Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000119A
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00:40 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb presents.
00:42 I'm Chris Shelton, your host. 00:44 I'm thankful that you've chosen to join us today. 00:47 Today is a little different. 00:48 We're actually gonna pick up in part of a sermon 00:52 that has already begun by Pastor Kenny Shelton, 00:55 and it is entitled Between Two Opinions. 00:58 And I truly believe that you're gonna be blessed. 01:01 It was actually recorded for us to send out on our monthlies. 01:04 We have monthly DVDs that we send out all over the world, 01:07 but this one, we thought, was so good. 01:10 We wanted to share it with you. 01:11 I pray you'll be blessed Between Two Opinions. 01:17 They began to look at the message that's delivered 01:20 and then they began to criticize 01:22 the, what, the messenger. 01:24 Does that make sense? You understand? 01:26 They began to criticize the messenger 01:29 or they might say, 01:30 "Well, we're criticizing the preacher," 01:31 or we go home for lunch and we have the preacher 01:33 for lunch rather than food. 01:35 Are you still with me? 01:37 That happens. That should never happen. 01:39 If mom and dad has something to say, 01:40 they need to say it in the closet 01:42 if they have children if you know 01:43 what I'm talking about. 01:44 They should never criticize 01:46 what's said at church around children 01:48 and other people who don't maybe understand. 01:49 You may have questions, but criticizing, 01:52 we need to be careful how we criticize 01:54 those who are standing for the cause of Christ. 01:58 Doesn't take long, somebody's found fault, 02:01 they become critical. 02:04 They didn't like the way that he did it. 02:06 They didn't like his manners or his mannerism. 02:11 And then pretty soon, 02:12 they just don't like his life at all. 02:16 They don't like him because he drives a vehicle 02:18 they don't approve of. 02:19 He lives in a house that they don't approve of. 02:23 Say, just google him as it were, 02:26 and they're watching every little move 02:28 so that they might be critical, 02:31 you know, that's doing the work that the enemy, 02:33 I hope, you know. 02:35 And so they began to look and inspect everything 02:39 that this messenger does. 02:44 But what happens for some? 02:46 This is almost too much. 02:48 And I'm talking specially to ministers. 02:50 This is too much for a lot of ministers 02:53 to have that pressure day-in and day-out 02:56 that the 10, 15, 20 congregations 02:59 always is against him. 03:03 And they try to wear him down, so he's tired of criticism, 03:08 so he doesn't want to put up with that anymore, so he, 03:12 to avoid to criticism, what does he do? 03:15 He begins to tone down the message. 03:18 He begins to do, what? 03:20 He begins to tone down this message. 03:23 Why? 03:24 He wants to... 03:25 He wants to satisfy the unsanctified. 03:29 And why? 03:32 Because it's the unsanctified that's doing that kind of work. 03:37 We're talking about if he's preaching 03:38 the truth now. 03:40 I don't have time for preaching falsehood, preaching a lie, 03:41 somebody needs to stand up and say something. 03:44 It needs to be dealt with, there's no doubt about it. 03:49 But they begin to tone it, water it down and little bit, 03:52 and say, "Well, you know..." 03:53 And then when they do that, automatically, 03:56 there becomes a separation between the minister and God. 04:01 This is what this is all about. 04:03 If we tone it down 04:04 because Josh doesn't want to hear, 04:07 Brother Josh doesn't want to hear, 04:09 and God has impressed me to say it, 04:10 then I'm separating myself from God. 04:13 And I have to look, and I say, "Well, 04:15 Josh doesn't want to hear this..." 04:16 I'm just talking, I'm using the name. 04:18 "He doesn't want to hear this, 04:20 and I don't wanna be separated from him," 04:21 but I've got a choice here. 04:23 There's two opinions, 04:25 I'm gonna be separated from him, 04:26 I'm gonna be separated from God, what do I do? 04:29 Does anybody get that? 04:31 I have to make a choice. 04:33 You have to make a choice. 04:36 And sometimes they're not pleasant. 04:40 No longer does God look upon that minister of the Word 04:45 with divine favor anymore 04:47 because he's chosen someone else. 04:50 Interesting. 04:52 The pastor's faith and his courage is beaten up, 04:58 it's gone. 05:00 The people have beaten him up. 05:03 He becomes powerless in the cause of Christ. 05:07 At this scene, think about it, at this point in time, 05:10 when it seems like everything is going down the tomb 05:13 for Israel, Elijah shows up. 05:16 He shows up on the scene. 05:19 He shows up to rebuke the king. 05:21 Man, you don't want it, you'd be careful with that. 05:24 And as soon as he rebukes the king, 05:26 tells him how it's gonna be, 05:28 then he turns and he runs and he hides. 05:32 The prophet of God goes and... 05:33 Is everybody with me? 05:35 He goes and hides for three years. 05:38 God told him where to go, didn't He? 05:40 Because... why? 05:41 Because he gave a message that God said to give 05:44 and there was be a death-decree on him. 05:48 And all behind it was Jezebel. 05:54 She didn't want the real prophets to be around, 05:56 she wanted the false prophets there. 05:59 He had to run and hide for his very life. 06:02 Why? 06:04 Because he did what God asked him to do. 06:06 See, you think that doesn't happen today. 06:08 You think, that's not... 06:09 I'm telling you, we haven't seen anything yet. 06:13 People are being watched what they say. 06:16 They're watched what message they are given 06:19 or some under-handed thing is going on 06:21 between two opinions. 06:23 I Kings 18:21, let's read that. 06:27 I Kings chapter, what, 18, good, verse 21. 06:31 Very good. 06:33 Now remember, we just said, what, 06:35 things were going down the tomb, God sends Elijah, 06:38 he gives his message, then he goes in to hiding. 06:40 There's gonna be a drought, it's gonna be a bad, bad scene. 06:43 There's going to be a large destruction 06:45 and they'll be looking for the man 06:46 that said to cause it. 06:49 I Kings 18:21, the Bible says, 06:52 "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said." 06:55 You remember this, the height of this confrontation? 06:59 He came to them and said, "How long," what? 07:03 Good. 07:04 "How long halt ye between," what is it, "Two opinions?" 07:07 What's the message? Between two opinions. 07:09 "How long halt we between two opinions?" 07:14 "If the Lord be God," do what, "you follow Him, 07:17 if it be Baal then follow him." 07:21 Listen. 07:23 This is interesting. We'll talk about it more. 07:24 And the people didn't open their mouth. 07:26 They answered not a word. 07:29 We're talking about all of Israel, 07:31 we're talking about the prophets, 07:32 we're talking about the bad prophets, 07:33 the good prophets, everybody was there. 