Participants: Pr. Taj Pacleb
Series Code: ROHB
Program Code: ROHB000012
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00:39 Our message this evening is entitled,
00:42 "Revelation's Mysterious Horsemen." 00:45 Through these symbols of the apocalypse, 00:48 we're going to find the answer to the question. 00:51 Why if there's only one God 00:54 or there are so many different denominations? 00:57 Brothers and sisters, if you'd to go 00:58 to the local phonebook 01:00 and go to the section on churches, 01:03 you will find scores 01:05 and scores of different churches to choose from. 01:08 In fact, it's been estimated 01:09 that there's over 1,500 different denominations 01:13 and faith groups in the United States of America alone. 01:16 From assemblies of God to Zionist, 01:19 from Baptist to Methodist 01:21 and Church of Christ to Church of God 01:22 and Pentecostals to Presbyterians 01:25 and Unification Churches to Universal Unitarian Churches, 01:28 and then you have Mormons 01:29 and Jehovah's witnesses Christian signs, 01:31 Christian Reform, Calvary Chapel, 01:33 Church of Christ, the true church of God 01:36 and many other non-demoninant-- 01:38 Non-denominational churches to choose from. 01:41 And, friends, with all of the different options, 01:43 how many of you have had that question before? 01:46 Why so many options? 01:48 I mean, if there's only one God and only one Bible, 01:51 why so many different churches to choose from? 01:54 Friends, tonight we're going to-- 01:55 We're going to talk about church history, 01:57 in connection with the Bible prophecy 02:00 where all the different churches came from. 02:02 And in the sixth Chapter of Revelation, 02:04 we find the first four seals 02:06 which describes four mysterious horsemen 02:09 galloping across the sky, 02:11 and through the symbols of the horsemen 02:13 God reveals the history 02:14 and future of the Christian Church 02:16 from the first to the twenty-first century. 02:18 And how they began as one in a very pure state, 02:22 but then how they became corrupted 02:24 and then after that fragmented 02:25 into thousands of different denominations, 02:28 and then after we trace the history of the church, 02:30 we're going to see that at the end of time 02:32 Jesus, the true pastor, the gentle shepherd 02:35 is seeking to gather all of His sheep, 02:37 His sincere people from all the different folds 02:40 and churches and denominations 02:42 into the one true fold 02:44 to unify us in spirit and in truth. 02:47 You see, brother and sisters, 02:49 these four horsemen represent God's church 02:54 in four different ages in history. 02:57 How do we know? Because the Bible tells us so. 03:00 Notice what the Bible tells us in Isaiah 63:13-14. 03:04 Notice what the horse is a symbol of in the Bible. 03:07 Isaiah 63:13-14, the Bible says, 03:10 "That led them through the deep, 03:11 as an horse in the wilderness, 03:14 that they should not stumble. 03:16 So didst thou lead thy people, 03:19 to make thyself a glorious name." 03:21 So in this passage, we see God likening 03:24 a man leading a horse to the wilderness as himself 03:28 who led his people through the wilderness. 03:30 And so we see that the horse is a symbol of God's people, 03:34 it represents the Church of God. 03:36 In fact, notice another one. 03:37 Please, write it down. 03:38 In Zechariah 10:3, the Bible tells us, 03:41 "For the Lord of hosts has visited his flock 03:45 the house of Judah, 03:46 and hath made them as his goodly, what? 03:50 As his goodly horse in the battle." 03:53 And so we find these 03:54 four horsemen represents God's people, 03:56 the house of Judah, spiritual Israel or his church, 03:59 but it represents the church 04:01 in four different ages throughout history. 04:04 And so let's go through them together. 04:05 Notice the first horse in Revelation 6:1. 04:09 "And I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals, 04:12 and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, 04:14 one of the four beasts saying, 'Come and see.' 04:16 And I saw, and behold a, what, kind of a horse? 04:19 A white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, 04:22 and a crown was given unto him 04:24 and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." 04:28 Here, we find the first horse that comes upon the scene. 04:31 Its color is white which a color of purity. 04:34 The Bible tells us that this horse and the rider 04:36 went forth conquering and to conquer. 04:38 A crown was upon his head 04:40 and a bow with arrows were in his hand. 04:42 And, friends, the New Testament believers 04:44 understood the symbol of the white horse, 04:46 it represented righteous pure victory. 04:50 Friends, this was during the time 04:51 when the church of God was a triumphant, 04:54 victorious, pure and a righteous church. 04:57 You see, the rider upon the horse 04:59 that wears the crown represents Christ. 05:01 who is the head of the church. 05:03 And he's going forth to conquer souls 05:05 from the kingdom of darkness, 05:07 not with the force of arms and military might, 05:09 but he's conquering individuals with the arrows of the truth, 05:14 the Holy Spirit conviction 05:16 that pierces the hearts of individuals 05:18 with the truth of God's word. 05:20 It was the time that souls were rescued 05:22 from the kingdom of darkness 05:23 and they were conquered for the kingdom of light. 05:26 Friends, this was during the time 05:27 of the early apostolic church. 05:29 The what time period? The early apostolic church. 05:33 The time that multitudes were conquered 05:35 by the gospel of Jesus Christ, the arrows of truth. 05:37 And by the way, friends, 05:38 we find parallel imagery of God's pure church, 05:41 the early apostolic church in Revelation 12. 05:44 We're going to study this more in detail tomorrow evening. 05:46 But in the Revelation 12, 05:48 we find the early apostolic church 05:50 also clothed in pure white garments. 05:53 And so we find that it's a symbol of purity 05:56 and the reason why they are white, 05:58 they are pure is because they receive their doctrines 06:01 directly from the lips of Christ, 06:03 untainted and uncorrupted by human error and tradition. 06:08 You see, both the woman and the white horse 06:11 represents the time of the early apostolic church 06:13 when the Christian faith was a powerful 06:16 and a pure conquering faith. 06:18 Once again, it was pure 06:19 because they received it directly from Jesus. 06:21 And, friends, when the church has a pure 06:23 and true message, 06:25 you can be sure that God is going to bless that church. 06:27 Can you say amen? 06:28 He's going to bless that church with Holy Spirit power 06:31 to conquer the kingdom of darkness 06:34 and to rescue souls from the kingdom of darkness 06:36 and to bring them into the kingdom of light. 06:38 You see, now God can bless them, 06:40 they are saved for Him to bless 06:42 with the Holy Spirit power. 06:44 And this, brother and sisters, 06:45 is what empowered the evangelism 06:47 of the early apostolic church. 06:49 Notice how they describe in Acts 5:14, 06:53 the Bible tells us, 06:54 "The believers were increasingly added to the Lord, 06:57 multitudes both of men and of women." 07:00 On the day of Pentecost, 07:01 3,000 souls were baptized in a day. 07:04 The church was triumphing over the kingdom of darkness. 07:07 And, brother and sisters, the reason why 07:09 is because they had a pure message. 07:11 So God was able to bless them, they were saved to bless. 07:14 You see, God is not going to bless a church 07:16 that has a false message. 07:17 Can you say amen? 07:18 When the church has a pure message, 07:20 it's then that convergence, 07:22 true convergence are going to take place, 07:24 not emotionalism, 07:26 not just an increase of membership, 07:28 but an increase of spirituality. 07:30 And this is what happened, brother and sisters. 07:32 In fact, I want you to notice 07:33 the model of the early apostolic church, 07:35 those early apostle said in Acts 5:29. 07:37 They said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." 07:41 In other words, they were not concerned 07:43 with peace and harmony 07:44 with the other religious leaders of that day. 07:47 They esteemed the truth of God's word 07:49 and obedience to God above the laws 07:51 and the wills and the desires of other people. 07:54 And, friends, this was the time of the early apostolic church 07:56 and it lasted from around 31 to about 100 AD. 08:00 Now, friends, mind you, this is not a time prophecy 08:03 so these are approximate dates. 08:04 When you look in history, 08:05 you find that during these time periods 08:07 the church was triumphing 08:09 and it fits the characteristics. 