Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO200012S
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00:25 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
00:29 We thank you for taking the time to tune in, 00:31 in our attempt to encourage 00:33 and strengthen your walk with Christ. 00:35 We have put together programs 00:37 that we believe is a source of strength, 00:39 especially in this time where the world 00:42 is going through quite a crisis. 00:44 Today, the message is entitled Inseparable. 00:48 Inseparable, addressing the questions 00:51 of the socially separated society, 00:54 but before we go to the word and prayer, 00:56 right now Tim Parton 00:57 is going to encourage our hearts 00:59 through words of inspiration 01:01 and also songs to prepare the soil 01:04 for the receiving of the Word of God. 01:06 Tim. Thank you, Brother John. 01:09 I'm here to remind you that 01:12 We serve a risen Savior. 01:16 He loves you, And He is worthy of our praise. 01:23 So worship Him. 01:28 For above His name there is no other name 01:35 The one who is eternally the same 01:40 There is no other name 01:50 The first and last, 01:52 Beginning and the end 01:56 He was the King 01:59 who made the common man His friend 02:03 There is no 02:06 Other name, 02:10 let every tongue proclaim 02:15 And sing the name of Jesus 02:23 Magnify and praise the name of Jesus 02:30 No other name 02:33 but Jesus 02:37 There is power 02:39 In the precious name of Jesus, 02:45 Jesus Messiah, 02:50 King of Kings 02:52 And Lord of Lords, 02:56 Jesus 03:03 You created all there is 03:06 With Your own hands 03:10 And yet the smallest need 03:14 You understands 03:16 There is no other name 03:26 The one who said, 03:28 "I am the great I am" 03:32 And then You gave Yourself, 03:35 The sacrifice for men 03:39 There is no 03:42 Other name, 03:46 Let every tongue proclaim 03:51 And sing the name of 03:54 Jesus 03:58 O I magnify the precious name of Jesus 04:05 No other name 04:08 But Jesus 04:11 There is power 04:13 In the precious name of Jesus, 04:19 Jesus Forever 04:23 He shall reign as King of Kings, 04:29 And Lord of all and every living thing 04:35 From now on we'll worship Him 04:39 And praise the name of 04:45 Jesus 04:51 I praise you, Jesus 04:57 Lord, I worship Your name 05:03 You're King of Kings 05:06 And Lord to me 05:13 And Lord, I thank You for being my Savior, 05:17 My Redeemer. 05:20 Thank You that every need is supplied by You. 05:27 And I worship You, O Lord Jesus. 05:30 You are Jesus 05:44 Thank you, Tim. Appreciate that so much. 05:46 What other name is there? 05:50 There is no other name above the name of Jesus. 05:53 And we have to remember that because in this time, 05:57 we are calling on friends and family, 06:00 we're calling on governors and senators 06:03 and leaders of nations and medical professionals 06:07 but in the gamut of life surrounds, 06:10 the daily rounds of life, the only name that 06:13 we need to call on that can bring us the answers 06:18 to our perplexions of life is the name of Jesus. 06:21 Thank you so much for that song, Tim. 06:24 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 06:25 Heavenly Father, 06:27 as we bow our hearts in Your presence. 06:30 In this generation, where it seems as 06:33 though the world has been unplugged, 06:36 and the power of our societies is draining, 06:41 almost apparently without any notice. 06:44 We pray that we can make decisions 06:48 in this time of separation to determine 06:51 not to be separated from You. 06:54 Take Your Word now, Father, 06:56 and speak to the hearts of Your people that 06:59 they may address the urgencies, 07:02 and the decisions necessary to make it 07:05 not only through this COVID time 07:08 but in preparation for eternity. 07:11 I ask in Jesus' name that 07:13 You speak to Your people's hearts 07:14 even now, in Jesus' name I pray. 07:17 Amen. Inseparable. 07:22 You know, I must confess 07:23 where I got the inspiration for the title. 07:27 I looked at the world that we are facing today. 07:30 And the thought came to me that 07:33 we are living in a world that is, 07:35 as it were socially separated. 07:39 And I asked myself the question, 07:40 what do I see? 07:42 And what are the implications? 07:44 My wife and I have been married for more than 35 years. 07:47 And she often says to me, 07:49 don't tell the exact amount of time, 07:51 but God has blessed us 07:53 with a long and successful marriage, 07:55 but you don't get to 35 plus years 07:58 without having to decide that 08:00 you're going to stick together 08:02 through thick and thin, through ups and downs, 08:06 through the good days and the bad days, 08:08 through the trials and the triumphs. 08:11 And years ago 08:12 when we were courting or dating, 08:15 as two young people in New York City, 08:17 we heard this song 08:19 by a young lady who's now passed away. 08:22 The daughter of the famous Nat King Cole, 08:26 her name was Natalie Cole. 08:28 And we heard the lyrics and we said, 08:30 "This is our song, inseparable." 08:33 So when we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, 08:36 this was a focal point of our song inseparable. 08:40 We are like flowers to a tree, like words to a melody. 08:45 And the Lord has, praise God, 08:47 kept us together because we have determined that 08:50 come what may in Christ, we will remain inseparable. 08:55 You know, friends, this fits the society 08:57 we're in today because we are living in a time 09:00 where the phrase 09:01 of the pandemic is a coined phrase. 09:05 It is the phrase that we hear more often 09:08 than not as the citizens of the world community 09:10 have been directed to socially separate, 09:15 countries have followed suit. 09:16 They have closed their borders to other parts of the world, 09:20 instead of welcoming travelers, 09:23 travelers are now called outsiders. 09:26 "You don't belong here. 09:27 You may be dangerous to our community." 09:30 And with the highest number 09:32 of coronavirus cases in the United States, 09:34 the United States is quickly becoming 09:36 the divided states. 09:39 You listen to the news, depending on where you live, 09:42 you may not be allowed to enter other states, 09:45 maybe neighboring states or states far away, 09:48 as with varying state restrictions. 09:51 The question is, is America still 09:56 one nation under God, socially separated? 10:01 You know, friends, our world has become a place 10:04 where we are sequestered behind our masks. 10:08 When you go to the grocery store masks, 10:11 when you talk to people maybe in the same space, 10:14 six feet, six feet, six feet apart. 