Behold the Lamb Presents

The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live, Part 2

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton

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Series Code: BTLP

Program Code: BTLP000029


00:41 Hello, and welcome to Behold The Lambs presents,
00:44 I'm Chris Shelton your host.
00:46 And I want to extend a very warm welcome to you today
00:50 for tuning in.
00:51 Today is the second in a four part series
00:55 that we have entitled,
00:56 "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live."
00:59 You know we're finding that through
01:01 the study of this series that we have a personal
01:04 as well as a corporate responsibility
01:07 to properly deal with a ugly word that we call sin.
01:12 You know no one likes to admit they're a sinner,
01:14 yet in the blessed word of God,
01:17 in Romans 3 and verse 23 we read,
01:20 "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
01:24 Now how terribly sad it would be
01:27 if our study abruptly stopped,
01:30 just ended right at this verse?
01:32 Having the knowledge that sin separates us from God,
01:35 that the penalty of sin is eternal death.
01:37 That it was because of sin the Christ was mocked,
01:41 rejected, beaten, and crucified.
01:45 Then this verse alone would leave us feeling hopeless.
01:49 So let's continue reading on in Romans 3
01:51 and look at verses 24 and 25, we read here.
01:56 "Because justified freely by his grace through
01:59 the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
02:02 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
02:06 through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
02:10 for the remission of sins that are past,
02:12 through the forbearance of God."
02:15 And these three verses along are combined
02:18 a treasure trove of study and growth in Christ.
02:23 He has given so very much for our salvation,
02:27 but has pointed out in verse 25,
02:30 now listen, that there is to be a remission of sins.
02:35 Sins are to be overcome in our lives,
02:37 through the power and the strength of our Savior,
02:40 through his gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
02:43 So no matter what it is, what idol we are holding on
02:48 to in this world in order to receive God's blessing.
02:53 Friends, it must go, and to help us on our journey,
02:56 Pastor Kenny is going to present,
02:59 the Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live, part two today.
03:04 But before he does where blessed to listen
03:07 to brother Woolsey, as he prays a song in entitled
03:12 "Eternal Life" at the 3ABN Worship Center.
03:17 [music]
05:55 Thank you for joining us today, "Behold the Lamb."
05:57 We pray that the Lord has been meeting
05:59 the needs of your heart.
06:01 Today, we have just an important study again,
06:03 it's a second part.
06:04 We're talking about
06:06 "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live." Where?
06:09 Live in us, live in the church.
06:11 And this is a subject that some people might have
06:13 a little problem with, you know we're going
06:15 to have to deal with it, because God deals with it.
06:19 Before we get into our study once again
06:20 we're going to kneel and have prayer,
06:22 you may want to prayer along with me, I hope you do.
06:25 Some of you do with audio and maybe some are doing
06:28 you know video and so on.
06:29 But, will you can please just kneel with me
06:31 and ask God's blessing on this most important subject,
06:35 let's pray together.
06:39 Merciful Father in heaven,
06:40 we thank You for the privilege of prayer.
06:43 We thank You that we call upon You in our time of need.
06:46 Today, we have need of the power of thy Holy Spirit.
06:50 Come near to our hearts, open our mind,
06:52 our ears and help us just receive the word that
06:56 you have in store for us.
06:57 Forgive me if anything in my heart and life,
07:00 any sin, anything that needs to go right now,
07:03 I pray in the name of Jesus that You blood
07:06 I know is sufficient enough to cleanse me
07:08 from all in righteousness.
07:10 We need to hear not from man,
07:12 but we need to hear from heaven.
07:13 Thank you now for hearing, thank you for answering prayer
07:16 and we just ask in the name of Jesus and for His sake, amen.
07:23 Once again we always invite you to get your
07:25 pencil and paper, and we do this
07:26 because we cover some things rather quickly
07:29 and sometimes it's hard for us to retain
07:31 all of these things.
07:32 So if you'll just jot them down and then go back
07:34 and study to show yourself approved,
07:36 also study to make sure I'm telling you the truth,
07:40 not everybody that stands
07:41 in the pulpit is telling the truth.
07:43 Not everyone is giving present truth
07:45 and so we need for you to sit down
07:47 with the power of the Holy Spirit
07:48 and do this study with us.
07:50 What we're gonna do, since this is a second part
07:53 of our study, if you allow me I'm gonna recap.
07:56 I jotted down 10 things and I know that's a lot,
07:59 that we covered last time our first part
08:01 in "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live."
08:05 And so if you missed it real quickly and you say,
08:07 boy, I want go back and get it,
08:08 well that's gonna be available too.
08:10 If you the missed the first part here you go.
08:12 Number one, there is no such thing,
08:15 point one, no such thing
08:16 as a little or in significant sin.
08:20 Number two, our message is the same today
08:23 as John the Baptist, we need to repent,
08:27 we need to make the path straight
08:28 for the coming of Jesus Christ.
08:31 Point number three, we must call sin, sin or what?
08:36 By his right name.
08:37 Four, we must be sighing and crying
08:39 for the abominations that are done in our midst.
08:43 Point number five, that we covered.
08:46 Sin cannot be tolerated among God's people,
08:50 it must be dwelt with in order to have the blessings of God.
08:55 Six, failure to deal with sin as we recognize it,
09:01 as leaders in the church that sin is registered
09:05 against our names as though we had committed it.
09:09 Think about this, it's registered against our name
09:13 if we fail to deal with it.
09:16 Seven, one sinner, now pay special attention,
09:20 one sinner can shutout the presence of God
09:23 or the light of God from the entire congregation.
09:28 Now we don't want that, why come to church
09:31 if God's presence's not gonna be there,
09:33 the power of the Holy Spirit.
09:35 But one sin that we understand
09:37 and we know is taking place and we let go,
09:40 it's gonna shutout God's presence.
09:41 Oh friend, that's sad.
09:44 Point number eight, sin must be searched out and put away.
09:50 Now please remember, we covered about searching out
09:52 that sin and how it should be done according to scripture.
09:56 Number nine, we learn how we can view sin,
09:59 I like this one, how we can view sin as God views it.
10:04 Last point number ten, Jesus came into the world
10:08 to destroy what?
