Hello and welcome to
Behold the Lamb presents.
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I'm Chris Shelton, your host.
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I'm thankful that
you've chosen to join us today.
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Today is a little different.
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We're actually gonna
pick up in part of a sermon
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that has already begun
by Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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and it is entitled
Between Two Opinions.
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And I truly believe
that you're gonna be blessed.
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It was actually recorded for
us to send out on our monthlies.
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We have monthly DVDs that
we send out all over the world,
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but this one, we
thought, was so good.
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We wanted to share it with you.
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I pray you'll be
blessed Between Two Opinions.
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They began to look at
the message that's delivered
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and then they began to criticize
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the, what, the messenger.
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Does that make
sense? You understand?
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They began to
criticize the messenger
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or they might say,
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"Well, we're
criticizing the preacher,"
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or we go home for lunch
and we have the preacher
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for lunch rather than food.
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Are you still with me?
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That happens. That
should never happen.
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If mom and dad
has something to say,
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they need to
say it in the closet
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if they have
children if you know
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what I'm talking about.
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They should never criticize
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what's said at
church around children
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and other people who
don't maybe understand.
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You may have
questions, but criticizing,
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we need to be
careful how we criticize
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those who are standing
for the cause of Christ.
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Doesn't take long,
somebody's found fault,
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they become critical.
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They didn't like
the way that he did it.
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They didn't like his
manners or his mannerism.
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And then pretty soon,
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they just don't
like his life at all.
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They don't like him
because he drives a vehicle
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they don't approve of.
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He lives in a house
that they don't approve of.
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Say, just google him as it were,
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and they're
watching every little move
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so that they might be critical,
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you know, that's doing
the work that the enemy,
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I hope, you know.
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And so they began to
look and inspect everything
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that this messenger does.
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But what happens for some?
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This is almost too much.
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And I'm talking
specially to ministers.
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This is too much
for a lot of ministers
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to have that
pressure day-in and day-out
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that the 10,
15, 20 congregations
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always is against him.
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And they try to wear him down,
so he's tired of criticism,
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so he doesn't want to put
up with that anymore, so he,
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to avoid to
criticism, what does he do?
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He begins to
tone down the message.
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He begins to do, what?
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He begins to tone
down this message.
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Why?
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He wants to...
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He wants to
satisfy the unsanctified.
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And why?
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Because it's the unsanctified
that's doing that kind of work.
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We're talking
about if he's preaching
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the truth now.
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I don't have time for preaching
falsehood, preaching a lie,
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somebody needs to
stand up and say something.
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It needs to be dealt
with, there's no doubt about it.
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But they begin to tone it,
water it down and little bit,
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and say, "Well, you know..."
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And then when they
do that, automatically,
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there becomes a separation
between the minister and God.
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This is what this is all about.
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If we tone it down
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because Josh
doesn't want to hear,
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Brother Josh
doesn't want to hear,
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and God has
impressed me to say it,
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then I'm
separating myself from God.
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And I have to
look, and I say, "Well,
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Josh doesn't
want to hear this..."
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I'm just talking,
I'm using the name.
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"He doesn't want to hear this,
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and I don't wanna
be separated from him,"
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but I've got a choice here.
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There's two opinions,
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I'm gonna be separated from him,
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I'm gonna be separated
from God, what do I do?
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Does anybody get that?
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I have to make a choice.
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You have to make a choice.
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And sometimes
they're not pleasant.
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No longer does God look
upon that minister of the Word
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with divine favor anymore
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because he's
chosen someone else.
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Interesting.
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The pastor's faith and
his courage is beaten up,
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it's gone.
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The people have beaten him up.
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He becomes powerless
in the cause of Christ.
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At this scene, think
about it, at this point in time,
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when it seems like everything
is going down the tomb
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for Israel, Elijah shows up.
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He shows up on the scene.
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He shows up to rebuke the king.
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Man, you don't want it,
you'd be careful with that.
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And as soon as
he rebukes the king,
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tells him how it's gonna be,
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then he turns and
he runs and he hides.
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The prophet of God goes and...
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Is everybody with me?
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He goes and
hides for three years.
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God told him
where to go, didn't He?
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Because... why?
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Because he gave a
message that God said to give
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and there was be a
death-decree on him.
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And all behind it was Jezebel.
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She didn't want the
real prophets to be around,
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she wanted the
false prophets there.
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He had to run and
hide for his very life.
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Why?
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Because he did what
God asked him to do.
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See, you think that
doesn't happen today.
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You think, that's not...
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I'm telling you, we
haven't seen anything yet.
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People are being
watched what they say.
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They're watched what
message they are given
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or some
under-handed thing is going on
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between two opinions.
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I Kings 18:21, let's read that.
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I Kings chapter,
what, 18, good, verse 21.
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Very good.
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Now remember,
we just said, what,
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things were going down
the tomb, God sends Elijah,
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he gives his message,
then he goes in to hiding.
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There's gonna be a drought,
it's gonna be a bad, bad scene.
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There's going to
be a large destruction
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and they'll be
looking for the man
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that said to cause it.
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I Kings 18:21, the Bible says,
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"And Elijah came unto
all the people, and said."
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You remember this, the
height of this confrontation?
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He came to them and
said, "How long," what?
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Good.
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"How long halt ye between,"
what is it, "Two opinions?"
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What's the message?
Between two opinions.
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"How long halt we
between two opinions?"
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"If the Lord be God,"
do what, "you follow Him,
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if it be Baal then follow him."
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Listen.
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This is interesting.
We'll talk about it more.
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And the people
didn't open their mouth.
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They answered not a word.
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We're talking
about all of Israel,
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we're talking
about the prophets,
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we're talking
about the bad prophets,
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the good prophets,
everybody was there.
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I wondered why, at one time,
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and we'll answer
this in a moment,
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we hope we have time to do it.
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Because we wonder
why Elijah would come
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to the point in his life,
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he said, "I guess
I'm the only one."
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Maybe you've often
thought about that.
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I thought, "Well, why
did he come to that point?"
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There's a reason why
he came to that point,
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there's a reason why
he said what he said.
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It was maybe different
than our reasoning like,
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"Well, I'm so good. I
guess I'm the only one now."
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But it's different than that.
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He was making a point.
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"They answered not a word."
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We need what Elijah had.
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He had this deep love
for Israel, the people,
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a deep love for people.
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And when we study this lesson...
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I found just a
little, small quote.
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It was in a letter
22 written in 1911.
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And it said he has
such a love for the people.
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And as we study this,
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the instruction
is for all of us.
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What we're studying today
is for all of us right now
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today as representatives
of God, notice that,
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and the work on earth.
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So we're
working on earth, right?
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We're representatives of God,
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this is for you
and this is for me.
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And so this is very,
very important to me,
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and I know it's
important to you.
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You see, at this point
in time, what happened?
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You remember the king,
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they'd all been searching
for Elijah for three years.
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They couldn't find him.
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The drought that devastated them
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and tore them up.
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And then in I Kings
18:1, it just simply says,
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after they're in
such a horrible mess,
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God says to Elijah,
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"I want you to present
yourself before King Ahab."
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My first answer would be,
"You're not talking to me,
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I'm sure. It
must be somebody else.
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Send Mary."
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See?
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"Send John, send Brother Mark,
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send somebody besides me
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because he thinks
I've caused this mess."
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You know, how
people in this world do
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when they think you've caused
a little mess in their life?
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They're out to get you.
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They're out to
get even in the world.
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You know that.
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"Well, they did this and
that's why this turned out.
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I'm gonna get even with."
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This was kind of...
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how many hundreds
and thousands of people.
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Everything looked bad
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and they were
looking to find him,
00:10:03.06\00:10:04.40
they could not find him.
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God says, "Elijah, I want you
to go show yourself to Ahab."
00:10:05.83\00:10:09.80
Notice this.
00:10:09.84\00:10:11.17
"And then I'll send rain."
00:10:11.21\00:10:12.81
Boy!
00:10:12.84\00:10:14.18
Elijah knew his
life was in danger,
00:10:14.21\00:10:17.35
but he also knew that
God of Israel, didn't he?
00:10:17.38\00:10:20.12
If God said to go, he knew
God would take care of him.
00:10:20.15\00:10:23.85
You see?
00:10:23.89\00:10:25.22
Notice, he hid for three
years, over three years, he hid.
00:10:25.25\00:10:29.32
But now God says, "Go."
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And so when God says go, a
man of God or woman will go.
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You don't look at,
"Well, the odds are not good.
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.37
I'm not supposed to go."
00:10:37.40\00:10:38.73
You go because God said
to go, you don't hesitate,
00:10:38.77\00:10:41.60
make excuses, you just
go because God said it.
00:10:41.64\00:10:45.07
Because Elijah had confidence
in God and in God's Word.
00:10:45.11\00:10:48.81
He obeyed.
00:10:51.28\00:10:52.61
He trusted God to protect him.
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During this time, he realized
that the destruction and the...
00:10:56.32\00:11:00.46
We're talking about Jezebel,
had promised as it were,
00:11:00.49\00:11:04.13
to kill all the
good prophets of God,
00:11:04.16\00:11:07.00
and not only the
good prophets of God
00:11:07.03\00:11:09.00
but she's gonna kill everyone
00:11:09.03\00:11:10.67
that was associated with Elijah.
00:11:10.70\00:11:13.00
How would you like that today?
00:11:13.03\00:11:14.37
Somebody put the death-decree
on, they say, "Well,
00:11:14.40\00:11:16.04
are you associated with Kenny?
00:11:16.07\00:11:19.51
If you're associated with Kenny
in any way, then you go too."
00:11:19.54\00:11:22.98
All of sudden, there'd
be a lot of people here
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would distance themselves.
00:11:24.58\00:11:25.91
Hello?
00:11:28.35\00:11:30.09
Think about it.
00:11:30.12\00:11:32.02
All of a sudden,
we'd had to think it over.
00:11:32.05\00:11:35.99
And I believe Brother
Bobby is gonna be right there.
00:11:36.02\00:11:37.93
Now I'm gonna have to
believe he's gonna be.
00:11:37.96\00:11:41.56
But if that came out,
there has to be a distance,
00:11:41.60\00:11:45.67
you have to
distance yourself from him.
00:11:45.70\00:11:48.07
And if you do not,
00:11:48.10\00:11:49.44
then we count you
as one of the same.
00:11:49.47\00:11:50.81
You know, the world
has been gearing that way
00:11:54.74\00:11:56.31
for a lot of
years now when it comes
00:11:56.34\00:11:57.88
to even bank
robbery and everything else.
00:11:57.91\00:12:01.08
You don't have to
go in and rob the bank,
00:12:01.12\00:12:02.88
you just drive the car.
00:12:02.92\00:12:04.59
You don't have to
be in the building,
00:12:04.62\00:12:05.95
but you're one of them.
