Give Me the Bible

The Latter Rain

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox

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Series Code: GMTB

Program Code: GMTB000015


00:20 I can recall a cool day in September.
00:23 I was making my way from Queens
00:26 into Manhattan, New York
00:28 across the Triborough Bridge
00:30 which connects Queens to the Bronx to Manhattan.
00:33 I was co-writing and co-producing a Christmas special
00:36 that was to be aired later on on Fox Television.
00:39 About halfway across the bridge traffic came to a stop,
00:43 and I noticed a large plume of smoke rising from some
00:49 building at the southern tip of Manhattan.
00:50 I didn't quite know what I was looking at,
00:52 but it occurred to me that a very large fire
00:55 was taking place.
00:56 My view was partially obstructed by a truck
00:59 and after sitting on the bridge for some 40 minutes,
01:02 I turned off the tape I was listening to
01:05 and turned the radio on only to learn
01:07 that the World Trade Center had been hit.
01:11 It was, of course, September 11, 2001.
01:15 I think just about everybody can recall what they were doing
01:18 and where they were at on that particular day.
01:20 But there is another day that has almost slipped
01:23 into obscurity. That date is February 26, 1993.
01:29 And September 11, 2001... February 26, 1993...
01:35 are intimately connected
01:37 because February 26, 1993, was the day that the first
01:42 attack was made on the World Trade Center.
01:44 A truck filled with about 1,500 pounds of explosives
01:49 was detonated just after 12:00 pm.
01:53 They wanted maximum destruction and maximum loss of life.
01:57 They succeeded in neither.
01:59 Six people lost their lives,
02:02 about 1,000 injured in various capacities.
02:04 But we forgot about that.
02:06 We forgot about February 26, 1993.
02:10 And February 26 was a warning for 2001.
02:15 Now you may think of these meetings as just another set
02:18 of very fine meetings being preached by an anointed man
02:21 of God who is steeped in history and a study of the Word,
02:24 but I submit to you that these meetings are a
02:26 February 26, 1993.
02:30 They are God's attempt to warn us,
02:32 to get our heads up, to begin to tell us that God
02:35 is going to do something spectacular...
02:37 something never done in the history of this world...
02:40 and that is TO END IT.
02:42 And so we as God's people need to listen very carefully
02:46 because this is a warning. It is a call from God
02:49 to get ready for the greatest event ever to impact mankind:
02:52 the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
02:55 My name is C.A. Murray,
02:57 and it is my privilege and pleasure once again
03:00 to welcome you to Give Me The Bible:
03:03 this year-long trek through the Word of God
03:06 as we prepare for a higher citizenship
03:08 in the world to come.
03:10 Our speaker is our friend, our pastor,
03:13 our evangelist Kenneth Cox.
03:14 And I know that you have been blessed - as have I -
03:17 during this particular sitting.
03:19 Tonight the Word of God will be preached again with
03:22 power as we discuss the Latter Rain.
03:24 What is it? What does it have to do with us?
03:28 How will we get it? When will be get it?
03:30 What will it prepare us for?
03:32 So many many questions answered from the Word of God
03:35 in Give Me The Bible.
03:37 I know you're going to be blessed as we hear from
03:39 Elder Cox.
03:41 Before he comes, our music ministry this night is coming
03:43 from David Tank... who is going to sing a very beautiful song,
03:46 an old standard, Create in Me a Clean Heart.
04:25 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
04:29 and renew a right spirit within me.
04:33 Because the good that I would that I wish that I could
04:37 I just can't 'cause there's no strength within me.
04:42 Who will deliver me? Thanks be to God.
04:46 He is willing, He is able. Yes, He can set me free.
04:51 Who will now heal me? Praise be to God.
04:55 As He works with me, I'll overcome.
05:06 As I view God's love, I'm awed and amazed
05:10 at the love He gives without condition.
05:14 Then I look at me and my own selfish ways,
05:19 and I'm desperate to find a solution.
05:24 Who will deliver me? Thanks be to God.
05:28 He is willing, He is able. Yes, He can set me free.
05:33 Who will now heal me? Praise be to God.
05:36 As He works with me, I'll overcome.
05:48 My Bible tells me by beholding I'm changed;
05:52 what I worship is what I will go towards.
05:56 As I view God's love, my thoughts rearrange...
06:01 I will slowly become more like my Lord.
06:24 La - la - la.
06:37 I want to come to the place where I do what is right
06:42 as a natural act just because it is right.
