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 --> 00:00:12,680 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 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,120 The. Salt and light that affects the 6 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,000 culture that keeps pushing back the darkness. 7 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:47,360 The people that deal with the government and still try to vote 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,800 for things that are for God's Kingdom and his glory and fight 9 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,480 against the lives of abortion and all these other things that 10 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,840 are going on today in our culture that are becoming more 11 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,360 and more acceptable. You know, the groups that affect 12 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:03,240 that in a. Positive way. 13 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:04,959 And the sense of. Deterring. 14 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,560 The force of darkness moving on is the Christian right? 15 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,640 Have you ever eaten something that tasted bland? 16 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,160 Maybe it was some chicken that was under seasoned or some 17 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,200 guacamole that was missing its salt and lime. 18 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,040 You see, salt helps everything have some flavor and can change 19 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,920 the complexion of a meal. In today's message, Pastor Clark 20 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,920 says you must be the salt and light in this world. 21 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,880 Everything around is saying to turn away from God, but it's 22 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,320 your job to make a difference. Change what people think of who 23 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:42,120 God is and push them to have a relationship with him. 24 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:47,120 Now, here's Pastor Clark in the Book of Revelation chapter 13 25 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,280 with today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 26 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,400 It's sort of like John F Kennedy, as many of us remember 27 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,080 the tragedy of what happened in his life when he was 28 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,160 assassinated. It would be like him coming back 29 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,440 to life again. Do you realize the influence? 30 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,720 The world would. Be impacted by his life. 31 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,600 He was an astounding leader. He was a charismatic 32 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,600 personality. I'm not saying he's the 33 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,760 Antichrist, but I'm trying to give you a picture. 34 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,160 It's going to impact world's civilization and culture so much 35 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,880 that they're going to be mesmerized by the the leadership 36 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,320 and the incredible. Miraculous situation that has 37 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,480 occurred and so in verse 4 it talks about the the the worship 38 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,680 this individual who's given authority to the beast and they 39 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,440 worship the beast saying who is like the beast who is like who's 40 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,880 able to make war against him in other words this world ruler is 41 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:40,880 so. Astounding. 42 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,760 So powerful, so influential. There's no one like him. 43 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,720 And that's what we should say about the God of the universe, 44 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,760 who is like unto the God of heaven, right? 45 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,320 As a matter of fact, the psalmist even uses that. 46 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:56,240 But people will be. Declaring this person as the 47 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:01,440 leader in this particular given time, I think about the horror 48 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,920 of Hitler, Adolf Hitler. Who would have ever thought that 49 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:08,440 a group of people in a country could lift someone up to this 50 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:09,920 kind of authority and leadership? 51 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:16,200 The furor and basically claim him as the new world ruler to 52 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,040 exterminate anyone who wasn't of the particular bloodline that he 53 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,400 dictated. Basically to wipe out the Jews. 54 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:26,360 That was the biggest attack from the evil one in in modern days, 55 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,640 along with Stalin and Lenin and many other dictators. 56 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:32,800 Who are anti God and living on the face of the earth today but 57 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,080 people paid homage. To Hitler if you were a kid and 58 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,440 you found out your parents. Really weren't supportive of. 59 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,360 His movement, his agenda, your job for the was to turn your 60 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,600 parents in and the Bible says even in the last days that 61 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,800 mother will be against son and father against daughter and 62 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,520 they'll be this chaos and families because of the. 63 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,080 Blindness of those who don't believe against those who do 64 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,920 become believers during this time. 65 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,800 There was a terrible persecution in the country of Romania during 66 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,880 the times of Stalin. I watched the video recently and 67 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:09,080 the horror of what they did. They took anybody that professed 68 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,160 faith in God who were Christians, and they took him to 69 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,680 a concentration camp. And their goal, they had medical 70 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,160 doctors that shot him up with drugs and they had. 71 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,839 All this psychological intervention to try to break the 72 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:22,880 will and the. Spirit of the people so that 73 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,120 they would break their personality and their 74 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,920 temperament and they put these people through incredible 75 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,800 heartache and tragedy and difficulty for many years until 76 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,960 it was brought out into the rest of the world. 