They we pray for we ask it in
your name. In light of that scripture, the
brother Carl just read. You may have already seen it
every once in a while. Obviously, we don't have a weekly bulletin
here. There's nothing wrong with weekly
bulletins. I just We don't have them, but what happens is periodically
something will really strike me, or I'll read something that
I think is so good, so profitable to me, and I'll put it in a little
paper or something. But in the back, on the little
stand back there, I read something a while back that was talking
about, and I entitled it, The Lord Will Provide. And it was
talking about when the children of Israel were in the desert. How Moses, no doubt, did not
consider what was it going to take to maintain the nation of
Israel for 40 years. He didn't know he was going to
be there 40 years, number one. But if you haven't read it, I
got it out of Brother Milton Howard's bulletin, and I thought
it was so good. It gives you something to think
about, because we live in this world. that we have to eat. We have
to have things that are, you know, clothing and a house. And
in light of, as Brother Carl was saying, things that have
happened recently, you know, it would be the easiest thing
in the world for somebody to just throw up their hands and
say, yeah, but you don't realize what's happened to my account. Well, the Scripture sets forth
that the Lord will provide. And I don't think I know of one. of record, Scripture, or anyone
today, one of God's people that have gone hungry, the Lord will
provide. And that's great comfort to us. So thank you, Brother Carl, for
that Scripture. Turn with me to Romans chapter
13. Romans 13. Continuing our study. of the book of Romans, word by
word, verse by verse. I've entitled this little study
today, Wake Up. Wake Up. We're going to consider the last
verses of this of this 13th chapter beginning in verse 11. But before
we begin this study, I want you to realize and to understand
all of God's regenerated sheep. And I say that because God's
sheep are His sheep whether they are regenerated or not regenerated. He said, other sheep I have that
are not of this fold. I mean, you that believe were
His sheep when He was walking on this earth and from the foundation
of the world, chosen as we just talked about. When He walked
on this earth, you that believe were His sheep then. He hadn't
even been born yet. But you were still His. He's
always loved you. He's always known you. The Lord
told His prophet, He said, I knew you before I formed you in the
belly. I knew you. Always been His sheep. But I want you to understand
that all of God's regenerated sheep, those that have been called
out of darkness by the Spirit of God quickened is the biblical
terminology, that you are awake before God. Now, I'm going to
tell you right now, you're awake. God Almighty has awakened you
by His power, by His grace. You're converted. You've been
justified by grace. The proof of that justification
is that He died for you, justified by His blood. You know it by faith, justified
by faith. That's how you that believe know
it. Now, the way that other people
know that you're justified by His grace is by your works. You
act like a believer. I can't see faith in you that
believe. But you see it. You know it by
faith. You know it. But other people
know it by your works and by your words. A believer acts like
a believer. One that's not a believer doesn't
act like one. Give them time. They may for a while appear as
though the tears may appear for a while. But give it time. A
tear doesn't act like a believer. They act like a tare. They act
like an unbeliever. So God's people are alert. I want to preface everything
I'm getting ready to say by telling you this. God's people are spiritually
awake before God. But the apostle deals with a
condition that the church is more than ready to agree with. And you that believe are going
to agree with this. It is a state that we find ourselves
in as far as being spiritually drowsy. Now, if we are honest
this morning, we are going to admit we do not find ourselves
as keenly aware and sensitive and thankful for His presence,
our relationship to Him, we don't find ourselves, if we're honest,
in that state as we wish that we did. Now, if you're honest
about it, anybody sitting in here that would say, I'll tell
you this, I am as keenly aware and sensitive to His presence
as I could ever be, I'd say, well, I tell you what, that's
a little bit too bold a statement because I know better. The Scripture
says, knowing that we're not in a sleep of death, but we are
drowsy. 1 John 3, verse 14, John says,
we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love
the brethren. That's the evidence. You know,
the more I read that and consider that Scripture, by this you'll
all men know that you're my disciples. You have love one for the other. You're bonded together with the
same Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, that indwells one believer,
indwells another believer. And you're bonded together with Him. There's the key to it. How does a person know that they
love God? They love each other. Now, if
I didn't have that revealed to me, I would never know that there's
the determining exhibition of His grace to me that I love His
people. I want to be where they are because
that's where He is. where two or three are gathered
together in my name, I'm in the midst of you. Now, you that believe,
where would you rather be as far as an assembly of, you know,
worshipping, whether it was here or whether providentially you
were somewhere else worshipping on vacation? I understand that.
