Conditioned for Gospel Intervention - Aug. 8th, 2021

Best for us. Let us get started with the thoughts of worship this morning thinking about maybe some of the words from 1st Samuel 73 were Samuel there is asking you'll just real to prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only or think about Psalm 100 verse number to serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing. Hey, we're going to do that just a second here and a fusion 6729 thinking about service to the Lord with Goodwill doing Service as to the Lord and not two men knowing that whatsoever. Good thing any man do with the same shop. He receive of the Lord the let's give to God what he deserves this morning and may the Lord bless us with an understanding of his word later as its priests. But please stand less thing number 291 in your red hymnals Guide Me O thou great Jehovah number 291

Guide me home without greater me till I want no more me to do the Crystal Mountain.

Brazil my strength and shield When I tread Jordan Maxwell on Kayden side songs of Praises songs appraisers.

Thank you for your singing. You may be seated.

Jesus is the captain. He leads me day by day gladly. I will follow him everywhere. He leaves daily as I praise him. He is meeting all my needs who isn't it great just to know Jesus is with me everywhere I go. He's a companion friend and guide along the way Sheltering me from all harm gladly. I'll lean on his arm. I will rejoice in his great love.

Praising my dear savior as I start each day. Joyful, just to serve him and his blessed will obey to be like him on his word depend trusting in his promise. I will be with you to the who isn't it great. Just to know who Jesus is with me everywhere. I go. He's a companion friend and guide along the way Sheltering me from all harm gladly. I'll lean on his arm. I will rejoice in his great love just to know Jesus is with me everywhere I go. He's a companion friend and guide along the way Sheltering me from I'll harm gladly I'll lead on his arm. I will rejoice in his great love.

Well, praise the Lord. Are you were Joy seeing in the love of Christ that constrains us here this morning. I hope and pray that you are let's take just a few moments to get around and maybe you're not ready to shake folks hands right now. That's okay. But if you want to you can it be alright probably with them just to be respectful of one another we want to be kind to one another but we do want to greet somebody. So here's what I want you to do take just a few moments find three no find for find for people you haven't smiled at yet this morning and greet it and I want you to get around and greet them this morning in a Christian love. Let's do that while the piano place

lyrics to the Footprints of Jesus that make up halfway, we will follow the steps of Jesus, where are they going? All right as we get ready to sing again on Vacation cast and I know you just were but hopefully you're willing to then go ahead and do that for 30 and your song books will be starting on the 2nd. They're the footsteps of Jesus though. They lead or the cold in his sheep.

Does that make up half way we will follow the steps of Jesus wherever they go, if they leave through the temple Holiness Preaching or in homes of the poor.

Princess makeup halfway, we will follow wherever they go. Then at last went on high he seizes we will rest where are the steps of Jesus and his throat. We will follow the steps.

Again, thank you for singing again. Do you think about those words that that's a commitment that you're making there? So hopefully that's your commitment this morning that you will follow the steps of Jesus. Although you can see kind of did it for everybody cuz he said we right so I kind of a they use that phrase throwing people under the bus. That's not that bad the following Jesus. That's that's the best decision that you can make. But again, thank you for standing you can be seated. I'm going to let pass toward coming open us to the word of prayer and some

All right. Well, I did want to welcome our virtual guess we may not see them but they are seeing us or at least some of us so I appreciate those who can't be here. Otherwise with us but it sure is great to see a bunch of smiling some smiling faces. I'm glad you could be with us today and there will be a meeting for our ladies or have the ladies Fellowship on the 14th. If they could stay for a few minutes right after the morning service. Please do so try to organize a few things before you leave and then finally is the weary have a hot dog lunch for those that want to stay after the morning service just can't get enough of one another stay and eat some hot dogs with us and whatever else might be back there. You're welcome to do that. And so I believe that is all my announcements. You can see that we're spotlighting the nursery the need for helpers and workers. This is a Ministry though that requires a background check and some things if you don't have a background check, you need to get it done right away or you're not able to do that. We need to keep liability down. We want people to feel safe and all of our Ministries and so it's a very important ministry as we get more children coming in. I'm so thankful for that. We need help in that area as well tonight is our summer in the sunshine cheese and crackers. I think in Baptist Churches. We don't do anything but eat.

But we never preach on gluttony, so we're okay.

