SM130217/Beauty and the Beast

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Let's grab our Bibles now turn to Revelation chapter 17.

And I believe it or not, were on the home stretch of our series here in the book of Revelation. So very, very exciting chapters before us.

As this amazing book comes to a conclusion. The title of my message is beauty and the beast. I heard the story of a little boy I've told you this before like to go visit his grandparents in one of his favorite things about his grandparents house was the grandfather clock that they get because the love to hear it time on the hour, and his favorite time of the day was 12 o'clock noon for obvious reason.

So he is laying on the floor with his toys and noon came in the great clock began to chime 123456 little boys counting eight 910 1112 1314 1516 the clock chimed 16 time as it turns out there was something wrong with the inner mechanism of the clock little boy didn't know that he ran into the kitchen where his grandmother was making lunch. He said grandma grandma not later than it's ever been before. That's a pretty good description of the times in which we are living. Remember that in our last message we talked about the danger of a rogue nation like North Korea developing a nuclear weapon. Only a couple of days after we shared that they detonated a nuclear weapon by Secretary of State John Kerry said there are, in many ways a greater threat than even Iran and then add to that also. In this last week you heard the story of the meteor at 10 ton meteor streaking across the sky and exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains of the power of an atomic bomb last Friday. One person described as like a scene from the Armageddon movie it sonic glass shattered countless windows and injured over a thousand people. Also, last week we had an asteroid come within 17,000 miles of hitting our planet with 147 feet across asteroid impact expert Jay Mallozzi Purdue University Center and I quote something that size of it. If you get your wooded kit for the energy of a Thermo nuclear bomb" are the signs of the times will I believe they are because the Bible says in the last days there would be distress of nations, with no way out and there would be signs in the heavens above Adrian Rogers wrote these words in this book of Revelation quote. I believe that the shadows of the end of the age are lengthening the sands of time are running low and were standing on the front sold of the second coming of Jesus and the rapture of the church." And I agree with that statement. Now we come to Revelation chapter 17 are looking at a very bloodied time in the face of the earth known as the great tribulation. Fortunately we as Christians will not be entered during this time we will have been caught up to meet the Lord in heaven, so you might say were sitting this one out. I've called this message. Beauty and the beast, and no I'm not going to tell you that the story the Disney story, though I might sing the song for you at some point.

Remember, it was with that Ms. Potts to the ship seeing these oldies I sound this old is Ron. I told her not convincing that I put in many ways this story that were looking at is like that tale as old as time song as old as Rhine beauty and the beast is the people that the antichrist that is wrecking havoc on planet Earth was the beauty that socks that the church safely in heaven waiting to return again with the Lord as we look at the things on planet Earth. Things go from bad to worse, a powerful Ritz live a religious deception. That's what the planet described as Babylon.

She pictured as a prostitute writing a piece dressed in red will call her this Scarlet harlot.

Let's read about it. Revelation 17 verse one, then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with the same to me, I'll show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made from with the wine of her fornication so he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness and I saw woman sitting on a scarlet beast was 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 her fornication and honor. Forget a name was written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And I saw her, and I marveled with great amazement. But the angel said to me why do you marvel, I'll tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which is a seven heads and the 10 horns. The deeds that you saw was and is not and will ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go to perdition and those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was and is not in yet again.

Let's pray together about father as we consider these words, we pray that you will speak to us and that will understand what they mean to us today what Babylon is, how it affects us how we are to live in light of this, so speak to us as we study the book of Revelation, we ask this in Jesus name, amen. I have one word to describe what we just read their Revelation 17 what I mean what is happening here. I know can some very mysterious. In fact, it's described as mystery Babylon. All of us love a good mystery whodunit will this is one of those mysteries, but it's also explained. Remember that the purpose of the book of Revelation is not to conceal it is to reveal that the very word Revelation means the unveiling. So God wants to unveil or make understandable.

There was the things that are before us, Babylon is introduced. Babylon is a picture of man's kingdom in many ways Babylon is what we might call a code word that represents something else. For instance, when we say Madison Avenue what are really talking so much about that Particular St. in New York City were talking more about merchandising or or perhaps enough publicity or promotion. When we use the word Hollywood were not necessarily talking about the actual city of Hollywood.

