America & Armageddon: Ready or Not

Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you, I love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org.

The Bible tells us, Jesus will return like a thief in the night.

Today Pastor Greg Laurie provides in relevant content doesn't call you. Hey, how's it going man way my name is Joe coming here how that around 312 in the morning. He's going to do that, you're not ready for those that are not ready, Jesus will come as a thief in the night for those who are ready to welcome his return and relation to God's final judgment on sinful man equals no judgments with sugar and dramatic, but is provision for his own is equally dramatic today on a new beginning after Greg Laurie brings us a look at the reality of the events of the great relation but will also be reminded.

Jesus will spare those who are his and over again is a brand-new commentary all the details of harvest.

The story is told of the great there. Johann Sebastian Bach.

He was known to sleep a lot and his kids had a surefire way of waking their dad, they would go to piano player composition.

I guess that's what you do when you're the son of composer they would play the composition all the way through, he would still be sleeping and maybe get to the head and not play the last no every time Buck would get up out of his bed walkover sit down at the keyboard and hit the final cord just drove me crazy here in Revelation.

In effect, God is plain. The final cord were coming effectively to the end. The grand finale. When the final blows are going to come against planet Earth. It's literally trying to say our father, but by and large, people will not say that the pretty much die as they have live hardened against God. This is why you never want to say, I'll wait until I'm on my deathbed to accept Jesus Christ. No, if you call them God on your deathbed.

If you have the luxury of a deathbed because not everyone does. Sometimes death comes quickly and unexpectedly, but if you have the luxury of a deathbed. Why do you think if you live the life opposed to God for years and years that you would suddenly want to call on him, chances are you would be pretty hardened in your said no, don't wait until then.

Because, listen to this.

There is a point of no return. I don't know when it is only God does.

But there can come a moment in a person's life with a per the gospel and rejected it heard the gospel and rejected it so many times their heart is becoming Arab terribly hardened is a you mean so hard were God wouldn't forgive them. That's not the issue. So hardware they don't want to be forgiven. The Bible says he was often reproved hardened his heart and he will be cut off that without remedy. So listen I'm talking to somebody right now who is heard the gospel before you've said no to it. Don't say no again at the end of my message will extend an invitation for you to believe in Jesus and be forgiven up all of your sin, but at this point historically, which is in our future, the earth is rejecting God reminds me of a quote I read from a French chemist who said in 1869. His name is Pierce Bartolotta wrote these what I think are prophetic words quote in 100 years of science, man will know what the item is remember you wrote this in 1869 man will know what the item is when science reaches that stage rights birth a lot. God will come down to earth with this big ring of keys and say to mankind, gentlemen. It's closing time." Well, how true is that.

So now judgment is finally coming. Let's understand what we are here in Revelation 15 were in heaven and were viewing what is coming to the earth from a heavenly perspective, and we get a better handle on the wine of judgment. Let's read Revelation 15 starting in verse one John writes in I saw another sign, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete and I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass playing harps of God. They sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty just and true are your ways old King of the saints who shall not fear you will Lord, and glorify your name.

Are you alone are holy and all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested will stop there. So who are these people singing the song. These are believers who have come through the tribulation.

They been martyred for their faith and their before a sea of glass mingled with fire. Now that either symbolizes the fiery trials they went through on the planet, or the fact that they were martyred for this may be referencing the fact with this water and fire mingled together that judgment is about to come on the earth. Perhaps it's referring to both. So here we have this fiery lake. This sea of glass, God's people will stand in a sea of glass and nonbelievers will stand in the lake of fire.

Listen, it is my firm conviction that Christians will not go through the great tribulation. I don't think will go through any of it I think will be removed before the tribulation begins.

Why the Bible says God is not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Think about it. Will God sent judgment during the days of Noah. First, he got Noah and his family safe in the art and the door was shut. And as the water came down the ark went up, but Noah and his family were delivered from the judgment that came upon the earth. Take the story of Lot and his wife God. God Lot and his family safely out of Sodom before the judgment felt the tribulation period, is God's judgment coming on the earth. God does not pour his judgment on his people to see and so we will not be here for this tribulation. Having said that Christians will go through tribulation, not the seven year. But will go through hardship working to go through trials I Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. And not only will we have tribulation will be persecuted just like these folks work, maybe not to the extreme. They were persecuted, but we will face persecution. Second Timothy 312.

Of course reminds us that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution and we need to like these believers must press on and not be discouraged, but instead be encouraged, but now we come to Revelation 16 verse 12 I were looking at the final battles coming upon the planet. The battles of Armageddon. So let's read Revelation 16 verse 12 then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.

I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon know we know the Dragon is Satan out of the mouth of the beast. We know that the antichrist out of the mouth of the false prophet. That's the religious leader Guru type sidekick of the antichrist reporting there.

The spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty now in the middle of all of this, Jesus gives us a personal word. Verse 15 behold on coming. Is that the Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame and number 16 and he gathered them together in the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Now there is demonic power behind this conflict.

Verse 13 mentions unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon out of the mouth of the beast motivating them to go and fight this massive battle. You know why the devil is behind the war in our world today, and now the church is going to be removed. I mean think about how bad things will be when there's not the presence of Christians speaking up for what is true. This is how all hell is able to break loose so quickly look back historically at the atheistic communist governments. How many of their own people live kill a historian say at least 100 million people have been murdered by atheistic communist regimes. Think about this of the atheistic Joseph Stalin believed that he would stand before a holy God. You think he would've done what he did.

You think he would have been as cruel as he was, as Dostoyevsky said, quote if God is not everything is permitted." If there is no God. If there's no afterlife if there is no final judgment. Why would a person not do whatever they wanted to do mouth a ton. Did it in China. Hitler did with Nazi Germany.

Stalin did it with Russia and now the antichrist will do it on the level like no one is ever done. It before so now we have two superpowers facing up in the battle of Armageddon, the forces of the antichrist. That's 10 nations confederated under him and another force identified as the kings of these. This is big and they come to the Euphrates River. We were first introduced to the flask. The superpower called the kings of the east in Revelation 916, which says the number of the army of the horsemen was 200 million? What nation on earth could field an army of 200 million is only one answer that China I'm not saying that China is certainly the kings of the east, but they're the only nation that could field an army of 200 million we don't know.

We'll see. Well maybe won't want to eat. I don't expect to be here if I'm seeing that I'm seeing it from heaven, along with Mr. Greg Moore will have the second half of his message just a moment.

Sometimes, we can always make a picture here is his church is coming to you is coming due on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone. We do it every weekend and it's called Harvest at Home. We worship we have a message of the word of God. If you want to find out more, just go to harvest.org enjoy this this weekend for harvest at all now.

Pastor Greg continues our studies in chapters 15 and 16 of Revelation the middle of all that Scripture is saying about Armageddon.

Jesus says in Revelation 1615 behold I'm coming is that the Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and see his shame. So this is a word to us in the middle of all of this, Jesus is saying listen to this.

I'm coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches what does it mean to watch it means to be awake. This is a reference to the rapture in the rapture. Jesus comes as a thief in the night, we don't know when the rapture is good happen at any moment. But in the second coming. We know when that is. It happens at the end of the tribulation. After the battle of Armageddon and I get to this in the future. Sony says I'm coming is that the it means I'm coming to you unexpectedly. If you're not ready.

So it really comes down to this. Come like a thief to the unsuspecting become like a friend to those who are watching and waiting. If you're not ready. He'll be like a thief thief doesn't call you up and tell you whether coming hey how's it going man my my name is Joseph E I'm coming to your house at around 312 in the morning, so be aware no fees going to do that they're going to come when you're not ready. The mechanic east your house and figure out the best time to get an income in well for those that are not ready, Jesus will come as a thief in the night for those who are ready will welcome his return will look forward to his return. Then when we read we should keep our garments, that simply means to be ready to go at a moments notice. BB. Reading it known around the house in your PJs and your hello Kitty slippers will I wear slippers but the ideas you want to be ready to go. Your pre-closing ready.

You have your bags packed. You got your cell phone charger ready that – out the door, you got your car keys or whatever it is you need, let's say that somehow we knew that Jesus was coming back at 3 o'clock tomorrow. I think all of us would have our Sunday smiles and come quickly. Jesus attitude around 245, don't you, but we don't know when he is going to come he could come tonight you can come tomorrow. We could come in a week and a month and a decade. We don't know what we know that we should live every day as though it were our last day because someday it will be either the day Christ comes for the day when our time is up. So we need to be awake you ever notice when someone wakes you up in the middle of the night. You always deny it never got a call late at night and I like those late-night calls. I think 9 o'clock is cut off.

I don't call anyone after 9 o'clock but do you get a call and you know 1215 your heart jump to think this can't be good.

No one calls at this time so you get the call. Or maybe it's like four in the morning you enter hello and they always ask you this. Did I wake you. We do not know know know good to see you woke me up why calling me at this hour to this is the idea that we want to be awake.

We want to be alert. Listen, I think these words of Jesus are really relevant to all of us, but I think they're especially relevant to older believers. You see when you are a younger believer you're willing to take risks. You're willing to leave your comfort zone.

You're willing to do bold and audacious things for Jesus. But when he got older you become more conservative you become more careful you become more cautious and I think the person that maybe really needs to listen to this word of Jesus about waking up is the older believer in Romans 13 the apostle Paul says, knowing the time. It's time for us to awake out, of our sleep for our salvation is near them.

