Mark of the Beast and The Seal of God | Mark Finley

welcome back i'm glad you've joined us for this series called three cosmic messages we've been unfolding the prophetic messages of the book of revelation especially the messages of revelation chapter 14 verse 6 to 12 that discuss god's last message for humanity the third angel's message is a warning against the beast in the mark of the beast you may have wondered about that we're going to explore it in this session and in the next one let's pray father in heaven thank you so much for jesus thank you for his grace and his mercy thank you for these messages of warning but our messages of encouragement give us hope and encouragement as we study and open our eyes so we can see marvelous things from your word in christ's name amen my topic in this presentation is the seal of god in mark of the beast we've divided this into two parts because it's such a vitally important topic some time ago i was reading the health care section in the nbc news and this title captured my attention fda approves computer chip for humans i was then interested in the first sentence medical milestone or privacy invasion what was that all about the question was is this computer chip that's planted in one's wrist to get medical information is that really an invasion of privacy there are some people who believe in certain conspiracies who believe that that ship planted beneath the skin is going to detect information for the government and that has to do with the mark of the beast this implanted biochip is about the size of a grain of rice and it transmits a radio frequency that radio frequency is picked up by a scanner and that information is transmitted to an fda compliant storage bank for medical research it only can deal with a small amount of information today but there are companies that are working on enlarging that amount of information so if you have that biochip implanted your medical information and really everything about you can be stored in an amazingly small amount of space in a computer database does this have something to do with the mark of the beast does this have something to do eventually with the rise of the antichrist in enforced worship it's fascinating when you take a look at all the different ideas about the mark of the beast some have the idea that this is information stored beyond our medical records in a computer but there are other people who believe that this idea the mark of the beast has to do with black police helicopters from the u.n landing in america some people have to believe that has to do with barcodes on cans that are scanned at the grocery store other people believe that had it has to do with strange numbers on the dollar bill you know one of the funniest ones is for many years i was the speaker of it is written television and one day a lady wrote to me and she said pastor mark i'm sending you a new tie now i'm always thankful for a new tie but then she said the reason i am is i looked at the pattern on your old tie and it had 666 on the pattern and i didn't want you to be wearing the mark of the beast well let me assure you that the issue of the mark of the beast is not a pattern on my tie your tie or a pattern on some lady's dress it's it's much more beyond that it's more than strange symbols it's more than mystic ideologies it's more than weird beasts what is the central issue in this whole subject of the mark of the beast because once you understand the foundation once you understand the basic essence of what it is everything else will fall in place to state it simply the central issue is worship let's go back to the book of revelation and these three messages three cosmic messages that lead us to a deeper commitment to christ in an understanding of divine truth in earth's final conflict you'll recall that the first angel flies in mid heaven he does not float he flies it's an urgent swift message carried to the ends of the earth revelation 14 7 fear god give glory to him in time for the hour of his judgment has come now notice worship the one that made heaven and earth the sea and the springs of waters the very essence of the first angels message is a call to worship the creator and in that very expression where it says worship the one who made heaven earth the sea and the springs of waters that phrase is a quote from the fourth commandment remember the sabbath day to keep it holy why for in six days the lord created heaven and earth and the seat all that in them is so john quotes the fourth commandment the sabbath commandment that is an appeal to worship the creator so this first angel's message this message of eternal destiny about worshiping the creator has something to do with the seventh day sabbath now when you look at though verse 8 it says babylon is fallen is fallen babylon false religion great city because she's made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication in the bible wine represents doctrine fermented wine represents false doctrine so babylon a fallen religious system passes around the wine cup of her false doctrine people are inebriated with that and they've failed to understand or comprehend the first angel's message the message of the gospel of christ the message of dependence on christ the message of obedience to christ the message of the second coming of christ the message about worshiping the creator in the bible sabbath a third angel flies and it says in revelation 14 verse 9 if anyone worships the beast now remember in verse 7 it said if anybody worships the creator in his image and receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand he himself shall drink of the wine of the wrath of god so here you have another class in contra distinction to those that worship the beast here you have another class who