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SM130120/The Mark of the Beast

A New Beginning / Greg Laurie
The Cross Radio
January 23, 2013 12:35 pm

SM130120/The Mark of the Beast

A New Beginning / Greg Laurie

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January 23, 2013 12:35 pm

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Let's grab our Bibles and hitting a hard right to the book of Revelation. The title of my message today is the mark of the beast hello to harvest Orange County as well. When we begin with the word prayer father. We believe that your word is true and your word has told us that Christ is coming back again and yours also told her that certain things will happen before that to alert us to cause us to be ready. So as we talked about some of those things as we think about what your word says help us to not just read it but help us to hear it. Then help us to keep the words of this book because as we have seen, there is a blessing promised in Revelation to the one who reads, hears and keeps the words of it.

Speak to us from Scripture. We pray in Jesus name, amen heard the story about two Christians that were standing by the side of the road.

They had a sign in audited written these bold letters. The end is near turnaround before it's too late while the first driver that went by rolled down his window.

He yelled out.

Leave us alone you religious nuts and and then there was a screeching of tires and a big splash. One of the Christians turned to the other and said maybe we should just come up with a sign that says bridge out instead the end of the world. We've heard of this before, didn't chicken Little have something to say on that topic. Always talking about the end is near the end is near. But only the only one saying that will actually we are others. A group of atomic scientists that get together periodically and they update the doomsday clock. Now the doomsday clock was established back in 1947 as a way for atomic scientists to warn the world about the danger of nuclear weapons and the idea was one that clock struck 12, when they set it to 12 that mean it was the end man was going to detonate this weaponry and so sometimes they move it back a minute.

Sometimes they move it forward a minute, when it was established initially in 1947. They set the clock at 11:53. Back in 2010 it was moved to 11:54 because they thought some progress had been made, but they just updated it for 2013 and they have set the doomsday clock to 11:55, so it's close. And really, we've never been closer to the end of the world than we are right now. What the Bible also speaks of a new beginning – also take place, a time when righteousness will reign supreme will be no perversion, no murder, no terrorism, no more, no starvation, no problem of any kind.

Why, because Isaiah 11 nine says the knowledge of the Lord will fill the air. That's a good news. The bad news is is is going to get worse before it gets better inherent Revelation 13 were looking at spiritually dark times and what the Bible describes as the tribulation.

Satan's son, if you will, has emerged on the scene the men of tradition, the man of sin. The beast, but best known as the Antichrist is the most evil man who was ever led histories vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion. So one is the antichrist agenda last time we discovered the number one.

He is coming to DFI Satan report says he worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beach or they worshiped the Dragon, and they were said to be saying, who is like the beast out.

We know that the Dragon is speaking of the devil. Revelation tells us that in the beast is the antichrist, and so there's fulltilt devil worship breaking out globally.

Number two is coming to define.

Take the place of Jesus. Verses five and six of Revelation 13 talks about him blaspheming God the same as Satan's imitation. Remember the prefix anti-not only means against it also means instead of is not merely coming to oppose Christ is coming in the place of Christ. So we comes to defiant take the place of Jesus.

Thirdly, he's coming to kill all Christian or seven was granted to make war with the saints, granted to him and to overcome them in authority was given him over every tribe and tongue and nation. He will relentlessly hunt down and murder followers of Jesus Christ and we also know that antichrist will survive an assassination attempt know if he is literally killed and somehow comes back to life. This is just some ruse he comes up with. The effect will be the same people perceive him as being dead and living again.

I remember antichrist is Satan's fate. Jesus, if you will, his imitation Messiah.

So this is the devil's attempt to re-create the death and resurrection of Jesus. Antichrist, in effect, rises again. Well, antichrist is not going to work alone is getting have just devilish worship leader is religious false prophet at a side that's read about him. Revelation 13 verse 11 then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those I dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs will even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those that dwell in the earth by those signs which was granted to do in the side of the beast, telling those who dwell in the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and led. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast of the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed because as all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on the right hand or on their forehead. Middlemen may buy or sell except one has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name here is wisdom. That humor was understanding calculate the number of the beast part as a number of a man.

His number is 666. There those three numbers 666 are the mark of the beast. Now if you Google the number 668.

