1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,560 We have become so focused on, and we need to be on sound 6 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,160 doctrine. We need to be focused on the 7 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:48,160 Scriptures and what they teach Sola scriptora that God does not 8 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:52,920 speak independently or in opposition to what is found in 9 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,520 the Word of God. But we can become so dogmatic in 10 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,520 our minds and so in a way have everything in a box about God 11 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,720 and how He works, that we don't allow ourselves or avail 12 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:08,720 ourselves to be open to what is called the manifest presence of 13 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,160 God. I remember I was babysitting 14 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,200 some kids one time and every little thing I did, they would 15 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,080 tell me I was wrong. It could be the words I was 16 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,240 saying or the way I was eating. It's because the way their 17 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,360 household functioned wasn't the same as how I was accustomed to, 18 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,560 and there was no grace involved. Today, Pastor Clark says 19 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,560 Christians can get so caught up in the rules of being a 20 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,040 Christian that sometimes we become legalistic. 21 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,080 There's grace in the gospel because of his love. 22 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,720 He sent his Son for you, even if you fail now. 23 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,000 Here's Pastor Clark in Revelation chapter 14 with 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,200 today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 25 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:54,400 Revelation 14 verse one. Then I looked and behold, a lamb 26 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:59,800 standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 having his Father's 27 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,240 name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, 28 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,280 like the voice of many waters and like the voice of loud 29 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:07,760 Thunder. And I heard the sound of 30 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,240 harpists playing their harps. They sang, as it were, a new 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,160 song before the throne, before the four living creatures and 32 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,720 the elders, And no one could learn that song except the 33 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,320 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. 34 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,960 What a picture, a lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, capital L, 35 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:34,720 standing on Mount Zion and with him 144,000 on fire. 36 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,760 Jewish missionaries, Jewish believers who minister during 37 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,800 this terrible time of the great Tribulation. 38 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,560 And God has protected them in spite of what we learned last 39 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,880 week, the beast, the devil, the Antichrist, the false prophet. 40 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,360 And we see that these people are victorious. 41 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,880 They've been through the Tribulation and they haven't 42 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,320 been destroyed. They haven't been taken out. 43 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,760 God has spared them and protected them to do His will. 44 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,640 And Revelation 14 answers 2 specific questions that are 45 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,200 raised in Revelation 13 regarding this beast. 46 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,440 As it said in the seventh verse of chapter 13, it was granted to 47 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,000 Him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them, and 48 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,200 authority was given to Him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 49 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:26,080 Well, the 144,000 represent the 12 tribes of the nation of 50 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,760 Israel, and it's obvious here they're standing physically on 51 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,880 this mountain with Christ Himself at the end of the 52 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:37,840 tribulation, victorious. So obviously the 144,000 were 53 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,320 not under his authority. And also what happens to this 54 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,560 beast and his followers? We'll look at that as we 55 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,800 continue through 14, but today we're just going to cover the 56 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,320 first 3 verses primarily. Why does he mention Mount Zion? 57 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,920 Well, Mount Zion is seen and described throughout the the 58 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,360 history of the Bible as the hills that surround the ancient 59 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,560 city of Jerusalem. And this is a place where Christ 60 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,160 will come and one day establish his Kingdom. 61 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:10,880 He'll come physically atop the Mount of Olives and stand and be 62 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,080 King of kings and Lord of Lords and reign forever on the face of 63 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,680 the earth. Isaiah 2423 says, Then the moon 64 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,279 will be disgraced and the sun is shamed. 65 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,600 For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem 66 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,000 and before his elders gloriously. 