In this sermon, the preacher discusses the contrasting outcomes of those who have a heart that is confirmed, strengthened, and established by God's grace and peace, versus those who have an unrepentant and divided heart. The preacher references Malachi 4:1, which describes a day coming when the arrogant and unrepentant will be burned like chaff and stubble. The sermon emphasizes the seriousness of having a heart captured by doctrine that protects sin, and the missed opportunity for freedom. The preacher also highlights the importance of enduring trials and temptations, as they refine and purify the faith of believers, resulting in praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In Tulsa, a young girl came up to me after preaching this message. Tears running down her eyes. She said, I'm free, I'm free, I'm free. She just kept saying it, I'm free. When she finally stopped crying enough to where she could really talk, she said, I got saved about five years ago and at that time I gave my whole heart to Jesus as best I knew. I experienced victory and then all of a sudden I found myself beginning to walk in some sins of the flesh. Oh, I hated them. I hated myself. I wanted out of them. I repented as best I could. I cried with tears. I did everything I knew, but I just kept getting drawn back in. She said, then I heard a message about repentance and I saw there was something wrong with my repentance. As a matter of fact, she said, I saw that I really had never given Jesus my whole heart. And she said, I repented right then. I gave Jesus my whole heart that moment. I surrendered it all to Him. And she said, I suddenly experienced some freedom and some victory. And she said, for several months I walked in that victory. And then she said, I started getting these temptations. They started coming to me. These same old temptations. She said, I didn't know anything about the powers of darkness. I didn't know anything about demons. I thought it was just me. And I started hating myself again. And she said, but I kept standing and resisting and I wasn't sinning. But it was hard, but I kept on resisting. And she said, then I went to a Bible study three years ago. And she said, God just came all over me. We were just praising the Lord and she said, the teaching hadn't even started and God just came all over me. And she said, I just began to weep and cry. And she said, what she'd been reading was this Scripture in Galatians 5 that those who practice these things shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. And she said, I was crying out and saying, God, God, I don't ever want to go back to those things. Those things have been my life. I don't ever want to go back to them. And please, Lord, deliver me from these temptations. And so when she was crying, a group at the Bible study gathered around her. And they got around her to comfort her, as happens in so many Bible studies. And she started crying out and she said, I'm afraid if I fall back into these sins, I'm afraid I won't go to heaven. They comforted her. They prayed for her. And the teacher said, honey, don't you know there's a difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven? Doesn't your Bible say right there that those who practice such things won't enter the kingdom of God? She said, yes. Honey, what that means is that you're right. You need to turn from all those sins. Because if you don't turn from them, God can't bring his blessings to you in the kingdom of God, which is on this earth. But listen, if you've really given your heart to Jesus, you'll still go to heaven. Because that says that you won't inherit the kingdom of heaven. And then the teacher turned over another scripture at 1 Corinthians 6, verse 9 through 11, which also says those who practice these sins shall not enter the kingdom of heaven, or kingdom of God. And so this man said, you see, that's the problem. You'll go to heaven, but you won't be blessed. And she said, when those words were spoke to me, she said it was just like waterfalls of peace that just came all over me. She said, all the tears went away, and the sobbing went away, and I felt so good inside, and peace just came all over me. And she said, from that moment on, I've not been able to resist those temptations, and I've been living in hell until this moment, and Jesus just set me free. Now folks, it's serious. Those doctrines gave the enemy enough ground to keep her in sin. But when she heard the light, she came to the light. If 1 Corinthians 3 doesn't mean that we can continue in strife and jealousy, what does it mean? What's it saying? Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 3. 1 Corinthians 3. Let me ask you a question. How many of you, as we were going through some of those things, how many of you felt something talking to your mind, kind of drawing you off and feeling something? Just be honest, don't be afraid. You may have even felt a little offended. Would you just raise your hand? Raise your hand. Okay. I appreciate your honesty. Folks, I want to say to you again, because I want you to get this. I want you to hear what I'm saying. I want you to recognize that if you are in Christ Jesus, you have nothing to fear but God. God only should you fear. As a matter of fact, in Deuteronomy 6, He says, You shall fear the Lord your God and Him only. Why? Because when you fear God, you don't have anything else to fear. The fear of the Lord in Proverbs 8 is to hate evil. It's to hate the perverted mouth in every evil way. And so when the fear of God is on the inside of you, a reverence for God, a love for the Lord's inside, you want to come to the light. Now let me tell you something. For a person where Jesus has all their heart, a doctrine that proclaims carnal Christianity, it probably won't even hurt him because he or she doesn't want to sin. They're moving to God. They're moving. They're walking in victory. But for somebody who's struggling or somebody who hasn't given Jesus all their heart, folks, I want to tell you, it can not only hurt them, it can send them to hell. Now that's why we're proclaiming this message. We're not trying to lift up one doctrine over another. We're trying to let you see the danger in believing that you can practice sin willfully in your heart, in the stubbornness of your heart, and go to heaven. Well, where does that leave you if you're struggling with a sin? Where does that leave you? We're going to see clearly that God's made a provision, and you're going to see what it is. God has made a provision that you don't have to live in sin. Do we see clearly in Romans 6 that God is saying that you don't have to be a master or be mastered by sin? Did