People indifferent and hostile to the word of God
Luke chapter 17 beginning at verse 20, the last days of the wicked and the righteous.
Luke 17:20 - 37 And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. And He said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day. But first must He suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
Now beloved, it's the tragedy of history that before judgment and destruction many people's hearts and ears turn away from every voice that speaks for God. It's been that way through history through biblical history and it will be no less so in the last days and I do believe that we are living in those days today. The prophet Jeremiah for example was called to warn the people in the season that their enemies were gathering on all sides they were about to be overcome. The difficulty and hardship when coming to that society, but at that time they were sitting under the influence largely of a ministry that was prophesying endless prosperity and good times. God sent a voice, He sent a man called Jeremiah and he was sent toward the people not only were they indifferent to his words but inwardly and outwardly they became hostile to the truth of God.
Jeremiah 1:19 “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.”
The Lord said it's an all out of season moment for the word of God. People are not interested. These are God's people, this is the nation of Israel and God says they're not interested in hearing what I have to say not only will they just turn away, but they will become hostile. And Jeremiah it's going to cost you in this generation to stand for the truth of God. Paul the Apostle warns:
2 Timothy 4:3,4 That in the last days the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine anymore( not endure, they simply do not want it). They will resist truth as it is spoken as it is revealed in its full balance in the Scripture, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and turn their ears away from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.
They will turn from the Word of God and they will turn to stories about God, but stories are not founded in truth. They will turn to voices that claim to speak for God, but are not speaking for God, do not know what God is thinking, don't have His heart for the people and these will be fables, just stories, but there's no power in them, there's no truth in them. Proverbs 27:12 says “a prudent man or a smart man sees the evil and hides himself or that means he finds himself a place of refuge, but the simple pass on and are punished.” Folks if we are wise we must acknowledge the days that we're living in we must acknowledge that the very things that Jesus speaks about in this and other chapters that speak about the end times have in measure at least come upon us.
People unaware of the perilous hour vs. Preaching of Righteousness
In Luke 17 verses 26 to 30, He tells us that Jesus tells us that society just prior to His return will be largely unaware of the perilous hour in which they are living. Now you are most likely aware of it, but that's because you're the Church of Jesus Christ you have the Spirit of God within you. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit leads us into truth and the true heart of the Christian is not afraid to hear the whole counsel of God. The true Christian is not just looking for peace as it is or prosperity in a difficult time. The true Christian is looking for what God is actually saying. What is actually going to happen in this time that we're living in and how does my life fit in in a matter that can bring glory and honor to Your name. But society at large is going to be unaware of an incredibly perilous hour. Oh folks if you don't know by now and I don't know by now the hour that we're living in and how perilous this hour is when you see things unfolding and spinning as it is out of control. The preaching of righteousness in verse 27, He talks about Noah, now Noah built an ark, he was told by God to prepare this place of safety. The New Testament calls Noah a preacher of righteousness and this tells me in verse 27 that the preaching of righteousness which means entering into and living in right standing with God will be largely ignored. The gospel that speaks of the cross, of taking up the will of God, of walking with God, of repenting, of turning from sin, of living a life that brings honor and glory to God will be largely ignored. There will be preaching yes, but it will not be this kind of preaching and those who truly are standing and representing God will find their houses as it is passed by. Oh we're living in a day when the people are gathering by the tens of thousands to hear popular messages of how you can become successful and famous and experience this great destiny which is always a bigger slice of the economic pie and influence over the lives of other people. And those that are preaching repentance and turn, live for God, bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth are finding in our generation many of them their houses are being passed by. Noah is building and the door is open into this place of safety and the Scripture calls him a preacher of righteousness. So he had to be for all of the season he was building, warning the people of the days that were coming, warning them that there's only one place of safety there's not others. It's not inconceivable that there were others in that generation talking about safety and talking about God, where God is found and how God works and how God's people enter into a place of safety, but there was only one place of safety and yet that place was largely ignored in Noah's day.
