How Does Jesus Show His Approval When His Followers are Divided? — August 23, 2020: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 Our hearts to our country right now as you know there’s lots of things going on going on uh very important choices that have been made for our country today in 2020. So we need to look up our voices and pray that God and intervene and everything going on. That he would. Help beat back the darkness. The kingdom of darkness the Bible says we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness. And uh we need that we beat you back so let’s stand up again. Let us pray and ask God that he would come with this spirit of conviction come with his power and turn this whole thing around let’s power us. Together.

▶ 1:10 Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Oh.

▶ 2:20 Is. And. In.

▶ 3:30 Is. Is. In. Ask your presence. Is.

▶ 4:34 We will. Be. And is. Is. R.

▶ 6:05 Is. Is. Is. Oh.

▶ 7:18 Thank. You. All. Right. What’s. Up.

▶ 8:38 Please. Oh.

▶ 10:44 Oh. Uh. Is.

▶ 12:22 Tell. Yeah. We. Will. Foreign. Oh.

▶ 13:46 Foreign. Oh. Hey.

▶ 14:56 Me. So. Is.

▶ 16:06 Says. Wow. Three.

▶ 17:02 Times. Is. Oh. Let. God. So.

▶ 18:26 I. Is. Now. Said who is. This. They’ll turn their eyes to you and say who is this man God who pray Lord Jesus come step down from heaven rendered from Jesus God and Lord please shake this country God shape this world God Lord shake california God cross our country.

▶ 19:50 Jesus. Um. Lord. Now. So.

▶ 21:06 Lord. Jesus. Jesus. God. Thank you for joining. Us.

▶ 22:24 As the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon and forth and that’s the key calling upon them for what nation is there so great who has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law that is set before us and we can choose to follow God and we can have God on our side we can have him answering everything that we come and petition him for if the nation is a nation that will humble themselves. And obey the word of God and follow after him we’ll have great success amen amen. You see.

▶ 23:34 Me. You will. Do. Everybody. So.

▶ 24:44 Is. Is. That there be divisions among you. And I partly believe. It for there must also be heresies among you. That they which are approved. May be made manifest made plain make clear. Among you. Today we’re going to ask ourselves this question.

▶ 25:38 How does Jesus. Show his approval. When followers are divided. He said there’s going to be heresies opinions. Contradictions. Among you but I’m going to show my approval. So how does Jesus show his approval when followers of Jesus Christ are divided with their own opinions their own ideas their own belief. Let’s go back to second Samuel. Chapter 15 verses 1 through 12 the story of Absalom. You see the star of David on Absalom. He was a Jew he was a believer in God as we remember but he had a secret plan a conspiracy.

▶ 26:34 To overthrow the civil government. Overthrow his own father. King David was the civil government that God set in and in doing so he’s not only fighting against his father he’s not only fighting against the government but he is fighting against God. For God put abs David as the king of the nation God made David a prophet God they made it a priest and here is Absalom with a plan to oppose and make war with what God has designed to be on earth. So how did God show his approval with the divided believers.

▶ 27:28 Absalom lost the war. In fact it is so clear that it’s God. Showing his approval that the forest killed more people in the war than the sword. See God shows his approval David made some mistakes as we learned in past lessons but he confessed those mistakes he repented from those mistakes and he brought forth the fruit of the repentance so he was always right in the eyes of God amen Absalom not so you remember the story in kings and Chronicles and in Isaiah that the assyrian army came down and carried away Israel captive. That same army went down to Judah and they were besieged in Jerusalem and going to try and carry away Judah captive.

▶ 28:26 But God wasn’t ready to do that and God told the king of Assyria you are only defeating these nations because I planned it Saul. Are you out. There. You’re not going to besiege Jerusalem and and conquer it and take them captive. So an angel came that night and killed 185 000 of the king of Assyria’s. Army. See God showed his approval are you out there folks. God will show his approval. Even when God is using unbelievers to do his plan God shows his approval.

▶ 29:20 Now you also got to remember at that time a prophet came to Hezekiah. And he prophesied a statement in all that prophecy that he spoke that there would be a remnant. And he said it twice there would be a remnant of people that will escape. From Zion. The war with Zion. So. We go. Next. To the Jews. And Israel at Jesus time 0 a.d to 70 a.d and up to present time. The Jews and Israel there’s the star of David. On the ones that are fighting against God they believe in God they read God’s word but they are fighting against what God is doing these are recorded in all the gospels in the book of acts.

