Amen. Okay, we're in Isaiah chapter 1.
Isaiah chapter 1, the time of my sermon tonight is actually found in verse 21 that says,
How is the faithful city become and harlott?
That is the title.
How is the faithful city become and harlott?
And of course, here in Isaiah chapter 1,
the prophet Isaiah is being sent by the Lord to preach against Judah and Jerusalem for their godlessness.
They become a very wicked nation.
But also the city of Jerusalem has become equally evil.
It's become equally idolatrous.
It's been filled with sin and just rebellion.
And so God is giving an indictment here against Judah and Jerusalem for their godlessness, for their wickedness.
And he's basically saying in verse 21, hey, you used to be a faithful city.
You used to be very loyal.
You used to worship the Lord.
You used to do that which is right in the sight of God.
You were very faithful, but now you're a harlot.
Now, what is a harlot?
A harlot is a prostitute.
Okay?
A harlot, you know, different words in the Bible that communicate this is a whore, a prostitute.
That's what we would call it today, you know, a strange woman and so forth.
And so what the Lord is saying here is that Judah and Jerusalem went from being a very loyal, faithful city to worship God to being an absolute whore.
Now, this is obviously speaking to Judah and Jerusalem directly.
But the great thing about the Bible is that these things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Meaning that we can take these stories and these sermons that these prophets are preaching against Judah, Jerusalem, Israel, Samaria and apply them to ourselves.
We can apply them to New Testament Christians because the principle still applies.
And often when a prophet is addressing a particular nation, he almost addresses them as though they're individuals, right?
Like an individual person who is committing these things.
And so it's very much applicable to us today.
What I want to talk about tonight is how faithful Christians become like harlots.
Okay?
And what do I mean by harlots?
I'm obviously referring to the fact that they backslide, they get out of church, they become hoarish spiritually speaking.
And how is it that that takes place?
Why is it that that takes place?
Well, you know, first and foremost, let me start off by saying that, you know, a lot of these changes that a Christian can go through by the time they get out of church, you know, a lot of it is gradual, right?
It's them allowing some sort of sin in their life, some sort of bad habit that they didn't correct.
They allow themselves to do what's often referred to as the sins of commission, and that often leads to the sins of omission, right?
Sins of commission is when you transgress the commandments of the Lord.
The sins of omission is when you cease to do right.
So when you couple those together, it's often a recipe for disaster.
It's a recipe to get out of church, to stop serving the Lord.
If you couple transgressions, iniquity, you know, breaking God's laws, committing sin, and you add to that rebellion, add to that sinfulness, you add to it, you know, the omitting of actual spiritual disciplines, you know, it's only a matter of time before you actually get out of church, okay?
And it's important for us as Christians to realize that the Christian life needs to be lived on a continual daily and weekly basis.
Meaning that, you know, the war does not end, you know, just because you have one great victory today, you have to fight that same battle every single day.
If not, you can incrementally get backslidden, incrementally get away from the Lord.
And before you know it, you're just completely out of the service of God.
You will be characterized as one who was faithful as a city, but now you're just a whore, okay?
Now you're just a complete harlot and you're completely useless in the eyes of God.
And obviously we know that a person who backslides, they're going to suffer the consequences of their actions.
There's a lot of punishment that comes with that.
They're often given over unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, the Bible says.
There's a lot of built-in consequences because if you sow to the flesh, you shall of the flesh reap corruption, right?
But there's also things that you relinquish, you know, you relinquish the blessings of God as well.
You don't get to enjoy the blessings of being faithful to the service of God,
being faithful to church and being faithful to the Christian life.
There's a lot of blessings that come with that and unfortunately you're back to square one, right?
Now it's always a blessing when Christians come back to church, right?
It's great when people get right with God, they get back to church and they start building up their spiritual lives again.
And that is the goal.
The goal is for people who are backslidden to be restored,
to come to a place of repentance, to come to a place where they realize, like, I messed up,
I need to get back in the church, you know, and just get back to the things of God.
And you know, it's great that when people come back, they're received with open arms.
It's not like, oh man, you got so much work you got to do now.
You know, that may be true to a certain degree,
but it's not as much work as the work you would have to put in if you didn't come back at that particular time, right?
If you came back decades later or something like that,
you know, you don't have necessarily a whole lot that you have to work on.
But here's the thing, folks.
The point is that you should just put in the effort and the work to just stay right with God
instead of the work and the effort that it takes to get right with God once you backslide.
Because that is a lot of work.
But you know what?
It's a lot of work to stay right with God, but it's a lot more arduous.
It's a lot more difficult.
It's a lot more painstaking to try to get right with God once you've already backslidden to begin with.
And so pay the price of being a faithful city.
Pay the price of being a faithful Christian rather than paying the price of becoming a harlot
and having to get right with God, having to suffer the punishments of the Lord.
And make no mistake about it.
As a Christian, we will all get chastised by the Lord.
That's a fact.
Even if you're in church, okay?
Sometimes the Lord chastises us.
He prunes us.
He's refining us.
But make no mistake about it.
When you backslide and you get out of church, that guarantees that you will become chastised by the Lord.
Because whom the Lord loved it, He chasted it and scourged with every son whom He received it.
And of course, Hebrews chapter 12 is talking of the context of just straightening your paths,
making sure that you get right with God, that you repent of that sin, and you get it right with the Lord.
You know, often in the Bible, there's instances where the Bible often compares a person, an individual, a believer, to a city.
You know, the Bible says, he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.
And he that ruled with the spirit, then he that takeeth a city.
So we can see the comparisons here that we're looking at in verse 21.
And obviously the Lord is very grieved at Jude and Jerusalem.
The fact that they went from being a very faithful city, set on a hill, letting their light shine,
being a witness unto the Gentiles, to being reduced to a whore and a harlot.
And you know, that's what we need to avoid as Christians today, okay?
And this is not to say that after service, we need to just think about every person who backs on it like, yeah, they're a whore now.
Unless they're literally legitimately a whore.
But you know, I'm not saying we should go around saying that.
I'm just saying, you know, you shouldn't go around and be like, yeah, that person is a spiritual harlot now.