00:12:05.99\00:12:08.29
Your friend pulls the trigger,
but since you were there,
00:12:08.32\00:12:10.39
and the person is somewhere,
you're guilty of pulling that.
00:12:10.43\00:12:13.90
So you're all guilty, you see?
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.36
They've got ways in
which they're doing it,
00:12:15.40\00:12:17.13
but you'd be seen
normal when that time comes.
00:12:17.17\00:12:19.43
God help us.
00:12:19.47\00:12:20.80
Everyone was to be killed.
00:12:24.31\00:12:27.01
I thought that's
kind of interesting.
00:12:27.04\00:12:28.74
Now who comes on
the scene quickly?
00:12:28.78\00:12:31.18
Obadiah.
00:12:31.21\00:12:32.58
Well, most people know Obadiah.
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.22
He comes on the
scene and God places him
00:12:35.25\00:12:38.39
where he can be of service.
00:12:38.42\00:12:40.86
God places you where
you can be of service
00:12:40.89\00:12:42.86
if we'll just listen.
00:12:42.89\00:12:45.43
You're not by mistake,
00:12:45.46\00:12:47.63
there's a reason why you're
00:12:47.66\00:12:49.06
where you're at this
time in earth's history.
00:12:49.10\00:12:52.53
See, Obadiah just
happened to be, notice this,
00:12:52.57\00:12:56.00
the governor of
the king's house.
00:12:56.04\00:12:59.34
He was a believer, was he not?
00:12:59.37\00:13:00.91
Absolutely.
00:13:00.94\00:13:02.28
Obadiah was a
believer, he believed in God.
00:13:02.31\00:13:04.11
He knew all this. And so he's...
00:13:04.15\00:13:05.81
He happened to be the
governor of King Ahab's house.
00:13:05.85\00:13:09.62
And so what can he do?
00:13:09.65\00:13:10.99
It put him in a position that
he could take 100 good prophets
00:13:11.02\00:13:14.66
and he could hide
them in the caves.
00:13:14.69\00:13:17.93
You say, "Well, man, how
did he hide these prophets,
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.30
you know, in the caves?"
00:13:20.33\00:13:23.57
I mean, it's kind of interesting
00:13:23.60\00:13:25.80
when you look in
the Mount Carmel area.
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.44
There's over 2,000
caves, that's a lot of caves.
00:13:29.47\00:13:35.78
But there were places
where some men could be hid
00:13:35.81\00:13:39.31
so that they were not killed.
00:13:39.35\00:13:40.98
And Obadiah
comes in on the scene,
00:13:41.02\00:13:42.78
and of course,
Ahab got together,
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.59
and they realized,
00:13:44.62\00:13:45.95
and he wanted Obadiah to go,
00:13:45.99\00:13:47.32
get Elijah and bring him to him.
00:13:47.36\00:13:49.92
Interesting.
00:13:49.96\00:13:53.66
Obadiah simply means
a servant of Jehovah,
00:13:53.70\00:13:58.23
a servant of Jehovah.
00:13:58.27\00:13:59.60
Man, wouldn't that be
nice to have that name,
00:13:59.63\00:14:00.97
I'm a servant of Jehovah.
00:14:01.00\00:14:02.34
So as we look, Obadiah
was to take Elijah to Ahab,
00:14:05.07\00:14:11.01
but notice how it turned out.
00:14:11.05\00:14:13.38
What happened?
00:14:13.42\00:14:14.75
Obadiah gets Ahab and
he takes him to Elijah.
00:14:14.78\00:14:20.59
God's people are in charge.
00:14:20.62\00:14:21.99
Is somebody
getting the point here?
00:14:22.02\00:14:23.63
Even if you're
dealing with kings,
00:14:23.66\00:14:25.23
God is still in charge.
00:14:25.26\00:14:27.50
And He said, "You
don't have to go to him,
00:14:27.53\00:14:28.96
I'll bring him to you."
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.67
Man, how wonderful that was!
00:14:31.70\00:14:34.37
And the Bible even
says there when the king,
00:14:34.40\00:14:36.60
notice this,
00:14:36.64\00:14:37.97
the king had all kind
of soldiers around him,
00:14:38.01\00:14:39.61
there's nothing
to really fear about,
00:14:39.64\00:14:41.38
and Elijah goes in as
one man under death-decree,
00:14:41.41\00:14:44.05
he could be killed, but he goes,
00:14:44.08\00:14:45.85
you know, and does
what God tells him.
00:14:45.88\00:14:47.58
But now when the
king comes before Elijah,
00:14:47.62\00:14:49.82
you know what happened?
00:14:49.85\00:14:51.19
The Bible says
he did it with fear.
00:14:51.22\00:14:54.79
Even though the numbers
may be on the other side,
00:14:54.82\00:14:56.89
when you're with God,
you're in the majority.
00:14:56.93\00:15:00.96
Did you get it?
You're in the majority.
00:15:01.00\00:15:02.33
God's gonna take care of you.
00:15:02.36\00:15:04.33
This is good news.
This has really happened.
00:15:04.37\00:15:06.63
It's gonna happen time and
time again through the ages.
00:15:06.67\00:15:09.50
1 Kings 18:17,
moving on quickly.
00:15:09.54\00:15:11.37
Notice, 1 Kings
18:17 records this.
00:15:11.41\00:15:15.38
As soon as the King Ahab
saw Elijah, what was his word?
00:15:15.41\00:15:19.68
What did he say?
00:15:19.71\00:15:21.68
Art what?
00:15:21.72\00:15:23.05
"Art thou he that,"
what, "troubleth Israel?"
00:15:23.08\00:15:28.69
We have to understand
relationship of a king
00:15:28.72\00:15:30.99
and somebody on the death-decree
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.60
that the king had
all power as it were.
00:15:33.63\00:15:38.23
But as soon, see,
as they met together,
00:15:38.27\00:15:42.00
the king's gonna start pushing
some blame off on somebody.
00:15:42.04\00:15:45.31
And so he says,
00:15:45.34\00:15:46.68
"Are you the one
that's troubling Israel?"
00:15:46.71\00:15:50.68
Notice, Elijah
doesn't mince words around
00:15:50.71\00:15:53.45
and tries to dance
around the barn we call it,
00:15:53.48\00:15:55.95
say pretty things like
a lot of people do today,
00:15:55.98\00:15:58.65
and try to make, you
know, peace and everything
00:15:58.69\00:16:00.92
just to get
along and compromise.
00:16:00.96\00:16:02.96
Not at all.
00:16:02.99\00:16:04.33
1 Kings 18:18 tells this.
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.60
Elijah said, "I have
not troubled Israel."
00:16:07.63\00:16:12.80
He's talking back to
a king, did you get it?
00:16:12.83\00:16:15.24
"I have not
troubled Israel, but thou,
00:16:15.27\00:16:18.57
and thy father's house,"
00:16:18.61\00:16:20.48
now notice how
they troubled Israel.
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.31
They're in the
mess that they're in.
00:16:22.34\00:16:24.31
No dew, no rain, cattle's dying,
00:16:24.35\00:16:26.38
people dying, it's a mess.
00:16:26.41\00:16:29.08
They're in that
mess because Elijah told,
00:16:29.12\00:16:32.62
"That ye have forsaken
the commandments of God,
00:16:32.65\00:16:36.86
of the Lord, and thou
hast followed after Baalim."
00:16:36.89\00:16:40.50
Here's the reason
they were going through
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.16
what they were going through.
00:16:42.20\00:16:43.53
They had sunk so low
00:16:43.57\00:16:44.90
that God was trying
to get their attention
00:16:44.93\00:16:46.80
and to bring them back.
00:16:46.84\00:16:48.17
And sometimes it's
through horrible disasters.
00:16:48.20\00:16:52.77
"It wasn't me," he said,
00:16:52.81\00:16:54.91
"It was you and the
choices that you have made."
00:16:54.94\00:16:57.55
Notice how it is,
00:16:57.58\00:16:58.91
"You've forsaken
the commandments,"
00:16:58.95\00:17:00.42
that word there
in many translations.
00:17:00.45\00:17:02.05
It simply is talking about here,
00:17:02.08\00:17:03.99
it's the law of God.
00:17:04.02\00:17:05.45
"You've forsaken the law of God,
00:17:05.49\00:17:07.19
you've forsaken the
ordinance of the God.
00:17:07.22\00:17:09.32
You have forsaken
the precepts of God."
00:17:09.36\00:17:13.50
And encapsulates all of it.
00:17:13.53\00:17:14.86
Yeah, it's God you
have rebelled against.
00:17:14.90\00:17:18.23
You have
forsaken, you have forsaken
00:17:18.27\00:17:20.70
and the standard
of righteousness.
00:17:20.74\00:17:23.64
People who try to throw out
the Ten Commandment law today,
00:17:23.67\00:17:25.74
they're trying to throw out
the standard and righteousness.
00:17:25.77\00:17:27.84
We have no standard
00:17:27.88\00:17:29.28
without the Ten Commandment law.
00:17:29.31\00:17:30.78
We wouldn't know
what's right and wrong,
00:17:30.81\00:17:32.38
we would be divided
with that two opinions.
00:17:32.41\00:17:37.29
There's two opinions on it.
00:17:37.32\00:17:38.65
So I'm saying, you know,
00:17:38.69\00:17:40.02
it's minding
others say it's not.
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.12
But then we have to
go to the Word of God.
00:17:42.16\00:17:46.26
Here we see that
real battle royale
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.63
is going on.
00:17:48.66\00:17:50.67
Notice what
happens and this happens
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.07
in individual lives
too but with the King Ahab.
00:17:52.10\00:17:55.17
Other words, his
kingdom was looking bad,
00:17:55.20\00:17:58.01
things weren't
going very well at all.
00:17:58.04\00:17:59.87
He was angry, he
would be afraid to do
00:17:59.91\00:18:02.24
before he brings any
harm against Elijah right now.
00:18:02.28\00:18:04.51
He's trying to find out how
00:18:04.55\00:18:05.88
maybe he can get this
thing rectified, get it changed.
00:18:05.91\00:18:08.78
And so the king
tries to, notice this,
00:18:08.82\00:18:10.89
he tries to put
the blame on Elijah.
00:18:10.92\00:18:13.86
Interesting. Put
the blame on Elijah.
00:18:13.89\00:18:17.03
He doesn't want the
blame for the devastation.
00:18:17.06\00:18:19.93
He doesn't want the blame
for what was going on here,
00:18:19.96\00:18:23.10
the drought.
00:18:23.13\00:18:26.07
Evil has a lot of bad things.
00:18:26.10\00:18:28.37
Sin has a lot of bad things.
00:18:28.40\00:18:29.97
But one evil of
sin, listen carefully,
00:18:30.01\00:18:31.97
one evil of sin
00:18:32.01\00:18:34.21
is that it always
tries to confuse the issues.
