This sermon emphasizes the importance of not despising the Word of God and the consequences of turning away from His commandments. It warns against the dangers of disobedience and the need to be not just hearers but doers of the Word. The message highlights the call to holiness, obedience, and the impact of our choices on our lives and society.

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge with Joshua Daniel. The Layman's Evangelical Fellowship International is a ministry reaching people from all walks of life since 1935. After a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ at the age of 16, Joshua Daniel has been declaring the marvelous deliverance from sin, which is freely given to all those who turn to the loving Savior. Wherever this message has gone out, broken relationships have been restored, sickness healed, ill-gotten money returned, and thieves turned into givers. We now invite you to watch and receive the invaluable blessing that God has for you. You know, there are certain basic cardinal truths which we apply all the time in life, in the various activities of life. But somehow we don't project those truths on spiritual action or advance. That is very shocking. In James, the first chapter, first chapter of James, 21 and 22, Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be you doers of the Word, not hearers only. Now if you turn to Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 12, Wherefore, thus said the Holy One of Israel, Because you despise this Word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon, therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to collapse, fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. My dear friends, here the Bible tells us if we despise the Word of God, there is, it is like a high wall which collapses upon us. Now in Proverbs chapter 28 and the ninth verse. You see friends, we see these things happening all the time around us, and maybe in our own families. We had better warn people. Wait, don't go about with a fine paintbrush. People will curse you finally, saying you knew the truth but you never told us the truth. Ninth verse. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Word, the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. You see, think of prayers that become an abomination. My dear friends, it is terrible. You know, the liturgy has certain wonderful prayers, wonderful, beautiful prayers. And people just skim over those prayers, of course. They have learned it from childhood. But the truth of the Word of Jesus does not ever turn them around, because they don't care for it. Suppose all of you went out of this drive and immediately turned left. What would you do? You would go right into oncoming traffic, because you would be on the wrong side of the road. Does anybody have to tell you that? No. Can anybody persuade you to make a sharp left turn as soon as you get out of this drive? No. No one can. You don't want to kill yourself or kill others by getting right, driving into the wrong side of the road. But what does the Bible say? When you turn away your ear from obeying, from hearing the law, even your prayer shall be abomination. Now if you turn to 2 Samuel 12, you will see how King David was dealt with when he went against the Word of God. You know, friends, when we do not provide or the church provide, the church is you and me. So let's not talk about somebody somewhere. Let's talk about ourselves. When the church does not provide the truth and people who stand fast by the truth, then there is danger to people. Now if you look at the 9th and 10th verses, Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Here is prophet Nathan, and he is speaking to King David. Wherefore have you despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Sammon? Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite. You see, they were supposed to put out the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the other people, heathen people. Now, can you imagine running before the sword of your own son? David had to run before the sword of his own son. How terrible! You see, folks? But when you go against the word of God, when you turn your heart away from keeping the commandments of the Lord, you know, my dear friends, as a very young man, when I heard of of Chappaquiddick, that little island on which a young woman of 18 was drowned, I couldn't understand it. How is it the matter was not reported immediately? When the car went over a bridge, or fell off a small bridge, and the driver escapes, and doesn't alert anybody, I couldn't understand that. All right, there were the expressions of regret, and of deep remorse, but how was it that a knowledgeable person did not immediately report, hey, my car fell off this bridge, and a girl is drowning there? Of course, the question is asked, why was that girl, what was that girl doing so late at night? Well, so many of those questions people have swept under the rug, but it affects the character of a whole nation. See, when I do a crime, or I'm an accessory to a crime, and because of my power and payoffs, I can get off, then I never repent. I am so powerful, or my family is so powerful, I'm let off the hook. What is the impression that anybody gets? Oh, money can buy off anyone. In the land, what a tragedy. No, that's not the rule of law. The rule of law should not, and does not, differentiate a poor man from a rich man. It's the rule of law. The word of God does not differentiate anybody, the man in the pulpit. In fact, that judgment shall begin at the house of God is a warning given to preachers and religious people, for judgment shall begin at the house of God. The word of God is despise. I'm the king, and I want this woman. This kind of thing seems to be taking place in many places, even today. I can't go into the details now, but it is a very sad thing. Here, God says, you have despised my word. If you turn to Thessalonians, the fourth chapter, and seven and eight. First Thessalonians, fourth chapter, seven and eight. For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who has also given unto us his Holy Spirit. See, it says very clearly, when we fight against holiness and choose uncleanness, then we are despising not man, but God, who has given unto us the Holy Spirit. Holiness is God's basic requirement. And you know that holiness does not come to us automatically. No. As a matter of fact, uncleanness seems to come to people automatically. In spite of everything, the best of education, the best of this, and the best of that does not address the cancer of uncleanness. The cancer of uncleanness in families, the cancer of uncleanness in a nation, the cancer of uncleanness in a society, where marriage is just made light of. My friends, there is disaster ahead when we despise God. God says, you have despised me. How am I, a small lily potion, going to look at God and despise him? I tremble before him. I want to obey him. Be not hearers of the word, but doers, doers, not despisers of the word. Friends, we have to choose a religion without power, a religion which is just hearing, hearing, going through the motions, or going to God with a broken spirit, and saying, here I am, O Lord. Take me, this foul creature, standing here. Take me, and you have a purpose for my life. Use me. Be not hearers of the word, but doers. Let us pray. Let us tell God, Father, here we are. We want to be doers of your word. We don't want to be just mosquito swatters, fly chasers, hot air vents. We want to be doers, doers of your living word. Come to us. Give us this cleansing which is at the cross. We want to be doers. We don't want to be in collision course with the word of God. We don't want our families to be in collision course with the word of God. O my Father, come to us. And O my Father, the society at large, the great and the powerful in the land, may never begin to think that the church, or the prayers after death, and holy water, or whatever, incense, or whatever, and prayers are not going to change the destiny which we have chosen while we are alive. Not by any means change the consequences of our actions, disobediences, while we are alive. Do not allow the nation to be in any way painted over with this false paint. We need a new heart and obedience to your holy word. So help us in Jesus almighty name. Amen. Start there, no hope within could I see. They searched through heaven and found a savior Lord, to save a poor lost soul like me. Oh what a savior, oh hallelujah. His heart was broken on Calvary. His hands were hailstrung, his sight was living. He gave his life's blood for even me. Death's chilly waters I'll soon be crossing. His hand will lead me safe for. I'll join the chorus in that great city and sing up there forever more. Oh what a savior, oh hallelujah. His heart was broken on Calvary. For you and for me. His hands were hailstrung, his sight was living. He gave his life's blood for even me. Oh what a savior. Oh my lord, what a time. Oh my lord, what a time. God makes the world flee to live eternally. God makes the world flee to live eternally. God makes the world flee to live eternally. Oh, my Lord, we're at time In Bethlehem There will be no more night No sun or moon The Lamb of God is nigh It's good to know That He's prepared the way To our pride and endless day But this the world But it's not what it seems To live eternally With Christ In the heart of my heart When I shout and sing We'll walk and talk We'll shout and sing We'll walk and talk We'll shout and sing Every day will be the same Oh, my Lord My burden bearer My help in trouble My joy in sorrow It's my sword and shield Oh, my Lord We're at time In this the world But it's not what it seems To live eternally With Christ In the heart of my heart When I shout and sing We'll walk and talk We'll shout and sing We'll walk and talk We'll shout and sing Every day will be the same Oh, my Lord It's real Oh, my Lord We're at time In this the world But it's not what it seems To live eternally In the heart of my heart We'll shout and sing Every day will be the same Oh, my Lord