06:46 Do I have to be told not to lie, not to cheat?
06:51 Will I ever grow up? Is this too great a feat?
06:56 Who will deliver me? Thanks be to God.
06:59 He is willing, He is able. Yes, He can set me free.
07:04 Who will now heal me? Praise be to God.
07:08 As He works with me, I'll overcome.
07:14 La - la - la.
07:28 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
07:32 and renew a right spirit within me.
07:36 Because the good that I would that I wish that I could
07:41 I just can't 'cause there's no strength within me.
07:45 I just can't 'cause there's no strength within me.
07:50 So create a clean heart within me.
08:04 Thank you, David, and good evening to each one of you
08:07 and welcome to Give Me The Bible.
08:09 Glad you're here tonight.
08:10 And those of you that are watching by television,
08:13 we're very happy to welcome you.
08:15 And if you're listening by radio
08:17 we're happy that you're able
08:18 to pick it up.
08:19 We hope that you have enjoyed
08:21 this series that we have been doing on the Holy Spirit.
08:24 We have been looking at what the Bible has to say
08:27 about the Holy Spirit.
08:29 What says the Bible?
08:32 What says the Bible? God's Word for you and for me.
08:38 This is what the Lord wants us to know and to understand...
08:41 what the scripture has to say.
08:43 And so we hope you've been blessed.
08:44 We took a look at the promise of the Spirit.
08:48 We took at look at why there are many people who don't receive
08:51 any benefit from the Holy Spirit.
08:53 And we took a look at the fruits of the Spirit.
08:57 And then the gifts of the Spirit,
09:00 and tonight we're looking at the Latter Rain.
09:04 That's what we're taking a look at.
09:06 So we hope that you've been blessed.
09:08 And as you read God's Word,
09:10 follow and see what it has to say.
09:13 What says the Bible, the blessed Bible?
09:16 This should my only question be.
09:19 God gives us His Spirit to lead and to guide us.
09:23 What says the Book of God to me?
09:26 That's what we want to find out and know.
09:29 Of course, tonight is the last presentation
09:33 on the question of the Spirit.
09:36 And so our next presentations will be next month.
09:40 April. Second week in April
09:43 we'll be here and we're going to be talking about the subject
09:46 of the Sabbath.
09:51 That whole series will deal with the Sabbath.
09:54 And so we're going to talk about
09:55 Christ being the Lord of the Sabbath.
09:57 We're going to talk about the Sabbath covenant.
09:59 We're going to talk about how to keep the Sabbath.
10:01 We're going to talk about influences that have been
10:05 around on the Sabbath.
10:07 And so we hope that you'll just be blessed in a special way
10:10 as we take a look at this very important subject
10:13 on the Sabbath.
10:14 So we hope you'll each make a point to be here
10:17 or to tune in wherever you're at
10:19 on this subject coming up in April.
10:24 Tonight the Latter Rain.
10:26 What do you need to look for in this subject?
10:31 You need to be clear, first,
10:34 what is meant by the Latter Rain, you know.
10:37 You need to understand why the scripture uses that term
10:40 so we'll try to define that
10:42 and help you understand what it's talking about there.
10:44 And then you need to watch and see
10:48 what God expects of you and me
10:52 when He pours out His Spirit in a special way.
10:56 So watch for that as we go through because it's very, very
11:01 vital that you and I understand what God is doing for us.
11:06 I'd like to take this time to offer special thanks
11:09 to David for being with us. He's been here
11:14 each night and sang for us.
11:15 I've been blessed in a special way, David.
11:17 And I thank you very much for being here.
11:19 It's been wonderful to have you here.
11:21 Thank you. You're welcome. And David's going to sing
11:25 a song for you entitled Lord, Don't Take Your Spirit Away.
11:39 Lord, hear my prayer.
11:45 Please don't take Your Spirit away from me.
11:52 Stay by my side forever is my plea.
11:59 I need Your loving arms to keep surrounding me.
12:06 Oh, please don't take Your Holy Spirit away.
12:13 Please do not give up on me I pray.
12:19 I need You now,
12:23 I need You every day.
12:26 As You open up my ears,
12:29 I hear the still small voice.
12:33 As You open up my heart,
12:36 I can't help but rejoice.
12:40 As You open up my mind,
12:43 I begin to understand.
12:46 As You open up my eyes,
12:49 You show me all that I can
12:53 be for You.
12:55 For You.
13:01 Please don't take Your Spirit away from me.
