26 that's important to us today 39:28 is to follow Christ and Him alone. 39:34 Like the pastor said 39:37 that was just the preliminary, 39:39 now here comes the sermon. 39:42 Now we go to John 17. 39:48 Reason why I had to put you 39:49 through that is because now you understand 39:51 what this is all about. 39:54 Now you understand when Christ said, 39:56 "I yearn for them to be with me." 39:59 John 17:1, 40:02 "Father, the hour has come. 40:08 Glorify Your Son, 40:10 that Your Son 40:12 may glorify You." 40:17 The only reason 40:19 why you need 40:21 to have a relationship with God. 40:24 The only reason 40:26 why we surrender ourselves is for us 40:30 to be able to reflect God to those around us. 40:35 If we're not reflecting God, 40:37 then our walk is for nothing. 40:43 We are but those who were on their walk. 40:47 We are but those foolish virgins 40:50 that they were so close. 40:51 They were at the door, 40:54 and the door even opened to them, 40:56 imagine how close they were. 40:58 And the voice that came out said, 41:00 "I know you not." 41:03 "For you granted him authority over all people, 41:09 that he might give eternal life to all those 41:12 who have given him." 41:16 A lot of the times 41:18 when the enemy comes to your heart and to tell you 41:20 that you are not worthy to be in his presence, 41:22 remember that we have been purchased 41:26 by the blood of Jesus. 41:29 Tell the enemy, turn around, 41:31 my Jesus already paid for those. 41:34 Sinful, sure I'm, perpetually to sin, sure, 41:38 but Christ has blotted those sins 41:41 from my life and it is He who is in me. 41:46 Now verse 3, "This is eternal life: 41:49 that they know you, 41:52 the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 41:54 whom you have sent." 41:59 Verse 4, "I have brought you glory on earth 42:02 by finishing the work 42:05 you have given me to do." 42:10 Are you finishing His work? 42:13 Are you continuing His purpose? 42:16 Are you understanding what He requires of you? 42:19 Have you searched yourself and found that you are worthy? 42:23 Are you understanding that just loving God 42:27 is just the beginning? 42:29 Sharing Him is our goal. 42:32 Sharing Him is our purpose. 42:34 Sharing Him is our requirement. 42:38 Not for heaven, 42:40 it's for us to rejoice and to be able to say, 42:42 "Lord the work that You have given me, 42:46 I have done." 42:51 Verse 5, "And now, Father, 42:53 glorify me in your presence 42:56 with the glory I had with you 43:00 before the world began. 43:04 Verse 6, "I have revealed you to those 43:08 whom you gave me out of the world. 43:11 They were yours, you gave them to me 43:14 and they have obeyed your word. 43:17 Now they know that everything 43:19 you have given me comes from you. 43:24 For I gave them the words you gave me 43:27 and they accepted them. 43:29 They knew with certainty that I came from you, 43:34 and they believed that you sent me." 43:39 And here it is verse 9, 43:42 "I pray for them. 43:49 I am not praying for the world, 43:52 but for those who have given me, 43:56 for they are yours." 44:01 Christ is praying 44:05 for you. 44:08 Verse 10, "All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. 44:14 And glory have come to me through them. 44:17 I will remain in the world no longer, 44:21 but they are still in the world, 44:23 and I am coming to you. 44:25 Holy Father, protect them 44:27 by the power of your name, 44:32 the name you gave me, 44:34 so that day may be one as we are one. 44:39 While I was with them, 44:41 I protected them and kept them safe 44:44 by that name you gave me. 44:48 None have been lost 44:49 except the ones doomed for destruction 44:52 so the Scripture would be fulfilled." 44:56 When Christ saves you, 44:58 He does the work for you, 45:01 in you, through you. 45:04 There is nothing in you that you are capable of doing. 45:08 It is Christ who has done the work. 45:11 He came, He showed you, He showed you the Father, 45:14 He has sent the spirit, 45:16 so the spirit can work through you 45:18 and that you can do great things 45:21 for His glory, for His Honor, for His kingdom. 45:27 "I am coming on to you now, 45:29 but I say these things while I am still." 45:32 Verse 13, "In the world, 45:34 so that they may have the full measures 45:37 of the joy within them." 45:41 The full measure of the joy is what I just read to you 45:44 and that is heaven and that is being with him. 45:50 "My prayer is not 45:52 that you take them out of the world 45:55 but that you protect them 45:58 from the evil one." 46:03 Christ has sent His spirit to protect you, 46:09 like the pastor said a few weeks ago, 46:10 you have two great angels beside you 46:14 that protects you all the time, they take care of your issues, 46:17 take care of your problems. 46:19 Christ is only telling you, 46:21 please follow My instructions 46:24 and take the words to those around you, 46:28 don't worry about the enemy. 46:31 I have taken care of him. 46:33 I have already won the victory. 46:35 I have already died in the cross. 46:37 Go with boldness, and power and glory, 46:41 and go and bring those who are lost to me. 46:47 Verse 17, 46:49 "Sanctify them by truth, 46:54 your word is truth. 46:56 As you sent me into the world, 46:58 I have sent them into the world. 47:01 For them I sanctify myself, 47:05 that they too may be truly sanctified. 47:12 My prayer is not for them alone. 47:17 I pray also for those 47:19 who will believe in me 47:23 through their message." 47:26 Brothers and sisters, Christ prayed for you, 47:29 but Christ prayed for you to deliver a message. 47:32 Christ prayed for you to tell your neighbors. 47:35 Christ prayed for you to tell your friends. 47:38 Christ prayed for you to tell the earth. 