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about as far as some
place worshipping God where his gospel is proclaimed. Where would
you rather be? You that believe will say, nowhere.
I'd rather not be anywhere else except someplace that I could
hear him. That's where I want to be. He that loveth not his brother,
John said, abideth in death. He that is not concerned for
him that God shone mercy to, as He shone mercy to me, is a
dead man spiritually." Ephesians 2 verse 1, "...and you hath he
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." So I know this. I
know that the believers, I know they are not dead. I know they
are not dead. I know that they're alive, but Paul deals with a
sleep that's actually a drowsy state of mind. And the Lord Himself
must call her out of it. Almighty God must deal with it
in us. And that's where we're chastened. That's where we know that He
loves us. And here's how you know it. You're
concerned about it. You are concerned about it. You're
not so so. Exalted in yourself to where
you think, I don't know anything about what you're talking about.
You that believe know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm going
to tell you something, there's just. There are times that I
all of a sudden realize. How insensitive that I've been. Carl, you were reading something
just a minute ago concerning, you know, the state of, you know,
a physical state, you know, and stuff like this. And I'm going
to tell you something. I'll be honest about it, and
you can go ahead and just agree with me in your mind. I'm telling
you, when the economic situation of this whole world, you know,
is set forth, I mean, I find myself wanting to watch, you
know, TV and say, I want to find out who's going to do something
about this. And I mean, we need to get this thing. This thing
needs to be straightened out. And I don't know how much they're
going to vote to spend. And all of a sudden, I'm just
realizing. Now, let me ask you this. Is
that not a drowsiness? Is that not unbelief? Someone will say, well, I tell
you what, I never ever even remotely doubted for one second. I have
not since I believed, I have never even remotely thought anything
other than the Lord will provide. Paul says, and that, verse 11,
knowing the time, Considering the short period
of time in which we live, when is the time that we're dealing
with right now? Knowing the time, the time since
you've been converted, since you've been called out of darkness,
knowing that this life is but a vapor, Knowing that we don't
know what's going to happen tomorrow. Take no fault for tomorrow. That's
what you just read. That's good Scripture. Timely
Scripture. Take no fault for tomorrow. For tomorrow. I'll paraphrase. Shall have the evil of itself.
What he's saying is this. There's enough evil today. Don't
worry about tomorrow. Today, there's enough to deal
with today. Take no fault for tomorrow. I
don't know what's going to happen. My existence in this life is
vanishing. It's just, I mean, it's so quickly. Knowing the time, Paul says that
now it is high time to awake out of sleep. It's the hour. That's what high
time means. It's the hour to be aroused. I need for him, the Lord himself,
by his Spirit, to arouse me right now. Right now. Everything that's
happened before now is gone. You can't change it. It's not
going to change what you thought. I mean, you can sit here and
debate it. Right now. right now. All you've got is
right now. You don't have tomorrow. You've
got this moment. It is high time, the proper time. Shake off the slothfulness and
be addressed by the Spirit of God right now. High time. It's always the high time. The bride spoke in Song of Solomon
5.2. She said this, I sleep, but my
heart waketh. Now, you that believe, you enter
in, you know what I'm saying. You know what this scripture
is saying. Paul is saying that it's high time to wake out of
sleep. The bride said, I sleep. I know
I'm drowsy. I know I am. I see myself. And
I hate that. I hate it. I hate seeing myself
doubt and be concerned with things. I'm honest with you. Oh, that I could walk before
Him and not doubt and not question and not wonder and not be concerned
with. You know, that just sounds wonderful
to me. that I could walk with Him and be assured no matter
what. No matter what. The Lord will
provide. The Lord is my friend. The Lord
is my shepherd. That's what David said. I hate the way I am. I hate seeing doubts within myself. That's what Paul said, O wretched
man that I am. The bride said, I sleep. But my heart waketh. It is the voice of my beloved
that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove,
my undefiled." He's so kind. He's so gentle. He says, My head's filled with
dew, my locks with the drops of the night. He never sleeps. He never sleeps. I do. He doesn't. Oh, the description of an enlightened
soul. They're just honest. They're
honest people. Rothbard said that. He said God
doesn't send honest people to hell. They're honest about themselves. They're honest about their condition.
