GOD IS STILL ABLE

On Wednesday January 6th the world witnessed the most horrific attacks on this country since the civil war. I cannot tell you how my heart broke as the world witnessed a group of thugs, rioters and looters invade the capitol of these United States in hope of overthrowing the government and setting up a monarchy for their leader, the president of the United States.

No one really should think it strange that it happened for it has been in the making for the past four years.

We have tolerated lying, cheating, racism, bullying, cheating, death by the thousands and not one has cried out as a nation we must turn back to God.

If you know your Bible, you know that this insurrection was no more than the fulfillment of the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:1-9 (KJV) 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Jesus told us that when we see wars and hear of rumors of wars to look up, our redemption draws nigh.

I have to admit that things look pretty dim now but I am convinced that GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL AND THAT HE IS STILL WELL ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT BELONGS TO HIM.

The nation had wandered so far from God that they no longer could feel His presence nor hear His voice.

It wasn’t that God did not want to bless them it was that they were so steeped in sin that they would not hear Him.

(1.) God saw sin in his people, in the house of Jacob, and was displeased with it.

Like so many today they tried to cover their sin with Temple worship and fasting and praying.

(2.) Too often we are unapt and unwilling to see our own sins, and need to have them shown to us , and to be blantanly told about our sin even though we don’t like it.,

So He sent the Prophet Isaiah to warn the people of what was before them.

in (ch. 40:1); God told Isaiah to comfort His people, here He appoints him to convince them, and show them their sins.

I. He must tell them how very bad they really were, v. 1. 1. He must deal faithfully and plainly with them.

"I know they are called the people of God and the house of Jacob,

I know they wear an honourable titles and status,

I know they are blessed with many glorious privileges, yet do not flatter them, but show them their transgressions and their sins,

be particular in telling them their faults,

Tell them what sins are committed among them, which they do not know of, nay,

Tell them what sins are committed by them which they do not acknowledge to be sins; they now call them alternative facts.

Let them know that they are not all bad but in other things they are still as bad as ever.

Show them their transgressions and their sins,

all their transgressions in their sins, their sins and aggravations ," Leviticus 16:21.

When our Lord Jesus promised to send the Comforter, He said, When He shall come He shall convince (John 16:7, 8); for conviction must prepare for comfort, and must also separate between the precious and the vile, and mark out those to whom comfort does not belong.

Isaiah must be intense and must cry aloud, and not spare, not spare them (not touch them with his reproofs as if he were afraid of hurting them, but search the wound to the bottom, lay it bare to the bone),

not spare himself or his own pains, but cry as loud as he can; though he spend his strength and waste his spirits,

though he get them mad at him by it and get himself into an ill name,

yet he must not spare.

He must lift up his voice like a trumpet, to make the people aware of their faults .

reprove them in the most powerful and pressing manner possible, as one who has to be heeded.

Just as the trumpet does not give an uncertain sound, but, though loud and shrill, is intelligible; so must his alarms be, giving them warning of the fatal consequences of sin, Ezekiel 33:3.

Church the time is out for political correctness

Time is out to spare feelings

Time is out for tip toeing around the subject

It is time to tell the Truth.

Our president has been coddled to the point that he has become deranged and truly believes that he is set to take over this county and set himself up as king.

We have got to watch as well as pray. There are too many power struck, greedy politicians following him to remain silent.

The text tell us cry loud and spare not.

It is time to acknowledge our sin and return to God.

Isaiah 55:6-12 (KJV) 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while He is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Now I am not telling you to walk in fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear

For the God we serve is bigger than this pandemic

He is bigger than a deranged president

He is bigger than a cowardly congress

The God we serve is Sovereign.

And if there is to be any fear we are to fear the Lord with Holy Reverence.

It is our sin that has separated us from God.

OUR GOD IS STILL ABLE

Isaiah 59:1 (KJV) 1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Isaiah 59:1-4 (KJV)

1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

If your prayers are not answered, and the salvation we wait for escape us, it is not because God is weary of hearing Our prayer, but because we are weary of praying,

not because his ear is heavy when we speak to him, but because our ears are heavy when he speaks to us.

But I stand to declare to you today that GOD IS STILL WELL ABLE.

HE STILL HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE

His arm is not shortened that He cannot reach us.

His arm speaks of His Omnipotence. His Power and His Strength.

None of this has been weakened that He cannot reach down to save us.

It is God's will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance, to believe on the Lord JEsus Christ and be saved .

When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and wanted to know what must he do to be saved.

Jesus told him that he must be born again. Nicodemus said how can a man be born when he is old?

Jesus said that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

John 3:13-18 (KJV)

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He saved the thief on the cross who cried out to Him to remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Jesus said this day you will be with me in paradise.

God still have the power to save, and all who call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.

God's power is not limited to saving our souls, He also is still able to save us from very present dangers.

When Neberchanezzar threw Daniel into the lions den, it was God who locked the jaws of the lion and Daniel was brought out alive.

He saved Jonah when he cried out from the belly of a big fish and set him down Ninevah to preach the gospel.

HE saved then and HE saves now. it is by HIS mercies that we are not consumed

I can't tell you how many times I have felt that I was down for the count tore up from the floor up and God stepped in at the last minute and saved me.