07:36 I wondered why, at one time, 07:37 and we'll answer this in a moment, 07:38 we hope we have time to do it. 07:40 Because we wonder why Elijah would come 07:41 to the point in his life, 07:43 he said, "I guess I'm the only one." 07:46 Maybe you've often thought about that. 07:48 I thought, "Well, why did he come to that point?" 07:49 There's a reason why he came to that point, 07:51 there's a reason why he said what he said. 07:53 It was maybe different than our reasoning like, 07:55 "Well, I'm so good. I guess I'm the only one now." 07:58 But it's different than that. 07:59 He was making a point. 08:04 "They answered not a word." 08:08 We need what Elijah had. 08:11 He had this deep love for Israel, the people, 08:16 a deep love for people. 08:18 And when we study this lesson... 08:22 I found just a little, small quote. 08:23 It was in a letter 22 written in 1911. 08:28 And it said he has such a love for the people. 08:31 And as we study this, 08:32 the instruction is for all of us. 08:35 What we're studying today is for all of us right now 08:38 today as representatives of God, notice that, 08:42 and the work on earth. 08:44 So we're working on earth, right? 08:45 We're representatives of God, 08:47 this is for you and this is for me. 08:50 And so this is very, very important to me, 08:52 and I know it's important to you. 08:55 You see, at this point in time, what happened? 08:58 You remember the king, 09:00 they'd all been searching for Elijah for three years. 09:03 They couldn't find him. 09:06 The drought that devastated them 09:08 and tore them up. 09:11 And then in I Kings 18:1, it just simply says, 09:16 after they're in such a horrible mess, 09:19 God says to Elijah, 09:21 "I want you to present yourself before King Ahab." 09:25 My first answer would be, "You're not talking to me, 09:27 I'm sure. It must be somebody else. 09:29 Send Mary." 09:34 See? 09:35 "Send John, send Brother Mark, 09:36 send somebody besides me 09:38 because he thinks I've caused this mess." 09:41 You know, how people in this world do 09:43 when they think you've caused a little mess in their life? 09:45 They're out to get you. 09:47 They're out to get even in the world. 09:48 You know that. 09:49 "Well, they did this and that's why this turned out. 09:51 I'm gonna get even with." 09:54 This was kind of... 09:56 how many hundreds and thousands of people. 10:01 Everything looked bad 10:03 and they were looking to find him, 10:04 they could not find him. 10:05 God says, "Elijah, I want you to go show yourself to Ahab." 10:09 Notice this. 10:11 "And then I'll send rain." 10:12 Boy! 10:14 Elijah knew his life was in danger, 10:17 but he also knew that God of Israel, didn't he? 10:20 If God said to go, he knew God would take care of him. 10:23 You see? 10:25 Notice, he hid for three years, over three years, he hid. 10:29 But now God says, "Go." 10:31 And so when God says go, a man of God or woman will go. 10:35 You don't look at, "Well, the odds are not good. 10:37 I'm not supposed to go." 10:38 You go because God said to go, you don't hesitate, 10:41 make excuses, you just go because God said it. 10:45 Because Elijah had confidence in God and in God's Word. 10:51 He obeyed. 10:52 He trusted God to protect him. 10:56 During this time, he realized that the destruction and the... 11:00 We're talking about Jezebel, had promised as it were, 11:04 to kill all the good prophets of God, 11:07 and not only the good prophets of God 11:09 but she's gonna kill everyone 11:10 that was associated with Elijah. 11:13 How would you like that today? 11:14 Somebody put the death-decree on, they say, "Well, 11:16 are you associated with Kenny? 11:19 If you're associated with Kenny in any way, then you go too." 11:23 All of sudden, there'd be a lot of people here 11:24 would distance themselves. 11:28 Hello? 11:30 Think about it. 11:32 All of a sudden, we'd had to think it over. 11:36 And I believe Brother Bobby is gonna be right there. 11:37 Now I'm gonna have to believe he's gonna be. 11:41 But if that came out, there has to be a distance, 11:45 you have to distance yourself from him. 11:48 And if you do not, 11:49 then we count you as one of the same. 11:54 You know, the world has been gearing that way 11:56 for a lot of years now when it comes 11:57 to even bank robbery and everything else. 12:01 You don't have to go in and rob the bank, 12:02 you just drive the car. 12:04 You don't have to be in the building, 12:05 but you're one of them. 12:08 Your friend pulls the trigger, but since you were there, 12:10 and the person is somewhere, you're guilty of pulling that. 12:13 So you're all guilty, you see? 12:15 They've got ways in which they're doing it, 12:17 but you'd be seen normal when that time comes. 12:19 God help us. 12:24 Everyone was to be killed. 12:27 I thought that's kind of interesting. 12:28 Now who comes on the scene quickly? 12:31 Obadiah. 12:32 Well, most people know Obadiah. 12:35 He comes on the scene and God places him 12:38 where he can be of service. 12:40 God places you where you can be of service 12:42 if we'll just listen. 12:45 You're not by mistake, 12:47 there's a reason why you're 12:49 where you're at this time in earth's history. 12:52 See, Obadiah just happened to be, notice this, 12:56 the governor of the king's house. 12:59 He was a believer, was he not? 13:00 Absolutely. 13:02 Obadiah was a believer, he believed in God. 13:04 He knew all this. And so he's... 13:05 He happened to be the governor of King Ahab's house. 13:09 And so what can he do? 13:11 It put him in a position that he could take 100 good prophets 13:14 and he could hide them in the caves. 13:17 You say, "Well, man, how did he hide these prophets, 13:20 you know, in the caves?" 13:23 I mean, it's kind of interesting 13:25 when you look in the Mount Carmel area. 13:29 There's over 2,000 caves, that's a lot of caves. 13:35 But there were places where some men could be hid 13:39 so that they were not killed. 13:41 And Obadiah comes in on the scene, 13:42 and of course, Ahab got together, 13:44 and they realized, 13:45 and he wanted Obadiah to go, 13:47 get Elijah and bring him to him. 13:49 Interesting. 13:53 Obadiah simply means a servant of Jehovah, 13:58 a servant of Jehovah. 13:59 Man, wouldn't that be nice to have that name, 14:01 I'm a servant of Jehovah. 14:05 So as we look, Obadiah was to take Elijah to Ahab, 14:11 but notice how it turned out. 14:13 What happened? 14:14 Obadiah gets Ahab and he takes him to Elijah. 14:20 God's people are in charge. 14:22 Is somebody getting the point here? 14:23 Even if you're dealing with kings, 14:25 God is still in charge. 14:27 And He said, "You don't have to go to him, 14:29 I'll bring him to you." 14:31 Man, how wonderful that was! 14:34 And the Bible even says there when the king, 14:36 notice this, 14:38 the king had all kind of soldiers around him, 14:39 there's nothing to really fear about, 14:41 and Elijah goes in as one man under death-decree, 14:44 he could be killed, but he goes, 14:45 you know, and does what God tells him. 14:47 But now when the king comes before Elijah, 14:49 you know what happened? 14:51 The Bible says he did it with fear. 14:54 Even though the numbers may be on the other side, 14:56 when you're with God, you're in the majority. 