Sermon "Suddenly It's a New Day" by Rick Shabi, June 13, 2020

you know you know as we begin as we begin we gathering I guess if you will the church back in the areas that we are here in Jacksonville and Orlando last week we had a small group in Orlando with us this week in Jacksonville next week we'll be back in Orlando with a small group and I know churches around the country are beginning to reassemble and regather as the economy and the and our you know our entire life begins to open up again and it's it's it's it's nice it's nice but there are some things that we should stop and think about you know as we begin doing that know here's been three months three months since we've done that anyone had told us back on March 7th was this the last time we had church services you know person to purse in person church services in this area that would probably be it wouldn't be until June that we were going to be able to meet together again I think all of us would have thought that's impossible right this was just it seems too long and everything was going along so well but as we come back and as we think about us beginning to reconvene and overtime you know eventually at least our prayer is is that it'll be God's will that all the congregation can be back here and feel comfortable and safe as the country goes through its you know coming out of coronavirus and maybe some other things that are going on in the nation that we can all be back together again in person on sabbath days it kind of reminded me of other we gathering Zoar gatherings of people that God has done really in the Bible and down through the years that we've been in the church as well now we can go back to the time of the Jews when they were dispersed after they didn't eat any of Jeremiah's warnings during the 40 years he prophesied to Judah and eventually it just as God said what happened they went into captivity the Jews were scattered and then in 70 years some of them got allowed to come back and I'm sure as we read not too long ago in lamentations as they lost that ability to be in their land and to be together they lamented and they repented of some of the things that they had done they began to look at themselves and realize why we did exactly what God told us not to do we kind of departed from him we might have thought that we were doing everything exactly the way he wanted but he had to get the Jews by having them move out of that country and then when they came back again they came back with an eager heart to rebuild that temple but you remember reading in Zachariah how some of her sis it's not the same as it was it's just not the same as it was before we've been through a lot and this isn't the same as it was before and they came back with an eager heart determined to please God but you remember in reading you know through new nehemiah they would break the Sabbath day you know they began to charge each other interest and usury and you know and they began to intermarry with the people around them and Nehemiah had to be there to remind them hey you know what you got to get the guy to stay close to God you can't go back to your old way of doing things that's what got you in trouble in the first place and you know Israel Israel you know they wanted to captivity 140 some years before Judah did and they were warned throughout time to turn back to God God over and over in the Bible says return to me return to me Israel didn't listen and so they went into captivity and they never have returned to their promised land they still are scattered and haven't gone back to the land that God said he would bring them back to but if we know in time he will he will bring them back to that land that he promised them but we know that God has blessed Israel during this intervening time as well maybe not in the promised land that Abraham Isaac and Jacob looked forward to and that ancient Israel lived in but we know that Israel exists today the Land of Israel and God has greatly blessed them and the same thing could be happening to Israel all over again if they're not paying attention to God or if they don't listen to God let's let's just go back to Ezekiel here as we begin and read some verses I think some of these verses we read not too long ago but in the context of everything that's happened in the last three months because there has been a lot that has happened the world is not at all the same place today that it was on March 7th in our lives are not at all the way they are today that they were back on march 7th the last time we met we've gone through a time and times that haven't been seen before in history you know at least our our our modern history it is coronavirus who would have thought that it could go on for as long as it did that it could just stop people flat and stop the world one little virus just brought the world to a halt people stayed in and economy stopped those things that we would never even think of him we all were part of that we never thought that we would be gone from church services and you know getting up and going to church you know on Sabbath's for all these times in a row and it still isn't gone you know what you'll still keep me hearing the roots or the reports that this virus just keeps going on and on again who knows how long it's going to last and what the effects of it are going to be the long lasting effects I think we do know some of them that are there but then right on top of that just as soon as the country opens up then we have you know that tragic event in Minneapolis that has spurred so many other things here over the last few weeks that have made the country a different place than it was even two weeks ago and us at different people than we were two weeks ago the world we knew back on March 7th the world we knew back on May 1st is not the world we live in today but let's let's read it in the context of everything we've been through and who knows what's coming next I think we can predict some of the things that are going to happen ahead of us because there's just been too much too much go on that's going to be too difficult for the country unless God intervenes and just makes everything magically disappear but we look at the economy we see the things that are going on there and what can happen there and was likely to happen there as we've gone through this time and other things as well where am I going Ezekiel right did I say Ezekiel yeah let's find I'm here for some reason in Hosea but I need to be in Ezekiel 7 so we're gonna read through some of these and as we read through these verses with everything we've