Greg Laurie - Your Password To Unlocking Revelation

February 17, 2026 | 27:29

Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Your Password To Unlocking Revelation | February 17, 2026
  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg laurie: we're starting a brand-new series in the book
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  • Of revelation.
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  • The title of my message is "your password to unlocking the book
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  • Of revelation."
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  • Speaking of passwords, do you ever forget your password?
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  • I'm forgetting my passwords all the time, and i have to reset
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  • Them, and reset them, and i was on an ipad recently and i got
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  • The wrong code and i was locked out for a period of time.
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  • Have you ever been locked out of anything?
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  • You know, i read that the most commonly used passwords are, get
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  • Ready for this imaginative choice, "123456."
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  • Hey, if you want someone to hack your stuff, definitely use
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  • "123456" as your password.
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  • Another popular password that's hacked in less than a second
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  • Is "11111."
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  • And then finally, people will put in the word "password" as
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  • Their password.
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  • Also, the names of people's pets are popular as well.
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  • Did you hear about this guy who can't get into his
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  • Bitcoin account?
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  • Apparently he has 220 million in bitcoin, but he can't remember
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  • His password.
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  • His name is stephan thomas, he was given 7,002 bitcoins for
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  • Some work that he did some time ago, and at the time, the value
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  • Was a few dollars each, so he wrote the password down on a
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  • Piece of paper, not thinking it was all that important, but now
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  • That bitcoin is worth $220 million.
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  • He had ten opportunities to use a password and he's used up
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  • Eight of them and he only has two left.
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  • Wow, that's a lot of money to be sitting in an account that he
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  • May lose access to.
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  • Listen to this, i know the password to unlocking the book
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  • Of revelation, or we might call it the "golden key" or the
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  • "encryption key."
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  • And actually, it's hanging on the front door of the first
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  • Chapter, and we're gonna make sense of this book and try to
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  • Get a handle on all of these things we hear about,
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  • Like armageddon.
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  • What is that?
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  • The rapture, the second coming, same event, or are they
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  • Two events?
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  • The millennium, what does that even mean?
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  • The 144,000, who are they?
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  • The antichrist, the mark of the beast, all these things we hear
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  • About, they're all found here in the book of revelation, and
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  • We're going to find that golden key together, that encryption
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  • Key, and i'll share with you in just few moments.
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  • And i think we're all very aware of the fact that our world is in
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  • Turmoil right now.
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  • There's a sense of fear in the air.
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  • This is due, in part, to this global pandemic that was
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  • Supposed to have come and gone, but it just seems to go on and
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  • On with new strains of the virus with no real end in sight at
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  • The moment.
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  • It's caused a global economic shutdown.
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  • It's affected people all around the world.
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  • Meanwhile, back at home, we see our cities in turmoil.
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  • We see the murder rate up dramatically.
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  • We see all the things that are going on and it causes us to
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  • Wonder, "are these signs of the times?
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  • Are these the things the bible told us to be looking for,
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  • Letting us know that christ is coming back?"
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  • The answer is, "yes, they are."
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  • And as we see these signs happening, we understand that
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  • They're almost like dominoes, you know?
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  • If you take a lot of dominoes and stack them closely together,
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  • When the first domino goes, all the others follow in
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  • Rapid succession.
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  • That's what the last day's events are like, the first
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  • Domino falls and the others come after.
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  • Let me give you a big picture of how i see the end-times events.
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  • I believe the next event on the prophetic calendar will be the
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  • Rapture of the church.
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  • The rapture of the church is that event when christ comes for
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  • His church and we're caught up to meet him in a moment, in the
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  • Twinkling of an eye.
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  • That could happen at any time.
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  • Following that will probably be the invasion of magog
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  • Against israel.
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  • It could be right after that or a little bit after that, but it
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  • Seems like it will be in close proximity to that event called
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  • "the rapture."
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  • Also after the rapture, that coming world leader emerges on
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  • The scene called "the antichrist," also known as
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  • "the beast."
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  • He effectively inaugurates a seven-year period called "the
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  • Great tribulation" period.
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  • When antichrist first comes on the scene, he seems like
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  • A good guy.
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  • He seems like a man of peace, a man with economic solutions,
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  • A man who fixes things.
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  • But at the halfway point of the seven-year tribulation,
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  • Antichrist shows his true colors and commits what is called by
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  • Jesus in matthew 24, "the abomination of desolation."
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  • He has the jewish temple rebuilt and he erects an image of
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  • Himself in it and commands people to worship him.
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  • Now, there's a series of cataclysmic judgments that fall
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  • On the earth for the remainder of the tribulation period, and
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  • Everything culminates in a massive series of battles
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  • Called "armageddon."
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  • Armageddon is from the root word, "megiddo", "har megiddo".
