Participants: P.C. Willis
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000197
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00:31 Greetings friends,
00:33 I'm Dr. P.C. Willis Sr. Adult Ministries Director 00:36 for Lake Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. 00:40 We welcome you as we study today 19 deluded men. 00:45 We want you to note carefully our text 00:48 for study today found in Acts 17: 1-6, 00:54 that's Acts chapter 17 reading verses 1 through 6. 01:02 "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis 01:05 and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, 01:09 where was a synagogue of the Jews: 01:13 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, 01:17 and three Sabbath days reasoned with them 01:20 out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, 01:23 that Christ must needs have suffered, 01:25 and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, 01:29 whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 01:32 And some of them believed, 01:34 and consorted with Paul and Silas; 01:38 and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, 01:41 and of the chief women not a few. 01:44 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, 01:48 took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, 01:53 and gathered a company, 01:55 and set all the city on an uproar, 01:58 and assaulted the house of Jason, 02:00 and sought to bring them out to the people. 02:04 And when they found them not, they drew Jason 02:08 and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, 02:12 these that have turned the world upside down 02:16 are come hither also;" 02:20 These that have turned the world upside down. 02:25 Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, 02:28 we want to talk about 19 deluded men. 02:33 God has always been looking for men, real men, 02:36 mighty men of valor, not namby pamby roody-poohs, 02:41 but men who husband their own wives 02:44 and father their children. 02:47 The book education page 57 states, 02:50 the greatest want in the world is the want of men. 02:54 Men who will not be bought or sold, 02:57 men who in their inmost souls are true and honest. 03:01 Men who do not fear to call sin by its right name. 03:06 Men whose conscious is as true to duty 03:09 as the needle to the pole, men who will stand 03:12 for the right though the heavens fall. 03:15 These types of men can make a world of difference today. 03:21 One man can make a difference-- 03:23 Hey, let me hasten to add, 03:25 one woman can make a difference as well. 03:28 If you choose God, you can make a difference. 03:33 The story is told of a woman with a very wicked husband, 03:36 she was a Christian but her husband 03:38 cared nothing for God or man. 03:41 And one night, early in the morning he was there 03:44 2 o'clock in the bar with his drinking buddies 03:47 and they were comparing notes 03:48 on how they took care of their families and their wives. 03:52 And actually they were saying, 03:53 you are a real man if you can boss your wife around. 03:57 So they were saying, well, who was the biggest boss 04:00 of his house and this one fellow, this terrible fellow 04:02 with a good wife said, listen, I can go home right now 04:05 and tell my wife to get up 04:06 and make me breakfast and she would do so. 04:08 Well, of course his drinking buddies 04:10 had to go and see this great sight. 04:12 So they staggered off to this man's house 04:14 2 o'clock in the morning, here he comes in an drunken fit 04:18 and demands that his wife get up and fix him 04:20 and his two drinking buddies breakfast. 04:24 Without another word, she got up 04:25 and put oh her terrycloth robe 04:27 and her Mickey Mouse slippers and went down into the kitchen 04:30 and started frying eggs and putting on toast, 04:33 she did it so kindly and lovingly 04:35 it sobered those men up. 04:38 His two drinking buddies, sobered up, 04:41 embarrassed and they left leaving him. 04:43 For the first time, realization hit him 04:45 what kind of wife he had. 04:47 He went into kitchen looking like some sick chicken 04:50 with his head down and he said, honey, 04:52 I don't know why you treat me so nice, 04:55 I've been such a wicked man. 04:57 Isn't it interesting how people would testify 04:59 to their own terrible actions, 05:01 he says, I've been such a terrible fellow, 05:03 I don't know why you treat me so nice. 05:05 She put the pot down and turned 05:07 and looked him in the eyes and said, honey, 05:10 when Jesus comes, he's gonna make all things new. 05:15 I will not cry anymore. 