been through I want you to think of them and how we look at them today differently than we would have back in February or March Ezekiel 7 let me just start with verse 1 and we'll just I'll just kind of read through beginning in verse 1 says moreover the word of the eternal came to me this is iki already saying you son of man thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel now remember Ezekiel as Israel had already gone into captivity so this is a time for the future Israel in the last days an end the end has come upon the four corners of the land now the end has come you and I will send my anger against you I will judge you according to your ways and I will repay you for all your abominations my I will not spare nor will I have pity but I will repay your ways and your abominations will be in your midst then you will know that I am the Lord thus says the Lord God verse 5 a disaster a singular Jaster one major thing that happens behold it's come and end has come the end has come it has dawned for you behold it has come dune has come to you you who dwell in the land the time has come a day of trouble is near and not of rejoicing in the mountains now upon you I will soon pour out my fury and spend my anger on you I will judge you according to your ways and I will repay you for all your abominations drop down to verse 10 behold the day it has come doom has gone out the rod has blossomed pride has butted violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness none of them shall remain none of their multitude none of them nor shall there be wailing for them the time has come the day draws near drop down to verse 14 they have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready but no one goes to battle for my wrath is on all their multitude the sword is outside in the past pestilence and famine within there surrounded on all corners whoever is in the field will die by the sword and whoever is in the city famine and pestilence will devour him verse 19 they will throw their silver into the streets and their gold will be like refuse their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them and the day of the wrath of the eternal they will not satisfy their souls nor fill their stomachs because it became their stumbling block of iniquity it became their God verse 23 make a chain where the land is filled with crimes of blood and the city is full of violence therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles and they will possess their houses I will cause the pop of the strong to cease and their holy places shall be defiled destruction comes they will seek peace but there will be none disaster will come upon disaster one thing after another before one disaster is completely done and healed another one comes and as we have seen it happen in the last three months god only knows what the next two to three months will hold disaster will come upon disaster and rumor will be upon rumor they will seek a vision from a prophet but the law will perish from the priests and council from the elders God concludes this in verse 27 saying I'm gonna give them what they deserve they'll know that I am God so we know that for the land of Israel today there are hard times coming and Ezekiel says a day is coming and it starts this way and it's going to continue that way until the return of Jesus Christ or until the time the land falls and people go into captivity can go back one chapter and see that that's what's prophesied for Israel here in chapter 6 and we'll begin in verse 6 and as we read 6 you know verse 6 we remind you remind that this never happened to ancient Israel so this is a prophecy for a coming a time ahead and verse 6 it says in all your dwelling places the cities will be laid waste the high places will be desolate so that your altars may be laid waste and may desolate your all idols will be broken and may decease your incense altars may be cut down and your works may be abolished the slain will fall in your mist and you will know that I am God yet I will leave a remnant so that you may have some who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered through the countries so a time coming that you know God a nation that doesn't obey God a nation that reject Scot a nation that wants him to be no part of it that is warned and that will be warned more in the future return to me a thing that God says over and over in the Bible a thing that you will probably hear more and more from his church you know going forward return to God will they heed if they won't heed they'll learn what God is and the same fate will befall them that befell our forefathers or our ancestors from way back in Old Testament times they'll be scattered they'll lose everything they had and at that time in verse 9 when they've lost it all when it's been when they've been separated from everything that they came to be accustomed with they begin to look at themselves more closely God has to wake people up sometimes by the things he brings upon us verse 9 says then those of you who escaped will remember me among the nations where they're carried captive because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which is departed from me and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations oh they'll repent they'll sit back and they'll say boy I guess we had departed from God we should have paid more attention more attention to what he said and you know this is for the Land of Israel but you know I don't believe for a second that all this has come upon us for the people of God as well what we've gone through if we think for a moment it's just for the people of this nation in the world to take notice we're not thinking clearly this is a time that God was getting his people's attention to and there's lessons that we should have learned that we've talked about during the last three months that before we go back into society the way it we think it's going to be the way it was before there are things that we should think about and things that we should never lose again because you and I have been through some things in the last three months that we never thought we would be three months ago and I mean spiritually not just physically separated but some things that we've done is some things that have happened that have been very good and we shouldn't lose hold of those and go back to the way we were before because maybe just maybe God was saying you know my church seems a little bit like that Laodicean Church that's written about back there in Revelation 3 maybe they need to go through some times and wake up