(MUSIC)
LORD OF HOSTS, YOU READY TO LIFT UP THE NAME OF JESUS?
(MUSIC)
WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN?
(MUSIC)
IF YOU KNOW IT AND YOU SING, CAN YOU SING IT RIGHT HERE? SAY,
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHAT WE BIND ON EARTH IS BOUND IN
HEAVEN. SO LET'S GIVE HEAVEN SOMETHING TO AGREE WITH
US WITH. LET'S DECLARE THE WORD OF THE LORD. LET'S
DECLARE OUR VICTORY, AMEN? HEY! CAN YOU SAY,
YEAH. OH. OUR GOD IS STRONGER. OUR GOD IS BIGGER.
I'M NOT AFRAID, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHO MY GOD IS.
I'M NOT AFRAID, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHO HOLDS MY WORLD IN HIS HANDS.
I'M NOT AFRAID, 'CAUSE HE DID NOT GIVE ME THE SPIRIT OF FEAR,
BUT POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND,
A MIND RENEWED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
HIS PROMISES ARE YES AND AMEN. HIS PROMISES ARE YES AND AMEN.
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD. HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD. GREAT IS OUR GOD.
CAN YOU SAY IT ONE TIME, SAY, GREAT IS OUR GOD.
(MUSIC)
OH, THERE'S NONE LIKE YOU, GOD. OH, THERE'S NO ONE.
(MUSIC)
(WORSHIP MUSIC)
AS WE WERE SINGING THOSE WORDS, HOW PROFOUND ARE THOSE? BUT I
WAS STANDING THERE AND THINKING, "THERE IS NONE, THERE IS NONE."
MMM. AND GOD WE JUST SAY THAT TO YOU RIGHT NOW. THERE IS NONE
LIKE YOU. THOSE WORDS ARE SO PROFOUND. WE CAN'T EVER COMPARE.
NO BEING, NO ENTITY CAN EVER COMPARE TO YOU, LORD. YOU KNOW,
AND I THINK OF HOW THE BIBLE TEACHES US THAT WE ARE TO STRIVE
TO BE LIKE CHRIST. YET, THERE IS NO ONE ELSE. WE CAN'T EVER BE
LIKE HIM, BUT YET WE'RE TOLD TO STRIVE TO MIMIC AND IMITATE
CHRIST. AND THAT JUST, I MEAN, IT SORT OF SEEMS LIKE AN
OXYMORON. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, YOU CAN NEVER BE HIM, YOU CAN
NEVER BE LIKE HIM, BUT THEN YOU'RE TOLD TO BE LIKE HIM. YOU
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? AND I JUST FEEL LED TO DO SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING INTO THE LAST HANDFUL OF WEEKS OF 2025.
2025 HAS HAD ITS VICTORIES, IT'S HAD ITS CHALLENGES. I WANNA
ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SOMETHING. TAKE A MOMENT, JUST YOU AND GOD,
RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE STANDING. THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE JOINING
ONLINE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THE SAME THING ALL OVER THE
WORLD. PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART, JUST HAVE A LITTLE
CONVERSATION WITH GOD AND YOU KNOW, COMMIT TO HIM AFRESH. TELL
HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, GOD, I WANNA, I WANNA DO BETTER. AND
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE DOING BAD. IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
THERE'S THINGS WE NEED TO CLEAR UP WITH GOD. THAT'S OKAY TOO.
BUT I'M JUST THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
YOU THINK, WELL, GOD, YOU KNOW, JUST HELP ME STRIVE. I WANNA
STRIVE TO BE LIKE JESUS. I WANNA PLEASE YOU. THE BIBLE TALKS
ABOUT THAT. LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST COMMIT OUR
HEARTS AND OUR LIVES, OUR ACTIONS, OUR WORDS, OUR
THOUGHTS. EVERYTHING WE DO AS WE CLOSE 2025, LET'S JUST MAKE THAT
FRESH COMMITMENT. I WANT THEM TO PLAY FOR A MOMENT, YOU KNOW, AND
HOWEVER, WHATEVER THAT MEANS TO YOU, YOU JUST TALK TO GOD, YOU
KNOW, JUST ASK HIM, SAY, "LORD, TEACH ME, HELP ME." EDDIE, JUST
SING FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME AREA, TOUCH
YOUR HEART. IF YOU NEED TO KNEEL DOWN, YOU CAN EVEN DO THAT OR
YOU CAN JUST HOWEVER YOU NEED TO DO THAT. AMEN, HALLELUJAH.
EDDIE, JUST SING FOR A MOMENT. COME ON, THERE'S NONE LIKE HIM.
(WORSHIP MUSIC)
COME ON, JUST PROPHESY THAT IN YOUR HEART.
NOW IF YOU NEED AN AREA IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU SAY, "YOU KNOW
WHAT GOD, I NEED YOUR HELP." THE BIBLE SAYS IN ISAIAH, IT SAYS
THAT THE LORD US BY THE RIGHT HAND AND HE WILL HELP US. THINK
ABOUT THAT. GOD IS HELPING YOU. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CALLED OUR
HELPER. HE'S HERE TO HELP. AND IF YOU NEED AN AREA AND YOU SAY,
"GOD, JUST HELP ME." YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT PASTOR HANK PREACHES
SO OFTEN WHEN PETER WAS OUT OF THE BOAT AND THE STORM WAS
RAGING, HE TRIED TO WALK ON AND HE SAID, LORD, HELP ME. AND
MAYBE YOU JUST SAY, GOD, I NEED HELP IN THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW
TO WHAT TO DO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT STEPS TO TAKE. MAYBE IT'S YOUR
FINANCES. GOD HELP. YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'RE IN DEBT AND YOU
THINK, LORD, HELP ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SORT ALL THIS OUT.
COME ON. WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIFE WHERE
WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY HUMAN WISDOM. I WAS REREADING AFTER
PASTOR TALKED ON IT SUNDAY, HOW MANY OF YOU WERE HERE? AND HE
QUOTED THE SCRIPTURE, FAMOUS SCRIPTURE, "TRUST IN THE LORD
WITH ALL YOUR HEART." BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST HIGHLIGHTED
TO ME IN A NEW WAY. AND IT SAID, "AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING." DON'T WE DO THAT SOMETIMES? WE TRY TO FIGURE IT
ALL OUT. I'M A CALCULATE, I LIKE TO CALCULATE EVERY STEP. AND YOU
KNOW WHAT, SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA SAY, "LORD, HELP THIS." SO
IF YOU NEED AN AREA OF HELP TODAY, JUST GIVE IT TO GOD, TELL
HIM. SAY, "LORD, I NEED YOUR HELP IN THIS." YOU CAN CLOSE
YOUR EYES, HOWEVER YOU JUST BRING IT TO THE LORD. MAYBE IT'S
YOUR HEALTH. MAYBE IT'S A RELATIONSHIP ISSUE.
(MUSIC)
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMEBODY YOU'RE JUST FEELING LIKE A
FAILURE. YOU NEED GOD TO HELP YOU WITH THAT. WELL, YOU KNOW,
GOD, I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ONE TIME THAT IF YOU'RE IN TROUBLE
AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE MESSED UP, DON'T RUN AWAY FROM GOD, RUN
TO HIM. AMEN, THAT'S WHERE YOUR HELP COMES FROM. SO FATHER, I
JUST PRAY FOR EVERYBODY UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE RIGHT NOW.
I PRAY FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S WATCHING ONLINE, AND IF THEY
NEED HELP IN AN AREA, RESCUE THEM, FATHER. BE THEIR RESCUE,
BE THEIR STRENGTH. HELP THEM, GRAB THEM, FATHER. WE'RE ASKING
YOU BY THE RIGHT HAND AND PULL THEM UP, WE PRAY. PULL THEM UP,
LORD. WE ASK THAT YOU BRING THEM OUT OF THIS PLACE THAT THEY
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHERE TO GO OR HOW TO FIGURE IT OUT,
LORD, BUT THAT'S THE THING, GOD, YOU, THERE'S NO ONE LIKE YOU
THAT FIXES US. SO SHOW US THE WAY, LORD, NOT IN OUR OWN
WISDOM, NOT IN OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT SHOW US, GOD,
HOW TO FOLLOW YOU AND TRUST YOU. NOW TOUCH YOURSELF AND SAY,
SELF, YOU TRUST GOD. IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM. THERE'S NO ONE LIKE
HIM. SO YOU TRUST HIM. NOW SAY, "SELF, I COMMIT TO A GREATER
LEVEL TO THE LORD. JESUS, TEACH ME HOW TO BE LIKE YOU. TEACH ME
WHAT PLEASES YOU. TEACH ME TO FOLLOW YOU." AND I THANK YOU,
LORD. I'M GOING TO END 2025 IN GREAT VICTORY. AND 2026 IS GOING
TO BE A YEAR OF VICTORY. COME ON, AFTER VICTORY, AFTER
VICTORY, AFTER VICTORY. HALLELUJAH! DO YOU BELIEVE IT? I
BELIEVE IT IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN AND AMEN AND AMEN. WELL, TURN
AROUND TO A COUPLE PEOPLE. GIVE THEM A HUG OR A KNUCKLE TOUCH.
AND LOVE ON THEM AND TELL THEM, MAN, IT IS GOOD. THERE IS
VICTORY IN THE HOUSE. WE ARE GOING TO BE BLESSED TONIGHT IN
JESUS' NAME. INTERNET, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GOD BLESS YOU.
LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS WHERE YOU ARE TUNING
IN FROM. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR IT IN JESUS' NAME.
(MUSIC)
AMEN AND AMEN. ARE YOU GLAD YOU CAME TO CHURCH ON A COLD
WEDNESDAY? WE LIVE IN NEBRASKA. WE SHOULD BE TOUGH. YOU KNOW, I
ALWAYS LAUGH AT ALL OF OUR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE SOUTH,
AND IT COULD BE 55 DEGREES IN OMAHA, AND THEY COME IN A PARKA.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL OUT STILL WITH THE GRILL IN OUR SHORTS. SO
WE'LL GET THROUGH IT, WON'T WE? I DON'T MIND THE SNOW WHEN IT'S
CHRISTMAS. IT'S KIND OF FUN. BUT ANYWAY, WELL, I'M GONNA GET
RIGHT TO IT. WE'RE GONNA TEACH AND PREACH TONIGHT AND FINISH UP
THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION. BUT BEFORE WE DO, I
WANNA RECEIVE OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS SO THEY CAN PUT THE
GIVING INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A
VERSE TO PREACH TO YOU. PASTOR HANK IS HOME, HE'S WORKING ON
MESSAGES. AND BY THE WAY, HIS FLASHPOINT TRAVEL, GENE HAS
TURNED UP THE HEAT, I'M TELLING YOU. AND THEY ARE DOING
FLASHPOINT LIVES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR AND COMING.
AND SO HE HAS BEEN, WOW, HE'LL JUST BE, HE'LL BE AFTER IT. BUT
IT'S ALL GOOD, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO IT'S GONNA BE A
GOOD 2026, LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING. SO HE'S HOME JUST
KIND OF GETTING SOME CONTENT TOGETHER. AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE
HE SPENDS HOURS ON HIS SERMONS, HOURS. YOU KNOW, HOURS OF STUDY
FOR, YOU KNOW, 45 MINUTES OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT IT'S GOOD.
AND YOU CAN TELL, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY TELL. SO, BUT HERE'S
THE GIVING INFORMATION, ALL THE WAYS TO GIVE. LET'S FINISH 2025
STRONG, AMEN, AND FINISH IT IN VICTORY. IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING IN
YOUR FINANCES, THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO RELOOK AT THEM
AND MAKE THE DECISION TO BE A GIVER IN 2026. OR, YOU KNOW, AND
I ALWAYS SAY THIS, I ALWAYS CHALLENGE MYSELF TO DO BETTER IN
THE NEXT YEAR, PERCENTAGE WISE, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR BUSINESS DOES
BETTER IN 2025 OR DID BETTER IN ’25 THAN ’24, THEN PUSH YOURSELF
A LITTLE BIT JUST TO HAVE THAT COMMITMENT TO GOD.
YOU KNOW I ALWAYS SAY IT LIKE THIS. WE GET ONE SHOT ON
THIS EARTH TO DO THINGS GOD'S WAY. ONE OPPORTUNITY. WE DON'T
GET TO GO BACK AND SAY, "WOW, I SHOULD HAVE TITHED WHEN WE GET
TO HEAVEN." IT WILL BE DONE UP THERE. SO DO IT HERE AND DON'T
LET ANOTHER YEAR GO BY. DON'T BE A SPIRITUAL PROCRASTINATOR. BE
COMMITTED TO IT. AND THANK YOU ALL OF YOU ONLINE THAT ARE SO
FAITHFUL TO JOIN WITH US AND WORK ON THE TABERNACLE. WE WERE
DISCUSSING SOME THINGS WITH THE STAFF TODAY ABOUT JUST THINGS
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF VENTURES AND
THINGS UPCOMING. THERE'S SOME STUFF YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUPER
EXCITED ABOUT. MY SON IS SMILING AT ME BECAUSE HE KNEW ABOUT
THAT. AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE TO TELL YOU FUNNY, THIS IS PUBLIC.
CAN I TELL YOU A FUNNY IN THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC FUNNY? AND WE
WERE TALKING WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE TODAY, AND THIS IS ON
GROW OMAHA. ANYBODY FOLLOW GROW OMAHA ON FACEBOOK? AND SO
AMERICAN NATIONAL KIND OF GOT SOLD OUT BY, WATCH THIS, PASTOR
ANTHONY, A BANK IN GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN. THEY WERE BOUGHT, I
THOUGHT, WELL, I KNOW, PASTOR MATT, WHEN WE TOLD IT TO HIM, HE
ABOUT FELL OFF THE STEPS IN THE FOYER. AND ANYWAY, WE THOUGHT IT
WAS KIND OF, ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL KEEP THE BRAND
OR HOW THEY'RE GONNA HANDLE THAT, THESE BANK MERGERS, THEY
ARE WHAT THEY ARE, BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF HUMOROUS,
NOT BY THE CHIEFS, NO, NOT BY A KANSAS CITY BANK. ANYWAY, I HAVE
TO GIVE OUR PEOPLE A HARD TIME. WE LOVE TO RAZZ EACH OTHER AND
TALK SMACK FOOTBALL. IT'S JUST FUN, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE FUN. AND
BY THE WAY, WE DO LIKE OTHER SPORTS BESIDES FOOTBALL IN THE
KUNNEMAN HOUSEHOLD. PASTOR HANK, DON'T TELL ANYBODY, EVEN THOUGH
IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET, IS A HUGE NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL FAN. HE
IS LIKE, I MEAN, HE'S LIKE, WHAT ARE WE MAKING FRIDAY NIGHT? THE
HUSKERS ARE PLAYING. I'M LIKE, IT USED TO BE HUSKER FOOTBALL,
HE SHIFTED NOW. HE'S LIKE HUSKER VOLLEYBALL ALL THE WAY. I MEAN,
THEY'RE UNDEFEATED, SO I MEAN, HE'S PRETTY EXCITED. SO I GOTTA
COME UP AND COME UP WITH MY GAME FOOD FOR THAT. SO WE'LL SEE WHAT
HAPPENS, BUT ANYWAY. ALL RIGHT, WELL, IF YOU GOT YOUR GIVING
READY, STAND UP. PRAISE THE LORD. YOU'RE BOLD GIVING. YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE HOLDING IN YOUR HAND, IF IT'S YOUR PHONE, YOU'RE
GIVING ELECTRONICALLY? REMEMBER, YOUR ENVELOPE, IT IS A WEAPON.
