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 --> 00:00:40,640 The church had a problem with compromise. 6 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:44,240 The church was known to be dealing with idolatry. 7 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,200 There was pressures internal within the church itself. 8 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,440 As they were worshipping, they were worshipping not any God, 9 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,080 but they were worshipping. Idols Apollo, the sun God, was 10 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,320 established in this particular city, and what happened was, as 11 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,240 the church was endeavouring to do the things that it was 12 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,840 supposed to do, they allowed false teachers. 13 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,160 To be in the church. False teachers have always been 14 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,240 a problem in the church. Whether modern day or the early 15 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,440 church era, there have always been people seeking to 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,480 capitalize on the body of Christ for personal gain. 17 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,000 We are reminded that the ultimate authority of the church 18 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,120 is Christ. Whatever pastor or preacher you 19 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,080 may have. Pastor Clark gives insight into 20 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,880 this church mentioned in Revelation as a lesson to us to 21 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:36,080 be critical of those who would stray from Scripture and lead us 22 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,640 astray from the gospel of Jesus. Now here's Pastor Clark in the 23 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,680 Book of Revelation Chapter 2 with today's edition of Living 24 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,920 Waters of Grace. Revelation chapter 2, verse 18 25 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,960 through 29. And to the Angel, the church in 26 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,840 Thyatira, right these things, says the Son of God, who has 27 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,920 eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass. 28 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,240 I know your works, your love, service, faith, and your 29 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,040 patience. And As for your works, the last 30 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,639 are more than the first. Nevertheless, I have a few 31 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,200 things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who 32 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:17,320 calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants, to 33 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,720 commit sexual immorality and eat things, sacrificed idols. 34 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,400 And I gave her time to repent and her sexual immorality, and 35 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,160 she did not repent. Indeed, I will cast her into a 36 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,800 sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great 37 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,960 tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 38 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,320 I will kill her children with death. 39 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,560 And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the 40 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,600 minds and the hearts. And I will give to each one of 41 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,560 you according to your works. Now to you I say, and to the 42 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,800 rest in Thyrotyra, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have 43 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,240 not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you 44 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:02,120 no other burden, but hold fast what you have till I come. 45 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,160 And he whoever comes and keeps my works until the end, to him I 46 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,120 will give power over the nation's. 47 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,560 He shall rule them with a rod of iron. 48 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,600 They shall be dashed to pieces like the Potter's vessels, as I 49 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,520 also received from my father, and I will give him the morning 50 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,400 star. He who has an ear, let him hear 51 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,400 what the Spirit says to the churches. 52 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,840 This particular church, Thyatira, the 4th church we're 53 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,920 studying now in the Book of Revelation, is given the longest 54 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,680 letter of all. The churches that we've studied 55 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,120 so far and the city of. Thyatira, about 40 miles. 56 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,200 Southeast of Pergamus, which is a church. 57 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:43,160 We studied about last week. This particular church is 58 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,840 involved with a lot of issues that churches shouldn't be 59 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,400 involved with at all these centers in false teaching. 60 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,080 That's what happens whenever churches begin to fall apart. 61 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,560 Doesn't matter how many people are there, how few, or how many, 62 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:01,000 whenever the Church begins to deviate from the teachings. 63 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,320 Of the word. Of God and begins, 64 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,760 unfortunately, to make things up as they go along the church then 65 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,720 begins to become a problem to the people that go to. 66 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,000 The church this particular church in in. 67 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,720 General, you might have remembered. 68 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,600 Back in Acts chapter 16, in your studies of the Scripture, this 69 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:23,400 city is mentioned regarding a certain woman named Lydia, the 70 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,840 first convert in the city of Thyrotaira. 71 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:29,320 She's mentioned in the book of the Acts, and it says that the 72 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,440 Lord opened her heart to heed and listen to the things that 73 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,000 were spoken to by Paul. And when she and her household 74 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,240 were baptized, she begged us, saying, if you have judged me to 75 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,680 be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. 