wake up and see what's happening that something is coming and that they need to be aware of it and they need to return to me with a fuller heart and a greater sense of purpose and dedication that they had before because face it we all live in a world and it's very easy to just kind of float by and pat ourselves on the back and think we're doing everything right but in times like this that we've never lived through before God's God's giving us God's giving us an opportunity to return to Him well let's go to the Zeki 11 you know we know that there's a time when giru the Israel is going to be brought back brought back to its promised land the land God promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and in verse 16 you know at a time after they've lost everything they've been separated from their land separated from everything they're familiar with gone and lo themselves and realize it's God they should have always followed God so it says in Ezekiel 11 verse 16 therefore Ezekiel thus says the Lord God although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles and although I have scattered them among the countries yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in two countries where they've gone therefore say thus says the Lord God I will gather you from the peoples I will assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered and I will give you the land of Israel and they will go there and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there and I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them and take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my statutes keep my judgments and do them and they will be my people and I will be their God you know when they go back they're going to get rid of all that stuff that we there that was that separated me from them all those sins all those idols all those things that were there they're gonna cast them out and when they bring them back together they're gonna be a stronger people they're gonna be more dedicated to me the spirit that you know there's already in us we'll be more in tune with God more in tune with what his will is more seeking him as I hope we have all done during this last three months because if this last three months hasn't affected us all at all then boy we have slept walked we have slept walked through a time that God has given us as a blessing you know as you look at what we've been through and the church has been through this in times is passed to those of us have been around for 25 or more years we know that at one time those church was scattered one day and one week it seemed like suddenly it was just gone what we knew and all of a sudden people were saying different things and believing different things than us and and eventually God brought people back together those that wanted to continue to believe the things that God one of them have has meant too long ago that the same thing happened and things were separated but God brought people back together hopefully with the renewed sense of commitment because the pattern is people go away from God God takes things away from them they realize what they've done and they come back with a renewed spirit and a greater commitment to God God wants us to come back as we begin to reassemble in his time and when things are comfortable for everyone to come back and as we watch what's going on in society to come back with a renewed spirit more spiritually in tune to him closer bond as a family knowing what's going ahead because the day the day has come for us to be serious really really serious about what's going on and what's ahead you know three months ago was right before you know Passover a month before Passover and God stripped us of everything that we knew right we weren't coming here in Jacksonville to our familiar church all every morning we were in Orlando we weren't coming to our familiar church Hall every morning one week we were there the next week we weren't and then on March 14th we were together by internet we didn't even have any local internet at that time a little Korean net services everything came from the home office and people gathered together because we knew something was up we need to be where God wants us to be physically together wasn't the answer together by internet was the answer and for a longer period than what we what we thought but as we went through the string holy days you know I'm sure it occurred to all of you as it occurred to me we kept them differently this year didn't we well we didn't just have everything done for us all the trappings of the holy days you know coming to Passover service and everything is set up this year it was between us and God we had to go through the process of examining as we always do but we had to have our unleavened bread ready we had to have the wine ready we had to have the wash basins ready in our home we had to think about those things we had to prepare and as we did that I think that they Passover had a greater meaningful a greater meaning to us we were all together for the service by internet imagine what would it would have been like if we had no internet and we were all just separated not to even see each other or have any contact with each other but God did give us that during this time and so we learned more about the Passover I meant something the same thing with the days of unleavened bread you know we weren't able to get together on the first day of unleavened bread we didn't have any night to be much observed you know no fancy no night to be observed group dinner and the hall it was up to us to do that in our homes and to do things and no one was watching us no one knew whether we did it or not only God was watching us on the holy day well we came together for church services no one was know watching us except God he knew whether we were gathering together with him you know we didn't have any you know in Orlando we always have our annual campout around unleavened bread time that luxury was stripped away this year there was none of those physical things that might they add to the days but maybe maybe just maybe was distracting us or detracting us from the real meaning of those these days this year it was all about God and the holy days all about us and him all about him seeing what we're about when we were doing what we were doing in secret in our homes on those holy days even the offering right even the offering it's very easy to come to services and drop your offering envelope in the basket and it gets processed and mailed off but this year it was between you and God we had