13:08 Stay by my side forever is my plea.
13:15 I need Your loving arms to keep surrounding me.
13:22 No, please don't take Your Holy Spirit away.
13:29 Please do not give up on me I pray.
13:35 I need You now,
13:39 I need You every day.
13:42 As You show Yourself to me,
13:46 I love You all the more.
13:49 As I see Your loving face,
13:52 it's You that I adore.
13:56 As I contemplate Your Word,
13:59 I marvel at Your plan.
14:03 As You show me all the ways
14:06 that I can be all I can be for You.
14:13 For You.
14:30 Hear my prayer, Lord.
14:32 Hear my prayer.
14:36 Please don't take Your Holy Spirit away.
14:43 Please do not give up on me I pray.
14:50 I need You now,
14:53 I need You every day.
15:02 Amen.
15:20 Father in Heaven,
15:22 we come to You tonight
15:25 thanking you, Lord, for being with us.
15:29 For Your Spirit
15:31 that goes with us everywhere we go.
15:35 That gives us strength and gives us power.
15:38 Lord help us that we might learn
15:43 more how to walk in the Spirit.
15:46 How to keep our hearts open, soft, and pliable.
15:52 As we take a look at this subject tonight,
15:54 we pray that You will give us understanding
15:57 that we might prepare ourselves for Your return.
16:03 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen.
16:13 In Israel they looked for a time in the spring
16:19 in which it was going to rain.
16:22 Now I'm not talking about just a shower
16:26 that came through.
16:28 They looked for a time
16:29 in which there would be a
16:30 general rain that would soak
16:33 the earth. This is what they called an early rain.
16:37 It soaked the earth and it gave the moisture that was needed
16:42 for the seed to germinate and come up
16:45 and the moisture that was needed for the plants to grow.
16:48 This was very, very necessary
16:51 for the crop to start and get a good start.
16:54 And this was referred to as the early rain.
16:58 Then through the summer
17:00 you would have showers and so forth
17:02 and, of course, the plants would develop.
17:05 But it was in the fall that again they looked for
17:09 a general rain that would come that would soak the earth
17:13 and this would help those plants to go ahead and finish.
17:18 producing and prepare for a harvest.
17:21 And that was referred to as the latter rain.
17:25 So this is what they're talking about when we're talking about
17:28 an early rain - or former rain - and the latter rain.
17:32 And the scripture says this:
17:40 So he says: "Ask the Lord for rain
17:43 in the time of the latter rain. "
18:15 You see, that latter rain is what brought the plants
18:19 to fruition and they harvested and had a plentiful harvest.
18:25 That was the latter rain.
18:27 The scripture picks that up, folks,
18:29 and makes a spiritual application to it.
18:32 And it talks about the Early Rain and the Latter Rain.
18:37 And when it talks about the Early Rain,
18:40 spiritually it's talking about the Day of Pentecost.
18:46 That's what happened on the Day of Pentecost when
18:48 the Holy Spirit was poured out in great measure
18:52 upon the disciples.
18:54 And from that outpouring of the Holy Spirit
18:57 the gospel went forth.
18:59 And I mean it sprang up everywhere.
19:02 And in a matter of a few years
19:04 it had covered all of Asia Minor.
19:07 So it was that outpouring of the Latter... or the Early Rain
19:12 that made the gospel literally take off.
19:16 Says that down at the end there will be a Latter Rain
19:22 in which the Holy Spirit will be poured out.
19:25 And it will be poured out in great measure,
19:27 and that will bring about the harvest.
19:33 Bring about the harvest.
19:35 And so that's what we're looking at tonight.
19:46 OK, "pour out His... " When is this going to happen?
19:49 The last days. So it can't be talking about
19:52 the Early Rain.
19:54 Has to be talking about the Latter Rain.
19:56 OK. Last days. All right.
20:11 What is just happening here?
20:14 Well, the Holy Spirit is being poured out as he says here,
20:19 and what is happening?
20:20 The gifts of the Spirit are there.
20:24 They are being given in great measure
20:26 and so you have prophecy and all these gifts of the Spirit
20:30 that are taking place that makes the member,
20:34 makes the individual, an effective witness
20:36 for Jesus Christ.
20:38 This is what is happening.
20:40 That's what it's talking about here
20:41 as the Holy Spirit is being poured out.
20:44 And so he tells you and I
20:46 that we need to open up our hearts and our soul
20:50 to be filled with the Spirit.