08:11 From the time of the resurrection 08:12 of the Christ to about 100 AD, 08:15 the Christian faith was a pure conquering faith. 08:18 And, friends, Satan tried his best 08:22 to destroy the church of God. 08:24 Satan had to do something and he had to do it fast. 08:27 And so now we find the next prophetic picture of the horse 08:30 comes upon the scene. 08:31 And now the color is no longer white, 08:33 but it's red which is the color of blood. 08:35 Notice what the Bible says now in Verse 4, 08:38 "And there went another horse--" 08:40 That was what color? 08:41 "And powers given to him 08:43 that sat there on to take peace from the earth 08:45 and that they should kill one another. 08:47 And there was given unto him a great sour." 08:50 Here we find a rough rider in red. 08:53 The color of purity changes 08:55 to the color of bloody persecution. 08:57 This is what it represents. 08:58 If you study history you'll notice 09:00 that Satan influenced the pagan Romans. 09:04 Roman leaders like Nero and Diocletian to began, 09:08 to torture the early apostolic church. 09:11 They were put to death in cruel and hideous ways. 09:14 You see, friends, the purity of their faith 09:16 was an open rebuke to the wickedness 09:19 of the pagan Romans. 09:20 And by the way, friends, 09:21 recently I got the chance to visit Rome just last April. 09:24 And when I was there, 09:25 I went to the coliseum there at Rome. 09:27 It was in the coliseum 09:29 that Christians were thrown to be devoured 09:32 by wild animals, burnt at the stake 09:35 as the form of entertainment for the pagan Romans. 09:39 Satan began a fierce error of bloody red persecution. 09:42 When I was in Rome, 09:43 I also got the chance to visit the Church of the Martyrs, 09:46 that the church right there in the Vatican. 09:48 And on the walls of this church are pictures. 09:50 Do you see it? 09:51 And these pictures depict actual executions of actual Christians. 09:57 These were not just story telling, 10:00 these were real people. 10:02 Under each picture was the names and the dates of individuals 10:06 who had dies these cruel and torturous deaths. 10:08 And, friends, notice some of the ways 10:09 that the Christians died. 10:11 They were tortured, brother and sisters. 10:13 They were-- They had their tongues cut off 10:15 and their hands cut off, very cruel. 10:17 By the pagan Romans, 10:18 Satan tried to destroy the church of God. 10:21 And many of them were faced 10:22 and offered an easy way out of a very cruel death. 10:26 So they said to the Christians, 10:28 all you have to do is acknowledge 10:29 and supremacy of the Caesar. 10:31 Just offer little incense and bow down to our pagan idols 10:34 and we will spare you a cruel and torturous death. 10:38 Just bow to the idol, 10:39 kiss the ring of the Caesar or the governors. 10:43 And, friends, these individuals, 10:45 these Christians they would rather die 10:47 with the promise of eternal life rather than live a lie. 10:51 They faced death with courage, brother and sisters. 10:55 They were not afraid to die 10:56 because they have the hope of a resurrection. 10:58 And so the red horse time period 11:00 lasted for around 100 AD to about 313 AD. 11:03 You see, their faith was greater than the fires of persecution. 11:07 Death could not defeat the church of God 11:11 because the more they were persecuted, 11:13 the more they actually grew in number. 11:15 Did you know that? 11:16 Satan tried to destroy them by persecution, 11:19 but it wasn't working. 11:20 The more they were persecuted, 11:21 the more they began to grow in number. 11:23 They were burnt alive, 11:24 but they were singing while they were burning. 11:26 How could that be? 11:27 It seems that there was no pain in their continence 11:30 but only peace and calm rest and assurance. 11:34 Now as the pagan persecutors 11:35 lift upon the continence of Christians, 11:37 these pagans realize that they were strangers to such hope 11:41 that they did not know the peace 11:43 and the joy that these Christians had. 11:45 You see, these Christians testified with their blood 11:48 in the power of the gospel 11:51 that is stronger than even death. 11:54 And the pagans began to desire what these Christians have. 11:56 And so as one would die for the faith, 11:59 ten will spring up and say, 12:01 "I want what that Christian had. 12:03 I now want to accept the peace of Jesus." 12:05 And so the more they were mowed down, 12:07 the more they grew in number. 12:09 And by the way, brother and sisters, 12:10 if you want to win your love ones to Jesus, 12:12 follow that example, live like a Christian, 12:14 let individuals, let your family members 12:16 and you friends and your neighbors and your co-workers, 12:18 see the peace of Jesus in your life, 12:21 even in the midst of trial and tribulation 12:23 and conflict and financial difficulties 12:25 and be diagnosed with diseases. 12:27 Let them see that you have peace and calm assurance. 12:30 Don't let anything in this world move you, stand firm. 12:34 And as individuals, as your family member 12:36 see that you are unmoved by the trials of life, 12:39 they are going to say, "Wow, you have something. 12:41 What is it about you? I want what you have." 12:44 And then you have opportunity to tell them, 12:45 "It's not me, it's Jesus." 12:47 Can you say amen? Amen. 12:49 And you give the glory to God. 12:50 And that's exactly what took place, brother and sisters. 12:53 And by the way persecution 12:54 kept the church pure from compromise 12:57 because those who joined the church, 12:59 they realized that by doing so, 13:00 they can very easily loose their lives. 13:04 And so it was serious conversions, 13:06 serious commitments that were taking place. 13:09 And Satan saw that persecution 13:11 could not destroy the church of God. 13:13 The more they-- 13:14 They were persecuted the more they grew. 13:15 And so what Satan had to do, 13:16 he had to change his strategy 13:19 because God's people die 13:21 with the blessed hope burning in their hearts. 13:24 So persecution wasn't working, 13:26 so he changed his strategy. 13:27 And basically this is what the devil said, 13:29 "If I can't beat them outwardly 13:32 then I will join them." 13:33 If you can't beat them, join them, right? 13:35 If I can't beat them outwardly then I will join them 13:38 and I will corrupt them from the inside out. 13:42 And this is where the next horse comes upon the scene. 13:44 Notice with me now in verse 5, Revelation 6:5. 13:48 The Bible tells us, 13:49 "And when he had opened the third seal, 13:50 I heard the third beast say, 'Come and see. 13:52 And I beheld, and lo a--'" What color horse? 13:55 "A black horse 13:56 and he that sat on him had a pair of balances, 13:59 some scales in his hand. 14:00 And I heard the voice 14:01 in the midst of the four beasts say, 14:03 'A measure of wheat for a penny, 14:04 and three measures of barley for a penny, 14:06 and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.'" 14:10 Here we find a bargaining rider in black. 14:14 And, friends, as you noticed that he's offering, 14:16 he has a pairs of balances, scales in his hand 14:20 and if you calculate what he's offering 14:22 for what he's asking for, 14:23 he's asking for too much for too little in return. 14:27 You see the black horse time period represents the time 14:30 when compromise and corruption crept within the church. 14:34 In fact, I want you to notice 14:35 what the Bible tells us in the Book of Proverbs. 14:37 Proverbs 11:1, the Bible says that, 14:41 "A false or a deceitful balance is," what? 14:45 "Abomination to the Lord, 14:47 but a just weight is his delight." 14:49 You see, the balance, 14:50 the scale he has in his hand is a false balance. 14:53 In other words, it was during the time 14:54 when the church deceit and false 14:57 doctrines began to creep within the church. 15:01 Deception and compromise, but untold abominations 15:04 and things that were not according to the will 15:06 and the word of God. 15:07 You see, friend, the dark horse time period 15:09 represents the time when the Christians faith 15:11 was a compromised and corrupted faith. 15:15 Well, corruption is that came from paganism crept within. 15:18 Satan changed his strategy 15:19 and he infiltrated the church bringing a false light, 15:23 a false balance. 15:24 It's the time that paganism entered into the church 15:28 and corrupted it from the inside out. 15:29 And, friends, we find that there's also a famine 15:32 during this time period. 15:33 The rider is asking for too much for too little in return, 15:38 represents a time of famine, the famine of God's truth, 15:41 the world of God as the church began to take advantage 15:44 of the weakness of the people. 