Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the dangers of self-deception in the Christian walk, urging believers to respond to God's persistent call and to examine their hearts for true devotion to Christ. He warns against the complacency that comes from making excuses and highlights the need for a passionate, inward commitment to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, rather than settling for a superficial faith. Beach draws parallels between the biblical figures of Elijah and Elisha, illustrating the importance of perseverance in following God's leading, even when it seems comfortable to stay put. He calls for a deep, genuine relationship with God that transcends mere religious activity, urging listeners to forsake distractions and idols that cloud their vision of Christ. Ultimately, he challenges the congregation to awaken their hearts and respond to God's call to deeper discipleship.

So I thank the Lord for the opportunity and perhaps we can just pray now for a few moments before we go into the word and I'll tell you what the Lord, listen beloved, the Lord is not angry but he's very very very grieved and sorry and I'll tell you what he's going to do, I'll tell you what he's going to do and this is true with every single one of us, he's gonna call, he's gonna call again, he's gonna keep calling but if he doesn't get a response he's gonna find someone else who's gonna hear and obey because the current testimony in America is just a hair away from being an abomination to God and the Lord is calling, he's calling us, people have devoted themselves to everything but Christ and following him and being real through and through and the Lord will not accept these devotions, the Lord is a jealous God and he wants our whole life. We've said, I've said many times I don't think any one of you would make a marital agreement and at the bottom you have some fine print, my wife has the right from time to time to see other men, my husband has the right from time to time to see other women, as long as we have a mutual understanding of one another, that's repugnant isn't it? I know it is, it's repugnant, it doesn't make your heart go, some of you might be saying he or she better not try that but why then do we serve the Lord like that? Is it because we've got perverted in our idea of grace and we think that grace enables us to just live our own lives because Jesus loves us? Well he does love us but grace isn't a license to do our own thing and the Lord weeps, he loves us but he weeps, he weeps this morning as we were worshipping, all Jesus was looking for, he doesn't care what you have on, he doesn't care how you smell, he doesn't care how nice your hair looks and yet we do, we do too much, we care too much about these things, he doesn't care how much money is in your bank account, he doesn't care what kind of belongings you have or what kind of belongings you don't have, all he is looking for is hearts, hearts that cry out and say yes Lord here I am, I'm weak, I have failed you Lord, I've come to realize that I can't do it but Lord I offer myself to you, I want to obey you, I want to be awake, I want to be passionately in love with you, I want to be free from the idolatries that America is falling under, the idolatries, the greed, the covetousness, John Wesley, I believe he was 15, number 15 of Suzanne Wesley or 14, he once asked his mom, he said mom what is sin, you know what Suzanne Wesley told him, this is a paraphrase now, he said John, she said John Wesley, anything that clouds your vision of Jesus Christ, that quenches your passion for God and his word, that fogs your mind from clearly thinking about eternal things, anything that takes away from an inflamed passion to do the will of God, John Wesley that is sin to you, oh we like to make sin something we're not doing, we love to define sin in a way that enables us to escape, well thou shalt not steal, bless God I don't steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, I've been faithful for 20, 30, 40 years, so from time to time I stumble but God knows I'm human and Jesus this morning is searching not only our hearts but he's searching the whole church and he's looking for hearts where he can take up residence, absolute Lord, absolute King, absolute master, parents I do not want to heap any judgment or condemnation on anyone but I must say what the Holy Spirit is saying, if you do not weep for your children every day, ask you God to preserve them from the corruption of their own heart and the corruption of the world, your heart has grown cold, you are asleep in the light, you are sleeping in the light, if you are not weeping and crying out to God, it's not ok, everything isn't ok, there is a call going forth from the heart of God to all who call on the name of the Lord the hour, the hour is here, it is time, it is time to say Lord come into my life, come into my home, come into my family, take control, put passion back in my heart for eternal things, put desire back in my heart for you, help me to obey you, help me to walk by your Holy Spirit, help me to walk in obedience to your word this is the heart cry of God this morning, this is it, he doesn't care about your outward life, he cares about what's going on inwardly, inwardly, inwardly, where are you at inwardly, what's got your affections, what's got your desires, this is not a prophetic utterance, although it is, it's simply what is written, every time God called the people and they wouldn't listen, what did he