Israel, Magog, and the Rapture (With Greg Laurie)

all right well let's turn in our Bibles to the Book of Ezekiel chapter 37 the title of my message is Israel Magog and the rapture you know when I first became a Christian I noticed that there was a lot of talk about the return of Jesus Christ I became a believer back in 1970 and the top-selling book of the entire decade of the 70s was the late great planet Earth by Hal Lindsey which was a book that spoken depth about signs of the times and so forth and you would see people with bumper stickers on their cars with slogans like maranatha which means Jesus is coming and Jesus is coming or in case of rapture this car will be left unmanned or get right or get left there was a sense of expectancy among so many of us that we could be the generation that would see the return of the Lord well that was 35 years ago and I've gone through quite a few jesus is coming bumper stickers so as my hope miss place was I wrong did we miss read the signs of the times not at all listen God is not late and the Lord will return to this earth at the appointed hour that has already been predetermined and the counsels of eternity but there may be a reason why Jesus did not come when we were hoping he would in 1970 and I think I can illustrate this pretty easily how many of you have come to believe in Jesus Christ since 1970 raise up your hand I rest my case that's a lot of you in fact it's more of you raise your hand that did not raise your again and so here's what the Bible says 2nd Peter 3:9 the Lord is not slack or late concerning his promise as some men count lateness but he's long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance listen God is waiting for that last person to believe and when that person believes in Jesus we're out of here can you imagine if you knew who that person was would you be tempted to apply a little pressure perhaps what is wrong with you get saved already it's all in the Lord's hands but I do believe that somewhere on this planet there is a man or a woman that the Lord is waiting for and when they put their faith in Jesus Christ we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and what we call the rapture of the church why do I believe this because all around me there are signs of the times last time we looked at one of the super signs of the last days which was the regather together of the nation Israel in their homeland and this was against all odds it was something that had no precedent in human history that a nation would be regathered together again that had been spread to the four corners of the earth David Jeremiah in this book what in the world is going on writes quote never had a decimated ancient people managed to retain their individual identity through almost twenty centuries and re-established our nation and their original homeland this event was specifically prophesied and it happened exactly as foretold it was clearly a miraculous act of God end quote it's a super sign and Jesus said this generation the generation that sees this happen will not pass away till all these things be fulfilled so once the Jewish people had returned to their homeland you might say the prophetic clock started to tick may 14th 1948 a very important date in Bible prophecy but the Bible not only said that the Lord would gather the Jews back to their homeland again but he said that Jerusalem would be theirs and Jerusalem would end up being the source of conflict in the end times but what's interesting is on May 14 1948 Israel did not possess Jerusalem in fact that did not happen until the 67 war when Israeli forces captured the old city and reunified all of Jerusalem so the city was under Jewish control for the first time in many centuries and Bible prophecy had been fulfilled to a tee and that's where the rub comes in because Jerusalem remains at the heart of the israeli-palestinian conflict with many Arab leaders worldwide in sitting that insisting that Jerusalem and the entire West Bank are rightly Palestinian territory and must ultimately be given back as a condition of peace but here's the problem with that God gave Israel and the City of Jerusalem to the Jewish people he made that promise it belongs to him and they're not going to give it up nor should they and this is where the conflict comes from as a result of this it's hard for us to understand the determination of the Jewish people to want to hold on to Jerusalem but of course they have come through horrors that are unthinkable as Tim LaHaye wrote in his book are we living in the end times quote the smell of the Holocaust is still too fresh in their memories end quote take a trip through a museum in Israel like Yad Vashem that is dedicated to the memory of the six million Jews that died in the Holocaust or walk to the corridors of the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC and look at what these people have suffered and you'll get a better understanding of the determination of the Jewish people to possess their land and their capital the city of Jerusalem but you have to understand that the Bible went out on a limb so to speak with these predictions and as I said before the Bible is the one book that dares to predict the future not once not twice but hundreds of times we have so many prophecies that have been made and have been fulfilled that we can look back now in retrospect and then there are those prophecies that are being fulfilled and prophecies that are you to be fulfilled but understand this it's not a big stretch for God to predict the future it's not any more amazing that God can speak of the future than you could speak of the past in fact I would even take it a step further and say God can predict the future far more accurately than you and I can recall the past because a lot of times I forget things my wife seems to remember every detail of everything