10:16 We don't shake hands anymore. 10:18 Hugs are at an all-time low. 10:21 We say hello from a distance as we gather in our computer 10:25 and digital cathedrals. 10:28 That's why today, in this environment, 10:30 we have to determine that as the world 10:32 is metamorphosizing and changing 10:34 and the way we do life is quite different, 10:36 we've got to determine that 10:38 as we are separating from the things 10:41 that we were so connected to, we must determine 10:43 not to be separated from Christ. 10:46 You've heard it, six feet is no longer 10:48 just your height, 10:49 but it is the regulation of separation 10:52 in most of the stores in our country 10:55 and I hate to say around the world. 10:58 This is the hour of masks and face shields. 11:02 These are the days of separation. 11:06 In times of separation, the question I ask, 11:09 how does the prayer of Jesus Christ 11:13 remain relevant today? 11:15 In John 17:20 and 21, we read the words of Jesus. 11:19 And here's what He says. 11:21 He says, "I do not pray for these alone, 11:24 but also for those who will believe in Me 11:26 through their word, that they all may be," 11:29 notice, "one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, 11:35 that they also may be one in Us, 11:39 that the world may believe that You sent Me." 11:43 One, think about that word, one nation under God, 11:48 one community, one society, are we still that way today 11:53 in this socially separated environment? 11:57 But Jesus prayed the prayer. 11:59 And so the dilemma today is we've got to figure out 12:01 in some artistic and creative way. 12:04 And I would say by the leading of the Holy Spirit 12:06 by the study of God's Word, we've got to figure out a way 12:10 that while the world is socially separated, 12:14 as my good friend, my mayor, 12:15 my Governor of New York City said, 12:18 "We can be socially separated, 12:20 but we must remain spiritually connected." 12:24 But if you think about the environment that we have, 12:27 separation is not a new thing. 12:29 The product of separation 12:32 started with the introduction of conflict. 12:36 And the product of conflict always is separation. 12:40 Notice, Revelation 12:7-9, as I read this, 12:43 consider the following thought, we are where we are today, 12:48 not because of what happened last year 12:50 but because of what started in heaven. 12:53 Revelation 12:7-9, the Bible says, 12:56 "And war broke out in heaven, Michael," 12:59 that is Christ, "and his angels fought 13:01 with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought, 13:06 but they did not prevail," praise God for that, 13:09 "nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer." 13:13 Notice, separation. 13:15 "So the great dragon was cast out, 13:18 that serpent of old, 13:19 called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, 13:25 he was cast to the earth, 13:27 and his angels were cast out with him." 13:30 When you think about it, friends, separation begins 13:33 when opposing principles collide. 13:36 When truth collides with error 13:38 and light collides with darkness, 13:40 conflict begins and the end result 13:43 is always separation. 13:45 I cited Revelation 12:7-9, 13:48 Satan oppose the principles of God. 13:51 He campaigned among the angels 13:54 and successfully led one third of heaven's host 13:58 to separate from their former home, 14:00 to separate from their allegiance to God. 14:04 That's why in this COVID-19 environment, 14:07 it is imperative, I say that again, 14:10 it is imperative that Christians maintain 14:14 an inseparable connection with a reliable source. 14:20 And I say reliable source because I'm gonna include 14:22 not only an inseparable connection to God, 14:26 but we also must find an inseparable connection 14:32 with reliable sources. 14:34 And what do I mean by that? 14:35 You know, today we can turn to CNN, ABC, NBC, Fox News, MSNBC, 14:41 we can go on the Internet and peruse 14:43 until our fingers turn red. 14:45 We can turn the BBC or Al Jazeera, 14:47 we can read the conspiracy theories. 14:50 And the theories, believe me, are flying everywhere. 14:52 Everybody has a reason 14:54 why the COVID-19 virus came to the forefront. 14:57 That's why today in this separated society, 15:01 we must remain inseparably connected 15:04 with reliable sources. 15:06 Let me suggest the words of Christ. 15:08 In John 17:17, Jesus introduces that reliable source. 15:13 He says, "Sanctify them by Your truth. 15:18 Your word is truth." 15:22 Now think about that for a moment. 15:24 God's Word is truth. 15:25 In this generation of separation, in this... 15:30 Let me use a term here, in this busy environment, 15:34 where so many theories are coming to the forefront. 15:37 You know what you peruse Facebook, 15:39 you look at the Internet, 15:40 everybody wants to know how the COVID-19 virus starts. 15:44 Some people are blaming 5G, some people saying, 15:47 "Well, it's the certain diet of certain people 15:50 in a certain location." 15:52 All kinds of amazing theories. 15:54 That's why we must begin 15:56 by saying regardless of how it began, 15:59 the only way that 16:00 we can be sustained in this time of separation 16:04 is to remember that sanctification 16:07 can only occur... 16:08 And by the way, the word sanctification means 16:11 separated for a divine purpose. 16:15 The Lord wants to separate 16:16 his people for a divine purpose. 16:18 And the only way that 16:20 that separation is accomplished 16:21 is by the truth of God's Word. 16:23 Consider the following. 16:25 Truth is a shelter from acrimonious opinions. 16:29 Acrimonious, diverse opinions. 16:31 Everybody has an opinion. 16:32 Truth is a fortification against media and social bias. 16:37 You know, still today, in this environment, 16:40 I find it strange that 16:42 while people are suffering from no food, 16:45 medical supplies are dwindling, 16:47 people are terrified about their jobs. 16:49 Even medical professionals 16:51 are becoming hesitant to show up at work. 16:54 I received a story from someone recently, 16:57 they decided, "Well, I have six weeks' vacation 17:01 as a medical professional, 17:02 I'm gonna take my six weeks' vacation 17:05 and hope that in six weeks 17:07 the COVID-19 virus passes over." 17:10 Truth is a fortification against media and social bias. 17:13 Truth also keeps the mind unblemished. 17:18 When our eyes are distracted, 17:20 we've got to determine where to continue to look. 17:24 We can't look in every direction. 17:26 As the ones, very famous racing driver 17:29 who ripped off his rear-view mirror said, 17:31 "What's behind me is not my concern." 