SPEAKER_00: And notice verse 26, verse 26, and they arrived at the country of the Gadderenes, which is over against Galilee.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 27.
SPEAKER_00: And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man which had devils, plural, long time, and aware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you remember reading this over in the book of Matthew, he cuts himself at night and he screams out.
SPEAKER_00: And he comes to Jesus and he falls down before him.
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus begins to deal with this situation in verse 29.
SPEAKER_00: For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, for oftentimes it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters, and he break the bands and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.
SPEAKER_00: This was a wild man that was satanically possessed.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 33.
SPEAKER_00: The devils beseech him that if they're going to go out, they want to go into some swine, some pigs.
SPEAKER_00: What verse 33?
SPEAKER_00: Then went the devils out of the man and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down into a steep place in the lake and were choked.
SPEAKER_00: And when they had fed the when they that fed them saw what was done, so here's the keepers of the swine, this herd of swine, they fled and went and told it into the city and in the country.
SPEAKER_00: Now watch verse 35 down to the end of the chapter carefully.
SPEAKER_00: Then they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus, found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: What's the next word?
SPEAKER_00: Clothed and in his right mind.
SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
SPEAKER_00: And they were afraid.
SPEAKER_00: I I think of this.
SPEAKER_00: If there was a wild man running around, I grew up in a town of 500 people, and if there was a wild man running around in that town, and he always had his clothes off and he cut himself and they couldn't chain him and everything, I think there would be some people rejoicing that he was clothed and now sitting in his right mind.
SPEAKER_00: They also, which saw it, told them by what means he was possessed of the devils was healed.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 37.
SPEAKER_00: Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadderens round about besought him to do what?
SPEAKER_00: Depart from him, from them.
SPEAKER_00: For they were taken with great fear.
SPEAKER_00: And he went up into the ship and returned back again.
SPEAKER_00: The Bible says in another scripture that the whole city came out and said, besought him, saying, You know, leave us.
SPEAKER_00: Just, just, just, just go away.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 38.
SPEAKER_00: Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him.
SPEAKER_00: But Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house and show how great things God had done unto thee.
SPEAKER_00: And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
SPEAKER_00: Here was something interesting.
SPEAKER_00: The whole city came out and wanted Jesus to go away, and this man who used to be just a demoniac, uh crazy man, wanted to be with him.
SPEAKER_00: One besought him to leave.
SPEAKER_00: One besought him and said, I want to spend time with you.
SPEAKER_00: I want to be with him.
SPEAKER_00: Now Jesus said to that man, you go on out and tell others what I've done for you.
SPEAKER_00: So his witness was more important than him spending time, if you would, walking around the countryside with Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever thought about this?
SPEAKER_00: Why is it that when some people hear the gospel, they reject it?
SPEAKER_00: And others, people, when they hear the gospel, they receive it.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, how many of you have witnessed to somebody?
SPEAKER_00: You've told somebody about your faith?
SPEAKER_00: Doesn't it amaze you sometimes that so many people reject it and then every once in a while somebody just is ready to receive it?
SPEAKER_00: Isn't it amazing to you?
SPEAKER_00: How many of you have uh friends and even family members that you've told the gospel to over and over and over and over again, and they keep rejecting it?
SPEAKER_00: Do you know what I'm talking?
SPEAKER_00: Why is it that so many people beseech the Lord, so to speak, to say, no, I don't want to have anything to do with that?
SPEAKER_00: While others, which many of us are here this morning, receive it anon with joy, and we want to be with him, and we want to spend time with him, and we want to get into the word more.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't it amazing that it seems like more reject it than accept it?
SPEAKER_00: Here you have a situation where the whole city comes out and says, Leave us.
SPEAKER_00: Get out of here.
SPEAKER_00: We don't have anything to do with you.
SPEAKER_00: We're afraid of this situation.
SPEAKER_00: Just go away.
SPEAKER_00: And one man says, I don't want you to go away, I want to be with you.
SPEAKER_00: Look, if you would at Matthew 7.
SPEAKER_00: The Bible tells us this already, and we need to receive it and accept it.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Matthew 7.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 13.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 13, brethren.
SPEAKER_00: Enter ye in at the what?
SPEAKER_00: The straight gate.
SPEAKER_00: For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.
SPEAKER_00: And underline the next word, many there be which go in thereat.
SPEAKER_00: So many go in the broad way that leads to destruction.
SPEAKER_00: But look at verse 14.
SPEAKER_00: Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life.
SPEAKER_00: And what's the next word?
SPEAKER_00: Few there be that find it.
SPEAKER_00: If you've ever wondered in your mind, uh, boy, I wonder if there's more that receive the gospel or more that reject it, the Bible says very clearly, more are going to reject the gospel than that receive it.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: If you look in this city, you say, well, no, this is a Christian nation.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, I don't know about this as a Christian nation.
SPEAKER_00: I just know this.
SPEAKER_00: There's going to be more that reject the narrow way and go into that broad gate than those that few go in that straight, narrow gate and stay in.
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't surprise me that the whole city came out and said, get away from us.
SPEAKER_00: And one man said, No, no, I like to, I like to stay with you.
SPEAKER_00: Do you ever feel like a minority?
SPEAKER_00: Come on, do you ever feel like a minority?
SPEAKER_00: Some of you in your extended family, now not all of you, but some of you in your extended family, because you are a committed Christian, you are not you are a minority in your family.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, you're the oddball.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: And everybody looks at you that way.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, Thanksgiving rolls around, Christmas rolls around, and they say, uh, is the fundamental Christian coming?
SPEAKER_00: And you're a minority.
SPEAKER_00: Even if your family are supposedly quote unquote Christians, you're different because you go to church every Sunday.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you even go to church every Sunday night.
SPEAKER_00: Even more you go to church Wednesday night.
SPEAKER_00: And you read your Bible daily, and they look at you and say, right?
SPEAKER_00: Do you know what I'm talking about?
