Podcast TH160630.mp3

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Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Revelation chapter 11. This sort of segues into my message rather perfectly because the title of my message is like in a very dark place and were talking about the future of the world may be the not-too-distant future. I want to coming world leader will emerge known as Antichrist in the tribulation period will begin a persecution will intensify like we've never seen it before, but your seen a light in a very dark place when he put it another way, never seen anyone like to check their emails or text in the movie theater. Those people drive you crazy. Are you one of those people.

Do you do that please because if you do just get out on I will apologize for the last time I threw milk… You this.

First of all I don't like to lose milk dots.

I love them but no I don't throw, but I wanted to but you know what that's like many of the theaters dark one person fires up the cell phone you notice that life well here before us in Revelation to learn about two very bright lights in the darkest time of all two men that God raised up to preach the gospel and worn the people and some amazing things happen, both through and to them as we will see that this point were halfway through the book of Revelation we shift gears in chapter 11 there is also a shift in the narrative of Revelation.

In chapter 11 coming back to the movie analogy. If you've ever watched a film there's usually a character in the film that you might relate to you identify with this character and you think yours up.

If I were this character in this situation that they're in right now.

Here's what I would do right so that's sort of what is happening in Revelation that you know where were we were watching the character but imagine for a moment if you could walk into the movie and actually become that very character was in a movie anymore.

It was reality and you are in the story that's really what happens to John is writing this. Remember John's banished to the island of Patmos because of his preaching of the gospel never to be heard from again. Or so they thought who shows up in the island of Patmos, but Jesus Christ, who gives to John the Revelation, so is revealing to John is living in the first century. All these things are going to happen in the future and suddenly in chapter 10 John eats the scroll given to him by an angel and all of a sudden these part of the story is no longer watching the events and reporting like a news reporter now is a player now is a participant in the action because John is told he got his measuring stick.

In verses one and two of Revelation 11 and measure out the temples always in the story. Now, Revelation 11 verse one. I was given away like a measuring rod.

The angel stood, seen rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, those who worship there but leave out the court which is outside the temple do not measure it. Richmond given that the Gentiles thought send the holy city underfoot for 42 months and I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1260 days both in sackcloth.

These are the two olive trees and two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours her enemy.

If anyone someone wants to harm them will be killed in this manner their power to shut heaven, so no rain falls in the days of their prophecy, their power over waters to turn them the blood and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. And when they finish their testimony, and you might want underline those words finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified. There chapter 11 opens with the prophetic focus of the end times on the city of Jerusalem. It's amazing how this tiny little city in this tiny little sliver of land.

No larger than New Jersey continues to be the focal point of the world as God said it would. Interestingly, the word Jerusalem means city of peace and ironically more wards have been part of its doorsteps.and any other city in the world from the siege of David in 1000 BC to the Six-Day War in 1967.

This city of peace. Jerusalem is experienced 46 sieges and parcel destruction is been burned to the ground five times, yet it always arises from the ashes. We were recently in Israel walking around in Jerusalem and I was talking to someone about it and were talking about. The streets were Christ would've walked in. I said to them, those independent been about 30 feet below us right now I were not walking the actual streets are very few places in Israel. Today we you can literally walk were Christ walk because the city has been destroyed and rebuilt and destroyed so many times yet on the southern steps of their outside of the city. You can actually walk in the very steps were Christ walk one of the few places but that's Jerusalem but it's a city that is going to be at the center, or as Joel Rosenberg says the epicenter what's happening in the end times. Zechariah 12 freezes in that day when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her on make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations and all who try to move it will injure themselves, but see before the things we just read can happen a couple of things must take place. Number one Jerusalem must be in Jewish palace with the temple be rebuilt. Who would want to rebuild the temple, but the Jews themselves now has this happened yet is Jerusalem and Jewish yes it is, in Jewish hands that happened in the Six-Day War. In June 1967 when Israel does larger statehood.

