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- [00:00]
Pastor Gary
All right.
- [00:01]
Tyler
Good evening, Everybody. Revelation chapter 3. This is a question someone asks in Revelation 3. Jesus says that he will spit out or vomit out the lukewarm Christians. What. What exactly makes a lukewarm Christian? So Revelation chapter 3, verse 14 through 22 is the whole message to the church of Laodicea about the lukewarm Christian.
- [00:24]
Pastor Gary
Okay.
- [00:25]
Tyler
And really, two things stand out to me. What can make someone lukewarm? Well, first of all, I like this section of Scripture because Jesus was actually using context that was common in that time. So the hot and cold aspect, when he says, I know all the things you do that. That are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other. But since you're Luke, you're like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold. I will spit you out of my mouth. The aqueduct system actually ran through to Laodicea. So the water that would come into the city of Laodicea, because it came from a long distance from the hot springs, it came lukewarm. And it was, in a way, disgusting and useless. And Jesus is using that illustration of that area, Laodicea. It's brilliant, really, what Jesus is doing. He's just saying, this is the illustration, because you all know this in Laodicea, and. And I'm going to use it in my message to you that you're also like this lukewarm water that comes from the aqueducts, and it's useless and disgusting. It's neither cold, which is refreshing, it's neither hot, which is good for purification and cleaning. He says, you're just lukewarm and it's useless. I always imagine coffee. All right, coffee. I love coffee. I'm a big coffee fan. I love either hot coffee or I'm a huge fan of cold brew. I'll drink cold brew all year round. But when you have lukewarm coffee, it's disgusting, right? It's gross. No one wants lukewarm coffee. You want it either piping hot or somewhat hot and cold brew.
- [01:58]
Pastor Gary
All right.
- [01:58]
Tyler
But for what he's saying here, I think there's two things. What the question is, what exactly makes lukewarm Christian? I think two things. Religion and complacency. The Laodiceans were very religious. Now, I do believe they were Christians in the sense that, you know, Jesus is writing to the church. However, Jesus says, you say, I'm rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing. And he says, you don't realize that you're a wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. So I advise you to Come buy gold from me. And then he says, I correct and discipline everyone I love. And I love that about Jesus. He corrects and disciplines everyone he loves. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. So that complacency, that indifference, they were neutral. So Jesus commended them for some good things. But he says, this is the one thing that really makes me want to spit you out of my mouth. I want you to be hot or cold. And the hotness and the coldness technically were actually good things, but it was the lukewarm, where you're just religious, you're just going through the motions. It's all about works, or you're indifferent. Christians can be lazy. Christians can be complacent. Christians can be indifferent. Sometimes neutral. They sit on the sidelines. So what is Jesus saying? I really love this verse. And I wrote it down. 2nd Timothy 3.
- [03:19]
Pastor Gary
5.
- [03:20]
Tyler
Paul said to Timothy, there's this. There's the people out there. They have a form of godliness, but they deny its power. So there are going to be people out there, we got to watch out for these certain people that have this form of godliness. They go to church. Just because you go to church doesn't make you a Christian. Having the form of godliness but denying its power. There are a lot of godliness out there in the form of. But they don't have the power of the Holy Spirit. And so lukewarm Christians need to wake up. You need to be hot for Jesus, cold, you know, in the sense that it's refreshing. But don't be stuck in lukewarm indifference and just going through the religious motions.
- [04:00]
Pastor Gary
Okay, so good.
- [04:02]
Austin
All right, let's stick with the book of Revelation. And someone asked this question, will accepting the mark of the beast be an obvious willful act someone has to take, or will it be just this gradual thing that people can be tricked into accepting under the guise of something else, like AI. So the mark of the beast, we see this in Revelation, chapter 13. And I'll try to make a complex passage very short and sweet to the best that I can. In Revelation chapter three, we see this mark of the beast. So you have the beast that comes out of the sea, that is the Antichrist, and the beast that comes out of the earth, that is the false prophet. And the Bible says that the false prophet, kind of like the Antichrist sidekick, he will erect an image, it's icon in the Greek, where we get our English word icon. And he will be granted power to breathe life into this image. That word breathe in Revelation 13 is the Greek word pneuma. It's where we get. It's the Greek word for spirit. So there is this, like, demonic spirit that the false prophet breathes into this icon. And then the icon, this image that is now filled with this demonic, satanic type spirit, then the Bible says causes all people, great and small, poor and rich, to receive a mark either on their hand or their forehead. So the question then is, is this just something that we can kind of be gradually tricked into receiving, or is this more of a deliberate thing? And I think the Bible is clear. This is not something that anyone can be tricked into receiving. This is a deliberate, willful act. I'm just going to read a few verses from Revelation 13. And in verse 16, it says, he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. And that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. Now, why do I think that this isn't something you can just be tricked into receiving? It's because the very next chapter in Revelation 14, it says that actually an angel, God kind of commissions an angel to fly over