05:17 There will be no hurt or pain anymore. 05:19 I'm gonna have two homes, 05:21 one in the city and one in the country. 05:24 I'm gonna have joy for evermore. 05:26 And then she looked at him hard and said, 05:28 but honey, you don't love Jesus 05:31 and since this is the only heaven you'll get, 05:34 I'm trying to make it as nice for you as I can. 05:39 Many have good wives but don't realize it 05:42 its not a real man who abuses his wife, 05:45 and one man or one woman can make a difference. 05:49 In fact, one of my favorite writers state, 05:52 there was no limit to the usefulness of one 05:54 who by putting self aside and makes room for the working 05:57 of the Holy Spirit upon his heart 05:59 and lives a life wholly consecrated to God. 06:02 Why don't you determine today to be 06:04 that one person to make a difference? 06:06 One of my favorite writers states, 06:09 when you walk within 3 feet of a person, 06:11 you breathe in their influence. 06:15 How incredible is then that we ought to be careful 06:18 of our influence when we get around people. 06:21 In fact let me hasten to add 06:23 and give just a little bit of psychology. 06:26 We are taught that men use only one side of their brains 06:31 and depending on which hand they use, 06:33 they use the opposite side of the brain 06:36 called the left or right hemisphere. 06:39 On the other hand, ladies use both hemispheres. 06:43 They use both the right and left sides of their brain 06:48 and therefore are very intuitive. 06:51 The Bible calls it the gift of discernment. 06:55 That's why, it's very important 06:57 that men listen to their wives if they are godly women. 07:00 When they say things like, look out for that person, 07:02 something's not right, honey, 07:03 be careful how you sign that contract. 07:06 I can't put my finger on it but be very careful. 07:09 It's called the gift of discernment. 07:13 We need to work together as husbands and wives. 07:18 Now note carefully, friends, we need to be careful 07:21 of our influence and our associations. 07:24 On September 11th of 2001, 07:28 19 men turned the world upside down, 19 deluded men, 07:35 they turned the world upside down 07:36 and the stock market fell. 07:38 The economy around the world was shaken, 07:40 civil liberties were cast into permanent disarray, 07:44 we will never have the freedoms and the same feelings of safety 07:47 we had before September 11th, 2001. 07:51 More than 3,000 were killed and missing, 07:54 more than 10,000 children left without a parent, 07:58 our emergency workers rushing to the rescue were crushed 08:02 while seeking to save those who were trapped and wounded. 08:06 A nation went to war, people fearful of lying concerned 08:11 about contagion breaking out, all because of 19 men. 08:17 If the truth be told, 08:19 if Abraham had not had a lapse of faith 08:21 and took a woman who God never told him to date, 08:24 his children would not have crashed 08:25 into the World Trade's towers, 08:27 the Pentagon and the ground in Pennsylvania. 08:30 What would cause these 19 men 08:32 to do something as stupid as this? 08:36 What would motivate them to go to their deaths 08:39 in such a horrible manner. 08:42 Some of these people had been here number of years 08:44 and had something wrong comfortable. 08:48 These men would arise every morning at 3AM to pray. 08:53 I want you get the point, there are six points here. 08:55 These men memorized the Quran, 08:58 many Christians can't string together 09:00 10 verses or even 5 verses. 09:03 But these men were taught, you can't kill a man but once. 09:07 Just wait till they learn bettering the judgment 09:09 because the Bible states, 09:10 it is appointed once unto men to die. 09:12 But after that, the judgment and the Bible is right. 09:18 Fourth, these men were promised 100 wives and 100 virgins 09:24 together with going immediately to paradise. 09:26 Satan's orders lies, still fools millions. 09:32 They believe fervently that there is one God Allah 09:35 and Mohammad is his prophet. 09:37 Every one else who doesn't believe 09:39 that is deserving of death. 09:41 It's not true but that's what they believe. 09:44 They were very sincere but they were just sincerely wrong 09:49 and yet they turned the world upside down on a wrong premise. 09:55 Lastly, number six, they believe 09:58 that faithfulness in sacrifice is the litmus test unto death. 