17:33 We've got to keep our eyes fixed in the right direction. 17:36 Something else truth does, 17:38 truth aligns us with the unwavering God 17:41 and not with vacillating man because on any given day, 17:45 the opinions are going to change 17:47 on every news network. 17:49 Truth creates a unity with those that 17:52 maintain a divine focus. 17:54 That's why I've been encouraging 17:56 my church members. 17:57 I try my best to send out daily devotionals 17:59 to my Church members and scripture readings 18:01 to keep them connected spiritually 18:04 because I know that we can maintain a unity 18:08 if we all maintain a divine focus. 18:11 The focus should be the Word of God. 18:13 Another benefit of truth. 18:15 Truth is not preoccupied by one chapter in man's history. 18:18 Truth keeps us dedicated to God. 18:21 And here's why because God has shown us 18:24 how this story is going to end. 18:27 Not just the COVID-19 story, but every story that 18:30 has ever impacted humanity on a grand, momentous, 18:33 and pandemic scale. 18:35 Every story in the course of human history, 18:39 get this, has a beginning, and it has an end. 18:43 Even the worst storms, one person once says, 18:47 "It has to pass over." 18:48 And I know what that's like. 18:49 My wife and I were driving to Orlando, Florida, 18:52 on our honeymoon many years ago 18:53 and from Orlando, 18:55 we decided to drive to Miami, Florida, 18:57 and we drove into, 18:59 what I'd refer to is a dark wall. 19:02 For my very first introduction to rain in Florida, 19:05 I saw before us a dark wall, 19:07 an ominous wall, black with clouds. 19:10 And I said to myself, "What is that?" 19:12 And my wife said, "That's a storm." 19:14 We had an old 1976 19:15 Toyota station wagon pretty criticaty 19:18 and not in the best of shape. 19:20 When we drove into that storm, 19:22 the rain was falling so intensely that 19:24 it was leaking in through the seals of our car. 19:28 But the one good thing about that storm 19:30 is when we came out on the other side, 19:31 I couldn't find a speck of dust on my vehicle. 19:35 You know, sometimes we've got to go through storms 19:37 for the Lord to clean up our lives. 19:39 So not every storm is prevented by God because in these storms, 19:43 the things that dirty up our lives, 19:46 God sometimes allows the storm 19:49 to blast those things and separate them 19:52 from our Christian journey. 19:54 When we think about 19:56 why we must maintain our connection with God, 19:58 God showed us how the story is going to end. 20:00 Notice Isaiah 46:9-10. 20:03 This is the dedicated commitment of God. 20:06 Here's what He says to us. 20:08 "Remember the form of things of old, 20:09 For I am God, and there is no other. 20:12 I am God, and there is none like Me, 20:14 declaring the end from the beginning, 20:16 and from ancient times things that are not yet done." 20:20 And here's what God says, 20:21 "Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, 20:25 and I will do all My pleasures.'" 20:29 That's right, friends, 20:30 the COVID-19 virus new story is dominating every network. 20:37 The reality is below the surface 20:38 of every news broadcast is man's frailty, 20:41 but when you turn to God, when we consult God's Word, 20:45 we won't suffer from 20:47 what I call pandemic distraction. 20:51 It's a disease, in the midst of a disease. 20:53 Pandemic distraction 20:55 is the product of a pandemic without answers. 20:58 That's why the only thing worse than the pandemic, 21:00 in my opinion, is pandemic distraction. 21:04 Sometimes we don't understand 21:05 what to do when difficult times hit. 21:09 I heard a story about a little boy 21:11 who was leading his sister up a mountain path. 21:15 And the way was not easy. 21:18 When she began to travel 21:19 with her brother holding her hand, 21:22 she said to her brother, "This is not a path at all. 21:26 It's all rocky and it's bumpy." 21:29 And her little brother just kept on walking, 21:31 kept on leading his sister up the mountain, 21:34 and he stopped long enough to say to her sister, 21:36 "Of course, it's rocky and bumpy." 21:38 The bumps are what we are to climb on. 21:42 The bumps are a part of the journey. 21:45 The rocky path in front of us is a part of our journey. 21:49 Friends, we are living in rocky times. 21:51 And Jesus never said the road would be smooth, 21:54 bump or no bump. 21:56 Jesus said, "With God all things are possible." 22:02 So if you're suffering 22:03 from a lack of financial stability, 22:06 if you cough and you wonder 22:07 where it's leading, if there are people around you 22:11 that seem to be tired and you're wondering, 22:13 are they coming down with something? 22:16 If you are losing out on your supplies 22:18 and don't know where to find 22:19 the necessities of life, remember this, friends, 22:22 with God all things are possible, 22:24 I encourage you to hold on to the hand of God 22:27 because only He can lead us through 22:32 the rough terrain of COVID-19. 22:35 Furthermore, it's not possible to walk 22:38 in the light of God's Word, 22:39 and stumbled on the bumps of the world. 22:41 And notice, how David the Psalmist says it 22:45 in Psalms 119:130. 22:47 Here's what he says. 22:49 And this is what we need in this COVID-19 environment. 22:51 He says to us, "The entrance of Your word gives a light, 22:56 it gives understanding to the simple." 22:59 It gives understanding to the simple. 23:01 There are people trying to figure out what to do next. 23:05 Friends, don't wrack your brains by sitting down, 23:08 trying to write down your plan A and your plan B. 23:12 As one person once says, 23:14 "You don't need a plan B if your plan A is God." 23:17 Don't need a plan B if your plan A is God, 23:20 when we consult God's Word. 23:22 That's why my wife and I, in the morning, 23:26 begin our day by reading God's Word, 23:27 in the evening, either a devotional 23:29 or end the day by reading God's Word. 23:32 And it gives us a light. 23:33 In this dark environment, it gives us light, 23:36 it gives us hope because the COVID-19 23:38 is a massive rock, 23:41 but God is still the Rock of Ages. 23:46 Notice how Isaiah the Prophet establishes that 23:48 in Isaiah 44:8, 23:50 look at the question Isaiah opposes. 23:52 He said, "Is there a God beside Me?" 23:55 God is saying through Isaiah the Prophet, 23:57 "Is there a God beside Me? 23:59 Indeed there is no other Rock, I know not one." 24:04 You know what I've discovered? 24:06 When you're walking on the Rock of Ages, 24:08 when your house is established on the rock, 24:11 the waves are going to come and they have come. 24:13 The trials have come and they will come. 24:16 The storms are going to intensify. 