But were talking about the entertainment industry as a whole, or will we use the phrase Wall Street were talking about commerce. The same is true of Babylon will be safe.

Babylon were speaking of something greater than the mere city. It's interesting that when Peter wrote to the believers in Rome. He spoke of them as the church in Babylon will affect the work in Babylon. They were in Rome, but Rome was sort of like the Babylon of its day Babylon represent the entire worldwide political, economic and religious kingdom of the antichrist. Let me say that again Babylon refers to the entire worldwide political, economic and religious kingdom of antichrist.

Now to understand Babylon. We need to go back to her origin and you remember that ancient Babylon began on the plains of Shinar that's of the world's first dictator established the world's first religious center that dictator's name was Nimrod and he is described as a mighty hunter of men's souls in defiance of the Lord know this is after the flood Noah and his family up, and their descendents are no living, and they were told to spread out across the planet, but instead we find this Nimrod character instructing the people to build a mighty tower that was known as a tower of Babel now is not so much about the height of the tower as it was about the objective for the purpose of the tower because that tower was built to look to the stars to see one's destiny. Babylon is sort of like ground zero for astrology and religion you could take all the religions of the world and they all really go back to the mother ship and that would be Babylon, the Tower of Babel is a classic example of men trying to reach God not God reaching men men trying to reach out. That's it religion it but it's sort of a man-made religion you know people want God, but they want him on their terms. They want forgiveness, but they don't want repentance they want heaven, but they certainly don't want to tell. Babylon was the beginning of humanism and although the Lord told the people to spread out. Instead, they pulled together to worship not to worship God, but the worship themselves.

They wanted to be unified. Now they were so proud of their tower. They built and they were effectively thinking God.

Watch out, there's a new kid in town, check out this thing that that we have corrected and I love how Genesis says God came down to see the city. It's almost funny really, God came down and said give having the student down really low. Sort of like when a little child see you have to bend over to hear them, but maybe the better analogy would be like looking at a little and that's it disappeared as in heaven, the most powerful telescope in heaven couldn't find this little tower that Nana directed her guts and I would have to come down there get my hands and knees to get on my magnifying glass so I could check out this great thing you guys have built God check it out and then he sent confusion and the people could no longer communicate this ultimately morphed into the great world Empire at Babylon under the rulership of Nebuchadnezzar and later Belshazzar and Belshazzar was in charge when Babylon was overtaken by the Medo Persian forces and so forth and so now with dynamite. Let's come back to our text before us. Here we have Babylon revisited. Rather, Babylon reborn effectively and know that the Scarlet harlot is writing the beast of verse three. This is sort of like the rodeo from hell is in it. The color scarlet or red reminders of the fiery red Dragon mentioned in Revelation 13 we know that that Dragon is a picture of Satan. So the devil is behind all of this we have the antichrist and this falls religious system that we talk a lot about the separation of church and state in America. Will this is the ultimate merging of church and state. People are effectively given the choice, believe in this religion and follow the antichrist and except Bismarck or die. Sort of like forced conversion not unlike what happens in Islamic countries today converge or die if you dare to convert to Christianity, will certainly execute you, or at least imprison you for that.

To hear the people Babylon third thing let's come together and yet God divides up because they were coming together for the wrong reason. But people still do this today and let's set aside our differences. Let's see unified is one really all religions teach the same thing. Don't think some will say it was Mahatma Gandhi, you said and I quote, I consider myself a Hindu, Christian, Muslim, a Jew, a Buddhist and a Confucian what he really should've said as I consider myself a confusion as you can have it all. I read an interview where Paul McCartney of the Beatles gave his views on God. He was quoted to say I believe in this spirit that the best I can put it. I think there's something greater than us and I love it and I'm grateful to it. But just like everyone else in the Pam planet. I can't pin it down.

I'm happy not pinning it down. I think Dixon out of all the religions I like many things that Buddhist say I like a lot of things that Jesus said that Mohammed said Sir Paul McCartney concludes just be cool and it will be all right. Let's rock 'n' roll religion you know it's lovely on the beetle. Well, that's not rock 'n' roll religion that's Babylonian religion and there's nothing new under the sun.

