Simple Faith

Host: Coming up today on Simple Faith. Guys and gals, in the days that we're living in, it is so important that you keep your faith in Jesus deep and fresh and full of love. Because this is how we can continue to move forward. This is how we continue to endure. And again, we need to understand that we don't keep our faith in our political leaders. Amen.

We don't keep our faith even in our religious leaders. Amen, like me or others. We keep our faith in Jesus Christ.

Host: Welcome to Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry, presented by Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Our series in Revelation continues in chapter 14 today, with a little plain talk from some angels who set the record straight concerning the consequences of worshipping anyone besides God. That's a very relevant topic for us today as well. We live in an age of tolerance, which on the surface seems innocent enough, but tolerance today means anything and everything's acceptable no matter how depraved and sinful it may be. Anyone who tries to hold another accountable for their actions is labeled intolerant. Here's Pastor Bill Henry with more from Revelation chapter 14.

Bill Henry: I love how simply the Lord always puts things. We like to to to mix them up sometimes, don't we? We like to go a little deeper, I think, than than we need to go. Look, so many today who profess faith in Jesus Christ, they would call this a legalistic verse.

Well, what do you mean I need to keep the commandments of God? What do you mean it needs to be my goal? What do you mean I need to habitually keep the commandments of God? Well, look, here, this is not legalism. This is called biblical Christianity. Amen.

We can even say biblical Christianity 101, Keep the commandments of God. Because this is a basic description of what a true born again believer in Jesus Christ will do. They will be someone who is seeking to keep the commandments of God.

Why am I going like this? Because it's weird today. Some things happened in the church over the years. And again, because we do like to go our own ways. Amen. Go my own way. Whatever that old song is. We like to do things my way as Frank Sinatra says. We like to do. And so even as Christians, it's weird because when I first asked the question, how many of us woke up this morning, you know what? I want to be one who is keeping the commandments of God. Most of us will probably say that didn't even come on my radar today, if we're honest with ourselves.

Why? Because we're saved by grace. Amen. And because we're saved by grace for some reason, there has come another belief with that, we're saved by grace, that we don't need to keep the commandments of God, that that's what that means. And that's that's heretical. That is not biblical, that belief. If you haven't here today, if you're watching at home, if you're listening, that is not a biblical belief. Oh, I'm saved by grace of God, so I no longer need to keep the commandments of God. That's your flesh talking.

This is a basic description of what a true born again believer of God is, someone who keeps the commandments of God. Can I ask you this morning sincerely, does that describe you?

Do you excuse your sin or do you excuse not keeping the commandments of God with grace? Well, go read Jude for me, would you? It's a short read, but that's where you're at. You're using the grace of God for sin, using the grace of God for lasciviousness. Look here, the one who's been born again of the of the spirit of God is going to be someone who wants to keep the commandments of God.

And, you know, I like how John said it in 1 John chapter 5 verse 3, he said, for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. You see, in the Bill Henry version it says, this commandments are not a bummer. They're not a bummer. And yet, so many of us act like the commandments of God are a bummer. Look, if you feel that way, then most of the times we're going to have to look at you and say, get saved.

Because the the commandments of God liberate the Christian. The commandments of God strengthen the Christian. The commandments of God show us how to walk and how to love and how to be holy as he who has called us is holy, and that's going to be our desire as Christians. Amen. And we need to understand this.

I came out of a church that, long story, but I I grew up, you know, going to this church and I was, you know, an alter boy, I went to Catholic schools, I did all this stuff, and yet, you know, I never read my Bible. I I had Catholic Bibles, even have the Living Bible somewhere from the Catholic Church that I got in grade school one time. But here's the thing. I I would sit down with priests and get drunk. Sit down with nuns and play bingo and get drunk. We'd tell dirty jokes, we'd curse and different things.

And then through, you know, series of circumstances, I started reading my Bible, my Catholic Bible. And I'd always heard, start in the Gospel of John. So I started to read in the Gospel of John and I'm amazed. I'm like, wait a minute, Jesus has brothers and sisters here. I was taught he didn't have any brothers. Well, that means that Mary wasn't a perpetual virgin. And then I came, you know, and further in, I come to Ephesians, it's like, be not drunk on wine, but be filled with the spirit. I was like, dude, I get to sit down with priests and get drunk. And then, you know, let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth.

