"Signs and Wonders in the Last Days" with Doug Batchelor

that's meeting with us to worship and we're just so delighted that you're here because of the situation we are emphasizing an online church service so those joining us again we want to thank you for joining us all around the country i want to remind you of some important announcements the first is because of the situation that we are facing we are encouraging people to take a look at the bulletin it's uploaded usually on a thursday evening and you'll be able to see what's happening here at the church from week to week it also will tell you how you can observe the programs there are various links for the both the sabbath school program as well as the church service program and that's all listed in the bulletin the bulletin is available at granitebaysda.org or at thewebsite.com i'd like to remind you of our midweek bible study we've been studying through the book of first samuel that is online and that takes place at 7 pm every wednesday evening and it's available for viewing at the granite bay church facebook page so i want to encourage you to take advantage of that also if you'd like to get our weekly email update you can contact the church office at office at granite baysda.org give us your email address or your phone number and we can send that directly to you and then as many of you know that are here in person we have a brand new facility with state-of-the-art media equipment and it's helping us to broadcast this to people around the world but we are in need of some additional helpers so if you're interested in helping in our media department devon has set up a table it's in the foyer following the church service just walk over there and you can sign up and we can get you more information for our friends or joining us online i know we kind of in this transition time period but if you in helping with media with the sound and the like you can send an email to devon just d grady at amazingfacts.org again that that email address is also in the granite bay church bulletin and let him know that you are interested in participating in the media ministry team there's an event taking place for the woman in the church it is a online a virtual ladies night out it's what it's called tuesday december the 15th from 6 30 till 7 30 pm so please take a look at the announcement in the bulletin it does ask that we um we reserve for that and there is an email that you need to send your reservation to the homeless ministry is gearing up for some distribution of needed supplies to the homeless in our area and they're asking for the following items now the list is also in the bulletin but they're asking for new blankets that they can distribute jackets sweaters gloves mittens scarfs etc so the full list is in the bulletin and they are asking for new items that they can package and distribute if you'd like to be a part of that you can drop off those items at the church office during the week from monday through thursday and that's from 9 a.m to 3 p.m at the church office monday through thursday and they'll collect it there i'd also like to remind those who are joining us online you can still contribute to the expenses of the facility you can pay your tithes and offerings online and you can do so at the granite bay church website or you can send your check to po box 910 rocklin california and the zip is 9567 that of course is also available online well at this time we got a very special service that we're going to be entering into we've been blessed since we've actually been meeting here somewhat in our new facility we've had a number of baptisms over the past few weeks and today we're also going to have two individuals commit their life to christ through baptism and it's always an exciting time so i'm gonna invite pastor john q he's going to make his way into the baptistery and he'll lead out in the baptisms this is always a wonderful time as you know when someone makes a decision for the lord and sandra here has making that has made that decision she um gave a call into amazing facts was doing the studies and she watched the revelation now series and we got to talking on the phone and she says you know i need to make a decision i want to follow a bible keeping church and that's why she's here so sandra it's my privilege at this time to baptize you in the name of the father son and the holy spirit thank you [Applause] [Music] christie we began studying a ways a while back we were in the other building and um we had been talking and she grew up in the church and she just really wanted to study more and have um have a closer relationship with god she got baptized when she was very young and so we began studying and it became more and more on fire that she really wanted to rededicate her life and so that's why christie is here now and so at this time christie it's my privilege to baptize you in the name of the father son and the holy spirit [Music] [Applause] [Music] that's always an exciting time to see people make a decision for jesus through baptism amen now we would like to officially welcome them as part of the granite bay church family so um i'm going to ask for a show of hands those of you who are members would like to welcome those who were just baptized as part of the granite bay church family raise your hand okay you can see all the hands that are raised and i will mention them in a special way in prayer a little later in our service well at this time we're going to begin our worship portion by singing our call to worship and for those of you who are joining us online you're welcome to stand where you are and those who are here we're going to invite you to stand and we're going to be singing we have this hope and you'll see the words in the bulletin join along with us within our hearts [Music] [Applause] faith in the promised of his word [Music] we believe the time is here when the nations shall awake and shout and sing hallelujah christ is kings we have this hope that burns within our hearts hope in the coming of the lord almighty father in heaven lord we just thank you and praise you for this privilege we have to come and to worship you our creator our savior our redeemer and lord we're thankful for this time that you've set aside that you've blessed that you'll meet with us in a special way lord right now dear lord we like to claim those promises we look for that blessing we pray that you'll meet with your people whether they're here or scattered around watching online that you'll be very close to each person i pray that we'll be transformed become more like jesus as a result of this time worshiping you we ask in your holy name amen you may be seated happy sabbath you know when the in the gospel of matthew the subject that jesus talks about second most right after the kingdom of heaven because that's what he talks about most the second topic that he talks about most is the relationship that his followers should have with money and i find that very appropriate that jesus he would he would talk so much about this subject in the sermon of the mount this is matthew 6 19 jesus says do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal and that's a very well known uh part in the in the sermon of the mount but the true essence of that teaching is found in luke chapter 12 verse 16 and it's a small parable that jesus tells it's a very small parable and the parable goes like this it says luke 12 16 where it here we go then he spoke a parable to them saying the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully and he thought with himself saying what shall i do since i have no room to store my crops so he said i will do this i will pull down my barns and build greater and there i will store all my crops and my goods and i will say to my soul soul you have many goods laid up for many years take your ease eat drink and be merry but jesus said to him fool this night your soul will be required of you then whose will then whose will those things be which you have provided so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward god you know friends there are a lot of people millions of people in this world that think that the ideal fiscal paradise would be a place where they would be able to preserve all of their earthly possessions and better yet if they have a bunch of earthly possessions to fill up their barns or their you know their proverbial barns with but just as in this parable where god comes in with a devastating