You know, the truth of the matter is, you know, we hear a song like that and we naturally think, Korea, Asia, the ultimate end. But really, right now by me stepping up in this pulpit, I'm saying, here am I. These kids getting up here or going to their cello lesson or practicing with a group, you're saying, Here am I. Katie, using what God's given her to get these kids together and the people that work and help in these ministries, that's your way of saying, Here am I. You walk to the offering box, you say, Here am I. And then it's those little steps that eventually some God will choose out to go the marathon. Well, thank you for allowing my absence. It was just a wonderful, wonderful trip. I know the folks that went along. I don't know of anyone that didn't get spiritually charged. I certainly did. When you hear, I don't know how many, 20, 30, 40 messages in a week, it will have an impact on you. So you just bear with me today, and I'll go back to being boring after a while. But with the flights and all, Deborah and I were supposed to fly into New York City. She had to get home for Bible Institute, and so did I. And seeing what was happening there, and knowing this was going to be a drawn-out thing, we were able to change our flights. And when Adam found that out, of course, something happened unprecedented for me. I, a couple of times, preach new messages away. Most of the time, I rework them so much that they're all but new. But this time, out of four times preaching, the Lord gave me three new messages. When Adam found out I was going to be staying, he asked me to preach on the home the Wednesday after the conference. I've got to be honest with you. I recall it a little bit, and I think he saw that. To be honest, I don't feel qualified. He said, pray about it. And so I did for about 12 hours, and I think the Lord gave me something. I didn't realize how much that church needed it, and then I realized why this whole thing played out, because we needed to. So I'm going to preach a little bit this morning on probably a conglomeration of a bunch of messages and then what the Lord has given me in addition, but turn to Proverbs chapter 17. And I do know that we need the Lord's help, so we'll ask his blessing again. Father, we thank you for a perfect Lord in an imperfect world, a perfect Lord that we can preach from an imperfect preacher to an imperfect people. But Lord, we're looking forward to that day, that day soon to come. Lord, the former things have passed away. In the meantime, Lord, we need fuel. We need fuel to keep going. Lord, it's getting dark out there. Lord, we need to be as lights, burning and shining brighter and brighter as we see the day approaching. Help us. Help your people. I love this people. Lord, I'm glad to be back here with this people. Lord, I've got to say I wasn't too thrilled about seeing snowflakes this morning. Lord, after leaving 80 and breezy and sunny. But yet, Lord, this is the foxhole you put me in, and I'm thankful for it this morning. And I pray that you help me minister to your people, in Jesus' name. Amen. Proverbs, chapter 17, verse 6. Children's children are the crown of old men, in plain words, your grandchildren. And if you have any, you know exactly what that means. I was just with mine for a couple of weeks, and the things that come out of their mouths, she named them after me, which might have been a mistake, but I got this little spunky grandson. And we were in the car the other day, and he says, I'm two years old. My wife's not there to answer. Two years old. Two years old. He said this, he said, when I'm sad and my friend Greggy says hi to me, I don't say hi back. The devil doesn't like when I'm sad. Then one day we're going in, you know when your kids are a little sick and you don't want nobody to know because most Christians are more afraid of germs than they are of sin in the church? Two years old, Kathy, we're on the way to church and he goes, don't tell anybody I'm sick. And that's a crown for old men. And the glory of children are their fathers. Or, you that are experiencing that, and God could whip anybody, and beat anybody, and He's just smarter than anybody, and they were all perfect, and they were all going to be preachers and preachers wise, and pastors and pastors wise, and missionaries and missionaries wise, and we're never going to do nothing wrong, and everything is just going to be wonderful. Remember the first time you walked in here? From where you came from? And you saw Charlie Borkowski, and Damon Medicham, and Emily Smith, and Nathan Schroeder, and you said, Oh, if we come here, they'll be like that! Man! The glory of children is fathers, and you were excited. Proverbs chapter 30. Proverbs 30, verse 17, "...the eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out." Pick what out? The eye. That's what they do to dead people. "...and young eagles shall eat it." Jesus said the light of the body is the eye. It's the window to the soul. I know in some cases, and here in most cases, some of us have had to experience that day when they see a darkness. A dark eye, almost a dim spirit, can't hear spiritually. can't speak spiritually, and something has changed between Proverbs 17 and Proverbs 30 in the life of one or more of our children sometimes. Like the preacher said, the house is empty. It's swept. It's garnished. But if you've got a lip of spiritual discernment, you know nobody's home. And you know when no one's home, someone else is eventually going to move in. It doesn't usually get better. It usually gets worse. Nehemiah chapter 8. Nehemiah 8, verse 10. You're familiar with this verse. Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord, neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And I think I know if it was Bradley or was it you that gave a little different slant on this verse? Was it you? Good, it was good. Let me just put it in practical means. When I've got joy, I'm confident. I'm ready to use my sword. And that Bible says I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. So my syllogism is that the joy of the Lord is my strength, and I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Father of a fool, have no joy, and you that experience know that practically this fits. What my children do has a great potential to impact my joy in the Lord, and thus my strength. And it can have a potential to totally immobilize me. To the extreme, make me quit. To the extreme, make me leave. To the extreme, and it's happened in many cases, become what they are becoming. The devil knows how crucial this is. If you look at statistics, of fatherless children, and the amount of crime, and the amount of rape, and the amount of suicide. And let me say that if your child is fatherless, he's a father to the fatherless, so you have more grace, so don't get too discouraged. But this country is suffering the ramifications of children without fathers. How much more the church? I have found Sixty, seventy, eighty percent of the time that the devil gets the children, he gets the parents, too, one way or another. He knows that if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? We know why ninety-nine percent of you came to this church. What do you think the target is going to be for the devil? Your strength. Isaiah 49, verse 20. The children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in mine ears, their place is too straight for me. Give place to me that I may dwell. It's too narrow, it's too straight, it's too much. Then shall thou say, and thine heart, who hath forgotten of these feelings? I have lost my children. I want to preach a little while this morning on what to do when the family dream shatters. What to do when the family dream shatters and I've got to make it clear right up front I'm not making an excuse for bad parenting. If you're a hypocrite, confess it. Apologize, forsake it, go on. If you're a hothead, apologize and go on. If you talk about the preacher and you think that's going to do you some good and learn you an alliance with your kids, they're going to be talking about you. You ought to confess it, forsake it, apologize, go on. If you're half in and half out, get all the way in. Let me say this as well. Young people, I've said it a hundred times, bad parenting will be no excuse for you. You probably won't make it to the judgment seat of Christ. You'll probably have to wait for judgment. And when you say, my teeth are set on edge because my dad ate cider grapes. They'll say, no, you get a count of yourself in the day of judgment. There will be no excuse. You know who Josiah's dad was? Ammon. You know who his grandpa was? Manasseh. The parents, if you've done all that you know to do, I want to try to help you this morning with what to do when the family dream shatters. Matthew chapter 10. It's nothing dynamic, it's just some straightforward truths that I was sort of forced into an amusing room. Matthew chapter 10, verse 37. He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son and daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Number one, you better decide who you love most. And I would make a suggestion, if your kids are little, they are all perfect, you better focus in your heart before a day might come who you love most. He said, Peter, loveth father and me more than these. You know, we talk about proving the sincerity of your love by our giving, and proving the sincerity, if you love me, keep my commandments and do them right. But I'll tell you what will prove the ultimate love of your love for Jesus Christ, the day you have to look at one of them children that you brought through the birth pangs of this death and into this world, and you have to choose between them and Jesus Christ. And you can sit back and say all you want, but when that day comes, that is a proving. And I say this, decide up front who you love more, and then pray God you never have to prove it. But you must answer God who you love more. 