Look Up!
Rev. Dr. Omar Williams Preached on 1/12/2025
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61:07
Summary
Rev. Dr. Omar Williams warns the church not to be enamored by the temporary beauty of the modern world, but to recognize current global turmoils as signs that Christ's return is imminent, calling believers to a posture of spiritual readiness.
Key points
- •The modern world's beauty and technology often act as a distraction, diverting our attention from spiritual priorities and the coming of Christ.
- •Scripture warns that the glistening structures of man are temporary and will eventually be destroyed, emphasizing that the prophetic word of God is sure and will be fulfilled.
- •Jesus identifies three categories of signs signaling the end times: global turmoil (deception, wars, disasters), great tribulation (persecution of Christians and distress in Israel), and galactic terrors (celestial signs).
- •For the believer, end-time signs are not a cause for terror but a signal to 'look up' and 'straighten up' because redemption is drawing near.
Scripture
End Times
Prophecy
Holiness
Faith
Perseverance
Life application
This week, evaluate the areas of your life that have become 'crooked' or distracted by worldly allure; intentionally 'straighten up' your spiritual posture through repentance and prioritize readiness for Christ's return over secular pursuits.
Reflection questions
- In what ways have the 'beautiful stones' or modern attractions of this world distracted you from God's mission?
- How should the reality of global turmoil and biblical prophecy change the way you watch the news and view current events?
- What does it mean for you personally to 'straighten up' and 'look up' in your current season of life?
- Are you living with the urgency of someone who believes the Rapture could happen at any moment?
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Full transcript
0:00Jesus Christ I am. God bless you in the hands of the ushers.
0:16I command
0:22my soul
0:27to bless
0:33the Lord
0:39i command my soul to bless
0:45the lord i command my soul
0:51to bless the lord i command my
0:56voice to sing his praise i command my
1:02voice to sing his praise i command my
1:08to sing his praise i command my vote
1:13to sing his i command my voice to
1:19sing his praise i command my to sing
1:25his praise I command
1:30my hands to
1:35praise the Lord.
1:40I command my
1:46hands to give
1:51Him praise. I command my hands to give him praise, to give him praise I
1:56command my hands to give him praise, I command my hands to give him praise
1:58I command my hands to give him praise, I command my hands to give him
2:00praise Say hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, hands,
2:02hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:03hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:05hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:07hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:09hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:10hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:12hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:14hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:16hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:17hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:19hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:21hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands hands
2:22hands, hands, hands, hands, hands, Give Him praise. Give
2:28Him praise.
2:30sing
2:38his
2:46praise
2:54Boys, boys, boys, sing His
3:00praise! Boys, boys, boys, sing
3:05His praise! Soul, soul, bless
3:11the Lord! Soul, soul, bless
3:16the Lord! Come round your
3:21soul to bless the Lord!
3:27Soul, soul, bless the Lord!
3:32Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, everyone.
3:40There's a song that says, why
3:45worry when you can pray? Trust
3:51Jesus and he will lead the
3:57way. Don't be like doubtful Thomas.
4:02Just put your faith and trust
4:08in Jesus. Why worry, worry, worry
4:14when you can pray? Why worry
4:20when you can pray?
4:26Jesus. Heed the way.
4:32Don't be like doubtful
4:38Thomas. Put your faith
4:44and trust in Jesus.
4:50Why worry, worry, worry
4:56when you can pray?
5:02Help me sing. Oh,
5:07why worry when you
5:12can pray? You just
5:17ask. Ask Jesus. He
5:22will lead the way.
5:27The way to me.
5:32Like doubtful timbre. Put
5:38your faith and trust
5:43in Jesus. Why worry
5:49when you can't pray?
5:55Why worry? Oh, why
6:01worry when you can't
6:07pray? Just ask Jesus.
6:14why
6:28worry
6:43Why worry? Why,
6:47why, why worry
6:52when you can
6:57praise Jesus? He
7:02will lead the
7:07way. Don't be
7:11doubtful. Just
7:16leave a promise.
7:21Oh, why worry?
7:26Worry what? Come
7:30on, somebody pray.
7:35Somebody pray. And
7:40God delivers. Somebody
7:45pray. And God
7:49stops. God stops.
7:54Somebody pray.
7:59And God delivered. He delivered.
8:04And he gave up one
8:09more chance. Come on, lift
8:14your hands. Somebody pray. Somebody
8:19pray. Somebody pray for you
8:24and me. Hallelujah. God delivered.
8:29He delivered. Pray. Pray. And
8:34God stopped sinning.
8:38Somebody
8:41prayed.
8:44Somebody
8:47prayed.
8:51Somebody
8:54prayed.
8:57Somebody
9:00prayed.
9:03Somebody
9:06prayed.
9:10Somebody
9:13prayed.