realism we find that those who are not rich towards god are truly not blessed and have no idea what they're talking about hence the term fool so friends when we submit not only our hearts not only our minds not only our our outwardly praise to god but the inwardly uh priorities of life i feel that in that way we become wise what is the contrary of foolishness it's wisdom and since we know that wisdom is the beginning of of the fear of the lord or the fear of the lord is beginning of wisdom we know that's the right way to go so today as we as we praise and worship god and you participate in this moment of devolution of giving back to the lord or or returning to the lord your tithes and your offerings let this be an inwardly moment for you also just as it is outwardly the act of giving is one of the acts of or one of the virtues of someone who has truly turned over their lives to god so may god bless you in this moment i'd like to pray for the tithes and the offerings so close your eyes and prepare yourself for this moment if you have come prepared for that dear lord god i thank you because you have given to us so much you have provided for us lord and more than any material things lord you have provided for us the fear of you which is the beginning of wisdom so allow us lord to always put into practice what it means to be wise in your eyes allow us now to give back lord not only financially not only physically and apparently but allow us to give back lord our best praise our best worship and the best that we can lord which i know you accept even coming from humble beings such as us bless us now guide our hearts throughout the rest of this worship and i ask in the name of jesus amen [Music] i wish i could have been there in the fields with the shepherds wish i sat upon the camels bringing gifts i wish i could have been there wish we grew up together wish our mommas talked and laughed as we would play i was born 2 000 years too late but the same child reigns [Music] like the shepherds i will call like mary i will answer like joseph i will know like the baby in a manger may my heart be ever pure like the angels may i spread the word i wish i could have been there on that road to golgotha wish i carried on the cross you couldn't bear i wish i could have been there but you carry the ages and your grace and strength and peace are still the same i'm not there in that manger where you live but my heart can be your home today and like the wise man i will follow like the shepherds i will go like mary i will answer like joseph i will know like the baby in a manger may my heart be ever pure like the angels may i spread the word [Music] is [Music] i will sing his phrases loud i will share the news share the good news like the wise man i will follow like the shepherds i will go [Music] may my heart be ever pure like the angels may i spread the word i wish i could have been there but you carry the h's and your grace and strength and peace are still the same [Music] at this time we have a baby dedication and if nick and savannah ford would come up with dustin brook brooks ford and the others can come up as well i'm gonna have my wife hold the mic for me you know this is a wonderful time because you know there's always something to see young people and children dedicated to the lord by their parents and um at the same time it's a privilege for me because i don't think i've dedicated a little one and had a new birth at the same time with those that have dedicated their life in baptism so both spectrums here and that's just a wonderful thing you know um there's three people in the bible i want to talk about just for a little bit one of them's moses john the baptist and jesus you know god had a purpose for them in their life and at the same time before their purpose was defined he god had the parents purpose defined what they were going to do they had god had picked them out for a purpose and that was to raise these great men especially christ and so as we think about that you know we see these little ones and you know we don't know what life's mission is here but we know one thing for sure god wants us and as parents to raise them for the kingdom because that's where god wants he's raising us all to for that purpose and so that's your responsibility you know there's three verses in the bible i just want to share on and first one was psalms 127 verse 3 and it says children are a heritage from the lord and then the other one was proverbs 22 verse 6 and it says raise up a child in the way it should go and when he gets old he will not depart from it and so and then the last one i want to just read here and it's in uh ii timothy chapter 3 verse 15 and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in jesus christ so your purpose as parents to as we dedicate this child is to raise this child and teach you the scriptures so we can stand so they can stand and they will be wise unto salvation as well so at this time we can kneel here and we'll have a word of prayer and all righty he's just admiring everything that's going on here i'm sure all righty our kind heavenly father is we are here with nick and savannah and dustin for this dedication that they want to dedicate him to you and lord you've chosen them you've he's you brought them into this family for a purpose you brought him in and lord you have a purpose for him but also dear father you have a purpose prior to that and that's the parents responsibility to lead them in a clue to lead him in a closer walk with you and so bless them their father in a very special way and put send your holy spirit to be with dustin in a very special way as he grows to the nurture of you thank you dear lord for answering that prayer and just be with the family and the extended family and the responsibility of this child we pray in jesus name amen we have a gift for you as well have a blessed one good morning please stand for scripture reading today's scripture reading is found in acts chapter 4 verse 29 through 31 now lord look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant jesus and when they had prayed the place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the holy spirit and they spoke the word of god with boldness please remain standing [Music] we normally invite people to come forward for our prayer but under the circumstances god knows your heart he knows the prayer requests you might have your praises and we just invite you as we sing together our prayer song that you lift those prayer requests or praises to the lord [Music] around to your throne where grace does abound may our lives be transformed by your love may our souls be refreshed from above at this moment led people everywhere join us now as we come to you [Music] as we kneel in prayer and worship our lord father in heaven we we find ourselves once again bowed down before you lord i know that i am joined by many here this morning even right at this moment that are truly worshipping you from their heart lord as we bow down and acknowledge that you are the king of kings that you are the lord of lords you are the ones that made the heavens and the earth you are the one that gives us life you are the one that died on a cross for our sins you're the one that has made it clear to us that you are a god that loves us with an unending love and father we want to respond to that even now as we bow down to worship in prayer that we might be able to lift up our voices before you and acknowledge you for all that you are and to submit to you lord father in heaven we thank you for this day that you've given to us we thank you that you have set aside a day from the beginning of mankind's history to be able to commemorate and remember and memorialize the fact that you are the one that gives life that you are the source of all matter father in heaven this morning we want to lift up before you this great nation in which we are privileged to be able to live and count ourselves a part of father in heaven you know that we are still in the midst of a bit of a political storm there are tensions that are real that affect our days and affect our hearts our minds and father in heaven i want to pray that you might be over the process as we continue to make our way through the election season and that father in heaven that you will help us to be able to give us as much peace as possible across the land father in heaven at this time when we traditionally remember the birth of jesus we remember that he is the