(MUSIC)
GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
I SAID GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER HAS
EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED. SOME OF YOU CAME IN HERE WITH SOME
BURDENS THAT YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO CARRY. SOME OF YOU CAME IN
HERE WITH SOME UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT YOU WEREN'T READY FOR. BUT
KNOW THIS, GOD HAS ALREADY ANSWERED YOUR PRAYER 'CAUSE IT
SAYS IN HIS WORD THAT HE HAS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR EVERY
SINGLE THING THAT YOU HAVE NEED OF. BUT THERE IS A REQUEST.
ENTER IN TO PRAISE. LET GOD ALMIGHTY INHABIT YOUR PRAISE.
LET GOD ALMIGHTY INHABIT YOUR PRAISE AND WATCH THE
BREAKTHROUGH COME. ARE YOU READY TO ENTER IN TONIGHT? LET'S GO.
COME ON.
(MUSIC)
OH, WE WORSHIP YOU, LORD.
WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE. THERE'S NO NAME LIKE JESUS.
THERE'S NO NAME UNDER HEAVEN OR EARTH LIKE JESUS. JESUS, WE
WORSHIP YOU TONIGHT IN THIS PLACE. WE MAGNIFY YOUR HOLY
NAME. WE THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ALL YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR GRACE,
YOUR MERCY. YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR US. YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR
US. THANK YOU, JESUS. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR
PRAISE TONIGHT TO YOU. THANK YOU, LORD. YOU GIVE US LIFE. YOU
GIVE US BREATH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS.
HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE. WE MAGNIFY YOUR
NAME. WE'RE SO THANKFUL TONIGHT, LORD. WE HAVE A HEART OF
THANKSGIVING TOWARDS YOU AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR US. WE
ANTICIPATE THE DAYS AHEAD AND SEEING A MIGHTY HARVEST COMING
FOR YOU. THE GREATEST HARVEST THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. AND WE
GIVE YOU GLORY. WE GIVE YOU GLORY TONIGHT, LORD. YOU'RE
AMAZING AND AWESOME. WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS. THANK YOU, LORD.
JUST PRAY IN THE SPIRIT TONIGHT FOR A MOMENT.
[PRAYING IN TONGUES]
HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU, LORD. WE MAGNIFY YOUR NAME.
THANK YOU, LORD. THANK YOU, LORD. THE LORD SHOWED ME THREE
THINGS THAT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT QUICKLY BEFORE WE MOVE ON
TONIGHT. NUMBER ONE, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE, MAYBE YOU'RE
WATCHING ONLINE, AND YOU ESPECIALLY HAVE A DESIRE AND A
PASSION TO WORK WITH YOUR HANDS IN CRAFTS. AND WHEN I SAY
CRAFTS, I'M TALKING ABOUT LIKE, HOBBY LOBBY AND MICHAELS WOULD
BE YOUR FAVORITE STORE. YOU LOVE TO WORK WITH CRAFTS. IS THERE
SOMEONE HERE THAT LIKES THAT? MAYBE I'M TALKING TO, OH, IT'S
YOU? COME ON UP HERE. ANYONE ELSE? COME ON UP HERE. IT MIGHT
BE MORE THAN ONE. IT COULD BE SOMEONE ONLINE TONIGHT. I DON'T
KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY MEN THAT LOVE TO WORK WITH THAT TYPE OF
CRAFTS. PASTOR KEITH, DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT HOBBY LOBBY WAS
YOUR FAVORITE STORE? NO, OKAY. I GUESS I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT.
HERE'S, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY GOD CALLED YOU OUT, BUT THIS IS
WHAT I'M FEELING IN MY HEART, IS THAT YOUR PENCHANT AND DESIRE
AND YOUR SKILL AND YOUR ABILITY FOR WORKING WITH YOUR HANDS,
DOING CRAFTS, IS GONNA RELATE TO SOMETHING BIGGER THAT GOD HAS
FOR YOU. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. IT'S INDIVIDUAL FOR
EACH OF YOU. MAYBE IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT YOU MAKE SOMETHING AND
YOU TAKE IT TO A NEIGHBOR AND GIVE IT TO HIM AS A GIFT AND IT
OPENS THE DOOR FOR YOU TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. I DON'T KNOW. IT
COULD BE MANY THINGS OR MAYBE IT'S A BUSINESS THAT GOD HAS FOR
YOU. I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, JESUS WAS A CRAFTSMAN. THE BIBLE
TELLS US HE WAS AN EXCELLENT CARPENTER. HE KNEW HOW TO WORK
WITH HIS HANDS, SO THERE'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED ABOUT
THAT. IT'S A WONDERFUL GIFT IF YOU CAN DO IT. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT
AN ARTIST AT ALL. I COULDN'T HARDLY DRAW A STICK MAN, BUT YOU
HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SKILL TO DO SOME THINGS. AND SO I JUST WANT
TO PRAY OVER YOU TONIGHT, A BLESSING, AND I SAY, AND JUST
STRETCH YOUR HANDS TOWARDS THESE. AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING
ONLINE TONIGHT AND THAT'S YOU, YOU JUST RECEIVE IT RIGHT WHERE
YOU'RE AT. FATHER, I PRAY A BLESSING OVER THESE THAT COME UP
HERE TONIGHT. I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU HAVE CALLED THEM OUT EXCEPT
THAT YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW THEY'RE APPRECIATED, THEY'RE
LOVED BY YOU. YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM THE SKILLS AND THE
ABILITIES THAT THEY HAVE. YOU GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR
HEART. AND I THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOU'VE CALLED THEM TO THIS
TYPE OF WORK. AND I DECLARE WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND DIRECTION
BE IMPARTED TO THEM TONIGHT SO THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE AND MOVE
FORWARD WITH THE GIFT THAT YOU HAVE FOR THEM IN THE MIGHTY NAME
OF JESUS, THAT THEY DO GREAT EXPLOITS WITH THIS IN THE MIGHTY
NAME OF JESUS. WE DECLARE AND BELIEVE IT. AMEN, AMEN. YOU CAN
RETURN TO YOUR SEATS 'CAUSE I HAVE TWO OTHER THINGS THAT THE
LORD GAVE ME TONIGHT. ONE OF THEM IS, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE
AND YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED OR YOU REALLY, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T
WANNA COME UP HERE FOR THIS, BUT YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED OR YOU, I'LL
PUT IT THIS WAY, YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR JOB POSITION AND
YOU NEED A CHANGE. IF THAT'S YOU, RUN UP HERE. I BELIEVE GOD
HAS, AND PASTOR KEITH, WOULD YOU COME UP HERE FOR A MOMENT? I'M
GONNA HAVE YOU PRAY. SOMEONE GET HIM A MIC IF YOU WOULD. I WANT
PASTOR KEITH TO PRAY FOR ANYONE ONLINE THAT COULD BE IN THAT
SITUATION. THEY NEED A JOB CHANGE, OR MAYBE THEY'RE
UNEMPLOYED RIGHT NOW. I JUST FEEL LIKE THE LORD WANTS TO
BLESS YOU WITH THAT. AND I'M GONNA PRAY FOR YOU TOO. IF
THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT COMES UP HERE, I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE
TO COME ON UP. GOD HAS THE PERFECT THING FOR YOU. AND I
BELIEVE THAT TONIGHT WILL BE AN OPEN DOOR TO MOVE OUT. SO HERE'S
WHAT I'M GONNA TELL YOU. I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSTRUCTION.
YOU PRAY, BELIEVE GOD, ASK FOR FAVOR, AND THEN YOU STEP OUT AND
DO. THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THE SUPERNATURAL. THERE'S THE SUPER
THAT GOD DOES, GIVING YOU FAVOR, GIVING YOU WISDOM, GIVING YOU
DIRECTION. AND THEN THERE'S THE SECOND PART OF THE SUPERNATURAL,
AND THAT'S THE NATURAL, WHERE YOU PUT YOUR HAND TO IT. HE
PROBABLY WON'T JUST MAKE YOUR PHONE RING AND IT'LL BE SOME
EMPLOYER SAYING, "I HEARD YOU NEED A JOB." THAT COULD HAPPEN,
BUT IT PROBABLY WON'T BE THAT. IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU'VE PUT
A RESUME TOGETHER, YOU'VE DONE YOUR DILIGENCE, YOU'VE BEEN OUT
SEARCHING, YOU'VE BEEN APPLYING, YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO YOUR
BEST. YOU DO YOUR PART, GOD DOES HIS PART. WHEN WE TAKE A STEP,
GOD TAKES A STEP. I'M GOING TO COME DOWN AND PRAY FOR YOU.
PASTOR KEITH, YOU PRAY FOR THE ONLINE. FATHER, AS WE STRETCH
OUT OUR HAND AND WE BELIEVE, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU KNOW THE
PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE THROUGHOUT TIME AND YOU KNOW THE
SITUATIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW. AND I SPEAK
INTO THEIR LIVES, YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR PRESENCE TO SHOW THEM
DIRECTION, YOUR PRESENCE TO MAKE A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO
WAY. BUT FATHER GOD, WE SPEAK INTO THEIR LIVES, YOUR PLAN,
YOUR PURPOSE, AND YOUR POWER IN EVERY WAY TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR
WILL THROUGH THE POWER OF YOUR SON AND IN HIS NAME. AMEN. AMEN.
STAY RIGHT HERE, PASTOR KEITH. WE HAVE ONE MORE THING TO DO. I
HAD THREE THINGS THAT THE LORD DROPPED IN MY HEART TONIGHT. THE
THIRD ONE WAS, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE AND YOU'VE LOST YOUR SPOUSE
RECENTLY, OR YOU'VE LOST A BROTHER OR A SISTER, SOME
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER? YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A TIME PERIOD OF
GRIEF. MAYBE THERE AGAIN, THAT'S SOMEONE ONLINE. IS THERE SOMEONE
HERE AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY LOST SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY? OKAY, COME ON UP HERE. I BELIEVE THE LORD WANTS TO JUST
HELP YOU DURING THIS TIME OF LOSS TO RECEIVE HIS COMFORT AND
HIS PEACE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE
YOU'RE AT AND HE'S A FATHER WHEN WE NEED A FATHER. HE CAN BE A
MOTHER WHEN WE NEED A MOTHER. THAT'S OUR GOD, AND HE'LL TAKE
AWAY THE DESPAIR, THE LONELINESS, THE EMOTION THAT
YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. HEY, IT'S NATURAL TO HAVE GRIEF. THAT'S
OKAY. BUT OUR JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE GO
THROUGH IN THIS LIFE, AND WE CAN JUST RECEIVE COMFORT FROM HIM IN
THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. PASTOR KEITH, YOU PRAY FOR THOSE ONLINE
THAT MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH THAT LOSS. FATHER, THANK YOU THAT AS
YOU REACH YOUR HAND TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE SORROWING AND ARE
IN NEED OF HEALING RIGHT NOW, YOU BRING A POWER OF
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRESENCE AND BEING IN YOUR PRESENCE. LET THE
WORD OF GOD RISE UP IN THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR MINDS TO SPEAK
YOUR TRUTH OF COMFORT, PEACE, AND UNDERSTANDING. MAY THE POWER
OF YOUR SPIRIT REMOVE THE BARRIERS AND THE BURDENS AND MAY
THE POWER OF YOUR ANOINTING AND YOUR GRACE GIVE THEM KNOWLEDGE
OF YOUR WILL OF GOOD. AND FATHER GOD, THEY MIGHT KNOW YOU ARE
PRESENT EVEN IN THEIR SORROW AND YOU ARE PRESENT TO HEAL AND TO
RESTORE THAT THE OPPRESSOR CANNOT OPPRESS, BUT DELIVER AND
WE DECLARE IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU,
PASTOR KEITH. I APPRECIATE THAT MUCH. HALLELUJAH. PRAISE GOD.
