(MUSIC)
HELPS THAT I TURNED IT ON, RIGHT?
LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH, ARE YOU READY TO TESTIFY
OF THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD TONIGHT?
YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANSWERED PRAYER
AND UNANSWERED PRAYER IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.
SO LET'S GET OUR EYES ON THE KING OF KINGS
AND ENTER INTO THE REALM OF BREAKTHROUGH, AMEN? LET'S GO.
(MUSIC)
(WORSHIP MUSIC)
THE WORD SAYS, "NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE
OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT
SEEN. I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE, IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE."
SOMEBODY SAY, "I BELIEVE, IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE."
COME ON, YOU GOTTA SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.
IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE. COME ON, LOOK AT YOUR
NEIGHBOR. IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE. COME ON.
IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE. IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE.
IF HE SAID IT, IF HE SAID IT, IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE.
OH, IF HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE. I DON'T CARE
WHAT THE DOCTOR'S REPORT SAYS. HE SAYS
I'M HEALED. HE SAID IT, I BELIEVE IT.
WE'RE BELIEVING FOR MIGHTY THINGS.
I WANT TO PRAY FOR SOME PEOPLE TONIGHT. MAYBE YOU'RE HERE AND
WE'LL PRAY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE JOINING BY THE WAY OF THE
INTERNET. BUT YOU ARE IN HERE AND THIS SCRIPTURE KEEPS COMING
UP IN MY SPIRIT THAT HOPE DEFERRED MAKES THE HEART SICK.
BUT WHEN A DESIRE IS FULFILLED, IT IS A TREE OF LIFE. IF YOU'RE
IN HERE AND YOU SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST NEED A FRESH DOSE
AND PRAYER BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN DISCOURAGED AND I NEED A BOOST
IN MY FAITH. NOW, HERE'S THE TRUTH. CAN YOU PRAY FOR SOMEBODY
ELSE TO RECEIVE FAITH? WELL, JESUS DID FOR PETER. HE SAID,
PETER, THE ENEMY HAS COME TO SIFT YOU LIKE WHEAT, BUT I'VE
PRAYED FOR YOU. COME ON, THAT YOUR FAITH WOULD NOT FAIL. SO IF
YOU NEED A DOSE OF A SHOT, A SUPERNATURAL BOOST OF FAITH
TONIGHT, I WANT YOU TO COME UP HERE AND LINE UP. JUST RUN UP
HERE. DON'T BE EMBARRASSED. LET'S PRAY. YOU SAY, MAN, I JUST
NEED A SHOT OF FAITH. I NEED A DOSE. I NEED A DOSE FOR MY FAITH
TO JUST BE IGNITED. I WANT TO PRAY FOR THAT. HALLELUJAH. OH,
COME ON, LET'S LET EVERYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME, COME ON UP.
MAYBE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE JUST HIT YOU LIKE A TON OF BRICKS AND
YOU'RE LIKE, MAN, GOD, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WASH
MACHINE FIGHTING AGAINST THE DEVIL. COME ON, EVERYBODY'S FELT
LIKE THAT BEFORE, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE. BY THE WAY,
JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON IF YOU'RE IN THIS
LINE THAT HAS EVER BEEN THROUGH MULTIPLE BATTLES AT ONCE, RIGHT?
THAT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. OKAY, LOOK HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
UP HERE. LOOK AT EACH OTHER. SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? GUESS WHAT?
YOU'RE NOT BY YOURSELF. WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IS NOT UNIQUE.
SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING THROUGH IT. SO LET'S STRETCH OUR HANDS
TOWARD THESE AND THEN WE'LL PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS ON THE INTERNET.
FATHER, I PRAY, FATHER, THAT HER FAITH WOULD NOT FAIL. I PRAY FOR
UNFAILING FAITH, A DOSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT, A DOSE OF
STRENGTH. GOD, YOU SAID YOU WOULD HOLD US BY THE RIGHT HAND
AND YOU WOULD HELP US. SO FATHER, AS I TOUCH THESE PEOPLE,
I THANK YOU THAT THEY RECEIVE A FRESH IGNITION OF THEIR FAITH IN
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS' NAME. I ASK THAT YOU'D STRENGTHEN THEM.
I ASK YOU'D RESTORE THEIR JOY. I ASK YOU WOULD GIVE THEM NEW
HOPE, NEW LIFE. FATHER THEY WILL BELIEVE AFRESH AGAIN AND NOT BE
DISCOURAGED AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT COME TO A PLACE WHERE OH
HERE WE GO AGAIN. NO I BIND THAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND I ASK
THAT FATHER YOU WOULD STRENGTHEN THE SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH AND
FAITH UPON THEM. FATHER THEY WILL LOOK WITH NEW EYES AT THE
THING THEY'RE FACING AND I THANK YOU THEY WILL SEE THE ANSWER.
THEY WILL SEE THE WAY THROUGH. THEY WILL SEE THE DELIVERANCE OF
GOD HIMSELF. AND I THANK YOU FOR IT. AND WE BREAK THE POWER OF
EVERY EVIL SPIRIT THAT WOULD COME TO DISCOURAGE YOU, THAT
WOULD COME TO SUPPRESS YOU, THAT WOULD COME TO KICK YOU DOWN. WE
BREAK ITS POWER AND WE SAY IN JESUS' NAME THAT YOU RISE UP IN
A NEW, NEW DETERMINATION. HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND, STANDING
THEREFORE IN THE POWER OF THE LORD'S STRENGTH TO GUIDE YOU
THROUGH. IN THE NAME OF JESUS OF NAZARETH AND WE DECLARE IT TO BE
SO AND TO BE DONE. COME ON, GIVE GOD A SHOUT OF PRAISE IF YOU
AGREE WITH THAT. HALLELUJAH. NOW LET'S PRAY FOR OUR PEOPLE
ONLINE. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S JOINING BY
THE INTERNET. AND WE PROPHESY TO YOU. AND WE SAY YOUR FAITH WILL
NOT FAIL. WE BREAK THE POWER OF THAT. WE BIND THAT
DISCOURAGEMENT. AND WE SAY THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THE DESIRE OF
THE THINGS YOU'VE HOPED FOR IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AND I BREAK
THE POWER OF THE ENEMY THAT WOULD EXACT UPON YOU. I SAY HIS
POWERS ARE BROKEN IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME. COME ON, GIVE JESUS
A GREAT BIG SHOUT OF PRAISE. HALLELUJAH. NOW I'M GONNA GIVE
YOU A LITTLE TIDBIT. CAN I GIVE YOU A LITTLE TIDBIT OF TRUTH?
WHEN YOU RECEIVE PRAYER LIKE THAT, YOU GET SOMEBODY TO LAY
HANDS AND COME IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU. DON'T GET OUT OF AGREEMENT
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM. DON'T WALK OUT AND SPEAK SOMETHING
DIFFERENT. SO HERE'S THE REAL TIDBIT. THE TIDBIT IS, ALWAYS
TALK OUT LOUD TO YOUR PROBLEM. YOU CANNOT THINK IT AWAY. WELL,
WE TRY TO REDIRECT OUR MINDS. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE AT
NIGHT AND THOUGHT, "OH, I GOT THIS AND THAT." AND ESPECIALLY
THE DEVIL LOVES TO HIT YOU AT NIGHT. THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE
CALLS IT A NIGHT TERROR. YOU CAN'T THINK THE TROUBLE AWAY.
NOW, WE TAKE OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE, BUT YOU KNOW HOW YOU DO
IT? WITH YOUR MOUTH. SO YOU HAVE TO TALK OUT LOUD TO YOU. COME
ON, SOMEBODY. YOU HAVE TO TALK OUT LOUD TO THE ISSUE. YOUR OWN
EARS HAVE TO HEAR YOU SAY IT. YOUR OWN EARS HAVE TO HEAR YOU
SAY, "MY BODY IS WELL." YOUR OWN EARS HAVE TO HEAR YOU SAY, "IT'S
GONNA WORK OUT FOR GOOD." OKAY, SO YOU TALK NOT ONLY TO
YOURSELF, BUT YOU TALK OUT LOUD TO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND YOU SAY
IT IN THE FACE OF THE DEVIL. SO THERE, AND YOU SAY, "OH, HOW'S
IT?" AND I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH SOMETHING, I'M THE
FIRST TO TESTIFY, YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE TALKING AGAINST IT. YOU
JUST WANT TO LAY THERE AND PUT A BLANKET ON, EAT ICE CREAM OR
WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, TALK BAD, GO, UH, REHEARSE IT. COME
ON, ANYBODY EVER BEEN THERE OR JUST ME? BUT I FOUND OUT WHEN I
GET UP AND I TALK TO IT, COME ON, YOU CAN'T THINK IT AWAY. YOU
GOT TO TALK TO IT. YOU GOT TO SPEAK AT IT. SOMETIMES YOU GOT
TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SAY YOUR NAME AND SAY, NO, NO, NO,
NO. YOUR MOUTH IS YOUR POWERFUL WEAPON TO DEAL WITH THE TROUBLES
OF THIS LIFE. AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT TIDBIT.
SO SAY THIS, LET'S JUST SAY IT. LET'S ALL SAY IT TOGETHER. SAY I
USE MY MOUTH NOW AND I SAY THE PROBLEMS I'M FACING, THEY ARE
SOLVED BY THE HAND OF GOD. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS.
I REBUKE UNANSWERED PRAYER. I SAY I RECEIVE ANSWERED PRAYER.
SELF, GET IN LINE. SPEAK TO YOUR PROBLEM. SAY IT TO YOURSELF.
SELF, GET IN LINE. SPEAK TO YOUR PROBLEM AND COMMAND THAT THING
TO SHIFT IN THE NAME OF JESUS. NOW SAY IT, SAY, I'M BLESSED. I
GET WHAT I PRAY FOR. THESE STRUGGLES, THESE TROUBLES, THEY
GOTTA GO IN JESUS' NAME. NOW COME ON, GIVE GOD A GREAT BIG
HAND CLAP AND A SHOUT LIKE YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT. GIVE HIM A
GREAT BIG SHOUT. COME ON, HALLELUJAH! IN JESUS' NAME. ALL
RIGHT, SLAP YOUR NEIGHBOR A HIGH FIVE AND TELL HIM YOU GOT THE
VICTORY TONIGHT. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, GREET ONE ANOTHER. AND
THOSE OF YOU ONLINE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY AS WE GREET EACH OTHER IN JESUS' NAME.
(MUSIC)
OH, HALLELUJAH. MAN, THAT WAS GOOD TEACHING. IF YOU DIDN'T GET
ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF TONIGHT, IF WE WERE TO GO HOME TONIGHT RIGHT
NOW AND YOU TOOK THAT WORD, IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE. THE
DEVIL NEVER WANTS US TO SPEAK THE VICTORY. HE ALWAYS WANTS US
TO SPEAK THE PROBLEM, AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT, ISN'T
THERE? WE HAVE TO DECLARE THE GOOD WORKS OF GOD, SO AMEN.
WELL, IT'S OFFERING TIME. IT SHOULD BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF EVERY
SERVICE BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE GOD'S
BLESSING. SO USHERS, IF YOU WOULD RECEIVE OR IF YOU NEED AN
ENVELOPE TONIGHT, USHERS ARE IN THE AISLES. THEY'LL HELP YOU
WITH THAT AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN ENVELOPE FOR YOUR GIVING. AND
WHILE THEY'RE SERVING YOU, I WANT TO JUST MENTION A COUPLE
THINGS. I WANT TO READ PROVERBS 11:24-25, A SCRIPTURE THAT YOU
KNOW PROBABLY WELL, BUT IT'S JUST A REMINDER ABOUT OUR
GIVING. PROVERBS 11:24-25 SAYS, GIVE FREELY AND BECOME MORE
WEALTHY, BE STINGY AND LOSE EVERYTHING. AND WE DON'T WANT TO
LOSE EVERYTHING, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE STINGY IN THIS
PLACE. AND THEN IT MOVES ON IN 25 AND SAYS, THE GENEROUS WILL
PROSPER, AND THOSE WHO REFRESH OTHERS WILL THEMSELVES BE
REFRESHED. AND THAT JUST TALKS ABOUT SOWING AND REAPING,
DOESN'T IT? YOU KNOW, AND AS LONG AS WE ARE ON THIS EARTH,
THERE IS A LAW IN EFFECT CALLED SEED TIME AND HARVEST. AND I
WANNA EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE, PREACHERS HAVE SAID
BEFORE TO YOU, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE ECONOMY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT
YOUR PERSONAL SITUATION. IF YOU SOW, YOU'LL REAP. HOW MANY OF
YOU HAVE HEARD THAT BEFORE? OKAY, I WANT TO PROVE IT TO YOU
TONIGHT BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE HEARD IT, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS
BELIEVE IT. HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE IT'S DARK
OUT NOW AND IT'S NIGHT, THAT TOMORROW IT WILL BE DAYLIGHT?
RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT WE'RE STILL
IN FALL, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT WINTER IS COMING?
AND HOW MANY OF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT NEXT, LIKE SIX
MONTHS FROM NOW OR WHATEVER IT IS, SEVEN MONTHS, WE'RE GONNA
HAVE SUMMER? OKAY. HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH
IT'S COLD OUTSIDE NOW, EVENTUALLY IT'S GONNA BE HOT?
OKAY, I'M TELLING YOU THIS FOR A REASON. FOLLOW MY THINKING HERE.
LET'S LOOK AT GENESIS 8:22. THIS VERSE WAS A NEW COVENANT THAT
GOD MADE WITH MANKIND RIGHT AFTER NOAH GOT OFF THE ARK. THE
FLOOD HAD DESTROYED EVERYTHING ON THE EARTH EXCEPT HIS FAMILY
MEMBERS AND THE ANIMALS THAT HE PUT ON THE ARK. HE GOT OFF THE
ARK. GENESIS CHAPTER 8, VERSE 22, THERE'S A NEW COVENANT THAT
GOD MADE. AND PART OF IT IS THIS. IT SAYS, "WHILE THE EARTH
REMAINS, SEED TIME AND HARVEST," SAY THIS WITH ME, SEED TIME AND
HARVEST. "COLD AND HEAT, WINTER AND SUMMER, AND DAY AND NIGHT
SHALL NOT CEASE." OKAY, ALL THOSE THINGS SHALL NOT CEASE.