21:00 So you and I as individuals need to learn
21:04 to walk... to walk in the Spirit day by day.
21:10 OK. What many people don't understand is
21:15 what happens here, folks.
21:17 And I want to use an illustration here of Moses
21:20 being up in the mountain.
21:23 And it says here:
21:57 So He's telling Moses: "I'm going to take you, Moses.
21:59 I'm going to put you over here in the cleft of this rock
22:01 and basically I'm going to put My hand over it
22:04 and I'm going to walk by
22:06 and when I remove My hand
22:08 you'll be able to see My back.
22:12 You'll be able to see... glory. "
22:16 Isn't that what he's asking to see?
22:19 OK. Let's watch:
22:45 So when God passed by
22:47 and Moses saw the glory of God,
22:51 what did he see?
22:55 Hmmm? What did he see?
22:58 He saw God's character.
23:01 He saw God's character. You see:
23:08 When you're reading this and it's talking about the glory
23:11 of God, it's not talking about some great shining bright light.
23:15 Its' talking about God's character.
23:18 And so when Moses said: "I want to see Your glory, "
23:21 and God passed by and moved His hand,
23:24 there he saw the character of God which IS God's glory.
23:30 OK?
23:31 Put that real clear in your mind
23:34 because it becomes very, very important.
23:37 So it says:
23:51 What are we beholding?
23:54 A light?
23:56 Huh? Is that what we're beholding is a light?
23:59 No, we're taking a look at His character, see?
24:19 So it says that as you and I look at the Lord,
24:25 as we behold Him,
24:28 as we spend time with Him,
24:30 we find that our character is changed.
24:34 See? Our character becomes like our Lord's.
24:39 That's what it says.
24:40 You're being transformed into the same image.
24:44 That you and I are to become like Jesus Christ.
24:49 That's what He's talking about.
24:51 That's what He wants. And so God's character is
25:03 That is what needs to take place.
25:05 And when we're talking about the Latter Rain and the
25:08 Holy Spirit being poured out,
25:10 this is what needs to happen and take place in the lives
25:15 of men and women: that they must become like their Lord
25:19 and their Savior.
25:21 OK. Now watch:
25:36 Now this is in Revelation 18.
25:38 It talks about the earth being illuminated with the glory.
25:40 Does that mean that an angel is going to come down from heaven
25:44 and the whole earth is going to be lighted up
25:47 by the light of that angel?
25:49 Is that... is that what's being described here?
25:52 No dear friends.
25:54 When it says this angel come down and the earth was
25:59 illuminated with the glory that is talking about God's
26:04 people and the change of their lives and their character.
26:08 Because their characters have been changed,
26:11 this is the glory of God that illuminates the whole earth.
26:15 Are you following me?
26:18 This is what happens. This is what's taking place.
26:21 And people talk about... It bothers me...
26:24 We talked about it in these meetings.
26:26 I find people waiting for the Holy Spirit
26:32 to do something.
26:35 You know? I find them praying,
26:37 waiting on the Holy Spirit
26:39 to do something. That's not the case.
26:42 The case is you and I...
26:44 we need to surrender,
26:46 we need to give our hearts to the Lord.
26:48 We need to put ourselves in a position that the Holy Spirit
26:51 can do His work in our lives
26:54 and make us like our Lord.
26:58 That's what needs to happen, and that's the glory
27:01 that's to go throughout the whole earth.
27:04 Now Daniel... Daniel speaks about this.
27:09 And this is what he says in the 12th chapter of Daniel.
27:12 Follow me carefully:
27:33 Now I don't have time this evening
27:35 to go into this time figure here
27:38 and so I'm not going to even try to go into that at all,
27:41 but he's talking about a period of time in which God's people
27:45 will manifest the Spirit of God in a special way
27:49 because he goes on and says here:
28:01 Did you follow me?
28:04 It says when the power of God's people, God's holy people,
28:07 is shattered, then all these things will be finished.
28:26 So it says here when the power of God's holy people
28:30 is disbursed, THEN that will bring a finish
28:36 to all those things.
28:37 This is what is called the Latter Rain.
28:41 This is also what many refer to as the Loud Cry
28:46 when God's Spirit is poured out on His people
28:49 in a very, very marked way and they go forth
28:53 proclaiming the Word of God.
28:55 And in them you have the character
29:00 of Jesus Christ.
29:02 That's what God's looking for.
29:06 That's what He wants.
29:07 I wish that I could say that
29:15 that people would pick up the scripture and take it
29:18 and read it and would accept it and follow it.