00:18:34.24\00:18:39.61
Somebody listen. What happens?
00:18:39.65\00:18:42.28
It always tries to
confuse the issues.
00:18:42.32\00:18:46.12
You go try to talk to
someone about something,
00:18:46.15\00:18:48.06
they want another subject.
00:18:48.09\00:18:49.46
They confuse us,
"Yeah, yeah, but..."
00:18:49.49\00:18:51.89
It won't be apples with
apples, if you know what I mean,
00:18:51.93\00:18:53.83
oranges with oranges.
00:18:53.86\00:18:55.33
They try to confuse
it and make it look like,
00:18:55.36\00:18:57.90
"Well, it wasn't me, it was you.
00:18:57.93\00:19:00.70
It was somebody
else, they made me do it."
00:19:00.74\00:19:05.91
Sin always,
00:19:05.94\00:19:08.24
sin always
refuses to take the blame.
00:19:08.28\00:19:12.91
Is somebody listening?
00:19:12.95\00:19:14.62
Sin does what?
00:19:14.65\00:19:16.62
Sin always
refuses to take the blame
00:19:16.65\00:19:20.16
for all the problems
that it causes, always.
00:19:20.19\00:19:25.63
It even goes so
far to make it appear
00:19:25.66\00:19:30.97
that right doing is wrong doing
and wrong doing is right doing.
00:19:31.00\00:19:35.67
Is somebody home? Yeah.
00:19:35.70\00:19:37.17
You see?
00:19:37.21\00:19:38.54
That's how far
someone is steeped in sin,
00:19:38.57\00:19:41.61
when they had
this, they try to push it
00:19:41.64\00:19:43.11
somewhere else and make it what?
00:19:43.14\00:19:47.05
Appear when you're
doing the right thing,
00:19:47.08\00:19:48.75
it's the wrong thing.
00:19:48.78\00:19:50.12
And you're
doing the wrong thing,
00:19:50.15\00:19:51.49
it's the right thing.
00:19:51.52\00:19:52.85
We have to be very careful.
00:19:52.89\00:19:54.22
We have to know what's right.
00:19:54.26\00:19:55.59
But Elijah clears
the air. I love him.
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.26
He's like a big exhaust fan.
00:19:57.29\00:19:59.13
He's going to clear
the air right quick.
00:19:59.16\00:20:00.63
Is somebody there?
00:20:00.66\00:20:02.00
He's gonna, I mean,
00:20:02.03\00:20:03.37
he's going to turn
that fan on high, notice.
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.13
He says, "It's not me, it's you.
00:20:06.17\00:20:08.20
And it's yours, your
family, it's your house
00:20:08.24\00:20:11.67
because you have
rebelled against God.
00:20:11.71\00:20:15.14
You've brought
about these judgments
00:20:15.18\00:20:17.78
because you turned your back
on God by your disobedience.
00:20:17.81\00:20:21.88
You turned your back
because you wanted life.
00:20:21.92\00:20:24.22
I've heard people say here,
00:20:24.25\00:20:25.59
"Well, I don't want
to go to church here,
00:20:25.62\00:20:26.96
I don't want to observe any law,
00:20:26.99\00:20:28.32
I don't want to do this
because I want total freedom."
00:20:28.36\00:20:30.16
Bible said,
total freedom is doing
00:20:30.19\00:20:31.53
what God wants us to do,
that's freedom, isn't it?
00:20:31.56\00:20:35.36
We have no freedom without God.
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.63
Ahab and Jezebel convinced
him that they could have a life,
00:20:38.67\00:20:43.07
and their life would be better
if he did worship her way.
00:20:43.10\00:20:48.54
So he said, "Well,
we just wanted life."
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.15
But you know what they've found?
00:20:50.18\00:20:51.51
They found death
00:20:51.55\00:20:52.88
because they
turned their back on God.
00:20:52.91\00:20:55.62
He wanted joy and
he wanted happiness,
00:20:55.65\00:20:59.45
but all they found
was sorrow and despair.
00:20:59.49\00:21:04.26
They thought
they would want this.
00:21:04.29\00:21:05.63
They wanted peace, but
all they found was trouble,
00:21:05.66\00:21:09.60
trouble on every hand.
00:21:09.63\00:21:11.07
This is when you
move away from God.
00:21:11.10\00:21:13.23
Move toward God, there's peace.
00:21:13.27\00:21:16.07
You move away from
God, there is no peace.
00:21:16.10\00:21:19.41
God says to the wicked,
00:21:19.44\00:21:20.78
"There is no peace,
there'll never be any peace."
00:21:20.81\00:21:24.75
The lessons that we can
learn from these things.
00:21:24.78\00:21:29.08
But the good thing
I like about this is
00:21:29.12\00:21:30.85
there was time now to find out
00:21:30.89\00:21:32.89
who was the real
troubler of Israel.
00:21:32.92\00:21:36.06
I always like to
get down to the point.
00:21:36.09\00:21:37.76
Who is it?
00:21:37.79\00:21:39.13
Who's really troubling?
00:21:39.16\00:21:40.50
Find out who is
troubling Israel.
00:21:40.53\00:21:43.16
May I just say it
today and be bold,
00:21:43.20\00:21:46.33
some of you get it, some
of you won't, some don't.
00:21:46.37\00:21:48.34
I understand all of
that, and some never heard
00:21:48.37\00:21:51.01
some of the stuff
that maybe we'll talk about
00:21:51.04\00:21:52.77
but I believe, I
believe with all my heart
00:21:52.81\00:21:55.61
that there's
troubles in Israel today.
00:21:55.64\00:21:59.91
God's last day
people. There's a lot of...
00:21:59.95\00:22:02.02
I mean, a lot of
trouble, God's church,
00:22:02.05\00:22:05.82
call it what you
want, God's people,
00:22:05.85\00:22:07.22
God's church, whatever.
00:22:07.26\00:22:08.59
At this movement,
there's a lot of problems.
00:22:08.62\00:22:11.93
And I think a fair question,
a fair question must be asked.
00:22:11.96\00:22:16.56
Who's causing the trouble?
00:22:16.60\00:22:18.17
Are the troublers of
Israel those who are advocating
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.64
God's Ten
Commandment law, all ten?
00:22:24.67\00:22:27.54
Or is that the ones
that's trying to say
00:22:27.58\00:22:29.24
we no longer have
to worry about it.
00:22:29.28\00:22:32.35
They're pulling it
down and stomping on it.
00:22:32.38\00:22:35.82
They're no longer lifting
any kind of in sign, you know.
00:22:35.85\00:22:40.69
They're not lifting
up any kind of flag.
00:22:40.72\00:22:42.79
They're not just
saying, "This is what I am."
00:22:42.82\00:22:45.73
They're trying to
hide behind something.
00:22:45.76\00:22:50.97
Who is the real
troublers of Israel?
00:22:51.00\00:22:53.74
I think a
decision has to be made
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.17
as in 1 Kings 18:21,
00:22:59.21\00:23:02.04
"How long ye halt
between two opinions?"
00:23:02.08\00:23:06.21
Once again, is it what?
00:23:06.25\00:23:07.88
It's God or it's Baal,
00:23:07.92\00:23:09.38
it's one or the
other what the Bible said.
00:23:09.42\00:23:12.45
Who's going to be your master?
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.99
In the Book of
Matthew 6:24, it says,
00:23:15.02\00:23:19.03
"You can't serve two masters."
00:23:19.06\00:23:20.40
Isn't that right?
00:23:20.43\00:23:21.76
You can't serve two.
00:23:21.80\00:23:23.13
Many people try
to serve two today.
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.37
You think you can
go to two or three
00:23:25.40\00:23:26.84
or four different churches
or whatever it might be,
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.74
and be this and be
that over there, you can't.
00:23:28.77\00:23:30.57
You're going to have to get down
00:23:30.61\00:23:31.94
to one or the other.
00:23:31.97\00:23:33.68
You've got to do it.
00:23:33.71\00:23:36.24
Now I will say, if
people are not happy,
00:23:36.28\00:23:38.15
these lessons, over and over,
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.68
bring out that God requires us
00:23:39.71\00:23:42.05
to make a decision
for Him or against Him.
00:23:42.08\00:23:46.96
Get in, we say, or get out.
00:23:46.99\00:23:49.42
No one wants to,
00:23:49.46\00:23:50.79
"Oh, you don't have to
say it that way, get in."
00:23:50.83\00:23:52.16
Get in or get out.
00:23:52.19\00:23:54.16
That's what Elijah
said, did he not to Israel?
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.73
Decide, if you
want it beautiful,
00:23:56.77\00:23:59.00
if you don't like it,
why are you still here?
00:23:59.03\00:24:04.11
President Trump said one time,
00:24:04.14\00:24:05.47
"If you don't like the
country, go to another one."
00:24:05.51\00:24:07.28
I believe it, if
that's all right.
00:24:11.15\00:24:14.65
You get the point.
00:24:14.68\00:24:17.59
Love what God
has given, enjoy it.
00:24:17.62\00:24:21.92
This was a challenge.
00:24:21.96\00:24:25.06
Elijah gave a
challenge to the people of God
00:24:25.09\00:24:28.00
and everybody that was there.
00:24:28.03\00:24:30.73
I like a challenge personally.
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.27
But when a challenge
is given, Brother Levi,
00:24:34.30\00:24:37.34
I'm gonna have
to respond to that.
00:24:37.37\00:24:38.97
When a spiritual
challenge is given,
00:24:39.01\00:24:41.18
we are going to have to respond
to that and not just hot air.
00:24:41.21\00:24:47.08
And when we're
given the challenge,
00:24:47.12\00:24:48.45
then we need
the right to express
00:24:48.48\00:24:51.05
how we feel about this decisions
00:24:51.09\00:24:53.46
or how we feel about it.
00:24:53.49\00:24:56.19
What happened? Notice
this, listen carefully.
00:24:56.22\00:24:58.26
What happened to
Elijah's challenge
00:24:58.29\00:25:00.70
when he
challenged the people of God?
00:25:00.73\00:25:03.03
He challenged everybody there,
00:25:03.06\00:25:04.57
but specially the people of God,
00:25:04.60\00:25:06.23
because when he told,
"Here, we're going to meet up,
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.97
this is going to be a challenge.
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.34
We're going to
see whose God's real."
00:25:10.37\00:25:12.44
And he told King
Ahab, what did he say?
00:25:12.47\00:25:15.34
"Bring all of Israel
here on Mount Carmel."
00:25:15.38\00:25:17.88
Did you get it?
00:25:17.91\00:25:19.25
The Bible says all,
if I remember correctly.
00:25:19.28\00:25:21.12
"Bring all of them here."
00:25:21.15\00:25:22.48
And so there's
Elijah there and he said,
00:25:25.49\00:25:27.12
"All of Israel is here,
they should know what is right.
