I thought maybe I should grab the mic or something.
No.
Although, the mic has fallen.
Yeah.
I don't know.
Yeah.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Alright, folks, we're going to go ahead and get started this
evening.
Welcome to Steadfast Baptist Church.
But if you wouldn't find your seat, I think most of us are already there.
If you would, go ahead and get your hymnal, turn to hymn number 343, "Revive Us Again."
Hymn number 343, "Revive Us Again."
Let's sing.
We praise thee, O God, for the Son of God, for it is us who got the glory, spirit, soul,
and the last.
Revive us again.
Good singing this evening.
Brother Dylan, would you open us in a word of prayer?
Of course, sir.
As we praise you, we do the same thing.
Amen.
For our second hymn this evening, turn, if you would, to hymn number 288.
I am resolved, hymn 288, I am resolved, 288, I am resolved.
Let's sing.
I am resolved no longer to linger charmed by the world's delights that are high, things
that are nobler, these have allooned my son and him, hasten so glad to say, my sin is
the just one, he hath hasten so glad to say, full and true, he say he will hasten so glad
to say.
Amen.
We are not allowed to sing, but let's hand it over to the birthday boy for announcements.
I can at least do that.
Well welcome everyone to Step Past Baptist Church.
If you need a bulletin, raise your hand nice and high and we can get one of those to you
guys.
We had one salvation out this afternoon, so we'll add that to our total, so keep up the
good work and soul winning.
Next opportunity for soul winning is going to be on Saturday, this coming Saturday at
10.30 a.m.
We typically leave here by 11, so if you can make it here any time between 10.30 and 11,
we'd enjoy to have you with us.
We are finishing up our last week of our Bible memory chapter, 2 Thessalonians chapter number
one.
And so if you can quote this to a non-family member on Sunday, you will receive a prize
for quoting the entire chapter.
And of course, too, remember that this is one stepping stone of a three-part book, three-part
chapter book, memorizing the entire book of 2 Thessalonians.
So I'm really excited about putting in the work to memorize the whole book.
And so you should be as well.
And so be working hard to achieve that.
We've got our list of expecting mothers be in prayer for each one of these ladies throughout
your week.
Also, just some upcoming events.
On January 23rd, let's see, that'll be not this Saturday, but next Saturday, we're going
to do a pre-screening of the Sodomite Deception.
And so that's a documentary that Pastor Shelley and a group of guys there at Fort Worth have
been working on.
And so I'm really excited about this.
Most of us have all seen the trailer.
There's a great deal of anticipation waiting to finally see all the hard work come to fruition.
And I'm also kind of excited to see all of the Sodomites who are going to be triggered
by it.
And so it's going to be a lot of fun.
The church is going to provide popcorn and drinks and all of your movie documentary watching
needs.
So please join us for that January 23rd at 6 p.m.
A couple upcoming events for the Fort Worth location.
On January 17th, Pastor Aaron Thompson is going to be preaching all day there in Fort
Worth.
Now, we are also going to have Pastor David Berzins from Stronghold Baptist Church preaching
here for us that Sunday as well, January 17th.
So a reason to stick around to see Pastor David Berzins is that Pastor Aaron Thompson
is actually going to be coming to visit us and preach for us on April 25th.
You can see that there at the bottom of the bulletin.
So he's planning on being here.
You're not going to, you'll still have an opportunity to hear him preach.
So if I could, you know, you go down to Fort Worth if you want to, that'd be a lot of fun
too.
So I don't want to pull any direction from that.
But Pastor David Bursons is going to be here January 17th as well.
And so I'm looking forward to meeting him.
And then on January 27th, Pastor Roger Jimenez from Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento,
California is going to be preaching that Wednesday night service in Fort Worth.
And so I'm really excited about that as well.
And so I know that the Fort Worth location would enjoy the visitors, so if you have an
opportunity to make it down there for either one of those services, that would be a blessing.
Some upcoming soul winning marathons to look forward to a little bit further down the road
is on March 6th is going to be the Galveston Soul Winning Marathon.
That's Galveston, Texas, which is about 30 minutes south of Houston.
And so if you wanted to plan a nice vacation, you can go down there and do some good soul
winning that weekend and then April 3rd is the planned date for the Mega Marathon.
Now that's always scheduled to change just depending on the circumstances surrounding
COVID and all that stuff.
But we've got those dates on the bulletin for you to jot down.
And then because Pastor Shelley was not able to make it here this evening, he's actually
going to be coming next Thursday, January 21st.
And in his place, Brother Dylan Oz has been asked to step in and preach for us, so that's
a blessing.
Amen.
So if you get a chance, if you haven't already, let him know that you're thankful for him
being here.
And then Pastor Shelley is also going to be here again on February 21st, which is a Sunday.
He'll be here all day that day.
And so a lot of great things to look forward to and a lot of exciting things that are going
to take place in this year.
I'm excited for all the future events.
And with that, we'll go to our next song, hymn number 129, Rock of Ages.
Sing it out, hymn number 129.
All right, hymn number 129, Rock of Ages, 129, Rock of Ages, 129, Rock of Ages.
Let's sing.
Rock of ages, clap for me.
Let me hide myself in thee.
Thou art the blood I would side, which flows in the double cure, here flows in a tongue
unknown.
Then as the offering plates are being passed around, turn if you would to John, chapter
number 17, John 17, and we will read the whole chapter as is our custom.
John chapter 17, John chapter 17, the Bible reads, "These words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven, and said, 'Father, the hour is come.
Glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee.
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.
I have glorified thee on the earth.
I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with
thee before the world was.
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.
Thine they were, and thou gavest them me.
And they have kept thy word.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me.
And they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee.
And they have believed that thou didst send me.
I pray for them.
I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.
For they are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are mine.
And I am glorified in them.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world.
And I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name these whom thou hast given me, that they may be
one as we are.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name.
Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost.
But the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have
my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them.
Because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the
truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word, that they all may be one as thou, Father, are in me and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us.
That the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
In the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one even as we
are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world
may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they
may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation
of the world.
O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have
known that thou hast sent me, and I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare
it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Let's pray.