15:01 Did you get it? You're in the majority. 15:02 God's gonna take care of you. 15:04 This is good news. This has really happened. 15:06 It's gonna happen time and time again through the ages. 15:09 1 Kings 18:17, moving on quickly. 15:11 Notice, 1 Kings 18:17 records this. 15:15 As soon as the King Ahab saw Elijah, what was his word? 15:19 What did he say? 15:21 Art what? 15:23 "Art thou he that," what, "troubleth Israel?" 15:28 We have to understand relationship of a king 15:31 and somebody on the death-decree 15:33 that the king had all power as it were. 15:38 But as soon, see, as they met together, 15:42 the king's gonna start pushing some blame off on somebody. 15:45 And so he says, 15:46 "Are you the one that's troubling Israel?" 15:50 Notice, Elijah doesn't mince words around 15:53 and tries to dance around the barn we call it, 15:55 say pretty things like a lot of people do today, 15:58 and try to make, you know, peace and everything 16:00 just to get along and compromise. 16:02 Not at all. 16:04 1 Kings 18:18 tells this. 16:07 Elijah said, "I have not troubled Israel." 16:12 He's talking back to a king, did you get it? 16:15 "I have not troubled Israel, but thou, 16:18 and thy father's house," 16:20 now notice how they troubled Israel. 16:22 They're in the mess that they're in. 16:24 No dew, no rain, cattle's dying, 16:26 people dying, it's a mess. 16:29 They're in that mess because Elijah told, 16:32 "That ye have forsaken the commandments of God, 16:36 of the Lord, and thou hast followed after Baalim." 16:40 Here's the reason they were going through 16:42 what they were going through. 16:43 They had sunk so low 16:44 that God was trying to get their attention 16:46 and to bring them back. 16:48 And sometimes it's through horrible disasters. 16:52 "It wasn't me," he said, 16:54 "It was you and the choices that you have made." 16:57 Notice how it is, 16:58 "You've forsaken the commandments," 17:00 that word there in many translations. 17:02 It simply is talking about here, 17:04 it's the law of God. 17:05 "You've forsaken the law of God, 17:07 you've forsaken the ordinance of the God. 17:09 You have forsaken the precepts of God." 17:13 And encapsulates all of it. 17:14 Yeah, it's God you have rebelled against. 17:18 You have forsaken, you have forsaken 17:20 and the standard of righteousness. 17:23 People who try to throw out the Ten Commandment law today, 17:25 they're trying to throw out the standard and righteousness. 17:27 We have no standard 17:29 without the Ten Commandment law. 17:30 We wouldn't know what's right and wrong, 17:32 we would be divided with that two opinions. 17:37 There's two opinions on it. 17:38 So I'm saying, you know, 17:40 it's minding others say it's not. 17:42 But then we have to go to the Word of God. 17:46 Here we see that real battle royale 17:48 is going on. 17:50 Notice what happens and this happens 17:52 in individual lives too but with the King Ahab. 17:55 Other words, his kingdom was looking bad, 17:58 things weren't going very well at all. 17:59 He was angry, he would be afraid to do 18:02 before he brings any harm against Elijah right now. 18:04 He's trying to find out how 18:05 maybe he can get this thing rectified, get it changed. 18:08 And so the king tries to, notice this, 18:10 he tries to put the blame on Elijah. 18:13 Interesting. Put the blame on Elijah. 18:17 He doesn't want the blame for the devastation. 18:19 He doesn't want the blame for what was going on here, 18:23 the drought. 18:26 Evil has a lot of bad things. 18:28 Sin has a lot of bad things. 18:30 But one evil of sin, listen carefully, 18:32 one evil of sin 18:34 is that it always tries to confuse the issues. 18:39 Somebody listen. What happens? 18:42 It always tries to confuse the issues. 18:46 You go try to talk to someone about something, 18:48 they want another subject. 18:49 They confuse us, "Yeah, yeah, but..." 18:51 It won't be apples with apples, if you know what I mean, 18:53 oranges with oranges. 18:55 They try to confuse it and make it look like, 18:57 "Well, it wasn't me, it was you. 19:00 It was somebody else, they made me do it." 19:05 Sin always, 19:08 sin always refuses to take the blame. 19:12 Is somebody listening? 19:14 Sin does what? 19:16 Sin always refuses to take the blame 19:20 for all the problems that it causes, always. 19:25 It even goes so far to make it appear 19:31 that right doing is wrong doing and wrong doing is right doing. 19:35 Is somebody home? Yeah. 19:37 You see? 19:38 That's how far someone is steeped in sin, 19:41 when they had this, they try to push it 19:43 somewhere else and make it what? 19:47 Appear when you're doing the right thing, 19:48 it's the wrong thing. 19:50 And you're doing the wrong thing, 19:51 it's the right thing. 19:52 We have to be very careful. 19:54 We have to know what's right. 19:55 But Elijah clears the air. I love him. 19:57 He's like a big exhaust fan. 19:59 He's going to clear the air right quick. 20:00 Is somebody there? 20:02 He's gonna, I mean, 20:03 he's going to turn that fan on high, notice. 20:06 He says, "It's not me, it's you. 20:08 And it's yours, your family, it's your house 20:11 because you have rebelled against God. 20:15 You've brought about these judgments 20:17 because you turned your back on God by your disobedience. 20:21 You turned your back because you wanted life. 20:24 I've heard people say here, 20:25 "Well, I don't want to go to church here, 20:26 I don't want to observe any law, 20:28 I don't want to do this because I want total freedom." 20:30 Bible said, total freedom is doing 20:31 what God wants us to do, that's freedom, isn't it? 20:35 We have no freedom without God. 20:38 Ahab and Jezebel convinced him that they could have a life, 20:43 and their life would be better if he did worship her way. 20:48 So he said, "Well, we just wanted life." 20:50 But you know what they've found? 20:51 They found death 20:52 because they turned their back on God. 20:55 He wanted joy and he wanted happiness, 20:59 but all they found was sorrow and despair. 21:04 They thought they would want this. 21:05 They wanted peace, but all they found was trouble, 21:09 trouble on every hand. 21:11 This is when you move away from God. 21:13 Move toward God, there's peace. 21:16 You move away from God, there is no peace. 21:19 God says to the wicked, 21:20 "There is no peace, there'll never be any peace." 21:24 The lessons that we can learn from these things. 21:29 But the good thing I like about this is 21:30 there was time now to find out 21:32 who was the real troubler of Israel. 21:36 I always like to get down to the point. 21:37 Who is it? 21:39 Who's really troubling? 21:40 Find out who is troubling Israel. 21:43 May I just say it today and be bold, 21:46 some of you get it, some of you won't, some don't. 21:48 I understand all of that, and some never heard 21:51 some of the stuff that maybe we'll talk about 21:52 but I believe, I believe with all my heart 21:55 that there's troubles in Israel today. 