The Seven Sealed Book

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-30-2020

Revelation 5:1-9

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Chapters 4-5 find the Church raptured out and gathered in heaven with all the saints of God from both Old and New Testaments.  What a reunion day that will be.

 B.  Chapter 6 shows the introduction of Anti-Christ at the beginning of the Tribulation Period.  Chapter 6 begins with the word “and” to show that chapters 4-6 are simultaneous events.  At the rapture of the Church, we are now in heaven while we find (2 Thessalonians 2) the introduction of “that wicked.”

 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  (2)  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.  (3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  (5)  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  (6)  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  (7)  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  (8)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  (9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  (10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  (11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

C.  As we worship God and revel is the glories of heaven, the world enters the judgement of God: Jacob’s Trouble or the Tribulation Period.

 

Daniel 9:24  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

 

D.  We saw the unity of God in the “one sat” upon the throne and God the Father sitting with the Seven Sealed Book in His hand.

 

E.  This is not the closed book that Daniel sealed as the Book of Revelation opened that one for us. 

 

Daniel 12:1-4  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  (2)  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  (3)  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.  (4)  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

 

Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: Here, Daniel is describing a characteristic of the time of the end. Many take this prediction as being fulfilled in both the ability to travel quickly and also the busyness of these last days (run to and fro) and information explosions of the past two centuries (knowledge shall increase) of our modern age.

 

F.  This Seven Sealed Book holds the Seven Seals of the Judgment of God to be opened by the Judge, Jesus Christ, at the beginning of the Tribulation Period of Jacob’s Trouble.  This a book that the Father holds in His hand is as old as time.

 

Acts 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

 

G.  All Judgment is given to Christ.

 

John 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

 

2 Timothy 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

 

Two classes of people—quick are the saved, dead are the unsaved—two judgments—Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne—two appearances—his appearing, the rapture of the church and the Second Coming.

 

Psalms 50:1-6  A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.  (2)  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.  (3)  Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.  (4)  He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.  (5)  Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.  (6)  And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

 

Psalms 96:10-13  Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.  (11)  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.  (12)  Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice  (13)  Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

 

1.  The Scroll.  The Seven Sealed Book.  The Seven Seals hold the Seven-Fold Judgment of God during the Tribulation Period.

 

Revelation 5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

 

Revelation 6:1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

 

With the opening of each of the seven seals, we find a different aspect of the judgment of God on Israel and the occupants of the earth.

 

2.  The Subject of the Book.  The judgment of Christ Jesus upon:

 

a.  Those who have rejected the gospel and person of Jesus Christ: His great salvation.

 

John 3:18-21  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  (19)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  (21)  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  (9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  (10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  (11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

b.  The Nation of Israel who rejected the Messiah, God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Revelation 5:1-2  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.  (2)  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?  (Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12; 8:1)

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

Isaiah 53:1-3  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  (2)  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.  (3)  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 

Romans 10:16-21  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  (17)  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  (18)  But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.  (19)  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.  (20)  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.  (21)  But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

 

Luke 19:41-44  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,  (42)  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.  (43)  For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,  (44)  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

 

Matthew 23:37-39  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  (38)  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.  (39)  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

 

3.  The Search – From Adam of the Old Testament to John the Revelator of the New Testament, none was found worthy. 

 

Revelation 5: 3  fcAnd no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

 

a.  No Person, no Prophet, no Powerful King, no Priest, no Apostle, no Martyr, no one was worthy to judge.

 

b.  Jesus Christ is the righteous judge and the only One who has the right to judge.  His judgments will be perfect.

 

4.  The Sadness – This same sadness at the seemingly lack of justice on earth exists today as God’s people ask the question, “How long, O Lord?”

 

Revelation 5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

 

a.  Dr. R. G. Lee preached the message, “Payday Some Day.”  As the old preacher once said, “There is coming a great “recompencing day.”

 

b.  God is keeping score and, at the right time, will perfectly judge both the rejection of the Messiah by Israel along with the rejection of Christ by individuals.

 

5.  The Sovereign – A Lion was expected but a slain Lamb came forth.

 

Revelation 5:12  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

 

Jeremiah 30:7-10  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.  (8)  For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:  (9)  But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.  (10)  Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

The Fruit of The Spirit - Love

Temple Baptist Church - 8-30-2020

Ephesians 5:17-21; Galatians 5:13-24

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  The Fruit Bearing of Salvation – John 15:1-2, 5  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  (Notice three phases that show fruit bearing is progressive and a result of growing spiritually.)