24:18 We look at the rising death toll, 24:20 and I'll be honest with you, 24:21 sometimes it brings tears to our eyes. 24:23 My wife sometimes sits down, 24:25 and I see tears running from her eyes, and she said, 24:27 "John, look, today 800 more people died. 24:30 Look in Italy 900 more people died. 24:32 Look at the rising death toll." It's a sad fact. 24:36 The statistics of this disease 24:38 are saddening and heart wrenching. 24:42 That's why this is the environment 24:44 that we must look to the only one 24:46 that can make a difference. 24:47 That's why God instructs us in Isaiah 45:22. 24:51 Here's His instruction. 24:53 He says to us, "Look to Me, 24:55 and be saved, all you ends of the earth! 24:58 For I am God, and there is no other." 25:03 No other. 25:05 I have people that I respect in the industry of media, 25:08 on different news networks. 25:10 I tend to look at those, and I think that well, 25:12 this is a credible source 25:13 or the ABC or NBC or CBS or Fox, 25:16 we look at for our favorite anchor persons 25:19 or favorite news representatives, 25:22 and we say, "Well, I could trust what he says. 25:25 Well, I can trust what she says." 25:27 But in this environment, 25:29 when they don't even have the answers, 25:31 the only one that we can trust is Christ. 25:33 Indeed there is no other rock. 25:35 There's only one God. 25:36 Which brings me to my first point 25:38 in this message, I only have two. 25:40 The first point is choose the Word of God 25:44 as your reliable source of truth. 25:47 Choose the Word of God, 25:48 make the Word of God your reliable source of truth. 25:51 You know what I like about the Bible today, 25:54 unless yours is electronic, that the Bible 25:56 never loses power because not only is it inspired 26:00 by the presence of God 26:02 and in divinely guided inspirationally 26:05 by the Holy Spirit, but it is a place 26:07 where you can find refuge, you can find hope, 26:10 you can find strength, you can find understanding. 26:13 That's why I like this quotation 26:16 about the necessity of having God's Word, 26:18 especially in these last days. 26:20 Great Controversy, page 593, paragraph 1, 26:24 look at this quotation. 26:26 It says, "None but those who have fortified the mind 26:31 with the truths of the Bible 26:33 will stand through the last great conflict. 26:38 To every soul the searching test. 26:42 Shall I obey God rather than man? 26:45 The decisive hour is even now at hand." 26:48 And that's the decision 26:50 that we have to make, who am I going to obey? 26:52 Who am I going to serve? We'll look in the Bible. 26:54 Who does Elijah serve? Who did Isaiah serve? 26:57 Who did Jeremiah serve? 26:58 Who did John the Baptist serve? Look at the apostles. 27:01 They said, "We ought to obey God rather than man." 27:04 And the reason why this point 27:06 is so vitally important is because 27:08 while we have been so distracted 27:09 by the COVID-19 statistics, 27:12 we are sometimes not taken into consideration, 27:15 the environmental metamorphosis taking place before our eyes. 27:19 I decided to go ahead and look at 27:21 what other impact rather than just social 27:24 and financial and political and religious... 27:28 I decided, "Lord, is there any other impact 27:31 that's taking place around us whether positive or negative?" 27:34 And I discovered there's a fifth component, 27:36 environmental. 27:37 Listen to this. 27:39 I copied a few of these articles down 27:41 just to give you an idea 27:42 of what's taking place around our world. 27:44 Although positive, the enemy can use 27:47 for negative implications, India's environmental impact. 27:52 The article says, 27:54 "The Himalayas can be seen from parts of India 27:57 for the first time in 30 years after pollution dropped 28:02 due to the 21-day coronavirus lockdown." 28:06 The article continues, 28:08 "The mountains can be seen 125 miles away. 28:12 The 21-day lockdown 28:14 to stop the spread of COVID-19 pandemic 28:17 also cleared the shuttering factories 28:21 and pollution from 28:22 traffic jammed streets in India." 28:26 People in India are saying, "I can't believe it, 28:28 the Himalayas actually does exist." 28:31 They often had to get very close to it to find it, 28:34 but now from 125 miles away, 28:36 the pictures are beginning to pollute the internet, 28:38 to populate the internet I should say. 28:41 The Himalayas, people are saying, 28:43 "Wait a minute, a terrible disease, 28:45 but look at the environmental impact," 28:48 not only in India, but look at Italy. 28:50 I read the article again. 28:52 "The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled Italy, 28:55 but amid the fears and sickness, 28:57 Italy's countrywide quarantine 29:01 has had at least one uplifting consequence. 29:05 Venice's usually dark murky waterways 29:08 have turned noticeably clearer. 29:10 Since the canal motorboats are not running. 29:13 The air is also clear." 29:16 Pictures of Italy, clear waterways, 29:19 you can actually see through the water, 29:20 it's still, and it has been 29:22 still ever since this COVID-19 virus 29:26 has metamorphosized and prevented 29:28 all movement on those precious waterways in Venice, Italy. 29:33 But what about home? 29:34 What about here in the United States? 29:36 Los Angeles, California 29:39 is experiencing the environmental impact. 29:42 Very short sentence. 29:43 "Los Angeles skies are smog free 29:47 and atmospheric pollution is down 29:49 due to the statewide lockdown." 29:52 Well, if planes aren't flying 29:54 and cars are not on the roadway, 29:56 if trucks are to the minimum 29:58 in their transportation of goods 30:00 from one location to the next, 30:02 if motorcycles are down to a minimum, 30:05 the pollution is beginning to dissipate. 30:08 People are beginning to see 30:09 the mountains in Southern California. 30:12 And planes that are descending minimally 30:15 into that area are beginning to say 30:18 this is what California should have 30:20 looked like a long-time ago. 30:22 Positive environmental impacts, but you'll see in just a moment 30:25 how these things that are positive 30:27 can be twisted to accomplish negative purposes. 30:30 In Beijing, China, NASA satellite took a picture 30:33 of the skies above Beijing, China. 30:36 And it says, "NASA satellite imagery shows 30:39 clear skies above the normally 30:41 smog-filled city of Beijing, China." 