♪♪♪ WELCOME TO LOVE WORTH
FINDING WITH PASTOR, TEACHER,
AND AUTHOR, ADRIAN ROGERS. REACHING OUT WITH GOD'S LOVE,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHRIST, TOUCHING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD,
AND HELPING YOU FIND
THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TODAY. JOIN US AS WE PREPARE TO OPEN
GOD'S WORD AND DISCOVER HOW YOUR
LIFE CAN BE CHANGED FOREVER BY HIS GREAT
LOVE WORTH FINDING. WOULD YOU TAKE GOD'S WORD AND
BE FINDING ROMANS CHAPTER 13
AND BEGINNING IN VERSE 11. BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT
HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO
IN THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION. THE DAY WAS APRIL THE 18TH,
THE YEAR 1775. AND THE BRITISH HAD BROUGHT
THEIR TROOPS INTO OLD BOSTON. AND THE PLAN WAS AT NIGHTTIME,
WHEN EVERYONE WAS ASLEEP, TO TAKE SMALL BOATS,
GO ACROSS THE CHARLES RIVER, AND ATTACK CONCORD AND
LEXINGTON. EVERYONE WAS ASLEEP, THE BRITISH HAD THEIR PLANS,
BUT THERE WAS A MAN
WHO WAS NOT ASLEEP. AND HIS NAME WAS PAUL REVERE.
HE WAS AWAKE.
HE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AND PAUL REVERE AND HIS FAMOUS
RIDE, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY,
HE GOT ON HIS HORSE AND HE BEGAN TO GALLOP FROM
VILLAGE TO VILLAGE, FROM HOUSE
TO HOUSE, AND HE BEGAN TO CRY, "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
THE BRITISH ARE COMING,
THE BRITISH ARE COMING!" AND HE SOUNDED THE ALARM AND
HE KNOCKED ON DOORS AND CRIED
IN THE STREETS AND GALLOPED FROM PLACE TO PLACE, TELLING
EVERYBODY, "WAKE UP!"
AND CANDLES WERE LIT, AND WINDOWS WERE OPENED,
AND CURTAINS DRAWN BACK,
AND PEOPLE RUBBED THEIR EYES. MEN GOT UP AND PUT ON THEIR
CLOTHES AND GRABBED THEIR
MUSKETS. THEY CALLED THEM, "MINUTE MEN." THEY WERE READY IN
A MINUTE. AND THEY WENT OUT INTO
THE STREETS TO DEFEND THEIR HONOR,
TO DEFEND THEIR COUNTRY, TO DEFEND THEIR CHILDREN
FROM THE BRITISH,
WHO WERE COMING IN THE NIGHT. OLD PAUL REVERE SENT OUT A CALL,
AND THAT CALL WAS, "WAKE UP, THE BRITISH ARE COMING."
I WANT TO TELL YOU, THERE'S
ANOTHER WAR, AN INVISIBLE WAR, AND SOMEBODY TODAY NEEDS
TO BE A MODERN PAUL
REVERE AND TELL US TO WAKE UP, TO WAKE UP, THE ENEMY IS UPON
US, THE ENEMY IS COMING,
AND WE NEED TO SOUND THE ALARM. AND THE SAD THING IS THIS,
THAT THE CHURCH IS ASLEEP,
SNUGGLED UP IN HER PEWS WITH THE COVERS PULLED UP
OVER HER HEAD, AND THE
SANCTUARY IS DARK. AND THE CHURCH NEEDS TO WAKE UP
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. THAT'S WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL
IS TALKING ABOUT HERE, BEGINNING IN VERSE 11. LOOK, "AND KNOWING THAT,
AND THAT KNOWING THE TIME," WATCH IT, "IT IS NOW HIGH TIME
TO AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP. FOR NOW IS OUR SALVATION
NEARER THAN WHEN WE BELIEVED." LISTEN TO THIS NOW,
"THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT, THE DAY IS AT HAND; LET US
THEREFORE CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS, AND LET US PUT ON
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT. LET US WALK HONESTLY AS IN THE DAY, NOT IN
RIOTING AND DRUNKENNESS, NOT IN CHAMBERING
AND WANTONNESS, NOT IN STRIFE AND ENVYING. BUT
PUT YE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND MAKE NOT PROVISION FOR THE
FLESH, TO FULFILL THE LUSTS THEREOF." THE TITLE
OF OUR MESSAGE TODAY,
"THE WAKE-UP CALL." HUH, WHAT TIME IS IT ON GOD'S
CLOCK? WELL, NUMBER ONE, IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP
AND NUMBER TWO; IT'S PROBABLY
LATER THAN MOST OF US THINK. AND THIS IS A WAKE-UP CALL
THAT PAUL GAVE
TO THESE SAINTS SO LONG AGO, AND I BELIEVE THAT HE WANTS TO
GIVE IT TO US TODAY BECAUSE THE
ALARM HAS SOUNDED. THE LATE, GREAT VANCE HAVNER
SAID, "IN TODAY'S WORLD THERE
IS ANARCHY IN THE WORLD, APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH,
AND APATHY IN THE PEW,
APATHY IN THE PEW." WE'RE ASLEEP.