15:46 And, friends, this black horse time period 15:48 is a fit description 15:49 of the beginning of the Medieval Church, 15:51 the church that began during, around the Dark Ages. 15:55 And by the way, friends, the Apostle Paul prophesied 15:57 that corruption would creep within. 15:59 Notice what he said in the 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 16:02 "That day will not come unless the--" what? 16:06 "Falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed." 16:11 You see, that expression, the falling away. 16:13 In the Greek, it's the word, 16:14 the expression the great apostasy. 16:16 In other words, the apostle was saying 16:18 that a great apostasy would take place 16:20 within the church as the man of sin, 16:22 the anti-Christ will now come within the temple of God 16:25 sitting in the do New Testament church, 16:28 corrupting it from the inside out. 16:30 Well, how would apostasy take hold in the church? 16:32 Notice, in Acts 20:29-30, the apostle wrote, 16:36 "For I know this, that after my departing--" 16:39 Stop right there. 16:40 The Apostle Paul lived in what color horse time period? 16:43 What color horse time period the Apostle Paul lived? 16:45 In the white horse, right? 16:47 And he's saying, "After my departing." 16:48 In other words, after the white horse time period. 16:50 "Shall grievous wolves enter in among you, 16:53 not sparing the flock?" 16:54 In other words, wolves will begin to devour the sheep. 16:56 What color horse time period does that sound like? 16:58 That sounds like red, doesn't it? 17:00 Where wolves will come into persecute the flock of God, 17:02 but then after that notice, 17:04 "Also of your own selves shall men arise, 17:08 speaking--" What kind of things? 17:10 "Perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." 17:13 That's the black horse time period, 17:14 friends, where Satan changes his strategy, 17:17 instead of devouring the sheep, 17:19 he clothes himself in the garments of a sheep. 17:22 A wolf in the sheep's clothing 17:23 and he enters within the church speaking perverse things, 17:26 blaspheming, things that are not according to God's word. 17:30 And instead of using force, Satan would use flattering, 17:34 instead of using weapons, he would use false words. 17:37 In fact, Daniel described 17:39 the same time period in Daniel 8:12. 17:42 Notice what it says, 17:43 "He cast down the truth to the ground, 17:45 and it, speaking about deception and deceive, 17:48 it practiced and it prospered." 17:50 During this time period, the truth of God's word 17:52 was trumped upon 17:54 and error and false doctrine began to prosper. 17:56 And during these time periods, 17:57 salvation through Christ was replaced 18:00 by the requirements of the church. 18:02 And not only that, but the teachings of God's word 18:04 were approve now by church councils instead of the Bible. 18:09 And how in the world could this happen to the church? 18:12 Well, let me give you the historical setting. 18:14 The historical setting is this. 18:17 The pagan Roman Empire was falling apart. 18:20 It was beginning to fall, 18:22 not only where the barbarian tribes 18:25 invading different territories of the pagan empire, 18:28 but Rome itself was a divided kingdom 18:30 and that which brought division 18:32 was there two major religions fighting for supremacy. 18:35 Paganism and Christianity. 18:37 And, friends, Constantine realized 18:40 that a divided kingdom cannot stand. 18:43 And so paganism was the state religion 18:46 and the pagans were actually persecuting the Christians. 18:49 And so in order to save the divided kingdom of Rome, 18:52 Constantine united the two religions, 18:55 paganism and Christianity. How? 18:57 By introducing a compromise between the two religions. 19:02 Constantine claimed to have 19:03 a dramatic conversion to Christianity 19:06 and he then made Christianity 19:08 the state religion in the Roman Empire. 19:11 So from being pagan Rome, 19:13 it now was transferred into papal Rome. 19:16 He made Christianity state religion. 19:18 But, friends, he was not truly converted. 19:20 This was strictly a political move 19:23 in order to save the divided empire of Rome. 19:26 You see, Constantine was not converted. 19:28 He was still a pagan at heart 19:31 and in joining the Christian church 19:33 he did not renounce paganism, 19:35 he simply brought it right into the church. 19:39 In fact, notice what history tells us, 19:41 it describes this time period, 19:42 "In the interval between the days of the apostles 19:45 and the conversion of Constantine, 19:47 rites and ceremonies of which neither Paul 19:50 nor Peter ever heard, crept silently into use, 19:54 and then claimed the rank of--" What? "Of divine institutions." 19:59 You see, the Christians. 20:00 Many of the Christians at Rome accepted the compromise 20:02 because they wee tired of being persecuted. 20:04 They said to the pagans, okay, you're going 20:05 to become Christians, wonderful, wonderful. 20:08 You can come right on in. 20:10 And with them came pagan doctrines and practices. 20:14 And the mind set was this, 20:16 how can we as Christians make Christianity 20:19 more comfortable for the pagan converts. 20:23 And so what did they do? 20:25 They did exactly what many churches are doing today, 20:28 they lowered the standard of truth, 20:30 they watered down the message of the gospel 20:32 for the sake of having a larger membership. 20:35 Friends, this is a terrible thing 20:37 because what they did. 20:38 It corrupted the Christian Church. 20:41 In fact, notice what happened. 20:42 The development of Christian Doctrine on page 372, 20:45 another historical reference. 20:46 It says, "We are told by Eusebius 20:48 who is a church historian, that Constantine, 20:51 in order to recommend the new religion." 20:53 That what religion? 20:55 And what new religion was he recommending to the heathen? 20:58 Christianity, right? 20:59 He was saying, "We all need to become Christians now. 21:01 And so in order to recommend the new religion to the heathen, 21:04 he transferred into it." 21:06 Into what? "Into Christianity. 21:09 All the outward ornaments, 21:11 to which they the pagans had been accustomed 21:13 in their own religion." 21:16 In other words, they lowered the standard of the truth 21:18 for the sake of more membership. 21:19 They said, "Let's just allow them to bring the word 21:23 and worldly practices within the church 21:25 so that they can be more comfortable." 21:27 You see, it doesn't really matter 21:28 as long as they are Christians, 21:29 as long as they take the name of Christ, it's all right. 21:31 They can live however they want to live, 21:34 as long as they profess faith in Christ as their master. 21:38 Friends, many churches are making the exact same mistake 21:41 and that's why many Christian churches today 21:43 they are worshiping the God in spirit, 21:45 but not in truth. 21:46 It is a counterfeit worship, friends. 21:48 They worship God, but in vain. 21:50 What were some of these outward ornaments 21:52 or symbols of paganism that entered into the church? 21:55 I want you to notice. 21:56 The primary ornament of paganism 21:59 are images of the Sun God. 22:01 Notice what it says in the history, 22:03 "Constantine's coins bore on the one side 22:05 the letters of the name of Christ 22:07 and on the other the figure of, who? 22:09 Of the Sun God as if he could not dare to relinquish 22:12 the patronage of the bright luminary." 22:15 You see, friends, the Sun God was the primary God in paganism 22:19 and pagan worship. 22:21 And so these were the ornaments, images of the Sun God 22:24 that were brought within the Christian church 22:27 to make the pagans have easier time 22:30 converting into Christianity. 22:32 And, friends, do we see images of the Sun God 22:35 in the churches of today still? Absolutely, yes. 22:38 Let me share with you a few examples of this. 22:39 And by the way, friends, in sharing these examples, 22:41 we're not standing in judgment on 22:43 anyone's personal relationship with God. 22:44 Can you say amen? 22:45 Because remember, God has His people 22:47 in every single church, 22:49 every single fold, every single denomination 22:51 that are living up to all the light they know 22:54 and because they are so sincere living up 22:55 to all the light they know 22:57 while they may not have all the light, 22:58 God recognizes them as His sheep as His people. 23:02 Can you say amen? 23:03 So we're not judging anyone's heart 23:04 but, friends, we can judge the fruits. 