 

Matthew 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 

1.  The fruit of holiness brings blessing - Romans 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

 

2.  The fruit of the flesh brings death - Romans 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

 

B.  The Fruit Bearing of The Spirit.

 

Ephesians 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

 

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

C.  It is important to note the order of the nine aspects of spiritual fruit.  The soul or heart comes first as it dictates the outcome of the other two parts. 

 

1.  Man is a trichotomy or three in one—soul which is self-conscious, body which is world conscious, and spirit which is God conscious.  If the heart is not right, then our relationship with both man and God will not be right!

 

2.  Three are inward which shows the condition of our soul: love, joy, peace.

 

3.  Three are outward which is how we treat others: longsuffering, gentleness, goodness.

 

4.  Three are upward which is how we approach God: faith, meekness, temperance.

 

5.  If the soul, or heart of man, is not right—then our relationship with others and God will not be right.

 

D.  How we walk spiritually decides what fruit we bear inwardly, outwardly, and upwardly.

 

Ephesians 5: 6-9  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.  Be not ye therefore partakers with them.  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 

 

1.  Goodness is inward as it dictates the condition of the heart of man.  We often use the phrase “he is a good man” or “she is a good woman.”

 

2.  Righteousness is outward and has to do with what we do works or righteousness.  The inward dictates the outward.

 

3.  Truth is upward as we are to worship God in spirit and truth.  We cannot be right with God if we are not both inwardly right and outwardly right!

 

E.  There are nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit listed.  To be filled with the Spirit is to possess all nine! 

 

F.  The Bible deals with the inward first because it is the inward that dictates the outward and upward.

 

G.  The first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is love.  As the love of money is the root of all evil, the love that God instills within His children is the root of all righteousness.

 

 

H.  If we are filled with the Spirit, we will love.  I want to open this morning with the importance of love.  In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, we find the word “charity” used.  Charity is an aspect of love but love covers a lot of ground.  Charity is brotherly love so I will be careful not to take a verse out of context.

 

1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.  (When dealing with spiritual gifts, both passing and permanent, the Bible gives the importance of charity, i.e. brotherly love.  The greatest gift that we have withing the local church is charity or brotherly love.  Charity covers a multitude of sins!  If we love right, we will interact right!)

 

J.  When we are saved, at that moment, the Holy Ghost of God enters and indwells the believer and we become filled with love.

 

Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  (The world has love but it is often misdirected or misused.  The child of God has “the love of God” and the Bible says that “God is love!”)

 

 

 

1.  We Will Love The Lord – Ephesians 6:24  Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

 

a.  It Is A Submissive Love - John 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

John 14:23-24  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.   He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

 

b.  It Is A Serving Love - 1 Corinthians 5:14-15  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again

 

c.  It Is A Sacrificial Love - 2 Corinthians 8:8-9  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

 

d.  It Is A Surpassing Love - John 21:15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

 

2.  We Will Love One Another - John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

 

a.  It Is A Witnessing Love - John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

b.  It Is An Assuring Love - 1 John 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

 

c.  It Is A Forgiving Love - Ephesians 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

 

d.  It Is A Compassionate Love - John 15:12-13  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

1 John 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

 

e.  It Is A Sincere Love - Romans 12:9-10  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

Galatians 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

 

3.  We Will Love Sinners

 

Romans 13:9-10  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

4.  We Will Love God’s Word

 

a.  We will highly esteem it - Job 23:12  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

 

b.  We will meditate in it - Psalms 1:1-2  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

 

c.  We will obey it - 1 John 5:1-3  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

 

5.  We Will Love God’s House

 

a.  Shown through faithfulness - If the everyone came as often as you, what kind of church would we have?

 

b.  Shown through willingness to help and work - If everyone did as much as you do, would the work of the Lord get done?

 

c.  Shown through participation - How often do you attend extra-curricular activities

 

Conclusion:  God’s love is something that does something to us and then does something through us. 

The Valley of War

Temple Baptist Church - 8-16-2020

Ephesians 6:10-13

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Paul’s final exhortation to the believers at Ephesus was to stand fast.  Ephesus was a thriving city in Asia Minor with wealth and idolatry on every hand.  The Ephesian believers had been saved from a life of plenty and sinfulness.  In the city of Ephesus stood the Temple of Diana (her Greek name was Artemis), which was one of the most revered of Roman goddesses.  The Temple of Diana was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  

 

B.  Christianity was openly rejected, and believers persecuted in the city (Acts 19).  Here in our text, the Apostle Paul encourages these precious people to:

 

1.  Be strong in the Lord.   Vs. 10.  Our need for spiritual strength, found only in the Lord.  The battlefield is no place for sissies or cowards.

 

1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

 

2.  Stand against the wiles of the devil.  Vs. 11.  Our need to know our enemy and his tactics. 

 

1 Peter 5:8-9  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  (9)  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

 

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

3.  Withstand in the evil day.  Vs. 13.

 

2 Timothy 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  (2)  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

 

4.  Having done all, to stand.  Vs. 13.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (Falling away – to be removed from a former position.)

 

C.  We must:

 

1.  Fight the Good Fight - 1 Timothy 6:11-14  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  (12)  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  (13)  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;  (14)  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (We are to fight those things that attack what we believe.)

 

2.  Fight the Right Fight -  Timothy 4:6-7  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  (7)  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  (The weapons of our warfare are spiritual, not carnal.  Our fight must follow the parameters set forth in the Bible.  We do not operate outside of our Christian testimony.)

 

D.  We are in a War!

 

1.  Spiritual war is Inevitable.  The battle for spiritual things has always been, from Genesis, chapter 3, to the present.  The world hates God, Jesus Christ, the Word of God, the local church, and us!  Many professing Christians never noticed.  That should tell them something.

 

2.  Spiritual war is Unending.  Unending so long as time endures, there will be a battle between good and evil, God and Satan, the world and us.  Many professing Christians fight for the right for a while but eventually give up and quit.

 

E.  We are in a War!

 

1.  It Is An Intense War - Jude 3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  (It is life of death!)

 

2.  It Is An Intentional War - 1 Corinthians 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.

 

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  (Fight the enemy, not everything that moves!)

 

3.  It Is An Involved War - 2 Corinthians 7:5  For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.  (You are in it, like it or not!)

 

Hebrews 10:32  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.

 

4.  It Is An Important War - 1 Timothy 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  (Our faith, family, and friends are at stake!)

 

5.  It Is An Intrepid War - Hebrews 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight.  Turned to flight the armies of the aliens.  (It takes boldness, resolve, and intestinal fortitude to win!)

 

1.  We are in a War for our Nation.

 

a.  America has moved away from God causing God to move away from America.  The question must be asked, “Why should God bless America if America refuses to bless God?”

 

b. The so-called “silent majority” had better become vocal because there is a time when silence becomes both condonement and enablement!

 

c.  We also live in a land of plenty as well as an idolatrous nation.  By idolatry, I mean both idols made of metal and idols that are mental. 

 

1)  America, despite our financial woes of this day, is still the Utopia of the world!  The people of every nation look at America as being the epitome of wealth and luxury: Utopia! 

 

2)  Along with the blessing of plenty goes the curse of idolatry!  An “idol” is anything or anyone that comes between us and the Lord.  What we love and live for is the “god” of our lives.

 

3)  If you have not noticed, this year thus far has been devastating to our nation.  Two things that you DO NOT DO: give the government either money or power as it will abuse both!

 

d.  We are losing the War for America!  While the majority remain in silence, the far left socialistic anarchists are both visible and vocal.

 

2.  We are in a War for our Church.

 

a.  Fundamental, Bible believing churches have become the enemy of the state.  The state does not like us for the same reason that they do not like President Donald Trump; they cannot control either us or our thinking!  Religion will bow to government where sound, fundamental, Bible believing churches bow only to Christ and His Word.

 

b.  So-called fundamental, Bible believing churches all around have capitulated concerning their music or any type of biblical separation from the world.

 

c.  Preachers and preaching have and is changing to all exhortation instead of godliness.  Old fashioned, Old Paths churches are now silently scoffed at and forsaken.

 

d.  We will not lose the War for our church!  As long as this pastor is in this pulpit and our people back the pastor, we will not fail nor fall.

 

3.  We are in a War for our Faith.

 

a.  There has been infiltration by false teachers for many years now.  Through institutions of higher learning (that is a joke) and many false shepherds who now fill the pulpits.

 

b.  Biblical inerrancy has been under attack for the past 140 years by the introduction of the Minority Text that is now accepted by the Majority of the people.

 

c.  Either the Bible is right or these false teachers, who say that the Bible (it declares from Genesis to Revelation to be inerrant, infallible, inspired, and preserved) is wrong are right.  We will remain with the King James Bible without apology!

 

d.  Our children need to know the truth and to see the truth in action.  You and I have the biblical responsibility to hold to and maintain the Old Paths.  These are the right way and the good way.

 

Conclusion:  I know that I am preaching to the choir this morning, but I want the world and the church to know that we are NOT FOR SALE!