HopeLives365

Guest (Male): Satan clothed in angel robes will deceive if possible the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. The only solution is have your mind filled with the word of God.

This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: An End Time Life Worth Having, Part One. Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Most of you were here the last couple days, and I want to review some of the things we've been going over and focus on different aspects of them. This class is not designed to speculate about coming events. You remember the Bible says in Deuteronomy 29 verse 29, the secret things belong unto whom? The Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong unto us and his servants the prophets. So we want to study the things that are revealed. There are those people who look at last day events and they speculate about what might happen and they come to you saying we have new light on the future.

I'm always concerned about that. God has given us enough light that is plain to prepare for his soon return. So let's look at some of the things we know. Where are we today, where are we going in the last day events? One of the things that we observe with our natural eyes is an increasing frequency of natural disasters. We notice that there are more tornadoes and floods and cyclones and hurricanes that are taking place. Have you noticed that worldwide? More tsunami disasters.

Did Jesus say something about that? Matthew chapter 24 verse six and seven, Jesus said there'll be wars and rumors of wars, there'll be famines and earthquakes and pestilences. What is a pestilence? How would one define a pestilence? A pestilence is a strange disease either on crops or on human beings that science at this point has not been able to definitely resolve. Have you ever heard of pesticides? Why do they use pesticides? Because there are pestilences.

Fifty years ago or 100 years ago were there very many pesticides that are being used? Not at all. But how many times do they spray your apples today? Is there a great movement in America and around the Western world on organic eating? And are there dangers about pesticides today? So Jesus said there'd be famines. There would be pestilences. There would be earthquakes in Matthew 24 verse six and seven.

Jesus adds to that in Luke chapter 21, he says man's hearts failing them for fear and looking at the things that are coming on the world. What should we expect as the children of God? Jesus said you're children of light and not of darkness. We who believe the truth should be watching for what's going to come upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. So we see the steady tread of events. We look at natural disasters.

A second thing that we notice is worldwide instability. There's a certain instability, certain uncertainty in the world today. When you look at the economy of the Western world and you see America's national debt that is well over $18 trillion. That's just government debt. That's not the corporate debt. And does the Bible talk at all about a rapid economic crash?

Just take your Bible and look at Revelation the 18th chapter. Revelation chapter 18. There is an instability, an economic instability. You look at many of the nations of Europe, take Greece, Spain, Italy, very serious economic challenges that they're facing. Look for example at Revelation the 18th chapter and here is God's final call to humanity.

Revelation chapter 18 verse one. After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon is fallen is fallen, the habitation of demons. Now notice verse three, it's very interesting. For all nations have become drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication. So Babylon representing fallen or false religion.

She commits fornication, illicit union with the kings of the earth. And they commit fornication and the merchants of the earth join her. So here you have a triumvirate, the political powers, the nations of the world, the false religious powers Babylon and the merchants of the world, the financiers. But notice what it says as you let your eyes drop down even further. Verse seven. In measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously.

So here is Western society filled with secularism that leads ultimately to a union of church, state, and the financial powers. And notice what the seventh verse said. In the measure that she's glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow for she says I sit as a queen and am no widow and will not see sorrow. Therefore her plagues will come in one day, death and mourning.

Now as you go down and read that chapter, look at verse 14, the fruit of her riches is gone. Look at verse 17, in one hour such great riches came to nothing. In one hour, that's a sudden financial collapse. Look at James the fifth chapter. The Bible teaches that there will be worldwide instability. See all of this is the setting for the mark of the beast because of the ever increasing frequency of natural disasters that'll turn people toward God.

There will be a true revival and a false revival worldwide instability where the economic bottom falls out eventually of society, turning people to say what must we do? Look for example at James the fifth chapter. James chapter five again is a picture of the last days of human history. Here in James chapter five, the Bible puts it very clearly. In fact, let's even go back a little earlier than that and look at a couple passages in scripture.

We'll look first at James five on the latter rain. Therefore be patient brethren, verse seven, until the coming of the Lord and see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. So natural disasters, we've talked a little bit about worldwide instability, but under the power of the spirit the gospel will be proclaimed.

Go back a little bit in the book of James and look for example at the fourth chapter of the book of James. Verse 13, the fourth chapter verse 13. Come now you who say today or tomorrow we'll go to such and such a city, we'll spend a year there, we'll buy and sell and make a profit. Whereas you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What's your life? It's even vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away.

In other words, here people clinging to riches in the time of James and the scripture points out, as we did read in Revelation, that there'll be a sudden economic total collapse. Indeed that is happening. James also says you rich men weep and howl for your riches for what's come upon you. So what were we expecting? Natural disasters, worldwide instability. There's an economic instability but there's another uncertainty today.