When we first believed.

So let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light wake up and be ready. Coming back to my illustration about Johann Sebastian Bach. He woke up when the final court we had not yet been played. God is playing the final court were listening to the last note. Now is the time to believe in Jesus Christ.

Don't put it off every time you hear the gospel and say no, your heart gets harder to say what we mean the gospel here's the gospel. The gospel simply means good news is good news. The good news is, God loves you. The good news is, God is a plan for you.

The good news is you can fit all eternity in God's presence and find the meaning and purpose of life here on earth. If you believe in Jesus, here's the bad news are all sinners, we all fallen short of God's glory. We've all broken his commandments so it we will turn from our sin and put our faith in Christ we can be forgiven because Jesus died on the cross for our sin because we could not save ourselves. As I've said, the same Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the dead is ready to come in your life and forgive you of all of your sins and the moment I'm in a prayer.

Prayer. This is for you who are not sure if you're ready for the return of the Lord.

This is for you were not sure if Christ is living inside of you. This is for you or MT and lonely and afraid.

This is for you, who had suicidal thoughts lately, and you're even thinking of taking your own life. This is for you that feel like you have a big hole inside of you. This is for you who deal with the guilt that keeps you up at night.

This is for you want a fresh start in life. Want to begin again, you can begin again if you're born again. Jesus said you must be born again.

Which means born from above a spiritual rebirth, a new beginning, a fresh start and how does that happen by simply asking Christ to come into your life so under the prayer.

Prayer and I'm in as good if you need Jesus in your life right now that you would pray this prayer as well so again if you want your sins forgiven. If you want Jesus come into your life if you want to be ready for the Lord's return and you want to go to have a one day, just pray this prayer out loud after me. Let's pray pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Now I invite you to come into my life. I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing this prayer answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray for Greg Laurie leading those in prayer who want to make a change in the relationship with the Lord. And if you prayed that prayer just now. We want to help you get started in your new relationship with God. Let us send you our new believers gross packet.

It's a resource collection. Pastor Greg has assembled to help you get started off right in your walk of faith and send it your way without charge just right is that a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God, you know, the book of Revelation is a rewarding study of Bible prophecy, and in our current series and in a new book from Pastor Greg wishing the full picture of its authorship. The time in which it was written and the circumstances in which our redemption takes place. The apostle John wrote the book of Revelation.

John was one of the apostles that one would Jesus Christ. In fact, in his gospel. He described himself as a disciple that Jesus love. He outlived all the other disciples and they trying to put them to death.

According to church tradition in a pot of boiling oil. John would not die. So instead, the banished him distant island of Patmos and isolated little island out in the middle of nowhere, and when he was placed on that island. No one ever thought they would hear from John again. John felt abandoned by God. I don't know but I know this much Jesus Christ came to the apostle John on the island of Patmos and the Lord took John into the future third catapulted him into the next dimension and he saw things that no man had ever seen before.

John had a front row seat to the beginning of the tribulation. It tells us about the antichrist. The mark of the beast. The battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus Christ. He also tells us about the millennial reign of Jesus with the lamb and the lion will lie together and John tells us about the momentous event heaven and earth all come together again any room these words down in a book that is simply called Revelation. It's the revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation means in dealing feel Jesus Christ to Revelation is our home. The next several weeks, you're in a new beginning. We hope you can be with us just as often as possible, but you can dig even deeper into this final book of the Bible by way of a new book.

Pastor Greg is just released tells about this and resource Pastor Greg yeah I think far too often will be think of Revelation we we think it's ominous and horrible and yes there are some very heavy duty events described in this book, but it is a book that reveals Jesus Christ to us. It's a book that is filled with promises.

That's what we called it revelation about God promises this is a book he would leave out of a coffee table or by your nightstand, a book that is over 400 pages long, but understand it's a very assessable book. The way that I wrote it. I did so in a way that you can understand what the Bible teaches on the end times because I know you have an interest in these things, but up but I want to help you know how it applies to you. There's not a lot of theological verbiage that will confuse you.

Everything isn't down to earth terminology that you will understand and it will show you how all of these great events that are in our future apply to you and D today living I think you're gonna love this new resource from harvest ministries that were simply calling Revelation a book of promises. I think you're right and we're making this new book available to thank you for your investment in the work we do here.

Each day is an investment in change lives for eternity.

It's an investment in bringing people to Jesus Christ. So send that investment today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time will move in the Revelation 17 in a passage written with symbolism. Pastor Greg offers insight to help us understand the clear meaning join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible Greg Moore thanks Philip beginning Greg Laurie podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for daily devotions and learn how to become a harvest partner harvest.org