prince of peace we remember the words that the angels shared with the shepherds on that hillside so long ago and father in heaven we want to pray for that peace to be upon the land even here and so father please be over that give us tolerance for one another in regards to political things lord when morals and doctrine is not involved we want to pray for tolerance for patience father and heaven we also want to pray that you'll be with us as we continue to meet the challenges that come with this pandemic lord there's just such a as you know a plethora of views opinions the voices the sources the data the everything that keeps being thrown at us lord and father you know that it's taking extra energy and sometimes we feel exhausted just trying to process it all and father we want to come before you as the god that knows everything the god that knows exactly what's going on the ins the outs that which is public that which is private and father in heaven we want to pray that you'll help us to be able to find peace and that you'll give us wisdom and patience and father in heaven that this might be able to come to pass as soon as possible we want to pray that regardless of the challenges that come with this that your gospel will still be propagated even as it is today both through this broadcast and service as well as through so many others around the world we want to pray god in heaven that we people will continue to be moved that the challenges of this time will lead more people to the cross and to jesus as our savior than ever before in recent history father in heaven we want to pray god that you will also be with these two women that were baptized today lord we're just so encouraged to be able to continue to see people walk into the baptismal waters and declare before heaven and earth and before your church that jesus is their savior that you are their god and they want to submit and worship and obey you throughout the days of this life please bless christi bless sandra bless their families father in heaven we pray for faith for them and for all of us build our faith o lord father in heaven want to pray that you will help us to make the best of the holiday season that is coming upon us in spite of all the challenges that are there we want to pray god that you will help us to be able to find peace and and father in heaven that you will help us to be able to find some different moments of joy even amongst the different challenges that are so negative in so many ways and father in heaven we also lift up all those who are struggling with illness with disease father in heaven please be with our hearts be with their family give them courage lord and father we want to pray god that you will help them to be able to find wholeness give them patience give them courage give them trust in you and father of course we always pray for healing and so father we want to thank you for listening we praise you when we ask it in jesus name amen [Music] happy sabbath did anyone notice the organ in the church we were going to announce something about that that the yamaha company has been kind enough to let us test a um a digital organ it's rather impressive and so that's what that is and and we thought some there'll be times when it's just very rich to have the the two traditional instruments uh at use in god's house want to welcome the vast majority of the granite bay church family that is watching us online and then we have some of our online members or people around the world that are studying the word of god with us we're very thankful that you could join us here we are in the new facilities now if the background looks a little different it's actually not completely complete that made sense but we are up and running and praise the lord the heat is on and we we have the electricity on and we're able to meet in the house of the lord we're just thanking the lord for that we're going to be talking about an important subject today that i think will be relevant for the times in which we're living dealing with signs wonders and miracles in the last days you know i believe that the creation of our world began with miracles and it will end with signs wonders and miracles now of course technically there were no miracles in the beginning because everything was a miracle mean can you imagine adam saying lord can you make a loaf of bread out of nothing i said no i could make your wife out of your rib i mean god just made this whole world you know he had spoken everything into existence so why would adam say lord let me see a resurrection he said well you were you weren't alive a minute ago i brought you from nothing from dirt technically but uh so everything was a miracle and so when we think about miracles we're thinking about after god used this supernatural power to bring our world into existence he established certain laws we sometimes refer to them as science laws of nature and creation operates within those laws every now and then god if he chooses does something extraordinary outside of the regular course of those laws of nature we call it a sign a wonder a miracle and we see that there are several times in the history of god's work when there have been a great concentration of signs and wonders and miracles you for instance look at the story of the great exodus deuteronomy 34 verse 10 through 12 but since then there has not arisen in israel a prophet like moses whom the lord knew face to face and all the signs and the wonders which the lord sent him to do in the land of egypt before pharaoh before all of his servants in all of his land and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which moses performed in the sight of all israel and i think we all know you know turning water to blood and the sky is going dark and the the locusts and the plagues and the red sea parting and the water from a rock and the manna and just it's hard to enumerate all of the miracles that happened during the life of moses things that were extraordinary extraordinary and then you read through the old testament and we won't read them all but of course you've got miracles seem to come in waves you've got some during the time of samson david elijah elisha daniel a lot during the time of elijah and elisha had a double portion of his spirit a lot of miracles then you go to the new testament acts chapter 2 verse 22 ye men of israel hear these words jesus of nazareth a man approved of god among you by miracles and wonders and signs which god did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves know great concentration of signs and wonders and miracles resurrections from the dead in healings and casting out of devils and you know typically when we think about the miracles of christ they fall into one of four categories you've got your healings your exorcisms casting out of devils where nature is altered fig trees cursed walking on water and then resurrections which could really be the ultimate healing if you want to think about it that way but i think we'd all agree the life of jesus was filled with miracles and then after he ascended to heaven he gave the holy spirit to the church and you've got signs and wonders and miracles acts 2 43 then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles so have you ever thought when i read about the power of god and the miracles in the bible and the signs and wonders of jesus and the apostles why does the church look so different today why don't we seem to see some of that same power the evidence of those signs and wonders and miracles is it something that we're doing wrong has god gone on a vacation are we waiting for a new wave of miracles why are things different and you know a lot of people will say well you know if the bible's true then how come we don't see the signs and wonders and miracles we read about in the bible happening today now for one thing i should probably preface what i'm saying by admitting that people are often apprehensive to talk about the subject of signs wonders and miracles because there are a lot of bamboozling pastors out there that exploit counterfeit signs wonders and miracles some of them may even be satanic and they deceive people and under the pretense of doing signs and wonders and miracles they extort money from people and they rob people and they you know manipulate people and they're really doing it often for their own exaltation and so when you start talking about signs and wonders people i think just uh tighten up a little bit and go