23:06 Can you say amen? 23:07 Jesus said, "You shall know then by their-- 23:10 We can't judge the root, the motives, 23:12 but we can look upon the fruit 23:13 to tell whether it's good or it's bad. 23:17 And so notice what happened. 23:18 Here's the fruit, brothers and sisters. 23:19 We still see images of the sun 23:21 boldly demonstrated in the churches today. 23:24 I want you to notice this statue of Saint Peter. 23:27 In Saint Peter's Basilica there in the Vatican City at Rome 23:31 and notice above his head is the sun disc. 23:34 It was the image of the Sun God that came from paganism. 23:37 And many people believe that this is a statue of Saint Peter. 23:41 The sun disc above the head shows 23:43 is a sign of its pagan origin. 23:45 And, friends, many sincere wonderful people 23:47 travel all around the world, 23:49 every single year and they visit 23:50 and they come to this statue 23:51 and they kiss the toes on this statue 23:54 so much so that the toes have actually been worn down. 23:58 And, friends, many people are sincere. 24:00 They think that they are doing the right thing 24:01 and they don't know that this is idolatry. 24:05 What people don't realize 24:06 is that this statue is not really Saint Peter. 24:09 In reality, it is the statue. 24:11 It's a copy of the famous pagan God Jupiter 24:15 that was brought into the church in the early centuries. 24:18 It was simply renamed Peter to help the pagans identity. 24:24 This is our pagan God Jupiter, but now it's Saint Peter. 24:27 So it made the transition from paganism into Christianity 24:30 more easy for the pagan. 24:32 And, friends, those who are kissing the toe, 24:33 they are not kissing the toe of Saint Peter, 24:35 but they are kissing the toe of a pagan God Jupiter 24:38 with the sun disc on his head. 24:40 And, friends, most statues are simply pagan gods 24:43 that are renamed to Christian saints. 24:45 Many other pictures 24:47 and statues review its pagan origins. 24:49 And I want you to notice, 24:50 what the primary focus in all of the artwork? 24:52 What is it-- What it emphasized? 24:54 It's the sun, friends. Do you see it? 24:56 Here's the picture of the nativity. 24:57 What is emphasized here? 24:58 It's the sun because that was the primary God 25:01 in pagan religions. 25:03 The sun disc is accentuated over and over and over again. 25:08 I took all of these pictures by the way when I was in Rome 25:10 and visiting the different churches 25:12 just last year. In fact, notice this. 25:13 The sun disc and in the center is the all Seeing Eye. 25:17 It's a symbol of paganism right there within the churches. 25:21 And if you notice this one. 25:23 Instead of Jesus being in the center, 25:25 what's in the center? 25:27 The sun disc and on the side is Jesus, 25:29 Mary and Joseph. 25:30 In fact, this was a picture of a statue 25:32 of what supposedly perhaps the Virgin Mary, 25:35 right there on the left side at the altar, 25:37 there in Saint Peters Basilica the headquarters in Rome. 25:40 And, friends, instead of holding baby Jesus 25:42 what is she holding? The sun disc. Why? 25:44 Because this was the foremost God in paganism. 25:47 So you see, friends, 25:49 the images in the artwork shows the union of paganism 25:53 and Christianity together. 25:55 And by the way, friends, do you know 25:56 where the largest sun disc in the world is? 25:59 It's right there in the Vatican City, 26:01 the largest sun dial in the world is right there. 26:03 And, friends, that pillar in the middle is an obelisk. 26:06 It's a symbol of the Egyptian Sun God Ra. 26:10 It was taken from Egypt 26:11 and bought to the headquarters there at Rome. 26:13 It was a symbol of paganism 26:15 and Christianity coming together. 26:17 And it was during this age of compromise, 26:19 the images of saints became intercessors 26:22 setting aside the role of the Holy Spirit. 26:24 It's now that the church began to worship idols 26:27 and crosses and pictures and saints and angels. 26:30 Well, how in the world can the church do this? 26:32 What about the second commandment? 26:33 That says, "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, 26:36 and thou shall not bow down 26:37 by self to then nor sure of them." 26:39 Well, friends, it was during this time of compromise 26:41 the black horse time period where the Bible tells us 26:43 that this power would think to change what? 26:47 Times and laws, changing God's holy law. 26:50 And, friends, if you read the Catechism, 26:52 the second commandment is completely gone, 26:54 it's deleted. 26:55 That's the only way they could rationalize 26:57 the bringing in of idols and praying to statues. 27:00 And in order to still have Ten Commandments 27:02 as I shared with you before. 27:03 They split the tenth commandment into two. 27:05 Commandment nine says, 27:06 "Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife." 27:08 Commandment ten, 27:09 "Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods." 27:11 Changing God's times and laws. 27:12 It was also during this time period 27:14 were compromised and the pagans day of the suns, 27:17 Sunday replaced the biblical Sabbath. 27:19 You see, the pagans worship on the first day of the week 27:22 and so to help them transition to Christianity they said, 27:25 okay, we're going to continue to worship 27:26 on the first day of the week, but now instead of worshipping 27:29 the Sun God on the first day of the week, 27:30 we will worship Jesus in honor of the resurrection. 27:33 Friends, Sunday worship comes from the paganism. 27:35 In fact, notice what history says, 27:38 "The retention of the old pagan name 27:40 of Dies Solis or Sunday 27:42 is in great measure, owing to the union of, what, 27:45 pagan and Christian sentiment 27:47 with which the first day of the week was recommended 27:49 by Constantine to his subjects, 27:52 pagan and Christian alike, 27:53 as the venerable day of the Sun." 27:55 Constantine recommended, 27:56 "Let's all worship on the first day of the week 27:58 so that we can all come together 27:59 and be unified in the same religion." 28:02 Now he recommended it at first, 28:04 but then in the year 321 AD. 28:07 Write it down, look it up for yourself. 28:08 Constantine passed the first Sunday law, 28:12 forcing people now we must worship 28:14 on the first day of the week. 28:16 And he did this, friends, 28:18 to unite the divided Roman Empire. 28:21 You see, compromise crept within the church. 28:25 Satan changed the strategy. 28:27 Instead of destroying them, he would corrupt them 28:29 and the black horse time period, the time of compromise 28:32 lasted for around 313 to 538 AD. 28:36 This was the time period 28:37 where corruption gradually settled 28:39 within the Christian church. 28:41 And, friends, as if things can't get any worse, 28:45 it actually gets worse. 28:46 Hold on to your seats, friends. 28:48 There's a fourth horse that comes upon the scene. 28:50 And now the color is pale which is the color of death. 28:54 Let's read about it. 28:55 Revelation 6:8, the Bible says, 28:58 "I looked, and behold a, what, pale horse 29:01 and his name that sat on him was Death, 29:04 and Hell followed with him. 29:06 And power was given unto them 29:07 over the fourth part of the earth, 29:09 to kill with sword, and with hunger, 29:10 and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." 29:13 Here we find the fourth rider 29:14 is a deadly rider on a pitiful pale horse. 29:18 And, friends, that color pale is the color of death and decay. 29:21 Isn't that right? 29:23 This pale horse represents the time 29:25 when the Christian faith was a dead 29:27 and a dying faith. 29:29 Notice how history describes the Dark Ages 29:31 and the church of that time. 29:33 History tells us, "That the new Christians were, 29:35 as far as thinking and habits went." 29:38 Who are the new Christians? 29:39 The pagan converts, those who converted to Christianity. 29:42 And it says that these new Christians 29:44 were as far as thinking. 29:45 In other words, their beliefs and habits. 29:47 In other words, their lifestyle. 29:49 They were the same old, what? They were pagans. 29:53 "Their surge into the churches did not wipe out paganism, 29:57 but on the contrary. 29:59 Hordes of baptized pagans meant that paganism had--" 30:02 What is that word? 30:04 "Diluted the moral energies of organized Christianity 30:07 to the point of, what? Impotence." 30:09 You see, friends, Christianity in the Dark Ages, 30:12 as pagans were brought into the churches 30:13 and just baptized without truly being converted, 30:16 it diluted and paralyzed the Christian faith. 30:19 They had a form of godliness, 30:22 they had the name of Christ on their lips, 30:24 but in their hearts, in their belief system, 30:26 in their lifestyle, they were still 30:28 the same old un-converted pagans 30:31 and to the point where Christianity was impotent. 