1 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,680 Waffer, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, County 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,400 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 --> 00:00:38,600 They have no access to that anymore. 6 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,760 It's done right now. Even unbelievers are seeing 7 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,240 mercy. They're seeing the grace of God 8 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,600 right now, and we who believe are seeing it. 9 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,760 But there's going to come a day when those who do not believe 10 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,920 will no longer have access to His forgiveness or access to His 11 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,879 grace or His mercy. That may be the worst part. 12 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,560 I'm judging him. Every breath you breathe is 13 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,640 God's grace at work. If you could see things from His 14 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,760 perspective, you'd likely see many more specific examples of 15 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,120 the way He protects and keeps you from events or paths that 16 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,920 would lead you to destruction. In this moment, there's nothing 17 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,920 you can do to exceed the limits of that grace. 18 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,040 But as Pastor Lewis will warn in today's message, a day is coming 19 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,600 when His grace will be retracted, and only those who 20 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,560 have accepted it will spend eternity with him. 21 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,320 Now here's Pastor Lewis in the Book of Second Thessalonians, 22 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:45,480 chapter one with today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 23 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,320 These are things that are evident or that should be 24 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,560 evident in our own lives. We should have this, this faith 25 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,880 that should be growing, you know, and we and we do that by 26 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,840 doing, we're doing the day we, we're, we're in the word of God 27 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,160 and we do it in prayer and we're doing it through fellowship. 28 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,120 And it allows our faith to grow even in the midst of whatever 29 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,880 problems are going on. It's a blessing that we can come 30 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,080 here because outside of here, people are going nuts. 31 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,640 They're looking for answers everywhere and they don't have 32 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,000 any solutions. They don't have any answers. 33 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,880 And they're bouncing this way. They're bouncing that way. 34 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:19,720 They're believing in this person, they're believing in 35 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,640 that person. That theology or that 36 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:25,320 philosophy, it's everywhere out there. 37 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,240 But when you come here and you're in the Word of God, we 38 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:34,000 here together help to encourage each other to keep on, to keep 39 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:35,560 on. Just keep on. 40 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:39,800 Stay in the way, stay in the Word of God, stay in prayer, 41 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,960 keep Him number one, trust in Him, trust in his Word. 42 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,200 And that's the three pillars that we have that faith that 43 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,480 that love. But no, we also have the 44 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,480 patience. What helps us to be able to do 45 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,320 that is the fact that we have patience. 46 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,520 And that patience is because of the fact that we know we're 47 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,160 anticipating the return of Jesus Christ. 48 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:02,560 This ain't going to last forever. 49 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:08,040 Trouble doesn't last all ways. We are going to have a time of 50 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,960 rejoicing, a time of re glorification. 51 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,600 We're going to have a time that we are going to be able to spend 52 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,640 with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not the end of the story 53 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,240 for us. This is not the end of the 54 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,600 story. This is just the beginning of a 55 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:25,760 great eternity that's going to happen when Jesus Christ, our 56 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,120 Lord and Savior comes back. Amen. 57 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,200 And that's what we're hoping for. 58 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,400 And that's the patience that they have, and they're waiting 59 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,480 for that. Bless the Lord, bless the Lord. 60 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,000 Second Titus. Two. 61 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,840 I'm sorry, Titus 213. Just want to go there for a 62 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,120 second, Titus, I'm going to start right there. 63 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,040 Verse 11211. It says for the grace of God 64 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,400 that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us 65 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,040 that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live 66 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:59,120 soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for 67 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,560 the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and 68 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,720 Savior Jesus Christ. Amen, Amen. 69 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,200 That's what we're looking for so we can be patient in the midst 70 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,040 of all this and that's why they were patient in the midst of it 71 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,200 because they were looking for the blessed hope of the return 72 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,760 of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 73 00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:22,840 So then we go to verse to verse 5 here. 74 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,640 Now verse 5 is a verse that's kind of complicated, so we want 75 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,360 to slow it down just a little bit. 76 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,000 But it says here, which is manifest evidence of the 77 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,320 righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the 78 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,000 Kingdom of God for which you also suffer. 