Beauty & the Beast: Looks Can Be Deceiving

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Babylon represents an evil empire governed by the antiriot pastor Greg Laurie pointed out many will embrace that worldview during the last days. Along looks good on the outside. What is evil on the inside so the same way when the Antichrist comes on the scene with his abalone and type religion is gonna look good at first, we see peace and love.

It's all good work together.

Then he will so is true, and likes Mike consider the Carolina reaper auction is some saves the world to hundred times hotter than say it has an excellent fruity flavor before your face in the spiritual realm things often today on a new beginning for Greg Laurie Warren just looks can be deceiving our enemies specializes in deception.

Today we study Revelation picked up we last left off with the beast and are story the Bible tells us that a powerful religious deception will sweep the earth in the last days, and is described as Babylon, Babylon is pictured as a prostitute writing a beast and she's dressed in red so will call her the Scarlet harlot and it's also revealed is a mystery. We all love a good mystery right this is mystery Babylon. Let's read Revelation 17 verse three so he carried me away in the spirit in the wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which is full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and 10 horns.

The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of fornication and on her forehead a name was written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth and I saw the woman, verse six of chapter 17, drunk with the blood of saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

What I saw her, I marveled with great amazement and the angel said to me why did you marble out tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which is seven heads and 10 horns. There see you read a text like this in your reaction is probably what what is this all mean but it's not as complex as you may think.

Remember, the purpose of Revelation is to unveil truth to us.

Revelation means unveil so it is not God's desire to conceal but to reveal. This is a mystery to someone who doesn't understand the Bible for to us as believers, we understand Babylon is a picture of man's kingdom without God contextually looking at the book of Revelation. Babylon refers to an entire worldwide political, economic and religious kingdom under the control of antichrist but Babylon can be personal as well. It's basically a life that is consumed with pride, sensuality, idolatry effectively. Anything that takes the place of God." It was a mighty kingdom of Babylon is well ruled by Nebuchadnezzar. Remember it was a massive mighty world power which was ultimately defeated by the Medo Persian Empire.

That was when the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar was ruling his name was Belshazzar. So it was the end of Babylon's dabbling. Let's come back to this woman riding the bees. The scarlet harlot if you will. Verse three I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, just another word for red. This is sort of like the rodeo from how red symbolizes evil in this context. It's not evil of your wearing red but this contacted symbolizes evil because remember, Satan is presented to us as a red Dragon and Revelation chapter 13 so all of this madness that were looking at this religious system of Babylon is energized by the devil. And it's all coming together and I you know today, people like the sort of make it up as they go. Listen, if someone ever says you all religions essentially teach the same thing you can be assured that person knows nothing about the religions of the world nothing can be more untrue than to say all religions teach the same thing. They don't all teach the same thing.

It was Gandhi who said, quote I consider myself a Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a Buddhist and Confucian.

Maybe he should've said instead of a Confucian confusion because you can't just say all these things I read an interview were former Beatle Paul McCartney talked about his views on God. Here's what Paul said and I quote I believe in the spirit that's the best I can put it. I think there is something greater than us and I love it and I'm grateful to it and just like everyone else on the planet. I can't pin it down. He continues to say I'm happy to not pin it down. So Paul says II pick bits of all the religions I like some of the things a Buddhist say I like some of the things that Jesus said I like some of the things that Mohammed said and then Sir Paul McCartney concludes so be cool and you'll be all right. That's rock 'n' roll religion Paul. You bring a lot of awesome songs of the Beatles.

Some in your solo years, but maybe you should just let this be okay because this is not how it works.

You can't just pick and choose whatever you want and call it rock 'n' roll religion. God is dropped one lifeline from heaven for us and it's Jesus Christ Jesus made unique claims he didn't say I am one of many ways to God.

He said I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes of the father by me, but this is the false Babylonian religious system, yet were just pulling bits from every religion and it's all cool mandates rock 'n' roll religion will what it is is a tangled mess and one thing I would point out we call this ABC religion. It'll be anything but Christ other words, if you want to believe anything that's cool, but the moment you bring Christ up.

That bothers a lot of people. This is a kind of religious system that will be happening in the last days bring me to this simple statement by GK Chesterton and I want to quote people think that when they do not believe in God, they believe in nothing but the fact is, they will believe in anything." That's very true. Here's another point Babylon looks good on the outside but it's dead on the inside.

Babylon looks good on the outside but it's dead on the inside look at Revelation 17 for she has in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication so golden cup would refer to luxury right abominations referred to things that are offensive to God's reminding of a story of a cruise ship that was adrift off the coast of Mexico in 2013.

You may remember this story. Apparently what happened is a fire broke out in the engine room and he lost power so they were in total darkness and other toilets were overflowing and there was no food in legalities and that's what is being offered here. It looks good on the outside but it's evil on the inside so in the same way when the Antichrist comes on the scene with his Babylonian type religion. It's gonna look good at first, we seen a peace and love. It's all good.

