I was talking to Brother Mark this morning. I look at some of these random thoughts, you know, and I'm thinking, Lord, how come this stuff doesn't fit together better? You know, how come there isn't a little more continuity from one thought to the next? And why doesn't this thing flow? And it was like the Lord nudged me and said, I don't even write my book like that. When you put something together, you put it together, you know, three points in a poem or something. You come up with this thing where it's point A, point B, point C. You organize the whole thing to get the message across. You know how God does it? He does it so that unless you're looking for it, you're going to miss it. And Brother Mark and I, for sure, and probably most of the rest of you by now, have realized that when you look down in that Bible now, there was tons of stuff in there that you didn't even realize was there before. And it's simply because you weren't looking or you weren't looking in the right place. You were looking for what's in it for you, and that wasn't why God put it here. God put it in there for what's in it for Him. Listen, if He made all things for His pleasure, where'd this come from? Well, it's for His pleasure. If everything's directed, lost, and saved to His glory, then what's it about? It's about His glory. And lately, God's been teaching us all some things here. When you see Brother Mark and I reading the same verses without any communication between us again and again and again and again, you know that's not Brother Mark and I. You know it. The problem is that the Laodicean church has gotten to the point where they credit the messenger with the message. You know, it's, oh, great message, preacher. Unfortunately, that's probably true. That's probably exactly what it was. Great message, preacher. It's not supposed to be that way. It's supposed to be, thus saith the Lord. It's supposed to be, get something from God, preach the word. What word? The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. What word? The whole counsel of God. Well, if they've missed the glory of God and they don't preach the glory of God, they've missed the single most important thing in the entire book. What are they preaching about? Well, today, there'll be millions of messages about fathers, and how to be a good father, and how to honor your father, and how to live longer by taking care of your father, and all the rest of the stuff. And they're going to promote men. They're not going to promote the Heavenly Father. So how do you know that? I went to some of my resource books this morning. I said, I'm going to find something about God the Father. And I started looking through all of these books. And I mean, page after page after page. You got people in like Gypsy Smith that very few people have heard of unless they've done some reading, you know. Brother Selden knows about it, I'm sure. But you start hearing about preachers like Gypsy Smith, you know, and you got D.L. Moody's stuff and stuff that was printed in all these papers. I couldn't find one thing in there about our Heavenly Father. Well, not one thing. It was poems and verses and stories and illustrations. It was page after page of this stuff. And I'm, what is this? I said, I know why. It's all down here still. Those people are looking for what impresses you. I don't care what impresses you. What I'd like to find out is what impresses God. I'd really like that. I used to pray a lot, Lord, let me see myself as you see me. That's not a big deal. Big deal would be, God, let me see you for who you really are. That will change people. That will change your attitude. It'll change everything. You walk out there in this world, and you start to see all the stuff and the magnificence that God has made and the variety that He's put out there. And it's like, my, oh, my. I can't begin to comprehend. what he's capable of in the future when instead of living on a sin-cursed world with Satan, the god of this earth, running it, what it's gonna be like when he takes over and it's fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore. You realize how good some of this stuff is around here and how much fun this stuff is that he's given us all things richly to enjoy? And this stuff is under a curse. It's gonna be something else. Anyway, moving along here, let's get back to the prophecies about Elijah. We talked about there's two prophecies about Elijah returning. The first one was over in Zechariah, and that thing was in Zechariah 4, 1 to 4. And the angel that talked with me came again, and walked with me, as a man waketh out of his sleep. And he saith unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlestick out of the gold, and a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereof, and the seven pipes to the seven lamps which were upon the top thereof, and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. You understand that God's showing him this stuff, and he's describing what he sees. Now, God just told him about the two witnesses. But even God showing it to him, he's like, what is that? You see how God deals with his creation? If you're not seeking, you're not going to find. And so the guy starts seeking, verse 11. Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me, and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he said, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Well, there's no question about who they are by the time you get to Revelation. But when you're talking about Zachariah, you're talking about minor prophets 400 years roughly before John the Baptist shows up. And so here you are with something that jumps and leaps clear on into the future before he actually gives you any more indication of what's going on. So why do you do that, God? Evidently, it's the way God does it in order to determine your will. By the time he's through with us on this earth, and sometimes he gets through with a whole lot sooner than others, but by the time he's through with us on this earth, you have been run through just about everything you can be run through, and every kind of strange situation and everything, and there's no question about your will, what your desire is. And I think a lot of times he gives us an opportunity, he's long suffering with us, just to give us another chance to say, what is the purpose of man? You know, that is the ultimate question. They just can't wait to find life someplace else. Those guys will spend every dime you've got just to see if they can find some life or some water or something else somewhere else. Anyway, the other prophecy is Malachi 4, 4-6, and it's a little bit different. And yet, somehow, these things tie back together. And when you see things happening, and then things begin to change in the middle of the stream, it's like, wow, what's going on, Lord? You tell me one thing over here, and then you tell me something over here, and these two don't even fit together. You remember I've said over and over that God gives himself a way out? He always leaves the door open to do anything he wants to do, and he really does. He can do this. That doesn't work. OK. I got a million other options. I can do any one of these things that still accomplish my will. And we kind of think, well, it's got to be cause and effect. If you hit the nail, it's going to go down or bend. That's all the options. Wrong. God's got about a million other things He can do with a thing. Why? Because with Him, nothing's impossible. He can do anything He wants to do. You say, well, change the rules? Where'd the rules come from? He wrote the book. He wrote the rules. He set the whole thing up. He can do anything He wants. He's God. Who's going to tell him what to do? He says, shall not the God of all the earth do right? He tells you that about himself. But he also talks about other things in there. And he says he does whatsoever he pleases. And I've always said that's the number one perk of being God. You get to do anything you want. Fortunately, it's always right. Malachi 4, 4-6, this is the other prophecy about him. Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, and the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Well, I thought the earth was already smitten with a curse. It is. You're under the curse right now. Try growing some tomatoes out there. See how much trouble you have. Try growing a garden. Try growing flowers. I mean, Sister Jerry's constantly fighting all the little critters that want to eat it and all the diseases that want to jump on it and everything else. I mean, this earth is under a curse, man. That ground out there is cursed. You know what a curse is? A curse is not instant death. A curse is every time you try, it's difficult for you to get something done. You say, I'm under a curse? Yeah, you're under a curse. You have to work twice as hard to get this stuff to stay together. Everything's falling apart, slowing down, breaking, tearing up. If entropy doesn't get it, the bugs will. Yeah, just don't spray your house for a while. Next thing you know, you'll be having to replace a bunch of lumber inside because the termites tore it all to pieces. Anyway, so who's he talking to about this thing with Elijah? Who's going to come and unite the hearts of the fathers and the children? Well, Malachi 1, 1 tells you who he's talking to. The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. He's talking to the nation of Israel. Now, what happens here is Jesus Christ shows up. and he was sent by God to Israel to convert them, to preach primarily to Israel. Jesus was not sent to preach to the Gentiles primarily. He came there and he dealt with the nation of Israel. And John the Baptist is born, and according to what we've already read over and over and over, we know who John the Baptist was. Jesus Christ says, absolutely, that is Elias, or Elijah. And he came here for what purpose? Right there, to unite the hearts of the children and the fathers and to bind that nation back together in unity. You know what the basic building block of a nation is? It's the family. You think the basic building block has to do with socialism or some kind of government program? It does not. If the houses of the families in America fall, America will fall. And a bunch of that's already happened. Same thing happens in the whole world. You become vulnerable. It's called divide and conquer. Satan realized it. He got Eve by herself. Interesting, huh? You divide and conquer. You know why it's more important for you guys to meet together in the last days? You know, forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as a manner of some is, and so much more as you see the day approaching? It's because divide and conquer still exists. You're not going to sit at home and grow in the Lord near like you could if you were somewhere else near other Christians. Because when you're around by yourself, your primary thoughts are on yourself. You have to almost be interrupted to get your mind off yourself. Sometimes God will do that. But it's kind of difficult for you to keep your mind on him. There's no question about it. Now, he disguised John the Baptist. You say, what do you mean he disguised him? It was Elijah. Changed his name. That's kind of weird, isn't it? Now, he died the first time when they cut his head off. You say, what are you talking about? Look over in Matthew 14. Matthew 14, 6-12, But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head and a charger. The king was sorry, nevertheless, for the oath's sake, and then, which sat by him at meet, he commanded it be given her. That's the fear of man bringeth a snare. And he sent and beheaded John in prison, and his head was brought in a charger and given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. You realize who