THANK YOU, JESUS. HALLELUJAH. WE'VE TAKEN A LITTLE TIME
TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. PRAISE GOD. WE'VE GOT TO DO WHAT THE
LORD DIRECTS. IF I DON'T EVEN GET TO MY MESSAGE, THAT'S OKAY.
HALLELUJAH. WELL, LET'S DO THIS. I THINK WE'RE DONE HERE. WHY
DON'T YOU SHAKE HANDS AND SAY, IT'S GOOD
TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
(MUSIC)
WELL WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD TONIGHT.
ISN'T IT AMAZING WHEN JESUS
SHOWS UP AND MEETS EVERY NEED? I JUST LOVE IT. HOW RANDOM IS
GRAPHICS? THAT'S JUST AWESOME. GOD JUST KNOWS WHAT'S IN YOUR
HEART. HE KNOWS WHAT'S IN OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR MINDS. HE'S
GOING TO MEET US WHERE WE ARE. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND SHARE
WITH YOU SOMETHING THAT HELPED ME LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY
PETRA FANS OUT THERE? RIGHT, I GOT A LITTLE LYRIC IN THERE.
WELL, IT'S OFFERING TIME AND ALLOW ME JUST A MINUTE TO SHARE
PROVERBS 3, 5 AND 6 ARE SCRIPTURES THAT AREN'T TYPICALLY
ASSOCIATED WITH GIVING OR EXPLAINING HOW KINGDOM FINANCES
WORK. BUT THEY REALLY HELPED ME GO BEYOND MY OWN THINKING TO
ACHIEVE A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD AND A MORE FULFILLING CHRISTIAN
LIFE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'VE TURNED
IN TUNED IN, EXCUSE ME. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY ALL OF US ARE
HERE TO GO A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO GOD AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. PROVERBS 3:5 AND 6 IS UP ON THE
BOARD. PROVERBS 3 SAYS, "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART.
DO NOT DEPEND ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING." AND VERSE 6
SAYS, "SEEK HIS WILL AND ALL YOU DO, AND HE WILL SHOW YOU WHICH
PATH TO TAKE." I'M JUST GONNA TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT AND REREAD
THOSE. "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. DO NOT DEPEND ON
YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. SEEK HIS WILL AND ALL YOU DO, AND HE WILL
SHOW YOU WHICH PATH TO TAKE." PLEASE KEEP THAT SCRIPTURE UP.
THESE ARE FANTASTIC VERSES FROM A LIFE-CHANGING CHAPTER IN THE
BIBLE, PROVERBS 3. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THAT ON A
FREQUENT BASIS. BUT WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO DO WITH TITHES AND
OFFERINGS? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. BACK IN 1990, AFTER TASHA AND I
GOT MARRIED, WE WERE, AND STILL ARE, MADLY IN LOVE. MY WIFE READ
MY NOTES. SHE TOLD ME NOT TO SAY THAT LOUDLY. WE WERE MADLY IN
LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. WE WERE MADLY IN LOVE WITH GOD TOO. WHAT
WAS REALLY COOL IS WE WERE CONNECTED TO THESE TWO AMAZING
PEOPLE, HANK AND BRENDA KUNNEMAN, LONG BEFORE THEY WERE
ORDAINED AS PASTORS AND BEFORE THEY STARTED LORD OF HOSTS
CHURCH. WE WERE LEARNING MORE EVERY DAY ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO
LIVE FOR GOD. BACK THEN WHEN I WAS REASONABLY NEW IN THE FAITH,
IT WAS EASY FOR ME TO LEAN ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. I'M A
THINKER, I'M A PROCESSOR. SO GOD HAD TO MAKE SENSE TO ME. AND
SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT MADE NO SENSE AT ALL. AND I WANT TO
SHARE IT WITH YOU JUST FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THE REALITY THAT I
LIVED IN BACK THEN MAY BE THE SAME REALITY THAT SOME OF US IN
HERE OR SOME OF YOU ONLINE LIVE IN, WHERE WE LEAN ON OUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING. WELL, AT THAT TIME, MY WIFE AND I, WE WERE
FLAT BROKE. WE HAD NO MONEY. NOTHING IN OUR BANK ACCOUNT. AND
WE HAD TO KEEP DRIVING ABOUT SEVEN MILES EACH WAY EACH DAY TO
GO TO WORK, SO WE COULD MAKE MORE MONEY TO PUT INTO OUR BANK
ACCOUNT THAT DIDN'T REALLY GROW ALL THAT MUCH. WE WERE IN PRETTY
ROUGH SHAPE. IN MY SLEEK, BROWN, STICK SHIFT NISSAN SENTRA,
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
THAT VEHICLE WAS ON EMPTY. AND I DON'T MEAN LIKE AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE E PART ON THE EMPTY. THE EMPTY WAS PEGGED. I LITERALLY
HAD NO GAS. AND I DROVE THAT VEHICLE FOR ALMOST AN ENTIRE
WEEK AFTER WE LAID HANDS ON IT AND PRAYED. WE JUST LAID HANDS
ON IT AND PRAYED. WE THANKED GOD FOR THE PROVISION. WE HAD NO
MONEY. WE COULDN'T EVEN GO INTO DEBT ON A CREDIT CARD TO PUT
MONEY IN THE GAS TANK, TO PUT GAS IN THE GAS TANK. BUT THAT'S
HOW GOD WORKED. HE CAME THROUGH. MY OWN UNDERSTANDING SAW A
PEGGED GAS GAUGE AND IT MADE NO SENSE AT ALL TO ME HOW WE WERE
ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR LIVES IN THAT VEHICLE. I COULDN'T
COMPREHEND IT. AS THAT EXPERIENCE HAPPENED AND AFTER, I
LEARNED THAT GOD HONORS HIS WORD. AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO
CONNECT THIS TO OUR GIVING. WE WERE TRUSTING GOD WITH OUR
FINANCES AT THAT TIME. AND WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT TITHING, AT
LEAST I WAS LEARNING ABOUT TITHING. WE CHOSE TO TITHE, WE
CHOSE TO GIVE OFFERINGS WITH THE SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE
HAD, AND GOD MIRACULOUSLY HONORED THAT. SO THAT'S MY
STORY. AND I'LL BET YOU ONLINE, AND THERE'S MANY PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM THAT HAVE A SIMILAR STORY, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT AT THAT POINT
IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO FULLY TRUST GOD WITH YOUR
FINANCES FOR HIS PROVISION, I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO
RECONSIDER THAT AND LISTEN TO HIS WORD. LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING AND HE WILL DIRECT ALL YOUR PATHS. IF WE COULD PUT
THE OFFERING SLIDES UP, PLEASE. THERE'S WAYS TO GIVE TO OUR
MINISTRY. WHEN YOU GIVE TO OUR MINISTRY, YOU'RE GIVING DIRECTLY
TO THE LORD. WE PUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOLLARS TO GOOD USE TO
ADVANCE HIS KINGDOM. THERE'S MANY WAYS TO GIVE. THERE'S
USHERS IN THE AISLE. IF YOU NEED AN OFFERING ENVELOPE, THEY'LL BE
HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ONE. SOMETIMES KINGDOM FINANCES ARE JUST HARD
TO UNDERSTAND. AND SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO TRUST IN THE
LORD WHEN OUR SITUATIONS ARE DIFFICULT OR LOOK BLEAK. BUT
TAKE IT FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, MY SILLY STORY, THAT'S SUPER
MEANINGFUL TO US ABOUT A DEAD VEHICLE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE
GONE AN INCH. WE DROVE IT FOR ALMOST A WEEK. LET THAT SINK IN
FOR A MOMENT. AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO STEP OVER INTO
FOLLOWING GOD'S WORD WITH YOUR TITHES AND WITH YOUR OFFERINGS,
HE'S GOING TO DO MIRACULOUS THINGS FOR YOU. HE'LL DIRECT
YOUR PATH AND LIKE OURS, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU GIVE AND YOU LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING. I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PRAY. HEAVENLY
FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR EVERY HEART THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE
RIGHT NOW. WHETHER IT'S LIVE OR WHETHER IT'S IN THE FUTURE,
LORD, TOUCH HEARTS AND MINDS WITH YOUR WORD. LORD, GIVE
PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN YOU AND GROW IN THEIR
UNDERSTANDING. HOLY SPIRIT, MOVE AMONGST THE PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY, LORD, TO PUT YOU TO THE TEST BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU
ARE FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE THE WORK THAT YOU BEGAN, LORD. LORD,
I ASK THAT YOU WOULD MULTIPLY EVERY DOLLAR, EVERY PENNY, BACK
TO THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO SOW INTO THIS MINISTRY. LORD, AND
PROSPER THIS MINISTRY AND MULTIPLY THOSE DOLLARS TO
ACHIEVE THE VISION THAT YOU HAVE FOR LORD OF HOSTS, THAT YOU HAVE
FOR PASTOR HANK AND BRENDA. WE GIVE IT ALL TO YOU NOW IN JESUS'
MIGHTY NAME, AMEN. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO PASTOR DOUG.
HALLELUJAH. OH, BEFORE I START TONIGHT, I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE A
DEAR FRIEND OF MINE, PASTOR DAVE LEGGETT IS HERE. RAISE YOUR
HAND, AND WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW. AND MY
WIFE AND I CELEBRATED OUR 39TH ANNIVERSARY. I HOPE THAT'S
RIGHT. I THINK THAT BACK. IF SHE'S WATCHING, I DON'T KNOW,
SHE COULDN'T BE HERE. SHE HAD SOMETHING ELSE COME UP. BUT IF
SHE'S WATCHING AND I GOT IT WRONG, I'LL BE IN TROUBLE. BUT I
THINK IT WAS 39 YEARS IN APRIL. SOUNDS RIGHT. ANYWAY, PASTOR
DAVE WAS- YOU LAUGH, PASTOR ANTHONY. BUT AS THESE YEARS GO
BY, THEY JUST FLY SO QUICKLY THAT IT'S LIKE SOMETIMES HARD TO
KEEP TRACK. BUT PASTOR DAVE WAS INVOLVED WITH ANOTHER PASTOR IN
OUR WEDDING 39 YEARS AGO. SO, AND THEN I HAD KNOWN HIM A FEW
YEARS BEFORE THAT. SO WE GO BACK A WAYS. AND WHAT I DON'T
UNDERSTAND IS HOW HE'S ONLY 45 YEARS OLD AND THAT ALL HAPPENED.
BUT YOU KNOW, MIRACLES HAPPEN IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. ANYWAY, OH,
BY THE WAY, I NEED TO SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO CONCERNING
FLASHPOINT THAT'S COMING SEPTEMBER 10TH. IS THAT RIGHT?
AM I RIGHT ON THE DATE? SEPTEMBER 10TH,
LET'S ROLL THAT, GUYS.
I'M LORD OF HOSTS, GENE BAILEY HERE. TERI AND I ARE EXCITED. WE
ARE COMING TO OMAHA NEXT WEEK, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS GOING
ON IN OMAHA? WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? WE ARE GOING TO BE
CONNECTING LIVE ON FLASHPOINT THAT NIGHT. WE'LL BE CONNECTING
LIVE BACK HERE TO DALLAS AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
THE FIRST TIME EVER THERE'S BEEN A MIDTERM. WE'RE GONNA CONNECT.
