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 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,640 How could a loving God allow such a horrible situation to 6 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,360 occur there? God's judgement, and I'm not 7 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,800 saying Haiti is God's judgement it but it says in the last days 8 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,920 there will be birth pangs and a frequency of cataclysmic events 9 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,800 occurring on the face of the earth to cause men and women and 10 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:02,240 children to begin to look up and to wonder about is there a God? 11 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,040 And then, if there is a God, am I ready to meet Him? 12 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,240 A common question among many people is how could a loving God 13 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,600 allow terrible things to happen? Some believe bad things are 14 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,880 God's judgement, natural consequences, or even evidence 15 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,640 that God doesn't exist. Ultimately, we can make all 16 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,560 manner of assumptions and speculations, but we must 17 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,720 realize that God's ways are higher than our ways and His 18 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,880 thoughts are higher than our thoughts. 19 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,480 In today's message, Pastor Clark attempts to convey what 20 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,880 Revelation might be telling us about events in the final days. 21 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,720 Now here's Pastor Clark in Revelation chapter one with 22 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,640 today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 23 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:53,240 In verse 15, it talks about his, his voice being the sound of 24 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,640 many waters. I love to sit by the ocean when 25 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:58,480 there's no one there and no distractions. 26 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,840 And I love this to close my eyes and just hear the waves 27 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,280 crashing. This continual, there's no 28 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,480 silence. It's just continual noise. 29 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,880 And every wave seems to have a different sound effect in my 30 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,320 ear. Every wave that flows in is not 31 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,840 exactly the same as the wave that came before it. 32 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:20,080 And it's just a continuation of this, an outpouring of the, the 33 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,400 sound and crashing of, of the surf upon the sand. 34 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:29,520 And God's sound, his voice is like the sound of everlasting 35 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,600 waters. If you ever been to Niagara 36 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,120 Falls and you stood at the base of the falls, you're in the Maid 37 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,760 of the mist. You just hear the, the crushing 38 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,760 sound of the water this relentlessly coming down off the 39 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:45,760 the cliffs there into the into the pond or lake of stream 40 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,360 there. It's just continue. 41 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,440 It's a sound of his absolute power and authority. 42 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,320 I think of a, a storm at night, a thunderstorm or a lightning 43 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,640 storm or a hailstorm. And, and this the, the sound of 44 00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,080 the Thunder is so crushing. And at times it, it shakes you, 45 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,160 it, it, it makes you fearful. The fact that God is so 46 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,720 magnificent and so powerful that he could wipe any of us out in a 47 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,960 second. And it, it's just overwhelming. 48 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,920 And then you think of the the sound of earthquakes or 49 00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:20,400 tornadoes or hurricanes or typhoons, the tremendous power 50 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,720 that God has in the midst of this universe, it would cause 51 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:28,120 you to to fall on your face and be broken, as we will see John 52 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,280 here in a few moments, falling on his face. 53 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,840 But no one can stop these sounds but God. 54 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,320 No one can stop the fury of the Thunder and the lightning and 55 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,720 the hurricane and the earthquakes. 56 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,600 But God, he has control over this whole universe. 57 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,120 Nothing occurs outside of His will and His plan. 58 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,080 Someone mentioned recently about the crisis in Haiti. 59 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,880 How could a loving God allow such a horrible situation to 60 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,560 occur there? God's judgement and I'm not 61 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,000 saying Haiti is God's judgement it but it says in the last days 62 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,040 there will be birth pangs and a frequency of cataclysmic events 63 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,880 occurring on the face of the earth to cause men and women and 64 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:15,280 children to begin to look up and to wonder about is there a God? 65 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,079 And if there is a God, am I ready to meet him? 66 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:25,160 Am I ready to stand before him? This sound of the voice in 67 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,600 heaven speaks with power and authority, and it says in verse 68 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,640 16 that out of his mouth when a sharp 2 edged sword. 