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  • So it's basically talking about where the final wars of mankind
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  • Will be fought and they'll be fought in israel.
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  • Then christ comes back in the second coming, it's a separate
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  • Event from the rapture.
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  • In the rapture, he comes for his church, and the second coming,
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  • He returns with his church.
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  • After this, we have what is called the "millennium."
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  • The millennium means "a thousand."
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  • The word "millennium" means "a thousand," and it's the
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  • 1000-year reign of christ.
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  • And then, heaven and earth become one as the new jerusalem
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  • Comes down from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband.
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  • Amazing things are going to happen, but the first domino has
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  • Not yet fallen.
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  • The rapture has not yet taken place, but we know these things
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  • Because we believe in the book.
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  • Listen to this, christians know things that non-christians do
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  • Not know.
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  • We know that god is good and man is bad.
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  • Now, people often have that reversed.
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  • They think man is good and god is bad, and this is often
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  • Expressed in a question along the lines of, "how could a god
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  • Of love allow this and that?"
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  • Where, in effect, i'm putting myself in the position to
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  • Judge god.
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  • I'm challenging the fact that god is loving because i don't
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  • Agree with it.
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  • Listen, who are you?
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  • When did you become the moral center of the universe?
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  • Here's the bottom line, man is not good.
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  • Man is bad, bad to the bone.
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  • He's utterly sinful.
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  • All of us are, but god is good.
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  • But because we know man is bad and god is good, we know that
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  • Man is not gonna solve these problems, but we know ultimately
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  • God will resolve these things, and we know god is in control.
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  • Yes, folks, i do believe we're in the last days.
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  • I do believe we're in the end-times and it's important
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  • That we understand what's happening around us.
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  • In romans chapter 13, the apostle paul writes,
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  • "understanding the present time, the hour has come for us to wake
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  • Up from our slumber because our salvation is nearer than when we
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  • First believed.
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  • The night is nearly over."
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  • Yes, we need to understand the times we're living in, and
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  • There's no better book to explain all of that to us than
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  • The book of revelation, the last book of the new testament.
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  • The word "revelation" means "the unveiling" because it is god's
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  • Desire to unveil, or to reveal.
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  • God does not want to conceal these things from you.
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  • He wants to reveal these things to us, and bible prophecy is not
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  • Given to scare us, it's given to prepare us.
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  • So what does it reveal?
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  • Well, when we come to the book of revelation, it's like the
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  • Veil is taken away, and i see the spirit world, the spirit
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  • World of angels and demons and god and satan.
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  • The world of heaven and of hell and the world that shows us what
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  • Is coming, as well.
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  • Yes, i will learn about the antichrist and his henchmen in
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  • The book of revelation, but the primary focus of revelation is
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  • Not antichrist, it's jesus christ.
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  • Don't waste your time trying to figure out who antichrist is,
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  • Give your attention to who jesus christ is because he is
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  • The very center of the book of revelation, and he's the very
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  • Center of bible prophecy, in general.
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  • Revelation 19:10 says, "the essence of prophecy is to give a
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  • Clear witness for jesus."
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  • Jesus is the centerpiece and the star and focus of the book
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  • Of revelation.
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  • And should he not be the centerpiece and star of your
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  • Life, and my life, as well?
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  • You know, sometimes we can get so caught up in the study of
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  • Eschatology, which is a word that refers to last day's
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  • Events, and so forth, that we can't see the forest for
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  • The trees.
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  • Listen to this, bible prophecy is not given to inflate our
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  • Brains, it's given to enlarge our hearts.
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  • Understand, the book revelation was written to believers who
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  • Were suffering.
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  • In fact, it was written by a believer who was suffering,
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  • Banished to the island of patmos.
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  • I'm talking about the apostle john.
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  • Church tradition tells us that they tried to boil him in a pot
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  • Of oil and they were unsuccessful, so he was banished
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  • To this island where the lord gave him this unveiling, this
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  • Revelation of things to come.
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  • It's sort of like john was put in a spiritual time-machine and
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  • Catapulted into the future.
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  • I don't think it was a delorean, but the idea is, he saw the
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  • Future because he entered into the eternal realm.
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  • And so, as we look at this book, we need to understand that it
  • 00:10:46.011 --> 00:10:48.947
  • Was meant to be read aloud and give encouragement to
  • 00:10:48.947 --> 00:10:53.918
  • The believers.
  • 00:10:53.918 --> 00:10:55.320
  • See, in the first century, they didn't walk around
  • 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:56.655
  • With their own bibles like we have today.
  • 00:10:56.655 --> 00:10:58.590
  • So they would read aloud the truths of god, and also, this is
  • 00:10:58.590 --> 00:11:03.495
  • Something that will be an encouragement to you and i.
