A Vision In The Night

Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. Christian, I speak to you today to encourage you, you and I are to be watchful. How are we to be watchful? By having Bible open, Word of God in the heart, and by looking at what's going on in the world around us. And there's a lot going on in the world around us right now that the Christian should be very, very familiar with even though some of these things have never happened before. How is that possible? Because Jesus told us these things in advance. You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com slash podcast. Today, if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings. To us, that's like saying, amen or yes, then that rating will encourage others to listen. Now, open your hearts to what God's Word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs. Today is, I'm hesitating because there's no way for me to communicate everything that I need to communicate effectively, efficiently, for this reason. My humanity gets in the way. God's Word is holy, true, and perfect. And I'm not. But I can only point you to his Word. The reason why I'm prefacing it like that today is because of what's going on in the world around us. And since you and I've been together last, a lot of things have happened which must be addressed, must be looked at from a biblical worldview lens, but also to be honest with you, you must know what the Bible says about what's going on in the world around us and not be told by those who would want you to think a certain way that have no Bible in them, but they say, this is the wisdom of the world. This is what you need to know. This is what is happening. You and I have the Bible. And you've come to the house of God where the Word of God has understood this book that I'm holding doesn't contain the Bible. This book is the Bible. And we are commanded in Scripture to teach it all the way through from Genesis to Revelation. And I believe, as I've often said, and I say it affectionately, I believe that life has been rigged. What do I mean by that? I believe life has been rigged this way. Whatever happens in our lives, personally, nationally, globally, the answer is in the Bible. Every answer for every question has been provided by God. It's up to us to search and to see the answers in the Bible. We do Bible. We do Bible. And so I want you to get excited about that. But I also want to encourage you to write really small with your note taking today. So with that, we're going to do something a little bit different. We're going to read through several sections of Scripture together. But let's all stand. As today, we have a special message. And it's really in light of the Middle East peace talks and agreements. And what the Bible has to say regarding the world around us. Today's message is titled Vision in the Night, Vision in the Night. And so again, we're going to read several sections. I'll read the first section because it's only one verse. But when they put the second section up, will you pick it up on your own? Will you do that? Can you do that? So I'll read this. Isaiah 42 verse 9, behold. This is God speaking. Behold, the former things have come to pass. And new things I declare before they spring forth. I tell you of them. Let them take counsel together. We're told this on the go. We declared it on the distant past. What is my Lord? There is no God apart from me. Righteous God and Savior. There is none of me. Wow. Verse 22, turn to me and be saved. Oh, you ends of the earth for I am God. And there is no other. Next passage. I am God. There is no other. I am God. And there is none of me. That's, I'm sorry, folks, that's got to put a smile on your face. That is God. Have you ever seen God flex? That's how he does it right there. Verse 10, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, things that are not yet done. Indeed, I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also do it. John, John 13 verse 9, listen to this. Jesus is speaking. Now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Next verse, you guys got it. Okay, I've got this next one. John 16 verse 4. But these things I have told you that when they come to pass, you may remember that I told you of them. Next one's yours. That's me. You may have peace in this world. You will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world. Wow. For those of you who don't know, those were the words of Jesus. Father, God, we pray that you would speak to us out of your word in that today, though it would be very controversial. We are excited about it because truth is controversial and we are a people of truth and we live in a world of lies and the line has been drawn. And God, we just thank you that we can have boldness, we can have assurance because you are on your throne. Everything in the world is going to follow the path that you've said would happen. All these things are a warning to the world and an exhortation to us to be looking up, to be ready, to be watching and to be walking with you. We pray in Jesus' name and all God's people said, Amen. You may be seated, church, and again, I'm going to go fast today. You'll see the reason why in a moment. I don't normally go fast, but I'm going to go fast today. And I want to give you the exhortation behind what you just read a moment ago. From Old Testament to New Testament, Yahweh God announces to Israel in the book of Isaiah. You read it a moment ago. I'm God. There is no other God. I'm