21:59 God's last day people. There's a lot of... 22:02 I mean, a lot of trouble, God's church, 22:05 call it what you want, God's people, 22:07 God's church, whatever. 22:08 At this movement, there's a lot of problems. 22:11 And I think a fair question, a fair question must be asked. 22:16 Who's causing the trouble? 22:21 Are the troublers of Israel those who are advocating 22:24 God's Ten Commandment law, all ten? 22:27 Or is that the ones that's trying to say 22:29 we no longer have to worry about it. 22:32 They're pulling it down and stomping on it. 22:35 They're no longer lifting any kind of in sign, you know. 22:40 They're not lifting up any kind of flag. 22:42 They're not just saying, "This is what I am." 22:45 They're trying to hide behind something. 22:51 Who is the real troublers of Israel? 22:56 I think a decision has to be made 22:59 as in 1 Kings 18:21, 23:02 "How long ye halt between two opinions?" 23:06 Once again, is it what? 23:07 It's God or it's Baal, 23:09 it's one or the other what the Bible said. 23:12 Who's going to be your master? 23:15 In the Book of Matthew 6:24, it says, 23:19 "You can't serve two masters." 23:20 Isn't that right? 23:21 You can't serve two. 23:23 Many people try to serve two today. 23:25 You think you can go to two or three 23:26 or four different churches or whatever it might be, 23:28 and be this and be that over there, you can't. 23:30 You're going to have to get down 23:31 to one or the other. 23:33 You've got to do it. 23:36 Now I will say, if people are not happy, 23:38 these lessons, over and over, 23:39 bring out that God requires us 23:42 to make a decision for Him or against Him. 23:46 Get in, we say, or get out. 23:49 No one wants to, 23:50 "Oh, you don't have to say it that way, get in." 23:52 Get in or get out. 23:54 That's what Elijah said, did he not to Israel? 23:56 Decide, if you want it beautiful, 23:59 if you don't like it, why are you still here? 24:04 President Trump said one time, 24:05 "If you don't like the country, go to another one." 24:11 I believe it, if that's all right. 24:14 You get the point. 24:17 Love what God has given, enjoy it. 24:21 This was a challenge. 24:25 Elijah gave a challenge to the people of God 24:28 and everybody that was there. 24:30 I like a challenge personally. 24:34 But when a challenge is given, Brother Levi, 24:37 I'm gonna have to respond to that. 24:39 When a spiritual challenge is given, 24:41 we are going to have to respond to that and not just hot air. 24:47 And when we're given the challenge, 24:48 then we need the right to express 24:51 how we feel about this decisions 24:53 or how we feel about it. 24:56 What happened? Notice this, listen carefully. 24:58 What happened to Elijah's challenge 25:00 when he challenged the people of God? 25:03 He challenged everybody there, 25:04 but specially the people of God, 25:06 because when he told, "Here, we're going to meet up, 25:09 this is going to be a challenge. 25:10 We're going to see whose God's real." 25:12 And he told King Ahab, what did he say? 25:15 "Bring all of Israel here on Mount Carmel." 25:17 Did you get it? 25:19 The Bible says all, if I remember correctly. 25:21 "Bring all of them here." 25:25 And so there's Elijah there and he said, 25:27 "All of Israel is here, they should know what is right. 25:31 And sometimes, we say in the church, 25:32 "We should know what's right." 25:33 And I say, "Why are we doing so many things wrong?" 25:38 You say it's critical if you want to, 25:40 but you always look at the Word of God, 25:41 the Word of God is clear. 25:44 After the challenge was made, 1 Kings 18:21, 25:49 I think the last line of it, notice, 25:51 when he made a big challenge. 25:52 Man, when you make a challenge, I say, 25:54 "How many is with me today?" 25:56 Might come out here. 25:57 "How many is with me today?" 26:00 And nobody standing up, nobody is raising their hand. 26:05 They're all looking down and shuffling the dust, 26:09 you see? 26:11 Some of them has got an itch. 26:16 No eye contact. 26:18 Elijah said, "How many? How many?" 26:24 Wow. 26:26 Here is so... 26:27 It makes you want to weak, all of God's children, 26:32 all of Israel. 26:33 1 Kings 18:21, it said, 26:38 "The people answered him not a word." 26:42 I'm not talking about Baal worshippers, 26:43 I'm not talking about heathens, I'm not talking about pagans, 26:46 I'm talking about God's people. 26:48 When the challenge was put to them, 26:50 they hung their head down and said nothing. 26:52 No one said anything. 26:55 I want to say, "For crying out loud, 26:56 but somebody would say something." 26:59 Somebody would stand up and say, "Yes!" 27:02 How do you think you feel? 27:06 Think about what's written in Holy writ, no one stood up. 27:11 All the people of Israel came, not one said, 27:14 "Oh, I stand on the side of God. 27:17 This is what I want to do." 27:19 They had become blind as bats, 27:23 or blinder, I don't know. 27:26 They became blind. 27:27 And let me tell you, 27:29 you do not become blind overnight. 27:32 It's by succession of things that's been going on for years 27:35 in and around and among us 27:37 that many of us will become blind, 27:39 and we don't see well anymore. 27:41 May God help us. 27:43 That's why he's talking about the eye salve, 27:44 we need to put some eye salve on 27:46 because we need to see properly. 27:48 We need to understand properly. 27:52 I mean, that just reminded me 27:54 which just brought tears to my eyes. 27:55 The other evening I was reading, I said, 27:56 you know, maybe at least in my mind, 27:59 at least in my mind, it remind me so much 28:01 as when Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane, 28:03 are you still with me church? 28:05 He's in the Garden of Gethsemane and He said, 28:07 "Will you pray with Me," was an hour? 28:09 "Would you pray with me just for an hour?" 28:13 He came back and they were asleep. 28:15 He comes back and He said, "Would you pray with Me?" 28:17 In other words, if just one, Mary, 28:20 if there just been one that said, 28:22 "I'll pray with you, Lord," 28:23 how would that brought joy to His heart. 28:26 But He came back and they were all sound asleep. 28:28 How that must have hurt? 28:33 How that must have hurt? 28:37 Sin blinds us just a little bit at a time. 28:41 Sin blinds us gradually. 28:44 See, if it happened just like that, you'd say, 28:46 "Oh, I'm blind, I can't see. 28:47 What's going on?" 28:49 But it's just in little incubus, 28:50 this is done, that's done. 28:52 Can I say junk? 28:53 Junk of the world is brought in to the church, 28:56 and we let a little bit of junk get by. 28:59 Then there's more junk, and then there's more junk. 29:02 You try to shovel the junk out, and it seems to be multiplying 29:05 because you've let... 29:07 Oh, be careful with this. 29:08 When you let the junkers come in and bring junk, 29:12 they untruths of God's word. 29:13 Are you following, somebody? 29:16 We can't let anything like that in 29:18 because it just produces more. 29:21 And if it's not taking care of it, 29:22 it gets worse and worse, 29:23 and then you've got real issues. 