Oh
Hello hello hello, can you hear me now everything is well alright awesome, how's everyone doing today?
I'm glad to hear that happy Sabbath. I'm happy to be here again
last time I came here was a also a treat and I was preaching on something that was
Pretty vital, you know on Isaiah 54 and the bride and that that was something that really hit very close to home for me
And so I'm glad to be here again. I wanted just
One more time go into prayer to invite the Lord spirit to be with us. So let's bow our heads
Dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to be able to be here and preach your word Lord
I I thank you that I am able to be a co-laborer with you Lord
It is such a privilege Lord how you would take us to be humble vessels Lord and
To be consecrated onto thee and so I pray and ask Lord that you will continue to lead and guide
Not only me but this congregation as well and that they may be edified by this message
In Jesus name we pray. Amen
so today the title of the sermon is a sleeping generation and
I want you to picture a sleeping baby in the middle of the night. He's there in his crib
totally helpless
He is totally unaware
Then suddenly there's a random electrical fuse burst and the house starts to catch on fire
the baby has no means to be able to escape and
He's just an infant who can't even reason right? He can't even get up and walk away
So he must rely on his parents to either wake up from a fire alarm going off or
To be woken up from the heat of the flames
You know unfortunately
Every man is like a sleeping child without the guise of the Holy Spirit. You see you might be able to to discern
physical things you might be able to do mathematics you might be able to to
tell somebody about physics
But spiritual things they are spiritually discerned and the only way that we can ever understand them is if we surrender ourselves over
to spiritual things
You know many people right now are sleeping in a false sense of security
Not knowing that there will come a great tribulation in which the likes this world has never seen
That will determine their entire fate
You know on the other hand there are people that are in the church also as well that are too afraid to get out there
They're too stuck inside of their bubble their church bubble
To go out and actually preach the word to people to go and knock on doors
And if they were to just trust in God and have that understanding that he puts
His words inside of their mouth with faith then they would be able to reach so many people
every single person has a
Ministry every single person has a certain amount of people that only they can reach at a certain time
You know a perfect example of
Someone who was afraid to go and do something
Of someone who was afraid to go and do the work of God was Jeremiah
And you look at his personality
He didn't want to go and do the work that he was called to do
Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 1 6 through 9 if you have your Bibles you can go there when you get there
I want you to say amen, please
Go into our Bibles here
Jeremiah chapter 1 and
Verses 6 through 9 is everybody there amen
Amen, that didn't sound very enthusiastic. Can I get an amen?
Amen. All right. All right. God be excited about the word. We gotta be excited
Now verses 6 through 9 it says then said I our Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a child
But the Lord said unto me say not I am a child for thou shall go to all that I shall send thee and what is
However, I command thee thou shall speak be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee
Sayeth the Lord then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said unto me behold
I have put my words into thy mouth
Now
That's a pretty clear example that God
He will strengthen
Those who step out in faith
To do what it is that he has called them to do
Jeremiah literally received an oratory gift
straight from the hands of God
And divine intervention with his words
It is pretty incredible when you start to look at the context of the time
When you start to look at what?
The people of Israel were going through during the times of Jeremiah
You know he set forth the proponent to bring back restoration to the people
He was sent on a mission to awaken a sleeping people sleeping babes
He was put forth in a two-fold manifold both destructive and reconstructive
Jeremiah 1 and 1 and 11 it says you can go there in your bibles
We're already there and 1 and 11 and you get there say amen
Amen moreover the word of the Lord came onto me saying Jeremiah. What seeest thou?
And I said I see a rod of an almond tree
You know the almond tree
It is very important to understand what the almond tree represents here
It was the first to bring forth fruit
in the spring
And during that time Jeremiah was sent to bring forth fruit
In the spring and during that time Jeremiah was sent to bring forth the first fruits
He was sent forth to bring back his people God's people
You know the Lord has put forth his hand in intercession and there is
Nothing that can stop the word of the Lord from coming into fruition and into fulfillment
Isaiah 55 10 and 11 it says and we can go there
Just one chapter behind
Isaiah 55
55 10 and 11 and it says
Have you gotten there amen
amen
For the mountain shall depart and the hills oh, sorry wrong 10 and 11. So for as the rain cometh down pretty
Sure, you have 55 10 11 for as the rain cometh down and snow from heaven and returneth not thither but
Withereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud
That it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater
So shall my word that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return onto me void
But it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent it
So often
So often does man go forth
Afraid
Whatever the Lord sets us out to do he shall cause us to accomplish
But if you go forth in faith and you shall be able to do what it is the Lord calls you to do
But people they step away because of fear of failure
Because of failure now no woman or man wants to go to somewhere where their demise is inevitable
Everybody wants to be accepted. Do you want to be accepted?
Now of course in this world and in a world where we are steeped with the things of satan
Where there are so much propaganda all over the place
Of course if you have spiritual foresight, you're not going to want to be a part of that, but everyone wants to be loved
That is an innate desire of man
Everybody wants to be accepted however
now imagine
Penmen without their hands or orators without their voices
Even then God uses men and women who are not the most adept in society if they have faith
However, what good is unfaithfulness in a faithless generation even faithfulness will struggle
Going to a location where the people are asleep and lacking faith even Jesus himself could do no miracle
In his hometown because they had no faith
Matthew 13
53 through 58 it says and you can go in your bibles there have it here and when you get there say amen
Matthew 53 and 58 and it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables
He departed thence and when he had come into his own country
He taught them in their synagogue and so much more
Country he taught them in their synagogue and so much that they were astonished and said from whence half this man
This wisdom and these mighty works
Is this not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
And his sisters are they not with us all?
From whence then half this man all these things and they were offended at him
But Jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor save in his own country
And in his own house and he did not mighty works there because of their unbelief
You see the times of Jeremiah had an israelite nation amid Babylonian assyrian and egyptian conflict
So most definitely jeremiah had
Good reason to not want to go into israel
He had very very good reason
Very very good reason now without a doubt jeremiah thought to himself as
insignificant
Amid the military powers and the elders of the priestly ordinance
But you know the lord he chose him as a youth
God chooses the things that are weak to confound the wise
He chooses the things that are weak to confound the wise
He chooses them to confound the nations
1st corinthians 26 and 27 it says for ye see and if you can go in your bibles we can go there right now 1st corinthians
1st corinthians 26 and 27
26 and 27 1st corinthians 26 and 27
Uh
1st corinthians 1 26 and 27
It's for it foresee your calling brethren. Have you gotten there everybody there?
Amen amen for ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh
Not many mighty not many noble are called but god have chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise
And god have chosen the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty
And base things of the world and things which are despised have god chosen ye and things which are not to bring
to not things that are
God chooses the weak things of this world
In order to confine the mighty things you know in a world where
Where there is so much confusion where confusion can so easily permeate the minds of men and where all types of distractions will try to invade
The spirit it is so vital to understand that no matter the position or power there is none truer than the lord
amen
None truer than the lord there are so many things that can can take you by the wayside
So many things that can appear to be correct
So many religions that claim to be the truth
That there is none truer than the lord
That there is none truer than the lord jeremiah 1 17 through 19 it says thou therefore gird up thy loins
And arise and you can go there in your bibles
Gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee
Be not dismayed at their faces
Lest I confound thee before them for behold I have made thee this day a defense city and an iron pillar
And bracing walls against the whole land against the kings of juda against the princes thereof
Against the priests thereof and against the people of the land and they shall fight against thee
But they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee save the lord to deliver thee
If you read through the passage
There are some some key words here and you know, we won't go too deep into
Some crazy study on the words, but we'll go into two key words that really should stand out to you
the hebrew words tesor and
for the words for for gird up is uh is tesor and ahiteh ka is
Is the word for readying oneself and both of them
are accurately
described so tesor is
Too ready one oneself and ahiteh ka is to more accurately be translated as I will terrify you or tear you down
Break you down
Now this is not meaning that god will literally go and break down jeremiah
It is often the case that god takes away his hand
when we do not
obey
But that jeremiah
If his faith was to falter that he would no doubt be consumed by the people's influences and could easily be taken
By their ways distracted or even killed
You see jeremiah was amid a totally backslidden israel that had gone as far as to sacrifice children to mulloch
I picture myself in the shoes of jeremiah
And wonder to myself
If these thoughts crossed his mind the fact of the matter is that
If they would sacrifice children, how much more would they do to me?
