Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000030
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00:42 Hello, and welcome to Behold the Lambs Presents.
00:44 A program that is dedicated to preparing a people to me 00:48 our Lord and Savior at His soon return. 00:51 And I want to give you a warm welcome 00:53 for tuning to today. 00:54 I'm Chris Shelton, your host. 00:56 And today's message is a third in a five, 00:59 four part series, excuse me, that we have entitled, 01:03 "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live." 01:06 And it is presented by 01:07 my husband, Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:10 During this series, we have been learning 01:12 about our God given responsibility 01:14 as individuals as well as the church. 01:17 We've studied about the sin problem 01:20 and how it separates us from God. 01:22 I believe that we are getting a much clearer vision 01:26 of just how important it is 01:29 in our walk with Christ to get sin 01:30 and all of its various forms completely out 01:34 of our minds and out of our lives. 01:37 We realize this is truly a spiritual battle 01:40 that we cannot, that we cannot overcome on our own, 01:45 we must have a living relationship with Christ, 01:49 we must have His spirit living within us to fight for us, 01:53 and we must constantly be 01:56 in His word claiming His promises for victory. 02:00 I'd like to share just one of those 02:02 beautiful promises and this is found in 02:04 the Book of Psalms Chapter 51 and verses 10 through 12. 02:08 Read along with me, would you? 02:10 It reads. 02:11 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, 02:14 and renew a right spirit within me. 02:18 Cast me not away from thy presence, 02:20 and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. 02:23 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, 02:27 and uphold me with thy free spirit." 02:31 You know, brother and sisters, 02:33 we need to learn to claim verses such as these, 02:36 because there is truly a transforming power 02:39 in God's word, and in many cases, 02:43 you know, God is just simply waiting for us 02:45 to call upon Him for help, likewise, 02:49 we pray that His transforming power 02:52 will touch your heart today 02:54 in a very special way as we present 02:58 "The Plain, Straight Testimony Must Live," part three, 03:01 but first we are blessed to listen 03:04 to a song that is entitled "Learning to Lean" 03:07 as sung by Donna Shurley and Jack Crosby 03:10 and brought to us from the 3ABN Worship Center. 03:19 Learning to lean, Learning to lean, 03:26 I'm learning to lean on Jesus Finding more power 03:42 than I've ever dreamed I'm learning to lean on Jesus. 03:57 A joy I can't explain is filling my soul, 04:06 Since the day I met Jesus, my King His blessed 04:18 Holy Spirit is leading my way, 04:25 He's teaching and I'm learning to lean. 04:35 Learning to lean, Learning to lean, 04:43 I'm learning to lean on Jesus Finding more power 04:57 than I've ever dreamed I'm learning to lean on Jesus. 05:13 There's glorious victory each day now for me, 05:22 As I dwell in His peace so serene, 05:31 He helps me with each task if only I ask, 05:40 Every day now, I am learning to lean. 05:50 Learning to lean, Learning to lean, 05:56 I'm learning to lean on Jesus Finding more power 06:13 than I've ever dreamed I'm learning to lean on Jesus, 06:26 I'm learning to lean on Jesus. 06:43 Welcome, praise the Lord. 06:44 We're glad you joined us today. 06:45 We have an exciting study and as you've already heard, 06:48 you know, this is the third part of a four part series, 06:52 talking about the plain, dealing with 06:53 "The Plain Straight Testimony." 06:55 Where? In the church, among God's people. 06:58 So, you know, this is an issue that we have to deal with 07:01 as God's people. 07:03 Because, you know, the hour in which we live. 07:05 The Lord is what? Purging a people. 07:07 He's cleansing a church, He wants to use you, 07:10 He wants to use me, and while sin is running ramped 07:13 in the church and we are allowing it to, 07:15 God cannot bless us. 07:16 Why don't we pray ask the power 07:18 of the Holy Spirit now to be with us? 07:21 This is very, very important for those you maybe who are 07:23 new in the faith that you always pray 07:26 and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance 07:28 before you get into the word. 07:30 That's what we're going to do. 07:31 I'm going to kneel right here and where it's possible. 07:32 Why don't some of you kneel with me and if not 07:34 send up a prayer right quick that the Holy Spirit 07:37 will help us as we study the word of God together. 07:42 Kind loving heavenly Father, once again as we come 07:44 before thee, we sense our need of a Savior, 07:47 we invite the Holy Spirit 07:49 to come near to our hearts, to our minds. 07:52 How desperately we need the understanding of scripture. 07:55 We do not want to be deceived, 07:57 we live in an hour where the enemy is working overtime 08:00 and the only safe guard 08:02 that we have are the scriptures, 08:04 help us to hide them deep in our heart and in our mind, 08:07 help us to understand what truth is, 08:09 and then help us in our understanding 08:11 of the responsibility that we have 08:13 as a child of God belonging to the remnant church. 08:17 Give You praise, give You honor, give You glory, 08:20 open up the ears, eyes, and the minds 08:21 of every individual who hears this message 08:24 that we maybe convicted 08:25 and converted in Jesus' name, amen. 08:30 Again, we always invite you to be sure 08:32 and take a pencil and paper 08:33 and you will hear this all the time 08:35 because I know that we cover things rather quickly, 08:37 we have just a certain amount of time, 08:39 lot of material. 08:40 So in this series, please, keep this in mind, 08:43 we're only, we're only scratching the surface 08:46 of the material that is available for your study 08:49 and for mine on this subject and it's vital. 08:52 So we're trying to pick out the vital important topic 08:55 in this, in the series that we're doing right now 08:57 because it's vital to the church. 08:59 And so I just encourage you to make sure you right down 09:01 what you can and then study 09:03 to show yourself approved unto God. 09:06 Recap, you know, on this series here 09:08 we've been trying to recap in case you missed last week. 09:12 And here's a recap. 09:13 Here's, here's what we learned and this is 09:14 also a lot in a matter of, you know, 45 or 50 minutes, 09:17 but we're gonna recap it. 09:18 And number one, the names of those who sinned, 09:21 notice this, and refuse to repent should not 09:24 be retained on the church books." 09:26 Oh, that's big and that will stir up 09:29 a little group over here that are gonna have 09:30 their heads and their mouth talking to, 09:32 hey, listen, we prove that from God's word 09:35 and from the Spirit of Prophecy. 09:37 Names of those who refuse to do what? 09:39 To repent should not be retained on the church books. 09:43 Number two, destruction of Jerusalem, you know, 70 A.D. 09:47 that's that stands as a warning to Modern Israel, 09:50 that's us Modern Israel is a warning right here, 09:52 that the correction through His chosen instruments. 09:56 Remember, God chose us 09:58 to deal with the sin issue in the church. 