1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,960 This church was a very strong serving church. 6 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:42,760 They served one another. They were steadfast. 7 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,280 That meant that they endured under trial. 8 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,000 We know that John said in the ninth verse of the 1st chapter 9 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,920 that he was their companion in the tribulation. 10 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,960 Not the great tribulation yet, but there was persecution and 11 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,680 trials happening in the church at that time. 12 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,680 But they weren't giving up this this church in Ephesus. 13 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,600 They were very sacrificial and how they used their ministry and 14 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,040 their offerings. The theologian Henry Beecher 15 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,520 said in this world it is not what we take up, but what we 16 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:17,040 give up that makes us rich. This reflection on service and 17 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,280 sacrifice for the Lord stands in stark contrast to the attitude 18 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,400 of the world around us. Where the world says get, the 19 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,920 Bible says give. Where people say mine, Scripture 20 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,360 says that all things belong to God. 21 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:37,440 In today's message, Pastor Clark presents us with a reminder that 22 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,640 we, the church, are called to love and serve one another. 23 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,160 As an example of what Christ has done for us now, here's Pastor 24 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,440 Clark in the Book of Revelation chapter 2 with today's edition 25 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:55,320 of Living Waters of Grace. As the Lord looks at the church, 26 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,520 he's looking for a church that has certain ingredients in that 27 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,680 reflect his nature and who he is. 28 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,000 And so he begins to write to this church in Ephesus and he 29 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,440 says some positive things about in the beginning, he says these 30 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,840 things, says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, 31 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,800 who walks in the midst of 7 golden lamp lamp stands. 32 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,960 I know your works, your labor, your patience that you cannot 33 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,360 bear those who are evil. You've tested those who say 34 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,360 there are apostles and not and have found them liars. 35 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,040 And you've persevered and have patience and have labored in my 36 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,280 name's sake and have not become weary. 37 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,640 So he's making some real positive statements here. 38 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,840 The Lord knows the works of this church. 39 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,200 What they're doing is right. It's good, it's solid. 40 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,360 It's it's it's important, it's biblical. 41 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,760 And he's complimenting for them for that, that they have 42 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:49,560 patience, that they're waiting on his leading and they're not 43 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,760 going out doing things in their own strength. 44 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,320 They're also very, very sound biblically and doctrinally. 45 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,880 They don't put up with those who are evil and they test those who 46 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,240 claim to have certain spiritual gifts or callings and prove that 47 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,480 these people aren't telling the truth, but that they're liars 48 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,600 and they're persevering. This is a time of tribulation 49 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,400 and persecution in the modern church world. 50 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,680 When this was written in Ephesus, Ephesus, Ephesus today 51 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,840 is nothing but rubble. Basically, from the standpoint 52 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,760 of historical Christianity, there isn't a strong presence in 53 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,600 Ephesus for the the gospel of Christ like there was in the 54 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,320 beginning here. And as we look at the church 55 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,600 today, these churches that are represented in Revelation are 56 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,720 symbols of modern day churches as well. 57 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,000 These were actual churches back then that existed that he's 58 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,640 speaking to. But today, as you, as you study 59 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,000 this book together with me, take some notes and think about, OK, 60 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,520 Lord, what's Calvary Chapel in Greensburg like? 61 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,640 When we look at the list of the churches, what things are we 62 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,360 known for? What things are happening here 63 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,720 that are reflecting an approval from the Lord and how He sees 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:01,600 His church and how He wants it to be? 65 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,760 This church was a very strong serving church. 66 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,480 They served one another. They were steadfast. 67 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,960 That meant that they endured under trial. 68 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,560 We know that John said in the ninth verse of the 1st chapter 69 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,440 that he was their companion in the tribulation. 70 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,399 Not the great tribulation yet, but there was persecution and 71 00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:23,040 trials happening in the church at that time. 72 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,920 But they weren't giving up this, this church in Ephesus. 