the globe to warn people, if you receive this mark, you are tying yourself to the Antichrist. This is this deliberate act of allegiance and loyalty to the Antichrist. It's not something you can just kind of be easily tricked into getting. And I don't even believe that the church is going to be here during this time of tribulation, but people will still be able to get saved. And if you receive the mark, this is again, this deliberate act, not just something that you can be tricked into receiving. Because an angel again warns people, if you do this, you will receive the wrath of God. It will be like God's judgment. And this you are aligning yourself with, with the Antichrist and his purposes. I'll say just one more quick thing, because the book of Revelation is filled with Old Testament ideas and symbolism. And in the Old Testament, to bear the name of Yahweh was to be his representatives on the earth. And we see this in Numbers, chapter six. It's the priestly blessing. And it says that the people, the Israelites, they shall bear the name of Yahweh and be my representatives in the world. And so to bear Yahweh's name was to be his representative. Well, then we see here in Revelation 13, it's like this, this counterpart to bearing the name of Yahweh. And now Someone who wants to bear the name of the Antichrist. Again, it's this. This idea of allegiance and loyalty. I am now the Antichrist representative. And really, once you receive the mark of the beast, there's no turning back. Now, how does AI Fit into all of this? You can watch the message I gave a few months ago. It's called the Rise of AI and the Future of the Church, where I go into more detail about the mark of the beast. The technology is already here. We know that over 4,000 people in Sweden have had a chip implanted in their hand to give them access into. It's like an identification chip, gives them access to. Into payments. And so the technology is already here. I actually just read not too long ago that the UN and the Bill Gates foundation, they've.
- [08:37]
Tyler
They.
- [08:37]
Austin
In 2023, they partnered up and they began this campaign called 50 and 5. 50 nations in five years. So by 2028, they want 50 nations to have this. This global identification artificial technology technology that. That gives you this digital identification mark. So again, the technology is already here. Will is the Bill Gates, you know, UN Bill Gates Campaign Foundation.
- [09:05]
Pastor Gary
Is that all?
- [09:05]
Austin
Is that the mark of the beast? No, not necessarily. But it's a precursor to probably what we will see in the end times. And I think there's also a good resource. It's called, like, Standing on the Edge of Eternity. And you can read more about Revelation 13 in that book as well.
- [09:22]
Pastor Gary
That you could have just said that at the beginning and not had to say any. Well, yeah, I guess so.
- [09:27]
Austin
But, you know, to be honest, you didn't. You didn't go into that.
- [09:31]
Pastor Gary
Yeah, that's true. I didn't go into that much detail, which is eating up our time. That's the problem. So I'm gonna watch this now, and you two learn here. I'm gonna answer five questions in three minutes. Are you ready? Are you ready? See this? You guys, pay attention. Here we go. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 9. 6. However, Jesus is quoted as saying, do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34. Why is this a contradiction? It's not a contradiction because Isaiah 9 is a messianic prophecy. When Jesus comes again as the Prince of peace to establish peace upon the earth, his original coming will bring division because he's controversial to people who want to accept him versus people who don't. So it will divide some families, some homes, some neighborhoods. Are people in heaven right now? Yes. Second Corinthians 5:8. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. People who know Christ die and go to heaven. How are the Jewish people chosen? And yet they are not accepted. They have not accepted Jesus as the Savior of the world. The answer is because they were chosen for a specific purpose, that God would reveal a redemptive plan through an ethnic group of people called the Jews to ultimately come to a Jewish Messiah who would be the Savior for the whole world. So they're chosen in the sense that they were used and are being used still. We don't discard the Jews for a wonderful redemptive purpose. Jesus was revealed through the Jewish people. God's not done with the Jewish people. They still have to accept Jesus as Savior, but that's how they are chosen. This person said, this is the third year I've asked this question and we haven't answered it. So it's First Corinthians 5:11, and they quote it. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral or covetous or an idolater, a reviler, a drunkard, or an extortioner. Not even to eat with such a person. 1 Corinthians 5:11. The question is, what does that mean? Well, we are not to disassociate ourselves from people who live worldly lives, but if they profess to be a believer and they are still living worldly, sinful lives like this, you don't continue to act normal and have normal fellowship with them because they're living in hypocrisy. So it's important to withdraw from them so they understand they are not living true to God and true to the Word. And then, last one. Are there any people, any specific sins that God will not forgive? If there are, could you tell us what they are? No. God will forgive all sins. Jesus died for all. The only unforgivable sin is if you reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Go.
- [12:20]
Tyler
Well done.
- [12:23]
Pastor Gary
That's what I long to hear Jesus say.
- [12:24]
Tyler
Yeah, yeah. By the way, I haven't even read your book yet.
- [12:28]
Pastor Gary
Yeah, well, you've been sitting under my ministry for 36 years. You heard it at some point. Already heard it.
- [12:36]
Tyler
Yeah.
- [12:37]
Pastor Gary
All right. All right.
- [12:37]
Tyler
Let's answer this in one minute.
- [12:39]
Desmond
All right.
- [12:41]
Tyler
Someone says, is all sin equal in the eyes of God? You didn't answer this one, did you?
