Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO200004S
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00:26 Hello, friends, welcome to the 3ABN Worship Hour
00:30 where we have prepared 00:31 another encouraging message for you, 00:33 and thank you for taking the time 00:35 to tune in today. 00:36 The sermon is entitled "Quarantined." 00:38 And the question is, what do we do 00:40 when everything that we have trusted in 00:42 and relied on is suddenly gone and vanished? 00:45 Well, from the Word of God 00:47 today we will answer that question 00:48 but before we do that, 00:50 you'll hear some wonderful thoughts of encouragement, 00:52 laying the foundation not only for what is to follow, 00:55 but to give you something to ponder 00:57 in your relationship with Jesus Christ. 01:00 And my good friend Tim Parton is going to share with you. 01:02 But after he sings, 01:03 the next thing following will be the message entitled, 01:07 "Quarantine." 01:09 Thank you, Pastor. 01:10 You know, no doubt 01:12 we are living in some anxious times 01:13 and feeling anxious. 01:15 When I am feeling anxious, I think of the Apostle Paul. 01:19 As he was in prison, 01:20 he certainly had plenty of reason to be anxious 01:22 as he was locked away unsure of his next move, 01:26 whether he would be released or put to death. 01:30 In writing to the Christians in Philippi, 01:32 however, he urges, be anxious for nothing. 01:35 I doubt that anything 01:37 has the power to immobilize like anxiety and worry. 01:41 We're anxious about things that haven't happened but could. 01:46 This leads us to all sorts of health problems 01:49 and fear and distress. 01:52 Paul gives a simple solution in everything 01:55 by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, 01:59 let your requests be made known to God. 02:03 So we can leave it with Him in exchange for a peace 02:07 that passes all understanding. 02:10 Those situations when the world goes berserk, 02:13 God's children should exhibit peace. 02:16 So if you're experiencing anxiety, 02:19 why don't you lean on God? 02:22 What a fellowship 02:25 What a joy divine 02:27 Leaning on the everlasting arms 02:33 What a blessedness 02:35 What a peace is mine 02:39 Leaning on the everlasting arms 02:45 Leaning, I'm leaning 02:50 Safe and secure from all alarms 02:57 Leaning, yes, I'm leaning 03:03 Leaning on the everlasting arms 03:14 Father, I thank You that we can lean on You 03:18 in the good times and the bad. 03:21 I thank You, Precious Lord, that You are in charge. 03:26 And I pray, Father, 03:29 for those who seem to have no strength, 03:33 who've given up the precious promise 03:37 in Psalm 29:11 that says, 03:40 "The Lord gives strength to His people. 03:43 The Lord blesses His people with peace." 03:47 For the child of God, 03:52 I would ask that you represent 03:57 your Father in heaven. 03:59 Act like the person that He declares us to be, 04:04 shake off our fear, 04:07 wipe away the tears and put on the peace of Christ. 04:16 And, Lord, I want to thank You that 04:18 Your grace, Your mercy, 04:20 Your peace, they're with us. 04:24 And I thank You for the promise that Your peace 04:28 which transcends all understanding 04:30 will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. 04:36 And, Lord, we know we live in a day 04:38 where it's every man for himself. 04:43 But I want to encourage 04:44 those who are listening 04:49 that God's Word instructs that 04:51 if it is possible as far as depends on you, 04:55 live at peace with everyone. 04:58 How can we win people to Christ 05:00 when we're tearing away at each other 05:02 over issues that only divide us? 05:08 We're ruining our testimony to the world 05:10 and robbing ourselves 05:12 of the joy of living for Christ, 05:16 when we don't live at peace with each other. 05:20 We are called to be peacemakers 05:23 who so in peace, so that we will reap 05:26 a harvest of righteousness. 05:33 And I'm resting right now 05:39 In His wonderful peace 05:45 I'm resting sweetly 05:48 In Jesus' control 05:54 For I'm safe 05:58 From all danger 06:01 By night and by day 06:06 And His glory 06:10 Is flooding my soul 06:17 So I sing peace, peace 06:24 Wonderful peace 06:29 Coming down 06:32 From the Father above 06:40 Sweep over my spirit 06:47 Forever I pray 06:53 In fathomless 06:57 Billows of love 07:06 Those fathomless 07:10 billows of love 07:29 Thank you, Tim. 07:31 Praise the Lord for the words. 07:34 We can find peace in the presence of Christ 07:38 as we walk with Him and as we talk with Him. 07:41 I invite you to bow your heads with me 07:43 as we go to the Word of the Lord. 07:46 Father in heaven, we pray now that 07:49 You will focus our hearts and our minds, 07:51 that we will find peace, 07:53 that peace that truly passes all understanding 07:58 that it will keep our hearts that will guide our lives 08:02 in that in this turbulent time, 08:05 nothing will be able to disturb our walk, 08:08 in our relationship with You. 08:11 In Jesus' name I pray. 08:13 Amen. 08:16 The message entitled "Quarantined," "Quarantine." 08:20 You know when the Diamond Princess 08:21 cruise ship set sail on January 20, 2020. 08:26 The passengers had no idea 08:29 that they were about to be exposed 08:32 to one of the world's largest coronavirus outbreaks 08:36 outside of China, 08:39 after one of the passengers tested positive 08:41 for the novel Coronavirus. 08:43 The Diamond Princess cruise ship 08:45 docked in Yokohama, Japan. 08:48 And then following a full investigation, 08:50 they discovered that more than 700 passengers 08:55 had contracted the COVID-19 virus, 08:58 and for the next 14 days, the ship was quarantined. 09:04 Think about that word throughout this message, 09:06 quarantined. 09:08 And the question is, what happened 09:10 when the cruise that they look forward 09:12 to turned into the crisis that they did not see coming? 09:17 You know, friends, 09:18 we live in a rapidly changing world 09:20 infected with unpredictable tragedies. 09:24 The society around us is fastened together 09:28 by fragile promises. 09:30 Our planet is revolving 09:32 on the shifting sands of uncertainty. 09:35 In other words, 09:36 people don't know what to do next, 09:39 where to turn, who to trust, 09:41 who to listen to, what network to turn to, 09:44 and what president or king or leader 09:46 has the answer for these troublesome times. 09:49 But some people misunderstanding 09:51 the meaning behind these signs, 09:53 call them fearmongering, fearmongering they say, 09:57 but the Bible calls it a sign. 09:59 Notice the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:3, 10:04 and he says, "You know how to interpret 10:07 the appearance of the sky, 10:09 but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." 10:14 In other words, one of the things 10:15 that we like to do on a daily basis 10:16 is look at the news report. 