30:45 Business Insider magazine, 30:46 look at this quotation I have for you. 30:48 They said, "Social distancing 30:51 might not just slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, 30:55 it might also give the environment 30:57 a break from the pollution of modern life. 31:01 Cities across the globe have reported reductions 31:05 in air pollution as daily life has come to a grinding halt 31:10 because of the pandemic." 31:13 All positive things, but the positive impact 31:18 of the climate by COVID-19 lockdown 31:22 has not been missed by scientists, climatologists, 31:27 environmentalists, and religionists. 31:32 Wow, I added that fourth category 31:35 because there's about to be a shift in this message. 31:37 Scientists have noticed, climatologists have noticed, 31:41 environmentalists are applauding 31:43 they have noticed, 31:45 but religious leaders have also noticed. 31:49 You may not have known this, but Pope Francis from 2015 31:54 to the present has been campaigning for Sunday 31:57 to be a day of environmental restoration 32:01 and worship for Sunday to be a day 32:04 of environmental restoration and worship. 32:07 He says, "We owe it to our children 32:10 to pass on to them a planet 32:13 in the best condition possible." 32:15 I don't disagree with that at all. 32:17 But when you begin to build into your ideologies, 32:22 in your campaign, the opinion that 32:25 you can decide how and who 32:28 and when we worship, it begins to be skewed 32:31 in the direction of not the minority, 32:35 but oftentimes the majority. 32:37 On the heels of the present climate, 32:40 it is just a matter of time before Sunday. 32:44 The universally honored day is the legislatively recognized 32:49 and religiously endorsed as the nationally 32:52 agreed upon day of rest and worship. 32:55 You heard me correctly. Who questions? 32:58 Whether or not Sunday has been internationally 33:00 agreed upon as the day of rest and worship, 33:03 think about all the sales. 33:04 Number of years ago, my wife and I, 33:06 when we lived in California, we went to Macy's as it were, 33:10 and we want to buy a vacuum cleaner. 33:13 Well, the vacuum cleaner 33:14 was gonna go on sale on Saturday, 33:17 between 10 and 2 o'clock, 33:18 the time that we were gonna be in church 33:20 honoring God's Bible Sabbath. 33:22 And I walked up to the counter, and I said to the salesperson, 33:25 I said, "Now we'd like to buy that vacuum, 33:27 but we understand it's gonna be going on sale tomorrow. 33:29 And tomorrow, I'm gonna be in church." 33:31 And they said, "On Saturday, why not Sunday?" 33:35 I said, "Because I honor the Bible Sabbath." 33:38 They said, "Sorry, sir. 33:40 We can't give you that sales price until tomorrow 33:42 between 10:00 and 2:00." 33:44 And I said, "Think about it. 33:45 You are ostracizing not only my church 33:48 and my parishioners, 33:49 but Seventh-day Adventist community over, 33:52 and the entire Jewish community that honors the Sabbath. 33:55 Do you realize that..." The Lord impressed me. 33:57 I said, "Do you realize how much income 34:00 you're losing by ostracizing those that wanna buy it today?" 34:04 Well, like any person that believes in capitalistic 34:07 advancement, they said, "Well, that's a good idea. 34:10 I'll go ahead and sell it to you today." 34:12 And the good news, I bought my vacuum cleaner 34:13 for the sales price that would be implicated 34:16 or would be applied on Saturday, 34:20 but there's a general acceptance 34:22 that Sunday is the internationally 34:25 agreed upon day of rest and worship. 34:28 And COVID-19 has a march, 34:31 and it has set a cadence for final movements. 34:34 Think about the stages. 34:35 Stage one, the social impact, stage two, the economic impact, 34:39 stage three, the political impact. 34:42 But like a table with four legs, 34:44 you know that without the fourth leg, 34:46 the table won't stand. 34:48 And that fourth leg is the leg of the religious impact. 34:52 Now I live here in America, 34:54 and I understand Bible prophecy very well. 34:58 I've been studying the Bible for a number of years. 35:00 And when you study Daniel and Revelation, 35:02 these two sister Books of Prophecy, 35:04 and then you begin to include the Minor Prophets, 35:07 but then you include the other Major Prophets 35:08 like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, 35:11 you begin to understand and see that 35:13 there is a landscape developing in America. 35:17 And Revelation 13 sharpens the point of the pencil, 35:20 that America is going to play 35:22 a pivotal and major role and what happens 35:26 when it comes to establishing Sunday as a nationally, 35:31 and then gifting it to the world 35:33 to be an international day of rest, 35:35 environmental rest, and also worship. 35:39 That's why the people of God must be clear 35:42 about where we are headed. 35:43 Consult God's Word because Sunday worship 35:46 will unite the evangelical community of America 35:51 and the catholic community of America. 35:54 I speak about these two sects 35:56 as individuals or groups of people 35:58 that love the Lord, but for whatever reason, 36:02 are not clear about the implications 36:04 when the majority decides 36:07 how the minority should worship, 36:09 when my opinions of worship 36:11 begin to impose on your practices of worship, 36:14 then I become the dominant power 36:16 and eventually a persecuting power. 36:19 We must allow our ideology to govern our own practices 36:24 because Revelation makes the picture clear 36:27 as to the role that America 36:28 is going to play in the final rollout 36:31 of religious practices in America, 36:33 and then also eventually the world. 36:36 Look at Revelation 13:11-12, the religious impact. 36:42 Speaking about America, 36:43 the Bible speaks about this country coming up 36:45 in a time of persecution. 36:47 "I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, 36:51 and he had two horns like a lamb 36:52 and spoke like a dragon. 36:55 And he exercised all the authority 36:59 of the first beast in his presence," 37:01 and look at this, "and causes the earth 37:05 and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, 37:08 whose deadly wound was healed." 37:11 Notice the worship. 37:13 America, a nation raised by God to be a place 37:16 where we have religious freedom. 37:18 Well, we can make decisions about how we worship. 37:21 You know, in America, 37:22 you could be whatever religion you want to be, 37:24 but nobody could infringe on 37:26 how you want to practice your faith. 37:28 However, this text says, in just a matter of time, 37:32 the focus of America is not just gonna be 37:34 political and economic 37:36 and social, but it's also gonna be religious. 