Worship:
Message:
Transcript:
I’m glad you’re here. And I, I think I’ll start off with a joke. My friend Jerry always has a joke for me. And he’s talking about the fact that this guy walked into a bank with a mass gun. And everyone got very frightened until they realize it was just a robbery.
I always mention the fact is Jerry that gave him the joke in case it doesn’t go over, you know, can blame him. The Secret sisters, of course, don’t forget to check the basket out there. And also starting this Tuesday at 6:30, there’s going to be a Bible study, a women’s Bible study through the book of Ephesians. And via and I’ve been doing that together in our personal study. It’s an amazing book. So if you’re able to make it ladies on Tuesday, we encourage you to do so.
Okay, let’s pray. Father, we can be for you in Jesus name. And we thank you so much for the fact that you’ve given us the spirit of peace. You’ve given us the spirit of comfort and hope. And I pray, Lord, that You would just use this use this time as we go through your word to encourage us and help us to realize the great responsibility that we have as believers. Father, I pray that what I share would not be my words, but yours. I beg for your anointing and this and that you would use me to minister to these your precious people I pray in Jesus name, Amen. And Amen. You know, I want you to turn to not look at it yet but just turn to Revelation chapter six. And you know, as far as the this coronavirus, the covert 19th what we have encouraged people to do we put a post on our web page We put a post on. What’s the other thing we have? Facebook block knows all that. And what we’re telling people is if you’re sick, don’t come to church. You know, it’s online. And so you can listen to it live and be part of it. But if you, you know, are feeling healthy. Come on. I mean, you probably have exposure to many less people than you do on a daily basis going anywhere else is so funny I was in by an hour in Walmart the other day, we had to actually buy some things. And here the place is packed while a while you’re moving around, and all these people are shopping so they won’t be exposed to Corona virus. Quite humorous, if it wasn’t so serious, but anyway, I had a very interesting series of texts responding from someone in our church who is A manager of one of the largest accounting firms in in this county. And they are involved in investments as well. And he sent me some information that was very sobering. And some of you might remember in 2007 and eight, we had the housing bubble and how it almost collapsed a bunch of banks and caused a lot of problems. He said, That’s nothing. Because you have to realize what he was saying, is that all this money that’s going into the corona virus, you know, 50 billion now they’re talking about maybe being up to a trillion or several trillion. Now, where do you think that money comes from? You think they go to a piggy bank and open it up? It’s printed, just printed in just print money that leads to inflation. And like yesterday, I went to get some Tylenol is the only thing I can use because I’m blood thinner. And I went into the store and I bought a container of Tylenol $21 Well, you’re going to see that kind of thing starting to happen. So I really wish. And and I’m not saying this to try to make money or to, or anything like that we should all buy my book, and you buy my book for some others as well. And I can order them to the publisher at my cost. I’m not earning a penny from it, you know, for you to three to have the book and to maybe spread it around. Because one of the things that the Lord showed me, I think, is coming clear in what we’re seeing in our history today. You see, I mentioned in the book, there’s a theological term known as the loves for shoes. And so anyway, something is used in the Bible at the beginning. It’s used that way all the way through. But the problem you have is when there is a man made first use, in other words, a man made interpretation of a portion of Scripture, and that’s the way it’s used all the way through. And it can be very confusing. And see, one of the things that I find different than many people that have written books on revelation is the fact that the seals are not the tribulation. The seals are the precursor to the to the tribulation. Because the reality is seals were never part of any scroll. They only identified that the scroll was real. No one ever read the seals, they read the scroll. And so when you look at the seals, especially the first four, they’re just relating man’s inhumanity to man. It’s all horizontal. God’s wrath is vertical. And it’s not until after the fifth seal is open, and you’re getting to the sixth seal. It says now the wrath of God has come on this world. And the reason I mentioned that is because when you study the seals, it helps us understand possibly so Some of the things that are going on today. So if you’re in Revelation six, go to verse five. Revelation says, Go diversify. Then he opened the third seal. And I heard a third living creature say, Come and see. So I looked, and behold a black horse. And he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quart course of barley for generis and do not harm the oil in the wind. When he opened the forest seal, I heard a voice from heaven, saying, The heard the voice of the four legged creature saying, Come and see. So I looked, and behold a pale horse, and the name of Him who sat on it was Death and Hades followed him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill a sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the field, beasts of the earth. And so consequently, when you see how quickly things can change, even in our society, I mean, you have schools that are going to be closed until into April. All these sporting events that have been canceled, movies have been delayed. Of course, that’s all secular stuff, isn’t it? And that can lead to a whole lot of the depravity of man. But anyway, the point I’m getting that you’re seeing all these things happening, and this portion of Scripture is telling us that when we see these things happening, it’s only what God prophesied. And that’s when we need to lift up our head. The trumpets going out. Brothers, you are not in darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief in the night your children to delight children of the day, we’re not supposed to be overtaken. And so we have to understand that the cry has gone out there bridegroom’s coming to bridegroom’s coming. Remember all 10 virgins woke up, they realized he was coming. But only five had oil on their lamps that’s been born again to the Holy Spirit. And the five that didn’t have oil on their lamps, they went to seek more oil. But while they’re gone, the bridegroom came. So we have to realize that when we see all these things happening, what it points out to you and I as believers is that our Lord Jesus is coming for his church very soon. And the worst thing we can do is to go hiding corners, suck our thumbs, and feel he didn’t give us a spirit of fear.