you know and and the funny thing has all come home from some event or something I did or and I'll tell her about what happened and then I'll be read ascribing it two days later to someone and my wife will say no you've got it wrong this is what happened I said you weren't even there she said while I was there when you told me the first time and you've left out a few details he told me that fine you know so I can't even remember the past accurately but God with perfect retention knows the past of course but then it can speak of the future because listen God lives in the eternal realm so God can speak of the future with as much accuracy as he can speak of the past it's all the same to him tomorrow it's like yesterday to God so when God says this is gonna happen it's not taking a risk it's just God saying I know it's gonna happen because I'm eternal and it's gonna happen so he's telling us Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel they will be the source of conflict so let's just take out our checklist of events and see what's already transpired transpire the Bible says Israel will be scattered to the four corners of the earth did that happen yes check it sure will be regathered together did that happen yes Jack Israel will be regathered together in the homeland of Israel from which they were scattered has that happened yes check Israel will regain the city of Jerusalem again has that happened yes check Israel will be isolated from the other nations of the world is this happening yes check Israel will be attacked by a nation to her north bent on her destruction has it happened not yet but it's in process yes too Selam will be at the center of the conflicts of the world not wrong not Paris not London not New York City the little tiny city of Jerusalem we read in Luke 21:20 when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies you'll know that the time of its destruction has arrived Zechariah 12 - God says I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that send their armies to besieged Jerusalem on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone a burden for the whole world John Walvoord a respected expert on Bible prophecy made this statement and I quote the prophecies about - rizal and make it clear that the holy city will be in the center of the world events in the end time the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs will focus more and more attention on Jerusalem and all of these situations Jerusalem is a city to watch as a city of prophetic destiny prepares to act out her final role end quote Israel a nation that at one point is only nine miles why god says she'll be at the center of the endtime events in it's happening just as the Bible promised it would well the scripture of course prophesied this would take place and let's read our text now Ezekiel 37 I'm gonna read verses 1 to 6 this is a series of verses where God speaks about the regather enough the Jews again by the way I'm reading from the New Living Translation the Lord took hold of me and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones he led me among the old dry bones that covered the valley floor they were scattered everywhere across the ground and then he asked me son of man can these bones become living people again and then I said well Lord you alone know the answer to that he said speak to these bones and say dry bones listen to the word of the Lord this is what the Lord says look I'm gonna make you breathe again and make you live again I'll put flesh and muscles on you and cover you as I'll put breath in you and you'll come to life and then you will know that I am the Lord let's stop there for a moment now I've preached there's some dead audiences before but nothing like this God says to Ezekiel preach a sermon to the dry bones why would he want to do that because God says they're gonna live again okay fine but what does this mean you have some prophet talking to a bunch of bones in a valley what significance does it have the Lord gives us the interpretation in verses 11 to 14 of Ezekiel 37 let's read that then he said to me son of man these bones represent the people of Israel they're saying we've become old dry bones all hope is gone now give them this message from the sovereign Lord all my people I'll open up your graves of Exile I'll cause you to rise again and I'll bring you back to the land of Israel is that specific enough and when this happens o my people you know that I am the Lord and I'll put my spirit in you and you will live and return home to your own land then you will know that I am the Lord you'll see that I've done everything just as I promised I the LORD have spoken so here we see the regathered nation of Israel in her land and we see that God is saying this will happen according to my word but then after Ezekiel 37 is Ezekiel 38 but you didn't know that you probably did but here's why that's significant because Ezekiel 38 speaks of a large and powerful nation to the north of the newly established Jewish homeland along with a number of her allies invading Israel this has not yet happened so let's see what it says is equal 38 verse 1 this is another message it came to me from the Lord son of man prophesy against gog of the land of Magog the prince who rules over the nations of Meshach and tubal given this message from the sovereign lord gog i am your enemy i will turn you around and i'll put hooks in your jaws and I'll lead you to your destruction I'll mobilize your troops and Calvary and make you a bast a mighty hoard all fully armed especially notice verse 5 Persia Ethiopia and Libya will join you to with all of their weapons drop down to verse 8 a long time from now or in the latter times or in the last days you'll be called an action in the last days this is emphasized a number of times in these Ezekiel passages this is an end times event