9:17God stops the
9:22war. Somebody prays.
9:28And God delivers.
9:33And he gave
9:38us one more
9:43chance. Somebody prays.
9:49And God delivers.
9:54god
10:04somebody
10:13come
10:22on
10:35Oh
11:23hallelujah somebody prayed and
11:28god delivered somebody prayed
11:34and god stopped the
11:39war somebody prayed and
11:45god is that you
11:50is that you Is that you? Why
11:56don't you stand, lift those hands and give the Lord a praise today that he
12:01is the God who answers prayer. Hallelujah. And that continues to give his people one
12:07more chance. One more chance. Thank you, Lord. He has given us one more chance
12:12to be in his presence today. Father, thank you for this one more chance. Speak
12:17a word of life into our hearts one more time. Lead us further on the
12:23road. of serving you in spirit and in truth, living the life you want us
12:29to, representing you in the world you desire to be represented. Save souls now, we
12:34pray, by the preaching of the word of God. In Jesus' name, and everybody say
12:40amen. God bless you. You may be seated in the presence of our good
12:46and our gracious God. Greetings to my darling wife, Pastor Chris, Lady Leah, to our
12:51precious Lady Jennifer Stewart, our shepherd mother. Amen. Got to make sure we call her
12:57name every now and then. Let's folks ask, what kind of name is that? Shepherd
13:03mother. Amen. But she is a shepherd to us. Her prayers, her wise counsel.
13:09And we continue to thank God for you, Shepherd Mother, to all the elders and
13:14their wives, leaders and their spouses, saints, guests. We greet you. Welcome in the name
13:20of the Lord. Very special welcome today to, although I don't know, maybe I should
13:25be a little upset with her, to Sister Keisha Johnston. And she knows why I
13:31said that. she's a former member of pentab the daughter of a former
13:37member lady carmen scott and the sister of camille bertram would you stand
13:42on the entire family just just stand let us acknowledge you and welcome
13:48you in jesus name welcome home amen welcome home welcome home amen hallelujah
13:54so amen just so good to have you today amen praise god all
13:59right By the way, I'm joking by saying I'm
14:05a little mad at her. It's an inside joke. I can't
14:11tell you what it is, but she knows. Hallelujah. Thank you,
14:16Lord. Thank you, Lord. While prayerfully preparing and asking God where
14:22He wants us to go this year, I really felt impressed
14:28on my spirit. Might have been somewhere in the month of
14:33November. I'd already had a layout of topics that I wanted
14:39to to preach on this month of January into February. But
14:45something happened. I was having an evening. It's one of those unexpected
14:51moments where God just breaks through. I was washing the dishes and
14:57my mother-in-law started to play the song, "Come Jesus, Come." And I
15:02asked her, "Play it again." And I listened to that song maybe
15:08about at least five or so times. And after I
15:14left washing the dishes at night, the Lord just detained me in His
15:19presence. And I felt led of the Holy Ghost that we need to
15:25be reminded of rapture readiness. As we are planning our year, God wants
15:31the church to be reminded that our top priority should be to be
15:37ready to meet our Lord. So I want
15:43to speak to us for the next several weeks on the series,
15:48Rapture Ready. Today's subject in the series is look up. Everybody say
15:54look up. If you could go with me in your Bibles to
16:00Luke 21, Luke 21 verses 5 through to 28.
16:06I want you to hold your Bibles open today as we talk through this Word
16:12of God as He inspires us. I'll read to begin verses 5 and 6 and
16:18I'll read the last two in the portion of reading. Verses 5 and 6 reads
16:24like this: "Then as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful
16:30stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see, the days will come
16:35in which not one stone shall be left upon another that
16:41shall not be thrown down. Reading verses 27 and 28. Then
16:47they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud
16:53with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to
16:58happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption
17:04draws near. I want you to hear me today with
17:10a heart that wants to really do the will of God. Sometimes I think
17:16we just kind of wait out the preacher a little bit. But I want
17:21you to hear me today with a heart that really wants to hear what
17:27is God's mind for His church. I realize that this modern world of ours
17:32is becoming increasingly appealing. Has anybody noticed how beautiful our modern world is becoming?
17:39You can really get drawn in to this world because
17:45it has an allure to it that just appeals and
17:51captures our minds, our hearts and our imagination. There was
17:57a time when buildings were boringly squared. Now, as
18:03you drive through the various cityscapes across the world, you can't help in
18:08New York City to notice that there is a building that has the
18:14shape of a Jenga board. Or is it Jenga? Thank you. Jenga board.
