you want to learn the Bible and father I just pray that you would help all of us
to take from the message tonight what we need
speak to our hearts through the Word of God and father I just pray that you would
fill me with your Holy Spirit as I preach tonight dear God
it's not something that I can do on my own dear God but I just pray that you would
fill me with your power and help me to preach the Word of God
in such a way that it would influence your people and that it would
stir them up and build them up in the faith dear God in Jesus name I pray
Amen
now verse number one of chapter number five
continuing the theme a little bit of the book of James about
the rich versus the poor he's talked a lot about that in this book
look at the first verse the Bible says go to now you rich men
weep and howl now this is in contrast to the other chapters which began with
the phrase
usually similar to my brethren remember right at the beginning of
chapter 1 verse number 2 says my brethren count it all joy
chapter number 2 my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and on and on
my brethren be not many masters from whence come wars and fightings among you
he's talking to the believers these believing Jews that have been scattered abroad is who it's
written to and in verse number 1 he addresses a different group he says go to now
you rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you
your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth eaten
your gold and silver is cankered and the rest of them shall be a witness
against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire
you have heaped treasure together for the last days
and then he goes on to talk about some of the dishonest gain that these people have made to get their money
but put your finger in James chapter 5 and flip over if you would to Matthew chapter 6
I'm going to show you a parallel here
Matthew chapter number 6
Matthew chapter number 6 and if you would look at verse number
19 of Matthew 6, Matthew 6 19 the Bible says
lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth where moth and rust death corrupt
and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
where neither moth nor rust death corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal
for where your treasure is there will your heart be also
now here's what he's talking about he's talking about the rich man here is the man who's laying up for himself
treasures on earth it's the man that cares only about himself
as you go down there in verse number 4 it says
behold the hirer of the laborers who have reaped down your fields
which is of you kept back by fraud crieth and the cries of them which have reaped
are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth
you've lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton
you've nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter
you've condemned and killed the just and he did not resist you
so in verses 1 through 6 here he's describing the rich prosperous people of this world
who make their money off the backs of other people is what he's talking about
that's not right to do so
you know I'm a businessman you know I'm a manager in a company and there are people
I don't own the company you know there are people above me that own the company
and I'm a manager and I have people that work for me also
and it's just not right to not pay people a just wage
all throughout the Bible the Bible talks about using your neighbor's services
and not paying them for it
it talks about servants who are maybe used to reap down a field
or servants who shred a wine press
and he said look if somebody is treading the wine press
if somebody is doing the work they should be paid a just wage
he said they should get to eat of the fruits
the Bible says the husbandmen that laborerth must be first partaker of the fruits
he says if you're a rich man and you have a vineyard filled with grapes and so forth
and you have a husbandmen that you've hired
and of course the Bible talks about just to define the word for you
husbandmen and servants
these are men who didn't own the vineyard
the husbandmen are workers that would till the land
and you know their labor is out in the field
he said the husbandmen that laborerth must be first partaker of the fruits
he's saying give them of the fruit of their labor
you should pay people what they're worth
you should pay people a just wage
you know God is going to bless a person in business
who pays their employees well
who takes care of the people under them
that's who God is going to bless
there are employers out there who I've worked for them
before you know they just abuse the employees
they keep changing their wages
they tell them that they're going to give them this and that raise
and then it doesn't really pan out
and they say they talk about commission
it never happens and so forth
now my boss that I work for right now is a great boss
and he never does
he's willing to share the wealth
if you perform for him he'll pay you
and I have a great boss
but I'm talking about some jobs that I've worked at in the past
but look at Ephesians chapter number 6
if you would
Ephesians chapter number 6
and see what the Bible says in contrast
Ephesians chapter number 6
the Bible reads in
oops wrong place
Ephesians chapter 6 the Bible says in verse 5
servants be obedient to them that are your masters
according to the flesh
with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart
as unto Christ
now with eye service as men-pleasers
that's talking about obeying the boss only when he's looking
because you want to please him
now with eye service as men-pleasers
but as the servants of Christ
doing the will of God from the heart
with good will doing service
as to the Lord and not to men
and here's the exciting verse
look at verse number 8 of Ephesians 6
knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth
the same shall he receive of the Lord
whether he be bond or free
so who is going to pay you
when you go to your job
I mean whether your boss is a little bit of a crook
or whether your boss is a gracious boss
that pays you and he pays you what you're worth
and he's fair and he lets you partake of the fruits of your labor
who is going to pay you
is your boss the one that determines
whether you get paid for the good work that you do
no God says knowing that whatsoever good thing
any man doeth the same shall he receive of the Lord
whether he be bond or free
you say boy I don't really get recognized at my job
for the hard work that I do
I don't get the raises that I was supposed to get
I don't get the commissions that I was promised
you say I think I'm just going to go to work
clock in at 9 a.m. and just kind of do the minimum
and I mean hey they don't appreciate it if I work hard anyway right
so I'm just going to clock in at 9 and just do the minimum
clock out at 4.59 in 59 seconds
and I'm just going to take every break I can
and just do the minimum that I get by with
because they don't appreciate it anyway
let me tell you something
everything that you do in life
you're supposed to do it heartily
as unto the Lord the Bible says
I mean you should go to work
you should clock in and pretend like your boss is Jesus Christ
if you're working
and say I'm going to work as hard as I can
I'm going to excel
I'm going to surpass all those around me
I want to be the best worker on the job
I want to be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
where Nebuchadnezzar looked at all the employees that he had
all of his rulers, all of his servants in the whole kingdom
and he said when I sit down with these three men
and also Daniel, so four men
he said when I sit down with these four men
he says I found them to be ten times better
than anyone else in my whole kingdom
good night
God forbid that somebody on the job who is an unsaved
I mean they're just living in the flesh
they're not born again
they're not reading the wisdom of the Bible that we read every day
I mean we pick up this book every day
and we're filling our mind with wisdom from God
we're building up our spirit with power from God
I mean we're going to work
knowing that whatsoever good thing we do
we're going to receive it from the Lord
boy, we ought to be going to work
and just working as hard as we can
trying to excel everyone else at the job
when the boss is looking, when the boss isn't looking
because the boss is always looking
because the boss is Jesus Christ
now this verse has given me comfort
different times when I wasn't really sure how things were going to work out in business
I just said, you know what, I'm just going to work hard
I'm going to try to save the company as much as I can
I'm going to try to make the company as much money as I can
and I just know that I'm going to receive it from the Lord
and you know, God has taken care of me
and I've seen people, other people with that same attitude
and I've watched them excel in the business world
why?