67 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,120 Joel chapter 2 verse 32 says, And it shall come to pass that 68 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,680 whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 69 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,120 For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be 70 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,840 deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the 71 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:42,840 Lord calls. And then over there in Micah 72 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:47,880 chapter 4, verse one through 7, a tremendous prophetical 73 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,560 statement. Now it shall come to pass in the 74 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,480 latter days. At the mountain of the Lord's 75 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,960 house shall be established on top of the mountains, and shall 76 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,600 be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow to it. 77 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,560 Many nations shall come and say, Come, and let us go up to the 78 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,720 mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob. 79 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,280 He will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths. 80 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,840 For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord 81 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:17,720 from Jerusalem He shall judge between many peoples and rebuke 82 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,600 strong nations. Afar off they shall beat their 83 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,240 swords, and the ploughshares and the Spears and the pruning 84 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,680 hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword 85 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,280 against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 86 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,840 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and 87 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:37,600 no one shall make them afraid. For the mouth of the Lord of 88 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,280 hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the 89 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:44,000 name of his God. But we will walk in the name of 90 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,040 the Lord our God forever and ever. 91 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,600 In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame, I will 92 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,600 gather the outcast and those whom have afflicted. 93 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,040 I will make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong 94 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,600 nation. So the Lord will reign over them 95 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,080 in Mount Zion from now on, even forever. 96 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,280 This tremendous things to look forward to, isn't it? 97 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,360 I mean, it's tough as life seems to be at times in this world and 98 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,760 the struggles and the heartache that the human race goes 99 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,640 through. This is the future that the body 100 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,920 of Christ has to look forward to and all those who've believed on 101 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,160 the Lord God. I can't wait for that day. 102 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,400 I love this and Micah where it says that God will turn their 103 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,120 weapons and into plowshares and pruning hooks. 104 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,600 They won't have the desire or the interest in destroying human 105 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,080 race anymore. Christ will establish His 106 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,440 Kingdom and He'll roll with the iron hand. 107 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,880 And these folks have the privilege of on their foreheads, 108 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,760 the Father's name, written opposite of what we studied 109 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,320 about in 13, where the unbelievers and those who pay 110 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,680 homage to the Antichrist will have the mark of the beast on 111 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,440 their foreheads. So who are these people, this 112 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:59,440 special group of people, the 144,000? 113 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,480 You might have speculated yourself. 114 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,760 I believe it's the movement of Calvary Chapel. 115 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,160 Everybody else is in trouble without this kid. 116 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,760 A lot of people claim that they're the special group, 117 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,280 right? The Baptists, the Methodists, 118 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,360 the Lutherans, the Catholic, the Orthodox, Everybody has their 119 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,480 own little idea of what things would be like in the end. 120 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,520 That they'll be the special privilege room in heaven for 121 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,800 obviously those who belong to Calvary Chapel. 122 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,320 No, it's going to be the Father's name only. 123 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,480 No sectarianism, no denominationalism, no division. 124 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,560 That's the name of the Father on the forehead. 125 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:38,560 I can't wait for that John 17 This is Jesus prayer that they 126 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:43,280 all may be one as you Father are in me, and I in you, that they 127 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,240 also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent 128 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,360 me. So the name of God, even their 129 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,200 Father stamped on their forehead. 130 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,480 As I was studying that I thought about all flesh is grass and the 131 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:57,640 glory thereof fadeth away, right? 132 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,280 Every one of us, we have a season to live our lives and 133 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,040 then all of a sudden it's gone. All the great movements of God 134 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,720 throughout church history, all the great men and women of God 135 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,160 who we read about in history, they're no longer here, are 136 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,200 they? But the name of our God remains, 137 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,760 Amen. The name of our God remains 138 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,160 forever. And Jude, I love this. 139 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:24,080 How the apostle ends the citation of exhortations in the 140 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,320 book of Jude. Now unto him who is able to keep 141 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,440 you from stumbling. There's only one that can keep 142 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,280 you from stumbling and present you faultless before the 143 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:35,640 presence of his glory with exceeding joy. 144 