 Praise the Lord everybody good to be in the house tonight Let's stand together and have a word of prayer. Shall we my clock in the back is a little off I walked out here, and you're like waiting on me, aren't you? Yeah, I heard that if you'll take your prayer sheet tonight and reference it I Just want to mention to you be sure to be praying just before service here tonight. I got a text from brother Zepp and his wife sister Sandra is Still not doing well, so let's believe God for her healing tonight. Amen Believe God to touch there are many others that are needing the touch of God in their life And you see the names that are listed there. Do you believe that the Lord is able? Are you ready to touch God on the behalf of everybody? Then let's do that joining in here all of you that are watching online Let's do that together tonight and believe God for his touch inside of their life and yours as well Amen, come on join your voices with me father. We thank you tonight for the goodness of God and your blessings upon us Thank You Lord Jesus that you're the God who watches over and you see all you know all that's taking place and yet You're concerned with a very sparrow that falls to the ground We believe tonight Lord as your word declares that we are more valued than many sparrows And so this evening would you just reach your hand to those that are hurting those that are needing the touch of God in their life? Those that are needing healing Lord and perhaps inside of their family Restoration to take place whatever that it may be you're the God who is able to do more than what we could ever ask or think in the behalf of every individual Listed and those God that are not you know what their need is we lift them all up before you and believe God to touch This very night. Thank you God for this opportunity. We have let us never take for granted the opportunity We have to come into your house and tonight Lord I pray you'd open our minds and hearts up to your word when we leave this place We can say we were glad that we went to the house of God tonight We give you glory for it in Jesus mighty name. Everybody said a good amen Amen, I want you to find about a dozen or more people shake hands with let them know how glad you are to see I'm in the house of the Lord greet one another while I greet all of you that are watching online tonight We are blessed to have you join us from wherever you may be joining us from around the world And we'd love to hear from you Please take time and there's someone there to chat with you right there online And you can be able to communicate let us know where you're watching from as well as Being able to download the study or you can download the app on your smart device and Get the study there. Whatever your means is you be sure to do that We're so glad that you've joined us tonight. We'd love to hear from you Please let us know where you're watching from and in a moment. You're gonna get a chance to give Into the kingdom of God. So thank you for being a part of this service tonight and share it out on your social media Platform so that others can hear this word tonight. Amen praise God Praise God you look so good tonight. Thanks I'm getting a little scared right now. It's good to be in the house of the Lord It's good to have a house of the Lord to come to and in these days of Troublesome times that we're in it's good to be able to fellowship with other people like precious faith. Amen I want you to be ready to give as we do that this evening on your smart device If you want to be able to give Cash you can do that. They'll put that information up on the screen. You can see what's taking place there You can punch the smart the QR code and it'll take you right where you need to go to be a given if you're gonna give this evening On the way out to the door ushers will be available for you beside the buckets that are available for you And we thank you so much for your faithfulness in giving. I will tell you that God is Blessing those that will bless the kingdom of God I Get reports in all the time of people that say you know what pastor Responded this way and God did this and it's not that God is some sugar daddy that you pull his string and get something You know a happy meal out of heaven But what you do is you give from your heart and God has a way of rewarding you in so many different ways over and above That you know that you know that you know that it's God that's done it. Amen So I encourage you to be a giver tonight and bless the kingdom of God father Thank you for the privilege we have to be able to give we asked that you would bless the gift the giver both here those That are watching online and we trust you Lord Jesus that you are not only meeting every need But you're exceeding every need according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus and everybody said a good amen Amen, let me mention something to you while you're doing that on your smart device And giving tomorrow night at seven o'clock in the chapel tomorrow night seven o'clock in the chapel There will be a meeting a Latino volunteer meeting if you're going to be helping with the Latino Fest coming up this weekend We need you to be there tomorrow night at seven o'clock that meeting will incorporate Information that you need to know so that you can be a blessing to what's going to be happening here As we reach out once again to the Latino community in our area as well as online We will be streaming it it's going to be a little bit different this this time as we're Targeting towards families and children But it will be a full service Worship praise the word of God and all situations that are happening and then we're going to bring it all together on Sunday morning In the Sunday morning service, I'll be preaching Sunday morning. As a matter of fact, I'll be preaching I believe Jesus is coming. I promise you you do not want to miss this coming weekend And we'll be joined by all of the family members in here all of kids church will be coming into the sanctuary this weekend It's going to be a great time and we want you to make plans to be here bring somebody with you It's going to be a great time So don't forget that the Latino Fest will be happening at four o'clock on Saturday and four o'clock on Sunday It's coming weekend as well So we encourage you to be a part of what's going on right there also want to mention to you something very quickly if you haven't Sometimes the activity is not always there to keep People coming back and I believe that the Lord has dropped in my spirit an additional Opportunity for you to be able to get more information concerning in-time events and on the prophecy files Facebook page and YouTube all of those particular areas I've started to yesterday a brand new three-minute Briefing we're calling it prophecy files briefing. How