Mr. Dennis Luker

Sermon Transcript

November 10, 2001

Positive Prophecies About Christians in the End Time

Mr. Register’s message was an excellent introduction into mine. With these events that he was talking about, terrorism continuing, and many events that are prophesied to come, prophecy does seem to be speeding up. It’s an exciting time that we live in. There is apprehension. There is nervousness on the part of some. There is concern. There is worry and fear on the part of some people because of what has happened in America.

What I would like to focus on today are what God’s people will be doing as we come closer to the end of this age and the fulfillment of these end-time events. I am going to focus on what I call positive prophecies about Christians in the end-time. And as we see events in the world winding down, becoming scarier, more frightening, the fulfillment of these things in scripture, God almighty, as we all know, is busy doing a work, and he’s very busy, involved in the lives of his people. Just as the terrorists are plotting and planning more attacks on America, just as other events are going to unfold, at the same time, I think you’re going to be really encouraged and inspired as we take a look at the things that God’s people are involved in and how God is working through and using his people. Positive prophecies about Christians in the end-time.

So let’s turn to Daniel 12 to begin. Daniel 12. Let’s start reading in verse 4.

Daniel 12:4. "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

Drop down to verse 9.

Verse 9. "And he said…" and angel to Daniel "…go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."

Now notice verse 10.

Verse 10. "Many shall be purified…"

And we’re seeing that happen right now, aren’t we brethren in the church of God? That God is purifying the ministry. I feel that he is over these last number of years, since about, it goes on forever, but especially since 1995, purifying the sons of Levi as Malachi even wrote through fiery trials.

And many shall be…

Verse 10. "…made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand…"

Now I want to focus on the last part of this verse.

Verse 10. "…but the wise shall understand."

At the time of the end and the fulfillment of these prophecies of Daniel, God says, the wise shall understand. And he’s talking about these end-time events that Christ spoke of, verse 11 is talking about the daily sacrifice that will eventually be re-instituted in Jerusalem and the abomination of desolation set up. How much time is left? Brethren, "…the wise shall understand." That’s a very positive statement, isn’t it? Now who are the wise? That’s an important thing to understand. You might hold your place, but turn with me to Psalm 119. Who are the wise that will understand these events that are going to take place in Jerusalem, that signal the very end? Who will be watching? Who will be understanding? Who will be warning people? Psalm 119:97-99, where David wrote…

Psalm 119:97-100. "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts."

So brethren, the wise are those who keep God’s commandments, and how many have been departing from that? How many slip away from keeping God’s commandments? How many no longer keep the Sabbath? Well, you could do a little word study there, go through and come to know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and you begin to see that it’s those who obey God who will be the wise. The wise shall understand and God will give understanding to those who obey God, who keep his commandments, and who are faithful in doing that to the very end and many are not doing that today.

So the important point I wanted to make on that prophecy about the end-time is: The wise shall understand. And we all need to ask ourselves, are we wise? Can we say like David says, and I think most of us can today,"Oh, how I love Your law!" I think that’s the difference and the reason that many of us stuck with the truth of God, God’s laws and commandments, his holy days, you know, I never ever thought that I would be dis-fellowshipped from the church that I was a part of, dis-fellowshipped and marked for keeping the Sabbath and the holy days, but that’s what happened to me and many other ministers and maybe some of you and that’s why we’re here today.

Let’s go to chapter 11 of Daniel, back up just to chapter 11, and we’ll begin reading in verse 31. The scriptures make clear then that those who are obeying God and continuing to keep his commandments, the true Sabbath, his holy days, his precepts, his ways, will be wise, and the wise shall understand. Pick it up in Daniel 11:31. If you read the context of the chapter, it’s about the king of the north and the king of the south, and here, verse 31, it’s talking about the king of the north.

Daniel 11:31. "And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress…"

I am reading from the New King James. And Israel today, Jerusalem especially, is a fortified city, and it’s, of course, where a temple or part of a temple where sacrifices can be re-instituted will be built eventually. And it says, they will take away the daily sacrifices–this invasion from the north by this king of the north united with a religious power. And the place where the abomination of desolation is…

Verse 31. "…they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation."

Which Christ spoke of.

Verse 32. "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery…"

You know, the king of the north, those who take over that area. Notice this…

Verse 32. "…but the people…" Notice this. "…but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits."