10:18 What's the weather going to be tomorrow, 10:19 and if you live in the Midwest like we do, 10:21 it could be raining one day, sunny the next, 10:24 warm in December, cold in March, 10:26 the weather changes, but Jesus is saying, 10:29 in this quickly changing climate, 10:32 people can tell whether tomorrow is going to be 10:33 sunny or bright, 10:35 but they can't tell by the signs 10:37 that are surrounding them that Jesus is soon to come. 10:40 But, friends, when you study God's Word 10:42 with unmistakable evidence, 10:44 Jesus is forecasting the nearness of His return. 10:48 Praise the Lord for that. 10:50 We can look at the signs around us 10:51 and know for sure that every sign 10:54 that is taking place is one more indicator 10:57 that the exit from this world is not too far ahead, 11:01 because in the Word of God, 11:02 Jesus is sounding the tsunami alarm 11:06 telling us that a catastrophe is on the horizon. 11:10 You may remember December 26, 2004, 11:14 when a 9.1 earthquake swept across the Pacific Ocean, 11:19 generating a tsunami that would eventually 11:23 take more than 227,000 lives. 11:28 Now think about that for a moment. 11:29 Here we have COVID-19. 11:31 We have earthquakes, we've had fires. 11:33 We've had floods, we've had tsunamis. 11:35 December 26, think about that. 11:38 The day after Christmas when people are celebrating, 11:41 completely unaware of what's coming, 11:43 all of a sudden, a tsunami in the Pacific Rim 11:46 and even as far as 11:48 Africa sweeps 227,000 lives into eternity. 11:53 I always ask the question, 11:55 what would they have done differently 11:58 if they knew that that was going to be 11:59 their last days? 12:00 Was it fearmongering 12:02 when the tsunami alarms began to sound? 12:04 Was it fearmongering 12:06 when Noah preached for 120 years 12:09 that the flood was going to come? 12:10 And people surely probably said, 12:13 "This man is out of his mind. 12:15 There's no way that a flood is ever going to come." 12:18 But Noah faithfully preached. 12:20 It was not fearmongering, 12:21 because the Bible says in Luke 17:27, 12:25 notice the Word of God. 12:27 The Bible says, "They ate, they drank, 12:31 they married wives, they were given in marriage, 12:35 until the day that Noah entered the ark, 12:39 and the flood came" and the sad words, 12:42 "and destroyed them all." 12:45 That's the unpredictable environment we live in. 12:47 Things happen that takes lives into eternity. 12:50 I was watching the news 12:51 and thinking about how many people, 12:53 the statistics tend to go up from city to city, 12:56 from nation to nation, from country to country. 13:00 We can see the ticker tape of the lives 13:02 being snatched into eternity without a moment's notice. 13:05 And people are saying, 13:07 "Well, that's just fearmongering." 13:08 But that's not fearmongering, but the reality is, friends, 13:11 people that love this sinful world 13:14 call it fearmongering because they cannot fathom 13:17 that the world that they are addicted to, 13:20 is crumbling around them. 13:22 But the Bible tells us that as it was in the days of Noah, 13:26 so also will it be in the days 13:27 of the coming of the Son of Man. 13:29 People doubted in Noah's day, 13:31 they doubted in the days of Lot. 13:33 And today, friends, people are doubting, 13:36 but some of them are choosing to willfully forget. 13:39 Notice the words of the Apostle Peter 13:42 in 2 Peter 3:5-7. 13:44 Notice what he says to us. 13:47 He says, "For this they willingly forget: 13:51 that by the word of God the heavens were of old, 13:54 and the earth standing out of water 13:57 and in the water by which the world 14:00 that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 14:05 But the heavens, he continues, 14:07 and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, 14:11 are reserved for fire until the day of judgment 14:15 and perdition of ungodly men." 14:18 Friends, when you think about it, 14:20 it's not fearmongering, 14:21 but for the person that studying the Bible, 14:23 they know that these are harbingers. 14:25 These are the soft blowing winds 14:28 that are preceded by the hurricanes, 14:30 by the tsunamis, by the tornadoes. 14:33 They take the changing clouds as indications 14:36 that something tremendous 14:39 and stupendous is on the horizon. 14:41 Was it fearmongering also in the days of Lot, 14:44 when Lot warned his family of the coming judgment 14:47 on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? 14:50 Listen to God's Word one more time. 14:52 In Luke 17:28 and 29. 14:55 Notice what the Word of God says. 14:58 It says, "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:" 15:02 Look what they did? 15:03 "They also ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, 15:06 they planted, they built, but on the day that 15:10 Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire 15:13 and brimstone from heaven," 15:16 and sadly enough the same words, 15:18 "and destroyed them all." 15:21 It's not fearmongering, friends, 15:22 it's an indication that 15:24 this world cannot sustain itself 15:27 beyond the pleasure palaces, 15:29 beyond the large stadiums, 15:31 beyond the restless nights 15:32 when clubs are filled with people 15:34 looking for the next thing to throw their souls. 15:37 When people are drinking endlessly, 15:39 give me another drink. 15:41 When people are trying to find the thing 15:42 that stimulates their senses, 15:44 and they go home without even knowing 15:46 how they get there. 15:47 We are living in serious times, 15:50 and the Word of God is saying to us, 15:51 "If ever there was a time to be alert, 15:54 the time is now." 15:56 In the book Last Day Events, page 12 in paragraph 6, 16:01 I share with you this very sobering quotation. 16:04 Here is what it said, 16:06 "God has always given men warnings 16:10 of coming judgments. 16:12 Those who had faith in His message for their time, 16:16 and who acted out of their faith 16:18 in obedience to His commandments, 16:20 escaped the judgments that fell upon 16:24 the disobedient and unbelieving." 16:27 They escaped. Friends, they escaped. 16:30 In other words, if you were living 16:32 in the days of December 26, 2004, 16:35 and you knew that there were tsunami warnings, 16:37 you would quickly leave the beaches, 16:40 leave the low lying landscapes, and look for higher ground. 16:43 But there are people that are feeling the rumblings 16:45 beneath their feet and they're saying, 16:47 "It's just an anomaly. 16:49 It's just a shifting sand. 16:51 There's nothing really coming that I have to worry about." 16:55 I remember watching television, 16:57 when the waters began to recede 16:59 and people not knowing what it was, 17:01 began to walk out deeper 17:03 and deeper in the oceans of the Pacific, 17:05 only to be swallowed up by waves 17:07 that were traveling for more than 17:09 600 miles at 500 to 600 miles an hour underground. 