because when you work hard
God will make sure and bless you
look at Jacob, look at the story of Jacob and Laban
Jacob went to work for his uncle Laban
he served him fourteen years for his two daughters as wives
and then he worked with them another six years
and Laban defrauded him during those six years
he kept changing his wages, he kept changing the deal
he kept going back on his word
but what did the Bible say?
that God appeared to Jacob and said, I've seen what your uncle Laban is doing
I've seen how he's changing your wages
and he says, I'm going to take care of you
and what happened?
he ended up taking away most of Laban's wealth when he left
he ended up with almost all of it
because God blessed him
look back at James chapter 5 and you'll see this
look at James 5
verse number 4
now again, this is a rebuke that James is issuing to these rich men
not that it's a sin to be rich
but the Bible says, woe unto you rich
because unfortunately most rich people do not understand the things of God
rich people are a little bit too confident in themselves
now not all rich men are like that
there are rich men throughout the Bible who God blessed and who loved God
but it's just by and large, unfortunately, that's the curse of being rich
that's why Agur in Proverbs 30 said, give me neither poverty nor riches
lest I be full and deny thee and say, who is the Lord?
or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain
he said, feed me with food convenient for me
he said, just keep me right in the middle
not where I'm starving to death and not where I'm rich
and boy, seems like that's about where he keeps all of us
and so look if you would at James chapter 5 verse number 4
the Bible says, behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields
which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth
but look at this, and the cries of them which have reaped
are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth
so did God hear the cries of those that were being defrauded
those that were being abused and taken advantage of
yes, he did
and so here's the great message resounding throughout the Bible
from one side to the other
is vengeance belongeth unto me, saith the Lord, I will recompense
and so we don't always have to worry about
making everything balance out
and why it's just not fair
and I'm going to set him straight and so forth
God will always set the record straight
always
you know, somebody lies about you
and they tell some dirty story about you
and they defame you
I got to make sure that everybody knows that I was right
no you don't
you know what, just turn the other cheek
just let it go
because God is watching, God hears what's going on
and he will make sure
the Bible says that the memory of the wicked shall rot
and you know, throughout history
people who have been wicked and got away with it
usually later on their name gets dragged through the mud, doesn't it?
because God has a way of setting the record straight
if not in this life, certainly in the next life
the record is going to be set straight
you know, somebody rips you off financially
which happens all the time
and the parallel that I was showing you
and I forgot to show you
was in Matthew chapter 6
where it says
lay not up yourselves treasures upon earth
where moth and rust doth corrupt
and where threes break through in steel
that's exactly the words it uses here
it says
your gold and silver is cankered
and the rust of them
shall be a witness against you
so he mentions rust
and he says
your riches are corrupted
and your garments are moth-eaten
so he's using the exact same terminology
and he's saying
that if you lay up for yourselves
treasures upon earth
you know, you're taking advantage of other people
he says
woe unto you
but see, the person who they're taking advantage of
God's going to set the record straight
God's going to take care of it
and God will balance the scales in the end
now look if you would at verse number 7
and you'll see what I mean
he says
be patient therefore brethren
unto the coming of the Lord
behold the husbandman
remember that's the guy who's reaping the field
behold the husbandman
waited for the precious fruit of the earth
and hath long patient for it
until he received
the early and latter rain
be ye also patient
establish your hearts
for the coming of the Lord
draw up nigh
so he's saying then
he says listen brethren
the husbandman
when he plants the fruit
he puts the seed in the ground
it takes time
for him to reap the increase
he says that's the way your life is
he says
you're sowing right now in life
you're giving out
you're working
you're toiling
maybe for a laborer
maybe for a master
maybe for a boss at work
and he says
you're slaving
you're working
he says
you're working for God
you're winning souls
you're producing
and you might not be seeing all the fruit
that you want
but he says
be patient
he says
wait
because the coming of the Lord
is drawing nigh every day
he's not saying
that it's about to happen or anything
but he's saying
the coming of the Lord
draw up nigh
he says
that's where you're going to receive the reward
that's where
you're going to get rewarded
that's why Jesus said
when he was on this earth
in the book of Luke
I forget what chapter
but in the book of Luke
he talks about
he says
when you make a feast
don't invite your friends
he says
don't invite your family
he says
invite the poor
the blind
the lame
the halt
he says
invite them
because he says
if you invite them
and prepare a meal for them
there's no way
that they can ever repay you
they're never going to be able to pay you back
and he says
therefore
you're going to be paid back
in the world to come
and that's what you want
you want to lay up your treasures
not upon earth
where moth and rust
death corrupt
and where thieves
break through and steal
you want to lay up
for yourselves
treasures in heaven
where neither moth nor rust
death corrupt
and where thieves do not
break through nor steal
you see
throughout the Bible
or throughout life
people steal your money
you say
well Pastor Anderson
you don't have to be broken into
to have people steal your money
okay
first of all
Uncle Sam steals your money
every week
because he's
he steals
he's like the opposite
of Robin Hood
because he steals from you
and he
he gives to
the rich
okay
this is what
Uncle Sam does
he takes money from you
and
he gives it to someone else
in the form of a handout
now that's stealing
that's not taxation
taxation is where they take money
from you
and they use it
for the common good
right
I mean they use it to build
a road that I'm going to drive on
or they use it for an army
that's going to defend me
or they use it for a police officer
that's supposed to defend me
they use it for a fireman
that's going to put out my house
when it's on fire
but see
it's stealing
when they take money from me
and give it to somebody else
I don't care who
they're giving it to
you say
well that person's hard on their luck
or whatever
hey
why would it be my money
that goes to them though
doesn't make any sense
I should be able to choose
and say hey let me help them out
but no
they put my arm behind my back
like this
they put a gun to my head
and take the money out of my pocket
now you say
is it wrong to receive money
from the government
like government program
absolutely not
because they're stealing it from you
so much on every side
hey if you can get a piece of it back
get the biggest piece that you can