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,799 To God our Savior, who alone is wise, Amen. 145 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:45,320 God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, 146 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:50,360 dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen. 147 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:55,880 So John tells us about these experiences as he's given this 148 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,040 book by the power of the Holy Spirit to write these things 149 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,840 down. And you think about his 150 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,840 experiences and, and what he actually encountered is, is 151 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:11,240 quite fascinating to me. It says he heard a voice like 152 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:16,200 the voice of many waters, the voice of God, verse 2 of chapter 153 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:23,040 14, a voice of many waters. In chapter 1, verse 15, it says 154 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,560 John heard this, his voice is the sound of many waters. 155 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,280 Chapter 4, verse 5, it says, and from the throne proceeded 156 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,920 lightnings, thunderings and voices. 157 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,480 It says that there's sound of harpist playing. 158 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,440 I get a kick out of these people that say that there's no musical 159 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,560 instruments that are supposed to be in the church today. 160 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:46,160 You know, there's some groups who believe that everything's 161 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,520 Acapola. The Eastern Orthodox Church 162 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,200 teaches that, the Church of Christ teaches that. 163 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:53,760 But I, I don't know where they come up with this stuff because 164 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,400 in the throne room of heaven, there's instruments, there's 165 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,480 harps, there's music. You know, it's interesting how 166 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,480 people develop traditions of men. 167 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,120 I would say that make God's word of no effect. 168 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:09,480 But they're playing to accompany the worship singing of the 169 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,200 144,000. That's like, we're blessed here 170 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:17,600 to have our musicians accompany us as we sing praises to our 171 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,520 God. And it says they're going to 172 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:24,960 sing a new song. 144,000 people. Their feet are planted on Mount 173 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,120 Zion physically, yet their praise takes them right into the 174 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:35,360 presence of God. It says their voice is like many 175 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,520 waters, the voice of a loud Thunder. 176 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:42,120 They sang in verse 3 as it was a new song before the throne, 177 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:45,040 before the four living creatures and the elders. 178 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:50,800 Now, how in the world could they be before the throne and on the 179 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:57,160 earth at the same time? God does miraculous things when 180 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,960 our hearts are open to the work of the Holy Spirit. 181 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,800 How many of you here have experienced the presence of God 182 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:06,600 in the midst of worship here at Calvary? 183 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,960 OK, how does that happen? We're just not singing songs or 184 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:17,400 playing music. But this is for God to God about 185 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,280 God, and he desires us to worship him in spirit and truth 186 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,560 so he can see our hearts and sense our praise. 187 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,600 And as we worship him with lyrics that are biblical and 188 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,640 songs that are God honoring and God glorifying, God hangs out in 189 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,400 the midst of that kind of encounter with his people, and 190 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,440 he makes himself manifest. He makes himself real. 191 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,400 And so they're worshiping before the throne of God spiritually. 192 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,600 They're encountering God in a way that's supernatural, and 193 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,480 they're experiencing God in a way that is completely different 194 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,680 than what you would experience at AU2 concert or a Paul 195 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:58,120 McCartney concert, right? I mean, there's a whole 196 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:03,280 different dimension of reality in the midst of God's Spirit, in 197 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,280 the midst of his throne and his Kingdom. 198 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,760 And that's what I wanted to sort of segue into as I was thinking 199 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,960 about this kind of stuff on vacation, as well as preparing 200 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,320 for this message. If you flip over to Hebrews 201 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:19,120 chapter 10 for a minute, Hebrews 10/19, it says Therefore, 202 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,240 brethren, having boldness, tenor, enter the holiest by the 203 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,920 blood of Jesus, by a new living way which he consecrated for us 204 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,600 through the veil that is to his flesh and having a high priest 205 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,280 over the House of God. Let us draw near with a true 206 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,880 heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts 207 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,040 sprinkled from an evil conscience in our body washed 208 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:44,000 with pure water. So again, physically here, and 209 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,600 yet by invitation of God Himself, I'm allowed to enter 210 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,200 into the holy of holies and you are too. 211 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:56,080 I think what happens today in our modern Christian experiences 212 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,640 that we have become so focused on and we need to be on sound 213 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,200 doctrine. We need to be focused on the 214 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:07,040 Scriptures and what they teach sola scriptura that God does not 215 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:11,720 speak independently or in opposition to what is found in 216 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,240 the Word of God. But we can become so dogmatic in 217 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,120 our minds and so in a way have everything in a box about God 218 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,200 and how He works, that we don't allow ourselves or survey 219 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:27,080 ourselves to be open to what is called the manifest presence of 220 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,920 God. Christianity is designed by God 221 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,440 to be an encounter with God, not to be a religion. 