29:27 They had not, they did not want any kind of reproves 29:32 or warnings from God, they turned Him all down. 29:34 Here's a test. 29:35 Prophets and Kings 147, I'm going to try to hurry, 29:37 you know I am. 29:39 But I am feeling pretty good today. 29:44 I'm sorry. That's a way it is. 29:49 It may just be me and you, Brother Bobby, 29:51 but it's all right. 29:52 You stayed by me before, it's all right. 30:00 Prophets and Kings, I know what I said a while ago. 30:02 Prophets and Kings 147 and 148. 30:05 It says this, 30:07 "Each departure from rightdoing, 30:10 each refusal to repent, 30:15 had deepened their guilt 30:17 and driven them farther from heaven. 30:20 And now in the crisis, they persisted in refusing," 30:24 notice this, "and take their stand for God." 30:29 Did you notice how it happened? 30:31 Each departure from rightdoing was what? 30:34 And they didn't repent, it just deepened and deepened. 30:39 They refused. 30:41 If we are in a time of crisis in this movement, 30:46 everybody in the world, 30:48 this is a crisis time that we're living in. 30:50 If you can't see it now 30:51 from what's happening in the world, 30:53 pray about it, please pray about it. 30:55 Man, it's so obvious 30:56 of what's going on in the world. 30:58 The end could come quickly. 31:01 Quick, real quick in what people can think 31:02 and I don't understand why, but here's what God abhors. 31:06 God hates this, may I just say, "God hates indifference. 31:11 God hates disloyalty 31:13 in the time of crisis in His work." 31:17 I say it's time of crisis. 31:19 God hates disloyalty. 31:21 We cannot be disloyal to God. 31:24 Israel was disloyal to God because no one said, 31:27 "Oh, I'm gonna be on God's side. 31:29 I'm gonna be on God's side." 31:32 Would we not think, the call must go out. 31:37 Exodus 32:26, just jot it down. 31:39 Exodus 32:26, could this call go out right now, 31:42 could it go out, would it work? 31:45 It simply says, "Who is on the Lord's side? 31:49 Who is on the Lord's side?" 31:50 I'm bringing that out today, think about it, 31:52 my brothers and sisters, who is on the Lord's side. 31:55 You're either on His side or you're on Baal's side? 31:58 You're on God's side or you're on the enemy's side? 32:00 There's no other place to go. 32:02 You might say, 32:03 "Well, I wish there was other place." 32:04 There's not, 32:06 because the Bible said there's not. 32:09 Oh, whose side are we on? 32:12 You see, that question is not just a... 32:14 See, some of you sat and thinking about it now. 32:16 This is deeper than a thought question. 32:19 This is more than just... 32:21 Did you get it? Who is on the Lord's side? 32:24 This is deeper than just a thought question. 32:27 It demands that we identify our self. 32:31 I identify myself with it, I step forward. 32:36 See, it's more than just going through our mind and say, 32:37 "Yeah, I do, I do." 32:39 We have to stand up, we have to take a stand. 32:42 The world has to know where you stand. 32:47 This is what God says. 32:49 So that everybody can see 32:51 that we have chosen to be on the Lord's side. 32:57 What did three Hebrews do 32:58 when they heard the sound of the flute, 33:00 the music, whatever, on the plain of Dura, 33:02 what did they do? 33:03 Did they bow down like everybody else? 33:06 They stood up and did what? 33:09 They took a real stand, did they not? 33:10 They were standing. 33:12 They were identified, it was more than, 33:14 "I'm on God's side." 33:16 They were showing they're on God's side. 33:18 Shouldn't we show that we're on God's side? 33:20 I believe that we should show that we're on God's side. 33:24 Elijah now, you know, he breaks the silence. 33:27 Here's what I was talking about a moment ago. 33:30 All right, now Elijah breaks the silence in 1 Kings 18:22. 33:35 When he says, "I, even I only 33:39 remain a prophet of the Lord." 33:41 Man, that's a big statement. 33:43 That's a bold statement. 33:45 "I, even I am the only one." 33:46 What if I got up here today and said, "I am the only one"? 33:50 Well, somebody will love to throw stuff. 33:53 I love to throw it back. 33:56 That's kind of what you said. 33:58 It would disgust, Brother Mark, it would disgust some people. 34:01 You got up front and taught Sabbath School, and you said, 34:02 "I'm the only one here that's doing the right thing," 34:04 it's going to disgust some, they may be right. 34:07 It may be the truth 34:08 but you don't just get up and say that, 34:11 unless there's a reason. 34:12 See, there was a reason for him to say this. 34:14 There was a reason. 34:17 Who's on the Lord's side? 34:20 "How long halt ye between two opinions?" 34:24 How long will we as God's last-day people 34:27 fail to take a stand for what is truth? 34:33 It's not difficult. 34:35 Let me just name three or four things right quick. 34:37 And if you get a little... 34:39 You know, if it stings you just a little bit, 34:41 just try to forgive me and just move on. 34:42 There's issues and these issues need to be met hit on. 34:46 If you don't do it, 34:48 you're not a man and woman of God, 34:49 or I'm not doing what I'm impressed to do, 34:50 I'm gonna do it because I think it's time, 34:55 it's back on Mount Carmel. 34:58 If God be God, 35:02 worship Him, choose Him if He's God. 35:05 Why? 35:06 Because Israel was going backwards. 35:08 Today, Israel, to me, 35:10 is retreating back toward Egypt. 35:13 That's a heavy duty, but there's so many things, 35:15 and we can spend hours going through. 35:17 I want to mention three or four things 35:19 that we need to take a real stand on. 35:21 It's not difficult for me to figure out 35:23 that abortion is murder. 35:26 Somebody's not advanced. 35:31 Abortion is murder, and we've taken up ten years 35:35 and we can't take a stand on it, 35:37 we can't figure out that it is. 35:40 Something is wrong. 35:42 My problem is just God just leave it alone 35:45 and not deal with it? 35:46 No. 35:48 He's gonna react like He always has. 35:51 It's gonna hurt us. 35:52 Somebody needs to say that's wrong. 35:55 We can't accept that at our movement. 35:59 We can't do it in our hospitals. 36:02 We can't because we want God's blessing. 36:06 The Bible is clear. 36:09 It shouldn't have taken years and still working on it. 36:12 Still from teen years, while I was growing up, 36:15 well, we haven't taken official position. 36:17 The Bible already has taken the position. 36:22 The Bible has already taken official position on that stand 36:26 and we should follow. 36:30 Teaching the theory of evolution 36:34 is just plain wrong. 36:37 It has no place in our schools or any place else in the world 36:42 as far as I'm concerned. 36:43 God is our creator, what the Bible tells me, 36:46 end of the story 36:47 because I've read the first of the book. 36:49 In Genesis 1:1, it says, "In the beginning God created." 36:54 That's the end of the story. I want you to see that. 36:56 Yeah, I'm excited about it 'cause I say, 36:58 we got to do something because it's same thing 37:00 they were fighting with on Mount Carmel, if it's God. 37:04 And God has already said, "This is right." 37:07 Why won't we stand for it? 37:10 How long halt we between two opinions? 