When my job had a massive layoff of employees and my office was downsized, it was God who kept me working.

When the Lord called Bishop Gunther home, it was the Lord who helped me to bear up under the load of grief.

When I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more. Then the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, Now safe am I .

God is still able to take care of what belongs to Him. HE IS STILL ABLE

Not only is God able to save us physically and Spiritually.

GOD IS STILL ABLE TO HEAR AND ANSWER PRAYERS

When His people were slaves in Egypt, He told Moses to tell them that He heard their prayers and then opened the Red Sea and brought them out on dry ground to the land flowing with milk and honey.

Though out the Bible God has Promised to answer our prayers.

Jeremiah to 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV) 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Philippians 4:5-6 (KJV) 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Hebrews 10:22-23 (KJV) 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Psalm 27:8-10 (KJV) 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

John 14:13 (KJV) 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Everyone here can testify that when you prayed God heard and answered your prayer.

GOD’S EARS ARE NOT HEAVY THAT HE CANNOT HEAR US

He is still able to hear and answer our prayers

Just as God reach down and save us

Just as He hear and answer our prayers

GOD IS STILL ABLE TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL

When Josephs brothers sold him into slavery, they thought this was the end of him, years later they came face to face with him and Joseph said what you meant for evil, God meant for good. GOD destroyed the work of the devil.

When these Israelites cried out to God, He saved them for His own name's sake; because there was nothing in them to deserve it, no might to effect it, God would exalt himself, in his own strength, for his own glory.

1. He looked at the weakness and wickedness of His people and: He saw that there was no man that could do any thing for them,

2. No man could execute judgment (Jeremiah 5:1), or had zeal and courage enough to appear and act against it;

3. There was no intercessor, either none to intercede with God, to stand in the gap by prayer to turn away his wrath

4. none to interpose for the support when justice and truth were trampled and run down

5. (v. 14), no advocate to speak a good word for those who were turned on because they kept their integrity,

6. . 15. They complained that God did not appear for them (ch. 58:3); God complains that they did nothing for themselves, HE found none among them making GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES who the least motion towards a reformation.

(1.) Because they have no strength of their own, therefore his own arm shall bring salvation to him,

God let them know that He can do it without them the work of deliverance shall be done by His Son.

When God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, and brought his people out of Babylon, it was not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, then his own arm, which is never shortened, brought salvation.

(2.) Because they have no righteousness of their own HIS own righteousness through Divine justice, grace appears for them.

He will be just to himself, and to his own plan , purpose and promise, He will, punish the enemies of his people; see Deut. 9:5.

Not because they had been righteousness, but the wickedness of their enemies was so great these nations are driven out.

In our redemption by Christ, since we had no righteousness of our own God justified us by the blood of HIS own Son by faith, Philippians 3:9)

(4.) Because they have no spirit or zeal to do any thing for themselves, God will put on the garments of vengeance and clothe himself

(5.) HE will yield his justice upon the enemies of his church, and his jealousy for his own glory will appear evident to the eye of the world;

(7.) If men are not zealous against sin, God will take vengeance on it for all the injury it has done to his honour and his people's welfare; and this was the business of Christ in the world, to take away sin and be revenged on it.

God will reckon with his enemies and will render to them according to their deeds

All who hate justice and truth they also are God's enemies;

he will now repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies;,

His hand shall find out all his enemies (Psa. 21:8), and his arrows reach them.

Though God's people have behaved so ill that they do not deserve to be delivered, yet his enemies behave so much worse that they do deserve to be destroyed.

(2.) whatever attempts the enemies of God's people may make to disturb their peace, they shall be baffled and brought to nought:

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, then the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him,

When God's people are weak and helpless, and have no standard to lift up against the invading power, God will give a banner to those that fear him (Psa. 60:4),

, The Spirit and the word go together, and by them the church is kept up. NOT the word in the mouths of our ministers, nay,

the word in our own mouths, will not profit us, unless the Spirit work with the word, and give us an understanding.

But the Spirit does his work by the word and in concurrence with it; and whatever is said to be of the Spirit must be tried by the scriptures.

The foundations the church is built on this, it shall stands firmly, and shall stand for ever,

Because Christ himself is the chief corner-stone.

Whenever Flip Wilson got into trouble, he said that the devil made him do it,

Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil;

To vindicate and exalt the divine law, by hanging on the cross at Calvary

He took away the guilt of sin by becoming our substitute

He took away the commission of sin by implanting a new nature in us

He took away the penalty of sin so that we may be made right with God

He conformed us to himself, that we may be like Him and in him is no sin.

He took away the strength of sin when He was buried in the tomb,

He took away the power of sin when HE ROSE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HAND

THAT IS WHY I CAN SAY

TO THE UTMOST JESUS SAVES HE WILL PICK YOU UP AND TURN YOU AROUND

PLACE YOUR FEET ON SOLID GROUND

I AM FREE, NO LONGER BOUND, NO MORE CHAINS HOLDING ME.

MY SOUL IS RESTING AND ITS JUST A BLESSING

PRAISE THE LORD., HALLELUJAH I AM FREE.

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