73 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,760 They were very sacrificial and how they use their ministry and 74 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,320 their offerings and their focus was helping those who have never 75 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,280 heard the gospel. We know in Acts chapter 20 that 76 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:40,960 Paul talked about this church when he referenced the fact that 77 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,480 after I leave, ravenous wolves will come in from the outside 78 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,080 and also among you and try to divide the flock and destroy the 79 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,840 the work of God. And many times when the term is 80 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:56,920 used, ravenous wolves, this isn't people who are false 81 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,640 believers or people who are outside of Christ. 82 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:04,240 Many times people in churches have egos and they argue about 83 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,560 the stupidest things. They fight about things that 84 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:11,600 aren't important, like carpeting and, you know, altars or organs 85 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,680 or stained glass. I mean, it's a big deal. 86 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,280 You know, say we had to get a new carpet here. 87 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,640 Some churches fight like what color the carpets going to be 88 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,720 and if 30% of the women went blue and 40% went red and the 89 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,240 rest don't care and you get the red in there, sometimes 30% of 90 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,160 the people leave because of the color of carpet. 91 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,400 I mean, we've had people in this church leave for like reasons 92 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,640 that don't make sense. I like what RC Sproul said years 93 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,960 ago and it stuck with me. He said there's three reasons 94 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:47,960 you leave a church. 1 Heresy, two, sexual immorality and 95 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,360 financial impropriety, and three, false doctrine. 96 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,560 Those are the only three reasons you leave a church. 97 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:57,120 You don't leave a church because someone was rude to you, or they 98 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,840 didn't smile or say hi or shake your hand, or the sermon was 99 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:04,960 boring. You leave for biblical reasons, 100 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,480 OK. And the problem in the modern 101 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,760 day church is that Protestants, the word Protestant means 102 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,240 protest. So if we don't like what's going 103 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,160 on in such and such a church, we protest and we leave and we 104 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,040 start another church, right? That's why there's like 20,000 105 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,040 different Protestant denominations today. 106 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,960 There is only one church. And one day that church will be 107 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,440 clearly defined. When Christ comes back and sets 108 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,440 his Kingdom up, we'll be at his feet and he'll say this is 109 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,680 church one church no more 3. Down this way 4. 110 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,160 Down this way five over here 1 church with him being the head 111 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,000 and all of us at his feet, but I guarantee that that church that 112 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,400 Christ comes back and shepherds will be characteristic of some 113 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,760 of the things that is being pointed out here by the Lord 114 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,880 himself to the apostle John. These people toiled without 115 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,280 feigning. I think of what it means to plan 116 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:58,680 a church, and we're still in the church planning stages right 117 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,640 now. We look at everybody on the list 118 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,400 that comes here pretty consistently. 119 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,880 We have about 143 people. That's kids and adults. 120 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,000 I mean, that's amazing compared to where this church was three 121 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,520 years ago. And it's just incredible what 122 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,400 kind of people God sending in here to this church. 123 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,240 The people that are coming are mature. 124 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,400 They know the Word, they are interested in getting deeper in 125 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,920 the Word, but they're also interested in participating in 126 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,640 the ministry. As Rick alluded to. 127 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,680 Where can I serve, Where can I be used? 128 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,480 What can I do? How can I share my gifts, my 129 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,440 skills, my abilities, my talents? 130 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:38,800 And that's the mark of a healthy church. 131 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,240 It says in Ephesians 4. When every part does its part, 132 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,880 it makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself 133 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,840 together in love. And so the church is a body of 134 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,800 believers. Christ is a senior pastor, I'm 135 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,680 an assistant. Howard's an assistant, Rick's an 136 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,680 assistant. But Christ is the head and we're 137 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,720 all at his feet and there's nobody here but him. 138 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,120 We're all the same, at the same level, but different calls and 139 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,120 callings and different abilities and different skills and gifts. 140 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,000 But whenever you do what it is that God's called you to do in 141 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,200 this church, all the sudden the church becomes healthy. 