God. I'm the Savior. There's no other. On top of that, I tell you about things before they happen. I speak to you about future events and when they take place, you will remember that I am the Lord your God. He said, there's none like me. And what sets me out from all of the gods of the pagan world is that I know the future in advance. Your Bible is a prophetic book. Your Bible is as clear or more so. You think about picking up binoculars and looking. We have binoculars all over our house because even though we live in the residential area of Chino Hills, we got wildlife all over our house. I don't know what it is. It's like a magnet. My neighbors, they live right next to me. No wildlife goes to their house. It all comes to our house. And I've got binoculars. So we can look at these birds and we can look at these animals. And it's crazy. But every time God blesses her, she's amazing. Lisa will pick up the binoculars to look at that skunk or squirrel or hawk or bird and she goes, I don't see a thing. I don't understand. How do you use these things? I don't get it. And Lisa and binoculars, they just don't get along. But thank God that when Lisa picks up the Bible, she can see perfectly clear. Thank God when I, when you pick up the Bible, we can see perfectly clear. There's no adjusting that we have to make. There's no wiping of the lens. And so as we go through the study today, it's very important. You saw the QR code there a moment ago. You should have scanned it. I noticed many of you don't. Can you put it back up? Guys, I look like Vanna White right now with this. Can you guys scan this? You're going to want to scan this because by the time we come to the end, you're going to say, man, I wish I would have scanned this. What does that do? When it pops up, go into your phone mode on your, I mean, camera mode on your phone, tap on the little yellow bar and you'll have all of the notes. You'll have all my notes because the Lord knows I cannot keep to my notes and you'll have them. And it will make sense when you look at them later. But you're going to want all these verses that we've got today. So the point of exhortation is this. In light of the nature of the God that you and I worship in the world that's going on around us right now, what are we supposed to do? It's pretty exciting and thrilling, if you listen. The Bible tells us, Jesus speaking again in Luke chapter 21, verse 34, Jesus is be careful because your hearts could be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life. Wow. And that day we'll close in on you unexpectedly like a trap for it will come upon all those who live on the face of the earth. By the way, in the Greek study of this, that would exclude you. It means this in the laws of biblical interpretation, whoever Jesus is talking about, when he makes the statement right here for it, will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth. It excludes the believer. Did you hear that? All this stuff is coming upon who? Those who dwell on the face of the earth. You and I do not dwell on the face of the earth. The Bible tells this. You and I dwell in heaven. We may be living here right now, but our citizenship is in heaven. It's a very, very technical talk. You might want to research that later and study it well. And then he goes on in verse 36, be always on the watch and pray that you may escape. All that is about to happen. Wow. And that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. That's a strong word of deliverance from the wrath of God. Matthew chapter 24, verse 45, Jesus said, who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made him ruler over his household to give them food in due season. Blessed is that servant whom the master, when he comes, will find so doing that is watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, my master delays his coming. And then Jesus goes on to say the things that befall those who are not watchful. Christian, I speak to you today to encourage you. You and I are to be watchful. How are we to be watchful by having Bible open, word of God in the heart, and by looking at what's going on in the world around us. And there's a lot going on in the world around us right now that the Christian should be very, very familiar with, even though some of these things have never happened before. How is that possible? Because Jesus told us these things in advance. Amen. It's kind of like sneaking in and spying on something, huh? He's given us foreknowledge in these things through the word of God. But I mentioned the title of vision in the night, or maybe you thought of night vision, which is fine. Listen, night vision allows you to literally see things that the naked eye cannot see. Night vision. I've seen night vision and operation in Israel in certain situations that I was allowed to be in on. And we saw this incredible night vision that was deployed. I've had a chance to fly with law enforcement here in the States. And you can do more at night with night vision as you'd look down at the crime scene from a helicopter and the night vision is employed. It's remarkable. Did you know that the United States, Britain, Israel, there are a handful of nations that really like to prosecute any mission or war daytime or night time. Night time. You want to know why? Because technology allows us to see better at nights. God's word allows us to see better at nights. The darker things get, the brighter it becomes for the believer. The darker it is, we