79 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,680 So what Paul is saying here is, you know, he says the fact that 80 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:51,440 you were going through these persecutions, the fact that you 81 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,400 were going through these these trials and these tribulations, 82 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,920 and you're going through it with patience, that is visible 83 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:03,680 evidence or visible proof of the righteous judgment of God. 84 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:06,840 Now, some would say, well, if you're going through that, then 85 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,360 is God really with you? If you're going through all 86 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,160 that? That's the kind of doubt that 87 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,000 the world likes to try to put in. 88 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,680 You know, if you're going through all these problems and 89 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,200 you're, you know, you're, you're, you're being oppressed 90 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,800 and you're being, you know, persecuted, is God really with 91 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,080 you? You sure he hasn't rejected you? 92 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,960 The answer to that question is no answer. 93 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,120 That question is no. Paul says the reason why you're 94 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,160 going through it or the reason it's a blessing that you were 95 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,880 going through it, because as you go through that, that is the 96 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,560 visible proof and the way that you endure it. 97 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,720 The your response to it is visible proof that God is 98 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,800 righteous in making you worthy of the Kingdom. 99 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,000 This is what papa's saying. He looks at it totally 100 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,200 different. No, this is God making you. 101 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,120 This is God saying that you are worthy of the Kingdom. 102 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:58,320 And you look at the old prophets. 103 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,200 Jesus even thought about the old prophets. 104 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,600 He said, look, and you go through those persecutions and 105 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,640 all those things, rejoice, rejoice because the prophets 106 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,920 before you went through it, because great is your reward in 107 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,160 heaven. Great is your reward in heaven. 108 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:17,960 Now we're not saying here, this is not saying that suffering 109 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,040 makes you worthy of heaven, and nor is it saying that we add 110 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,120 anything to the finished work of Christ. 111 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,360 That's not what we're saying. That's not what Paul is saying 112 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,840 here at all. We don't add anything to what 113 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,040 Christ already did with our suffering, you know, nor does 114 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,280 our suffering make us deserving of heaven. 115 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:37,880 It's not like we get brownie points because we suffer. 116 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:39,920 That's not what Paul is saying here. 117 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,480 But what Paul is saying is that the suffering brings out the 118 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,280 proof or the evidence that God is working in you, that God is, 119 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,960 that God's power is upon you, his his grace is upon you, that 120 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,640 you are able to endure it. And that's the this is the 121 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,400 visible evidence of that. And that's not just the visible 122 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,720 evidence to God. God already knows it. 123 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,480 The evidence that we show, first of all, we show to ourselves 124 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,600 that God is with us in helping us to get through it, but also 125 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,240 to other people, they see it. And that's the testimony that 126 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,280 gives glory to God. That's the testimony that gives 127 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,520 glory to God. So the suffering's in the work. 128 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,320 That's just God working through us and he's the one that makes 129 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,600 us worthy. It's by his grace that we are 130 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,480 worthy. So endurance and suffering 131 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,040 proves that God's judgment of them that Thessalonian church 132 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,440 was right and shows their fitness for the Kingdom. 133 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,400 So in verse 6, now he goes and says, since it is a righteous 134 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,000 thing with God to repay with tribulation those who who 135 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,200 trouble you, pay with tribulation those who trouble 136 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,440 you. You know the one thing we must 137 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,360 understand that it is a righteous judgment of God that 138 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:58,200 He keeps his promises. He keeps his promises to the to 139 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,800 the, to the, to the sinners and he keeps his promises to the 140 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,400 believers. I was always taught when I was 141 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:09,200 younger that unrepentant sin is judged and faithfulness is 142 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,080 rewarded. Now we know that God is loving 143 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,480 because this is the issue that always comes up. 144 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,760 But wait a minute, how can a righteous and loving God, you 145 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:20,960 know, how can he send somebody to hell? 146 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,040 How can he judge somebody that always comes up? 147 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:29,320 Yes, God is loving. Yes, God is grace, God is 148 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:34,799 merciful, but we also must look at God as being holy. 149 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,200 