Amen, well so great to be back here again, thank you as always Pastor Shelley for giving
me the opportunity, it's an honor and privilege to be here, and we're here in John chapter
17, the title of my sermon tonight is Principles for Separation, I want to give you two principles
for biblical separation and then make some application to our lives, but we're here in
John chapter 17, and John chapter 17 is a great chapter, it's a very beautiful and intimate
chapter in the Bible, where we get to see the Lord Jesus Christ praying to the Father,
we really get to see inside of the Lord Jesus Christ's heart, and I just want to get right
into it here, let's go to verse number 14, verse number 14 the Bible says, "I have given
them thy word," remember this is Jesus praying to God the Father, "and the world hath hated
them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." So my first point tonight is
that God wants us to be in the world, but not of the world. God wants us to be in
this world. Notice he says in verse 15, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them
out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." Skip down to
verse 17, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." What
does it mean to be sanctified? It just means to be set apart. It just means to
be different. So God does want us to be different today. He does want us to be a
peculiar people. He does want us to be living a separated life, but not so
separate that we're out of the world. Okay, he doesn't want us to be like the
Amish where we're going out and building our own communities and getting outside
of the world. No, he does want us to be in the world today. He just doesn't want
us to be of the world. I'll read for you 1 John chapter 2. 1 John 2.15 says, "Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loved the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he
that doeth the will of God abideth forever." So it's very clear. God does not
want us to be of this world in the sense that he does not want us to love the
world. He does not want us to love the things that are in this world that would
cause us to lust, right? Now here's the only problem with that. Our flesh really
does love the world, and our flesh really does love to lust after the things of
the world. That's why it has to be a conscious decision, and that's why Jesus
Christ is even praying this for us. It does not come automatically. This is a
decision that we have to make to be separated as Christians. Go to Titus
chapter number two, Titus chapter number two, and I'll read for you John 15 19.
Jesus said, "If you were of the world, the world would love his own, but because
you are not of the world, I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world
hateth you." So when he says that I've chosen you out of the world, he's not
saying I've chosen you for to be out of the world, he's saying that within the
world I have chosen you for a purpose. I have chosen you to do something with
your life, to have a mission for your life, and what is that? Well Titus chapter
two spells it out for us pretty clearly. Look at verse number 11, "For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that,"
what, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world." In this present world. So he has
chosen us out of the world, meaning not that we should go out of communities and
live on our own and do all these, you know, weird cult-like things, but rather
that within the world we should live soberly, righteously, godly in this
present world. That's what he has chosen for us to do is to be a separated and
peculiar people. Look at verse number 13, "Looking for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself
for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a
peculiar people zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort and rebuke
with all authority. Let no man despise thee." Go back to John 17. So he's chosen
us to be a peculiar people for what purpose? To be zealous of good works. To
be zealous to do the work of God. And I'm telling you, you're not going to be
doing the work of God if you're living out in the mountains by yourself. You're
not going to be doing the work of God. You know, we knock on doors sometimes and
it's funny. "Hey, do you go to church anywhere?" "Oh, I'm always in church." No,
you're not. Are you always with your pastor? Are you always with the
brethren? Are you singing hymns? Is there a structure? Are you going out and
preaching the gospel to the lost? You're not always in church. And if you're out
living on your own, if you're trying to escape the world, you're not going to be
a peculiar people zealous of good works. You're just not. It's not going to
happen. Go back to John chapter 17, verse number 18. The Bible says, as thou
has sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. And for
their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the
truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe
on me through their word. And that's that's a really just amazing verse to
think about. Not only was Lord Jesus Christ praying for his disciples that
were physically there with him, but he's saying I'm praying even for those that
will come after these men and who believe because of their testimony and
who believe because of their testimony and who believe because of their
testimony, all the way down to us today who still believe the record that God
gave of his Son, who still believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was praying for us
too. And he says that I sanctify myself so that they can also be sanctified, so
that they can be set apart, so that they can be a separated people. Look at verse
21, that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us. Why? That the world may believe that thou has sent me. So
think about this, we're getting an in-depth look at the heart of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He's praying an intimate prayer to God the Father and what is on
his mind? People believing in him. You know that tells me that God's heart, that
Jesus's heart is for soul winning. That is what is on the Lord Jesus Christ's
heart and he's saying hey I want these people to be sanctified, I want these
people to be set apart. Why? So that the world will believe in me because guess
what that's the work that he's called us to do to carry the gospel out to the
world. He wants a peculiar people zealous of good works in the world. He says I
send them into the world. We're not to go out on our own. We're not to forsake
this great mission that he's given us. You know it touches my heart to think
that Jesus Christ was praying for me and praying for every single person in this
room that you would be a soul winner. That's what he's praying for us. Man that
is just humbling. That is so humbling to think that the Creator of the universe
was praying that he would give us an amazing task, that he would commit
something and give us that trust. It truly is humbling. But you know what?
You're not gonna commit those great works if you're out living on your own.
You know at the end of Titus chapter 2 said these things speak and exhort and
rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. You know why? Because people
need to be reminded of this, that we're not to leave this world. And especially
during times right now where the world's falling apart, you're gonna hear voices,
you're gonna hear Christian voices telling you, "All right, let's go by the
bunker in Alaska. Let's go hunker down. Let's get out of Dodge. Hey, let's go
hide somewhere on a compound and wait this out. Garbage." Jesus sent us into the
world. He's not wanting us to leave the world today. Why? Because his
heart is on souls. And you know how many souls there are to win in the
wilderness of Alaska? Zero. There's some bears, there's some moose, but that's not
what preaching gospel to every creature means, my friend. It means people. It
means human beings. That's who God cares about, not stupid animals. And you know
what? It's a total waste of your life to go out and just waste it like that. What
is the message that God has for us? Go to Matthew chapter 28.
Matthew chapter 28. You got to realize, people, that the gospel is not going to
preach itself. The Bible is not going to preach itself. It's not going to stand up
and start preaching itself. I know that the liberals think that
guns kill people and guns just like are these inanimate objects that have free
will and they could just, you know, stand up and start killing people. You know, I
wish that Bibles were like that. You know, I wish that was the reality, but it's
not. This right here, just the ink and the page is an inanimate object. That is
what this is right here. Now obviously the words of God is the Lord Jesus
Christ. It's eternal, but this physical object right here is an inanimate
object. I got news for you, and guess what? We have to preach it. The Bible says
that that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. You know,
Paul said that, "Hey, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to
the Greek." And you say, "Oh okay, well the Bible says that the power of God is in
the gospel." Yeah, that's why Paul said, "So I'm ready to preach the gospel to you
that are Rome also." Paul knew that, hey, this is not gonna get done on its own.
The gospel is not gonna get preached on its own. He had to be preaching it to
others. And this is what Jesus Christ left us to do, Matthew chapter 28 verse
18, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 'All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.'" All power was given to the Lord Jesus Christ and he
delegated that power to us to preach the gospel and he said that he would be with
us to the ends of the earth. Why is he going to be with us? Why is he enabling
us to preach the gospel? He's not enabling us so that we can go hide
somewhere out in the wilderness because we think hard times are coming. He's
enabled us so that we can endure the hard times and he's saying, "Hey, I'll be
with you even unto the ends of the world." He's saying, "No matter what you go
through, no matter where you live, I will be with you and enable you to do this
task." Jesus Christ is not just leaving us high and dry. No, he was praying to God
the Father that we would be sanctified, that we would be set apart, that we
would be in the world so that the world would believe. That is what Jesus cares
about. Go to Proverbs chapter number 27 because I'm telling you, our country and
Christians in our country need this reminder right now because people are
just doing nothing but tuning into the media. They're not reading their Bibles.