my friend
because I guarantee you
you're never going to get
as much back as you put in
I mean good night
every time you go get gas
it's going to the government
half the money
every time you
you buy anything at the store
it's going to the government
every time you pay your utility bill
there's all these little hidden taxes
if people in America
had to just write a check
for all the taxes
you know
it wasn't all the little hidden taxes that they do
but it was just all together
and you just had to write a check
people would go nuts
I mean if they realized how much it really is
because it's so much more than they think
because they tax it on the way into your bank
and then when you spend it
they tax it again
you know
and then you
and then you die
and then they tax it again
and then you hand it to somebody as a gift
and then they tax that
and then you buy a house
and they tax that
and then you pay taxes
upon taxes and taxes
you get on the road
and they try to charge you a toll road
I was driving to Los Angeles
there's all these toll roads
couldn't believe it
I thought I was back in Chicago or something
and I'm
they want like a dollar twenty-five in change
why would you
who carries a dollar twenty-five in change
exact change only
I had to like back up on the on ramp
and it says if you drive through this
the violation gives you like ninety-five bucks
I'm like
forget it
I got on the shoulder
and I'm
driving backwards on the shoulder
I'm gonna pay ninety-five bucks
I've been there, done that
that's another story for another sermon
where I
have been nailed many times for that
but the point is
what was the point
the point is
laying up for yourselves treasures on earth
is pointless
because when you lay up for yourselves treasures on earth
thieves are gonna break through and steal
I mean companies try to rip you off
I mean
you know
you rent somewhere
and you don't get the security deposit back
you left the place looking like a museum
it's so immaculate
you know the taxes
that come and steal your money
and on and on
constantly
people
thieves break through and steal
this world is a crooked place
people will rip you off
people will do you dirty
he says
don't lay up treasures on the earth
lay them up in hell
lay them up in heaven
where nothing can take away your reward
boy I take great comfort in the fact to know that
you know if I lost everything
if I lost everything I own
if I was out in the street
if my business collapsed
if this church collapsed
if everything failed
if I lost everything I own
the bible says
no man taketh thy reward from me
who can take away the people
that I've won to Christ
who can ever take it away from me
nobody can take it away from me
nothing that I do
nothing that anybody else does
I'm still going to walk on the golden streets
and present those souls to Jesus Christ
hey I've got it made
you want to talk about a 401k?
you want to talk about security?
huh?
you want to talk about retirement?
I'm going to retire someday
I'm just retiring
maybe what?
five years later
than other people are retiring
they retire at 65?
maybe I'll die when I'm 70
and retire five years later
and that's why I'm in arrest
when I'm with Jesus Christ
and my 401k is building every day
it never goes down
it doesn't matter what the stock market does
my assets are appreciating in value
because my treasures are in heaven
because I win souls to Christ
and that's how you lay up treasures
you say, Pastor Anderson
when it says lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven
does that mean that I'm supposed to put a lot of money in the offering plate?
and that's going to translate into
treasures in heaven
right?
you put a hundred bucks in the offering plate
ten thousand dollars
as soon as you get to heaven
but no sooner
it's kind of like those retirement plans
you can't cash them out until you're 65
this one you can't cash out until you're dead
but the thing is
when you get to heaven
it's not going to be based on how much money you put in the offering plate
and that's what I've heard people say about
come on
where your treasure is
there where your heart be
put your treasure in the offering plate
your heart will be in the offering plate
your heart will be in this church
your heart will be in the things of God
hey
if you want to lay up for yourselves
treasures upon earth
don't
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
he's saying
win souls to Christ
he said
when you win souls to Christ
it's like jewels for your crown
is what the Bible teaches
I believe in the book of Malachi
talks about that
I don't know the verse off hand
but
on and on throughout the Bible
the Bible says the rewards are going to be based on soul winning
the rewards are going to be based on soul winning
and
the rewards are going to be based on James 1 12
if you're in James flip over and look at that
there's going to be rewards based on soul winning
there's going to be rewards
based on verse number 12
of chapter number 1
blessed is the man that endureth temptation
for when he is tried
he shall receive the crown of life
which the Lord had promised
to them that love him
the two primary things that I see in the Bible
there are many rewards that God's going to give
I'm sure for various things
but the main rewards that I see God giving a lot
throughout the Bible
he talks a lot about being rewarded
for soul winning
and also he groups in with that
not only winning people to Christ
but also taking somebody who's already saved
and turning them
back on the right track of the things of God
because you've accomplished almost as much
I mean if you can take somebody who's already saved
and teach them how to win souls
you know
if you win one person of Christ
you might have just won one person of Christ
but if you can teach somebody to be a soul winner
even if they're already saved
you might have won a thousand people to Christ
when you did that
because they're going to be a soul winner
so God says
that you're going to get great rewards
he talks about this in Daniel chapter 12
he says you're going to get great rewards
based on if you win souls to Christ
and if you turn people to righteousness
if you convert somebody
as it says at the end of chapter 5
and get them off the path of sin
and get them on a life lived of righteousness
and serving God and winning souls
but here's the second thing that God rewards you for
blessed is the man that endureth temptation
for when he's tried he shall receive the crown of life
which the Lord has promised to them to love him
he says when you endure suffering
for the cause of Jesus Christ
he says you are earning treasures in heaven
think about in Acts chapter 4
when Peter and John are beaten
this is one of the first times that this occurs in the Bible
after the resurrection
where they actually endure some physical persecution
for preaching the gospel
and they take Peter and John the Sanhedrin
and they beat them
and the Bible says they went away from that beating
and I don't think it was a mild beating
I think they beat them pretty good
they beat them with whips and everything
they scourged them
when they beat them
they walked out of there rejoicing
thrilled that they were counted worthy
to suffer reproach for the kingdom of God
they said what a pleasure
that is for us to earn these kind of rewards
inestimable rewards
by taking a beating for Jesus Christ
what a blessing it is
and he'd say well didn't it hurt? wasn't it bad?