God is righteous and God is just. 150 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:43,400 So Paul says it is a righteous thing with God to repay 151 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:46,160 tribulation for those who trouble you. 152 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,400 So those who are unrepentant sinners and who are troubling 153 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,760 those who are believers right now, they may think they're on 154 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,720 top of it, like they're ahead of the game, like everything is 155 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,160 going perfect for them. Everything is our way, and 156 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,120 nothing seems to be going your way. 157 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,640 Boy, I wouldn't want to be you. I don't want to be you. 158 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,600 You know, look at you. Like, man, I don't want to live 159 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,960 like that. Yeah, that's the way they feel 160 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,280 now. But just like Lazarus and the 161 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,640 rich man, the tables turned and it got to the point where, in 162 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,560 fact, Lazarus, you know, when Lazarus was what was in the 163 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:26,240 world, he was a beggar and the rich man had it all. 164 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,320 He had it all. It was all going his way. 165 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,160 Everything was According to him. But then when they both died and 166 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,240 and and had to go and see the Lord, the tables turned. 167 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:41,240 Lazarus was the one that was receiving the good things, and 168 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,840 it was a rich man that was dealing with the judgment and 169 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,560 the torment. And this is, and Paul is saying 170 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:48,960 that that's what's going to happen here. 171 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,160 Those who trouble you, they're going to receive tribulation, 172 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:55,600 they're going to receive trouble. 173 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,120 But you, it's a righteous thing with God that for you, you are 174 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,560 given rest. You're giving rest with us. 175 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:09,120 So Paul said we're all going to enjoy the rest of God. 176 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,520 We're going to enjoy that the rest with Jesus Christ. 177 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:17,240 And that word rest here actually means relief or a release from 178 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,240 trouble. It's a release from our 179 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,640 laborers, from persecution, from affliction. 180 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,320 It's the turning of the tables. So we look forward to that. 181 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,200 I could imagine, I can imagine that those who were back in the 182 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,680 Thessalonian Church, who was going through all that 183 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,840 persecution, they're probably waking up every day looking to 184 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:41,960 see that. Is my enemies drop dead yet? 185 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:44,840 They drop dead yet. Have they been judged yet? 186 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,520 It's not quite going to happen that way. 187 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:53,040 But when he returns, that's when they will see the judgment of 188 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:54,240 God. When would this happen? 189 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,880 When the Lord you can see it here in verse the bottom of 190 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,160 verse 7 when it says when the Lord is revealed from heaven 191 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:06,080 with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on 192 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:10,120 those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel 193 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,840 of Jesus Christ. Now there's fire that we talk 194 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,000 about here. We see it so often in the Word 195 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,480 of God and it represents always represents one of two things, 196 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,480 fire that represents the presence of God or represents 197 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,200 the judgement of God. And usually where the believers 198 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,920 are concerned, it represents the very presence or power of God. 199 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:36,040 And that's why it was when a burning Bush that Moses was able 200 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,480 to talk to God or God spoke to Moses through a burning Bush. 201 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,800 It was the presence of God. When they came on the mountain, 202 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,680 that mountain would appear to be on fire. 203 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:49,200 The smoke and the fire and the thunderings of the mountain, 204 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,680 that was the presence of God. They were led by a pillar of 205 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:58,200 fire at night because it was the presence of God. 206 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,560 But then the judgement of God is for the unbelievers. 207 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:03,360 Fires represent the judgement of God. 208 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,400 We see that where the, when, when Elijah called down fire 209 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:12,840 from heaven and burned up the, the, the, the, the soldiers of 210 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:17,520 the king who wanted to do harm to Elijah, when the Lord burned 211 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:22,040 up Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. So that, that, that fire like a 212 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,960 judgement. But it also that fire is also a 213 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:29,760 refining fire for us. And when we go into the fire or 214 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,560 the Lord puts us into the fire, it refines us. 215 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,280 It, it, it, it tears off the bad things that we don't need. 216 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,480 And it keeps the very soul things that the, the, the, the, 217 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,680 the things that we do need. It helped it, it strengthens 218 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:45,640 those things in us. That too is done through the 219 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,320 fire of God. So it's interesting because in 220 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,520 some reports you see that it talks about the Lord coming with 221 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,200 clouds. And that's when we, we who are 222 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,280 looking forward to him coming, you know, that's us looking. 