do? he simply went and found others, that doesn't mean the Lord forsakes, but I tell you, the only safety we have is following Jesus, that's it, it's following him day by day, other than that, when we stop following the Lord, we are essentially opening up our lives to the powers of the enemy, and he will destroy us, he will destroy us you can't take on the enemy and be preserved, so let's look just at a few scriptures here, 2nd Kings chapter 2, we've been ministering on being self-deceived, and this certainly comes under the topic of being self-deceived now, Holy Spirit, we thank you for visiting us this morning, we thank you that you love us so much, we thank you Lord that you love us so much that you come and simply immerse us in your love, we thank you Lord that you have committed yourself to us unconditionally we thank you Lord that you gave your all at the cross, that you endured the shame and the scoffing, we thank you Lord that you bled, that your arteries and your blood vessels in your head were burst because of the pain Lord, we ask this morning that you would give us the capacity, give us the capacity Lord, to hear what your Spirit is saying to the churches, give us ears to hear Father, I pray that the distractions and the mindset and the traditions that we have, that have clouded your voice and clouded our ability to hear what you're saying would be overcome at least during this time, so we can clearly hear what you're saying to us O Jesus, you are the only worthy one that stands in our midst, you are the only deserving one, and we long, we long, O God, to be broken to the point where we gladly and willingly forsake all and follow you speak to us Lord by your word, for Jesus' sake 2 Kings chapter 2 and it came to pass, 2 Kings chapter 2 it came to pass when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal Elijah was a prophet of God and Elisha was his student and it was time for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven there is a tremendous test that's going on in this story and it's applicable to every single follower of Jesus Christ Elijah here, Elijah represents the Lord Jesus Christ and Elisha can represent the company of believers who have given their allegiance to him and the Lord Jesus Christ is so eager this morning to find those who will follow him, listen, all the way now here's the question I want you to ask yourself as we read this you ask the Lord, you ask yourself, say Father, have I persevered in following you? or have I stopped somewhere in the past? now listen, that doesn't mean you stopped being a Christian or you stopped engaging in your Christian rhetoric or your outward Christian life, it doesn't mean that at all, this has nothing to do with outward this has to do with an inward reality this has to do with the sanctuary of your heart and this is the divine test that all believers are being subject to in this hour that we're living in now listen carefully, Elijah and Elisha were together and Elijah left from Gilgal and Elijah said unto Elisha, listen, tarry here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel and Elisha said unto him, as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee so they went down to Bethel and the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha and said to him, knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? and he said, yeah, I know, hold your peace now listen, verse 4, and Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho and he said, as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee so they came to Jericho and verse 5, the same thing, the prophets came and said, hey, do you know that the Lord is going to take your master away? and Elisha said, I know now verse 6, and Elijah said to him, tarry, I pray thee, here, for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan and he said, as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee listen, and they too went on now listen carefully, beloved three times, the prophet Elijah told the prophet Elisha in his journey from Gilgal to Jericho where eventually they would cross over Jericho and then the Lord was going to come and take Elijah away in a whirlwind and what would happen to Elisha? he would receive a double portion but before all that happened before Elisha received the double portion he was subject to three major tests in his life and the three major tests in his life were simply this was he going to stay where God brought him because in each instance it was Elijah leading him from Gilgal to the next city then from the next city to the next city and from the next city to Jordan it was the Lord leading him there but the test that was on his heart was this are you going to stay there or move on, move on, move on now the ironic thing is that Elijah actually said to Elisha stay here, stay here so it would appear as if Elisha would have been justified in staying because it seemed like the Lord was telling him to stay brothers and sisters may God give us ears to hear may God give us ears to hear each one of us has been led by God to a certain place and we've heard the Lord say I brought you here and He has blessed you, He has prospered you whatever He has done and it appears as if because of all the circumstances around about your life it seems like the Lord is saying stay here why not, stay here but beware, beware beloved beware, He's testing your heart He doesn't want anyone following Him unless they really want to stay here, where are you at right now I'm not talking about