obediently worshipped the creator how are they described revelation 14 verse 12 here is the patience that word means endurance of the saints that's the believers here are those who keep the commandments of god and they have the faith of jesus so the message of the three angels comes to a focal point it comes to a climax with a body of believers who do not worship the beast but who worship the creator and this body of believers who worship the creator god observe his commandments including the symbol of creation which is the sabbath commandment notice the contrast revelation 14 7 worship the creator revelation 14 9 do not worship the beast revelation 14 12 keep the commandments of god so here we have outlined the basic issues in the great controversy between good and evil the basic issues in this cosmic conflict this intergalactic struggle this star wars drama a rebel angel rebelled against god in heaven he challenged god's authority disobeyed god's law he came to eden tempt adam and eve by saying you don't have to obey and down through the ages this rebel angel this being of dazzling brightness has deceived men and women into thinking obedience was unnecessary this is a cosmic struggle over worship and god will have an end time people who are loyal to him in the face of the greatest opposition and the fiercest persecution in the history of the world this is what the mark of the beast issue is all about it's about where is our allegiance it's about where is our loyalty the mark of the beast issue is about the authority of christ and worshiping the creator and the sign of his creative authority is the commandment that says remember the sabbath day in spite of a decree that says according to revelation 13 that no man can buy or sell in spite of persecution in spite of oppression god will have a group of people that through his power will be obedient and the scripture says here are they that keep the commandments of god and what they have the faith of jesus they worship the creator and they do not worship the beast and really when you actually look at the book of revelation there are only one of two choices at and die there is no middle ground there is no neutrality revelation calls us to a choice revelation calls us to a decision revelation causes us to get off the fence of mediocrity and neutrality it is either i worship the creator or worship the beast god is doing everything he can to lead men and women from the falsehood to truth from the worship of human idola idolatries and human ideologies to his word god is doing everything he can sending his holy spirit to your heart leading you to deeply sense the truths of his word god is doing everything he can to lead us back to the truths of scripture he has sent his holy spirit he brings conviction to our hearts he reveals truth to our minds he illuminates the darkness with the light of his word in fact psalm 119 verse 105 says thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path the light of truth is shining upon you as you've watched these presentations it's no accident god in the divine drama of destiny has brought you to this place to understand his word to have a deeper appreciation for christ to have a deeper appreciation for the cross to understand what it means to be saved by grace to be delivered from the the grip of sin as well as the penalty for a broken law god's word speaks to us his grace-filled word his word of love and gentleness appeals to us to make a decision to step out from the majority because if we conform to the majority today because it's easy to do that one day we will accept the mark of the beast because we want to be able to buy and we want to be able to sail and we don't want the persecution and the oppression now notice what the bible says it says they keep the commandments of god and they have the faith of jesus what is the faith of jesus well the faith of jesus is itself a gift we receive by by faith and it will carry us through the crisis ahead it is not our faith that carries us through the crisis ahead it is jesus faith it is not our strength that carries us through the crisis ahead it is the faith of jesus that takes us through these dark periods ahead in this cosmic struggle between good and evil it is christ living in us christ sustaining us christ strengthening us christ empowering us it is this trust in jesus that takes us through so that one day we stand on the sea of glass and we don't say i am worthy because i made it through the great crisis we sing revelation 4 verse 11 thou art worthy o lord to receive honor and glory and power because you created all things we live in his honor we live in his glory we live in his power and we live for the one that created heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters jesus christ as a co-equal co-eternal member of the godhead was the active agent in creation so when we worship on sabbath in harmony with the creator's power and his acknowledgement of the creator we are actually worshiping jesus christ who according to ephesians 3 verse 9 was the active agent in creation so the call to worship the creator is a call to worship jesus and the call to remember the sabbath is a call to remember jesus as the creator in opposition to the beast's power the concept of christ is creator is at the very heart of sabbath worship and it's at the very heart of a titantic struggle it's at the very heart of the great controversy between good and evil the sabbath is an oasis in the desert of this world in a world that is largely accepted evolutionary hypothesis in a world that believes that we evolved from lower forms of life from some primeval slime that we came together by accident in this world the sabbath becomes an oasis we rest in his love and his power and his care we come to the creator who's