I think Paul needs to just let it be known and sent it is nobody's talking about Rex my songs that a great theologian. This false religious system is very appealing but it's also deadly. GK Chesterton said, "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 true.

That's what people are doing in the tribulation. There believing in anything and everything.

First floor of chapter 17 says that this Scarlet harlot Babylon has in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. Now golden cup speaks of something expensive valuable and then the abominations would speak of moral and spiritual fill a luxurious deadly cocktail.

Did you hear about this Carnival cruise ship that was adrift of the coast of Mexico this last week.

Apparently a fire broke out in the engine room.

They lost all power. They were in total darkness, there was no food in the toilets were overflowing.

There was excrement in the hallways. One passenger was quoted to say the hallways were toxic full of urine.

It was described as uploading Petri – I mean imagine all that started on what a great time.

It's going to love, though. The next thing they know it's done on the boats.

So what would you bring up that was grossest will. That's the way the tribulation is startup promising people don't understand that sometimes they think the moment the tribulation begins its ominous and horrific wallet is in some ways, but it starts like a new era of global peace.

I mean think about it you have a robust economy, people are making money hand over for you over religion.

We can all agree on. You can live however you please and do whatever you want with whoever you want the best of all, global leader you can trust in the antichrist. This man of peace, shows his true colors in every else the Jews rebuild their temple erected an image of himself and commanded people to worship it. That's called the abomination of desolation going back to Babylon. The reminders of Nebuchadnezzar's vision of an image and so in a dream and so he added made out of golden gave the command that everybody in the kingdom Velcro for the image of the King are huge, I and only three men dared to not bow Shadrach me shack in the Bendigo they were thrown into a fiery furnace course will know they survived in the Lord himself walk with them through.

But the point is, the king demanded worship. And that's with the antichrist.that's not unlike what other world leaders have done that for this Caesars did. They came in the power and ultimately demanded worship like that cruise ship. It's a prison or a golden cup full of abominations that stinks to high heaven known the mystery of all of this is explained in verse eight the beast that you saw was and is not and will ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go to perdition. Those that dwell in the art will marvel, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Interesting phrase the beast who was and is not ascending. Remember who was the beast or the antichrist.

He's the devil's cheap imitation of the Messiah, the prefix anti-not only means against it also means instead of an Satan as his unholy Trinity. He takes the place of God antichrist in the place of Jesus Christ and the false prophet in the place of the Holy Spirit. So in the same way. There's an assassination attempt that apparently is extensible on this powerful world leader. The bees are the antichrist and he survives it, they think he's dead and he's alive again and that sort of the double version of the death and resurrection of Christ, Dr. this happens, according to Revelation 13, after the antichrist is wounded beyond recovery and his fatal wound is healed. Everyone marvel at this miracle and follows the beast in and they worshiped the Dragon were told that gives the pieces power and they worship the be safe. Is anyone as great as the be so fulltilt devil worship breaks out after this so-called resurrection from the dead.

Babylon is not only a religious system. It's also an economic entity in the last day. Revelation 17 focuses on the religious religious aspect of Babylon will Revelation 18 focuses on the city's political and economic characteristics.

One thing is clear. Babylon is not only a mentality will also become a super city over to Revelation 18 verse one after these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority.

It was illuminated with his glory and he cried aloud mightily with a loud voice, Babylon the great is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons to prison for every golf spirit McEachern every unclean and heated bird for all the nations of drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth become writs of the abundance of her luxury. There listen to this bigger is not always better notice of Babylon is a dwelling place of demons remember again. It's also a religious system as well as an economic power. Jesus told a parable about a bush that grew into a tree and all the birds nested there in the tree and nieces the kingdom of heaven is like this and in some about what I must be a description of how the church grows large and powerful in the last season when the second is a bunch of birds in the tree and we go back to sort of the main parable of all the parables of parable of the sower, we find a very important thing he talked about the seed that is sewn on the roadside and the birds come and eat it and then he interprets it and says the birds are like when the devil comes and snatches the word out of a person's heart.

