The Middle East - God’s Clock | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Genesis 12:1, Genesis 12:7, Genesis 13:15-17, Genesis 15:7, Exodus 3:8, Joshua 1:6, Psalm 122:1-6, Psalm 137:6-7, Revelation 16:16, Revelation 17:12-17, Revelation 13:1, Revelation 13:11, Revelation 13:17, Revelation 13:18, Revelation 17:17, Revelation 4:1-7, Colossians 4:3-5

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--the-middle-east-god-s-clock
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
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Please, would you move swiftly back to your pews and would you grab your Bible, the word of God, and would you turn quickly with me? Thank you, Lord. I don't know how many received the Holy Ghost today, but several. I don't know how many. I don't know how many were refilled with the Holy Ghost today. Several. Put me down as one of them. Amen. It's good to feel the presence of of of God. Brother Magna, it's so good to have him with us. We love him so much. God, you're so good. Isn't God awesome? Does not God do all things well? >> Does God not do all things? >> Well, Genesis 12 and1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, "Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, from thy father's house, unto a land." Everybody say, "A land." >> That I will show thee. Verse seven of the same chapter. The Lord appeared unto Abram and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." And there built it he an altar unto the Lord who appeared to unto him. Genesis 13:15. For all the land which thou seeest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed at forever. I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land, the length of it, the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee. Genesis 15:7. And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of the Caldes to give thee this land to inherit it. In light of the things that are going on in our world as we speak, I want to minister just for a few moments on the Middle East. God's clock. The Middle East. God's clock. Jesus, thank you for your word. It's surely our compass. Thank you for your word. It's surely our light of enlightenment. Lord, anoint your servant for the next few moments that I may speak to this congregation about your clock, the Middle East. In Jesus name we all pray. Amen. And amen. You may be seated. The Middle East according to scripture is the land is a clock in scripture that we can know the times. It is a clock. The Middle East is a clock that we can know the times. It begins by being a promised land. That's what we first find it as. We find it as the promised land. The land that God promised to Abram, to Abraham. This land, we know it well as the promised land. We will then find out. We will then find the land in the book of Exodus. The Bible says in Exodus chapter 3 and verse number eight, God speaking to Moses from the burning bush, he said, "I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey, a place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorite, prayer site, the Hivites and the Jebusites. It had been over 400 years, brothers and sisters, hear me please. It had been under over 400 years since God had spoke to Abram about a promised land. But I want you to know today that time does not diminish the promises of God. Some people are living like the Lord's not coming. They're saying things like, "I've heard that before." Yes, you've heard it before, and you need to hear it again because time does not diminish the promises of God. >> If God promises Abraham and his seed a land, it doesn't matter if it was 4,000 and 35 years. God who cannot lie made a promise. We find it in the book of Exodus. God isn't forgetful. You see, sometimes we think God is like us. God is nowhere near like us. >> We make promises and forget we make them. Or we make promises and grow weak over time and cannot fulfill them. But I got news for you today. Our God does all things well. >> And when our God makes a promise, our God can keep a promise. He doesn't grow old. He doesn't grow weary. His eyesight's never dim. And his memory is impeccable. He is the God of promise. It would go on from the promised land to the land of the Exodus to the 12 tribes. Joshua 1 and verse 6 Joshua be strong and of good courage for unto this people shalt th shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land. So we have we have the land now that is divided for an inheritance because God promised. Now, I'm I'm taking a little time to teach this today because the media has so filled the airwaves with misinformation, inaccurate information to where even good Christian people are starting to talk about, well, maybe we shouldn't stand with Israel. Can I tell you the covenant was not with the government of Israel. It's what you got to get in your mind. The covenant was not with the government of Israel that now is. When these promises were made, it was a theocracy. It was a God ruled. It was a God ruled people. So many people today seeing things about the government of Israel they don't like are now being prone to be negative toward Israel. that let your pastor help us and let the scripture help us today. The promise that God has is with two things. A land >> and a seed. >> A land and a seed. Not a government. You'll go astray if you get into the government. Have they done some things right? Yes. Have they done some things that are not right? Yes. But the people, God made a covenant. Now, I know y'all are a little bit quiet with me today, like looking at me like a mule eating briers through a picky fence. I I I realize that today. But we'll get misled if we let the news be our information source. Not only that, but the land was given and a particular city was chosen. Jerusalem is the ep epicenter of it all. the writer, not on Fox or CNN or NSNBC or whatever, but the DAV news wrote Psalms 22 and1, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, oh Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builted as a city that is compact together. whether the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Listen to verse six. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper that love thee. Can I tell you, if you will pray for the spiritual peace of Jerusalem, God says, "I'm going to prosper you. I personally pray for the peace of Jerusalem because the Middle East is God's clock to tell us the times that we're in. It would be on in Psalms 137:E 6 and 7. Listen to how they felt about Jerusalem. He says, "If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. If I prefer not Jerusalem among my chief joy. Now you know he said he said if I forget what's really important, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. I don't have anything worth saying if it's not about God. You can talk about sports. You can talk about the economy. You can talk about family things and they may all be well. But if you don't talk about the Lord's coming back and I've got to be ready and I've got to get everybody that I can meet, I've got to get them ready for the coming of the Lord. Because I want you to know what we saw yesterday is just one more click of a hand on God's clock. This thing is winding up, good people. And we need to shake ourselves and we need to get away because the Lord is coming. Listen to this. Psalms 137:E7. Now remember he said, "If I forget to talk about you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. Let Jerusalem be my chief joy." Listen to this. Remember, oh Lord, the children of Edom. That's that's Israelite haters. Remember the children of Ed Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said, "Race it. Race it even to the foundation." Race it. The word there race means destroy. Seems like way before what we've been seeing the last year on the news. The the the anti-Israel things that are going on, the the destroy the city and all of that. Seems like this was way back in the Bible days. Can I tell you? They may rant. They may they may rant and rave. They may imagine a vain thing, but Jerusalem and the Middle East is on God's prophecy time clock. The land, certain events are going to happen in the land. Micah made a prophecy hundreds of years before Bethlehem. Micah said, "Out of Bethlehem shall come the ruler." In between the prophecy and the fulfillment of the prophecy, Israel was attacked time and time again, but never was circumbed by the enemy. Do you know why the Middle East is God's time clock? is because there's prophecy, future things that are yet to take place in the Holy Land or the Middle East that have to be in the fulfillment of prophecy. Number one prophecy, one of the prophecies, let me say it, clarify it. One of the prophecies is the battle of Armageddon that'll take place outside the walls of Jerusalem. Now, I'm I'm going to show you something here. One administrative, one administration change, one different man occupying the most powerful seat of the world. One man has changed dramatically has changed the things that they are right now. Has changed them. One man here, listen to me now. Don't get caught up in when they shall say peace, peace, and safety. Sudden destruction coming. Because if it just took one man making these drastic good changes, all it'll take is just one man to turn the tide. So what do you got to do, brother Carpenter? I'm going to tell you what we got to do. I do believe that God has given us a little bit more time. I believe and I'll end I'll end it in just a few moments with this, but I believe that God has given us just a little bit of time to put the sickle to the field of the world. What happened this morning in this church is overwhelming. I don't know if you realize it or not, but offerings that were raised like were raised this morning are not the average for your average church. Just making the need. What a great church. God has found a group of people that God can say, "I'm going to hold up the clock just a little bit." Because I believe if those people ever got an open door, I believe they'll go into Iraq. I believe they'll go into Iran. You better believe it. They were held to a poisonous, destructive, misguided theological uh doctrine. But wouldn't it be wonderful if God has pushed the oppressive back and God is going to open up the doors and maybe the next offering we'll take up is to send a missionary to Iran. Come on. That's why we exist. That's why we live. That's why we live. All you see is going to burn up one day. Only what's done for Jesus Christ is going to last. the battle of Armageddon. Please just allow me to tell you the verses. Revelation 16:16, they gathered them together into a place in the Hebrew tongue called Armageddon. This is the battle that will end all battles here in this battle. In this battle of Armageddon, we are in we are introduced in the book of Revelation. We are introduced and let me let me find the scripture. Revelation chap 17 and verse number 12. The 10 horns which thou saw or 10 kings which have received no kingdom as of yet but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Everybody