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 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,840 We must pray according to God's will. 6 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,880 We don't make it up as we go along. 7 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,120 We don't pray according to our will, but we pray and we say, 8 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,280 Lord, not my will, but your will be done. 9 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:52,120 We make intercession for the Saints according to the will of 10 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:53,680 God. Who are the Saints? 11 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,080 You guys, me, all of us together and the Holy Spirit will show us 12 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,960 how to pray for one another. If you guys have the directory, 13 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,360 I, I trust you, do the people that attend the church. 14 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,400 It's really a good exercise daily to go through that 15 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,480 directory and allow the Lord to put the people in your heart. 16 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,320 I love talking with my friends, my family, even my Co workers. 17 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:18,200 I am quite intentional about taking time each day to build 18 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,640 relationships with the people in my life. 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,560 When it comes to God, though, I am days where I forget to speak 20 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,440 with Him. Prayer is one of the simplest, 21 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,960 hardest practices for most believers. 22 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:33,520 We know that we ought to talk with God daily, to pray without 23 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,360 ceasing, but many of us still struggle. 24 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,600 Pastor Clark takes time today to remind us of the critical nature 25 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,120 and life changing power of prayer. 26 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,920 Now here's Pastor Clark in Revelation Chapter 2 with 27 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,960 today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 28 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,520 Revelation chapter 2 verse 12. And the Angel of the church in 29 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,440 Pergamos write these things, says he who has the sharp 2 30 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,720 edged sword. I know your works and where you 31 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,800 dwell, where Satan's throne is, and you hold fast to my name. 32 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:13,040 It did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my 33 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,480 faithful martyr who was killed among you where Satan dwells. 34 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,280 But I have a few things against you, because you have there 35 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,280 those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put 36 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,600 a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat 37 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,600 things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,920 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the 39 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:40,760 Nicolaitans, which I which thing I hate, repent, or else I will 40 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,240 come to you quickly and will fight against them with the 41 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,320 sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear 42 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,440 what the Spirit says to the churches. 43 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,520 To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna to 44 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,240 eat, and I will give him a whitestone, and on the stone a 45 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,000 new name written, which no one knows except him who receives 46 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:03,640 it. This is the third church that 47 00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:06,200 we're studying today. This for a short review. 48 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,800 I'd like to think about the other two churches briefly that 49 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,000 we've discussed so far so we can keep track of what these 50 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,320 churches were like and also think about what is our church 51 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,200 like today? What is Calvary Chapel 52 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,520 Westmoreland like? What kind of church are we 53 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,520 representing in these days that we live? 54 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,600 The first church we spoke of was Ephesus, and they were rebuked 55 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,080 for neglecting their first love, their first love for Christ. 56 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:34,880 And I wonder where we are today. The Bible says in the last days 57 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,440 the love of many will wax cold, meaning that there will be this 58 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,280 tendency for people to fall out of love with the Lord and fall 59 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,960 out of love with one another. And I see it happening. 60 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,360 I really do, not so much here, but I do see it happening in the 61 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,040 world today. I know that people are 62 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,920 struggling. I know that the Bible discusses 63 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,720 that before the return of Christ, there will be a great 64 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,440 falling away. And I just pray that that won't 65 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,320 be us. I pray that we will keep 66 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,920 ourselves in the love of God. As Jude 21 tells us, it's our 67 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,320 responsibility, guys, to keep ourselves in the love of God. 68 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,480 We're we're given commandment by the Lord to keep ourselves in 69 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,120 the love of God. And he also says the importance 70 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,760 in verse 20 in Jude. But you, beloved, build 71 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,480 yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy 72 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,440 Spirit. So we have this responsibility 73 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,800 as Christians to build ourselves up. 74 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,720 The Church is responsible to equip the Saints for the work in 75 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,600 the ministry. It's responsible to educate and 76 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,960 teach you the Word of God that you yourselves are responsible 77 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,880 to keep yourselves in the love of God. 78 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,400 You can't blame it on anybody else but yourself if you're not 79 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,440 staying in the love of God, you're to pray in the Holy 80 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,040 Spirit, building yourself up in your holy faith. 