So with that same idea in my ear. We are looking at Babylon. This massive tree with birds that are a symbol of evil. So what is it say it says in the last days they'll be people in our churches were not true believers among other things. Sometimes we think the bigger something is, the better… That's sort of an American way of looking at things right. Your successful you're making more money than the other people so you're the best of your church as more people attending. So you're the best, not necessarily. I mean, nothing smaller is better. But what I am saying is sometimes because of a watered-down message and a compromise. People will feel comfortable in a certain church because there never can wanted with their sin was my job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.

And I hope you're a nonbeliever in your coming to our church every week, and you're pretending to believe be a believer. I hope I can preach you right out of this place and I mean that I'd rather you didn't come is it will why don't you want more people in your church, not people that are being deceived because here's the problem I think church can be a very dangerous place. By that I mean if you come here with no intention of applying the choose your learning. It is in this place where your life could be change, that your heart can also get hard. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, the same message that liberates one can hurt another if they don't respond appropriately. Let me say something up if you come here and you say oh I'm a Christian and you contradicted in the way that you live having an openly sinful lifestyle. You're hurting your self and so that's the picture care Babylon it's grown large. With its problematic. These words are good. These birds are evil number for Hitchcock's film the birds I saw that as a little kid completely freaked me out. I still break out the sweat when I see a tree full of birds deftly going to park my current of those trees for obvious reasons, but this whole empire as powerful as it becomes is going to come down quickly that because Satan sales a sinking ship. Sin cannot win in faith cannot fail.

If you become a lover of Babylon you're following a lost cause and as we read about the destruction of Babylon and how rapid it is. It makes us wonder if it's not the result of a nuclear weapon or an asteroid hitting it.

Revelation 89 the kings of the earth and committed fornication. The live luxuriously with her weep and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, alas, alas, the great city of Babylon the mighty city for a one hour. The judgment has come. Standing at a distance for fear of her torment is not a description of a fear of radioactive fallout. I don't know but I know this much. Babylon is going down and everyone that the part of it got effectively says that's it. The party is over things that reach the tipping point the boom is now going to draw a lesson that can be true of life as well.

The Bible says that your sin will find you well sometimes when we sin is nothing bad happened. If we don't get caught or found out with it. Maybe the Lord given me a pass. Trust me, he is. Don't confuse God's mercy and grace with leniency or God turning a blind eye. God is so good to deal with that sin is giving you an opportunity to repent so you don't have to face the full ramifications of it, but Ecclesiastes 811 says when crime is not punished quickly. People feel it's safe to do wrong with that punishment will come when it comes to Babylon so that's what the beast is doing what's the beauty doing well were up in heaven singing the hallelujah chorus literally look at Revelation 19 verse one after these things are heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying hallelujah, salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. This is great, why are we celebrating up in heaven. Number one, we celebrate because the power of God is vanquished evil. The power of God is vanquished evil verses one into you know when Christian speak of the end of the world are really speaking of the unrighteous world system driven by Satan in steered by wicked people in. We so often see evil prevail. Finally were going to see righteousness prevail.

So we rejoice number two. We were trying to think of the Lord is raining versus three and said the Lord is raining now. Until that day that Christ sits within the art and time will continue to sin, God will allow man the freedom to make his own stupid choices. But then the Lord says that it number three we celebrate because the marriage of the Lamb is come for seven and eight. Let this be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife is made herself ready to her was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the same no more than one occasion of the church as compared to a brine.

The bride of Christ, that some men don't like that I don't want to be applied. Get over it. You're a brine and Jesus is the groom and one day will be that heavenly wedding, so to speak.

We will be presented to him and just as husband and wife need to be faithful to one another and keep their balance. We need to be faithful to the Lord because if you break your vows to your spouse and your sexually involved with someone else, you commit adultery and we can commit spiritual adultery as well. Did you know that how my loving this world system loving Babylon in effect James for ports is you adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. Know what we mean when we say the world. Let me say we don't mean the earth.

