In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of keeping our focus on Jesus amidst the distractions and evil in the world. He encourages listeners to look up and lift up their heads, for their redemption is drawing near. The speaker also highlights the power of God to lift us up out of difficult situations, just as He raised Jesus from the dead. He urges believers to be clean in a dirty world, relying on the righteousness of Christ and allowing God to change their desires and appetites. The sermon concludes with a call to be ready for the return of the Son of Man, emphasizing the need for purity in order to have power in spiritual warfare.

Thank you so much, praise team. And thank you so much, Brother Barry, for the invitation to come. I've told Brother Barry this, but I feel I need to say it publicly that he has been used, he doesn't realize how much he's been used as an encouragement to me, and in my life, and especially at this time in my life. I had lunch with Brother Barry not too long ago, and I left there so encouraged and so edified, and it was the Lord in him that just met me in a very, very special way. And I'm very, very grateful for him. I tell you, brothers, if you're part of this church, you're very, very blessed to have him as a pastor. And this town is blessed to have a people who are seeking him and who want his glory and his honor, who are lifting up Jesus. And I just commend you, and I thank you so much, Brother. I thank you for this invitation. I really don't have words to tell you how grateful I am. I don't think I've ever experienced this before. I got here early, and I walked through those doors, and there was a group of people, it was a praise team, and Brother Darren up here praying. And I tell you, I felt the presence of God. And I just sat in that back pew and just thanked God. That makes it so easy to preach when you come to a place where the people are praying and their expectation is in the Lord. It's in the Lord, not in man. And when my name is being lifted up in prayer as I walk in the door, they didn't know I was walking in the door. But I'm so thankful. Thank you, Darren. Thank you, praise team. Very grateful. Very grateful to be here. Very humbled to be here. We're going to turn to Matthew chapter 24. I believe God has put a message on my heart for us tonight. Matthew chapter 24. Men like Noah in days like Noah's. Men like Noah in days like Noah's. Matthew chapter 24. We'll begin reading in verse 36. These, of course, are all the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. But of that day and hour knoweth no man. No, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Then shall two be in the field. The one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. The one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready. For in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you for the men that you have gathered here tonight. I thank you for the expectation that is in this room, in the hearts of these men, an expectation to meet with you, God. And our expectation is in you alone, Lord Jesus. You are everything. You are Lord of all. And you are a God who speaks to your people. And we praise you tonight, Father, that there's not a single one of us men gathered here tonight by accident or coincidence. You have drawn us together. And you want to do a special work in our hearts tonight. You want to speak a direct and specific word to each and every one of our hearts. And I pray, my God, that your word would go forth with power and authority. That you would speak to the depths of every one of our hearts, Lord. And that we would be changed. That you would make us men of God, Lord. That you would conform us to the likeness of your Son. We lift up your name in this house, Lord Jesus. And we ask you to be glorified and to be exalted and to put a fresh expectation and awakening in our hearts of longing for your return, of being ready for your return and of occupying, Lord, until you come. Help me tonight, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Verse 36, the Lord says, But of that day, that day. What day is he talking about? That day of the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is coming a day, brothers, there is coming a day when Jesus Christ will part these skies and he will come in the fullness of his glory and the fullness of his majesty. He is coming again. He is coming again for his church. He's coming again for his people. He's coming again to judge the world in righteousness. He promised that he would come again. He said, I'm going away. And if I go away, I'm going to prepare a place for you. And if I go away, I'm coming back. I'm coming back to get you. Jesus is coming again that day. It's a day that much of the church, honestly, has lost the wonder of, as we were speaking of, has lost the expectation of. If you ask most Christians today, do they believe that Jesus Christ is coming again? They'll say, yes, of course, I believe that. That's what the Bible says. But if you ask them, do you believe he can come today? Do you believe Jesus Christ could come at any moment? Do we believe that he could come tonight? And there are many who's lost that expectation and lost that real faith, that belief that he could come at any moment. But I want to tell you, brothers, he can come at any moment. He can come at any hour. In fact, that hour when most people think he's not going to come, because that's in the heart of many. Well, I know he could. I know he's coming, but I don't think he's coming tonight. I don't think he's coming tomorrow at such an hour as you think not. He said the Son of Man cometh. That day, that day of the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he will descend from heaven with the shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and he will come and get his church. That day knows no man, not even the angels of heaven. But he said, my Father only. But the Lord says that day will be, the days preceding that day will be like the days of Noah. Notice what he says there in verse 37. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. As the days of Noah were. So what was it like in Noah's day? Brothers, it was an evil day. It was an evil day in the days of Noah. Dark, dark days. Evil days. In fact, Genesis chapter 6 tells us that the earth was corrupt in God's sight and full of violence. And that all the people on the earth had corrupted their own ways, so much so that even every imagination of the thoughts and the intents and the heart of man was only evil continually. They were evil days. Sexual perversion and immorality were rampant. And they continue to ignore God and to turn their backs upon God, even to the point that God finally says enough. Enough is enough. And God says, my spirit shall not always strive with man. Now, God is patient. He is far more patient than we can even perceive him to be, because he is not willing that any should perish. But there comes a time when evil continues and it continues to escalate. There comes a time when God finally says enough. My spirit shall not always strive with man. And that day is coming. God said my spirit shall not always strive with man. His days will be 120 years. The Bible says that God was grieved that he had made man and that his heart was filled with pain. That verse has arrested my heart so many times. We belong to a God and we serve a God who knows grief, who experiences grief. And when he sees his creation, men who were made in his image, turning their backs on him and living in sin and rebellion, he hurts. He grieves. He grieves to a greater degree than even a man could grieve who has had to bury his wife or his child. I don't know what grief could be greater than that. But God has a grief that is greater than that, brothers. And it's when he sees those who are called by his name turn away from him and continue in sin. He grieves. He said his heart was filled with pain at what he saw going on in the days of Noah. That day when God said he couldn't and he wouldn't let it go on, he said, I'm going to put an end to all people. I'm going to destroy the earth and everyone on it. God pronounced a judgment that would cover the whole earth. He pronounced judgment upon all people and everything in the earth. That is, except for one man. And this is amazing. One man who found grace and favor in the sight of God. For in the midst of these dark, evil days and a soon coming judgment that God pronounced upon the whole earth, comes this wonderful verse in Genesis chapter six, verse eight. After the pronouncement of the evil days, the judgment to come, all these things, we come to Genesis chapter six, verse eight, and we read these two words. But Noah, but Noah, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. You see, God found a man. He found a man, but Noah. And in these evil days in which we live, God still looks for a man. Even one man upon whom he can show his grace and his favor in the midst of a crooked and perverse world. One man who is willing to be set apart. Even one man who is willing to simply trust and obey God. One man who is willing to look to Jesus and to follow him in his ways, even though it's going against the ways of the world. And even though he may stand alone, God is looking for that man. He's looking for such a man. And the question tonight is, who will answer that call? Will you answer that call to be that man? To be like Noah in days like Noah's. For us to be such a man, I'm going to give you the seven ups. Not the seven up that you drink, but seven ups that the Lord gave me. I really believe he gave me to share with you tonight. I've never preached this before. God has called us to wake up. God has called us to get up. God has called us to clean up. God has called us to stand up. God has called us to build up. God has called us never to give up. And God has called us to look up. Because our redemption draweth nigh. We'll look at each one. First of all, we've got to wake up. To be a man like Noah in the days like Noah's, we've got to wake up. Noah had a wake up call. He had to wake up to his call. And he had to wake up to the warning that judgment was coming. Judgment is coming. Noah heard the alarm on God's clock. And he woke up. The alarm sounded something like this. Genesis chapter six, verse three. And the Lord said, my spirit shall not always strive with man for that he is also flesh. Yet his day shall be one hundred and twenty years. That's an alarm that's supposed to wake us up. And it woke up Noah. God is saying one hundred and twenty years. That's all that's left. One hundred and twenty years. My spirit shall not always strive with man. That alarm sounded something like this. Verse seven of chapter six. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. Verse 13. And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And behold, I will deliver. I will destroy them with the earth. Now build an ark. That's the alarm. God Noah heard the voice of God and it awakened his soul. He woke up. Hey, things can't go on as usual. Judgment is coming. God has spoken to me. God has something for me to do. The time is short and he awakened. He woke up. Have you heard the alarm? Have you heard God's alarm? It sounds something like this. Jesus Christ again saying. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, I'm coming. Behold, Jesus says, I'm coming quickly. I'm coming suddenly. Have you heard that alarm? Has it awakened something in you? Have you heard the alarm? Acts chapter 17, verse 30, where God says there was a time when he winked at all this ignorance, but now today God commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Have you heard the alarm? Romans 14, 10, the alarm for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. That is an alarm that should awaken us. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Second Peter chapter three tells us the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. That is an alarm on God's clock that should awaken us. Everything we see on this earth as we know it will one day perish, will one day come under the judgment of God. In Noah's day it came in a universal flood. In the last days it will come in a universal unquenchable fire when God judges the earth. It's coming. Judgment is coming and that should wake us up, men. It should wake us up. And just like the days of Noah, it will come as a sudden surprise on so many because there is no warning. Jesus saying, OK, in 10 minutes I'm coming. In an hour I'm coming. He says, no, in an hour that you think not. He said, it'll be like the days of Noah. They're going about eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. These aren't sinful things necessarily. They're just everyday things that we get caught up with. Eating. But here's the thing. They were eating without God. They were drinking without God. They were marrying and giving in marriage without God. It was a day in which there was a total indifference toward God. There was a rebellion. They had forgotten God. The mentality would be we're doing fine without Him. And thinking that we don't need Him. We'll just carry on with life. We're going about our merry way casually, carefree and careless. And suddenly it comes. The flood comes. It took them by absolute total surprise. And I tell you, my friends, the day is coming when Jesus Christ will come to this earth. And there are multitudes who are not yet ready for Him. Are you ready for Him? Have you heard the alarm? Are you awake? Spiritually awake? Because even children of God, even men of God, even the church of Jesus Christ can be lulled into a spiritual slumber. And we need to be awakened. You can be doing things even in the name of Christ and yet be falling asleep. I can't get away what Jeff and Clint and I were just talking about a while ago. Losing the wonder. Losing the wonder of Christ. You can be a Christian and yet lose the wonder of Jesus Christ and fall asleep. Fall spiritually asleep. You can get caught up. I know what I'm talking about. I've experienced this. Get caught up in everyday life and busyness and buying and selling and working and all the things of this world and losing the wonder of Christ that you once had. That once gripped your heart. Eating and drinking and marrying and given in marriage. But being asleep. Don't be asleep when He comes. Don't be caught sleeping when Jesus comes. We've got to wake up. First Thessalonians chapter five. First Thessalonians chapter five. And we'll start in verse one. He says, but of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. He's saying, wake up, men. We've got to wake up. We've got to stay awake. We've got to let that alarm of God's Word alert us and be ready when He comes. But not only must we wake up, we've got to get up. They two go together, do they not? You wake up in the morning for the purpose of getting up. Doesn't do any good to wake up and stay in bed. You wake up to get up. We've got to get up. Noah had to get up and do what God called him to do. He couldn't just lay around. He couldn't sit around. Well, hearing the judgments coming, hearing God giving him instructions of what he wanted him to do. He had to get up. And this is what burns on my heart tonight. What am I talking about? Who am I talking to? I'm talking to the man who has fallen down. I'm talking to the man who is greatly discouraged. I'm talking to the man who has experienced defeat after defeat after defeat. I'm talking to the man who is wallowing in condemnation. I'm talking to the man who is lying down in condemnation. And the devil is kicking you while you're down. And he's convincing you that you will never rise again. I want you to hear the word of God. He says it. He said it to Noah. He said it to Joshua. He's saying it to us tonight. Get up. Get up, my child. Get up, my child. You've been down long enough. You've been on the ground long enough. It's not over for you. And God is not through with you. Those who are feeling defeated. Those who are just keep wondering, will it ever be like it used to be? Those who always dwell on the good old days. I'm telling you, it's not over for you. These are the best times to live. These are the greatest days to be a Christian. Jesus is coming. And he still has something for you to do. Jesus is coming. And you're not to be lying on the ground. You are to get up. You say, but I've sinned. I'm defeated. Well, I want to show you someone else who sinned and was defeated. And what God said to him. Joshua chapter seven. Turn there with me, please. Joshua chapter seven. Now, some of you know this story here in Joshua seven. Joshua and the children of Israel had just defeated Jericho. This was a tremendous feat. I mean, a huge city with huge walls. And they saw the power of God. They saw God bring down the walls. They defeated a mighty army. They saw the power of God displayed. Tremendous victory. But after that victory, they fall back to sleep and they think they can do it on their own. And they face another city called Ai. And it's not that big a city. We don't need that many men. I'll just send a few soldiers. We'll go and defeat them. We did Jericho. We can do them. The only problem is they went without God. They tried to rely on the arm of the flesh and their own strength. And what happened? They came back defeated. They were absolutely defeated. They come back running back. And I want you to notice Joshua's response here in verse six of Joshua chapter seven. After this defeat, verse six says, Joshua rent his clothes and he fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the even tide. He and the elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? Would to God we had been content and dwelt on the other side, Jordan. O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turn at their backs before their enemies? For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it and shall environ us around and cut off our name from the earth. And what will thou do unto thy great name? Joshua's having a big pity party and he's saying, God is better for us not to even have come across the river. It's better. We should be better for us to go back where we used to be. And he's moaning and he's complaining and he's having a big pity party. He's sin. Israel's sin. They're defeated. What is God's word to this man? Look at the very next verse. Verse 10. The Lord said unto Joshua, get thee up. Get up. There's a time to lay on your face and pray. Yes, indeed. But there's also a time when God says, OK, now get up. You've prayed. You've cried out. You've moaned. You've groaned. Get up. There's a time to get up. And he told Joshua, get up. And what he's telling Joshua, he's telling someone tonight. It's time for you now to get up. What