People thinking God’s warnings are a joke: No Reverence of the word of God
In verse 28 He says likewise as in the days of Lot they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. These things are not wrong folks, you have to eat, we buy, we build, there are things we do. It's not saying these things are wrong. Jesus is telling us is that there is no awareness in the hour they are living in. They're just carrying on every day, like there's a thousand tomorrows. For them at least in that time there were very very few tomorrows left. And Lot was a man who went into Sodom, he heard from God and he went into Sodom and he tried to speak to his sons-in-law. And the scripture says they looked at him as a man who was joking. He had heard directly from God, “we've got to get out of here, we've got to distance ourselves from this place, because there's a destruction coming here”, but they looked at him and they received him as a man who'd come into their house to tell them a joke. There was no reverence of the Word of God, there was nothing of the warning of God and those who have heard from God and warning others just as in the day of Lot, Jesus said “will be mocked.” this is how it will be verse 30 says this is how it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed when I come back this is how it's going to be. There's going to be a very real shortage of the preaching of righteousness and there's going to be a mockery among the people in the society to that which truly speaks for God it represents God. Folks, we are in a moral tailspin. It's happening very very quickly. Oh beloved, if ever there was a time when you and I need to be pressing into God it's now, if ever there was a time we need to be opening this book and not playing games with God. Going in to see what it is that God is speaking to us, if ever there was a time where we should be pressing into the prayer closet and shutting ourselves in to know what is in the mind of God and to know how we fit into the plan of God it should be now and in our generation. Now verses 20 to 24 seem to be telling us that before Christ's return there's going to be a great deal of confusion about who God is, where God is, and what God is doing.
Christ in you: The kingdom of God is within
The Pharisees came to Him now, it's interesting it's not the church, it's the Pharisees that are asking and they're saying, because they expected a material and a political Kingdom that's what they were looking for. They were looking for peace and prosperity and power that was what their focus was. So they came to Christ and they said now when is this Kingdom that you're speaking about coming. Jesus looks at them and says this Kingdom that I'm telling you about does not come by anything you can see with your natural eye, it's not a political Kingdom folks. It's not a kingdom that people can look at, He said “for behold the kingdom of God is within you neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the kingdom of God is within you.” Beloved, that's how you know you're a child of God you're not running all over the country looking for God, for some outward display of God. The true children of God are not led by these voices. There's going to be a rise of voices. He's over here doing this. He's over there doing that. He's over there. He's in Europe. He's down in Africa now. Now He's over in Australia. And folks in the last 20 years we've had people who profess to be Christians getting on airplanes. If they had air miles that could get you into heaven they would be in heaven already. And they're running all over the world, because voices are saying “He's over here working now, no He's over there now, now He's appeared over here.” As if God is not omnipresent, which means He's everywhere at all times. Jesus said “no don't follow these voices the kingdom of God is within you.” The kingdom of God is God Himself in the physical body of those who belong to Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is within you. You don't have to run to other countries and other states and other cities to find God. You go into this book and get in the prayer closet that's where God is. The true children of God are not led by these voices; they found the true Christ who has already come. You see Christ was already there. They were looking at the kingdom of God, but could not discern it. The kingdom of God is not something material, the kingdom of God is a person and this person’s name is Jesus Christ. They could not discern Him, He has already come. Yes, He's coming again, but He's already come and He's already establishing His kingdom. His kingdom is well underway. His kingdom has been underway for over 2000 years folks. Hallelujah. It's already being established. He already has a people that He's been living in and walking in and establishing His throne and His government has been active in our lives and He's been speaking in this kingdom. He's been on the throne. His kingdom is called the Church of Jesus Christ. His kingdom has been on the earth for two thousand years. Verse 23, He says “”they shall say to you see here or see there go not after them.” Folks and it's going to increase, these voices: “God is here working, He's over there, see Him here, see Him there.” Oh when people come to you and say to you have you seen what He's doing over there? You look him in the eye and you say have you seen what He's doing in here. Have you seen what He's doing in me? Have you noticed lately that the kingdom of God is within me, He's changing me from image to image and glory to glory. He's taking my selfish heart away and giving me a heart of love. He's taking away timidity and giving me courage. He's taking away confusion and giving me a clear and a clean mind. He's taking away frailty and inability and He's calling things in me that are not as if they are. I'm changing from image to image and from glory to glory day by day. Have you seen what He's doing in here? For as the lightning in verse 24 that lights out of one part under heaven shines - the other part under heaven so shall also the Son of Man be in His day. Now lightning gives light and one day the whole world is going to know in a moment when Christ physically returns. The whole world is going to know. Somebody tells you hey He's appeared in Egypt don't believe it or He's over here in this place don't believe it. He said “as lightning goes from one into heaven to the other”, when I come back the whole world in a moment of time is going to know when I come back, but till then He gives light.