77 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,240 And Russia decided at that time that they would close the prison 78 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,880 down and destroy those who the prison guards and the prison 79 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,200 leader and anybody who was involved the doctor. 80 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,280 So no one had any kind of knowledge about what had 81 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:48,280 happened. But there was some testimonies 82 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:51,280 of some Orthodox Christians that came out of this horrible 83 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:54,760 experience and they gave their testimony of how God's grace 84 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,280 spared them in the midst of the horror of the persecution and 85 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:01,360 the trials and the trauma. And it was horrible when you it 86 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,560 doesn't broke your heart when you thought about what people go 87 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,960 through in different parts of the world. 88 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,360 And yet God in his mercy is so strong in them that they don't 89 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,880 abandoned their faith. And they give hope to many 90 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:14,920 others. But this Antichrist is going to 91 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,960 be such a hateful and vindictive person that anybody. 92 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,680 Who's discovered on the face of the earth during that time? 93 00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:24,080 Who has become a believer will be. 94 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,280 Persecuted and his goal is to destroy them. 95 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:29,560 He'll be given tremendous power and authority. 96 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:34,160 He'll have control over the most powerful of nations, including. 97 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,440 Us, this country, he'll speak great. 98 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,960 Things and blasphemies. He'll claim himself to be God. 99 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,120 This is also identified in Daniel. 100 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,960 Chapter 7 and 11. Just a little picture of what 101 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,240 this guy's like in Second Thessalonians Chapter 2. 102 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:52,280 It's it's wonderful that God gives us the insights and the 103 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:53,000 Scriptures. So we. 104 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:58,360 Don't have to be deceived, but he says in chapter 2, verse one, 105 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,160 Brother, brethren, considering the coming of the Lord Jesus 106 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,440 Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you not 107 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,960 to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by 108 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,400 word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ 109 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,160 had come. Let no one deceive you by any 110 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,840 means, for that day will not come unless there's a falling 111 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:20,120 away that comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son 112 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,040 of perdition. So the good news for Christians, 113 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,080 for believers, we're not going to be here during this time of 114 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,560 great tribulation. We believe in the rapture of the 115 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,880 Church, that Christ will take us out prior to the time of the 116 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,920 Antichrist ruling and will be taken up into heaven. 117 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,920 It tells us in the Thessalonians, chapter 4, that 118 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,640 there'll be a sound of a trumpet in the voice of the Archangel, 119 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,840 and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 120 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,560 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up 121 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,080 together with the Lord, to meet the Lord in the air, and to meet 122 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,760 the Lord in the clouds, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 123 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,080 And, and Paul tells the Christians at that time comfort 124 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,600 one another with these words, right to comfort each other. 125 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,680 But there were people during this time that the Bible is 126 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,560 written, they're going around telling people all the Lord's 127 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,400 already come, you've been left behind, and now you're going to 128 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,720 have to suffer all this. Trauma, but this will be the 129 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,560 signs of some of the things that will begin to transpire prior to 130 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,560 us being taken out of here. It's quite possible that this 131 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:20,920 world leader will come to role even in our time before we're 132 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,840 taken out at the rapture. All hell doesn't really break 133 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,240 loose until the 2nd 3 1/2 years of this tribulation, the final 3 134 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,400 1/2 years. But there will be this also this 135 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,960 falling away. And we're living in a day in an 136 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,240 age where churches are dying around the world. 137 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,440 The. Attention or interest in. 138 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,360 The things of God are becoming less and less as we move closer 139 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,440 to the last days. Now those who really know Christ 140 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,160 are getting hotter and hotter, but those who we're like fair 141 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,640 weather Christians, hey I'll follow Christ as long as lifes 142 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,800 good and everything is cool I'll follow them. 143 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,320 But soon as things get difficult. 