You will find 543 million result and you'll probably find 543 million ideas about what it actually means. I don't think anyone can answer this with complete certainty. But this much we do know antichrist is going to introduce a cashless society is gonna require people to take the mark will meant to buy or sell with out it.

The endgame of this is to cause people to engage in devil worship. So this is a scenario that's unfolding before us are not, by the way, this is all been predicted in the Bible and you know it's fascinating to see the technology.

There were talking about effectively already here. I mean 40 years ago. This would've seen impossible if not impossible, but now with all of the developments in the tech world we can see how such a thing could actually unfold before before our eyes in real time as Mark Hitchcock, an excellent writer on the topic of prophecy points out, and I quote the fact that the words of Revelation 13 were pinned and the agent would stone swords and spears makes is probably one of the most powerful pros of the inspired nature and reliability of God's word that one can imagine who could have predicted a one world economic system that controls all commerce but God." That's right, by the way, this is not a big stretch for the Lord because usually he knows the future, just as well as we know the past and sometimes we don't even know the past that well right we forget details.

I'm always amazed well about adventure or something happen, and I'll tell my wife about and I'll explain what happened. She always asked these questions and interrupts me, mid-story that's it will await what color shirt was the one who care. Let me finish this story chose was detail detail detail so finally I finish in then maybe a month later.

I'm telling the story to say you left out a part of, say, how do you know you weren't there. She said no but I remember and you know what is right.

She remembers it better than I remember because I forget details so I'm not always great at remembering every detail of the past but God is not only does God remember every detail of the past. He also knows the future with complete accuracy.

God is not going out on a limb when he tells you what is about to happen that we read the Lord's own words in Isaiah 46, nine and 10.

Do not forget the things I've done through history, for I am God. I alone I am God and there is no one else like me only I can tell you what's going to happen before it happens.

Everything I plan will come to pass. I do whatever I wish that the mark of the beast. The changing global economy right now it is really interesting that so fluid and we don't know where it's going to end up in the way we do with our discussion on the Fox News Channel about the changing economy, one financial expert was being interviewed and he said and I quote the real reform is some kind of unthinking union where everyone signs on board that there's going to be some kind of unthinking overlord of banking union that everyone's going to have to bow down to Ken this actually happened." Lexi yes again there will be a banking union. It'll be global and there will be an overlord with a solution that people will literally bow down to and the leader of it will be the antichrist and he will have his mark. The antichrist economic policy will be very simple. Take my mark and worship me or starve to death know Mark, no merchandise, no seal, no sale, and the technology of course.

To do this is already here. I read an article in the New York Daily News of the headline human barcode could make society more organized.

The article says Michael Chubb chip implants have become standard practice for our pet would've been a topper so when it comes to putting them in people with her already and increasingly, ways to electronically track people since 2006 new US passport include radiofrequency identification tags also known as RFID that store all of the information in the passport, plus a digital picture of the owner in 2002, an implantable ID chip called varicella was approved by the US food and drug administration. The chip could be implanted in a person's arm and went scan could pull up a 16 digit ID number containing information about the user. One writer commenting on this said, we need to get this technology into place as quickly as possible.

They said I would insist on every individual having the unique ID permanently attached the barcode if you will in implanted chip to provide an easy, fast, inexpensive way to identify individuals." So you can see the logic of it right, you don't carry a wall around doesn't matter if you lose your credit card you have your ID on you at all times. All they have to do is scan it now am I seeing that this technology will be the mark of the beast.

No I'm not. I'm just saying the ability to technically pull the soft exists now I don't know when the tribulation period is they can be, you know, five years from now it could be 20 years from now, but I'll tell you this with the developments in this kind of technology today you could see how this is totally plausible and no one will be able to buy or sell without this marked the Scripture tells us, but let's not overreact okay, don't be alarmed when you're leaving California adventure and going into Disneyland and they put a stamp on your hand, it's okay. It's not the mark of the beat don't lose any sleep.

If you go to our office building and it happens to be 666 okay these things are still in our future, but all we know that a great delusion will come upon the world. Second Thessalonians 29 says evil men will come to do the work of Satan, with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked deception to full those were on the way to destruction because he refused to believe the truth that would save them so God will send great deception upon them and they will believe the lie will find interesting about the verses it says they refuse to believe the truth that would save more during a crusade in the community.

