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Alright, open your Bibles to Amos chapter number

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6 please, the Old Testament Minor Prophet Book

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of Amos and chapter number 6.

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Let your eyes fall to verse number 1.

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The Bible says, Woe to them that are

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at ease in Zion, and trust in the

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mountain of Samaria, which is named chief of

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the nations, to whom the house of Israel

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came.

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Pass ye unto Calni and see, and from

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thence go ye to Hamath the Great, then

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go down to Gath of the Philistines.

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Be they better than these kingdoms, or their

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border greater than your border.

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Ye that put far away the evil day,

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and cause the seed of violence to come

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near, that lie upon beds of ivory, and

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stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the

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lambs out of the flock, and the calves

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out of the midst of the stall, that

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chant to the sound of the vial, and

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invent to themselves instruments of music like David,

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that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves

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with the chief ointments, but they are not

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grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

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Look back at verse number 1 if you

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would please.

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It will be our title and be our

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text for the message.

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It says, Woe to them that are at

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ease in Zion.

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Thank you very much.

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You may be seated.

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Let's bow our heads and hearts, and let's

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ask the Lord to bless our time together.

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Lord, thank you so much for the privilege

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that you've afforded me to preach, and I

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pray Lord that you would bless as the

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word of God goes forth, and Lord I

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claim Jeremiah chapter 20 in verse number 9,

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where your Bible says, It's not my word

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like unto a fire, and like a hammer

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that breaks the rock in pieces.

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So I pray the Spirit of God would

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guide me now as I preach, in Jesus'

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name, Amen.

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If you know anything about your Bible, especially

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your Old Testament, when you get to the

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major and the minor prophets, they are completely

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inundated with the subject of revival.

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As an evangelist, I am greatly joyed by

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the fact that I can preach on revival

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from these books, because this is a series

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of books where God's people are living on

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a spiritual plane, they are doing what is

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right, people are being saved, but yet then

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little things begin to creep into their life,

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begin to creep into their families, they go

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off into sin, into deception, and then God

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does some type of judgment, He gives them

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some type of blessing, He brings the prophet

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of God to come in and to preach,

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and then the people are once again brought

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into an aspect or an atmosphere of revival.

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But when you get to the book of

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Amos, ladies and gentlemen, that is not at

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all what is taking place.

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The book of Amos is probably the only

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minor prophet book that you have that deals

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not at all with the subject of revival.

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As a matter of fact, there is no

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revival terminology in the book of Amos.

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As a matter of fact, there is not

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one tear shed over one lost soul in

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the book of Amos whatsoever.

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But rather, the book of Amos is a

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continual book of the pungent judgment of Almighty

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God.

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And here is a man by the name

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of Amos.

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His very name means burden.

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If Amos were alive today, his name would

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basically mean that Amos was a pain in

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the neck.

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He was a pain in the neck, burdened

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down preacher because of the message that he

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had.

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He opened his mouth, he opened his Bible,

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and he continually preached, thus saith the Lord.

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And ladies and gentlemen, let me just say

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unapologetically this morning that without a shadow of

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a doubt, what America and what the world

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needs more than anything else is some old

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-fashioned, burdened down, pain in the neck preachers.

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The Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 4

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and verse number 2, Preach the Word.

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Be instant in season, out of season.

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Reprove and rebuke with all longsuffering and doctrine.

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And no doubt in your Bible, Amos was

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a gospel preacher, but yet he was a

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preacher of judgment as well.

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But you'll notice there in verse number 1

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where God, using Amos, said, Woe to them

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that are at ease in Zion.

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Now many people don't understand that little phrase,

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but the phrase, at ease in Zion, literally

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means that these people had kicked it in

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a spiritually neutralized year.

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They were carnal.

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They were compromisers.

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They were complacent.

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They got to the place where they were

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very backslidden and lukewarm in their service to

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Almighty God.

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Now, quickly, by way of introduction, let me

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give you two reasons right here from the

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text that I believe with all of my

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heart, God said that these people were lazy.

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Why did He say that they were at

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ease?

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Why did He say that they were backslidden,

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if you will?

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Well, look at verse number 1 if you

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will.

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The Bible says, Woe to them that are

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at ease in Zion, and trust in the

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mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of

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the nations to whom the house of Israel

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came.

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Now, we could go on in verses 2

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and 3, but for time's sake, we will

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not.

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What is God saying?

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He's saying, first of all, that these people

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were well protected.

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If you were to look at a map

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strategically, when this portion of Scripture was written,

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you would see that the children of Israel,

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God's people, the Jews, were located around mountains

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and many, many valleys.

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You remember reading your Old Testament Bible, I'm

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sure.

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They would come against their archenemy, the Philistines,

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and the Ashtonites, and the Amorites, and the

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Hivites, and the Jebusites, and all the other

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parasites in your Bible.

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And they would fight against these people, and

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the enemies of God would come in, and

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they would always throw themselves on the mercy

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and grace of God, and they trusted in

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the saving right hand of God to protect

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them.

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But that is not at all what they

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were doing in Amos chapter 6.

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As a matter of fact, if we could

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say it this way, they were kind of

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like America.

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They had a good military protection program, and

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so therefore, they did not trust in God,

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but rather they trusted in their own military.

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And so God said, because you're so well

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protected, you don't trust Me anymore, and you've

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got to the place where you're backslidden.

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I want you to look now at verse

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3 if you would, because there's another accusation

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that God brings against them.

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He says, "...Ye that put far away the

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evil day and cause the seed of violence

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to come near, that lie upon beds of

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ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches," there's

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your Bible verse for couch potatoes, "...and eat

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the lambs out of the flock and the

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calves out of the midst of the stall.

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They chant to the sound of the vial

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and invent to themselves instruments of music like

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David, that drink wine in bowls and anoint

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themselves with the chief ointments, but they are

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not grieved or bothered," literally, "...by the affliction

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of Joseph."

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So He said, number one, they were well

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protected.

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But He said their second problem was they

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were well prospered.

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These were not people that prayed for their

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daily provisions.

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These were not people that no longer trusted

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in the strength of God to provide for

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them financially, but now they had so much

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riches and they had so much health and

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wealth that they were backslidden and they left

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God out of their daily routine.

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Now the basic premise of my message this

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morning is this.

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How can you know, as a blood-bought,

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born-again child of God, if you are

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at ease in Zion?

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How can you know if, number one, you

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are an Amos 6 Christian, or, number two,

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you are well nigh on your way to

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being one?

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Well, I believe the Bible gives us the

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answer.

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Turn back to chapter 3, if you would

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please, of the book of Amos, and look

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at verse 1, would you?

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Amos 3, verse 1.

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The Bible says, "...Hear this word, that the

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Lord has spoken against you, O children of

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Israel, against the whole family which I brought

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up from the land of Egypt, saying, You

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only have I known of all the families

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of the earth.

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Therefore," God says, "...I will punish you for

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all of your iniquities.

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Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

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Will a lion roar in the forest when

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he hath no prey?

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Will a young lion cry out of his

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den if he hath taken nothing?

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Can a bird fall on a snare upon

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the earth where there is no gin or

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no trap for him?

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Shall one take up a snare from the

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earth and have taken nothing at all?

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Shall a trumpet be blown in the city,

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and the people not be afraid?

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Shall there be evil in a city, and

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the Lord hath not done it?

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Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but

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He revealeth His secret unto His servants the

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prophets."

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Now what is taking place in Amos chapter

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3 is simply this.

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The prophet of God, this pain-in-the

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-neck preacher Amos, is using some old-fashioned

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hillbilly logic.

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He just begins to draw some very ordinary

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logical conclusions to prove to these people why

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they are under the direct divine judgment of

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God.

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For example, look at verse number 3.

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He gives a verse that we quote many

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times.

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"...Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

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Now obviously, the answer to that question is

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no.

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Two people that are walking in the same

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direction cannot disagree and be divided on certain

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issues because they are not going to get

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along.

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So that is a logical conclusion.

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And then he begins to draw some other

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conclusions.

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He said a young lion is not going

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to roar unless he has found himself some

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prey.

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He is not going to be all excited

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and roaring from his den unless he has

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found something that he is willing to fight

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for.

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That is a logical conclusion.

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And then he says in verse 6, "...Shall

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a trumpet be blown in the city, and

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the people not be afraid?"

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In Old Testament days, they would be what

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they called a watchman.

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This watchman would work 12-hour shifts and

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they would have one man go 12 hours,

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another man go 12 hours, and they would

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go this way 365 days a year, all

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00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:43,980
the time, to make sure that the enemies

272
00:08:43,980 --> 00:08:46,020
of God were not coming against the people

273
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of God.

274
00:08:46,740 --> 00:08:48,580
They would stand up there and they would

275
00:08:48,580 --> 00:08:50,480
blow the sound of the trumpet.

276
00:08:50,860 --> 00:08:52,920
If that trumpet was blown, the people in

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00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:54,820
the city would know, hey, this is kind

278
00:08:54,820 --> 00:08:55,860
of like a tornado warning.

279
00:08:56,020 --> 00:08:57,360
This is something serious.

280
00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,240
This is not playing games.

281
00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:00,460
This is not messing around.

