All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn to Romans chapter two. I have been looking forward
to getting to these two verses since I began Romans one, verse
one, the first word. And I have alluded to these two
verses on a few occasions. Let me read the two verses. Romans
chapter two is the last, let me make sure I'm correct, yeah,
the last two verses of Romans chapter two. This is an astounding
statement. Before I read it, let me say,
it was far more astounding to me when I first began to have
my eyes opened and realized what it actually was saying. Because
when I was brought up, basically born and raised in so-called
Christian religion, but it was free will Christian religion,
I had no idea about this truth here. I thought there was Jews,
and there were Gentiles. And at one time, God saved the
Jews in a certain way, but then that changed, and now he's saving
Jew and Gentile in a different way, and then again, that'll
change, and God'll start saving the Jews like he used to do the
old way. That's the way I was brought up. I don't wanna go
into detail with all that, because some here may not know anything
about that, and it's too confusing. There's always only ever been
one way of salvation with God that is by the person of God's
dear son, Jesus Christ. He was as a lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. Before we ever needed it, God
had provided a savior. Before man ever even fail, God
had already decreed His Son to be the Savior. And it was an
eternal decree. There wasn't even a day when
God sat down and thought, okay, I'm gonna make the Son the Savior
now. He's always. been the lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. But remember, Paul has started
this. He talks about gospel, but then he talks about how we
as humanity corrupt the natural order. We look at chapter one.
Chapter two, we've been looking at the fact that we accuse and
excuse one another. That's what we do. We like pointing
the finger and justifying ourselves, and we still do it today. We
still do it. It's easy to do. It's a whole
lot easier to point the finger at somebody else and justify
yourself than it is to condemn yourself and seek the best in
somebody else. It's a whole lot easier to do
the wrong thing. But then Paul comes along and makes this, I
will say, astounding statement. But even more, I can only imagine
what it was like for these people, especially those of Jewish background,
to read this letter, or maybe have it read by a pastor in Rome
or whatever, and to read this letter, and he writes these words,
for he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. Neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. Now both of these
things are real. There are physical Jews, natural
Jews, men and women who were born of the seed of Abraham physically,
naturally, okay? And Paul's not denying that,
but Paul is giving the spiritual truth of who really is one of
God's people. And they're called Jews, they're
called Israelites, they're called the church, and sometimes there
is distinction between those things, but sometimes there is
not. For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly, and notice the word he uses. He doesn't use
the word naturally. Did you think about that when
you read this? He does not say, for he is not a Jew, which is
one naturally, because he is a Jew, which is one naturally.
But he uses the word outwardly, but it still includes the natural
Jew, as well as it would include a Gentile convert to Judaism,
who in certain times, especially once the temple was built, they
were received as Jews, but around the temple, they had to stay
on the outside in the court of the Gentiles. But they were still
received into the camp of Israel. Do you see what I'm getting at?
A person could become a Jew by doing the rites and the ceremonies
and the sacrifices. So Paul's not just singling out
a natural Jew. He's saying Jewishness doesn't
have to do with your genealogy or your religious practice or
your background or what you've converted to. You see that? That's why he uses, the Spirit
uses the word outwardly rather than naturally. because it's
more than just natural. He is not a Jew, which is one
outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.
Now, the circumcision of a male child, a Jewish male child on
the eighth day, was a real circumcision. It caused that child pain, though
the child probably don't remember the pain. You understand because
of the eight days old. Later, it's neither here nor
there. But there were some people who were circumcised when they
were 20 or 30 years old. You're gonna remember that pain
for a while. That's gonna stick with you. Paul's not denying. True, bona fide, natural circumcision. And it was a seal, a sign of
the covenant God made with Abraham when he declared Abraham to be
righteous by faith before Abraham was even circumcised. You remember
that? Before. Abraham was declared
to be righteous by God because he believed God before he was
circumcised. And Abraham was circumcised when
he was an old man. when he was an old man, but neither
is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. That's
not the real main circumcision. You could have both of these
other two things, this outward Judaism and this outward circumcision
and still not be a child of God. But the Jews, especially Especially,
it probably was true even before, but especially during those dark
ages from Malachi to Matthew when there were no open prophets,
okay? There were no new prophets being
sent by God for, they say, what was it Mason? 400 years. Now
there were still believers. There were still people who read
the scripture, and heard the scripture, and seeing the scripture
with spiritual eyes, and ears, and a heart, and they knew Messiah's
coming. They had some idea of what he
was supposed to accomplish when he came to this earth. But most
of the Jews thought they were God's people, a Jew, because
of the circumcision, and the rites, and the practices, and
the genealogy. But then he says this, this bombshell.