29:24 How much better off we would be, folks.
29:27 Because we don't, listen to this,
29:30 this is still Daniel:
29:44 It says that many shall be what?
29:50 Purified, made white, and refined.
29:56 Folks, that refining is not a nice thing.
30:03 Refining is hard.
30:05 Do you know what's used in refining?
30:10 Fire.
30:11 Fire.
30:12 And so what I'm trying to tell you tonight
30:16 is if you and I don't wake up to where we are
30:20 and we don't wake up to the time in which we are in,
30:24 then many of us are going to go through a period of time
30:28 of refinement that will be extremely difficult.
30:32 When if we would just today
30:36 open up our hearts and give ourselves to God
30:38 and let the Holy Spirit work in our lives,
30:41 how much easier it would be.
30:44 But instead, we get caught up with the world
30:48 and we get... go out and get involved in the things
30:52 of the world and we miss what God is willing to do for us.
30:57 How severe will this refining be?
31:15 OK,
31:41 This is a process that's to take place
31:45 in which the Holy Spirit will seal God's people
31:51 in preparation for the Lord's coming.
31:53 You see, the latter rain is what got things ready
31:57 for the harvest.
32:00 Spiritually, the Latter Rain is what gets men and women ready
32:04 for the harvest or the coming of Jesus Christ.
32:08 That's what happens here.
32:10 And so as I was telling you,
32:12 the seal of God is given.
32:14 The seal of God is placed where?
32:18 On the forehead.
32:20 By the way, it's placed only on the forehead.
32:26 See? That is God's seal.
32:28 What does that mean when it's placed?
32:32 Does that mean that God's going to come down here and
32:34 take some kind of stamp and stamp you on the forehead?
32:37 And you're going to run around
32:39 with some kind of a spot up there where you've been sealed?
32:43 No. That isn't what that's talking about.
32:45 When it talks about the seal being in the forehead
32:49 that means that you and I have given mental ascent
32:54 to turning ourselves over and we've said to Him
32:57 "You be our God. We will be Your people. "
33:02 You be my God; I'll be Your people.
33:06 And I walk with Him and follow Him
33:08 and I do His bidding.
33:12 Not because I have to but because I want to.
33:18 Great, great difference.
33:20 This is the seal of God.
33:21 At the same time, you have the mark of the beast.
33:26 Please understand what's going on here.
33:28 It says there will be many that will be purified,
33:32 made white, and refined.
33:34 And it says "the wicked shall do wickedly. "
33:38 So at this time in which the Latter Rain and the Holy Spirit
33:42 is being poured out in great measure
33:44 and God's people are going forth
33:46 under the power of the Holy Spirit
33:48 preaching the Word of God
33:50 and many things are happening and miracles are taking place...
33:53 All that is happening during this time.
33:56 At that very same time the devil is working overtime
34:02 and you have, it says, "the wicked will do wickedly. "
34:05 And so you're going to have all the things that the devil can do
34:10 to stop God's people.
34:14 Therefore, don't look for an easy time.
34:18 Don't expect it to be easy.
34:20 But what I can rest assured of
34:24 is if I have turned my life over to the Lord
34:28 and I have surrendered myself to Him,
34:33 then He has given me the fruits of the Spirit.
34:38 And therefore, even though the devil may harass me,
34:44 I can have joy in my heart.
34:48 Even though things all around me may be a mess,
34:52 I can have peace.
34:54 You see, all of those fruits he cannot take away from you.
35:00 Just can't take them away.
35:02 And so the devil during this time
35:05 will do all that he can.
35:06 "The wicked shall do wickedly. "
35:09 They're going to do everything they can
35:11 to stop God's people.
35:15 And it says:
35:40 Six men... each with a battle ax
35:46 in their hand.
35:58 Now watch here:
36:14 You see,
36:17 when the character of God
36:19 is reproduced in His people,
36:24 Jesus will come back.
36:29 And when that happens
36:31 and the character of God is reproduced in His people,
36:35 that glory - that is, the glory of God -
36:38 will go up and Jesus will say
36:40 "It is finished! I'm coming back. "
36:44 So, what you and I need to do
36:47 is to make sure that our hearts are surrendered.
36:52 That we are letting the Holy Spirit do its work
36:55 in our lives.
37:19 In other words, this was the sealing.
37:22 When the Holy Spirit goes through and seals God's people.
37:28 The Holy Spirit's been poured out,
37:30 and it's done its work.