142 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,120 It's not dependent upon Clark anymore or Rick or a couple 143 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,000 people that seem maybe in the outward to do a lot of stuff. 144 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,840 It's everybody that comes here, from the youngest kid to the 145 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,360 oldest person. I mean, the young kids have a 146 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,159 ministry here whenever parents come in and they see a nursery 147 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:35,360 that's well equipped and, and clean and, and people that know 148 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,080 what they're doing in Sunday school classes that are loving 149 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,640 teachers and sound Bible teaching and clean and 150 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,200 organizing women's studies and men's studies. 151 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,040 You know, they, people come in and, and they see all the parts 152 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,920 of the body working together, someone outside shoveling and, 153 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,080 and someone, you know, helping with the Lord's Supper running 154 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,560 sound. They're running, you know, 155 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:57,440 singing and worship. And, and, and this sometimes a 156 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,520 part in the body is a, someone that comes in that's new, that 157 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,600 you go up to him and say, Hey, I'm glad you're here. 158 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:04,240 It's, it's nice to see you. What's your name? 159 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,320 You might be the only person that Sunday that has a chance to 160 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:10,520 connect with someone else. And that's the body of Christ. 161 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,440 That's the love that's being manifest in the, in the midst of 162 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,040 the church. And so how does a church grow? 163 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,240 And I'm not talking numerically, of course, God does grow 164 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,800 churches numerically. But what's the purpose of the 165 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,600 church growing numerically? It isn't to be a big church. 166 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,800 The purpose is that people were being called to do ministry, 167 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,360 right? They're coming to the church to 168 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,800 not sit in a Pew, but to say, what is it that I can do? 169 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,600 How can I serve? How can I help? 170 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,520 What's what's my gift? Like this fellow that's moving 171 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,200 in from Idaho, He told me, Clark, I can help. 172 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,360 I like to do evangelism. And he says I'm an I'm an usher. 173 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,440 And you know, he just has a heart to serve his his son's 16. 174 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,360 He says, boy, I hope he can maybe, you know, be involved 175 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,280 helping in a worship. I said, sure, he can. 176 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,400 He can talk to Rick. And you know, there's no rules 177 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,320 here that you have to jump through 30 hoops before you can 178 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,080 serve the Lord. You have to be born again. 179 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,680 You have to love the Lord and love people and be walking with 180 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:13,360 him and God will use you right. It's real simple, but that's the 181 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:17,360 focus of of of a healthy church. And so these people also told 182 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,520 without feigning and that means working in spite of seeing 183 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,640 results. This keep showing up, keep doing 184 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,440 what it is that God tells you to do. 185 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,640 And God's the one that brings the harvest in his time. 186 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:34,840 They also had this sacrificial heart and I think of as a small 187 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,880 church, how you guys give of your time and how you give 188 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,880 financially. It's a blessing. 189 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,680 We never have to beg for money. We never have to push about 190 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,960 money. The Holy Spirit is the one that 191 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,000 puts it on your heart what it is that you're to give. 192 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,480 And that's between you and the Lord. 193 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:57,840 And it's a wonderful thing to be able to give freely without 194 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:03,960 condemnation or without guilt. And as we know we can't ever out 195 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,680 give God. I mean, I challenge my own heart 196 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:11,160 as the Lord prospers me. I always want to advance what it 197 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,120 is I personally sacrifice before the Lord. 198 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,760 And sometimes we all can think, well, if I didn't give as much 199 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,040 as I gave to the church, I could be driving a new car. 200 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,160 You ever think that the payment I could be using for. 201 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:26,480 I mean, that's ridiculous. Don't think that way, but our 202 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,240 flesh sometimes sinks that way. It's just normal for all of us 203 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,120 because we're still human. But it's cool to be content with 204 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,960 what we have live within our means, actually live under our 205 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,040 means. My dad taught me that many years 206 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:38,720 ago. He was a president of a company. 