10:10 Destroy the works of the devil.
10:13 Wow! You know those are ten points quite
10:16 a bit of material to cover, but we realize that as we do
10:20 a four part series not everyone's going to be able
10:22 to be there and to you know, get ever part
10:25 and so we need to go back sometime.
10:28 And part number two, I will always like to start out
10:29 with something that I, sometime people say was
10:32 a little bit of a shocker.
10:34 But I want you to know since we're dealing
10:35 with the sin issues in the church
10:37 because it's withholding God's blessing from us.
10:40 Have you ever wonder why, why we're not seeing things
10:43 happen in the church as we did
10:45 in the New Testament Church, we read the Book of Acts
10:47 and we get so excited that we just can hardly stand it
10:50 and look what God is doing.
10:51 Listen, we serve the same God today.
10:54 God can work those miracles,
10:55 but He needs people that He can work them through.
10:58 And if we are, not only sin in our life,
11:00 but the sin in others we tolerate it
11:02 because we don't have the spiritual backbone
11:05 to do something about it.
11:06 God is gonna withhold those blessings
11:08 and I don't know about you, but I need them.
11:10 Now here's what we done,
11:11 this will fit as we go through our studies,
11:14 but I'm gonna just kind of give it to you right now.
11:17 In a letter that was written called letter 2/15 in 1902.
11:22 Notice what it talks about, those who persist
11:26 in open rebellion or sin in the church
11:29 once they've been dealt with.
11:30 Notice what has to take place.
11:32 I know, I know it's distasteful to some people
11:36 and I know that some of you are not going to like that.
11:38 But you know what, you know,
11:39 I love you too, but I just tell you
11:41 I'd lot rather please God, then I had to deal with you.
11:44 Okay, Oh! That's come on let's think about
11:46 this a little bit here.
11:48 We're either gonna please man
11:49 or we're going to please whom?
11:50 God, notice how this reads.
11:53 It says, "The names of those who sin and refuse
11:57 to repent should not be retained upon
12:01 the church books,"
12:02 Wow! "Lest the saints be held accountable
12:07 for their evil deeds."
12:09 Now can you, once again, can you,
12:11 do you have enough on your shoulders,
12:13 enough in your own life going on
12:15 that you don't need somebody else's.
12:17 "Those who pursue a course of transgression,"
12:21 here's it, "should be visited?"
12:23 Yes, "and should be labored with,
12:26 and if then they refuse to repent,
12:29 they should be separated from the church fellowship
12:33 in accordance with the rules laid down in the Word of God."
12:37 Not man made rules and regulations,
12:39 but what, according to the rules
12:40 that God has laid down in his word.
12:43 So we're to labor with them, pray with them,
12:45 work with them, encourage them,
12:47 bottom-line if they continue on the wrong path,
12:50 they're to be disfellowshipped,
12:52 and that is a word that not too many people
12:55 really like to get involved with.
12:56 Let me read 3 Testimonies 269 once again,
13:00 now remember this is our platform
13:01 from which we are studying from.
13:04 Remember this if you missed,
13:05 the plain, straight testimony must live
13:08 in the church, or what?
13:11 Please pay attention, or what?
13:13 Or the curse of God will rest upon His people
13:17 as surely as it did on ancient Israel because of their sins."
13:23 Now notice plain what?
13:24 Is a plain straight testimony alive and well in your church.
13:29 If not, notice what she said, God's prophets this.
13:32 "Or the curse of God will rest upon His people."
13:38 We don't need the curse of God do we?
13:40 We want the blessings of God,
13:42 we want the presence of God that changes mankind
13:46 and prepares us for heaven.
13:48 So none of us can sit back and say,
13:50 well we don't need the plain, straight testimony,
13:52 you know it's gonna cause problems.
13:53 You don't need the curse of God and I don't need that.
13:57 We left off with the question in our first part,
13:59 is there something maybe
14:01 you're detecting in your church.
14:03 There is a lack of something, lack of spirituality,
14:06 there is lack of power in the church.
14:09 Lack of blessings, lack of the presence of God,
14:12 nothing's going on.
14:14 Maybe there should be some soul searching,
14:17 because something is not right.
14:19 Let me just read for you,
14:20 this is 4 Testimonies page 166 and 167,
14:24 I'm gonna refer to these things,
14:26 there is gonna be some reading,
14:27 but boy is it powerful, notice.
14:30 Neglect, here we start out with word neglect,
14:32 "Neglect to repent and obey His word will bring
14:37 a serious consequences upon God's people today
14:41 as did the sin against ancient Israel."
14:45 Now are you read for this?
14:47 "There is a limit beyond which He will" God, right?
14:51 "Will no longer delay His judgment.
14:54 The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning
14:59 before the eyes of modern Israel."
15:03 This pertains to us, us as God's people today.
15:07 Remember there is a what?
15:08 A limit and then go off
15:10 the judgments of God begins to fall.
15:12 You think you've been getting away with it,
15:14 you've been dealing and you know behind people
15:16 don't really realize what's going on in your life.
15:19 God does and He knows the moment that it began
15:21 and there is be a time that He is gonna say
15:23 that is enough and the judgments
15:25 began to fall on you.
15:26 I'm reading on, notice.
15:28 The eyes of modern Israel, "that the correction given
15:32 through His chosen instruments
15:35 cannot be disregarded with impunity."
15:38 That means without what?
15:39 Without punishment and loss, keep this in mind,
15:43 notice it says here.
15:45 "The correction that is given through
15:48 His chosen instruments," some people just partake upon
15:52 themselves that they're gonna go correct somebody else.
15:55 God will impress your heart and your mind,
15:57 what to do and how to do it.
15:59 And we must be what?
16:00 In harmony with scripture, God chooses.
16:03 Now notice some people says, oh yeah,
16:05 but you know we don't wanna go through that,
16:06 and we're apprehensive about it.
16:07 We don't want to deal with it,
16:09 but listen God chooses individuals.
16:13 With this correction to give correction,
16:15 but if we disregard this correction,
16:19 notice there will be punishment
16:21 and there will be loss.
16:23 May I give you an example?
16:24 This is really important, please pay attention.
16:27 You remember the High Priest Eli.