282
00:09:00,740 --> 00:09:02,660
And so they would be very much afraid

283
00:09:02,660 --> 00:09:04,920
because their enemies were coming and they were

284
00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,840
fixing to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

285
00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,040
So logically, God said, if a trumpet is

286
00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:11,460
blown, what is going to happen?

287
00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:13,140
The people are going to be afraid.

288
00:09:13,540 --> 00:09:14,820
And then He said, if a bird is

289
00:09:14,820 --> 00:09:16,880
on the ground and that little bird sees

290
00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,080
a djinn, literally means a trap, He said

291
00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,740
that trap is not going to hurt that

292
00:09:20,740 --> 00:09:24,000
bird whatsoever unless the bird puts himself in

293
00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:24,460
the trap.

294
00:09:24,540 --> 00:09:26,220
That is a simple logical conclusion.

295
00:09:26,220 --> 00:09:28,440
And then He concludes all of this by

296
00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,820
simply saying this, if a man picks up

297
00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:32,900
a snare, a stick, a rock, whatever you

298
00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:34,440
want to call it, if a man picks

299
00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,100
up a snare from off of the ground

300
00:09:36,100 --> 00:09:37,960
or off the earth, the Bible says, it

301
00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:39,760
would be foolish for that man to pick

302
00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,420
that up, to have it in his hand

303
00:09:41,420 --> 00:09:42,980
and say, look here, I have nothing in

304
00:09:42,980 --> 00:09:43,360
my hand.

305
00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,640
No, God said logically, if he picks it

306
00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:46,480
up, he's got it there.

307
00:09:46,820 --> 00:09:48,400
And so, ladies and gentlemen, what God is

308
00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:49,040
doing is this.

309
00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:52,220
He's drawing some basic conclusions to show these

310
00:09:52,220 --> 00:09:52,920
people this.

311
00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,300
The reason I am judging you is not

312
00:09:55,300 --> 00:09:56,140
because I'm bored.

313
00:09:56,460 --> 00:09:58,080
I'm not twiddling my thumbs in the throne

314
00:09:58,080 --> 00:09:59,800
room of God and kicking around pop cans.

315
00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:01,940
He said the reason I'm judging you is

316
00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:04,240
because you are full of iniquity, because you

317
00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:05,160
are full of sin.

318
00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,000
So what happened to the people of God

319
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,160
in Amos chapter 3?

320
00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,220
How do we know that these people were

321
00:10:12,220 --> 00:10:13,120
at ease in Zion?

322
00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,560
And what is the first way this morning

323
00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:17,440
that you know that you are at ease

324
00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:17,880
in Zion?

325
00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,260
Number one, they began to tolerate sin.

326
00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:22,420
These people got to the place where all

327
00:10:22,420 --> 00:10:24,780
too often I meet people in evangelism where

328
00:10:24,780 --> 00:10:26,780
they say, well, you know, brother Locke, sin

329
00:10:26,780 --> 00:10:28,720
just isn't that bad anymore.

330
00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:29,860
Who told you that?

331
00:10:29,980 --> 00:10:31,160
It certainly wasn't the Bible.

332
00:10:31,380 --> 00:10:32,780
As a matter of fact, the Bible says

333
00:10:32,780 --> 00:10:35,260
in Hebrews 13.8, Jesus Christ is the

334
00:10:35,260 --> 00:10:38,360
same yesterday, today, and forever.

335
00:10:38,700 --> 00:10:40,040
Almighty God never changes.

336
00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,060
Malachi chapter 3 verse 6, God said, I

337
00:10:43,060 --> 00:10:45,040
am the Lord, I change not.

338
00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,520
Therefore ye sons of Jacob shall not be

339
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:47,940
consumed.

340
00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:49,460
And we are living in a day, ladies

341
00:10:49,460 --> 00:10:51,660
and gentlemen, where people get to the place

342
00:10:51,660 --> 00:10:54,020
where they think just because the world is

343
00:10:54,020 --> 00:10:56,660
wicked, that they can involve themselves, they can

344
00:10:56,660 --> 00:10:59,860
tolerate, and they can allow certain sins in

345
00:10:59,860 --> 00:11:02,180
their life, if you will, and they think

346
00:11:02,180 --> 00:11:04,000
that it's okay and that it's pleasing to

347
00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,380
God, but there's nothing further from the truth.

348
00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:08,660
Now, if you want a shocker, you jump

349
00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:10,140
in my diesel truck in my 40-foot

350
00:11:10,140 --> 00:11:11,680
travel trailer with my wife and I, and

351
00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:13,520
you travel around America for just about six

352
00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,520
weeks to six months, and you would be

353
00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:17,980
amazed and you would be appalled by some

354
00:11:17,980 --> 00:11:20,120
of the things that so-called God's people

355
00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,320
tolerate in their homes, in their family, and

356
00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:24,680
in their individual lifestyle.

357
00:11:25,140 --> 00:11:26,440
They are not growing in grace.

358
00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:27,940
They are not reading their Bibles.

359
00:11:28,060 --> 00:11:29,660
They are not faithful to God the way

360
00:11:29,660 --> 00:11:31,480
that they should be, but yet they are

361
00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,100
tolerating things that they know good and jolly

362
00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:36,460
well that is not pleasing to Almighty God.

363
00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:38,840
And the reason, ladies and gentlemen, that we

364
00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,860
do not deal with sin properly in the

365
00:11:41,860 --> 00:11:43,600
day and age in which we live is

366
00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,960
because we've just about renamed and reclassified every

367
00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:47,920
sin in the book.

368
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:49,880
And there seems to be nothing that is

369
00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:50,540
sin anymore.

370
00:11:50,940 --> 00:11:52,040
Now it's only mistakes.

371
00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,520
Now it's merely problems, and now it's merely

372
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,100
habits, and now it's merely just shortcomings of

373
00:11:57,100 --> 00:11:59,420
my humanity, but God calls it sin.

374
00:11:59,740 --> 00:12:03,020
David said in Psalm 51 verse 1, "...Against

375
00:12:03,020 --> 00:12:06,340
thee and thee only have I sinned and

376
00:12:06,340 --> 00:12:08,260
done this evil in thy sight."

377
00:12:08,260 --> 00:12:11,900
And America and fundamentalism will never see revival

378
00:12:11,900 --> 00:12:13,920
until we get to the place where we

379
00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,340
are willing to get rid of sin and

380
00:12:16,340 --> 00:12:19,860
totally annihilate sin rather than tolerate sin.

381
00:12:20,180 --> 00:12:23,360
And these people were harboring sin and bitterness

382
00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,540
and ungodliness in their hearts, and God told

383
00:12:26,540 --> 00:12:28,920
them, I am judging you because of your

384
00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,640
continual toleration of sin.

385
00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:31,880
But I want you to look now, if

386
00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,300
you would please, at Amos 4 and verse

387
00:12:34,300 --> 00:12:34,700
4.

388
00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:39,220
The Bible says, "...Come to Bethel and transgress."

389
00:12:39,220 --> 00:12:42,780
Now the word transgress means to willfully disobey

390
00:12:42,780 --> 00:12:43,140
God.

391
00:12:43,180 --> 00:12:44,980
It's not just a generic term for sin.

392
00:12:45,220 --> 00:12:47,940
It means to willfully and knowingly by your

393
00:12:47,940 --> 00:12:50,820
own volition, by your own will, do that

394
00:12:50,820 --> 00:12:52,700
which is contrary to what God has said.

395
00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:54,740
And so he says, "...Come to Bethel and

396
00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:55,360
transgress.

397
00:12:55,780 --> 00:12:58,500
At Gilgal, multiply transgression.

398
00:12:58,980 --> 00:13:01,320
And bring your sacrifices every morning and your

399
00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:02,640
tithes after three years.

400
00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,280
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven.

401
00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:08,100
And proclaim and publish the free offerings for

402
00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:10,580
this likeeth you, O ye children of Israel,

403
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,180
saith the Lord God."

404
00:13:12,180 --> 00:13:13,700
I want you to notice in verse number

405
00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:15,480
4 there are two places that he mentioned.

406
00:13:15,740 --> 00:13:17,860
He mentioned number one, Bethel, and he mentioned

407
00:13:17,860 --> 00:13:18,980
number two, Gilgal.

408
00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:20,060
You say, so what?

409
00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:20,680
So this.

410
00:13:21,020 --> 00:13:23,720
Although these may not be very particular to

411
00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,560
us, these cities were greatly spiritually significant to

412
00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:29,060
the people of God in this day.

413
00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:30,820
As a matter of fact, in your Bible

414
00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:32,820
in Genesis chapter 38, we had a man

415
00:13:32,820 --> 00:13:33,660
by the name of Jacob.

416
00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:35,500
Jacob was running from his brother.

417
00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:37,440
Jacob was running from God.

418
00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:40,620
And in essence, Jacob was basically running from

419
00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:42,580
all of his problems and trials in life.

420
00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:44,460
Well, the Bible says that he fell asleep

421
00:13:44,460 --> 00:13:46,340
one night and he had a dream that

422
00:13:46,340 --> 00:13:47,620
we call Jacob's Ladder.

423
00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:49,740
The Bible says on that ladder there were

424
00:13:49,740 --> 00:13:52,500
the angels of God ascending and descending upon

425
00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:53,080
the rungs.