30:33 And, friends, that word impotent means, 30:34 you can't reproduce. 30:35 And when you can't reproduce, you end up dying. 30:38 It's pale, friends. It's a sickly and dead fate. 30:41 In fact, notice another historical reference 30:43 describing the Dark Ages. 30:44 "Christianity became an established religion 30:46 in the Roman Empire." 30:47 Remember, from pagan Rome it became papal Rome. 30:51 It was the establish religion of the Roman Empire 30:53 and it took the place of paganism. 30:55 "Christianity as it existed in the Dark Ages 30:58 might be termed, what? 31:00 "Baptized Paganism." 31:02 That's all what it was, friends. 31:04 It was paganism with the Christian garment. 31:06 It was a wolf in sheep's clothing. 31:08 And the true church during this time period 31:10 were worshipping God underground, 31:12 they were hiding in the wilderness. 31:14 You see, friends, what the church did 31:15 is what many churches are doing today. 31:17 They were lowering the standards, 31:19 compromising the truth in order to get more converts 31:21 and they were simply baptizing people 31:24 that were not truly converted. 31:26 Friends, we should never baptize anyone 31:27 that has not experienced a conversion in their heart 31:30 because, friends, what is baptism? 31:32 It's just an outward expression of an inward experience. 31:35 The water does not change. 31:37 It's the spirit that changes first. 31:39 Can you say amen? 31:40 Many churches are making that same mistake today. 31:43 And, friends, listen whenever the church 31:46 lowers the standard to convert the world, 31:48 the world is never converted, 31:50 but rather it's the church that is converted to the world. 31:52 Did you catch that? 31:54 When the church compromises 31:55 and waters down the message of God 31:57 because it's unpopular, because it cuts across the grain 32:00 because it's a call of repentance and reformation. 32:03 Whenever a church does this, 32:05 the world is never converted to the church. 32:08 The church is always converted to the world 32:11 and it paralyses the church. 32:14 And, friends, the past is being repeated in Christianity today. 32:19 What happened back then was this. 32:21 The false religious system becomes head of the state 32:23 and now the church 32:24 uses the military arm of the state 32:27 to enforce its doctrines, 32:28 its dogmas and its decrees. 32:31 In other words, they are using the power of the state 32:33 to force the conscious of individuals. 32:36 And those who wanted to remain faithful to God 32:39 and the word of God, 32:40 they were hunted down like wild animals 32:43 and they were put to death, not by the hands of pagans, 32:46 but by the hands of those 32:47 who profess faith in Jesus Christ. 32:50 Friends, this was the counterfeit church. 32:52 And during this time period in the 1500s, 32:56 there was a secret brand of the church 32:58 that was created to destroy heretics. 33:00 It was called the Judgment Order. 33:02 It was founded by Ignatius Loyola 33:04 in the year 1540. 33:05 This is the secret society of the Catholic Church 33:08 and this branch of Catholicism, the Judgment Order 33:11 was invented for the strict purpose 33:13 of wiping out Protestantism, 33:15 wiping out what they called heresy 33:17 and to corrupt and to crush 33:20 those who wanted to remain faithful 33:21 to the teachings of God's word. 33:23 And, friends, today, the judgment priest 33:25 would deny these intentions. 33:26 But listen, friends, their own symbols do not lie 33:31 and it reveals the intentions. 33:32 In fact, I visited the headquarters 33:34 of the Jesuit Church 33:35 just last April there in Rome. 33:37 The church of Jesus, the Jesuit Church. 33:40 And, friends, in this church there's this statue. 33:41 I took this picture. 33:43 A statue of a woman with some type of whip 33:45 or something in her hand 33:46 and she's stamping upon two men. 33:49 And, friends, do you know who those two men are? 33:51 They are protestant reformers. 33:53 And the church denies that this is what it means. 33:56 But, friends, if you notice the statue carefully 33:58 there's this little angel which is more like a demon 34:01 that is ripping out pages of a book. 34:03 I would like to guess 34:04 whose names are on the binding of the book 34:06 right there in the statues. 34:08 The name of Martin Luther and the name of John Calvin 34:12 and the name of Ulrich Zwingli, 34:13 their own symbols do not lie, 34:16 even though today they will deny that this is their intentions. 34:19 And, friends, it's alarming 34:20 that the new pope is a Jesuit pope. 34:23 And we are going to talk about that on future night 34:25 but, friends, during this time period 34:26 the Jesuit order was set up to stamp out heresy. 34:30 This is what the church did during the Dark Ages. 34:32 And, friends, history tells us 34:34 that they died in cruel and torches ways. 34:37 They would rather be burnt alive 34:39 than disobey the word of God. 34:42 Friends, what excuse are we going to make? 34:43 Friends, think about the faith of the early Christian martyrs 34:46 who gave everything, friends. 34:48 They gave all and did it willingly and happily. 34:52 Why Because they have the blessed hope 34:55 of a resurrection. 34:56 They did not consider their life important. 34:59 They consider the truth of God 35:00 and the honor and glory of the God 35:01 above even their very own life. 35:03 That's what history tells us, friends. 35:05 Over 50 million Christians. 35:08 Oh, friends, we need to have the faith of the martyrs. 35:10 Can you say amen? Amen. 35:11 But, friends, many people say, 35:13 I'm ready to die for Jesus. 35:14 People sometimes say like Peter, 35:16 "Lord, I am ready to die for you." 35:18 They are not even living for Him. 35:19 Friends, before we can die for Him, 35:20 we must first start living for Him. 35:22 Can you say amen? 35:24 And so Lord, help us tonight. 35:25 Can you say amen? 35:26 You see, the pale horse time period. 35:27 The time when the Christian faith was a dead faith 35:30 lasted from 538 to about 1798. 35:33 This was during the time of the Dark Ages 35:35 where Satan sought to extinguish the light of the truth. 35:37 And, friends, it seem like the darkness 35:39 was stronger than the light. 35:40 It seem like error was overcoming the truth. 35:44 But here's the question. 35:46 Would God's truth be trampled upon forever? 35:50 Not at all, friends. 35:51 Truth is always stronger than error. 35:54 Light will always dispel the darkness 35:57 and God in His word has prophesied 35:59 that the light of His truth 36:00 would begin to penetrate the darkness of the Dark Ages. 36:04 And, friends, so far in this presentation, 36:06 we've just been talking about the bad news. 36:08 How many of you're now ready for the good news? 36:10 Are you ready? 36:12 We've seen how the church began at a high periods altered state, 36:16 from white in apostolic purity 36:18 then red in bloody persecution, 36:21 then black, darken as compromise settles in 36:24 and now pale, the color of death. 36:26 We've saw it how it went down, down, down, down, 36:29 but now we're going to trace it 36:30 how God begins to rise it 36:32 and exalt it higher and higher and higher. 36:34 Well, friends, if you are ready for the good news, 36:36 would you please say amen? Amen. 36:38 We traced it from its pure to its pale state, 36:40 now from Pale back to its pure state. 36:43 Friends, notice what the Bible tells us, 36:45 the light of truth would penetrate the darkness. 36:48 In Proverbs 4:18, the Bible says, 36:51 "But the path of the just." Stop right there. 36:53 What does that mean, just? 36:55 Bible says in Romans 1:17 that the just shall live by-- 36:59 So, friends, this is the path of faith. 37:01 Can you say amen? 37:02 Those who are seeking to walk by faith 37:04 and not by tradition and not by sight. 37:06 And notice this path of the just. 37:08 The path of faith is as the, what? 37:11 "Shining light." But what kind of light? 37:13 A light that shines how? 37:16 More and more unto end. 37:18 So the Bible tell us that the path of faith 37:21 that was almost destroyed in the Dark Ages 37:23 and replaced with darkness. 37:25 God says that this path of faith, 37:27 the path of the just 37:28 will began to shine more and more, 37:30 brighter and brighter until the perfect day. 37:33 In other words, God would restore the path of faith. 37:37 God will raise up different men and women 37:39 who'd stand up to defend the true pure faith of Jesus. 37:43 And by doing so, the light of God's word would be restored. 37:46 But, friends, how does God restore truth? 