76 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,440 And so she persuaded us. And that. 77 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,920 Was the beginning of the church in Thyatira the Lydia. 78 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,920 Seller of purple. The city itself was a 79 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,280 manufacturing port. Also a military city. 80 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,200 And of all these cities that we're studying right now in the 81 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:02,160 Book of Revelation, this church again has received the largest 82 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,320 letter. In this city, there's a town 83 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:10,200 that people are making a living by the Guild. 84 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,960 In order to make the living, you had to be part of a. 85 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,080 Guild or you couldn't work. A Guild was like a trade union, 86 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,240 a trade association, and in order to make your livelihood 87 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:21,920 you had to belong to these guilds. 88 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,160 But the problem at that time or the conflict at the time was 89 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,960 that the church was being tempted to compromise its 90 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,240 convictions. And this is what the John is 91 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:35,200 addressing as Christ is speaking to him regarding this church in 92 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,440 Revelation. The church had a problem with 93 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,600 compromise. The church was known to be 94 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,880 dealing with idolatry. There was pressures internal 95 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,720 within the church itself. As they were worshipping, they 96 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,160 were worshipping not any God, but they were worshipping. 97 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,280 Idols Apollo, the sun God, was established in this particular 98 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:01,760 city, and what happened was, as the church was endeavoring to do 99 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:04,760 the things that it was supposed to do, they allowed false 100 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:05,680 teachers. To be in the. 101 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,920 Church and false. Teachers were like teaching 102 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,920 things that weren't part of. The Apostles doctrine or the 103 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,240 foundation of the Teachings of Christ and the Church, instead 104 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,680 of dealing with the false teaching they were allowing. 105 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,640 These things to go along, they weren't saying anything. 106 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,120 They weren't mentioning anything about it. 107 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,040 They weren't stopping it. And the responsibility that the 108 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,680 church has myself as a pastor. And Elder. 109 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,760 And Howard and Rick. Is that? 110 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:35,400 There can't be false. Teaching in the church, we could 111 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,080 be doing 90% of the things right and 10% wrong. 112 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:45,000 And as I said, the rat poison is always 2% arsenic and 98% weak, 113 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,000 and that's what causes rat poison to be lethal. 114 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,040 So when the church has a little leaven, a little sin, a little 115 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,720 impurity, it begins to corrupt the whole church. 116 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,440 If I'm living a double life and I'm walking in immorality in my 117 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:58,880 private life, and then I'm coming. 118 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,320 Here preaching you and. Even though I might sound right 119 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,400 and I'm teaching. Doctrine and all these. 120 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,360 Things. There's no power in what's being 121 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,480 said because it's being filtered by delusion and deception and 122 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,160 morality and impurity. And the same thing when you come 123 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,400 to church on Sundays, you want to come with your hearts pure 124 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,240 before the Lord. You don't want to bring in the 125 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,880 world and the lust of the world into the body of Christ. 126 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,560 When we take the Lord's Supper, we sit down and we take it to 127 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,680 have our hearts purified together, don't we? 128 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,440 We all need to be purified. We're out in the world all week 129 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,080 and we're rubbing shoulders with all kind of stuff and we hear 130 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,840 things and we see things and many of these things obviously 131 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,160 enter into our heart and they cause. 132 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,240 Us to be cold. And lukewarm and lack attention 133 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,200 to the things of God. And what happens then? 134 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,160 It begins to invade our families and our marriages and our 135 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,000 households and our. Community and those we. 136 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,840 Work and live with. And so the importance of the 137 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:02,480 church having no compromise. Now, some of us are dealing with 138 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,320 struggles, I'm sure, in our own lives, personally. 