207 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,640 And one of the big shots from this chairman of the board said, 208 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:44,320 well, Clark, how many acres do you have? 209 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,880 And my dad says I got a probably about 1/4 of an acre. 210 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,520 And they expected my dad, because of the position he was 211 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,640 in, to have a big mansion and all that. 212 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:54,480 My dad lived in a very modest home. 213 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,640 He turned down the company limousine. 214 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,000 He drove a Ford Pinto station wagon. 215 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,880 He didn't park in the director for the president and he parked 216 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,240 somewhere else. It's just my dad set that 217 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,480 temperament for my brother and I as an example. 218 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,120 He was a very, very sacrificial, humble man. 219 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,360 And what he did with his resources and finances was 220 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,880 always for the sake of helping other people and never consumed 221 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,880 with himself. That's an amazing individual. 222 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,000 But anyway, Ephesus, this is the kind of church they have. 223 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,720 They are, but it says in verse 4, then the accusation comes in 224 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:31,360 spite of all the good things they're doing. 225 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,640 He says, I have this one thing against you. 226 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,920 You've left your first love as a pastor. 227 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,120 I have to continually keep myself in the love of God. 228 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:45,200 I'm like you guys, I got a wife, I got children, I got 229 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,840 grandchildren, I got son in laws, I got a job, I got all 230 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,280 kind of things that my mind can get focused on. 231 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,400 And those are all good things to be focused on, but sometimes I 232 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,320 can allow things in everyday life to take my focus off of my 233 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,280 relationship with the Lord. You know what I mean? 234 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,240 If I don't start my day with the Lord and walk with the Lord 235 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,480 through that day and end my day with the Lord, my heart will not 236 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:14,240 be full of this first love. My relationship with Cindy, 38 237 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,800 years of marriage. There was years, I have to admit 238 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,760 to you people, that I was not loving her the way Christ told 239 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,040 me. I'm to love His church the way 240 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,240 He loves His church. And so I was inadequate in the 241 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,120 sense of my emotional connection with my wife. 242 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,800 I was there. I showed up, I paid the bills, I 243 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,520 did whatever her husband's supposed to do, but I was not 244 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,080 connecting with her needs as a woman in the sense of her 245 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,360 emotional needs. And so the reason I wasn't, I 246 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,880 was focused on my job and my career and my success and my 247 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:49,280 golf clubs and my time and this and that and my Ford Thunderbird 248 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,480 or whatever. And, and I sacrificed some years 249 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,840 that I look back on. I say, Lord, it's only your 250 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,200 mercy that you kept us together all these years. 251 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,600 But God was merciful. He broke me and he humbled me 252 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,000 and he gave me an amazing woman that stood beside me and never 253 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,320 gave up on me. And so 38 years I can say to you 254 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:11,360 guys today, honestly, I love Cindy today more than I love her 255 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,760 when I first met her. She is an amazing woman. 256 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,720 I I never tire of looking at her face when I wake up in the 257 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,240 morning. I never look at her and say why 258 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,560 did I end up with her. Now she might say that about me, 259 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:29,360 especially now with my scar now, but but you know, that's a work 260 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,680 of God's Spirit. It's a work of his grace and and 261 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,480 and it's nothing I've done, but it's as I've yielded myself to 262 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,320 the Lord and won his will, not mine. 263 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,240 He restores to me the joy of my salvation and to you too. 264 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,320 And so the the but I have to work on my relationship with 265 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,160 Cindy. When she asked me things and 266 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,480 says things, I got to listen and I got to say, OK God, how am I 267 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,880 to respond here? Sometimes I have to admit she 268 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,720 still drives me crazy. I said I know I drive her crazy 269 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,760 at times too, but that's just two people that are different 270 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,320 living together in the same house, being married. 271 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,120 We're still different even after 30, but there's so many things 272 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,680 that we're a lot alike. When she fell and broke her 273 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,880 shoulder, the Bible says the two shall become one flesh. 274 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,080 I noticed the next day my shoulder was hurting. 