SPEAKER_00: The more we look at ourselves as committed and we become part of that few, we look at ourselves and we say, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: We're like the guy who said, No, I'd like to be with you, when all the rest of the people, it seems, they don't want to have anything to do with it.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not saying that you don't have maybe uh relatives or friends or neighbors, but did you ever uh how many of y'all live in an apartment complex?
SPEAKER_00: Um, are you the strange one there?
SPEAKER_00: Is your family the strange one?
SPEAKER_00: Come on, tell me.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, uh here's here's 15 units that way and 15 units that way, and you live on the bottom or the top or whatever, and 30 units on the bottom and everything, and and you are different.
SPEAKER_00: Now, there's other people that say they're Christians, but you're different.
SPEAKER_00: You get up and you actually go to church.
SPEAKER_00: You actually have some standards.
SPEAKER_00: You are the few amongst the many.
SPEAKER_00: You might as well accept it.
SPEAKER_00: It's going to be that way from now to the end of your life.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that a blessing as a thought?
SPEAKER_00: You are, as a Christian, as a sold-out, dedicated, born-again, blood-bought, believes in hell, Christian.
SPEAKER_00: Wait a minute, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_00: What'd you say?
SPEAKER_00: I said believes in hell.
SPEAKER_00: Believes in hell, believes in heaven.
SPEAKER_00: Believes in the power of God, believes in the book, believes that the words are preserved, believes that you ought to be in church, believes that prayer is right, believes that there ought to be some standard.
SPEAKER_00: You're a minority, minority.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that a blessing?
SPEAKER_00: Look, if you went a little bit further, look at Revelation 16 and John 3.
SPEAKER_00: Revelation 16 and John 3.
SPEAKER_00: Revelation 16 and John chapter 3.
SPEAKER_00: Let's go a little further.
SPEAKER_00: And I believe after these two scriptures you'll understand where I'm heading.
SPEAKER_00: Revelation 16 and John 3.
SPEAKER_00: Notice Revelation 16, then notice the actions of some people here.
SPEAKER_00: Revelation 16.
SPEAKER_00: And look if you would at verse 8.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 8.
SPEAKER_00: And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
SPEAKER_00: Revelation 16, verse 9.
SPEAKER_00: And men were scorched with great heat.
SPEAKER_00: And what did they do?
SPEAKER_00: Blaspheme the name of God.
SPEAKER_00: Here they are, getting chastised by God, and they're blaspheming God while it's going on, which had power over these plagues.
SPEAKER_00: And they repented not to give him glory.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 20.
SPEAKER_00: And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
SPEAKER_00: And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent, and men what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it, blaspheme God.
SPEAKER_00: Because of the plague of hail, for the plague there.
SPEAKER_00: You would think, brethren, with heat coming out, scorching them, with great hail falling down from heaven, there'd be a lot of people falling down and repenting, saying, God forgive me.
SPEAKER_00: I don't want to be judged this way.
SPEAKER_00: You know, uh, do whatever you had to do, but but I want to get right.
SPEAKER_00: But they're not doing that.
SPEAKER_00: Look, if you would at verse 10.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 10.
SPEAKER_00: And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seed of the beasts, and the kingdom was full of what?
SPEAKER_00: Darkness.
SPEAKER_00: And they gnawed their tongues for pain.
SPEAKER_00: And what they do in verse 11?
SPEAKER_00: Blaspheme the God of heaven.
SPEAKER_00: Now watch this.
SPEAKER_00: Because of their pains and their swords, and repented not of their, say it.
SPEAKER_00: Their what?
SPEAKER_00: That's the problem right there.
SPEAKER_00: That's it right there.
SPEAKER_00: What's a deed?
SPEAKER_00: An action?
SPEAKER_00: An activity?
SPEAKER_00: You know what the real problem is?
SPEAKER_00: When you really just boil it down and look at it, you know what kept us from God for a while?
SPEAKER_00: Our deeds.
SPEAKER_00: Our actions.
SPEAKER_00: Our activities.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I didn't get saved till I was 24 years old, but I'll tell you what kept me from God, my deeds.
SPEAKER_00: My actions, my activities.
SPEAKER_00: On one side, please look up here, I didn't want to give them up.
SPEAKER_00: I wanted to justify them because I liked them.
SPEAKER_00: And in here, you've got a situation going on where judgment is being poured out and they're gnawing on their own tongues and they're blaspheming God and they don't want to repent of their deeds.
SPEAKER_00: You know what that is?
SPEAKER_00: Pride.
SPEAKER_00: It's pride.
SPEAKER_00: Look at John 3.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: John chapter 3.
SPEAKER_00: And it's so clear here.
SPEAKER_00: Everybody in good shape so far?
SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00: You say, I wonder where you're going with this thing.
SPEAKER_00: You'll see in a minute.
SPEAKER_00: Look at John chapter 3.
SPEAKER_00: And look at verse 19.
SPEAKER_00: And this is the condemnation.
SPEAKER_00: That light is come into the world.
SPEAKER_00: And men love darkness rather than light.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's the why.
SPEAKER_00: Because their what?
SPEAKER_00: Their deeds were what?
SPEAKER_00: You see, their actions weren't right.
SPEAKER_00: And when this light came in and the truth came, they didn't like it.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 20.
SPEAKER_00: For everyone that doeth what?
SPEAKER_00: Evil hateth the light.
SPEAKER_00: Man, they can't stand it.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, look up here, please.
SPEAKER_00: You know why some of those people in the apartment complex can't stand you?
SPEAKER_00: Because you don't do what they do.
SPEAKER_00: You're not out getting drunk on Saturday night.
SPEAKER_00: And they look at you and they they see you inside there, or they know you're not participating, and they know that's not your standards, and they they they despise it.
SPEAKER_00: They would like you better if you just got out and got drunk with them.
SPEAKER_00: Yes or no?
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, the family comes around and it's New Year's.
SPEAKER_00: And I don't know about your family or anything like that, but there's going to be some social drinking and all that.
