Simple Faith

Guest (Male): Hello and welcome to Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry, coming to you from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Today we bring you Pastor Bill's weekly prophecy update. He'll be taking a look at current events and he's going to share how they relate to end-times prophecy we read in the Bible. Obviously, there's a lot going on in the world, so let's get right to it. Here's Pastor Bill.

Bill Henry: Well hello once again and welcome to Stay Awake Radio. This is Pastor Bill Henry with Simple Faith Calvary Chapel here in Vancouver, Washington. What a blessing it is to be here with you once again. We always like to take this Friday of every week and come in from our pre-recorded thing—and not that this is live, actually, this is recorded a few days before.

But just to kind of come in and usually address things that are happening within the world. And there's so many things. As I've told you before, we used to do a prophecy update every week and there was all these different things happening, trying to put them in light of the scriptures. Is this really what the Bible is saying? Are these prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Yet, not to do it in a sensationalist manner and to try to get your clicks or to get you to listen to us, but to try to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, to be real, to give people God's word and to teach saints to stand upon the word of God even in the days that we're living in. And that's my heart again today. I look around and we could talk about all the different things—the antisemitism that continues to grow.

I just read an article today that the governor of New York isn't going to attend a Jewish parade which is normally attended by the mayor. So many things happening in the Middle East, continuing to happen. So many things happening with the church as it continues to fall away, and so on. So many different things that you don't have to be hyper-sensationalist to see these things.

I think you have to be blind not to, honestly, whether it's spiritually blind or purposely blind, we're just so tired of it all. But that's kind of my point. We've come to the point where the Titanic has hit the ice, it is going down. We see the signs when Israel became a nation May 14th, 1948. We saw now just this outpouring of all these other things happening.

Prophetic things that are in the midst of being fulfilled. The beginnings, like when we see right now all the data centers. I think I just read an article the other day, shared it with the church—I think it was 4,500 data centers are planned for around the United States. There's already 2,400, I believe. Just these huge things like the size of a shopping mall, and it's all just computer and for AI and all these different things.

And it's interesting because it used to be when people would read Revelation 13, they would say this could never happen, this is all just—you guys can't take this literally. Well, when you look at it and you see that the Antichrist is going to rule, they're not going to be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. And for the first time, especially when COVID came and you saw people putting these restrictions.

Well, to get on the train in New Zealand, you had to have this app and it would let you enter or not. Same with some other countries as they were bearing down and all of a sudden you saw, wait a minute, all of a sudden they can start to control more who can sell and who can't sell. And with AI coming in, artificial intelligence, and that's why they say they're building all these data centers.

And by the way, one of these data centers uses the same electrical wattage from what I've read as a small town of thousands and thousands of people. So and we're already in a power shortage, quote-unquote. It just you see kind of that there's more going on here. I read another article today about global warming and how England, their government's telling them you need to cut back even more.

We're going to see these crazy hot weather days and stuff. And I'm not even saying that that's not happening in certain areas, but nothing like they're saying, by the way. But the United Kingdom, England, they produce less than 1% of the world's pollution and they use less than 1% of the world's energy. And so even if they stopped using any energy at all and they emitted no pollution at all, it wouldn't affect anything one iota.

And so again you see all the deceivers that are out there. We see that happening and Jesus said that was going to happen and Paul said it was going to happen, John, Peter. All this deceit comes, people will be laughing at you for believing, oh, these are the last days, and even Christians will be mocking other Christians. Wow, we actually take prophecy seriously. Wow, we actually take it literally and we're not taking the preterist view.

It's sad, but you see these prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes. The great falling away of the church is probably to me the second largest prophecy that we see being fulfilled because Israel being number one and on and on it goes. But here's the thing. I was talking with a fellow on this podcast yesterday, Don, really sweet man, loves the Lord, just standing up here.

But it was interesting because we were talking about what's one area in our country, especially our country, but really in the world, but in our country that really needs—that it's just really dark. Let's just say it that way. It is so dark. We can all agree no matter what our beliefs are, even if you're not a Christian, that it's a very dark area. What would you say that is?