oh what's he going to do now but i want to study it with you because it's a bible subject and i think that we need to know how to tell the true from the false i believe i'll let you know where i'm coming from right at the beginning i believe in signs wonders and miracles i do not think that god's power has been diminished in the least from the days of the apostles or moses to today i think he's the same god i think he's just as powerful and just as able to do everything and more that you read about in the bible don't doubt that for a minute uh a matter of fact i think that we miss a lot of miracles that happen around us all the time we're surrounded with miracles the world is not lacking in wonders but in a sense of wonder there are so many signs in the world that we miss most of them i think it was luther who said god's wonderful works which happen daily are lightly esteemed not because they're of no importance but because they happen so constantly and without interruption interesting quote by william jennings bryan some skeptics say i can't accept miracles one might drop a brown seed in the black soil and up comes a green shoot and you let it grow and soon you pull it up by the root you find it red you cut the root and you find a white heart can anyone tell how this comes about that you have a brown is casted to black resulting in green and red and white and yet you eat your radish without troubling your mind over miracles men are not distressed by miracles in the dining room just the church that was interesting yeah we are surrounded by miracles so what is a miracle let's just look at a definition now sign wonder miracles we're in the same category a miracle is a surprising event or development that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is considered to be the work of a divine agency now we've got a few people here today how many of you would say that you have either experienced or seen something you would consider miraculous in your life do you mind by showing hands i think that's fair to say that would be 80 i have i can't count all the times i've seen things that were you couldn't explain except by the power of god and i could sit here now and go on and on i want to finish my study but i can tell you story after story of things where i prayed and i got an immediate answer to prayer and you know one of the stories that i think i've shared with you before that i think is really an example of what you might see as a modern miracle i picked up a hitchhiker he saw the bible on my dashboard he said are you a christian i said yes he said you know i just got out of jail i need to tell you he said it was a minor offense and he said while in jail i started reading this book bible readings on the home and then he began to tell me i picked him up out in the middle of the desert between l.a and phoenix and he said i started practicing the stuff i was reading in that book about the bible and i said i'm going to try this praying i'm out here in the desert i'm hungry i said lord you fed your people in the desert said can you feed me out here in the desert i have no food nobody's picking me up i'm out in the middle of nowhere and he said after i prayed a truck going from los angeles to phoenix went by it hit a pothole and three oranges bounced out now that's a miracle and then for me it was a miracle that here he got picked up by an adventist pastor i had pulled off out in the middle of nowhere to sleep under the overpass and there was a guy hitchhiking he never would have gotten a ride but i pulled over to pick him up and he just had finished reading an adventist book in jail and was asking questions see we're surrounded by the miraculous and that's one of hundreds of stories i could tell you we've had miracles of healing right here in this church we've got one sister got a call from the family they said can you come to the hospital mom's in icu i went there she is on a ventilator it appeared that she had had a massive stroke the family began to talk about the funeral arrangements and before i left they said could you pray so i prayed and in my prayer you know it's one of those prayers where you're just trying to encourage the family because everything else looked pretty hopeless but i thought well i i shouldn't underestimate the power of god and even though my faith was pretty marginal i said and lord it's still not beyond your power to heal sister so-and-so and then we said amen i gave him a hug and i left got a call a little while later they said did you hear what happened i said no they said well after you left mom sat up they took off her equipment she said i'm hungry and she is fine and that's nine years ago but for me it was miraculous i think god waited until i left because otherwise i would have taken the credit i didn't really believe when i left but i think it was a miracle so there are different levels of miracles i mean i've not seen you know somebody that has been born blind suddenly be healed but i don't think that god's power has been lessened now signs and wonders and miracles when you read the bible believe it or not they don't happen everywhere in the bible matter of fact there are phases in the bible where hundreds of years go by and there are no signs and wonders and miracles case in point lord appears to gideon an angel no less appears to get in judges chapter 6 verse 13 and get in the angel says he's going to use gideon to deliver israel and gideon says oh my lord if the lord is with us then where are what has befallen us and where are all the miracles that our fathers told us about saying did not the lord bring us up from egypt but now the lord's forsaken us and delivered us unto the hand of the midianites i always you just kind of chuckle a little bit when you hear gideon saying i guess the age of miracles is over it's been hundreds of years we haven't seen any miracles must not did the miracles ever really happen he began to doubt maybe they were just exaggerated and the angel said you haven't seen nothing yet because not only did he do miracles through gideon and then of course you got other miracles the strongest man who ever lived was also in judges and then you carry on and you read about elijah bringing fire down and all of his miracles and elisha elijah going to heaven and elijah making an axe head float and turning bitter waters into sweet i mean you just go through multiplying the bread jesus this was not the first one to multiply bread elisha did that too and so you see all these miracles that were happening but then you see hundreds of years go by nothing then all of a sudden daniel shows up and you get the lines then in the fiery furnace and then things grow quiet again john the baptist starts preaching and then jesus shows up and he does more miracles than anybody but then christ said these miracles and the things that i've done greater things than these will you do because i go to the father so i don't think jesus taught that the age of miracles was over what is the purpose why does god do signs and wonders and miracles well a few reasons you know one reason might be because the lord is uh someone's looking for guidance like these wise men they saw this star and it's supernaturally guided and that would be a sign and you've got even gideon i mean he said lord give me a sign and he had the dew on the fleece and then not on the fleece and then he went to visit the enemy camp and the guy has a dream about gideon while gideon's there listening to the dream and so you see that god gave miracles to give him guidance and encouragement back then but most of the time the miracles are for the purpose of being redemptive any time a pastor is parading around on a stage doing miracles trying to impress people for a good offering that's not the purpose of miracles miracles are to bring conversions miracles are to bring glory to god and to magnify the word that leads people to christ i've got a few verses for you on that john 2 23 now when he was in jerusalem at the passover during the feast many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did that's why jesus did the signs why did jesus heal people so they wouldn't have to die no he healed them and then they died later did you know that so the reason for the healing was so that they believe he had power to give them ultimate healing in fact that man came in who had been brought and let down through the roof and he was paralyzed and jesus said your sins are forgiven and the the scribes