In this sermon, the speaker expresses gratitude for the opportunity to travel and preach across America. He acknowledges the support and organization of Denny, Jackie, Hannah, and Esther. The speaker emphasizes the importance of trust and love from the audience and prays for their concentration during the sermon. He also mentions his disapproval of churches that sing modern hymns. The sermon references Bible verses from 1 Peter and Job, highlighting the theme of suffering and the need to resist the devil. The speaker shares stories of individuals who have lost everything but still maintained their faith in God.

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Gospel Tape Ministry. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this tape. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold. You're welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional cassettes or a catalog of other tapes, call 1-800-227-7902 or write to Charity Gospel Tape Ministries, 59 South Groffdale Road, Riola, Pennsylvania, 17540. These tapes are offered to all without charge by the freewill offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. Thank you. Thank you for the lovely hymns. Nearer, still nearer, oh, I love that hymn. Draw me, my Savior, so precious Thou art. Isn't that wonderful? I do bless God for the lovely hymns of our faith. I cannot thank you enough for the way you sing. I cannot tell you the grief that comes into me in when I witness that there are churches that sing modern hymns and modern things. I know they are, they mean well, but I feel we bury our inheritance that we have inherited from Revival when blood flowed. Those hymns of the faith, brethren, that we sing, and the way you sing it, oh, it's beautiful. Don't ever, ever, ever, ever leave them. So nice to start, you know, the next thing you're swallowed up with modern, shallow, emotional words that are so superficial without the depth of the old hymns. Oh, I bless God you're holding on. Don't let go now. Don't follow the rest of the church. One man will grieve. In my old age, I'm looking for something, not to sing now, to sing at the end. I was supposed to do this, but I want to see if it's in here. Yes, I thought of doing this down there, but I didn't have a hymn book. Remind me, brethren, there's a hymn to sing, in case I forget about that at the end. Terrible word in our language. I'll let you Germans work out that what means, what that means. This is a little newsletter my wife sends out. She does so much for me. Without my wife, I would just think, I would just roll up in a little ball and die. Trust me, that's not exaggeration. I don't know, brother, if you can survive without your wife, but there's no hope for this man without my wife. I'm half a man without her. I don't think people realize that, but I am totally half a man without Jenny beside me. But she does this also, plus every other thing, apart from the preaching. And believe me, she's got quite a time. But this little letter she sends out, I think a lot of you do get it, and I thank you for that. I thank you for the consciousness I have of prayer being lifted up all over America. When I come here and even overseas, back in our country, I just sense God has got people praying. You just sense God sweeping into circumstances, and I know people are praying. Please don't stop to pray for this poor man. Trust me, there is no preacher on earth that needs prayer as much as this poor man. Trust me, I so need it. You could do no singular favor to me more than to just pray for my children, for my darling wife. Don't let her ever get discouraged, God, and please don't let the boys ever be hurt by the devil. Rebuke him away. Let Noel, Roy, Samuel love Christ, even though most of their lives they didn't have a father. Won't you just pray, please, for my boys? I shall die if the devil gets hold of my boys. Trust me about that. I am not strong enough to survive that. Please pray for it, that God protects them. So now, if you don't receive the newsletter to know just how to pray soberly, and you really are a prayer warrior, please don't just put your name and address down for a piece of paper. It'll just become junk mail. But if you agonize on your knees for souls, and you grieve and groan before God for America to come to revival, and you don't do that in a prayer meeting, you do it alone, when no one but God's watching, please, you are the one I would be so grateful for the privilege of having your name, your prayers. Please put your name and address down on a piece of paper. Somehow get it to me. It won't be difficult, and if you'd like to just take a copy to see what Jenny puts out, just how to pray, please do. I'm going to leave it somewhere where you won't forget. There you are. There's only about a hundred, but I think most of you get it, so it's just to those who don't, forgive me for coughing. Thank you for letting me come to charity and to the other church, this morning. Thank you. Thank you so much for the lovely fellowship I have had in Brother Denny and Sister Jackie's home. Precious fellowship yesterday with Jerry, J-A-Y, not J-A-Y-E, wonderful testimony. A God took him out of the military air force, deeply spoken to by God, and how he came and joined up with you, somehow God linking him up to find this place and home. Lovely to find a home, Jay. I wish I was as privileged as you to just be able to be here as part of this lovely family. I bless you for it, for your lovely testimony, your lovely testimony, Jerry, which you went through, and I think a lot of Hederites. How does a man from the jungle say the right word? Nonetheless, I think your testimony was precious. Both of you, brothers, Jerry and Jay, you have two amazing testimonies there, two amazing men of God in the making. They're going to shake the powers of hell if you pray them through, but the devil will try and destroy them. Trust me, so you better pray them through, brethren. They need you. They're too precious for Satan not to come in total onslaught to try and hurt. Thank you for the lovely fellowship I received in the home with Brother Denny. There are no words to tell you of my esteem of this dear man and