not something that is already transpired in the last days you'll swoop down in the Land of Israel which will be lying in peace after her recovery from war and after the return of her people from many lands you and all your allies a vast and awesome horde will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud here's what the Lord says at that time evil thoughts will come to your mind you'll devise a wicked scheme you'll say Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages all march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence we'll stop there now who could make OGG possibly be and who are these allies that march with her it is believed by many that may gog is speaking of modern-day Russia why does this believe well Magog was the second son of Japheth who according to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus settled north of the Black Sea to Baal and me check also mentioned here in Ezekiel 38 where the 5th and 6th sons of Japheth whose descendants settled south of the Black Sea these tribes inter married and became known as may God they settled to the north of Israel in Ezekiel 39 - God says to them I'll turn you and drive you toward the mountains of Israel bringing you from the distant north so all Bible directions are given in relation to Israel and if you look to the extreme north of Israel today you'll find the mighty nation of Russia now here's where it really gets interesting look at the Allies that marched with Russia we have Ethiopia that would be modern-day an Islamic and Islamic area Libya guess who libya is Libya is Libya Muammar Gaddafi we know if his anti Israeli feelings that he's made very clear Persia is modern Iran these are all Islamic cultures they're all anti Israel Russia has five Tazz has five arms deals in play right now with Libya and here's an interesting thing about Persia it wasn't until March 21st 1935 that Persia changed her name to what we now call Iran and here is this alliance that God says will form so all of these things coming together an amazing way the return of the Jews to their homeland the return of Jerusalem to the Jews in their homeland this large force from the north of Israel marching toward her with the ally of Iran who has only recently become an ally of Russia did you know that Russia recently signed a billion dollar deal to some missiles and other weapons to Iran there's over 1,000 Iranian nuclear scientists it had been trained in Russia by Russian scientists a recent news article that I just read said quote the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister says Russia is determined to quote boost its military technical ties with Iran end quote this was prophesied in the Bible why do these people hate Israel so much Islam hates the nation of Israel but why well president the president of Iran Ahmed in a job has threatened repeatedly to wipe Israel of the face of the map and a speech he gave a while back he said is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism referring to the Jews but you advanced know that that slogan and goal are altogether attainable and surely can be achieved that regime that is occupying Jerusalem theirs city again must be wiped off the map why these threats in animosity toward Israel well augmented job is a disciple of the ayatollah khomeini and you remember that the Ayatollah Khomeini was the one who launched a successful 1979 revolution driving out the Shah of Iran and turning I ran into a strict Muslim state and in 2005 ahmed in a job was called before the UN Security Council to explain his continued determination to develop nuclear weapons he began his speech by declaring quote and the name of the God of mercy compassion peace freedom and justice and then he ended his speech with a prayer to Allah and I want you to listen very carefully it says I prayed speaking to Allah for you to hasten the emergence of your last repository the Promised One the pure and perfect human being the one who will fill this world with justice and peace who is Ahmed in ajob speaking of this Promised One and it the Promised One is what is referred to in his particular branch of Islam as the 12th Imam the 12th Iman is effectively an Islamic Messiah and it is believed that this Messiah cannot appear until there is chaos so achmad in ajob feels by creating chaos and stirring up trouble threatening Israel threatening even the United States can bring about the chaos that would bring this 12th Iman this Islamic Messiah on the scene just recently a top official with iran's revolutionary force warned iran will blow up the heart of israel if the united states are the jewish state attack it first should a single American or Zionist missile land in our country before the dust settles Iranian missiles will blow up the heart of Israel no actually they won't that's not the way it's gonna play out sir it's gonna play out the way God has said it will we had the opportunity to attend a briefing recently by a top ranking general with the Israeli military a close confidant a president Benjamin Netanyahu and he told us of the current State of Israel and how the Israelis see these threats and here's what he said we take these threats very seriously we don't think they're empty threats and we will respond appropriately Israel is sane in so many words I'll do what needs to be done with or without the help of the United States to stop this threat now here's what I'm saying and understand this this is very important I am just describing for you what is happening in the headlines of today could this explode and culminate in this scenario we read about in Ezekiel 37 38 and 39 yes it could will it then I don't know because we've seen things happen before that look like they could be the events the Bible says will happen and then things sort of may be stopped for a while and then they kind of go back a little and