but look if you would
and this will lead me to my next point
look if you would in James chapter 5
at verse number 10
take my brethren the prophets
who have spoken in the name of the Lord
for an example of suffering, affliction and of patience
and then look at the next words
behold we count them happy which endure
you have heard of the patience of Job
and have seen the end of the Lord
that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy
so here we see through this chapter
he starts out rebuking these rich men
for abusing and taking advantage of somebody
he says those that are suffering
that are being afflicted
their cries are heard by God
he says be patient
therefore brethren under the coming of the Lord
he says Jesus Christ is going to come back someday
he's going to set the record straight
he's going to balance it out
he says hang in there
be patient
wait Jesus is coming
and he says we count them happy which endure
now think about this for a moment
think about a man like the Apostle Paul
okay probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived
probably one of the greatest men who's ever walked on the face of the earth
was the Apostle Paul
who was used by God to write
I believe 13 books
or no I'm sorry 14 books
of the New Testament
were written by the Apostle Paul
now let me ask you a question
would you like to be
like the Apostle Paul
would you like to be a modern day Apostle Paul
who would like to be like the Apostle Paul
put up your hand if you want to be like Apostle Paul
I do
well I want to be a great man like that
you don't want to be a soul winning Christian
you don't want to be somebody who loves God
and gives God everything
look we count them happy which endure
I mean do you think that Paul is happy right now
I mean he's up in heaven
can you even imagine
how many people he won to Christ
and how much he did for God
it's unimaginable
unthinkable
and we say
what a blessed man Paul was
what a happy man
I mean what an exciting life
what an exciting eternity
when he gets to heaven and walks through the doors
I mean this is the way I picture it
this is the way I picture when we get to heaven
and maybe I'm being silly on this
but I picture like somebody like the Apostle Paul
just walking to heaven and just cheering
just crowds cheering for him
like of all the people who've gone on the forum
I mean that's the way I think it's going to be
I mean I think he's going to walk in
and there's going to be rejoicing
and there's going to be gladness and excitement
WOW!
you made it
you hung in there all the way to the end
you finished your course
you kept the faith
you fought the good fight
glory to God
and I think it's going to be a great thrilling time
when we get to heaven
and when we meet our loved ones
and those that have gone on before us
and other great Christians that have gone on before us
I mean that's the happy life
I'll guarantee you
and you can see what Paul went through
he was beaten with rods you know five times
he was stoned, shipwrecked three times
he's constantly in jail
he's constantly sick and hungry and in pain
and I guarantee you though
I'll guarantee you
that just from day to day
he was happier than you or myself
literally
I mean I believe that
I believe that on any given Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday
he was probably happier in that jail cell
than sometimes we are in our life
because the people that are happy in life are the ones who endure
and that's why he says here
happy
we count them happy which endure
and in chapter 1 verse 12
he said blessed is the man that endureth temptation
he says the blessing is when you endure
trials and afflictions for God
he says you're going to be much happier
than the guy who just floats through life
the rich man who's got everything he wants
you think Donald Trump is happy today?
do you really think he's happy?
oh boy, what was in the news today?
James Brown, the godfather of soul died
what, yesterday?
something like that?
James Brown, the godfather of soul
he died yesterday
and you know
they're talking in the newspaper just about his life
okay
he was what, 73 years old
he's married to some woman who's like 35
okay
but she was already married when they got married
so now she's married to two different men at the same time
which makes by law the second marriage void
so he's married to her, he has a child with her
he died, she comes home that day, the day that he dies
and there's a lawyer outside the mansion saying
sorry, you don't live here anymore
guess what?
James Brown did not put you in his will at all
and you're not even really his wife
like you think you are
and so you have nothing
your clothes, your money, everything you have
sorry, it's in this house and this is not your house
and so
you just have to think about these people
you think James Brown was happy when he died?
all the money, all the fame, all the popularity, all the excitement?
I mean, look at his weird life
he's married to some woman that's married to somebody else
he loves her so much that he's not even giving her her own stuff back
I mean, he locks her out of his own house
boy, wouldn't you love to be James Brown?
wouldn't you love to live the life that James Brown...
and then boy, when James Brown breathed his last breath
he didn't feel good
he's burning in hell right now
see, that's the man who the world envies
you know, oh, I want to be the big star
you know, I want to have all the money
I want to be Donald Trump
I want to be like these Hollywood stars
hey, you don't want to be like them
they're not happy, they're cursed, they're damned
they're in hell
they're in the depths of hell right now
and you know what, if they're not there already, they're on their way there
and they do not have a happy life
I guarantee you that they're not happy
that's why they go from spouse to spouse every two years
that's why they're on dope
that's why they're anorexic or something
that's why they're in this clinic, they're in the Betty Ford clinic
they're on some talk show talking about it and stuff
they don't have a stupid, miserable, ridiculous life
but God says, what I think is happiness is endurance
people who endure
boy, do you know that there's a certain pleasure
in enduring hard times
knowing that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh
boy, there's a happiness there
there's a happiness, I'm sure that it hurt
when Paul was beaten with rods
I'm sure that there was a lot of pain involved
well, stoned practically to death
and they thought he was dead, and they left
and then he got up and walked back into town
but I'll guarantee you
that even though he endured a lot of pain
I'll guarantee you that he was happy
going through that affliction
just because he knew that he was earning
rewards in heaven
I think he was happy even about
the abuse that he was taking
because there's a certain happiness
in going on through the hard times
going through the trials
enduring the afflictions that God puts in our way
that's what happiness is
happiness is not having life handed to you on a silver platter
boy, you think, if just this and this and this
would change about my life, I'd be so happy
if I could just pay off this bill
or if I could just straighten this out
everything would be great
no, it won't
because your whole life is going to be a life
of enduring afflictions for God
and when you get through that affliction
another one is right behind it
Paul said, he said
I always have a thorn in my flesh all the time
he says
he said I just finally just decided
to just let God's grace be enough
and I was just going to not ask him again
to take it away from me
and I said I'm going to glory in my afflictions
because when I'm weak
then am I strong
because God's power can rest upon me
and so life is not about seeing
how much money you can get together
how much security you can build for yourself
how much you can make your life
so picture perfect
and exactly where everybody envies
your special little life
life is about being faithful to God
and enduring affliction
and going through the suffering that God has
for each and every one of us in life
he says be happy
and if you're not happy
think about these people
that have gone on before you that suffered
and think about the end that they reached
like Job, he says
Job at the end of his life
was given double what he had before
and he's been immortalized in the Bible
you can read about him
thousands of years later
as a great man in the book of Job
boy you think about Ezekiel
you say well would you love to be
a great man of God like Ezekiel
he's got a book in the Bible
48 chapters written about his life
and his preaching
what an honor, what a thrill
but you think about some of the things
that Ezekiel had to do
did you know that he had to lay on his side
now I would turn there
but I don't want to take too much time
but did you know that in Ezekiel chapter 4
Ezekiel laid on his side
he laid on one side
for 360 days
without getting up
360 days he laid on one side
and you know what he ate?