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5, verse 5. You know this verse too. Likewise, ye young will submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility. For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Number two, thank God for help with your critical spirit. When the family was wringing shoulders, thank God for help with your critical spirit. Do you know why it's difficult for me to preach this? Because I sat where you're sitting. And whenever I heard a man that had trouble with his family say some of the points I'm going to give to you, I say, you're just saying that for an excuse. Because you don't have all the answers like I have. He's not sat through the seminars I have. He's not heading speed like I have for three years. I don't know about you, but I need grace. And you ought to have your critical spirit and our critical spirit reality. But some people don't know that. Now listen, you've still got to make a call, you still have to stewardship, you still have to have some dissemblance and everything, but seeing dark eyes will help if you're a critical spirit. You may criticize someone else and the Holy Ghost will say, what's your problem? Thank God for help with your critical spirit, John 14. Some of you heard this point a few weeks ago, 27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give, my peace, Jesus said, my peace. Not as the Lord giveth. Give I unto you. You need to examine your source of peace. And the way you examine your source of peace is take it away and see what your reaction is. Then you'll know if it's God's peace or the Lord's peace. And it doesn't have to be death and alcohol. Take away a man's job, and if you freak out and wig out and worry sick, because Jesus Christ's peace is unconditional, and it's eternal, and it doesn't waver. Take a man's job. That's not God's peace. All children, all in a row. Nice. Oh, I'm feeling good. Take it away. You wig. You flip. You worry. You immobilize. You do less than you did. That's not Jesus Christ's peace you had. That's the world's peace. God's peace said, The Lord gave it, the Lord has taken it away, I came in naked, I'm going out naked, blessed be the name of the Lord. When my own joy moves, can I lift higher? When my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will take me up. And if my son and daughter forsake me, the Lord will take me up too. God whispered this to me a while back. We brag about, hey, we've got the real thing. Eighty-six in the seventies, Brother Greg, we were getting something back then. I know what these kids got, but they didn't get what we got, Brother Greg. Oh yeah, let's see your kids drop like dominoes spiritually, and let's see what you have then. Do you know what you'll have if you've got something? You still have Jesus. You still follow on. Then no one join me. My own tragedy, my own children, my own seed, my own heritage. I am going on for Jesus by His grace and with His help. If that's not the case, then they are not my children. They are my idols. And I don't know about you, but if you read the Bible, what God says about idols. Decide who you love most. Thank God for the help of the critical spirit. Examine your source of peace. And this is a tough one. Remember, loved ones have a choice. Listen, I believe in reading all the child-rearing books you can get. I think he's a kook, but I think Mike Pearl's book on jumping ship is one of the best books on raising teenagers. I think you ought to read them. I've probably been to seven different parenting conflict seminars. I think you ought to attend them. I probably preached who knows how many sermons. I preached a series about six years ago called Halfway Home and Still Standing. If we didn't name this one, What to Do, I was going to say What to Do When the Family Goes to Pop, but I thought I'd be a little more dignified. What to Do When the Family Dreams Shortage. I guess you could call it Three-Quarters of a Way Home and Barely Crawling. But I've preached a lot of sermons and I've heard a lot of sermons. And you should. But you know what's funny? John, who's scoring Calvinism? Why do we scorn Calvinism? Because it doesn't include free will. You love me, you love me not. You love me, you love me not. All predetermined, irresistible grace, by the way. He said, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me. He was lifted up from the earth, therefore he is drawing all men unto him. When the Spirit of truth is come, he'll convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. And they say, no, no, no, no, no, no. You've got to include the free will in that. And we've got some kind of primitive, irresistible grace, if you will. We'd never say irresistible grace of the drawing power of God, but it's almost like an irresistible, fail-safe, six-point method that will never fail, that they showed on the screen at the seminar. You know I'm not making fun of that stuff. I'm saying you