Give us a sound mind. He gave us the opportunity to use this moment in order to share our faith with those around us. And that’s the reason in talking about the book is because that’s what I get into just what we’re talking here. The seals are not part of the tribulation, so What happens, those who believe the seals are either an overview of the tribulation or the first stages of the tribulation, they’re not looking for the seals. We’re looking for the seals. The seals have always been there. History of man, hurting man has always been there. But things are starting to build up. And just as those seals are coming to the combination, he opens a fist seal the soles under the altar, given a white robe, it’s time for the rapture, then the sixth seal is open. And that’s when things happen. And so you and I have to understand the times in which we’re living, and we need to make the most of every opportunity to share our faith. And so I’m just as your pastor, as someone who loves you, I’m speaking to myself, believe me as well as anyone else. We need to make sure that we don’t allow ourselves to get all panicked in a corner, but to share our faith.
Now as far as the virus is concerned, I think we should be sensible. I think we should avoid huge crowded places if we can. I think we really should. Like if you sneeze or cough, we cover yourself. And we should do all those things. But we shouldn’t hide. We should use this as an opportunity to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. And this portion of Scripture we’re getting into, I think, deals with this, in the sense that it deals with those who felt a fear rather than trusting the Lord. So let’s go to Numbers, chapter 14. And we’re going to be picking up in verse 20. And I’m going to give a little introduction from the Gospel of john chapter 12, verses 27 through 28. It says this now, my soul is troubled, and what shall I say father saved me from this hour, but for this purpose, I came to this hour Father, glorify Your name. And that’s what we should be saying, should we hide for this hour? No, Lord, glorify Your name use us to minister to others. Now in Numbers, chapter 14, we’re picking up with verse 20. Then the Lord said, I have pardoned according to your word. But truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all these men who have seen my glory in signs, which I did in Egypt, and in the in the wilderness, and have put me to the test now these 10 times, and have not heeded my voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to your father’s nor shall any of those who reject me see it. But my sermon, Caleb because he has a different spirit In Him, and has followed me fully I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants show inherited. Now the amount of caves and the Canaanites dwell in the valley tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by way of the Red Sea. So we have to understand God does forgive sin when we cry out to Him. He does forgive it. But sometimes there’s a consequence to sin. And God might not have called you and i into the promised land, you know, as such, but he’s called every one of us into His promise has any He’s given us Promises, promises to believers. I mean, do you understand that as believers, we don’t die. On the resurrection the life he that believes in me though he were dead jet show he lived and he that lives and believes in me what never dies. We don’t die. We leave this mortal body, that the essence of who we are so in spirit can’t die. And we simply go to be with the Lord. And so we must always be aware that there are giants that we’re going to face, in our obedience to the Lord.
There’s going to be giants. Some of us have found giants, some of us have, you know, found our giants are ready. Now, how is Caleb and Joshua different from the other 10 they believed God. Revelation 1211, it says, and they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, listen to this, and they did not love their lives to the death. So, God does not put us to a challenge that he has not also equipped us for. And so we have to realize that all we have to simply do is obey. What do I do obey?