You can see all the other things scheduled August is a busy month. I don't know that there is not a busy month, but we have many things coming on. We do have a missionary coming in the evening service 250 missionary Teresa vanderford, she'll present her Ministry. We have the same spiration coming up on the 22nd in the evening service that will be in Wolff Run Park, which is only you can almost see it from his about a mile around you got to come got a kind of gum around to get to it rocket day for our Trail life young man and our masters man prayer time on August 28th Saturday at 9. So plenty there get involved. I really encourage everyone to get involved in the Ministries that we have. It's we aren't sharpeneth Iron is not just through the word of God that we sharpen our selves but with the Fellowship of the Brethren when sometimes we're we're restricted in speaking freely everywhere we go, but here we can and around the brother and so get involved in these Ministries. Yes. You might be asking the sounds good. But how do I do that? You saw the dates you saw the times the best place to start is to just show up. I think it was a brother Tim from North Carolina was with us for Capital connection one time. He challenged us with that is pastors that things happen when you show up just be there. So if you see one of these dates, that's a great place to get a toe in the door and come and see what's going on and feel the ministry out. See if it's something that you're interested in. We want to help you get plugged in. We want to help equip you for the work of the ministry and that be the place to start talk to Pastor Ward talk to myself. We want to get you plugged in. So if your if you have questions about serving, we're probably the ones that you can start with as well to get more information. Thank you Pastor. All right. And let's pray most gracious Heavenly Father God again. We're just so thankful. We could even be here today that we should have already thanks. You as we were placing our first foot off the bed and onto the ground and just praise you and thank you that we have the health to be here today for many campti and Lord. We lift up. Those are prayer list. It's filled especially many with cancer and terrible tragedy is going on in people's lives the most importantly we pray that though. They need to be physically healed some need to be spiritually healed about all need to draw near to you. Let them see your presence in their lives reveal yourself to them in a special way that they might be comforted and strengthened in these difficult times the father we pray that you would be with us through this morning service. That you would reveal yourself to us to your word. They give you you would give Pastor Jason those words to speak and only those words that can be used that would minister to our hearts, but they would bring glory to you because this is your day. How are day to worship you and praise you and honor you and to lift you up in song indeed and now in word to father bless this time in the fellowship to follow. We love you, and we thank you. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Well, I know we just prayed but so this next song that we're going to sing itself is a prayer you can remain seated As we sing it numbers 359 in your red handles my faith looks up to thee will sing all four verses and that's 359.

My face looks all to the me from this day be home.

May I read Grace import strings to my face painting how small they might be.

Wildlife Stark Mays High tread and griefs are around me spread be Darkness.

Where is my friends in dream when it's cold? So let's stream some sore. Looking forward to that day. But until then we got to keep pressing on down here and our scripture reading kind of reminds us of that responsibility that we have a fuel turn in your Bibles to Matthew. Sorry John chapter 15 will be in Matthew later. Actually John chapter 15 starting in verse number 17. And so John 1517 will be reading through to the beginning of chapter 16 in the last that you respond on versus 21:25. And then in the next chapter verse number for and reading helping us this morning leading our scripture reading and be your brother Rodney Humphries, no stranger to people here and a big help and a big blessing to us. And so he's going to come and lead us beginning John chapter 15, if you're willing and able please stand for the reading of God's word this morning.

Let us read. Inverse 15:17 these things. Have I commanded you that you love one another if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you are of this world the world would love its own but because you're not of the world but I've chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hate us you remember the word that I said unto you the servant is not greater than his Lord if they have persecuted me. They will also persecute you if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.

call

If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin. But now they have no cloak for their sin. He's at Hibbett's me hate as my father. Also, if I had not done among them The Works which none other man, did they had not said send that not had seven, but now have they both seen and hated meet both me and my father.

But when the comforter is come home, I will send them to you from the father. Even the spirit of Truth which proceeded from the father. He shall testify of me and you also bear witness because you have seen as you have been with me from the beginning these things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogue's gave the time, that whosoever kill few will think that he have done got service and these things will they do unto you because they have not known the father nor me.

May God bless the reading this word.

You may be seated.

Each step I take the Savior goes before me and with his loving hand he leaves away. And will he spray? I whisper I heard or the choice to walk with him each day each step. I take I know that he will guide me to Higher Ground. He ever leave me alone. Just leave me Cultura at times. I feel my face begin to waver went up her head. I see a Chasm why it's then I took Look up to my Saviour. I am strong when he is by my side each step. I take I know that he will guide me to Higher Ground. He ever leave me alone until sometime. Can I buy to just leave me closer Home no matter, for life eternal. He holds open cell phone that will lead me to the promised each step I take

He will guide me to Higher Ground. He ever leave me alone until someday you two can eat a bite. Just leave me closer.