I get opportunities to talk to the press. Lastly, what is this thing were doing why we doing it, and I'll often say something along the lines of lucky here's what were doing.

This is an event for the skeptic for the nonbeliever.

This is an event for the outright ETS to come and examine the claims of Christ in here with the Bible says and make an intelligent decision based on the facts not there perception of the fact here's what I find a lot of people reject Christ without even knowing what he says they'll reject the Bible without even reading it will even say the Bible is full of contradictions, you say really all yes you read the Bible all yes it's on review of the Bible with unipolar that live above and put that thing away. What I children permit to carry that okay one of the so-called contradictions in the Bible that you have a problem with the can never identify them because they haven't rented the refused to believe the truth and instead they believe the lie. What is a lot orders fully realizing the tribulation. The lie is that antichrist is God. You see, so people will buy into that God will send them a delusion. What is that mean those who turn from the truth of God. Antichrist reviewed Concentra salvation will be turned over to their own self will destroy God will confirm their choice and send a deluding influence on them best in illustration I can think of is the story of fair remember how miracles were performed by the hand of God through Moses and Aaron and what we re-Pharaoh hardened his heart.

Another miracle Pharaoh hardened his heart even another miracle Pharaoh hardened his heart and then suddenly it changes in says God hardened Pharaoh's heart. So what's with that even if he was, or the contradiction of the Bible's and the contradiction. It's a progression or maybe I should say a regression initially Pharaoh did hardened his heart and he hardened it again any hardened again and he hardened again and then God hard know what is that mean a better translation of God hardening it would be God's strength did it listen God is giving you a free will is not going to force you to believe something you don't want to believe that he will come to you and seek to convince you of the truth of the Scripture Holy Spirit will work on your heart but you have the ability to resist him. And if you harden your heart and harden your heart and harden your heart that will accommodate one God will strengthen you in your own resolve several egregious building used as good wants to be a millionaire. God will say is that your final answer. Are you sure okay I'm going to strengthen you in your resolve. That's the bad news when he would strengthen you in your unbelief, but the good news is for the person that sponsors to the Holy Spirit and believes in Jesus lesson of this God will strengthen you and that as well and I will give us that strong faith that we need and so this is what's happening. The devil is gonna bet the farm on this is going for the jugular.

He's getting everything that he has any will succeed for a time, then he will be judged and put away forever now. Interesting thing about the description. The balls probably to verse 11. Again, I saw another beast coming out of your web two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon. The first beast of Revelation 13. The Antichrist is ominous and powerful confusing the seven heads and 10 horns and 10 crowns. Speaking of political authority.

In contrast, the second visas like a docile lamb, reminding us that he is a spiritual leader. In contrast to the Antichrist having the horns that represent power. This beast comparatively seems harmless yet. Verse 11 tells us he spoke like a dragon. He looks like a lamb he spoke like a dragon. So many think of a lamb you think about creature that is not aggressive and when you think of a dragon. But we know that's a double so we know he's as lethal as the antichrist, sort of like the difference between an adult rattlesnake and the baby rattlesnake you've ever seen an adult rattler coiled up using around you know that means right don't approach that snake back away. We know that, but if you've ever seen a baby rattler there almost cute because they're like a miniaturize rattlesnake that little head little things little rattle so you look at holy.

Everything stopped. Oh, you pick it up. Did you do baby little railing at the fully digital rather did JJ find out later that proper drop the potency of the venom of a baby rattler is actually stronger than an adult so people tell the antichrist that he is one thing but this guy, he will be called the false prophet. By the way, the false prophet, much cooler handle than that for sure, but is Guru.

This spiritual leader will mislead many people in Eva's own language to miss lead them even now are already moving toward a global economy in a global religion watchword of the day is tolerance and we have new verbiage today. That means different things to get some of the popular terminology women's reproductive rights death with dignity, religious tolerance, who would oppose things like that, why would we oppose a woman's reproductive rights or oppose him and dine with dignity or being tolerant, but one of these things really mean woman's reproductive rights means they have the right to murder their unborn baby.

I don't agree with that. At today's sanctity of human life.