- [12:45]
Pastor Gary
Well, were you paying attention?
- [12:46]
Tyler
No.
- [12:46]
Pastor Gary
Really? No, not specifically. So go ahead.
- [12:49]
Tyler
Someone says, is all sin equal in the eyes of God? Short answer is yes. Romans 3:23. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. However, consequences of sin is different. It is different. Luke 12:48 actually may allude to degrees of punishment in hell for. For things that we did on earth that were more egregious to the Lord rather than things that weren't as. As bad. But what's the one sin that Paul always lists first whenever he wrote about sins in his letters? Sexual morality. That's the very first thing that he writes every single time about sins. There is something about sexual morality. Jesus talked about it as well.
- [13:29]
Pastor Gary
It.
- [13:29]
Tyler
It has the heaviest consequence and damage. I believe First Corinthians 6:18 talks about that. It says that sexual flee from sexual sin. It's the one sin that actually affects the body. Flee from it. Paul says that First Corinthians 6:18. Sexual sin does affect us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It's all of them. However, just like all sin is equal in the eyes of the Lord, there is something about sexual sin that God does hold. And says, like this is egregious to me. But just as all sin is equal in the eyes of God, all sin can be forgiven by God and his grace, which abounds even more than your sin and my sin. So amen to that.
- [14:11]
Austin
All right, I'll try to go as long as possible. What does it mean?
- [14:14]
Pastor Gary
What does it mean to AI. To replace you? What?
- [14:17]
Desmond
What does it mean?
- [14:20]
Austin
Hold on, let me recharge my battery. Okay, I'm ready. What does it mean to abide in the lord? Abide appears 11 times in John chapter 15, and it's the Greek word meno, and it literally just means to remain in. So to abide in the Lord just means to remain in the Lord, to stay with the Lord, to continue in the Lord, to sit at his feet, to just be in his presence. That's what it means, to abide in the Lord, practically just opening up his word and sitting with Jesus and allowing him by his spirit to minister to you.
- [14:51]
Pastor Gary
All right, I'm going to. Yeah, that was good, wasn't it? Yeah. You both did a great job. We're not done, but you need me to go longer? No, I don't. Oh, but you can go ahead and line up. If you want to ask a question, line up at the mics, and we're going to continue to answer a couple questions. While you're deciding if you want to line up to the mic, this person says, why do you believe Song of Songs or Song of Solomon? Is in the Bible. How is it a good representation of love considering Solomon had many other wives at that time? Well, the truth is, when Solomon wrote Song of Solomon, it is believed Bible scholars are pretty agreed on this, that he wrote that early in his life when he was monogamous, before he ended up having 700 wives and 300 concubines. So, yeah, it's in the Bible because it's a love story, and it's a love story between a husband and wife, but it also paints a picture of God's love for us. So it's bigger than just a marriage book or a sexual handbook. Although Jews were not allowed to read the Song of Psalm until they reached 30 years of age in strict orthodox homes for that reason, because it is a little spicy. Now some of you are going to go home. Like, where is that in my Bible? Is communion viewed as a means of grace? If it is, why is it not performed every week? I'm not sure I understand the question. We don't really. I mean, we celebrate and remember
- [16:21]
Desmond
the
- [16:21]
Pastor Gary
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That was an act of grace. That was an act of love. But when Jesus says, do this in remembrance of me, he didn't put a stipulation on it. I mean, the Bible does say as often as you gather, but it doesn't mean every single time you gather. It means when you gather, do this in remembrance of me. So we try to do it here once a month on Sundays, once a month on Wednesday nights. All right, we'll go over here for the first question. Do you want to just give us your first name and what's your question? Sure. My name's Dave.
- [16:52]
Tyler
That's.
- [16:53]
Pastor Gary
Sorry. Sorry, say your name again.
- [16:55]
Tyler
David.
- [16:55]
Pastor Gary
David. First, I wanted to thank you for
- [16:57]
Tyler
the Daddy Daughter dance. My daughter and I had a great
- [16:59]
Pastor Gary
time, so I appreciate that. Good. Glad you did the question. A couple weeks ago, you were a
- [17:04]
Tyler
teacher in Philippians 3, and you said the word finally could be better translated as furthermore.
- [17:11]
Pastor Gary
And I had a question for you
- [17:12]
Tyler
last year about pastillo believe, meaning more
- [17:16]
Pastor Gary
of commit or a full reliance on God.
- [17:18]
Tyler
If we have these words in the English language, why don't we use them in the Bible?
- [17:25]
Pastor Gary
Well, because Greek words, and for that matter, Hebrew words can mean more than one single definition. So, for example, when Paul used that word, it can translate in English finally. But it can also translate, as I pointed out, as you rightly said, furthermore. And so sometimes in our own Western mindset, we think finally means it's the end. And my point was that the Greek word can actually mean that it's not the end. This is a word of emphasis for something further. So, you know, look, the Greeks have four different words for love. In English, we have one word. And so sometimes the language needs to be clarified because English is not often as colorful and as full as the Greek language. So it just needs clarification. Yeah. Thank you. We'll go over here to this side.