223 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,680 We see him coming in the clouds. You know, that's that's for the 224 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:06,800 believers to rejoice in. But for the unbelievers, they're 225 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,760 going to see him coming in flaming fire because vengeance, 226 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,720 he's coming to put vengeance to strike vengeance on 227 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,160 unbelievable. He's coming with judgement. 228 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,480 He's coming with judgement and he talks about two groups, the 229 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,560 people that he's going to be distributing vengeance to, those 230 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:28,400 who do not know God. Many believe that they are the 231 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,200 Gentile unbelievers, those who do not know God. 232 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,040 The Bible talks in several places of Gentiles as being 233 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:39,280 those who do not know God, and also on those who do not obey 234 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,680 the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 235 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:44,120 And that would be like your unbelieving Jews. 236 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,800 They know God, but they're not obeying the gospel of God. 237 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,960 They're not believing Jesus Christ as being the Messiah, so 238 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,920 they too are going to be judged as well. 239 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,160 Either way, for those of us who believe, it's going to be a 240 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:00,640 glorious day. But for those of us who don't 241 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,640 believe, it's going to be her horrific day either way. 242 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,320 And then we go to verse 9 and in verse 9 he says there, you know, 243 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,680 these shall be punished from everlasting destruction, with 244 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:17,960 everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from 245 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:23,440 the glory of his power. And when you consider this 246 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:28,480 statement, this may be the worst part of judgment. 247 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,760 This may be the worst part of judgment, the separation from 248 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,800 God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal 249 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,240 separation. That means they are no longer 250 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:44,000 have any access to His grace. They no longer have any access 251 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,480 to His forgiven, His forgiveness. 252 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:49,960 They no longer have any access to His mercy. 253 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,400 They no longer have any access to any of those things. 254 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,920 The power of God, they have no access to that anymore. 255 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:01,920 It's done right now. Even unbelievers are seeing 256 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,360 mercy. They're seeing the grace of God 257 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,720 right now, and we who believe are seeing it. 258 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:13,840 But there's going to come a day when those who do not believe 259 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,920 will no longer have access to His forgiveness or access to His 260 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,560 grace or His mercy. That may be the worst part of 261 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,040 judgement, and that's for eternity. 262 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:30,280 That's for eternity. Right now an unbeliever can 263 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,160 repent and have access to not only God's grace, but His mercy, 264 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:37,360 His forgiveness, and he can receive the Kingdom of heaven. 265 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,320 But there's going to come a time where that can't happen, That 266 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,560 can't happen, so the consequences will be final. 267 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,640 That may be the worst part of judgment, in my opinion. 268 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,480 And then we go to verse 10. It says when he comes in that 269 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:56,920 day to be glorified in his sense and to be admired among all 270 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:01,960 those who believe, because our testimony among you was 271 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,960 believed. So he's coming with, He's 272 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,800 coming, He's going to return and he's going to return. 273 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:10,480 And for his Saints, it's going to be glorious. 274 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,600 Like we said, it's going to be a glorious day. 275 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,720 He's going to be magnified by those of us who believe. 276 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,800 That means he's going to be made larger and more evident and 277 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,320 they're going to see it in US. He's going to see it in US. 278 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,040 I mean, God is never more glorified than when we can look 279 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,360 at someone who is a trophy of his grace and His mercy. 280 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,240 There are people in our neighborhood, and I'm probably 281 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,520 one of them thinking about it. Didn't think I was at that time. 282 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:41,080 Thought I was OK. Now, they probably talk about me 283 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,600 like that, you know, but they probably thought that he was 284 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,240 never this. This guy ain't ever going to say 285 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,240 he ain't going to have him. There ain't no heaven in hell. 286 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,040 You know, there are people that were just kind of crazy. 