17:14 They said at the shallowest point 17:16 these waves were two feet. 17:18 But when they began to build steam 17:19 as they got closer to the shore, 17:21 they were traveling at 500 to 600 miles an hour. 17:25 And once again, 17:26 the casualties go by the hundreds of thousands. 17:29 Warnings? Yes, warnings. 17:31 Indications for fearmongering? No. 17:33 Indications that the Lord is coming soon. 17:36 And so when I stand up here and I look out at 17:39 those who are watching the program, 17:41 I can't see you but I know 17:44 that God has given me the commission to preach 17:47 with eternity in view. 17:49 Understanding that the warnings from God's Word, 17:52 friends, is the deepest indication 17:55 of His love for mankind. 17:56 You know the familiar passage I share with you right now. 17:59 This familiar passage that reminds us 18:02 that in spite of what's taking place 18:04 in spite of the great loss of life, 18:06 the Lord's love for us has not changed. 18:09 Let's look at this together. You've heard it before. 18:11 But the Bible says in John 3:16, 18:13 "For God so loved the world 18:16 that He gave His only begotten Son, 18:20 that whoever believes in Him," notice the words, 18:23 "should not perish but have everlasting life." 18:28 That's what the Lord wants to give to us everlasting life, 18:31 but some people rather the next cigarette, 18:34 the next movie, the next club, the next invention, 18:38 people are looking for stimuli on things 18:40 that are always changing. 18:42 What thrilled you two years ago no longer thrills you. 18:45 But, friends, 18:46 when you give your life to Jesus, 18:47 let me encourage you, 18:49 when you give your life to Christ, 18:50 you don't need stimuli because the power 18:52 that is resident in Christ doesn't ebb and flow. 18:55 It is constant as He is. 18:57 It's the same yesterday, today and forever. 19:01 If ever there was a time to believe God, 19:03 my friends, it is now. 19:05 If ever there was a time to trust God with your life, 19:09 it is now. 19:10 If ever there was a time to walk with Jesus, 19:14 it is now because many are preparing 19:17 for the return of Jesus. 19:19 But He wants to live with us now. 19:22 In other words, don't wait until then to get ready. 19:26 The best time to be ready is right now, 19:29 when you don't know what's coming next, 19:31 when you are not aware of what's on the horizon, 19:34 it's always best to be ready. 19:37 The Bible says that Jesus is offering us something 19:39 that every one of us in need of. 19:41 Every one of us is in need of. 19:43 Right now people are quarantined. 19:45 People watching this program are probably watching 19:48 with a small family 19:50 or in their houses by themselves. 19:52 But here's the invitation of Jesus in Matthew 11:28. 19:56 In this restless society, these words fit right here. 20:01 He says to us, "Come to Me, 20:04 all you who labor and are heavy laden," 20:07 and notice the promise, "and I will give you rest." 20:11 You know, friends, think about it. 20:14 Think about it for a moment. 20:15 The COVID-19 virus is horrible as it is. 20:19 I found that there's something in it, 20:22 a message hidden in it for a restless society, 20:26 for a restless world. 20:28 I mean, think about the environment. 20:29 Let me walk you through it. 20:31 As never before, movie theaters, 20:34 casinos, bars and clubs are closed. 20:38 Watch this, quarantined. 20:41 You can't go to the movie theaters, 20:42 the bars, the clubs, they're close. 20:44 As never before, amusement parks 20:47 and malls are closed, quarantined. 20:50 We cannot even go outside of our homes. 20:52 Some cities, some major cities 20:54 have declared lockdown or curfew. 20:57 We can't do anything, but look at the message. 21:00 As never before, worldly distractions 21:02 are at a minimum, 21:04 and there's a cry of frustration. 21:06 Why? 21:07 Because the objects of your affection are gone. 21:11 And this is the hour to ask the question, why? 21:14 Why is the Lord allowing all the things 21:16 that we love so much to be snatched away 21:20 one at a time? 21:21 Why is He allowing the mall? 21:23 I mean, can I be quarantined 21:24 and enjoy the mall or the movie theater? 21:27 Can I be quarantined and go to the amusement park? 21:30 Friends, get a glimpse of what's coming. 21:32 One day there will be nothing for us to turn to. 21:35 That's why the Lord is saying, 21:36 "If ever there was a time 21:38 to make a decision to turn anywhere, 21:39 the time to turn to Christ is now." 21:42 This hour of quarantine is creating an atmosphere, 21:46 get this, for just you and Jesus. 21:51 I'll say that again. 21:52 When you can't go to work, when you can't go to the store, 21:55 when you can't allow other people 21:57 to come around you, 21:58 this is a time that the Lord is creating 22:01 in this disastrous setting, a time for just you 22:05 and Jesus quarantined together. 22:08 John the Revelator encouraged us 22:10 with these words in Revelation 22:17, 22:14 quarantine kind of like words. 22:16 Here's what he says, 22:18 "And the Spirit and the bride say, 22:20 'Come!' 22:21 And let him who hears say, 'Come!' 22:24 And let him who thirsts come. 22:27 Whoever desires," notice, 22:30 "let him take the water of life," how? 22:34 "Freely." 22:35 The Lord is saying, "This is a time 22:37 I'm not going to charge you for being in My presence." 22:39 You know, you have to pay to go to the movie theaters. 22:41 You got to pay to go to the clubs 22:43 and the amusement parks. 22:44 And today, I tell you, you pay, 22:46 if I could use a phrase loosely, 22:48 you pay large sums of money 22:50 for something that only lasts for a short time 22:54 and it vanishes away. 22:55 But the Lord is saying today, there's water. 22:57 Think about it, water. 22:59 Take of the water of life freely. 23:01 My wife and I went to the store, 23:03 we have Walmart, we have other stores, 23:05 Kroger and some of the smallest stores 23:07 in our community. 23:09 But water, something that seems to be always available, 23:13 people can't find water. 23:14 And in some cases, 23:16 no matter how much money you have, 23:17 you can't buy water. 23:19 But Jesus says, "Come and take of the water 23:22 of life freely." 23:23 I'm telling you today, friends, when money can't buy it, 23:26 because it's not available, when you can't find it 23:28 because the stores don't have any. 23:30 Jesus is saying to us, 23:31 "Come and take of the water of life freely." 23:34 And the water 23:35 that Jesus gives us is purer than any water 23:39 that the world has ever attempted to make, 23:42 no matter the company, no matter the bottle. 