and pharisees that we're watching this is mark chapter two the scribes and pharisees are watching this this man speaks blasphemies who can forgive sin but god alone and jesus said that you might know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins he said to the sick of the palsy rise take up your bed and walk and they were all amazed that you might know he did the miracle now that man eventually got old and died but he healed them so they would know about the power of god to what forgive sin so the ultimate purpose of the signs and the wonders and the miracles is to proclaim the truth and to lead people to christ amen that's why he did it even for the nation of israel john 7 31 and many of the people believed in him and said when the christ comes will he do more signs than this man has done jesus had done so many signs and wonders and miracles you read about the work of the apostles there in acts 3 verse 12 so when peter saw it this is after peter and john heal the man who had been crippled from birth there at the beautiful gate and all the people gathered around and they seen this man walking and leaping and praising god and he had been crippled all his life peter says why do you marvel at this or why do you look so intently at us as though through our own power or godliness we had made this man walk another very important point if any pastor is the vehicle of god performing a miracle or any believer if they start to take credit on themselves like they are something special watch out even the apostles said it is not our power when they tried to worship paul and silas when they performed a miracle and cast out a devil they tore their clothes and said that's blasphemy this is god that did it we did not do it so peter is very clear about that let me finish what he said though why do you look so intently on us as though we by our power or godliness had made this man walk the god of abraham isaac and jacob the same god the god of our fathers glorified his servant jesus who you delivered up and denied in the presence of pilate when he was determined to let him go peter uses the miracle as an opportunity to point to christ that is the purpose of miracles another example acts 4 29 they're praying now lord look on their threats they told them not to preach in jesus name anymore and peter says lord now look on their threats and grants your servant grant that your servants with all boldness they may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders might be done through the name of your holy servant jesus they said we want to preach the word let the signs and wonders happen that the word might go forward you can read about when peter resurrected dorcas said many in joppa came to believe and then they heard the word about jesus and so the reason for the signs and wonders are evangelistic and you know as often during times of evangelism we see the greatest spiritual battles and the most power of god so when you're engaged in doing the work of god you start praying you see amazing things happen because you're doing the most important thing on god's heart go therefore teach baptize acts 14 3 therefore they stayed there a long time speaking boldly in the lord who was bearing witness witness to their speaking to the word of his grace granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands this was reinforcing the power of god was behind their message and he gave them miracles to prove it and even elijah he said all right this is as simple a challenge as you ever find in the bible all the people gathered together he said let's find out is baal god or is jehovah god and we're going to figure out who has that power and of course the fire of god comes down on the altar of jehovah after elijah's brief prayer now you've got to be careful because you know doesn't it say in the bible that even satan will bring fire down in the last days yeah hold that thought we're going to get to that but didn't elijah use that sign to bring the people back to jehovah he did that's the point we're making here and then joshua you know when god parted the jordan river and they walked across the river and after the part of the river he had 12 strong men take some large stones out of the base of the river and they set up a monument on the other side of the river why did they do that god knew that his people were inclined to forget his power and miracles so they wouldn't forget and those 12 stones which they took out of jordan joshua set up in gilgal and he spoke to the children of israel saying when your children ask their fathers and the time to come saying what are these stones then you shall let the children know saying israel cost crossed over this jordan on dry land for the lord your god dried up the waters of the jordan before before you until you had crossed over as the lord your god did to the red sea which he dried up so it was reminding them both of jordan in the red sea which he dried up before us until we had crossed over and all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the lord that it is mighty that you may fear the lord your god forever he said this is to be a memorial and here's a question for you have you made a memorial of the miracles that god's performed for you it's a good idea it'd be great to have a a book or you know and highlight for your children the different times that you've prayed and miraculous things have happened and you know i i can't count all the times my life but you shouldn't forget them all because you got to be careful five minutes of listening to the devil you can forget all the miracles that god has performed in your life and get discouraged if we remember the way that god the ways that god has delivered us in the past we'd be encouraged and we'd save ourselves from a lot of worry and then you can read in the new testament paul talking about different gifts of the spirit he said so then tongues this tongues was one of the miraculous gifts i'm talking about the supernatural ability of tongues tongues are a sign not for those who believe but to unbelievers you know it seems like at the beginning of every miraculous movement of god in history you have more signs and wonders and miracles so here's a question in the last days do you think we're going to see signs and wonders i do i think we're going to see a lot of signs and wonders both true and false we need to know how to tell the difference hebrews 2 verse 3 and 4 how shall we escape if we neglect a greater salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the lord and was confirmed by those who heard him god also bearing witness both with signs and wonder so how does god bear witness to a message signs and wonders jesus said look if you don't believe my word believe the miracles but again that can't be the only criteria but the purpose of true miracles will be to pointing point to the word the message i remember i was kayaking down a river with some friends and karen was with me on that trip and i had a yellow underwater camera because your camera gets wet a lot and going through the rapids and one of the gentlemen in the group uh was not a believer and um we'd talk about religion a little bit and he wasn't at all bashful about ridiculing in a nice way my beliefs and yeah i think he was sincerely searching but he just he wanted real answers and going through the rapids eel river camera bounced out sank and uh i got through the rapids to calm water and kind of looked around to see if i could find the camera and i couldn't find it and i told my friend i said yeah look around we're all looking for the camera and said all right well we need to keep going and then i thought i'm going to pray that i find the camera and the lord i said lord the camera i'd like to find it we've got some pictures on it that'd be nice but i said most importantly jack here is more inclined to believe if he sees you answering prayer so i prayed i could find the camera we went down through another set of rapids no camera camped for the night the next day got up to go wash a pot or pan down at the creek there's the camera bombing next to the rocks in the water i brought it up i said look at that jack i said it's a miracle and so he had to say well that is rather unusual so the the miracles you want them to be a witness not only to strengthen your faith but especially for unbelievers amen now what about signs and wonders and miracles for god's people in the last days is that still necessary john 14 12 jesus said