SPEAKER_00: And you know, uh, when it came down to that, we just decided our family's not participating.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, uh, we stayed for the meal, but if they get the booze out, we leave.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because we don't want our children to lose respect for their uncles and their aunts and their family members.
SPEAKER_00: I don't want my children to see grandpa or grandma drunk.
SPEAKER_00: Praise the Lord, I don't have any grandparents for my children that drink.
SPEAKER_00: Why don't they want to come to the light?
SPEAKER_00: Because they hate it.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 20, look at it.
SPEAKER_00: For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Look at it, verse 20.
SPEAKER_00: Lest his deeds should be what?
SPEAKER_00: Reproved.
SPEAKER_00: Lest somebody should say, hey, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: Your actions are wrong.
SPEAKER_00: Your activity is wrong.
SPEAKER_00: Your deeds are wrong.
SPEAKER_00: Now, let me just clarify some things.
SPEAKER_00: Light and truth go hand in hand.
SPEAKER_00: So when the truth comes, men don't want to see the truth.
SPEAKER_00: They don't want to understand the truth because it's going to show them that they're wrong.
SPEAKER_00: Alright, let me give you an illustration.
SPEAKER_00: Situation, a woman who kept her house very, very pristine.
SPEAKER_00: I mean clean.
SPEAKER_00: A situation came up where they brought in some video cameras.
SPEAKER_00: And do you ever see some of those video cameras?
SPEAKER_00: They have the very bright lights.
SPEAKER_00: Came into the house, those very bright lights.
SPEAKER_00: And when they put the lights on in the room, you know what they saw up in the corners?
SPEAKER_00: Cobwebs.
SPEAKER_00: How embarrassing.
SPEAKER_00: Look up in the corner.
SPEAKER_00: Now the natural light, the normal light in the room, didn't show those cobwebs.
SPEAKER_00: But when those bright lights were brought in, cobwebs there and cobwebs over on the ceiling, cobwebs.
SPEAKER_00: And that's what the Word of God does.
SPEAKER_00: It brings in light that's not just natural light, it's supernatural light that begins to shine in our hearts and we begin to see ourselves as not as good as we thought we were.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Come on, yes or no?
SPEAKER_00: When this Bible started coming into my life and started manifesting my deeds, I didn't like it.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, when the preacher came to me the first time in Buford, South Carolina, and said, you know, some things that what was right and what was wrong, I got angry with him.
SPEAKER_00: But you know what was going on?
SPEAKER_00: The bright light was shining in my heart.
SPEAKER_00: And I didn't like it.
SPEAKER_00: I didn't like the light.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because my deeds were evil.
SPEAKER_00: My actions, my activities.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 21, look at it.
SPEAKER_00: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light.
SPEAKER_00: That means deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, the reason some of them besought him to leave, leave, leave, leave.
SPEAKER_00: They didn't want the truth.
SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna make this statement.
SPEAKER_00: Many will not want the truth.
SPEAKER_00: Only a few are going to receive it.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, we go out and give out the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: Please, we give out, we give out thousands and thousands of invitation and tracts every month to come to church to the gospel and everything like that.
SPEAKER_00: Many reject it.
SPEAKER_00: Only a few receive it.
SPEAKER_00: But that doesn't mean we stop doing it.
SPEAKER_00: Because the Bible already tells us that many are going to reject the truth because their deeds are evil and they hate it.
SPEAKER_00: But when someone gets turned around and repents, they start coming to the light and they get right, they begin to like the light.
SPEAKER_00: They begin to like truth.
SPEAKER_00: Alright now.
SPEAKER_00: I'm to the point of the message, so you know I'm halfway, and I'm going to say some things that I hope you won't get up and walk out.
SPEAKER_00: I mean that.
SPEAKER_00: Have an open mind just for the next five minutes.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Romans chapter 1.
SPEAKER_00: And look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: I'm going to give you an illustration.
SPEAKER_00: The message is not totally on this, but it's an illustration to prove what we're talking about.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Romans 1 and 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: Romans 1 and 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: It's to prove the illustration that people hate the truth because it reproves their deeds.
SPEAKER_00: And because they don't want to repent of their deeds, their activities, the pride is almost like.
SPEAKER_00: Well, look at Romans chapter 1.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 24.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 24.
SPEAKER_00: Wherefore God also gave them up to what?
SPEAKER_00: Uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies.
SPEAKER_00: Now remember, what we're going to talk about here is dishonoring to the body that God formed.
SPEAKER_00: Between themselves.
SPEAKER_00: Who changed the truth of God into a lion, worship and serve the creature more than the creator, who is blessed forever.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: For this cause God then gave them up unto what?
SPEAKER_00: Vile affections.
SPEAKER_00: So it says this that what we're going to talk about here is vile.
SPEAKER_00: It dishonors their own body.
SPEAKER_00: For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
SPEAKER_00: So here's what we got so far.
SPEAKER_00: It dishonors the body, it's vile, and it's against what was naturally determined by God.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 27.
SPEAKER_00: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another.
SPEAKER_00: Men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of the heir which was meat.
SPEAKER_00: So it's unseemingly, it's against nature, it's vile, and it's dishonoring.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Yes or no?
SPEAKER_00: Verse 28.
SPEAKER_00: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to reprobate mind and do those things which are not convenient.
SPEAKER_00: So here's what we've got so far in this category.
SPEAKER_00: It's not convenient, it's unseemly, it's against nature, it's vile, and it's dishonoring.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you don't have to know too much to know that what it's talking about here in verse 27, men with men, is what?
SPEAKER_00: Homosexuality.
SPEAKER_00: Now, don't you dare think that this church is homophobic.
SPEAKER_00: Don't you dare think this church is gay bashing.
SPEAKER_00: We believe the Bible would teach this.
SPEAKER_00: Homosexuality is just as bad as heterosexuality outside of marriage.
SPEAKER_00: I'll guarantee you, somebody's right now saying, I don't agree with that.
SPEAKER_00: That's because society has formed your opinions.