then they rear up together so we have to be very careful in interpreting the headlines today here's what we do know a large force from the north of Israel will attack her identified as May GOG it will happen here's what I don't know why they're gonna do it exactly when they're gonna do it if the scenario we're witnessing right now will be the fulfillment of that but this much I know there's a lot going on that makes me realize this could happen at any time and when it happens it's gonna happen in rapid succession like dominos closely stacked together winding hitting the other all these things will transpire you say well that's very interesting Greg but what does this mean to me actually a lot because check this out when may gog and her allies attack Israel God's gonna intervene and he's gonna decimate the Russian army and the armies of the Allies as well and because of this the Jewish people are gonna glory to God listen when you go to Israel today you might be surprised to find that most Israelis are not believers in God they many of them are atheistic but they have this determination to return to their homeland they realize that they can look to no other nation for their protection or security and really led by the Lord they have come back and fulfilled this prophecy but for the most part they don't believe in God and certainly you'll find very few Jewish people that believe in Jesus as their Messiah there are some thank God but not all that many but when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon Israel after he drives back the invading armies of may God there will be a revival in Israel and many many many Jewish people will come to believe Yeshua HaMashiach Jesus is the Messiah see but this cannot happen this outpouring of the Spirit on Israel and to the full gathering of the Gentiles be come in what does that mean look most of us are Gentiles listening to this message right now that means we're not Jewish by birth maybe some of us are but most of us probably are not we have been effectively grafted into the promises of Israel this is the time where God is working with the non-jews that Gentiles but this time will come to a close and then the Spirit will be poured out again on the land of Israel on the people of Israel on the Jewish people but before that can happen God needs to wrap things up with us a listen to this Romans 11:25 Paul says I want you to understand this mystery dear friends so you don't feel proud and start bragging some of the Jews have hard hearts but this will only last into the complete number of Gentiles come to Christ coming back to a point I raised earlier when that person finally believes in Jesus that last one the Lord is waiting for our work here is done and we're out of here and we're caught up to meet the Lord in the rapture of the church so that means when we see these events happen we need to look up for our redemption is drawing there let's shift gears now and go over to first Thessalonians 4:16 let's go a different direction we've looked at signs of the times being fulfilled there's more we're gonna look at together and the next times together but let's just consider this event that I've referenced a few times the rapture some people would say you know the word rapture is done in the Bible Greg well the event sure is and the word is in the Bible if you have a Latin translation because the word rapture is from the Latin word wrapped Taurus that is the base for this phrase that we're gonna read about being caught up so the event of us being caught up to meet the Lord in the air if you prefer to use the term rapture or not his clearly taught in Scripture here it is first Thessalonians 4:16 2:17 the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and thus we will always be with the lord therefore comfort one another with these words so is this event that we call the rapture spoken of elsewhere in Scripture yes it is Jesus and John 14 said in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again to receive you to myself that where I am you may be also that phrase receive you means to take you by force and then over in Matthew 24 verse 40 Jesus says two men will be in the field one will be taken and the other left two women will be grinding at a hand mill one will be taken and the other left therefore keep watch because you don't know what hour your Lord is coming John addressed it as well and first John 3:2 their friends were the children of God it hasn't yet been revealed what we will be but we know when he appears we will be like him for we'll see him as he is Paul speaks of the same event in first Corinthians 15:51 two fifty-two behold I tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we will be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet but the trumpet will sound and the dead we'll be raised incorruptible and we will be changed now imagine this for a moment instantaneously globally thousands and thousands of believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air the population of planet Earth is somewhere around seven billion not quite but almost now how many of the seven billion people that live on this planet are followers of Jesus Christ I have no idea I read one a census poll that said there are 2.1 billion Christians on the face of the earth I don't know if I believe that I think of that where the case our world would be a different place and it is today but let's be conservative let's cut that number in half and let's say there's 1 billion Christians on the face of the earth let's even be more conservative and cut that number in half and say there's 500 million Christians on the face of the earth 500 million 1 billion whatever the number is can you imagine that many people disappearing simultaneously from around the globe do you think that would have any impact on the way business is done I'm telling