18:20You drive through Toronto and Mississauga, you can't help but seeing that they
18:25have designed two buildings that have the shape of water bottles. There is
18:31the imposing Burj Khalifa Tower. And the sights and the
18:37sceneries across our world, they are beautiful. Have you
18:43seen our cityscape at night with all the different
18:48dazzling neon lights and the guitar at the Hard
18:54Rock just up the road from us there? I
18:59mean, the world that we live in is becoming
19:05increasingly beautiful. The clothes, the fashion, movies, entertainment,
19:10technology. Our modern world is increasing its appeal
19:16to our eyes and to our minds. And
19:21if we are not mindful, the beauty of
19:26this modern world can so suck us in
19:32and divert our attention from something bigger than
19:37itself, something greater than itself. this beautiful world of ours.
19:43But I want to comfort us in knowing that we're not the only ones who
19:49dealt with this kind of distraction by the beauty of the world before them. The
19:55apostles of Jesus, just like us, that they were humans like us, that they too
20:01were so enamored with their world, with the structures and the technology of their time,
20:07That sometimes their admiration for the world around them diverted their
20:13attention from the master at critical moments when he wanted to
20:19give them groundbreaking revelation upon which a church would stand. For
20:24instance, when Jesus brought them to the coast of Caesarea Philippi,
20:31They were so distracted by the grandeur of that city, the marble temple that
20:36was dedicated to the Godhead of Caesar, the basalt rock that was dedicated to
20:42the worship of Pan. They were distracted by the beauty of that city that
20:48when Jesus said to them, whom do you say that I am? They couldn't
20:54answer him because their focus diverted by the attraction of this world.
21:00Now in our text in St. Luke 21, the parallel of this is
21:06Matthew 24. This is a time where Jesus is nearing the end of
21:11his mission. He's about to be crucified and return to heaven. So there
21:17are critical revelation. There are crucial insights at this time that Jesus desires
21:23to give to his disciples. And so he brought them to the temple
21:28and the Bible says, That they were so busy admiring the imposing
21:34edifice of the temple that they almost missed out on the revelation that
21:40Jesus desired to give to them. They began to tell Jesus how beautiful
21:46the temple is. And Jesus is such a buzzkill. He looked
21:52at them at all the beautiful temple around them that their fathers had been years
21:58in building. And this was, I think, about their second temple that was renovated by
22:04Herod. And this beautiful temple decked with all of the wealth and the opulence and
22:10the jewelry of its time. They were so distracted by this glistening reality before them.
22:16And Jesus looked at them and says, this world that you are looking on right
22:22now, this beautiful thing that is taking your attention away, a day is coming when
22:28all of this will be destroyed. A day is coming brothers and
22:34sisters where this beautiful world that is competing for our attention and that is often
22:39drawing many of us away from the focus that we ought to have in God
22:45when this beautiful world will be destroyed. That day is coming. Let me tell you
22:51this, when the Lord speaks His words are not empty. Because just about maybe
22:57less than 50 years after he made that statement, sure enough, the
23:02temple was destroyed by enemy forces of Rome led by Titus Flavius
23:08and they tore that building down to shreds. What Jesus wants us
23:14to understand from this brothers and sisters is that the prophetic word
23:19of God is sure. The word of God is going to come
23:25to pass. It might take some time, but if there is a word from God,
23:31that word is going to be fulfilled. Whatever God has written about the course of
23:36the world in which we live and the reality that this world will not go
23:42on forever. So we need to invest our time and our interest and
23:48our hope in something that is beyond the glistening realities of this world. Because
23:54this world is going to meet its fate one day. Hallelujah. God wants us
24:00to know what is going to happen to our world. So after hearing
24:06Jesus saying this to them, and I like the attitude of the disciples because
24:12the word of God was able to snap them back from being absorbed by
24:18a carnal reality and to draw their attention back to a spiritual reality and the
24:24revelation that the lord wanted to give them how many of us in this place
24:28when we come to god's house we come with a mind that is pliable that
24:33is ready that is flexible that is saying to god i came with this mindset
24:38but i am open for you to challenge and to change my mindset so that
24:43when i leave here i leave to live a new insight that you gave me
24:49Disciples allow themselves to be challenged and changed by the word of God. And the
24:55Bible says that in verse 7, they now turn to Jesus and says, when will
25:01this happen? What are the signs that we ought to look for? And something
25:07about this, something about what Jesus said, Matthew records it that Matthew 24 and verse
25:123. Matthew said that they said to Jesus, tell us what will be the signs
25:18that we are coming to the end of time. Not only the signs that
25:24this temple will be destroyed, because the temple being destroyed in their minds was the
25:30beginning of the end. So they asked Jesus, what are the signs that we ought
25:35to look for to tell us that the end is near, that the second coming
25:41of Jesus is imminent? And I'm delighting in the question of the disciples and hoping
25:46that you and I are curious to know what signs we ought to look for
25:52as the bride of Christ, as a people who are very being in the house
25:57of God is to await and to prepare for the coming of the Lord. I
26:02believe that it ought to be the question of every heart. What signs are we
26:08to look for to tell us that your coming is near?