23:44 The water that Jesus gives you 23:46 will quench your soul and wash away all your despair. 23:49 This is the hour to take of the water of life freely. 23:53 When all that you had is gone, 23:56 you will discover that Jesus is all you need. 23:59 Think about it. 24:01 Let me ask a very pertinent question. 24:03 Do you miss Jesus as much as you miss the mall? 24:08 Do you miss Jesus as much as 24:09 you miss the clubs and the movie theaters? 24:13 Is your time with Jesus more precious 24:16 than your time with the videos, or Facebook, or Instagram? 24:20 If you can't catch what's happening, 24:22 the Lord is shutting the world down to say, 24:24 "This is the time to seek Me while I can be found," 24:26 because, friends, one day, 24:29 one day people are going to look for Christ, 24:31 and they won't find Him. 24:33 He's saying to us, 24:35 "Let go of the world and hold on to Me." 24:38 I remember growing up when I had my first bike, 24:42 I was a little guy, I had my first bicycle, 24:44 was a lot larger than I was. 24:46 And I tried my best with my, 24:48 if you could imagine I had short legs at one time. 24:51 I stood on that bicycle tried to pedal as best I can. 24:54 And I can hear my father in the background saying, 24:56 "Don't forget, hold on to the handlebars 24:59 and you won't fall." 25:01 All in my fear, I let go and I fell. 25:03 Well, friends, Jesus is saying, 25:05 "This is the hour to hold on to Him." 25:08 If we hold on to Christ and not let go, 25:11 we will not fall. 25:12 But on the other side, He's saying, 25:15 "Don't hold on to the world, it's going down. 25:17 It's going to be shut down permanently." 25:19 I'm a New Yorker. 25:21 It always startles me when I look at the news, 25:22 and I listen to Governor Cuomo in New York City, 25:25 and he shows Time Square like a ghost town, 25:28 the freeways, hardly a car to be found. 25:32 I received a phone call from a friend in Los Angeles. 25:35 She said, if you could imagine as my wife 25:37 and I are talking to her, she said, 25:38 "If you can imagine the Los Angeles freeway, 25:41 hardly any cars to be found, the malls are shut down. 25:45 And people are now making large circles 25:48 around their neighbors fearing that somehow in some way, 25:53 they may be affected by the COVID-19 virus. 25:57 But this is the hour the Lord is saying to us, 25:59 let go of the world 26:00 because the world is going down. 26:02 Notice the words of Christ in the Book of 1 John 2:15-17. 26:08 Look at what he says. 26:10 He says, "Do not love the world or the things in the world." 26:13 Why? 26:15 "If anyone loves the world, 26:17 the love of the Father is not in him." 26:20 He continues in verse 16, "For all that is in the world," 26:25 and notice the three categories, 26:26 "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 26:30 the pride of life is not of the Father 26:34 but is of the world." 26:35 And then he says, 26:36 "And the world is passing away." 26:39 There's going to be a funeral for the world one day, 26:41 "and the last of it," 26:42 but here's the good news, 26:44 "but he who does the will of God 26:46 abides forever." 26:48 Do you want to live forever? I do. 26:51 I hear about people that are dying young. 26:54 We got some sad news that a friend of ours 26:57 lost her brother-in-law to COVID-19. 26:59 A gentleman, a man that sought to bring relief 27:02 to so many of his patients during therapy. 27:05 And they estimate that possibly 27:07 one of the patients he cared for, 27:09 maybe caused him to get contagious. 27:12 And he passed away, lost his life. 27:14 But because he knew the Lord, he fell asleep in Jesus. 27:18 Friends, this is the time to let go of the world. 27:21 I know there's some people watching that are saying, 27:23 "Well, I'm not a Christian. 27:25 He really doesn't matter to me. 27:26 Soon this storm is gonna pass by, 27:29 and I'll be able to get back to life as normal. 27:32 I'll be able to go back to the park. 27:34 We'll go back to the mall. We'll go back to the clubs." 27:37 I've even heard of people, 27:39 in spite of all the prohibition saying, 27:41 "I'm going to have a party at my home." 27:43 Friends, this is not the time to take this hour lightly. 27:47 Because the cities of today, the world of today 27:50 is not where the answers are found. 27:52 The answers are found in Jesus. 27:54 Notice in the book Christ Object Lessons, page 54. 27:59 We get a glimpse of what the Lord 28:01 showed His servant about the cities of our world. 28:04 Here's what she said. 28:05 She said, "The cities of today are fast becoming 28:09 like Sodom and Gomorrah. 28:11 The many holidays encourage idleness. 28:15 The exciting sports, theater-going, horse-racing, 28:19 gambling, liquor-drinking, 28:22 and reveling, that means partying, 28:24 stimulate every passion to intense activity, 28:28 and the youth are swept away by the popular current." 28:32 Now, if Ellen White wrote this today, 28:34 she would include all the other media vices, 28:37 Facebook and Instagram. 28:39 Not that these things in and of themselves are evil 28:42 because I post things about Christ. 28:44 I try to put encouraging words, 28:45 but there are some people 28:47 that are addicted to these stimuli. 28:49 And they can't really tell about the things 28:52 that really matter for eternity. 28:54 They're not investing in anything beyond the moment. 28:57 What would happen if all of a sudden 28:59 all the electricity in the world 29:02 all of a sudden stopped working. 29:05 And we are plunged back into a primitive society. 29:08 I believe that will be one more indication 29:10 that God is trying desperately to get our attentions. 29:14 But, friends, don't wait for any other change 29:17 before you decide to give your life to the Lord. 29:21 And I want to say again, 29:23 COVID-19 is not the end of the world, 29:25 but it is a reminder of our frailty. 29:30 It's a reminder of how mankind 29:32 really is not fit to face anything 29:34 that's ahead of him. 29:36 It is a glimpse 29:37 of the growing intensity of events 29:40 that are on the horizon. 29:42 You know, when COVID-19 pass 29:44 and I'm praying that it does soon, 29:47 something else is going to come. 29:48 We've had wars and rumors of wars, 29:50 we've had World War I, 29:52 World War II, we've had the Vietnam War, 29:54 we've had the Gulf War. 29:56 We've had clashes 29:58 between nations and governments. 30:00 And in our own country, we have our own problems. 30:03 And if you're in the United States, 30:04 you understand what I mean. 30:06 But if you're in Great Britain, you have your issues there. 30:08 In these islands of the sea, you've got your issues there. 30:11 If you're in Asia, you've got your issues there. 30:14 Everywhere in the world there's some issue, 30:17 somebody is struggling with. 30:19 But there's something coming still on the horizon. 