Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000092A
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00:39 Hello, and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:41 I'm Chris Shelton, your host, and we are so thankful 00:44 that you have chosen to join us 00:46 again for another wonderful Bible study. 00:49 Today, Pastor Kenny is going to present a message 00:52 and that message is entitled, "When error is forced upon us." 00:57 "When error is forced upon us." 01:00 Remember, brothers and sisters, what is sin? 01:04 1 John 3:4 tells us 01:06 that sin is the transgression of God's law. 01:09 So anything that goes against Bible principle, 01:13 goes against His law, we realize would be sin. 01:17 So we're living in a very interesting time 01:19 in this world's history 01:21 because our nation has begun to pass laws 01:25 that go directly against God's Word, 01:28 directly against what God has laid out for His people. 01:32 So I believe this is going to be 01:34 a very timely, a very pertinent message 01:37 that you're about to hear, 01:38 and I am anxious to get into that message, 01:41 but first, we are so blessed as usual 01:43 to go to 3ABN's Worship Center. 01:46 We're going to hear a song sung by Brother Rudy Mecilli, 01:50 and it is entitled, "Trust His heart." 01:53 "Trust His heart." 02:16 All things work for our good 02:22 Though sometimes we don't see how they could 02:30 Struggles that break our hearts in two 02:36 Sometimes blind us to the truth 02:44 Our Father knows what's best for us 02:51 His ways are not our own 02:57 So when the pathway grows dim 03:01 And you just don't see Him 03:05 Remember 03:07 You are never alone 03:16 God is too wise to be mistaken 03:23 God is too good to be unkind 03:30 So when you don't understand 03:33 When you don't see His plan 03:37 When you can't trace His hand 03:39 Trust His heart 03:50 He sees the master plan 03:56 And He holds our future in His hand 04:03 So don't live as those who have no hope 04:10 All our hope is found in Him 04:18 We see the present clearly 04:25 But He sees the first and the last 04:31 And like a tapestry 04:35 He's weaving you and me 04:39 To someday 04:41 Be just like Him 04:47 Oh, God is too wise 04:53 To be mistaken 04:57 God is too good to be unkind 05:03 So when you don't understand 05:07 When you don't see His plan 05:11 When you can't trace His hand 05:13 Trust His heart 05:19 He alone is faithful and true 05:25 He alone knows what is best for you, 05:32 For you 05:40 God is too wise to be mistaken 05:47 God is too good to be unkind 05:53 So when you don't understand 05:57 When you don't see His plan 06:01 When you can't trace His hand 06:03 Trust His heart 06:11 So when you don't understand 06:14 When you don't see His plan 06:20 When you can't trace His hand 06:24 Just trust 06:27 His Heart 06:50 Thanks for joining us once again 06:52 here at Behold the Lamb Ministries. 06:53 We appreciate you so very much. 06:55 Glad you tuned in. 06:56 You know, I know it takes a little bit of your time, 06:58 but we pray that it's going to be worth it 07:00 as we spend some time 07:02 studying the Word of God together. 07:03 Today's subject, I'm sure you will not want to miss, 07:06 and you are going to get a pencil and paper, 07:08 and jot down some things as we move quickly along. 07:10 We're going to be talking about error, 07:12 and I know many times you say, 07:13 "Well, we talk about error all the time." 07:15 But this is a subject, "When error is forced upon us." 07:20 When error is forced upon us. 07:23 You say, "Surely, not in this country. 07:24 Man, we live in a country, it's free, 07:26 we've freedom of speech, and all these things here." 07:29 But realize that one of these days, 07:30 and it's already been happening from the beginning of time, 07:33 that error is forced, and maybe we'll see 07:36 a little clearer as we go along. 07:38 Again, we thank you for joining us, 07:39 and thank you for your cards, 07:41 your letter, and your support, Behold the Lamb. 07:42 That's how the message goes out, 07:44 and thoroughly we cannot do it without you 07:46 and the blessings of God. 07:48 So we'll be praying 07:49 for the Holy Spirit to bless you, 07:50 and you in turn can bless other ministries 07:52 in reaching the world for Jesus. 07:54 As always, before we get into our subject, 07:57 we always want to pray, 07:58 and I'm inviting you to pray along with me. 08:00 I'm thankful for those of you who say, 08:01 "Every time you get on your knees and pray, 08:03 I pray it right with you." 08:04 Oh, I tell you, it gives you such confidence 08:06 in the Scripture 08:07 and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 08:09 Thank you for doing that. 08:10 And let's pray together, shall we? 08:11 I'm going to kneel and let's pray together. 08:15 Loving Father in Heaven. 08:16 Again, we thank You for Your precious Word. 08:17 We thank You for the opportunity 08:20 to be able to reach to the world for Jesus. 08:22 How awesome that is? 08:23 What a thought that is to be able to reach people 08:25 for Jesus around the world. 08:27 We praise Your Holy Spirit now 08:29 impresses our hearts and our minds, 08:31 and that we let go of the things of this earth, 08:33 we concentrate upon heavenly things, 08:36 we ask for forgiveness of sin, 08:37 we want to be covered by Thy blood, 08:39 we need direct communication between heaven 08:42 and Your manservant today. 08:44 So Lord, we'll praying in a special way 08:46 that the words that will be spoken 08:47 and what people will hear will be 08:49 exactly what needs to be spoken and heard. 08:51 We can rely now and know upon the Holy Spirit. 08:53 I know that we can. 08:55 I thank you for each one who views, those who listen, 08:57 going to give you praise in advance 08:59 in Jesus' name, amen. 09:03 Again, it's always good to get your Bible 09:05 because I always say this, and people I meet, 09:07 they bring it to my attention from time to time. 09:09 They'll say, "Well, you always say 09:10 get the Bible and check it out." 09:12 Well, there's nothing wrong with that. 09:13 We should check the Word of God. 09:15 When anyone is quoting 09:16 or reading from the Word of God, 09:17 let's check them out. 09:19 I think that makes sense. Check it out. 09:21 Make sure if it be so 09:23 because, you know, the enemy uses what? 09:25 He uses the Word of God. 09:27 He just doesn't use all of the Word of God, 09:29 he just leaves out little here and little there, 09:31 and so he's intermingling what? 09:33 Truth and error together. 09:34 So our subject today 09:36 is, "When error is forced upon us." 09:39 I thought it would be nice if just to begin, 09:42 just to give a few, 09:44 maybe just to find out about error, 09:47 and what's going to be happening 09:49 as we near the close of time just to go over a few things 09:52 to where we'll find our religious freedoms 09:55 are taken from us. 09:57 Liberty of conscience, we have to be very careful, 09:59 it's going to be challenged. 10:00 What are you going to do about it when it is challenged? 10:03 It is being challenged around the world really today. 10:06 We just don't sense it, 10:07 and it's going to become a little tighter 10:08 as we near the coming of Jesus Christ. 