Apostolic Living: Living in the Last Days

you can be seated in the presence of the Lord so good to see all of you out this night all right we got your Bible I'm gonna read most of it tonight or at least a few verses we are this month of May just a quick reminder next to Wednesday nights brother Samuel will be teaching on the same topic I've given him the materials so if he does it badly you tell me if he does it goodly tell me that as well but uh he's gonna continue with apostolic living that's what we're talking about this month of May also this Sunday is Mother's Day don't forget that husband's stay out of trouble Mother's Day so but Sunday night my wife and I will be headed to Germany for almost two weeks so we covet your prayers while we're gone we do have some excellent preachers that will be here on the Sundays there's some cool things going on here and then we'll expect all you to be in the house of the Lord and we'll get back end of the month and June is right here upon us right so for tonight last week anybody recall what we talked about last week apostolic click okay signs wonders miracles gifts all right is the Lord answered prayer for anybody here this past week just a Mandy stand up what happened go ahead see there hey hey that works don't it thank you sis it works were you expecting it oh you were hoping pray it pray it so miracle signs and wonders they they still happen anybody else just raise the hand Lord done this for me this week see there how good god is see how good god is well tonight I am going to continue on the same vein apostolic living number two in case I ask you something in the future you'll know what we're talking about let's turn in our Bibles if you have a Bible we're gonna go to 1st Thessalonians first Thessalonians we're gonna read it and tonight we're going to talk about something that I hope I hope all of us as apostolic sar excited about tonight part of apostolic living is living in the last days I mean believe heaven is real I mean on to youth they still think it's real is it is it something that you ponder or talk about or think about often I mean if eternity is a long time right so you better be talking about where you hope to spend it let's go to 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 somebody help me tonight verse 13 1st Thessalonians 4 could you somebody read that for me please 14 somebody else you can get 15 her 14 oh you got it read it again her come on read it again all right 15 someone else okay first 16 someone 17 verse 18 says wherefore comfort one another with these words look at your neighbor say be comforted herb did you say it was you able to say it joking as we live every single day anybody here make plans for the day yeah you get out of bed you've already got an idea of what's going to happen you start the process and whatever stage season or place in life that you are you you you adapt and you grow you mature those around you grow and mature as well as the old timers say nothing really lasts forever if you're in a season today before you know it it'll it'll change a lot of times I'll tell these new parents you know don't blink whatever you do don't blink cuz it'll fly right by next thing you know they'll be graduated they'll be off on their own they'll be married I mean don't blink I'm telling you it happens quick don't it truth of the matter is is that we are trying our best as individuals as Christians to make right choices and good decisions that will help us for our eternity now the reason we began tonight in first Thessalonians letter written to one of the churches concerning those who are dead because that that's the chiefest of concerns in that day what about folks that died they they're no longer eligible they're no longer available in that mindset of that day the church was thinking we have to be alive when when Jesus comes back and take the church out what happens if we're dead then we're done but Paul understood that and so when he wrote to the church he said don't don't worry about those who are already dead don't concern yourself with grandparents great-grandparents so forth leave that in the hands of God because those who have been prepared are the same as those who are pairing themselves now there will be a trumpet sound there will be a shout from the voice of the Archangel and those who are dead and those who are alive nobody's going to beat anybody together it's going to happen now again there's a few things that as apostolic suis have to understand this is this is concerning apostolic living number one is we must live by faith faith we cannot put our faith solely in an endtime scheme some of you if I were to take a poll out of the twenty or so that's sitting in here tonight some of you might would say without a shadow of a doubt I believe that the rapture is gonna happen pre-trib some of you would say well I believe in my studies that a rapture is gonna happen mid-trib and others might would even say you know what I believe that the rapture the coming of the Lord is going to happen post-trib and some of you would say I don't even know what a trip is well the fact is is if you'd begin to look in the Word of God you'll find several indicators that God loves the church he loves his people and so therefore those who are pre-tribulation would say he would not allow us to go through tribulation he would take us out of here first and then you have those who would say but in the seven weeks of Daniel the week being seventy okay when you get in the midst of that three and a half basically means three and a half years and so understanding what Daniel was saw back in the Old Testament that means that we'll have to live through a portion of it