I'm sure this had to be a bombshell. But he is a Jew, which is one,
where? Inwardly. Inwardly. Inwardly. And circumcision is
that of the heart, not the physical muscle. The heart in scripture,
most of the time, now sometimes it will refer to the muscle.
It does. But most of the time, the heart
refers to this. That which makes you what you
really are. Your inside being. It's not a muscle that pumps
blood. It's who you really are. Circumcision is that of the heart
in the spirit. You see that? In the spirit.
So this is not a corporeal thing. It's not a material thing. It's
an immaterial thing, but it's still real. You get what I'm saying now?
It's still real. It's not a magic trick. It's not sleight of hand. It's
a real work of God, but it happens down in here in the heart and
the spirit. And you don't see it when it
initially starts because God must start it apart from all
means. Other than God himself. He has
to perform this circumcision of heart and spirit. And somebody
says, well, explain that to me. I can't. I can give you words
like regeneration that leads to conversion. I can talk about
words but it still don't explain how God does it. I mean that
passage in Hebrews helps me tremendously on cases like this where it says
by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word
of God. But it doesn't say by faith we understand how the worlds
were framed. Well I still don't understand
how God could just speak everything into existence out of nothing.
Could you? Of course you can't. We can use
words to try to describe it but we still don't get how it's done. But we can believe what? That. You see, that it is. Look, circumcision
is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter. Now notice he didn't now say
the flesh. He says not even the letter. This book, we are so dead, we
are so uncircumcised in heart and spirit that the preaching
of this book, the truth of God, doesn't change that. This is
the one thing that we're all blind to is the truth of this
book. Some of us are blind to quantum
physics. Others are not, right? Some of us are blind to one plus
one equals two. Some of us are not. But we're
all blind to the spiritual truth that is deep down embedded and
sounds forth in this word. God must do an inward work upon
us which happens within us, and when it does begin, the initial
beginning of this work, nobody knows about it. Even the person
that it initially happens to doesn't know it's happened to
them. All they will do is begin to feel the effects. All of a
sudden, their stiff neck becomes loosed, and they begin to wonder,
whoa, I must give an account before God. Whoa, I'm a lot worse
off than I ever thought I was. All of that pointing of the finger
at other people and self-justification comes home to roost and says,
that's me, that's the way I live. Even those of us, and I really
shouldn't say us, Even those who are very moral people, when
God circumcises the heart and the spirit, they realize it's
not about my morality. It's about my heart and my spirit. It's not just what we do out
here. It's the fountain from which
this doing flows. And this is a work of God. alone. It's not in the letter,
because God must begin this work. Now, he will use the letter,
but not to begin this work. He begins this work so that you
will be able to understand to some degree the letter. You'll
begin to understand now what the law really says. As he will
go on to say, as we may see later, the law tells me, shut up, Walter. I remember the first time Earl
preached that. It was probably at Mabscot. Well, the first time
I was there, and I actually heard it. And he says, you know what
the law says? Shut up. Well, they never told me that
back in that free will church I was in. Now, you wouldn't dare
tell somebody to shut up. I ain't telling you to shut up.
God's law tells us shut up. Does it really say that? Yeah,
look at what it says. Now we know, verse 19 of three, now
we know that what thing soever the law saith, that means whatever
it saith, Whatever it's saying, it saith to them who are under
the law that every mouth may be stopped. Because by nature,
in this uncircumcised heart and spirit, we really think we're
really pretty good people. And we can always find somebody
else that is at least a little bit worse than us and can say,
like we do in chapter two, what's been exposed to us, I ain't that
bad. And I know it varies, but at
least I ain't a child molester. Even the men I'm around a lot,
five days a week, all of them hate child molesters. Even the
child molesters hate child molesters and don't want to be discovered
as a child molester. Is child molestation the unpardonable
sin? No, sir. No, sir. Neither is murder. Neither is
adultery, huh? We can go on down the list. Our
brother Paul has unassailably exposed all of humanity as corruptors
of God's holiness. Chapter one, verse 17, through
chapter two, verse 27. He has exposed us for what we
really are. And even as believers, we still
have that old self down in here. That old heart, that old spirit.
