Living With a Sense of Urgency Before Christ's Return

Turn with me to Genesis chapter 7. I had a dream last night and I thought I should share on that, not about the dream, the dream is not important honestly, but it prompted some thoughts in my mind which which caused me to know what, feel like I should share on that. The dream was very simple and again I want you to to know that I don't put a lot of value on dreams like a lot of Christendom does. I would rather God speak to me when I'm awake so I can obey Him than speak to me when I'm asleep. Now I'm not here to mock dreams, God does speak in dreams and visions but there's a false fascination with dreams in Christendom where somebody says I had a dream and you try to read into it and apply some spiritual meaning to it. It's just to show off and to impress people. God does speak in dreams but I would much rather hear His voice every day, every moment of the day, throughout the day and unfortunately dreams at night get exalted to a place that's greater than God speaking during the day. Wouldn't you rather God speak to you in that moment where you're about to say a harsh word to your spouse and you obey Him? That's much greater than some vision or dream you get at night. A revelation of Jesus, unfortunately most of Christendom is taken up with future events and and and earthly things even like healing or some physical manifestation more than a revelation of Jesus. Oh that we would covet seeing Jesus and if it does take a vision or a dream at night for me to see Jesus more clearly then I say yes Lord sure. But I tell you honestly more of my revelation of Jesus comes during the day when my eyes are wide open and He shows me something very ordinary like we heard last week even in His Word and says obey it now and as I obey it, that hidden life that we were just singing about becomes mine and I see Jesus more intimately and He's more precious to me. I was also listening to a story of Noah with the children and it was a retelling of the Bible story and in that story it's imagining, it's kind of like you are there and you're imagining the story of Noah and one of the people is saying, they're mocking Noah and saying Noah is building this ark and making fun of him and one of them actually says well the moment I see the first drop of rain I'll jump in the ark. I'll believe Noah when it actually starts to rain. The way we understand it, it hadn't rained yet. There was a firmament and it would drop dew but rain had not yet come. So here's a logical person says okay maybe Noah's right but I believe that if a few drops come I'll have enough time to run quickly into the ark and get in and I'm waiting for the last minute as it were to really go in and believe what God has said. How do we apply that today? Perhaps Christians are thinking you know what I'm not quite ready to really forsake all and give all to God completely. I'm not really ready to go to that altar and lay it all and say Lord I don't have a single request from you anymore. My whole life is yours 100% on the altar but they're holding back. They're saying well how about if I invest in this thing and then I do that other thing and I delay it. There isn't a seeking for God that's desperate. There isn't a sense of urgency. That's a word that's been ringing through my mind this morning. There's a sense of urgency as a result of that reminder I got last night in my dream. The dream really it's irrelevant to me I'll be honest with you but there's a sense of urgency I woke up with this morning. He says Lord you're coming as soon, sooner than I even realize and I hope I will be here on this earth to see you face-to-face when you come. But you know who'll get to go first? The dead in Christ will rise first and then we who remain will follow them. They'll get to go first. They'll see him first. I'll be with him first. So it doesn't matter whether I'm already dead physically or I'm still alive here on this earth. I'm looking to the heavens to see Jesus face to face. But in Genesis 7 we read that God told Noah in verse 7 yeah verse 13 actually. On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth the sons of Noah and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark along with every beast of its kind. Genesis 7 verse 13 so they went into the ark to Noah by twos. Verse 16 those that entered male and female of all flesh entered as God had commanded him and the Lord closed the door behind him. That's the picture I got again this morning of those who are planning or waiting until I see some evidence that Jesus is actually going to come. For example if you read in the scriptures you'll see that there are certain things that are going to happen. The man of sin must be revealed. The Antichrist must be revealed before Jesus comes. And I remember as a young man thinking well okay well if Jesus said that then there are probably people who can sit there and think well I'll wait for the Antichrist to be revealed and then I'll commit my life to Christ and live for myself live for pleasure love myself love pleasure love money and then I'll be like oh the Antichrist is here so now I'm gonna give my life to Christ. It's this mindset that somehow I'm waiting for some physical evidence of Christ's coming so that I can because I really love myself I can wait until the end and then give my life to Christ or then obey him. The Lord shut the door and then verse 17 the flood came. God shut the door and what do you think the people this person let's say I imagine that that's what somebody really thought. I'll wait for the rain to come and then I'll get in and he saw the door closed and he thought well Noah's a real fool he even shut the door how are they gonna breathe in there? They shut the door and there's still no sign of rain. Sometime