00:25:27.16\00:25:31.16
And sometimes, we
say in the church,
00:25:31.19\00:25:32.53
"We should know what's right."
00:25:32.56\00:25:33.90
And I say, "Why are we
doing so many things wrong?"
00:25:33.93\00:25:38.67
You say it's
critical if you want to,
00:25:38.70\00:25:40.27
but you always
look at the Word of God,
00:25:40.30\00:25:41.84
the Word of God is clear.
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.44
After the challenge
was made, 1 Kings 18:21,
00:25:44.47\00:25:49.01
I think the last
line of it, notice,
00:25:49.04\00:25:51.21
when he made a big challenge.
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.58
Man, when you make
a challenge, I say,
00:25:52.61\00:25:54.18
"How many is with me today?"
00:25:54.22\00:25:55.98
Might come out here.
00:25:56.02\00:25:57.35
"How many is with me today?"
00:25:57.39\00:26:00.82
And nobody standing up,
nobody is raising their hand.
00:26:00.86\00:26:05.49
They're all looking
down and shuffling the dust,
00:26:05.53\00:26:09.63
you see?
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.80
Some of them has got an itch.
00:26:11.83\00:26:13.17
No eye contact.
00:26:16.40\00:26:18.47
Elijah said,
"How many? How many?"
00:26:18.51\00:26:24.35
Wow.
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.08
Here is so...
00:26:26.11\00:26:27.45
It makes you want to
weak, all of God's children,
00:26:27.48\00:26:32.09
all of Israel.
00:26:32.12\00:26:33.66
1 Kings 18:21, it said,
00:26:33.69\00:26:38.63
"The people
answered him not a word."
00:26:38.66\00:26:42.10
I'm not talking
about Baal worshippers,
00:26:42.13\00:26:43.93
I'm not talking about heathens,
I'm not talking about pagans,
00:26:43.97\00:26:46.87
I'm talking about God's people.
00:26:46.90\00:26:48.47
When the
challenge was put to them,
00:26:48.50\00:26:50.04
they hung their head
down and said nothing.
00:26:50.07\00:26:52.44
No one said anything.
00:26:52.47\00:26:55.11
I want to say,
"For crying out loud,
00:26:55.14\00:26:56.54
but somebody
would say something."
00:26:56.58\00:26:59.45
Somebody would
stand up and say, "Yes!"
00:26:59.48\00:27:02.88
How do you think you feel?
00:27:02.92\00:27:06.09
Think about what's written
in Holy writ, no one stood up.
00:27:06.12\00:27:11.56
All the people of
Israel came, not one said,
00:27:11.59\00:27:14.60
"Oh, I stand on the side of God.
00:27:14.63\00:27:17.67
This is what I want to do."
00:27:17.70\00:27:19.47
They had become blind as bats,
00:27:19.50\00:27:23.20
or blinder, I don't know.
00:27:23.24\00:27:26.07
They became blind.
00:27:26.11\00:27:27.74
And let me tell you,
00:27:27.78\00:27:29.11
you do not
become blind overnight.
00:27:29.14\00:27:32.08
It's by succession of things
that's been going on for years
00:27:32.11\00:27:35.58
in and around and among us
00:27:35.62\00:27:37.22
that many of us
will become blind,
00:27:37.25\00:27:38.99
and we don't see well anymore.
00:27:39.02\00:27:41.72
May God help us.
00:27:41.76\00:27:43.09
That's why he's
talking about the eye salve,
00:27:43.12\00:27:44.93
we need to put some eye salve on
00:27:44.96\00:27:46.56
because we need to see properly.
00:27:46.59\00:27:48.73
We need to understand properly.
00:27:48.76\00:27:52.77
I mean, that just reminded me
00:27:52.80\00:27:54.17
which just
brought tears to my eyes.
00:27:54.20\00:27:55.54
The other evening I
was reading, I said,
00:27:55.57\00:27:56.91
you know, maybe
at least in my mind,
00:27:56.94\00:27:59.51
at least in my
mind, it remind me so much
00:27:59.54\00:28:01.41
as when Jesus went into
the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:28:01.44\00:28:03.55
are you still with me church?
00:28:03.58\00:28:05.25
He's in the Garden of
Gethsemane and He said,
00:28:05.28\00:28:07.65
"Will you pray
with Me," was an hour?
00:28:07.68\00:28:09.85
"Would you pray with
me just for an hour?"
00:28:09.88\00:28:13.69
He came back and
they were asleep.
00:28:13.72\00:28:15.96
He comes back and He
said, "Would you pray with Me?"
00:28:15.99\00:28:17.93
In other words,
if just one, Mary,
00:28:17.96\00:28:20.50
if there just
been one that said,
00:28:20.53\00:28:21.96
"I'll pray with you, Lord,"
00:28:22.00\00:28:23.33
how would that
brought joy to His heart.
00:28:23.37\00:28:26.43
But He came back and
they were all sound asleep.
00:28:26.47\00:28:28.87
How that must have hurt?
00:28:28.90\00:28:30.24
How that must have hurt?
00:28:33.27\00:28:37.28
Sin blinds us just a
little bit at a time.
00:28:37.31\00:28:41.18
Sin blinds us gradually.
00:28:41.22\00:28:44.75
See, if it happened
just like that, you'd say,
00:28:44.79\00:28:46.25
"Oh, I'm blind, I can't see.
00:28:46.29\00:28:47.62
What's going on?"
00:28:47.66\00:28:48.99
But it's just in little incubus,
00:28:49.02\00:28:50.36
this is done, that's done.
00:28:50.39\00:28:52.29
Can I say junk?
00:28:52.33\00:28:53.66
Junk of the world is
brought in to the church,
00:28:53.70\00:28:56.67
and we let a
little bit of junk get by.
00:28:56.70\00:28:59.37
Then there's more junk,
and then there's more junk.
00:28:59.40\00:29:02.20
You try to shovel the junk out,
and it seems to be multiplying
00:29:02.24\00:29:05.71
because you've let...
00:29:05.74\00:29:07.58
Oh, be careful with this.
00:29:07.61\00:29:08.94
When you let the
junkers come in and bring junk,
00:29:08.98\00:29:12.51
they untruths of God's word.
00:29:12.55\00:29:13.88
Are you following, somebody?
00:29:13.92\00:29:16.12
We can't let
anything like that in
00:29:16.15\00:29:18.49
because it just produces more.
00:29:18.52\00:29:20.99
And if it's not
taking care of it,
00:29:21.02\00:29:22.39
it gets worse and worse,
00:29:22.42\00:29:23.76
and then you've got real issues.
00:29:23.79\00:29:27.76
They had not, they did
not want any kind of reproves
00:29:27.80\00:29:32.30
or warnings from God,
they turned Him all down.
00:29:32.33\00:29:34.37
Here's a test.
00:29:34.40\00:29:35.74
Prophets and Kings 147,
I'm going to try to hurry,
00:29:35.77\00:29:37.61
you know I am.
00:29:37.64\00:29:39.51
But I am feeling
pretty good today.
00:29:39.54\00:29:40.98
I'm sorry. That's a way it is.
00:29:44.81\00:29:46.15
It may just be me
and you, Brother Bobby,
00:29:49.75\00:29:51.32
but it's all right.
00:29:51.35\00:29:52.69
You stayed by me
before, it's all right.
00:29:52.72\00:29:54.12
Prophets and Kings, I
know what I said a while ago.
00:30:00.00\00:30:02.23
Prophets and Kings 147 and 148.
00:30:02.26\00:30:05.90
It says this,
00:30:05.93\00:30:07.27
"Each departure from rightdoing,
00:30:07.30\00:30:10.91
each refusal to repent,
00:30:10.94\00:30:15.01
had deepened their guilt
00:30:15.04\00:30:17.51
and driven them
farther from heaven.
00:30:17.55\00:30:20.65
And now in the crisis,
they persisted in refusing,"
00:30:20.68\00:30:24.52
notice this, "and
take their stand for God."
00:30:24.55\00:30:29.02
Did you notice how it happened?
00:30:29.06\00:30:31.29
Each departure from
rightdoing was what?
00:30:31.33\00:30:34.33
And they didn't repent, it
just deepened and deepened.
00:30:34.36\00:30:39.33
They refused.
00:30:39.37\00:30:41.74
If we are in a time of
crisis in this movement,
00:30:41.77\00:30:46.68
everybody in the world,
00:30:46.71\00:30:48.38
this is a crisis
time that we're living in.
00:30:48.41\00:30:50.35
If you can't see it now
00:30:50.38\00:30:51.71
from what's
happening in the world,
00:30:51.75\00:30:53.08
pray about it,
please pray about it.
00:30:53.11\00:30:55.45
Man, it's so obvious
00:30:55.48\00:30:56.89
of what's going on in the world.
00:30:56.92\00:30:58.39
The end could come quickly.
00:30:58.42\00:31:00.99
Quick, real quick in
what people can think
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.79
and I don't understand
why, but here's what God abhors.
00:31:02.82\00:31:06.09
God hates this, may I just
say, "God hates indifference.
00:31:06.13\00:31:11.33
God hates disloyalty
00:31:11.37\00:31:13.84
in the time of
crisis in His work."
00:31:13.87\00:31:17.31
I say it's time of crisis.
00:31:17.34\00:31:19.61
God hates disloyalty.
00:31:19.64\00:31:21.74
We cannot be disloyal to God.
00:31:21.78\00:31:24.61
Israel was disloyal to
God because no one said,
00:31:24.65\00:31:27.85
"Oh, I'm gonna be on God's side.
00:31:27.88\00:31:29.65
I'm gonna be on God's side."
00:31:29.68\00:31:32.25
Would we not think,
the call must go out.
00:31:32.29\00:31:37.23
Exodus 32:26, just jot it down.
00:31:37.26\00:31:39.49
Exodus 32:26, could
this call go out right now,
00:31:39.53\00:31:42.93
could it go out, would it work?
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.17
It simply says, "Who
is on the Lord's side?
00:31:45.20\00:31:49.40
Who is on the Lord's side?"
00:31:49.44\00:31:50.84
I'm bringing that out
today, think about it,
00:31:50.87\00:31:52.87
my brothers and sisters,
who is on the Lord's side.
00:31:52.91\00:31:55.78
You're either on His
side or you're on Baal's side?
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.68
You're on God's side or
you're on the enemy's side?
00:31:58.71\00:32:00.55
There's no other place to go.
00:32:00.58\00:32:02.12
You might say,
00:32:02.15\00:32:03.49
"Well, I wish
there was other place."
00:32:03.52\00:32:04.85
There's not,
00:32:04.89\00:32:06.22
because the
Bible said there's not.
00:32:06.25\00:32:08.99
Oh, whose side are we on?
00:32:09.02\00:32:12.23
You see, that
question is not just a...