144 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,000 There's a group of people that aren't real believers that 145 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,120 they'll begin to fall away, the Bible says, and they'll actually 146 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,680 begin to curse him and deny that they've ever even known him. 147 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,480 And so we see that this Antichrist, he'll set himself up 148 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,960 above all that is called God, or that is worship, and he sits as 149 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,440 God in the. Rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem The 150 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,720 temple that the Jews use will be rebuilt to continue sacrifices 151 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,560 during the Tribulation. Once this thing's rebuilt, 152 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,520 sometime after the 1st 3 1/2 years of this tribulation, this 153 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,480 Antichrist is going to show his true colors and he's going to 154 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:34,159 have the audacity to sit on the throne in the temple and claim 155 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:36,600 to be God. It says Paul said, says, do you 156 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,080 not remember that when I was still with you, I told these 157 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,000 things, told you these things and now you know what is 158 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,360 restraining or what is holding back that he may be revealed in 159 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,040 his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness 160 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,160 is already at work. Only he who now restrains will 161 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,640 do so until he's taken out of the way and we. 162 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,920 Believe that what restrains us force of evil and Helly's 163 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,680 persecution on the earth today is the body of Christ, the 164 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:02,960 church. Whenever we're taken out of this 165 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,200 world as a group of believers, it doesn't matter what 166 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,360 denomination, as long as you're. A true believer in. 167 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,560 Jesus Christ, you've been born again. 168 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:13,280 You're trusting in him for your. Salvation. 169 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,760 You'll be taken out. The Holy Spirit's still going to 170 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,600 be working on earth, but the. Salt and light that affects the 171 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:23,760 culture that keeps pushing back the darkness, the people that 172 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,480 deal with the government and still try to vote for things 173 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,480 that are for God's Kingdom and his glory and fight against the 174 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,120 lives of abortion and all these other things that are going on 175 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,240 today in our culture that are becoming more and more 176 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,280 acceptable. You know the groups that affect. 177 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,760 That in a positive way and the sense of deterring. 178 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,320 The force of darkness, moving on, is the Christian right. 179 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,960 For the most part, it's people who have faith in Christ that 180 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,440 believe in the moral rules of the government of God's Kingdom. 181 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,880 And so, but whenever that influence is taken out, then 182 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:00,840 this lawless one will be revealed. 183 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,120 But it says the Lord will consume him with the breath of 184 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,080 his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of. 185 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,360 His coming. So when Christ comes back at the 186 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,320 end of the Tribulation in the second coming, what a great 187 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,360 victory that will be whenever He. 188 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:17,640 Deals with this evil one once and for all but this one will 189 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,320 speak greatly things and he'll blasphemy, he'll curse and he'll 190 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,600 hate anything that has to do with the Lord and his church and 191 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:30,720 his people in verse 7 it tells us in verse Revelation 13 verse 192 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,360 seven. It was granted to him to make 193 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,720 war with the Saints and to overcome them, and the authority 194 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,600 was given him over every tribe, nation and tongue. 195 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,640 You know you want. To warn people you love guys 196 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:44,840 that they need to receive Christ. 197 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,240 Now let everybody thinks, well, I got time. 198 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,000 I don't know why in the world we try to push off the greatest 199 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,640 gift that we could ever be given as human beings. 200 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,480 But again, that's the force of darkness deceiving us. 201 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,440 But today is a day of salvation. Why push it off? 202 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,800 I don't know. The rapture could happen 203 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,440 tomorrow. It could happen next week, 204 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:05,520 within the year. I don't know. 205 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,240 But we're sooner and closer than ever before. 206 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:11,600 Why would someone want to be left here on Earth? 