you this could prepare the way for the Antichrist it makes perfect sense and next time I will point out to you why I believe very strongly that the Antichrist cannot be revealed until the church is caught up to meet the Lord in the air and you can even see how the scene will be set for this coming world leader think about it for a moment you would see the collapse of economies governments and societies around the world what a perfect moment for a man with economic solutions to emerge just this week in USA today I saw the headline quote weak dollar raises talk of an alternative world currency but then the article went on to talk about the various alternatives to the American dollar around the world and none was really sufficient to take its place and so the article concluded by saying but for now there is no attractive alternative to the dollar oh listen there's gonna come an attractive alternative to the it's not a one-world currency it's a one-world government and it's a cashless society and it's coming and there is already technology in place to bring this about happening before our eyes this isn't science fiction I'm not going out on a limb saying these things you're seeing it happen before your very eyes things that remind you that the Lord is coming and here's another interesting thing how could evil spread so rapidly as we see it happening in the tribulation period here's how by the removal of the restraining force that is in the world today called the church it's Christians that speak up for what is right and true for the most part in our culture today it's Christians that are out there doing the good works to the hurting and the impoverished and the homeless and those who are victims of various disasters it's Christians that try to live according to God's standards with the family and on and on it goes and if we're suddenly gone and our opposing voice is no longer heard how easy could this charismatic brilliant orator communicator with economic and military solutions emerge on the scene and deceive so many people now when Paul made the statement about the rapture to the believers of Thessalonica there was some concern about their loved ones that had already gone on to heaven you see death was a far more common occurrence to first century believers than perhaps it is to us today at least in the United States they lived with death they live with the death of friends and family who were believers in Jesus why because the church was persecuted and because thousands and thousands of believers were martyred the Romans used to put them to death for entertainment and the Coliseum bloodsport watch the wild animals tear the Christians apart kill the Christians stop the Christians so many Christians were martyred and so many believers had already gone on to heaven and these believers in Thessalonica we're wondering well what does this mean how does this work our loved ones that are no longer with us so Paul gives them these words in first Thessalonians 4:13 I do not want you to be ignorant brothers concerning those who have fallen asleep lest you sorrow as those that have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus and this I say to you by the word of the Lord that we were alive and remaining until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep now you could just as easily translate that phrase asleep to dead but it is interesting that the Bible doesn't speak of believers as being dead it speaks of them as being asleep the Bible's not in denial it's just choosing a different word you see when you're a believer in Jesus you never dot right Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life he that believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever believes and lives in me shall never die then he goes on to say if you believe this so here's the point death for the believer is compared to sleep now it's funny things sleep how you dread it when you're young and look forward to it when you're old we have our little granddaughter Stella who's three and she has to take a nap every day and she doesn't like it one bit so usually after lunch if we're watching and we'll say it's time for your nap you know she fights it and you have to read her a story and then another story and then another story and on it goes and but here's the one thing that Stella and Grandpa have in common we both take naps one likes it the other does not now my naps are not very long but after lunch I'll usually take a catnap lasting seven to maximum ten minutes I don't lay in bed and do it I just put my feet up on my desk and I close my eyes and I wake up refreshed so that little nap helps me Stella's naps are a little longer there are a couple of hours but she dreads it I look forward to it but either way you want to picture it a nap is a is a beautiful picture really it speaks of someone who is at peace now the not suggesting when a believer dies they go into some kind of soul sleep or they're taking an eternal nap though that would appeal to some but rather it's using that picture to describe a person who has at peace the reality is people in heaven are active that worshiping the Lord they're serving the Lord we've talked about that in an earlier message but even when Stephen was being martyred for the faith and he saw the Lord standing Jesus standing at the right hand of God it says that he fell asleep so Paul is saying listen I don't want you guys to worry about this those who have fallen asleep those who have gone before you you're gonna see him again there's gonna be a reunion you're all gonna be together again and let me tell you something this becomes really important when you have someone that you love in heaven it becomes very personal and you think about it more because when you have a loved one who is gone you find yourself thinking about them through the day you wonder what they're