But I am making that application because that's the application that the Lord makes.
So let me give you a couple points in this regard from this passage of Scripture.
First and foremost, what does he mean when he talks about that they are a harlot?
How do they become a harlot?
Well, as I mentioned, a harlot is a prostitute, which is essentially a whore that sells herself, okay?
And the way we can apply this to Christians is that Christians, if they're not careful, they can become whores in their belief systems,
horse with their company that they keep, and they begin to sell themselves to work wickedness, right?
They begin to essentially allow themselves to be influenced by other individuals.
And what are they doing?
They're allowing the world, they're allowing the flesh, and they're allowing the devil to propose a price for their virtue, okay?
And, you know, it's just like, well, you know, just mischurch this Sunday, you know, I'll take you out.
We're going to have a good time.
I'll pay for it.
You know, you can come hang out with me.
We'll do this.
It's not going to be all the time.
And make no mistake about it.
When Satan tries to get at you, when I say incrementally, he works incrementally.
Meaning that the first compromise is never outright sin and transgression.
It's just little by little warming up the water so you don't realize that it becomes boiling until it's too late, okay?
And I think about Proverbs chapter 20 that states that, you know, the buyer says it is not say at the buyer,
but when he's gone his way, then he boasts it.
What is that referring to?
You know, it's referring to the fact that sometimes when people would barter and purchase and make these bargains with sellers for merchandise,
you know, they'll go to a person who's selling a particular item and say, ah, this is nothing.
This is nothing.
Give me this much for it or whatever.
It's not.
You're like, I don't know why you're selling it for that much.
Just, you know, just sell it for this amount.
I'll give you this much for it.
It's just like, well, I guess it's not.
And then they sell it and what does the buyer do?
He walks away and he's just like, look how much I got this for, right?
Look at the deal that I got.
And this is a great picture of Satan.
Because Satan, what he does is that he promotes sin to your life.
And what does he say?
It's nothing.
It's not.
It's not, right?
It's nothing.
To miss church every once in a while, that's not a big deal.
To not read your Bible, that's not a big deal.
You'll hop back home tomorrow.
You'll be back in church next week.
You're going to preach the gospel next week.
It's not, it is not, say, the buyer.
But then when you give in, you know what he does?
He boasts it.
He's like, I got him to miss church.
I got him to miss his Bible reading.
I got him to not go soul-inning.
I got him to just, I got him out of church two weeks in a row or whatever.
I got him out of church three weeks.
I got him out of church an entire month.
Because in your mind, the way he proposes it, it's nothing.
It's nothing to miss church.
No, actually it is something.
The Bible says, for sake not the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is,
but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.
You know, the Bible tells us and it teaches us that the house of God is the pillar and ground of truth.
It's where we come to realign our behaviors, our mentality, what we believe,
and we're reminded of the eternal.
So when you begin to miss church and just kind of treat it in a flippant manner,
that's basically you giving in to the buyer that says it's not, it's not.
Just miss every once in a while.
That's okay.
You're still a good Christian.
You haven't changed your belief system.
Yeah, that's exactly how the buyer comes and operates.
Okay?
He tries to minimize, you know, the amount of effects of the consequences of your sins of omission.
So then when you realize it, when he walks away like,
man, actually I did, you know, I just gave up my virtue.
I gave up my spiritual disciplines.
But by that time, it's too late.
Okay?
And so, you know, the harlot sells herself.
And here's the thing, folks, is that it can get to a point where a Christian is being sold a bill of goods by the world,
the flesh and the devil.
And depending upon how long they're out there in the world and the backslidden state,
you know what's going to happen?
Eventually the tables are going to flip and now they're going to start paying for those services.
You see, a prostitute is one thing where people are paying them.
It's another thing when a prostitute pays someone to service them.
And this is exactly what the Bible talks about.
Go to Ezekiel, if you would, chapter 16.
Ezekiel, chapter 16.
Ezekiel, chapter 16, if you would.
And this is how it starts.
It starts with the world paying for your services, paying for your absence of church,
paying for your spiritual disciplines.
But you know what it turns into?
It turns into you paying them.
You paying the world.
You paying the fines.
You paying the price of being out in the world,
because that's how it always ends up.
Look at Ezekiel, chapter 16.
And look down at your Bibles at verse 33.
It says, they give gifts to all horse.
Actually, let's start in verse 32.
But as a wife that committed adultery,
which taketh strangers instead of her husband,
they give gifts to all horse,
but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers,
and hires them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.
He's like, you know, a prostitute actually gets paid.
And it's still bad.
But you're the type of prostitute that you do the paying.
But you know what?
That's exactly how sin operates.
Satan offers you this.
He's the one who's willing to pay for this.
But in the long term,
you end up paying the consequences of your actions.
Sin will take you farther than you want to go.
Keep you longer than you want to stay.
And listen to this.
Cost you more than you want to pay,
because the wages of sin is always death.
How does a person go from being a faithful city
to being an absolute harlot and a whore?
They sell themselves, okay?
To this world.
They sell themselves to their friends.
They sell themselves to vices and sinfulness.
That's how it ends up taking place.
Go to James chapter 4.
James chapter 4.
James chapter 4, if you would.
How is the faithful city become a harlot?
Well, it begins by allowing yourself to be sold
for the pleasures of this world,
for the vices of this world,
for the temporal pleasures, okay?
Look at James chapter 4 in verse number 4.
It says this,
ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world
is enmity with God.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world
is the enemy of God.
So the Bible says here,
if you are a friend of this world,
if you are in close association
with the things of this world,
you're basically like an enemy of God,
because you are operating according to the course of this world,
you're aiding in its system,
and basically you're a part of it now.
And you know, we have to be careful as Christians
that we don't allow the world to lure us in
to its systems, to its way of believing,
to its philosophies and ideologies, okay?
And one of the fastest way to do that
is through the internet, okay?
It was like before back in the day,
it's just like you have to know someone
to influence you in the wrong way,
but now it's just like it's on your phone, right?
