Latest / Mount Eaton Church / The Word God Said - Confirm Your Calling & Election, By Reminder of Christ’s Return 2 Peter 3:11-18 pt. 2

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The Word God Said - Confirm Your Calling & Election, By Reminder of Christ’s Return 2 Peter 3:11-18 pt. 2 · Mount Eaton Church

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Father, I want to thank you so much for your
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goodness and faithfulness, Lord, as we open up
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your word and we finish 2 Peter 3. I pray that
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we would honor and glorify you. Help us to understand
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about this great day. Help us to understand what
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it means, why you're coming. how it impacts us,
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and how we should be impacted today. I pray that
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you are honored and glorified in all things and
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help us to rightly divide your word as your people.
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And may the full counsel of your word be taught
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and spoken. So there's some things I think we
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need to address as we're going to be dealing
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with 2 Peter 3, verse 11 to 18. Chapter 3, verse
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11 to 18. And this is what it says. Since all
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these things are thus to be dissolved, What sort
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of people ought you to be in lives of holiness
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and godliness waiting for and hastening the coming
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of the day of God? Because of which the heavens
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will be set on fire and dissolved and the heavenly
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bodies will melt as they burn. But according
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to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens
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and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
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Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for
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these, be diligent to be found by him without
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spot or blemish and at peace. And count the patience
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of the Lord as salvation, just as your beloved
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brother Paul also wrote to you according to the
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wisdom given him. as he does in all his letters
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when he speaks in them of these matters. There
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are some things in them that are hard to understand,
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but which the ignorant and unstable twist to
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their own destruction as they do the other scriptures.
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You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand,
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take care that you are not carried away with
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the error of lawless people. and lose your own
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stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge
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of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be
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glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
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So I will tell you, this group of scriptures
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is specifically focusing on how you should be,
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what you should expect, and specifically what
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is the day. Okay, so we will address that. It's
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a little longer. It took me 50 minutes to get
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through this message in first service, and I
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pray that we would get done sooner, but let's
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see. So principle number one, to know Christ
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is returning, what kind of people should you
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be? If you know Christ is returning, what kind
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of people should you be? 1 John 3, 2 and 3. Beloved,
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we are God's children now. And what we will be
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has not yet appeared. But we know that when he
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appears, we shall be like him. So what we are
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to be is like Christ. And we haven't seen his
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appearing yet. And that's what we will be. So
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the important part is what is Paul telling us
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to focus on? What's going to happen? Or who the
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person? The person of Christ. He's telling us
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we should be focused on Christ. That's important
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as we deal with the issue of the day of God.
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Okay? Because we shall see him as he is. And
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as he is. we will be. And everyone who thus hopes
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in him purifies himself as he is pure. What should
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you be doing until he returns? What should you
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be doing until you become like him completely?
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You should be living holy, obedient. That's the
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idea here. So in 2 Peter 3, 11 through 13, some
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very important things we need to see. Since all
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these, these, Peter's specifically talking about,
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this thing's going to drive me nuts. I don't
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know why it keeps falling off my ear, but it
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is. So hold on. All right. The other one doesn't
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give me a hard time. Since all these, verse 10.
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So I want you to see what it says in verse 10
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because you'll know what Peter is talking about.
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In verse 10, he says, but the day of the Lord
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will come like a thief. So we know he's talking
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about the day and the heavens will pass away
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with a roar and the heavenly bodies will be burned
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up and dissolved and the earth and the works
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that are done. on it will be exposed. Since all
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these, since all this list that we just got done
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will be dissolved, destroyed into parts, what
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sort of people ought you to be? What manner of
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people ought you to be? How should you be living?
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And that's really what he's trying to get to.
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What happens in today's society, especially among
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the churches that are dispensational in their
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teaching, everybody's focused on what's going
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to happen. Not taking the mark. Being taken out
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of the world before the seven -year tribulation
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happens. But I want you to notice what Peter's
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focus is. Peter's focus isn't what's going to
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happen. Peter's focus is what should you be doing
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and how should you be living. You should be holy.
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If we're focused on events, we're not focused
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on Christ. And if we're not focused on Christ,
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we're not focused on his work in our lives. We
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get too wrapped up in the nonsense. And that's
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really what he's dealing with here. So this word
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holiness means to live holy. Are you living holy?
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Is Christ your focus in these last days? And
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then the second is godliness. Godliness is aims
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and acts of devotion. Are you devoted to the
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word and the ways of God? Is that your life?