to bring the offering to the temple we had to take the time to go online and donate it or write the check and put it in the mail and no one knew whether you did or not only God I think I've learned a lot about me during this time I think he learned about a lot about all of us during this time maybe we learned a lot about ourselves during this time and that's a very healthy thing to do if we look at ourselves honestly and if we're really looking at things through the way that God would have us do so we've been through a very very unique time in history that really no one saw coming I don't think there was a person really on earth on March 7th that would have said you know by the following weekend the country is going to be shut down it's going to be basically illegal to meet in groups of more than ten no one knew it with all the fancy technology we have with all the ways we can predict hurricanes and storms and track those things no one could track this and yet we found ourselves in this in this situation you know it's not escaped either that as we came to Pentecost things began to open up it's that 3-month period of time when we are when we work keeping the holy days the spring holy days and all the deep meaning that's in those that we had a time to really keep them in a unique way this time that wasn't by accident that wasn't by accident we found ourselves at least I'll say that I find myself in kind of an intense period of time knew something was up we knew something that we were closer to the end time this wasn't just an accident this was just a fly-by-night thing that many people thought it would be the virus will be here and a week it'll be gone we don't have to make any preparations and here it is still still with us and had a stating effect a period of intense time look what we did you know look what we did we were there on Passover we were there on the first day of unleavened bread we were there during the day on the last day of them bread we were there on Pentecost we made our offerings we focused on God we didn't give up and say I don't wanna keep the holy days you know it's not the same without the group dinners it wasn't the same without being able to go out to lunch to our favorite restaurant on unleavened bread or those things no none of us did that I hope the holy days were even more meaningful without all those things because God was the focus and that's not taken away from at all and we entered into it a tense time so we've had weekly Sabbath services and those have been able to go on by webcast and I thank the people who have been involved in this to make that all happen and we thank God that we live in a time that this could happen you know when you learn E to the Book of Amos there's a time coming that it says there'll be a dearth of the hearing of God's Word now we often think that that's the dearth of the hearing of the word the world but you know looking with some recent things that's going on on how people and companies like to dictate you know I'll let you I'll let you send out or tweet what I think is the truth and if I don't like it I'll quell it makes you wonder is the time coming for all of us that there will be a dearth of the hearing of the word and we won't even have the opportunity to do what we've done over the last three months you know only God knows what what is what the future holds for us but it is time it is time for us to be growing closer to one another and growing closer to God and understanding you know where the world is headed you know even even the weekly Bible study you know I'll have to say that I have enjoyed those very much and I and as I prepare those each week I am you know we've gone through the book of James you know here locally in Jacksonville Orlando all by zoom and I don't know I you know I kind of look and I see a lot of people are joining in on it which is very good and I thought would we have on March 7th if I had said we're gonna start a weekly Bible study every Wednesday I don't even think I would have justed it back on March seventh but here we are doing it look what God has brought us to look what God has done for us look what he has opened up it's time he would say get more intent with me spend your time studying the Bible delving into it you know church services are great we know the format for church services there's a place for Bible studies as well a time for us to delve into the scriptures in a different way than we do during services a time for us to discuss those things and zoom is a beautiful a beautiful tool to do that on where we can actually see each other you know I I think it's been much easier during this three months as I see because I see I've seen most of you on zoom' every week and it's nice to know that it's kind of makes us feel together so look at the things we've done and as we go back as we go back you know to our lives and as people go back to work and all the stores are open up and everything again we can't forget the intensity that we have the commitment that we had the interest that we had we can't forget putting God first and that means in every aspect of our life if we have a choice between God and what he wants us to do versus shopping in turn of TV family time maybe we need to really think about we need to put God first he needs to be built into our lives and so we do have afternoon and evening Bible studies that we're doing so that it fits into I guess everyone's schedule I don't know that anyone that works 24 hours a day but I guess if you don't have internet and I know we've even had some people get on the internet that weren't there before just so they could join it that's a good thing and if you need help in that let us know that we can we can make that happen you know you look at the world right look at the world they were intense again if someone had said on March 7th you know the whole world will be shut down people won't be going out of their homes they won't be shopping except as necessary and the whole world will do this all of America will just stop everything we would have said that's that's impossible that can't happen you can't shut down a country that that couldn't happen but they did they dug in and they listened to the experts and they did what they should have done and I know as I'm to my letter yesterday quarantine fatigue came in it's like you know I kind of want to get out and do some things kind of want to do you know what I used to do and we were urged you know and in the churches we put together opening plans for the church again it was in line with with what the government you