WEBVTT 00:00:10.790 --> 00:00:14.330 Amen. God is so good. What a God. What a God. 00:00:14.570 --> 00:00:19.670 There is none like him. Amen. Good to see you 00:00:19.670 --> 00:00:21.170 in the house of the Lord. Thank you for being 00:00:21.170 --> 00:00:24.250 here today. If you're visiting with us, it is 00:00:24.250 --> 00:00:26.329 an honor for us to have you in this house of 00:00:26.329 --> 00:00:30.030 worship. There are countless others across this 00:00:30.030 --> 00:00:33.710 city and town that you could be in today, but 00:00:33.710 --> 00:00:37.429 yet you chose to be here with us. And for me, 00:00:37.429 --> 00:00:40.390 I count that a great honor. to have you here 00:00:40.390 --> 00:00:44.170 with us. We as a church appreciate your attendance 00:00:44.170 --> 00:00:47.509 today. If you have your Bibles, begin turning 00:00:47.509 --> 00:00:54.729 with me to Psalm 60. Psalm 60. It is good to 00:00:54.729 --> 00:00:58.090 have my family with us, part of our middle daughter, 00:00:58.149 --> 00:01:07.569 Lauren, and the crew. They are embarking upon 00:01:07.569 --> 00:01:16.280 the... travel baseball effects. And as they are 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:23.120 growing into various age groups, they had to 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:26.219 separate yesterday. One's in Chattanooga and 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:30.239 one was over here. And I'm just glad they come 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:32.420 to church this morning on the way to finish up 00:01:32.420 --> 00:01:33.840 the Chattanooga tournament. Just set it right 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.159 over there, boys. Yeah, please, brethren. I'm 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:40.400 sorry, not boys. Apologies, brethren. Brethren. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:42.000 Yeah, just grab that other thing right there. 00:01:43.620 --> 00:01:45.780 You're about to see your pastor do something 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:49.200 that he very rarely does. And so know that I've 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:52.739 been urged by the Spirit. Amen. But it is good 00:01:52.739 --> 00:01:56.579 to have them here with us. Yesterday, we ended 00:01:56.579 --> 00:02:02.099 up with a runner -up championship ring. Amen. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:07.920 And an MVP ring. Amen. Looking for another. Yeah, 00:02:07.939 --> 00:02:10.199 sit it right over here. Sit, yeah. Yeah, yeah, 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:15.120 right over. Right over there. Yeah, well, a little. 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:18.020 Got most of it from their nana. Their nanny's 00:02:18.020 --> 00:02:19.819 where they got most of their talent when it comes 00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:22.780 to that ball field stuff. Poppy was all right, 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:25.740 but nowhere near what nanny was back in the day. 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:32.020 That was back in the day. I don't know, did any 00:02:32.020 --> 00:02:35.289 of y 'all see that little family? picture that 00:02:35.289 --> 00:02:39.830 Gerald put on Facebook during Mother's Day that 00:02:39.830 --> 00:02:43.830 Sunday afternoon of we were outside throwing, 00:02:43.949 --> 00:02:46.770 passing the softball just a little bit. Well, 00:02:46.789 --> 00:02:50.610 she had this thought, well, yeah, give me a glove. 00:02:51.389 --> 00:02:57.189 And I almost messed up. I threw it like back 00:02:57.189 --> 00:03:01.210 in the day to her. We're not back in the day. 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:05.800 And so it almost got bad. She defended herself 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:09.180 right at the last moment. Keeps telling me, I'd 00:03:09.180 --> 00:03:11.400 like to play. I said, you better get up and walk, 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:14.659 let alone play. That arthritic ankle, I could 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:19.360 play. I said, no, we're past that. That's prime. 00:03:23.659 --> 00:03:27.620 It's a good thing she loves me. You got good 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:32.629 friends that remind her of that, too. Are you 00:03:32.629 --> 00:03:43.590 ready today? Psalm 60, verse 1 reads, O God, 00:03:43.610 --> 00:03:46.389 thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, 00:03:46.469 --> 00:03:50.669 thou hast been displeased. O turn thyself to 00:03:50.669 --> 00:03:54.250 us again. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, 00:03:54.250 --> 00:03:57.310 thou hast broken it. Heal the breaches thereof, 00:03:57.310 --> 00:04:01.469 for it shaketh. Thou hast showed thy people hard 00:04:01.469 --> 00:04:04.210 things. Thou hast made us to drink the wine of 00:04:04.210 --> 00:04:07.069 astonishment. That's staggering from the effects 00:04:07.069 --> 00:04:10.169 of what has happened. The hardness, this hardship 00:04:10.169 --> 00:04:13.870 that they're referring to, the psalmist. But 00:04:13.870 --> 00:04:18.029 then verse 4. Thou hast given a banner to them 00:04:18.029 --> 00:04:25.430 that fear thee. That it may be displayed because 00:04:25.430 --> 00:04:31.500 of truth. Then the psalmist says in 63, verse 00:04:31.500 --> 00:04:35.279 6, he says, When I remember thee upon my bed, 00:04:35.379 --> 00:04:38.420 and meditate on thee in the night watches, because 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:44.300 thou hast been my help. Therefore in the shadow 00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:48.680 of thy wings will I rejoice. With the help of 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:51.019 the Lord for a little while today, I'm not going 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:52.939 to be in a hurry. If you are, if you need to 00:04:52.939 --> 00:04:55.720 be dismissed, just ease on out. God bless you. 00:04:56.329 --> 00:04:58.629 Thank you again for being here, but I'm not going 00:04:58.629 --> 00:05:02.850 to be in a hurry. Amen. I feel like the Lord 00:05:02.850 --> 00:05:04.949 has put this on my heart, so we're just going 00:05:04.949 --> 00:05:08.470 to share it. The thought I'm going to preach 00:05:08.470 --> 00:05:17.949 to you today is a call to remember the tale of 00:05:17.949 --> 00:05:25.519 two flags. The tale of two flags. Today, I don't 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:27.079 know, some of you may be aware of it. I know 00:05:27.079 --> 00:05:29.360 some of you are. Today is National Flag Day. 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:33.439 And I know you begin to think, well, what's a 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.100 flag got to do with church? Well, I'm going to 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:40.879 tell you what a flag has to do with church so 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.759 that you'll know that I'm not outside the bounds 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.920 of the word. How about that? I'll pray for you 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:49.920 if you pray for me. Father, we love you. Thank 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:52.800 you for your goodness and your mercy. So grateful 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.000 and thankful this morning for this opportunity 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.379 to be in your house. And Lord, to encounter your 00:06:00.379 --> 00:06:03.279 presence. So Father, now as we've broken the 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:06.220 bread of life, your word is the bread of life. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.420 And I thank you so much. So Lord, and on our 00:06:10.420 --> 00:06:12.839 ears to hear and our hearts to receive what it 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:15.519 is the Spirit would say unto the church. To you 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:17.540 be praise forever in Christ's name. The church 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:25.790 said, amen. You can be seated. One man said while 00:06:25.790 --> 00:06:29.149 he was walking through a country courthouse square, 00:06:29.329 --> 00:06:38.009 on a park bench, an old man was sitting. And 00:06:38.009 --> 00:06:41.589 he said to him, your old flagpole is leaned a 00:06:41.589 --> 00:06:47.009 little bit. And that's a ragged old flag you 00:06:47.009 --> 00:06:53.420 got sitting on it. Well, he said. I don't like 00:06:53.420 --> 00:06:57.139 to brag, but we're kind of proud of that old 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:01.920 flag, ragged old flag. You see, we got a little 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.759 hole in that flag there when Washington took 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:09.519 it across Delaware. It got powder burned the 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:14.000 night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing, 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:19.959 oh say can you see. It got a rip in New Orleans 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:23.540 when Packingham and Jackson were tugging at its 00:07:23.540 --> 00:07:28.939 seams. She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville, 00:07:29.100 --> 00:07:34.339 and she got again cut at Shallow Hill. There 00:07:34.339 --> 00:07:36.920 was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg, and 00:07:36.920 --> 00:07:40.879 the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.220 On Flounders Field in World War I, she got a 00:07:49.220 --> 00:07:54.560 big hole from a Bertha gun. She turned blood 00:07:54.560 --> 00:08:01.379 red in World War II. She's hung limp and low 00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:06.939 a time or two. She was in Korea and Vietnam. 00:08:09.740 --> 00:08:15.439 Desert Storm and Iran now. She went where she 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:20.480 was sent by her Uncle Sam. She waved from our 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:25.649 ships upon the briny foam. And now they've about 00:08:25.649 --> 00:08:32.769 quit waving her back at home. In her own good 00:08:32.769 --> 00:08:39.809 land, she's been abused. She's been burned, dishonored, 00:08:39.850 --> 00:08:46.629 denied, and refused. And she's getting a little 00:08:46.629 --> 00:08:51.470 threadbare, and she's wearing thin. But she's 00:08:51.470 --> 00:08:56.850 in good shape for the shape she's in. So we raise 00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:00.049 her up every morning and we bring her down slow 00:09:00.049 --> 00:09:04.590 every night. We don't let her touch the ground 00:09:04.590 --> 00:09:09.490 and we fold her up right. On second thought, 00:09:09.629 --> 00:09:16.110 I do like to brag. Because I'm mighty proud of 00:09:16.110 --> 00:09:21.179 that old ragged flag. Today is National Flag 00:09:21.179 --> 00:09:27.259 Day. I don't know if I'm as patriotic as some, 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:31.019 but I am a patriot. I love my country. I love 00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:35.799 this nation. Is she perfect? No. Never will be 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:38.419 as long as some of the folks we send up there 00:09:38.419 --> 00:09:43.360 to run it. We got a long way to get before we'll 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.980 ever get perfect. But she's in pretty good shape. 00:09:48.299 --> 00:09:54.539 For the shape she's in. Amen. On this national 00:09:54.539 --> 00:09:58.139 flag day, we have these two banners that are 00:09:58.139 --> 00:10:05.580 before us. In old glory here that waves, the 00:10:05.580 --> 00:10:09.940 colors of red, white, and blue. The red symbolizes 00:10:09.940 --> 00:10:13.759 valor and sacrifice. White represents purity 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:19.450 of which it's getting sort of dingy. Blue signifies 00:10:19.450 --> 00:10:27.190 perseverance and justice. The 13 stripes on the 00:10:27.190 --> 00:10:30.350 flag are for those 13 original colonies that 00:10:30.350 --> 00:10:35.309 separated from tyranny and began the revolution 00:10:35.309 --> 00:10:44.590 so that a people could live free. It wasn't free. 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:52.200 So that we could live free. Blood has been spilled. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.179 Can I tell you without the shedding of blood, 00:10:54.379 --> 00:10:57.580 there's no remission of sin. And without the 00:10:57.580 --> 00:11:00.440 shedding of blood, there is no freedom for people. 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:08.039 Because it has to be fought for. You have to 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:11.860 take freedom from tyranny. It doesn't surrender 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:16.350 it. Evil doesn't just surrender it. Now, I know 00:11:16.350 --> 00:11:19.029 in this room there are varying opinions politically 00:11:19.029 --> 00:11:25.450 about how we interject ourselves into world affairs. 00:11:26.350 --> 00:11:29.210 But I believe that the United States of America 00:11:29.210 --> 00:11:32.730 is the greatest nation on this earth. Not just 00:11:32.730 --> 00:11:34.649 because I'm from here. If I was over there looking 00:11:34.649 --> 00:11:36.629 this way, this is where I would probably want 00:11:36.629 --> 00:11:42.919 to be. Various reasons for its greatness. Hopefully 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:45.840 the number one thing is God has blessed us because 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.820 the gospel has really flooded from these shores 00:11:48.820 --> 00:11:54.480 around this world. Now I know there's some whacked 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.559 out ideas out there and it's going to get wackier 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:02.519 as time wanes on. The further we move away from 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:06.379 the origination and the original plan and the 00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:11.399 original foundation was shaky, the men who... 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.879 penned and orchestrated the greatest document 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:19.240 for men to live by, the Constitution. They were 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:25.000 not perfect men by any stretch. But the system 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:27.639 that we live under, as far as the world goes, 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:32.360 I believe has the potential to be the fairest 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:37.620 for any in the world. That's the reason many 00:12:37.620 --> 00:12:43.970 long to live on our shores. But for the child 00:12:43.970 --> 00:12:50.090 of God, we've got another banner. We have another 00:12:50.090 --> 00:12:52.750 banner. You notice it's on the right side of 00:12:52.750 --> 00:12:56.490 the church. Another thing I don't know if you 00:12:56.490 --> 00:12:59.909 know about the American flag is that it is to 00:12:59.909 --> 00:13:11.330 never dip to any other. Never. I read some interesting 00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:19.720 things. In 1908 at the Olympics, it was in Europe, 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:25.299 and our flag bearer, when they all come time 00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:30.059 to tip the flag to the king of England, old glory 00:13:30.059 --> 00:13:33.559 here just stood tall. I told Pastor Brian this 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:37.059 morning, I said, why would you tip to he who 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:43.120 you conquered? Come on, somebody. Why would you, 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.480 no, no, no. You might want a curtsy right here, 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:56.360 kind sir. Interesting facts about the flag. I'm 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:59.059 proud to represent it. I'm proud to have it in 00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:03.100 our sanctuary. Although the places of prominence 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:05.080 I don't think need to be up there. I kind of 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:10.700 like where we have them. In sight and in mind. 00:14:11.850 --> 00:14:13.649 But today I wanted them out in the forefront 00:14:13.649 --> 00:14:18.809 for you so that you'd understand that this flag 00:14:18.809 --> 00:14:22.789 doesn't hold priority over this flag. Because 00:14:22.789 --> 00:14:29.529 that one day, this one will tip. Hello? One day, 00:14:29.570 --> 00:14:34.789 this one will tip, not to the symbol, not to 00:14:34.789 --> 00:14:40.269 the banner, but to the king of the banner. The 00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:43.190 king of England may not get a tip, but the king 00:14:43.190 --> 00:14:47.090 of glory will get more than a tip. For she shall 00:14:47.090 --> 00:14:50.970 bow with every other. I'm going to try to get 00:14:50.970 --> 00:14:54.710 warmed up right here now. For us as believers, 00:14:54.929 --> 00:15:00.210 this flag here is our standard. It is our banner. 