37:39 First instituting here in America 37:41 and then suggesting to the world 37:43 as there is a coalition 37:44 between Rome and the United States 37:46 that the entire world should follow suit. 37:49 That's why this positive impact on the environment 37:52 is not missed by the environmentalists 37:55 and is surely not missed by the papacy. 37:59 The social, financial, and political unity 38:02 will be the platform that builds a bridge 38:05 to the outside world. 38:07 That's why the title of this message is inseparable. 38:09 You see, friends, God's people 38:11 are about to go through a test far greater, 38:14 far more expansive than the COVID-19 virus 38:17 can ever be because right now, it's about medical supplies, 38:22 it's about food and water, it's about toilet paper. 38:26 It's about whether or not 38:27 I can find the necessities of life, 38:29 but these small irritations, and they are very real, 38:34 these small irritations are going to dissipate 38:36 in just a matter of time. 38:39 People are gonna go back to work. 38:40 It may not be as strong as it was before, 38:43 but there'll be an eventual growth 38:44 and an eventual rise, 38:46 but I can say safely and unequivocally the world 38:49 is not gonna be the same again, 38:51 but this is the time where the people of God, 38:54 and I reiterate, 38:55 those who trust their lives to Christ, 38:57 those who know Him as their Lord and Savior. 38:59 And this is not a narrow statement, 39:03 regardless of your denomination, 39:04 regardless of what faith you practice. 39:06 If you are not informed about what God's Word predicts, 39:11 you can fall into the category of becoming 39:13 a victim of the aftermath of the environment of COVID-19. 39:18 That's why you have to decide that 39:20 whatever is coming, you must remain inseparable. 39:22 The Bible gives us 39:24 another picture of how this power, 39:27 this Roman power will lead to religious globalization. 39:31 And the Bible describes this power 39:33 as the system of Babylon. 39:36 Look at Revelation 18:3, and it talks about the impact. 39:40 Here's what the Bible says, "For all nations have drunk," 39:45 all nations, "of the wine 39:48 of the wrath of her fornication, 39:52 the kings of the earth 39:53 have committed fornication with her, 39:56 and the merchants of the earth have become rich 39:59 through the abundance of her luxuries." 40:03 I am an individual that likes to do research. 40:05 I like to do homework. I like to be informed. 40:07 I like to be on the cutting edge 40:10 so that nothing sneaks up on me. 40:12 That's been the pattern of my life. 40:14 And I've been asking myself the question, 40:16 "Are there any side issues connected to this COVID-19? 40:20 What's coming down the pipe?" 40:23 And I've been noticing that we live in a country 40:25 where we're about to get a stimulus, 40:27 praise the Lord for that. 40:28 Everybody needs money, 40:30 but how can we pour trillions of dollars into an economy 40:34 that's already trillions of dollars in debt? 40:37 Where is the money coming from? 40:40 And then I begin to look at the world community. 40:42 We live in a world of instability 40:44 when it comes to financial stability. 40:46 We live in a world where people are not sure 40:47 about how to coalesce the world together 40:50 and how to be a world community. 40:53 And many suggestions have been made by economists 40:56 and religionists alike, 40:58 that if we had a one world currency, 41:01 then all these deficits would be immediately erased, 41:06 we can put into place 41:07 an easy financial digital system 41:10 that everybody can use for their conveniences. 41:13 And I'd say while it may sound good, 41:15 there are some negative implications to it. 41:18 Now many of you watching this broadcast, 41:20 have a phone, a cell phone, or maybe just a computer, 41:22 or maybe an iPad, 41:24 or whatever device you might have. 41:26 And some of you like me may do your banking 41:29 and many of your things rounds of life 41:31 on these digital devices. 41:33 Think for a moment. 41:35 What would you lose 41:37 if all of a sudden by not agreeing 41:39 with the direction the world is taking? 41:41 You are immediately disconnected, 41:44 unplugged, no access to your bank account, 41:47 no access to the basic necessities 41:50 that keep you going from day to day, what would you do? 41:53 But the Bible makes it clear. 41:55 That the powers that are in place 41:57 when the Bible speaks of her in Revelation 18, 42:00 it's referring to the resurging 42:03 resurrected religious political system 42:05 of the Dark Ages known as the Church of Rome. 42:07 And when you think about Rome's impact in the world 42:10 financially and economically, 42:12 environmentally, socially, and surely religiously, 42:16 no other system on earth 42:19 has the allegiance of world leaders 42:22 like the Church of Rome, and that has been the fact 42:26 since the resurgence and the growth of Rome 42:29 coming out of the Dark Ages. 42:32 Rome has a platform that no other Church on earth has. 42:36 Political and religious leaders of our world 42:40 will coalesce to commence the final movements. 42:43 Notice what Evangelism page 234 tells us about 42:47 how this is going to happen. 42:48 Listen to the quote. 42:51 "When Protestant churches shall unite 42:54 with the secular powers 42:56 to sustain a false religion, 43:01 for opposing which their ancestors 43:04 endured the fiercest persecution, 43:08 then will the papal sabbath be enforced 43:11 by the combined authorities of church and state. 43:15 There will be a national apostasy, 43:19 which will end only in national ruin." 43:23 Did you get that? 43:25 National apostasy, a false religious implication, 43:29 the papal sabbath enforced in the combination 43:33 and the coalescing of church and state together. 43:36 And when you look at history, every time church and state 43:39 has merged the implication have been devastating. 43:43 The implications have been life threatening, 43:46 and in many cases, I can't even surmount 43:51 how implicating those practices were. 43:56 People's lives were lost. 43:59 Their livelihood was taken from them. 44:01 But America, could that possibly happen 44:04 in modern America? 44:06 Could our world possibly go in that direction? 44:09 So you see, friends, the danger we face 44:12 is not just social separation, it is separation from God. 44:17 When the tide turns, your well-being 44:20 and your life is gonna be at stake. 44:22 And you've got to ask the question, very pertinent, 44:24 you've got to ask the question, what then? 44:29 What am I gonna do next? 44:30 What decision am I going to make? 44:32 Where am I going to stand? 44:34 That's why I titled this message Inseparable. 