37:14 Your decision, my decision could be fatal. 37:17 It will be fatal if we don't choose right. 37:20 Another issue is interesting is why, you know, 37:24 women's ordination as pastors and elders is unscriptural. 37:29 The Word of God has spoken it, it's always been there. 37:34 The world church has taken a vote on it 37:36 and we still can't decide what we want to do. 37:40 I'm deciding in what the word teaches. 37:44 See, that may not sound like anything, and somebody say, 37:47 "Well, that's not a very big thing." 37:49 It is, because there's a matter of truth 37:51 on this issue, and the other is untruth. 37:55 And how can you balance it up 37:56 and say one is more important than the other? 37:58 This is what we have to look at. 38:03 Take a stand, my brothers and sisters, 38:05 based on scripture. 38:07 Or I will say this. 38:09 I'll take a stand on this today 38:11 or the curse of God will be filled, 38:13 division and separation will come. 38:16 There's no doubt about it. 38:18 It may take a while but it's going to come. 38:20 Right now, we're just behind waiting, it's gonna burst. 38:23 I'm telling you, it's gonna come wide open 38:24 before too long. 38:26 It's gonna devastate each and everyone, 38:28 gonna devastate the church because we have not stepped in 38:31 and done the right thing to begin with, 38:33 but you know there's always hope. 38:35 There's hope that we can make it right. 38:39 There's hope for me, I can make things right. 38:41 There's hope for you that you can make things right. 38:43 You've done things in your life that's not right, 38:44 you can make it right with God rather than have too much pride 38:47 and say, "Well, we can't go back now." 38:50 Yes, you can go back now. 38:53 Yes, the changes can be made. 38:54 God is gracious and long-suffering. 38:56 Truth is truth and will always remain truth. 38:59 God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 39:03 See, this is the beauty of this study 39:05 as we go through here. 39:08 I can say this. 39:09 I want to say this as nice as I can, try to get it right, 39:12 wrap your head around it the right way. 39:14 For the love of God, for the love of the church, 39:20 for the love of God's people, for the love of unity, 39:25 put it back right, put it back right 39:30 or there will be no sound of abundance of rain, 39:34 there will not be. 39:37 In fact, we will hear, 39:40 they forsaken the commandments of God, 39:43 they followed after Balaam. 39:46 I'll mention another thing, it's not really popular 39:48 but I don't care it to be popular, 39:50 I will never be in this life, 39:51 I'm too old to worry about what you're gonna do to me. 39:56 Now what can be done is now already been done. 40:01 You see, God's toughening His people for this last, 40:03 big match that we have to be able to take 40:06 what people throw at us, 40:08 and keep your eyes on Christ and not get discouraged, 40:11 not soften down the message. 40:12 I believe the message needs to get a little more straight. 40:15 It needs to be on target. 40:17 That's the only way this work is gonna wrap up. 40:20 I want the rain, I want the rain. 40:25 When Elijah did the right thing, 40:27 they heard the sound of rain coming. 40:31 There's a drought going on now. 40:36 And, Lord, have mercy! 40:37 How in this world 40:41 can we, as people, 40:46 embrace the LGBTQ movement. 40:50 Some of you are not with me. 40:52 How in this world can we embrace 40:55 the lesbians, the gays, 40:57 the bisexual, the transgenders, and so on and so forth? 41:01 The names go on and on. 41:02 So, you say, "Well, that's nothing." 41:04 Because it's sin, that's why. 41:07 You don't have to try to make excuses about it. 41:09 God knows everybody, He knows, He loves everybody, 41:11 we understand that. 41:12 It's not the person, it's the sin 41:14 that God called a fire down from God, 41:18 destroyed and He will do it again. 41:21 He will do it again because He is the same. 41:26 May God help us to see. 41:27 We cannot make special allowances 41:31 for these individuals. 41:32 And everybody went, "Well, God loves... 41:34 I'm not going to all that, I know God loves them, 41:36 but He doesn't love the sin. 41:38 He loved Israel back there in Elijah's day, did He not? 41:42 They said right then and there, 41:44 things are going to have to change. 41:45 This was their time of probation, 41:47 they had to make it right or it would not rain. 41:50 They would all perish. 41:53 We cannot accept their lifestyle in the church. 41:57 We cannot afford to have them to hold office in the church. 42:02 I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings here at all, 42:04 that's not the issue. 42:06 And if you don't understand all that, it may be a brother, 42:08 it may be a sister, may be a family member, 42:09 whatever, that's immaterial because I stand on God's side. 42:13 I'm just allowing all that right there. 42:17 I have to because God has spoken in His Word. 42:21 And if we want more problems and more troubles, 42:23 my friends and brothers, just keep making more room, 42:26 keep building on building, keep accepting them on in, 42:30 just keep, 42:32 and you're gonna see what happens. 42:33 Why, because when... 42:34 I'm just gonna let... 42:36 I'm just gonna lay it out, there's no use. 42:40 You allow it to come in, 42:42 it just contaminates everything else. 42:46 Anybody get that? 42:50 It contaminates everything else that goes on. 42:55 God cannot bless when you do that, 42:57 when it's open, when it's there for you to see, 42:59 you know what's going on. 43:00 And there's people in good standing, 43:02 saying, "Well, it's okay. 43:03 You know, God loves, God understands." 43:05 Yeah, He does. 43:06 But man, look what He's done through the past ages, 43:08 He will do it again. 43:09 I'm wanting to see this come together. 43:10 Do the right thing, finish the work 43:12 so that we can go home. 43:17 God forbids this kind of lifestyle. 43:19 Yes, I know it's happening in the world. 43:22 I know it's happening in politics. 43:24 We're electing them into offices 43:26 and things right there. 43:27 Oh my lamb, Lord, have mercy! 43:33 Shoo! 43:36 That is happening in the churches. 43:41 You have the audacity sometimes 43:42 to start at point for a pastor of the church. 43:49 What can be going through our mind! 43:53 See, I'm looking for sin, I'm over looking. 43:55 I'm not looking at faces. You follow me? 43:56 He, she, they? 43:59 How can God bless us as people? 44:09 This kind of sins 44:12 will bring the judgments of God on us. 44:17 Behold the Lamb and other ministries 44:19 for several years now 44:21 have been crying these points out 44:24 of what's going to happen to us 44:26 as a people if we don't change our ways, 44:29 and no one's listening. 44:33 And they may never listen, 44:36 but I sure hate to see the results 44:38 'cause I know what God has said in His Word. 44:44 Nothing has been done, and because nothing was done 44:48 when it started, they become big issues now 44:52 and almost impossible to get rid of as it were 44:57 because the devil comes in with big hooks. 