00:15:01.149 --> 00:15:04.690 This Christian flag waves in praise of our Lord 00:15:04.690 --> 00:15:09.620 Jesus Christ. Amen? who gave up his divinity, 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:13.220 surrendered his divinity to carry a cross for 00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:18.299 us, the symbol at its top. Not an eagle, the 00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:22.919 symbol of Calvary, the symbol of sacrifice. It 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:26.549 waves in celebration of the Holy Spirit. When 00:15:26.549 --> 00:15:29.690 who is the wind beneath the sails of our hearts 00:15:29.690 --> 00:15:33.870 and it invites us to worship our risen Lord and 00:15:33.870 --> 00:15:36.529 the God of all glory. When you see it waving, 00:15:36.750 --> 00:15:39.730 it should cause your mind to lift up. the head 00:15:39.730 --> 00:15:42.690 and look toward the glories. Amen. It should 00:15:42.690 --> 00:15:45.789 let your eyes gaze across its colors and see 00:15:45.789 --> 00:15:48.830 the cross at its tip but lift your eyes as the 00:15:48.830 --> 00:15:51.389 psalmist would say above the heels from which 00:15:51.389 --> 00:15:54.110 cometh him help because his help comes from the 00:15:54.110 --> 00:15:57.330 Lord. When you see this national banner it's 00:15:57.330 --> 00:16:00.610 for the nation of those who follow Christ and 00:16:00.610 --> 00:16:03.269 believe it or not there's a nation within the 00:16:03.269 --> 00:16:05.929 nation. I begin to think about the banners and 00:16:05.929 --> 00:16:08.820 the standards and the flags representing presented 00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:11.919 in Scripture. There's more about flags. There's 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:15.080 more about standards and Scripture and ensigns 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:19.059 than you can imagine in the Bible. Webster calls 00:16:19.059 --> 00:16:22.379 it a banner, a flag, a standard, an ensign. And 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:25.899 there's more to what goes on than just meets 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:28.919 the eye. The Bible, the Scripture is filled with 00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:32.419 references to banners and standards and the insignia 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:36.139 that we see and know that God is Lord of all. 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:39.659 We can find one Himself. in Exodus 17, 15 as 00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:42.960 Moses declared this. One of the names of God, 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:47.500 Jehovah Nissim, the Lord our... banner. Hallelujah. 00:16:47.620 --> 00:16:52.139 The Lord waves proudly before us and truly the 00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:54.840 spirit of the Lord, that wonderful wind of the 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.720 breath of God that blows in our hearts and causes 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:00.600 us to move and to go about our being. It's the 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:03.620 power of God within us to help us and to instruct 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:06.480 us along our way. But let's just look at a few 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.859 others before we progress a little further. So 00:17:08.859 --> 00:17:11.640 you'll know that pastor's in the book today and 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:13.880 not just making something up for you that it's 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:16.220 something to draw our attention to. This morning 00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:19.640 in Psalm 20 and 5, we hear this. We will rejoice 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:22.819 in your salvation. In the name of our God, we 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:27.210 will set up our... Hallelujah. We will set up 00:17:27.210 --> 00:17:31.789 our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. 00:17:31.910 --> 00:17:33.990 We're going to talk a little bit about what banners 00:17:33.990 --> 00:17:37.470 we can fly as we inquire of the Lord. And we 00:17:37.470 --> 00:17:40.730 seek him with our petition. In Psalm 64 and 5, 00:17:40.990 --> 00:17:43.710 we see these words. You have given a banner to 00:17:43.710 --> 00:17:46.569 those who fear you, that it may be displayed 00:17:46.569 --> 00:17:50.630 because of the truth. Selah, that your beloved 00:17:50.630 --> 00:17:53.450 may be delivered. Are you hearing, pastor, this 00:17:53.450 --> 00:17:55.769 morning? that your beloved may be delivered. 00:17:55.890 --> 00:17:59.390 Say with your right hand and hear me. We're going 00:17:59.390 --> 00:18:01.849 to wave our banner because I need the delivering 00:18:01.849 --> 00:18:04.509 power of God. And I want the Lord to know that 00:18:04.509 --> 00:18:09.470 I am on his side. Amen. Oh, you need to know. 00:18:09.529 --> 00:18:12.769 I want to wave it proud and clear. Amen. That 00:18:12.769 --> 00:18:16.190 I am a blood -bought, born -again child of the 00:18:16.190 --> 00:18:19.470 living God. Amen. I'm not ashamed of the marker 00:18:19.470 --> 00:18:22.049 of it. I'm not ashamed to let that banner go. 00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:25.259 I'm not ashamed. to count myself one who has 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:28.079 been bought and purchased and cleaned and purified 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:31.980 and empowered for service in the Lord's army. 00:18:34.779 --> 00:18:39.079 Man, a little song come to my mind. I may never 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:42.859 march in the infantry right in the cavalry. Shoot. 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:46.630 50 artillery I may never fly over the enemy, 00:18:46.789 --> 00:18:50.289 but I'm in the Lord's army. You see, back in 00:18:50.289 --> 00:18:52.130 the day, we didn't care to get a little foolish 00:18:52.130 --> 00:18:56.069 to let somebody know I am in. I'm signed up. 00:18:56.089 --> 00:18:59.869 My God, I am one. I may be in the infantry of 00:18:59.869 --> 00:19:02.990 the Lord, but I am here. Amen. I may not do many 00:19:02.990 --> 00:19:05.769 of these other things, but I am in the Lord, 00:19:05.869 --> 00:19:17.750 and his banner flies over me. two and four. He 00:19:17.750 --> 00:19:21.329 brought me to the banqueting house and his banner 00:19:21.329 --> 00:19:26.910 over me is love. Hallelujah. What a banner. What 00:19:26.910 --> 00:19:30.390 a flag. What an insignia to fly over you. You 00:19:30.390 --> 00:19:32.410 ought to do a little research and look. Every 00:19:32.410 --> 00:19:36.130 tribe of Israel had an insignia. They had a standard. 00:19:36.309 --> 00:19:39.109 They had a banner. We know of the tribe of Judah, 00:19:39.170 --> 00:19:41.930 which is the lion. Amen. It was on their banner. 00:19:42.009 --> 00:19:44.589 And they marched behind their banner. And all 00:19:44.589 --> 00:19:47.170 the other 11 tribes, they all had their banner. 00:19:47.250 --> 00:19:49.609 They all had their symbol. They all had their 00:19:49.609 --> 00:19:52.130 sign. Why? Because when you look up and see the 00:19:52.130 --> 00:19:53.859 banner, that's where I'm standing. supposed to 00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:55.980 camp tonight. That's where I'm supposed to be. 00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:59.700 Amen. I've got a campsite under this one, but 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:01.900 I've got a better one under this one right here. 00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:04.839 Amen. A nation within a nation. A nation when 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:07.859 every nation around this world, that flag flies 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:11.799 in every corner of this world. There's not a 00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:14.400 continent that someone isn't camping under the 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:18.240 banner of the Lord's insignia, that sign of Christianity, 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:23.519 the blood belt, the Lord himself. Well, hallelujah. 