after the door was closed the rain came. Jesus warned us that his coming would be like a thief in the night for the world for those who aren't really ready and Paul tells the church in Thessalonians in Thessalonica that we are not as those who for whom it will be as a thief in the night. God has given us enough warning and he's calling us now he's the Holy Spirit is speaking he who has ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church and the Holy Spirit is calling come come come give up give up your self-loving ways give up your love of money give up your love of pleasure give up your hesitation give yourself fully to me he says come come come come he's calling he's calling he's calling and then the time will come when there will be no more opportunity for repentance and so that's there must be a sense of urgency I'd like you to see this verse in the book of Ephesians Ephesians chapter 5 I'm just gonna read a number of verses here so please follow along with me Ephesians 5 verse 1 he says first of all be imitators of God as beloved children or if I could paraphrase it your life on this earth must look like Jesus if people at work know you they must know there's something different about you from them be imitators of God as beloved children children whom he loves may let your life look like him around this time it's you know it could be sports it could be entertainment it could be business it could be success it could be religion it could be the events of the world but you must stand out as godly be imitators of God this is the Holy Spirit calling this is what the knowers of today are preaching or should be preaching while the door is still open saying be an imitator of God let your life look like God the way you speak to the to your wife the way you speak to your husband the way you speak to the church the way the things of the kingdom of heaven captivate your mind must be as an imitator of God and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for you an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant of aroma what does that mean that means that when you say you love God you say I'm a Christian I love God it must be with the same love that Jesus loved you he gave himself up fully as a fragrant aroma there wasn't oh what's the minimum I can give to Santosh so that he can be my disciple he could never have one salvation for me if he gave him a little bit or even anything less than a hundred percent he gave it all walk in love as Christ loved you love for God first of all but also for others here on this earth verse 3 immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you it must not even be they're not must not be even a shred of evidence of immorality or impurity or greed how does greed manifest is looking at somebody else and saying oh I wish I had their life or God why don't you give me what they have jealousy because you're greedy it should not even be mentioned this is Noah calling before the door is closed as is proper among the Saints there must not be filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting which are not fitting no silly jokes don't share those memes that are edgy you know that's common even Christians sometimes they forward them to me a little bit raunchy you know you can't quite say it's bad but it's got an edge to it and if you're old enough and you're familiar enough with the things of the world you know what the insinuation is there a child looking at you'll say what does that mean but you know what it means there must not be any filthiness or silly talk or coarse jesting which are not fitting it's not right do you think Jesus would sit there and laugh at that joke or share that joke but rather give thanks I try to put that in practice when somebody like here is somebody trying to say something filthy close your ears give thanks we heard only reminded us at the prayer meeting yesterday morning give thanks thankfulness is a wonderful wonderful way to drown out bad talk and evil talk give thanks for this you know with certainty that oh look at how the Holy Spirit has to underline it you know with certainty we're absolutely certain no immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an idolater has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God but you'll say oh but I said the prayer I sat in church I went to RLCF I prayed before every meal I taught my children the Word of God they said their memory verses but God will say I saw in secret what you were like let no one deceive you with empty words patting you on the back saying it's okay you can live that self-loving coarse jesting life let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God which is what the flood is a picture of you read the beginning of Genesis God was angry the wrath of God is what's caused him to send the flood he was angry at the callous attitude of the his creation that was created in his image had towards his law I believe God is angry even today at the callous attitude that many Christians have towards his word towards sin because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience therefore do not be partakers with them who do you think he's talking to Santosh why are you preaching about immorality and impurity it's because Paul wrote to a church that was a very very godly church look at what you know you go back sometime and read what did he write in the first three chapters to the book and after the church in Ephesus about how they are seated with Christ are you seated with Christ you say yes I am Santosh yes brother I am standing with him seated there in the heavenly places Ephesians 1 2 & 3 to such a church he says listen make sure there's no immorality do not be partakers with them you church that is seated with Christ in the heavenly places