doing in a given moment you imagine seeing them again sometimes you dream about them you dream about conversations you had or would like to have had with them they're never far from your thoughts so imagine they're screaming friends you could be about your business one day thinking about your departed loved one then suddenly so quickly in fact it can't be measured with time you are seeing them face to face mothers and fathers will be reunited with sons and daughters husbands will be reunited with wives and wives with husbands children with their parents brothers with brothers sisters with sisters friends with friends your sorrow immediately vanishes and it's replaced by ecstatic joy but not only are you reunited with your loved ones but you're in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ that's what happens in the rock so think about that let heaven fill your thoughts think about eternity think about the rapture it's a good thing to think about what if it happened today oh that's escapist yeah man it's a Great Escape and I'm looking forward to it I don't mind admitting it CS Lewis said and I quote a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking but one of the things that Christian is meant to do and quote so let's consider briefly some effects of rapture will have on each of us number one the rapture means no death the rapture means no doubt there is a generation that will not see death they will go straight into the presence of God are we that generation I don't know could we be that generation very possibly we need to be ready number two the rapture is instantaneous it's instantaneous first Corinthians 15:51 says I tell you a mystery well not all sleep we'll all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye it's been said that the twinkling of an eye is about one thousandth of a second that's fast I mean how fast is the second one one thousandth there it is and it's a thousandth of that what no I mean I can't even I can't measure that can you so that's how fast the rapture is so just Lord where'd you come from how did I what just so quickly so rapidly it could take place you can't even divide the human time number three the rapture is a transformation to transformation God's gonna give you a brand new resurrection body you that struggle with the effects of old age or a disability or some other problem it's instantly gone age melts away disability appears sorrows are replaced by pure joy Philippians 3:20 we're citizens of heaven with the Lord Jesus lives and we're waiting for him to return as our Savior he'll take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change him in the glorious bodies like him using that same mighty power he will use to conquer everything everywhere number 4 the rapture will be a rescue operation the rapture will be a rescue operation 1st Thessalonians 1:10 we're waiting for it sent from heaven whom he's raised from the dead even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come deliver it means to rescue what is he delivering us from the wrath to come what is that a reference to the tribulation period lasting seven years inaugurated by the emergence of Antichrist so God is sending his special-ops team of Michael and his angels to evacuate the church to get us out of here before the tribulation begins sometimes there's confusion about the second coming and the rapture some people think it's one event but the Bible is very clear and speaking of two events the rapture will be a stealth event the second coming a very public one and the rapture he comes in the air we meet the Lord in the air and the second coming he returns to the earth the rapture he comes for his church and the second coming he returns with his church and there's rapture he comes before judgment and the second coming he comes with judgments were caught up to meet the Lord in the air it could happen at any time ok so finally how should this affect us what am I supposed to do about this well I need to walk with God and there's a great example of this in closing in the life of a man named Enoch he's almost like a prototype of the generation that will not see death but we caught up to meet the Lord in the air Enoch sort of had what we might describe as a solo rapture it's a very interesting little there's not a lot in the Bible about Enoch what is there is fascinating we simply read these words in Genesis 5:24 and Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him that phrase God took him can be translated God translated yet or carried over or carried him across Anna did not have to die like everybody else he just took a walk one day didn't come home or maybe I should say he took a walk and went home he started on one Shore and ended up on another and he's sort of an example of how we are to live as a last days believer if you will he walked with God so here's my question to you are you walking with God notice it doesn't say Enoch sprinted with God he walked with God see that's my problem is I was always a good short distance sprinter I was never a good long-distance runner and so I always had a burst of energy but then I would give out I remember I went out a number of years ago on a road bike and I went out with a bunch of people that ride all the time and you know I was all full of vim and vigor and passing them all and in you know and then I started running out of juice and by the time the trip was over with one of the guys had to push me on my bike his old Greg had run out of steam oh I had those bursts of energy and left them in my dust temporarily and a lot of people are like that you know they have this burst of energy I'm gonna follow the Lord I love the Lord it hello and then they can a crash and burn and they get up again and they go for a while and they crash and burn and you know what just walk with God okay just be regular be consistent