81 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:55,440 And what does it mean to pray in the Holy Spirit? 82 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,920 It means to pray in line with the accordance of the will of 83 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:00,960 God. God the Holy Spirit knows how to 84 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,160 pray. We don't many times. 85 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,840 Sometimes we just Babble and we just say things and our prayers 86 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:08,720 maybe go as far as the top of our head. 87 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,360 But if we really wait upon the Lord and ask the mind of the 88 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,520 Spirit what it is that we're to pray for and how we're to pray 89 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,600 and wait upon the Lord, I believe that the Holy Spirit 90 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,800 will teach us how to pray. And I believe that starts with 91 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,560 each of us each day being on our faces sometime during the day 92 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,920 with God. For me, it's best to be on my 93 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,000 face in the morning. I know what it's like whenever I 94 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,320 start my day in the morning on my face before the Lord being 95 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,080 silent, God will speak to me. It will work in my heart. 96 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:42,280 And that's the best time to ask the Lord to search me and know 97 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,840 my heart, to try me and know my thoughts and to see if there's 98 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:48,720 any wicked way in me, and then to lead me in the way 99 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,920 everlasting. Also, as David prayed, Lord 100 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,520 created me a clean heart, which after you is created in 101 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,040 righteousness and true holiness. Waiting on the Lord to do 102 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,040 something in my heart that I can't do myself. 103 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,080 Asking the Lord to put into my heart what He knows I need to 104 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,960 have placed in my heart for the day. 105 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,080 And so, as are in their faces before the Lord, we're showing 106 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,720 humility. We're waiting on the Lord. 107 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,360 We're allowing the Lord to search us and to try us and to 108 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,840 create in us a clean heart. That tells us in Romans chapter 109 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:25,680 8, verse 26 and 27, it says likewise, the Spirit also helps 110 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,680 us in our weaknesses. You guys realize you're weak. 111 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,960 We all are. We are very, very weak apart 112 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,240 from the power of God, and we're foolish to think that we can do 113 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,560 anything in our own strength and our own ability. 114 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,160 And yet, how often do we just get up and zoom out into the day 115 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,880 without spending time waiting upon the Holy Spirit? 116 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,000 It says for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought. 117 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,520 It's very clear that God knows that the way our minds are 118 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,960 fragmented at times and the way they're disconnected. 119 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:04,840 We're not entering into prayer in the heart opening that we 120 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:08,680 should because our minds are in a lot of different places. 121 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,440 And so it's important to depend on the Holy Spirit to pray in 122 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,040 and through US. For it says the Spirit himself 123 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,880 who dwells in US, makes intercessions for us with 124 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:20,600 groanings which cannot be uttered. 125 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,760 The Holy Spirit is able to communicate with the Father and 126 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,360 the Son in ways that we could never communicate with them. 127 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,840 But yet the Lord works in US as the Holy Spirit's in us, that we 128 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,160 begin to know the work of God's Spirit. 129 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:38,080 We begin to learn how the Holy Spirit works and how He directs 130 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,920 and how He leads and how He gods and how he speaks to the Father 131 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,640 in our behalf. He's a model for us to know and 132 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,440 to learn to pray. It says now he referring to the 133 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,200 Holy Spirit who searches the hearts and knows what the mind 134 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,160 of the Spirit is because he makes intercession for the 135 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,600 Saints according to the will of God. 136 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,000 We must pray according to God's will. 137 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,040 We don't make it up as we go along. 138 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,120 We don't pray according to our will, but we pray and we say 139 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,200 Lord, not my will, but your will be done. 140 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,840 We make intercession for the Saints according to the will of 141 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:14,360 God. Who are the Saints? 142 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,640 You guys, me, all of us together and the Holy Spirit will show us 143 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,400 how to pray for one another. If you guys have the directory, 144 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,720 I trust you do the people that attend the church. 145 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,640 It's really a good exercise daily to go through that 146 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,040 directory and allow the Lord to put the people on your heart in 147 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,640 the church to pray for. You can't forget that you go 148 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,240 down line by line, person by person, family by family, and 149 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,120 some people the Lord at times will have you pause and pray 150 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:41,960 even more for. And why? 151 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:46,800 Because the Holy Spirit is giving you insight to pray and 152 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,520 make intercession for the Saints. 