10:05 Friends, did you know that preachers 10:08 start at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. 10:13 But if you went into those classrooms today, 10:15 you would be hard pressed to find one Bible. 10:19 In fact, it is a law on campus 10:21 that you can send any type of card, a get well card, 10:24 a happy Halloween card, even a salacious card 10:28 but not a Christmas card. 10:30 You must have nothing to do with Christ. 10:33 You could have any kind of club you want on campus, 10:36 a nasty, profane, gay, or smutty club 10:39 but you cannot have a Bible Studies Club or a prayer band. 10:43 I was shocked to find out that many schools 10:45 have stopped saying the pledge of allegiance 10:48 because it said, one nation under God. 10:53 Well, 19 men turned the world upside down 10:56 because of Islam and Mohammad. 10:59 19 men made a terrible difference 11:01 all in the name of a false God. 11:05 Then what about us, will we make a difference? 11:08 We have the truth, the whole truth, 11:10 and nothing but the truth. 11:13 We will re-turn the world upside down for Jesus. 11:16 Why, it was said back in the book of Acts 11:18 that these men had, these men who were full of Jesus 11:21 turned the world upside down, 11:23 they were accused of it, how incredible 11:25 that they went around the world for the sake of Christ. 11:31 Will you go next door to your neighbor? 11:33 Will you go across the street? Do you trust God? 11:37 We have a living savior, we have the truth, 11:42 will you go tell somebody? 11:44 Do you tell what has God has done for you? 11:47 People are listening today, they want to know the truth, 11:51 the Bible once again is a best seller 11:53 and passion-- the Passion of Christ 11:55 was one of the most watched movies ever. 11:59 Do you memorize the Bible? Do you believe it? 12:03 Tiring is a litmus test, it is righteousness by faith. 12:10 You must trust God 12:12 to give an honest tiring in offering, do you tire? 12:16 Do you just trust him on payday? 12:20 Tiring makes you put God first, remember Elijah 12:25 and the widow woman, how incredible it is that 12:28 God in the midst of dealing with the man of prayer, 12:30 a man who saw apostasy everywhere in Israel 12:34 and he was crying out to God and finally God said, 12:36 go down and tell Ahab that there will not be any rain 12:41 at your mountain and Elijah showed up, 12:43 can you imagine him being carried 12:45 through the secret service agency to show up 12:47 and be in the court of Ahab the king. 12:50 And when they looked around, 12:51 here was this man pointing his finger at Ahab 12:54 and saying there shall be no rain 12:56 and before Ahab could stretch out his arms and say, 12:58 catch that man, God moved him. 13:01 God took him to a brook and here he was, 13:04 a man who's going to turn the world upside down now, 13:07 turn it upside down for God. 13:09 He prayed and said, I must do something for God 13:11 and God gave him a mission 13:13 and after saying what he had to say, 13:15 God hid him beside a creek and fed him with stingy birds, 13:21 ravens who are very stingy birds 13:24 brought him meat in the morning 13:25 and they brought him flesh at night. 13:27 How incredible it is that God could feed him 13:29 and when the brook dried up, 13:31 God sent him down to a widow woman 13:33 and here is this widow woman out picking up sticks, 13:37 she's gathering sticks before she dies and when she walks-- 13:41 Elijah walks up, he asked her daughter, 13:43 would you please go get me a drink of water. 13:45 She says, right away, man of God, and as she is going, 13:48 I can imagine him saying, while you are going, 13:50 could you fix me some, a plate of beans, 13:53 some cornbread, maybe a little rice 13:55 and she says, wait a minute, all we have is a little meal 13:57 and little oil and we're gonna put that together and die. 14:01 But Elijah spoke up and said, 14:03 God said, God said that the meal will not run out 14:07 and the oil will not fail but you must fix me mine first, 14:10 that's righteousness by faith, believing God 14:13 and doing what he said, I'm so thankful. 14:17 I know that woman was thankful that she believed God 14:19 because she went in and prepared the food 14:21 and when she looked back, there was still meal and oil 14:25 and she and her son ate for three and half years 14:28 while other people were dying because she believed God, 14:31 she gave what God asked for first. 14:35 It's a litmus test, my friends. 