they beheaded? They beheaded Elijah. Guess what? They're gonna behead him again. What? Yeah, they're gonna cut his head off again, man. Over there in Revelation, it says they cut their heads off and they lay in the streets for three and a half days. I mean, you can just see it now. Moses and Elijah out there, and here they come. And Elijah says, well, here we go again. You say, you really think they'll think that way? Let me tell you something. If you ever got up to the third heaven, and you saw God as He is, and you saw the stuff going on up there, you couldn't wait to get back. It'd be nothing but pure suffering down here, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far greater, but it's needful for you. Only reason he stayed here was because God sent him back and wouldn't let him stay. I bet you he was arguing with God. They stoned him out there, which is when I think they did it. He gets stoned. Well, they're in the body, out of the body. I cannot tell. He pops up there, you know, and he gets up there, and he's looking around. He goes, oh, man. Oh, this is great. God says, don't get too used to it. What? You gotta go back. Oh, I know, later on, when you come riding back and take the world, right? Wrong. You mean right away? I mean right away, just a minute or two, you're heading back. What for? I gotta show you some stuff up here. I'm gonna fix you. You're gonna be so busted, they'll think you've completely come apart at the seams. You're not gonna be like anybody else down there, and you're gonna get a chance to write a whole bunch of stuff, but you can't write about the stuff you see. What? You can't even talk about it. Now, God, you're not making any sense to me at all. You get me up here, you show me all of this stuff, and then you won't even let me tell them what I saw?" And he says, no. How come? Because I want them to walk by faith. And you're walking by sight now, and they're supposed to walk by faith, so knock it off. Now, I know you're going to be tempted a bunch, so I'm going to have to do something to you here. What you going to have to do? I'm going to have to give you a thorn in the flesh so that lest you be lifted up in the abundance of the revelation, your pride will get you, and then you'll start thinking you're somebody. And you're not. You're the chiefest of sinners. Oh, OK, God. Now, that's some strange stuff. When you start thinking in detail about what actually took place in some of these events, you start beginning to realize Man, Lord, this thing's outside of anything I had ever imagined, you know? I mean, I read this little old short story, and it's like, okay, he went up there, came back down, now he's preaching, running around the world, doing all this stuff. No, there's a lot more going on there. And God likes keeping secrets. The more I know about him, the more I realize how much he enjoys good secrets. You know, when are you coming back, God? Big secret. What do you got waiting for us, God? Big secret. I have not seen neither ear heard, and I ain't telling you. I'll just give you a hint. Pleasure and joy, how's that sound? That sounds pretty good. Anyway, he died the first time then, and he shows back up. You know when he shows up? He didn't show up in Revelation, he showed up almost immediately. What are you talking about? Well, Elijah dies twice, he's beheaded, but there's more to it. Look at Matthew 14, 23 to 27. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up to a mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, so the wind was contrary. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. And Peter answered and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. Now, there's several things that happens right here. Now, stay with me for a minute. You got Jesus Christ showing up, fourth watch. When? Right after they killed John the Baptist. They killed John the Baptist, and if they would have accepted John the Baptist's message, it would have bonded that nation back together. But because that didn't happen, God had the alternative plan set up. And so they kill John the Baptist, they behead him, like they're going to do later on, that's Elijah, they don't listen to anything he's saying, and immediately Jesus Christ shows up in the fourth watch. Right up there. And we talked about, watch ye therefore, for you know not what hour the Lord come, whether it's at evening, morning, midnight, you know, et cetera. All of those four watches. And he could have come back the first watch. That's why he said, watch ye therefore, for you know not. But as soon as they kill Elijah, everything changed. Just like the people before when Noah built that ark, do you realize if those people hadn't have turned to wickedness like they did, there would have been no ark, there would have been no cataclysmic flood? Do you realize what would have happened if Eve hadn't have taken that forbidden fruit? Adam hadn't have taken the forbidden fruit? Do you realize in your life some of the things that you've done and it's caused all kinds of disasters for you throughout your life? And you're paying for stuff now that you did when you were a teenager, some of you still. I mean, it's just cause and effect, cause and effect. One day the Lord will straighten it all out and fix it. But down here, this thing is designed to test man's will. What do you really want? I'm gonna give you the freedom to run loose. And I'll control the results of what happens to you, but I'm not gonna control your will. It's like Brother Joe said, man, that water's running down here, and he puts a little dam in front of it, and it goes around that way, and he puts another one here, and it goes back that way, you know. He said, like what? Well, you remember when he sent the hornets? He didn't mess with their will. You say, what do you mean he didn't mess with their will? He didn't make them do it. He just made them