69 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,480 We read in Hebrews that the word of God is sharper than any 2 70 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,080 edged sword, piercing, dividing asunder of soul and spirit and 71 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,080 is a very discerner of the thoughts and intents of the 72 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,480 heart. It's just so wonderful when you 73 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,120 sit down, you're reading through the Bible this year and and as 74 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,280 you read it, it's purifying you. It's it's convicting you. 75 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:58,560 You, you see your own life and the life of Abraham and Isaac 76 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,840 and Jacob and Sarah and Hagar and all these people and and the 77 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:03,840 scriptures. You, you say, boy, that person 78 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:08,400 reminds me of me a little bit, you know, and it shows you God's 79 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,440 action and intervention in their lives and his mercy and his 80 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,320 grace and his forgiveness. And you're, you're encouraged, 81 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,840 you know, the fact that God is such a compassionate, loving, 82 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:21,520 merciful God in spite of the foolishness of the human race, 83 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,720 in spite of the foolishness of the human heart. 84 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,080 And this sword that's coming out of his mouth speaks with 85 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,280 authority. It's the living word of God. 86 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,960 Ephesians tells us that it's the sword of the Spirit, which is 87 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,520 the word of God. He gives us a description also 88 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:43,800 of the of the seven stars in verse 16, and these seven stars 89 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,640 are descriptive of perhaps he refers to the name Angel. 90 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,680 Angel means messenger. We prayed this morning before we 91 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,040 came up here that God's angels would protect this place, 92 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,720 surround it from the attacks of the evil. 1 And God has sent 93 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,280 forth his army of angels in the midst of these days that we 94 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:04,760 live. I love what it tells us in 95 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,760 Hebrews, the beginning of Hebrews, about the angelic 96 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,440 creatures, aren't they ministering spirits, sent forth 97 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,920 to minister to them who are the heirs of salvation? 98 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:16,640 You have a guardian Angel. Do you know that? 99 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:19,480 Do you believe that? Well, the Scriptures declare 100 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,800 that you do. And that poor Angel, what 101 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,880 they've had to put up with, right with all of us. 102 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,040 I'm sure my Angel would love to trade places with one of you 103 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,640 guys. He's been with me for 58 years 104 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,880 now. But even the angelic beings, 105 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,280 whenever the word of God is proclaimed and preached, they 106 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:40,360 like to hang around in the atmosphere because they never 107 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,400 get tired of listening in and hearing the mystery that's 108 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,760 revealed through the church, the gospel of God's salvation. 109 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,880 The angels could also in some commentaries refer to the 110 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,880 pastors of the churches because we're messengers, we're 111 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,960 responsible to declare to the community, the body, the the 112 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:05,120 message of the, the word of God. And verse 16, it refers to his 113 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,440 countenance. It says his countenance was like 114 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:13,040 the sun shining in its strength, the sun SUN. 115 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,720 When you look up in certain times of the day, you wouldn't 116 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,280 dare gaze into the brightness of the sun because you'd burn your 117 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,840 retina. But in certain times a day you 118 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,400 can sunset, you can look at it, look at the beauty, and it isn't 119 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,520 as bright. But the countenance of Christ is 120 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,000 like the fullness of the brightness of the sun at its 121 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,600 greatest point, at its fullest of strength. 122 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,400 That was experienced by Peter, James and John whenever they 123 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,360 were at the base of the Mount of Transfiguration. 124 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,520 When Christ appeared in his glorified state and the 125 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:52,440 brightness of His glory was exceedingly manifest, and Peter 126 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,760 and James and John, it was so bright they had to fall on their 127 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,240 face. And this is the way our Savior 128 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,680 is now. He's transfigured, He's changed, 129 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:07,200 and John is actually able to experience this again. 130 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,400 He's before them. His face shines like the sun. 131 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,160 His clothes become white as the light. 132 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:19,280 The ancient teachers of the Word described as light as uncreated 133 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,160 light. You know when God said let there 134 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,680 be light and he created the moon by night and the sun by day and 135 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,000 the stars by night. The light that is manifest in 136 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,039 the Holy Trinity is always existing, it's self existent. 137 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:35,880 It never had a start and never had a beginning. 138 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,480 And that's why the Word tells us that God is light and in Him is 139 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,360 no darkness or shadow of turning. 