for you were formerly darkness but now you are light in the Lord walk as children of the light you call yourself off light let it be seen in your walk for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord is that your ambition throughout the day saying Lord what what can I do right now which will be pleasing to you I'll tell you honestly my dear brothers and sisters and children that is my constant prayer Lord what would you have me do what would please you most right now is it to kneel down and pray right now okay I'll do that is it to play a board game with my children yes I'll do that is it to watch this movie that is clean and have some entertaining time with my children sure is it to go out in the yard and play something with the children sure Lord what will be pleasing to you trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord oh can you hear the simple call of Noah today before the doors closed do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness now he's it's not just it's not just you know bad movies and coarse jokes it could be anything that's off this world don't be a partaker in anything that's off this world in any movement that's off this world don't be a partaker in it it's off this world do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead expose them for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret but all things become visible when they are exposed by the light for everything that becomes visible is light and for this reason he says to a church that's seated in the heavenlies awake if you've been sleeping wake up there's a sense of urgency that must be there if you've been sleeping wake up arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you therefore be careful how you walk not as unwise men but as wise making the most of your time I think the King James says redeeming the time there's a mindset that I used to have that money is valuable time is expendable in other words if something costs a lot of money but it'll take you a lot of time it's worth it time money is more valuable than time I believe that's a lie of the devil you may be able to get some money back but time you won't be able to get back and there's a sense in which you can waste an hour on watching but you know on the internet let's say on YouTube or some on social media and waste an hour on it whereas if you spent sixty times sixty three thousand six hundred dollars on something and it just went down the drain let's say let's say one of your children came to you and says mom or dad I found this packet and I thought it would be fun to flush it down the toilet you're like no that was thirty six hundred dollars you just flush down the toilet what would you do compared to if you spent an hour and you watch the last time you looked at your clock it was ten o'clock now it's eleven o'clock and that whole hour you spent and doing something that was unfruitful talks about unfruitful works not necessarily evil works you may say well nothing wrong in that but it's unfruitful what came out of it awake you who sleep be careful how you walk so redeem the time redeem the time you and I have a short amount of time left on this earth he's coming soon Jesus is coming soon and even if you know even if you're saying well I don't know I'm not trying to predict that he'll come this week or next month or anything like that the world is passing away very quickly so redeem the time verse 7 because the days are evil so then do not be foolish verse 17 but understand what the will of the Lord is you know God wants you to know what his will is every moment of every day if you seek him he will allow himself to be found by you we just memorized that this last week that means he wants you to be wants to be found by you and for him to show you his will Lord should I take this job Lord should I do that Lord should I spend my time in this he says he's saying don't be foolish but try to understand what the will of the Lord is in every situation he'll guide you he will allow himself to be found by you not just in the big things I used to think well okay that's should I marry this woman and thank God I married Megan he led me in his will in that but even in the little things the other day we we borrowed a DVD of a movie from the library you know usually you think the library's got some safe options and immediately my prayers it seems okay it's rated for children and I said Lord what is it will seek to know what is the will of the Lord in a little thing like that do you think it will matter in heaven whether I watch that movie with my children or not oh it will I might think well okay I can I can warn my children about it after the fact because there was that that little thing at the end Megan and I were talking about another little little story that's there and at the last minute they throw a little twist something of this world a little twist everything was good up to that little twist at the end which is the spirit of this world be watchful and God guided us in that situation like no it's not something you know it's from the library and even that we don't go by the world's rating seek to know what is the will of the Lord that's the cry of your heart he will lead you and so for that reason look at the context your brothers and says he says do not be drunk with wine does that seem a little bit like out of place like what does wine have to do with this I'll tell you why here's a reason that I abstain from alcohol completely not at all not even a little bit it's because I know you know yeah you might say well you know the Lord does it forbid it it says don't be drunk I'll tell you this that the danger with alcohol is this and I've never forgotten I heard a read a sermon by David Wilkerson the sermon called sipping Saints and he