Your Password to Unlocking Revelation: The Golden Key

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harvest.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith, the subject, the Bible and the book of Revelation code Revelation is revealing look at God's plan for the end time terminology and symbols pastor Greg Laurie offers word of Revelation we might go with golden singing on the front door of the first job sentence of a reoccurring standing in front of their longer trying to get it open. Clock is ticking. Just wills. It was similar frustration trying to unlock all the richness of Bible prophecy, especially for the last Bible today on a new beginning for Greg Laurie opens up the book of Revelation later will tell you about a book since you your past, I'm forgetting my passwords all the time and I have to reset them and reset them and I was on an iPad. Recently I got the wrong code that was locked out for a period of time. Have you ever been locked out of anything you I read that the most commonly used passwords are get ready for this imaginative joys 123456 if you want someone to hack your stuff definitely use 123456 is your password. Another popular password that's had been less than the second is 11111 and then finally, people will put in the word password as their password. Also, the names of people's beds are popular as well. Did you hear about this guy who can't get into his bitcoin account. Apparently he has 220 million in bitcoin, but he can't remember his password. His name is Stefan Thomas. He was given 7002 big coins for some work that he did some time ago and at the time the value was a few dollars each. So he wrote the password down on the piece of paper, not thinking it was all that important. But now that bitcoin is worth $220 million. He had 10 opportunities to use a password and he's used up eight of them and he only has two left. Wow, that's a lot of money to be sitting in an account that he may lose access to one of the same way when we come to the subject of Bible prophecy in the Bible it can seem so fast so big, even mystical to us. We wonder how can I understand all of these things because you want to understand it.

You believe that the Lord could come back because all around us are signs of the times what how can you crack the code, so to speak. Listen to this. I know the password to unlocking the book of Revelation we might call it the golden key or the encryption key and actually get singing on the front door of the first chapter and working to make sense of this book and try to get a handle on all of these things we hear about like Armageddon. What is that the rapture, the second coming. Same event, rubbing two events, the millennium, what is that even mean the hundred and 44,000 who are they, the antichrist, the mark of the beast. All these things we hear about the role found here in the book of Revelation, you find that mold and keep together. It's in Revelation chapter 1 verse 19 when John writes, write the things that you have seen the things which are in the things that will take place after this. There's three sections to the book of Revelation number one.

The things that you have seen, this is what is being written about here in chapter 1, the resurrected and glorified Christ with all power in heaven and earth.

The reveal Jesus who is in complete control of all that is about to happen. Then there are the things which are, this is a reference to the seven churches in chapters 2 to 3 though will look at what will get sort of flying over or a chronological look at the church from the early church to the present day and finally number three the things that will happen after these things after what things after the churches caught up to meet the Lord in what is called the rapture were now living in the things which are category let's read the Revelation chapter 1 on the reverse is one day out loud because there's a blessing attached to doing that isn't there. Don't you want to be blessed read along with me. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly take place and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Of all the things he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it for the time is near. John the seven churches who are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from him who was who is new is that, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth and is made us kings and priests to God our father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen. Finally, verse eight Jesus begin. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

So here's what we learn from what we have just read number one, Revelation reveals that the events of the end times are closely linked together.

Verse one says these events will shortly take place or another translation what must speedily happen. We might say will wait.

This is written 2000 years ago, but this is not referring to sooners, but the quickness of execution.

Once there is a beginning. Remember I said it's like dominoes closely linked together the ideas when the first one falls, the others follow in rapid succession.

This is something that once it begins will not stop.

It will go quickly. The whole machinery of human history will be slip in the high gear to run its fatal course into judgment, number two, the book of Revelation is from Jesus Christ. Revealing himself to us.

After all, who's a better source on Jesus then Jesus says the Lord himself revealing himself to each of us remember the story of those two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus after he had been crucified in Christ himself joined them, but they didn't know Jesus was walking with them and we read that he showed them all the things in the Old Testament about himself. So that's what we have here in Revelation. He's described in verse five as Jesus Christ, the faithful witness of the book of Revelation is nothing else it's a portrait of Jesus as Sophie of God. If you will and is presented as the faithful witness.