Now let’s read on. I’m going to come back to that in a moment.

Verse 33. "And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering."

Some of God’s people shall fall.

Verse 34. "Now when when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue."

Or flattery the margin says. There will be a lot of people playing games at that time. There will be insincere people. I think we’ve all experienced that and witnessed that in the church. Some people use flattery to get what they want or to get ahead or whatever it may be. That’s going to take place here at the end-time.

Verse 35. "And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white…"

God will work with his people, all of them, to the very end…

Verse 35. "…until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time."

Now go back verse 32, and the last part of verse 32 is what I want to emphasize here. This positive prophecy about God’s people in the end-time.

Verse 32. "…the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits."

Now the amplified Bible says "…great exploits for God." That’s what it means; that’s what it’s saying. What does it mean to know God? Do we know God? It’s certainly important to understand that, isn’t it? Because the people who know God are going to be strong. They’re not going to be weak in the end-time. As more terrorist attacks occur, as frightening things happen in the world, as the end-time events that are prophesied come to pass, you know, God’s people are going to be strong, but hold your place. Turn with me to I John 2. One scripture you may know well that makes it very plain and clear who knows God and what it means.

I John 2:3-4. "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

It’s very clear, isn’t it, brethren? Again, that those who know their God are going to be those who are obeying God, who are keeping his commandments, that means all of his commandments and his laws, who are walking with God, serving God, obeying God and have strong faith and strong confidence in God. Well, that encourages me brethren to see these prophecies about the end-time, that as people become more frightened who don’t know God, and you’ve probably read some of those stories.

LeAnn and I occasionally have watched a little program like on Oprah, and they’re talking about this subject, and they’re interviewing people, and some of the fear that people have, because they don’t know God, and they’re afraid. There is an inner-confidence if you know God. You understand God’s word and his promises. Let’s go to Revelation 11. Another positive prophecy about Christians at the end-time.

Revelation 11:3. "And I will give power to my two witnesses…"

Are they alive today? Depends on how many years are left, I guess, but I would say they’re alive today. Some where.

Verse 3. "…and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

That’s three-and-a-half years. The verse just above that, verse 2 talks about this is the time when the Gentiles will have taken over that city, and they’re ruling it and controlling it. They tread down the holy city under foot for forty-two months, three-and-a-half years. Now verse 4.

Verse 4-5. "These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies."

Imagine again, brethren, this kind of power that God is giving two of his people to serve him. It shows what he can do, what he’s planning to do, what he’s going to do at the time of the end.

Verse 5-6. "And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These…" These witnesses. "…have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire."

Imagine that. You know, brethren, we’ve known about the two witnesses, and we’ve had a lot of, when Pasadena was the headquarters, we had the two witnesses visit many, many times. A number of you are aware of that. A lot of people would show up, want to see Mr. Armstrong or someone, and say, well, who are you? What do you want to see him for? Well, I’m one of the two witnesses sent from God, so many times that happened, unfortunately, but they do exist and they are real and almighty God is going to imbue these two people with incredible power. We can speculate. It doesn’t matter what we speculate about who they may be, the point is this prophecy will come to pass, and the power of God will be poured out in an awesome way upon these two people that God uses. Now, yes, God allows them to be killed, but then notice what happens as we drop down in verse 11. He does allow them to be killed, and nations rejoice for a very short while. Verse 11 says…

Verse 11. "Now after the three-and-a-half days…" That they’re dead. "…the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet…"

Now just imagine this, brethren. Really imagine this happening, being covered by CNN or now Fox news network or whatever. We used to wonder how in the world would the world see it, now the whole world can see it on these television stations and maybe they’re filming these two that God allowed to be killed, two of his servants, and then can you imagine all of a sudden God just bringing them back to life?

Verse 11. "…and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them."

So brethren even to the very end God almighty is going to be using his people to do his work. Who knows who those people are today. Turn with me to the book of Acts. The book of Acts 2.

Acts 2:17-20. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy."

