In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the state of the people and how they have turned to lies and falsehood as their refuge. He refers to the scripture that says God has laid a sure foundation, a precious cornerstone, for those who believe in Him. The preacher also discusses the concept of being lost and how Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He emphasizes that salvation is not based on external factors like profession or membership, but on knowing and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and a reminder that God desires all people to come to Him.

If you turn tonight to the book of Isaiah, the subject for tonight is false refuges. False refuges. There is a preacher in the world that could get me to do things like a pastor can, and he's bigger than I am, and stronger, and I'd do nearly anything for him. But this message tonight, he wrote and said I'd preach on it, and I lost it. No longer. I haven't preached it since 1951. So, he said that I could preach there. He said, you're one of the dumbest folks in the world, that you could preach the sermon one Sunday and repeat it the next, and nobody would remember it. He's proud of you, Bishop. Now, he didn't ask me to say that. He asked for a candidate. But in the 28th chapter of the book of Isaiah, beginning at verse 14, Wherefore, hear the word of the Lord, he scorned for men, that ruled this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, we've made a covenant with death, and with hell are we in agreement. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us. For we've made lies our refuge. And under falsehood have we hid ourselves. I do not know of a verse or scripture in the Bible that's more fitting to the spirit of this age. This is a hostile age. This is a hostile age. People are downright hostile now in their objection to anything that smacks of holiness. People are militant in their opposition to a religion that makes men holy. They are so militant that they don't mind telling you that they've got them a religion that doesn't have requirements, and that they're getting along very well, thank you. And they'd appreciate it if you'd go mind your business and leave them alone. A young man up in Wisconsin came to me after I'd preached the message in a factory. And he asked me a sort of embarrassing question. He said, suppose when you witness to somebody you work along beside of, at least seek to witness, and they spit in your face, what would you do? What would you do? And of course I didn't have any answer. I couldn't tell him what I would do. But all the facts are on the line. The statements of the people. And if I say it, they will basically say we've made lies our refuge. And under falsehood have we hid ourselves. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold I lay in thine for a foundation, a stone, a triad stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not be ashamed, shall not be afraid. The better rendering shall not be made ashamed. Here is the front line, the test by which the scriptures enable many women to detect whether their refuge is a false refuge or whether their refuge is a sure one. And that front line we want to speak about a little while tonight. It is the test of your experience with and faith in the Bible and the God of the Bible to live in the atmosphere of this hour. One of the most depressing things that I ever faced was to hold a meeting in a big city, in a small church, and make the drive from the motel where I'm living and came to the little church building and see the mass of people. Now, it looked like nobody else. And you see the lights and the thrills and everything else I came up that night. Well, I drove along with all the people in their yards and the traffic was heavy, the cars were full, the places of eating were full. And I thought about the text tonight and reflected upon the fact that there is no such animal as the human being that doesn't feel the need for a refuge from what he knows is sure. That there is another day coming, but that day is a day of judgment. Yes, and, sir, I used to use the expression that everybody that's lost will... But there were a few lost people. When the Lord said to the Son of Man, Come to seek and to save thy people... He wasn't talking about making an effort. He was talking about accomplishing a task. And it is blessed and true that everybody that's lost in what the Bible... He's trying to be saved. But they brought them down in the country and now and then again they'll find a third... No, I don't think there's any good in screaming for mercy. You see, I know two or three things about every person I ever saw. Not that I'm smart, but there's several things I know about you. One is I know you know there's a God. You can't brag about it. That's just something God gave all mankind. Another thing I know. I know you know there's a difference between right and wrong. You can't brag about that. That's something God gave. There's another thing I know. I know you know there's a life beyond the dead. You can't brag about that, but that's implanted in the human heart. That's a gift of God. And because I'm known that men know there's a God. And because I'm known that men know there's a difference between right and wrong. And the worst man will condemn himself for his wrongs sometimes and applaud the good. And because I know that every human being deep down inside of him knows that there's a life beyond the grave. Those things make me know that a man can't live unless he's got a hiding place, unless he's got a refuge. We need to face it as we try to witness publicly. I'm focused and like this over the radio, that fellow you're working