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  • Now, i mentioned earlier in my introduction that i have the
  • 00:11:06.831 --> 00:11:11.302
  • Password, or the encryption key, or the golden key, if you will,
  • 00:11:11.302 --> 00:11:15.607
  • For unlocking the book of revelation.
  • 00:11:15.607 --> 00:11:18.309
  • It's in revelation chapter 1, verse 19 when john writes,
  • 00:11:18.309 --> 00:11:23.448
  • "write the things that you have seen, the things which are and
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  • The things that will take place after this."
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  • There's three sections to the book of revelation.
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  • Number one, the things that you have seen.
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  • This is what is being written about here in chapter 1.
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  • The resurrected and glorified christ with all power in heaven
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  • And earth, the revealed jesus who is in complete control of
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  • All that is about to happen.
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  • Then there are the things which are.
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  • This is a reference to the seven churches in chapters 2 to 3 that
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  • We'll look at where we'll get sort of a flyover, or
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  • A chronological look at the church from the early church to
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  • The present day.
  • 00:12:06.091 --> 00:12:07.425
  • And finally, number three, the things that will happen after
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  • These things.
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  • After what things?
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  • After the church has caught up to meet the lord and what is
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  • Called the rapture.
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  • We're now living in the "things which are" category.
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  • Let's read, now, revelation chapter 1, i'm gonna read verses
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  • 1 to 8 out loud because there's a blessing attached to doing
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  • That, isn't there?
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  • Don't you want to be blessed?
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  • Read along with me.
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  • "the revelation of jesus christ, which god gave him to show his
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  • Servants things which must shortly take place.
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  • And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant john,
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  • Who bore witness to the word of god and to the testimony of
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  • Jesus christ of all the things he saw.
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  • Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this
  • 00:12:51.736 --> 00:12:54.906
  • Prophecy and keeps the things that are written in it, for the
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  • Time is near.
  • 00:12:58.209 --> 00:12:59.544
  • John, to the seven churches who are in asia: grace to you in
  • 00:12:59.544 --> 00:13:03.348
  • Peace from him who was, who is, and who is to come, and from the
  • 00:13:03.348 --> 00:13:07.485
  • Seven spirits who are before us throne, and from jesus christ
  • 00:13:07.485 --> 00:13:11.122
  • The faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the
  • 00:13:11.122 --> 00:13:14.926
  • Ruler over the kings of the earth.
  • 00:13:14.926 --> 00:13:17.295
  • And has made us kings and priests to god our father, to
  • 00:13:17.295 --> 00:13:21.699
  • Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen.
  • 00:13:21.699 --> 00:13:25.537
  • Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see
  • 00:13:25.537 --> 00:13:29.541
  • Him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth
  • 00:13:29.541 --> 00:13:34.345
  • Will mourn because of him.
  • 00:13:34.345 --> 00:13:35.980
  • Even so, amen."
  • 00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:37.515
  • Finally, verse 8, jesus speaking, "'i am the alpha and
  • 00:13:37.515 --> 00:13:40.985
  • The omega, the beginning and the end,' says the lord, 'who is,
  • 00:13:40.985 --> 00:13:45.256
  • Who was, and who is to come, the almighty.'"
  • 00:13:45.256 --> 00:13:48.860
  • So here's what we learned from what we have just read.
  • 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:51.329
  • Number one, revelation reveals that the events of the end-times
  • 00:13:51.329 --> 00:13:55.633
  • Are closely linked together.
  • 00:13:55.633 --> 00:13:58.837
  • Verse 1 says these events will shortly take place, or another
  • 00:13:58.837 --> 00:14:03.842
  • Translation, "what must speedily happen."
  • 00:14:03.842 --> 00:14:06.845
  • We might say, "well, wait, this was written 2000-years-ago," but
  • 00:14:06.845 --> 00:14:10.081
  • This is not referring to soonness but the quickness of
  • 00:14:10.081 --> 00:14:13.351
  • Execution once there is a beginning.
  • 00:14:13.351 --> 00:14:15.820
  • Remember, i said it's like dominoes closely linked
  • 00:14:15.820 --> 00:14:18.623
  • Together, the idea is, when the first one falls, the others
  • 00:14:18.623 --> 00:14:22.293
  • Follow in rapid succession.
  • 00:14:22.293 --> 00:14:24.863
  • This is something that, once it begins, will not stop.
  • 00:14:24.863 --> 00:14:28.566
  • It will go quickly.
  • 00:14:28.566 --> 00:14:30.101
  • The whole machinery of human history will be slipped into
  • 00:14:30.101 --> 00:14:34.205
  • High gear to run its fatal course into judgment.
  • 00:14:34.205 --> 00:14:39.310
  • Number two, revelation is from jesus christ, revealing himself
  • 00:14:39.310 --> 00:14:44.315
  • To us.