153 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:53,560 Paul's prayer for us in the book of Ephesians and Ephesus had the 154 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:55,840 problem of losing their first love. 155 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:59,640 Go to Ephesians chapter 3 for a minute and see how Paul prayed 156 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,120 for this church. And this prayer is also on 157 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,960 behalf of not only that church, but all churches. 158 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,440 It exists throughout time and even into this day and into the 159 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,400 future. And verse 14 of chapter 3, Paul 160 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,760 says, for this reason I bow my niece to the Father of our Lord 161 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,480 Jesus Christ. See, Paul was the type of man 162 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,040 who humbled himself before the throne of God. 163 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,720 Physical posture is very important. 164 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,840 I found in prayer. If you lay in bed and you try to 165 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,080 pray, you find you're sometimes falling asleep. 166 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,320 You ever do that? If you're driving and praying, 167 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,200 you get distracted because someone pulls out in front of 168 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,160 you or something, you know, but you need to have some quiet time 169 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,480 before the Lord. And Paul obviously had it. 170 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,960 He falls on his knees before the Lord, a good way to pray. 171 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,040 And he says from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is 172 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,200 named, that he would grant you according to the riches of His 173 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,520 glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the 174 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:55,880 inner man. Paul knows that we are weak. 175 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,240 He knows the church in Ephesus was struggling. 176 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,240 He prays for the church that God would grant them strength with 177 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,520 might through this Holy Spirit and the inner man that's in the 178 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,320 inner part of your conscience, that Christ may dwell in your 179 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,720 hearts through faith. That you being rooted and 180 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,760 grounded in love. The importance of having love 181 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,480 for one another rooted and grounded. 182 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:24,120 This not in doctrine, but rooted and grounded in love that you 183 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:28,320 may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the width 184 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,360 and length and depth and height. Know the love of Christ which 185 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:36,120 passes knowledge that you may be filled with the fullness of God. 186 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,880 So Paul's desire was that the church would be so blessed and 187 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,160 so overwhelmed with God. Your your love is extending 188 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,320 beyond what my mind can even surpass and fathom. 189 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,120 It's so far up and it's so far on the sides of me and below me 190 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,880 and all around me that I could never get to the end of the 191 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,760 greatness of your love, that God would just not put it in your 192 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,800 mind to understand that. But it would be in your heart. 193 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,720 And when it's in your heart, it changes your very life. 194 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,560 It's not about religion. It's about Jesus, a living 195 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:07,600 Savior. And He says that you might be 196 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,480 filled with the fullness of God. In other words, God doesn't 197 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:16,120 intend any of us to be empty or to be shallow or to be thirsty 198 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,560 and hungry. He wants us to be full of Him at 199 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,280 all times. And then Paul says in 20 now to 200 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,680 him was able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask 201 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,000 or think big prayer there that Paul made right. 202 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,480 You read that and say, man, how's that possible? 203 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,840 Paul says we pray to him who's able to do exceedingly 204 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,120 abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power 205 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,280 it works in us to him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ, 206 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,880 all generations, forever and ever, Amen. 207 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,280 So Ephesus was a wonderful church at one time, but Jesus 208 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:54,760 rebukes them in the first part of this church analysis 209 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,680 regarding themselves and losing their love for Christ. 210 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,080 Guys, if you're here today and you're losing your love for 211 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,400 Christ, stop where you are and to say, Lord, restore to me that 212 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,280 love. Don't try to do it yourself. 213 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,280 You can't ask God for favor and say, God, restore to me the joy 214 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,520 of my salvation. Put in me that love that you've 215 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,960 promised me to have, and I guarantee God will do that for 216 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,360 you. He's willing to do that for you. 217 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,640 The second church we looked at was Smyrna. 218 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:27,080 Amazing church, a persecuted body that had no compromise in 219 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,880 its life. As a church. 220 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,160 It stood against the tide of ungodliness and immorality. 221 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,080 They didn't care if they lost their ability to earn a living 222 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,880 because of the guilds that persecuted people who proclaim 223 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,680 Christ. They stood out and stood up for 224 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:44,720 Christ. They had no compromise. 225 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,480 There was no warning given to this church to repent. 