26:16Hallelujah. What signs are we to look for? Ask the apostles. And when we have
26:20an interest in the things of God, he will always respond. So he says to
26:25them, I want you to look for these signs. He gave them three categories of
26:30signs. Number one, he said, I want you to look out for global turmoil. Everybody
26:35say global turmoil. Whenever there is global turmoil and it begins to increase, I want
26:41you to pay attention to that and begin to up your state of readiness for
26:46the return of the Lord because global turmoil is saying to you that I am
26:52getting ready to bring this world to an end. Verses 8 to 11, he says
26:57to them, it's in your Bibles, if you could look there as I read, it
27:03says, take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in my name
27:09saying, I am he. And the time has drawn near. Therefore, do not go after
27:15them. But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified. For these
27:20things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. Then he
27:25said to them, nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will
27:31be great earthquakes in various places and famines and pestilences and there will be fearful
27:36sights and great signs from the heaven. The Lord says that as the last days
27:41approach, that there will be as the last of the last days approach, because matter
27:46of fact, we are already in the last days. we are the last days began
27:51when jesus was crucified according to the prophetic word of daniel when he was crucified
27:56that ushered us into the last day that is why joel said that in the
28:01last days said god i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh when the
28:06holy ghost came it indicated to us that the last days have already begun We're
28:12in the last days. And in fact, we're in the last of the last days.
28:18We're in the perilous times of the last days. We are nearing the end. Ah,
28:23Koshama. And he says there will be global turmoil in our world. There'll be intentional
28:29deception in our world. There'll be turmoil in our religious community because of the intentional
28:35deception. There are going to be false messiahs rising up and saying, I am the
28:39Lord, follow me. He says to them, do not follow them because Jesus will not
28:44come from the earth, he will come from the sky. So if anybody comes to
28:49you and says, I am the Christ, do not follow them because they're false messiahs.
28:55He says there'll be other people who will come to you and try to teach
28:59falsely in my name. They'll try to tell you that I know when the Lord
29:03is coming. I know this date the Lord is coming and there have been a
29:07lot of those hoaxes going around in our time and in our culture. But the
29:11Lord says do not Do not be deceived. Read the word of God for yourself.
29:16They may work miracles and signs and wonders and cast out demons. But God says
29:22if what they are saying does not line up with the word of God, do
29:27not believe them. And on the other hand, there'll be those who rather than to
29:33prepare the body for the coming of the Lord, they are rather making the people
29:38of God more covetous of the world around them. Such are they who every time
29:43they preach, they're talking about riches and wealth and prosperity and not reminding the people
29:48of God that this world of ours it is gonna perish that the dollar we
29:53love one day it will be devalued and trodden on the foot and nobody will
29:59want to use it and buildings will crumble but the word of God and our
30:05soul has got to abide forever hallelujah hallelujah he says do not go after them
30:11When they begin to preach peace and safety and prosperity. When they begin to tell
30:15you that this world that we have fallen in love with, that it is going
30:20to get better. You've got to hear me in this place. My God, I feel
30:24the Holy Ghost in here. This world is not getting better. But every day, why?
30:29Because we are on a prophetic collision course with the return of the Lord. This
30:33world is going to end someday. I know many of us don't want to hear
30:37that because we want to hold on to this world. Hallelujah. But I've got to
30:42tell you the truth of the word of God. God says that when you begin
30:48to see these signs beginning to happening, begin happening, the end is not yet. It
30:53is only going to get worse before it gets better. Hallelujah. There will be intentional
30:59deception that causes turmoil in the religious community. There will be international distress.
31:05Everybody say international distress. Verses 9 and 10, he talks about the international
31:10distress, wars and rumors of wars. And can I tell you that right
31:16now, unrest is brewing across the globe like never before. unprecedented numbers of
31:22wars that if you are not paying attention, you will
31:28not even realize how much is going on in our
31:34world. There are 45 plus wars in the Middle East
31:39right now. There are 35 plus wars in Africa right
31:45now. There are 21 plus wars in Asia right now.
31:51There are seven plus wars in Europe right now. There are seven plus
31:57wars in Latin America and the Caribbean right now because our global reality
32:03is up ticking in warfare and conflicts because these things must happen to
32:09show us that the world is on a collision course with the prophetic
32:15word of our God. The end is near. The end is near.