10:11 Now you say, 10:12 "Well, I don't believe that error 10:14 can ever be forced upon us." 10:16 Notice the word I'm using is forced. 10:20 As we study Scripture, 10:21 as you see from the beginning to the very end, 10:24 in the very beginning in the Garden of Eden 10:26 really the enemy then, he wanted to do what? 10:28 He really wanted to force, right, his thoughts upon Eve. 10:33 He was put into position and waiting for the opportunity 10:36 in which to deceive her. 10:38 He's done that throughout, 10:39 and he'll do it to the very end of time. 10:42 Remember, when we're looking at this, 10:45 it's going to be urged, forced, force is going to be... 10:48 We talk about it, 10:49 it's something that the devil uses, 10:51 and he's always used it, he will continue to use it. 10:55 In fact, force was used upon the Apostolic believers 10:58 in the very beginning of time. 11:00 We can go all we back, and say, yeah, the apostles, 11:02 there were forced, 11:03 tried to be forced in a lot of ways 11:05 to follow the enemy. 11:07 Remember error when you talk about it 11:09 is never ever harmless. 11:12 Please let's get that through our mind. 11:13 Error is what? Is never harmless. 11:16 You might say, "I can go listen, 11:18 I can go be involved with." 11:20 Error is never harmless because there will be seeds 11:23 that will be planted that will produce a harvest, 11:26 and it's not a good harvest. 11:27 You notice that? Never harmless. 11:31 Many we know will be deceived by what we call error. 11:36 We know our job is to unmask error. 11:41 We have to unmask it. 11:42 In other words, when you hear error, 11:43 and if somebody is talking to you, 11:45 we by the grace of God, 11:46 must somehow come back in the right attitude, 11:49 in the love of Jesus to unmask 11:51 what maybe they believe is really the truth. 11:54 If it's not the truth or believing error, 11:56 and you don't want to leave them 11:58 in that position, do you? 12:00 I do not. 12:01 I want to be able to, by the grace of God, 12:03 give them what we understand is true. 12:05 We must be unmasked. Now remember what Satan does. 12:09 Satan always resorts to force. 12:13 He always wants to force and to compel the conscience. 12:16 Now notice, when does he use force? 12:18 When his temptations fail. 12:21 When he comes to the person, 12:23 and he's tempting them to do something, 12:25 and they choose not to do that, then what? 12:29 Then he resorts to force. Think about that, force. 12:34 Are we coming into a time in earth's history 12:36 to where the enemy now is beginning to, 12:39 you know, use force, 12:40 and put people and Christians in little boxes? 12:44 We see it happening every day, with legislation, 12:46 what's happening in our government. 12:48 We need to be very cautious, we need to be aware of it. 12:51 We need to do what? 12:53 Attend no meeting, listen carefully, 12:56 we need to attend no meeting where error is being taught. 13:01 I hope that's clear. 13:03 We're going to look at illustration in a moment 13:04 when we get done going over 13:06 some of these things to get a idea, 13:07 a concept of what it means to be in error. 13:10 The conscience is going to be threatened, 13:12 we're going to be challenged in so many different ways. 13:15 First of all, we just find, 13:17 we realize that we do not want to be 13:19 in any kind of a meeting 13:20 where error is being taught because it's never harmless. 13:25 You might think you've got it, 13:26 you might think you've got the truth, 13:28 but you and I do not need to be listening to error 13:31 in any form or fashion. 13:33 We do not because it is of the enemy. 13:35 Who wants to listen to the enemy? 13:36 Maybe we've done it too long, we don't want to do it anymore. 13:39 So we don't go to those meetings. 13:42 We realize there are secular rulers, 13:45 is going to unite with ministers, 13:48 and you know what they're going to do? 13:50 They're going to try 13:51 to dictate matters of conscious, conscience. 13:55 Now remember that, by passing what? 13:58 Laws. Going to make it mandatory. 14:00 They are already doing, they've been doing it, 14:02 it's going to continue to get worse. 14:04 Sad to say, you have the secular rulers, 14:07 and they are joining together with the ministers, 14:10 a great controversy brings out. 14:14 So naturally, the rulers, right, 14:15 the secular people, 14:16 the ones you vote into office, they want to be voted in again, 14:20 and so they're trying to please their constituents naturally, 14:23 and so they're going to be working along this line. 14:26 Most dangerous, error is most dangerous 14:29 when it's combined with truth. 14:32 Error is what? 14:34 Most dangerous when it's combined with truth. 14:37 How do you think the enemy works? 14:40 He's always combining, 14:41 he's always given you a little bit of truth there, 14:43 and then he puts a little bit error 14:45 in there with it because he knows 14:46 that it works a little bit better. 14:49 Every semblance of error will be forced 14:54 upon God's last day people. 14:56 Please keep that in your mind. 14:57 Every symbol, every little detail 14:59 ever the enemy can do to bring, he's going to bring it 15:02 upon God's people to challenge them 15:04 which challenges your what? 15:06 Your knowledge of Scripture, and what is truth. 15:10 If you don't know it, you're going to be up a creek, 15:12 they say without a paddle. 15:14 We have to know what truth is 15:16 because the enemy is going to make it so close, right? 15:20 Error and truth so close together, 15:22 at least he thinks. 15:23 But you will know if you know the Word of God. 15:25 We've established already 15:27 that Satan seeks to rule through force. 15:31 He seeks to rule through force, just the opposite of God. 15:35 God wants to rule in your life as it were through what? 15:37 Through love. The enemy is the opposite. 15:39 He wants to do it through force. 15:42 God is displeased when His people even listen, 15:45 let alone go, he doesn't even want you to, what? 15:49 Not listen to error because some people 15:52 can be confused 15:54 just by listening to what is error. 15:56 People say, "Well, I was listening 15:58 to radio and TV, 15:59 and well, what he said was 90% correct." 16:02 Not good enough. 16:04 That means there was a little bit 16:05 of error mingled with the truth, and therefore, 16:07 it's easier for us to be deceived. 16:12 Now how does error come into the church? 16:15 The church members bring it in. Isn't that interesting? 16:18 We need to be very cautious. 16:20 Satan uses church members to bring error in among us. 16:24 So there must be watchman on the walls of Zion 16:27 You have to know what it is, so you can stand and say, 16:29 "Hey, that's not what should be taught here." 16:33 Poisonous doctrines are brought into the church. 16:37 That's talking about Babylon's wine 16:40 that we're drinking, these false doctrines. 16:41 They come into the church, they're dangerous, 16:43 they're poison, they will hurt somebody. 16:47 Error prevails everywhere. 16:49 Did that makes sense? Oh, yeah. 16:51 So we're looking at all these issues, 16:52 error prevails everywhere. 