we see that? All right. So what do I do? What's God doing? Do we see that the Holy Spirit will give life to your mortal bodies? Did we see that? Now, folks, listen to me. The Holy Spirit can not give life to your mortal body. He can't bring the grace of God to your body, to your life, if there's anything in that heart that's holding on to an excuse to sin. Because what He wants to do is put to death the sin. God loves you. He hates sin. But He doesn't excuse sin. I believe you'll see clearly tomorrow night that this sin unto death is all over the church, and it's sad. Folks, I see why Paul mourned. Do you understand why he mourned? I want you to please understand my heart. Oh, if you could just somehow cut me open and see what I really want to say on the inside, I want you to see, I want you to know that I'm not trying to just say, look, your doctrine's wrong, this doctrine's right. I just want to tell you something. What I want you to see is that there's a place of security in Christ Jesus. There's a place of victory in Christ Jesus. There's a place where you can walk, that you don't have to be bound by sin, you don't have to be controlled by sin, you don't have to be mastered by sin. There's a place where you can walk and really experience the victory that it talks about in the Word of God. But you can't do it if you're holding on to any kind of a doctrine that gives you an excuse to live in ungodliness because the enemy gets ground by virtue of that very doctrine. And the result is that you stay in defeat, and that's why many of you have tried and tried and tried to repent and climb out of it, but you didn't have the fear of God, you didn't have the seriousness of sin in there, you'd been told and taught that you can continue in some of these things because you've been saved, you're going to heaven, you're in Christ. Folks, I want to tell you something. We've perverted what it means to be in Christ. That's the problem. That's the problem. Now, let's see what he is saying. Verse 4, he said, For when one says, I'm of Paul, and another, I'm of Apollos, are you not mere men? What then is Apollos and what is Paul? Servants to whom you believe, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. You see that? He's saying, look, get your eyes off of men. Get your eyes off of men's words and doctrines, even the good ministries. Get your eyes off of them. Don't even follow a good ministry. Follow Jesus. Because God is the one that's going to bring it to pass. God's the only one that can do it. What does that mean? Don't follow a deliverance ministry. Don't get all excited about deliverance. Get excited about Jesus. See, this is what God's trying to say to his people. Listen, I don't care who comes and sows. I don't care who comes and waters. Get your eyes on me. If anything happens, it'll be because I, God, cause the growth. Or it's not growth. And so, what he's saying is, So then neither, verse 7, the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything. But God who causes the growth, he's everything. Now he who plants and he who waters are one. But each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers near God's field. Who's building? God's building. According to the what? According to the what? According to the grace of God which is given to me as a wise master builder. I laid a foundation. What allowed him to lay the foundation? Everybody say it. Grace. And another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. Do you see that? He's saying what he said over in 2 Corinthians 13. Examine yourself. Test yourself. See if you're in the faith. Well, how do I know I'm in the faith? Well, the Holy Spirit's on the inside of me. If I'm in the faith and I've been walking in sin and I have no desire. If I'm in the faith and I've been walking in sin and light comes and I see that I can. I see the way of victory. I see the way of freedom. I see the grace of God. I begin to see that I've been walking in sin. I call it what God calls it. I call it sin. I turn my heart away from it and I come to the way of victory. Are you hearing me? You say, well, I've tried that. Well, folks, I want to tell you something. If you've tried it and tried it and tried it and tried it. But somehow on the inside of you, you were holding on to this idea. I believe I really am saved though. I believe I really am saved. You might have been saved. But if you were holding on the idea that you could be saved and sin. Then that was the cause of your defeat. That's all the ground the enemy needs. Do you understand what I just said? See, I want you to understand something. There's a part to this message which is my part, I guess. But you can hear the holiness, the repentance. And think, well, I've heard all of this before. This is just some old holiness preaching. Well, I'll tell you something. There's a lot of good about some of the old holiness preaching. But folks, I'm not talking about just quitting drinking. Quitting committing adultery. Quitting your drugs. Quitting your lying. Quitting your stealing. I'm talking about your heart. I'm talking about you. I'm not talking about just the outward sin. I'm talking about your heart. Now listen to me. The reason why you've not experienced victory many times before is because God did not have your whole heart. I'm telling you something. When God gets your whole heart, grace is available to you and grace will begin to work in that heart and the Spirit of God will put to death the deeds of the flesh and there'll be strength to do it. But He's got to have your whole heart. Don't play games with Him. You can't give Him half of your heart and walk in victory. It's impossible. I'm telling you, when He gets your whole heart, things begin to fall off. I don't have it all worked out yet. There's still some things that need to fall off. But I want to tell you something. I'm seeing a progressive victory in those areas of my life by the grace of God. Because when I hear the light and say that, I'm coming to the light. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now look. He goes on and He says, the grace of God. Be careful how He builds upon it. Well, He's saying, be careful what kind of foundation you're building. And then He gives us some illustrations of different kinds of foundations. And here's what He says. Now, if any man builds upon the foundation, well, verse 11, for no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now, I want to tell you something, folks. Listen to me. We've been calling some things that is Jesus Christ that are not Jesus Christ. A foundation that says you can walk in sin is not Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't say that. And a doctrine that says you just can't get victory is not Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't say that. I'm telling you, folks, you can walk free of anything that's holding you. I'm telling you, you can. You can be free. But it's the Word that's going to set you free because the Word is going to get the whole heart focused on Jesus. Are you hearing what I'm saying? All right, now look what He says. Now, if any man builds upon the foundation, verse 12, with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, six building materials, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, or shaft, let's see what happens. Each man's work will become evident. How's it going to become evident? For the day shows it. What day? What day is He talking about? Because it's to be revealed with what? Fire. And the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. Let me ask you a question. What is going to test the quality of the work? Everybody say it. Fire. Let me ask you a question. Whenever fire hits gold, silver, and precious stones, what does the fire do to them? It purifies. It purifies. Whenever the fire hits wood, hay, and stubble, or shaft, what happens to it? It burns out. In other words, the fire is going to test the quality of that foundation. Now, when I'm talking about laying a foundation to Jesus, what is He talking about? Good works? No. What foundation has to be laid? Jesus is the foundation. Now here's what happens. How do I get the foundation of God, which is Jesus, on the inside of me? How do I get that foundation on the inside of me? By coming to Jesus and loving the Lord my God with all my heart. That's the foundation. The foundation is loving Jesus with all your heart. Are you with me? Isn't that how you get in Christ? Isn't that how you get in Christ? Is there anything in the Bible that says you get in Christ any other way than giving Him your whole heart? Is there anything that says that? Alright? Now, have you noticed something? Have you noticed that those of you who came to Jesus and you gave Him all your heart with as much as you knew, have you noticed something interesting that's happened? Did you see a sin in your life and say, Man, that sin's there and I must not have given my heart to Jesus. I repent and give my heart to Jesus. I get saved all over again. Did you do that or did you say, God, I see that's a sin. I see the way of victory. I don't want that thing in my life anymore. I repent, God. I turn from that thing. And in Jesus' name, I just give my heart to You, God. I turn from it. Is that what you did? How many of you noticed that when you thought you'd given Him your whole heart with as much as you knew, you're finding out all the time there's more to give? And so, you're in a process of continually giving Jesus your whole heart. Are you hearing what I'm saying? How do you give Him your whole heart? Well, whenever God shows you that something's wrong, you don't excuse it. You don't justify it. You don't find a doctrine to build around justifying it. You call it what God called it. You call it sin and you say, God, I want it gone. You repent. You turn to it. You come to the light. Now, when you do that, you're giving God all your heart. You're saying, Lord, I don't want anything in there that doesn't belong to You. And that foundation just keeps being built upon. Now, what does God do? What does God do? Well, He says that we can build with gold, silver, or precious stones. Is that what your Bible says? Is that what it says? Alright, now what does that mean? Because it says fire is going to come and test it. Let me tell you what it means. The gold, silver, and precious stones belong to the person that's given Jesus their whole heart. And so when they get light, they come to the light when they're tested. And even if they fail, they repent and turn away from it. But they're the ones that call sin, sin. And when sin comes, they don't justify it. They don't excuse it. They don't build a doctrine around it. They say, I don't care what anybody else calls it. I don't care what anybody else says. It says right here in the Word of God that it's sin. I'm calling it sin. It says right here in the Word of God that there's victory over that thing. I don't care who tells me I can't have victory over that thing. It says right there that it's sin. And God says sin will not be my master. I may not know the way right now, but I'm not going to yield to this thing because I am going to overcome it by the grace of my God. I am not going to give it my heart. No matter how much I have to suffer, that thing's not going to get my heart. Now, when you do that, here's what God does. I want you to see the fire. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1. Folks, I want to tell you something. This is one of the most precious, precious things of what God does. 1 Peter 1, verse 2. 1 Peter 1, verse 2. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of who? Who does the sanctifying work? The Spirit of God. Who puts to death the deeds of the flesh? You do by the what? Spirit of God, not by the flesh. That you may what? Obey Jesus. Now, look at this. Obey Jesus. And then what happens when you obey Jesus? And be sprinkled with His what? Blood. When you obey Jesus, what happens? You're sprinkled by the blood. When you obey Jesus, the blood of Jesus Christ stands on your behalf. I want to tell you something. That's powerful. The blood of Jesus, you obey Christ. And look what happens. What comes? Grace and peace be yours in what? Fullest measure. There's that word grace again. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away. That's strong, isn't it? Reserved in heaven for you who are protected. How are you protected? How are you protected? By the power of God. But I want you to notice the power of God comes when you obey Jesus whereas the power of God comes through the blood of Jesus. Look. You're protected by the power of God. How? Through faith. Now that's real interesting. I want you to hold your finger right there and I want you to see what faith does. If it's real faith. Here's what real faith does. Hold your finger right there and turn with me to Acts chapter 15. If it's real faith. Now we hear a lot about faith, don't we? Well, if it's real faith, this is what will happen. I keep saying that because I want you to hear it. If it's real faith, this will happen. Acts chapter 15. I'm coming right back to 1 Peter so don't lose it. Acts chapter 15 verse 8. And God who knows the what? A heart. Is this the issue, the heart? And God who knows the heart bore witness to them giving them who? The Holy Spirit. Just as he also did to us. And