Circumcision by God is not the exact same thing in a spiritual
way as is the physical circumcision. Physical circumcision was cutting
away of the flesh, of the foreskin. We didn't have nothing down underneath
that was good and God had to expose it. Do you get what I'm
getting? He had to give us that which
was good. He had to create that which was
good. Paul calls it, by the inspiration
of the Spirit of God, circumcision. Circumcision. Now, although Paul's
not done, when he starts verse, what is it, 28, 29, Paul is not
done with our corrupt state yet. I mean, he starts right back
to hammering again in chapter three, when he says, what advantage
didn't have the Jew? Well, they got advantage, but
they didn't use it. They abused it. Paul, he starts right back
in the hammering on our flesh. And he comes down and quotes
the Old Testament. There's not one good. No, not one. There's none righteous. There's
not one righteous. So Paul's not done with exposing
our corruption. But as I said, Paul now drops
this Old Testament bombshell. And I said that the Old Testament
bombshell. This is not a new doctrine. I
was taught this is a new doctrine, this is a new way. When I was
years ago, that religion I was born and raised in, I was taught
this is a different way. God saved the Jews. Oh, it was
a kind of faith, but they offered their sacrifices when they committed
sins. Some of you may have been taught that, some of you probably
were not, but I was steeped in it. It's what's called dispensationalism. God saved people in this way
at certain ages, times, and then at other times he saves them
this way. God's always saved by grace through faith in the
Messiah. The Old Testament believers were
looking forward to the Messiah coming. Those who were here when
he came looked to him when he came, and we are looking to him
who did come and has gone back to sit at the right hand of God
the Father. Simeon, that old man, held that baby, Jesus, in
his arms and he said, I have seen thy salvation. He was looking for the Messiah. Mason, he knew he was gonna be
a baby. He knew he was gonna come into this world in human
flesh. How did he understand that? God the Spirit taught him
from this word. Taught him from this word. Now,
we are not only corrupt, we not only, corrupt God's holiness. God must move in grace to correct
our position and our condition. Our position and condition was
purposed by God before the world began. Our position was actually
accomplished, this new position, when Christ died on that tree. But it was so sure that God gave
the Old Testament saints that same position even before Christ
died on that tree. Because he was as a lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. In God's mind, it was a done
deal. It was a done deal. But God also must change our
condition. When I say change, again I am
talking about this, not there's something good down inside of
us and he has to expose it, he's got to put good in us. Let me
tell you something, I know not everybody agrees with this, but
they're wrong. He must give us a righteousness
that is imparted before we'll ever believe and experience righteousness
imputed. because he has to give us a good
heart on which the good word of God, the seed, falls. And
that good heart is this work of God. God creates that in us. But let me move on. Again, I
said this is not new. You don't have to turn to it,
but if you wish, Deuteronomy 30, I'll have it read by the
time you get there probably. Deuteronomy 30 and verse six, and the Lord
thy God will circumcise thine heart. This is what he was saying
way back yonder to those Jews. You see it? And the Lord thy
God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul
that thou mayest live. You see that? This ain't no new
doctrine. God had to do that for them back
then. And in a matter of fact, Moses said you're a stiff neck
and uncircumcised in heart. Did he not say that? Colossians
2 verse 11. Listen to what Paul says. Colossians
chapter two, verse 11. In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands. How does it, God just
speaks it into being. You hear what I'm saying? He
just speaks it, he don't even use his hands. He don't even
use Jesus' hands. He just speaks it into being. circumcision, made without hands,
in putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ. In other words, all of this is
based upon Jesus Christ and who he is and what he accomplished
at Calvary. Look at Philippians chapter three.
Philippians chapter three. 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. Somebody says, we all
always just keep saying the same old, same old thing over again.
We're just hoping maybe God will open somebody's eyes and somebody's
ears and give them a heart to perceive and all of a sudden
the light will go on, Mason. And they say, I get it, I get
it. But that don't happen first. What happens first is God will
make you miserable with yourself. God will put you to where you
feel like you're on the precipice of hell, ready to be cast headlong
down under the wrath of God. He will bring you to that place
to where you cannot live with yourself like you are anymore. And you will cry out for mercy. He don't do it to you because
you cry out for mercy, but you'll cry out for mercy when he does
it to you because he'll show you how bad you need his mercy.
And you'll cry out, pass me not, oh gentle Savior. Hear my humble
cry. While on others thou art calling,
do not pass me by. Why? Because you know he can
if he wants to. You remember that leper? He wasn't
even supposed to be around. He's supposed to stand, what
was it, Mason? I don't remember. So many feet
off and cry, unclean, unclean. He runs right up in the midst,
right up to Christ. He said, Lord, if thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean. He didn't doubt Christ's ability. He knew he had the ability. The only question was Christ
willing. Now I know this world says he
is willing for everybody. That is not so. It is not the God of the Bible. And that's why old Freddie Crosby
knew this gospel. Pass me not, O gentle Savior.
Hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling,
do not pass me by. Let me at a throne of mercy find
a sweet relief, kneeling there in deep contrition. What's my
problem? My unbelief. If I believed God
like I supposed to, I'd never sin again. But I still got unbelief
in me. Even after he gives me belief.
Paul makes me believe, Paul, makes me believe. I still have
that unbelief in me. What's your? Trusting only in
thy merit. Would I seek thy face, heal my
what? Wounded, broken spirit. As one said, God never will lift
you up till he brings you down first. God's never gonna save
you until he convinces you how lost you really are. He never
gonna heal you until he breaks you in pieces at his feet. Today everybody just told come
forward, make a profession, decide to live better, believe in Jesus.
It don't happen that way. That is not salvation. It is
a lie that has been perpetrated for hundreds of years, at least
a couple hundreds of years on the unsuspecting inhabitants
of this country and the whole world for that matter. When this
country first began, there were a lot more people like me and
Paul and Joe preaching this gospel. They're hard to find nowadays.
They're hard to find nowadays. You see, this uncircumcision
is paramount to total inability. You hear what I said? It's paramount
to total inability towards spiritual truth. If you're uncircumcised
in heart and ears, mind, you got no ability. You see, it's
not physical. It's not corporeal. It is not
material. It is immaterial. It's in the
spirit, in the inner man, but it's still real. And this is
why most people who walk that aisle come to that so-called
altar and pray that prayer. Most of them never last. Now
do they? Most of them never last. And
they're told since you don't last, then you don't have it.
No, you didn't even start the right way. If you continue going
in the way you're going, you're still gonna go to hell. You can quit using heroin and
still die and go to hell. You understand? You can quit
committing fornication and adultery and still go to hell because
you got an uncircumcised heart and spirit. You could be moral and still
die and go to hell, and you will if you have an uncircumcised
heart and spirit. But not only is this uncircumcision
paramount to total inability, it's also paramount to total
opposition to spiritual truth. It's not just you can't hear
it, you can't love it, you don't want to. you're happy disliking
the truth of God. It's not just easier to dislike
the truth of God, you can hate it and feel good about it. You
know that? You can hate it and feel good
about it, but think it's actually, well I don't believe what those
nuts say. That's what they thought about
Christ. They accused Christ of having demonic possession inside
of him, did they not? They accused Christ of being
demon possessed. Why? Because he spoke the truth
of God to him. And he basically told everybody,
it's up to God. It ain't up to you. But you better
seek God's face. You better seek God's face. You
see, God's work is an inward work of God, not an outward work
of nature or of genealogy or of rights or of proselytization.
That's why he uses the word, let me get back to it. That's
why he uses the word, he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. But that covers it all, naturally. It covers nature, it covers rites,
it covers ceremonies, it covers genealogy, it covers proselytization,
changing from one religion to another religion. You know, there's
some people think they really got it because they went from
one religion to another religion. Don't cut it, don't cut it. You see, none are exempt from
the necessity of God's circumcision, none. Nicodemus, one of the most
pious, moral men of his day, most everybody looked up to these
men, did they not? The Pharisees, except those who
knew the truth. They were scared of them because
these Pharisees had power over all the ecclesiastical goings
on in Jerusalem and the Gentile leaders placated these Jewish
leaders to keep Tubal down Christ told that Pharisee, you
must be born again. That Pharisee, even when he said,
we know you're a teacher come from God. Well, ain't that good
enough? No, not if you're still uncircumcised
in heart and spirit. It's not good enough. Well, I
believe in Jesus. That's not good enough. The devil's
believing. When he showed up and they were
in that one, I think it's that one man, I think, if memory serves
me right, and they said, we know who you are. You're Jesus, the
Son of God. These demons knew more about
Jesus than most so-called church members of this day. And they
said, you come to torment us before our time? They knew who
was in control. They said, suffer, that is, allow,
permit us to go into that herd of swine. He allowed them to.
And then the swine ran violently down a cliff, perished over the
cliff into the water, wasn't it? Something like that, wasn't
it? Died. Think about all of those pig
farmers that lost their job, their business, when that happened.
And you know what they told Jesus to do, don't you, when that happened?
