Untitled Sermon (2)

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

INTRODUCTION

How long will God Withhold His Righteous Judgment?

I love my country, I come from a long line of military men, but I wonder how much longer it will be before America’s glories are a thing of the past. When we look at how God dealt with Israel, the comparisons to America are hard to ignore. I believe that the same spiritual fires which destroyed Israel may well be flickering in the background of America.

As I look at America, I see an extremely proud people. I’m not talking about patriotic pride of being American, which is o.k. I’m talking about the arrogance we have, thinking that we can defy God; ignore His Word; mock His moral code; kill our unborn; promote that which is evil and perverted and debauched; ignore our politicians’ corruption, as long as they’re “on our side,” that we can outlaw prayer in schools.

In our pride and arrogance, we have abandoned biblical principles; we have embraced, celebrated, and now even enshrined in law what God calls an abomination! We wonder why the foundations of our country are crumbling around us; why crime is soaring; why ISIS and Russia and China are all on the rise while America and its allies are declining in power and influence.

Listen to what Abraham Lincoln said of us almost 150 years ago:

“We’ve grown in numbers and wealth and power as no other nation has grown…We’ve vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our own hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient…,too proud to pray to the God that made us.”

· In Isaiah 9 vss. 9 and 10 – “And all the people shall know even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars”

· The prophet is talking about their swelling of pride in themselves and not in GOD! They no longer wanted God,

· They had become like Nimrod in their defiance and attitude towards God! They, as America, think they can reach the heavens in their indignation towards Jehovah.

· God sent judgment on the Israelites for other such indignations, and America has this same attitude.

· The masses have surrendered unto satan and want The Christ removed from our society!

· Mankind has become puffed up in PRIDE!

The Bible says a lot of bad things about pride:

o Proverbs 16:18 ,says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

o Proverbs 29:23, says, “A man's pride shall bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

o 1 Peter 5:5 – “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

If America continues to go the way of the heathen nations, don’t be surprised if God laughs and mocks us in our foolish pride, and then speaks condemnation upon us in His wrath!

· America, WAKE UP and repent before it is too late! Our godless politicians are destroying our country!

· President Obama, on June 28, 2006, said, “ Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.”

Isa 9:16 reads, “ For those who guide this people are leading [them] astray; And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.”

Without the moral compass of the Bible, our leaders have devolved into a babble of confusion

· We have served The Creator of All Things an eviction notice within our lives!!

· We have told the Holy One that He is no longer welcome in our schools, in our homes, in our businesses, in our marriages, in our children’s lives!

· We have kicked Jehovah out of our churches, and He will not tolerate this!!

· WE HAVE TOLD THE LORD THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES!

· WE HAVE BECOME PUFFED UP WITH PRIDE!

· HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE EXPECT GOD TO WITH HOLD HIS RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT?

· BILLY GRAHAM ONCE SAID,” IF GOD DOESN’T JUDGE AMERICA, HE WILL HAVE TO APLOLGIZE TO SODOM AND GOMORRAH!!”

· WE MUST REPENT BEFORE THE JUDGMENT OF GOD REMOVES HIS DIVINE PROTECTION AND FAVOR FROM US!!!! HOW WILL WE STAND AGAINST THE ATTACKS OF EVIL WITHOUT GOD’S FAVOR?

· Praise God for Isa 9:6,” For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!

The battle for the soul of our country is not a physical battle. It’s a spiritual battle! Remember, the great Babylon fell without a fight!

Jeremiah18:10 teaches, “if a nation does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it!”

Listen to 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

When GOD’S people humble themselves, pray, seek God, and turn from our sinful ways. Only then will we hear from heaven; only then will God forgive our sin; and only then will God heal our land. It has happened before, and it can happen again!

MY LIFE

1. I grew up during a time when it wasn’t questioned about religion, most folks were truly humble and followed God’s ways.