16:29 Well, Eli, he wouldn't deal with sin in his sons.
16:35 Notice this parents this is very, very important.
16:39 Eli refused to deal with sins,
16:41 he passed them over in his sons as a light thing.
16:46 He tried to correct, he talk to them a little bit about it,
16:49 but he passed it on as a light thing.
16:52 This was a neglect of the father,
16:54 not only a priest but the father,
16:57 to reprove and to restrain the wrongs of his son.
17:02 Notice the two things
17:04 what the father's responsibility in the home,
17:07 is to reprove and to, notice this work.
17:11 And some of you won't like this, to restrain.
17:14 In other words you put a stop to it.
17:17 And again the old saying is, you know,
17:19 as long as you lender this rule,
17:20 this is the rule, this is the way that we're going
17:22 to operate according to the what?
17:25 The way that God says we're to do it.
17:27 So Eli did not restrain his sons,
17:30 Eli then called the sins they were involved in.
17:34 You read the story of Eli and his sons,
17:37 it was no light thing what these guys were doing
17:39 in the name of Jesus.
17:41 But he wouldn't, he wouldn't reprove them,
17:43 he didn't restrain them, you know what this did?
17:46 This brought disaster upon all of Israel. Why?
17:49 Because of Eli, because he didn't correct it,
17:52 because of what his sons were participating.
17:54 Notice with me, Eli,
17:59 his sons were killed, Eli lost his life.
18:05 This is because of sin.
18:07 The Ark was taken, listen carefully 30,000 people
18:13 lost their lives.
18:16 And friend, this wasn't the end.
18:19 The daughter-in-law who was pregnant
18:21 with child when she heard of all the news
18:24 and all went on, her husband was killed,
18:28 father-in-law was killed, the Ark was taken.
18:31 All these people killed.
18:33 And she went into labor
18:36 and while she was in labor, she died.
18:40 You remember being the Bible passage
18:41 when we tolerate something that comes against us,
18:45 and what we have and/or
18:47 maybe our companion and our children.
18:51 And she died and the son lived and the name given
18:54 the son was what?
18:55 Was Ichabod, why the name Ichabod to the son?
18:59 Because he said the glory of the Lord has departed. Why?
19:03 Why did the glory of the Lord depart?
19:06 Because there was sin in the camp and it wasn't dealt with.
19:10 Can you even imagine that 30,000 people lost
19:13 their life because of two rebellious young men,
19:17 and because the priest, the pastor,
19:21 the elders let it go,
19:23 didn't deal with it, didn't restrain it.
19:27 Oh, friend, you're saying wow!
19:31 Four testimonies 166, 'cause you're gonna say,
19:33 are you sure this is it?
19:35 Listen, four testimonies 166 says this,
19:38 all this was, all these things that I've
19:40 mentioned and more happened was allowed
19:44 because sin was lightly regarded and because
19:48 it was allowed to remain among them.
19:52 What a lesson, what a lesson it is to men
19:57 who are holding positions of responsibility in the
20:01 church of God today.
20:05 It screams out to us that we need be faithful
20:10 in removing the wrongs that distort
20:14 and dishonor the cause of truth.
20:18 Friend, can we bear responsibility
20:21 for something like that?
20:24 Well, you know the, some people will say, yeah,
20:28 I realize that was in you know Eli's time,
20:31 and so listen does the same dangerous
20:33 exists among the church today.
20:36 Let me read again four testimonies 166,
20:38 see we have people who they live kind of
20:41 in a little house and they pull the cover over their
20:43 heads and they don't want,
20:45 well that was back then,
20:47 it doesn't pertain to us now.
20:49 Sin is deal sin.
20:51 God frowns upon it, he has to turn from it.
20:55 Four testimonies 166, it says,
20:58 "The same dangers exists today among the people
21:02 who profess to be depositories of God's law."
21:06 This starts getting a little bit close
21:08 to you and to me, doesn't it?
21:11 Reading on, "they are too apt to flatter themselves
21:15 that the regard and they hold up the commandments
21:19 will preserve them from
21:20 with the power of divine justice."
21:23 So we had a group of people who are saying what?
21:25 Well we've had the Ten Commandments,
21:26 we're holding them up and because we're holding
21:29 them up, you know God is going to preserve us, is He?
21:35 Reading on, it says, "They refuse to be
21:38 reproved for evil, and they charge
21:41 God's servant with being too zealous
21:43 in putting sin out of the camp."
21:46 That's what people do sometime, you know,
21:48 they hear and they said, oh we don't want to do that,
21:50 oh, he is too zealous, oh he shouldn't be doing that.
21:52 Does that, sin has to go out of the camp.
21:56 Notice, profess people, it says here,
21:59 "A sin-hating God calls upon those who professed
22:02 to keep His law, is that you today?
22:05 To depart from all iniquity."
22:08 I want you to notice there, you know,
22:10 just Acts Chapter 3, Acts Chapter 3
22:12 that's what Jesus came for, isn't it?
22:15 He came what, to get rid of sin.
22:18 Matthew 7:23 says, we need to depart from what?
22:21 From iniquity.
22:24 And of course certainly in Timothy 2 verse 4,
22:28 Bible talks about we need to be redeemed from what?
22:32 From iniquity.
22:34 We need to have purity of life because the passage says,
22:38 because we are a peculiar people,
22:40 we're to be different from the world and most
22:43 generally you can't tell who is God's people
22:45 and who is not just seeing them walk down
22:47 the street, there is no difference.
22:49 You realize why this world in a mess that is
22:51 in today, and have you ever really thought about it,
22:54 found a little quote I thought to be interesting,
22:55 let me, please let me share it with you.
22:57 From a Manuscript 60, written in 1900, see if it applies.
23:02 "It is the rejection of truth,
23:06 man's dispensing with the commandments of God."
23:10 No longer binding, no, we don't have to do that anymore.
23:13 "Has produced the condition of things
23:16 now that exists in the world," you believe it?
23:19 "God's Word is made of none effect,
23:22 Listen to this, "By false shepherds."
23:26 Things exists in the world today because
23:28 we have rejected God,
23:30 we have rejected keeping His commandments.
23:32 Well, at the same time professing we love him,
23:34 professing we're going to keep His commandments.