should do it. But you must know, brethren, you will not take their choice away, or you don't have a free will. And be that God's drawing power, or the family church. Need we open up the thing and testify? If I just come to the family church, You must do all you can do to sleep and garnish, and you should. But remember, they'll give account of themselves. Young people, you'll give account of yourselves. If you're at that great white throne of judgment, you'll be standing naked before God with nowhere to look but into the eyes of Jesus Christ. Remember, loved ones have a choice. Examine your source of peace. Thank God for help with your critical spirit. Decide who you love most. And then, you know misery loves company. They'll never forget to have support groups, a divorce support group, a cancer support group, the fat support group, and the support group, and that support group, because it's good. You don't feel so alone. 2 Timothy chapter 4. Better than you have had worse results. Better than you have had worse results. Isn't this encouraging? Aren't you so glad I'm back? 2 Timothy 4, verse 10. This is the man, probably the greatest Christian that ever lived. Wrote three quarters of your New Testament, wrote the very words that you're reading right now to be inspired and preserved forever. have forsaken me." Paul never gave a national preach. Amen! Heaven loved this present world. And we pull our hair out if we have any left. How could they leave their God? How could they leave this? How could they leave me? I'll tell you how a love for this present world It's got a draw, brethren. It's got a draw. And if they're simple, if they're forward, if they're wicked, the Apostle Paul didn't do too well in many cases. John, chapter 6. I'm trying to help you this morning. John, chapter 6. Verse 60, now you know who's writing, this is the master. Perfect balance, perfect life, perfect example, perfect compassion, perfect judgment, perfect preaching, perfect God, not by faith, in the flesh. John 6, 6, 6. From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. I think he said 5,000 one time. I think he said 4,000 another time. I think he went up on the mountain and saw the multitudes holding compassion. And I think the number of the names in the Book of Acts was 120. You say you're saying this for an excuse. No, I'm giving you the Bible. And if you don't need it today, I pray you never need it. But if you make it with your perfect little group, you've got some grandchildren coming. You think it hurts now? You've got friends. You've got family. And Simon Peter answered, I think it was 67, Jesus said unto him, Will you go there also? Then Simon Peter answered, Lord, of whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Isaiah chapter 1. I'm trying to help you out with what helped me out, because you build up these unbiblical straw men. You say you're abandoning things? I'm going to hit that on the next point. But you build these unbiblical strawmen, and then when your little unbiblical strawman crumbles, your little house of card crumbles, you're devastated. Isaiah 1, 2. Isaiah 1, 2. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against So, you might not have a, what's the best batting average you could have? A thousand? You might not be batting a thousand either. You might not be bowling a 300 game either. You might not have a shutout either. First Samuel chapter 15. Now, you know that with Samuel, he did eighty percent right, like some of our kids want to do, want to get away with. I'll buy into this, and I'll buy into this, and I'll buy into this, but I'm not buying into that. And he said, verse 23, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Samuel 2.29. It's not so many times preachers preach and pray, I hope nobody needs this. This was Eli. He's addressing the priest about his rebellious sons. Orpho, Kikiat, my sacrifice, not mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation. Honest thy sons above me. He wasn't doing it, but he wasn't correcting it. Point number six, don't change the principles. Men and women, preach it, preach it. That's why we're here, preach it. Hey preacher, did you see that kid over there? What are you going to do about that? Hey preacher, did you see that girl over there with short hair and all of a sudden, what are you going to do about that? And then all of a sudden, if your son or daughter wants to roll around in the back seat, or if your son or daughter wants to come in in a funny haircut with pink ends and stuff like that, then all of a sudden, there's no love here. I've heard it a thousand times. There's no love. This is what you were aiming at, and this is why you came here. And I've seen schools and schools and schools totally immobilized because they let little teenage, weirdly colored, fleshly brats plot their course. We need more study on principle, Brother Jay, why we do what we do. It amazes me, people come to think about the ten reasons you came