They're not remembering what Jesus Christ, the instructions that they're
giving them. All they're worried about is, you know, Alex Jones instructions,
which I'll admit he's very entertaining, okay, but he's not who I'm getting my
instructions from. I'm getting it from the Lord Jesus Christ and I know that
he's instructed me and he's instructed this church to preach the gospel to
every creature. Now here's the thing. This does need to be balanced. Proverbs 27.
You're there in Proverbs 27 verse 12. The Bible says, "A prudent man foreseeeth
the evil and hideeth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." So I'm
not getting up here and being stupid and saying that, you know, you should only
have enough food in your house for 24 hours worth of living and you should
only have enough money in your bank account for 24 hours worth of living. No,
you know what? You should be a prudent man. You should foresee the evil and you
know what? If I'm living in Portland, Oregon and I see antipas outside of my
house, it's time to foresee the evil and load the AR-15, okay? It's time to foresee
the evil and put out the blackout shades, okay? And there's nothing wrong
with a moderate amount of prepping, but it's when people make a religion
out of it. It's when people start trusting in their preparations instead
of trusting in the Lord, right? And when they want to be out of the world
instead of being in the world but just not of the world, okay? Go to Proverbs
chapter 21 verse 31. Proverbs 21 verse 31. The Bible says the horse is prepared
against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. So guess what? There's
nothing wrong with preparing, okay? We're supposed to prepare the horse for battle,
but at the end of the day, safety is of the Lord. And I do believe that it's
smart to prepare for spiritual and physical battles. If you're a man, if
you're a husband, if you're a father, hey, it's your job to protect your family. It
is your job to keep them safe, and you know what? You should take the physical
safety of your family very seriously, but how much more seriously should people
take the spiritual safety of their family and making sure that they're
providing spiritually for their family? And here's the thing, the horse is
prepared for the day of battle, right? So we're preparing for a battle, but do you
know that we're not preparing for every battle that exists in this world? You
know that us as Christians, we have a very specific battle that we've been
given, and it's a spiritual battle, okay? You're people that are out there
preparing for nuclear war. Explain to me how you're gonna prepare to survive
nuclear war. I hate to burst, you know, your bubble here in this very red state,
but guess what? No, you're not gonna prepare for a nuclear war. Go to 1st
Timothy chapter 6, and think about what a waste it is. We're preparing for a
battle. You know, if you're spending more time preparing for the physical fight
than for the spiritual, you have a big problem. You have a very big problem.
1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 10, the Bible says, "For the love of money is the root
of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows." You know what these prepper
types, a lot of them, what they really obsess over is money because they're so
afraid of losing all their money and losing all their assets. So they want to
store up all this mammon on earth because they're afraid of losing their
money, but the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil, which
while some men coveted after, they've erred from the faith. So a lot of people
are erring from the battle that Jesus Christ was praying that we would be in.
They're erring from the battle. He's saying, "Hey, I want these people in the
world. I want them sanctified so that people will believe on me, and they're
gonna go fight this physical battle so that they can keep their money." What a
waste. What a waste of your life. Verse 11, "But thou, O man of God, flee these
things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
He's saying, "Flee the wanting and loving of money, but rather follow after," what?
Biblical separation. Being sanctified, following God's commandments, being a
godly person. That's what we should follow after. That's the fight that we
should be worried about. Verse, go to 2nd Timothy chapter number 4, or I'm
sorry, one more verse there in verse 12. Sorry about that. Verse 12, "Fight the
good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and
as profess a good profession before many witnesses." So notice he's exhorting
Timothy, "Hey, I want you to fight, but I want you to fight the good fight." Because
there's a good fight and there's a bad fight. Go fight the good fight. What is
the good fight? Now go to 2nd Timothy chapter 4. 2nd Timothy chapter 4. Look
at verse number 1. This is Paul exhorting Timothy, "I charge thee therefore
before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season,
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they
shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.
But watch thou in all things flee afflictions." Oh I'm sorry it says endure
afflictions it says endure afflictions do the work of an evangelist make full
proof of thy ministry for I am now ready to be offered and the time of my
departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I
have kept the faith so when you want to ask hey what is the good fight that
we're supposed to be fighting Paul said I fought that good fight what was it
preaching the word being instant in season out of season preaching the full
counsel of God not holding anything back whether it's popular or not preaching
exactly what the Bible says hey that's a good fight right there when he said hey
endure the infliction afflictions that means when Paul's being persecuted he's
still preaching the gospel that means yeah sometimes when they persecute you
in this city flee you to another right and he does that often in his ministry
we know what he didn't flee the work of God he just fled that city and some
people today in this prepper movement they just want to flee the work of God
altogether you know there's nothing wrong hey if Oklahoma City today was
being invaded by the Chinese or something please flee to another city
but don't flee the work of God don't flee preaching the gospel don't quit
fighting the good fight that Jesus Christ has called us to do because
that's what a lot of preppers are gonna do and we will see we will see when
times get tough when these things do start to come upon us the beginning of
sorrows or even the Great Tribulation if we see it in our lifetime hey we will
see a lot of these people that you think are rock-solid in the faith and that are
steadfast in the faith you will see a lot of people hey and none of us are
above it you know we got to check our hearts and make sure that we're being
steadfast because any of us could fall but I'm telling you a lot of these
Christians especially these prepper types they will fall they will stop
serving God because they are fighting the wrong fight today people that are
obsessed with the politics people are obsessed with the things of this world
hey Jesus wants us in this world but not of the world okay and if you need to
flee flee but do not flee the work of God he says I have fought a good fight
Paul went through a lot of afflictions Paul went through a lot of time he was
stoned he was shipwrecked he was in perils of false brethren and of the
heathen he was they were stoning him constantly trying to kill him he went
through a lot of bad things but you know what he never did he never stopped
preaching the gospel and didn't Jesus Christ say I'll be with you even unto
the ends of the earth and that's what happened to Paul right he went through
the worst persecution that we read about basically in the Bible but Jesus Christ
was with him the Lord stood by him and enabled him to do that work and we have
to have that same faith that hey Jesus Christ was praying for me he was praying
for this church that we would be sanctified through him why so that the
world can believe through us so that people can get saved by us that's what
Jesus Christ wants for us we need to fight the good fight today by preaching
the gospel planning churches preaching the word of God go to Psalm chapter 64
it's a very interesting verse I came across I believe is last night or the
night before and it just it's like reading a newspaper it's like okay
January what is it 14th 2021 let's open the newspaper Psalms chapter 64 look at
verse 2 hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked from the insurrection of
the workers of iniquity boy if that's not like reading a newspaper today
that's exactly what's happening in our country today a literal insurrection you
know literal coup of going on of wicked people of people that hate God of
communists that's what I believe is what's going on anyways but here's the
thing a lot of Christians understand this point right here a lot of
Christians understand that there's conspiring and that there's evil people
doing these things and you know what a lot of people allow that to get them to
freak out be fearful and quit serving God but I love the end of this chapter