10:01 And failure to go along with His chosen instruments 10:04 cannot be disregarded without punishment. 10:07 So, if we disregard what the messenger 10:10 of God is telling us today, 10:11 there's going to be punishment, 10:13 and there is going to be loss. 10:15 God will allow it to happen. 10:16 Number three, because of neglect of the father. 10:19 You remember, Eli the priest, 10:21 because he did not fulfill his parental duty 10:25 and responsibility, to reprove and you know it says, 10:28 "We learn to restrain his two sons that it caused 10:33 disaster to come up on all of Israel." 10:36 Keep that in mind because we're studying here 10:38 about "Plain Straight Testimony" 10:41 must exist in God's church, must live. 10:44 Now remember, because of Eli not doing his job 10:48 as a father, as a priest, and because of his two sons, 10:52 Israel suffered, so that shows what, 10:55 if there's sin existing in and around God's people 10:57 and you don't deal with it, everyone is going to suffer. 11:01 Number three, number four, those who profess 11:04 to be entrusted with the safe keeping 11:06 of God's Ten Commandments." 11:08 Who is that? 11:09 Those who say, 11:11 ''We're guarding the Ten Commandments." 11:13 You know, we, God has given to us right here. 11:15 Notice this, "Must not flatter themselves, 11:18 and I've heard people say this a lot, 11:20 that "God will preserve them from divine judgment." 11:23 We've learned this, why? 11:25 If they refuse to correct wrongs. 11:28 They say, well, because we, the Ten Commandments 11:30 and we're advocating the Ten Commandments, 11:32 God is not going to reprove us. 11:34 Oh, friends, you remember what we've read there 11:36 in Jeremiah Chapter 7. 11:38 What did they, God's people say back then? 11:40 The temple, the temple, the temple like that 11:42 was going to protect them and keep them. 11:44 We have to and God reproves us, 11:46 we have to correct those things. 11:48 Number five, we must be sighing and crying 11:50 for all the abomination that be done. 11:53 Notice, sighing and crying for the abomination 11:55 that be done as they're affecting 11:58 us spiritually, and that, 12:00 we're talking sighing and crying, dear friends, 12:01 I don't know how many is doing that today, 12:03 but we need to pray that God will help us along that line. 12:05 Seven, if we develop a pure love for God, 12:08 think about this, and we become jealous 12:11 for His honor and for His glory, 12:14 and we're lifting up His name. 12:16 The Holy Spirit, listen to this, 12:18 the Holy Spirit will give you and will give me 12:21 clear insight to sin in the church, 12:25 sin in our own life. 12:27 But we have to love him with all of our heart, 12:29 He'll give us a clear view of wrongs and sin among us. 12:34 See, some people can't understand 12:35 that there's sin among us, 12:36 they don't understand because we're so, what? 12:38 Clouded by the old enemy and things of this world, 12:41 but if we put God first and we love Him, 12:43 He will make those things clear. 12:45 We also studied something 12:46 that was very, maybe shocking to some. 12:48 Number nine, eight, idolatry. 12:50 What is idol? 12:52 Idol can be anything that that we put before God, 12:55 anything that we won't give up. 12:58 Now think about that just for a second. 13:00 And we even covered some of these things 13:02 about idols, you remember? 13:03 Demon worship, part of, was what? 13:06 Trying to have communication with the dead. 13:09 We talked about needless ornaments of gold and silver 13:13 and jewelry, think about it, image making, 13:18 false doctrine, gambling, horse racing. 13:20 You remember all these things, tobacco, alcohol, 13:22 drugs, appetite, lust of the flesh, 13:25 we talked about theater going, human talent, oh, 13:29 how we lift up human beings rather than the name 13:31 of Jesus, selfishness, idolizing of what? 13:35 idolizing of men, too much important 13:37 to placed upon holidays. 13:38 All of these things deal with idolatry 13:41 or the abomination, sighing and crying 13:44 for the abomination done within the church. 13:46 Number nine, last one, we're going over. 13:47 It says, "When trouble arises 13:49 between church members? 13:50 And I'll tell you, I don't know, 13:51 I've been in the movement a longtime, 13:54 I don't think I've ever seen or maybe even heard of this 13:58 being implemented, that when trouble rises 14:01 between church members and we're kind of 14:03 going back and forth, notice those, 14:04 the church members are to be, 14:06 notice the word, suspended from the church 14:10 until the issues are worked out, why? 14:11 Because it causes all kinds of division, 14:13 people start taking sides, gossiping and backbiting. 14:17 But you know, if we just simply follow 14:19 God's word and it's tough. 14:22 Oh, we don't want to, somebody, 14:23 we're interested in what God thinks about us, aren't we? 14:25 And some people, they're not calling sin 14:28 by the right name, 14:29 found a quote I want to share with you. 14:30 And I'm doing quickly here today, 14:32 there's so much to cover, but. 14:33 In Four Testimonies 185, notice this, 14:36 "Those who seek to cloak sin and make it appear less 14:41 aggravating to the mind of the offender are doing 14:46 the work of the false prophet and may expect 14:49 the retributive wrath of God to follow such a course." 14:53 What does that mean? 14:55 In other words, you know, somebody into something 14:57 they shouldn't be into and it's just dead wrong 14:59 and you try to make light of it. 15:00 Or pat him on the back and say, yeah, well, 15:02 God knows it's gonna be all right. 15:04 Friend, you cannot do that. 15:07 You make it appear less 15:08 aggravating to the, to the offender. 15:11 We have to let the offender know that it's offensive to God 15:14 and that God wants us to give us victory in those areas. 15:18 You know, no man can be forced to sin. 15:20 We've been, we've been going through these issues. 15:22 And I hear people saying, "Well, he force me 15:24 "into the corner, he made me do it, 15:26 situation dictated that I do these things." 15:28 No man can be forced to sin. 15:31 First of all, he must consent, 15:34 the act is first played out where? 15:36 Good, in the mind and then, 15:38 you know, when this is done 15:39 then it affects man's reasoning, his power, 15:41 his moral powers, and then he's subject 15:43 to the enemy, he's weaken. 15:47 Friend, we don't want to be weaken, temptation. 15:49 However strong, when I read this, it just jarred me. 15:52 Temptation, regardless of how strong 15:54 is never an excuse for sin. 15:57 Wow! See, God knows the natural heart. 16:00 He knows what you're going through right now. 16:03 See, some of you're saying, boy, we receive some letters 16:06 and, boy, when we just read an email the other night, 16:08 it just, it made you weep when you got done, 16:10 what this individual had been through and going through. 16:12 And just the heart cry was there is no hope for me 16:16 because I'm so vile, I'm so dirty, I'm an abuser, 16:20 I've hurt my children, I've hurt my grandchildren, 16:22 hurt everybody that come in contact with. 16:25 Friend, let me encourage you, there is hope for you today, 16:27 there is hope for me today, we've got to get beyond 16:29 looking at ourself, we've got, 16:31 we've got to get to the point of looking 16:32 to the promises of God and how good He is 16:34 and how much He loves you and loves me. 16:37 There is hope for you today, 16:38 regardless of how low maybe you have sunk. 16:43 God's willing to reach down in the mud 16:44 and drag you and me up, praise God, 16:46 dust us off, clean us off. 16:49 God can pull us out of these situations. 