44:38 Today, as I'm communicating this message, 44:41 I have determined in my life, 44:43 that I'm not going to let anything 44:45 separate me from God, from His truth, from His Word, 44:49 from following what He is established in the Bible 44:53 to be the practices of my life. 44:54 Perfect? 44:56 Absolutely not, but when we determined by 44:58 God's grace to remain connected to God, 45:01 when we determined by God's grace 45:03 and by the Holy Spirit's power to remain dedicated to Him, 45:06 nothing will be able to separate us. 45:09 Look at what Paul the Apostle asks, Romans 8:35. 45:14 Here's what he says, and how fitting for today. 45:17 He says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 45:22 Shall tribulation, or distress, 45:26 or persecution, or famine, 45:29 or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" 45:33 Wow, how many categories that he just covered. 45:36 Notice, tribulation or distress. 45:39 We are going through tribulation 45:41 on some level, people are distressed. 45:44 People are persecuted with the thoughts 45:46 of what's going to happen tomorrow. 45:47 How long will it be before the bottom drops out 45:50 in the economy 45:52 of what my bank account can sustain? 45:53 Famine? 45:55 Wow, it may appear that way because some people 45:57 are just storing and stacking of food 45:59 like there's no more grocery stores. 46:01 Nakedness or peril or the sword, 46:04 these are the questions that we must ask ourselves 46:07 because I tell you from the time that 46:08 Satan led one-third of heaven's angels 46:11 to be separated from God, his focus for humanity 46:15 has been the same to try to find a way 46:18 to separate us from God. 46:22 Now I'm gonna share with you a very long quotation, 46:23 but I want you to follow me carefully 46:26 because changing seasons, I'll say that again, 46:29 changing seasons reveals something about 46:32 the fabric of our dedication, our walk with Christ. 46:35 It's easy to say I love the Lord, 46:38 when the church is full, when the pews are full, 46:42 when the offering plate is full, 46:45 when everything is flowing, 46:46 and we can feel the energy of corporate worship, 46:49 what happens when the separation comes, 46:53 when things begin to go downhill 46:54 where do we stand? 46:56 I'm gonna tell you right now when the summer comes, 46:58 we always praise the Lord forward, 47:00 but the winter reveals the true condition 47:02 and nature of the trees around us. 47:05 Notice this quotation from the Book 47:07 Darkness Before Dawn, page 39 and paragraph 3. 47:13 We are told by inspiration, 47:15 "When the testing time shall come, 47:18 those who have made God's Word 47:20 their rule of life will be revealed. 47:24 In summer there is no noticeable difference between 47:28 evergreens and other trees, 47:30 but when the blasts of winter come, 47:32 the evergreens remain unchanged," 47:35 wow, "while other trees are stripped of their foliage. 47:39 So also, the falsehearted professor 47:43 may not now be distinguished 47:45 from the real Christian, but the time is just upon us 47:49 when the difference will be apparent." 47:52 Here's how the difference will be revealed. 47:55 "Let opposition arise, 47:57 let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, 48:00 let persecution be kindled, and the halfhearted 48:04 and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith, 48:08 but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, 48:14 his faith stronger, his hope brighter, 48:19 than in days of prosperity." 48:22 What a quotation. 48:24 You know, friends, prosperity is a wonderful thing, 48:27 but you never know who your friends 48:28 until if you don't have any money. 48:29 You never know how undesirable you really are 48:33 until all the things that people were attracted 48:35 to you in your life are no longer there. 48:38 And we are most vulnerable when we are most successful. 48:41 Just look at the cadence of history. 48:43 It's the wealthy individuals at the height of their success. 48:46 They for whatever reason, passed off the scene, 48:50 only to be a memory in just a matter of a moment, 48:53 the vapor of life. 48:55 In this time of separation, 48:57 we must remain spiritually connected to Christ. 49:01 It is now that we are to make our commitment 49:04 as concrete and permanent as the foundation on 49:07 which the Lord has established His Word. 49:10 I ask you the question once again, Romans 8:37. 49:14 Look at the question with me. 49:17 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors 49:19 through Him who loved us." 49:21 That's the Paul the Apostle says, 49:23 "We are more than conquerors, 49:25 in all these things we are more than conquerors 49:27 through Him who loved us." 49:29 What does he mean? 49:30 In the time of famine and distress and persecution 49:35 and nakedness and the sword and pestilence and disease 49:39 and war and worry and financial collapse, 49:42 in Christ, we are still more than conquerors. 49:45 Why? Through Him who loved us. 49:50 Do you love the Lord as much as He loves you? 49:53 Are you making your decision to serve Christ? 49:55 Are you waiting for this pandemic to be over 49:58 only to go back to life we once knew it? 50:01 Well, friends, the days that have come 50:03 are not going to come again, not the same way. 50:06 We have entered a paradigm shift 50:08 where the world is forever changed. 50:09 We are not going back to America as usual. 50:12 We're not going back to the way of life, 50:14 as we often thought it would be. 50:15 We are going back to an environment where right now, 50:19 my brother, where right now, my sister, 50:23 you've got to make a decision 50:24 where you're going to stand on the other side. 50:27 Is your lifestyle more important 50:29 than your salvation? 50:30 I hope the answer is no. 50:32 Is worldly acceptance more important 50:35 than being identified with Jesus? 50:38 I hope the answer is no. 50:42 Will you surrender to the powers of earth 50:45 or will you commit your life to Christ? 50:47 Let me encourage you, young man, young lady, 50:49 let me encourage you, 50:50 you might enjoy your iPad and your iPod 50:52 and your Instagram and your Facebook 50:54 and whatever else you're connected to, 50:55 but when the power is cut off, the only power that 50:58 will still be on is the power of Christ. 51:01 When the world goes dark, the only place that 51:02 we can find life 51:04 that we can find life and light is in Christ. 51:07 Don't make a mistake and sell out to the things 51:10 that are temporary. 51:12 Are you ready for the greater test? 51:14 Or are you still ignoring the call of God? 51:17 Friends, these are not just the days of separation. 