23:37 Professing that we're gonna be part of the
23:38 family of God, that we're going to help.
23:41 Listen dear friends, the mess that we're in is
23:43 because we rejected God and we rejected His commandments.
23:47 And there are a group of people who say what,
23:50 oh yeah, well because we keep
23:51 the commandments of God.
23:52 You know God is not gonna do anything to us, we're all.
23:55 Let me just read something in the
23:56 Old Testament of what God said.
23:58 Jeremiah Chapter 7, I wish we had a lot of time
24:02 to spend on this, not now,
24:04 but I'm gonna go through some verses as quickly as I can.
24:07 And see if maybe today and in Jeremiah's time
24:11 if there is any connection and if there
24:13 is a connection, God help us.
24:17 Jeremiah 7 verse 2, it says,
24:19 "Stand in the gate of the Lord's house."
24:22 Do what?
24:24 "Stand in the gate of the Lord's house."
24:26 Didn't say go somewhere else,
24:27 it said go in the temple, go into God's house.
24:31 "Proclaim this word, and say,
24:33 Here the word of the Lord all ye of Judah,
24:35 that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord."
24:38 Verse 3, "And saith the Lord of hosts,
24:41 God of Israel, Amend your ways your doings,
24:45 and I will cause you to dwell in this place."
24:48 We're starting to get heavy stay with me,
24:50 verse 4, "Trust not in your lying words,
24:56 saying all The temple of the Lord,
24:59 The temple of the Lord,
25:00 The temple of the Lord, are these."
25:03 See those people back there saying what?
25:06 The temple of the Lord, we're being honored of
25:09 God because we're lifting up the Ten Commandments
25:12 and so God is not gonna do anything to us.
25:18 I hope somebody's pay attention to my mind.
25:22 And so in Jeremiah, today they were saying,
25:23 the temple, the temple, the temple,
25:26 I'd like to read all but I can't I'm gonna skip to
25:27 verse 8, notice what it says, it said,
25:29 "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit."
25:34 And then God goes on and reveals this he said,
25:36 "Will you steal, will you murder,
25:40 will you committed adultery,
25:41 and swear falsely, burn incense to Baal,"
25:45 listen, "Walk after other God's whom ye know not."
25:49 Now here is what he says, and then,
25:51 and let me just add this I'm gonna be careful about it.
25:54 God might say to you and me,
25:55 and you have the audacity,
25:57 you have the audacity to come before me, why?
26:01 Listen, he said, you're doing what?
26:03 Murder, stealing, adultery,
26:05 and incense to other Gods.
26:06 Verse 10 and then he says,
26:08 "And then you come and stand before me
26:12 in this house, which is called by my name,
26:15 and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations?"
26:22 Knowing they're doing abominations but because
26:24 they say well we, you know, God's given us the law
26:26 and so you know therefore he is gonna over look.
26:29 God said, you have the audacity to do that.
26:33 Come to my house that's called by name, verse 12.
26:38 "But go now unto a place which was in Shiloh."
26:41 Is what God saying to him.
26:42 "Where I set my name at first, and I see,
26:46 what I, and see what I did for the wickedness of
26:48 the people of Israel."
26:49 God said go back and you check out what I did,
26:52 when they refused my word.
26:54 Verse 14, "Therefore will I do to this house,
26:59 which is called by my name."
27:00 What is he talking about? His people, isn't it?
27:02 Here's gonna I'm gonna do to my house, God says,
27:05 "Wherein ye trust, and you place
27:07 which I gave you and to your fathers,
27:09 as I have done to Shiloh."
27:12 Here is what he said verse 15,
27:13 "I will cast you out of my sight,
27:17 I have cast out all your brethren,
27:19 the whole seed of Ephraim."
27:21 Now notice verse 23, keep going.
27:25 "But this things commanded I them,
27:27 "Here is what God says, what I said,
27:28 "Obey my voice, I will be your God,
27:32 ye shall be my people and you walk in all the ways
27:35 that I have commanded you,
27:37 and it will well with you."
27:38 Here is the whole key to Christian living,
27:41 here is the whole key to the blessings of God
27:43 just walk, do what he said, obey his voice
27:46 and by faith just walk in it.
27:48 And he said what, it's gonna be well with you.
27:51 You act like you don't want it well with you.
27:53 You know how it could be well, oh friends,
27:56 you see the importance of this,
27:57 you know how you can be blessed of God.
27:59 He says the blessing before you and a curse
28:01 and we choose the curse almost every time.
28:04 Verse 28, then I'm gonna get off of this, listen,
28:07 "But thou shalt say unto them,
28:09 this is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of
28:12 the Lord their God, not receiveth the
28:14 correction," notice this, "truth is perished,
28:16 and is cut off from their mouth."
28:19 Friend, you think, you think God is not taking note today.
28:23 You think he is not noticing what's going on.
28:25 Oh, I like to spend more time now I'm not going
28:27 to do that, so much information.
28:30 We have no, cannot also say, the temple,
28:32 the temple, the temple,
28:33 like God's is not going to correct us.
28:36 Regardless of who we say that we are, you know,
28:38 where we go to church, and what we do that God's
28:41 not going to correct us, he is going to correct us.
28:44 He is going to correct a people,
28:46 simply by obeying his voice.
28:48 Second Samuel 7:14 just simple says,
28:51 "If he commit iniquity," notice,
28:53 "If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him
28:55 with the rod of men,
28:57 and the stripes of the children of men."
29:01 God is trying to get your attention and my
29:02 attention today, we may need a good striping,
29:05 I hope you get a spiritual striping.
29:07 Also you know Matthew 24 verse 12 the Bible says,
29:11 "And because iniquity shall abound,
29:13 "What happens?
29:14 That's right, you've got,
29:15 "The love of many shall wax cold."
29:18 Because what, because iniquity shall abound.
29:21 Can we just go quickly in the first step,
29:24 so I want you encouragement here
29:26 is that we need to repent and get back to our
29:29 first love while there's still time.
29:32 You see this is what about,
29:33 you have to listen, you have to, let the
29:35 spirit say, don't be set there and put up wall
29:38 and say, oh yeah, but we're not because
29:39 God is gonna do this.