here, and then they just stop believing it because their kids don't like it. I think they either. I don't know what they thought. And I bet you they didn't have proofs of it behind their convictions. Why they do what they're passing when nobody else really believes? What are you doing here? I believe what I believe, and I'm not saying there's not room, forgive me for the word, for a little compromise. Listen, I'm not going to... I'm not going to lose my girls over a calico dress if the dress they have is modest. I've seen fathers insist on being a subculture in their own church and lose their kids over it. When there's no sin and no one's breaking the rules over it. Now, I said that in the context that if that's your conviction and you have biblically transcendence to support it, don't give in to the brats. I still don't believe in David. You think I'm going to let these two alone? You know what Mary's perfect problem is? She's not blessed like you do. In fact, Nate made the mistake of sitting too close to Jenna, and Pastor Thompson called him out. He said that Nate started, I don't know what you're going to do, but Nate's sitting awful close to Jenna. Oh, it was a long next two days. I heard a preacher say this. And I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he's talking to lost people. I don't care if you have a bone in your nose. If you're lost, I don't care if you have a bone in your nose either. But if you're saved, you've got to believe God kills if you have a bone in your nose. Learn not the way of the heathen, not fashioning yourselves after the former less in your conversation. Be not conformed to this. Fleshly, fleshly, look at me, look at my markings, look at my piercings, look at me now! We living in Christianity have no convictions. Believe whatever you want, and there's a church on every corner. Just come, pay your dues, and live like hell, and nobody cares. They're not going to talk to you about drinking wine. They're not going to talk to you about modesty, or what the Bible talks about. They're not going to talk about the length of a woman's hair, or what the Bible talks about. They're not going to talk about the putting on of apparel, or what the Bible talks about. They're not going to talk about doing the keeper at home, or what the Bible talks about. They're not going to talk about making out and getting caught in the flesh. We'll just go there and everything will be ok. And we'll think that God is alright with it. And He is not. And if you ever want to sit down and open the Bible, I'll show you why I believe the way I believe. I'm trying to help you. Don't change. Don't let a teenager prop your course, holding this, which without men, men shall see the men. We wonder why we've got to prop stuff up so much. Don't change. And here's a big reason not to change. Because if they ever decide, and I sat with a fellow just, I don't know, two days ago, who went out in the world. Now, you know, I'm listening to them guys now. I'm listening to second generation Christians. They went out in the world and were out there like Joe Logan, different guys like that. Tell everyone, when was your dad, like you said, it was very cordial with my dad, very civil, but there was no doubt. One mom said to a tutor that her son was shocked when his jaw dropped to the ground, and she said, You're not welcome here if you're living like this. A day later he called and said, I'm done with this. She said he expected that from his dad. Listen, they've got to have something to come back to. What if the proud of their father, Brother Greg, would have said, You know what? Let's just make this farm a pig pen. In fact, you know what? I'll give you a few bucks more and you can ride in a sled right here under our roof so I won't lose my entrance. You know what ends up? What ends up with 50% of those that went out and followed their kids, now they're living in a pig pen. And if they wanted to come back, What are they going to come back to? Don't let a teenager dot your course. Keep your principles. Have grace. Have mercy. But listen, if someone is drowning, if you know anything about rescuing, which I don't, but I know you just don't dive in with someone that can't swim, because you'd be drowned in the both of you. You've got to turn to lifeline. You've got to maintain your principles. You've got no one to say, I can't cross over this line. Listen, others are watching. I'm sorry for you that have told the line that the ungodly gets so much attention. We're not fasting. I'm out. We're not fasting for the good kids on Wednesdays. Which is another point, thank God it will help you miss a meal, because the guy that had the problem with his son, he said, this can't go without my prayer and fasting. I'm sorry that you hear so much, but I'll tell you what, Jesus Christ, he said he's worried more about that one lost sheep than those ninety and nine that need no repentance. But if you start living in a pig pen and