Jesus the light of the world
I see this in verse 24, He said “I am till then the one who gives light in darkened places.” If you've ever been outside at midnight in a lightning storm and a flash of lightning goes across the sky all of a sudden you can see where you're going. Darkness is dissipated by the appearance of this incredible and this powerful light. Oh I thank God that no matter how dark it gets in this world Jesus said “I am from one end of heaven to the other I'm going to give light to those who are mine they're going to know where they're going, they're going to know what their purpose is, they're not going to stumble in darkness, they're not going to be taken captive, they're not going to fall into some unaware trap, they're going to know, they're going to know, they're going to know.” In Exodus 14, when God's people were coming out of captivity and their pursuers were coming after them. The scripture tells us that the Lord came down in the form of a pillar and he stood between the children of God and the enemies of the children of God. To the children of God the scripture says He became light, He shone a pathway. They could travel by day, they could travel by night. They didn't have to slow their pace, they knew where they were going. He made a way through impossible places for them, but to their enemies the scripture says He became darkness He veiled as it is His own light from those who are following the children of God. But their whole motivation was to captivate them and bring them into captivity, but God says no this world is not going to captivate my church I have a people that are called to glorify My name and I'm going to lead them out and they're going to call Me Father and I'm going to call them my sons and my daughters and they're going to be My bride for all of eternity. The psalmist says in Psalm 119 verse 105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Hallelujah. I'm not concerned about this generation. I'm not concerned about the dark, oh yes I'm concerned for the sake of people who need to know Christ as Savior, but I know the darkness cannot stop what God has begun in my heart, it cannot stop what God has begun in my home. Darkness has no power over me anymore. Hallelujah thanks be to God.
Don’t look back!: Remember Lot’s Wife
In verse 31 Jesus says “In that day he shall be upon the housetop and his stuff in the house let him not come down and take it away.” Now we're talking about the last days, we're talking about a season of religious confusion, we're talking about a time when it is unpopular to live for Christ. We're talking about a time when the Word of God is resisted and rejected and God's people will be largely mocked in the generations that we're living in now. And He says in this particular verse, verse 31 “in that day he was on the housetop and his stuff in the house let him not come down and take it away.” Now as I was praying about this the Lord took me to Acts chapter 10 I don't turn there I'm just going to share it with you and it's where Peter was on a journey and on that journey he went up to the rooftop it says. And on the top of the house he turned to God in prayer and turning to God in prayer he earnestly began to seek direction from God. Now God did something that Peter didn't expect was going to happen. He let down as it is this sheet from heaven and gave him not only a revelation, but a pathway for his life that Peter didn't understand. On the sheet were all kinds of things that Peter had never considered before, things that in his natural upbringing were impossible to him. The Lord said “Peter eat of this” and Peter says “not so Lord I've never done this all of my life.” It was so utterly distasteful it seemed so impossible that he could go in this direction. Oh beloved in the last days when you are seeking God with all your heart, when you are looking for your life direction from God. Now you listen to me, because I'm speaking prophetically to you now. Even when it seems that the way is fearful, it's impossible, it's unfamiliar, and it's even distasteful to your flesh. That's what it was to Peter. You have a choice to make you go with God or you go downstairs and get your old stuff that you once built your life upon. I want to tell you something folks no matter what the future holds or where God calls you or what He asks you to do. Do not go back into your house and get your old stuff and start building your life on that which you used to build your life on before you came to Christ. There is no security there, there is no future there, your security is in Christ. Your hope is in Christ. Your future is in Christ. Your life is in Christ. Your joy is in Christ. Your sanity is in Christ. Everything you want is in Christ. He says in verse 33 “whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; whoever loses his life shall preserve it.” You know those who seek to preserve themselves through material familiarity are suddenly going to see all that they work for and trusted in for the futures lost away before their eyes. There's a season coming folks when everything, but Christ is going to be washed away. The writer Hebrews says “everything that can be shaken will be shaken”, that only that which cannot be shaken which is the life of Christ within you and within me might remain. He says in verse 31 “and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.” In the field, those who are already on the journey, those are already moving with God. Oh folks, calamity is coming, difficult days are coming on the whole world. I would be a liar if I stood here and told you otherwise, difficult days, hard days in the natural are coming to the whole world, not just the United States of America, but the whole world is going to know this. And many of you here today you're already on the journey, you're already in the field, you're already out there telling people about the goodness of God. You're already considering going and obeying God, you're a step ahead of those who are just on the roof of the house seeking the will of God. And Jesus says “in that day don't turn back, don't turn back to what you left behind.” Young people listen to me, don't turn back to what you left behind. What you left behind never satisfied you. What you left behind gave you a hunger that led you to Jesus Christ. Don't turn back there's nothing there. Don't look for security in this world; you're not going to find it. Don't look to be entertained out of your difficult situation, it's not going to happen. Keep going with God no matter how dark it gets. Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going until every man, woman, and child that Christ is destined you to stand before has heard the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep going folks, keep going, don't turn back. You may have to put this tape in your stockpile and pull it out sometime in the future, but I'm telling you and I'm speaking to you in the Spirit when things get difficult don't turn back to where you came from there is no security there. The whole world is going to be gathering around familiarity. People are going to be going back to where they have come from. People are going to gather around things of familiarity and that once brought them comfort, country, culture. All these things people are going to be gravitating to, but God says not so for my people. Not so, this is not where your security is, this is not where your comfort is, if you're already in the field keep going no matter how dark it gets. Keep going in the field, proclaim the kingdom of God I'll be with you even to the end of the world. I'll be with you! “Remember Lot's wife”, He says in verse 32. Lot's wife just couldn't get far enough from a perishing society, she hesitated, she walked slower than she should have, she was sort of leaving, but couldn't quite make the break. And when this whole city exploded into the air she became covered as it is with the residue of a failing and the fallen society. And Lot's wife, his wife, is the type of people who take on the collective fear and confusion of a godless society in difficult times. “Remember Lot's wife”, God came, an angel visited, God Himself came and took Lot by the hand and said “get out, get your family and get out of this place let not your heart be here, let not your security be here, because nothing you see is going to remain and it will offer no comfort to anyone in the future.” His wife could not make the break. And folks for those who can't make the break you're going to end up getting your security from talk radio in the days ahead. You're going to get it from magazines, you're going to get it from newscasters, you're going to end up getting it from other people and it's the residue of a following society will cover you and you will end up fearless and confused just like Lot's wife did. Verses 34 to 37, Jesus says “I tell you in that night there shall be two men in one bed the one should be taken in the other left, two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other left, two men shall be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left.” The Apostle Paul speaking of the last days he says.
Falling Away
2 Thessalonians 2:3 That day shall not come except there come a falling away first
Now I do believe beloved we're in the beginnings of this, I don't know how deep we're into it, but I have lived to see a tremendous falling away and what professes to be the Church of Jesus Christ from the biblical Christ from the Christ of truth there has been a great great falling away in our generation. Now listen, you can't fall off a building unless you first been on it, you can't fall away from something unless you've been close to it, you have to at least have been in proximity. I'm not suggesting that everyone who falls away was ever Christian in the first place, but they got in close enough, just like the Pharisees we're right there saying “tell us about the kingdom, when is the kingdom coming?” They're right there, they're in proximity to Jesus, probably just a matter of a few feet away from Him. In a similar way there will be many who have pressed in, but did not pressed into truth, they're not pressed into a living relationship with God and they will decide the way that is before them is too difficult, it's not appealing to the flesh and so they will walk away from Him. Just as they physically did in the three years that He was here in bodily form ministering in this world. I see in verse 34, He says there'd be two men in one bed. I see two seemingly in agreement and in the same place. You see we draw the assumption in this sanctuary today, because you have a person on your left hand and on your right hand we draw the assumption today that we're all in the same place. I saw you clap your hands you saw me clap my hands and so you raise your hands you saw me raise mine. We sang the same song so we're in the same place, not necessarily so. Two women shall be grinding together verse 35. It's talking about people who are not just in the house together, but they've begun to work together and they seemingly are moving in unison for the same purpose. These are people are a step beyond just coming to church they're doing some kind of service to God it could be a ministry, whether visible are not visible, but they're doing something and they're fellowshipping, they're pushing together, they're working at the same table perhaps or they're helping with the children. For lack of other examples they're doing these things together, but one will be taken, Jesus said and the other left and then it goes on and says “the two men will be in the field.” I see these as two more of going further than those who are just in the same place and those who are working together these have gone into the field maybe they're telling others about Jesus Christ. Maybe they've gone into some kind of ministry that the normative church population has not gone into yet and here they are out in the field, but in this season that Jesus is talking about, one is taken and the other is left. Now it's really important to understand what Jesus is saying here, when you go back into the Greek New Testament the word “taken” means to be received near or it means to be intimately brought into association. Now that really changes things, now Jesus is saying “two will be in the bed, two be grinding, two be in the field and one will be brought near to Me. The disciples knew exactly what He was talking about. He was there and they would have understood His innovation in this season of My coming there will be two, one will be brought into intimate fellowship with Me and the other will be left. And the word “left” in the Greek means “send away”, it means dismissed, it means forsaken, it means put away as a woman being divorced from her husband. That's incredible, two will be in bed, one will be brought into intimacy with Me and the other one will be dismissed from Me. Two women will be out in the field or grinding, one will be brought into intimate relationship with Me and the other will be sent away. And you see now you begin to understand verse 37, because it's in the context of being sent away and they said “where Lord? Where will they be sent to?” He answers and says wherever the body is there will the eagles be gathered together. The word “body” means “dead body”, “carcass” in the Greek and what is translated “eagle” in the King James Bible is actually “vulture”. Jesus said wherever the dead body is there will the vultures be gathered together, they will be sent away to whatever it is of death that they have chosen to embrace instead of Me. They will be released out of My presence. If you don't believe this, go to Thessalonians and Paul says because they received not the love of the truth God will send upon them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie. There are people who have manufactured a dead Christ in our generation. It's not the Living Christ it's another Christ. It’s a Christ that they can gather and they can gorge their bellies off of. This Christ they gather in assemblies all, never to give, never to go, never to yield, never to be abandoned, never to take up the cross. It's just to fill their bellies, this is a dead Christ and he says wherever the dead body is there the vultures those who gather. Remember the Apostle Paul says their enemies at the cross, their God is their belly, their mind is on earthly things. He said I tell you this even weeping that many preach, but they are the enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ.
Mighty men and women of God made a decision
Beloved, in this generation we've got to have a cry in our hearts and the cry has got to be “Jesus give me the courage not to turn back to what I've left behind, give me the courage.” And it begins now here in the sanctuary, O mighty men and women of God just aren't born in the moment. Mighty men and women of God have made decisions along the way. I'm sure it might have been very favorable to stay in Saul's Kingdom that's where the supply was, that's where the favor of the king as they saw it was, but there were 400 in that particular time in that particular era that says “no it might be more advantageous and less risky for me to stay with Saul, but I'm going with the anointing of God is. I'm going where the truth of God is, we've seen the Spirit of God on David and even if he's living in a cave and seems to be pursued like a partridge in the mountains. I'd rather be there with him.” Folks there's a time coming when you're gonna have to make a decision, to say I rather be with Christ than to enjoy all the pleasures and seeming securities of the society all around me than to have the favor of men I'd rather have the favor of God than have the favor of the whole society that's dying around me. I'd rather live for God and that's where mighty men and women of God are born. They make a decision that I'm not going to go back to what I left behind even if I have to live in the cave. Even if I have to suffer for a season, I'm staying with God, I'm going to walk with God. And folks there's a season for those who make this decision that one day you step out of that place of seclusion and the Spirit of God is upon you and you begin to preach like you've never preached before. You have authority, you have clear thinking, and there’s a power working within you. The kingdom of God has come to you. Christ has found somebody He can walk with and His life begins to flow through your life. His hands begin to touch through your hands. His voice speaks through your voice. His eyes begin to see through your eyes and you begin to understand. Oh God your kingdom has come within me. God thank you for giving me the courage not to go back to what I left behind, there's nothing there's, there’s nothing there, there’s nothing there, there's nothing there, there's trembling, there's fear, there's perishing, there’s confusion. I'm not going back there. I'm walking with God. I'm going to walk with God all the days of my life and to the end of this journey. We need to be able to cry “Jesus give me the courage to seek You and not to be afraid to follow where you lead me, give me the courage of God to go into my prayer closet, the housetop as it is and Lord no matter what You show me give me the courage to believe that You're well able to give me the power to do it even if I've never done it all of my life even if I don't think I have the strength to do it. God Almighty even if it's not favorable to the people around me I will go I will obey you I will do what You called me to do. Give me the courage to seek You and not turn back into my house and get my old stuff and begin to build my life on these things.” Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I thank God with all my heart. I thank God every day with all my heart that in the young age as a Christian He started speaking to me and gave me the courage to begin to follow Him into a place of impossibility. So I'm not bringing you today a theory about God. I have a living experience with Jesus Christ. Help me today, we should cry to make the break that I need to make from godlessness. Help me God not to live too close to an ungodly society, help me not to live a life of mixture, because there's no power there. Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus you need a voice in this generation, you need a voice oh God. That voice has to be your church, you need a voice, you need a voice your people will not hear. If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound how will the people prepare themselves for the battle? Oh God help me to speak for You, help me to stand for You, help me to live for You. Help me to be found where You are. Help me not to limit You. You made my eyes and my hands and my heart and my body you are well able to do God everything You say that You want to do through me. Give me the courage to obey You.
Psalm 57: Trust God
Give me the courage not to turn back oh God. David says this, let me read it to you Psalm 57.
Psalm 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by.
David had a choice to make and he made the right one. He said “God I'm coming under Your wings, I don't understand everything that's going on around me, but I do know that where You are that's where strength is, that's where power is, that's where provision is, that's where hope and a future is. It's where you are and I choose to be where You are, even if it's in a cave, in an unpopular time, that's what I'm going to be found, that's where I'm going to go.
Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me.
He says “God I will cry out to you, because you are well able to do everything that You say You'll do through my life.
Psalm 57:3,4 He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
This is what marked David as a man different from those of his generation. He said “God I am surrounded, I am surrounded by evil speakers, I'm surrounded by those who are set on fire against You and Your ways and Your truth. And then you see he cries out, he said:
Psalm 57:5-10 O God be exalted, let Your glory come above the heavens, let Your glory be above the earth, be exalted O God. They've prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they digged a pit before me; into the midst where of their fallen themselves. But my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise Oh awake up my glory, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise Thee O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For Thy mercy is great to the heavens and Thy truth under the clouds.
And then David's conclusion says “be exalted O God above the heavens and let Thy glory be above all the earth.” Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thy kingdom come O God. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Son of God be everything in me that You want to be in me. Let Your kingdom come and through this earthly vessel be glorified. Let the desires of Your heart be made known. Let the desires of Your heart be fulfilled. Let the kingdom of hell shake off of its foundations. Let men and women rise up out of obscurity and darkness and let them know You as King Lord and Savior Victor and Deliver, and Healer. Let them know You. Let them know You. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. Lord give me the courage not to turn back to what I've left behind. Some of you are turning back already. Don't go there. There's nothing there, you end up building a sand castle and when difficult times come it will be washed right out from under your feet and you'll be left with nothing to stand on. Give me the courage to seek You Jesus and to follow You wherever You lead me and help me to make the break from all ungodliness. You cannot spend your weekend entertained by stupidity and have an understanding of the things of God. You can't do it. You can't do it. You will become exactly what you look at and listen to and so will I.
Closing
Father, I have delivered Your heart. God I notice You'll been in the service you've manifested Your glory through this whole service today, We've known that we've stood and sat in Your presence. Oh God you say that you will draw one to you in intimacy and another will be dismissed. My God, help us to make the right decisions now. Help us Jesus, help us Lord to be not found among the confused in these last hours of time. Oh God help us, if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you today and He's touched your heart and you need the courage to walk away from something and you need the courage to walk towards something else. You can't walk towards Christ unless you're walking away from the world folks. You can't have both at the same time, you have to be walking away from something to be walking towards Him. Young people, especially my heart's been burdened for you last night in prayer, I've just so burdened for the young that would be here today, so drawn to the things of the world. God will give you the courage to make the break. God will give you the courage to walk with Him and you will thank Him. You'll wash His feet with your tears one day and thank God you've had the courage to hear this word, you didn't resist it and you turn towards Him. If the Holy Spirit is drawing you today I'm going to ask you to meet me at this altar so that we may pray a prayer of dedication together in the annex. You can stand between the screens that will do the same there, we're going to go to worship now for a few moments and as we do if the Holy Spirit's been speaking to your heart you need the courage now that I've spoken to you about as we stand make your way to this altar please and stand between the screens in the annex. And we're going to pray a prayer of dedication together in a few minutes, but let's go to worship now. Please stand, let everybody slip out who needs to slip out. I feel a specific calling to the young it's not exclusively to the young, but specifically to the young today. You need the courage to step away from what you need to get away from, leave ungodliness behind. Leave it behind beloved, leave the fear tomorrow behind. Step out, step away from it. Don't leave impossibility behind. Don't say no to God. Don't say that God can't do something through you. Don't do that, that's what the children of Israel did and it left them in the wilderness. With God all things are possible. If He's speaking it to you He will perform it. Believe Him with all your heart. Most people are afraid to leave something for something else, because of fear and Jesus himself said a man went out into a field seeking goodly pearls and when he found one of great price then he went forsook all that he had that he may own it. Now your strength lies in the fact of the knowledge of God's love for you, perfect love casts out fear. I've loved you He says with an everlasting love. I've always loved you and you've gotten out of your seat and maybe you haven't, but in your heart you're saying I want to be close to You and He said to those who want to be no matter where you're at today I will draw you into intimacy. You will know that I love you, I will draw you into intimacy with Myself, I've become the delight of your heart, you'll know you're secure in the Father's hand. You're not going to be afraid of being cast away, you will know, because I speak to you and day by day you'll experience My life being intertwined with yours. You'll know you're living in the miraculous, because I'll make sure that you know, you'll be aware of My love. Hallelujah. Lord, we thank You today. God, You have spoken to our hearts, you've drawn us to Your side. God we know that we are Your children, because we are delighted to be there and we sense the depth of your delight to embrace us. We feel Your embrace through this whole service today, you've opened Your arms and You've received us. God thank You for this Lord. Give us the courage Lord to leave behind what needs to be left behind and to go forward where we need to go, but You say You will go with us and Your perfect love will cast away all of our fear. God thank You that you will take us through fire through flood through difficult times through good days and bad days. You will take us and when it's all over we'll stand at the end like the Apostle Paul say I've walked I've fought I finished. God thank You for this with all of our hearts we give You the praise and all of the glory, thine is the kingdom the power and the glory now and forever giving the shout of praise.
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Carter Conlon ( - Present)
Carter Conlon is the Senior Pastor of Times Square Church. David Wilkerson is the Founding Pastor of Times Square Church. God called Brother Carter to full-time ministry in Canada by faith and He has been serving the Lord with the same faith till this day.God has used brother Carter Conlon to preach across the world at pastors conferences and evangelism crusades. He has also recently written 2 books with the newest title: "Fear Not" in which he is strengthening the body of Christ for what is coming upon the world in the end-times.