- [18:19]
Austin
Yes, ma'.
- [18:20]
Pastor Gary
Am. Tell us your first name.
- [18:21]
Audience Member
Adina.
- [18:22]
Pastor Gary
Adina.
- [18:24]
Audience Member
So I have a question. I've always wondered about people who say God has a plan for everyone's life and that we're supposed to seek after and find this plan through prayer and supplication. And my understanding has always been he gave us His Word. He says in His Word what his plan is for us to love each other and to do good and walk in, you know, have mercy and love, justice and all of that, walk humbly with God. So I know there are certain people in the Bible where it specifically says God did have a plan for Paul, for David, and different characters. But is that something that you think is clearly something spelled out in Scripture, that God has a specific plan for each of us and we have to pray into it and figure out what it is? Like a mystery box?
- [19:11]
Pastor Gary
Good question. I'll take a quick shot if any of you want to answer. You know, look, just because we understand God is providential and God is omniscient and he's omnipotent, I do think, based on his character, that he does have a plan for each of us. And so it's important for us to understand what is that plan. Now, that doesn't mean that he has a plan for every nuance of everything, like what color socks I picked out of the drawer today. But in the big picture of things, he does want to guide us and direct us. And the Bible even talks about how God's Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. So I would agree with you that it isn't just a matter of praying. And what's your plan for my life? Although prayer is an important component of that. But we can get guidance out of the Word of God. And too often people want to know God's will apart from reading the Word. And I think the only way you're going to really have an understanding of what God wants for your life is when you are reading Scripture and having that as the foundation. Guys want to add anything to that?
- [20:18]
Desmond
Yeah.
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Austin
I mean, one of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 25. 4 and 5, and David prays specifically, show me your ways, O Lord. Teach me your path. Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. On you I wait all the day long. And so I think that we can see David as that example or a model. And I pray the same thing almost on a daily basis. Lord, would you show me your ways, Teach me your path, Guide me in your truth and teach me. Because David says, for on you I wait all the day long. So I think for the believer, there should just be this active waiting on the Lord that God would, by his spirit, direct us into his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Paul would then say in the New Testament, so, yes, I think that God will never contradict himself. He has his revealed will in Scripture. He has his unrevealed will behind the scenes. But those two things will always align and be compatible. And so God's unrevealed will will not contradict his revealed will. So we need to understand what God's personal will is for our lives through the lens of Scripture. But I think that we can see people in the Bible as those models or examples of God does, I think, have a unique purpose for all believers.
- [21:25]
Pastor Gary
Yep. Thank you. Thank you, Dina. All right, over here. What's your question?
- [21:29]
Audience Member
Hi, I'm Buddy.
- [21:30]
Pastor Gary
Yes, Buddy.
- [21:31]
Audience Member
I've been reading Genesis with my parents and my siblings, and I had a question. When Cain killed Abel and God punished him, and when Cain was afraid that anyone would kill him, who was the anyone? And when he settled near the land of Nod and he found a wife, if Adam and Eve were the only other people, who was his wife? And why was it called the land of Nod?
- [22:03]
Pastor Gary
All right, now I know the fricky family. This is a testimony of homeschooling right here, ladies and gentlemen. Good job, buddy.
- [22:12]
Audience Member
Thank you.
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Pastor Gary
Good job. All right, that was a lot of questions. Go.
- [22:20]
Tyler
I'm actually studying this right now. Well, not for the first time, but digging deep into it. How did Cain find his wife? Has been the endless question. And the area of Nod, it does say that Nod was east of Eden. So it shows that Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, they went eastward, and then Nod was even eastward from there. A lot of things, places also have been lost because of the Great Flood. So if you. But. But for Cain to have found a wife, and he was afraid of that anyone was going to kill him because. So God was gracious to Cain. The short answer is if Adam and Eve had, you know, it says more sons and daughters Than just Cain and Abel.
- [23:06]
Pastor Gary
That's right.
- [23:07]
Tyler
So, you know, and they lived a long time. Adam lived almost to be a thousand years old. So for Adam and Eve, you know, they could have hundreds of kids. Technically, Cain may have been marrying some sort of distant, you know, sister, cousin.
- [23:24]
Pastor Gary
I know.
- [23:24]
Tyler
Yeah. But that wasn't forbidden.
- [23:26]
Pastor Gary
Or niece. I mean, by the time the family tree.
- [23:30]
Tyler
Or grandma. I don't know.
- [23:31]
Desmond
No,
- [23:34]
Pastor Gary
Cain didn't have a grandma. It's true.
- [23:40]
Tyler
That makes sense, huh?
- [23:41]
Pastor Gary
Yeah. Okay. All right. That's a good question, buddy. Was it. Was there one more question in there? There was no Cain Knob. Okay. Yeah, there was actually probably thousands of people by the time that Cain got married. It's just the family tree grew pretty rapidly.