warned the church in the 80s and here we are 30 years later you think it's worse of course it is there he was preaching to the church in Times Square in New York warning them about what he was seeing among Christendom a casual attitude towards partaking in alcohol I've got in trouble for preaching about this so I don't mind if it gets me in trouble again people call me a legalist and all kinds of things and I've left this church over that but that's okay I'll tell you this I fear God and I'm not telling you what you should or shouldn't do but I encourage you dear brothers and sisters in light of what the verses that I just read in Ephesians 5 that you consider everything that you do in the mind in the light of eternity and he says that the this dissipation that's the danger of alcohol and the danger of a lot of these other things that will waste your time it could be social media it could be movies it could be sports it could be whatever dissipation is that gradual seeping away draining of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life casual conversation I tell you be wary of of the kind of conversations the politically motivated conversations that are popular in today's day and age whether you're on the left wing or the right wing be wary of that because of the dissipation that will happen where the the fire of the Holy Spirit will go out I talked about how when you speak too much it's like the door is open and the fire is the heat is going because you're talking too much here's another way of dissipation where you're taken up your mind is taken up with the things of this earth whether you think they're right things or wrong things they're still things of this earth dissipation and alcohol has a way of causing you to sort of I wonder why do people drink alcohol it's because it does something to you chemically and mentally puts you in a state where you're sort of calm people talk about even certain drugs that do that milder drugs let's say you know somebody was telling me once that man I I'm a better husband when I when I can have a glass of wine or a beer or something like that I love my wife that's not loving your wife that's a deception you're in a state where you're everything is chill and things don't offend you as much it's not the life of Christ and eventually that dependence on that chemical thing to be a fix for you will get greater and greater and greater and it's destroyed Christians so-called Christians is destroyed marriages is destroyed homes and be vigilant dear brothers and sisters me I don't know if you are partaking and I it's not my business to ask you but take it before the Lord let the Holy Spirit convict you about it and there is I believe a direct correlation between whether you allow this thing it could be drunkenness with wine but don't be drunk with anything of this world don't be drunk with the spirit of this world because the opposite of that is to be filled with the Holy Spirit verse 18 be being filled with the Holy Spirit and here you could be saying Lord I don't know why you haven't filled me with the Holy Spirit I'm crying out for the baptism I'm crying out but I have this other thing that I like to spend my time on during the week be filled with the Holy Spirit and God may fill you because he loves you but within a few hours you've lost it by Sunday evening the anointing is gone because you're more interested in that football game that's waiting for you or that movie or that activity you have planned or the Monday morning ritual that you have don't be so excited for the things that the world presents in front of you that you lose the anointing that God has just given you this is dissipation do not be drunk with wine for that that is dissipation but be filled with the Holy Spirit speaking to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord always giving thanks for look at Thanksgiving there it is again you can't get away from it for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God even the Father and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ submit yourself to one another there's that's why we believe in being a local expression of the body of Christ I want to pause there maybe speak on this for a second or a minute or so why do we believe in a commitment to a local expression of the body of Christ a lot of people say well you're kind of elitist you believe you're the only church no we don't I'm quite willing to allow that there may be another gathering of believers in this area that's more pleasing to Christ than us I don't know God is the judge of that but I'll tell you this this is the place where I know God has called me and planted me and the place where since I've moved here I've seen God allow me to grow and I left California and you know I have family there I have friends there and I you know a job there that I was prepared to give up to move here to be planted because I knew God was calling me to be a part of this local expression of his body but there's a reason that we believe in that in practice and one of those is here that it's popular in Christendom today to just kind of be a Christian and just flit around from church to church Bible study to Bible study I go to do this and I do that other thing and I've never really committed anywhere and so I don't have to be subject to anyone because yeah if I like your Bible study I'll come to that and if I like your prayer meeting I'll come to that and if I like that other thing that you do I'll go to that if you have some barbecue I'll go to that and we live in a world especially in the Western world and I've seen this across this country and travel in different places I see this mentality of well I don't really want to commit to a local church because I don't have to be subject to one