What think ye of Christ? Is he
your Lord? Is he Lord of your will? Lord of your thoughts? Is he
Lord of everything? Or is he just a Lord? Jesus Christ, the Son of the
Living God, according to Scriptures, is Lord of everything. Everything. I'd like you to turn with me,
if you would, to the 13th chapter of 2 Corinthians. Lord of everything. In 2 Corinthians chapter 13,
Paul instructs us in something very, very, very important. In verse 5 he says, examine yourselves,
whether ye be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates. I'd
like to bring this to your attention first. Did you see the first
two words there? Examine yourselves. I don't want to be an assumption
of this, but I think I'm pretty close if I say these words. If
you're anything like me, it's real easy to examine others,
isn't it? We can look at this person or that person and think
to ourselves, well, that can't be a Christian. Look at them,
they're in a bar drinking. We can look at others and say,
well, look at that person out there smoking that pipe. That
can't be a Christian. Did you notice that Paul's not
telling us to examine others? Examine yourself. John, John
are you in the faith? I know it's done, examining others. For even I find myself examining
others, wondering if their faith, their profession is true. I can
only pray, Lord, help me not to. Lord, help me take my eyes
off of others and examine myself. Am I in the true faith? I don't
need to prove it to you, and you don't need to prove it to
me. I need to prove it to myself. That's what it's saying. Examine
yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Prove it to yourself. Am I in
the faith of Scriptures? Or am I in some other faith?
Because we know there's a lot of other faiths, don't we? We
know there's a whole bunch of people putting what they call
faith in something other than Scriptures. Something that they
have done, whether it get into the baptismal, whether it walk
down the aisle, whether it make a decision, whatever it is you
think you can put in front of that, there's a whole lot of
other faiths, isn't there? There's only one faith, true
saving faith, and that's the faith in Jesus Christ and crucifying.
Am I on the right path? Don't you want to know? Don't
you want to know if you're on the right path or not? I see
all that other stuff out there. Am I on the right path? Is this
the right path that's being preached here at Rescue? Is this according
to God's Word right here at Rescue? Or am I off on some path like
everything else that the Lord's talking about? Something I've
made up of my own imagination? Don't you want to know if you're
on the path? If you're in the right way, is this the way to
eternal life? Proverbs 16, 25, we read these
words, take this to heart. Take this to heart, your heart.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof
are the ways of death. That's a pretty solemn warning,
isn't it? I gotta say this. Blessed is my Savior. Blessed
is my Lord. Blessed is the King of Kings,
the Lord of Lords, who through His Word has shown me there is
a true way to Christ. My title this morning is The
Way. Turn over now, if you would,
to the 14th chapter of John. John chapter 14. John chapter
14. There is a way. And right here
in John chapter 14, we read, beginning at verse 1, let not
your heart be troubled. Oh, our Lord is speaking to you
and I, folks, those of us who have been given the gift of faith
to believe Him. Let not your heart be troubled.
Do you know our Lord has experienced everything you and I have, yet
without sin? He's had everything thrown at
him in temptation, just as you and I have, yet he has never
failed. He has never given in. He is
perfect in everything that he's done. He can say to you and I,
let not your heart be troubled. You know why? Because he knows
our hearts are troubled. He knows that we wonder, we ponder
this thing, am I on the right way? Can John Reeves be on the right
way and get mad at that guy for cutting him off? Can I be on
the right way and still see that ugliness in me? You put whatever
ugliness that you have in your own life in front of yourself
and think of it. Can we be on the right way? Our Savior says
to you and I, let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God,
believe also in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you,
and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also."
Is this comfort? Is this comfort to a sinner?
This is a promise that our Savior, who laid down His life, Shed
His blood for us. This is a comfort that we have
coming from Him. Let not your hearts be troubled.
I know you have sin before you. It will always be before you
as long as we walk this earth. You'll be troubled by it, but
you don't have to be troubled by it. Lay it at the feet of
Jesus. Lay it at the feet of our Savior who has taken it upon
Himself and made us righteous in Him. I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also,
and whither I go you know the way, you know the way you know. You know and the way you know.