and stay out at every single day and be disciplined enough to maintain that relationship walking implies effort it speaks of regularity it speaks of doing something over and over remember when your kids first learn to walk usually we don't remember when we first walk but others will tell us about it I remember when our son Christopher took us first steps I remember when our son Jonathan took his first steps Jonathan fell a lot and always bumped his head in the same spot he had a bruise on top of a bruise is like a bruise the middle of his head and I think he had that bruise for the first two years of his life right there you know and then finally he you know he nailed it and he walks very well now but um but I remember when our granddaughter Stella took her first steps I was over at uh Christopher and Britney's house and they were in the kitchen with my wife Kathy talking and I was playing with Stella and she's kind of laying around and kind of gets up on one foot and takes her step I said hi then she doesn't know that's the second step then she did a third and then she fell I said Stella just walk no I saw her I thought at first I said then she did it again for them so I did see her take her first steps we're like that way when we first started out in a relationship with Christ you know we take our first step and then we trip and we fall and we hit our head on the table you know get up again children don't give up nor should you keep walking stay with that be consistent in your relationship with Jesus Christ over and over again the Bible uses the picture of walking to describe the Christian life Colossians 2:6 says as you've received Christ walk in him Galatians 5 says walk in the spirit and he won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh and Ephesians 5 says walk in love and then finally in first John we read if you walk in the light as he is in the light you have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all sin listen now Jesus Christ is coming back it could happen in any time it could happen this year it could happen this month it could happen this week it could happen today yes it could happen well you would just be going about your business and without really any warning you would be caught up into the presence of the Lord and I hope it happens I would love it to happen I hope we're the generation hey but even if we're on we aren't the generation I know one way or another I'm getting to heaven I don't know what form of transportation God's gonna utilize it might be debt that might be rapture but one thing is certain I'm gonna get there and if you put your faith in Christ you will too but let me ask you in closing are you sure right now if Jesus Christ were to come back you would be ready to meet him we read that verse that says one will be taken in the other lap would you be taken to heaven or would you be left on earth yes some people will be left to the ones that do not believe in Jesus who will be taken the ones who do believe in Jesus do you do you have the confidence and certainty right now that if you were to die you would go to heaven if not let's get that resolved right now before you leave today in a moment I'm gonna give you an opportunity to ask God to forgive you of your sin an opportunity for you to put your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord an opportunity to be certain that you will be ready for the Lord's return so let me appeal to you that are not certain respond now and let me also appeal to you who maybe are trying to live in two worlds you know you're doing things you know you should not be doing though you profess to be a Christian it's time to repent of that and it's time to start walking with God time is short Jesus is coming as that old bumper sticker said get right or get left let's pray father I pray now that you will speak to every person listening to this message help them to see the words we've shared today are true and you are coming and help them to get ready to meet you we ask this in your name well our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed or praying together if you're not sure if Jesus Christ is in your life if you don't have the confidence that your sin is forgiven if you don't know what's certainty that you're ready for his return but you want to be I want you to just lift your hand up right now if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life if you want your sin forgiven if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven lift your hand up and I'm gonna pray for you just lift it up I can see it god bless you up there in the balcony here in the middle god bless each one of you anybody else you want us forgiveness today you want to get right with God lift your hand up I'll pray for you God bless you hop it up on the balcony there you want to be ready for the Lord's return lift your hand up god bless you up there god bless you anybody else god bless you hey if you're out in the amphitheater right now I can't see you there but you raise your hand up as a step of faith even you watching I in the court you can raise your hand too god bless all of you though I can't see you the Lord does Lord I think you've reach one of these that have taken this little step of faith to follow you now I pray you give them the strength to stand up and really commit their life to you this day we pray in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Pastor Greg Laurie

Views: 1,019,586

Keywords: greg, laurie, harvest, end, times, ezekiel, israel, magog, rapture, bible prophecy 2020, bible prophecy update, gog and magog, gog and magog location, gog and magog in the bible, who is gog and magog, who is gog and magog in bible, who are gog and magog, is goga man, end times fun, ezekiel 38

Id: Yei9bTFNTEc

Length: 47min 26sec (2846 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 10 2009