Shane Idleman emphasizes that God's blessings often come with conditions, urging the congregation to recognize the importance of obedience in their relationship with God. He highlights that while God's promises are gracious, they require a response from His people, particularly in the context of salvation and spiritual growth. Idleman warns against the dangers of disobedience, which can nullify the blessings God intends for us, and calls for a return to holiness and a deep hunger for righteousness. He encourages believers to seek the filling of the Holy Spirit and to confront sin in their lives, asserting that the blessings of God are waiting for those who are willing to obey. Ultimately, he challenges the church to embrace the truth of God's Word and to live in a way that reflects their commitment to Him.

Very rarely does God do it, but when he does it, you know it, and he put this message on my heart two weeks ago, the points, everything was done in about ten minutes, I just start writing. That's, that's I've learned over the years, just write it down because I'll forget later. And I looked at it and I said, boy, this is gonna be, this is gonna be a difficult one because it's hard to hear some of these things. And I said, well, this isn't gonna fit in 1 Corinthians for a while, so I'm off the hook until I read 1 Corinthians 10, where we're at. And Paul is very clear that the Old Testament was given to us, one of the reasons, to be an example to us so that we might not lust after evil things as they lusted. So the title this message, of this message this morning is, is the blessing waiting on you? Is the blessing waiting on you? Because I believe God wants to bless his people, do you agree? I agree. But many blessings come with conditions. And a lot of times we don't realize that in the church. I like what Paul Carter said, there is a sense in which God's promises are unconditional and that our disobedience will never stop his graciousness or his plans. But there is also a sense in which those promises will be released only through the obedience of God's people. It's a very healthy tension on God's blessings, but there's conditions often. I mean, let's just look at salvation. If you call upon the name of the Lord, you will be saved. It's not just universalism where God saves everyone, there's a condition there. And there are many great songs. We sing those songs and you know songs such as the new one that's out, we've been singing a little bit, the weapon may be formed, but it will not prosper. Prophesy your promise. God will bless his people. God will see you through. God will overcome. And that is all true. But that's only half the coin. Because people can be singing, oh, the weapon will not prosper. Yes, it is. If you're in disobedience, you've given the enemy a foothold into your life. You can't sing something that doesn't yet apply. Because what about amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. And one of the passages I preach often at funerals, Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd. He shall not want. He makes me lay down in green pastures. He restores my soul. And if you're not careful, a room full of unbelievers will leave there thinking the Lord is their shepherd. Because you didn't clarify who that verse is for. It's a very delicate balancing match. And there's many motivational speakers, are there not? And I've been praying all week, God, loose my lips for boldness. But Lord, keep me restrained. I don't want this to be my opinions. I don't want this to just be a time of shame venting. But there's a lot of motivational speakers. Some of you listen to them, and I do too sometimes. But sometimes they drive me crazy. Because it's all about God's gonna bless you. God's gonna bless you, he's gonna get you through, he's gonna overcome, he's gonna, and that's all true. But how many of those people are living in disobedience and making the promises and the blessings of God null and void by their lifestyle? But see, they don't wanna touch on that. They don't wanna touch on that many times. Why? Because their Nelson ratings plummet. The audience drops. The book publishers will say, oh, mm-mm-mm, too much negativity on that, clean it up a little bit. You remember, I've told some of you this, when you were here, I released a book entitled Desperate for More of God, and actually a big publisher, a big publishing house that reached out to me, they emailed me, they said, been watching your sermons, we'd love to publish one of your books. So I scrambled to get a rough draft, and I sent him the manuscript, and he said, Shane, so sorry, this does not address a felt need. For example, your chapter, the first chapter, the desperate need for truth, he had the audacity to tell me, people are not concerned about the truth. We can't publish this. It doesn't resonate with the vast majority of Christians. I said, that's true, it doesn't, but that's what they need. We need to not be concerned about marketability, but on credibility and responsibility to give people the truth. So that's one of my challenges as a pastor, is you want to be very