222 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,600 Religion is dead. I'm not interested in religion. 223 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,840 I'm sure you aren't either. I'm interested in encounter, in 224 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,800 relationship. And God was speaking to me as I 225 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,600 was away this week. That Clark, you need to 226 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:52,600 encounter me in a deeper way. It's good that you know about 227 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,880 me. You know my word. 228 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,680 You can teach my word, you can speak about the things I've done 229 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:02,720 through history, you can proclaim the gospel, but I have 230 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,360 something so much more for you than just that. 231 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:11,600 And I wanted to cause you, as you're open to encounter me in 232 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,360 ways that perhaps you haven't experienced yet. 233 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:18,200 If you flip over to Hebrews chapter 4, same kind of idea 234 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:22,800 here verse 14. Seeing then we have a great high 235 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,000 priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of 236 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,040 God. Let us hold fast our confession, 237 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,520 for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our 238 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,680 weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet 239 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,000 without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to 240 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,320 the throne of grace. Where is the throne of grace? 241 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:45,440 Sin? The heavenly Kingdom and it says 242 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,520 that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of 243 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,880 need. When's the last time you have 244 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,560 entered into that throne room of grace where you really realize, 245 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:59,280 hey, I'm in a completely different place than I usually 246 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:03,480 am on planet earth? God by His Spirit has compelled 247 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:08,760 me and allow the door to be open for me to enter into a realm and 248 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:14,320 a dimension. It is completely not normal, not 249 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:19,440 normal when I came to Christ 2020 years. 250 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,000 I'm making myself younger than I really am over, you know, about 251 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:28,520 40 years now I had a spiritual encounter with God that I I 252 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,720 can't to this day really articulate completely in in 253 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,720 vocabulary and I'm sure many of you have too. 254 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,760 But I all I know is that I woke up the next day after I repented 255 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:45,960 of my sins and I asked Christ to to save me and to help me that I 256 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,720 went from total darkness and confusion and insanity in my 257 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,800 mind. And the next day I had a peace 258 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,080 that passes understanding, human understanding. 259 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,480 I got up the next day and even the way I saw the world and the 260 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,720 way I saw people and the way I saw creation. 261 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:03,600 It was like the light was turned on. 262 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,600 It was bright. It was no no longer obscurity. 263 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,720 There was no longer a veil that was up to keep me outside the 264 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,680 reality of the God of creation, the God of heaven. 265 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,960 And I realized for the first time that I knew Him and that He 266 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,280 knew me and that I had a relationship with Him now that I 267 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,440 never had before. And down through the years, it's 268 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:27,720 ebbed and flowed as it has in all of our lives. 269 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,320 Sometimes it gets weaker, sometimes it gets stronger, but 270 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,280 I really believe in these days that we're living that God wants 271 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:38,840 the revelation of His Holy Spirit to become so much more 272 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,200 real and evident in all of our lives. 273 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,640 I have people I love and you guys in the church and people I 274 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,720 work with that I see go through tremendous adversity and 275 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,440 tribulation. I only can help them to a 276 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:56,960 certain extent, but I can't point to this door that enters 277 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:01,960 into a supernatural spiritual realm that, as the apostle says, 278 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:05,200 we can come boldly to this throne of grace that we may 279 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,800 obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 280 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,800 Is anybody in the time of need here today? 