207 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,680 To face these horrible things that are about to come upon the 208 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:17,480 earth, those who become believers during the 209 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,680 tribulation. And there will be hope, many 210 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:22,240 people that will be. On the earth at that time. 211 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,200 Will. Realize that all the things you 212 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,680 told them when you were living were true. 213 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,360 And they're going to say, wow, that that that thing I heard in 214 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,080 church or when my friend or my relative or my loved one told me 215 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,360 I needed to get saved. It's really true. 216 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,840 I'm going to follow. I want to believe what they told 217 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,440 me. I was to believe and and the 218 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,080 Lord will be merciful. He'll save people during the 219 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,880 tribulation, but it'll be an unbelievable time to have to 220 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,880 live and those who become believers during this 221 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,040 tribulation. Will suffer as I said. 222 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,120 But you know, Jesus said, and it says here, that the devil in 223 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,680 this particular section of Scripture will overcome them. 224 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,880 So we know this. Isn't the church this is 225 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,120 referring to believers who people who become believers at 226 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,680 the time? Of the Tribulation, because 227 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:08,280 Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church, remember. 228 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,000 He's talking to Peter and he's telling them, Peter, who do you 229 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,440 say that I am? And Peter said, you are the 230 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,120 Christ, the Son of the living God. 231 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:19,960 And Jesus told him, upon this affirmation, upon this belief, 232 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,960 upon this faith for all people, I will build my. 233 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:24,800 Church and what do you say and the. 234 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,840 Gates of hell will not prevail against it so. 235 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,480 In the instance here where it tells us that the devil is going 236 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,960 to prevail and overcome them, we know it's not referring to the 237 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,280 Church because, as I said, the church has been. 238 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,360 Taken. Out at the rapture and in verse 239 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,280 8 it says all who dwell on the earth will worship him whose 240 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,440 names have not been written in the book of life. 241 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,480 So all. The people on the earth, whether 242 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,800 they want to or not, will be forced to worship this. 243 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,840 One the way they'll worship him is to. 244 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,240 Receive the mark of the Beast, they'll pay. 245 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,920 Homage to him And basically when you take the mark of the beast, 246 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,360 it's all over. There's no more opportunity for 247 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,840 repentance. You've already cast your vote to 248 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:08,400 trust and believe in the Evil 1, The Book of Life if you flip 249 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,800 over to Revelation 20 if you've never heard of it. 250 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,200 I want to. Encourage you today that. 251 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,120 If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has a book in heaven 252 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,360 that your name is written in. There won't be any mistake on 253 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,160 the last day of judgment. The books will be. 254 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,280 Open. And this is what it'll this is 255 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,040 what will happen. And I saw Thrones, and then that 256 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,360 sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. 257 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:32,240 I saw the souls of those who have been beheaded for the 258 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,280 witness of Jesus and for the word of God, who had not 259 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,480 worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received His 260 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:39,960 mark on their foreheads or on their. 261 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:45,040 Hands the wonderful glory, you know God, you know our bodies 262 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,040 can be taken out of this world, but no one can kill our souls. 263 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,360 What's going to live? Forever is our. 264 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,920 Souls in heaven. With God in a new body. 265 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,880 And so even those who were martyred during the tribulation 266 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,760 period, we see them in this heavenly scene at the end of 267 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:04,240 time that they're alive, they're not dead, and they're given 268 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,240 glory because they didn't worship the beast, they didn't 269 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,000 receive his mark in their foreheads. 270 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,400 And they lived and they reigned with Christ for 1000 years, the 271 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,960 thousand year reign, the millennial Kingdom after the 272 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,080 second coming and verse 5 but the rest of the dead did not 273 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,320 live again until the thousand years were finished. 274 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:22,240 And this is the first resurrection. 275 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,400 It says blessed and holy is he who has part in the resurrection 276 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,920 over such the second death has no power, but they shall be 277 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,400 priests of God's God and of Christ, and shall reign with him 278 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,160 1000 years so. The good news is, today, if 279 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,960 you're a Christian and you're trusting in Christ, where's your 280 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:43,480 name? It's written in the book of 281 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:44,960 life. Can it be erased? 