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And that's important. So he's saying that if
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you are going to be a godly people, a people
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who knows Christ is returning, then you should
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be living holy lives, obediently according to
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his word, doing and being found to do what he's
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commanded you to do, and living in such a way
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that your life is devoted. to that purpose. Now,
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look what it says in verse 12, waiting for and
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hastening the coming of the day of God. This
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word waiting for literally translates as expect
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or look forward to. Do you genuinely look forward
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to the appearing of Christ? Are you eagerly desiring
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Jesus's return? Okay, so that is what we are
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focused on. We are looking forward and we are
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earnestly desiring, eagerly desiring Jesus's
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return. Then it should spur you on to live a
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life that reflects him and you should be busy
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doing what he's asked you to do. The question
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is, are we? And then the big question is, what
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is the coming of the day of God? It's interesting
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that he doesn't use the word Christos here. The
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coming of the day of Christ or the great day
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of the Lord. He doesn't even use the word Lord
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here. He's saying the coming of the day of God.
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Theos. So we're going to go down below in a minute
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to clarify what this day looks like. And why
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we should be eagerly awaiting and seeking and
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desiring and looking forward to this day. That
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day is the clarification as what's stated. in
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the verse that I read previously, that we are
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going to be like him. I want to see him because
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I know when I see him, I will be transformed
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and like him in my physical body. My physical
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body will be like his body. And then the work
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and the fulfillment of what was promised is complete.
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Now look what it says here. This coming day of
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God, because of which the heavens The heavens
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is all that is seen in the universe. So I want
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you to get that. So when you look up in the sky
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at night and you see the beauty of the stars,
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that's going to go away. You're like, but that's
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beautiful. I mean, it's perfect. I mean, God
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has. So. He says something here that's shocking.
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So everything that you see, all the stars in
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the heavens, all the trees, everything will be
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set on fire. The word is puroo. Puroo. And this
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word means to burn. It's where we get the word,
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what? Yes, I was, thank you. Pyro, right? To
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burn. And the word dissolve, luo, means to destroy
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into parts. So I want you to get this. When God
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created and he spoke into existence to creation,
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he created ex nihilo, out of nothing, and all
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the things that he had created out of nothing,
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he spoke into existence the smallest particles
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and the smallest parts that you can't see in
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order to create it. What God is going to do is
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destroy down to the smallest particle. He's going
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to destroy it all. You're like, well, why would
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he do that? That's not, doesn't sound, I'm not
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very happy. I mean, I like, it's like, why would
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God do that? Because sin has corrupted everything
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to the smallest particle. Sin is a disease and
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a cancer that you cannot see and has corrupted
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everything, even the universe and its beauty.
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But like, well, how is that possible? Do you
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ever see a tree fall to the ground? We have a
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bunch of trees that dried up and are gray now.
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God never intended trees to dry up and die. Why
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do they die? Because of sin. How about stars?
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You ever seen a star fall from the sky and you
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go, oh, that's beautiful. You know, that star
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was never supposed to fall from the sky. God
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never intended the star to fall from the sky.
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The stars are to sing of the beauty and the glory
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of God. You're like, but it is beautiful. But
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that's not what it was created for. Now what's
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interesting is what happens to these heavenly
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bodies. These elements from which all things
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come. They will melt. They will liquefy. They
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will liquefy. They will become liquid as they
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burn. He's going to liquefy it. And this word
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burn means burned up by fire. Intense heat. But,
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according to his promise, we are waiting for
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new. Keinas. Means a new or a superior to the
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old. So, how many guys like, I don't know if
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you guys, do any of you guys live in log cabins?
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Right? A log cabin is beautiful to live in a
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log cabin. Love log cabins. Well, when God comes,
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it's not going to be a log cabin anymore. You're
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like, oh, that's my house. Not going to exist.
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Why? Because of this term right here, new. This
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term right here means superior to the old. Now,
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I want you to get this. I want you to look at
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the beauty of the universe now. The new universe
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beyond your imagination. Beyond your imagination.
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Look at the flowers that you see. Beautiful.
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The new flowers, beyond your imagination. You
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can't even fathom the reality of the beauty that
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God is going to create when he makes a new heaven.
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Because that's what this means. It is superior
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to the old. This is old. This is going to be
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nothing. But the new heaven and the new earth,
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superior. Far superior than you can imagine.
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I was watching golf. I love golf. Thank you,
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John. Right? And I'm watching this nine -hole.