FLASHPOINT HAS A BOOTH THERE. WE'RE THERE THE NIGHT BEFORE.
WE'RE GONNA FLY IN THAT DAY TO BE THERE WITH YOU THAT NIGHT.
BUT DURING THE EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT BACK TO DALLAS.
WE'LL BE CONNECTING LIVE, GOING BACK AND FORTH. SO IT'S GONNA BE
EXCITING TIME, A FIRST EVER THERE, AND I THINK THERE'S NO
BETTER PLACE THAN TO DO IT AT LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH IN OMAHA.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR WATCHING FLASHPOINT. YOU'RE OUR FAMILY.
NOW MAKE SURE YOU SHOW UP AT THE LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH FOR OPENING
THE HEAVENS COMING UP NEXT WEEK. IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING. I'M
TELLING YOU, YOU NEED TO BE THERE OR HANK WILL DRESS UP
FUNNY. AMEN. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE PLANNING ON COMING? OKAY, WE'LL
HAVE SEATING FOR YOU. IT'LL BE GREAT. I THINK IT'LL BE GREAT TO
HAVE IT HERE. AND PASTOR DAVE'S FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS. I'M SORRY,
PASTOR DAVE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE SO CLOSE TO YOU THIS YEAR, BUT
WE'RE STILL GOING FORWARD. HALLELUJAH. WELL, TONIGHT AS WE
START, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR WE'RE GONNA GET ON THIS. I WON'T
KEEP YOU LATE. I MEAN, I'M GONNA TRY AND GET YOU OUT OF HERE
BEFORE MIDNIGHT, BUT I KNOW IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT. SO, IT'S HARD TO
BELIEVE SCHOOL STARTED ALREADY, BUT WE'RE INTO SEPTEMBER AND I
WON'T KEEP YOU TOO LATE. I JUST FELT AS WE WOULD BEGIN TONIGHT
THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF REHEARSE THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING BIBLE
PROPHECY OR WHAT THEOLOGIANS WOULD CALL ESCHATOLOGY.
ESCHATOLOGY REALLY MEANS JUST THE STUDY OF THE LAST THINGS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STUDY OF ESCHATOLOGY IN THE BIBLE, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THOSE EVENTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS WE'VE GONE
THROUGH THE BOOK OF REVELATION SO FAR. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE
RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TRIBULATION
PERIOD, THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH IS A
SEPARATE EVENT FROM THE RAPTURE, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. WE
SPENT TIME ON THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT, AND THEN
TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE CREATION OF THE NEW
HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH. AND SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT LET ME
JUST SUMMARIZE FOUR BENEFITS OF BIBLE PROPHECY BEFORE WE DO
THAT. IF YOU'LL PUT THAT SCREEN UP, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT
FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
TO LOOK AT REVELATION?" WELL, ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU, IT'S
NOT EVEN UP THERE ON THE SCREEN, BECAUSE IF YOU WERE WITH US IN
THE BEGINNING, WE LOOKED AT REVELATION CHAPTER ONE, AND THAT
IS THE EXPLANATION THAT IT'S THE ONLY BOOK IN THE BIBLE THAT
TELLS US THERE'S A BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO READ AND KEEP AND OBEY
THAT BOOK. SO IF THERE WASN'T ANY OTHER REASON, THAT'S ONE
GOOD REASON. IT'S A BLESSING TO DO IT, AND GOD IS A SPECIAL
BLESSING IN STORE IF YOU READ, KEEP, AND OBEY THOSE WORDS. SO
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TAKING TIME TO LOOK AT THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
BUT LET'S PUT THAT SCREEN UP THERE IF YOU COULD. REASONS TO
STUDY BIBLE PROPHECY. NUMBER ONE, IT GIVES HOPE AND COMFORT.
KNOWING GOD'S PLAN FOR MANKIND BRINGS PEACE AND ENCOURAGEMENT
CONCERNING OUR FUTURE. WE ALL LIKE TO KNOW THINGS ABOUT OUR
FUTURE. JOHN 14, VERSES 1-3, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS VERSE.
IT'S USED A LOT OF TIMES AT CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE OR
FUNERALS. IT SAYS, "LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, BUT BELIEVE
IN GOD. BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY
MANSIONS." AND IT'S A PROMISE THAT HE WENT TO PREPARE A PLACE
FOR US AND WE HAVE A FUTURE HOME WITH HIM, AMEN? SO THAT'S A
COMFORT, THAT'S AN ENCOURAGEMENT. LET'S PUT THAT
SCREEN BACK UP THERE. YOU CAN JUST KEEP THAT ONE UP THERE IF
YOU WOULD. AND NUMBER TWO, PROPHECY IS PROMINENT. AND IT
TAKES A BIG PORTION OF SCRIPTURE TO TALK ABOUT PROPHECY. THERE
ARE 216 CHAPTERS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. AND IN THOSE 216
CHAPTERS, YOU WILL FIND 318 REFERENCES TO THE SECOND COMING
OF CHRIST. THAT'S OVER ONE REFERENCE ABOUT THE SECOND
COMING FOR EVERY CHAPTER. IT'S ALMOST ONE AND A THIRD. THAT'S A
LOT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GOD. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO GOD SHOULD
BE IMPORTANT TO US, AMEN? AND OUT OF THE TOTAL 2,500
PROPHECIES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE THAT I'M
HOLDING, THEOLOGIANS TELL US APPROXIMATELY 2,000 HAVE ALREADY
COME TO PASS. THAT'S 80% OF THE PROPHECIES THAT ARE DETAILED IN
THIS BOOK HAVE COME TO PASS IN PERFECTION. THAT LEAVES ABOUT
500 TO GO. BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK WE HAVE ASSURANCE THAT
THOSE OTHER 500 PROPHECIES ARE GOING TO COME TO PASS. AMEN? WE
HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD WITH GOD. ONE PROPHECY TO BE
FULFILLED YET IS PHILIPPIANS 2, VERSES 10 THROUGH 11. IT SAYS,
"AT THE NAME OF JESUS, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW "AND EVERY TONGUE
WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD." THAT'S A PROPHETIC
SCRIPTURE. SO THAT MEANS THAT EVERY PERSON THAT EVER LIVED ON
THIS EARTH WILL HAVE TO SOMEDAY BOW THEIR KNEE AND CONFESS THAT
JESUS IS LORD. IF THEY DIDN'T DO IT ON EARTH, THEY WILL DO IT AT
JUDGMENT TIME. HMM. IT'S A SOBERING THOUGHT. AND OF COURSE
WE KNOW THAT THE GIFT OF PROPHECY IS STILL IN OPERATION
TODAY. AND GOD IS STILL SPEAKING PROPHETICALLY AS LONG AS THE
CHURCH IS HERE ON THIS EARTH. AND THEN NUMBER THREE,
UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY, PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP. IF YOU WOULD,
SHOULD ENCOURAGE US TO LIVE WHOLLY, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
FUTURE EVENTS AND ETERNITY SHOULD HELP US TO CHOOSE TO LIVE
A GODLY LIFE. WE WANT TO STAY ON TRACK WITH GOD, AMEN? AND ALSO
IT SHOULD HELP US TO HAVE COMPASSION FOR THOSE THAT ARE
WITHOUT GOD. SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING, ROMANS 12:1,
JUST GIVE YOU A SCRIPTURE TO GO WITH IT. I BESEECH YOU
THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD THAT YOU PRESENT
YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS
YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. WE WANT TO DO THAT. DO NOT BE CONFORMED
TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF
YOUR MIND. AMEN. SO WE NEED TO BE MOTIVATED BY UNDERSTANDING
PROPHECY. AND THEN FINALLY, NUMBER FOUR, UNDERSTANDING BIBLE
PROPHECY IS A PROTECTION AGAINST FALSE TEACHING. IT'S IMPORTANT
TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND BIBLICAL TRUTH. AND WITH SO MUCH OF THE
BIBLE BEING PROPHECY, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT. SOME CHURCHES
JUST STAY AWAY FROM IT ALTOGETHER. THEY, FOR WHATEVER
REASON, DON'T WANT TO TEACH IT. BUT 2 PETER 2:1, I'M GOING TO
READ OUT OF THE NEW LIVING, WHICH IS PASTOR ANTHONY'S
FAVORITE TRANSLATION. 2 PETER 2:1 SAYS, "BUT THERE WERE ALSO
FALSE PROPHETS "IN ISRAEL, JUST AS THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS
AMONG YOU." THAT SAYS THERE'S GONNA BE FALSE TEACHERS IN THIS
DAY, IN THE CHURCH AGE. THE BIBLE SAYS, 2 PETER HERE,
PETER'S SAYING, "THEY WILL CLEVERLY TEACH DESTRUCTIVE
HERESIES." THAT'S UNTRUTHS, THAT'S FALSEHOODS. "AND THEY
EVEN DENY THE MASTER WHO BOUGHT THEM. "AND IN THIS WAY, THEY
BRING SUDDEN DESTRUCTION ON THEMSELVES." THERE'S FALSE
TEACHERS RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY. THEY'LL TELL YOU FROM THE
PULPITS THAT THERE IS NO HELL. THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN
LIVE ANY WAY YOU WANT AND BECAUSE OF GRACE, YOU CAN MAKE
IT TO HEAVEN. THEY WON'T MENTION THAT THERE'S A HELL. THEY TWIST
AND MANIPULATE SCRIPTURE TO THEIR OWN LIKING. THEY ADVERTISE
ON THEIR CHURCH WEBSITES THAT THEY ARE A DIVERSE CHURCH THAT
WILL GLADLY MARRY A MAN WITH ANOTHER MAN OR A WOMAN WITH
ANOTHER WOMAN, GOING COMPLETELY AGAINST SCRIPTURE. THEY PROMOTE
ABORTION AS THE RIGHT THAT EVERY WOMAN HAS AN OPTION TO CHOOSE
WHAT SHE DOES WITH HER BODY, NOT CONSIDERING THE BABY. IT'S A
SHAMEFUL THING THAT THEY'RE CALLED CHRISTIAN PASTORS. IT
REALLY IS. BUT THOSE ARE THE TIMES THAT WE'RE LIVING IN, AND
IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE TIMES THAT PETER WAS TALKING
ABOUT THERE. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN FALSE TEACHERS, AND THAT'S WHY
ACTUALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE FIRST SEVEN LETTERS TO THE
CHURCHES THAT WERE WRITTEN AND PENNED BY THE APOSTLE JOHN, HE
TALKS A LOT IN THERE ABOUT BEING WARNED ABOUT FALSE TEACHING THAT
CAN CREEP INTO THE CHURCH. AND MUCH OTHER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
TALKS ABOUT THAT. WELL, ANYWAY, WE'RE ON REVELATION CHAPTER ONE
TONIGHT, SO WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD. I WANNA START WITH OUR
TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT EVERY TIME WE'VE BEEN
TALKING, BUT BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF BEEN JUST GOING THROUGH THIS,
I WANNA SAY A LITTLE IRREGULARLY, JUST AS WE HAVE
TIME AND I'M ABLE TO TEACH, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO JUST GO
BACK AND REVIEW WHERE WE'RE AT ON THE TIMELINE. SO HERE'S THE
TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE
CHURCH AGE, REVELATION 1-3, THE SEVEN LETTERS TO THE SEVEN