Man, this guy was saved from a demon. Hang around here and
help us all out. What'd they tell him to do? Do
you remember what they told Jesus to do? Get out of here. Leave. Why? Because they were uncircumcised
in heart and spirit. You see, it's not me convincing
you that that is true, it's God doing that to you that's gonna
make the difference. And then when God does that to
you, you'll have no option. It won't be a choice for you.
You'll not have 50-50. Maybe over here, maybe over,
you ain't gonna have a, God will shut you up under the person
and work of Jesus Christ, and you won't be able to get away
from it. And unless you don't, you'll just go on about your
way. Now think about this. None are exempt from this necessity
of God's circumcision, whether moral or immoral. You hear me? Moral and immoral. Morality is
not a sign of this God's circumcision. A lot of moral people never been
circumcised by God in heart and spirit. And there's a lot of
immoral people that's never been circumcised by God in heart and
spirit. But every person who's been circumcised by God in heart
and spirit still is filled with immorality. Because writing to
these circumcised people, Paul says, put off your members which
are upon the earth, adultery, fornication, theft. Why? Because
it's still there. If it wasn't still there, I wouldn't
have to be trying to put it off, now would I? This religious world, they're
the nuts one. They reject God's truth, plainly
revealed in this word. They read passages like this
and say, well, that's just too deep for me. No it ain't, you
hate it. You won't bow to it. You won't bow down to the authority
of King Jesus. That's your problem, why? Because
those, according to Stephen, and it's recorded by Luke, and
it's in Acts chapter seven, verses 51 and 52, Stephen says this
about people, if you're uncircumcised in heart and ears, you'll always
resist the Holy Ghost, just like everybody who was uncircumcised
in heart and ears always has. So what's the opposite of that?
If God ever does circumcise you in heart and ears, what's that
mean? You're gonna quit resisting. You're gonna quit resisting because
an unregenerate man or woman cannot but resist. They can't
help it, but they're still under the judgment of God for it. Because
they know, they can read what this book says. Even if they
can't physically read Mason, God can send somebody to him,
explain to him what this word says. Read it for him. But we
still say in our heart and mind, when it's uncircumcised, I will
not have that man reign over me. Now give him a little bit
of this and a little bit of that, but I'm keeping the bulk. No,
salvation is total surrender to Jesus Christ or you're not
surrendered at all. Just the way it is. Just the
way it is. Think about this. This circumcision by God must
take place whether you're religious or irreligious or atheistic or
irreverent. It doesn't matter. It doesn't
matter. Somebody said, well, at least
they're religious. It may just add to their damnation. I mean,
this book teaches even the folks of Sodom and Gomorrah, and you
know who they were? They were homosexuals. It shall be more
tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for the cities
that Christ preached, some of the cities Christ preached to.
I don't know what all that means, but it means what he said, does
it not? You mean there's homosexuals? It'll be worse for other people.
Good, moral, upstanding religious Jews. That's what Christ said. Now Mason, did he say that or
not? Be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah. He said if Sodom
and Gomorrah had been sent the word you're sent, they would
have repented and remained long ago. There's another one. There's another fact. God could
have sent Sodom a prophet. But he didn't, did he? He sent
Lot down into their mix, and Lot was pleased to just kinda
keep his, stay away. Don't have to get right engaged
in all this, but I wanna be down there where things are happening
and things are going on. And because Lot was one of gods,
God sent angels down there to snatch him out of that city.
Now is that what this book teaches? And it says about Lot that he
was a righteous man with a righteous soul. I don't have to explain
that, I just proclaim it. I preach it. I don't understand
that. No, you just won't bow down.
You just won't bow down. Think about it, whether a person
is worldly or chaste, God's still gonna do this work. Whether a
person is zealous or dispassionate whatsoever, doesn't matter. Whether
this person is secular or profane, whether they are denominational
or non-denominational. Nowadays it's a big thing to
be non-denominational. Well, whoop-dee-doo. God didn't
say if thou shalt become non-denominational, thou shalt be saved. He said
believe and be baptized, you'll be saved. You don't believe,
you'll be damned. Is that what he said? That's
what he said. Think about it. Blasphemous or pious. Blasphemous
or pious, God's still gotta do this work in heart and spirit,
this circumcising work. Who can say I've made my own
heart clean? The answer is rhetorical. No
one. No one. God must perform this
act. There is not a just man upon
the face of the earth that doeth good. Now just men, what do they
do? They do good, do they not? But
doeth good in what? At the same time, I added that,
but that's the meaning. At the same time, sinneth not. We are worshiping God this morning.
but it's still shot full of hail and sin and self. My only hope
is that my worship this morning was bathed by the blood of Christ
2,000 years ago when he died on that tree to take care of
all the vile venom that's still down in here thinking these evil
thoughts while I'm here trying to preach to you the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether devout or impious, Devout,
anyone here rejoice that God circumcises his free reigning
grace? Why did that one leper seek Christ? God had to have done a work on
him before he ever sought Christ. Because there were all kinds
of other lepers that never sought Christ's help, none did they.