282 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:50,000 Oh God has no eraser. Once you're there, he's placed 283 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,040 you there for all. Eternity if it was. 284 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,160 If there was an eraser, that would be up to you then, right? 285 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,600 Oh, I messed up. I got to do something to try to 286 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,000 get back in again. It's because of Christ. 287 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,680 And what He's done for us, His grace and His mercy, that our 288 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,080 names are written in the book of life. 289 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:07,840 Jesus says to the. Disciples. 290 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,000 They're out and they're evangelizing and they're all 291 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,640 excited and they come back. We had power over the devil. 292 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,520 We cast out demons and we did this. 293 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,600 They're all excited. About the miracles and. 294 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,960 Jesus says I saw Satan fall from. 295 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:23,760 Heaven like lightning, he says. Don't be excited that you have 296 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,120 authority over spirits and they're subject to you. 297 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,880 But he says rejoice. In this because your names. 298 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,680 Are written in the Book of Life. Your names are written in 299 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,320 heaven. That's what we rejoice in. 300 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,600 That's the good news. So where are we today? 301 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,000 Where are you? Today, do you truly love God? 302 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:46,480 Do you love? Christ do you? 303 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,720 Love the Holy Spirit. Or do we daily? 304 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,440 Have no relationship. With God is your. 305 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:54,920 Back to God today. Do you curse God? 306 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,960 Do you ignore God? Or do you desire to have a 307 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,960 relationship with God? Do you love Him? 308 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:02,360 Do you seek to honor him? Do. 309 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,760 You seek to serve Him. Do you seek to worship Him? 310 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,680 Do you seek to praise and magnify Him? 311 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,320 Do you live your life in continual metanoia, which means 312 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,680 repentance? Lord, have mercy on me, the 313 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,200 Sinner. If you live that way and you 314 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,640 examine yourself daily because you want to be found faithful by 315 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,240 the grace of God, then Christ is your Savior. 316 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:25,800 And this is not your savior, but your Lord. 317 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,120 A lot of people think, well, I can come to Jesus and disbelieve 318 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,520 a fire insurance policy, don't have to go to hell and all that 319 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,280 kind of stuff, but I don't have to really follow him. 320 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,160 That's a deception. The Bible clearly says and Jesus 321 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:39,920 says. Himself. 322 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:44,520 Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not the things I say at the 323 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,440 final judgment when he's judging the sheep from the goat? 324 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,240 He knows those who are his and those who aren't. 325 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,680 And those who claim that they knew him by all the things they 326 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,920 did in their life, Jesus says depart from you cursed. 327 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:03,000 I never knew you. So we see that as we look at 328 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,440 what God is doing in these last days and how he's. 329 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:10,319 Moving, we all have to realize. If anyone has an ear, as it says 330 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:15,400 in verse 9, let him hear. It's also interesting in verse 9 331 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,079 of chapter 13 it doesn't say If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 332 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:20,720 What the Spirit says to the church. 333 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,599 He said that in chapter 2 and three, the church is no longer 334 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:27,400 here. He's speaking to those who are 335 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,160 going to be. Living during that time, if 336 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:34,600 anyone has an ear, let him hear. First Revelation, chapter 3 Six. 337 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,840 When he talked to the churches, he said he who has an ear, let 338 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:39,360 him hear. What the Spirit says to the 339 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,360 churches. So again, evidence and 340 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:44,280 documentation that the Church has been removed from the earth. 341 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,320 Outside of this chaotic. Time. 342 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,920 So the devil's going to make war against the Saints, against the 343 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,120 believers in the Tribulation. He's going. 344 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:55,200 To take them captive and he's going to destroy them. 345 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,920 It says in verse 10 he leads into captivity, into captivity 346 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,840 shall go into captivity. He who kills with the sword must 347 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,640 be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the 348 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,080 faith of the Saints. It tells us in the book of 349 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,560 Psalms, precious in the sight of the Lord is the. 350 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,040 Death of his Saints. I don't want to be martyred. 351 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,360 I prefer to live a long life and to stop breathing, you know? 352 00:18:16,360 --> 00:18:19,200 That's my preference. When one guy died on the 18th 353 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:20,800 hole of the golf course, that's a nice way. 354 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,440 He sunk the putt and then he had a heart attack. 