AND WE NEED TO WAKE UP.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, AND THERE IS ANARCHY IN OUR
WORLD. I WANT TO GIVE YOU
SOME ALARMING THINGS. REMEMBER, LISTEN, WE IN AMERICA
TODAY ARE IN A MORAL FREE-FALL,
HAVE YOU NOTICED? I, I AM AMAZED, IN ALL OF MY MINISTRY
I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A LOOSENING
OF STANDARDS AS WE SEE. SOMETHING IS HAPPENING
IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS
OF BOYS AND GIRLS. JUST DOWN HERE IN HATTIESBURG,
MISSISSIPPI, A YOUNGSTER
TOOK A GUN TO SCHOOL AND KILLED HIS ERSTWHILE
GIRLFRIEND. HE HAD ONE
OBJECTIVE, TO GO TO SCHOOL AND KILL HER. AND HE TOLD OF
WORSHIPING SATAN AND PRAYING TO
SATAN, AND I GIVE YOU A QUOTE THAT I LIFTED RIGHT OUT OF THE
NEWSPAPER FROM THIS YOUNG MAN. HE SAID, "AT ONE MOMENT I WAS
A BROKEN IDIOT. THE NEXT I WAS
IN COMPLETE CONTROL. THAT WAS THE POWER SATAN HAD
GIVEN ME. I KNOW IT IS REAL." NOW, HOW CAN WE HAVE BOYS AND
GIRLS TODAY WHO ARE TURNING TO
SATAN WORSHIP RIGHT IN THE VERY BUCKLE
OF THE BIBLE BELT? I WAS GIVEN A FOLDER,
OR A ARTICLE, THAT CAME
OUT OF A SKATEBOARD MAGAZINE. YOU KNOW BOYS AND GIRLS LOVE TO
RIDE SKATEBOARDS, AND SO MUCH
THAT THERE IS A MAGAZINE. THAT MAGAZINE IS CALLED
THRASHER. IT'S A LITTLE COMIC
STRIP, AND IT HAS A LITTLE SMILEY-FACED DEVIL AND ANOTHER
LITTLE IMP THERE WITH HORNS ON HIS HEAD
AND A LITTLE FORKED TAIL, AND, UH, HERE'S WHAT THE COMIC
STRIP SAYS. HERE'S THE
SMILEY-FACED DEVIL AND HE SAYS, "HI, KIDDIES," AND, AND, THIS,
THIS SMILING-FACE DEVIL IS
SURROUNDED BY HALF-NAKED, UH, WOMEN, UH, AROUND HIM.
HE SAYS, "HI, KIDDIES,
IT'S ME, DEVIL MAN, ALONG WITH MY TRUSTY SYCOPHANT,
FLAME BOY." NOW FLAME BOY IS THE
LITTLE DEMON THAT'S THERE. "I WANT TO MAKE YOU A LITTLE
OFFER." THIS IS WHAT DEVIL MAN
IS SAYING TO THE KIDS. NOW LISTEN TO IT. IMAGINE YOUR
BOY, YOUR GIRL GETTING THIS. "I
WANT TO MAKE YOU A LITTLE OFFER. HERE'S THE DEAL; I WANT YOUR
SOUL." AND THEN LITTLE FLAME BOY
ANSWERS IN THE COMIC. HE SAYS, "BUT BOSS, WON'T THEY
NEED THEIR SOULS IF THEY'RE
GOING TO GO TO HEAVEN? THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO GO WHEN I
DIE." THEN DEVIL MAN ANSWERS,
"FIRST OF ALL, FLAME BOY, YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD.
THAT'S WHY YOU ARE IN HELL. AND SECOND OF ALL,
HEAVEN IS NOT ALL
IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE. I SHOULD KNOW, I USED
TO LIVE THERE." "YOU USED
TO LIVE IN HEAVEN, BOSS? I DIDN'T KNOW YOU USED TO
LIVE THERE." "OH, YOU SEE,
WHEN I LIVED THERE, I TRIED TO MAKE HEAVEN A FUN
PLACE, BUT THAT JUST GOT ME AND
MY FRIENDS KICKED OUT. NOTE HOW BAD WE ARE,"
AND IN THIS PICTURE, UH,
THERE'S DEVIL MAN SURROUNDED BY HALF-NUDE DEMON SPIRIT, EH,
PERSONIFIED AS WOMEN, AND HE'S
GOT A BOTTLE OF BOOZE IN HIS HAND. AND THEN HE SAYS,
AH, DEVIL MAN SAYS, "AFTER GOD
TOLD ME TO GO TO HELL, THINGS IN HEAVEN
WERE NEVER QUITE THE SAME."
UH, FLAME BOY SAYS, "WHAT HAPPENED?" "WELL, FIRST OF
ALL, THEY SET UP A BUNCH OF DUMB
RULES, AND THEN THEY IMPOSED A REALLY STRICT DRESS CODE. I'LL
WAGER THE PEOPLE MUST BE QUITE
BORED UP THERE, BUT HEY, THAT'S WHAT THEY GET FOR BEING
GOOD." AND THEN THERE'S SOME
MORE VILE TALK THAT I'LL SKIP, AND FINALLY HERE'S WHAT
DEVIL MAN SAYS TO FLAME BOY,
"FLAME BOY, A DIM-WIT LIKE YOU CAN SEE THAT HELL IS BY
FAR THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE. JUST LOOK AT THE FUN TO BE HAD.