How much more would they kill me?
They were so easily to go and sacrifice children, of course they wouldn't think twice about me
But you see the truth
And this is in unison it is like a convicting spear that penetrates the heart
The mind and the spirit
There's no telling how man will react. They can either be totally repentant or or totally
shut off
Or might be in the land of decision teetering whether or not they want to come into the fold or come out of the fold
One foot in one foot out
So spiritual blindness is one of the biggest issues in this generation
There are so many distractions things that take us away from our creator and for the possibility of salvation
Whether you be inside of the church or outside of the church
I remember when I was a child the countless hours I spent distracted
I remember that my mind when I was immersed in various other things like video games or or movies
Or whatever other thing I was worried about during that time
I did not think about god in those moments
I was just focused on whatever game I was playing or focused on whatever activity I was involved in
You know, it was like an escape
Now that i've been converted now that i've been brought into god's fold. I see
That real freedom
Lies in the word of god
The the bible refers to god's law as the law of liberty
And that is that is true freedom
Is greater freedom than any other escape. It is the truest escape from this world
James 2 and 12 it says so
Speak ye and so do as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty for he shall have judgment with mercy without mercy
Who hath shown no mercy and mercy rejoices rejoiceth against judgment?
What doth it profit my brethren?
Though a man say he hath faith and hath not works
Can faith save him?
If a brother or sister
Being naked and destitute of daily food and if one of you say unto them depart in peace
Be ye warmed and filled without giving them those things which are needful to the body
What doth it profit?
Even so faith if it hath not works is dead
being alone
What would have happened if jeremiah would have gone over to the esrealites and say hey
I need you guys to repent
But then go behind somewhere else and be doing the very same exact things that they were doing
Or going over to to try and spiritually feed them
But wasn't really spiritually fed himself
Most certainly he would have failed
A man's faith will not be fueled
If they are not going in the correct direction
If they are putting their faith in the wrong things and all of their time in the wrong places
Jeremiah 2 13 and we can go there in our bibles because this is a vital verse here and i'm i'm sure that
Um pretty much everyone should should know this verse here
jeremiah 2 13
Jeremiah 2 13
For my people have committed two evils
They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that hold no water
It's so often in this life that people go to things to fill a void in their heart that only god can fill
Every single human being has a god-shaped vacuum inside of their heart
And without the lord we're going to go to various other places trying to find that fulfillment
It's so often that people go to some sort of outlet to find purpose
When it is only god that can supply that worth
It is often that people lose sight of the ever-living god because they have brought veneration to idols and to gods that have no real power
They have brought their veneration their reverence their respect to other places
other than god
There's a constant array of things that can then take place
Over our commitment to jesus but amid all of that the lord is a light shining the back the gospel call
He's beckoning the gospel call
The people found no true moral worth in any of the things that they were doing
Or that they gave themselves into
The purpose of it all is jesus who is the source of moral worth
He is the purpose of our lives of this life
You know it is the case when man steps away from god
From the lord that the devil takes advantage of that ignorance and the weakness of man
The men of valor and strength truthfully none of them are strong
There is no man who is truly mighty when compared to the lord
Because the strength of man it is weakness onto the lord
It is also no match for satan as well
If there is any man who fancies himself to be strong
Then he has concerned himself with the matters of the flesh
The lord calls us to be humble and of contrite spirit if any man has any true strength
If it can be called good
Is because it has come from the lord
Such men like david or or samson who were servants of the lord despite their many shortcomings and of course we know that when
Samson stepped away from god
As when he truly became weak
He was a judge who was supposed to be
A shining light
And you see the dichotomies between samson and and and the prophet samuel who was also in nazarite
You see the product of faithfulness the product of truth
You're moving just a bit forward and in chapters two of jeremiah the prophet gives a warning to the people
From the lord he wanted them to step away from their backsliding and from their vanity
The leaders they were false prophets leading people astray
And disregarding the ways of the lord they sought to have their own benefits have the benefits of the lord
But none of the commitment
There were people sacrificing in vain just like in the times of isaiah
It's also
the same in this generation
a generation of men and women who want to have the benefits of the lord yet
They do not want to do what the lord has called them to do
You know the work is pressing yet many are not impressed enough
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers there are few
This is a generation in which god is being taken out of the common citizen's life
And even the bible is being banned in schools because they claim that it's pornographic
The world has taken that which is good and has made it into evil
The kingdom of satan wants to be a mirror opposite of god and claiming that the the glory for himself you see the lord
He shall confound them cause them to be ashamed because the only one who is worthy of praise
Is jesus?
isaiah 2 and 26 and says
As the thief is ashamed and you can go to the church and you can go to the church and you can go to the church
As as the thief is ashamed and you can go there in your bibles 2 and 26 isaiah 2 and 26 and when you get there say amen
Isaiah 2 and 26 amen praise the lord isaiah 2
And 26
See
Sorry, it's uh isaiah 1 and 26
Amen
Isaiah 2 and 26
As the thief is ashamed when he is found so is the house of israel ashamed
They their kings their princes and their priests and their prophets
Isaiah 2 and 26
Sorry, not as a jeremiah
jeremiah 2 and 26
Yeah, it seems we got a little
Mix up here 2 and 26 as the thief is ashamed when he is found
So is the house of israel ashamed they their kings their princes and their priests and their prophets
You know the analogy here it expresses the blatant
Disregard in which the people were living they were serving the ways of shame
And casting aside the ways of god
Has anyone ever been in a store with a child?
And and caught them stealing before who has who has caught their their child or grandson or something like that
uh stealing before
You know at first the trip
That first trip, you know the child he he might not get caught right? He might think he got away with it
but at some point
Parental instinct will kick in and you'll realize you know every time I come to the store this child
You know my kid is is really suspicious
And eventually they get caught right at some point or another
and they'll
You know, they'll be sorry for their actions and likely bow their head in shame and and be sorrowful
Only the truly rebellious child will be unremorseful
You know in like manner this generation is closer and closer to the stage of total rebellion against jesus
The shame is quite apparent, but the people of this world take pleasure in wickedness ecclesiastics
19 and 15 it says whoso take his pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned
but he that resisteth pleasure crowneth his life
Going a little bit further ahead in the stream of history
We've been going through the book of ephesians and and our quarterly right?
And you know we see a church being addressed by paul and his fatherly love
Ephesians 1 4 5 and 6 go to Ephesians 1 4 5 and 6 and you can go in your bibles
Ephesians 4 5 and 6 and when you get there you say amen
You get there you can say amen
All right, and it says according according as he
It's 4 5 and 6 according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world
before the foundation of the world
Before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love
Having predestined us onto the adoption of children by jesus christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will
to the praise
Of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted
In the beloved
You know so vital to understand the nature by which paul is speaking to the church
In a thesis he's addressing a people, you know that were mixed in with roman influence and and they had
Licentiousness and a variety of other issues
You know a parallel can be seen here in in the address that paul goes to the church with
As it pertains to the times of jeremiah
God is a father who rebukes with love and compassion
He wishes that none shall perish but that
All may turn and have everlasting life
The major theme is putting on the new man
God wanted his people to turn away from that and put on the new man
Ephesians 4 24 it says
And that ye put on the new man, which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness
every committed christian
When entered into the baptismal waters has died to their old life and has been born again
The whole entire purpose of israel was to bring salvation onto the nations
They were a sustained olive tree
And every man that was born as a newborn child
They were to be like a wild olive tree branch grafted into a sustained olive tree
And that's who we are now. We are spiritual israel
That has been called to bring people into a beautiful olive tree
To exhibit the first fruits
People they they have allowed jesus
We should allow jesus to remove the old man
And and to allow him to have that transformation in our lives too romans 5 6 through 8
It says for when we were yet without strength yet due time
Christ died for the ungodly
For scarcely
For a righteous man will one die yet per adventure for a good man
Some would even dare to die
but god
Commendeth his love toward us
In that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us
His washing of regeneration regeneration and the renewal of the holy spirit has brought forth
the truth
In us and is what gives us new hearts
And minds made after christ
Romans 12 2 and 3 says that's roman 12
Romans 12 2 and 3 transformed by the renewing of thy mind and that's what we should have every single day
We should come to the foot of the cross kneeling before the lord when we wake up
Asking him lord, please flush me of self
So that I may be who you want me to be
The exercising of faith is what brings us to the cross
The exercising of faith is what brings forth the evidence of discipleship and is what shines the light of the lord upon the
content of man of man
The ways of israel and and farce they far stepped away from the ways of the lord
They had forgotten to seek the lord with all their hearts
They they stepped so far away from him that they were sacrificing babies and serving him at the same time
What type of hypocrisy is that?
How can you go and and sacrifice a baby on friday and then go and serve the lord on saturday?
Can you imagine being in the midst of that type of people?
I know I wouldn't want to be there
But in many ways we do the same thing
In many ways man people in the church people outside of the church. They're doing the same thing
Lukewarm christianity is one of the things that can destroy us the most
The ways of israel they far stepped away
Without a shadow of doubt the people they were blinded
They had no guise they had
No understanding of their own guilt
They thought that they were fine
Jeremiah 2 35 to 37 it says yet thou sayest because I am innocent
Surely his anger shall turn from me behold. I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have no sin
I have not sinned why god is thou about so much to change thy way?
Thou also shall be ashamed of egypt as thou was ashamed of assyria
Yea, thou shall go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head for the lord of the world
Thou shalt not prosper in them the people they truly was believe that they were were innocent
But the evidence and testimony of jeremiah said otherwise
In today's age there are many who are claiming innocence but are not aware of their own guilt
You know for this reason it's so important to study the word of god
It's so important to be immersed in the word of god
That way that you can be able to differentiate what are the devices of the devil and what are the ways that god wants you to walk in
The ending of of of jeremiah chapter 2 it shows us the position
That we do not want to be in ourselves
And we do not want to be in ourselves
We do not want to be a people that are blind spiritually
And here's a wonderful quote from ellen white that really does shed
Light on what the lord seeks from his people
And it reads two classes of witnesses are presented in the prophet malachi's words
Of the first class it is written your words have been stout against me saith the lord
Ye who are not in the presence of the lord
Have been stout against me saith the lord ye have said it is vain to serve god
And what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance?
And that we have walked mournfully before the lord of host
These words they they describe
Those who ought to have better
Represented the precious truth who ought to have an example
Of the faithful to those newly come to the faith
For all who follow him
The lord has prepared a rich feast of heavenly things
He has ordained that those who follow him shall not walk in darkness
But shall have the light of life
call upon his believing obedient followers to cover the altar with tears
but to walk cheerfully and happily along. It goes without question that the life
of the Christian will endure sorrow or some sort of struggle. Jesus never said
that man would not be persecuted for his sake he said the opposite. However he
told us that he would send a comforter and he did send a comforter. He exclaimed
be of good cheer for he has overcome the world. Therefore when you consider your
situation know that the Lord is not at fault for the suffering of man but he
has endured that suffering and is enduring alongside you. As the ends of
the earth earth's history is coming to a close it is vital to understand the
character of God. His character being one of real love and patience that is willing
to take a people as far gone as Israel during the times of Jeremiah and offer
his comfort again. Many of them they lost faith and hope in the Lord and began to
go over idols. But God will take you where you are and shed away the evil
that has held you down. He will work with you. No sin is a curse that holds its
consequence but the gift of life comes from Christ. That's Romans 6 and 23 for
the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Aspire heads for prayer. Dear Heavenly Father I want to thank you so much for all that
you do Lord. I want to thank you for the opportunity to be able to be here
worshiping you in a place of safety. That we may abide under the shadow of the
Almighty. That you may continue to fill us with your truth and with your
understanding. That you may help us to have acknowledgement in the ways that we
should walk Lord and that we may have newness of life every single day putting
on the new man for we have died to our old lives and you have transformed us
and made us new. And that no manner of thing in this world be able to confound
us because you said in your word Lord that not one shall be plucked out of
your hand. And how many like sheep have gone astray Lord but do you not leave
the 99 and go search after that one sheep? Of course you do and when you
bring them back that they may have happiness and joy Lord and so we pray and
ask Lord that we will have that happiness and joy that we may walk in
this life that you have given us cheerfully. We thank you so much and we
love you Lord in Jesus name we pray. Amen.