30:22 Another storm is coming with greater intensity 30:25 than what we're facing today. 30:27 In Evangelism, page 361, notice these inspired words. 30:32 We are told "The storm is coming, 30:35 the storm that will try 30:37 every man's faith to what sort it is. 30:40 Believers must now be firmly rooted in Christ 30:45 or else they will be led astray 30:49 by some phase of error." 30:52 Think about it. 30:54 Not only storms that are cataclysmic, 30:57 storms that are filled with disease and pestilence, 31:00 storms that bring in war and strife and bloodshed, 31:02 but there are all kinds of storms. 31:04 And we've got to focus and understand 31:06 where this is coming from. 31:07 Let me give you an idea. 31:09 There is a satanic demolition team 31:11 well organized 31:13 and they are committed to one goal. 31:15 They are strategically, listen to me, 31:18 and methodically mapping out our destruction. 31:21 They're thinking of ways to bring about our demise. 31:25 They are painstakingly examining 31:28 the lives of their intended victims, 31:30 you and me, the worst is yet to come. 31:33 These masters of destruction 31:35 are looking for our most vulnerable points. 31:39 Something that's not talked about on the news. 31:42 The Satanic component is not even talked about. 31:45 ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Al Jazeera, BBC, 31:48 they're not saying that the devil our adversary 31:52 is behind this. 31:54 He's looking to sweep away humanity 31:56 in his web of destruction. 31:58 He is examining the weak places in our characters. 32:02 And unless we wake up, 32:03 Satan and his evil forces 32:05 will reduce us to a pile of dust. 32:08 That's why when the Apostle Paul 32:10 was in his journey, in his journey of freedom, 32:13 he appealed to the powers in the city of Rome. 32:17 And the weather began, 32:19 the weather began to be beautiful 32:21 when he began his journey, 32:22 but suddenly the environmental pressures changed. 32:25 And something happened that he was not looking forward to. 32:28 In the Book of Acts 27:4, we think about these words, 32:32 as the Bible gives us a glimpse 32:34 of the journey of the Apostle Paul. 32:36 Notice what he talks about when he started his journey 32:39 from where he was appealing to Caesar in Rome, 32:43 and the Bible says in Acts 27:4, he said, 32:46 "When we had put to sea from there, 32:50 we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, 32:52 because the winds were contrary." 32:56 The winds were, notice, contrary. 32:58 Friends, we're living in contrary times. 33:01 We cannot tell where the winds are coming from, 33:03 we can't tell where the winds are going. 33:05 We can't tell where the next disease 33:07 is going to come from. 33:09 We can't tell what country, what city, what form, 33:12 and for the first time, at least in my lifetime, 33:16 I'm listening to people that I thought 33:17 are great medical professionals and they're saying, 33:19 "We don't have an answer for this virus." 33:22 We're seeking tirelessly. 33:24 Billions of dollars are being plunged 33:27 into finding an answer for the COVID-19. 33:30 The winds are contrary, we cannot control the winds. 33:33 Every one of us is victims of the contrary 33:37 winds of our time. 33:39 But, friends, God never said that 33:40 they would not be contrary winds. 33:42 But He always said, "I am the master of the sea. 33:46 I am the master of the winds." 33:48 There's no wind blowing that can ever catch Jesus off guard. 33:53 I'll say amen for myself. 33:55 There is no wind blowing, 33:56 no storm that ever arises that the Lord cannot handle. 34:00 But some of the same challenges 34:02 that confronted the people in Christ's day 34:04 are the challenges that confront us today. 34:07 Now, I want to make a point. 34:09 When Paul began his journey, the winds were lightly blowing, 34:13 then the winds became contrary. 34:16 But as I read this next scripture, 34:18 you'll notice how things change drastically, 34:20 not for the better, but often for the worst. 34:23 Acts 27:14. Notice these words. 34:27 And the Bible says, "But not long after, 34:30 a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon." 34:36 Euroclydon. 34:38 Now you know very well, 34:39 when you give a name to a storm, 34:41 it's either a typhoon or it's a hurricane. 34:44 Euroclydon, Euroclydon, that means it went from 34:47 soft blowing winds to contrary winds 34:51 to a full blown storm. 34:54 Let me make application. 34:56 As bad as things are at the present, 34:59 I'm not fearmongering, 35:01 I'm being clear with you. 35:03 I'm being direct. 35:04 As bad as it is, there's a storm on the horizon 35:08 with a name a Euroclydon coming. 35:12 But praise the Lord, 35:13 He has not allowed the worst to come yet. 35:16 He's still holding back the winds of strife. 35:20 Heaven is completing its work. 35:22 There are people to be saved. 35:24 Friends, I appeal to you. 35:25 If you don't know Christ, 35:27 this is the hour to give your life to Christ. 35:29 This is the moment to say, Lord, I'm afraid right now. 35:33 I received a phone call from a young lady in Minnesota. 35:37 On the phone, she's crying. 35:39 She says, "I watch your message on television, 35:42 but I don't know what to do. 35:43 I know that my life is in trouble. 35:45 I'm facing difficulty. 35:47 I know the devil is after me. What do I do?" 35:49 And my wife and I sought to console her 35:51 and pray with her. 35:52 People are filled with fear. 35:54 But as bad as it is, praise the Lord, 35:58 He's holding the doors open. 35:59 So that may you or somebody else 36:01 can come into that relationship with Christ 36:03 before it is ever too late. 36:05 It may be a frightening horizon, 36:08 but there is no fear in love 36:09 because perfect love casts out all fear. 36:13 But let me calibrate your thinking 36:15 with another quotation from the book Education, 36:18 page 179 and paragraph 6. 36:21 Notice what we are told. 36:23 "Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, 36:28 that they may not blow until the world 36:30 shall be warned of its coming doom, 36:33 but a storm is gathering, 36:36 ready to burst upon the earth, 36:39 and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds," 36:44 notice this, "there will be such a scene of strife 36:49 as no pen can picture." 36:51 Wow! 36:52 Think about that for a moment, as no pen can picture. 36:54 That means, if you try to write it down, 36:56 you couldn't come up with an explanation 36:58 as no pen can picture. 37:01 So, friends, why would we wait 37:03 until the uncontrollable grips the entire world as it is now, 37:09 but this is just a build up to what's coming. 37:12 That's why this is the hour, 37:13 my brother, this is the hour, my sister. 37:16 This is the hour young lady and young men to say, Lord, 37:19 I need to find a place to hide in the times of storm. 