his godly wife and the fruit of their godly marriage, so I'm not going to try. I just thank you for them, and thank you that I could have been in your home once again, spared by God again to come. Thank you for the way you trust me, dear brother. Don't ever throw me away, okay? I might not have a beard. I wish I did. Imagine not saving. Oh, it would be lovely to be part of you. I hate saving. And it's true, it wasn't meant. The world's become so strange, but I just happen to live in the part of the world, if you do have a beard, you're in trouble. Forgive me, I won't explain that, but trust me. And not to wear a tie. Oh, I hate a tie. I loathe each time I put it on. Oh, why did they ever do it, you know? But some pulpits won't let you in unless you've got it on, and if you haven't, most people would get up and walk out. They think that there's such a different culture in the world. Forgive me, but don't throw me out because I'm learning, okay? Have patience, have patience. Don't close up to others who might not be 100% in line in every aspect. The day you close your doors, brothers, to every single one out there, you will think of what God is doing. I'm warning you out of love. Don't allow heresy, don't allow compromise, but don't judge a man if he hasn't had your privileges and your background and this atmosphere to thrive in. Love them, and especially this poor, weak, base man who cannot tell you how much it means to him to come to the home of this brother. Other homes to embrace your fellowship and be trusted by you and prayed for by you. I do so respect what God is doing among you and have become conscious that you have become not raised up to reach the Mennonite, Amish, Hittite. You think you are, you know, but you know God raised you up to become the conscience of the church of this land. You don't know it yet, but you already are, and as you grow, God knows what's going to happen. Don't ever compromise, don't ever compromise doctrinally or outwardly to the life you've been given, but don't ever close your heart filled with compassion to those who haven't had your privileges or nothing the like you've got, okay? Don't do it. You miss what God is really raising you up for in case you think it's just the Mennonite at a right. People are watching, now be Christ-like with the standard or you're going to fail God, and Jesus looked past so much to all men. Oh, forgive me as an outsider coming in here and saying such things. I just covet God to do what I know he wants to do through you if you just stay pure and lowly and look at everyone who differs with you with compassion, not with hatred. And thank you also that I could have had that lovely meal in that lovely home today. Dean, lovely wife, lovely children, and the lovely people in that home too. We had precious, precious time together. Thank you. Thank you also for those in Denny's home that ironed my shirt. Isn't that wonderful to have an ironed shirt? You won't know what that means. One day I'll explain to you if you ask me. But it does look nice, doesn't it? Not just out of the tumble dryer, but bless the Lord for the lovely home. I have marveled at the children in that home and right now I'm looking at little Hannah and Esther and even the other little ones, David and John. Aren't they lovely? Oh, bless God for these wonderful, wonderful fruit of this home. Thank you for all you did to make my stay so wonderful. And the lovely way Denny and Jackie and Hannah and Esther have organized this whole tour for me through America for eight weeks. Bless them. Bless you and all your lovely people across the land that come to hear this poor man as different as I am. I am so privileged and I am so grateful and I don't know how much I will weep if I ever lose your trust and your love. Now can we bow in prayer? And I hope this is loud enough. I'd like it to be just that loud. Not to hear my voice, but somehow to be able to concentrate about every other thing. So there's a lot of reasons I glare at you, brother. When it goes down slightly, you're in trouble. And in case you don't know it, this is a glare. It's not that I need glasses, it's a glare. Let's pray, please. Can we just bow before God in the silence of our hearts? Our wonderful Father, thank thee for these three nights that I could have been with thy people here and this morning at the new church. Thank thee, God, for the privilege of being in this land that is not my land, but I feel as much burden and love for it as I do for my own country. Thank thee for giving me that love for this land and bringing me here. I am so grateful, God. Bless and honor those who have had in their hearts and made such sacrifices to make me able to come to this land again and again and again and again. To so much of America already, I am overwhelmed, Lord, and I thank thee for it. Bless and honor dear brother Denny and sister Jackie, and thank you for what they do that I can preach. God, I don't know how to do anything else, but thank thee others organize and get things done where I wouldn't know how to take the first step or say the first word to get it done. Bless thee, Lord, for such people. Oh, protect this work that has begun in America. I have come to love them and respect them and revere them and treasure what they've got, and I ask thee to protect it all under the blood of Jesus. The devil would do anything to divide them. The devil would do anything to divert them, to trip them up that they could be branded as a sect, and that men and women might even have true just cause to do that. Don't let it happen, God. Don't let them trip up in their zeal. Give them wisdom, lowliness, and carefulness before they speak to each other, let alone to the outside world. Oh, God, give them wisdom that they have prayed through words that could turn the course of this whole movement in one moment backwards, even if they're zealous doing it. God, reach out to bring such wisdom, such compassion, and yet never compromise. And there's an ability to do that, God. Give them that ability, please, to protect them and to honor them and to use them in such a way that the world will tremble through them. I covet that revival may come to this