▶ 30:26 They had first of all internal differences internal divisions they had a group called the Sadducees a group called the Pharisees the group called the grecian the group called the herodians and other groups that are not listed in the Bible they had all these they had inner conflicts just like today we got the catholics the baptist the pentecostals and on down the line so they had inner conflicts. But. They rejected Jesus. They had a conflict with Jesus. They had a conspiracy to kill him and destroy him. They also had a conflict with God. The God that they believed in the God that they claimed to serve they were in opposition to him for that God that they served.

▶ 31:20 Said in the book of Daniel that the roman empire would arise. After the grecian empire and in the reign of that roman empire. Jesus Christ the messiah would be born. And he would die for the sins of the world God wrote that 500 years before Jesus came and they opposed it. Daniel also said that Jerusalem. And the temple would be desolate would be destroyed. And they didn’t believe it they didn’t see it they were so accustomed to making up their own doctrines you can only walk so far on a Sabbath day or you’re doing work. You see.

▶ 32:12 What money you give to the church. To the priest to the temple. You don’t have to worry about taking care of your parents. Okay they made up these doctrines. And they trusted in their own made-up doctrines more than the word of God. And so the God that said he was going to send Jesus to die that was he was going to destroy Jerusalem and the temple they rejected and they fought against it they fought against the church that Christ come to build I will build my church Jesus said and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it these Jews these Israelites they opposed the church. They arrested them and beat them and put them in prison and killed them.

▶ 33:07 And they opposed the roman army that God said and Daniel was going to come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple but they thought you see they worship Jerusalem they worship the temple. Instead of it being an example and a shadow of things to come that word they made it a God. And they weren’t going to let anything happen to that temple when the God that they served said this temple was going to be torn down and destroyed they. Assembled together and fought the roman army that their scriptures their Bible said would destroy that city. And. The city was destroyed. So. How did God show his approval.

▶ 33:59 There were no Christians. In the city they all fled they knew the scriptures they all ran they went somewhere else including the apostles. And so not one Christian died. In that war with rome protecting Jerusalem and protecting the temple. Because they did what they were supposed to do flee are you out there church. But these Jews with the star of David. They oppose all of that. Now let’s move down to 300 a.d. Christ has built his church. A couple hundred years more than a little over 200 years have gone by.

▶ 34:55 And the catholics and the orthodox who claim. To trace. Their church back to Jesus. Well if that’s true then they have to take responsibility. For the great falling away the church started saying you can worship Mary you can worship this dead saint you can pray to Mary you can pray to dead saints when Jesus said call no man father they said yes you can call the minister ministers in the house of God father when God Jesus said you know don’t wear wrong robes and all this stuff they got the robes and the hats and all this stuff they brought doctrine in to the church when the early church went out and preached the gospel with signs following teaching everything that Jesus commanded these guys turned from that.

▶ 35:57 And instead of preaching the gospel with signs following they come up with their own religious rituals. And. In second Thessalonians 2 3 we find. Do not be shaken in mind don’t be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor a news a letter from us. Watch out for church’s newsletters. All right. As that the day of Christ is at hand people are preaching that the the apostles were looking for Christ any minute because of a few scriptures that kind of imply that well Paul plainly says here don’t you be shaken even by a letter from us an epistle from us that the day of the Lord is at hand that day will not come.

▶ 36:57 Thessalonians tells us. Except there come a falling away first and that’s exactly what the orthodox and the catholic church did they fell away from the preaching of the gospel all things that Christ commanded us to teach. Signs and wonders active in the church they went back to religion and the church fell away. From the early church’s message the early churches Christ the early church’s Holy Spirit. And folks the same thing is happening in our generation so many Christians thinks that Jesus Christ could come right now. And it’s sad. It takes the fight out of us because every time something tragic happens we think oh he’s going to come and we’re going to escape this you’re not going to escape anything.

▶ 37:56 You’re going to get through it can I hear an amen hallelujah. So. You heard of the great inquisition. Where the catholic and orthodox church would punish. Persecute. And even kill. People that didn’t follow their beliefs and their doctrines that’s history you can read in history everybody knows years and years of opposition. But as we heard over there in the story of David. There’s a remnant. There will always be a remainder of people that keep following God and you don’t hear much about them unless you do a lot of study like I do and you don’t hear much about them even in historical studies except they’re being persecuted.

▶ 38:55 You don’t hear about them that much except they’re being persecuted so God always has a remnant. Even during the falling away can I hear an amen. Not everybody fell. Away. He said there will be a restoration. Of all things after the falling away the Bible says in acts chapter 3 verse 18 and after that Jesus Christ will remain in the heavens until the restoration of all things spoken by the prophets since the world began there’s going to be a total restoration and it’s going to happen during the fall and away. And how’s he going to do it the Bible says also and we’ve covered this stuff before I’m just reminding you of this that he will send times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord you see we’ve had four great awakenings in this world and there’s probably another awakening happen south of the equator because millions of people are coming to Christ every year down there.

