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 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:43,920 Luke chapter 17 verse 26. This is Jesus speaking as it was 6 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,440 in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son 7 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,080 of Man. People will be eating, drinking, 8 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,760 marrying wise, and they were given in marriage until the day 9 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,560 was that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed 10 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,000 them all. So it'll take the world by 11 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,080 surprise. And Jesus said that his time of 12 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,360 return and all the stuff that's going to happen on the earth is 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,040 going to be very similar to the days of Noah. 14 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,760 Business as usual. Isn't that where we're at in the 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:13,960 world today? Sure, they're always world 16 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:16,920 events that put people on the edge of their seats, but for the 17 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,000 most part, we're just doing what we always do. 18 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,200 Generally, people aren't concerned enough about the way 19 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,080 the world is going to actually do anything about it. 20 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,880 In Pastor Clark's message today, he tells you that that's exactly 21 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,600 what Jesus said the world would be like all the way up until his 22 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,960 return. So what are you waiting for? 23 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,280 Are you prepared to meet Jesus now? 24 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,040 Here's Pastor Clark in the Book of Revelation chapter 14 with 25 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,280 today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 26 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:53,880 Revelation chapter 14 verse 4. These are the ones who were not 27 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,840 defiled with women, for they are virgins. 28 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,840 These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 29 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,880 These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God 30 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,000 and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,360 deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. 32 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,160 Matthew 24 talks about what it's going to be like in the last 33 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,280 days. Jesus says, but woe to those who 34 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,000 are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those 35 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,880 days. Paul makes some interesting 36 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,760 comments over in First Corinthians Chapter 7 regarding 37 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,040 marriage. If you turn over there for a 38 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,680 minute, First Corinthians Chapter 7, verse six and eight, 39 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,360 he says, but I say as a concession, not as a 40 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,120 commandment. And this isn't something he's 41 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,960 saying everybody does or should do, but for him this is the way 42 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,080 it is. He says, I wish that all men 43 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:52,320 were even as I myself, but each one has his own gift from God, 44 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,240 one in this manner and another in that. 45 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,280 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for 46 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:03,720 them if they remain even as I am, but if they cannot exercise 47 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,560 self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than 48 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,680 to burn with passion. And then down in verse 25, he 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,880 says, Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the 50 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,520 Lord, yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has 51 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,880 made trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is 52 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,000 good because of the present distress, that it is good for a 53 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,880 man to remain as he is. Now during Paul's days, the 54 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,280 church was under persecution, a lot of struggle, very, very 55 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,440 difficult to have a Christian homes, Christian family. 56 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,760 And of course Paul was always on the run from one city to the 57 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,400 next, sharing the gospel and also watching out for his own 58 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,280 life. Eventually was martyred. 59 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,400 And he says in verse 27 are you bound to a wife question mark, 60 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,040 Do not seek to be loose. Are you loose from a wife Do not 61 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,600 seek a wife. So he's giving both perspectives 62 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:54,920 there. If you're married, stay in the 63 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,960 place of marriage and be grateful and and and serve the 64 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,000 Lord. But if you aren't exhorting 65 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:05,120 people to consider being single. Verse 28 but even if you do 66 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,160 marry, you have not sinned and if a virgin married she has not 67 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,120 sinned. Nevertheless, such will have 68 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,480 trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. 69 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,920 But this I say, brother, in the time is short, so that from now 70 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,399 on even those who have wives should be as those who had none. 71 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,320 Interesting comment, huh? I mean, you know, what does that 72 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,600 mean? I mean, you can read into all 73 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,720 kinds of things regarding that. But I think what the apostle is 74 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,840 bringing forth is that we love our wives as Christ loves the 75 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:37,720 church. We're dedicated, we're loyal, 76 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,440 we're faithful, we work on our marriage. 77 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,040 We have a strong marriage to pray together, but we're not so 78 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,360 fragmented in our Christian walk that every little situation in 79 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,920 the world and, and sense of you should do this. 80 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,920 If you're married, you should have this kind of place or this 81 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,120 kind of, you know, you can really get carried away with the 82 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,120 world in regard to the objects and the material issues that are 83 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,600 required. I I think it's wise as Paul 84 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,920 lived to be simple and have a very basic and very, very simple 85 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,560 life in regard to how connected to the world. 