God will use whom he will, and I’m sure of one thing that they will have been long-time humble, faithful servants of God. And when God, however he uses them, however he pours out his spirit, in whatever way, I think we will find that there are people who have been around a long time, who have been obeying God and serving God, humbly and faithfully. Now read on…

Verse 19-20. "I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. "

So it’s the very end-time, but the prophecy is that God is going to pour out power to individuals in the Church and use them wherever he needs to just like he did in the first era of the church when there were many, many miracles performed. And that’s encouraging, isn’t it brethren? That Satan will be doing his work, the terrorists will be busy doing their work, but God almighty is going to be busy doing his work in his people, and he’s going to pour out incredible power, and it says upon your sons and your daughters, young men and women, young and old. Menservants and maidservants, I will pour out my spirit in those days. What an incredible time to come. It’s really encouraging to read that and to know that.

Let’s go back to Revelation 3. God is standing ready right now to finish the work, get the job done through those that he’s called. In Revelation 3:8-11, scriptures we probably know well about the Philadelphia church, and this is written about the historical church, but also prophetically. It’s obvious that it applies to the very end-time as we shall see and those people who could be called Philadelphians, who have the love of God in them. But let’s read it beginning in verse 8, Revelation 3…

Revelation 3:8-11. "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door…"

Always is meant for the preaching of the gospel, for the doing of the work.

Verse 8. "…and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength…"

That certainly applies to us, doesn’t it? To God’s people in God’s church today. It certainly applies to United. We’re growing with God’s blessing, but we’re still very small. You…

Verse 8-9. "…have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you."

Why?

Verse 10. "Because you have kept My command to persevere…" NIV says… "…to patiently endure."

These are God’s people who are enduring and perservering and walking through that open door and preaching the word of God, the way of God.

Verse 10. "I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."

And that is coming, that is yet to come. This end-time great tribulation that lies ahead of us that will test every nation and person upon the face of the earth.

Verse 11. "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown."

And so what do we find here? What I find very encouraging that Christ makes it very clear that even right until the time of the end of the great tribulation upon the earth, there will be God’s people who are perservering and enduring and doing the work of God and they will be protected. I believe that. I know there’s all kinds of different beliefs that some people have about this thing of protection, but here it does say to these people that I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth.

Let’s look at Revelation 12. Remember positive prophecies about God’s people. The power of God being poured out upon his people to do the work. See God is not through with us yet. We have a lot yet to do, and there are the people of God who are ready and willing and continuing on as we all are. We are so thankful for the blessings that God has given us in his church.

Revelation 12:12-14. "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent."

What does that say to you? What that says to me is that God is making it clear that in the time of the end, when Satan’s great wrath is poured out at the end, the time of great persecution upon his people, that there are those that God is going to protect and spare and take care of and nourish for that period of the three-and-a-half years of the great tribulation.

Verse 15. "So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood."

And Revelation 17 shows that those floods are armies.

Verse 16. "But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth."

So one of those positive prophecies, brethren, in The Bible, is that there is a place of protection, there is a place of safety. I’m not going to say I know where it is, I don’t. But I see what the scriptures say and what it’s talking about and that’s very, very encouraging to me. I’ve talked to some who don’t believe that, that we’ll all just suffer through everything that’s coming and we know that some will. It goes on to make that clear, that there’s a remnant left behind, and they experience the rage and hatred and persecution of Satan the devil. Some of God’s people do. There is also that blessing of protection upon God’s people who have endured, who have perservered, who have put there hearts into the work, who’ve walked through that open door, who’ve remained faithful to God in obedience to him. I think that’s a very positive prophecy we need to remember.

I like to remind people, too, of what Christ said in Luke 21:36. This was a person I was talking to, and they were asking me, Mr. Luker, you know some people don’t believe there is protection, that we’re all going to go through hell at the end-time and many of us will suffer and die as marters. Well, some may, but I’d like to remind them of what Christ said in Luke 21:36.

Luke 21:36. "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy

to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

He wouldn’t have said that if some weren’t going to escape and be protected by God. That’s a positive prophecy. We need to have those things in mind that, as we serve God and obey God, there is that promise of protection. I don’t know how you are feeling about it, but just again, my own personal feeling, I feel that I really do believe and feel that the end will come in my lifetime. You say, how do I know? Well, I don’t know for sure, nobody does, but I just feel that way. Just seeing what’s happening in the world and all these prophecies and things we’ve known most of our lives in the church, that’s just the feeling that I have, that it’s going to happen in my lifetime.