16:56 Remember, error is going to be forced upon us, 16:58 so we have to know 16:59 what error is, in order to error, 17:01 we have to know what truth is because they certainly 17:02 will point out certainly what error. 17:05 There's going to be efforts, we know, 17:07 to restrict liberty of conscience. 17:11 Efforts are going to be certainly put forth 17:13 in the United States of America. 17:15 We're seeing it every day right now to restrict it. 17:19 The papacy has fought from the beginning of time 17:22 until the end of time to suppress religious liberty, 17:25 and freedom of speech. 17:28 Freedom of conscience, they don't think 17:29 you should have freedom of conscience 17:30 because they want to dictate everything to us. 17:35 And some of the things 17:36 we talk about errors that maybe, 17:39 you know, surround us or press against us all the time, 17:42 and you hear them wherever you go. 17:44 For instance, immortality of the soul. 17:47 You know, that's an error. 17:49 That's an error 17:51 because we realize that we're mortal, aren't we? 17:53 We are subject to death, 17:55 we're not immortal until Jesus comes. 17:58 Evolution is pressed upon us, 18:01 you know, and that's another what? 18:02 That's error, but it's what? It's pressed upon us, why? 18:07 Because books are written, they're published, 18:09 they're put into our schools from a very early age, 18:13 and it's taught, and it's been taught 18:15 a whole lot more than creation. 18:17 We have to be very careful, 18:19 that can really poison the child's mind 18:20 and grown up mind too, absolutely. 18:23 Another error we're surrounded 18:25 with day in and day out is Sunday sacredness. 18:28 We know that's not sacred. 18:31 Another error that suppresses us many times 18:33 that we try to be holy by our works, 18:36 try to work our way into heaven, we cannot. 18:40 Another error that's pressed 18:41 upon us is the fate of the wicked, 18:44 that there is no judgment that's taking place. 18:47 We know that there is, but what, 18:49 these are errors that's surrounding us, 18:51 and they're forced upon us. 18:53 Every time we turn a corner, somebody is saying, 18:55 "Well, hey, this is..." 18:56 We have to know what truth is. 18:58 Law we say is done away with, they say it's done away 19:01 with including the Seventh-day Sabbath. 19:03 That's always surrounding us. 19:05 I've heard other people say, 19:07 "All you have to do is just believe, 19:08 and you're going to make it to heaven." 19:11 Is that what it is? 19:12 No, that's one of those errors, 19:14 you see that's forced upon us all the time. 19:17 This is what people are teaching. 19:19 The sanctuary, there's error, the second coming, 19:21 they got error, Holy Spirit, error, the nature of Christ, 19:24 error, you talk about victory over sin, 19:26 all of these beautiful truths that God has, 19:28 the enemy then is surrounding us, 19:30 forcing us to what? 19:31 Listen to error all the time. 19:34 Just don't become confused with that. 19:39 When error is forced home. 19:42 Now remember, keep this in mind. 19:44 The last resort 19:46 of every false religion is force. 19:51 Did you get it? 19:52 The last resort 19:53 of every false religion is force. 19:59 But see, in the religion of Christ, 20:03 there is no force. 20:05 It's always, "If you want, come. 20:08 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 20:09 Come in." 20:11 But if you know the religion, you find people behind it 20:13 that want to force other people. 20:16 We have to be very careful. 20:17 It would be a little red flag, would it not? 20:19 Study the Book of Revelation 13, 20:21 Revelation 17, 20:23 just a couple of chapters there, 20:24 and you can see, the time will come 20:26 when error is forced upon us as a people. 20:30 We study past history. 20:31 How often have you been studying 20:33 from past history? 20:35 For instance, let's study past history 20:36 just a little bit, say, of the Jews. 20:39 What do we find? 20:41 We find a very similar thing 20:44 that was taking place in the time of Christ, 20:46 is taking place today. 20:48 What took place in the time of Christ 20:49 is taking place today? 20:51 Then what happens? 20:53 Well, the enemy has manipulated the Jews. 20:56 The enemy is manipulating God's last day people today, 21:00 and we don't even know that he's manipulating us. 21:03 So it behooves us to have, what, 21:05 God, help us to see the signs of the time. 21:07 God help us to understand what we need to be doing 21:10 and studying in these last days 21:12 of earth's history. 21:13 How were the Jews fooled? 21:16 Now remember, if it worked for the Jews, 21:18 which were God's chosen people, 21:19 we feel like in Seventh-day Adventism, 21:22 we have the three angels' message 21:23 to go to the world. 21:24 You know the last church, you see, to proclaim a message, 21:28 "The enemy is going to work the same way." 21:30 He fooled almost all the Jews, right? 21:32 And so he's going to fool... 21:33 He'll use the same tactics as he used. 21:36 How did he do that? 21:38 Well, remember how they were raised, 21:40 and how, what they were taught 21:42 even while they were home and young? 21:44 So the enemy knows that while you are home 21:47 where you have little children, 21:48 if you teach them the wrong things, 21:50 then they will be ready to accept that which is wrong. 21:55 When Christ, you remember, was born 21:57 or before he was born even here, 21:59 we realize that the enemy was already setting 22:01 into motion some false doctrines 22:04 and teachings about Christ, when He should come. 22:07 And so when Christ finally came, 22:09 the nation was ready to do what? 22:11 They were already ready to reject Him. 22:14 "A plain thus saith the Lord." 22:16 We have Christians who are ready to reject. 22:19 How can that be? Maybe it sounds familiar. 22:21 Could it be happening among us today? 22:24 I think that it's happening right here among us today. 22:29 Many, maybe if you've read this statement before, 22:31 you have wondered of what it really meant. 22:35 One testimony, 608 says this. One testimony, 608 says this. 22:39 "If we don't know..." 22:41 I think, maybe we'll get it here 22:42 before this program is over. 22:45 I like it when it starts out, Spirit of Prophecy, 22:47 I was shown. 22:49 Hello? 22:50 I like it when it starts out, "I was shown." 22:52 That means, right, God has directed, 22:54 as He does in the prophets. 22:56 "So I was shown," notice this, 22:58 "the startling fact that but a small portion of those 23:03 who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it 23:06 and to be saved." 23:08 How sad that is? Startling fact. 23:11 Only a small what? 23:13 Portion of those who now profess the truth 23:17 will be sanctified by it and be saved. 23:21 What does that really mean to us? 23:23 Only a small portion. 23:24 What does it mean to be sanctified? 23:26 Make holy. Made holy? 23:27 Talk about John 17:17, says, 23:30 "Sanctify them through thy," Word. 23:31 The word? 23:33 "Dignify them through the truth, right? 23:34 Sanctify them through thy truth, 23:36 thy word is truth." 23:38 We are sanctified by what? 23:40 Made holy pure by knowing what is truth, 23:43 not by knowing what is error, not studying what is error. 