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 --> 00:00:39,400 There's a high calling for the believer, isn't there? 6 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,160 There's a high calling for the Church of Jesus Christ. 7 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:47,960 And we need to do the things that the Bible declares to us to 8 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,600 do. We can't just say, well, that's 9 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,520 like radical Christianity or that's fanatical Christianity. 10 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,480 I can just sort of do my thing and go my own way and do what I 11 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,320 feel like doing. And it's no problem because God 12 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,680 loves me. And I prayed a prayer, and I 13 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,480 know I'm saved. And you know what Jesus says, If 14 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,480 you love me, you'll keep my word. 15 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,080 In an obstacle course, there are several challenges that you're 16 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,800 expected to push yourself through to make it to the end. 17 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,280 American Ninja Warrior is a great example. 18 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,200 These challenging obstacles are meant to push you to your limit 19 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,720 and for you to prove you can conquer the challenge through 20 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,400 strength, grit, and determination. 21 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,560 Now think of your Christian walk. 22 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,000 There are many challenges and obstacles to overcome. 23 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,960 Pastor Clark teaches on how God gives you his Word, His Spirit, 24 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,240 and the mental determination to overcome. 25 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,960 Now here's Pastor Clark in John chapter 15 with today's edition 26 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,720 of Living Waters of Grace. God has a special feeling for 27 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,960 his elect or his bride today. If you're a Christian here and 28 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,280 you believe in Jesus Christ and you've been born of the Spirit, 29 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,160 be grateful because it isn't anything you did, is it? 30 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,200 Jesus says you have not chosen me. 31 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,280 What's he say? But I have chosen you and have 32 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,600 ordained you that you should go forth and bear much fruit. 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:19,680 And so we have this situation here that God is speaking to 34 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,280 this church in Philadelphia about these problematic people 35 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,240 here who are causing them all this problem. 36 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,000 One more thing, I want you to look at Galatians chapter 3. 37 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:33,080 It's important to have this stuff down in the sense of your 38 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,960 own understanding of how God sees Israel, how he works with 39 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,960 Israel today, how he still desires to have the nation come 40 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,000 to recognize that Jesus is a Messiah. 41 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,480 But I'll tell you, all those Jews over there that are still 42 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,240 without Christ, they're all bound for hell if they don't 43 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,240 come to Christ, right? There's no special dispensation 44 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,520 just because they've been born in Jerusalem and they're part of 45 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,960 the nation of Israel. They have to come through the 46 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,960 same bloodline that you and I have come through as Gentiles 47 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,720 through the blood of Jesus Christ. 48 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,280 That's the only way someone can become born into the family of 49 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,240 God. It says in Galatians chapter 3 50 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,320 verse 5. Therefore he who supplies a 51 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,680 spirit to you and works miracles among you, does he do it by the 52 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,760 works of the law or by the hearing of faith? 53 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,880 Just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for 54 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,640 righteousness. Therefore know that only those 55 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:28,960 who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 56 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,960 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the 57 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,960 Gentiles by faith, preach the gospel to Abraham beforehand, 58 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,520 saying, in you all the nations shall be blessed. 59 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,960 So then, so then those who are of faith are blessed with 60 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,080 believing Abraham. Some people ask questions, well, 61 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,360 what happened about the people in the Old Testament? 62 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,240 How did they get saved? They got saved the same way you 63 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,200 and I got saved by faith in Jesus Christ, faith in the 64 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:57,440 Messiah. It was to come. 65 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,040 The promise was there way back in the Garden of Eden, wasn't 66 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,920 it? When God said to Adam and Eve 67 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,800 that there will be a seed that will come that will bruise the 68 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,000 heal of Satan. And that seed is Jesus Christ 69 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,640 himself, the the victor, the overcomer, the one who will come 70 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,160 and save his people from their sins. 71 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,279 So when you look at the judgment seat of Christ or the great 72 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,240 White Throne judgment, let's think about that. 73 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:29,760 That's the judgment of those who are either in Christ or out of 74 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,760 Christ. The the book will be open, the 75 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,200 book of life. Whosoever's name is not found 76 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,320 written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be cast into the lake 77 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,680 of fire. How does your name get written 78 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,600 in that book? Being a good person, taking 79 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,040 little ladies across the street, not stealing too much, not 80 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,000 lusting too much, not hating too much, being better than 81 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,320 everybody else makes you qualified and acceptable to 82 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:55,520 enter into God's perfect Kingdom. 