In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of repentance and the dangers of burnout. He shares a personal experience of being afflicted by powers of darkness and how repentance saved him. The speaker also highlights the need to please God rather than men and references Matthew 7 to support this point. He further connects this idea to Paul's teachings in Philippians 4, emphasizing the importance of practicing what is true, honorable, and pure. The sermon concludes with a warning from Deuteronomy 29 about the dangers of idolatry and the need to come out of the world.

This is tape number 9 in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in this series in numerical order so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. Now, you'll be afflicted in every way, but let me share something with you. If I had not known how to repent and been shook out of the direction I come, those powers of darkness that was on me would have crushed me and destroyed me and I'd have died. They were there. If this man that was in my house hadn't in his heart, he canceled every schedule that he had, he's right now gone on a 40-day fast. And one of the last sermons he preached was, you better get out of that religious system just as hard and fast as you can. I like that part too. Now, the ones who don't have any conception of this kind of repentance, burnout's going to come on them and burnout's going to kill them. And they'll just think it's burnout. But we're going to be afflicted in every way, but we're going to repent and we'll come to peace. We'll die. Here we go. Verse 8, we're afflicted this same way. We're going to walk like we're afflicted in every way. That's in the parable of the Word, but we're not crushed. We're going to be perplexed, but we're not going to despair and walk on that heaviness. We're going to be persecuted. There's your persecution and affliction within the parable of the Word. But we're not going to be forsaken. We're going to be struck down. We're not going to be destroyed. We always get up. We're always caring about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're taking up our cross and laying down our life that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ may be manifested in our bodies. Glory be to God. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of the Lord Jesus Christ may be manifested, be manifested, be manifested in our mortal flesh, and it comes through the fruit of righteousness. Verse 16, Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man the flesh is decaying, yet our inner man the spirit of man is being renewed day by day. For this momentary as fall calls it light afflictions, its light afflictions die into the flesh. It is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. Boy, when you have some people around that's loving the Lord with a pure heart and you see them going through the same thing, honey, then they're there just to encourage you. They'll tell you what you watch them go through, and you just help them and love them. They come around and help and love you. We need love and encouragement. That's what we've been dying for. Do you know it? And then in verse 18, And we look not into things which are seen. We've got a living hope. You know, James talked about that, the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen, we look in that city that is not built at hand. We've gone. We're headed on our way to Mount Zion. Hold your place. No, I'm not going to let you turn over there. You've already seen it once. I'm just going to read it to you when I find it. And here's what it says. It's a certain verse somewhere in the Bible. If you know the Lord Jesus is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness or bears the fruit of righteousness are the ones who are born of him. And, beloved, now we are children of God. It has not appeared as yet what we shall be, but we know that when the Lord Jesus Christ appears, we'll be like him. And everyone who has this hope fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ is going to purify himself. But everyone who practices sin also is going to practice lawlessness because sin is lawlessness. And that's what the hope we have. And yet the hope isn't seen, but we walk in it by faith. Now we're in 2 Corinthians 5. In 2 Corinthians 5, verse 14, Paul went on to say that this is for you, body of Christ, and it's for me also, for the love of Christ is controlling us. Having concluded this, that one died to the Lord Jesus Christ, and for all, therefore all are what? They're going to die also. And he died for all that we who live should no longer live for our flesh, as you see up there on the screen. But we're going to live for him who died and rose again on our behalf. In other words, whoever wants to follow me, Jesus Christ said, you're going to have to take up your cross and follow me. But whoever wants to save his life is going to lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, and the gospel is the one that's going to save it. And that's who we live for, for the one that died on the cross. We love him with you, God, all of our hearts. Amen? Praise God. Now look in verse 17. Therefore if any man is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. The old things, the old man, the old ways of life, the ways of the world have passed away. Behold, a new things have come. He's a new creation. He walks, lays, does the will of God in his life as it's done in heaven. He doesn't walk like he do on earth. Now all things are from God who reconciled us to himself. How did God reconcile us to him? He brought us back to him through Jesus Christ who brought the Word and the Spirit. And Jesus has given us the ministry of reconciliation that we can bring others back to him also. Namely that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses, their previous trespasses against him, but he has committed to us the word of reconciliation which is the gospel. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ as though to God, as though God were entreating to us, and we go around this world and we beg you, we beg everyone, we beg you on behalf of the Christ, be reconciled to God, be saved from your trespasses in the wrath of God. Verse 21, And he made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become what? We might become what? The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Look at me, folks. The standard right here. The false gospel will say, I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and was raised from the dead, and then you become the righteousness of God. I'm going to tell you a part. I'm going to tell you what. You walk in that walk right there, and you begin, you are saved at this point, and you're in a process of being saved if you don't turn back. When you come to this place and you make Jesus Christ your Lord, you are in righteousness because you are never to practice sin again. That's how you become the righteousness of God. But if you turn back, you're not the righteousness of God. You're no longer the righteousness of God, and you will lose the Spirit of God that's in you if you turn and you don't receive correction to come back, and you continue to practice sin. Are you hearing what I'm saying? You don't become the righteousness of God by just saying some words when you're not walking the walk of repentance. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now, let's just continue and see what else we see there. While we're here, let's look through 2 Corinthians 6. We've already seen right there that, Do not be bound together, verse 14. Do not be bound together with unbelievers. What partnership have you at walking righteousness with those that walk in lawlessness? What fellowship has light with darkness? Amen? It has no fellowship at all, does it? Amen? Now, I'm going to skip that. Let's go to 2 Corinthians 9. 2 Corinthians 9. I meant 2 Corinthians 10. I'm sorry. Now, we're going to look in verse 3. We're going to look in 2 Corinthians 10, verse 3. Okay? But though we walk in the flesh now, we no longer what? Look at me, folks. Look up here. We no longer walk according to the flesh. When something comes against us, we no longer hit back with anger, unforgiveness, resentment. But look at where we are right now. This is what's happening now. For the weapons of our warfare, which is in Ephesians 6, are not of the flesh, but it is divinely powerful for the destruction of what? Fortresses that the powers of darkness have built off of roots that's other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and we're tearing down those fortresses. Is that right? I want to ask you, are you getting peace and freedom in your life? Amen. Now, we're destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we're taking how many thoughts captive? We take every thought captive of the obedience of Jesus, and we're ready to punish all disobedience whenever your obedience is complete. Is that correct? Now, chapter 11. Paul says, verse 2, I'm jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I want to present you as what? I want to present you as a pure virgin. Amen? But I'm afraid, lest as a serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your mind should be led astray from the simplicity and the purity of devotion to Christ. Is that what's happening today? For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus whom you have not preached, and then you're going to receive a different spirit which you've not received, and then you get a different gospel which you've not accepted, you're burying all this beautifully. Amen? Verse 14, It's no wonder for even Satan, verse 14, no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, therefore it is not surprising if the servants of Satan also disguise themselves acting like they're servants of righteousness, acting like they're walking in righteousness whose end is going to be according to their deeds. Amen? Now, I want to ask you something. We've already gone through Galatians, and we've already seen that Christ is supposed to be formed in us. And that's exactly the way it formed in Paul. And we're not perfected in the flesh, but we are perfected in the spirit. We died the flesh. Amen? And we went through Galatians, and I don't need to do this again, but we know that the church of Jesus Christ in this world walks and talks like they do in heaven. We become a new creation. We become the new Israel. We become a new Jew. We become the new Jerusalem. We become the sign of God. We're the city of the living God. We're the church of the firstborn of the Lord Jesus Christ which keeps the commandments of God's law. We're holy, and we're spotless and blameless. Is that exactly what we've seen? Now, there's nothing going on in the world like that, is there? Is that right? All right. Now, I want you to turn back to Philippians 3, then. Did Paul say we're going to walk as he walked? Philippians 3, verse 13. Brethren, 3.13. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having hold of it yet, but one thing, that's being perfect. One thing I do, I forget those things which are behind, and I'm reaching far into what lies ahead. I press on to the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us, therefore, as many as are what? If some of you out there are already perfect, have this attitude, as if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you. However, if you're perfect, you keep living by the same standard, that's perfection, to which we have attained. Amen? That's perfection. Now, brother, he said in verse 17. Brethren, now watch this. Church, he's saying, brethren, church, join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern that you what? Does Paul say walk the same way that I walk? Is that what he says there? Look just for a second over in Philippians 4. I want you to see something. Verse 9. Paul said, the things you have learned, the things you have received, the things that you've heard, the things that you've seen in me, Paul says, what does he say? Practice these things and the God of peace is going to be with you because it's all over me. Verse 8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good repute, if there's any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on what? It's going to dwell on the good things. Now, verse 7. And the peace of God, which passes all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen? Now, does Paul say three times, you know, you walk exactly and you suffer like I do. Amen? Now, we turn back to 3.18. For many walk, Paul says, they're continuing to walk in the flesh, whom I often told you and now tell you, even weeping, that they're enemies of the cross of Christ. Now, I want you to look at them back there in verse 2, back up to verse 2. And you're warned right there, beware of the who? The dogs who won't walk in the covenant. Amen? We saw them a while ago. Beware of the evil workers. That's the false teachers. Beware of the false circumcision. Well, who is a false circumcision? We're going to see it. For we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God, and our glory is not men, our self-glory, but it's the Lord Jesus Christ, and we put no confidence in the flesh. The false circumcision puts our confidence in the flesh. Do you see that? Now, let's back up to verse 18. Go back to verse 18. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you, even weeping, they're enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite flesh, whose glory is in their shame, fleshly ambition, and they got their minds set on earthly things, and that's who Jesus has come to destroy. You saw that. For our citizenship is no longer of the world, but it's where? Our citizenship is in heaven, at the right-hand throne of God, from which also we are now eagerly waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen? Who will transform the body of our humble state into the conformity of the body of His glory by the exertion of the power that He evens to subject all things to Himself. Now, we're going to get into a very interesting thing here in a little bit. I want you to look with me back in Philippians 2 again right here, and I want you to see something with me. Now, we skipped a thing or two, and I want you to see it. Now, let's see if this makes sense to you, this verse in verse 12 now. Let's see how it sounds to you now. See if it sounds different the last time you heard it. Verse 12, So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, you work out your salvation with fear and trembling. How many are beginning to understand that right now? Hold up your hands. And Paul goes on to say, For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling and disputing, that you may prove yourself to be, what? Blameless and innocent. Is that exactly where the first Adam was before he fell? He was an innocent, and he's blameless. Isn't that right? That's the walk that you return to. That's where the second Adam has taken you back to, to be blameless and innocent children of God, above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you're going to appear as what? In this world, you're going to be the light of the world. Amen? Jesus came as the light of the world, and now we're going to become lights. Amen? Now, verse 16. Hold fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ they may have cause to glory, because you did not run how? In vain, nor toil in vain. Now, I want to show you something, exactly, so you'll understand for sure how salvation comes to you. I want you to hold your place there in Philippians, and I want you to turn with me back to Titus for just a moment, please. I mean, you turn over to the right to Titus. About four books. At the end of the T's. Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus. And I want you to see how salvation comes to you, so you'll not mistake what salvation is. Titus 2, verse 11. You ready? For the grace of God, verse 11. For the grace, mark grace, of God has appeared bringing what? Salvation to all men. Now, you circle salvation and grace. Now, what is this salvation and grace going to do? Verse 12. It instructs us to deny ungodliness. That means all unrighteousness. We deny all worldly desires. That's what grace and salvation instructs you to do, is deny all ungodliness, all worldly desires, and grace and salvation instructs you to walk righteously and godly in this present age. Is that exactly what your Bible says? Now, I want you to look at me here. Is that what the doctrines teach today? Absolutely, they don't teach that. They sure don't teach it. Now, what are we going to be doing? Looking for the blessed what? Hope. Now, what did we see in 1 John 3, 2 and 3? When He appears, we're going to be like Him, and whoever has his hope fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what's he going to do? How do you purify yourself? You repent of all your lawless deeds and turn from them, and it goes down the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the transgressions are removed from you. Is that right? You don't just say, I believe all sin and come to the shore of the glory of God, and then you're going to be free of it. No, you repent and turn from it in your heart, and then the lawless deeds are removed that way. That's what purification is. Amen? It's a walk of salvation. Now, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, what He gave Himself on the cross, we saw in 1 Peter 2, 24, He gave Himself on the cross that we might die to sin, so we can live what? To righteousness. And He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from what? Ever lawless. How does He redeem us from ever lawless deed? For us, just saying some words, no, by having a walk of repentance. Is that right? Listen, folks, when you sit in a religious setting, and they tell you that you can just simply say some words, and you continue to walk in these deeds right here, they're leading you to your death for eternity. Don't speculate about what's happened to some of your ancestors and everything. Don't get it in your heart to love them more than you do God. Or you'll start speculating and trying to change the Word of God. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Don't change the Word of God with some of your 20th century reason. Jesus gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from ever lawless deed, and what is He going to do? He'll purify Himself of people for His own possession, zealous for good what? Good deeds, we saw them in 2 Timothy 2. After you're sanctified and purified, then you're prepared for the good works of righteousness and holiness and godliness. Amen? Praise God that's good. Now in chapter 3, verse 3, we see, For we also once were what? We were foolish folks, just like the foolish virgins of the day. We were foolish ourselves. We were disobedient children. We were deceived. We were enslaved to the various lusts of the flesh and pleasures. We were spending our life in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Is that where we once walked before Jesus Christ became our Lord? Amen? But when the kindness of God appeared, you remember seeing that in Romans 2? Our Savior and His love for mankind appeared through the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit of God. He has now saved us. Jesus Christ has saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we've done in righteousness. Now, I want to stop right there. Folks, look here. Put it up there, Frank. Although all of these right here is removed, and you now bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, jealousness, meekness, temperance, and faith, it's not the deeds of righteousness and love that saves you. Because these deeds are the result that you're already being saved. The work of grace is done in your heart, because you can't bear this fruit without the deeds, the works of the Spirit and the Word being washed. Because if you start making it your deeds, you might want to take some kind of credit for it. When you bear love, joy, and peace, long-suffering, goodness, jealousness, meekness, temperance, and faith, it's because God has caused you to possess the Holy Mountain. He's cleansed your heart. And after you've suffered a while, he establishes you, perfects you, strengthens you, and confirms you. Now, let me just show you just exactly what that's saying. He saves us, not on the basis of the deeds which have been done in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of the regeneration and the renewing by the Holy Spirit. Now, folks, let me tell you something. I want you to look at me here so you'll clearly understand this. Salvation is not your deeds which you do in righteousness. Salvation is the fact that you go through the various tests and you prove the love of the Lord by all your heart. And the result of loving the Lord with all your heart, that is the way the Word of God and the Spirit of God can remove all lawlessness from your heart, purify your heart. It's the process of purifying your heart that salvation comes to you. What comes out your mouth right here is only a result of the work that was done right here in your heart, which was a work of grace. And that work of grace can only happen in your heart, number one, if you love the Lord with all your heart. Number two, if you're obedient and receive discipline and proof. And that way, that is a way that everyone that's part of the Holy Remnant of God will prove. When you come through these tests and all the things, the powers that act will attempt your hearts to turn somewhere else and get your hearts on the world, things in the world of suffrage and self-centeredness, you prove you love God more than anything else. That's what saves you right here, having a pure heart. It's not the fruit that comes from it. The fruit out here is not what saves you. The fruit only shows you that salvation is there in your heart. Amen? Let me see that. Praise God. Now, we're back in Philippians 1. We're going to run into something good here in a minute. Now, I want you to realize