37:32 Men and women have responded.
37:36 The Holy Spirit has worked in their lives
37:38 and they have become like their Lord, if you please.
37:42 And therefore He can say "It's time to go back...
37:46 time to go back and get My people. "
37:48 He's going to come back and gather all of His people.
37:52 How? How severe is this going to be?
38:11 One-third.
38:14 He said these will be made white and refined.
38:20 How many? One-third.
38:24 You and I need to look seriously at that.
38:28 Only one-third.
38:30 Only one-third of those who claim
38:34 to be followers of the Lord
38:37 are going to make it.
38:40 Why?
38:42 Why just a third?
38:47 See? There's a very definite reason why there's just a third
38:52 and no more.
39:07 This is what He wants to do in your life.
39:10 What He wants to do in my life.
39:13 He wants to change us and make us different.
39:17 That's what He wants to do.
39:19 You and I cannot...
39:22 I cannot continually fight Him.
39:26 God is not going to force you, friend.
39:29 He's just not going to do that.
39:31 And when you are doing things
39:35 that is not Christian
39:39 and you are doing things that you know
39:43 are contrary to God,
39:46 God is not going to force you to change.
39:52 But God WILL change you if you'll let Him.
39:56 But in order to let Him, I have to be willing.
40:01 Do you understand what I mean?
40:04 I have to be willing. I have to say "OK, Lord. "
40:07 And I have to surrender my heart
40:10 and give it to Him and say: "OK, I'll follow You.
40:13 I'll do Your bidding; I'll do what You ask. "
40:16 And if you and I will surrender our lives to Him,
40:20 then He can bring about the change that needs to take place.
40:26 Now it says that with the sealing of the Holy Spirit
40:31 this is a guarantee.
40:34 That's what it says. Listen:
40:52 In other words, if you will turn your life over to the Lord
40:56 and let the Holy Spirit do its work in your life,
40:59 THAT is a guarantee you'll be in the kingdom of God.
41:04 Let... let me make something clear, folks.
41:07 There is no such thing,
41:11 there is absolutely no such thing,
41:13 as a person getting up each day
41:17 and surrendering his heart to the Lord
41:21 and just giving his life to the Lord each day
41:25 and that person miss heaven.
41:28 That's impossible.
41:31 If I get up every day and surrender my heart and soul
41:35 to the Lord, you'd better believe
41:37 the Lord will work in your life.
41:39 And is a guarantee you'll be in His kingdom. Amen!
41:43 That He promises us.
41:45 And so we need to learn day by day to follow Him.
41:49 So what does the Latter Rain accomplish?
41:52 What does it accomplish?
41:54 What's the purpose of it?
41:55 Well, 1:
42:00 That's why you've got to have the Latter Rain:
42:03 it finishes the work of the Early Rain.
42:06 So you have the Latter Rain. Secondly:
42:15 You see, in the early rain...
42:19 if they didn't get an early rain, folks,
42:24 then they didn't get a very good result as far as the planting
42:29 of the seed is concerned.
42:30 When it's... the seed didn't come up very well.
42:34 If they got a good early rain
42:36 and they didn't get a good latter rain,
42:40 then their harvest was not much.
42:44 It took both of them.
42:46 You have to have both for that to take place.
42:48 And so, the Latter Rain helps to prepare for the harvest.
43:04 Have you realized
43:08 that God has put you here on this earth
43:11 at this particular time
43:14 for a very definite reason?
43:18 And do you realize
43:20 that it's your life
43:23 that affects people around you?
43:28 Do you know that there are people
43:32 that will only be in heaven
43:35 if you do what God put you here to do?
43:41 Did you know that?
43:42 You have an influence on people, folks.
43:46 Every one of us do.
43:48 You aren't an island by yourself,
43:51 and you've been put here for a purpose.
43:54 And I must let the Holy Spirit work in my life
43:59 for the salvation of others.
44:00 This is what I have to do.
44:03 Now, it speaks of 10 virgins.
44:07 These are virgins, and it says:
44:19 What did they go to do?
44:20 Meet the bridegroom. So this is down at the end of time.
44:24 This is what is called the Latter Rain.
44:27 They're going out to meet the bridegroom.
44:37 Ten virgins.
44:39 Five were wise; five were foolish.
44:43 I want us to take a look at the five foolish virgins.
44:50 Because you need to understand some things.
44:53 These are not non-believers, folks.
44:55 These are not people that don't believe in the Lord.