encouraging. The blessings of God are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. But if my people continue in their sin, don't seek me, don't make time for prayer, don't worry, I'll still heal your land. Quite the opposite. He told Solomon, if you do this, I'll do this. Throughout the Old Testament, God would say, if you do this, I'll do this. And actually, there's a big movement, some of you know this, if you don't, no need to study it too much, maybe I'll touch on it a little bit, but there's something known as replacement theology, where the church now has actually replaced Israel. So God doesn't have a plan with Israel today. I personally don't see that, and I can explain why in the future. But the reason is, they often say, is because the promises to Israel were conditional. If you do this, I will continue to be your Lord. And they withdrew from God, therefore his promises, they would say, are withdrawn. Now we'd have to unpack a lot of scriptures. My point is this, a lot of things are conditional. What about when God says, if my people turn back to me from direction to salvation? How many of you have been off course? You got back on course, and now direction seems clear. But then when we're in disobedience, it's foggy, and you're anxious, you're irritable, Lord, where are you? Get back on course. And that's what, I love to be encouraged, I'm an encourager, believe it or not. But often before you encourage, you have to discourage. People have to see their need for a savior. And I get sometimes frustrated, because, you know, we go, would you just accept Jesus? And we tell, would you just accept him, please? Try him out, please. Just accept him. Would it be to God that sinners would say, Christ, accept me, Christ, accept me, and they come broken before God, humble before God, you don't have to beg and plead. When the spirit of the living God is moving, he'll draw people to the prayer room, he'll draw them to the altar, and they'll say, what must I do to be saved? They cry out to God, where is that again? Where is that in the church? All week, I've been wrestling with the number one question on my mind, God, where is that New Testament power? We see blind people, we walk, well, that would never happen. Or in a wheelchair, I better avoid that. Being set free, I better go this way, that person's possessed with the devil, I don't want anything to do with, you know, you should run to that. And you take authority. And I have the sensing that we want New Testament power, but we don't want New Testament obedience. New Testament holiness. And we have many, many millennials listening to these motivational speakers, it's all about a courage, and they'll keep fornicating, they'll keep smoking dope, they'll keep getting drunk, they'll keep drifting from God, but God's gonna bless me. He just told me on that sermon that my better days are ahead. No, they're not. If you're in disobedience, be careful, hard is the way of the transgressor. God says, come back, calling me back, calling you back to a place of obedience. People say, well, Shane, that's just legalistic, actually, it's just biblical. It's very biblical. Well, that's Old Testament. Have you ever heard that? That's the Old Testament, God, Shane. You need to brush up on your theology. Well, last time I checked, Jesus quoted from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, the Psalms, the Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah, and Malachi. He referred to the Old Testament as the scriptures and the word of the living God. He said, have you not heard? It is written. Have you not heard? It is written, getting the people back to the heart and nature of God. It's not the old and the new. It's one book blended together. It's the same God. And I guess my burden has been, I feel so many people wanting more of God, wanting to be blessed of God. They're like, why isn't it happening? And you talk to them about obedience, they get mad at you. Oh, no, no, don't get judgmental. Don't get judgmental on me. Actually, scripture must be balanced to be effective. We balance our tires. Gymnasts walk on the balance beam. We have balance in everything. Balance our truckloads. We have to balance the scripture as well. Grant Richardson said this, it is possible to have a saved soul, but a lost life. If you doubt this, I don't know how many of you have seen the scripture, come across it in your reading. I'm going to put this on the screen if we have it, Jeremiah 5.25. Now granted, a pastor can cherry pick. If I want to be just mean, hellfire and brimstone, I would quote Old Testament. I would quote the prophets. I would quote all those things to build a case. But on the other side, you can just quote all the, remember, God is love. God is love. God is patient. God is gracious. Don't worry. He's got this. Don't worry about repentance. God's grace will cover you. And because of God's grace, we abuse it. It's called hyper grace. It's called taking advantage of the gospel. And again, finding that middle ground, looking at what does all of scripture say. One of the best places we can look is actually in the