281 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,720 Is anybody need the mercy of God and the grace of God? 282 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,280 We all do. So when's the last time you have 283 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,599 gotten on your face and said, Lord, I want this privilege, 284 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,560 this right, this inheritance to enter into your throne room and 285 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:32,040 experience this mercy and grace that you promised I can have in 286 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,360 my time of need. Now, if you're like me, lots of 287 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,120 times you read that. That's nice, that's cool, but 288 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:41,520 you don't avail yourself to it. We don't enter into that 289 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,320 promise. We don't enter into that reality 290 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,960 of what Christ is established for us now. 291 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:53,960 God is a spirit and he has no face. 292 00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:00,000 His face is seen in the person, his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 293 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,960 God the Son. Without that we wouldn't be able 294 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,000 to comprehend it, the transcendence of God. 295 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:11,680 But the Holy Spirit is interesting person in the 296 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,880 Godhead because he also has no face. 297 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,800 Jesus describes him in John 3/3 as like the wind. 298 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,480 He blows in this direction, He goes in that direction. 299 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,280 You can't seem to catch him or figure out what he's going to do 300 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,760 next. But his whole purpose is to 301 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:33,240 glorify the sun and to reveal to us our sin and to cause us to 302 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,000 repent. The Holy Spirit is the one who 303 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:41,280 lives in us to give us Peace of Mind and tranquility and comfort 304 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:47,000 and hope and patience and love and self-control and humility. 305 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,520 That person who lives in US desires to live through us and 306 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:55,200 get us out of the way so that Christ can be seen through us. 307 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,480 But these experiences of the 144,000 I I can't imagine. 308 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,320 In some ways I can cause I've experienced it in some sense. 309 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,000 But this is a special occasion because all the songs that have 310 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,600 been written in in history about God, you think, well, you know, 311 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,200 why do I listen? You guys are saying how great 312 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:19,240 thou art or to God be the glory or how can it be this, this sing 313 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:20,880 those songs. That's good enough for me. 314 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,520 It says that God gave them a new song. 315 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,560 I'm interested to know what would be said in that song that 316 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,200 is so different than a lot of the songs we sing today. 317 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,480 But obviously it's important to God that there's a new song. 318 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,320 It's a kind of worship that I don't think anybody has ever 319 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,680 encountered in the history of Christianity. 320 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:47,400 This particular song and 144,000 are given the privilege to sing 321 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,680 this, and it says they're the only ones that can learn the 322 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:52,960 song at this particular point in time. 323 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:58,480 It says no one could learn that song except 144,000 who were 324 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:03,080 redeemed from the earth. A special opportunity for a 325 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:08,080 special group of people singing before the throne of God. 326 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:15,480 I know in my heart of hearts, guys, that my ability to do 327 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:20,040 anything on any given Sunday morning is impossible. 328 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,720 I've learned that through the ups and downs and the failures 329 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:27,320 and the struggles of my own ministry with people and trying 330 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,840 to help and to teach and to disciple, You know, I'm not the 331 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:37,800 Lord, but God in our midst is here to work in all of our lives 332 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:43,200 through His Word. And so he wants us to have a 333 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:47,720 hunger for righteousness. He says if you're hungering and 334 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,600 thirsting for righteousness, you will be filled. 335 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,560 And I think at times we leave church on Sunday and we're not 336 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,640 filled because we haven't hungered and thirsted for him, 337 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,360 him alone. And maybe the worship isn't what 338 00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:06,440 you like it to be sometimes, or maybe the preaching or the 339 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:12,000 teaching sort of left you cold. But that's no excuse, right? 340 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,520 For your own heart hungering and thirsting for Him His 341 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:21,720 righteousness He promises you you will be filled so not one of 342 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,920 us can have an excuse when we gather as a body and every time 343 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,880 we gather as a body crisis in our midst, no matter how weak 344 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:33,440 and frail we are as his vessels that doesn't in invade the the 345 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,720 sovereign power of God to 0 in on every human heart that's here 346 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,760 on a given Sunday. But if I'm coming today and I'm 347 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,040 hungering and thirsting for God, which I am and I trust many you 348 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:45,880 are. I'm going to leave here filled 349 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,400 today, and it might not even be anything that I heard through my 350 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,440 own message or through worship. It's just going to be something 351 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,400 that God did where he transported me into his throne 352 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:00,080 room, into his presence in a way that I never maybe encountered 353 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,720 or experienced before. And throughout the course of the 354 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,840 Bible, you can see that many people experience these things 355 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,160 in different ways. Paul in Second Corinthians 356 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:12,960 chapter 12. This is what he says. 357 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,880 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. 