SOMEBODY SAY WEAPON. IT IS A SWORD TO BE USED AGAINST THE
ENEMY. REMEMBER, TWO KEY THINGS ABOUT THE TITHE. IT'S NOT JUST
TITHING, IT'S OFFERINGS. IT'S A NUMBER, WHAT DOES IT SAY IN
MALACHI 3? GOD WILL WHAT? RE... SHOUT IT AT ME, REBUKE
THE DEVOURER. SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE, HOLD UP YOUR
FINGER. SO NUMBER ONE, HE REBUKES THE DEVOURER. HOW MANY
OF YOU WOULD LOVE OLD SLEWFOOT TO BE KICKED OUT? RIGHT? PUSHED
BACK BY THE POWER OF GOD. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS HE
SAID, I WILL OPEN, PUT YOUR SECOND FINGER UP. WHAT WILL HE
OPEN? THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN. NOW, THINK ABOUT THAT. IF THE
WINDOWS ARE OPEN, BLESSINGS COMING OUT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A
GOOD THING. SO THAT OUGHT TO MAKE EVERYBODY WANT TO BE A
GIVER. SO, BUT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AS A TITHER AND A PERSON
THAT GIVES OFFERINGS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CLAIM THOSE IN YOUR
LIFE. PASTOR AND I DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE GET UP AND
SAY, DEVIL, NO, THE DEVOURER IS REBUKED AND THE WINDOWS OF
HEAVEN ARE OPEN. AND THAT IS WHAT WE STAND ON. NOW THE DEVIL,
EVEN IF YOU'RE A TITHER, YOU KNOW HE CAN STEAL THE BLESSING
FROM YOU. IF YOU TALK WRONG, IF YOU ACT LIKE THE WINDOWS ARE
CLOSED, EVEN IF YOU GAVE YOUR 10TH, AND YOU GO AROUND WITH A
CLOSED HEAVEN ATTITUDE, THEN THAT'S FINE. YOU'LL UNDO THE
BLESSING. SO BE COMMITTED TO IT. CLAIM THE TITHER'S RIGHTS THAT
BELONG TO YOU. THAT'S WHAT 2026 IS GONNA BE IN JESUS' NAME,
AMEN? HOLD IT UP, ARE YOU READY? FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR EVERY
GIVER UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE. I THANK YOU THAT FATHER,
AS THEY PUT THIS WEAPON IN THEIR HAND, THIS SWORD AGAINST THE
POWERS OF THE DEVIL. IT IS BRINGING THE 2025 TO A CLOSURE
IN VICTORY. EVERY DEFEAT IS BROKEN. EVERYTHING THE ENEMY
TRIED THIS PAST YEAR, THESE SEEDS, THESE TIES, THESE
OFFERINGS, BREAK ALL OF THAT AND SET THESE PEOPLE UP FOR THE
VICTORY UPON VICTORY UPON VICTORY IN 2026. WE SPEAK IT, WE
DECLARE IT, WE THANK YOU FOR IT, FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
AND EVERYBODY IN HERE AND ONLINE SAID? AMEN. AMEN. ALL RIGHT,
USHERS, YOU CAN BEGIN TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, AND WE'LL GET RIGHT
INTO IT. GRAB YOUR BIBLE, YOUR NOTEBOOK. ALL OF THE, LET'S GET
MY NOTES OUT. CONTINUING ON THE CHURCHES OF REVELATION. NOW WHAT
I WANNA DO, THE SEVEN CHURCHES, I WANNA DO A VERY QUICK REVIEW
ON JUST WHAT WE'VE COVERED. FOR ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE JOINING US
NEW, I'LL TRY NOT TO CAMP TOO LONG ON THESE. THIS IS THE LAST
ONE. AND BY THE WAY, I FEEL LIKE THE LORD TOLD ME, PASTOR HANK
AND I, WE DO WORK ON THE CALENDAR AND THE SCHEDULE OF THE
PREACHING, BUT I TOLD HIM, I SAID, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO
A COUPLE SUNDAYS, I THINK SOME SUNDAYS, WE'RE GONNA BE PRAYING
AND DOING OUR FASTING ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS HERE AT THE
CHURCH DURING THAT TIME DURING JANUARY. BUT I SAID I WOULD LIKE
TO DO SOME TEACHING ON PRAYERS OF PETITION, ON PETITIONING GOD
FOR THINGS, ASKING, NOT ALL ASKING IS THE SAME. AND SO I
THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO DO SOME OF THAT. BUT THIS WILL BE
THE FINAL ONE ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE
GOTTEN SOMETHING OUT OF THAT? AND MY GOAL IS BECAUSE WE SEE SO
MUCH OUT THERE IN THE CULTURE. WE SEE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO
ON AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, I GUESS, FIVE OR SO YEARS
WHEN THE SHUTDOWN HAPPENED, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT
CHURCHES THAT DIDN'T STAND UP, PASTORS THAT DIDN'T PUT THEIR
VOICE OUT THERE. AND YOU'RE GONNA FIND TONIGHT THAT THERE IS
THE CHURCH OF WOKE THAT MANIFESTS. BUT WE'VE COVERED A
LOT OF EXPRESSIONS OF CHURCHES. BUT REMEMBER, THOSE CHURCHES ARE
OBVIOUSLY LED BY THE PASTOR. AND SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT EACH
ONE OF THESE SEVEN CHURCHES, IT SAYS TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH
OF, RIGHT? THAT WORD ANGEL IS THE WORD MESSENGER. IT'S REALLY
ALSO TRANSLATED PASTOR. AND SO THE PASTOR IS THE ONE THAT SETS
THE TONE FOR THE CHURCH. BUT REMEMBER, IT'S ALSO MADE UP OF
PEOPLE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE RELATIONSHIP, LISTEN TO ME,
BETWEEN THE PASTOR AND THE PEOPLE WORKS TOGETHER. BECAUSE
THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS THAT IN THE LAST DAYS, THE PEOPLE, THE
CONGREGATIONS, WILL HEAP TO THEMSELVES TEACHERS HAVING WHAT?
ITCHING EARS THAT WILL TELL THEM EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO
HEAR, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR. SO PEOPLE WILL GO
TO A CHURCH WHERE EVERYTHING'S PALATABLE, AND WE SEE A LOT OF
THIS, NOT YOU GUYS, BUT I'M HELPING YOU JUST KNOW, YOU GUYS
ARE LIKE THE BOLD PEOPLE, BUT YOU'RE THE REMNANT. WE'RE GONNA
TALK ABOUT YOU TONIGHT. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS WE HAVE THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PASTOR, THE PASTOR SETS THE TONE, BUT
WHERE PASTORS CAN GET IN TROUBLE IS WHEN THEY START PREACHING AND
TEACHING WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR, OR
WHAT'S DEMANDED. I THINK THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE USER-FRIENDLY
MOVEMENT CAME IN AND SO PASTORS STARTED THINKING, WELL, NOBODY
WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT PRAYING IN TONGUES ON A SUNDAY MORNING, SO
WE'LL JUST TONE THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WE STILL BELIEVE IN
IT, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA TONE THAT BACK. WE DON'T WANNA MAKE
IT TOO CRAZY. AND HERE'S THE THING, CHURCH SHOULD BE ABOUT
DECENCY. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT ORDER. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE
OUGHT TO KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE OURSELVES IN GOD'S HOUSE. I
DON'T THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE CRAZY THINGS GOING ON,
PEOPLE CRAWLING ON THE FLOOR BARKING LIKE DOGS. I MEAN,
THERE'S SOME CRAZY STUFF THAT'S GOTTEN OUT THERE IN THE WORLD,
IN THE CHRISTIAN CIRCLES, AND WE'LL COVER A LITTLE BIT OF
THAT. BUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PASTOR AND THE
PEOPLE SHOULD BE VERY COHESIVE. THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE RECEPTIVE
OF WHAT THE PASTOR HAS TO SAY NOT ALWAYS RUNNING OUT AT THE
RESTAURANT AND SITTING AT THE TABLE AND PICKING APART THE
MESSAGE BECAUSE HERE'S THE REALITY. NO PASTOR'S
GONNA PREACH EVERYTHING PERFECT ALL THE TIME. WE'RE GROWING JUST
LIKE THE PEOPLE. SO IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WORKS TOGETHER.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT THE
PASTOR SETTING A CERTAIN TYPE OF EXPRESSION. AND I REALLY BELIEVE
IN ALL MY HEART THAT THE PASTORS THAT ARE SEEN HERE IN THE
CHURCHES OF REVELATION, THE SEVEN CHURCHES, ARE REALLY ALL
THE EXPRESSIONS OF CHURCH WE SEE TODAY ARE FOUND IN THESE. AND
IT'S MADE UP OF CHRISTIANS AS WELL, WHO SOMETIMES CAN PRESSURE
THE PASTOR INTO PREACHING A CERTAIN WAY OR NOT PREACHING A
CERTAIN WAY, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO SEE
OURSELVES IN IT. WE HAVE TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR, ALL OF US PASTORS
AND CONGREGATIONS ALIKE, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, GOD, I DON'T WANT
TO GET, YOU KNOW, LURED INTO ANY OF THESE TYPES OF EXPRESSIONS
THAT DON'T PLEASE GOD, AMEN. SO LET'S REVIEW THEM REALLY QUICKLY
AND WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH KIND OF FAST IF WE CAN. THE FIRST
WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST CHURCH WHICH WAS THE CHURCH OF
EPHESUS. AND IF YOU REMEMBER THAT WAS THE CHURCH OF
SELF-RIGHTEOUS RELIGION. AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT, YOU
KNOW, THEY DIDN'T TOLERATE ANY EVIL. THEY CALLED OUT SIN, THEY
DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT THEY HAD BECOME WITHOUT MERCY.
THEY FORGOT THAT PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE AND THAT THERE IS MERCY
TO BE HAD. JESUS SAID TO THEM, "YOU LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE,"
MEANING THAT IT'S NOT THAT THEY BACKSLID AS MUCH AS IT WAS ABOUT
THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS BECAME HARSH, RIGHT? THERE'S A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, I GUESS, BOLDNESS AND THEN BECOMING
OVERLY HARSH. NOT EVERY MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE, AND I LOVE THIS
CHURCH, WE CALL OUT THINGS. WE'RE BOLD ABOUT CULTURE, BUT
THEN THERE HAS TO BE TIMES IN THE PULPIT WE SETTLE BACK AND WE
FEED YOU THE WORD TO STRENGTHEN YOU. SO THERE HAS TO BE A
BALANCE. AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS IN THIS CHURCH BEFORE, THAT
WE CAN'T HAVE ONLY BLESS ME SCRIPTURES, RIGHT? YOU HAVE JUST
BLESSED ME SCRIPTURES, THEN YOU'LL GET SOFT AND, YOU KNOW,
ALL OF THAT. BUT IF YOU HAVE ONLY CORRECT ME SCRIPTURES, YOU
GET MEAN AND MEAN SPIRITED AND EVERYTHING'S A JUDGMENT. SO WE
NEED A BALANCE. AND THIS IS WHAT THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS FORGOT.
AND SO YOU NOTICE JESUS COMES TO THEM AS THE GREAT JUDGE. COME
ON, WITH THE MEASURE THAT YOU JUDGE OUT IS THE MEASURE THAT
YOU'LL BE JUDGED BACK AGAIN. WE GOTTA REMEMBER THAT IN THIS
COMMENT CULTURE, THIS ONLINE, EVERYTHING, JUST BECAUSE THE
COMMENT'S THERE DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO SAY IT. AND I'M
CERTAINLY NOT ABOUT, I WOULD NEVER, THIS IS JUST ME, IF I WAS
SITTING IN THE PEW EVERY SUNDAY, I MEAN, WE'RE UP HERE DOING THE
SERVICE, BUT I WOULD NEVER GO TO SOME OTHER CHURCH'S PAGE AND
CRITICIZE THE PREACHING, EVEN IF I DIDN'T AGREE WITH IT. IF I
THOUGHT IT WAS FALSE, I WOULD JUST CLICK OFF. IF YOU DON'T
LIKE IT, JUST, THERE'S THE OFF BUTTON. RIGHT? IT'S NOT HARD. SO
WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL OF FALLING INTO THIS. WE'VE BECOME
PHARISAICAL, AND I THINK THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT SEE, OR THE
WORLD SHOULD NOT SEE THE CHURCH DIVIDED. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S WHY I DON'T LIKE TO CALL OUT. I DON'T LIKE PREACHERS AND
PEOPLE BEING CALLED OUT ALL OVER THE INTERNET. IT BREAKS MY HEART
SO MUCH BECAUSE, IN FACT, DAVID, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, AFTER
SAUL WAS KILLED, HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT? SAUL WAS KILLED
AND DAVID SAID, "DON'T PUBLISH IT IN THE NEWSPAPERS." REMEMBER
THIS? HE SAID, "DON'T PUT IT OUT THERE "LEST THE SONS AND THE
DAUGHTERS "OF THE PHILISTINES REJOICE." IN OTHER WORDS, THE
WORLD TAKES GREAT PLEASURE WHEN THE CHURCH IS FIGHTING. RIGHT,
AND WE'RE POINTING THE FINGER AT EACH OTHER. SO THIS IS, WE GOTTA
BE CAREFUL WE DON'T FALL INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE CHURCH OF
EPHESUS. YES, WE CAN HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT WE DON'T
WANNA BE THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE, AND WE DON'T WANT JESUS TO JUDGE
US AFTER THE WAY WE JUDGE PEOPLE. SO THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO THAT'S THAT CHURCH, AND THEN WE HAD THE SECOND ONE THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT, THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA. THIS WAS THE PERSECUTED
CHURCH. JESUS HAD NOTHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT THEM, THESE PEOPLE.