51:22 These are the days of Elijah, the days of Elijah. 51:26 "Well, Pastor John, why would you institute Elijah? 51:29 In the closing moments of your sermon?" 51:31 Friends, the days of Elijah 51:33 are greater than the days of separation 51:35 and the days of the COVID virus. 51:37 The days of Elijah, there is a message that 51:40 God has given to us today to prepare the world 51:44 as Elijah prepare the way, 51:46 as John the Baptist prepare the way, 51:48 as Jesus said in the days of John the Baptist 51:50 if you accept the message he is preaching, 51:53 he is the Elijah to come. 51:55 This is the hour that the three angels' messages 51:58 come to the forefront. 51:59 This is the hour that God 52:01 is calling us back to true worship. 52:02 This is the hour that God is calling us away 52:05 from financial and political and social, 52:09 all the things that are going to change 52:11 and one day be no more. 52:13 He's calling us to the constant foundation. 52:16 And the Bible says in Malachi 4:5, 52:18 what about Elijah? 52:20 Here's what the Bible says, 52:21 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet 52:24 Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." 52:27 Some have read the passage and think, 52:28 "Well, is Elijah really coming back? 52:30 Is there going to be a resurrection of Elijah?" 52:32 No. 52:34 The Elijah message to an old king 52:37 named Ahab was this. 52:39 You know, Elijah was so dedicated to God. 52:42 Ahab was so rebellious and so compromised in a stand 52:46 as a king, as a leader of Israel. 52:48 And when he finally was confronted by Elijah. 52:52 He said to Elijah, "You're the one 52:53 causing all the trouble, 52:55 your dedication to God is causing all the trouble. 52:57 And we got to find a way to get rid of you." 53:00 But Elijah was only standing firm. 53:02 Elijah refused to be separated from God. 53:05 Elijah stood on a foundation that cannot be separated. 53:09 Elijah made his decision, 53:11 no matter what's taking place around us, 53:13 no matter what's going on, 53:14 "Ahab, I have made my decision." 53:16 And so he stood firmly looking Ahab in the face. 53:19 He said, "I'm not the one 53:20 that's causing trouble in the church. 53:23 I'm not the one 53:24 that's making life difficult for you, 53:26 Ahab, but you have. 53:29 Ahab, God has called you as a spiritual leader 53:32 to lead your people to a higher place, 53:34 but you have forsaken the commandments of God. 53:37 You have linked yourself up to a woman named Jezebel, 53:39 a one who is distorting your commitment to Christ." 53:43 Friends, the picture of Ahab 53:45 and Jezebel there in the Book of Kings 53:47 is saying to us, it is too late for the church 53:50 to find allegiance in the wrong place. 53:53 It is too late for the church to lean on any other power 53:55 than the power of Christ. 53:57 It is too late for the Christian to say, 53:59 "I've got to finances in the bank 54:01 and my job and the economy on the foundation 54:04 of political reasoning," Elijah made the right choice. 54:08 And the Lord is saying these are the days of Elijah 54:11 because the world will only get more dreadful. 54:13 The return of Jesus Christ is near. 54:16 The world may be on lockdown, 54:18 but the good news is sin is about to be locked up. 54:22 I say, amen myself. 54:23 The doors of the church may be closed, 54:26 but as I speak to you right now, my friends, 54:28 the doors of salvation are still open. 54:30 God is saying to us, 54:32 don't just lament the COVID deaths. 54:34 Don't just be feel sorrow for those who have passed away, 54:39 and what a sad story it is, 54:41 but answer the call for eternal life for yourself. 54:46 In this time of separation, God is calling us to be firm. 54:51 God is calling us to stand on 54:52 a foundation that will not shake, 54:54 a foundation that will not crumble, 54:57 a foundation that will not erode, 54:59 a foundation that is sure as the name of God, 55:03 that is as eternal as His character, 55:07 that is as immutable as His law. 55:10 That's the foundation that God is saying. 55:12 This is the foundation on which the church 55:15 will remain inseparable but make no doubt about it. 55:20 It is time to separate from the world and its vices. 55:23 It is time to separate from the life 55:25 that drags you down. 55:27 Young man, are you tired of the life 55:29 that's dragging you down? 55:30 Are you tired of your addictions? 55:32 Are you tired of false promises? 55:34 Young lady, are you tired of broken dreams? 55:37 Are you chasing a rainbow that keeps moving every time 55:40 you arrive at the location 55:41 where you thought it will bring you joy? 55:44 Husbands and wives, is your marriage strong? 55:49 Well, are you being shaken by this COVID-19 virus? 55:53 Mothers and fathers, 55:55 God is calling you to that unshakable foundation. 55:58 It's time to separate 55:59 from the pleasures that tear us down. 56:01 There are those that say, 56:03 "Well, the movie theaters are closed, 56:04 but I got Netflix, I got Hulu." 56:06 Friends, that's a fleeting, that's a pacifier. 56:09 It cannot ever bring the joy that Christ promises 56:12 that He will give to us, 56:14 but on the other side of that was Jesus. 56:18 Let me encourage you, remain inseparable 56:21 with His Word, remain inseparable. 56:25 And when we make up our minds to do that, 56:28 when we determined by God's grace, 56:29 that we're not going anywhere, 56:31 it's gonna get worse before it gets better. 56:33 Oh, yes, that's a fact, but I'm not waiting 56:35 for what the world's gonna do. 56:37 I know what Christ is going to do. 56:39 I know that I can trust Him unequivocally. 56:41 I know that He is the foundation 56:43 that will not fold under my feet. 56:45 And when I pray, He answers my prayer. 56:48 This is the time to pray. 56:49 This is the time to turn your life over to Christ. 56:51 This is the time to know that 56:52 the foundation of God stands sure. 56:55 As Romans 8:38-39 says to us, 56:58 when we do that we can certainly say, 56:59 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 57:03 nor angels nor principalities, 57:05 nor things present nor things to come, 57:07 nor height nor depth, nor any other creative thing, 57:11 shall be able to separate us from the love of God 57:14 which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 57:18 My friends, remain inseparable, dedicate your life to Christ, 57:23 today is gonna get worse but when it gets better, 57:26 it will be better eternally 57:27 as you remain inseparable in Christ. 57:31 God bless you. |
Revised 2020-06-11