willing to. He never compelled you to go against your will. He just made you willing to go. You say, well, isn't that kind of messing with your will? Oh, no. You realize how strong Pharaoh's will was? I mean, you could have stayed right there and died by the wasp stings if you wanted, I guess, or the hornets. Some people die from that stuff. Anyway, they reject Elijah, who was John the Baptist. Jesus shows up in the fourth watch in a supernatural way. What are you talking about supernatural way? He's walking on water. You realize that? You know when the Lord comes back, how he's coming back? When he comes back for his saints? He's coming back in the water. He said, water, yeah, it's called a cloud. You remember they talked about the cloud overshadowing, they were baptized by aspersion back there in the Old Testament? He's out here walking on this water. Where's he gonna be? He's gonna be in the cloud, which is above the bottom of it. He's gonna be up on the top of that thing. Where does God always come with stealth? He hides himself with a thick cloud, his bright cloud, very dense. And so Jesus comes walking on the water. And he says, man, if that's really you, God, you know, bid me come. He says, come on. Peter gets out there and starts walking on the water. And then he gets his mind on himself, you know, and some other things start to fall apart. And so things don't go the way he wants. But anyway, we're going to be caught up together with them in the clouds. Now, Paul, like I said, he was caught up to the third heaven. Whether in the body or out of the body, he couldn't tell. You realize about time Peter's walking across that water, he has no idea what he's doing. It's like, man, what's going on? You know, Paul said, man, what's going on? He's not the only one. If you don't think those things are really close, look at John chapter six. This is really good too. He said, where are you getting this crazy stuff from? I never heard this taught before. I never saw this before in my life. I've never heard it taught before in my life. It wasn't until I started opening the pages and God has me turn to places, I don't even know why I'm there. I don't know why I got over here to John chapter six. In fact, the thing was marked from about three or four weeks back and I was just trying to get rid of some of these tabs in my Bible. So what was I interested in there? I couldn't find anything that really got my attention. I started looking down, I go, wow, look at that. If you don't think this thing has to do with a rapture, if you don't think him walking on the sea has to do with a rapture, you watch this. John six, 17 to 21. It says, And he entered into a ship, and went over to the sea toward Capernaum. And after it was now dark, Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind, so that when they had rowed about five, and twenty, and thirty-four longs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, drawing nigh unto the ship. And they were afraid. But he said unto them, It is I, be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship. Boy, he sure skipped a bunch of good stuff, didn't he? And immediately the ship was at the land, whither they went. You don't think that has to do with the rapture and then the fourth watch? That's what that whole thing is about. Where'd they go? They went where Jesus took them. How fast did they get there? In the moment of the twinkling of an eye? No, immediately. That's faster than an eye can twinkle. How far did you go all the way? Where? Wherever he wanted to go. So when you get reading this stuff and you start seeing these little pieces and they start coming together, you say, well, Lord, what are you trying to teach us? I'm trying to teach you how I work with my creation. Why? So that you'll recognize my hand in your life. Beyond just the words, it's he that worketh in you, both the will and to do of his good pleasure. you'll start to begin to realize that hidden behind a secrecy that we can't even understand, for some reason that we don't understand, God has made himself so aloof from us, he can put all this stuff together in our lives and work in us moment by moment, count the very hairs of our head. We can do nothing without him. We live and move and have our being in him. He gets the credit and the glory for everything we ever accomplish moment by moment by moment in our lives, and the only thing He doesn't control is that one part of you that He's trying to expose, and that's your will. You know what His desire is from this whole thing? He desires. Now, this is your old father on Father's Day. He desires to be the center of your attention. That's what He wants. I was reading over there in John this morning, we have no sin. I read that to my wife, she goes, whoa. We are without sin. To who? To our Father. We're perfect. Like what? Like Jesus Christ. Why? Because He made us that way. Then what's going on? If it's not about your sin, if it's not about living a better life, if it's not about serving Him, you're already perfect. Without Him you can do nothing. What's left? He wants to be the focus of your attention. He wants to be the center of your desire. He wants you to be drawn to him of your own free will because you begin to recognize who he is. That's what he wants. And when he starts getting that recognition, that's when he starts giving you back some joy and that fellowship begins and some great and wonderful things begin to happen between you and the one that made you. And right down here. It's not about solving your problems or paying your bills or healing your body. The only reason he does that kind of stuff is because he wants your attention on him. Problem is, we're so distracted playing our own silly little games, we don't think anything about Daddy. And he doesn't want Father's Day just to be on Sunday in June. He wants it every day. Let's close in prayer.