CHURCHES THAT ACTUALLY APPLY TO THE CHURCH AGE THAT WE'RE LIVING
IN NOW. AND THEN REVELATION 4 AND 5 MOVES INTO THE RAPTURE OF
THE CHURCH. WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE THAT SO MANY TIMES IS
USED TO DESCRIBE THE RAPTURE. FIRST THESSALONIANS 4:16, "THE
LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE
VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL, THE TRUMPET OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN
CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST. AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN
WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THE LORD TO MEET HIM IN THE
CLOUDS, IN THE AIR. AND SO THAT'S THE TIME WHEN IF YOU ARE
A BELIEVER AND YOU'RE ALIVE AT THAT TIME, THE DEAD WILL GO
FIRST, THEIR BODIES WILL COME BACK TOGETHER. I DON'T KNOW, I
CAN'T EXPLAIN THAT, HOW SUPERNATURALLY THAT WORKS, THOSE
ASHES, WHEREVER THEIR BODIES ARE BURIED, WHEREVER THEY'RE AT, GOD
BRINGS THAT BACK TOGETHER. BUT IF HE COULD FORM A BABY IN A
MOTHER'S WOMB, HE CAN FORM US AGAIN WHEN WE COME BACK OUT OF
THE GRAVE. BUT ANYWAY, HOWEVER THAT HAPPENS, SUPERNATURALLY GOD
DOES THAT. THE DEAD GO FIRST, THEN THOSE OF US THAT ARE ALIVE
AND REMAIN WILL GO TO BE WITH JESUS AT THAT TIME. AND OUR
SPIRIT MAN, IF WE'VE ALREADY PASSED, IS ALREADY IN HEAVEN. SO
AT THAT POINT, THE BODY THAT COMES OUT OF THE GRAVE, FOR
THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, ARE REUNITED WITH THOSE SPIRITS THAT
ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN. SO JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT. AND WE
TALKED ABOUT IN DETAIL ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TEACHINGS OF
PRE-TRIBULATION AND MID-TRIBULATION AND
POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURES. THERE'S DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON
THAT. I BELIEVE IN THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. THIS
CHURCH TEACHES THAT. WE COULD GO INTO A REAL DETAILED STUDY ON
THAT, BUT I'VE ALREADY TAUGHT ON IT, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO
THAT IN DETAIL TONIGHT. BUT THEN WE MOVE INTO REVELATIONS CHAPTER
6-18. THE MAJORITY OF REVELATION IS SPENT TALKING ABOUT THE
SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION. THE CHURCH REMAINS IN HEAVEN DURING
THAT TIME. DURING THAT TIME, THE ANTICHRIST COMES ON THE SCENE
AND HE MAKES A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL. AND THE FIRST THREE
AND A HALF YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS RELATIVELY
CALM AND EVERYTHING IS GOING ALONG FAIRLY GOOD. THERE'S SOME
DESTRUCTION THAT HAPPENS, BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE SECOND THREE
AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD, THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME CALLED THE
GREAT TRIBULATION. AND THAT'S WHEN THE ANTICHRIST BREAKS THE
COVENANT WITH ISRAEL AND THE REBUILT TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM IS
OCCUPIED BY THE ANTICHRIST AND HE DEMANDS WORSHIP AT THAT
POINT. AND THAT PERIOD BRINGS THE MOST SEVERE JUDGMENTS ON THE
EARTH. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL. THE SEALS, THE TRUMPETS,
AND THE BOWLS HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME. BUT WE ALSO SAID IT'S
AMAZING THAT GOD OFFERS SUCH A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR
SALVATION DURING THAT TIME. THERE'S ALSO 144,000 JEWISH
WITNESSES THAT ARE ON THIS EARTH DURING THAT TIME WITNESSING OF
GOD'S LOVE AND GRACE AND MERCY. 144,000 BILLY GRAHAM'S ARE GONNA
BE CIRCULATING THE EARTH DURING THAT TIME. AND PEOPLE THAT ARE
ALIVE ON THE EARTH AT THAT TIME HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE
JESUS. THERE'S ALSO TWO WITNESSES THAT ARE
SUPERNATURALLY BROUGHT TO BEAR IN JERUSALEM DURING THAT TIME,
AND FOR 1260 DAYS THEY DO SUPERNATURAL MIRACLES. THEY'RE
FINALLY KILLED, BUT HERE'S WHAT'S AMAZING IS THE BIBLE SAYS
THAT, OR JOHN SAID IN THE BIBLE, THAT THESE WITNESSES WILL BE
APPARENT TO THE WORLD, THEIR DEATH, AND THEN THEY'LL BE
RESURRECTED AFTER THREE DAYS. THE WORLD WILL SEE IT. THAT
WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE TO EVEN HAPPEN HAD WE NOT BEEN IN
THIS TIMELINE, IN THIS GENERATION. I MEAN, IT JUST
COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. I MEAN, WE HAD THE ABILITY TO SEE THE
WORLD ON TELEVISION BACK IN THE '70S AND '80S. WE COULD SEE
THINGS HAPPEN IN REAL TIME. BUT NOW WITH THE INTERNET, THE WORLD
CAN SEE THESE THINGS IN REAL TIME. SO IT'S AN AMAZING TIME
THAT WE LIVE IN. AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT HAPPENS, GOD
WILL SEND AN ANGEL TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL DURING THAT TIME AND
HE'LL GO AROUND THE WORLD PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL. SO
PEOPLE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR, EVEN DURING THE TRIBULATION,
EVEN IF THEY SHOOK THEIR FIST AT GOD BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGAN
AND THEY DIDN'T GO ON THE RAPTURE, THEY'LL STILL HAVE A
SECOND CHANCE THERE. THEY CAN ASK GOD TO FORGIVE THEM, RECEIVE
JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR, AND THEY MIGHT BE A MARTYR, THEY
MIGHT LOSE THEIR LIFE, BUT THEY'LL BE IN HEAVEN FOR
ETERNITY, AMEN. SO WHAT A TREMENDOUS GOD WE HAVE THAT HE
WOULD GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND THEN AS WE MOVE ON, WE SEE THE
THOUSAND YEAR MILLENNIAL REIGN, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WHEN JESUS,
OH, I FORGOT THE SECOND COMING. I'M GETTING SO EXCITED ABOUT THE
END OF THE TRIBULATION, I FORGOT THE SECOND COMING. BUT
REVELATION CHAPTER 19 IS WHEN JESUS COMES BACK. NOW REMEMBER,
WHILE WE'RE IN HEAVEN, WE ENJOY THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB,
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST THAT HAPPENS
THERE, WHERE WE'RE JUDGED FOR OUR WORKS THAT WE HAVE DONE ON
THIS EARTH, NOT JUDGING WHETHER OR NOT WE GET TO HEAVEN. IF WE
GO ON THE RAPTURE, WE'RE ALREADY IN HEAVEN. IT'S JUST A JUDGMENT
OF OUR WORKS WITH REWARDS FOR THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, THAT
WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED FOR GOD DURING THAT TIME, AND DID WE
FOLLOW HIS PLAN? SO THAT HAPPENS DURING THAT SEVEN-YEAR
TRIBULATION WHILE WE'RE IN HEAVEN, AND THEN WE COME BACK
WITH JESUS, REVELATION CHAPTER 19, THAT'S WHEN HE'S RIDING A
WHITE HORSE, WE'RE FOLLOWING HIM ON OUR WHITE HORSES, WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT. EVEN IF YOU'VE NEVER RIDDEN A HORSE BEFORE, YOU'LL BE
ABLE TO RIDE A HORSE ON THAT DAY AND BE SUCCESSFUL ON IT. YOU'LL
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE COMING BACK WITH JESUS, AND WITH
FIRE IN HIS MOUTH, HE WILL DESTROY THE ARMIES THAT HAVE
BEEN ASSEMBLED AT THE MOUNT OF MEGIDDO TO COME AGAINST JESUS,
BUT THEY WON'T PREVAIL. JESUS WILL PREVAIL. HE'LL SET UP A
MILLENNIAL REIGN ON THE EARTH FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. IT'S A
THEOCRACY. IT'LL BE A TIME OF PEACE. HE WILL PUT DOWN ANY EVIL
THAT HAPPENS DURING THAT TIME. WE WON'T HAVE ANY MORE POLITICAL
SYSTEMS. IT WILL BE JESUS IN CONTROL, RULING AND REIGNING
FROM THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. AMEN. SO IT'LL BE A WONDERFUL
TIME OF A THOUSAND-YEAR MILLENNIAL REIGN. THEN AT THE
END OF THAT PERIOD, REVELATION 20 TALKS ABOUT THE GREAT WHITE
THRONE JUDGMENT. THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE A RESURRECTION OF THE
WICKED DEAD AND EVERYONE THAT EVER LIVED THAT DID NOT ACCEPT
JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER. EVERY
KNEE WILL BOW, EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS, AND THEY HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID NOT MAKE IT INTO
HEAVEN, BECAUSE THEY REJECTED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.
AND AT THAT POINT, THE ANTICHRIST AND SATAN HIMSELF
WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE ALONG WITH THE WICKED DEAD.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. WE'RE PAST ALL THAT AND WE'RE
MOVING INTO THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH, WHICH IS
REVELATION, ACTUALLY 21, THAT WE'RE IN ON TONIGHT. SO I'M
SORRY TO TAKE THAT TIME, BUT I JUST FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO DO
THAT QUICK REVIEW BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'D BEEN
TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS TO JUST BRING YOU UP TO
DATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT. SO WE'LL GO AS FAR AS WE CAN ON CHAPTER
21 TONIGHT. THE GOOD NEWS IS, AFTER TALKING ABOUT ALL THE
JUDGMENT AND THOSE ISSUES, IT'S FUN TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW HEAVEN
AND THE NEW EARTH BECAUSE IT'S AN EXCITING TIME. IT'S OUR
FUTURE. AND IT'S NOT THE PRESENT HEAVEN. IT'S NOT THE PRESENT
EARTH. IT'S A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH. AND I WANT TO JUST START
BY READING THE FIRST EIGHT VERSES OF REVELATION CHAPTER 21.
IF YOU WANT TO OPEN YOUR BIBLES AND READ WITH ME, I'M READING
OUT OF THE NEW KING JAMES TONIGHT. IT SAYS, "NOW I SAW A
NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, "FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST
EARTH HAD PASSED AWAY, "AND THERE WAS NO MORE SEA. "THEN I,
JOHN, SAW THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, "COMING DOWN OUT OF
HEAVEN FROM GOD, PREPARED AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND.
AND I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, BEHOLD, THE
TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM, AND
THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE. GOD HIMSELF WILL BE WITH THEM, AND
THEIR GOD. AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES.
THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH, NO MORE SORROW, NO MORE CRYING.