  • 00:14:44.315 --> 00:14:45.650
  • After all, who's a better source on jesus than jesus?
  • 00:14:45.650 --> 00:14:50.421
  • This is the lord himself, revealing himself to each of us.
  • 00:14:50.421 --> 00:14:54.525
  • Remember the story of those two discouraged disciples on the
  • 00:14:54.525 --> 00:14:57.795
  • Road to emmaus after he had been crucified, and christ himself
  • 00:14:57.795 --> 00:15:02.400
  • Joined them, but they didn't know jesus was walking
  • 00:15:02.400 --> 00:15:05.937
  • With them.
  • 00:15:05.937 --> 00:15:07.272
  • And we read that he showed them all the things in the old
  • 00:15:07.272 --> 00:15:09.841
  • Testament about himself.
  • 00:15:09.841 --> 00:15:12.777
  • So that's what we have here in revelation.
  • 00:15:12.777 --> 00:15:14.846
  • He's described in verse 5 as "jesus christ, the
  • 00:15:14.846 --> 00:15:18.216
  • Faithful witness."
  • 00:15:18.216 --> 00:15:20.018
  • If the book of revelation is nothing else, it's a portrait of
  • 00:15:20.018 --> 00:15:23.988
  • Jesus, a selfie of god, if you will, and he's presented as
  • 00:15:23.988 --> 00:15:29.227
  • "the faithful witness."
  • 00:15:29.227 --> 00:15:31.396
  • He's a faithful witness, and man, we need a faithful witness
  • 00:15:31.396 --> 00:15:34.532
  • Right now.
  • 00:15:34.532 --> 00:15:35.867
  • We need a trustworthy source.
  • 00:15:35.867 --> 00:15:38.002
  • People are coming unhinged with all the crazy conspiracy
  • 00:15:38.002 --> 00:15:43.241
  • Theories that are out there online, and all these fanciful,
  • 00:15:43.241 --> 00:15:47.178
  • Weird ideas about what's going on.
  • 00:15:47.178 --> 00:15:49.247
  • And sometimes, they take bible truths and hijack them and
  • 00:15:49.247 --> 00:15:53.384
  • Attach other things to them, and we need to distance ourselves
  • 00:15:53.384 --> 00:15:57.188
  • From all of this and with a clear-headed way of approaching
  • 00:15:57.188 --> 00:16:00.558
  • This, see what the bible says about our future.
  • 00:16:00.558 --> 00:16:04.595
  • And we have no better source to help us with that than the true
  • 00:16:04.595 --> 00:16:08.333
  • And faithful witness, jesus christ.
  • 00:16:08.333 --> 00:16:11.402
  • He always speaks the truth to us, but he always does it
  • 00:16:11.402 --> 00:16:14.739
  • In love.
  • 00:16:14.739 --> 00:16:16.074
  • What a contrast to the fickle love of our culture today.
  • 00:16:16.074 --> 00:16:19.978
  • Our world loves you when you're young and beautiful.
  • 00:16:19.978 --> 00:16:22.947
  • In contrast, god loves the plain and aging.
  • 00:16:22.947 --> 00:16:26.584
  • Our world loves the famous celebrity and breathlessly
  • 00:16:26.584 --> 00:16:30.088
  • Follows their every move on social media.
  • 00:16:30.088 --> 00:16:33.992
  • In contrast, god loves the unknown nobody.
  • 00:16:33.992 --> 00:16:37.829
  • Our world loves the rich and powerful, god loves the poor and
  • 00:16:37.829 --> 00:16:42.233
  • The weak.
  • 00:16:42.233 --> 00:16:43.634
  • God loves all people, he loves ordinary people like you and me,
  • 00:16:43.634 --> 00:16:48.439
  • And you are loved, and because you're loved, he cleanses you of
  • 00:16:48.439 --> 00:16:52.510
  • Your sins.
  • 00:16:52.510 --> 00:16:54.045
  • Look at verse 5, "he washed us from our sins in his own blood."
  • 00:16:54.045 --> 00:16:58.816
  • I want you to notice the past tense of that verse.
  • 00:16:58.816 --> 00:17:02.153
  • In other words, this has already been done.
  • 00:17:02.153 --> 00:17:04.155
  • If you're a christian, god has forgiven you for all the wrongs
  • 00:17:04.155 --> 00:17:08.126
  • That you have done because he loved you, he cleansed you.
  • 00:17:08.126 --> 00:17:12.263
  • John 3:16 says, "for god so loved the world, he gave his
  • 00:17:12.263 --> 00:17:16.334
  • Only begotten son and whoever believes in him should not
  • 00:17:16.334 --> 00:17:19.804
  • Perish but have everlasting life."