When you look at the number of nations that are developing nuclear weaponry, the world is unstable. Have you read anything about North Korea recently and the instability of nuclear weapons? Now the interesting thing that's happening there in just this last week is the real fear is biological warfare, chemical warfare mounted on some of those missile warheads.

When you look at the book of Revelation, go over to Revelation chapter 11, one of the most poignant verses in all the Bible. Revelation the 11th chapter and look at Revelation 11 and we're going to start there with Revelation 11 verse 18 and verse 19. Revelation 11 verses 18 and 19. The nations were angry. Your wrath is come. The time of the dead that they should be judged. When's that, the time of the dead?

The coming of Jesus, right? Just before the coming of Jesus. That you should reward your servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear your name, small and great. Now notice that next phrase. And should destroy those who destroy the earth. Destroy those who do what? Destroy the earth. 150 years ago, did the human race have the capacity to destroy itself? 150 years ago?

100 years ago, did the human race have the capacity to destroy itself? With thermonuclear warfare, we can destroy life on planet earth today because if you ever had a major nuclear attack, it would not only devastate cities. I've read a Senate report on what a limited nuclear attack would do to America, even if it were limited. And the Senate report said because the United States government commissioned a major report on what would a limited nuclear strike do to America.

What would happen would be not only would there be hundreds of thousands of deaths with the immediate strike, it would interrupt the supply chain. So even people who were not immediately affected would be it would be very difficult to purchase food because we only have about three to five days' worth of food in our supermarkets. So a limited nuclear attack would totally disrupt the supply chain.

In addition to that, it would affect the climate dramatically. Now notice what scripture says, that Christ would come to destroy those who destroy the earth. So at a time that the human race was unstable. So you see these increasing natural disasters. You see the winds of strife beginning to blow. You see worldwide instability with economic instability, political instability.

You see instability in the area of nations with the whole threat of nuclear warfare. Have you heard anything about climate change? Have we discussed climate change 50, 100 years ago? No. And what's the real danger of climate change? It is the increasing temperatures of the world with the polar ice caps melting and the flooding of major coastal cities around the world.

So there is this natural disaster and worldwide instability. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempest floods, cyclones and tidal waves and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. These visitations, what visitations? Hurricanes, tornadoes, natural disasters will become more and more frequent and disastrous.

Destruction will be upon both man and beast. So what can we expect? Greater natural disasters, greater worldwide instability. This will enable people to have a greater openness and receptivity to the gospel. So if there ever was a time for the proclamation of the gospel with power, we have entered into that time. Secular people are being awakened by the natural disasters, by the instability of our world, and that is going to increase.

If ever there was a generation of young people that should prepare to give God's last day message to the world, that generation is now because the stage is being set for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. I'm amazed at what is happening even in our little church. In our church in the last six to nine months, four very professional families walked through the door who had no contact with Seventh-day Adventists before and found us on the internet and said we have been searching, we have been looking and we found you guys on the internet.

I was greeting at the door one day and a professional couple came in. This man is a financial officer, a CFO for a large government agency in the Washington DC area. He and his wife walked through the door of the church. We greet them. How did you learn about us? Oh, we were looking for truth. And the wife said this, she said just recently three weeks ago she was at one of our health programs and I talked to her and I said tell me your story again.

She said I was looking for meaning, I was looking for purpose. It was late at night, I was searching the internet and I don't know how, Pastor Mark, but I came across your programs on the internet: Hope Lives 365. And she said I needed hope so I came, I watched it and something touched my heart and something moved in my soul and I went and woke my husband up and I said you've got to see this. He said what are you saying dear? You've got to see this.

And she said we watched and we learned that you had a church here. They walked through the door of the church. A psychiatrist in our city walked through the door of our church, found us through a friend on the internet. The other day I was greeting at the door and I started talking to a man. He gave me his card. I told you last time about him, from the State Department of the United States government.

Speaks multiple languages, been posted all over the world. His wife watched us when they were in Brazil on our Brazilian Hope channel. She then moved to the United States, they're posted in Washington DC, searched the internet and found us. What's taking place? Thinking people sense that there are natural disasters, that there's worldwide instability that's taking place.

One day I was teaching in a school not far from our church and a man walked in, sat next to me, suit and tie. Here's the first words out of his mouth: I know who you are but you don't know who I am. He said let me tell you who you are, then I'll tell you who I am. And so he began. He had searched me on the internet so he begins, he goes down through all the internet. You're this, you're this, you're this.

Then he says let me tell you who I am. And he told me his story. He came to the United States as an immigrant, had no education. Got a little job, bought a small car, began to sleep in the back of his car. Learned that if you want to get ahead in America you have to get some education. So he'd sleep in the back of his car, he would go to the library and study all day. He had no high school education.

After months of studying he took the GED and passed his high school equivalency. Then he kept studying. He applied to Harvard University, did so well on his entrance exam that he got into Harvard. He took medicine at Harvard University but that wasn't enough for him. He graduated and got a PhD from Harvard as well as his medical degree. He became a teacher at one of the major and I won't name the university, one of the major universities in Washington DC.

Then he became the president of one of the larger universities there. He said that's who I am and let me tell you why I'm talking to you. I said yes. He said how much do I have to pay you to work for me? First time ever met him. I said what do you want me to do? I'll work for you but I'll do it for nothing. I said I won't take a penny. He said I want you to motivate students.

He said I've studied you on the internet, you know how to motivate students. He said I want you to motivate my students because I'm the president of one of the largest community colleges in America. Will you come and teach students if they're getting a C and D how to get a B and A? And I said I'll be happy to do it. So I began going to his university and they would put a banquet on for the students and the students would come in and you know what I taught them?

I taught them the Adventist health message. It was amazing. I'd tell them okay, you want to I said I am not here to tell you what to do but if you want to take your grades from a D to a C, this is the way you do it: you study for 45 minutes, you go take a walk for 15 minutes and you repeat what you've been going over. I talk about oxygen to the brain, red blood cells to the brain, then we talk about Mrs. Finley's granola and eating more vitamin B and we get them on a good diet.

We talk to them about alcohol and I tell them all the studies of alcohol. You know, 140 universities have studied alcohol. It's amazing and you can correlate how much a student drinks and the grades they get. And so I said to them look, whether you drink or not is up to you but I'm going to just tell you I'm here to help you get better grades. You want that C to go up to a B, then you don't drink.

And so then I ask them how would you like to get on an airplane with the pilot walks on like this, you know, he's half drunk and the pilot walks on the airplane, he can't think clearly because drinking affects the forebrain, conscience, reason. There is a opportunity we have today with the natural disasters, the worldwide instability, for the proclamation of the gospel. The seeds you sow today are going to come to fruition tomorrow, so this is our time.

Now if you were the devil, that's not very good if you were the devil. If you were the devil and you saw you were creating these natural disasters as much as God allows, you see this worldwide instability, you see an openness to the proclamation of the gospel, what would you do? You'd palm off a false revival. You would do two things. You would work within the Adventist church to create a Laodicean complacency so people are half asleep.

The second thing you'd do is within the church is bring in heresy and get people fighting among one another. Because you know that natural disasters, you know worldwide instability, you know there's an openness. So you'd try to do two things. One, you'd try to accomplish something within the church called a shaking to get as many people out and to shake the Adventist church.

You'd bring liberalism in on the one hand, you'd bring Laodiceanism in on the other, every wind of doctrine would be blowing. You would create in addition to that false revivals in the world. Why? Because you'd want to bring people to the final test. God would allow Satan to do that because as the final test comes, people either would receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast and when they settle their conviction the latter rain would be poured out and the gospel could be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.

Let's talk a little bit about false revivals and what the devil is going to try to do through those false revivals. Now we're going to talk a little bit about the shaking of Adventism. I just introduced this momentarily yesterday but I wanted to go back to it again today and look at the shaking of Adventism. Some of the things you need to be aware of that the devil's going to do in the light of some of these false revivals.

And so we're going to go over to this aspect of the shaking of Adventism and what the devil's going to do, how he's going to try to shake some people out and how he's going to work powerfully to accomplish those goals.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365. We thank you for tuning in and hope you're enjoying today's message. For more, both audio and video messages, plus valuable ministry resources, go to HopeLives365.com. And right now for a $25 donation, we'll mail you a copy of Satisfied: How God Can Meet Your Deepest Needs. That's HopeLives365.com. And now a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Ephesians 4 verse 30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God in Christ's sake has forgiven you. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit by which you are sealed.

When a person is converted, the Holy Spirit begins to work in their life in a process of sealing. So sealing is not an act, it's a process. Like a potter shaping clay, God is shaping us and molding us. But there'll come a point when you shape clay that is shaped and you have to put it into the oven to be fired. When you put it into the oven to be fired, the clay is hardened and you cannot change that ceramic after that without breaking it.

So from the time you were converted, the Holy Spirit's working in your life to shape you and mold you. As we go through the test and make the decision for Christ, the Holy Spirit seals us, so he that is righteous let him be righteous still, he that is holy let him be holy still, he that is unholy let him be unholy still. So at the test, men and women either receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast, but never think that the sealing is a final act that takes place here. The sealing is rather a process that culminates there at that test.