AND NOTICE HE COMES TO THEM AS THE GIVER OF ETERNAL LIFE. THEIR
FOCUS AT THAT CHURCH WAS, I JUST WANT TO PLEASE GOD, I WILL DIE
FOR MY FAITH. AND I THINK IN THE CHURCH OF AMERICA, THAT PASTOR
IS GONNA BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST, I
DON'T KNOW IF HE'LL DO IT ON SUNDAY YET BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY
TALKING ABOUT HAVING SOME GUEST SPEAKERS COME IN TO REALLY
UNVEIL AND PULL THE MASK OFF THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM THAT IS REALLY
TRYING TO RAISE ITS HEAD IN THIS COUNTRY. AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF
OUR GREATEST THREATS RIGHT NOW AND THE CHURCH CANNOT BE ASLEEP
TO IT. AND HOW MANY OF YOU SAW FLASHPOINT LAST NIGHT WHERE THEY
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THERE WERE MUSLIMS,
MUSLIM LEADERS, ON QUOTING THE FACT THAT EITHER WE'RE GOING TO
THE BALLOT OR WE'RE GONNA USE THE BULLET. I MEAN, THIS IS
CRAZY TALK. AND SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE
TO STAND OUR GROUND IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION. AND THIS IS A
QUESTION THAT EVERY ONE OF US HAS TO ASK OURSELF. I HAD A
MOTHER RECENTLY, I WON'T SAY WHO IT IS, WHO TOLD ME THAT ONE OF
THEIR CHILDREN WAS LIKE, "WELL, MOM, WHAT IF I HAVE, YOU MEAN WE
COULD DIE? WE COULD BE KILLED AND MUTILATED AND MURDERED FOR
JESUS? AND WHAT, I MEAN, HOW WOULD THAT, 'CAUSE THIS IS NEW
TALK HERE IN THIS, HERE IN THE UNITED STATES." AND THE MOTHER
SAID, "WELL, I MEAN, IT COULD HAPPEN. IT COULD DEFINITELY
HAPPEN. I MEAN, LIKE, YOU COULD BE KILLED AND WE COULD BE
KILLED. AND FINALLY THIS MOM TURNED AROUND AND SHE SAID,
"YES, IT COULD HAPPEN, AND IF IT HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS." WE'RE
GONNA STAND UP FOR JESUS. COME ON, NO MATTER WHAT. AMEN. I LOVE
WHAT APOSTLE MIKE KEYES SAYS. HE SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
THREATEN ME WITH, HEAVEN?" SO THIS WAS THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA.
AND THE BIG THING THAT JESUS GAVE TO THEM IS DON'T FEAR. FEAR
KEEPS A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BEING OBEDIENT TO
GOD. SO DON'T FEAR PERSECUTION. MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR PRAYER
LIFE. FATHER, I'LL STAND UP AND I'LL JUMP IN THE FRAY IF I HAVE
TO. AND THEN THE NEXT CHURCH WAS THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS. AND THIS
WAS A CHURCH THAT I CALLED THE CHURCH OF CARNAL FLESHLY LIVING.
THEY JUST COULDN'T QUIT BEING CARNAL PEOPLE. A LITTLE BIT OF
THE CHURCH OF CORINTH HAD SOME OF THAT. THEY WERE HOLY SPIRIT,
BUT PAUL WAS CONSTANTLY, IF YOU READ 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS, YOU'LL
FIND THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS CONSTANTLY TEACHING THEM HOW TO
LIVE STRAIGHT AND HOW TO GET THE CARNALITY OUT OF THEIR LIFE. AND
SO THIS WAS THE CHURCH THAT THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF CARNAL
BEHAVIORS. THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED IN ALL OF THEIR
WORLDLY PLEASURES, RIGHT? ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE, AND I
LOVE WHAT PASTOR TALKED ABOUT. WE CAN GET SO INTO OUR HOBBIES
AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE NATURAL, AND THOSE ARE
GOOD THINGS, WE ALL NEED THOSE THINGS, BUT WE CAN'T PUT 'EM IN
FRONT OF JESUS. AND SO HERE IS THIS CHURCH, THE CHURCH OF
CARNAL LIVING. THEY NEVER DENIED THE LORD IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF
EVIL, BUT THEY COULDN'T GET THE WORLDLINESS OUT. AND SO, AND ONE
OF THE WAYS THAT I SAID IT, I THINK IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THIS IS, I'M ALWAYS SUPER CAREFUL OF
ANYTHING THAT EXCUSES, WELL, IT'S OKAY FOR A CHRISTIAN TO
FILL IN THE BLANK. AND I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, BE CAREFUL ABOUT
THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, I THINK THERE'S
SOME ABSOLUTES IN THE SCRIPTURE, WHERE THE BIBLE IS ABSOLUTELY DO
NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT, THOU SHALT NOT, OKAY, THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT
THEN THERE'S THINGS ON THERE WHERE PAUL TAUGHT THAT ONE
PERSON MIGHT BE OKAY WITH THAT AND ANOTHER WITH THAT, BUT THE
MAIN THING IS, IS HE NEVER MADE IT OUT THAT IT WAS JUST OKAY FOR
BELIEVERS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL. SO I
ALWAYS SAY THAT'S KIND OF A WARNING SIGN WHEN PEOPLE ARE
LIKE, OH, NO, THAT MOVIE'S OKAY, OR IT'S OKAY TO DO THIS, OR IT'S
OKAY TO DO THAT. AND ALL OF THESE THINGS TEND TO CREEP INTO
THE CHURCH SO MUCH THAT WE END UP WITH A CARNAL, RIGHT? A
CARNAL, COMPROMISED CHURCH. AND THE BIBLE TEACHES US TO BE HOLY
AS GOD'S HOLY. SO THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. SO THAT WAS THAT
CHURCH. AND BY THE WAY, JESUS COMES TO THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS.
HE CAME WITH A SWORD IN HIS MOUTH. WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THEY
FORGOT THE BIBLE, RIGHT? THEY WERE SO BUSY WITH CARNAL LIVING
AND EXCUSING AND MAKING UP, "OH, I THINK THIS IS GOOD AND THAT'S
GOOD." YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT, ESPECIALLY TODAY, WE CANNOT AS
CHRISTIANS LIVE BASED ON GOOD OPINIONS. WE HAVE GOT TO BE IN
THE WORD. IN FACT, I CHALLENGE YOU, PASTOR AND I ARE DOING A,
WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT WE'RE DOING, ACTUALLY NEVER
REALLY TOGETHER. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEVER DID IT TOGETHER,
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN DAYS WHERE PROVERBS FALLS ON A MONTH WHERE
THERE'S 31 DAYS. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOING THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
AT ONE EVERY DAY. TODAY WAS PROVERBS 3, AND WE GO THROUGH
ALL THE WAY TO THE END. I WOULD ENCOURAGE HUSBANDS AND WIVES, DO
IT TOGETHER, DO IT WITH YOUR KIDS, READ THE BOOK OF PROVERBS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? PROVERBS IS A GOOD BOOK THAT KEEPS YOU OUT OF
YOUR CARNAL OPINION. SO JESUS COMES TO THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS
WITH THE SWORD IN HIS MOUTH. HE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU
GOTTA GET BACK TO THE WORD. 'CAUSE IF YOU HAVE THE WORD IN
YOUR HEART, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE CALL IT? IT CALLS IT A TWO-EDGED
SWORD. IN OTHER WORDS, IT DISCERNS. WHAT DOES IT SAY? IT'S
A DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS AND THE INTENTS OF THE HEART. AND IT
DIVIDES, WATCH THIS, IT DIVIDES THAT WHICH IS FLESH AND SPIRIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU
MAKE REGULAR READING A HABIT AND YOU STUDY IT AND YOU KNOW IT,
YOU KNOW, YOU'LL COME UP UPON SOMETHING OR MAYBE YOU MEET
SOMEBODY, COME ON, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'D BE LIKE, I DON'T
KNOW, I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT. WELL, NO, IT'S OKAY.
PEOPLE SAY, OH, IT'S FINE. THAT PERSON IS GREAT, IT'S GREAT. NO,
I JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHY. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT? WHY
DON'T YOU FEEL, I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
ANSWER EVERYBODY. MARILYN HICKEY TAUGHT US THAT A LONG TIME AGO.
SHE SAID, "NOT EVERY TEXT MESSAGE HAS TO BE RESPONDED TO."
YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER ASKED, WHEN ANYBODY ASKS YOU A LOADED
QUESTION IN A TEXT, AND YOU'RE LIKE... SO SHE SAID, "DON'T, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO EVERYTHING." I ALWAYS THINK,
"WELL, WELL, MAYBE IT'S RUDE." BUT SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW, IF YOU
DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, THEN WHY MAKE UP ONE?" I THOUGHT, "WELL,
I TAUGHT ME A GREAT LESSON." SO THE KEY IS BE IN THE WORD. THAT
WAS THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS. THE MORE YOU'RE IN THE WORD, THE
MORE IT SHARPENS US, AMEN? THE MORE IT KEEPS US STRAIGHT, AND
THE MORE IT HELPS US DISCERN THE TRUTH WHEN WE COME UP AGAINST
IT. AND BY THE WAY, THE ENEMY IS GETTING MORE AND MORE AND MORE
SUBTLE ON HOW HE PRESENTS THINGS. JESUS, IN THE 24TH
CHAPTER OF MATTHEW, IF YOU GO BACK AND YOU STUDY IT, ONE OF
HIS GREATEST MESSAGES ABOUT THE END TIMES WAS SEE TO IT THAT NO
ONE DECEIVES YOU. IF WE THOUGHT WE WERE BEING DECEIVED, WE
WOULDN'T DO IT, IT'S 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW. AND SO IT'S ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE HAVE TO REMEMBER. IF YOU ARE IN
GOD'S WORD, IT WILL SHARPEN YOU AND HELP YOU TO KNOW, JUST DON'T
PARTICIPATE IN THAT. AND YOU KNOW I ALWAYS SAY IT LIKE THIS,
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT SOMETHING, JUST DON'T. OKAY, IF
YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SOMETHING, JUST DON'T. SOMETIMES
YOU HAVE TO PRAY THROUGH THINGS, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE WORD.
SO THIS WAS THAT CHURCH, THEY NEVER HONED IN ON THEIR
CARNALITY, AND SO THAT'S THE KEY THING, LET'S NOT BE A CARNAL
CHURCH. TOUCH YOURSELF, I'M NOT GONNA BE A CARNAL CHRISTIAN, SAY
THAT, AMEN AND AMEN. ALL RIGHT, NOW NUMBER FOUR, THE CHURCH OF
THYATIRA. NOW THIS WAS THE CHURCH OF FALSE DOCTRINE, WE
TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST WEEK. AND JESUS COMES AS THE REFINER,
MEANING THAT HE CAME TO REMOVE, AND I HEARD MARILYN HICKEY USE
THIS TERMINOLOGY FOR THE FIRST TIME MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
SHE'S BEEN LIKE A SPIRITUAL MOM TO US, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS SHE
SAID IS, "GOD DOESN'T WANT FALSE MIXTURES IN THE CHURCH." AND AT
THAT TIME, WE WERE AROUND SOME GROUPS THAT HAD SOME INTERESTING
KIND OF SUPERNATURAL THINGS. AND I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE A CASE
EITHER WAY, BUT I REMEMBER, WELL, MAYBE I AM, I'M JUST GONNA
SAY IT. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. PEOPLE WERE INTO THE GOLD DUST AND THE
JEWELS APPEARING. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN ANY OF THESE, THE
SUPERNATURAL WEIGHT LOSS? AND THAT WAS ONE THAT WE WERE AT A
MEETING ONE TIME AND THEY HAD THIS GUY COME UP AND HE MUST
HAVE HAD A 65 WAIST PANTS AND HE WALKS UP AND HIS WAIST IS 35.
I'M THINKING, OKAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GOT UP ON THE PLATFORM,
IT WAS A BIG MEETING AND I'M THINKING, OKAY, DID HE JUST JUMP
IN THOSE PANTS IN THE BACK? I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED. BUT
THERE CAN BE FALSE SIGNS, OKAY, THERE CAN BE. AND I ALWAYS SAY
IF IT'S NOT IN THE WORD, THEN DON'T ADD TO IT. OKAY, JESUS
TAUGHT THE DISCIPLES TO HEAL THE SICK AND CAST OUT DEVILS. THERE
ISN'T ANY BIBLE, I'M JUST GONNA LAY IT OUT THERE LIKE THIS,
THERE ISN'T ANY BIBLE FOR GOLD DUST. IN FACT, SOME PEOPLE WILL
TELL YOU THAT WAS A TREND THAT WAS STARTED IN NEW AGE IN SOUTH
AMERICA. SO A LOT OF THOSE PLACES HAVE A LOT OF THAT.
JEWELS APPEARING, MONEY IN WALLETS, ALL OF THESE THINGS. IN
FACT, THE BIBLE DOESN'T EVEN SAY THAT YOU'LL HAVE THAT. THE
SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT GOD, IF YOU GIVE, HE'LL GIVE BACK TO YOU
THROUGH THE HANDS OF PEOPLE. I'VE NEVER ONCE HAD GOD RAIN
DOLLAR BILLS DOWN IN MY BACKYARD. IF THERE WAS A MONEY
TREE, I DON'T KNOW IT, AMEN. SO, JUST BE CAREFUL OF THOSE THINGS.