275 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,200 It's really bizarre. And then one day I'm like on a 276 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,200 business trip and I running out of Panera Bread because I forgot 277 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,520 my wallet and I'm wearing these clogged shoes and I was running 278 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:21,080 faster and the shoes stayed with me. 279 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,640 All of a sudden I knew I was falling and I started going like 280 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,480 this man. I banged my hand and thank God I 281 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,160 didn't break anything. And I called her later and told 282 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,120 her what happened. She was man, my arm, my hand was 283 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,280 hurting today. I mean, this, it's just weird 284 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,560 how you know that there is this element of this, this one that 285 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:42,720 we have in this relationship. But I look at that love with my 286 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,560 wife life and it's parallel to how my relationship needs to be 287 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,200 with the Lord. If my love with Christ is where 288 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,920 it needs to be, I guarantee my love with Cindy will be where it 289 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,520 needs to be. But if my love with Christ isn't 290 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,960 where it needs to be, I'm not going to be able to be what it 291 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,240 is she needs me to be as her husband because Christ is not 292 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,320 the center of my life. And so every day as a husband, 293 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,120 as a father, the grandfather is an employee, as a pastor, all 294 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,440 the roles that I have. And you have many different 295 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,480 roles too, as men and women and children. 296 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:16,480 I have to persevere and keep myself in the love of God. 297 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,320 The Scriptures actually say to keep yourself in the love of 298 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,800 God. So my devotion to Jesus has to 299 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,280 be above everything else. And when I look at the church 300 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,160 and I pray for you guys every day, I go by the names and the 301 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,400 list. I think, OK, where are they with 302 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,320 the Lord or where aren't they with the Lord? 303 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,760 That's not an outward judgement. It's just like God. 304 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,720 I pray that they're digging deep into you and they're finding in 305 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,040 you everything they need. That's the heart of a pastor. 306 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:41,920 That's the heart of the Lord for all of us. 307 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,840 He wants you, me to be in love with Jesus. 308 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,160 And if we are, he knows our lives are going to be whole and 309 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:52,400 satisfying and protected from sin and destruction and stupid 310 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,960 moves and decisions. So my devotion to Jesus and the 311 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,480 Church of Ephesus, he's got this concern that in spite of all 312 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,640 this outward biblical stuff they're doing, they've moved 313 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,560 away from loving Jesus. And when you love Jesus, you're 314 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,960 fervent about him. You're uninhibited, you know, 315 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,079 you got a friend, the neighbor or relative. 316 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,319 You're not like, oh, should I tell him about the Lord or 317 00:17:13,319 --> 00:17:15,480 should I bring it up? Man, you could care less what 318 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:17,440 anybody thinks. You just want to shop from the 319 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,160 rooftop. Jesus is Lord, I love him. 320 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,920 Jesus did this for me and he did that and I prayed. 321 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,839 And you don't care if people think you're nuts because you're 322 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:28,840 so in love with the Lord. But it when you find yourself a 323 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,560 little bit inhibited, embarrassed maybe about your 324 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,120 faith, wondering if it's going to affect your relationship with 325 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:36,080 people. You're moving away from your 326 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,760 first love. Whenever you don't have a desire 327 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,080 to read the word and to be in the word, not because we're 328 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:44,560 going through the Bible day by day through the Bible at the end 329 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,360 of the year, you can say, hey, I did it, but you're going through 330 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,200 it because you can't wait to hear God's voice to your heart 331 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:55,200 for today, fresh mana for today. Something God's giving you this 332 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,480 for your relationship with him. As I got those verses into that 333 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,240 surgery, boy, that was so important. 334 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,160 I said, Lord, I need a word from you. 335 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,440 I need you to give something to me. 336 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,520 And he did, and I held it in my pocket by my heart so I could 337 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,520 look at it and be reminded of his faithfulness. 338 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,200 The relationship has to be personal. 339 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:20,000 The husband can be father on in the Lord or the wife and and 340 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,320 that's not good because you can't go in the fumes of another 341 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,360 person's relationship. You guys can't live on the fumes 342 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:29,280 of a sermon for a week. Hopefully it spurs you and 343 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,880 encourages you and gives you a little bit of encouragement, 344 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,920 right? But you're going home because of 345 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,440 your relationship with Jesus that you had prior to even 346 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,920 coming to church on Sunday and you're walking close with him. 347 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,040 It's like the couples in the honeymoon when you first met 348 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,840 your, your spouse or the person you were going to eventually end 349 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,960 up marrying. You couldn't wait to see them. 350 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:49,640 You were on the phone with them texting. 