On May 14, 1948. She did not have control of Jerusalem, but in the 67 war, she regained Jerusalem that was the first time in centuries.

It was under Jewish control again, number two, the temple must be rebuilt of that is not happened yet, but there are signs. It's getting closer. Keep in mind the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation run 8095. This means that the temple what you been standing in Jesus day had already been destroyed.

Therefore, the temple. John is speaking of here is somewhere in the future. Originally the temple was built by Solomon king David wanted to build it. Lord said no, you've killed too many people.

But I'll let your son do it and so Solomon built the temple and when Christ at his public ministry. They were walking by the temple that had been rebuilt by King Herod and he pointed to it and he said you see these things are will not be one stone left upon another that will not be torn down so Christ was predicting the destruction of the temple, and in 70 A.D. Titus in the Roman legions came marching into Jerusalem and killed thousands of people and dismantled the temple because the gold had melted in between the crevices of the stones of the dismantled it to retrieve the gold filling to a T.

The prophecy of Christ. So no, the temple has not been rebuilt since that day, but the Bible says the temple will be rebuilt as we know for sure when I Christ comes on the scene. He's going to help the Jews rebuild their temple that is going to desecrate it.

This is a crisis.

Speaking of in Matthew 24 when he said when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place that those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Pray that your flight not be on the Sabbath day for then there will be great tribulation, such as not been since the beginning of time, or ever will be. So here's how it works and I Christ doesn't come as a bad guy. Initially he comes as a quote good guy, a man of peace, a man of vision, a man with economic solutions, a man who actually takes it upon himself to rebuild the temple for the Jewish people. But then he commits what Jesus calls the abomination of desolation is interesting because in Matthew's gospel.

There's a little detail that says let the reader understand what it's saying is you need to understand what this means, which remind us that important to study Bible prophecy. Otherwise, God wouldn't tell us you need to understand this.

Let the reader understand what is the abomination of desolation. It's when the temple is removed, been rebuilt, and the antichrist erects an image of himself in it and desecrates the temple, spoken of in second Thessalonians to four of antichrist. He opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshiped. Listen, so he is as God sitting in the temple of God is coming is after the working of Satan with all power and pretended miracles and lying wonders. Now if you look at Jerusalem today.

Let's look at it for a moment on the big screen.

I use you'll notice this rather outstanding structure in the middle of that is called the gold dome that is called the dome of the rock that the holy site to the world of Islam. Also there, you can't really see it is the out Oscar mosque. It is believed by Muslims that this is where Mohammed ascended to heaven and so this area around it is called the temple mount, and that is actually under the control of the of Muslims right now and I know we got up there and in try to have a little worship service were quickly stopped. They don't want anything like that happening now. The concern is well over to rebuild the temple, or if the temples can review be rebuilt. I mean the dome of the rock is there, the out Oscar mosque is there.

How would that ever happened there would be a Jean-Claude like you've never seen before. If anyone tried to move that structure will recent biblical archaeology records of Shona biblical archaeology review magazine is a pointed out that the actual location of Solomon inherits temples were 26 m away from the dome of the rock. If that's true, it means you could correct the temple without disturbing the dome of the rock with weed.

We don't know exactly. So these are just things we opine on but this much we do know the temple is going to be rebuilt again and then I Christ will desecrate it and through piece. The Bible says he will deceive many.

I find it interesting is what is really the cry of the world today.

We want peace, you know, we don't want barriers we don't want borders.

We want globalism and we want everyone to just get along well that's a nice sentiment in the antichrist will seize upon that and come initially with bold gestures of peace, but then he will show his true colors so this is really no describing the tribulation. In the middle of all this darkness, God will have his representatives to witnesses and by the way, I don't care how messed up things are. I don't care how dark things are.

God always has his people in place. He puts in here. He puts them there. The Bible is filled with stories of that illustrate this. One of the best is almost would read like a fairytale in some ways of the story of Esther.