47:41 Christ prayed for you to show Christ 47:45 to those that are around you. 47:46 To those who are who do not know them. 47:49 To those who are wondering 47:51 what they're missing in their life. 47:53 And when they tell you that they are missing something 47:55 you have it is Christ, give it to them, 47:57 because Christ prayed for you, 47:59 for you to be able to show them 48:03 who He is. 48:06 "That all of them may be one, 48:10 Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. 48:14 May they also be in us 48:17 so that the world may believe that you have sent me." 48:26 How beautiful it is. 48:28 Verse 22, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, 48:34 that they may be one as we are one. 48:37 I in them and you in me, 48:41 so that they may be brought 48:43 to complete unity. 48:49 Then the world will know 48:52 that you sent me 48:54 and have loved them 48:55 even as you have loved me." 49:02 God loves you, 49:05 God yearns for you to be with Him. 49:10 Christ is telling you what are you waiting for? 49:15 What are you holding back? 49:18 You know, I'm reminded of the story 49:20 of this gentleman that was looking for a house. 49:25 And when he looked for his house, 49:27 this, he found the one, 49:29 the perfect, the one that he wanted. 49:30 It had the right amount of bedroom. 49:33 It had the kitchen that he wanted, 49:34 had the right amount of bathroom 49:37 and he walked in and he says, "How much is the house?" 49:39 And the gentleman said, 49:40 "The house is free, 49:42 you don't have to pay for it. 49:44 The only thing is that I must keep one nail, 49:48 one nail I'm going to put in your living room. 49:51 That's mine, I could put in it whatever I want, 49:54 whenever I want." 49:57 And the gentleman said, "Boy, that's wonderful." 50:00 And he went on and the first day 50:03 he wakes up and there's a dead animal 50:05 on that nail. 50:06 The next day there were dirty clothes. 50:08 The next day there was all of these things 50:10 on that one nail. 50:12 You have a whole house, 50:13 that one nail was infecting everything in his life. 50:17 Is there is one sin in your life 50:19 is infecting everything in your life, 50:21 and it's keeping you from the promise 50:23 that God has given you. 50:24 Is keeping you from the reason why He prayed for you. 50:27 And it's keeping you from you to take the message 50:29 to those around you. 50:41 Now let's turn to Luke 23. 50:50 I want to read verse 34, 50:54 says, "Jesus said, 'Father forgive them, 51:00 for they do not know what they are doing.' 51:03 And they divided up his clothes 51:08 by casting lots." 51:12 At the cross 51:16 when Christ was dying for your sins. 51:21 At the cross when Christ was wondering 51:26 what His last moment on earth 51:30 was going to be like, 51:31 whether He was going to be able to bear 51:32 all the sins on the world. 51:34 He was saying, "Father, please forgive them 51:38 because I want to die for each one of them." 51:47 You go down to verse 44. 51:53 "It was about noon, 51:56 and darkness came over the whole land 51:59 until three in the afternoon, 52:03 for the sun stopped shining. 52:06 And the curtains of the temple was torn in two. 52:09 "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 52:11 'Father, into your hands 52:14 I commit my spirit.' 52:18 When he had said this, 52:21 he breathed his last." 52:25 Jesus' prayer for you today 52:29 is because He knows where He wants to take you. 52:34 Jesus is telling you today 52:36 brother, sister, 52:40 My grace is sufficient. 52:43 Come and enter into the kingdom that I have prepared for you. 52:51 The punishment of sin has been paid. 52:57 The victory of salvation is your reward. 53:02 I ask you today, 53:06 how many of you would like that victory? 53:10 If you can picture, 53:14 if you imagine, 53:17 if you imagine that crown 53:19 being put on your head, 53:22 if you imagine Christ's hands opening up the gate. 53:27 And Christ saying, come in. Would you come? 53:31 I'm asking you to come if you can feel Christ coming. 53:36 And I want to pray for you. 53:38 I welcome you, please come. 53:44 I ask you to come in. 53:48 I want you to think about the words 53:50 that Christ was talking about, Lord, 53:52 I have put My words in them 53:57 and I have shown you the Father, 53:58 I've shown them the Father. 54:01 And I want you to know that God is telling you 54:05 when you're full of the Spirit of God, 54:10 God will give you all your wants. 54:15 And I want you to leave today assured 54:18 that that day is coming and that day is coming soon. 54:21 Our loving Father, 54:24 I surrender all to You. 54:27 All to You I freely give. 54:31 Lord, I thank You for praying for me. 54:33 I thank You for showing me heaven today, 54:36 and I thank You because I yearn to be with You. 54:40 Thank You, Lord, for showing me that those who have rested, 54:43 You are going to awake, and I'm going to see them, 54:46 Lord, and I thank You. 54:48 Thank you because Lord with the sacrifice 54:51 that You did in the cross, You have said, "It is done." 54:56 And, Lord, I thank You because You love me so much 55:01 that You have given me 55:06 that great opportunity to be able to die to self 55:11 and to shine in your presence. 55:16 Please, Lord, seal us for Your kingdom. 55:19 As Your children are here, Lord, they can taste it. 55:22 They stood up 55:23 because they can taste Your presence, 55:25 and I want You to continue 55:28 to allow us to be this light 55:32 in all the world around us. 55:35 That when we receive that crown not for our glory, 55:40 Lord, but for Your glory 55:41 may that crown be full of jewels. 55:47 That we may say to God, 55:49 God, I have given the words 55:51 that You have given me 55:53 and they have seen You 55:55 because I've shown in to You. 55:57 We ask these things, 55:58 Lord, in the precious name of Jesus. 56:00 Amen and amen. |
Revised 2017-09-11