MARILYN CALLED THEM FALSE MIXTURES, WHERE PEOPLE GET, THEY
WANT SO MUCH OF THE SUPERNATURAL THAT THEY KIND OF GET OUTSIDE
THE LINES OF THE BOUNDARIES OF GOD'S WORD. AND I'M NOT GONNA
CERTAINLY TELL GOD HOW HE WANTS TO MANIFEST 'CAUSE GOD CAN DO A
LOT OF THINGS. BUT I THINK THE KEY IS, IS WE'RE TO STAY ON WHAT
WE'RE TAUGHT. AND I SHARED THIS STORY LAST TIME, THERE WAS THIS
GENTLEMAN, WE WERE IN A MEETING, I JUST WANNA REPEAT IT IN CASE
ANYBODY DIDN'T HEAR IT. AND I REMEMBER WE'RE AT THIS DINNER
TABLE, WE WERE DOING THIS PROGRAM AND WE'RE AT THIS DINNER
TABLE AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER MINISTERS THERE. AND THIS GUY
SAYS TO PASTOR HANK AND MYSELF, HE GOES, "I HAVE THE MINISTRY,
"I HAVE THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTING." AND I'M THINKING,
"TRANSPORT, WHAT IS THAT?" I THINK THAT WAS THE TERM THAT HE
USED, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I THOUGHT, "WHAT IS THAT? "WHAT IS
TRANSPORT? "WHAT, YOU DRIVE A SEMI?" YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T
FIGURE IT OUT. AND IT TURNS OUT THAT HE WAS SAYING, LIKE PHILIP,
HE TRANSPORTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE. AND I'M THINKING, NOW
THAT'S JUST GOTTEN WEIRD. OKAY, THAT WAS ONLY ONE TIME IN THE
BIBLE, RIGHT? ONE TIME DID WE SEE PHILIP DID THAT. WE SAW THE
CASE WITH JESUS WHEN THE SHIP, YOU'VE HEARD PASTOR TEACH ABOUT
THIS, WHEN THE SHIP, THEY WERE OUT IN THE BOAT AND THE SHIP WAS
IMMEDIATELY OR SUPERNATURALLY AT THE LAND OR AT THE SHORE. BUT WE
DON'T SEE ANY PLACE WHERE JESUS TAUGHT THE CHURCH TO REPRODUCE
THE MINISTRY OF TRANSLATING. AND SO IT'S GOTTEN CRAZY OUT THERE.
I KNOW MINISTERS, AND I THINK THEY MEAN WELL, BUT I KNOW
MINISTERS WHO HAVE GOTTEN INTO LEVITATING, WHO'VE GOTTEN INTO
THINGS THAT I WOULD CALL OCCULTICISM. AND NOW, YOU HEARD
ME SAY THIS LAST TIME, THAT THERE'S A WHOLE MOVEMENT NOW
THAT IS MIXING SPIRITISM, WITCHCRAFT, AND CHRISTIANITY. SO
WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL. THYATIRA WAS ABOUT THE FALSE
MIXTURES. IT BROUGHT IN JEZEBEL, IT MADE IT OKAY TO HAVE A LITTLE
OF THE OPPOSITE SIDE, THE EVIL SIDE OF THE SUPERNATURAL, AND IT
MIXED IT TOGETHER AND MADE IT OUT TO BE GOOD. THAT'S, YOU
KNOW, YOU HEAR PEOPLE USE THE PHRASE WHITE WITCH. WELL, ALL
WITCHES ARE BAD. THERE'S NO GOOD WITCH. A WITCH IS A WITCH, OKAY?
AND GOD CONDEMNED WITCHCRAFT, PERIOD. YOU CAN'T BE A WITCH AND
A CHRISTIAN. YOU'VE GOTTA RENOUNCE THE DEVIL, PERIOD.
AMEN, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SO CAREFUL. I MEAN, WHEN YOU SEE
THINGS ON MOVIES AND SHOWS, MAN, THE DEVIL'S TRYING TO SNEAK THAT
OCCULT IN IN EVERY SINGLE WAY TO GET PEOPLE MORE AND MORE
COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE THINGS. YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE, IF YOU
GO OVER, AND PASTOR DODJI WOULD TELL YOU THIS, HE'S TOLD US
STORIES ABOUT AFRICA AND TUDOR BISMARK, WHEN HE WAS HERE MANY
YEARS AGO AND SHARED ABOUT SOME OF THE CRAZY THINGS THAT
HAPPENED WITH THESE WITCH DOCTORS OVER THERE. I MEAN, IT
WOULD ABSOLUTELY, IT'S SHOCKING TO US IN THE UNITED STATES. THE
DEVIL HAS TO COME IN CREATIVELY TO GET US TO ACCEPT CERTAIN
THINGS OF THE OCCULT. BUT OVER THERE, THE OCCULT IS NORMAL. AND
THEY'LL HAVE CHRISTIANS, PEOPLE THAT ARE SAVED, WORSHIPING GOD,
BUT THEY WON'T EVER REJECT THEIR OCCULTISM. AND SO THEY'RE STILL
DOING SPELLS AND SETTING UP MONUMENTS AND DOING CRAZY
THINGS. AND I THINK THE ENEMY IS TRYING TO BRING MORE AND MORE OF
THAT HERE THROUGH TELEVISION. AND WE HAVE TO BE SO, SO
CAREFUL. PROTECT YOUR KIDS FROM THAT. OKAY, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE
CASTING A LITTLE SPELL ON SOME SHOW, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURPRISED
IF IT'S ON DISNEY BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE THAT FOR YEARS. WE
JUST DIDN'T CATCH IT TILL NOW. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,
BE VERY CAREFUL. SO CHURCH OF THYATIRA WAS THE CHURCH OF FALSE
MIXTURES, AND JESUS COMES AS THE REFINING FIRE, AND HE SAYS
THERE'S TO BE NONE OF THAT, NONE OF THAT. AND ANOTHER THING I'M
CAREFUL OF, I'M JUST KIND OF TALK OUT OF MY SPIRIT, ANOTHER
THING I'M CAREFUL OF IS WHENEVER, AND LET ME SAY IT
WELL, CAN YOU JUST GUYS HEAR IT IN BALANCE? BE CAREFUL WHEN
THERE'S SOME HOT NEW TEACHING. HOW MANY HAVE EVER SEEN THOSE?
THEY COME IN WAVES, YOU KNOW? THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN,
I MEAN, UNIVERSALISM JUST RAN THROUGH THE CHURCH. AND THESE
THINGS COME BACK AROUND EVERY SO OFTEN. YOU'LL JUST KIND OF,
UNIVERSALISM IS, PEOPLE THAT PREACH THERE'S NO LITERAL HELL,
AND THAT EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE RECONCILED BACK TO GOD. AND
THESE THINGS WILL COME AROUND EVERY SO OFTEN, AND WE HAVE TO
BE SO VERY CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T ALLOW FALSE MIXTURES TO COME IN,
FALSE DOCTRINES TO MIX IN WITH THE TRUTH. THAT'S WHY WHEN JESUS
SAID IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, HE SAID, "MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME
SAYING I AM THE CHRIST," OR THEY'LL COME WITH A CHRISTIAN
LABEL TO IT. IT'LL HAVE A CHRISTIAN PRESENTATION, BUT
THERE'S FALSE MIXED IN. AND SO BE CAREFUL OF SOME OF THOSE
TEACHINGS AND THOSE DOCTRINES, JUST WATCH THOSE. I KEEP THE
TENETS OF THE FAITH, A LITTLE SHEET, PRINTOUT SHEET IN MY
BIBLE, AND JUST REMIND MYSELF OF THE THINGS THAT ARE
NON-NEGOTIABLES, RIGHT? THINGS THAT ARE NONNEGOTIABLE. IN OTHER
WORDS, JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN, PERIOD. AND THIS CULTURE
DOESN'T LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE STAND FOR, AND WE
WILL NOT ALTER THAT. SO THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A FALSE MIXTURE
THAT, WELL, YOUR WAY TO GOD MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN MINE.
NO, THERE'S NO WAY TO GOD BUT JESUS, HALLELUJAH. AND WE HAVE
TO STAY WITH THAT. SO THAT'S THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA, AND JUST
'CAUSE IT'S POPULAR, JUST 'CAUSE HE'S A PREACHER, AND BY THE WAY,
IT COULD BE A PREACHER THAT YOU LOVE, BUT I'VE KNOWN PREACHERS
THAT I LOVE THAT WENT OFF THE DEEP END, AND SO BE CAREFUL OF
THAT. WE HAVE TO, WE JUST GOT TO BE VERY DISCERNING, NOT
SUSPICIOUS, NOBODY'S SAYING THAT, NOT SUSPICIOUS. I THINK
YOU CAN'T DISCERN ALWAYS THINGS IN ONE MOMENT UNLESS IT'S REALLY
EGREGIOUS, BUT CHURCH OF THYATIRA, JESUS GAVE THEM THOSE
THAT DIDN'T BOW DOWN TO THE JEZEBELIC DOCTRINES, JESUS SAID
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE CONSEQUENCES. SO I ENCOURAGE
YOU, GO BACK AND READ THAT, WE READ IT LAST WEEK. SO NOW LET'S
GET INTO THE CHURCH OF SARDIS. AND THIS WAS THE CHURCH, AND
WE'RE GOING TO READ THIS IN REVELATION CHAPTER 3. THE CHURCH
OF SARDIS WAS THE CHURCH OF DEAD RELIGION. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL
IT THE SECULAR CHURCH. IN OTHER WORDS, IT PRETTY MUCH WAS, IT
HAD ELIMINATED ANY EXPRESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THERE WAS NO
HOLY SPIRIT ANYMORE. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST CALLED A
CHURCH. NOW WE HAVE SEEN, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CALL OUT ANY
SPECIFIC DENOMINATION, BUT THERE ARE A LOAD OF DENOMINATIONS OUT
THERE RIGHT NOW WHO STARTED AS GREAT REVIVALS. OKAY, THEY
STARTED WITH THE FIRE AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND
NOW THEY HAVE REDUCED DOWN TO NOTHING MORE THAN A SOCIAL CLUB.
AMEN. WE'VE SEEN THIS. AND SO THIS IS WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY
ABOUT THE SARDIS CHURCH, THE SECULAR CHURCH. "AND UNTO THE
ANGEL OR THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH "IN SARDIS WRITE, THESE
THINGS SAYS HE "THAT HAS THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD AND THE
SEVEN STARS." I MEAN, I'M TELLING YOU THE WAY REVELATION
IS WRITTEN, YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT? I DON'T KNOW. IT JUST COMES WITH
FIRE TO MY SPIRIT. AND THE SEVEN STARS, I KNOW YOUR WORKS. AND
YOU HAVE THE NAME THAT YOU'RE ALIVE, BUT YOU ARE DEAD. I HEARD
A PREACHER SAY, THERE ARE CHURCHES THAT ARE NOT, THEY'RE
NOT EVEN A CHURCH. THEY'RE A SOCIAL CLUB. PEOPLE GO THERE FOR
THE PRESTIGE AND TO MAKE CRAFTS. BUT THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL THAT'S
IN THERE. NOTHING LEFT. HE SAID, BE WATCHFUL. I MEAN, WATCH THIS.
HE SAID, "AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS THAT REMAIN "AND THAT ARE
ABOUT TO DIE." WOW, NOT A LOT OF HOPE FOR THIS GROUP. "FOR I'VE
NOT FOUND YOUR WORKS PERFECT BEFORE GOD." BUT WATCH WHAT HE
SAYS, REMEMBER, OKAY? THERE WAS A DENOMINATION THAT STARTED WITH
THE THESIS BEING POUNDED ON THE WALL, RIGHT? GO BACK TO THE
HISTORY OF WHAT STARTED THE REVIVAL THAT BROUGHT YOUR CHURCH
ABOUT. AND BY THE WAY, CAN I SAY THIS IS WHERE CHARISMATIC
MOVEMENT, WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT, THE PENTECOSTAL
MOVEMENT, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TOO. WE WERE JUST TALKING WITH A
GROUP OF PEOPLE AT LUNCH TODAY ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOME OF OUR
ASSISTANTS, PASTOR AND I BROUGHT SOME PRESENTS AND WE ALL HAD
SOME FOOD TOGETHER. AND WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT THE FACT, THEY
WERE LIKE, "LORD, WE LOVE LORD OF HOSTS." I'M LIKE, "IT IS A
PRETTY COOL CHURCH, "I THINK LORD OF HOSTS IS COOL." BUT I
SAID, "YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER "IS EVEN THE
PENTECOSTAL CHURCH, "SO MANY WORD CHURCHES, PENTECOSTAL
CHURCHES "HAVE BECOME JUST DRY TEACHING CENTERS. "THERE'S NO
MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, "NOBODY GETS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
ANYMORE." I'VE GONE TO CONFERENCES, I'M LIKE, "YOU
KNOW, I WANT PEOPLE TO GET PRAYER, "PEOPLE TO GET HANDS
LAID ON THEM SOMETIMES, "YOU KNOW, THERE TO BE SOME MINISTRY.
"IT'S LIKE WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, "DRUDGE THROUGH THE BIBLE
AND I'M GREAT WITH THAT "AND THEN WRAP UP AND GO HOME. "BUT
THERE'S NO EXPRESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. "NOBODY PRAYS IN
TONGUES ANYMORE. "AND EVEN WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T
GO DOWN "THE PATH WHERE YOU GO TOWARD WHAT WAS ONCE ALIVE
"BECOMES DEAD. "AND NOW WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS,
AMEN." AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ON A SUNDAY, PRESS YOURSELF.
PRESS YOURSELF INTO A GREATER EXPERIENCE WITH GOD, OKAY? AND
IF THE WORSHIP TEAM THAT WEEK DIDN'T SING YOUR FAVORITE TUNE,
WELL, PRESS IN ANYHOW. EVERYBODY LIKES THE BATTLE SONG THAT THEY
DID TONIGHT. I'M LIKE, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT GET, BUT I'M JUST
SAYING, IF THAT WASN'T YOUR SONG THAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR THAT
WEEK, DON'T JUST STAND THERE LIKE A TELEPHONE POLE. MAKE
YOURSELF PRESS, COME ON SOMEBODY, INTO SOMETHING
GREATER. WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES. I TRY MY VERY
HARDEST. I HAVE HEARD MY HUSBAND PREACH FOR 36 YEARS. I TRY, I
ALMOST COULDN'T FINISH HIS SENTENCES, YOU KNOW, NOT ALWAYS,
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, YOU KNOW, I'M IN THERE, I'M
WRITING STUFF IN MY BIBLE AND MARKING STUFF OUT, TRYING TO
EXTRACT EVERYTHING THAT'S BRAND NEW FROM IT. AND I DO THAT TO
REMIND MYSELF, DON'T GET COMFORTABLE. DON'T EVER HAVE THE
ATTITUDE, WELL, I'VE HEARD THAT. OKAY, THAT'S HOW THINGS GO DEAD,
RIGHT? AND SO WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT. SO THIS IS WHAT HE SAID,
REMEMBER WHERE YOU STARTED. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS
FIRST SAVED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE WENT TO OUR
LITTLE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH. AND I'D NEVER BEEN TO A PENTECOSTAL
CHURCH. WE WERE EPISCOPALIAN, THAT'S TRULY THE FROZEN CHOSEN.