Then Thomas says in verse five, Thomas saith unto him, Lord,
we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?
And Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. Now I'd like you to turn over
to Isaiah chapter 35. Isaiah chapter 35, feel free
to mark that because we're going to be looking at that just a
little bit. In the book of Isaiah chapter 35, Isaiah is describing
the coming of Christ and the salvation by Him. In Isaiah chapter
35, beginning at verse 8, we read these words, and a highway
shall be there. and a way, and it shall be called
the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over
it, but it shall be for those, the wayfaring men. The fools
shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any
ravenous beast shall go up thereon, and it shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransom of the Lord shall
return and come to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon
their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. There is a way, folks,
but it's not by the wisdom of men. Mark your place there in
Isaiah, like I said. We'll be back to that. Turn over
to 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians, chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, as I
said a moment ago, there is a way, but it's not by the wisdom of
men. In Psalms 95, 10, we read these
words, 40 years long was I grieved with this generation, and said
it is a people that do error in their hearts, and they have
not known my ways. That's the Lord. David, under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote those words. In Romans
11, verse 33, Paul writing, he says, Oh, the depth of the rich
is both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are
His judgments and His ways past finding out. Again, in Isaiah,
and we're going to be looking at 1 Corinthians, but I want
to read one more verse if you would. In Isaiah 55, verse 8,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the Lord. There's only one way to eternal
life and that is through our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
There's a lot of wise men who've done a lot of studying in what
we know is God's Word and have no idea of what the way to heaven
is. It's not by knowing these Scriptures
word for word and memorizing them and being able to quote
them at the drop of a needle. It's not by that at all. It's
only by the experience of grace that Christ Jesus does in the
hearts of His people. It is not by the wisdom of man.
Look at verses 17-31 of 1 Corinthians 1, beginning at verse 17. For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should
be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it
is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding
of the disobedient, of the prudent. Where is the wise? Verse 20. Where is the scribe? Where is
the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews
require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach
Christ crucified unto the Jews, a stumbling block, and unto the
Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom
of God. Because the foolishness of God
is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many mobile are called. Now look
over at verse 30. But of Him, no, 29, that no flesh
should glory in His presence, but of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. This is the way that we see back
there in verse 23. Look at that with me one more
time. But we preach Christ crucified and unto the Jews a stumbling
block and unto the Greeks foolishness. This is why God's preachers get
up and preach Christ every single Sunday, every Friday evening,
whatever time they're meeting. That's the power of God unto
salvation, preaching about our Savior. This is what I want to
hear. I'm going on a two-week vacation.
I'm going to hear a whole bunch of preachers preaching. Folks,
I've heard Gene, you've heard him say this, you know he said
this. I've got to be preached. I preach all the time, all year
long. I get to sit down and hear other men preach to me for a
change. I get to go on a two-week vacation. We're actually going
to Madisonville twice, on Wednesday night and Sunday night. Going
over to Danville to hear a preacher preach there on Danville. Going
over from there to Ewing, New Jersey to hear a preacher preach
there. Then we're going down to a conference in Kingsport
to hear six different preachers preach there. So you see what
I'm saying? I love to hear the gospel preached to you. That
is what is the power unto salvation. Our Lord and Savior, Him crucified
for His people. But we preach Christ crucified
unto the Jews, a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.
Christ in Him crucified. If the man standing at the pulpit
is preaching something else, he is not preaching the way. There's not several ways, folks.