139 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,640 Sometimes we have business. Dealings or relationships with 140 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,560 certain people and we feel that we sometimes shouldn't say what 141 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,480 we really need to say because if we did, it might affect the 142 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,960 business deal or it might affect the relationship, or something 143 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,840 might not go right. Or maybe we could lose our job. 144 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,760 And maybe the boss is asking you to do something you know is 145 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,280 morally unacceptable and against your convictions and you're 146 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,360 having struggle. You're thinking, well, Lord, if 147 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,760 I don't do what he tells me to do or she tells me to do, then I 148 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:41,679 could lose my job. What do I do, Lord? 149 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,320 Well, the Lord would always have us do what he tells us to do, 150 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,960 right? But we all have a tendency at 151 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,720 times to compromise, don't we? And we need to step back and 152 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,880 say, Lord, I need to do what's right no matter what the cost 153 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:59,960 is, even if it costs me my job, it costs me my house, it costs 154 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:02,760 me my livelihood. Because ultimately, Lord, you're 155 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,680 the one that provides for me. It's not man, it's you. 156 00:09:06,680 --> 00:09:09,720 And we all struggle with believing that at times. 157 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,560 It's like the old phrase Lord, I believe helped my unbelief. 158 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:19,320 We want to trust God and we want to follow Him, but sometimes we 159 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,640 compromise and we need. To repent of compromise and we 160 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:25,640 need to ask the Lord to free us from the fear of. 161 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:30,160 Man and the fear of the culture. And that the one thing we want 162 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,360 the most is to do what's pleasing in his sight. 163 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,600 So these self professed prophets arise here. 164 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,920 He's speaking to this church and it says these things, says the 165 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,120 Son of God, this. Is the only instance in this 166 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,600 Book of Revelation that this phrase Son of God is used, and 167 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:52,720 it's used to refute the Son God Apollo, who they worshipped as 168 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:58,080 the God of their culture? And Jesus is clearly delineating 169 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,120 that he is the Son of God. He has eyes like a. 170 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,040 Flame of fire. And his. 171 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,440 Feet are like brass. You know when Christ, Christ. 172 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:09,240 Is in our midst today. He's here. 173 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,320 He is so focused on you and me because He loves us. 174 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:19,200 His eyes are so intent upon your heart that He's searching and 175 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,000 moving by spirit and through His Word and through worship and 176 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,320 through the Lord's Supper to separate the stuff in our heart 177 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,560 that needs to be taken away and taken out. 178 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:36,720 It's like an infection that needs to be excised from our 179 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:41,960 hearts. Sin we think isn't that big of a 180 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:46,200 deal sometimes, but the Bible says a little leaven, a little 181 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:52,240 sin ruins the whole body. That's why David was so intent 182 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:57,120 on saying, Lord, search me and know my heart, try me and know 183 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:02,080 my thoughts, and see if there's any wicked way in me, and leave 184 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:08,280 me in the way everlasting. He was so focused upon purity 185 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,520 after he fell into sin. He did terrible things like many 186 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:16,480 of us have, and yet God in His mercy forgave him and restored 187 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,880 him and renewed him, didn't he? But David wasn't the same man 188 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:26,400 after that fall. He was so aware of his heart and 189 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,400 his propensity to sin against the God who loves him. 190 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,320 And so in his prayers he said, search me Lord, and know my 191 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:35,920 heart. He wasn't saying search other 192 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,040 people, get them straightened out, deal with them. 193 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:44,920 No Lord, search me, know my heart, know my thoughts and see 194 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,880 if there's any wicked way in me and leave me in their way 195 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:52,840 everlasting. Let the words of my mouth and 196 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:59,520 the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my 197 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:04,000 strength and my Redeemer, That that would be our prayers as we 198 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,920 worship God, as we come before him in prayer and our private 199 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:12,360 lives, that we're asking God to change our hearts and to purify 200 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,200 us. Christ is seeing everything and 201 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,920 he wants to eliminate everything and purify us so that we don't 202 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,000 have to. Stand in judgment before his 203 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,080 throne one day and give an account for ungodliness. 204 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,320 The judgment seat of Christ is a judgment for believers. 205 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,440 The great White Throne judgment is a judgment for the unsaved, 206 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,680 The loss. If you're a Christian, you won't 207 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:39,600 be at the great White Throne judgment. 208 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:42,880 But if you're a Christian, you will be at the judgment seat of 209 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,520 Christ. And the Bible says you will give 210 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:50,120 an account for every idle word and every corrupt deed that you 211 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,560 hadn't repented of. And so today we ask God to 212 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:58,280 purify us and to cleanse us so that all of us can stand in that 213 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,920 judgment and hear well done, good and faithful servant enter 214 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:06,080 into the joy of the Lord. And so Christ, as he looks with 215 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:11,000 these eyes that are so pure and so holy and so perfect, he's 216 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,800 searching the heart of this church and our church. 