- [23:56]
Austin
Answers in Genesis.
- [23:58]
Pastor Gary
Yeah.
- [23:58]
Austin
With Ken Ham's organization has great resources answering those difficult questions about the early chapters of Genesis. I even think he would have said there probably potentially would have been a million or so people by that time.
- [24:10]
Pastor Gary
Yeah. I don't know what the number is,
- [24:11]
Tyler
but by Kane, By.
- [24:13]
Austin
By the time came, found this wife. I could be wrong, but answers in Genesis is a good resource. And. And he would have. Yeah, he would have married a distant relative. But that wasn't outlawed really until Leviticus.
- [24:23]
Pastor Gary
Yeah. So. And I know where Knob is. It's just past Lincoln and blinking. Okay, that's a joke. I. I don't have. That's not. Anyway, thank you, buddy. All right. Over here.
- [24:36]
Audience Member
Hi, I'm Emily.
- [24:37]
Pastor Gary
Emily.
- [24:38]
Audience Member
Okay, so my question is a loaded one that I keep getting asked, so I just need help answering it. But many people explain things like world hunger, famine and poverty by pointing out to human free will. When I'm asked why an all powerful God doesn't intervene more directly in situations such as massive.
- [24:56]
Pastor Gary
I'm sorry, Emily, let me pause you for a second. Can you turn up the wedge just a little bit? I'm having trouble hearing her. Oh, Step up to the mic. There you go.
- [25:03]
Audience Member
Can you hear me better?
- [25:04]
Pastor Gary
I still need more on the monitor.
- [25:08]
Audience Member
How about now?
- [25:09]
Pastor Gary
Okay, that's better. All right, Emily. Thanks. Okay.
- [25:12]
Audience Member
Do you want me to start over?
- [25:13]
Pastor Gary
Yeah, please.
- [25:14]
Audience Member
Okay. So it's a question that I keep getting asked in conversation that I'm struggling to answer. So many people explain things like world hunger, famine and poverty by pointing to human free will. But when I'm asked why an all powerful God does intervene more directly in situations such as massive suffering, especially when innocent people and children are involved, I struggle to answer. So how should Christians understand God's role in these kind of global injustices? While still affirming his goodness and power.
- [25:43]
Pastor Gary
That's a great question. Sometimes I will ask people who pose a question like that, what would the world look like if none of those things were here? And the answer is, it would look like heaven. This is just not heaven. So the truth is, that's what we're waiting for. That's what we're longing for. That's why Jesus died, to rescue us from this world. So it does have to do with human free will. In other words, because mankind sins, because man is a sinner. There will be injustice, there will be murder, there will be theft, there will be all these kind of things that are relative to our human fallen nature. And then I will try to segue to say, and if you don't like that, that's why God sent his son Jesus to intervene so that we can escape this world and go to heaven where there will be no more injustice, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death. So you have to try to get people to realize that. People who don't like the world system, and I get it, we don't like the world system when those things are prevalent is to help them understand is exactly why Jesus died. If God just intervened in all of it, then he would turn this into heaven. It's not heaven, and heaven awaits us. He died to rescue us from this world. And then at the end of the day, at the end of the age, he will settle all things and he will bring justice to every injustice. And that will be when the king rules. But this is just not that time yet. Thank you for your question, Emily. All right, over here.
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Desmond
Hi, I'm Faith.
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Audience Member
Hi, I'm Faith. I wondered why wasn't Balaam and Eve not surprised when the animals talked to them? Were there stories of animals talking before them?
- [27:24]
Pastor Gary
Okay, so why weren't they Adam and Eve? Yeah, Adam and Eve,
- [27:31]
Tyler
the serpent. We know because John tells us in Revelation that the serpent is Satan. So I actually think that either Satan took on the form of a serpent or that's how he, in a way, looked like. I don't think that they were talking to just an actual reptile.
- [27:51]
Pastor Gary
I think she meant animals in general.
- [27:53]
Tyler
Right, well, I'm gonna get to that. Okay, I.
- [27:57]
Austin
Sorry,
- [28:00]
Desmond
sorry.
- [28:02]
Tyler
That in. In fact, it was Satan tempting Adam and Eve, not just some random serpent. You can dig deeper in that. In that word. It's a deep Hebrew word now. And that. And because of that, I believe he was. He's an angel. He's a fallen angel now. So it was it was a fallen angel talking to Adam and Eve. The other animals in the animal kingdom would not have that capability to talk. The only time we ever see an animal talking again is in numbers with Balaam's donkey. But that was just a one off thing that God did supernaturally. And so does that help answer the question or anybody else want to.
- [28:41]
Pastor Gary
Is that good?
- [28:42]
Austin
Thank you.
- [28:42]
Pastor Gary
The kids are stumping us tonight. Thank you very much for that. All right, over here I have.
- [28:48]
Audience Member
Hi, I'm Paula.
- [28:49]
Pastor Gary
Hi Paula.
- [28:49]
Audience Member
I have two questions. One of them really is like super short. Can I ask that? How do people age? Like they live hundreds of years gracefully.