SPEAKER_00: Society and the lobbying has formed your opinions.
SPEAKER_00: You see, God still has the same opinion he always had.
SPEAKER_00: Come on, talk to me.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, heterosexuality outside of marriage, whether it be fornication or adultery, is just as bad as homosexuality.
SPEAKER_00: The message is not about homosexuality.
SPEAKER_00: The message is about people don't want to come to light because their deeds are evil, so what they do is they change the deeds to make it acceptable.
SPEAKER_00: What are you talking about?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you and I both know that society is making it now to where homosexuality is becoming more and more, as society considers it acceptable.
SPEAKER_00: They're teaching it more and more in the public schools that it's acceptable.
SPEAKER_00: Come on, yes or no?
SPEAKER_00: Now see, somebody's gonna get all mad and everything, and you say, well, he was just a gay basher.
SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
SPEAKER_00: I'm a truth stander.
SPEAKER_00: Stand for the truth.
SPEAKER_00: When light hits, you know what people do?
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I don't I don't agree with that.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, ooh, yeah, ooh, I don't agree with that.
SPEAKER_00: I know some guys, and you know, even though they are, they're nice guys.
SPEAKER_00: Doesn't matter whether nice or not.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, I flew back on the airplane.
SPEAKER_00: Two guys coming back into San Diego, they were they were homosexuals.
SPEAKER_00: They were friendly to me and everything like that, as far as cordial and all that, but their deeds are evil.
SPEAKER_00: Say amen.
SPEAKER_00: You say, I don't agree with it.
SPEAKER_00: See, see, the problem is when truth hits, people in society don't want to accept the truth, so they'll accept the majority.
SPEAKER_00: And if the majority says it's okay when God says it's not convenient, it's unseeming, it's against nature, it's vile, and it's dishonoring their own bodies, they don't take that into account.
SPEAKER_00: Now, the whole message isn't about this, it's just about changing society.
SPEAKER_00: Just because society changes doesn't mean we do.
SPEAKER_00: We stay with truth.
SPEAKER_00: Let me say it again.
SPEAKER_00: We stay with truth.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I've witnessed too many homosexuals.
SPEAKER_00: I've seen some of them get saved.
SPEAKER_00: I've preached a few of their funerals.
SPEAKER_00: I've witnessed to heterosexuals that are outside of marriage, uh in permiscuity, uh, living in adultery or living in fornication.
SPEAKER_00: God's going to judge them all the same.
SPEAKER_00: Let me say this: a homosexual can get saved.
SPEAKER_00: You say, wait a minute, it says they're a reprobate.
SPEAKER_00: It says when they don't like to retain God in their knowledge.
SPEAKER_00: I know heterosexuals don't want to retain God in their knowledge either, amen.
SPEAKER_00: But the point of it is this it's not what God set up.
SPEAKER_00: So we don't change it, we stick with the opinion of the Bible.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if somebody says, I don't agree with that, you're not disagreeing with me, you're disagreeing with the book.
SPEAKER_00: Whether I believe you're right or wrong doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_00: You'll stand before God one day.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Come on.
SPEAKER_00: I use this as an illustration to say this you come off with something like this in society, and they'll look at you, and you are in the minority.
SPEAKER_00: I didn't say maybe, I said you're in the minority.
SPEAKER_00: If you believe that homosexuality is an evil deed, you are in the minority.
SPEAKER_00: Because now they're coming out with science, falsely so-called, that says they're born with it.
SPEAKER_00: Now I'm just now that's don't be that way.
SPEAKER_00: Just read the book.
SPEAKER_00: Look at 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: Only had one that left so far.
SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: And 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: And you know I'm being kind.
SPEAKER_00: This Bible, if you read it, it's not as kind as I'm being.
SPEAKER_00: I could show you some scriptures that you'd go.
SPEAKER_00: They're in there, amen?
SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 4.
SPEAKER_00: But that's not the message this morning.
SPEAKER_00: The message deals with why men and women won't come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: They don't want to come to the light because their deeds are going to be reproved and they're going to be told you're doing wrong.
SPEAKER_00: And please look up there, they're going to have to change.
SPEAKER_00: You know what repentance is?
SPEAKER_00: Repentance is a word that means that I'm willing to change.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, brethren, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: Salvation does change us.
SPEAKER_00: And we have to be willing to accept the change that God wants to make in us.
SPEAKER_00: It's called repentance.
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would at 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: Are we doing okay today?
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would, verse 3.
SPEAKER_00: If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world, Satan, hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.
SPEAKER_00: Watch it, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into them.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 6.
SPEAKER_00: For God who commandeth to light, to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know of anybody in this room today when the light, the truth shined into our hearts, that when we looked into our own hearts, we saw the darkness and was ashamed.
SPEAKER_00: You remember that when truth hit you?
SPEAKER_00: Didn't it make you ashamed?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, when the truth of the gospel hit us and the law, which was to bring our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, told us that we had transgressed against God, we were ashamed of what we'd done.
SPEAKER_00: We were humbled by the whole thing, and part of us wanted to rebel.
SPEAKER_00: But when that light shines in, we get to look at it for the first time.
SPEAKER_00: And please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: We don't like what we see.
SPEAKER_00: As a young child, even, before they've had the opportunity to do so many various and asundry evil things, they still are ashamed.
SPEAKER_00: Most young children I know by the time they're four or five, lie.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: If you've got a child that has never lied and they're six-year-old, you may be living with an angel.
SPEAKER_00: Unawares.
SPEAKER_00: Most children, most parents I've taught, by the time they're four or five, they've lied.
SPEAKER_00: What do you have behind your back?
SPEAKER_00: Nothing.
SPEAKER_00: They're lying.
SPEAKER_00: And they're only three.
SPEAKER_00: We don't have to teach them.
SPEAKER_00: They get that from us.
SPEAKER_00: Come on, amen.
SPEAKER_00: Sure.
SPEAKER_00: It's natural.
SPEAKER_00: So when salvation comes and life's hit them, you could ask a child that's seven years old, have you ever lied?