Dung on his bread
and I mean if you've read the Bible cover to cover
you know that
but he baked bread with dung on it
from a cow the Bible says
and he ate it every day for 360 days
and it was a sign, it was a point
that God was trying to make
to the nation of Israel
then after he'd done that for 360 days
God told him turn over on your other side
and now you can spend 40 days on that side
and he spent 40 days on that side
and he ate the bread with the dung on it
and he had to prepare it in advance
and have it ready
because he couldn't get up off his side
that's what the Bible says
and he had a certain amount of water
that he was supposed to drink every day
I mean good night
what kind of a torturous torment is that?
but we're talking about a man
that was a powerful preacher
who then after that
went around the entire world
and preached all over
to great kings and great men
and preached with the power of God
and we see, we read his book
every day we open the Bible
and we may be in the book of Ezekiel
reading the great book
that God used him to deliver to us
I mean he endured great suffering
and God used him in a great way
I mean we read that and we can't even understand
you know
why in the world is God doing this to him?
give the guy a break
good night
but when you read it
just understand that God knows what he's doing
and God has a reason why he had him do that
and God has a reason why
he has you go through the things
that you go through in your life
I guarantee you it's not as bad as eating dung
on a daily basis
and so next time you don't have
just the right food that you like in the house
my wife's pregnant
so she has certain cravings
but next time just the right meal
just isn't exactly the way you want it
think about what Ezekiel was eating
for 400 days on end
and boy that meal is going to taste a lot better
that top ramen is going to taste great
and so we count them happy which endure
be somebody who endures
who stays with us
think about a race
what's the endurance from?
it's the long race, right?
it's the 26 miles
the 100 foot dash or the 100 meter dash
is not an endurance run
and so the happy Christian
is going to be the Christian who endures
that means it's the Christian that's in church
10 years from now
still soul winning
still reading the Bible
still three to thrive
Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night
this is an endurance run
the Christian life is not the 400 meter dash
it's the 26 mile marathon
and in the Christian life
your success will not be measured
in days and weeks and months
and years it'll be measured in decades
it'll be measured in a decade
of service for God
a decade of soul winning
a decade of preaching
that's how God will measure your success
it's not some overnight
it's where you plant and you wait
and you have long patience for it
till the heavens give the
early and latter rain as the Bible says
and you can reap the increase of what you've done for God
but it takes decades
you say, Pastor Anderson
I feel like I'm a great Christian
well how long have you been
the great Christian
that you think you are?
you say, well I've been the great Christian for three years
that's nothing
you know, you say, Pastor Anderson
I just feel like God's gonna just
really reward me when I get to heaven
you know, because of how great of a wonderful Christian I am
but how long have you been that way?
you know, seven months?
you know, seven years?
two years? two months?
God's looking for somebody
who's in it for the long haul
the long run
because I'll guarantee you
the person who's in it for the lifetime
is gonna do ten times as much for God
think about this
somebody who reads the Bible
twenty times cover to cover, right?
maybe they read it like five times a year
I mean, just really read a lot of Bible
five times a year would be about
an hour and fifteen, an hour and twenty minutes a day
that they're reading
consistently reading it if they're a fast reader
you know, maybe otherwise it might take longer than that
but reading the Bible five times a year
cover to cover
and they do that for only four years
well, they've only read the Bible twenty times
and that's a lot
but think about the person who maybe just reads it once a year
but they do it for a lifetime
now they do it for fifty years
well, they've read the Bible fifty times
you see what I'm saying?
or if they read it just twice a year
but they do it for fifty years
they've read the Bible a hundred times
which most preachers have not read the Bible a hundred times
I mean, even like great men of the past
very few have read the Bible
a hundred times cover to cover
you say a hundred times cover to cover, what's the big deal?
just read it two or three times a year
yeah, but try doing it for fifty years
can you stay in this church for fifty years?
can you stay a soul winner for fifty years?
can you stay with Jesus Christ
enduring the affliction for fifty years?
can you stay with it through the good times
when it's fun and exciting?
and through the bad times when it's not so fun
and it's not so exciting and it's a drudgery?
can you stay with it?
that's why when you see somebody
who's been a Christian and lived for God for like
twenty, thirty years
you just have great respect for them
because you don't know how hard that is
I don't even know how hard that is
because it doesn't
it's not something that's easy to maintain
if you know what I mean
for really long periods of time
so, stay with it, decide
I want to be the happy Christian
I want to be the blessed Christian
I am going to endure, which means I have to
not just look at the few weeks in front of me
I want to look at my whole life in front of me
and say, twenty years from now
I want to be soul winning
thirty years from now I'm going to be living for God
and see the big picture
you say, well I got into this later in life
that's okay, God still has
a long time for you to use
you can use it for the glory of God
and you can endure whatever time
there is left and run the race
to the finish line
but see, this sprint Christianity
it doesn't do much
I mean, if I win one person to the Lord
a week
just one person to the Lord per week
but see, if I do that for fifty years
I've won twenty five hundred people to the Lord
that's huge
and then who knows how many people those people
won to the Lord
but if I'm just in it for five years
it's going to be pretty hard for me in five years
to the Lord
I'd be winning five hundred people a year
ten people a week
you know, I don't know of anybody who does that
and so, not that it would be impossible
but that would be a pretty unbelievable number
I mean, it could happen
but see, the way that you succeed in the Christian life
is by being in it for the long haul
and there's only one way to fail
he says we count them happy which endure
wait for the end
there's one way to fail in the Christian life
it's quitting
I mean, will Faithful Word Baptist Church succeed?