226 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,680 Because you find in persecuted countries, people are on their 227 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:53,520 face crying out to God continually when they're in the 228 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,920 cell, knowing that tomorrow morning is their last day and 229 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,960 they're being taken to the guillotine or the fire. 230 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:05,320 They are already in the place of purity and humility, waiting 231 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:06,800 upon God. They're on fire. 232 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,920 They're ready for whatever it is that's going to come upon them. 233 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,600 So today we look at Pergamus, the third church. 234 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,840 Pergamus is known as a compromising church. 235 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,160 It was called the greatest city in Asia Minor. 236 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,160 They had over 200 volumes of literature. 237 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,640 They actually had printing, not printing presses, but papyrus 238 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,200 smells that made the parchment in order for them to write down 239 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,720 the things that people were interested in reading it. 240 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:37,120 Recur refers to this city as being the place of Satan's seat. 241 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,280 Why? This was where the first temple 242 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:43,720 was dedicated to Caesar, and Caesar was an ungodly roller. 243 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:49,280 It also was a place of the temple of Asuth Lapias, meaning 244 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:53,520 the God of healing. That God had a symbol that was a 245 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,880 staff with a serpent on the top. That's the symbol you see today 246 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:01,360 in modern medicine. You know, it was a, a Pagan 247 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:06,240 symbol and the serpent on the staff was representing again 248 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:10,240 this place of Satan's seat. And verse 13, this church 249 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:14,280 suffered many, many things because of what was happening in 250 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,800 the city at the time, very ungodly city. 251 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,120 And to be a Christian in these kind of places was very, very 252 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,000 difficult. Verse 13, it says I know your 253 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,360 works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, and you hold 254 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,640 fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days which 255 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,320 Antipas was my faithful martyr who was killed among you, where 256 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,880 Satan dwells, so much persecution, even death. 257 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,080 Some faithful followers of Christ suffered loss of life. 258 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,640 They refused to offer incense on the altar and say that Caesar is 259 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,520 Lord. They were made in that time to 260 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,560 worship Caesar. It'd be like today you saying 261 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:59,000 Obama is Lord and if you didn't say it, you'd be cast into the 262 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,680 prisons and be persecuted. Be a terrible, terrible time to 263 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,200 live. The Lord describes himself as a 264 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,320 sharp sword. The sword is also the symbol of 265 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:14,400 the Roman authority that if you didn't do what Rome said, you 266 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,840 would be taken out by the sword. And verse 16, it refers to the 267 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:22,360 sword of Christ that is more to be feared than the throne of 268 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,840 earthly kingdoms. And so often in our culture, 269 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,760 people compromise because they're concerned about what 270 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,080 others say or think or do, not realizing that one day we'll 271 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,680 have to give an account to the Lord for every word and every 272 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,760 idle deed that we've committed in this life. 273 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:42,560 The big problem with this church that Jesus points out in verse 274 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:46,240 14, he has a few things against them because they have there 275 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,440 those there's people in their fellowship who hold the doctrine 276 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,600 of Balaam. We taught Balak to put a 277 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,360 stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat 278 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,480 things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 279 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,320 This you also have those who hold the doctrine of the 280 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,040 Nicolaitans, which things I hate. 281 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,360 This is real important guys doctrine. 282 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,040 The church in the last days, it says will not endorse sound 283 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,480 doctrine. People will be gravitating and 284 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,920 drawn to places where there isn't really any doctrine being 285 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,840 taught where they can be humored and they can be have their ears 286 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:26,080 tickled and not sense any kind of conviction about anything. 287 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,840 The enemy deceives us by using false doctrines. 288 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,920 Paul speaks in Acts 20 verse 29. He says, for I know this, that 289 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,400 after my departure, savage wolves, and Jesus refers to 290 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,120 these people that come as in sheep's clothing will come in 291 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:48,320 among you, not sparing the flock also from among yourselves. 292 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,800 Men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the 293 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,600 disciples after themselves. So we see here in this church in 294 00:16:55,600 --> 00:17:00,600 Revelation where people are not listening to the truth, they're 295 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,680 allowing false teachers to come in and deceive the people, and 296 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,599 as a result the people are falling away from the faith. 297 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:13,400 He says for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night 298 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,680 and day with tears. He did not cease torn everyone 299 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,200 night and day with tears. Sometimes you might get tired of 300 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,880 me telling you about false doctrine or false teachers. 