140 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:49,800 Psalm 8411 says, for the Lord God is a sun, SUN and a shield, 141 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,520 a purifier and a protector. So it's a wonderful thing to 142 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:00,840 know that God's brightness, the exceeding image of his glory and 143 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:06,960 His perfection as it reveals to us our sin, convicts us that we 144 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:11,640 can repent and be purified and be made as gold, pure gold. 145 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,640 But he's also the protector that he knows how much we can deal 146 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,720 with in any given moment. If he turned all the light on on 147 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:27,100 me in one nanosecond, I would be completely pulverized and non 148 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:30,120 existent. But God understands what we're 149 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,240 able to deal with. And so he comes in the midst of 150 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:38,320 his glory to John with a heart that is full and also heavy and 151 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,640 broken because of the state of his church in the days that this 152 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,520 was being written. And his heart is still heavy 153 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,760 today for the state of the church today. 154 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,880 Christ, we see in this revelation here is no longer the 155 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,360 quiet Carpenter, is he? He's no longer the obscure and 156 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,880 lowly servant. He's now risen, glorified, and 157 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:06,000 manifest in His full authority to prepare to judge the nations 158 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,080 first. Peter 417 says for the time has 159 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,400 come for judgment to begin at the House of God. 160 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:18,080 This is what's occurring here. Jesus is revealing to John the 161 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:24,280 revelation of Himself in the midst of His church in the last 162 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,960 days. Peter says for the time has come 163 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,160 for judgment to begin at the House of God. 164 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,880 It has to begin here, guys, with you and me, doesn't it? 165 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,120 Our judgments, our concerns about those without Christ are 166 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,840 important to pray for God to save our families, our 167 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:50,040 neighbors, our loved ones. But we must come clean before 168 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,400 the Lord ourselves, not be living double ways, not be 169 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,400 living one way in church and another way outside of church. 170 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,680 We must realize that God has to deal with our hearts, the House 171 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:04,320 of God. If it begins with us first, what 172 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,720 will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 173 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:14,240 Peter questions verse 17 and 18. John begins to respond to this 174 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,640 vision, this unveiling, this revelation of Jesus Christ. 175 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,680 What was his posture like? It says. 176 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:23,160 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. 177 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:28,880 A lot of people, they have a very lackadaisical, superficial 178 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,600 understanding of what it's going to be like to enter into the 179 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,120 Kingdom of God. Some people think they're going 180 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,600 to be going in high 5, high 5 and the Lord say, Cole, hey, 181 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,680 we're here. It's not going to be like that. 182 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:47,560 Every one of us will be on our face before God praying that 183 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:51,520 we'll hear his voice say, well done, good and faithful servant, 184 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,880 enter into the joy of the Lord, not depart from you cursed. 185 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,560 I never knew you. That's why the Bible tells us, 186 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:01,440 work out your salvation today with fear and trembling. 187 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,360 Today is a day of salvation, not tomorrow. 188 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:09,320 If you hear his voice today, don't harden your hearts as 189 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,480 those who harden their hearts in the wilderness. 190 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,840 So he falls at the Lord's feet as a dead man. 191 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,880 This is the one who put his head on the breast of Jesus. 192 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:24,680 His relationship with Christ now is different in some sense 193 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,520 because he's fully aware of his exaltation and his glory, his 194 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,200 magnificence and power. He falls at the Lord's feet. 195 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,160 Have you ever been at the time in your own life where you're in 196 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:41,640 prayer and you're at His feet and you're aware of His Holiness 197 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,920 and his greatness and his purity and your own sinfulness? 