Let's work together and say things like, I'm a uniter not a divider and everyone will put their arms around each other in the same way of the world.

I don't know what the thing that I'm just saying this is going to be a ruse, a deception, and then he will show his true colors Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment. It's encouraging to hear when the studies truly impacted lives, even through some dark times. Hi Greg, I wanted to reach out and let you know how much my husband and I enjoyed listening to you and watching your sermons on Sunday from our home.

We lost our son just six months ago and were struggling each day God is getting a strength to continue and listening to you has really helped your recent sermon. The afterlife is so amazing was my birthday.

The first one without arson and what you are talking about really made my heart very happy. I love hearing about heaven and where my son and I will spend eternity together very sorry for the loss of your son. No parent should have to bury their child it's heart wrenching that you are an inspiration and I'm so thankful for you if you have a story of how the Lord has touched your life. This ministry when I call and share it with us. Here's the number 1-866-871-1144. It's a special number for this purpose.

1-866-871-1144 lower in Revelation 17 today as pastor Greg is showing is John's vision of the scarlet woman and the beast, and how to make sense of the symbolism was continue. So this scarlet harlot if you will writing this piece has a golden cup full of abominations. Babylon looks good on the outside but it's evil on the inside. Verse four says he's dressed in scarlet and purple and covered in jewels that speaks of luxury again.

Purple was a color usually worn by royalty back in that day, as was scarlet and covered in jewels that speaks for itself. If you see someone covered in jewels head to toe. Obviously that's an affluent person and this is how sin is.

It looks good on the outside.

Then you take a bite of it and it is like poison in your system.

The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve saw that forbidden fruit hanging on the tree in the midst of the garden that it was pleasant to the eyes look good.

Things look good on the outside. Why is it that stolen food is always more appealing than your own food and when I go to a restaurant with people and were all looking at the menus I'll ask everyone what are you ordering what you ordering.

I'll wait till everyone orders and I'll change my mind three or four times and then the orders will arrive and I'll look at their burger or someone else's lasagna for their piece of fish or whatever it is knowledge or whatever it is I ordered and their meal looks better than my meal and die. And then there's the sharing thing you know girls love to share the CRT what you would do this and all of that will share guys don't really like to share at all just ladies you need to know something about men we don't like to share our food.

I think I speak for most men here, the sum of your watches, it will Greg you're wrong. My husband shares his food with me all the time. That may be true, I didn't say he won't share his food with you. I said he doesn't like to do that. That's the point. He doesn't like to. What were sort of like the dog with the food bishops.

This is our meal, you come there were going to growl at you and my wife will say can I have a bite of which are having an okay time to stop and now here comes therefore again she takes up either something said in this office and Sinemet something waiting. I can't get to my meal. There's interference of this invading fortune.

It seems it takes forever. And then she goes back talking I can finish my meal. It's good. And then I have one last bite. I'm looking forward to that one last bite and just as I'm about to take it. Kathy will seek can I have that last bike to go ahead. The Bible says love your wife as Christ loves the church until take the last five. I don't like any of that guys don't like to share their food Welders exceptions saws with a couple of guys at a restaurant a while ago and one was eating a sandwich.

The guy sitting on the other side of the table next to me said can I have a bite of your sandwich. Well okay that's not a normal guy think some a natural part of my sandwich I went to get a fork and knife, muffled little keys put it on the plate.

Here you go. This guy actually said can I have a bite of your sandwich and this guy holds up the sandwich and this other guy who wants to the bike takes a bite where the other guy had already taken up by this traumatizing.

I did not object to this.

It was shocking. I'm still traumatized right now. This is not normal for men, we don't like to share, but there's something about stolen food.

You know my wife is preparing a meal shall have the carrots and then little tomatoes, chopped up and overhears little peppers over here and I'm going start taking these don't take those.

Those are the exact portions I know but stolen food is good, right will. Here's the thing is, these things look good on the outside but Babylon. But the really bad poison is on the inside so we don't want to eat of those things. Listen to this Babylon will not only be a mentality. It will not only be a religious system. It will be an actual entity ineffective will be a super city that is going to be judge over to Revelation 18 verse one after these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority and the earth was illuminated with his glory and he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon the great is fallen, it's fallen. It's become a dwelling place of demons and a prison for every foul spirit a cage for every unclean and hated bird in general I like birds, but there are some birds.

I hate that I'm on a call about right now. Number one seagulls. I hate all of you if you're watching I'm sorry I'm not told the Bible after love you I hate you not tell you why he signals is because you steal things all the time. You know if you have your food on the beach and you go to the water you combat this equals flying off with your sandwich and then of course there doing their thing on your car, and in fact I was already that years ago many years ago we took arson Christopher which is the little guy.