351 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,360 I remember Justin damn met each other in eHarmony. 352 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,560 How many hours did you guys spend on the phone? 353 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,040 6A hour day plus they're emailing. 354 00:18:58,040 --> 00:18:59,680 I mean, I mean, it was crazy, you know? 355 00:18:59,960 --> 00:19:04,960 And that is the picture of the relationship with our Lord, that 356 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,720 we are talking to him all day long and we're never hearing 357 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,680 something that we've heard before. 358 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,920 We're bored. It's a it's a, this is a 359 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,320 wonderful relationship, But whenever you start to take each 360 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,800 other for granted in the relationship, or do you ever 361 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,840 take the Lord for granted? Oh, yeah. 362 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,160 I'm going to go to heaven someday. 363 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,040 That's nice. You know, Lord loves me. 364 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,720 Yeah. Eternal life. 365 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,600 That's great, but everything else is crowded out the 366 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,320 excitement of what that all means. 367 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:32,960 You're beginning to take Him for granted. 368 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,480 You're moving from your first love when life begins to be 369 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:40,880 routine and boring and uneventful and this a drag. 370 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,480 You've left your first love and then your relationship with the 371 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:48,240 Lord is in danger when you're neglecting worshiping God and 372 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,800 worship. This isn't here with Rick and 373 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,840 the guys on Sunday morning. Worship is in your car with your 374 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,600 CD. Worship is in your home with 375 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,120 your Bible open where you're just praising God, God and 376 00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:59,920 thanking him for how much he loves you and all that he's done 377 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:03,440 and, and how great he is and how he's created the universe and 378 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,600 how he has his hand on everything that's going on in 379 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,400 the world at the same time with every life and every individual. 380 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,000 It's just mind blowing. And so you worship God and 381 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,280 you're, you're loving God. You find yourself serving God, 382 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:23,040 giving of your your livelihood for God's work, helping brothers 383 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,240 and sisters, helping neighbors. And helping people that don't 384 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,200 know the Lord doesn't matter because you love the Lord. 385 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,280 Dan and I were digging this woman out yesterday and she was 386 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:33,640 like I said, well, where you got to go? 387 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,400 She's like, how old is that Lady, 80s or something? 388 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,440 Yeah, she's out there with a shovel. 389 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,480 And you know, we say, hey man, no, we'll, we'll do it until 390 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,360 we're over there helping. I said, where you going? 391 00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:46,640 She said I got to go to Mass. I said, when she said 4:00, I 392 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,680 said in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are 393 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:50,120 absolved. You can stay home. 394 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:52,480 She thought I was kidding. I said, no, I'm a pastor. 395 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,520 You just take it easy. The Lord knows you can't get out 396 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,760 here today. And she was so determined to go, 397 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,800 but we were digging her out and, and she says, oh, I can't, I 398 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,440 feel so bad. I'm making, I say, hey, we're 399 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:02,880 doing this because we love Jesus. 400 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,160 We're doing this because of him, you know, and I said, plus you 401 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,320 have some of those pizzelles in the house and those cookies. 402 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:11,680 And she said, all I do is she was all excited. 403 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,000 She went in and got him and brought him out to us, you know, 404 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:18,680 but but seriously, you know, we, we just did it because it's part 405 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:20,480 of this. What you do is as a follower of 406 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:24,800 Christ and you love him. And the Bible told the church in 407 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,720 Ephesus, in the book of Ephesian Ephesians, that they were seated 408 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,880 with Christ Jesus in heavenly places. 