Living In The Light of Jesus Coming | Pastor Michael Alfaro

Hi, calling family.

This is Pastor Michael, and welcome to our church podcast.

I'm so grateful for you tuning in today, and I believe today's message is gonna strengthen your faith in Jesus.

So this message a little bit sobering today, but it's a very important doctrine of our faith.

Eschatology, the study of last things.

Now, if I'm honest, there are sometimes a lot of pastors who like to camp around the prophetic and um eschatology, but don't do anything in the meantime, all right?

And so I think it's important to teach upon this, to equip us, say equip, to equip, say equip, to equip us so we understand what's ahead and how to deal with it.

So that when you watch the 10 o'clock news and they're talking about the end of the world, and by the way, have you seen that as a repeated theme on the news?

I mean, when it was 2020, it was like the end of the world, and then it's AI, it's the end of the world.

And then you look at the Mayan calendar and they said it was gonna be the end of the world, and then you watch the Terminator and they talk about the end of the world.

And what God wants us to understand is not what just the world says, but what he has to say.

Because by the way, it's his plan.

Somebody say amen.

All right, and so I want to teach us on this today to not scare you, but to prepare you.

Amen.

And so I think it's uh an important subject.

I remember I did play baseball in college.

I lived in San Francisco, and when I moved there, by the way, personally had a hard time living there.

It's just a lot different, just the city, and just completely different, and uh I grew to enjoy it.

I um I will uh kind of officially say this.

I went to Giants Park in my Dodger uniform.

I got screamed at, but I was ready, all right?

It is a beautiful park, I'm just gonna say that, alright?

It is a very nice ballpark.

I got to play baseball there in college.

I'll never forget one class, it was an evening class that I did not want to have from 7 to 10 p.m.

And it was an English class.

And um I'll never forget one day.

I've if you've come here before, I've shared this story.

I'll never forget the teacher walked in, kind of hurried, kind of weary, and there's a big class, about 60 of us, like a lot of students.

First thing she talked about was the end of the world.

And we're tired, you know, and we're hungry.

And she starts talking about a movie called An Inconvenient Truth, and paraphrasing that what she was saying is we're gonna be like Easter Island and we're gonna eat each other.

And no joke, she said that.

We're gonna eat each other, they ran out of resources, we don't have enough.

It was just all scary, doom, and gloom.

And it just like, when she was saying this, it just did not, it felt like taking medicine.

I or you know, I just didn't like something not good in my spirit.

And she was just kind of blabbing out terror.

And I rose my hand and I said, you know what, ma'am?

I'm sorry, I'm not a theologian at that time.

I did was not in Bible school, but I knew that my Bible said that God loves his church and that Jesus is gonna come back for his bride.

And so I shared that with the whole class.

It was a little bit bold, but I didn't want to take what she was giving that day.

And I think a lot of students looked at me like, wow, did he just say that?

And I and I did, because I'm not gonna let someone who doesn't know what they're talking about tell me about my faith in Jesus.

Somebody say, Amen.

And so if you don't have Jesus, there's really only doom and gloom.

There is no hope.

But how many of you know that with Jesus there is always hope?

Somebody say amen.

With Jesus, there is always hope.

The lions will grow weak and hungry, but they that seek the Lord they'll have hope.

Alright?

Well have hope.

Hope is such a powerful word to me that I name my firstborn hope.

In Spanish, it's even better.

It's esperanza.

So God wants us to understand that we have hope, that we're not hopeless.

And so by the time we leave today, God wants to encourage you.

All right.

The context, say context, say context.

And by the way, when I'm gonna teach the next the few weeks about the word of God, you've got to remember this.

Anyone could pull apart the Bible and just throw out a scripture.

So I always say this: a text without a context is a con.

A text without a context is a con.

And it's not correct interpretation or hermeneutics of the Bible to take something out of context and place it somewhere and paste it somewhere else.

That that's not the right thing to do.

And my background is uh hermeneutics, uh biblical studies of how to correctly interpret the Bible.

So, in context, we get first and second Thessalonians from the Apostle Paul.

And why is he writing this letter?

Because there was a misrepre uh interpretation of the second coming of Christ.

What had happened was people who died in this new church who is on fire for Jesus, and they die, and they're questioning now whether they miss the second coming of Jesus.

They're worried that their family members that have died are, we know Jesus is coming back, we believe that, but those now who are dead, they're gonna miss it.

So Paul writes this amazing letter to give them an order and a structure of what it will be like when Jesus comes back.

He tells us, no.

In fact, I have it down here, um, specifically in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 3, and you can take notes.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

This is important, it'll be on YouTube.

But watch this.

Look what Paul says.

This is 2 Thessalonians.

Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for that for that day, the second coming, will not come until, watch this, the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.

So he's telling them this will Jesus will come when the Antichrist is here.

Alright.

And we're gonna talk a little bit about that.

So this letter was written, all right, to give them comfort that know those who died in Christ, my father, had passed away in Jesus.

You know, and and Bible, by the way, Philippians tells us, so if if people who are dead in Christ, watch this.

Let me let me answer this question.

Where are what are they doing?

The people who are not alive right now who believed in Jesus, they're gone.

What does the Bible say?

The Bible says to be absent of the body is to be present with the Lord.

So what that means is that your spirit, all right, the body stays here, but the the inner person, the spirit, or the soul goes back to be with God in the meantime.

You with me?

You with me?

And that's a good, that's a good thing.

Somebody say amen.

That's a great thing, all right?

To be, and you'll you're alive with Christ, all right?

But the Bible here says this that Jesus, when he comes back, we believe the next thing on the calendar is the rapture.

Say rapture.

All right, the rapture where Jesus comes back for his church.

Okay, and then we will be caught up in the clouds with him, all right?

So let's get into this today.

Number one is this, all right?

Watch this.

Number one, Jesus makes it very clear that we who have faith in Christ are people who have hope, who have died in Christ.

So watch, there's a distinction.

If people, he says this, we are not like people who grieve without hope.

I want, I want to reassure you right now.

If you how many of you lost a mom or a dad or auntie who believed in Jesus, I lost my father who I love, maybe a child, uh uh, uh, whatever, nephew, whatever it might be, and as painful as that is, it is a reality of human life.

Death is a reality of human life, but the hope of the gospel is watch this, there is hope out there with Jesus.

Amen.

So watch this.

If you lost a loved one in Jesus, they will not be part of your past, they will be part of your future too.

Someone say, Thank you, Jesus.

That makes me happy.

In fact, I'll be honest with you in my prayers this morning on this subject.

I was telling the Lord, I can't wait to meet my dad.

I can't wait to see my dad again.

Can't wait to give him a hug.

Talk baseball.

Well, we probably won't talk about that.

We'll be like, what's that angel doing over there?

All right, but you know what I'm saying.

So we are not the people who grieve without hope.

Someone say, Amen.

All right.

So here is the thing.

The Bible teaches us in advance so we don't have to be scared, but prepared, so that we can live in faith, not fear, so that we could have assurance rather than uncertainty, and that we don't have to be passive about our faith in Jesus and do nothing but active.

Say active, active in our faith as we await his return.

You know, the Bible talks about two subjects that I believe is very important in this context.

It talks about the rapture and it talks about the tribulation.

Say tribulation.

You guys with me?

So the rapture, people, and there's been a lot of YouTube theologians right now talking about the rapture.

People who are not Protestant, maybe other denominations, and they like to say, you know, this is an incorrect teaching.

I don't believe so, because I don't believe it does not, I and I'll teach why.

So it says this, go back to the scripture here, uh Patty, verse 17.

It says this, after that, okay, talking about the archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

It says, after that, we who are still alive and are left, are left, will be caught up.

Say, caught up.

This word right here is the word, this word in the Greek, because the Bible is written in Greek, is the word harpazo.

Say harpazo.

I know I'm teaching, but this is good good stuff.

Amen.

This is the word harpazo.

This is the Greek word, alright?

And in the Greek, it means to forcibly snatch away.

Alright?

It means to forcibly snatch and remove, like this, just like I'm doing.

To snatch away.

So the Greek Bible, New Testament, is the original text it's written in.

It was later translated in church history to what?

The Latin Vulgate.

Alright?

And the Latin Vulgate, the word becomes rapeal, and then English, rapture.

Somebody say, Amen.

I like my teaching today.

Come on, somebody.

All right.

It becomes rapture.

So when people go, oh, the rapture is not in the Bible, just say you're not.

You're right.

It's callarpazo.

And it means to snatch away, it means to remove.

We believe as Christians at the calling, and by the way, major denominations, uh, John MacArthur, major teachers, believe in the rapture.

I but personally believe in the rapture because I don't think it is consistent with God's character that he leaves his people to suffer wrath with those who don't know him.

Let me say that again.

I don't believe it's consistent with God's nature and his character for God to leave his people.

Now I'm not talking about persecution, I'm not talking about troubles in the church.

I'm we're talking about God's wrath.

Look what the Bible says here in Matthew, excuse me.

I'm gonna move on ahead, Patty, but it's in uh where is it at?

Where is it at?

Oh, Revel uh Okay, 1 Thessalonians 4 9.

Look what it says.

It says, For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath.

You see that?

But to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

You see that now, wrath is punishment.

Say punishment.

Wrath is punishment, wrath is the fury of God.

I don't know about you, but I think it is justice that God does judge the earth.

I believe that the second coming is so important.

Why?

Because God is gonna bring justice to the planets, God is gonna make all wrongs right.

Somebody say amen.

God is gonna come back and remove all sin and disease and death and darkness.

Someone say amen.

God is gonna deal with the devil and the antichrist, one final blow, and that's it.

I don't know about you, but that excites me.

In fact, the Bible says this in Psalms 37, 13, it says, The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.

So I believe in the rapture for many reasons, because of the word harpazo.

Also, when you read the book of Revelation, chapter 1 through 3, it talks about the church.

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

It's all about the church.

After Revelation 3, going from 4 maybe to 19, it is all about the great tribulation.

The church is not talked about anymore.

It is about what the wrath of God, the judgment of God is poured out on the world.

And let me tell you, the tribulation period happens after the rapture, and it is a time the Bible talks about, is unparalleled to any other time in the world.

Look what the Bible says.

And uh uh Revelation, excuse me, Matthew 24, 21.

It says, for then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world, and never to be equaled again.

Look at Revelation 6, 17.

For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?

If you want to know about it, read the book of Revelation.

It talks about a lot of death.

It talks about uh it talks about the stars falling out of the sky, hit a comet hitting the earth.

It talks about just the Antichrist coming to portray himself as God, to set himself up as God.

All right.

I believe in Israel to make himself be worshipped.

He's gonna come to perform signs and wonders and to deceive many, all right?

This is a time that is unequal.

Jesus makes it very clear and he says this he says it's gonna be like the days of Noah.

And if you know your Bible, you know, some people believe, oh Noah, that what a what a that's a nice fantasy.

No, Jesus believed in Noah, and he says it's gonna be like that.

What happened in Noah's time?

God told Noah to build an ark, and he was saying that he's gonna judge the world at that time.

And people did whatever they want.

In fact, Noah preached the the word preached, Noah preached to the to his to the contemporaries of the time.

And you know the people that got saved was his family.

That's why your family is your that I just want to pause for a moment.

That's why your family is your first ministry.

Come on, somebody.

Life is not about money and just paycheck and your fancy cards and fancy.

No, your life is about the gifts of your children, your family God gave you.

Somebody say amen.

Come on, y'all.

As long as I'm the pastor of this church, I always told my church this my family always comes first.

Somebody say amen.

I believe that with all my heart.

But there came a time where the doors of the ark closed and the waters of the flood came.

That's what it will be like in the tribulation period where God brings wrath.

All right, and so the Bible will, you guys with me?

So it goes on to say this.

So there's gonna be judgment on the earth, and I don't believe it's consistent.

You remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

You remember Lot was in Sodom, and Lot was being, you know, he went his own way.

He was partnered with Abraham or Abraham, and he went his own way, thinking he's gonna do his own thing.

And little does he know he's in a wicked city.

And God tells Abraham, I'm gonna judge this city.

And so, what does what happens?

Abraham is praying for the righteous in the city, and he's saying, God, will you spare if a hundred of the righteous if they're in that city?

Before you judge them, would you spare them?

And what does God say?

He says, Yes, I will spare them.

And God keep uh Abraham keeps asking, God, God, would you spare them if there's 50?

God, will you spare them if there's 20?

God, will you spare them?

I believe that is the heart of the Father and our generation.

God, it is scripture.

Peter says this that it's God's heart that no one would perish, but everyone would repent.

Somebody say amen.

That we would that that uh that people would um receive the mercy and grace of Jesus.

So what happens?

Lot and his family are spared, all right, except his wife.

We look back, all right.

And and the the the city was judged.

What does that tell us theologically?

It tells us the attributes and the character of God.

Tells us that he's not evil, tells us that he's not sinister, it means that God desires for people to be saved.

Someone say, Amen.

Let me just share it with you.

It makes me passionate because as a local church pastor, my hope, my prayer is that Lord, if you're coming back in our lifetime, let's see the most amount of people we can see saved in the name of Jesus.

Let's see people healed and families restored and people come off drugs and people have amazing testimonies.

Somebody say amen.

Why not preach the gospel of grace and see people?

By the way, in over 10 years for us, it's a big number, we have seen over 2,000 people receive the Lord Jesus Christ in this local church.

Somebody say amen.

That is powerful.

Why not make a difference?

Because why?

Heaven is forever and the earth is temporary, amen.

So we believe in the tribulation.

This is authored in all almost all the Old Testament prophecies, from Joel, all right, uh uh to Isaiah to Jeremiah, all right, to especially the book of Daniel.

It points to a time that God will bring wrath.

So, what does that wrath look like?

Look what the Bible says here in or in Thessalonians.

It says this.

I believe we have it for this uh the screen.

It goes on to say this.

It talks about a woman being in labor planes.

I'm trying to find that verse.

Uh oh yeah, verse 4.

It says this.

All right, five, four, but you brothers and sisters are not in darkness, that this day should surprise you.

All right.

All right, so that so the Bible says this few few examples Paul uses.

He says that the day of destruction will be like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Now, let me talk about this real quick.

Corrine and I just had our third child.

Amen.

Karine just had our third baby.

Amen.

Give her a clap, all right?

All right, yeah, she's beautiful, she's amazing.

Um, you know, it couldn't have gone any better, to be honest with you.

It's a blessing.

Our f our our um first child went well, our second child went, all of them went well.

I'll never forget that when it came to our second, our baby boy, uh, our middle child, who we love so much, um, I was working a lot, a lot.

In fact, we just moved to this facility at the time.

We had a lot of things going on at the church at the time.

And I'll never forget, my wife said, make sure your bags are ready.

And I said, you know, okay, whatever.

You know, okay, you know, you're in like, okay, you know, and I'm working so much.

And um, you know, she she we were still, she was still working all the way to up till the baby came.

And by the way, our kids have always come early.

They never made the due day, they've always come early.

And so one day, I will never forget, it was the afternoon, and she was by the bathroom in the hallway, and she says, I think I feel something.

And I look at her like, I'm not ready.

My bags are not ready.

She's looking at me like you, you did not listen to me.

How many know she's never gonna forget that?

No, I'm just kidding.

She you're not ready.

You're not ready.

And so we, you know, I just got things as fast as we could, and she barely made it to the hospital.

Caleb being the boy that he is, he was coming.

I mean, he was gonna be born in 30 minutes.

We got to the hospital.

They almost told her, hey, you know what?

You just made it.

You are about to not receive the uh epidural, and she's like, give that to me right now, all right?

She ended up getting the epidural, all right.

Now we had baby Joy not too long ago.

And guess what, Michael?

Boy, you better get your bags ready.

And uh uh we were waiting around because uh baby Joy, uh, she was not born early, she was born late.

She went past her due date, which surprised us, and so we were waiting around.

You know, when when is you know, mama gonna, you know when is she coming and just preparing for that?

And she decided to uh have uh so one night at three in the morning, Corinne goes, I think I feel something.

And at that time we were ready.

The car seat was in the car, my backpack was packed, I had my pillow, I had my snatch, let's go, thank you, Jesus, all right?

And I made the woman happy, all right?

But I think it's what the Bible is saying is an illustration of being ready.

Now let me tell you something.

If you don't hear anything, hear this, okay?

The Bible in the New Testament, Jesus constantly tells us to be prepared.

Be ready.

Do not be like Pastor Michael.

And your bags need to be packed for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are not ready, you will stay.

Let me tell you, you need to be prepared for the train to come to the station.

What does that mean?

Do I need to be prepared?

We're gonna get into that.

The good the Bible goes on to say this that there will be like a thief coming in the middle of the night.

You don't hear a thief and a robber be like, you know what?

Doorbell ding-ding.

I'm here to take your car, I'm here to take your jewelry, you know, I'm here.

Okay, come on in.

No, right?

Uh the the thief comes, the point of the scripture is the thief comes because it's unexpected.

Say unexpected.

Now watch this.

The Bible continues to say the dates and the times you don't need to know about.

Jesus would say, uh these are times set by the Father.

Isn't it always amazing that when you watch YouTube, some pastor knows the date?

Some pastor knows when Jesus is coming back.

No, that's not scriptural, that is heresy.

But the Bible says this even if you don't believe in rapture, watch this.

Be ready.

Somebody say amen.

Be ready.

Why?

Because regardless, Jesus is coming back and church, calling church, Pasadena, SGV, are we ready for the second coming of Christ?

Somebody say amen.

Look what the Bible goes on to say.

But you brothers and sisters, uh, 1 Thessalonians 5, 4, should not are not in darkness, so that this day should surprise you.

Here's the thing I think about.

I think there will be Christians who say they're Christian, say that they're ready and they're not ready.

I think that's a no-brainer.

There are people who say they love Jesus, but they really don't.

You know what Jesus says?

If you love me, what does he say?

Come on, say aloud.

If you love me, what do you say?

Obey me.

If you love me, follow my commands.

Alright?

And watch this.

If we love Jesus, it won't be laborsome to do what he says.

Come on, somebody.

It may not be easy to do, even if we gotta struggle doing it.

Come on, somebody, we love Jesus and He's worth obeying.

Somebody say amen.

Look what the Bible goes on to say.

Be ready.

It says this it says, be awake.

I believe I have this for the screen.

Let's go back to the uh 1 Thessalonians.

You guys with me?

I know this is uh big teaching, but stick with me.

This is good stuff.

All right, it might feel like medicine, but it's good for you.

Amen.

It's like vegetables.

Come on, somebody.

I know you don't like vegetables, but we need it.

All right?

It goes on to say this.

But you brothers and sisters are not in darkness, so that this day should surprise you.

You are all children of the light and children of the day.

We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

So then let us not be like others who are asleep.

They're not saved.

But let us be, watch this, awake and sober.

Awake and sober.

So there is instructions for us, all right.

What do we do in the meantime while we are waiting?

In the Greek, awake means to be alert and to be watchful.

It means to be alert and watchful.

Another passage, Jesus says this when you see these things coming, put your head up because you know that your salvation draws near.

Jesus does not say to put your head down, doom and gloom, and be discouraged.

No, we see these things happening in the world.

And we know the end of the world is even popular in culture.

I mean, come on, you have movies like Armageddon.

You remember that?

Deep Impact.

You remember that one?

How about World War Z, which I hear is a good book, by the way, all right?

Zombie.

Even the world understands that it is falling apart.

But what are Christians supposed to do in the meantime?

Be awake.

It means that we need to be watchful and alert.

Number two, it means uh he also says to be sober.

Say sober.

Sober.

What this means in the Greek is to be self-controlled.

Say self-control.

It means self-control, practicing restraint, living a self-controlled life that pleases the Holy Spirit and not the flesh.

So, in other words, while we are waiting for Jesus, we are called, all right, to not give in to sin and temptations and be dragged away and entangled by sin, but to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and become who he's called us to be in the meantime.

Someone say amen.

Last but not least, I'll have the worship team come on up here.

It goes on to say this.

I love this.

The last verse.

It goes on to say this.

Therefore, say, therefore, the very first last verse, verse 11, encourage, say, encourage one another and build each other up just in fact, as in fact you are doing.

So, what do we do in the meantime before rapture?

It means we keep coming to church.

What do we do before rapture?

It means we keep being generous.

It means we keep praying.

It means we keep a relationship on fire with Jesus.

Let me just say this one last thing, and I didn't prepare this, but I want to say this.

And I don't mean to say this as a pastor because there's an agenda here.

I didn't even plan to say this, but I want to say this.

Are you serving God?

Are you serving the Lord?

Because part of if you gotta read Matthew 24, after Jesus starts talking all about the end of times, he talks to his people, the disciples, and he's talking about being ready and serving him until that day.

I understand you have problems.

I understand that you have a family, I understand that you have no time in your life.

I don't oftentimes, as the pastor, I'm not fighting the devil, I'm fighting your hurry, I'm fighting your busyness, to be honest.

Soccer and sports and you know whatever.

But God wants you to make time for him.

God wants you to serve him.

Say serve.

Well, Pastor Michael, what do I do?

How do I serve him?

Go and be a light to your co your cubicle.

Go tell people about the love and mercy of Almighty God.

I'm not saying Pastor Michael said the end is here.

Do you know Jesus?

I mean, you can't get that way, but that might not be, that might just rub them the wrong way.

But there are people in your cubicle in your office who are dealing with cancer.

There are people in your workspace who are dealing with family and marital issues.

There are neighbors right now who are struggling with disease.

We're called to be a light unto a dark place.

Somebody say amen.

And the Bible says to serve him.

That's how we are ready, that's how we prepare.

You know, the Bible says in Ephesians, I believe chapter four, watch this.

The Bible says in Ephesians says that you were created to do good works in advance.

Oh, come on, somebody.

You were called to live with light.

God brought you to this planet to make a difference, to be a difference maker in the SGV.

Somebody say, Amen.

We were not meant to sit on our hands, but I hear you in my head say, Pastor Michael, I don't know how to pray well.

I don't know how to speak well, I don't got enough time.

Let me tell you, our salvation had such a high price.

It cost God his only son.

And Jesus was whipped, he was spit on, he was abandoned, he was maligned.

And I don't know about you.

There's one thing I want to do in my life: not only be a great man, I want to serve the living God.

Come on, somebody, until my very last breath.

I want to give God my everything.

I want to give God my whole life.

Why?

Because eternity is a lot longer than this temporary life.

This life is all about the next life.

Come on, somebody.

And I want to wake up in the shores of heaven.

I want to wake up in the land of golden streets and knowing, knowing that I gave God my everything, that I didn't leave nothing behind.

Some of us are not living like that.

Some of us are like, God, don't come yet, because I'm still doing my thing.

I'm dating this guy, and you know, I'm he's not Christian.

Come on.

If he's not for the women and the men dating someone not Christian, come on, somebody.

Your answer is right there.

You hear what I'm talking about?

It's time to serve the Lord.

It's time to serve the Lord in the world and in the church.

I'm trying, I'm telling we could use your help around here.

Of course.

We have, in fact, we have kids, we have kids, the area in the kids, we need help there.

We have a production.

There's so many.

If you sing, you can sing.

You know, I don't know about you, but one of the things that I love this morning, and I love every Sunday, I just had a bl my favorite thing in the church is to be out over there talking amongst the people.

How are you?

Nice to meet you.

How's your family?

How's your kids?

Man, I love that more than preaching.

It encourages me because I just feel the spirit in the air.

So here's the message the train is gonna come to the station.

We already see the signs of the times.

I mean, if you have common sense these days, it's like you're a superhero.

It's like, are you you think I'm Christian?

I'm Christian, I'm crazy for believing this.

I think you haven't thought about what you know.

I mean, come on, somebody, amen.

It's some crazy stuff out there.

The sign it's it it the signs show.

But here's the message to us, the church.

What are we doing with the salvation that God gave us?

Your life, the Bible says, is not your own no more, your life is the Lord's.

So here's my prayer for you.

That you go home today and you ask God, God, how can I serve you?

You might say, Pastor Michael, I'm not good enough.

I'm still working on not becoming an addict, I'm still working on not being grumpy anymore.

You know what?

That's okay.

You know, I started serving and when I was uh 21, someone said, Stop focusing on all your problems and help someone else with their problems.

That man that brought me life.

I'm like, wow, there are way many more worse people in more difficult troubles than I was in at that time.

And it just wow, Lord.

And let me tell you something, it makes me passionate to do good for God.

Doesn't it make you feel good when you do good?

Come on, somebody.

When you help someone out, when you bring a smile to someone's face, when you pray over someone and you see the Holy Spirit touching their life, and they just start, they just start getting watery and God is touching their heart.

Wow, let me tell you, we're called to serve the living God.

Someone say, Amen.

You've been given gifts, you've been given a purpose.

We're called the calling church.

Why?

Because you have a calling and a destiny, amen.

Let me end with this.

Can I have a stand up?

We're gonna end our time right now together.

Look what the Bible says in Revelation 22, verse 12.

Revelation 22:12

It says this.

Look at Jesus, Jesus' words.

Very end of the Bible.

By the way, it's the last chapter of the Bible.

Look what it says.

Uh, we have it for the screen.

It says, Look, I believe we have it.

Last verse, it says, Look.

It's okay, Pat.

No, we're I have it over there on that screen.

It says this look, I am coming soon.

My reward, say, reward.

Jesus is gonna reward us.

My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

So let's live for the Lord.

And here's my other thought.

Worship team, you can come on.

That's fine.

Here's my other thought.

When you watch the 10 o'clock news, when you watch social media, and they start talking about doom and gloom, and they start talking about the end of the planet, the Bible says for you not to be filled with uncertainty, not to be riddled with fear.

The Bible says to look up.

It means that your salvation, the second coming of Christ, is coming soon.

That gives us hope.

Jesus says, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

Somebody say amen.

Let's just bow our heads just for a moment.

I'm gonna ask us to be honest.

I have to have two prayers.

One is about living and one is about serving Christ, second one is gonna about being knowing Christ.

I'm gonna pray for us.

Let's be honest.

No one's watching, just Pastor Jesus, and us.

I want you to raise your hand and be honest.

Because I'm gonna pray for you in love.

I don't want to condemn you, but you know where you are standing with Jesus.

You've known Jesus for a long time.

You've been saved, you've been baptized.

You maybe used to serve in the church.

Maybe, maybe I'm talking to you and you got hurt in church, and for one reason, you've been distracted and not served in church anymore.

Serve God in the world.

It's time to it's time to serve God.

I want you to raise your hand.

I'm gonna pray a prayer over you.

I want you to raise your hand.

Hey, you know what, Pastor Michael?

You're talking to me.

I love Jesus, but I'm not honestly giving him my all.

And I am a born-again Christian.

I love the Lord.

I see hands going up already.

I want you to pray over me, to have that passion again, to have that light again, to have that enthusiasm again.

I want to use the gifts that God called me.

I can sing, I want to sing for the king.

I can I can encourage, I want to encourage for the king.

If you say, Pastor Michael, that's me.

I've been distracted.

I let the ways of the world just get to me.

I've let hurt get to me.

I want to pray a prayer over us.

Those watching online too.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for those who are honestly raise their hands.

Father, I pray that you would give, fill them with purpose again, fill them with passion again.

I pray that someone here, Lord, is gonna begin to serve you again and find the joy of their salvation again.

They're gonna realize, God, that their problems are minuscule compared to the problems that are all around them in the city and even in the church in the community, Lord.

I pray, Father, that you would sharpen their gifts, their spiritual gifts, whether it's praying, whether it's singing, whether it's administration, whether it's whatever it might be, I pray, God, that you will equip them and sharpen them.

Father, I pray that there are other people in this church that they're gonna impact, they're gonna touch lives, they're gonna lead life groups, they're gonna be leaders, even in the church, God.

I pray, Holy Spirit, that you give them new fire, new passion, and a new joy in Jesus' name.

Hands down.

Second prayer is this.

You know, I preached a heavy message today, and the Bible is true when it says that he's coming back.

Will you be part of the people that go to heaven to be with Jesus for eternity?

Or will you not?

You know, some say that hell is locked from the inside out.

That people go to hell because they purposely don't choose God.

Maybe you're going through a hard time, maybe you're going through confusion and pain in your life.

Let me tell you, when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, he will forgive you of your sin, he will heal your broken heart, he will give you a hope for tomorrow, and he will give you peace for today.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior?

He is God Almighty.

He died on the cross so that anyone who would believe on his atoning sacrifice will be forgiven of their sin.

Good people don't go to heaven, forgiven people go to heaven through his righteousness.

I like what Corey Tinboom says.

If you look to the world, you're gonna be in distress.

If you look within, you're gonna be depressed.

But if you look to Jesus, you'll find your rest, Frank.

It's time to come home.

Jesus will receive you just as you are.

Don't tell him that you're not good enough.

Don't tell him that you messed up.

Let me tell you, we serve a God of second and third and a hundred chances.

He loves you.

Come home this morning.

Say, Pastor Michael, how do I do that?

I would say this.

The Bible says to confess with your mouth that he is Lord of your life.

So what we're gonna do is we're gonna pray together.

I'm not gonna put a mic in your face.

I'm not gonna put a spotlight on you, I'm not gonna ask for your phone number or anything like that.

I just want to see you raise your hand right where you are on the count of three.

Here we go.

Ready?

I want to get my heart right with Jesus.

One, two, three.

Come on, anyone in the house?

Amen.

I see you over there.

God bless you.

I see you over there.

God bless you.

I see you over there, three of you on the side.

You over, oh my gosh, the children.

Thank you, Lord.

Hallelujah.

Over here, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Anyone else?

I want to get my life right back there, ten.

Amazing.

Anyone else?

The train is coming, but there is hope for his people.

Amen.

Hands down, heads up, eyes open.

Give the Lord a mighty clap.

Come on, give him a mighty thunderous clap.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Wow.

I'm so proud of you.

I'm so proud of you for raising your hand.

Let me tell you, life is about to get even better than you had ever dreamed of because Jesus is your Lord.

Can you repeat this after me?

Say, dear God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins.

I believe I'm a sinner.

I'm in need of a Savior.

Lord, come into my heart.

Make me new.

Heal my heart.

I want to live for you all the days of my life.

I want to serve you.

Lord, make me free.

Give me peace and a new hope.

I give you the keys of my heart.

Jesus, I confess with my mouth, I believe with my heart that you are Lord of my life.

Come on, everyone, give the Lord a clap.

So good.

So good.

Thank you so much for tuning in to today's message.

Our mission as a church is choosing Jesus, chasing freedom, discovering our gifts, and serving Jesus.

I have a question for you.

What is your next step with Christ?

Take your next step today by visiting thecallingla.com.

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