44:59 These are virgins that had their lamp and went out
45:03 to meet the bridegroom.
45:04 They've been convicted of sin.
45:09 The Holy Spirit has worked on their hearts...
45:11 convicted them of sin.
45:14 And so they understood that.
45:16 This wasn't something that they didn't know anything about.
45:19 Secondly:
45:26 They had lamps,
45:29 and they were in the church.
45:34 Did you get that?
45:36 They were in the church.
45:38 They were considered good people.
45:43 They were considered followers of the Lord
45:48 and that when the time came they, with the other five,
45:52 went out to meet the Lord.
45:56 The bridegroom... prepared to meet the bridegroom.
46:01 They had pure faith.
46:03 They believed the truth.
46:06 They did all this.
46:07 Had a pure faith; they believed the truth.
46:10 Not only that, all their functions are the work of the
46:15 Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain.
46:18 Excuse me, in the Early Rain.
46:20 All those things that I have just said to you...
46:24 those are the things that the Holy Spirit does
46:27 in the Early Rain.
46:29 He convicts of sin.
46:31 He calls people out of the world.
46:34 He helps them understand God's Word so they have
46:38 a pure faith.
46:40 They believe the Word of God.
46:42 That all is the work of the Early Rain.
46:49 So you need to stop and ask yourself:
46:53 what is my experience?
46:55 Strictly the Early Rain?
46:59 Is that where you are?
47:01 You know, you've been convicted of sin.
47:06 You've come out of the world.
47:08 Uh, you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
47:13 You believe the truth.
47:16 What I'm trying to get across to you...
47:18 If that's all you have,
47:20 then you aren't involved in the Latter Rain.
47:26 That's the work of the Early Rain to do all that.
47:29 It had done that for those five foolish virgins.
47:33 That's what it had done,
47:35 and they had all entered into that.
47:41 this is the five foolish ones...
47:47 So, the bridegroom came.
47:50 The five wise virgins went in with the bridegroom
47:55 and the door was shut.
47:59 And now here comes the five foolish virgins,
48:03 and they're knocking on the door saying: "Lord, let us in.
48:06 Let us in. "
48:10 See? They want to follow the Lord.
48:14 "Let us in. "
48:24 Now do you understand what's wrong here?
48:29 Hmmm?
48:30 When He says to them: "I don't know you, "
48:34 why would He say that to them?
48:38 Because there is no likeness of character.
48:45 That's why He doesn't know them.
48:46 See, He's looking for people
48:48 that their characters have been changed.
48:51 They have been transformed.
48:52 They have become like their Lord.
48:53 And so when He looks at them, He said: "Oh, yeah.
48:56 That's mine. "
48:58 Why? Because there's a likeness of character
49:01 that He would say: "Yes, this one belongs to Me
49:04 because He's like me. "
49:06 That's what God is looking for.
49:10 So tonight, is that where you are?
49:14 In character, are you like your Lord?
49:19 Folks, we're moving into serious times.
49:28 I plead with you, give more attention to your
49:33 spiritual life and not so much to the physical things
49:38 that you need. But make sure your spiritual life
49:42 is what it should be.
49:44 Make sure that you are being transformed into the likeness
49:49 of your Lord and your Savior.
49:51 It's so important that we are.
49:54 And as He works in our life,
49:56 He'll change those things.
49:59 But let me tell you something.
50:02 You can't be proud.
50:06 You can't be arrogant.
50:09 You can't be puffed up.
50:12 You can't consider yourself better than others.
50:18 If those are problems you're having,
50:22 that stops the work of the Holy Spirit.
50:25 Has to work in your life, and you and I have to be
50:29 in a position to let Him do His work in our lives.
50:34 And if we do that, then He'll change us.
50:37 He'll make us different, and when He comes
50:41 and the sound goes out "the bridegroom's coming"
50:45 and we go out to meet Him,
50:49 then He needs to be able to look at you and say:
50:52 "Yes, that's one of My children because they're like Me.
50:56 They look like Me. They act like Me.
51:00 They're My children. "
51:02 That's what He wants to do.
51:12 Reached out in faith; accepted my Lord as my Savior.
51:25 You heard the word of truth. You're sitting here tonight.
51:28 You're watching by television; you're listening by radio.
51:31 You heard the word of truth; you accepted the truth.
51:45 Let the Holy Spirit do its sealing in your life.
51:50 This is what the Latter Rain is about.
51:54 This is what it's to do for you and for me.