2. Living in the Bible Belt meant something in those days…our Grand Parents served The LORD! ( Tell Of Marie)

3. I Turned away from The Lord because of influence and enticement

4. Military and Sin

5. Life after Military

6. Zec 1:3, "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "that I may return to you," says the LORD of hosts. Our sin separates us from The Holy One!

SALVATION STORY

1) Explain where I started, How Poor, had to sell Mustang, dog got killed. Nowhere to live.

2) Explain to where I climbed

3) I became cocky, etc…fell away from The Lord

Eze 28:4-5 Reads, "By your wisdom and understanding You have acquired riches for yourself, And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries. By your great wisdom, by your trade You have increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches.”

I spiraled into a complete life of Sin, just as when I was younger!! I Thought I was still good.

God pulled at my heart. Jeremiah 26:13 says, “Amend your ways!”

a) Truly, God chastises those He loves.

b) I ignored warning after warning and ran harder towards destruction, I was prideful!

c) God warns us before judgment and captivity.

d) Just as in Jeremiah 32:33, I had turned my back upon God!

e) The Holy Spirit warned me, I ignored Him. I was warned many times. My trust was in $ and not in God!

f) Isa 10:15 Says, “Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?” I was so arrogant!

g) Slowly and painfully, I lost everything……

h) I still had my health, but Isa 10:18 says, “ And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body; And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.” Pride destroys!

COVID HIT……… TELL THE STORY OF GETTING SICK!

A) Laying there, I FULLY REPENTED OF MY SINS. The Holy Spirit was gracious to me,

B) Titus 3:5says ,”He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing by The Holy Spirit.”

C) I spoke The Blood over my sins and over my condition.

D) I spoke Psalms 118, “ For I shall live and shall not die!” OVER AND OVER AND OVER I spoke this. OVER AND OVER, I GOT WORSE!

E) Jer 29:13-14, “And you will seek Me and find [Me,] when you search for Me with all your heart.And ‘I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.”

F) My exile was a coma and life support.

· I quoted Psalms Ps 30:5 to my brother,” For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!”

· A few Hours later I went on life support.

· I was so scared, but Ps 56:3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

TELL THE COVID STORY AND WHAT I EXPERIENCED:

1. The Old House

2. The Piano ( Satan pretends as an angel of light)

3. The Dark Room, squeezing my wrist,

4. Ps 50:5 ,”And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

5. Isa 9:2,“The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.”

6. The Angel

7. The Sanctuary and last thing that I heard!

8. As in Ezekiel 8:4 “The glory of the GOD of Israel was there!! “ I felt his Holy presence and it was the greatest anointing I can I imagine; it is beyond words!

9. Ps 40: “4 How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust!”

10. I deserved death because of my sins

11. Praise JEHOVAH for ROMANS 6:23 ,”For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”

12. In 2 Samuel 12:13, when David sinned, he said, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.!”

Praise God for our Lord that takes away our Sins!

In Isa 10:25, The Lord says, "For in a very little while My indignation [against you] will be spent,”

a. After just short of a month on life support, I awakened from A Coma.

b. My body was decimated, and I had withered from 190lbs to just over 140lbs. I had tubes inserted all through my torso,

c. All I could do was weep and tell my Holy Father Thank you!!

d. Truly His Loving Kindness never ends!!

e. Alone and completely helpless, I felt the indescribable presence of the Holy Spirit, He stayed with me through it all!

f. I found out that I had been brought back from the dead!

g. Doctors told me that medicine had no part in my healing and that I should have left the hospital in a body bag.

h. GOD has granted me an extension, just as He did The Godly Hezekiah.

i. My life that should have been taken was spared,

j. I deserved death because of my sins! But my God in his infinite mercy showed me unmerited favor.

Christ’s mercy gave me life; a second chance at something that I had squandered, and all of this because of the continued prayers of The Saints on my behalf.

· My wife rallied people on my behalf; she, my family and her family prayed so hard and pleaded for my life!

· getting an entire community to pray for me at 7PM Nightly.