16:51 We can count on God. 16:53 Oh, I tell you, I get encouraged 16:54 when I read the word in Psalms 34 verse 15, 16:57 notice this, it says, 16:58 "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous." 17:02 Somebody didn't get that. 17:03 The eyes of the Lord are over what? 17:07 Are over the, oh, over the righteous 17:10 and His ears are open to their cry. 17:13 Interesting, He chooses the word here 17:15 and He's writing here under inspiration, He said, 17:18 "The Lord's eyes are over the righteous." 17:21 Those who are trying to do the right thing, 17:23 God hears their cry. 17:26 And I said, cry, what does that really mean 17:27 in original language? 17:28 It says, help, they're needing some, 17:30 they're needing some help, they want to be freed 17:33 from the trouble that they're in and God hears them, 17:36 isn't that wonderful? 17:40 Somebody said sometime, I just can't seem to help it, 17:42 sin is just there, we don't know 17:43 how to deal with the sin issue. 17:45 And you're saying, how can sin just, 17:47 how could it be eradicated from my life? 17:49 Let me just give you a one line 17:50 and I'm telling it's very interesting. 17:52 Five Testimonies, 177, makes this powerful statement. 17:56 "If we would not commit sin." Where are you at today? 18:00 Where am I at today? Think about it with me. 18:03 If I would not commit sin, otherwise, 18:05 I don't want to commit sin, and Lord, 18:07 I don't want to commit it, so if I would not commit sin, 18:10 notice this, here's the key. 18:12 "I must shun its very beginnings." 18:16 If I would not sin, what? 18:18 I must shun its very beginnings, 18:21 sin has a beginning. 18:23 Oh dear, friend, sin has what? 18:27 It has a beginning. And then it goes on. 18:30 "Every unholy thought must be instantly repelled." 18:36 Instantly repelled, you can't think on it, 18:38 you can't meditate on something that's evil, 18:40 something you know it's not right, 18:41 the devil will have you in just a moment. 18:43 You're not that big that you can fight him, 18:45 you need help, and I need help. 18:48 Friend, this is James 1:15. 18:52 If we don't instantly cry out for help, 18:55 if we would not sin, if we're gonna, say, 18:58 well, we can't shun it from the very beginning, 19:00 we're gonna have to dilly dally around with it. 19:03 Look, what the results will be? 19:04 James 1:15, it said, when lust hath, what? 19:08 Has conceived, it bringeth forth, what? 19:11 Sin. And then the Bible says, and sin, 19:14 when it is finished, bringeth forth, what? 19:18 Death. Oh, we don't know that. 19:21 Question, if you ever fallen in the sin, have you ever? 19:24 Oh, don't say, no, no, I have. 19:27 Yes, you have. 19:28 Bible said, "All have sinned 19:29 and come short of the glory of God." 19:31 So let's be realistic, shall we, 19:32 let's put it on the line, we're all worthy of death, 19:34 we've all sinned come short to the glory of God, 19:37 but we're looking in God's word, 19:38 what, to gain the victory, 19:39 what, in the church and among God's remnant people 19:42 that we may be what He would have us to be. 19:45 And so the question that you fallen in sin? 19:47 If so, here's what to do. 19:49 Now notice here, without delay, without delay, 19:52 if you've fallen, without delay go to God 19:54 and beg and plead for pardon and for mercy. 19:59 And, you know, what? He's a merciful God. 20:01 Don't delay, don't put it off, do it right now. 20:04 Well, God said in Jeremiah 3:22, 20:06 He said, "Return, ye backsliding children, 20:11 and I, and I will heal your backsliding." 20:16 See, that's just, that's just such wonderful, 20:18 wonderful good news. 20:20 He's talking to the backslider, 20:21 He's talking to you today if you're a backslider. 20:25 He is saying, all you have to do is just no matter, 20:27 didn't matter what you've done, 20:29 didn't matter how vile you are. 20:31 He just wants you to put aside, 20:32 return to me and I'll heal your backsliding. 20:35 Oh, friend, that's such good news today, 20:38 that ought to make your day a good day, 20:40 I pray that it does. 20:42 You know, the Bible says, we need to be sanctified. 20:45 You read that scripture, John 17:17, 20:47 sanctify them through, what? 20:50 Good, Thy truth, Thy word is truth. 20:53 So we're sanctified by knowing 20:54 what truth is by the word of God. 20:57 See, there's an obligation as we do this plain 21:00 straight testimony must live. 21:03 There's an obligation concerning 21:05 God's people to search out sin. 21:07 We've been talking about searching sin out, and what? 21:11 Bringing it to the point to where we can ask God 21:14 to get us victory over that or we have God's displeasure. 21:18 Any sin that's in the church, 21:21 you can't just can't blindly close your eyes, 21:23 put on a pair of shade, you know, 21:25 the rose colored glasses and just like, 21:27 well, we're just going to see. 21:29 God said, there are certain people 21:31 in the church, not everybody. 21:32 We're gonna get to that in a moment. 21:34 God has people that He designates to deal with sin 21:38 because they know how to deal, 21:40 because He gives them wisdom on how to deal 21:43 with the issue, not everybody has that, 21:46 it's a gift that God gives to the power of the Holy Spirit. 21:49 Now we've read this many times, 21:51 but I'm gonna do like the old radio person longtime, 21:54 he used to say, "Here's the rest of the story." 21:57 So the first part you've heard many times, 21:58 but I'm gonna read it every chance I get. 22:01 Three Testimonies 269 says, "The plain, straight testimony 22:05 must live in the church," what? 22:08 It must live in the church 22:09 or the curse of God will do, what? 22:13 Will live in the church. 22:14 You want the curse of God to live in the church, 22:16 because you don't want to deal with issues. 22:19 Well, I don't know, I want the blessings of God. 22:22 Notice, it says, "Oh, surely, surely as it did 22:25 in ancient Israel because of their sins." 22:28 Now, here's the rest of the story of that quote, listen. 22:32 "God holds His people as a body, 22:37 responsible for the sins existing 22:40 in individuals among them." 22:42 Did you get it? Somebody didn't get it. 22:49 Listen, God holds His people, that's all of us, as a body, 22:56 the body of believers, responsible for the sins 23:01 existing in individuals among them. 23:05 I'm responsible to you, you responsible to me, 23:08 I'm robbing you of a blessing, 23:10 you're robbing me of a blessing, 23:11 we can't afford that. 23:14 Wow! How about the overseer of the flock, 23:19 overseer the flock has to keep a watchful eye 23:22 and how difficult that is, because the enemy of souls 23:25 realizes every member. 23:27 Listen carefully, every member with hurt feelings. 23:31 Oh, we've all been there. Yes, you have. 23:34 Every person that's been slided or every disagreement, 23:39 differences of, you know, opinion, 23:41 causes little friction in the church, 23:43 the enemy is very well aware of that, 23:46 and it will sidetrack us from doing 23:48 what we need to be doing. 23:50 You don't have so much time, so much, so much energy, 23:52 and if you keep the pastor, and the elders, the deacon, 23:54 everybody busy just trying to pad everybody, 23:57 oil them a little bit, grease them up, 23:58 somebody is not with me. 24:01 Keep them from squeaking, then we're neglecting 24:03 the cause of Christ and what we should be doing 24:05 by giving this message to the world. 24:08 The overseer of the flock. 24:09 Now let me read a quote, very interesting, 24:11 Five Testimonies 237 says this, 24:14 "The work of Christ's servants 24:16 is not merely to preach the truths." 24:20 So talking about leaders here and those who maybe preaching, 24:22 or those who are teaching, listen, notice, 24:24 it's not just really merely to preach the truths. 24:27 "They are to watch." Oh, friend, Lord help us. 24:31 "They are to watch for souls for whom 24:33 they must give an account." 24:38 Everybody comes through that door one day. 24:42 One day, I'm gonna have to give an account to God, 24:48 for what I did or didn't do maybe to help them up. 24:51 Bottom-line, people make decisions on their own, 24:53 but, you know, what? 24:54 You have better than everything you can, 24:56 I need to do everything that I possibly know to do 24:58 to win them and to keep them in the cause of truth, why? 25:01 Because I'm gonna have to give an account to God. 25:04 It says the pastor, the leader, 25:06 the servant, the preacher. 25:08 Now notice this, "He is to reprove." 25:11 Some people say, well, now you can, 25:12 in other words, pros reprove, that's sensor, that's correct. 25:16 Can go up to Audrey, and I can say, 25:18 "Audrey, now here's what God's word says here." 25:21 I can go to Brother Jim say, 25:22 "Brother Jim, this is what the word says.'' 25:25 That's what the pastor suppose to do, 25:28 the shepherd to watch the sheep, 25:30 so they don't get in trouble, so they don't hurt themselves 25:32 and hurt other people and cause the displeasure of God 25:36 to come upon the body of the leaders. 25:37 That's why I think we're not seeing miracles 25:39 to take place in the church, a lot of things 25:42 are not happening out of the power, 25:43 because all power, oh friend, 25:45 we haven't seen anything what God wants 25:47 to do for His people. 25:50 I want to be involved now, I want to see things 25:52 happen for the cause of Christ, 25:53 I want to see souls comeback to God. 25:55 Notice, the pastor here he's suppose to reprove, 25:58 that's correct, he's suppose to rebuke people, 26:00 don't want to be rebuked, 26:02 that's admonish, that's charging. 26:04 This is what God's word has said. 26:06 He's to exhort, you know what? 26:08 Second Timothy 4:2, tells you exactly the same thing. 26:11 He's to exhort. Notice the exhorting. 26:14 Exhorting simply means is here, 26:15 I'm going to, I'm going to invite, I'm going to invite. 26:21 I'm going to, I'm going to have an interest in 26:25 and I'm going to be praying for. 26:29 And I'm going to do with all longsuffering, 26:32 not gonna be difficult to deal with, 26:36 but what if the leaders neglect to do 26:38 what God has asked them to do? 26:40 What if we neglect to search out sin 26:43 that's existing among them? 26:45 Listen to what Three Testimonies 269, 26:47 see somebody you're not going to get away with it, 26:49 some of the ministers and, you know, 26:50 pastors and so on, don't by myself too. 26:53 We're just, you're just not gonna get away with it, 26:55 you think you can lay back, you know, 26:57 because I've talk to many. 26:59 Many have say sometime, boy, I wished I had 27:00 the courageto do what I need to do. 27:02 Listen, courage comes from knowing God, 27:04 courage comes from the very throne room of God, 27:06 courage is simply doing what God has asked you to do, 27:11 and He's ask you to do deal with issues 27:13 that are in the church, problems. 27:15 What if we neglect to do it? 27:18 Let's consider a couple of things here quickly first. 27:21 Of course, if we don't do what we're suppose to do 27:23 Matthew 15 verses 13 and 14 27:25 talks about blind leaders what, doing what? 27:28 You know, leading the blind, 27:29 what happens to them? 27:30 They'll fall in the ditch. 27:33 They're blind leaders, and you know, 27:34 this is talking about whether it's a vphysically 27:37 or whether it's mentally. 27:39 Because mentally, you know, to be blind, 27:42 is sometime that we are just inflated with pride. 27:45 We want to just be-- you know, we're going to be careful, 27:47 we've got too much pride here, 27:50 and so that causes us to be blind, 27:52 that causes us to not have a living connection with God. 27:56 Self conceit, we consider ourself 28:00 a little more high minded. 28:03 Oh, yeah there are people in the pulpit, 28:04 you better believe it, we just need to look 28:06 at it in such and say, "God, help us." 28:11 This quote 3:269 says, "If the leaders of the church 28:14 "neglect to diligently search out the sins 28:18 "which bring the displeasure of God upon the body. 28:22 They become responsible for that sin." 28:25 Now, brother, we've got, we've got a problem here, 28:27 sister, we've got a problem here, 28:30 if we know that it's going on and we refuse to deal with it, 28:34 then it's what? 28:35 We become responsible for that sin, 28:37 and I've always said, Lord, have mercy on me, 28:39 I can't stand somebody else. 28:42 I'm dealing for eternal life with myself here 28:45 and I know you are too. 28:47 But you can't, we can't just be indifferent, 28:49 we can't be non shellacked about it. 28:51 We can't turn our heads and say, it's them, 28:54 that's their business, so that, it's your business, 28:58 they're in your body, they're in your church, 29:00 it's your business, it's my business. 29:03 The leadership has something to do, 29:06 but, you know, this work, oh, 29:09 it must be done in love. 29:11 Bible says, we have to have compassion. 29:15 You realize this, that's why everybody is not up to saying, 29:18 they need to go to this person and talk with them 29:20 because they don't, they have grace and they, 29:23 they're timid maybe and they're a little bit backward 29:26 and they're a little bit shy. 29:27 Well, God maybe hasn't called you to do it, 29:29 but be careful, be careful here, 29:32 many really, they don't have the love to correct lesson. 29:36 To correct and win a brother at the same time, 29:41 correct and what? 29:42 And to win, not correct and lose 29:44 or doing such a way that you're heartless 29:46 and they run out the door, you boot them out. 29:49 There's a difference here. 29:52 This is not an easy task, we all know how they need 29:54 the spirit of the living God. 29:56 In Proverbs 18:19, it says, 29:58 "A brother that is offended." 30:00 Notice this, "Is harder to win than a strong city." 30:04 Wow, of what? 30:07 A brother that is offended is more difficult than to what? 30:11 Conquer a strong city. 30:15 But James 5 says, 19 and 20, if you do this in love 30:18 and you work with him, and you plead with him, 30:21 it says, "If any err from the truth, and one convert him." 30:26 Now I'm gonna go for time sake, 30:27 you read it all here, it said, 30:28 He shall save a soul, what? 30:30 From death, and shall hide a multitude of sin. 30:34 This is what it's all about. 30:36 It's not just say, Well, we're gonna throw people out. 30:38 No, we want to bring the attention. 30:40 This is what God's word says, 30:41 For them to repent and come back to God, 30:43 let His smile be upon on the church, 30:45 let His Spirit to be operating, 30:47 working in the church, let the Spirit of God 30:49 do some things that need to be done in your life and mine. 30:52 Let the Holy Spirit, bring conviction upon you 30:54 and conviction upon me that I find it necessary 30:57 to make some changes, that I need these changes, 31:00 I want these changes, I want God's blessing. 31:03 Oh, friend, are you following it today? 31:04 This is what God wants from you and from me, 31:08 but we must follow the counsel, 31:10 just a beautiful little passage there in Jude 31:12 that just before Revelation, verses 22 and 23, 31:16 one Chapter there. 31:18 Here's the difference, it says, 31:20 "And some have compassion, making a difference." 31:23 We're talking about dealing now with sin 31:25 and the church and maybe who is doing 31:27 or has God called certain ones to do it. 31:29 Notice, it says, "Some here have compassion, 31:32 "making a difference, notice, and others saved with fear, 31:37 pulling them out of the fire." 31:40 What does that mean? 31:42 It said, there are some who they have pity 31:46 and they have mercy and, but they, 31:48 they weren't kind of separate from the issue. 31:51 See they said, making a difference, 31:53 in other words, they can't just stand up and say, 31:55 oh boy, there is, you know, God's word says such and such. 31:59 They want to with, they want to withdraw, 32:01 that's what that word means. 32:02 They want, they hesitate to go 32:06 and talk to that person, but instead there is others 32:09 in the church, notice this, 32:11 they'll say with fear, realizing, 32:14 they need to be careful 'cause they're gonna fall, 32:15 be careful if they take their eyes off of Jesus 32:18 and they pull them out of the fire. 32:22 Man, there is a, there is a difference. 32:25 Here's where we can see that God has laid the burden 32:27 on some to correct and to search out wrongs. 32:35 And those who maybe don't feel compelled to get involved, 32:37 God hasn't called you, but listen, 32:39 I wanted to be just, 32:40 we need to get real straight with this. 32:44 If God hasn't called you to do it, 32:46 do not get in the way of those whom God calls. 32:52 I hope that's really clear because sometimes people say, 32:55 well, I just don't feel that way at all. 32:57 Well, God has let, you realize that 32:58 God doesn't lay every burden on you 33:00 or every burden on me that He lays on somebody else. 33:03 We just have to match it up, is this what God's word says, 33:06 then God may have told this individual to deal this way, 33:09 but He hasn't laid it on my heart, 33:12 doesn't mean it's wrong, just simply me, 33:14 has He laid on your heart and my heart. 33:16 Now let me just read something here to help you 33:17 understand it, to help me understand it. 33:19 Three Testimonies 270, says, "Some make it a point, 33:23 "you've got in church, to question and doubt 33:27 "and find fault because others do the work 33:31 that God has not laid on their hearts." 33:35 Did you get it? Not laid on them. 33:38 "They stand directly in the way and hinder those 33:41 "whom God has laid the burden of reproving and correcting, 33:46 "prevailing sins in order that His frown 33:50 may be turned away from His people." 33:53 So when there is sin prevailing and throngs in 33:55 the church not dealt with, dealt with the frown of God, 33:58 that means there is no blessing, 33:59 there is no Holy say, "Well, we have the Holy Spirit." 34:01 No, you don't. You can't have the Holy Spirit 34:04 if the frown as it were or disapproval of God 34:06 is upon the congregation. Why? 34:09 Because you and I are not doing our job. 34:12 But don't get into the way of those whom God lays it on. 34:15 Did you get that? 34:17 There are those who find fault with those 34:18 who are dealing with the sin issue right here, 34:21 but God hasn't laid it on them 34:22 so they don't want to, you know, 34:24 surely you guys are not suppose to do this. 34:28 There are people that God chooses to do it. 34:31 Question, what, why is God laid this on some people, 34:36 maybe not others? 34:39 You think that God made us individuals wants us 34:43 to stand free from the wrongs and sins 34:47 that are prevailing in and around in the mud. 34:50 Does God wants to be free in him? 34:52 Oh, I think so. 34:53 Does he want you to rejoice 34:54 and be exceedingly glad? I think so. 34:58 But, let me tell you, those who stand 34:59 for what is right 35:01 among the people of God, oh, dear friend, 35:04 they're going to meet opposition, 35:06 they always have and they always will, and note, 35:09 I must tell, I'm gonna be frank with you right now 35:11 and you maybe dealing with this 35:12 in your church right now. 35:13 You're going to meet opposition 35:15 only you know what? 35:16 They maybe members of the church, 35:17 but you're meeting opposition from the unconverted, 35:20 not the converted, the converted understand 35:23 the necessity of having a smile 35:26 as it were of God upon His church. 35:30 The unconsecrated is the one 35:31 that's gonna cause you trouble. 35:32 So, well, we don't have go that far now. 35:36 Oh, but this is a work that must be done. 35:41 We have to see the malignancy of sin 35:44 and we have to come to the point 35:45 where we hate sin. 35:49 Friend, if you come to the point 35:50 where you hate sin, if you come to the point 35:52 where you rather die than knowingly sin. 35:55 Friend, if we haven't, we need some more help. 35:59 This is not trying to, trying to judge you, 36:01 this is not trying to hammer you over the head, 36:03 this is trying to make you really look in the mirror 36:05 and seeing yourself for what you really are, 36:06 what I really am. 36:07 I am saying no, I don't know 36:09 if I am come to the point where I hate sin, 36:11 'cause if you really hate sin, 36:12 you will stay away from it, you'll run if you have to. 36:15 You'll go the opposite direction 36:17 if you have to, you'll go the 1,000 miles as it were. 36:20 Stay well, just a little book that I read. 36:23 And I hope, if you don't have it, 36:25 you need to give us a call. 36:26 It's called 'Steps to Christ' oh, 36:28 it's a beautiful little book about the life of Christ. 36:31 Here's what it says page 54, 36:32 it says, He God hates sin. 36:35 Does God hate sin yes, but he loves the sinner, 36:40 you heard that all your life noticed, 36:43 God He gave Himself in the person of Christ, 36:47 that all who would might be saved. 36:51 How beautiful that is, He hates sin 36:54 but loves the sinner, and He gave, 36:55 Jesus Christ to redeem us. 36:57 From the curse of the law, that we might be saved. 37:02 Oh, friend, God wants his church to be pure, 37:07 see none but the glorified, none but the sinless 37:11 will enter the kingdom of God. 37:14 I want his blessing, I want the privilege 37:16 of being in the presence of God. 37:18 I want to know when I come to church 37:20 that I'm gonna be standing on Holy ground, 37:22 not because I'm there, not because 37:23 you're there some people think it's Holy ground 37:25 because you come in 37:26 and you're so Holy and so righteous. 37:27 No, friend, you're not, you're filthy rages, 37:29 but the Bible says, need to get off our high horse. 37:34 Realize we come in, 37:35 because of the presence of the Holy Spirit 37:38 people don't get up on Sabbath morning, 37:39 they sleep and when they come in late 37:41 and all burned up 37:43 and I don't know what's going on. 37:44 Friend, need to get up early, need to prepare the heart, 37:46 the mind and the soul. 37:48 Because the ground on which you walk is Holy, 37:50 the presence of God is there. 37:51 If you want it there, if you believe it 37:53 and you're praying for it, it's a special time, 37:55 it's a time you can't hardly wait to get there. 37:57 You won't see how late you can come 37:59 and just get in a few minutes of service, 38:01 you can see how early you can come 38:02 and get more in the presence of God, 38:04 that's how I feel about it. 38:08 How would it, where would it be for us today 38:12 if we just spend simply follow the counsel 38:16 given in God's Holy word. 38:17 The counsel of the Holy Spirit, 38:21 now let me just go into a few of the problems 38:22 that might arise in the church 38:24 and how we must deal with it. 38:25 The counsel of scripture not men, 38:28 but how scripture tells us we're to deal with it. 38:31 You remember the New Testament Church, 38:32 oh, we can learn so much. 38:35 The New Testament Church is an example 38:37 of how we should pattern our church today. 38:40 Jesus set it up. 38:42 Now notice when the problem arose in a local church, 38:47 notice the Bible gives what I'm talking about 38:49 in Antioch and of course other churches. 38:52 When dissension arose in a local church, 38:56 you know what, and the people 38:57 could not come in agreement. 38:59 They sat down and they had business meetings 39:01 but they couldn't come to grips with it. 39:03 All of a sudden there's going to be 39:04 some real problems there, you know what they did. 39:06 The matter was, Oh, I love it, 39:08 the matter was not allowed to cause division 39:12 in God's church, what did they do. 39:15 The problem was referred to a general counsel 39:19 of the local churches. 39:21 Of maybe the pastor, and the elders, 39:22 pastor and elder, pastor and elder 39:24 and maybe deacons, and they come together 39:26 and they sat down and they began to discuss 39:28 the issue and to find a resolution. 39:33 Well, friend think about it, 39:34 we're gonna resolve this, this problem. 39:39 and it's very, very clear 39:40 as you read the spirit of prophecy it says, 39:41 the pastors, the elders, the leader, 39:43 the apostles lead out in the responsibility with this. 39:48 And if we followed this counsel, 39:50 there would never be division in the church, 39:52 oh, somebody may leave because they're offended. 39:55 But they would not be any problems in the church 39:57 and to cause any kind of division 39:59 because we'd have confidence 40:01 that the Holy Spirit was leading 40:02 and guiding in that church. 40:04 It was so simple if we follow it, 40:06 actually Apostles 96 makes this comment, 40:08 listen carefully to it, it says, 40:10 the efforts of Satan to attack the church 40:13 in isolated places where met by concerted action 40:17 on the part of all. 40:19 The plan of the enemy was to disrupt 40:22 and to destroy were thwarted. 40:25 Or was defeated or was frustrated. 40:28 Why, because the congregation said what? 40:31 We'll not going to let this be anything 40:33 that would divide us and separate us. 40:35 Would need a little more counsel, 40:36 we're gonna get men right, 40:37 that love Jesus, we're gonna sit down, 40:39 we're gonna discuss the issues 40:41 and then we're going to. 40:42 Well, whatever the answer might be is the end result, 40:44 that's what we're going to follow. 40:47 And it says here that the enemy was defeated, 40:50 that means he was run out. 40:51 It was frustrated because he wants division 40:54 to cause separation. 40:55 We are strong in the movement, 40:57 when we put our shoulders together, 40:59 we're strong when we believe the truth of God's word. 41:02 You see this is what the Holy Spirit wants to do 41:04 as we stand together, the devil is afraid of that. 41:07 This Bible passage gives some qualifications 41:10 for a man who would make a wise leader. 41:13 And I want you to just jot it down 41:14 when you have time, our time is running out. 41:16 Deuteronomy Chapter 1, verses 16 and 17, 41:20 but it just talks about we're looking for men 41:22 who love God with all their heart, 41:23 their soul and mind. 41:24 And because of the Spirit of God in them, 41:26 they're able to judge righteously. 41:29 This is what God's looking for, 41:31 not look at each individual and feel sorry for this 41:34 and oh, this situation. 41:35 Well, this just came to me, and this is over here, 41:37 look at the situation as it is 41:39 and deal based upon God's word 41:41 and that's the final rule. 41:43 Wow! I've never forgotten this, 41:47 and I don't want you to forget 41:48 that God is leading a people. 41:51 He's leading you if you want to be lead, 41:54 he's leading me if I want to be lead. 41:57 He's dealing with us, time is so, 41:59 so very short and He gives us instructions 42:02 as we need instructions to guide us. 42:07 And you know what, he uses visible leaders, 42:12 he uses what? 42:13 He uses visible leaders, 42:16 but they always must receive their instructions 42:22 from the invisible leader. 42:25 See you say, well, he's the leader 42:26 or he's this, he's that. 42:27 He needs to harmonize with scripture 42:29 or he's not what God wants him to be. 42:32 God chooses visible leaders, but what? 42:34 They must listen to the invisible leader, 42:37 are you getting that? 42:38 We must choose the right and follow the right. 42:41 We must be obedient and obedience brings prosperity 42:45 and disobedience brings death. 42:47 The scripture's very, very clear about that. 42:50 Have you ever wondered 42:52 why God doesn't bring new souls into church. 42:56 Oh, you've heard some of this before, 42:57 but this is, we're dealing with 42:58 the plain straight testimony. 43:01 You know, we've dealt with, you know, 43:02 we talk theater going, we're talking about jewelry, 43:04 we're talking about all these horse racing 43:06 and gambling and appetite. 43:07 And all these other tests, it runs some people out, 43:10 they can't take it. 43:11 It causes a shaking among God's people. 43:16 But you wonder why there's not people coming in, 43:18 there's got to be people coming in. 43:20 Because God said, He would bless 43:22 and if there's not what's wrong. 43:24 Book of Evangelism page 110, says this, 43:28 "The Lord does not now, notice this, 43:31 work to bring many souls into the truth. 43:33 Oh, it breaks your heart, why? Why? 43:41 The next line says, because of the church members. 43:46 How sad, God does not now work to bring 43:53 souls into the truth because of the church members, 43:59 who have never been converted, 44:03 and those who were converted but have backslidden. 44:10 See, if they're backslidden 44:12 we need to deal with that, don't we. 44:15 If they're not converted, we need to be having classes 44:17 and point them to Jesus Christ, 44:20 he can't work with the unconverted, 44:24 he doesn't bring them in, 44:25 because we're allowing it to continue on. 44:27 Because we want numbers, 44:31 numbers are everything, and it's not. 44:33 Jesus never used numbers. 44:37 We're in such a-- work needs to be done 44:41 before God can bless and bring in a people in. 44:44 Our work's got to be done and it has to be, 44:47 we have to bring it to the people's attention to say, 44:49 there is a work, we've not arrived yet. 44:52 He's not here yet. 44:53 There are some changes that need to be made. 44:57 Once again, why does the church still need to make, 45:00 keep a watchful eye of all the things that are, 45:02 that are going on? 45:04 Dealing with the sin issue. 45:06 Why do we have to, as we're truly out of faith 45:09 'cause church, some churches seem happy 45:10 and they're just having socials. 45:12 And they're just having picnics, 45:13 and fellowship, not anything wrong with that, 45:15 but if you follow me here, 45:16 they're doing all these other things right here 45:18 and nothing going on. 45:20 The sin issue, more important fellowship launch, 45:25 more and more important, friend, 45:26 than all these other things put together, 45:27 maybe you can combine them and work it all out. 45:29 But, friends, you can't substitute it 45:32 where you lack spirituality sometime, 45:34 when we lack the power of the Holy Spirit, 45:35 we make it up by having 45:36 all kinds of socials and everything else. 45:38 Let me just lay it out, Straight Testimony divides, 45:40 that's right, it does, it separates. 45:46 It's the church's duty to deal with the erring. 45:50 Now we just have 10 minutes or so less, 45:51 so don't anybody get sleepy on me there at home, 45:53 no it's not gonna happen. 45:56 We need to, we need to be wide awake 45:57 to this because what? 45:58 Church is responsible. Are you the church? 46:00 People of the church, that's you, that's me. 46:03 You want God's blessing or don't you? 46:06 And once you finally know there's an issue. 46:07 Do you want to know how to handle it, 46:08 based upon God's word that we do 46:10 the right thing and not what? 46:12 Throw somebody out for eternity. 46:14 Oh, it's heavy duty, oh, I know it is. 46:16 But it has to be done. 46:18 I'm talking about my own life. 46:21 Beautiful book, Desire of Ages, 46:23 805 and 806 says this, "On the church." 46:26 That's God's people. 46:28 "In its organized capacity, 46:29 He places the responsibility for individual members." 46:33 Where? On the body here. 46:34 He places, what? 46:36 Responsibility for individual members. 46:40 Now listen, toward those who fall into sin, 46:43 listen, the church has a duty, 46:45 to warn, to instruct, and to if possible to, what? 46:50 Restore. It's our duty to warn, 46:55 it's our duty to instruct, and it's our duty, 46:58 if possible to restore. 47:00 Every time you go to brothers, 47:01 now, oh, it's with the what, 47:03 you want to winning back to the cause of Christ, 47:06 you want to see Him on the fire. 47:07 Maybe the way He used to be. 47:09 You want to see the power of God 47:10 working inside of Him, it's not condemning, 47:12 it's not, oh, you're this, oh, you're that, 47:14 it's because you care. 47:16 The Bible, we're talking about sighing and crying, 47:19 it hurts you when you see 47:20 somebody leave the cause of truth. 47:25 It should be hurtful. 47:29 We read all this in the scripture. 47:32 We have to deal faithfully with the wrong doings, 47:36 we have to warn every soul that's in danger. 47:41 And, of course, we leave the decision up to them, 47:43 but we need to call sin right now by its right name, 47:46 there's no doubt about it, 47:48 declare what God-- listen, declare what God has said, 47:52 dear friends, about lying, about Sabbath breaking, 47:56 about stealing, about idolatry, 47:58 and every other evil. 48:01 This is what we're supposed to do. 48:03 Look Galatians 5:21, what does it say, 48:06 it tells us here, ''They which do such things 48:10 shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 48:13 Oh, friend, doesn't it weigh heavy on you? 48:16 Isn't it a little bit of maybe, you say, 48:18 a very little bit emotional, you get real excited about, 48:20 yes, it does because I'm talking life 48:21 and death issues here. 48:26 We have to, Desire of Ages, read all that, 48:29 805 and 806, it says, 48:31 "We have to deal faithfully with what?" 48:33 With lying and Sabbath breaking 48:35 and all these evils in the church, 48:37 you've got to deal faithfully with the members. 48:39 Oh, friend, how we've neglected that time with, 48:41 will it work it's way out. 48:43 Two years later, it's still in the same shape 48:45 and there's nobody coming to the church 'cause what? 48:47 We haven't dealt with the sin issue, 48:49 we have to deal, God wants us to. 48:52 See, God is particularly when I read my Bible, 48:54 that's what I find out here. 48:57 He deal, He's particular with those 48:58 who claim to be members of the remnant church. 49:03 He's particular with his ministers, 49:07 and we have to be taught that the Holy Spirit. 49:12 The Holy Spirit is walking up and down the isles, 49:17 and it's watching, it's recording, 49:19 Holy Spirit is recording. 49:21 What's going through your mind and what you're doing? 49:23 Whether, yeah, that's right, 49:25 whether it's candy wrappers or chewing gum 49:27 or you're writing your boyfriend or girlfriend 49:29 a little note. 49:32 You're fooling around with the phone 49:33 or you're doing something else 49:34 that you shouldn't be, be doing there, 49:36 or you're day dreaming, combing somebody's hair. 49:39 You know what you know I'm talking about here. 49:41 You're distracting somebody else. 49:43 Did you know that? You think maybe not. 49:45 You're distracting somebody. 49:46 Every little hand that's raised, 49:48 every head that's turned, somebody sees you, 49:50 somebody is distracted and devil will use that, 49:52 dear friend, against you and against me. 49:58 God's ministers ought to be men of action, 50:01 not sit idly by, doing nothing, 50:03 men of action and men of righteousness. 50:05 They need to be Christ centered, 50:08 in words, and in action. 50:11 That's the only way a person can qualify 50:13 to be soul winner for Jesus 50:14 and a minister in the church of God. 50:18 So as the body believers, it says here, 50:20 we've been reading the church in its organized capacity, 50:23 as it come to bear together with the church 50:24 and we're all discussing, you see, 50:25 when it comes to that point time. 50:29 They're gonna deal with some tough issues here. 50:34 And these tough issues are the ones that, 50:35 you know, the devil is trying to tear apart the, 50:37 the peace and the prosperity and, 50:40 you know, the church, the togetherness 50:43 that we have many times, he's trying to tear us apart, 50:45 he can't stand that. 50:48 There's no unity with the devils of hell, 50:50 you know that. 50:53 We have to remember that God has given His people 50:56 authority on this earth, authority to deal with sin, 51:01 inside the church. 51:03 Oh, heavy duty, huh! 51:04 Jesus said this in John 20:23, 51:08 He said, "Whosesoever sins ye remit." 51:11 That's talking about forgiveness and lay it aside. 51:14 Remember, the church can't forgive sin, 51:15 don't anybody get the wrong idea. 51:18 We're talking about organized capacity 51:19 dealing with that, we take them to God, 51:21 you know that. 51:24 It says that, "They are remitted." 51:26 That means they're separated unto them. 51:28 "Whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained." 51:32 Now this is the passage, I don't think, 51:34 we don't have time today to go into, 51:35 but, boy, this caused controversy among many, 51:38 many people and it should not. 51:40 Remember, individual little church doesn't forgive sin, 51:42 only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that, 51:45 dear friends. 51:47 Matthew 18:18 says, "Verily I say unto you, 51:50 Whatsoever ye shall what? 51:51 Bind on earth shall be bound, where? 51:53 In heaven, whatsoever you shall loose on earth 51:55 shall be loosed in heaven." 51:58 Here we see the binding and the loosening 52:02 that's committed to the church, 52:04 so the church does what? 52:05 Have a responsibility, deal with these issues. 52:08 Matthew 18:17 says, keep this in mind, 52:11 The decision that the people of the church 52:13 make can only be, what? 52:16 Ratified by heaven. And that says what? 52:20 If they follow the principles of heaven. 52:23 So don't go anywhere, 52:24 if we follow the principles of heaven 52:26 written down in God's word 52:27 and we follow those then God says, 52:29 this is okay and that's the right way to deal with it. 52:33 If not, God is not going to ratify it, 52:34 He's not going to say, well, that's okay. 52:35 If the church says it, and they're still living in sin. 52:37 No, He's not going to do that, you know that. 52:40 So what if the church deal with, you know, 52:42 it opens sin there, let's say in the church and remember, 52:45 what are the steps that we should do, you know, 52:48 according to scripture? What shall we do? 52:49 Matthew 18, you know, the step, right? 52:51 Matthew 18:15 says, 52:52 "Moreover if thy brother shall transgress, 52:55 or you know, trespass against thee, 52:58 go tell it to him and his fault between he 53:00 and thee alone and if he shall hear thee, 53:02 thou has gained a brother." 53:04 Wow! Don't go do what? 53:07 Tell it between he and thee, what? Alone. 53:10 Oh, so many of you can't wait to tell to everybody else 53:12 except the guilty party where you think is guilty. 53:16 You're doing the work of the devil, 53:17 there's no doubt about it. 53:19 Jesus makes it plain, 53:21 how a Christian is to deal with a fellow believer, 53:25 who has maybe wronged him personally, 53:28 who's heard him, who's sinned against him, 53:31 happens in the church, 53:32 we're dealing with issues now. 53:35 There's close connection here 53:36 in Matthew 18 and 2:12 through 14, 53:40 now we don't have time to get into, 53:41 got a couple of minutes left here. 53:42 But it talks about the sheep. You just have to read it. 53:44 The sheep who went astray, you remember those? 53:47 And how we must deal with them in order 53:49 to what for the church to be a pure people, 53:52 to be what God wants him to be, 53:55 fit for the use of the master. 53:58 Friend, are we fitting in there? Are we studying? 54:00 Are we saying that we're doing the right thing 54:01 that God would have us to do? 54:04 So, when a brother sins or a brother's in air, 54:06 he's doing wrong, he's gone astray. 54:08 We have an obligation then to try to win him, what? 54:11 As a brother back to Christ. 54:13 We have an obligation and so often we, 54:16 somebody leads, we never talk to them, 54:18 we never do anything to try to win him back. 54:21 Is God's gonna holds us accountable. 54:25 Friend, I believe that God is. 54:27 You see that the Straight Testimony, 54:30 the point in testimony must live in the church. 54:34 So that God can live in our hearts 54:35 and in our minds, and be the kind of people 54:37 we need to be, to be the soul winners, 54:39 time's running out, we need to get real with God, 54:42 gonna be talking more about this in part four, 54:44 you won't want to miss that. 54:45 But, I want to pray with you right now, 54:46 those of you have a heavy heart, 54:48 those of you, you need special prayer, 54:51 something really troubling you today 54:52 and you need special prayer. 54:53 I want to pray for you right now. 54:55 Let's do it together, shall we as I kneel. 54:58 Loving, heavenly, Father, 55:00 we thank You for Your precious word today, 55:01 we realize sometimes it's pointed like a, 55:03 it's like a sword, two-edged sword. 55:05 But, Father, I pray for those who are in need, 55:07 those who are lifting their heart right now to You. 55:09 They're crying out, oh God, save me. 55:11 There needs to changes in my church, 55:12 there needs to be changes in my life, 55:14 please invite the Holy Spirit to come in right now, 55:16 I pray that will do that right now. 55:18 And the spirit will come in and we'll express 55:20 what needs to take place 55:22 so that You can abide with them. 55:24 Thank You for hearing and for answering prayer 55:26 for every viewer in the precious name of Jesus, 55:28 we thank You, amen. 55:31 Now don't forget we, you know, we do, 55:34 we like your comments, we like your thoughts, 55:36 your phone calls, your emails, 55:38 all that you, you know, you have questions, 55:39 please feel free to do that. 55:41 It's very important that you do so. 55:43 We know that we're reaching God's people, 55:45 true and the honest are gonna respond to the call. 55:48 And as, you know, this program is gonna be 55:51 brought by the freewill offerings of God's people 55:53 and that's how Behold the Lamb is supported, 55:56 by the offerings of God's people. 55:57 So continue to, you know, pray about it, 56:00 do what you can do to help this ministry, 56:01 we'll continue to bring these programs to you. 56:03 And if we can be of any kind of a blessing 56:05 or in a service for you, be sure and give us a call, 56:07 you'll see the names and, numbers on the screen. 56:09 Until then, we love you, 56:10 God loves you, and I'll see you next time. 56:16 Hello, once again. 56:17 And what a blessing it was to be 56:20 in the presence of the Lord 56:21 and to learn from His word today. 56:23 He's leading and guiding us back unto His image, why? 56:28 Friends, it's because He loves you 56:30 and He loves me so very much, 56:33 and He is doing all that He could do to give us 56:37 the heavenly life that He intended for us 56:39 to have before sin entered the picture. 56:43 And isn't it time that you listened, 56:45 isn't it time that you heeded His calling? 56:49 And as always we want to help you in anyway 56:51 we possibly can in your walk with the Lord. 56:54 We want you to have this series of four sermons 56:58 that we have entitled 56:59 "The Plain Straight Testimony Must Live," 57:02 and it's available to you 57:03 for just a small gift at $29.00 or more. 57:07 And for those of you who are not aware of it, 57:10 Pastor Kenny and I, 57:11 we do travel to various churches 57:13 for weekend meetings or evangelistic crusades. 57:17 So, if your congregation would appreciate having us 57:20 attend your special event in person. 57:23 The contact information is the same and here it is. 57:26 You may call us at 618-942-5044, 57:31 that's Central Standard Time in the United States 57:34 or write us at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:37 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:42 You can also contact us by an e-mail, 57:45 that's BeholdTheLamb- Ministries@Yahoo.com 57:48 or visit us online, you can even order online, 57:52 and that's www. BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 57:57 And as always, until next time, friends, 57:59 may our precious Lord 58:01 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2014-12-17