look at verse number 10 the righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall
trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory hey we just need to
glory in the Lord we just need to trust in the Lord and keep doing what we know
we've been called to do and all things are gonna work out for good for us we
know that hey we know they're conspiring this chapter I love it because you have
the idiots that don't think that there's any conspiring going on and just the
most naive people ever that think that nothing's going on but then you also
have the Christians who understand it and are fearful you know what both are
wrong we know what's going on we're not afraid of it we know that Jesus Christ
is praying for us we know that he gave us a very special mission and that he's
given us the power to do it we know that he wants us to be in the world today
just not of the world just not you know fulfilling our hearts with all the lust
of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life we need to be
spiritually focused spiritually minded on doing the work of God on preaching the
gospel that's what we should worry about today go to Matthew chapter number six
Matthew chapter number six Matthew 6 and while you're there I'll read for you
Romans 828 and we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God to them who are the called according to his purpose hey there's a reason God
wants us to live a separated life there's a reason he wants us to obey all
of his commandments because if we do it shows that we love God and then all
things work together for good for us you know so we can know about all the
conspiring we can know about all the things that are going on in this world
and know that we're still gonna be on the winning side no matter what happens
and that's a great comfort that is a great comfort for me for me
Matthew chapter 6 look at verse 25 therefore I say unto you take no
thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for
your body what you shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body
more than raiment that's what I want to ask these preppers that that plan on
just quitting serving God hey is not your life more than meat is not your
life more than stored food is not your life more than clothing hey if you
survive a very difficult time in our nation but you do nothing for God does
it profit you anything whatsoever no absolutely not you're not gonna stand
it before Jesus at the judgment seat of Christ and be like Lord my preparations
my physical preparations that's garbage you're not gonna get any rewards for
that hey I would rather live one day more on this earth and get someone
saved than live 30 years 40 years 50 years in a mountain somewhere and
never get anyone saved I'd rather get one more person saved and live one more
day because guess what the one person saved is the only thing I could take to
heaven with me that's the only thing that's gonna be eternal that's the only
thing that Jesus Christ is gonna care about what I did with my life is hey
when you read John chapter 17 and you saw that I was praying for you think
about this God is gonna look you in the eyes and you're and you already read in
John 17 that he was praying for you that he had a mission for you to be in this
world to get people saved but did you waste it in the mountains of Alaska in
a bunker making all these stupid preparations like I said there is a
balance here but I don't want to caveat this too much because people are going
the wrong direction most of the time on this doctrine we need to realize we need
to be in the world verse 26 behold the fouls of the air for they so not neither
do they reap nor gather into barns wow that's some hard preaching Jesus
because that sounds exactly like what preppers do right Jesus is a hard
preacher yet your heavenly father feeded them are you not much better than they
which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature and why take
he thought for raiment consider the lilies of the field how they grow they
toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that even Solomon and all
his glory was not arrayed like one of these wherefore if God so clothe the
grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven shall he
not much more clothe you oh ye of little faith and that's that's really the heart
of the issue here is people that are just wanting to prep and are planning on
just forsaking the work of God it's because they have little faith because
they're not trusting in God to clothe them to feed them to take them through
perilous times hey guess what if you love God all things are gonna work
together for good for you if you're if your mindset is focused on the gospel
and focused on doing on serving God and doing spiritual things that's the
biggest safety net you could possibly have being spiritual is the biggest
safety net you could possibly have get out of church that that's that spiritual
safety net is gone if you stop going to church you're gonna stop preaching the
gospel your Bible readings probably gonna go down your prayer life is
probably gonna go down and that safety net in your life is gonna go away and a
lot of times we don't realize how much God is protecting us from just by being
in his will well guess what get out of church and you'll find out real quick
because in Hebrews chapter 10 Bible talks about how you have the fiery
indignation coming for you when you forsake the assembling of yourselves
together it talks about how it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God in context of leaving church so explain to me how you're gonna
have church in your bunker explain to me how that's gonna happen no you know
what you're probably gonna be the first person that the Chinese communists wipe
out if they were to invade our country something stupid like that whatever
you're afraid of whatever your doomsday situation is God may just let that
happen to you if you forsake God's commandments verse 32 for all these
things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have
need of all these things but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you there's your safety
net right there seek the kingdom of God first and all these things will be added
unto you we know what our mission is we know that we're to be in this world but
just not of this world he does not want us to leave the work of God by going
off into the mountains, stay in the world, stay where the people are, keep preaching
the gospel to people, that's your real safety net. It's not your AR-15, it's not your storable
food, it's not any of those things. So number one, obviously we need to be in the world
but not of the world. Number two, principle for separation. Separation is a fixed standard
on God's word, not a relative distance from the world. Separation is a fixed standard on
God's word, not a relative distance from the world. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter number six,
2 Corinthians chapter number six. Let's start reading in verse number 14. Bible says, "Be
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing, and I will receive you." So he's saying, hey, what do you have in common with
Belial? What do you as a believer have in common with an unbeliever? Nothing, obviously. He says,
come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing. Notice he does not say, touch not the less
clean thing, the thing that's just a little not as bad. No, he just says, don't touch any unclean
thing. Just don't touch the unclean thing, because here's what happens. Here's what mainstream
Christianity does. Here's what the Republican party does, is you have God's standard here,
and you have wicked reprobates here. And basically, Christianity will just stay a fixed distance away
from whatever they say is good. So they have a standard. The Bible's here. They just stay a
certain distance away. As the world gets worse and worse, Christians just follow, and they just are a
little not as bad. That's what happens. And I'm going to give you some examples of that. But go
to Proverbs 22 before we do that, just to lay down this foundation. While you're turning to Proverbs
22, I'll read Hebrews 13, 8. The Bible says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever.
The nature of our God does not change. His opinions do not change. His statutes do not change forever.
O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And moreover, in Proverbs 22 verse 28, the Bible says, "Remove not the ancient landmark which thy
fathers have set." What is a landmark? It's something that just delineates property. Here's
the end of my property. Here's where it begins. Well, you know what? The landmark that God set up
is his commandments. He's saying, "Here's where I stand. Don't cross them. Don't remove the ancient
landmark. Don't move my commandments." But like I said, what Republicans do and what mainstream
Christianity does is they just stay a little bit behind what the wicked say. A good example with
this is abortion. Abortion. Because we have the left today, the liberals today, they just say it's
good. They say, "Shout your abortion. Make a video and just say, 'I'm proud to have an abortion.'"