00:32:12.26\00:32:14.70
See, some of you sat
and thinking about it now.
00:32:14.73\00:32:16.80
This is deeper
than a thought question.
00:32:16.83\00:32:19.87
This is more than just...
00:32:19.90\00:32:21.27
Did you get it? Who
is on the Lord's side?
00:32:21.30\00:32:23.97
This is deeper than
just a thought question.
00:32:24.01\00:32:27.24
It demands that
we identify our self.
00:32:27.28\00:32:31.61
I identify myself
with it, I step forward.
00:32:31.65\00:32:36.28
See, it's more than just
going through our mind and say,
00:32:36.32\00:32:37.95
"Yeah, I do, I do."
00:32:37.99\00:32:39.32
We have to stand up,
we have to take a stand.
00:32:39.35\00:32:42.59
The world has to
know where you stand.
00:32:42.62\00:32:47.80
This is what God says.
00:32:47.83\00:32:49.76
So that everybody can see
00:32:49.80\00:32:51.67
that we have chosen
to be on the Lord's side.
00:32:51.70\00:32:57.31
What did three Hebrews do
00:32:57.34\00:32:58.84
when they heard
the sound of the flute,
00:32:58.87\00:33:00.21
the music, whatever,
on the plain of Dura,
00:33:00.24\00:33:02.21
what did they do?
00:33:02.24\00:33:03.71
Did they bow down
like everybody else?
00:33:03.75\00:33:06.78
They stood up and did what?
00:33:06.82\00:33:09.08
They took a real
stand, did they not?
00:33:09.12\00:33:10.95
They were standing.
00:33:10.99\00:33:12.32
They were
identified, it was more than,
00:33:12.35\00:33:14.79
"I'm on God's side."
00:33:14.82\00:33:16.16
They were showing
they're on God's side.
00:33:16.19\00:33:18.13
Shouldn't we show
that we're on God's side?
00:33:18.16\00:33:20.30
I believe that we should
show that we're on God's side.
00:33:20.33\00:33:24.30
Elijah now, you know,
he breaks the silence.
00:33:24.33\00:33:27.64
Here's what I was
talking about a moment ago.
00:33:27.67\00:33:30.54
All right, now Elijah breaks
the silence in 1 Kings 18:22.
00:33:30.57\00:33:35.14
When he says, "I, even I only
00:33:35.18\00:33:39.78
remain a prophet of the Lord."
00:33:39.81\00:33:41.78
Man, that's a big statement.
00:33:41.82\00:33:43.49
That's a bold statement.
00:33:43.52\00:33:45.19
"I, even I am the only one."
00:33:45.22\00:33:46.55
What if I got up here today
and said, "I am the only one"?
00:33:46.59\00:33:50.13
Well, somebody will
love to throw stuff.
00:33:50.16\00:33:53.26
I love to throw it back.
00:33:53.29\00:33:56.50
That's kind of what you said.
00:33:56.53\00:33:58.03
It would disgust, Brother Mark,
it would disgust some people.
00:33:58.07\00:34:01.14
You got up front and taught
Sabbath School, and you said,
00:34:01.17\00:34:02.90
"I'm the only one here
that's doing the right thing,"
00:34:02.94\00:34:04.74
it's going to disgust
some, they may be right.
00:34:04.77\00:34:07.58
It may be the truth
00:34:07.61\00:34:08.94
but you don't just
get up and say that,
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.18
unless there's a reason.
00:34:11.21\00:34:12.55
See, there was a
reason for him to say this.
00:34:12.58\00:34:14.82
There was a reason.
00:34:14.85\00:34:17.62
Who's on the Lord's side?
00:34:17.65\00:34:20.02
"How long halt ye
between two opinions?"
00:34:20.06\00:34:24.29
How long will we as
God's last-day people
00:34:24.33\00:34:27.63
fail to take a
stand for what is truth?
00:34:27.66\00:34:29.90
It's not difficult.
00:34:33.17\00:34:35.34
Let me just name three
or four things right quick.
00:34:35.37\00:34:37.21
And if you get a little...
00:34:37.24\00:34:39.44
You know, if it
stings you just a little bit,
00:34:39.47\00:34:41.21
just try to forgive
me and just move on.
00:34:41.24\00:34:42.88
There's issues and these
issues need to be met hit on.
00:34:42.91\00:34:46.85
If you don't do it,
00:34:46.88\00:34:48.22
you're not a man
and woman of God,
00:34:48.25\00:34:49.58
or I'm not doing
what I'm impressed to do,
00:34:49.62\00:34:50.95
I'm gonna do it
because I think it's time,
00:34:50.99\00:34:55.59
it's back on Mount Carmel.
00:34:55.62\00:34:58.93
If God be God,
00:34:58.96\00:35:02.56
worship Him,
choose Him if He's God.
00:35:02.60\00:35:05.43
Why?
00:35:05.47\00:35:06.80
Because Israel
was going backwards.
00:35:06.84\00:35:08.67
Today, Israel, to me,
00:35:08.70\00:35:10.04
is retreating back toward Egypt.
00:35:10.07\00:35:13.11
That's a heavy duty,
but there's so many things,
00:35:13.14\00:35:15.71
and we can spend
hours going through.
00:35:15.74\00:35:17.35
I want to mention
three or four things
00:35:17.38\00:35:18.98
that we need to
take a real stand on.
00:35:19.01\00:35:21.15
It's not difficult
for me to figure out
00:35:21.18\00:35:23.95
that abortion is murder.
00:35:23.99\00:35:26.65
Somebody's not advanced.
00:35:26.69\00:35:28.46
Abortion is murder, and
we've taken up ten years
00:35:31.73\00:35:35.93
and we can't take a stand on it,
00:35:35.96\00:35:37.43
we can't figure out that it is.
00:35:37.47\00:35:40.24
Something is wrong.
00:35:40.27\00:35:42.74
My problem is just
God just leave it alone
00:35:42.77\00:35:45.41
and not deal with it?
00:35:45.44\00:35:46.78
No.
00:35:46.81\00:35:48.31
He's gonna react
like He always has.
00:35:48.34\00:35:51.58
It's gonna hurt us.
00:35:51.61\00:35:52.95
Somebody needs
to say that's wrong.
00:35:52.98\00:35:54.98
We can't accept
that at our movement.
00:35:55.02\00:35:59.45
We can't do it in our hospitals.
00:35:59.49\00:36:02.56
We can't because we
want God's blessing.
00:36:02.59\00:36:06.90
The Bible is clear.
00:36:06.93\00:36:09.56
It shouldn't have taken
years and still working on it.
00:36:09.60\00:36:12.57
Still from teen years,
while I was growing up,
00:36:12.60\00:36:15.04
well, we haven't
taken official position.
00:36:15.07\00:36:17.74
The Bible already
has taken the position.
00:36:17.77\00:36:22.14
The Bible has already taken
official position on that stand
00:36:22.18\00:36:26.61
and we should follow.
00:36:26.65\00:36:30.19
Teaching the theory of evolution
00:36:30.22\00:36:34.52
is just plain wrong.
00:36:34.56\00:36:37.79
It has no place in our schools
or any place else in the world
00:36:37.83\00:36:42.20
as far as I'm concerned.
00:36:42.23\00:36:43.60
God is our creator,
what the Bible tells me,
00:36:43.63\00:36:46.43
end of the story
00:36:46.47\00:36:47.80
because I've read
the first of the book.
00:36:47.84\00:36:49.50
In Genesis 1:1, it says,
"In the beginning God created."
00:36:49.54\00:36:54.28
That's the end of the
story. I want you to see that.
00:36:54.31\00:36:56.34
Yeah, I'm excited
about it 'cause I say,
00:36:56.38\00:36:58.08
we got to do something
because it's same thing
00:36:58.11\00:37:00.72
they were fighting with
on Mount Carmel, if it's God.
00:37:00.75\00:37:04.79
And God has already
said, "This is right."
00:37:04.82\00:37:07.66
Why won't we stand for it?
00:37:07.69\00:37:10.33
How long halt we
between two opinions?
00:37:10.36\00:37:14.73
Your decision, my
decision could be fatal.
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.23
It will be fatal if
we don't choose right.
00:37:17.27\00:37:20.44
Another issue is
interesting is why, you know,
00:37:20.47\00:37:24.74
women's ordination as pastors
and elders is unscriptural.
00:37:24.77\00:37:29.71
The Word of God has spoken
it, it's always been there.
00:37:29.74\00:37:34.38
The world church
has taken a vote on it
00:37:34.42\00:37:36.48
and we still can't
decide what we want to do.
00:37:36.52\00:37:40.12
I'm deciding in
what the word teaches.
00:37:40.16\00:37:44.73
See, that may not sound
like anything, and somebody say,
00:37:44.76\00:37:47.83
"Well, that's not
a very big thing."
00:37:47.86\00:37:49.73
It is, because
there's a matter of truth
00:37:49.76\00:37:51.90
on this issue, and
the other is untruth.
00:37:51.93\00:37:55.10
And how can you balance it up
00:37:55.14\00:37:56.47
and say one is more
important than the other?
00:37:56.50\00:37:58.47
This is what we have to look at.
00:37:58.51\00:37:59.84
Take a stand, my
brothers and sisters,
00:38:03.68\00:38:05.58
based on scripture.
00:38:05.61\00:38:07.72
Or I will say this.
00:38:07.75\00:38:09.28
I'll take a stand on this today
00:38:09.32\00:38:11.12
or the curse of
God will be filled,
00:38:11.15\00:38:13.96
division and
separation will come.
00:38:13.99\00:38:16.32
There's no doubt about it.
00:38:16.36\00:38:17.99
It may take a while
but it's going to come.
00:38:18.03\00:38:20.33
Right now, we're just behind
waiting, it's gonna burst.
00:38:20.36\00:38:23.37
I'm telling you,
it's gonna come wide open
00:38:23.40\00:38:24.93
before too long.
00:38:24.97\00:38:26.30
It's gonna
devastate each and everyone,
00:38:26.33\00:38:28.07
gonna devastate the church
because we have not stepped in
00:38:28.10\00:38:31.27
and done the right
thing to begin with,
00:38:31.31\00:38:33.41
but you know
there's always hope.
00:38:33.44\00:38:35.68
There's hope that
we can make it right.
00:38:35.71\00:38:39.25
There's hope for me,
I can make things right.
00:38:39.28\00:38:41.05
There's hope for you that
you can make things right.
00:38:41.08\00:38:43.08
You've done things in
your life that's not right,
00:38:43.12\00:38:44.79
you can make it right with God
rather than have too much pride
00:38:44.82\00:38:47.92
and say, "Well, we
can't go back now."
00:38:47.96\00:38:50.86
Yes, you can go back now.
00:38:50.89\00:38:53.03
Yes, the changes can be made.
00:38:53.06\00:38:54.60
God is gracious
and long-suffering.
00:38:54.63\00:38:56.73
Truth is truth and
will always remain truth.
00:38:56.77\00:38:59.23
God is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:38:59.27\00:39:03.47
See, this is the
beauty of this study
00:39:03.51\00:39:05.54
as we go through here.
00:39:05.57\00:39:08.04
I can say this.
00:39:08.08\00:39:09.41
I want to say this as nice
as I can, try to get it right,
00:39:09.44\00:39:12.21
wrap your head
around it the right way.
00:39:12.25\00:39:14.15
For the love of God,
for the love of the church,
00:39:14.18\00:39:20.12
for the love of God's
people, for the love of unity,
00:39:20.16\00:39:25.06
put it back
right, put it back right
00:39:25.09\00:39:30.43
or there will be no
sound of abundance of rain,
00:39:30.47\00:39:34.37
there will not be.
00:39:34.40\00:39:37.71
In fact, we will hear,
00:39:37.74\00:39:40.41
they forsaken the
commandments of God,
00:39:40.44\00:39:43.28
they followed after Balaam.
00:39:43.31\00:39:46.82
I'll mention another
thing, it's not really popular
00:39:46.85\00:39:48.58
but I don't care
it to be popular,
00:39:48.62\00:39:50.12
I will never be in this life,
00:39:50.15\00:39:51.49
I'm too old to worry about
what you're gonna do to me.
00:39:51.52\00:39:56.02
Now what can be done
is now already been done.
00:39:56.06\00:39:58.03
You see, God's toughening
His people for this last,
00:40:01.33\00:40:03.57
big match that we
have to be able to take
00:40:03.60\00:40:06.84
what people throw at us,
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.70
and keep your eyes on
Christ and not get discouraged,
00:40:08.74\00:40:11.47
not soften down the message.
00:40:11.51\00:40:12.91
I believe the message needs
to get a little more straight.
00:40:12.94\00:40:15.38
It needs to be on target.
00:40:15.41\00:40:17.15
That's the only way
this work is gonna wrap up.
00:40:17.18\00:40:20.42
I want the
rain, I want the rain.
00:40:20.45\00:40:25.69
When Elijah did the right thing,
00:40:25.72\00:40:27.69
they heard the
sound of rain coming.
00:40:27.72\00:40:31.13
There's a drought going on now.
00:40:31.16\00:40:32.89
And, Lord, have mercy!
00:40:36.20\00:40:37.63
How in this world
00:40:37.67\00:40:41.17
can we, as people,
00:40:41.20\00:40:46.14
embrace the LGBTQ movement.
00:40:46.17\00:40:50.68
Some of you are not with me.
00:40:50.71\00:40:52.58
How in this world can we embrace
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.12
the lesbians, the gays,
00:40:55.15\00:40:57.42
the bisexual, the transgenders,
and so on and so forth?
00:40:57.45\00:41:01.32
The names go on and on.
00:41:01.36\00:41:02.69
So, you say,
"Well, that's nothing."
00:41:02.72\00:41:04.06
Because it's sin, that's why.
00:41:04.09\00:41:07.90
You don't have to try
to make excuses about it.
00:41:07.93\00:41:09.56
God knows everybody, He
knows, He loves everybody,
00:41:09.60\00:41:11.43
we understand that.
00:41:11.47\00:41:12.80
It's not the
person, it's the sin
00:41:12.83\00:41:14.44
that God called a
fire down from God,
00:41:14.47\00:41:18.74
destroyed and He
will do it again.
00:41:18.77\00:41:21.88
He will do it again
because He is the same.
00:41:21.91\00:41:26.35
May God help us to see.
00:41:26.38\00:41:27.92
We cannot make
special allowances
00:41:27.95\00:41:31.42
for these individuals.
00:41:31.45\00:41:32.92
And everybody
went, "Well, God loves...
00:41:32.95\00:41:34.32
I'm not going to all
that, I know God loves them,
00:41:34.36\00:41:36.62
but He doesn't love the sin.
00:41:36.66\00:41:38.69
He loved Israel back there
in Elijah's day, did He not?
00:41:38.73\00:41:42.80
They said right then and there,
00:41:42.83\00:41:44.17
things are going
to have to change.
00:41:44.20\00:41:45.57
This was their
time of probation,
00:41:45.60\00:41:47.24
they had to make it
right or it would not rain.
00:41:47.27\00:41:50.11
They would all perish.
00:41:50.14\00:41:53.17
We cannot accept their
lifestyle in the church.
00:41:53.21\00:41:57.08
We cannot afford to have them
to hold office in the church.
00:41:57.11\00:42:02.92
I'm not trying to hurt
anybody's feelings here at all,
00:42:02.95\00:42:04.72
that's not the issue.
00:42:04.75\00:42:06.09
And if you don't understand
all that, it may be a brother,
00:42:06.12\00:42:08.02
it may be a sister,
may be a family member,
00:42:08.06\00:42:09.72
whatever, that's immaterial
because I stand on God's side.
00:42:09.76\00:42:13.33
I'm just allowing
all that right there.
00:42:13.36\00:42:17.30
I have to because God
has spoken in His Word.
00:42:17.33\00:42:21.60
And if we want more
problems and more troubles,
00:42:21.64\00:42:23.71
my friends and brothers,
just keep making more room,
00:42:23.74\00:42:26.51
keep building on building,
keep accepting them on in,
00:42:26.54\00:42:30.71
just keep,
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.08
and you're gonna
see what happens.
00:42:32.11\00:42:33.45
Why, because when...
00:42:33.48\00:42:34.82
I'm just gonna let...
00:42:34.85\00:42:36.18
I'm just gonna lay
it out, there's no use.
00:42:36.22\00:42:40.79
You allow it to come in,
00:42:40.82\00:42:42.19
it just
contaminates everything else.
00:42:42.22\00:42:46.59
Anybody get that?
00:42:46.63\00:42:50.37
It contaminates
everything else that goes on.
00:42:50.40\00:42:55.04
God cannot bless
when you do that,
00:42:55.07\00:42:57.27
when it's open, when
it's there for you to see,
00:42:57.31\00:42:59.24
you know what's going on.
00:42:59.27\00:43:00.61
And there's
people in good standing,
00:43:00.64\00:43:02.24
saying, "Well, it's okay.
00:43:02.28\00:43:03.61
You know, God
loves, God understands."
00:43:03.65\00:43:04.98
Yeah, He does.
00:43:05.01\00:43:06.35
But man, look what He's
done through the past ages,
00:43:06.38\00:43:08.18
He will do it again.
00:43:08.22\00:43:09.55
I'm wanting to see
this come together.
00:43:09.58\00:43:10.95
Do the right
thing, finish the work
00:43:10.99\00:43:12.75
so that we can go home.
00:43:12.79\00:43:17.26
God forbids this
kind of lifestyle.
00:43:17.29\00:43:19.53
Yes, I know it's
happening in the world.
00:43:19.56\00:43:22.13
I know it's
happening in politics.
00:43:22.16\00:43:24.63
We're electing them into offices
00:43:24.67\00:43:26.00
and things right there.
00:43:26.03\00:43:27.37
Oh my lamb, Lord, have mercy!
00:43:27.40\00:43:29.14
Shoo!
00:43:33.61\00:43:36.08
That is
happening in the churches.
00:43:36.11\00:43:37.55
You have the audacity sometimes
00:43:41.05\00:43:42.45
to start at point for
a pastor of the church.
00:43:42.48\00:43:45.62
What can be
going through our mind!
00:43:49.22\00:43:53.43
See, I'm looking for
sin, I'm over looking.
00:43:53.46\00:43:55.06
I'm not looking at
faces. You follow me?
00:43:55.10\00:43:56.73
He, she, they?
00:43:56.77\00:43:59.60
How can God bless us as people?
00:43:59.63\00:44:03.30
This kind of sins
00:44:09.08\00:44:12.15
will bring the
judgments of God on us.
00:44:12.18\00:44:17.82
Behold the Lamb
and other ministries
00:44:17.85\00:44:19.75
for several years now
00:44:19.79\00:44:21.49
have been
crying these points out
00:44:21.52\00:44:24.69
of what's going to happen to us
00:44:24.73\00:44:26.39
as a people if we
don't change our ways,
00:44:26.43\00:44:29.53
and no one's listening.
00:44:29.56\00:44:33.17
And they may never listen,
00:44:33.20\00:44:36.40
but I sure hate
to see the results
00:44:36.44\00:44:38.37
'cause I know what
God has said in His Word.
00:44:38.41\00:44:40.04
Nothing has been done,
and because nothing was done
00:44:44.98\00:44:48.92
when it started,
they become big issues now
00:44:48.95\00:44:52.85
and almost impossible
to get rid of as it were
00:44:52.89\00:44:57.53
because the devil
comes in with big hooks.
00:44:57.56\00:45:02.03
We must choose, and
we must be identified for
00:45:02.06\00:45:06.17
or against such an abomination,
and that's what these things,
00:45:06.20\00:45:10.54
I'm talking about
their abomination.
00:45:10.57\00:45:12.61
That's what the Bible
says, I don't have to say it.
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.68
Isaiah Chapter 59,
00:45:15.71\00:45:17.05
couple more
minutes, stay with me.
00:45:17.08\00:45:18.41
Isaiah 59:2 simply
say, you know this passage.
00:45:18.45\00:45:22.28
What happens when there's...
00:45:22.32\00:45:23.65
Do you want to be
separated from God?
00:45:23.69\00:45:25.75
No.
00:45:25.79\00:45:27.12
Then that means
we can't deal around,
00:45:27.16\00:45:28.49
we have to separate
ourselves from sin, sinners.
00:45:28.52\00:45:30.73
You work with them, you
love them, you do all that,
00:45:30.76\00:45:32.39
but you don't dilly
dally around with it.
00:45:32.43\00:45:34.43
Notice, "Your
iniquities have," what,
00:45:34.46\00:45:37.37
"separated
between you and your God."
00:45:37.40\00:45:40.94
Our iniquities, our sin,
00:45:40.97\00:45:42.30
our lifestyle has
separated us from God.
00:45:42.34\00:45:44.11
So if we're doing
00:45:44.14\00:45:45.47
what the Bible said don't do it,
00:45:45.51\00:45:46.84
it's abomination and you do
it, you're separated from God.
00:45:46.88\00:45:49.94
And the sad thing
is we don't know it,
00:45:49.98\00:45:51.68
because we're so lukewarm.
00:45:51.71\00:45:55.42
At the end of that passage
there in Isaiah 59:2, it says,
00:45:55.45\00:45:59.45
"God will not hear you."
00:45:59.49\00:46:02.19
Now, is He just talking?
00:46:02.22\00:46:03.56
No. He means it.
00:46:03.59\00:46:05.13
This is the sad...
00:46:05.16\00:46:06.49
He means it, He said,
00:46:06.53\00:46:07.86
"No, I won't, I can't hear you."
00:46:07.90\00:46:11.73
The time is
coming, we have to choose.
00:46:11.77\00:46:14.67
How long will you halt,
00:46:14.70\00:46:16.84
"I will halt between
right and wrong," how long?
00:46:16.87\00:46:21.41
There's so many more issues,
00:46:21.44\00:46:22.78
don't have time to mention
and go into them right now.
00:46:22.81\00:46:24.55
But that's dynamite right there.
00:46:24.58\00:46:28.95
We're either going to
follow God or follow Baal.
00:46:28.98\00:46:32.39
And I'll tell you,
if we don't root it out
00:46:32.42\00:46:34.76
right now by the roots
00:46:34.79\00:46:36.12
and get rid of it,
and just say, "Oh, God,
00:46:36.16\00:46:37.76
we made the wrong
choice and decision,"
00:46:37.79\00:46:39.43
everything that I've taught
just the four areas there,
00:46:39.46\00:46:42.26
if we do that, God will bless.
00:46:42.30\00:46:44.07
He will bring us back.
He will heal the nations.
00:46:44.10\00:46:46.33
If we do not,
00:46:46.37\00:46:47.70
then you will see
that the little hands
00:46:47.74\00:46:49.27
and all these little feet
00:46:49.30\00:46:50.77
and all these people who
are doing the wrong thing,
00:46:50.81\00:46:53.68
they're going to make greater
and bigger demands upon us.
00:46:53.71\00:46:58.51
It's not gonna just see of this.
00:46:58.55\00:47:01.08
They're going to want
more and more and more and more
00:47:01.12\00:47:04.25
of they call it
freedom, the right to do what...
00:47:04.29\00:47:06.89
You have a right to do that,
but you do it somewhere else,
00:47:06.92\00:47:09.86
not in God's church.
00:47:09.89\00:47:12.39
Our work is simply
to rouse the people,
00:47:12.43\00:47:17.27
our work is to rouse
one another to the reality
00:47:17.30\00:47:20.07
of what's
happening and going on.
00:47:20.10\00:47:24.14
We do not withhold
truth because it's opposed.
00:47:24.17\00:47:28.34
See, there's
opposition to truth,
00:47:28.38\00:47:30.45
but you don't
withhold it because people say
00:47:30.48\00:47:32.25
don't do that or
you're erring dirty laundry.
00:47:32.28\00:47:34.45
No, somebody is dirty,
00:47:34.48\00:47:36.75
somebody is
doing the wrong thing.
00:47:36.79\00:47:38.89
But God says, "You
cry loud and spare not."
00:47:38.92\00:47:41.19
Did you see
that, we'll read that
00:47:41.22\00:47:42.56
if we will have time
in five more minutes,
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.49
Great Controversy, 459 and 460.
00:47:44.53\00:47:48.00
It said, "He has no more reason
00:47:48.03\00:47:50.10
for withholding the
testimony of God's word,"
00:47:50.13\00:47:52.37
talking about a
pastor or teacher,
00:47:52.40\00:47:54.07
"because it excites opposition,
than had earlier Reformers."
00:47:54.10\00:47:58.67
We cannot remain silent,
00:47:58.71\00:48:00.31
we don't have any
reason to remain silent,
00:48:00.34\00:48:02.54
the testimony of God's word.
00:48:02.58\00:48:04.35
You might say,
"Don't do any good,
00:48:04.38\00:48:05.71
they're not going to listen."
00:48:05.75\00:48:08.58
In Ezekiel 2:7, the Bible says,
00:48:08.62\00:48:10.82
"Thou shalt speak
my words unto them,
00:48:10.85\00:48:13.62
whether they will hear or
whether they will forbear."
00:48:13.66\00:48:17.26
In other words, you tell
them anyway whether they hear
00:48:17.29\00:48:19.33
or whether they
won't, you still warn them.
00:48:19.36\00:48:21.70
Lord, have mercy
on us if we don't.
00:48:21.73\00:48:24.50
Did you get it?
00:48:24.53\00:48:25.87
Lord, have mercy
on us if we don't tell
00:48:25.90\00:48:27.57
what God has
impressed us to tell
00:48:27.60\00:48:29.04
or what the message
is or what you accepted
00:48:29.07\00:48:31.14
when you came into
this movement as truth
00:48:31.17\00:48:33.21
and the last day message.
00:48:33.24\00:48:34.58
God requires that of us.
00:48:34.61\00:48:38.21
We're told over and
over, the least, listen,
00:48:38.25\00:48:40.22
the least departure from truth
00:48:40.25\00:48:43.08
is the
transgression of God's law.
00:48:43.12\00:48:45.79
The least, what,
departure from truth
00:48:45.82\00:48:48.49
is a transgression of God's law.
00:48:48.52\00:48:50.83
Four Testimonies, read
that if you want to, page 312.
00:48:50.86\00:48:55.06
And also says in
that same page 312,
00:48:55.10\00:48:58.97
"Those who disregard
the requirements of God,"
00:48:59.00\00:49:01.57
notice, "in this
life would not respect
00:49:01.60\00:49:04.11
His authority
were they in heaven."
00:49:04.14\00:49:06.47
Did you get it?
00:49:06.51\00:49:07.84
If we're disrespecting
God and His word right now,
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.18
then are we in heaven,
you would nod it either.
00:49:10.21\00:49:13.58
And God's not gonna
allow that to take place.
00:49:13.62\00:49:15.75
Sin will not rise up
again the second time
00:49:15.78\00:49:17.75
or just not going to be
00:49:17.79\00:49:19.12
unless we get
things and make it right.
00:49:19.15\00:49:22.22
We're to lift up our voice,
00:49:22.26\00:49:23.59
and I mentioned
just a second ago,
00:49:23.63\00:49:24.96
Isaiah, what is
it, chapter 58:1,
00:49:24.99\00:49:26.53
we're to lift up
our voice like a, what,
00:49:26.56\00:49:28.40
like a trumpet that Bible says,
00:49:28.43\00:49:30.23
"Show my people their
transgression and their," what,
00:49:30.27\00:49:33.84
"and the house Jacob their sin."
00:49:33.87\00:49:36.54
That's what we're told to do.
00:49:36.57\00:49:38.27
How do you get away from that?
00:49:38.31\00:49:39.64
Somebody help me right now.
00:49:39.67\00:49:41.01
I'll sit down, be quiet.
00:49:41.04\00:49:42.38
Somebody help me
to get away from that.
00:49:42.41\00:49:44.25
If I can get away from that,
00:49:44.28\00:49:45.61
maybe I can sleep a
little bit better at night,
00:49:45.65\00:49:47.45
maybe I won't
have all these things
00:49:47.48\00:49:48.82
going through my
mind all the time
00:49:48.85\00:49:50.29
if what can we do to
rouse the people to say,
00:49:50.32\00:49:52.65
"This is not the way,
00:49:52.69\00:49:54.09
we're going to walk
the way God said to walk
00:49:54.12\00:49:56.93
or we walk by our
self if we have to walk."
00:49:56.96\00:50:01.03
And now what it says,
00:50:01.06\00:50:02.40
"Lift up your
voice like a trumpet.
00:50:02.43\00:50:03.80
Show my people."
00:50:03.83\00:50:08.40
How do you do it
unless you call standbys.
00:50:08.44\00:50:10.94
Right name.
00:50:10.97\00:50:14.01
Great Controversy, 460 says,
00:50:14.04\00:50:15.78
"Whatever may be
their profession,"
00:50:15.81\00:50:17.51
listen, here's
some of the culprits,
00:50:17.55\00:50:20.22
"Whatever may be
their profession,
00:50:20.25\00:50:22.92
it is only those who
are world servers at heart
00:50:22.95\00:50:27.46
that act from policy
00:50:27.49\00:50:29.36
rather principle
in religious things."
00:50:29.39\00:50:33.13
I get tardy in
about policy sometimes.
00:50:33.16\00:50:35.00
Now if it
coincides with the Bible,
00:50:35.03\00:50:36.43
I'm okay with it.
00:50:36.46\00:50:37.80
Start giving me policy
over "Thus saith the Lord",
00:50:37.83\00:50:39.53
you're going to
have fight on your hands.
00:50:39.57\00:50:42.77
"We choose right
because it is right,
00:50:42.80\00:50:46.68
and we leave
consequences," where,
00:50:46.71\00:50:49.11
"we leave the
consequences with God."
00:50:49.14\00:50:51.21
You do it because God
said to do it, Brother Mark,
00:50:51.25\00:50:54.22
and you leave the
consequences with Him.
00:50:54.25\00:50:56.02
Yeah, it's gonna
cost you but look, look.
00:50:56.05\00:50:59.15
He said, "I'm
coming back after you."
00:50:59.19\00:51:02.52
Well, you know
the end of the story,
00:51:02.56\00:51:03.89
here it comes,
the end of the story.
00:51:03.93\00:51:06.59
After God works the
miracles, you know, did it once,
00:51:06.63\00:51:09.40
did it twice, calling fire down,
00:51:09.43\00:51:10.80
did it three
times, Elijah prays.
00:51:10.83\00:51:13.50
This is it, this is it,
00:51:13.54\00:51:14.87
this is what this
whole thing is about.
00:51:14.90\00:51:16.24
If you remember
nothing else, remember,
00:51:16.27\00:51:18.17
Elijah there begins to pray
as God's working marvelously
00:51:18.21\00:51:21.64
in his behalf of the children.
00:51:21.68\00:51:23.45
Notice this, he says this,
00:51:23.48\00:51:25.58
"That this people may know
that Thou art the Lord God."
00:51:25.61\00:51:30.02
Elijah begins to
pray, now after they seen
00:51:30.05\00:51:32.59
all of these things,
what? "Lord, help their mind,
00:51:32.62\00:51:34.82
their eyes to be open
that they may see that
00:51:34.86\00:51:36.83
You are the Lord God."
00:51:36.86\00:51:38.53
And notice this,
1 Kings 18:37 says,
00:51:38.56\00:51:43.20
"Thou hast turned
their hearts back again."
00:51:43.23\00:51:47.17
Because of that demonstration,
the power of God, what it got,
00:51:47.20\00:51:50.91
Israel's
attention, they were far gone,
00:51:50.94\00:51:53.48
but they had to repent,
they had to say they did wrong.
00:51:53.51\00:51:58.95
And the people
now, when set forth,
00:51:58.98\00:52:00.82
not a word would say.
00:52:00.85\00:52:03.45
Now the people are crying,
screaming out with one voice,
00:52:03.49\00:52:06.86
"The Lord, He is the God."
00:52:06.89\00:52:08.36
You remember, the
Lord, He is the God,
00:52:08.39\00:52:10.89
1 Kings 18:39.
00:52:10.93\00:52:12.26
What is He?
00:52:12.29\00:52:13.63
"He is God," they're saying,
00:52:13.66\00:52:15.00
"Now we know
who's the right God."
00:52:15.03\00:52:16.36
Why? Because
we've been in between,
00:52:16.40\00:52:19.07
we've been double-minded.
00:52:19.10\00:52:21.20
We didn't know,
we got confused here
00:52:21.24\00:52:23.44
but now we see
who is the real God.
00:52:23.47\00:52:28.01
And they again admitted,
they confessed their wrong.
00:52:28.04\00:52:30.31
They admitted that Elijah's
God is above every idol,
00:52:30.35\00:52:34.98
that's what we have to say,
"Our God is above every idle.
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.45
Our God is above everything."
00:52:37.49\00:52:40.56
But you know what happened?
00:52:40.59\00:52:41.96
Notice, those who are
not willing to change,
00:52:41.99\00:52:43.83
see we have people today,
not willing to make a change
00:52:43.86\00:52:46.09
because it's gonna look bad,
00:52:46.13\00:52:47.46
because of things
they've already done.
00:52:47.50\00:52:50.13
They're in trouble.
00:52:50.17\00:52:51.73
Based upon
consistency of scripture,
00:52:51.77\00:52:54.37
based upon what
God has always done,
00:52:54.40\00:52:56.87
here's what
happened to those who said...
00:52:56.91\00:52:59.24
Listen, those
people that were there,
00:52:59.27\00:53:00.84
even the pagan,
heathen, and Baal worshippers,
00:53:00.88\00:53:04.08
they seen the
mighty workings of God,
00:53:04.11\00:53:06.21
and they knew it was
the power outside of them.
00:53:06.25\00:53:08.85
Conviction was
brought, Spirit of Prophecy
00:53:08.88\00:53:10.82
said upon their
minds and hearts.
00:53:10.85\00:53:12.55
But they refused to
leave the sight of Baal.
00:53:12.59\00:53:16.79
See, they refused to do right,
00:53:16.83\00:53:18.16
even though they
knew they should.
00:53:18.19\00:53:19.53
Listen, there's lot of
people know they should be,
00:53:19.56\00:53:21.26
but they're not making changes.
00:53:21.30\00:53:25.50
Priest of Baal
have a different ending.
00:53:25.53\00:53:28.07
They wouldn't
repent of their evil works.
00:53:28.10\00:53:31.47
They wanted to stay
with Baal and they did.
00:53:31.51\00:53:33.61
They refuse change.
00:53:33.64\00:53:35.84
And every one of them was slain,
00:53:35.88\00:53:38.55
every one of them was slain.
00:53:38.58\00:53:41.38
Interesting.
00:53:41.42\00:53:44.45
But you realize, even though
every one of them was slain,
00:53:44.49\00:53:47.36
this was the beginning
of a reformation for Israel,
00:53:47.39\00:53:52.23
a reform.
00:53:52.26\00:53:53.76
Sometimes, it
takes things like these.
00:53:53.80\00:53:57.03
God forbid, but it
takes things like these
00:53:57.07\00:53:58.97
for us to look around and say,
00:53:59.00\00:54:00.34
"We need a
reformation, we need a change."
00:54:00.37\00:54:04.21
And we need it
now, we need it now.
00:54:04.24\00:54:07.01
Not later, do not let the devil
get his hooks in little deeper
00:54:07.04\00:54:09.98
than they already are.
00:54:10.01\00:54:12.91
We know what the end
results are going to be
00:54:12.95\00:54:14.78
for those who're not willing
to make a necessary change.
00:54:14.82\00:54:18.92
The same ending, and
I say that with sadness,
00:54:18.95\00:54:22.26
the same ending for those today
00:54:22.29\00:54:26.16
who's not willing
to make the change
00:54:26.19\00:54:29.16
and get back to
God to make it right,
00:54:29.20\00:54:32.60
and it's good to say,
00:54:32.63\00:54:33.97
"Oh, God, the things
that we have done before,
00:54:34.00\00:54:35.74
it's not been
pleasing in Your sight,"
00:54:35.77\00:54:37.24
and begging for
forgiveness and mercy.
00:54:37.27\00:54:39.91
He's a God of mercy,
He'll extend that mercy.
00:54:39.94\00:54:44.41
Things can be changed.
00:54:44.45\00:54:45.91
But sometimes,
pride gets in the way.
00:54:45.95\00:54:48.38
Remember,
00:54:48.42\00:54:49.75
if they're not willing to do it,
00:54:49.78\00:54:51.12
if I'm not willing to do
it, remember the prophets,
00:54:51.15\00:54:53.92
all the Baal worshippers,
not one was permitted to live.
00:54:53.96\00:54:58.39
Wow.
00:54:58.43\00:55:00.10
How long, I ask you today,
00:55:00.13\00:55:01.86
how long, refugee?
00:55:01.90\00:55:07.20
How long
00:55:07.24\00:55:10.61
that ye halt
between two opinions?
00:55:10.64\00:55:14.71
If God, follow Him.
00:55:14.74\00:55:17.58
If Baal, follow him.
00:55:17.61\00:55:21.18
That's your choice,
that's my choice today.
00:55:21.22\00:55:24.55
If it's God, follow God.
00:55:24.59\00:55:27.62
You don't have to
understand everything about it,
00:55:27.66\00:55:30.09
just follow God and
the blessings will come.
00:55:30.13\00:55:35.40
Man, He wants to do
great things for His people.
00:55:35.43\00:55:38.77
I just want to be
in the middle of this.
00:55:38.80\00:55:41.07
When God starts to
really bless the way
00:55:41.10\00:55:42.67
that He wants to,
00:55:42.70\00:55:44.04
see it the way things He
wants how the church to go
00:55:44.07\00:55:46.04
and how what we're to be doing,
00:55:46.07\00:55:47.41
don't you want to
be a part of that?
00:55:47.44\00:55:48.88
Man, I do. If it's
God, then it's God.
00:55:48.91\00:55:51.35
I choose God
today, how about you?
00:55:51.38\00:55:53.25
If anybody chooses God,
00:55:53.28\00:55:54.62
why don't you
stand where you're at
00:55:54.65\00:55:55.98
and I'm gonna pray
with you right now.
00:55:56.02\00:55:57.35
Remember we talked about,
00:55:57.39\00:55:58.72
it's more than
the thought question,
00:55:58.75\00:56:00.09
it's much more.
00:56:00.12\00:56:01.46
You can just think.
00:56:01.49\00:56:02.82
You can say,
didn't think,"Well, yeah.
00:56:02.86\00:56:04.19
I want to be on God's side."
00:56:04.23\00:56:05.56
No, right now, I'm
standing, I'm saying,
00:56:05.59\00:56:06.93
"Yeah, you see me standing.
I want to be on God's side."
00:56:06.96\00:56:08.66
Yeah, to some, maybe it's hard,
00:56:08.70\00:56:10.03
difficult standing but
you can raise your hand
00:56:10.07\00:56:11.40
or whatever you want to do.
00:56:11.43\00:56:12.77
We want to be on God's side,
00:56:12.80\00:56:14.14
that is the most
important decision
00:56:14.17\00:56:15.77
you will ever make in this life.
00:56:15.80\00:56:17.77
Let's pray about that
and seal it up right now,
00:56:17.81\00:56:19.84
as the angels of heaven record
what's going through your mind,
00:56:19.87\00:56:22.78
in your heart as well as
mine, and seal it right now.
00:56:22.81\00:56:26.85
I'm not gonna halt
between two opinions anymore.
00:56:26.88\00:56:29.48
I know God.
00:56:29.52\00:56:30.99
I know what God's Word says.
00:56:31.02\00:56:32.55
And by God's grace and strength,
00:56:32.59\00:56:34.29
I will follow Him. Let's pray.
00:56:34.32\00:56:37.83
Oh, our loving God in heaven,
00:56:37.86\00:56:39.19
we thank You so
very much for Your Word.
00:56:39.23\00:56:41.90
So thankful that Your Word
is just always so consistent
00:56:41.93\00:56:46.20
that we can read
and we can learn.
00:56:46.23\00:56:47.74
You said, "These are
examples that I've left for you
00:56:47.77\00:56:50.01
so that you can learn
what's going to happen."
00:56:50.04\00:56:52.87
And, Lord, I'm very grateful
and thankful for Your grace
00:56:52.91\00:56:55.01
and Your mercy and
Your longsuffering.
00:56:55.04\00:56:58.55
We've come a long way
but it's not far enough.
00:56:58.58\00:57:01.82
Made a lot of decisions,
many of them are wrong,
00:57:01.85\00:57:03.62
we can all say that.
00:57:03.65\00:57:05.65
And we're not trying to
point fingers at this group
00:57:05.69\00:57:07.52
or that group or someone
else, we're looking at sin
00:57:07.56\00:57:09.76
and calling sin
by its right name.
00:57:09.79\00:57:12.83
And where we have the
opportunity to reach out
00:57:12.86\00:57:14.76
and to help or to
do or change things
00:57:14.80\00:57:18.27
and we feel like
here at this church,
00:57:18.30\00:57:19.63
Behold the Lamb,
00:57:19.67\00:57:21.00
we have an opportunity
to try to get the word out
00:57:21.04\00:57:23.20
to help change things
and we're require to do that.
00:57:23.24\00:57:28.54
God, have mercy on our
souls and souls of everyone
00:57:28.58\00:57:31.51
who have some
tough decisions to make.
00:57:31.55\00:57:34.42
Lord, we want to
see Your hand work.
00:57:34.45\00:57:36.75
Oh, we wanna see the
marvelous, mighty, mighty hand,
00:57:36.79\00:57:40.39
miracles that you can
perform for Your people.
00:57:40.42\00:57:42.89
Energize us
with thy Holy Spirit.
00:57:42.92\00:57:45.56
Energize us with
the love for truth.
00:57:45.59\00:57:48.03
Energize us today in regards
what is said, what's done,
00:57:48.06\00:57:50.83
and some of the repercussions.
00:57:50.87\00:57:52.33
I'm sure that we will
hear, that we'll just say,
00:57:52.37\00:57:54.87
"I look to the Word of God.
00:57:54.90\00:57:56.37
This is what I believe is right.
00:57:56.40\00:57:58.27
And, God, help us."
00:57:58.31\00:57:59.64
Thank you, Lord, for hearing,
and for answering prayer.
00:57:59.67\00:58:01.31
Thank Him for the decision
00:58:01.34\00:58:03.45
that's been made in
everyone that's here right now,
00:58:03.48\00:58:06.08
raising heart and hand and mind,
00:58:06.11\00:58:08.02
and you have
recorded it in the books.
00:58:08.05\00:58:10.79
May we be
faithful to that decision.
00:58:10.82\00:58:12.52
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:58:12.55\00:58:14.56