know had said in the local authorities but then this thing happened in Minneapolis and caution was thrown to the wind everything went out the window the last three months it was like they didn't even happen you know I understand the emotion and I even understand some of why it's happening I get that then that's something I've grown in in the last few weeks as well to understand the other side of the story and to understand the emotions of people who have you know who go through that and why this is so important but boy just to see us do the exact opposite of what had happened it was like the doors are opened up again and then you've got this happening and who knows what will be the effect on that the intensity that was there to fight the virus went out the window as soon as the doors opened up again and so we saw the images like we did at the beaches and at the lake of the ozarks and now this what's going on around us you know what we can't do that we can't forget the intensity we can't forget what we've done what we did during that time we can't go back to the way we were before and say hey you know if I do this that's enough I can blow that off and I can blow that off God's okay with it no God's not okay with it God's gotten our attention and our job going forward if we intend to be in his kingdom is to be even more intense going forward and not to lose the intensity that we have that we have developed this time and and and the closest to him and the closest to each other that is a good starting point that we need to build on and and build on from here on out let's just look at a couple of verses here Ephesians 5 very familiar verses but in context of this very um your very telling I think we read this if we did read the Bible study this week we read it the week before verse 15 if he is five verse fifteen see them that you walk circumspectly not as fool's but as wise redeeming the time redeeming the time you know what that means it means God's giving you more time make use of it he's gotten our attention and his intent is not go back to the way you were before because all of us the way we were before wasn't enough of what God wanted us to do what we were before we're not the same people we didn't know then what we know now we haven't been through what we be then what we have been through now we haven't felt the intensity and returning to our first love and doing what God says first and putting him first in everything not just a few things in our life redeemed the time because the days are evil you know the days are evil when we look at what's going on in the world right what starts off is peaceful and maybe with a with a well-intentioned end in mind can turn pretty scary pretty fast can't it you see some of the things that happened and result of this that I don't think the original protestors or the protesters really wanted to happen you watch what's going on in Seattle and seeing what's going on there and that be a prelude to what other cities will face as people try to commandeer and take over law enforcement and try to have police free zones and I saw some of the pictures of what went on in police free zones and I thought I wouldn't want to live in that society doesn't look at all appealing looks like I would want to go anywhere else but they're now people carrying guns people lighting fires doing whatever they want some to thumb their idea of a police free society spells lawlessness in the book of the Bible right lawlessness so we know that we see what lawlessness is and we see what's having some people's minds and not all the protesters okay just a few that have done that but we see what is in the minds of their and we see this concept of lawlessness so when when God tells us we you know redeemed the time pay attention to it use it because the days are evil the days are evil where this world is headed is not to a good place if you listen closely to all the things that are going on out there no one has an answer there is nothing that they know no one knows how to solve any of these problems you know maybe there will be a virus you know if the girl did forgot if the world wants to have that as their God and that's what they're looking to my god the the are the Vaught the vaccine not the virus the vaccine is going to do it all for us I think they're going to probably be sorely disappointed maybe for a while it'll it'll soothe their nerves if they think a police 'less lawless society is the answer not the answer the intensity that we have to feel going into a time that may be leading to that is something that we should really pay attention to because as we go into that time the Church of God is in danger you and I are in danger when those times come I didn't turn yeah let's turn to Romans 13 I want one more verse just to put in your notes there and then I'll continue the thought I was just in Romans 13 okay then 14 that's why it didn't look like the right verse okay verse 11 chapter 13 do this knowing the time knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed the night is far spent the day is at hand therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light you know Paul he saw the need to do that and as we read those words you know no one is saying when no one knows how long it will be before the return of Jesus Christ no God can speed things up as it looks like they've begun the last few months things go very quickly he can slow them down and it could be another several years what do we do you know well we know what the answer is you keep your eyes on God you keep your focus on him you don't let your arms start falling weak you keep you keep up the spiritual strength you keep looking to God knowing the time is near knowing that the time of lawlessness is near because we see that for the first time in our history I heard this week that this is the longest period of protests in the history of America I don't know if that's true or not I don't know what to believe when I hear on the news anymore but I'll assume that in my lifetime I don't know that eighteen days there's been protests for eighteen days in a row and I find myself wondering how long is this going to go on what you know what what is the end result what what is the purpose now everyone knows things aren't right and everything everyone knows that that this has to be addressed in some way but no one has the answer but you know we head toward we see these little things begin and those little things begin and they spread in a time of lawlessness right what is meant what does Christ say about a time of lawlessness he says