SPEAKER_00: Do you know that's an evil deed?
SPEAKER_00: And they would feel ashamed.
SPEAKER_00: Now, those of us who got saved later in life, we were very caught up in evil.
SPEAKER_00: And we became very ashamed.
SPEAKER_00: That's why it's so much easier for a child to get saved than an adult.
SPEAKER_00: We don't want to admit that we've done wrong.
SPEAKER_00: We don't want that line to shine in.
SPEAKER_00: We don't want anybody to know, hey, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: We'd rather justify it and say, now wait a minute.
SPEAKER_00: A lot of other people say it's okay.
SPEAKER_00: And I even run into some church clergy who said it's okay.
SPEAKER_00: So what's the big deal?
SPEAKER_00: The big deal is the Bible says it's not okay.
SPEAKER_00: I'll use the case of homosexuality.
SPEAKER_00: If someone says, well, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: Society is accepting it, and I know some people that say it's okay, and I've even run into some clergy members that say it's okay, so what's wrong with it?
SPEAKER_00: It's evil.
SPEAKER_00: Because the Bible says it is.
SPEAKER_00: I use that as an illustration.
SPEAKER_00: We could use drunkenness, we could use uh an ungodly temper that leads to violence, malice.
SPEAKER_00: We could use all kinds of things.
SPEAKER_00: But the light shines in and convicts us and convinces us that we need to change.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Acts 26, please.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26 and 1 John chapter 1.
SPEAKER_00: I think this is the fourth set of scriptures, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00: So you know the message is almost over.
SPEAKER_00: You think.
SPEAKER_00: I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26 and 1 John 1.
SPEAKER_00: You say, preacher, I still don't know where we're going.
SPEAKER_00: You will in a moment.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26 and 1 John 1.
SPEAKER_00: By the way, I hope you're going to heaven.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26 and 1 John chapter 1.
SPEAKER_00: 1 John, not the Gospel, John, 1 John.
SPEAKER_00: It's back towards the book of Revelation, turn left, go through a few books, and you'll find 1 John.
SPEAKER_00: 1 John 1 and Acts 26.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I want to ask you a question.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever got to the point where you said, it seems like I've given out the gospel, I've witnessed, but nothing happens?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I've given out gospel tracts, I've invited people to church, I've witnessed to people, I've done all those things, and nothing ever happens.
SPEAKER_00: So I don't know.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe somebody else does it in such a way that it works for them, but it doesn't work.
SPEAKER_00: So I don't know.
SPEAKER_00: I'm just going to stop doing it.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
SPEAKER_00: I tried to give out the gospel the other night to someone, and man, the minute I gave them the gospel track, they looked at me like I was some kind of freak, and they got mad at me and angry and said, You self-righteous hypocrite! That's because their deeds are evil.
SPEAKER_00: And they don't want to come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: And you, sir, you, ma'am, you brother, you sister, represent the light.
SPEAKER_00: And as you were handing that gospel tract to them, you never know.
SPEAKER_00: The Holy Spirit might have shined a big spotlight on one of their deeds.
SPEAKER_00: That was the hindrance, that they didn't want to give up, that they didn't want to repent of.
SPEAKER_00: And when you gave them that gospel, I mean they just looked at you and got angry.
SPEAKER_00: Statement.
SPEAKER_00: There's some three, four people angry at me right now in here.
SPEAKER_00: I could point them out.
SPEAKER_00: You say, how do you know?
SPEAKER_00: I can just look at their faces and see.
SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
SPEAKER_00: You're not mad at me.
SPEAKER_00: You could put your anger at me, but I'm just the messenger.
SPEAKER_00: I didn't create these rules.
SPEAKER_00: What if I said this?
SPEAKER_00: I love you.
SPEAKER_00: You'd say, you self-righteous hypocrite.
SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
SPEAKER_00: The problem's not me.
SPEAKER_00: The problem's you.
SPEAKER_00: And I can say that because I've been right where you're at right now.
SPEAKER_00: And I've sit there for three services just hating that preacher.
SPEAKER_00: Rip his face off.
SPEAKER_00: But he was right.
unknown: Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00: He was on the right side of the book, and I was on the wrong side of the book.
SPEAKER_00: I'll guarantee you, when I say amen, it's time to go, some people are going to go, whoa! They're not shaking anybody's hand, they're heading for their car, and they're going to fume all the way home.
SPEAKER_00: That's good.
SPEAKER_00: Nothing wrong with that.
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: Guilt brings change.
SPEAKER_00: And if you get on the right side of this thing, I'm going to tell you there's peace.
SPEAKER_00: And there's joy and there's security.
SPEAKER_00: When you come to the light and walk in the light, there's not, the light does not just put a bright light on us to condemn us, but in that light there's grace.
SPEAKER_00: And there's mercy.
SPEAKER_00: You say, well, you're just saying you're right and everybody else is wrong.
SPEAKER_00: No, no.
SPEAKER_00: That's not it at all.
SPEAKER_00: I'm saying if you come to the light and you walk in the light, there's fellowship with God and there's peace and there's joy.
SPEAKER_00: But the reason people don't want to come to the light is because of the deeds.
SPEAKER_00: The actions, the activities.
SPEAKER_00: Now, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_00: Let me stop just for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: So what you're saying is if I get all cleaned up, then I come to God.
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
SPEAKER_00: You and I cannot get clean enough to come to God.
SPEAKER_00: We come just as we are, and please, He forgives us just as we are if we're willing to come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: Then He begins to clean us up.
unknown: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Look at 1 John 1, and we'll get ready to finish.
SPEAKER_00: 1 John 1.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 4 or 5.
SPEAKER_00: 1 John 1 5.
SPEAKER_00: This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you.
SPEAKER_00: Look at it.
SPEAKER_00: That God is what?
SPEAKER_00: Light.
SPEAKER_00: He's truth.
SPEAKER_00: Light.
SPEAKER_00: In him is no darkness at all.
SPEAKER_00: If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
SPEAKER_00: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, look what we have: fellowship one with the other.
SPEAKER_00: And the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from all sin.
SPEAKER_00: This morning, I'm not trying to put a stumbling block in somebody's way.
SPEAKER_00: If you invited a friend this morning, or you invited a neighbor, or you invited somebody to come to church, and you say, Man, I can't believe it.
SPEAKER_00: I brought someone in to church.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, and the preacher had to talk about homosexuality.
SPEAKER_00: He never does.
SPEAKER_00: I've never heard that.
SPEAKER_00: And the years I've been here are the oh, I just, I can't believe it.
SPEAKER_00: And they were so offended.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, they'll never come back.
SPEAKER_00: God knew who was going to be here.
SPEAKER_00: And God knew the message.
SPEAKER_00: And don't discount what God can do with his word.
SPEAKER_00: When truth hits, sometimes people get offended, they get hurt, but they look at it and you say, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: I'm looking for truth.
SPEAKER_00: That's why I came to church.
SPEAKER_00: I just didn't like what I heard.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I was mad.
SPEAKER_00: But no, he didn't bash them.
SPEAKER_00: He said they were wrong.
SPEAKER_00: But he said everybody was wrong.
SPEAKER_00: He even said he was wrong.
SPEAKER_00: So who's right?
SPEAKER_00: Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
SPEAKER_00: But we're if we're going to walk in the light, because God is light, we're going to have to come to Him, please, with our deeds and say, Lord, these actions are wrong.
SPEAKER_00: Forgive me and change me to where I don't want to do these actions anymore.
SPEAKER_00: And he will.
SPEAKER_00: And he does, and he has.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Acts, and we finish.
SPEAKER_00: Acts chapter 26.
SPEAKER_00: And thank you for staying right with me.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26.
SPEAKER_00: Better for someone to hear the truth than never have heard it before.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 26, verse 16.
SPEAKER_00: But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose.
SPEAKER_00: Here's the reason.
SPEAKER_00: To make thee a minister and a witness, both of these things which I have seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles and to whom now I send thee.
SPEAKER_00: Look what he says now.
SPEAKER_00: Here's why I'm sending you, here's your purpose.
SPEAKER_00: To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: Light.
SPEAKER_00: And from the power of who?
SPEAKER_00: Satan unto God.
SPEAKER_00: That they may receive forgiveness of sins, inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
SPEAKER_00: Look what he says.
SPEAKER_00: Light and God go together, darkness and Satan go together.
SPEAKER_00: God, light, peace, joy, heaven.
SPEAKER_00: Satan, darkness, evil, chaos, outer darkness, the lake of fire.
SPEAKER_00: All those go together, too.
SPEAKER_00: Someone that's been overtaken by the power of Satan, the power of darkness that never comes to the light, the Bible says the end is that God will have to cast them off forever into outer darkness.
SPEAKER_00: There'll be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
SPEAKER_00: For those that come to the light, receive it.
SPEAKER_00: Allow the light to flow in and shine the hidden things of darkness and the counsels of the heart.
SPEAKER_00: Get forgiven.
SPEAKER_00: Allow God to begin to change them.
SPEAKER_00: There's peace, there's joy, there's security, there's heaven, there's eternal bliss.
SPEAKER_00: Now, that's what the Bible says.
SPEAKER_00: The question is, do we believe the book?
SPEAKER_00: If you're here today and you've never received Christ as Savior, this light that's coming out from this preaching in the pulpit, you may be going like this, I don't like this.
SPEAKER_00: How many of you who are now Christians, when you first heard the gospel message and that which was associated with the gospel message, at whatever age you can remember, you didn't necessarily like what you heard, but because it reproved you of your deeds.
SPEAKER_00: Hold them up.
SPEAKER_00: Hold them up high.
SPEAKER_00: Well, that's a majority.
SPEAKER_00: How many of you who felt that way are glad you came to the light?
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, that was a quick one, amen.
SPEAKER_00: You see, on the one side, when we come to it the first time and our deeds were reproved, we don't want to have anything to do with it.
SPEAKER_00: We don't know if we like it.
SPEAKER_00: We don't know if we agree with it.
SPEAKER_00: We just know that it makes us feel bad.
SPEAKER_00: But now, years later, after we receive Christ and now walk in the light, there's no hesitation to say it's the best thing we ever did.
SPEAKER_00: Best thing we ever did was to come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: I make this statement.
SPEAKER_00: I've seen homosexuals get saved and get cleaned up.
SPEAKER_00: And you may not know it because you don't understand the culture.
SPEAKER_00: I've listened to him for hours, and and I just say this because I used him as an example.
SPEAKER_00: I've I've talked to many who said I was in prison.
SPEAKER_00: It was so lonely.
SPEAKER_00: The culture was so chaotic, and it was just full of rejection, and now I've been saved, and I'm a born-again Christian, and nobody knows my past, but I'm received, and there's stability and there's security and there's true friendship, and I'm on my way to heaven.
SPEAKER_00: I've been made fun of before.
SPEAKER_00: Don't feed the fundies.
SPEAKER_00: I've been cussed at, I've been mocked at.
SPEAKER_00: Go down to the gay parade and pass out tracts and see how it goes.
SPEAKER_00: But when we go down there or go to any place to pass out tracks, we don't go there to try to keep them in hell.
SPEAKER_00: We go there to try to give them truth.
SPEAKER_00: So they can live a life that rises above those chains of darkness.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, we're not perfect, but we're on our way to it.
SPEAKER_00: And one of these days in heaven, we will be righteous like God is righteous.
SPEAKER_00: Right now it's imputed to us, it's charged to us.
SPEAKER_00: The practicality hasn't been seen yet.
SPEAKER_00: So if you've never received Christ as your Savior and came to the light, God didn't bring you here by coincidence.
SPEAKER_00: God brought you to this place this morning, this building, this preaching.
SPEAKER_00: He brought you purposely.