▶ 40:09 And it’s the spirit-filled churches that are growing. There’s a real move of God going on south of the equator and in east pacific asia. And so God keeps his word he sends times of refreshing you and your life can have a time of refreshing by seeking him a church can have a time of refreshing by seeking him a revival like they spoke about we don’t have to sing about revival we can possess revival because he promised us revival times of revival times of refreshing. Amen. We don’t have to be dead he said the waters that I give you to drink of you will never thirst again why are we dry because we’re not drinking of the waters. Of life. So we never thirst again keep drinking of the waters of life the word and the spirit the word and the present so.

▶ 41:09 On your screen you will see a bar graph. 70 a.d when this great tribulation started. To the present time. Jesus said that the Jews would be scattered. That Jerusalem and judea would be destroyed. And he also called it the time of the Gentiles he said the destruction of Jerusalem the destruction of the temple will continue until the times of the Gentiles are ended. I am a Gentile a non-jew. And I got saved during this great tribulation. Are you out there how many of you are Gentiles. Yes it’s the time of the Gentile.

▶ 42:02 It’s very plain in the Bible so the falling away is the same time as the great tribulation. The tribia the great tribulation is the tribulation of Jews not the Gentiles. Father. Only you. Can open our understanding. To understand the scriptures. Holy Spirit only you. Can guide us into all truth. And father we pray right now that you open our ears to hear. What Christ is saying to the church. And father we asked you to open our eyes to see what happened in days past what is happening present and what’s going to happen tomorrow.

▶ 43:01 And father we pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth as you asked us to do open our eyes open our ears open our understanding both here in this assembly and out there in facebook and online world in Jesus name amen. Now the great tribulation is the Jews tribulation it is not the Gentile’s tribulation. The believers will be persecuted because they live godly and they speak the word of God. That’s what the Bible says that’s not the great tribulation. That’s tribulation because you decide to serve God. Not believing God like these Jews did you you decided to serve him and teach his work so you are going to face tribulation but that is not the great tribulation.

▶ 44:07 The great tribulation is the Jews. Let’s go to Matthew 24 verses 15 through 21 where Jesus is speaking Jesus Christ himself said when you see the abomination of desolation. And Luke says it plainly when you see Jerusalem sounded by surrounded by armies. Let those in judea flee run. I am going to destroy this city I’m going to destroy this temple run folks nothing can stop it from being destroyed and the reason he’s destroying Jerusalem and the temple is because they worshiped it like God. They took something God used and made a idol out of it and actually worshiped it so they got.

▶ 45:02 Offended and folks millions died. And they women ate their own babies they birthed the baby they cooked the baby and ate it you need to read this stuff they ate the dead corpses. That were there in Jerusalem. They would decide that they got a surrender to the roman empire so they’d swallow gold. They’d swallow it and they’d go to the roman empire roman army and turned themselves in and the roman army would just kill them open up their stomach and take out the gold you ought to read the atrocities that went on from Jews who believed in God trying to protect a city and a temple that God was done with. Then then means at that time.

▶ 46:01 At that time there will be great tribulation what time when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies and God is going to destroy Jerusalem and the city. And the temple at that time there’s going to be a great tribulation it’s the Jews. That are experiencing that great tribulation it’s the Jews that Jesus said you’re going to be scattered throughout the world. And they were. And they were scattered until 1948. 2000 years of great tribulation. Are you out there church. People want us to believe it was just there’s a difference they want us to believe the great tribulation is somewhere down here in the end time it is not it is happening right now God was dealing with the Jews for their disobedience and he’s dealt with them for over 2000 years can I hear amen.

▶ 47:06 And wait on next week’s. Message. Why do we get governments that we do. We need to hear these things we need to look at things as God sees things and not what somebody in a mega church is saying or somebody and a seminar saying we need to hear what the Holy Ghost is saying to the church could that be an amen do we want to hear what God is saying to the church yes we should want to. We’re tired of him telling us how to think. Now listen to this Jesus is talking that will be great tribulations so it has not been since the world began from Adam and Eve unto this time of the great tribulation nor ever shall be see there is no great second great tribulation.

▶ 48:02 There’s only one great tribulation and it is the tribulation of the Jews for rejecting Christ disobeying God dishonoring his word and God punished Israel for 2 000 years with a great tribulation. That 2000 years of tribulation is a great tribulation. Is that an amen. Has nothing to do with the saints the saints are being persecuted for standing up and preaching what is right and true. If you a believer in Christ and they cut off your head and you’re living in sexual immorality and all that that is not. Living godly. You may believe in God but you’re not living for God and you’re not preaching the righteousness of God.

▶ 48:55 Let’s get this straight. That may not want to hear next week how about the nations why you get the government you do yeah we need to understand these things. There’s no second great tribulation. Like many ministers are preaching. Okay. In Revelation 17:14 Revelation backs it up an innumerable people out of the great tribulation. Made clean by the blood of the lamb that’s the Gentiles coming into Christ a a group that cannot be numbered over a 2 000 a year period so far millions of us Gentiles has come to Christ isn’t that right amen. Is God fulfilling Revelation in our generation.

▶ 49:51 Yes he is we’re part of the millions that have accepted Christ and served Christ since the time Christ came on earth. Do you understand that. You know you’ve heard the other side so much on ready on tv it’s hard for you to understand. They hit you with so much nonsense that when you read the Bible you just read it right in. God cleanse our mind cleanse our thinking. So that we can really hear what the spirit is saying to the church. Then we have a bar chart shows 300 a.d to the present time the great falling away the catholics and the orthodox have not changed their ways.

▶ 50:49 They’re still telling you you can pray to Mary they’re still telling you that. You know you can pray to saints. Dead saints. They’re still telling you all of these false doctrines that started the great falling away and they’re still teaching it are you out there. The falling away has runs parallel runs in the same time. As the great tribulation. We have others besides the orthodox and the catholics. People that teach once saved always saved. It’s a false doctrine.

▶ 51:41 When they teach by grace are you saved through faith that’s a false doctrine I’ll tell you why. Only. The blood can cleanse from sin. Isn’t that right only the blood if your faith is not in that blood that death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ your faith is worthless. And there is no faith if it’s not in the death burial and resurrection of Christ and his virgin birth are you there there is no favor. By the name of Jesus only the Bible says can men be saved isn’t that right their salvation and what none other there isn’t salvation and faith there isn’t salvation in grace. There is only salvation in Jesus Christ and him laying down his life picking it up again ascending to heaven and he’s returning to judge the world can I hear an amen.

▶ 52:44 So how does Jesus show his approval. Another thing we have today is unconditional love God loves you unconditionally that’s a big lie if you don’t confess your sin and you don’t repent from that sin and you don’t bring forth the fruit of repentance. You’re not going to be saved. Can I hear an amen. There is a condition on God’s luck you got to admit you were wrong you got to turn from that wrong and you got to bring forth the fruit of turning from that wrong amen. These are lies spoken by protestants. And people hear it on radio and tv and they just they just accept it they hear it so much they just accept it. But we got to preach the gospel.

▶ 53:36 And the signs and wonders should follow the gospel not our opinions so how does he approve show his approval between the two followers of Christ. Revelations 12:17. As as the musicians. Come. They that keep the commandments. They that have the testimony of Jesus Christ. The testimony of the blood of the lamb. And they love not their lies and to the death they don’t put their secular life above. Their walk with Christ now folks that is a big one. It’s so easy to get wrapped up and raising your family and all this stuff and neglect.

▶ 54:33 Standing up for Christ I had them to open the service with this song. To stand up for America and you’ll see why next week. We need to stand up for our nation we need to stand up for the kingdom of God we need to stand up for our family it’s not a time to turn the other cheek or go the extra mile and give away our coats and all that it’s time to stand up not kneel before our accusers and our opponents could that be an amen. They win Satan’s war this is how they overcome Satan Satan’s war is the war between good and evil right and wrong.

▶ 55:25 And it’s these remnant he calls them the remnant they have the testimony of Christ they keep the word of God they stand on the blood of the lamb that’s the remnant and there’s always been a remnant that has done that how many you want to be the remnant amen you may lose your home you may lose your property you may lose your life but you’re not going to give up on Jesus Christ because he is the way to heaven and eternal life and a great life here on earth amen not grace not faith or anything in between Jesus Christ himself. And there’s only. A limited number of people in Revelation that’s going to be martyred so forget about having to lay down your life you may not be picked to be that one all right.

▶ 56:18 Somebody was saying praise God. But you may lose your property. You may lose your job because of your stand for Christ you may do that. But these people don’t live don’t love their life they love Jesus unto the death. As I said the godly people are persecuted for their godliness not because they believe in Christ because they live for Christ and they teach Christ’s word. Be it unto me according to thy word.