409 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:34,520 That's our position right now. Spiritually, you're in the 410 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,520 heavenly places with Christ where everything that is His is 411 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:42,680 yours, where we can't be lifted up any higher than He has us 412 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:46,800 right now. It's incredible what our 413 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,800 inheritance is in Christ. But where are you with that 414 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,360 right now, today? Where is your relationship with 415 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:56,720 the Lord? How are you doing with Jesus 416 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:00,440 Christ? He warns them that if they don't 417 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:04,080 repent, and I talked about repentance pretty extensively 418 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,080 last week. Repentance is the realization I 419 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,120 can't live like this anymore. I can't go through this 420 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:15,440 spiritual fog like this anymore. I'm done with this waste of time 421 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,080 and energy and things that aren't going to last. 422 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,480 And boy, I'll tell you when, when you, when you're dealing 423 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,800 with some kind of cancer or some kind of life potential problem, 424 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,440 you start realizing how short your life is, right? 425 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,040 All of us and one day all of us, I don't care how young you are 426 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,400 in here, you're going to be in a grave if Christ hasn't come yet 427 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,000 and your body is going to rot and you're just going to have 428 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:38,760 bones in there. I mean, there's nothing left. 429 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:39,920 Your spirit will be with the Lord. 430 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,320 The Bible says to be absent the bodies, to be present with the 431 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:46,920 Lord, everything you live for. And if it isn't for Christ is 432 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,080 all going to be a waste. It's all going to burn. 433 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:55,120 And I think as God gives me days on this earth, my whole desire 434 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:58,000 is for you guys and for his work. 435 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:01,560 That's the focus of my heart. I want to be around God willing 436 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,400 for my kids and to see my grandkids grow up and to see 437 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:10,280 them follow the Lord. That's that's the passion and 438 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:14,160 also that the days that I'm living, even though I got a lot 439 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,800 of things like you guys work and all these other things that can 440 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,440 destroy. I want my life to count for 441 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,520 eternity so that whenever I'm done and I stand before the 442 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,440 Lord, we can hear well done, good and faithful servant. 443 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,440 But he's warning them if you don't repent from where you've 444 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,720 fallen and whenever your first love isn't there, you got to 445 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,520 admit you're backslidden. He says repent and go back and 446 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,920 do the first works or I will come to you and remove the 447 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,120 lampstand from its place unless you repent. 448 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:43,600 Doesn't mean you're losing your salvation, but it means your 449 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:47,320 ability to influence the community as a church is gone. 450 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:52,000 In the Book of Revelation, Pastor Clark is taking us 451 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,800 through all kinds of events and happenings that are predicted 452 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,480 for the future. But for those who believe and 453 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,440 follow Jesus, there's much to look forward to in heaven with 454 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,480 Jesus. However, for those who are here 455 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,720 on earth during the Tribulation, there's all kinds of chaos that 456 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,720 will unfold. The Bible talks about an 457 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:17,520 Antichrist, a false prophet, and of course, that evil enemy, 458 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,000 Satan. Do you see how there are such 459 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,240 clever attempts for the enemy to disguise himself as God and even 460 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,320 the Trinity? The true Savior of the world is 461 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:31,960 God and how He comes to rescue through his triune nature God 462 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:36,520 the Father, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? 463 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,920 Just like Satan tried to take over for God in heaven and was 464 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:45,400 cast out, Satan will try to convince people on earth that he 465 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,640 is the Triune God to be worshipped instead of the 466 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,520 legitimate God in heaven. It's an attempt, and although he 467 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,600 will capture plenty in his schemes, he will not win. 468 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:01,360 The true God wins, and Revelation unpacks how that will 469 00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:05,520 all happen in detail. Be encouraged because there's a 470 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:09,080 way out for all of this madness that will ensue on this earth. 471 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,880 But you don't want to wait indefinitely to make that 472 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:16,960 decision about Jesus. We don't know when the church 473 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,960 will be raptured, and you want to be ready to be with Jesus. 474 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:26,080 To learn more about this, head over to calvarychapelonline.com. 475 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,880 We're so glad you've been with us today. 476 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:32,040 And if you'd like to connect further with this ministry, find 477 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,600 us on Facebook or YouTube. You can also download our mobile 478 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:41,200 app at calvarychapelonline.com. Be sure to join us for weekly 479 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:50,320 services at 400 E Pittsburgh St. Ste. 6B in Greensburg, PA 15601. 480 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,560 This has been Living Waters of Grace.