32:21And Jesus wants us to know that when you see these things happening, do not
32:27be terrified. Get in the word of God and tell yourself, remind yourself of what
32:32the word of God says. These things must come to pass first before the end
32:38of time comes. There'll be Increased disasters, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, which is
32:44another name for diseases. And haven't we seen unprecedented diseases in recent
32:50times? The global pandemic that we just came out of a few
32:56years ago. famines across the globe and they just talked about this new virus that
33:02just broke out in China and they're telling people don't worry about it brothers and
33:07sisters I'm telling you that we're living in a time where we must pay attention
33:12we must not be so distracted by what is going on around us while we
33:17are here talking about the fashion that we want to wear and the movies that
33:21we want to watch and the places that we want to go the world is
33:27busy getting set up for the coming of the Lord and
33:32we are not attentive to what is going on. Oh God,
33:38oh God. Since the start of 2025, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake
33:44hit Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Bhutan and China. Since the start of 2025
33:50severe drought and warmer than normal temperatures have caused a massive wildfire that is right
33:55now ravaging parts of California. I'm telling you this, we ought to begin to look
34:01up. People's hearts are beginning to fail them for fear because they do not know
34:06what is the words I've heard used to describe this fire is apocalyptic. You know
34:12what that word means? It is prophecy about the end of times and it is
34:17true whether they know it or not because these things are showing us that
34:23God is about to come for his world global turmoil can I go to
34:29the second thing he said number two not only will there be global turmoil
34:34there'll be great tribulation everybody say great tribulation this is verses 12 through 24
34:40it's a long read so I'm not gonna read it I'll just talk us
34:46to it Jesus said to his disciples that there will be an increase
34:52in tribulation, in persecution, in the sufferings that the church will endure as
34:57we're nearing the end of time. What I love about Jesus, which all
35:03of us as preachers need to embrace, is that he never spared his
35:09disciples the truth. They may not have liked the truth, but he didn't
35:14spare them the truth. Because nobody wants to hear that you'll go through
35:20suffering. Nobody want to hear that you'll go through tribulation, but he said to them
35:25you shall have troubles in this world But do not be afraid because I have
35:30already overcome the world and though you will go through it There's a day coming
35:35when you will come out of it, but there will be great tribulation in our
35:41world There'll be two kinds of tribulation number one. There'll be anti-christian tribulation. Everybody say
35:46anti-christian tribulation Verses 12 to 9 referred to the disciples of Jesus and therefore
35:52to the church of God. The Christians, the disciples of Jesus, the people of the
35:57name of our God will go through tribulation and it will increase as we're nearing
36:03the end of time. There are various ways in which we'll go through tribulation. Firstly,
36:08we'll go through tribulation because of public policy. Everybody say public policy. I want to
36:14take my time and just talk to us today. Public policy. Societal laws will
36:20be implemented says Jesus. In that time he talked about the Sanhedrin council which was
36:24the supreme court of that time. He said you'll be taken before them but in
36:29our time there's not a Sanhedrin in America but what we do have is a
36:33supreme court and a court system in this world. We do have a judicial and
36:38we do have a congressional branch that makes laws for our country. You got to
36:44hear me. And public policy says Jesus will be put in place that will cause
36:50many to be arrested and put you in a position where you are forced to
36:56defend your faith publicly against political and religious and social ideologies that conflict against the
37:02word of God. What will you do child of God? My God.
37:08When for your faith you are called before the judges because you decide
37:14to take a stand for the name of our God. What
37:19will we do Pentab Academy when for our faith in God and for
37:25our insistence on quality Christian education there might arise a government in Florida
37:30that will say to you you can't do that and if you do
37:36that we are going to arrest you. What will you do Dr. Sharp?
37:42That day is coming she says lock me up and I would to God I
37:46know we're laughing but I would to God that all of us would begin to
37:51see what is happening in our world and realize that already in some countries like
37:56England and Canada that even pastors are getting arrested for discrimination because they refuse to
38:01perform so am I talking to anybody here you've got to hear me in this
38:05house that a day is coming when because of the faith in Jesus public policy
38:11will say lock them up Lord says don't worry about it when they lock
38:17you up I'll give you wisdom hallelujah I'll give you boldness and courage to
38:22stand before them and to defend the word of God and the faith of
38:28our Lord Jesus Christ in a way that they cannot confute and refute even
38:34though they disagree with you hallelujah he says the testimony will be heard
38:40It will be heard in the prison houses. It will be heard in the jail
38:45houses and the courthouses when the people of God are brought before judges to defend
38:50the faith. And some people will hear the gospel for the first time in a
38:55courthouse by somebody who is detained and arrested and will come to know Jesus because
39:00of the tribulation of the Christians. Public policy, there will also be family betrayal. Believers
39:05will be betrayed by those closest to them. Verse 16, to save their own skins,
39:10parents and siblings and relatives are going to hand believers over to the law to
39:15be put to death, says Jesus, because of their faith. He goes on further. He
39:20says there'll be cultural hatred everywhere. everybody he says there's gonna come a time when
39:25culture is gonna have an ingrained hatred for Christians it is already happening verse 17
39:30it is already happening and it is not hard to imagine because it is already
39:35happening they killed the prophets they killed the apostles they have killed missionaries in various
39:40countries a lot of you right now you are taking heat for your belief in
39:45the Lord people on the job just hate you for no reason but the fact
39:50that you're a child of God you have never hated them you have never spoken
39:55a disparaging word to them but just because they know that you're a child of
39:59God who believes in the name of Jesus and in the Word of God they
40:04just hate you because there is a spirit in them that makes am I talking
40:09to anybody here and that will only increase says the Lord but Jesus says don't
40:14worry about it again they may kill your physical body but if you will endure
40:19you shall reap eternal life they may take this physical life from you they may
40:25harm and hurt your physical body says the Lord but if you hold on to
40:30me I will ensure my God I will ensure that your soul is safe for
40:35all eternity I want to turn to the church again and say to you that
40:41time is filled with swift transition none on earth on move can stand
40:47build your hope on the things eternal hold on to
40:53God's unchanging hand hallelujah not only will there be anti-christian
40:58persecution but there's also going to be anti-israel tribulation
41:04Verses 20 to 24 talks about the tribulation against the nation of Israel. The Bible
41:10says that there will be a time when Israel will have an unprecedented season of
41:16suffering. The revelation said and Daniel says it will be for seven years. But can
41:22I tell you the tribulation of Israel has already started. Come here for a second.
41:27Since October 7, 2023. When Hamas attacked Israel, it has reignited a latent
41:33conflict between Israel and several of the Arabic nations around the nation of
41:39Israel. And if you have watched the news, you must have realized that
41:45there are college campuses far from the Middle East. People who do not
41:50know Israel, people who do not know Hamas, who are out there burning
41:56Israeli flags and talking about death am I talking to anybody here death to Israel
42:01shooting up Jewish synagogues all because of an idea that is in this world against
42:07Israel but I want to say to the Church of the Living God when you
42:12see these things beginning to happen know that we are nearing the end of time
42:18because God is getting ready to turn attention to Israel again
42:24And before God turns attention to Israel again, the church will be raptured out of
42:29here. Am I talking to anybody here? I'm trying to tell the church of the
42:34living God. I'm trying to tell the adults and the seniors. I'm trying to warn
42:39the young people. I'm trying to warn the married and the singles. Let us live
42:44ready because any day now, Jesus is coming again. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He's coming back. Do
42:49not be distracted by the allures of this world. Keep your eyes upon Jesus. I
42:54know you've been hearing this for a very long time. But if the word of
42:59God says it, I believe what the word of God says. Because there are too
43:04many things I see in the word of God that is already coming to pass.
43:08It cannot be just a mere coincidence. You've got to watch out. Open up our
43:13eyes and look. Because the time of our redemption is drawing nigh.
43:19Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Right now
43:25Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen have surrounded Israel and
43:31are actively fighting against Israel. But it's not over yet. Because the Bible says that
43:36a time is coming when Israel is going to be surrounded by Gentile armies. They
43:42are going to trample Israel underfoot. And many Jews are going to be killed. And
43:47some will have to flee the city and the country in order to be saved.
43:53Ezekiel tells us that Gog and Magog. That is Russia Gog and Magog on
43:59ancient maps coincide with the Russia is Russia is on a state Vladimir Putin is
44:04on in an Imperialistic mindset he's trying to reclaim or to claim territory. So he's
44:09already taken Ukraine Am I talking to anybody here or trying to take them the
44:15Bible says that at some point he will set his eyes on on the nation
44:20of Israel the Bible says in Revelation 9:14 to 16 the Red Army that has
44:25been long associated with China I feel like preaching in this place how are you
44:31seeing how China and Russia are posturing themselves in today's world we ought to wake
44:36up and pay attention this is not as happening at a coincidence this is a
44:41word of God God being fulfilled before our very eyes but you've got to hear
44:46me brothers and sisters it will get worse but it is gonna get better because
44:51Jesus Christ is gonna come back for his world the kingdoms of this world will
44:56become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ I am NOT looking for this
45:01world to get better I'm looking for Jesus to come somebody somebody ought to join
45:07with the songwriter that says come Jesus come we've been waiting so long for
45:12the day you return to heal every heart to heal the wars and the
45:18brokenness in our world the healing will not come until Jesus comes hallelujah there'll
45:24be global turmoil there'll be great tribulation but can I close when I give
45:30you this third point what Jesus said is gonna come to our world there
45:36will be galactic terrors Everybody say galactic terrors. Tell
45:41your neighbor, "Terrors in the skies." Come on, tell them. There'll be terrors in the
45:46skies. We have not seen anything yet. Lord, I feel the Holy Ghost here. Verses
45:5125 and 26 says, "And there'll be signs in the sun, in the moon, and
45:55in the stars, and on the earth, distress of nations with perplexity of the sea,
46:00and the waves of roaring men's hearts, failing them for fear, and the expectation of
46:05those things which are coming on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will
46:09be shaken." there will be ethereal wonders wonders in the ether in the skies above
46:15us they people are going to look the bible says right now we have seen
46:20some some lunar and solar eclipse that have scared the daylights out am i talking
46:24to anybody here that have scared the daylights out of people but the lord says
46:29you haven't seen anything yet right now scientists are watching asteroids and saying if those