83 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,600 No, for all of sin and fallen sure of the glory of God, 84 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,760 there's none righteous. No, not 1. 85 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:02,960 So it's a judgment. Some people say, well, who's 86 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,360 going to be there? The Catholics will say if you're 87 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:10,440 really a strong Catholic and you believe in the things before 88 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:14,120 Vatican 2, you're going to say anybody that isn't Catholic is 89 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:19,640 what anathema. The church is the institution of 90 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,360 salvation. If you're not in the Catholic 91 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,640 Church, you're doom, right? Some Baptist Church will say, 92 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,800 well, if you're not a Baptist and you're not baptized, you're 93 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,160 not going to get to heaven. The Presbyterians forget it. 94 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,120 The Lutherans are Methodists are not going to make it. 95 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,720 You got to be a Baptist, a Bible thumping, believe in Baptist. 96 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,040 No long hair, no blue jeans, no rock music. 97 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,120 You got to be a Baptist. I was a Baptist for Ross. 98 00:05:53,120 --> 00:06:00,080 I know what that's all about. Some Orthodox will say, well, if 99 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,120 you're not part of the true one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, 100 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,640 you're not going to enter into the Kingdom of heaven because 101 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,880 there's salvation only through the Orthodox Church. 102 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,480 Well, show me where that is in the Scriptures. 103 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,400 Now, if you make up a tradition that's independent of the 104 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,800 Scriptures or on par with the Scripture, you can basically say 105 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,880 whatever you want, right? And the people figure, well, I 106 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,680 guess you're the expert, you're the trained seminarian, you're 107 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,880 the doctor of theology or the priest or the Pope or the 108 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,880 pastor. You guess you know what's going 109 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,000 on. I guess we just got to believe 110 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,040 what you say. I have a dear Orthodox friend, 111 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,120 82 years old. I love hanging out with him 112 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,840 because he doesn't see any of it that way. 113 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,680 He says Clark, at the judgment, there's only going to be 114 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,680 believers and unbelievers. There's not going to be Jews 115 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,600 there, or Gentiles or Orthodox or Catholic, is there? 116 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,920 There's going to be sheep and goat believers or unbelievers. 117 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,240 God's not going to look down and say, well, you're a Baptist. 118 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:03,920 I got a special room for you up here. 119 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,440 You come up here, you Presbyterians are way back 120 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,880 there, you Methodist. This didn't make it. 121 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:16,000 Sorry, not going to be that way. If your name is written in the 122 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,280 Lamb's Book of Life, you're going to be there and it'll be 123 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,120 wonderful because you will have people who were Catholic there. 124 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:25,840 You will have people who are Orthodox there. 125 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,960 You will have people, believe it or not, that Raven Calvary 126 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,360 Chapel people be there. And you will have the Baptist 127 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,440 there too, because it's so wonderful. 128 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,160 I love what it says in the Scriptures. 129 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,040 There's neither Jew nor Gentile bond. 130 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,760 They're free, male or female, but we've all been made together 131 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,760 to drink of that same spiritual drink, which is Christ and Him 132 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,440 alone. So the Jews at this particular 133 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,680 time were the principal persecutors of Christians, and 134 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,240 they came from the synagogue's. They were the Sanhedrins, and 135 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:01,280 the Sanhedrins were those who supported the Court of the House 136 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,520 of Israel. They were the experts in the law 137 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,760 and the spiritual dealings of the church. 138 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,520 This was the same group that conspired against Christ to have 139 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,960 Him crucified. They paid off Judas. 140 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,360 They also ordered the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr in the 141 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,040 New Testament, the book of the Acts. 142 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,400 It's, it's amazing how when you study history, if you guys have 143 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:30,720 studied it, it's appalling to see what Rome did to the Eastern 144 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:32,520 Church. The martyrdom. 145 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,080 If you're not Catholic, we're going to kill you. 146 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,760 And even in the sense of the Reformation, what unfortunately 147 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,720 John Calvin did to those who didn't believe in infant 148 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:49,560 baptism, this has nothing to do with Christianity, does it? 149 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,800 Jesus says by this sheep, people will know you're my disciples by 150 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,200 the love you have for one another. 