He remembers she won a beauty contest after the king got ticked off at his queen and does so they had a big contest and she won and she was a Jewish girl, of course, in she sitting there in the lap of luxury and in the temple or a brother the palace and there was a plot hatched to destroy all the Jews sort of a precursor to the Holocaust. In many ways via wicked men named Kaman so Esther's uncle Mordecai came to her in this paraphrase that a girl who knows a guy does not put you where you are right now for such a time as this.

And if you don't do it.

Got to get it done anyway.

But you're there why don't you do something so she used her position of influence with the king and the result was the Jews were saying. Then there was Nehemiah that cupbearer of the king. That meant that he would drink whatever the king would drink before the king drank it principal job if you nibble what was that of the king and you died. The king would not eat it. They would need a new cupbearer right sets a lousy job will not really because the cupbearer because of his close proximity to the king also became a counselor and an advisor. When Nehemiah was a Jew. He was there with the king. The pagan man, but he knew that the walls of Jerusalem are lying and ruined it. So he used his influence to persuade the king to allow him to go and dove rebuild the walls and the king even funded it.

So God put his man in the right place. As is always the case. Sometimes were behind-the-scenes influencing matter speaking up for our faith being salt and light in a given situation.

But then there are times that God will call us for more public role. Like Moses facing off with Pharaoh. Pharaoh was the most powerful man on the planet that that time. And Moses stood up to him or Daniel influencing the Kings that he served under or Deborah leaving the troops in the battle or aligned you with King Ahab and in the New Testament.

Of course, the apostles boldly proclaiming the gospel.

As we found earlier in the tribulation. God raises up hundred and 44,000 Jewish evangelists hundred and 44,000 kosher Billy Graham's covering the planet giving the message of the gospel in the rendered divine protection will now we come to these two witnesses mysterious characters and I've heard a lot of opinions as to who they may be aiming at a guy show up once to my office. Years ago who said he was one of the two witnesses seriously doubt that. So let's learn a little more about them. Look at verse six. See if you can guess who they may be the power to shut heaven, so no rain falls in the days of their prophecy, their power over waters to turn them to blood and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

Stopping rain, turning water to blood striking the earth with plagues fire from heaven to names come to mind Moses and Elijah right by the welding work together before, if you will member the Transfiguration of Jesus who stood on his right and left Moses and Elijah, so these may be the two witnesses brought back again. One of the prophets calls fire down from heaven that was a signature miracle of Elijah.

That's why you never wanted to come off. We all know about is contest of the prophets to build up in Mount Carmel word. He told them all to call in their false God in they did so and nothing happened and it's kind of funny because he had a little fun at their expense. It another scream in there yelling and they're cutting themselves or bleeding everywhere in lodges if they wanted to yell a little louder maybe your God's asleep, or as the living translation puts it, maybe your God sitting on the toilet yet. She said that I asked in the living translation is correct because the word means to relieve himself, but may even stay. Maybe God not relieving himself. He was clearly marking them. You know why because our God did not exist.

There was no veil. There was no God is just a figment of their imagination.

Not was a lie.

Just her Delsea altar with water and made it clear there was no trickery here. Then he prayed for fire to fall in. It fell and consumed the altar, but he was this calling fire down from heaven.

On another occasion as well that he heard the king of the Hyatt was injured, and wondered if you would die. So the docking was calling on false gods, to no avail. So Elijah got wind of this and God spoke to his heart and he issued the challenge of the king should inquire of the Lord, whether he would live or not.