426
00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,780
And it says, and the Lord stood at

427
00:13:55,780 --> 00:13:56,160
the top.

428
00:13:56,420 --> 00:13:57,860
Now, I like that, ladies and gentlemen, because

429
00:13:57,860 --> 00:13:59,260
that proves to me one thing and one

430
00:13:59,260 --> 00:13:59,700
thing only.

431
00:13:59,820 --> 00:14:01,820
That God's in control of everything that goes

432
00:14:01,820 --> 00:14:04,160
out and everything and everybody that comes in.

433
00:14:04,380 --> 00:14:06,380
Well, when Jacob woke up from that dream,

434
00:14:06,660 --> 00:14:08,360
if you know your Bible, you know good

435
00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,640
and well that his life was changed, his

436
00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,520
name was changed, and practically this morning we

437
00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,520
also realize that an entire nation was changed

438
00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:18,320
because of that experience.

439
00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,320
The word Bethel means house of bread or

440
00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,380
the place of blessing, the house of God.

441
00:14:23,660 --> 00:14:25,860
And here was a man that was completely

442
00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:29,580
rearranged in that particular incident at Bethel.

443
00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,020
And so Bethel was very significant to the

444
00:14:32,020 --> 00:14:32,620
people of God.

445
00:14:32,980 --> 00:14:34,500
But yet in your Bible in verse 4

446
00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:36,440
there's another place that begins with a G.

447
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,400
It's called Gilgal.

448
00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:38,520
Well, what was Gilgal?

449
00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:40,480
Well, you remember Joshua 1.

450
00:14:40,820 --> 00:14:43,000
The Bible says, Moses, my servant, is dead.

451
00:14:43,340 --> 00:14:45,380
And he told young Joshua, who probably was

452
00:14:45,380 --> 00:14:47,640
about 35 or 40 years old, he told

453
00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,240
him to take courage and to fear not.

454
00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:50,880
He told him to take this book of

455
00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:52,460
the law which shall not depart out of

456
00:14:52,460 --> 00:14:52,880
thy mouth.

457
00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:54,720
And he told him to lead those people

458
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,220
into the promised land which Moses could see

459
00:14:57,220 --> 00:14:59,480
but could never go in because of his

460
00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:00,900
disobedience to Almighty God.

461
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,180
But yet the Bible says that they crossed

462
00:15:03,180 --> 00:15:04,280
over the Jordan River.

463
00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,400
And when they got across the Jordan River,

464
00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,560
their feet touched a land called Gilgal.

465
00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,020
And as they entered into the sacred promised

466
00:15:12,020 --> 00:15:14,060
land that God had promised them many, many

467
00:15:14,060 --> 00:15:16,980
years earlier, they set up camp as a

468
00:15:16,980 --> 00:15:17,880
spiritual testimony.

469
00:15:18,260 --> 00:15:20,060
And that first place was Gilgal.

470
00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,940
And so these two places were very, very

471
00:15:22,940 --> 00:15:24,100
spiritually significant.

472
00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,260
But I want you to notice, out of

473
00:15:26,260 --> 00:15:28,640
the great significance and the great importance of

474
00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,660
these two places, what does Amos, this pain

475
00:15:31,660 --> 00:15:33,080
-in-the-neck preacher say?

476
00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,100
He says, folks, come to Bethel and transgress.

477
00:15:36,740 --> 00:15:38,220
In essence, what he is saying is this.

478
00:15:38,220 --> 00:15:39,900
The next time you come to Bethel, don't

479
00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:40,480
act spiritual.

480
00:15:40,540 --> 00:15:41,760
He said, act like you really are.

481
00:15:41,820 --> 00:15:43,020
He said, come and live for the devil.

482
00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:44,960
He said, then when you go to Gilgal,

483
00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:46,580
he said, not only do I want you

484
00:15:46,580 --> 00:15:48,820
to sin, he said, I want to multiply

485
00:15:48,820 --> 00:15:49,400
your transgressions.

486
00:15:49,980 --> 00:15:51,440
I mean, heap them up in a rubber

487
00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,000
-made wheelbarrow and carry them around so everybody

488
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,180
knows what you really are.

489
00:15:55,420 --> 00:15:56,280
What was he saying?

490
00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,580
Well, in chapter 3, he accused them of

491
00:15:59,580 --> 00:16:00,480
tolerating sin.

492
00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,300
But in chapter 4, he accused them of

493
00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:06,320
being two-faced or hypocritical in their service

494
00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:07,260
and worship of God.

495
00:16:07,260 --> 00:16:08,520
Now, here's what took place.

496
00:16:08,940 --> 00:16:12,600
Now, I realize that our 365 days on

497
00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,360
our calendar does not correctly correspond to the

498
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:16,840
calendar by the day and age in which

499
00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,460
they live in the Old Testament, but for

500
00:16:18,460 --> 00:16:20,820
illustration's sake and time's sake, follow me.

501
00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,340
Basically, what Amos is saying is this.

502
00:16:23,700 --> 00:16:25,600
He is saying, listen here, if you are

503
00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,920
going to live for the devil for 363

504
00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:30,900
days out of the year, he said, then

505
00:16:30,900 --> 00:16:32,640
that one day when you come to Bethel

506
00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,380
and that one day when you come to

507
00:16:34,380 --> 00:16:36,520
Gilgal, he said, don't put on your spiritual

508
00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,720
facade and make everybody think you're something you're

509
00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:39,000
not.

510
00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,580
He said, you people are hypocritical, you are

511
00:16:41,580 --> 00:16:43,560
two-faced, and you are very foolish in

512
00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:45,040
the eyes of man and the eyes of

513
00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,240
God to do such a thing.

514
00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:47,640
He said, if you're going to live for

515
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,140
the devil and for the world and for

516
00:16:49,140 --> 00:16:51,480
yourself all those other days, he said, you

517
00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:52,960
might as well just live for the devil

518
00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:54,660
when you come to the house of God.

519
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,060
He was exposing their wicked worldly hypocrisy.

520
00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:01,040
Now, you can see, ladies and gentlemen, why

521
00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,060
he was a pain in the neck to

522
00:17:03,060 --> 00:17:03,560
these people.

523
00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,520
You can see why he was such a

524
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:06,440
burden to these people.

525
00:17:06,839 --> 00:17:09,280
You can see why they wanted him to

526
00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,619
be derailed and out of there, if you

527
00:17:11,619 --> 00:17:14,960
will, because he exposed their sin, he exposed

528
00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,819
their hypocrisy, he knew what they really were,

529
00:17:18,020 --> 00:17:19,740
and he was not going to soft-pedal

530
00:17:19,740 --> 00:17:22,280
and soft-soap and push around the Gospel

531
00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:22,920
and the Bible.

532
00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,220
He preached it gun barrel straight.

533
00:17:25,460 --> 00:17:27,440
He chopped the Gospel wood and let the

534
00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:28,540
chips fall where they may.

535
00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,500
And he told these people that they were

536
00:17:30,500 --> 00:17:31,020
two-faced.

537
00:17:31,020 --> 00:17:32,880
Now, we have got a problem in American

538
00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:33,480
Christianity.

539
00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,360
And that problem is simply this.

540
00:17:35,660 --> 00:17:37,400
We think that when we go to church,

541
00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,340
there is something super-duper spiritual about the

542
00:17:40,340 --> 00:17:41,440
building in which we worship.

543
00:17:41,820 --> 00:17:43,400
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I thank God for

544
00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,060
choir lofts, for baptismal pools.

545
00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:47,560
I thank God for carpet, for drywall, for

546
00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:48,800
crooked nails and straight nails.

547
00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:50,380
And I thank God for shingles on a

548
00:17:50,380 --> 00:17:50,880
church roof.

549
00:17:51,220 --> 00:17:52,280
But I want to tell you, ladies and

550
00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,960
gentlemen, that the church of Jesus Christ is

551
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,880
not brick and mortar and drywall.

552
00:17:57,100 --> 00:17:59,040
And when you come into the doors of

553
00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,700
this auditorium at a local church, I want

554
00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:04,180
you to understand that it is not something

555
00:18:04,180 --> 00:18:06,660
you should be in here spiritual and then

556
00:18:06,660 --> 00:18:08,120
be another way out there.

557
00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:08,600
No, no.

558
00:18:08,860 --> 00:18:11,080
What you are in here as a child

559
00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,300
of God should merely show a reflection of

560
00:18:14,300 --> 00:18:16,280
what you are on the job, what you

561
00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:17,960
are at Walmart, what you are at the

562
00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,320
supermarket, what you are in the neighborhood, at

563
00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,680
the family reunions and the friendly get-togethers.

564
00:18:23,020 --> 00:18:25,220
And many times we have people that live

565
00:18:25,220 --> 00:18:27,580
in the world one way and they come

566
00:18:27,580 --> 00:18:29,300
to the house of God, they wear their

567
00:18:29,300 --> 00:18:31,880
Sunday best, they wear their Sunday finest, they

568
00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,620
take their King James Bible, they tote it

569
00:18:33,620 --> 00:18:35,060
under their arm, they put on a great

570
00:18:35,060 --> 00:18:38,020
big hypocritical smile, and they pretend to be

571
00:18:38,020 --> 00:18:39,780
something that they are not.