217 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,280 As well here today. It says his feet are like fine 218 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,880 brass, he says. I know your works, your love, 219 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,960 your service, your faith, your patience. 220 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,680 And As for your works, the last or more than the first, this 221 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,960 church in comparison to. Ephesus, you know, Ephesus lost 222 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:35,600 their first love. They began to become weak in 223 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,320 their devotion to Christ. They weren't loving Him anymore 224 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,600 with all their heart, with all their mind, and with all their 225 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:42,800 soul and with. All their strength. 226 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,360 This church in the other side, though, is apparently pressing 227 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:53,640 in to love God more, to seek his face more, and to end up doing 228 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,960 better near the end than they were in the beginning. 229 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,560 I I see so many of us at times. We come to Christ. 230 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:05,520 We're excited, we're all stoked because of what Jesus did and we 231 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:06,440 just. Want to serve him? 232 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,080 And we got all. These promises we want to make. 233 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,720 And all these things. We want to do and then I see, 234 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,920 you know, people that. Start well and then all of a 235 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,480 sudden I don't see them anymore. They're not finishing well. 236 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:20,400 It's like the parable, the sower. 237 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,080 The person that. Receives a word with joy and the 238 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:25,960 beginning. Oh Jesus, he's so great. 239 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,640 He did this and saved me and oh, I'm so excited. 240 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,160 My life's changed and all this stuff. 241 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,560 And then it says, in the cares of the world, the deceitfulness 242 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:35,840 of riches. And the lusts, other things 243 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,040 choke the word. And then what happens? 244 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,440 Anybody know? We become unfruitful. 245 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,440 There's no life in US. The seed obviously didn't take 246 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,800 and the. Seed ends up dying, but the 247 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,280 parable the sour the 4th. Soil, it brought forth 51 248 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,240 hundredfold. I think back in my own life, 249 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,760 Jeff and I were talking about that. 250 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,640 This week on the phone. About the Lord. 251 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,880 And his work in our lives. And I had had an experience with 252 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,360 the Lord. When I was 20 and I thought it 253 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,040 was salvation, I was all excited and I was radical and I was. 254 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:22,080 Changing and I was. Wanting to tell people about the 255 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,840 Lord and all that kind of stuff. But it didn't. 256 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,880 Last real long. It lasted for a couple years and 257 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,880 then all of a sudden I found my desire to go back to the old 258 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,080 ways and to do the same old things again. 259 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:35,800 And so I had a Christian life for years. 260 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,400 It was sort of like schizophrenic. 261 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,200 I was this way one time and then I was this way another time and 262 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,880 then in my early 40's the Lord dealt with me through some 263 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,160 family crisises and I remember going to. 264 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,000 A church where there was a. Revival going on and. 265 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,240 There was only a few people there that attended the. 266 00:15:55,240 --> 00:16:00,000 Revival. But the revival was for me, and 267 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:05,560 I listened to the pastor talk about what is real salvation, 268 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:10,840 what is real conversion, what is a real work of God's Spirit and 269 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,840 a heart. And I realized that what I 270 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:20,760 thought I had, I didn't have. And so I went down by myself on 271 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,320 gun on my face and said, Lord, this Christianity isn't working 272 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,080 for me. Something wrong? 273 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,280 I know what your word says and I know how great you are, but I 274 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:37,400 don't live like this is real. And I asked Him to do whatever 275 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,920 needed to be done in my heart in order for it to become real. 276 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,400 And He did. And I'm ashamed of so many of 277 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,560 the things I've done in my life. Or I thought I was a Christian 278 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,200 and I wasn't. But the Lord is merciful, and 279 00:16:55,200 --> 00:17:00,080 He's so faithful, and He's a God of the second chance, isn't he? 280 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,599 For all of us? God's got to have a sense of 281 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:07,400 humor because six months after that He's calling me into 282 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,960 ministry. I'm saying I am the least 283 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:16,400 qualified lawyer, he says. Not many wise, not many mighty, 284 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,119 not many. No boar called. 285 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,319 But God has chosen the. Weak and the foolish things of 286 00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:23,040 this world. To confound the wise. 287 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,680 So that no flesh would glory in His presence. 288 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,240 So I'm not interested in compromise. 289 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:31,600 Anymore. One time I was, I thought. 