00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:28.059 Isaiah. Isaiah said he will lift up a banner 00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:33.480 to the nations from afar and will whistle to 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:36.980 them from the end of the earth. Surely they shall 00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:45.079 come with speed swiftly. Man. Talking about all 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.940 this ball stuff. When they were that size, we 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:53.150 did the same thing. And my mind, when the scripture 00:20:53.150 --> 00:20:56.670 says, and the whistle goes out, and hopefully 00:20:56.670 --> 00:21:00.970 they'll come running speedily. That was my kids' 00:21:01.089 --> 00:21:04.170 sign. When they could hear my whistle, I don't 00:21:04.170 --> 00:21:07.109 care how many were around. I don't care what 00:21:07.109 --> 00:21:10.750 they were doing. When they heard me whistle, 00:21:10.930 --> 00:21:13.150 they stopped. I've done it before just to see 00:21:13.150 --> 00:21:15.690 them, just to see what they'll do. In a crowd 00:21:15.690 --> 00:21:18.509 playing, I whistled, they would stop and begin 00:21:18.509 --> 00:21:23.480 to do this. Looking for me to say, it's time 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:25.859 to go. Didn't matter where they were. Didn't 00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:28.299 matter what we were doing. If they heard me whistle, 00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:30.779 they were looking for me so that they could come 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:33.720 running to me. Oh, come on now. Isn't that what 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.980 the Lord just saying? He's got a banner. And 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:37.960 let the whistle be heard from the end of the 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:40.480 earth. So all that see it and identify with it. 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:44.140 Oh, come running speedily. My Lord, there's not 00:21:44.140 --> 00:21:46.579 a whistle going to sound. There's a trumpet going 00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:49.519 to sound. Hey, hey. and they're going to come. 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:56.640 Oh, my Lord. Woo! Come on, somebody. It's National 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:05.299 Flag Day, and we're having church. Hey, surely 00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:09.920 they shall come with speed. If I had them boys 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:12.079 right there with me for a summer, they'd come 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:18.529 speedily. I assure you. Because only one time 00:22:18.529 --> 00:22:20.589 do you want to turn and go the other direction 00:22:20.589 --> 00:22:27.289 when you know that you heard me. Huh? Next time 00:22:27.289 --> 00:22:31.430 you hear me, you will come to attention and go 00:22:31.430 --> 00:22:37.710 to looking. And in that day there shall be a 00:22:37.710 --> 00:22:42.009 root of Jesse who shall stand as a banner to 00:22:42.009 --> 00:22:45.309 the people for the Gentiles shall seek him. Hallelujah. 00:22:45.470 --> 00:22:50.700 That's us. That's us. The Gentiles shall seek 00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:54.039 him and his resting place shall be glorious. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:56.680 I'm just going to give you some that you can 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:58.200 look up and read when you get home. I'm not going 00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.740 to cover all of them or you'll get up and leave 00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:03.559 because I won't get done. Isaiah 11 and 10. Isaiah 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:07.940 18 and 3. Isaiah 30 and 17. Isaiah 49 and 22. 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:11.759 Isaiah 59 and 19. I will read this one. So shall 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:13.680 they fear the name of the Lord from the west 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:16.200 and his glory from the rising of the sun. When 00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:19.059 the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit 00:23:19.059 --> 00:23:22.700 of the Lord shall raise up a standard against 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:25.890 him. Hallelujah. He's going to raise up a standard 00:23:25.890 --> 00:23:28.390 when the flood of the enemy tries to overwhelm 00:23:28.390 --> 00:23:30.990 you and overtake you. I'm telling you, the Lord 00:23:30.990 --> 00:23:33.869 of glory is going to put a stop to it. He's going 00:23:33.869 --> 00:23:36.250 to plant his marker. He's going to say, come 00:23:36.250 --> 00:23:43.190 to me. Woo, my Lord. There's so many good ones. 00:23:43.250 --> 00:23:46.470 You just hate to run over them all. Amen. Isaiah 00:23:46.470 --> 00:23:50.849 62 and 10. Jeremiah 50 and 2. Zechariah 9 and 00:23:50.849 --> 00:23:59.049 16. I want to hit that one, but I won't. Understand 00:23:59.049 --> 00:24:01.430 that this banner is the freest banner there is 00:24:01.430 --> 00:24:06.650 under which you can march. You hear me? It is 00:24:06.650 --> 00:24:09.930 the freest banner on the face of this earth owing 00:24:09.930 --> 00:24:16.589 allegiance to no man or nation. Are you hearing 00:24:16.589 --> 00:24:20.269 me? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United 00:24:20.269 --> 00:24:22.609 States of America and the republic for which 00:24:22.609 --> 00:24:27.390 it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, 00:24:27.390 --> 00:24:31.150 with liberty and justice for all. That's my allegiance. 00:24:31.549 --> 00:24:33.569 I am claiming my allegiance. But let me tell 00:24:33.569 --> 00:24:36.089 you something. This flag right here has no allegiance 00:24:36.089 --> 00:24:40.430 to no man other than the man, God himself, the 00:24:40.430 --> 00:24:44.329 incarnate one. Amen. He bows to none, but all 00:24:44.329 --> 00:24:47.069 shall bow before him. I'm telling you, it's the 00:24:47.069 --> 00:24:49.470 freest flag that you can. There is liberty and 00:24:49.470 --> 00:24:52.910 perfect peace in him and in him alone. Oh, my 00:24:52.910 --> 00:24:55.309 God. And where the spirit of the Lord is, it 00:24:55.309 --> 00:24:57.930 ushers those who are with him to come and go 00:24:57.930 --> 00:25:00.710 in the liberty of his. choosing and that choosing 00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:03.130 is hope and peace and love. The liberty that 00:25:03.130 --> 00:25:05.730 you have. There is some yet tyranny and taxation 00:25:05.730 --> 00:25:08.750 under this banner but there is the taxes are 00:25:08.750 --> 00:25:11.549 paid in full. The bill is paid in full right 00:25:11.549 --> 00:25:19.130 over here. It'll come. The first pledge written 00:25:19.130 --> 00:25:22.410 by a Methodist minister years ago for the Christian 00:25:22.410 --> 00:25:25.960 flag goes like this. I pledge allegiance to my 00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:28.980 flag and the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:32.759 One brotherhood uniting all mankind in service 00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:38.859 and love. Later ratified to read as this. I pledge 00:25:38.859 --> 00:25:41.400 allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:45.859 for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, 00:25:46.440 --> 00:25:50.859 risen, and coming again with life and liberty. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:54.180 For all who believe. Now, my Lord, I can pledge 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:57.250 some allegiance to that. Amen. I can stand firm 00:25:57.250 --> 00:26:01.190 beneath that. Amen. I can bow before that. Amen. 00:26:01.349 --> 00:26:04.529 I don't bow at that, but I will bow for the cause 00:26:04.529 --> 00:26:08.069 of this. Amen. It's not the flag. Amen. It's 00:26:08.069 --> 00:26:11.109 not the flag, but it's what the flag represents. 00:26:11.529 --> 00:26:15.069 The banner for Judah was the lion, and when that 00:26:15.069 --> 00:26:17.269 banner was there, that's where they rallied. 