formed us and shaped us we sense that we're not some speck of cosmic dust we sense that we are not alone in the universe we sense that we're not random collection of atoms but he created us he fashioned us he cares for us he loves us this is the essence of the great controversy between good and evil the sabbath is an eternal reminder of our identity we are created by god we are sons and daughters of god we are connected by a common creation to one another and by that creation we are united to our heavenly father we are twice christ we are his by creation and we are his by redemption he created us and he redeemed us the sabbath is a sign of his creative authority therefore satan challenges it because satan knows if he can do away with the sabbath he can do away with the authority of christ his creator and there's no basis for worship at all because if we evolved and we are products of chance why worship god at all so the sabbath becomes that central figure in this battle between good and evil between christ and satan it's the issue over in the conflict over the mark of the beast these committed followers of jesus remember here are they that do what keep the commandments of god here they that have the faith of jesus these committed powers of jesus who not only have faith in jesus but they have the faith what of jesus now what is the faith of jesus when jesus is hanging on the cross with a crown of thorns upon his head with blood running down his face with nails in his hands and peter has denied him and judas has betrayed him and his own people have turned their backs and forsaken him and the disciples has forsook him and fled darkness enshrouds that cross the thunder crashes the lightning flashes and jesus hangs there alone but he reaches out and says father into thy hands i command my spirit what is the faith of jesus the savior trusted even when he could not discern the future and in the days ahead when every earthly support is cut off in the days ahead when there is oppression and persecution when we cannot buy or sell based on revelation 13's prophecy in the days ahead we too trust we hang on in the darkness we hang on in the persecution we hang on in the prisonment we hang on in the face of death because we believe that jesus one day will come and deliver us what is the faith of jesus it is the quality of christ's faith living in us in which we trust him and do not betray him in that time in the book christ triumphant on page 277 the author ellen white makes this amazing statement about the faith of jesus amid the awful darkness apparently forsaken of god christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe in those dreadful hours he had relied upon the evidence of his father's acceptance heretoforegiven him he was acquainted with the character of his father he understood his justice his mercy and his great love by faith he rested in him whom it had ever been his joy to obey so what is the faith of jesus it is that rest it is that trust it is that confidence it is that security in the father christ by faith trusted the father he gives us that faith to take us through the the trying times ahead and as in submission he committed himself to god the sense of the loss of his father's favor was withdrawn by faith christ was the victor how will we be victors when every earthly support is cut off how will we survive just as by faith christ was victor we hang on by faith when our eyes cannot see our hearts still can believe when all around us there is darkness by faith we can pierce that darkness and know that although we cannot see him he can see us and he is still there to strengthen to guide to encourage us the faith of jesus is his absolute his complete his total trust and dependence upon his father it is his quality of faith living in us through the holy spirit that will get us through the final crisis and that my friend is incredibly good news the prophecy regarding the mark of the beast is about religious intolerance it's about persecution but it's also a message of encouragement because it says to us that god will have a group of people who have the quality of faith that gift given by god to them that enables them to hang on in the crisis and obediently they keep his commandments we learn from this prophecy in revelation 14 here they that keep the commandments of god and have the faith of jesus that even in the worst of times even with everything satan can throw at us that god will have a people who are not afraid to stand up and witness for him christ is living within them and they speak of his love and his goodness in his grace and his mercy there is trouble ahead the mark of the beast prophecy in revelation chapter 13 that is a corollary to chapter 14 tells us about the very worst the absolute fever pitch of satan's war against god this prophecy tells us that satan will do everything possible to destroy and wipe out every vestige of goodness on earth but thank god he did not destroy christ on the cross and on the cross christ came forth victor jesus hung on by faith and god's people in the name of jesus because of jesus through jesus by jesus grace in jesus power will to hang on by faith and be victorious and triumphant now the devil has two major strategies deception and force in the garden of eden he came to eve as a great deceiver down through the centuries he's used deception and force the devil is a liar and the father of lies and the devil is a murderer in fact in the book of john the eighth chapter the 44th verse i read these words jesus says you are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth he is a liar and the father of lies now look friend this is the devil's strategy the devil will either try to deceive you with his lies or if he cannot deceive you he'll force coerce and pressure you