AND YOU JUST TOLD ME YOU BELIEVE THAT COLD AND HEAT, WINTER AND
SUMMER, DAY AND NIGHT WOULD NOT CEASE. WHY DO WE SOMETIMES THINK
THAT IF WE PLAN AN OFFERING, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET RETURN? IF
IT'S TRUE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS TRUE, SEED TIME AND HARVEST IS
TRUE. IT'S AN ETERNAL LAW AND GOD SAID, AS LONG AS THE EARTH
REMAINS, IS THE EARTH REMAINING? OKAY, AS LONG AS WE'RE ALIVE AND
ON THIS EARTH, WE CAN STAKE A CLAIM THAT SEED TIME AND HARVEST
IS GONNA BE TRUE, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. SO WHEN YOU PUT YOUR
OFFERING IN TONIGHT, YOU BELIEVE THAT AND YOU RECEIVE IT. AND
JUST LIKE YOU DECLARE YOUR HEALING OR WHATEVER SITUATION
YOU WERE DECLARING TONIGHT, EXTEND YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR
OFFERING BECAUSE SEED TIME AND HARVEST IS TRUE. JUST AS SURE AS
YOU PUT THAT SEED IN THE GROUND OR PUT THE MONEY IN THE OFFERING
BASKET, YOU'RE GONNA GET A RETURN. GOD'S NEVER GONNA LET
YOU GO LACKING. IN FACT, IN MALACHI CHAPTER THREE, HE EVEN
TOLD US TO TEST HIM IN THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE PROOFS
WE NEED. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PROOFS IN THE BIBLE AND IN
SCRIPTURES I COULD GIVE YOU ON SOWING AND REAPING, BUT THIS IS
JUST ONE OF THEM. BUT YOU CAN STAKE YOUR LIFE ON THAT. THAT IF
YOU GIVE, YOU WILL RECEIVE. YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO HUNGRY OR
BEGGING FOR BREAD. FOR SOME REASON, PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT'S
GONNA HAVE A WINTER SEASON. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE BELIEVING
IN SUMMER. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE BELIEVING THAT TOMORROW
MORNING WE'RE GONNA HAVE DAYLIGHT. BUT FOR SOME REASON,
THE DEVIL DOESN'T WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GONNA GET A
RETURN ON OUR GIVING. BUT WE WILL BECAUSE GOD SAYS IT AND
IT'S JUST AS TRUE AS DAY AND NIGHT IS TRUE PASTOR ANTHONY.
AMEN. AMEN. WELL WE'LL PUT THE GIVING INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN
TONIGHT I HOPE THAT ENCOURAGED YOU A LITTLE BIT JUST TO STAND
STRONG IN YOUR GIVING AND DO A LITTLE MORE IF YOU IF YOU WERE
TITHING LAST YEAR MAKE 2026 YOUR YEAR TO GO TO 11%. IF YOU'RE
GIVEN 12%, STRETCH A LITTLE BIT, GO TO 13%. STRETCH AND SEE GOD
MOVE IN YOUR LIFE. THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU'LL GET BACK.
MR. LATERNAL, I THINK IT WAS AJ LATERNAL, GAVE AWAY 90% OF HIS
INCOME, LIVED ON 10%, AND HE WAS A MULTIMILLIONAIRE. WOW. SO IF
YOU START PROGRESSING IN THAT, GOD WILL MOVE IN YOUR LIFE, AND
YOU'LL HAVE THOSE ABUNDANCE OF FINANCES, AND YOU CAN GIVE IT
OUT WITH A TEASPOON, AND HE'LL GIVE IT BACK WITH A TABLESPOON.
AMEN. WELL, HERE'S YOUR GIVING INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN. YOU
KNOW HOW TO GIVE, MOBILE APP, YOU CAN TEXT TO GIVE. IN THE
DROP-DOWNS, PASTOR BRENDA WANTED ME TO REMIND YOU THAT WE NEED TO
BUILD UP OR REBUILD OUR BUILDING FUND. AND YOU CAN DO THAT BY
JUST PUTTING A DESIGNATION IN THERE, GIVE IT TO THE
DESIGNATION THAT SAYS CAMPUS AND BUILDING PROJECT. CAMPUS AND
BUILDING PROJECT IS IN ONE OF THE DROP-DOWNS THERE. LET'S GET
THAT BUILDING FUND REBUILT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME BIG
THINGS AHEAD OF US IN 2026. NOTHING'S IRONED OUT YET FOR
SURE TO GIVE YOU DETAILS, BUT WE GOT SOME THINGS THAT GOD WANTS
US TO DO IN 2026, AND WE NEED TO START BUILDING UP THAT WAR CHEST
SO THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE WHEN GOD SAYS MOVE,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GOT THIS AUDITORIUM BUILT, THAT
WASN'T THE END OF OUR EXPANSION. WE'RE GONNA KEEP TAKING GROUND
UNTIL JESUS COMES. WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON DOING IT. WE'RE NEVER
GONNA BE DONE BUILDING, GROWING, AND EXPANDING. THAT'S ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE ABOUT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. WE STRETCH OUR FAITH AND
DO IT. AND LOOK WHAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY WITH OUR ONLINE
AUDIENCE. AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. IT'S GONNA GET BIGGER
AND BIGGER AND BIGGER. THE VISION IS BIG AND WE CAN DO IT
TOGETHER, AMEN. AND WE THANK OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE FOR ALL THE HELP
AND ASSISTANCE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE,
YOU'RE A PART OF, AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR IT. SO LET'S DO
THIS. NOW, WHY DON'T YOU STAND, HOLD UP YOUR OFFERING. LET'S
PRAY. FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU DO REBUKE THE DEVOURER. I
THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOUR LAW OF SEED TIME AND HARVEST IS IN
THE ETERNAL EXISTENCE AS LONG AS THE EARTH SHALL REMAIN. AND WE
STAKE OUR CLAIM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PART OF THAT. AND WE'RE GONNA
SOW INTO YOUR KINGDOM AND WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE BACK AND WE'RE
GONNA DO MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND EXPAND OUR PERSONAL VISION,
EXPAND OUR FAITH, AND WE'RE GONNA SEE MINISTRY EXPLODE
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA EXPLODE FINANCIALLY WHEN WE STEP INTO
THE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE FOR US. SO I THANK YOU FOR EVERY GIVER
HERE TONIGHT AND EVERY GIVER ONLINE, AND WE THANK YOU, LORD,
THAT YOUR HAND OF BLESSING IS UPON US FOR GOOD AND THAT YOUR
PROTECTION IS WITH US AND THAT WE WILL ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING
YOU'VE CALLED US TO DO WHILE WE'RE ON THIS EARTH IN THE
MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN AND AMEN. WE'LL GIVE
PASTOR BRENDA A HAND AS SHE COMES TONIGHT.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
WOW, THAT WAS A GREAT WORD. YOU CAN BE SEATED AS THE USHERS
SERVE YOU. I LOVE THOSE LITTLE TEACHINGS. AND YES, AND THANK
YOU, INTERNET FAMILY, FOR JUST BEING A PART AND HELPING US GET
DONE WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO. AND JUST BECAUSE WE BUILT THE
TABERNACLE DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE CAMPING AND JUST STOPPING. SO I
MEAN, WE ENJOY IT, BUT WE GOT MORE TO DO. SO THAT'S THE GOOD
PART. SO WELL, PRAISE THE LORD, PASTOR HANK SENDS HIS LOVE. HE
IS BUSILY WORKING ON SOME CONTENT MATERIAL. SO I TOLD HIM,
WE GOT THIS, WE GOT THIS. YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. AND
HE'S GOT A VERY BUSY TRAVEL SCHEDULE COMING.
AND BY THE WAY, I'LL JUST SAY THIS. THANK YOU
FOR SHARING YOUR PASTOR WITH THE NATION. BLESS YOU FOR
THAT, BLESS ALL OF YOU THAT YOU'RE OKAY WHEN, I MEAN HE
HARDLY EVER MISSES A SUNDAY, BUT YOU'RE JUST OKAY WHEN HE'S
GOT TO DO WHAT HE'S GOT TO DO. AND FLASHPOINT'S GONNA KEEP HIM
BUSY AND WE'VE GOT MIDTERMS COMING, SO THERE'S THINGS THAT
NEED TO GET SAID AND DONE, AND ALL OF THOSE GOOD THINGS. AND
SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF HIM AND
EVERYTHING THAT HE'S CALLED TO DO. AND I TOLD HIM,
I SAID, NO WE NEED YOUR MIND CLEAR SO THAT YOU CAN BE
BE OBEDIENT AND LISTEN TO GOD. THAT'S GOOD, WE LIKE IT WHEN
PASTOR HANK LISTENS TO GOD. SO DON'T YOU? ALL RIGHT, THAT'S A
GOOD PLACE FOR A HAND CLAP RIGHT THERE. ALL RIGHT, PRAISE THE
LORD. BUT LET'S GET INTO OUR TOPIC FOR TONIGHT. AND I'M
PROBABLY GOING, THIS IS PART TWO, TALKING ABOUT THE SEVEN
CHURCHES OF REVELATION. AND I WANNA CONTINUE, I THINK I'M
GONNA CONTINUE IT INTO THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER IS
OVER, BRENDA. AND THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER, WHICH IS THE THIRD,
SO NEXT WEDNESDAY, WE DON'T HAVE A SERVICE HERE DUE TO THE
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, BUT THEN I'LL COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.
WE'LL FINISH UP. I FELT LIKE AS WE GOT THROUGH IT, I DROVE HOME
LAST WEEK AND I THOUGHT, OH, I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AND SHOULD
HAVE SAID THIS. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES YOU THINK THAT
WHEN YOU PREACH AND THEN YOU THINK YOU WANNA BRING OUT OTHER
POINTS. AND SO I REALLY WANNA TAKE UP MY TIME, IF IT'S OKAY,
AND MASSAGE THIS AND NOT FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST RUSHING PAST IT
ALL. AND SO WE CAN GO ON THE THIRD WEEK OF IT. BUT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THESE SEVEN CHURCHES. NOW, LET ME JUST
REITERATE, I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF A REVIEW. LET ME
REITERATE THAT I BELIEVE THAT THESE SEVEN CHURCHES IN THE BOOK
OF REVELATION, IF YOU'VE NOT DONE YOUR OWN WORD STUDY OR
TAKEN THE TIME TO GO THROUGH THESE, OR MAYBE YOU DID IT YEARS
AGO AND YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND DO IT A SECOND TIME AROUND, I
WOULD HIGHLY, HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT BECAUSE I REALLY
BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART, THESE, JESUS, THE LORD OF THE
CHURCH, PUT THESE IN HERE. SO ENOUGH SAID ABOUT THAT. HE PUT
'EM IN, RIGHT? AND I LIKE WHAT PASTOR SAID YEARS AGO, GOD PUT
SOMETHING IN THE BIBLE OR IN THE CHURCH, WHO ARE WE TO TAKE IT
OUT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF JESUS PUT IT IN HERE AND JUST
THE TONE OF HOW HE APPEARS HERE, HE'S VERY SERIOUS. HOW MANY OF
YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT? JUST THE WAY IN WHICH HE DOES IT.