SPEAKER_00: But you have a free will.
SPEAKER_00: Christian?
SPEAKER_00: Man, I keep giving out tracts.
SPEAKER_00: I keep witnessing.
SPEAKER_00: It just seems like, man, we witness in our neighborhood, we witness here.
SPEAKER_00: Well, the Bible says many are going to reject it.
SPEAKER_00: The whole city came out and besought him to leave, but there was one.
SPEAKER_00: And if we have to go through 10 or 20 or 50 or 100 people to get one and to reach one, hey, it's still worth it.
unknown: Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00: We have a big fall campaign coming up.
SPEAKER_00: It's still worth it to go to give the gospel out and to invite people to church because out of the hundreds we invite, if two come in and one gets saved, it's still worth it.
SPEAKER_00: Because that one gives God glory.
SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
unknown: That's right.
SPEAKER_00: Last statement.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes Christians, even though they're saved, don't want to walk close in the light.
SPEAKER_00: Like daily.
SPEAKER_00: You know what this Bible does?
SPEAKER_00: It's a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, uh, the Bible says the words of this prophety shines light on our heart.
SPEAKER_00: And as we get in here on a daily basis, you know what I find out?
SPEAKER_00: I read along and I go, ooh.
SPEAKER_00: Oh man.
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't make me feel real good.
SPEAKER_00: Two choices.
SPEAKER_00: I can cut it out, I can try to change it, I can justify it, or I can accept it and say, God change me.
SPEAKER_00: The closer we walk to light, because God is in light, God is light, and him is no darkness, the closer we walk to God, the more we see how short we have come of his glory.
SPEAKER_00: Christians sometimes do this.
SPEAKER_00: They walk at a certain closeness to God, but they don't want to get any closer.
SPEAKER_00: Some Christians, it's, I come to church Sunday morning and that's enough.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe what they're really saying is, I don't want to get any closer.
SPEAKER_00: Because if I do, I'm going to have to change even more.
SPEAKER_00: Some of the rest of us, we decide, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: We don't want to have it our way, we want to have it his way.
SPEAKER_00: That means we subject ourselves to preaching on Sunday morning, we subject ourselves to preaching on Sunday night, we subject ourselves to preaching on Wednesday night.
SPEAKER_00: We subject ourselves to this Bible on a daily basis.
SPEAKER_00: We listen to gospel tapes, we listen to gospel music, we saturate ourselves with light.
SPEAKER_00: Because we do want to walk as close to God as we possibly can.
SPEAKER_00: Next Sunday, we start whole heart.
SPEAKER_00: We've got three preachers coming in that day.
SPEAKER_00: Sunday morning, Sunday night, two preachers.
SPEAKER_00: And then on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week, starting Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of next week, we've got preaching on Sunday night, two preachers on Monday night, two preachers on Tuesday night, two preachers on Wednesday night.
SPEAKER_00: I'll guarantee you some people will say, I'm just not a fanatic.
SPEAKER_00: We come to preaching to hear the gospel and to hear the light, to try to help it to correct our hearts and our deeds and our actions so we can walk closer to God.
SPEAKER_00: I've never heard of a church having so much preaching.
SPEAKER_00: If you know where I've been in the last three weeks, I've been in preaching so much, it's running out my ears.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, you must be real clean.
SPEAKER_00: No, but my heart's lit up.
SPEAKER_00: And I've seen some cobwebs.
SPEAKER_00: And I've seen some areas that need correcting.
SPEAKER_00: And I've gone to God and say, God, there's an area in my heart I didn't see before.
SPEAKER_00: Would you work on it, please?
SPEAKER_00: Help me.
SPEAKER_00: I hope you'll do this, Christian brother, Christian sister.
SPEAKER_00: Come to the light as often as you can.
SPEAKER_00: You've got a Bible.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't, we'll give you one.
SPEAKER_00: Come to that light as often as you can and let it shine in your heart.
SPEAKER_00: And don't be discouraged because you give out the gospel and only a few receive it.
SPEAKER_00: The Bible says that was going to be the case.
SPEAKER_00: Walk as close as you can.
SPEAKER_00: Give out the gospel, even if many reject it.
SPEAKER_00: Live your Christian life regardless of what people think.
SPEAKER_00: And if you're here today without Christ and you don't know Him personally as Savior, today would be a wonderful day to come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: There's peace, joy, and mercy.
SPEAKER_00: As that light shines in, the love of God shines also.
SPEAKER_00: And you can become a Christian today.
SPEAKER_00: Just for a moment, with your heads bowed and your eyes closed.
SPEAKER_00: You saw many hands in here of people who said they've already received Christ with your heads bowed and your eyes closed.
SPEAKER_00: I wonder if you'd let me pray for you before you leave.
SPEAKER_00: No tricks, no gimmicks, and we will be dismissed in just a second or two.
SPEAKER_00: I wonder, though, before you leave, if you'd say, Pastor, before we leave, I may not like everything I hear, or I may not like everything I've read in the Bible.
SPEAKER_00: But I'm willing to at least come to the light.
SPEAKER_00: I'm willing at least to let you pray for me that I could come before God and seek his forgiveness and the reconciliation that's in the blood of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And if he's willing, I'm willing to allow him to change me.
SPEAKER_00: Well, honestly, I don't know if I'm willing, but I'm willing to be made willing.
SPEAKER_00: But, anyways, if you would pray for me, Pastor, about my walk with God and my fellowship, my relationship with God.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not even sure I'm saved.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure I'm forgiven.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure I've come to light the way he wants me to yet.
SPEAKER_00: Pastor, at least before we leave, would you privately pray for me?
SPEAKER_00: Don't point me out and don't embarrass me.
SPEAKER_00: With your heads bowed and your eyes closed.
SPEAKER_00: If that's you, and I won't point you out, I won't embarrass you, and you'd say, Pastor, at least before we leave, pray for me.
SPEAKER_00: That I would look at myself honestly in the light of the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: Would you slip up your right hand right now?