  • 00:17:19.804 --> 00:17:22.840
  • We also learned from what we just read that when christ
  • 00:17:22.840 --> 00:17:25.610
  • Returns, all the world will know.
  • 00:17:25.610 --> 00:17:28.446
  • Everyone will know when jesus comes back again, and what we
  • 00:17:28.446 --> 00:17:31.949
  • Call the "second coming," jesus said, "as the lightning shines
  • 00:17:31.949 --> 00:17:36.020
  • From the east of the west, so will the coming of the son of
  • 00:17:36.020 --> 00:17:38.956
  • Man be."
  • 00:17:38.956 --> 00:17:40.291
  • Have you ever seen a lightning storm?
  • 00:17:40.291 --> 00:17:41.626
  • Kind of hard to miss, right?
  • 00:17:41.626 --> 00:17:43.027
  • Lights up the sky, that's what the second coming will be like.
  • 00:17:43.027 --> 00:17:46.798
  • In verse 7 of revelation 1 says, "every eye will see him, even
  • 00:17:46.798 --> 00:17:52.770
  • Those who pierced him."
  • 00:17:52.770 --> 00:17:54.972
  • So christ is gonna return again in an open way.
  • 00:17:54.972 --> 00:17:59.644
  • Also, we discover here that revelation gives us the only
  • 00:17:59.644 --> 00:18:04.115
  • Description of jesus christ, and it's largely symbolic.
  • 00:18:04.115 --> 00:18:09.620
  • You know, it's amazing to me that in all the things written
  • 00:18:09.620 --> 00:18:12.256
  • About jesus, four gospels, all the epistles, could not someone
  • 00:18:12.256 --> 00:18:17.095
  • Have described what he looked like?
  • 00:18:17.095 --> 00:18:19.330
  • I mean, we do know certain things about certain bible
  • 00:18:19.330 --> 00:18:22.066
  • Characters, but we know nothing about the physical appearance
  • 00:18:22.066 --> 00:18:26.204
  • Of jesus.
  • 00:18:26.204 --> 00:18:27.538
  • Was he tall?
  • 00:18:27.538 --> 00:18:28.906
  • Was he short?
  • 00:18:28.906 --> 00:18:30.274
  • Was his hair dark?
  • 00:18:30.274 --> 00:18:31.609
  • Was his hair light-colored?
  • 00:18:31.609 --> 00:18:32.944
  • I can tell you this much, he most likely does not look like
  • 00:18:32.944 --> 00:18:35.413
  • The more familiar portrayal of him in a lot of the older
  • 00:18:35.413 --> 00:18:39.717
  • Religious art, with brownish-blonde hair, no, not
  • 00:18:39.717 --> 00:18:44.589
  • At all.
  • 00:18:44.589 --> 00:18:45.957
  • I'm sure his skin was dark.
  • 00:18:45.957 --> 00:18:47.291
  • I think his hair was dark.
  • 00:18:47.291 --> 00:18:48.626
  • He was semitic, but that's not important.
  • 00:18:48.626 --> 00:18:50.795
  • If it was important, god would have given us a physical
  • 00:18:50.795 --> 00:18:54.031
  • Description of him.
  • 00:18:54.031 --> 00:18:55.366
  • But here is the only description of jesus found in the bible,
  • 00:18:55.366 --> 00:18:58.669
  • Again, it is largely symbolic.
  • 00:18:58.669 --> 00:19:01.005
  • Revelation 1:14, "his head and his hair were white like wool
  • 00:19:01.005 --> 00:19:05.476
  • And white like snow.
  • 00:19:05.476 --> 00:19:08.713
  • His eyes are like a flame of fire.
  • 00:19:08.713 --> 00:19:11.449
  • His feet like fine brass as if refined in a furnace, and his
  • 00:19:11.449 --> 00:19:15.319
  • Voice is as a sound of many waters."
  • 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:19.056
  • It mentions his eyes being a flame of fire that can be
  • 00:19:19.056 --> 00:19:22.260
  • Literally translated, "his eyes shot fire."
  • 00:19:22.260 --> 00:19:26.030
  • So it appears that jesus is indignant about something.
  • 00:19:26.030 --> 00:19:29.867
  • There's something he's seen that he's not pleased with.
  • 00:19:29.867 --> 00:19:33.404
  • He sees and knows everything.
  • 00:19:33.404 --> 00:19:35.473
  • The bible says, "everything is open for the one with whom we
  • 00:19:35.473 --> 00:19:39.010
  • Have to do."
  • 00:19:39.010 --> 00:19:40.678
  • You probably used to think your mother had eyes on the back of
  • 00:19:40.678 --> 00:19:43.781
  • Her head, right?
  • 00:19:43.781 --> 00:19:45.149
  • She saw everything.
  • 00:19:45.149 --> 00:19:46.484
  • Jesus sees everything.