There's people running around the Capitol saying, "I love killing my babies," literally. There's
literally video of people saying stuff like that. They say it's great. They say it's liberating for
women's rights. They say it's super good. You know what mainstream Christianity and what the
Republican Party says? They will say, "Well, abortion is only okay if you were raped." They'll
say, "Then abortion is okay." Or in the case of incest. So God's standard says it's murder. God's
standards just says it's murder, playing out, but they just say, "Well, here's my exception." So you
got the Bible, you got the wicked, and then Christianity just stays with them. It used to be
that the liberals thought contraceptives was okay, and the Republicans said, "Whoa, contraceptives
wicked." But now it's gone to, "Okay, abortion's okay just as long as it's not just every child,
only the mother that's been raped or incest or something stupid like that." What does the Bible
say about this? Go to Exodus chapter number 21. Exodus chapter 21. If we're going to be separated
Christians, we have to take our stands on what the Bible says, not on what the Republican party
platform says, not on what any pastor or church says. It has to be on what the Bible says. Exodus
21. Look at verse 22. "If men strive and hurt a woman with child," so she's pregnant but the Bible
says she's with child, "so that her fruit depart from her, so the child dies, and yet no mischief
follow, he shall surely be punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him, and he shall
pay as the judges determine." So if two men are fighting and maybe a woman tries to break it up
or something like that, and her fruit departs from her, the baby dies, but there's no mischief,
meaning that none of the men were intentionally trying to harm her, they were not intentionally
trying to kill that baby, they still will be punished, but they're not going to be put to
death. They'll still be punished because a life was just lost here. When her fruit departed from
her, that was a child that died. The Bible says that she was with child. Verse 23, "and if any
mischief follow, then shalt thou give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,
foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." So when you, when
mischief does follow, when you did purposely try to hurt her or it was first degree murder, the
Bible says you give life for life. And you know what that tells me? That tells me if we're going
to be separated Christians, we need to make our stance on Exodus chapter number 21 when it comes
to abortion. That hey, it's life for life. And anytime any abortion doctor commits an abortion,
they should be put to death. And any woman that gets an abortion should be put to death. Hey,
that's a hard saying, but you know what? It's what the Bible says. And you know what? I understand
that maybe there's some women that did this ignorantly and they were fooled by just liberal
brainwashing. But you know what? That does not change what the Bible says. And the Bible says
that it should be life for life. And so if our country wanted to be a godly country today,
these Republicans would not get up and grandstand about how, "Oh well I'm so pro-life, oh unless the
baby is a result of rape." It's stupid. You're not pro-life at all. That's wicked as hell to say
something like that. Why is it the baby's fault that some reprobate raped its mother? Why is it
the baby's fault if some reprobate had incest or something like that? Why do we have to punish the
baby? Why can't we just punish the rapist? Why can't we just put the rapist to death? But you
know what? The world hates it when we actually stand on what the Bible says and that's what Jesus
also said in John chapter 17. But that's what we need to do if we're going to be strong Christians
that are separated. We need to make our principles based off what the Bible says not just a distance
from what the world says. We need to go with what the Bible says. Go to Psalm chapter 106 and we'll
see how God feels about abortion. Psalm chapter 106. Let's look at verse 34. "They did not destroy
the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them but were mingled among the heathen and learned
their works." This ties in great with separation by the way because in 1st Corinthians 6 we learn
we're supposed to come out from among them and be separate say the Lord but here they're mingled
with the heathen they're learning their ways and what happens in verse 35 "but they were mingled
with the heathen and learned their works and they served their idols which were a snare unto them
yea they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils and shed innocent blood even the blood
of their sons and of their daughters whom they sacrificed unto the idols of canaan and the land
was polluted with blood thus were they defiled with their own works and went to whoring with
their own inventions therefore the wrath of the lord was kindled against his people in so much
that he abhorred his own inheritance these people failed the separation test they were not separated
they were mingled with the heathen they learned their ways and you know what it caused them to do
it caused them to literally sacrifice their sons and their daughters to devils and you say oh you
wouldn't people would never do that yeah it happens every single day in america happens every single
day when a woman gets an abortion they're sacrificing their children they're sacrificing
their children because they're selfish because they just want to have more money and they don't
want to lose their time that's why people get abortions today you know it made god so angry
that he abhorred his own inheritance what does abhor mean it means to hate it means he hated them
god looked down from heaven seeing them sacrifice their children and he said i hate these people why
because guess what it was their inventions god never thought of something so so disgusting so
sick as murdering a precious child i would never enter god's heart it was so disgusting to him that
he abhorred his own inheritance imagine what god thinks about america today where where they say
supposedly that that 3000 plus babies a day are murdered in this country imagine what god feels
about this country and then people you know are freaking out that our country is finally being
judged by god we haven't seen anything yet you you have not seen one iota of god's wrath on this
country but you will you will because god hated his own inheritance here and he will pour out his
fury and wrath on the united states of america and you know all these conspiracy theories going
around about how america might be going into civil war how we might be losing power how we might be
having food sources supplies hey we deserve it all and guess what i hope it happens i hope that
america is judged i hope that america is recompensed for the wickedness of killing children today
because maybe when america's judged they'll humble themselves before a mighty god hey and maybe if
we're separated vessels of christ maybe we can go out and reach those people and get them safe
and turn the tide in this country and not just let this country be taken over by people sacrificing
their children to devils because that's what's happening that is what's happening in our country
today and guess what you need to take preaching the gospel serious you need to take living a
separated life serious because when god's wrath comes down in this country you're going to want
to be on his good side you're going to want to have his blessing behind your life don't get
caught up with all this prepping crap get caught up with the the ministry of jesus christ that's
what you should be caught up in go to numbers chapter 35 numbers chapter 35 i believe is a
should be a very strong warning to the united states numbers chapter 35 verse 33 numbers 35
33 the bible says so you shall not pollute the land wherein ye are for blood it defile it the
land and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that
shed it defile not therefore the land which he shall inhabit wherein i dwell for i the lord
dwell among the children of israel hey we shouldn't have polluted our land so much with blood
because guess what the bible says the only way that the polluted blood is going to be purified
in our land is by more shed blood and so you know what god may just shed some blood in our
country again hey he's done it before eight house eight hundred thousand plus people died in the
civil war before in this nation the judgment of god but america's so proud they don't think it
could happen again hey it can happen again and it should happen again we're we're we're just blessed
that we're not consumed by god every single day because we all deserve it we all deserve to just
die and go to hell right now you know what we have the grace of god and us as saved people we have
his mercy you know what the unsaved does not the unsaved has the wrath of god on them and this
nation has the wrath of god on it because of the innocent blood that it's shed so you know what
let's take our stance today on what the bible says let's not just stay a little bit behind the
democrats the reprobates oh i'm such a great christian i believe a little bit better than
what reprobates believe it doesn't make you a great christian at all it's garbage here's another
example how about sodomy let's kick this dog since the sodomy documentary is coming out
we need to kick this dog too you know the world says that sodomites are great that they're special
that they're born that way that they're great people hey they even call them gay happy right
and so what what do uh most mainstream christians and republicans say they'll at best say it's a sin