another in the fear of Christ I'm here for a number of reasons one of them is I want to be subject to you to obey Ephesians 521 I don't want to get to the end of my life and God says did you obey Ephesians 521 who are the believers that you subjected yourself to in the fear of Christ none Lord says okay there's a command you missed and then he says in that context wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord because the husband is the head of the wife as a Christ also is the head of the church he himself being the Savior of the body but as the church is subject to Christ so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything and you may say some church that's old-fashioned we were talking yesterday with some brothers about how things changed after World War 2 and in the feminist movement women's rights and I'm all for when men and women are created equal believe that you must know that men and women are created equal in God's eyes they're equal but there's an order he talks about first Corinthians 10 and here in Ephesians 5 I was Corinthians 11 here in Ephesians 5 that I don't mind being called old-fashioned it's just biblical truth husbands he goes on to say in verse 25 love your wives but you see again you can keep reading and go on and then he talks about fighting against Satan but he sets it up by saying listen you must wake up you must determine to have nothing to do with the things of this world you must wake up out of the sleep I picture it like the devil singing a lullaby as time flits by says it's okay go back to sleep you're okay you're you're eternally secure doesn't matter that you spend your time and spend your affections on all these other things go back to sleep childhood go back to sleep there isn't a passion for the Word of God that's why we we want our children to read you know is it I hope that it's not just to occupy space that we put the Bible reading passages on the bulletin it's there for a reason family it's there so that we'll read it now if you don't follow it that's fine but there it's an aid if you don't know what to tell your children to read you say okay get the bulletin it's also posted on Viber if you need it and say go read that and follow along and if you follow that plan systematically you'll you'll know God's Word would it be a shock I want to even all of my children to know God's Word and think about it parents what are our children going to be like in 10 years or 20 years I tell you this is a something the Lord spoke to me very clearly this morning my children are going to be if I want to know what my children are going to be like I just have to take a good look at my life right now then you might say well I'm waiting for this I'm not quite there yet and all that nurses the longer you put off that 100% surrender to God the longer the devil will say hey put it off a little bit longer and you set we set our children up to live the same way half-hearted parents de breed half-hearted children now thankfully God offers the children a way of salvation saying I know you're your dad and mom were half-hearted but you don't have to be and many of us are not me but many of you are living testimonies to that perhaps where you had parents that didn't even know God God saved you miraculously and plucks you out of the fire and he's lit a fire inside of you and you're wholehearted that's wonderful but be wholehearted now and let your children see that 20 years from now if you if your children will be who you are today does it at least there's a greater chance that they'll be that so set a good example for that if you teach your children to memorize scripture and thankfully so many of them whether they get up here or not hopefully they're all at least making some effort to memorize it but are you memorizing it adults or is it not just for the children if the children see that you're not really serious about reading God's Word or praying or even taking an effort to try to memorize it if the children see that you have a lackadaisical attitude towards the things of God you're more taken up in what's going on in the world around you if the children see that you don't take sin seriously if the children see that you can speak harshly to your husband or your wife and there isn't immediately a grieving and a public apology for that public anger that was manifest that's what they're going to be 20 years from now sitting in RLCF or wherever else God takes them wake up if we're sleeping let's wake up let's have a radical attitude towards sin let's have a radical attitude towards forgiveness let's talk about forgiveness if the children see that that if the children know if our children know that you still have an unforgiving attitude towards people maybe somebody's done some harm towards you done some wrong towards you and they see that you have an unforgiving attitude towards them and that you whenever you speak about them you speak evil about them that's who they'll be they'll grow up being unforgiving unforgiveness breeds unforgiveness make sure that there's no unforgiveness in your heart towards anybody and I'll clarify that doesn't mean that therefore you should be friends with everybody who says that they want to be friends with you anything like that unforgiveness is an attitude in the heart and be absolutely certain check your heart that there's no unforgiveness or bitterness towards anybody anybody no matter how evil they there might have been no unforgiveness yeah I thought I would leave us before I end in with a few things that we can prepare ourselves with for the time when God is going to shut the door let's start to Luke chapter 12 I have thought I would speak a little bit about the rapture because there's a false understanding in in Christendom today that the church will be raptured before before the tribulation it's a lie you read it carefully read 1st Corinthians 5 15 read 1st Thessalonians 4 it says the church will be here during the tribulation so but I think the Lord took me to Ephesians 5 which is much better anyway so we won't talk about the rapture but let's talk about this and that is how shall we we be ready how shall we be ready dear brothers and sisters how shall we make sure that we're in the ark that before the door shut we're there it's not just simply saying well Lord I prayed this prayer my sins are forgiven no it's because something completely different first of all in Luke chapter 12 Jesus talks about the end times he says you'll read be in readiness verse 35 onwards but the very first thing he says the very first thing he says if you want to be ready to make sure that you're in the ark before the door shuts which is long before the rain will come verse 1 the latter part of verse 1 and listen Jesus said this under these circumstances verse 1 after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another this is a mega church a mega church is so crowded they're stepping on one another and and I imagine Jesus saying father what shall I speak on and he says warn them about hypocrisy he began saying to his disciples first of all when when when the mega church gathered in and the disciples were sitting in the front row or maybe they were sitting in the back row I don't know he says listen Peter Andrew James Philip Bartholomew I have a message for you all because I'm sure they thought well Lord great we've got the crowd let's preach the sermon of all sermons and we'll have a big church now and Jesus says no I got to preach to your disciples first of all he began speaking to his disciples first of all he says I'm never going to build a church unless we first of all make sure there's no hypocrisy perhaps the reason God can't do a greater work in some churches is because there's hypocrisy in the church we say Lord where are the where are the multitudes why is the Bible study so few why are the prayer meetings just a handful God says I got a message for the disciples first of all he began speaking to his disciples in the presence of the multitude beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy because there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known accordingly whether you have said whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the house stops beware of hypocrisy beware you know how they if you go to a house where there are dogs mean dogs they have a sign that says beware of dogs because maybe the dog is you know will be running around the yard and a dog that that might attack you if it's not if it thinks you're a threat every situation when you're by yourself when you enter in your thoughts when you're at home with your wife and your children hang a sign in your mind like that beware of hypocrisy when you go home from the church meeting today because we look great right here we look like wonderful Christians and maybe we're on the inside not trying to judge that but when you go home and you leave this house hang a sign in front of your eye that says beware of hypocrisy this is how we can be ready the very first thing and I tell you in a church like ours we need it even more because it's so easy for us to have the pretense and have the appearance of spirituality have the appearance that everything's good and we're living hypocritical lives secretly we've got bitterness we've got selfish ambition we've got jealousy we've got the love of money we've got the love of pleasure we're not we're lovers of self not lovers of God read 2nd Timothy 3 so hang that sign beware of hypocrisy let's continue reading the second thing I want you to see is be vigilant against the love of money be vigilant against covetousness because that's what he talks about in verse 13 see he's going to talk about being ready in verse 35 but before that he's speaking to the disciples still and listen while he's in the midst of saying how let's continue reading maybe we'll read verse 4 I say to you my friends do not be afraid of those who will kill the body and after that have no more that they can do that's the verse I already read from Matthew 10 fear God verse 8 everyone who confesses me before men the Son of Man will confess before the angels of God verse 11 when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense you don't have to plan beforehand or what you are to say for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you are to say and he's talking about the persecution he's telling disciples you're going to be hauled up before the authorities whether you have a dream in advance or not they're going to come and take you away and sitting in the crowd is somebody says Jesus I have a question he says teacher tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me sometimes the devil will come and try to suck out the power of the anointing in a meeting by some somebody getting up and sharing something so light and so earthly minded just like yes Jesus talking about being ready and Jesus didn't let it distract him he just was cut him cut him down here's the multitude and here's somebody that instigated by the devil to say something about something as trivial as like my brother took the money and he's fighting with me over it he'll tell him to divide it maybe the brothers right there and he's publicly shaming him and Jesus says man who appointed me a judge or a arbitrator over you he says beware and be on your guard against every form of greed for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions and then he tells a story about a man who had a lot of wealth God blessed him and then he says okay I'm gonna plan ahead I'm gonna plan for the next thing