thinking, man, if we just start grooving with them and compromising with them, then maybe we can get that one and the other ones are going to say, midstream? You can teach grace and you can teach compromise that's not unscriptural and love, but you're going to do a greater disservice to those that remain. trying to win their love, because some good ones are going to say, you're a hypocrite, what do you believe? It won't help us. Decide upon who you love most. Thank God for help of your critical spirit. Isn't this a blessing? Examine the source of your peace. Remember loved ones have a choice. Better than yours have had bad results. Don't change your principles. And this is my favorite. Don't forget to access the One. Eric will never refuse desperate parents. I think there's one, two, three, four, five cases. Sir! There's not a man in there, Roger, that can't serve. But man and master, hey, sir! Come down or my child dies! It is a lunatic! You know what Jesus did? At the time he came down. God have mercy on my son. Master, I have brought him to be my son, which I have a bent spirit. He can't seem to hear anything the preacher is saying, his parents are saying, his good friends are saying. Oh, would you have mercy? He didn't have a bent spirit when Jesus left. Master, I have ascension upon my son, for he is my only child. You know that woman of Canaan, where Jesus said that we don't take the bread and give it to the dogs? You know what? That whole thing was over. My daughter has grievously asked for the devil. Well, I'm sorry, we're outside of our dispensation of brackets right now, so you'll have to wait. So my daughter grievously crumb that falls from your table. So I know that praying is not in vain, and all the promises you give are not in vain. Go that way, woman. Heal the daughter. How do I say this? That's a hard thing to say, but I guess I have to say it in the Spirit. If you'll apply that, you might come to the place where you wouldn't trade it. You wouldn't trade an answer to your prayers for the closeness and the communion that you have with the One. when you're desperate. Which brings me to the next point. It's the fellowship of the sufferings. By the way, your source of peace is Gregor Jenkins. Loved ones have a choice is Gregory Logan. And this one belongs to Mrs. Quatro about 15 years ago. What did Jesus suffer for? people's sins. I was always afraid to pray, Brother Tim, Lord, I want the power of your resurrection. And I'd steal a small voice and say, well, finish the verse. What about the fellowship of the sufferings? I don't like pain. When you do the day's suffering for someone else's sins, you will gain a communion You will gain an understanding, you will gain a grace and a mercy that you will gain no other way. That's how you can be thankful in everything. I'm not thankful because somebody is sinning, but I can be thankful in it. Why? Because when I'm weak, then am I strong. Right where He wants us. Crawling real low. Luke 15. Verse 17, And then he came to himself. How long was he out there? And you theologians know? You don't. Because God didn't put it in there for your sake and for mine. Point number nine. It isn't over yet. You're going to throw in the towel now? You're going to quit now? You're going to give in your principle now? You're going to trash your convictions now? You're going to leave the church now? It's not over yet. Now, I'm going to give some of you a warning, you young people that are considering. I'll just go out for a while, just for a while, let the Amish do it. What do they call it? Anyone know what that German word is? Yeah, that one. Maybe that's why there's so much molesting and incest in the Amish community, because they let them go out and taste it. Let's see, what do we have for those that said, I'll just go out for a while. Divorce, sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancy, depression, addiction, fornication, adultery, jail, and not one has returned. With that said, parents, it's not over. The other day I met a fellow missionary in Haiti by the name of Fred Wall, and I was at a preaching conference, the Word for the World conference, and his son was there. Oh, man, father-son team. I love this. You know, it's Manitera, it's Xander, it's Schwader, and I get talking to this guy. He was 40 years old. The missionary candidates were going to Haiti. He was in the world for twenty years. Man, he got up and gave his testimony and sobbed over what he put his father through. So, I was an old man now. Listen, it's not over. Keep going. I spoke pastor Polk's message on I took the point out for this, but I put it in. It's not always about winning, Brother Jay. It's about fighting. Listen, I sat in that chair over there, and I don't know when you preached that message. I think it might have been February or March, but I was done. I was looking at properties in two different cities. I had an offer of being a staff evangelist, which is really nice because you