Just people,
just putting all kinds of crazy weird ideas in your mind
and all kinds of weird ideologies in the mind,
you know, trying to get you to justify murderers
and child killers,
and then all of a sudden you're just thinking like the world!
You've become a friend of the world!
And you know, it's absolutely insane
that you know, today,
we have this justification for infanticide
where it's just like, oh man,
we need to make sure we release the murderer,
they're the innocent one,
and the innocent people, the actual innocent people
are the guilty ones, right?
It's insane!
And you know what, this whole Lindsay Clancy thing,
and this is probably like the third week I'm talking about,
but it merits addressing, okay?
You know, it's demonstrating how much feminism
has infiltrated churches as well,
because of the fact that it's just like before,
you had all these Christian women
who are just completely against feminism,
completely against the feminist ideology
and the agenda,
but all of a sudden they just join forces
with a bunch of liberal retarded women
on this particular ideology.
It's like, you know you're teaming up with the world?
You're teaming up with a bunch of liberals,
with a bunch of God-haters?
In this regard, you know, how are you allowing
these absolute reprobates
to just influence you
to take on their position
instead of actually going to the Bible itself?
Okay?
And look folks, you know,
don't sell yourself to the liberals.
Don't sell yourself to the narrative of the liberals.
Well, I think they got a point.
They didn't got no point. They're stupid.
You don't like that?
Here's a better word. They're retarded.
You know, you're allowing the whores
to make you a whore. How about that?
You're allowing the literal whores
to make you a spiritual whore.
And you know, here's the thing, folks,
is that women don't realize the absolute ramifications
of these decisions that they're making
to side with this.
Because, you know, literally a couple days ago,
and I literally said this, you know,
the Bible specifically says
in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse 11,
because sentence against an evil work
is not executed speedily,
therefore the hearts of the sons of men
is fully sent in them to do evil.
Meaning that if you don't punish
the criminals and the evil doers of this world,
it's going to embolden others
to commit the same crime, knowing full well
that they will not receive the consequences
of their actions. Ah, you're just exaggerating.
Oh, is that right? A couple days ago,
another mother killed her child
and what did her lawyer say?
Oh, she's going under a psychotic episode
or whatever. That's just what it was.
And, you know, is it any coincidence
that she was just a fan of Lindsay Clancy?
She had literally just been discussing,
you know, defending Lindsay Clancy
to her friends about three and a half hours
before they found her child.
Oh, that's just coincidence.
You can point to a ton of examples of this.
Because when you don't punish wicked people,
that's what you get.
And, you know, these women would be singing
a different tune if Lindsay Clancy
took the lives of their child.
You'd be singing a different tune
at that point now, wouldn't you?
Don't sell yourself.
Don't be a spiritual prostitute
by selling yourself to this world.
And you say, well, I'm still in church.
Yeah, but you know what?
The battle always begins in the mind, though.
The battle is always in the mind
trying to change what you believe,
trying to corrupt your way of thinking
because the Satan knows
that if he can change your way of thinking,
he can change how you behave as well.
That's what's important, folks,
to cast down imaginations.
Every high thing that exalted itself
against the knowledge of God
and not allow yourself to be duped
by the wisdom of this world
because it's earthly, sensual, devilish,
the Bible says.
And look, folks,
I'm just telling you right now
feminism has infiltrated.
It's been so effective
that liberal women
are spearheading this movement
and somehow have just recruited
a bunch of Christian women
to side with them.
How does that feel, ladies?
How does that feel to back up
a bunch of liberal ladies in their endeavor
to completely destroy the family unit
and justify the killing of children?
It's insane.
And this whole thing is going to a mistrial or whatever
and praise God
for that one dude
who stood up
and just did not agree
and just stood against all...
They said it was like nine women
and three men, but technically
it was ten dudes.
I mean ten women, sorry.
It was ten women and one dude
because the other dudes are just acting like women.
And it's a mistrial or whatever
and it's going to restart again
and hopefully she gets what she deserves
but I don't think she is though.
I hope so. I hope I'm wrong.
I hope I'm 100% wrong
but just the way things are
the way our society operates
the way how Godless people are
and all this is done
is demonstrated to me
and it should demonstrate to you
the state of affairs
of the mental health of women
where they are at spiritually
in their mind
and husbands, let me just tell you right now
control your wife
yeah, control
control your wife
and you know what, yeah, control the way
she thinks too
oh that just sounds so sexist
whatever you want to call it, I'm good with that
yeah, that's cool, sure
control the way your wife thinks
how are you going to say something like that
well you know if Adam controlled Eve
we wouldn't be in this situation now would we
this is what happens
when Eve was allowed to operate
as an autonomous person
just outside of the jurisdiction of her husband
damned the whole world
and so you know it's our
responsibility to protect our wives
and you know we need to have
homes where it's not like
you're like fighting with your spouse
in this regard
women submit to your husband
okay, as unto the Lord
yeah
and don't give me this why I submit to God
I just submit to my husband
then you don't submit to God
what is that?