· My staff put together a prayer vigil on the courthouse stairs. So many people came in the rain and prayed for me!!

Through COVID, God answered another prayer of mine, 2 of my brothers gave their lives unto Christ while I was on the ventilator. What the enemy determined for harm; The Lord intended for blessings! We serve a MIGHTY GOD!!!

As I Recovered at home, for months and months I struggled to understand why I was spared when so many died?

· My Questions were answered when I read John 11:4 ,with my daughter Morgan, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it!"

· That’s why I lived, to glorify God!

· I didn’t really know how to do that. I told folks about it, but felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere.

· God deserved more from me!

Then one day I received a phone call from Brother Glenn to give my testimony.

a) Brother Glenn knew That The Lord had ordained him to call me, even when others mocked him.

b) I had been pleading with The Lord saying….” Here I am Lord, use me!”

c) I now stand before you as a Saint of Jesus Christ, proclaiming The Gospel!!

d) Satan wanted to kill me, but heaven was flooded on my behalf….all the prayers and cards etc……….

e) The wicked one wanted me to remain in eternal captivity, but praise God for a Merciful Savior!!

THE WICKED ONE WANTS TO KILL US, HE HATES US, BUT WE HAVE A SAVIOR THAT DIED TO SAVE US. FOR ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS, HE WILLINGLY HUNG WHERE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US SHOULD HAVE BEEN………….

A) PRAISE GOD FOR HIS BLOOD,

B) PRAISE GOD FOR THE BLOOD THAT SANCTIFIES,

C) THE BLOOD OF JESUS THE CHRIST THAT CLEANSES US FROM ALL OUR SINS,

D) THE BLOOD THAT WASHES AWAY ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS !!

E) THE BLOOD THAT CAN TAKE A SINNER AND MAKE HIM A SAINT,

F) THE BLOOD THAT CAN TAKE DRUG ADDICTS AND TURN THEM INTO EVANGELISTS,

G) THANK GOD FOR THE BLOOD THAT SETS US FREE, WE ARE FREE!!!!

· PRAISE GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED, WE ARE REDEEMED!

· I AM SAVED BECAUSE OF THE CROSS.

· I WAS SAVED BY THE CROSS. AT THE CROSS WE WERE SET FREE!!

· BY 3 WORDS, OUR LIVES ARE FOREVER CHANGED, WHEN WE TRUST IN HIM.

· BY 3 WORDS OUR ETERNAL DESTINY WAS CHANGED.

· BY 3 WORDSSATAN WAS ULTIMATELY DEFEATED!

· BY 3 WORDS, ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS, WE ARE GUARANTEED AN ETERNITY WITH HIM, FOR BY THESE 3 WORDS OUR SAVIOR PROCLAIMED:

“ IT IS FINISHED!!!”

· SATAN COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT A WHIPPED, MOCKED, BEATEN AND HUMILIATED SON OF GOD, WHO WILLINGLY GAVE UP HIS LIFE AND DIED FOR US, DISPLAYED THE ONE THING THAT WOULD FOREVER CONQUER SIN: LOVE. LOVE CONQUERS ALL!!!

· THE LOVE OF THE FATHER SHOWN THROUGH HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON WHEN CHRIST DIED AT THE HANDS OF SINNERS.

· IT WAS LOVE THAT KEPT CHRIST ON THE CROSS!

· THE HOLY DIED FOR THE WICKED, SO THAT THE WICKED COULD BE PROCLAIMED AS HOLY! ALL OF THIS BY 3 SIMPLE WORDS SPOKEN BY OUR HOLY LORD, JESUS THE CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED!!

· Now, I only want to SPEAK THE WORD, TEACH THE WORD, PREACH THE WORD, AND SURRENDER TO HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE;

· I will NEVER go back to the man I was!

· Galatians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ!! “It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me! and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loved me and delivered Himself up for ME!

My God spared me, Covid Saved me from myself, and both taught me that I am no longer a sinful man, but I am now covered in the redeeming Blood of the lamb!