45:02 We must choose, and we must be identified for 45:06 or against such an abomination, and that's what these things, 45:10 I'm talking about their abomination. 45:12 That's what the Bible says, I don't have to say it. 45:15 Isaiah Chapter 59, 45:17 couple more minutes, stay with me. 45:18 Isaiah 59:2 simply say, you know this passage. 45:22 What happens when there's... 45:23 Do you want to be separated from God? 45:25 No. 45:27 Then that means we can't deal around, 45:28 we have to separate ourselves from sin, sinners. 45:30 You work with them, you love them, you do all that, 45:32 but you don't dilly dally around with it. 45:34 Notice, "Your iniquities have," what, 45:37 "separated between you and your God." 45:40 Our iniquities, our sin, 45:42 our lifestyle has separated us from God. 45:44 So if we're doing 45:45 what the Bible said don't do it, 45:46 it's abomination and you do it, you're separated from God. 45:49 And the sad thing is we don't know it, 45:51 because we're so lukewarm. 45:55 At the end of that passage there in Isaiah 59:2, it says, 45:59 "God will not hear you." 46:02 Now, is He just talking? 46:03 No. He means it. 46:05 This is the sad... 46:06 He means it, He said, 46:07 "No, I won't, I can't hear you." 46:11 The time is coming, we have to choose. 46:14 How long will you halt, 46:16 "I will halt between right and wrong," how long? 46:21 There's so many more issues, 46:22 don't have time to mention and go into them right now. 46:24 But that's dynamite right there. 46:28 We're either going to follow God or follow Baal. 46:32 And I'll tell you, if we don't root it out 46:34 right now by the roots 46:36 and get rid of it, and just say, "Oh, God, 46:37 we made the wrong choice and decision," 46:39 everything that I've taught just the four areas there, 46:42 if we do that, God will bless. 46:44 He will bring us back. He will heal the nations. 46:46 If we do not, 46:47 then you will see that the little hands 46:49 and all these little feet 46:50 and all these people who are doing the wrong thing, 46:53 they're going to make greater and bigger demands upon us. 46:58 It's not gonna just see of this. 47:01 They're going to want more and more and more and more 47:04 of they call it freedom, the right to do what... 47:06 You have a right to do that, but you do it somewhere else, 47:09 not in God's church. 47:12 Our work is simply to rouse the people, 47:17 our work is to rouse one another to the reality 47:20 of what's happening and going on. 47:24 We do not withhold truth because it's opposed. 47:28 See, there's opposition to truth, 47:30 but you don't withhold it because people say 47:32 don't do that or you're erring dirty laundry. 47:34 No, somebody is dirty, 47:36 somebody is doing the wrong thing. 47:38 But God says, "You cry loud and spare not." 47:41 Did you see that, we'll read that 47:42 if we will have time in five more minutes, 47:44 Great Controversy, 459 and 460. 47:48 It said, "He has no more reason 47:50 for withholding the testimony of God's word," 47:52 talking about a pastor or teacher, 47:54 "because it excites opposition, than had earlier Reformers." 47:58 We cannot remain silent, 48:00 we don't have any reason to remain silent, 48:02 the testimony of God's word. 48:04 You might say, "Don't do any good, 48:05 they're not going to listen." 48:08 In Ezekiel 2:7, the Bible says, 48:10 "Thou shalt speak my words unto them, 48:13 whether they will hear or whether they will forbear." 48:17 In other words, you tell them anyway whether they hear 48:19 or whether they won't, you still warn them. 48:21 Lord, have mercy on us if we don't. 48:24 Did you get it? 48:25 Lord, have mercy on us if we don't tell 48:27 what God has impressed us to tell 48:29 or what the message is or what you accepted 48:31 when you came into this movement as truth 48:33 and the last day message. 48:34 God requires that of us. 48:38 We're told over and over, the least, listen, 48:40 the least departure from truth 48:43 is the transgression of God's law. 48:45 The least, what, departure from truth 48:48 is a transgression of God's law. 48:50 Four Testimonies, read that if you want to, page 312. 48:55 And also says in that same page 312, 48:59 "Those who disregard the requirements of God," 49:01 notice, "in this life would not respect 49:04 His authority were they in heaven." 49:06 Did you get it? 49:07 If we're disrespecting God and His word right now, 49:10 then are we in heaven, you would nod it either. 49:13 And God's not gonna allow that to take place. 49:15 Sin will not rise up again the second time 49:17 or just not going to be 49:19 unless we get things and make it right. 49:22 We're to lift up our voice, 49:23 and I mentioned just a second ago, 49:24 Isaiah, what is it, chapter 58:1, 49:26 we're to lift up our voice like a, what, 49:28 like a trumpet that Bible says, 49:30 "Show my people their transgression and their," what, 49:33 "and the house Jacob their sin." 49:36 That's what we're told to do. 49:38 How do you get away from that? 49:39 Somebody help me right now. 49:41 I'll sit down, be quiet. 49:42 Somebody help me to get away from that. 49:44 If I can get away from that, 49:45 maybe I can sleep a little bit better at night, 49:47 maybe I won't have all these things 49:48 going through my mind all the time 49:50 if what can we do to rouse the people to say, 49:52 "This is not the way, 49:54 we're going to walk the way God said to walk 49:56 or we walk by our self if we have to walk." 50:01 And now what it says, 50:02 "Lift up your voice like a trumpet. 50:03 Show my people." 50:08 How do you do it unless you call standbys. 50:10 Right name. 50:14 Great Controversy, 460 says, 50:15 "Whatever may be their profession," 50:17 listen, here's some of the culprits, 50:20 "Whatever may be their profession, 50:22 it is only those who are world servers at heart 50:27 that act from policy 50:29 rather principle in religious things." 50:33 I get tardy in about policy sometimes. 50:35 Now if it coincides with the Bible, 50:36 I'm okay with it. 50:37 Start giving me policy over "Thus saith the Lord", 50:39 you're going to have fight on your hands. 50:42 "We choose right because it is right, 50:46 and we leave consequences," where, 50:49 "we leave the consequences with God." 50:51 You do it because God said to do it, Brother Mark, 50:54 and you leave the consequences with Him. 50:56 Yeah, it's gonna cost you but look, look. 50:59 He said, "I'm coming back after you." 51:02 Well, you know the end of the story, 51:03 here it comes, the end of the story. 51:06 After God works the miracles, you know, did it once, 51:09 did it twice, calling fire down, 51:10 did it three times, Elijah prays. 51:13 This is it, this is it, 51:14 this is what this whole thing is about. 51:16 If you remember nothing else, remember, 51:18 Elijah there begins to pray as God's working marvelously 51:21 in his behalf of the children. 51:23 Notice this, he says this, 51:25 "That this people may know that Thou art the Lord God." 51:30 Elijah begins to pray, now after they seen 51:32 all of these things, what? "Lord, help their mind, 51:34 their eyes to be open that they may see that 51:36 You are the Lord God." 51:38 And notice this, 1 Kings 18:37 says, 51:43 "Thou hast turned their hearts back again." 