outwardly I'm talking about your hunger and passion for God I'm talking about desperate are you desperate or has the Lord brought you somewhere and you've seen His blessing and you've heard His voice say I've given you this and you've camped there you've camped there you feel justified because the Lord brought you there but the Lord is moving on Joanne, He's moving on He's moving on He brought you there, yes but He's moving on oh, but you don't understand Phil I feel blessed and comfortable where I'm at He's moving on oh, but Phil, it was the Lord who brought me here I know it was the Lord but He's moving on what are we doing Luke, chapter 5, verse 27 and after these things He went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of custom and He said unto him follow Me Jesus is saying to all of us as well of all those who name His name He's saying follow Me follow Me now watch, verse 28 and He left all rose up and followed Him He left all and followed and they went to Gilgal and Eli just said to Elisha stay here but I must move on what was Elisha's response as sure as the Lord liveth what did he say as sure as the Lord liveth I will follow you now let me ask you a question beloved, alright listen carefully is that insatiable unquenchable undefeatable purpose in your heart and mine this morning because if it's not guess what will happen the Lord will move on and you or I will not now, Luke chapter 14 this was so important to Jesus when He walked that many many of His parables reveal the truth about this simple revelation when Jesus calls us it's not so that we can go with Him a little ways and then become comfortable inside enjoy His blessings and then substitute following Him with a religion see because unless our hearts unless my heart, Phil and your heart is desperately longing for Him desperately hungry for Him desperately wanting to move on inwardly with Him unless that is our condition we have birthed a religion we've birthed a religion oh but Phil we're not a denomination we don't have religious activities we're outcomers we're outcomers you're in the throngs of religion this morning beloved and so am I if I'm not desperately crying after God Lord I need you today but you know the problem we don't need Him today we don't need Him Joanne we've got all manner of things that can occupy our time and our affections we don't go to bed at night oh God I can't make it tomorrow unless I hear from you we don't do that we live in the joy of our dreams and hopes and pleasures we go to bed at night and we get a smile because we think about what we're going to do tomorrow what we're planning to do next week and there was a certain sower that sowed seed and some fell among thorns and as it grew the thorns grew and choked it preventing it preventing it from bringing forth full maturity Jesus will you interpret these parables for us Jesus said the seed that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the word and with joy receive it hallelujah hallelujah I'm a Christian but the cares and pleasures and deceitfulness of riches choke the word the word choke there means suffocation by lack of air you know the only air that you can breathe that's going to build your inner spirit up as the air from heaven when was the last time you inhaled real deeply and got a good good feeling of heaven's air heaven's word heaven's love heaven's perspective heaven's cry heaven's passions you say well I can't remember the last time brother Phil why? because of the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches and pleasures not even unlawful pleasures I'm not talking about hitting the bars on Friday night I'm not talking about that I don't think anybody here goes to bars you shouldn't it's my ministry brother I'm not talking about reveling and rioting riotous living lawful pleasure what was it Colette? you were teaching the kids about idolatry it's ok to desire something but you can't want it too much it's ok to want something but you can't want it too much how do you know when you want something too much your want for Jesus suffers now don't take things into your own understanding and say well brother Phil I can indulge in all the things of this life but my passion for Jesus is still real hot and on fire that's self deception God's word says you cannot serve God and mammon you will love one and hate the other you'll be devoted to one and unfaithful to the other so you cannot serve both God and mammon we can't do that say well Phil God's not speaking that to me well what is he speaking to you what bible are you reading he's not telling me that following Jesus Luke chapter 14 verses 7-14 we will not read that but the book of Luke is a wonderful book because what it does beloved listen it reveals to us what it means to follow Jesus as we mentioned several months ago this is my personal belief I'm not asking you to believe it but I believe that the day has come and will become more evident as we go on that we're not going to be able to just call ourselves Christians hi I'm a Christian we're not going to be able to do that because there is quickly if not already present a Christianity that's apostate it's rejected of God it's word only it's a Christianity where anything goes Jesus did not come to start a Christian religion Jesus did not come to start a Christian religion Jesus came to pay the sin penalty for those that he died for so that he can save people that they might follow him and his word and be living martyrs living martyrs Jesus didn't come to