it's not the way God views it
and you know what you need to do
is make sure that you bring yourself in alignment
with your reasonable husband
and if your husband says hey
Lindsay Clancy is a reprobate
and she's guilty
and you need to get off of
social media because you're being deceived
by this crap then you know what
you need to put away the phone and say you know what
my husband's right I'm too emotional right now
I'm hormonal
it's insane folks
it's absolutely insane
she's like well you don't understand women
they have these hormones and stuff
so does that mean that the dudes who think that they're women
now they're not women then or what
how does that work
well that doesn't count
or something like that
you know what about all these
by the way every murderer
serial killer has mental issues you kidding me
what are you talking about
they're all psychos
they all got
fused screw loose in the brain
they're all reprobates
these serial killers
Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy
the night stalker
all these people are mentally
ill and guess what
they're still guilty
I'm just telling you right now
if Dahmer isn't brought down on Lindsay Clancy
this is going to keep happening
and you know women are just like oh this is
such a win no because you know what
now dudes aren't going to want to marry you
they want nothing to do with you
because you advocate for the killing
of the strangulation of children
so no
that's not a good thing for you
ok
it's insane my friends
but you know what I guarantee you
I'm not talking about the liberals because the liberals
are just doomed in a lot of ways
I'm talking about Christian women who are carried away
with this nonsense
and they're allowing themselves to just be
absolutely brain
brain corrupted
by these women and by these godless people
don't allow it to happen allow the Bible
to renew your mind
and look a lot of people are just delusional
just delusional
you know it's just like
tell me you haven't watched the trial
without telling me you haven't watched the trial
it's like
hello
the trial wasn't about whether she was guilty
or not of killing the children
it's about literally whether she's
criminally guilty meaning that oh
you know she was in her right mind
or whether she was not in her right mind
everyone agrees
Lindsay herself that she killed her children
and it's just like no as the husband
you're delusional
and when you look at this stuff
when you look at what's going on you're like
oh so that's how the tribulation is gonna
okay I get it now that's how people just accept the antichrist
okay because you know you're thinking like
how's that gonna happen
well when you got a bunch of idiots out there
who need no evidence
to pass judgment like that
then you're just like oh
this is without the antichrist
this is without the
lying signs and wonders
I mean Lindsay Clancy hasn't committed
no wonders
and she still is able to
deceive the multitudes how much more
in the end times when that happens
point being here
is that and I'm telling you right now
I guarantee you there's a lot of Christian women
who are a character bow
with this wind of doctrine why
because they don't protect their minds
and husbands you need to make sure you protect the minds of your wives
good
a Christian often can become
go from a faithful city
to a harlot
by selling themselves
by being a friend of the word
go back to Isaiah
Isaiah chapter 1
how is the faithful city become a harlot
well she sold herself
but we also see that they relinquish
judgment and righteousness
he says in verse 21
how is the faithful city become a harlot
it was full of judgment
and righteousness lodged
in it the Bible says
now one thing I've noticed is that when Christians
are on fire for God
or they are on par
with the teachings of the Bible
they're very judgmental
right
that's actually a good thing now in your mind you're like
well I thought it was good to judge
no it's very good to judge
judgment in the Bible is also described
as discernment
it's the ability
to judge between good
and evil a right decision
and a bad decision
so when a Christian is right with God
they're filled with judgment
you know and if you don't agree with that
you just been saturated with a lot of
water down preaching
that tries to make you think and convince you
that somehow judging people is wrong
don't judge
you shouldn't judge nobody's perfect
no the Bible says judge not that you
can be not judged for what judgment you judge
you shall be judged with measure your meat
and then it goes on to talk about the fact
that if you're going to judge someone
you better not be guilty of the sin that you're judging
but once you're clear of that sin
clear of that iniquity
guess what how about it
start judging because that's exactly what we
as Christians are supposed to do
and in fact the Bible says that we have the mind of Christ
we are able to make the right
decisions discern
between good and evil
and we have the wisdom of God
this is what the Bible says
but here's the thing
when a person goes from being a faithful city
to a harlot just I'm going to tell you right now
judgment goes out the window
judgment as in judging sin
but also just discernment goes out the window
they're unable
to make right decisions
you know why because it's like God has
extracted the judgment from them
and now they're just making a bunch of dumb decisions
and look folks
you know obviously
not every Christian has the maturity
to make the right decisions
but the great thing about that is that if you're in a church
you're surrounded by very mature discerning Christians
meaning that you could just go to someone
your spiritual leader
a team leader
a mature person in the faith
and ask them for advice in an area that you are deficient in
when it comes to wisdom
they're going to give you wisdom
they're going to give you prudence
they're going to give you the right decision to make
because they're level headed
and then you can grow in that area
wise men if you walk with wise men
you shall be wise the bible says
and another thing is that when you're right with God
you can pray for wisdom and get it
if any of you lack wisdom let them ask of God
who give it to all men liberally
and a braith not the bible says
and he'll give it to you he'll give you wisdom
he'll give you prudence you have the word of God
but let me just tell you right now
when you see a backslidden person
someone who's gotten out of the church is making the worst decisions
don't be surprised
that is the result
of going from a faithful city
to a harlot judgment goes out the window
they're unable to make
any type of
sound judgment
and it goes on to say here
it says it was full of judgment
righteousness lodged
in it
now this applies to
individuals but also applies to churches does it not
a good church is a church that judges
preach is hard
calls out sin
tells it like it is
you find a church that has no judgment
that's a bad church
that's a horrible church
run screaming in the opposite direction
why because there's simply a church
that has great swelling words of vanity
they are flattering you
they don't care about your spiritual health
they're willing to just tickle your ears
and just tell you what you want to hear
because they don't want to lose you as members
a church is meant to
it's filled with judgment
but a church that has no judgment
oh man red flag
run screaming in the opposite direction
but it says here
the faithful city
was filled with judgment
and righteousness lodged in it
in the morning we talked about the fact that
righteousness from a
salvation context
is referring to like the perfection
that we get in Christ
but as I also mentioned
righteousness in the Bible
can also be referring to just moral
uprightness the fact that
you are just a morally
upright individual
you're a holy individual
you love righteousness you like
right living and
when a Christian is faithful
they're not going to be perfect
but they will be moving in the right
direction when it comes to righteousness