- [28:57]
Tyler
That's how.
- [28:58]
Audience Member
Yeah, like 80 year olds now are like. But they're working on building the organs stuff.
- [29:03]
Pastor Gary
How do people age when, I mean
- [29:05]
Audience Member
like they're hundreds of years old and they're still building things. Are they just not getting old in the Old Testament?
- [29:11]
Pastor Gary
In the Old Testament, yes. Yeah,
- [29:15]
Austin
yeah. I mean the, the b. The Bible actually specifically says that the, that their, their lifespan was actually greater. And then, I mean you do get Into Then Genesis 6 and 7 with the flood and it says man's days shall be limited to 120 years. Now that could be mean 120 years until the flood. That also could be interpreted that man's lifespan will be 120 years. But again I would point you to answers in Genesis with Ken Ham because he, he, he has some, some good articles of. Articles about the age of humans being longer in that time. I think that the environment just was, the environment back in, in ancient times was, was, was better than it is now that it's the corruption of the
- [29:59]
Pastor Gary
sin nature that has really reduced longevity and yeah, 120 years. And then in Psalm 90:10 our days may come to 70 years or 80. So the human lifespan has been reduced. Sorry Al, do you want to add anything?
- [30:13]
Austin
No, that's fine. You had two questions.
- [30:14]
Audience Member
Yeah, my second one is I kind of grew up Pentecostal. So I've always wondered why they baptized in Jesus name. And the Bible only talks about, from what I know, Matthew 28:19 is the only place that it mentions baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. So why do we baptize in that instead of in Jesus name?
- [30:34]
Pastor Gary
Did you grow up in something called oneness? Pentecostal. Okay, Oneness. Pentecostal denies the Trinity. That's why.
- [30:42]
Desmond
Correct.
- [30:42]
Pastor Gary
Yeah.
- [30:42]
Audience Member
They say it's.
- [30:44]
Pastor Gary
So they're not going to pray in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They're not going to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, because they don't embrace it the way that we see Scripture speaks of the Trinity. So that's the reason. It's just a different belief system.
- [30:57]
Audience Member
Okay, yeah, sure. Thank you.
- [31:00]
Pastor Gary
And I don't. And I believe if you deny the Trinity, then you are denying the divinity of Jesus. And so that's a. It's a major issue. So I'm not. I'm not trying to downplay that's a major doctrinal problem, but that's the reason why they're not going to pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because they don't believe in the Trinity like that. Sure.
- [31:19]
Audience Member
Thank you.
- [31:19]
Pastor Gary
Thank you, Paula. All right, over here.
- [31:22]
Audience Member
Hello, my name is Megan. It's kind of a general question you guys might have gotten before, but as a young person who hopes to get married in the somewhat near future, how can you kind of honor God while also prioritize finding a relationship and kind of, what are the most important things you can look for in a spouse to ensure you're having a godly relationship?
- [31:39]
Pastor Gary
So did you ask. Is that a twofold question, like, how can you maintain good relationships with your family, but also qualities of a future spouse?
- [31:46]
Audience Member
Mostly like, how can you find a future spouse and what should you look for in them while you're kind of pursuing.
- [31:51]
Pastor Gary
First thing I say to. To single adults looking for a spouse is go to a good godly place where they are. Okay, so, like, I'm glad you're in church. Like, don't go clubbing and thinking you're going to find your future spouse there. You'll find somebody, but they may not be God's will for you, for sure. And the other thing, you know, like, you have to get around godly men and women. You know, I use this analogy with this guy I was talking to today on staff saying, you know, sometimes single people who are Christians think, well, God will just bring the right person along. Well, okay, God is sovereign. He can do anything. But in the same way, you need to go where they are. Like, you can't just sit on a couch and say, I'm really hungry. I hope a sandwich will come to me. You know, like, you have to get up, go to the refrigerator and get a sand, put yourself in the proximity of where sandwich things are. You know, so, like, but, you know, find someone who loves Jesus. That's the priority. You will have differences with whoever you meet because marriage complements you. Your strengths will be his weaknesses, his Strengths might be your weaknesses. Together you complement each other. But the main thing is find someone who loves Jesus and is devoted to Jesus because that is the glue in every marriage is the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Meghan. All right, we got time for a couple more. Yes, sir. Evening, pastors. My name is Kyle. Kyle, just a little bit.
- [33:14]
Desmond
Yes, sir.
- [33:15]
Pastor Gary
So my question is not to the canonicity of the Old Testament scripture, but to the ordering and presentation of it. I can appreciate how important it was to translate it into the Septuagint, Greek, but for a lot of people who didn't grow up knowing the Bible stories, who have never been to seminary, reading it through in the Tanakh ordering makes so much more of it.
- [33:34]
Tyler
Click.
- [33:35]
Pastor Gary
And a lot of the prophecy is next to the relevant. History is next to the relevant. You mean the order? The order. Because the Tanakh is the same as our Old Testament. But reordered. But reordered. And it seems to make much more sense when it's read in the order that the author wrote the book. Is it that much more important when the author is God or am I
- [33:50]
Tyler
completely over complicating just a translation?