And I think across the board people might say, oh, well, it's the entertainment industry, it's Hollywood, it's this. Now those are very dark and I would agree with you. But I think probably the darkest area right now in the United States would be the political realm. And it's such a dark area that what is it they say over 55% of Christians will not vote? They just don't vote.

And I wanted to address that a little bit today because look, I'm not saying make politics your God. But people go the opposite way. I've hardly met anybody, by the way, where politics is their God. Now I've met a few where they replace seemingly replace Christianity with politics. I get that, but that's very few. But anybody who actually speaks up like I'll speak up or I know other guys Jack Hibbs, Barry Stagner, other guys that I love.

They stand up and say, hey, this is what the Bible says, this is how we should be. All of a sudden they're called extremist. No, they're not extremist. Oh, you're just politics is a god. No, it's not a god. But it is something that we should be responsible with in our country because we live in a Republic, a constitutional Republic. We do not live in a democracy. Please do not believe that lie.

That's been a lie I think that's been taught in the schools for last 30, 40 years to try to change people's view. You turn on CNN and these people who have their multiple degrees in different subjects, doctorates, and they'll say it's a democracy. Well, that's an idiotic thing to say and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I just mean that in a very matter-of-fact way. We are not a democracy.

France is a democracy. Other countries are a democracy. We are a constitutional Republic. We are ruled by a constitution. Whenever somebody takes the oath of office, it's always to the constitution. And so my point is we have been born into this or maybe you've become a citizen and yes, it's a dark area. But guys and gals, what a greater place to bring the light of Jesus Christ!

We can all agree it's a dark area. Why leave it that way? Come and vote, come and be involved politically. Again, don't make it your life. Just make it like I was talking yesterday. Look, you don't have to have a spiritual gifting to come to church and to empty trash cans. You don't have to be spiritually gifted to come to church and vacuum the floors and to help set chairs up.

You don't have to have a spiritual calling when you're at home to clean up after yourself and not make your wife do it or your husband or your mom and dad. Look, here's the thing. There are things that just have to be done as part of being a Christian. We have to set the chairs up if we're going to meet on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night or for another thing.

We have to clean up, we have to do these things. It doesn't require spiritual gifting, it just requires, hey, look, I'm going to be a servant of Jesus Christ. I'm going to use what I have for his glory. And so again, bringing this back to being involved even in politics, I just want to encourage us. Look, the Bible, Jesus said you are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out or trampled under people's feet. This is in Matthew chapter five verse 13. So we are the salt of the earth. Verse 14, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand.

Look, we need to stand up and be the church of Jesus Christ. We need to stand up and be the salt and light that we are. This world needs it. The world of politics here in the United States needs it. Run for political office, pray about it, but do what God puts on your heart and go run for whether it's in the city or the school council or the county or the state or the federal. Run, do it!

And vote, use your votes. Imagine if those 55%, we're talking probably, I don't know, 60 million, 80 million or more people who won't vote because well, it's all fake and it's all corrupt. Look, if everybody did vote that's Christian, yes, I believe there is corruption in our electoral system, I really do, our election system. But I have to say this: if everybody voted they couldn't make enough fake votes to override that.

And I guess that's kind of what I'm trying to say. Look, guys and gals, if we're involved, that's part of just being the salt, being the light of the world. We have this blessing. Imagine if people in China, under this huge persecution every day, the church in China, the real Christians in China, and all of a sudden they could have a vote.

And if they all got out and voted and their vote was honored, they would have freedom to practice their religion, they'd no longer be thrown in prison, they'd no longer be killed, separated from families, and so forth. I think every one of them to a person would go out a hundred percent. Yet we have over 55% of professing Christians, and I say professing, because I don't understand what they're doing.

Look, it's like the parable of the talents in Matthew chapter 25. This is one of the gifts that God has given us here in the United States to use for his glory. And I remember having arguments with people or discussions about this in the elections that have gone by and some people say, well, my vote doesn't make a matter a difference or I don't like this guy, he's not Christian.

Look, guys and gals, I love you, but we're not voting for a pope. We're not voting for a pastor. We're not voting even for somebody for a Christian. We're voting for someone who is going to reflect our views, our morality a bit better than anyone else in the election. And if we take those steps, and I like how Don was saying in our interview yesterday.