14:37 It is righteousness by faith. 14:40 I want you to understand that the principle is ten plus ten, 14:45 and not tiring is the answer for unanswered prayers. 14:49 Bible prophecy is rapidly being fulfilled 14:51 and you understand what is going on. 14:54 Do you tell anybody or are you an undercover agent. 14:58 Yes, I'm a Christian, 14:59 want to see my, want to see my Bible, huh? 15:02 Are you an undercover agent? 15:03 God doesn't need undercover agents, he needs witnesses. 15:08 Witnesses who will tell the truth for today. 15:12 Tell your neighbors, Jesus is coming. 15:15 Tell them that they can escape sickness 15:18 and share the health message. 15:20 After all it is the right arm of the third angel's message. 15:25 Ten people can make a difference 15:28 and we have a wonderful example given to us 15:30 in Genesis 18: 23-33. 15:35 What a powerful example God gives us in Genesis: 18. 15:40 Note carefully, starting with verse 23. 15:43 "And Abraham drew near, and said, 15:46 wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 15:49 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: 15:52 wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place 15:55 for the fifty righteous that are therein? 15:58 That be far from thee to do after this manner, 16:00 to slay the righteous with the wicked: 16:03 and that the righteous should be as the wicked, 16:06 that be far from thee: 16:07 shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 16:10 And the Lord said, 16:11 if I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, 16:16 then I will spare all the place for their sakes." 16:20 All praise God. Note verse 27. 16:22 "And Abraham answered and said, behold now, 16:25 I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, 16:28 which am but dust and ashes: 16:30 peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: 16:33 wilt thou destroy all the city for the lack of five? 16:36 And he said, if I find there forty and five, 16:39 I will not destroy it. 16:41 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, 16:43 peradventure there should be forty found there. 16:46 And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake." 16:48 Listen to Abraham talk to God, verse 30, 16:52 "And he said unto him, oh let not the lord be angry, 16:55 and I will speak: 16:56 peradventure there shall thirty be found there. 16:58 And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 17:01 And he said, behold now, 17:03 I have taken upon me to speak unto the lord: 17:05 peradventure there shall be twenty found there. 17:08 And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 17:10 And he said, oh let not the Lord be angry, 17:13 and I will speak yet but this once: 17:16 peradventure ten shall be found there. 17:18 And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 17:23 And the lord when his way, 17:25 as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: 17:29 and Abraham returned unto his place." 17:33 Can you imagine God not destroying a city 17:36 if ten righteous people could be found. 17:40 Imagine the town or the city where you live, 17:42 God not destroyed a wicked city like New York 17:45 if ten righteous could be there. 17:47 Or Chicago or Los Angels, or where you live, 17:50 if ten righteous people can be found. 17:55 Volume 5 of the testimonies page 714 states 17:58 and this is an incredible statement. 18:00 Listen carefully, we are not doing the will of God 18:04 if we sit in quietude doing nothing 18:08 to preserve liberty of conscience. 18:10 Fervent effectual prayer should be ascending to heaven 18:14 that this calamity maybe deferred 18:17 until we can accomplish the world 18:19 which has so long been neglected. 18:22 Let there be more on his prayer 18:25 and then let us work in harmony with our prayers. 18:28 If the presence of ten righteous persons 18:32 would have spared the wicked cities of the plane. 18:36 Is it not possible that God will get 18:40 and answer to the prayers of his people? 18:42 Hold and check the workings of those 18:44 who are making void his law, 18:47 shall we not humble our hearts greatly before God, 18:49 flee to the mercy seat 18:51 and plead with him to reveal his mighty power? 18:56 If people continue in the lest, 18:59 lest attitude of which they have been, 19:02 God cannot pour upon then his spirit, 19:06 they are unprepared to cooperate with him. 19:08 They are not aware to the situation 19:10 and do not realize the threat and danger, 19:13 they should feel now as never before 19:15 their need of vigilance and concerted action. 19:19 What must we do, here is a wonderful principle here. 19:22 Abraham is pleading 19:24 for the saving of Sodom and Gomorrah. 19:26 And the cities of the plane 19:28 if only 10 righteous persons could be found. 19:32 A city that took its name from a perversion of nature. 19:37 That sounds to me like a Sabbath school class, 19:39 10 people praying, it sounds to me 19:41 like a deacon or deaconess aboard. 19:43 It sounds like a prayer band, 19:45 quit looking for the multitudes to do right. 19:48 I would submit to you that the crowd has never been right. 19:51 It was the crowd outside of the ark saying, 19:54 hey, look at this funny fellow in there 19:56 with all those stinky animals. 19:57 It was the crowd around the cross shaking their fist 20:01 at God, saying, come down, come down from the cross. 20:04 The crowd has never been right, 20:06 quit looking for them to do right, 20:08 you do right, you preach the world, 20:10 you tell them to repent and be baptized. 20:13 Everyone of you, you find nine more righteous people 20:16 and turn the world upside down for Jesus. 20:21 We serve a mighty God, he took Moses with a stick 20:26 and led the children of Israel out of Egypt, 20:29 he took Samson with his bare hands twice, 20:32 can you imagine a man grabbing a lion with his hands 20:35 and tearing him as a kid? 20:38 He took David with a sling and Elijah with his mouth. 20:42 God never said it would be easy, 20:45 Steven preached and they killed him 20:49 as God preserved the ark amid the commotions of the flood 20:53 because it contained eight righteous persons. 20:58 He will preserve us, what a mighty God. 21:02 Is there any hope for us? In Hebrews 10:35-39. 21:09 What an incredible text, take courage, said, 21:12 "Cast not away therefore your confidence, 21:14 which hath great recompense of reward. 21:17 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done 21:20 the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 21:23 For yet a little while, and he that shall come 21:26 will come, and will not tarry. 21:29 Now the just shall live by faith-- " 21:30 I want to get that not by intellect or logic, 21:33 not by what you can see, touch, taste or feel, 21:36 the Bible says, "Now the just shall live by faith: 21:38 but if any man draw back, 21:40 my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 21:43 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; 21:47 but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." 21:52 Oh, thank God, we are not roody poohs, 21:55 we are men who stand for the right 21:58 although the heavens fall. 21:59 Oh we hear the call of Christ and we hear our neighbors, 22:03 we see them and we want them saved. 22:06 After all, we believe in the fatherhood of God, 22:09 so we believe in the brotherhood of man. 22:13 We are concerned about anyone who has heard, 22:15 they must hear the gospel before it's too late. 22:18 After all, Jesus saves, 22:22 and he will save anyone who comes to him. 22:25 Oh, friend, come to Jesus today if you don't know him. 22:29 He will acquaint himself with you, call upon him. 22:33 I want you to note in Psalms 91 starting with verse 1 22:37 what a wonderful passage of scripture we have here. 22:40 In Psalms 91, starting with verse 1, 22:43 "We are encouraged again, He that dwelleth 22:46 in the secret place of the most High 22:48 shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 22:51 I will say of the lord, He is my refuge and my fortress-- " 22:56 In this time of trouble, we need a refuge and a fortress. 23:01 "My God; in him will I trust." Is there any deliverance? 23:05 "Surely," verse 3 states, 23:07 "-- he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, 23:10 and from the noisome pestilence. 23:12 He shall cover thee with his feathers, 23:15 and under his wings shalt thou trust: 23:18 what shall be your shield and buckler, truth, 23:21 his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 23:25 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; 23:27 nor for the arrow that flieth by day;" 23:31 You are not afraid when you have Jesus, verse 6, 23:34 "Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, 23:37 nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 23:40 A thousand shall fall at they side, 23:43 and ten thousand at thy right hand; 23:45 but it shall not come nigh thee." 23:48 You do not have to be afraid of contagion. 23:52 What does God say in verse 8, 23:54 "Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold 23:57 and see the reward of the wicked." 24:00 Oh, yes, it pays to serve Jesus. 24:04 Wow, verse 9 and 10 and 11. 24:07 "Because thou hast made the lord, which is my refuge, 24:11 even the most High, thy habitation; 24:14 There shall no evil befall thee, 24:17 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." 24:21 Are you afraid of sickness and disease 24:23 that's sweeping the land, 24:24 when you hold onto Jesus, he says, 24:26 "-- neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." 24:29 It shall not come nigh your house, why? 24:32 "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, 24:35 to keep thee in all thy ways." 24:39 What a mighty God we serve. 24:42 You can take the gospel to the world. 24:45 You can testify of God's goodness to you. 24:49 You can tell others that God is able to save to the uttermost. 24:54 And he will save you, my friend, 24:56 if you commit yourself to him 24:58 and you are so happy about it, you have to tell somebody, 25:03 tell somebody, and deliver yourself. 25:06 We quote Psalms, the 23rd verses 1 through 7. 25:10 How incredible it is, 25:12 we quote verses 1 through 6 rather, the 23rd Psalm. 25:15 "The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." 25:20 You have to trust and obey. 25:21 If you are wanting, you have to check to see 25:23 if you're really serving the Lord. 25:25 Because it states, "The lord is my shepherd; 25:27 I shall not want. 25:29 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 25:32 he leadeth me beside the still waters." 25:35 Even in your home, 25:37 he will lead you besides still waters. 25:40 "He restoreth my soul." 25:42 I'm glad God is a restoring God, is your health broken-- 25:47 or you're having problems, he restores your soul. 25:50 "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness 25:52 for his name's sake. 25:53 Yea, though I walk through 25:55 the valley of the shadow of death, 25:57 I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; 25:58 thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 26:00 Thou preparest a table before me 26:02 in the presence of mine enemies: 26:03 thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 26:06 Hallelujah, surely goodness and mercy 26:09 shall follow me all the days of my life: 26:11 and I will dwell in the house of the lord for ever." 26:14 Is there any encouragement, 26:15 where can I go for from here, how can I get this? 26:18 Deuteronomy 28, beginning with verse 1, 26:20 "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken 26:22 diligently unto the voice of the lord thy God, 26:25 to observe and to do all his commandments 26:28 which I command thee this day, 26:30 that the lord thy God will set thee 26:31 on high above all nations of the earth: 26:34 And all these blessings shall come on thee, 26:36 and overtake thee, 26:37 if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord they God. 26:41 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, 26:42 and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 26:44 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, 26:46 and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, 26:49 and the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 26:52 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 26:56 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, 26:58 and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 27:00 The lord shall cause thine enemies 27:03 with that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: 27:06 they shall come out against thee one way, 27:09 and flee before thee seven ways." 27:11 God is gonna put a perfect whipping upon your enemies, 27:15 you can turn the world upside down. 27:18 "The Lord shall command the blessing 27:20 upon thee in thy storehouses, 27:21 and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; 27:23 and he shall bless thee in the land 27:25 which the lord thy God giveth thee." 27:29 God loves you, God will take care of you. 27:31 And friends, God will save your children. 27:35 Let's turn the world upside down for Jesus. 27:38 Let's get the truth out and instead of being deluded, 27:41 no matter how sincere, you want to be sincerely right, 27:45 instead of sincerely wrong. 27:47 Give your heart to Jesus, read your bibles, 27:50 ask God for understand and he will give it to you, 27:53 God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17