land through them, for without preaching, the message is cried out, the standard is being cried out, and men are not being offended as much as they are, just crumbling in their hearts as they cannot argue, this is what I want too. God, please keep that testimony, that doctrines will not be thrown against them, but their lies will just make men's words swallow it up and disappear, that all criticism and condemning will just disappear as words will just fade out, for there's nothing behind them. God, please, please protect them, and the fruit of their ministry, the fruit of their ministers, the fruit of those who preach, who are the fruit already of this movement, they have men that other denominations haven't seen to that degree and so many in a hundred years. Don't let them lose one of them, don't let them destroy or condemn or forget to encourage in case they lose one of these great men that was given them, and woman equally, for no man is a man of God that doesn't somehow, normally Lord, have a godly woman carrying him. You never make it, thank you for the woman, their willingness to submit and to be just a compliment to the whole message their husband preaches, a proof, an evidence, as the world sees the wife's joy and the children's joy, they must know this man is real. Oh God, please bless the children, the wives, the godly preachers, the godly teachers, the godly examples. Don't let us lose them, keep them from diverting from truth. God, keep them from dividing. Keep them from contentious spirit. Keep them from those who would cause splits. God, keep them one. Ability to submit and to submit to the elders, to submit and submit and submit as younger. To all be subject one to another, be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. God, give them that grace to be a submitting people, to authority, to those that have care over them as elders and must be giving account of them one day as shepherds over the flock. Don't let those shepherds be hard and tyrannical, but Christlike and lowly and patient and yet holy. Oh God, if ever America needed a people that were living the standard of this book and growing and blossoming, filled with compassion for all souls, it's now, and who knows, perhaps for this moment, thou hast been raised up. Oh remnant, oh God, come in mercy now and hallow thy word, thy sacred word, by anointing it, by anointing this poor man and washing me in the blood of Jesus, by anointing our hearts and our minds and quietening us into sacred ground. Come protect us so under the blood of Jesus, cleanse the atmosphere with the blood of Jesus, make this holy, holy ground. Oh fill me with the Holy Spirit and stand beside me, oh God, and use me as a mouthpiece through which thy voice can be heard. In Jesus Christ's name, in Jesus the Christ's name, in Jesus Christ's name, we all unitedly agree asking these things of our God, our Father in heaven. Amen. I would like, I would like for us tonight to look at three words in the Bible, persecution, affliction and tribulation. What is the difference, you may ask, between persecution, affliction and tribulation? Well, let's look at the scriptures, let's look at the scriptures, at what God says concerning these three things. Firstly, firstly, persecution. All, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. All, all, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. These staggering words are found in 2 Timothy 3 verse 12. Isaiah, Isaiah prophesied in chapter 59 verse 15 that a time would come, a time would come when he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. In its context, in its context, Isaiah is prophesying about the gospel dispensation. He that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. The margin says would be accounted as mad. I would say that the most accurate interpretation of this verse would read like this, that a time will come in the gospel dispensation, and as a result of the gospel that he that turns from evil, from a life of evil to a life of godliness, he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey, would be persecuted. A time would come in the gospel dispensation that as a result of the gospel he that turns from a life of evil to a life of godliness would not only be accounted and treated as mad, he will be hunted, sought out to persecute. Thirty years ago, as a young Christian, I don't think that I would have accepted or identified with this verse as being relevant to this age that you and I are living on, to the church. But, beloved, in the last 30 years, something has happened in this world that has staggered me deeply. The avalanche, the avalanche of moral decadence and evil that has swept across the world, affecting and swaying and conditioning the minds of the masses. The avalanche of moral decadence and evil that has swept across this world, affecting and swaying and conditioning the minds of the masses to hate, to hate the good and love the evil. I have become deeply and fearfully aware that the stage has been set to usher in an era of unprecedented global persecution against all who will live godly in Christ Jesus. I have become deeply and fearfully aware that the stage has been set to usher in an era of unprecedented global persecution against all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, not against all that will profess to know Christ Jesus, but all that will live godly in Christ Jesus. There's a great difference. I want us to carefully look before going on at these verses of Isaiah 59, verse 15, of what God is saying, of what God is saying. Let's look broader at its context. Yea, truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey, would be accounted as mad, would be treated as mad. Yea, truth faileth. There's coming a time when there will be a famine of the true word of God. There will be a compromise in the true word of God, in the pulpits worldwide, in the gospel dispensation, where liberal theology, liberal theology will so be affecting even the evangelical church that truth will become failing. Truth faileth. It's there as being preached, but you're failing and you're deliberately of it. You're taking the cutting edge away. You're scared of offending, so