I didn't need God to tell me five times, by the way. That's a weird thing today too. Well, God only says it one time here. How many times does God have to tell you to do something before you won't do it anymore? Or, how many times does he have to tell us to do something until we do it? Love our wives as Christ loved the church, guys.

Right? Be the leaders in our homes. Wives, submit to your husbands as unto the Lord. Children, submit to your moms and dads as unto the Lord. Parents, lead your children in the ways and the admonitions of the Lord. Not our ways. How I was raised. Look, there's so many different things. But we need to be those in every area of our life who are seeking to keep the commandments of God.

Now, I need to say this because of the culture that we do live in, religiously. Please note that this is not saying that we are not saved by grace. This is not saying that we are not saved by the grace of God, because we are saved by the grace of God and kept by the grace of God. But it is saying this, that if we are saved by grace, that salvation, that profession of genuine faith will always be followed by the works of God. It will, listen to me. This is so important.

If you have been born again of the spirit of God, you're going to want to keep the commandments of God. You're not going to ignore them. You're not going to say, that's for somebody, I don't need to worry about that. I don't need to read my Bible. I I said a prayer at this time. I am good for the rest of my life. No, no, no. That's just the beginning. We're convicted of our sins, we repent of our sins, we believe in Jesus Christ, his death and his resurrection. We believe in him as our Lord and Savior. That's just the beginning. That's why we have a Bible, guys and gals. 66 books that God has so graciously given to us, that we can study them. Oh, Lord, what makes you happy? I because I don't want to what what do you call sin? What do you not call sin?

And we seek to keep his commandments, not my commandments. Had a lady get mad at me this last week, she's messaging me and, you know, I can't believe that you taught on the radio, that people can smoke cigarettes. You know, and and this is that's a terrible thing. Even though it doesn't say it's a sin, you know, you're a terrible pastor for saying that it's not a sin. On the radio. I'm like, I'm like, what do you want me to say to you? I honestly didn't know what to say. You know, the Bible does says clearly, it doesn't say I should say that smoking is a sin. So, you can go smoke. Yes. What do I always say? Smoking will not send you to hell. It'll just make you smell like you've been there. It may not be wise. And it may not be healthy, but again, don't twist the scripture.

Please, hear me on this. Don't twist the scripture to add on sins. We there's enough in the Bible already, okay? And don't twist the Bible and that you have to do these things. And again, if you're not doing this, or you're not doing that, or you're doing this, you're going to get say, get saved. You're not going to get say, no, no, no. If you continue in sin, the Bible says you will not inherit the kingdom of God. No matter what your profession says, okay? But here's the thing. We've been saved by grace. Amen. Through faith. Turn in your Bibles real quick. This is important because a lot of us like to stop in Ephesians chapter two.

Ephesians chapter two, we all like to stop at verse 8 and 9. Verses 8 and 9. You know, and and yet it goes on there because it's important for us to understand something here. Ephesians 2:8 and 9. Ephesians 2:8 and 9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Amen. But we stop there, don't we?

How about we keep going on in verse 10? No, don't go there. I'm going to read this out of the amplified. It says, For we are God's own handywork, his workmanship, the word there in the Greek is poema, where we get our English word poem. Isn't that beautiful? You're God's poem, recreated in Christ Jesus, born anew, that we may do those good works which God predestined, planned beforehand for us, taking paths which he prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which he prearranged and made ready for us to live. And this is where we find that out, and that's in the word of God.

To obey his commandments. Once we've been saved, it's a joy now. It's a it's not a got to anymore, it's a get to. We we we should be those who are loving because this is part of God's handywork. I'm not doing this stuff because I want to keep saved. I'm doing this stuff because we are saved. Lord, I do want to obey your commandments. Come back to our text. We got to keep moving back here in Revelation chapter 14. Look at verse 13. We're going to come back to the last part of verse 12 in just a moment. Verse 13 goes on and says, And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write this. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.