37:47 Not all at once, but He does it gradually. 37:51 He does it how? 37:52 In other words, more and more and brighter and brighter. 37:55 Notice what Jesus said in John 16:12-13. 37:58 Jesus said, "I have yet many things to say to you, 38:00 but you cannot bare them now." 38:02 Friends, I am so thankful that God 38:04 does never overwhelm us. 38:05 Can you say amen? Jesus said to disciples. 38:07 I have so mush to say to you, 38:09 but you can't handle it right now. 38:11 Therefore, I am not going to say it. 38:12 You see, brother and sisters, God knows what we can handle 38:15 and He promises in His word 38:16 to never give us more than what we can handle. 38:18 And, friends, I know that perhaps some of you were 38:20 hearing these messages for the first time, 38:22 you have been tempted to be overwhelm, 38:23 but the fact that God allowed you to hear it, 38:25 show that He has seen that now is your time 38:27 and that you can't handle it. 38:29 Can you say amen? 38:30 So God says, Jesus said, 38:31 "I have many things to say, but you can't handle it. 38:33 You can't bare it now. 38:34 "Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth, is come, 38:38 he will guide you into--" 38:42 Not some truth, not most truth, but into all truth. 38:46 And notice, He will guide us, 38:48 not force us, not rush us, but guide us step by step. 38:51 In other words, God does not reveal all truth at once 38:54 because if He did, it would be overwhelming. 38:56 Just like when you're in a dark room 38:58 and you fall asleep 38:59 and when your eyes are accustom to darkness 39:01 and someone comes in 39:02 and turns on the light 39:03 how do you feel? How do you respond? 39:05 When all the light shines all at once? 39:07 You start to shout, right? You start to resist. 39:09 It becomes blinding, it become overwhelming. 39:12 And so God would not restore everything all at once 39:15 because people would turn away, 39:16 but rather he would send the Holy Spirit 39:19 and raising up different men and women 39:20 to contend, defend and earnestly 39:23 stand up for the true faith, 39:25 but not everything at once just a little portion at a time. 39:29 Thus, giving our eyes, our spiritual eyes 39:32 time to adjust to seeing the light. 39:36 Can you say amen? 39:38 And it would shine more and more, 39:40 brighter and brighter, clearer and clearer 39:43 onto the perfect day 39:44 and that day is the time of perfect clarity. 39:47 It's the day when God's church 39:48 is truly going to experience the reality of this promise 39:51 where the Holy Spirit would lead them into 39:53 all of the truth. 39:55 Well, friends, will this time ever happen? 39:57 Revelation tells us yes. 39:59 In Revelation 14:12, 40:00 it talks about God's end time remnant people. 40:03 His final generation those who lived at the end of time. 40:06 And it says, "Here is the patience 40:08 or endurance of the saints 40:09 here are those who keep the commandments of God 40:12 and the faith, what." 40:14 Notice, it doesn't says faith in Jesus. 40:16 Friends, that's obvious. 40:17 They do have faith in Jesus. 40:19 But more than just faith in Jesus, 40:20 they have the faith, what. 40:22 Of Jesus, you see, friends, 40:23 the same faith Jesus had, 40:25 God's end time people are gonna have as well. 40:27 And tell me, friends, is the faith of Jesus complete 40:30 or is it incomplete. 40:32 It's a complete pure faith. 40:34 The Bible is telling us that God's end time 40:36 people is going to have a perfect complete 40:38 and a pure faith, 40:40 the faith not just in Jesus, 40:42 but the faith that Jesus had. 40:44 In other words, they're going to believe 40:45 exactly what Jesus thought. 40:47 Can you say amen? 40:49 And so how was the faith of Jesus fully restored? 40:51 Friends, allow me to share with you the history 40:53 of how God began to restore all truth 40:56 from the darkness of the Dark Ages. 40:57 Friends, are you ready for this. 41:00 History tells us, that quietly and secretly at first. 41:04 People during the Dark Ages began to read the Bible. 41:07 And one of the most prevalent groups 41:08 was the Bible believe in Waldenses. 41:11 These were group of individuals 41:13 that hail to the ancient faith of God's word. 41:16 They lived in the mountainous villages 41:18 of northern Italy and southern France 41:20 because this mountainous region 41:22 provided refuge from papal persecutions. 41:25 At the sound at the approach of people armies, 41:28 the Bible believe in Waldenses would run to the caves 41:31 where they were able to find refuge 41:32 and protection from papal persecution. 41:35 And, friends, I got the chance to visit 41:36 these caves just last year. I went to this cave. 41:38 Here is the opening of one of the caves. 41:40 And in this cave, the Waldenses would worship God. 41:44 Friends, you have to get on your hands 41:45 and knees in order to getting into it. 41:46 But once you're in there, 41:47 it was a large opening, a cavern. 41:49 And, friends, it looks like a church, doesn't it? 41:51 The sidewalls are slanted, it goes to the top, 41:53 there is light shining from the top 41:55 and there's a large flat area in the bottom. 41:58 And just above it behind it 42:00 is a platform, an elevated platform 42:03 where the preacher would preach from. 42:05 And we went into these caves. 42:07 And in those caves, we began to sing the songs-- 42:09 Look at me, I'm just standing. I'm just loving. 42:11 It was the surreal experience. 42:13 These were the places that those 42:16 who kept to the ancient faith worshipped 42:19 God even in a time of gross darkness. 42:23 And, friends, some history also tells us 42:27 that sometimes they would go to these caves 42:29 and at one point there is a vast paper army 42:32 that actually created a big fire at the mouth of the cave 42:35 and calls the fire to go in the cave 42:37 and cured thousands of Bible believe in Waldenses, 42:40 women and children alike. 42:43 And, friends, you can imagine visiting places 42:44 like this how surreal it was. 42:46 You see, right now we're living in a time 42:47 of religious freedom but, friends, 42:49 this freedom was a stranger to many people in the past. 42:52 That's the reason why we're to be thankful 42:54 for the freedom we have to worship God 42:56 according to the dictates of our own conscience. 42:58 Can you say amen? 42:59 And, friends, it was in these mountainous regions 43:01 that the Waldenses had a Bible college, 43:04 a training school. 43:05 This was the place that they had the training school. 43:07 It was called the School of the Uncles. 43:08 You see, they used to call each other uncle and aunty. 43:10 And, friends, I like that. 43:12 How about you? 43:13 The School of Uncles, the School of the Barbs. 43:15 And it was in this place, 43:17 in the mountains on these rock tables. 43:20 In those days were tables, 43:21 that the Waldenses would hand copy the Bible for months. 43:25 And they would sow portions of the scriptures 43:27 into their garments 43:29 and they were light bearers and soul winners 43:31 and then they would go into the cities, 43:33 and the universities, 43:34 and then whenever they found someone 43:36 that was interested in spiritual things, 43:37 they would slip a portion of scripture to them. 43:40 Friends, if they were caught, 43:41 they would be burnt alive. 43:43 But, friends, they risked their lives 43:45 to share the gospel of truth with their neighbors. 43:48 And some of us are afraid to witness 43:50 to our family and friends. 43:52 They risked their lives, friends. 43:53 They saw portions of scripture in their clothing. 43:56 In fact, I went to the Waldensian Museum 43:58 and I took this picture. Do you know what that is? 44:00 That's a ring, friends. 44:01 That's a ring and on the top of the ring 44:03 was a little compartment 44:04 and in that compartment 44:05 was a small piece of paper, 44:07 a portion of the scriptures. 44:10 For that you can't even read it with the naked eye. 44:12 You have to have a magnifying glass to read it. 44:13 But this is the great lens they went to preserve 44:16 the teachings of God's word and to share with others. 44:21 And soon as they began to share the light of truth, 44:23 began to grow and glow all over Europe. 44:27 And so the path is beginning to be restored. 44:29 God used the Bible believers Waldensian 44:32 amongst others to restore the long forgotten truth 44:34 that the Bible alone is the sole rule of authority. 44:38 But, friends, listen the Waldensian 44:40 didn't have all the truth. 44:42 God used John Huss to begin the revival 44:45 throughout the Slovakian region 44:47 and he used him and the Hussites 44:49 to restore the long forgotten truth 44:51 that we ought to obey God rather than man. 44:54 But, friends, listen John Huss didn't have all the truth. 