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It's a public course. And I'm watching the golfers
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play. And they're playing on a nine -hole public
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course in the middle of... of the largest redwoods
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in the world. Beautiful. But I looked. And I'm
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looking at the beauty of these trees. And the
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reality is, the new earth will have trees far
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superior than those. And you look at those trees
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and you go, God created them. They're beautiful.
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But yet they still fall. They die. But the new
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heavens, new earth, what scripture says that
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when we go, there will be no more tears and no
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more pain and no more sickness. There'll be nothing.
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We won't need that. Sin will not be present.
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Sin will be eradicated down to the smallest minute
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element. Wherever sin has infiltrated, It will
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not exist. And that's why he says that he will
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give a new heavens and a new earth, which righteousness
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dwells. Because where righteousness dwells, there
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is no sin. So when the scripture says the meek
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will inherit the earth, what Jesus is talking
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about there is the meek will inherit the new
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earth. The superior earth. Think about that.
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The earth made new. It's an amazing thing. Turn
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to Isaiah chapter 65. Isaiah chapter 65. See
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what it says here, chapter 65, verse 17. Beautiful
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statement here. Even Isaiah talks about this
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amazing, beautiful new heaven and new earth.
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It says this, for behold, I create new heavens
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and a new earth and the former things shall not
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be remembered or come to mind. Remember your
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little log cabin house and the house you live
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in, the thing you love and all the memories you
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think you're going to have? It's all gone. All
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gone. Why? Because we get the splendor and the
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glory of a mighty God in the new of all that
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he has to offer. A more superior. Now, turn to
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chapter 66, verse 22. 66, verse 22. For as the
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new heavens and the new earth that I make shall
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remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your
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offspring and your name remain. God makes the
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new heaven and the new earth. So what is the
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purpose of the day of God? In John 14, one through
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three, you know what he says. I go to prepare
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a place for you. If I did not go and prepare
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a place for you, right? I would come and take
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you to myself and you will be with me. For where
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I am, you shall be also. And the reality is that
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the whole point of the new heavens and the new
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earth is that we will dwell tabernacle with God.
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So why do we hold on to the old so tightly? To
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memories that are fading. So in Matthew 24, 29
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through 31, we're now going to talk about what
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is this day of God? The scripture clarifies clearly
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what the day of God is. The day of the Lord.
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The great day of the Lord. It is the day, the
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last day, the day, day. Can't get any more day
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than that day. There's not a day before or a
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day three and a half years or seven years before.
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It's not a day that happens. Then we wait for
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the day. It's the day. One day. It's a day of
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glory and joy and awe of God and his power. But
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it's also a day of great wrath. For us, it's
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being in Christ. For the world, it's destruction.
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There is no other way to say it. And the scripture
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clearly teaches this. As a matter of fact, I
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was doing a study. I was able to find through
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a source 68 times the word the day of the Lord
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or the day of God is mentioned. 68. I'm sure
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there's more. But let's talk about this day.
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I'm only going to give you a few and I'm going
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to give you some from the Apostle Paul since
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Peter alludes to him. But we're also going to
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give you some from Jesus. And this is what I
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need these preachers and teachers and these men
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that are on pulpits or teaching their Bible studies
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to hear. Because we need to be biblically right.
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Not for the sake of my own narrative or how I
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feel. We need to settle on the truth of the scripture.
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And Jesus says it clearly. There's no mincing
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words here. There's no adding here and flipping
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here and pulling something from over there. It
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is simple. And it's meant to be. Matthew 24,
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29 through 31. Immediately after the tribulation
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of those days, the sun will be darkened and the
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moon not give its light. And the stars will fall
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from heaven. Sounds like what he said here, right?
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In chapter 3, that the universe will melt. The
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stars will fall from heaven and the powers of
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the heavens will be shaken. Sounds the same,
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doesn't it? Then will appear in heaven the sign
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of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of
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the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son
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of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power
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and great glory. And he will send out his angels
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with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather
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his elect from the four winds from one end of
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heaven to the other. When? On that day. So what
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is that day for? The day is for your gathering.
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The day is for your removal from the wrath of
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God. The day is for your being in Christ who
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is your ark. That's what the day is for. Mark
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13. Says it this way, but in those days after
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the tribulation, the sun will be darkened and
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the moon will not give its light and the stars
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will be falling from heaven and the powers in
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the heavens will be shaken and then they will
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see the son of man coming in the clouds with
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great power and glory and then he will send out
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his angels to gather his elect from the four
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winds from the ends of the earth to the ends
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of the heavens. So what do we know? The day of
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the Lord is for the gathering of his people because
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something is going to happen. What is that something?