Some messenger service messengers were sent from the king to get Elijah and bring them back to the king, and he was sitting in a little hill. The captain arrives at 50 troops. The captain ordered men of God. The king says come down by justice. They bomb Amanda God, let fire fall down from heaven and consume you. Just what he was Amanda God. That's the sound of fire. By the way, the torchlight down know another captain the 50th set. Would you like to have been that guy, he says, oh man of God. The king orders you to come down now what does as a bomb Amanda God, let fire from golf ball down from heaven and consume you and your 50 troops while he was still Amanda God, not guy got towards to know the third guys call the third chapter. He was a little more polite. Mr. Elijah, Sir, family member to be pictures of my kids would you please pretty please come down and Elijah came down from the mountain, went to see the king. Okay, I challenge you to asked me to come and and tell you what was going to happen. I'm in China you're gonna die.

That was that. So this is this is why he never wanted to mess with Elijah within the was Moses who was as bold as Elijah was, of course, he faced off of the Pharaoh and all those plagues came upon the nation, including turning the Nile River to blood so it seems like the this may be Moses and Elijah brought back to have this special ministry. Here's another interesting thing you know Elijah didn't die. He was caught up to a chair in a fire member.

The story is walking along with a lie shot for similar names and and Elisha asked for a blessing. The double portion of Elijah had like to sit. If you see me when I'm taken you get it and then all of a sudden a traitor for what it probably was, was the Angels of God calling them up so you never really got interesting thing, very rare neutral appointed outdoor men once to die. The Bible says little. I did the.technically God, something got one of the witnesses maybe eating it because he didn't die either. It just says even walk with God and was not like he would take a walk with the Lord every day and wonder the Lord said, you know were closer to my house and yours in one home of the Lord so we don't know for sure, may be Elijah. And even if it may be Moses and Elijah, but all we know is there going to have this ministry of look at verse 16 that speaks of the days of their prophecy, no prophecy in the New Testament does all it does not always mean predicting the future. Its primary meaning is to speak for, proclaim, or to preach. That is the role of the two witnesses they speak the truth and they call people to Christ for 3 1/2 year. By the way, when you speak God's truth. You will be opposed and we of course talk about that with Johnny persecution listen. The Bible says all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution's a lot of ways you can be persecuted.

It can be been put to death or tortured, or it can be losing a job or mocked or marginalized are a lot of ways but they're all forms of persecution, minutes of your living a godly life.

This happens is it will Greg I never persecuted everyone loves me. Wow, really maybe are not living a godly life. I'm serious about that. I mean sometimes are persecuted for just me and we are right and we have to admit that I've been Christians there where there is not just people get upset with them. The say praise God persecuted for righteousness sake. Know your persecuted because you're kind of an idiot actually we don't want that we wanted to be for the right reason because were godly people, but it does happen.

Of course, and it will happen in a dramatic way in the tribulation. Enter the antichrist. In verse seven of Revelation 11 when they finish their testimony, I reminded you to underline that I'll tell you when a moment to be citizens out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them in their dead bodies will lie in the state of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt were Lord was crucified. So you say wait. Where is this happening in Sodom or Egypt.

No, it's where our Lord was crucified was a Lord crucified Jerusalem. It spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, so it's talking about the fact that Jerusalem is corrupted spiritually and morally.

At this point, so this is a pretty please see by the way, this is the first time that antichrist is referred to as the beast in the book of Revelation. So the beast the antichrist kills the why would God allow that because they finish their testimony, listen good news for you. You are indestructible until God is done with you, even kryptonite will not stop you indestructible. But when the Lord's done with you when you finish your testimony then you will be called home and until that time you're under his protection. It appears that Elijah and Moses. If they are the witnesses or whoever they are, were, in God's witness protection program and we are to that Jesus even said you can drink deadly poison and of a snake bite you.

You will not die.

By the way that does not mean we should hand out rattlesnakes and worship services and this is done I read about this recently happening somewhere in a church and the preacher was bitten by the rattlesnake and he die because that's what happens when rattlesnakes bite you.

That's not trusting the Lord.