355 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,240 He died. That's the preferable way, 356 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:28,000 right? But you know, to be a martyr for 357 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,560 Christ is really a glorious thing. 358 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:34,520 We studied the earth early church in the in the apostles, 359 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,120 how they were taken out of this world through martyrdom, the 360 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,200 early church fathers who were martyred. 361 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,880 For their stand and their faith in Jesus Christ, there's a 362 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,480 special blessing for those who have been martyred. 363 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,280 In Revelation chapter 6 as we start to wind down verses 9, it 364 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,480 says when he opens the 5th seal he says I saw under the altar 365 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,720 the souls of those who have been slain for the word of God and 366 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:00,240 for the testimony which they held. 367 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,040 Wouldn't it be awesome? I'm not trying to be like heroic 368 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,600 here, but to be recognized in heaven that I died for my faith 369 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:13,160 in Christ. And for the word of God, and it 370 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,720 says a crowd with a loud voice. These are the martyrs saying, 371 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,520 How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you a judge and avenge our 372 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,000 blood on those who. Dwell on the earth. 373 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:22,840 You know the. Martyrs are waiting for the. 374 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,400 Day when justice will come. And God will deal with the. 375 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,480 Ungodly on the face of the earth. 376 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,840 And it says a white robe was given to each of them, and it 377 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,880 was said to them that they should rest a little while 378 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,080 longer, until both with the number of their fellow servants 379 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,960 and their brethren who would be killed as they were were. 380 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,760 Completed So all those who've been martyred from the beginning 381 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:47,080 of time are walking around in robes of righteousness in the 382 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,160 heaven. They're distinct from everyone 383 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,880 else, not better, but different because of how they gave their 384 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,680 lives for their faith, and they'll be remembered throughout 385 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,520 eternity for why they did. What they did? 386 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,800 But their heart is also. Burden and concern. 387 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:08,120 For all those who are still on earth that will have to die the 388 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:10,880 tragic death that they've died and the. 389 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,560 Suffering and the struggle and the trials, but it's wonderful 390 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,240 to know that we see here in Revelation that these martyrs. 391 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,360 Aren't dead, but they're. Living and they're walking and 392 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:23,880 they're relating with the. Throne of God and. 393 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,280 As it said in Revelation. Chapter 20. 394 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,480 The souls of those who have been beheaded for their witness to 395 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,240 Jesus and for the word of God, they not had not worshipped the 396 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,400 beast or his image, and not received his mark in their 397 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,240 foreheads or on their hands. God knows your heart, He knows 398 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:43,640 mine. He knows where you're at. 399 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:45,960 He knows where I'm at. But this say for. 400 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,840 Example that someone interrupted our church service. 401 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,840 Today and they came in and they were with such and such 402 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,040 government and. They had to make us aware of 403 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,560 some changes that were happening and effective today there would 404 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,040 be no ability for you to use. Your bank account. 405 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:07,000 Unless you receive this new number in homage to the new 406 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,920 world ruler, that you have to be under surveillance and be under 407 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,040 his control. And you know, you have to have 408 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,360 this, this mark in order to feed your kids and to pay your bills 409 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:19,360 and your mortgage. And that they're lying. 410 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:20,840 They're saying everything's going to be better. 411 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,080 It's going to be you're going to prosper and everything's going 412 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:24,920 to be good. If you didn't know what this 413 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,320 said, you'd be real tempted to think, well, that makes sense, 414 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,400 right? I'm going to get it right. 415 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,320 You'd be crazy not to. But knowing what the Bible warns 416 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:37,720 about and teaches, how many of us would this get up and stand 417 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,840 up and say, I'm sorry, I can't take that and walk out? 418 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,720 That's a question you have to ask yourself because that's 419 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,200 really the dividing line between real faith and real trust in the 420 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,840 Kingdom of God or actually having your trust in this 421 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,080 current world system that we live in today that has already 422 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:56,160 failed us right? Numerous times. 