86 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,600 But in verse 30 says those who weep as those they did not weep, 87 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,960 those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy 88 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,000 as though they did not possess and those who use this world as 89 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,440 not misusing it for the form of this world is passing away. 90 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,360 So in other words, everything that we can put our emphasis on 91 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,960 in our lives in the culture as married people can really get 92 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,840 out of context right. It's very easy to get into debt. 93 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:37,840 It's very easy to begin to pursue things that aren't good 94 00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:40,200 for developing our our Christian life. 95 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,000 I mean, Paul teaches also everything in moderation, but I 96 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,520 won't be brought under the control of any certain thing. 97 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,160 But he says I want you to be without care. 98 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,240 He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he 99 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,520 may please the Lord. And I have some friends who are 100 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,240 single and they don't have rebellious teenagers. 101 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,440 They don't have MasterCard or visas that maybe aren't under 102 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,720 control. They're not worried about 103 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:07,880 replacing the sofa, you know, or getting the new dining room 104 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:09,680 table. They're just not connected with 105 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,320 those kind of concepts, right? And so they're able to totally 106 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,440 focus on the Lord. This 100%. 107 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:19,040 And nothing distracts him. Verse 33. 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,800 But he who is married cares about the things of the world, 109 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,440 how he may please his wife. And us guys know if Mama ain't 110 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,400 happy, no one is happy, right. I've learned that after 39 years 111 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,640 of marriage. You know, I mean, the Bible says 112 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,840 I'm the head of the house. But you know, really it seems 113 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:37,920 like Cindy has many times, you know, even though she, you know, 114 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,400 respects the spiritual headship and all that. 115 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,480 It's, you know, my, my job is to to please her. 116 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,480 And I'm thankful she's a godly woman and she's not asking me 117 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:47,720 for anything that's unreasonable. 118 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:52,000 But nonetheless, our job as as husbands is to please our wives. 119 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,000 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. 120 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,000 The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she 121 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,440 may be wholly both in body and spirit, but she who is married 122 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,720 cares about the things of the world, how she may please her 123 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:06,720 husband. And this I say to your own 124 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,240 prophet, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is 125 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,960 proper and that you may serve the Lord without distraction. 126 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,800 So again, today, if you're single, don't put pressure on 127 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:19,640 yourself to think you have to get married. 128 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,080 I mean, God may have a plan for you to get married. 129 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,880 I think there's a lot of pressure in the culture today in 130 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,440 churches, they look at some single person, well, when are 131 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,840 you going to get married? And the person's like, I don't 132 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,240 know, there's no one even in my life. 133 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,720 And and then they think maybe there's something wrong with 134 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,360 them if there isn't a person who they're going to get married to. 135 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,440 Well, that isn't the general context all the time. 136 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,480 God does choose some people to live celibate lives. 137 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,720 Some people, as Paul said, lost a husband or a wife through 138 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:50,640 death, or maybe someone abandoned someone. 139 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:54,760 It isn't necessary all the time for that person to find another 140 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,480 mate. Sometimes, as Paul said, the 141 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,800 Lord freed that person. Now they don't have to be held 142 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,480 in that kind of capacity anymore and they're free to do what the 143 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,520 Lord wants them to do. As a married man, and Cindy is a 144 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,280 married woman, we are committed to the Lord 100% to do whatever 145 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,080 it is He's called us and asked us to do. 146 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,200 But there are sometimes some certain impossibilities that 147 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,360 marriage does perhaps cause a little bit more difficulty 148 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,440 sometimes if you're called to go to China to be a missionary, if 149 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,520 you're single, it's a lot easier than if you are married and have 150 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,880 a bunch of kids. It has to be supported right. 151 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,400 So it's it's different for everybody. 152 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,320 But at the same time, Paul tells us in Hebrews 13 four marriage 153 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,720 is honorable among all and the bed undefiled but fornicators 154 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:42,400 and adulterers. God will not judge. 155 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,160 So when you read this in Revelation about these ones that 156 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,240 were not defiled with women, the apostle John isn't saying 157 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,680 sexuality is impure or immoral within marriage. 