151 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,880 And in verse 9, the justice of God, he's reminding this Church 152 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,120 of the persecution, the trials, everything they're going 153 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,760 through. Don't worry, one day these 154 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,000 people who are your persecutors will worship before your feet. 155 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,360 They're not going to worship you, but they're going to be 156 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,520 humbled to realize that you will be sitting with Christ on His 157 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,680 throne and seen as overcomers. That we'll get into that later 158 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:23,640 on in verse 21. I love what it says in 159 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,240 Philippians 210. It says that the name of Jesus, 160 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:31,160 every knee shall bow of those in heaven and those on earth and of 161 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,800 those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that 162 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,520 Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 163 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,040 All the enemies of God, all the people who have persecuted 164 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,040 believers, all those who have worked against the Kingdom of 165 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:48,200 God, the atheists, the agnostics, the role of Islam. 166 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,120 Who would think that we are heretics because we believe in a 167 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,040 triune God? One God manifests in three 168 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,920 persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 169 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:01,240 Jesus said in John 1723 That the world may know that you have 170 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:06,520 sent me and have loved them. That's referring to us as you've 171 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,600 loved me. One day we will have our reward. 172 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,400 The Bride of Christ will no longer be stepped upon and spit 173 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,640 upon. There'll be no more martyrdom, 174 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,800 There'll be no more abuse. There'll be no more persecution. 175 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,600 There'll be no more imprisonments for the Bride of 176 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:23,720 Christ. But there'll be worship. 177 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,560 And all those at that time who were our enemies will have to 178 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:29,120 bow down. And at that time it'll be too 179 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,680 late, and they'll confess with their mouth on their knees that 180 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,760 Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father and the 181 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,400 tragedy. Then the book is open. 182 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,760 Whosoever's name is not found, written into the Lamb's book of 183 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,160 life is cast into the lake of fire. 184 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,000 Depart from me. You cursed. 185 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,520 I never knew you. And so Jesus tells them though 186 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,320 he's going to keep them from the hour of trial. 187 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:59,040 In verse 10, First Thessalonians 59 says, for God did not appoint 188 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,480 us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus 189 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,040 Christ. We see this as we interpret this 190 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,320 and there's some other opinions on this, but I'll tell you what 191 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,280 we feel about this or what we believe. 192 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,560 We believe in a pre tribulation rapture. 193 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:19,800 We believe that Christ will not bring judgment upon his bride. 194 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,440 There's no reason why he would do that. 195 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,920 See the judgment and revelation that's poured out. 196 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:29,160 The bowls of wrath are to be poured out upon the ungodly, not 197 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,720 upon the godly, not upon the remnant or the elect of the 198 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,880 Bride of Christ. And so we believe that Christ 199 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,840 will come and take us out of this world prior to the wrath of 200 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,320 God coming out upon the earth. Now, some people wonder, well, 201 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,400 when will that be? You know, like if I was living 202 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,600 in China right now or Afghanistan or Sudan, I would 203 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,520 think I'm in the tribulation right now. 204 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,160 Why am I still here? Why am I being persecuted? 205 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,840 Why? I can't guarantee you and the 206 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,800 scriptures don't guarantee you that you won't have some trials 207 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,360 in this life. Things could get worse in this 208 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,560 country and we're all standing around like, when's he coming? 209 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,920 I thought I'd be out of here before this happened. 210 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,800 If I'm in a jail cell someday, I'm going to be thinking that 211 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,400 that I misinterpret the Scripture. 212 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,600 But Christ, only the Father, he says, knows the time of his 213 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,480 coming. But the fact is that Jesus 214 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,720 promises them that he will keep them from the hour of trial. 215 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,480 And this is the global crisis. This is a little problem here in 216 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,040 Philadelphia at the time. This is a worldwide future 217 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,960 tribulation that will come about come upon the whole earth and he 218 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,320 promises to keep us. I believe and we believe as a 219 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,280 fellowship of churches. The bride will be removed from 220 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,960 the earth prior to this severe trial. 221 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:51,120 And so he encourages them in verse 11 to hold fast what you 222 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,560 have that no one may take your crown. 223 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,680 He talks about he who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the 224 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:01,320 temple of my God. The importance of overcoming you 225 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,400 know the the big problem in modern day Christianity. 226 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,400 There is no concept of denying self or sacrifice, is there? 