Well, how do I they just be open? Let God lead you hear his voice, wherever he wants you to go. You go. Now, why does God call the disciples in Matthew? You know, eight, why does he call them men have little faith in Matthew 826? He says, but he said to them, why are you fearful? Oh, you have little faith? Well, the reason he said that, because of what we read in verse a team, and when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave a command to depart to the other side. So here’s the point I’m making. Jesus told his disciples, get in the boat. We’re going to the other side. And when they were halfway there, a storm came. And they said, oh, we’re gonna perish. We’re gonna perish. You know? You know, and Jesus, of course, was sleeping in the bow of the boat and he got up and he said, Oh, you men have little faith. Why were they men have little faith? He already told them, they were going to the other side. And they didn’t believe it. And when God told the children, children of Israel go into the land, I’ve given it to you but women possess it. Well, let us check it out first Lord. Well, Lord, we checked it out and guess what there giants net land and and we’re going to tell the entire congregation of Israel about these giants and and how scary they are, so that they all decided they weren’t going to go into the land. God had given them that God had promised them. They were calling God a liar is what they were doing. Notice what it tells us though, in verse 24. It says Caleb had a different spirit. What was his dream Spirit, faith. He believed God, it was counted on to him His righteousness is the spirit of trust. Because remember what Caleb and Joshua said, Let’s go in. Let’s just take it, this has nothing for us. We’re just going to take it.
Caleb Joshua, demonstrated the kind of spirit that you and I should desire to have. When we see these giants coming, let’s go in and take the land for the Lord’s sake. Now, as we move on, we’re going to find in this next portion, that the children of Israel, we’re not just complaining, you know, it’s one thing to just say, oh, life is bad. I’m having a hard time and they were complaining against God. In other words, they were accusing God. And that’s the reason the Lord was so angry with them. You know, there’s some people that say, God, why is this happening and there’s other people’s say God, why is this happening? Some of the explanation point is somewhat the question. In other words, you have people say, God, why no, yeah. That’s unbelief. You have other people say, God, why is this happening? belief.
Just show me like I said, I’m ready to go. And so we have to understand things are happening. The cauldron is being stirred up and mic cooled down again. My personal belief, I’m not an expert, but I think you’re going to see the corona virus scare start to die off after a while. But some of the debris that is going to be left behind especially economically might not die off right off. Something to think about numbers 14 and go to verse 23. Now 26 now I’m sorry, 14:26 numbers. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against me. say to them, as I live, says the Lord, just as you have spoken in my hearing, so I will do to you. The carcasses of you who have complained against me, shall fall in the wilderness, all of you who are numbered according to your entire number, from 20 years old and above, they’re gonna fall in the wilderness, except for Caleb, the son of Jeff Neha, and Joshua the son of none. You shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you to do lm, but your little ones who used said would be victims in other words, they use their kids As an excuse why they shouldn’t go in. And so he says your little ones who you said would be victims I will bring in and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in the wilderness, and your son shall be shepherds in the wilderness 40 years and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness, according to the number of the days in which you spied out the land 40 days, for each day, you shall bear your guilt one year, namely 40 years, and you shall know you shall know my rejection. I the Lord has spoken this, I will surely do so to all this evil congregation, who are gathered together against me in the wilderness, they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. Now, the men who Moses sent the spy out the land who returned and made all the congregation complaint against him by bringing a bad report. Those very men who brought the evil report about the Lord guide by the plague before the Lord, but Joshua set of none and Caleb, the seller, Jeff layer remained alive of the men who went to spy out the land. Well, the Lord is very harsh to those that complain, can you see that? It’s absolutely amazing. And why? Because they’re complaining cause other people to fall. They’re complaining cause other people to doubt God. In Romans three, four, it says, let God be true. And every man a liar. This is the word of God. This is a word of God to man. He’s given it to us. It’s a gift. It’s such a beautiful gift. It’s his letter to us of encouragement of love, you know of long suffering of the commitment and charge He’s given us to minister to the world. Such a beautiful book. And when they doubted their ability to go in and take the land, as I mentioned, they were calling God a liar. You know, to not trust the Lord is to believe he’s not capable, right? If you don’t trust the Lord, you don’t believe he’s capable.