Praise the Lord. Thank you, brother, Mike. Is there children dismiss for Children Service? I want to invite you to join me here. If you're staying in the main service here at the First Baptist Church of Westminster Colorado. I'm the pastor Pastor Jason Walker. I'll be bringing the message this morning. I've been titled conditioned for gospel intervention. It'll be picking up where I left off a few weeks ago with you on Sunday mornings. You'll be able to follow along in your Bible in Matthew 24 will look closer this morning at verses 13 and 14 before you get too settled in the text. I have a just a little bit of an intro video just a little bump burnout. I almost hesitate to do this because I don't want any multimedia to take precedence over the word of God, but I think that these people that I'm going to share with you by way of introduction can communicate to you something in a way that I can't because I mean, let's face it look at me.

I would not fare. Well in the Tokyo Olympics this year, let's just put it that way.

But I have a little snippet of something that I found dealing with the emotions of those that have actually stood on the platform stood on the podium. Where in the season of Olympics right? You guys some of you might be following that and I'm pleased to see our country taking a lot of medals home that makes me happy as an American it ought to make you happy too. But I think that all this temporal stuff still fall short, but I want you to notice what they say about the experience of standing on that platform and receiving that gold medal for the work that they did that. They just gave the last 4 years of their life too. And I want you to hear it from them what it feels like And the emotions that surge when you're up on that platform Phyllis go

After I won my first individual Olympic gold medal in Elk to be standing there and to hear your national anthem plant your flag being raised. I've never had anything like that happen to me before first place USA. Is it took my breath away for a second? Like I did it cuz I really did it.

National anthem. Never did it sound so sweet.

Time just moves so slow and almost every note of our national anthem is is apparent. For the national anthem begin playing it was in my mind with the start speeding that this is what I was going to do. It was only the moment to exude a cry for freedom.

Just one of those moments that I'll remember for the rest of my life.

For every in a waking moment of your last 4 years of your life into that one moment.

I've never been more excited and I was there that day.

Nothing ever happened to me like it did that day. Some people stood on that Podium may be wondering what now others approached that Podium if you were paying close attention with a mindset of doing something beyond that. And they impacted things because they went into it with that mindset. Take a look in your Bibles with me this morning Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 24 summary to Our Saviors words in verses 13 and 14. Let these ring in your ears louder than the Applause of any any assembly for the Olympics. Let these words resonate and ReSound in your ears because they were spoken by Christ himself Matthew 24 verse 13 says but he that shall endure unto the end. The same shall be saved.