AND I WAS IN THERE AND THIS GUY HAD AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR. I'M
LIKE, I'D NEVER SEEN THAT. ALL WE EVER SAW WAS AN ORGAN. AND
NOBODY HAD DRUMS BACK THEN. THEY HAD ACOUSTIC. AND I'M THINKING,
OH, THIS IS THE BEST THING. I WAS ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD AND I
COULD NOT, I WAS SO EXCITED FOR JESUS, I COULD NOT, EVERY TIME I
WALKED IN THERE, WIPE THE SMILE OFF MY FACE. I WAS JUST SO HAPPY
FOR SOMETHING TO BE ALIVE LIKE THAT. AND I JUST WOULD GRIN AND
GRIN AND GRIN. AND I THOUGHT, SO I REMIND MYSELF WHEN I WALK IN,
YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE 40 YEARS LATER, STILL SERVING GOD. AND I
ALWAYS REMIND MYSELF, YOU WALK IN THAT CHURCH WITH A SMILE ON
YOUR FACE, JUST LIKE YOU DID. REMEMBER HOW YOU COULDN'T QUIT
SMILING. DON'T EVER COME IN WITH A GRUMPY FACE, RIGHT? DON'T COME
IN GRUMPY. THAT'S HOW YOU END UP IN DEAD CHURCH, OKAY? NOW LIVE
CHURCH STARTS WITH LIVING PEOPLE, AMEN? AMEN. OKAY, TOUCH
YOURSELF, YOU SAY YOU'RE... YOU GOT IT? I'M BACK, ALL RIGHT.
IT'S MAKING SOME FUNNY NOISES, SO I WAS JUST CHECKING, OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, REMEMBER, SOMEBODY SAY REMEMBER. HOW YOU HAVE
RECEIVED AND HEARD, REMEMBER, RIGHT? WHERE YOU STARTED, AND
HOLD FAST AND REPENT. BY THE WAY, JESUS SAYS REPENT A LOT TO
THESE CHURCHES. SO REPENTANCE IS STILL IN THE CHURCH, RIGHT? WE
NEED WAVES OF REPENTING, OKAY? REPENT DOESN'T MEAN ALWAYS
SQUABBLING AND CRYING. IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE A TURN
SOMETIMES. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, AS SOME PERSON ONCE
SAID IT. SO HE SAID, "REPENT, IF THEREFORE YOU SHALL NOT WATCH,
"I'LL COME TO THEE AS A THIEF, "AND YOU WILL NOT KNOW WHAT HOUR
I'LL COME UPON YOU." BY THE WAY, 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 SAYS
THAT JESUS IS NOT COMING AS A THIEF TO THE CHURCH. OKAY, HE
SAID, "YOU KNOW THAT DAY, "IT SHOULD NOT APPEAR TO YOU AS A
THIEF." THE THIEF COMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IS FOR THE
WORLD. WE'RE TO KNOW THE HOUR, WE'RE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE
HOUR. THE BIBLE SAYS YOU'LL KNOW THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS. SO I
NEED TO READ THAT SCRIPTURE TO YOU. YOU GUYS KNOW IT'S IN THE
BIBLE. IT SAYS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT APPROACH YOU AS A THIEF. SO
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SO READY FOR THE LORD THAT WE JUST KNOW.
WE SEE THE SIGNS, WE SEE THE TIMES, OUR LIVES ARE READY.
OKAY, THE BIBLE TEACHES SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS THAT WE
SHOULD LIVE ANY SINGLE DAY TO MEET THE LORD. I BELIEVE IN LONG
LIFE, I ABSOLUTELY DO. I BELIEVE IT'S A COVENANT RIGHT THAT WE
CAN LIVE LONG ON THIS EARTH. BUT YOU KNOW, CHARLIE KIRK, I DON'T
THINK HE PLANNED TO BE IN HEAVEN THAT DAY. I DON'T THINK HE
PLANNED IT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, HE HAD TO BE READY. HE HAD TO BE
READY TO MEET JESUS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AND THAT'S THE WAY THE
BIBLE TEACHES WE'RE TO LIVE. IT TEACHES THAT WE'RE TO BE IN A
PLACE ALL THE TIME OF SPIRITUAL PREPAREDNESS. AND SO THAT IS
WHERE THIS CHURCH HAD FALLEN OUT. HE SAID, "I'LL COME TO YOU
AS A THIEF "AND YOU'LL NOT KNOW THE HOUR THAT I'LL COME UPON
YOU." IT WAS THE, WELL, YOU HEARD PASTOR TEACH IT ON SUNDAY.
IT WAS THE FOOLISH VIRGINS THAT DIDN'T HAVE OIL IN THEIR LAMP
AND THE BRIDEGROOM CAME AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT. BUT THE OTHER
ONES WERE PREPARED. THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYMORE WHAT DAY WAS GONNA
COME, BUT THEY TREATED IT LIKE IT WAS RIGHT NOW. SO YOU HAVE A
NAME, A FEW NAMES, EVEN IN SARDIS, WHICH HAVE NOT DEFILED
THEIR GARMENTS, AND THEY SHALL WALK WITH ME IN WHITE, FOR
THEY'RE WORTHY. BUT HE THAT OVERCOMES, WELL, OVERCOMES WHAT?
OVERCOMES THIS DEAD, DRY CHURCH, RIGHT? THEY WERE PRESSED IN. HE
THAT OVERCOMES THE SAME WILL BE CLOTHED IN WHITE RAIMENT. NOW, I
DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE THIS IS, BUT I GOTTA SAY, I HEARD A PASTOR
SAY, SAID THAT HE HAD A VISION OF HEAVEN, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT
THERE'S ANY BIBLE FOR IT, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. BUT
HE SAID, WHEN HE SAW HEAVEN, HE SAID THAT THERE WERE SOME
PEOPLE, THEIR ROBES WEREN'T 100% WHITE, THEY WERE SORT OF GRAY
COLORED. NOW I THOUGHT, WELL, LORD, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
TRUE, BUT I WANT A WHITE ONE. AND JESUS SAID THAT WE GET A
WHITE ONE. AND I KNOW PEOPLE AREN'T GOING AROUND AND, "OH,
YOU GOT A GRAY ROBE, DUDE. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU,
"BUT I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE." BUT THE TRUTH
OF THE MATTER IS, 'CAUSE WE DON'T THINK THE WAY HEAVEN IS
DOWN HERE. YOU'RE NOT UP THERE GOING, YOU'RE STILL MAD AT YOUR
EX, AND THIS KIND OF THING. SOMEBODY LOSES A SPOUSE AND GETS
REMARRIED, AND THEN THEY GET UP THERE AND HIS WIFE IS WAITING
WITH A BALL BAT. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE A
HARD TIME COMPREHENDING THE FULLNESS OF WHAT HEAVEN WILL BE
LIKE. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, YOU KNOW, I WANT THE
WHITE ROBE. I WANT EVERYTHING THAT HEAVEN OFFERS. AND JESUS
SAID IT WAS THE ONES THAT DIDN'T FALL INTO DEAD RELIGION, RIGHT?
ALL OF US ARE AT RISK OF THAT. SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL,
EVEN AT LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. PASTOR, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, HE
SAYS, "YOU KNOW WHAT? "I WANNA MAKE SURE WE PRAY FOR THE
PEOPLE." WHEN WE DO GET READY FOR OPENING THE HEAVENS, HE
GOES, "I WANNA MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT JUST GONNA BE "A CONFERENCE
WHERE WE TEACH AND GO HOME." AND TEACHING'S GOOD, I'M NOT DOWN ON
IT. BUT HE SAID, "I WANT PEOPLE TO GET PRAYER. "I WANT PEOPLE TO
GET MINISTRY. "I WANT PEOPLE TO RECEIVE A PRAYER CLOTH. "I WANT
PEOPLE TO GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. "I WANT THERE TO BE
THE MANIFESTATION OF LAYING ON OF HANDS, "OR AT LEAST, IF
ANYTHING, WE MAKE A ROOM FOR HEALING, FOR PEOPLE TO COME BE
HEALED, AND NOT GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OR JUST DO IT 'CAUSE
WE'VE DONE IT FOR HOWEVER MANY DECADES, BUT WE REALLY PRESS IN
IN OUR FAITH. AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOUR PASTOR. HE'S
VERY COMMITTED THAT WAY. HE'S ALWAYS LISTENING AND THINKING,
"HOLY SPIRIT, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO IN THE SERVICE?" WE PRAY IT
EVERY MORNING. WE GET UP AT FIVE O'CLOCK ON THE NOSE ON SUNDAY,
AND EVEN IF THE PACKERS PLAY THE NIGHT BEFORE, WE'RE UP EARLY,
I'M TELLING YOU. AND IF THEY LOSE, WE GO TO BED. WE YELL AND
THEN WE GO TO BED. BUT THE KEY IS, OR THE HUSKERS OR WHATEVER,
BUT WE GET UP AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND EVERY TIME ON A SUNDAY WE
PRAY, YOU KNOW, LORD, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO ON THE SERVICE DAY?
I WANT IT TO BE FRESH, I WANT IT TO BE ALIVE, I WANT IT TO BE
INVITING. I DON'T EVER WANNA FALL IN TO THE CHURCH OF SARDIS
WHERE THEY BECAME DEAD. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T THINK THEY
PLANNED IT. YOU KNOW, NOBODY GOES FROM BEING AN ON-FIRE
CHRISTIAN TO BEING A DRIED-UP PRUNE. I DON'T THINK THEY
PLANNED THAT. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE GREAT REVIVALS AND
MOVEMENTS THAT BECAME DENOMINATIONS, I DON'T THINK ANY
OF THEM PLANNED TO JUST BECOME A SOCIAL CLUB. NO, BUT EVENTUALLY,
DRYNESS SET IN, AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT HERE. SO
HE SAID, "HE THAT OVERCOMES THE SAME "SHALL BE CLOTHED IN WHITE
RAIMENT, "AND I WILL NOT," WATCH THIS PART, "BLOT OUT," FIRST
TIME HE BRINGS THIS UP IN ALL THE CHURCHES, "I WILL NOT BLOT
OUT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE." BY THE WAY, THAT WILL
JUST DEBUNK THE DOCTRINE OF ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED. OKAY, YOUR
NAME WAS IN AND GETS BLOTTED OUT. SO IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU YOU
CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION, THAT ONCE YOU'RE BORN AGAIN, YOU'RE
IN FOREVER, NO, HERE HE SAID, YOUR NAME COULD BE BLOTTED OUT
OF THE BOOK OF LIFE. SO THIS IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT. BUT
I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME BEFORE MY FATHER AND BEFORE HIS ANGELS.
MAN, I WANT GOD TO TOUT MY NAME IN HEAVEN BECAUSE I STAYED
LIVING, ACTIVE, RIGHT? ON FIRE FOR GOD. PRESS YOURSELF TO STAY
ALIVE. AND ANOTHER THING I WOULD SAY, WE DO LITTLE THINGS AT
HOME, PASTOR AND MYSELF, TO KEEP OURSELVES, 'CAUSE THE OLDER YOU
GET, IT'S EASIER TO JUST SIT IN A CHAIR AND PRAY. I'M LIKE, OH
LORD, IT'S SO MUCH WORK TO WALK AROUND, I HAVE TO STEP OVER A
DOG. THEY ALWAYS LAY IN THE PATH. DEB, IS THAT NOT TRUE? I'M
LIKE, WHY DO THE DOGS LAY IN OUR ONE DOG, CHICA? JONATHAN CAME TO
OUR HOUSE, THIS WAS LAST CHRISTMAS, HE GOES, WE SHOULD
RENAME HER AND CALL HER ROADBLOCK. SHE'S ALWAYS IN THE
WAY. I'M LIKE, I CAN'T GET TO THE FRIDGE, THERE SHE IS. IF YOU
WALK OUTSIDE, THERE SHE'S IN THE WAY. SHE'S ALWAYS THERE. I THINK
SHE DOES IT ON PURPOSE, BUT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH. BUT YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES IT GETS EASIER. YOU THINK, OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST
SIT AND PRAY. BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA JUST PRESS YOURSELF. GET
UP, GET OUT OF THE CHAIR, PUSH YOURSELF TO READ THE WORD OUT
LOUD. DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T KEEP YOU JUST IN THE PATH OF
COMFORTABLE. AMEN. THAT'S WHY PASTOR SAYS IN PRAISE AND
WORSHIP, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING, SING OUT LOUD. EVEN IF YOU SING
OFF TUNE, NOBODY CARES. IT'S SO LOUD AT LORD OF HOSTS, YOU CAN'T
HEAR YOURSELF THINK, IT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I LIKE
THE BASS, I LIKE IT LOUD. I MEAN, PASTOR BRENDA'S GONNA BE
HAPPY AND IT'S GONNA BE LOUD, LOUD. I MEAN, I KIND OF MISS
WHEN WE GOT IN HERE, ALTHOUGH THE SOUND IS BETTER IN HERE, I
MISS THE OTHER CHURCH WHERE I WAS THREE INCHES
FROM THE SUB AND I WAS LIKE, "NOW THE ANOINTING'S
FLOWING." HALLELUJAH. BUT PUSH YOURSELF OUT.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO LIKE SCREAMING LOUD
MUSIC, BUT I DON'T KNOW, I ALWAYS SAID IT LIKE THIS
YEARS AGO. SOME OF YOU REMEMBER ME PREACHING THIS, GOD
LIKES THINGS LOUD, HEAVEN'S A LOUD PLACE. THE BIBLE SAYS HIS
VOICE IS THE VOICE OF, COME ON, OF MANY WATERS. IF YOU'VE EVER
HEARD THE OCEAN, MAN, YOU CAN'T HEAR YOURSELF THINK. IT'S LOUD.
GOD DOESN'T MIND NOISE. HALLELUJAH, HEAVEN'S A LOUD
PLACE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THINGS LOUD BECAUSE IT
MESSES WITH THEIR INNER SOMETHING, YOU KNOW. IT MESSES
WITH THEIR OOMPH. SO, AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MUSIC,
BUT LOUD PRAYER. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PRAYING OUT LOUD
WHEN YOU PACE YOUR FLOOR. NO, JUST, OH, DEVIL, I BIND YOU IN
JESUS' NAME. OH, DEVIL, I BIND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS. GET
OFF MY FAMILY. DO IT LOUD AND BOLD, SCARE YOURSELF FOR ONCE.
HEY, LISTEN, IT MIGHT HELP YOUR UNBELIEF. I FOUND THAT TOO.
SOMETIMES WHEN I SHOUT, THAT'S, COME ON, IT WAS THE WALLS OF
JERICHO, RIGHT? THAT FELL WHEN THEY SHOUTED BECAUSE THE DEVIL
DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU DO IT. SO DO IT. SHOUT, BE LOUD, PRESS
AGAINST BECOMING A DEAD CHRISTIAN. I THINK THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING. PEOPLE SAY, "OH, PASTOR HANK AND
BRENDA, "AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, YOU'RE STILL ON FIRE FOR GOD." I
MEAN, I LOVE THE MINISTRY, AND BELIEVE ME, WE HAVE HAD HARD
TIMES. I DON'T EVER FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTA GET AWAY FROM THE
MINISTRY. YOU HEAR ALL THESE PASTORS TALK ABOUT BURNOUT?
YEAH, DO WE EVER GET TIRED? HAVE WE EVER HAD TIMES WE HAD TO PUSH
IN, PRESS IN, AND DO ALL THE, OF COURSE. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST PART
OF IT. BUT I LOVE THE MINISTRY AND TEACHING THE BIBLE THE SAME
WAY I DID WHEN WE FIRST STARTED. I MEAN, I LOVE IT THE SAME WAY.
PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, HOW DO YOU, HANK AND BRENDA, "WE'VE KNOWN
YOU ALL THESE 40 YEARS, "AND YOU'VE PRESSED IN AND DONE ALL
OF THIS." I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE CHALLENGE OURSELF.
YOU'VE GOT TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF NOT TO GO THE DEAD ROUTE. YOU'LL
FALL INTO DEAD CHRISTIANITY. YOUR FLESH WILL ENJOY SITTING.
TOO MUCH. OKAY, NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING, BUT SITTING DOWN
ON THE INSIDE, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF THAT. SO HE IS ON
FIRE. THIS IS WHAT THIS CHURCH, THEY FAILED, AND THEY GOT
COMFORTABLE WITH JUST, AND BY THE WAY, THE CHURCH OF SARDIS, A
LOT OF SCHOLARS WILL SAY THIS, THAT THEY WERE THE CHURCH OF ALL
OF THE PRESTIGIOUS PEOPLE IN TOWN. IT WAS NEVER THE LITTLE
PENTECOSTALS ACROSS THE STREET. YOU KNOW, THE HOLY ROLLERS, YOU
KNOW, AND THEY BUILT, WHICH I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL
BUILDING. MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE IN CHRISTIANITY, IT WAS THE
PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES THAT HAD THE DUMPY BUILDINGS WITH THE
RUINED OUT CARPET. I MEAN, YOU HAD TO LIKE GO IN THERE AND IT
WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY ASKED YOU WHERE YOU WENT TO
CHURCH, YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I GO TO A LITTLE ONE OVER THERE. IT'S
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT CHURCH OVER, OH, YOU MEAN THE ONE OVER
THERE WHERE THE SIGNS HALF FALLEN DOWN? YEAH, THAT WAS THE
ONE THERE. BUT IT'S POWERFUL. BUT WE'D HAVE THESE
DENOMINATIONAL CHURCHES, THESE OTHER CHURCHES THAT, YOU KNOW
THEY DON'T PREACH HOLY SPIRIT. YOU KNOW NOBODY'S GETTING HEALED
IN THOSE CHURCH AND THEY'VE GOT THESE MASSIVE, BEAUTIFUL
BUILDINGS. PASTOR USED TO SAY TO GOD, HE SAID, "GOD, I AM NOT
GONNA HAVE AN UGLY BUILDING FOREVER." SO WE HAD AN UGLY
BUILDING FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, BUT THE KEY IS, THE KEY IS,
TRUTH, SARDIS WAS THE PEOPLE THAT HAD ALL OF THE GLITZ AND
ALL THE THINGS. THEY WERE THE PRESTIGIOUS, THEY WERE THE
DOCTORS, THEY WERE THE LAWYERS, THEY WERE THE, YOU KNOW,
INVESTORS, ALL THE PEOPLE WITH ALL THE MONEY, AND THAT WAS THAT
CLUB. AND SO, BUT THEY WERE DEAD. SO THE KEY IS, DON'T, JUST
REMEMBER, KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE IN THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. DON'T
BECOME THAT DEAD CHURCH. JESUS HAD NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT
IT. HE SAID, "ALL YOU ARE IS A NAME, "AND I WANT NOTHING TO DO
WITH THAT." SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, THIS IS A GOOD ONE. LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA. AND WE KNOW THAT
TO MEAN LIKE BROTHERLY LOVE, RIGHT? BUT LET'S JUST REALLY
BREAK DOWN WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY NOW. HERE WE GO. CHURCH OF
PHILADELPHIA WAS THE CHURCH THAT KEPT GOD'S WORD. THEY OPENED THE
BOOK, THEY READ IT, AND THEY DID IT. THEY WEREN'T JUST HEARERS,
BUT THEY WERE DOERS. THEY READ THE WORD, THEY STUDIED THE WORD,
AND JESUS COMES TO THEM AS THE HOLY ONE. NOW, LOOK WHAT HE SAYS
ABOUT THIS CHURCH. "THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA
"WRITETH THESE THINGS, SAITH HE THAT IS HOLY, "AND HE THAT'S
TRUE, AND HE THAT HAS THE KEY OF DAVID, "THAT OPENS, AND NO MAN
CAN SHUT, "AND SHUTS, AND NO MAN CAN OPEN." IN OTHER WORDS, THIS
WAS THE CHURCH THAT HAD OPEN HEAVEN, OPEN DOORS. AND HE GOES,
"I KNOW YOUR WORKS. "BEHOLD, I'VE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPEN
DOOR." HOW MANY OF YOU WANT GOD TO OPEN DOORS FOR YOU? WELL,
THAT WAS WHAT THIS CHURCH WAS ABOUT. BUT THEY WERE THE CHURCH
OF THE WORD. YOU WOULD SAY THIS IS THE REMNANT CHURCH. NOW LOOK
AT WHAT HE SAYS HERE. HE SAID, "NO MAN CAN SHUT IT, "FOR YOU
HAVE HAD LITTLE STRENGTH." I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE TIMES THIS
HAS BEEN SOME OF THE PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT, THE PENTECOSTAL
CHURCHES, THESE LITTLE CHURCHES. AND BY THE WAY, I LOVE SMALL
CHURCHES AND SMALL TOWNS, PASTORS THAT'LL SIT THERE AND
PREACH GOD'S WORD. 'CAUSE I HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE, AND SOME OF YOU
ONLINE WILL WRITE AND SAY, "IN MY TOWN, THERE'S NO ON-FIRE
CHURCH. "THERE'S NO ON-FIRE.” BY THE WAY, PASTOR KEITH, I HAVE TO
COMMEND YOU. FOR YEARS, WHAT'S THE POPULATION OF IDA GROVE?
2,000 PEOPLE? DID YOU SAY 2,000? HOW MANY YEARS DID YOU PASTOR IN
THAT TOWN? HOW MANY? OVER 30 YEARS, PASTOR KEITH O’HARE AND
HIS WIFE NANCY BEFORE SHE WENT TO HEAVEN PASTORED IN A TOWN OF
2,000 PEOPLE. THINK ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A, IS
THERE A GROCERY STORE IN IDA GROVE? I DON'T EVEN KNOW. ONE,
OKAY. BUT THE POINT, THE MATTER IS, THEY PREACHED THE WORD OF
GOD IN ALL THOSE 30 YEARS. THIS IS THE REMNANT CHURCH. THIS IS
THE CHURCH I WANNA BE A PART OF. THIS IS THE CHURCH THAT SAYS,
YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL
BUILDING OR THE UGLY CHURCH, NOT THAT I WANT ONE, BUT I'M JUST
SAYING, WE DID OUR TIME WITH UGLY CHURCH, BUT THE TRUTH OF
THE MATTER IS, I WANT LORD OF HOSTS, EVEN IN THIS BEAUTIFUL
BUILDING, TO BE A REMNANT HOUSE. COME ON, A REMNANT CHURCH WHERE
WE OBEY AND WE DO. COME ON, THE WORD OF GOD, WE PUT IT TO
PRACTICE. WE HAVE THE FIRE AND THE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE
SAID, "YOU'VE HAD LITTLE STRENGTH, "BUT NEVERTHELESS YOU
KEPT MY WORD "AND YOU'VE NEVER DENIED MY NAME." SO THIS WAS
PROBABLY THE SMALL CHURCH, PASTOR KEITH, THE CHURCH THAT
DIDN'T GET A LOT OF RECOGNITION, AMEN, THE CHURCH THAT, YOU KNOW,
NOBODY NOTICED, IT WASN'T THE PRESTIGIOUS GROUP, IT WAS THE
CHURCH OF THE HOLY ROLLERS, THAT'S OKAY, AND THEY WERE MAYBE
THE SMALLER MINORITY, BUT THEY WERE ALSO MARKED, WATCH THIS, BY
THE UNITY OF THE SAINTS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE REMNANT
CHURCH STAYS IN UNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE
INTERNET. LET'S NOT BE DIVIDERS. THOSE OF YOU THAT COME ONLINE,
OR THOSE OF YOU, IF YOU WATCH ONLINE, THAT EVEN IF YOU COME
HERE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, BE A UNIFIER. THAT WAS WHAT MADE
THIS CHURCH SPECIAL. IT WAS A UNIFIED, LOVING, BROTHERLY,
LOVING CHURCH. AND I WOULD JUST SAY THIS, THE BIGGER THIS CHURCH
GETS, THE MORE YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH THINGS. PEOPLE
WILL HAVE DOWN MOMENTS. THEY MAY BE ON FIRE AND THEY'RE
STRUGGLING AND THEY NEED TO BE LIFTED UP. BE THE LOVING HAND
THAT DOES THAT. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IF YOU SEE A PERSON
OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, WHAT DOES IT SAY? YOU THAT ARE SPIRITUAL,
BRING RESTORATION TO THEIR SOUL. AMEN. SO THIS WAS THE REMNANT
CHURCH. HE SAID, "YOU HAVE LITTLE STRENGTH, "BUT YOU KEPT
MY WORD AND DID NOT DENY MY NAME." NOW LOOK WHAT HE SAYS
ABOUT THEM IN VERSE 9. "BEHOLD, I WILL MAKE THEM OF THE
SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN, "SAY THEY ARE JEWS." IN OTHER WORDS, THEY
SAY THEY'RE FOR YOU, THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE PART OF YOU AND ARE
NOT, BUT THEY LIE. "BEHOLD, I'LL MAKE THEM TO COME "AND WORSHIP
BEFORE YOUR FEET." YOU KNOW, THE REMNANT CHURCH, THE CHURCH
THAT'S ON FIRE IS THE CHURCH THAT'LL HAVE FAVOR. AND YOU KNOW
WHAT I JUST BELIEVE? YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT HIT PIECE THAT WAS
WRITTEN ABOUT THE CHURCH A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU REMEMBER THAT?
AND WE CALLED RICK GREEN. WE SAID, "IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN
DO LEGALLY ABOUT THIS?" HE GOES, "NO, PROBABLY NOT." HE GOES,
"THESE TURKEYS KNOW HOW TO MANIPULATE THE LAW "IN SUCH A
WAY THAT THEY CAN SAY JUST WHAT THEY CAN SAY, "AND ALL IT IS IS
TO COME AGAINST YOUR GOOD NAME "AND TO DISCREDIT YOU." BUT
JESUS SAID THE REMNANT CHURCH THAT STANDS FOR THE TRUTH, HE'LL
BE THEIR DEFENSE. HOW MANY OF YOU CAN SAY, IF YOU'RE ON THE
JOB AND SOMEBODY COMES OUT AGAINST YOU AND YOU'RE WALKING
IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOD WILL BE YOUR DEFENSE. COME ON, NO WEAPON
FORMED AGAINST YOU WILL PROSPER. THEY CAN LIE AND TWIST THEIR
WORDS. PAUL SAID IT LIKE THIS, HE SAID, "PRAY FOR US THAT WE
WOULD BE DELIVERED "FROM WICKED AND UNREASONABLE PEOPLE." YOU
KNOW, I WATCH THESE STUPID PEOPLE GET ON AND DO THESE
INTERVIEWS IN THE MEDIA. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T EVEN
WATCH YOU. Y'ALL TALK OVER ONE ANOTHER SO MUCH, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT ANYBODY'S TRYING TO SAY. AND IF THEY DO THAT, I HAVE
TO TURN THE CHANNEL. I CAN'T, I'M LIKE, LET THE MAN JUST
FINISH A SENTENCE. YOU KNOW, LET THE PERSON SAY THEIR PART AND
THEN YOU CAN COUNTER IT IF YOU WANT TO. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY TALK
OVER ONE ANOTHER SO THEY CAN TWIST WHAT PEOPLE SAY. I WAS AT
A NAIL SALON, I DON'T GO THERE ANYMORE, I QUIT. BUT I WAS AT A
NAIL SALON ONE DAY, AND IT'S PROBABLY PART OF THE REASON I
DIDN'T GO BACK, BUT EVERY TIME I WENT IN THERE, THEY HAD THESE
STUPID SOAP OPERAS PLAYING. AND YOU TRY NOT TO LISTEN, LIKE,
JUST DO MY NAILS. I DON'T WANNA HEAR THAT OR LOOK AT IT. IT WAS
JUST RIGHT THERE. AND I'M THINKING, I'M NOT, I'M NOT. THEN
I BEGAN TO NOTICE SOMETHING. I'M SAYING, YOU EVER NOTICE ON
TELEVISION WHEN PEOPLE, A MAN AND A WOMAN, THEY'LL HAVE AN
ARGUMENT, AND THEY ALWAYS LET EACH OTHER FINISH THEIR
SENTENCE. YOU KNOW, THE WOMAN WILL SIT THERE ALL DRAMATIC.
"WELL, YOU JUST NEVER CONSIDER HOW I FEEL." AND THE GUY'S
LOOKING LIKE. I'M LIKE, "THAT IS SO PHONY." WHEN PEOPLE ARGUE,
THEY TALK ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. AND IT WAS LIKE, (MUMBLES)
NOBODY GETS A WORD, NOBODY. BECAUSE, THE WHOLE POINT IS, YOU
KNOW, WHEN IT'S LIKE THAT, OUR WORDS GET TWISTED, AND PEOPLE
TWIST, AND SO THE BIBLE SAYS, LET GOD BE YOUR DEFENSE. THAT'S
WHAT HE SAID WITH THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA. GOD WILL DEFEND
YOU. LET 'EM SAY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY ABOUT YOU AT THE JOB.
LET 'EM LIE, LET 'EM HAVE AN OPINION, BUT TRUST. IF YOU ARE A
REMNANT CHURCH, AND YOU HAVE FAVOR WITH GOD HIMSELF, THEN GOD
WILL DEFEND YOU. IF YOU STAND FOR TRUTH, GOD WILL DEFEND YOU.
HALLELUJAH. AND I HAVE THAT CONFIDENCE IN MY LIFE. I JUST
KNOW IT. I'M LIKE, WELL, LET 'EM SAY, DO THEIR WORST. COME ON,
THEY ACCUSED JESUS. THEY CALLED HIM THE SON OF THE DEVIL. I
HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED THAT YET. SO, YEAH. LOOK, LET'S READ THE
LAST PART OF THIS. BECAUSE YOU HAVE KEPT MY WORD, THE WORD OF
MY PATIENCE, AND WATCH, I WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF
TESTING YOUR TEMPTATION. NOW, I WILL SAY THIS, THIS IS, IF I
COULD JUST INSERT THIS LITTLE TIDBIT HERE, THIS IS ONE OF MY
REASONS THAT I BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. IT'S
JUST, HE SAID THAT THE REMNANT CHURCH WOULD BE KEPT FROM THE
HOUR OF TESTING. A LOT OF SCHOLARS BELIEVE THAT THAT HOUR
OF TESTING OR TEMPTATION IS, 'CAUSE WATCH WHAT HE SAYS,
"WHICH SHALL COME ON ALL THE WORLD." OKAY, THERE'S ONLY ONE
PERIOD OF TIME IN HISTORY WHERE THE HOUR OF TESTING THAT HITS
THE ENTIRE PLANET, AND THAT IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION OF SEVEN
YEARS. SO HE SAID, AND A LOT OF SCHOLARS AGREE WITH THAT, HE
SAID, "IT WILL COME ON ALL THE WORLD," OKAY, NOT THE MIDDLE
EAST, NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES, ALL THE WORLD TO TRY
THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH. SO THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THE CHURCH
WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF HERE. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL MY
HEART. THOSE OTHER SCRIPTURES THAT POINT TO THAT, BUT THAT'S
ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVE THAT. I DID A TEACHING I THINK
HERE, THIS HAS BEEN A FEW YEARS AGO, WHERE I TALKED ABOUT WHY I
BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE, MAYBE I'LL HIT THAT AT
SOME POINT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE SCRIPTURES THAT I REALLY
BELIEVE POINTS TO THAT. SO BEHOLD, JESUS SAID, I COME
QUICKLY, HOLD FAST TO WHAT YOU HAVE AND LET NO MAN TAKE YOUR
CROWN. YOU'VE BEEN HEARING ME SAY IT A LOT LATELY, WE GET ONE
CHANCE ON THIS EARTH TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS. AND THIS IS WHAT
JESUS IS IN REMINDING THEM AND ENCOURAGING THEM. HIM THAT
OVERCOMES, I'LL MAKE A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD, AND HE
SHALL GO NO MORE OUT. MAN, BEING WITH GOD FOREVER. THAT WAS THE
REMNANT CHURCH, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON FIRE FOR THE LORD. AND I
WILL WRITE ON HIM A NAME, THE NAME OF MY GOD AND THE NAME OF
THE CITY OF MY GOD, WHICH IS THE NEW JERUSALEM, WHICH COMETH DOWN
OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD, AND I WILL WRITE ON HIM A NEW NAME. I
DON'T KNOW WHAT MY NEW NAME'S GONNA BE, BUT I'M GETTING ONE.
HE THAT HAS AN EAR TO HEAR, HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE
CHURCHES. NOW LET'S GO TO THIS LAST ONE. I'LL GO VERY QUICKLY.
BUT THAT'S THE CHURCH YOU WANNA BE, THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA,
THE CHURCH, IT'S NOT JUST BROTHERLY LOVE, IT WAS THE
CHURCH THAT KEPT GOD'S WORD AND WE'RE ON FIRE FOR THE LORD. THAT
IS WHAT WE WANT TO BE. AND LET'S JUST MAKE THAT COMMITMENT IN
2026. LORD OF HOSTS, I CHALLENGE YOU. I CHALLENGE YOU IN 2026 TO
BE MORE ON FIRE THAN YOU WERE IN 2025. BE MORE OF A PERSON OF
PRAYER. BE MORE A PERSON OF THE WORD. AMEN. BE MORE OF A PERSON
THAT SPEAKS THE WORD. YOU KNOW, SOME OF US WERE RAISED IN
HOUSEHOLDS, I'M NOT SAYING I WAS, BUT I'M SAYING PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN RAISED IN HOUSEHOLDS WHERE IT'S A NATURAL THING TO SPEAK
THE WORST. CHANGE YOUR MOUTH IN 2026. SPEAK FAITH, SPEAK
PROMISES, AMEN? ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE LAST ONE AND WE'LL
WRAP UP THIS. HAVE YOU GOTTEN SOMETHING OUT OF THIS? HAS IT
HELPED YOU? GOOD, I'M GLAD FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT, THE LAST ONE IS
THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA. YOU HEAR OF THIS MANY TIMES. THIS WAS THE
CHURCH OF EARTHLY COMFORTS. IT WANTED TO FIT IN WITH
EVERYTHING. JESUS COMES AS THE FAITHFUL MARTYR, BUT THEY WERE
THE PEOPLE, YOU WOULD SAY THIS WAS THE WOKE CHURCH. THIS WAS
THE CHURCH THAT WANTED TO BLEND EVERYWHERE. AND THAT'S WHY YOU
HEAR PASTOR AND I SO OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE USER-FRIENDLY
MOVEMENT, BECAUSE THE REASON, AND IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT
FRIENDLY, OKAY? THE USER, OR THE SEEKER FRIENDLY, I GUESS PEOPLE
HAVE CALLED IT THAT, USER FRIENDLY, THEY'VE CALLED IT
THAT. THE SEEKER FRIENDLY MOVEMENT WAS A MOVEMENT THAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING THE VISITORS COMFORTABLE, OKAY? SO
PASTORS STARTED WEARING SHORTS, AND WELL, BACK IN OUR DAY WHEN
THAT FIRST KINDA CAME OUT, THEY WERE COMING IN IN THE HAWAIIAN
SHIRTS AND FLIP FLOPS AND I DON'T KNOW, BLUE JEANS, AND I'M
NOT SAYING BLUE JEANS ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT ARE ALL BAD, I'M
JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE COMES A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW,
NOBODY'S SAYING WE HAVE TO WEAR SUNDAY HATS AND HIGH HEELS AND
ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, A SUIT. IF YOU WANT TO,
YOU CAN, BUT I THINK THAT THE KEY OF IT IS, IS THE PREACHERS
WERE TRYING TO COME DOWN TO MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL COMFORTABLE. AND
PASTOR HANK HAS SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA STAY IN A SUIT,
I WANNA STAY IN A SUIT. AND HE HAD PREACHERS AT THAT TIME TELL
HIM, WELL, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO WEAR A JACKET? YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WEAR A JACKET TO PREACH. HE GOES, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST FEEL
LIKE IF I PUT A JACKET ON, IT'S A RESPECT TO THE LORD. AND IT
KEEPS ME IN A PLACE OF AN ATTITUDE. I DON'T WANNA BE TOO
CASUAL. BUT A LOT OF PREACHERS STARTED JUST TRYING TO BLEND AND
EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT IF PEOPLE WALK IN THE DOOR, WE DON'T WANNA
DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT MAKE THEM NERVOUS. WELL, THAT IS NOT HOW
THE APOSTLE PAUL PREACHED. JESUS MADE PEOPLE NERVOUS EVERY SINGLE
DAY. IN FACT, I WAS READING, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THIS, I WAS
READING JOHN 6. HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER, THIS WAS JUST THE
OTHER MORNING IN MY READING TIME. AND I WAS READING JOHN 6,
AND I WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING ABOUT HOW JESUS TURNS TO
THE GROUP, AND HE SAID, "EXCEPT YOU EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF
MAN "AND DRINK HIS BLOOD." NOW, TO THE JEWS, THIS WAS LIKE, YOU
DON'T DO THAT. YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDED, HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE
CANNIBALISM. AND WHEN YOU READ IT, NOT ONE TIME, NOT ONE TIME
DID JESUS EVER SAY, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY THAT. I
THOUGHT, LORD, YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST, AND SO SEVERAL OF THE
DISCIPLES SAID TO JESUS, THEY SAID, LORD, THIS IS CRAZY. I
MEAN, THIS IS A CRAZY SAYING. WHO CAN EVEN LISTEN TO WHAT
YOU'RE TELLING US? AND JESUS TURNS AROUND AND SAID, DOES THIS
OFFEND YOU? AND THE 12 ARE LOOKING AT HIM LIKE. AND HE HAS
THE AUDACITY TO SAY, "DO YOU WANNA GO TOO?" IT SAID MANY OF
HIS DISCIPLES, NOT A FEW, MANY, TURNED AROUND AND WOULDN'T WALK
WITH JESUS ANYMORE. WHAT HE WAS SAYING SOUNDED SO EXTREME. AND
IT WASN'T UNTIL HE GOT WITH THE 12 IN THE BACK ROOM AND HE SAYS,
"OH, BY THE WAY, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT "IS A SPIRITUAL
THING." I THOUGHT, WELL, LORD, YOU COULD HAVE EXPLAINED THAT TO
THOSE PEOPLE OUT FRONT THAT ALL WALKED OUT OF THE MEETING,
RIGHT? BUT JESUS CONSTANTLY DIDN'T TRY TO FIT IN WITH WHAT
HE SAID. HE WAS STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW. THE WORD OF GOD WILL
OFFEND, OKAY? THERE'S PREACHERS NOW THAT'LL SAY, I HEARD ONE
PREACHER NOT TOO LONG AGO, THIS IS A FEW YEARS BACK, I GUESS,
SAY THAT WHEN YOU SEE THE WORD REPENT IN THE BIBLE, IT DOESN'T
MEAN YOU REALLY HAVE TO REPENT. YOU REPENT ONCE AND THAT'S IT.
AND WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE'S FAITHFUL
AND JUST TO FORGIVE US, WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CONFESS OUR SINS
TO GOD. HE FORGAVE YOU ONE TIME. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, SOMEBODY
SHOULD HAVE TOLD THAT TO THE APOSTLE JOHN FOR WRITING IT. BUT
TRUTH OF THE, HONESTLY, BUT THE BIBLE IS STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW.
IT NEVER TRIES TO JUST FIT WITH PEOPLE. NOW, I'M NOT SAYING
CHURCH SHOULDN'T BE FRIENDLY, OKAY? GREETERS SMILE EVERY TIME
SOMEBODY WALKS IN THE DOOR. GIVE 'EM A BIG OL' GRIN. BE FRIENDLY,
BE KIND, BE GRACIOUS, MAKE THINGS BEAUTIFUL. I'M NOT SAYING
THAT, BUT THE KEY IS THAT WHEN THEY WALK IN THIS DOOR, WHATEVER
COMES FROM THE PLATFORM, WHATEVER'S COMING ACROSS FROM
THE WORSHIP TEAM, IF PASTOR WANTS TO PROPHESY, HE'S GONNA
PROPHESY. IF THERE'S GONNA BE A HEALING LINE AND PEOPLE FALL
OUT, IF THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUDDENLY GONNA MANIFEST
A DEMON AND GET DELIVERED, THEN SO BE IT. WHATEVER GOD WANTS TO
DO, AND IF IT SCARES SOMEBODY, IT MIGHT SCARE THEM STRAIGHT OUT
OF HELL AND CAUSE THEM TO BECOME SAVED. SO THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA
WAS THE CHURCH OF WOKE. SO LET'S JUST, LET'S READ THIS AND THEN
WE'LL WRAP IT UP. "AND TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THE
LAODICEANS, WRITE THESE THINGS, SAYETH THE AMEN." IN OTHER
WORDS, GOD JUST PUTS A STAMP ON WHAT HE SAYS. "AND THE FAITHFUL
AND TRUE WITNESS, THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD. FOR I
KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOU'RE NEITHER COLD OR HOT, YOU JUST BLEND."
RIGHT? "I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE AT LEAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER SO
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE YOU STAND." THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM
THAT WE HAD WITH COVID. PASTORS JUST WENT UNDER THE COVERS AND
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO COME OUT AND SAY, "OKAY, WE ALL KNEW THE MASK
DIDN'T WORK. OKAY, WE ALL FIGURED IT OUT." AND PASTORS
WERE TOO AFRAID TO SAY IT FROM THEIR PULPIT. OKAY, I MEAN, TO
ME IT WASN'T EVEN HARD TO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? NOBODY SHOULD
MAKE YOU GO GET A SHOT YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE." OKAY? IT WASN'T
HARD AS A PASTOR TO LEAD THE WAY AND SAY THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN
THINGS THAT ARE NOT OKAY, THAT WE STAND UP AND TAKE THE HITS
FOR OUR PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WHEN ONE OF DAVID'S MEN WENT BEHIND
ENEMY LINES TO GET HIM A DRINK OF WATER, HE DUMPED IT ON THE
GROUND AND SAID, "NO, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE YOU RISK YOUR LIFE
WHILE I SIT BACK COMFORTABLE." AND THAT IS A LESSON FOR EVERY
PASTOR. AND I THANK GOD. I HAD ONE OF OUR CHURCH MEMBERS SAID,
"PASTOR, I LOVE YOUR BOLD PREACHING." AND THE PASTOR GOES,
"GOOD, I'M GLAD." AND HE GOES, "YOU EVER STOP, I'M GONE." I
THOUGHT, "ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT." AND WE APPRECIATE
THAT VERY MUCH. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR BOLD METER UP EVERY
WEEK. HALLELUJAH. BUT THIS WAS THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA. THEY
DIDN'T WANT, THEY WERE SWITZERLAND. THEY JUST WANTED TO
PLAY THE NEUTRAL ZONE. WE CANNOT, THERE IS NO NEUTRALITY
IN CHRISTIANITY. THE MINUTE YOU GO THAT ROUTE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL
SAY THEN THE MUSLIMS CAN BE SAVED. OKAY, YOU MIGHT AS WELL
SAY THAT. YOU CAN'T BE NEUTRAL. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, IN FACT,
FLASHPOINT, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS WHOLE ISLAM ISSUE AND
THE FACT THAT PEOPLE OF ISLAM, THEY BELIEVE WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THEY REALLY WANNA DO AWAY WITH
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS. THAT'S THE REALITY. THAT IS THEIR ULTIMATE
GOAL. THEY WANT TO REINSTATE OUR LAWS FROM WITHIN. THEY'RE NOT
APOLOGIZING FOR WHAT THEY STAND FOR. AND YET CHRISTIANS FEEL
LIKE WE HAVE TO SOMEHOW BACK UP AND APOLOGIZE. AND THERE'S NOT
GONNA BE ANY OF THAT. I'M TELLING YOU, JESUS IS THE ONLY
WAY TO HEAVEN. SOMEBODY ASKED US THE QUESTION ONE TIME, WELL
YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT
THERE'S FREEDOM TO WORSHIP? IN OTHER WORDS, THE CONSTITUTION
TELLS US THAT GOVERNMENT MAKE NO LAW THAT'LL INFRINGE ON THE
EXERCISING OR THE RIGHT OF THE FREEDOM TO WORSHIP. WELL, HERE'S
THE THING. THAT WAS WRITTEN IN OUR CONSTITUTION TO DEFEND THE
BIBLE. OKAY, I'M NOT, THIS COUNTRY IS NOT ABOUT, WELL, IF
YOU'RE A SATANIST AND YOU WANT TO MUTILATE CHILDREN AND COMMIT
HUMAN SACRIFICE, BUT THAT SOMEHOW IS YOUR RIGHT TO
WORSHIP? NO, THIS COUNTRY, I'M FINE. IF YOU WANNA SIT IN YOUR
HOUSE AND YOU WANNA BE IN FALSE RELIGION AND GO TO HELL, WELL,
YOU COULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT, BUT THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON THE
GOD OF THE BIBLE, AND WE ARE GONNA STAND FOR THE
GOD OF THE BIBLE AND BE UNAPOLOGETIC FOR IT, AMEN.
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
SO THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA WAS THE BLEND IN CHURCH, AND I'M
TELLING YOU, BLENDING IN IS A BLACK HOLE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO
ANSWER. IT'LL NEVER STOP, THERE'LL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING
NEW. PASTORS, I KNOW I NEED TO READ THE SCRIPTURE, BUT I HAVE
TO SAY THIS. PASTORS THAT STARTED MARRYING HOMOSEXUALS,
HOW MANY OF YOU SAW THAT? I MEAN, 15, 20 YEARS AGO, WE WOULD
HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A PASTOR THAT WOULD STAND UP
AND TRY TO MARRY TWO MEN OR TWO WOMEN. BUT NOW, SEE THAT'S THE
PROBLEM, NO BOUNDARIES. SO IT STARTED WITH, OH WELL, THEY LOVE
EACH OTHER, WHO ARE WE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FORGET WHAT GOD SAID,
BUT WHO ARE WE TO SAY? AND NOW YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE TRYING TO
MARRY A DOG, YOU GOT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST GONE THIS BLACK HOLE,
IT'S SPIRALED COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. THERE'S A WHOLE
MOVEMENT OUT NOW THAT WANTS TO MAKE IT, REMOVE THE AGE OF
CONSENT SO A 49-YEAR-OLD MAN CAN GO MARRY A NINE-YEAR-OLD. IT'S
CRAZY, THERE'S NO BOUNDARIES. SO THE MINUTE WE COMPROMISE AND WE
TRY TO PLAY THE NEUTRAL TO PLEASE SOMEBODY, WE'RE GONNA
ULTIMATELY JUST DISPLEASE GOD. THIS WAS THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA
AND GOD SAID, "YOU'RE NEITHER COLD OR HOT, YOU'RE JUST," I
HAVE TO VOMIT THAT OUT OF MY MOUTH. THAT'S WHY KNOW WHERE YOU
STAND IN THIS HOUR. BE BOLD, BE RESOLUTE WITH IT, DON'T
APOLOGIZE FOR WHERE YOU STAND ON THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION,
RIGHT? FOR WHERE YOU STAND ON MARRIAGE, COME ON, FOR WHERE YOU
STAND ON ABORTION. AND BY THE WAY, CAN I JUST, I'M GONNA THROW
THIS OUT AND WE HAVE TO BE FINISHED. THE ABORTION MOVEMENT
AND ALL OF THE REASONS THEY SAY, THEY SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, BUT
WHAT ABOUT THAT POOR MOTHER THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE GOT PREGNANT
AND IT WAS A RAPE AND NOW, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOTTA GO THROUGH
THIS WHOLE PREGNANCY AND HAVE THIS BABY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE
MOVEMENT, THE PROCHOICE PEOPLE, I CALL 'EM PRO-MURDER PEOPLE,
ALWAYS WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, USE THE RAPE ISSUE, THE INCEST
ISSUE, THEY ALWAYS WANNA SAY THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER. I'M LIKE,
COME ON, THIS IS MODERN MEDICINE, OKAY? YOU KNOW HOW
QUICKLY THEY CAN JUST DO A CESAREAN AND SAVE A WOMAN WHO IS
IN LABOR ANYMORE? SO THEY USE THAT, BUT REALLY WHEN YOU COME
DOWN TO IT, ALL OF THAT LITTLE GROUP THAT THEY MAKE THE
FOREFRONT ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR LIKE 5% OF ALL PREGNANT WOMEN. THE
OTHER 95%, SEE THIS IS AN ARGUMENT YOU CAN USE, THE OTHER
95% OF PREGNANT WOMEN THAT GO AND SEEK OUT AN ABORTION DO IT
FOR CONVENIENCE REASONS. 'CAUSE THEY JUST DON'T WANNA BE
PREGNANT AND HAVE THE BABY. SO, THE MINUTE WE GET DOWN THAT
RABBIT HOLE, AND OH WELL, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST, YOU KNOW, HAD A,
I HEARD ONE PERSON SAYING, OKAY, AND I REPENTED OF IT AFTER, BUT
I GOT IN A LITTLE TUSSLE WITH SOMEBODY ONLINE ONCE. I'VE
GROWN. AND IT'S EASY TO GET SUCKED INTO IT, I WILL TELL YA.
I WILL GIVE IT THAT. BUT WE GOT INTO A LITTLE THING ON THE
ABORTION ISSUE WHEN ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED, HOW MANY OF YOU
REMEMBER THAT? BY THE WAY, A FEW CHURCHES EVEN CELEBRATED THAT
MOMENT. AND I MEAN, THIS WAS A GREAT VICTORY. 50 YEARS, THAT
DEMON WAS IN POWER AND GOD RIPPED IT DOWN. AND SO I HAD ONE
PASTOR PERSON SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT, "NOW THE
CHURCH NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
ADOPTION CENTERS." AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, ALL RIGHT, HERE
WE GO NOW. OKAY, THERE ARE COUNTLESS ADOPTION CENTERS. THE
PROBLEM IS WHAT'S BEING FUNDED WAS PLANNED PARENTHOOD. THEY'RE
NOT FUNDING THE ADOPTION CENTERS. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT
CAN'T GET THE DONATIONS. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FUNDING
EVIL. AND THE CHURCH WOULDN'T SPEAK UP ABOUT IT. THEY WERE
AFRAID. I THINK IT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT THAT WE WERE
LAODICEA, NOT US, BUT WE ARE NOT HERE. BUT MANY OF THE CHURCHES
AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE IN A LAODICEAN MINDSET REGARDING THE
EVIL OF ABORTION. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EGREGIOUS EVILS IN THIS
COUNTRY BECAUSE GOD HATES HE THAT SHEDS INNOCENT BLOOD. GOD
HATES THE ONE THAT KILLS THE INNOCENT THAT DON'T HAVE A
VOICE. THAT EVIL IS WHAT, I REALLY BELIEVE IT'S RELEASING
OTHER DEMONS IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEEN DEALT
WITH. I MEAN, IT'S BEING DEALT WITH AND WE'RE STOMPING IT OUT.
BUT A LOT OF PASTORS AT THAT TIME, THEY DIDN'T SPEAK UP. AND
WE WERE CRITICIZED FOR THAT. WELL, I THINK YOU'RE JUST BEING
TOO HARSH. AND ALL I WANT, ALL RIGHT. TO THE ANGEL OF THE
CHURCH OF LAODICEA IS RIGHT. I KNOW YOU'RE NEITHER HOT NOR
COLD. SO BECAUSE YOU'RE LUKEWARM, I WILL VOMIT YOU. YOU
STAYED OUT OF THE CONTROVERSY. YOU DIDN'T WANNA GET IN THE
FRAY. YOU DIDN'T WANNA DRAW ANY CRITICISM. SO I'M SPITTING YOU
OUT. TO ME, THAT IS THE WORST THING TO HEAR FROM JESUS.
BECAUSE YOU SAY I'M RICH, I GOT IT TOGETHER. WE'RE COMFORTABLE,
WE'RE GOOD, WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING. AND I THINK THE
AMERICAN CHURCH HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT WILLING
TO SACRIFICE, RIGHT? I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE CHURCH OF THE
BOOK OF ACTS. THESE PEOPLE TOOK EVERYTHING THEY HAD AND LAID IT
DOWN AT THE APOSTLES' FEET BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY CARED
ABOUT. SO I'VE GOTTEN THIS LIKE NEW LITTLE ADDICTION. OKAY, I'M
GONNA END, YOU BETTER STAND. I GOT THIS NEW LITTLE LIKE
ADDICTION TO WATCHING THESE SHOWS OF THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVE
IN THESE REMOTE VILLAGES IN SIBERIA. AND I'M SERIOUS. I
MEAN, I GOT TO LOOK. I MEAN, WHAT DO THEY EAT? YOU KNOW, I
MEAN, WHEN WE WENT TO SIBERIA, YOU KNOW, PASTOR CHRISTY, WE
WERE LEAVING AFTER WE WERE THERE. SHE GOES, "MAN, I'M GLAD
TO GET BACK TO THE U.S. I'M TIRED OF EATING BOILED FISH."
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THE THINGS THAT THEY MAKE, THEY JUST HAVE
THESE FROZEN FISHES THAT SIT IN THE SNOWBANK AND THEY CUT SOME
PARTS OFF AND BOIL IT FOR DINNER. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S
CRAZY THE STUFF THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT THEIR KIDS, YOU
KNOW, ALL HAD IPADS, BUT THEY'RE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
IT'S GREAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO THAT. BUT ANYWAY, I'M
SITTING THERE THINKING TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, OKAY, LORD, I
MEAN, I GIVE UP A LOT, BUT YEAH, THAT'S A ROUGH GO. THIS WAS HOW
THE EARLY CHURCH THOUGHT. THEY WOULD GIVE UP ANYTHING THAT MADE
THEM COMFORTABLE. AND WE GOTTA ASK OURSELF THAT. THIS WAS THE
CHURCH THAT WAS, THEY WANTED TO BE COMFORTABLE. THEY DIDN'T WANT
ANY CONTROVERSY, THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY TROUBLE. BECAUSE YOU
SAY I'M RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOOD, HAVE NEED OF NOTHING, KNOW
NOT THAT YOU'RE WRETCHED, YOU'RE MISERABLE, YOU'RE POOR, YOU'RE
BLIND AND NAKED. I COUNSEL YOU TO BUY OF ME GOLD THAT'S TRIED
IN THE FIRE, THAT YOU MAY BE RICH FOR REAL, RIGHT? WHITE
RAIMENT, THERE'S THAT WHITE ROBE AGAIN, I WANT ONE OF THOSE,
RIGHT? AND THAT YOU MAYEST BE CLOTHED, AND THAT THE SHAME OF
THY NAKEDNESS DOESN'T APPEAR. GOD SEES THOSE PEOPLE AS THE
EMPEROR WITH NO CLOTHES, RIGHT? AND ANOINT ON EYES WITH
EYESALVE THAT YOU MAY SEE WHAT YOU'VE FALLEN INTO IS PRETTY
MUCH WHAT HE'S SAYING. AND AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND I
CHASTISE. BE ZEALOUS THEREFORE AND REPENT. IN OTHER WORDS,
WHERE DO YOU STAND? BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK, AND
IF ANY MAN HEARS MY VOICE AND WILL OPEN THAT DOOR, I'LL COME
TO HIM AND I WILL HAVE DINNER WITH HIM AND HIM WITH ME. TO HIM
THAT OVERCOMES, COME ON, NEUTRALITY, THE WOKE CHURCH, I
WILL GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE EVEN AS I OVERCAME. COME
ON, JESUS HAD TO HIT THE CONTROVERSY TO BE AN OVERCOMER.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ABOUT ALWAYS FITTING, BELIEVE ME. AND AS I
OVERCAME AND I'M SAT DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE, HE THAT
HAS AN EAR TO HEAR, HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE
CHURCHES. SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, COME ON EPHESUS,
DON'T BE A PHARISEE, RIGHT? IT'S IMPORTANT. BE WILLING TO BE
SMYRNA AND BE PERSECUTED. THAT'S THE LESSON TO ALL OF US, PASTORS
AND CONGREGATION AND SHEEP, RIGHT? PERGAMOS, RIGHT? DON'T BE
THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN. WATCH THAT IN OUR LIFE. THE NEXT ONE,
THYATIRA, WATCH YOUR DOCTRINE. PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY, BE CAREFUL OF
YOUR DOCTRINE. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU KNOW, RIGHT? CHURCH OF
SARDIS, WATCH THAT TENDENCY FOR FLESH TO GO DEAD. HAVE TO BE
CAREFUL. BE ON FIRE, BE PHILADELPHIA, BE THE REMNANT
CHURCH, BE HOLY GHOST. AND LASTLY, DON'T PLAY NEUTRAL. AND
I THINK IF WE WOULD LEARN ALL OF THOSE LESSONS, BY THE WAY, I'M
NOT HAVING A GRAY ROBE IN HEAVEN. I'M GONNA HAVE A WHITE
ONE. AND HOW ABOUT YOU? AMEN. DID YOU GET SOMETHING OUT OF
THAT? I HOPE YOU LIKED IT. GOD BLESS YOU. FATHER, I PRAY FOR
EVERY PERSON ONLINE AND IN HERE UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, I
ASK YOU BLESS THEM. FATHER, HELP THEM TO TAKE THE THINGS THAT
I'VE TAUGHT HERE AND PULL OUT EVEN GREATER REVELATION. FATHER,
BUT HELP US TO BE A PEOPLE THAT ARE PREPARED FOR THE LAST DAYS.
FATHER, WE'RE PREPARED TO MEET YOU AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
WE LIVE IN A PLACE OF READINESS AND ON FIRE
FOR YOU. FATHER, I WANT TO BE MORE ON FIRE IN MY
OLD AGE THAN I WAS IN MY YOUNG YEARS. AND I JUST WORSHIP YOU
AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT. BLESS THE PEOPLE NOW, LORD. I PRAY
THAT YOU PLACE THE ANGELS AROUND THEM AS THEY GO TONIGHT. AND
FATHER, AS THEY DRIVE HOME, THAT THEY WILL DRIVE HOME IN THE
BLESSING OF GOD IN JESUS' NAME. I LOVE YOU GUYS. GOD BLESS YOU.
GO HOME AND, PASTOR WOULD SAY, EAT SOME GELATO. GOD BLESS YOU.