Now, if you remember last week we read that there is no rest for the wicked, the Bible says. But for those who are in God, notice it says here, that those blessed are those who die in the Lord. Because again, many if not most of the those who come to faith in Jesus during the tribulation will die. Many will die. And so, notice he says, Look, blessed. And notice the word blessed there is used twice. It's, oh, how happy. Oh, how happy. Look, we need to understand that this is part of living in the last days. It's okay because we need to understand that once we die, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We don't fear death as Christians.

You get that big C thing. It's like, oh, well, you know, it gets it's kind of hard, but it's like, you know what? If I go home to be with the Lord, I'm I'm gone. And I'll be up there doing an Irish jig and, you know, going, you guys, no, just kidding. But notice this, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them. Very interesting, notice, they now rest from their labors.

Man, when they were on the earth, they're doing the labors that God has given to them. They were obeying the commandments of the Lord. That was their goal. By the way, they never were couldn't be perfect at it, just like you and I. But that's our goal, right? But then when they get to heaven, they now rest from their labors. And again, this isn't resting in their labors to be saved. That's go reads Hebrews chapter 4. That's a great, you know, thing about entering into that rest from our trying to get saved. But this is just those labors that we're doing joyfully as unto the Lord. Notice, for their deeds will follow them, or their deeds follow them.

Do you know that right now that how you treat your husband will follow you into heaven? Do you know that how you treat your wife will follow you into heaven? How you treat your children will follow you into heaven? How you treat your parents will follow you into heaven? How we treat others? How we treat the the lost, dirty sinners. Follow you into heaven. But so too their rewards will follow you into heaven. Look, guys and gals, this is a beautiful thing.

There's going to be what's called the Bema seat, the judgment seat of Christ. And we're believers in Jesus, we'll receive rewards. And here's the cool part. We're not going to, you know, we don't know what's going to happen. Well, you, you know, you blew it on the husband part, you blew it here and there. But again, that should be our goal. I'm not going to be perfect, but man, that's my goal. I want to be better every day, every week, every year. Amen, Dads, fathers, husbands, wives, the same thing.

Kids, parents, friends, singles, walking in the Lord. But but but our deeds will follow us there. And and and we'll get rewards, we'll get crowns, the Bible says, to one day throw down, we're going to see later on in the book of Revelation, throw them down at the feet of the Lord to worship him. I think it's a somber warning, but it's also a somber thing to look forward to. Oh, Lord, you're going to reward as I'm dying to my to myself and loving my wife as Christ loved the church. I'm dying to myself and submitting as to my husband as unto the Lord. I'm dying to myself and leading my family as a man of God. Dying to myself and doing all these other things. God is going to reward those things. They're going to follow you into heaven.

Now, quickly back to verse 12. Again, it all kind of ties together. All these things tie into being those who can endure in the last days. And even today, in the times of the signs that we're living in. Notice how at the end of verse 12, these are those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus Christ. Let's look at this last part. Those who habitually keep their faith in Jesus.

So not only are they are those who keep the word of God, not only are they going to be having their works be brought into heaven, but these are those who keep their faith in Jesus. Guys and gals, in the days that we're living in, it is so important that you keep your faith in Jesus deep and fresh and full of love. Keep your faith in Jesus. Because this is how we can continue to move forward. This is how we continue to endure. Again, it's to be keeping the commands of the Lord through his word. There is power, there is life, there is light, but also in keeping our faith in Jesus.

And again, you know, we need to understand that we don't keep our faith in our political leaders. Amen. We don't keep our faith even in our religious leaders. Amen, like me or others. We keep our faith in Jesus Christ. And I love what it says here, those who have habitual, those who keep habitually keep their faith in Jesus. Guys and gals, to be those who are habitually growing in our faith. And and we understand that as we're coming in faith to the word of God and God reveals us. And faith comes by hearing and hearing by what? The word of God.

