SM121125/Christmas in the Book of Revelation

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions were to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org Bible to Revelation chapter 12 the title of my messages Christmas in the book of Revelation.

Yes, you heard me right. Christmas is actually talked about in this great prophetic book Revelation chapter 12 let's start with a word of prayer father as we open this book again this book that comes with its own blessing to the person who reads in hears and keeps the words of it. We pray Lord that that we will experience that blessing in our lives we pray Lord that you will speak to us as we consider what Revelation has to say about the birth of Jesus, we commit this time a Bible study to you now in Jesus name we pray.

We met well, Christmas is a course upon us now in what we think of Christmas and especially verses pertaining to it on certain passages sort of bubble up Isaiah 96 often quoted this time of year under was a child is born, unto us a son is given, or we might think of Mike I worry said you probably know you be little among the thousands of Judah get out of you will comport one sergeant to bend from everlasting.

Certainly will think of Luke's passage alluded to.

There is born unto you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. But then we wonder what the book of Revelation possibly had to say about the topic of Christmas will actually you might be surprised to find quite a bit for here in Revelation 12 we will find the answer. But instead of Mary and Joseph and angels and shepherds we have a different cast altogether. We have a woman being pursued by a powerful Dragon who seeks her death as she prepares to give birth. He hovers over her, waiting to destroy her baby this is Christmas from a heavenly perspective now.

I recently purchased a nativity set to put on front of my house and I got one of those ones that light up on the inside and there was a certain kind I wanted the kind they made back in the late 50s the early 60s. So I ordered it online. That's part of the problem because I envisioned it. Looking one way and it came out looking another way. For starters, a box arrived and it was so little and I thought what will is not just box for the baby Jesus. I I ordered Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus and now that was a whole lot of them in this box.

The problem is, there were this bit and I expected them to be this big. That's probably why got such a good deal on no sir think they were to small, but they were much bigger there probably about this higher self, but it wasn't what I was expecting, but you know as I was researching it nativity set.

I didn't see any offerings of firebreathing dragons hovering over a woman ready to give birth without actually is a Christmas scene given to us, right here in Revelation chapter 12 and it surely shows one thing that Christmas was a time of conflict and to this day. Christmas is a time of conflict.

Starting with all of this pressure to go shopping right it seems even be worse this year. You know, we've always known that there pressure comes on, especially in the aftermath of things to be.

But Thanksgiving was always that one day where all the malls were shut down rights and but not anymore. Now the retailers of decided they're going to open their stores on Thanksgiving, so you're young black Friday. That's a day after Thanksgiving, when all the big sales happen. Now they've added Thursday to that and it's created this kind of culture of chaos around the holiday season. One expert was quoted to say retailers are basically ruined every holiday commercialize everything the holiday by creating a good reason to promote something in the drive traffic and will be sunny of the video from this year's Black Friday sales, but it's insane. These crowds surging in the stores, shattering windows beating each other up driving one another's lies about one man are to be war sought outside of a Walmart in Florida and I just read about one man who took his girlfriend's three-year-old son to Kmart for a midnight sale elected the 51 inch flatscreen television but forgot the kid say the conflict of Chris socially happy time, peaceful time. Instead, it's time then there's a conflict of family, you know that I did have a traditional family seems to be something of the past so many broken homes today are largely a result of divorce and so family gatherings are problematic current date because okay we have to go visit dad and his new wife and and other we are to visit mom and her new boyfriend and I have all these new step brothers and sisters in the whole thing is sort of let me find just the right word icky uncomfortable awkward. The conflict of Christmas, but the conflict of Christmas is far greater than that of your Revelation chapter 12 that this is a conflict that shows that Satan didn't want there to be a Christmas at all. He didn't want Jesus to be born.

He did everything he could to stop it, and in some ways, it looked like he might've succeeded. But God intervened because God always has the last word so let's read about Christmas in Revelation Revelation 12 verse one no great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of 12 stars then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth in another site appeared in heaven.