if we don't quit, it will succeed
I mean, guaranteed, literally
I mean, if we don't quit, it will succeed
it will succeed wildly if we stay in it
the only way to fail is by quitting
I remember
just in my Christian life
you know, when I was a teenager, when I was a young adult
just being discouraged
you know, sometimes I was moving backwards in my Christianity
you know, you ever get to a point
where you're growing, you're reading the Bible more
you're doing more for God
you're understanding more, you're in church more
you're getting rid of sin constantly
and you're moving closer to God
and then you get in a phase where you start moving backwards
you know, I've been in a phase like that
where I felt like goodnight
it seems like I'm failing more than I ever have
I mean, it's like I'm reading less Bible
it's like I'm getting less people saved
I mean, I just feel like I'm moving backwards
and there are times like that
there are times when you're going to move backwards
and you don't want to, but sometimes you're going to move backwards
and I've been through great phases
where I was moving backwards a little bit
but you know, I told myself
I said as long as I don't quit
as long as I stay with it
as long as I don't just say
goodnight, I'm moving backwards
nuts to it
if I can just stay with it
you know what, pretty soon I'm going to start moving forward again
and that's the truth
the Bible says a just man falls seven times
and rises up again
and I've fallen many times in my life
and I've made mistakes
and I've moved backwards
where I was reading less Bible
I was wanting less people to Lord
all of us are going to go through a phase like that, unfortunately
of being a little bit backslidden
but the only way to let it defeat you
is when you quit
just decide right now I'm not going to quit
no matter what
if I don't feel like going to church
if I don't feel like I'm getting anything out of the Bible
if I don't feel like I'm moving forward
if I feel like I've reached a point
in my Christianity where I've kind of plateaued
and I can't seem to push it any further
and in fact I feel like I'm slipping backwards
just decide right now
that when that happens
when that affliction happens
when that failure happens
you just decide I'm not going to quit
because the only way to fail is to quit
if you stay with it
you'll come out of it
if you stay with it, you'll continue to grow
if you stay with it
and if you feel like you were moving backwards
while you're moving backwards
you might win a few people to the Lord
while you're moving backwards
you might get something done for God
and you'll find that over a long period of time
you say, boy, I just was not
anywhere near what I wanted to be
but see, even if you were just winning people to the Lord
here and there
even if you were just reading your Bible a little bit every day
you look at that
over a long period of time and you say, well, you know what?
I really have accomplished a lot for God
and so let that encourage you
the only way to fail is to quit
in the Christian life, in this church
me as a pastor, the only way I can fail
this church is if I quit
if I get discouraged and say, you know what?
forget it
I'm through with it
that's how I'll fail
but if I stay with it, it'll succeed
I believe that
and that's the truth
but look at you and let's hurry up and finish the chapter here
the Bible reads in verse 11
I want them happy which endure
you've heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord
that the Lord is very pitiful
and of tender mercy
but above all things, my brethren, swear not
neither by heaven
neither by the earth
neither by any other oath
but let your yea be yea and your nay nay
lest ye fall into condemnation
quickly turn to Matthew chapter
number 5, just quickly
I'm going to show you this and I'll explain it to you
look at Matthew chapter number 5
the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus
the first sermon by Jesus
in the New Testament that we read
Matthew chapter number 5
and look if you would at verse number 33
again you've heard
that it had been said by them of old time
Matthew 5, 33
thou shalt not forswear thyself
but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths
but I say unto you, swear not at all
neither by heaven for it is God's throne
neither by the earth
for it is his footstool
neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king
neither shalt thou swear by thy head
because thou canst not make one hair white or black
but let your communication be
yea, yea, nay, nay
for whatsoever is more than these
cometh of evil
now, you've seen the similarity
between that and what we just read
about not swearing by these different things
but see, understand something about
Matthew chapter 5
Matthew chapter 5 is not changing the law
ok, Jesus says
in this chapter in verse number 17
think not that I'm come to destroy the law
of the prophets
I'm not come to destroy but to fulfill
ok, he's not changing the law
God doesn't change
the Bible doesn't change
he's not changing here these rules
the first one he says, you know
you've heard that it was said by them of old time
thou shalt not kill
he's not saying that now it's right to kill
just don't be angry with your brother without a cause
ok, kill him, just don't get mad at him without a cause
no, he's adding something to that, can you see that
he's adding on a further restriction
when he gets the one about adultery
he's not saying, commit adultery is fine
just don't lust after women, please
no, he's saying
don't commit adultery and also
in the New Testament, I'm getting even stricter
it was always a rule
you know, obviously it was never right to lust
that's from the Old Testament, thou shalt not covet
but he says, now I'm
laying it out for you, I'm fulfilling it
and saying, look, don't even look
at a woman wrong, he's making it more strict
he gets to the next one
in verse 33, it's the same thing, he says
you've heard that it was said, thou shalt not
forswear thyself, but shalt perform it
to the Lord thine oaths, but I say unto you
swear not at all
neither by heaven, for it is God's throne
basically what he's saying here is that
you shouldn't say things like
you know what, I swear to God
that this is the way it was
ok, he's saying
don't invoke my name
as your, you know
way of giving an oath
of saying, this is the way it is
like if somebody says, you're lying, and you say, no
I swear upon God
I swear on the Bible
he says, you know what, you're
pretty much blaspheming the Bible
is what he's saying, you're dragging it down
to another level, now I've heard people read these
verses in James 5 and Matthew 5
and say that it is wrong
to make a vow, now that is not true
now I've heard somebody say
I talked to somebody one time
and he said, you know what
he said, I don't make any promises
and I don't make any vows
because the Bible says not to
and I said, well, are you married?
and he said, yeah
and I said, well, I think you've made a vow
uh oh, you're in trouble
you made a vow
and I think that God even
tells you to make that vow, doesn't he in the Bible?