287 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,040 They just kind of did some some outlandish things and they don't 288 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,600 mess. This guy is this guy is through, 289 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:03,960 you know, he's done. But then God starts working in 290 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,839 his heart and you see him again and it's like, Oh my God, what 291 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,520 happened? He speaks in a way that makes 292 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,720 sense. He's no longer doing things that 293 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,800 are crazy. He's dressed in a way that just 294 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,440 looks like he's civil. I mean, it just like what 295 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,400 happened. And we saw an example of that 296 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,319 when the demonics, you know, when, when Jesus went before the 297 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:28,040 demonics, the whole town looked at this guy. 298 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,640 They were afraid of him. They were afraid of him. 299 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,800 They didn't want to walk by him. But then when Jesus got a hold 300 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,440 to him, they saw him sitting beside Jesus and they couldn't 301 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,200 even believe it was the same person. 302 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:43,200 That's the glory of God and He's going to do do that with so many 303 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:47,080 people in that day. We are going to be the ones that 304 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,680 show glory. It's going to be in us. 305 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,840 We want to glory. He's going to be glorified in 306 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,120 us. So we believe with those who 307 00:17:56,120 --> 00:18:03,320 reflect His glory and not those who have rejected His glory by 308 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:08,560 rejecting His Son Jesus Christ. In John 17, He says, you know, 309 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:13,680 yours are mine and mine are yours, and I am glorified in 310 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,200 them. Jesus said I am glorified in 311 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:19,320 them. And then he's going to be, you 312 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,800 know, then we're going to look at him and be marveled. 313 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,240 The Bible says that we're going to, you know, he's going to be 314 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,640 admired among all of those who believe. 315 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,160 We're going to look at him and be astonished and we're going to 316 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,720 be, we're going to marvel at his presence. 317 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:35,560 We're going to just marvel. We're going to be in awe of his 318 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,560 presence. Can you imagine just seeing him? 319 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,680 I can't wait to see him can't wait to see him can't wait to 320 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,880 see his face. We're going to marvel in his 321 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,360 presence. Now those who don't believe 322 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,640 they're going to be running from his presence. 323 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,600 He's going to marvel. We're going to marvel at his 324 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,480 presence. Then verses I'm about to finish 325 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,160 up here, verses 11 and 12, it says, therefore we also pray 326 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:02,600 always for you that our God would count you worthy of his 327 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,360 calling and fulfill all the goodness, all the good pleasure 328 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,640 of his goodness and the work of faith with power. 329 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:11,520 Let's just stop there for a second. 330 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:16,160 So the goodness of God is what they're talking about here. 331 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:19,440 Now he says you're going to be, you know, he says that you know, 332 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,000 God would count the I'm praying that God would count you worthy 333 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000 of his calling. That means that God would 334 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:33,040 declare or decree you worthy of his calling, that God's power is 335 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,880 working in you and as a result of that you are going to be 336 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:44,000 counter considered, decreed, declared worthy of his calling 337 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,760 and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness. 338 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:51,280 Now the Bible talks in many places about walking worthy of 339 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,040 his calling. We can't do that on our own. 340 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,320 We can't do that on our own. We blow it, we blow it, but we 341 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,600 do know that God is able to make us worthy. 342 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:06,880 He's able to, He's able to work in us in a way that we will live 343 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:13,000 a life that's worthy of his calling and he says and fulfill. 344 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,960 All the good pleasure of His goodness. 345 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,080 And it's interesting when you look at the good pleasure of 346 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,960 his, of his goodness. It's not just doing good things. 347 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:28,160 It's not just doing good things, but it's doing good things with 348 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,840 a good motive, and that motive is pleasing the Lord Jesus 349 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:38,080 Christ, not pleasing a man, not trying to position yourself, not 350 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,280 trying to weaken someone by doing something good for them, 351 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,160 so you weaken them to an opportunity to take advantage of 352 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,320 them later. That's not what this is talking 353 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,200 about. This is talking about doing good 354 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,160 with good motives. It's good motives. 355 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:58,680 The meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth, OK, are 356 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:04,160 both pleasing to God. Not just me flattering you with 357 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,880 my word, trying to butter you up, to weaken you so that I can 358 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:13,680 take advantage of you, or so that I could be given a special 359 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:18,040 favor, or whatever it is that we may want to gain with our plan 360 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:23,240 to butter up or flatter. But this is actually living, 361 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:28,200 living it and having it in our hearts to do that which is good. 362 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,080 And again, that only comes through the Spirit. 