book of Jeremiah. Why is that, Shane? Because God called him from his mother's womb. He said, I've called you to be a prophet to the nations, to call my people back. He was the weeping prophet. Why? Because often they would not listen. And they wanted to kill him. This is so interesting to me. Jesus actually called them on it. Jesus said, in that whole phrase on you whitewashed tombs, you look good on the outside, but you're full of dead men's bones on the inside. He said, you actually killed, your fathers killed the prophets. The very men that God sent to you to proclaim repentance, your fathers killed them. And then you build tombs to the prophets honoring them. You hypocrites. And he would call them out, Jeremiah 525. Your iniquities have turned these things away, meaning the blessings of God. And your sins have withheld good from you. Verse 30, an astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power. And my people love to have it so, but what will you do in the end? Sound like a place called the United States of America? The spokesmen for God prophesy falsely. God's representatives are doing it for their own gain many times. And then I don't have this on the screen, but you must hear Jeremiah 7, 23. But this is what I have commanded them, saying, here's what God is commanding to the people. And if you believe Jesus' words, you believe the prophets are for us today. It says this, obey my voice and I will be your God. It sounds conditional. Now, that can have overlapping or overarching application to those who are not even saved. Call upon the name of the Lord, but he's saying, obey my voice to his people. I will be your God and you shall be my people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. He talks about these blessings and these wonderful, your harvest will not come to nothing. The rain will come in its season. God will begin to bless his people. Yet, yet, verse 24, yet they did not obey, nor did they incline their ear. That means, what was that you said, God? Do I need to make adjustments? My ears are open. Remember Jesus? They have their stiff neck people. They have hardened their hearts. Give whoever has a ear, let him hear what the spirit of the Lord is saying. Yet, they did not obey or incline their ear, but they followed the counsels and the dictates of their own evil hearts, and they went backward instead of forward. That's what happens when a people disobeys God. And if all I was going to talk to you about this morning is the blessings of God without the conditions of God, I would be like a surgeon who's giving you wrong information. There's no different. Why are there malpractice suits when a physician messes up, but there's no malpractice suits when a pastor only tells you one section of God's word in order to please you? I mean, isn't that why we would do it? Let's be honest. Let's be honest. Why many people want to just say, okay, that's a big Tyler, that's a high member in our community, that person's my family member, and they're thinking, okay, I gotta keep everybody happy. What's going to keep everybody happy? Nothing that offends. That can't be a pastor. The pastor has to have a heart. So what does this have to do with 1 Corinthians chapter 10? I'm glad you asked. Let's turn there. Now remember, Paul is saying here, moreover, brethren. Now whenever he says moreover, it's like saying therefore, or as a continuation of a thought, where do we leave off last week? Paul said, I discipline my body, and I bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself become disqualified. Is that interesting? Paul said he disciplines his body, but we usually let our body discipline us. We let the flesh tell us where to eat, what to drink, how long to sleep in, where to go, what to watch. It's flesh. Lead me, lead me, flesh. Paul says, no, I discipline my body. And I will tell you as a living witness, I have failed more times than I've succeeded. But when you begin to discipline your body, all areas of spiritual health and emotional health and physical health come into focus because you are doing what you've commanded to do as a fruit of the spirit, being self-disciplined. You discipline self. It doesn't discipline you. You lead, and you direct the flesh. You bring that into subjection. And you beat it black and blue, Paul is saying. I know this wasn't going to win me a popularity contest this morning, but that's okay. Moreover, brethren, so he just talked about discipline. I do not want you to be unaware that all of our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the spiritual drink, for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ Jesus. Whew. Now, if you're new to the faith or not reading the Bible too much and not really sure what's going on, that might be a little confusing. But what he's saying here, the main point is salvation. In the Old Testament, they actually looked forward to something. We look back to the cross. So Abraham believed and God counted it to righteousness. The prophets foretold of the Messiah, someone someday that will come and take their sin away. They believed in that. But because God