Fireworks!, Part 1

You might have the creation of some kind of religion, but you lose the foundation for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Now is anybody's guess is he is up to everybody to basically decide whatever God is of your own understanding. Aren't you glad today is only that you follow God.

You do not understand as difficult but we did make one up that we can understand these beyond our understanding, his ways beyond our ways his thoughts about God are because of the fact that God's word is true when we say that the immediate implication is that everything which contradicts God's word is false. That's a stark reality, but it's difficult for men and women to accept during the time called the great tribulation, the Antichrist and his profit will fill the world with their false teaching. Unfortunately, he will be very effective when looking at what the Bible says about that future time today. This is wisdom for the heart with Steve and Dave Stevens calling today's lesson fireworks JI Packer in his book on the word of God provided a mirror for the church to sort a look at his reflection, to say the least. It is a very attractive he challenges the church of our generation not far removed from his own. He writes these provocative words and I quote him.

Unlike the first century Christians who in three centuries, reached the Roman world with the gospel and those later Christians who pioneered the Reformation and the Puritan awakening in the evangelical revivals in the great missionary movements of the 18th century.

We today lack certainty certainty about the great issues of Christian faith and conduct is lacking. All along the line the observer outside the church sees us as staggering on from gimmick to gimmick and stunt to stunt like so many drunks in a fog, not knowing at all where or which way we should be going. Preaching is hazy heads are modeled parts for it.

Doubts drains strength that paralyzes action. Why because we lack certainty about the great issues of the Christian faith.

I would agree with that in one of her commenting on that on further to say that we lack certainty because we have a sinful view of Scripture church at large no longer believes in the authority and sufficiency of Scripture for the life and conduct of church that is in and of itself sin in monstrous proportion sin in denying the sufficiency of the word of God.

So this is the reason the Dragon is always attack the words of God from the very beginning his first temptation to leave. Why did God really say that. And did God really mean that. Could he admit this instead. Satan's temptation to the second Adam, Jesus Christ, the to bring up in about a race of redeemed Saints. Satan came to him and immediately distorted the words of Scripture, and Jesus Christ responded with Scripture, quoting correctly from the words of Moses in the book of Deuteronomy with each onslaught is why Paul would write to Timothy, a pastor who is struggling along encouraging him to clean to the word and to preach the word Paul reminded him how that as a young child.

He said you've known the sacred writings, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Second 350 so Timothy, you have the prophets had the testimony of the apostles and the apostolic community knew enough to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

But that's the sticking point of the Bible and that's the sticky part of the gospel is this Bible only stuff in the fact that it makes it pretty clear that Jesus Christ alone can save it. That's what really rattles everybody's cage right this talk of Christianity. We talk about our last session is the only way to God. John 14 six that that's the defensive part God has spoken and that his word is authoritative for not only what we believe, but how we behave then gets even stickier and more troubling is been illustrated for the church in recent days.

Just watch the news read the newspapers bear and read along. One recent event where Pres. Obama played into the religious confusion and pluralism that includes a visit of Washington. Certainly our culture is reflected when he attempted, you probably read about it. To compensate for the fact that he invited an evangelical to pray this inauguration. There was such an incredible backlash and if you read any of such an uproar. Why would you do that. Why would you do that in inviting a man who is clearly along with his church stood against the progress of of those that believe in homosexuality and all sorts of other things and so this is a New York Times article that I read wrote were Obama compensated and that's their work by the compensated by asking Gene Robinson to pray at another inaugural event. Gene Robinson of you don't know happens to be the first active and unapologetic about an active homosexual elected to serve as the bishop a bishop within the Episcopal Church and his appointment in 2003 started a rift that is now a eight an international chasm, at least within that denomination will Gene Robinson stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial delivered his prayer and I read his interview and he said that he struggled with deciding what exactly to pray in a telephone interview with the times he went on to say he had been reading inaugural prayers throughout history to get an idea of what was said and he was that I quote after reading them horrified at how specifically Christian, they were to study a little more history, but he went on to reassure the public and I quoted my very clear he said that my prayer will not be a Christian prayer and I will be quoting Scripture or anything like that is it that would ruin a prayer. He concluded the interview by saying that he's thinking that he just might address his prayer to the God of our many understanding." Certainty not on your life deeper fall only moves it and humanity and especially those that claim to know God watches the church as it staggers from one religious gimmick to another gimmick.

You see it's up to everybody to basically decide whatever the God is of your own understanding. Aren't you glad today is only that you follow God. You do not understand that's difficult but we did make one that we can understand he is beyond our understanding, his ways beyond our ways his thoughts about God are right you might have the creation of some kind of religion.

When you lose the foundation for relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Now is anybody's guess. The moment you go beyond Solis or tour the bone to go beyond the Scriptures being as reformers cried our our objective basis for determining the truth about God in the way to guide your left and model your left with uncertainty left without this Scripture that Paul told Timothy is able to make you wise unto salvation in Christ Jesus you done away with it. Saving faith comes from hearing the word of God.