he's saying to Joshua, he's saying to us, the devil, he loves to keep you down and he loves to kick you while you're down and he'll use other people to kick you while you're down. You know, that's what I believe is one of the truest signs of a true man of God is how he treats someone else who's broken. It's true. And how he deals with a wounded soldier. How he deals with a another brother who has fallen, who has been defeated, who is discouraged. God, the scripture says knowledge puffs up, but love builds up, love edifies, love lifts up your brother. Folks, the devil went around knocking people down. The devil went around pushing people down and trying to keep them down. Jesus did just the opposite. Jesus went around lifting people up. Jesus went around. He's always picking someone up. What did he say? There was a crippled man, a paralyzed man lying on a mat. His friends wanted to get him to Jesus. He couldn't get there on his own. His friends found that Jesus was in a house. They found that house, but that house was so crowded they couldn't get in. So they crawl up on top of the house with their friend on the mat. They tear a hole in the roof of the house. They lower their friend down through the hole, down right right to the in the presence of Jesus. And what does Jesus say? Jesus says first, son, your sins are forgiven. But he knew the murmuring going on in the heart of the Pharisees. This man blasphemy, blasphemes. Who is he to say you can forgive sins? Jesus knew their hearts. He knew what was going on. He says, tell me what's easier to say, son, your sins be forgiven or get off your mat and walk. Jesus said, son, your sins are forgiven. Now what? Get up, get up, take your mat and walk. Devil pushes him down. Jesus says, get up. Jairus had a young daughter, 12 years old. She got sick. She was at home dying. She was at the point of death. He runs to find Jesus. He finds Jesus. Lord, he says, just come to my house, lay your hands on my daughter and she shall be healed. She shall live. Well, Jesus starts heading that way, but he gets interrupted. There's a woman with an issue of blood. She touches the hem of his garment. She is healed. They're delayed for a moment. After that, they continue on to Jairus's house. Somebody meets them on the way and they said, hey, don't bother the master anymore. Your daughter's dead. Jairus's heart must have fallen. His face must have fallen. Can you imagine your daughter is dead? Don't trouble him anymore. Jesus looked at that man. See, this is the difference between our Lord. Don't be afraid, he said. Only believe. He goes into this house. Everybody's weeping and wailing. Jesus says she's not dead. She's just asleep. They laugh him to scorn. He drives them out of the house. He approaches this young dead girl, reaches down and takes her by the hand. And he says, telleth I kumai, that is to say, young girl, I say to you, get up, arise. That's our Lord. The devil pushes him down. Jesus lifts us up. He says, get up. David said the Lord. He said, I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit and set my feet upon a rock. Put a new song in my heart. The Lord lifts us up. He pulls us up. Jesus Christ on a hill called Mount Calvary was crucified. He died on a cross. He died. They placed his body in a tomb. Two full days had gone by his dead body lying in the tomb. But on the third day, the father has something to say to the son. Son, my son, stay down. Arise, get up. Arise, my son. Arise, my son. Death no longer has a hold on you. And I believe it's the same word as to a child of God who's been adopted as a son of God. And that is all of us men who have faith in Jesus Christ. Arise, my son. Arise, my son. Death no longer has a hold on you. Sin has no more dominion over you. Get up. You've lied down long enough. You've listened to the devil's lie long enough. It's time to get up. Get up. Arise. Hallelujah. You say, well, but what if I've sinned? Well, again, we go back to Joshua. Joshua had sinned. The children of Israel had sinned. And what does God say? Get up. And then verse 11, Israel has sinned. And they have also transgressed my covenant, which I commanded them. For they have even taken of the accursed thing and have also stolen and dissembled also. And they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore, the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turn their backs before their enemies because they were accursed. Neither will I be with you anymore, except you destroy the accursed from among you. Now, get up, sanctify the people and say, sanctify yourselves against tomorrow. For thus says the Lord God of Israel, there is an accursed thing in the midst of the Israel. Thou can not stand before thine enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you. We wake up, we get up, but now we've got to clean up. OK, there was sin in the camp. God said specifically when you defeat Jericho, you're not to take any spoil you to leave that. But there was a man, Akin, who disobeyed God. He lusted after something. He took it. He hid it in his tent. And God says, as long as you hang on to this accursed thing, I'm not going to be with you. And you're not going to be able to stand before your enemies. There's sin in the camp. It's time to clean up. It's time to clean house. Can I talk to you heart to heart, brothers? Some of us have things at the house that you need to throw away. Some of us have some house cleaning to do. I will not be with you anymore as long as this accursed thing remains among you. There are things in our lives that we have to repent of. There are things in our lives that we have to let go of. There are things in our lives that we have to destroy. Destroy it. What is worth losing fellowship with the Father? What is worth losing that power to be able to stand against your enemies, the powers of darkness? There's a cursed thing among you. It's time to clean house. It's time to clean up. That's called repentance. And God commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Is there whatever it may be, the Holy Spirit will tell you what it is. That one thing, that one thing, that besetting sin, that the Holy Spirit of God is calling you, convicting you. Get rid of it. Turn from it. But that's not that's not the end of cleaning. You're not fully cleaned up just by getting rid of that. We've got to clean up and there's only one way to truly clean up. There's only one place whereby we can be totally clean and washed whiter than snow. And that is at the cross of Jesus Christ. I want to say to you, brothers, this man, Noah, in the midst of a crooked and evil, perverse generation, in the midst of absolute gross darkness, this man was a clean man. This man was a holy man. How do I know this? God called him a righteous man. God called him a blameless man. But I want to ask you, how did he become righteous? The same way and the only way any of us can become righteous. And that is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You say, Jesus hadn't died on a cross yet. Yeah, but it was the same faith. He was looking forward to Christ. We're looking back at the cross. But it's still grace by faith that we're saved and made righteous. You can find this in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 7. Listen to this. Hebrews 11, 7. By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness, which is by what? Faith. It's only faith. It's faith in the blood. It's faith in the blood of Jesus. There's only one way to be made righteous. One way to be made clean. And that is at the cross of Jesus Christ. Yes, you need to do some house cleaning. But that's not the end of cleaning. You need to do some house cleaning. You need to agree with God that this is sin and I'm willing to turn from it. And then you come to the cross. And at the cross, there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. Hallelujah. There is not a sin in this house. There's not a sin among any of us men that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot wash away and cleanse and make you whiter than snow. Hallelujah. Pure and holy. The Bible says through faith in Jesus Christ, you are declared righteous. Through faith in Jesus Christ, you are declared justified. Just as if I'd never sinned. That God can look at me as his son. That God can look at me clean and white as snow and pure and holy. That's good news. That's good news. And it's through faith. It's through faith. Jesus, your sacrifice is perfect. Your blood pure and powerful. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. But God says, let us reason. Come, let us reason together. Though your sin be like crimson, it shall be white as snow. Pure as freshly fallen snow. You can't go any further until you get cleaned up. And I want to tell you something, brothers. You and I won't stand in these evil days unless we're cleaned up. We're talking about evil days. We're talking about dark days. You and I both know it. Sin is rampant. It's everywhere. There were two predominant sins in the days of Noah. Sexual sin and violence. Sexual sin and violence. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful. And they took everyone they wanted and married them. It wasn't the kind of marriage that God honors. It was the worst kind of adultery and perversion. There was homosexuality going on. There was all kinds of sexual sin going on. Even to the point that God says, my spirit cannot strive with man forever. I've got to put an end to this. Sexual sin and violence. He says, violence had covered the earth. It had corrupted the earth. And God destroyed the whole earth with the flood. Two predominant sins in the days of Lot at Sodom and Gomorrah. What were they? Sexual sin and violence. And God judged it. He came down judging it with fire and brimstone. Two predominant sins in our society. You will be hard pressed to find a movie that doesn't have one of these. Most of them have both. Sexual sin and violence. And because of it, the judgment of God is coming. The judgment of God is coming. Living in a day and in a nation where homosexuals are getting married, and much of a nation is condoning it. Brothers, that's not okay. That is not okay. That is sin in the sight of a holy God. Violence to the point that little babies are being slaughtered and their body parts sold for a profit. I don't even like to say it. It's happening. Sexual sin and violence. How long? How long before God says enough and judgment comes? We better be clean. We better be clean to stand in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. The temptation is everywhere. And you know it is. The temptation is everywhere. Sexual sin and violence. But you can be clean in a dirty world. You can be clean because you're clothed in the righteousness of Christ. You can be clean because God has given you a new heart. And God has given you a pure heart. And God will change our desires as we draw near to Him and abide in Him. God will change our want-tos. He will change our appetites. And you can be clean in a dirty world. And you must be. Because listen to this. What did He say? You cannot stand before your enemies because there was sin in the camp. No purity, no power. I will not be with you, He says, as long as you hang on to this accursed thing. It's time to clean up. We must wake up. We must get up. We must clean up at the cross of Jesus Christ. And then we must stand up. It's time for men to be men. It's time for men to stand. For men to stand up. Romans chapter 8 verse 1 and 2 says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. How much condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? None. Therefore you can stand. David says, Thou, O Lord, if you were to mark iniquity, who could stand? But thanks be to God there's forgiveness with you. Once you've been cleaned up at the cross, you can stand up. Don't hang your head in shame. Don't do that. Don't walk around. I'm just an old sinner. Don't do it. Listen, by the blood of Jesus, you're clean. You can stand up. The devil wants to take that authority from you. Don't let him do it. In Christ you can stand up. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. I've been to the cross. I've been cleansed in the cleansing flow. I'm washed whiter than snow and I can stand now. And you must stand. And you must stand in this evil day. You are called as men of God to stand like Noah stood in days like Noah. These days are not for the cowardly. Listen, it's time for men to be brave. It's time for men of God to be strong. Not in ourselves, but strong in the Lord. It's time for the days of being half-hearted and complacent. That's not going to do in these evil days. Do you think Noah was half-hearted and complacent? Did Noah just cower down when people laughed at him for building an ark? And you better believe they laughed at him. No, he stood. He stood. He was a righteous man of God. He had heard from God. He knew he was called by God. And he stood. And he stood. And he stood even when the whole world stood against him. He stood even if it meant standing alone, he would stand up. And you and I also must stand up, men. We must stand up even if we have to stand alone. These days are like days of Noah. He stood. So must we. Therefore, stand up. What do you mean, Brother Brian? Stand up. Stand up for righteousness. Stand up for truth. Stand up for purity. Stand up against injustice. Stand up for the speechless and the unborn. Stand up for the poor and the widow. Stand up in the face of wickedness and evil and opposition. Stand up and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Stand up for Jesus. Stand up and proclaim the gospel. Stand up. Stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross. Lift high his royal banner. It must not suffer loss from victory unto victory. His army he shall lead till every foe is vanquished. And Christ is Lord indeed with soldiers of Christ, soldiers of the cross. And Paul had to remind us of this in 1 Corinthians chapter 16. There must have been a problem back then like there is today with men being men. But 1 Corinthians chapter 16. Notice what he says is chapter 16 verse 13. He says, watch ye stand fast in the faith. Quit your like men. Be strong. That's the old King James. Listen to the NIV. He says, be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong. The new American standard. Be on the alert. That's wake up. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. Did you know the Bible says that act like men? Why? Because sometimes men have a tendency to act like women. It's true. And God has to say, you're not a woman. You're a man. Act like a man. Act like a man. Be a man. Be a man of God. Here's my translation. Don't be a sissy when you're called to be a soldier. Amen. Don't be a sissy when you're called to be a soldier. A soldier of Christ. I remember James Robinson. I got to meet James Robinson. It was down at Willie George's, the church down there. And Willie George that was standing in a circle there. And he says, you know what drew me to open my ears to hear the gospel through this man? I knew he wasn't a sissy. He was a man. That's what he said. We got to act like men. We've got to be men. Okay. You're the man of the house. It's not up to mama and the children to comfort you and pamper you. You're the man. Be a man. You can go to the cross and get your comfort at the cross. Get your comfort at the feet of Jesus. You're a man. Lead as a man. Act like a man. Be a man. Stand up. Stand up for the souls of your children. What did God say in Ezekiel chapter 22? And I sought for a woman and I sought for a man. I sought for a man to make up the hedge and to stand in the gap for the land. So that I would not have to destroy it. He said, but I found none. Thank God in Noah's day he found one. In our day will he find one? Will he find you? A man who will stand in the gap for the souls of his children. A man who will stand in the gap and protect his wife and family. And there's certain things we say, that's not coming in my house. You're the man. You're the protector. That's not coming in my house. Oh dad, come on. Everybody's doing it. I've had to do this so many times. You have to be the bad guy. I love you kids. I love you. That's why I'm saying it's not coming in. Get it out. Throw it away. Take it out. You're the man. You're the leader. You're the shepherd. You're the under shepherd of your home. Act like men. Paul says, you're not women and you're not children. When I was a child, he said, I thought like a child. I acted like a child. I spoke like a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. Put away childish things, folks. Brothers, you know, you and I both know. We don't have time for childish things in these days. We need men. We need men who will stand and it will stand up. Ephesians chapter 6. Please turn there with me where we hear it again. Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10. I love this. Finally, my brethren. And that's men. Brethren, be strong. In the Lord and in the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. And having done all to stand, stand therefore. And he tells us how to put on the armor. You reckon God wants us to stand? He repeats it over and over and over again. Stand up, stand up, stand up in the face of of opposition, stand up against the powers of darkness. We're never told to run from the devil. We're told to flee temptation, but we're told to resist the devil. And that's why, as you've heard, I'm sure there's no armor on the backside because God hasn't called us to be cowardly. God has called us to be men. And yes, before I can't stand in my own strength and nor can you. Therefore, we have to put on the full armor of God and we put on that helmet of salvation, that belt of truth, that breastplate of righteousness, those feet shod with the preach the gospel, the shield of faith, wherewith we may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Having that, brother, you can stand. You need not fear. You need not fear the powers of darkness. You need not fear anything that comes against you in these evil days. If you're standing in the Lord and you're standing with the clothed in the full armor of God, stand up, stand in the gap. Amen. We've got to get up. We've got to clean up. We've got to stand up. And now it's time to build up. Noah was called by God to build an ark and God told him exactly how to build it. And Noah did exactly according to all that God had commanded him to do. So did he. The scripture says Noah obeyed God. He built an ark. And if we if we would just simply trust and obey God and it's not always easy. It wasn't easy for Noah, was it? Can you imagine the size of this call, the size of this task? OK, God told him how big to build it. He told him how to build it. But who's going to buy all that lumber? Who's going to cut down all that lumber? Who's who's going to? I've got three sons to help me do this. This is a huge. This is a God sized call. But what does Noah do? He simply trust and obey God. Once you've heard from God and we have plenty in here, he's already spoken. Once we've heard from God, you read the Sermon on the Mount alone and there'll be plenty for you to do. Amen. Plenty for us to obey. If we would simply trust and obey God, we would be building. And we would be building on a rock that cannot be shaken. And we would be building a house that will not shake in any storm. And where do you get that? Matthew, chapter seven and verse twenty four. Jesus said in Matthew, chapter seven, verse twenty four, he says, therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, obeys them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it. So how do we build up by simply obeying God? You see, our obedience or our disobedience determines whether or not we're building on rock or we're building on sand. It's not enough for us to hear the word of God and say, Amen, that's true. And then stop there. He that heareth these sayings of mine and does them, obeys them, he's building on the rock. He that hears these sayings of mine and disobeys is building on shifting sand. Let's build up, brothers, let's build up one another. We're commanded in Scripture to do that. Build up your brother, build up your children. It's amazing what happens when I begin to encourage my children. I'm more prone to criticize my children. But when I encourage my children, build them up. Knowledge puffs up, love builds up. And you build them up and you build up your brother and you build up your wife and you build up the body of Christ. You edify one another and we build up this ark that's going to last in the coming storm by simply obeying God. It's as simple as this. Do what God has called you to do. Go back to doing what God has called you to do. Just obey God. Just simply obey God. Noah obeyed God and he built something that would last. And how important was his obedience? Ask Mrs. Noah. Mrs. Noah, how important was it to you that your husband obeyed God? Ask his children, Shem, Ham, Japheth. How important was it to you that dad obeyed God? Dad's obedience saved our life. We'd never seen a flood. We'd never seen an ark. We'd never seen anything like this before. But dad heard from God and dad obeyed God. Your obedience, my brother, will affect so many around you, so many more than yourself. And so will your disobedience. It doesn't just affect you. It affects so many. Suppose Noah had disobeyed God. We wouldn't be here today. The magnitude of the consequences that simply come from either obeying or disobeying God. Are you living in obedience to God? That's how you build. And Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Let each man take heed how he build. Some will be building with wood, hay and stubble. And when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ, in other words, everything they've lived for will be burned up to ash before the consuming fire of a holy God. What we've lived for, if it's not eternal, of eternal value, if we've wasted our lives, it will be a sad day, brothers. To live for the things of this world that don't last, that mean nothing in eternity. But he said there's another man who's building with gold, silver and precious stones. He's living for the eternal. He's living for the things that last. Ask yourself, my brother, are you living in light of eternity? Are you living in light of eternity? Are you building the kingdom of God? And you can do that in your own job. I'm not saying everybody is going to be in a pool pit. Not at all. But are you doing what God has called you to do? And you're being the man of God God's called you to be. And you're being the dad and the husband God called you to be. You're building. You're building into the souls and lives of people. That is of eternal value. That is gold, silver and precious stone. Let us build up. Let us build up. And not only build up, but God says to us tonight, don't give up. And you will be tempted to. If you're anything like me, you'll be tempted to. Do you think Noah was tempted to give up? A hundred and twenty years. Can you imagine how many days he worked? He sweat and he worked all day long only to look back and see so little progress. Because this has taken a long time to build. I don't think he had a lot of the tools we have today. But he's not just building an ark. He's preaching. The Bible says he's a preacher called a preacher of righteousness. As he's building, he's also preaching. Judgment is coming. Repent. There's a coming flood. And he's laughed at and he's scoffed and he's mocked and he's scorned. Do you think Noah ever was tempted to get discouraged and give up? I can see somebody working hard and preaching hard and serving five years, ten years, twenty years, thirty years. But now it's thirty years. And how many converts? How many are repenting? Fifty years. Nobody wants to hear what he says anymore. Nobody wants to hear this preaching anymore. A hundred years and how many are saved? You think he wanted to give up? I can't imagine the temptations to want to give up. And even after a hundred and twenty years, only seven saved. Saved. Rescued, and they're all family and they're all relatives. But you see, this man didn't walk with discouragement, he walked with God. And once you've heard from God and you're walking with God, you can you can walk in the midst of opposition. If our motives are for the glory of God, you know, God never called us to be successful. He called us to be faithful. I believe God wants his children to be successful. But the call is to be faithful, faithful to preach. What do you have to show for it, Noah? I got my three boys and my wife and my children and all these animals that God brought into this ark. And I've done what he told me to do. Don't give up, brother. Don't give up. You ever felt like just throwing in the towel? Just quitting? I can tell you this one thing I I have such a respect for pastors now that I've never had before in my life. But I have such a respect for pastors because I know I were one. What they've gone through and those that have stayed the course. Those that have fought the good fight, those that have kept the faith, those that have finished the course. Even through the discouragement and all the battles, they would not quit. They would not give up because they heard from God. God bless them. And may we all be such men who will finish the course, fight the good fight. Finish this race, keep the faith, because the Bible says in these last days, many will depart from the faith. There will be a falling away. In fact, Jesus said the deception will be so great if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. And what does he say? But he that shall endure to the end shall be saved. We've got to finish. We've got to finish the course. And I want to leave you with this. Only one way to finish. If you and I don't do this, we won't finish. We'll give up. We'll fall back down. We'll go back to sleep and all the rest. Last one. Look up, look up, fix your eyes on Jesus. This is what will keep us going. Will it not be worth it all just to see his face and all of his glory and majesty? We've got to look up. Wake up. Yes. Get up. Yes. Clean up. Yes. Stand up. Yes. Be a man. Build up. Obey God. Don't ever give up. And here's how. Look up. Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ. He's the one he's the he he should fill our vision. He's the one calling us to the finish line. He's the one saying I'm standing at the door. It will be worth it all. Brothers, those who are expecting him, those who are looking to Jesus, those who are longing for his appearing appearance. Look up. If I look at myself, it won't take very long to get real discouraged. If if I look at at others, it doesn't take long to get discouraged. If you're looking at the coming storm, only the coming storm. Listen, if you're only listening to the news, if you're only looking to presidential candidates and whatever else, if you're only looking to the evil that is that is on this world and that is taking place, you'll fall. You'll sink just like Peter sunk when he took his eyes off of Christ and he looked at the wind and the waves. But looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. That's how we run the race. Fixing our eyes on Christ. Luke chapter twenty one. Look at what Jesus says. Verse twenty eight. Luke twenty one. Verse twenty eight. He says, and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh. When these things come to pass, what things? All these signs. When you see false Christ and false prophets and unbelievable deception. When you see iniquity abounding and the love of many waxing cold. When you see wars and hear rumors of wars, when nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Famines, pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places. Persecution of Christians, betrayal and divisions in homes. Men's hearts failing them for fear at what is coming upon the earth. When sexual sin saturates society and violence is on the rise. When the days in which we live look like the days of Noah. And they do. Then, my brothers, look up because your redemption draweth nigh. Hallelujah. Jesus is coming. He's returning for his own. And what a day that will be. Let's turn to Revelation as we come to a close here. In Revelation chapter one. Revelation chapter one, verse seven. Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him. And they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen. He says, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty. Hallelujah. He's coming back. He ends the whole book by saying, behold, I'm coming quickly. Behold, I come quickly. Surely I come quickly. Suddenly Jesus will come. It will be just like the days of Noah. Noah and his family was in the ark. God shut the door and suddenly it came. And suddenly, brothers, we don't know. Will it be midnight? Will it be evening? Will it be morning? Will it be afternoon? We do not know the hour, but we know this. He's coming and he's coming suddenly. And when he comes, will you be awake? Will you be ready? Will you be awake? You've woken up. Will you be? Will you have arisen? You've gotten up. Will you be clean? You've been to the cross. Will you be standing for righteousness and truth? Will you be building up by doing what God told you to do? Will you be persevering, enduring to the end? Will you be looking and longing for his appearing? There's many today that have lost that longing for the appearance of Christ. Think about Jesus coming again. Does it excite you? Does it do something in your heart? You're going to see him for a whole lifetime. We've walked and talked with him by faith, but one day we will see his face. We will see his glorious face. We will see the nail scarred hands. We will see the Lord Jesus Christ in all of his glory. He's returning with power and great glory. It will be worth it all to spend a billion years with our Lord. A billion years together for all eternity. Jesus is coming again. He's coming again. Hallelujah. Would you bow your heads with me tonight? Just for a moment. Bow your heads before God. And I just want to ask you, brothers, where you are tonight. I felt more than anything in my heart tonight to encourage you. I pray that God has spoken to you. That he's called someone to get up, to wake up. To draw near to him. That he would remind us again tonight. Give us that fresh reminder that he's coming again. Are you prepared for Jesus to come suddenly? Are your children prepared for Jesus to come suddenly? Where do you find yourself in this message? Do you need to wake up? Isn't it time you get up? For some it's time to clean up. And you have something you need to destroy and throw away. Because it's an accursed thing. And it's destroying you. Let me tell you, don't try to reason it away. There'll be every reason in the world not to do what God told you to do. Just obey God and leave the consequences to him. Leave the questions with him. Destroy that thing. Just obey God. Come to the cross. If you're weighed down with guilt and shame and sin. And even past sin that you can't shake. Come to the cross. Jesus will clean you up. He's our sanctification. He's our forgiveness. He's our salvation. He's our righteousness. And I wonder who will resolve tonight.