00:26:17.349 --> 00:26:20.430 Amen. It represented Judah. This represents the 00:26:20.430 --> 00:26:24.410 Lord of glory. It stands in semblance for the 00:26:24.410 --> 00:26:27.920 sacrifice. that he alone made and he alone could 00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:31.400 make so that all who come unto him could have 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:34.420 everlasting life. You don't get that here. You 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:43.539 get that here. Well, hallelujah. Two flags, two 00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:48.700 tails of sacrifice and love. Two tails, two flags 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:55.269 representing sacrifice and love. Now, the only 00:26:55.269 --> 00:27:01.549 ones that serve under this, maybe under duress, 00:27:01.569 --> 00:27:10.009 are those who were drafted. But they served. 00:27:11.609 --> 00:27:21.289 And if you didn't, if you dodged, what about 00:27:21.289 --> 00:27:24.640 here? What about your service over here? There 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:31.140 was shame when you dodged that draft. Oh, now, 00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:34.420 for all those of you that are shouting and clapping 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:38.579 while I go, you're under this banner. Raise your 00:27:38.579 --> 00:27:42.180 hand one more time. You're not dodging, are you? 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:49.960 You're not dodging, are you? You're not dodging 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:59.490 service, are you? What's that? I'm trying to 00:27:59.490 --> 00:28:03.609 think of the name of that movie. Private Doss 00:28:03.609 --> 00:28:15.190 in it. What? Hacksaw Ridge. He wanted to serve. 00:28:18.349 --> 00:28:21.029 He didn't try to get out of it. He signed up. 00:28:22.809 --> 00:28:26.150 He wanted to serve differently. He had a conviction. 00:28:27.630 --> 00:28:29.250 Are you hearing me? Have you seen the movie? 00:28:30.789 --> 00:28:33.470 If you haven't, you need to watch that. It's 00:28:33.470 --> 00:28:36.329 a pretty good movie. It's a pretty good movie. 00:28:37.730 --> 00:28:39.829 It was at one of those times that our flag was 00:28:39.829 --> 00:28:43.690 hanging a little limp that that old man was talking 00:28:43.690 --> 00:28:50.769 about. But he wanted to serve. And I hope it 00:28:50.769 --> 00:28:53.190 went pretty close anyway to the way the narrative 00:28:53.190 --> 00:28:55.789 was given on screen. But when he stood before 00:28:55.789 --> 00:28:57.680 them and he told them, he said, look. I want 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:00.880 to serve. I just don't want to take life. I want 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:04.660 to try to help save life. That's what he told 00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:06.920 his superiors. They're trying to court -martial 00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:09.700 him, get him out and all this stuff. It's a good 00:29:09.700 --> 00:29:16.500 movie. He just wanted to serve. He wanted to 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:19.279 preserve life. I'm not going to spoil it for 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:20.660 you if you haven't seen it. You just need to 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:25.359 watch it. He wasn't trying to dodge. He wasn't 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:27.559 trying to get out of it. Man, he was mistreated. 00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:30.440 He wasn't trying to get out of service. He just 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:33.799 wanted to carry a medic bag instead of a rifle. 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:40.140 He wanted to try to help save life instead of 00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:44.240 take life. And that was just kind of head scratching 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:47.960 to some of his superiors. But when it was all 00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:51.839 said and done, I liked what the head officer 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:54.700 there told him that. He said, well. If you want 00:29:54.700 --> 00:29:57.160 to run headlong into the enemy, I forget exactly 00:29:57.160 --> 00:30:00.960 how you word it, and get yourself killed, who 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:04.740 am I? Go ahead. But you've got to watch it, people, 00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:09.279 to see the end of that. We can't be dodgers. 00:30:10.119 --> 00:30:15.559 We can't dodge our service. Amen? And you can't 00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:19.640 be a conscientious objector to the battle plan 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:22.240 either for this one. You might can over there. 00:30:23.150 --> 00:30:27.430 But for this one, you can't. You can't. You can't 00:30:27.430 --> 00:30:30.930 compromise the plan. You can't compromise the 00:30:30.930 --> 00:30:33.230 service. You can't compromise your duty. The 00:30:33.230 --> 00:30:36.410 Apostle Paul said, What man, ensigned in the 00:30:36.410 --> 00:30:39.210 army of God, would entangle himself into the 00:30:39.210 --> 00:30:42.269 affairs of this world? You've got to be committed 00:30:42.269 --> 00:30:46.339 to the core values. of what it represents. Don't 00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:49.200 dodge it. Don't hide from it. Don't compromise 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:52.859 it. But stand boldly and firmly for that for 00:30:52.859 --> 00:31:03.299 which it stands. Remembering what God has done 00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:07.569 for us. Remembering how God has blessed us. Remembering 00:31:07.569 --> 00:31:10.269 that very first moment that you trusted him to 00:31:10.269 --> 00:31:13.089 cleanse you of your sins. I wonder on the tip 00:31:13.089 --> 00:31:15.470 of your mind right now and how fresh might it 00:31:15.470 --> 00:31:19.930 be. I can recall the day I bent a knee and truly 00:31:19.930 --> 00:31:23.930 repented of my sins. I remember that very well. 00:31:24.210 --> 00:31:26.569 I'd love to say I was faithful to my service. 00:31:26.789 --> 00:31:30.190 Amen. No, I went AWOL a few times. At least seven 00:31:30.190 --> 00:31:32.630 that you know of. Six that you know of that I've 00:31:32.630 --> 00:31:35.049 told you about. I went AWOL. But I come back. 00:31:35.109 --> 00:31:38.049 I went over the wall, but he come after me and 00:31:38.049 --> 00:31:40.849 brought me right back in. But now here I am, 00:31:40.869 --> 00:31:42.890 fully committed to the service and the cause 00:31:42.890 --> 00:31:45.369 of the banner for which I am camped beneath. 00:31:45.829 --> 00:31:48.849 Amen. Why? Because the banner is not just over 00:31:48.849 --> 00:31:53.150 me. The banner is in me. Hallelujah. I'm sold 00:31:53.150 --> 00:31:58.890 out to the cause of it. One of the privileges 00:31:58.890 --> 00:32:04.539 of this nation. Bad as I hate to say it and bad 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:07.880 as it makes me feel. And for those of you that 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:10.480 may be possibly in this room that have bled for 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:16.299 it, got your medal to prove it, I can only imagine 00:32:16.299 --> 00:32:18.799 how some of you who have served under this feel 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:27.059 when we see the idiocy of people who live under 00:32:27.059 --> 00:32:35.559 its protection but disdain it. who love the freedom 00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:40.440 of speech that it affords them, if it was up 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:43.779 to me, the first one that lights a match is gone. 00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:49.180 What nation of origin would you like to land 00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:52.440 in? You're out of here. Oh, that's just me. That's 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:55.119 your pastor, okay? I know that's a little bit 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:58.160 hardcore, but that's where I'm at. That's where 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:00.519 I'm at. You lie to match to her, honey. You're 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:04.140 gone. You have forfeited the privilege to live 00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:07.220 under its protection. Where do you want to live? 