when lawlessness abounds the love of many will wax cold that's a time of danger for you and me when those times come about the love of many will wax cold many will fall away they will sleep back to their old ways they'll fall asleep they won't remember what we've been through they won't keep up the intensity with God they won't keep up the relationship with him they won't continue to put him first excuse me they'll go back and they'll kind of look at the world and save Matt you know what I'll just kind of be like them it's just not that important to me or you know I'll have that attitude as long as I'm doing this that's enough for God you know wasn't enough I don't think for God what we were doing before March of 7th as a as a church you know I and I think you know we probably still have a ways to go what we need to do to please God and be the people he wants us to be individually maybe collectively as well but when lawlessness occurs that's when you and I should be really waking up and thinking we need to redeem the time it's not time to just kind of give into the world and think whatever it's time to have our it's time to have our minds really in tune because you know one of the things that we learned during this time that we shouldn't forget is that word that we've talked about many times and that's that word suddenly right suddenly I'm on March 7th none of us saw what was going to happen by the following Sabbath suddenly the world shut down suddenly without warning the world shut down we all learned what the word suddenly when God talks about the word suddenly is the world learned about the world suddenly - of course that took him all by surprise and some of them really by surprise they may have been over in Europe they may have been down in South America they may have been on cruise ships and found themselves all of a sudden not able to come home kind of abandoned kind of there no way could to come back you know there may still be some people who are you know where borders are closed waiting to come home because they didn't see it coming in hello had they known that that was coming they wouldn't have gotten on that cruise ship the week before they wouldn't have gone over to Europe or South America wherever they were the week before they would have stayed home but God says things happen suddenly you don't see them coming even with our technology even with everything that we can watch in the world today you don't see it coming we learned something we better not forget as we go forward because the people of God should be prepared well let's go back you know there's there's verses that you're very familiar with with the words suddenly Isaiah 30 verse 13 you know we talked about the wall bursting right and we can kind of see it happening we watch over here and that pipes about to burst and we get kind of used to it and then one day suddenly it bursts and all all mayhem all mayhem breaks out right even though we saw it coming when it brass it's like oh no all of a sudden I wasn't ready for this and and then the pipe bursts you know let's go back to look at a couple more verses that talk about suddenly because it is a way that God works in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament he'll give us warnings he'll get our attention but he does work suddenly proverbs 29 proverbs 29 and verse 1 twenty-nine verse one he who is often rebuked and hardens his neck now maybe maybe we fall into that you know I have been told that a number of times I think that's not me I don't need to hear that I'm dull of hearing I don't want to hear that I'll just close my ears applies to everyone else doesn't apply to me he who was often rebuked whether it's personally by wife by friends by whatever he was often rebuked and hardens his neck will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy well that first gets my attention you know it's like am I do I get rebuked in some ways and I'm just kind of like you know that's not me I'm not going to change I don't even want to hear that whatever we might all look look at that and make sure that we aren't falling into the category of suddenly being destroyed because we simply close our ears you know one of the lessons out of the book of James is you know swift to hear slow to speak slow to anger certainly has its place in times when we're being rebuked isaiah 40:8 say a 48th verse 3 not the verse that we usually read when God talks about him declaring the end from the beginning but in verse 3 of her jiao 48 it says I have declared the former things from the beginning they went forth from my mouth and I caused them to hear it I let them know what was going to happen whether they heard it or not is up to them suddenly suddenly I did them and they came to pass suddenly I did them and for 40 years they heard it in in in ancient Judah suddenly it happened Jeremiah for Jeremiah 4 verse 19 Jeremih for 19 oh my soul my soul I am pained in my very heart my heart makes the noise in me I can't hold my peace because you have heard o my soul the sound of the trumpet the alarm of war you've heard it you know something's coming you know the day is coming you know these things you've heard these things destruction upon destruction is cried for the whole land is plundered suddenly suddenly my tents are plundered and my curtains in a moment suddenly I heard the trumpet I heard the sound of a war I saw a destruction upon destruction I saw it happening and then suddenly my tents were plundered suddenly it came on me and let's go back to a verse we read not too long ago again at first in first Thessalonians 5 a verse to bear in mind as we go for our word and if you ever hear these words in the world don't become comfortable in it don't embrace them get right to the Bible get back it close to God and realize the times we live in first Thessalonians diversity for when they say peace and safety we don't have to worry anymore everything looks good you can go back to the way your lives were before whenever they say paces peace of safety then sudden sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape and they shall not escape kind of a warning when God says suddenly and he gives us the warnings ahead of time and the last three months have been eye-opening wherever however long that God has in mind that's between that's that's his decision our choice has to be to follow him no matter how long it is that that patient endurance that we talked about on the Bible studies right until that time whether it's very soon or whether it's far far longer down the road than we might expect only God