51:47 Because of that demonstration, the power of God, what it got, 51:50 Israel's attention, they were far gone, 51:53 but they had to repent, they had to say they did wrong. 51:58 And the people now, when set forth, 52:00 not a word would say. 52:03 Now the people are crying, screaming out with one voice, 52:06 "The Lord, He is the God." 52:08 You remember, the Lord, He is the God, 52:10 1 Kings 18:39. 52:12 What is He? 52:13 "He is God," they're saying, 52:15 "Now we know who's the right God." 52:16 Why? Because we've been in between, 52:19 we've been double-minded. 52:21 We didn't know, we got confused here 52:23 but now we see who is the real God. 52:28 And they again admitted, they confessed their wrong. 52:30 They admitted that Elijah's God is above every idol, 52:35 that's what we have to say, "Our God is above every idle. 52:37 Our God is above everything." 52:40 But you know what happened? 52:41 Notice, those who are not willing to change, 52:43 see we have people today, not willing to make a change 52:46 because it's gonna look bad, 52:47 because of things they've already done. 52:50 They're in trouble. 52:51 Based upon consistency of scripture, 52:54 based upon what God has always done, 52:56 here's what happened to those who said... 52:59 Listen, those people that were there, 53:00 even the pagan, heathen, and Baal worshippers, 53:04 they seen the mighty workings of God, 53:06 and they knew it was the power outside of them. 53:08 Conviction was brought, Spirit of Prophecy 53:10 said upon their minds and hearts. 53:12 But they refused to leave the sight of Baal. 53:16 See, they refused to do right, 53:18 even though they knew they should. 53:19 Listen, there's lot of people know they should be, 53:21 but they're not making changes. 53:25 Priest of Baal have a different ending. 53:28 They wouldn't repent of their evil works. 53:31 They wanted to stay with Baal and they did. 53:33 They refuse change. 53:35 And every one of them was slain, 53:38 every one of them was slain. 53:41 Interesting. 53:44 But you realize, even though every one of them was slain, 53:47 this was the beginning of a reformation for Israel, 53:52 a reform. 53:53 Sometimes, it takes things like these. 53:57 God forbid, but it takes things like these 53:59 for us to look around and say, 54:00 "We need a reformation, we need a change." 54:04 And we need it now, we need it now. 54:07 Not later, do not let the devil get his hooks in little deeper 54:10 than they already are. 54:12 We know what the end results are going to be 54:14 for those who're not willing to make a necessary change. 54:18 The same ending, and I say that with sadness, 54:22 the same ending for those today 54:26 who's not willing to make the change 54:29 and get back to God to make it right, 54:32 and it's good to say, 54:34 "Oh, God, the things that we have done before, 54:35 it's not been pleasing in Your sight," 54:37 and begging for forgiveness and mercy. 54:39 He's a God of mercy, He'll extend that mercy. 54:44 Things can be changed. 54:45 But sometimes, pride gets in the way. 54:48 Remember, 54:49 if they're not willing to do it, 54:51 if I'm not willing to do it, remember the prophets, 54:53 all the Baal worshippers, not one was permitted to live. 54:58 Wow. 55:00 How long, I ask you today, 55:01 how long, refugee? 55:07 How long 55:10 that ye halt between two opinions? 55:14 If God, follow Him. 55:17 If Baal, follow him. 55:21 That's your choice, that's my choice today. 55:24 If it's God, follow God. 55:27 You don't have to understand everything about it, 55:30 just follow God and the blessings will come. 55:35 Man, He wants to do great things for His people. 55:38 I just want to be in the middle of this. 55:41 When God starts to really bless the way 55:42 that He wants to, 55:44 see it the way things He wants how the church to go 55:46 and how what we're to be doing, 55:47 don't you want to be a part of that? 55:48 Man, I do. If it's God, then it's God. 55:51 I choose God today, how about you? 55:53 If anybody chooses God, 55:54 why don't you stand where you're at 55:56 and I'm gonna pray with you right now. 55:57 Remember we talked about, 55:58 it's more than the thought question, 56:00 it's much more. 56:01 You can just think. 56:02 You can say, didn't think,"Well, yeah. 56:04 I want to be on God's side." 56:05 No, right now, I'm standing, I'm saying, 56:06 "Yeah, you see me standing. I want to be on God's side." 56:08 Yeah, to some, maybe it's hard, 56:10 difficult standing but you can raise your hand 56:11 or whatever you want to do. 56:12 We want to be on God's side, 56:14 that is the most important decision 56:15 you will ever make in this life. 56:17 Let's pray about that and seal it up right now, 56:19 as the angels of heaven record what's going through your mind, 56:22 in your heart as well as mine, and seal it right now. 56:26 I'm not gonna halt between two opinions anymore. 56:29 I know God. 56:31 I know what God's Word says. 56:32 And by God's grace and strength, 56:34 I will follow Him. Let's pray. 56:37 Oh, our loving God in heaven, 56:39 we thank You so very much for Your Word. 56:41 So thankful that Your Word is just always so consistent 56:46 that we can read and we can learn. 56:47 You said, "These are examples that I've left for you 56:50 so that you can learn what's going to happen." 56:52 And, Lord, I'm very grateful and thankful for Your grace 56:55 and Your mercy and Your longsuffering. 56:58 We've come a long way but it's not far enough. 57:01 Made a lot of decisions, many of them are wrong, 57:03 we can all say that. 57:05 And we're not trying to point fingers at this group 57:07 or that group or someone else, we're looking at sin 57:09 and calling sin by its right name. 57:12 And where we have the opportunity to reach out 57:14 and to help or to do or change things 57:18 and we feel like here at this church, 57:19 Behold the Lamb, 57:21 we have an opportunity to try to get the word out 57:23 to help change things and we're require to do that. 57:28 God, have mercy on our souls and souls of everyone 57:31 who have some tough decisions to make. 57:34 Lord, we want to see Your hand work. 57:36 Oh, we wanna see the marvelous, mighty, mighty hand, 57:40 miracles that you can perform for Your people. 57:42 Energize us with thy Holy Spirit. 57:45 Energize us with the love for truth. 57:48 Energize us today in regards what is said, what's done, 57:50 and some of the repercussions. 57:52 I'm sure that we will hear, that we'll just say, 57:54 "I look to the Word of God. 57:56 This is what I believe is right. 57:58 And, God, help us." 57:59 Thank you, Lord, for hearing, and for answering prayer. 58:01 Thank Him for the decision 58:03 that's been made in everyone that's here right now, 58:06 raising heart and hand and mind, 58:08 and you have recorded it in the books. 58:10 May we be faithful to that decision. 58:12 In Jesus' name, amen. |
Revised 2018-12-17