to yield to his commands he's done it down through the ages and he will do it at end time only at end time it's going to intensify he's going to use human agents as he has down through the ages you remember in the book of genesis god told cain and abel each to offer an offering abel obeyed god cain disobeyed and cain viciously angrily killed his brother again a human agent that satan used he deceived him and then this human agent used force in the context of that deception down through the ages this has always been true in fact jesus said in john 16 verse 2 the time is coming jesus predicted that there would be periods of time of great persecution for the people of god when whoever kills you will think he offers god a service jesus said that to the disciples they experienced persecution most of those disciples died a martyr's death jesus predicted that that would happen down through this period called the dark ages church and state united and anytime you have a union of church and state there is the possibility strong possibility of religious intolerance bigotry and oppression that follows a good example of that is what happened during the dark ages this 1260 year period that we've studied when church and state united and those that did not go along with the church powers were persecuted here there was a group called the waldenses they were bible-believing christians they lived in northern italy and southern france and as they fled back into those mountains they were oppressed and persecuted for their loyalty to god's word they copied the bible and they sent out their young men as coal porters now what's a cold war it's one who takes literature and gives it away or sells it to spread the gospel news that salvation is a gift of god's love so these waldenses these bible-believing christians lived far back in the mountains of northern italy in southern france they shared the word of god when they were hunted and tracked down they were often persecuted in fact in 1488 the waldenses in the valley of leuce hid in a large cave to escape the soldiers who had sent who had been sent to slaughter them and the soldiers actually set fire in front of the cave smoked them out and three thousand died i have actually climbed into this very cave and we've we sung there a great hymn a mighty fortress is our god a bulwark never failing and we recounted the story of these faithful men women and children who indeed died for their faith they copied scripture in those mountain retreats and sent their young people with the scripture hidden in their long robes down into europe and a mighty revival took place on the 24th of april in 1655 at 4 00 am a signal was given for the armies of rome to massacre these waldenses and that waldensian massacre occurred over 4 000 in this other massacre of men women and children were slaughtered in one day by rome's church's armies what did jesus say he said they will kill you and think john 16 verse 2 that they are doing god a service down through the ages satan has used various entities in human beings to persecute the people of god but the light of truth has shown brightly sometimes flickered almost dim but it's shown brightly and god has always had a people that have been loyal and faithful to him and he will have that people at end time the mark of the beast prophecy is about the final link in this ungodly chain of persecution it is the final link in this chain of oppression the prophecy says that persecution will start with economic sanctions that unless men and women believe and accept the beast powers teachings that they will not be able to buy or sell they'll be an economic boycott if they do not have the mark in testimonies volume 5 a series of letters to the church that were written by one of divine spiritual inside page 81 i read the time is not far distant the time is not what everybody far distant when the test will come to every soul the mark of the beast will be urged upon us those who have now don't miss this step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be rather than subject themselves to direction insult threatened imprisonment and death did you notice the significance of that statement those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and customs we do not walk from godliness to worldliness in one swoop generally it is step by step what is the devil tempting you with to lead you step by step slowly imperceptibly from christ what is god leading you to surrender to him and say lord i don't want anything between my soul and my savior lord if this displeases you it may seem so small but it may be the noose around my neck that strangles out my spirituality lord i don't want to step by step yield to worldly customs and demands god will have a group of people who respond to his message of the last days of earth history a message that we're living in the judgment hour a message to prepare for his coming a message of deep spirituality that transforms the life this is a message of encouragement we need not fear what is coming because we can be secure in christ but the three angels messages are messages of love these three cosmic messages come from the heart of god who wants us saved in his kingdom to live with him forever we can be one of that group in revelation 14 verse 12 that we read about here is the patience of the saints we can be part of that group of believers here are those who keep the commandments of god because why they have the faith of jesus living and dwelling in their heart all the world marveled and followed the beast the bible says but there will be that group of people god's faithful people who will follow the lamb and not accept the authority oppression deception lies of the beast power they will one day stand on the sea of glass and sing in revelation 15 3 great