572
00:18:40,020 --> 00:18:42,640
And ladies and gentlemen, God says that that's

573
00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,600
wicked and God said that's hypocrisy.

574
00:18:45,340 --> 00:18:46,540
God said that is wrong.

575
00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:48,000
We should be genuine.

576
00:18:48,380 --> 00:18:49,800
We should be the real deal.

577
00:18:50,140 --> 00:18:52,560
We should be 100% sold out to

578
00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,780
God in church, out of church, around church,

579
00:18:55,780 --> 00:19:00,480
anywhere we should continually, consistently be working on

580
00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,220
our Christian character and here were people that

581
00:19:03,220 --> 00:19:06,120
were two-faced in their worship and their

582
00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:06,840
service of God.

583
00:19:06,980 --> 00:19:09,200
Now, if that wasn't bad enough, now let

584
00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:10,980
your eyes fall to verse number 6 of

585
00:19:10,980 --> 00:19:12,260
Amos chapter number 4, would you?

586
00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,780
Verse number 6, the Bible says, And I

587
00:19:14,780 --> 00:19:17,400
also have given you cleanness of teeth.

588
00:19:17,660 --> 00:19:19,520
He's speaking in reference to a famine in

589
00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:19,920
the land.

590
00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:21,740
They didn't have any food to eat and

591
00:19:21,740 --> 00:19:23,400
so God said their teeth were clean because

592
00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:23,780
of that.

593
00:19:23,780 --> 00:19:25,540
He said, I've given you a famine or

594
00:19:25,540 --> 00:19:26,900
a cleanness of teeth in all of your

595
00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:29,160
cities and wont of bread in all of

596
00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:29,760
your places.

597
00:19:30,340 --> 00:19:32,180
Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith

598
00:19:32,180 --> 00:19:32,560
the Lord.

599
00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,440
You might want to underscore that little particular

600
00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:35,100
phrase.

601
00:19:35,220 --> 00:19:36,140
We're going to see it again.

602
00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,660
Verse number 7, And also I have withholden

603
00:19:38,660 --> 00:19:40,780
the rain from you when there were yet

604
00:19:40,780 --> 00:19:41,860
three months to the harvest.

605
00:19:42,220 --> 00:19:43,780
And I caused it to rain upon one

606
00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:45,520
city and I caused it to rain not

607
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:46,380
upon another city.

608
00:19:46,660 --> 00:19:48,680
One piece was rained upon and the piece

609
00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,200
whereupon it rained not withered.

610
00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,680
So two or three cities wandered unto one

611
00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:54,780
city to drink water, but they were not

612
00:19:54,780 --> 00:19:55,320
satisfied.

613
00:19:55,660 --> 00:19:57,820
Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith

614
00:19:57,820 --> 00:19:58,160
the Lord.

615
00:19:58,460 --> 00:20:01,140
I have smitten you, he said, with blasting

616
00:20:01,140 --> 00:20:02,260
and mildew.

617
00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,600
When your gardens and your vineyards and your

618
00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,160
fig trees and your olive trees increased, the

619
00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:08,660
plumber worm devoured them.

620
00:20:08,820 --> 00:20:10,980
Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith

621
00:20:10,980 --> 00:20:11,240
the Lord.

622
00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,340
Verse 10, I have sent among you the

623
00:20:13,340 --> 00:20:14,940
pestilence after the men of Egypt.

624
00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,000
Your young men have I slain with the

625
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,740
edge of the sword and have taken away

626
00:20:18,740 --> 00:20:19,240
your horses.

627
00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:20,760
And I have made the stink of your

628
00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,640
camps to come up unto your nostrils.

629
00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,820
Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith

630
00:20:25,820 --> 00:20:26,140
the Lord.

631
00:20:26,580 --> 00:20:28,980
I have overthrown some of you as God

632
00:20:28,980 --> 00:20:31,340
overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and you were as

633
00:20:31,340 --> 00:20:33,380
a firebrand plucked out of the burning.

634
00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:35,760
Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith

635
00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:36,120
the Lord.

636
00:20:36,700 --> 00:20:38,680
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O

637
00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,900
Israel, and because I will do this unto

638
00:20:40,900 --> 00:20:43,100
thee, prepare to meet thy God."

639
00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:45,180
What is the third thing that these people

640
00:20:45,180 --> 00:20:45,880
began to do?

641
00:20:46,180 --> 00:20:47,920
I believe according to my study of the

642
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:49,860
Word of God, they began to, number one,

643
00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:50,720
tolerate sin.

644
00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,140
They began to, number two, become two-faced

645
00:20:53,140 --> 00:20:55,520
or hypocritical in their service of God.

646
00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:58,440
But number three, they began to toughen beneath

647
00:20:58,440 --> 00:20:59,260
God's judgment.

648
00:20:59,620 --> 00:21:01,500
You read your Bibles very closely, ladies and

649
00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:03,160
gentlemen, and you will find out that the

650
00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,700
more God judged them, the more backslidden, the

651
00:21:06,700 --> 00:21:10,160
more lackadaisical and the more rebellious they became.

652
00:21:10,420 --> 00:21:12,180
Now you would think, logically, that is not

653
00:21:12,180 --> 00:21:13,460
human nature, but it is.

654
00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:15,900
And God said, I have sent you blastings,

655
00:21:16,020 --> 00:21:17,760
whatever that means, heavenly dynamite.

656
00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:19,520
He said, I have sent you mildew.

657
00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,000
I have slain your sons.

658
00:21:21,260 --> 00:21:22,860
He said, I made it rain upon one

659
00:21:22,860 --> 00:21:24,020
city and not upon another.

660
00:21:24,300 --> 00:21:25,520
He said, I have given you famine.

661
00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:26,600
I have given you dearth.

662
00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:27,560
I have given you death.

663
00:21:27,860 --> 00:21:30,420
And God said, I have done everything possible

664
00:21:30,420 --> 00:21:31,480
to get your attention.

665
00:21:31,820 --> 00:21:32,820
I have whooped you.

666
00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:33,780
I have spanked you.

667
00:21:33,980 --> 00:21:35,240
I have chastised you.

668
00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:36,920
He said, I have done everything that I

669
00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,560
possibly can as your loving Father, as your

670
00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,020
loving God, to get your attention, to give

671
00:21:42,020 --> 00:21:42,620
you revival.

672
00:21:42,940 --> 00:21:46,180
He said, yet have you not returned unto

673
00:21:46,180 --> 00:21:46,380
Me.

674
00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,740
And after God said that about five times

675
00:21:48,740 --> 00:21:51,200
with a broken heart, He then said in

676
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,060
verse number 12, Because of this, O Israel,

677
00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,800
prepare to meet thy God.

678
00:21:57,180 --> 00:21:58,780
Now ladies and gentlemen, that verse tells me

679
00:21:58,780 --> 00:21:59,300
two things.

680
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:00,860
Number one, it tells me you will meet

681
00:22:00,860 --> 00:22:01,160
God.

682
00:22:01,580 --> 00:22:03,780
Regardless if you're saved or if you're lost.

683
00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,400
Regardless if you're tall, short, fat, skinny, red,

684
00:22:06,460 --> 00:22:08,420
yellow, black, and white, you will meet God.

685
00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:10,280
Dear Christian friend, let me tell you what

686
00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:10,900
the Bible says.

687
00:22:11,220 --> 00:22:13,040
Philippians 2, verse number 5.

688
00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:15,160
The Bible says, Let this mind be in

689
00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,820
you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who,

690
00:22:18,020 --> 00:22:19,280
being in the form of God, thought it

691
00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,380
not robbery to be equal with God, but

692
00:22:21,380 --> 00:22:23,720
made Himself of no reputation, and took upon

693
00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:25,620
Him the form of a servant, and was

694
00:22:25,620 --> 00:22:27,760
made in the likeness of men, and being

695
00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:29,240
found in fashion as a man, He humbled

696
00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,900
Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the

697
00:22:31,900 --> 00:22:32,560
death of the cross.

698
00:22:33,020 --> 00:22:35,520
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and

699
00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,740
given Him a name which is above every

700
00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:39,660
name, that at the name of Jesus every

701
00:22:39,660 --> 00:22:41,240
knee should bow with things in heaven and

702
00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:43,080
things in earth and things under the earth,

703
00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:45,840
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus

704
00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,400
Christ is Lord to the glory of God

705
00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:48,840
the Father.

706
00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,600
And dear Christian friend, you one day will

707
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,380
stand before what Almighty God called the judgment

708
00:22:54,380 --> 00:22:55,140
seat of Christ.

709
00:22:55,420 --> 00:22:57,140
Not to give an account for your sins,

710
00:22:57,420 --> 00:22:59,000
for our sins were taken care of on

711
00:22:59,000 --> 00:22:59,920
the cross of Calvary.

712
00:23:00,180 --> 00:23:02,320
That's why Jesus said in John 19, 30,

713
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:03,200
It is finished.