If we take those steps instead of thinking I need to get a touchdown every time, if I just get a few yards every play, next thing I know I'm getting first downs and further and further. Look, if my vote, my going out and voting can stop one abortion. I remember when Hillary Clinton was running against Donald Trump, no matter how you feel about Donald Trump.

I didn't vote for Donald Trump in the original primaries when he was first running. I don't think he wasn't honestly conservative enough for me, even though they put the label of conservative on him now. And I'm very thankful for him now as president. I wish and I pray that he would be more unitive. I think that he would still stand strong but it also be a lot more kind in his words. I really do.

But here's the thing. And again, with some of his political things I disagree with. But Hillary Clinton was saying at the time that she was going to not only increase abortion here in the United States, but also continue to export it to the world and that was part of her platform that she was running on. And Donald Trump said he wasn't going to do that.

So if my vote just in that one issue, and there's so many other issues, but if my vote could stop even one child in another country in Zimbabwe from being aborted, murdered in the womb, then my vote was worth it. But you see if I take that vote and I bury it, then the Lord's going to hold us accountable for that, guys and gals. If that's you, you're going to be held accountable for that.

Jesus said this about that person who takes and buries those gifts: the Lord answered him, Matthew chapter 25 verse 26, "You wicked and lazy servant. You know that where I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not gathered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with bankers that at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, give it to him who has 10 talents."

And it goes on to say, "Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness." Look, guys and gals, the Bible is very clear that we need to be engaged. We need to be using whatever gifts we've been given by God for his glory. This includes voting. Now look, if somebody else comes, it's almost like giving when Jesus said, look, give to the poor, feed the needy.

A lot of times we'll say, oh, that guy's just going to take the money and use it on drugs. Well, be wise then how you give, but we're still supposed to give. Jesus didn't say don't give to those who are going to go take your money and waste it or take your food and sell it and use get drugs. He said to do these things, to go visit the poor, to go visit those in prison.

Well, they deserve to be in prison—maybe they do but Jesus is very clear: we're to use all of our gifts for his glory. And again, oh, my vote's not going to be counted. Well, you know what, that's between them and God. Between us and God, we need to be responsible with what God has given to us and put before us. It's interesting again in Matthew chapter 10 Jesus said this.

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a servant like his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of the household? Therefore, do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and nothing hidden that will not be known."

So Jesus is saying here, look, they called Jesus Beelzebub, the devil, and how much more are they going to call us those of his household the devil? And that's what we see happening today. Oh, you're so mean if you stand against this. Oh, you're so mean if you stand up for righteousness. Oh, that's not very kind, that's not very tolerant.

Well, guys and gals, look, as I've said many times before, we're not called to be jerks for Jesus. We don't go out and purposely offend people. We don't go out and call homosexuals names and put them down. And by the way, if you're doing that, shame on you and I would even question your Christianity. I'm going to be real with you.

Look, again, just because we're going to stand up against these things that doesn't mean we hate the people doing these things. That's not in our realm biblically speaking. We're to love them because they're lost in their sin, just like you and I were lost in our sin, whether it's the same sin or other sins. We were all going to hell just like them.

And so again, not to be jerks for Jesus, but we need to stand up for the righteousness of God and profess the good news of Jesus Christ. This is what God calls sin. And the wages of that sin is death, eternal separation from God forever to be thrown in the lake of fire where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth forever. It's not where you cease to be.

And from pulpits today, "Well, that doesn't seem very fair of God." Kirk Cameron, "That doesn't seem very fair." I don't care what seems fair to you or me. We're not God. How dare we? Who do we think we are? Who are we to judge God? If you want a little more exhortation on that, read the last five to 10 chapters of the book of Job.

Where Job finally does start questioning God. Why did you allow this? And it's like who are you? Were you there when I created this? Were you there when I did this? Who are you? And Job's like, oh, nope, I wasn't there. I'm nobody. But sadly, too many of us even as Christians we get too full of ourselves. Well, that doesn't sound very—okay, well what does God's word say?

