All right, Isaiah chapter six here this afternoon. Isaiah chapter six, Isaiah's vision of the Lord. Let me just say while you're turning there, I do not believe this is Isaiah's call to the prophetic ministry because in chapter one and verse one, This statement was made, the vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. So as we understand this, Isaiah's ministry started in the days of King Uzziah, not at the time of King Uzziah's death. So what we see here in Isaiah chapter six is essentially a recommissioning of Isaiah's ministry to a special assignment from the Lord. Notice, with that in mind, notice in verses one and following, it says, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims, each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips. and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me. Notice again at the start of this chapter says, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. I remind you that as I've mentioned before, King Uzziah reigned over Judah for 52 years, But also we have to remember that in the last years of his life, he essentially co-reigned with his son because he had presumptuously in pride gone into the temple and tried to offer incense on the altar. And I remind you that 81 priests confronted him and said, this does not belong to you, get out. And even as he was standing there angry with the priest, remember the leprosy came on his forehead and he died a leper. So a prosperous reign ended in that way because of his presumptuous pride. In this context, then, at the time when King Uzziah died, it's going to be, of course, a tumultuous time in the nation of Judah as kings transfer from one to another. Notice Isaiah is given a life-changing vision of the Lord. I want to remind you that we cannot see Jesus Christ with our physical eyes. For us to say, well, yeah, I saw the Lord sitting on high, No, we can only do that through eyes of faith because we understand in 1 Peter 1, whom having not seen ye love. And I believe that these accounts in Scripture are preserved for us so that through the eyes of faith, we also can have a life-changing meeting with the Lord. What I think is very interesting as I read and study through Scripture, I see many accounts, many situations where somebody was given the opportunity to see the Lord. And of course, God doesn't need to give us visions anymore, again, because we have the inspired, preserved words. But I think of the example of Jacob in Genesis 32. Remember, Esau is coming with 400 men. And as far as Jacob is concerned, Esau is coming to destroy him and his family as he's returning home after 20 years. And it says the night before he met up with Jacob, or with Esau, I should say, Jacob wrestled, there wrestled a man with him. And as you understand, Hosea and so on, that was the Lord himself. And he said, I saw God face to face and his life was spared. But Jacob left changed with that. In fact, he even had a limp the rest of his life as the Lord had touched the hollow of his thigh. Also, I think of Job. Remember, Job is presented in the book of Job as a very righteous man. But as we saw, as he was constantly harassed and having friends, so-called, constantly trying to find fault with him, he became very self-righteous in his self-defense. And it says in Genesis 38 to 42 that Job had a chance to see the Lord in a whirlwind. Of course, the Lord asked him, where were you when I created all these things of the earth? And in chapter 40 and 42, Job, before God says, woe is me, I've seen thee. It's like, woe is me, I'm undone. Same response, very similar response to Isaiah. I think of Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to say, so he says, Lord, we'll build three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. He didn't know what to say. They were overwhelmed. And Peter even mentions this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2 Peter 1, the time when they saw the Lord's glory on the mount. I think also of Saul of Tarsus. Of course, he's persecuting, the church at Jerusalem and chasing down, hunting down Christians who spread after this persecution. And of course we understand the story on the road to Damascus and Acts chapter nine. He saw the Lord, who art thou Lord? And he says, I am Jesus whom thou persecute us. Saul of Tarsus stopped persecuting the church. He was a changed man as he met the Lord in all his glory. And I also think of the apostle John, the Isle of Patmos. Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. So when you understand that there was a special love relationship that the other disciples apparently did not experience, closeness with the Lord, that John experienced, and yet when John saw the Lord in his glorious state on the Isle of Patmos, it says he fell down as one dead. I remind you that every time you see somebody meeting the Lord in a vision, they are responding in such a way, woe is me, woe is me. How long has it been since we've had a life changing meeting with God? Do we just kind of go through the motions of reading the Bible, even reading Isaiah six? Oh, well, you know, that's that's pretty interesting. Isaiah had a chance to see the Lord. Or do we, through the eyes of faith, say, I need an experience with the Lord, I need a closer relationship with the Lord. Notice it says in verse one in the year that King Uzziah died. So a trying time as far as as far as Judah is concerned. Notice this phrase, this grabs my attention every time I read this. I saw, what's the next word? I saw also the Lord. Here's what happens with looking at the news and all those kinds of things in our day. We look at the news and we see all the problems of this world. If we only focus on the problems of this world, we're going to be depressed and all of that. Here's the reality. Here's what we need to see through the eyes of faith. We need to not only see what's going on in our world around us, but we must also see the Lord and see that he is still seated on the throne. It's been a while since I've said this. So just remind us the Lord is not pacing heaven, nervously biting his nails, wondering what to do with the problems of this world. He's not nervous. He's seated on a throne high and lifted up when the transfer of kings took place in Judah. a time of uncertainty, the Lord is still seen sitting on a throne high and lifted up. And notice here it says the Lord, it's not all capital letters in our King James Bible, that means it's Adonai. He is Lord, he's seated on a throne. In fact, Psalm 110 verse one talks about the fact that he's going to be seated on a throne until he makes his enemies his footstool. So do we also see the Lord sitting on his throne high and lifted up and the train, notice, the train fills the temple. This speaks of His royal robe. I want you to notice with me John chapter 12. John gives us a commentary on this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. While you're turning there, Isaiah 57, 15 says, For thus saith the High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. He is not just Holy, His name is, capital H, Holy. I dwell in the high and holy place with Him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Notice now John 12, verse 37. As we see here, this commentary, as far as the response Jesus was getting, but though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him. That the saying of Esaias, the prophet, might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? That's Isaiah 53, verse 1. Therefore they could not believe, because then Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Notice verse 41, These things said Esaias, said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. When he saw his glory, speaks of Isaiah chapter 6. Notice it says back in Isaiah 6 verse 2, as he sees the Lord high and lifted up, and his train is filling the temple here, his royal robe, it says in verse 2, above the throne stood the seraphims. Now pay attention to the position of the seraphims. There's different types of angels found in Scripture. Here we see that the seraphims are above the throne, and it says each one had six wings. With Twain he covered his face, in humility. With Twain he covered his feet. And notice with Twain he did fly. reverence and humility before God. But also you notice with two of their six wings, they swiftly fly. And I believe this is to carry out the worship of the Lord. So we see here that the seraphims are positioned above God's throne. The cherubims, of course, guard God's throne. That's why the mercy seat and so on have cherubim, their wings touch above the mercy seat. Revelation 4, you have four beasts with six wings. First of all, it says they're in the midst of the throne and around about the throne. So we see different positionings of these different angels as far as scripture is concerned. Psalm 104, verse four says, who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a, notice, flaming fire. As I've read some of this, seraphims, apparently from the Hebrew word and so on, speaks of a fiery appearance. So, Psalm 104, verse 4, may be a reference to the seraphims, as they may have a fiery appearance. So again, we have this humility and reverence before God and swift service in carrying out the worship of God. Notice then in verse 3, it says, And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. their whole duty apparently is to be above the throne of God and they're crying out one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy. Why three times? His name is called Holy, Isaiah 57, 15. But notice the seraphim are calling out three times in relation to this. And I believe very clearly we see it's because of the triune Godhead, as even we'll see in a moment here. Notice we have Revelation chapter four, Revelation chapter four. I believe this is the same scene that Isaiah is given. I just want to highlight a few verses here. Revelation chapter 4. We've seen this a few times, but I want you to see here, again, as we see in verse 1, John is called up to heaven in the Spirit. It says in verse 2, immediately, I was in the Spirit. And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. I remind you, the Bible very clearly says that God the Son is seated next to the right hand of majesty on high, the right hand of majesty. So one sat on the throne. As you look at the description here, we don't see a similitude. He doesn't look like a man. He doesn't look like an animal of any kind or whatever. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats. And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices." This is very similar to some of the things that Ezekiel saw as well. And notice there were seven lamps of fire burning. This is the verse that I mentioned this morning in relation to the Spirit of God. seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. Before the throne, there was a sea of glass like unto crystal. In the midst of the throne and round about the throne were the four beasts full of eyes before and behind." And then in chapter five, we even see that the Lord Jesus is in the midst of the throne. It says in verse four, when it was announced that no man was found, Verse 4 of Revelation 5, I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. One of the elders saith unto me, Weep not, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals. And notice as John looks at the throne, he says, And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, remember, God the Son, even though he has flesh for all of eternity, All clear into the eternal future. He's still in the midst of the throne. He's still one with God the Father. And of the four beasts and the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And of course, again, we see this throne that is set. They're seated in heaven there. As you go back to Isaiah chapter six, Again, they're crying out one to another. And then it says in verse four, in fact, their message, the rest of the message. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. He's the Lord Jehovah of the hosts, the armies of heaven. And notice the whole earth is full of his glory. Very Psalms will address that. Notice it says here in verse four, the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke. Now, Amos 1.1 talks about the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah. I do not believe that's the same shaking here. It's not caused by the earthquake because of the difference in timing. But notice it says, the posts of the door were moved at the voice of him that cried. Who is crying? As you go back to verse three, it says, one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. So as the seraphim are crying out one to another, it says, the posts of the door, I'm assuming of the temple, it says, moved at the voice of him that cried. And notice the house was filled with smoke. Now, it's very interesting as you look at this idea of the smoke here. I believe this is the Lord's glory. It says in Revelation 15, verse eight, the temple in heaven was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. Now, this is why I believe that in many cases, Satan has his counterfeit. I keep saying Satan has his counterfeit of everything related to God. Why? Because he wants to be like the most high. Even as far as this glory cloud of the Lord. And in fact, when you look at Isaiah and Ezekiel, we see that Lucifer wanted to exalt himself above the stars of God, above the clouds. And what's he talking about? It's a reference to God's glory. He wanted to be exalted above God's glory. Revelation 15, eight again, tells us, talks about the smoke again from the glory of God and from his power. So when we think about these rock music concerts having smoke on the platform. That is a devilish counterfeit as literally the devil is seeking worship. So when I understand this smoke, I believe it's God's glory, his glory cloud. And we see that throughout scripture. God's glory cloud is revealed. God's glory needs to be praised. It says in verse five, Then it's like, wow. Notice that's not Isaiah's response. That's the wrong W word. He does not say, wow, this is amazing. That's the attitude of so-called rock concerts in churches today. Wow, isn't our God amazing? That's not the right response. Woe is me. When we see God as he is through the eyes of faith in scripture, Notice, I am not undone. As we see references in scripture, I am unworthy, I am not worthy. So first of all, we see this sense of conviction. How long has it been since we've experienced the convicting work of the Holy Spirit of God? First of all, conviction, woe is me. Also this moral anguish, for I am undone, I'm doomed. This moral anguish as he stands before the Holy God. And notice then also confession of sin. Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. First of all, you notice he's not pointing the finger at anyone. He deals with his sin first. Again, there's no hypocrisy here. He says, I am a man of unclean lips. This confession of his sin. Notice specific sin is confessed. Notice Matthew chapter 12. How many times do we really stop and think about our words being a reflection of our hearts? Matthew chapter 12, notice verse 34. Oh, generation of... He's talking to religious leaders here, remember? Oh, generation of vipers, how can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. They're like poisonous serpents. because of the wicked heart that they have that's coming out of their mouth. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you that every idle word, every casual, hasty, thoughtless word, every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. The thoughtless words that we just casually say that come from our wicked hearts, our deceitful hearts, as the Bible calls us, says we have. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Also chapter 15, verse 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. The context of this is eating with so-called defiled hands. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man. But to eat with unwashing hands defileth not a man. As we think about what Isaiah says here, I am a man of unclean lips. And he says, I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For us, it might be unclean thoughts, whatever. But notice he's specific as he confesses his sin before a holy God. Then notice it says the reason why he's experiencing this conviction in moral language is because he's seen, his eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Do we recognize Jesus Christ as King of our lives? Do we recognize him as the Lord of hosts? It's a serious thing to oppose the King of heaven. Notice verse six and seven then, Isaiah's cleansing. It says, then flew one of the seraphims unto me. All right, remember, apparently from scripture, they have a fiery appearance about them. One of the seraphims flew unto Isaiah, having, notice this statement, a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. A live coal. Now, I don't recommend ever trying this because it might scar your lips for the rest of your life, but imagine, somebody grilling and have some live coals, and it touching your lips, it's going to be painful. Notice there's a painful process of this cleansing. It's taken with the tongs from off the altar. Hebrews 13.10 talks about the fact that we have an altar that the world does not experience, and the altar in that context relates to the Lord Jesus. It says, He laid it upon his mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. First of all, again, it was not until confession that he experienced this cleansing. If we confess our sins, remind you again that confession is, I see it as God sees it. How does God see our sin? He nailed his son to the cross. That's how God sees our sin. Proverbs 28, 13 says, he that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Are we truly confessing our sins? When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So again, this live coal touched his lips. True confession and cleansing will be painful. It's never pleasant to admit that we've been wrong, especially before a holy God. It's never pleasant to realize that we've been a fool, whatever the case may be. True confession and cleansing will be painful. I really believe that in many cases we have this confession booth mentality. I'm sorry, God. I know I'm going to do it again. I keep messing up. Where's the forsaking? Iniquity. It's taken away, not rationalized away. Isaiah does not rationalize away his sin. You know, I just constantly have an unclean mouth, Lord. No, his sin, his iniquity, I should say, is taken away. And notice, thy sin purged. I want you to understand, again, the cleansing. And even as you read, I'm sorry, Psalm 51, we see some of the same statements that David makes after he acknowledged his sin after being silent for a year. Notice verse eight. Also, so after he's cleansed, had cleansing from his sin of confessing his sins. Now he's able to hear the voice of the Lord again. I heard the voice of the Lord saying unto me, again, Adonai, Lord, Master, whom shall I send? This is the Lord speaking. Whom shall I send, singular, and who will go for us, plural. That's it, I hear my, send me. You notice again, this triune Godhead we see is in counsel here. So after Isaiah experiences cleansing from his confessed sin, unclean lips, he's able to hear the Lord saying, whom shall I send and who will go for us? And notice he volunteers, he surrenders, here am I, send me. See, that's when he said, no, that's not when he started his ministry. This is when he was commissioned for this difficult task, the ministry he's going to, hear about in verses nine through 13. Notice verse nine through 13. I want to read through this so we get an overview of it, and we'll go back and dig into it verse by verse. And he said, go tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not. See ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see, notice, see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord, Jehovah, notice again the different names for the Lord that are used in this passage here, the Lord, have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return and shall be eaten. as a teal tree and as an oak, whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves. So the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. Now, first of all, I want you to notice here that he says, Here am I, send me. So first of all, we see that there's no procrastination. Lord, I will go when. He says, Here am I, send me. Lord, when you do this, I will go. No procrastination. He's not putting it off. Notice also there's no excuses. Lord, I can't go because, even as Moses tried to give all his excuses in Exodus 3 and 4, what was the end result of that? It says the Lord was angry with Moses. And that happened especially when Moses said, Lord, you have the wrong man. Why don't you send who? The Lord says, I'm already talking to the one I'm sending. The Lord became very angry at Moses because of his excuses. Also, there's no conditions. Here am I, send me, Lord. I will go if you do this. Let's read Luke chapter nine. The Lord dealt with excuses in his earthly ministry. Delayed discipleship as it's sometimes called. Luke chapter 9, verse 51. I'm sorry, verse 57. It came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. But there must be strings attached because of Jesus' answer here. So as Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. I don't have a place to lay my head. You're going to follow me? Are you willing to give up everything you have if necessary? And he said unto another, follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. So here's this delayed discipleship. Jesus said unto him, let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. Notice, delayed going, following the Lord. Another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go and bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. I believe the Lord knows our excuses. The Lord knows the conditions we offer. As we go back to Isaiah 6, notice verse 9, here's the commission that the Lord is giving Isaiah here. He said, go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. So I want you to understand that Isaiah is surrendering to go for the Lord without even knowing what's going to be expected of him, and even the kind of results he's going to get from his ministry. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." I want you to think this is similar to the days of Noah. Noah preached for 120 years, and he had his family get on the ark with him. He was a preacher of righteousness. I can understand a little bit. Here's a preacher of righteousness preaching 120 years, and he only gets his family on the ark? I'm sure he was thankful for that. But the fruit of 120 years. I've thought of missionaries every time I read this passage. Some missionaries that experienced years before they would see the first convert to Christ. Here's three examples that I'm aware of. Robert Morrison, six years in China before his first convert to Christ. Adoniram Judson, six years in Burma, foray to convert to Christ. William Carey, seven years in India. He's now known as the father of modern missions. But I've said this so many times, I wonder how many independent Baptist churches would have dropped the support of Robert Morrison. Adoniram Judson, a Baptist, by the way. William Carey, a Baptist. I wonder how many independent Baptist churches today would have dropped their support for lack of response on the field. You know, in fact, I had a pastor tell me this. We want to make sure that our missionary dollars are being wisely invested when we're in Hawaii. I can assure you, we did not see multitudes of people getting saved. We had two Buddhist temples on our part of the Big Island. Low population, but we had two Buddhist temples on our part of the island. Let alone Southern Baptists and various conglomeration of religions. And every once in a while, I, even yet to this day, keep hearing about other weird religions that are popping up in Hawaii. Well, we want to make sure our missionary dollars are being wisely invested. I wonder how many churches and pastors would have dropped their support for missionaries like that. I told you, I've seen the other side of that. Raise your hand if you prayed that prayer. No one's ever dealing with them to make sure they understood the gospel. Isaiah wasn't gonna get much response. He wasn't gonna have 3,000 people saved on the day of Pentecost like Peter experienced. He wasn't going to see an entire city like Jonah saw, other preachers and prophets of God. Notice Isaiah's message was to dull their senses. I really believe what we see here, this message of condemnation, was to produce judicial blindness on the part of the people. What I think is very interesting is this passage is quoted six times in the New Testament. Notice they had an inability because their unbelief and wickedness. Notice verse 11 and 12. Then I said, Lord, how long? How long am I supposed to continue prophesying this message? He answered, until the cities be wasted. without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate." Here's an interesting question to consider. Did Isaiah ever see that? Was Isaiah alive when the Babylonian captivity, destruction of Jerusalem took place? Notice Isaiah physically would not be able to see the result of his message, but his prophecy would continue until this point. Verse 12, and the Lord hath removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. What I think is very interesting is the message continues on even after the prophet was dead. Isaiah died during the time of Hezekiah's reign, long before Judah was destroyed. Notice, a great forsaking in the midst of the land. Here's verse 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, So what's the it? As you look in the context, tell this people, it says in verse nine, so the people of the land, in it shall be a tent, in this nation shall be a tent, and it shall return, and it shall be eaten, it shall be consumed. Babylon, the Grecian Seleucids, and Rome. So the remnant that returns would be eaten or consumed, even as we saw in 70 AD, as far as Matthew 24. And notice, as a teal tree, I had to look that up. I wasn't sure what a teal tree is from what I see. This is a lime tree. And notice, as an oak, whose substance is in them. Now, what we have to understand with this passage is he's talking about deciduous trees. Deciduous trees, of course, are not, quote-unquote, evergreens. And so when we think about what he's saying here, They still have their substance in them, and yet the trees all around this neighborhood drop their leaves in the fall. The Bible says, cast forth their leaves. The substance is still in them. The trees are now budding out. The leaves are coming on the trees. They look dead all winter, but yet they're still alive. They still cast, produce their leaves, I should say. And notice at the end of verse 13, this is the picture that he's presenting with these trees. So the holy seed, so this is the holy remnant, shall be the substance thereof. So when we understand Romans 9 through 11, all of these passages as we compare Scripture with Scripture, a remnant will be saved. I remind you again, the Bible very clearly says until Israel believes in their Messiah who has already come, not the one they think is coming, they will not be saved. And so literally we see that there's going to be a remnant. And that's the thing that I try to focus on in my life's work, preaching the word of God. I've not seen thousands upon thousands of people saved in my decades of ministry. I'm not sure a lot of other preachers have actually seen thousands upon thousands of people saved as well, but they did make professions of faith. But here's the reality of this. In these last days, I believe it's going to be increasingly that people don't want to hear the message, even family. I am thankful that both of our sons and our daughters-in-law have made a professional faith in Jesus Christ. I am thankful that our grandchildren, as they get older, are hearing the message of the gospel, and that our grandson has placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. What I'm thankful for is that there's a remnant I know if I changed my message so that I was a lot nicer as a preacher, I bring in the rock music, we could fill up this place. But guess what? I get to stand before God and say, you failed. You weren't faithful. God didn't send me to build a big church. God sent me to proclaim the word of God and for the holy seed. that desires the truth of the word of God come and hear the preaching of the word of God. I'm thankful for examples like Isaiah. Some say it's 60 years he prophesied in Judah. 60 years. What kind of results did he get? Jewish tradition says he was sawed asunder when he died. Lord, I pray that you'd help us take courage, the example of Isaiah, who was given a difficult task, a difficult assignment. Lord, he was not going to have thousands of people responding to his prophecies in a positive way. Lord, help us to understand you are not looking for success. in our ministries, you're looking for us to be found faithful. Lord, that we'd be faithful like Noah, who only reached his family. And we'd be faithful like Isaiah, who continued on faithfully proclaiming thy message, even though it produced unexpected results. Lord, help us to focus on the remnant. Even as Elijah was told to focus on the 7,000 that had not bowed the knee to Baal. Lord, help us to be found faithful, I pray in Jesus' name, amen.