or they'll just say oh just exist with them coexist with them no problem but after you see
the sodomite documentary you'll realize that democrats republicans most people of any any
creed used to believe at least maybe not they didn't all believe they were reprobates but they
at least believe that sodomites were dangerous that they were predators that they were worthy
of death that we needed them out of our society and you'll see in the sodomite documentary we
show that the laws of our nation had upheld that for a very long time you know i personally know a
police officer who he's probably only in his 50s and in his career as a police officer in idaho he
has arrested people in his lifetime for the crime of sodomy in his lifetime okay this was not that
long ago that people believed right on this but you know what christians just say a little bit
behind what the world says instead of basing what they believe on the bible this guy has been
preached against a lot but he needs to be preached against again john getch who is the vice president
of west coast baptist college this is what he said he said this lifestyle talking about faggots
is a part of the culture we live in there's no place for a crude or vile attitude towards those
living in this thing no place no place sorry it's so scattered every person on this planet
regardless of their sexual orientation deserves respect and dignity so imagine this an independent
fundamental baptist preacher says people that live in this lifestyle they're a part of our culture now
you know it's funny i've never heard a baptist preacher use it's part of our culture as a
justification to preach something i thought that baptist believed the bible it's like well it's
part of our culture great we better just accept it now it's like hey did you guys know that
drinking alcohol is part of our culture too hey did you know that committing adultery is part of
our culture too did you know that smoking marijuana is part of our culture too well it's part of our
culture then we better not have a vile attitude about sin no you idiot you false prophet devil
vice president of a baptist bible college a baptist i wouldn't expect this from a methodist
it's like well it's part of a culture oh pedophilia is part of our culture what the hell i mean this
guy should be put to death this guy's wicked let's see what the bible says go to second peter chapter
two because remember separation is a fixed standard on the word of god not a relative distance from
what the world says and john getch he's just at a relative distance of what the world says the
world just says they're great and wonderful and he just says don't have a vile attitude towards
them accept them let them in the church you're turning to second peter chapter two and i'm gonna
rattle off some verses for you genesis 13 13 says but the men of sodom were wicked and sinners before
the lord exceedingly so you know we're all sinners but not all of us are sinners and wicked before
the lord exceedingly the bible elsewhere says that sodomites are filled with all unrighteousness
so where as some of us you know we struggle in certain areas of our life we don't struggle with
all sin at all time but that's what sodomites do they're full of all unrighteousness they
have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin already for you leviticus 18 22 the bible says
thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind it is abomination so if we're going to take this
principle. Hey, separation is believing what the Bible says, not just staying a certain distance
from the world. We would understand that the Bible says sodomy is an abomination. Hey, John Getch,
you know, if he's a real Baptist preacher, what do you think about sodomy? It's an abomination.
Why? Because it's what the Bible says. That's what Baptists should be doing. That's what
Christians who are actually separated should be doing is just saying, I don't care about my
opinions. I don't care what I think about things. I care about what God thinks about things. I care
about what the Bible says about topics. Leviticus 18 25 says in the land is defiled therefore I do
visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the land itself vomit it out her inhabitants. So John
Getch the fag hag, John Getch the queer bait says don't even have a vile attitude towards
the sodomites when the land has a vile attitude towards the sodomites. The land is throwing up
because of them. The land is disgusted by them and John Getch isn't. What's wrong with you? Are
you a faggot yourself? That's what it sounds like. What kind of normal person is not disgusted by
sodomites? When the land is disgusted by sodomites you have to be brainwashed to not be disgusted by
sodomites. That's why police officers in our lifetime were arresting them. It's a new thing.
It's a change in our culture. Everyone used to hate the sodomites. Everyone used to think
they're pedophiles. And of course we all know this verse, Leviticus 20 13. "If a man also
lived with mankind as he lied with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall
surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." So hey, if you want to ask me what I
believe about the sodomites, those are the verses that I'm going to show you. I'm not going to give
you a stupid answer like John Getch did. I told you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 2. Look at verse
6. "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked." So even Lot, backslidden Lot, who had kids
with his own kids, he was so wicked. Just horrible situation living in Sodom. He was vexed with the
filthy conversation of the Sodomites. How much more wicked than Lot do you have to be to where
you're not vexed? Apparently John Getch is level. Apparently you have to be as wicked as John Getch.
More wicked than Lot because at least Lot was saved. This guy's a false prophet. This guy teaches
a hardcore works repent of your sins gospel. He's a devil so Lot's a lot more righteous than him
because Lot's at least in heaven right now but this guy's gonna go straight to hell when he dies.
And you got to think about the anger of God of how he feels for Sodomy. When you think how he
condemned them with an overthrow the Bible says. How how they were overthrown and you got to
you got to think about the story of Sodom and Gomorrah how there was literally just fire from
heaven coming down. You know you'll see when you see the Sodomite documentary the intro is epic and
it's it's like a cartoon version of the scene of Sodom being destroyed. And you just hear just
imagine this actually happened. A whole city was burnt alive. Do you imagine the screams the sounds
of just of just brimstone hitting the earth and just shaking the earth of God's wrath. That's how
God feels about sodomites. And in the New Testament the Bible says hey here's your example
of how I feel about it. Condemn them with an overthrow. Imagine just seeing a city just torched
by God. Just fiery rocks from heaven being torched on them. That's what God thinks about them. So us
as Christians we need to always have our our standards on what the Bible says. I don't care
about how far of a distance away I am from the Republicans or from anyone else. We need to go
off what the Bible says. How about dress standards? Go to Deuteronomy chapter 22, Deuteronomy 22,
Deuteronomy 22 verse 5. The Bible says the woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man,
neither shall a man put on a woman's garment. For all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy
God. So again let's think about you know the principle we've been talking about. Hardcore
liberal freak reprobates they think it's just okay to be naked. In Portland, in San Francisco,
in Seattle they just have full on just nude parades. Just disgusting, sick. Okay and then
your average just Republican or your average mainstream Christian you know they just believe
to wear normal clothes according to the world standards. You'll see you know if you go to a
mega church you'll see girls wearing short shorts. You'll see girls wearing skimpy dresses. You'll
see the guys wearing the skinny jeans and just dressing really effeminate. You know so they're
not as bad as the worst people on earth but what does the bible say? Where is the standard that we
should draw as Christians? It should be on what the bible says. The bible says that a woman shall
not wear that which pertaineth unto a man. You know what that means? Us as Christians we don't
believe it's okay for a woman to wear pants ever because the bible says that they're an abomination
when they do that. In the same way if a man was wearing a dress he would be an abomination. Well
it's like oh well it's not as bad of a dress as this type of a dress. It's like I don't care what
kind of dress you're wearing as a man. It's sick. If you're like oh culottes it's women's pants. I
don't care what kind of pants you're wearing. If it's pants it's an abomination to God and that's
the standard that we should be taking as Christians. Oh well I'm not as bad. I'm not wearing the yoga
pants. Oh I'm not as bad. I'm not wearing short shorts. Well where do you measure up according to
God's word? Because if we're going to be separated we make our stances on what the Bible says.
Not just a relative distance from what the world believes and what from the worst people believe.
How about this one? Fornication. Go to first Corinthians chapter number six. First Corinthians
chapter number six. First Corinthians chapter number six. I hope you're starting to see that
this is how the world makes their decisions. This is how conservatives make their decisions.