Then to see world and so when you go to the park.

There's an opportunity to feed the dolphins. You can buy fish. I think within my just preadmission though have to pay for fish to feed your creatures. Yes, that's with work so weak by these fish. I give them to Christopher and there's this place of the dolphins. Arnie speeding the dolphins in and out of nowhere. Siegel comes grabs of fish right out of his hand cruisers like dad.

I hate seagulls. I know they're the worst I think. And then we go to lunch in this restaurant and he ordered a big thing of chicken so he's eating this chicken and out of nowhere a Siegel comes and flies off with his chicken literally grabbed it obvious plate at the witness again is not cannibalism is uneven, right in the bird kingdom. I mean, I know seagulls are messed up, but even they crossed the line.

There flying up with the chicken.

Christopher is shaking his fist. I hate this seagulls that were walking out of the park. I'm not making this up and all of a sudden a Siegel got a direct hit on my son told my big Siegel poop right and that pretty much finished it off so that that they hated bird right but understood contextually in the Bible. Birds sometimes are symbols of evil. Jesus told a parable about a Bush the turn into a tree that was filled with purpose.

This is not a positive thing. Bushes don't turn into trees so this was something that was supposed to be small and it became bigger and it was filled with bird but then in the parable of the sower. Jesus talked about the sea that was sown on the roadside. Remember in the birds come quickly. Bobby seagulls and eat it and he says these are they that hear the word of God and Satan comes immediately and snatches it away so in the parables birds are symbols of evil supporting this altogether. We have an evil situation of these unclean virginal in the church. We have real believers and we have pretended believers. Let me put it this way, if you want to be a Harley rider you need a Harley. You need a motorcycle and you can wear a motorcycle jacket and you can have your wallet with that she not right connected to a belt loop so you look like a biker big old black boots and and be dressed head to toe in black and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that, but you may look like you're a biker, but if you don't have a biker not a biker right you can be like a surfer you got surf rock from the top your car and serve stickers all over your car and you talk about surfing anywhere syrup apparel and use serve terminology. But if you don't have a surfboard then you're not a surfer you're actually opposer right and to be a Christian, you need to follow Christ so not just have a Bible, you can even go to church and not necessarily be a Christian to be a Christian, you must follow Christ genuine believer, Pastor Greg Laurie with today's message on a new beginning title beauty and the beast and there's more to come from the study. Pastor Greg, the world is in such a mess. There's turmoil everywhere you look at believers know it's coming. We know God's plan for the end times yes.

How does your new Revelation commentary help us prepare great question, let me respond with the words of Jesus in John 14. He said let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid in my father's house are many mansions ever were not so I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, you may be also notes interesting. This phrase troubled but not your heart be troubled, means agitated or filled with fear.

There are things happening in our world right now that can be scary and it can cause your heart to be filled with fear and it can cause you to feel it's like everything is out of control. But if there's one thing that Revelation clearly shows it's that God is in control.

God has a plan and things are going according to plan. His plan, and so it's all laid out for us because you know the Bible is the one book that there is to predict the future, not once, not twice, but hundreds of times with 100% accuracy. So the Lord knows what's coming. But the great thing is is you even start the book of Revelation. You have the words of Jesus to the seven churches. So before we get into all that prophetic stuff if you will like the tribulation.

The hundred and 44,000. The antichrist is second coming, the millennium, Jesus has some special words for his own people are very personal, powerful words to each of us and so this is all found in this commentary that I've just written.

I use the word commentary loosely because that sounds as though it's going to be dull and theological. Actually, it does comment on Scripture but but it's very understandable. It's very down to earth and were calling this brand-new book here from harvest Revelation, a book of promises. I would love to send you a copy. It's hot off the press it's brand-new. We've never released this book before and so I hope you get your own copy, and by the way, is a pretty good sized book I it will be a great addition to your library, it's something you can stand on when you need to reach a higher shelf little hold a heavy door open as well and so there's a lot of uses but the best use of course would be to open it up and read it and get a better understanding of the important book of Revelation. Yeah, that's right. And we hope you will contact us today to ask for Revelation, a book of promises and by the way Pastor Greg is including a custom-designed bookmark that shows the timeline of God's end times events graphically help you see the order of events very clearly. It's all available for your gift of any size. Keep in mind that your support is the only way we can keep bringing you Pastor Greg Staley studies so thank you for your generosity and we hope to hear from you today just write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime night or day at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org are you receiving Pastor Greg's daily devotions each day via email is not much to care that right now you can sign up today free of charge@harvest.org and you'll receive a daily inspirational thought from God's word each day in your inbox again. Go to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call Harvest at Home is worse and it's a message of the word of God. You can watch it with your family and your front room where you can watch it on the go on your tablet on your phone or your computer. Take it with you. Take the word of God with you.

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