That's testing the Lord. So when I saw the surrounding villages like drink strychnine in play with travelers you know, that's ridiculous. Here's what that really means even if you drank a deadly poison and it was in your time yet. You wouldn't die even if you were bitten by a venomous snake and I was in your time to go yet you would not die. And this is illustrated in the book of acts chapter 28 when Paul was shipwrecked king to the shore and that the boat was fallen apart and it says that the boards were coming into the water and they were hanging on the boards and I'm thinking this may have been the first instance of surfing. I don't know the shape boards headed toward the shore, did Paul stand up and catch I don't know, but it's possible but anyway so they came into the shore, pulse, warming himself by the fire. He's called us closer wet and some little venomous serpent just comes fastest lessons on doing all the people living there like you could die publishing stuff stupid fire nothing up twice because God wasn't done with Paglia now listen to this verse nine.

Antichrist kills them and leaves their bodies in the street for the whole world to see.

Verse nine then those people from then those from the peoples, tribes, sons and nations will see their dead bodies to notice its people from tribes, tongues, and nations. This is a global event will see their dead bodies for 3 1/2 days, and Antichrist will not allow their dead bodies to be put in the great summit of written commentaries on Revelation 100 years ago, I read one commentary whether I said I you know, he believes the book of Revelation what he was saying how can all the people in the world possibly look at the bodies of these men lying in Jerusalem and has 100 years ago we know how now right you furtive satellite you furtive. You know the Internet.

You've heard of live streaming.

Maybe that's one of the things the antichrist will do free Internet for everybody but the world will be wired right now as we sit here through 5.3 billion people of smart phones, not just on smart phones on the smart phone is effectively a computer in your pocket as you can download media you can live stream media. You can watch events as they happened and so this is so plausible now work. Everybody could be watching who knows at this point. Maybe it will be 3D or whatever, but another looking at their watches are we looking at their phones are looking at their computer screens or tablet devices and watching their sin, and in by the way, this is a big party for everyone. Look at verse 10 those that dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make Mary and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented them, who dwelled on the earth out of these two prophets tormented them they just told the truth.

That's it. The truth is tormenting to some people. If one of these witnesses. Indeed, Elijah miniature this before because after a drive came to Israel after Elijah predicted it. The king said oh you see trouble maker of Israel that's like so many today you know when something happens, blame it on the Christians. It has nothing to do with as blame it on the Christians are to remind you of the days of Roman Nero decided to burn it down because they wanted to rebuild and does so he blamed it on the Christians. They were the scapegoat and so you know that they're blaming us because we tell the truth but look at this.

During this weird party there giving gifts one to another. What is this like dead prophets they or something like an upside down Christmas. It's like there's the antichrist now. I guess they have anti-Christmas memo Lobel of anti-Christmas songs. We wish you and and to Christmas we wish you and I don't know but it's strange or hey man happy dead prophets that I got to this gift enjoy. By the way, this is the only time people on earth rejoice in the tribulation. What are they rejoicing over the rejoicing over the death of these prophets will never have to hear from them against everybody's partying and singing and dancing said break tenant, tenant united that by the way, and suddenly the parties overlooking verse 11.

I love this verse. After 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. So imagine, I was watching this event. All this is awesome.

The prophets are dead Raven reporting weight weight with what's happening there just stood up to stand up everyone completely freaks out a look at the rest of it verse 12 and they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, come up here in the ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them in the same hour there was a great earthquake and 1/10 of the city fell. In the earthquake 7000 people were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Listen, God will always have the last word.

I don't care how dark things look how bleak things are God will always have the last word. Sure a lot of these people were wondering what the return policy was on the gifts they bought the great joy turns to great fear is reminds us of the story of King Belshazzar remember him young King took over for his grandfather. Nebuchadnezzar and later in his life.