They're honest about who God is. holiness toward divine things
is an honest admittance of neglect of all that which is holy and
just is good. And you don't like it. You that
believe, you don't. Don't you long for that intimate
relationship with Christ? I think about those that have
left this earth that died in the faith. What a wonderful scripture. Died in the faith. He died believing
God. And you think about it. Right
now, they actually experience what a believer longs for. A relationship with Him that is
not tainted. Never a moment of any type of
interference with our relationship to Him. That's what you long for. Can it be that one called out
of darkness, spiritual darkness, regenerated by the grace of God,
can feel any other way but this? Paul says it's now. It's time to awake, to be spiritually
aroused out of sleep. You that believe, you can never
be too earnest about this. The world may think you're crazy.
The world may scorn at that attitude. But I'm going to tell you something,
a believer. feels this way, and they will
sit there and muse upon this thought and long for it and will
admit, I loathe myself because I don't find myself like this
all the time. Paul said, I know in me that
is in my flesh there dwells no good thing. But how blessed it
is to observe the relationship and the attitude of the Lord
Jesus Christ toward me, he who never changes. Loved you with an everlasting
love. And I love him, but I find myself not manifesting that love
as I ought. The bride says, I'm asleep. He
never does. stands at the door of the believer's
heart. That's what he said. As I said before, I'm not even
going to give credence to the horrible interpretation of that
Scripture. The Lord Jesus Christ never knocks
on any door that He is not coming into. When He knocks, He's coming.
And He gives the heart that's thankful for an opening. He puts his hand, this is scriptural
language, he puts his hand at the hole of the door. What does
that mean? He powerfully comes in. He opens it. I couldn't open
it. The believer feels the pain of
this plague almost, I would say constantly. Why is it that we're exhorted
to awake? to righteousness. Now, the Apostle
says, is our salvation nearer than when we believed? This is
why we're exhorted to wake up. Wake up. And you know the horrible
thing about it? We hear this right now and we
realize, even though we've been talking about it for about ten
minutes here, all the same, we still find ourselves in that
drowsy state. Now is our salvation, the time
of our deliverance. The difficulties of sin and struggles
of our life are soon going to be over. We talk about life being
a vapor, but I am telling you, it is sooner, nearer than we
think. The Scripture says in verse 12,
ìThe night is far spent.î The night. The day of this world
is what it's talking about. That's night. The symbol of sin
and sorrow, the night is far spent. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians
5, 5, You are the children of light and the children of the
day. We're not of the night or darkness of sin and of the power
of it. Now, the presence of it's there
for a believer. the presence of, but not the
power of it. What is the power of sin? What's
the power of sin? Death. That's the power of it. That's the power of it. The wages
of it. The pay of it. The end of it. The night is far spent. That
time of sin and sorrow is nearly over. You say, yeah, but I'm
not, but you know, you know, nine years old, 14, you know,
20. I'm in my I'm just in my 30s. I'm just. It's almost over. The night is far spent, the day
is at hand. The day of eternal. Deliverance for the believer. The beginning of unhindered happiness
in him. The night is far spent, the day
is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the
works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light." Let
us cast off. Turn to Ephesians 4. I'll show
you something. Ephesians 4. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 21-22.
Paul says, The letters, the church at Ephesus,
if so, be that you've heard him. And I've been taught by him as
the truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning the former
conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to deceitful
lust. Put that off. Put that off. Put off the former way of life. The old man. And then just flip
over to Ephesians 6, 11. Ephesians 6, 11. But put on, he said, the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Put on. Put off. cast away the habits, and then
put on, sink into the clothing of." We put off the old conversation
and put on the whole armor of God. Now, the putting off of
the old man and the putting on of the new man is a wonderful
scriptural description of regeneration. The works of darkness, the old
manifestation of the corrupt nature and the armor of light,
the manifestation of God's gift and regeneration, you know, we're
told to cast off the old man, put on new man, put on his armor. But listen to me, those works
are not ours. They're gods, because I'm going
to tell you something. You can't do either one of them.
Put off the old man. How are you going to do that?
You tell me how you're going to put off. Now, we're commanded
to. All right? In other words, don't
let those things that dominate the thought and rule the thoughts
of an unconverted nature. Don't let those things rule in
you anymore. Now, you tell me how you're going
to do that. You're not. Put on the whole armor of God.
Man, I can remember people telling me or reading that Scripture
to me, and I'm telling you, I mean, they said it in such a way that
I thought, man, I hope they don't ever ask me if I've done that,
because I'm going to tell you something, I just don't see myself,
you know, I mean, it's a good thought. Don't get me wrong.
But how do you do that? Neither one of these things is
something that you can do. You can't do that. Put off the
old man. Put on the other. The believer
is passive in regeneration. What does that mean? You didn't
have anything to do with it. Just like you were in the fall.
Let me ask you this. How involved were you in the
fall of Adam? I mean, you fell in Adam. I know
that. When Adam sinned, I sinned because
I was in Adam. I came from his lungs. I didn't somewhere along the
line become a sinner. I was conceived in sin. So I
am a sinner passively. I just manifested. I didn't do
anything to become a sinner. I was born in sin, conceived
in sin, came forth from my mother's womb, a liar against God, passive. And I'm passive, I'm going to
tell you this, in regeneration. What did I do? How is it I'm
commanded, therefore, to cast off the works of darkness and
put on the armor of light? Or thank you that you would do
that for me. Because I don't have the ability.
I didn't have the desire, number one. I didn't have the desire
to do it. I didn't have the power to do
it. And I don't have the power to maintain it either. I can't
keep myself. God's going to have to clothe
me. This is something that He does. We're commanded to do it
right here. But faithful is He that calls
you. who will also do it. You see, salvation is by grace.
You see what I'm saying? There's just nothing that I can
do. Almighty God mercifully and powerfully
moves upon His people. We are made fit, the Scripture
says, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light. But I'll tell you this, though
these works of darkness have been cast off as to their power,
believe me, the presence of them are still there. Any man that says that he sins
not makes God be a liar. We sin, but what's the big difference
between a regenerated sinner and an unregenerated sinner? What's the difference? What's
the difference in one of God's sheep called out of darkness
and a man left to himself in unbelief? The guilt of. The guilt of sin. I am no different in my attitude,
the presence of sin than anybody else. But the guilt of it. That penalty that was paid by
the blood of Christ. I'm in this world and I think
in my flesh just like anybody else, and you do too. What's
the difference in an unbeliever and a believer? Their guilt. Their guilt has been put away
for that believer. And I'm telling you, when this
world is over for us, and we walk out or are taken out of
this world, the only difference is going to be what you think
of Christ. What think you of Him? Has Almighty God put away
your guilt? Because if He hasn't, there is
a world eternally awaiting you of torment and separation from
God. If the Lord Jesus Christ was
not made sin for me, then the guilt of what I am is still on
me. Let us walk honestly, verse 13. Your Bible probably has the right
interpretation of that word, decently. Walk decently, properly,
as in the day. in the light of regenerating
grace is what that means. It doesn't mean the daylight
right here. In the light of regenerating grace, God Almighty having called
you out of darkness, walk decently before God. Conduct ourselves
before this world in a modest, decent, becoming manner. You know, a believer is a is
an amazing thing. They'll admit what they are.
Well, they will admit that it's high time to wake out of sleep.
They'll admit, I'm drowsy. I know I'm drowsy. I hate it. They know that the presence of
sin is with them. Paul says, In me, that is, in
my flesh, there dwells no good thing. They know it's there,
and they hate it. But I'm going to tell you something.
They struggle against it. By that new nature, they walk
decently. They walk decently. They walk
decently struggling all the way. Walk honestly in the day, not
rioting and in drunkenness, avoiding the excessive sensual revelings
that the carnal nature indulges in. He says, not in chambering and
wantonness. Chambering is – here's the interpretation
of chambering. Downright adultery. Just out
and out. Adultery. That's what it is. Illicit sexual activity or cohabitation
which is unlawful. Don't do it. That's what he's
saying. Avoid it, not in chambering and
wantonness. Chambering is the out-and-out
adultery. Wantonness is unbridled and shameless
activity that leads to it. I mean, it just kind of builds
right up to it, you know. The wantonness is the activity
that's building up to it. Walk away. Walk away. Walk away. It's not going to
lead to anything that's good, anything that transgresses pure
chastity and modesty. Walk away from it. Paul says,
not in strife and envying, just contentious disputes that just
don't matter. I told you about my son-in-law,
Tommy. Looked over. For his job, he
worked his way up. The chief just bypassed him. He asked me, what should I do? I said, don't go to court over
it. Don't do that. Don't do that. All things work
together for good to them that love God. Let it go. Let it go. He got his job. They gave it
to him. Wait on the Lord. Strive to live in peace. Be as wise as a serpent and harmless
as a dove. A serpent tries to avoid confrontation. They'll try to get away from
you. Just, you know, do that. Try. Try to avoid confrontation. In verse 14, But put on the Lord
Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the
lust thereof." Put on. We looked at it a while ago.
Sink into. Put on. Sink into the garment of His
imputed righteousness. Now, you see why I said a while
ago, this is a passive thing. You don't have the ability. No
man has the ability to say, you know what, I think that's a good
idea. I think I'm going to put on Christ. I think I'm going
to robe myself in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You'd
boast in it. You'd have somewhat the glory
if you could do that. Number one, God wouldn't get
the glory for that. You would. I would. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Putting on Christ is by faith
realizing it. Understand that Almighty God
has clothed you with His obedience, has considered you in Him, has
looked upon you in favor for His sake. Put ye on Christ. We believe Him. That's what it
is to put on Christ. I believe Him. I believe God's
done something for me. I believe that the Lord Jesus
Christ obeyed God for me. And He did so with me in Him. And God looks upon me in favor
for His sake and not for mine. when we are clothed in the Lord
Jesus Christ. I tell you the evidence of it.
We have a love for Him. A great interest in Him. And other things fade. Find out what a man loves and
you'll find out that's his God. what a man desires, what a man
gives himself to. Put ye on the Lord Jesus and
make not provision for the flesh. Don't let the corrupt desires
of our old nature rule you. Again, that's something that
we can't do unless God does it for us. You have nothing I'm
telling you, if I could avoid the corruption of this world
by myself, I don't need him, Carl. If I can do it, then I'll
be able to stand before him and say, I accomplished what you
demanded. But the Scripture sets forth
that the four and twenty elders, the entire church, in Revelation
5, I think, shall cast their crowns, the crown, that picture
of their righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ, at His feet. And they'll say, You're worthy. You're worthy to receive all
the honor, not me, All of it, not mine. If I can do what He
commands, then I have somewhat to glory in. I have everything
to glory in. But if I cannot, then I'll say you're worthy to
receive all honor, all glory, and all praise because you have
redeemed us out of every nation, every kindred, every people,
every tribe, every tongue, you're worthy. Put off that old conversation. Put on
the Lord Jesus Christ. And I say, Lord, by Your grace
and power, I will. We thank You for another day.
And Lord, it's so good to just consider You and to talk about
and to set forth in the Scriptures the glory of God in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Help us to remember. Help us
to see. Help us to believe. Lord, for
You alone are able. And these things we ask for Christ's
sake. Amen. Gary, would you lead us in just
a closing?