29:40 God said, you hear my voice and you will obey
29:43 and walk in what I said.
29:44 If not, we don't care what your profession is,
29:47 we don't care you say that you are,
29:51 we're known by our life, aren't we?
29:53 Not by just outward by talking.
29:56 Now notice, if we wanna get back to God
29:58 the first part of it, the Patriarchs and Prophets,
30:00 it's a beautiful book page 590 says this,
30:03 "Repentance is the first step," I like that.
30:06 "Is the first step that which must be taken that
30:09 all who would return to God."
30:12 Now listen, "no one can do this for another."
30:16 So a lot of people say, well you know,
30:17 I'm gonna -- we can pray, we can encourage.
30:19 No one can do this for anybody else.
30:23 If you're gonna return to God,
30:24 if you're wanna return to God today, first of all,
30:26 you're gonna have to acknowledge you are
30:27 a sinner and then we need to repent.
30:30 It says here, "We must individually
30:32 humble our souls before God."
30:35 Put away, come on this is,
30:38 it's gonna add up in just a few minutes,
30:39 if you just pay attention you know just,
30:43 you know just phone ringing and the devil's
30:46 trying to get you way but not right now.
30:49 The Holy Spirit has you attention,
30:51 it says we need to put way our idols,
30:55 "when we have done all that we can do,
30:59 the Lord will manifest His salvation to us."
31:02 Isn't that beautiful?
31:03 When we've done all the Bible says to what,
31:06 all to spend, rather died than knowingly sin.
31:13 God, he hates sin, and we always like
31:18 he love the sinner like it's going be an excuse for it,
31:21 it's not he does, but you know he says,
31:25 he wants to manifest His salvation to us.
31:30 Now, I believe this, God cares for his church.
31:35 God cares about his people.
31:38 But let me ask you a question are you, am I,
31:43 am I really sighing and crying for the abominations
31:46 that are affecting our spiritual condition.
31:51 Are you sighing and crying for what?
31:52 The abominations, now what is sighing and crying?
31:56 Have you ever thought about that?
32:00 Sighing and crying, we talk about sighing is to,
32:04 you take in a deep breath and you--
32:08 Have you ever been hurt so bad,
32:11 something has happened that you taking a deep breath
32:14 and you led it out, your sighing is a deep,
32:18 long audible breath of sorrow.
32:23 You'll say, yeah, 'cause you know
32:24 you lost a loved one, we are talking about
32:27 for sins that are among us.
32:31 Are we sighing, are we hurting inside
32:33 or we just saying well that's in, that's too bad.
32:38 We have to be sighing and crying for those abominations.
32:41 Now let's make this clear,
32:42 God makes no compromise with sin.
32:47 You may think that all your wonderful and all,
32:50 it's all gonna be well and God's going to overlook,
32:53 he makes no compromise with sin, that's out.
32:57 You say, yeah, but what are you talking about
32:58 these abominations for?
33:01 Ezekiel 23 verse 36 says, "Declare unto them,
33:07 notice them, their abominations."
33:10 God has commissioned individuals whoever
33:14 they might be, he says you need to declare
33:17 to the people my people the abominations that be done.
33:22 Now I want to get this really, really, really clear.
33:26 Revelation 21 verse 27 talks about heaven,
33:31 didn't go to heaven, but you know what the Bible says?
33:34 "There is no wise going to enter into anything
33:37 that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh" and what?
33:41 Good and abomination, or maketh a lie."
33:45 So the abdominal's not going to make it,
33:47 I need to know what the abomination is,
33:50 what is it eferring to.
33:52 Because God has said through his prophet
33:53 you have to make them know understand,
33:56 what an abomination really is and what it's all about?
33:59 You just look up the word abomination,
34:02 you know what in Hebrew what it means?
34:04 Abomination means the bottom.
34:07 Are you there? Hello?
34:11 Abomination means what? The bottom.
34:15 Now notice this, now I don't know
34:17 if I can get this, now I don't know, you think about it?
34:22 And then as you study it more, it says look.
34:24 This abomination means the bottom,
34:26 but it means this, it's below the bottom.
34:33 That's what the word means,
34:34 abomination is below the bottom.
34:39 What, when you got to the bottom you're at the bottom?
34:42 But this abomination in God's sight said
34:45 you are below the bottom,
34:47 however low you can get, it's lower.
34:51 I've heard some people say,
34:52 we can't sit like this, you know.
34:54 Somebody say, oh boy!
34:55 It's bad, and somebody say no,
35:00 it's worse than bad, wow!
35:04 So an abomination then, is that which is below
35:08 the low, it's detestable, wow!
35:14 And it deals, listen to this carefully, with idolatry.
35:22 Nothing that what worketh abomination will enter
35:24 in the kingdom, abomination, an idol.
35:27 What is that? What is it talking about?
35:29 The meaning of the idol.
35:32 You see Paul warns the Christian church.
35:36 He said, whether therefore you eat
35:38 or whether you drink, do what?
35:40 Good, all to the glory of God.
35:46 He is not only addressing idol and idol worship.
35:50 He's addressing self pleasing,
35:52 we have a lot of people that just want
35:53 to please themselves, that's all they think about
35:55 is themselves all the time.
35:58 They love ease, they don't want to work,
36:01 they just want a life of ease.
36:04 They want to gratify the appetite,
36:08 the God of appetite and of passion.
36:13 This is why I believe that just the knowledge
36:14 of the truth doesn't make a man a Christian,
36:19 now let me just say this to many of you today.
36:21 If your religion seeks to gratify the eye,
36:27 this your religion, I heard people say,
36:30 oh, come on go to our church,
36:32 boy, I tell we got things.
36:34 You need to see these things,
36:36 we've got the big building we've got all this,
36:38 we've got everything over here.
36:41 Gratifies what?
36:43 The eye, or if you have a religion that, listen,
36:48 that appeals to the ear, oh you need to come to church,
36:52 man, we've got music,
36:54 we've got music I tell you, it'll set you on fire.
36:56 We've got the all the instruments and the drums
36:58 and we've got all this man,
36:59 you will just be blessed if you come
37:01 and listen with your ears.
37:07 If your religion, if all you have that it just
37:11 deals with the taste.
