In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of believing every word in the Bible and warns against denying its truth. He warns that those who deny God's word will face severe judgment. The preacher also highlights the urgency of repentance and the need to be prepared for the return of Jesus. He uses the parable of the wedding feast to illustrate the consequences of not being clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The sermon emphasizes the importance of walking in the light and surrendering to God's will, while acknowledging that believers are not yet perfected but are continually cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold. You are welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website for a complete listing at www.charityministries.org. If you would like a catalog of other sermons, please call 1-800-227-7902 or write to Charity Ministries, 400 West Main Street, Suite 1, EFRA PA 17522. These messages are offered to all without charge by the free will offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. In John 8, verse 12, Jesus said, I am, I am, I am the light, the light of the world. I am the light of the world. He that followeth me, he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness. He that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. But shall have the light of life. Now a light, a light is only needed, a light is only needed where there's darkness. A light is only needed where there's darkness. That's why Jesus said, I am the light of the world. I am the light of the world. We read in Genesis chapter 1, verse 1, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness. God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. Here, here the Holy Spirit moved a man. Here the Holy Spirit moved a man to record that moment of time when God created physical light in a world that was covered by physical darkness. Here the Holy Spirit moved a man to record that moment of time when God created physical light in a world that was covered by physical darkness. But, as we move to the pages of the New Testament, as we move to the pages of the New Testament to men who heard Jesus say, I am the light of the world, we find the Holy Spirit moved those men to record that moment of time when God sent forth spiritual light into a world that was full of spiritual darkness. And we read in John chapter 1 from verse 1, In the beginning, in the beginning was the Word, speaking of Jesus. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness. The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him. To them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, and the Word was made flesh. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And as we page through the New Testament, we find to our amazement this statement that Christ made, that He was the light of the world, and that anyone who followed Him would not walk in darkness, but would have the light of life. We find the statement of His is expounded, expounded, page upon page upon page, into the practical outworking of the effect of Christ, the light of the world, upon those whom God revealed His light to. Oh, we find the effect written upon page upon page. 1 John, chapter 1, from verse 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life. For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was of the Father, and was manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us. And truly, our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This, then, is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie. We lie, and do not the truth. But, if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar. We make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. My little children, my little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. I would like for us tonight, I would like for us tonight to look at three things that are done with the light. And every single person in this building, every single person in this building, falls into the category of one of these three things. Every single person in this building falls into the category of one of these three things that have been done with the light. Firstly, light rejected. Secondly, light neglected. And thirdly, light reflected. Light rejected. Light neglected. And light reflected. Firstly then, light rejected. John, who cries out that Christ declared Himself to be the light of the world in chapter one, he comes to chapter three, and he tells us of how men rejected the light, and the terrible, terrible consequences of their doing that. In chapter three, verse sixteen, the most renowned verse in the scriptures, for God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. But do you know that the verses that follow that most renowned of verses in the whole scriptures are unheard of in the pulpit of God in this generation? Do you know why? Because they tell of how men rejected that love through Christ, and the judgment of God that will come upon everyone who does that. The next verse says, For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Verse nineteen, and this is the condemnation. This is the only reason God will ever condemn you or me. This is the condemnation, that light is coming to the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. Because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved, lest he is going to give up his sin. But, the next verse says, He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God, that your life can be an open book by the grace of God, that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away, behold, all things have become new. Oh, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Light rejected is a tragic thing. This is the condemnation, that light is come, light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. There was a personal choice here, a personal calculated decision. They chose darkness in their heart, and they rejected light. This is the only reason God would ever condemn. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved. Oh, that's hard to perceive. When God reveals his love, men loved. No wonder there's a hell. There was a way of escape from sin. But, even if it meant hell, men wouldn't turn from it. They so loved darkness, rather than light. For everyone that doeth evil, hateth the light. Do you know what that means, literally? Everyone that continues in an unrepented state of sin, unrepentant, once he's heard the gospel of Christ, hates Christ. That is what God is saying. Hates God after what he did to reach you. If you carry on in your sin, once he's revealed his love to save you, if you repent and deliver you, he will set you free. If you carry on of your own choice, you hate Christ. In God's eyes, you hate Christ, once you walk away from the gospel. Everyone that doeth evil, hateth the light, God says. Neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved, lest he's going to give up his sin. It's all to do with sin, you see. That God sees you as hating Jesus Christ when he died for that sin, and you still reject his offering and his sacrifice. You hate him, God says. Light rejected is a terrifying thing. It is a terrifying, terrifying thing in a man or child, once God has revealed the light to you. This holy book, this holy book speaks to us of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. In 1 Peter 2 verse 9, it speaks to us of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. From the moment that Jesus Christ came into this world and died upon the cross, God has called out through him to all mankind to come out of darkness. Come out of darkness. Come out of darkness. Come out of darkness into his marvelous light. But they would not come, Jesus said. They would not come, Jesus said in Matthew chapter 22. We read in verse 1, Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables and said, The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son and sent forth his servants. He sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden, that were invited to the wedding. And they would not come again. Then he sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden. Behold, I have prepared my dinner. I have prepared my dinner. My ox and my fatlings are killed. And all things are ready. All things are ready. Come unto the marriage. But they made light of it and went their ways. One to his farm, another to his merchandise. And the remnant took his servants and entreated them spitefully and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth. And he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. Then saith he to the servants, The wedding is ready. But they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways. And as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all, as many as they found both bad and good. And the wedding was furnished with guests. The wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in, when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. There shall be weeping and gnashing. For many are called, but few are chosen, but few, few are chosen. My wife wrote these words concerning this statement in this parable. How sad that few are chosen. Though the master cried to all, but they would not seek his pardon and they would not heed his call. They would not come. They would not come. He sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden, that were invited by God to come. But they would not come. God didn't give up. He sent forth other servants again and again. Urgently all things are ready. Come, come, come to the marriage. And those people again and again, they took his servants and treated them spitefully and slew them. This is speaking of the Jew who God so, so wanted to be ready. Oh, this is speaking of the Jew. John, John tells us, the first to reject light is the Jew. In chapter 1, verse 10, he was in the world. The world was made by him and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, the Jew, and his own received him not. Rejected. His own received him not, the Jew. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets. They took his servants and treated them spitefully and slew them. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which were sent unto thee. How oft would I have gathered thee, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not, I would, I would, but ye would not, ye would not, they would not come. God said in grief, in grief, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which were sent unto thee. Oh, they took his servants, they treated them spitefully and they slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth. There was a point, the cup of God's wrath was full against the Jew. Oh, it's a terrible moment when that happens. There came a point, the cup of God's wrath was full. It was enough. No more now. No more now. When the king heard thereof, he was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. In A.D. 67, Rome marched against Jerusalem and razed every building to the ground. Their city was destroyed, the temple. There was not one building left standing with one stone upon another. It was razed to the ground by Rome. And the Jew, the Jew, the Jew became a stranger and didn't have a land for 2,000 years. They were hated in every land they went. No doubt this belonged to them. They were despised, they were undermined to some point and degree that they were butchered and murdered and gassed. Oh, for 2,000 years. When the king heard thereof, he was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. Then said he to the servants, the wedding is ready. But they which were bidden were not worthy. They which were invited were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways. Go ye therefore into the highways and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage. Go ye therefore into the whole world, Jesus said, and preach the gospel to every creature. As many as ye shall find, hallelujah, bid to the marriage. Invite. Oh, now God revealed his heart from the foundations of the world. It wasn't just the Jew that I came to, that I had to come step by step to be able to manifest myself and die. It was the whole world and my heart. Now it's the whole world I'm going to reach. Enough with the Jew now. Now the whole world that I had in my heart in the beginning by coming to the Jew in the first place. Go ye therefore into the highways and as many as ye shall find, bid. Bid. Invite to the marriage. Go ye therefore into the whole world, hallelujah, and preach the gospel to every creature, hallelujah. Oh, John chapter 1 verse 9, that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Beloved God so loved the world, don't doubt that, when he gave his Son every man. He tasted death for every man. John said, he is the propitiation for our sins as Christians. He is the mercy seat literally on the altar coming to God for mercy as Christians if we fail in sin. He is the propitiation, the way to God for mercy for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. It's not the will of God that any should perish but that all should come to repentance through Christ Jesus our Lord. Hallelujah, from my heart, hallelujah. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. God now commandeth all men. Everywhere. All men, everywhere to repent because he tasted death for every man. Don't you doubt that. Oh for God's sake, don't you doubt. Go ye therefore into the highway and as many as ye shall find who God wants you to try and reach, theologians. As many as ye shall find. Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. I hope your theology doesn't stop you from that, sir. Everywhere to repent. Repent ye therefore and be ye converted that your sins may be blotted out. They will. They will. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins, the same shall have mercy. There's this great word repent attached now you know from sin. The one word that's missing from the pulpits of the evangelical church tonight which gives men and their millions the right to have a testimony while they go to hell because they didn't hear one word. Repent ye therefore and be ye converted that your sins may be blotted out by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus. Oh, so those servants went out and gathered together all as many as they found both bad and good. Hallelujah, not just the good that you find but as Moody did kneeling in the gutters walking away from the president of the United States of America. Moody forgot he was the president when he saw a body lying in drunkenness in the gutters. He knelt and wept and never ever walked to the president again because it isn't just the good. And the closer you are to God's heart the more you realize even a president is no better than a drunk. In God's eyes he died for both and you, if you have anything of the love of God set abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost will walk away from a president that you see a drunk. He couldn't pass a drunk. Oh, they servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they found both bad and good. Hallelujah. And the wedding was furnished with guests. The wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in when the king came in to see the guests that moment when God stepped back into time what a moment that's going to be. You've never known fear. No one has ever tasted fear. If they're not right with God when that moment happens no one has ever even... When the king came in that moment when God stepped back into time as a thief in the night no one knew, no one not even the angels. When the king came in to see them he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. This is the whole point of the parable now. Trust me. As you read parable upon parable one verse is what thrusts the whole parable into existence in the heart of God. This is that verse. When the king came in to see the guests he saw there with the guests not in the flesh parts of the world where a man would be expected to be judged by God and sent to hell he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment standing out like a sore thumb in the eyes of God who only sees the blood of Jesus Christ. He saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment and you know God was shaken. He said, friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? How is it possible you are here and not saved? You're not out there in the flesh parts of the world. You separated yourself from the world into religion. You're standing here, you don't go to these places where the world would go. You're here as if you're part of my bridegroom. How is it possible you're here and yet you haven't prepared to meet with God? How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment not having your robes washed in the blood of the Lamb by grace through faith in the blood of Christ? How is it possible? What is it all about? Why? What is this all about that a man could spend his life in religion with God's people and know in his heart he's never ever prepared himself to meet with God? How is it possible? How camest thou in hither? What are you doing here unsaved? How is it possible you remain unsaved here with these people who've all prepared to meet with God? You heard the message. You knew the way. How is it possible? Why? What is it about? Is it possible that a deeply religious man can go to hell? And he was speechless. Let me tell you something. That statement cries out from God's heart something amazing. If there was any defense that man could have he would cry out from the depth of his soul on his knees with that defense. I never heard. I never heard the truth. He couldn't say that. He had nothing to argue. He knew the way. He knew the way. He knew others were born of God. He knew he wasn't. He knew he had never prepared himself in truth earnestly by God's grace while he had time. Born of God. He was speechless. He had no argument, no defense because that was the last moment in eternity that he could say anything to save him from his eternal plight. He had nothing to show God as to why he was not saved. He was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Cast is a terrible word for God to say. That's when there's no further hope for eternity. No matter what you do, no matter how you plead, no matter how you weep, no matter how you mourn over your sins, there is never going to be another moment God will ever consider you for eternity. There's no hope for eternity. Eternity. Eternity. Eternity. Eternity. No matter what you cry. No matter how you beg. Cast is a terrible word, you