say beast. >> These all have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the >> beast. These shall make war with the lamb and the lamb shall overcome them. Oh yes he shall. For he is lord of lords and king of kings. And they that are with him and that's us are called chosen and faithful. And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest were the said it. That's a false religious system are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. The t horns which thou sawest upon the beast. These shall hate the and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. The Greek word for beast in this term, this beast is a venomous, dangerous hunter. So this beast is a poisonous killing hunter. What I just read you is a political system. The horns, that's a political system upon the heads. It's an anti-God, anti-Israel political confederation that are known as the beast. But you got to understand there's more than just this beast. Revelation 13 and1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven horns 10 have seven heads and 10 horns and upon his horns 10 crowns and upon his heads the the name of blasphemy. This is this is that political system. Look at verse 11 of the same chapter. Revelation 13:11. And I beheld another beast. Now, we've been talking about the beast, and now we're talking about another beast. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. This is the Antichrist. Because every political confederation of governments need a spokesman. They need somebody to speak for them. This is the rise. And in no coincidence, you his Greek for beast is venomous hunter. He's a killer, but he appears with two horns like a lamb. He appears innocent, harmless like a lamb. But when he opens his mouth, he is a killing dragon. Here coupled together, the beast, the political political governments, and now the beast, the antichrist. But let me stop us for a moment as I'm explaining this oppressive political system that is hostile toward Christians and Israel. Let me tell you, I got to reading my Bible. And I read where there's some more beasts. They're found in Revelation 13 and 11. And I beheld another what? Beast coming up out of the earth. Had two two two horns like a lamb. Let me let me go go on down and read just a little bit. That's that's about that's about the anti that's about the Antichrist. I'm I'm trying to save some time here again. Again, this is the Antichrist. He's so powerful, so persuasive where Christians and Jews will be so persecuted. It'll come a time to where the only way that you can buy or sell is to have a mark in your hand, the mark, what's called the mark of the beast. But I love in Revelation 13 and 18, because God doesn't want us living in fear. God does not want us I want to say that again. I think I got one amen. God does not want us living in fear. >> The only reason you ought to be fearful is you're not giving all your heart to God. >> Don't play church. Do you know this is one of the most dangerous places to play church in all the world. Because you know a greater judgment will be upon people that came to church week in and week out and did nothing with what they heard. God will have more mercy on somebody that never heard this than he will somebody that came week after week after week and never did anything about it. If you're playing with God, you better you ought to be a fearful. If you're playing with God, there ought to be some fear around you today because at any moment, one other thing on God's timetable could happen. And that is the rapture of the bride of Jesus Christ. And I'm here to I'm here to tell you today, we don't need to live in fear. We need to live in the spirit. That time is running out and we've got to do everything we can do. Bible studies, prayer meetings, witnessing. We got to do everything that we can do to get our family, our kin folk, our neighbors inside of this ark. Don't you live in fear? Revelation 13:17 says this, "That no man might buy or sell save he that had the markle of the name of the beast or of the number of his name." Look at verse 18 very closely. Here is wisdom. Say those three words with me right now. >> Here is wisdom. What is wisdom? Wisdom is perception. Wisdom is looking beyond what you can see and looking at the inside of a situation. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a >> what? >> What's he number of? >> What now? >> He's the number of a man and his number is 600 score and six. Can I tell you something today? Everything Satan throws at us has a man behind it. But everything we walk in has a God behind it. It may look like sin has taken over. It may look like evil's going to rain, but here's a little bit of wisdom. It's just the number of a man. God is going to step in and God is going to turn all of it. Hold. Hear me. Hear hear me real close. Hear me real close. I I don't mean to set you down, but I'm just trying to rest the time here. He hear me real close. The Bible says the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. He turneth it whethersoever he wants it to go. Can I tell you? I believe that our current president, Donald Trump, has made decisions that he probably scratched his head and wondered why he made them. But there's a God in heaven that gets a hold of the king's heart and says, "I want you to turn it this way and I want you to turn it that way." They're scratching their heads on the news right now saying, "Who would have ever thought that this would come to an end so quickly?" But I've come to tell you today, don't get your eye on that as much as you get your eye on this. The Middle East is nothing but God's time clock. Oh, let me rush on. Let me rush on. Wisdom is perception. Wisdom is is this is this perception. Look at Revelation 17 and 17. God is in control. Satan is operated by man. God is in control. Satan has been defeated. Satan has been defeated. Man and God. Man is no match for God. Look at verse 17 of Revelation 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled. God is a mastermind. God has a way of moving events that it looks like the adversary is gaining ground, but God would say, "I allowed him to do that. I allowed him to do that. Why did you allow them to do that? Because I've got a will that's far bigger. Far bigger. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ is a prime example. The Bible says, had the rulers of this world known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. If hell would have only known that crucifying the son of God would open up a fountain of redemption, they would have never had him crucified. But hell doesn't know everything that God is up to. I want you to know today, I will not fear what man can do to me because I am walking in the But wait a minute, I found another beast. You see, we got a beast that's a political su political system. And we got a beast that's the speaker for the political system. But then I found a third beast. He's in Revelation. They're in Revelation chapter 4 verse number one. After this, I looked, and behold, a door was open in heaven. The first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, which said, "Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter." Immediately I was in the spirit, and behold, the throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. ought to praise God for that one. How many sat on throne? Oh, I can't go there. Oh, Lord J, I can't. And he that sat he that he he gota go go. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone. There was a rainbow about the throne in the sight in sight like an emerald. Round about the throne were four and 20 seats. And upon the seats I saw four and 20 elders clothed in white raignment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunders and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. That doesn't mean seven dead. That means completion. The complete spirit of God. And before the throne, there was a sea of glass like a crystal. And in the midst of the throne, round about the throne were what? Four beasts full of eyes before and behind. The first beast was like a lion. And the second beast like a a calf or an ox. And third beast had the face of a man. The fourth beast was like a flying eagle. It's amazing when you do study on the word when it referred to to the political system and it referred to the man that led the political system. The word in the Greek is used a venomous hunter, a killer. But when you go to chapter four and you find these beasts before the throne, their name is tied into to live, to breathe, to be among the living. They also says to enjoy real life, to have rule life and worthy of the name, to be active, to be blessed, the endless in the kingdom of God. Isn't it amazing? Isn't it amazing that you got beasts that are hunters and killers, deceivers, but God's got these creatures that are lifegiving. They are lifegiving creatures. These angels are lifegiving creatures. Let me go on. We have an opportunity set before us. The Middle East is God's time clock. things are happening and will continue to happen in the Middle East. No other country fits scripture like this. Maybe a few, maybe Russia, Ukraine, maybe China, but the United States, we don't really fit in this prophecy. Wars and rumors of wars. There's no other place on the earth that fits this Bible prophecy more than the Middle East wars and rumors of wars. There'll be no peace there. I said there'll be no peace there. So, how do you know that? Because the Bible says there'll be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes to rule and to reign. And when he sets up his thousand-year millennial reign on this earth, can I tell you that's when the lion and the lamb will lie down together. That's when true peace is going to come. Man is not going to produce this peace. Man is going to be nothing but palms in the hands of God to move them around. I close with this today. The book of Colossians, Paul would write, chapter 4, verse number three. I'm so glad for the Iranian people this morning. Said, I'm so glad for the Iranian people this morning. I'm so glad that they have been set free. They say up to maybe 50,000 protesters were put to death the last few months. just because they wanted freedom, just because they had another view. I'm so glad in humanity that in a plane ride away is a group of people that have a glimmer of hope this morning. But I'll tell you what my mind is upon today. Is this what Paul says in Colossians 4 and3 with all praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ which I also for I am also in bonds that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak to walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time. First apostolic, brother Darren is what we witnessed yesterday. Nothing but a new door that can open up to us. Those people in Iran need to hear the gospel. Their little boys and girls need to go to a house of worship where they can run to the altar and praise and worship God. They've got a right to hear the plan of salvation. Could it be today, Pastor Ericson, Pastor Nolan, Pastor Hammond? Could