46:34things fall to the earth i don't know how we're gonna survive but we haven't
46:39seen the day is going to come when the Sun will turn black and the
46:43moon will drip with blood right in front of our very eyes it is gonna
46:47turn blood red in front of our eyes and people are gonna be scared out
46:52of their wits because they don't know what is happening and the Bible says I
46:56feel the Holy Ghost here that while there are earthly ethereal wonders there will be
47:02earthly woes because when the asteroids begin to fall mountains are gonna split mountains are
47:07gonna shock are gonna fall out of place there'll be tsunamis and earthquakes and all
47:12kind of flood across our world like we have never seen before but brothers and
47:17sisters while they are fearing you know what we're gonna do do we are going
47:22to look up i feel the holy ghost here we're going to stand up we're
47:27going to straighten up and we're going to look up because when these things are
47:32happening it simply means that our redemption is drawing there i feel the holy ghost
47:37in this place oh god oh god oh god but you would believe you believe
47:41that when these dangerous things begin to happen when men look up at the skies
47:46and see the sun black out and there's not an eclipse When men and women
47:51look up at the skies and the moon is blood red and it's not an
47:55eclipse when people look at the skies and see various signs Beginning to appear and
47:59the sky is split open says the Lord says the Word of God I don't
48:04know how I mean I can't imagine what is that what that is gonna be
48:08like but here is a deal here's a deal by that time you and I
48:12I will no longer be here because I feel God in this place before all
48:17of those things begin to happen we are going to be raptured out of here
48:23We are gonna be part of the signs in the heavens You gotta hear me
48:28now because people are gonna see planes falling from the skies Because the pilot was
48:33a Jesus name man of God a woman of God I feel the Holy Ghost
48:37in this place and when the rapture came and they went to be with the
48:42Lord That plane is gonna fall from the sky my god Can you imagine a
48:46bus driver or a train operator who is a child of God? God filled with
48:51the Holy Ghost baptized in the name of Jesus and the rapture comes and they
48:56are taken away to be with the Lord and there is nobody driving the train
49:01that train is gonna crash I feel the Holy Ghost in here our rapture will
49:06be part of the pandemonium on earth when people begin
49:09Hallelujah
49:41Let's stand in the house brothers and sisters. Let's stand in the house. Before I
49:46open the altar, here's what the Lord said to us. Hallelujah. He says, when you
49:50see the global turmoils around you, When you see the great tribulation beginning to happen.
49:56When you see the beginnings of galactic terrors around you. Here is what he says.
50:01He says, then they will see, hallelujah, the son of man coming in a cloud
50:06with power, ha-ta-shama, and great glory. What a day that will be when my Jesus
50:11I shall see. When I look upon his face, the one who saved me by
50:17his grace. When he takes by the hand and leads me to the problem what
50:22a day what a glorious day that will be what a day when we are
50:27reunited with our loved ones on zion's holy hill what a day when we get
50:32to stand again with our bishop what a day when we stand with fathers and
50:37mothers and children who have gone on before us when the lord comes i feel
50:42the holy ghost in here when he comes the powers of the world will be
50:47broken says the lord it says when you begin to see these things happening around
50:53you i i love i love the old king jim version but when you go
50:57back to the the greek the original what it says here the word that they
51:01just say look up it actually is more than look up he says straighten up
51:05here's the final instruction straighten yourself up am i talking to anybody here you ought
51:10to nudge your neighbor beside you and tell him the lord says straighten up come
51:14on tell him straighten up up and this straighten up is not a physical it's
51:19a spiritual and a mental posture it does it means to straighten yourself up and
51:24look up but it also means if there is something in your life that needs
51:29to be straightened up that needs to be I feel the Holy Ghost in here
51:34if there's a weakness in your life that needs to be straightened up why don't
51:40you bring it to God right now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah straighten yourself up says the
51:45Lord I'm giving you time and a warning to straighten yourself up.
51:51I'm giving you the opportunity to get right, says God. I'm giving the church
51:57and the believers and the world another opportunity to straighten up, to raise your
52:03head and look to God for our redemption is drawing near. I want to
52:08open this altar right now to somebody. Hallelujah. I want to open this altar
52:14to somebody right now. The Lord is coming soon. It
52:20is time to be saved. It is time to make sure
52:26we're saved. It is time to stop playing around. It is
52:32time to stop playing hopscotch. It is time to be faithful
52:38to your wife. Be faithful to your husband. Be faithful, says
52:43God. I open this altar right now. somebody to straighten up come on
52:49come on come on come on don't be shy don't be shy you know I'm
52:54talking to you somebody in this house needs to straighten up your life somebody ought
52:59to get something right this morning if you have not yet been baptized in the
53:03name of Jesus today is the day that you ought to say to the preacher
53:08I want to learn more about water baptism if you are not yet filled with
53:13the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues today is the day when you ought to
53:17say to God fill me with your power and your spirit today is the day
53:22to straighten up come on come on come on come on come on come on
53:27come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come
53:33on come on come on there is somebody in here tonight today who does not
53:38yet have a relationship with Jesus you can choose to live without him but you
53:43do not want to face the end without him and can I tell you this
53:48some of us will meet the Lord at the rapture some will meet him through
53:53death I don't know which is gonna be in my case oh God but I
53:58want to make sure that I use this moment to straighten myself up because I
54:03could be here now and I could drop right here and that's my last day
54:09am I talking to anybody here I could drive out of here on my way
54:14home and you hear that I died on the way home I don't know if
54:19I'll have another opportunity today if you hear his voice come on come on come
54:24on come on Zion come on Zion come on come on listen here I want
54:29to invite as much of us to come as possible come on come on draw
54:34close draw close draw close draw close and I'm going to do that because I
54:39know that sometimes we're afraid we're afraid to come to the altar because we're afraid
54:45of what people are going to say to us listen when it comes on to
54:50my eternal future I could not care less how you want to criticize me God
54:55says it is time to look up and straighten my life out that's what I'm
55:01going to do thank you Lord come on come on come on come on come
55:06on come on come on get right with God there's a song that says come
55:12and get right with God come and do it now do you know what hold
55:17it for a while here we're giving you an opportunity come on come on come
55:22on yes yes yes come with faith in your heart come with a prayer on
55:28your lips to God say to God Lord I see the signs around me I
55:33know the preacher is a lion because he showed me in the Bible what
55:39he was talking about and I see it around me in my world I want
55:45to straighten up can I tell you this every one of us in here has
55:50areas in our lives that we can straighten up this morning every one of us
55:56in here I promise you this we have areas in our lives that needs to
56:02be straightened out that needs to be made right with God we are doing things
56:07and we're saying the preacher has not seen me pastor doesn't know but can I
56:13tell you God sees you God knows what you do out of town
56:19God knows what you do in the covers of darkness. God knows. He sees our
56:24hearts and he is saying I am your God. Ayah koshama. It's not the pastor
56:30who is your God. I am your God says Jesus and I say to you
56:35straighten up. Look up because the state that the world is in is saying to
56:41us time is about to wind up. The door of mercy is about to be
56:46closed. the time is coming when he that is filthy will be filthy for
56:52all eternity and he that is holy will be holy for all eternity let's turn
56:57this whole altar this whole church if you can come this whole church into a
57:03place of prayer right now if you need the holy spirit just slip your hand
57:08up if you're in the altar or if you're in your seat slip your hand
57:13up somebody will come and will pray with you there's a lady right here
57:19yeah there's a lady right here that needs prayer lady lady D yeah
57:25there's a lady right here that needs prayer come on come on come
57:30on Zion come on Zion it is time to straighten up we are
57:36distracted and disillusioned by too many things but God sent me here to
57:42tell us and to remind us straighten up look up because he's coming
57:48back and his coming is nearer now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
57:53pray singers lift
57:59that song to
58:04the lord ah
58:09jesus When I look upon his face. The
58:15one who saved me. The one who saved me by his
58:21grace. When he takes me by the hand. When he takes
58:26me by the hand. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Leads me to.
58:32And leads me to. The promised land. The promised land. What
58:38a day. What a day. Glorious day. Glorious
58:43day. That will be. That will be.
58:49Yes. There is coming a day. Yes,
58:54there is coming a day. When no
59:00heartache shall come. No more clouds. No
59:06more clouds in the sky.
59:11No more tears to
59:16dim the eye All
59:21is peace forevermore On
59:25that happy golden shore
59:30What a day, glorious
59:35day that will be
59:41none like it in our life
59:46- what a day when my
59:52cheese the side shall see yes
59:57Lord when I look upon the
60:03one who saves me by and
60:08he takes me leads me
60:14to the promised land.
60:19What a day, what
60:24a glorious day that
60:28will be. There will
60:33be no sorrows there
60:38and No more
60:44sickness. No more. No more
60:49partying over there. Over there.
60:55And forever. Hallelujah. I will
61:00be with the one who
61:06died.