  • 00:19:46.484 --> 00:19:47.852
  • He's aware of everything.
  • 00:19:47.852 --> 00:19:50.421
  • You know, when you meet someone, you look into their eyes, and
  • 00:19:50.421 --> 00:19:54.091
  • When a person doesn't want to make eye contact, that's usually
  • 00:19:54.091 --> 00:19:56.594
  • Maybe an indication of something not being quite right, but jesus
  • 00:19:56.594 --> 00:20:01.299
  • Is looking at us.
  • 00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:02.667
  • We read in the bible that jesus looked at matthew and said,
  • 00:20:02.667 --> 00:20:05.970
  • "follow me."
  • 00:20:05.970 --> 00:20:07.305
  • We also read that jesus looked at peter after his denial.
  • 00:20:07.305 --> 00:20:10.408
  • He's looking at us, he's looking at you and his eyes are filled
  • 00:20:10.408 --> 00:20:15.046
  • With fire.
  • 00:20:15.046 --> 00:20:16.781
  • Also, as he looks at us, he's telling us something that's very
  • 00:20:16.781 --> 00:20:20.818
  • Important, and this is my final point.
  • 00:20:20.818 --> 00:20:23.721
  • The book of revelation tells me to not be afraid.
  • 00:20:23.721 --> 00:20:27.024
  • The book of revelation tells me not to be afraid.
  • 00:20:27.091 --> 00:20:29.427
  • I know i've said some things that might alarm someone.
  • 00:20:29.427 --> 00:20:32.296
  • "oh wow, what is the mark of the beast?
  • 00:20:32.296 --> 00:20:34.832
  • And when is the antichrist gonna show up?
  • 00:20:34.832 --> 00:20:36.901
  • And will i have to go through this great tribulation period?"
  • 00:20:36.901 --> 00:20:40.104
  • Here we have this important word in the first chapter of this
  • 00:20:40.104 --> 00:20:44.342
  • Great book, "don't be afraid," verse 17.
  • 00:20:44.342 --> 00:20:47.445
  • "'don't be afraid,' says jesus.
  • 00:20:47.445 --> 00:20:49.180
  • 'i'm the first and the last.
  • 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.648
  • I'm he who lives and was dead, and behold, i'm alive
  • 00:20:50.648 --> 00:20:53.451
  • Forevermore, and i have the keys of hades and death.'"
  • 00:20:53.451 --> 00:20:57.555
  • Don't be afraid.
  • 00:20:57.555 --> 00:20:59.223
  • Jesus said, "when you see these things begin to happen, freak
  • 00:20:59.223 --> 00:21:02.693
  • Out because you're dead!"
  • 00:21:02.693 --> 00:21:04.061
  • No, he didn't say that, did he?
  • 00:21:04.061 --> 00:21:06.297
  • He says, "when you see these things begin to happen, look up,
  • 00:21:06.297 --> 00:21:09.700
  • For your redemption draws near."
  • 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:12.103
  • Don't be afraid.
  • 00:21:12.103 --> 00:21:13.471
  • See, the problem is, we're afraid of the wrong things and
  • 00:21:13.471 --> 00:21:17.074
  • We're not showing the proper fear of god.
  • 00:21:17.074 --> 00:21:20.711
  • We're afraid of going to the dentist, or being audited, or
  • 00:21:20.711 --> 00:21:25.216
  • Someone giving us a hard time, but we don't reverence and
  • 00:21:25.216 --> 00:21:28.519
  • Fear god.
  • 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:29.887
  • The bible says, "the fear of god is the beginning of wisdom."
  • 00:21:29.887 --> 00:21:34.058
  • Now, when the bible tells us to "fear god," it doesn't mean be
  • 00:21:34.058 --> 00:21:37.194
  • Afraid of god.
  • 00:21:37.194 --> 00:21:38.529
  • It means they have reverence for god, have a sense of awe about
  • 00:21:38.529 --> 00:21:43.634
  • God, have respect for god.
  • 00:21:43.634 --> 00:21:47.571
  • In fact, the remarkable thing about fearing god is that, when
  • 00:21:47.571 --> 00:21:50.141
  • You fear god, you fear nothing else.
  • 00:21:50.141 --> 00:21:53.010
  • But on the other hand, if you do not fear god, you fear
  • 00:21:53.010 --> 00:21:55.846
  • Everything else.
  • 00:21:55.846 --> 00:21:57.548
  • Are you paralyzed with fear right now about things that can
  • 00:21:57.548 --> 00:22:00.017
  • Happen if your life is cut short?
  • 00:22:00.017 --> 00:22:02.186
  • If you get the coronavirus, or if some other thing happens?
  • 00:22:02.186 --> 00:22:06.190
  • Listen, don't be afraid, fear god!