198 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,880 I think we need to be in those kind of places more and more in 199 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:53,920 these days that we're living, that we would be real with God 200 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:00,040 as Isaiah was Isaiah a prophet, a great man of God, Whenever he 201 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:05,320 had the revelation of the throne of God, he said, woe is me, woe 202 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,480 is me. I'm a man of unclean lips, a 203 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:13,200 declaration of repentance, and I dwell in the midst of an unclean 204 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,160 people. That's all our declaration, 205 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:17,560 isn't it? Woe is me. 206 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:23,280 We are all people of unclean lips and we dwell in the midst 207 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,920 of unclean people. Who knows what occurred in the 208 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,480 lives of the people in this church this week and the secret 209 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:36,120 places where only God could see? What type of sin might we have 210 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:40,200 carried into this place that I trust was laid at the feet of 211 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,440 Jesus at the Lord's Supper? Christ wants His church to be 212 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,200 purified. He wants it to be whole and the 213 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:51,880 holy be holy. He said Be holy, for I am holy. 214 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,480 Be perfect as your heavenly Father who's in heaven is 215 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:56,880 perfect. And that's not in our own 216 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,760 strength. This is an impartation of God's 217 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,560 gift to you and me, His grace that as we yield to Christ, 218 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,720 Christ will fulfill his will in our lives and he'll conform us 219 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,160 to the image of his Son. That's what he promises every 220 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,320 one of us, right? That he will transform us and 221 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,920 make us into his likeness. So John is laying at his feet as 222 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,840 a dead man. Daniel chapter 10, verse 8. 223 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:27,920 He says I saw this great vision. Whenever Daniel saw this vision, 224 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:29,520 this is what he said about himself. 225 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,600 He said no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to 226 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,480 frailty in me. I retain no strength. 227 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,320 His face was to the ground and he heard this voice, and the 228 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:47,200 voice told him to stand upright. And when Daniel stood upright, 229 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:52,840 it says he stood trembling. We need that same experience 230 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,360 that John has had in our own life. 231 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,640 We need that experience that Daniel had, Isaiah had, Peter 232 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,480 had whenever he recognized when Jesus spoke to him after the 233 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,480 miracle. And Peter's words were, Lord, 234 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,760 get away from me. I am a sinful man. 235 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,120 And these are the servants of God, understanding what they are 236 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:20,920 apart from the grace of God. And this is the wanderer of 237 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,320 God's grace where he says to him after he's on his face, he 238 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,640 didn't say, you dirtbag, you need to stay down there because 239 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,520 you're scum and you're no good and you're, you're totally 240 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:32,360 depraved. How dare you think you even have 241 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,840 a right to be in my presence? He isn't that way, is he? 242 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,480 He reaches down and he puts his hands on his servant and he 243 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:45,440 says, do not be afraid. Even though all of us will be on 244 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:49,880 our faces before the throne of God, those who truly are His, He 245 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,480 will touch and say, do not be afraid. 246 00:15:54,760 --> 00:16:01,120 His grace is so manifests His mercy that His right hand is 247 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,880 upon us. So this is the way things are. 248 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,280 He says now I am the 1st and the last. 249 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,840 I am he who lives and was dead, the declaration of the 250 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,480 resurrection. Christ died for our sins. 251 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,960 The Gnostics and the false teachers back then and even of 252 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:20,960 the day say he really didn't die. 253 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,080 He was just sort of unconscious. Here's a declaration of Christ 254 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:28,160 himself, He who lives and was dead. 255 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,080 And behold, I'm alive forevermore. 256 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,480 Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and 257 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,720 death, of hell and death. He tells him to begin to write. 258 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,800 You know, I read this and as I study this and prepare to teach 259 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:46,480 it, I realize my own life, how I need to pray to see Him this 260 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:51,920 way, that my heart would be full of awe when I'm in His presence 261 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,960 when we were worshipping today. I don't know about you guys, but 262 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,200 sometimes I just get a intense sense of His presence that I 263 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:00,840 feel like my knees are going to buckle. 264 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:06,240 This not an emotion, it's a sense of the reality of who He 265 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,880 is. And who am I to come up here and 266 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:13,079 stand before you and talk about this holy God? 267 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:20,240 It strikes terror in my heart, but I know his hand is on my 268 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,200 shoulder saying, do not be afraid. 