And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the world. In all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the End come. I share with you some words in 1st Corinthians 9 in light of what we just heard from these emotional experiences of an Earthly metal a pimple a temporal value something that will fade and tarnish something that will not last forever. I want to redo some words from the Apostle Paul with that in the back of her mind. He said in First Corinthians 9 24-27 know you not that day which run in a race run all but one receives the prize. His challenge to us as it was to Corinth so run. Christian what are you to do today? So run? Run for the Lord run for Christ run, but for the purpose of what does he say run that ye may obtain and every man minutes Drive is for the Mastery is temperate in all things. Listen to this now. They and he speaking of the Olympic athletes of his day as we look at the Olympic athletes have hired a we have some common ground, I think and how that feels he says they do it to obtain a corruptible crown. What is we run? What does he say? Our Crown represents the crown that Christ will give those who endure the crown that Christ will have for those that stick by the stuff those that run that they may obtain the crown that price gives Paul tells us is in corruptible Incorruptible Hallelujah. That's the Lord calling by the way. You need to run. I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight. I not as one that beat us the air. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection less that by any means when I have preached to others I myself even the Apostle Paul I myself. He said should be a Castaway Lord. I pray that you help us to understand your words today that we can press on it grows weary in the journey sometimes and Lord without your strength will never make it but through your grace we can endure and I pray that you help us to see the scriptures as they are this morning that your word would take precedence in our hearts and lives and no matter what the world says no matter what others may try to say I pray that your word would be that which goes before us that your word will be that which guides us and leads us on to that probably use that certainly you have for every one of those that will simply endure the cross like you did bless our time in your word and courage Your people lift up those hands that hangs. Down and strengthen those feeble knees through your word this morning. And God will thank you for the time. We have to spend in it time that's bleeding time. That is a vapor is James says help us Lord to run and not grow weary to walk and not faint and will thank you how you lift your people up and give them the strength to heed your invitation to come and find your rest today in Jesus name I ask and pray we grow in his grace and knowledge. Amen. Amen. He that shall endure unto the end and then he says then shall the End come that encapsulates the verses that I want to speak with you about this morning because I believe as I said before we are on the very cusp of seeing the gospel explode yet in our generation. I believe God's going to do it again dude, and the gospel is past powerful today as it was in the days of the Apostles when they walked with Jesus, they turn the world upside down for Jesus why because the world was right for it it was Additions that were set for the for the intervention of the Gospel. Hence why I have my title this morning. I want to continue today speaking to you about those conditions where the gospel Thrive where are the gospel grows best. It's a Bittersweet thought because things get really bad before God intervenes sometimes but thank God he doesn't Ravine the things that we're going to look at our Bittersweet. There's great sorrow that entails it because God's people face persecution in the world hates Christ in the world hates us and there's no way to escape that that was prophesied by the Lord and we haven't experienced near the amount of persecution on our soil that they have another countries and are even in other countries today and we look around at other congregations and we see how people are flooding into churches in the other countries that that the gospel is more limited in we see where the gospel thrives it's places where opposition to the gospel are very real and persecution of God's people are on every hand. I wish it weren't so I wish we could just have peace all around us and I yearn for that and I pray for that but the reality of it is. What the world is telling us is that there's no room for Jesus. There's no room for religion in school. There's no room for religion. There's no room for Jesus in the judeo-christian foundation were built on in the society that they're developing and building in in centralized planning and all of that that plays into it. You can't pray in the name of Jesus without catching flak. You understand my heart don't you can't we just open this blessed book and live the way that our faith and tells us can't be just as Christians walk around with her Bible and ashamed and claimed the name of Christ without fear of someone someone objecting that or not giving deference to our religious freedom as we give deference to others people's religious. Freedom As Americans can we not just name the name of Christ with boldness? I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe is to the Jew first and also to the Greek hard ground must be broken up before it can be song successfully. We got to clear the rocks. Go to move the logs. We got to get the weeds out. We got to do all these things God's working his plan. It's up to us to sow the seed and one day there will come a harvest that is prophesied in Scripture A harvested. John says numbers can't even be counted a multitude that cannot be numbered will know the Lord as God breaks up that fallow ground. This was the problem of Israel in Jeremiah today, and he was encouraged of the Lord to tell them break up your fallow ground and I believe the plow of the Gospel is that which can help break up that fallow ground preach the gospel to Every Creature going all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples and baptize them and teach them all things whatsoever. I have commanded you. That's our commission as followers of Christ. Times of the worst frustration for God's people are the very times I believe when the gospel has the greatest influence in the world don't get discouraged because times are hard. No set your hand to the plough and not look back set your eyes on the kingdom of God and know that your life can make a difference even to one if it only makes a difference to one it's worth it because we run to obtain an Incorruptible prize and Incorruptible Crown things that can't be taken away from us things that thieves can't steal things that rust can't destroy. These are the Eternal things that we lay up in heaven those Souls that are so precious to God that Jesus came to die and give his life for we run to obtain an Incorruptible crown. As we look at verses 9 through 14 and Matthew 24, these events are describing what happens in Daniel 70th week. And we'd understand and in break that down from what the Bible says what's happening. There's a time of trouble that's coming on Jacobs people and it's probably side and Daniel and Jesus is giving some allusion to that here in an encapsulated form. There's so much that we can unpack from this. We have the whole book of Revelation that coincides with the Book of Daniel in the Book of Ezekiel and all of these profits they work together. I'm amazed when I study scripture because I read what John wrote and I read what is Ezekiel prophesied not read what Jeremiah said and I read what Daniel said and they all agree. I can't even agree with myself half the time and you get these men that never even met each other humanly speaking under divine inspiration. These words were penned by the very moving of God and they're put together for our edification for our learning that we can grow in the scriptures and understand what's on the horizon and be better Christians for it and we can understand the times when everybody else is running around in confusion. We can say well I read the Blessed book came in and everything's continuing according to plan. It's going to be okay cuts and control but things have to get bad before they get better. And I am convinced of that we see the world is ripening to a stage of Reckless. Like we've never known. I've never known it in my life, but it's rank. It's a rank place to live and people are wicked Center is everywhere you go and then you can't tell me they're not just look around read the reports people are doing horrific Lee horrendous. Heart Horrible Terrible Things to one another because their centers And that's her nature. It were left to ourselves. We're going to implode with sin and we're going to just be our own poison and our own demise, but Jesus has a better way. Jesus has a path of righteousness. Jesus has a path of light and life and pees in his blessings can attend that way if we both follow him. One person said it like this the discourse here in in the Olivet discourse is what he's referencing contains a host of allusions to the Old Testament. But the Book of Daniel is baked into the Olivet discourse, it functions as an interpreter framework for understanding. Jesus is prophecy. If you can wrap your mind around that and understand Daniel is a framework and Jesus is unpacking his privacy around what Daniel are you said Daniel a Jesus is not going to contradict Daniel. Jesus is not going to contradict Moses. Jesus is not going to contradict pulp they all coincide together to give us the full picture of what is coming down the pipe. Some of us might have misconceptions on viewpoints. I'm not here to try to are all of that out this morning. I Come From a Certain Viewpoint that's going to be betrayed rather early on I'm sure you probably already figured out which Viewpoint I'm coming from whatever you called me. Just call me a biblicist and I'll be happy with that. Amen. I just want to stick with the Bible. I just want to do what the Bible says and teach what the Bible says and and we have the thoughts here that Christ description. It is clearly future as I read this passage. I I cannot escape the future tense that he uses over and over again future tense a couple with passive tense. So future things are going to happen.