and then he'll come and get us there you have others who would simply say beyond a shadow of a doubt we gonna have to live hard y'all seven years are just hard tribulation you know and here you go and then those who are at the end we would make I don't know what your flavor is I would say to you that with every verse that I study in the Word of God I don't want to get sidetracked with that I want to get attached to the plan because the truth is is I might be post-trib and him come pre-trib now if I've been worried post stuff what happens doesn't matter anyway are you with me stay with me for just a bit we have to live daily as if the Lord come right now as if it could happen this moment we have to understand that there are some stay with me there are some that base a lot of their future on what's happening right now agreed and in doing so that might change tomorrow who would have ever thought that our nation would be in the condition it's in today our grandfather's I don't understand forefathers I don't have one but anyway those before us they would roll over and say wow look what what's going on we never thought this would ever come to pass truth of the matter you live by faith everybody say faith daily you trust the word you go in and you study the word you fall in love with Jesus and you make those choices every single day you have to walk with God as if he's coming right now number two something else apostolic have to get a hold of number two is you have to maintain a genuine humility a genuine humility some things concerning the end of days are very difficult to understand and some folk that's all they want to talk about let me ask you a question if Heaven and Hell was truly the first thing on your mind how would that change the way you live tomorrow would it alter anything you just kind of sashay through today and just hope everything comes together or would you concern yourself with the choices and the decisions you're making truth of the matter is is understanding that the Bible is the ultimate authority ultimate truth on every account humility is the attitude that Jesus showed us now that Jesus could have said and done anything agreed he could have blinked and things could have happen he could have thought it and things would have transpired he could have changed everything but he didn't with humility he gave his life on a cross understanding that he had to endure that to come out of the tomb so that we could have an opportunity to be saved agreed so the things you're going through in your life if you're truly Christ like what were you have to do you have to endure some things to get to this place so that he can get glory and honor through all of them first of all we live by faith second we maintain humility third of all we have to be aware of excessive dogmatic opinions anybody here have an opinion anyone else have an opinion about their opinions opinions are like what I don't have response everybody's got an opinion they might have an opinion on wheat toast does anyone have an opinion on the price of gasoline so you won't have an opinion on Coke Zero vanilla coke or orange coke have you tried those yet we need to try one of those just to say we did I have an opinion on sweet tea sometimes it's good and sometimes not so much the truth is though when it comes to salvation biblical learning stay with me a minute as apostolic s-- we can be very dogmatic about some things almost to the point that we scare people what does it mean to be dogmatic definition stubborn that'll work dogmatic what's it mean hard what else persistent yeah what else dogmatic the root word of dogmatic is what don't okay thank you that's from the teacher back there dogmatic what's it mean persistent right stubborn strong headed what else not easily swayed dogmatic is there one way to get to heaven that is through Jesus Christ period sometimes though we can we can we can separate ourselves so much too point that we can't help anybody else if we wanted to that doesn't mean that you have to be relative to them I had to this because of the conversation that was had several times I just want to be relative but the truth is is if you have to ask just a Christian there later about that but the truth is is honest when Jesus came did he that he died on a cross for just apostolic s-- no hoody down across for now the difference comes in and what there are biblical teachings that if you don't adhere to them it doesn't matter what you think or what you've come up with you have to understand that the Word of God is the ultimate word there are some things that you cannot sway me I know that I know that the Word of God says I've got to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins amen I know that it is in the name of Jesus there's no other name given among men whereby you must be saved it is the name of Jesus but there are some things that are preference alright I prefer one type of music over another type of music thank you brother Duran for many times given us different flavors and for not doing a lot of rap music in here it's just a preference I'm sure for some that probably makes a lot of good sense be aware of excessive dogmatic expressions listen you can't pound somebody over the head what should you do with the Word of God love them with it talking the Apostolic in your life and your living so you maintain a life of faith you maintain general or genuine humility you understand your opinions you make sure you stand on the Word of God number four is you uphold christ-like ethics what's an ethic principle christ-like principles do you realize that on your job if you work with five people 500 people it doesn't matter that you should be the same in