37:14 You ever heard that?
37:18 Bible does say taste and see that he's good.
37:20 But you know what, come and go, my religion,
37:23 my church where I go.
37:24 Now I know it's gonna get some of you railed up,
37:26 but you know, you'll get over it.
37:29 If it appeals to the taste,
37:31 oh why don't you come, we come and visit to church.
37:33 Well, that sounds good, it's all right.
37:35 Come early, because we're eating,
37:39 we're eating donuts and drinking coffee.
37:42 We're having a big time, we're eating.
37:45 If your religion just appeals to the ears
37:47 and to the eyes and to the taste,
37:49 you don't have any religion.
37:51 Friend, it goes deeper than that.
37:54 It sanctions what? Self indulgence.
37:57 It's all about what I like
38:00 and may I just say this,
38:02 it is not the religion of Christ,
38:06 because his religion, what?
38:08 Deny self, take up the cross and follow him.
38:11 The Bible is clear, where your treasure is,
38:14 there will your heart, what?
38:16 There your heart be also, Luke Chapter 12 verse 34.
38:20 Oh, please read it, I'm not trying to be
38:22 difficult I want get your attention,
38:25 you know, by the Holy Spirit just startle you to say,
38:28 you know, what my religion's been based upon
38:30 taste and what we do and what we see,
38:32 and what rather than based upon the word of God
38:34 and my obedience to the word of God.
38:38 Now let me get just really plain,
38:40 you say well some of you say it's plain enough,
38:43 and you may already turned it off,
38:44 but bless your heart, let me tell you.
38:45 This is the message, this people who is preparing
38:49 for heaven will be listening with spiritual
38:51 ears and saying, God help me to understand it.
38:54 Oh, I'm gonna had to make some changes,
38:55 oh how I need to make some changes but God help me.
39:00 Idolatry, abominations and you realize that
39:04 in ancient times, idolatry,
39:06 listen carefully dealt with demon worship.
39:10 Listen, idolatry dealt with demon worship.
39:16 Idolatry dealt with pretended communication with the dead.
39:24 Idolatry and the abomination dealt with what?
39:30 Worshiping the dead.
39:34 Claiming to be spirits of the dead,
39:39 Israel committed idolatry,
39:43 acts of idolatry when they made the golden calf.
39:47 Now why am I interested in this spirits of devils
39:50 and demons and dead, you're worshiping
39:53 the dead, spirits of the dead.
39:55 Let me just give you one passage here we won't
39:57 have time to spend on, but boy it be a mess,
40:00 if we didn't go to it right now.
40:01 Book of Revelation, Revelation Chapter 16,
40:05 quickly, you there?
40:06 Revelation 16 verse 13, here's what the Bible says,
40:11 it says, "I saw three unclean spirits
40:13 like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon."
40:17 Which is basically what dragon,
40:19 when you realize that's the devil but it's modern
40:21 Spiritism and Paganism.
40:24 Out of the mouth of the beast,
40:26 we've realized the beast none other than the papacy.
40:29 "And out of the mouth of the false prophets."
40:31 That's apostate Protestantism, we've left our first love.
40:36 Demons, it said prophets, "For they are," verse 14,
40:39 "Spirits of devils, working miracles."
40:43 God said, they are abominations
40:47 among my people, self pleasing.
40:52 You say, man, that's not quite clear enough,
40:54 oh, I would like to go into more detail,
40:56 maybe do some messages on these three unclean spirits.
41:01 But as we're looking and talking today
41:03 because it's still dealing with uncleanliness
41:05 in the church among God's people.
41:08 In my life I wanted to be clean.
41:11 I want to have clear, right
41:12 communication with the Holy Spirit.
41:18 I want you to think about something, it says,
41:20 we usually don't think along this line,
41:21 but you know covetousness is a form of idolatry.
41:27 And you realize in the church,
41:28 God's prophets said what?
41:30 Covetousness is the greatest sin among commandment keepers.
41:35 Wow! Covetous is a form of what?
41:39 Of idolatry, may I be real, real, real plain,
41:43 if we disregard, and I try to make this clear
41:46 as we go in a couple lines, stay with me.
41:48 If we disregard the fourth commandment
41:51 the Sabbath, what's going to happen?
41:55 If we just regard it, the results become idolatry, wow!
42:02 Faithful observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath
42:06 protects God's people from idolatry.
42:10 Wow! We need that, don't we?
42:12 You wanna make it real clear?
42:14 Let me give you some forms of idolatry
42:17 and see maybe where it's hit on us
42:19 and maybe we didn't even know it.
42:22 But we need to attack it, the devil is working,
42:27 idolatry, abominations.
42:29 Remember abominations deals what?
42:31 Idolatry, spiritualism, things that the devil is
42:35 trying to get is off the track with,
42:36 it deals with such things as false doctrine,
42:42 little bit clear.
42:44 Gambling is a species of idolatry, gambling.
42:50 Horse racing, alcohol, am I getting it real clear
42:57 for us to today, the desire
42:59 for greater riches is a form of idolatry.
43:07 Think about the God of the passions
43:09 and the appetite is a species of idolatry,
43:15 image making, form of idolatry.
43:20 Idolatry is spiritual adulatory,
43:24 marriage with other nations led Israel into idolatry.
43:30 It will lead you into idolatry if you're not careful,
43:33 if you're unequally yoked, the Bible is clear on that.
43:39 Needless ornaments, a species of idolatry.
43:44 Gold and silver, think about these needless
43:49 ornaments of gold and silver and things
43:51 we put on our poor model bodies
43:54 become little idols, tobacco using, species of idolatry.
44:00 Theater going is a species of idolatry,
44:04 Sunday observance after we have that the light has come.
44:09 After the light has come, it's a form of idolatry.
44:15 Oh, it's not enough for you, that ajars me to say
44:21 this is what God has said, spirit of prophecy has said.
44:28 Do you realize Samson.
44:30 Mighty strong man, leader of Israel.
44:35 Samson's love for lewd women was idolatry.
44:43 Selfishness is idolatry, idolizing men,
44:49 we live in society in this world
44:51 that we idolize men and women
44:53 because they're here, they're up here,
44:55 they have these things of the world.