- [33:53]
Pastor Gary
Well, I mean, the author is God. Whether the Tanakh is just the Jewish, what we call our Old Testament, it's the Jewish Scriptures, but arranged in a different order and they lump them in categories. And if that's easier for you to read it that way, that's fine. It's the same Old Testament. You know, I think somebody else asked a question about why is not our Bible in chronological order? And it's not, but yet you can buy a chronological Bible. If that helps you to read Scripture better because you want to follow the storyline, then you can order a chronological Bible. So, yeah, I think that's great. If you love reading the Tanakh, it's still, you know, God's Word and it's just arranged a little bit differently. And if that helps you to get into God's word, Good. Good for you. Thank you, Kyle. Thank you. All right, over here, young man.
- [34:38]
Audience Member
All right. So I was reading in the Book of Romans and it talked about how, like, if, let's say there's like a native tribe on, like an island, if they've never heard of Jesus, it says that they should know in their heart that they need to follow and, like, obey and do what is right. But how are they supposed to, like, come to the conclusion that there's a God from just like their conscience that's,
- [35:05]
Pastor Gary
like, it wasn't just their conscience. So this is out of Romans 1 and 2. And good for you. What's your name?
- [35:09]
Audience Member
Josiah.
- [35:10]
Pastor Gary
Josiah. Good for you reading the book of Romans. There's a lot of people, a lot of adults who don't want to tackle the book of Romans. What. What Paul writes there is. There are actually three things that testify of the Lord. You're right. Conscience is one of them, but it's also commandments and commandments. Conscience and creation. Yes, thank you. And creation. So God speaks to us through our conscience, through the commandments and through creation. And thus God reveals himself in all of the splendor of creation. So in other words, man has no excuse to say that there is no God because he is fully displayed in those three ways. And thus man is accountable to God when we cannot deny his existence. You guys want to add anything?
- [35:58]
Austin
No, that's good.
- [35:59]
Pastor Gary
Yeah.
- [36:00]
Austin
Creation, conscience, and commandments. David talks about this in Psalm 19. Paul talks about it in Romans 1. The Lord God is also revealing himself to people all around the world in dreams and visions. And so when we think about the guy on the island, we trust the Lord with the guy on the island. But I wholeheartedly believe that the Lord can appear to anyone in dreams and visions as well. And he is. And that's why people in Muslim predominant countries are coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, because Jesus is appearing to them in dreams and visions. But predominantly, yes. Creation, conscience and commandment.
- [36:32]
Desmond
Yeah.
- [36:33]
Pastor Gary
Thank you, Josiah.
- [36:34]
Austin
Great question.
- [36:34]
Pastor Gary
All right, we have. How many are standing here? Three.
- [36:37]
Tyler
Three.
- [36:37]
Pastor Gary
Okay, so this is good timing. We're at 7:30, but we'll take you three guys and then we'll pray and end this part of it. Desmond.
- [36:46]
Desmond
Good evening, Pastor Gary, Tyler and Austin. I have a question and I'm humbled to ask it because I think it's time for us to start here at cornerstone. And the prophet Joel called the people of Judah in Joel, chapter 2 12, 17 to repentance. Verse 15 to 17 reads, Please permit me to read.
- [37:09]
Pastor Gary
So Desmond, tell me again where you are.
- [37:10]
Desmond
Joel, chapter two.
- [37:13]
Pastor Gary
Joel two. Gotcha.
- [37:14]
Desmond
Okay. And from 15 to 17 reads, blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes. Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priest who minister to the Lord weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, spare your people, O Lord, and do not give your heritage to reproach. That the nation should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, where is their God? So the question why did Joel call the people of Judah to repentance? And why is it necessary now more than ever before for the faithful church, of which Conniston Chapel is one, to call the church and God's people to repentance? Thank you.
- [38:09]
Pastor Gary
That's a great question. Repentance always precedes revival. So we need to be a people who are repentive before the Lord. And so we should always be in that posture of humbling ourselves and repenting. Joel was writing to his generation just before the Assyrians came to besiege Israel. And so he was calling his nation to humble themselves, to repent. Because if they did, I believe that the message was, God will prevent the Assyrians from coming. But they did not humble themselves, they did not repent. So God allowed the Assyrians to come and besiege them. And we as a nation should be a people who are repenting of our sins before the Lord. And it really begins with the Church setting that example for for us to humble ourselves, repent and turn to the Lord and God will have mercy on our land as he would have had for the people of Joel's day. But they were stiff necked and they did not repent. And thus God allowed the Assyrians to come. But repentance is an important part of living our lives. Look, you know, even as a Christian, when you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you should still be regularly making sure your heart is right with the Lord. And that involves repentance and confession. That doesn't mean you have to get saved all over again. It just means I want my heart to be clean with God when I know I've sinned against Him. I need to repent of that sin. I need to confess that as sin and he will forgive us of our sins. Thank you, Desmond.