There's nothing wrong with appreciating what God is made on the earth. You know sometimes Christians misunderstand it then maybe you're looking at a beautiful sunset is a better spread for God I love that sunset. They think that the world needed the things that are in the world. My responses you're not even executing the passage properly. It's not the earth it's the world see the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, and I think Christians can appreciate more than anyone else all the handiwork of our heavenly father know the world is a system it's a mentality system of thought, a way of living that's embraced by most. It's a me first thinking of the people who built the Tower of Babel that we were to be honest, you know that's only like the thing I'm coming back to up part of worship we think because it's all about me. It's all about me Jesus.

Would you ever sing that church lightning would strike me. Yeah, you shouldn't sing it for sure.

But sometimes it is all about you and sometimes it is all about me sometimes even in the way I worship. I make it all about me.

Maybe I'm lifting my hands and I'm singing louder than anybody else and I'm thinking to myself I am a worshiping machine. I blow all of these other worshipers out of the water. I'm so so it's all about you is like to be the way to love not the world. The Bible says neither the things that are in the world for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, the lust of the guises of the father, not of the world.

Here's another translation really like of that same verse.

First John 215. All of the world's ways and all of the world's goods, love of the world squeezes out love for the father practically everything that goes on in the world wanting your own way wanting everything for yourself wanting to impure important has nothing to do with the father. It just isolates you from him the world and all of its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out when whoever does what God wants is set for eternity like that translation.

So, no we do not want to be spiritual adulterers for adulterous. Now we see the goddess called us to be faithful to him. Now when we talk about being in this world.

It doesn't mean that we need to be isolated from the world otherwise would have to leave the planet Nepal actually dealt with this in his letter to the Corinthian Corinth was known for their immorality and corruption. Some of said that you could just as easily call it the book of first California's and I think it fits so and first Californians by nine Paul says I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin, but I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin or greedy swindlers are idol worshipers. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.

Actually, Paul goes on to say what I'm saying is zoning out with people that claim to be Christians but live a morally hard swindlers varietal worshipers but I'm not think about your content with nonbelievers, a live that way otherwise you have to leave this planet.

See, we want to influence those people we want to win those people to Christ. Our job is not to isolate its to insulate that Sandra said were not to be isolated rather insulated moving in the midst of evil but untouched by I would add were not only to insulate but we also are to infiltrate, permeate the culture with the gospel. Number four. We celebrate in heaven because the marriage supper of the Lamb begins. I underline the word supper.

I like the word supper these out a lot on the cell you know when I'm out visiting my friends. I don't want to come to our house for supper sure we call it dinner usually I like the word supper and I dislike the.

I don't care what you call it lungs. There's food on the table. I think I'm hungry most of the time my the only one I mean I am ready for lunch at 10 o'clock and I'm not kidding. I'm ready for dinner at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I am so hungry and to the greatest words I know of our dinners ready, let's sit down any.

And I wonder what this wedding supper will be like a formal sitdown affair. I hope not. Maybe more of a buffet. I like it more casual. All I'm asking for in God's in control. You know, but I want Mexican food and Italian food located at I like some sushi to put it.

I just I love all the wrong food. I love hamburgers I love pizzas I love burritos and tacos and I love choose with cheese and all that stuff. Am I making you hungry I tell you when we were in Italy.

In our last trip to Israel. We stop the Romans a little tour there you have never had pizza do you had it in Italy and pastas the same. It's so cool and it's almost like you can find bad pasta anywhere they could get the way. Well, it was meant to be cooked right and so we were back there and we we actually saw the little video of a little restaurant.

I really like and you guys see it, you just started me preaching archery okay look at the screen. Everybody glory here in Rome, Italy, and I wanted to give you my favorite Italian restaurant others who are the restaurants that are marketed here goes here go there, but this is one we sort of found on our own and we love it is called live Russia, let's go see for ourselves where we are. Love Russia the best Italian food I've found so far. Best pasta pizza initially how this stuff is really made.