269 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:27,240 And he's saying that to each of you as you come and understand 270 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:31,800 his greatness and His Holiness, and you know your own sin, your 271 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,560 weakness, And he touches each of you today and says, do not be 272 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,840 afraid. Where do we need to be? 273 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:44,840 Someone told me Psalm 51 is a good Psalm to pray every day. 274 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,240 David's lament. He said, my sin is ever before 275 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:55,680 me and against you only have I sinned and done this evil in 276 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,200 your sight. The places of humility is where 277 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,600 God wants all of us to be. This is what he also says. 278 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:06,720 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a 279 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,040 contrite heart. These, O God, you will not 280 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,640 despise. That's where God wants us to be, 281 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,000 guys. It's to be real. 282 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,200 As we come in here as brothers and sisters, God gives us his 283 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,760 joy, his peace, his presence. But we all need to be contrite, 284 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,160 right? And this admitting what we are 285 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,200 not trying to be some way that we're not, or trying to impress 286 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,160 some and they think we're something we're not. 287 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:32,200 God knows all of us, even on our best day, we're the worst in 288 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,920 light of who he is, right? There's not one of us in here. 289 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:37,720 They're better than the other or worse than the other. 290 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,080 We're all in the same boat, right? 291 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:43,360 To be able to know what we are and to see our hearts in light 292 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:48,440 of God's word. Repent, repent, repent. 293 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,480 I remember that old song by the birds. 294 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,640 Turn, turn, turn. That's what repentance is. 295 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,920 I'm going this way and I come to the realization of my mind. 296 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,400 I'm living the wrong way, going the wrong way, and I need to 297 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,880 turn and go in the direction of the will of God. 298 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:10,920 That's repent, repent, repent. The modern understanding of 299 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:16,240 repentance is the actions or process of repenting for 300 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,240 misdeeds or moral shortcomings. Yeah, I did this. 301 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:21,840 I shouldn't have done it. That was wrong. 302 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:23,680 But, you know, hey, we're all human. 303 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,360 You know, it's, you know, I'm not perfect. 304 00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:30,880 You know, we make excuses. And that's the modern concept of 305 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,200 repentance. The modern concept of repentance 306 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:38,040 is I'm driving down the road and I get a speeding ticket. 307 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:44,080 I know I'm wrong. I paid a fine, but instead of 308 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:48,040 going by the speed limit, I go out and buy a speed detector. 309 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,560 I really wasn't repenting. All I'm hoping is that next time 310 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:56,160 I'm speeding I won't get caught. That's the modern understanding 311 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,520 repentance. In the Greek understanding, it 312 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,000 means a change of mind which results in a change of actions 313 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,480 and awareness of our utter insufficiency to be holy in and 314 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,280 of ourselves. I need a Savior, a sin bearer, 315 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,600 want to lift my guilt and to transform me, to see my thoughts 316 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,640 and actions change, and to receive God's mercy and 317 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,360 forgiveness. I'm walking this way. 318 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:24,000 The Spirit is convicting me before I know Christ and all of 319 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,320 a sudden I realize that no matter what I do, what kind of 320 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:30,080 promises I make, what kind of self help book I read or what I 321 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:34,160 try to do, I'm not going to be able to change my wicked ways. 322 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,520 The self help gurus say we'll read this book and this will 323 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:39,880 help you understand why you are the way you are. 324 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,080 And it always points back to your parents. 325 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,760 It's their fault. So the kids have these arguments 326 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:46,800 with their adult parents. I am the way I am because of 327 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,280 you, how you raised me. A lot of guilt to throw in your 328 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:52,800 parents. You know, our parents would then 329 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:54,680 say, well, it was my parents who did it. 330 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,440 And then we go all the way back to the garden. 331 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:59,720 And sure, there is some reality that Adam and Eve were the the 332 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,000 ones that began this insanity. But if it was you or me, we 333 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:04,360 would have done the same thing there. 334 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,600 But the point is, is that instead of looking and trying to 335 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:11,520 cast blame to someone who is, I think, responsible for my own 336 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:17,600 sin, I need to say I'm a Sinner and I need help, I need a 337 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:24,320 Savior, I need Jesus. I need his mercy to forgive me 338 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:29,080 and to change me from what I am and who I am, and to give me a 339 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,640 spirit so that I can become a new creation in Christ, so I can 340 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:37,440 become a new person, the child of God instead of the child of 341 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,320 the devil. That's what repentance is. 342 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,800 Repentance starts and it's very important because the whole Book 343 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,800 of Revelation is a message of repentance. 