Well, the Lord has given us certain promises even in the times we’re living in, and we can trust Him because He is more than capable. And he told us we can be more than conquerors over our fears, over our doubts over all of our questions, that we might be useful to the Lord, to bring the good news to the lost around us. Now, and then they doubted your ability to Enter and conquer the land. It ended up being like an infection. You think the corona virus is an infection that ended up being like an infection spread to the whole camp, the whole camp. It’s absolutely amazing. And those who did not believe that were 20 years old and older, would never enter the land, it tells us their bodies would fall in the wilderness. So understand, it’s a very serious thing to find ourselves working against God, a very serious thing. Now, the spies went in for 40 days. So the kind of nation that God condemnation God brought on them was for 40 years. And notice those who are 20 and younger, did not perish in the desert, but they entered the land of promise that God had given to their parents. You know why? Because the Lord does not hold the children responsible for Parents sense. In other words, if you were 20 years and older, in Israeli society, you didn’t have a right to vote, you didn’t have a right to, to say what you feel only those older did. And they said, No, we’re not going into the land. So God does that. Judge the innocent along with the guilty. That’s something good to know. Now, children, we have to I just wanted to bring this up, because I think this is important to bring out at this point in relationship to God does that hold the children guilty, children who die before the age of accountability or those who are not able to, you know, to give an account. They are promised to go right to heaven, and to be right in the gracious loving arms of the Lord. And we have more than one account but one account I’m going to share with you that proves this is taken from Second Samuel 1222 through 23. And insect the same in 1222 through 23. It says this. And he said, while the chat remember, David had a child, Baba Shiva, and the child was very ill.
And he said, while the child was alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me that the child may live, but now he is dead? Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again, listen to this, this part, I shall go to him. But he should not return to me. In other words, the child’s not going to come back to life. He’s got to be in heaven, and I will go to him. That’s the promise we have any child that dies before the age of accountability or any child who’s unable to give an account.
We go to be with the Lord. They go to be with the Lord, what a promise we have from God. And so for 40 years they wandered in the wilderness to shepherd suffering. Because the result of their unbelief. Now notice, Joshua and Caleb did enter the promised land. Why? Because they believe the Lord. The Lord is not going to hold the innocent to the same condemnation as the guilty. Those who were guilty those 10 spies who, who spread the bad news, it tells us here, they didn’t have to wait for the 40 years to die. They died of a plague right then the 10 spies would give a bad report. Oh, we’re afraid to go into the land we should be afraid to disobey God. But then, Caleb and Joshua and when we get to that point, you’re going to find it Samsung amazing because when they go into the promised land, they’re old guys. And when they go into the promised land is old guys guess what they do? They kill giants. What an encouragement that is to us. Revelation two verses 24 through 25. Now to you I say, into the rest in science, Euro cytera. As many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you know, other burden, but hold fast to what you have to icon. What an encouragement to us. I mean, we live in a world to understand how debased our world has become. It’s absolutely debase. It’s absolutely amazing. And we’re seeing all these things happening in the world. It’s like a cauldron being all stirred up coming to a boy, all these things are happening. But will it be a good chair? Because the Lord has given us promises. When you see these things begin to happen. Lift up your head, pretty redemption dries there. You know, so many people have such a hard time believing in the rapture, but I don’t think they should because there’s so much evidence to the Bible. tells us everything is going to occur just before it happens. And so many things that the Bible had promised would happen. happened. You know, an example of being raised from the dead is Israel for 2000 years, they were scattered throughout the earth.