create a Christian religion he came in order to take possession of a people who through sin had fallen under the power of Satan but now through his blood and through his Holy Spirit and through his word he snatches us out of the kingdom of darkness and translates us and plants us into the kingdom of his dear son and he fills us with the Holy Ghost and then he says if any man will follow me let him deny himself let him take up his cross that's not Christianity at least the modern version don't be ensnared beloved in the modern religion of Christianity but fall in love with Jesus so verses 7 through 14 here's what Jesus tells us in those verses if you're one of my followers if you are following me Jesus says you will not exalt yourself you will not be proud you know I'm wondering I wonder what would happen if God allowed his son to take on the form of his own body and walk in that door and if he walked in I wonder if he started coming up and started talking to us how many of us would be offended how many of us would be offended at what he says if he looked at us right in our eyes you know because Jesus never ever ever talks because he doesn't want to offend anyone you know Jesus Jesus was invited to the house of a Pharisee and do you know what Jesus did during his whole dining experience with this Pharisee Alan he rebuked them called them a hypocrite a phony a liar and all his converts were two fold more than children of hell and a lawyer and a lawyer listen a lawyer was dining with him and the lawyer said master or lord or whoever you are don't you know that in saying that you're offending me and Jesus said oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that no he didn't he looked at him and said you hypocrite talk about wanting to have a nice evening with Jesus and there he ruins everything now is that any way to act when someone invites you to their house aren't you supposed to go with a Jesus smile on your face you hypocrites you make all the outward nice all the outward nice but inwardly you're full of dead man's bones and cursing do we even know this Jesus or are we worshipping a God that Christianity has created his name is Jesus too but he doesn't seem to get into anyone's face he doesn't seem to speak the truth to the point where it makes us angry and searches us and makes us wake up at night we don't seem to hear that Jesus anymore do we you know why we're not following him anymore so Jesus teaches us in those scriptures that if we follow him we won't exalt ourself number two if we follow him we won't serve others hoping to get something out of it oh my nowadays Christianity just loves to talk about doing things for other people but it's all tainted with this rotten selfish ambition where if I do something for you now you owe me something and if you don't give it to me I don't love you anymore see when we follow Jesus we're not going to exalt ourself and when we follow Jesus we're going to beg God to deliver us from the tyranny of that sin that lives in every one of our hearts until by grace we can rise up in the love and grace and power of Jesus and look at people in their eyes and say I don't want anything from you I just want to serve you and God will test you on it too he'll test you on it he'll make the ones you serve disappoint you he'll make the ones you serve hurt you he'll make the ones you serve betray you and then he'll say oh you really want to serve like me or do you want to be a Christian because Christians serve until they get hurt and then they spit in your face and they talk about you on the phone hypocrites we've got strings attached in our service that's what modern Christianity is dress like me act like me talk like me and I love you don't you love the words of Jesus Lord I love you I want to know you verse 10 but when you're bidden go and sit down in the lowest room when he that bade thee come if he may say to thee friend go up higher you see when you follow Jesus you don't take the initiative to go up you take the low seat you walk in humility you serve and then Jesus says friend what are you friend you come up here and all the guests will go can't argue with that see Christianity exalts itself exalt yourself exalt yourself take it into your own hands after all it's your right you don't deserve that treatment and be with Jesus don't talk about not deserving treatment when you start talking like that you need to look back to Jesus if he ever demanded that you and I would be dead in our sins because he didn't deserve anything that happened to him see we got this Christianity that said enmity to God's word why? because it's faithful to traditions, traditions of men church traditions pastor traditions, elder traditions it's all hogwash these traditions are leading us away from the word of God they're leading us away from following Jesus they're leading us away from a love affair with him and genuine, unfeigned love one for another they're leading us into a Babylon of confusion and turmoil check out who you're following check out who you're living for and when thou makest a dinner, verse 12 or a supper, call not thy friends nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors lest they also bid thee again and a recompense be made thee oh my but when thou makest a feast call the poor the maimed, the lame, the blind and thou shalt be blessed listen for they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection for they can not recompense thee when you are moved to do something do you do it hoping for some kind of compensation Jesus said if you follow him you won't you won't, isn't that what he said you see the words of Jesus, unarguable you say oh my God I'm so full of that I'm so full of this tainted heart of of wanting to serve people but expecting something from them well you know what we go back to the words of Elijah and all night in prayer and ask God change my heart or are you just going to say well this is just one of those things that will never change I'll just have to deal with it see to follow Jesus means that everything he says has to become true in our life but it's not going to come true in our own effort it's got to come true by the power of his Holy Spirit but before that happens he has to let us be tested let us be tempted let us be found out, let us see the corruption of our own heart and then he gives us an opportunity to humble ourselves and to pray and to work it through by his grace until we can rise up and say hallelujah to God God has given me the victory in this area of my life and then that whole area of your life that the Lord touched will be a fruit, lasting fruit, that area of your life everyone will touch life you see I don't touch life in people when they serve hoping for a reward I still touch death in their service I stay clear of that I don't want anything to do with it, you know why? because that kind of service ultimately is going to turn bad looks good, looks good on the outside I want life and I tell you what, you and I are not going to be vessels of life until every area of our life has been subject to God's discipline and the corruption has been conquered by the Christ so easy to be a Christian isn't it? it's just so easy, but what are you bothering me for like this? what are you bothering me for? I had such a good day planned today you're messing up my day I'm not going to come listen to this it's alright listen to the words of Jesus you see what he's getting at now? if you follow Jesus see it's following Jesus and leaving all we might leave all until until it's too costly what's too costly for you this morning? what can't you leave? can you leave that bitterness, that unforgiveness behind? so you've got to leave it behind if you hold on to that, you're not following anymore, you've got to leave it behind what's too costly? it says of Levi he forsook everything to follow Jesus now verses 15-35 15-35 Luke 14 listen, all of those words are spoken by Jesus in order to reveal one thing here's what it is he's showing he's showing that our following him must be utter it must be utter it must be utter now watch this verse 16 a certain man made a great supper and bed many bed many see the invitation, beloved listen, we've been invited we have been invited have you heard his voice? watch what he says and his servant at supper time came and said to them that were come for all things are now ready listen, Jesus is saying right now to all those that name his name, come, all things are ready come, come, come to me follow me, follow my word follow my voice follow me watch and they all with one consent began to make excuses no excuse can get in between you and following Jesus and if there is an excuse that you're hanging on to this morning if there's an excuse that I'm hanging on to this morning then I am no longer following him now I might have been brought to a certain place by him but I'm not following see because Christianity is not static it's a movement, it's a constant movement inwardly, not outwardly inwardly it's going to affect your actions but essentially it's an inward thing, it's an aggressive yielding and responding to the ever constant call of God to come closer to him come closer to him come closer to him sometimes it's ok, we want to go see Niagara Falls, we want to go see the Rockies, we want to go see Florida, we want to go see here, there, there ok, fine but what about, oh God oh God there are depths to your heart there are depths to your heart Lord, I want to go deeper in you I want to know you more where's the passion in the followers of Jesus today, not to want to see the sights of the world but to want to see more of God where are those who go home at night and cry, oh Jesus I feel miserable because I want to know you more picnics, retreats conventions trips to Israel boat rides on the Bahama listen, listen I'm not the one that said it don't get mad at me, I'm not the one that said it, Jesus said it pleasures cares, life itself you say, brother God says that He's given us richly everything to enjoy 98% of the Christian world is not enjoying things anymore, they're worshipping them it's not enjoyment anymore brothers and sisters, it's idolatry remember what Suzanne Wesley said when her son asked what sin was, is it clouding your passion for Jesus and it's idolatry it's idolatry they all began to make excuses, the first said I have bought a piece of ground and I must needs go and see it I pray thee have me excused and another said I bought five yoke of oxen and I go to prove them, I pray thee have me excused and another said I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come so the servant came and showed his lord these things then the master of the house being what what angry maybe I need maybe I need to stay maybe I'm in need of being corrected earlier I said I don't believe the Lord is angry maybe I've come to know so much of God's mercy and compassion in my life that I don't want to believe the fact that God's angry what does his word say he was angry I felt the Lord's sorrow I have