301 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:28,920 That's a big part of being a pastor, to educate the people 302 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:33,000 and to let them know who out there is not to be trusted, who 303 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,120 out there is not to be listened to or believed. 304 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:37,680 The book she shouldn't be reading and shouldn't be buying. 305 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,560 Because they're rooted not in Apostolic teaching, but in the 306 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,760 doctrines and traditions of men. False doctrines, Jesus says in 307 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,120 Matthew 715. Beware of false prophets who 308 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:52,160 come to you in sheep's clothing. In other words, they look just 309 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,840 like the rest of us, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 310 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:00,920 2nd Corinthians Chapter 11 verse 1314 and 15 says, For such are 311 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,800 false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves 312 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,760 into the apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself 313 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,920 themselves turn himself into an Angel of light. 314 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,880 Therefore, it is no great thing if His ministers also transfer 315 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,800 themselves into ministers of righteousness whose end will be 316 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:24,000 according to their works. When a church begins to 317 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:28,520 compromise, and I've been in them, you've been in them, you 318 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,560 know what it's like when it begins to compromise and 319 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,680 doctrine, it begins to no longer be a place of blessing, but a 320 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:39,400 place of judgement. God begins to judge the work of 321 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:44,440 those who teach false doctrine. Jesus uses strong words about 322 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,400 this in verse 15. He says the doctrine of the 323 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,600 Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. He hates false doctrine. 324 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,360 Some people think it's OK to be in churches that are teaching 325 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:59,200 things that aren't biblical or modern secular thoughts or 326 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,600 psychology or contemporary evangelist, televangelist. 327 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,040 So they'll talk about these people and lift them up like 328 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,720 there's some kind of great leaders or great heroes. 329 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,760 Jesus would say the same thing about what we experienced today 330 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,040 in regard to the Word of Faith or the prosperity movement. 331 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,480 He would say these things which I also hate. 332 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:21,920 We need to hate what the Lord hates and to love what the Lord 333 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,840 loves. It isn't wise to not speak out 334 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,040 about about the things that are false. 335 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,240 Paul was very clear about it. Peter was clear about it. 336 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,560 Timothy was clear about it. Jesus is absolutely crystal 337 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:39,080 clear about it. In Matthew 15 verse 8-9, it says 338 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,320 these people. Jesus was referring to the false 339 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,840 teachers. Draw near to me with their mouth 340 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:48,680 and honor me with their lips. You can be in a a huge church 341 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,640 where everybody's raising their hands and worshiping and and 342 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:54,000 praising God. But God, you know, he's not that 343 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,640 impressed about the outward appearance of the hands raised. 344 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,680 Nothing wrong with raising the hands, but if we raise our hands 345 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,160 and our hearts are defiled and sinful, that's an abomination to 346 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,280 God. It's like the incense that they 347 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:09,320 have in a Bayou offered to God. It's blasphemous. 348 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,880 And it says these people honor me with their lips, but their 349 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,440 heart is far from me, and in vain they worship me. 350 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,520 Teaching his doctrine the commandments of men. 351 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,560 Nowadays, the things that are being taught in evangelical 352 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,400 churches as doctrines are nothing more than the inventions 353 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:31,160 of some man who interpreted the scripture in a very unbiblical 354 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,760 way. Write some books, becomes very 355 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:37,640 famous because people like feels good in their ears. 356 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,480 They like how it tickles them, and they're persuaded, and they 357 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,920 begin to follow it, and then they begin to be deceived. 358 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,600 A false doctrine is the invention of man, his concepts, 359 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,400 his interpretations and heresies. 360 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,280 It's not rooted in the Apostolic teaching. 361 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,960 And Ephesians 414. Paul warns them about being 362 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,200 carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of man, 363 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,680 where they lie and cunning craftiness, thereby waiting and 364 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,560 lying, waiting to deceive. It's hard to conceive that 365 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,040 there's people out there that make their living under the 366 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:14,840 auspices of ministry and they're leading the flock down the path 367 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,320 of destruction in regard to the teaching. 368 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,680 And Paul warns the church there in Ephesus, don't be carried 369 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,480 about with all these winds of doctrines. 370 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:27,080 I get so tired of all these new moves out there today. 