most assuredly i say to you he who believes in me and the works that i do greater works than these will he do because i go to the father now does he say just the apostles you know there's a whole segment of christians dispensationalists not good people but there's a lot of christians that take the position uh they're perfectly happy to be in powerless churches because they say the age of miracles is over that miracles were just for the launching of the gospel and when the last apostle died that was the end of the great signs and wonders and that's their theology but i don't find the bible bearing that out jesus said whoever believes in me greater works than these will he do because i go to my father second corinthians 12 2 truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and wonders and mighty deeds now he's saying the signs of an apostle were accomplished in the believers mark 16 verse 17 and 18 and these signs will follow only the apostles i haven't given you time to look it up it doesn't say that these signs will follow those that believe anyone here that believes you are called believers if you're disciples of christ these signs will follow those who believes in my name they will cast out demons they will speak with new tongues they will take up serpents that doesn't mean you're supposed to go on snake safaris and you know dance with snakes to some churches do it means if you get bit by a serpent it won't hurt you and if they drink any deadly thing it will by no means hurt them they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover and then luke chapter 10 you know when jesus sends out the 70 this is not just the 12. he sends out 70 other disciples and he says heal the sick and say to them the kingdom of god has come near you so you're doing the miracle to preach the word then the seventy returned with joy and they said lord even the demons are subject to us in your name so they're healing the sick and they're casting out devils and this is the seventy not just the twelve are you still with me so the miracles were not restricted to just a handful john 20 21 jesus said as the father has sent me so send i you and now if you look in the teachings of paul go to the gifts of the spirit that you find in first corinthians 12 but the man that this is first corinthians 12 7 but the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all for to one is given the word of wisdom through the spirit to another the word of knowledge through the same spirit to another faith by the same spirit notice to another gifts of healing by the same spirit to another working of miracles as paul writing to apostles here or is he writing to believers in corinth working of miracles to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another different kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues then in the same chapter chapter 12 first corinthians 28 god has appointed these in the church first apostles secondly prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles gifts of healing helps administrations varieties of tongues so god has not revoked the gifts of the spirit and i think these gifts are still alive in the church one reason i think you're not seeing more of it is because of our faith do you know even jesus went to some towns and said he could only do a few miracles there because of their unbelief even the miraculous power of god was restrained by the unbelievers among the israelites because they didn't believe and so why would that be different today something i've observed and those of you who have traveled in the church you go to other parts of the world they don't have problems believing in miracles casting out of devils in india in africa and a lot of these other countries they have great faith they see these things happen on a really pretty regular basis they believe in healings they believe in resurrections and and the power of god but you know i think you go to the first world countries and and sometimes we're so um sophisticated we think if you can't find a scientific explanation for it then it's dubious but i think what that does is it undermines simple faith in god's power to do great things let me read something to you from the book great controversy page 612 that classic servants of god speaking of the last days servants of god with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven by thousands of voices all over the earth the warning will be given miracles will be wrought the sick will be healed signs and wonders will follow the believers does that sound clear is that past or future that's future you know what the next line says satan also works with lying wonders even bringing fire down from heaven on the side of men thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand so not only do we need to believe that there are going to be signs and wonders we need to know they are true and there are false so let me take a minute about talking about should we be looking for signs is it okay to seek after signs well you know the the bible the bible gives a very cautious line regarding this i want to take you to a story john 4 verse 46 through 53. it talks about this nobleman of cana signs are important and we need signs sometimes to know what to do but there's a time when you don't ask for a sign if you have faith so jesus came to cana from galilee where he had made the water wine and a certain nobleman whose son was sick at capernaum capernaum is like 20 miles north of where jesus is jesus has come up from judea he's come to canada he's kind of halfway this nobleman up there in capernaum he hears that jesus is near he makes a long trip and says when he heard jesus had come out of judea into galilee he went to him he walks at 20 miles and he implores him to come down and heal his son for he was at the point of death now to take a parent away from the dying bedside of a child you must be desperate you don't want to leave them but he realizes the only hope is jesus evidently he's rich man he's a nobleman probably had the doctors shrug and say there's nothing more we can do and as he comes to jesus jesus sees him and jesus reading the thoughts of his hearts see this man was listening to the pharisees and they said no he's a false prophet and he listened to the people who said no he's a true prophet he didn't know what to think so he said look but you know where there's life there's hope i'm going to go to jesus if he heals my son i'll believe so as soon as he comes to christ christ does not even listen to his request he knows right away what's going on in his mind he says unless you people see signs and wonders you will by no means believe so you kind of set up a little criteria i've known people before i know man he said you know i i prayed to god once that if he would heal my brother from cancer i'd believe in him and my brother died so i don't believe in him i know my brother my brother he said doug i'm praying that the dolphins win the super bowl if they win the super bowl he said i'll start believing in god i think they did win that year he still didn't make a big change right then later he came around so jesus knows this man has sort of set up a criteria his faith has got conditions god wants us to have unconditional faith he says unless you see signs and wonders you won't believe the nobleman said he fell on his knees he said sir come down before my child dies jesus said go your son lives all you had to do was accept me so the man believed the word that jesus had spoken he immediately he feels better even though he has no way to text or to call to find out what's going on but by the word of christ he says your son lives and he makes his way home and their servants run out to meet him they say your son lives he inquired one hour he got better because it took a day to walk home they said yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him the father knew it was at the same hour the same moment when jesus had said your son lives and he himself believes so jesus did perform a sign what's the result this man believed that jesus was a messiah but don't make signs a criteria i'll admit i've thought before lord if i could just see an angel it would really strengthen my faith could you just show me an angel anyone else done something like that with the lord come on lord let me see a miracle my faith is i've gone out and prayed before on under a night sky and i said lord uh so i'll know you heard my prayer one good shooting star right now