Romans 1017 now in our last session, we introduce the next step in the lie of Satan against the word of God is what it is the truth of God by introducing the third person of this trio. This anti-Trinity is false. Trinity go back to Revelation chapter 13. Those of you that are just catching up with us during the tribulation have the control of the human race. Those who dwell on the earth that the phrase by the way Earth dwellers for those who do not believe the gospel come to faith in Christ after the rapture the cold Earth dwellers are those who dwell there. Unbelievers are controlled by these faces of evil, the Dragon who was Satan counterfeits God the father. He empowers with power God has given him delegated to him the Antichrist to counterfeits, God's son and now you have the emergence of this false prophet.

This anti-spirit counterfeits the Holy Spirit by glorifying the sun, the Antichrist, the son of perdition. So you have these three working together. If Satan in any of these two men. They will according Revelation 19 be cast into the lake of fire in her living room in the end all of the lie that he bought into it. In fact, there their empowered bite here as they seek to deceive the whole world and in the false prophet we noticed his partnership and his priority back in verse 12. The middle part he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast that is the antichrist's fatal wound was healed. So the false prophet that is going to succeed were every other false prophet has failed he will actually be able to forge a one world, a global religion and he will use the thinking of of mankind that hinders toward unity and the sake of truth that has been doing that since time began.

Those who will basically raise her fist against the truth of God and find him inconvenient find him a little bit too nosy to find their accountability to him undesirable. So to create a religion that basically says everybody's gonna get in and this is the inclusive religion of our generation. We see it even more and more as we go along at a gentleman, direct colonial of Internet for some time because I left my church who began to preach and inclusive gospel that everybody basically gets in and said I went to my pastor asked me of some of the stuff you're saying I'm really not sure about this journey said love, T just know that I am an expert quote in the inclusive faith and I can teach you a lot of things he decided to leave it and will be taught that way is now come over. Until we the name of the church and if you did, I can't remember which is a good thing, but this man will succeed. This false prophet.

This is the universalism of our day that setting the stage and I introduce you last last session for the universalism of the emergent church. Maybe you've heard about that is the newest form of basically evangelical apostasy wanted to leading spokesman Brian McLaren who is an apostate did not occur to Christian doesn't have a true church abandons the truth of God's word said that Jesus really had a secret message and course he's able to tell us what that was and so this is the secret message I quoted Jesus's secret message in word and deed makes clear that the kingdom of God will be radically and scandalously inclusive everybody gets in, and that is scandalous while it is easier to explain along with other emergent leaders and in others it is scandalous because Buddhists and Hindus and Muslims in every liberal Baptist by the same pot they never bought into the idea of a literal resurrection, a literal virgin born deity God incarnate.

They never bought into a literal heaven or hell.

Except the one they want to go to but guess what, even though you don't believe in Christ. Christ will still save you. You get in. I read in one article. In this view, as I've been researching this week that I found one of them say even atheists get in there to come in kicking and screaming, but they're gonna get once I get in the realize it's a good thing in the want to stay for this is classic universalism and is becoming the religion of our day. Nice to teach guys in seminary five years ago, pastoral theology class about inclusive visit and and and universalism and I said to Jennifer and Stephanie really not to worry about all that much is now mainstream mainstream as the church continues to apostasy. Another illustration I give you a quickly and the most recent national prayer breakfast the speakers in times past were evangelicals this time around was Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, I was sent a transcript of his speech by a woman in our church who was born in England raise their and she wanted to know my thoughts.

I was unable to email her back but I just give her my thoughts publicly which it concerns about why because his speech for well within the context of pluralism and and and universalism was only one more speech than put into words something he'd seen following cars are on the bumper. They take the icons of all these different religions and they create the word coexist. That's pluralism leading to universalism everybody's okay. In fact we have so many points in common to worry about it.

Little justified and certainly don't evangelize anybody that's the height of hate speech and unfairness and that's what were headed as a nation. But here's what he said to the attendees of this prayer breakfast.

There are a million good deed done every bite.

People of faith. What inspires ritual or doctrine or the finer points of theology, no it is the unconditional nature of God's love. That's code for God loves everybody and there is no condition to meet to be loved by God, which is absolutely antithetical to the Scripture. There is a condition if I were going to hell because is not been met. Unless we place our faith in Christ who met the condition of perfection and holiness and we in see the love of God when this is universalism. He goes on to say this like to give a rather warmhearted illustration and undiscerning people.

I'm afraid probably and who lead them cloth and collards and everything else they're probably going and it's great. Put in such a good way. I like he said this, I remember my first spiritual awakening that I give you a flag right there, because how many do you have one you were dead in sin and trespasses. Ephesians, but you are brought to life awakened through Christ to have one in that last forever. You want to worry about it again, but he said in my first spiritual awakening.

I was 10 years old, something significant happened. My father has suffered serious stroke in my mother sent me on the school to keep a sense of normalcy told my teacher my teacher knelt to pray with me and it is one of thinking.

This is great.

Now my father, Blair went on to say, was a militant atheist, not just an atheist, but a militant atheist will tell you how much he hates thought of God existing every chance he can. So before we prayed I told my teacher. I'm afraid my father doesn't believe in God doesn't matter. My teacher replied God believes in him he loves him without demanding love in return.

I think about it. He was given a message that impacted him. Unfortunately deceptively here. You can deny the existence of God.

With every fiber of your being matter because God believes in you, you can withhold your love doesn't matter you believe exists.

Let me let the apostle Paul answer that he spoke to the pluralists of his day. Those who chosen their God that they particularly like.

And he preached to them in that outdoor meeting delivered to us next 717 and he said to them, God is now declaring to men everywhere that you were 10, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, that is, he will judge the world, according to a righteous standard and everybody who is unrighteous is in deep trouble and how many of us are unrighteous. Let's take a survey it on to be 100%. Some of you aren't sure you are unrighteous with your wife tell you the truth you're unrighteous. However, by faith in Christ, the righteous one, you will not be judged because he's already been see that certainty is the certainty of our faith. For me, let Peter answer this this idea that everything is okay by the word of God.

The present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire For the day of judgment and the destruction of unbelievers or ungodly men. Second Peter 37.

Let me let shoot answer this in his little epistle where he says these are the ones marked for condemnation.

Why, because these are the ones who did not.

In the existence of our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ is pretty clear and Blair went on to set the table for overhearing more and more about what I do basically say that all the prophets strike human history is a matter who it is from Confucius to Mohammed, the Christ, whatever John the Baptist all of the prophets have basically said the same thing and he quoted from Hindu scriptures or writings he quoted from the Sikh Scriptures are rising.

Confucius Buddhist right and then he said and I quote the global community is upon us, and now into it steps religious faith. This faith that accepts every faith then will bring cohesion and unity and peace. Listen for all of our quotes from our last study. This study they're all saying the same thing.

They are were not for Muslim leaders to emergent pseudo-pastors and church bishops and even a former Prime Minister. We are really all one anyway were just trying to follow our own version of truth it's fine the points we agree on and let's all have unity together. This may very well be readying our world for the coming of the false prophet. Maybe it is this generation is being set up. And what a perfect platform before we dive into the text of Revelation 13. Let me just tell you what's revealed. This is Satan's brilliant simple set up. He will be able to one day say you've all been right. You've all been right. You've heard from many prophets.

Any Scriptures.

Many religions throughout the history of mankind, and they have all basically said the same thing. They were all speaking for God. Now let me bring to you the next prophet in line and he will reintroduce you to the true God. John sees the world following the message of this anti-spirit is false prophet who comes to glorify the antichrist as the true living God.

How will the world follow this false prophet. Why would why would they follow the message of this one who says he is the true prophet well just an answer that we seen this partnership with the enemy, Satan and his power withing his passion and his purpose to glorify the antichrist but what caused the world beyond the partnership in his passion. So there. There have been prophets, and they been really passionate what caused the world to believe him. I want to show you then the answer in his performance. Let me show you the fireworks with verse 13 and answer the question verse 13 of chapter 13, he says. John says his division. He performs great signs, so that even makes fire come down.

I have into the earth in the presence of men. John answers the question why will the world follow will look at his performance is great signs saving.

It's the same word used to speak of the apostles back in acts chapter 5 word document from the hands of the apostles came many sign and wonders authenticating them as the true prophets of course of God. It's interesting to me that John uses the same word Sadie. I hear only he had that little word my God is what gives us our word. Megan listened the false prophet is performing side, you haven't seen anything using his his son. What is it. Well the people flock to because he's making fire fall from heaven.

You can imagine, with all the crowds and follow the so-called miracle workers of our generation that the healers of our world. You can imagine the influx of followers. He and this prophet listen is not just healing bad blood pressure bad knees and bad credit he's doing something observable, definable, demonstrable, provable, visible more to this but we don't have time to complete on today's broadcast. So were going to come back tomorrow and bring you the conclusion to this lesson then you're listening to wisdom for the hearts Stephen Davey is working his way through a series entitled antichrist and the many faces of evil. The lesson he's been teaching today is entitled fireworks and as I said will bring you the conclusion to this lesson on tomorrow's broadcast. In the meantime, we'd love to interact with you. There are several ways that you can do that wisdom for the heart is on social media. Be sure and like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel we post Stevens daily lessons to our YouTube channel so you can follow along with our daily broadcast. There I also encourage you to bookmark and visit our website often you'll find us online.

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