Here's a start of the show when the moon hits your survive and so tell us what is your food so good because ingredients are so simple, so fresh we don't even have a freezer in these present buildings. We made cavities moment of the day, something finish we make moment. We make King Mozingo that we make an intended only for me. We make meaning of homemade is getting old and I know the pizza is mourning the chocolate almond class, made gorgeous and you made that, may be sent to Cincinnati not tentatively behind-the-scenes houses is made, no part of our research is for you to sample many of the things here as well so I checked this out on your guided tour and how pizza supposed to be made and pasta is supposed to be made.

You're never going to be happy to put you get in America again, check this out one season to look like no very thin crust bass telling you it doesn't get any of the sentencing to benefit Joe, thank you to you my friend for making me the happiest way getting the will, and Lori will go when heaven should be like without the guidance and with my wife. She didn't want to do that heavily distorted Dan's annoying that's what I was pointing and laughing and I show the video because I want pizza. No, I show the video to know what you did wrap your mind around the idea of heaven is a real place so a lot of times we we don't think of him heaven in concrete terms, but the way it is described in Bible terms are used. It doesn't say heaven is like a city since heaven in the city. It doesn't say heaven is like a country. It is a country doesn't seem like a place. It is a place and it talks about a wedding.

Can you imagine sitting down with heroes of the Bible and having a meal Bible says overlap in Romans 811 skews me not to wait 11 ICU. Many will come from the East and the West and will take their place at the beach with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

You'll be able to talk to these people. Can you imagine sitting down to the meal payables is could you pass the manna always wanted to taste it.

Hey Elijah, my meetings a little more fire. Could you gonna like call little fire down on it, so Susan messing up log.

Could you pass a solvency director that inward. Imagine sitting down there and asking David what it was like to fight the lighter asking Moses what it was like up there. Mount Sinai asking Mary what it was like to carry the son of God in her womb. Having breakfast with Spurgeon. She was CS Lewis sitting with the great men and women of Scripture and being reunited with loved ones that have gone before you. These are all promised of the child of God, but they are not the hope of the child of Babylon. We basically have two cities to choose from the city of God or the city of man Babylon for the new Jerusalem Jesus Christ or Antichrist.

The world is not our home, but it is our present location. One day, were going to go home with the Bible tells us in first Chronicles 29 that were here only for a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us.

Our data centers are like a shadow on so soon without a trace. See when you become a Christian, you become a citizen of heaven. Your real home rolled a reptile Philippians 320 were citizens of heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ live now you know I have four granddaughters you saw two of them in that video that was Stella singing the Lori and Lucy was there to Bonne Terre and I have two other granddaughters, Riley and Allie and I were grandson now and Christopher while Allie is the youngest of the girls.

She is only two years old and she says some words she makes a will known to me. She grabs me by the hand and takes me place of Papa pop-up claimant. This play went down and sometimes when she does know the word.

She just sort of makes up words of Susie Papa probably was little and it would all end. But one thing I love about Ali is his you know what she wants to do and shall come into our home and she so excited when she gets there. And by the where home was filled with all kinds of toys lots of toys for girls. We have a full-sized Barbie doll house in our family room we have train sets we have all these other things easy will I don't like those things in my home. I wanted keep objects that could be you know that are fine change our home gait. Make your home assessable to your rank. If your grandparent don't be such a stick in the mud anyway. So we want them to have fun so I will come overseas so excited. She's playing with their toys suddenly she'll just say home.

What home that you walk out the door. Literally. Were you going your two poems you want.

Like she's going to grab the keys and drive offer something which she wants to go. She wants to go to sort of a homebody I've ever seen this in a little child home and never felt that way, you deserve a look at life and you say this is an home. I mean there's great moments in life aren't there.

But then there are very sad moments of hard moments in times were all just leaves you cold and you say home and you're talking about your heavenly home and found said this and I quote heaven, not to draw and engage us heaven out to fill our hearts in our hands or conversation in our character in our features that all would see that were foreigners and strangers to this world. He continues the very atmosphere of this world should be showing to us and not just its sons and clipped standards, companionship, dull and insipid heaven is our native land and home to us in debt to us is not the dying hour, but the birth our" I love that it's your choice. Babylon or the new Jerusalem. Listen to this life under this is his dad is a will get for the Christian is a will have a pretty good life. Your blessed person is this is is that is a cats but listen, if you're a nonbeliever.