NOW, I BELIEVE THESE SEVEN CHURCHES EMBODY EVERY TYPE OF
CHURCH WE SEE TODAY. I REALLY DO THAT. THEY ARE A PATTERN FOR
EVERY SINGLE ONE AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO STUDY. SO IF WE LOOK
AT CULTURE NOW, WE LOOK AT CHURCH CULTURE AROUND,
ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT EVEN OVERSEAS, WE'RE
NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH CHURCH CULTURE, MAYBE IN OTHER NATIONS,
BUT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, MOST OF US, IF WE WERE RAISED IN
CHURCH, WE'VE BEEN IN CHURCH, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT
MANY OF THE CHURCHES PRESENT HERE IN OUR COUNTRY, AND ALL
THEIR DIFFERENT FACETS. SO I BELIEVE THESE SEVEN CHURCHES
REALLY DO EMBODY ALL THE TYPES OF PASTORS, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY
EACH ONE BEGINS WITH TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS,
TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS, TO THE ANGEL, THAT
WORD ANGEL IS A TYPE OF WORD THAT MEANS PASTOR, WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK. IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT NECESSARILY AN
ANGELIC BEING IN THIS CASE. IT'S SPEAKING ABOUT A MESSAGE OR A
MESSENGER. SO IT'S SAYING TO THE PASTORS THAT ARE ONES THAT SET
THE TONE, RIGHT? THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SET THE MESSAGE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CHOOSE THE DIRECTION UNDER THE LEADING OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE CHURCH. AND SO THE FIRST REAL
CONFRONTATION, IF YOU WILL, OR THE DIRECTIVE GIVEN BY JESUS,
THE LORD OF THE CHURCH, IS TO THE PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, THE
APOSTLES, THE BISHOPS OVER THE CHURCHES. IT IS REALLY FIRST
DIRECTED AT THEM AND HOW THEY SET THE VISION, BUT THEN IT
INCLUDES THE PEOPLE, OKAY? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO
THE TYPE OF LEADER THAT'S IN THE CHURCH, RIGHT? OKAY, YOU DON'T
GO TO A CHURCH AND PICK A CHURCH AND YOU CAN'T STAND THE
PREACHING OF THE PASTOR. YOU GO THERE BECAUSE THAT PASTOR OR
THAT CHURCH OR IT'S A GENERALIZED MESSAGE RESONATES
WITH YOUR SPIRIT. YOU FEEL THAT SENSE OF FAMILY, YOU FEEL THAT
AGREEMENT. FINDING A CHURCH WITH A GOOD CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT IS
NOT A GOOD REASON FOR PICKING A CHURCH. EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE
IN THE SEVEN CHURCHES THAT JESUS BROUGHT OUT, HE NEVER
COMPLIMENTED THEIR WORSHIP TEAM. HE DIDN'T COMPLIMENT THEIR
COFFEE CENTER. RIGHT? AND LIKE I SAID, WE LIKE HAVING GOOD
COFFEE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY THE REASON PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO A
CHURCH. YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN GO TO A CHURCH BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A
GORGEOUS BUILDING. COME ON, SOMEBODY. THAT'S NOT WHY WE PICK
A CHURCH. NOW, PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO SUCCESS THAT WAY,
AND THEY LIKE THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY WE CHOOSE. YOU DON'T
CHOOSE A CHURCH. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE FOR YEARS SAY, "WELL, I
REALLY LIKE CHURCH A OVER THERE, "BUT MY KIDS WANTED TO GO TO THE
YOUTH GROUP AT CHURCH B." WELL, YOU DON'T CHOOSE A CHURCH BASED
ON THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT OR THE YOUTH PROGRAM. YOU DON'T
EVEN CHOOSE IT. I REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE
CHURCH AND SOMEBODY CAME AND THEY SAID, "WELL, DO YOU HAVE
MISSIONS OVERSEAS?" I THOUGHT, "WELL, LADY, WE'RE TWO MONTHS
OLD. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LEARN THE STREET HERE IN NEBRASKA
WHERE GOD PLANTED US." BUT YOU KNOW, THAT LADY, AND SO SHE
DIDN'T COME BACK. SHE SAID, "WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE A MISSIONS
PROGRAM." WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T EVEN CHOOSE A CHURCH
REALLY BASED ON THAT. NOW, YOU DO CHOOSE IT BASED ON THAT IT'S
COMMITTED TO HELPING PEOPLE IN NEED, OKAY? BUT WE MAKE,
ESPECIALLY IN OUR CULTURE, CHURCH CHOOSINGS BASED ON, MANY
TIMES FRIVOLOUS, IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE DRESSING OF THE
MINISTRY, BUT IT'S NOT THE REAL MEAT AND BONES OF WHAT JESUS
SAID WAS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD MARK EVERY CHURCH. SO HE BROUGHT
THESE ADJUSTMENTS, HE ALSO BROUGHT REWARDS TO THEM, AND I
BELIEVE WE NEED TO, WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE SEVEN CHURCHES, NOT
ONLY DO WE LOOK AT PASTORS AND HOW THEY LEAD MINISTRY, BUT WE
ALSO TAKE A GREAT BIG OLD MIRROR OUT, RIGHT? AND THESE ARE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE OURSELF. YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE HAS SO MUCH
TO SAY ABOUT SELF-EXAMINATION. AND BY THE WAY, SELF-EXAMINATION
IS NOT CONDEMNING YOURSELF. IT'S NOT TO PUT YOURSELF DOWN, BUT
EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD BECOME. NOW, LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY
THIS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CULTURE. EVERY BELIEVER SHOULD
BE WELL-VERSED AT SELF-EXAMINATION. WE HAVE TO
CHECK OUR BALANCES. WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OURSELF.
AMEN, INCLUDING US AS THE LEADERS AND THE PASTORS. WE
SHOULD, IN THIS HOUR, JESUS SAID, "DON'T LET ANYBODY DECEIVE
YOU." YOU KNOW WHAT DECEPTION, IF WE KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING, WE
WOULDN'T BE DECEIVED. OKAY, THE DEVIL IS GOOD AT WORKING PEOPLE
OVER UNTIL THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN OFF TRACK. SO
SELF-EXAMINATION, JESUS TALKED ABOUT THAT ALL THROUGH THE
BIBLE, SO DID THE APOSTLE PAUL, THE EARLY APOSTLES. SO LET'S
REVIEW THESE CHURCHES NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE AN
IMPORTANT PATTERN FOR US AND WE NEED TO LOOK WITHIN OURSELVES
AND SEE WHERE WE FIT, RIGHT? AND SOME OF IT WE MAY SEE A MIX
TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT, BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY IN
ALL OF IT TO EXAMINE OURSELVES. SO LET'S GO BACK, I WANNA DO A
QUICK REVIEW. THE FIRST CHURCH MENTIONED IN REVELATION, I'LL
READ IT QUICKLY, AND IS THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS. NOW, THIS WAS
THE CHURCH, IF YOU'RE TAKING YOUR NOTES, THIS WAS THE CHURCH
OF SELF-RIGHTEOUS RELIGION, OKAY? AND JESUS, IF YOU NOTICE,
COMES TO THEM AS THE GREAT JUDGE. OKAY, IF YOU JUDGE,
YOU'LL BE JUDGED. SO THIS WAS THE CHURCH, THEY COULDN'T STAND
EVIL, THEY CALLED OUT WICKEDNESS, THEY CALLED OUT SIN,
THEY DIDN'T TOLERATE SIN IN THE CHURCH, RIGHT? THEY WERE VERY
DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE BY THE BOOK, MAN, YOU HAD TO DO IT
RIGHT. NOW, LET'S JUST READ THE CHARACTERISTICS QUICKLY OF THIS
CHURCH AGAIN. "UNDER THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS' RIGHT,
"THESE THINGS SAITH HE THAT HOLDS THE SEVEN STARS "IN HIS
RIGHT HAND, AND WHO WALKS IN THE MIDST "OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN
CANDLESTICKS." THAT'S JUST SERIOUS SOUNDING. AND JESUS
SAID, "I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOUR LABOR." IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE A
HARDWORKING CHURCH. "AND OF YOUR PATIENCE." OR THAT WORD PATIENCE
IS ENDURANCE. "AND YOU CANNOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL." I'M
PROUD TO SAY LORD OF HOSTS HAS SOME OF THAT. WE DON'T LIKE TO
JUST WINK AT SIN, RIGHT? WE DEAL WITH THINGS, NOT JUST ALLOWING
STUFF TO GO ON. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. SO JESUS SAID, "I
KNOW THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF CHURCH YOU ARE. AND YOU HAVE
TRIED THEM WHICH SAY THEY'RE APOSTLES AND ARE NOT. YOU PUT
THEM TO THE TEST AND FOUND THEM TO BE LIARS. AND YOU HAVE BORNE
AND HAVE HAD PATIENCE FOR MY NAMESAKE. AND YOU HAVE LABORED.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE WORKED HARD IN AMERICA. YOU HAVE NOT
FAINTED. YOU DIDN'T GIVE UP WHEN IT CAME TO BEING INVOLVED. YOU
PRESSED IN. SO THIS WAS A GOOD THING IN THIS CHURCH, RIGHT? SO
JESUS IS ACTUALLY GIVING THEM A COMPLIMENT. HE'S SAYING, YOU
KNOW, THEY HAD ACCOLADES FOR DOING THOSE THINGS. THEY EXPOSED
FALSE DOCTRINE. THEY EXPOSED SIN. THEY EXPOSED LIARS. BUT HE
GOES ON TO SAY, "BUT I HAVE SOME THINGS AGAINST YOU "BECAUSE YOU
LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE." NOW, I'VE ALWAYS READ THAT AS, YOU KNOW,
IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE CHRISTIAN THAT WAS STARTED OUT ON FIRE FOR
GOD, AND THEY LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE AND BECAME KIND OF LIKE,
YOU KNOW, MEDIOCRE AND LUKEWARM OR WHATEVER. AND THAT'S PART OF
IT. BUT REALLY WHAT HE'S SAYING IS YOU FORGOT, SOME OTHER
TRANSLATIONS SAY IT THIS WAY, YOU FORGOT TO LOVE THE WAY YOU
LOVED AT THE BEGINNING. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU STARTED EXCITED, YOU
KNOW, IT'S LIKE I HEARD BROTHER HAGIN SAY ONE TIME, HE GOES, "I
USED TO THINK, MAN, "WHEN I FIRST GOT IN THE SPIRIT FIELD
AND GOT IN THE CHURCH, "I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS SPROUTING
ANGEL'S WINGS. "EVERYBODY HAD ANGEL'S WINGS. "AND THEN I
REALIZED IT WAS JUST "THEIR SHOULDER BLADES STICKING OUT."
AND YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, PEOPLE ARE IMPERFECT, RIGHT? AND
SO THE TENDENCY OF THIS CHURCH WAS, IS THEY GOT TOO HARD. I
HEARD A MAN SAY ONE TIME THAT HE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED ALL
SIDES OF SCRIPTURE. YOU NEED THE BLESS ME VERSES, AND YOU NEED
THE CORRECT ME. YOU NEED A BALANCE OF BOTH. IF YOU DON'T
GET A BALANCE OF BOTH, YOU GET TOO MUCH INTO THE BLESS ME,
YOU'LL JUST GET SOFT AND SQUISHY AND I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
AND GOD DOESN'T HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE TO ANYTHING. AND
EVERYTHING IS A SCRIPTURE ON GOD LOVES ME AND HOLDS MY HAND AND
HELPS ME AND WALKS ME THROUGH AND CARES FOR MY, YOU KNOW, ALL
OF THAT. BUT IF YOU DON'T EVER GET TO THE CORRECT ME SIDE, IF
YOU STAY ON THE BLESS ME SIDE TOO MUCH, YOU'LL GET SOFT. BUT
IF YOU GET TOO OVER ON THE CORRECT ME SIDE, WHICH I BELIEVE
WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS, IS YOU GET MEAN AND
NASTY. YOU CAN GET HARD AND YOU BECOME LIKE THOSE PHARISEES THAT
WERE READY TO KILL THAT WOMAN THAT WAS CAUGHT IN ADULTERY. YOU
KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME, THE BALANCED SIDE OF THE BIBLE.
JESUS, THAT WOMAN THAT WAS CAUGHT IN ADULTERY, JESUS SAID,
"I DON'T CONDEMN YOU." BUT HE DID TURN TO THE MAN AT THE POOL
OF BETHESDA, AND HE SAID, "DON'T KEEP SINNING, "OR A WORSE THING
WILL COME UPON YOU." OKAY, SO THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES FOR
WRONGDOING, THAT IF YOU STAY ON A PATH LONG ENOUGH, YOU'RE GONNA
REAP THE RESULTS. AMEN. SO THIS WAS THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS AND HE
SAID, I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU. YEAH, YOU DID ALL OF THESE
THINGS, CALLED OUT SIN, BUT YOU GOT A LITTLE UNLOVELY WITH IT.
THAT'S THE BRENDA TRANSLATION. YOU GOT A LITTLE MEAN AND NASTY
WITH IT. YOU GOT A LITTLE OUT THERE. YOU FORGOT TO TEMPER
YOURSELF. SO REMEMBER THEREFORE, WATCH THIS, THIS IS GOOD.
REMEMBER FROM WHERE YOU'RE FALLEN. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR A
MINUTE THOUGH, REMEMBER WHERE GOD BROUGHT YOU FROM. I MEAN,
THINK FOR A MINUTE WHERE YOU WERE WHEN YOU CAME TO SALVATION.
AND SOME OF YOU, MAYBE YOU GOT SAVED OR MAYBE YOU HAD TO SORT
OF GET RESAVED. ANYBODY HAD TO DO THAT? MAYBE YOU WALKED AWAY
FROM GOD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND GOD HAD TO TURN YOU BACK
AROUND. SO I GET THAT, I GET THAT. BUT REMEMBER WHEN YOU HAD
THAT MOMENT. AND SO HE SAID, REMEMBER WHERE YOU'VE FALLEN
FROM. OKAY, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WON'T BE SO HARD ON SOMEBODY
ELSE WHEN YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH GOD HAD TO FORGIVE YOU. WE CAN
ALL POINT THE FINGER AND POINT THE FINGER AND IN ONE OF THESE
CHURCHES, WHEN WE GET TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA, WE CAN
DEVELOP UP STRIFE, ALWAYS CRITICIZING AND CALLING OUT
SOMEBODY. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE EPIDEMIC IN
THE CHURCH IN MANY WAYS, THAT PEOPLE JUST ARE SO AFTER WHAT
EVERYBODY DOES WRONG AND CALLING, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOUR
BROTHER AND YOUR SISTER IN CHRIST A CHANCE TO GROW. CAN
THAT JUST BE A THING? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED A MINUTE
TO GROW AND TO PROCESS AND GET WITH GOD AND DEVELOP AND GOD IS
PATIENT, RIGHT? NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WINK AT SIN,
I'M NOT SAYING THAT, BUT I'M SAYING THERE COMES A POINT WHERE
WE PRAY FOR PEOPLE. OKAY, THE BIBLE, WE READ IT LAST TIME. THE
BIBLE SAYS IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, YOU WHICH
ARE SPIRITUAL, RIGHT, RESTORE SUCH A ONE. SO THIS IS WHAT
JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT. SO REMEMBER WHERE GOD BROUGHT YOU
FROM, OKAY? REMEMBER AND REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS. IN OTHER
WORDS, BE HOW YOU WERE WHEN YOU STARTED OUT. YOU WERE A LITTLE
KINDER, AMEN, RIGHT? OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOU QUICKLY. IN
OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE, IF WE'RE GONNA FALL INTO THE
PHARISAICALISM OF CHRISTIANITY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A WORD,
BUT IT IS TODAY. IF WE'RE GONNA FALL INTO THE PHARISAICALISMS,
RIGHT? I WILL, WATCH THIS, I'LL REMOVE YOUR CANDLESTICK. WOO!
GOD, YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID TO GOD? I SAID, GOD, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT CANDLESTICK BEING REMOVED MEANS, BUT I DON'T WANT IT. I'M
SURE THERE'S A SCHOLARLY THING TO IT, BUT ALL I KNOW IS I DON'T
WANT MY CANDLESTICK TO BE REMOVED. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN
INTENSE WHATEVER IT IS. AND I'LL REMOVE IT OUT OF HIS PLACE,
EXCEPT YOU REPENT. BUT THIS YOU HAVE, YOU HATE THE DEEDS OF THE
NICOLAITANS, WHICH THAT WAS THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS WAS
PRETTY MUCH A DOCTRINE, IT WAS A TEACHING, WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THE CHURCH OF FALSE DOCTRINE, IT WAS A TEACHING THAT
SEXUAL PROMISCUITY WAS ACCEPTABLE IN CERTAIN CASES. THE
GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IN THIS MODERN CULTURE WOULD BE
HOMOSEXUALITY. SO NOW PEOPLE ARE SAYING, "WELL, IF YOU WERE
RAISED IN A HOUSE WITH TWO DADS OR TWO MOMS, THERE ARE ALL THESE
REASONS." YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THE PASTORS THAT ARE MARRYING
HOMOSEXUALS DIDN'T START OUT LIKE THAT. BUT THEY ALLOWED
CERTAIN DOCTRINES, CERTAIN TEACHINGS, CERTAIN IDEOLOGIES,
AND HE SAID, "THIS IS THE DOCTRINE." IT WAS A TEACHING AT
THAT TIME. SO WHEN HE SAID DOCTRINE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
POPULAR TEACHING IN THAT HOUR. YOU HATE THE DOCTRINE OF THE
NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE. HE THAT HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR
WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES, OR MAYBE ALL THE
CHURCHES LIKE THAT. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMES, I'LL GIVE TO HIM TO
EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE
OF GOD. SO THAT WAS THE FIRST CHURCH, THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHURCH AT
SMYRNA. THIS WAS THE PERSECUTED CHURCH. AND INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH, JESUS COMES TO THEM AS THE GIVER OF LIFE. TO THE ANGEL
OF THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA, VERSE 8, WRITE THESE THINGS, SAYS THE
FIRST AND THE LAST, WHICH WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE. HE COMES TO
THEM AS RESURRECTION. FOR I KNOW YOUR WORKS AND THE TRIBULATION,
THE POVERTY, AND YOUR POVERTY, BUT YET YOU ARE RICH. I KNOW THE
BLASPHEMY, THOSE THAT SAY THEY'RE JEWS, IN OTHER WORDS,
FAKES, PRETENDS, THOSE THAT COME IN A FALSE NARRATIVE AND ARE
NOT, BUT THEY ARE OF THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. FEAR NONE OF
THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WILL SUFFER. AND CAN I TELL YOU, I
FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BIG DEAL IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE PERSECUTION IS LARGELY SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US, I
MEAN, IN COMPARISON. NOW, I THINK THE CULTURE OF PERSECUTION
AGAINST THE CHURCH IS RISING, BUT THEY AREN'T LINING PEOPLE UP
OUT ON BEACHES AND BEHEADING THEM IN THIS COUNTRY. THIS IS A
REAL REALITY FACED BY OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OTHER
PLACES, RIGHT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED
TO THINK ABOUT THE TOPIC OF PERSECUTION AS CHRISTIANS, ALL
THEY THAT LIVE GODLY SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION, 2 TIMOTHY
3:12 SAYS THAT. SO, BUT FEAR NONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU
SHALL SUFFER, FOR BEHOLD, THE DEVIL SHALL CAST SOME OF YOU
INTO PRISON THAT YOU MIGHT BE TRIED AND SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION
10 DAYS, BUT BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU A
CROWN OF LIFE. NOW HE HAD NO REBUKE FOR THOSE PEOPLE, BUT THE
KEY WAS, IS THEY WERE WILLING TO SUFFER ADVERSITY AND NOT BE
AFRAID. NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF PASTORS, WE
KNEW THROUGH COVID AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED, IT
CAME AGAINST THE CHURCH BETWEEN 2020 AND 2025, A LOT OF PASTORS
COWERED OUT OF THAT. NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT NEXT TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT EVEN UNDER THIS, SOME
OF THEM DID IT, WELL, MAYBE THEY WERE AFRAID OF THEIR
CONGREGATIONS, BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA GET INTO THE
CONTROVERSY WHERE IT'S MESSY. 'CAUSE GUESS WHAT? IF YOU PUT
YOURSELF OUT THERE, THEY'LL LIE ABOUT YOU. RIGHT? I MEAN, WE
WOULD TELL PEOPLE THAT, WELL, MAN, PASTOR HANK'S NAME HAS BEEN
IN THE PAPER AND HE'S BEEN MADE FUN OF BY THE LIBERAL MEDIA AND
THE LEFT AND ALL OF THESE THINGS. AND YOU KNOW, OUR
PREACHER'S FRIEND ALWAYS TELL US, WHAT THEY ALWAYS TELL US,
THEY ALWAYS JUST SAY, "WELL, WELCOME TO THE CLUB AND CONSIDER
IT A BADGE OF HONOR." AND WE NEED TO THINK THAT WAY. THIS IS
HOW THIS CHURCH THOUGHT. THEY FELT LIKE MARTYRDOM WAS A BADGE
OF HONOR, RIGHT? THAT THEY WOULD BE KILLED FOR THE SAKE OF
CHRIST. SO THAT'S THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA AND JESUS HAD NO REBUKE
FOR THEM. I MEAN, HE'S NOT GOING TO REBUKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WILLING TO GO AND BE HANGED FOR THE NAME OF JESUS. SO THIS WAS
VERY, THAT WAS VERY POWERFUL. AND HE COMES TO THEM PRESENTING
THE POWER OF ETERNAL LIFE. I LOVE THAT SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GO TO THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT
TO KNOW. THIS WAS THE CHURCH, AND WE TOUCHED ON THIS LAST
WEEK, THAT WAS IN LOVE WITH THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. THE CHURCH
OF FLESHLY AND CARNAL LIVING. IN OTHER WORDS, AND JESUS COMES TO
THEM AS AN ARMED WARRIOR, ARMED WITH THE SWORD. REMEMBER HE HAD
HERE, WE'LL READ IT HERE IN A MINUTE, HE HAD THE SWORD IN HIS
MOUTH. NOW WE SEE CHURCHES LIKE THAT WHERE THEY'RE AS CARNAL AS
THE NEXT PEOPLE, RIGHT? YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW, IF YOU SAW
THEM OUTSIDE THE CHURCH PEW, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THE
PEOPLE THAT GO THERE ARE SAVED, RIGHT? I'VE SEEN A FEW CHURCHES
LIKE THAT. THERE'S JUST NOT A DEMAND FOR BEING ON FIRE OR ANY
KIND OF HOLINESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT THIS IS THE KIND
OF THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS JUSTIFY, YOU KNOW, IS IT
OKAY FOR A CHRISTIAN TO GO DO THIS OR DO THAT? IS IT, YOU
KNOW, IT'S CALLED THE OKAYING EVERYTHING. AND I'M NOT SAYING,
YOU KNOW, GOD EXPECTS US TO DRESS UP LIKE PILGRIMS AND, YOU
KNOW, YOU KNOW, NEVER WATCH TV AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S
WHERE YOU GET ON THE OTHER DITCH WHERE SOME GROUPS HAVE GOTTEN
INTO THE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE A LIGHT BULB OR IT'S A
SIN. THERE'S A RIGHT BALANCE THERE. I'M NOT SAYING GOD NEVER
WANTS YOU TO GO HAVE FUN OR DO ANYTHING OR, YOU KNOW, PAUL GOT
INTO THE TOPIC OF THE THINGS YOU EAT AND DRINK. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
BRING UP THE SUBJECT OF ALCOHOL. WELL, SHOULD A CHRISTIAN DRINK
OR NOT DRINK? YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO SOLVE ALL OF THAT,
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY, PAUL TALKED ABOUT ROMANS IN DETAIL IN ROMANS
14. HE SAID, "DON'T DO WHAT CAUSES A BROTHER TO STUMBLE."
OKAY, IF YOU THINK IT'S FINE TO GO OUT ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY AND
HAVE CHAMPAGNE, WELL, THERE'S SCRIPTURE THAT'LL SAY THAT'S
BETWEEN YOU AND THE LORD. OKAY, BUT DON'T TRY TO PREACH A
DOCTRINE ABOUT IT. AMEN. OKAY, PAUL WAS VERY CONCISE ABOUT
THESE TOPICS. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF IS CHRISTIANS
GET INTO, WELL, IS IT OKAY TO DO THIS? IS IT OKAY TO DO THAT? AND
IT ALWAYS TENDS TO SLIDE TO COMPROMISE. HAVE YOU EVER
NOTICED THAT? IT'S LIKE WE WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN ALLOW AND
IT STILL BE OKAY WITH GOD. AND THAT WAS WHAT THIS CHURCH WAS.
THEY JUST HAD A CARNAL BEND. NOW, LET ME TOUCH ON THAT. NOW
WE TALK ABOUT THE MOVIES, THE TV, EAT AND DRINK AND ALL OF
THESE THINGS, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT ANOTHER REALM OF
CARNALITY. THIS CHURCH WAS ALSO THE CHURCH THAT DIDN'T PUT THE
WORD FIRST. OKAY, BIBLE IS CHRISTIANS. NO TIME FOR THE WORD
OF GOD. CAN I TELL YOU HOW THEY GOT OFF? CAN I, AND LET ME JUST
BREAK IT DOWN THE BEST THAT I CAN. THE WAY FOR US TO STAY
STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW WITH THE LORD AND BALANCE THE RIGHT, THE
WRONG, WHAT'S GOOD, WHAT WE SHOULDN'T DO, WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
CAN I TELL YOU THE BEST WAY TO BALANCE THAT IS BE IN YOUR
BIBLE. PUT SOME BIBLE IN YOU EVERY DAY. IT WILL GUIDE YOU IN
THE RIGHT THING. RATHER THAN GET INTO THESE DISCUSSIONS, WHICH
THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH, BLESSED BE THE INTERNET. SOCIAL
MEDIA IS FILLED WITH THESE THINGS, OF COMMENTS, OF
EVERYBODY'S OPINION ON WHAT'S GOOD FOR CHRISTIANS, AND WHAT'S
NOT GOOD, AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, AND WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO.
AND THERE'S SOME CLARITIES IN SCRIPTURE. BUT THE KEY IS, IS WE
GOTTA FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE. THE ONLY WAY WE FIND IT IS BEING
IN THE BIBLE OURSELVES. WE'VE GOTTA GET IN THE WORD. BECAUSE
I'VE COME TO FIND OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORD WILL RESTRAIN
YOU. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE WHERE YOU THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT SOMETHING, ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING IN YOU'S LIKE, NAH. I
DON'T KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE GOD IS TELLING YOU, STOP TALKING. AND
YOU TRY TO SOLVE IT IN YOUR FLESH AND GET INTO THESE, IT'S
HOW WE GET INTO THESE DEBATES AND THESE ARGUMENTS AND THESE
THINGS. BUT THE KEY IS, JESUS COMES TO THIS CHURCH, HE'S LIKE,
STOP OKAYING EVERYTHING. STOP MAKING LICENSE FOR LOOSE LIVING.
BUT PART OF THE CARNALITY STARTS WITH, IS WE DON'T SPEND TIME IN
THE BIBLE. CAN I TELL YOU, IF WE WOULD, AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN
ENCOURAGEMENT. IF YOU'RE NEW AND MAYBE THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT'S
WATCHING ME AND YOU'RE NEW TO THE THINGS OF GOD, JUST READ,
AND THIS IS WHAT I TELL, I WROTE THE LITTLE BOOK THAT PASTOR MATT
ENCOURAGED ME TO WRITE, IT WAS A LITTLE BOOK ON BIBLE BASICS.
ANYBODY READ THAT YET? IT'S JUST MEANT TO BE A LITTLE GUIDE FOR
BEGINNERS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IF GAME CHANGERS OR WHOEVER, OR YOU
GO OUT ON THE STREET AND SOMEBODY SAYS THEY DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIBLE, IT'S JUST TO GIVE THEM JUST KIND OF
A LITTLE TEACH, A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, POKE ON, BOOP, YOU KNOW,
JUST HOW TO GET GOING, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I WROTE IN THE BOOK IS, AND I'M A FAN OF THIS, AND THIS IS
JUST ME. I'M A FAN OF, 'CAUSE WE FEEL LIKE AS CHRISTIANS,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN SAVED FOR A LONG TIME, THAT WE NEED TO
STUDY EIGHT HOURS A DAY. I KNEW A PREACHER GUY ONE TIME, "OH, I
SPEND EIGHT HOURS IN THE WORD." I'M LIKE, "WELL, YAY YOU."
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
YOU KNOW, I JUST GOTTA GET MY WORD TIME IN BEFORE THE PHONE
CALLS START AND THE EMAILS BEGIN, RIGHT? SO, OH MAN, AND
EVERYBODY ON THE STAFF KNOWS, AND PASTOR BRENDA CALLS, IT'S
THE RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL THAT I DIDN'T WANNA WRITE. ISN'T THAT
TRUE, BOB? I MEAN, I'M LIKE, "OH, I CAN'T, "I DON'T WANNA
WRITE ALL THAT. "I'M JUST GONNA CALL SOMEBODY." BUT THE POINT
BEING IS, SO I'M A FAN, JUST GET A FEW MINUTES IN. SPEND A FEW
MINUTES. OKAY, IF YOU'VE GOT A SHORT ATTENTION SPAN, THEN OPEN
THE BIBLE, READ THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. YOU KNOW THERE'S 31 OF
'EM. YOU COULD READ ONE A DAY AND FINISH THE WHOLE BOOK OF
PROVERBS IN A MONTH. BUT IF YOU CAN'T EVEN READ THEM, GO HALF. I
WOULD RATHER SOMEBODY READ A FEW VERSES, HIGHLIGHT THEM, DIGEST
THEM, OKAY, ABSORB WHAT IT SAYS, THINK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA
APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE, THEN FILL A QUOTA. AMEN. 'CAUSE WE DON'T
WANNA JUST BE HEARERS, RIGHT? SO YOU KNOW, I GET MY BIBLE AND YOU
KNOW, AT COFFEE TIME, OR YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY I'VE DONE IT
ON THE APP, BUT I REALLY LIKE TO OPEN MY REAL BOOK. WE SPEND SO
MUCH TIME ON THESE DEVICES, THEY DON'T ALWAYS MEAN ANYTHING. YOU
KNOW, NOW SOMETIMES PASTORS PREACHING, I TRY TO NOT BE
DINKERING WITH MY PHONE. I WILL CHECK THE STREAMING AND THINGS
LIKE THAT WHILE HE'S PREACHING. BUT SOMETIMES HE SAYS SOMETHING
GOOD. I GOT A STRONG'S ON THERE AND I LIKE TO OPEN THE STRONG'S
AND PULL OUT A WORD. ANYBODY ELSE DO THAT? AND I'M LIKE,
YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. OR SEE IT IN ANOTHER TRANSLATION. I THINK
THAT'S WONDERFUL. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. BUT I DO
LIKE, I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE BOOK. AND JUST A FEW
MINUTES, HIGHLIGHT IT, READ IT, DIGEST IT, AMEN? AMEN, AND MAKE
IT REAL TO YOU. MAKE IT A PART, BE A DOER OF IT. NOW THIS IS
WHERE THIS CHURCH GOT CARNAL. THEY WEREN'T PRIORITIZING
PRAYER. THEY DIDN'T DENY GOD. LISTEN, IN FACT, LET'S JUST READ
ABOUT 'EM FOR A COUPLE MINUTES. THIS IS THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS.
TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS WRITE, THESE THINGS SAY
OF HE THAT HAS A SHARP SWORD. SO JESUS, 'CAUSE THEY FORGOT THE
WORD, HE COMES TO 'EM AS THE WORD. RIGHT? I KNOW YOUR WORKS
AND WHERE YOU DWELL, EVEN WHERE SATAN'S SEAT IS. IN OTHER WORDS,
YOU ARE RIGHT IN THE HEAT OF WRONG CULTURE. YOU LIVE RIGHT
DOWN THERE WHERE THE LIBERAL LEFTIST, EVERY EVIL DOCTRINAL
THOUGHT IS. YOU ARE DOWN THERE AND YOU HAVE HELD FAST AND NOT
DENIED MY FAITH. EVEN IN THOSE DAYS WHERE ANTIPAS WAS MY
FAITHFUL MARTYR, WHO WAS SLAIN AMONG YOU WHERE SATAN DWELLS.
BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU BECAUSE YOU HOLD THE
DOCTRINE. IN OTHER WORDS, NOW HERE HE BRINGS UP THE DOCTRINE
OF BALAAM. IT WAS SIMILAR TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS. IT
WAS A DOCTRINE THAT ALSO ALLOWED CERTAIN PROMISCUITIES IN THE
CHURCH. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WERE
OKAY. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW WHEN FALSE DOCTRINE COMES,
THERE'S ALWAYS SEXUAL DEVIANCE TO IT? EVERY SINGLE TIME. AND
THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXCUSING OF IT. YOU KNOW, WELL, IT'S OKAY TO
DIVORCE YOUR SPOUSE AND GO MARRY SOMEBODY ELSE BECAUSE THERE'S
ALWAYS A GOOD REASON. AND THIS IS THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM. IT
SAID, "HE TAUGHT MY SERVANTS," RIGHT? "TO CAST A STUMBLING
BLOCK BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL." IN OTHER WORDS, TO
RESIST RIGHTEOUSNESS, "EAT THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS. "SO
THOU ALSO HAS THOSE THAT HOLD THE DOCTRINE AGAIN "OF THE
NICOLAITANS." JESUS KEEPS BRINGING UP THAT DOCTRINE. HE'S
VERY MAD ABOUT IT. HE SAID, "WHICH THING I HATE." YOU KNOW,
WHEN GOD SAID HE HATES SOMETHING, WE BETTER HATE IT
TOO, RIGHT? SEXUAL PURITY NEEDS TO BE A KEY THING IN THE KINGDOM
OF GOD. HE SAID, "REPENT, OR I'LL COME TO THEE QUICKLY "AND
FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH." WELL, WHAT
WAS HE DOING? HE WAS COUNTERING THEIR COMPROMISE WITH THE WORD.
SO THEIR FAULTS WERE THAT THEY ALLOWED THE TEACHING THAT
THERE'S CERTAIN LUSTFUL THINGS AND IMMORAL THINGS WERE
ACCEPTABLE. SO, YOU KNOW, IN FACT, DO THIS RIGHT NOW. SAY,
"FATHER, I THANK YOU." TOUCH YOURSELF. SAY, "FATHER, I THANK
YOU THAT I WON'T BE A COMPROMISED CHRISTIAN. HELP ME
FIND THE RIGHT TRUTH AND THE RIGHT BALANCE ACCORDING TO YOUR
WORD. NOT MAN'S OPINION, NOT WHAT PEOPLE THINK THE WORD SAYS,
BUT HELP ME BE ALIGNED WITH YOUR WORD IN THIS HOUR." AMEN AND
AMEN. PRAISE THE LORD. ALL RIGHT. SO THEY WERE ALWAYS
EXCUSING THINGS. SO HE SAID, "YOU DON'T WANT TO FALL IN THE
CROSSHAIRS OF JESUS WHEN HE COMES AND DECLARES WAR ON
WICKEDNESS." THIS CHURCH WAS DEVOID OF GOD'S WORD. AND SO THE
WAY TO FIX IT AND NOT BE THOSE PEOPLE, I WOULDN'T GO TO A
CHURCH IF THE PASTOR WASN'T OPENING THE SCRIPTURE AND
SHOWING ME THE WAY OF THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD. I MEAN, I LOVE
WATCHING PASTOR ON SUNDAY. HE CAN TAKE LIKE SCRIPTURES FROM
GENESIS ALL THE WAY TO REVELATION, STRING IT ALL
TOGETHER AND MAKE A SERMON OUT OF IT. I'M LIKE, "HOW DO YOU DO
THAT?" I'M LIKE, AND HE'LL COME UP WITH IT SUNDAY. HE DIDN'T
PLAN ANYTHING HE WAS SAYING. HE JUST DID ALL OF THAT OUT OF HIS
SPIRIT. AND I'M LIKE, "THAT WAS GREAT." I MEAN, I'M JUST, IT
NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME. BUT IT WAS INCREDIBLE BECAUSE HE KNEW
THE WORD. AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THE WORD.
LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR, SAY, "YOU BETTER KNOW THE WORD IN THIS
HOUR." AMEN. AMEN. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN TELL YOURSELF, "YOU
BETTER KNOW THE WORD." AMEN. AMEN. ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S LOOK
AT THE NEXT CHURCH. THIS IS THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA, AND I'M
GONNA SEE HOW MUCH I GET THROUGH HERE, AND THEN WE'LL PICK UP
THE, I THINK WE'LL GET TWO MORE IN, AND THEN WE'LL PICK UP THE
NEXT. SO THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA, THIS WAS A CHURCH OF FALSE
DOCTRINE. SOMEBODY SAY FALSE DOCTRINE. NOW WE FIND HERE THAT
JESUS COMES TO THEM AS THE REFINER'S FIRE. IN OTHER WORDS,
HE WAS THE ONE THAT HE CAME TO ADDRESS FALSE MIXTURES, RIGHT?
SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE CHURCH OF FALSE DOCTRINE BECAUSE
THEY'RE OUT THERE. HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD SAY YOU'VE SEEN SOME
EMPHASIS EXPRESSION IN CHURCHES? OKAY, STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW ON
TARGET. I FEEL LIKE THIS CHURCH, WE'RE ONE OF THOSE. NOW WE GOTTA
BE CAREFUL. WE GOTTA BALANCE IT WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OR WITH
TRUTH. WE GOTTA BALANCE IT WITH THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE LOVE OF
CHRIST, RIGHT? SO THAT'S IMPORTANT. NOW, I WILL SAY THAT
NONE OF THAT REALLY, WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THAT WAS CALLING
OUT WICKED ISSUES IN CULTURE. IT WAS TALKING ABOUT ESPECIALLY IN
HERE TARGETING OUR BROTHER AND SISTER. I THINK I ESTABLISHED
THAT LAST WEEK. SO WE SEE THAT KIND OF CHURCH. HOW MANY OF YOU
WOULD SAY YOU'VE SEEN THE PERSECUTED CHURCH? I MEAN THE
HEARTBREAKING STORIES THAT COME ACROSS THE INTERNET, RIGHT, OF
CHRISTIANS BEING BEHEADED AND PERSECUTED, BUT WE'VE SEEN THAT.
WE'VE SEEN CHURCHES GET PERSECUTED UNFAIRLY, EVEN IN OUR
OWN NATION, RIGHT, WHERE THEY CAME AGAINST THE CHURCH FOR SOME
TRIVIAL THING, AND THE WHOLE CHURCH WAS NOW IN A LAWSUIT JUST
OVER SOMETHING STUPID. OKAY, SO WE'VE SEEN THAT. HOW MANY OF YOU
WOULD SAY YOU'VE SEEN THAT TYPE OF CHURCH? HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD
SAY YOU'VE SEEN A PERGAMOS TYPE CHURCH OR PERGAMOS TYPE
CHRISTIAN WHERE EVERYTHING WAS LOOSE? EVERYTHING WAS GRAY, GRAY
AREAS ALL THE TIME. NEVER ANY TRUTH, NEVER ANY FOCUS, AND
THERE WAS CANALITY THAT JUST REALLY REIGNED IN THAT CHURCH
AND A LOT OF TIMES, AND TRULY THAT ALL BEGINS TYPICALLY WITH
THE PASTOR. IF THE PASTOR'S CARNAL, THEN THE PEOPLE BE
CARNAL. I HEARD A STORY OF A PASTOR, I'LL JUST TELL THIS REAL
QUICKLY, WHO SAID THAT THIS PASTOR'S SON AND DAUGHTER WENT
OUT WITH A PASTOR AND HIS WIFE OF A CHURCH AND THAT CHURCH IS
UP AND COMING, IT'S BLOWING AND GOING AND SAID THAT THAT PASTOR
AND HIS WIFE HAD CONSTANT STRIFE WHEN THEY WERE TOGETHER. NOW HOW
MANY OF YOU EVER BEEN OUT WITH ANOTHER COUPLE AND I REMEMBER WE
HAD THIS HAPPEN ONE TIME, THIS OTHER COUPLE WAS JUST ARGUING
ALL THE TIME. IT'S VERY AWKWARD AND YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE
LIKE, HEY, HEY, HEY, WHILE THEY'RE LIKE SPARRING AT EACH
OTHER AND YOU'RE SITTING ON THEIR COUCH. YEAH, THIS IS
GREAT. AND, BUT THIS GOT REAL BAD AND THEY WERE ARGUING, LIKE
REALLY ARGUING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A
FUN NIGHT OUT AND THEY WENT OVER TO THEIR HOUSE AND THEY'RE
SITTING THERE AND THEY SAID THEY GOT UP AND SHE RAN IN THE OTHER
ROOM AND SLAMMED THE DOOR. THEY'RE LIKE, WOW. AND THE
PASTOR WAS CURSING AT HER USING PROFANITY. NOW, NOBODY KNEW
THAT, RIGHT? BUT IF THE PASTOR HAS A CARNAL BEND, RIGHT, THAT
COMES IN AND OUT UPON THE PEOPLE. SO WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN UP
OUR LIVES, LIVE OUR LIVES RIGHTEOUSLY, OKAY? THE BIBLE
TALKS ABOUT THOSE THINGS, AND WE'VE GOT TO, AND IF, YOU KNOW,
AND I'M NOT SAYING, I'M NOT, I'M DEFINITELY NOT TRYING TO SAY,
WELL, YOU BETTER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. BUT WHAT
WE ARE SAYING IS, LOOK AT OUR LIVES. ARE WE LIVING HOLY? ARE
WE LIVING RIGHT ACCORDING TO GOD? OR ARE WE CARNAL? AND SO A
LOT OF IT STARTS WITH THE WORD AND PRAYER. SO THAT'S PERGAMOS,
SO WE GOT THAT. SO HOW MANY OF YOU SAY YOU'VE SEEN SOME
PERGAMOS EXPRESSIONS IN THE CHURCH? AND WE'RE SEEING MORE OF
THOSE NOW THAN WE EVER HAVE. OKAY, TRUTH HAS BECOME RELATIVE
IN A LOT OF PULPITS. YOU KNOW, IT'S WHATEVER YOU WANT THE TRUTH
TO BE. I WOULD SAY THE HE GETS US MOVEMENT A LOT OF TIMES HAS
THE CARNAL BEND. IN OTHER WORDS, YEAH, YOU COULD BE LAYING IN A
GUTTER SOMEWHERE AND ON DRUGS, YEAH, GOD GETS YOU, HE LOVES
YOU, BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT MAKING A SPACE FOR THAT, RIGHT? ARE YOU
TRACKING WITH ME? SO, ARE YOU GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THIS?
THIS IS GOING, OKAY, GOOD. SO HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD SAY YOU'VE
SEEN THOSE KINDS OF CHURCHES, THE PERGAMOS EXPRESSION OF
CHURCH? SO THAT A LOT OF TIMES, THAT REALLY BEGINS WITH THE
LEADERSHIP IN THE MINISTRY, THAT THEY WALK RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW
WHAT MY PRAYER IS, AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, WE HEAR SO MUCH
ABOUT CHURCH SCANDALS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT HAPPEN. MY
PRAYER IS THAT THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO RISE TO THE TOP ARE THE
PASTORS, THE LEADERS, THE CHURCHES, THE EVANGELISTS, THE
PROPHETS, THE APOSTLES OF INTEGRITY, THAT THE WORLD WILL
SEE THERE ARE MORE, AND I'M GONNA PROPHESY IT, THERE ARE
MORE LEADERS OF INTEGRITY THAN THERE ARE THOSE THAT COMPROMISE.
HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, I BELIEVE IT, I BELIEVE IT. ALL
RIGHT, SO CHURCH OF THYATIRA, THIS IS THE CHURCH OF FALSE
DOCTRINE, AND WE'LL SEE HERE HOW JESUS COMES TO REFINE THEM AND
REMOVE FALSE MIXTURES. NOW, HERE'S WHAT FALSE MIXTURES IS. I
HEARD OUR DEAR MOTHER IN THE LORD, MARILYN HICKEY, TALK ABOUT
A GREAT MINISTER WHO WAS WELL-KNOWN IN THE PROPHETIC, BUT
HE CROSSED OVER INTO PSYCHIC-TYPE THINGS, AND WHERE
IT GOT TO BE FALSE. HE WASN'T JUST TRYING TO HEAR FROM GOD. HE
BEGAN TO CROSS OVER INTO HEARING IN THE SPIRIT. ONE GOOD EXAMPLE
OF FALSE MIXTURES IS SOMETHING WE'RE SEEING GOING ON RIGHT NOW
WHERE PEOPLE ARE TAKING SPIRITISM AND MIXING IT WITH
CHRISTIANITY. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THAT MOVEMENT?
WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET INTO TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION AND
DOING YOGA AND ALL OF THESE POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS AND THEN
TRY TO MIX GOD INTO IT. OKAY, GOD HATES WITCHCRAFT. THERE'S A
WHOLE MOVEMENT OUT THERE NOW TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU
CAN BE A WHITE WITCH. WELL, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A WHITE
WITCH. OKAY, THERE'S WITCHES. BUT YOU CAN BE A GOOD WITCH AND
BE A CHRISTIAN. OKAY, THAT'S REAL RIGHT NOW. THAT'S REAL,
THAT'S OUT THERE. OKAY, THEY HAVE WHOLE MOVEMENTS, WITCH
COVENS, THAT ARE CALLED CHRISTIAN WITCHES. OKAY, NOW
THAT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT
BELIEVE YOU CAN BE SAVED AND BE GAY, EVEN THOUGH THE BIBLE CALLS
IT AN ABOMINATION. SO MARILYN HICKEY, OUR FRIEND, SAID THIS
MINISTER OF HERS, SHE SAID WHENEVER THEY START GETTING INTO
FALSE MIXTURES, I'M GONNA TAP ON SOMETHING THAT I WANNA BE VERY
CAREFUL, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CALL OUT ANY GROUP, SO IF YOU
KNOW OF A GROUP THAT YOU'VE SEEN THIS OR BEEN A PART OF, I'M NOT
HERE TO CALL IT OUT OR NAME ANY ONE PERSON, ARE YOU TRACKING
WITH ME? BUT WE SEE A LOT OF THESE MANIFESTATIONS OF WHAT WE
CALL SUPERNATURAL SIGNS THAT JESUS DIDN'T TEACH. I LOVE WHAT
RICHARD ROBERTS SAID ONE TIME. HE SAID, "IF IT'S NOT IN THE
WORD," RIGHT? OKAY, GOD PUTS CERTAIN THINGS IN THERE. SO I'LL
JUST SAY THIS, HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES. OKAY, I'M JUST GONNA
GO FOR IT. JEWELS APPEARING IN THE CHURCH. OKAY, SUPERNATURAL
MONEY COMING INTO PEOPLE'S WALLETS. YOU KNOW, GOD WILL
BLESS YOU, BUT HE SAID HE DOES IT THROUGH THE HANDS OF MEN.
OKAY, THAT'S IN THE BIBLE. OKAY, I DON'T SEE, EXCEPT FOR THE COIN
IN THE FISH'S MOUTH, I DON'T SEE ANY EXAMPLE IN SCRIPTURE WHERE
MONEY JUST APPEARED, OKAY, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. NOW, THE COIN
IN THE FISH'S MOUTH, THERE'S A COUPLE MIRACLES THAT JESUS
PERFORMED THAT WERE UNIQUE TO HIS DEITY. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. OKAY, THE COIN
IN THE FISH'S MOUTH, WE DON'T GO OUT AND MAKE CARDS AND SAY, I
HAVE A COIN APPEARING MINISTRY. I WAS IN ONE CHURCH ONE TIME
WHERE THEY WERE DOING SUPERNATURAL WEIGHT LOSS. I
THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE I WANT THAT ONE, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WE'D
ALL LIKE THAT, AND CHUCK OUR TREADMILLS IN THE DUMPSTER OR
WHATEVER, BUT IT WAS THE SUPERNATURAL WEIGHT LOSS, AND
THEY'D GET PEOPLE TO LITERALLY COME ON THE STAGE AND GO, HERE'S
THIS GUY COMES UP HERE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HIS PANTS ARE TOO
BIG, AND ALL OF THIS KIND OF THING. AND SO ANOTHER ONE THAT'S
OIL ALWAYS APPEARING ON PEOPLE, AND SOME OF THESE THINGS. AND BY
THE WAY, JUST SO YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THINGS, THE GOLD DUST
MOVEMENTS, WERE DEVELOPED IN NEW AGE IN LATIN AMERICA. SO A LOT
OF THESE NEW AGE MOVEMENTS DO THAT. SO BE VERY CAREFUL. AND
I'M NOT TRYING TO DASH ALL THESE THINGS, BUT I'M VERY WARY WHEN
SOME OF THESE FALSE MIXTURES GET IN THE CHURCH. JESUS TAUGHT VERY
PRECISELY THAT THE MIRACLES THAT THE EARLY APOSTLES WERE TO
PERFORM WERE TO HEAL THE SICK, CAST OUT DEVILS, AND RAISE THE
DEAD. HE NEVER SAID THAT YOU'RE TO GO OUT AND HAVE MINISTRIES OF
GOLD DUST, OKAY? MINISTRY OF JEWELS APPEARING. HE NEVER
TAUGHT THEM. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE COMMISSIONED THEM TO DO. WE
DON'T EVEN SEE IT IN THE WORD, RIGHT? NOW, CAN AN ANGEL APPEAR?
OF COURSE. OKAY, I KNEW ONE GUY, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE TRUTH. WE
WERE AT A PARTICULAR PLACE ONE TIME DOING A MEETING, AND WE MET
THIS MINISTER THERE, AND HE COMES UP TO US, TO PASTOR AND
MYSELF, AND WE WERE AT A DINNER TABLE WITH A BUNCH
OF MINISTERS, AND HE SAID, "I HAVE THE MINISTRY OF
TRANSPORTATION." I'M LIKE, "WHAT, YOU A BUS DRIVER?"
(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)
WHAT IS THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, WHAT IS THAT? AND HE
SAID, "I TRANSPORT." I'M LIKE, "YOU TRANSPORT WHAT?" HE GOES,
"I TRANSPORT." LIKE, YOU KNOW, TELEPORT FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
AND HE HAD IT ON HIS CARD, ON HIS BUSINESS CARD. AND I'M
THINKING, "YOU MEAN LIKE PHILIP IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?" LIKE,
YOU KNOW, AND HE SAID, "YEAH, LIKE PHILIP." LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW
THE BIBLE. YOU KNOW, PHILIP WAS IN ONE PLACE. HOW MANY OF YOU
KNOW THE STORY AND MOVED TO OKAY, BUT THAT WAS ONE INSTANT,
FOLKS. OKAY? THERE IS NOT ONE PLACE WHERE YOU SEE PHILIP
TRANSPORTING AFTER THAT. SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. SO MARILYN
HICKEY SAID THIS TO US. SHE SAID, "BE CAREFUL OF THE FALSE
MIXTURES." PEOPLE THAT START OUT RIGHT, OKAY, AND YET THEY GET SO
FAR OFF, THEY GO INTO THE FALSE. NOW LET ME READ A COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK THIS WILL BRING CLARITY TO WHAT I'M SAYING. SORRY IF I'M
DASHING YOUR GOLD DUST EXCITEMENT, BUT I'M NOT TRYING
TO DO THAT. I JUST, I WANNA BE STRAIGHT WITH WHAT GOD, I WANT
THE REAL SUPERNATURAL. I DON'T WANT THE COMPROMISED, OR I DON'T
WANNA GIVE ANY PLACE TO THE DEMONIC. OKAY, SO UNDER THE
ANGEL OF THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA, WRITE, "THESE THINGS SAY OF THE
SON OF GOD "WHO HAS HIS EYES UNTO A FLAME OF FIRE AND HIS
FEET ARE LIKE FINE BRASS." OKAY, SO HE COMES AS THE REFINER,
RIGHT? COMES TO PURIFY THE VESSELS, OKAY? GET THE DROSS
OUT, GET THE IMPURITIES, GET THE FALSE OUT. FOR, YOU KNOW, IT'S
LIKE YOU PAN FOR GOLD. I MEAN, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PEOPLE DO
THAT? THEY GET THE ROCKS AND THE JUNK OUT. THAT'S WHAT HE'S
TALKING ABOUT. "I KNOW YOUR WORKS." YOU'RE A CHURCH OF LOVE,
YOU SERVE. COME ON, AGAIN, THEY WERE HARDWORKING. OKAY, THEY
WERE COMMITTED, THEY WERE IN CHURCH EVERY DAY. THEY WORKED
THE CHURCH. I KNOW YOUR ENDURANCE, YOUR WORKS. AND EVEN,
HE SAYS THIS PART, THE LAST TO BE EVEN MORE THAN THE FIRST. IN
OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE WORKING HARDER NOW THAN YOU WORKED FIVE
YEARS AGO. YOU'RE VERY COMMITTED. HE SAID, "BUT
NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE A FEW THINGS." I'M LIKE, FEW THINGS,
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, GOD GOT A LIST. "I HAVE A FEW THINGS
AGAINST YOU "BECAUSE YOU ALLOW THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL." NOW WE KNOW
JEZEBEL, THE PERSON, BEEN DEAD FOR CENTURIES, RIGHT, BY THIS
POINT. HE SAID, SO HE'S TALKING ABOUT A DEMONIC BEHIND IT THAT
CALLS HERSELF A PROPHETESS. IN OTHER WORDS, SHE HAS THE LABEL
OF HOLY GHOST. SHE HAS THE LABEL OF AUTHORITY, A PROPHETESS. YOU
KNOW, A PERSON THAT'S A PROPHET OR A PROPHETESS IS USUALLY IN A
PLACE OF LEADERSHIP, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY WE DON'T TEACH AT
LORD OF HOSTS THAT PEOPLE CAN JUST RUN AROUND AND LABEL
THEMSELVES PROPHETS AND GO UP TO THEIR FELLOW BELIEVERS AND SAY,
"I'M A PROPHET." NO, PROPHETS, JESUS GAVE, I DON'T WANT TO GET
OFF ON THAT, BUT JESUS GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN, EPHESIANS 4. HE
SAID HE GAVE APOSTLES, SOME APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS,
PASTORS, AND TEACHERS FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS TO THE
WORK OF THE MINISTRY TO EDIFY THE BODY OF CHRIST. THOSE GIFT,
GRACE GIFTINGS WERE PUT THERE FOR LEADERSHIP AUTHORITY TO
TEACH THE CHURCH, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN LABEL
THEMSELVES SOMETHING. I ALWAYS THINK OF HOW PEOPLE LIKE TO GO
AROUND THE CHURCH, SAY I'M A PROPHET, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW,
DON'T WALK AROUND AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M A PASTOR, 'CAUSE THAT
NEVER FLIES IN THE CHURCH. WELL, YOU'RE A PASTOR OF WHAT? SO, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE WILL QUESTION THAT. BUT HERE'S THE POINT. HE SAID,
SO SHE CALLS HERSELF A PROPHETESS. SHE CLAIMS TO BE ONE
THAT'S IN A PLACE OF AUTHORITY, RIGHT? TO TEACH AND TO SEDUCE MY
SERVANTS TO COMMIT FORNICATION. IN OTHER WORDS, AND AGAIN, THE
SEXUAL IMMORALITY ISSUE ALWAYS SEEMS TO COME UP WHERE THERE'S
THESE COMPROMISES. BUT TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS. IN
OTHER WORDS, SHE WAS TEACHING THEM FALSE DOCTRINE, FALSE
MIXTURES. IT HAS ALL THE MARKS, WATCH THIS, I PUT IN MY NOTES.
ALL THE MARKS OF BEING TRUE BELIEVERS, THEY WERE
HARDWORKING, THEY WORKED HARDER NOW THAN THEY EVER HAD, OKAY?
AND THEY WERE NOTED FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, BUT THEY
ALLOWED THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL. NOW THIS IS NOT A LITERAL JEZEBEL,
BUT IT IS THE SPIRIT OF FALSE TEACHING, FALSE MIXING. YOU
CAN'T MIX CHRISTIANITY WITH WITCHCRAFT, OKAY? OR NEW AGE,
OKAY? AND I'M ALWAYS VERY CAREFUL. IT SAYS THEY GAVE
ALLOWANCE FOR THE TYPES OF TEACHING THAT ENCOURAGED IMMORAL
BEHAVIOR WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. NOW HERE'S SOME OTHER EXAMPLES.
AND I DIDN'T BRING MY BIBLE CASE OUT HERE. IT'S BACK IN MY
OFFICE. BUT I ALWAYS KEEP IN THE CASE OF MY BIBLE A LITTLE SHEET
OF PAPER THAT SAYS THE UNCHANGEABLE TENETS OF THE
FAITH. A LOT OF CHURCHES, NOT ALL, BUT A LOT OF CHURCHES HAVE
GONE AWAY FROM PUTTING THOSE ON THEIR WEBSITES. THEY'RE
AMBIGUOUS ABOUT HELL, RIGHT? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
THESE TRENDY TENETS OUT THERE NOW. WE BELIEVE IN GOD, NUMBER
TWO. WELL, WHAT DO YOU, OKAY, THE DEVIL BELIEVES IN GOD.
EXPOUND, PLEASE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD.