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:12.880 Give me an illegal that's coming over here that 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:16.279 may look at this and have pleasure in the freedom 00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:19.680 that it may afford them over some idiot who don't 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.559 understand the blood that was given for their 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:28.490 right. Now, you don't get under me, you just 00:33:28.490 --> 00:33:34.509 did. You light a match here, honey, you are gone. 00:33:35.809 --> 00:33:38.250 You're not, you're going straight to jail and 00:33:38.250 --> 00:33:41.269 out of here, and you will not collect $200 if 00:33:41.269 --> 00:33:44.890 I was over it. Bread and water might be all you 00:33:44.890 --> 00:33:51.109 would get. It would be an honor for me to slice 00:33:51.109 --> 00:33:52.970 you some of that green moldy bologna that they 00:33:52.970 --> 00:34:00.849 talk about and have to eat. But now, let's go 00:34:00.849 --> 00:34:02.750 over here. You really want to get me stirred 00:34:02.750 --> 00:34:07.750 up. Now, I get upset you're treading on old glory. 00:34:09.449 --> 00:34:11.929 But it's hard for me to fight against my flesh 00:34:11.929 --> 00:34:18.829 when folks go to treading on this. When you go 00:34:18.829 --> 00:34:22.650 to treading on the cause, when you go talking 00:34:22.650 --> 00:34:24.989 to get scrapped, my skin crawls every time I 00:34:24.989 --> 00:34:26.829 hear someone use the name of the Lord in vain. 00:34:26.949 --> 00:34:29.650 It's just like. You just want to slap the taste 00:34:29.650 --> 00:34:33.170 out of somebody's mouth. Because why? They don't 00:34:33.170 --> 00:34:35.289 have good sense to know that the protection that 00:34:35.289 --> 00:34:39.889 they're living under. Oh, pastor? Yeah. Don't 00:34:39.889 --> 00:34:41.929 you know that the Lord causes it to rain on the 00:34:41.929 --> 00:34:45.059 just and the unjust? Don't you know that every 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:47.500 day that the unjust get up and take a breath 00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:51.000 of fresh air, God's been good to them? Oh, they 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:54.099 don't realize how good God has been by sending 00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:58.119 his beloved son to perch himself upon the bars 00:34:58.119 --> 00:35:01.400 of that cross and to carry it and to drag it 00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:04.739 to Calvary's hill. He who would bankrupt glory 00:35:04.739 --> 00:35:09.380 with his royalness and his attributes. My God, 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:12.679 the peril of great price that was given for them. 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:15.239 My God, you ought to get up. If you're in this 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:17.619 house of sin, you ought to leave here praising 00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:20.280 God, whether you accept his sacrifice or not. 00:35:20.360 --> 00:35:23.320 Why? Because it's of his good mercy and of his 00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:35.539 good grace that you take another breath. You 00:35:35.539 --> 00:35:38.000 go to treading on that and its principles in 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:42.420 here, I don't have control. What goes on with 00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:51.039 that one? But I do this one here. You go disparaging 00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:54.860 Christ and I'll show you the door. You go talking 00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:58.659 against his sacrifice, saint or sinner, I'll 00:35:58.659 --> 00:36:02.079 show you the door. And we got enough mediums 00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:03.840 around here to help me get you out if I can't 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:09.579 do it myself. And they will happily assist pastor. 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:14.860 You know, well, that sounds awful violent. Well, 00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:17.860 according to the Word of God, Matthew puts it 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:20.420 this way. Since the days of John the Baptist, 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:23.900 the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and 00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:29.059 they that take it, take it by force. That's part 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:30.699 of our problem. We've got people who believe 00:36:30.699 --> 00:36:33.260 once you come here, you don't have to do anything 00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:35.619 against the devil anymore. He's running from 00:36:35.619 --> 00:36:46.920 you. Hogwash. He's coming dead at you. He's coming 00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:49.579 for you. You are marked. Why? Because he knows 00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:52.539 the banner that you're under, so he knows where 00:36:52.539 --> 00:37:03.639 to find you, and he's headed to you. Two flags, 00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:09.900 two tails of sacrifice and love. As we take a 00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:13.980 moment to remember today, remembering is vital 00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:18.780 to the life of a child of God. You've got to 00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:24.739 remember. You cannot let yourself come out with 00:37:24.739 --> 00:37:28.780 self -righteous amnesia. You've got to make yourself 00:37:28.780 --> 00:37:33.920 remember what you were, where he found you and 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:37.000 saved you. Well, I was a good person. Well, that 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:41.559 don't get it. You're still a good sinner person. 00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:45.880 Well, how do you know? Because we're all born 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:50.900 that way. Come on. You're born in it. We're born 00:37:50.900 --> 00:37:53.880 in sin. And the only way to get out of it is 00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:58.719 to be reborn. How do you know? You must be born 00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:04.199 again. Again. Nicodemus scratching his head. 00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:08.019 What are you saying? I'm an old man. I can't 00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:13.320 get back in my mother's womb. No, no. Must be 00:38:13.320 --> 00:38:22.239 born of the water and of the spirit. So it's 00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:26.280 vital for us to remember his banner over us. 00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:29.500 Psalm 105 .5 says, Remember his marvelous works. 00:38:30.190 --> 00:38:33.530 that he hath done his wonders and the judgments 00:38:33.530 --> 00:38:38.150 of his mouth. 106 and 4. Remember me, O Lord, 00:38:38.309 --> 00:38:43.269 with the favor that thou hast bearest unto thy 00:38:43.269 --> 00:38:49.809 people. Visit me with thy salvation. Upon our 00:38:49.809 --> 00:38:53.510 liberation. Upon the liberation of his people 00:38:53.510 --> 00:38:58.139 from bondage from Egypt. Exodus 12, 14, this 00:38:58.139 --> 00:39:03.599 day shall be unto you for a memorial. As they 00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:06.940 began to consecrate their firstborn to God, Moses 00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:09.599 said to the people in 13 and 3 of Exodus, remember 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:15.179 this day in which you came out from Egypt. To 00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:18.619 the extent that they remembered the Lord's steadfast 00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:22.980 love and saving acts toward them. The Israelites 00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:26.380 had a... Much better chance of staying faithful. 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:30.940 And it's the same way for you and I. You got 00:39:30.940 --> 00:39:33.800 a better chance of not going AWOL if you continually 00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:36.739 remind yourself of everything He's done for you. 00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:41.539 Part of the problem in Christendom is, especially 00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:44.900 here in the Western world, we've become at ease 00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:49.260 in Zion. But not so around the world. I don't 00:39:49.260 --> 00:39:51.139 know what some of the tribulation is that's already 00:39:51.139 --> 00:39:55.110 in action. I don't know what, I know there's 00:39:55.110 --> 00:39:58.349 tribulation in the world. Even possibly beginning 00:39:58.349 --> 00:40:00.510 of the end times of the tribulation. Christians 00:40:00.510 --> 00:40:02.949 are being killed by the hundreds and the thousands 00:40:02.949 --> 00:40:09.650 because of their alignment with the principle 00:40:09.650 --> 00:40:15.829 of that standard. Armies rallying up just going 00:40:15.829 --> 00:40:19.369 out and killing them. Let me ask you something 00:40:19.369 --> 00:40:28.869 today. Just for personal pondering. It was a 00:40:28.869 --> 00:40:31.409 chore probably for a few of us today to just 00:40:31.409 --> 00:40:32.929 go ahead and make up our mind. Well, I guess 00:40:32.929 --> 00:40:38.730 I'll go on. Versus many of the other activities 00:40:38.730 --> 00:40:41.789 that you could have be participating in right 00:40:41.789 --> 00:40:45.110 now. I guess I'll just go on church. Look, if 00:40:45.110 --> 00:40:46.969 you don't come for any other reason than to keep 00:40:46.969 --> 00:40:48.530 me from being aggravated when you're not here, 00:40:48.610 --> 00:40:57.889 come on. For those of you visiting, is he like 00:40:57.889 --> 00:41:03.090 this always? Yes, I'm sorry. I'm just me, transparent. 00:41:03.349 --> 00:41:05.190 Yeah, it aggravates me when you're not here. 00:41:05.989 --> 00:41:09.730 Especially if you don't have a good reason. None 00:41:09.730 --> 00:41:13.449 of your excuses I accept. Reasons, I ponder. 00:41:17.010 --> 00:41:19.510 Do you know today, this very Sunday, we have 00:41:19.510 --> 00:41:24.389 people on mountains, land, lakes, and seas. And 00:41:24.389 --> 00:41:29.400 all points in between. Not excuses, they're reasons. 00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:33.159 They're taking well -deserved vacations. But 00:41:33.159 --> 00:41:35.400 what we also have, as my phone is lit up this 00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:38.699 morning, we have people in beds of affliction. 00:41:40.599 --> 00:41:43.980 We have people sick who would love to have been 00:41:43.980 --> 00:41:47.119 able to join us this morning to worship. They 00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:48.619 would have loved to be here. They haven't abandoned. 00:41:48.760 --> 00:41:54.679 They haven't went AWOL. They're in sickbay. They 00:41:54.679 --> 00:41:56.380 need the touch of the Lord on their life. They 00:41:56.380 --> 00:41:58.920 need the hand of God. Even our folks on vacation. 00:41:59.019 --> 00:42:01.519 And I'll even pray for the lazy ones that just 00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:05.000 don't. But you don't want me to tell you how 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:11.860 I pray for you. Just know I pray for you. Sincerely. 00:42:15.659 --> 00:42:18.019 Whenever he grew weary, Martin Luther would repeat 00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:20.500 over and over again. I hope I get this Latin 00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:30.110 term right. I am baptized. I am baptized. And 00:42:30.110 --> 00:42:32.409 in saying these words, he tapped into the source 00:42:32.409 --> 00:42:36.409 of his strength. On the road to Emmaus in Luke 00:42:36.409 --> 00:42:39.949 24, 27, Jesus expounded unto those disciples 00:42:39.949 --> 00:42:44.190 all the scripture concerning himself. When Mary 00:42:44.190 --> 00:42:47.289 stood at the empty tomb, the angel urged her 00:42:47.289 --> 00:42:52.170 to remember what Jesus had said to her. Remember 00:42:52.170 --> 00:42:57.659 what he said to you. When we think about the 00:42:57.659 --> 00:42:59.780 greatest remembrance of all, it would be found 00:42:59.780 --> 00:43:06.119 in 1 Corinthians 11, the Lord's Supper. He would 00:43:06.119 --> 00:43:08.260 even instruct them to do this in remembrance 00:43:08.260 --> 00:43:15.880 of me until I come. We have selective memory. 00:43:17.300 --> 00:43:21.119 We select what we want to remember and we dismiss 00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:25.119 everything else. But I encourage you today, do 00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:27.860 not dismiss the hard times as I read in our opening 00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:31.199 text. Because sometimes things get so hard you 00:43:31.199 --> 00:43:34.699 just stagger. As though you've been forced to 00:43:34.699 --> 00:43:38.739 drink the wine of intoxication. Sometimes we 00:43:38.739 --> 00:43:42.619 merely just stagger our way through events of 00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:48.539 life. Sometimes we just make it. We just barely 00:43:48.539 --> 00:43:54.389 make it, but we make it. And we do so because 00:43:54.389 --> 00:43:58.070 of the power of remembrance. That's how I do 00:43:58.070 --> 00:44:02.710 it. I've had people say, well, how are you doing? 00:44:02.849 --> 00:44:07.670 Well, I'm doing. Man, I just don't know how you 00:44:07.670 --> 00:44:11.909 do it. Well, I'm going to tell you. I remember 00:44:11.909 --> 00:44:19.110 when I knelt beneath this. I remember the day 00:44:19.110 --> 00:44:21.849 that I accepted the call to do what I'm doing 00:44:21.849 --> 00:44:29.630 now. Vividly, clearly. I remember the covenant 00:44:29.630 --> 00:44:35.170 I made with the Lord concerning preaching this 00:44:35.170 --> 00:44:39.269 gospel. I said, Lord, you know me even better 00:44:39.269 --> 00:44:41.289 than I know myself. And I was a young me then. 00:44:42.590 --> 00:44:44.230 Didn't know really how much impact it was going 00:44:44.230 --> 00:44:46.250 to be. But Lord, you know I only know how to 00:44:46.250 --> 00:44:48.929 say things one way. And you're going to have 00:44:48.929 --> 00:44:51.869 to help me. You're going to have to help me. 00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:56.519 Because you know me. I would not have called 00:44:56.519 --> 00:45:02.139 me. No. No. I'd let me be a Sunday school teacher. 00:45:03.360 --> 00:45:05.539 I would have permitted me to keep being the church 00:45:05.539 --> 00:45:08.599 clerk. Because the way I am about the Lord's 00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:11.619 money, it would be me that you would want keeping 00:45:11.619 --> 00:45:15.579 your books. Let me tell you in this house, don't 00:45:15.579 --> 00:45:19.119 you ever worry about pastor and your money. You 00:45:19.119 --> 00:45:21.199 don't have... There's those in here who testify 00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:23.059 to you about that. You do not have to worry about 00:45:23.059 --> 00:45:25.460 me misusing your funds. That ain't going to happen. 00:45:25.539 --> 00:45:29.280 Hell too hot and I've lived too long to be a 00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:33.440 Judas and dip my hand in the kitty. No, no, no. 00:45:34.420 --> 00:45:36.960 But that's what I'd have wanted me to do because 00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:39.480 I'd have known my faithfulness to the Lord's 00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:42.079 charge over what is His. I'd have let me keep 00:45:42.079 --> 00:45:47.090 being clerk. I'd have said, Brother Cliff. You 00:45:47.090 --> 00:45:50.170 keep leading, singing. It wasn't singing in worship 00:45:50.170 --> 00:45:53.530 back in my day. It was singing. Y 'all have heard 00:45:53.530 --> 00:45:55.730 me. You know that's what I do. Sing by the letter. 00:45:56.070 --> 00:45:59.969 Open up, let her fly. But I would have let me 00:45:59.969 --> 00:46:02.969 keep doing that. Give me that red back and let 00:46:02.969 --> 00:46:06.429 him roll. That's what I'd have had me doing. 00:46:06.489 --> 00:46:11.769 But God, in his infinite wisdom, bigger than 00:46:11.769 --> 00:46:20.099 that one, called me. And so my commitment to 00:46:20.099 --> 00:46:23.119 him was this. I'll preach it till the day I die. 00:46:25.039 --> 00:46:27.920 Straight. Because somewhere along the way in 00:46:27.920 --> 00:46:29.820 my Bible reading during that time, I read in 00:46:29.820 --> 00:46:32.980 Ezekiel where the Lord was going to charge the 00:46:32.980 --> 00:46:35.099 prophets for having blood on their hand of the 00:46:35.099 --> 00:46:37.559 innocent. And I said, that will never be me. 00:46:38.719 --> 00:46:41.340 Amen. I'll be accused of a lot of things. Of 00:46:41.340 --> 00:46:45.699 a late. But one thing they cannot accuse me of 00:46:45.699 --> 00:46:49.559 is not preaching the truth. Because heaven's 00:46:49.559 --> 00:46:54.380 too real. Jesus is too sweet. And I want to see 00:46:54.380 --> 00:46:57.420 him. And I want to stand one day. I don't know 00:46:57.420 --> 00:46:59.800 how it's going to be at the judgment. I don't 00:46:59.800 --> 00:47:02.679 know how it's going to be. But so far, the Lord 00:47:02.679 --> 00:47:05.420 has entrusted me over four of his sheepfolds. 00:47:06.079 --> 00:47:09.940 Four of his pens. He's entrusted me with those 00:47:09.940 --> 00:47:12.139 four. I don't know if he's going to go down the 00:47:12.139 --> 00:47:14.739 road. Eternity will just be on, so it don't matter 00:47:14.739 --> 00:47:20.989 if I'm going a little long, like today. But when 00:47:20.989 --> 00:47:24.690 it comes time to call roll at Hopewell for the 00:47:24.690 --> 00:47:29.389 years of 2019, the third Sunday of the year of 00:47:29.389 --> 00:47:33.909 our Lord, from that moment to whenever my journey 00:47:33.909 --> 00:47:37.610 ends, I don't know if he's going to say, all 00:47:37.610 --> 00:47:41.090 right, you stand here, shepherd. I don't know 00:47:41.090 --> 00:47:44.289 how this is going to be. But I do know according 00:47:44.289 --> 00:47:45.889 to the word that we shepherds are going to be 00:47:45.889 --> 00:47:50.460 judged a little more harshly. As to how we handle 00:47:50.460 --> 00:47:54.579 the word in God's people. So I don't know if 00:47:54.579 --> 00:47:56.260 I'm going to have to stand and let each one of 00:47:56.260 --> 00:48:00.119 you come by. And I give an account. But I assure 00:48:00.119 --> 00:48:03.840 you this day. Your blood will not be dripping 00:48:03.840 --> 00:48:06.880 between my fingers. Because I'm telling you today. 00:48:06.960 --> 00:48:11.019 If you're in sin you need to repent. If you don't 00:48:11.019 --> 00:48:13.219 know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And 00:48:13.219 --> 00:48:16.079 you've not signed up yet. He's calling you today. 00:48:17.579 --> 00:48:21.360 He's calling you. From where? From darkness into 00:48:21.360 --> 00:48:24.719 light. Why? So that you may have what I'm about 00:48:24.719 --> 00:48:30.360 to talk to as you stand to your feet. Isaiah 00:48:30.360 --> 00:48:35.079 said, when the enemy comes in like a flood, that 00:48:35.079 --> 00:48:41.099 he'll raise up a standard against him. I preached 00:48:41.099 --> 00:48:42.800 long, but I could have preached longer because 00:48:42.800 --> 00:48:46.199 I left out a lot of the little details. I didn't 00:48:46.199 --> 00:48:48.480 take you through the Hebrew words for the standard, 00:48:48.639 --> 00:48:51.840 for the banner, for the ensign. We didn't go 00:48:51.840 --> 00:48:55.619 over all those, but they're there. The depths 00:48:55.619 --> 00:48:57.539 of what that symbol means. I didn't talk to you 00:48:57.539 --> 00:49:01.320 about all of those flags of the tribes of Israel, 00:49:01.360 --> 00:49:03.360 what they represented and what they stood for, 00:49:03.440 --> 00:49:06.539 but they had meaning and purpose. Because I wanted 00:49:06.539 --> 00:49:09.980 our mind to focus. I didn't labor too awful long 00:49:09.980 --> 00:49:15.659 over here on old glory. How she waved through 00:49:15.659 --> 00:49:21.260 the night to give hope for freedom. Because I 00:49:21.260 --> 00:49:25.199 want our focus right here. Where our allegiance 00:49:25.199 --> 00:49:31.820 is truly, truly pledged. I tell you today, if 00:49:31.820 --> 00:49:38.019 this varies far or any from this, I'm here. Don't 00:49:38.019 --> 00:49:40.239 even have to go far if she varies any. I'm here. 00:49:40.260 --> 00:49:46.449 I'm not there. I'm not there. To bow the knee 00:49:46.449 --> 00:49:50.010 in 2020, to shut the doors for the weeks that 00:49:50.010 --> 00:49:52.590 we were closed was about all I could muster. 00:49:55.329 --> 00:49:58.289 Matter of fact, we stayed open a few weeks after 00:49:58.289 --> 00:50:02.269 they said shut her down. And we were in full 00:50:02.269 --> 00:50:04.250 church mode before they said you could open her 00:50:04.250 --> 00:50:11.949 back up. And I don't think I'm going to lock 00:50:11.949 --> 00:50:18.880 them anymore. I don't think I will. I don't think 00:50:18.880 --> 00:50:25.059 I'm going to lock them anymore. I have faith 00:50:25.059 --> 00:50:32.659 in God. I have trust in God. Anytime this says 00:50:32.659 --> 00:50:36.219 shut the doors, if you want to worship, come 00:50:36.219 --> 00:50:39.519 on, because I'm going to be here. If it's not 00:50:39.519 --> 00:50:41.960 here, wherever, if I have another fold, I'm not. 00:50:42.300 --> 00:50:45.460 Don't get me wrong. If I am stationed at another 00:50:45.460 --> 00:50:50.239 one before the Lord comes or I go, those people 00:50:50.239 --> 00:50:51.739 will be able to do what I'm telling you to do. 00:50:51.980 --> 00:50:55.659 Come on to church if you want to. Doors will 00:50:55.659 --> 00:51:01.460 be open. We'll be as safe as we can with whatever 00:51:01.460 --> 00:51:05.679 may be going on. But I'm not shutting her down 00:51:05.679 --> 00:51:17.900 again. We're going to have church. And with that, 00:51:17.920 --> 00:51:20.239 what I tell you is you take care of you. You 00:51:20.239 --> 00:51:24.619 pray. You pray. And you take care of you. I'm 00:51:24.619 --> 00:51:27.099 not telling you what to do. I'm saying I will 00:51:27.099 --> 00:51:33.619 be here. And if you want to, come on. We'll have 00:51:33.619 --> 00:51:39.639 church. Fair. Fair enough. Because the enemy 00:51:39.639 --> 00:51:44.820 is coming in like a flood. He is. Floodwaters 00:51:44.820 --> 00:51:47.900 are rolling. If you need to go, right now is 00:51:47.900 --> 00:51:50.260 going to be your chance. Thank you so much for 00:51:50.260 --> 00:51:52.260 being here today because I'm about to give an 00:51:52.260 --> 00:51:55.019 altar call right here. But if you need to go, 00:51:55.179 --> 00:51:57.800 you will not offend me because I know I've got 00:51:57.800 --> 00:52:01.420 long and an hour goes late. I want you to have 00:52:01.420 --> 00:52:04.659 a blessed day. And I pray the word in your worship, 00:52:04.780 --> 00:52:07.699 the Spirit of God has ministered to you in this 00:52:07.699 --> 00:52:11.059 house today. But for those of us, those of you 00:52:11.059 --> 00:52:13.039 who may need something a little bit more, here 00:52:13.039 --> 00:52:17.250 it is. The standard needs to be raised and the 00:52:17.250 --> 00:52:19.250 Lord's ready to raise it because he sees the 00:52:19.250 --> 00:52:22.650 floodwaters of the enemy. So whatever you need 00:52:22.650 --> 00:52:25.829 to put as an insignia on your banner, I want 00:52:25.829 --> 00:52:30.829 you to come raise it up. If it's healing, say, 00:52:30.909 --> 00:52:32.469 I need healed. Come down here and raise your 00:52:32.469 --> 00:52:36.349 banner. Because by his stripes, we are healed. 00:52:37.369 --> 00:52:40.090 Are you hearing me? If it's peace, come down 00:52:40.090 --> 00:52:42.070 here. I need peace of mind. You come down here 00:52:42.070 --> 00:52:44.809 and you wave a banner. Your hands are your banner. 00:52:45.550 --> 00:52:48.110 You begin to surrender and lift them up. I need 00:52:48.110 --> 00:52:51.969 peace. If you need provision, come down here. 00:52:52.329 --> 00:52:54.309 And lift up your banner. Lord, you are my provider. 00:52:54.510 --> 00:52:57.429 I read all of those to you. And there was many 00:52:57.429 --> 00:52:59.269 more that we could have read about the banners 00:52:59.269 --> 00:53:01.610 and the signs and the standards that could be 00:53:01.610 --> 00:53:03.989 raised up. Because the enemy's coming in like 00:53:03.989 --> 00:53:06.590 a flood. If the devil's after you, if the enemy's 00:53:06.590 --> 00:53:08.809 trying to destroy you, come down here and raise 00:53:08.809 --> 00:53:12.289 up that victorious banner. Stand under the victory 00:53:12.289 --> 00:53:15.710 of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's his victory. He 00:53:15.710 --> 00:53:19.130 has won. He has fought. Death's swallowed up. 00:53:19.250 --> 00:53:22.570 The grave has no victory. Our victory is in Christ 00:53:22.570 --> 00:53:26.449 Jesus, the one for whom this banner represents.