So as we come to the word of God again and we learn more about who we are, who God is and all these different things. And we understand that the promises of God to you and me today are yes and amen. This is exciting. Because no matter what comes at you, even in the today's of the signs that we're living in, you can endure by looking to keep the commandments of God through his word and by keeping your faith, enduring and keeping your faith habitually in Jesus. Be careful because it's easy to shift, isn't it? It's easy to shift our faith away from Jesus to other things and especially to ourselves.

Especially when we start doing good, right? And life is going good. Oh, I got this, Lord. Just let me go, bro. I got it. And what do we do every time? Because that's what a haughty spirit does. For me, I used to say, oh, you know, Jesus isn't my crutch. I don't need, you know, this or that. And then I remember I think it was Greg Laurie said, you know, Jesus isn't my crutch, he's my life support system. And that's how I am now today. He isn't just my crutch, as as so many in the world say, and maybe some here today. Ah, that's just your crutch. No, he's my life support system and I don't say it without any shame.

Look, guys and gals, God is ever faithful, even when we fall, he won't. Our friends will fail us, our husbands and wives will fail us, our families will fail us, our best friends will fail us. We will fail all of them too. Don't forget that, please. But God will never fail you. God is ever for us. Now, I'm going to close as we're reading just I'm going to blaze through some scriptures, man, because these are the scriptures that help keep our faith. Our our faith habitual because this is real. Philippians 1:6 says, confidently being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for all those to those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose. Ephesians 2:4-7, But God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he has loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. And raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Notice Jesus is always pointing us to heaven. Always pointing us to a time with him. Joshua 1:4-9, No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I'll be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide us in inheritance, the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do all that is written in the law which my Moses, uh, Moses my servant commanded you, and do not turn from it to the right hand or the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. Sounds like our text this morning. Notice you're meditating in the law of God, you're knowing it day and night, but then it goes on so that you can observe what's written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you, be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Philippians 1:29, For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but to suffer for his sake. Hey, when suffering comes our way, it's been granted to you for that. God will use it for your glory and his glory, or your good and his glory. Philippians 2:13, For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for his good pleasure. Psalm 18:2 and 3, The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God and my strength, in whom I will trust. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, and I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies. Titus 3:4-7, But when the kindness and the love of our of God our Savior towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That having been justified by a great his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Hebrews 13:20 and 21, Now may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 21:1, The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? And lastly, Ephesians 3:20 and 21, Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly, all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Look, I could go on and on for hours. And and and it should bring joy and and it should be bringing more and more peace with every scripture that we read, because our trust goes more and more, oh, Lord, I can trust in you. Not in the world, not in our political leaders, not in our religious leaders, not in myself, but in you, Jesus. My faith remains in you. My faith is in you, Jesus, and my faith is in you through your word by your Holy Spirit.

Host: I hope you were blessed by today's message from Pastor Bill Henry. This has been Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. And today we brought you a message from Pastor Bill's new series in the book of Revelation. If you'd like to hear today's message again or share it with a friend, it's available on our website to either watch or listen or download in MP3 format. We have a large number of Pastor Bill's messages archived and you can find them all at simplefaith.org. That's simplefaith.org. And we also stream Simple Faith at oneplace.com. And if you'd like to contact us, just click the contact us tab at our website. And there's a tab at the top of our homepage where you can also send in a prayer request. We would love to pray for you. And when you support this radio outreach with a donation of any amount this month, we'll send you a copy of a classic book from legendary Christian preacher and apologist D.L. Moody. It's called The Overcoming Life. It's an absolute must-read for any Christian and it has been read and enjoyed by millions of believers. To get your copy for a gift of any amount, go to simplefaith.org and click the give tab. You can also call us at 833 by grace. That's 833 294 72 23. And if you would prefer the U.S. Mail, our mailing address is P.O. Box 55, Battle Ground, Washington, and the zip code is 98604. Here at Simple Faith Calvary Chapel, we have three services every Sunday morning at 8, 9:45 and 11:30, and a great time of study in God's word every Wednesday evening at 7. For more information and directions, go to simplefaith.org and also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks so much for joining us today. Be sure to join us next time as our series in Revelation continues here on Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry, brought to you by Simple Faith Calvary Chapel.