say, oh, it's so dark. Yes, but listen, it is dark. And we're going to talk about that today. But the darker it gets, folks, listen, the Christian doesn't have to be afraid of the dark. Listen, now that I'm old, we have a night light on so that we don't fall over something. Listen, I at our age, we're not afraid of the dark. Now we're afraid of a marble or something on the walk. That's the problem. We have a night light so we can see in the dark. But listen, spiritually, because we're Christians, there's a light that is the light of God's word, the Holy Spirit that is in us. And the world that is around us, we can see things people cannot see. And we've got night vision. God allows us to see through his spiritual technology, if I can put it that way. Very quickly, 1 John 1 verse 7 says, but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, which is beautiful, it means even if it's absolute darkness around you, you're still walking in the light. Think of it. Physical darkness means nothing to God. It's spiritual darkness that which Christ came to the cross, died there for us to set us free. Isn't it wonderful to think that as a believer, Jesus said that if you die believing in me, yet shall you live, that we'll never see darkness. Even when we're dying, and there's no darkness for the believer, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from all sin. Notice that where the sin is removed, there's light, where sin is present, there's darkness. In 1 Peter 2 verse 9, the Bible tells us that you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, and all God's people said, amen to that. Mark it down in your note, taking number one vision in the night means this, it means that we see what others cannot. You are a Christian, you are a Christ follower, you are a believer, and you can see things that others cannot. The first thing that we want to say about this is to understand that the Bible itself, God's Word, is the ultimate authority, and this way we put it and explain it, and that is a self-qualifying nature of the Bible. The Bible itself, here's what's awesome, friends listen. A lot of people feel like, think like, they need to defend the Bible. I have never read anywhere in the Bible where you're supposed to defend the Bible. What you're supposed to do is unleash the Bible. Unleash it. You're to know it, but listen, think of the Bible. Remember, the Bible says of itself in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12, that is alive. The Bible is alive, and it's sharper than any two-it's sword. This book is alive. It's not a book like an other book. This book lives and breathes, and this book absolutely is the authority of God. The will of God has been revealed to man, and it's called the Bible. God has given it to us. Understanding this, that this book lets us in on what God's plans are, and what God wants us to know about him. But when we talk about his book, being the authority, think of it this way, that it is self-qualifying nature, meaning the Bible almost eggs you on to challenge it. For example, in the area of giving, what does God say in the area of giving? God says, if you give to me, I will give back to you, press down, shaken together, overflowing out of abundance. What does that mean translation? It means whatever you give to God, God will never be indebted to you. Because he will turn around, and whatever that means to God, he will bless you with health, or he will bless you with family. I don't know what it is, it's up to him, but you can't out-give God. That is an authority of the scripture. But also this, the Bible says, the future in advance, and it's called Bible prophecy. And listen, it's best not to go against what God has said. You can get hurt. Don't try to take God's revealed future plan in the Bible and rewrite it. You're going to get in trouble. The Bible tells you over and over again, don't tamper with my word. Why? Because it's his authoritative word. And the Bible challenges you to study it and then to see if these things are true. It has a self-qualifying nature to itself. You may be a great doubter in the Bible today. And that's okay. But listen, don't stay there, find out. Get your doubts answered. And you will be impressed with the veracity of the Bible. In whatever area, science, archaeology, even technology. You'll be shocked to find out what the book of Daniel has to say, for example. Did you know it was the book of Daniel that said in the last days, men will travel to and fro across the earth? Think about that. Did you know the Bible speaks in technology? We'll talk on it if I get to it about. In the last days, there'll be no more currencies in the world. There'll be no more rubles, no more dollars, no more euros. There'll only be one currency and it will be numeric numbers. Bible said that. It self-qualifies and we are to bring ourselves to the understanding of this remarkable and I might say futuristic word. 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 says, but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him. A lot of people think the Bible is a joke, nor can he know them because they were spiritually discerned. Interesting times folks we live in. You say, what are you saying? I'm just saying the Bible is true. The Bible is true and be careful who you pick sides because listen, you either pick the side of the Bible or you pick the side of man. And we have to coexist in this sense, we live in this world right now, but let's live vividly.