They just see what are the worst people do and they say let's just not let's just not do that.
Let's just do a little bit less than that. But that's not how we should be as Christians.
We should follow what the Bible says. First Corinthians chapter six verse 15.
Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ
and make them members of an harlot? God forbid. What? Know you not that he which is joined to
an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord
is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth, excuse me, is without the body. But he
that comitteth fornication sinneth against his own body. So where does the Bible stand on this
topic? The Bible says flee fornication. The Bible says that, you know, it's a sin against your own
body. That you're defiling the temple of the Holy Ghost and that we should flee fornication
completely. The Bible teaches very clearly that you leave and cleave with your wife. You don't
go sleep around. You don't go be a whoremonger. You know, the Bible says that whoremongers and
adulterers, God shall judge. Okay. So the Bible's very clear on this, but the farthest left people,
they'll say it's great. You know, I even had teachers in high school that said that it's wise
to live with multiple different partners before you get married. They said, they didn't, not only
were just like, okay, with fornication, they say, no, no, no, it's wise to have multiple different
partners before you get married. That's what they said, which is funny because if you believe that
divorce is okay, then who cares? You know, like these liberals, they believe divorce is totally
okay. But they're like, make sure you sleep with lots of different people before you get married.
Cause you never know. It's like, I thought you believe divorce is okay. Like what's the, what's
the big deal? If you believe that, then you can just leave. It's stupid. I don't know. You know
what they believe. But, and then here's what conservatives say. And here's what a lot of,
um, just new evangelical type say is they'll just say things like, well, if you love each
other and not most Christians, most Christians believe for sure that fornication is wrong,
but there are Christians that will twist the scriptures and try to just make it be like,
well, you have to love them or, oh, there's just certain things that are considered fornication.
People will ask you, does this count as fornication? Uh, yeah, but it's before marriage.
It counts as fornication. Let's just leave it at that. Okay. That is, it's just very clear,
but here's the thing. We got to make sure we're always basing what we believe on the Bible.
Don't just be a little bit better than the worst scum. Don't just make your standards a little bit
better than reprobates and Democrats, which are two of the same things, by the way. I'll get on
them on another sermon. First, uh, first John five three. I'll read for you for this is the love of
God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. God gave us
his commandments and guess what? They're not grievous to us. He gives us his commandments
for a reason and they're to help our lives. They're to make our lives better. You are not
going to have a worse life by living a separated Christian life. You are going to have a better
life the closer that you stick to exactly what the Bible says. God is perfect. Everything in his law
is perfect and that is what's going to make you the best possible version of you. You could be
is by following what the Bible says, not giving into any of the world's propaganda. So we've
learned some principles for separation. Let's apply these to our lives real quickly and then
we'll end the sermon tonight. So a good application for this number one, living an
unseparated life will cause people to blaspheme God and Christianity. So what should compel us
to want to be separated besides what we've already talked about? How about the fact that if you don't
it causes people to blaspheme God. It causes people to blaspheme Christianity. I'll prove that to you.
Go to Romans chapter number two. Romans chapter two. Start reading in verse number 17. "Behold,
thou art called a Jew," who's obviously addressing the Jews here, "and restest in the law and make
us thy boast of God, and knowest his will and approves the things that are more excellent,
being instructed out of the law, and are confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind,
a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes,
which has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law." So, so far he's talking to people
that call themselves Jews, which are obviously the unbelieving Jews of their day, and he's saying,
hey, you make your boast of the law, you're confident that you're a teacher of the blind,
you're confident that you just know so much scripture, but let's see what he says here in
verse 21. "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself. Thou that preachest a
man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,
dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that
makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonest thou God? For the name of God is
blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. So what's going on? These people are claiming
to be men of God. They're claiming to be teachers of the foolish, they're just light to the blind,
they're all these great things, but they're preaching all these things that people should
be doing, but they're not doing it themselves. So they're not separated, which of course are not
separated because they're not even saved, okay? But he's just pointing out something about this
fact that they're unseparated. What does it cause? It causes the name of God to be blasphemed through
them because they're seeing, if I'm just an unsafe person, I'm like, okay, this person's a man of God.
Okay, he's stealing. Okay, he's blaspheming. Okay, he's committing adultery. Wow, God, it just must be
a, what kind of God is this? Like, oh, all religions fake. This is, this is garbage. Wouldn't it cause
people to blaspheme God? I'll give you a really good example. I was flying to Boise, Idaho
a couple days before Christmas and I see this Jewish rabbi sit right in front of me in the
airplane. And I'm already pissed because it's Christmas and this guy who hates my savior is
sitting in front of me and breathing God's air. And I'm already upset. Okay. So I'm just like,
I'm upset and I'm like reading Bible verses like really loud to my wife. I'm like, yeah, you know,
Jesus said, oh, you know, Jesus said or whatever. And I'm just watching this guy and I'm like, what?
I wonder what he's doing. He's on his phone. Like, I wonder what Jews do on their phone. Like what
do these rabbis do on their phone? We know what he starts doing on his phone. He starts watching
pornography on the airplane with kids around, with families around in public. Why? Because this
guy's a reprobate, like the Bible says. Why? Because like Jesus said, ye appear outwardly
righteous on demand, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, right? Because that's
what they really are. These rabbis, these reprobates, haters of God, sick freaks. What kind of a freak
dog is just so untempered to do that in public like that? I just wanted to like rip this guy's
head off, because I'm just, there's families around, I'm upset. I was, I restrained myself,
but I was thinking about this, this verse right here, how the name of God is blast themed through
these people, because people are coming to these people for spiritual advice, they think they're a
man of God, and this is what they're really like? I understand that there's no temptation which has
taken you, but such as is common to man. I'm not saying you're a reprobate if you lust after women,
obviously, okay? Obviously, but if you're such a dog where you're in public on an airplane,
it just shows that you are a reprobate. It just shows that you have a depraved mind,
that you have eyes full of adultery which cannot cease from sin. So obviously,
this guy was blaspheming God's name through his lifestyle, but after the plane,
I had kind of calmed down a little bit and I confronted this guy. And he got out of the
plane like really, really fast because I think he'd heard all the Bible verses that I was saying,
but I walked up to him and I was like, "Hey, Rabbi, are you a man of God?" He's like, "Yeah."
He's like, "You want to tell me why a man of God is watching pornography on an airplane?"
His eyes just like, he just darts into the closest bathroom and never comes out.