THERE SHALL BE NO MORE PAIN, FOR THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED
AWAY. THEN HE WHO SAT ON THE THRONE SAID, "BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL
THINGS NEW." AND HE SAID TO ME, "WRITE, FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUE
AND FAITHFUL." AND HE SAID TO ME, "IT IS DONE. I AM THE ALPHA
AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. I WILL GIVE THE
FOUNTAIN OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY TO HIM WHO THIRSTS. HE
WHO OVERCOMES SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS, AND I WILL BE HIS GOD,
AND HE SHALL BE MY SON. BUT THE COWARDLY, THE UNBELIEVING, THE
ABOMINABLE, THE MURDERERS, SEXUALLY IMMORAL, SORCERERS,
IDOLATERS, AND ALL LIARS SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE
WHICH BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHICH IS THE SECOND
DEATH. AND THAT'S THE LAKE OF FIRE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S PUT UP THIS SCREEN. THERE'S FIVE POINTS THAT I WANT
TO START WITH TONIGHT ABOUT THE NEW JERUSALEM. AND I JUST WANT
TO REVIEW THOSE BEFORE WE GO INTO THEM IN DETAIL. NUMBER ONE,
GOD WILL BE PRESENT WITH US. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT,
REVELATION 21:3. WE JUST READ THAT, BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN IT A
LITTLE MORE. REVELATION 21:4, DEATH, PAIN, AND ALL OF OUR
SORROW WILL BE ABSENT. AND THEN REVELATION 21:5, ALL THINGS WILL
BE NEW. VERSE 7, BELIEVERS WILL BE PRESENT. AND THEN, OF COURSE,
WE JUST READ THAT UNBELIEVERS WILL BE ABSENT BECAUSE WE KNOW
WHERE THEY'RE AT. THEY'RE IN THE LAKE OF FIRE, UNFORTUNATELY,
BECAUSE OF THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MADE. THAT WAS THEIR
CHOICE. GOD DOES NOT PUT ANYONE TO HELL. THEY PUT THEMSELVES
THERE BY MAKING THEIR CHOICES THAT THEY DO. WE'RE TOLD TO
CHOOSE LIFE. WE HAVE BEFORE US LIFE AND DEATH AND WE NEED TO
CHOOSE LIFE. AMEN. IT'S OUR CHOICE. JESUS, WELL, LET'S JUST
REREAD VERSE REVELATION 21 ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE WE'VE COVERED
A LITTLE SCRIPTURE THERE. IT SAYS, "NOW I SAW A NEW HEAVEN
AND A NEW EARTH FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH HAD
PASSED AWAY AND THERE WAS NO MORE SEA." JESUS SAID SOMETHING
VERY SIMILAR TO THAT IN MATTHEW 24, VERSE 35, HE SAID, "HEAVEN
AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS WILL BY NO MEANS PASS
AWAY." SO HE SAID THE SAME THING THAT WAS QUOTED IN REVELATION
21, HE SAID, "HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT WE KNOW THE
WORD OF GOD IS ETERNAL, IT WILL NEVER PASS AWAY." AMEN? WHEN
JESUS MADE THE STATEMENT, HE WAS LOOKING TO THAT DAY THAT WE READ
ABOUT IN REVELATION 21, IT'S A FUTURE TIME WHEN THERE'LL BE A
NEW HEAVEN, A NEW EARTH. THE PRESENT EARTH THAT WE'RE LIVING
IN TODAY WILL BE DESTROYED. THE CURRENT HEAVEN WHERE SOME OF YOU
HAVE RELATIVES LIVING RIGHT NOW, THAT WILL BE RENOVATED OR
DESTROYED. THOSE THINGS WILL PASS AWAY. GOD'S BRINGING ABOUT
A TOTALLY NEW THING AT THIS POINT. IT'S A NEW EARTH, A NEW
HEAVEN, AND A NEW CITY ON THAT EARTH, WHICH IS REFERRED TO HERE
IN CHAPTER 21 AS THE NEW JERUSALEM. JESUS SPOKE OF IT AND
THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPOKE OF IT AS WELL. I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT
JUST FOR PROOF HERE. ISAIAH 65:17-19 SAYS FOR, THIS IS
ISAIAH, "FOR BEHOLD, I CREATE NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, AND
THE FORMER SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED OR COME TO MIND. BUT
BE GLAD AND REJOICE FOREVER IN WHAT I CREATE. FOR BEHOLD, I
CREATE JERUSALEM AS A REJOICING AND HER PEOPLE A JOY. I WILL
REJOICE IN JERUSALEM AND JOY IN MY PEOPLE. THE VOICE OF WEEPING
SHALL NO LONGER BE HEARD IN HER, NOR THE VOICE OF CRYING. NOTICE
WHAT WE'VE READ IN REVELATION 21. IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
THE PROPHET ISAIAH 700 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST IS PREDICTING THIS
NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH AND THE NEW JERUSALEM THAT WE SAW JOHN
JUST DESCRIBE IN REVELATION 21. GOD PROPHETICALLY SHOWED HIM
THIS AND HE WRITES ABOUT IT THERE. ALSO, THE APOSTLE PETER
WROTE ABOUT THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH. LET'S LOOK AT
THAT SCRIPTURE, 2 PETER 3:10. BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL
COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT, WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY
WITH A GREAT NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH FERVENT
HEAT, AND BOTH THE EARTH AND THE WORKS THAT ARE IN IT WILL BE
BURNED UP. THEREFORE, SINCE ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE DISSOLVED,
WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YOU BE IN HOLY ONDUCT AND GODLINESS?
LOOKING FOR AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD,
BECAUSE OF WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL BE DISSOLVED, BEING ON
FIRE, AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT. NEVERTHELESS,
WE, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW
EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS. AMEN. SO THE NEW HEAVEN,
THE NEW EARTH IS WHAT'S COMING IN OUR FUTURE. AND EVERYONE
WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WILL ENJOY THIS FOR
ETERNITY. NOW, LOOK AGAIN HOW JOHN DESCRIBES THIS EVENT IN
CHAPTER 21, VERSE 1. I'M GOING TO READ IT OVER AGAIN FOR A
PURPOSE. "NOW I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, FOR THE FIRST
HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH HAD PASSED AWAY, AND THERE WAS NO
MORE SEA." JOHN SAYS, "THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH PASS
AWAY." IN YOUR MIND, TRY TO IMAGINE THIS NEW HEAVEN. I WANT
YOU TO IMAGINE AS WE'RE READING THROUGH CHAPTER 21, HEAVEN WILL
BE A PLACE THAT THERE'LL BE NO MORE SORROW ABOUT ANYTHING.
THERE'S NEVER GONNA BE ANOTHER BAD DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR
EXISTENCE. AND AT THIS POINT OF TIME, WE'RE WAY PAST THAT
MILLENNIAL PERIOD THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE THOUSAND YEAR
MILLENNIUM. SATAN, THE FALSE PROPHET, THE ANTICHRIST, THEY'RE
ALL IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. EVERY UNRIGHTEOUS PERSON WHO'S DENIED
CHRIST IS NOW IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. EVERYTHING'S BRAND NEW AT
THIS POINT. THERE'S A NEW HEAVEN, A NEW EARTH. THERE'S NO
MORE DEATH, NO MORE CRYING, NO MORE SUFFERING, NO MORE PRESENCE
OF EVIL, NO MORE TEMPTATION, NO MORE FEAR. NOTHING BAD. EVERY
PERSON YOU MEET, PASTOR KEITH, WILL BE HONEST, LOVING, SINCERE,
LIKABLE, AND TRUTHFUL, INCLUDING YOURSELF. SOME PEOPLE CAN'T
BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA BE SO LIKABLE. WHY DON'T YOU LOOK AT
YOUR NEIGHBOR TONIGHT AND SAY, "I'M GOING TO BE LIKABLE." IF
YOU'RE NOT LIKABLE NOW, YOU WILL BE THEN. YOU'LL HAVE NO REASON
TO HAVE A BAD DAY OR HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE THERE. HALLELUJAH.
FOREVER, YOU AND I WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE A PERFECT, LOVING,
SAFE, JOYFUL EXISTENCE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. IT'S
WONDERFUL TO IMAGINE, BUT IT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO GRASP BECAUSE
WE'RE USED TO EARTHLY THINGS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY PAUL WOULD
WRITE TO THE CORINTHIANS, 1 CORINTHIANS 2, VERSES NINE AND
10, HE SAID, "THAT IS WHAT THE SCRIPTURES MEAN WHEN THEY SAY,
"NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD, "NO MIND HAS IMAGINED
WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED "FOR THOSE THAT LOVE HIM." BUT IT WAS TO US
THAT GOD REVEALED THESE THINGS BY HIS SPIRIT, FOR HIS SPIRIT
SEARCHES OUT EVERYTHING AND SHOWS US GOD'S DEEP SECRETS.
NONE OF US CAN REALLY IMAGINE WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US IN
THIS WONDERFUL NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH, BUT VERSE 10 TELLS US
THAT HE'S REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT. GOD REVEALS US AND
SHOWS US DEEP SECRETS BY HIS SPIRIT. THANK GOD FOR THE HOLY
SPIRIT. SO WE HAVE TO GRASP IT BY OUR SPIRIT BECAUSE MENTALLY
IT'S ALMOST BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION. IT'S SO INCREDIBLE
THE THINGS THAT ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS CHAPTER. ANOTHER ASPECT
THAT WE LOOK AT IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, THIS IS A FUTURE
HOME FOR ALL THE SAINTS. IT'S A BRILLIANT, MULTICOLORED CITY
WITH STREETS OF GOLD AND GATES OF PEARL. IN FACT, IN JOHN,
EXCUSE ME, IN 2 JOHN, WHERE DID I GET THIS? I GOT THE WRONG
SCRIPTURE HERE. WELL, WE'LL JUST GO ON. REVELATION 21:2. JOHN
SPEAKS ABOUT, HE SAYS, "I SAW THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM,
"COMING DOWN TO HEAVEN, OUT OF HEAVEN, "FROM GOD, PREPARED AS A
BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND." AND THERE'S SIGNIFICANCE IN
THAT. THINK ABOUT A WEDDING DAY AND HOW A BRIDE PREPARES HERSELF
FOR HER HUSBAND. IT'S A DESCRIPTION THAT JOHN GIVES
REGARDING THIS NEW CITY THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. IN THE SAME
ANTICIPATION OF HOW A BRIDE GETS ALL PREPPED AND READY FOR HER
WEDDING DAY, IT'S A DESCRIPTION, IT'S A PICTURE THAT WE CAN SEE
GOD'S PREPARING SOMETHING VERY BEAUTIFUL FOR US, HIS BRIDE.
JUST LIKE AN EARTHLY MAN SO EXCITED TO PROVIDE FOR HIS
BRIDE, JOHN IS DELIBERATELY USING THE LANGUAGE OF MARRIAGE,
A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS
IS BUILDING FOR US IN HEAVEN. IT'S A PICTURE THAT SYMBOLIZES
WHAT GOD'S PREPARED TO REWARD US WITH, AMEN? SOMETHING SO
INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, AND BEAUTIFUL FOR ETERNITY. LET'S
CONTINUE. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE SEE IN REVELATION 21
IS THAT GOD WILL BE PRESENT BECAUSE HE TELLS US THAT IN
VERSE 3. LET'S LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. REVELATION 21:3, "AND I
HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, 'BEHOLD, THE TABERNACLE
OF GOD IS WITH MEN, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM.'" THAT'S
SPEAKING OF GOD. "AND THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE. "GOD HIMSELF WILL
BE WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD." DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD THE FATHER
WILL BECOME AN EARTH DWELLER AT THAT POINT IN TIME? WHEN THE NEW
JERUSALEM COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH, GOD THE FATHER WILL BE
AN EARTH DWELLER. HALLELUJAH. FATHER GOD WILL BE AMONG MEN
FOREVER AND EVER FROM THIS TIME FORWARD. AND THERE'S OTHER
SCRIPTURES WE COULD LOOK AT, I'M JUST KIND OF GOING FAST TONIGHT,
THAT WOULD BACK THAT UP. BUT JUMP AHEAD WITH ME, WE'RE GONNA
JUST QUICKLY LOOK AT REVELATION 22, ONE THROUGH FIVE, AND WE'LL
SEE ANOTHER VERIFICATION THAT FATHER GOD WILL BE WITH US.