363 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,040 We can't do that ourselves. That comes through the Spirit of 364 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,760 God. All this is a grace of God. 365 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,600 It goes back to the earlier, that earlier word of grace. 366 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,280 All this is a grace of God. To do good things is a grace of 367 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:47,080 God. And then, and then, then we, you 368 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:51,080 know, we finish up with this. The reason why verse 12 is that 369 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:54,280 the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified. 370 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,200 That's why he's praying that for them so that the name of the 371 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,360 Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified in them. 372 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:06,040 And you and him according to the grace of our God and the Lord 373 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:10,280 Jesus Christ. It's the grace of God that saves 374 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,520 us. It's the grace of God that keeps 375 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:14,400 us. It's the grace of God that 376 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,040 causes us to be able to stand under persecution. 377 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,440 It was the grace of God that caused this church to be able to 378 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:25,160 stand in the tough days. It's the grace of God. 379 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:28,240 And it's the grace of God that's holding us even now. 380 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,480 It holds us and it holds those who are not saved. 381 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,680 So I just want to say to those who are listening, and there's 382 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,960 someone here today that have not given their life to Christ. 383 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:43,240 You've thought about it, maybe you've heard things, saw things 384 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:44,960 that begin to pull at your heart. 385 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,640 And you said maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next 386 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:53,160 day, maybe when I get older. I'm not quite ready yet, 387 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,480 brothers and sisters, we don't know when that last opportunity 388 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,440 comes. We don't know it may be within 389 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:05,520 the next 5-10, fifteen, 20 years, or it could be within the 390 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,160 next 5 minutes that we leave here and go to be with our Lord 391 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,680 Jesus Christ. We don't know. 392 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,400 People are leaving here every day and they're not all going to 393 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:19,240 be with the Lord. So I plead with you, I thank 394 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:25,520 you, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Repent for your sin. 395 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,360 Repent. He is a good God. 396 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:33,720 He is willing and He is able to forgive you and to cleanse you 397 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,280 of everything you've ever done, make you new. 398 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,800 Repent today. Turn your heart to Him today. 399 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:45,600 Turn from that wicked way and trust Him for your salvation. 400 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,280 Do it today, don't wait till tomorrow, do it today. 401 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,920 He's ready and He's willing to receive you. 402 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,120 His arms are open wide. He's ready to receive you. 403 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,000 But there will be a day when it's going to be too late. 404 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:05,120 Let that not be today. Don't tell me, Don't test. 405 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,200 It you've been listening to Living Waters of Grace, he 406 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,000 wanted you to be aware that this message was given by Pastor 407 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,000 Lewis Harrell, an associate pastor serving alongside Pastor 408 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,080 Clark. Although you're familiar with 409 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:22,800 Pastor Clark being the voice of Living Waters of Grace, you'll 410 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,320 now have the opportunity to hear both pastors on this program. 411 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,480 Pastor Lewis is making his way through 1st and 2nd 412 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,520 Thessalonians. These books are a constant 413 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,960 reminder of the blessings that await faithful followers. 414 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:39,240 But this was often difficult for such young believers. 415 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:43,240 The Second Thessalonians 2-3 says let no one deceive you by 416 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,400 any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away 417 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,040 comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the Son of 418 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,560 perdition. When you choose to remain 419 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:57,440 faithful to God, the one who is always faithful to you, it comes 420 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,920 with its own reward. The new church in Thessalonica 421 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:05,040 was thriving, but Paul correctly saw the need to reinforce God's 422 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:09,480 steadfast love and identify him as a promise keeper. 423 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,120 Paul's second letter reads like a response to questions the new 424 00:25:13,120 --> 00:25:17,080 church was struggling to answer. Living Waters of Grace is a 425 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,640 ministry out of Calvary Chapel Westmoreland, located in 426 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,920 Greensburg, PA. Are you in the area? 427 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,400 We would love to continue learning more about life in 428 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,400 Christ together with you. Stop in and see us this Sunday 429 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,880 morning at 10:30 AM. When you do, be sure to mention 430 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,480 that you heard us here. You'd love to hear the stories 431 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,960 of how God is using this program to reach people. 432 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,240 To find out more about the church and get our location, 433 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,720 head on over to calvarychapelonline.com. 434 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:47,960 Thanks for joining us today on Living Waters of Grace.