lives outside of time, he's not dependent on 2,000 years. That's how salvation works. They look forward, we look back. But when he mentions here, this would actually take a whole sermon, but let me just be brief, that the fathers were under the cloud, meaning God guided them by the cloud by day and a pillar at night. God will guide you as well. He will cover you. When the heat is turned up, that cloud will cover you. And all passed through the sea. God rescued them. So he's talking about his protection, his provision, and then all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food. God gave them provision. All drank the spiritual drink. In other words, the Old Testament saints are not any different from the New Testament saints. They look forward, we look back, we all look to Christ as the, what's it say here? The spiritual rock. The rock was Christ Jesus. The pre-incarnate Christ is what theologians would call it. The incarnation is when Christ revealed himself. So the pre-incarnation is them looking forward to who Christ is. And then you have Christology, epiphanies, and all these different typologies is what I meant to say. Of Christ in the Old Testament, different things, but let's just keep on focus here. This is representing also the Shekinah cloud of God's presence and direction. Anybody need that? The Shekinah cloud of God's presence and direction. And then verse five, but with most of them, okay, God delivered them from bondage. God brought them through the, can you imagine seeing the Red Sea part? God brought them through, he sustained them. Food from heaven, I would have loved to taste that manna. The food for angels. You think it was plant-based or meat, what do you think? Just something to think about. But with most of them, God was not well-pleased, uh-oh, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. So they went from deliverance to disobedience. Here's where we have to be careful. I've found often when God delivers you, be careful, be very careful, because the enemy ramps up his attack. And you can go from deliverance to disobedience very quickly. You've got to walk that line, you've got to hold tight, you've got to obey the scripture, of course. How are these Christians, how are Christians going to make it in these dire times if prayer and worship and the application of God's word doesn't become a daily discipline? I would like to know, how do you do that when Netflix is your guide? How do you do that when CNBC and Fox and all that, that's your guide? How do you do it? You don't. Look at the statistics on the national rise of anxiety and fear. They're calling it an epidemic, yet how can you have someone like John Huss go before a council and proclaim God's word, put the Bible in the tongue of the English people and then be burned at the stake for not recounting? And I'm not dismissing bad things that we've went through, but I don't know if you've ever been tied to a pole and wood around you and kindling and all you have to do is renounce your faith or we're going to light this on fire. Can you imagine the pain? That's God's grace that sees him through, that takes him through. We're going to need that in these dire times, the same thing. So with most of them, God was not well pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Do you know how many of the children of Israel that were delivered from Egypt, how many of them went into the promised land? 20,000? Two? Yeah, you got it. Two. Because of what? Disobedience. Now these things became our examples. Here's what I'm getting to. It only took me 20 minutes. Now these things became our examples. See, we should read the Old Testament and say, I don't want to do that. See, people say life is a great teacher. No, God's word is a good teacher. I don't need to mess my life up or watch you mess your life up or me mess mine up to teach you how to mess yours up or to avoid it. Just look at God's word. It's a wonderful teacher in this area. So the Old Testament was written primarily or one of the reasons was that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted. The Old Testament can be used as an example. Now what does it mean not lust after? Well, if I can sum it up for you, it's this. Do you listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit or do you listen to the voice of the flesh? They both call your name. Come on, let's be honest this morning. Don't act spiritual. The flesh never calls. Oh, yes, it does. Lord, please help me. I don't want to come across as pushing anything or being convicted. But I would just kind of throw it out there that the majority of the reason people are not at 6 a.m. worship is because they're listening to the voice of the flesh. No, yeah. Warm, comfortable, cozy, lights out. I'm tired. That's the flesh. And I will tell you, it would probably be one of the best things you've ever done. If you ever see people at the altar like this morning or worshipping, you're like, how are they doing that? They've been saturating their mind with the power and presence of God since 6 a.m. How do you think they're going to act? Bored? They've been feeding on