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Well, in 1 Thessalonians 5 .2, Paul says it this
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way. So those are Jesus' words. And there are
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more, but didn't want to do that because this
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is long enough. 1 Thessalonians 5, 2. For you
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yourselves are fully aware that the day of the
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Lord will come like a thief in the night. What
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do we know about the day? Not only is the day
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for our gathering and for our removal from the
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wrath of God, because that's clearly why he quotes
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that in Mark and Matthew. It is also for, it's
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also to know that you're not going to know when
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it's going to come. You have no clue. It's going
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to come when no one expects. Why? Because he
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promised he's going to come. For who? For his
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people. And to deal with what? Sin. To eradicate
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it completely. 2 Thessalonians 2, 1 through 3.
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Now here's the hard part. This is going to wreck
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you. So if you're a dispensationalist, I'm warning
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you up front. It's going to challenge you in
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ways that it's going to challenge you. And this
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is the word of God. Don't get mad at me. Deal
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with the word. But I'm going to tell you exactly
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what it says. And so far, we know what the day
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of the Lord is for, right? Now concerning the
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coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being
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gathered together to him, which I just read to
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you in Matthew and Mark. The whole point is that
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the day is going to come. Jesus is going to gather
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his people out from the four winds of the earth
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and heavens so that we will be with him. Look
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what he says here. When would that happen? When
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would this gathering happen? We ask you, brothers,
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not to be quickly shaken in mind. In other words,
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don't let your mind be stable in your thinking,
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be stable in your mind, which Peter mentions
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in the verses to come. Or alarmed, shocked. Don't
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be shocked. He's already told you he's going
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to come like a thief, so it shouldn't, like,
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shock you. Either by spirit, this means by this
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attitude or pervasive overwhelming sense because
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of what's being said around you and the effects
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of what's being said around you. Or as someone
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spoke it, someone has been preaching and teaching.
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And this is one of the things why I hate the
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seven mountain mandate. Any church that teaches
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that we need to get the earth ready for Jesus
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by... Bringing the kingdom here doesn't understand
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biblically what's happening here. Because God
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is going to destroy this earth and everything
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that's left. So there is a seven mountain mandate
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teaching. I'm telling you scripturally. The word
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of God warns you, stay away. Look what he says.
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Or a letter seeming to be from us. To the effect
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that the day of the Lord has come. I want you
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to see that. In the Greek, it's the day. And
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what is the day? The last day. What is the last
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day? The day of God. What is the day of God?
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When Jesus returns and he gathers his people
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to himself. That's the day. What happens on that
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day? Well, when is that day going to come? Verse
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3. And this is important. Let no one deceive
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you in any way. For that day will not come. Let's
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stop there. So listen to me. The day will not
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come until Jesus says he's coming. When's that?
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Like a thief. You don't know the day. And he's
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telling you that day will not come until. What's
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that day? Our gathering together to him. He hasn't
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left you behind because that's exactly what he's
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saying to the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians
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felt that Jesus had come and left them. That's
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the point of the letter. But, you know, we got
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to avoid that because that doesn't fit the narrative.
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That doesn't fit the deception. Because we love
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the seven -year tribulation nonsense. We got
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to have that. We got to be out of the way so
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that we don't get hurt. And that's why he does
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this. That's why Paul clarifies this. He says,
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let no one deceive you in any way for that day
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will not come unless two things happen. So I
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know because in the seven -year tribulation,
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it says we won't see the Antichrist because that's
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what they teach. We're not going to see him because
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we're going to be removed because once we're
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removed, then he can come in. But that's not
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what it teaches here. Because Paul says it this
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way, unless the rebellion comes first. What rebellion?
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The turning away of the gospel. The false gospels.
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And how much of false gospel has been preached?
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Especially the prosperity gospel, which John
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Piper says he hates. And I hate it too. These
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are gospels with no promise. Gospels for only
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gain. Which we've been talking about. So what
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has to happen? The rebellion comes first. I'm
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pretty close we're there. They're not preaching
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the gospel of Jesus. What's the second? And,
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I want you to notice that word and in the Greek
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is and. Meaning also. So the rebellion comes
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first and the man of lawlessness is revealed,
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the son of destruction. Do you hear that? So
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what's that mean? We won't be gathered to him
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until the Antichrist is revealed. I'm going to
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see him? Yes. I'm going to be here? Yes. Well,
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when am I going to be removed? When God destroys
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the earth. He promises he will gather you away.