felt his weeping I have wept his tears but I don't like to believe he's angry because I've seen the revelation that God has taken out his wrath on his son but I can't change God's word he's angry what's angering him excuses see God gets angry over excuses you see listen God doesn't get angry when we struggle and when we fail when we falter when our heart is crying out oh God help me help me help me he's not angry he's saying oh it's alright come here God bless you but when you started making excuses when you start making excuses to escape the need to follow Jesus oh God we pray you'll forgive us Lord we want your favor on our life we don't want you to be angry with us Lord he was angry he and he's angry and he said to his servant go out quickly I don't know how Jesus talks when he's angry I know when he got angry at the stuff going on in the temple he made a whip and he overturned table I don't know how Jesus would talk if he's angry I don't know if the tone of his voice would change it probably would I mean you think he would say go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in hither the poor no I think maybe he's saying he was angry and he says go out quickly into the streets then and bring hither the poor and the maimed and the whole and the blind and the servant said Lord it is done as you have commanded and yet there is room you see brothers and sisters the walls of Christianity are bursting but there's still room to follow Jesus standing room only in these mega houses all over the country but there's many chairs open when the call is to follow Jesus it's easy to fill a house it's easy but when we get to the words of Jesus and we get beyond the veneer of outward Christianity we hear God saying in the midst of a packed out auditorium a packed out auditorium they're building 20,000 seats now unbelievable standing room only and yet if there were ears to hear within someone would stand up and say there are many seats yet open people would look around and say you're a false prophet you're nuts there's no seats available in here we have them in the overflow cafeteria and then in the gymnasium Lord there's many seats many seats and the Lord said to the servant verse 23 go out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled now see this is not talking about filled with pew sitters this isn't filling the house with people who sit on the pew or on a chair this is filled with those who have heard the call to come and they've forsaken everything and they are following him every day stumbling yes going backwards sometimes yes but inwardly they're saying oh God where shall I go for you alone have the words of eternal life oh God God help me God help me I'm going on with you that that is what God is going to fill his banqueting table with now watch this watch this we're going to close on this God willing for I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden now who's he talking about there in the parable he's talking about those that were invited and what did they do they all with one consent began to what none shall taste of my supper listen listen this isn't a call to come up with some rules and some regulations and then to start living by them this isn't a call to live a life without faltering and stumbling and weakness and struggle this is a call to kill your excuses because none shall taste of his supper who have made excuses none father we recognize your presence in our midst we recognize that you have been faithful we believe lord that you have opened the ears of our heart this morning and that we are clearly hearing the cry of the Holy Spirit we pray God that you'll have mercy that you would call every one of us out from where we've camped out from our comfort zone out from the very place that you have led us that you would rescue us from the excuses that we're making deliver us free us and that you would restore back into our hearts a divine raw passion like Elisha had surely as the Lord God liveth I will not tarry I will follow you Jesus do this work in every heart this morning for your honor and your glory Lord that we might taste of your supper thank you Lord thank you Lord thank you Lord Jesus thank you Lord Jesus you know I think the Lord was using that little little da you know I do you know what I think the Lord's doing I think he's knocking at the door you know he wouldn't open it he just kept knocking and pushing on it doesn't the scripture say if any man hear my voice and want open the door you think that's what he's doing see everybody heard it you know open close open close open close what is that the air I can't see him he's too short and I look in between the crack and there's little feathers like this listen don't let the door of your heart just open and slam shut open it wide say Jesus I want to follow you so Lord we commit this into your hands we thank you for your word we thank you for the challenge of your word and Lord we just come to you there's no self righteousness in this there's no merit there's no strength of man there's no boasting and following rules regulations or codes Lord it's a moment by moment day by day desperate cry Lord I want to hear your voice I want to live your word and I don't want to become stagnant and I don't ever want anything to become so important to me that I stop following Jesus in order to serve that thing whatever it is so Lord we commit this into your hands and do this work let you have just a nice little song or something that we could sing beforehand anything at all