This is as good as a get, it's all downhill from here. There's an afterlife and then that afterlife. There's a heaven for those that believe and there is a hope for those that reject God's offer of salvation through Jesus Christ and before that judgment happens or something called the great white throne judgment and God's funeral look through that book and if your name is not found written in the book of life. Revelation says shall be cast into the lake of fire.

The book of life. Interesting thing to mention multiple times in Scripture we already read about it. Revelation 1780, those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world is your name written in the book of life over in Luke 1020 we have the story of the disciples getting very excited about the fact that demons were coming out of people and Jesus are put into perspective and said to them, don't rejoice at this. Submit to you rejoicing your names are written in heaven guys Perspective. It's a great thing that demons came out of people to listen. The biggest issue here is your name is written in heaven is nothing more important than that Paul mentioned in Philippians 43 he says yes I ask you, loyal young fellow, help those women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life, my name is in the book of life is yours.

So how do you know it's an IP no.

I'll tell you why it's in their because I put my faith in Jesus Christ and I trusted in him.

And when you do that you can know your name is written there when it's written.

I don't know. All I know is once you believe in Jesus, it's there for sure and I would really be missing an opportunity if I did not invite some of you to be sure today. Your name is written in the book of life member I said earlier that the church can be like a big tree with a lot of birds in it. In other words, can be a place for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean that everyone is necessarily a believer maybe you're up for tender.

Maybe you're an actor or an actress who acts like a Christian but you know you're not.

Maybe you're a visitor here for the first time you've never heard any of these things were far and you don't know if your name is written in the book.

If your name is written in the book of life. You can be certain that when you die you will go to heaven if your name is written in the book of life. You can be certain when Christ comes back for his church. It will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

If your name is not written in the book of life, you will not go to heaven when you die and if your name is not written in the book when the Lord comes you will be left you want your name written in the book. If so respond to this invitation that I want to extend as we close down prayer. Let's all bow our heads if you would please father, now we've heard your word. I pray for any that are with us listening, watching, who do not have the assurance that their name is written in the book of life.

Lord, help them to come to you now help them to believe in Jesus Christ right now our heads are God and her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today Greg, I want my name and that book I want to be sure it's in that book and I want to go to heaven when I die and I want to be sure that will be ready when the Lord comes back. But I'm not sure, but I'm ready to say yes to Jesus I'm ready to believe in him know I can have my name of that book. Pray for me if you want your name written in the book of life. If you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to be ready for the Lord's return. Would you lift your hand up right now and let me pray for you to slip your hand up review article blush publishing got bless you all.

Bless you wherever you are. If you're watching video screen just look your candidate doesn't matter if ICU the Lord sees God bless all of you taking the step of faith. Anybody else you want your name and that book you want to get right with God. After handling the periphery publishing.

Bless all of you what our heads are still valid. Maybe some of you would say you know what I've been playing church. I been the pretender I put on a good act.

Reality is you have been fooling anybody maybe pulled a few people. He certainly didn't full God which are tired of this game you're tired of playing a part you want to be a real Christian today and commit your life to Christ.

Raise your hand up, would you do me pray for you, blush, publishing, don't be embarrassed. Publishing nominal asset. All of you that a raise your hand if you would please stand your feet and I want to lead you in a prayer, use a razor again saying you want your name written on the book you want your sins forgiven you want to go to heaven when you die.

Stand your feet you that want to make that recommitment to Christ stand up, lead you in a prayer wherever you are, stand up right now stand up, others are standing by the way, you will be the only one to stand up you watching that harvest orange press harvest orange county stand up you outside in the patio area. There you stand up you up in the court building. Stand your feet. Now this is a commitment you're making to Christ sister everyone. Anybody else if you'd not stood yet stand one final moment stand a lead you in this prayer anybody else stand.

God bless all of you standing nominally junior prayer. I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this out loud after me right where you stand. Pray this now, Lord Jesus, I want my name in your book. So I turn for my sins and I choose to believe in you be my Savior be my Lord be my God, my friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen