Yeah. Yeah. you you All right, let's get started tonight. 192. Welcome to Fellowship Baptist. 192. Ring the bells of heaven. Stand with me, please. 192. 1, 2, and 3. Ring the bells of heaven as we stand and sing. 192. Ring the bells of heaven, there is joy today For a soul returning from the wild See the Father meets him out upon the way Welcoming his weary wandering child Glory, glory, how the angels sing Glory, glory, how the loud harps ring Kiss the ransom army like a mighty sea Peeling forth the anthem of the free Ring the bells of heaven, there is joy today, For the wanderer now is reconciled. Yes, the soul is rescued from his sinful way, And is born anew a ransom child. Glory, glory, how the angels sing Glory, glory, how the loud harps ring Tis the ransom army, like a mighty sea Peeling forth the anthem of the free Ring the bells of heaven, spread the feast today. Angels swell the glad triumphant strain. Tell the joyful tidings very far away. They'll reverse your soul is born again. Glory, glory, how the angels sing. Glory, glory, how the loud hearts ring. Tis the ransom army, like a mighty sea. Peeling forth the anthem of the free. Amen. Flip back to 196. 196, I will sing the wondrous story. 196. As we sing, I'll sing the wondrous story. I will sing the wondrous story of the cry who died for me, how he left his home in glory for the cross of Galilee. Yes, I'll sing Sing the wondrous story of the cry who died for me. Sing it with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea. I was lost, but Jesus found me, found the sheep that went astray. Threw his loving arms around me, threw me back into his way. Yes, I'll sing the wonder story of the Christ who died for me. Sing it with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea. I was bruised, but Jesus healed me. Faint was I from any affall. Sight was gone, and fears possessed me, but he freed me from them all. Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me. Singeth with Gathered by the crystal sea. Days of darkness still come o'er me. Sorrow's path I often tread. But the Savior still is with me. By His hand I'm safely led. Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story of the Christ. who died for me. Sing it with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea. He will keep me till the river rolls its waters at my feet. Then he'll bear me safely over where the loved ones I shall meet. Yes, I'll sing Sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me. Sing it with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea. David, aren't you glad we can sing the story? The old, old story of Jesus Christ and his love for us, amen. And one day, it's all gonna be a reality, amen. We're waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ, and we're gonna sing the story until he comes. But you know what? After he comes, we're still gonna sing the story, amen. What do they do in heaven? They sing and shout and praise the God of heaven, you know? I am so glad, I was thinking about this today, that we're made after like this image of God, are we not? So does God get mad? Yes. Do we get mad? Yes. Does God laugh? Yes. Do we laugh? Yes. Every emotion that we have, God has that same emotion. Because we're made in the likeness and image of God. And you think about how God so wonderfully made us. And what's going to be one day when we're with Him forever. Amen. We cannot begin to understand what God's prepared for them that love Him, but thank God for it. Let's pray. Ask God's blessing on the service. Father, it's so good to be in the house of the Lord tonight, and thank You for Your blessings. You blessed us above all we could ask or think, and God, we're so thankful for Your daily blessings, Lord, and God, how You watch, care over us in every part of our life, and Lord, You make it Your concern to care about us, and we're so thankful for it. And Lord, bless now all that will be done tonight in Jesus' name, amen. All right, God bless you. You may be seated. I want to welcome those who are joining us on Facebook, YouTube, and Sermon Audio. We're glad to have you tonight and glad to have the folks that are here. And of course, we're living in a strange time, are we not? And you know, next year this time, we're going to look back at this thing and say, boy, that was a weird time, was it not? And you know at some point, they're going to let go all restraint and this thing's going to roll across America. Now, you have to know that that is what's going to happen sooner or later, right? And everyone's going to be personally responsible for themselves, what they do, and the safety precautions that they put in place for themselves. Personal responsibility. Right now, you know what this is all about right now? It's all about the election coming this year. It is all about the election coming this year. I promise you if there was not an election, if this was not an election year, that was going to possibly change the outcome of human history across the world. because whether it's President Trump, or whether it's Joe Biden, or God help us, whoever's gonna actually be running, because Joe Biden's not responsible for himself, right? They've been joking around calling him Sleepy Joe, and Dementia Joe, and all that kind of stuff. I saw a meme for Hillary Clinton. They said, what was the first thing you'd do if Joe Biden selects you as his running mate, as vice president? And she said, I'll write his obituary. You get that? Because she would succeed him. That's a joke now for those that are listening. But anyway, I laughed. I thought it was funny. But you know, America sets the stage for everything else that happens in the world. And you know, I guarantee you, when the election's over, everything's going to change as far as how they're handling this crisis. And they're going to let it roll. I'm promising they're going to let it roll. So that's at the doors, right? And this thing is going to roll across our whole population. and probably before it's through, everyone in here has had the flu sometime in your life, have you not? And before it's through, everyone in this room is gonna have a COVID-19 before it's through. I can promise you that. I can prophesy that. I'm telling you, it is coming, and there's nothing anybody can absolutely do about it. We've all had the cold, you know? Most of us have had chickenpox. They've done a pretty good job of eliminating chicken pox, but I'll tell you what, even kids who get chicken pox vaccines, when that chicken pox scene wears off and they do get chicken pox, their chicken pox is horrific. Oh, well no, it's chicken pox, then you get shingles later. Because all vaccinations, their potency wears off. Right? And since this is a virus, the COVID-19 virus is going to change every year. And it'll be like the flu shot if people decide to get it or not. And some people get the flu shot, some people don't. Right? And it's going to be the same way. And, you know, we all got to come to terms with what this actually means. And again, it's new, and that's why, you know, there's a widespread panic concerning it. But, you know, I was talking today, talking to one of the guys at church here, and I said, you know, they're concerned about COVID-19, but they're not concerned about the 800,000 children that disappear every year, and are sex trafficked, and are murdered. And I think to myself, and all the babies that are killed every year, And there's no concern about that whatsoever. And more babies died today in abortion clinics than they did by COVID-19. And those are the facts. Those are facts. And again, the whole thing is population control. We want to kill people. And China wanted to disrupt the US election because it affects them directly. It's not billions of dollars that are at stake, it's trillions of dollars that are at stake. Trillions upon trillions. And the love of money is the root of all evil, right? And God help us, but you know, you just look at these things and you say, where's this thing going? Who knows where this ship is going? But I know one thing, after November, the ship's gonna be going in a different direction. You can mark it down. Preacher said it. The ship's going to go in a different direction after the election. And because, you know, what was the high-risk game that's at stakes here will be over. Either President Trump will be the next president or Joe Biden will be the next president. But you mark it down. Preacher said President Trump will be the next president. There's some things you know. I said Barack Obama would be a two-term president. He was. George Bush, I knew he'd be a two-term president. You know, the only one I thought wouldn't be a two-term president was Gerald Ford and the first George Bush. Because they just didn't have it. And it was obvious they didn't. Jimmy Carter didn't have it. You know, it was obvious that they didn't have it. But you can look at some people and say, they got it. Ronald Reagan had it. You know, whether you like Slick Willie or not, he had it. Bill Clinton, right? And you can look at them and say, yeah. And you look at their opponents. When I looked at Bill Clinton's opponents, I said, yeah, Bill Clinton will be the next president. When I looked at our mayor in Chattanooga, Andy Burke, I said, oh, yeah, he'll be a two-term mayor in Chattanooga. even though we may not like his policies. It was obvious to people running against him, it was never going to, you know, no, there was nothing going to change there. And again, it's the same, this is the same scenario, same situation. And we'll see how it all pans out, but I'm telling you, you know, before it's through, before it's through, we're all going to be infected with this thing. It's just the way it is. And, you know, and I know there's widespread panic now, but the truth of the matter is, if you look at statistics and right on down the line, the percentage of those who actually will pass away from COVID-19 is very small. It's very small. And life will return back to a new normal. Never going back. It won't be normal. It'll be a new normal. And boy, because things are changing and Jesus Christ is getting ready to sound the trumpet. Amen. Amen. Let's pray for one another. Pray for one of the families. I'll mention their name at the end. One of their family members used to come here. They have the COVID-19. And again, it's going around and people are going to get it. And so we'll just pray for that family. They attend a country church. Yes, Brother George. Did he go? He went to heaven today. Okay. All right. We're praying for his uncle Billy and just, you know, pray for the family. All right. He's down in Mississippi? Michigan. Oh, okay. Okay. I was thinking he was in Mississippi. Okay. Okay. Right. OK. All right. All right. Pray for the family. And, you know, and I know some other, you know, people are mentioned family members that, you know, because people are still dying of old age and natural causes. Not everyone's dying of COVID-19. People are passing from all the things they normally pass from. And and again, you know, those things are what they are. All right. Well, I don't think we have a whole lot to make mention of tonight. So, Brother Doug, come lead us in the fellowship and come lead us in the song. Not a fellowship song. Number 202, you can remain in your seat. My Redeemer, I will sing of my Redeemer, 202. One, two, and four. ♪ I will sing of my Redeemer ♪ ♪ And his wondrous love to me ♪ ♪ On the cruel cross he suffered ♪ ♪ From the curse to set me free ♪ Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer, with His blood He purchased me. On the cross He bore my pardon, sealed the dead, and made me free. I will tell the wondrous story, How mine lost estate to save, In his boundless love and mercy, He the ransom freely gave. Sing, O sing of my Redeemer, With His blood He purchased me, On the cross He sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free. I will sing of my Redeemer and His heavenly love to me. For he from death to life hath brought me, Son of God, with him to be. Sing, O sing of my Redeemer. With his blood he purchased me. On the cross he sealed my pardon, Paid the debt, and made me free. Let's take our Bible tonight. And we don't have no special tonight, so we'll just go right on with the service. We are going to be in the book of Jude, right before the book of Revelation tonight. A great little book in the Bible. Of course, Jude writes of the prophecy of the last days. And what I'm going to preach on tonight is this thought, living in the last days. Because we are living in the last days. Amen. There's no doubt about it, we're living in the last days. And Jude, it's funny that the way God placed that, it'd be right in front of the book of Revelation. And it makes sense for the placement there because of what he wrote about. And of course the revelation of Jesus Christ is going to be the next thing on the calendar after the rapture of the church and the revealing of the Antichrist and all these things are going to take place. And you know, we're living in exciting times. We're living in dangerous times, but we're also living in exciting times. Because we're going to see these things played out in front of our eyes. So Jude tonight, verse number one, the Bible says this, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, the brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave you all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into the savageness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness until the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set for an example of suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Boy, doesn't that need to be read all across the speakers of America. People say that God has changed His mind. He has not changed His mind. I said that this morning. And I'm sure if there's those who are listening, boy, that statement could be criticized all across the planet. But I'll tell you what, the Bible says what it says. And God's everlasting judgment on the thought was sealed for all eternity in what He did in Solomon and Gomorrah. and the cities of the plain. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, thirst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuketh thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not, but what they know naturally is brute beast, and those things they corrupt themselves. You say, What happened to the body of Moses? God carried it up to heaven. You say, why? Because Moses has one more appointment. During the Great Tribulation, he's going to come down with Elijah, and they're going to prophesy for three and a half years, until they are slain in the streets of Jerusalem. And then after the third day of their decease, they're going to be caught up into heaven. So God came down, the angel came down to get the body and the devil said, oh no, I'm the one who has charge of death and corruption. And the angel said, the Lord rebuked you. And Satan had to give up the body. Now of course we know Jesus has the keys to death and hell now, right? Amen. But Moses' body had to go to heaven because it's got to come back one day. Woe unto them that have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. These are spots in your feast of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. Clouds they are without water, carrying them out of winds. Trees whose fruit withereth without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. These are fakers in the church, unspiritual people that are unregenerated, not born again, corrupt, in their intent, in their heart. Every church has them. Every church has always had them. In Jesus' congregation of 12, Judas was a devil. And he was not a true disciple and follower of Jesus Christ. Verse 13, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to whom is reserved, get this word now, the blackness of darkness forever. Let me tell you, the bottomless pit is the blackness of darkness forever. That'll give you, Willie, goosebumps, chills. Think about that for a second. And it says, to execute, I'm sorry, verse 14, Enoch also, the seventh man prophesied of this saying, behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his saints. Now that's what we're looking for. We are looking for the 10,000 of his saints to come. Thank God. And it doesn't say 10,000, it says 10,000 of the saints. That's an innumerable company that's coming back with Jesus Christ. To execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. That's the revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter number 19. And tonight I'm preaching on this thought, living in the last days. Let's pray. Father, God, there's no doubt we're living in the last days. And we're going to see the rapture of the church. And God, we're going to be involved in the revelation because we're coming back. We're going to be in that ten thousands of the saints. We're going to ride on those white horses. And God, they're going to see you appear out of heaven. And with that sword, that two-edged sword that comes out of your mouth to execute judgment upon all those that live upon the earth, No wonder they're going to cry into the mountains and the hills and the caves to hide them from the face of the wrath of the Lamb. Lord, these are true things. And God, I pray as Christians tonight that we'd comfort our hearts in all of your promises that you have made. And God, you're not a man that you should lie. neither that you should repent. And God, you don't lie, and you're not gonna renege on your promises. And God, we are looking and listening, Lord, for when the trumpet's gonna sound, and we're gonna hear the shout, and we're gonna be transformed. God, we love you tonight. Bless the word, help me to bring it in Jesus' name, amen. All right, tonight as we preach on this thought of living in the last days, you know, the book of Acts is called the Acts of the Apostles. The book of Jude is called the Acts of the Apostates. You say, what's the difference? Apostate means fallen from the truth. Are we not living in a day when people have fallen from the truth? I mean, when people can justify molesting children and say that it's okay. I read an article just this last week that said that when a child is molested, it doesn't really hurt them. And I thought to myself, You've got to be kidding. I cannot believe that's even in print. But it's pedophiles trying to justify and lower the age of consent to two years old. You've got to be pretty perverted to think that having sex with a two-year-old is okay. So or not we live in the days of apostasy and apostates and wicked, corrupt, didn't it call them filthy dreamers? That's why 800,000 children can go missing a year because of the filthy dreamers and the things that they have on their mind. And you're seeing it in the news all the time now where children, little toddlers are getting abused by adults. It's happening every day in America now. Every day it's happening. And it's becoming normalized. And that's what the perverts want. And it's sad. And God help us. The last day speaks of the unspiritual condition of the world. And the world is an unspiritual condition, is it not? It's funny it mentions these things in Jude, but look at Luke 17 when Jesus Christ, what He said... about His coming in the end of the world. And Luke 17, and we know that we're experiencing, we're in the middle of it. Luke 17, and notice what it says in verse number 26. Luke 17, 26, and Jesus Christ saying, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also it was in days of lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they built it But the same day that lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all The even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed We're living in the last days and the world is lost in wickedness and And it is on every hand. You can't look at a billboard. You can't look at an ad. You can't listen to the radio. I mean, it is everywhere you go now. We can't insulate ourselves from it. You can't go to the grocery store and not see it. The unspiritual condition of the world, but worse yet, the unspiritual condition of the church. When churches start approving of this wickedness, And churches are there as being pressure put on churches to conform to the wickedness of this world. God help us is right because that's where we're at. Revelation chapter number three and again it's funny you said that brother Jim about money because that's what it's all about. Revelation chapter number three. And notice what it says in verse number 13. So then, because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, knowest thou not thou art wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked? I counsel thee to buy me gold tried in the fire. Thou mayest be rich, and a white raiment thou mayest be clothed that the... The shame of the nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come to him and will sup with him and he with me. To him that I would come I grant to sit with me in my throne. even as I also overcame and have sat down with my Father in His throne, and he that hath the ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." I mean, the unspiritual condition of the church today where Christ is on the outside, and the bottom line is nobody cares what's taking place. No one cares. And as a whole, of course we care. But as a whole, people don't care. You know what I mean, Christian? I said, well, if they want to go live like animals, let them. If they want to marry a dog, let them. If they want to marry a sheep, let them. If they want to molest a little boy, let them. God help us when Christian people have that attitude. Well, as long as they're not doing it to mine, it's okay. It's not okay. And God's going to judge us for that. God's going to judge the whole world for that. And this nonchalant, I don't care attitude because it doesn't affect me. Sooner or later, it affects everybody. Sooner or later, it affects everybody. And since they're normalizing all this wicked behavior, they'll be knocking on the church door before it's through. They're already doing it everywhere else. If it wasn't for the US Constitution, they'd be doing it here. But we have freedom of religion and expression and worship. Because if we didn't, what I'm saying tonight would put me in handcuffs. In Canada, in England, and all over the world. And we know the only one who's restricted by what they say is the Christian. Because the Muslim and the Hindu and everybody else can say anything they want. Laws only apply to Christians and no one else. We know that's true. Amen. So, the unspiritual condition of the church, but the unspiritual condition of the average Christian. You say, what's the problem with the average Christian? They're worldly and they love the world. It's all about the world. And 1 John 2 makes it very clear. He said, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of the eyes is not of the Father. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Isn't that the problem? Isn't that right there the problem? We love the world a whole lot more than we love God. And we are worldly and we all hate to admit it, but it is true. Look at verse 1. And this is the introduction, but notice our calling. Thank God we have a calling. And we do have a calling. He said, God called us unto salvation. I remember distinctly God calling me and saying, son, I want you to be saved. God was calling me. I didn't even know when he was calling me, but when I finally heard his voice, I knew he was calling me. You know, God calls out to all, but not all will hear. Many are called, but few are chosen. You say, why? Because the call goes out far and wide. And we are called in Jesus Christ. Thank God that we are. And it's a high calling. It's a holy calling. It's a humble calling. Can I tell you this evening, it is a heavenly calling. He's calling. And the Apostle Paul, as he wrote to the believers in Philippi from the prison cell, as he gave them assurance and encouragement. Let me get the verse here in Philippians chapter number three. And in verse number 13, he said, Let me tell you, everyone in this room has a high calling. And I don't care what your profession is in this life and what your station is, what your position is, you are called to be a Christian. And let me tell you, that is a high calling. because we carry the name of Jesus Christ. Thank God for the high calling we have. Thank God in verse number three, we are called to contend for the faith. Look what he says, brethren, I gave all diligence to write on you the common salvation. It was need for me to write on you and exhort you that you should earnestly, earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. Are we supposed to fight for the faith? Yes. Are we supposed to physically fight for the faith? No, but spiritually we're supposed to fight. We've read the Bible, we know the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Right? They're not carnal. But they're spiritual, mighty weapons of the Holy Ghost working in our lives, pulling down our strongholds. You know? This battle isn't fought with Smith and Wesson. This battle is fought with prayer and the Holy Ghost on our knees. And lifting up our voice for Jesus Christ. We know what Ephesians 6 says. Look there for a minute. Ephesians 6. We know what the Bible says when it comes to our spiritual warfare. And there is a spiritual warfare taking place. There's a spiritual battle being fought in our midst in this country. I'm telling you, there's a spiritual battle being raged when it comes to Christianity and our faith. I tell you, they have not limited one gathering for Muslims. Not one. The Muslims can meet and gather in their mosque, and they're not about to send one police car there. But they'll send them to the church, and they'll send a ticket to a pastor, and they'll threaten them with everything. But they're not about to do that for the mosque and the temples and everything else. That only applies to the Christian, and you know that's true. So it's a spiritual battle, is it not? Yes, and that's why he said in verse 10, find my brethren, be strong in the Lord in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Our fight is not with man, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of darkness of this world, against spiritual weakness in high places. Wherefore, take on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all to stand. Jesus said, hey, be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove when it comes to spiritual things. We gotta contend for the faith. We gotta let our voices be heard. We have to be the voice of reason and sanity to point out the hypocrisy of our day and shout it from the housetop. Verse number four, for there are certain men Crept in unawares who before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turn the grace of our God on the savages denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Now Norton, there's certain crept in. They came in on their belly. You say, why? Because they're snakes. Creeping things. A creeping thing is a bug lowest of all life forms. Didn't Paul warn the church in Acts 20-28 that wolves would come in and try and divide the flock and separate the flock and destroy the church? You see, the devil waits for his opportunity. Didn't Judas seek for an opportunity to betray Jesus Christ? Didn't the Pharisees seek for an opportunity to betray Jesus Christ away from the people? The devil always has a plan. And people rise up, they wait to put their plan in order. And it's true in the church, it's true in the secular world. All this conspiracy against President Trump, was it not carefully planned and put in order to disrupt his presidency? And can I tell you, they were very successful. And he's still rooting, three, four years later, he's still rooting them out of their place as a position. He's still doing that. And they wait for their opportunity for the cause of the next scandal. And see, there's always people, and it's so sad, when they wait for the opportune time to rear their ugly head. And we have seen that locally in one of our sister churches just recently. And it is sad. How you can go from something that's thriving, something that God is blessing, something where God is moving, and all of a sudden, boom, you're out. Six people making that decision in a church of 150. There's got to be something wrong with that. And I think, but you know, is it not a spiritual warfare? We are in a spiritual warfare, therefore we have to be spiritual. Every one of you that are going to work and going out in public, you've got to be spiritual. Our nurses have got to be spiritual. Our people working in grocery stores have got to have some spirituality about them. You better believe you better have some spirituality about you. Someone comes in there with a gun, you better have some spirituality about you. I mean, they're mad because they got to wear a mask. They're mad that I wait in line. They're mad because there wasn't some hamburger back there. They're likely to kill you over it. You better have some spirituality. You go to the bank, you better have some spirituality. You go down to Sam's and you're in line, you better have some spirituality. People are getting mad over nothing. And you're seeing every crazy thing, and this mask thing is emboldening criminals. Because they can shoplift and steal and do everything, and no one's going to see them. The one kids I read today, they went in a store, they had watermelon rinds on their head. And they successfully shoplifted and got away because their watermelon rind was their mask. You're laughing and it's funny. Who would do that? But I'm telling you, we're living in a crazy time. Them football players, just this last week, they got arrested. Because they were down there, lost all their money and they decided to steal it all back. And they did it on video camera with no mask. Two football players from the NFL. One of them already turned himself in. And they stole $7,000 or $8,000 and took people's watches. They stole more than that because their watches were worth $10,000, $12,000, $15,000, $20,000. And we're talking about football players who make millions. Fell off the deep end. What's the crazy person who's starving going to do? You know we're living in troublous times. And if we're living in the days of Noah, man, that train is really off the rails. But what to do? What do you do? See, Jude tried to warn us and tell us what to do. Look in verse number 17. He tried to warn us. What do we do? What is it we're supposed to do here? Verse number 17, it says, But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles and of our Lord Jesus Christ. How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time and should walk after their own ungodly lust. These be who separate themselves sensual, having not the Spirit. What are we supposed to do? We gotta remember what the Bible says. We have got to be feeding on God's Word. Matthew 4, 4, Jesus said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We need to know what this book says inside and out. 2 Timothy 2.15 says, Job said in Job 23.12, It was Tom's brother George yesterday and he said, yeah, we need to read our Bible through. You know, read our Bible through one time. And I said, well, you know, and oddly enough, I was talking with a guy yesterday. I went and bought some wheels and I was talking with him. And he said, you know, preacher, you know, preacher, you need to be reading your Bible through. I said, I have read my Bible through about 80 times. I have read my Bible through. But you know what? You need to be reading your Bible through. Because we all need to have the answer. We all need to know what the Bible says. And Christians are starving to death spiritually speaking. And it's why they're so easily fooled by the charlatans. When someone opens their mouth and they start saying something that's not right, if you know what the Bible says, you're right away, that thing's, no, wait, wait, that's not right, that's not right. That's not what the Bible says. Because you're feeding on the word of God yourself on a daily basis. Everybody should be reading their Bible every day. How are you gonna get through this? through the word of God and prayer. And those two things go hand in hand. And Job said, not Job, but Jude said, but beloved, remember ye the words were spoken before the apostles and of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to remember what they said about the end days, because we're living here. We're here. And God help us. We need that. Feed on God's word and feel not ashamed. Are there going to be mockers? Are there going to be infidels? Are we going to have to contend with these people? Absolutely. But you know what? Take heart. We're on the winning side. We are on the winning side. And God's going to have the last laugh. Psalms 2-4 says, He that sits in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. The Bible makes it very clear when it comes to this kind of thing. They do what they do because they're blinded and they're deceived. And they say the stupid things they say because they're blinded and they're deceived. And you hear people saying all kinds of crazy things. People say, well, if you voted for Donald Trump, you can't even be saved. And I'm thinking, are you kidding me? That don't have nothing to do with who you voted for. I got news for it. I voted for Jesus Christ a long time ago. Amen. That's not what the Bible says. That's a lie. What brother George said, he saw a sign, greater is he than earth and he that is in me. And that's not true. The devil's in the world and Jesus Christ is in our hearts. Greater he that is in you than he that is in the world. Amen. But see, if you know what the Bible says right away, you say, that's a counterfeit. We know that's not right. And again, people are going to mock. They're going to make fun of all this kind of thing. And that's OK. I tell people, have your day, because God's going to have his day. You might want to read Proverbs 21, verse 24 to 33. You might want to read that, because one day God's going to have his day to laugh. And we'll see how funny it is when it's God's turn. It ain't going to be very funny then. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ said concerning us, you know what? Jesus Christ said concerning us, and I love this, in Matthew chapter number five, and we need to remember this as a Christian, I don't get mad when people mock, I ain't gonna get mad. I mean, hey, when they mock our faith, they're honoring us, and they don't even know it. Matthew chapter number five and verse number 11, it says, blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you, now here's the key word, falsely for my sake. God help us, it needs to be false. When people say, well, Brother Chris, you don't love anybody, I laugh. I said, yeah, sure I don't. What did you do to ever help anybody? I laugh because I know I've helped people. And I know that I love people. And I know that I care about people. I know that I've wept over people. And it's broken my heart to see... So their accusations mean nothing to me. because I know it's false, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they, the prophets, which were before you. One of the best times I ever had, we were preaching in Annapolis at the 500, and we were preaching the parade, and God tell you, the lost sinners were hating it. And I was just preaching the love of God, John 3, 16. And boy, the cannon went off and people began to roar and clap so much because our preaching was over. And I just stopped preaching. I bust out laughing. Brother Phil patted me on the back. He says, Have you ever got a standing ovation before? They were clapping because I was no longer preaching. I laughed my head off and I had a great time. Didn't hurt my feelings that they didn't want to listen to me no more. Didn't hurt my feelings they didn't want to hear John 3.16 quote it. Didn't hurt my feelings that they were refusing the love of God. We're all going to have our reward one day in heaven. And we'll see how it all pans out in the end. Say, what do we do? Remember what the Bible says. Look in verse number, getting my spot here, verse number 20. We respond by building each other up. Look what it says, but ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. How do we build each other up and ourselves up? Through edification, through education, through empowerment, through enablement. That's exactly right, Brother George. We build each other up. You know why these church services are important? Because we're building each other up in the faith. And we're doing it through edification, and encouragement, and education. And we need to help each other to succeed. I say this, if you succeed, we all succeed. If Americans succeed, all Americans succeed. If our president succeeds, we all succeed. It's easy to tear down and hard to build up. You know, I can take a car, a regular car, I can take it apart in just a few hours. Now, it'll never be able to be put back together again, but I can take it apart in a few hours. It takes days and weeks and months to make a car. You understand, it takes time to make a fender and a chassis, and it takes time to make all the parts that go into a car. We say, well, they can assemble so many cars a day at the assembly plant. Yeah, that's after the parts get there. It takes months and months and months to make those parts. But you can destroy a car and take it apart in just a few hours. You ever seen them implode a building? I mean, it took them years to build the building, and boom, in seconds, it's gone. So building people up can be difficult and time-consuming and painstaking. But Paul said that he was a master builder of men and women. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter number 3. And what are we supposed to be doing? We're supposed to be... we're laborers together, Paul said. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 9, for we are labors together with God, ye are God's husband, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundations can no man lay, that is laid which is Jesus Christ. For if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And fire shall be every man's work of what sort it is. What's the goal of a pastor? To help the church members to grow. To grow in the faith, to grow in spirit, to grow in knowledge, to grow in grace. And to do that, you have to put away the toys, stop playing and pick up the tools. We know what the Bible says, 1 Corinthians 13. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. Children are selfish, angry, self-willed, hot-tempered. They cry easy. Oh my gosh, if you could have seen my granddaughter this week. I mean, you talk about an absolute terrorist. Osama bin Laden ain't got nothing on that two-year-old. And I was watching her, and I thought, my goodness. And she would throw a tantrum. I was looking at myself in the mirror when I was a kid. I used to throw tantrums. And I'm thinking, is that how bad that looked? How did mom endure that? You know? If it wasn't for Bev and Barb and Louda and Wanda, I wouldn't have survived, because they covered up all my wickedness. But man, I was watching my granddaughter throw one tantrum after another. It was an all day long tantrum. I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding me. How does she endure that? I said, wow, I'll be praying a little harder for my daughter. And I'm thinking my granddaughter a year ago was the sweetest little thing you ever could have met. Quiet, sweet, obedient, did everything. But baby Tyson came along and she has come off the rails. And my daughter was in tears and I'm thinking, honey, she was in tears every day. And I said, well, you know, and you know how bad it is because she spanked her and she said, you want another one? She said, yes. And so she gave her another one. She said, you want another one? She said, no. Oh, gosh, how do you deal with that? But you know, it's one thing for a two-year-old to be doing it. It's another thing for it to be a grown adult to be acting that way. Shouldn't be with a Christian. We ought to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and be better than that. Look at verse 21. You say, how do we overcome this thing? How do we get through it? Remember what the Bible says, respond by building each other up and remain in love with God. Verse 21. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. People say, how you been married for 40 years? Because I determined I was going to love my wife. And if she went somewhere, I was going somewhere with her. I told my wife, if you ever decide you're going, we're packing the bags. I'm going with you. We're going together, sweetheart. I meant till death do us part. And I'm not gonna kill her neither. Amen. These crazy people. We're going together hand in hand. I always say to myself, no one but Lisa. Nobody but Lisa. Nobody but Lisa. None for me but Lisa A. I'm keeping myself in love with my wife. And I'm keeping myself in love with Jesus Christ. You gotta stay in love with God. What was the problem with the church in Revelation chapter number two? What was their problem? Look, you're right there. Look at Revelation chapter two, verse number one. The church of Ephesus, what was their problem? I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them that are evil. Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars. They got good in them. and has borne, and has patience by name's sake, and has labored, and has not fainted. Yeah, they worked hard. He says, nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left by first love. You know, you can work and work and work and lose complete love for everything you're doing. You can lose love for your Sunday school kids, you can lose love for your family, you can lose love for the church, lose love for the pastor, lose love for your spouse. You gotta keep yourself in love. You have to decide, determine, and dedicate to keep yourself in love. Come hell or high water, I'm going to live for Jesus Christ. Love no matter what. Remember what Jesus asked Peter? He said, Peter, you love me? Feed my lambs. Peter, you love me? Feed my sheep. Peter, you love me? Feed my sheep. Peter was greedy. He said, Lord, you know I love you. I know you love me, but I want you to stay that way. Keep loving me. Stay in love with God. How do you do that? By keeping your eyes on Him. Keeping your eyes on Him. Keeping your eyes on the Lord. What was the first thing Peter did after he said he loved Jesus three times? Jesus got up, he began to walk, and he looked around and said, what's this guy going to do? And what'd Jesus say? What does it matter to you what he's gonna do? I've asked you to follow me. We gotta quit worrying about what everyone else is gonna do. You know, I didn't call all the other preachers to decide what we were gonna do at Fellowship Baptist Church. I'd already decided what we were gonna do. And after I decided what we were gonna do, I called to see what they were doing. But it wasn't changing what we were doing. Because I knew what God told me to do, and we're gonna do it. I'm not criticizing them for what they're doing, but I didn't decide what to do based on what they were doing. I decided to do what, hey, you cannot base what you're gonna do on what everyone else is doing. God may ask you to do something different. That's why Paul kept his eyes on Jesus Christ. He kept his eyes on the Lord. Fix your eyes, forget your past, and finish your work. He makes it very clear. Looking for mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Keeping your eyes on the Lord and letting Him be the one through leads and guides, sustains. Let Him be the one who carries you through. And then lastly, this is reserve some compassion for others. Look at verse 22. And of some having compassion making a difference. And others say with fear pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. You know, it's easy to be callous and hard and uncompassionate. We know what Galatians 6, 7, and 8 says. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. Yeah, they're getting what they deserved. Yeah, they're there, but they deserve what they're getting. Yeah, but verse 9 says, And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Hebrews 13, 2 says, Be careful when it comes to strangers, because you've entertained angels unaware. You know, compassion goes a long way. Didn't Jesus say in Matthew 25, 31 to 40? He said, hey, he rewards them. He says, when I was in prison, you visited me. When I was in sick, you helped me. When I was in these situations of life, you were there. And they said, when did we see you in sick and in prison and in these things? He said, when you did it in the least of these, my brethren, you did it unto me. When you help those who are in need, it's like you're helping Jesus Christ. Have some compassion for God's sake. Say, there goes I but the grace of God. Is that illustrated in the Bible? Yes, Luke 18, 9 to 14. You have the Pharisee and the publican go up to pray and the Pharisee praises himself and says, and Lord, I'm not even like this stinking publican over here. But the publican smote his breast and we will look up to heaven. And God said, which one of these guys went down to their house justified? I tell you, it was the publican. No man lives to himself, no man dies to himself, Romans 14. And God brings people into your life so you can help them. We all have a sphere of influence. We're all influencing someone for good or bad. You know what I say? Help people out of the horrible pit and pull them out of fire. You see, this crowd we got today has turned it all around. Instead of helping people out of the horrible pit, they get in the pit with them. You don't help a drug addict by taking drugs. You don't help a drunk by having a beer with them. You don't help a fornicator by committing adultery. Right? You don't help people who are in horrible situations by indulging yourself in the same situation. You help them by giving them a hand out of where they are. Paul said, I become all things to all men that by all means I might save some. But let me tell you, he did not become the horrible sinner that they were. He went to where they were and pulled them out. When the sheep was lost in the wilderness, Jesus went and found the sheep and brought them back home. The prodigal father didn't go live in the hog pen with his son. He didn't do that. He said, you need to come out of there. I tell people every now and then we gotta get down off our high horse and make a difference. You said, is that in the Bible? It is, Luke chapter 10, story of the Good Samaritan. The Good Samaritan got off of his horse, got off of his donkey, and got down and lifted that man up poured in the oil and the wine, and set him upon his own beast. And he walked while that was sick road. We gotta have compassion. We can have every doctrine right, but if we have no compassion, we are mean. And God is not mean. And God doesn't want us as Christians to be mean to others. It's wrong. I don't laugh at people on the side of the road when I see them holding a sign. I pity them. I'm not going to give them money so they can buy beer and wine, but I would gladly buy them something to eat. It's called compassion. And we are lacking real compassion in the day in which we live. I love when these millionaires, the way they talk, and say, yeah, we can leave everything locked up. We're doing just fine. Who's we're? Who's we? There are a lot of people that are not doing just fine. Well, they can stay closed for three or four months. Can they? Let's take all your money away for three or four months and see how you fare. You talk, and they criticize President Trump for not having empathy. And these bunch of hypocrites don't have any empathy. Nothing. They do dig themselves a hole, but you... That's right. Yeah. Get a hand up right get a hand up and get out of that hole Get out of that hole because everybody needs help sometimes do they not? There's not anyone who says why don't hey and this callousness of some of these governors and some of these mayors They're so uncaring about anyone else. Hey Nancy Pelosi can sit in her house with her $20,000 refrigerator and all her ice cream and They can live it up But people are seeing that. And they're going to remember that come November. And God does see it. And God's going to remember it. And then when they say, you've got to help the poor. They ought to be the first ones to help the poor. They ought to be the first ones. But you know what? We're living in the last days and we are seeing everything play out in front of us. And we're seeing it and we ain't nothing we can do about it. We're seeing it. And all a listen, take heart. Jesus Christ is coming. Be the best Christian you can be. Brother Homer always used to say, I'm laboring in the field and listening for the shout. Jesus said, occupy until I come. Let's be busy. Let's do something for Jesus until he comes, because I'm telling you. That trumpet's going to sound and we're going to go out of here. And God help those who are not ready to meet Jesus Christ. God help them. Let's stand for prayer. Stand for prayer tonight. Ms. Susan, you just come play something. I'm gonna pray, and Brother Butch, you can stop the feed. But for those who are listening, we're praying.