158 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:56,040 It's a beautiful thing. As Paul said in Hebrews, the 159 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,640 marriage bed is undefiled. So he sanctifies the sexual 160 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,880 union between a a man and a woman. 161 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:03,960 But you have to look at the context. 162 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,920 So what was it like in those days that people are living on 163 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,840 the earth during this tribulation period and these 164 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,920 144,000 Jewish evangelists who are totally committed to the 165 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:19,560 things of the Lord and have chosen by a gift not to become 166 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,280 married. What is it like in the last days 167 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,640 and what type of intensity will be brought upon the earth? 168 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,160 Now today, marriage is mocked. I I get calls all the time. 169 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,440 People want me to get married in the church and want me to do a 170 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,160 wedding. Well, the first thing I asked 171 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,640 them, are you living together? And they say, yeah, so well, you 172 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,360 know, before we even begin to to talk, you need to not be living 173 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,160 together and you need to have counseling, marital premarital 174 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,800 counseling. My purpose in doing that is to 175 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,440 see people come to Christ during that time and also to give them 176 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,680 insight as to what they're going to be dealing with when they 177 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:54,480 make these commitments. Most of the time I hear the 178 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,800 phone click after I say that, well, we'll get back to you and 179 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,320 that kind of thing. So the the institution of 180 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,960 marriage within the culture and within the context of the church 181 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,720 is very, very mock today. What's big today is 182 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:10,080 cohabitation, isn't it? How many people know people 183 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,040 living together raise your hands despite everybody in here you, 184 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,040 you have friends or people you know that they just think it's 185 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,480 OK to live together. How about same sex unions? 186 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,360 That's growing today, right? There is not as closet mentality 187 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,520 anymore. People are very open about 188 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,240 living together in a same sex unions divorce rate. 189 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,840 Today, four out of five marriages end up in divorce. 190 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,240 And that's even within the context of the Christian 191 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,040 community, which is unbelievable. 192 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,280 There's a growth of all this immoral context in the media, 193 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:43,520 the Internet and magazines and billboards and media and songs 194 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,400 and that kind of stuff. It's unbelievable how graphic 195 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,160 the immorality is on the airwaves. 196 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,840 It's just out of control. Marriage is disconnected from 197 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,000 Christ. There's people getting married. 198 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,160 They don't want anything to do with getting married in the 199 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:02,200 church, seeing it as as a celebration and as a blessing to 200 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,800 be married before the Lord and what we call holy matrimony. 201 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,600 A lot of people don't even want to have a a wedding in churches 202 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,600 nowadays, let alone be counseled or pray or or consecrate 203 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:17,480 themselves to to the Lord in regard to their marriage. 204 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:22,760 Romans chapter 1 talks about the way the world was back in Paul's 205 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,560 day and that we think things are getting worse now. 206 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,680 I don't think I mean, I think the world has always been messed 207 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:30,080 up. It's just the fact that we know 208 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,280 about it more because of the media and connection of Internet 209 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,560 and all that kind of stuff. News 24 hour news networks. 210 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:39,720 But it says in verse 21 of Romans one, because although 211 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,440 they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor we're 212 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,360 thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish 213 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,320 hearts were dark, darkened, professing to be wise. 214 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,200 They became fools and they changed the glory of the 215 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,880 incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and 216 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,560 birds and forfeited animals and creeping things. 217 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,280 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness and the lusts of 218 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,240 their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves. 219 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,040 And we see that today with fornication, adultery, sexual 220 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,680 immorality, homosexuality, lesbianism, I mean all over the 221 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:15,920 place, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and 222 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,480 worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator 223 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,040 who is blessed forever. All men. 224 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,240 For this reason God gave them up to vow passions for even their 225 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,480 women exchange the natural use for what is against nature. 226 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:32,240 So lesbianism or homosexuality isn't a current phenomena. 227 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,120 It's been that way since the beginning of time. 228 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,560 It says likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the 229 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,840 woman they burned in their lust for one another. 230 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,320 Men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in 231 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:51,520 themselves the penalty of the air which was due so perhaps in 232 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,560 this time, in the last days. I mean, things are so bad now 233 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,520 and I don't think we noticed it because we're isolated. 