meaning that they are working
on themselves
you give me a person who's about to backslide
I'll give you a person who's becoming
wishy-washy on their righteousness
they're not really repenting of their sins anymore
they're not really working on themselves
or how about this
they used to go soul-winning
they used to go to church
they used to do all these things and now they don't
look folks it's one thing when a Christian
you know
goes to one service a week
as a brand new Christian
that's how everyone starts
I remember when I first went to church
I thought there was only one service
it just goes Sunday morning and that was it
I'm like
it's cool then chill the rest of the day
and then
someone told me they're like oh you're going home
yeah
and they're like are you going to come back
I'm like for what
yeah I'll be back next week
they're like no tonight for the service
I was like you guys got a service
tonight you guys do this twice
they're like yeah
come back for Sunday night service
and I was like okay I'll come back for that
and then it came back
it was great and then
after maybe two weeks of that
they're like oh so we'll see you on Thursday
I'm like for what
they're like
for Bible study I'm like
you guys have another service
because you know I didn't grow up in church
I don't know about this
you know for us Catholics
you go to church for Easter and Christmas
or at least you say
that's what you do but you don't really do it
so then
we go to Thursday night Bible study
at 7 o'clock and I'm like whoa this is
three services
now in the old IP they also had Sunday school class
so then you know I'm coming in
for service
and at one time I came in the morning
and I came a little early than usual
and then someone just pulled me aside
they're like where are you going
you need to be in class
and I was just like class
Sunday school class
I'm like a school
like what are you talking about
they're like yeah we have Sunday school class
so they pulled me in the class and it was just like a short little
lesson or whatever
it's like a sermonette type of a thing
and I'm like man these people go
to Sunday school Sunday morning Sunday night
and then
you know we're there
and there's just on Sundays
and they're like we'll see you on Tuesday
for summer saturation
and I'm like what is that
and they're like we go and preach the gospel on Tuesdays
I'm like
this is like the fourth service
for me you know what I mean
because you go there they preach the gospel
and then after that
they had something called RU
okay
and RU was something in the old IFB
you may not know what that is
but it stands for Reformers Unanimous
and basically what they would do is like on Fridays
you know all the drug addicts
former drug addicts would go to this special service
it preached to them
they'd help them memorize scripture
and I was loving church so much that they told me about RU
I was like I'm not a drug addict but I'll go though
just to get more preaching in
and so I would go to RU
hear more preaching
memorize scripture
because I didn't know
the church was just multiple services
and it was great
after a while I did
get rid of that
Reformers Unanimous service because
it wasn't my type of service
that I really liked
and there was a lot of weird people there
and I remember thinking to myself
people were going to start thinking I'm a crackhead or something
and that ended up being the case
they were just like what kind of drugs did you
what kind of drugs I just
I just want another preaching service
and I remember
the director of RU
he really liked the fact that
a bible college student was going to the RU services
it kind of gave them more credibility
so then he ended up inviting me to a conference
up north
and he was like hey I'll pay for everything just come
I'm like oh great so I went with him
and then he's introducing me to all the leaders
he's like this is our first RU
bible college student
and I'm just like
oh hold on a second
I didn't start off an RU
and they're just like congratulations sir
we're really proud of you
and I'm like alright it's time to cut off the RU service
because I didn't do this
the point being is that as a brand new Christian
you gradually learn more and then you do more
that's one thing
to add one service or whatever
but it's another thing when you've already done these services
but then you start to reduce the amount that you do
you start cutting back
that's a problem there
because at that point now
it's just like well I need to
like minimize what I do
not go to as many services
or you might be listening to someone saying hey you're getting a little too radical there
you're getting a little too crazy there
you're getting a little too fanatic there
you need to take a couple
days off a couple weeks off of a Sunday night
of a Thursday night
and you know what happens the longer you're at a church
the more easy it is to
be at a church
that's just the way it works
now look folks if you are projectile vomiting
you're running 105 fever
and you know you are
pregnant in some instances
because sometimes women when they're pregnant they're just
you know they got a lot of things
they're making eyeballs and elbows and stuff like that
they just can be very tired
that's another thing okay
but if it's just you got nothing going on
you know you need to be
in church
don't start cutting away
services
and Bible reading
and soul winning times
just because someone is telling you that you're doing too much
okay that's one thing
and so you know what does it show
when you start doing this I'm telling you what it is
it's righteousness
you're living righteously but
the person who was a faithful city
who is now a harler I'm just telling you right now
they started off going to all the services
they were three to thrive
then there were two to thrive
then there were one to thrive
and then there's just no thriving after that
because they just made excuses
of why not to come to church or whatever
and again I'm not referring to you
your car breaks down
you died or something like that
you have an excuse
I get it
I'm talking about the fact
that you just are making up excuses
why not to come to church
it's a righteous thing to come to church
it's a righteous thing to carry these things out
don't be lazy
don't be a sloth
don't be a spiritually lazy person
who just can't hack it
because you rather just do nothing somewhere else
and look you know I'm not trying to be rude to you
but I kind of am
you're kind of like not doing nothing
you're not doing anything right now
other than just listening to me
I don't have you on a treadmill
or something like that
okay you're literally
you know you're sitting there
I'm just yelling at you
the one who's doing the most work right now is me
I'm the one who has to look at you
I'm the one who has to preach
you just have to sit there
and get the preaching of God's word
consume it and then later
the work goes later on
you have to obey it later on
it's not hard to be in church
I don't have sympathy for people
it's just so hard
I got you these cushiony seats
if you think this is hard
you were not in Omani
can I get a witness
who remembers the chairs in Omani
okay and you know what
bless your soul
for being willing to be
a member of First Works Baptist Church
when we were in Omani because those chairs sucked
it was just like
you know what
you obviously came for the preaching not because of the comfort
okay and let me say this
oh it's so cold in here though
bro
if you're in Omani
that was the closest you would get to the lake of fire
okay
and we bought like an AC unit
didn't help
okay and so like
these chairs in AC
this is helping you amen
what I'm saying is this is not hard to come to church
you're not a martyr
for coming to church
it's not difficult at all
depending upon how far you live
is it hard it could be
you got people traveling 3 hours or whatever
okay you know we'll sympathize
for you just a little bit
but hey you're 10 minutes away
I'm not sympathizing with you at all bro