REVELATION 22, VERSES 1-5, SAYS, "THEN THE ANGEL SHOWED ME A
RIVER "WITH THE WATER OF LIFE CLEAR AS CRYSTAL, "FLOWING FROM
THE THRONE OF GOD AND FROM THE LAMB. IT FLOWED DOWN FROM THE
CENTER OF THE MAIN STREET. ON EACH SIDE OF THE RIVER GREW A
TREE OF LIFE, BEARING 12 CROPS OF FRUIT WITH A FRESH CROP EACH
MONTH. THE LEAVES WERE USED FOR MEDICINE TO HEAL THE NATIONS. NO
LONGER WILL THERE BE A CURSE UPON ANYTHING, FOR THE THRONE OF
GOD, THE THRONE OF GOD, AND OF THE LAMB." THE THRONE OF GOD IS
TALKING ABOUT THE FATHER GOD. WHO'S THE LAMB? JESUS. SO THE
THRONE OF FATHER GOD AND OF JESUS WILL BE THERE AND HIS
SERVANTS WILL WORSHIP HIM. AND THEY WILL SEE HIS FACE AND HIS
NAME WILL BE WRITTEN ON THEIR FOREHEADS. AND THERE'LL BE NO
NIGHT THERE, NO NEED FOR LAMPS OR SUN, FOR THE LORD GOD WILL
SHINE IN THEM AND THEY WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.
HALLELUJAH. PRAISE GOD. THE LORD'S JUST GOING TO BE DWELLING
WITH US, LIVING AMONG US, AND WALKING AMONG US. IN VERSE 4, WE
READ THAT IN THIS PLACE, DEATH, PAIN, AND ALL OUR SORROWS WILL
BE ABSENT. LET'S LOOK AT REVELATION 21:4. I'M JUST KIND
OF GOING THROUGH THOSE SAME VERSES THAT WE READ EARLIER AND
DOING IT INDIVIDUALLY HERE. "AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR
FROM THEIR EYES. THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH, NO SORROW, NOR
CRYING. THERE SHALL BE NO MORE PAIN, FOR THE FORMER THINGS HAVE
PASSED AWAY." YOU KNOW, EILEEN AND I LOVE BEING GRANDPARENTS.
AND WHEN OUR GRANDSON, FINN, WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD, HE CAME TO
STAY WITH US A FEW DAYS. AND AFTER BEING WITH US FOR TWO
NIGHTS, HE STARTED TO MISS HIS PARENTS, AND HIS CHIN QUIVERED,
TEARS CAME, AND WE KNEW IT WAS TIME FOR A PHONE CALL HOME. AND
ONCE FENN HEARD HIS PARENTS' VOICE, HE WAS REASSURED THAT
EVERYTHING WOULD BE ALL RIGHT AND HE WAS ABLE TO FINALLY
SNUGGLE IN AND GO TO SLEEP. IT'S A NORMAL THING FOR A CHILD TO
MISS THEIR ROUTINE AND WANT TO BE AT HOME. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN
OLD GOSPEL HYMN, "THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME. I'M JUST PASSING
THROUGH. MY TREASURES ARE LAID UP SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE BLUE.
THE ANGELS BECKON ME FROM HEAVEN'S OPEN DOOR, AND I CAN'T
FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE." WELL, THE BIBLE'S
DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A PHOTOGRAPH THAT REMINDS US WHY
WE WOULD WANT TO GO HOME. IT'S EVERY CHRISTIAN'S DESIRE TO BE
IN HEAVEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME. WE CAN GET ATTACHED TO THIS
WORLD, BUT THERE'S A LONGING IN EVERY CHRISTIAN'S HEART TO BE IN
HEAVEN WITH JESUS WHEN OUR ASSIGNMENT HERE IS FINISHED.
UNDERSTAND, THERE'S NO OTHER TIME THAT I'D RATHER BE ALIVE
THAN TODAY. THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME TO LIVE, AND I DON'T WANNA
GO HOME UNTIL MY ASSIGNMENT'S FINISHED HERE, AND YOU SHOULDN'T
EITHER. I BELIEVE THIS GENERATION WILL WITNESS THE
GREATEST END-TIME HARVEST THAT ANY GENERATION HAS EVER SEEN.
SOME OF YOU ARE EXCITED THAT WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN, YOU CAN
ASK PETER AND JAMES AND JOHN, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE DURING
THE TIME OF JESUS AND WALK WITH JESUS AND SEE HIM DO MIRACLES
AND JUST TO BE WITH HIM? WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? YOU WANNA KNOW.
BUT DID YOU EVER THINK THAT MAYBE PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN MAY
COME UP TO YOU SOMEDAY AND SAY, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE DURING
THE GREATEST HARVEST SEASON ON EARTH WHEN BILLIONS OF SOULS
CAME TO JESUS? AMEN. WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY, AND WE HAVE TO
FULFILL EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS PLANNED FOR US, OUR ASSIGNMENT.
WE HAVE TO FULFILL THOSE BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS EARTH. DON'T LET
THE DEVIL TAKE YOU OUT EARLY. FULFILL YOUR PLAN. I SHOULD SAY,
FOR YOUR LIFE. BUT IT IS FINE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT OUR FUTURE IN
HEAVEN. OTHERWISE, GOD WOULDN'T HAVE SHOWED US ALL THIS. IF HE
DIDN'T WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT IT AND BE EXCITED ABOUT IT, IT
WOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE BIBLE, AMEN? BUT IN HEAVEN, THERE'LL BE
NO MORE CANCER, NO MORE DIVORCE, NO MORE REJECTION OR LONELINESS,
NO MORE DEPRESSION, NO MORE WHEELCHAIRS OR PACEMAKERS, NO
MORE RADIATION OR CHEMOTHERAPY, NO MORE CROSSES ALONGSIDE THE
ROAD, NO MORE CHILD ABUSE, NO MORE RAPE, NO MORE FUNERAL HOMES
OR ORPHANAGES, NO MORE NURSING HOMES, NO MORE TREATMENT
CENTERS. THANK GOD THERE'LL BE NO MORE PINK SLIPS, THERE'LL BE
NO MORE FORECLOSURES. HALLELUJAH. THE END OF VERSE
FOUR TELLS US "THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY, IT'S DONE.
"BEHOLD, HE MAKES ALL THINGS NEW." LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 5,
21:5. IT SAYS, "THEN HE WHO SAT ON THE THRONE SAID, "BEHOLD, I
MAKE ALL THINGS NEW. "HE SAID TO ME, WRITE, FOR THESE WORDS ARE
TRUE AND FAITHFUL." SO EVERYTHING'S BRAND NEW. THIS IS
NOT A MAKEOVER. IT'S NOT A FIXER UPPER. SOME OF YOU HAVE MAYBE
WATCHED THAT SHOW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN ON OR IF
IT EVEN IS ON ANYMORE. IT WAS CALLED "EXTREME MAKEOVER." AND
THE IDEA, THEY WOULD TAKE A HOME THAT WAS FACING-- YOU KNOW, IT
WAS IN BAD SHAPE, A DILAPIDATED HOME, AND THEY WOULD GIVE IT A
RADICAL MAKEOVER FOR A FAMILY THAT COULDN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT
UP THEMSELVES. THE HOUSE WAS IN SAD SHAPE, BUT BY THE TIME THE
TEAM THAT HAD COME IN TO DO THE RENOVATION HAD FINISHED, THE
FAMILY WAS THRILLED WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND REDONE.
IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT. BUT EVEN AFTER THE HOME RECEIVED THE
EXTREME MAKEOVER, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS BUILDING A NEW HOME WITH
THE EXACT DESIGN THAT WE ALL DESIRE SOMETIMES. REMODELING HAS
ITS LIMITATIONS. REVELATION 21 TELLS US THIS IS A NEW HEAVEN
AND A NEW EARTH, AND GOD'S GONNA MAKE IT PERFECT FOR WHAT WE
NEED. AND BOY, WHEN YOU SEE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THERE
TONIGHT, BUT WHEN YOU SEE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW
JERUSALEM, THE SIZE OF IT, AND HOW WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED IN THE
NEW JERUSALEM COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, THERE'S A GOOD
DESCRIPTION IN THE REMAINDER OF, THE ENDING OF CHAPTER 21 AND
PART OF CHAPTER 22 OF REVELATION GIVES A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF
THAT. WE'LL LOOK AT THAT LATER. BUT IT'S DESIGNED BY GOD
PERFECTLY. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DECIDED TO EXPAND OUR
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILD THIS AUDITORIUM, AT THE TIME WE WERE
MEETING UP AT THE SOUTH END IN WHAT WE CALL THE OLD SOUTH
AUDITORIUM, IT WAS A ROOM THAT WOULD BARELY SEAT 450 PEOPLE.
SEATING WAS REALLY TIGHT THERE ON SUNDAYS. I CALLED IT AIRLINE
SEATING BECAUSE WE WERE JUST LIKE PACKED IN THERE LIKE
SARDINES. I THINK WE LIMITED, I DON'T KNOW, IF THE FIRE CHIEF
HAD EVER COME IN, HE'D PROBABLY SAID YOUR PAST CAPACITY, BUT WE
WERE TIGHT. BUT WE MET WITH THE ARCHITECT AND WE WERE DRAWING UP
PLANS TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING END DOWN HERE THAT WAS, WELL
PART OF IT WAS USED BY HEARTLAND HOPE MISSION AND PART OF IT WAS
AN OLD PET WORLD AREA WHEN THEY HAD A PET STORE HERE YEARS AGO.
BUT HEARTLAND HOPE WAS USING IT FOR CLOTHING AND A FOOD PANTRY.
AND WE'VE GOT A PICTURE HERE, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU DON'T
REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE COME, YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE
THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKED
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO. THAT'S WHAT
IT LOOKED LIKE. IT LOOKED LIKE, WELL, THAT AMAZING PIZZA MACHINE
BUILDING THAT YOU SEE OVER THERE NOW. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THIS
BUILDING LOOKED LIKE AT THE TIME. SO WE DECIDED THAT
BUILDING FROM SCRATCH, WHAT WE NEEDED WAS A LOT BETTER IN THE
LONG RUN THAN TRYING TO RENOVATE IT. AND YOU CAN SEE WE STARTED
THE RENOVATION THERE. THEY WERE STARTING TO TEAR DOWN THE
BUILDING, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CONSTRUCTION FENCE UP
AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO START THE
DEMOLITION THERE. I WANTED YOU TO SEE THAT. THE MORE WE
DISCUSSED AND ANALYZED, WE REALIZED THERE WAS NO WAY WE
COULD REALLY GET WHAT WE NEEDED BY RENOVATING THAT OLD BUILDING.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE CEILING HEIGHT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD
THE STADIUM SEATING AND THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE REALLY
NEEDED FOR THE CAPACITY. AND IT DEFINITELY COSTS MORE TO TEAR IT
DOWN AND REBUILD, BUT IT'S BEEN WORTH IT IN THE END BECAUSE WE
GOT WHAT WE NEEDED. SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO JUST PAY THE PRICE.