and if you read the Old Testament law
there are many vows that God talks about making
a vow is not wrong, making a vow
and swearing are two different things
swearing is when you're
trying to prove
that what you're saying is true
somebody's accusing you of not
and you swear upon God, you swear by
Jerusalem, you swear by heaven
that it's this way, you swear on the Bible
that this is the way it is, it's not wrong to make a vow
vows are good
now this is probably a whole other sermon just about
vows, but the Bible talks about
many different vows, there are vows that I've made
there are times when I've vowed something to God before
now quickly, look if you would at
Ecclesiastes, right toward the middle of your Bible
look at Ecclesiastes
and I'll show you this
look at Ecclesiastes
chapter number, see I've written it down
chapter number 5, verse number 4
Ecclesiastes, chapter
number 5, verse number 4
and the Bible
reads in Ecclesiastes 5, 4
he says
when thou vowest a vow unto God
now it sounds like
vowing a vow to God is something that you're going to do
from time to time, because he doesn't say
if you vow a vow to God, he says
when thou
vowest a vow unto God, defer not
to pay it
for he hath no pleasure in fools
pay that which thou hast vowed
better is it that thou shouldest not
vow, than
that thou shouldest vow and not pay
so he's saying here, when you vow to God
you better make dead sure
that you pay what you vow, I mean
very important, God's saying
and he says, if you're not sure if you can do it
he says, just don't vow at all
because he says, it's better to just never
vow, it's better to just not vow anything
than to vow and not
perform it, now isn't that saying that it's wrong
to vow, no, God is assuming that
you're going to make vows, I mean when I got married
I made a vow to my wife
and I made a vow, where I swear
and promise
to keep me only unto her
so long as we both shall live
and so that's a vow, should you break that vow
no
well my husband cheated on me, did you say
for better or for worse
then don't break that vow, say well God makes
an exception here, look
God doesn't make an exception
he says, God has no pleasure in fools
pay that thou hast vowed, he says
no exceptions, my friend
well the Bible says that if I
if a man divorces his wife
except it be by fornication
he calls the third to commit adultery
well then I guess if you want to interpret
it that way, which that's not the right way to
interpret it, that's not what the fornication means
that's referring to Deuteronomy chapter 24
and that's a whole other sermon that I preached in
Matthew 1, but even if
that's true, even if you say well
my wife cheats on me
and I marry somebody else
it's not adultery because the Bible says
now I don't believe that
but even if that were true, well then that means
you're not guilty of adultery
but you're still guilty of
breaking a vow to God
because if I promised my wife and say
I, you know
I'm trying to remember how these vows even go
I had to memorize them
I had to memorize them when I was in college
you know, I take thee
to be my lawfully wedded wife
to have and to hold for richer
for poorer, for better, for worse
from this day forward
and keep me only unto thee
from this day forward
I'm messing it up, but
do you so promise? I do
well look, I said for better, for worse
worse is when your wife commits adultery
worse is when your husband slaps and
punches you, OK?
I'm telling the truth
you say, you don't actually believe that, Pastor Anderson
yes, I do believe that when you
vow a vow to God, you're supposed to pay the vow to God
at all costs, and you can see that all
throughout the Bible, look at the story of Jephthah
he killed his own daughter to keep a vow
and God
God said, there's a man of faith
OK, because he
was it wrong for him to kill his daughter?
no, it was wrong for him to make the vow
but once he made the vow, he said
I've opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back
and so
there's a difference between being guilty of committing adultery
but you can still be guilty of
breaking a vow to God
because if you promise
until death us to part
and there's a parting of the ways before death
you've broken a vow to God
you say, well I've done that, I've broken a vow to God
well, obviously there's forgiveness
with God, move on, you know
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, God forgives
and everything like that, and it's over
but if you haven't made that mistake
honey, OK?
endure, stay with it, OK?
no, if you haven't made the mistake, don't break that vow
if you vow to be
married to me for the rest of your life
you're stuck with me
for better or for worse, OK?
deal with it
and so that's what God is saying here, he's not saying it's wrong to make a vow
look, when you buy a car, you're making a vow
you sign on the dog line and say
I'm going to pay such and such dollars per month
for five years
when you buy a house, you're making a vow
you're promising, you're under oath
to do it
that's not what God's saying here
it's OK to make a promise to somebody
and if you're not sure if you can keep a vow that you make to God
or a vow that you make to someone else
just don't make that vow
but God says that your word
what he says, let your yay be yay and your nay be nay
he says if you say yay about something
then it better be yay
I mean, if you tell somebody you're going to do something, do it
if you say something, he's saying your word
should be so good that if they ask you something
you should be able to say yes
and they know that that's as good as taking it to the bank
or if they say no, you know it's going to be no
that's the kind of word
you should have, not like the people that we read about
earlier in the chapter who were defrauding
their laborers and telling them one thing
and then changing it and so forth
he says let your yay be yay and your nay be nay
he says you don't have to
invoke God's name
when you're telling somebody how honest you are
I swear to God
he's saying, you know, you're blasphemous, don't throw my name around
don't ever throw God's name around
don't say, oh my God
oh my God
that's blasphemy, my friend
that's taking God's name in vain
don't say, oh my gosh
you know, it's pretty much the same thing
don't use those kind of words
and don't swear by God's name
he says never swear by my name
even if you're going to do what you say you're going to do
don't swear by my name
but don't let that make you think that you can't make a vow to God
or make a vow to somebody else
as long as you're going to pay
there are vows that I've made to God
just about my own life, where I promised God
I said, you know what God, I'm never going to do thus and so again
and I've never done it since
and I don't plan on doing it
you know, and there are things that I've sworn to God
in the past
and said, God, I promise you I will do thus and so
many times
but you know what, I paid what I vowed
and I was scared to death
to even think about not paying what I vowed
because I just didn't know what God was going to do
you know, if I told God, you know, I'm going to do this
it's like, goodnight, I better do it
but was it good that I made those vows?
I think it was
if I made a vow to do something
I was pretty much locking myself in
because now I have to do it
because I told God I was going to do it
you see what I'm saying, so couldn't that be a good thing?
if that's forcing me to do something that's right
that maybe I wasn't going to do
but then I make a vow to God
but see, I only did it if I knew that I could perform it
because I didn't want to mess with God
I didn't want to not pay what I vowed
but let me hurry up and just finish the chapter quickly
above all thinking, my brethren, swear not
but then look at verse 13
that's what we were talking about earlier
all the afflictions and the trials
and the testings that we're going to go through
all the pain and suffering
he says, any among you afflicted, let them pray
that's the time to pray
is any married, let them sing songs
let them listen to songs on his headphones
no, it says, let them sing songs
and then the next one, is any sick among you?
let them call for the elders of the church
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord
and the prayer of faith shall save the sick
and if you have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him
now this is the proof text that the Catholic Church uses for last rites
who's ever heard of last rites?
put up your hand
last rites is where the priest comes when you're on your deathbed
he anoints you with oil
and he prays for you
and that's going to forgive you of more sins
so that you don't have to spend as much time in purgatory
now that's not what this means
he's talking about here, a person being healed of their sickness
I mean, it's pretty clear to see that, isn't it?
he says, any sick among you, let them call for the elders of the church
not because you're about to die
and because you need your sins forgiven
but because you want to be healed
that's why it says in verse 16
pray for one another
confess your faults one to another
and pray for one another that you may be healed
the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much
so when it says any sick among you
let them call for the elders of the church
and let them pray over him
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord
that's saying if you're sick
and you're in a very dangerous sickness
and you need some healing
he says you can call for the elders of the church
anoint you with oil and pray for you
because God can still heal people in 2006
if people pray for them
but he says here
and the Lord shall raise him up
it's not talking about he's going to resurrect them
that's what the Catholic church says
when they die, they're going to be part of the resurrection
when it says the Lord will raise him up
it's talking about raise him up
from the sick bed where they are
they're down on their back
they're sick, they're laid up in bed
and he says
pray for them that they'll be healed
and the Lord will raise them up
and he says, and if he have committed sins
they shall be forgiven him
now look, this is not talking about getting your sins forgiven
for salvation, or else it wouldn't say if
if he's committed sins
good night, which one do you want to start talking about?
which one today
that I've committed do you want to talk about?