and marvelous are your works god almighty they will sense one day that it has been worth it all they've been through a period of darkness they've been through a period of impression they've been through a period where nobody could buy or sell they faced a death decree but because of their trust in jesus because of jesus faith living in their hearts because of they've been charmed by his love and his love has motivated their obedience it will be written of them here they that keep the commandments of god and one day they will sing great marvelous are your works lord god almighty in spite of persecution in spite of oppression in spite of economic boycott in spite of decrees we through your grace have stood great and marvelous are your ways o god because through your grace and by your power we are victors now you might ask the question and we introduce it in this presentation to develop it further in the next who is the beast what is the mark of the beast let's go directly and take a look at it the book of revelation reveals the plans of god it unmasks the plans of satan we have seen that the issue in the mark of the beast is an issue over worship worshiping the creator worshiping the beast we've seen that that finds its focal point in a group of people who have the faith of jesus and keep the commandments of god but what is this beast power the bible would not simply mention the beast without identifying the beast so we go to revelation 13 verse 1 and 2. revelation 14 in the third angels message that describes the beast in its mark but it doesn't identify it because that identification has come in the chapter before revelation 13 verse 1 then i john sit on the sand of the sea and i saw a beast rising up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and on his horns ten crowns then john says and on his head's a blasphemous name now the beast which i saw was like a leopard his feet were like the feet of a bear his mouth like the mouth of a lion now we pause there in the book of daniel chapter 7 you have four beasts a lion a bear a leopard and a dragon this is a composite beast that follows those four great empires babylon media persia greece and rome now notice the bible says that on his head he has ten horns well these horns of course represent the divisions of the roman empire but the next identifying phrase is the key the dragon gave him his power his throne and great authority so whoever the beast is that follows babylon that follows me to persia that follows greece that follows rome that follows the breakup the roman empire whoever he is he gets his authority from the dragon now who is that dragon that would give him his authority well revelation chapter 12 verse 9 tells you so the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil in satan who deceives the whole world he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast out with him now notice the devil is the great dragon because he destroys and he is the serpent because he deceives but notice it identifies who this great dragon is that gives the authority to that beast's power what does it call him he's called the devil and satan but the devil always works through an earthly power the devil does not work in a vacuum he works through an earthly power the arch enemy of god and man is behind the human instrumentality called the beast power do we learn anything in revelation chapter 12 about who the dragon really was working through we do in revelation chapter 12 the bible says the dragon tried to destroy the man-child satan worked through pagan rome to destroy christ when he was born herod passed the decree that male children under two would be killed satan stalked jesus all of his life roman soldiers nailed jesus to the cross roman soldiers guarded his two so in revelation chapter 12 the dragon primarily represents satan but it represents satan working through pagan rome so whoever the beast power is of revelation 13 the dragon pagan rome whom satan works through gives to that beast power the seat of its authority who did pagan rome give the seat of its authority to when the pagan roman empire was falling apart remember what it says in revelation 13 verse 2 the dragon that satan working through pagan rome gives the beast his power his throne in great authority when the roman empire was falling apart constantine recognized that he had to move his capital and so he decided to move it to what we now call istanbul but it was named after constantine in those years in turkey called constantinople but there's a problem when you move your capital to leave a vacancy in rome would have been fatal to the empire so who usurped who took over who received the throne of constantine the seat of the pagan roman government the dragon of the devil working through pagan rome tried to destroy christ it was at that same power pagan rome that gave the beast its seat or its capital city professor leblanca of the university of rome who spent a lifetime studying the history of rome says this to the succession of the caesars came the successions of the pontiffs in rome when constantine left rome he gave the seat to the pontiff by returning to the east that's to to turkey istanbul constantinople he constantine left the field clear for the bishops of rome an absolute amazing statement historically you've got babylon then you've got media persia then you've got greece then rome then the breakup of the roman empire konstine shifts his empire to constantinople vacancy and upon that vacant throme the popes arise so the beast power then is not an individual it is a power that rises out of room in the papal power now arthur p stanley a famous lecturer on the history of the eastern church wrote in 1884 page 197 of his book the papacy is but the ghost of the deceased roman empire sitting