44:57 God used him just to restore that part 44:58 but, friends, there was lot that he did not understand, 45:01 so God has to raise up another reformer 45:03 to contend for the faith. 45:04 Now Martin Luther and God used Martin Luther 45:08 to begin the Lutheran Movement. 45:10 And it was the Lutheran Movement 45:11 that restored the long forgotten truth 45:13 that we are saved by grace and grace alone 45:16 and that part of the path was restored 45:18 and the light began to shine a little more, 45:20 but Luther didn't have all the truth. 45:22 There were still many things that he didn't understand, 45:24 so God rose of another reformer to contend for the faith. 45:26 Now John Calvin and all of Calvin's teachings was born 45:29 the Presbyterian Movement. 45:31 And his major emphasis 45:33 was the importance of Christian growth, 45:35 that we need to grow up in the likeness of Christ 45:38 that day by day we ought to be growing up 45:40 and maturing in our walk with the Lord. 45:41 And so God used Calvin and the Presbyterian Church 45:44 to restore that long forgotten truth. 45:46 But, friends, it was the lot that Calvin did not understand. 45:48 He didn't have all the truth. 45:49 So God had to raise up another reformer 45:51 to contend for the faith. 45:53 Now he rose up the Anabaptist Movement. 45:56 Individual like, John Smith 45:57 and Michael Sattler amongst others 45:59 and out of their teachings, 46:00 the Baptist Church and movement was born. 46:03 And God used the Anabaptist 46:05 and the Baptist Movement to restore the long forgotten 46:07 truth of baptism by immersion. 46:09 But, friends, there were still many things 46:10 that they didn't understand 46:11 so God had to raise up somebody else. 46:13 Do you see, friends, God was giving 46:14 each different movement of peace of the puzzled of truth? 46:18 Not everything to one person, but scattered out. Why? 46:22 So that our eyes might be able to adjust 46:24 to seeing the light. 46:26 And then the torch of truth was passed 46:28 to two brothers in England. 46:29 John and Charles Wesley, 46:31 who gave a message of holiness to arouse 46:33 the world loving churches of their day and age. 46:35 They thought that we ought to live holy lives, 46:38 they give a message of holiness and out of their teachings, 46:40 the Methodist Church was born 46:42 and amongst other charismatic churches 46:44 and God used this movement 46:45 to restore the long forgotten truth of holiness. 46:48 But, friends, they didn't have all the truth. 46:50 There were still lot of other things 46:51 that they was yet to be discovered 46:53 and to what we are seeing, friends, 46:54 is that God is restoring old forgotten truths 46:57 and before Jesus would come all truth would be restored. 47:00 Can you say amen? 47:02 And so now let's get to the punch line. 47:04 Why there are so many different denominations 47:06 as we've looked at history, the answer is clear. 47:08 The reason why there is so many different denominations 47:10 and so many different movements 47:12 is because people don't really want all the truth. 47:16 They're satisfied with just a portion of the truth. 47:18 But they don't allow Jesus 47:20 and the spirit to leave them into all truth. 47:22 What do I mean by that? Let me explain. 47:23 God raised up individual with a specific point of truth 47:26 to restore, but not everything. 47:28 People would heal the message, 47:29 they would believe in that truth, 47:30 a movement which start, a denomination would be born, 47:33 but the people the members 47:35 would only go as far as the leader went. 47:37 And so if the Luther didn't teach it, 47:39 we are not going to accept it because we are Lutherans. 47:42 And so God had to bypass that movement 47:44 and raise up somebody else with another truth to restore. 47:47 People would hear it, they would accept it, 47:49 they would follow the teaching, 47:50 a church denomination will be born, 47:52 but the people would only go as far as the leaders went. 47:54 And so if Calvin didn't teach it, 47:55 we're not going to accept it because we are Presbyterians. 47:58 And they got stuck in a rut. But then there was more. 48:01 God has to raise up somebody else 48:02 with another point of truth and they would teach it, 48:04 people accept the doctrine, 48:06 a church denomination will be born. 48:08 But again the followers will only go 48:10 as far as the leader went. 48:11 And so Wesley didn't teach it, we are not going to accept it 48:14 because we are Methodist and we remain Methodist. 48:17 But, friends, if John Wesley would've heard that truth, 48:19 he would have moved forward. 48:20 Can you say amen? 48:22 If Luther would have heard more truth, 48:23 he would have moved forward. 48:24 You see, the message is, don't get stuck in a rut. 48:27 This cycle repeated over and over and over again 48:31 and that's reason why there is 48:32 so many different denominations in the world. 48:36 You see, our loyalty must be to Christ 48:39 and the word never to a man, a pastor or a denomination. 48:43 Can you say amen? Amen. 48:45 In fact, I want to read you from John Robertson 48:47 who was the pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers. 48:50 Those who fled Europe to come to the Americas 48:52 to find religious freedom. 48:54 John Robinson gave them a message 48:56 just before they left to go to Europe. 48:58 And I want you to notice what he said, 48:59 it's advised that we need to take today in America 49:02 in all of the world, in fact. 49:03 He said listen, "I charged you before God 49:06 and his blessed angels. 49:07 Follow me, the pastor says, 49:09 follows me no further than I follow Christ." 49:14 Can you say amen? 49:15 "And if God shall reveal anything to you 49:17 by another instrument of his, 49:20 be ready to receive it as ever you would 49:22 have received it any truth by ministry. 49:25 For I am confident that the Lord has more truth 49:27 and light to break forth from his holy word. 49:30 And I be aware of the state and condition 49:32 of the reform churches 49:33 who have come to a full stop in religion. 49:36 They will go no further 49:38 than the instrument of their reformation. 49:40 The Lutherans cannot be drawn 49:42 beyond what Luther saw. 49:43 The Calvinists, they stick to where Calvin left them. 49:46 This is a misery much to be lamenting. 49:48 For those they were shining light in their times. 49:51 Yet God did not reveal his whole will unto them. 49:54 And if they were alive today, 49:56 they would be as ready and willing to embrace 49:58 further light as they had received, 50:00 but take heed when you receive for truth. 50:02 Examine it well and compare it 50:05 and weigh it with others scriptures of truth 50:07 before you receive it." 50:09 Can you say amen? Amen. 50:10 But, friends, when the Pilgrim Fathers came to world, 50:13 they didn't keep to that advice. 50:15 They got stuck in a rut. 50:16 And that's why there are so many denominations 50:19 in our world today. 50:20 You see, God wants to lead us into walk of truth. 50:22 Can you say amen? 50:24 And then early in 1800s, 50:25 God rose up another reformer here in America, 50:27 his name William Miller 50:29 and he began to study Bible prophecy. 50:31 He was a Baptist preacher at first. 50:33 He began to study prophecy and in prophecy 50:35 he found the long forgotten truth 50:37 of the eminent return of Jesus Christ 50:40 in the clouds of heaven. 50:41 And at the same time another man in South America 50:44 by the name of Emmanuel Lacunza. 50:46 Joe Yohan Bengo in Germany, Edward Irving in Scotland 50:50 and out of their teachings 50:51 the Adventist Movement was born. 50:53 And, friends, the Adventist Movement 50:55 was not the church with denomination. 50:57 It was simply a group of people from many different churches. 50:59 Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterians and Catholics 51:02 they believe that Jesus was coming soon. 51:04 Because, friends, do you know what Adventist is, 51:06 it's those who are waiting for the second coming of Christ. 51:08 How many of you are waiting for the second coming of Christ. 51:10 If so, let me hear you say amen. Amen. 51:12 Well, friends, that makes you an Adventist. 51:14 No matter what church you go to. 51:16 And so, friends, many who ask me, 51:18 "Who are you? What faith do you claim? 51:21 Who do you represent? What's your doctrine? 51:23 What do you believe? Who are you?" 51:25 Well, friends, let me just tell you right now 51:26 very clearly who I am. 51:27 I'm happy to tell you tonight that I'm Waldensian 51:31 because like they why people believe in Waldensians, 51:32 I believe that the Bible alone should be the sole of authority. 