  • 00:22:06.190 --> 00:22:08.826
  • And when you fear god, you'll have a confidence in him because
  • 00:22:08.826 --> 00:22:12.063
  • You're trusting in him.
  • 00:22:12.063 --> 00:22:13.998
  • David said, "the lord is the strength of my life, of whom
  • 00:22:13.998 --> 00:22:18.169
  • Then shall i be afraid?"
  • 00:22:18.169 --> 00:22:20.771
  • When we say, "the lord is the strength of my life," we can
  • 00:22:20.771 --> 00:22:23.574
  • Then say, "of whom then shall i be afraid?"
  • 00:22:23.574 --> 00:22:26.444
  • Is the lord the strength of your life, right now?
  • 00:22:26.444 --> 00:22:29.447
  • If so, don't be afraid.
  • 00:22:29.447 --> 00:22:32.717
  • But as nonbelievers, i'll tell you what you should be afraid
  • 00:22:32.717 --> 00:22:36.287
  • Of, you should be afraid of death, and you should be afraid
  • 00:22:36.287 --> 00:22:40.291
  • Of judgment.
  • 00:22:40.291 --> 00:22:41.826
  • And these are things that are coming, but if you put your
  • 00:22:41.826 --> 00:22:44.395
  • Faith in jesus, you do not have to be afraid.
  • 00:22:44.395 --> 00:22:47.832
  • Don't run from god, run to god, because listen, jesus is coming
  • 00:22:47.832 --> 00:22:52.937
  • Back again.
  • 00:22:52.937 --> 00:22:54.472
  • Yes, one day he'll return as king of kings and lord of lords,
  • 00:22:54.472 --> 00:22:58.642
  • Wearing that crown.
  • 00:22:58.642 --> 00:23:00.778
  • But before he'd wear that crown when he returns, he would wear
  • 00:23:00.778 --> 00:23:04.048
  • A crown of thorns, or he would die on the cross for our sin and
  • 00:23:04.048 --> 00:23:08.686
  • Suffer and die in our place because, as i said earlier,
  • 00:23:08.686 --> 00:23:12.990
  • We're all sinners separated from god, but we can be forgiven of
  • 00:23:12.990 --> 00:23:17.995
  • Our sin and know him in a personal way.
  • 00:23:17.995 --> 00:23:27.271
  • Greg: maybe god has spoken to your heart and you have seen
  • 00:23:31.475 --> 00:23:36.046
  • Your need for jesus christ.
  • 00:23:36.046 --> 00:23:38.249
  • Jesus christ is the son of god who came from heaven to
  • 00:23:38.249 --> 00:23:42.420
  • This earth.
  • 00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:43.754
  • He was born in a manger, he died in a cross, he rose again
  • 00:23:43.754 --> 00:23:48.125
  • From the dead, why?
  • 00:23:48.125 --> 00:23:49.493
  • Because he loves you and he wants a relationship with you.
  • 00:23:49.493 --> 00:23:52.696
  • Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
  • 00:23:52.696 --> 00:23:55.065
  • I don't wanna be a religious person, i don't think you wanna
  • 00:23:55.065 --> 00:23:57.701
  • Be one, either.
  • 00:23:57.701 --> 00:23:59.069
  • I'm talking about relationship with god.
  • 00:23:59.069 --> 00:24:02.473
  • Jesus, who died and rose again, stands at the door of your life
  • 00:24:02.473 --> 00:24:06.677
  • And he knocks, and he says if you'll hear his voice and open
  • 00:24:06.677 --> 00:24:10.114
  • The door, he will come in.
  • 00:24:10.114 --> 00:24:11.682
  • Question, have you asked jesus christ to come and live
  • 00:24:11.682 --> 00:24:15.386
  • Inside of you?
  • 00:24:15.386 --> 00:24:16.754
  • You might say, "well, i think so.
  • 00:24:16.754 --> 00:24:18.088
  • I'm not sure."
  • 00:24:18.088 --> 00:24:19.423
  • Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle
  • 00:24:19.423 --> 00:24:20.825
  • Of the night, do you think you would be aware of it?
  • 00:24:20.825 --> 00:24:23.227
  • I'm sure you would.
  • 00:24:23.227 --> 00:24:24.728
  • And in the same way, if christ has come to live inside of you,
  • 00:24:24.728 --> 00:24:27.898
  • You will know.
  • 00:24:27.898 --> 00:24:29.266
  • And if you don't know, maybe he has not come in, yet.
  • 00:24:29.266 --> 00:24:32.736
  • He's just a prayer away.
  • 00:24:32.736 --> 00:24:34.672
  • All you need to do is say, "jesus, i want this relationship
  • 00:24:34.672 --> 00:24:38.108
  • With you.