front of them as you are at home or as Laure church or as you are someplace else huh you you're one thing at work and then you come to church and you're something else ethically your principles are bounded by what by your location you can't do that you have to stand for something you have to establish who you are ethically be right because the scripture says because the Spirit says you being right for the wrong reasons is still not right you got to understand the word you got understand the principles that are in the word just because somebody else has a different point of view doesn't give you the right to belittle them you educate you teach you should get in the word let the spirit lead you Christian living we're talking about apostolic living the last thing we're gonna I'm gonna mention in this as you practice Christian liberties just worship God love God this is Who I am you've got to have unity in the faith to allow for different views there are some of us that don't do well with with conflict and I know that it's part of our makeup it's part of some people love conflict they just want to they just want to brawl they just want to come on your just stand I said it was red it is not amber okay it's a shade of red no it's no okay some folks just want to be contingence they just wanted a just one of them they just want to fight they just want to struggle with something the truth of the matter is as Christian liberties allows you to say you know what you can believe what you want to in the Word of God but ultimately the ruler ultimately the guide ultimately the Word of God is what will not change I know folk that thought one way at certain times and then for whatever reason they thought another way what happened somebody used to believe this and now they'd no longer believe this somebody used to follow that path of Christianity and now they're way far from it what happened they changed their principles they change their liberties there's a whole lot of liberties in the Word of God a whole lot of things that the power and the presence of God will allow you to do you realize that the liberties of the Holy Ghost will let you wake up in the morning with a clear mind it'll help you in the worst of your situations it'll be there for you when you just need peace in your life those are liberties and loving God so those five things that I mentioned to you the Word of God is written established and cannot change so when it comes to talking about the end of time the last days before the rapture what do you believe do you believe that heaven is still out there sure so that said everything you do day in and day out has to point to what to your desires to go to heaven the chief authority is the Word of God the principles of the word of God the precepts of the Word of God let's look at another series of scriptures first Corinthians this is another letter written to the church to another church if you will first Corinthians 15 and 51 can somebody help me reading please how's your voice heard first Corinthians 15 and 51 someone fifty-two in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the trumpet shall sound the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 53 someone fifty-four anyone Oh death where is thy sting o grave where is thy victory 56 some 157 therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord the scripture here again the letter that was written one of the letters written to Corinth was this is a mystery this is something that that I want to explain to you in this letter he was telling them again about the difference in those who are living and those who are dead those who are awake and those who are asleep something's going to happen and and the important part about 51 verse 51 here is that we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed something is going to transpire that will change us in doing so the last part of what we read my my beloved brethren be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain so according to this the Bible gives us indication that knowing that the catching away the rapture the the Trump of God there was something that is going to transpire to those who are following the Word of God following the scripture in salvation understanding that something is going to happen in the world stay with me just a moment that is called anti-christ what is an anti-christ against Christ's Antichrist was the last time you heard that word when's the last time somebody mentioned to you wow that's a real nice Antichrist over there no the people don't they don't they don't want to wrap their mind around that talking about Apostolic living here the spirit of Antichrist is working in the world the spirit of Antichrist is saying that this is not going to happen what the Bible says it's not going to be true what the Scriptures have written and have been established it's not going to be viable in our generation so what's happening in the United States of America what's happening in our world today what has changed over the last five years fifteen years the spirit of Antichrist is raising up its head and saying whole generations if you will you know what there's nothing to that anymore I would used to believe in God but he's not relevant to me any longer and then there are phrases there are popular people there are actors and Hollywood folk and and musicians and singers and popular folk that that that whole cultures if you will subcultures have come up and they've said there's nothing to this god thing why would God let things of this nature happen if there was a God and you get there well that just settles into somebody's mind what if I don't believe in God then I'm going to become anti