▶ 57:04 And the last thing. Before Jesus comes church and those of you on facebook land before Jesus comes in Ephesians 5:27 it says that Jesus is going to present to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Jesus himself said in Matthew 16:18 I will build my church and the gates of hell for not prevail against it Christ is coming back for a conquering church a strong church a righteous church and we’re not there yet but he is going to bring us to where we are there amen and we have tremendous things to look forward to in the future because we know the scriptures and we’ll allow God to open our ears open our understanding so we can understand then we have not only great peace with God we have great power with God to live through these things amen.

▶ 58:06 Hallelujah. Saul. You. In Facebook land and here in the assembly. Will you decide. To be the remnant. And keep God’s word God’s holy righteous word keep the testimony of Jesus Christ don’t let anyone distract you from Jesus. Keep your trust in the blood of the lamb you repent the key is the key of David David repented. When he was told about his sin when the Holy Spirit comes and convicts you of your sin just admit you’re wrong. Ask God to cleanse you and forgive you of that wrong and then promise him that you’ll get up and turn from that wrong.

▶ 59:02 And you can just keep in favor with God. And God will keep touching your life and blessing your life repentance is the key admitting you’re wrong is the key. So if you want Jesus to fulfill his word in you you want him to make you a remnant will you stand with me wherever you’re at here in this assembly or in facebook land and let’s sing this as our prayer unto the Lord be it unto me Lord make me that remnant make me that kind of people. Let there. Be.

▶ 1:00:26 Oh. Is. Lord we want to be those people that have a testimony. We want to be those people that think the commandments of God. By the power of the blood.

▶ 1:01:22 Holy Spirit come and open our understanding come and open our eyes. Holy Spirit come and give people the courage to admit they’re wrong right now whether I was watching on facebook or right here give them the courage to get their wallets maybe their anger is out of control maybe they have violence in their life they want to fight maybe they have sexual immorality.

▶ 1:02:26 Maybe their face. Lord. Whatever they’re saying. Come and convict them of that sin Lord Jesus let your Holy Spirit come and convict us convince us of that and give us the courage to admit to you right now Lord Jesus I am a sentence. I have done this wrong. And give them the courage to ask you to cleanse you constantly from all sin. Forgive all their sins. And Lord give them the courage to accept you to empower them to get up from this bread and live for you being a light to the world that others will see and want to come to the light of Jesus that’s.

▶ 1:03:26 Indeed Holy. Spirit. Lord give us an attitude of prayer. Let’s don’t wait to come to church to pray. Let’s come right up. Lord let’s make prayer a tremendous tool weapon of our God let’s don’t wait to come to church to worship to praise you Lord through the week let’s put praise and worship in our life as a tool. To overcome the kingdom of God and most of all Lord let us put the word above everything. Let us put time in the word to study and read it and allow you to open them by word unto us for your word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword it separates especially from the spirit Lord we can’t do it in the natural mind we gotta be people of the world we’ve got to be people of prayer we’ve got to be people of praise and worse these are powerful weapons.

▶ 1:04:32 Or else we’re not going to have anything to say to the people out there in this world and the whole purpose of these weapons is to get the word of God out to speak the word of God to those who have never heard. In the way that it’s supposed to. Be. Do you agree with that prayers today amen. If you’ll commit to these weapons as we sing it again we just raise one hand to commit to these God. Keep rewarding.

▶ 1:05:48 Us. And is sing this on I will seek thee as for him I will seek you Jesus in prayer and worship the word until I break through lifting both hands under the wall. This is the hard part.

▶ 1:07:40 Oh. Jesus that’s our commitment to you this day. To make time for Jesus. To make time for his word. And to make time to shed. What we have been taught what we have been reviewed. What our understanding has been opened up to. The truth that the Holy Ghost guides us into we will share with us with clarity and the word will do the rest. Because the word is powerful and the word is light. And the word is what sets people free not our opinions. Not our prayer time not our worship time Lord the word spoken is what sets people free.

▶ 1:08:36 And we’re gonna seek you out. Until we find him. And everybody said amen amen. Say amen with the Lord. Amen. God bless you thank you for coming up with me and listening and coming to church this morning and on facebook man thank you for joining. Us.

▶ 1:09:44 Or you can give that online and go to the church website. In prayer see you priority this week in the weeks after God we’re gonna start making that spirit making that serious effort set aside time to seek you God just the regular old thing that we do to God purposely getting our knees pranked for our country and pain for our lives that we would be transformed. By the river of God in us and then pray for our country to pray for our neighbors pray that God would do a mighty word Jesus God we commit to that right now Jesus God we pray Lord Jesus that you and bless what we put our hands to do Jesus God we pray.

▶ 1:10:53 Amen all right thank you for joining us God bless you let’s love one. Another. You.