234 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:00,800 If we're Christians, we're not feeding on that garbage. 235 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,320 We're not listening to it, we're not participating it. 236 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,560 It's certainly not in the in the church community. 237 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,880 But we see in this day and age the growth and at the end of 238 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,240 time, when the Holy Spirit in the church is pulled out, the 239 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,360 Holy Spirit will still be convicting the world, but the 240 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,760 church presence won't be here. You won't have people working 241 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:24,000 against ungodly principles. You'll have people today who 242 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,520 stand up against things that the government tries to do that are 243 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,320 ungodly, right and impure. We have voices, people who will 244 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:34,560 get out in the streets and canvas the community, and we're 245 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:37,920 like a tide against the spread of darkness and immorality in 246 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,800 the world. But when the church, the bride 247 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,440 isn't here anymore, who's going to be the voice against these 248 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,600 kind of things? And so the heightened level of 249 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,840 sexual immorality and fornication and even going back 250 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,360 to Pagan rights is going to be unbelievable. 251 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:55,640 Idolatry will be huge in the last days. 252 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,880 The worship of self through gratification of the desires of 253 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,240 the fallen nature, using religion, Pagan religion, as its 254 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,680 deception. Back in Ephesus they had the 255 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:09,080 Temple of Diana. It was a large temple in the 256 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,600 midst of Ephesus where people would go and do religious 257 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,240 things, but it was all under the guise of impurity, prostitution, 258 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,600 sexual immorality. And so they were involved in 259 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,000 that. And they had a sense that what 260 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,600 they were doing was OK because it was like in a religious type 261 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,040 of service, but it was a Pagan ungodly, right? 262 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:31,280 And so people will be moved in that the deception, the worship 263 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,760 of Antichrist himself is going to be manifesting itself itself 264 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:40,680 in unrighteousness, Val uncleanness, perversity like we 265 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,400 remember in the Old Testament, the study of the fertility 266 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,840 called Savastrath where sexual sin was rampant. 267 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:53,960 Now we look at things a day and unless you're reading or talking 268 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,640 with people who are in these kind of lifestyles, you sort of 269 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:59,960 maybe miss the fact that the things are really bad. 270 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:03,160 I mean, most of us have filters on our computer to prevent 271 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,520 impure stuff from coming into our homes. 272 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,400 And so we're isolated. We have filters maybe in our TV 273 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,400 or maybe we don't prescribe to certain cable networks because 274 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,120 of the Holy Spirit in our lives and that we belong to the Lord. 275 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,520 Video games, we're cautious about what our kids are playing 276 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,000 with and watching that kind of stuff. 277 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,480 So we're somewhat isolated for the tide of immorality that's 278 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,120 spreading around the world, but it is it is an all time high. 279 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,840 The sex slavery market where people are being kidnapped in 280 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,080 different countries, young girls and young boys, and taken to 281 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:41,240 places like Thailand where the sex trade is, is just 282 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,600 unbelievable. And these poor kids are put out 283 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:48,120 in the street to be abused and sodomized by ungodly people. 284 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,720 It's just the filth upon the earth is just unimaginable. 285 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,000 I can't imagine how much worse it's going to be again when the 286 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,040 church is taken out at the rapture. 287 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,520 And then of course, the willful abandonment of God will truly 288 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,480 flourish at that time because there'll be no one to bring any 289 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:09,160 spiritual conviction outside of these 144,000 and a few others 290 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:13,280 like them who will still preach the gospel regardless of what 291 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,440 things occurred to them and their martyrdom and that kind of 292 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,200 stuff. If you turn to Luke chapter 17 293 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:24,480 for a minute, Luke chapter 17, 14 verse 26, this is Jesus 294 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:29,000 speaking as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in 295 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,400 the days of the Son of Man. People will be eating, drinking, 296 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,000 marrying wise, and they were given in marriage until the day 297 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,680 was that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed 298 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,080 them all. So it'll take the world by 299 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,040 surprise. And Jesus said that his time of 300 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,240 return and all the stuff that's going to happen on the earth is 301 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,800 going to be very similar to the days of Noah. 302 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,000 Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot. 303 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,480 And they ate and they drank and they bought and they sold, they 304 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,160 planted, they built this everyday life going on, right? 305 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,560 But on that day, Lot went out of Sodom. 