714
00:23:03,460 --> 00:23:05,800
But you will stand before God and give

715
00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:07,940
an account of your motivations and your service

716
00:23:07,940 --> 00:23:10,500
for God if you are worthy or unworthy

717
00:23:10,500 --> 00:23:12,020
of the crowns that He is going to

718
00:23:12,020 --> 00:23:12,900
bestow upon you.

719
00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,000
And ladies and gentlemen, you have one simple

720
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:15,420
choice.

721
00:23:15,780 --> 00:23:17,840
You can declare Jesus Christ Lord of your

722
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,100
life right now because you want to, or

723
00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:21,900
you can declare Jesus Christ Lord of your

724
00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:23,500
life then because you have to.

725
00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:25,680
But make no bones about it, you will

726
00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,300
declare Him Lord one day.

727
00:23:27,660 --> 00:23:29,840
But Mr. sinner friend, let me invade your

728
00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,080
private trespassing territory just for a moment.

729
00:23:32,340 --> 00:23:34,400
Let me trespass on your spiritual property if

730
00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:35,440
I may and let you know.

731
00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:37,980
Although you may not be saved by the

732
00:23:37,980 --> 00:23:40,720
grace of God, you will meet God one

733
00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:40,940
day.

734
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:42,580
But it will not be at the judgment

735
00:23:42,580 --> 00:23:43,240
seat of Christ.

736
00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:45,380
It will be at what John called, what

737
00:23:45,380 --> 00:23:48,280
Jesus called, the great white throne judgment bar

738
00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:48,760
of God.

739
00:23:49,060 --> 00:23:50,800
Revelation 20, verse 11.

740
00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:51,540
Listen closely.

741
00:23:51,900 --> 00:23:53,540
John said, And I saw a great white

742
00:23:53,540 --> 00:23:55,700
throne and Him that sat on it, from

743
00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:57,300
whose face the heavens and the earth fled

744
00:23:57,300 --> 00:23:57,540
away.

745
00:23:57,920 --> 00:23:59,360
And there was found no place for them.

746
00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:00,780
And I saw the dead, small and great,

747
00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:01,720
stand before God.

748
00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:03,000
And the books were opened.

749
00:24:03,260 --> 00:24:04,880
And another book was opened, which is the

750
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:05,400
book of life.

751
00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,140
And the dead were judged out of those

752
00:24:07,140 --> 00:24:08,740
things which are written in the books according

753
00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:09,380
to their works.

754
00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:11,260
And the sea gave up the dead which

755
00:24:11,260 --> 00:24:11,780
were in them.

756
00:24:11,780 --> 00:24:13,820
And death and hell delivered up the dead

757
00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:14,640
which were in them.

758
00:24:14,860 --> 00:24:17,040
And the Bible says that death and hell

759
00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,080
were cast into the lake of fire.

760
00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:21,540
This is the second death.

761
00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:22,340
Verse 15.

762
00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:23,480
Get it and get it well.

763
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,540
It says, And whosoever was not found written

764
00:24:26,540 --> 00:24:29,080
in the book of life was cast into

765
00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:29,980
the lake of fire.

766
00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,760
Dear sinner friend, you will meet God one

767
00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:33,100
day.

768
00:24:33,340 --> 00:24:35,120
And my Bible says that if you meet

769
00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:37,000
Him at the great white throne, it will

770
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,660
be under adverse circumstances.

771
00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:41,120
And there's not one thing that He, you,

772
00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,160
me, or anybody else in all the world

773
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:43,640
can do.

774
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,120
You have been doomed, dead, and damned in

775
00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:46,780
your sins.

776
00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,080
And the Bible says that you'll forever go

777
00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:50,680
to a place called the lake of fire.

778
00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:52,460
But yet, you know, not only does it

779
00:24:52,460 --> 00:24:53,940
tell me that you're going to meet God,

780
00:24:54,220 --> 00:24:57,080
He said secondly, prepare to meet thy God.

781
00:24:57,420 --> 00:24:59,000
But you know what the irony, you know

782
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:00,860
what the oxymoron, if you will, about this

783
00:25:00,860 --> 00:25:01,780
portion of Scripture is?

784
00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:03,420
You're going to meet God whether you're prepared

785
00:25:03,420 --> 00:25:03,940
to or not.

786
00:25:04,140 --> 00:25:05,600
You're going to meet God whether you're ready

787
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:06,000
or not.

788
00:25:06,220 --> 00:25:07,560
You're going to meet God whether you want

789
00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:08,940
to or not, whether you believe it or

790
00:25:08,940 --> 00:25:10,240
not, whether you're saved or not.

791
00:25:10,260 --> 00:25:11,100
It makes no difference.

792
00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,840
You will one day meet your Maker, as

793
00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:14,620
the preachers say.

794
00:25:14,980 --> 00:25:17,160
And ladies and gentlemen, right here, Almighty God

795
00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,540
is judging these people, but yet they will

796
00:25:19,540 --> 00:25:20,100
not get right.

797
00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,140
Now you believe anything you want to.

798
00:25:22,420 --> 00:25:24,000
You study your Bible high and low.

799
00:25:24,220 --> 00:25:26,720
From Genesis 1-1 to Revelation 22-21,

800
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,300
you are going to find a principle that

801
00:25:29,300 --> 00:25:31,880
God spanks His own, that God spanks His

802
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:32,220
children.

803
00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,500
And one of two things will happen when

804
00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:35,940
God chastises His children.

805
00:25:36,060 --> 00:25:38,400
Number one, you'll get right and your fellowship

806
00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:39,300
will be restored.

807
00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,940
Or number two, according to Hebrews 13, God

808
00:25:42,940 --> 00:25:44,480
will kill you and take you to heaven

809
00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,080
because you can get more glory for Him

810
00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,040
up there than you can down here.

811
00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,200
God does not play games.

812
00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:52,900
He knows exactly what buttons to push in

813
00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,440
your life, in your marriage, in your family,

814
00:25:55,780 --> 00:25:56,800
to get your attention.

815
00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:58,820
And ladies and gentlemen, as a child of

816
00:25:58,820 --> 00:26:02,000
God, God wants you to repent, to get

817
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,340
right, and to live on a spiritual plateau,

818
00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,160
an atmosphere of revival, but yet God said

819
00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:08,940
five times with a broken heart to these

820
00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:11,500
people, yet have ye not returned unto Me.

821
00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:13,800
It's a dangerous thing to toughen and to

822
00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,640
buckle your neck and to stiffen up your

823
00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,140
heart against Almighty God when He says repent,

824
00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:20,240
when He says pray, when He says read,

825
00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:21,840
when He says go and be faithful.

826
00:26:22,260 --> 00:26:24,900
It is a very, very fearful and terrible

827
00:26:24,900 --> 00:26:26,260
thing to tell God no.

828
00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,680
Now, let's define disobedience.

829
00:26:28,980 --> 00:26:30,480
If God says yes and you say no,

830
00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:31,240
you're disobedient.

831
00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,260
If God says no and you say yes,

832
00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:34,180
you are disobedient.

833
00:26:34,420 --> 00:26:36,580
And according to my Bible, these people hardened

834
00:26:36,580 --> 00:26:40,700
their hearts and God greatly judged them because

835
00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:41,100
of Him.

836
00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:42,960
I was at a meeting not long ago.

837
00:26:43,180 --> 00:26:45,180
On Friday night, we had testimony time and

838
00:26:45,180 --> 00:26:47,200
an 85-year-old lady raised her hand.

839
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,620
There was about 150 people in the auditorium

840
00:26:49,620 --> 00:26:51,540
at the Calvary Baptist Church and she said,

841
00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:53,640
Brother Locke, I've shared this with few people,

842
00:26:53,980 --> 00:26:55,800
but please let me share this with you

843
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:56,080
tonight.

844
00:26:56,420 --> 00:26:58,120
With tears in her eyes, she said, when

845
00:26:58,120 --> 00:26:59,560
I was 30 years old, I had a

846
00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,520
three-year-old daughter who was the apple

847
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:02,140
of my eye.

848
00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,160
She said, we were in a fundamental church,

849
00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,220
we were faithful in tithes and prayers and

850
00:27:06,220 --> 00:27:06,560
offerings.

851
00:27:06,780 --> 00:27:08,220
We went to soul-winning visitation.

852
00:27:08,580 --> 00:27:10,240
She said, but we had a financial crisis.

853
00:27:10,740 --> 00:27:12,280
We got out of church and she said,

854
00:27:12,340 --> 00:27:14,020
for two years, our family was not right

855
00:27:14,020 --> 00:27:14,380
with God.

856
00:27:14,740 --> 00:27:16,460
She said, we didn't have family altar, we

857
00:27:16,460 --> 00:27:18,260
didn't read our Bibles, we didn't pray, we

858
00:27:18,260 --> 00:27:19,040
didn't go to church.

859
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:20,700
When the preacher would come and knock on

860
00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:22,120
our door, we would pretend that we were

861
00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:22,620
not home.

862
00:27:22,940 --> 00:27:24,500
And she said, Brother Locke, we knew that

863
00:27:24,500 --> 00:27:25,640
we were not right with God.

864
00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,020
She said, two years went by.

865
00:27:27,460 --> 00:27:29,940
And with a sorrowful broken heart, she said,

866
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,560
Brother Locke, she said, after those two years,

867
00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,040
she said, at the end of those two

868
00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,800
years, I would lay in my bed at

869
00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:36,640
night and weep.