23:47 Study what is truth, and by studying it, 23:50 truth inside changes your life, your attitude, your mind, 23:53 your heart to become more like what? 23:56 Like Jesus. 23:57 So, "sanctify them through thy truth." 24:01 What would Bible sanctification, 24:04 I mean, what is the definition of Bible, 24:06 really, Bible sanctification? 24:09 Would Bible sanctification say here 24:12 that we know the requirements of God? 24:15 Notice this. 24:16 It's to know the requirements of God and then to obey them. 24:21 Bible sanctification, preparation from heaven, 24:24 knowing what truth is, 24:25 that which changes the person to be like Jesus. 24:28 We have to know the requirements of God, 24:32 and then we have to be willing to obey them. 24:35 That makes sense to me. 24:36 Bible... 24:38 No one's going to make it to heaven 24:39 that's not sanctified. 24:40 So if we think, 24:42 "Well, simple subject, simple way. 24:43 Well, we're not to worry about being sanctified." 24:45 We need to think about being sanctified, 24:47 set apart, made holy, so that God can use us. 24:51 There are people who claim to be sanctified? 24:55 How would we know if someone is sanctified 24:57 or if maybe they're not sanctified 24:59 and not trying to be judgmental about it? 25:03 You say, "Well, the Bible said, 'By their fruits, 25:05 ye shall know them.'" 25:07 And you think about sanctification 25:08 and the work of sanctification here. 25:11 When a person might say, for instance, 25:13 you know, and you talk to a lot of maybe Bible Christians, 25:15 if you talk to Bible Christians, 25:17 and they'll say, you talk about a certain subject, 25:20 and they'll say, 25:21 "Well, I don't need to study that anymore. 25:23 I already know what that means. 25:24 I don't need to study this anymore. 25:26 I don't study the Sabbath. 25:27 I don't need to study that anymore." 25:29 When a person is not willing to open the pages of holy writ, 25:33 and be willing to study these subjects out, 25:35 you can be assured that sanctification 25:37 has not taken place in their life. 25:39 When they no longer need, 25:41 just to say, search the scriptures, 25:44 think of, see, very few Christians 25:46 whatever say what? 25:47 "I don't need to search the scriptures." 25:49 But when you want to study a certain thing with someone, 25:52 and then they say they don't need to 25:53 because they already had the answers, 25:55 they are telling you they no longer need to search 25:57 the scriptures anymore. 25:59 Does it ever come a time where there we don't need 26:01 to search the scriptures? 26:03 No, I don't think so because Jesus said, 26:05 "They are they which testify of Me." 26:09 We always need to be willing to study 26:11 and this tells about our sanctification. 26:14 So there may be... 26:15 What happens is they're leaning to their own understanding, 26:19 when they don't want to get to the Bible, 26:21 to the Word of God anymore. 26:23 Was that Proverbs 3:5, talks about? 26:26 It was, "Not lean to our own understanding." 26:29 That's what happens when we get away 26:30 from the Word of God. 26:33 You know, I believe this down 26:35 through history as we look at this subject. 26:37 Light has been shown to mankind. 26:39 I'm in for an agreement with that. 26:41 All from the beginning of time, what's happened? 26:43 Light has been shown, right? 26:45 It's been shining on the pathway of mankind. 26:48 It's been a light from heaven 26:50 and this light is very, very important. 26:52 But remember, when light is showing on us, 26:55 and then we reject that light, oh, my, 26:58 we refuse to walk in it, it brings condemnation. 27:02 That same light that comes and brings joy, and peace, 27:05 and a change in your life, and my life, 27:07 brings condemnation to those 27:09 who reject it and accept error in its place. 27:13 Ephesians 5:17, the Bible wants us 27:16 to understand something. 27:19 What is the will of God? 27:22 Do we really understand what the will of God is? 27:26 Ephesians 5:17. 27:29 I think by studying scripture, we'll find this out. 27:31 Jesus, would we agree on this, Jesus is holy, was holy, 27:35 He was pure, He was undefiled, and because He was holy, 27:40 because His life was pure, what did it do? 27:44 Well, it got the enemy, enemy was mad. 27:47 The wrath of the enemy attacked Jesus 27:50 because of His pure life. 27:53 So think about that today. 27:55 If you have Jesus in your heart, 27:56 there's going to be some, 27:58 maybe you're going to be attacked sometime. 28:01 Think about that with me. 28:03 If you are striving to be like Jesus, 28:08 your life will also stir up 28:11 the activities of the enemy, why? 28:14 Because he really doesn't see you, 28:17 but he sees Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28:22 Isn't that beautiful to think about it? 28:24 He no longer sees me. 28:25 He no longer sees you, even the enemy. 28:28 He sees Christ in you, and you know what? 28:30 He's mad at Christ, he hates Christ, 28:32 and he's going to hate you. 28:35 I thought the interesting word was that if you are striving. 28:39 I hear people say all the time, "We don't have to strive, 28:41 just sit back in your easy chair. 28:43 You don't have to make any effort 28:44 because you're saved by grace through faith." 28:46 That's true, but how about balancing 28:47 that with scripture. 28:49 The word strive is in the Bible for a reason. 28:53 Too many of us want to sit back, and do nothing, 28:55 and say we're striving. 28:57 Interesting, that word if you look, in Luke 13:24. 29:01 Luke 13:24. 29:02 It just simply says, 29:04 "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." 29:07 What's the word? Strive. 29:10 See, if we're striving to be like Jesus, 29:13 you know, we're going to stir up 29:15 the wrath of the enemy, okay? 29:16 So now we're striving to be like Jesus. 29:19 Jesus said, "Strive to enter into that strait gate." 29:23 What does that simply mean to us? 29:24 Strive. 29:26 Strive in the Greek says, "We have to contend." 29:30 We have to contend 29:33 if we're going to enter in that strait gate. 29:34 Another word that's interesting 29:36 is that we're going to have to struggle. 29:38 They will, "Oh, man. I've got it made. 29:39 I don't have to worry about..." 29:40 The Bible talks about, it's very clear, 29:42 we're going to have to struggle. 29:45 Narrow and straight is the gate, right, 29:47 it leads eternal life. 29:48 There's just a few in the go, 29:50 but we're going to have to struggle, 29:51 we're going to have to contend. 29:53 Another word is that, we're going to have to fight. 29:55 That's what strive is, not just to sit back. 29:58 The enemy's ploy and error of the devil. 30:00 Don't do anything, just sit back. 30:03 Strive, that means to fight. 30:04 It even means to labor to enter in. 30:07 So if you're fighting, and you're struggling 30:09 to maintain your walk with Christ, you know what? 30:12 That may be a good sign. 30:13 Just keep fighting, just keep struggling, 30:16 keep contending for the mastery, you know? 30:19 And there's another one, I like in Hebrews 12:4, 30:23 I like this one here, 30:25 just the end of that because it says, 30:27 "We need to strive against sin." 30:31 Does that make sense? 