Sunday since Roe V Wade, 1973, 54 million babies have been aborted death with dignity means the euthanasia of the elderly. Religious tolerance means you tolerate every religion except the one that dares to say Jesus Christ is the only way to God the father its new verbiage for a new time, the New World order is coming former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev talked about that in a news conference when he said and I quote the victims of the September 11 attacks on the United States will not have died in vain. If the world leaders use the crisis to create a new world order, we can get a new world order that is desirable for all of us." Sorry, read Gorbachev. I'm not interested in. Many will be in this Antichrist will inaugurate this new world order another thing Scripture tells us is antichrist will be involved somehow in the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. This is significant because there is no Jewish temple right now. In fact, the last one was back in 19 or not. 19 back in 70 A.D. the first Temple was envisioned by King David built by his son, King Solomon. It was destroyed by it was ultimately rebuilt in by King Herod and destroyed note wise and important because Jesus and will be calling all of the discourse. Matthew 24 talking about the end of the world will be the signs of the end of the age he start pricing you see this building, not one stone will be left upon another that will not be brought down. That's key because Matthew 24 is largely about events that are still not have to. But he starts with an event, the know we can look back with 2020 hindsight and see happen exactly as Christ said it would. This building this magnificent temple.

Not only will it be brought down. It's going to be dismantled stone by stone. That's a very specific prophecy… Back in those days didn't have explosives, you know today, the blow building up in Vegas to make room for another building.

The bloke later and you've seen some of those videos and they have this incredible hotel and they got it all all the explosives in the right place and the cameras set inserted shakes and crumbles on the balls in place for the most part Jesus is saying that building will be taken at how would that happen and why would that happen because when you go to Israel today will find that most of the civilizations of the been there over the years will build right on top of the other one another would suggest taking building and adapt it for another purpose so you can look at the walls of Jerusalem and you start with those stones going back to the time of the first Temple, then you have the time of Herod, then you have the, the Muslim invaders and you of the Crusaders in all the groups that have come and gone since in in the stone just change what you can see it all but the temple is gone. There is no top one because Jesus said there would be. He said it would be dismantled.

So 70 A.D. Titus the Roman legions coming to Jerusalem someone sets fire to the temple, there's gold in it. The gold melts into the crevices of the stones tightest is the command to dismantle the temple stone by stone retrieve the gold and the prophecy was fulfilled missing.

So Jesus said that temple is going to be taken down, but now Scripture says that temples going back up and it's interesting because the poll was taken recently among Israelis and two thirds of them want to see the temple rebuilt so any time you open up a newspaper and you read about 1/3 temple pay attention Bible student. That's a big time sign of the times and this couldn't even of happen until the Jews were back in their homeland again. Why would anybody else want to rebuild the Jewish temple and also it couldn't happen until Jerusalem wasn't Jewish control again. So right now we love. We see things are in place. There's even a Temple Institute that is dedicated to the rebuilding of the third temple.

Why does it matter if the temples rebuilt because the Bible says it will be rebuilt. Antichrist will erect an image of himself ended and he will commend people to worship it and this is a key moment in the tribulation. That is described by Jesus as the abomination of desolation.

Matthew 24 Jesus said in verse 15 when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place at the temple let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains for your flight is on the Sabbath day for the be great tribulation, such as there is not been since the beginning of time ever will be.

Paul gives us more detail in second Thessalonians 2 for speaking of antichrist.

He says he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or his worship so he isn't God sitting in the temple of God is coming is after the working of Satan with all power and pretended miracles lying wonder known to the shifters irregular from Revelation 13 Revelation 14 and read just a few verses really go from darkness to light from the world's future to our future. As believers into another kind of mark that we as believers once in our lives.

Revelation 14 verse one. Then I look to behold the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father's name written on their foreheads and I could a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, like the voice of loud thunder. They heard the sound of harpists playing on their hearts they sing as it were a new song before the throne before the living creatures and the elders and no one could learn that song except the hundred and 44,000 who were redeemed from the earth.

These are ones were not compiled with women for their virgins.

They're the ones who follow-up follow the Lamb wherever he goes there were redeemed from among men being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb in their mouth was found no deceit and they are without fault before the throne of God. There so who are these people, we learned about the earlier remember there hundred and 44,000 messianic believers.