He's a faithful witness, a man we need a faithful witness right now we need a trustworthy source people are coming unhinged with all the crazy conspiracy theories that are out there online and all the dispensable weird ideas about what's going on and sometimes they take Bible truth and hijack them and attach other things to them and we need to distance ourselves from all of this and with a clearheaded way of approaching this see what the Bible says about our future and we have no better source to help us with that than the true and faithful witness, Jesus Christ. He always speaks the truth to us what he always does it in love. You know the Bible says, speak the truth in love, and if there's one thing that so clear about the nature of God. It is this. He loves you. Remember years ago I was with Billy Graham there in New York and Flushing Meadows. The site of the world's fair and Billy spoke to a massive audience and he was a much older man. At that point we had to be helped up to the pulpit to speak, but when he stood up and began to speak. There was so much power in his words and this man who would walk with God for so many years turn of the crowd and simply said, God loves you and he turned to the next section into God loves you and he turned to another group of limits as God loves you that this resonated with me and that's what we learn from Scripture, God loves you. He's a faithful witness. He's a loving witness, what contrast of the fickle love of our culture today. Our world loves you when you're young and beautiful.

In contrast, God loves the plain and aging. Our world loves the famous celebrity and breathlessly follow their every move on social media. In contrast, God loves the unknown nobody our world loves the rich and powerful.

God loves the poor and the weak.

God loves all people he loves ordinary people like you and me and you are loved and because your love. He cleanses you of your sin. Look at verse five, he washed us from our sins in his own blood. I want you to notice the past tense of that verse. In other words, this is already been done. If you're a Christian, God has forgiven you for all the wrongs. Do you have done because he loved you declines, you John 316 says for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life is your great glory will have the second half of this message just a moment. We hear from so many people find Christ through Pastor Greg's teachings, as Greg ever say that your harvest persuaded Anaheim Stadium about 20 years ago. Before that I could hardly stand to look in the mirror as I was lost in a world of drugs and violence. In fact, I had many friends and family who died when I was young I always figured I would be far behind.

Today I went to your harvest Crusade. I was kind of embarrassed to be there and didn't understand what this was all about and you came on stage and began to grab my attention. God was speaking through your mouth. My heart, I started crying and didn't know why but I knew I wanted everything you were talking about the love, the forgiveness and eternal life in general, to call for anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. I popped up and jumped through the rows to get to the field so that I could commit my life to Jesus Christ.

I just felt the need to share this with you.

I pray that God continues to use you to help save the lost. Thank you Jesus and thank you Pastor Greg for sharing God's love was so many great stories of how God used the harvest Crusade to bring this man to Christ and tell a friend about Pastor Greg's next event SoCal harvest October 3 Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California get information and get involved by going to harvest Donald harvest.org were considering what we can learn from the first eight verses of Revelation. Today Pastor Greg's opening message of a new series today study is called your password to unlocking Revelation. We also learn from what we just read that when Christ returns all the world will know everyone will know when Jesus comes back again and what we call the second coming. Jesus said, as the lightning shines in the east of the West, so will the coming of the Son of Man be ever seen a lightning storm, Artemis right lights up the sky.

That's at the second coming will be like in verse seven of Revelation 1 says every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. So Christ is going to return again in an open way. Also, we discover here. The Revelation gives us the only description of Jesus Christ and its largely symbolic. You know, it's amazing to me that in all the things written about Jesus for Gospels. All the epistles could not someone have described what he looked like I may. We do know certain things about certain Bible characters, but we know nothing about the physical appearance of Jesus, was he tall with a short was his hair dark was his hair light-colored.

I can tell you this much, you most likely does not look like the more familiar a portrayal of him and a lot of the older religious art with brownish blond hair. No, not at all. I'm sure his skin was dark and his hair was dark. He was a medic but that's not important. If it was important, God would have given us a physical description of but here is the only description of Jesus found in the Bible again.

It is largely symbolic. Revelation 1 verse 14 his head and his hair were white like wool and white like snow. His eyes are like a flame of fire. His feet like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace in his voice is is a sound of many waters. It mentions his eyes being a flame of fire that could be literally translated, his eyes shot fire. So it appears that Jesus is indignant about something there, something needs seeing that he's not pleased with he sees and knows everything the Bible says everything is open before the one with whom we have to do. Usually, probably you think your mother had eyes in the back of her head right, she thought everything Jesus sees everything he's aware of everything you know when you meet someone you look into their eyes, and when a person doesn't want to make eye contact that usually may be an indication of something not being quite right. Jesus is looking out as we read in the Bible that Jesus looked at Matthew and said follow me. We also read that Jesus looked at Peter after his denial. He is looking out as he's looking at you, and his eyes are filled with fire. Also, as he looks at this. He's telling the sentence are important.

This is my final point, the book of Revelation tells me to not be afraid. The book of Revelation tells me not to be afraid.

I know I've said some things that might alarm someone a while where we what is the mark of the beast, and one is the antichrist going to show up in and in will have to go through this great tribulation. Here we have this important word in the first chapter of this great book. Don't be afraid.

Verse 17 don't be afraid, says Jesus on the first and the last time he who lives in was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore and have the keys of Hades and death. Don't be afraid Jesus said when you see these things begin to happen freak out because your dad know you didn't say that Diddy he says when you see these things begin to happen. Look up for your redemption draws near. Don't be afraid to. The problem is more afraid of the wrong things were not showing the proper fear of God were afraid of all going to the dentist are being audited or someone given us a hard time but we don't reverence and fear God, the Bible says, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Now, when the Bible tells us to fear God.

It doesn't mean be afraid of God means they have reverence for God have a sense of all about God have respect for God. In fact, the remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else but on the other hand, if you do not fear God you fear everything else are you paralyzed with fear.

Right now, about things that can happen if your life is cut short or of some other thing happens is it. Don't be afraid. Fear God. And when you fear God delivered confidence in him because your trusting in him. David said the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid when we say the Lord is the strength of my life. We can then say, of whom then shall I be afraid, is the Lord. The strength of your life right now.

If so, don't be afraid. But as nonbelievers. I'll tell you what you should be afraid of you should be afraid of death and should be afraid of judgment and these are things that are coming but if you put your faith in Jesus.

You do not have to be afraid. Let me loop back to something I mentioned earlier. Where was this book written. It was written on the island of Patmos. That's the island that John the apostle was banished to.

It's not a tropical paradise.

We hear island with a long cool island waves and is probably out surfing and sunbathing. No no no, it was so horrible island that he was banished to a place of extreme isolation and I wonder if I'm talking to somebody right now it feels like their isolated maybe your confined to a hospital bed.

Maybe your incarcerated and you can't get out of the place that you are in me say this. It was in this place of isolation that God revealed himself to John in an amazing way and sometimes in your heart is situations God can reveal himself to you, Larry king recently died. It was my privilege to be in the show back in the early 2000's, and I remember we were having a discussion and Larry always had questions about the afterlife. He had Billy Graham on the show Franklin Graham in the show. Other preachers they would always ask him about the afterlife and I remember him turning to Billy and asking, are you afraid to die. And Billy said he wasn't on when I was without Larry. He has about what we know. Why does God allow tragedy and hardship in the world of God is all-powerful, why doesn't he stop it. I told him the story of a lady who would come to me at church the Sunday before that.

This was filmed on a Monday and she had found out she had breast cancer and she was very afraid, but it brought her to God.

It will corrupt your need for Jesus.

She said that horrible event brought me the Jesus and I'm reminded of what the psalmist said when he said before I was afflicted I went astray. But now I have kept your word. So I said Larry sometimes God can use sickness to get our attention and bring us to himself and then Larry shot back will, don't you think Christianity is a crutch that said oh no, Larry Christianity as a whole hospital.

Then, just as you're going to break. Larry said that's a good line. Write that down.

Hope you heard. I hope your hearing and I hope you understand that whatever you're going through. It can be that very event that brings you to God, it shows you your need for Jesus when things are not going the way you want them to go. You can turn to him. Don't run from God run to God because, listen, Jesus is coming back again. Yes, one day he'll return as King of Kings and Lord of lords wearing the crown, but before he'd wear that crown when he returns he would wear a crown of thorns, where he would die on the cross for our sin and suffer and die in our place because as I said earlier were all sinners separated from God. But we can be forgiven of our sin. No him in a personal way for Greg Laurie. Good news about God's plan is an offering of eternal life through Jesus Christ and if you like to accept that offer.

Pastor Greg will help you do that before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes if you missed any part of this opening message in Pastor Greg's new series and Revelation let this invite you to log on for an instant replay@harvest.org just look for the message called your password to unlocking Revelation again go to harvest.org will Pastor Greg are excited to make available your new book on Revelation in conjunction with our current study series and now many Bible students.

No Revelation promises a blessing to those who read here and keep the words of this book.

That's right so it seems. Even the Bible acknowledges that Revelation is no ordinary Bible study.

That's right, it stands out from every other book of the Bible.

Of course it's the final book at the end of your Bible and the word Revelation means unveiling because it's not God's desire to conceal but to reveal in Bible prophecy is not given to scare us but to prepare us and there is a special blessing attached to this book.

In particular, and it's in the first chapter of Revelation, and that promise is blessed is the person that reads, hears and keeps the words of this book. So they've it's interesting because that phrase remains to read out loud so there's a blessing on you if you will simply read this book but then it says you must hear it you know Jesus will often say he that has ears to hear, let them hear our about a vernacular would be. Listen up. Pay attention so I have to read it. I have to hear it and then finally I need to keep it.

Meaning I need to take these Jews in this book and apply them in their own life. What we study Bible prophecy is not just to know more about the future but it's for us to know how we should live in the present and we are not only teaching on it here on a new beginning, but we have a brand-new book that we have just completed its thick hardcover book a commentary if you will, on the book of Revelation. Here's what I've had a lot of people say to me for the first time I understood how this book applied to me. I think this is very understandable, but a very relevant book, especially for the times in which we are living so for your gift of any size were offering you this brand-new book hot off the presses, simply titled Revelation, subtitled a book of promises.

So whatever you can send a helper ministry is greatly appreciated.

This helps us to get the gospel out get the teaching of the word of God out so order your copy of this brand-new book Revelation, a book of promises yet it's right it will rush a copy back to you to thank you for your investment in these daily teaching opportunities. It's only through listener support that we can continue to come your way.

So get in touch today for Pastor Greg's new book Revelation, a book of promises by the way, where including a custom bookmark along with the book it shows the timeline of God's end times events graphically.

It helps you see the order of events very clearly. It comes automatically with the book, so send your donation today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org will Pastor Greg a few moments ago you spoke of how someone can accept God's offer of eternal life. Could you have the person who wants to do that very thing right now. Yes, I'd be delighted to listen as you listen to this program today. Maybe some is been happening inside of your heart where your sensing. I need to do this personally, but how do I do it and what oh I do, let me help you. It's very simple affected so simple.

You may be shocked God's relationship with him is just a prayer away. The Bible says if you will call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved, so I'd like to lead you in a prayer we do just that you call on the name of the Lord. This can be the moment when you change your eternal address literally from hell to heaven. Just pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward in your name I pray. Amen. I know it's such a simple short prayer but you just called on the name of the Lord, and you know what he heard that prayer and if you meant there prayer in your heart, he answered that prayer no let me help you to get started on the right foot in your new life in Jesus Christ. The greatest adventure awaits you a life of walking with God.

I want to send you what we call a new believers growth pack that includes the new believers Bible and a whole lot more and let me be the first to see the you congratulations and welcome to the family of God yet to get that free new believers growth pack. Just ask for it if you prayed along with Pastor Greg to receive Christ today will be glad to send when you're way free of charge. Writer set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 call us anytime 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click know God.

Next time or for Pastor Greg series Revelation.

He asked what if Jesus sent you an email or practical insight from Rich book Bible prophecy.

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