crown upon the grave thereof there are numerous identifying characteristics of the beast power they are in revelation 13. we're going to introduce a couple of those today and then further on that in our next presentation the first identifying mark is this the beast is not a person it's a religious organization that has compromised the truth of god's word for human tradition it grows out of rome and the seat of its government has been given by pagan rome that clue that first identifying mark is clearly outlined both in the bible and in history but then we go on revelation 13 verse 3 and 5. i saw one of his his the beast's heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed we'll study more about that next time and all the world marveled and followed the beast now notice this so they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast and they worshipped the beast saying who is like unto him and who's able to make war with him remember the conflict between good and evil you remember revelation 14 7 worship the creator revelation 14 9 do not worship the beast revelation 14 12 here they that keep the commandments of god and worshiping the beast has to do with the counter-sign to worshiping the creator the counter-sign the counterfeit sabbath rather than the true seventh-day sabbath so the issue is worship so what then is revelation 13 describing it's describing a power that would rise out of room and that would become a catholic or a universal system of worship now let me assure you we're not here to condemn any system i personally was brought up in a lovely roman catholic home worshipped on the altar with priests for many many years never knew anything about these three cosmic messages but as i began to understand bible prophecy began to understand the overwhelming truth of scripture began to understand the messages of these three angels and god's appeal his last day appeal to worship the creator and not worship the beast i sense the call of god to my heart you may be sensing the call of god to your heart we're living on the knife edge of eternity living in what the bible calls the judgment hour and jesus is making an appeal to you to follow the creator this system would be a worldwide system of worship the bible goes on a third identifying characteristic he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and he was given authority to continue 42 months we'll study the 42 months next time but i want to take a look at what this means about speaking great things and blasphemies according to the bible the beast of revelation 13 is an apostate religious power that rises out of rome it grows to become a worldwide system of worship it becomes a power that leads us back really when you think about this back to the rebellion in heaven when lucifer rebelled in heaven what did lucifer rebel over in heaven the authority of god what did lucifer rebel over in heaven the commands of god a created being did not want to worship the creator and so again you have that conflict over worship exactly like we'll have it in the last days of earth's history our god is a god of freedom the beast uses force the beast uses coercion but with jesus there is no force with jesus there is no coercion let me make it plain to you the bible describes three angels flying in mid heaven they are god's last day message for humanity the first angel flies in mid heaven it says i saw another angel flying in the mid heaven with the everlasting gospel this angel who flies leads us from all human folly from all human works leads us to come to jesus to accept him by grace to allow him to change our lives this first angel leads us to reverence or respect god to obey him to desire to do whatever he wants us to do this first angel leads us to give glory to god in our lives this first angel leads us to sense we're living in the judgment hour this first angel points us to the second coming of christ the second coming of christ is mentioned throughout scripture in fact the bible talks about the second coming of christ at least 1500 times in the old testament for every prophecy on the first coming of christ there are eight on the second coming of christ throughout the new testament every single author talks about the second coming of christ the book of revelation comes to a climax leading us to be ready for that day when jesus comes the whole purpose of the first angel's message is to get an end-time people ready for his appearing the first angel's message calls us back to true genuine worship of the creator the second angel's message babylon is fallen is fallen leads us from the falsehoods of this world and this message we're talking about now on the mark of the beast discusses the very heart of the controversy between good and evil the beast uses force the beast uses coercion the beast uses falsehood the beast uses lies our god is a god of freedom he is a god that appeals to us through his word he is a god that appeals to the highest consciousness of the brain he is a god that reveals truth and truth speaks to our hearts truth transforms our lives truth changes us and makes us over again jesus said in john 14 i am the way the truth and the life jesus is the way of salvation jesus truth illuminates the darkness and jesus is the life he is the one who is an example for us the whole issue with the mark of the beast is not to follow man not to follow his traditions not to follow his authority not to follow his opinion it is to follow jesus and be committed to jesus and his word love is the great motivating force in god's kingdom god's people in the last days of earth's history are motivated not because they cannot buy or sell they're not motivated by the materialist things of this world if the materialism of this world attracts you if the things of this world strangle