44:57 We idolize men and women, we idolize human talent.
45:02 Oh I wish I could be, oh I give anything if I,
45:04 we idolize this, maybe that's why we need to be
45:07 very careful when that, gives me food for thought.
45:10 That's why the devil is working through even
45:12 America and what did he say there?
45:14 Oh, American Idol, isn't that a TV program?
45:18 American Idols?
45:22 If nothing else just because of the name.
45:26 It talks about what idolizing men and women.
45:30 And the things that they say, today you are in,
45:32 you know, you've skewered no one knows who you are,
45:35 and tomorrow because you sing a little song
45:37 and some of you have off tune is all of a sudden
45:40 everybody in the world's gonna know you.
45:42 We're idolizing human beings,
45:45 they've became our idols.
45:49 Fundamentals of Education Page 312.
45:53 It says this, too much importance placed on holiday,
45:59 holidays is a species of idolatry.
46:03 I'm not making it up, you know what,
46:05 people don't want to study or read these things
46:07 because it might just hamper them from having some fun.
46:12 Say too much importance did you get it?
46:15 Review and Herald in 1903, September 10th says this,
46:18 "O that God's people had a sense
46:22 of the impending destructions,
46:24 " listen to this, "Of thousands of cities,
46:28 now almost given totally to, what?
46:30 To idolatry."
46:33 If we can put this you will kind of
46:35 in a nutshell and began to say this is kind of
46:38 bottom-line, God's people we need to realize
46:40 right now that these cities what,
46:42 are ripe for destruction.
46:44 And we see it happening, towns and villages
46:47 and the floods and things that are happening.
46:50 All just almost wiped out of existence,
46:52 we live in this time.
46:54 They're almost given over to idolatry
46:56 and the judgment, there is a limit that God said.
47:00 And then the judgment's begin to fall,
47:02 and a price has to be paid.
47:05 Manuscript 53, 1910 says this,
47:09 "The inhabitants of the ungodly cities
47:13 is soon to be visited by calamities,
47:16 have been cruelly neglected."
47:19 That's talking about what,
47:20 warning them of what's going to take place.
47:22 More meetings, evangelistic series,
47:24 going in and try to persuade people what?
47:26 Because it's soon that many are gonna pass off the sin.
47:29 It's going to be too late.
47:32 Cruelly notice this, neglected, listen,
47:34 the time is near when large cities will be
47:37 swept away and all should be warned of
47:39 these coming judgments.
47:42 All should be warned what?
47:44 These coming judgments, is somebody warning us today?
47:46 When will these things are going to,
47:48 they're taking place
47:49 and they're taking place right now.
47:51 Why? Why these judgments?
47:55 Let me just read one more,
47:56 maybe it make some sense to your,
47:57 nine testimonies 92 says this.
48:01 "Those who choose to choice to be disloyal
48:06 must be visited in mercy, with judgment,
48:10 in order if possible, they may be aroused
48:15 to realization of the sinfulness of their course."
48:21 How interesting, to be aroused,
48:24 God's allowing these judgments to do what?
48:26 To get peoples attention, I prayed that he's
48:29 getting attention by what?
48:30 Many of us today, is he getting your attention?
48:34 Are we just griping and murmuring
48:36 and complaining as Israels, Israel.
48:38 Oh, I don't understand why all these things happen,
48:40 because there is idols in the land,
48:42 there is abominations in the land and not only
48:44 in the land but they becoming and among us
48:46 as God's people, and we're not sorting them out.
48:48 We're involved in all of these different species
48:50 of idolatry and yet God what?
48:53 Is withholding his blessing,
48:54 he's turning is back, we're dealing with sin
48:56 in the church and was looking at and said,
48:58 yeah but you know we can't do anything with,
48:59 we've got to do something by God's grace.
49:02 And in these studies, we're going to see
49:04 the responsibility that we had, you say,
49:05 yeah, but I've already sinned.
49:07 It's more than this.
49:09 We're talking about disagreements in the church
49:12 and what people need to do when there is
49:14 disagreement in the church.
49:16 You may have never read this before,
49:18 we let people argue and fuss and carry on,
49:20 disagree, they've walked down this hall,
49:21 they've walked down that hall,
49:23 they don't speak to one another in church.
49:24 Something needs to be done,
49:25 that's not the spirit of God in the church
49:29 and we're being robbed of the blessing.
49:30 That's what I'm talking about today,
49:32 robbed of the blessings of God.
49:34 I don't want to be robbed,
49:37 I know, you don't want to be robbed.
49:40 But are we sighing and crying for the abominations.
49:44 Is that straight testimony is it live and well.
49:49 Friend, it's never gonna happen and as we really
49:52 develop a real love for God.
49:57 If we become, we need to be jealous
49:58 for his honor and for his glory.
50:01 Then the Holy Spirit is going to give us
50:03 a clear view of wrongs and sins that are among us.
50:10 And then when they are put away,
50:11 we receive the blessings of the Lord,
50:13 what the Lord is purifying the church.
50:16 He's purifying the people.
50:19 Seven Testimonies 18 says,
50:21 "God has withheld His blessings."
50:24 The main thing get to you, are you and I,
50:27 are we robbing somebody else of the blessing of God.
50:32 Are you robbing me stop robbing me,
50:34 am I robbing you?
50:35 I've got stop robbing you of the blessings. Why?
50:40 It says here, "because we are not working in
50:42 harmony with His direction."
50:45 God's people must deal faithfully
50:48 with wrong doing, we've got to.
50:53 Five Testimonies 620 said listen,
50:55 "God is dishonored by those who profess the truth,
51:00 while they are" listen, "At variance,
51:02 at enmity with one another.
51:05 Satan is the great accuser of the brethren."
51:09 Notice this though, "That all who engage
51:11 in this work are enlisted in his service."
51:14 Are you enlisted in the service if the devil?
51:17 You will say, well, no, I'm not,
51:18 listen dear friends, you are dishonoring
51:20 your profession if you are at variance,
51:24 or you are at enmity with one another.
51:27 Is there someone in the church that you're angry with.
51:29 Is there someone else in the world
51:31 that you haven't settled and made it right.