The only great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadem son is said, his tail drew 1/3 of the stars of heaven, and he threw them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born to bore a male child, who was to rule all of the nations with a rod of iron in her child was caught up to God and his throne stop there now who is this wonder woman of Revelation 12 one. She isn't Mary the mother of Jesus, the Catholic Church would assert this is a description of the Virgin Mary, I could go at links explaining why that is simply not the case but I believe it's pretty clear I believe the woman being referred to is actually the nation Israel and the child that she is bearing is Jesus Christ. Now why don't I believe that this is a picture of the nation Israel will verse one speaks of a garland of 12*remember that God gave to Joseph a dream and Israel was symbolized by a son in the mood in the 11 stars and of course Joseph was the 12*so that is another instance where this picture is used. We call it the role of first mention it's mentioned in Scripture and it is repeated again, so we make the connection, and it is from Israel that the Messiah came in one day Jesus will rule over the whole earth. While I believe the child referred to in verse five is Jesus Willett says she bore a male child, who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Again going back to the rule of first mention in Psalm two the Lord says to the Messiah. You are my son, this day have I begotten you and I'll give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth your possession you will rule them with a rod of iron. So there's that same picture used again by the way, that is a description of the time in our future called the millennium going back to sort of the overview of prophetic events. My understanding of Scripture. The next event on the prophetic calendar would be the rapture of the church on the heels of that Antichrist is revealed will get into Antichrist later. By the way I in the month of December. I'm going to break from Revelation and I'm going to do a series of messages on the birth of Christ will pick Revelation back up in January because our next chapter is 13, which is about the antichrist. That just doesn't seem to me to be the perfect message for Christmas, but it's important. So we'll get to it a little bit later so this, we are little break from Revelation after this week becoming back to what I would think Antichrist emerges in the tribulation. It follows that culminates in the battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Christ self after Christ comes back to the earth, the millennium starts the word millennium means at thousand.

It's the thousand year reign of Christ, so the Lord chains of Satan.

During this time and we return with Christ at that point, think we've gone up to be with the Lord in the rapture we return again in our glorified bodies with Christ at the second coming and no in the millennium. He rules the earth with a rod of iron. Why does he do that because not everybody wants to be ruled by Christ centered, understand, check this out. Not everyone will be in the millennium necessarily wants to be under the rule of Jesus. There will be survivors of the tribulation. And then there will be their descendents, and though it will be a perfectly righteous rule for a thousand years will be a final short-lived rebellion that will quickly be squashed and then the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven to earth and we have the new heavens and the new earth. But during the millennial reign. Not only does Christ rule with a rod of iron, but we will rule in rain with Kim. Jesus told a parable that we call the parable of the talents into the faithful servant who long for his masters return wisely invested his life and resources.

Jesus said in Matthew 2521. Well done good and faithful servant your faithful over a few things. I'll make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord of your wonder what that meant that you ruler over many things.

That's what the millennium is about.

See we will be ruling and reigning with him but there's no getting around the fact that Israel plays a key place or has a key place. I should say in Bible prophecy. Israel is in pretty much in all of the end time descriptions in some way shape or form Israel as God's yardstick. Israel is God's blueprint.

Every Christian is blessed because of Israel we have a Bible that's effectively a Jewish book and we worship a Jewish Messiah. Israel is God's program for what he is doing in the world. Now some may think that God is turned his back on the Jewish people, but it's not true is not altered his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendents. The Jews were in our gods chosen people. I bring this up because there's been a recent huge conflict over in the Middle East and it's been on the front pages of our newspapers in the lead story on all the new shows and thoughts were missiles just started raining on Israel, some falling in Tel Aviv and even Jerusalem.

This was initiated by Hamas. An organization that supports terrorists and Israel is been described by some new sources as being the aggressor in this conflict, but here are the facts Hamas fired over 1500 rockets into Israel from Giza. The rain was to kill as many as they could and at the very least, terrorize the Israelis know some would say will be is really should have done anything in response to key here is my response to that. How long would it take United States to react if someone started dropping missiles on us. Can you imagine 1500 missiles landing in our country.

What would happen. I'll take what would happen with get back fast of you will believe me check out what happened after Pearl Harbor and then of course in the aftermath of 9/11 and justly so. A nation is a right to defend himself as president Obama correctly pointed out Israel and every right to defend yourself against missile attacks by militants inside of Jason so Israel responded strategically starting with taking out the military leader of Hamas in them by airstrikes against the terror groups. Ammo dumps rocket launchers, which interestingly were placed near mosques and houses and sometimes schools and that's intentional so the beast envision civilian casualties. That's part of their strategy.

