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PAID IN A GLIMPSE This morning’s message is for everyone who’s been going through it. This message is for those who’ve been experiencing trouble on the left side, trouble on the right. One thing popping up after the other. I want to encourage you this morning in this moment. Jesus said in John 16:33, ““I have told you these things, so that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33 📝 In this world you will have trouble, but you won’t have it WITHOUT JESUS. In Jesus’s first address to the crowds He says in Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 Persecution has many different faces. Persecution shows up in many different forms. For some it looks like being lied on. For some it’s being falsely accused, wrongly ridiculed in public when nothing was done wrong. As difficult as persecution is… 📝 Persecution often serves as CONFIRMATION that you’re on the right track. Why else would the enemy attempt to derail you unless you were on to something? Why else would the enemy attempt to UPROOT you unless you were on the verge of PLANTING something significant? I say to you today… 📝 You owe it to yourself to STAY IN THE FIGHT to see what the enemy has been fighting you for. You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of this time? You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of that work? You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of those long nights working on the vision, after all that you’ve INVESTED? No! You owe it to yourself to STAY IN THE FIGHT to see what the enemy has been fighting you for. Persecution shows up in many different forms, but for Stephen who we’re going to learn about here shortly, he paid the ultimate price. Acts 6:8-9 says, “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.” Acts 6:8-9 “But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.” Acts 6:10 “Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”” Acts 6:11 “So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.” Acts 6:12 “They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.” Acts 6:13 “For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”” Acts 6:14 “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, AND THEY SAW THAT HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE FACE OF AN ANGEL.” Acts 6:15 Why? Why was this man’s face like the face of an angel? It’s because God was there. It’s because God was close by. His presence was near. 📝 In the face of persecution you can expect to see THE FACE OF GOD. 📝 In the presence of PERSECUTION, you will find THE PRESENCE OF GOD. ““Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD.”” Daniel 3:25 📝 "God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A VERY PRESENT and well-proved help IN TROUBLE.” Psalms 46:1 📝 "When you pass through the waters, I WILL BE WITH YOU; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 “Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”” Acts 7:1 For the next FIFTY PLUS verses, Stephen went in and preached the entire counsel of God from Abraham to Jesus. ““You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” Acts 7:51 “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”” Acts 7:52-53 “When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” Acts 7:54 “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55 ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”” Acts 7:56 As anger, hatred, filled the air, to the point that they were getting ready to murder him. The moment that Heaven opened up, Stephen wasn’t concerned about any of that. [] The moment that heaven opened up, Stephen wasn’t concerned about who didn’t like him. Stephen wasn’t concerned that he was about to die. He wasn’t concerned about what happened three years ago. He wasn’t concerned about his house. He wasn’t concerned about his car. He wasn’t concerned about his bank account. Stephen wasn’t concerned about tomorrow, the only thing that was on his mind in this moment was HEAVEN. Stephen said, "LOOK! I SEE HEAVEN OPEN!” I say to you today in this moment… 📝 One GLIMPSE of Heaven will pay for a LIFETIME of earth’s sorrows. How do we know this??? ““Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” Matthew 5:11 “Rejoice and be glad, because GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:12 This is why our sermon title for today is this… PAID IN A GLIMPSE One GLIMPSE of Heaven will pay for a LIFETIME of earth’s sorrows. PAID IN A GLIMPSE. 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL BE UNITED WITH THE HEAVENLY CHOIR. “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8 “AND THEY SANG A NEW SONG, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”” Revelation 5:9-10 “Then I looked, AND I HEARD THE VOICE OF MANY ANGELS around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”” Revelation 5:11-12 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”” Revelation 7:9-10 “All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne AND WORSHIPED GOD, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”” Revelation 7:11-12 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL BE REUNITED WITH OUR LOVED ONES. Hebrews 11 speaks painfully of those who’ve gone on us before us and gives a glimpse of comfort in the midst of it. Hebrews 11:35 says, “Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.” Hebrews 11:35 “Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.” Hebrews 11:36 “Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.”Hebrews 11:37 Stop right there. I believe the next verse is our why to the question of why them? Why this individual at this particular time. Verse 38 goes on to say… “THEY WERE TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD,wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.” Hebrews 11:38 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” II Corinthians 5:8 “But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I WILL GO TO HIM ONE DAY, but he cannot return to me.”” 2 Samuel 12:23 I will go to him ONE DAY, but not today. David still had a work to do for the Lord and say do you. This is why one of the last things that Jesus prayed in John 17:14-15 was, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP TOGETHERwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL SEE JESUS. In this moment for Stephen, there’s no doubt that the heavenly choir was there. In this moment for Stephen, there’s no doubt that His loved ones who went on before him was there, but the only thing that mattered in that moment was JESUS. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the Son of God. ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open AND THE SON OF MAN standing at the right hand of God.”” Acts 7:56 Oh to see the love in His eyes. Oh to hear the acceptance in His voice. Oh to be seen by the one who sees it all, yet still loves me for me. I wonder will it be similar to John 20:27 where it reads, “Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE…” John 20:27 Knowing that in spite of me, He still did it for me. Then to hear those blessed words echoed in Matthew 25:21, “His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’” Matthew 25:21 “‘NEVER AGAIN will they hunger; NEVER AGAIN will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.” Revelation 7:16 “For THE LAMB AT THE CENTER OF THE THRONEwill be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”” Revelation 7:17 Revelation 21:11-21 tells us that, Heaven is made of rare jewels, jasper, crystals, high walls, 12 gates, a measuring tape made of gold was used to measure it, the city was made out of pure gold like glass, the foundations of the walls were adorned with every type of jewel, the 12 gates were 12 pearls, each of the gates were made of single pearls, and the streets of the city were made of pure gold. In the midst of all of heavens wonders, JESUS IS THE GREATEST ATTRACTION. The Lamb at the center of the throne. After Stephen cried out saying, ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open AND THE SON OF MAN standing at the right hand of God.” Verse 57 says, “At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.” Acts 7:57-58 “While they were stoning him, STEPHEN PRAYED,“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”” Acts 7:59 “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “LORD, DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:60 In the midst of being stoned, before Stephen died, he forgave. Stephen must’ve thought to himself, "This place is too beautiful to miss because of unforgiveness. This place is too glorious to miss due to ANYTHING.” As Stephen was being stoned, as Saul looked on, Stephen’s final prayer was Lord, do not hold this sin against them. In that moment the presence of heaven gave Stephen strength to forgive the sins on earth. Because… In the PRESENCE OF PERSECUTION, you will find the PRESENCE OF GOD. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? Do you believe that one glimpse will pay for every tear, every heartbreak, every disappointment, every unanswered question, every sleepless night, every why them God, every why me God? Do you believe that one glimpse will pay for it all? If you believe, KEEP GOING! With tears in your eyes keep going! With questions in your heart, KEEP GOING! Jesus said, "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” IS HEAVEN YOUR HOME? IS HEAVEN YOUR FINAL DESTINATION? Sent from my iPhone Reply Reply all Forward
AA Albert Almore To:
Ruben Ochoa <ruben.ochoa@cast167.com>
+2 others Fri 7/8/2022 11:18 AM PAID IN A GLIMPSE This morning’s message is for everyone who’s been going through it. This message is for those who’ve been experiencing trouble on the left side, trouble on the right. One thing popping up after the other. I want to encourage you this morning in this moment. Jesus said in John 16:33, ““I have told you these things, so that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33 📝 In this world you will have trouble, but you won’t have it WITHOUT JESUS. In Jesus’s first address to the crowds He says in Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 Persecution has many different faces. Persecution shows up in many different forms. For some it looks like being lied on. For some it’s being falsely accused, wrongly ridiculed in public when nothing was done wrong. As difficult as persecution is… 📝 Persecution often serves as CONFIRMATION that you’re on the right track. Why else would the enemy attempt to derail you unless you were on to something? Why else would the enemy attempt to UPROOT you unless you were on the verge of PLANTING something significant? I say to you today… 📝 You owe it to yourself to STAY IN THE FIGHT to see what the enemy has been fighting you for. You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of this time? You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of that work? You mean to tell me that you’re going to walk away NOW, after all of those long nights working on the vision, after all that you’ve INVESTED? No! You owe it to yourself to STAY IN THE FIGHT to see what the enemy has been fighting you for. Persecution shows up in many different forms, but for Stephen who we’re going to learn about here shortly, he paid the ultimate price. Acts 6:8-9 says, “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.” Acts 6:8-9 “But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.” Acts 6:10 “Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”” Acts 6:11 “So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.” Acts 6:12 “They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.” Acts 6:13 “For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”” Acts 6:14 “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, AND THEY SAW THAT HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE FACE OF AN ANGEL.” Acts 6:15 Why? Why was this man’s face like the face of an angel? It’s because God was there. It’s because God was close by. His presence was near. 📝 In the face of persecution you can expect to see THE FACE OF GOD. 