51:57 And pray. Pray, dear friend,
52:01 that your eyes may be opened.
52:08 Open my eyes,
52:11 that I may see
52:15 Glimpses of truth
52:18 Thou hast for me;
52:22 Place in my hands
52:26 the wonderful key
52:30 that shall unclasp
52:34 and set me free.
52:39 Silently now I wait for Thee,
52:46 Ready, my God,
52:49 Thy will to see;
52:54 Open my eyes -
52:58 illumine me,
53:03 Spirit
53:07 divine!
53:11 Let us pray.
53:13 Father, tonight we come to you as
53:19 leaking vessels, Lord.
53:22 We need Your Spirit.
53:25 We need it to fill our lives.
53:28 To fill it till it runs over.
53:32 And oh, Lord, help us that we might go to the fountain
53:37 and that we might drink, and drink,
53:42 until our cup runs over.
53:45 That we might witness, and we might speak,
53:49 and we might influence all those around us.
53:53 That they too may be able to reach out in faith
53:57 and take hold of the promises of God
54:00 and be in Your kingdom.
54:02 Grant to us, Lord, Your blessing.
54:06 May our hearts be surrendered
54:10 and may we day by day walk with You.
54:14 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen.
54:21 Well, we thank you for being with us
54:23 as we went through this series on the Holy Spirit.
54:25 And we want to invite you
54:27 to be sure and be with us
54:30 the next series on the Sabbath.
54:32 We hope it will bless you in a special way.
54:35 And by the way, there are some very definite connections
54:39 about what we talked tonight
54:42 and about the Sabbath.
54:43 So you're going to see how those all fit together.
54:46 So we're very, very happy that you're here.
54:49 God bless you, take care of you.
54:51 Good night and take care of yourself.
54:54 A coal miner of old would leave his family every day
54:58 and descend into the depths of the earth
55:00 with the certain knowledge that the smallest mistake
55:04 could keep him and others from ever seeing daylight again.
55:07 Walking along in the dark,
55:09 he could only rely upon his feeble oil lamp
55:13 to keep him alive.
55:15 He faced many dangers down there.
55:17 Rockfalls, flooding, fires.
55:20 But perhaps the danger he feared the most
55:23 was the one that he could not see.
55:26 They called it chokedamp or blackdamp:
55:29 an unbreathable mixture of gases
55:32 that could quickly snuff out his life.
55:34 Imagine for a moment the terror he felt when he realized
55:38 he had hit a pocket of blackdamp.
55:40 The sudden drop in oxygen would put out his lamp
55:44 leaving him in terrifying darkness, fumbling in vain
55:48 to relight it before he lost consciousness.
55:51 Then in the late 1800's,
55:54 a bright new light began to shine in the dark world.
55:59 Using marble-sized pellets of calcium carbide
56:03 and a few drops of water,
56:04 this new lamp produced a gas which burned six times brighter.
56:09 Not only did it make his job a whole lot easier
56:12 but it also saved lives.
56:14 You can see this tiny reflector
56:17 could focus that beam of light
56:19 on the roof of a mine so that he could detect dangerous cracks.
56:24 The lamp was also easy to re-light.
56:26 And since it required far less oxygen,
56:29 it could illuminate the way out
56:31 should they encounter the chokedamp.
56:33 What an incredible illustration this is
56:37 of the condition of fallen man.
56:39 After struggling to survive the pitfalls of life,
56:42 he suddenly realizes the danger he could not see
56:46 had left him without hope and gasping for his last breath
56:51 in utter spiritual darkness.
56:53 For him there is no eternal life through Jesus.
56:57 In fact, he may not have ever heard about Him.
57:02 But friends, just as that bright light
57:05 of the carbide lamp saved lives,
57:08 so does the light of the Bible.
57:10 We need the light of God's Word to illuminate the dark corners
57:14 of our hearts. It focuses our attention on Jesus Christ...
57:18 our only hope for salvation.
57:20 And all who read and study it
57:22 are warned about the rockfalls of life.
57:25 That's why we call this series Give Me The Bible.
57:29 We're trying our best to bring the light of God's truth
57:32 to those who are living and dying in despair.
57:35 It's our mission. It's our passion.
57:38 Won't you join us?
57:41 Please consider what you can do
57:43 for those who still don't know about Jesus.
57:46 As the Holy Spirit impresses,
57:48 you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
58:02 Thank you for helping us to bring the Blessed Hope
58:05 to millions all around the world.


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Revised 2014-12-17