- [39:39]
Desmond
Thank you, Pastor God, thank you.
- [39:42]
Pastor Gary
Hello. Hello, I'm Jack. I have two questions.
- [39:45]
Austin
First one being, so whenever the Antichrist comes, whenever the time the Antichrist comes
- [39:51]
Pastor Gary
around, will Christians like us still be here to witness the rise of the
- [39:55]
Austin
Antichrist or will we have be raptured by then?
- [39:59]
Pastor Gary
Good question, guys.
- [40:00]
Tyler
Yeah. I believe the Bible teaches a pre trib rapture. So I think, I believe the church as a whole Christians will be. The true Christians will be raptured prior to the Antichrist being revealed. And I say true Christians because again, it goes back to there's Christians out there that it's name only, but they're not living it. So the true church, you know, Philadelphia, if you Want even call it, I believe will be taken up to be with the Lord before the Antichrist presents himself on the world scene. It doesn't mean that he may not be alive or be here. He's just not on the world scene yet.
- [40:35]
Pastor Gary
Right. So he might be around. We just. But I don't think we will see him in his full power until we're out of here. You had another question, Jack?
- [40:43]
Austin
Yes. In Revelation, the beast that. The name beast that rises from the
- [40:47]
Pastor Gary
water, is that the same beast that
- [40:49]
Austin
is mentioned in Job? It could be Job. Is it job 40 and 41 that mentions. Mentions the behemoth and the Leviathan. Now, some. Some Bible scholars would say that the beast of the sea and the beast of the earth, that John is actually just pointing back to the behemoth and Leviathan as more of this symbolic message that could be. I. We take more of a literal approach that the beast of the sea and the beast of the earth are not just symbolically talking about just a world system that's a part of it, but that it will literally be a man, the Antichrist, who is possessed by Satan and the false prophet who is, you know, Satan's. I called him Satan's sidekick, who then kind of comes alongside the Antichrist in his. In his mission to deceive the world.
- [41:48]
Pastor Gary
Yeah, Leviathan can be a word that describes Satan, but in Job's account, I think Leviathan is an actual sea creature. But in Revelation 13, when it talks about the beast of the sea, I don't think it's a literal sea. In that case, it's speaking about the sea of humanity that the. That the Antichrist rises up from the sea of humanity. But that's a great question, Jack. Thank you. Thank you. All right, you're the last one, brother.
- [42:13]
Desmond
Hey. Hey, Pastor. How you doing? So I had a quick question as a former Muslim.
- [42:16]
Pastor Gary
Yeah. Obviously this guy has a ministry to Muslims, everybody. So thank you for.
- [42:21]
Desmond
Yeah, So I had a question. I know sometimes I go online and go back and forth with. With Muslims, you know, trying to talk about the word so they can come to Christianity. And obviously there's mockery and all that good stuff. Well, not good stuff. So as a Christian, where the Bible in Ephesians and 1st Peter and Romans talks about, you know, be angry, but don't sin. You know, fight back, but don't fight back. You know, me as a former Muslim, we're raised to. Nikorana says, you know, whenever you see a poly atheist or the Christians or the Jews, kill him. When you See him Right. Or persecuted when you see him. So as a Christian, how do you fight that back without being too angry?
- [43:11]
Pastor Gary
Yeah. You know, kill him with kindness, brother. I mean, and I mean that in a very symbolic way. Obviously it's just the idea of kindness. So when I say kill, that's obviously symbolic because we're going to win them over with love. We're going to win them over with the love of Jesus Christ. You know, in Daniel Messiah, who was named Muhammad Kamel before he got saved and Daniel's been here a few times, he said to ask three questions. One of the questions is do you know if Allah loves you? Most Muslims say I don't know or no. The second question is, do you know where you are going when you die? Aside from what they think happens with Jihad? They will say no, I don't know for sure. They have no assurance of it. And the third question to ask is can Allah change you? And that they will also say I don't know or no. And then you answer to them and say, well, my God can do all those things. My God can change me. I know my God loves me and I know where I am going when I die because of what Christ has done for me. Yeah. So really just show them the love of Jesus and just continue to be genuine. We don't have to respond in like kind and we can show them the grace and the love of Jesus and keep up a good work as you witness to them. Thank you.
- [44:33]
Desmond
My friend. I do want to say one thing. There's a hadith. I'm sure you're doing a hadith yet. So that's a additional wording than the Quran. And there's a hadith in there there that Allah said that no Muslim was going to go to heaven no matter what good deed you do.
- [44:48]
Tyler
Yeah.
- [44:48]
Desmond
However, the only way you're going to go to heaven is by a, by replacing you as a Muslim with a Christian or a Jew. If they're going to go to hell to replace you to go to heaven, just want to put that out there
- [45:00]
Pastor Gary
and then that, that fuels the whole Jihad mindset. That's right.
- [45:04]
Desmond
Yeah.
- [45:05]
Pastor Gary
Thank you very much. Yeah, thank. You.