knows but our job and Ark our commitment should be I will endure till then well reading those verses you know Christ talks about this time of suddenness as well Matthew 24 I'd be remiss in not turning you Matthew 24 and read words that are that the words so just sort of strike us at the suddenly thing of course in Matthew 25 we know we have the story of the are the parable of the ten virgins five of them weren't ready they were sleeping a little too soundly even though they knew the bridegroom was coming they just weren't ready when it happened and they found themselves on the outside looking in but in Matthew 24 in verse 28 or 38 you know Christ says it this way he says as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the Ark and they didn't know until the flood came and took them all away came to them suddenly no it built that Ark for a hundred years but to the people of the world it came suddenly oh whoa well where'd this rain come from well it's raining even harder than we thought no doubt it had rain sometime to that hundred years but this time the rain kept coming they didn't know until that day and took them all away so also will this coming of the Son of Man be then two men will be in the field one will be taken in the other left ones ready and ones not which one do you want to be what do you need to be to be the one that God said he'll be the one taken now what will we be if we're the ones left will we the ones that haven't learned lessons that aren't growing closer to God that put other things before what God would have us do that think we're good enough to think that we have need of nothing as the Laodicean church is described but that God is happy just as long as we do the little bit we were doing before March 7th even though we've learned and put some things in place since March 7th that I think are very healthy for every single one of us two men will be taken 1 1 1 will be 2 men in the field one taken one left two women will be grinding in the mill one will be taken and the other left when it comes suddenly God makes the determination this one is ready this one kind of was asleep this one kind of a merge with the world and involved with all the carousing and partying and everything that goes on verse 42 watch therefore watch therefore you know we talk about that word watched so much and yes we need to watch ourselves but you know what today it is important to be watching what's going on in the world - I would say everyone should be watching what's going on because if Vince move pretty quickly and if we're thinking and if we're reading the Bible if we're close to God we begin to see the things and how they fit into prophecy that we can kind of see where it's going if we don't have ourselves so thoroughly asleep or in denial thinking they could never happen to American it can't happen in our lifetime that we were just too great of a nation to have any of these things happen because if you ever think that back in March and April the whole country was shut down it came to a complete halt watch therefore so keep your eyes open don't bury your head and say I don't want to watch this I don't I don't need to watch the news yes we do need to watch the news because as you see things happening and as you read the prophetic times you know watch happening be aware of what's going on it will inspire you it will make you realize the world we live in it'll give you some direction you know and if you watch it watch therefore for you don't know what hour your Lord is coming you just don't know we don't know the year today we don't know anything we know it's coming but we don't know when we know that when we look at the prophecies of the Bible all all the things that are predicted the world we live in looks like the time of the end you can go down the list and Daniel and Matthew and Revelation and you see them all heading in that direction you can see the leaves on their buds on the trees that weren't there - all too awfully long ago so we know the time is near you know you can mark down Luke 21 Luke's account of the the this section here talks about don't get involved with the causing of the world well the world goes to lawlessness some the love of many will gaxx cold they'll just they'll take it away let's not let that be any let's not that be any of us right let's make sure and be committed to one another and apply those verses where we work with one another - and help one another to stay focused and to stay with what the calling that God has given us you know one more one more one more thing that we can think about as we as we begin to come back together again and as we see you know what God has planned you know and in all the churches all over the world you know going forward you know the first time here in Jacksonville that we met wasn't in this room that we normally made in but at a hotel on Pentecost and 20 I think it's 21 of us were there that day and it wasn't escaped on me that you know here we are at the end of this spring holy Dave season and we're beginning to open up again and people are beginning to gather again today when you know and many churches around the country began to do with that days a lot of them didn't and many are happening today from what I understand you look back at history at Pentecost and the people that were gathered there that day right they were there they were disciples of Jesus Christ and even though Jesus Christ had warned them he was going to be killed and he was going to be resurrected when he was killed when he was crucified on Passover day to them that came suddenly even though they've been warned they didn't get it they didn't understand it and it jolted them and they retreated if you will they went into hiding you know I mean they here they were it took them by surprise they you know Peter denied Christ three times none of the disciples were there with him at the at the the site of the crucifixion only John was there and they had some introspection to do when this thing happened to them and they retreated and you can you can imagine what they were going through is they were there what is going to happen what is the world around this going to do that Jews killed him of course they're gonna kill us and they had to muster some things up and I dare say they were paying a lot of time praying and they weren't worried about all the trappings of life they were what just went on here what do we do and God brought them together at that time and he said you know what I want you to come back together I want you to be one in one Accord in one place and as they