SPEAKER_00: Your hand and say, pray for me.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you, sir.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you, ma'am.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you, sir.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you, ma'am.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you.
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
SPEAKER_00: Let me put them down.
SPEAKER_00: Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_00: God bless you.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, uh, Christians, I count 10, 12 people here this morning.
SPEAKER_00: And will I tell you what?
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for your honesty.
SPEAKER_00: You don't know how many hear the gospel and reject it.
SPEAKER_00: And the very fact that you're here and we're at least willing to say, pray for me, Pastor, tells me that there's something genuine and honest about you.
SPEAKER_00: And you're willing to look at yourself honestly.
SPEAKER_00: And the Holy Spirit is drawing you.
SPEAKER_00: It's through Jesus Christ that that happens.
SPEAKER_00: Father, as we Christians join together, we pray for those who've raised their hands today, still seeking and inquiring about their salvation.
SPEAKER_00: Please, draw them to yourself.
SPEAKER_00: Let them know they're in a place where we, many of us, came to that place of needing to make a decision.
SPEAKER_00: Father, I pray for the one in here right now who might be just a little bit mad at what I've said, a little angry, maybe a little offended.
SPEAKER_00: I pray that you would see that my heart, Father, help them to see that my heart was not to offend them.
SPEAKER_00: But the light should shine from the glorious gospel that they might come to that light.
SPEAKER_00: Please do that work in their heart and draw them to yourself.
SPEAKER_00: With your heads bowed and eyes closed, how many Christians in here still have family members, relatives, neighbors, people that you work with, associates that you're still praying for, and you've been praying for for a long time, maybe, or just recently met them, but you really would like them to get saved and see them walk with God.
SPEAKER_00: A neighbor, a relative, someone, maybe a maybe a brother or a sister, someone in your immediate family.
SPEAKER_00: Pastor, I have someone like that.
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to pray for them.
SPEAKER_00: Would you hold up your hand?
SPEAKER_00: All right, good.
SPEAKER_00: Many of us.
SPEAKER_00: I still do too.
SPEAKER_00: I've got many still.
SPEAKER_00: I was thinking of one this morning.
SPEAKER_00: I was praying for him before I came.
SPEAKER_00: Father, you see our heart and how much we want to see your gospel shine forth.
SPEAKER_00: Please do your work your way.
SPEAKER_00: Let's all stand without leaving.
SPEAKER_00: Just stand straight up to your feet.
SPEAKER_00: You've been sitting for a little while.
SPEAKER_00: Please don't leave just yet.
SPEAKER_00: Please just stand straight up to your feet.
SPEAKER_00: Don't leave just yet.
SPEAKER_00: And if everybody would look right up here at me just for a moment, I appreciate your good hearts and attitudes.
SPEAKER_00: Listening to this message this morning.
SPEAKER_00: I even more appreciate the Holy Spirit of God working.
SPEAKER_00: If you're a Christian and you know somebody that's not saved, that you've been praying for for a long time, may I, as a messenger from God through his word, tell you, don't give up on them yet.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up on them yet.
SPEAKER_00: Please, don't give up on them yet.
SPEAKER_00: Remember how you rejected it and rejected it and rejected it and rejected it and then finally received it.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe they just need to be prayed for a little bit more and worked with a little bit more and given another chance.
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up on them yet.
SPEAKER_00: God hasn't.
SPEAKER_00: And may I say this: if you're a Christian and you're given out the gospel witness and you've given it out so much and so many times and you don't seem to see any results, don't give up on the gospel yet.
SPEAKER_00: Still give it out.
SPEAKER_00: Remember, only few, only few will receive it.
SPEAKER_00: Many enter in at the broad path that leads to destruction.
SPEAKER_00: Only a few come through the straight gate.
SPEAKER_00: I say this lastly.
SPEAKER_00: If you raised your hand for salvation, you could be one of those few.
SPEAKER_00: You could be one of those few.
SPEAKER_00: Only a few.
SPEAKER_00: Only a few come through.
SPEAKER_00: It's not a matter of how good you are, it's a matter of how humble and obedient and willing you are to read the scriptures and then not just be hearers, but doers of the word of God.
SPEAKER_00: This morning, if you'd like to be one of those few, we'd love to take the Bible.
SPEAKER_00: If you're a lady and you raised your hand in here, don't be embarrassed.
SPEAKER_00: We'd love to take a Bible and show you, ma'am.
SPEAKER_00: A woman will show you, ma'am, how you can receive Christ as Savior.
SPEAKER_00: If you're a man, don't let the pride or the ego or anything.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, I was a lieutenant in the Marine Corps, the most proud guy on earth, maybe, at least in my mind, and I received Christ.
SPEAKER_00: It was a humbling experience.
SPEAKER_00: Sir, if you raised your hand for salvation, we can have another man show you from the Bible how you can be saved.
SPEAKER_00: Christian, I'm gonna ask you to do this.
SPEAKER_00: In just a moment, the instruments are gonna play.
SPEAKER_00: We have what's called an old-fashioned altar call.
SPEAKER_00: Let's take a few minutes this morning.
SPEAKER_00: That person that's on your heart that you'd like to see saved.
SPEAKER_00: That person you've tried to witness to, that neighbor, maybe you've never witnessed to at all, but you would still like them to see and be saved.
SPEAKER_00: Or that business associate that maybe a boss that you can't witness to, but you'd still like them to be saved.
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna ask some Christians to come and in an intercessory prayer, pray for them.
SPEAKER_00: That's on your heart.
SPEAKER_00: And because you come, maybe that person that raised their hand for salvation would say, Well, listen, I'll come too, and I'll at least let somebody show me from the scriptures how I can be saved.
SPEAKER_00: Christian, because you come, maybe someone else will too.
SPEAKER_00: Unsaved friend, you raise your hand for salvation.
SPEAKER_00: We have an old fashioned altar call.
SPEAKER_00: You come, we'll take a Bible, we'll have somebody pray with you, we'll show you how you can be saved from the scripture.