By that I mean these are Jews that I found Jesus as the Messiah and there set up by God during the tribulation to proclaim the gospel. There are also protected by God. Antichrist could not take them out. He can even take one of them out.

The last time we read about them there on earth, preaching the gospel. Now we read about them here in Revelation 14 and there in heaven. What I love is there still 144,000 843,999 not one of them was lost. Jesus in John 18, nine of those whom you will given me I have not lost one cousin God doesn't lose us. He will get you safely have. He never takes his eyes off of you and what is true of these believers in heaven should also be true of believers on earth. There are five take away truths about these believers we need to be aware of number one, they have the Mark of God the father, not antichrist. They have the Mark of God the father, not antichrist verse one having his father's name written on their foreheads is speaking of the land.

So in other words, the father of the Lord Jesus, the heavenly father. They have his name on their foreheads. As you know, my mom was married and divorced seven-time so I have a lot of last names to choose from. No particular name who do you want to be. I will tell you what all those names were, but I thought about it for a while, and I chose one day I it was the name of Oscar Lori Oscar Felix Lori, one of the guys my mom Mary the only guy she married that I ever loved and respected and I might add. The only father who treated me like a father ought her to the sun, though he was not my biological father in every way he behaved as a father toward me so I had all these names to choose from is my last name and I chose his name because it was the name above all names in the same way we can choose who our father rescued two choices.

You can be of your father the devil, you can be a worshiper of your heavenly father. So you have to ask the question who's your daddy if you're smart you'll choose the name above all names, the Lord Jesus Christ not of these believers have done that. So we are to do as well. They have the name of their father. And it's interesting that it's a mark notice that they have his mark, his name written on their foreheads.

You know, when you travel and your in the line and you mean with the TSA agent and they ask for your driver's license and they pull out that mysterious little like and it is blue and they can go over your license. You will notice what is that thing you know that like one of those things from men in black.

I don't know you know what are they looking for like residue from explosives. In case you're a terrorist note. Here's what it insert like a miniature blacklight looking for a hologram lease aware understand it on your driver's license basically authenticating it. So there's making sure instruction. They probably want to make you paranoid to my holy Lincoln appointed around a little bit just little blacklight that's all it is when you see with the little like they can find a mark that you could not see visibly, but they can see it with their life.

There's a mark on you. God can see it.

He knows what belongs to him and that it'll be a mark on those people of the antichrist.

We want God smart.

We want his ID tag attached to us. We want to probably say we belong to him and the Bible says of the Holy Spirit comes in your life were sealed with the Holy Spirit and the idea back in biblical times as when the king would send something he would seal it. It would be his document. It would be his eyes sealed from his signet ring imprinted in the wax solo get up along the decay don't mess with it. You belong to the king sealed to his March 11 is ID tag on you your his property read a story about an old gentleman that was known for his godly life. Someone asked someone to take what you do from being tempted old man what you do when you're tempted.

Rather, they settled vanity said I just look up to heaven and say Lord your property is in danger like that. Number two, they sing a new song they sing a new song verse two heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, like the voice of loud thunder. I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

They saying as it were a new song before the throne before the four living creatures now it is true there will be harps in heaven in a week people was a lawyer who was good to be born to run the club play the harp okay on that everybody's gonna play a harp, with our hearts and understand that harp was merely a stringed instrument. So this is the point of reference for John. He's describing this stringed instrument. There were playing strange things like our day.

Maybe it was a guitar maybe you could updated and say there were a lot of guitarists rocking out other electric guitars. I think this get the idea. It's not boring. This is a celebration of a new song that is being sought and you know what every believer should have a new song. Psalm 40 says he lifted me out of the pit of despair out of them out of the mire he has given me a new song to sing a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he is done to be astounded the put their trust in the Lord.