Because that's where we get what we believe from. Not what we feel, what feels right or sounds right. So again, even if they tell us, don't fear them Jesus is saying here in Matthew chapter 10. Therefore, do not fear them, for nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, Jesus goes on to say, speak in the light.

What you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Look, guys and gals, Jesus is telling us not to fear people and I think that's a reason a lot of people don't vote. I think that's a reason a lot of people that profess to be Christians—and I say profess because I don't know where their Christianity is.

If they're not standing up because if that means they're afraid, they're walking in that fear and Jesus is saying, look, don't fear those who can destroy the body. A lot of pastors won't preach the word of God fully, the full counsel of God because they're afraid. Well, I might lose people, I might lose givers, I might lose donors. What if I lose my 501(c)(3)? Who cares!

As long as we're preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, as long as we're preaching the word of God. Let them throw us in prison. Who cares? They take away our tax exempt, oh wow, big deal. I don't care! And none of us should care. I'm going to preach the word, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the pure unadulterated word of God.

And we cannot fear, let's fear him who can destroy both the body and soul in hell. It goes on to say, "Aren't two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will. But the very hairs on your head are numbered. Do not fear therefore, you are of more value than sparrows. Therefore," Jesus says here in Matthew chapter 10 verse 32.

"Whoever confesses me before men, I will also confess before my father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Remember that, beloved.

But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword, for I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against his mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own household.

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life will find it for my sake. Look, guys and gals, we need to stop living for ourselves.

Stop living in fear of others. Well, what will my parents think? What will my kids think? What will my husband or wife think? What will my friends think? What will the church think? What will my coworkers think? And you can go on down the list. Who cares? We're not to live in that fear. We will be hated, guys and gals, even if we are kind.

Jesus was the kindest person who ever lived, most loving, never sinned, and yet he was crucified. He was spit upon, he was mocked. One of the things that we've been promised in our lives as Christians is we will be persecuted. If we love Jesus and we're standing up for him, we will be persecuted. That is a promise.

And so if you're not being persecuted, you're likely not standing up really for Jesus Christ, the God of the word, not just the God that we've made up in our own minds. Look, as we're coming to the close, I want to remind you of something. In Second Timothy chapter one verse seven, we're told this: "For God has given us a spirit not of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Now the word power there, so a lot of us, man, we are afraid of this, I'm afraid of that. I'm afraid to share the gospel. I'm afraid if I say this people are going to hate me. I'm afraid I get unfriended. Oh, I'm afraid. That's not the fear that God has given us. Oh, I'm afraid I'm going to get COVID. God has not given us that spirit.

But his spirit in us is of power and love and of self-control, a sound mind. Look, guys and gals, let's stop living by fear and let's start living in power of the Holy Spirit of God, being filled continually with the spirit of God, living in accordance to his word and living by the examples we find within the scriptures. The word of God doesn't change.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, make his face shine upon you. And as we always like to say, we'll see you here, there, or in the air. God bless you.

Guest (Male): This has been Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Today we brought you Pastor Bill's weekend prophecy update. It's our sincere hope and prayer that you've been blessed by the words you heard from Pastor Bill today. If you'd like to hear today's message again, go to OnePlace.com and search for Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry.

We also have a large number of Pastor Bill's Sunday and Wednesday messages archived at SimpleFaith.org. That's our website. Just go there and click the media tab and you'll find a huge archive of Pastor Bill's past messages. And if you'd like to contact us, just click the contact tab at our website again at SimpleFaith.org.

And there's a tab at the top of the homepage where you can also send in a prayer request. And if you'd like to call us, our phone number is area code 833-BY-GRACE. That's 833-294-7223. And if you'd like to write us, we love hearing from you that way as well. Our mailing address is Post Office Box 55, Battle Ground, Washington 98604.

Here at Simple Faith Calvary Chapel, we have three services on Sunday morning at 8:00, 9:45, and 11:30. We also have a great time of studying God's word on Wednesday night at 7:00. For more information and directions, go to SimpleFaith.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks for joining us today. Be sure to join us next time here on Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry, brought to you by Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington.