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all right well Pastor Mark there's a lot of Chaos in the world right now we've got these terrible fires in California I've been told they are the largest fires in Los Angeles counties ever and there's people dying it's terrible and among other chaos that's going on in the world we have um airplanes crashing a lot of things seem to be getting worse and the frequency of things seems to be happening more I think you're going to talk about that in your presentation tonight is that right it is Matt you know tiny and I lived in

Southern California from 1991 to 2004 when I was the speaker director of HS written television so we know that area well and when we see the devastating scenes on television of whole communities burned out and when I look at the fact that um there is something unusual going on today so we're going to probe that as we look at those fires and as we look at how a Christian should relate to them we raise questions about God his goodness and his love and how we see that in disaster and are these sides of the end

times so let's pray and then we'll jump right into our topic for the evening Father in heaven we thank you that the indications all around us indicate that the only thing that is certain is the word of God and so we pray thee father that you would enable us to understand your word more fully and your plans for our lives more clearly bless as we study these presentations we pray in Christ's name amen when we look at what's going on in Los Angeles indeed it is quite amazing you know the latest reports indicate that over

10,000 10,000 structures have been destroyed over 400,000 people or thereabouts are under evacuation orders and 36,000 Acres have been burned in five separate fires you know several of the most picturesque neighborhoods in Southern California have been devastated I've driven down the p the Pacific Coast Highway on a number of occasions and as I've driven down that Highway you know you come across those beautiful homes that are facing the ocean with their magnificent views and today as I caught a climp of the news I noted that home after home multi-million dollar homes were were burned and

you begin to look at that and you say what in the world is going on what in the world is is really happening you know newscasters have are are not prone to exaggeration uh but they LED with headlines like this this is a scene of the Apocalypse another headline entire neighborhoods raised another headline catastrophic damage one read like this fires likely the costliest in US history then one of the sheriffs said it looks like the atomic bomb was dropped and when you see those devastating scenes indeed it does look like the atomic bomb was dropped

we want to look at four basic questions that uh will enable us to understand a little bit about what's going on behind the scenes so here are those four questions that uh enable us to study a little bit about what's happening behind the scenes one of the questions that's being asked is where is God in all of this if God is a god of love why would he ever allow this to happen why would he allow people to lose their homes why would he allow them to lose their possessions why would people lose their lives

and we don't even know how many have lost their life yet but what where is God Is all you know all this if God is loving why did he allow it happen and if he's all powerful why didn't he stop it secondly how should a Christian view these natural disasters are they signs of the end thirdly what should a Christian response be to disasters like this um how should a Christian relate to these disasters and uh lastly these disasters uh teach us important Divine truths about Endtime events so let's let's begin with that first question

where is God in all of this I'm going to look at this from the biblical perspective and I'd like you to take your Bible if you have it and turn to to Revelation CH 12 revelation of course is the last book in the Bible and Revelation unmasks the plans of the devil reveals the plans of God so we're looking at four questions the first question is where go where is God in all this where is God when there's a hurricane that wipes out entire cities where is God when you have tsunamis typhoons and where is

God in the Raging wildfires blown by Winds of 50 60 miles an hour that has devastated all communities where is God and all that you can never understand what's going on around us until you understand what's going on above us you can never understand what's going on on Earth unless you go back millenniums to a cosmic conflict a great controversy that began in heaven so we're looking at Revelation 12 verse 7-9 and war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not

Prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer so the Great Dragon was cast out that Serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the Earth and his angels were cast out with him so notice there's a war in heaven there's a conflict in heaven and to this perfect world this perfect Universe sin is introduced God then after this Rebellion creates Earth and when God finished creating planet Earth he said it is very good but then Satan The Great Deceiver came to Earth God

gave Adam and Eve the same freedom of choice that he gave to Lucifer in heaven if you take away the freedom of choice chice you take away the opportunity to love and if you take away the opportunity to love you take away the the opportunity to be fully happy in 1 John 4:8 the Bible says God is love so for God to take away the freedom of choice he would take away the opportunity of love and that would be contrary to God's character so God gave perfect Angelic beings in heaven The Power of Choice he

gave Lucifer this angel of dazzling brightness the power of choice but if you give the Power of Choice you run the risk of these beings making the wrong choice when Adam and Eve were created They too had the power of choice but yet Lucifer came to this garden and when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God they chose it because they accepted Lucifer's lie Lucifer as that serpent in the tree said you'll not surely die if you eat of this tree you'll know good and you'll know evil God is holding something back from you

you can enter into a higher sphere of existence Adam and Eve fell for Lucifer's lie and when they did they were separated from God separation from God brings sickness and suffering and heartache and sorrow but it brings something else if you go in scripture to here the Book of Genesis 3 verse 17 to9 19 Genesis 3 and we notice here that in addition to the Adam and Eve being impacted by sin we see that this whole planet is impacted by sin so sickness suffering and heartache came to Adam and Eve because they were separated from

God but you look at Genesis chapter 3 and it says starting with verse 17 then to Adam he God said because you have heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree that I commanded you saying you shall not e cursed is the ground for your sake in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life thorns and SLE thistles it shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the herb of the field in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground

for out of it you were taken for dust you are and dust you shall return what is God saying when he say say cursed is the ground for your sake what God is saying is that we live on a planet that is separated from him a planet where Satan brings disaster he's saying that this planet is a planet that groans for deliverence in fact that's what it says in Romans chapter 8 in Romans chapter 8 the Bible talks about this planet and our planet is groaning there are natural disasters on every single hand fires tornadoes

hurricanes floods but listen to the eth chapter of the book of Romans verse 22 for we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now and not only they but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit even we Gran within ourselves eagerly waiting for the rede adoption and the Redemption of our body notice what the Bible says all of creation groans our world is a world separated from God Lucifer a being created in dazzling brightness disobeyed God he was cast out of heaven for God to deny the

power of choice would be to deny the Power of Love Adam and Eve created on a perfect world were given to That Power of Choice God said everything is good but they listened to the evil one when they did the atmosphere separated from God became polluted the waterways became polluted their bodies began to deteriorate so all of creation groans for deliverance Paul says our bodies in our bodies we groan for deliverance there is we live in a planet in Rebellion against God a sin saturated Planet that's in Rebellion now who's responsible for this is is

God responsible for this the disciples wondered about that and in Matthew chap 13 verse 39 this is what we read Matthew Chapter 13 and um starting let's start with verse uh 36 then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house Matthew 13 and he begins to explain the parable of the wheat and the tears and his disciples came to him saying explain to us the parable of the tears and the field he answered and said to them he who SWS good seed is the son of man the field is the world the good

seed are the sons of the Kingdom but the tears are the sons of the wicked one the enemy who sowed them is the devil and the Harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are the Angels so who is it that SWS evil and wickedness sin and Rebellion is the devil God is not responsible for the wickedness and the sin that we see in our world God's not responsible for that at all God himself is a god of love a god of goodness a god of righteousness that's indeed what God is as we

look at these Prophecies of in the Bible tonight as we study them clearly we see another question that is being raised and that question is how should a Christian re view these events yes we're living in a planet in Rebellion yes we're living in a planet that is contrary to God and then contrary to his word but how should a Christian view these events are these signs of the end now let me be plain there is no one sign of the end of the world there is no one sign of the end when Jesus talks

about the signs of the end he talks about wars and rumors of War s he talks about famines and earthquakes he talks about strange signs in the heavens so God talks about all those things but God also talks about the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the Earth and as God does in Matthew chapter 24 Mark chapter 13 Luke chapter 21 God does not give us one sign of the end so if you ask me are the Los Angeles fires the sign of the end my response is no they are part part of

a scenario of signs they're part of a cluster of signs under natural disasters that indeed focus on these varying signs of the end so that that they they're one of the signs not all of the signs now let's look at some of the texts that the Lord gives to us about signs in Luke chap 21 we read verse 25 26 and there will be signs in the sun in the moon and the stars and on the earth distress of Nations and perplexity the Sea and the waves Roar men's Hearts failing them for fear when the

fires gripped communities you if you've seen the news stories people running screaming with fear trying to get away the message went forth from the authorities evacuate your homes wouldn't you say men and women's Hearts were failing for fear as they saw the the the fires coming down those Hills indeed they were earthquakes famines fires floods men's Hearts failing them for fear then they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds with power and great Glory verse 28 when these things begin to come to pass look up lift up your heads because your Redemption

draws nigh a single fire is not a sign of the times but when you put all these signs together in the natural world the political world the economic world the religious world we can say that the signs Jesus gave indeed are being fulfilled in fact in Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 24 notice what we read there in the 24th chapter of the Book of Matthew Matthew chapter 24 we read Jesus tells us in Matthew 24: 32 33 now learn this Parable from the Fig Tree when each branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves

you know that summer is near so also verse 33 Matthew 24 when you see next word all these things know that it is near or he is near at the doors let's suppose I was coming to visit you and I was knocking on the door of your house how close could I be to coming into your living room before I came in the closest I could be would be right at the door and so this says when you see all these things we are seeing today the cluster of signs that Christ mentioned now there is

an interesting book called messages to young people written to young adults and this book messages to young people uh talks about some of these signs that we see we find it on page 89 and Page 90 let let me read it for you messages to Young People page 89 and 90 and see if this doesn't describe our day The Tempest is coming and we must get ready for its Fury by having repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord will arise to shake terribly the Earth that seems like earthquakes doesn't we

shall see troubles on all sides thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea I mean World War I World War II navies will go down human lives will be sacrificed by the millions we see that in the great congrations the wars today now notice this next sentence fires will break out unexpectedly and no human effort will be able to quench them I was thinking about that today when I heard the news reports that some of these fires like the Palisades fire maybe contained 8% the eaten fire there Los Angel maybe contain

3 to 5% listen fires will break out unexpectedly no human effort will be able to quench them the Palaces of Earth will be swept away in the fury of the Flames I heard about one sports star who left his team because his17 million home you know his family was in Jeopardy you think of these multiplied million dooll homes of the Hollywood stars and and and being burned to the Earth burned down just EMB is a burning Cinder today in Ash now notice disasters by rail will become more frequent uh here this is speaking about not

only by rail but but air disasters all disasters when you think about some of the plane crashes we've thought about you know confusion collision and death without a moment's warning will occur on the great lines of travel so disasters by rail but yet confusion collision and death without a moment's warning will occur on the great lines of travel I mean I think we've had three plane disasters in the last two weeks or so you remember this terrible disaster in Korea planes sliding off the Runway with 179 people on it only two survived um the end

is near probation is closing oh let us seek God while he may be found and call upon him while he's near if there ever was a time to seek God that time is today listen to this next statement that is equally as powerful um it's from a book called maratha page 174 written by one who I certainly believe was divinely inspired by God in the last days of Earth's history what days in the last days war will rage do we see war in the Ukraine today and Russia war in the Sudan war in the Middle

East thousands being killed in the devastating effects of war in the last days of Earth history war will rage there will be pestilence plague and famine we see that around the world with Millions going to bed hungry tonight the Waters of the deep will overflow their boundaries tsunami disasters have you heard any of those property and life will be destroyed by fire and flood it's as if this is a commentary on our day property and life will be destroyed by fire and flood we should be preparing for the mansions that Christ is gone to prepare

for them that love him the Mansions of Earth can be destroyed but our Heavenly Mansions can never be destroyed and people are spending millions of dollars on Earthly Mansions God invites us to spend time seeking him investing in the things of Eternity now the next question we need to raise is this what should the Christian response be what should the Christian response be to these disasters well first the Christian response should be one of compassion it should be one of concern you remember in Galatians Chapter 2 6 verse2 it says bear you one another's burdens

I was just delighted today when I I discovered that within the Los Angeles area there are six 7eventh day Adventist churches that have opened their doors to evacuees these evacuees are coming in they are sleeping in these churches there many of the members are there even tonight and we applaud them we'll be praying for them they're giving out food they're giving out clothing to people who've lost everything community centers of the Seventh Adventist Church are opened to minister to people Adra the Adventist development and relief agency is ministering so what should the Christian response be

the Christian response should be one of compassion one of concern it should be one of reaching out to minister to those that are suffering those that have lost everything there's a second aspect of this Christian response and it's this although God allows these disasters to come because we're living in a sinful and wicked world and God is in no way responsible for these disasters God does make us a promise and there may be somebody today who has lost a home somebody who's in a hotel room that you're watching on your computer this program but there

may be many today who have not gone through the suffering of the in the devastation of the Los Angeles fires but maybe you're watching from Ukraine on a computer maybe you're watching from Russia maybe you're watching from the Middle East maybe you're watching from Africa and you're going through some real suffering maybe it's a natural disaster maybe it is a physical health problem and you say where is God in all of this Isaiah chap 41:10 how does a Christian respond to suffering how does a Christian respond to heartache how does a Christian respond in the

devastating natural disasters we respond with compassion to others but there's another way we respond we recognize that God has not forsaken us we claim the promises of God Isaiah 41:10 fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you yay I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand how do we respond not with fear but with confidence that whatever we go through whatever heartache or sorrow whatever disappointment that God indeed is there that he will strengthen us he will help us he

will uphold us with his righteous right hand I love the way it's put in Matthew chap 28 and verse 10 where Jesus says in Matthew 28 10 then Jesus said to them do not be afraid Jesus speaks here in MA he says to the disciples after his own crucifixion after his own death he says don't be afraid I'm resurrected from the dead and I'll be with you always look at Matthew 28 verse2 it says there at the end Lo I'm with you always even to the End of the Age the resurrected Christ the Christ who

is alive speaks to you and he speaks to me and he says to us I am with you even to the End of the Age what should a Christian response be a Christian response is one in which God says to us this is a world of wickedness the these signs as we see the multiplicity of signs are signs that Jesus is coming that hope is on the way which should a Christian response be one of compassion love to those that go through suffering but one of Hope one of confidence in the resurrected Christ who will

never leave us or forsake us we might ask the question though another question can these disasters teach us important truths about the Last Day Events they can and there are four texts or actually six texts that I want to go over with you what can these disasters teach us about important truths about Last Day Events the first thing that they can teach us is this everything in this world is temporary the only thing that lasts is eternal you can invest your life savings in building a dream home and an earthquake can come a fire can

come and it can be swept away you can you can invest in stocks for your retirement and the stock market can crash you can try the best you can and you should to live the healthiest life possible but through pollutants in the air or something else in the waterways you can develop a fatal disease we would hope it would not happen we want to live the healthiest lifestyle possible because our bodies are the temple of God but here's my point if you put your hope in your home in your bank account in your job in

your own physical strength all those things can be taken away from you this is why Jesus says in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 33 Matthew 6 and verse 33 Jesus says seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you seek you first the kingdom of God where are you placing your priorities what did natural disasters teach us natural disasters teach us even if everything is taken away from you the thing that can never be taken away is your Hope Of Heaven the thing that can never

be taken away is your spiritual life in your relationship with God the thing that can never be taken away is the promise that one day sin and suffering and sickness will be over this is why Jesus says in the book of Colossians in the book of Colossians chapter 3 Christ puts it this way through the Apostle Paul the Lord says this see what what can we learn from devastating disasters we can learn where to put our confidence we can Lear learn where to put our affections look Colossians 3 vers1 and two if then you are

raised with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ is Seated on the right hand of God set your mind on things above not on things on Earth where are your affections see there's a greater configration coming than the LA fires you see in the end Satan and all his evil works are going to be burned up and the most important thing for you and me is to be ready when Jesus comes because the Bible says in Hebrews 12:29 that to sin whereever found our God is a cons a consuming fire fire everything we

can we have can be consumed burned up turned to ashes in a moment but there's one thing that can never be taken away from us and that is our spiritual life here is the good news one day there'll never be another earthquake there'll never be another natural disaster there'll never be another typhoon there'll never be another hurricane and there'll never be another fire that's burning on Earth because there is an eternal fire that's going to come I know that many people today don't like to talk about the final judgments of God I recognize that many

people today want to say oh God is a god of love he's just going to save everybody we just kind of slide into heaven but my friend that's not what the word of God teaches the Bible teaches that Christ will come and it teaches that those that have turned their backs on God and do not obey him because they love him those who have not been saved by grace and transformed by his love to live Godly obedience lives will be consumed in the brightness of his coming listen to what scripture says see this is no

time for fooling around this is no time for playing church when we see the signs all around us it's indicating that Christ is going to come this is a time to commit Our Lives fully and completely to Jesus listen let the let God speak to you tonight personally of his love and grace and of the need for making an eternal decisions in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 we read and to to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels inflaming fire taking Vengeance on those

who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ these shall be punished with Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he comes in that day to be admired to be glorified and to be admired among those who believe because our testimony is among you was believed look here's what Paul says Christ is g to come and there're going to be those who believe those whose belief LED them to live Godly obedient lives and they say Lo This

Is Our God we've waited for him and he'll save us but there will be others who cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them there'll be others who when they see the glory of his coming try to hide their face when Jesus comes this Earth will be INF Flames the wicked will be destroyed and Christ will recreate a new heavens and a new Earth there is a fire coming that will burn more than homes to ashes the sinful old world as we know it now will be consumed it will be turned to

ashes listen Malachi chapter 4 scripture says for behold the day is coming the day is what is coming there's GNA be a fire greater than the fires of La the day is coming be burning like an oven and all the proud yes and all that do wickedly will be stubble the day which is coming shall burn them up says the Lord that will leave them neither root or Branch but to you who fear my name the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings and you shall go out and grow fat for they

shall be ashes Under The Souls of your feet Christ is coming and there only be two classes those that have been saved by his grace those that have been Charmed by his love those who' have come to the cross and they found their sins are forgiven and they in response to that Grace in response to his love live obedient lives and then there will be those who who've spurned that love who've rejected the promptings of the holy spirit in their life who've turned their backs Upon Jesus and who are consumed with the brightness of his

coming and what does the Bible say it says that out of the ashes of this old world God is going to make a new world listen here we have it in the book of Peter Peter puts it this way 2 Peter chapter 3 it says verse 11-13 2 Peter 3 11 to13 it says therefore since all these things will be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct in godliness here is a call to Holy conduct here is a call to Godliness here is a call not to trifle around with the

things of Earth but to place your affections on the things of eternity looking for and hastening the coming of the great God because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent heat nevertheless we according to his promise look for a new Heaven and a new Earth where in righteousness dwells Satan will be consumed and burned up all of wickedness will be gone truth will triumph over error right will triumph over wrong Jesus will triumph over the powers of hell and God will triumph over Satan and out

of the ashes of this old world God will create an amazing new world when we see the fires in Los Angeles there are four things to keep in mind number one God's not responsible for it and God did not cause it it's caused because we live in a planet in Rebellion secondly when we see those fires we recognize that they are one of many signs that are clustering together to indicate that we're on the verge of the kingdom of God thirdly when we see these fires we recognize that we cannot trust Earthly possessions Earthly position

Earthly finances we cannot trust our Earthly strength when we see these things swept away it's an urgent call to seek first the kingdom of God and lastly when we see these fires it reminds us of the fires that'll burn at end time and it reminds us to seek Jesus now in Hope and in confidence that one day there is a better world coming it reminds us that Jesus is our hope it reminds us that one day the fires of Earth will burn out out and out of the ashes of this old world Jesus will create

a new world carpeted with living green magnificent flowers in pinks and reds and yellows and oranges and purples will Blossom and fruit trees will give off their abundance of fruit joy and happiness peace and security we'll together hold hands and walk through the land and once again we'll live in a world where there is no sickness or suffering or heartache or no homes destroyed by horrible fires whatever you're going through hang on my friend Jesus is with you today he indeed will strengthen you and there is a better world coming let's pray Father in heaven

we bow our heads just now we pray first for those that have gone through the devastating disaster of the LA fires Lord we pray that you would help them to rebuild their lives and Lord I pray too that many would recognize the futility of life and many would turn to you I pray too that every single one of us would recognize that life indeed is short and that we can only trust you for the for things that are lasting for eternity so Lord just now if there's somebody that's never fully given their life to you

I pray that as I bow my head that they would make that Eternal decision right now that they would surrender their life to you I pray that if there's somebody that once knew you but drifted away that they would come back to you right now and we thank you Jesus that your arms are wide open you've said come unto me all you that are burdened and heavy laden and I'll give you rest may we find our burdens laid down at the feet to Jesus and may we find Salvation through his grace I pray in Christ's

name amen if you have made an eternal decision if you've been impacted by this message send us a message in the chat so that we can share resources with you that'll help you to continue to grow spiritually good night and God bless you