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How do we know that? Because the Bible says that
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we are not children of wrath. Ephesians. He hasn't
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destined us for wrath. Not destined us to avoid
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the mark and all the other things that go along
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with the seven year tribulation teaching. He
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says we will not experience his wrath. So what
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does that mean for us? What Paul and Peter are
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doing is they're telling you stop focusing on
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the stuff and focus on the who. Expect the who.
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Stop expecting to get out of a situation and
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expect eagerly to see him. That's the one deception
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that most people don't understand when it comes
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to dispensational theology. Or dispensational
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eschatology. Is the avoidance of suffering. I
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really believe that. They just want to get out.
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I want to get out too. But I want to get out
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being found busy working. Being found busy serving.
28:27
So what two things are holding Jesus back? Why
28:34
hasn't he entered yet? Because the rebellion
28:37
has to happen and then the Antichrist must be
28:40
revealed. And this word revealed means the unveiling.
28:44
You will see him. Romans 2. Next verse. So we
28:52
know that the day of the Lord is for the gathering
28:54
of his people and the revealing of the evil one
28:57
and the culmination of the false gospel being
29:00
preached and taught globally. Romans 2, 5. Because
29:07
of your hard and impotent heart, you are storing
29:11
up wrath for yourselves on the day of wrath when
29:15
God's righteous judgment will be revealed. So
29:19
what's the day for? Wrath. So not only is the
29:22
day for gathering, not only is it a day for the
29:28
revealing of the evil one, not only is it the
29:32
day for the appearing of the glorious one for
29:36
his people, it's also the day of wrath, the scripture
29:41
says. On the day of wrath, the day. Then look
29:47
what it says in Philippians 1 .6. And I am sure
29:50
of this, that he who began a good work in you
29:53
will bring into completion on the day of Jesus
29:56
Christ. So what is the day for? Your completion.
30:04
Let's go. Like, no more old wrinkles, back pain,
30:10
all that gone. 30, 33, let's go all day. Yes.
30:18
But what's the most important thing we get in
30:22
the completion? Jesus. That's what we get. The
30:27
completion is to be like him. John 38 through
30:34
40. For I have come down from heaven, not to
30:37
do my own will, but the will of him who sent
30:43
me. And this is the will of him who sent me,
30:47
that I should lose nothing of all that he has
30:51
given me. Do you hear that? But raise it up on
30:58
the last day. So what is the day for? The resurrection
31:06
of the dead and the taking up of the saints.
31:11
Because why? On that day is the declaration and
31:16
the fulfillment of the promise that he will not
31:19
lose any that the father has given him. Not one.
31:25
What a glorious day. For this is the will of
31:29
my father that everyone who looks to the son
31:32
and believes in him should have eternal life.
31:35
And I will raise him up on the last day. Do you
31:41
hear that? What is the will of the father? To
31:45
raise up his people on the last day. Can't avoid
31:51
that. So what do dispensationalists teach? There's
31:56
another last day. It's not the last day. The
31:59
last day is the actual last day after the first
32:01
last day. Two last days, sort of, kind of. The
32:06
first one is really not a last day, though. It's
32:08
a last day because Jesus doesn't put his foot
32:10
on the earth and as a result, crack the Mount
32:14
of Olives in half. Because of that, it's only
32:16
half a last day. Really. John Darby, please give
32:22
me a break. Okay? Give me a break. Now, I will
32:26
tell you. Chapter 11, verse 24 of John is what
32:34
I'm looking for. I actually copied the same verses
32:37
twice. So if you would turn to John 11, 24. And
32:42
this is what Martha says to Jesus. And so Lazarus
32:49
has died. And Jesus comes to Martha. And he says
32:53
to Martha, I'm here. I'm here to take care, to
33:02
deal with your brother. And she says, he says
33:07
to her, verse 23, and Jesus said to her, your
33:14
brother will rise again. What? Yeah, I know.
33:18
That's exactly what she said. Yeah, I know. Martha
33:21
said to him, I know that he will rise again in
33:24
the resurrection on the last day. So if the dead
33:32
in Christ rise, Before the tribulation, let's
33:43
just deal with the basic language here. If the
33:47
dead rise at the tribulation, at the rapture
33:52
of God's people and the resurrection of the dead,
33:56
why in the world would Martha say it's on the
34:01
last day? Because it should have been on the
34:03
half a day or the day of the last day or the
34:06
other first last day, but not the second last
34:07
day. I love Bible, man. The Bible, God's word
34:16
always takes care of itself. You can't argue
34:21
with that. Well, that's not what Martha meant.
34:24
So then Jesus was a liar because he's the author
34:26
of the scripture. Can't do that either, can we?