And he said, Lord, if thou wilt. That's the whole thing, it's
up to you. If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And you
know what Christ did? It says he reached out and did
what? What did he do? You remember? He touched him
and said, I will, I will be thou clean. Because when he wills,
bless God, you will be clean. And I can see Peter now. You
remember God put that, or what he used to say, dropped that
sheep before Peter with all them pollywogs and catfish and stuff
in it? Slay it, eat, Peter. Peter said,
not so, Lord. My mouse never touched eat an
unclean animal all of my day. And I believe Peter was telling
the truth. Mason, he didn't eat unclean animals. And God said
to Peter, cause God wasn't talking about beasts. God was proving
a point to Peter. He said, don't you call cobbled
or unclean that which I have cleansed. Now, I'm going to paraphrase.
There's an old Gentile down here. I've done cleansed him, but he
needs to hear the gospel. I'm gonna send you down there
to him. And you know what? That Gentile wasn't gonna get
away, was he? He wasn't gonna get away. As
a matter of fact, that old Gentile was crying out for exactly what
God sent him, somebody to tell him the truth. because the angel
told him, your prayer's heard. Well if his prayer's heard, Paul,
evidently whatever happened was what he was praying for. I just
figured, now I don't have this dogmatically, I figured the Messiah's
coming, and I'm hearing rumors that he's come, but I don't know
about this. Could it have been something like that? Son said
he's here already now, but I've never seen him. Does that sound
even plausible? Oh yeah. but he knew it had to
be something to do with forgiveness from God through the Messiah,
because he prayed to God for something, and when his prayer
was heard, God sent him to answer to his prayer, which was a man
preaching Christ. Our prayer is heard. I like that. Yes, sir, let me tell you something.
God's got to act first, but I would encourage every person, seek
him with all you are. fall down before God and beg
his mercy in Christ Jesus. We should cry out in reverent
submission. God says, let me read this to
you. You can turn to it if you wish, Isaiah 55. I'll give you
a second to get there if you wanna read it. Isaiah 55. Listen to what it says. You see,
people want to sit and argue about doctrine and make sure,
well, I wanna get all my ducks in a row. No, bow down to Jesus
Christ. God'll start putting the ducks
in a row for you and it may take 80 years for him to do it and
then take you on to glory and you'll realize how much you still
lacked when you get to glory. Look at what God says. Seek ye
the Lord while he may be found. God don't owe any of us this
privilege of being here and hearing his truth preached. Did you know
that? He don't owe us that. We ain't merited this. Seek ye
the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is
near. Why? Because he's not always gonna be found. And he's not
always near. Let the wicked do what? Forsake.
Here's his way. Now that's a drunk or a totally
sober man. A drunk or a totally sober man.
a religious or irreligious person, a monotheist, isn't that the
one you only believe in one God, right? A monotheist or an out
and out atheist. You still gotta forsake what?
Your way. You see that? Your way. Let the
wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his faults and
let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him
and to our God for he will what? Abundantly pardon. Pardon, for my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, sayeth the Lord,
for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts,
for as the rain cometh down, now think about this, the illustration,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, that is,
it lays there and it gradually seeps into the, it's not a big
downpour where it runs off mason and goes all the way back to
the ocean and ruts out, the snow comes down, lays on that ground,
wintertime, and it feeds water into that ground. It feeds water
into that ground. Look at it. For as the rain cometh
down and snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth in blood. Do you see those
words? So we're talking about some absolute here, right? An
absolute here. And maketh it to bring forth
in blood, but that it may give seed to the sower and bread to
the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me empty,
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall
prosper in the thing whereunto I send it. I'm glad that's true
because God would have left me up at New Zion Regular Baptist
Church in the midst of darkness and religious corruption. And
he sends a man named Joe Glusick along, and I hated everything
that man stood for, but I began to hear what that man stood for.
But you know what happened? God turned the light on. God
did something, Mason, down in here. And all of a sudden, I
began to hear, and I began to fear, and I began to believe. And that's the way it's gotta
come. That's the way it's gotta come.