290 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,440 That was just the way it was. Everybody compromises. 291 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,280 Yeah, you believe, but you really don't. 292 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:38,960 Live like you believe sometimes. Because we're all human, you 293 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,760 know, We all cut each other's slack. 294 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,680 You know, I got drunk last night, you might say. 295 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,760 And the other person. Yeah, I was drunk two weeks ago. 296 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:49,880 I know I shouldn't have done it, but I did it. 297 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,480 That's not the gospel. That's not salvation. 298 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:57,760 It tells us in Galatians 5. It gives a. 299 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,520 List of the sins of compromise and this is written to believers 300 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:07,440 galatians chapter 5 he says the works of the flesh in verse 19 301 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:12,560 are evident adultery, fornication, uncleanness, 302 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,320 lewdness, idolatry and this church was. 303 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:21,560 Full of idolatry and thyrotyra. Sorcery, hatred, contentions, 304 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:26,040 jealousies, outspursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, 305 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,720 heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the 306 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,120 like, of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told 307 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:36,640 you in time past, that those who practice such. 308 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,640 Things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 309 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,120 God has called us for holiness and purity. 310 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:51,120 People many times ask me, do you? 311 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:52,680 Believe in eternal security, do you? 312 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,080 Believe once saved, always saved. 313 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,680 You believe you can be saved and not be saved. 314 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:02,120 That's not the that's not the question we should be asking. 315 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:11,320 Am I living in light of what the Bible says is true salvation? 316 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,600 Or am I kidding myself that someone just make me feel good? 317 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,280 You know, I get a kick out of these people that sometimes. 318 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:20,280 These churches, they get them to come. 319 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:21,560 Up front and. They'll come up front if you 320 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,440 want to accept Jesus a day. And you don't want to go to 321 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:24,680 hell. And who in the world? 322 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:26,560 Wants to go to hell so everybody comes up. 323 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:28,520 I mean, that sounds like a good deal. 324 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,760 Jesus died for my sins. If you ask him to come in your 325 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,680 heart and save you. You won't go to hell, you'll go 326 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,000 to heaven, man. Who wouldn't want that? 327 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,600 But there's no message of death to self. 328 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,480 If any man will follow me, let him deny himself he who finds 329 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,280 his life for my sake. Must first lose it. 330 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,200 There's a cost right to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. 331 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,360 If any man will follow me, let him deny himself and take up his 332 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:59,000 cross daily and follow me. So the people come down and so 333 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:00,760 the passage I prayed his prayer after me. 334 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,440 Lord Jesus, I'm a Sinner, please forgive me of my sins. 335 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,880 Came into my heart and saved me. So I don't have to go to hell 336 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,640 and I can be in heaven with you forever. 337 00:20:11,120 --> 00:20:13,680 So the person praise it. Then the pastor goes, praise 338 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,400 God, you're a Christian, you're saved. 339 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:20,200 And the person's like I am. Sometimes I don't feel 340 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,600 different. I don't sense anything's 341 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,680 happened to me or but I guess if that's what you're saying, I 342 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:31,440 guess that's what I am. And so they come to church week 343 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,960 in and week out, month in and month out and year in and year 344 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:38,240 out, thinking that they're Christians because they prayed a 345 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,560 prayer. But down deep inside, their 346 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,960 heart is still. Doing the same things, thinking 347 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,200 the same things. You and I, we can't save our 348 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,240 self. It's the mercy of God. 349 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,800 It's his grace. And when God changes a life, 350 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,240 folks, He changes a life. We don't have to pretend it. 351 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,120 We don't have to fake it. We don't have to. 352 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:00,560 Have power positive thinking well yeah I pray this prayer 353 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,640 even though I'm. Still acting this way. 354 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,800 You know I'm saved because I. Prayed a prayer. 355 00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:06,800 No, we're. Saved. 356 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:11,480 If we are living like Jesus Christ, we're saved if we love 357 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,600 the things that he loves and hates the things that he hates. 358 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,080 We're saved if we're new creations, right? 359 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:21,000 If any man is in Christ, he's a new creation. 360 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:24,640 Old things are passed away, right? 