AND YOU CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE A SILK PURSE OUT OF A SOW'S EAR. THAT'S
THE OLD, MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE. THAT REALLY GOES, THAT
TAKES US BACK, DOESN'T IT? (LAUGHING) BUT ANYWAY, LOOK WHAT
GOD HAS DONE. SO, THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH WILL BE
COMPLETELY BRAND NEW. THIS OLD EARTH IS GONNA BE RENOVATED BY
FIRE. EVERYTHING THAT MANKIND BUILT AND DESIGNED, MUCH OF IT
WAS TAINTED BY SIN. THAT'LL ALL BE GONE. "IT'S A NEW HEAVEN, A
NEW EARTH, A NEW BEAUTIFUL CITY, "THE NEW JERUSALEM COMING DOWN
OUT OF HEAVEN, "PREPARED AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND."
AND JOHN, OF COURSE, TELLS US THAT BELIEVERS WILL BE PRESENT
IN THIS PLACE. LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 21, VERSES, I'M SORRY,
CHAPTER 21, VERSES SIX AND SEVEN. IT SAYS, "AND HE SAID TO
ME, 'IT IS DONE. "'I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE
BEGINNING AND THE END. "'I WILL GIVE OF THE FOUNTAIN OF THE
WATER OF LIFE FREELY TO HIM WHO THIRSTS. HE WHO OVERCOMES SHALL
INHERIT ALL THINGS, AND I WILL BE HIS GOD, AND HE SHALL BE MY
SON. HE WHO OVERCOMES SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS, AND I WILL
BE HIS GOD, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON.'" SO IT'S TELLING US RIGHT
THERE, THOSE THAT ARE OVERCOMERS, THE CHRISTIANS THAT
ARE FAITHFUL THAT HAVE MADE IT, WILL INHERIT THIS NEW KINGDOM,
THE NEW HEAVEN, THE NEW EARTH, AND THE NEW JERUSALEM. HE WHO
OVERCOMES WILL INHERIT ALL THINGS. I WILL BE HIS GOD AND HE
SHALL BE MY SON. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS BELIEVERS WILL BE
PRESENT IN HEAVEN. THE SAD NEWS IS BASED ON THEIR CHOICES THAT
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UNBELIEVERS WILL BE ABSENT. AND WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT WHEN I READ VERSE EIGHT, THE COWARDLY,
UNBELIEVING, ABOMINABLE, MURDERERS, SEXUALLY IMMORAL,
SORCERERS, IDOLATERS, ALL LIARS SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE
LAKE WHICH BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE. THAT'S THE SECOND
DEATH. NOW IF WE JUMP AHEAD AND TAKE NOTE OF THE LAST VERSE OF
THIS CHAPTER, VERSE 27, REVELATION 21:27, IT SAYS, "BUT
THERE SHALL BE BY NO MEANS ENTER IN ANYTHING THAT DEFILES OR
CAUSES AN ABOMINATION OR A LIE, BUT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE WRITTEN
IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE." SO IF YOUR NAME'S WRITTEN IN THE
LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE, YOU HAVE ENTRANCE INTO THIS BEAUTIFUL
KINGDOM. HALLELUJAH. IT'S A REMINDER TO US THAT BELIEVERS
WILL BE PRESENT, BUT UNBELIEVERS WILL BE ABSENT. NOW, LET'S LOOK
AT THE FINAL POINTS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY WIND UP
HERE TONIGHT. I WANT TO LOOK AT THREE MORE POINTS TONIGHT
CONCERNING THE NEW JERUSALEM, AND THAT'S REVELATION 21:11 AND
23, "THERE'S NO SUN, NO MOON, BUT THE LIGHT WILL BE BRIGHT
WITH GOD'S GLORY." AND THEN REVELATION 21, VERSES 12:17,
AND 21, "THE WALL WILL BE HIGH AND WIDE WITH GATES OF PEARL."
AND THEN FINALLY, VERSE 14, "THE FOUNDATION WILL BE DEEP WITH 12
LAYERS." REVELATION 21, VERSES 9 THROUGH 14. I WANT TO READ THAT,
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE THROUGH THOSE POINTS. "THEN ONE OF THE
SEVEN ANGELS, WHO HAD THE SEVEN BOWLS FILLED WITH THE SEVEN LAST
PLAGUES, CAME TO ME AND TALKED WITH ME, SAYING, "COME, I WILL
SHOW YOU THE BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE." AND HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN
THE SPIRIT TO A GREAT AND HIGH MOUNTAIN, AND SHOWED ME THE
GREAT CITY, THE HOLY JERUSALEM, DESCENDING OUT OF HEAVEN FROM
GOD. HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD, HER LIGHT WAS LIKE A MOST
PRECIOUS STONE, LIKE A JASPER STONE, CLEAR AS CRYSTAL. AND SHE
HAD A GREAT AND HIGH WALL WITH TWELVE GATES AND TWELVE ANGELS
AT THE GATES, AND THE NAMES WRITTEN ON THEM, WHICH ARE THE
NAMES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. THREE
GATES ON THE EAST, THREE GATES ON THE NORTH, THREE GATES ON THE
SOUTH, AND THREE GATES ON THE WEST. NOW THE WALL OF THE CITY
HAD TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, AND ON THEM WERE THE NAMES OF THE
TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE LAMB. HALLELUJAH. SO, VERSE 11 SAYS,
"HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD, HER LIGHT WAS LIKE A MOST PRECIOUS
STONE, LIKE A JASPER STONE, CLEAR AS CRYSTAL." THE CITY WILL
HAVE A VERY BRILLIANT LIGHT. VERSE 23 OF REVELATION 21 SAYS,
"AND THE CITY HAD NO NEED OF SUN, NEITHER OF THE MOON TO
SHINE IN IT, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD DID LIGHTEN IT, AND THE LAMB
IS THE LIGHT THEREOF." THERE'S NO SUN PRESENT. THERE'S NO MOON
PRESENT. THERE'S NO NEED FOR A SUN OR MOON IN THIS NEW EARTH
AND NEW HEAVEN. THE LIGHT'S GOING TO COME FROM GOD'S GLORY.
THE BRILLIANCE OF THE LORD'S GLORY WILL ILLUMINATE THE WHOLE
CITY. NOW CONSIDER WHAT THIS MEANS. THAT MEANS THERE'S NO
NIGHTTIME. WE THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS ROUTINE OF 24-HOUR DAY
CYCLES OR 24-HOUR CYCLES IN OUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, WE GET UP IN THE
MORNING, WE GO TO BED AT NIGHT. IMAGINE NOW THERE'S NO
NIGHTTIME. THERE'S NO NEED FOR NIGHTTIME BECAUSE YOU WON'T NEED
TO GO TO BED. YOU WON'T NEED TO SLEEP ANYMORE. YOU WON'T NEED TO
SLEEP. SOME OF YOU ARE GASPING RIGHT NOW AND SAY, BUT PASTOR
DOUG, IF I NEVER GET ANY SLEEP, I'M REALLY GONNA BE CRANKY. BUT
THERE'LL BE NO SLEEPING IN. THE REASON WE NEED TO SLEEP IN NOW
IS BECAUSE OUR BODY NEEDS TO REJUVENATE. AND SLEEP'S A
WONDERFUL HEALING PROCESS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PRESENCE OF
THE LORD, THERE'S NO NIGHT, YOU HAVE A GLORIFIED BODY, YOU WON'T
NEED TO GO TO BED. YOU DON'T NEED TO REJUVENATE YOURSELF.
IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT THINGS
WILL BE. BEAUTIFULLY DIFFERENT, MARVELOUSLY DIFFERENT. YOU'LL
NEVER HAVE TO SAY AGAIN, "I DIDN'T SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT."
YOU'LL NEVER EXPERIENCE SLEEP DEPRIVATION. THE PHRASE, "THE
CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS," WAS FIRST APPLIED TO NEW YORK IN A
1912 NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, AND IT WAS POPULARIZED BY FRANK
SINATRA'S ANTHEM, "THEME FROM NEW YORK, NEW YORK." YOU KNOW,
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, MY NIECE KIM LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY, AND I
HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO OFFICIATE AT HER WEDDING. IT WAS FUNNY
BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS LICENSED IN IOWA, AND I WENT OUT TO NEW
YORK CITY AND DID THE WEDDING, AND THEN ABOUT A MONTH LATER, I
GOT THIS NOTICE IN THE MAIL THAT SAID, "THEY'RE NOT OFFICIALLY
MARRIED BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T LICENSED WITH AND FORTUNATELY I
HAD FAVOR AND I SAID, "CAN I APPLY FOR IT NOW?" AND I DON'T
KNOW WHY THEY LET ME, BUT THEY DID. SO THEY DIDN'T LIVE IN SIN
THAT MONTH. I GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF. BUT ANYWAY, WAS IT THAT
FUNNY? OKAY. BUT WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME
FOR OUR FAMILY TO EVER GO TO NEW YORK CITY, AND WE STAYED A
COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY. AFTER THE WEDDING, WE WANTED TO STAY THERE
FOR A LITTLE BIT AND DO A LITTLE BIT OF SIGHTSEEING. AND IT WAS
OUR FIRST TIME, LIKE I SAID, AND WE STAYED A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY
FROM TIMES SQUARE. AND YOU REALLY REALIZE, AND YOU KNOW, I
MEAN, THAT WAS WAY BEFORE COVID. THIS WAS A LONG TIME AGO. THAT
SONG WAS REALLY ACCURATE. THE CITY NEVER SLEEPS. I MEAN, THE
STORES ARE OPEN ALL NIGHT LONG. YOU GO DOWN AT THREE IN THE
MORNING AND THE STORES ARE OPEN. IT JUST WAS AMAZING. EVERYTHING
WAS GOING ALL NIGHT LONG. AND RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A
DAY. I MEAN, THEN AFTER COVID, SOME OF THAT ALL CHANGED ON US.
I REMEMBER WALMART USED TO BE OPEN 24 HOURS AROUND HERE,
DIDN'T THEY? I DON'T THINK THEY ARE ANYMORE, ARE THEY? BUT, HEY,
THINGS CHANGE. BUT IT'S REALLY GONNA BE CHANGED IN THE NEW
HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH. YOU'RE NOT GONNA SLEEP ANYMORE. THE NEW
JERUSALEM IS GONNA BE THE REAL CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. THERE'S
NO NIGHTTIME. AND I'M GUESSING AT THAT POINT, THERE'LL MOST
LIKELY BE A CONSTANT REGULATED TEMPERATURE. "THE SUN BRINGS
LIGHT AND HEAT TO OUR EARTH PRESENTLY. "WITHOUT THE SUN, I
ASSUME THAT GOD WILL GIVE US "PERFECT TEMPERATURE
REGULATION." WOULDN'T THAT BE WONDERFUL? "NO MORE DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES "OVER THE SETTING OF THE THERMOSTAT.
"TURN IT UP, NO I WANT IT DOWN. "TURN IT UP, NO I WANT IT DOWN."
SOMEONE SAID, "THERMOSTATS CAUSE MORE ARGUMENTS THAN POLITICS."
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY OF THAT IN THE NEW JERUSALEM. JESUS
IS GOING TO HAVE HIS HAND ON THE THERMOSTAT, AND EVERYONE'S GOING
TO BE HAPPY. YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THE MOON'S EFFECT ON THE
EARTH. YOU KNOW, THE PART OF MOON'S GRAVITATIONAL PULL
REGULATES THE OCEAN TIDES. BUT IT'S NO PROBLEM NOT HAVING A
MOON ANYMORE BECAUSE IT TELLS US IN THE VERSE WE JUST READ THAT
THERE'S NO SEA ANYMORE. THERE WILL BE A RIVER, WE'RE GONNA
READ ABOUT THAT IN CHAPTER 22, BUT THERE'S NO SEA ON THIS
EARTH. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THE EARTH'S SURFACE IS ABOUT 71%
WATER. BUT THE NEW EARTH, THERE'LL BE NO SEA. BUT WE'LL
SEE THAT IN CHAPTER 22. BY THE WAY, THERE'S NO SEA FOR YOU
BEACH LOVERS, SO IF YOU'RE GONNA MISS THE BEACH, I'M SORRY. BUT
AGAIN, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT EVEN GONNA CARE. IN REALITY,
EVERYTHING THAT YOU LOVE NOW WILL BE MUCH BETTER THAN THERE.