you're not getting any empathy
you're 15 minutes away I'm not empathizing at all
you don't get my sympathy
you're 30 minutes away still
because we literally have people who drive like hours
and they're willing to come
and put in the work
of sitting there
and just listen to the preaching of God's word
I don't really appreciate that
well you can go to some non
I welcome you I challenge you
to go to some non-denom church
you know and you get all the
bells and whistles
you get you know cool stuff
and purple lights and smoke and mirrors
but the preaching absolutely sucks
and you get nothing out of it
okay
and it actually takes more work
in those churches
because you have to try to get something out of the preaching
from there
the point is is that a person goes
from a faithful city to a harlot
when they begin to relinquish
judgment and righteousness
you know it should be
that as Christians we are constantly
working at being righteous people
okay and look
obviously I'm not saying to just be
fully mature in your first year
second year third year
but you know we should endeavor
every single time every single week
to change something about ourselves
to get right with God and be a righteous person
it says
how was the faithful city becoming a harlot
it was full of judgment and righteousness lodged in it
but now murderers
so they're saying like this is
such a godly place at one point
it was such a faithful city
but now like it's just filled with criminals and murderers
now how do we apply that as Christians
well go to 1 John chapter 2
hold your place there
1 John
1 John chapter 2
here's the thing folks
as Christians
one of the major virtues
that I feel like we need to work on
I need to work on every Christian needs to work on
is just the virtue of love right
we talked about that two weeks ago
having genuine love for the brethren
and that is essentially the marker
of a disciple
by this y'all all men know that you are my disciples
if you have love one for another
that's what the Bible says
and so our love for the brethren ought to grow
so that basically means
that there should be no hatred between brethren
should be no hatred
you know what is the sign
that a person is regressing spiritually
they become hateful
and bitter towards the brethren
look at 1 John chapter 2
and look at verse number 8
it says again a new commandment I write unto you
which thing is true in him and in you
because the darkness is past
and the true light now shine it
he that sayeth he is in the light
and hateeth his brother
is in darkness even until now
he that loveeth his brother
abideth in the light
and there is none occasion of stumbling in him
but he that hateeth his brother
is in darkness
and walketh in darkness
and knoweth now whether he goeth
because the darkness hath blinded his eyes
the Bible says
and tells me there is no room
in our hearts for hatred for the brethren
obviously
I don't think when Christians backslide
I don't think it automatically starts off
as hatred towards the brethren
there is like a gradual
there is gradual steps to that
you become offended
after the offense then resentment
bitterness
then you are not getting it right
and then what is the ultimate thing
the ultimate step there is
that you become hateful towards the brethren
you have this animosity towards the brethren
you don't want to see them
you don't want to be around them
that is a marker of a person
who has gone backslidden
and may not be said of anybody in here
anybody in our church that you have any type of hatred
in your heart for the brethren
now look I'm not saying you have to like everyone
and thank God that the Bible doesn't require us to
right
amen
because it gets hard sometimes to like everyone
we just do personalities
clash
you know what I'm saying right
sometimes you just don't
get along with people the way you would get along with others
and
but here is the thing
there should be no animosity or hatred
or ill will towards other people
because you are still a Christian
as a Christian
you need to demonstrate love
you need to have love
and let me say this
also prior to
hating someone
a precursor to that is just envy
envy towards the brethren
becoming covetous towards the things that they have
envy is towards their position
and their status
and this can often transform
and evolve into hatred
for the brethren and look folks
if that's you you are like well I have reason
to hate this person no you don't
no you don't
because the Bible strictly commands against it
and you need to get that right with God
and look if there is ever animosity
and hatred between brethren
this is what you do
get it right with God go to that person
ask for forgiveness
ask that they forgive you
be reconciled to your brother
and then live happily ever after
you don't have to
just carry on
with animosity hatred
bitter strife envies
in your heart because it's a godless thing to do
and it puts you on the path
to becoming a spiritual harlot
where once you are a faithful city
you are doing right you are doing good
but all of a sudden you get offended
and let me tell you something you will be offended in our church
I'll make sure of it
I'm just kidding you will be offended
someone is going to offend you
someone is going to wrong you
why because just because we're a church
doesn't mean that we're perfect
and people will do wrong things towards you
not because they intend to
maybe they do I don't know
it's a sinful church just like any other church
we just have to make sure
that we put the appropriate
parameters and guidelines
so when that happens
we don't allow it to evolve
into hatred for the brethren
because let me tell you this
hatred becomes bitterness and it just completely destroys you
I mean look at Saul and David
Saul was a righteous person
a godly individual
then he just had a hatred towards David
even to the point where he wanted to kill David
it's a godless thing to do my friends
and so we need to ask Christians
endeavor
to keep the spirit of unity
in the bond of peace
you know what it means to endeavor?
means work at it
if there's beef between you and another brother
in Christ go get it right
stop acting like a little girl and just go get it right
we're not in the fifth grade
we're not in elementary school
this is not high school
okay
let me just remind everyone here too
that we need to make sure
that if there is people
that are causing us to be divided
that number one
we just got to make sure we get all the stories first
okay
and look don't be bringing up things
from the past either
and I talk about this all the time
don't bring up past
offenses
let bygones be bygones
just let it go
and you know what don't allow people
who don't go to our church
to try to make your mind evil
affected against the brethren here
it's not right to do
especially if they're not in church
even if they used to go to our church
okay
they're trying to make your mind evil
trying to stir up trouble
and this is mainly most of the time
amongst women
let me just be honest with you
I feel like you hate women or something like that
most dramas centered around women
just be honest with you
can I get some ladies to nod their heads
what else we got
where's my wife
nod your head honey
it's true
don't allow people
to make your mind evil affected against the sisters
and brothers in Christ in the church
and let me also say this
don't believe everything you hear either
person says something about
x, y, and z
don't automatically jump on the bandwagon
to just believe it even if you have a bias
against the person who's telling you these things
like oh yeah that must be true because they would do something
no it's not
you don't know
we have to protect ourselves against stuff like that
because you know what the devil's constantly trying to cause
division
he knows that a strong church is united
he knows that a strong church
has loved one for another
and so what is he trying to do
he tries to send these people
who just cause division
and problems in the church
and through gossip