AND REMEMBER, IN HELL THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE, AND THAT
IS THERE ARE NO RULES." "SO KIDS," NOW HERE'S
THE WAY THIS THING ENDS, "SO, KIDS, TO ENSURE YOUR
PERMANENT PLACE IN HELL, SEND ME YOUR SOUL NOW." AND AT
THE END OF THIS THING, NOW THIS
IS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS TO READ, I MEAN, IT, IT, IT'S FOR KIDS,
EH, WHO PICK UP THEIR SKATEBOARD
MAGAZINE. AND AT THE END THERE'S A CONTRACT AND HERE'S THE
CONTRACT; "I, THE UNDERSIGNED, DO HEREBY GIVE POSSESSION OF MY
SOUL TO THE DEVIL FOR ETERNITY FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER
AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER
AND EVER AND EVER." AND THEN THERE'S A PLACE
FOR THEIR SIGNATURE. AND THEN IT ENDS
WITH A SMILING DEVIL SAYING,
"I'LL BE SEEING YOU." THAT'S FOR KIDDIES TO PICK
UP IN AMERICA TODAY. WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU FOLKS
IS THE ALARM HAS SOUNDED
IN AMERICA. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] I WAS READING WHERE A BRONX
SCHOOL TEACHER, AH, HAD A, A,
STUDENT WHO DROWNED, AND A, STUDENT IN THE CLASS ASKED ABOUT
THE STUDENT WHO DROWNED AND
SAID, "IS, IS HE IN HEAVEN?" AND THE TEACHER SAID, "YES, THE
CHILD IS IN HEAVEN," AND TRIED TO SAY SOME
COMFORTING WORDS TO HER STUDENTS
AND LED THEM IN PRAYER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
SHE WAS FIRED. SHE WAS FIRED. AND THE REASON THAT SHE WAS
FIRED BECAUSE IT'S AGAINST THE
LAW FOR A ST, A, A, A TEACHER TO LEAD STUDENTS IN PRAYER;
A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IS NOT
TO LEAD STUDENTS IN PRAYER. SHE WAS FIRED. THE STUDENTS
IN THAT CLASS RECOGNIZED
A DOUBLE STANDARD. ONE THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SAID,
"WE TALK ABOUT GUNS AND CONDOMS, AND THEY GIVE US CONDOMS
TO HAVE SAFE SEX ON THE STREETS, BUT WE CAN'T TALK
ABOUT THE ONE WHO MADE US."
THE ALARM HAS SOUNDED. [ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ] I MEAN, THE ALARM HAS SOUNDED
FROM THE S, CHURCH HOUSE
TO THE SCHOOL HOUSE TO THE WHITE HOUSE. WE'RE BEING
TOLD THAT IT'S COMPETENCY IN THE
WHITE HOUSE THAT MATTERS, NOT CHARACTER, THAT THERE'S
NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
A PERSON'S PRIVATE LIFE AND HIS OR HER PUBLIC LIFE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
FOR A SKINNY MINUTE. AND WE SEE ANARCHY IN THE WORLD,
WE SEE THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA SITTING DOWN IN A CONFERENCE TABLE WITH
INTERNATIONAL GANGSTERS AND
MURDERERS BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.
FRIEND, A BEAR
CAN HUG YOU TO DEATH. I COULD SAY MUCH MORE, BUT I'M TALKING NEAR, NOW FOLKS
ABOUT ANARCHY IN THE WORLD. BUT THAT WOULD BE NOT SO
FRIGHTENING IF IT WERE NOT FOR
THE SECOND THING WHICH IS, AH, APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH.
I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN OUR CHURCHES TODAY. LET ME TELL YOU
WHAT IS HAPPENING.
THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE, "EPISCOPAL BISHOP DENIGRATES
CHURCH'S BASIC CONCEPTS," AND HERE'S WHAT IT SAID AND,
AND IF YOU'RE AN EPISCOPALIAN,
I'M NOT, I'M NOT PUTTING DOWN EPISCOPALIANS.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ALL
BIBLE-BELIEVING, GODLY EPISCOPALIANS ARE
HEARTBROKEN OVER THIS.
BUT THIS IS A BISHOP, NOW, THIS IS A BISHOP.
"THE RIGHT REVEREND
JOHN SHELBY SPONG BELIEVES, THE TIME HAS COME FOR
INTELLIGENT CHRISTIANS TO GROW UP AND ADMIT THAT THERE
ISN'T A PERSONAL GOD OF ANY KIND
ON THE RECEIVING END OF THESE PRAYERS AND PETITIONS.
IT'S NONSENSICAL TO SEEK
TO UNDERSTAND JESUS AS THE INCARNATION OF THE
THEISTIC DEITY." THE ARTICLE
WENT ON TO SAY THAT, "SPONG REJECTS MIRACLES IN
GENERAL, HUMANITY'S FALL INTO
SIN, AND ANY BELIEF THAT THE BIBLE CONTAINS REVEALED
TRANSCENDENT MORAL LAWS. HE REJECTS THE VIRGIN BIRTH,
RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST AS HISTORICAL
EVENTS." NOW THIS IS A BISHOP;
A LEADER OF LEADERS. AND I WANT TO QUOTE FROM HIM,
HIS WORDS, "THE VIEW OF THE
CROSS AS THE SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD
IS A BARBARIAN IDEA BASED ON PRIMITIVE CONCEPTS OF GOD
AND MUST BE DISMISSED." JUST DISMISS THE IDEA THAT JESUS
DIED ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS. THAT'S A BISHOP. AND THE
MODERATOR OF THE UNITED,
CHURCH OF CANADA'S SAID, AND I QUOTE, "I DON'T BELIEVE
JESUS CHRIST WAS GOD. I DON'T BELIEVE
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD AS A SCIENTIFIC
FACT." FRIEND,
THE ALARM HAS SOUNDED. [ AUDIENCE AMEN ] THE ALARM HAS SOUNDED.
AND NOT ONLY IS THERE THIS
ANARCHY IN THE WORLD, NOT ONLY IS THERE THIS
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH, BUT THERE'S SUCH
APATHY IN THE PEW. WHAT'RE, WHAT ARE PEOPLE DOING?
WHO GETS EXCITED? PEOPLE JUST ROLL OVER AND YAWN IN THE FACE
OF GOD AND GO BACK TO SLEEP.
NOW I SAY ALL OF THAT TO AGREE WITH THE APOSTLE PAUL IN THESE
VERSES. IT IS HIGH [TAP] TIME
[TAP] TO AWAKE OUT OF OUR SLEEP. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. VERSE 11 SAYS,
"IT'S HIGH TIME," THAT MEANS THE HOUR IS HERE.
VERSE 12 SAYS,
"THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT." THAT MEANS IT'S LATER THAN YOU
THINK. I WANT TELL YOU, IT'S
LATER IN THIS AGE THAN YOU MAY THINK. IT IS LATER IN
THIS AGE THAN YOU MAY THINK. I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST
IS AT THE THRESHOLD, AND
I BELIEVE THE TRUMPET IS ABOUT TO SOUND AND JESUS
CHRIST IS GOING TO COME SOON, AND IT IS ONLY THE RESTRAINING
HAND OF ALMIGHTY GOD
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT KEEP THE FLOODGATES OF EVIL
CLOSED AS MUCH AS THEY ARE. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE.
IT MAY BE LATER IN YOUR LIFE
THAN YOU THINK. YOU ONLY HAVE SO MANY MORE DAYS,
SO MANY HOURS YET
TO SERVE THE LORD JESUS. JAMES FOUR VERSE 14 SAYS, "WHAT
IS YOUR LIFE BUT A VAPOR THAT
APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN VANISHETH AWAY."
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE. IT'S LATER IN THE DAY OF
OPPORTUNITY THAN YOU MAY THINK. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES NOW THAT
ARE UNPARALLELED TO PREACH
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. JESUS, WHEN HE WAS HERE
ON EARTH, SAID IN JOHN
CHAPTER NINE VERSE FOUR, "I MUST WORK THE WORKS
OF HIM THAT SENT ME, WHILE IT IS DAY; FOR NIGHT
COMETH WHEN NO MAN CAN WORK." THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS YOU
CAN DO, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL
YOU ONE THING YOU CANNOT DO WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN,
AND THAT IS YOU CANNOT
WIN SOULS IN HEAVEN. ALL THE SOUL-WINNING
THAT YOU'RE EVER GOING TO DO, YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHILE
YOU ARE HERE ON THIS EARTH, AND IT MAY BE LATER IN THAT DAY
OF OPPORTUNITY THAN YOU REALIZE. HAVING SAID ALL OF THIS,
HAVING SAID ALL OF THIS, AND ALL OF THIS IS THE FRONT
PORCH TO GET US IN THE HOUSE, SO, UH, WE HAVE A SMALL HOUSE
AND A BIG PORCH, BUT NOW LISTEN. THERE ARE THREE THINGS, THERE
ARE THREE THINGS I PRAY GOD
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL WRITE UPON YOUR HEART THAT THE APOSTLE
PAUL TOLD THE CHURCH AT ROME, AND, AND, HE WANTS TO TELL THE
CHURCH IN MEMPHIS, AND ALL OF
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE LISTENING,
THROUGH TELEVISION OR THROUGH
RADIO OR THROUGH TAPE. LISTEN, THERE ARE THREE THINGS
YOU NEED TO DO. IT IS TIME,
NUMBER ONE, TO WAKE UP. LOOK AGAIN IN VERSE 11 IF YOU
WILL, "AND KNOWING THE TIME THAT IT IS NOW HIGH TIME
TO AWAKE OUT OF YOUR SLEEP," OR TO AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP.
TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR RIGHT NOW AND SAY, "WAKE UP!"
[ AUDIENCE: WAKE UP ] SAY, "WAKE UP!" LISTEN, IT IS
TIME; IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP. YOU KNOW WHAT'S WRONG
IN AMERICA TODAY? TOO MANY
SERMONS ARE LIKE BEDTIME STORIES RATHER THAN REVEILLES, AND GOD'S
ALARM CLOCK IS GOING OFF ALL
AROUND US. NOW JESUS IS COMING AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT,
BUT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, "BUT YE, BRETHREN,
ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD
OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF." HOW CAN WE BE SO,
SIT SO COMFORTABLY IN THE PEW WHEN CIVILIZATION IS CRUMBLING
AROUND US? ONE MAN
WANTED TO IMPRESS HIS PASTOR. HE SAID, "PASTOR, WOULD YOU GIVE
ME A LITTLE PRAYER THAT I CAN
PRAY WHEN I ENTER CHURCH?" THE PASTOR KNEW HIS WAYS
AND SAID, "YES, I HAVE A NICE
PRAYER FOR YOU. UH, 'NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP.'"
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
IT'S TIME THAT WE WAKE UP! AND WE, WE DON'T NEED
TO JUST ROLL OVER
AND YAWN IN THE FACE OF GOD. THE NIGHT IS FAR PAST.
SO MANY OF OUR CHURCHES
ARE LIKE SAMSON, ASLEEP IN THE LAP OF DELILAH.
AND THEN WHEN WE DO WAKE UP
FINALLY, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT HAS DEPARTED FROM US,
AND, UH, WE GO OUT TO SHAKE
OURSELVES WITH NO POWER. HOW DO YOU WAKE UP?
NOT BY FEELING LIKE IT,
BUT JUST GETTING UP ANYWAY. IF I HAD TO, WAITED TILL I FELT
LIKE IT, I STILL MAY BE IN BED. YOU DON'T PUSH THE SNOOZE
BUTTON. YOU WAKE UP [TAP] AND
GET UP. [TAP] NOW FIRST THING, IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP.
GOT IT? ALL RIGHT,
HERE'S THE SECOND THING; IT IS TIME NOT ONLY TO WAKE UP,
BUT IT IS TIME TO CLEAN UP. LOOK IF YOU WILL ALSO IN THIS
VERSE NOW. WATCH IT IN VERSE 12, "THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT, THE DAY
IS AT HAND; LET US THEREFORE CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS,
AND LET US PUT ON THE ARMOR OF
LIGHT. LET US WALK HONESTLY, AS IN THE DAY; NOT IN RIOTING
AND DRUNKENNESS, NOT IN
CHAMBERING AND WANTONNESS, NOT IN STRIFE AND ENVYING."
NOW THE PICTURE HERE IS SOMEBODY
WHO'S BEEN OUT ON THE TOWN, ALL NIGHT LONG CHAMBERING IN
WANTONNESS, STRIFE, ENVY,
DRUNKENNESS, REVELING, AND HE COMES IN WITH HIS FILTHY,
DIRTY CLOTHES, REEKING WITH THE
SPOTS AND STAINS OF SIN. HE DOESN'T EVEN UNDRESS; HE JUST
FALLS INTO A DRUNKEN STUPOR,
INTO A SLEEP. AND, AND, UH, PAUL SAYS, "WAKE UP! AND CLEAN
UP!" NOW, HE, HE MENTIONS SIX
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PUT OFF BEFORE WE ARE READY TO MEET
THE DAY. AND THESE THIX,
SIX THINGS HE PUTS IN COUPLETS, SO YOU HAVE THREE COUPLETS, SIX
THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, NOTICE, UH, THESE WORKS OF DARKNESS. IN
VERSE 13 HE CALLS, FIRST OF ALL HE SAYS, "YOU PUT OFF RIOTING
AND DRUNKEDNESS." PUT THAT OFF. GET RID OF THAT. NOW, THE WORD
RIOTING MEANS CAROUSING. WE KNOW WHAT THE WORD
DRUNKEDNESS MEANS.
BUT CAROUSING AND DRUNKEDNESS, THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THE TAVERNS
IN BUSINESS. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS
THE NIGHTCLUBS IN BUSINESS. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THESE CASINOS
IN BUSINESS. AND, UH, GOD SAYS,
"PUT THAT OFF. YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS IN THESE PLACES."
IF YOU'RE A CHILD OF GOD AND
YOU'RE FREQUENTING THESE PLACES, GOD SENT ME HERE TO TELL YOU TO
STOP. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] QUIT! PUT IT OFF! AND THEN GOD SAYS,
"CHAMBERING AND WANTONNESS." THOSE ARE TWO WORDS FROM THE
KING JAMES THAT WE DON'T USE IN OUR MODERN ENGLISH VERY MUCH,
BUT CHAMBERING MEANS
SEXUAL IMMORALITY. WANTONNESS MEANS WITHOUT
SHAME OR SHAMELESSNESS. THINK OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY
TODAY. IF YOU'RE A CHILD OF GOD AND A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH AND
YOU'RE LIVING IN SEXUAL MORA,
SEXUAL IMMORALITY, YOU NEED TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS. YOU
NEED TO GET RIGHT OR GET OUT.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] GET RIGHT OR GET OUT. GOD SAYS,
"PUT THESE THINGS OFF." HEBREWS CHAPTER 13
AND VERSE FOUR SAYS, "MARRIAGE IS HONORABLE AND THE
BED UNDEFILED, BUT ADULTERERS AND WHOREMONGERS
GOD WILL JUDGE." TODAY WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO ARE LIVING TOGETHER WITHOUT
THE BENEFIT OF MARRIAGE. THEY DON'T GET MARRIED,
THEY JUST LIVE TOGETHER, AND TODAY THAT
IS AN ACCEPTED THING. WELL I WANT TO TELL YOU
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
IN THE WORD OF GOD. THE BIBLE CALLS THAT
FORNICATION, AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
"FLEE FORNICATION." THE BIBLE ABSOLUTELY FORBIDS
THAT. YOU SAY, "WELL WE'RE IN
LOVE." WELL THEN, GET MARRIED. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] AND IF YOU'RE
NOT IN LOVE, GET OUT. YOU SAY, "BUT WHAT ABOUT, WHAT THE MOVIE
STARS DO? WHAT ABOUT WHAT THE
ROCK STARS DO? WHAT ABOUT WHAT THE SPORTS STARS ARE DOING?"
FRIEND, YOU'D BETTER BEGIN TO
ORDER YOUR LIFE BY THE WORD OF GOD. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] NOT IN,
IN SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND NOT IN
SHAMELESSNESS. I'M AMAZED TODAY THAT THERE IS NO SENSE OF SHAME.
WE HAVE A GENERATION TODAY OF
UNBLUSHABLES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE AMAZED THAT WHAT
I SAID, THAT I LITERALLY SAID. THEY, "WHAT? YOU MEAN YOU'RE
TELLING ME THAT WE'RE NOT
SUPPOSED TO LIVE TOGETHER?" THAT'S RIGHT. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] "OH!" [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] I MEAN, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S LIKE,
UH, WELL, "WE DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT ASHAMED OF THAT." PUT THESE VERSES DOWN,
JEREMIAH CHAPTER SIX VERSE 15, "WERE THEY ASHAMED WHEN THEY HAD
COMMITTED ABOMINATION? NAY! THEY WERE NOT AT ALL ASHAMED,
NEITHER COULD THEY BLUSH." SOMEBODY HAS SAID THAT MAN IS
THE ONLY ANIMAL THAT CAN BLUSH AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT NEEDS
TO. WE HAVE SIN TODAY THAT'S
ARROGANT AND PROUD, NO SHAME. I WAS READING IN ISAIAH CHAPTER
THREE VERSE NINE, LISTEN TO IT, "THE SHOW OF THEIR COUNTENANCE
DOTH WITNESS AGAINST THEM; AND THEY DECLARE THEIR SIN
AS SODOM. THEY HIDE IT NOT." THAT IS, THEY'RE LITERALLY
PROUD OF IT, PROUD OF IT. CHAMBERING AND WANTONNESS,
SEXUAL IMMORALITY
AND SHAMELESSNESS, HE SAYS PUT IT AWAY. AND THEN
STRIFE AND ENVY. STRIFE MEANS
THE DESIRE FOR POWER. ENVY IS WANTING MORE AND WANTING
WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS. AND IF YOUR HEART IS
HEADQUARTERS FOR HATE AND IF YOU'RE FULL
OF ENVY, JEALOUSY
AND UNSATISFIED DESIRES, THESE THINGS ARE THE WORKS
OF DARKNESS, AND GOD SAYS
PUT THEM OFF. YOU SAY, "WELL PASTOR ROGERS,
I DON'T THINK I CAN."
YES YOU CAN. I RECEIVED A LETTER, I WANT TO
SHARE IT WITH YOU. IT SAYS, "I WAS RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN
HOME. MY FAITH WANED. I BECAME AGNOSTIC AND BEGAN
STUTHING, UH, UH, STUDYING
OTHER RELIGIONS. OVER THE YEARS I BECAME BITTER. I SUBSCRIBED
TO EVOLUTION, ATHEISM, AND EVENTUALLY SATANISM.
IT WAS DURING THIS DARK TIME THAT I FOUND LOVE WORTH
FINDING ON THE VCY
AMERICA RADIO NETWORK." THAT'S WAY UP IN MILWAUKEE,
WISCONSIN. HE SAID, "I FOUND
LOVE WORTH FINDING. I LISTENED WITH A FULL IN, WITH A FULL
INTENT OF MOCKING THE MESSAGE,
OFTEN RIDICULING IT TO THOSE AROUND ME. BUT FOR SOME REASON,
NO MATTER HOW MUCH MY HATE
RAGED, I STILL LISTENED. THE MORE I HEARD, THE MORE I
RESISTED, BUT I COULDN'T STOP
LISTENING. ONE DAY MY CYNICISM BURST LIKE A DAM. IN THE MIDDLE
OF ADRIAN ROGERS' MESSAGE I LEFT
WORK, BOUGHT A BIBLE, AND BEGAN READING. GLORY BE TO GOD, THE
LORD JESUS, AND HIS GRACE. NO
MATTER HOW MUCH I RESISTED, HE WOULDN'T LET ME GO, AND LIKE
THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNING, JESUS WELCOMED ME BACK WITH OPEN
ARMS. I ADMITTED ALL MY SINS, AND THEY WERE APLENTY, BEGGED
HIS FORGIVENESS, AND PROCLAIMED
MY LOVE FOR HIM. WHAT STRENGTH HE HAS TO FORGIVE
SUCH A STUBBORN AND DIRECT
SINNER. PRAISE HIS NAME." AND THEN THIS MAN SAYS,
"IF ANY SUCH AN ENEMY OF
CHRISTIANITY CAN TURN AND BE SAVED, TRULY ANYONE CAN. THERE
JUST ISN'T ENOUGH ROOM HERE TO
TESTIFY TO THE FULL GLORY OF HIS GRACE, BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE
HOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE, PASTOR ROGERS." NOW, I SAY THAT NOT TO PAT
MYSELF ON THE BACK, BUT TO GIVE
HONOR AND GLORY AND PRAISE TO THIS WORD OF GOD
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
THAT CAN CHANGE A HEART [ AUDIENCE APPLAUSE ]
CAN CHANGE A LIFE. [ AUDIENCE APPLAUSE ] AND WHAT GOD IS SAYING,
NUMBER ONE, IS "WAKE UP!" WHAT HE'S SAYING, NUMBER TWO,
IS, "CLEAN UP!" WHAT HE'S SAYING, NUMBER THREE,
IS, "DRESS UP!" LOOK IF YOU WILL NOW IN VERSE 12
OF THIS SAME CHAPTER, THE LAST PART OF IT. HE SAYS,
"CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS AND PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT."
AND THEN GO DOWN TO VERSE 14, "BUT PUT YE ON THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST, AND MAKE NOT PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, TO FULFILL THE
LUSTS THEREOF." THAT MEANS THAT THIS IS THE HEART OF THE WHOLE
THING. THIS IS THE CLIMAX OF THE
WHOLE THING. WHAT GOOD IS IT TO WAKE UP AND EVEN CLEAN UP IF YOU
DON'T DRESS UP? YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE A SPIRITUAL NUDIST. SO YOU'RE TO DRESS UP. AND WHAT
ARE YOU TO DRESS IN? YOU'RE TO
DRESS UP IN JESUS. AND NOTICE HE USES THE FULL
TITLE FOR JESUS, "PUT YE ON
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." NOW LORD MEANS MASTER. WHAT DO I DO WHEN I START OUT
NOW AFTER HAVING WAKED UP AND
CLEANED UP? WHAT DO I DO? I PUT ON JESUS CHRIST AS LORD.
THAT IS, HE IS MY MASTER,
I AM HIS SLAVE. WHAT DOES THE MASTER TELL THE
SLAVE WHAT TO DO, UH, TO DO? HE TELLS THE SLAVE WHAT TO DO.
HE TELLS THE SLAVE WHAT TO SAY. HE TELLS THE SLAVE WHERE
TO GO AND WHEN TO COME.
IS JESUS CHRIST YOUR MASTER? HE IS IF YOU PUT HIM ON.
PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
AND, AND JESUS MEANS SAVIOR. THE NAME JESUS ACTUALLY MEANS
JEHOVAH SAVES. SO NOT ONLY
DO YOU PUT ON THE LORD JESUS AS MASTER FOR DIRECTION,
BUT YOU PUT ON THE LORD JESUS
AS SAVIOR FOR DELIVERANCE. I MEAN, IT'S A VILE WORLD OUT
THERE, AND AS YOU GO OUT YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO BE CLOTHED, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE
SOMEBODY WHO CAN DELIVER YOU, AND DRESS YOU IN THE ROBES OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PROTECT YOU, AND TO CLEANSE YOU,
AND TO KEEP YOU CLEAN.
PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHERE YOU'RE DRESSED IN HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE BECAUSE NOT
ONLY IS HE LORD, HE IS JESUS, HE IS SAVIOR. AND THEN THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST, AND THE WORD
CHRIST MEANS MESSIAH, KING. AND SO I HAVE JESUS,
I HAVE JESUS FOR DIRECTION.
I HAVE JESUS FOR DELIVERANCE. I HAVE JESUS FOR DOMINION.
HE IS THE ONE WHO RULES OVER ME
AND TEACHES ME HOW TO RULE IN THIS LIFE BECAUSE HE
IS THE MESSIAH, HE IS THE KING, HE IS LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF
KINGS. I AM TO WEAR JESUS LIKE A
SUIT OF ARMOR, ARMOR OF LIGHT. AND AS I GO OUT INTO THIS WORLD,
AND AS YOU GO OUT, YOU'RE TO
HAVE JESUS ON. PUT JESUS OVER YOUR SORROWS AND
AROUND YOUR TEARS. PUT ON JESUS.
OVER YOUR ACHES AND YOUR PAINS, PUT ON JESUS. OVER YOUR FAILURE
AND YOUR SHAME, PUT ON THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST. SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER ASKED A LITTLE GIRL,
"IS THERE ANYTHING GOD CAN'T
DO?" SHE SAID, "YES, THERE'S ONE THING GOD CAN'T DO. HE CAN'T
SEE MY SINS THROUGH
THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST." [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
THANK GOD FOR THAT. LISTEN, FRIEND, JESUS CHRIST
IS BEHIND US, JESUS CHRIST
IS AHEAD OF US. JESUS CHRIST IS WITHIN US,
AND WE'RE ALL DRESSED
UP IN JESUS CHRIST. AND I THANK GOD FOR THAT. AND
THEN HE SAYS, LAST OF ALL, "MAKE NO PROVISION FOR
THE FLESH." THAT IS, THOSE OLD
CLOTHES THAT YOU CAST OFF, DON'T KEEP THEM, GET RID
OF THEM, MAKE NO PROVISION
FOR THE FLESH. KING ALCOHOL HAS HAD YOU?
GIVE YOUR HEART TO KING JESUS. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT
TO DO WITH KING ALCOHOL. DON'T KEEP THAT FIFTH
OF WHISKEY UP THERE IN THE
CABINET. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] YOU'RE MAKING PROVISION FOR THE
FLESH. IT'LL CLEAN THE HAIR
RIGHT OUT OF THE SINK. [ AUDIENCE AMEN ]
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] POUR IT DOWN THE DRAIN!
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
TRYING TO QUIT SMOKING? WELL, DON'T KEEP THAT CARTON IN
CASE YOU GO BACK. TEAR IT IN
LITTLE PIECES AND FLUSH IT. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] "MAKE NO
PROVISION FOR THE FLESH." YOU'VE BEEN HAVING, UH,
AN ILLICIT RELATIONSHIP? WELL, QUIT. AND I DON'T MEAN
QUIT GRADUALLY. I MEAN QUIT, AND SO FAR AS THAT WOMAN
IS CONCERNED, OR SO FAR
AS THAT MAN IS CONCERNED, JUST MAKE A BIG DISTANCE
AND SATURATE THAT PLACE
WITH YOUR ABSENCE, AND GET OUT OF THERE AND GET
AWAY FROM THERE, AND, "MAKE NO
PROVISION FOR THE FLESH," BECAUSE IF YOU DO,
YOU'RE GOING DOWN.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] YOU PUT ON JESUS CHRIST.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] PUT HIM ON. PUT HIM ON FOR DIRECTION
BECAUSE HE'S LORD. PUT HIM ON FOR DELIVERANCE
BECAUSE HE'S SAVIOR. PUT HIM ON
FOR DOMINION BECAUSE HE IS KING, HE IS MESSIAH.
WEAR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. FRIEND, I WANT TO TELL YOU,
THE HOUR IS LATE, AND DON'T YOU PULL THE COVER
OVER YOUR HEAD THIS MORNING AND
PUSH THE SNOOZE BUTTON. GOD SENT ME HERE TO TELL YOU TO
WAKE UP. TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR
AGAIN, SAY, "WAKE UP." [ AUDIENCE: WAKE UP ] NOW SAY,
TURN TO HIM, SAY, "CLEAN UP." [
AUDIENCE: CLEAN UP ] HUH, HUH, HAH, NOW TURN TO HIM
AND SAY, "DRESS UP."
[ AUDIENCE: DRESS UP ] LISTEN, FOLKS, LISTEN.
THE HOUR IS LATE.
AND THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
FOR JESUS WE BETTER DO,
WE BETTER GET AT IT RIGHT NOW. LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
ETERNITY IS TOO LONG.
SOULS ARE TOO PRECIOUS. THE GOSPEL IS TOO WONDERFUL
FOR US TO SLEEP THROUGH IT ALL. AND SOON HE'S COMING.
"AND WHEN HE SHALL COME
WITH TRUMPET SOUND, OH, MAY I THEN IN HIM BE FOUND,
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] DRESSED
IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE, FAULTLESS TO STAND
BEFORE THE THRONE." BOW YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER. HEADS
ARE BOWED AND EYES ARE CLOSED. WOULD YOU JUST BEGIN TO PRAY
FOR THOSE ROUND ABOUT YOU? AND WHILE HEADS ARE BOWED
AND EYES ARE CLOSED, LET ME ASK
THAT NOBODY STIR, NOBODY MOVE. JUST PRAY FOR THE PERSON
TO YOUR RIGHT AND THE PERSON
TO YOUR LEFT. SAY, "LORD, I DON'T KNOW
HIS NEED, HER NEED." IT MAY BE THE PERSON YOU'RE
MARRIED TO. IT MAY BE
YOUR FATHER, YOUR MOTHER, BROTHER, SISTER, WIFE, BUT JUST
PRAY. CHOIR, PRAY FOR THOSE ON
EITHER SIDE OF YOU. YOU GUYS ON THE PLATFORM, BE
PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER. NOW WILL YOU PRAY FOR YOURSELF? WHEN YOU SAY, "LORD, WHAT HAVE
YOU BEEN TELLING ME TODAY? WHAT
DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? SPEAK TO MY HEART. I'LL SAY,
'YES, LORD, YES, TO YOUR WILL
AND TO YOUR WAY.' I'LL SAY YES." NOW IF YOU'VE NEVER
RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST AS
YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR, IF YOU'RE NOT SAVED,
YOU CAN BE SAVED RIGHT NOW,
RIGHT NOW THIS MOMENT. HE'S KNOCKING AT YOUR
HEART'S DOOR. AND HE SAYS, "IF ANY MAN WILL HEAR MY VOICE
AND WILL OPEN THE DOOR,
I WILL COME IN TO HIM." WOULD YOU JUST OPEN THE DOOR
BY FAITH RIGHT NOW? WOULD YOU PRAY LIKE THIS,
"LORD JESUS, I KNOW YOU'RE
KNOCKING ON MY HEART'S DOOR. I OPEN THE DOOR. I RECEIVE
YOU NOW INTO MY LIFE
AS MY LORD AND MY SAVIOR. MY SIN DESERVES JUDGMENT, BUT I
NEED MERCY. FORGIVE MY SIN. CLEANSE ME. CLEANSE ME,
SAVE ME, JESUS. FORGIVE ME, SAVE ME. COME INTO
MY LIFE NOW AND BEGIN TO MAKE ME
THE PERSON YOU WANT ME TO BE. AND, LORD JESUS, HELP ME
NEVER TO BE ASHAMED OF YOU.
IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN." ♪♪♪ WE PRAY GOD HAS BLESSED YOU AS
YOU'VE WATCHED THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU'D LIKE ADDITIONAL COPIES
OR INFORMATION ON OTHER
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BLESS YOU. ♪♪♪