344 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:52,080 He tells the book the the church in Ephesus repent and go do your 345 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:56,400 first works. Someone visited the church one 346 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,080 time. They said, I don't like your 347 00:21:58,080 --> 00:21:58,840 church. Why? 348 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,760 Because you guys have too much emphasis on repentance and 349 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,600 humility. Well, that's all there is. 350 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,560 That's the church. That's the message of Christ to 351 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,760 repent. David says in Psalm 51 three, 352 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,640 and this is a picture of the beginning of the act of 353 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,160 repentance. It confessed to God. 354 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,600 He says I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is 355 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,400 always before me against you. You only have I sinned and done 356 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:29,280 this evil in your sight that you may be found just when you speak 357 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,960 and blame this when you judge. If I don't realize that what God 358 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:38,960 is speaking to me about is honest and true and just then 359 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,320 I'm living in delusion. The first step of repentance is 360 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:46,240 acknowledge the sin and understand what I've done, that 361 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:50,240 I'm guilty. The second step in repentance is 362 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:55,760 then to begin to cease the sin against God and resolved by his 363 00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:00,080 grace, as Jesus said to the woman, go and sin no more. 364 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,640 Jesus doesn't forgive this and say go ahead and go, go, go sin 365 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,400 again. We'll we'll talk 5 minutes 366 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,720 later, an hour later or two weeks ago, we'll, we'll go 367 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,400 through this process again. This Yeah, you're forgiven. 368 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,800 OK, go and have a nice day. And you know, a million times 369 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,520 during the day, asking forgiveness for the same thing, 370 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,280 That's not repenting repentance. It's turning from our sin and 371 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:25,160 resolving to sin no more. Our resolve means to not repeat 372 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,920 the offense. That's why Paul tells us in 373 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,840 Ephesians and Colossians we're to put off the old man, which is 374 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,720 corrupt according to deceitful lust, and put on the new man, 375 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,200 which is after God created in righteousness and true holiness. 376 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:45,720 Take the old coat off, burn it, and put the new coat the cloak 377 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:50,120 of His righteousness. And then, as God is merciful 378 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,000 working in my heart, I want to make amends for the things I've 379 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,760 done wrong in my life. Thanks for being with us today 380 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,640 here on Living Waters of Grace. We're in the Book of Revelation, 381 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,920 and we find it fascinating how influential and involved the 382 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,800 angels are in this book. They bring about whatever it is 383 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,440 that God has instructed them to do, but it's through their 384 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,520 actions that much of the judgments come on the earth. 385 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,800 The angels are in submission to God as their authority, but He 386 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,080 utilizes them in unique ways throughout this book. 387 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,280 Like angels have a specific purpose from God, you have a 388 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,200 unique purpose and plan too. God wants to use you in your 389 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,720 life as a testimony to others and to bring others who are 390 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,400 currently lost into the fold of God. 391 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,280 God would love more than anything for all who are willing 392 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,640 to come to Him for salvation, but He wants it to be their 393 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,240 choice, not a forced situation. This is the way God works, not 394 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,480 forcing himself on anyone, but giving each person free will. 395 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,400 If you're interested in learning about this choice that's free 396 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:06,200 and that it's a gift, go to calvarychapelonline.com and 397 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,600 click on the About Us tab and then find the link for what we 398 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,200 believe. We'd love to be a help and a 399 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,680 resource for you as you walk through what it means to be a 400 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,600 follower of Jesus. If you find the contact tab on 401 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,040 our website, you can get in touch with us or submit a prayer 402 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,400 request. We'd love to hear from you. 403 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,680 That's all for today's edition in Revelation, but there's much 404 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,040 more that Pastor Clark plans to share with us from this 405 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:37,800 culminating book of the Bible. Stay tuned for that and make 406 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,480 sure to mention this radio program to others. 407 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:46,800 Invite them to tune in to Grace FM 91.7 FM and they can stream 408 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:52,800 worldwide at Grace Radio dot FM. This has been living waters of 409 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:53,360 Grace.