Also there and gaze of the Hamas arrested some men they said were spies for Israel, and they executed him in the street and they tie cables around their ankles and shrug them to the streets of the city by motorcycles then because of conflict was coming to a close for now. They blew up a bus in Tel Aviv and not a celebration and gaze at 90 the way that you see it presented in the news is as follows. This is all about a homeland for Palestinian and let me say that is not the case. This is about a terrorist group funded by Iran wants to Jewish nation wipe off the face of the earth. Israel is fighting for her existence in Hamas is sworn to never accept that existence. Hamas, with the backing of Iran is stirring the pot and the leader of Iran is openly stated as endgame as I told you before, Iranian president Mahmoud Aqua did the job or as I like to call them Mahmoud whack job made this statement we want to wipe Israel off the face of the math. Speaking of Iran this rocket offensive against Israel did them a favor, divided international Julia diverted international attention away from the release of a new report from the international atomic energy agency about the Iranian nuclear program. The report states that, and I quote I ran his expanded enrichment capacity and is rich in uranium at a pace that would bring it to what Israel is declared an unacceptable redline in just over seven months." Now that's an independent agency that just came to this conclusion. This is exactly what is really Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech before the UN and is much derided speech, I might add, but we ask why this hostility toward Israel and why is Jerusalem always seemed to be the focal point, the answer is in Scripture. Zechariah 12 says I'll make Jerusalem and Judah in the last days like an intoxicating drink to all the nations that send their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that date. I'll make Jerusalem a heavy stone, a burden for the world. Speaking of Egypt Egyptian Pres. Morris. I brokered a so-called peace know who is this guy. He is part of the Muslim brotherhood, the brotherhood supreme leader Mohammed Patty spelled BAT i.e. what an appropriate last night said quote regaining Jerusalem will only come through holy jihad." You see it's not about homeland for Palestinian. It's about regaining Jerusalem. What a God say would be the focal point of the end times Jerusalem and plus we know that the Muslim brotherhood is already dedicated to the two-stroke destruction of Israel back Egyptian Pres. Moore site was sometimes described as a moderate gave a speech at Cairo University in May and said, quote the Koran is our Constitution. The Prophet is our leader. Jihad is our path and death in the name of Allah is our goal in quote well, there you have it pretty straight forward. This is just what God said would happen, that Israel would be surrounded by enemies only make a controversial statement, but I think it's true, I believe that America needs Israel more than Israel needs America. Now let me explain that we have been a friend and an ally to Israel since beginning as a nation in 1948 and the things to our support. She was able to put up something: iron Dome that effectively enter said admin intercepted many of the missiles fired at her, but I believe we need Israel more than she needs us. Why because God gave a promise to Abraham and his descendents. Years ago in the book of Genesis. He said I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you look at any nation that has raised its hand against the Jewish people see how that worked out for not so good for the Nazi not so good for any other nation but Israel is not a friend of the United States and we have stood beside her and I pray we continue to do so because I believe one of the reasons God has blessed our country is because of our support for the Jewish people and for Israel and that we withdraw all doubts of war, I fear what could possibly happen because God said whoever touches her, touches the apple of his listen to this this hostility toward the Jewish people and now Israel is nothing new.

Dr. Revelation 12 verse three agree fiery red Dragon, having seven heads and 10 horns and seven died. Who is this Dragon it's the devil were clearly told in Scripture. The double the old serpent, the great red Dragon. Seven heads and 10 horns. Sounds like something out of one of those old Godzilla movie some weird creature. My favorite in the Godzilla movies was Martha and I just love the idea of a giant Ma is hilarious to me that would be my wife's worst nightmare.

By the way she hates Ma.

I don't know why this sort of in a rational fear of months. I think she has a fear that the kid in her hair and my wife has the most beautiful take care you've ever seen.

I could take what she and one grossing and have a revival in my head is true, but she hates Ma CC. The mothers and fathers of the years ago back in the 80s. Actually we were in China and were walking on the street. Actually, she was walking toward me and as I was making my way toward her.

I thought looked on the ground there was a bird, a little bird and wasn't Burgess sitting on the ground and I looked closer was never was a Ma. The biggest, ugliest mosque I'd ever seen. It was about this. He was bigger than my nativity set. So I looked at it is only He sees us a free, so I said Kathy come look at the little bird, then husband.

What can I say I was kind of hoping he would take.

I like author revisited, you know and live in the little burning is one of the old little birds is coming toward him and I did poorly delivered out of nowhere.