51:34 Satan is the accuser of the brother,
51:36 but listen dear friends, unless we made it right,
51:38 we are what?
51:40 Listed, we are listed, the service of the enemy.
51:43 I don't want to be in his service,
51:45 you're gossiping and backbiting,
51:47 and still coming in a Godly church,
51:49 God's church will not to be taken place.
51:54 Why does Satan like these problems,
51:55 as we began to wrap it up a little bit here,
51:57 because we're dealing with issues in the church.
51:59 We've got deal with them.
52:01 What does Satan like these problems in the church?
52:04 What does he like members that odds with one another.
52:07 Five Testimonies 620 says this,
52:10 "Satan is constantly working to prevent
52:13 the union and harmony."
52:15 Do you get it? Yeah.
52:17 "That unbelievers," listen,
52:19 "By witnessing backsliding, dissension, and strife
52:24 among professed Christians,
52:26 may become disgusted with religion and be
52:30 confirmed in their impenitence."
52:33 The devil wants what?
52:35 We wants us to have what?
52:36 No unity in the church and we're gossiping
52:38 and backbiting, telling everybody else
52:40 in the world the problems in the church.
52:43 And what, the unbelievers hear this stuff.
52:47 They hear of the strife and they hear of
52:48 the problems in the church is falling apart.
52:51 This little church down here fell apart and so on.
52:53 It says what, the unbeliever becomes
52:55 disgusted with the cause of Christ,
52:57 He has no reason to want to repent.
52:59 Friend, we need to get it right
53:01 with God while there is time.
53:04 While there is time, we need to get it right with God.
53:07 There's so much that God is leading and speaking
53:10 to His church today, me and you.
53:14 Changes that need to take place in our life.
53:18 And how often and before we close,
53:20 how often have you seen this council carried out
53:23 because we're dealing with straight testimony.
53:25 How often have you seen that,
53:26 Five Testimonies 241 notice this,
53:29 "When trouble arises between brethren,
53:32 get it, the Savior's rule should be strictly followed.
53:37 All possible effort should be made
53:40 to an effort to reconciliation,
53:43 but if the parties stubbornly persist
53:46 in remaining at variance, listen carefully.
53:49 "They should be suspended till they can harmonize."
53:53 Have you ever seen that in the church?
53:55 Couple of different parties they have problems
53:56 in the church, they argue,
53:57 they fuss and they try to get people
53:59 take their side and this side and that side.
54:02 The council that God gives His church today,
54:05 every effort should be made to drawn together
54:07 get unity, but if they can't get into unity
54:09 if they're in opposition, both parties
54:11 need to be suspended from the church
54:14 until they can harmonize, why?
54:16 Because God's blessing's gone.
54:18 Well, that's heavy duty, isn't it?
54:21 It's almost impossible sometime for our minds,
54:25 we're caught up in envy and strife and jealousy
54:27 and pride with worldly ambition.
54:30 So hard for us to understand spiritual truths.
54:34 And the old devil brings in things to distract us
54:37 from the cause of Christ.
54:39 Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
54:42 Friends, we close today,
54:44 the second part of this four part series.
54:47 Oh, much more coming up, that we're going to see
54:50 that God is going to bless mightily His last day people,
54:54 who have the Straight Testimony alive,
54:58 living in the church.
55:00 That's willing to call sin by its right name,
55:02 what do we pray about that right now while there is time?
55:06 That God will appoint his messengers to stand
55:09 in the pulpit, call sin by its right name
55:11 and take the acts to it, that there maybe repentance
55:15 and preparation for the coming of Jesus.
55:17 I want to pray for you right now.
55:19 I want to pray for myself.
55:20 Shall we do that as we close together
55:21 God will give us that kind of courage, let's pray.
55:25 Merciful Father in heaven,
55:26 we thank you for your powerful word today
55:28 and the necessity of hearing and obeying your voice.
55:32 We want the smile approbation of God.
55:36 We don't want you to turn your back upon us,
55:38 we need thee every moment of our life.
55:41 Now I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire
55:43 each of us to greater heights, to what be pleasing
55:45 in the sight of heaven, not man,
55:48 but in sight of heaven.
55:49 We thank You for hearing and for answering prayer.
55:51 Thank You for the precious souls now
55:53 that's made that decision for you, in Jesus name, amen.
55:58 Well, as we close again today,
55:59 again next part we do part number 3,
56:02 going to be very, very, very, very interesting.
56:04 It doesn't get easier as we go,
56:07 it becomes, the message becomes very straight
56:09 and sometimes strange to us.
56:12 But why don't we just be praying about it
56:14 before this message come,
56:15 God will help us to understand it.
56:17 And we always want to encourage you too,
56:19 in our last few seconds here.
56:21 You know without support of the 3ABN,
56:24 these programs wouldn't be on the air
56:25 and it goes, Behold The Lamb, you know our only support
56:28 that we have is from freewill offerings
56:31 from God's people.
56:32 And so we're gonna be praying
56:33 that the Holy Spirit will impress you to continue
56:36 to give the blessings that we need,
56:37 so we can continue to do these programs
56:39 and bring home present truth right now
56:42 in the hour in which we live.
56:44 Will you pray for us, we're gonna pray for you,
56:46 we love you, see you next time.
56:50 Hello again, we pray that you are blessed
56:53 as studied along with Pastor Kenny today.
56:56 And we hope that you wish to continue this study.
57:00 Therefore we are offering this four part series
57:03 for a donation of support to
57:04 Behold the Lamb Ministries for just $29 or more.
57:08 Your support is greatly needed and appreciated
57:11 if we're to continuing to bring these timely
57:14 messages to you via 3ABN Television Network.
57:19 So please contact us and as for you very own
57:22 four part series entitled
57:25 "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live"
57:28 you may order by calling us at area code 618-942-5044,
57:35 that's Central Standard time
57:36 here in the United States,
57:38 or write in to us at Behold the Lamb Ministries,
57:41 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948,
57:45 or through our website you may order their at
57:48 www.BeholdThe Lambministries.com
57:52 or send a request via an email to
57:55 BeholdTheLambministrues @Yahoo.com.
57:59 Friends, until next time, may our blessed Lord
58:02 continue to richly bless you and yours.


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Revised 2014-12-17