OR HERE. MUCH BETTER HERE. MUCH BETTER THERE THAN HERE, THAT'S
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. YOU GOT IT, YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT I MEAN.
YOUR DESIRE WILL BE TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THE LORD AND THE
THINGS IN THIS NEW HEAVEN, WHICH IS LITERALLY ON EARTH. GOD WILL
GIVE US ASSIGNMENTS. WE'RE GONNA BE RULING AND REIGNING WITH HIM.
IT'S GONNA BE SO NEW AND SO INCREDIBLE. IT'S GONNA BE FAR
ABOVE ANYTHING THAT WE EXPERIENCE NOW. WE CAN'T IMAGINE
IT REALLY. VERSE 12 TELLS US THAT THE WALLS OF THIS CITY WILL
BE HIGH AND WIDE WITH 12 GATES, REVELATION 21:12. ALSO, SHE HAD
A GREAT AND HIGH WALL WITH 12 GATES, 12 ANGELS AT THE GATES,
AND THE NAMES WRITTEN ON THEM, WHICH ARE THE NAMES OF THE 12
TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. IT'S INTERESTING, VERSE
13 DESCRIBES THE SPECIFIC LAYOUT OF THESE GATES. IT SAYS THERE'S
THREE GATES ON THE EAST, THREE GATES ON THE NORTH, THREE GATES
ON THE SOUTH, AND THREE GATES ON THE WEST. AND WHEN YOU LOOK INTO
THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS, YOU'LL SEE THE
CONFIGURATION OF THE ENCAMPMENT OF ISRAEL. AND THIS IS WHERE, AT
THE TIME THEY WERE MOVING OUT OF SLAVERY IN EGYPT INTO THE
PROMISED LAND. NUMBERS 2 AND 3 LAYS OUT THE CONFIGURATION OF
THE DIFFERENT TRIBES. AND JUST SO THAT YOU COULD SEE IT FOR
FUN, I WANTED YOU TO SEE A PICTURE OF THAT. AND HERE IS
WHAT COULD BE THE SAME NAMES THAT ARE ON THE GATES THAT ARE
REFERRED TO IN THIS CHAPTER 21 OF REVELATION. THIS WAS
SPECIFICALLY LAID OUT BY GOD'S INSTRUCTION FOR ISRAEL. LIKE I
SAID, IT'S OUT OF NUMBERS CHAPTER 2 AND CHAPTER 3. BUT
BIBLE SCHOLARS BELIEVE THESE GATES MIGHT HAVE THE SAME NAMES
OF THE TRIBES THAT ARE IDENTICAL TO THIS ENCAMPMENT
CONFIGURATION. VERSE 13 TELLS US SPECIFICALLY IN THE TEXT THAT
THERE WERE THREE GATES. GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THAT UP FOR A MINUTE.
THREE GATES ON THE EAST. WE HAVE THREE GATES. WE HAVE JUDAH,
ISSACHAR, AND ZEBULUN HERE. THREE GATES ON THE SOUTH, GAD,
SIMEON, REUBEN. THREE GATES OVER HERE ON THE WEST, BENJAMIN,
MANASSEH, AND EPHRAIM. AND THEN WE HAVE THREE GATES ON THE
NORTH, DAN, ASHER, AND NAPHTALI. SO THAT COULD BE, WE DON'T KNOW
FOR SURE, THAT COULD BE THE SAME CONFIGURATION THAT IS USED IN
THE HOLY CITY. 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL ON THE GATES. IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING IF THE NEW JERUSALEM IS CONSISTENT WITH THIS
ENCAMPMENT UP HERE. EDDIE, YOU CAN COME BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT
READY TO CLOSE HERE. REVELATION 21:14 SAYS, "NOW THE WALL OF THE
CITY HAD 12 FOUNDATIONS, AND ON THEM WERE THE NAMES OF THE 12
APOSTLES OF THE LAMB." SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING THING, TOO. THE
LAMB IS A TITLE THAT'S USED, OF COURSE, TO DESCRIBE JESUS. IT'S
USED MORE THAN ANY OTHER TITLE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. IT'S
USED 26 TIMES. IT'S A REFERENCE TO JESUS. HE IS THE LAMB. AND IT
SAYS, "THE CITY HAD 12 FOUNDATIONS, "AND ON THEM WERE
THE NAMES OF THE 12 APOSTLES "OF JESUS," OR THE LAMB. WHO ARE THE
12 APOSTLES? WELL, WE KNOW THAT JUDAS PROBABLY IS NOT INCLUDED
IN THAT LIST. SO, WE HAVE 11 APOSTLES. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT
ACTS 1:26, IT SAYS, "THEY CAST THEIR LOTS, AND THE LOT FELL ON
MATTHIAS, AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE ELEVEN APOSTLES." SO
ACCORDING TO THE WORD, THEY CAST LOTS AND MATTHIAS WAS PICKED AS
THE TWELFTH APOSTLE. NOW SOME THEOLOGIANS BELIEVE IT'S GOING
TO BE THE APOSTLE PAUL. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY. I HAVEN'T
REALLY STUDIED THAT OUT. ALL I'M GOING BY IS WHAT THE WORD SAYS,
ACTS 1:26. IT SAYS THAT MATTHIAS WAS IT. SO WE'LL GO WITH THAT.
AND I DID HAVE A PICTURE OUT HERE SO YOU COULD SEE THE TWELVE
APOSTLES. AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE TIME TO NAME THOSE. BUT
IT'S JUST ONE MORE PROOF TO ME THAT GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH
JEWISH HISTORY. VERSE 12 TELLS US THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL HAVE
THEIR NAMES WRITTEN ON THE GATES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM. AND THEN
VERSE 14 EXPLAINS THE WALLS OF THE CITY HAVE 12 FOUNDATIONS
WITH THE 12 APOSTLES' NAMES WRITTEN ON THEM. AND IT APPEARS
TO ME THAT THERE'S STILL A SIGNIFICANT ROLE THAT JEWISH
HISTORY PLAYS IN OUR PROPHETIC FUTURE. YOU KNOW, WE HEAR PEOPLE
SAY TODAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, GOD'S DONE WITH ISRAEL. AND THE JEWISH
PEOPLE HAD THEIR CHANCE. THAT IS NOT ACCURATE AND IT IS NOT TRUE.
GOD IS NOT DONE WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND GOD'S NOT DONE WITH
THE NATION OF ISRAEL. MUCH OF FUTURE BIBLE PROPHECY IS HINGED
TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL. WE LOOKED PREVIOUSLY AT SEVERAL
SCRIPTURES CONCERNING THE REBIRTH OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAY 14TH, 1948 HEADLINE IN THE PALESTINE
POST THAT SAID, THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS BORN. AND THEN WE
LOOKED AT SCRIPTURES, ONE OF THEM EZEKIEL 38, VERSES 11
THROUGH 14, IT SAID THERE THAT EZEKIEL PROPHESIED THE
REFORMATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL, THE REGATHERING OF THE
JEWISH PEOPLE. HE DID THAT 2,600 YEARS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. AND
ISAIAH ALSO PROPHESIED THAT ISRAEL WOULD COME BACK AGAIN TO
A NATION IN ISAIAH 11:11. AND I THINK IT JUST BOLSTERS OUR FAITH
TO REALIZE THAT PROPHECIES THAT ARE OVER 2,000 YEARS OLD WERE
JUST FULFILLED IN 1948. AND THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT IN THE
BOOK OF REVELATION COULD NOT COME TO PASS IN THE WAY THAT
THEY'RE PROPHESIED IF ISRAEL HAD NOT BEEN A NATION AGAIN.
HALLELUJAH. IT'S AMAZING. WHAT AN ASSURANCE TO US THAT
PROPHETIC EVENTS, IT'S GETTING DARK IN HERE. MEANS IT'S TIME TO
CLOSE, I GUESS THEY WANT ME OUT OF HERE, PASTOR DAVE. IT'S AN
ASSURANCE THAT THE PROPHETIC EVENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN
THE BOOK OF REVELATION WILL INEVITABLY COME TO PASS, AMEN.
IT'S IN THEIR FUTURE. GOD IS KEEPING HIS HISTORY WITH THE
JEWISH PEOPLE INTACT AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. AND AS WE
CONCLUDE, I AGAIN WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT
WE CAN'T EVEN FATHOM. IT'S OUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE LIVE, OUR
PRAYER IS THAT WE WOULD INFLUENCE OTHERS TO COME TO
CHRIST SO THAT THEY TOO COULD ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF THIS
BEAUTIFUL CITY. WHAT AN AWESOME FUTURE GOD'S PREPARED FOR US.
MAY WE BE MOTIVATED MORE THAN EVER TO REACH PEOPLE FOR THE
GOSPEL, FOR CHRIST. GOD'S GIVING US MORE TIME. HE'S GIVEN US MORE
TIME. WELL, NEXT TIME, WE'RE GOING TO FINISH WITH VERSES 15
THROUGH 27, AND THEN WE'LL HOPEFULLY GET THROUGH THE FINAL
CHAPTER OF REVELATION, CHAPTER 22. BUT IN CLOSING TONIGHT, I
ASKED EDDIE TO COME BACK AND SING AGAIN FOR US, "I CAN ONLY
IMAGINE." BECAUSE IT'S SO FITTING FOR WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT
TONIGHT, THE NEW HEAVEN, THE NEW EARTH, THE NEW JERUSALEM. I CAN
ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE WHEN I WALK BY YOUR SIDE. I
CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MY EYES WOULD SEE WHEN YOUR FACE IS
BEFORE ME. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. EDDIE, I'M GONNA GET YOU TO GO
AHEAD AND LEAD US. WHY DON'T YOU STAND WITH ME TONIGHT AND JUST
WORSHIP THE LORD AS YOU SING WITH EDDIE.
(MUSIC)
OH, HALLELUJAH. WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE
LIKE TO BE WITH YOU, LORD. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE
TONIGHT, LORD. I PRAY A BLESSING ON THOSE THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT,
LORD. LORD, THAT YOU WOULD DIRECT US, GUIDE US, AND USE US
FOR YOUR GLORY TO ACHIEVE EVERYTHING THAT'S IN YOUR HEART
FOR US TO DO. MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
CONCERNING OUR LIVES. I PRAY PROTECTION, BLESSING, HEALTH,
AND PROVISION OVER EVERY PERSON HERE AND THOSE WATCHING ONLINE.
LET'S DO THIS. I FEEL THIS IN MY HEART. LET'S PUT THE NUMBER UP
FOR THE PRAYER LINE. IF YOU'RE WATCHING TONIGHT OR YOU'RE
WATCHING THE ARCHIVES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S OUT THERE SO
THAT YOU CAN CALL TONIGHT. IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, YOU NEED
PRAYER, WE'LL PUT THAT UP THERE FOR YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR
COMING. GOD BLESS YOU. HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT. SEE YOU BACK IN
THE HOUSE ON SUNDAY. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU.