Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000012
|
00:40 Hello friends and welcome once again to
00:42 Behold The Lamb Presents. I am Chris Shelton 00:45 your host and today our message is the first 00:48 in a two part series we've entitled, 00:50 blinded by the counterfeit. For those of you with 00:54 good eyesight, have you ever wondered what 00:57 life would be like without that wonderful 00:59 gift of sight? When I was growing up one of our 01:03 favorite games to play was pin the tail and the 01:05 donkey. We would blindfold the player and then spin him 01:08 or her around several times and then let them go free 01:13 to walk forward with the pin and imaginary donkey 01:16 tail in their hand and try to pin it to the picture 01:19 that was up on the wall. The person who was able 01:23 to pin the tail the closest to the correct area was 01:26 declared the winner. You know we all wanna be winners, 01:29 right. But the laughter began as we watch the player 01:33 aimlessly, stumbling, and pinning the tail in the 01:37 strangest places on the picture. 01:41 And unfortunately as we age and as we mature, 01:45 we begin to see what life, our life is much like 01:49 that game. We find ourselves stumbling around 01:53 in spiritual darkness. Always striving to be the winner 01:57 in game of life, but often finding ourselves pinned 02:02 under the weight of sin only then to find out just 02:06 how spiritually blind we were because we believed 02:10 in a counterfeit of truth. Is this God's plan 02:13 for our life, is this, his will that we continue 02:17 to stumble and fall over every word of doctrine 02:20 or did he leave us with the better plan a much safe 02:25 and assured plan of salvation. 02:28 Let's listen closely today to Pastor Kenny 02:30 as he shares with us his God given message on being 02:35 blinded by the counterfeit. And see if we can find 02:39 answers to these questions, but first as always 02:42 we are blessed to go to 3ABN's worship center 02:45 and listen to a song sung and performed 02:48 by Denise Barclay entitled Come Thou Fount. 03:09 Come thou fount of every blessing, 03:16 Tune my heart to sing thy grace; 03:22 Streams of mercy never ceasing, 03:28 Call for songs of loudest praise. 03:35 Teach me ever to adore Thee; 03:41 May I still Thy goodness prove; 03:48 While the hope of endless glory, 03:54 Fills my heart with joy and love. 04:09 Here I raise my Ebenezer: 04:16 Hither by Thy help I've come; 04:22 And I hope by Thy good pleasure, 04:28 Safely to arrive at home. 04:35 Jesus sought me when a stranger, 04:41 Wand'ring from the fold of God; 04:48 He to rescue me from danger 04:55 Interposed His precious blood. 05:11 O to grace how great a debtor 05:17 Daily I'm constrained to be! 05:24 Let Thy goodness like a fetter 05:30 Bind me closer still to Thee. 05:37 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 05:43 Prone to leave the God I love; 05:51 Here's my heart, O take and seal it, 05:58 Seal it for Thy courts above. 06:14 Here's my heart, O take and seal it, 06:21 Seal it for Thy courts above. 06:45 Welcome we are glad you can join us today 06:46 for another program as we study the word of 06:49 God together. Wherever you may be around the 06:51 world let's take this time together because its so very 06:54 important that we spend time everyday in God's 06:57 word preparing for his soon coming. 07:00 Today, we are going to be talking about Blinded 07:02 by the Counterfeit. Well what is the counterfeit, 07:06 what we are talking about here on this issue? 07:08 But before we do those you might be thinking about 07:11 may be you are going outside or doing something else. 07:14 I am gonna give you four very important tips, 07:18 points from God's word. That will help you when the 07:22 enemy comes against you and tempts you. 07:25 If you take these four points you will never fall, 07:28 you will never be taken by the enemy, 07:31 man that's strong words in it. Follow 07:34 these four points, but before we do as always 07:36 let's go to God in prayer and let's pray together. 07:43 Merciful Father in heaven we thank you for the privilege 07:45 of being a child of God we ask for the divine, 07:49 anointing thy Holy Spirit upon every word that 07:52 spoken we pray that will penetrate the hearts 07:54 and minds of your people around the world, 07:57 may we draw closer to thee as we see the day 08:00 approaching. May the Holy Spirit impresses the truths 08:03 that we need to take into our hearts and lives and to 08:07 change us into your image. Thank you for this privilege 08:10 and thank you for every viewer, 08:11 every listener may you touch their hearts, 08:14 meet their needs now as we thank you and 08:16 we praise you in Jesus name, amen. 08:22 Well as I promised I am gonna give you these 08:23 four points so you want to have a pencil and paper 08:26 and jot these things down. And I'll give you little 08:28 reference from scripture too because as you see 08:30 things you see how the enemy comes against us. 08:34 You'll see how victory can be gained every time 08:38 the tempter comes around. Now Proverbs 1 verse 08:43 10 says, My son, notice how it starts out, My son, 08:47 if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 08:52 Please take in these words, 08:55 My son if sinners entice thee. You see the devil 09:00 is an enticer and sometime we think some of our friends 09:04 and relatives they are also sometime trying to 09:07 entice us to do something that we know we 09:10 shouldn't be doing. The Bible says if they try to 09:13 entice you, Bible says consent thou not. 09:16 Please take that in consideration as we give 09:19 these points before we get into our study. 09:23 Notice there is a consent, you have to consent. 09:27 The devil can't make you do anything. 09:29 You have to consent first, so when these things 09:32 come don't consent, step number one if you detect 09:37 that there is something going on, the devil is making 09:40 a suggestion something that is wrong and you detect 09:45 what would you do first? Quickly you send up a 09:50 prayer to heaven. Very first thing as you notice 09:53 that some may be it's a friend, may be a relative 09:55 or somebody you work with. They are suggesting 09:58 something that you know from the word of God 10:00 is not correct. Immediately when you hear that 10:04 and you understand that you send a prayer up 10:07 to heaven for help, quickly send it up there. 10:10 By the way Isaiah says in Isaiah 26:16 it says, 10:14 Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, 10:18 they poured out a prayer when thy chastening 10:22 was upon them. See when we are tempted or chastised 10:26 we need to send up a prayer very quickly. 10:28 So this is the first as we are fighting the enemy 10:32 as we send up a prayer and ask God for help. 10:35 Number two, step number two, you must firmly resist 10:41 the temptation. Now why would you firmly resist 10:44 it because we've already said it's already been declared 10:47 wrong in God's word. So we detected and we said 10:51 God we need some help and then it's up to us to what, 10:54 to resist this temptation. Resist this because 10:58 we know that we are they've heard us. 11:02 James 4:4 says, you know we have to resist the devil. 11:06 And when you resist the devil the Bible says 11:09 he will flee from you. We have to resist even on 11:16 to death, if we are going to gain the victory. 11:18 We have to be willing to do that rather as Jesus 11:20 did rather die than knowingly sinned. 11:26 And so number three, the first time the temptation 11:28 comes to you we have to meet it in such a way that it 11:33 will not be repeated. Think on that for just a moment, 11:37 when a temptation comes and you are almost 11:40 overwhelmed with it we have to meet it so hard, 11:42 right head on that the devil says ho, I find no place 11:46 in them for this temptation. Isn't that the way when 11:49 the devil came to Jesus trying to tempt him and lead 11:52 him in the wrong direction. Oh, the devil says 11:55 well I came to him but I find nothing in him. 11:58 So we have to resist that temptation in such a strong 12:02 decided way that the devil says oh there is no use to. 12:06 I have to try something else because they are 12:08 gonna resist me. We need to be like Jesus. 12:12 Now step number four, now this is gonna be a little 12:16 bit difficult may be more than the others because 12:18 we are gonna say, well I know when the temptation 12:20 come I need to get a prayer to heaven. 12:22 I realize I need to resist and I need to, 12:26 you know first time the temptation comes I need 12:28 to approach it in such a way that it will not be 12:31 repeated again. But the forth thing becomes very 12:34 difficult because, may be there is little more earthly 12:38 feelings and emotions involved. 12:40 Here's what we need to do for that person, 12:42 that may be is tempting us or trying to get us 12:45 to may be go somewhere where we shouldn't go. 12:47 Go look at something, hear something, see something, 12:50 taste something get involved with something that we 12:52 shouldn't. We need to separate our self from that 12:58 person. If someone is always trying to get you to do 13:02 something that you know it's not right. 13:04 The times come when you have to say I cannot, 13:08 I cannot go with you here or may be I'm going 13:11 to have to separate for a while because you are 13:13 going against that which I believe in. 13:16 We have to do that, 2nd Corinthians 6:17 it says 13:21 that we need to come apart and do what? 13:23 To separate touch not the unclean and then God says 13:27 he is going to do something very special with us. 13:30 He said then I will receive you. So we are to do what? 13:34 We are to come out from among them we are not 13:37 to touch that thing which is unclean and that could 13:39 be the person who is trying to get you into the situation 13:42 that you are not wanting to get involve with and 13:45 then God says I will receive you after you done 13:48 these things. Now can we just recap those, 13:50 temptation comes you are almost overwhelmed. 13:53 Boyfriend, girlfriend, situations right here the 13:55 temptation comes. First thing you say oh I realize 13:57 this is not right God, help me. 13:59 Number two firmly resist that temptation. 14:03 Firmly resist, Bible says we resist while we pray, 14:06 we resist the devil, he is going to do what? 14:08 He is going to flee from us. Number three, 14:10 the first time the temptation comes what 14:12 we have to do? We resist it so firmly so decidedly 14:17 that the devil says, I'll find something else 14:19 can't do this. Number four, may be very difficult 14:22 but we are going to have to separate from those, 14:24 whether they will be family or friends that try 14:28 to lead us down the wrong path. If you 14:30 follow these four things you will not be blinded 14:34 by the counterfeit. You will not be fooled by the 14:38 counterfeit; you will not be overtaken by the 14:41 counterfeit. It sounds very simple, 14:43 but we have to put it into practice divinity 14:46 and humanity working together. 14:48 Now here is our subject, now I hope you take 14:51 that to heart and you follow by the grace of God. 14:53 You have your Bibles I know that you do, 14:55 we are gonna turn the Old Testament to the book 14:57 of Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 29, 15:00 now as we turn our Bibles and those you are may 15:03 be looking for your Bible right now. 15:06 We are going to be turning to the chapter 29. 15:08 Jeremiah chapter 29, now there is, 15:11 we are going to be looking at how the enemy works 15:15 against God's people to the very point that 15:19 we are not sure of what truth is anymore. 15:22 This is why I think it's important for God's 15:24 last day church. How can the devil work us over, 15:27 it seems like day in and day out to the point that 15:30 we don't even know that God is God. 15:34 How does he do these things, 15:35 what kind of tactics is he using? 15:39 Well when we mention counterfeit, 15:41 what does that really mean to you? 15:45 Now Jeremiah 29 again we are there, 15:47 I am going to read verses 8 through 10. 15:49 Jeremiah chapter 29:8 through 10. 15:53 Now this is just a little springboard that 15:55 we are gonna jump off on but if you keep this 15:58 in mind it's going to make sense. 15:59 Jeremiah chapter 29 verses 8 through 10 the Bible 16:03 says, For thus saith the Lord of hosts, 16:09 the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your 16:12 diviners, that be in the midst of you, 16:15 deceive you. God is saying to us let not the prophets, 16:23 they are either a prophet of God or they pretend 16:25 to be a prophet of God, they are either or they aren't? 16:28 But he say we have to keep in eye, 16:29 we have to keep in ear, we have to know that they 16:31 are telling the truth but watch out. 16:34 He said, Let them not your diviners to be in the midst 16:36 of you, deceive you neither hearken to your dreams 16:40 which ye cause to be dreamed. 16:42 So there was evidently some prophets that were 16:45 coming up to God's people send oh we had a dream 16:48 and in the dream this is what God has revealed to us. 16:52 God said you know that person who comes up 16:54 to you when I have already revealed something 16:56 very clear. And they come up and tell you something 16:59 different. They are not for me and you'll notice 17:02 in this, what we are talking about in just a moment. 17:05 Verse 9, it says For they prophesy falsely unto 17:08 you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. 17:13 Verse 10, For thus saith the Lord, 17:15 That after seventy years be accomplished at 17:18 Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word 17:23 toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 17:26 This seems very simple to me. I am a simple individual, 17:31 but this seems very, very plain. God said, 17:34 the children of Israel would go into captivity to Babylon 17:37 for how many years? 70 and God said this is 17:41 what's going to happen for 70 years. 17:42 But something began to happen. 17:44 God prophesied in clear tones 70 years they would 17:48 be in captivity but all of the sudden some of the 17:51 prophets begin to say something different. 17:55 It began to confuse the people, 17:57 why would anyone say anything different than what 18:00 God has already told through his true prophets. 18:03 Could it be causing confusion, causing a dilemma, 18:07 people going in different directions not knowing 18:09 what to do. So blinded by the counterfeit here 18:12 is how the enemy begins to work these things. 18:14 But before that how about a good definition 18:18 of counterfeit? Oh, I've heard a lot of them before 18:20 and looked up several of them. 18:22 But it simply means imitating something that's genuine. 18:29 So counterfeit is looking as close to the real thing 18:33 as it possibly can but with the purpose of being 18:37 deceiving or defrauding may be a person, a company, 18:42 a group, counterfeit dollar bills, 18:47 lot of counterfeit in the world today. 18:50 A counterfeit could be what we are talking a 18:53 forgery here there. Remember a forgery 18:55 is always with the purpose of doing what deceiving 18:57 somebody when you go to spin that you want 18:59 him think as a Real McCoy when its really not. 19:01 Your enemy works that way through people, 19:06 through messages that are sent and when I guess 19:10 my problem and dilemma is I read this I am saying 19:13 when God has said this seventy years how can 19:17 his prophet, supposedly his prophet come back 19:20 later and say a couple of years is all we are going 19:23 to be in captivity. And the people begin to grasp 19:27 and they like that rather than the 70. 19:33 But the prophet Jeremiah makes it very, 19:34 very plain that Israel will be in captivity 19:38 the Bible says but somehow and I call it 19:40 strangely enough some other prophets begin to rise with 19:44 a different message to confuse the people. 19:49 Now they predicted a soon return to their homeland. 19:54 The interesting is the Bible begins to talk what from 19:57 Babylon over and over the Lord made it clear 20:02 in fact in Jeremiah 25:11 the Bible says, 20:06 these shall serve the king of Babylon for 70 years. 20:11 You see line upon line precept upon precept here 20:14 a little and there a little once again God makes 20:17 it clear, He said you will serve the king of Babylon 20:19 for what? For 70 years. So why is there another 20:23 message coming. Have you seen that may be in the 20:26 church, you seen it wherever you might attend that. 20:30 It's very clear what the word of God says that 20:31 somebody gets up and begins to tell you, 20:32 was not quite like this. Oh, one of the best ones 20:36 you hear sometime is what once you realize that 20:38 the date that we live in. Oh, it's much different 20:42 then way back you know 1000, 2000 year, 20:44 we live in a new age now. Listen the Bible 20:47 was the same yesterday, today, and forever, 20:49 God does not change, people change but God does 20:54 not change. And so we see in scripture here, 20:59 in fact God makes it so clear, it's still in the book 21:01 of Jeremiah chapter 29:4 through 6, 21:04 here's what God said. You are gonna be in captivity 21:07 for so long here's what I want you to do. 21:10 God said through his true prophets, 21:12 He said I want you to build some houses. 21:14 I want you to marry, I want you to have children, 21:19 I want you to plant gardens, I want you to 21:22 seek peace. That's very interesting he said seek 21:26 peace, he say you will seek peace, 21:27 here we are in captivity. But the Bible goes on in 21:32 Jeremiah 29:7 God says, pray for peace even in 21:37 captivity for the peace thereof shall ye have peace, 21:42 that make sense doesn't it? Regardless of what 21:45 state that we are in, in this life Israel was in 21:49 captivity but God said you know you need to pray 21:52 that there be peace in the land because if there 21:55 is peace in the land it will also mean peace for you. 22:01 Is it God Thoughtful? He cares about us. 22:05 So we find here that among God's people as we are 22:09 talking about Blinded by the Counterfeit here. 22:12 The falls prophets arose and begin to talk to the people 22:16 and they said it's going to be just two years, 22:18 we are gonna return. Well how could another 22:22 prophet supposedly a prophet of God, 22:25 which they are not telling what the scripture has said, 22:27 what the true prophet said. But two years we are 22:29 going to return. Now they are either just really bold 22:33 or they just really defiant or may I use the word 22:38 they were simply ignored or they were blinded. 22:44 I think may be I've been all of those at certain times, 22:46 I don't know about you but God has sent his prophets 22:50 many, many times to warn the world of the coming 22:54 doom and what was going to take place. 22:55 And as soon as God sent a prophet we find 22:58 the false prophets are also on the scene. 23:01 God sends the truth all of the sudden somebody 23:02 comes up advocates a falsehood, 23:05 a counterfeit or a lie. The devil is angry when 23:09 the church moves forward. The devil is angry when 23:12 you begin to do something for Jesus. 23:15 Get your church acted start passing out the truth 23:17 of God's work, pass out some books, 23:19 feels about the incoming. Talks about the Jesus and 23:23 you watch your enemy rare his ugly head and begin 23:25 to call division among the church rather than as they 23:28 focused on what we should be doing. 23:30 We begin to focus on somebody else and what they 23:33 are doing and what they are saying and I should 23:35 be in charge or were these books are too expensive. 23:37 Pass them out like the leaves of autumn. 23:41 We need to be getting the word out. So the prophet, 23:45 then the false prophets come up and say don't know, 23:47 less not really, we are not going to be hear that long, 23:48 we are going to be, you know we are going to be going 23:51 home real soon. And they began to prophesy peace 23:55 and safety when God has made it clear that they are 23:57 going to be in captivity a longtime. 24:00 Now we can be sure of one thing, one thing based 24:05 upon the word of God until Jesus comes. 24:09 Listen church until Jesus comes we can be sure 24:12 that man will arise the Bible says in Acts chapter 24:17 20 verse 30. Men will arise saying perverse things. 24:23 Did you get that? Men will arise till Jesus comes 24:27 saying perverse things, what does that mean? 24:31 Perverse mean here that they are going to 24:32 misinterpret scripture. Perverse means they 24:36 are going to corrupt scripture, 24:39 perverse means that they are going to distort 24:42 scripture. We find that all over the world the devil 24:45 is working inside the church. He is distorting, 24:49 he is misinterpreting, he is corrupting the beautiful 24:52 truths of God's word and he is going to corrupt inside 24:55 and outside wherever he can. Now how about you, 25:00 are you going to be skip off your fear, 25:02 you are gonna to be so blinded that you become 25:05 confused of what is truth. The children of Israel 25:09 became so blinded by the counterfeit that they 25:13 no longer could tell who was a true prophet 25:15 and who was not. They couldn't tell who was the 25:18 true God and who wasn't, they couldn't even tell 25:21 who they were supposed to worship seems impossible, 25:25 doesn't it? How could they, when they had seen 25:28 so much and experienced so much of a wonderful 25:31 loving God that so provided their needs. 25:36 Time and time again he preserved them and yet they 25:39 become confused and yet the Bible said listen 25:42 these things were written for and what a good, 25:45 good an example. And the same things will be coming 25:49 back again, what goes around comes around. 25:52 But how is it that could it be here in the last days 25:54 that we are gonna become so, so confused by every 25:57 wind of doctrine. So confused that we don't really know 26:00 the true God? Oh Friend the world, 26:03 we are in that situation right now. 26:05 We are in that situation right now; 26:07 there are many people who are worshipping what 26:09 they call the God of heaven, when it's not a God of this 26:11 earth. We are supposed to be worshiping the creator 26:16 of heaven and earth and the sea. 26:20 And how many of you are really worshiping that God 26:22 which has identified in the commandments by the 26:24 way the fourth commandment? 26:27 So what God are you really worshiping today, 26:29 have you become so confused that there were no 26:31 different than Israel. In Jeremiah's time, 26:35 oh how sad that would be? Confusion and rebellion 26:41 lawlessness, but the devil says I am going to create 26:44 this kind of confusion. Could it be that we are having 26:49 the same results as in the day of Jeremiah 26:53 when the prophet says that we are the preachers 26:54 were prophesying and telling lies. 26:56 Lies from the pulpit, may be there whoever, 27:00 may be they are not but they are not telling truth 27:02 of God's word. You know the Bible says you know 27:07 when they are talking about the law of God 27:09 the Bible definition is in 1st John 3:4, 27:12 what is it? Sin is the good, the transgression 27:17 of God's law. We really don't have any right to 27:20 recalling sin to any church or wherever you may belong 27:24 and say sin is bad, sin is going to keep you out 27:26 of heaven, but you don't know the definition of what 27:29 sin is? Sin is the transgression of God's law 27:33 then you turn around and say God's laws done away 27:35 with. Book of Romans says where there is no 27:39 law there is no sin. So if we can't get the biblical 27:43 definition of what sin is and stand behind 27:45 that may be you shouldn't be preaching against it. 27:49 Is it we become so confused by the counterfeit 27:52 that we can't see any clear than they did in the 27:54 days of Jeremiah; this is the burden that I have. 27:59 I pray there is a burden that you also have. 28:03 Sometimes, we take it as a light thing that it doesn't 28:05 really matter if we call sin by its right name but 28:08 let's say how about a false prophet that means 28:10 they are prophesying lies. A false teacher that 28:12 are telling lies, a false preacher he is telling lies, 28:15 a false Christian he is telling lies. 28:20 But you know God doesn't change. 28:24 I've heard it said many times that lying words 28:26 often make many friends. Does that make sense 28:29 to you, now I wanted you to come closer, 28:32 I want you to listen. Does that really make sense? 28:36 Do you see that in the world around you lying words 28:39 often make many friends? I just want to be, 28:43 you know bold and straight forward but you know. 28:45 I know a lot of people; I want to say you know 28:47 friends that were made over here. 28:48 They would rather lie than tell the truth. 28:52 And they seem to have a lot of friends because 28:56 they usually tell the people what they really 28:57 like to hear and want to hear. 28:58 And they just come and back for more. 29:02 The devil likes it that way but you know that's 29:04 not gonna change their heart and the lie only 29:06 the truth inside your heart and your mind will change 29:09 you into the image of Jesus Christ. 29:11 Lying words, false leaders they always find many 29:15 friends, that's why I am not impressed on behalf, 29:19 I'm not impressed when someone says but we have, 29:20 be careful Kenny. We have a mega church, 29:24 man we've got 25000 members to at so. 29:31 God knows here but I am just, I won't fill that out 29:33 so you can think along with me. Oh, they have 29:36 25000 members; oh we like to have that too so 29:38 what are they doing. The Bible is very, 29:42 very clear on this, the principles of God's 29:46 word are very, very clear. We watch it in scripture 29:50 that the lying prophets in the Bible always had 29:53 a larger following than the true prophets, 29:57 always why because people didn't want to hear 30:00 the truth. God was warning them to straighten it up 30:03 to get it right or the judgments were coming 30:06 and they didn't want to hear that. 30:08 Jesus said to the prophets, 30:11 He said to them you know into the Holy Spirit, 30:13 look you need to go down and warn the people 30:17 before I come down and visit them. 30:19 He says the same thing today, he is visiting us. 30:21 He has given us warning after warning, 30:24 he is sending people even into our lives. 30:27 We read it in the word that's a warning, 30:28 we need to get right with him and when we refuse 30:31 the first two then the third one will come and that 30:35 third one begins the same judgments against us 30:39 to get our attention. Do you want that? 30:41 Oh, no you don't want that, I don't want that. 30:44 We have experienced enough of them in this life, 30:46 haven't we; friends and relatives and different 30:47 ones are come God's trying to get your attention 30:50 and my attention, He is God. So we see these 30:55 same things happening and they are happening 30:56 over again today, same thing Jeremiah, Israel, 31:01 false prophets, false teachers. Its' interesting 31:07 too that the false prophets always blame the true 31:11 prophets for the world. When a judgment would 31:15 come the false prophets would turn on the true 31:17 prophets and say well they are the reason. 31:21 They did the same thing to Jesus, 31:22 they are gonna do same thing to God's people 31:24 before it's allover. They are gonna point a finger 31:26 and say you are the one who is causing all of this 31:30 trouble. Better to get ready you than the whole nation 31:33 to suffer, we know how that goes. 31:36 We have people who are laughing at this message 31:38 right now. Oh God is not gonna operate that way 31:42 you know what friend you haven't read in your 31:44 Bible if you believe that. If you really believe 31:47 that Jesus is coming you are gonna get your nose 31:49 and your mind and your heart in the word of God 31:52 and we are gonna spend sometime with God. 31:58 Jeremiah 25 verse 3 and 4, I've just gonna paraphrase 32:01 here just a little bit, I don't wanna read both verses 32:03 here but it's simply says Jeremiah was pleading 32:06 with the people he said this, but ye have not 32:09 hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. 32:16 So what do we see? We see the prophet of God 32:19 then comes upon the scene and he begins 32:21 to warn the people over and over and over and then 32:25 Jeremiah says in result, you need to pay attention 32:27 close to this. Because you are gonna see the result 32:30 of neglecting or rejecting thus saith the Lord, 32:36 or a warning that God may give. 32:39 See those people receiving warnings from God 32:41 right now, you are going through turmoil, 32:43 you are going through stress and trial and all kind 32:45 of heartache right now. Let's say these can be God's 32:47 little trials and trying to get your attention. 32:51 He wants to bring you back before it's too late. 32:53 He wants to bring me back. 32:55 But Jeremiah had to look at the people and say look 32:57 we've come to you and said this is the way, 32:59 it's going to be this is what God has said 33:01 and the people he said you've not hearken to me, 33:04 you've not inclined your ear to me. 33:08 You know I can say it a not a prophet by any form 33:11 or shape but just as the pastor. 33:14 There is nothing more hurtful and discouraging 33:16 as you constantly bring the truth of God's word 33:18 to the people and the people just will not listen. 33:22 Regardless of how clear, how plane that it is they 33:26 will not listen because their heart is inclined 33:29 for something else, the world or to do what they 33:32 want to do. They are neglecting thus saith 33:36 the Lord. We must be able by God's grace 33:41 and I am talking about God's grace you can't do 33:44 it on your own I cannot do it on my own; 33:46 it's an impossibility to be able to contend with 33:50 mockings, to be able to contend with opposition, 33:55 to be able to contend with threatenings. 33:59 You know there are people that would threaten you. 34:03 People just gonna try to discourage you and Jesus 34:07 turned around and says look don't just get 34:09 discouraged in well doing in Galatians 6 verse 9. 34:13 Because he knew that the enemy will be coming 34:16 against over and over and trying to discourage 34:19 and or threaten you. Have you ever been 34:21 threaten for the cause of Christ if not you will be 34:23 if you are faithful. Remember doing 34:29 programs at 3ABN many, many years ago. 34:32 I used to do a Revelation seminar verse by verse 34:34 study and some things like that on there and many 34:37 times the phone would ring and I would answer 34:39 the phone and so on. Several times a man would 34:43 say on there, the message you are preaching 34:46 we do not like to hear and we would like it stopped. 34:49 But he wouldn't say who he was, 34:50 where he was from. And I said you know I 34:54 believe what we are preaching here is the truth 34:55 and it needs to be on the air, people need to here it 34:59 and make a decision and then the bottom line 35:01 is simply this; he says you need to quit preaching 35:05 that truth because we have a way of silencing you. 35:10 Well that was a very interesting, he said if I 35:13 knew where you are at I would come there now and you 35:16 would not preach another message. 35:18 My simple response is I am glad you don't know 35:20 where I live because I am sure it can be easy to 35:21 find out but I am going to continue on until God says 35:24 to stop. Have you ever been challenged in such 35:29 a way that the word of God instead of a bomb 35:32 in Gilead would be, well like a bomb wanting to blow 35:36 up and they are wanting to get rid of the mouthpiece. 35:39 They don't want to hear the truth anymore. 35:43 Friends bowling down is always been that way. 35:47 Let me just give you an example of we are talking 35:49 about Jeremiah. What a man of God and yet because 35:54 of the opposition the mockery and the, 35:57 listen the people just wouldn't listen. 36:01 You realize there has been many pastors been 36:03 call of God to do their work but after years of trying 36:06 to get the people to do and the people just refuse 36:08 to do it that they get discouraged and they just 36:11 quit and they go get them a job somewhere else. 36:15 How sad that is? You know, I've been tempted 36:17 that several times myself. Because if we can't just 36:22 a simple thus saith the Lord is very plain. 36:27 We will not heed that certainly we will not heed 36:30 may be the greater things or the things that's going 36:32 in our hearts, in our minds, in our life that no one 36:34 else even knows about. We are just talking about 36:38 few open things that need to be dealt with 36:39 and they don't want it, they don't want to hear it. 36:44 What happened to poor Jeremiah, 36:46 you know what he said? Jeremiah simply made this 36:50 statement, Jeremiah 20 verse 9 if you are 36:53 following along, he got so, let me use the word 36:56 sick and tired if you let me do that. 36:59 He got so sick and tired of coming to people 37:01 and say we are not going to listen, 37:02 we are going to do what we want to do, 37:03 no God has said, no we are not going to listen 37:06 he finally said this and he said it publicly as record 37:09 in scripture first part of that he says, 37:11 I will not make mention of him, talking about God. 37:14 He became so discouraged he said I am not going 37:17 to make mention of him of God anymore I am not 37:20 going to speak his name anymore or in his name. 37:25 Oh, how sad how discouraging such a man 37:29 of God, that God uses such a mighty miraculous 37:33 way that he came to the soul, the point the devil 37:35 just beat and beat and beat till he said 37:37 I am not going to mention the name anymore. 37:41 But you know when you have something in your 37:42 heart, I am glad it didn't stop there it gives me 37:46 encouragement. But what happened when Jeremiah 37:50 found himself in the midst of a group of people. 37:54 May be in a service, what did he do? I'll tell you what 38:00 he did; I'll read the scripture last part of it. 38:03 Jeremiah found this out, we might say well 38:06 I have had enough I can't stand it anymore, 38:08 I can't take this pressure anymore but let me 38:11 tell you there was a fire in that man's bones. 38:14 A spiritual fire was in his bones he found that the 38:17 spirit of God was stronger than he was. 38:22 Because he really didn't want to quit, 38:23 he really had a burden for souls, 38:25 he really had a burden to work for Jesus, 38:29 but he lays emotions and his feelings get the best 38:31 of him but when the opportunity came he had 38:33 a fire within him Jeremiah 20 verse 9 last part 38:36 here is what he finally say it, and I believe 38:39 he said and this is my thinking. 38:43 He said this in response probably there is somebody 38:47 who said; remember you said you won't 38:49 gonna talk about God anymore, 38:51 you said you had, had it. I know how the last part 38:54 of the verse fits in Jeremiah; he said His word 38:57 was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. 39:08 He had to say something he had to do something 39:13 or as though he was going to explode inside. 39:16 He said it was like a fire shut up in my bones 39:19 and it was burning and I had to replace to goers, 39:21 I am going to explode, have you ever feel that way? 39:27 Have you ever just been, we call it busting 39:29 at the scenes. The goodness of the Lord just 39:32 hitch you and your study or your witnessing 39:35 and you seen somebody and you couldn't help 39:38 but start talking about Jesus, there is a fire killed 39:41 inside of you and you had to go ahead not God 39:43 was working contrary to you, but he knew 39:46 in your heart this is really what you wanted, 39:47 you have been praying for these things. 39:51 He says oh don't get discouraged, 39:53 truth will never be popular, people not gonna 39:55 love the truth. They are gonna silence, 39:58 try to silence the messenger. So, we have been 40:02 saying battles going on today when God's servant 40:04 speaks his word in church, when God's servant 40:08 begin to reprove wrongs that are done or being 40:12 done rebuke those who are bringing wrong principle 40:15 into the church. People don't want to hear it 40:19 many times and may be when something develops 40:24 some course of action or something comes into the 40:26 church to prevent or subvert may be the truth 40:30 of the justice and judgment of God, 40:32 we must take the word and let the word do the 40:34 speaking. This is what God challenges us to do, 40:38 he did back then and he still does it today. 40:41 We have to watch out for corrupting influences. 40:45 Now so God warns us about the avenues that 40:48 will blind us spiritually. Now we need to start 40:50 repaying attention here, we just dig it in remember 40:53 this is a two part series. How we can be blinded 40:59 spiritually, warnings are given to us to stay away 41:02 from things of pagan origin. In fact just read 41:09 Deuteronomy 18 the whole chapter when you 41:11 get an opportunity, I'll just condense it down. 41:13 God has warned us always in the word, 41:15 he said stay away from things like astrology, 41:18 sorcery. We go down the street, 41:21 we see the palm readers and we see magic 41:24 and witchcraft and cards and soothsayers 41:28 that the Bible talks about. These were always the 41:33 main features of the system of paganism, always. 41:39 You say well you know I am not really sure. 41:41 You see God warned Israel over and over about the 41:44 worship of the sun and the moon and the stars 41:47 you've read that, you've understand that always 41:50 he has warned them. He warned them about 41:52 worshiping things of nature rather than to worship 41:56 the creator of nature. And many would not listen, 42:04 but Jeremiah 10:2 makes it really clear, 42:06 it points out the primary way in which the heathen 42:11 worshiped and the Bible says this, 42:14 Thus saith the Lord learn not the way of the heathen, 42:17 and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven 42:20 for the heathen are dismayed at them. 42:26 This is something we need to play close attention. 42:29 What did they study, what did the heathen study, 42:32 why were they studying this phenomenon here, 42:35 why were they worshiping the sun, 42:36 the moon and the stars? History bares fact that they 42:40 like to study phenomena, things such as eclipses, 42:44 things such as commons and the orderly conjunction 42:49 of the heavenly bodies. They studied these things 42:54 and try to make them say something to them 42:56 or give direction. God says we need to be very 42:58 careful; we have a God in heaven that He can speak 43:02 speak the truth to us. You see the same wanders 43:07 that Satan use these, using again. This 43:10 is my heart felt problem here that I am dealing 43:15 the truth to us. You see the same wanders 43:17 that Satan use these, using again. This 43:18 is my heart felt problem here that I am dealing 43:19 with it, you know as we talk on this subject. 43:20 It's not something that's passing and never will be 43:21 used again; it's being used right now. 43:23 He is blinding our eyes, he is getting us a counterfeit 43:27 and we become content with that. 43:31 But regardless of the old devil and what he tries 43:34 to use here in the last days, I can praise God because 43:37 he can only do what God allows him to do. 43:41 Lord that's enough say thank you Lord. 43:43 He can only do what God allows him to do and he 43:46 is always, always going to fall short of the power 43:49 of God. The enemy will always fall what, 43:53 short of the power of God. He can't contend with God, 43:58 God is greater is that you want to listen you 44:00 greater than he that's in the world, 44:03 over challenged with these things today. 44:07 Can the counterfeits of Satan today be as blinding 44:11 as they were on Israel? Somebody say well you know 44:15 I am not so sure that I don't know, 44:16 how about Baal worshipers? Satan working through 44:24 Baal, Israel looking and finding what Baal was up 44:30 to and what was going on around them and they 44:32 begin to say, it might, there must be something 44:34 in this and what they are worshiping. 44:37 They are seemed to be something new and something 44:39 strange from serving the real God in heaven. 44:45 But can that same type, yes today same thing 44:50 in Jeremiah's day, same thing that's working on us today. 44:54 Baal simply called the Goddess of what vegetation, 44:57 the Goddess fertility, that Israel became so degraded 45:02 and so blinded by Baal, the counterfeit religion 45:06 of who; good of Satan. Then most of Israel did 45:10 not know the difference between the Lord and Baal 45:15 and which prophets to believe in. 45:19 Now here's a challenge for you, a challenge for me. 45:22 As we read the Bible in First Kings and if you read 45:25 chapters 16 through 19 we won't do all that 45:29 but I want you to do a little homework if you 45:32 read these you are gonna find and here's a king. 45:34 Now what I want to do is dissect his life little bit 45:37 and see how the enemy work through this king 45:39 and as he work through the king he also work through 45:42 the people. And how a religious nation can go down 45:46 from worshiping the God of heaven to worshiping 45:49 the devil, these are things that are close to you 45:52 and close to me. Ahab, you remember the king 45:56 of Israel; he was the guardian he was the leader 45:59 of the chosen people. And the Bible said king Ahab 46:02 did more to provoke the God of Israel that all the 46:05 kings before him. God can be provoked, 46:11 there will be a time when God says that's enough. 46:13 You think you are gonna get by somebody for 46:15 ever and ever doing what you are doing, you are not. 46:19 God can be provoked, King Ahab provoked God. 46:25 Now let's look at how this happened and how 46:28 it could be repeated today and is being repeated today. 46:35 First of all king Ahab, listen very carefully because 46:40 this may be in your life right now. 46:43 King Ahab was not spiritually minded, 46:48 now remember he was raised up to do the right things, 46:51 to know the God of heaven, to know what truth, 46:54 all about the truth but he became so confused 46:58 in his mind that he was not, he wasn't spiritually 47:01 minded and if you are not spiritually minded you are 47:04 gonna fall short I am going to fall short. 47:07 Spiritually minded, now we are gonna take some 47:10 these and dissect them all but notice quickly this. 47:13 He did not particularly like to attend 47:19 religious services. Now the king did what? 47:23 He was not spiritual minded, he did not like 47:26 or he did not recommend to the people as the king 47:29 of Israel to attend religious services, 47:32 is it important? Number three, he was not content, 47:41 oh friend to be not contend in your worship. 47:46 When you are not contend in serving God and worshiping 47:48 God and contend where you are at, 47:50 you are going to be looking for something that's new 47:53 and strange. Do we find it in this moment today; 47:57 yes do we find it around the world yes. 47:59 There are people constantly know how 48:02 wild the teaching may be, they are looking 48:05 for something new and strange because 48:07 they are not content with their relationship with 48:09 Jesus Christ. I don't mean that always we have things 48:13 perfect and everything is alright. 48:15 But you have to know who God is; 48:16 you have to have him in your heart and in your 48:18 mind. How about this thing called new and strange. 48:26 I have read it in little book second selected messages 48:28 14 and it addresses of something, 48:30 it says new and strange. And I just want to try 48:32 to read that if I may, we are gonna read this to you. 48:35 It says the danger that for our churches, 48:39 the danger for our churches is that something 48:42 new and strange will be brought in. 48:45 Things that confuse the mind, does this make sense? 48:50 And the people and give them no strengths spiritually. 48:55 See we need strengths spiritually right now, 48:57 I believe as the people we need encouragement right 49:00 now in the hour in which live. But somebody bring 49:03 in this new and strange thing thus he talks 49:06 about here we need things that are clear things 49:09 that we can discern is needed new and strange 49:13 things shall not be laid the side of the truth 49:17 as they part of the burden of the message that 49:20 is to be given at this time. If you notice how so many 49:24 people coming with something new as it were, 49:26 they call it new truth and they lay it right beside 49:29 the track of the truth as been established 49:31 and people get their eyes of what they should 49:32 be doing and begin to focus on the new and strange. 49:37 One of the ways that counterfeit of the enemy 49:41 God's prophets said don't lay it beside the truth, 49:45 don't lay it there. We need something the clear right 49:47 now; we need the message that gives strength 49:49 to the people, an encouragement to the people. 49:52 Patriots and Prophet, another wonderful book page 49:55 114 says that from the beginning of his rein 49:58 talking about Ahab that was marked, 50:01 it was marked by something that was strange 50:05 and terrible and it's called apostasy. 50:08 From beginning of his rein something had marked, 50:11 it was marked by something that strange, 50:13 something was terrible it was terrible apostasy. 50:17 And God's going to deal with apostasy wherever 50:19 it is at. So I like to say in my mind he is bend; 50:23 what he wanted to do the direction he wanted to go. 50:29 He wanted to go away from doing what was right. 50:36 And you know in the home, this is where it begins. 50:42 This is where it all begins in the home, 50:46 where we are to be taught to do the right thing. 50:49 Here is the culprit, we are not teaching in the home, 50:54 our young people the way we should be or our 50:57 young children. The culprit and he started with 51:01 Ahab's father. Ahab's father, he was the founder 51:07 of Samaria but also the Bible said he did evil 51:10 in the eyes of the Lord and we will see also 51:12 he was a high priest of a Pagan religion. 51:15 So in the home Ahab supposed to be what, 51:17 the leader of God's people but because of his death 51:20 and so on there was a lot of pagan that's in that 51:22 was going on, was influencing his mind. 51:27 What shall we be doing as a people today? 51:30 Little book called Adventist home, everybody should 51:32 have one, should be reading here page 182 and 183, 51:36 it says here, I am reading listen, No work entrusted 51:40 to human beings, no work what; 51:43 entrusted to human beings involves greater and 51:46 far more reaching results then does the work 51:50 of fathers and mothers. That's heavy, could Ahab's 51:57 life been different? If father and mother had been 52:02 dedicated to Jesus Christ, could it be? No greater work, 52:09 no more far reaching results. There is a work of 52:14 father and mother, the lack, I am reading on, 52:17 the lack of right home training may be traced to the 52:22 larger share of the disease and the misery 52:25 and the crime hat curse humanity. 52:29 Where did it start? The wrong training in the home, 52:32 we see it day in and we see it day out. 52:34 The children run the home, there is smart-mouthing, 52:37 they are not made to be obedient, 52:39 they are not made to do anything here but 52:41 the Bible is very, very clear because mother 52:44 and father is not doing the job that we need 52:46 to do in the home because the enemy is constantly 52:49 badgering the ones who would like to raise their 52:52 children in the admonition of the Lord, 52:54 to train them to be obedient, train them to do the 52:56 right thing. As we read, it says we can follow the 53:01 disease and misery and crime and the wow that's on it. 53:05 The curse to humanity is because mom and dad 53:07 would not raise that child in the admonition 53:10 of the Lord. Now that, you say, 53:12 well that's enough; now let me read something else. 53:14 Adventist Home 225, women have need of a 53:21 great patience before they are qualified to become 53:25 mothers. Did you get that one; women have need 53:30 of a great patience before they are qualified 53:33 to become mothers. God has ordained that they shall 53:37 be fitted for this work. The work, oh listen, 53:42 the work of the mother becomes infinite through 53:46 her connection with Christ. The mother's work with 53:51 raising the child becomes infinite for eternity 53:53 for this little one when she connects herself with 53:56 Jesus Christ. But notice when we connect with Jesus 54:00 Christ the well being of the child, every mother 54:05 would say every perspective mother would say 54:07 I want my child to be well, the well-being of the child 54:11 will be affected by the habits of the mother. 54:14 Again referring back to Ahab, the things have 54:16 been little different in the home, 54:17 would it been different for him. 54:19 He did more on all the other prophets involved 54:21 against God of heaven because of his home training. 54:24 We see it going on today. 54:28 The well-being of the child will be affected by the 54:31 habits of the mother. Her appetites and her passions 54:36 are to be controlled by principle. 54:40 Her appetites and what passions are to be controlled 54:44 by principle because what mother thinks and 54:48 what she views and how her attitude is and how 54:50 her temperament is will effect the unborn baby 54:53 to become just like that. Eating the wrong thing 54:57 will affect that child, smoking and taking in and 55:00 drinking things will affect that child and God will 55:04 hold you mother responsible for that, 55:08 parents and perspective parents you cannot, 55:15 before we close, you cannot displease God anymore. 55:23 You cannot displease God anymore than by 55:25 neglecting to train your child in the admonition 55:29 of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 by the way, 55:34 it says train them in the nurture and admonition 55:37 of the Lord. People like those words because that 55:39 we don't quite understand what they are and 55:42 I want you to understand this with me quickly 55:44 the nurture means the instruction, nurture 55:46 means the disciplinary correction and also it 55:50 means the training of that child and the admonition 55:54 that is the rebuke of that child that is the warning 55:57 of that child and calling attention to the things 55:59 that may hurt that child. Can hurt God anymore 56:02 then neglect that mothers and fathers. 56:08 Now time has run out for now, but you know we are 56:10 gonna continue on part two because we are saying 56:12 this is hitting home for us. The points that we are 56:16 going to be looking at really hit to us because we 56:20 find that Jeremiah set aside the worship of the true 56:23 God for Baal, how could he come to that point. 56:26 We'll examine that little more in the second half, 56:28 but I am gonna pray for some of you right now. 56:29 The Holy Spirit has brought conviction upon your heart 56:32 and your life as we close, we'll just have a quick 56:34 word of prayer together that 56:35 the Holy Spirit will help us. 56:38 Merciful Father in Heaven, we thank you for your 56:39 word thank you for giving us all these warnings 56:41 thank you for the truth that you brought home to us. 56:44 We pray that now people are making decisions 56:46 right now for your honor and for your glory 56:48 and I thank you for it in Jesus name, amen. 56:53 It's always a pleasure to be able to spend sometime 56:55 with you and I want to encourage you be sure 56:57 and support the station that brings you these 56:59 programs around the world the message is coming 57:01 that Jesus Christ is soon return, 57:03 we want to be ready for that and we appreciate 57:06 you we love you and we look 57:07 forward to seeing you next time. 57:12 Welcome back friends, where your questions answered? 57:16 Is it God's will that we continue to stumble and fall 57:20 of the every word of doctrine? Absolutely not, 57:24 he has left us with a safer, assured plan of salvation, 57:29 we just have to know where to look and to learn 57:32 to be careful, the influences that we allow in our lives. 57:36 And to help you not to be blinded by the counterfeit, 57:40 we are making this two part series available 57:43 to you for suggested donation of only 15 dollars 57:47 or more. What a blessing to have your very own 57:51 set to view time and time again or you may know 57:55 the family member or a friend who would benefit 57:57 from these messages, so don't hesitate. 58:00 Would you call and request your very own 58:03 set right now right today. Our phone number 58:06 here is Central Standard Time in the United States 58:09 618-942-5044 or you can write us here 58:15 Behold the Lamb Ministries, PO Box 2030, Herrin, 58:19 Illinois 62948 or feel free to email us at 58:24 beholdthelambmini stries@yahoo.com 58:27 or visit us on the web at 58:30 Beholdthelabministries. com, 58:33 until next time may our precious Lord 58:36 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2014-12-17