That's what Jesus is words have the force of all throughout these versus I'm here to tell you just by way of review for those who are just now joining us who might have missed the last message and you can go pull that up and listen to it watch it in the archives. I would encourage you to do that. But the climate where the gospels thrives, I think you have some summary slides from where we covered last time number one. It's a climate of great Affliction great Affliction and hopefully you can read this the thought under this is that the prophecy of Jesus is that there is coming persecution. There will be Believers that will be handed over to Affliction even to the point of martyrdom. They're going to they're going to be killed for their faith question were the apostles killed for their face. Was Jesus's words true? Yes, does John not prophesy also some yet future aspects of when this will also occur do we not have an account of two witnesses in Revelation that will also be put to death for their face amongst many others that are prophesied yet out in the future to have died for the faith. We have persecution that's happened from the the time Jesus said these words till now but can I tell you we haven't even begun to see the level of persecution that's coming according to the Revelator according to John. It's going to get very very bad for God's people. What's the cause of the cause Jesus says is very clear and there's no surprise to me then when I look around and I see how nations are rising up Nations now not talk about individuals. I'm talking about Nations whole groups of people whole ethnicities of people are rising up against the name of cry. Well because he doesn't fit in their political scheme of things know the power of the government knows best. I'm sorry, but they don't. I disagree with that wholeheartedly and I will until the day I die. The government doesn't know what's best for us. God knows what's best for us and he's giving us his word. Now. We need to live quiet and Peaceable lives and all godliness. We need to keep preaching the name of Jesus as long as we can. We need to abide by the government that God is weird and over us as so much as in us. We can we need to live peaceably with all men but there does come that breaking point and I believe that we're seeing some signs of that and other nations, what are our fellow Christians going through in other states in our country and if you think about the United States, it's an amazing thing that's happened that God has allowed to occur on this on the face of this planet and someone who is from a European. Mine said that it struggles to really understand sometimes how America can function the way we do because we have a bunch of little countries inside of a country. How does that happen? We have state systems and federal systems in and that's how they are found her set it up and into Them all they see are states and then they see this working and it's hard for them to understand because all they know is their own structure. We have an amazing thing that God has done here in our judicial executive and legislative branches of government and we have a foundation and a structure that I believe God allowing for such a time as this and as we think about nation's rising up against the name of Christ how many states across our country are friendly to Christianity? I mean in the executive branch in the judicial branch in the in in all the branches of government how many of our states are actually friendly to the name of Christ? How many would not be How many areas in branches of our national federal government would be friendly to the name and price? I know there's some out there. Did you know there are Christians in Washington d.c. Gathering for church this morning right under our capital? They're doing it their churches being planted all around this country all across the globe God's people are out there and they're still salting light. Well, I hasten on I gave you a some thoughts here where the soil of the Gospel thrives best. It is not only where God's people suffer the greatest Affliction and it's all nations their hatred for the name of Jesus. Once the Earth ripens to that point. You can mark it down what Jesus prophesize will be fulfilled. I don't believe we're quite there because there are still some holdouts. Thank God, they're getting fewer and farther between the God keep us as a hold out as long as we can. Let's occupied till Jesus comes are you with me occupied till Jesus comes? Secondly the other condition that we note where the gospel thrives best is that it's one of great apostasy a great falling away a great turning away from the truth and we noted some things here. There's a reason for the godlessness that Jesus gets in verse 11 and that is religious deception. How many people are deceived according to the truth of what God's word is today. I wonder what that number would really be God only knows. But I see much deception much deception and just knock on doors for a week and you'll run into plenty of it out there. Some of you can say Amen to that from last week's Outreach but this is the climate of the times and I gave you a quote from Vance havner he had a way with words. He said any religious ventriloquist with a dummy can deceive a gullible generation that will not believe the truth. We have so many as he put it religious ventriloquist with dummies a man Vance havner is it was happening in his day. It's happening in our day. What were the results Jesus said would happen of this religious deception deception that would take over offensively apostasy treacherous betrayal and just a note on that. The world doesn't seem to mind religion so much you can take courses on world religion and just about any University, but it does resent The name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I wish it weren't so I wish I didn't have to say that but it is experientially true around us. Did you know there are more Christians that have died for their faith in the past Century than all the other Century since Jesus Christ hung on the cross. I am convinced of that as we sit here under the banner of Liberty eat that we are still holding High praise God in America in the United States today. How many Christians have been slaughtered in communist countries? Like Russia and China? How many I'll get the reports in my email box every week maybe like some of you do about the Christians that have been persecuted and slaughtered because of their faith in Christ and yet they can't keep people out of the churches in China. I don't know how that works, but it does and people keep coming to the churches and keep finding Christ and they keep oppressing them and pushing down the name of Christ and they're slaughtered. Because they name the name of Christ since the Ascension of Jesus Christ. No generation has seen such worldwide persecution as is now in progress and it is ramping up covid did not did not help that much did it I think covid and all the things that are coming out from that are making it even harder but open your eyes and look around. That's all I'm asking just open your eyes and pay attention and don't stick your head in the sand and pretend like nothing's wrong because this is the way the world is headed and Jesus prophesied that it would be there bible-believing Christians become the whipping boys. Christian bashing has become the favorite sport and how many newspapers in mainstream media radio television everywhere you look it's around if we'll just pay attention. There was this was some time ago now but this was this was documented it was on National Public Radio MPR. I don't really listen to NPR much, but that's partially tax funded by the way. And there was a man that came on their name to Mr. Codd rescue forgive me if I mispronounced his name, but he complained he was in downtown New Orleans and he complained on NPR about receiving a gospel track a gospel track that was presenting the idea of the Rapture that was his complaint and the track was based on 1st Thessalonians 4 verses 16 and 17, you know those verses in your Bible that talk about the Rapture and a here's what mr. Todd rescue stated and I'm going to give you his quote because this is what it was on Air on NPR. This is his quotation. He said the evaporation of four million people who believe this. Please forgive me. These are his words not mine crap who believe this crap would leave the world and instantly better place.