And I was just like, I was so upset, but you know what? If you live an extremely hypocritical life
and you're not separated, it will cause the name of God to be blasphemed. And obviously,
that guy's a devil and I knew that. So obviously, I know I'm saved. It's not going to cause me to
blaspheme God by seeing a demonic dog do what dogs do, obviously. But if I had no knowledge
of religion, if I had no knowledge of God, if I just want to be saved, I'm just like seeking
the truth and I go to a Baptist church and a Baptist preacher is all these same things,
it could cause someone to blaspheme God's name. So it's very important that we live separated lives
so that the name of God is not blasphemed. Let's go to Titus chapter number two. Titus chapter
number two. Titus chapter number two, look at verse number three. "The aged women likewise,
that they be in behavior as becomeeth holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands,
to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own
husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." So you know what happens if a woman is not in her
proper role, she's not living a separated life because she's not following God's commandments,
she's not discreet, she's not chaste, she's not keeping at home, she's not obeying her husband,
she's not teaching her children, all these things that the Bible lists, you know what the Bible says
happens? It causes the Word of God to be blasphemed. It's what the Bible says, you know, so every
single person in here needs to take that seriously, including just your average stay-at-home mom,
because guess what? You have an impact on people's opinion too of God. You are an ambassador of God
just as much as I am an ambassador of God, and every single person in here, the ladies in here,
are also ambassadors of Christ. And how you live your life, how you treat your husband, how you
treat your children, that also could blaspheme God if you do it poorly. And so even the ladies
need to take it very seriously how they live a separated life as well. Let's go to verse number
nine. "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them well in all things,
not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine
of God our Savior in all things." So also servants, men, if you're at work, the Bible says not to be
purloining or talking back or being lazy. Make sure to obey your boss at all times. Why? So that it
adorns the doctrine of God. What does it mean to adorn? It means to make it look good, to dress it
up. Hey, we want Christianity to look good to people. We want to make getting saved look really
good to people. We want to make being an independent fundamental Baptist look really good to people.
What's a great way for us to do that? Men, be the best workers on the job. Be the hardest
workers on the job. You know, I've worked multiple different jobs in my life where I've had saved
people as co-workers and sometimes those people were the worst workers on the job and it made me
so mad. Sometimes those people were getting outworked by Jehovah's Witnesses, by Mormons,
and I'm just thinking, wow, this is not adorning the doctrine of God right here.
This is making things look bad. When you're lazy at work, hey, if you're a bad worker,
you're a bad Christian. If you're a bad wife, you're a bad Christian. If you're a bad husband,
you're a bad Christian because these are things that the world can see us do and that is a direct
reflection of our Lord and Savior. So when we think about these things, hey, living a separated
life isn't just for us. It's not just for our benefit and our blessings that we will receive
for God, but it's also just that people don't blaspheme Him. I would hate for God to be blasphemed
because of my life. And obviously all of us are sinners. All of us will sin until the day we die,
but you know what? We have to try our absolute best to be perfect and to be holy as God is holy.
And I have some more here, but for sake of time, the last application I want to make here is that
living a separated life will result in being a more effective Christian. Go to 2nd Timothy chapter
number two, back a few pages, 2nd Timothy chapter number two, 2nd Timothy chapter two. And let's
start reading verse number 19, verse number 19. "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth 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 purges himself from
these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto
every good work." So the most effective you could be as a Christian is when you are sanctified,
when you've purged yourself from the sin in your life. That's when you're meet for the master's
use, meaning you're fit for it now. He's able to use you more. You're going to be that gold and
silver Christian where God could say, okay, this person's purged himself. He's a ready vessel for
me. And now I can use him or her to do great things for me. The thing is no matter how wicked
of a life a safe person lives, if you are saved, you can go out and preach the gospel and get
people saved. The word of God has power. The gospel does have power, but let me tell you something.
God is going to use a person who is sanctified way more than he would use someone who's not.
That's just a fact. You know, God, God can have great plans for you. And it doesn't matter if
you're a woman, a child, or a man, God can use you to do infinite amount of things. The power of God
is not limited on your life, but by how you limit it through sanctification and through separation.
Hebrews 12, flip over a couple pages to Hebrews chapter number 12. Hebrews chapter number 12,
look at verse one, "Wherefore, seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us." So the author here is equating the Christian life to a
race that we're running. So he says, "Hey, we need to set aside the weight and the sin that besets you
so that you can run that race." Imagine you're running a physical race. Sometimes, I used to
run a lot, I haven't in months, I need to get back on it. But sometimes, you know, if you run a lot,
sometimes you like to wear like a weighted vest for a run just to like get more stamina. But you
know what, that's for like the half mile run. You wear the weighted vest for like the mile run tops.
You don't wear the weighted vest for the 10 mile run, for the 30 mile run. Okay, that's when you
want to set aside the weight that besets you, okay? So, if you want to be the Christian that's
in serving God for 10, 20, 30 years for the rest of your life, okay, you need to set aside the weight
and the sin that besets you. Because anyone who's saved can preach the gospel. But you know what,
the Christian life is measured in decades. The Christian life is measured in decades. If you want
to be in it for the long haul, you've got to separate yourself. James chapter five, flip over,
James chapter five. Remember, we're talking about how separation makes you a more effective
Christian. James chapter five, verse number 16, "Confess your faults one to another and pray one
for another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
Hey, I want my prayers to be heard and I want my prayers to be very effective. I want things to
get done when I pray. How is that done? It's through a righteous man fervently praying, right?
And obviously we're all righteous to an extent where at the baseline of salvation we have the
righteousness of Christ, but there is righteousness above that and it's by following God's commandments
and it's by being a separated Christian. The last verse I'll read for you, you can say there,
I'll just read for you Psalm 66 verse 18. The Bible says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear me." That should be a terrifying verse for any Christian.
If you want your prayers to just hit the ceiling and God not to hear you, just keep regarding
iniquity in your heart. Keep not getting the things right that you know God wants you to get
right in your life. If you're not soul winning, let me just help you. If you're not soul winning,
you're regarding iniquity in your heart. Let me just tell you. Hey, if you're treating your spouse
horribly, if you're disobeying your husband, you are regarding iniquity in your heart. If you are
not loving your wives, you are regarding iniquity in your heart. If you are not reading the Bible,
you are regarding iniquity in your heart. So your prayers are just hitting the ceiling, okay? If you
want to be an effective Christian, you must be separated. So I think this can help all of us,
you know, myself included. We all need to constantly be working on ourselves. We have the
flesh. It's a hard battle that we fight. It's not a physical battle. It is a battle of the will of
our spirit and our flesh. We got to work on ourselves every single day. I just pray that
this would be a blessing to you guys. Let's end in a word of prayer. Lord, thank you so much for
this day and thank you for your word that can give us guidance and instruction through our life. I
pray that you would bless us all. Help us just to fix the areas in all of our lives that we all need
help with, Lord, and you know the areas. And I pray that you just fill us with the Holy Spirit
and keep us safe as we go tonight. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Last hymn, or last song rather,
this evening. Turn, if you would, in your wide hand out to Psalm 150. Psalm 150, or alternatively
your Bible. You can turn in that too. Psalm 150 in your wide hand out or in your Bibles.
It's Psalm number 150. Let's sing. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in
the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him according to his
excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with the psaltery
and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance. Praise him with stringed instruments and praise
him upon cymbals. Praise him upon sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath
praise the lord the lord the father that you are dismissed. God bless you.