out your love for christ today if the things of this world enamor you if the things of this world charm you if the things of this world have captured your love then it will be easy then to receive the mark of the beast if you feel pressured by friends to do something that you know is not in harmony with god's will if you feel coerced by others if you cannot stand alone if the crowd in the cry of the crowd attracts you and stimulates you and therefore you yield your conscientious convictions for the crowd how will you stand in the days of the mark of the beast you see the whole issue is an appeal an appeal to worship christ supremely and appeal to worship christ completely and appeal to worship christ totally and absolutely god's people find their greatest joy god's people find their highest delight in worshipping him thou wilt grant to me or give me the path of life thou lead me into pleasures forevermore the psalmist says jesus says in john 10 verse 10 i have come and i've come that they might have life more abundantly the beast offers us a barrage the powers of this world offer us simply tawdry trinkets when jesus wants to offer us himself the pearl of great price are you a truth seeker some time ago the story is told of a young man coming to socrates and this young man said to socrates socrates you're a brilliant scholar you're a deep philosopher socrates i want to know your secret of finding truth socracy said come with me he took the young man they walked through the streets of athens they came there to the port as they came to the port they walked out into the water it was a beautiful day the sun was shining puffy white clouds in the sky deep blue sky socrates kept walking the young man said all i want to do is find truth what's going on here they came out to the water about up to their chest socrates said to the man put your hands on your head the man did socrates took his hands and he put them on the man's head pushed the man under the water the man came pushed him down again man came and he said all i wanted to do is find truth and socrates said when you want to find truth as much as you wanted that breath of fresh air come and talk to me and i'll reveal to you the secret of finding truth you know jesus speaks to you and he says do you have a heart longing have the television special so attracted your attention you have little time to study god's word have the things of time for you crowded out the things of eternity jesus is speaking to you his people find their greatest joy their highest delight in worshiping him and christ appeals to you would you like to say jesus open my eyes i long to know your truth open my eyes that i can see your truth open mine eyes that i can hear your word jesus all i want is to worship the creator of the universe to worship the one that lived for me that died for me that intercedes for me that's coming again for me listen as charles sings that wonderful song opened my eyes that i can see glimpses of truth illumine me open my eyes that i may see glimpses of truth thou asked for me to place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free silently now away for [Music] open my ears that i may hear voices of truth now sin this clear and while the wave notes fall on my ear everything falls will disappear silently now i wait for thee bread in my god thy will to see open my ears [Music] open my mouth and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share silently now i wait for thee ready my god thy will to see open my heart [Music] me spirit deep [Music] is that your desire [Music] that jesus will speak to you you say pastor mark i really want to know truth but i'm not sure how to distinguish between truth and error there's so much falsehood in the world how can i know truth jesus gives us really two characteristics in knowing truth first he says if any man will do his will he shall knoweth the doctrine are you willing to do god's will are you willing to do whatever christ asks you to do get on your knees play fair with god say god i'm willing to do your will i'm willing to do whatever you ask me to do secondly the bible says sanctify them sanctify them through thy word thy word is truth the second characteristic of doing god's will is opening your heart to his word whatever his word says say lord that's what i want to do whatever your word says lord i want to follow you how do we know truth a willing heart to do what he says in an informed mind now there are times that god is going to ask us to do things that are that seem to us impossible but remember he is your creator he is the all-powerful god he is the one that made you the one that fashioned you the one that shaped you he is the one that has a plan for your life and a destiny for your life he is the one that died for you he is the one that intercedes for you he's the one that's coming again for you when we make a decision to follow christ we do not make that decision in some vacuum he is there to strengthen us to encourage us he is there to empower us right now wherever you are would you like to bow your head with me as we pray our father in heaven thank you for the reality that you're there thank you that you're our creator we come to worship you the one that made us the one that created us you're a thing all powerful god the infinite god you're the one that redeemed us that longs to save us by your grace and you're the one that's coming again for us give us your strength to follow your truth in your name

Channel: HopeLives365

Views: 189,779

Keywords: mark of the beast, seal of god, revelation, Three Angels Messages, Mark Finley, three cosmic messages, earth's final conflict, hopelives365, bible, god, jesus

Id: uf9lKhnj8tE

Length: 55min 10sec (3310 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 21 2020