306 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:06,160 It rained fire and brimstone in heaven and destroyed them all. 307 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,160 Even so, will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 308 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,160 Now you think about Sodom and Gomorrah. 309 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,800 Things were horrible there. God is telling a lot to get out 310 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,920 his wife and his kids. These impure people are knocking 311 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:21,960 on the door. Whenever the angels came to warn 312 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:23,960 them to flee the wrath, it was to come. 313 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,680 They're knocking on the door. Let us in that we may have sex 314 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:34,240 with those men in there. The angels impure Lot was 315 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:35,720 freaking out. He didn't know what to do. 316 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,320 He's like trying to barter with them. 317 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,040 We'll take my daughters. They're virgins. 318 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,240 I mean, that blows your mind in the in the sense that here's 319 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:46,160 God's calling Lot, righteous lot and fearing for his own life. 320 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,080 Thank God the the Lord protected his daughters. 321 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,720 But nonetheless, it says in these last days, this is what 322 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:57,440 it's going to become, like Genesis chapter 6 verse 5 says 323 00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:59,640 regarding Noah and the days of Noah. 324 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,880 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in 325 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,440 the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was 326 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,360 only evil continually. Can you imagine that having a 327 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:12,600 mind? Maybe you remember when your 328 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,760 mind was like that, before you knew Christ, that every thought 329 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,760 you had was evil continually. You were constantly planning in 330 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,480 your mind what next corrupt thing you were going to do, what 331 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,120 next sinful thing you were going to plan. 332 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,560 And as the Lord looks on the earth today, He sees the human 333 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,880 race for the most part being this way, that the thoughts of 334 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,040 the heart are people outside of the Lord are only evil 335 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,240 continually. Can you imagine when again, when 336 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,440 we're not around the bride of Christ, there's no salt left, 337 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,000 there's no light to repel the darkness. 338 00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:48,800 Sin will be released like a flood, drowning the world in 339 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,720 perdition and judgment. And how amazing is this group in 340 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,080 Revelation chapter 14 when you think about their commitment to 341 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,520 the Lord? In verse four and five, it says 342 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,680 these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 343 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:07,280 These are the ones that follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 344 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,160 They've been chosen by the Lord to be entirely separated unto 345 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:16,080 the Lamb. They follow Jesus, His plan, His 346 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,480 life, His teaching, at all costs, at at all times and in 347 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,760 all places. I wonder what we're like in our 348 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,200 own lives and our own walk with the Lord when no one else sees 349 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,600 us. Are we like these that are 350 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,560 represented here in Revelation That we follow the Lord's plan 351 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:38,640 in our life and His teaching at all costs, at all times and in 352 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,520 every place that we might find ourselves? 353 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,320 Psalm 119, verse one and two says blessed are the undefiled 354 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,880 in the way who walk in the way or the law of the Lord. 355 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,880 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with 356 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,400 the whole heart. They also do no iniquity and 357 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,720 they walk in His way. So the picture of the people 358 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,560 that the psalmist is speaking to is very similar to the people 359 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,480 here in Revelation chapter 4, that God says you're blessed in 360 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,560 your life. You're walking in not impurity. 361 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:12,000 You're walking in the way of the Lord. 362 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:13,760 You're walking in the law of the Lord. 363 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,880 You're blessed if you keep His testimonies, if you seek Him 364 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,800 with your whole heart, not part of your heart or just on Sunday 365 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,760 or whenever you feel like it, but every day you're like, Lord, 366 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:26,560 I want my heart to be your heart. 367 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:28,720 I want my thoughts to be your thoughts. 368 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,160 I want Your Holy Spirit to control me and convict me so 369 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,200 that there isn't anything in my life that will be found to be 370 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,000 impure and bring disgrace on You. 371 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,360 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with 372 00:20:43,360 --> 00:20:45,640 the whole heart. I want to be blessed, don't you? 373 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,480 And if you want to be blessed, do what the psalmist says, keep 374 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,320 the word of God, seek him with your whole heart, and you'll 375 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,720 find that you're not going to be interested in intentionally 376 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,160 sinning against him. You're going to walk in his 377 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:02,280 ways. The definition to undefiled 378 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,480 means not to be filthy. That's why the Bible says we 379 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,800 aren't like filthy jesting, dirty language, dirty talks, 380 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,520 dirty stories. We're not like that anymore. 381 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,200 We want purity in our life. We're uncorrupted in the sense 382 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,920 that we're not allowing the ways of the world to defile us. 383 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,240 These people that were the virgins weren't allowing 384 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,480 themselves to be involved in any kind of sexual union. 