227 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,080 Laying down your life for the sake of others. 228 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,000 There's no concept Because of the easy believism and the false 229 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,320 gospel that's being proclaimed in so many churches. 230 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,360 You don't hear the idea of working out your salvation with 231 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,000 fear and trembling. If any man will follow me, let 232 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,920 him deny himself. Take up his cross daily and 233 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,080 follow me. If you want to find your life, 234 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:29,880 you have to lose it. For my sake. 235 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,720 Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from 236 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,840 iniquity. I beseech you, brethren, by the 237 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,080 mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, 238 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:42,440 holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 239 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,000 service. And be not conformed to this 240 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,480 world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you 241 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,760 may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of 242 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,600 God. There's a high calling for the 243 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,840 believer, isn't there? There's a high calling for the 244 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,800 Church of Jesus Christ, and we need to do the things that the 245 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:05,400 Bible declares to us to do. We can't just say, well, that's 246 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,200 like radical Christianity, that's fanatical Christianity. 247 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,080 I can just sort of do my thing and go my own way and do what I 248 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,400 feel like doing and it's no problem because God loves me. 249 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,200 And I prayed a prayer and I know I'm saved. 250 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,280 And you know what Jesus says if you love me, you'll keep my 251 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,160 word. There's nothing ever written in 252 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,960 the Bible where Jesus says if you love me, you'll do what you 253 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,280 want to do. If you love me this. 254 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:34,120 No, don't be serious about this. I understand you, you, you sort 255 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,480 of want to do your own thing. Lots of times it's OK with me. 256 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,000 Have a nice life. He says if you love me, keep my 257 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,160 command. And so the importance of 258 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,720 overcoming. We believe that a true Christian 259 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:49,240 is an overcomer, someone who doesn't want to sin, someone who 260 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:53,400 doesn't want to disobey God, someone who wants to follow him 261 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,160 and to learn to love him with all their heart, with all their 262 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,640 soul, with all their mind and all their strength. 263 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,760 A true Christian is someone who hates what God hates and loves 264 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,400 what God loves, right? A true Christian is someone that 265 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,440 doesn't want to have anything to do with the world system, the 266 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:13,000 ungodly world system. Guys, I don't know how many of 267 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:17,000 you here are involved with the world, but if you're involved 268 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,960 with the world and you say you're a Christian, get out of 269 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,240 it now before it's too late. Repent while you have a chance 270 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,080 because there's going to be people to judgment. 271 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:28,960 It's going to say, I believe that and Jesus is going to say, 272 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,160 depart from you, curse that I never knew you. 273 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,320 And and this is the preachers. They're like, why cast out 274 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:35,320 demons? Your name? 275 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,520 I preach this, I did this, I did that, right? 276 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,800 It's shocking. And he says, depart from you, 277 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,440 curse that I never knew you. That's why it says judgment has 278 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,400 to begin first with us, with the House of God. 279 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,680 And there's been too much watered down Christianity being 280 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,360 taught by men in the pulpit. And men in the pulpit are going 281 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,320 to be judged more severely, the Bible says, than anyone else 282 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,760 because they're leading the people astray. 283 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,560 So he encourages them in verse 11, hold fast through the trials 284 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,360 and the persecutions. Verse 12, be an overcomer. 285 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,720 And you know, Jesus is really interested in the fact that we 286 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,720 stand. Be like my kids. 287 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,080 I don't know about you guys, but there was times I was really 288 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,680 embarrassed about their behavior and there was times I was very, 289 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,000 very proud about their behavior. Not in a product. 290 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,120 My I got great kids. No, when I saw them doing what 291 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,600 God wanted them to do, when I saw them doing what God didn't 292 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:32,880 want them to do, it was embarrassing and heartbreaking 293 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,800 and difficult and trying. But when I saw them endeavor to 294 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,840 please God and do what he wants them to do, it was exciting. 295 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,200 One of the most exciting times was when my daughter was wayward 296 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,000 and, and she was really out there in the world and, and God 297 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,640 broke her and broke her and broke her and finally, you know, 298 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,720 she just yielded and she and she was willing to go do ADTS at a 299 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,800 youth with a mission base. And I remember flying out with 300 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,360 her and she's smoking a couple packs of cigarettes a day prior 301 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,480 to getting there. And she knew that no smoking in 302 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,760 the boot camp in the base. So she got the patch. 