Come with me to the second Thessalonians this morning. A whole second letter to the Thessalonians. Got to thinking early in the week this week and been kind of chasing it all week. I thought first we're certainly blessed people which we are. In that we don't have as much persecution as a lot of people in the world. Certainly man, if he be godly in Christ Jesus he's going to suffer persecution in this life. And these things just kept turning over in my head this week and I said well I don't know whether that's a blessing or not. Trials and tribulations, persecutions are what make the church strong. So maybe it's not a blessing. Maybe we're being left alone. We don't suffer much of it. in our land today. Then I got thinking about in the day when the Roman government was in power and they were persecuting the Church, the Apostle Paul himself was out with the orders from headquarters to go out and even kill them. And many were killed. We have count several, and there have been many over the years, and certainly persecution is still there, but not in the same sense. We have law. We have some law and order, and I speak often of law. You can't remove the law. You can't take it away. And certainly it's of God. So we have somewhat. of peace about that in our land, which I can't decide whether it's a blessing or a cursing. Could be either one. But they would have you believe today that everything is wonderful, but Judeo-Christian Activity has gotten stronger and stronger, and most religious people today believe that they are the same thing. They are so closely related that they could fellowship one with another, and they do. They don't have any problem with that. Their religions are the same. But false religion is what persecuted the church to start with. They were religious. They were the elite of the religious of the world of that day, that they went out and persecuted. But it made the church grow stronger and stronger. And then I say again that that may be a curse upon us, not without design, you understand. It ought to cause us to take notice. Certainly the people that are against our belief are very active, and they will try to teach you their doctrine. I don't think it does a lot of good to argue over it if the Spirit doesn't come. and give a man a different heart, then you can't argue it out of him. Let's read a few verses here, starting in verse 4. He said, So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you induce. And I just said, in this day, when the Apostle Paul was writing this to this church, persecutions were many because of the power of the government of that day. And the government was a religion. or it was so closely related that you couldn't divide them. We talk about separation of church and state in our day. But they were so closely related that you couldn't divide it to know which was church and which was government. And I use that word church in that sense loosely. But they were suffering. many persecutions. All these things certainly were to make them strong. When I'm weak, I'm made strong. So it was to make them stronger. In verse 5, he said, which is, all these persecutions, tribulations, which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God. Now they'd have you believe today that Jesus disloves everybody and He'd like for you to really do good and not suffer anything. You know, just be at peace. Sit down on your knees and be at peace because God disloves you that much. But you know what that is? It's a lack of love. If they don't understand the love of God, if they understand it like they understand it, then it's not love at all. It definitely is a curse. The Lord cursed the ground for man's sake. Well, we're in this world. The people of God are in this world. And these things are brought on that they might strengthen the church. This is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer." Well, it doesn't sound like what's being taught today, called not having suffered. You ought to be at ease. If you get sick, last thing we're going to do is pray for you. We're going to have fun raising. Having one up at Love Lady, Texas this morning, today. First Baptist Church. I don't much believe in them, but them churches up in our area, they believe that's secure and everything. We will overcome, they said, by our own power. And I'm thinking if that fella needs help and he's your church member, he's a member of you, you ought to just go out there and get in your pocket and try to help him. I'll have a fundraiser. at this more religious activity in the name of God. And they're teaching that in their activity. We see it all around us. And once again, I can tell you that we that believe the things that we believe, they'd rise up against you in a minute and offer you much persecution and tribulation if it were possible. But when I examine these things, the Lord brings these things on that he might strengthen the church, and they are by design. Now, I pored over this some this week, and there are many cases, many things you could look at about tribulation, persecution, those things. or the righteous judgment of God. I looked once again in my old commentary, and when they talk about judgment, that thing is just crazy. They always want to look to the great throne of judgment, white throne of judgment, at the end time. Listen, if we're not living under the judgment of God today, it's not going to do you any good to get to that final day of judgment. The Lord is judging. He is the righteous judge. He can do nothing else. Certainly I don't pray for more persecution, but I wonder about it sometimes, if we're not being left alone in this country. You know, we've got down to such a small group, until these people that would preach adversely to you, they think that you're not any threat. They don't hold you as being somebody. Or you just got an old religion that, you know, is old. It's of the Old Testament. Not of the New Testament. We in New Age. My Bible, though, said every day is the same with the Lord. It don't change. He don't change. It's the same old thing. Philippians, the first chapter. We're just going to run down a few things here. Verse 27, there is always consolation, even in times of tribulation. because God keeps his people. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come to see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries. Now let me tell you that's what this mixing of religions is today. It's getting to be more and more so adversarial. And if they've considered you to be a threat, they will rise up against you. I've seen a little bit of it myself. My man would have, he'd have jumped on me a minute if he'd have thought he could. So I know a little bit about it. He said, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you a salvation. He said, look, that's what this thing is. On the one side, it's one thing, and on the other side, it is your salvation, these things that you suffer. And it didn't end there in that of God. These things come of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." So if there isn't any suffering, then there isn't any salvation. Because the salvation of God brings on suffering, and the chief example we have is Christ Jesus himself. So there must be suffering. Also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which he saw in me and now here to be in me, so that we may all be alike. We are all in the same boat as far as that is concerned. If you are not in that, then you are not in anything. All the religions of the world are just hocus-pocus stuff. Men are dreamers, you understand. And they write book after book after book based upon their dreams and call it truth. There isn't any truth in them. None whatsoever. Do you understand the truth? And these things can't match up. They're not compatible. You can't put the two together. They just oppose. And they're enemies of Christ. Man, you can call yourself a Jew if you want to in the worldly sense. I don't want to be one of them kind. If you're not of the Jewish faith of the Lord, then you're outside of it. I don't want to be no Judeo-Christian. I want to be the furthest thing from that. In the Psalms, the psalmist, if you really look, he had so much say. Chapter 35. I guess about the 11th verse, he said false witnesses did rise up. Things hadn't changed, had they? Same thing. They laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good for the spoiling of my soul. Man, they'll put you in hell. Yeah, in a minute. Matter of fact, they'll go all the way around the world and make one prospect. You understand, they're busy. They're active. More and more every day. Of course, we're told that that's what's going to happen. Things are going to wax worse and worse. So don't be surprised. They reward me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul, but as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily as one that mourned for his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered themselves together. Here he is worrying over them, and they're having a party. and gathered themselves together. Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me and I knew it not. They did tear me and cease not. They just kept on. With hypocritical mockers and feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. You know what was biting at him? their religion. All the time they'd say, look at you. You silly little old things, y'all out there, look at you, look at you. Just a handful of you. Y'all don't know nothing. Y'all ought to get with the program. Lord, how long will thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation. I will praise thee among much people. In the 40th chapter of the Book of Job, I found something interesting. I guess we begin by verse 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said, I guess this needs a little explanation before we go on. His friends were there trying to console him. And they kept telling him what he'd been doing wrong. You've done this and you've done that and you've done... This is the reason. This is the reason these things are happening unto you. Now, certainly in me and Job, these things were happening unto Job that he might have a perfect vision of the Lord. He couldn't see. But finally it got down to where the Lord asked Job, he said, Who is this Elihu that's telling you all this stuff without knowledge? So then he's going to go over some things with Joe. And certainly Joe, it seemed like, was kind of leaning toward the idea that, well, maybe he could do a better job of making judgment or bringing justice. Might do things a little different. And certainly that was what was being told to him, that you ought to be doing things different. So here, we'll go on. Behold, I am vile, and what shall I answer thee? Thy Lord is speaking to him, and he's going to have to answer. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once I have spoken, but I will not answer him. He's getting a little wiser already. Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me." In other words, Job, if you think that you can do any of this thing, go ahead, get up, and get ready so that you can show me. But then these things the Lord is going to tell them Job can't show. Wilt thou also disavow my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hath thou an arm like God? Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency, and array thyself with glory and beauty. Just see if you can do this. That's what he's telling me. Just see if you can do this. His old friends have been telling him he could. Do you understand? And it wasn't anything, but they was just there persecuting and tormenting Job to no end. But you know what was good for Job? He comes to this point where the Lord now is going to talk to him in a more personal, He said, "'Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold, every one that is proud and abasing. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place.'" Now, we might turn this around and say, this is what the Lord will do. He's going to take care of you. You know, he executes judgment. in a manner that can't be refuted. It can't be answered. And it really, listen, it really can't be understood. That's what a lot of what I've taught over this week. And it's a good thing we don't know. The Lord and all His wisdom don't show us what's going to happen tomorrow. We might all just jump up and run off, pray, scared. But these things that come, they come on day by day, little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept. So we get these things kind of slowly along. The Lord doesn't bring on more than man can endure. He doesn't bring on more that he can't get him out of. Look on every one that is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place, hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. Well, if you can do all these things, sugar, and that's what they're saying today at the camp, you see the religion that his old friends from down at the First Baptist Church come down there telling him was the very same thing that they're trying to tell us today. You're sick. And the reason is because you don't know God. You try and tell us he's somebody else. We know he's just love, that's it. But listen, first place, they don't know what love is, because God has left them alone to their own imagination. Yes, Job, if you could do these things, then you would save yourself. But you can't do it. Job knew all the time. When God went talking to him like this and asking him these questions, or putting it to him like he was putting it to him, he didn't have any rebuttal at all. He bowed down, sure enough. Book of Ecclesiastes. In the 7th chapter, verse 2, it's better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men. This merriment that's going on in all this religious stuff is their end. Their end. And the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, but by the sadness of the countenance of the heart it's made better. That's the reason the Lord brings these things. Or we'd get lifted up in ourselves and begin to think we know all these things, too. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of murder. It's better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song Now the surety of it is here, for as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity." So these things are not by accident, but by design. If a church doesn't suffer any tribulation or persecution, then it's not church at all. Because you must, you must, must, to enter in. And Christ was given for our example. It must suffer. If it don't suffer, there isn't anything in it. Don't let them tell you that things are going to get better and better. That's what they're trying to say. We're fixing to fix it. We're going all into the world teaching this gospel. And you know what the gospel is? It's the gospel of the devil. That's what they're teaching. But they won't stop at any measure. They're going to make prophets of the last all the way around the world. It's similar to the preaching of the gospel. It's going to go all the way through the world, too. But it's going to go with power. It won't be limited. It's going to save those whom the Lord has decided. I'll have mercy on whom I will, and whom I will unhurt. He said he wouldn't pray for more tribulation or persecution. It's one thing you don't have to pray for. If you live godly in this present world, you don't have to worry about it because they're going to give it to you. Why? Because the world is diametrically opposed to God, and they can't get to God, what do they do? Next best thing, they persecute his body, which is the church. So you don't have to worry about that. It will come in its time. But J.T. is right to a great degree. We attribute this so little persecution to the fact that we live in a country that has laws against it. But they can persecute you and they do persecute you in a much more subtle way. And he's right too. If it weren't for that law, you might be surprised how often that you'd be called on to defend your very body if you could. But we do have examples of that. When we were over in San Antonio, there was a Hispanic lady, I call her Mexican, but I guess that's offensive to some people. But this Mexican lady joined our church. She and three of her daughters, her husband remained a Catholic. And her husband died. And this lady wanted me to preach at his funeral. Well the family insisted that the old Catholic priest officiate there too. So the old priest though didn't know I was going to be involved in it so I was at the funeral home, services were held at the funeral home, and I could tell that funeral director he was nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof. And I couldn't figure out why. Well here comes walking this old priest and that funeral director then told him that I was going to be involved in it. And that old priest, he started cursing. And I mean he ranted and raved around there and like J.T. said if he could he would have cast me into hell right then and there. But it's the hatred that they have toward the truth. And who knows what may be coming down the road. That's the reason again though we need the Lord speak to our hearts today.