  • 00:24:38.108 --> 00:24:39.477
  • I want you to forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:24:39.477 --> 00:24:40.945
  • I wanna go to heaven when i die."
  • 00:24:40.945 --> 00:24:42.913
  • Would you like to do that?
  • 00:24:42.913 --> 00:24:44.315
  • Would you like christ to come into your life?
  • 00:24:44.315 --> 00:24:46.917
  • If so, why don't you just pray this simple prayer with me?
  • 00:24:46.917 --> 00:24:50.020
  • You can pray it out loud, or you can pray it in the quietness of
  • 00:24:50.020 --> 00:24:53.591
  • Your heart, but this is a prayer where you're asking jesus christ
  • 00:24:53.591 --> 00:24:57.428
  • To be your savior and lord.
  • 00:24:57.428 --> 00:24:59.196
  • Pray this with me now, "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner,
  • 00:24:59.196 --> 00:25:03.901
  • But i know that you're the savior who died on the cross for
  • 00:25:03.901 --> 00:25:08.005
  • My sin and rose again from the dead.
  • 00:25:08.005 --> 00:25:10.274
  • Now come into my life.
  • 00:25:10.274 --> 00:25:13.177
  • I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
  • 00:25:13.177 --> 00:25:17.515
  • Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer
  • 00:25:17.515 --> 00:25:21.452
  • In jesus's name, amen."
  • 00:25:21.452 --> 00:25:24.221
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:25:24.221 --> 00:25:26.657
  • If so, i want you to know, in the authority of scripture, that
  • 00:25:26.657 --> 00:25:29.660
  • Christ himself has come to live inside of you and i would love
  • 00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:33.264
  • To send to you, at no charge,
  • 00:25:33.264 --> 00:25:34.965
  • Something called "the new believer's bible."
  • 00:25:34.965 --> 00:25:38.269
  • It's a very friendly translation of the new testament you'll find
  • 00:25:38.269 --> 00:25:41.739
  • Very understandable, and it's filled with hundreds of notes
  • 00:25:41.739 --> 00:25:45.309
  • That i wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you've
  • 00:25:45.309 --> 00:25:48.846
  • Just made to follow jesus.
  • 00:25:48.846 --> 00:25:50.848
  • Let me send that to you at no charge.
  • 00:25:50.848 --> 00:25:53.150
  • And let me be the first to say to you, congratulations and
  • 00:25:53.150 --> 00:25:57.087
  • Welcome to the family of god.
  • 00:25:57.087 --> 00:25:59.323
  • Greg: you know, we say to a new believer, "start reading the
  • 00:26:00.491 --> 00:26:04.028
  • Bible," but they don't know where to start, do they?
  • 00:26:04.028 --> 00:26:07.097
  • So, we have a special edition of the bible called
  • 00:26:07.097 --> 00:26:11.001
  • The new believer's bible.
  • 00:26:11.001 --> 00:26:12.970
  • I wrote thousands of notes for it, and i sort of see it as what
  • 00:26:12.970 --> 00:26:17.608
  • I would do if i was sitting down with a person over a cup of
  • 00:26:17.608 --> 00:26:20.678
  • Coffee and explaining the basics of the christian life to them.
  • 00:26:20.678 --> 00:26:25.516
  • There's over 10 million copies of this bible in print, but
  • 00:26:25.516 --> 00:26:29.286
  • Here's the exciting news:
  • 00:26:29.286 --> 00:26:31.255
  • We have personally given out 700,000 of these at no charge to
  • 00:26:31.255 --> 00:26:36.460
  • People to help them in their spiritual journey.
  • 00:26:36.460 --> 00:26:40.431
  • So we need your help to keep doing this.
  • 00:26:40.431 --> 00:26:43.367
  • So, let's invest in the spiritual future of people that
  • 00:26:43.367 --> 00:26:47.371
  • Are going to come to christ, who will get a copy of
  • 00:26:47.371 --> 00:26:50.240
  • The new believer's bible for themselves.
  • 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:52.576
  • Thank you for your financial support.
  • 00:26:52.576 --> 00:26:54.612
  • Together we can change lives.
  • 00:26:54.612 --> 00:26:57.514
  • Female announcer: jesus says that "where two or three are
  • 00:27:01.685 --> 00:27:04.121
  • Gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them."
  • 00:27:04.121 --> 00:27:08.759
  • We are all different.
  • 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.160
  • We have different interests, different personalities,
  • 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:13.297
  • Different upbringings, and different ways we do life.
  • 00:27:13.297 --> 00:27:17.067
  • But here we have a deep connection and you are
  • 00:27:17.067 --> 00:27:22.673
  • Welcome here.
  • 00:27:22.673 --> 00:27:25.009
  • This is harvest.
  • 00:27:25.009 --> 00:27:25.009