How many would take that same sentiment within a stone's throw of where we meet this morning?

That's sad.

That's sad.

This was broadcast by the way over 300 stations estimated five million people but doesn't that show the utter contempt of things like NPR. It's just other content that's out there. We can't deny it. It's staring Us in the face. Okay. Can you imagine this I meet how sad that these things are happening in a country where the airwaves used to be free. Did you know that on Sunday morning? The airwaves were reserved for gospel preaching churches before the FCC got their fingers in the pie. The airwaves on Sunday morning was church time in our country when radio was first coming out some of you can probably remember that and tell us a little bit more about it here. What's happened know if you're going to be on the radio boy that's going to get pricey real quick. And those Primetime slots. They're not reserved for the gospel anymore. Like they were once in our country. You see it's all been happening for a long time. And we've been down the slippery slope persecution in the last days though in the last days as Jesus prophesied the persecution is going to turn white hot. I mean it's going to be so bad when persecution increases one Rider pointed out that they said there will be some who abandon their face to save their necks. So Look what Jesus said there's going to be a fence of apostasy people going to fall away from the truth because of the religious deception. There's going to be treacherous betrayal those that you thought had your back. Guess what they're going to be the ones that turn you in Will do it. What's the product than the product is godlessness? The results are our godlessness the product of the godlessness again of ants have her put it this way. You said it was a bounding lawlessness in a bathing love abounding lawlessness and abated love it. So this brings us to where we left off last time. And so with the time that I have remaining I want to look ahead with you to wax cold. He says the Lord said that the love of many will wax cold to wax cold has the idea of Tabriz cool by blowing on it to grow cold spiritual energy blighted or chilled by Moline or poisonous wind. Thank you. Mr. Vincent for your word study on that is that descriptive of where we are?