371 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,200 This book about this book, and then this book about that book 372 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,560 and this book about it's like, try this and try. 373 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:34,280 And then the pastors, they feel pressured. 374 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,840 They become schizophrenic. Well, we need to do this because 375 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,880 this is in now. And when that isn't in anymore, 376 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,440 then we'll do this. And then let's talk about this 377 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,160 book book and buy this guy's writings. 378 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,480 And then, you know, before, you know, people aren't in the word 379 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,400 anymore, they're into some book that some man's written. 380 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:53,160 First Timothy 110 says there are things that are contrary to 381 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,760 sound doctrine, warning them not to be around that stuff. 382 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:01,120 First Timothy 41, it says, give heed that people will give heed 383 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:05,200 to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons in the last 384 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,240 days. In chapter 4, verse 6. 385 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,760 If you instruct the brethren, I love this, it should be the life 386 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:12,880 verse of every pastor, every teacher. 387 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:17,160 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good 388 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,800 minister of Jesus Christ. Nourish in the words of faith 389 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,120 and of God's doctrine which you have carefully followed. 390 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,880 Amen. That's what we're all to do. 391 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:31,120 Let me read that again. This is the responsibility of 392 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:35,320 anybody that teaches the Word. If you instruct the brethren in 393 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,320 these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, 394 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:44,400 nourished in the words of faith and of God's doctrine, which you 395 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,800 have carefully followed. I'll tell you the day that we 396 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,600 stopped carefully following the doctrine of God. 397 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:53,720 Here is a day you bolt from this church. 398 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:59,280 Don't allow yourself to be sitting here ever under any 399 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,520 false teaching anywhere. If you have friends who are in 400 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,480 churches and they're in places of false doctrine and false 401 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,040 teaching, it behooves you to warn them and to tell them to 402 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,680 search the scriptures as the Bereans did daily to see whether 403 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,720 the things they were being taught or so. 404 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,800 There's too many Christians nowadays that attend the church 405 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,440 without their Bible, and you come and you listen to some man 406 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,680 rant and rave up front for 45 minutes and you figure, well, 407 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,080 he's a minister, he must know what he's talking about. 408 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,480 Don't ever take that for granted. 409 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:37,200 Your job is to study and to be in the Scriptures along with me 410 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,680 or anybody in this church that's teaching something that isn't in 411 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,960 the Word. You say very nicely. 412 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,840 Where did you come up with that? And you keep my fire to the 413 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,400 feet, too. It's important. 414 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,000 In the Book of Revelation, Pastor Clark is taking us 415 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,840 through all kinds of events and happenings that are predicted 416 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,480 for the future. But for those who believe and 417 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,480 follow Jesus, there's much to look forward to in heaven with 418 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,480 Jesus. However, for those who are here 419 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,720 on earth during the Tribulation, there's all kinds of chaos that 420 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,720 will unfold. The Bible talks about an 421 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:18,040 Antichrist, a false prophet, and of course that evil enemy Satan. 422 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,840 You see how there are such clever attempts for the enemy to 423 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:26,760 disguise himself as God and even the Trinity, the true Savior of 424 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,000 the world is God and how he comes to rescue through his 425 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:35,920 triune nature, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy 426 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,120 Spirit. Just like Satan tried to take 427 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:43,080 over for God in heaven and was cast out, Satan will try to 428 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:47,040 convince people on earth that he is the triune God to be 429 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,280 worshipped instead of the legitimate God in heaven. 430 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,440 It's an attempt, and although he will capture plenty in his 431 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:59,400 schemes, he will not win. The true God wins, and 432 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,200 Revelation unpacks how that will all happen in detail. 433 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,600 Be encouraged because there's a way out for all of this madness 434 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,320 that will ensue on this earth. But you don't want to wait 435 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:14,560 indefinitely to make that decision about Jesus. 436 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,840 We don't know when the church will be raptured, and you want 437 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,960 to be ready to be with Jesus. To learn more about this, head 438 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:28,160 over to calvarychapelonline.com. We're so glad you've been with 439 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,320 us today. And if you'd like to connect 440 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,640 further with this ministry, find us on Facebook or YouTube. 441 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,840 You can also download our mobile app at calvarychapelonline.com. 442 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:44,480 Be sure to join us for weekly services at 400 E Pittsburgh St. 443 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:53,040 Ste. 6B in Greensburg, PA 15601. This has been living waters of 444 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:53,600 grace.