Some guy comes in the steps on it and it squished no event that has nothing to do with my messages. Okay, so what does this mean this seven headed, 10 horns be will. These are symbols. The word had come from the word diadem also translated crown. So this symbolizes power and authority, and intelligence. We must remember that our adversary the devil, smart is been doing this for a long time and he is great intelligence. Second Corinthians forces of our good news is bailed from anyone. It's assigned there embarrassing Satan, the God of this evil world is blinded the minds of those who don't believe so there unable to see the glorious light of the good news that is shining on them. Satan is so clever he has pulled many people in the thinking he doesn't even exist while he is in reality controlling their very life but also the 10 horns would probably speak of that 10 Confederated nations that will be working with the antichrist. Later we will read that the Dragon gives the antichrist as authority. So in other words the devil energizes this charismatic coming world leader will have 10 nations working together with them will deal with that later in Revelation 13, but a question that is often asked is really dealt with your in verses three and four and the question is where did the devil come from. Here's the answer. Look at verse four.

This Dragon confusing to 1/3 of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth is he when Satan rebelled against God. He took one third of the angels with him those fallen Angels or demons now do his dirty work. They are Satan's storm troopers if you will, but I want to then notice the aggression of the Dragon I we read in verse four he stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born two things you need to know about the devil number one is an isometric and number two is antichrist. Satan hates the Jewish people and he hates Jesus Christ he has a special hatred for the Jewish people. That is when the power behind anti-Semitism from the days of Pharaoh and Haman to Hitler and Stalin to Iran and Hamas.

And so we see this evidence in this passage now let's come back to the theme I raise in the beginning Christmas in Revelation. Have you seen it yet is he. Revelation gives us the big picture of what Christmas is and why Satan hates it. This is why these atheistic groups are hell-bent on killing Christmas.

They don't want manger scenes on public property. They don't want Christmas carols in our public schools. I don't even know if they understand what they're doing minds a little bit of the statement of Christ on the cross, when he said of those that crucified him. Father forgive them for they know not what they do but listen the devil who hates Christ knows exactly what he is doing the devil's hatred was directed toward the Jewish people and their Messiah in this cosmic feud goes all the way back to the first book of the Bible and there we find the first Christmas passage. The first messianic Scripture. And it's actually Genesis chapter 3 verse 15.

This is after Adam and Eve sinned against God in need of the forbidden fruit and the curses coming on humanity and the Lord says to the devil all put in the tea between you and the woman between your seed and her seed and he will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel so effectively. The Lord was putting Satan on notice. Listen, there is currently one is going to crush your head, and you will bruise his heel, who is ever speaking up Jesus will crush the head of the devil. The devil did bruise his heel. Remember Isaiah 53 told us of Christ, he was bruised for our iniquities.

The punishment for our peace was upon him by his stripes we are healed. So at the cross, Satan was crushed and Jesus was bruised by the way, that's how you kill a snake you crush his head. Don't ever pick up a snake by the tail as he can rewrite around and bite you. You get up right at his neck. Put your foot down and smash his head in good grade.

This is really a gross message and talk about squishing giant monster bigger than your nativity scene and now you're talking on killing snakes I know, but you never know when these things are coming helpful right that would seriously that is the way it is to be done and that's exactly what Christ did, but the double new from this announcement from the Lord that was coming when it would cross instead. Thus, he tried to stop the Jewish people go to the second book of the Old Testament, the book of Exodus, the Jewish population was growing in the Pharaoh saw them as a threat.

So he gave the decree that all the Jewish baby boy should be killed. At first, but through God's providence. A baby was preserved that entered into Pharaoh's court was training there and ultimately became the great lawgiver Moses. But there in the very beginning. Here we have the Pharaoh trying to kill the Jews to stop and go over the period of the judges you are Satan using Israel's neighbors trying to destroy the motto like what's happening today. Yet God preserved his people through all these assaults and raised up judges like Samson and Deborah and Gideon another Satan inspired King Saul to murder David, thus stopping the messianic line 1 because David was in the family line of Christ. Christ was of the root in the offspring of David, but that to fail. Then we go to the book of Esther and we have the plot of the anti-semi came to wipe out all the Jews even had Jell-O directed where they would be hung.

But God providentially placed the beautiful Queen Esther in the palace she intervened for her people and ultimately Haman hung in his own gallows, but the devil wasn't done. Having failed to wipe out the people of God of the messianic line he attempted to murder the Messiah himself before he could do his saving work.