423 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,600 The stock market crash of 29 when everybody lost everything. 424 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,760 People jumping out of buildings because they were trusting in 425 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,600 their finances. The financial crash that 426 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,640 happened a few years ago where many of us that had any kind of 427 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,960 investments lost at least half of them, if not more. 428 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:18,160 Jesus says, you know, don't trust in uncertain riches, 429 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,720 layout for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do 430 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,840 not corrupt or thieves break in to steal away. 431 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,880 Jim Elliott, that famous missionary, said he is no fool 432 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,400 to lose what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose. 433 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,360 So May God exercise our hearts as we think about these things, 434 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,280 preparing us for the return of the Lord today. 435 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,920 If you're here and you've never put your faith in Christ and 436 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:48,120 trusted in Him explicitly, and God will be merciful to you if 437 00:22:48,120 --> 00:22:51,880 you mean it, and pray and repent and ask Him to save you. 438 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,280 And if you're here today as a Christian and you've just sort 439 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:57,400 of been playing around. And sort of slip sliding away a 440 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,280 little bit there. You want to allow the Lord to 441 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,080 bring you back into that place of fullness and depth with Him 442 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,400 so that you can walk closely with Him and also have a mind 443 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,360 every day that you want lost people to know what Christ has 444 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:12,600 freely told you. It's good news, right? 445 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,160 And people need to know. But I'd hate to be a neighbor or 446 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,360 friend and they knew you or me their whole life. 447 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:20,880 And all of a sudden we're gone. Like, what? 448 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,400 What happened? Where did they go? 449 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,840 Well, and the government's saying, hey, aliens took them or 450 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:27,520 who knows what conspiracy it'll come up with. 451 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,720 The world will believe it. And then the people are here. 452 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,360 And then they're sort of finding out that we didn't tell them 453 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,680 what they needed to know. I'd be upset, wouldn't you? 454 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,600 Someone like claimed to be a Christian that didn't actually 455 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,720 give me Full disclosure. I'm not. 456 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:44,640 I can't make anybody. You're just giving the 457 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,520 information for what it's worth and let them make the decision. 458 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,320 But at least there's there's disclosure, right? 459 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:53,560 So we need to pray that God would help us. 460 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,440 Disclose the truth to. Lost people. 461 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,720 This has been Living Waters of Grace. 462 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:01,840 With Pastor Clark. We're going through the 463 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,280 challenging and also intriguing Book of Revelation. 464 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,560 Whether you're a fan of reading ahead in books of fiction, 465 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,840 there's such a benefit to reading ahead in the Bible to 466 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,680 read about how it all ends. But in an interesting turn of 467 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,320 events, the Book of Revelation is not really the end, but 468 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,840 rather the beginning. It's the end of life as we know 469 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:28,320 it here on earth, but there's so much to look forward to for what 470 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,680 comes after all the judgement of the earth and those who reject 471 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,640 God. There's a lot to work through, 472 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:38,120 and it can be heartbreaking to read through the intense 473 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:42,040 judgments and wrath that will come on those who hate God with 474 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,400 all their might. The thing is, God has given 475 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,480 chance upon chance to these people. 476 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,080 They don't want it. So the outcome is that there are 477 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:55,360 judgments and consequences for those who've rejected the good 478 00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:59,560 news and the gift of salvation that's offered through Jesus's 479 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,640 death and resurrection. Are you one who has heard about 480 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,520 these things but doesn't really want it because you want to live 481 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:13,000 life on your terms? Trust me, living for Jesus is so 482 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,560 much better. That doesn't mean it will be 483 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,440 easy, but as you listen and read through Revelation with us, 484 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,760 you'll come to a stark realization that you don't want 485 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,720 to be on earth when the apocalypse happens. 486 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:30,480 So check out Calvary Chapel online.com to learn how to come 487 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,880 to a saving grace through faith that will allow you to be with 488 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,480 Jesus for eternity. We'd also love to meet you in 489 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,920 person at Calvary Chapel Westmoreland. 490 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:44,360 Come join us at 400 E Pittsburgh St. 491 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:52,880 Ste. 6B in Greensburg, PA 15601. This has been living waters of 492 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:53,440 grace.