37:22 I need to know that with Christ, there is hope, 37:25 there is courage, there is faith. 37:26 I don't need to be afraid. 37:28 I don't need to look at the news 37:30 and go to bed tonight trembling in my shoes. 37:33 I need to be able to lay down my head and say, 37:36 if I don't make it till tomorrow morning, 37:38 I have the assurance that when Jesus comes, 37:41 I will be in that first resurrection. 37:43 You know, Paul makes it clear. 37:45 His journey went from soft winds to contrary winds, 37:49 and then a strong storm Euroclydon, 37:51 the hurricane hit. 37:53 But there's something Paul did that we must also do. 37:56 Look at Acts 27:15 with me. 37:59 The Bible says, "So when the ship was caught, 38:04 and could not head into the wind, 38:07 we let her drive." 38:10 Oh, this is a powerful application. 38:12 Paul says, "We let her drive. 38:14 When we could no longer control 38:15 what was taking place, we let her drive." 38:17 Wow! What is it saying to us today? 38:20 It's saying to us today that 38:21 we are going to face circumstances 38:24 that we cannot control. 38:26 It's at that moment that we have to let the Lord 38:28 lead the way. 38:30 We have to let the Lord guide His church. 38:32 We have to let the Lord open the passage 38:34 before us because, friends, 38:36 as great as we are in the country, 38:38 as advanced as we are technologically, 38:41 we have found something that we just have no idea 38:44 how to control, how to curtail, 38:47 how to prevent and how to slow down. 38:49 But the Lord is saying to us, 38:51 "When you face circumstances like that, let her drive." 38:55 And why did Paul say, they let the ship drive? 38:57 You know why? 38:59 Because God is the God of the ocean and His precious, 39:03 faithful servant, 39:05 the Apostle Paul was on that ship. 39:06 And he would not allow any danger 39:08 or harm to come to the Apostle Paul. 39:10 What am I saying to you? 39:12 If you give your life to the Lord, friends, 39:14 you have to simply someday just let go, 39:16 stop trying to control everything 39:18 and put your life under the control of Christ. 39:20 He is the only one. I say that again. 39:23 He is the only one that can bring us 39:26 through the troublesome times ahead of us. 39:28 Jesus can save us. 39:30 But there's something we have to do. 39:31 We got to let go and let the Lord control. 39:35 I heard something today from one of my governors 39:38 when I was in New York City. 39:39 I was born and raised in New York City, 39:41 but I like what New York City Governor Cuomo said, 39:45 and it just thrilled my soul. 39:46 I was working on my message and my wife said, 39:48 "Did you just hear that?" 39:50 And I heard it. She said, "You heard that?" 39:52 Well, with the size of ears I have, I can hear anything. 39:56 But he said these words. 39:59 He said, "We must be socially distanced, 40:03 but spiritually connected." 40:05 I'll say that one more time. 40:06 Governor Cuomo of New York City, 40:08 he said, "We must be socially distanced, 40:12 but spiritually connected." 40:14 And then he said, 40:16 "I don't have the answer on how to do that." 40:19 And I thought, "Wow, what a great statement, 40:21 Governor Cuomo." 40:23 But why make such a great statement 40:25 and not know how to accomplish it? 40:26 Well, friends, I'll give you 40:28 four ways to be socially distanced 40:32 and spiritually connected. 40:34 The Lord has a formula. 40:36 When governors don't have the answer, 40:39 the Word of God has the answer. 40:41 Here's the first answer. 40:43 Uncluttered your life. 40:48 Look at Acts 27:19. 40:52 As Paul was in the midst of the storm of his life, 40:56 notice what he did. 40:57 In the midst of the storm, the Bible says, 41:00 "On the third day we threw the ship's tackle 41:04 overboard with our own hands." 41:08 Oh, I got to make application. 41:10 In other words, nobody came 41:12 and lightened the ship for Paul. 41:14 Paul had to do it himself. 41:16 You know, friends, you know very well 41:18 as I'm speaking to you right now. 41:20 You know there's something in your life 41:21 that the Lord is saying to you in this crisis hour, 41:24 you got to throw it overboard. 41:25 You got to get rid of your entertainment, 41:28 get rid of your cigarettes, get rid of your addictions. 41:31 You got to get things out of your life 41:33 that are blocking your relationship 41:34 with you and Christ. 41:36 Paul says, "They threw them overboard." 41:39 They decided there's no room in the midst of the storm. 41:42 There should be no place in our lives for the things 41:46 that can cause us to lose our lives. 41:48 They threw it overboard. 41:50 They lightened their load. 41:52 This is the load lightning hour. 41:55 This is the time to lay down that 41:57 very thing that causes you to sin 42:00 and fall so easily. 42:02 It may just be your temper. 42:04 It may be an addiction in your life. 42:06 But this is the time to say, 42:07 "Father, I want You to give my hand the power 42:09 that I need to throw it overboard. 42:11 I want to have a relationship with You that's pure, 42:15 that's holy, that's based on the solid counsel of Your Word. 42:20 I don't want anything to be between me and You. 42:23 Lord, give me the wisdom to know 42:25 what to throw overboard." 42:27 And I tell you, friends, when you pray that prayer, 42:29 Father, show me what to throw overboard. 42:31 You'll all of a sudden start noticing in your house, 42:34 in your car, on your iPad, on your iPod, 42:38 on your Android device, 42:39 you will start noticing what you need to delete, 42:42 what you need to get out of your lives, 42:44 the relationships you need to end, 42:46 God will give you wisdom 42:48 to throw those things overboard. 42:50 There's something else you got to do, 42:52 the second point. 42:55 You got to nourish yourself spiritually. 42:57 I'll say that again. 42:58 You have to nourish yourself spiritually. 43:02 That's right, spiritual nourishment. 43:04 Now where do you get that from? 43:06 Let me encourage you right here. 43:08 The best meal in town, restaurants are close. 43:11 But I got the best meal in town, 43:13 the living, thriving Word of God. 43:15 The Apostle Paul says, 43:16 "The Word of God works effectively 43:18 in those who believe it." 43:20 In other words, 43:21 if you look at television on Thanksgiving or any holiday, 43:24 when there's food on television, 43:26 you'll get absolutely no nourishment. 43:28 You'll see a great picture. 43:29 But there is no nourishment of just look at God's Word. 43:32 This is the hour that we have to open God's Word 43:35 and get into it ourselves. 43:37 My wife and I have made that daily commitment. 43:40 We're now in the Book of Psalms. 43:42 We finished the Book of Job, 43:43 a book where God reminded us that 43:44 when trials come, He is the ever present help 43:48 in time of need. 43:49 You got to nourish yourself. 