303 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,000 We went to the supermarket and got the patch, you know, and 304 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,760 walking around and everybody knew what the patch was. 305 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:11,720 You know, she had a short sleeve shirt. 306 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,560 A pastor's daughter and pastor sometimes have the worst kids 307 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,720 for whatever reason they do. It's just like the devil says, 308 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,000 man, that's like really make these kids messed up so that the 309 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:29,560 pastors will quit or whatever. But God worked in her heart and 310 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,640 whenever she began to learn to walk with the Lord and obey him 311 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,680 and, and to this day, she's this way now she wants his will. 312 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,680 She wants to honor him. I'm so excited to introduce my 313 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:45,560 daughter as a child of God, someone who loves the Lord and 314 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,120 wants to follow him and wants to train her children up in her 315 00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:49,920 husband and the way the Lord right. 316 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,840 The Bible says no greater joy than I have right than to see my 317 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,160 children walk in the truth. There's Krish, daughter and 318 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,520 perspective son-in-law. Both strong Christians love the 319 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:01,840 Lord and want to serve the Lord with all their heart. 320 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,240 No greater joy, right? I know you guys, Ron's son Josh, 321 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,360 he has a heart that want to be a pastor someday. 322 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,680 No greater joy guys, huh? And to see your children walking 323 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,760 the truth and that's the way it is with the Lord when we stand 324 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,800 someday before him. You know, he wants to brag on 325 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,680 us. He wants to point out, as all 326 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,520 the masses are there, this is my son Clark. 327 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,680 This is what he once was, but this is what I made him into. 328 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,280 This is my daughter Julie. This is what she once was. 329 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,920 This is what I've made her into. It says that in the ages that 330 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:42,880 come, he might show His glory revealed to us in Jesus Christ. 331 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:46,160 It says, for we are his workmanship, right, created in 332 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,080 Christ Jesus. And it says He's conforming us 333 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:54,360 to the image of His Son, all of us, making us a little bit more 334 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:58,400 like Jesus Christ every day. It's not how you start guys that 335 00:18:58,400 --> 00:18:59,760 matters. It's how you finish. 336 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,040 Are you going to remain firm to the end? 337 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,400 It says in the last days there will be a great falling away. 338 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,360 I'm seeing it already happened. I'm seeing people that I know 339 00:19:10,360 --> 00:19:14,120 and I love that once we're radically in love with God and 340 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,760 on fire that no longer follow Him anymore. 341 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:21,920 It's happening as we speak. We are in the last days, but we 342 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:28,200 must remain firm to the end. The admonition in Revelation and 343 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,320 Hebrews to the believer is that you hold fast and at the end he 344 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,920 says there's going to be 3 inscriptions or rewards that are 345 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,880 going to be placed on us. The first one he says he's going 346 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:44,680 to write the name of God on us. I will write on him the name of 347 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,680 my God. I love how Dave Venucci prays if 348 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:51,600 you ever heard him pray. My God, my God, my Father God, 349 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,640 my God. He is our God, isn't he? 350 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:58,200 My God is going to write his name on me. 351 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,680 Your God is going to write his name on you, and then he's going 352 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:11,680 to write this city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes 353 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,080 down out of heaven from my God again. 354 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,680 The new Jerusalem, the city of God, we'll get into that later 355 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:28,120 as we go through this book and then he says my new name and 73 356 00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:30,480 we'll get to that later too. The late later. 357 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:36,200 The Angel is expressing concern that the judgments not begin 358 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,960 while we have sealed the servants until we have sealed 359 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,480 the servants of God on their foreheads. 360 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:46,280 It's a beautiful picture that the angels focused on all these 361 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,840 things being done and accomplished and that the true 362 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,640 bride, the believer, is sealed with the name of God and then 363 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:58,160 we're protected and taken out from this horrendous judgment is 364 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,840 going to come on the earth. The unbeliever will be signing 365 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,920 up standing in line to get the mark of the beast on their 366 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:11,040 forehead to be able to buy and sell and to do commerce. 