If you trusted in Christ. If you been lifted from a pit of despair. You have a new song that you know that I don't mean literally has to be a song you don't have to walk around the beam of the high is to be a nonbeliever but no, I'm a Christian. I you just said to you a new message stop singing the old song, sing the new song let other people know what Christ is done for you that these believers did. This is what we are to do number three Baylor paralyzed verse four there once were not defiled with women for their virgins. Now this may be literal and/or symbolic as well to pedophile means are not immoral. Here's a simple truth. Remember, it almost seems ridiculous to bring this up, but I'm in a state if you are single you're not supposed to have sex. Are we clear if you're married, you're only supposed to have sex with your spouse, a member of the opposite sex. I might have.

That's the way it is. Everything else is a sin.

Lori agreed to disagree care. I mean really little politically correct. I don't care it's biblically accurate as of the Bible says if you and argument your argument is with God says in verse 20 and 69 to 10 don't you know the do those that do wrong, have no share in the kingdom of God. Don't pull yourselves those who indulge in sexual sin were idol worshipers, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abuses and swindlers will not inherit God. The purity of the hundred and 44,000 of the believer probably speaks of his spiritual commitment, though the Bible more than one occasion uses the metaphor of having other gods as being like adultery. James says this in James for for you adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know the friendship of the world is ending with God. If you want to be a friend of the world you're the enemy of God to love this world means that you're committing spiritual adultery see have a choice. You can be the world's frenemy, God's enemy. You can be God's frenemy, the world's enemy number four there sincere in their faith there sincere in their faith.

Verse five men their mouth was found no deceit there without fault before the throne of God.

There is no deceit or hypocrisy of any kind in their life.

You know sometimes people put on an act. Try to appear to be a Christian, and we need to understand what a hypocrite is because you know I think we misuse the word along.

Let's say that your building something in your nonbelieving friend is there and you miss the nail and you hit your thought and use three.

Maybe you even scream a word you should not of screen and right away that normally resist Credit take the hammer and thank you think for bringing that your intent, but really, are you a hypocrite. I don't think so. I think your human old. Excusing sin don't know just explaining it were sinners. I'm a sinner you're a sinner.

We do sin still unfortunately by leaving says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So when I mess up. Notice I didn't say if I mess up when I will you will all say the wrong thing. I won't do the right thing all fall short in some way shape or form.

It's only a matter of time when I do it twice a minute. Sorry for that. That's not the way it should be. As a Christian does it make me a hypocrite that just means I'm a flawed person like you hypocrites different. The word hypocrite originally was not a negative work today. It's up to criticism even in the top the opposite like that emergency hypocrite Deer Park frat but originally the name just meant after it was interchangeable with Dr. sober person was an actor they were ready hypocrite back in the days of the early grease they had drama grease really introduce drama to the world. It would put these plays on and when you're playing the character you have a little mask you would hold in front of your face admit you were portraying the character so when you had the mess confronting her face. You are the hypocrite you are the actor. So what is it mean when the Bible says right hypocrite means were playing apart. It's not really Judas was a hypocrite. He pretended to be something he was not. He pretended to be a follower of Jesus when he was the enemy of Jesus. So it's when we add to sewer Christians but we are and maybe we fool a few people listen to this, you'll fall some of the people all of the time you fill all of the people some of the time, but you will never forgot any of the time and so these believers hundred and 44,000. There's no hypocrisy in their life at all.

One last thing they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Verse four a love that they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Jesus said if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. I think sometimes Jesus is a lot of people today that are more like Twitter followers know if you tweet you up follower's and you see someone using I'm following them so when they tweet you can see what they said so a lot of us are with Christ. I'm a follower of Jesus.

Delete tweet today gets a little more than that. Jesus said in Matthew 2000 years ago.

Follow me, that he wasn't even a believer when he said it to. He was a tax collector, working for Rome. Christ walk right up to them, looked at, impeccably translated look right through said follow me. Matthew pulled up from the table began to follow Christ. But it's interesting to think about what that means when Jesus said, follow me. They can be translated follow with me follower. Think not followed by me follower think that it was let's take a walk together the other day when I walk with my wife and I bolted out the door she said slow down and wait for me. Sorry, that's not the way to walk with your wife ahead of her and that's on the way to walk with the Lord.

I had of him or behind Jim to be a follower of Jesus means were never alone. He walked with us and in you know sometimes my wife will take a walk with her girlfriends right. She goes I'm going on a walk with you going which identifies a growth I say you're going on a talk in Ottawa has nothing to do with walking into top because it's true in our talk last long. Like 2 1/2 hours and I don't want to be alive 45 minutes. It's over with.