34:31
No, because Martha believed that her brother
34:35
will rise on the last day. And Jesus said to
34:38
her, I am the resurrection and life. And whoever
34:40
believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
34:45
And everyone who lives and believes in me shall
34:47
never die. Do you believe this? Yes. And that's
34:51
exactly what he said previously. That all that
34:54
the father has given him, he will raise up on
34:57
the last day. So even Martha. believed in the
35:02
resurrection. Second Timothy 4 .8, Paul continues,
35:07
hence therefore there is laid up for me the crown
35:12
of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous
35:14
judge, will reward me on that day. And not only
35:19
to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.
35:23
So how do we know what day it is? The appearing
35:25
day. You're going to get rewarded on that day.
35:28
Really excited. So what else is about this day?
35:30
Not only do we get rewarded, but anyone who has
35:34
loved his appearing, who's earnestly desired
35:36
his appearing, will be rewarded on that day.
35:41
I like that. So what else is the day for? God's
35:46
rewards. So we've learned quite a bit about this
35:54
day, haven't we? How do you feel about the day?
35:59
Was it the day that you thought was the day that
36:02
actually wasn't the day because it's not the
36:05
last day? It was the fake day. It was the day
36:09
that the deceivers were teaching deception. It's
36:13
not the day because the last day is the resurrection
36:15
of the dead. That's what Martha just said and
36:18
Jesus agreed with her. So he can't be lying because
36:21
he wouldn't be God. So we know what the day is.
36:27
So what should we do? And what has he done for
36:34
us? We are continually reminded of Christ's return.
36:38
The New Testament, every letter of Paul, every
36:42
epistle, Paul mentions the return of Jesus. It
36:49
is amazing. We are continually reminded of Christ's
36:53
return and that there will continue to be those
36:55
who reject. the truth of his return until that
36:58
day. And it's not just those who make fun of,
37:01
you know, where you said the Lord was coming
37:03
and you've been saying this since the fathers
37:05
and nothing's really changed. It's not just those.
37:08
It's also the false teachers telling you there's
37:10
a day outside of the day that actually is the
37:12
day. I love it. All kinds of crazy happening.
37:19
But if we just read the scripture and stop just
37:23
listening, what we read, we study, we are good
37:31
Bereans and we are fleshing out the reality and
37:34
the truth of that last day, we would find out
37:37
there's a much more glorious day being removed
37:42
from the wrath of God given the promise that
37:44
he's promised us to complete our total transformation
37:49
into Christ's likeness. To enjoy him forever
37:54
and tabernacle with him. Watching him justly
37:57
and rightly deal with the issue of evil and sin
38:00
on the earth. And then he hands us a brand new
38:03
superior than the old earth and heaven. Are you
38:08
kidding me? I don't know about you. You can't
38:12
even create a movie that's that good. That is
38:17
some amazing stuff. All happening on a day. In
38:20
24 hours. That's kind of exciting. I don't even
38:25
know if it's going to be 24 hours because where
38:26
God is, there's no time. I'm really curious.
38:29
Are we going to have time? Is it going to be
38:31
sunset, sunrise? I mean, sorry, not sunset, sunrise.
38:36
Sunset, sunrise. I don't know about you, but
38:39
I'm really curious, right? It's going to be rain
38:41
and snow, thunder and lightning. I love all that
38:44
stuff. I don't know. Look what it says in 2 Peter
38:49
3. Through four, knowing this, first of all,
38:53
that scoffers will come in the last days with
38:56
scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
38:58
They will say, where is this promise of his coming?
39:02
For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things
39:04
are continuing as they were from the beginning
39:06
of creation. Are you getting ready for the rapture?
39:12
When the Holy Spirit's removed? That's another
39:15
whole argument. I don't even know where that,
39:17
how do people get saved if the Holy Spirit's
39:19
not present? Because John 3 tells us how people
39:23
are converted. He says the wind blows and no
39:26
one knows where the wind comes or goes. But we
39:29
see the effects of the wind. We see the reality
39:31
of the work of the wind. So it is with the Spirit.
39:36
So how can someone get saved in Christ, in Revelation,
39:40
if the Holy Spirit's not present because he's
39:43
been removed according to the teaching? Because
39:48
salvation is... All the work of salvation, not
39:52
just not taking the mark and just getting in
39:57
on my own work. Look what it says here in 14
40:01
and 16, 2 Peter 3. Therefore, beloved, since
40:05
you are waiting, since you are looking, since
40:13
you look and wait for Christ's return is exactly
40:16
what this means. Since you are waiting for these,
40:24
what are these? The these are what's mentioned
40:26
previously, meaning Christ is coming and he is
40:30
going to give us a new heavens and a new earth.