have no responsibilities. You just preach once in a while, and then you go on the road and take meetings. And we discussed it as a family, and my kids, they didn't want that. But I really felt disqualified to be in this kind of church and the shape I was in. That night, I think that was the crown choir sang, and I look at my Debra, and maybe it was Anna, I remember seeing Debra's face just looking up. And God said, you know, take them away from what they love. And that night he went and preached on Agadi. And rang in my ears, it's not about winning, it's about fighting. I went home and watched that video. I've watched it a hundred times since. I haven't prayed for seven days. I was out there with the Lord, but I felt like Job's friends. I was so frustrated. I got up and said, what's the use? And I was just silent. And then, looming after that message, my cords rang again. And I got a phone like that from a guy with a father, which I think was worried, and said, man, this guy won't go down. Keep fighting. That was the beginning of my recovery. And what I heard from Brother Jenkins a month ago, about where you get your peace, man. It certainly puts some great icing on the cake, and maybe that's why all this thing came together. And I pray it could help you. Revelation 21. It's not over. In fact, If I look around, I'm looking around a few right now that your parents who were out there in that world, that grew up in a Christian home, were out there in that world and they're sitting here today. It's not over. Revelation chapter 21, verse 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. Man, that's hard to say. Young person, if you go to hell, you'll hear something that we'll enter in heaven now, and it's a memory. And the sad truth is that you and I may have to carry heartache to our grave in spite of singing the songs of Zion, in spite of preaching on the streets, in spite of raising these other good kids on our birthdays. There may always be a longing, aching, and agony in your heart. But one day it will be gone forever. Luke 14. You say, That's not very comforting. It will be then, because heaven wouldn't be heaven without it. If you want to go to hell, go ahead. But I tell you, if there is such a thing as a lowest hell, and I believe there is degrees of hell, and you study that in your Bible, if you were raised in this church and you did a hell, you'd burn in the lowest hell, don't doubt it. and hate not his Father, and we're not going to go in there right now, but it's not putting God first, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters. Yea, in his own life also he cannot be my disciple. Daniel chapter 3 verse 18, 17. You know the story of the Hebrew children who go in the furnace. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver that one that you lose sleep over and you lose hair over and you lose weight over and you lose health over. and you lose peace over from the burning fiery furnace. And he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, be it known unto thee, Devil, be it known unto thee, Brethren, be it known unto thee, Be it known unto thee, daughter, be it known unto thee, mom, be it known unto thee, dad, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Jesus was here before they were here, and that is a difficult thing when I can see them and touch them and hold them and hear from them. Man, it's difficult to really have to make a choice to hang on to what I can't see and I can't hear and I can't feel outside of here. But with his help, I will and I hope you will. Bradley, why don't you come? This is what I want you to do for the invitation today. I want you to just come and be honest and drop the pretense. Say, Liv, I hope I never have to choose. Let's stand between my children and you, but with your help, I'll make the right choice. You know, I've seen a great Tragedy when our children make bad choices, strain between good parents. Maybe you see it different on how to handle this, or maybe you blame it the way mom was, or the way dad was. Maybe you just need to watch out and say, Lord, I got rejected. Get the hell out of here! I need help, Lord. Dan, thank you for helping my critical spirit, Lord. I will say how I am heaven-prideful and puffed up about my family and my church and my ways and my standards. Thank you for keeping me there, Lord. The children still little? I'm not going to sit up here and say, you just wait. I pray that wouldn't be the case. Maybe you dedicated them But maybe you've never dedicated yourself to say, Lord, if they choose and there's not a one left, I won't leave you for that has been the age of eternal life. You are my first lamp. Maybe come and pray for those grandchildren that aren't here yet. They may come and cry one more time to the one that never refused, a desperate parent. Young people, healed with the anointing approved and hardened at this neck, shall be destroyed suddenly and without remedy. It's real. Go ahead, God.