Nebuchadnezzar came to believe in the Lord God of Israel, but man, his grandson, he just rebelled against Denton when they decide of the parties to say let's have a party in get those things that Jewish people drink out of you know and bring them in here and let's fill them with wine and let's toast the gods of gold and silver and let's just have fun. So it's like he was going out of his way to mock God's all these guys are getting drunk with the king and their him and his big giant parties/orgies/everything evil and the king looks over and on the wall. He sees a hand writing just to hand non-arm, hand like I mean, I've seen pink elephants when I'm drunk. I've never seen that what is in no hand write these words, many, many tackle Farson so Isaac was obviously terrified his knees are literally knocking against each other parts of the Bible says so he called Daniel the prophet up, Daniel. Tell me what these words mean.

Daniel addresses good. These words mean you've been weighed in the balances in you been found wanting. In other words, you're a lightweight look at her know about you but when I get on the scale I never like what I see. It's always on the wrong way right but on God skills you don't want to be a lightweight.

You want to be a heavyweight by weight.

I mean depth of character commitment to Christ and Belshazzar. He was like a bantamweight. He was nothing. You're a lightweight. You've been found wanting and your days are over the course the Medo Persians were out the door and he was put to death.

So yeah they were afraid. Verse 13 says and give glory to the God of heaven.

How many were believing here. Maybe they were just acknowledging God's power.

I don't know but not all of them believe now. This chapter closes with a glimpse into heaven's are like now, the cameras turning in it goes up were in heaven again. Look at Revelation 11 verse 15 then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in Yemen seen the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, we give you thanks the Lord God Almighty, the one who is who was who is a calm because you've taken your great power and range. The nations were angry, and your wrath is come in the time of the debt that they should be judged, and that your reward or the rather that you should reward your servants the prophets and the saints. Those who fear your name, small and great, and you should destroy those who destroy the earth and the temple of God opened in heaven, the ark of the covenant was seen in the temple and there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail stop there.

So note here is a heavenly response to what is happening on earth. As I pointed out earlier, heaven is more aware of what is happening on earth and we me think and heaven is responding now and the believers in heaven represented by the 24 elders are giving thanks to God that his kingdom is about to come to the earth, just like it is in heaven.

Verse 15 the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever for sets, something that you're in Handel's Messiah. The course he shall reign forever and ever.

And that's without is quoting. This reminds us of the prayer of Jesus when he said after this manner therefore pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So now at this point that's about to happen.

What was lost in the Garden of Eden is going to be reclaimed again. But not everyone is happy about this.

Verse 18 says the nations were angry, and the word is there for angry could be translated and arranged suggesting the deep rooted hostility among the people these nonbelievers.

Despite the amazing displays of God's power hate God. One of the amazing contrast between the nonbelievers on earth, and the believers in heaven. What makes the nonbelieving world rejoice when God's will appears to fail in contrast what makes the believers and the angels in heaven rejoice when God's will succeed to their people. Today in our culture and our nation. It that see things seemingly going their way. They think their winning and in some ways they are God's going to have the last word in that to the Scripture reminds us of that. We read of the ark of the covenant being seen in heaven here so Indiana Jones just does need to look for it anymore. When orders now son in a warehouse and some trade. It's in heaven, but this is a very important reminder here because people are often thinking of the earth as sort of the real thing in heaven is sort of imitation of that but what we see here is we get a glimpse in the heaven as we realize that whatever we have on earth is but a replica of what is really there printed. There is a temple on earth. But then there's the temple in heaven. So here's how we need to think we should not reason from earth up to heaven, we should reason from heaven down to earth, heaven is the real thing. Earth is the imitation earth is the lesser version. I bring this up because sometimes it's hard to wrap our minds around heaven. Isn't it is you go to a beautiful place in you say wow this is so incredible, I mean heaven will be nearly this good is just like clouds and laying around, playing harps and sleeping that actually is appealing to some people, by the way that's on the way the Bible describes heaven. The Bible describes heaven as a city in eternal city and a city is a city it doesn't mean it's some weird translucent city when we walk through walls and more know it's a city. Cities have great restaurants.