43:51 You can't wait for something that's flipping and something 43:54 that's transient to nourish you, 43:56 you got to nourish yourself. 43:57 Here's what we are told in Acts 27:34. 44:01 Notice what Paul writes. 44:03 Notice what he says, as Dr. Luke writes these words. 44:07 He says, "Therefore I urge you to take nourishment," 44:11 and this is powerful, 44:13 "for this is for your survival, since not a hair 44:18 will fall from the head of any of you." 44:22 What a word of encouragement. 44:24 The Lord says, "When you take My Word 44:27 and you make it your daily diet. 44:30 You are quarantined with just Me and My Word, 44:34 there's nothing that's going to come near you." 44:36 You won't have to worry about a hair from your head falling. 44:39 You don't have to worry about trials and tribulations 44:41 or supplies drying up. 44:43 Absolutely not. 44:45 The Lord will provide, 44:46 but you got to nourish yourself. 44:48 I was mindful of the fact 44:49 that it's hard to find food on the shelves, 44:52 but there's food on this shelf. 44:53 It's hard to find water, but there's water here 44:56 because Jesus is the living water. 44:58 This is the hour, friends, to start nourishing yourself. 45:01 I noticed something that 45:03 the weakest point in my walk with Christ, 45:06 even as a pastor, 45:07 the times that I was at my weakest point 45:10 was when I was using the Bible just to find sermons. 45:13 I wasn't feeding myself. 45:15 And I've learned, friends, 45:17 you can be the best cook in the world 45:20 and you could be starving yourself. 45:22 Pastors, let me encourage you. 45:24 You might have great sermons, 45:26 but if you're not reading the Word of God 45:27 for your own personal nourishment, 45:30 your congregation may be well fed, 45:33 but you can be starving to death. 45:35 Nourish yourself spiritually. 45:38 It's for your survival. 45:40 The third thing. 45:42 Be a spiritual example. 45:48 What do I mean by that? 45:49 You know, people are looking for places 45:51 where they can find courage. 45:53 Somebody is saying, "What's Pastor John doing? 45:55 What's my president doing? 45:57 What is my premier doing? 45:59 What is the Queen of England doing? 46:01 What are my governors and captains and mighty men, 46:03 what are they doing? 46:04 Somebody is looking to someone to find encouragement. 46:08 So you have to be an example. 46:10 But what kind of example should you be? 46:12 Look at Acts 27:35. 46:15 It makes it clear as to what kind of example 46:19 the Lord wants us to be in this very trying hour. 46:23 The Bible says, 46:24 speaking about the Apostle Paul. 46:26 "And when he had said these things, 46:30 he took bread and gave thanks to God 46:34 in the presence of them all, 46:37 and when he had broken it, he began to eat." 46:41 Notice what he did. 46:43 He took the bread, he thank God for it. 46:47 He began to eat so that the other soldiers 46:49 could watch him eat. 46:51 And when the soldiers watched him eat, 46:53 that's an amazing story. 46:54 You should read it in the Book of Acts Chapter 27. 46:56 It's a very long story, 46:58 but what a powerful example of endurance 47:01 and a time of trial. 47:02 That's what we need. 47:03 The sailors lost all hope of being saved. 47:07 They lost their appetites. 47:09 They couldn't think about food. 47:11 The winds were contrary, 47:12 the hurricane was at its full force. 47:14 The ship was being tossed to and fro. 47:17 And for 14 days straight, there was no light of the sun. 47:22 They couldn't even see the moon. 47:23 They couldn't even guide their ships. 47:25 They had no GPS then. 47:27 They relied on the stars to guide them by night, 47:30 and the sun to guide them by day, 14 days 47:33 they couldn't see sun, but torrential rains, 47:36 ship rocking winds, just like the time 47:38 in which we live today. 47:40 They couldn't find courage, 47:41 and Paul as a prisoner with chains on his hand, 47:45 stood up in the midst of that rocking ship, 47:48 and said to the sailors and the captain. 47:51 He opened his own bread. 47:54 He began to eat as they watched, 47:57 and with their dry and thirsty tongues 48:00 with lives losing all energy, with people losing all hope, 48:04 their appetites were almost dried up. 48:07 But he started to eat, 48:09 he started to eat in the presence of them all. 48:12 And when they saw Paul eat, 48:15 they decided to also follow his example. 48:19 That is a very powerful lesson here. 48:21 When Paul broke the bread and ate, 48:23 they decided, we'll follow Paul's example. 48:26 Be an example, friends, 48:28 be the person that studying his or her Bible. 48:31 Be the young lady that carries her Bible with her. 48:34 Be the young man that's sitting in the park reading his Bible. 48:37 In troublesome times, be an example. 48:40 Don't wait for the multitude. 48:41 Don't wait for the crowd. The crowd is never right. 48:44 Be an example. Let somebody see in you. 48:48 In this COVID-19 environment, let somebody see in you, 48:52 this person is not afraid. 48:53 Why are they not afraid? 48:55 Because they're reading the promises from God's Word. 48:57 Why do they look happy 48:58 when everybody else seems to be sad? 49:00 Because they know this is not how the story ends. 49:03 Be an example, nourish yourself, 49:06 be a person who unclutters his life. 49:09 Because I tell you one thing I've learned in this crisis, 49:13 it's hard to find food and water. 49:15 It's hard to find good food. 49:18 It's hard to find the things that we need. 49:21 But, friends, let me warn you right now. 49:23 There's something else coming that's a lot worse 49:26 than just not having bread and water. 49:29 There's a spiritual famine coming. 49:31 That's why if ever there was a time 49:33 to pick up God's Word and read it, the time is now. 49:37 Notice in the Book of Amos 8:11 and 12, 49:40 we get a glimpse of what's on the horizon. 49:44 The Prophet Amos says these words, 49:46 "Behold, the days are coming,' 49:49 says the Lord God, 49:51 'That I will send a famine on the land, 49:54 not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, 49:59 but of hearing the words of the Lord.'" 50:02 And notice what's going to happen. 50:04 "They shall wander from sea to sea, 50:07 and from north to east, 50:09 they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, 50:15 but they shall not find it." 50:19 Friends, if ever there was a time 50:21 to get into it with God's Word, 50:23 the time is now. 50:24 Seek the Lord while He may be found, 50:26 but not only that, seek the bread of life 50:29 while it's still available. 50:30 Drink the water of life 50:32 while still quench your thirsty soul. 50:35 Don't spend a ton of time looking at the bad news. 50:38 I know that every time 50:40 my wife and I turned on the news, 50:41 we sit there spellbound 50:43 because we're hoping for some good news, 50:45 but it's still bad. 50:47 But here's the good thing. 