know. It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. The same hands that will bear the marks for all eternity that they died for you. For he tasted death for every man. Don't ever doubt that. Stop preaching if you doubt it. Or start tearing pages out of your Bible and admit it before you carry a Bible pulled apart. He tasted death for every man. Those hands that will bear the marks for all eternity of the cost of what it was to be able to say to all men, repent. Please turn now. Don't make light of it. Don't even take a chance of yourself. Those hands that will bear the marks for all eternity, those marks will be in those hands to bear witness that he tasted death for every man. In spite of that payment and that love of God, it's a fearful thing to fall into those hands of the living God if you have not prepared to meet with God when you die. There's nothing more fearful in all eternity than that moment, sir. Because when God's hands cast, there's never again grace, though he died for you and made it possible for you to be forgiven that no punishment would ever come upon you. There's never to be another moment of mercy, sir. When those hands cast for eternity, oh, 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 9, he will return in flaming fire. He will return. He will return in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. It's everlasting. A man held out a Bible and said to me, tell me, how are God of love? You don't know your Greek or your Hebrew, boy. Show me anywhere in the Bible where it's everlasting. I said, before I do, get a pair of scissors and I want you to cut out each verse I quote. I don't want you to ever go back. The smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. They have no peace, day or night, speaking of the place prepared for the devil and his angels and all those whose names are not written in the book of life according to Revelation 10, 20 verse 100. It's everlasting. It never ceases. This God of love, he was loved. Don't doubt that. That love will be there for eternity in case anyone ever checks what happened. It will be there in his hands and his side but everlasting destruction. No one can come from there to us. There's a gulf fixed for eternity. Oh, send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and touch my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. Oh, you're dead. But the great shock of death is you still can feel. You still can see. You can see what you've missed. There must be more pain in the flame. You can think. You can speak. You can weep. Eternity. Eternity. No one can ever come from here. No one can ever come from there to here. No one. Jesus said, this God of love said, it is eternal. Eternal. Death and hell recast into the lake of fire just the continuation once the great white throne. Smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever and have no peace day or night, sir. You say it's unloving to preach hell, sir. I'll tell you something. You don't love anyone unless you preach hell. You love yourself. You're too scared to offend a man and you'll let him go to hell. And you won't warn him. You have no love for anyone but yourself. If you reject what God says in this book, get out of the pulpit for God's sake. What are you doing in the pulpit, you men who don't preach what God says? Where are they? For God's sake, their blood will be in your hands, you blind leaders of the blind. The dipshit follows you. Get out! If you don't believe every word in this book, don't carry this book. Carry some other book. But don't tell them it's the word of God you represent. When you deny what God has in this book, you will be judged with such judgment I cannot comprehend how God is going to judge you men. Be careful if you tell men you are a servant of God. If you don't proclaim what God says and the God of love cries out multitudes of verses into war with all his love of judgment to those who will not obey the gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. Jesus said from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power light rejected. What shakes me is that he was sitting there like you are sitting here tonight. You know the way and yet you are still in your sin. That shakes me. Perhaps tonight God is saying to you clearly how is it possible even here let alone when I come back that you survived all this religion and religious fellowship and messages where no compromise was made on the prophet and my love was revealed to you and I cry how is it possible you came this far and you sit here tonight without a wedding garment. How is that? I asked you a question just now can a deeply religious man go to hell? Let me answer that to you. I wonder if more people are going to hell through religion than the sinful flesh parts of the world. Do you know why? Because religion tragically tragically if it isn't truth keeps a man from ever putting himself into the category of a sinner. Luke 18 verse 10 Jesus said two men went up into the temple to pray. Two men went up into the temple the ordained religion of God to pray to speak to God. The one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are I am not as other men are I am not as other men are Exhaustion is unjust and heartless for even as this publican I fast I fast twice in the week I get tithes of all that I possess and the publican standing afar would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner God be merciful to me a sinner God be merciful to me a sinner I tell you Jesus said this man went down to his house justified rather than the other here were two men in the house of God the one deeply religious the Pharisee oh dressed religiously separated from the world wouldn't be seen dead in a worldly place attended every single so faithful were the Pharisees that they had the chief seats if they missed the service oh it was a shock to the community I mean they're the pillars of the church they're so faithful faithful in everything religious you know grown up in religion here he is the Pharisee the other publican not a very religious man irreligious to be a publican you were despised you couldn't be accepted as someone who feared God just the profession of publican not a very religious man here they are the religious and the irreligious the godless virtually suddenly come to the house of God on the same day the one looks on at others who are seeking God for mercy he looks on at others in that house of God they come for God to justify them they want to be shown mercy and forgiveness of sins they come for oh they come in repentance to God to cleanse them to forgive them that they may be justified he looks on at men who don't care about anybody knowing about their sin they're crying out to God for justification he looks on and he becomes unsettled he wasn't just speaking words for the sake of speaking he began to reason with himself and he said this in his reasoning God I thank thee I am not as other men I am not as other men are but that was the biggest mistake he ever made in his life you see in God's sight he is as other men are religion doesn't save you separation from the world doesn't save you dressing religiously doesn't save you keeping yourself faithful to every single meeting giving the chief seat doesn't save you Nicodemus how is it possible you can't comprehend that you must be a religious leader you how can a man be born when he's old can he get in his mother's womb and come out a second time no oh Nicodemus how is it you can't comprehend that when a man is born he isn't born a child of God you're born a child of your father and mother that's all you are a child of your mother and father you have to become a child of God you have to be born again and that is by grace through faith no child can do that how is it possible you must be born again except a man be born again Nicodemus he says to the religious religious teacher he cannot Jesus said I say to all religious teachers throughout America and the world you won't see heaven unless you're born again you weren't born a child of God you have no child can by grace be saved through faith and how can you be saved unless you know you're lost there has to be a point you know you have judgment let me tell you Pharisee all your righteousness is as filthy rags in my sight if you dare to think that your righteousness in religion can justify you in the day of judgment no no no do you know what the first thing God says as rejecting light the first illustration God uses once he speaks of light is this if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves the truth is not in us if we confess our sins one encounter with God he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar his word is not in us you see God says all have sinned all have sinned there is none righteous no not one God says I hope you agree with him theologians I hope you agree with him all we like sheep have gone astray we've turned everyone to his own way the Lord made on him the iniquity of us all beloved you nailed Jesus to the cross even if you were born in a church you would never go to hell you would never go to heaven sorry though you were raised in a religious family though you were raised in a church you never went to the world you are going to the same hell as the whoremonger and the adulterer and the murderer no less judgment will they face you see sin is sin you look at God what we say is a big sin and a small sin God says his sin along with the murderers the adulterers the sorcerers is all liars the same sin you shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death beloved a lie puts you into the same judgment as the whoremonger in God's sight it's not that God despises religion or a clean life before you get saved thank God that you were kept from that because when you're saved the devil can't tempt you because under the pure all things are pure but no man will stand before God justified apart from the blood of Jesus and that comes when you know you're going to hell you can ask God to save your soul from hell through the blood nothing in my hands I bring simply to the cross I cling and until you've done that religious man until you come as the public and as you come as all those you say you haven't done those sins you're not like other men who need to seek God you do! you will never be justified others will walk from the house of God who were never in the house of God until now saved! but you will go to hell I wonder as he slipped into hell if he didn't cry out the same words he cried that day while he was slipping into hell for all eternity I thank thee I am not as other men are I have sat at the deathbed of men and fled and they can't bury the religious pride they cannot bury all their religion and their goodness and that they weren't wicked they cannot put themselves into the category of a sinner beloved I wonder if churches and religion has not sent more people to hell than anything else the devil had because it puts people into the category of saying I'm not looking like that I don't need to be saved I didn't nail Jesus to the cross or they might accept something of it but to say that's the only means of grace sir, God has never looked at you until you've come with nothing not your offering not your ties not what you haven't done not your religion not even dressing religiously he has never looked at you once in a way that he could save your soul until you come from your heart crying nothing in my hands I bring simply for the cross I claim that nothing else could save my soul from hell and I'm going to the same hell as the homeowner until I do that life rejected not only by blatant depraved warped sinners but life rejected by men who come into the house of God till their dying day for religion but because of religion cannot put themselves into the category of a man who's going to hell and therefore they go to hell that's rejecting Christ's demands this book's the gospel's demands of the stepping stones to embrace the cross you have to confess and admit you're a sinner and not hide behind this trash of being righteous because it becomes filth the moment you think it justifies you and not the blood it's your greatest sin it's as evil as if you were in an incommitted whoredom to shame my righteousness all your righteousness at that moment becomes in God's eyes as filthy rags filth filth filth God says because you say Jesus didn't have to die to save you you had other means you weren't like other men are oh get lost in your own eyes or you'll never get saved even you preachers who no one would ever dare to tell you so I'm trying now even if one day you bar me from your pulpits or bar me from your land at least one man cried out loud and clear repent or be damned no matter how religious you are Nicodemus you'll never become God light rejected light neglected this will take a few minutes listen carefully I wonder what percentage of this room and of this nation falls into this category light neglected this holy book speaks to us of the path of the just it is a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day the path of the just those who are right with God know they're on this path and everybody else knows if you're right with God you're conscious you're on a path that you're just the path of the just is a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day not one of us is ultimately perfected the holiest man of God the most Christ-like woman of God here still needs more trust me when we shall see him we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is but until then brother, sister if you're not conscious you're on that path you can't be right with God you've lost some ground somewhere and you're a grief to God and trust me to man also no matter who you think you are and how far you've come beloved unless you're conscious you're on a path that shines more a light God has given you can't be right with God shines more and more unto the perfect day you see the light you've been given isn't the full light even with your miles into the road with God more light must be given and as we walk in the light we've been given as he is in the light the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth continually cleanseth us from all sin what does that mean? we're walking in the light what do we need the blood for? let me tell you the Old Testament is vital to the New Testament the offerings tell us every reason why Jesus died and this is one reason he had to die one of the offerings in the Old Testament was sins committed in ignorance do you think that was there for nothing? let me tell you you might be in the light you might be blameless in the light but not focused you're not utterly Christ-like you're not fully conformed and as you walk in the light that you've been given the blood of Jesus cleanseth you from all that still has to be done but God doesn't require confession for that because to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin but you can walk in the light as he is in the light but the blood is still there for that which God still has to do and he will have to take you more and more and more as you continually kneel through life to more light and be conformed more and more into the image you know Paul had a motto of safety and if Paul had a motto of safety you and I need to know it he said this one thing I do not ten things to be safe be lovely you know to have a book you could say well these ten things that sounds very very homiletic those ten things all fall under one thing if you just do one thing there's one thing you do to be safe as a Christian this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before that's the only safe testimony a man or child outside of that testimony your testimony is a grief to God it isn't your daily written across your life this one thing I do let's look at its context Philippians 3 verse 7 but what things were gained to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and to count them but done that I may win Christ and be founded not I in having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained either were already perfect not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I fall after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus brethren I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do for getting those things to behind and reaching forth unto those things which were before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in anything you'd be otherwise minded God himself to reveal even this unto you not as though I had already attained either were already perfect I'm not perfect and then he says let us therefore as many as be perfect how can he not be perfect and yet be perfect let me tell you I'm not ultimately perfected there's so much more God wants to do and I'm going to allow him because there's only one way this one thing I do until ultimate perfection but there's another thing walking in the light I've been given as a result of an absolutely surrendered life a yield totally to God controlled by the spirit means filled with the spirit don't you talk about filled with the spirit and talk about gifts don't you dare when you're controlled you walk in the spirit you walk in the light you've been given and the fruit of the spirit is the vital evidence of that sir not gift let us therefore as many be as be absolutely yielded in the light we've been given surrendered waiting for further orders further revelation blameless but not ultimately perfected and the blood of Jesus while I'm walking in that light is cleansing me because of my imperfections because I'm far from ultimately perfected this one thing I do forgetting those things are behind how old is your testimony tell God six years ten years thirty years you've got a testimony haven't you I'll tell you what your testimony is to God and man a grief if this is not your testimony above any other testimony you can name of when you were saved you're a grief to God and man if this isn't what your children can say is written across your life if this isn't what your father and mother and your friends and your enemies can say that is written across your life by God this one thing I do forgetting those things are behind reaching forth oh you can tell a man, woman and child who's had to those things before I press that's the safety Peter warns us warns us if this isn't our motto of safety he warns us listen 2 Peter 1 verse 4 whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that in the world through lust whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these by embracing by grace by embracing the faith what God has promised I have become a partaker of the divine nature imparted unto me by the Holy Ghost the nature of God I've imparted the Holy Spirit I've become the temple of the Holy Spirit the fruit the divine nature of God is in me and seen in me or by these we might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust that's a mighty testimony you know to say I by grace through faith in the promises of God have escaped the corruption that in the world through lust hallelujah it's possible and I've been made partaker of the divine nature but then the next verse says beside this you mean there's more? what more could a child of God want than to say I've escaped the corruption that in the world through lust I've been made a partaker of the divine nature what are you talking about Peter besides this that's not the end time that's the beginning beside this giving all diligence add oh I love that word add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance that means self control and to temperance patience that means steadfastness and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness you've got to work at that and to brotherly kindness love for if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but the next verse says he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins you've forgotten all that God did to bring you to a place of repentance but the next verse says wherefore there are the brethren wherefore there are the brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure what you mean there's something to do with that I've got to do with election wait a minute now you're tramping on my tone boy theologically sorry sir I'm just quoting God's word go and argue with God wherefore there are the brethren give diligence that means every factor of your being you say people to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ if ye do these things Paul's motto of safety you know the greatest one of the greatest missionaries in the world her name was Helena Garrett in our country she couldn't go to the darkest parts of Africa through her sickness but she prayed then to one of the greatest missionary societies the world's ever known on her knees praying in her agony for God to send forth one of the great missionary societies hundreds and hundreds of thousands of souls were saved through these men who went out as a result of this woman's burning compassion God thrust them out she brought a book I got hold of that book many many thousands have it all over Africa and I'll never forget reading these words Helena Garrett said you know this parable about the talents that a man comes to God and said that which you held out to me I buried others will come and say oh God thou didst give me so many talents I took them I didn't bury what thou didst hold out to me I have gained now she said something lovely she said the man that's going to say that with confidence is the man that daily comes before God on his knees and looks up with a heart that's true and says to God daily I have gained I have gained God I didn't lose the opportunity God gave me of this day I redeemed a time God I didn't waste it with rubbish with devil schemes though I named the name of Jesus Christ with trash and things that are defiling I didn't do that I redeemed the time I took that time for God's word I devoured this book that sanctifies that transforms renews my mind changes my priorities my values to the degree that I soak myself in the book of God I'm changed sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth faith cometh by the word of God wherewith also the young man cleanses his way by taking heed according to thy word thy word hath hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee O God I gained I devoured the book today I didn't lose the time to fallacy that wasn't meaningful I even there pushed that aside if it wasn't meaningful I have gained by doing the things that were meant to be done I didn't waste today God I have gained God with spiritual books I didn't waste my time with rubbish let me tell you tragically most of the Christian books written today are just that they can do nothing for you they're so shallow and superficial go get the autobiographies of the men who moved the whole world to God and who died without saying these men who are living most of them die insane tragically you've got books out don't waste your time go to the men you'll never have enough time to catch up with the George Muellers the D.R. Moody's the John Wesley's oh take those books and gain because you'll suddenly find you can identify with them in their weaknesses in their frailty they were clay like you they are the same fierce but they turn millions to God and why? you could start getting hope as you identify in summing of the Holy Ghost I've gained God I didn't read rubbish I have gained and what I read today God there's more burning in my heart more faith in my heart without able to use me I've gained I prayed God for souls I prayed I didn't waste my time on my knees praying for things that don't matter I took my eyes off myself and I gained God I prayed for other countries I prayed I might not be able to be there but I know that I will not turn away I know I've gained through what I did on my knees today I witnessed where I could God I took the knowledge I'd grasped from the word of God which was committed to me the word, this holy book the word of reconciliation becomes mine when I become saved everybody everybody's my responsibility the world is my parish and I've gained in knowledge and I took it and I brought a soul to God I witnessed through the knowledge I gained long to be used of God I've gained a soul God I tried I didn't miss my opportunity I've gained a soul because I didn't bury the day the opportunity the light you could give me the opportunity of being used by God because I wanted to be used by God I gained a soul where millions of souls are going to stand before God empty handed I gained oh beloved if you don't reject any light and you don't neglect any light you soak yourself in the things of God as your greatest priority in life and unless your quiet time in the word of God is your greatest priority in life you're backslidden if there's anything that delights you more than God and his word and being alone with Jesus you're not only a little bit backslidden but you're a man beginning in your home I guarantee you you can measure how much a man is thrilling heaven by his quiet time if anything is more important to you or more treasured or valued if God's second to anyone or anything then everyone and anything that's first to you will suffer because unless God's first you won't be Christ like but if you don't reject any light if you don't neglect if you soak yourself in the book in the presence of God behold in the face of God if you don't reject if you don't neglect any light you will reflect the light now that's precious Jesus said I am the light of the world hallelujah he is but then he shook mankind and he turned to his disciples in Matthew 5 and said you are the light of the world how can he be the light of the world now he looks at us and says we are the light of the world what light is this that man can be if it's not Christ who's the light of the world there's no light apart from Christ beloved that is light only what's Christ like in your life let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven that means ultimately come to know God through what they see in your life and only what's Christ like in your life sir only what God's got right because every bit of light the whole work of the Holy Spirit is not to speak of himself but to conform you into the image of Jesus Christ that's all he lives for from the moment you're saved the first step to the last in life is to make you more like Jesus because that's how powerful you'll be in the hand of God to be like Jesus is all that matters sir you can walk out here and forget a message but you will never recover from a Christ like life that's the most powerful weapon in the hand of God that's all God waits for and then he says to you I want you to be the light you are the light of the world how can he be the light and we be the light oh beloved 2 Corinthians 3 verse 18 we are with open face the word literally means unveiled face open face doesn't just mean we're open faced you know unveiled you see Moses veiled his face that's what God's speaking about here in 2 Corinthians 3 verse 18 he because when he came from the presence of God was so shining with the light and the glory of God resting upon him and for fear of him and for fear of seeing this light of God just shining from a man's face as he had beholden God's face the shining light of God was protruding he veiled his face to keep men from fearing but God says I don't want you to do that you who wait in my presence you who come into the holiest of holy by a new and living way by the blood of Jesus you can't be closer in heaven than you are in earth through the blood of Jesus every day there's no iota closer to God's presence than you are now because of the blood of Jesus you go right into the presence of God through this book and prayer oh beloved you're missing it you're thinking heaven is the first time you'll be able to know you with God and leave God's presence like Moses oh we are with open face we are with unveiled face reflecting as a glass as it were the word glass glass in the days of the King James means a mirror that's all reflecting as a mirror that's all it says literally we are with unveiled face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the Lord the Spirit if God's had in his way they see Jesus my light reflecting through you as you never neglect daily what I want to do through you Philippians 2 verse 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life you have no right to hold forth the word of life to this world to the crooked and perverse nation God places you in the midst to win he doesn't take you straight to heaven sir, because he wants to win the world through you that ye may be blameless it's possible not ultimately perfect but in the light you've been given you can live in victory I hope you believe that because that's why this was written to you there is victory in Jesus, you know there's Christ's likeness attainable that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke if no one can rebuke your life then sir, then in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation I don't want you to go into a monastery I don't want you to hibernate and feel everyone that isn't saved will contaminate you I want you to win then you don't have to go into the world to reach the world you don't have to be like the world to reach the world you don't have to go to the flesh parts of the world just live Christlike but live for them to see and to see the love of God reaching out to you that you don't throw them aside fearing being contaminated to the degree that you can't even look to them or look at them with love or put a tract or nail beside them mooning the drunk and bring him to Christ while a president watched and watch that miracle of a drunk man sober up as if he had never drank and he's saying miracles if you want to win the world oh, holding forth the word of life you hold forth the word of life, sir if you're light in this world in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation if you're right with God and Andrew Murray said a man is as right with God as to the degree that he loves every soul he passes in life that's a staggering statement holding forth the word of life that he may be light in the world shining forth his light in the world holding forth the word oh, I hope you do hold it forth to everyone you pass when God enables you to God says you can now this is the right time hold it now to them they've watched your life, child they can't rebuke you you're blameless, you're harmless you're my son without rebuke and I put you in the midst of these people and you agonize with their sin that you have to behold but you love them because I love them through you so that you can hold forth the word of life because your life gives you the right my life lived out through you is to the degree that you've been conformed to my image you reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord to all mankind which gives you the right to hold forth the word of life because they want what you've got