And it has changed my thinking in a lot of ways since September the 11^th. It just woke me up to the fact that we really need to do more, work harder. And I certainly want to do that with my whole heart, so I’ve mentioned that to my congregation, and they knew for a long time that LeAnn and I, you know, we were thinking for a while about retirement. We had thought about, well, someday we’ll have a little tea house. I make good English tea. Dave’s there, he makes coffee in the morning. We’re staying in the apartment here, the church’s apartment during the conference and Dave makes his coffee in the morning and LeAnn and I, we have tea because we lived five years in Australia and learned to make good English tea there and then I took my engineering background, I think I’ve probably mentioned this before. I took my engineering background and refined the process. You know, heat the pot, heat the cups, just the right kind of milk, get the right kind of tea, a good English tea, and if you’ve never had a really good cup of tea, and most Americans haven’t, it’s really good. It doesn’t smell as good as coffee brewing in the morning, but, and LeAnn had her dreams, well, honey someday maybe, when we retire, you know, like most women, loves gardens and flowers, and beautiful things like that, like most of you ladies make the home beautiful and the yard beautiful. And I said, honey, you know, I don’t think that’s going to happen in our lifetime. So, we’ve just changed our attitude about it and our way of thinking about it, that’s all. That we’ll just keep on going and there’s too many people to help, too much work to be done, too many lives to be saved.

God’s calling and because of the faithfulness of Mr. And Mrs. Armstrong and others, that includes Les and Marion and Richard and Mary. I mean the ancient of days people here with the white hair and the gray head. You know, we’re all in this together, brethren, doing the work of God, and I just am so thankful to be a part of a church and a work again where we can preach the way of God and the truth of God and get back, and it’s just exciting what God is doing, but we, LeAnn and I are not just planning on retirement. We just want to keep on pastoring or serving or doing whatever we can do to help the brethren and to reach new people.

In Seattle, we’re just trying to really get going on our own outreach programs in the community, to really get out there and do our part even locally more. Home office is certainly doing their part, and we’ve got to do more even locally. So that’s just a personal thing of something, I’m taking care of myself better now, I want to be healthy. That’s just what we’re looking at anyway, and I said that at the Feast in Cologna this year and a man came up to me, and he said, you know, I’m glad to hear you say that. He said, it’s certainly okay to retire from a job. You know, if you’ve got a job in the world, many times people do retire from a job in the world, but there is no retirement from the work of God. There is no retirement from the church, and there is no retirement from the ministry. So no matter what we might retire from, it’s whatever we make our living doing, what we need to do rather than think of retiring from the church and the work, we need to renew our efforts. It doesn’t matter how old we are. If you’ve got the health and the energy, it’s time to renew our efforts, so that’s what we want to do.

I want to go on, I’d like to, you know I used to say, I don’t want Mr. Armstrong ninety-some years old and still going, and I used to say, well, we can’t follow that example, we can’t all do what he did, but maybe we can. Maybe we can. I hope so. It will be doing the work of God no matter how old we are wherever we are. You know Ed Smith is certainly another good example. Many of you in here are, but I’ve known Ed Smith a long, long time, and I just admire Ed and his wife because Ed, and I know Les and Richard remember him so well, just has always been warm and friendly and enthusiastic and zealous. Good song leader, too, but a good example for many of us. Ed is retired now, I just found that out in coming here, and he said, but I’m busier than ever because there’s so much to do in the church, isn’t there? So much work to do.

These positive prophecies are very, very encouraging, brethren. What I see as things get worse in the world, God’s people are going to be empowered by God. Those who are wise, those who understand, those who are strong and who know their God will re-commit and be re-dedicated to God and rather than becoming weaker and fading out, we’ll become stronger and stronger and stronger. Turn with me to Matthew 24. Because we do not have worldy fear, do we? We do not have worldy fear. We’re not afraid of dying. I don’t want to suffer; I don’t want to be tortured, but I’m not afraid of dying. It’s like Mr. Dave Register said there. You know, we know, just like he said that, we’re not going to die until God gives the word. That’s exactly, I’m not going to die until God says, I’m through with you. Just like he said. Matthew 24 and we’ll begin reading in verses 21 and 22. Jesus said…

Matthew 24:22. "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened."

Now that’s positive. You know what that tells me? There are people that God considers his elect on this earth at the very time of the end. Very end-time. The elect are on earth today. The elect of God and for their sakes, those days will be shortened. Thank God for the elect. We are part of that, brethren. We are part of God’s people. Let’s read up a little above that in verse 12-14.