God and that's a spirit that will begin to work in the hearts and the lives of people and it's what it is it's Antichrist it's against Christ notice what happens revelation 19 revelation 20 there's two books or two chapters excuse me in the book of Revelation written concerning the end of time anybody read revelations much wow so mary had a little lamb his fleece was why I could just say that right revelation what's it about the end of time okay help me out here we go you might even hear no Spanish what's the book of Revelation in Spanish apocalypsis which means apocalypse y'all just thought there was a zombie apocalypse whatever that zombie is revelation is a guy set apart and he has this revelation of the future stay with me Revelation chapter 20 let's read a few of these verses I'm going to show you something revelation 20 verse 11 somebody is there buddy okay reading out loud it helps me a lot because that means I don't have to read them all Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 somebody verse 12 very good 13 someone okay fourteen someone very good 15 someone every human ever will receive a reward look at your neighbors say you're gonna get a reward come on it's gonna be a reward not only a reward tell them you're gonna receive an eternal reward tell her come on encourage them you're gonna receive an eternal reward huh you believe it now the truth is is it will either be life or damnation according to the scripture now for me I want to choose eternal life that that's that's for me I want to choose eternal life now if you go again Revelation chapter 19 Revelation chapter 20 you're gonna read a whole lot of things about the new heaven new earth the things that are soon to transpire okay now imagine yourself being John having seen all this writing and he didn't know the timeline the frame of it all he simply knew was I'm being shown something and I'm being told write it down and then from there it's passed forward and you and I 2019 we understand it you know what if you go through the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation you're gonna find something God's plan has a purpose each and every portion of the word so we as apostolic sin Apostolic living we have to understand that in the end time something is going to transpire and according to Revelation 20 everybody is gonna stand in judgment everyone there's not one book but there are books and the other book there's your name written in the book that identifies you and then there's works and you're going to be judged out of these books now who's going to be left out who's not going to stand according to the word it says there was one on the throne saw the dead the small the great stand before God books were open other book the book of life the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works the sea gave up the dead ruther in and death and he'll delivered up the dead in them and every man was judged according to their works so the question then for today is does that mean that works matters what's it say what kind of works what kind of works what'd you do for him because if you're not doing it for him then you're doing it for if you're not bringing honor and glory to him what are you doing at the end there are two places one eternal life or eternal damnation there's no third fourth or fifth place according to the Word of God agreed so you're either gonna do eternal life called heaven or you're gonna do eternal damnation called lake of fire called hell there's no there's and there's no between it would have been in here if there were betweens so that said this is what you got these are choices here here so if everybody's gonna be judged they're gonna be judged equally according to what the books and when you see those understand and study the books then you have to realize it's the works that you do for him because you know what if you're not working for God then you must be working for if you're not doing it to bring honor and glory to him then somebody else is gonna get honor and glory now there's not a person in here I would say that desires to earnestly contend for he'll stay with me 2019 though we live in a generation in the culture that simply says hell is not real I've even heard of recent days that hell is not real in heaven is basically whatever you think it is lots of scary thought because if I'm really really SuperDuper hungry and cold but guess what heaven would be to me warm blanket a fire a big ol cup of joe and a doughnut but if I were full of donuts and and it was hot outside what would heaven be to me big old tall glass of sweet iced tea can't just say iced tea because you may get it on the sweet sweet iced tea in another donut this stay with me we live in a day and in a culture that is Antichrist because they are trying to produce and publish negative ratings about heaven listen friend of mine heaven is as real as it gets if it were not so he would have told us hell is as real as it gets if it were not so he would have told us everything we read and the Word of God is for us to comprehend and in Apostolic life living in livelihood we have to be more prepared now to give an answer for why you believe what you believe come on you can't just simply say you know what we do this at church because I'm not sure but it's a really cool idea get in the word and find out I've said this multiple times from this desk if the doors of this church were locked shut would you still follow the scriptures if you couldn't get anywhere you didn't have gas in your vehicle you couldn't get out of the house or you were stuck on the side of the road and no way to get in you would you still pray would you still believe in God it's convenient