870
00:27:36,900 --> 00:27:38,280
And in front of all these people, she

871
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,380
said, I knew, Preacher Locke, I knew I

872
00:27:41,380 --> 00:27:42,460
was not right with God.

873
00:27:42,620 --> 00:27:43,800
And she said, I would go to bed

874
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,860
weeping, saying this, not now, God, not now.

875
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,160
Not now, God, not now.

876
00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:51,400
And she said, Brother Locke, almost two years

877
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:52,940
to the day, she said, we had a

878
00:27:52,940 --> 00:27:53,840
terrible car accident.

879
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,180
She said, I was not harmed at all.

880
00:27:56,260 --> 00:27:57,680
We were hit head-on by a semi

881
00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,160
-truck or a dump truck, I can't quite

882
00:27:59,160 --> 00:27:59,900
remember which one.

883
00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:01,440
She said, we were hit head-on.

884
00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,040
I didn't have a scratch on me.

885
00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:06,480
She said, but immediately, now was my five

886
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,520
-year-old, was three, two years later, now

887
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,940
five, my five-year-old daughter was immediately

888
00:28:10,940 --> 00:28:13,320
thrown, ejected from the car.

889
00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:14,880
She was immediately killed.

890
00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:16,580
And she said, for all of these years,

891
00:28:16,660 --> 00:28:19,040
we've been in church, we've been faithful, we've

892
00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:19,780
tried to live right.

893
00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,260
She said, but I go to bed every

894
00:28:21,260 --> 00:28:24,680
night knowing that because I would not get

895
00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,420
right with God, God had to judge me

896
00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:30,220
and push a very sensitive nerve and button

897
00:28:30,220 --> 00:28:31,100
in my heart.

898
00:28:31,260 --> 00:28:33,000
And friend, I don't try to scare you,

899
00:28:33,220 --> 00:28:34,980
I try to prepare you, but God will

900
00:28:34,980 --> 00:28:37,200
do what He takes to make you live

901
00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,480
for Him because He wants your service.

902
00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:41,240
But there's one more thing that I'd like

903
00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:42,640
you to see in your Bibles before we

904
00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,360
close, and it's in Amos chapter 7, if

905
00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:46,500
you would flip over there please.

906
00:28:46,980 --> 00:28:49,680
Amos chapter 7, and verse number 7.

907
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,000
The Bible says, Thus He showed me, and

908
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,120
behold the Lord stood upon a wall made

909
00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:55,980
by a plumb line, that was a measuring

910
00:28:55,980 --> 00:28:58,260
rod, if you will, with a plumb line

911
00:28:58,260 --> 00:28:58,800
in His hand.

912
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:00,800
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what

913
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:01,440
seest thou?

914
00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:02,500
And I said, a plumb line.

915
00:29:02,900 --> 00:29:04,520
Then said the Lord, behold, I will set

916
00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:05,840
a plumb line in the midst of my

917
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:06,480
people Israel.

918
00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:08,740
I will not again pass by them anymore.

919
00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:10,960
And the high places of Isaac shall be

920
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,840
desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be

921
00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:15,440
laid waste, and I will rise against the

922
00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,420
house of Jeroboam, that was the king at

923
00:29:17,420 --> 00:29:18,560
this time, with the sword.

924
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:20,700
So God comes to Amos and says, Amos,

925
00:29:20,900 --> 00:29:22,280
I don't want you to preach a nice

926
00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,140
little sweet message about the love of God.

927
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:25,900
I want you to preach, get right with

928
00:29:25,900 --> 00:29:27,060
God, the judgment's coming.

929
00:29:27,220 --> 00:29:29,220
Get right with God, the judgment is coming,

930
00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:31,420
and it's coming quickly and it's coming soon.

931
00:29:31,820 --> 00:29:33,600
And so God said, I have taken the

932
00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:35,820
plumb line, the measuring stick of the Word

933
00:29:35,820 --> 00:29:38,360
of God, and these people are cracked, their

934
00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:39,740
foundation is sagging.

935
00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:41,600
He said, they are not vertical, they are

936
00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:43,340
not up and down, they are not perpendicular.

937
00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:45,980
He said, these people do not measure up

938
00:29:45,980 --> 00:29:47,420
to the ruler stick of the Word of

939
00:29:47,420 --> 00:29:47,700
God.

940
00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:49,200
And He said, I want you to preach

941
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,760
a message of desolation and judgment.

942
00:29:52,060 --> 00:29:54,320
Not a very popular message, but the message

943
00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:55,840
that God wanted him to preach.

944
00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:57,100
Now look at verse number 10.

945
00:29:57,100 --> 00:30:00,580
It says, Then Amaziah the priest...

946
00:30:00,580 --> 00:30:01,380
Now look at me in the face.

947
00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:02,340
I want to explain something to you.

948
00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:03,760
We don't have pictures of people in our

949
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,040
Bible, but I want to explain this.

950
00:30:05,620 --> 00:30:07,200
Amaziah, I believe with all of my heart,

951
00:30:07,420 --> 00:30:08,760
was probably about six foot two.

952
00:30:08,980 --> 00:30:11,920
He had greased back Don Juan Suave hairdo.

953
00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:13,620
He wore one of those jackets that buttoned

954
00:30:13,620 --> 00:30:14,740
all the way from your neck all the

955
00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:15,420
way to your knees.

956
00:30:15,860 --> 00:30:16,900
And he was just kind of one of

957
00:30:16,900 --> 00:30:18,460
these guys, and I mean he was just

958
00:30:18,460 --> 00:30:19,660
loaded down with money.

959
00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:21,300
And here was one of these fellas that

960
00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:22,220
just kind of walked around.

961
00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:24,080
He was kind of a highfalutin preacher.

962
00:30:24,220 --> 00:30:25,940
Say, well, how do you know that Amaziah

963
00:30:25,940 --> 00:30:26,580
looked that way?

964
00:30:26,860 --> 00:30:29,080
Because all liberal modernistic preachers from the World

965
00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:30,660
Council of Churches look just like that.

966
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,560
And here was this new evangelical backslidden preacher

967
00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,440
that probably knew nothing about his Bible.

968
00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:37,060
He knew nothing about God.

969
00:30:37,340 --> 00:30:38,580
He was liberal to the core.

970
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:39,360
And look what he said.

971
00:30:39,620 --> 00:30:42,220
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to

972
00:30:42,220 --> 00:30:45,000
Jeroboam the king of Israel, saying, Amos hath

973
00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,120
conspired against thee in the midst of the

974
00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:48,860
house of Israel, and the land is not

975
00:30:48,860 --> 00:30:50,200
able to bear all his words.

976
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,080
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by

977
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,620
the sword, and Israel shall surely be led

978
00:30:55,620 --> 00:30:57,360
away captive out of their own land.

979
00:30:57,500 --> 00:30:59,260
And so he gets together and he takes

980
00:30:59,260 --> 00:31:00,160
up a little love offering.

981
00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:01,640
And he goes and he puts on his

982
00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:03,380
little pharisaical grin and he gets his little

983
00:31:03,380 --> 00:31:05,080
Bible that don't even believe I'm short.

984
00:31:05,340 --> 00:31:06,620
And he comes walking in there and he

985
00:31:06,620 --> 00:31:09,280
says, Mr. Jeroboam, he said, we appreciate everything

986
00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:10,500
that you've done for the kingdom.

987
00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:12,160
And you've been the best person in the

988
00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:13,260
White House up this far.

989
00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,000
And I tell you, your tabernancy and your

990
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,000
rulership has just been absolutely wonderful.

991
00:31:17,180 --> 00:31:19,260
And we appreciate your presidency so much.

992
00:31:19,300 --> 00:31:20,960
And as a matter of fact, me and

993
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,400
the ministerial assassination have gotten together and we

994
00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:24,700
want you to know that we think you're

995
00:31:24,700 --> 00:31:25,680
doing a fine job.

996
00:31:25,780 --> 00:31:27,520
And he lied through his teeth about every

997
00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,440
bit of it because Jeroboam was one of

998
00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,760
the most wicked kings that Israel had ever

999
00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:32,040
known.

1000
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,440
But then when he leaves the presence of

1001
00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:36,600
the king, he says, King, just feel good

1002
00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:37,300
about this thing.

1003
00:31:37,540 --> 00:31:38,660
Don't worry about the judgment.

1004
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:40,200
He says that the land is going to

1005
00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:41,460
be desolate and that we're going to be

1006
00:31:41,460 --> 00:31:43,740
taken captive by our enemies and that you're

1007
00:31:43,740 --> 00:31:44,800
going to die by the sword.

1008
00:31:44,860 --> 00:31:46,420
He said, but don't you worry about that.

1009
00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,060
But you keep reading later in your Bible

1010
00:31:48,060 --> 00:31:49,540
and you'll find out that every bit of

1011
00:31:49,540 --> 00:31:51,320
that took place because God's man said it

1012
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:51,980
was going to.

1013
00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,300
And then in verse number 12, it said,

1014
00:31:54,540 --> 00:31:58,200
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer...

1015
00:31:58,200 --> 00:31:59,700
Now ladies and gentlemen, those were not words

1016
00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:01,460
of commendation, but condemnation.

1017
00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,600
He was saying, you redneck, hillbilly, backwoods, know

1018
00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:06,520
-it-all, know-nothing preacher whatsoever.

1019
00:32:06,900 --> 00:32:08,620
He said, you've never been to our seminaries

1020
00:32:08,620 --> 00:32:10,380
and you've never been to places where we

1021
00:32:10,380 --> 00:32:11,560
tell you the Bible is not the Word

1022
00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:13,220
of God and you don't have our B

1023
00:32:13,220 --> 00:32:15,260
.A.'s and our master's degree and you don't

1024
00:32:15,260 --> 00:32:16,900
have our Ph.D.'s. By the way, I

1025
00:32:16,900 --> 00:32:17,320
have one.

1026
00:32:17,380 --> 00:32:19,100
Preach hellfire, damnation every time I get a

1027
00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:19,360
chance.

1028
00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:19,580
Amen.

1029
00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:21,520
And so, here was a man that didn't

1030
00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:23,780
believe the Bible who comes against the man

1031
00:32:23,780 --> 00:32:25,920
of God and begins to condemn him for

1032
00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:26,300
preaching.

1033
00:32:26,660 --> 00:32:28,700
And he says in verse 12, Go flee

1034
00:32:28,700 --> 00:32:30,360
thee away into the land of Judah.

1035
00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:31,600
He said, We're sick of you.

1036
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:32,920
Why don't you go preach to the trees?

1037
00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:35,480
He said, And go down there and eat

1038
00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,320
bread and go down and prophesy there.

1039
00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,120
But prophesy or preach not again any more

1040
00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:40,980
at Bethel.

1041
00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:42,720
For it is the king's chapel and it

1042
00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:43,480
is the king's court.

1043
00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:44,760
He said, We want you out of here.

1044
00:32:45,020 --> 00:32:46,020
We're selling the parsnips.

1045
00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:46,920
We're cutting your salary.

1046
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:48,360
He said, Your tale's through, friend.

1047
00:32:48,420 --> 00:32:49,360
He said, We're sick of you.

1048
00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:50,820
We're going to get somebody that don't believe

1049
00:32:50,820 --> 00:32:51,900
the Bible to preach to us.

1050
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:53,560
Now look what happens in verse 14.

1051
00:32:53,980 --> 00:32:57,680
Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, I

1052
00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,480
was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's

1053
00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,400
son, but I was a herdman and a

1054
00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:03,460
gatherer of sycamore fruit.

1055
00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:04,640
And the Lord took me as I followed

1056
00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:05,800
the flock and the Lord said unto me,

1057
00:33:05,860 --> 00:33:07,580
Go prophesy unto my people Israel.

1058
00:33:08,060 --> 00:33:08,700
You know what Amos said?

1059
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:10,000
He said, You're right, Amaziah.

1060
00:33:10,580 --> 00:33:11,780
I've never been to your schools.

1061
00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,180
I've never been told the Bible's not the

1062
00:33:14,180 --> 00:33:14,620
word of God.

1063
00:33:14,660 --> 00:33:15,620
He said, But I'll tell you one thing

1064
00:33:15,620 --> 00:33:16,500
I got you don't have.

1065
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:17,860
He said, I wasn't looking to be a

1066
00:33:17,860 --> 00:33:18,060
preacher.

1067
00:33:18,820 --> 00:33:20,540
My great-great-granddaddy is not a preacher.

1068
00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:22,060
He said, One day I was a gatherer

1069
00:33:22,060 --> 00:33:23,440
of sycamore fruit and I was a herdman.

1070
00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:25,160
I just gathered them little sheep up and

1071
00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:26,620
said, One day God called me into the

1072
00:33:26,620 --> 00:33:28,480
ministry and I've been preaching ever since and

1073
00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:29,740
said, I've had a burden in my soul,

1074
00:33:29,820 --> 00:33:31,160
couldn't keep my mouth shut if I wanted

1075
00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:31,460
to.

1076
00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:32,780
And he said, You're right.

1077
00:33:32,980 --> 00:33:34,240
He said, I don't have all the credentials

1078
00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:34,780
you've got.

1079
00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:36,160
He said, But I've got something you don't

1080
00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:36,760
got, big boy.

1081
00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:38,740
He said, I've got a divine, direct call

1082
00:33:38,740 --> 00:33:39,900
of God upon my life.

1083
00:33:39,940 --> 00:33:40,400
And you know what?

1084
00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,180
You turn on your television and liberal modernistic

1085
00:33:43,180 --> 00:33:44,840
preachers that don't believe the Bible that are

1086
00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:45,560
a dime a dozen.

1087
00:33:45,700 --> 00:33:48,260
But God give us in America some God

1088
00:33:48,260 --> 00:33:50,400
-called, God-fearing men who will open their

1089
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,780
mouth and open their Bible and say, Thus

1090
00:33:52,780 --> 00:33:54,080
saith the Lord.

1091
00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,240
And here was a man that preached it

1092
00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,620
and the people did not want the message.

1093
00:33:59,060 --> 00:34:00,660
And let me close with this simple thought.

1094
00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,660
The last straw that they pulled out of

1095
00:34:03,660 --> 00:34:06,160
the hat of God before God judged them

1096
00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:07,060
was simply this.

1097
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,320
They turned upon the man of God.

1098
00:34:10,620 --> 00:34:11,580
Now study your Bible.

1099
00:34:11,580 --> 00:34:13,760
When Jeroboam and Amaziah and the rest of

1100
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,699
those priests turned on Amos, the whole nation

1101
00:34:16,699 --> 00:34:18,900
turned and they got on their heels and

1102
00:34:18,900 --> 00:34:20,360
walked away from the man of God.

1103
00:34:20,699 --> 00:34:23,980
And when they did that, God sent cataclysmic

1104
00:34:23,980 --> 00:34:24,280
judgment.

1105
00:34:24,699 --> 00:34:27,040
He said, You've messed with my man and

1106
00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:28,159
you have messed with me.

1107
00:34:28,500 --> 00:34:30,760
Now, I realize that it is in reference

1108
00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:31,820
to King Saul.

1109
00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:33,960
But there is a spiritual principle in your

1110
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,500
Bible that says, Touch not mine anointed and

1111
00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:37,719
do my prophet no harm.

1112
00:34:37,980 --> 00:34:39,760
And when God sends a man of God

1113
00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:41,980
to pray, to teach and to preach the

1114
00:34:41,980 --> 00:34:44,040
Word of God, you better be careful if

1115
00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,120
he's preaching thus saith the Lord when you

1116
00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,280
go against him or but that which he

1117
00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:50,780
says because God said, I place my word

1118
00:34:50,780 --> 00:34:52,920
in his heart and if you turn against

1119
00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:55,100
him, God says, I will turn against you.

1120
00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:57,460
Now there are many, many illustrations in the

1121
00:34:57,460 --> 00:35:00,060
Bible that prove to us that when God's

1122
00:35:00,060 --> 00:35:02,580
people honored God's man, God honored them.

1123
00:35:02,820 --> 00:35:06,440
But when God's people disregarded and disobeyed God's

1124
00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:07,980
man, I'm not talking about dictatorship.

1125
00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:10,380
I'm just talking about submission to the message

1126
00:35:10,380 --> 00:35:11,100
of the Word of God.

1127
00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,560
But when they disobeyed and disregarded God's man,

1128
00:35:14,740 --> 00:35:17,440
God always in your Bible judged them.

1129
00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:19,320
We have the example of Elijah.

1130
00:35:19,660 --> 00:35:21,460
Elijah was preaching and they came and they

1131
00:35:21,460 --> 00:35:22,960
said, Go up thou bald head.

1132
00:35:23,060 --> 00:35:24,300
Go up thou bald head.

1133
00:35:24,460 --> 00:35:26,560
And those teenage boys were laughing at him

1134
00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,660
in the wilderness and basically they were calling

1135
00:35:28,660 --> 00:35:30,640
him Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean because he was

1136
00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:31,480
a bald headed man.

1137
00:35:31,660 --> 00:35:33,880
But the grimaces and the smiles were wiped

1138
00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:35,640
and the smirks were wiped from their cheeks

1139
00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:37,660
whenever the cedar trees were bent down and

1140
00:35:37,660 --> 00:35:39,260
the Bible says these she bears came and

1141
00:35:39,260 --> 00:35:39,920
devoured them.

1142
00:35:40,300 --> 00:35:41,480
And then there was a man by the

1143
00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:42,120
name of Elisha.

1144
00:35:42,620 --> 00:35:44,700
Elisha came and a dear family built him

1145
00:35:44,700 --> 00:35:45,940
a little room on the side of his

1146
00:35:45,940 --> 00:35:47,580
house, on the side of their house rather.

1147
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,060
That's why we have the terminology prophet's chamber.

1148
00:35:50,460 --> 00:35:51,640
And he came in there and he could

1149
00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:54,060
sleep and preach and rest and relax and

1150
00:35:54,060 --> 00:35:54,800
study his Bible.

1151
00:35:55,180 --> 00:35:56,460
And he said, You know what folks, you've

1152
00:35:56,460 --> 00:35:57,740
been awfully good to the man of God.

1153
00:35:57,780 --> 00:35:58,740
What can I do for you?

1154
00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:00,940
And they said, Elisha, they said, We want

1155
00:36:00,940 --> 00:36:02,500
a baby so bad we can't see straight.

1156
00:36:02,540 --> 00:36:04,120
We've been praying and beseeching God but he's

1157
00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:05,240
not so fit to give us one.

1158
00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:06,940
Would you pray as the man of God

1159
00:36:06,940 --> 00:36:08,060
that God would give us a baby?

1160
00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:09,080
You read your Bible.

1161
00:36:09,140 --> 00:36:10,420
He got his Bible tucked in under his

1162
00:36:10,420 --> 00:36:10,620
arm.

1163
00:36:10,820 --> 00:36:11,880
He went out there and got down on

1164
00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:13,400
his knees and said, God, these people sure

1165
00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:14,420
have been good to your man.

1166
00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:15,820
I hope you'll give them a baby.

1167
00:36:16,060 --> 00:36:17,460
And in the next couple of chapters they

1168
00:36:17,460 --> 00:36:20,800
had a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, bouncing baby boy

1169
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,560
because they honored the man of God.

1170
00:36:23,780 --> 00:36:26,380
And when these people turned on God's man

1171
00:36:26,380 --> 00:36:28,040
that was the last straw.

1172
00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:29,520
God turned on them.

1173
00:36:29,940 --> 00:36:30,560
Listen, I'm through.

1174
00:36:30,660 --> 00:36:32,040
Let me say this just to draw everything

1175
00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:33,540
that we've said to a simple conclusion.

1176
00:36:34,020 --> 00:36:35,440
I was preaching at a revival meeting and

1177
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,240
I preached one night on pastoral authority and

1178
00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:38,000
pastoral leadership.

1179
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:39,860
A family came to me and said, Brother

1180
00:36:39,860 --> 00:36:41,160
Locke, this did not happen to us.

1181
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:42,680
It happened to our sister and our brother

1182
00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:43,000
-in-law.

1183
00:36:43,380 --> 00:36:44,420
They said they live in a little neighboring

1184
00:36:44,420 --> 00:36:46,480
town, go to a little backwoods fundamental Baptist

1185
00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:48,740
church and said one night a missionary from

1186
00:36:48,740 --> 00:36:50,500
Russia got up and said, we need money

1187
00:36:50,500 --> 00:36:52,800
for the land of Russia to translate Bibles

1188
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,760
into their language and give them the Word

1189
00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:56,080
of God into their hands.

1190
00:36:56,420 --> 00:36:57,440
The pastor got up.

1191
00:36:57,560 --> 00:36:58,580
He was overly moved.

1192
00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:00,540
He was about my age, a young man,

1193
00:37:00,620 --> 00:37:02,340
about 25, 26 years old.

1194
00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,340
He got up and he said, folks, I'm

1195
00:37:04,340 --> 00:37:04,840
your pastor.

1196
00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:06,460
He said, I'm not an auctioneer and I'm

1197
00:37:06,460 --> 00:37:07,240
not a money raiser.

1198
00:37:07,540 --> 00:37:08,860
He said, but tonight we're not going to

1199
00:37:08,860 --> 00:37:09,480
pass the plate.

1200
00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:11,200
He said, we're going to take up pledges.

1201
00:37:11,460 --> 00:37:12,940
He said, is there anybody that would give

1202
00:37:12,940 --> 00:37:13,300
me $100?

1203
00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:15,340
Anybody give me $100 for this man?

1204
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:16,000
What about $50?

1205
00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:17,360
Anybody give me $50?

1206
00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:18,260
What about $20?

1207
00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:19,180
What about $30?

1208
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:19,940
What about $15?

1209
00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:22,380
And he was getting rather discouraged because that

1210
00:37:22,380 --> 00:37:24,300
group of 30 or 40 or 50 people

1211
00:37:24,300 --> 00:37:26,200
there that night, they just did not seem

1212
00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,060
at all encouraged with this man's ministry.

1213
00:37:28,500 --> 00:37:30,100
And he was discouraged at the fact that

1214
00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:31,320
these people just would not give.

1215
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:32,980
And finally he said, what about $10?

1216
00:37:33,300 --> 00:37:34,380
Anybody give me $5?

1217
00:37:34,900 --> 00:37:36,160
And these people looked at me with a

1218
00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:38,200
sad countenance and said, Brother Locke, this happened,

1219
00:37:38,300 --> 00:37:39,260
sure as the gospel truth.

1220
00:37:39,340 --> 00:37:40,600
And they said, finally he got down to

1221
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:40,820
$1.

1222
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:43,000
He held up both of his pointer fingers

1223
00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:43,920
and said, who gave me $1?

1224
00:37:44,220 --> 00:37:45,160
Anybody give me $1?

1225
00:37:45,300 --> 00:37:46,260
Who gave me $1 in the room?

1226
00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:47,640
And a couple people raised their hand.

1227
00:37:47,900 --> 00:37:49,640
He wrote that missionary some little old mealy

1228
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:51,340
mouth check out of the treasury fund and

1229
00:37:51,340 --> 00:37:53,120
he left and he said, Brother, I'm sorry,

1230
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:53,960
I couldn't give you more.

1231
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,120
That night, they said, Brother Locke, it was

1232
00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:58,040
not us, but our sister and brother-in

1233
00:37:58,040 --> 00:37:59,300
-law went back home and she was eight

1234
00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:00,540
months pregnant and they were going to have

1235
00:38:00,540 --> 00:38:01,100
a little baby.

1236
00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:02,700
So they went home and they sat down

1237
00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:03,480
at the kitchen table.

1238
00:38:03,860 --> 00:38:05,300
And she had herself a cup of coffee.

1239
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:06,260
He had himself one.

1240
00:38:06,540 --> 00:38:08,180
He said, Honey, I think I'll play charades.

1241
00:38:08,420 --> 00:38:10,220
He jumped up and he said, he put

1242
00:38:10,220 --> 00:38:11,420
his little hands in the air and put

1243
00:38:11,420 --> 00:38:13,060
his pointer fingers up and he said, Honey,

1244
00:38:13,100 --> 00:38:13,620
who am I?

1245
00:38:13,720 --> 00:38:15,460
And he began to mock, Who give me

1246
00:38:15,460 --> 00:38:16,000
$1?

1247
00:38:16,500 --> 00:38:17,840
Who give me $1?

1248
00:38:17,940 --> 00:38:19,540
He began to jump around and dance around

1249
00:38:19,540 --> 00:38:21,080
like some kind of Barlow and Baylor circus

1250
00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:21,400
clown.

1251
00:38:21,700 --> 00:38:23,220
And then she got up, Who give me

1252
00:38:23,220 --> 00:38:23,620
$1?

1253
00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:24,960
And they jumped around.

1254
00:38:25,060 --> 00:38:28,320
They were appalled and completely eaten up with

1255
00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:30,380
bitterness that their preacher would get up and

1256
00:38:30,380 --> 00:38:31,300
raise money that way.

1257
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,340
And they laughed and they scorned the preacher,

1258
00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:34,700
Who give me $1?

1259
00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:36,820
One month later, their baby was born.

1260
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,580
A little black-haired, blue-eyed, bouncing, beautiful

1261
00:38:40,580 --> 00:38:41,240
baby boy.

1262
00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:45,040
But on both hands, his pointer fingers were

1263
00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:45,360
missing.

1264
00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:47,200
And they looked at me with a cold,

1265
00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:49,520
blank stare and said, Brother Locke, our father,

1266
00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:52,900
Who give me $1?

1267
00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:55,180
Ladies and gentlemen, I say to you this

1268
00:38:55,180 --> 00:38:57,080
morning, you better be careful how you touch

1269
00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:57,960
God's anointing.

1270
00:38:58,040 --> 00:38:59,500
You better be careful how you take care

1271
00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:00,480
of your pastor this morning.

1272
00:39:00,700 --> 00:39:02,140
You better be careful how you give and

1273
00:39:02,140 --> 00:39:03,780
how you go and how you pray and

1274
00:39:03,780 --> 00:39:05,600
how you follow the leadership of the man

1275
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,420
of God that God has given you in

1276
00:39:07,420 --> 00:39:09,440
this local church and many local churches across

1277
00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:11,100
America and across the world.

1278
00:39:11,340 --> 00:39:12,900
You better be careful because according to my

1279
00:39:12,900 --> 00:39:16,580
Bible, when they disregard God's man, God will

1280
00:39:16,580 --> 00:39:17,500
send judgment.

1281
00:39:17,500 --> 00:39:19,980
And in chapter 6 and verse 1, He

1282
00:39:19,980 --> 00:39:23,200
said, Woe to them that are at ease

1283
00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:24,500
in Zion.

1284
00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:27,140
And the simple question is this, do you

1285
00:39:27,140 --> 00:39:29,640
find yourself in Amos 6 this morning?

1286
00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:30,620
Your heads are bowed.

1287
00:39:30,660 --> 00:39:31,600
Your eyes are closed, please.

1288
00:39:31,700 --> 00:39:32,980
No one looking and no one talking.