by, that next door neighbor. They'll face this, not get discouraged by it. They're not anxious to buy you a washing machine because they think they've already got a good one and they're satisfied. Men have some sort of a refuge. If you're a human being, you can't make it without having some place where peace is spoken to you. And where you lie down in your bed at night and sleep, where you do work in the morning. A human being's got to have a hiding place. A human being's got to have a refuge because he knows the storm time is coming. And he knows that the hailstones of God's judgment are just around the corner. Those are not something we have to prove to men. Those things are just so. I'm going to talk to you a little tonight about your hiding place. You've got one, your refuge. I wish I could sit down beside you and just have a little intimate talk. And I could get on the inside of you and find out what gives you peace. Because you either got peace or you've been screaming for mercy. What you have found satisfaction in and what you're depending upon to be a shelter in the time of storm. Because you're a bet you're depending on something or somebody and you're in the same shelter. And you are dead if you're not. You've been screaming and you've run down this aisle and say for God's sake shut up talking and pray for me. That's right. What is your refuge? What is your refuge? Men have a refuge. And I want to talk tonight first of all about the one, one line. The one way you can test whether a man's refuge is a false one. And will be proven false and will fail you when the hail storms come. I think so seriously about the scripture that occurs a number of times in the language of our Lord. When he was here in the days of his flesh. It's a scripture that somehow or another, it just beats me as the kids say now. It makes me sit up and take notice. I couldn't often for it's such a. Here where I lay there at the last day. There's a scripture that depicts something that's going to take place. And people are going to be naked in this. There right now I hope you're depending on the only one. Bring that body back to us. You'll need the right kind of a person. One somebody can get the job done in a case like that. I think of this scripture I saw the dead stand before God. Never the nerve fled away. Found no place for them. They had to stand there. Tell you right now. I wouldn't want to spend all my life with a false hope. Or a false refuge. When I have to stand before God. When I have to stand before God. What is the thing that is the acid test that shows up between this. Between a false hope. And a sure hope. Between a false refuge. And a true refuge. I think the Lord tells us about it. Matthew chapter 7. At verse 21. The Lord will say in Matthew 27. Not everyone that saith unto me. Lord, Lord. That's all that I'll say to you. That's all that I'll say to you. Shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But here's a verse that bothers me. If I were to teach you some theologians. Let's just read it. And not try to interpret it. Not everyone that saith unto me. Lord, Lord. Shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But. He that does the will of my Father. Which is in heaven. I read the Lord in his commentary. Trying to get rid of that. Whether you have a false hope tonight. Or a true hope. The answer is this. That whether you have a refuge of lies. Or a true refuge. It is well or not. First and second place in your life. That has made me. Don't be afraid of it. That in the next. If he trusts in experience. Or doctrine. Or anything between. That has not. Is a false hope. These are the things. Whose standards have gone out the winds. And I don't know how to handle many things. But there's one thing I do. And that's the essence. Behold. It just makes you feel. Is a false hope. Is a false hope. Gentlemen. My Lord. Trying to rescue the perishing. And care for the dying. That's right. What he said. When a person doesn't want to save others. In these days. When some. Are trying to maintain. The salvation. Is to be in vain. And again. What is your hope? You've got one. What is your refuge? You've got one. This has been repeated. It always does. The Old Testament times. God select. Covenant nation. The Jews. Three of those five nations. The God picked out all the big nations. Gave a job to do. God had to send his prophets. Time after time. The little self-satisfied people. Who just sat around. Rejoicing day by day. Others. That little missionary. Zero. God turned from them. With a redemptive curse. And God. Turned to nobody else. Who. Missed salvation. Something. To compliment themselves about. Not something. To rejoice in. As a secret. To spread the good tidings to others. And always those people. With nobody on God's earth. Between the eternities. That now don't need. Church and prayer. They always wound up in the same ditch. And there's a verse. Scripture in Jeremiah. That describes them that way. My people. Are committed to evil. They forsaken God. That's bad enough. And they founded themselves. Systems that have no water in them. Bad enough to forsake God. That's what that nation did. But in thine words. Having forsaken God. To dig your well. And drink water out of it. And be satisfied. And thus the prophets. Prophets would come along. Calls to repentance. Nobody much heard the mind. They had a refuge. They were drinking out of water. Well they dug themselves. And they were satisfied. And they had no need for repentance. And that then children. When the Lord Jesus was here. And the deeds of his flesh. You have to address them. And you see in John chapter 5 verse 39. You're constantly. Searching the scriptures. Great Bible students. For in them. The scriptures you think. You have eternal life. But eternal life is not in the scriptures. And these are those that testify of me. And ye did. Ye desire. Not to desire. But come unto me. That ye might have life. And the reason ye desire. Not to desire. Oh a man comes a little bit real. He's a bug man a little real. He's got him a forefoot. And he's found a hiding place. And he's under the cover. You know you people do hear a balloon in the back. It flies to me. And ye desire not to desire. That ye might. Have life. That ye might have life. But your hiding place tonight. I wonder if I speak into somebody tonight. Hope of heaven. That's in that culture scripture. Behold. What man of love. The father. Hath bestowed. Upon us. That. We should be called. The sons of God. Therefore the world. Knoweth us not. And we. And we do not know. What we shall be. But. We do know this. We know that when he. Shall appear. We. Shall be like him. But. We shall see him. As rich. That'll make us funny. In the next verse. And every man. I get it. Every man. That hath this house in him. One moment. The house for one day. Don't tell me. You'll pursue her in this. No, no. Don't tell. If you've got the right view. Of the many moons that is returned. You'll pursue her in this. Oh, no. I shouldn't say it, but people like me. But a man of love. And every country. Who knows. They are here. Let's get things clarified and said. As for Paul. Like the young Timothy. Come home, my lord. What are. Your manners. Then there is. From the necklace. That's. In him. God moves. You'll get mad at me. Because. We're in the preachers with us. Time now. Must. Do a lot of hard searching. Weeping in his closet. This. Moving. Money. Mad. Crazy. Crazy. My judgment is. That the man next to the girl. Now. He's going to lie. In something. About what our fathers. Thought. About. Pursuit. Now. I'm not going to catch you. Accidentally. I believe it's going to be the dominating motive of your life. And that holiness. Is the will of God. And that's exactly what it is. I come back to say that the acid test of your hope. Is as the will of God. The central thing. In your life. And what I'm doing right now. That's quite a challenge. That's quite a challenge. Is your refuge. An unsanctified. Hope of heaven. What does the scripture mean beloved? Follow peace. And holiness. Apart from which. No man. Shall see God. I was a big Greek scholar. Knows so much more about Greece than I do. And I said I want you to answer a question. I want you to tell me what kind of woman is this talking about in Greece? This is not. Imputed righteousness. This is. This is what I. That's not. That he walked in the path of hope. Seeking the will of God. An unsanctified. Hope. Of heaven. That does not breathe in death. Until with their weight. In the likeness of Christ. Hold on the chain says the Christian. Has a peculiar. Peace. There's a war going on. And the reason. Hold on the chain. And the peace. You have a refuge and it's a false one. Because it's an old experience that stays old. An old experience. That stays old. I remember one time I tackled my beloved brother. Brother in use. And I said now you can have. You will explain. You can be. I always. Turn insane. Anybody. That's depending on an experience. Of this Christ. And what about that? In salvation and experience. Oldness. But you have an experience. Without Christ. And I said what are you getting at? And I never got away from what he said. And I found out five or six. He kept telling the truth. That this business of salvation. Is Christ. Christ didn't die. He's alive. And you're not a tin can. You're a living person now. And in salvation or any experience. That you got to go back. To that experience. Somebody said. That regeneration was the experience. By which we were changed. With a change. That keeps on changing. Until we made. Life. Christ. And experience. Is old. And stains old. And experience. Would be a much cooler thing. To have a ten year experience. When those old storms. Began to fall. I mentioned in your presence many times. The man who had an experience of religion. And he had it written down. And made the rules of the deeds to his land. And his faith. To keep it. Until the time he needed it. And this being all the evidence he had. That once in a while he would deceive. And unlock it. Refer to his experience and read it again. And get comfort. Anytime when he was dying. He felt the need. His record of religion. Had it all revealed. Unlocked the seed. And somewhere or another a mouse got in. And eaten up his experience. A man could have his experience. Where it might have been. He could have his great feeling. He said he had it. So he died out. So much better. To have a living. Living Lord. He's the lion. You're the branch. Old Justice Smith used to run a meeting. For several weeks. He never sang but two songs. Let the beauty of Jesus deceive me. But his favorite was I need thee. Oh, I need thee. With him, without him for an hour. Meanwhile he kept telling him all the time. Oh, there was never. This is a brother of mine. There was never a time. When in the evidence I've got. That I'm a child of God. Needs to go back a day. Is this heaven? Am I in touch with life? The branch gets its life from the vine. Can I make it? Cut off? No sir. What do you do with the vine? When the branch is cut off? They throw it in the fire. God efforts. The acid tears. It's not the experience you had now. But a relationship. With a living Lord. In whose image. You feel constantly changed. From glory to glory. There isn't anything between the eternities. As beautiful. As an old man sitting there 80 years old. That's a Christian. Lord. Just like that all. That process. Of looking. Looking. Looking in the right direction. To the right person. Being changed. And it. Gets better all the time. From glory to glory. An experience that's old. And stable. Is a false refuge. It'll fail you. When the storm comes. Mr. Spurgeon used to say. Some people's profession. Are real. And some are false. But one thing's dead certain. They'll all be tested. They'll all be tested. I think. I wonder if I'm speaking to somebody now. Tell me what your refuge is. This is a late resolution. Tomorrow. Tomorrow you can get this thing fixed up. I remind you. You've lived in a generation. Where the gospel's been a stranger. I'm not trying to pick a fuss. But you've lived in a generation. Where churches and denominations. And religious structures have been built. On the will of man. Not the grace of God. I remind you. That you've lived in a generation. There's no water out of us. There's rain within it. Where salvation's sunk. I wonder how many of you. Feel good tonight. Nobody's going to scare you. You're not lost. Oh, everyone. I'm not a Christian. But I'm alright. Tomorrow. I'm going to get this thing fixed up. Oh, I would be. This generation of puppet preachers. That have based salvation. On such a poor thing. There's a poor little dirty weak. Perverted will. Of men and women. And that's the most hopeless thing. This side of it. With all the mistakes I've made. I hope when I come. To give an account of my ministry. I'll be bought and washed away. The storm. The hill. The struggle. God knows. I wouldn't want to waste my life. These forty years. Trusting men back. On their power. Of what they're going to do. Yet this generation. I wonder how many of you. You're alright. For tomorrow. You're going to take that great big wheel of yours. You're going to knock a home run. That's a busted wheel. My friend. I haven't got enough confidence. In what you do. I've got to do it for myself. Oh, salvation. Something a million times more wonderful than that. Salvation. Something God does. He gives to men. But this generation believes what it is. Have you? And tomorrow. You're going to get right with God. You're alright. You'll sleep well tonight. Because tomorrow. You're going to do less than so. But enough to read. To trust. And I've asked you. In the seminary years since. We never heard of but one preacher. The blessed. Dr. George Truett. They told us young preachers. Brother Truett said this. And he did this. And that and the other. And I remember hearing him. Was a blessed man. Tell this story. That I was a timid young Christian in Baylor University in Texas. And they had revival services in that college. My pal and I, Jim. Went to the meetings together. And one night as we stood for the invitation. Tears began to trickle down Jim's face as I stood by him. And I timidly placed my hand on his arm. And said Jim. Tonight. Tonight Jim. Dr. Truett said Jim said no. Not tonight George. Not tonight. And he said I insisted. Just whispered to him. Tonight. Jim. And with his tears trickling down his face. Jim said no George. Don't say no to him. I don't want you to say another word to him. If I feel this way tomorrow night. I'm going. But not tonight. He said the service broke up. We each went to our separate rooms and places. The next night I went to the meetings and Jim wasn't there. And I was busy here and there. And the next night Jim wasn't there. And the next day I got concerned. I've been rather busy. But I went to Jim's boarding house. And I knocked on the door and there came the lady. And I said I've come to inquire about Jim. She said it's high time you got here. Why? I haven't been here before. And George said what's the matter? Oh did you know? He said no. Why? Jim's gone. Jim came home from preaching two nights ago. Took seven years. He's been at the point of death ever since. George said I wonder if I could see him. She said well he's in a coma. He's unconscious. Been unconscious since he was stricken two nights before. And said we're afraid to bother you. Nobody's done their best but he says it's noble. She said it wouldn't hurt for you to go in. And George said I went in to that room of death and there was my pal Jim lying there. And I sat by him and tried to talk to him. Tried to wake him out of his coma. And directly said his lips began to mumble. And he said not tonight George. Not tonight. Don't say anything more tonight George. If I feel this way tomorrow night I'm going. But not tonight. And George said my pal died. And the last words came from his subconscious mind. He was still in a coma. The last words that fell from his lips. Not tonight. Not tonight. What's going to happen tomorrow. It's a false refuge. What you're going to do is I'll summon up your great will. I said my lean, read the leaf. False refuge. Well tonight. I hope you've got a good night. I hope you know my disciple. Run to the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the one life giving spirit in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ. Our Father. We pray that the ministry of the Holy Spirit. May be present just now. That spirit will all penetrate the spirit of eternity bound people. Strip off the falseness. Leave people naked in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Men can't do this Lord. You can. Men cannot tear down false refuges. You can. You did it for me. May it please you to do it for others. Deal with this congregation. You're the only one. That can get inside of us. Have mercy upon us. In this closing moment. By thy grace. Enable men and women to see rightly. And hear clearly. And act. As unto eternity. For Christ's sake we pray.