Remember when those mysterious wise men blue in the town. Having seen the star and they wanted to know where the king of the Jews was because they wanted to worship him.

Or that's a lesson you say do a crazy man like King Herod factor the matter is Caesar had given him the title King of the Jews and we know from history that Herod was a paranoid time. It Iran. So this was a threat to his throne and hearing the Messiah was to be born. He checked it out with his scholars and determine it was Bethlehem, so it is here dude he goes about the company as all those baby boys under the age of two. Put to death trying to stop Jesus or Connie that failed as well. Christ, of course, was born with the attacks continued. Remember that when the Lord was beginning his ministry the devil tempted him in the wilderness and he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. Said all of this give to you and the power with it, for it is mine to give.

If you worship me with interesting as Jesus did not refute that statement. It was not correct. Jesus what is said what you talking about Willis obscure sitcom reference on, there's no way you could do that would Jesus do not reputed because it was technically true, Satan, the God of this world has control of the kingdoms of the world so the devil was saying, in effect, Jesus. We both know why you're here you're here to purchase back that which was lost in the garden.

I'll give it to you on a silver platter.

No cross, no suffering, no bearing the sins of the world.

I'll give it to you now if you give me the satisfaction of bowing down and worshiping me to. That's always been the devil's problem. He one of the top job. That's why he losses once exalted position in heaven because, according to Isaiah. He said I want to be like God, I want to rule over these things and goddesses actually you're outta here and so here is a double thing going. It worship me. Jesus, of course, refuted this and said, you shall worship the Lord God only, and him only shall you serve at the point is, he was being diverted or the devil is attempting to divert him from his birth, but even after Jesus started his ministry that attacks continued on. Listen Jesus own homies turned against him in his hometown of Nazareth.

They wanted to put him to death.

They actually took Christ to the edge of a cliff, preparing to push him off the Bible tells us in the gospel of Luke chapter 4 that he calmly passed through their midst and went his way, wanted to kill you. Actually guys not today.

We just walked away. Why, because his hour had not yet come. And that reminds us that as a Christian you are indestructible until God is done with the listen when you're hour comes when your date with destiny arrives when your moment to enter eternity is here is nothing you can do to change it. That's what you want to live your life well and for the glory of God. In the interim, but is our finally came. What was at our is the hour where he would suffer and die for the sins of the world and in a way they could look as though the devil prevail. Yeah Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Jesus was crucified on the cross, but that brings us back to the whole purpose of Christmas because that's why he came. He was born to die. That's why Satan wanted to kill Christmas. Frankly, the devil doesn't care if you shop till you drop or decorate your trees doesn't care if you decorate your house with seasons greetings and even applauds it probably went.

People get drunk at the office party for the holiday but if you take the time to contemplate what Christmas is all about will be angry. Listen, if Satan can stop Christmas. He would rather we not under stand. Maybe the problem with our Christmas celebrations as we have made all to beautiful sets on not let me say it again, maybe the problem with Christmas for many of us is we made it all to beautiful this time of year we have all these images you know of slaves in the snow in the in the freshly baked goods in the wrapped packages under the tree and it has all that great music that goes with it and maybe all of that we can miss what Christmas is about. Oh, it's beautiful. Yes, in a way but in another way is quite tragic because that little baby was born to die on a cross. You see, that's why read is the color of Christmas not because Santa wears red not because holly berries are red, not because we like red wrapping paper because red is the color of the blood of Jesus that was shed from the cross. He was born to die that we might live, and sometimes in her attempts to beautify and sanitize Christmas we might miss the essential message and that's what we see here in this story we see the heavenly perspective we see what was really going on. The Bible says curse. It is every man that hangs on a tree you want to talk about a Christmas tree is not the one you biathlon and put on the roof or your car and then decorated home of the one you drag out of the garage like me about a fake one and just plug it in no it's about the tree that Jesus hung on the cross.

He bore the sins of the world, Isaiah 118 says come now, let us reason together, so the Lord though your sins are like scarlet W is why this note though they are red like crimson will be as wool. The Dragon of Revelation 12 is fiery red as he tries to stop the first Christmas, but it didn't work out so well for him.

His plan backfired. Now, in conclusion, let's go back to that statement.