look and just little signs don't you sometimes like just something like that you know you gotta be careful because all of a sudden you know a butterfly goes blind ooh i wonder what that means you know and i meet people like that you know and and it starts getting spooky this yeah grandma died and then a butterfly hovered outside the window and i knew it was her spirit and you start you know looking for signs and wonders in everything and pretty soon that you can become open to the devil's suggestions in those circumstances question is is your faith conditional on signs and wonders or are you going to say like job even though he slay me yet will i believe are you going to say like shadrach meshach and abednego our god is able to deliver us but even if he doesn't we're not going to bow down we need a faith that we're not looking for signs and wonders it's better to just believe the word you remember thomas and thomas wasn't there sunday night when jesus first appeared to the disciples and later they saw him and they said the lord's alive he says unless i see the nail print in his hands unless i can thrust my hand in his sight i'm not going to believe the next week jesus appears again and he says to thomas reach your finger here and look at my hands and reach your hand here and put it in my side do not be unbelieving but believing and thomas answered and said my lord and my god and jesus said to thomas and he says to all of us thomas because you've seen me you've believed blessed are those who have not seen yet believe is your faith an unconditional faith or do you need signs and wonders do you need god to always answer your prayers when you want the way you want are you not going to believe you know the story of the rich man the lazarus the parable luke 16. rich man dies and poor lazarus who he had ignored in his life he's now in abraham's bosom the rich man is in hades this greek place of torment this is a parable and the rich man talks to abraham and he says oh father abraham can lazarus cool my tongue i'm dying in this flame it's so hot and says sorry you had your chance to interact with the poor man and uh there's a great gulf fix there's no trading places now he said well could you at least send him back from the dead i've got five brothers that you could warn them of this place of torment and he said they have moses and the prophets abraham says to the rich man they have moses in the prophets the law and the prophets the word of god let them listen to the word of god because the word of god talks about the rewards he said oh no father abraham but if someone went to them from the dead then they believe if they saw a sign and a wonder then they believe and you know what abraham says in the parable it says if they believe not moses and the prophets then neither will they be persuaded that one should rise from the dead interesting that jesus rose someone from the dead by the name of lazarus and the religious leaders wanted to kill lazarus because he was a living testimony you know i found that people don't want to believe it doesn't matter how many signs and wonders they get that's not going to change them we need a faith that is in the word of god if you don't believe the word you will not believe a wonder if you don't believe the word you will not believe a wonder even though there are signs and wonders they will not believe the bible warns about in the last days there can be satanic signs so our faith must first and foremost be in the word jesus warns us mark 13 22 false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect now i hope i'm one of the elect that means these signs and wonders in the last days are going to be designed by the devil not to just get the loss he's got them but to get the believers and this is jesus signs and wonders last days will there be signs and wonders in the last days there will be there's going to be true and there's going to be false i remember reading in history about gregory rasputin he was that mad monk he had managed to worm his way into the royal household of tsar nicholas and alexandra in russia and they had a son their only son that struggled with hemophilia and he was at the point of death or very sick several times or bleeding and the doctors could do nothing but someone had recommended this monk rasputin and he said that i've got the power and he would pray and the boy would get well and on several occasions when it looked like the young boy was going to die the prince rasputin he said send out the doctors and i'll heal him and all the doctors were chased away and pretty soon he warmed his way in where he was controlling what was happening in the palace and it contributed to the overthrow of that dynasty and ultimately communism took the country because they were listening to a mad monk who did signs and wonders he was ultimately assassinated by people that were in the government second thessalonians 2 9 and verse 10 the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan in the last days with all power signs and lying wonders are there going to be signs and wonders and how they're lying wonders with all unrighteous deception among those who perish why do they perish because they did not receive a love of the truth if you don't love the word the devil will deceive you with lion wonders they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause god will send them delusion that they should believe a lie who did not love the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness when you eliminate light what comes in darkness it's not that god is sending the darkness it's that when you reject the light it's going to come in that's the natural result can the devil do miracles exodus 7 verse 10 so the pharaoh called his wise men in and the sorcerers and the magicians and they did in like manner with their enchantments you know moses threw down his staff that became a serpent and it said for every man threw down his rod and they became serpents so can the devil imitate or counterfeit the miracles of god and yes there are even i believe people that claim to follow jesus they say they're christian ministers and through the power of satan they can at least create the illusion of the miraculous well back to moses you know it does say that moses serpent or aaron's rod swallowed up their rods so the power of god is always greater matthew 7 21 notice this in the last days jesus says there's going to be a group of people that thought they were following the lord not everyone who says to me lord lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of my father in heaven these are obedient people the will of god is the law of god many will say to me in that day lord lord have we not prophesied in your name notice and cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name and i'll declare to them i never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness signs and wonders are not a cloak for wicked living and so some people go to church and say oh we've got miracles in our church we've seen so many miracles and signs and wonders but christ said look to obey is better than sacrifice and people say well but we prophesy we cast out devils in your name i believe that the power of god is so great that god can even speak through a donkey god can perform a miracle through someone who is unconverted was god able to speak through balaam the prophet yeah and so just because you see signs and wonders and they've got a cross on the building that doesn't mean that's the house of god and these wonders and signs are all from the lord and on the other hand i think there are people who have been listening to the teaching and preaching of false ministers but they happen to be preaching a verse that is from the bible and a person might believe in jesus and they might experience some healing or some miracle because of their faith not because of the vehicle or the person if you get married by a minister and he performs the vows and then later you find out that he was a hypocrite he was living in sin and he leaves the church is your marriage invalid no marriage is between you and the lord and so yes there are people out there that maybe have found the power of god and and had miracles and found the lord and the later you find out the vehicle god was using was a big hypocrite god can speak through a donkey so we've got to be careful you know sometimes i know people that say i went to uh i won't name any televangelists right now i went to a