📝 In the presence of PERSECUTION, you will find THE PRESENCE OF GOD. ““Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD.”” Daniel 3:25 📝 "God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A VERY PRESENT and well-proved help IN TROUBLE.” Psalms 46:1 📝 "When you pass through the waters, I WILL BE WITH YOU; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 “Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”” Acts 7:1 For the next FIFTY PLUS verses, Stephen went in and preached the entire counsel of God from Abraham to Jesus. ““You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” Acts 7:51 “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”” Acts 7:52-53 “When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” Acts 7:54 “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55 ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”” Acts 7:56 As anger, hatred, filled the air, to the point that they were getting ready to murder him. The moment that Heaven opened up, Stephen wasn’t concerned about any of that. [] The moment that heaven opened up, Stephen wasn’t concerned about who didn’t like him. Stephen wasn’t concerned that he was about to die. He wasn’t concerned about what happened three years ago. He wasn’t concerned about his house. He wasn’t concerned about his car. He wasn’t concerned about his bank account. Stephen wasn’t concerned about tomorrow, the only thing that was on his mind in this moment was HEAVEN. Stephen said, "LOOK! I SEE HEAVEN OPEN!” I say to you today in this moment… 📝 One GLIMPSE of Heaven will pay for a LIFETIME of earth’s sorrows. How do we know this??? ““Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” Matthew 5:11 “Rejoice and be glad, because GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:12 This is why our sermon title for today is this… PAID IN A GLIMPSE One GLIMPSE of Heaven will pay for a LIFETIME of earth’s sorrows. PAID IN A GLIMPSE. 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL BE UNITED WITH THE HEAVENLY CHOIR. “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8 “AND THEY SANG A NEW SONG, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”” Revelation 5:9-10 “Then I looked, AND I HEARD THE VOICE OF MANY ANGELS around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”” Revelation 5:11-12 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”” Revelation 7:9-10 “All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne AND WORSHIPED GOD, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”” Revelation 7:11-12 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL BE REUNITED WITH OUR LOVED ONES. Hebrews 11 speaks painfully of those who’ve gone on us before us and gives a glimpse of comfort in the midst of it. Hebrews 11:35 says, “Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.” Hebrews 11:35 “Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.” Hebrews 11:36 “Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.”Hebrews 11:37 Stop right there. I believe the next verse is our why to the question of why them? Why this individual at this particular time. Verse 38 goes on to say… “THEY WERE TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.” Hebrews 11:38 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” II Corinthians 5:8 “But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I WILL GO TO HIM ONE DAY, but he cannot return to me.”” 2 Samuel 12:23 I will go to him ONE DAY, but not today. David still had a work to do for the Lord and say do you. This is why one of the last things that Jesus prayed in John 17:14-15 was, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP TOGETHER with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 📝 ON THAT DAY WE’LL SEE JESUS. In this moment for Stephen, there’s no doubt that the heavenly choir was there. In this moment for Stephen, there’s no doubt that His loved ones who went on before him was there, but the only thing that mattered in that moment was JESUS. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the Son of God. ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open AND THE SON OF MAN standing at the right hand of God.”” Acts 7:56 Oh to see the love in His eyes. Oh to hear the acceptance in His voice. Oh to be seen by the one who sees it all, yet still loves me for me. I wonder will it be similar to John 20:27 where it reads, “Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE…” John 20:27 Knowing that in spite of me, He still did it for me. Then to hear those blessed words echoed in Matthew 25:21, “His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’” Matthew 25:21 “‘NEVER AGAIN will they hunger; NEVER AGAIN will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.” Revelation 7:16 “For THE LAMB AT THE CENTER OF THE THRONE will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”” Revelation 7:17 Revelation 21:11-21 tells us that, Heaven is made of rare jewels, jasper, crystals, high walls, 12 gates, a measuring tape made of gold was used to measure it, the city was made out of pure gold like glass, the foundations of the walls were adorned with every type of jewel, the 12 gates were 12 pearls, each of the gates were made of single pearls, and the streets of the city were made of pure gold. In the midst of all of heavens wonders, JESUS IS THE GREATEST ATTRACTION. The Lamb at the center of the throne. After Stephen cried out saying, ““Look,” he said, “I see heaven open AND THE SON OF MAN standing at the right hand of God.” Verse 57 says, “At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.” Acts 7:57-58 “While they were stoning him, STEPHEN PRAYED, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”” Acts 7:59 “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “LORD, DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:60 In the midst of being stoned, before Stephen died, he forgave. Stephen must’ve thought to himself, "This place is too beautiful to miss because of unforgiveness. This place is too glorious to miss due to ANYTHING.” As Stephen was being stoned, as Saul looked on, Stephen’s final prayer was Lord, do not hold this sin against them. In that moment the presence of heaven gave Stephen strength to forgive the sins on earth. Because… In the PRESENCE OF PERSECUTION, you will find the PRESENCE OF GOD. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? Do you believe that one glimpse will pay for every tear, every heartbreak, every disappointment, every unanswered question, every sleepless night, every why them God, every why me God? Do you believe that one glimpse will pay for it all? If you believe, KEEP GOING! With tears in your eyes keep going! With questions in your heart, KEEP GOING! Jesus said, "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” IS HEAVEN YOUR HOME? IS HEAVEN YOUR FINAL DESTINATION?
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