50:48 The Gospel of Christ is good news. 50:50 No matter what happens around us, 50:52 it's always good news, 50:55 which brings me to my fourth point. 50:58 No one can force feed you, you got to feed yourself. 51:01 The fourth point, believe God. 51:03 Say that with me, believe God. 51:06 Now notice what I didn't say. 51:08 I didn't say believe in God. 51:11 I didn't say believe about God. 51:14 I didn't say believe doctrines that tell you about Jesus. 51:18 I said, believe God. 51:20 You know, friends, right now people say, 51:22 "Well, do you believe the Republicans or Democrats? 51:25 Do you believe people that are atheists? 51:27 Do you believe people that are agnostics? 51:28 Who do you believe?" I wanna tell you, friends? 51:31 I believe God, I can trust His Word. 51:34 Acts 27:25 says it this way, 51:38 "Therefore take heart, men, 51:41 for I believe God that it would be 51:46 just as it was told me." 51:49 Friends, I believe God that it's going to be 51:52 just as it was told to me. 51:55 You know, right now the world is in crisis. 51:57 Somebody watching right now may have lost their loved one. 52:00 We're praying for you. 52:02 Somebody right now may have heard the news 52:03 that a friend or family member 52:06 may have just contracted the virus. 52:08 We are now afraid if somebody around just cough. 52:12 If somebody says, "My chest hurts 52:13 where I feel flu like symptoms." 52:15 We're filled with fear. 52:17 It is in this trying hour that I'm saying to you, 52:20 my brother and my sister, believe God. 52:22 The story end so beautifully, one day Jesus is going to come, 52:26 believe God. 52:28 He says in the Word, one day I'm going to come, 52:30 but not your heart be troubled, my brother, my sister. 52:33 You believe in God, Jesus said, "Believe also in Me." 52:37 While the hospitals are filled, he says, "In My Father's house, 52:40 there's many mansions. 52:43 There's a mansion with your name 52:44 on the front porch. 52:46 There's a mansion that God is building for you. 52:49 There's a role that's being put together for you. 52:52 But in this quarantine time, 52:54 you got to find that there's no better place 52:56 to be than with a Jew, you and Jesus. 52:58 You know, friends, 53:00 I could preach a message of peace and safety, 53:02 but I know better. 53:03 In the words of the Apostle Paul, 53:05 I believe God that it should be 53:10 just as it was told me, 53:11 I can tell you that one day 53:13 the world's economy is going to stabilize 53:15 and there'll be jobs for everyone. 53:18 But, friends, I believe God, 53:20 that it will be just as it was told me. 53:24 I can also report that political leaders 53:26 and doctors and nurses will finally find an answer 53:28 to the COVID-19. 53:29 And they may and then terrorism 53:32 and hunger and crime and war 53:34 and disease would forever cease. 53:37 But, friends, until Jesus comes, 53:39 I believe God, 53:40 that it will be just as it was told me. 53:45 To the skeptic that doubts that Jesus is going to return. 53:48 I believe God. 53:50 He said, He's going to come again. 53:51 And all the signs around us are indicating that 53:56 the coming of the Lord is not far distance. 53:58 If you can tune your ears, 53:59 you can hear the angels rushing from earth to heaven. 54:04 If you can open God's Word, 54:05 you can hear names 54:06 being added to the book of life. 54:09 That's why in this trying hour, I want to continue to pray 54:12 for all of those on the front lines, 54:14 the medical professionals, the doctors, the nurses. 54:19 There's some people that are quarantined 54:20 from their family members, 54:21 because they're trying to find an answer for you and for me. 54:24 It's in this hour that I want to say to you, 54:26 it looks hopeless. 54:28 It looks like this cloud would never lift, 54:31 but one day we're going to see joy forevermore. 54:33 Why? 54:34 Because I believe God 54:37 that it will be just as His Word has said, 54:40 to the atheists that doubt that God exists. 54:43 Oh, my brother, you may be swallowed philosophy 54:47 and vain deceit. 54:48 Somebody told you that you are a biological accident. 54:51 But I'm gonna tell you that's not the truth. 54:53 You are a son of God. 54:55 You are created in the image of God. 54:57 Young lady, you didn't come into the world by accident. 55:01 You came into the world by a divine plan. 55:03 And God is saying this is the hour young lady, 55:06 that you need to give your life to the Lord. 55:08 Young folk, you're waiting for a faster internet. 55:12 Well, there is no greater internet connection 55:14 than the connection between you and Christ. 55:16 Call on His name, He says, before you call, I will answer. 55:21 And while you're still speaking, 55:24 I will hear. 55:25 To the Christian that thinks that Jesus has forgotten you, 55:31 my brother and my sister, 55:32 the church may be closed but heaven's still open. 55:36 You may only be by yourself at home, 55:40 you may be just, 55:41 you can't even pick up the phone 55:42 because you don't know who to call. 55:44 But if you get on your knees, you can call on Jesus. 55:47 He has not forgotten us. 55:49 He has not forsaken us. 55:52 He has not left us to our own demise. 55:55 In this time of quarantine, 55:58 it's time to just be you and Jesus. 56:00 In prayer, you and Jesus, talk to Him. 56:04 You don't have to close your eyes. 56:05 You can say, "Father, I need You in my life right now 56:08 more than ever before." 56:10 Recently I saw a caption, 56:12 my wife actually showed it to me. 56:14 I don't remember where it was, but it said these finely words, 56:17 it said, it said, "We used to sing, 56:20 side by side we stand. 56:23 But in this time of quarantine, 56:25 now I sing, I come to the garden alone." 56:30 Let me tell you, friends, when you come to the garden, 56:32 in these times of quarantine, you're not alone. 56:36 On a day by day basis, you're not alone. 56:38 You can find courage, hope and strength 56:41 in that garden with Christ in that time of prayer. 56:46 When you live your life with Jesus, 56:48 you are never alone. 56:50 But think about this. 56:51 What has God allowed this hour to teach us? 56:55 Quarantine. 56:56 Yes, think about it, quarantine. 56:59 You're not alone, but this is a time for you 57:03 to be alone with Jesus. 57:04 This is the time for you to be shut in with Christ 57:09 if you're hoping to find hope in the future. 57:12 If you're praying to find relief, 57:14 we are praying for you. 57:16 Here at 3ABN we are praying that 57:19 in this time of quarantine, 57:21 you will discover the secret is just you 57:24 and Jesus alone. 57:26 May you find courage and faith in Christ 57:29 until we see you again. |
Revised 2020-04-23