Well you know what the Lord wants to go on a talk with you adjustable so that we become a listening was going on to me about your life when you dealing with what your questions with your concerns. It's a walk into top it's fellowship it's companionship but it's also interesting. This phrase, follow me. The Jesus said the Matthew in the original language could be translated walk the same road, but it also means to do it continuously and also its implied in the original language at the command so paraphrase would be Jesus speaking I command you to follow me each and every day, not just on he doesn't want to be your Sunday, Jesus wants to be your Monday Jesus and your Tuesday Jesus and your Wednesday Thursday Friday and Saturday Jesus to each and every day. Notice it says of the people they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. He wants you to follow him where he leads you know sometimes we may not want to follow him wearing a large want to go there no you follow him everywhere. Jesus said you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you is not for us to pick and choose the things of the Bible we like and agree with them reject the other. This is a package deal. We walk within each and every day are you doing that is I would say something these hundred and 44,001 date. Walking with God on earth in the next day there walking with the Lord in heaven. That's hostile to be for us. One day we started journey on this planet and the next day we wake up in heaven if you're a believer happen for Ian. It follows is even walk with God and was not for God took him to Lorton Costco for walking that okay walking around parts of you know ever closer to my house in years.

Once you come to my house today. He started on one shore and ended on another. And if you walk with the Lord on earth. You will also walk with him in heaven, and if you walk away from the Lord on earth. You will not be with them in heaven, so I close and asking you. Are you ready to meet the Lord. Why is that important because the end is near. Because Christ is coming in to the point, your end could be even there as could mine. We don't know when life: that is why we want to get right with God.

Right now Jesus Christ was described here is the Lamb. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes wise to call the Lamb because 2000 years ago, like a lamb. He was slaughtered for our sin, like a lamb submits he went willingly to the cross and died in our place and then he rose again from the dead is alive and with this right now and he stands at the door of our life in the knots is visible hear his voice and open the door he will come in is Christ living inside of you. Are you ready to go to heaven if not you want to be to give you an opportunity to get right with God. As we close in prayer.

Let's all pray father, thank you for your word to us now and now. I pray that you will speak to the hearts of these that are here these are watching the do not yet know you Lord, would you help them to see their need for Jesus and help them to come to you right now we pray the letterheads about her eyes are closed. It is refrain if you want Christ to come in your life if you want your sins forgiven.

If you want to be ready for the Lord's return, would you raise your hand up right now.

Let me pray for you if you're living in sin, maybe you're doing one of the things I mentioned today might be a morality, you might be worshiping an idol and might be stealing. I don't know what it is but it's a sin.

But if you repent of that same God who forgive you but you are to ask for his forgiveness. Would you like to ask God for his forgiveness. Now, if so, raise your hand up when we pray wherever you accomplish that your hand if you want Christ to forgive you. Lift your hand up all pray for you now. Maybe you fallen away from the Lord you want to come back again lift your hand up when we pray for you publishing compass. Each one of you that's raising your hand you that are in overflow. I can see it doesn't matter outside your harvest Riverside dirt Harvester and Charlie raise your hand as well. Just between you and the Lord, are you gonna raise your hand if you would please want to understand your feet nominally join a prayer of commitment or recommitment again wherever you are. You want your sins forgiven you want Christ to come in your life you fallen away from the Lord want to come back to him.

Stand your feet nominally join afraid to stand up regardless publishing standup. That's right, you heard me right standup others are standing. Are you one of them standup.

God bless you, that are standing anybody else stand now and I'll lead you in the simple prayer of committing your life to Jesus. God bless you.

Anybody else still time standup now make your commitment to Christ or your recommitment. If you need to one final moment anybody else stand now publish anybody else.

God bless each one of you. Now you that are standing. I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me and then this prayer you're asking God to forgive of your senior asking Christ to come into your life again as I pray pray this out loud after me.

Pray this now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you died on the cross for my sin and paid the price for the wrongs I've done. I'm sorry for that sin. I churn from it now.

I ask you to come into my life and be my Savior, and be my Lord and be my God, be my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment forward in your name I pray a man of the sea try to be there for