40:32
Since we are waiting for these, be diligent.
40:36
Make every effort to be found by him, to be discovered,
40:43
recognized with the same character, without spot,
40:47
pure, free from wickedness or blemish, meaning
40:50
blameless. How do we live blameless and without
40:58
spot or wrinkle? Christ. How can we be found
41:02
by him? By being in the same character of Christ.
41:05
What was Christ's character? What did Christ
41:07
do on the earth for you? What did he do perfectly?
41:12
He lived obediently. How should we be found by
41:17
him? By being obedient, doing what he has commanded
41:20
us to do. What has he commanded us to do? Go
41:23
therefore, go therefore and baptize, and go therefore,
41:28
Matthew 28, 19 to 20, and baptize, you know,
41:34
I forgot the scripture already. Let's go ahead
41:37
and quote it. into all the nation, baptizing
41:41
in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy
41:42
Spirit. Go and therefore make disciples of all
41:45
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
41:47
Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
41:49
all that I've commanded you. Thank you, Lord,
41:51
for bringing that back. I don't even know why
41:52
I forgot that. It's part of my vernacular. What
41:56
else should we be doing? If I love God, I'll
41:59
be obedient. What else should I be doing? Living
42:02
holy, holiness, and godliness. That's what I
42:08
should be doing. And if I'm doing that, then
42:11
I am filled in his character. I am free from
42:16
wickedness and I walk blameless and I am at peace
42:19
with him. I have assurance of salvation and reconciled
42:24
with God. That's what peace means. Verse 15.
42:30
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.
42:34
In 2 Peter 3, 8, and 9, we know what he says
42:36
here. He says a day is as a thousand years and
42:40
a thousand years is as a day. But do not overlook
42:43
this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one
42:46
day is as a thousand years and a thousand years
42:48
as a day. For the Lord is not slow to fulfill
42:51
his promises. Some count slowness, but is patient
42:54
toward you, not wishing that any should perish,
42:57
but that all should reach repentance. Now look
43:03
at that. And count the patience of the Lord as
43:06
salvation. Why? Because he is patient, God saves
43:10
his people. Because when that day comes, there's
43:14
no more saving. Do you get that? When Christ
43:20
returns, no more saving. Only those who are in
43:24
Christ, he removes. Everyone else is destroyed.
43:28
Well, that's kind of harsh. No, that's justice.
43:32
just as our brother Paul, our beloved brother
43:36
Paul, also wrote to you according to the wisdom
43:39
given him, which I just mentioned that's above,
43:41
as he does in all his letters. Epistole is the
43:48
word here. It means epistles. When he speaks
43:52
in them of these matters, all his letters speaks
43:56
of them in these matters. Isn't that amazing?
44:01
That tells you what Paul was eagerly desiring.
44:05
What did he want? He wants Jesus' return. That's
44:08
what he wanted. And now he's with him face to
44:10
face. And one day his body will be resurrected.
44:13
And his body and his spirit will be united. There
44:18
are some things in them that are hard to understand.
44:21
Which the ignorant, the untaught, and unstable.
44:24
The word unstable is unstable. You can't. So
44:31
the untaught and the unstable, they turn awry,
44:34
they pervert, or they distort the limbs on a
44:37
rack. This idea, distorting the limbs on a rack,
44:40
is taking a person, sticking them on a table,
44:43
putting two ropes or chains around each ankle
44:46
and each wrist, and you start to crank that wheel.
44:51
You know, just keep going. That distorts the
44:55
limbs. That's what it's talking about here. That
45:01
the ignorant, the untaught, they twist to their
45:05
own destruction as they do the other scriptures.
45:13
In other words, they're twisted out of form.
45:16
But you are to grow in the knowledge of Christ,
45:19
firm in the faith, settled in your minds of the
45:23
truth of Christ and his gospel. And I'll add,
45:28
and his return. Ephesians 4, 13 and 14. Why?
45:34
What is the purpose? Why should we be settled
45:36
in our minds for this reason? Until we attain,
45:40
until we all attain the unity of the faith and
45:42
the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood
45:45
to the measure of the stature of the fullness
45:48
of Christ so that you may no longer be children
45:50
tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about
45:55
by every wind of doctrine. By human cunning and
45:58
craftiness and deceitful schemes. I'm going to
46:01
say this. Okay. And there are many reformed brothers
46:05
that I love dearly. Genuinely. But they have
46:13
decided to settle on a doctrine that is crazy
46:17
off of scripture. If they just took the decent
46:21
time to spend time. Dismissationalism is. evil.