you're compromising. Truth faileth in this time that will usher in, and as a result of truth failing from the pulpits in the evangelical church, this era of unprecedented global persecution will be ushered in as a result of truth failing. It will usher in an era of unprecedented global persecution against all that will live godly in Christ Jesus. But there's something staggering about the context of this verse that I hope I'm not going to offend you in America, but I cannot deny it of what this is saying about the gospel dispensation. A moment will come in this dispensation when because truth fails from the pulpits in the liberal church, where liberal theology will be embraced and affect more and more what we preach, undermining and failing to preach what God intended us to preach, the standard God, because of this, he that departs from evil maketh himself a prey. Something has been implied here. It's been implied that the persecution will begin in the church against those who would depart from evil to a life of godliness. Something has been ostracized within the true church. When a man, a woman departs from evil, we're coming to a circumstance in the world in the church, you'll be looked upon as mad, ostracized and persecuted, let alone what the world's going to do to you. To Timothy 3, verse 12, yea, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The next verse, verse 13, says, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Evil men in this moment, when there is such persecution upon all that will live godly, evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, seducing and being seduced. Oh, being deceived and deceiving, deceiving and being deceived. Isn't that terrible? Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. You know what the word seducers means? Impostors. People who say they're Christians who are not Christians. They profess to know Christ, but they deny the power thereof. There's something of a denial of all that God demands of true salvation. But they imply they're born of God. They imply they're true Christians. Evil men and seducers, impostors shall wax worse and worse. In this moment that will usher in, where all, all beloved in revival, when God sweeps through lands, through Wesley's, through Whitfield's, through Jonathan Edwards's, through Charles Finney's, and nations seek God, when the seek God and turn to Christ with lands. All who will live godly in Christ's are not suffering. They do not suffer in the times of revival. They're esteemed by the masses. They're esteemed and treasured. They walk with God. Their teaching, their standard is treasured and respected in times of revival. But there's a time coming when truth faileth, that all that will dare to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But Jesus, Jesus said in Matthew 5 verse 10, Blessed, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed be ye when men shall revile you and shall persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for greatest your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which are before you. But beloved, we must be careful here. We must be so careful here. Jesus goes on. He goes on to warn us in verse 38. You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you that ye resist not evil. I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whoso is so smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Verse 43. You have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. 1 Peter 2, verse 19, For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it when you be buffeted for your faults? You should take it patiently. But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God for even here unto where ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his step, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. 1 Peter 4, verse 12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning this fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be approached for the name of Christ, happier ye, for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but in your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on his behalf. Philippians 1, verse 29, Philippians 1, verse 29, For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. But I would like for us, I would like for us tonight to look at three words in the Bible. Persecution, affliction, and tribulation. What is the difference, you may ask, between persecution and affliction? Well, let's look at the scriptures at what God says concerning affliction. In Psalm 34, verse 19, we read, Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. I'm not a Pentecostal, you know, but I feel like shouting hallelujah to that. Many are the afflictions. Don't hide away from it. It's not heaven yet, brother, you're on earth. In heaven's coming, there'll be no tears, no trials, no hurt. But if you're righteous in this world, many, God tells you, are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. James, James says to us in chapter 5, verse 10, Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job. You've heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord. And the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. Job is the only man that James refers to as an example of someone who suffered affliction in the Bible. Job is the only man that James refers to as an example of someone who suffered affliction in the Bible. So, beloved, let's look at Job. Let's look carefully at the life of Job. Let's look at the many afflictions of this righteous man, Job. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil. And they were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred sea asses and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day, every one on his birthday, and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so in the days of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them. And rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, it may be, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God, the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them. Satan came also among them. And the Lord, the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. The Lord said unto Satan, hast thou, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made in heads about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power. Only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan, from the presence of the Lord, and there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and there came a messenger unto Job and said, the oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding beside them, and the Sabians fell upon them and took them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, the fire of God, the fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I only, I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, the Chaldeans, the Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Zorba rose and rent his mantle, he tore his garment and saved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and worshipped, saying, naked, naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this, in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. In all this, in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Again there was a day when the sons of God, the angels, came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord, and the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil, and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him to destroy him without cause? And Satan, Satan answered the Lord and said, skin for skin. Yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life, but put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee, he will curse thee, he will curse thee. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smoked Job with sore boils from the soul of his foot unto his crown, and he took him a portion, a piece of broken pottery, to scrape himself withal. And he sat down among the ashes, then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, curse God, curse God, and die, do you still profess to be righteous? Curse God and die. But he said unto her, thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What shall we receive good? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil? Shall we only love God and trust Him and serve Him if everything goes right, and cease to love Him and serve Him and trust Him if things go wrong? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, shall we not receive evil? In all this, in all this, did not Job sin with his lips? O beloved, 1 Peter 5, verse 8, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resists, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. O beloved, Job was not the only man, Job was not the only man that lost all his material possessions in one moment, Job was not the only man that lost every single thing he had in life in one moment. I have stood with so many men who were millionaires, who had wealth, and in one moment they lost everything, they had nothing in life in one moment, and I have looked at these men with a heart sunk in grief for them, for they loved God. But I staggered as I saw those men lift their hands up to heaven, and from their heart, with tears coming down their face, crying out, the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. I saw men in all these things, to not, nor charge God foolishly when they lost everything and were suddenly in poverty. Job is not the only man, beloved, that lost all his children. I cannot tell you how many homes I've been in where suddenly all of them were gone, wiped out, bullets flying through young 20-year-olds. Oh, I have seen homes upon homes where suddenly men and women were robbed of their children, godly men and women. I watched them as I wept, and oh, they wept, I admit it, but the resignation staggered me as they cried out the words of Job from their heart, the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. I saw in all these things, they sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job was not the only one, beloved, to suffer these afflictions that are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. I've seen many men lose their health who were strapping and strong and capable, suddenly dependent and crippled in life as sickness riddled their bodies and pain so excruciating. I watched them in their sufferings, these godly men, crying out from their heart, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Oh, Job in the midst of all his sufferings cried out, when he hath tried me, when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold from the fire. 1 Peter 1 verse 6, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, oh, I love those words, if need be, oh, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, sufferings, trials. If need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith be much more precious than of gold, that perishes, though it be tried with fire, my defoundment of praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Christ. James says to us in chapter 1 verse 2, my brethren, my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, sufferings, trials, afflictions, my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience, but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. And James goes on, he goes on to cry out, to ask us compassionately in chapter 5 verse 13, is any among you afflicted? Is any among you afflicted? He asks compassionately. And then he says three words, let him pray, not volumes about afflictions, what to do. Is any among you afflicted? Then just three words and he drops the whole, the whole subject, let him pray. You see, beloved, afflictions more than anything else drive us into a life of ceaseless prayer, into the university level of the school of God, which you will never reach if everything's well with you. If everything's heaven on earth, God would never have his way on your life. We are led into a life consumed in prayer, consumed in prayer, into the university level in the school of God, where we pray without ceasing. You would never ever know anything this side of heaven, of that life, of that university level in the school of God, if it wasn't for the afflictions. They drive us to the university, in the whole school of God, till you stand out like a sore thumb. You are so refined and godly and Christlike, that your every step does damage to Satan's kingdom. If you let God have his way and his will in what he allows the devil to do, brother, you will be such a rebuke to the devil, he'll be sorry he started. But I would like for us tonight to look at three words in the Bible, three words in the Bible, persecution, affliction, and tribulation. Persecution. What is the difference, you may ask, between persecution, affliction, and tribulation? Well, persecution is the devil working through people to hurt us. Affliction is the devil working through circumstances to hurt us. And tribulation is the devil coming against us in total onslaught. Persecution is the devil working through people to hurt us. Affliction is the devil working through circumstances to hurt us. And tribulation is the devil coming against us in total onslaught, as Satan in despair looks and sees God's grace given to us, given to you and me, to take us through triumphantly, through any persecution he brings upon us, through any affliction he brings us in anger and desperation, he comes against us in total onslaught, in great tribulation. The only time Paul ever spoke of tribulation in his life personally, he said, we despaired of life itself. Oh, we're not truthful preachers when we stand and say that Paul, in his darkest moments, just sang praises. You know, they put him in prison, and at midnight they sang praises, and the prisoners listened. Oh, we leave that as the norm. Beloved, let me tell you, we're leaving something else. There was a moment Paul didn't sing praises. He despaired of life itself. And beloved, if Paul despaired of life, you're not such a failure if you've ever despaired of life. Let's look at the scriptures and what God says concerning tribulation. John 16, verse 33, in the world, Jesus said, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. What is Christ saying to us? In the world, ye shall have tribulation. It's true, you're going to come to a place with this terrible enemy, in the war between God and Satan, and all that he will be allowed to do in this war to prove you. It's true, in this world, you shall have tribulation. There will be times you will be driven to despairing of life, though you're my child. But be of good cheer, don't give up hope, is what Jesus is saying. Don't you give up hope, don't lose hope now, I have overcome the world. You see, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. You think he's lost control? When you're despairing of life, you think he's let you down, he's gone. I will never leave you, nor forsake you, though I am with you. I am with you even to the end of the world. I will never suffer you to be tempted, trusted, tried above that you're able to. We have so many promises, beloved. In the world, you shall have tribulation. It's going to happen, but be of good cheer, don't you dare lose faith, child, in me. I have overcome the world. I overcome the world that I've left you in, but I haven't left you orphans. Who knows how to comfort us in all our tribulation? Paul said, who comforted us with a comfort where we may be able to comfort everyone who goes through the same things. What you go through is for one reason. If you go through triumphantly, it's to make sure the one behind you is going to go through with what you can comfort him that God comforted you in, and he'll never fail to comfort you to send Titus in the midst of it all, for God knows how to comfort them in tribulation, Paul says. He knows just what to do to send you away, and he'll never fail you. Oh my, you think I'm the Pentecostal, I'm going to shout it again, hallelujah. I'm not Pentecostal, Denny. I just believe the word, and it thrills me that the assurances God gave, Romans 12, verse 12. No, Acts 16, verse 33. Acts 14, verse 22. We must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom, Paul said. We must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom. That's just telling you as it is. He's not going to give you false hopes about you're going to have heaven on earth, so he's telling you now. Romans 12, verse 12. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. I like that. Three points for a lovely sermon. I'm going to try it one day. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Oh, don't give up hope now. Hope maketh not ashamed. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope. We have so many promises from God, beloved, that the hope of these promises, we will not be ashamed no matter what God allows us to go through. With these promises that He's told us concerning what He's allowing us to go and saying, don't you despair? Don't think I've forsaken you? Don't think you're in the failing end of the war? Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, persevering in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, devoted to prayer. Oh, just like afflictions, though tribulations lead us to one thing, a university in the school of God, to a life consumed in prayer, which you and I would never ever find in our human ability with all the diversions there is in life unless God just allowed all these things. And He knows just if need be, if need be. He knows how to bring you to the university level in the school of God, beloved. He hasn't lost control. He's in control, not the devil. He stands back and allows the devil to do only that which will be for your good, so long as you don't lose sight of Jesus and His promises, where faith comes from the Word of God. Don't lose sight of the Word of Christ's promises, or you will be ashamed. Don't lose sight, don't lose sight, don't ever leave the book closed. And you will have hope daily, no matter what the devil brings on your way, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Oh, beloved, Jesus warns us, He tells us that a time will come in this earth when men's hearts will fail them for fear of things that will come upon the world. Men's hearts will fail them for fear of things that will come upon this earth. I don't think He means that we as children's hearts would just fail them. Not with this book, not with this God, not with all He's said to us, but a time will come. Don't doubt it. And I think we're just at the step when men's hearts will fail them for fear already. Look at the world. Is there anybody left whose heart isn't failing them for fear of things that are coming in the world? Don't go to the newspaper to read the most up-to-date news. Just go to the Bible. Men's hearts are failing them right now for fear of the moment you and I are stepping in, that we're in, of things that will come upon the earth. Matthew 24, verse 21, For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time no more ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. Hallelujah! That's not to put fear in your heart. That's just to say, I won't forsake you. Daniel confirms that. Daniel confirms it in chapter 12, verse 1. There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to the same time. And at that time, thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book of life. For the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. I'm not going to let you be devoured in your faith and forsake you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Oh, beloved, you might think I'm a Calvinist. Don't worry, I'm not. But I think some Calvinists would be ashamed at my trust in God, that they don't have so much trust in his keeping power, in his faithfulness, in his promises that cannot fail, that aren't held out to deny us his heart, that aren't held out to confuse us or make us look upon him as someone who fails us. Promises that are held out to make you know that God has a holy obligation to these words now for you. In his perfect integrity, he cannot fail. Oh, I love the Bible. I wish I could start another sermon tonight, but I'll end with a verse that I'm going to start off in some other town, another sermon. One of my most favorite, favorite, favorite, lovely, precious promises from my God to me. I'm sure it's yours. Think about it. Romans 8, verse 35. Well, who shall separate us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation—I want you to listen carefully, God's actually saying, do you honestly think that the great tribulation is going to make you have to fall away with those who have no real reality? Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution? God's actually looking at you and me and saying, can you consider that I will leave you, that I will leave you orphans, that you can be full of fear, you know, if not to see the spirit of fear, the power of love, of a sound mind. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness? Circumstances the devil might create. Famine, nakedness or peril or sword, as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are a lost countenance sheep for the slaughter. Oh, sixty million died for Christ's sake just through Rome. They cried out those words, we are slaughtered, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, Paul said. In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I don't have to be a Calvinist to believe that. I believe it with all my heart. I am persuaded, I have no shadow of a doubt, literal translation to our English language, I have no shadow of a doubt, I am persuaded that neither death, if I have to face it, if I have to face death, because I'm a Christian, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, if I have to live it, I wonder what's better with the world and the state it's coming, to face death or life. Life is so fearful, I don't know if you'll face it. What's coming? If I have to, I'm persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, America, nor things to come, America, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us, children of Christ in America, the washed, blood-bought family of God, nothing of what the devil is going to bring on this world is going to separate me from the love of God. I am persuaded, I know whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. There's a time, beloved, to preach in a way that man knows his responsibility, and I preach it without any fear of being branded as some doctrinal stand-you-because-it-isn't-about-it. There's a time that we have to preach God's responsibility, and I preach it tonight, because he's told me, many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. If you're not saved, oh, these words have no comfort for you. How can you open the door anymore in this world and walk out there without God? I don't know how it's possible to say. Great tribulation. Then, sir, there'll be great tribulation such as never was, but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. Now, beloved, that means, according to my simple mind, we're going to face some of that tribulation. Oh, some Christians say, no, we'll be taken away, you know. I don't, well, for the elect's sake, those days will have to be shortened, and then no flesh will be saved upon the earth unless those days should be shortened. Those days have to be shortened for the elect's sake. That means we're going to face some things, but don't face them with fear. Beloved, you have one responsibility. Be absolutely surrendered to God when you're saved, walking with God in the light you've been given, in holiness of life. No compromise, whether you stand in the pulpit or whether you walk through the world, and that is a result of loving God. This is the love of God that we keep as commandments. You'll never live that standard unless it's out of love for God, not for men, not out of fear for men. To be absolutely surrendered, as I've cried out, to be saved. You're safe. Don't you dare say he's Calvinistic for quoting the scriptures. It feels safe when I quote all the other scriptures that make me a Wesleyan or a Minnius. I just happen to love confusing the world, but don't you brand me now. Oh, beloved, beloved, beloved, whatever God put in this book, you need it, no matter what side of the fence you are. And so do I, without being layering my colors to some mask, you know, that I can't be acceptable in any circles from then on with, what are you, a man said to me. I said, I'm glad you don't know. And they left me back in your country, brother. I will never be ever, ever, ever, ever deprived of the right to preach every verse in this book for your good, when it's needed, in its context. And both sides have great texts, brother and sister. And right now, with what we're about to face, what I believe is coming, an era, unprecedented. We're standing on a threshold, no matter what you say, of ushering in an era of unprecedented global persecution against all who would live godly in Christ Jesus. And that's why I cry out to you to take confidence, to have faith, but be right with God, or I pity you. There's the old Wesleyan coming back. You can have such assurance, but it's all who will live godly, God speaking about. The afflictions of righteous, God speaking about. No matter what the devil brings, circumstantially, through people, through tribulation, in the last times when it's total onslaught, because his time is soaked, and he's a terrible foe, whatever he's got, you don't lose any faith. You don't live in any fear, and you won't. The peace of God that passes all understanding will be in your eyes, as other people walk with torment in their eyes. They look at God's people. Don't you have torment in your eyes? For goodness sake, have peace that passes all understanding. Get alone with God every day when you're right with God, and don't get up from your knees until all the hurry and the worry is gone, until all the fear is gone, until God's peace is flooding your heart. And it will, if you don't read the newspaper as much as you read the Bible. Oh, one headline's enough to make you sick from fear. One page here just floods you with peace, and it's more up to date. We have a wonderful God, brethren. I believe you will face whatever comes if you are totally surrendered to God, and filled with the Holy Spirit, and living in a consistent daily walk with God, where you never neglect the quiet time for anything or anyone. You consume your life in prayer. You consume yourself in the word of God as your greatest love in life. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord. Nothing shall offend him whatever comes. You'll be offended if this isn't your delight. Not a delight. The delight is delight. If God is first, if God is foremost, if God is everything, you don't neglect the other things that have to be done. You do them well, far better than a man who is so busy trying to do things he hasn't got time for God. If you give God the rightful place in your life, you're absolutely doing it. There's no compromise. You've given over. You're filled with the Spirit, controlled by the Spirit. You walk with God. You soak yourself in the word. You soak yourself in prayer. And God knows how to drive you there if you're righteous. It's the righteous that these things come upon that bring out Christ. And you will have peace that passes all understanding while this world crumbles. And thank God the world will still be able to look before God, take us and say, I want what you've got. But you need to be absolutely surrendered. A woman walked up to me when I preached the sermon in South Africa. And she said at the door, so you don't believe in the possibility of revival. I was so shaken. I just walked away from her. After all I've preached that she threw out that, oh yes, I believe in revival. But I'm going to stop you now, Christians of America. I believe revival will come, not about considering it's time to now seek God, but through persecution, through tribulation. There's going to be coming a purifying of God's people, a seeking by God's people for vital reality to survive what's coming. And as a result, while the Holy Spirit is still in this world working through us in our godliness and through our prayers, there's going to be awakenings, not worldwide as some people throw out. I'd love to believe that. But wherever God's people get right, the effect, the awakening, the masses. Beloved, how to put us in line and be balanced about what can come with all that God says will come just before he comes, the terrible things and what God will do to his people and to his people when revival comes through persecution, through the refining that are somehow attached to whatever God allows of sufferings. There's something in the heart of God if it's needed. And oh, it's needed right now for the church. And when it comes, it won't be God making a mistake or losing control. It'll be just that amount of time that's needed to send revival to get us right with God. You're praying for revival. I believe it's coming, yes. But in a way, you and I perhaps aren't used to to the Jonathan Edwardses that pray through until God swept down. Maybe there's no one left that will unless God comes. I mean, be honest. How many of you started praying for the world, for the Muslim world, only since your skin was at stake and you realize we've got trouble to them? How does God get us to really be all we ought to be, even in our prayers? Are you reading books on revival anymore? No, beloved. Oh, America, revival will come, and it has to begin at God's people. But I believe it's coming through unprecedented global persecution, and we're right on the door. You talk about this has to happen, that has to happen. You're probably right, brother. I'm just not sure about all those other things that we say has to happen, you know, in order. I do know one thing. I do know one thing. I'll be burying my head in the sand if I don't know right now we're stepping right into unprecedented global persecution. If God's going to allow it, revival's going to come to his people who are real, who want reality. There's going to come a finding, a seeking, a willing for anything, even death. It's going to become a building up of faith and solidness, braveness and courageousness we don't have yet, but it's going to come watch how it just flares when God comes. And we're not going to walk out there in fear, but in godliness, in holiness of life. Hunted, yes. In circumstances, perhaps beginning in so-called churches, yes, but the true children of God, revived. Oh, beloved, this isn't to put fear in your heart. This is to put fear in your heart for one thing, that I'm not right with God. You're safe if you're right with God. Are you? You've all got hymn books. Turn slowly, carefully, without speaking to each other, please. In a sacred moment, 835.