385 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,720 That would be seen as being impure. 386 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:33,120 Sexual union that would be impure would be homosexuality, 387 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,720 fornication, adultery and a lot of people justify that today. 388 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,600 Well, I'm in love and I have emotions and my hormones or 389 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:45,360 whatever and and the Lord does never makes allowances for that. 390 00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:50,760 He says if you are struggling with your sexual drive and you 391 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,200 can't address it and allow the Lord to control it and give you 392 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,800 peace. He as Paul speaks, you need to 393 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,240 get married so that you don't burn the lust. 394 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,720 But if you're able to, as these virgins obviously were these 395 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:06,880 144,000 Jewish evangelist, they were able to look to the Lord 396 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:11,280 and not allow themselves to be drawn into the context of the 397 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,080 culture of the prostitutes that were in the streets, constantly 398 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,840 calling them to come in and enjoy them. 399 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,680 They kept their eyes fixed on the Lord and they wanted to do 400 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:26,640 what he wanted them to do. Again, though, in marriage, you 401 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,000 know, some people get some warped ideas in the culture that 402 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,680 somehow a sexuality is not a good thing. 403 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,240 It's a good thing in marriage, but only in marriage. 404 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,840 That's why Paul says the marriage bed is undefiled. 405 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,920 There's no corruption in the marriage bed with the sexual 406 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:42,680 union between the husband and the wife. 407 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,320 So we're not talking about marriage here. 408 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,920 In regard to the context of why these people chose to be 409 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,720 virgins, I don't think if you went out there in that time, in 410 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,800 the last days, could any of these people actually find find 411 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,440 a godly woman? If everybody's heart is thinking 412 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,720 evil continually, the pickings are pretty slim. 413 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,160 Some of you single folks know the pickings are sort of slim 414 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,320 now. Or you know, you look and you 415 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,880 say, well, where is a godly man or a godly woman? 416 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:13,160 Are you willing to wait on the Lord before you would try to get 417 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,880 involved with someone just because you think you need to be 418 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:17,480 married? You'll you'll regret that the 419 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,840 rest of your life. Perhaps no godly women or men 420 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,400 are left to marry at this time. And so these people like Paul 421 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,800 chose to be entirely separated to Christ for the ministry in 422 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,240 this time of tribulation. So they're not affected by 423 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,920 distractions. Some people are called to this 424 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,320 idea of a celibacy in in being virgins. 425 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,080 Turn over to Matthew 19 and very interesting comments that you 426 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,640 find that as I read what Paul said and also what Jesus says 427 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:50,520 himself here in Matthew 19. In the Book of Revelation, 428 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,760 Pastor Clark is taking us through all kinds of events and 429 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,720 happenings that are predicted for the future. 430 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,480 But for those who believe and follow Jesus, there's much to 431 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,320 look forward to in heaven with Jesus. 432 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,280 However, for those who are here on earth during the Tribulation, 433 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,680 there's all kinds of chaos that will unfold. 434 00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:15,120 The Bible talks about an Antichrist, a false prophet, and 435 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:20,000 of course that evil enemy Satan. You see how there are such 436 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,240 clever attempts for the enemy to disguise himself as God and even 437 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,640 the Trinity, the true Savior of the world is God and how he 438 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,640 comes to rescue through his triune nature, God the Father, 439 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,520 Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 440 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:41,360 Just like Satan tried to take over for God in heaven was cast 441 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:45,920 out, Satan will try to convince people on earth that he is the 442 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,840 triune God to be worshipped instead of the legitimate God in 443 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,520 heaven. It's an attempt, and although he 444 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,600 will capture plenty in his schemes, he will not win. 445 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,320 The true God wins, and Revelation unpacks how that will 446 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,560 all happen in detail. Be encouraged because there's a 447 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:09,120 way out for all of this madness that will ensue on this earth. 448 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,920 But you don't want to wait indefinitely to make that 449 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:17,000 decision about Jesus. We don't know when the church 450 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,960 will be raptured, and you want to be ready to be with Jesus. 451 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:26,080 To learn more about this, head over to calvarychapelonline.com. 452 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,840 We're so glad you've been with us today. 453 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,040 And if you'd like to connect further with this ministry, find 454 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,640 us on Facebook or YouTube. You can also download our mobile 455 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:41,200 app at calvarychapelonline.com. Be sure to join us for weekly 456 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:50,320 services at 400 E Pittsburgh St. Ste. 6B in Greensburg, PA 15601. 457 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,600 This has been living waters of grace.