it be today that God is giving us another door? another door to open a new government. A new government that'll be friendly toward Christian missionaries. Let's not make the mistake that the church made after they dropped the atomic bomb on Japan. General MacArthur wrote a letter to religious organizations and said, "Get here as quickly as possible." Said, "These people are so devastated that their gods did not protect them and they're open. Get here quickly. send missionaries quickly get here. But history records, brother Tyler, history records that at that time in America, there was such ignorance of prejudice. There was such ignorance of prejudice judging people by the color of their skin and that many of the religious people of that day didn't believe the Japanese people had a soul and so they didn't sin. But I tell you who did answer that call and I'll tell you the predominant religion in Japan today is the Catholic Church because they answered it. And that's why Sister Kano and Brother Kano, we're going to do our best. We may be several decades late, but I I' I'd get there because they've got a right. They've got a right to hear. And I want you to know that I'll keep my ear tuned to every available door. God, let the new government there be friendly. Oh God, let that new government be friendly to missionaries. God, oh God, raise up men and women that have the courage to go to a a land that's never been tilled with the gospel. God, is it our open door? Is this our open door? Is this our open door? The Bible talks about an open door. The Bible also talks about a time when the door will be shut. The Bible talks about when the good men of the house has risen up and shut the door. They without begin to say, "Open to us." But he says to them on the outside, "Depart from me. I never knew you." The Lord shut the door on Noah's day. Do we have our commitment cards? Can we Can we bring those cards to the front right now? Where those of you that have those cards, would you bring them down to the front? Thank you this morning. Would you stand with me right now, Lord? I love you, Lord. I want to do everything I can do, God, to spread this gospel around the world. Oh God, when I die, I only want people to remember me by giving to missions. God, when I die, I only want people to remember I promoted prayer. God, when I die, I want generations to come to say he pushed us to give to missions. He made available, oh God, in Jesus name. Right now, could we all just pray together right now? just remain in your pew, but just just pray together right now. The door's open. The opportunity is here. We've been blessed, but let's not let our blessing blessings be a curse. Let's not let our blessings be a curse right now. We're blessed. Many are making more money than than they know what to do with. Our basic needs have far been exceeded by what you've given to us, God. But oh God, don't let me allow my my my blessing to become a curse. That I become like the man in the parable that said, "I will build bigger barns and lay up my goods for many days." Oh, God. No, no, no, no. Come on, pray with me. Just pray with me. The door's open. The door is open. The door's open. We started out several years ago in Jesus name. We started out several years ago. Our income at that time, it was a sacrificial giving, but our income at that time allowed us to make a $50 pledge a month to missions. Just a $50 pledge. I I know that doesn't, brother Lawless, that doesn't sound like much, but back then it was a lot to us to look at our budget, to look at what we made and say, "What after tithe and offerings to our local church and we can give $50 and but you know what we did? We we noticed and we made decision that every year we would look back and we would just wouldn't get stuck on we just wouldn't get stuck on $50. We'd look back and I never looked back one year and didn't see the increase of God in my life. So we would bump it up, I don't know, $75, $100. And I'm not going to tell you I'm not going to tell you the amount today, but I would tell you this. what God has blessed us to give to missions every month would be an average car payment today. And I thank God for that. Well, why are you telling me that? Why why you telling me that today? My wife is chuckling over something. I'll ask her later what she's chuckling over. But I'm asking you today, God bless you, to make a sacrificial 12 month pledge to missions. And this time next year, if that clock hasn't reached midnight, I want you to look back over and I want you to see God will bless your business. God will bless your personal life. How many of you have already had an altar call today? We'll be dismissed this way today. There's pledge cards all over the altar right now. If you want to come down and take a pledge card, take it home with you. Fill it out. Bring it back. It'll help us to know how we can help our missionaries. Jesus name. In Jesus name. Honey, come down and get one for us. Prayer meeting tonight at 5:30. 6 o'clock will be another great service starting. Father, I pray for the people in Iran, Iraq, Syria. Father, I pray for the people in Saudi Arabia. God, I pray for the people, God, in Lebanon and Israel. Lord, I pray for the Middle East this morning. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God, I pray, Lord, that you would just touch that nation, touch that city today. Oh God, you're great and you're greatly to be praised. I hope we run out of pledge cards today. Mighty God, you're a beautiful church. You're a wonderful church.