51:35 Do you believe that? 51:37 Well, friends, that makes you Waldensians tonight, 51:38 but more than a Waldensian. 51:40 I'm happy to tell you that I'm also Hussite 51:42 because like John Huss, 51:43 I believe that I also obey God rather than man. 51:46 Do you believe that? 51:47 Oh, friends, that makes you a Hussite 51:48 but, friends, I'm not just a Hussite. 51:49 I'm also a Lutheran. 51:50 I belong to the Lutheran Movement tonight. 51:52 Because, like more Lutheran, 51:53 I believe that the only way I'm going to be saved 51:55 is by faith in the grace of God. 51:57 If you believe that, you say amen. 51:59 Well, friends, that makes you Lutheran. 52:00 But, friends, listen don't stop there, 52:02 there is more to it than being a Lutheran. 52:04 I'm happy to tell you tonight that I'm also a Presbyterian. 52:06 So as John Calvin I believe that 52:09 as Christians we ought to growth 52:10 and mature day by day into the likeness of Christ, 52:12 that's what Calvin thought. 52:14 That's what the Presbyterians believe. 52:15 And so if you believe, then you say amen. 52:18 Well, that makes you a Presbyterian. 52:19 But, friends, there is more to it 52:20 than just being a Presbyterian. 52:21 If you're just the Presbyterian, it's not enough. 52:23 I am happy to tell you tonight that I'm also a Baptist. 52:27 I belong to the Baptist Movement 52:28 because like the Anabaptist, 52:29 I believe that Baptist by immersion 52:31 is what the Bible teaches, not by sprinkling. 52:33 If you believe that, you say amen. 52:35 Well, that makes you Baptist. 52:36 But, friends, there's lot more to it then. 52:37 Just don't stop there. 52:39 If you stop there, you'll fall in short of the mark. 52:42 I'm not just a Baptist. I'm a Methodist tonight. 52:44 I believe like, John and Charles Whitney, 52:46 Wesley that we ought to live holy lives 52:49 because the Bible says, "Be holy, even as I am holy." 52:52 And if you believe that, you say amen. 52:54 Well, friends, that makes you a Methodist. 52:55 But, friends, if you stop there, you'll fall in short. 52:57 Don't stop there. 52:59 I'm happy to tell you I'm more than just a Methodist 53:01 and a Baptist and a Presbyterian. 53:03 I'm happy to tell you that I am also a Pentecostal tonight 53:05 because I believe like the Pentecostals 53:07 that I need to be feud 53:08 with the power of the Holy Spirit 53:10 every single day. 53:11 If you believe that, you say amen. 53:13 Well, friends, there is more to it 53:14 than just being a Pentecostal. 53:16 I'm not just a Waldensian, a Hussite, 53:18 a Lutheran, or Presbyterians, a Baptist, 53:19 a Methodist and a Pentecostal. 53:21 I'm happy to tell you tonight that I'm an Adventist 53:24 because I believe that Jesus is coming again. 53:26 If you believe that, you say amen. Amen. 53:29 You see, the point is this. Don't get stuck in a rut. 53:33 Don't give your loyalty to a man or to a church or a movement. 53:36 Your loyalty should only be to Jesus 53:39 and the word of God and Holy Spirit. 53:41 Can you say amen? 53:43 We must allow go to lead us in God us into all truth. 53:47 And after this, what other truths 53:49 were yet to be restored? 53:51 The truth of God's Seventh-day Sabbath, friends. 53:53 Saturday, the Seventh-day, 53:54 not Sunday the first day of the week. 53:56 So God rose up Andreas Fisher in Slovakia 53:59 that formed the truth. 54:00 John James in England, Oswald Glade in Central Europe 54:03 and Joseph Bates here in America. 54:05 They studied the word of God 54:07 and they found that the truth is 54:08 that the Sabbath is on Saturday the seven day of the week, 54:11 not Sunday the first of the week. 54:13 And so that truth was restored, 54:14 and before Jesus comes again, 54:16 all truth is going to be restored 54:17 to his end time people, 54:19 the truth of about God's law and God's Sabbath. 54:22 What other truths were yet to be restored? 54:24 The truth about what happens when a person dies. 54:27 The truth about Biblical principles of healthful living. 54:30 The truth about the sanctuary and the investigative judgment. 54:33 And, friends, God is raising up 54:35 a final movement in these last days 54:37 that has all the truth from every movement 54:40 that have come before. 54:41 Revelation teaches that this movement is the church 54:45 that God is calling all of his sheep to join, 54:49 the gentle shepherd, the true pastor Jesus 54:51 is looking upon the Christian world 54:53 that is fragment and divided 54:54 and Christian church is that parts of truth 54:56 and he is wanting to bring them into the one fold 54:59 that has indeed not just some of it, 55:01 but the whole thing. 55:03 The shepherd is calling. 55:05 And what does God's end time moment? 55:07 What is this final movement look like? 55:08 They're described in Revelation 14:12. 55:10 "Here is the patience of the saints. 55:12 Here are they that keep the commandments of God 55:15 and the faith of Jesus." 55:18 They not only have faith, they not only have works, 55:20 but they have a faith that works by love. 55:22 They have the same pure faith of Jesus, 55:25 they obey Jesus, they believe Jesus. 55:27 They've allowed the spirit of Jesus 55:28 to living into all truth. 55:30 And they have a complete, pure and restored faith. 55:33 And, friends, how many want to know who this movement is? 55:37 Do you want to know who this movement is? 55:39 If you want to know who this movement is, 55:40 let me hear you say amen. Amen. 55:41 Are you sure you want to know? 55:43 Yes! 55:45 Well, friends, you're gonna have to come tomorrow night then. 55:49 Because tomorrow night 5 and 7 o'clock, 55:51 we are going to look at the fingerprints 55:53 of God's final prophetic movements in the last days, 55:58 a movement that has all the truth 56:00 that grabbed him from every different movement 56:02 and denomination that came before. 56:05 And, friends, why is God bringing us altogether? 56:08 To proclaim a restored truth to the entire world. 56:11 A message that will prepare the world 56:13 for the second coming of Jesus Christ 56:16 in the clouds of heaven. 56:17 And, friends, I want to be ready. 56:18 How about you? 56:19 But I don't want to be ready by myself. 56:21 I want God to use me to help the world to be ready. 56:24 Friends, this message must be taken to every nation, 56:27 kindred, tongue and people. 56:28 This is a worldwide movement of restored truth. 56:33 And, friends, do you realize that in these last days 56:36 we have the accumulated knowledge 56:40 of every generation of the past. 56:43 Truth has never been clear than it is today. 56:47 We are walking in the footsteps of spiritual giants, 56:51 the king before us. 56:52 And did you know that many of the patriots 56:55 and prophets saw our day and vision 56:57 and they wanted to live like Him? 57:00 Because this is the time to live, friends. 57:02 Many of the patriots and prophets 57:04 and apostles and protestants and pioneers of the past, 57:07 they wanted to live right here 57:08 because this is the most exciting period 57:10 of the world's history. 57:12 We have the truth, friends, 57:14 of every generation in the past. 57:16 I'd like to say like this. I told you this before. 57:20 Those who came before us, 57:22 they played in the seasonal games. 57:24 But, friends, we are in the super bowl. 57:26 We are in the climax. 57:28 And in this most solemn time, 57:30 God is not calling us to sacrifice and compromise 57:35 and water down the truth for the sake of peace and unity, 57:41 but He is calling us to boldly blow the trumpet of truth 57:46 that people might arouse from spiritual slumber 57:50 and Christian complacency 57:52 that they might wake up and get shaken up, 57:57 so that they might be saved in God's eternal kingdom. 57:59 Can you say amen? 58:01 God is going to do the greatest work 58:04 in the weakest generation. 58:06 We are a fulfillment of the last prophecy 58:11 and God is calling us to stand up and be confident. 58:15 Friends, we don't have the strength. 58:18 We don't have the power. 58:19 But the Bible tells us, with God all things are possible. 58:25 The Bible tells us, "If God is for us, 58:28 who can be against us?" 58:30 Even if the whole world is against you, 58:33 your family, your friends, your employers, 58:35 if you got God at your back, you're on the winning team. 58:38 Can you say amen? Amen. 58:40 How many of you are going to stand 58:41 on the side of the truth in the last days? 58:44 How many of you are going to say, 58:45 Lord, Jesus I want to be a part of the final movement 58:48 to restore all truth? 58:50 Lord, help me to stand till the end. |
Revised 2014-12-17