and being busy bodies and tattletales and whatnot
forget all that
okay forgive, forget
let bygones be bygones
and don't allow a problem to evolve
beyond that
reconcile you're like well
two and a half years ago
in six weeks and three days
forget that
and look folks I've had people
in this church offend me
in times past you're like what did they do
I don't remember
I know what happened
I don't remember though
I don't remember
because I don't sit around thinking about those things
you know why
because I have to live with you for the rest of my life
that's right
I have to see you for the rest of my life
and you know what I don't want
for the rest of my life to have this
for you to have this stigma in my mind
about you
so when I forgive
I also try my best to forget
and obviously it's probably somewhere in the files
right
massive cabinet
in my mind of offenses
and things that have happened
but I don't put the file at the very front of the cabinet though
I put it away
in the back
I lock it and I throw away the key
and I forget about where it's at
it takes a lot of work actually in my mind
to go back to those offenses
I got to look for the key
got to figure out what cabinet it's in
what file it's under
I don't label my stuff either
I do that all on purpose
so I'm not revisiting old offenses
and then become a bitter resentful person
you need to do the same
okay
why because you know the bible talks about
hatred
being like murder
okay
the faithful city was great it was full of judgment
it was full of righteousness but then it was filled
with murder and the way we could apply that
is they became a place of hateful
intent towards their brothers
and those who lived among them
just how it would be in a church
go back to Isaiah
Isaiah if you would
how
has the faithful city become a harlot
she sold herself
she relinquished judgment and righteousness
she began to hate
the brethren, murderers
look what verse 22 says
thy silver is become
dross the bible says
now what can we apply
how can we apply this particular statement
well when you look at silver
you know obviously it has
value right, monetary value
but when it begins to
accumulate dross it drops in
value okay
and you know obviously
the goal is is that when it accumulates dross
you got to scrub away the dross
so it can remain useful
but there can be a
point where it becomes so
corrupted so filled
with dross that is just kind of
useless at that point
there's two ways to apply this obviously we know
that Jeremiah chapter 6 for example
the bible says
and it compares the two coins
that are no longer able to be
clean they're no longer able to be purified
and so forth and that's referring to the
reprobate but here's the thing though
is that when it applies to Christians
Christians can't become reprobate
they can't lose their salvation
they can't be beyond the hope of salvation
but they can become castaways though
okay and in fact in
the original language
the term reprobate is also
used to describe the term castaway
in the context of Christians
not beyond the hope of salvation
but just beyond being useful
unto the Lord
now you and Isaiah let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 9
if you will 1 Corinthians chapter 9
this is another part of the work that you have to do
when you're in church is actually go through your bible amen
God forbid that we should read the bible in church
1 Corinthians chapter 9
1 Corinthians 9
and let's start in verse number 26 it says
I therefore so run not a certainty
so fight I not as one that beat at the air
but I keep under my body
and bring it into subjection
lest by any means when I preach to others
I myself should be a castaway
so what is the apostle Paul saying here
he's saying you know I need to make sure
that I discipline my body to do the things
that it's supposed to do to spiritually run
the race because if not
I can become useless
castaway
what is castaway it's like
the branch in
John chapter 15
that's not abiding in the vine
it's broken off
men gather them
and cast them into the fire and they are burnt
basically means you become a useless Christian
okay
and you know how a faithful city becomes a harlot
they become useless
they're no longer serving
they're no longer abiding in the vine
they have allowed the draws to accumulate
on them so much
it's not really worth anything anymore
and you know what it is true
don't allow the liberal preachers
like you're worth so much to God
because initially that is true
which is why he died for us right
why Jesus Christ died for us
where we're saved but
let me just give you the reality check here
if the salt has lost its savor
it is thenceforth good for nothing
the Bible talks about
the unprofitable servant
it means that
you're no good
you're no bueno
and the Lord as a boss
can fire you
he can say
you're not doing a good job
you've allowed the draws to accumulate
you're just allowing sin in your life
and you know what
it's time to just take you out of the picture
you're fired
doesn't mean you'll lose your salvation
thank God for that amen
it just means you ain't getting paid
for the work
that you could have done in the future
the rewards you could have gained
because you made yourself useless
after salvation the goal for us
is to be useful in the service of the Lord
useful servants
so winners
to reach people
to invest in people
to disciple people how to preach the gospel
to turn people to righteousness
we should have this prayer
to say Lord please
use me to change someone's life
use me to just help someone get right
with God to get saved
and please do that for the rest of my life
but you know what
sometimes silver becomes dross though
so accumulated with dross
sin, corruption
that it gets to a point where it doesn't even look like a coin anymore
doesn't even look like silver anymore
it just lost
it's luster, it's beauty
it doesn't shine anymore
because it's not letting its life so shine
it's so dim
after a while it's just like they're not even useful anymore
they're actually becoming detrimental
towards the things of God
go to chapter 3
chapter 3
you're like well pastor I know of someone who's like that
I know someone who's saved
but they're backslidden
and they're not useful to the things of God
and I feel like God hasn't punished them what's up with that
well we gotta leave that in God's hands
because we have no idea
that essentially
demonstrates how merciful God is
God's just merciful to that person
and we have no idea
what type of thoughts the Lord is putting into that person's mind
and we need to pray for that person to get right with God
I'm just telling you right now though
that you can get to a point
where you become a cast away
where God just tosses you to the side
because not only are you not useful
you're actually becoming detrimental to others
look at 1 Corinthians chapter 3
and verse number 16
it says
no you're not the temple of God
and the spirit of God dwelleth in you
if any man defile the temple of God
listen to this
him shall God destroy
for the temple of God is holy
which temple you are
what does that mean? you'll kill you
destroy means you'll kill you
it means like if you start defiling your temple
allowing draws to accumulate
it gets to a point where God just says
I'm just going to take you home
because you're just being
you're being a rebel
you are
filled with spiritual disease
from the top of the head to the soul of the foot
there's no ointment for you
you're not willing to get right with God
you're not repenting
you're just persisting
in sinfulness
and God says alright I'm just taking you out
because it's better for you to just be taken home
than for you to become
detrimental to yourself and to others as well
and this is a real thing folks
go to 2 Timothy chapter 2
2 Timothy chapter 2
and look folks all of us
listen to me all of us have a little draw
we've got a little draw
we've got a little corruption
and that's because we're in this corruptible body
but you know
it should be that on a daily basis
you're scrubbing that draw