What's the devil done to huff and puff and blow your house down or spiritually speaking that cool cold when it's just things have have grown cold to the things of God what's happened to people what's happened to the people that used to be once on fire for the Lord. You see this is what happens we wax cold, you know, we can understand waxing and waning when we look at the Moon and Rose brighter and then it grows dimmer. And then the new moon doesn't look like there's a moon in the sky see we are waxing cold. We're growing and coldness towards the things of God. There's a connection I believe here to 1st to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3 with the man of sin 2nd Thessalonians. I will have you turn over there and want to take some time because when I was in school, I did a project on this passage. I was given an assignment in our Systematic Theology class and I chose an assignment to give a Biblical defense of the doctrine of the Rapture the so that's what I did and I came to these verses and I executed them and I won't give you all of that. If you want to read that paper, you can put yourself to sleep on it later. I'll I'll hand that over to you and it'll be good bedside reading and you can get a good night's sleep after you look at all that's there. But I want to give you some things from that because this passage does shed light on some of what Jesus the same here, I believe and when we compare scripture with scripture we do well. So let's look at it 2nd Thessalonians chapter one. I'm going to read verses 1 through 7. Paul says now I beseech you Brethren. He's begging now Paul. The Apostle is begging those that that's the Lanai and their Brethren so know that they are saved their Brethren. They're Believers. He's but he's begging them by what the doctrine of the second coming. He's begging them by the truth that Jesus Christ will come again. He begs them and not only by him coming but are gathering together unto him. We will be with the Lord someday. He's going to come get us just like he promised he hasn't forgotten. His promise is Paul is begging Us in light that he's coming and we're all going to be gathered together to him. I'm going to beg you to hope he soon shaking in your mind. Stay settled in your mind. Don't let the world shake you up in your thoughts. And in your heart, you stay solid on the Promises of Christ. He'll never waver. He is the same yesterday today and forever says don't be soon shaking in mind or troubled neither by Spirit nor by word or by letter from us. I don't care if you ate pizza and saw a ghost when you dream that night and it doesn't matter what it comes by it could be something that looks like an angel that shows up on your doorstep and says, this is a message from God. It could be one of these false Apostles running around today to you know, by the way by word. It doesn't matter whether it's by some gospel tract that supposedly a gospel track that you read that says, well, I'll just leave that right there some gospel tracts, really Don't do the word of God Justice. Sometimes think you understand what I mean bored and not by word nor by ass by letter from us. Even if it looks like in a letter that was written from the hand of the Apostle Paul himself. Don't be shaking in your mind. As that vide of Christ is at hand. It is at hand if it's out of hand, it's within reach. There's nothing else that needs to happen before the Lord comes back. Everything's working according to plan and it could be any moment. The Lord could could come in clouds of glory and Cassius away how beautiful the thought the poll says that day is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means what did Jesus say would be characteristic of the place where the gospel thrives religious deception. Paul says let no man deceive you by any means what any way shape form or fashion for that day. Shall not come say it that day shall not come how strong can shall not come be except. Okay. So the day is coming. What's the exception except there come a Falling Away first religious deception what's the result of the religious deception godlessness? What's the product of the godlessness? Abounding lawlessness and updating love. That's how bands have her. Put it right lawlessness. The love of many shall wax cold the falling away first and okay, what else has to happen Paul? We have to see this falling away in vast numbers happen and we're seeing you know, we're on the precipice of it, but I don't believe it's to the level that Paul is describing here yet. He says there come a falling away first and that the man of sin be revealed. Go back to Daniel who is the man of sand that will be the Antichrist. He will be revealed. He will be disclosed Revelation. That's the word apocalypse is he will be unveiled we will all know who he is by that time. He will be revealed. He's the son of perdition. These are characteristics that describe this Antichrist who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God that is a reference. I believe to the abomination of desolation that will happen as he breaks his peace treaty with Israel three and a half years into it and the prophetic timeline. He's going to demand that he be worshipped as a god exalted above exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worship so that he asked God's it is in the temple of God. Will there has to be a temple that's rebuilt. Right? And there's no Temple in Jerusalem yet. They're just waiting for the Like to go ahead and build that but he's going to sit in that Temple. So these things