something in Philippians 1, verse 28. Always remember this word when you're persecuted. In no way are you alarmed by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them. If they oppose this work, you know that. I'm going to tell you what. It's a sign of destruction for them. But it's a sign of salvation for you. Now, that's a good sign to have on your fridge, isn't it? Verse 30. You experience the same conflict, Paul said, which you saw in me and now hear it to be in me. Now, over in Philippians 2 again, I want you to remember this in verse 12. So then, my beloved just as you've always obeyed and just in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Verse 15, that you may prove, you're going to prove yourself. You're going to prove yourself to be blameless. A blameless person does not walk in lawlessness. And you're going to prove yourself to be an innocent children because you're not involved in any evil. Look here, evil thoughts does not lodge in your mind up here like it's talking back and back in Jeremiah 4. It doesn't lodge up here because you're not interested in lust and deceit and unforgiveness. It doesn't lodge up here because your heart only wants to please God. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So, verse 15, that you prove yourself to be blameless and innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation of whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of the life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory, because I did not run in vain, nor toil in vain. Now, watch very closely in verse, let's go to verse 19. Now, you know what the truth is about salvation. I want you to see the predicament that Paul found himself in there, if you will, please. Look at verse 19. But I hope in the Lord Jesus Christ to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition, for I have no one else of kindred spirit. I don't have anyone else to teach you, to send to you besides Timothy, who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare, for they're all seeking their own what? Look at me, put it up there, brother. All of them that's teaching the word of God are still walking after selfish ambition, and I can't send any of those to you, because they're still, they won't genuinely care for you. They'll genuinely care for you until some of these roots and motivations that's in their heart come up, and then they'll turn from that part of the word of God, and you can't be perfected in love when you put your confidence in man. How many see that? That's a false circumcision that puts his confidence in man. Why would a man who loves the Lord with a lawless heart want your confidence to be in you? What we do is point everything to Jesus, and we receive our glory from God, not men. Now I want you to look back in Philippians 1, verse 15. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from what? Pure motives. The latter do it out of love. The ones that do it out of good will. Verse 17, but the former who preach from envy and strife, they're preaching Christ out of what? Look at me, folks. Is this selfish ambition that we saw? The ones that preach Christ out of envy and strife, our hearts are full of this, selfish ambition. And their motives are not pure. And that's how they lead you astray, to doctrines which support this selfish ambition, so they can be kings and lords and princes over God's heritage. How many see that? That's what you're waking up to right now. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from what? They don't have pure motives. And we saw in 2 Peter 2 how they're preaching Christ from greed. Isn't that right? Did we see that? Now I want you to turn with me over to the right to 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians 2. And I want you to see when Paul, now we've seen Paul with the Corinthians, we've seen Paul with the Galatians, we've seen Paul with the Philippians, and now we're going to see Paul with the Thessalonians. We've seen Paul all over the place, amen? Two-thirds of the New Testament is written through Paul, amen? Now, 1 Thessalonians 2, I want you to listen very closely, verse 1. So you yourself know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. Now let me show you why it was not in vain, Paul's coming to the Thessalonians. If you look back in chapter 1, read 2 verses 6 and 7. You also, Paul said, the reason it wasn't in vain because you all, they said you all back then, you all became imitators of us, and you became imitators of the Lord, having received the word in what much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. That's the reason our coming was not in vain. Now we go back to chapter 2, verse 2. But after we had already suffered and been mistreated over in the Philippians, where we was reading a while ago in Philippi, amen? As you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid what? Much opposition. I want to ask you something. Is there much opposition today to the gospel? A little. You better believe it. For our exhortation, our preaching and teaching this word to God doesn't come from error. Look at me. We're not preaching from some error. We're not trying to preach to you. Let me get it rolled up here. We're not trying to preach it from the eyes of this doctrine here, what we see in the word of God. It's not from error. We're not leaving any of it out. We're not leaving none of the Bible out. I preach it all. We're not preaching to you from error. And we're not preaching to you from what? We're not preaching to you from an impure heart, amen? So you'll understand our motives. And we're not preaching to you from deceit. We're not saying one thing, while we're trying to fulfill greed and pride and selfish ambition and those things, amen? Folks, are you beginning to see something? Honey, you're going to start looking over people that's teaching the Bible, aren't you? You're a false circumcision if you put your confidence in a man. If you don't know the voice of Jesus to be able to hear it through him, you love people, but I'm going to tell you what, you don't put your confidence in a man. I mean, you have confidence in a man, but you don't put all your confidence in a man. A man's not your source. It's Jesus through the man. Are you hearing what I'm saying? See, when you put your confidence in a man, you're making him king. And then what you do, you make him stumble. You put him under. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now, I want to ask you something. If everybody wants to have Jesus receive all the glory, why does anyone want to be burdened with that? I run from people coming at me. Absolutely, I just take off like a... When I see people's hearts turning toward me, it breaks my heart. I'm working through too many things myself. I'm going to go out. I'm going out now. I'll tell you what I'm doing right now. As I drive through the country, the Lord sends me to stop, and I just get on the phone, and the Lord has had me go into a motel, and we get a room or get in a house right there, and I call somebody, and I know it's just walking with the Lord. I've got people around the country, and I have their names, and they just start calling up, and we just have a meeting there for a day or two, and I just love them and encourage them. And I just go on, because they're going through the fire. I just share a few things and wash them a little bit and go on. There doesn't have to be any of these meetings like this anymore. These meetings are good. I'm going to keep doing them, you know, because it's good to come back and to be encouraged and everything as you go on, and get to fellowship with others who are going through the same thing you are. You understand what I mean? See, I think we might... See, I can't plan these things. I don't know anymore, but I know in my heart I'd like to see more of a retreat setting where we stay there and where we just really have more time for fellowship with one another and everything. You see what I mean? Maybe stay there a while. And, you know, I'm more inclined to want to go somewhere and stay there. I don't like these meetings set up for five days. I like to go there until God says, Amen? Because I tell you, mostly what I do is I just go around in different parts of the country and I'm just sharing the foundation. I never really get into some of the things I'm getting into now. And I'm going to have to stop short of a lot of stuff here. And I had to go back and share some foundation. And you shouldn't be bothered by the fact that I go back and share a little of the foundation for the benefit of somebody that's come along that don't know what you do, because it can't hurt you to hear this over and over, because every time you hear it, it's going to tear down another wall. Amen? And the enemy has so tried to intimidate me. I've been sharing this thing over and over and over and over, and it gets clearer and clearer and clearer, and it gets brighter and brighter and brighter all the time, doesn't it? Glory be to God, it's good. Amen. Now, look at old Paul. Paul said, My exhortation doesn't come to you from error, impurity, or by way of deceit, but just as we've been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not as pleasing the men, the flesh of men, but we please God who examines our hearts. Amen? Verse 5. For we never came with flattering speech, like we did Owen Jude, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed, as you saw in 2 Timothy 2. God is our witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others. I want to ask you, isn't that wonderful? Verse 14. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you also endure the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews. Now, I want you all to listen very closely to that verse, or you'd miss something right now. Now, after Paul explained all the sufferings and his attitude and mine and his sharing, he said to them, verse 14, For you, brethren, became imitators of the true churches of God in Jesus Christ that are in Judea. Now, watch what he said to them. For you also endured the same suffering at the hands of your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews. I want to tell you, I don't care what city you're from, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Benton, Tennessee, wherever you're from, you're going to experience suffering from your countrymen. They're not going to understand people as trying to walk and talk like they are in heaven. Amen? Isn't this wonderful? Now, look over in chapter 3, verse 1. Therefore, when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone. And once again, he said, we sent Timothy, our brother. He could always trust Timothy. He called him a brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith. So that no man be disturbed by these what? Afflictions that you saw in the parable of the Word that's going to come against you to turn you back from salvation. For you yourself know that we have been what? We've been thus and this is what he told all the churches. And we saw that back in 2 Corinthians 4. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction and so it came to pass, as you know. But this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith. I wanted to find out about your faith for fear. I feared for you just like I feared for the Corinthians, just like I feared for the Galatians. I feared that perhaps the tempter might have tempted you like we saw in the parable of the Word and her labor with you should be in vain. Is that there? You don't go ahead for the prize of the high calling in God. The powers of darkness turn you back. The world, the things, and all the things we saw in the parable of the Word turn you back. So you're not saved. You follow what I'm saying. There's another salvation scripture. Now, verse 9. For what things can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice for our God on your account? Because he's talking about their love in one another just like they were over there. And we saw it back in the first chapter. As we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face and we may what? We may complete what is lacking in your faith. Now, let me ask you something. Is that what the apostle, pastor, teacher, prophet, is that what they do? They complete and bring you to the point of maturity, which is completeness and perfection, if they're like Timothy. Amen? Verse 12. And may the Lord cause you to increase and just like he told all the others abound in love for one another and for all men just as we also do for you. So that he may establish your hearts unblameable in what? Holiness. Now, there is holiness and blameless right there. To be blameless, you're unblameable in holiness. I had never seen that before. Before our God and Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. And when he comes with his saints and you're holy and blameless, you're going to be spared. Amen? And you're going to eagerly await him. Now, chapter 4. Verse 1. Now, watch your spirit closely. Finally, then, brethren. Now, I want to stop and ask you. Do you know back in Matthew 7? Many in that day are going to say, Lord, Lord. But it's the one who does the will of God that's going to go to heaven. Is that right? Now, let's see it right here. Chapter 1. Finally, then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that you receive from us instruction as how you ought to walk. To please who? You please God, not men. Just as you actually do walk, that you may excel more. And how do you please God? For you know what commandment we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how you please God. Amen? That's his will. Verse 3. For this is the will of God you're watching. See, over in Matthew 7, they said they were practicing lawlessness. They had been sanctified. Jesus said, I never did know you. The will of God is the ones going to heaven who are sanctified. Amen? And without the sanctification, you will not see the Lord. Now, there is salvation again. Amen? Now, in verse 4, he begins to explain sanctification. That each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Honor is a gold vessel, right? It's sanctified. We saw that in 2 Timothy 2, 19 through 21. We're not going to walk in lustful passion like the world out there, the Gentiles who do not know God. And that no man is going to break God's law by transgressing and defrauding his brother in the matter. Because we know the Lord is avenger in all these things. Just as we've told you in Psalm, they warned you. Is that there in your Bible? Yes. Is that left out of the gospel today? Absolutely. For God has not called us for the purpose of an impure heart up there. And we saw in Ephesians 5, 5. If you have an impure heart, you're not going to enter into the kingdom of Christ. They didn't call us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification to have a pure heart. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but he's rejecting God who gives his Holy Spirit to you. Amen? Praise God. Well then, we see the church today in chapter 5. And the day of the Lord and the righteous judgment will come in chapter 5, verse 2. For you yourself know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. And while they are teaching peace and safety. In other words, look at me folks. They teach that you can walk in lawlessness. And you're safe. And no calamity will come on you. No curses can come on you. You don't have to walk in the fear of God. And they say, they're teaching peace and safety, then destruction will come upon who? Them. Who's them that teach peace and safety? And it's going to come on them suddenly like birth pains upon a woman with a child and they shall not escape. That's what's happening right now, folks. But it's fixing to be really bad. Verse 4. But you, brethren, are not in the spiritual darkness that this day should overtake you like a thief. And that's exactly what Matthew 24 and Luke 17 is talking about. For you are all sons of light. We're stars of brightness. And sons of day, we're not of night nor of spiritual darkness. So then, let us not sleep as these others are doing, but let us be what? Let us be alert and sober. Alert and sober people are not asleep. But since, verse 8, since we are of a day, let us be sober. And we're going to put on the weapons in Ephesians 6, verse 9. For God is not destined us for wrath, but being saved. But salvation from wrath. Obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that comes through faith. Now, just, we know in just Matthew 24. I want you to just see this one second right here. And this, I think, will be the last place we'll go for a minute. Matthew 24. Now, let's just see it put together. We're talking about the last days. Verse 3, Matthew 24, verse 3. And Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives. The disciples came to Him proudly saying, Tell us what will be these things and what will be the sign of your coming at the end of the age. Now, is He coming at the end of the age? We know He's going to bring these reapers with Him. He's going to bring the fire with Him. He's destroyed all of those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. Is that what we've seen? And Jesus answered and said to them, See that no one mislead you, for many, and that's many harlots, are going to come in My name saying, I'm the body of Christ, and they're going to mislead many. Amen? And verse 10, At that time many will fall away and deliver up one another, and they're going to hate one another as it is today. And many of these false prophets and preachers and teachers as it is today are going to rise and they're going to mislead many till the broad road of destruction. And because of this lawlessness, these words to the flesh increase, the people's love is going to what? The congregations are not going to love one another at all as it is today. But it's the one who endures to the end that's going to be saved and we understand that. And this gospel which we're teaching right now, and this is called the eternal gospel which we saw in Revelation 14, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, and it's going to be a witness to all the nations, and then the end is going to come, and the flyest virgins are going to come to light, and the foolish virgins are going to remain asleep as we're going to see in Matthew 25. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, that's the powers of darkness, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, these holy temples, let the reader understand, and we do understand, verse 21. For it's then after this is preached as a witness, then the great tribulation such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now or ever shall, that's when it begins, when this gospel is preached as a witness, as the song of Moses was sung after the blessings and curses of the law, then the destruction and tribulation will come, as this earth has never seen it, and the things we're seeing over in Revelation 18, and the death and hell and destruction, which I'll share some more about before we get into some of that tomorrow. And verse 22, Unless those days had been cut short, the great tribulation, no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the who? There's those elect again that's going in this tribulation, those days shall be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is Christ, here is the body of Christ, there is, do not believe him, for false bodies of Christ and false prophets are going to rise, they're going to show great signs and wonders. We understand that. So as a mislead, if possible, even the elect, and everyone's going to be deceived except the elect. They're going to run right after him. Verse 27, For just as lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. And if we had time, we'd go back in Amos 5, 18-20, 2-4, 6-10, and we could see that when the Lord comes and lightning flashes, he's coming in destruction. And here's where he explains it in verse 28. Wherever the corpse is, that's where the dead bodies are, there the vultures are going to be gathered and put in the winepress. The vultures are the winepress, amen? And that's the wrath of God. And we see them right there in verse 37. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah, for in those days which were before the flood, they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark. And they did not understand until the flood came, and the flood took them all away. So shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Now I want you to hold your place and turn back to Matthew 7 right then, okay? We know the flood is a river of words from Satan. It comes to test your foundation, amen? In Matthew 7, are you ready? In Matthew 7, I want you to begin reading with me right there. We see right there that many, or verse 21, Not every one of me says, Lord, the Lord is going to enter the kingdom of heaven, but that one that does the will of the Father. That's doers of God's law through Christ. And verse 22, many are going to cast out demons, prophesy and do miracles. And then the Lord is saying, verse 23, I never did know you, you who continued to practice lawlessness. And then verse 24, watch very carefully. Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and he what? All right, if you're going to walk in it, your walk in covenant may be compared to what kind of man? He'll be a wise virgin who built his house upon the rock. The Word of God right here if you act on it. And then the rain descended, and here the floods came. The powers of darkness brought their temptations. And the winds blew, and it burst against that house. And yet it did not fall, because its foundation right here is the Word of God. Amen? He loved the Lord with all his heart. There is the wise virgins. But then there's the foolish virgins in verse 26. And everyone who hears these words of mine, the gospel, and he does not obey the gospel, he'll be like a what? He's the foolish virgin who built his house upon what? Look at me, folks, here it is. There is the foundation of sin, a doctrine that does not conform you to God. And when you stand on that, you do not act upon the Word of God. And that's where the flood of destruction is coming to. And whoever hears these words of mine and does not act upon them, be like a foolish man who built his house upon the what? Look at me, folks. Right here is a house of sand. Look at me. Look at me. And when you're standing on that doctrine that does not conform you to godliness, then the temptations come. And it's alright to receive lawlessness in your heart. And you'll be swept away by the flood. And they didn't understand, because it wasn't God that had their hearts. It was an idol, the image of the beast. And then 27, and it rained, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and it burst against that house, and it fell, and great was its what? Great was its fall. Now, we're back in chapter 24 again. And we're back there in verse 37. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah, verse 39. And they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away. So shall the coming of the Son of Man be. There shall be two men in the field, one to be taken, one to be left. Two women to be grinding in the mill, one to be taken, one to be left. That's called rapture. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Be sure of this, if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the what? The thief, the powers of darkness was coming, he would have been on the what? He'd been on the alert, and he would not have allowed his what? This is a house right here. He wouldn't have allowed it to be broken into if he'd been on the alert. For this reason you too be what? You be ready for the Son of Man is coming in an hour when you do not think he will. Now in chapter 25. Then the kingdom of heaven will be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. The harlot church is trying to meet the bridegroom today, just as well as the wise virgins are trying to meet. And five of them were what? Foolish, and five of them were wise, prudent. And when the foolish took their lamps, they didn't have the Spirit of God with them. But the prudent took the oil and flask along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was laying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. Have I ever by any been asleep, folks? And at midnight, right now it's midnight. It's one of the greatest times of spiritual darkness that ever existed on the earth. And at midnight there was a shout. The shout is a trumpet blowing, behold. And Jesus is warning, his warning of his destruction is coming right now. Behold the bridegroom. Come out to meet her. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil for our what? Lamps are going out. What did we see in Job 18? The lamps of the wicked goes out. When the firstborn of death, Satan, and the terrors are devouring your limbs, you're caught in a net and a snare and a trap. And it's too late for the foolish virgins now. The door has been shut, and the witness, the gospel that we're teaching right now is a witness against them. And they'll stop in persecution and hate those that teach it. And they'll mistreat those who preach it and teach it. You hadn't seen nothing yet. You're just fixing to see some things. I just went through a few little things in these last three years, just to get me ready for my part, I guess, for what's coming up. Because the persecution begins. See, there was a time when I was teaching, it was a popular thing, that people were coming all over the country. And they were coming from all over. And I mean, it was popular for a while. Some of you were there. And I had a choice to be popular or stay with this Word. And I stayed with the Word, and then all of a sudden, separation began. And then you ought to see some of the things that's happened. You can be a carpet cleaner and can't even pronounce your words. And all of a sudden, you find yourself on the front pages of a Fort Worth newspaper and wonder what it's all about. And you're picturing them talking about demons and stuff like that. Cleaning carpet one day, and five or six months later, you hear all this is happening. Minding your own business, just cleaning carpets. And all you did is come to town and just read the Bible. I didn't know what people's doctrines were. And I just saw things in the Bible, and I read it. You know, I thought people would be excited about it. It changed their lives. I was 43 years old before I got saved. Dying. I had heart disease, and the surgeries on me. I didn't complete the surgery. They sent me home to die. I said, my arteries are like wood. Crawled around on the floor with slobbers running out of my mouth. We called them slobbers back in Benton. Now, I'm telling you what, I got humble enough to hear God. Now, boy, I love Him. And there wasn't no man showed up in there and saved me from them wooden arteries. I'm glad some doctors patched me up until I could get healed. Okay. Well, in verse 8, And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. We've been destroyed. And the prudent answered, saying, No, there'll not be enough for us. And you two go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourself. And while they were going away to make the purchase, The Lord Jesus Christ, the bridegroom, came. And those who, what? Those who were what? Were ready. What are you doing right now? You're getting ready. You're at the marriage supper. You're at the marriage supper getting ready to be married. Isn't that right? We're involved in a little dinner here. It's going to get us and Jesus be one. I like his choice mares and what else they call it? Meat and bread. I like it. The bridegroom came and those who were ready went in. The ark went in. Where it says went in, just put the ark with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut just as it was in the days of Noah. Did they shut the door? Only a family of eight, a preacher of righteousness and his family was saved. Eight, God only saved eight people. He doesn't mind letting the masses go if they don't love him. You just get that. He's not as excited about numbers as folks are. Verse 11. And later the other virgins, the foolish virgins, also came saying, Lord, Lord, open up for us. In other words, they're knocking on the door. Who is the door? Jesus is the door. How do you knock? They were praying, let us into the ark. Save us, Lord. Our lamps are going out. We're being destroyed. The other virgins also came, Lord, Lord, open up for us. But he answered and said, Truly, I do not know you. You who practice what? I added that. We saw that in Matthew. But we know they practice laws, the foolish virgins, because they don't act on the Word of God. Now, one last place in Luke 13. Luke 13, verse 23. Verse 23, rather. Luke 13, verse 23. Lord, are there just a few who are being saved? And he said to them, Strive to enter by that narrow door. For many, I tell you, are going to seek to enter by that narrow door, but they're not going to be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door of the ark, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door saying, Lord, open up to us, then he'll answer and say to you, I do not know where you're from. Then you'll begin to say, Lord, look at me right here. Look at me. Lord, we ate and drank in your presence. You talked in our streets. For 35 years I listened to this. And he'll say, I tell you, I do not know where you're from. Depart from me, all you evildoers who practice lawlessness. That's the foolish virgin. Who'll be destroyed. You know what they're teaching? Come in here, peace. Peace. No calamity can come on you. Safety. You know, I'm going to have to show you what real restoration and what they're teaching right there. After they give the curses, look in Deuteronomy 28. I want to tie this together for you, and it's going to have everything tied together. In Deuteronomy 28, after God gave the law, and he gave the blessings and curses, which are in effect right now, here's what he warned you and me and them. All right? In Deuteronomy 29. In Deuteronomy 29, he says to them in verse 16, he says to you and me today, and he said to them, this is what covenant is, verse 16, for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, the world, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed, the world out there. Did we come out of the world? Moreover, you've seen the abomination of the world out there. Their hearts go after idols. Their hearts go after wood. Their hearts go after stone. Their hearts go after silver and gold and hundred dollar bills, which you had with them. Is that what's got their hearts? They don't honor God in their thoughts and motives out there in the world, do they? No. Okay. Verse 18, lest there be among you a man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turns away from the Lord your God, and you go and serve the gods of this world, lest there should be among you a root. Do you remember the root we saw in Hebrews 12? And it's going to bear poisonous fruit, bitterness, and wormwood. Look at it, folks. Put it back up there, on right there, brother. You're going to bear the poisonous fruit. So you are walking in holiness and righteousness, all the covenants, and you start bearing these fruits right here, the poisonous fruit, because you have a wrong root. Amen? And verse 19, it shall be when he hears the words of these curses right here. That's exactly... Look at me. This is what's happened to doctrines that do not conform you to godliness. And he'll hear the words of this curse, and he'll say, I have what? Peace, though I'm walking how? I'm walking in the stubbornness of my heart to the commandments of God's law. And look here, folks. They say, Come in here. This is peace and safety. Come in here to this doctrine right here. You can walk in peace while you walk in rebellion and stubbornness to God's law. That's the message of peace and safety. And this is what is warned after the blessings and curses. Amen? Now, let's continue. And what God says he's going to do with people like this. Verse 20, The Lord shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy is going to burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book of the law is going to rest on him, and that's what's on the church today. The Lord is going to blot out his name from under heaven, and he will not have any place in the kingdom of God. Then the Lord will single him out for adversity from all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant which are written in the book of the law, which is in the chapter before this. Now the generation to come, your sons will rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a distant land, when they see all the what? They see all the curses, the plagues, and they see all these diseases and sickness in which the Lord has inflicted it, and all this land, look at me here folks, this is the land right here, the hearts right here, the people, and all the land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, wasn't that what I was talking about a while ago? It doesn't bear the fruit of God. It's unsewn and unproductive. The word and the seed is not going into the heart. Verse 24, And all the nations will say, Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this great burst of anger and wrath of God's law on this place? Verse 25, Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord. Amen? Now you go over to chapter 30, and you see how that is exactly what's happened to what's called church today, and this is exactly the only way, look at me right here, and I want you to look me right in the eye, this is the only way you can be restored, and if anyone tells you you can be restored any other way, it's a teaching of false restoration. Now here it comes. Brother, you don't get demons off of people by getting everybody to come together and being friendly over your doctrines of demons, being nice to one another. Here is the only way you get loose, and here it comes in Deuteronomy 30. So it shall be when all these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse, your broken covenant, which I have set before you, you call them to mind, and all the nations, that's the world where the Lord your God has banished you, and this is where we've been living and walking and talking like the world. And then you return to the Lord your God, which we're doing right now, and we've learned that we have to bear Him with all our heart and our soul and our strength and our might according to what He commanded us. Is that right or wrong? Then the Lord your God, when you do this, is going to begin restoring you, what? He begins restoring you from captivity, and He has compassion on you, and He begins gathering you again from all the people where the Lord your God has scattered you. If you're outcast or at the end of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you. That's the remnant now. And from there He's going to bring you back. This is the wise virgins. And the Lord your God will bring you back into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. What is the land right here? Get ready, Frank. This land is going to be possessed, and the sins are going to be removed, and then we're going to have this kind of fruit. That's the land of milk and honey right there, brother. Glory be to God. Because we're coming back to the Lord with all our heart. Amen? Glory be to God forevermore. And then you shall possess it, and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Verse 6, Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart. Do you see that in Colossians 2? We've run a little late, but you put Colossians 2, 6 and 11 right there. And it says, You're circumcised today by the sins being removed from your heart. That's how circumcision comes. Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart, and the hearts of your descendants to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, in order that you may what? Live. And the Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and all those who hate you and persecute you. It's going to be as a sign of destruction for them. And you shall again obey the Lord, and you shall again observe all His commandments. Then the Lord your God's going to prosper you and bless you abundantly in all the works of your hands. It goes on, Verse 10, If you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statute, which are written in the book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, folks, that is the only restoration that's going to happen on this earth from God. There's no other, and it ain't complicated. And you see it. And it's been taught here from the Bible. Amen? Do you receive that?