that. They've been worshipping God. The altar feels more at home than sitting in the pew for many people. The flesh will pull you more than you think. Will it not? Most of you, for example, most of you at lunchtime, you need to go home and make something very healthy, very good. But where's your flesh going to say? In and out. Carl's Jr. Starbucks. Frappuccino, mochaccino with 40 grams of sugar. And I have to have my donut. And see, the flesh just controls you. Listening to the lust of the flesh. Now, having chocolate's not what I'm talking about. I had some this morning. Thank you, Kyla. Dark chocolate on my desk, I can't resist that. See, lust after the flesh. But it's okay now and then, moderation. You guys are blowing this out of proportion. Let me get back on track here. Lust after. And really, it is about serious issues. And you know what? Boy, God's making me really confess this morning a lot. The one reason, I'll tell you the fear of man. The one reason why I don't talk about this topic more often, even though I know I should, is the area of gluttony. I fear what people will think. And I don't want people to feel bad. And God has been dealing with me. Shane, my people are sick because of overindulgence. And I pray for people. I know what would help them. But I don't want them to feel bad. It's in the Bible. Eating and drinking and partying. It's always tied together. The lust of the flesh just filling itself. In case you're feeling convicted or thinking I'm taking a holier than thou approach. I'm not. Anytime Thanksgiving gets here, oh Lord, have mercy. Lust after. What does it mean? To cave in. To backslide. I fell. I blew it. I sinned. So they're actually giving to us an example that we might not sin. That we might not lust after evil things as they lust it. And let me tell you this before. This is not unfamiliar. This is not unfamiliar if you've been coming here a while. But the lukewarm church hates conviction. They hate conviction. There are people going to church. I haven't verified this. But there's a big church in a different state. The guy told me yesterday. That they actually have highway to hell. ACDC songs playing in the lobby to relate to the culture. My God. You might as well burn down the church. You think Paul's going to walk in and go is that ACDC? I'm a highway to hell. Great job relating to the culture. No. He'll say fall down on your face and repent of almighty God. Turn that garbage off. Let's glorify the risen savior. Not the prince of darkness. My God, church, you lost the fear of the Lord. You should walk into the holy presence of God. Fearing into some trembling God. Am I right before you? Oh, Lord, I want to please you. Shane, you're getting legalistic. I'm getting biblical. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. They walked in the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of God. No, they did not. They walked in the power of the Holy Spirit and the fear of the Lord. That's why they saw the miracles. Praise God we have a board that won't fire. Don't fire me for preaching this. They say that they fear God but they don't live like it. They indulge temptation. They don't fight it. And they enjoy sin rather than confront it. A person who loves being lukewarm will not like these messages. It's just the truth. Someone wanting to change will. And you've seen that. One of the biggest things we've ever seen here. You've seen it before. I've heard it out in the community. That guy is too hard. Or we love that church. We love that church. God broke me. We love it. We hate it. What's going on? Lord help me here. The heart. I want to encourage you to come on November 13th. Wednesday night. There's a testimony. One of the girls. She hated me. Two and a half years ago. She would go home and say, that guy is filled with so much hate. I hate that guy. Until she was converted. Now she can't get enough of church. So you better be careful what you hate. What you disdain. In the Bible. If it's coming from a preacher filled with anger and judgmentalism. Yes, dismiss it. But if it's coming from someone who's been laying on that floor since 5.45 this morning. Crying and weeping for this congregation. And for the lost souls. And the sinners. And praying, God you need to visit this place this week. Fasting this weekend. Didn't even eat yesterday all day until last night. Because I need God's power and spirit to move in this place. Then you listen. Then you listen. I'm reading a book. I forget the title. From 1922. It's written. The chapter I think is mainly to pastors. But it said, To pastors. It said if people aren't convicted. And changed. And transformed. And challenged in your ministry. If you're not stirring the works of darkness. And having the devil hate you. Then you might want to check your calling. Because you're not called to pastor a social club. We must stand guard. As a soldier on enemy ground. That's why I read the old books. Because they said the same thing. They're not worried about marketability. They're worried. You would be amazed. If I just read sermons from the 1800's. You'd be amazed. Why? Because they realized that the only hope for a nation. Even back then was repentance. The only hope is for people to see their sin. And tremble in the presence of God. Have you ever seen on a court. On live TV. Somebody gets sentenced to death. Or life in prison. They cry out. They fall down. Oh my God. And the same thing happens in a church. When people are convicted. They think it's weird. But shouldn't somebody being convicted by almighty God. Feel the weight of that? See the days of church. Being a nice cute little hour long service. Don't ruffle feathers. Don't get too emotional. Was your pastor at the altar? That's weak. No you shouldn't be asking was your pastor at the altar. You should be asking why wasn't your pastor at the altar? Why wasn't he broken before God? Why wasn't he emptied of himself? Listen I don't do that to puff me up at all. God this morning dealt with me in a powerful way. I'm not going forward. I'm not doing that. I'm not going forward God. I've been up here all morning. And he just kept prompting me and prompting me. To continue to just that breaking process. And verse 7. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written. The people sat down to eat and drink. And rose up to play. Nor let them commit sexual immorality. As some of them did. And in one day 23,000 fell. People say oh I'm so glad we don't have the Old Testament God. Well tell that to Ananias and Sapphira. The New Testament. I personally believe the purity of the church was so precious. Was so special. They walked in the path. Can you imagine Jesus walking in the path? Just your shadow falling on people and being healed. That when you speak the word of God. People come under conviction of sin. And cry out what must we do to be saved. They walked in the power of the spirit. Why? Because they are filled with the spirit of God. The purity. The level of intimacy. The level of holiness. That's why you're not going to see a lot of people moving in the power of God these days. Because our blessing in America has become our curse. So many things have drawn us away from God. Nor let us tempt Christ. As some of them also tempted. And were destroyed by serpents. And nor complain. As some of them also complained. And were destroyed by the destroyer. What do we do with this text? Paul says these were given as an example for you. Balcony you too. Can't get away up there. You too. Facebook. We have people listening live. Thousands of people listening watching. The same principle applies to us today. They were given to you as an example. So let's talk about the first one. What is an idolater? Well I'm glad you asked. Each one would take a sermon of their own. So let's do the abridged version. I call this person the Las Vegas Christian. Oh you'll get it. You'll get some point. The Las Vegas Christian. They look just like the world. They sat down to eat and to drink. Remember gluttony, drunkenness. And they rose up to play. That's what life is. For many people life is this. I'll go to church on Sunday. Right? As long as it doesn't interfere with my boating, jet skiing, mountain biking, this and this thing. And my vacation and this thing I have planned. This potluck. I think I can fit God in there somewhere. What's their focus on? Barbecuing and eating. Barbecue later? Fine. Wonderful. Not saying that. Don't take it to the next level. It's that lifestyle of eating too much and drinking too much. And fitting God in whenever. If they can squeeze him in. And I told you this earlier. Overeating and indulging is often linked with sin. It's throughout the Bible. Why is that? Because when I lose control on my bodily appetites, it will govern other areas of my life. It all filters in. You don't see anybody self-disciplined in a certain area. I mean giving in to certain things. Self-discipline in other areas. It all goes together. And then number two. Sexual immorality. I've been wanting to say this for 10 minutes. Let me just say it. If for some reason you don't like what I've been saying thus far. You're upset at this. I challenge you. I beg you to take it to God. Because so many people run from conviction when they should be running to it. They blame the pastor. Or they blame, oh well he doesn't know my situation. Oh that's just mean spirited. That's just legalistic. No, if I could do anything else this morning, I would. If I could preach any other topic this morning, I would. But God's spirit laid hold of me. And gave me this topic for you. Number two. Sexual immorality. Proverbs 5.3 reminds us this. That the lips of an immoral woman drip honey and her mouth is smoother than oil. Remember, remember. Tweet this if you want to. If you have Twitter or Facebook. Or even Snapchat this one. Sin fascinates before it assassinates. Sin always fascinates before it assassinates. What do I mean by that? Well, look at this. Immoral, they drip with honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil. Sin looks good. It's enticing. And so many people say, well this just feels right Shane. It must be right. No, no, no. No, that's not true. Doesn't line up with scripture. Well, kind of. What's that old