when you're sitting in here and a nice cool ambience and the lights are going the music's good and you know yeah that's that's one thing to say yeah I believe this but what about when the going gets tough so the question is if you're living like an apostolic one that follows the Apostles doctrine then you've got to believe there is a heaven and there is a hell and the reason that this is afforded to us in Thessalonians and in Corinthians and here in Revelation is because for you and I we are aiming towards the goal of making heaven our home and spending eternity with our loving Savior every human will receive an eternal reward notice what Jesus has done for you all right this is in the book of John this is the Gospel of John John chapter 14 okay this is in one of the Gospels interesting that the guy who's the beloved would write this John 14 in 1 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me and my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also and whether I go you know and the way you know who's preparing this place who whose well if you open your Bible in your King James Version what color were the words oh nobody has a everybody's on their phone anybody have a Bible in here you got anybody why was a church it's a church you may got a written Bible it's probably one laying around somewhere go get into lost and found there may be one I've often said what happened if you drop your phone I'd lose all my contacts and I'd lose all my facebook connects in my pictures I must stop that stuff and you didn't even mention the Bible software you have it anyway it's written in red which is the red letter Edition according to the King James translation is what words and red were assumed to be words that Jesus spoke he's preparing a place so that where he is you can come and be there so that what he's preparing is exactly how he wants to prepare it for each one of us if it weren't he wouldn't have said he wouldn't have done it but he's leaving to go and prepare a place the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of God heaven is where those who have trusted him with his word and have submitted themselves to his word lived according to his word that's where they're gonna spend eternal life the place of eternal fire hell bottomless pit call it what you want or for those who have not trusted in him but have decided to take their future into their own hands so in an Apostolic life what do you do you live by the Apostles doctrine you follow and pursue what the Apostles taught about what they spoke to the churches about what they wrote to what they establish with churches and part of that is one day you will spend eternity somewhere the interesting thing about heaven is it never ends joy unspeakable I'm talking streets of gold I'm talking there's no sunshine there because he's the light there's no sorrow there's no suffering come on you got to put a smile on there's no pain there's no bills to pay there's no gas to put in your car there's nobody that's belly aching or complaining the kids aren't running around driving it somebody else's kids are not running around driving you crazy it's heaven but as much as we want to rejoice with that hell is as real he speaks about him weeping gnashing of teeth unable to stop the pain the suffering the the tumbling and the bottomless pit what would it be a bottomless pit a pit without ah that's kinda like a domestic and restaurant you can get bottomless chips I've often wondered about that if I just sat here for four days would they keep bringing them what do you think Logan you got to try it one day let's know do it do a project bottomless listen to me from hell it's not a place anybody in their right mind want to go to but it's prepared the same God who prepared heaven is the same one that's preparing hell isn't that let's stay with me for just a moment isn't that one of the most coolest things about our God he is just if you'll follow me if you'll do what I say if you'll get in the word let the word be applied to your life this is what I'm doing if you don't don't worry about it I got a place for you as well in that fair ain't it fair that he doesn't let you write your own name in the book but instead he's controlling that therefore you can't say hey now hold up wait yo mmm it should have been there I was a good person I did a whole lot of good things get in that book and see I did this and I did that and I did this and it's even talked about in here because God knew exactly that somebody was gonna have that argument but didn't I cast out him didn't I didn't I and all this and and he's gonna say mmm you know what I never knew you even goes further and says worker of iniquity huh I don't know yeah that word know was the same know as from the Genesis and Adam knew his wife and she conceived its relationship I don't know you you didn't have a relationship with me do you realize that when they said didn't we cast out and didn't we do this and you're named it yeah because I'm bound to my name I'm not bound to what you have brought my name to that's why I'm convinced that that the president can be sworn in with his hand on the Bible God will honor that because it's his word it's his word I feel sorry for those who were sworn into office using other books that happened this last election Matthew writes it this way my landing gears down Matthew 24:44 therefore be also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh if you'll take time you'll go through Matthew 24 you'll find out that in that riding folk we're gonna be encumbered about with a whole lot of things let's call it busyness let's call it just just caught up in the day-to-day life in that time the hours gonna come