and that night he died God said to him you fool you were making these big plans for how your business was gonna grow and you were gonna do this other thing this night your soul is required of you now who will own what you have prepared be ready much more important to be ready for eternity and yes we take care of our children yes we plan for the future yes we save up yes we work hard in our jobs but our eyes on eternity so be vigilant against the love of money be guarded against it you might think we speak enough against the love of money in this church that we're probably safe from it it's like the layers of an onion as you probably heard before too just when you think I'm free from the love of money God will allow something to happen maybe he'll allow you to get a raise you get a little bit extra money and there's a secret delight of ah yes I got a little bit more money and immediately can you hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit like Noah's saying get in the ark this love of money will draw you out of the ark it'll draw you into something of this world or you lose some money in some situation or you won't get as much money as you would have hoped and that situation hear the voice of the Holy Spirit saying I allowed you to hope to lose that money for a reason I allowed you to not get as much money as you thought you would I allowed you to not get that job or that promotion because I want you to be free from the love of money listen listen listen let's be vigilant against the love of money thirdly let's be prepared for persecution and again this is not to breed fear I hope that we can speak about persecution in this church in a way that that when our children face it they'll be like oh yeah I knew this was coming I'm ready because we want to be wonderful that our 15 16 year old young boys and girls are facing persecution and I like oh my dad warned me about it I knew it was coming I can handle it God is with me he's on my side he'll take care of me I read those stories of all those martyrs who died and and they went to the grave singing I'm gonna go singing as well that's the testimony I hope for our children now maybe it won't happen I don't know but Jesus said be ready Luke 21 he says in verse 12 before all these things what things verse 10 nation will rise against nation we're seeing that happening now kingdom against kingdom great earthquakes in various places plays famines terrors great signs from heaven but before these things they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you delivering you to the synagogues and prisons bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake it will lead to an opportunity for your testimony oh I love that it's written there it's like you what you were praying that Lord I want to be a witness I want to be an evangelist he says okay I've got the best way for you Santosh I'm gonna let them come and arrest you take you away in handcuffs and guess what you're gonna start putting scripture over there that memory verse that you've memorized the week before even if that's all that you can remember say that when you're standing in the dark it will be an opportunity for your testimony and that memory verse will be the opportunity for you say can I tell you judge about how Jesus changed my life God loves you judge God loves you policeman it's coming so make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves for I will give you utterance and wisdom don't be in a panic don't plan okay how am I gonna say this and what are the words I choose no don't worry about it be filled with the Holy Spirit be being filled with the Holy Spirit and in that moment I will give you a prophetic word before the judges I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute but you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends and they will put some of you to death and you will be hated by all because of my name yet not a hair of yours will of your head will perish by your endurance you will gain your souls by your endurance you will gain your souls wonderful wonderful promises but when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then recognize that her desolation is near then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains and those who are in the midst of the city must leave and those in the country must not enter in the city I believe Jesus is saying don't go looking for trouble if they let you escape escape why so that you can build my kingdom a little bit longer perhaps because these are days of vengeance so that all things which are written will be fulfilled goes on it so be prepared for persecution he tells us very clearly and the last thing don't be afraid don't be afraid go back to Matthew chapter 10 don't be afraid Matthew 10 verse 26 again he talks about how Jesus himself was persecuted he says in verse 23 whenever they persecute you this is the parallel passage in one city flee to the next for truly I say to you you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes a disciple is not above his teacher nor slave above his master it is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher and the slave like his master if they've called the head of the house that is Jesus Beelzebul how much more will they malign the members of his house will be prepared that people will speak evil of you they'll speak evil of you but verse 26 do not fear them for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed nor hidden that will not be known what I tell you in the darkness speak in the light what you hear whispered in your ear proclaim upon the house stop do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul but rather fear him who's able to destroy both soul and body in hell and look at when he says fear God what is the fear of God look like how do you know that you fear God let me give you a little secret you know that you have really come to the fear of God when there's a rest in your life because right after he says fear him who is able to destroy both soul and says he listen I love you are not two sparrows sold for a cent and yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father but the very hairs of your head are all numbered so do not fear you're more valuable this is the fear of God the fear of God teaches me that I'm valuable to him let's seek to know this fear of God this fear of the Lord that causes me to know I'm his child I'm resting in him he's counted the hairs on my head I see those two sparrows I'm more valuable than them you are more valuable than many sparrows this is the true fear of God and I'll close with one more verse in Luke chapter 12 go back to Luke 12 verse 32 well let's back up and read a little bit a few more verses before that you know we know this this passage from Matthew 6 where he says don't worry do not worry and that's true whether we're in comfort but what about in the midst of trial when we're going through facing persecution he says don't worry about your life verse 22 after he said that beware of hypocrisy he says beware of the love of money verse of 13 through 21 then he says don't worry about your life I believe that worry and anxiety will draw us out of the ark it's one of the reasons that a lot of people will end up outside of the ark yeah we've heard about sin lust anger of fornication immorality impurity we spoke about all of those things but I'll tell you this worry and anxiety is one of the reasons that you leave the ark because you'll start to doubt God's promises you'll sit there in the ark perhaps for a little while and the door is still open and you'll start to worry you'll start to be anxious maybe God didn't really mean what he said maybe he won't come through anxiety and worry will lead you away it'll choke out the life that's what Jesus said in that parable in Matthew 13 right the cares and the worries of this world will choke out the good fruit that God has allowed you to have so be careful fight against worry the reason that it's important for us to think about it is because I think we tend to I at least I used to and not so much anymore you know bucket sins like adultery murder or even lust and anger and all that thing over here and then I see unbelief and worry and anxiety is sort of these like hey why were you anxious you didn't need to be would you have that attitude towards adultery why did you commit adultery you didn't really need to would you have that attitude towards adultery no but we sort of have this casual attitude towards worry and anxiety and unbelief like yeah man you don't need to be no Jesus was angry you know when he was stern he spoke sternly to his disciples when they had unbelief he wanted them to know fear God and then you will have no worry in your life no anxiety in your life come to that fear of God he wanted to tell his disciples and I'm raising my voice only to communicate a little bit of that so that each of us will have a radical attitude towards unbelief and worry as radical an attitude as we would have towards adultery how much do you hate adultery how much do you hate murder have that same radical attitude towards worry so let's read on and then I'll close don't worry about your life verse 22 as to what you will eat nor for your body as to what you will put on for life is more than food and the body more than clothing consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap they have no storeroom nor barn and yet God feeds them how much more valuable you are than birds and which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan if then you cannot do even a very little thing why do you worry about other matters consider the lilies how they grow how they neither toil nor spin but I tell you not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these but if God so clothes the grass in the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace how much more will he clothe you you men of little faith and do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink and do not keep worrying for all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek but your father knows that you need these things but seek his kingdom and these things will be added to you seek his kingdom and he will allow you himself to be found by you seek his kingdom seek his kingdom if you if you didn't get anything else out of what I said this morning make that your prayer to your brother and sister throughout the day Lord I want to seek you what is it what should I do now what will be pleasing to you I seek to please you seek to please you seek to please you and then remember this verse don't be afraid little flock for your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom another translation maybe the King James says it is your father's good pleasure you know what pleases God yeah I'm sure you know without faith it is impossible to please God there are other verses that talk about pleasing to God you know what pleases God when he can give you his kingdom it is the father's good pleasure talk about pleasing God to give you his kingdom it's like here ahead of this week ahead of you this week dear brother dear sister dear children is more of God's kingdom more of God's kingdom available to you and it would give him such delight to give you more of his kingdom it is the father's good pleasure to give you his kingdom now he says now seek me and I will allow myself to be found by you I will give you my kingdom beware of hypocrisy be vigilant against the love of money be prepared for persecution but don't be afraid God wants to give you his kingdom he will amen