song? It feels so good. How can something so good be so wrong? But of course. How else would it draw you? How else would it draw you? Is a trout going to bite if I throw a comb in the lake for as a lure? Or a hairspray? Of course not. But if I get a nice little worm moving around. See, the enticement is there. And sexual immorality. The porn epidemic. The casual sex. People say, well I had a fling. No, that's an affair. That's adultery. And this epidemic of sexual perversion. We look around and we're like, what is going on in our culture? It's linked to this. And I don't want to be discouraging, but I want to be truthful. It's not going to keep going. I mean, it's not going to reverse course unless God brings revival. It gets more perverted. More sick. More deranged. There's lawsuits. I know there's one in Virginia now for a teacher who has to call a boy a girl. Because that's what she identifies at. And now there's gender fluidity. Do you know what that means? They can go back and forth. So it's confusing. Well, you're Chris. No, you're Matthew. What are you today? But see, what's this loud voice saying, this is rights. This is, people have, Shane, this is, you can't stop people from being who they are. Well, God's word stops people from being who they are. Because who they are will destroy you. The flesh, if it has its way, will destroy you. Yes, we're supposed to put restraints on things. Did you know the Supreme Court of the United States of America, if you look at the founding document, was supposed to line up cases with scriptural references. You know that? They used William Blackstone's commentaries of the laws of England. They gave scripture next to the laws. We don't care what Europe said. We're not concerned with what Finland does. What does God's word say? That's what we're supposed to do. John Jay said in his will, the Supreme Court justice said unto him who is the author and giver of all good, I render sincere and humble thanks for his emerited blessings especially for my redemption through his beloved son Jesus Christ. The Supreme Court. See, you do, you guide the nation with God's law. You guide people with God's rule. Shane, you can't legislate morality. If I have a dollar for everyone who told me that. You can't legislate morality. True, you cannot change a person's heart. We can't say, okay look, this is wrong and it's going to change your heart. But you can restrain evil. You can restrain evil and deter wrongdoing and as our nation begins to limit the penalty for sin, you're going to see a rise and increase in violence because they're minimizing these things. And then three, tempted. I'm sorry, tested Christ. They tested Christ. What does that mean? To tempt Christ. To tempt him. Remember when you were little kids, you ever play that, nah, nah, nah, you can't catch me. Tempting, you know. They tempted him. They tested him. How do we do that today? Well, we must guard our tongue. Guard our tongue. What were they saying back then? Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? Think about that. God delivers them from Egypt. Just watching the ocean part, I would be okay. Alright. And feeding us and but then they get out in the wilderness. God, why have you brought us here to die? Well, we would never do that. Oh, we sure do. Look at Facebook. It's filled with more complaining than I've ever seen. Everybody hates California. Everybody hates United States. The government's coming after my wages. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Why shouldn't we be more thankful? You think God is pleased by all the complaining and bickering and things that we do? Conviction alert. I know. I've been there. But that's what complaining is. Christians should not be a group of people that complains. Woe is me. Tempting Christ. Testing what God is. Because what it is, you're actually living in the blessings of God and then you mock those blessings when you complain. And when I complain, we mock the blessings of God. Now, all these things happened to them as examples as they were written for our admonishment. Or to admonish us. Upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. Do you know what that means? For all you high-minded spiritual people in here, be careful. Pride is a biggie here. You're saying this. Well, God's Word's saying this. If it happens to one, it can happen to all. If it happens to one person, it can happen to all. And to really encapsulate this into one sentence, here's what He's saying. Or here's what He's warning against. I would never. I would never. They left their marriage? I would never. They fell back into this? I would never. I couldn't. Oh, I'm so spiritual. Don't you know? Paul says, be careful. Because pride opens the door. And instead of becoming broken, humble, and appreciated, we become a compromiser. We begin to compromise in certain areas. With pride leading the way, you'll begin to compromise. The deception of pride, but the blessing of brokenness. So Paul's teaching us here, be careful. Wouldn't that give you a more gracious and loving heart as well? What about if we approach people caught in sin with grace? Saying, if it wasn't for the grace of God, there go I. Could it be the only reason you don't have an addictive personality, praise God, is because of the DNA, how you're created? By the sheer grace of God, you don't struggle with addiction. Yet we'd look down on those who do. Well, look at that homeless guy. Have you ever talked to some of them? They lost their family? They're in the military? They literally have no one to turn to? So here comes the excuse eliminator in verse 13. I've always called this the excuse eliminator. Are you ready for it? No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. But God is faithful. Remember this. Well, how is God faithful? I'm being tempted. Well, he's going to explain. Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to what? Bear it. So God is faithful. How? That doesn't make any sense. I'm being tempted. How's God faithful? God's faithful. He's not going to give you anything more than you can carry in the sense that you can say no. You can turn from because God is faithful. I mean unless you can interpret that scripture any other way you may be able to bear it. There's a load. So here's the three points I want to leave you with. I believe for many people the blessing is waiting on you. The blessing is waiting on you. A.W. Pink in his commentary on Joshua said this It would indeed be strange if we apprehended how that on one hand Canaan was a free gift for Israel which they entered by grace alone. Correct? God said I've given you the promised land. It's by my sheer grace I'm giving you the promised land. However Yet they had to fight for every square inch of it. Isn't that so true? So Christian wake up. We are in a battle. We are in a battle. Like I said on Wednesday. I read Psalm 3-1 on Wednesday. If you're not here on Wednesdays I would change your schedule and be here on Wednesdays. God's moving in a powerful way. David said this. Lord how they have increased who troubled me. Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me there is no help from him and God. I can handle any other issue but what about when God is not there to help you. That's when things get difficult. But you oh Lord you are a shield for me. My glory and the one who lifts up my head. I cry to the Lord with my voice and he heard me from his holy heel. That's what many of you need to do. You need to get back to that prayer closet. You need to cry out to God and say God deliver me from destruction as I pray and as I wait and as I fight and as I rest. That's your command today. God says pray, wait, fight, rest. Rest in me. Pray, fight, wait, rest in me. So I believe the blessing is waiting for many of you. Many of you if obedience occurs. Well Shane can you be more specific? No but the Holy Spirit can. Convicting you of certain areas. Number two. I believe that the filling of the Holy Spirit is waiting. Is waiting for many of you. To hit sin right between the eyes we need to go back to the old path. The old path of holiness and a deep hunger for righteousness. This forward motion leads to the filling of the Holy Spirit. You can't be filled with sin and the Spirit at the same time. Listen if you want to see lives radically change the pastors and the pulpits need to get back to preaching the holiness of God. The righteousness of God where people are on the altar on their face before God and saying God fill me with your Spirit. Do you know that the filling of the Holy Spirit is often just one step away? What's that step? From disobedience to obedience. The filling of the Spirit. If you seek me you will find me. Paul said be filled with the Holy Spirit. That's an active tense there of a verb meaning crying out to God. Seeking God. Being filled with God's Spirit. So are many of you not filled with God's Spirit? Is that blessing waiting on you? Well what will hinder it? Disobedience. Disobedience. And then number three of course for many people, some of you being here today, salvation is waiting. Isn't that interesting with salvation? It is waiting. I'm going to read from the NLT. I normally don't do that. It's more of a commentary but they nailed the nail on the head with this. 2 Peter 3.9 The Lord isn't being slow about His promise as some people think. No He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Why don't we say that anymore? I mean if we see somebody driving toward a cliff, we see kids running in the street, we'll get vocal. We'll get vocal and I don't think you need to run around being mean and angry to people. But like I said earlier woe be to God that sinners will cry out and say Christ accept me. Accept me. So what area this morning is God possibly speaking to you on? The blessing is waiting for you. The blessing of brokenness. The blessing of being filled with the Spirit. Or being saved. How many people don't truly know Jesus Christ? See it's a free gift. Salvation is a free gift but application has to be taken. You have to apply what God has already been given. Well how does that work? The Bible says if you confess that Christ is Lord and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. It's really that simple.