OKAY. THEY, A LOT OF THEM SKIPPED OVER THE HELL PART. I
DID YEARS AGO, I DID A STUDY, THIS WAS WHEN THE INTERNET WAS
STILL PRETTY NEW, PROBABLY BACK IN THE EARLY 2000S AND CHURCHES
WERE PUTTING OUT THEIR TENETS OF FAITH. AND I DID A LITTLE
RESEARCH OF CHURCHES AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, AND I NOTICED
A LOT OF THEM LEFT OUT THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL DAMNATION.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT. IT SOUNDS MESSY. SOME CHURCHES HAVE
GOTTEN TO WHERE THEY DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS
'CAUSE THAT'S GRUESOME. OKAY, WELL, THE CRUCIFIXION, FOLKS,
WAS GRUESOME. OKAY, JESUS WAS MARRED MORE THAN ANY MAN. IT'S
THE REALITY OF IT. SO I DID A LITTLE LOOK-SEE AND I THOUGHT,
WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF CHURCHES OUT THERE THAT HAVE,
THEY DON'T WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHERE THEY STAND. SO I KEEP THE
UNCHANGEABLE TENETS OF FAITH IN MY BIBLE. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE,
THAT WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,
RIGHT? THE GOD IN THREE PERSONS, YOU OUGHT TO KNOW SCRIPTURES
ABOUT WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THREE IN ONE, THE TRINITY, 1 JOHN 5:7,
THERE'S THREE IN ONE, THE SPIRIT, THE WATER, THE BLOOD.
AND WE SHOULD KNOW THOSE THINGS. WE SHOULD KNOW THE DOCTRINE OF
HELL. WE SHOULD KNOW THE DOCTRINE OF THE INSPIRED WORD OF
GOD. WE SHOULD KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE, COME ON
SOMEBODY, FROM THE WORD. OKAY, WE CAN DISAGREE ON SMALL THINGS.
WE CAN DISAGREE ON IF YOU SHOULD GO TO CHURCH ON SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY. WE CAN DISAGREE IF YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY IN THE
NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST ON A BAPTISM.
JUST DUNK 'EM IN THERE, LET 'EM CONFESS THEIR
SINS. WE GET HUNG UP OVER THESE LITTLE THINGS AND WE MISS THE
BIG BOAT. SO THIS, OH MY GOODNESS, IT'S AMAZING. THAT'S
WHY JESUS HAD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU STRAIN IT AND OUT AND YOU'LL
SWALLOW A WHOLE CAMEL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A CAMEL LOOKS LIKE
INSIDE SOMEBODY, BUT I DON'T WANT THOSE HUMPS ON MY BACK.
RIGHT? I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON. I'M LIKE, LORD, HELP ME
TO, MAJOR ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT. SO THESE WERE FALSE DOCTRINES.
SO SOME OF THE FALSE DOCTRINES THAT WE, AND THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO
CIRCLE. SO THE SPIRITISM, THE WITCHCRAFT MIXED WITH CHURCHES,
BEING A CHRISTIAN WITCH WAS NEW TO ME. I MEAN, THAT'S A SHOCKER.
BUT THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE SHOCKED. HOW MANY CHRISTIANS
DRESS UP FOR HALLOWEEN AND GO AROUND? AND BY THE WAY, I WAS
TELLING SOMEBODY NOT TOO LONG AGO, IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR
OFFICERS HERE ABOUT, AND WE WERE HAVING A VERY AGREEABLE,
WONDERFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE COPS ARE ON THE
STREET, OKAY, AND THEY KNOW THE THINGS THAT GO ON OUT THERE, AND
HALLOWEEN IS NO JOKE. BUT A LOT OF THE TRADITIONS THAT WE CALL,
YOU KNOW, DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHY THEY CALL IT, I CAN
SAY THIS NOW, 'CAUSE HALLOWEEN'S DONE. I'M NOT TRYING TO STOP
NOBODY, BUT I AM TRYING TO HELP YOU THINK TRUTH, OKAY, FALSE
DOCTRINES. THE REASON LORD OF HOSTS IS NEVER GONNA DO A
HARVEST PARTY AS AN ALTERNATIVE IS I DON'T WANT A FALSE MIXTURE.
TRICK, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT TRICK OR TREAT? ANYBODY
EVER PAUSE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS? OKAY, IN OTHER
WORDS, THEY COULD PLAY A DEMONIC TRICK, THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD
DO, OKAY? IT WAS A SCARE TRICK OR GIVE A TREAT. YOU DIDN'T KNOW
WHICH ONE WAS COMING. THE WHOLE TRADITION OF BOBBING FOR APPLES
WAS BUILT UNDER DEMONIC, OKAY? ABUSE. SO THERE IS A WHOLE SIDE
TO THAT. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE
DON'T MIX THINGS IN THE CHURCH. SO THE SPIRITISM, CHRISTIAN
WITCHCRAFT, RIGHT? ALWAYS SOME HOT NEW TEACHING. THIS IS A BIG
THING. I'M ALWAYS WARY OF THAT. ANYTHING THAT JUST SUDDENLY HAS
JUST RISEN TO THE TOP OVERNIGHT, THINK ABOUT IT. IN FACT, I WROTE
ABOUT A FEW OF THESE IN MY BOOK. THERE'S A BOOK THAT I HAVE OUT,
IT'S CALLED DECODING HELL'S PROPAGANDA. ANYBODY EVER READ
IT? IT DOESN'T SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY VERY MUCH, BUT I WROTE IT A
LOT OF YEARS AGO. SO, I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE I HAVE TO GO
BACK AND SEE IF I NEED TO REDO IT. BUT HERE'S THE THING, THERE
WAS A LOT OF STUFF LEFT OUT OF THAT THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN
CURRENT CULTURE, BUT HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS I TALK ABOUT. I
KNOW THE DOCTRINE OF UNIVERSALISM, THAT'S BEEN AROUND
FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO CIRCLE BACK. IT'S
COMING BACK AROUND AGAIN, NO LITERAL HELL. EVERYTHING'S GONNA
BE RECONCILED BACK TO GOD 'CAUSE HE'S MERCIFUL AND HE CAN'T SEND
ANYBODY TO HELL. WELL, THAT IS NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. OKAY,
WE'RE GONNA READ IT IN THESE CHURCHES IN THEMSELVES. GOD SAID
IT. SO DOCTRINE OF UNIVERSALISM IS ONE OF THOSE. ANOTHER ONE IS
THE DOCTRINE OF PRETERISM, MEANING THAT ALL OF THE EVENTS
OF THE END TIMES HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. DOMINIONISM IS ANOTHER
ONE THAT'S BIG IN PENTECOSTAL CHARISMATIC CIRCLES THAT WE'RE
GONNA TAKE OUR DOMINION AND HAND THIS WORLD BACK TO GOD. AND
YEAH, THAT. AND NO, THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT'S GONNA WORK. JESUS
IS GONNA COME BACK AND PUT HIS FOOT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND
HE IS GONNA COME TO JUDGE THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS WORLD AND
JUDGE THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. SO IT'S NOT, YES, WE'RE GOING TO
PRESENT OURSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, BUT WE'RE NOT RETURNING
THE KINGDOMS BACK TO OUR GOD. HE IS GOING TO JUDGE THE NATIONS
ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE. AMEN. SO, SO ANOTHER HOT
TEACHINGS, PRETERISM, POPULAR MOVEMENTS, HYPER GRACE IS
ANOTHER ONE, CALVINISM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT ONE, WHERE YOU
CAN NEVER LOSE YOUR SALVATION. WELL, THE SEVEN CHURCHES WILL
PROVE THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE. JUST THAT ALONE, RIGHT? SO, AND LET
ME SAY THIS, CAN I SAY SOMETHING CAREFULLY? I WANT TO SAY THIS
CAREFULLY. DON'T, DON'T RUN AWAY WITH THIS. THE PATRIOTIC
MOVEMENT. NOW, HERE'S THE THING. I BELIEVE IN MAGA, MAKE AMERICA
GREAT AGAIN, BUT THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT IT. THAT AMERICA
SHOULD BE AS GREAT AS IT WAS THE WAY GOD BIRTHED IT, OKAY? GOD
BIRTHED THIS NATION TO BE A NATION THAT STANDS ON THE
PRINCIPLES OF GOD. IT WAS BIRTHED IN CHRISTIAN TRUTH.
AMERICA WAS BIRTHED FROM ITS FOUNDATION TO BE A NATION THAT
WOULD BE THE PREACHING BEACON OF THE GOSPEL, AND IT STILL IS. AND
MY GOAL ON MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN IS THAT THE PRINCIPLE
FOUNDATIONS OF CAPITALISM, BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONAL MORAL
TRUTH THAT HAS REALLY BEEN THE THING THAT'S KEPT OUR COUNTRY,
ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, FROM THE JUDGMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN
UNDER OTHER REGIMES AND OTHER COUNTRIES. YOU KNOW, IT'S SAID
THAT SOME PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER, HAITI, AND DEDICATED IT TO THE
DEVIL. WELL, LET'S LOOK HOW FAR THAT GOT THAT COUNTRY. OKAY, SO
I WANNA KEEP THIS NATION A CHRISTIAN-BASED COUNTRY SO THAT
THE DOOR, PAUL SAID, "PRAY FOR US," 1 THESSALONIANS, "THAT THE
DOOR OF THE GOSPEL WILL REMAIN OPEN." LISTEN, THERE'S BEEN NO
OTHER COUNTRY THAT HAS SENT MORE MISSIONARIES, MORE TV PROGRAMS,
MORE BOOKS, MORE SHOWS, MORE GOOD, MORE BENEVOLENCE AROUND
THE WORLD THAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE HAVE BEEN THE
BEACON OF HOPE OF THE GOSPEL FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD FOR 200 YEARS.
AND SO MY GOAL IS TO KEEP THAT OPEN. PAUL SAID, "PRAY FOR US
THAT THE DOOR OF UTTERANCE "WOULD REMAIN OPEN FOR US." BUT
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS STILL A COUNTRY THAT'S EARTHLY.
I'M NOT TRACKING THE US EQUAL WITH THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THAT
WOULD BE A FALSE MIXTURE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
WE'RE NOT EQUALIZING SOMEHOW MAGA AND PATRIOTISM WITH THE
KINGDOM. NO, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS FIRST. IT IS THE KINGDOM,
IT'S THE KINGDOM WHERE OUR ALLEGIANCE IS TO. NOW I LOVE
THIS COUNTRY AND I'M A PATRIOT. PASTOR HANK IS A PATRIOT. WE
LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN A,
THAT'S ANOTHER THING. PEOPLE ACT LIKE YOU LIKE GREW TWO HEADS IF
YOU SAY YOU AGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT. I MEAN, I'M SERIOUS.
I'M LIKE, FOR PETE'S SAKE. I MEAN, CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO JUST,
IT'S NOT HARD TO FIGURE OUT. IF SOMEBODY SAYS, I THINK WE NEED
MORE CHRISTIANS, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY TO PRAY.
SINCE WHAT PRESIDENT EVER SAID THAT? NO ONE EVER. SO I'M BEHIND
THAT, BUT I'M NOT EQUALIZING THE DOCTRINE OF AMERICA WITH THE
KINGDOM. AM I MAKING SENSE TO YOU TONIGHT? OKAY, SO I'M NOT
DOWNING IT, I'M ALL FOR IT. YOU'LL SEE ME WEAR A MAGA HAT,
I'M GOOD WITH THAT. I'M ALL FOR IT, BUT THE KINGDOM IS FIRST. WE
HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. SO THERE'S ALWAYS NEW HOT DOCTRINES THAT
COME OUT. AND WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT'S ONE OF THEM, IT'S NOT
REALLY A DOCTRINE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DOCTRINES THAT CIRCLE.
AND JESUS SAID, I'M GONNA COME, I GOTTA REFINE THAT, I'M GONNA
BE THE REFINER'S FIRE OF THAT. SO HE GOES ON TO SAY, WATCH
THIS, HE GOES, "I GAVE JEZEBEL," VERSE 21, "A SPACE TO REPENT AND
SHE DIDN'T. "BEHOLD, I WILL CAST HER INTO A BED "AND THEM THAT
COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HER." SO BE CAREFUL, FOLKS, WHAT YOU GET
INVOLVED WITH. I KNOW CHRISTIANS WHO, THEY SEARCH FOR DEEPER
REVELATION, AND THAT'S GOOD, WE NEED TO DO THAT. YOU NEED TO DIG
IN YOUR WORD, OKAY? BUT I'VE KNOWN PASTORS THAT WERE SO
TRYING TO DIG INTO THE NEXT GREATEST THINGS SO THEY COULD BE
POPULAR, AND THEY DUG AND DUG AND DUG AND DUG THEM RIGHT
THEMSELVES INTO FALSE, OKAY? AND STARTED PREACHING FALSE THINGS.
I KNOW ONE, HE'S NOT EVEN ALIVE ANYMORE, THAT STARTED PREACHING,
HE WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR LEADERS THAT STARTED PREACHING IN NO
LITERAL HELL, AND JUST WENT, "PASTOR, AND I'VE KNOWN A FEW OF
THEM." WE HAD TO BREAK FELLOWSHIP WITH SOME, BECAUSE I
THOUGHT, "NO, I CAN'T GO WITH THAT. I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT.
"I'M NOT MAD AT YOU, BUT I'M NOT GONNA BE IN LEAGUE WITH
THAT." SO WE'VE GOT TO BE DISCERNING IN THIS HOUR. SHARPEN
YOUR DISCERNMENT, BY THE WAY. HEBREWS 5 SAID THAT WE HAVE OUR
SENSES EXERCISED TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING WITH SOMEBODY, AND THEY'RE GOING DOWN
A TRACK, AND YOU'RE LIKE, "I'M NOT SAYING GET IN AN ARGUMENT
WITH THEM, BUT GO BACK AND PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. TAKE TIME, BE A
STUDENT." SO HE SAYS, "THOSE THAT COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HER OR
GET MIXED UP IN IT, I'LL CAST THEM INTO GREAT TRIBULATION." BY
THE WAY, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVE IN A
PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. THERE'S SCRIPTURES, AND I WISH I HAD
TIME TO GO THROUGH 1 AND 2 THESSALONIANS AND READ SOME OF
THOSE. BUT HOW MANY OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN I READ THE SCRIPTURE
THAT SAYS THAT, IN FACT, WE'RE GONNA, THERE'S SO MUCH TO SAY.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA READ, I KNOW, I'M TALKING IN CIRCLES NOW
BECAUSE THERE'S SOUND... MY MIND, IT WAS GOING. BUT HERE'S
THE POINT. WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT HERE THAT JESUS SAID TO THE
CHURCH AT SARDIS, WE'LL READ THIS NEXT TIME, THAT HE SAID,
"BECAUSE OF YOUR DEEDS, "THAT DAY OF THE LORD'S GONNA OVERTAKE
YOU LIKE A THIEF." 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 SAYS
THIS, IT SAYS THAT YOU ARE NOT IN THE DARK AS SOME ARE, THAT
THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU BY SURPRISE. IN OTHER WORDS, NO
CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE SURPRISED. WE LIVE IN A PLACE OF READINESS.
WE LIVE IN A PLACE OF PREPAREDNESS, WHERE WE KNOW,
COME ON, ISSACHAR, WE KNOW THE TIMES, WE KNOW THE SEASONS, WE
KNOW WHAT'S BEFORE US. SO NOTHING TAKES US BY SHOCK. OKAY,
HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE FIVE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS?
THE WISE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE IN PREPARATION. THEY WERE READY
AT ANY TIME FOR THE BRIDEGROOM TO COME. OKAY, THEY WERE RUNNING
AROUND IN CARNALITY AND LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE AND DOING ALL THESE
THINGS WHERE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THEIR LAP. OKAY, THEY WEREN'T
MISSING CHURCH, YOU KNOW, 42 TIMES OUT OF THE YEAR AND
BECOMING CHRISTERS, RIGHT? TRANSLATED CHRISTMAS AND EASTER
ATTENDANCE. THEY WERE READY, RIGHT? SO HE SAID, DON'T BE LIKE
THE ONES THAT HAVE NO OIL. IN OTHER WORDS, THAT YOU'RE NOT
READY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. SO THIS, HE SAID, NO, HE SAID, I'LL
CAST YOU INTO GREAT TRIBULATION. MAYBE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
TRIBULATION AND THE RAPTURE A LITTLE BIT AT SOME POINT. EXCEPT
THEY REPENT OF THEIR DEEDS. AND WATCH THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE JESUS
IS HARSH. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL. THERE IS THE
CORRECTIVE WARRIOR SIDE OF JESUS, AND THEN THERE IS THE
LOVING, COMPASSIONATE SIDE. AND WE SEE THIS ALL THROUGH THE
BIBLE. THAT'S WHY IT'S A TWO-EDGED SWORD. OKAY, ONE SIDE
IS MERCY, AND THE OTHER SIDE IS JUDGMENT. OKAY, THERE'S BOTH,
RIGHT? AND THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF EVERY CHRISTIAN IS
TO LEARN THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO. YOU'LL FIND THAT OUT. THINK
ON IT TONIGHT WHEN YOU GO TO BED. NEXT TIME YOU DEAL WITH
SOMETHING, GOD, SHOULD I SCREAM AT 'EM AND GIVE 'EM THEIR LETTER
OF RESIGNATION? OR SHOULD I PUT MY ARM AROUND 'EM AND PRAY? WHAT
SHOULD I DO, GOD? COME ON, ANYBODY EVER BEEN THERE? RIGHT,
WE'VE ALL BEEN A PART OF THAT. OKAY, JESUS SAID, "I'LL KILL HER
CHILDREN WITH DEATH, "AND ALL THE CHURCHES SHALL KNOW THAT I
AM HE "THAT SEARCHES THE REINS AND THE HEARTS." MAN, JESUS IS
NOT PLAYING. "AND I WILL GIVE EVERY ONE OF YOU," NOTICE HE
SAID YOU, SO TOUCH YOURSELF, "IT MEANS ALL OF US, RIGHT? "I'M
GONNA GIVE YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR DEEDS, "WHAT YOU CHOOSE." COME
ON, FOLKS, WE HAVE ONE LIFE. I SAID THIS ON SUNDAY. WE HAVE ONE
LIFE TO DO IT RIGHT. RIGHT, THAT'S WHY JESUS SAYS AGAIN AND
AGAIN AND AGAIN, REPENT, THAT'S ANOTHER DOCTRINE THAT WENT
AROUND. WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPENT. REMEMBER THAT ONE.
SOMEBODY SAID THE SCRIPTURE, 1 JOHN 1:9, IF YOU CONFESS YOUR
FAULTS, HE'S FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US AND CLEANSE US
FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. AND THEY PREACHED IT, WELL, THAT'S
NOT RELEVANT NOW. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPENT, YOU DID IT ONCE.
WELL, TELL THAT TO JESUS WHEN HE WROTE THE LETTERS. OKAY, THESE
WERE ALREADY CHURCHES, THEY HAD TO DO IT AGAIN. SO IF THEY HAVE
TO DO IT AGAIN, I GUESS WE DO TOO. SO HE SAID, REPENT, RIGHT,
OF YOUR DEEDS. BUT WE HAVE ONE LIFE TO LIVE, RIGHT? AND YOU
KNOW, I LOVE WHAT ERIKA KIRK SAID ABOUT CHARLIE. SHE SAID HE
MAY HAVE HAD UNFINISHED WORK, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE UNFINISHED
BUSINESS. LIVE RIGHT FOR GOD EVERY DAY, CAN I SAY THAT? LIVE
RIGHT FOR GOD, STAY ON TARGET WITH GOD. IT'S THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO. DON'T BE PLAYING, THIS IS NOT THE HOUR
FOR IT. DEFINITELY NOT THE HOUR. AND THEN YOU REALLY CAN HAVE
THAT DAY COME ON. PEOPLE CUT THEIR LIFE SHORT ALL THE TIME,
DO DUMB THINGS. I THOUGHT THE OTHER DAY, I THOUGHT, THERE WAS
SOME ACCIDENT THAT I READ ABOUT AND SOMEBODY WAS LIVING CRAZY.
WELL, HOW DO YOU KNOW, PASTOR BRENDA, IF THEY WENT TO HELL OR
NOT? I'M LIKE, WELL, BASED ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING, I HOPE
THEY MADE IT TO HEAVEN, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY OF
PEOPLE THAT WOKE UP IN HELL AND DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE GOING. SO
THIS IS NOT THE HOUR FOR THAT. LIVE READY AS A CHRISTIAN,
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TEACHING. HE SAID, BUT I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU,
BUT VERSE 24, MAYBE WE'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. BUT I SAY UNTO YOU
AND UNTO THE REST OF THYATIRA, AS MANY AS HAVE NOT THIS
DOCTRINE, THE DOCTRINE OF THE FALSE, RIGHT? THESE FALSE
MIXTURES, WHICH HAVE NOT KNOWN THE DEPTHS OF SATAN, AS THEY
SPEAK, I WILL PUT ON YOU NO OTHER BURDEN, BUT THAT WHAT YOU
HAVE ALREADY HAVE HELD ON TO, HOLD FAST. IN OTHER WORDS, THE
TEMPTATION IN THE LAST HOUR, HE'S SAYING, IT'S GONNA BE EASY
TO GET DECEIVED BECAUSE I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE MAKE GREAT ARGUMENTS
ON THINGS. WHY IT'S POWERFUL. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,
FALSE DOCTRINES, THEY'LL SAY, YEAH, BUT IT COSTS SOMEBODY TO
GET SAVED. YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE THEIR HEART TO GOD IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS WHOLE TEACHING. AND SO IT SOUNDS GREAT WHEN PEOPLE SAY
IT. THE DEVIL IS A CRAFTY ONE. HE ALWAYS GONNA COME TO YOU AS
AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. HE'S GONNA MAKE IT MIX WITH TRUTH. HE'LL
PUT ENOUGH TRUTH IN SOMETHING SO THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE THE LIE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I HEARD, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS EXAMPLE IS
PROBABLY CHEESY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY SAID ONE
TIME, IF YOU FILL UP A GLASS OF WATER, PURE CLEAN WATER, AND YOU
JUST PUT A SINGLE DROP OF SOAP IN IT, NOW THAT IS LIKE A HALF A
PERCENT SOAP, AND 95% WATER, IT IMMEDIATELY BECOMES UNDRINKABLE.
SO THINK ABOUT THAT. SO THESE FALSE MIXTURES AND FALSE
DOCTRINES ARE IMPORTANT, AND I WOULD SAY THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
THE WORD OF GOD IS PROFITABLE TO US FOR DOCTRINE. YOU KNOW, DON'T
JUST BECOME A, DON'T LET YOURSELF BE A BIBLE ILLITERATE.
AMEN. BECOME WELL-VERSED IN THE SCRIPTURES. SO HOW DID JESUS
OVERCOME THE DEVIL? HE OVERCAME THE DEVIL BY SAYING IT'S
WRITTEN. HE COULDN'T GO, YOU KNOW WHAT, SATAN, LET ME RUN
OVER AND STUDY THE SCROLL AND SEARCH THAT ON GOOGLE. NO, IT
HAD TO BE IN HIM ALREADY. IT HAS TO BE IN US ALREADY. SO WHEN THE
FALSE COMES, WE KNOW THE ANSWER. ALL RIGHT, STAND TO YOUR FEET.
I'LL CLOSE UP WITH THIS. 'CAUSE WE ARE PAST 8:30. BUT THIS IS
WHY I WANTED TO GO ONE MORE. THEY'VE NOT KNOWN THE DEPTHS OF
SATAN, BUT THAT WHICH HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH IS THERE. AND HE
THAT OVERCOMES AND KEEPS MY WORKS TO THE END TO HIM, I'LL
GIVE POWER OVER THE NATIONS. WHY DID HE SAY POWER OVER THE
NATIONS? BECAUSE I CAN GIVE YOU AUTHORITY IF YOU CAN BE TRUSTED
TO LEAD THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT GET SIDETRACKED WITH THE
FALSE. THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SAYING. THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE GOD
HAS BLESSED PASTOR HANK. ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT THAT MAN IS
HE CHECKS HIMSELF. OKAY? LIKE ALL OF US, IS HE PERFECT? NO. AM
I PERFECT? NO. DO I GET MAD SOMETIMES? OF COURSE. DO I, YOU
KNOW, SAY DUMB THINGS? WE ALL DO. BUT, I'M NOT AFRAID TO GO
BACK TO GOD AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, GOD, HELP ME TO DO BETTER.
I'M BETTER THAN THAT. HELP ME TO BEHAVE DIFFERENT, SHOW ME. GOD,
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, YOU SHOW IT. I'M SMART ENOUGH TO AT
LEAST DO THAT. CHECK OURSELVES, RIGHT? AND ASK THE LORD TO
REVEAL TO US. 'CAUSE I WANNA LEAD THIS CHURCH CORRECTLY.
THAT'S OUR HEART. AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PASTOR HANK.
AND YOU KNOW WHY I BELIEVE GOD HAS GIVEN HIM THIS, WHAT HE'S
GIVEN AND THE TABERNACLE AND THE THINGS AND HE'S TRUSTED HIM TO
BE ON FLASHPOINT AND LEAD THE NATION PROPHETICALLY? 'CAUSE GOD
KNOWS THAT FIRST OF ALL, HE'LL GET COUNSEL. HE DOESN'T LIVE
SECRET. GOD KNOWS THAT HE'LL EXAMINE HIMSELF, SAY, "LORD,
THAT DIDN'T PLEASE YOU." AND GOD SAID, "IF YOU WON'T ALLOW THE
FALSE MIXTURE, I'LL GIVE YOU POWER TO RULE." AND YOU KNOW,
THAT APPLIES TO YOU TOO. HE'LL GIVE YOU PLACES OF AUTHORITY.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS. ISN'T THAT GOOD? AND HE
SHALL RULE THEM WITH THE ROD OF IRON, THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER,
THEY'LL BE BROKEN INTO SHIVERS AND MY FATHER AND HE WILL GIVE
THEM THE MORNING STAR. AND HE THAT HAS EARS TO HEAR, HEAR WHAT
THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES. SO THIS IS, WE'LL STOP
WITH THAT TONIGHT. WE'LL GO INTO THE LAST ONES. AND HOW MANY OF
YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS? HAS IT BEEN GOOD? I PRAY SO. I HAVE NO
GREATER DESIRE IN MY LIFE IS FOR US TO HAVE A PURE CHURCH, A
CHURCH THAT IS ON TARGET IN WHAT IT STANDS FOR AND BELIEVES.
THAT'S MY HEART AND THAT'S PASTOR'S HEART TOO. SO FATHER, I
PRAY FOR EVERY PERSON INTO THE SOUND OF MY VOICE AS WE DEPART
TONIGHT. I THANK YOU, FATHER. IF THERE'S ANY AREAS IN ALL OF US
THAT YOU WANNA FIX, I ASK YOU TEACH US. WE'RE AN OPEN BOOK TO
YOU, LORD. COME TO US. WE DON'T WANT OUR CANDLESTICK REMOVED. WE
DON'T WANT TO MISS OR HAVE OUR NAME BLOTTED FROM THE BOOK.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU'D REVEAL TO US, SHOW US, HELP US TO GROW.
AND HELP US IN THIS, THROUGH THIS TEACHING TO AVOID THAT
WHICH IS OFF AND THAT WHICH YOU DON'T LIKE. AND THAT WE WOULD
WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PLEASE THE LORD OF THE CHURCH. AND WE
ASK THAT YOU TOUCH OUR LIVES AFRESH TONIGHT WITH A FRESH
ANOINTING. AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN JESUS' NAME. ALL RIGHT,
INTERNET, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. I LOVE YOU, GOD
BLESS YOU. GO HOME IN PASTOR HANK'S WORDS AND GET SOME
GELATO. GOD BLESS YOU. EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
(MUSIC)