358 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,240 I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 359 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,160 I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I 360 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,880 do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know. 361 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,240 God knows. Such a one was caught up to the 362 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:34,680 3rd heaven and I know such a man, whether in the body or out 363 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,200 of the body I do not know. God knows how he was caught U 364 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,840 into paradise and heard inexpressible words which is not 365 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,800 lawful for man to utter. Do you think God can do that? 366 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,680 Well, obviously you can't. He did it for Paul. 367 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,240 He's done it for countless God, godly people throughout the 368 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:56,760 ages, where people heard God speak to them about going into 369 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,520 missions or going to be a pastor or going to be some kind of 370 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,920 servant of God in the ministry. They've heard specifically God's 371 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,040 voice to their hearts that this is my will for you. 372 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,640 Of such a one I will boast. Yet of myself I will not boast 373 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,880 except in my infirmities, my weakness. 374 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,080 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for 375 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,120 I will speak the truth, but I will refrain unless anyone 376 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:24,080 should think of me above what he sees me to be, or hears from me, 377 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,560 unless I should be exalted above measure. 378 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,960 By the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the 379 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,120 flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. 380 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:35,520 Isn't it interesting how God can even use the enemy to keep us 381 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:41,080 humble, lest I be exalted above measure concerning this thing, I 382 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,880 pleaded for the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 383 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,760 And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my 384 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,760 strength is made perfect in weakness. 385 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,040 Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast of my infirmities, 386 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,360 that the power of Christ will rest upon me. 387 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,840 Thanks for being with us today here on Living Waters of Grace. 388 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,320 We are in the Book of Revelation, and we find it 389 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:08,640 fascinating how influential and involved the angels are in this 390 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,840 book. They bring about whatever it is 391 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,440 that God has instructed them to do, but it's through their 392 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,560 actions that much of the judgements come on the earth. 393 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,840 The angels are in submission to God as their authority, but He 394 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,120 utilizes them in unique ways throughout this book. 395 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,280 Like angels have a specific purpose from God, you have a 396 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,240 unique purpose and plan too. God wants to use you in your 397 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,760 life as a testimony to others and to bring others who are 398 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,440 currently lost into the fold of God. 399 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,320 God would love more than anything for all who are willing 400 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,640 to come to Him for salvation, but he wants it to be their 401 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,240 choice, not a forced situation. This is the way God works, not 402 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,480 forcing himself on anyone, but giving each person free will. 403 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,400 If you're interested in learning about this choice that's free 404 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:06,200 and that it's a gift, go to calvarychapelonline.com and 405 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,600 click on the About Us tab and then find the link for what we 406 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,200 believe. We'd love to be a help and a 407 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,680 resource for you as you walk through what it means to be a 408 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,600 follower of Jesus. If you find the contact tab on 409 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,040 our website, you can get in touch with us or submit a prayer 410 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,440 request. We'd love to hear from you. 411 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:30,680 That's all for today's edition and Revelation, but there's much 412 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,000 more that Pastor Clark plans to share with us from this 413 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:37,760 culminating book of the Bible. Stay tuned for that and make 414 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,440 sure to mention this radio program to others. 415 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:46,760 Invite them to tune into Grace FM 91.7 FM and they can stream 416 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:52,760 worldwide at Grace Radio dot FM. This has been living waters of 417 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:53,320 grace.