gather together that day you know they were not a strong people you know they were just kind of like hiding if you will and then on the day of Pentecost you know a new day if you will we talked to Pentecost about a new beginning it's the end of one ERA but a beginning of another one Jubilee period people being free all the things that we talked about the Pentecost represents and God's Holy Spirit when God's Holy Spirit came on them they went out with boldness didn't they they were different people what had happened to them they couldn't go back to the way it was before it was never going to be the way it was before Jesus Christ was crucified it was not going to be that way at all but they were people who became strong and courageous and committed and you know as we read through the book of Acts what they did and how it says they turned the world upside down they knew and they had the power of God and they put him first they risk their lives they were willing to sacrifice anything for what they knew when they marched far from there it was a new day for them not the way it used to be three and a half years before even a week you know but not even well a couple three months before right different day different thing brethren we live in a different day today it's a new day for us coming out of what we've just come through and no matter what we go through going forward we're in a different time than we were before you know we've talked about how in the world is facing these problems they don't know how to solve this virus problem they don't know what the answer to the protesters are they don't know what the answer to what went on in Minneapolis is they don't know how to do that because there no are no answers that mankind can come up with you know I reminded when I think about all these things with you know someone far wiser than any of us sitting here today years and years of years ago he would go around to leaders of Nations and what do you would tell them that the only way you're ever going to change what's going on in society is to change human nature right change human nature that's the only answer and no man can do it only God can do that we couldn't have changed our human nature on our own accord only God with His Holy Spirit in us and us doing our part right repenting coming to God doing the things doing his will putting him first and not second third fourth or way down the list only God could change our nature the only answer to the world's problems and we see them glaring at us right now is for Jesus Christ to return it's the only way why are there no plans out there because they don't know it's like we don't know we don't know how to solve all the problems how do we make everyone happy we see that when people return we see them coming together and they're all being taught the law of God they're all coming to Jerusalem they're all looking to God this is the law this is the way this is the way we're going to be and God says I'll put my spirit in them I'll put my spirit in them and they will change or they will follow me let's let's look at Ezekiel 18 zekiel 18 in the first last few verses of the chapter there that's beginning in verse 30 18 zekiel 1830 therefore i will judge you O house of Israel everyone according to his ways says the Lord God repent words that we should always be repent and turn from all your transgressions so that iniquity will not be your ruin don't let your sin that you don't want to repent don't let that sin that you just want to hold dear you want to deny that's even their repentance so that iniquity will not be your ruin cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit see what God is saying there you'll give us the spirit but it's up to us wouldn't it be nice if God would just do everything for us if he would just change the way we think change the things we have no he says you repent you have to do it you cast away the transgressions you put me first you make the choices in your life to do the things that you know you need to do cast away from you the transgressions you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit I've given it to you I've made it available to you you use it you take it you take it and you run with it then they asked a very poignant question for why would you die o house of Israel do you recognize if you don't do this you'll die God doesn't want anyone to die says in verse 32 but the only way to eternal life is to yield to him it'll be a new day when Jesus Christ returns there's new days in our lives and I think that we have entered a new day in our life in this world in this age when we see what's going on because we should not even want to return to be the people that we were before we should be aspiring to be a people closer to God we should not want to be returning to exactly the way things were before even in our church makeup right there are two church things that we do but that we look to God to lead us and guide us into what his will is for his body to be doing and how we grow together oh we are in we are in a new day let's look at 2nd Corinthians 6 2nd Corinthians 6 verse 1 we then Paul writes and we could say that here right say it to hear to you in Jacksonville those listening in Orlando all those who are listening you know online with us today we then as workers together with God we plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain look what he's given you look what he's offered to you don't waste it don't make it futile don't waste the time that we're in or the gifts that God has given or the things that he's given us for he says an acceptable time I've heard you and in the day of salvation I have helped you behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation suddenly suddenly we find ourselves in a new day in a new space with a new attitude and with new history behind us and things that have changed our minds hopefully for the better and and created that commitment to God and that continued intensity of learning from him seeking Him remembering the things that we have done and growing even closer and not ever getting tired and not ever growing weary of doing well let's march forward let's continue to let God lead us but let's not forget the lessons that we learned there this time and let's build on them going forward

Channel: United Church of God Orlando

Views: 2,163

Rating: 4.909091 out of 5

Keywords: coronavirus, Sabbath, united church of God, Herbert w Armstrong, Kingdom of God, Bbile prophecy

Id: HdPLJOemYe8

Length: 57min 19sec (3439 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 13 2020