Matthew 24:12-14. "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."

I like the NIV here, it says, actually "…the love of most will grow cold."

Love of those who knew God and once had a love for God will grow cold. I think we’ve seen that happen today in the church.

Verse 13. "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

The NIV says, "…he who stands firm to the end shall be saved"

Verse 14. "And this gospel of the kingdom…"

Adding that, but that’s what it means. It’s the gospel of the kingdom of God…

Verse 14. "… will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

So look at how positive that is, brethren. It’s talking about people, even though many will grow cold and lose their first love. I’d like to go back and read what Christ said to the churches in Revelation and over and over he says to repent and do the first works and get back to your first love once again and doing the work and in serving God, but this shows that some will endure, some will stand fast and they will do the work of God. That to me is very, very encouraging. I want to be one of them. I just want to be one of them with you. With God’s people who fulfill these prophecies. The people that God is talking about in the end-time. Because I think we will live to see the end, most of us, in our lifetime.

Chapter 25, positive prophecies about Christians in the end-time. You say, hey, this is about the five foolish virgins. No, what I want to show you, it’s also about the five wise virgins. Let’s read it.

Revelation 25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps…" Representing the Bible, the word of God, lamp unto our feet. "…and went out to meet the bridegroom." And we know that’s Christ.

Verse 2. "Now five of them were wise…"

That’s the part I want to dwell on today. Five of them were wise. This is a parable, but Christ used parables to teach us truth.

Verse 3. "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them…"

They let the holy spirit run down within them. They lost their zeal. That’s what it means. You know, the Bible says to rekindle the holy spirit within us in II Timothy 1:6. To stir up the spirit of God, rekindle it, re-flame it. And some people just get tired of praying, and I know people like that. They get tired of praying, they get tired of studying the Bible, and when you do that you lose your fire, don’t you? When your Bible study life and your prayer life take a nose turn, and we all struggle with those things, but when you kind of give up on it, you become lukewarm because that energy comes from God. The wise, notice about the wise here in the church, they took...

Verse 4. "…oil in their vessels with their lamps."

Now it does say that while the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept, but that at midnight a cry was heard and the bridegroom is coming and go out to meet him.

Verse 7-8. "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise…"

And so the part that I’m emphasizing here about the end-time is that there are wise virgins who keep oil in their lamp. You know what the big lesson here is? That when the end finally comes if you have not stayed close to God and developed a personal spiritual life and have that contact with God to be renewed in faith, you can’t get it from someone else. You’re not going to be able to, hey, would you give me your faith, would you give me your confidence, your wisdom. What is said here? What did Jesus say? The wise answered, verse 9 here…

Verse 9. "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves."

So we must go to God, a person has to go to God. So brethren, there are wise Christians who walk with God, who don’t give up on prayer and Bible study, who constantly work on their spiritual life because they know that contact with God is where the energy comes from and the zeal and the enthusiasm and the renewed spirit that we need. Notice verse 10.

Verse 10. "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came…" and here’s the positive part "…and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut" on those who weren’t ready at that point.

So the wise will keep the oil in their lamps, many of the people of God, you and I know them, the people with the love in their hearts and minds dedicated to God and his work and his church and reading in the last report that Tom put out that we get a president’s report. Mr. McCullough and all the faithfulness of God’s people and the tithes and offerings and how despite what happened on September 11^th and the downturn in the economy, the income to the church continues steady, and even slightly increasing, and that’s a great blessing from God. So there are these people in God’s church, aren’t they? The wise who stay close to God. That’s very encouraging. Now that we’re here, let’s pick it up. Matthew 25:19-23. Another prophecy.

Matthew 25:19. "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them."

That’s when Christ returns, and we all give account directly to him for how we have used what he’s given us. Talents and abilities and skills, training, all that we are when God called us. That’s when we give account to him.