367 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,040 I don't know if it's going to be some kind of chip or some kind 368 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,400 of identification mark. They can scan people now with 369 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,560 implants. It's real easy. 370 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,840 You know, you go through the, the, the, the check out and the, 371 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,560 you'll, you'll just put your, your, and they'll automatically 372 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,200 debit it out of your account and, and then you'll move on. 373 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,720 But if you put your wrist there and, and there's no number there 374 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,680 that will identify that you're part of this Antichrist 375 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,560 movement, the alarms will go off and you'll be arrested and and 376 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,560 put in prison. You know, it's not too long 377 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,120 before these things are going to come come to pass. 378 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:48,000 The technology is already there and it says it in 14 one, that 379 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,240 the Father's name will be written on our foreheads and 380 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,880 will be seen everywhere by everyone as God's possession. 381 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,480 The seal, the mark of his ownership. 382 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,120 And the New Jerusalem is a seal of the heavenly citizenship that 383 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:05,760 you and I, we belong to a Kingdom that's not of this 384 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,920 world, who's builder and maker is God. 385 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,280 Now, some people believe that the Church of Philadelphia and 386 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,360 all these churches represent certain churches in time and 387 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,000 history. And we, we break these things 388 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,440 out in a more contemporary way too, that this church is seen by 389 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:27,520 many as a church at the time of the Great Awakening started 390 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,640 around 1793. The prophetical aspect or the 391 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,120 futuristic approach of what this church represents in our day and 392 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:35,800 age. And that's in the days of Wesley 393 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,760 and Whitfield's preaching at Edward and Moody in the 18th and 394 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,840 19th century, the beginning of an evangelistic explosion around 395 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:48,040 the earth, right, Because because of Rome held the church 396 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,640 in captive, right. For a long time, people didn't 397 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,600 have Bibles. They couldn't read their Bibles. 398 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,600 There wasn't the opportunity to go out and do anything because 399 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,160 if you did you, you would be looked upon as a heretic. 400 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,560 You would be many times martyred. 401 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:04,560 Martin Luther got tired of the rules and he started being 402 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:06,440 challenged. He said, you know, no matter how 403 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,320 much I try, I still see my wickedness in me. 404 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,560 I'm a religious person, but I'm dead. 405 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,400 I'm depraved. I have sinned. 406 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:15,920 I have bad thoughts. You know, this doesn't make 407 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,840 sense to me, that I'm supposed to be a child of God, and yet I 408 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,120 feel like a child of the devil. He was a tormented man, and so 409 00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:23,920 he started reading the book of Romans. 410 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,240 And as he read the book of Romans, he had an epiphany when 411 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,080 he came upon that verse that the just shall live by faith. 412 00:23:32,360 --> 00:23:38,440 Justification is by faith alone, by grace alone and Christ alone. 413 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:44,320 And no magisterium, no church, no tradition of man can bring 414 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,200 salvation. It's a gift of God. 415 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,840 We are digging into the Book of Revelation here on Living Waters 416 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,600 of Grace. Pastor Clark is tackling this 417 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,520 challenging book as we try to discern the messages that are 418 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,120 within its pages. There's so much imagery, and at 419 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:06,600 times you're not always sure what's literal and what's 420 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,960 metaphorical. At one point, there's a 421 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,760 reference to an adulterous woman riding on a beast. 422 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,160 And as someone else mentioned, at one point it almost sounds 423 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,640 like a rodeo from hell. And in actuality it kind of is. 424 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,000 You learn about the downfall and demise of a sinful and 425 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,280 rebellious world, falling down in worship to someone who is the 426 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:36,200 anti hero, the enemy, Satan working his insidious ways into 427 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:40,880 the minds of fallen people. It's sad and it's heartbreaking, 428 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,600 but it's a classic story of good versus evil. 429 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,080 Thankfully, we know how this story ends. 430 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:55,360 Jesus wins, Jesus reigns, and evil is conquered once and for 431 00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:57,880 all. We pray and trust you've 432 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,880 received Jesus as your Savior. But if you haven't, don't wait 433 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,160 until the events and revelation become what's happening on the 434 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,640 streets. None of us wants you to be there 435 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,000 at that time. Instead, we'd love for you to be 436 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:17,760 with us in heaven as we celebrate the marriage supper 437 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:23,240 with Jesus as his bridegroom. To get a better understanding of 438 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,400 where we are in the Book of Revelation, to listen to any 439 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:31,080 messages before or after this one, you can find them at our 440 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,680 website, calvarychapelonline.com. 441 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,400 That's it for today's edition, but we hope you'll want to hear 442 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,880 Pastor Clark teach more from the Book of Revelation. 443 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:46,240 It can be exciting to think about the future for believers, 444 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,320 but it can feel a bit harrowing for those who don't believe. 445 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,480 Come here more next time on Living Waters of Grace.