crusade and i experienced healing and it's been 10 years and i feel great well they went and through their faith you know jesus never healed anyone and said my faith has made you well jesus never said the pastor's faith made you well jesus said your faith has made you well so yes i think there are some people who have been healed just by their faith in christ even though the person that was preaching may not have been authentic so there's going to be counterfeits in the last days and we've got to be on our guard about that revelation 13 chapter 13 verse 13 he the beast power performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth and the sight of men and he deceives those who dwell on the earth by the signs that he granted them to do in the sight of the beast telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived you know in the days of elijah that fire coming down from heaven was evidence of god's power satan is going to counterfeit that in the last days whether that's literal fire or a counterfeit baptism of the holy spirit you know when the disciples received the holy spirit fire came down right tongues of fire revelation 16 14 for they are the spirits of devils working miracles that go forth to the kings of the earth and the whole world to gather them to the battle the great day of god almighty so here we are in the last days the devil is going to use miracles to try to gather the leaders together to fight and then paul reminds us in second corinthians 11 14 and no wonder for satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light therefore it should be no surprise if his ministers can appear as ministers of righteousness let me read something to you from that book it's a devotional called maranatha just before us is an hour of temptation which shall come on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth all whose faith is not firmly established on the word of god will be deceived and overcome satan works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to gain control of the children of men and its deceptions will continually increase the enemy is preparing to deceive the whole world by his miracle working power he will assume to personate the angels of light to personate jesus christ so in the last days i think we're going to see lots of signs and wonders and i believe in them and i want to see him among god's people but we've got to be very careful not to let that be the criteria satan's going to do signs and wonders in the last days jesus warns us he you read in matthew 12 after christ had done all these miracles you just read earlier in the chapter he's done all these miracles and then the religious leaders say show us a sign about how many more signs you want and christ said it is an evil and adulterous generation that seeks after a sign and no sign will be given but the sign of the prophet jonah what was that sign of jonah well for one thing you've got a believer jonas a believer who is running from the will of god but he goes through a series of trials that breaks his heart he ends up in the bottom of the ocean he prays and he gives himself back to god jonah is converted and now he's willing to do the will of god the sign of jonah is a sign of a dramatic conversion you could say jonah was born again wouldn't you say when he got burped out of that fish it's kind of like being born very similar he had a new birth and after that new birth he was willing to do the work of god so that's one sign of jonah another sign of jonah jonah was asleep in a boat during a storm and they woke him up and said we're perishing you know jesus was asleep in a storm and they woke him up and said master we're perishing and then jonah went three days journey to nineveh and he entered the city a day's journey meaning 12 hours and said in 40 days it would be destroyed that's three and a half days and 40. do you know jesus preached three and a half years and he said someone greater than jonah is here the ninevites repented at the preaching of jonah a greater than jonah is here but because they did not repent in 40 years jerusalem was destroyed that was a sign of jonah but i think it's also jonah's conversion his new birth that's the sign what's the greatest sign of the power of god change life when you can take someone like that demoniac you're running around up in the mountains and living with the bones and the pigs and and turn him into an evangelist that is a miracle let me read something to you this year i got a note karen and i made a visit to australia somebody actually flew over from new zealand and here's what he wrote a gentleman by the name of stan a physician in june 2019 i did the afco amazing doctrines online course and it's changed my life forever i've never in my christian life felt such a strong and urgent call from god my heart was literally changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh during this course since then we're back in the church and on fire continuously we are eternally grateful for god's timely call for us to reclaim our faith and for using amazing facts in particular good place for a plug sorry and using amazing facts in particular your ministry to affect this wonderful change i have for the first time in my life uh read steps to christ and wow what an inspired masterpiece of the loving christ who leads us to the loving father it's as if my eyes and heart are spiritually opened to an understanding that was previously not possible because i approached it intellectually and not with surrender i've already had an opportunity to witness to friends who have been asking about the change in me that and shared quite a bit of the amazing facts material this is an example of someone who through the word of god experience a miraculous change of heart a transformation a new birth there is no greater miracle than the miracle of a changed heart have you experienced that miracle if you've got all the signs and wonders and you haven't had a changed heart jesus said it's not saying lord lord if you continue to be a captive of sin it's when you surrender to jesus and you have a new heart and a new life and you're willing to live for the lord that to me is the greatest power of all you believe that friends i think we're going to sing about it now and it's number 111 if you've got the hymnals in your pews some who are watching online you may be able to look it up online there on your device and we encourage you to sing with us let's stand those who are here and we'll sing together and close with prayer of god page 88 in your hymnal [Music] i sing the mighty power of god that made the mutants rise that spread the flowing source [Music] is and all the stars [Music] lord how thy wonders [Music] it's not a plant or flower below and clouds arise and tempers [Music] there's not a place [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen father in heaven we want to thank you for these reminders from your word that you are a living god that you are a god of miraculous power and we are surrounded by the evidence of your miracles in creation lord in every breath that we take in the plan of salvation and lord we do still believe that the greatest miracle of all is that of creation and the new creation of what you can do in each of our hearts lord we pray that you will do for us what you did for mary two thousand years ago in that there will be a miraculous new birth inside that can only be wrought by the holy spirit i pray that we can embrace that lord that you can just transform us and then as we live in these last days we know that there's going to be a a colossal battle between good and evil we're going to see your power lord there'll be counterfeit power help us to be discerning you've promised that even the power of the devil cannot deceive the elect if we continue to trust in you and follow your word and so guide us i pray that you will use us lord to be witnesses for you that many might be saved and come to your kingdom bless all those who are watching and i pray you'll just encourage us during the difficult times we're living in right now and still that we might know the gospel is good news and have the joy of the lord we thank you and pray all this in jesus name amen hello friends pastor doug batchelor here with amazing

Channel: Doug Batchelor

Views: 111,415

Rating: 4.9003611 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: CV1HJITag7I

Length: 86min 35sec (5195 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 05 2020