There is only one way. And Christ Jesus is the one way. Oh, but John, we want to talk
about how great the church You know, look at all the money that
we're sending down here to Mexico to get an ambulance for this
town. Look at what the children of
the church are doing. Look at all the good works we're feeding
all the poor. Look at all these things we're doing. Don't we
want to talk about that? I've had that question put to
me. Don't you guys ever talk about that? No. You want to hear
about those kinds of things? Then come around and let's have
a meeting about it after church sometime. When we come together and worship
our Lord, it's to worship Him. To worship our Savior. to praise
Him for what He does for us. Christ in Him crucified. Turn
back to Isaiah 35, if you will. May God the Holy Spirit grant
us His anointing as we endeavor to see three things. The way,
the happiness of those who walk in the way, and the responsibilities
that is ours concerning the way. Now I want to start by beginning
with this. Do not miss this. If you don't
pay any other attention to what we have to say this morning,
don't miss this. Because to go wrong with this
is to be on the path to hell. Salvation is by grace alone. Through faith in Christ alone. Period. You can't add any of
your works to it. If you do, all you do is pollute
the grace and you turn grace into works. Ephesians chapter
2 verses 8-9 As we read quite often, for by grace are ye saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God,
not of works, lest any man should boast. In John 14, verse 6, we
read these words just a moment ago. Jesus saith unto him, I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. There's no other way. There's
no other way. Why stand before people and talk
about some other way when it's nothing, it's vain, it's vanity? Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, we enter upon the way. Receiving His Spirit,
we stand in the way. Following our Redeemer's footsteps,
we walk in the way, and holding fast to Him, we reach the end
of the way. Eternal bliss. Our Lord says
He's the way that the way of truth, he says he's the way of
life, he's the way of peace, he's the way of holiness. The
only way of salvation is Christ and his righteousness. What is
Christ and his righteousness? The son of the living God, who
cannot fail at anything he does, who's perfect in every way. Yes,
he was tempted as you and I were, but yet without sin. The only
way of salvation is Christ through His righteousness, through His
blood. His blood was perfect. It was
the perfect blood of God that was shed upon that cross. That
means the redemptive price was paid with perfect blood. Something
that you and I could never give. Ever. No matter what you do. No matter what you think your
good works are. It'll never be good enough. You
have to have perfection to pay the redemptive price for sin.
God is holy! Can you come anywhere near that?
If you think you can, you're in the wrong church. This is
a church of sinners. Sinners who need saving. Not
just once, but over and over and over and over again until
the day the Lord takes us out of this world. The only way of
salvation is Christ and His grace. You can't earn it. You can't
buy it. You can't stand before Him and
say, I've done this, I've done that, I've done this. It's by
His grace, or you're not saved. There is no other way. Many roads
lead to destruction, but only one road leads to salvation,
and the way never changes. I know we're living in modern
times. It seems like, you know, we can't read the old words anymore
of John Gill and Charles Spurgeon, because they just don't fit right
in today's world, folks. God's way has never changed.
Every child of God, from the day of Adam, till right now,
until the day he takes and comes back, is saved the exact same
way, and that's through his son, the Lord Jesus. The way does
not change. He says in Hebrews, I'm sorry,
it says in Malachi, for I am the Lord, I change not, therefore,
therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Our Lord says in
Hebrews, he says to Paul, he's the same yesterday, today, and
forever. God does not change, grace does
not change the way of salvation. does not change. In Jeremiah
6.16, we read these words, Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the
ways, and see, and ask for the old paths. That's the same path
that Adam was on. That's the same path that Abel
was on. What was that path? Bringing the perfect sacrifice
of our Savior before God as our substitute. Bringing the perfect
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as our substitute. before our
God. I've got nothing, God. And you? I've got nothing. But my Savior
has everything. Walk therein and you shall find
rest for your souls. The way of God is the way of
grace. If Christ is the way, then we must be in Him or we
cannot be saved. And the only way sinners can
get in Christ is to be put in Christ by the work of God's free
and sovereign grace. That's what we read in 1 Corinthians
1.30. Of Him. Of God are ye in Christ Jesus. I can tell you
this, you don't get into Christ by exercising your will. You
don't get into Christ by saying, it's my decision. Our Lord says
in His Word, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that shall have mercy. The highway we read
about here in Isaiah, cost our great God the very jewel of His
own darling. The highway that we read about
in Isaiah cost our great God the very jewel of heaven. It
cost Him His own darling Son. Now, Don Fortner wrote this.
He says, God emptied Himself of the treasury of His own heart.
He spared not His own Son, but freely delivered Him up to die
that we might live. What a highway this highway of
grace is. I say, Amen. The highway that
we just read about is called the highway of holiness. It's
founded upon the holy truth, the holy justice, and the holy
grace of God. And God never lowers His holiness. He can't. His holiness must be
upheld. Not even in the salvation of
His people could He lower it. No sinner can be saved apart
from the justice being executed fully and Christ in Him crucified
is that sacrifice, is that justice being satisfied. Folks, we are
as holy as our Savior right now. I know that's hard to see, but
that's what God's Word tells us. We were saved in Him. We were made as holy as in Ephesians
chapter 2, we were made to sit in heavenly places right now.
In our Savior, the way of holiness is the way that is paved with
the blood and the righteousness of our substitute. We walk to
God and walk with God upon the ground of holiness, vindicated
and justified and satisfied in a new and living way through
the blood of our Savior. Our faith is a holy faith, as
it says in Jude 20. We are called with a holy calling,
as it says in 2 Timothy 1.9. are a holy nation, as we read
in 1 Peter chapter 2. A peculiar people, zealous of
good works, as it says in Titus 2.14. God's holiness cannot be
compromised. Mark your place there, Isaiah,
we'll come back to it. Turn over to 1 John chapter 3
for just a moment. 1 John chapter 3. Those who walk
upon the highway of grace walk in the way of holiness, God produces
holiness, and grace makes sinners holy. Listen to these words before
I join you in reading 1 John, 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, we
read these words. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all
things become new. Now that doesn't mean, and God
helped us to do this, but that doesn't mean, oh, I quit smoking
so now I'm holy. No, it means my Lord and Savior
is the one who's made me holy in all things. You understand
what I mean by that? Old things are passed away. That
old belief of, well, it's all about me, it's my way or the
highway, is all put away. I now bow to the one who is Lord
of all things, Lord of lords, King of kings. I now bow to the
one who is ruler of everything, sovereign in all my life. Behold, all things become new.
In Ephesians 4, verse 24, we read these words, and that ye
put on a new man, which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. Hebrews 12, 14, we read these
words, follow peace with all men and holiness without which
no man shall see the Lord. And then in 2 Peter 1, verse
4, we read this, whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature, that's the new man, having escaped the corruption,
that's the old man, that is in the world through lust. Are you with me in 1 John 3,
look at verses 1-10. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God, therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew
him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall
see him as he is, and every man that hath this hope in him purifies
himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever commit a sin transgresses
also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. And
ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in
him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth
not, whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness
is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commiteth sin is of the
devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifest, that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin. It can't be me, or can it? Come back to that very first
statement that I brought out earlier. Examine yourself. not according to what you're
doing, but according to God's Word. He whosoever is born of
God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and
he cannot sin because he is born of God. In this the children
of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth
not his brother The Son of God declares this in Matthew 7, verse
14 and 13. Straight is the gate, and narrow
is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there are that
find it. Wide is the gate, and broad is
the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which open
thereat. Salvation is of Christ alone,
to grace alone, of God alone. Back in Isaiah chapter 35, if
you would, please. You'll see that the way here
described is a way reserved for a specific, select people. The
text says, the unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall
be for those, and I want to know, don't you? Don't you want to
know, am I one of those? Who are those? It says the wayfaring
men. It says the redeemed, the ransomed
of the Lord. All that God does, He does for
a specific, select people. Just as Israel were a select
people in their days, so are God's Israel throughout all time. His elect, the redeemed. The highway of grace is reserved
for those upon whom the miracle of grace has been performed.
Those whose souls have been touched by the healing hand of an omnipotent
Savior. The unclean shall not pass over
it, it says. Is there anyone who couldn't
raise their hand to that very thing? Folks, we're all unclean
by nature. But God has made us clean by
the washing and the regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost. That's what it says in Titus 3.5. The word unclean might
be translated possibly as uncircumcised. But those who are called of God
and born again by almighty grace are circumcised in their hearts
by the Spirit of God." That's what we read about in Colossians
2. In fact, let me read that for you. Colossians 2, verses
11-15, it says this, "...in whom also ye are circumcised, with
the circumcision made without hands, and putting off the body
of the sins of this flesh by the circumcision of Christ."
buried with him in baptism. That's what we come to the baptismal
for. We don't come there to get saved. We come there to declare how
we're saved. How are we saved? Through the
baptism of Christ. Through his baptism. Wherein
also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of
God, who hath raised him from the dead, and you being dead
in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, Hath He quickened
together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting
out with the handwriting of ordinances that which was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it
to His cross, having spoiled principalities and powers, He
made a new show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
Now, also in Philippians 3, verses 1 through 3, we read these words,
"'Finally, my brethren, Rejoice in the Lord. To write the same
things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous, but for you
it is safe. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil
workers. Beware of concision. For we are
the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoice in
Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh. Those who are redeemed,
it says, back in our text, those who are redeemed, These are the
ones for whom this highway was made for. The Lord shall walk
upon the highway of grace into the glory of heaven. This text
of scripture plainly asserts the sweet gospel doctrine of
particular and effectual redemption. The blood of Christ does what
it was purposed for. It cleanses us of all our sins. Does that not bless you, sinner?
That blesses this sinner. I need to hear that every Sunday.
Because as soon as we walk out that door this afternoon, I'm
a sinner again. I'm the sinner that I was before
I walked in here. I love the gospel of redemption
by my Savior. Do you? That's what this highway
is for. It's a highway where all the
rocks, you know what those are? All the stones in the road that
may trip you up. That's this flesh. That's what
we walk in. Go through and move those rocks
out. Look to the city of refuge, our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
It says in our verses there, the redeemed shall walk there.
All who have been redeemed by Christ have been purchased by
His blood, ransomed from the prison of God's law, and the
sentence of His law, and the penalty of sin and death by Christ's
ascending, toning sacrifice. All who have been redeemed by
Christ have been loosed, let go, and freed from the sin by
the power by our Lord and Savior's grace in His Son, the Lord Jesus.
It also says, the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err then
in. Those who walk upon this highway
of grace are all pilgrims. You and I, is that not what we
are walking through this world? I've shared with this song with
you before, but I never heard this verse before. It says, this
world is not my home. I'm just passing through. My
Savior pardoned me, and now onward I must go. Upon the highway of
His grace to heaven's blissful shore, my Savior will yet lead
me there, though I am weak and poor. Oh, what a wayfaring man
I am. Yet I know that my safety and
my security As I make my pilgrimage through this world, upon the
highway of grace, the Lord God Himself is with me. Once more,
our God has made plain that He is the way, the truth, and the
life. Through, it says, the wafer and
men, though fools, shall not err therein. The Holy Spirit
guides each of us to Christ who seek to be saved by Christ. The
wise of this world will stumble and perish, refusing to be saved
by grace through the merits of the crucified Savior. But fools
of this world will be found wise at last, being saved by grace
through the simple faith in Christ Jesus. As simple little children,
how? How do we? How will we be saved
by Christ as simple little children? We hear the shepherd's voice. Not just part of it, folks. Not
just the word of God that we want, but all of it. Those who
don't like the election of God. And I know some who claim to,
well, it's okay. God's word is correct. God's
word is true. And yes, he talks about being
predestinated. He talks about election. He talks
about his people. But you people at rescue harp
on it way too much. You know why they say that? Why
election bothers them? Takes the power out of them and
gives it completely to God. I have absolutely nothing. I
need my Lord for everything. The religions of this world say,
you have a decision to make. God has done everything he can.
It's up to you to decide. Oh, they say they believe in
election, but really when it comes down to it, they don't like it
at all. Some unbelieving Jews heard the Lord speak a parable
about how the master went away after planting a vineyard and
leaving some husband men. Then he sent a servant to go
get the fruit. And these unbelieving Jews all
of a sudden began to convict their hearts. They didn't like
what they were about to hear. The Lord went through in that
parable and He told them He finally sent His only begotten Son after
they had beaten the other servants and they killed His Son. These
unbelieving folks, these religious folks knew that the Lord was
talking about them and they wanted nothing to do with the Lord at
that point. Why? Because the light of God shined
on their darkness. That's what election does. It
shines on your darkness. Your self-righteousness. The
way of God is plain and simple. It's as simple as a little trial.
They receive God's revelation. They believe God's Word. They
obey God's command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. They
follow their Savior's lead, and a stranger they will not follow.
Following Christ is the way, and they will enter into heaven
at last. That's what we read in Matthew 11, verse 25. Let
me read this for you. Well, at that time, Jesus answered
and He said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes. That's how simple the Gospel
is. That's how simple the way is. We don't have to sit down
and say, oh, I've got to figure this out. What does this word
mean? Shall. Think that could mean maybe?
No. It means shall. You don't have
to figure that out. It says shall and shall. All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me. Now those who walk
in this grace, in this highway of grace, are happy and blessed
people throughout all their journey. Why? There's troubles in this
world, aren't there for us? I'll make this quick. We're almost
at the end. Yes, there are troubles in this world all around us.
The waves on the ship were beating against the side. But here's
what I'm happy about. I see the sin in this body, but
I see my Savior held up as the brazen serpent who's paid it
all. All of my sin has been pardoned. As yours? We're examining ourselves. Am I in the faith? Am I weak
in the faith? Oh, absolutely. But am I in the
faith? There is no unpardoned sin for
me. There is no tooth There is no
temptation that is too great. When you're tempted by something,
get on your knees and put it at the Lord's feet. No temptation
is too great that our Lord couldn't help with it. There's no death. I don't fear death. I fear the
pain of death. I feel the hurt of death. But
like I've shared with you already, when I sat in that hospital room,
not knowing whether COVID was going to take me or not, I was
ready. I don't know how to explain that
to you folks. I can only say that if you're ever in that condition,
you'll understand as a child of God, when you're speaking
to God from your heart and you're saying, is tonight my time? Rather
than being afraid of what I was about to face, I was worried
for my wife. Lord, is she going to be okay?
And I thought to myself, she belongs to him. She'll be fine.
This is the happiness that God is talking about right there.
It's the happiness we have knowing that He is Lord. Knowing that
no matter what, you folks, our loved ones, no matter what we
have to go through, it's by the grace of God that will get us
through it. One last thing. Our responsibility. The highway
is the way of holiness. The responsibilities that are
ours concerning this way is to carefully discriminate Between
the way of every false way. You know what I mean by that?
Talked with Mike about that this morning. Be as the Bereans. Don't
trust John Reeves. Ever. I'm a man and I can fail
just as quickly as anybody else can. Don't trust the man standing
before you. Try them by God's word. Be as
the Bereans. Look into God's Word and make
sure whoever's standing before you is speaking from that Word. Make sure it's grace. Discriminate
between the way and a false way. Listen to 1 John 4, verse 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits where they are of God, because many false
prophets are gone into the world. Secondly, keep yourself in the
way. Hold on to that way. Grab a hold of the gospel of
grace The gospel of Christ and Him crucified, who is the way,
the truth, and the life, and hang on to it. Don't let go. That's what we read in Job chapter
17, 9. The righteous also shall hold
on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger
and stronger. And then lastly, earnestly tell
sinners about the way. You want to stay in the way?
And don't be ashamed. Be like Paul. Don't be ashamed
to tell people about the Gospel. Why are you so happy? Why am
I so happy? How can you be so happy with
all the things that are going on in the world around you, John?
Oh, I'm sick to death about what I see out there, but I know my
Savior has got it all worked out for the glory of His people. Amen?