and you're not gonna think about it but the Trump's gonna sound and knowing that you have done everything according to the Word of God friend of mom the last days according to the scriptures are very real very real very real and if we truly believe that salvation that godly living that the church was established the Minor Prophets the major prophets the Gospels everything that was done and accomplished in the word if we truly believe it then we better get ready for what it's going to happen and that's called heaven or hell so the question is this every single day you are preparing for an eternity someplace the question is is where God has given all of us the ability to choose given every single one of us as humans the ability to make choice watching waiting looking knowing Lord you're coming back for a church that's ready that's looking to you heaven that's prepared for those who have followed him part of apostolic living is not just simply being a good person every day but it's also understanding that what you do matters and if indeed heaven is in your view then every day you have to do an examination every day you have to check yourself every every opportunity that comes you got to spend time in his presence I don't I don't know about you but as a teenager as a child growing up in church and as a teenager I've said this before from here I'd there were nights that I'd go to bed and be scared and maybe maybe you you weren't or didn't hear that message that I heard as a young man and I was scared to death that the trumpet was gonna sound in the middle all night Lord I want to want to go to heaven I sure don't want to go to hell I don't want the demons and all the pain and the suffering and the garbage and the trash and the bottomless pit out I don't want to be even even closely involved in that I want heaven to be my home I want an eternity with you God now I don't mind telling you that that it's something that's out there and and there are times because it is so out there that you may not think of it but don't be surprised one day when it happens kind of like when my wife and I hadn't been married long and she came home from work and I'd already gotten home I beat her home that day and I laid a pile of clothes on the floor in the living room Logan there were shoes and socks and pants and shirt t-shirt in a pile she come in the door honey I'm home I was hiding in the closet hurry honey where you're at is he got Nancy honey hoodie so she picks up the phone Sam you'll guess who she calls my mom oh I wish she would why you got the car and it's not enough huh my mom didn't answer did she answer oh she answered she hung up she's like I know you're joking with me I can I said why you got to call her you can't believe I could make heaven interruption not without me try that you're getting trouble I did I got in trouble Logan be careful trouble the fact of the matter is this I don't I don't know how it's gonna happen I have an imagination and I can watch left behind like the rest of you I do know this I will not be surprised by it because I'll be looking expecting fact one writer said it this way even so come Lord Jesus come quickly catch us out of here eternity with you is going to be so incredible part of apostolic lifestyle guys is everyday loving and serving God and knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that he went and he prepared a place anybody here want to go to heaven would you stand with me tonight I want you to think about it for a moment come on you might even want to just love him for it and thank him for the opportunity come on you might you might just want to open your mouth and say lord I thank you every day that you give me an opportunity to grow closer to you to know you to go past Lord all of my issues and my problems I can fall in love with you you can change my life make a a difference in me Lord I can make right choices and good decisions lord I I can I can store up things in heaven my name can be written in the Lamb's Book of Life my works can be accomplished Lord and established in the books I I know I know that Calvary and and you alive from the grave Lord has brought salvation to me help me Lord help each one of us got to grow and to know daily Lord Jesus you're preparing a place for us a place called heaven Lord I I sure don't want to go to hell and I can't think of anybody that I would want to go there help us so God as a church to realize the answer is you and your work the answer is you and what your word says that's how we will be judged come I want your loving for just a moment come on before you go home on this Wednesday just love him hallelujah I love you Jesus I believe in you Jesus I trust you Jesus my soul says yes to you lord help us tonight Oh God Lord let us prepare ourselves for eternity with you I believe in you Jesus and I'm thankful Lord that you deliver us you lead us you guide our footsteps every day Lord we are rooted and founded and grounded in you in the name of Jesus I plead your blood lord over every home every heart that's represented in this room that the glory of the Lord work and move dear God in all aspects of our lives everything Lord God let it bring honor and glory to you I plead your blood over the church I plead your blood over this congregation when I pray God you would lead us in the truth in the name of Jesus we're coming back this weekend Lord expecting great wonderful things to be accomplished at your name in the name of Jesus we pray somebody say man I love you all thank you so much for coming out on Wednesday night don't forget this weekend's Mother's Day come expecting to have a good time with mommy man love you all have a great rest of the week