361 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,080 My old desire is to do the things I used to want to do are 362 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,120 passed away. I don't want to do them anymore 363 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:36,680 because my heart's been changed. All things have become new. 364 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:42,520 So if we're here today and we're still struggling with old things 365 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,080 and things haven't become new, we're still without Christ. 366 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,760 And the good news is, is that Christ is still here and. 367 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,520 Able to save. And so he's speaking to this 368 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:54,840 church. He's talking about judgment. 369 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,920 He's talking about the need for repentance. 370 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:02,280 Repentance is critical to conversion or salvation or 371 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,640 change or purity. In the church. 372 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,960 The church is a place that repentance should be the most 373 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,680 intense, guys, not the world. It's US. 374 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,160 Judgment, the Bible says, must first begin with us, and with 375 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:18,280 us, the House of God. What is it that we are 376 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,480 compromising with secretly? What is it that we're thinking 377 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:22,840 or? Watching or seeing or. 378 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,920 Doing that only God sees and no one else sees. 379 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,560 What is it that we're turned on by? 380 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,840 What is it that we're turned off by? 381 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,200 What is it that comes on the? TV that the Spirit of God is 382 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:39,760 just crying out. You turn that. 383 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,360 Filth off. I don't want you to be defiled. 384 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,240 I don't. Want you to become impure? 385 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,440 I don't want your thoughts to be corrupt. 386 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,880 I don't want you to be defiled as we're studying in the Old 387 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,200 Testament right now about the. Purifications systems. 388 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,080 And all that and the and the roles that God. 389 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,880 Gave to Moses regarding the ministry of the sacrifice. 390 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,840 And touching what's clean. And and not touching what's 391 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,920 unclean. I'll tell you God was so clear 392 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,120 on his displeasure for. The slightest. 393 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:16,160 Thing that would defile or make one impure or unholy. 394 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:20,800 And do you realize a thought that comes into your heart that 395 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:25,760 is not sent there by God is designed to defile you and 396 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:32,400 corrupt you? It says that we're to cast down 397 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,080 imaginations and every thought that exalts itself against the 398 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,160 knowledge of God. How many thoughts did you have 399 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:42,560 this week that came to try to exalt themselves against God's 400 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,280 knowledge in your life? Recognizing where they're 401 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,560 coming. From why they're being sent, 402 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,520 what the source is, it says to bring every thought into 403 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,200 captivity, into the obedience of Christ, every thought. 404 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,840 Thanks for being with us today here on Living Waters of Grace. 405 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,320 We are in the Book of Revelation, and we find it 406 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:08,640 fascinating how influential and involved the angels are in this 407 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,840 book. They bring about whatever it is 408 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,440 that God has instructed them to do, but it's through their 409 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,560 actions that much of the judgements come on the earth. 410 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,840 The angels are in submission to God as their authority, but He 411 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,080 utilizes them in unique ways throughout this book. 412 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,280 Like angels have a specific purpose from God, you have a 413 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,240 unique purpose and plan to. God wants to use you in your 414 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,720 life as a testimony to others and to bring others who are 415 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,440 currently lost into the fold of God. 416 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,320 God would love more than anything for all who are willing 417 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,640 to come to Him for salvation, but He wants it to be their 418 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,200 choice, not a forced situation. This is the way God works, not 419 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:57,480 forcing himself on anyone, but giving each person free will. 420 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,400 If you're interested in learning about this choice that's free 421 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:06,200 and that it's a gift, go to calvarychapelonline.com and 422 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,600 click on the About Us tab and then find the link for what we 423 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,160 believe. We'd love to be a help and a 424 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,680 resource for you as you walk through what it means to be a 425 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,600 follower of Jesus. If you find the contact tab on 426 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,040 our website, you can get in touch with us or submit a prayer 427 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,400 request. We'd love to hear from you. 428 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,680 That's all for today's edition and Revelation, but there's much 429 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,040 more that Pastor Clark plans to share with us from this 430 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:37,800 culminating book of the Bible. Stay tuned for that and make 431 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,480 sure to mention this radio program to others. 432 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:45,320 Invite them to tune into Grace FM 91.7 FM. 433 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:50,040 They can stream worldwide at Grace Radio dot FM. 434 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,320 This has been Living Waters of Grace.