God is saying here, if he has committed sins
they shall be forgiven him
the problem here is that when a person is sick
sometimes
not all the time, because there's an if there
sometimes it's because they are in sin
now we're not like the Pentecostals
where if somebody's sick
you say, well it's because they're not right with God
and if they would just get right with God
they'd be healed
I've actually known people where their relatives were Pentecostals
and came to them in the hospital and told them, you know what?
just claim healing
just get right
whatever sin is in your life that's caused you to be here
and you'll be out of this bed in no time
I mean, can you imagine being sick in the hospital suffering
and somebody come tell you that it's your fault?
that's horrible, and so you should never think that
but God does teach throughout the Bible
that there are some people
who are sick because God is punishing them
I mean, that's just a fact of the Bible
now that's not usually the case
usually God's just testing you or trying you
but sometimes it could be
because you did something and God's
chastening you, that's a method that God uses
so he says, if he shall
commit sins, he shall be forgiven
you know, if he looks to God, the elder of the church comes
and prays for him, anoints him with oil
he says, look, God's going to see that
and God's going to forgive him, and God will heal him
and then it says
if they have committed sins
they shall be forgiven him
confess your faults one to another and pray for one another
that you may be healed
the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much
and I don't have time to show you that in the Bible
I can show you in the Bible, a different place where the Bible talks about people being sick
because of sin that's in their life and so forth
then the Bible says in verse 17
Elias was a man, subject to the light of passion
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain
and it rained not on the earth
by the space of three years and six months
well that's power
he prayed that it wouldn't rain, it didn't rain for three and a half years
and he prayed again
and the heaven gave rain
and the earth brought forth her fruit
Elias is Elijah, of course
Elijah from the Old Testament, you can read about that story in 1 Kings 17-19
and he says
brethren, he prayed again
and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit
brethren
so he's talking to the saved, born again Christians
that he's writing this to
brethren, if any of you do err from the truth
and one convert him
now this is not talking about unsaved people
because unsaved people don't err from the truth
unsaved people never knew the truth
unsaved people never had the truth
unsaved people were never our brethren
and so he's saying
brethren, if any of you do err from the truth
and one convert him
let him know that he which converteth the sinner
from the error of his way
shall save a soul from death
and shall hide a multitude of sins
here's what it's saying
when you see somebody, because he's saying confess your faults
one to another, pray one for another that you may be healed
when you see another brother, another Christian
go off into sin
which happens all the time
if you've been around, you'll see a person who's living for God
a Christian, go off the right path
and go into sin
get that person and convert them
and get them back on the right track
because conversion does not mean salvation
that's a word that people use for salvation
that's not what it means
anywhere in the Bible in fact
but if you can convert him
from the way he's going and get him on the right path
he says
that you're going to save a soul from death
and hide a multitude of sins
now when it says save a soul from death
it's not talking about going to hell
it's talking about physical death
and if I had time
I could show you all the times in the Bible
that God talks about people getting sick
and God even killing people
even if they're believers
because they just push things too far
they go too far into sin
and God says that's it, your life is pointless
at this point, you're gone
just come on home, buddy
think about Ananias and Sapphira
Ananias and Sapphira were killed by God
because they lied to God
they made a vow to God
they were going to give so much money
they were going to sell land and give all the money to God
they said they were going to do it
they didn't do it
they lied to the Holy Ghost
and God struck them dead right then and there
think about Onan in the Old Testament
that God struck dead
I don't know if he was a believer
and I don't know if he was saved or not
but God killed him
and the Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 14
about people that were in sin
he says
to a saved person who is God
it's a euphemism for death
and so he's saying that
if you can convert the sinner
from the error of his way
you're going to save the soul from death
you're going to hide a multitude of sins
he's saying not only be in the business
of soul winning
but be in the business of restoring people
you know, if somebody falls into sin
don't say, I always knew that they were a phony
when we were growing up
that's what we would say sometimes
you see somebody, you see them falling into sin
I always knew they were a phony
I always knew that they were just liberal
you know, here they are
now they're off in sin
now they're riding a Harley
and they got hair down to their shoulders
and they got some biker chick
and they left their wife and kids
and boy, I could tell you stories about that
from real life, from independent fundamental Baptist searches
and now it's all just totally different
and now they're not living for God
he says instead of just saying
another one bites the dust
he's saying, you know, go to that person
and try to help them, you know, try to restore them
if any of you be taken to the fault
neither are spiritual
restore such a one in the spirit of meekness
consider yourselves also
and so he's saying
if somebody goes off the right path and goes into sin
restore that person
you might even save their life, he's saying
and I've known people who were killed by God
I've known people who went off into sin
and they died shortly thereafter
in a horrible accident
you know, car accident, motorcycle accident
they got a disease and died
because they went away from God
I knew a man not too long ago
got out of church, he was dead within months
God sometimes has a way
of just
stopping people who are not
doing his will
when they're saved Christians, people who just go completely
off the deep end, he says
you're not going to drag my name in the mud
and he kills them, and it's best for him
to get to go on to heaven, but when they get to heaven
they're going to realize that they wasted their life
and that it was a miserable waste
and that God had to end their life prematurely
before they could do the work that God had them to do
and all throughout eternity, they're probably going to wish
that they could be back on earth and do that work
that they were supposed to do
and so God is saying here, not only be in the soul winning business
but be in the business
of restoring people
who've gotten away from God
try and get them back in church
try and get them fired up again
try and get the Bible back in their hand
love them and restore them
because that's almost as great as winning somebody to the Lord
because they can be used by God
in a great way later on in life
but let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Father, thank you so much for this
great chapter, dear God
and I thank you for the promises of God