I quoted from Revelation 315. One more time what God say when he announced the Messiah was coming. He said to the devil open-ended tea between you and the woman in between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, you will bruise his heel. See this battle is not just between God and Satan. It's between Satan. See in God. See all is God see that's us all followers of Jesus who would Satan CD that would be the followers of the devil. And in reality your following God or Satan right now so I don't agree. I don't even believe in God. Hard to believe nor do I believe and say what doesn't change anything you can believe or not believe what you choose to accept or reject with the fact of the matter is, is if you don't believe in Jesus. The Bible says, as I quoted you been blinded by the god of this world who is controlling your life.

This is the battle between God see then Satan see then.

Like it or not is a follower of Jesus, you're going to have people that will show hostility to you because of Jesus said if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own yet because you're not of this world. I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you all. That's a very nice but is true. You know you dare to speak up about Jesus Christ. You watch will happen as a whole different paradigm. The treat you as they treated him. So here we have a choice in our life is Christian is not a choice of fighting or not fighting in the spiritual battle that the choice of victory or defeat. Winning or losing, advancing or retrieving in the Christian life. You are either overcoming or you will be over, as I've often said the Christian life is not a playground but a battleground. It's on a world flesh and blood, but it's a spiritual battle. It started on the day of your conversion and will rage until the day you go to heaven you're going to be tempted and harassed and hassled and attacked. Simply put, Satan doesn't want you to follow Christ is in a great this is like a downer message.

Come on, it's Christmas time. I know, but I'm telling you the big story. What it's really all about. But here's the good news though, you'll be hassled by the enemy.

You'll never have more than you can handle. God knows your breaking point, and he has put a wall of protection around every believer and he will never let you be tested above which you are able, so be confident in that bad you can be victorious in your relationship with Jesus Christ as you follow him, but there is that Dragon who is trying to devour the sun that's been born and there is a conflict between God, seed, and Satan see that will range until the very end of let's just keep in mind as we contemplate Christmas that it should not become so beautiful that we rob it of its essential message. It's not sleigh bells and ice-skating.

It's not long woolen mittens and whiskers on kittens wrong represents on the music but Tom might like to sing that long woolen notes on some of yourself know it's about the death of Jesus. It's about the blood that flowed from Emmanuel's veins. That is why red is the color of Christmas where God gave his ultimate gift to each of us.

The apostle Paul said to God for this gift. No language can praise it enough the gift of eternal life is the only gift that literally literally keeps on giving that is offered to each of us and that we should offer to others as well and I don't want to miss this opportunity to offer this gift to you if you've not yet received you say what Greg the gift of eternal life, the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die, the knowledge that you can be living in a relationship with God and not be plagued by guilt is it will hello, I received this gift will understand Jesus voluntarily went to the cross. No one forced him to go. He died there for our sins because he knew there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God, then he rose again from the dead three days later. Now he stands at the door of our life in the not as visible hear his voice and open the door he will come in so you need to open that door and ask Christ to come in, have you done that yet.

Maybe you've never been to church before. Maybe your visitor here today.

Or maybe you've come here many times what you've never made a personal commitment to Christ you don't have the assurance that you would go to heaven today. If you were to die. Talk about the Lord returning you don't have that assurance of Christ were to come for his people. You would be one of those ones who would be taken to meet the Lord in the air while let's change that you can get right with God and receive this gift of eternal life. If you would like to do so you can do it right now as we close in prayer atop our heads. Father, we thank you for your word to us. We thank you for your promise of forgiveness and now I pray for many here that do not yet know you, they do not have a relationship with you, Lord, help them to see their need for Jesus and help them to come to you today.

We ask in your name.

Ella heads about and her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today. Greg, I want to believe in Jesus. I want my sins forgiven. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven I will my guilt taken away. Pray for me. Listen affect your desire.

If you want Christ to come into your life if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want your sins forgiven. I want you to stand your feet wherever you are, to stand your feet, lead you in a prayer stand up.

That's right standup no lead you in a prayer we'll be asking Christ to come in your life there harvest Orange County. Just stand your feet outside in the amphitheater just standup up in the court building, you stand to harvest orange crested your feet wherever you are.

You want God's forgiveness today. You want Christ to come of your life, stand no lead you in the spring. I bless each one of you that the stent right now as I pray I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this out loud after me for this doubt Lord Jesus I know in the center which you died on the cross for my sin.

And he rose again from the dead. I churned out from that sin I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for loving me and calling me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray