In this sermon, Brother Denny encourages the audience to take their Christian life seriously and not remain stagnant. He emphasizes the importance of adding to one's faith and not being short-sighted or lacking vision. He warns that those who lack these qualities are blind and cannot see afar off. However, he ends on a positive note, stating that if one does these things, they will never fall and will have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ.

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, AFPA, 17522. These messages are offered to all without charge by the freewill offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. Oh, may the Lord do it, even as He said. Alright, we have our verses. One more time. One more time for you all to squirm, huh? No, I think this morning we're going to do something a little bit different. All you students from David Cooper's house, why don't you just real quickly come up here in the front and stand together. Don't feel bad for them. They've been working on it all week together. They know it. You come up and do it. Brother David has made it a good family exercise all week long. That's right. Yeah, that's right. Come right up here. Hurry now. Hurry. We don't want to lack on the preaching, amen? Who leads out? He. Look at these things. These things. Amen. God bless you all. Let's pray. Oh, Lord, how we love Your law. Your words, Lord. Yes, our hearts unite with Your words. The words of Jesus. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Father, we come again this morning in our great need. Asking You, God, that You would open up unto us the Scriptures, Lord. Help us to see. Open the eyes of our heart, Lord. And let us see deeply into Your Word. Let us see Your heart, Lord, today. And I pray that You will inspire us. That You will challenge us. That You will shake us. That You will awake us, Lord. That You will energize us. And, God, get us busy about pursuing this matter of godliness. Lord, we ask You to help us, Lord, by Your Spirit. All of us in this room, in Jesus' name, Amen. Alright, the title of this last message of the week is simply this. Make Your Calling and Election Sure. That is an admonition that is given to us by Peter. Make Your Calling and Election Sure. That is a responsibility that God, through His Word, is laying upon each one of our hearts, and especially upon the hearts of you young people, as ye are just beginning this pilgrim journey on your way to glory. We want to cover charity and then move into the last portion of the Scriptures there that we want to study yet. A truly Godward life produces a manward love and compassion. Note that. A truly Godward life will produce a manward love and compassion. Brotherly kindness is a manifestation of that love. But it's not love at its highest. It is not love at its deepest. It is not love at its widest. If we are to reach the level of love, that highest level, that deepest level of love, we must move on from brotherly kindness and, by faith, possess charity or agape love. Reading from Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, he says this about agape love. Agape love is the characteristic word that defines Christianity. The Spirit of Revelation has used this word to express ideas previously unknown. The Spirit of Revelation has used this word, agape, to express ideas previously unknown. And because of that, we can't go back to the Greek language and see how the Greeks used the word, but we must go to this book, The Word, to find out and define what agape love really is. John 3.16 says these words, For God, the eternal self-existent One, so loved agape, the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. Now that's a beautiful definition of agape love. God, the eternal God, the God of the universe, the eternal self-existent One, the One who stands there from all eternity past into eternity future by Himself as the only one and true and living God. That God so loved, agape love, sacrificial love, the world that He gave His precious, only begotten Son. Now that's love. That's love. Sacrificial love. Suffering love. In spite of love. Reading again from Vines, he says, Agape love is the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect being towards entirely unworthy objects. That's agape love. Agape love is to love the unlovely. To love the unworthy. To love the poor and the degraded. To love the dirty and the diseased. To love our enemies. To love the lost. To love the lowest of the low. This is agape love. He who, as we heard a couple of days ago, sat in the highest place of all of eternity, came down to the lowest place to reach down to the unlovely, the unworthy, the poor, the degraded, the dirty, the diseased, the enemies and the lost. And so loved us, brothers and sisters. Now I want to quickly say that there will be plenty of opportunities to love with suffering and sacrifice in the household of faith. And if you've been in the household of faith very long, you will acknowledge, yes, there are some times when we have to love the unlovely. We have to love those that are stepping on us. We have to love those who sometimes are criticizing us. But just remember that this is light exercise and it is good for starters, but don't stay there. It's easy to love the brotherhood, but don't stay there. Yes, use the brotherhood. God has placed you in one as a place where you can develop your spiritual muscles of love to such a place that you can go out into a world and love the unlovely. Go for the unlovely. Go for the enemies. Go for the lost. This is where you will develop agape love. Paul said in Romans chapter 5 verse 10, When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. Look at that. God reconciled a bunch of rebellious enemies by the death of His Son. Amen, Mr. Vines. We must go to the Bible to get our definition of agape love. It's not written in any Greek manuscripts. God so loved the world that He laid down His life for it. Oh, young people, let us do the same. Let us so love this world around us that we also rise up to the blessed privilege of laying down our lives for the world. It is one thing to go and clean house for a sister in Christ that is in your church. It is totally a different thing to walk into a dirty apartment in Lancaster City where the smell gags you when you walk in there, where the dirt is caked on having sat there for weeks and weeks, and where the cockroaches are crawling around on you while you're trying to scrub her floor. But that's the difference between brotherly kindness and agape love. You do it anyway. This is the crown of Christian excellence. And that's why we find it at the end of our list. It is the crowning virtue or character of Christian excellence, young people, to move through your world with a continual motivation to love and reach out to the lost. That's agape love. I was thinking about brother Dean's message yesterday and probably a little bit the day before on non-resistance. Remember what he said? The whole foundation that stands underneath non-resistance is the theology of martyrdom. Let me just expand that one a little bit. It is a theology of suffering love for the lost. It is a theology of suffering love for the lost. It's not just a theology of dying for your faith. Because all the martyrs who have died for their faith, most of them will tell you they died for their faith because they opened up their mouth for the Lord Jesus. A theology of suffering love for the lost. A theology of martyrdom. And by the way, martyr means witness. Some witnesses die. Some witnesses don't die. But all of us are called to be witnesses to a lost and dying world. I won't fight back because I love souls. It's not that I won't fight back because I'm told not to. I won't fight back because I love that man's soul. Amen? I won't kill because I don't want to send that man to hell. I don't want to be the one that pulls the trigger and sends them into eternity where they'll never have another chance again to turn to the Lord. I don't want to be that. If it's kill or be killed, let him kill me. Let him point that gun at my head while I'm worshiping the Lord with all of my heart and see what happens when he pulls the trigger and sees me die with a smile on my face and peace in my heart. You know what? He'll probably join me in a few days in the same place. But if I kill so that I won't be killed, I send him to hell for eternity. This is agape love, brother, sister. Do you see it? Do you see the motivation? That's one of the reasons why I'm not a pacifist either. I'm not a pacifist. How do you say it? I'm a soldier. I'm in a war. It's a war over the souls of men. I'm active. I'm aggressive. There's something to do. I'm not just going to sit around. I'm no pacifist. Consider the testimony of missionaries, young people. And maybe somebody can help me. I've read a lot about missionaries for many, many years, my 34 years in the faith. But I've never read a missionary story where the missionary killed the native. Now, maybe there is one or two, but I'm telling you, missionaries don't kill the people that they went to win to the Lord. Did you get it? Ping! The light just went on. Missionaries don't carry guns. They don't carry a gun over to the mission field. They go over there knowing that they very well will die trying to win these people to Jesus Christ. Hello? Are we not all missionaries? Then how can we carry a gun? You hear somebody beating on your door trying to break down your door so they can come in and rob something from your house? Imagine having this kind of a mind. Oh, I'm going to get the witness, praise God. I get the witness and he opens up and comes in and he says, Well, good morning. How can I help you? What did you need? A hundred dollars? Here. Oh, by the way, I'm a Christian. I love Jesus. Do you know Jesus? We're missionaries. Every one of us. I've never read an account where a missionary killed a native. There might be some, but it's rare. Wouldn't you say, Brother John? It's rare. I mean, that's absurd. Imagine a missionary holding a gun on a native for his own protection and then saying, By the way, I'd like to tell you about Jesus. I mean, that's not going to win friends and influence people at all. So you understand the foundation underneath nonresistance, dear young people? We are here as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Shall we pick up a gun and kill somebody? God forbid! This is ridiculous and absurd and it is a blasphemous misrepresentation of God to do such a thing. I've told many youths, the life of a missionary is the closest thing to martyrdom that I know. Sometimes young people come and say, Brother Denny, what do we do? We live in America. There's no persecution here. There's no martyrs in America. You know, the second best thing to martyrdom is to be a missionary. Just be a missionary. Even where there is persecution and martyrdom in our day, most of the time it comes because of evangelism. You know, you go see the church in China. There the Chinese government says to all these millions of Christians, You don't have to be in jail. We're not going to hurt you. We're not going to pull your fingernails out. We're not going to stretch your legs until your knees come loose from their sockets. We won't do that to you. Just go back home and don't be telling anybody else about Jesus Christ. I mean, hey, it's that simple. But because they see their calling and election, young people, they see their calling, that they've been called to glory and virtue and to rightly represent the living God of heaven to a lost and dying world. They go out again and again. They risk their lives to preach the gospel. And guess what? They end up in prison. They pull their fingernails out of them. They pull their legs out of sockets. They beat them. They do all kinds of terrible things to them. They starve them. And they kill them. And by the way, what's wrong with starving to death? I mean, think about it. You go on a 40-day fast and it ends in heaven. Did you get that? I mean, why sit there in prison and stew over the fact that you don't get any food to eat? I'm just going to go to heaven whenever I'm going to heaven. So how can I develop this sacrificial love? Number one, get filled and stay filled with the Holy Ghost. That's number one. Back to this relationship with the person and trust in the promises of the person of Jesus Christ. Get filled with the Holy Ghost. And stay filled. And go out and preach to the lost. You want to develop agape love? You want to develop this deep sacrificial love? This love that loves in spite of? Go preach to the lost. Witness as you are going about your life. Pass out traps. Get involved with the poor and the hurting. Go visit those fellas and those girls that are in prison and witness to them and minister to them in the prison. Go on a missionary trip where the gap is much greater. I mean, it's pretty easy to witness to somebody here in the United States. Try witnessing to somebody in a totally different culture who doesn't even know your language. But that is agape love. Prepare yourself for future service, young people. There is a reason why you are here. And it's not to enjoy your life. And it's not to get that nice car that you always wanted. And it's not to land that real good job or even get that husband that you think that you deserve. You are here for a reason and the reason is to glorify God and to win a lost world. That is the only reason why we are here. Sometimes it takes us a little while to wake up to those realities. But eventually, if you are going to be worth your salt in this world, you will come to grips with this principle right here. By faith, possess agape love. To finish our study on this word, let me again remind you that the Christ's sacrificial love incarnate dwells in you. Let him have his way and his love will be perfected in you. You see what I'm saying, young people? You've got to... Yes, we recognize that this is something that God must do in us. Yes, we recognize that this is a matter of being partakers of the divine nature. We recognize that. But we also recognize that in all of these qualities of character, Christ-like character, we must engage ourselves. And in this one of agape love, you've got to go to the unlovely if you're going to develop a love that loves in spite of. You won't be able to sit in your house and wait for it. You must get out there and get your hands dirty. Do you understand? And God, who is in you, will begin to rot the beautiful character of a sacrificial love. And you will find yourself being more like Jesus Christ as you go. Dear young people, pursue these things. This is how you make your calling and election sure. Now, let's go on to verse 8. For if these things be in you and abound, these things, what things? Virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. If these things be in you and abound, they make you that you be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that's what I want. That's what I want. In you and abound. I want you to notice that's positive. If these things be in you and abound, he's taking a positive approach here, and then he comes back with a negative. It will make you so that you won't be barren and you won't be unfruitful. What does this word barren mean? It doesn't mean childless. You will find the word barren in the Scriptures, meaning childless, both spiritual and physical. But it doesn't mean childless here. It means idle or empty. Or can I put it in a more modern term? Bored. If these things be in you and abound, you won't be bored. I like that. Bless God. You won't be bored. I mean, if these things be in you and abound, fasten your seat belt. You're going for the ride of your life. But it means idle and empty. It means a life of no purpose. It means a life of no meaning. It means a life that's unfulfilling. And some of you may be sitting here and saying, that describes me. Well, God wants to help you. The other word is the word unfruitful, and it simply means no fruit or only a little. Remember the thorny ground that Brother Moses is talking about and he'll probably preach about tonight? That heart that's filled with thorns and thistles? It is a life that is filled with other things, other priorities and many distractions. The heart that is thorny ground is a life that is filled with other things, with other priorities and many distractions. And when you have a heart like that, it makes you so that you are unfruitful, though you have been planted, though there is a plant growing. It's kind of a tall and skinny plant, because as you've seen in your garden, you know, it's standing there, but there's so many weeds around it that are sapping all the strength out of the plant. It's just a tall, skinny plant with no fruit hanging on it. The parable speaks about the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches and what riches buy and the lust of other things choke out the Word and it becometh unfruitful. It chokes out the Word and it chokes out all your good intentions. Young people, let me just warn you today. You can sit through this whole Bible school and like what you're hearing and have a bunch of good intentions inside your heart when you get home, but if your heart is set on other things and you can't wait to get back to your toys when you get home, guess what? Those toys and those cares and those other priorities and those distractions will choke out everything you've got this week. What a tragedy! Don't let that happen, young people. Please don't let that happen. If your heart is filled with other things, Christ is not truly Lord reigning there. You will not be able to add to your faith. You will not have the desire to add to your faith. You will not have the time it takes to add to your faith. T-I-M-E Remember? Your attempts will be in vain if your heart is filled with other things, distractions, cares. You will not be able to pursue these holy characters. It just won't happen. So here we have someone who lacketh these things. Lacketh these things. What kind of a life do they have? No purpose. No direction. No vision. Not fulfilled. Kind of moving around through life aimlessly. Every now and then a little direction and then floating around up and down. And may I say this? I don't know. I can't judge. You could be carnal. Just a skinny little plant, truly planted, but all choked out and unfruitful. Or then on the other hand, you could just be lost. You could just be lost. And God has to help you to discern which one of those you are, but let me just tell you this, young people. Either one of those, you are living in dangerous territory. Either one of those, you are living in dangerous territory. Let's look at the positive aspect of this verse just for a moment. The positive aspect of this verse is very powerful. The opposite of idle. Active, full, fulfilled purpose and meaning in life. That's what God wants for you. And the opposite of unfruitful? Fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, Paul says. The fruit of the Spirit. Fruit that remains. John chapter 14. This is the other side of that. If these things be in you and abound, you will have meaning. Your life will be full. You will have purpose. You will have direction. There will be fruit in your life. Others will know there is fruit in your life. Your life will be a life without question. This is the abundant life that Jesus spoke of. And as you develop these things, cause and effect begins to be turned loose in your life. And that's where the abundance comes from. It's not that God just mysteriously puts a supernatural blessing upon you because of it. Although God does do that sometimes. But this is just simple, basic cause and effect. I mean, when you do what God says, there's a blessing always hidden in it. I mean, every beautiful principle in the Word of God has a blessing or two or ten or twenty hidden in it. And only those who say, I'm going to do it, are the ones that will taste those blessings. But if these seven things and all the principles that flow out of these seven things be in you and abound, you better get ready for so many blessings that you can't contain them all. Blessings because you fast. And blessings because you seek God. And blessings because you win souls. And blessings because you love God with all your heart. And blessings because you're seeking God. And blessings because you read the Word. And blessings because you're searching the Scriptures for some new thing to do. And blessings because you affectionately love the brotherhood. And blessings because you lay down your life for a lost and dying in an unlovely world. Blessings, blessings, blessings, young people. If these things be in you and abound. You see, see the way that God works here? I mean, talk about getting motivated. Come on. What are you sitting there waiting for? I mean, do you think heaven is all over there? Come on. Heaven is here. I've been having the time of my life this week. Blessings. But only those who walk in it will experience these blessings. And my testimony is, what an exciting life. What a challenge. What an adventure. And by the way, I don't have an easy life either. Verse 9, But he that lacketh these things. What is he like? He or she that lacketh these things. What are they like? God says, they are blind. They are blind. And this word, blind, means the same thing that Moses was telling us about, I believe, on Monday night. Their eyes they have closed. They chose to shut their eyes. They're blind. They cannot see afar off. No vision. They have the eye disease that the Laodicean church had. No vision. No vision for this life and no vision of eternity. They cannot see afar off. They're short-sighted. Just living in the now. My own little selfish, self-centered world. Oh, young people, lift up your eyes. Lift up your eyes. Get some of that eye salve that John spoke about there in Revelation chapter 3. And anoint thine eyes with eye salve so that you can be healed and see. And lastly, he hath forgotten. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. And that word forgotten is the same as these other words. It's a little bit like when you were a child, you know, and Mom said, I want you to do this, and when you finish doing this, take out the trash. And deep down inside there, there was that thing in there that said, I don't want to take out the trash. Got to go all the way out there. It stinks. Put it in the barn. The barn stinks. And so, for some odd reason, you didn't remember to take out the trash. And then Mom came and said, I thought I told you to take out the trash. And you said, I forgot. Did you forget? That's what it means. I am choosing to forget that glorious day back there when God touched my life and saved my soul. I'm not saying that you're lost. I'm not saying that you're in apostasy and you're falling away. I'm not saying that you've departed from the faith. But I am saying that you are on very dangerous ground. You are playing on the edge of destruction. That's what you're doing. I mean, there's a cliff right here, and it drops about 1,500 feet to rocks below. And you're over there just... And you don't know it. You're not living in reality. You're standing on the edge of destruction, and it could be eternal destruction. And you're acting like as if nothing's wrong. He that lacketh these things has not been serious about their Christian life. And you are standing on dangerous ground. Consider the true condition of those who lacketh these things. Number one, virtue. An unwavering love and loyalty to God. A warrior-like spirit. But the opposite of that is one who honors me with their lips. But their heart of devotion is far from me. That's the opposite of this virtue. If you don't have this virtue, then that's what you have. A heart that has somehow deceived itself into thinking that you're okay because you can honor God with your lips. And sing the songs. And talk the talk. But God says your heart is far. And every place where you find those Scriptures mentioned, whether it's Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, or in the New Testament, spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, God pronounced judgment upon that heart. In fact, God said to Ezekiel, the people are coming to you to hear you preach, but they're listening to you for entertainment. And I thought, boy, what a picture of American Christianity. I mean, there's some good preaching in America. There's some good preaching. Well, the American people, quote, the American Christians have deceived themselves into thinking, I've heard a powerful sermon, therefore I'm spiritual. I go to a church where we've got a preacher in our church. Man, that was a good sermon. I'm spiritual because I go where a preacher preaches. No, you're not. No, you're not. You can take good preaching and make it entertainment in your darkened heart where there is no loyalty and love for God. Number two, knowledge. A heart filled with the wisdom to live a clear and a practical Christian life. That's knowledge. The opposite of that, God says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. It's the negative side of cause and effect. You see, I gave you the positive there. Wasn't that wonderful and exciting? But the negative side is if you lack knowledge, you will stumble around in life and make mistake after mistake and some of them are grave mistakes. I mean, I know young people who sat in this very room, in the atmosphere that you are experiencing this week and today they're married to the wrong person in their ignorance. You will have a life plagued with failure in your ignorance. Temperance. A wise, purposeful self-government of the passions and appetites of this being of mine. What is the opposite of that? Proverbs 25, 28 says, He or she that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. Do you get the picture? What a dangerous city to live in. Broken down and without walls. And that's exactly the way it is with an undisciplined man or an undisciplined woman. You have no protection. You are under major attack constantly. The world is attacking you. Your flesh is attacking you. The devil is attacking you. And you think everything is going to be alright? Don't kid yourself. How about patience? That gentle, submissive, enduring spirit in the midst of difficulties and trials. Here's the opposite. Unbelief. Murmurings. Complainings. And bitterness. When things don't go your way. Ever been there? Dangerous place to live. What about godliness? That godward reverence and awe toward God. A worshipful fear of God at all times. What's the opposite of that? Are you listening? The opposite of godliness is what? Ungodliness. Now stay with me. We think ungodliness. Adultery, wickedness, uncleanness, drunkenness. Ungodliness is no piety. A heart that moves towards other things instead of God. A heart that moves toward myself. My self-centeredness. A heart that moves toward the world instead of a heart. A godward heart. Boy, that comes down home, doesn't it? Now I'm an ungodly person if I fritter my day away. Doing what I want. Laughing, joking. Listening to what I want. Go where I want. Goofing off. Playing around. And waste my whole day. You just live an ungodly day. Young people. And lastly, love. A heart that moves out of focuses on the needs and plights of others. The opposite? Self-will. A heart that is set on pleasing myself. That is the opposite of love. Now come, let us reason together. You can see the power. Can you see the power? The protection of possessing these qualities? Can you see how they become the very foundation of your life? The very walls of protection around you? The very armor upon your chest and your head? And upon your feet? They become the very protection of your life. Can you also see how easy it would be to fall and lose your way if these things are not in you, but you lack them? I mean, every little thing that comes. And here comes a temptation. And you're right into it. And then this. And then that. And then here comes a boy. And he's not the right kind of boy. And before you know it, you've already gone places where you shouldn't have gone. Or there comes this girl and she's pretty. And before you know it, you've done things that you shouldn't. Or somebody that you used to know. And he's got a couple things and, hey, let's try this. And before you know it, you pop the thing in there. You picked up that pack yourself and lit it up and took a few puffs off of it. And you think, what happened to me? I'll tell you what happened to you. You are a city that is broken down and without walls. You are a sitting duck for the world of flesh and the devil. He that lacketh these things. Oh, what a dangerous place to be. And many times you fall one last time and never get up again. And I can give you a list of those also who sat in this very room. Who fell that one last time and just didn't even get up. Wherefore, the rather, brethren, engage your heart and will. Make hastes. Take earnest care. With eager swiftness, make this top priority. Sacrifice every earthly enjoyment to build these things in your life. It's very important. Pursue this godliness with your whole heart, mind and strength. Why? To make your calling and election sure. Now, that is security of the believer. I believe in assurance and security, young people. It is conditional. But I don't go through life worrying about whether I'm going to make it or not. Bless God. There's surety. There's confidence. God's promises are on my side. But I do have a part in this whole thing. I must continue in the faith. I must pursue the Lord with my whole heart. I must continue to trust Him in the midst of all the things around me. Now, if your calling and election can be sure, it also can be unsure. Does that make right sense? If my calling and election can be sure, then my calling and election can also be unsure. And if you're sitting here today and these things be not in you, and you've been playing around, and even through this week you're just riding the week out, and, oh, today is the last day that I can get through this thing, and these preachers and all the things they're telling us, and Brother Moe's in the evening, and all the things that he told me about rebellion and all that, I'm going to get through this week, and I'm going back home, and I'm going to just go back to life as normal. That's your choice. But, there's one big question mark all over your life. Your calling and election is unsure. Question mark all over your life, over your testimony with others, and even in your own heart. Your own heart has a question mark on it, and you know it. You know it! Turn to Psalm 15. I want you to see this principle that Peter is bringing out. It's not the only place where you'll find it in the Bible. Psalm 15 starts out with a verse made famous by the revival in the Hebrides in 1951. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle, and who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbites not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor, in whose eyes a vile person is condemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. He that swears to his own hurt and changes not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. Look at that verse. Same thing. Same thing. By the grace of God, develop the principles and character of God in your life. Add to your faith. And when the trials of life come, and they will come, you will not be moved. Anybody know where the other verses are where I'm going after? Matthew chapter 7. Look at this. Matthew chapter 7 and verse 24. Oh, hear the word of the Lord, young people. This is not Brother Denny challenging you here this morning. This is the word of the Lord to your fainting heart. Verse 24. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rains descended and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. Did you get that? And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended on him also, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Do you see what I'm saying, young people? What God is saying to us in this portion of Scripture that we've been studying all week is this. Let's get serious about our Christian life. Don't stay on the edge of the Jordan River. There's a beautiful land to possess. Engage your heart. Go forth with purpose and determination and add to your faith. You cannot sit idle. It won't come out right. But now let's end on a positive note. Verse 11. Isn't God good how He does that? I mean, He lays those things out and shakes us almost to a trembling. Then turns around and says, Oh, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. Oh, that's good. Yes. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That's the end. Hallelujah. That's the end. An abundant entrance. Is that what you want? That's what I want? As I studied this verse this morning, I broke down and wept for joy at the thought of that abundant entrance. The picture here is that of a soldier. Back to the soldiers again. But the picture here is that of a soldier. Coming back home after a successful battle. He or she won. They overcame. They fought. They pursued. They overcame. They had that warlike spirit. Virtue was in them. They stood their ground. They faced the enemy. They fought a good fight. They overcame. And now the soldier is coming home. Marching back into the city that they call home. Where is our home? The crowds are there. Cheering them. Loved ones are smiling at them. And crying tears of joy to see the face of their loved one. Who is out there on the battlefield and now he has come home. He made it. Flowers are strewn at their feet and they walk down a beautiful path of flowers. With the crowds cheering them on every side. Oh, it was a grand day. And if that is not enough, the King is waiting at the end of the street. The King is waiting at the end of the street. And oh, it is sweet to see all the loved ones there. And they are crying tears of joy. And they are excited. And their loved one made it through the battle. And they are on the other side. But that is nothing. The King is at the end of the street. And the soldier comes up. The soldier comes up and kneels before his King. That loyal virtue welling up inside of his heart as he looks at his King. The one that he was out there on the battlefield fighting for. And the King looks at him. With eyes. Holy eyes. Powerful eyes. Loving, fatherly eyes. And he takes an incorruptible crown. And puts it on that soldier's head. Puts his hand on his shoulder. And looks into his eyes and says, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter ye in to the joy of thy Lord. When that soldier hears those powerful, eternal, grateful words. Proceeding forth out of the mouth of the eternal self-existent one. A flood of indescribable joy shall baptize and consume his being. And all the trials and all the troubles and the labors and the agonies and the yieldings and the self-denial. And all of it shall disappear into oblivion. I don't know about you. But I want to be in that number. I want to be in that number. Listen. Heaven is not streets of gold. I mean, okay, maybe there's going to be streets of gold there. But that's not what heaven is. Heaven is Jesus. He who you've known. Who you've read about. Who you've sensed. Who you've listened to. Now you see Him. Your eyes will see the King. And you've been faithful. And a crown is waiting for you. And those beautiful words coming out of the mouth of the eternal God. Powerful words. My, we can't even imagine what those words will do to us. Coming out of the mouth of the God who spoke the worlds into existence. Looking into the eyes of your heart and saying, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. You know, Paul experienced that. And so, an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Young people, it's time to get serious. It's time to get serious about your Christian life. You have rode long enough on mom and dad's blessing. It's time to get your own blessing upon your life. By your own heart of dedication and love to God. It's time to get your own blessing. Praise God for the blessing of mom and dad. And God does cause mom and dad's blessings to fall on you. But it's only to carry you to this place where you rise up and say, I will have that mountain for me. It's time to get serious about your Christian life. Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. You may need to do business with God this morning. Maybe you need a few minutes in the prayer room before you go to lunch. If you do, I want you to get up out of your seat and go there right now. You need to do business with God, just go there. Find a quiet corner somewhere and work these things out before the Lord. Go ahead. Go ahead. Work them out before the Lord. Heads bowed and eyes closed. Father in heaven, Lord, now we're just trusting you. All these many words, your words and my words, shall be deeply deposited in the hearts of these young people and shall take root downward and bear fruit upward in the weeks and months to come. Lord, I commend them, all of them, to thee. And I pray that you will bless them abundantly. In Jesus Christ's name, amen.