not allowing it to accumulate
and what am I doing right now
I'm just like trying to strip away the draw
from me right now
strip away the feminism
strip away the effeminacy
strip away the godless thinking
strip away sinful habits
that's what I'm trying to do to make you
keep you useful in the things of God
look at 2 Timothy chapter 2
in verse number 19
it says nevertheless the foundation of God
standeth sure having this seal
the Lord knoweth them that are His
and let everyone that name it the name of Christ
depart from iniquity
but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold
and of silver but also of wood and of earth
and some to honor and some to dishonor
if a man therefore purge himself
from these listen to this
he shall be a vessel and to honor
sanctified and meet
for the master's use
and prepare them to every good work
well I thought you said that God could use
he uses imperfect people he does
but does that mean you just like
accumulate filth and corruption
and just be a sinful person
no because God wants us to put in the effort
to be sanctified
which why he follows up in verse 22
flee also youthful lusts
but follow righteousness faith
charity peace with them to call on the Lord
out of a pure heart
go back to Isaiah chapter 1
Isaiah chapter 1
we need to make sure that we keep
our silver
clean from dross
that we're scrubbing it away
take away the dross from the silver
and it shall come forth a vessel
for the finer the Bible says
and so very important
so the faithful city becomes a harlot
because she sold herself
she relinquishes judgment and righteousness
the city is filled with murder
her silvers become dross
look what it says in verse 22
thy silvers become dross, thy wine mixed
with water
so he's saying like you know
wine of course here is referring to juice
okay and you know
juice supposed to be potent
especially comes from the vine
and for some people it's just too strong
so what do they do they put a little water in it
they water it down
okay and what he's saying is like
you are such a faithful city
of just potent
knowledge of God
potent righteousness
but now you're just watered down
you know what may not be said of you or me
that we ever become watered down Christians
just soft
watered down
Christians with no conviction
no standards
just not standing up for anything
may we be potent Christians
when someone tastes our wine
it's like that juice that Vitor gives us
you know what I'm talking about
that wine thing that he gives
it's actual juice
it's not alcoholic wine
drinking alcohol is a sin
just to throw it out there
in case anybody didn't know that
you know
alcohol no drunken
don't even look at it the Bible says
drinking alcohol is a sin
okay and you cannot drink alcohol
and be in church
so you better not be here drinking alcohol
when you go home
if you do let's talk
I'm gonna throw you out
if you think it's okay to just come to church
drink alcohol and be here
and you could substitute alcohol for
weed
any kind of recreational drugs or whatever
throw that all in there
we don't want nothing to do with that
because a little 1111 at the whole lot
you're gonna fill our church with dross
we're trying to remain silver amen
but what he's saying here is that
you know you become diluted you're watered down
you know you're not really
as zealous for the things
of God as you used to be
you're just kind of like
you just watered down juice
you don't taste as sweet anymore
you don't have that potency
in your taste anymore because you're just a watered down
person
and what this means is that
we as Christians need to make sure we remain zealous for the things of God
okay
and not just
you know not just make excuses
for sin
not make excuses for doctrinal errors
obviously we need to be long suffering
towards babes and Christ but not towards those
who should know better
and so we see here
that they become
like reprobate silver
castaways
watered down and lastly number six
is that they have their evil
associations verse 23 says
thy princes are rebellious and companions
of thieves
everyone loveth gifts and followeth after rewards
they judge not the fatherless
neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them
one thing that will definitely
transfer you from
being a faithful city to a harlot
are the people you hang out with
that is a fact my friends
the people you keep around you
you will be like those people
so the Bible is always saying
follow righteousness with them
they call upon the name of the Lord
why because God knows how
powerful influences
are in our lives
our associations
you will be like the people you're around
which is why God says don't forsake the assembly
because God wants you to be like a Christian
and the way you become like a Christian
is by being around other Christians
I know you said alcohol is the same
but I kind of struggled with that
we'll hang around us for a while
we'll shame alcohol before you so much
that you'll be just absolutely disgusted by it
you'll walk away and be like
you know what, drinking alcohol is gay
so gay
yeah, yeah, it's gay
I'm never going to do that again
because it's just so frowned upon
you'll have the right mentality
regarding sin
righteousness
but let me also say this, the flip side is true as well
you keep hanging around your cousins
you keep hanging around
your unsafe family
your worldly family, your backslidden family
you keep hanging around people who don't have
the same biblical values as you
eventually you'll be like them
you'll become corrupt
you keep hanging around the dross, you're going to accumulate some dross
that's just how it always works
that's how you go from being a faithful city
to a harlot
and here's the last bonus point
if this is you just get right with God
amen, look at verse 16
wash you, make you clean
put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes
cease to do evil
what am I supposed to do
here's a good one, just stop doing it
right
I love how the Bible is just so practical
like how do I do this, just stop
just don't do it
obviously sometimes you need help, you need reminders
but the Bible just says cease to do evil
and then what
verse 17, learn to do well
I mean the Bible is just so practical
he's like stop doing the bad stuff
and start learning how to do the right stuff
learn to do well
seek judgment
relieve the oppressed
judge the fatherless, plead for the widow
come now, let us reason together
say to the Lord
though your sins be as scarlet
they should be as white as snow
though they be red like crimson
they shall be as the Bible says
what is he saying
just confess it
allow me to just clean you of your sin
cleanse you of all unrighteousness
and move on with your life
learn to do well
and the great thing about learning to do well
is you don't have to do it by yourself
you're doing it right now
this is why it's important not to miss church
what does church do, it teaches you how to do well
it instructs you in the ways
of righteousness
and it tells you stop doing evil
cease to do evil
stop drinking alcohol
no fornication
no adultery
no railing
no extortion
no idolatry
you can't do that anymore
then you learn
you cease to do evil, you learn to do well
you confess it before the Lord
folks the Christian life is not hard at all
it's actually very simplistic
as far as what we're to do
is it challenging to actually implement that
of course, but the system is very simple
cease to do evil, learn to do well
get right with God
and if you're a harlot, get back to becoming
a faithful city
Father we thank you so much for your word
I pray that you'd help us as your people
to be faithful cities all the days of our life
and some of us may even
deviate from the path at one time or another
I pray that they would be reminded
of these truths to get back on track
Lord and to learn to do well
cease to do evil and allow
themselves to be cleansed by the blood of Christ
from their unrighteousness
bless us as we go on our way, we love you
we thank you, pray the things in Jesus name
amen