Verse 20-21. "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'"

Many times, you know, we could emphasize the fact that some aren’t growing, and there was the person who buried their talents, just they were afraid and didn’t grow. That’s in here, that example. But the positive part of this prophecy, this parable about Christ returning and us giving account to Christ at the very end-time is this brethren–that many of God’s people multiply their talents and abilities and gifts from God. And every single one of us in the church, every one of us has gifts and talents to contribute to the body, to the church, don’t we? Even people who don’t sometimes think they do. Maybe you’ve known people who’ve been so mistreated or beat up growing up. They have very low self-esteem, very negative about themselves, very damaged emotionally and other ways, and they just don’t think they have anything they can do or contribute except the important thing, of course, praying and supporting the work financially. But it means more than that. It means using our God given abilities to serve in the church and in the work in anyway that we can.

I’m just trying to get the member in Seattle, everyone of them, you always have your core people who serve in the church. You have your few that do most of the work in the congregation, and you know, the goal is that everyone is contributing and serving in some way. Not just on the service. I don’t mean that just on the Sabbath, but during the week, the needs of elderly and sick and the needs of our youth and the needs of other people, of everyone contributing and growing. The positive part about this prophecy as Christ makes clear in the parable, that there are some who when they stand before Christ say, Lord, you delivered to me five talents, look I have gained five more talents beside. And so, is that you brethren? Can you, as the years go by, can you look upon your years in the church and say, God you’ve helped me to contribute to your church, to your work, to bear fruit and to use what you’ve given me to serve others. That’s what it’s all about. It’s very positive and very encouraging that many will be able to stand before Christ and hear the words then that he says…

Verse 23. "Well done, good and faithful servant…"

And finally, let us go to I Thessalonians 5. We will be reading verses 4-9.

I Thessalonians 5:4-9. "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day…"

You know, the day of the Lord, time of the end.

Verse 4. "…should overtake you as a thief."

We’re not in darkness.

Verse 5. "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. "

Listen to that, read that brethren. Isn’t that encouraging? We, God’s people, by the mercy and grace of God because of the calling that he’s given us. We’re no better than our family members or neighbors or anyone else in anyway, but it’s just God’s calling at this time in our lives. It says…

Verse 5. "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do…"

It’s talking about spiritually. I really encourage and exhort you brethren to renew your spiritual life. Make a new, renewed commitment to God. It helped me to go back and remember when I was baptized at Ambassador College in the lower gardens. Some of you who have been around will remember the pool down there in the lower gardens where many of us were baptized. And who baptized me? It was Mr. Neff. Mr. Leroy Neff and Carl McNair who baptized me. During the Passover season of 1960, God had called me in 1959, and I was working as an engineer in southern California, North American Aviation, designing airplanes, and met an engineer who was sitting next to me that was in the church, didn’t know that. Found out that later. He wouldn’t invite me to church, remember those days? He wouldn’t invite me to Church when I asked, but I bugged him until he finally let me go to Bible study in Pasadena one time and found out about Ambassador College and saw all the pretty girls and decided I wanted to go. That’s how God got a hold me and it got me started back then at that time. It’s really fascinating. I look back and remember the baptismal counseling. We’re going to have a session on that here for the regional pastors on baptismal counseling, but remembering what I promised to do when I was baptized. The promise was, God, if you forgive me of my sins and give me your holy spirit, then I will give you my life, I give you my life, and I belong to you. I’m bought and paid for by the blood of Christ, that my life is now yours, and I’ll do anything you want me to. Whatever you want me to do, wherever you want me to go for the rest of my life. We all need to remember that when we were baptized that we gave up our lives, our plans, our will to God and said, Father, whatever you want us to do, we’re bought and paid for. So, remember that. It goes on to say here, verse 8…

Verse 8-9. "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Brethren, there are many, many positive prophecies in the Bible about God’s people, about Christians in the end-time. Those who will be wise. Those who will be strong. Those who are renewing their dedication and their commitment to God and are on fire for God, a renewed love once again. I encourage all of you to be encouraged and inspired. You know the end is much closer, much closer. I think you may live to see it come to pass, and I just encourage you to when you think of prophecy, when you think of end-time events, think positively. We know there are bad things to happen on our people, and some church members who’ve allowed themselves to become lukewarm. They know the truth, but they just can’t get on fire from God. They’ve been lulled asleep. But I want to encourage you brethren, those of us that God has called to be a part of a work again in his church, to remember these positive prophecies about Christians in the end-time and to be strong in faith and desire to be part of fulfilling this word of God. To be a positive Christian and to let God use you to bear more fruit and to let him pour out his spirit upon you and fire you up in anyway that he needs to. So remember these positive prophecies about Christians in the end-time.