30:33 What are we really striving against? 30:35 We're striving against sin. 30:38 So what does that mean, strive against sin? 30:40 Some of the same thing, but I noticed 30:41 there are two little definitions 30:43 I want you to listen to this one specifically here. 30:45 When you strive against sin that means you struggle. 30:49 That's what that word means here in the Greek. 30:51 Which you're going to struggle against sin. 30:53 Struggle sometimes means you might fail. 30:56 We're not supposed to, by the God's grace, 30:58 but sometime we fail. 30:59 Struggle means, "I want to get back up, 31:00 and I want to give it another shot." 31:03 Isn't that wonderful? 31:04 By the blood, we can be cleansed, 31:06 and we can start over again. 31:07 How wonderful that is? 31:08 The day will come when we cannot do that. 31:10 But is it means that there is strive, 31:12 that means to struggle against sin. 31:15 Another word I thought 31:16 was very interesting is antagonize. 31:19 We need to antagonize, 31:21 and say what do you mean antagonize? 31:23 It means, here, antagonize means, 31:26 an active opposition against sin. 31:31 We need to have a what? 31:32 An active opposition against sin. 31:36 Actively, what? Fighting. 31:39 Fighting the good fight of faith. 31:41 Actively fighting every day, opposing sin, 31:46 and God's going to bless us for that. 31:50 I thought what so interesting here, 31:51 I want to go back just a little bit. 31:53 If you have your Bibles, turn with me. 31:55 1 Samuel, that gives some examples, 31:57 we're going over a lot of different things here, 31:58 but as we look, we can find out. 32:00 Remember, what is plain, very plain, 32:04 sometimes people will go against, 32:06 the whole group goes against, 32:09 something that's very, very plain? 32:11 Israel was an example of that, 32:13 and I think some time in the church, 32:14 we're a good example 32:16 of when something's very plain pointed out in the Word of God. 32:19 We just refused to do it because we don't want to do it. 32:22 We want something different. 32:24 We're tired of the holiness of the church. 32:29 We're tired sometime 32:30 of the simplicity of the church. 32:33 This is Israel what I'm talking about, but today, for us. 32:38 They're tired, we want something different, 32:41 and what we see outside 32:42 in the other denominations or faiths, 32:44 looks a little bit more encouraging, 32:46 and a little bit more exciting, a little more shouting, 32:48 a little more carrying on, going on here, 32:50 and we're tired of the simplicity, 32:52 and we want something different 32:54 rather than the life of holiness like Jesus led. 32:59 We should be content with the life of holiness 33:01 and purity and no pumped. 33:05 But many times, we're not. 33:07 In the Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 8, 33:10 now notice this. 33:11 Remember what happened here, 33:12 just to give you a little bit of background, 33:14 if you're there in 1 Samuel Chapter 8. 33:17 It just simply starts out in verse 1, it says, 33:21 "And it came to pass, when Samuel was old." 33:24 Well, I hate to stop it there. 33:27 "And it came to pass, when old Samuel was old." 33:31 There comes a time when you get old 33:32 and you just can't quite do all the things you used to do. 33:36 There comes a time when you get old 33:38 that God has sent you helpers to help. 33:42 Now Samuel had two sons, did he not? 33:46 And Samuel raised those sons properly. 33:51 And while dad was around, the sons always did well. 33:57 But when dad wasn't around, they decided to kind of go 34:00 their own way just a little bit. 34:02 They weren't vile like Eli's sons 34:05 in that sense like they were. 34:07 But nevertheless, 34:08 they weren't following God's commands. 34:09 So we're looking, and say, 34:11 "Well, Samuel should have done a better job. 34:12 Well, the parents were ridiculous." 34:14 Samuel did a good job. 34:16 In God's sight, He said to Samuel, 34:18 "That's My prophet." 34:20 Samuel obeyed God. 34:22 But notice there just quickly as we run down it. 34:24 You notice, "That he made his sons judges over Israel." 34:29 So as he got older, 34:30 he couldn't quite do the job anymore, 34:32 that he appointed his two sons to be the judge over Israel. 34:36 Notice verse 3. "And his sons walked," what? 34:40 Somebody say not, I'll get happy. 34:42 Yeah, "his sons walked not in his ways," 34:45 they turned aside. 34:46 Why? 34:47 Because actually, they wanted to pay it off, 34:49 they liked money, they liked to have, 34:51 you know, high esteem, 34:53 they liked to have a high position, 34:55 and they just couldn't turn down 34:56 the little kickbacks. 34:58 You see in the government today, 34:59 you may even see it in the church, 35:00 you may see it all over the place. 35:02 Notice, verse 4. Now here's what happened. 35:07 "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, 35:10 and came to Samuel," and they said to him, 35:12 "Behold, thou art," oh, oh, they're going to rub it in, 35:15 just keep rubbing it in. 35:17 Poor Samuel, bless his heart. 35:18 He says, he's old, 35:20 "And thy sons walk not in thy ways, 35:23 now make us a king to judge us like all the..." 35:30 See, we are not getting it. Nations." 35:32 All the nations." 35:35 Israel was ruled the way God wanted to be under Samuel. 35:39 Samuel got old, his boys were supposed to be appointed, 35:42 and do as Samuel had been doing. 35:46 But what? 35:47 Israel looked around and saw the boys 35:48 are just not doing like dad did. 35:51 And who else is going to be our leaders? 35:53 We need to get rid of them. 35:54 Well, man, just give us a king then. 35:57 So really what was it? 35:58 It was the religious leaders 36:00 and their sons who caused a division 36:02 and a change that took place. 36:05 What they were doing, what the sons were doing. 36:07 Not what Samuel was doing, 36:08 but what the sons were doing made them go 36:11 against what God said to do. 36:14 They came together, the elders, 36:15 and said, "Look, we want to, man, 36:17 we want somebody to rule over us." 36:19 Boy, what a change? 36:21 How sad? Why? Listen. 36:25 Anytime we say this, "We want a change in the church 36:28 because we want to be like the other churches." 36:31 Sad. 36:33 About to say something else, but I didn't, 36:37 get me riled up now. 36:39 When we think we want to be like the other churches. 36:43 Here, it wasn't even other churches. 36:44 Here's what they said. 36:46 "We want to be like the other nations of the pagans 36:49 and the heathens and the infidels. 36:52 We want to be like them 36:53 rather than the way God said to be." 36:57 We see it taking place today. 36:58 It's happening today 37:00 just like we're talking about here. 37:01 We need to be aware of it because we're going to find. 37:04 Error is going to be forced upon us, 37:06 and some time when it's even forced 37:08 upon us like this, 37:09 "Give us the king," when God said, 37:11 "I didn't want you to have a king. 37:12 I'm your king." 37:15 What would they do when error was forced upon them now? 37:18 What was going to be their response? 