Not just Babylonian captivity, not just a Syrian captivity. They were scattered throughout the earth. We have Asian Jews, we have black Jews, they’re Jews, their DNA shows they’re Jews. There are scattered throughout the earth. But in Ezekiel 38:12 and Ezekiel 39:12. It makes it very clear that these people these Jews were going to be gathered from the entire earth and May 14, 1948 those same people became a nation in their ancient homeland the Hebrew that they speak today Abraham could understand. Pretty amazing is that? And so we’re living in that time. We see all these nations gathered in the north. I mean, things are going crazy. But you and I, when we see all these things begin to happen, we shouldn’t be like, do we should be saying, Come, Lord Jesus. Let’s say we won’t face some difficulty. And let’s say we will face some hard times. Come Lord Jesus, for me to live as Christ dies gain, to be absent from the bodies to be present with the Lord. We have nothing to lose nothing to fear. That’s why it tells us and Second Peter to five, and did not spare the ancient world. But saved Noah, one of a people, a preacher of righteousness, bring in the flood on the world to the young Isley Well, this flood is coming on the world to the ungodly, then understand this. From the time that the church is taken out of the world, God’s wrath is going to be poured on this world. And his wrath is going to be poured out from the very first year of the tribulation. Now, that’s another thing that people have taught. It’s false teaching, that for the first three and a half years, everything goes great. And then all of a sudden, in the last three and a half years, everything falls apart and the Antichrist doesn’t come into his power until after three and a half years. There is a Babylonian world system of government which we see right now. And the Antichrist is going to be one of the prominent heads and then eventually halfway through that head is going to be as we receive a mortally a mortal wound. He’s going to be healed and everyone will Marvel after him who has liked it. You know, the beef the Antichrist, it was like him Well, we’re seeing all these things begin to happen. Just like when you see people putting out Christmas decorations, you know how close Thanksgiving is? Not really. And when you see the world getting ready for what the Bible is prophesied is going to occur. It shows how close the rapture is. And my question, I wish I had Richard up here singing that song is saying so beautifully. Are you ready? Are you ready? Now I’m not talking about being born again. I hope at least all of you are born again. But are you ready? For whatever the challenge or task is that lies ahead of us. You know, are we just going to lay around in fear? Are we going to make the most of every opportunity? Are we going to spend our time watching senseless meaningless TV, which I’m guilty of too. Are we going to be into the Word of God, and praying for the world and praying for those we love? You understand, no matter how much you love someone, if they’re not saved, they’re not going to heaven are going to hell.
Therefore, what do you have to lose? and sharing your faith with those you love? Are they going to get angry at you? I’d rather have them be angry at me, than to be cursing me from hell for all eternity for not sharing my faith. Father, we come before you in Jesus name. And we thank you so much for your word. It’s true, it’s holy, it’s righteous. And it’s so amazing to find ourselves in the times in which we’re living. And so I pray, Father, that you would really open our eyes to the truth all about us. And help us to understand that we have a responsibility to share our faith and to be your ministers to be ministers of the gospel truth a piece of heaven. And I pray and ask all this in Christ Jesus name. Amen. And Amen. Okay, we’re going to share the Lord’s table. And you know, he’s going to share it a new with us It says the Scripture and heaven, then awesome. And so, maybe the next time we share communion, it’ll be with the Lord, for that’d be great. I love it. That when Jesus met with his disciples, I think this is mine over here. He took the unleavened bread. Passover is coming up in a little less than a month. He took down leavened bread, which is the week of you know, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was symbolizing removing sin from the house sin from your heart. And he broke it down unleavened bread. And he said, This is my body broken for you think about it. The unleavened bread represent represent removing sin. And who is it to remove sin? Jesus Christ, my body’s broken for you. What an amazing God we serve what a loving God we serve. For God so loved the world. That means all people that he gave, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Then he said, I’m going to give you a sacrament, reminder that I’m coming back for you. And so you participate this until I eat it a newer share this a new with you in my Father’s Kingdom. So when we celebrate communion, it’s not only remembering that Jesus died for our sins, but he’s coming back for us, and we’re going to share it with him in his father’s kingdom. Can you imagine what Jesus shares communion in such worship, in tears and ah, it’s going to be amazing.
Father, I pray that you’d prepare our hearts to receive your communion, this sacrament that we call the Lord’s table, that it would speak to us and encourage us and give us strength to do the job you have called us to do. We thank You, Lord. We glorify Your name. We pray in Jesus name, amen. Brothers.
(Communion song playing)
Amen. Come to the table, the table of the land, Jesus Christ. His blood was shed for us His body was broken, that you and I might have eternal life. Cake, eat and drink and be so thankful to your God.
Thank you, Lord, for your love. Thank you for your promises. Thank you for the times that you’ve entrusted us to. And Help us, Lord, to live for you and for you alone. And I pray all this in Christ Jesus name, amen and amen. God bless you, my friends.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai