Episode Transcript
All right good afternoon everybody.
Thank you all so much for coming to your God's Word.
So let's get off into it.
Now last week we stopped our lesson at verse 7 in the book of Jude which says, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father we thank you so much Lord for this opportunity to come and share your Word Father.
And Lord we just pray that you just use me as a vessel Lord to let your Word go forth Lord and to edify the same to your Father and to point the laws towards you Lord.
We just pray that you're glorified here today Lord.
And we just thank you so much for your Word Father.
Thank you for your Word Lord.
And we ask you to sing in Jesus name today Lord.
Thank you so much Father.
Amen.
So these people they made their own choices just as you and I make our own choices.
These people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them chose to live their lives ignoring what God had said and they paid the consequences for ignoring an Almighty and just God that our Creator is.
They lived a life of sin without repentance.
Without repentance.
And when it came time to receive the wages of such a life they were given death.
If they would have just repented and sought the Lord they could have been saved but they were a stiff-necked people refusing salvation that was offered to them and all of mankind through faith in Christ.
Romans 6.3 says, "For the wages of sin is dead but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Those people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their surrounding cities have already made their choice.
It is too late for them.
There are no redos and no second chances.
Please don't be stiff-necked and choose to follow those people but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Let that stiff-necked turn from following sin and choose to seek God.
The choice you make will determine the sentence you are given when it comes time to be judged and I choose Christ and eternal life.
Before you go to sleep tonight I pray that you will too because not choosing Christ is to choose death.
There is no in-between choice.
To not make a choice is to make a choice.
Before you go to sleep tonight please get that choice settled for you may not have a tomorrow.
I was blessed to go to a 40th year of my school reunion yesterday and one of the big things that I heard mention over and over was boy time sure flew by so fast.
Where does all the time go?
I can't believe it's been 40 years already since we graduated.
Folks time goes by really fast.
You all know that.
When I was a young man I told my dad, "Daddy I can't wait to get older so I can go do things I want to do."
Daddy told me he said, "Boy the older you get the faster it goes."
And I've come to learn that that is true what they said.
It goes real fast.
Don't let time slip away from you without choosing Christ.
Proverbs 27 1 says, "Bos not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
We don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow.
We don't know if we're even gonna wake up to see it tomorrow.
You have a chance to choose Christ.
The people of Sodom Gomorrah and the surrounding cities had a chance to choose Christ.
They chose to ignore it.
Folks you don't have to choose to ignore that.
You can choose Christ if you want to.
So let's move on in the book of Jude now.
And we're gonna read verse 8 in the book of Jude where Jude says, "Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignitaries."
He says, "Likewise also," or you could say, "in like manner."
In like manner.
We have all heard of good manners.
We don't hear many children using good manners like we used to, but we've heard of good manners, having good manners.
When I was a child my parents taught me how to have good manners.
They taught me to say, "Yes ma'am, and yes sir, and no ma'am, and no sir, please thank you."
When I am talking with someone I hope it is apparent to them that I have good manners.
And they realize that my parents are the ones who care for me enough to teach me that.
They taught me to say that.
They taught me other stuff.
When I'm talking with someone I hope it is apparent to them that they know I have good manners.
And they realize that my parents are the ones who care for me enough to teach them.
I have heard it said, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."
Being nice to somebody doesn't cost you nothing.
Being polite to somebody doesn't cost you nothing.
Parents teach your children good manners.
When they get older they will appreciate it.
I know I have appreciated my parents teaching me good manners.
I do.
Now likewise also, or in life manner, that Jude is referring to here is not talking about how polite the ungodly people were, but the way they acted, the way they conducted themselves, the way they behaved.
That's what Jude is referring to here when he says in likewise manner.
Likewise also.
We can either behave in a godly manner, put in God first in our lives and actions, or we can behave in an ungodly manner and just ignore God and do things our way and let our flesh be our God.
First Corinthians 927.
I had that mark for y'all Thomas and John.
First Corinthians 927.
First Corinthians 927.
First Corinthians 927.
Now you got it John.
You got it John?
Alright.
First Corinthians 927 says, "But I keep," this is Paul talking, he says, "but I keep under my body, under my body," let me catch up my nose.
"Keep under" means subdued.
He keeps his body subdued.
He says, "I keep under my body and bring it into subjection."
He doesn't let the flesh tell him what to do.
He doesn't let his mind say, "Well I'm gonna just do this."
He keeps it, he keeps his thoughts.
He keeps control of his body parts.
"But I keep my under my body and bring it into subjection, lest by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway."
That word castaway, it means rejected.
The word subjection, it means to enslave.
Paul keeps control of his body.
Lest he be a castaway.
Could you imagine the Apostle Paul not keeping his body in subjection and being rejected, being castaway?
How does that look to others?
Had a man here walk back asking, he said, "Well you don't drink?"
And I said, "Would you want your pastor to drink?"
He said, "Oh you're a pastor?"
I said, "Yes sir I am.
I don't drink."
I did all that back when I was a younger, not head.
Now I caught myself a not head because I was a not head back in them days.
I don't drink anymore.
I give all that up.
You know why?
Because I want my mind clear.
I want my mind focused on what God wants me to do and God can't put a thought in your mind when you're drunk and you're not paying attention and your mind is inside of God.
How you gonna talk?
You ever try talking to a drunk?
Yeah.
Don't work too good, does it?
I don't drink.
I want to be filled with the Spirit.
I don't want to be filled with alcohol.
I don't want to be filled with nothing in my mind that's gonna make my thoughts alter.
Second Corinthians 13.
Second Corinthians 13, 5 and 6.
Paul says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.
Prove your own selves.
Know ye not your own selves.
How that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates."
When he says, "Examine yourselves," he means to test yourselves.
When he says, "Prove," that's another word for examine.
Look at yourself, folks.
Examine yourselves.
He says, "Unless ye be reprobates," and that's another word for cast away or reject.
Examine yourself.
There's nobody knows you like you, other than God.
Nobody knows you like you, and God.
Examine yourself whether you know Christ or not.
Your actions, you're gonna speak if you know Christ or not.
Your actions speak so loud what you do, what you say.
And I'll tell you something, other people see it, other people see it.
He says in verse 6, "But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates."
When you looked at Paul, you could tell that man right there isn't rejected.
That man Paul, he knew God.
That man Paul knew Christ.
Come on in, sir.
How could you know that?
Because the way he acted, the way he presented himself.
Godly people should act and behave differently than ungodly people.
Now with that said, you are going to have ungodly people or you're going to try to act godly.
You ever heard of a wolf in sheep's clothing?
You've got to watch out for that.
Godly people should act and behave differently than ungodly people.
Why?
Because godly people have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to guide us and convict us when we are wrong.
Whereas the ungodly go about following their flesh and the Prince of this world.
Now I'm not saying that godly people are perfect by no means.
We still live in this sinful flesh and we're still going to make mistakes.
But when we do, the Holy Spirit lets us know that we messed up.
So we can repent from our mess up and apologize to God who knew we were going to mess up before we messed up.
God knows each and everything you're going to do before you even do it.
So why not go ahead and apologize to God when you mess up?
He saw you mess up.
He know he knew you were going to mess up before you did.
Go ahead and apologize.
It ain't like you're hiding nothing from God anywhere.
You're not hiding from God.
What is done in the dark shall be brought to the light that bothers them.
The ungodly on the other hand don't care that they messed up.
The ungodly, they don't repent and they don't apologize to God.
They just keep living their ungodly lives, content with following the devil and walking his path.
Brother Adrian Rogers said if you haven't met up with the devil yet it's because you're on the same path.
You're going the same direction as that old devil's going.
You're right behind him.
Trucking right along there on the same path.
The ungodly are just following right behind the devil just like the rats falling right behind the pie of piper being led to their eternal destruction.
Y'all remember the story of the pie of piper?
He made a little doo doo doo and all the rats just followed right along with him.
They all went off in the water there and they all ran and died.
Keep following that old devil.
The ungodly are going to keep following that old devil.
When they see God, when that stiff neck is following that devil, when that stiff neck turns, creak, creak, creak, and he comes around back and they just pay attention to that draw from God.
Oh God's drawing me.
They turn back to God.
Whoo boy.
Just let that stiff neck turn.
The people of Solomon the Lord did not do that.
They went ahead and followed that devil in his path right on down to the destruction.
That's where they went.
Thank God that he has made a way for us to get off that path through faith in Christ.
So let's close today by reading Proverbs chapter 4.
And I wish we had time to read the whole chapter but I would encourage each and every one of you when you're doing your nightly or morning Bible reading or afternoon, whenever you like to read your Bible.
Oh please read that whole chapter, chapter 4 in the book of Proverbs.
Oh it's wonderful.
I tell you what, before I was saved, I believed it was God drawing me.
I just had a fool wanting to know more about God's Word.
I started in the book of Proverbs because I like sayings like that.
I like those kinds of sayings.
They make your mind just get to turning and thinking if you want to figure them out.
So if you ever get to read, get in the book of Proverbs and let those Proverbs just make your mind turn.
It's wonderful.
I started reading the book of Proverbs as my first Bible study before I was saved.
Look where I am now.
But thank you guys, praise God for that.
But I wish we had time to read the whole verse of chapter 4 of Proverbs but I encourage you all to go back and read that.
Read the whole chapter of chapter 4.
It's wonderful.
But today in the book of Proverbs we're going to read chapter 4 and now we're talking about the path, the path that these people are taking.
Okay?
So we're going to pick up in verse 10 in the book of Proverbs chapter 4.
He says here, here, the Bible says for those who have ears let them hear.
He says here, O my son, and receive my sayings and the years of thy life shall be made.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom.
I have led thee in right paths.
When thou goest thy step shall not be straightened and when thou runnest thou shall not stumble.
Take fast hold of instruction.
Let her not go.
Keep her for she is thy life.
Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it.
Pass not by it.
Turn from it and pass away.
Get away from it.
Get off that path, folks.
If you are walking the path of the devil, get off of it.
Please.
You have a choice.
You don't have to keep walking that trod now path that the world wants.
Avoid it.
Pass not by it.
Turn from it and pass away for thy sleep, not except they have done mischief.
These people live to cause trouble and their sleep is taken away unless they call some to fall.
They seek others to follow them for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is as the shining light.
Why happens when you have a light shining?
Right now you've got the light on.
We can see you can't we can see.
We can see.
Pray to God.
But the path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is as darkness.
They know not at what they stumble.
My son, attend to my words, incline thy ear unto my sins.
Let them not depart from thine eyes.
Keep them in the midst of thine heart, for they are life unto those that find them and help to their to all their flesh.
Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a frowered mouth and perverse lips.
Put far from thee, let thine eyes look right on and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left.
Remove thy foot from evil.
Remove thy foot from evil.
Last week or the week before, my wife was out of town and I generally don't like to go out to eat without my wife.
But this was before church service and I had to I need to get something on my stomach before standing up here and start talking because I get a little shaky and you know things just my stomach lets me know hey you know put something in so anyway I stopped over here to the little old restaurant and I went in there and I ordered and I sat down and this gentleman and this woman they came in behind me and he sat down behind me and I looked over to his car and I saw his parking lots were on and the guy behind me the guy that come in he said uh hey sir how you doing I said pretty good he said are you a preacher I said yes sir I sure am he said well you preach that I thought I'm over at the nursing home and I said well sorry I want to tell you that your parking lights are on on your car out there he said well I don't know how I did that I don't know how they could be on I wanted to argue with it and then he said he turned to the woman that was with him and he said hey so and so I can't remember her name what he called her but he said are those parking lights on on the car and she leaned over and looked she said no they're not on them I told them that their parking house wrong and they didn't believe me folks I'm telling you there is a heaven and there is a hell I believe it with all my being there is a god and there is a devil and when you pass away you're going to be in one or two places you're either going to be with god or you're either going to be with the devil now the bible says 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 what is that that is god telling you god is offering you a chance to get off that path following that old devil folks please don't let somebody else look out there and tell you that that ain't true oh they're not on think about what the pastor is telling me the man asked me if I was a preacher I told him yes I was I told his parking lights were on oh no they're not bible says is appointed unto man wants to die and then the judgment at that judgment you're going to be sentenced to one or two places there's no in between place to go I'm praying that you'll choose Christ I pray that you get that settled tonight before you close your eyes and go to sleep having a father we thank you so much Lord for those who come father to hear your word talk and Lord we should all pray father that if there's one here Lord for one watching that don't know Christ was their sacred the Lord would pray father that they'll just seek you we pray that they'll you draw to the cross father and show him Christ Lord we know life is short father we know it goes by really fast the bible says what is your life but a vapor just like that vapor that disappears father our time here will as well and these old bodies father we just pray Lord that if there's one here Lord we just pray father that they will get that said Lord and that they would seek first you Lord and your kingdom and your righteousness Lord we thank you so much for your word Lord we thank you for pointing us to the truth father thank you so much for all that you've been we pray for those Lord who are sick we pray for those who have fallen Lord Lord we just pray for the air each and every person here Lord at this place Lord we thank you Lord for their kindness and their mercy thank you for these people that come Lord to hear your word talk Lord what an encouragement they are father please let them know that they're not alone Lord we thank you and love you father thank you for Jesus thank you for our Savior Lord and in His name Lord we ask these things today Lord amen thank you all so much for coming