he made no distinction between us and them. What did he do? Cleansing their hearts by what? Faith. Now listen. Here's what he's saying. He's saying that when the early Christians believed with real faith in the Lord Jesus, that real faith cleansed their hearts. That's faith. Is that what your Bible says? Faith will cleanse the heart. Listen to me. I don't care what you're trying to believe God for. I don't care what you're standing on. I don't care what doctrine you've got. I don't care how many promises. You can buy you one of those books of promises and praise God for them. Because I like the promises. You can buy one of those books of promises. And you can memorize and quote every single one of them in those books. But I want to tell you something. If you don't stand against temptation and cleanse your heart, let the Spirit of God bring grace to cleanse your heart. What you're standing on is not real faith. And if you get anything at all, it will be a counterfeit and it will not be from God. True faith cleanses the heart. Now look. Let's go back now and read in 1 Peter. Verse 5. Let's find out what that's saying. 1 Peter 1. Verse 5. You are protected by the power of God through cleansed hearts. Can we say that? That's what real faith does, isn't it? Cleansed hearts. Alright. Now here's what happens. For salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary. Would you mark that if necessary? That's a real important verse. If necessary. That means there might be some cases where it's not necessary. Are you hearing what I'm saying? How many of you heard what I said? Okay. If necessary. If necessary, you have been distressed by what? Various trials or temptations. What does that do? That the proof of your what? Of your faith being more precious than what? Gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We're talking about the heart, folks. And listen. Here's what happens. The fire comes. We're going to see what the fire is in a minute. The fire comes. The fire comes. And the heart has to make a decision. Are you with me? Now here's what we decide. Now look carefully. Look with me. Let's see what the fire is. Look with me at 1 Peter 4. 1 Peter 4. 1 Peter 4. Verse 12. Beloved. Is he talking to Christians? Yes. He says, Beloved. Don't be surprised. Don't be surprised. Do not be surprised at the what kind of ordeal? At the fiery ordeal. Don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your what? For your what? For your testing. As though some strange thing were happening to you. I'm going to show you tomorrow night. The testing is coming from the enemy, doesn't it? Is that what he says in James 1? Let no man think when he's been tempted, he's been tempted by God. For God himself tempts no one. The enemy comes and tests your heart. But notice that God allows the testing. He allows everything he created to be tested. Why? Because here's what God wants to do. I'll show you tomorrow night a scripture that will show you that the devil says, Let's test him. Let's come against him. For if we can deceive him, then perhaps we can overcome him. But God says, Let the testing come. Because every time the devil tests the heart and the heart chooses the word of God and Jesus, something happens to that heart that the devil can't control or do anything about. That's why he said in James 1, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, temptations, or tests, knowing this, knowing this, that the testing of your what? Faith. To see if you're going to cleanse your heart. The testing of your faith produces what? Patience or endurance. And it says, Let that endurance have its perfect result or work that you may be made perfect, complete, lacking in nothing. Now here's what happens. Don't be surprised when a fiery ordeal comes upon you for testing as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree, to the degree, would you underline that? To the degree, to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on doing what? Keep on doing what? Rejoicing. Why? So that at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exultation. Why? If you're reviled for the name of Christ, you're blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Now what is this sufferings of Christ? Well, chapter 4, verse 1, 1 Peter 4, 1. Therefore, since Christ has suffered, where did he suffer? In the flesh. Now folks, listen to me. I know Milt's already covered this, but did Christ suffer in the flesh? Let me tell you something. When Jesus tried to walk on, was he persecuted? Did he have people mocking? Did they make fun of him? Did the enemy come against him and said, if you're really the son of God, come off the cross? Why? He was testing his heart. Did he come against him after he was in the wilderness? Did he test him with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the boastful pride of life and look for in the wilderness? When he told him, he said, if you're the son of God, if you really are the son of God, turn these stones into bread. The lust of the flesh. Then he took him up on a high mountain and he showed him all the kingdoms and said, if you just fall down and worship me, then I'll just give you all these kingdoms because it's been handed over to me and I give it to whomever I wish. The lust of the eyes. And then he said, if that doesn't work, why don't you just go up there on the pinnacle of that temple and jump off? Because when you go on the pinnacle of the temple and jump off, then everybody will know you're the son of God and they'll follow you. The only problem was, none of them would have been cleansed from their sins. But God the Father said to him, go to the cross and die. He obeyed God the Father. And when he did, he opened up the throne of grace. That when you obey him and say no to the same lust, sin, temptations that represent all the temptations of the world. When you say no, that same throne of grace that raised Jesus gives life to your mortal bodies. And here's what happens. Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose. Because he who has suffered in the flesh has done what? Ceased from sin. So as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but what do you live for? You live for the will of God. So what happens when the devil brings a fiery temptation? Look at 1 Peter 5, verse 8. Be of sober spirit. Be on the alert. Because your adversary, the devil, is going to bring a fiery trial to you. Because he prowls about like a roaring lion, he's trying to find somebody to devour. He's seeking to devour somebody. That means he cannot, he cannot, listen to me, he cannot devour everybody. He's seeking to devour somebody. There's two seekers. One is the devil. 1 Chronicles 16.9, this is 2 Chronicles. 1 Chronicles 16.9 says that the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro across the whole earth. Seeking to find somebody to whom he can show himself strong, whose heart is completely his. He's saying when he's got your heart, then he'll show himself strong to you. But when you've got a divided heart, he can't show himself strong. That's why you've been defeated. Are you hearing me? Okay, now listen. Listen. But do you understand what a doctrine of carnal Christianity is doing? Please listen to me. Do you understand how the devil is using it? He's using it to divide the heart. He's using it to create a false security. He's using it to tell you, you're alright. Peace, peace, when there is no peace. So what does that do? It breaks down all your resistance. Even when you try to stand against the temptation, something kind of suddenly tells you, you can repent. You can repent. What the devil does is he keeps hardening your heart. He gets it to the place where you play with spiritual things. Then you go out and sin. Then you come back to spiritual things. And your heart gets so hard that the conviction of God doesn't even penetrate. Because he knows the key is the heart. And so, here's what happens. But resisting, verse 9, firm in your what? Faith. What does faith do? It cleanses the heart. Knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And what happens? And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all what? Grace. Who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish your heart. Now, let me tell you why. See, I don't know what it's like to struggle with cigarette smoking. I really don't. Because when I was a little boy, before I was even saved, I got a hold of a cigarette and lit it. Walked around the house. My parents were gone. Smoked it. See, it wasn't a hold when I had to find a little stub, you know, in the thing, in the ashtray. So I smoked it. And I didn't hear the car drive up in the driveway. I was sitting in the living room, just a small boy, smoking a cigarette. And I heard the back door open. And I swallowed that thing. They still knew what I was doing. Smoked all over the house and my face, you know. You could tell it. I got sick. I did something to me. I never wanted to touch another one again the rest of my life. I want to tell you something. In all the times that I've been lost and even a Christian, not one time, you can pile all the cigarettes in the world right up in front of me and not one time will my heart even, in not even a small way, want to go after it. Because I never gave it my heart. There's some sins that got you and don't have somebody over here. Because you gave your heart to them. You know when the devil comes to test you, you know what he tests you with? He tests you with what you gave your heart to while you're in the world. Is that right? Why? Because he's got no ground to test you with all the other things. Are you hearing me? Now when you say no, cleanse your heart and give your whole heart to Jesus. Stand firm. Resist the temptations of the enemy. Stand firm against the enemy. You may go through some suffering. Folks, listen. See, if you want to just try it out and say, Well, I'm going to try this and I'm just going to stand. And boy, the temptation just keeps coming and coming and coming until, Well, I'm just going to stand. And it just starts getting stronger and stronger and stronger. And you stop resisting. You think, Well, I'm just going to go ahead and do it. Your heart is going to get hard as a rock. Before long, you'll be able to do that sin. And you won't even feel conviction. But glory be to God. Jeremiah said, Is not my word like a hammer that smashes the rock into pieces? And when the word of God starts cleansing your heart and breaking up those rocks and you start repenting and coming to Jesus, then that soft sensitivity to God comes back. And God starts confirming, strengthening, and establishing. See, here's what happens. If you resist those temptations, stand firm against it, and keep standing firm, a time will come in your heart where your heart will be confirmed, strengthened, and established. And the enemy no longer will have ground to attack you in that area. Are you hearing me? Why? Because the fire comes. See, gold, silver, and precious stones represent a heart turning to God. It gets the fire. Yeah, it gets fire. But what happens to it? Turn with me to Malachi. This is the end of side number one. Please turn tape over for the conclusion of this tape on side two. Turn with me to Malachi 3. Let's see what fire does. Malachi 3. Let's see what the fire does. Did we say there were six building materials? Gold, silver, and precious stone? Wood, hay, and stubble? It's all going to be tested by fire. Did we say that? Now look what happens. Verse 1, Malachi 3. Behold, I am going to send my messenger, and he'll clear the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. Where is the temple of God now? It's right here. This is the temple of God. He's going to come to his temple in whom you delight. Behold, he's coming, says the Lord. And the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. Who is the messenger of the covenant? Jesus. Now look what happens. Verse 2. But who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he's like what kind of a fire? A refiner's fire and like a fuller soap. And he'll sit as a smelter and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi. And by the way, the sons of Levi, you can see very clearly in Ezekiel. They're the ones who did not turn to the unholy things. But they're the ones when Israel turned away to put idols in the heart and serve other gods. The sons of Levi are the ones who obeyed the Lord. Now look. I'll show you that, but we don't have time to go into that. But here's what happens. I'll purify the sons of Levi. And what's he going to do? Refine them like what? Gold and silver. What's going to be the result? So that they may present to the Lord offerings in what? Righteousness. He's going to refine them so that what they present to the Lord will be righteousness. A pure heart. Their heart got tested. But God, when they resisted in the flesh, suffered. Yes, they suffered. They resisted. But what happened? God himself, the God of grace and peace, confirmed, strengthened, and established, perfected that heart. Now look. What's the opposite of that? Well, let's see. Malachi 4, verse 1. For behold, the day is coming, burning like a what? Burning like a furnace. Malachi 4, verse 1. Burning like a furnace. And all the who? The arrogant and every evil door will be like what? Chaff. Is that like wood, hay, and stubble? Yes. Now listen. They're the ones we read in Romans, chapter 2, who would not repent. But by the stubbornness of their heart, they kept an unrepentant heart. Are you with me? I say, are you with me? Now look. What's going to happen to them? And the day is coming, and it's going to do what to them? It's going to set them ablaze. Isn't that interesting? The gold, silver, and precious stones, when the fire came, what did it do to them? It refined and purified them. But when it comes to this, the impure heart, the divided heart, what does it do? It sets it ablaze. It gets filled with more unrighteousness. Isn't that interesting? Isn't it interesting how we saw over in 1 Corinthians 3, that at first what they had was division, strife, and jealousy? Isn't that interesting? And then he said, now when I come back, I'm afraid I'm not going to find strife and jealousy. I'm going to find immorality, outbursts of anger. I'm going to find all these things. I mean, the list just gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Why? Because James said that the wisdom that comes from below, what it'll do is earthly, natural, sensual, and demonic. And he says it will lead to chaos and every evil thing. It gets bigger. Are you hearing me? Are you listening to me? Okay, now listen. What's it going to leave them? It's going to set them ablaze, says the Lord of Hosts, so that it will leave them neither what? Folks, this is serious. It'll leave them neither what? Root or branch. They won't be rooted in Christ, nor will they be a branch in the vine. Are you hearing me? Well, look at Isaiah 5 real quick. Quickly, Isaiah 5. Let's see them. Let's see them. Isaiah 5. Isaiah 5, verse 18. Now, look at this. I want you to see this carefully. Isaiah 5, verse 18. Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of what? Falsehood and sin as if with cart ropes. Now, let me tell you. Here's what's happening. Look here. Here's this person. They don't come to the light. They didn't repent, but here's what they did. They had a doctrine. They had a doctrine. And the doctrine said, you can come to Jesus, go to heaven, still walk in sin. And you're secure. You're secure. Even though the Bible never said that. So, when God tries to bring revelation through a message, or a brother, or just reading the word, instead of repenting in their heart, they tie those ropes around their neck, and on their shoulders, and they pull that cart around with them. Drag it around. Drag it around. Dragging sin around like it were a cart with ropes on it. Dragging those doctrines that protect their fear, protect their carnal lifestyle, protect their church, protect their denomination, protect their sinful, fleshly rebellion. And when anybody, including the Spirit of God, tries to bring light to their heart, they stick up that cart and say, that's not what that means. Look at my cart. Look at my doctrine. Look at my cart. My cart says differently. I don't care if it does say that in the word, that you'll not inherit the kingdom of God. My cart says this. And here's what happens. Oh folks, this is so serious. Because they're saying in their heart. You see, they're not the ones in the world. They're saying in their heart, who say, let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it, let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and come to pass, that we may know it, just waiting for the coming of the Lord. And when the Lord gets there, they're going to go into judgment. Because their heart's been captured. Captured. By doctrine. That protected their sin. And oh, the thing that's so sad about it folks, they could have been free. They could have been free. They could have been free. And look. Look. But he says about these people that are saying, these people that are talking religion, using the things of God, for their own profit and lifestyle. They're saying, let the Holy One... They might even be preaching messages about the second coming of Christ. They might even... I want to tell you something folks. It's no accident. I want to tell you this. Listen to me. It is no accident that the worldly, fleshly church, the harlot church, gets more excited about prophecies and end time coming of the Lord Jesus Christ than anything else. It's right there in your Bible. Because they're all excited about it. But they don't want to deal with sin. We get real excited about what God's going to do with Israel. Please don't miss tomorrow night. Please. You're going to have your eyes opened on Sunday. We get all excited. I'm not saying God's not doing something with Israel, but listen to me. It's not going to help you to look for the building of the temple in Israel while you walk with sin in your heart and then thank God for the coming of Jesus. Those people were thanking and expecting the coming of Jesus. Does your Bible say that? Now look what he says. Woe to those who call good, who call evil good, and good what? Evil. Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness. Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Verse 24. Therefore, as a tongue of what? As a tongue of fire consumes what? Stubble, wood, hay, straw. As it consumes it. And dry grass collapses into the flame so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust. Why? For they have rejected the word of the Lord of hosts. Do you see that? And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 47. Isaiah 47. Did we talk about a false security? Isaiah 47, verse 10. Please listen to this. And you, Isaiah 47, verse 10. And you felt secure in your what? You felt secure, Isaiah 47, verse 10. You felt secure in your sin, your wickedness. And said, no one sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge, they've done what to you? They deluded you for you said where? You said where? In your heart. I am. And there's no one besides me. We've got the truth. Now look. What happens to these people? Verse 14. Behold, they become like what? Wood, hay, and straw. Stubble. What burns them? Fire burns them. Now I want you to notice, every place we've read about wood, hay, and stubble, what does fire do to them? Burns them or consumes them. And every place we read about gold, silver, and precious stones, what happens to them? It purifies them. Now look carefully. They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. There'll be no coal to warm by, nor a fire to sit before. So have those become to you with whom you have labored. They're right there beside you, sitting in the pew with you. Who have trafficked with you from your youth. Each has wandered his own way. There is none to save you. Why? Because they've rejected the only source of salvation they have. Giving Jesus their whole heart. Now turn with me. Back to 1 Corinthians 3. We're almost finished. But I want you to see back to 1 Corinthians 3. Verse 12 again. Let's see if we understand it a little better. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 12 says, Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw, each man's work will become evident. For the day will show it, because it's to be what? Revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which is built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. Wonder what that means. Do you remember? Do you remember reading? Do you remember reading in 1 Peter 1? That if necessary, you'd be tested. How many of you read that? Raise your hand. Does that mean that there are some areas that it might not be necessary for you to be tested? Let me tell you something. You know why I don't have a problem with smoking? It never got in my heart. I haven't had one test about it. Not one test. That happened when I was a lost boy. But I'll tell you something. I sure have been tested in some other areas. The ones I gave my heart to in the world. And when you give your whole heart to Jesus, there are areas where you'll never find it necessary. It'll never be tested. Not really. I know. I want to tell you something, folks. I'll just be honest with you. I don't have... I never have. I don't have a little bitty problem with bitterness and unforgiveness. I can't tell you why except it never got in my heart. See, whenever somebody would say something mean to me or something like that, all they'd have to do is say one kind word and it'd just melt my heart. I don't care what they did. I never really thought it comfortable ever to hold anything against anybody. I look for... From the time I was a boy, I looked for ways to... Well, I wonder, how can I right this relationship? I'm telling you, the enemy doesn't have any ground there. And I've had some people do some pretty mean things and it didn't get in my heart. I'm not saying I haven't got angry. I'm not saying I've never even felt a little bit rise up. But I want to tell you something. It hadn't lasted very long. I repented of that thing and gotten it right. I don't get very many tests anymore. I've had some, but I don't get very many tests anymore in that area. I don't get very many more. Somebody said, well, you better watch out. If you say that, the devil will attack you. Well, glory be to God, let him attack because he's not going to get in my heart. And whatever's missing, the Lord Jesus will confer and strengthen and make it harder towards sin. You don't have to fear the devil, but now listen to me. There are areas where it's necessary for me to get a testing. And I want to tell you something. There are some areas where I'm still being tested. And there are areas where I don't have all the victory. But I'm coming to more victory all the time because it doesn't have my heart and I'm suffering in some things. I mean, it's hurting, I'm suffering in some things. Are you hearing me? All right? So that man who's not necessary, that area, there's not ground for temptation. See, when it happens, when his work he build upon remains, he'll receive reward. But now verse 15, if any man's work's burned up, he'll suffer loss. But he himself, what's going to happen to him? He'll be saved. And how did he get saved? Don't miss that part. How did he get saved, people? What does it say? How did he get saved? By the fire. What did the fire do? The fire tested his heart. He didn't turn his heart, but he suffered in the flesh. He did not turn his heart to the sin. And the purifying fire of God began to cleanse his heart. He may be still standing against some of it. But listen, it doesn't have his heart. The fire is refining and purifying him. It's not burning him up. It's refining and purifying him. And he's going to be saved. Even though he thought he gave Jesus his whole heart, it's been tested. Now his heart's getting tested, but his heart keeps coming to the light in repentance. He keeps coming to Jesus. And that fire is strengthening, confirming, and establishing him. And he's going to go to heaven. What about the next guy? What about the next guy? Let's see what it says. He's not through. Folks, he didn't end there. He's not through. He said there's another person. Verse 16. Don't you know you're the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Well, what did we see the Spirit of God does? Does he not lead you to put to death the deeds of the flesh? Didn't Paul say to these same people before he came back, he said, test yourselves. Test yourselves. See if you're in the faith. Examine yourself. Don't you know the Spirit of God lives within you? Unless you fail the test. How would they know they failed the test? Because they were still practicing their sin without repentance. The Spirit of God does not live in that kind of a vessel. What happens to that vessel? Well, we'll see what happens to it. If any man destroys the temple of God, where is the temple of God? What did we read in Malachi 3? What did the message of the covenant, where was he coming to? The temple. And what was he going to do in that temple? He's going to sit like a refiner's fire, a purifier. And he was going to cleanse that temple. If the Spirit of God's in you, folks, I'm telling you, he'll be cleansing you. Is that clear? Is that clear? Is it in your Bible? Now, look what he says. He says, for the temple of God's holy, that's what you are. That is, if you're in Christ Jesus, that's what you are. Now, look. Let no man deceive himself, folks. That's what you are, but don't be deceived. Don't you be deceived because, look at this. If you destroy, if any man among you thinks he's wise in this age, let him become foolish, that he may become wise. Now, what I want to do is I want to read verse 17. I left that out. If any man destroys the temple of God, what's going to happen? God will destroy him. Now, folks, I want to tell you something. We say there's no... You say, this is about babes. Well, if he's talking about babes, why in the world did he put something like this in that chapter? And is this in the New Testament? Does it say God will destroy? How does a man become destroyed? He says that... Now, look at this. It doesn't say God's going to destroy you. You know what it says? It says if you destroy the temple, God will destroy you. All right? How do you destroy the temple? Well, keep your finger right there. Mark it. We're going to come back in just a moment. Turn to Proverbs chapter 1 very quickly. I want you to see how the temple is destroyed. Verse 23. Turn to my reproof. Then I'll pour my Spirit out upon you. Is that what your Bible says? What do you think about all this pouring the Spirit out upon with no repentance? Are you hearing me? That said, if you turn to me with your heart, then I'll pour my Spirit out upon you. Is that what your Bible says? Does it say I'll pour my Spirit out upon you and then you repent? Does it say you'll repent and then I'll pour my Spirit out upon you? Then I'll pour my Spirit out upon you. I'll make my words known to you because I called and you refused. I stretched out my hand. No one paid attention. And you neglected all my counsel. And did not want my reproof. I'll even laugh at your calamity. I'll mock when your dread comes. Your dread comes like a storm. And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind. Wonder what the storm and whirlwind is? It's the power of darkness. When distress and anguish come upon you, then they'll call on me, but I'll not answer. They'll seek me diligently, but they shall not find me. Why? I mean, these people are seeking repentance. God, how come they don't get repentance? Why? Because they still held on to their cart of sin. And they hated the Word of God. Because they hated knowledge. And did not choose the fear of the Lord. Are you seeing that? What's going to happen to them? They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way. And be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them. And the complacency of fools shall destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely. And shall be secure. At ease from the dread of evil. Is that clear? Is that clear? Now listen to me. Turn with me back over to 1 Corinthians 3. Verse 21. So then. Now we're just about finished. So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death. Or things present or things to come. All things belong to you. And you belong to Christ. And Christ belongs to God. Listen to me. There's been a teaching that says. You're just an old sinner saved by grace. Folks I want to tell you something. You are saved by grace. But you're much more than that. If you repent and you walk in Christ Jesus. All things belong to you. And God himself will confirm, strengthen and establish you. You belong to Jesus. You don't have to argue and wrangle about doctrines. You don't have to argue about whether you're this denomination. That denomination. This group. That group. This ministry. That ministry. If you're founded on the word of God. All things are yours. And I want to tell you something. All the promises are yours if you're in Christ. But I want you to see one. Two scriptures with me and then we'll close. Galatians. Galatians. Chapter 6. Excuse me, 5. Galatians 5. He says you belong to Christ. Is that what he said there in 1 Corinthians 3? Is that what he's saying? Okay, let's look at this. Galatians 5. Verse 24. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Who wrote 1 Corinthians 3 that said you belong to Christ? Who wrote Galatians? One last scripture. 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 2. Have we been talking about building a foundation? 2 Timothy chapter 2. Verse 19. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands. I'm telling you something. When you give your whole heart to Jesus. That firm foundation that God has. It'll stand the test of the fire. It'll be purified. And it'll become silver, gold, precious stones purified in the fire. And you'll be saved, yet so is through fire. Having this seal. What seal? How do we know it's a firm foundation? How do we know that our foundation is in God? First of all, the Lord knows those who are His. He knows. The Lord knows those who are His. Secondly, you'll know it's a firm foundation. And let everyone. Would you please mark everyone? Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness. That's how you know the firm foundation is there. Let me tell you something. In 1 Corinthians 3, I really believe that there were some among them in strife and jealousy. When they heard the word, I believe they repented. I believe they came to the light. You know why? They had the whole heart for Jesus. They say, hey, that's right. Apollos belongs to me. As long as it's in right and in Christ Jesus, that belongs to me. I'm in Christ. I'm crucifying the flesh. I've just seen that this is wrong. Strife and jealousy is not of God. God's got my whole heart. I'm getting rid of this. I'm crucifying this strife and jealousy. I'm not going to yield my heart to it anymore. And fire came. You believe they ever got tested? Absolutely. But the fire produced a result. They abstained from wickedness because their firm foundation was gold, silver, and precious stones. But look. Now in a large house, verse 20. Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and earth and ware. And some are going to go to honor and some are going to go where? Which ones are going to go to honor? The gold and silver. Which ones are going to go to dishonor? The wood, straw, stubble, wood and earth and ware. How do you tell the difference? Verse 21. Therefore if, if, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he'll be a vessel for honor. Sanctified, useful to the master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts. Isn't that interesting? Can I tell you something? Teenagers are not the only ones with youthful lusts. Where did I say the devil was going to tempt your heart? The very place that you've given him ground all your life. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue what? Everybody say it. Righteousness. Faith. What does faith do? It cleanses the heart. Love and peace. With who? With those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations. They produce quarrels. We found something else over in 1 Timothy that produces quarrels, didn't we? 6.3. Did we see about a doctrine not conforming to godliness produce strife and jealousy and quarrels? Did you see that in your Bible? But the Lord's bondservant, those who have the right foundation, must not be quarrelsome but be kind to all. Able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition. If perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. And they may come to their senses and escape. Escape from the snare of who? Of the devil. Having been held captive by him to do his will. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But those who do the will of my Father. Folks, repentance is the will of God. Do you understand 1 Corinthians 3? Did I take anything out of context? Folks, the Bible will always agree with itself. This concludes tape number 14. Please fast forward this tape to return it to the beginning. Please proceed to tape number 15 where this message continues.