37:21 Israel wanted a king, 37:23 and wanted to be like other nation, 37:24 despite, listen, what God's prophet Samuel said. 37:28 See, how plain can it be? 37:29 You get the pastors, 37:31 the teachers, and different ones. 37:32 They'll get up, and say, "Bible prophecy has said 37:34 this is what's going to take place. 37:36 The Sunday law is going to happen. 37:38 The image of the beast, the mark of the beast. 37:40 These are Bible prophecies. 37:43 We're given the three angels' message 37:44 to the world. 37:45 We're to judge, right? 37:47 We're to be there, the people of God. 37:48 The seventh church, right?" 37:49 Well, you say, "Laodicea church," 37:51 but the time of the judgment, 37:53 and then you look at the messages 37:54 were in the judgment hour. 37:56 We give a call to come out of Babylon, 37:58 the other churches, and join what? 38:01 Join God's last day church that believes in keeping 38:03 all the commandments, not just nine. 38:07 And then we give the message, "If you don't do that, 38:09 there's a warning against receiving the mark of the beast 38:13 which eventually will be the Sunday law, right?" 38:17 Think about it. Mark of the beast. 38:23 When the Sunday law is passed, 38:25 they'd be keeping Sunday rather than keeping the Sabbath. 38:27 It's not now the law is not passed there, 38:29 we have an opportunity to know what is best. 38:31 But are we really living up to that 38:33 and do we really realize it? 38:35 It can't be any plainer in Scripture 38:37 than what I'm telling you right now, but yet what? 38:40 It wasn't any plainer in Scripture, and what? 38:42 Between Samuel, the prophet of God, 38:44 and the people of Israel, 38:45 and yet, they didn't want to hear it. 38:48 They did not want to hear it. 38:53 So God said to him, 38:54 "Okay, if that's what they want, 38:56 that's what I'll give them." 38:58 But Samuel, before I give the king to them, 39:02 tell them exactly what's going to happen to them, 39:05 if they choose a man to be a king. 39:07 Can you imagine what would be wrong with us 39:12 or what is wrong with us today 39:14 because some of the same messages 39:15 are just as clear and plain 39:17 as what we're talking about here 39:18 for an example, and yet we refuse it, 39:22 and yet we refuse it? 39:23 We reject God's plan, 39:26 and we're accepting these errors 39:28 as it's being forced upon us. 39:32 Samuel said, "Here's what's going 39:34 to happen to you people," 39:36 and he told the leaders of Israel, all of Israel, 39:38 "Remember, if you do this," 39:40 God said, "If that's what you want, 39:43 I'll give you a man, I'll give you a king." 39:46 But here's what's going to happen to you. 39:47 Surely, no one in their right mind 39:49 would have said, 39:51 "Well, that's all right even though 39:53 this is going to happen, 39:56 then go ahead and give us a king." 39:58 Or should they have repented and said, 39:59 "Lord, have mercy on us. 40:00 We don't want that to happen to us and our children." 40:03 They didn't approach it like that. 40:04 And today, we don't approach it that way. 40:07 That God says, "Thou shalt not," 40:08 that's exactly what He means. 40:10 God has a plan, that's exactly what He means. 40:16 People wanted a man on the throne instead of God. 40:20 It's plain, 1 Samuel 8:7 tells us 40:22 that Prophet told the people. 40:26 Now remember, the people, Samuel told them, 40:29 and the people rejected light. 40:32 If you've heard something 40:33 that is truth, and then you say, 40:34 this is light, don't reject it 40:36 because there are consequences for rejecting light. 40:39 Does that make sense? 40:41 There's always consequences for rejecting light. 40:44 John 12:48 says, "He that rejecteth me," 40:48 notice," and receiveth not my words, 40:51 hath one that judgeth him, 40:54 the same shall judge him in the last days." 40:57 We cannot afford to reject light. 41:00 There's consequences, Brother John. 41:04 There's consequences, Sister Mary, and Debbie. 41:08 There's consequences, 41:10 Pastor Kenny, for rejecting light, 41:13 and those consequences, I'm telling you, 41:15 can be pretty heavy duty. 41:18 Heavy duty is because you remember 41:20 in 1 Peter 2:9, 41:21 because He called you out of what? 41:24 Darkness into that marvelous light. 41:26 If He called you out of darkness, Sister Mary, 41:28 why in the world would you want to go back? 41:30 You wouldn't. 41:32 Brother Mark, why do you want to go back 41:33 if you were called out to come to the light? 41:35 Where you were in? Yes, you were. 41:38 But yet, we want to go back into that darkness. 41:40 Why would we when He's called us 41:41 out into His marvelous light? 41:43 We don't want to go back. 41:45 See, what would be the results 41:48 in following a man than instead of God? 41:51 If God said, "Okay, they could have one." 41:52 It seemed like, "Well, maybe it's going to be okay." 41:54 What would be the results? God knew these things. 41:58 With a man on the throne, a king, 42:00 that people would start looking to man, 42:03 did you notice that, to him, 42:04 and then, when they looked to him, 42:06 they would be looking away from God. 42:08 Does that make sense? 42:10 When we begin to look to an earthly king, 42:12 we cannot look to the King of glory. 42:15 And so God knew that's what would happen, 42:17 they start looking to Him. 42:20 Number two, they would trust more to human strength 42:24 and less to divine presence. 42:26 See, "Oh, man sitting on the throne." 42:28 Well, what is Saul going to do here, you see? 42:32 How is he going to do? 42:34 Not what God wants. What's he going to do? 42:37 And then, as the king, a human on the throne, 42:40 God knew this that Samuel, right, Saul, I mean, 42:44 Saul was going to, he was going to be making some errors. 42:47 He's going to do some things that are wrong 42:49 or king sitting on the throne 42:51 will do some things that are wrong, 42:52 and would lead people into sin and separation from God. 42:57 Well, the king said, the king passed these laws, 43:01 and the people would be following the king 43:03 saying, "Well, this is God sitting there." 43:05 So did God really want the king? 43:09 So Samuel then was told by God, He said, 43:11 "Go ahead, I love my people. 43:13 Tell them." 43:14 See, I can get up here, didn't I say, 43:16 tell you about the mark of the beast, you know, 43:17 and we've talked about before, and all this and that. 43:19 I say, "This is what God has said," 43:22 majority of people will reject that. 43:24 It's very plain. 43:27 We've got to be serious about sanctification. 43:30 People say, "Well, yeah, well." 43:32 It's no different today. 43:34 In fact, just maybe worse than even was then. 43:38 So what did Samuel say, 1 Samuel 8:7, 43:41 right about the people wanted for Samuel 8:9? 43:44 God said, "Warn the people 43:47 that I disapprove of an earthly king." 43:51 And here's what's going to happen to them 43:53 if they let this go through. 43:57 He said, "First of all, 43:59 you basically are a free people. 44:01 You're under my leadership. 44:03 I'm leading, guiding, I'm responsible for you, 44:05 but if you take this earthly king, 44:06 you're going to be oppressed by others." 44:10 Now anybody here want their freedoms taken away 44:11 and be oppressed by someone else 44:13 treated as a servant, as a slave? 44:15 I don't think so. 44:16 God told them in advance, "If you make this move, 44:18 you're going to be basically in bondage and slavery." 44:23 And they're saying, "Well, hang on, 44:24 or maybe that won't be too bad." 44:31 You'd think that would be an easy choice. 44:35 See in order for the king to be like the other kings, 44:39 see this was all different for Israel. 44:42 To be like another king, 44:43 you realize what it's going to take? 44:46 It would be that this king would need more finances. 44:51 God supplied before Israel, did He not? 44:54 Now to set himself up as a king, 44:56 he's going to have to look at the other nations, 44:59 how did those kings act, 45:01 where did they get all their money? 45:03 Where did they get all the stuff that they do? 45:05 Well, you know what they did? 45:08 King says, "Man." 45:09 God warned him, said, "Here's what's going to happen. 45:11 It's going to take some more money, 45:14 and I'm going to get that money by taxing you on your property. 45:21 Property taxes and personal taxes." 45:24 Isn't that interesting? 45:25 We think we face that today, but why? 45:27 Because the government didn't know how to spend money, 45:29 so they get to have more money, and so they tax us. 45:32 Interesting, back then, under the first king of Israel. 45:37 All of a sudden, how we're going to get money? 45:39 We've got to get it from the people. 45:40 So they began to tax them in a couple different ways. 45:44 Also, God warned them that's what's going to happen. 45:47 God warned him too but when he stood up as a king, 45:50 and with all the help that the king needs 45:52 to work his government, 45:55 it's going to take the young men 45:57 and the young women away from you. 46:00 He's going to take your cattle away from you. 46:03 He's going to take your fields away from you 46:05 in order to maintain his kinghood. 46:10 Kind of interesting. 46:13 And then he even said, "Well, now I need more money. 46:16 So what we'll do is everyone here has to pay 46:20 1/10th of their income to me." 46:24 They aren't talking about the 10th of tithe. 46:27 You start adding all these things up, 46:28 they were taxed, they'd have nothing. 46:33 So he levied 1/10th of their income 46:38 to go directly to the king. 46:40 See, they're told this in advance 46:42 before it took place, 46:43 and the people still said, "Man, I don't give a... 46:45 We still want a king." How could we do that? 46:50 The prophet then, after he went over some of these things, 46:54 everything that God told him to do... 46:56 You know what that people said? 46:57 1 Samuel 8:17, Bible simply says, 47:01 "Ye shall be his servants." 47:04 What is it? 47:05 If you do this, you are going to be the king's servant. 47:09 You somehow... I don't want to be. 47:10 I want to be freed. I want to be... 47:12 No, evidently, the people wanted to be his servants, 47:13 evidently. 47:16 1 Samuel 8:18, notice quickly, time's running down, 47:19 notice this. 47:20 "And ye shall cry out in that day 47:22 because of your king which ye shall have chosen you, 47:27 and the Lord will not hear you in that day." 47:30 How plain? 47:32 Here's what's going to happen to you. 47:33 Over and over and over from the pulpit, 47:34 from the lesson, Sabbath school, 47:36 over and over we say, "Here's what's going to happen 47:38 because God has laid it out in His Word." 47:41 This is what's going to take place in the world 47:42 because of Bible Prophecy. 47:44 This is what we should be teaching today. 47:46 This is what God requires of us. 47:48 And the people turn their back and they'll say, "Hmm." 47:51 When we return our back on light, 47:53 what does it say simply happen to hear of these people? 47:55 "Bless their hearts, 47:57 and the Lord will not hear you in that day," Why? 48:03 Because you didn't choose Him, you chose another leader. 48:08 And once this was put into motion... 48:10 See, Samuel did his job as a prophet. 48:12 See, once this goes in, once you basically vote on, 48:15 once you go and do this, 48:16 it's not going to be easily changed, 48:18 it may never change. 48:21 Is this what you really want? 48:22 To be taxed to death, 48:25 all your children taken away from, 48:26 your property taken away from, 48:27 your cattle taken away from you. 48:29 Taxed. 48:33 As I mentioned a while go, the people what? 48:35 They became very tired of the simple life. 48:37 They became tired of... There's no display. 48:40 It's just a smut, got tired of a little church, 48:43 got tired of... 48:44 We're not doing like everybody else, 48:46 they've got all this program, 48:47 they're doing all these things right in here. 48:48 That may be trouble 48:50 and there may be a lot of trouble 48:51 if they're not following God's plan, God's will. 48:55 They got tired of the holy leadership 48:58 of the Prophet Samuel who was a mouthpiece for God. 49:01 They no longer wanted to hear God's voice anymore 49:04 as God directed him. 49:07 So when we are surrounded by error, and by more error, 49:13 and error is being forced upon us. 49:15 Even by the laws of the land, we realize, 49:17 it's been for hundreds of years and still going on. 49:22 We're going to have to take a decided stand 49:24 for what is right. 49:27 We have to be able to do that. 49:30 We have to be able to think this through. 49:33 God has called us to be separate, has He not? 49:37 Why is it that makes sense to us as a people? 49:39 This is a plain and simple as what we just went through 49:42 for Israel when he said, 49:43 "This is what's going to happen to you 49:44 if you make the wrong choice." 49:47 Today, we can look at and say, 49:48 "This is what's going to happen to us 49:49 if we make the wrong choice 49:51 where we're at in earth's history right now." 49:53 It's happening. 49:55 God has called us to be separate. 49:56 You say, "Well, I don't want to be separate. 49:58 I want to have all the worldly friends. 49:59 I want to do all the things the world has to do." 50:01 Then you're not following a simple plan that God said. 50:06 We want to, most generally, imitate the wordlings. 50:10 We want to imitate the heathen. 50:14 We want to conform to the practices 50:16 and the teachings and the customs of others. 50:22 And it seems like we just forgotten the plan of God, 50:26 and may I use the other word, we've rejected the plan of God, 50:28 because God's made it so clear, so plain. 50:33 Seems like we are learned. 50:36 Here's one of the excuses that they used 50:38 found in Patriarchs and Prophets 607. 50:41 It says, "Many urge that by uniting with worldlings 50:44 and conforming to their customs 50:46 they might exert a stronger influence 50:49 over the ungodly." 50:51 I've ever got tired of hearing anything in my life, 50:53 this is one of them. 50:55 Every time someone's going down the wrong path, 50:56 they always say, "Yeah, but I can help this one, 50:58 and we can do, blah, blah, blah." 51:00 You never do it by joining in and doing what they're doing. 51:03 You can never help them. 51:04 You set godly example and you pull away from that, 51:07 set the example that Jesus would had you to do, 51:09 and then something good can happen. 51:11 Did you notice the excuse they were making here? 51:14 This is talking about Israel. 51:16 It says, "Many urge there by uniting with worldlings, 51:18 conforming to their customs, 51:20 they might exert a stronger influence 51:22 over the ungodly. 51:23 But all who pursue this course, there by separate 51:27 from the source of their strength," 51:29 listen church, 51:30 "because the friends of the world, 51:32 they are enemies of God." 51:34 They would become what? Friends of the world. 51:37 When you become like the world, 51:38 if you're doing what the world is doing out there 51:40 in the way that the world is doing it, 51:41 it doesn't matter what it is, when it is, what holiday it is, 51:44 doesn't matter, if we're doing it the way 51:45 that the world does it. 51:47 Lord, have mercy, shouldn't we reexamine. 51:50 Just food for thought, should we not examine 51:52 if we're doing anything that the world does, 51:54 and says that it is okay to do? 51:59 It's heavy duty. 52:00 It says right here, "The source of their strength." 52:03 They lose that. 52:05 They become friends of the world. 52:07 "We love not the world 52:09 or the things that are in the world," 52:10 1 John, you remember that, 2:15. 52:12 If any man loved the world, the love of God is not in him. 52:16 But yet somehow, we can't seem to let go. 52:19 Early Writings, 125, quickly says, 52:21 "While false doctrines and dangerous errors 52:24 are pressed upon the mind, 52:26 it cannot dwell upon the truth," 52:28 which is to fit and prepare the house of Israel 52:30 to stand in the day of the Lord. 52:33 The importance of it, what is? 52:35 When these errors are pressed upon us, 52:39 and while we're dwelling on these things 52:41 or involved in these things, 52:42 we cannot be preparing for the coming of Jesus. 52:47 Who's going to defend God's truth for today? 52:51 Is the arm of flesh going to help you? 52:53 No, it's never going to help you. 52:55 No man's going to be able to help you. 52:57 We need the power of the Holy Spirit. 52:58 We need God in our midst. 53:00 We need to quit driving out the spirit 53:03 by going against a plain, "Thus saith the Lord." 53:06 God will defend those who choose to serve Him. 53:10 Choose you this day, isn't that right, 53:12 whom you will serve in Jeremiah or Joshua 24:15, 53:17 "Choose you this day whom you will serve." 53:20 Who is it going to be, 53:22 when these errors are creeping around us 53:24 and laws are being passed and things are going on? 53:27 God is not going to defend anyone 53:29 who is living in transgression of his law. 53:32 We need to keep that close 53:33 in our heart and close in our mind. 53:36 Why is it that we just claim 53:37 plain simple truths of God's Word 53:40 is not simple anymore? 53:43 What has happened? 53:44 When he says separate, he means separate. 53:47 That means be different, that means come apart 53:49 and touch not the unclean. 53:51 Then, I will receive you. 53:53 If you want the other, God can't receive us. 53:56 I want to pray for those today 53:57 because their decisions to make, 53:58 decisions for me to make, 54:00 decisions for you to make in your life. 54:01 In the last few seconds we have, 54:03 I'm going to kneel up here 54:04 and just have a quick prayer for you. 54:05 Let's pray together, shall we? 54:08 Merciful Father in Heaven, 54:09 we thank You for Your precious Word, 54:11 we thank You for loving us today, 54:12 we thank You that You've called us 54:13 to be a special, peculiar people, 54:15 come apart from the world not to be like the world 54:17 and when something is plain in Scripture. 54:19 Oh, Lord, give us the desire, give us a heart 54:21 to be obedient to Your Word. 54:23 A blessing is set before us and a curse, 54:25 choose you this day whom you will serve. 54:27 In Jesus' name, amen. 54:31 Again we appreciate so very much, 54:32 each and every one of you joining us on our program 54:35 to program, day in, day out. 54:37 We appreciate you so very much. 54:38 Your cards, your letters, all that you do, 54:40 continue to write us, continue to give us a call, 54:42 we love you, and we'll see you next time. 54:46 Hello and welcome back, friends. 54:48 I told you this was going to be an interesting study. 54:51 I told you it would be a timely message 54:54 because it affects each and every one of us. 54:56 And as we see Bible prophecy fulfilling, 54:59 as we see all nations drinking the wine 55:02 or the wrath of her fornication, 55:04 false doctrine is spoken up in Revelation, 55:08 as we see sorcery. 55:10 You know, the Bible tells us that the enemy can use sorcery. 55:13 God is... He's just. 55:15 He's righteous, He's good. 55:17 In fact, let me just read, 55:18 let me just read a part of a verse. 55:20 Romans 7:12, it reads, "The law is holy." 55:25 We know the law is a reflection of God Himself. 55:27 He is holy. 55:29 "And the commandment is holy and is just and good." 55:32 But the enemy, he doesn't live 55:34 by the same rules as God does. 55:37 So we have a choice to make. 55:39 We're seeing things begin to change, 55:41 we're seeing righteousness become error 55:44 and error become righteousness. 55:47 Not just outside of our churches 55:49 but inside of our churches. 55:52 So I think the biggest thing that... 55:54 The biggest take home from this study is 55:57 what will you do? 55:59 There've been people who have taken a stand already. 56:01 We've seen them marched off to jail 56:04 for not signing a marriage license 56:07 for something that was outside of God's standard 56:09 of what marriage is all about between a man and a woman. 56:13 We've seen it go all the way to the Supreme Court 56:17 for someone who refused to bake a wedding cake 56:20 outside of his consciousness, his understanding 56:24 of what God wants him to do. 56:26 If you go back in history, we read about the martyrs. 56:30 What about us? That's where we're coming to. 56:33 We need God as never before. 56:35 There's no safer place on this earth 56:38 than in His will and in His loving arms. 56:41 And I pray that you'll choose that. 56:43 I pray that you will stand 56:45 no matter what wind of doctrine, 56:48 what error will be forced upon you. 56:51 And if you would like to receive this message 56:54 and listen to it over and over again, 56:55 in fact, we pray that you do, because without you, friends, 56:59 we cannot continue to bring messages like this. 57:02 This particular message and it is entitled again, 57:06 "When error is forced upon us." 57:09 Be yours for a love gift at just $8 or more. 57:12 All you need to do is call us here, 57:14 Behold the Lamb Ministries, and our phone number, 57:17 we're in Central Standard Time, 57:19 our phone number is 618-942-5044, 57:24 or you may write us to Behold the Lamb Ministries, 57:27 that's PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948, 57:32 or visit us on our website, 57:34 www. BeholdTheLambMinistries.com, 57:38 or send me an email. 57:39 We love to hear from you. We love your letters. 57:42 We love your support. We love your prayers. 57:45 Our e-mail address is 57:46 BeholdTheLambMinistries @Yahoo.com. 57:49 Dear friends, until next time, may our precious Lord 57:53 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2018-11-26