46:28
It feeds a people a false narrative for a false
46:34
hope, and they're hoping they're avoiding the
46:36
issue of the seven -year tribulation, and they're
46:39
not looking for the return of Jesus. And the
46:43
reality of that day, the glory of that day, that
46:48
day you get a new heaven and a new earth. That
46:53
day, the last day. And we know that the last
46:57
day is also the day that the last trumpet sounds.
47:01
2 Peter 3, 17 and 18. You therefore beloved.
47:07
Agapitas means dearly loved one. I love that.
47:13
Knowing this beforehand. In other words, knowing
47:16
this before it happens. You know. I'm telling
47:20
you before. This is going to happen. You should.
47:24
You should know with the foreknowledge that this
47:27
is going to happen. That's the idea here. Take
47:29
care. Philoso. Guard. Protect. Protect what?
47:40
Take care of yourself, of your mind, of the truth.
47:45
That you are not carried away, that you're not
47:47
led away and seduced with the delusion, the error,
47:51
or deceived into wandering of lawless people.
48:00
Guard yourself against these people. They will
48:03
deceive you into wandering and they will pull
48:06
you into a delusion. Why? What is a lawless person?
48:10
Someone who is licentious, unrestrained, and
48:12
unprincipled. What happens? If you get in that,
48:19
you will lose your own stability. You will lose
48:22
the firmness of belief and settled in the frame
48:26
of mind of the truth of Jesus' coming. Understand,
48:29
Jesus' coming is a day of great power and great
48:34
glory. It is our salvation and joy, but it is
48:38
also the condemnation and the wrath poured out
48:41
on everything else. What a great day that will
48:46
be. That's what he means here. So please settle
48:50
on Christ. Settle on the reality of living holy
48:56
and godly until his return so that he finds you
48:59
busy doing the work, being obedient. Settle on
49:04
the reality of his coming to judge and deal with
49:08
the... sin and the evil of the world. Settle
49:10
on that truth. That's a reality that is there.
49:13
You can go into Revelation and you can go into
49:15
all the epistles and you can go into the gospels.
49:18
It all says the same thing. But grow, increase
49:25
in the grace, in the divine favor and kindness
49:29
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
49:32
Grow in the knowledge of the truth of the word.
49:38
Study it. Prove the teaching that I'm preaching
49:41
to you today as being false or accurate. If it's
49:45
accurate, settle on it. Stand on it. Stand on
49:49
it like a firm rock. To him be the glory both
49:58
now and to the day of eternity. What is the day?
50:03
Final part of the day. Here's the final description
50:06
of the day. It's the day of eternity. It's the
50:12
day when death is gone. Sin is gone. Christ has
50:20
already did it in the victory of the cross and
50:22
the resurrection. Yes, for his people. But there
50:25
will be a day when death will no longer exist.
50:28
No one will die anymore. No one will get sick
50:30
anymore. Sin will not exist anymore. It will
50:34
be eradicated. That day of eternity. The new
50:39
heavens and the new earth. The superior ones.
50:43
That's what you're looking forward to. That day
50:47
seems a lot more realistic to me. That makes
50:53
a lot more sense to me. Because I'm tired of
50:58
the lies. I'm tired of the dishonesty. I'm tired
51:01
of these men preaching and teaching, and they're
51:04
being lazy. I'm sorry. It sounds condemning,
51:08
but I'm not. It's do your work. It's not hard.
51:10
I did it. It's just fine. Verse after verse after
51:14
verse, you can see what the day is. It says the
51:16
day, the day, the day. It doesn't matter. It's
51:18
the same day. He says it. He makes it very clear.
51:21
And you can't take Martha. You've got to take
51:23
Martha at her word, I think. Right? I'm being
51:26
facetious. Yes. For I know he will resurrect
51:32
on the last day. Yeah. So that's my encouragement
51:36
to you. And to that I say, amen. Father, I want
51:41
to thank you so much for your goodness and faithfulness.
51:42
Thank you, Lord, for your word. Help us, Lord,
51:45
to settle in our mind, in the state of our mind,
51:49
the reality and the truth of that great day.
51:52
The day of our great salvation, our transformation,
51:56
the final work completed. in us and for us because
52:00
of you. And also the great day of the eradication
52:04
of all things that are antithetical to you. We
52:08
praise you and we thank you in Jesus' name.