Cities have things to do. Cities have activities. It's a city so why would I not think it's just like the best city I've ever been to.

But way way way better heaven so I can do a country countries a real tangible thing. Heaven is like into a garden. A garden of a king. In particular, so think of the most beautiful garden you've ever been to and magnified a thousand times and you get a glimpse of the glory of heaven so given sort of a peak in the heaven right there. CS Lewis propose that the hills and valleys of heaven will be to those you know experience, not as a copy but an original not exist nor as a sub to do this to the genuine article that has the flower to the root or the diamond to the coal. So how do you react to this well.

Verse 18 says your reward your servants the prophets and the saints, and those that fear your name, small and great, but most of us are not prophets but all of us who believe in Jesus are saints.

I must say you wondered how do you become a saint, saying to have to call you St. Gregory know you don't but I am a legitimate St. will you performed a miracle know you don't have to perform a miracle to be a saint you may be a believer in Jesus Christ because saint is just an alternate word for Christian or believer. It's all of it. So we talked about the saints that you that's me that's all of us as any more perfect and flawless, but we are saying.

So there's a reward promised for the state. There are people that are great successes on earth but are failures in heaven, and there are people that are failures on earth were great successes in heaven. The Olympics are coming and I was noticing my wife pointed this out to me that the Olympic motto is faster, higher, stronger love that faster higher stronger unit that can be a Christian's motto to you know when I'm running this race I want to run it faster. I want to jump higher. I want to be stronger. I don't want to settle for mediocrity.

I wanted I don't want to settle for second best. I want to make my life count up to the very end of the race of life and not a way that's important because when this life ends and it will lend for all of us then were going to face the judgment, but don't let that scare you coming back to the Olympics. It's more like an Olympic ceremony or even an award ceremony, then it is like a judgment.

We are not getting in because the judgment I'm referring to that Christians will face is not about whether or not you get into heaven or not. Because the judgment actually takes place in heaven. So it's more like now the awards are being given out in the Olympics.

You may metal and you get the bronze to get this over or the gold I met an Olympic athlete when an actual gold medal. She let me hold it. I said if I won this mental hardware is everywhere. I would everywhere ground with that total. This a gold Olympic metal and be pretty amazing to have that many people score like that that I be happy with bronze anything will God's going to give awards up one day. That's what the Bible says in Galatians 6. Don't be worrying, doing good, for in due season you will reap if you don't give up.

First Corinthians 38 says one appliance and the one waters work together with the same purpose and both will be rewarded for their hard work, then the Bible says one day will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Second Corinthians 510 says, and will appear before the judgment seat in each one will receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad, listen every sacrifice you made everything you've done for the glory of God.

Even if you did not receive the applause of man is duly noted and recorded in heaven and God will reward you one day that Jesus reminded us that your father who sees you in secret will reward you openly, and he knows a lot of times you may do things that that you don't get the credit you deserve. Nobody patch on the back, much as Adam bought worship someone else may get the credit.

God knows who did what when you did that for him when you made that sacrifice for him when you honored him in that way even when you resisted the temptation. When you took that step of faith and let God use you. It's noted in heaven noted in heaven noted in heaven and one day you'll be rewarded for and you know, if you don't do that much with what God is given you by his grace, you'll still get to heaven is getting to heaven is not based on what I've done for God. It's based on what God has done for me hallelujah right so this is not about getting the heaven.

This is about getting the heaven was something to show for the brief time you're on earth.

According to this and other passages are present in the kingdom is guaranteed by the promises of God, but our position in the kingdom will be earned or lost by the quality of service we render here and now salvation is a get, but these rewards come as a result of faithfulness, not something to be about. I have more rewards and you write more crowns and you because the Bible says will cast our crowns down for the Lord so it just more things offered to Jesus Jesus and said just did this for you, Lord. Here's the thing you need to focus on just be formal. God is called you to do. Don't try to do what God is called someone else to do do what God has called you to do you have your place word you live in your place where you work and your family and your friends and in your sphere of influence, go into your world and to all you can for his glory and the Lord reward you openly.

This is the hope of the Christian, but if you're not a Christian you don't have this hope if you're not a Christian you you cannot assure yourself that you get to heaven because there is no such promise.

In fact be quite honest the default destination of every person is not heaven at all. In fact, the default destination. If they reject Jesus Christ as a place called hell.

That's a Last Pl., God wants anyone to go. Do you think give God didn't care he would've sent his own son to suffer and die in our place on the cross and bear the sins of the world, God loved you so much. He poured his own judgment of wrath on his own son so you don't have to face towel and a Jesus who died for you on the cross and rose again stands at the door of your life, and he knocks and says if you cure his voice and open the door you'll come in. So let me close now with this statement up with an S on it.

With these statements is and I can only see one thing I have to drop the microphone and walked off the stage. Many close with these short statements one day. Life's going to come doing that if you put your faith in Christ you go to heaven, and if you cannot put your faith in Christ, you won't. So why don't we get that resolved. Right now you determine where you going to spend eternity, you decide if you go to heaven or hell. By accepting Christ.

You know you go there.

Heaven is not for good people. It's for forgiven people, but Greg, I'm a pretty good person you know you may be probably not as good as you think you are, but you may be relatively good but you're just not good enough. You still fall short. All of us to.

We all sin, but God is taking care of that by sending his son to die for our sins. So if you've never asked Jesus to come in your life and you're not sure you go to heaven when you die is weak close down prayer want to give you an opportunity to ask Christ to come into your life to ask God to forgive you so you can leave harvest tonight knowing you're right with God. Let's all pray.

Father, I think you for every person care. Every person listening and watching wherever they may be speaking out of their hearts and help them to see their need for Jesus I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their sin and bring them to yourself.

Now what I had said about in her eyes are closed and were praying.

How many of you would say 10 I Greg I want Jesus Christ in my life. I want my sins forgiven. I want to know with certainty that when I die I will go to heaven. I want this deal taken away.

I want this hole in my heart filled. Pray for me tonight and ready to say yes to Jesus that your desire. Wherever you are if you want God to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want your guilt taken away. Would you just raise your hand at the let me pray for you wherever you are, just lift your hand up in a pray for you combustion with the department can see it please God bless you.

God bless a whole bunch of you over there in the corner. God bless all of you over there, bless you in the back to accomplish it to anybody else if you lifted your hand yet lifted. Now let me pray for you is raise your hand and say yes I want Jesus Christ I pray for you anybody else. I bless you, if you ever raise your hand yet lifted anybody else, bless you to anybody else away one more moment.

Bless you what heads are still about maybe some of you would say, and I've fallen away from the Lord. I'm actually a prodigal son or daughter.

I want to come back to him again tonight. Pray for me that your desire. If you want to return to the Lord, would you raise your hand up want to make that recommitment to Christ. When we pray for you combustion anybody else handed God bless you to publish you to bless anybody else raise your hand.

Now, Lord, I ask you to bless everyone of these folks that a razor can help them to receive all that you have for them through a ask it now in your name to listen when our heads are still bad. I want every one of you that raise your hand to stand your feet just stand your feet, lead you in a prayer of commitment to Christ stand up if you raise your hand. Even if you did not what you want Jesus to come in your life you want your sins forgiven. Stand up wherever you are, to stand your feet and a pray right now. God bless all of you standing anybody else stand up there even if you didn't razor. Can you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ. Stand your feet when we pray with you combustion anybody else stand up away one more moment. Bless you.

Anybody else accomplish stand up on all of you that are sent and I want you to pray this prayer out loud right where you stand again as I pray this pray this out loud after me right where you are okay. Pray this after me now Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Jesus come into my life. I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend.

Thank you for calling me and forgiving me in Jesus name I pray. Amen. May God bless and God bless all of