are yet future in my eyes. He he's going to show himself that he is God Paul says, all right, all that's going to happen. But remember remember you not that when I was yet with you. I told you these things as questioning poses to them so that they're not troubled. They're not soon shaking in their mind because they were thinking the day of the Lord that happened in some of them and missed it. And what's going on here. We see all this trouble around us. Yeah, there's trouble around us, but don't be shaking in your mind. It's happening according to plan. Okay? He says in verse six and here's what I want to draw your attention to and now you know. Pay attention maybe one of Mark this word what with hold us. He said what withhold as he didn't say who would hold us or him? That would hold as he had he said what that's important now, you know what with hold us that he might be revealed in his time. You're 74 the mystery of iniquity doth already work only now. Listen, he who lettuce will let here it is. He who so say the word what? What say the word He Who? Thank you. There's a distinction between the two and the translators have given us a beautiful window into what's here. What is translating the neuter gender? Okay, that is an illusion. I believe to the holy spirit because it fits the gender that the scriptures used to reference the Holy Spirit. What lettuce? Okay, so he says and now you know, what withhold has to withhold something is to hinder to hold back. It's in the neuter tents that the neuter gender and and so I believe this to be a reference to the Holy Spirit you're free to disagree with me and be wrong. But I believe that's a reference to the Holy Spirit here what with hold us that he either made of sand might be revealed in his time. So there's something holding. There's something holding back this revelation of the man of sin. Are you with me? What's holding? What? What is holding back that Revelation the Holy Spirit to see that the holy spirit's holding that back? He goes on to say for the mystery of iniquity doth already work only now. Listen, he who lettuce will let when you see the masculine applied there. We're not talking about this early. The gender of the Holy Spirit were talking about how the Holy Spirit works. This is important because we think about that the particles that are used here and I don't want to get into too much language, but it conforms to the gender of the Holy Spirit. The first participle does the second one conforms to the personality of the holy spirit. So we're referring to his Person were referring to his action. What does he do? He lets and the word let is an interesting English word. Go look it up sometime in your English dictionary and you'll find probably know less than I would imagine. You got to find at least a minimum of eight different entries for three different English words spelled l e t how confusing can we be as English people. How many ways can we use the word cleave do you mean to glue it together or do you mean to cut it apart context? What do you mean to let it out to somebody as in you're going to lease them this building or do you mean to let to permit to allow or do you mean to let as into what we see here? Hold back and Hinder. That's also what the word means how would you know the difference context? Contacts tells us withholding. Has the ID hear of letting only he who now letteth will let he who now hinders will hinder and I believe that's in the center column reference of some of your translators notes. He who now hinders will hinder until when until he be taken out of the way. So, who is he that with holes? What is he that withholds I should be more correction. Then the Holy Spirit right? He's withholding the Revelation the man of sin and he's going to do that pull says until he's taken out of the way. When and I'll let you figure this question out. When is the holy spirit going to be taken out of the way so that the man of sin could be revealed. When is that going to happen? Well, you know what I think about it. I'm going to Hasting on there are various views facing us today in even conservative Christianity about when the Rapture will occur just to clear the air. I believe it is a pre-tribulation Rapture that will happen. You can agree with me or disagree again. If you disagree give you all the respect to do that, but I'm telling you I'm being upfront. This is my position. I believe that the trumpet will sound and God's people will be caught up and because we are salt and light in this earth as Jesus said in The Sermon on the Mount the Salt and Light when when we evacuate. The Holy Spirit living inside believers who occupy hopefully prayerfully occupy places of civil Authority and civil government. These Christians will be removed from that influence and Corruption will continue on how many of you like to take fruit. That maybe is a little bit green still and put it in your windowsill. I had somebody tell me what time if you have a green banana, you can put it in a brown paper bag and then like overnight it magically turns brown. Well, maybe if you leave it too long, but if you want it ripen that fruit, you can do some things to help that process right? Maybe you take it tomato and you put it in your windowsill. How many of you do that? You got a little window sill in the sun shines in and and then you watch that tomato what happens if you put that there and then you get busy and you go on about a two or three week trip and you have a great vacation and come back and Hoops. I forgot that tomato in my window sill.