do you like that for a title? All right, that's just what it is and We just take three minutes and take the scripture and some current events that are happening and just give you a brief of what's going on I promise you ladies and gentlemen the things that are happening in our world right now It is more than what anybody could ever conceive or understand But in light of the scripture in light of the word of God where we're gonna find our answers from that's what prophecy Briefing is all about so every Tuesday Every Tuesday you'll see a brand new briefing that will come up just three minutes Just to kind of give you a little highlights of something that the Lord may be laying on my heart As it relates to what's happening in our world and in the scripture So I encourage you to if you haven't already subscribed to prophecy files Facebook page Be sure to do that you'll get those updates when something brand new is on there I want to be ready at any moment and our our media staff knows this That we want to be ready at any moment to be able to go and get the information and get it to you that's the reason why we've totally redone the media department up there and It looks great. In fact, perhaps maybe even this weekend I can give you a little peek into what is happening up there every week and new studio that's been prepared just so we can get information out to you and As well as TV and radio and all the other means and that we have to be able to get the word out So be sure to subscribe to prophecy files and you'll find information on there all the time Tonight, how about subscribing to the Word of God and flip over to Matthew 5? This is the last in the study on the beatitudes this evening and I trust that it's been a blessing to you I I know that it has been to me. It spoke to me on a number of occasions Even when I didn't want it to you, right? Does the Word of God ever speak to you when you don't want it to? Amen, that's the time you need to read it right then right and then push the apply button So let's take a look at it this evening in Matthew chapter number five and because this is the last one I want us to read in concert from Matthew 5 verse number three down through verse number 12 as a matter of fact, so let's read it in concert together everybody. Are you ready to read? Hey, man four of you y'all don't make me have to have you stand Can y'all read sitting down? Can you read out loud? Okay, so open those vocal cords and let's put some word in the room What do you say? It'll be the best thing said all night. I promise you are you ready read? Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be feel Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Blessed are they which are pure persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven continue Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and Persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven for so Persecuted they the prophets which were before you you believe that word say amen I'm just gonna say it was a great read out there in Brazos Valley, Texas that are watching right now We welcome all of you online tonight The Beatitudes have been an exciting study as far as I'm concerned because It really is a critical part of the teaching of Jesus especially for the times that we're in right now because Anybody can say that I'm a Christian and live as people do today Just any way they want to but the Beatitudes are the transitioning Statement leading up into the full dissertation of the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus is getting ready to do that and it is that really the transition between the old covenant and the new covenant and Jesus words in Matthew 5 Are not a suggestion. They're not I hope you do this These are not wishes that if you're poor in spirit You could be happy. You might be happy. You could be happy. These are divine Spiritual Pronouncements to us from Matthew 5 from the lips of Jesus Christ of truth that says That the people who are poor in spirit that are bankrupt in their spirit and understand that they're sinners saved by grace They will be a people who are blessed or as the scripture would say in addition happy They will be the people who will Claim as the scripture says the kingdom of heaven and on and on it goes These are divine declarations to let us know that it will happen if you are Merciful you shall obtain mercy and On and on these be attitudes are instructing us this evening to be able to Apply them to our life because It is the characteristics of Jesus Christ. This is not suggestions This is what will happen if you live this way and as we come down to this particular A passage tonight blessed are them are ye Let me get it right here blessed are they which are persecuted For righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven when it comes down to this one it is The probably the most controversial of all of the beatitudes the others seem to be a natural A natural effect, but being persecuted actually being happy to be persecuted. I Don't know a whole lot of people that are I Don't know a whole lot of people that run into the lion's den and say hey, I'm glad to be here or that Will receive a tax against your character Against your reputation against your walk with the Lord all of those kind of things and and be able to say wow This is a great day Because your first reaction is to defend self and all of those kind of things But Jesus says here that happy are you when you're persecuted? This is a direct Difference of what the world's ability and their thoughts are when they're persecuted So it's hard to believe Hard to wrap your mind around That people would be persecuted for trying to live right isn't it? I hope you're thinking about the time we're living in The world welcomes a compromising Christian But actually repels and hates a Christian who decides that they're gonna live and obey the will of God In that a man I mean we are in the we're in the flip of this thing today Where good is called evil and evil is called good and here we are in the middle of it when we're trying to live Right and and there may be some revelation in this for you this evening. Why is it that I can do what I Doing for the cause of Christ to other people and yet I get back persecution Well, first of all, you need to know it's not about you It's about the Christ on the inside of you That's the that's the one that they're hating on But we're still the one who takes the brunt of that But you need to know as we grow in character In Christian character, I should say that we will certainly experience more and more conflict More and more spiritual warfare and more and more Persecution that is coming it is coming now like I have never seen in my lifetime. I Do not have time to stand in this pulpit tonight to tell you all of what is happening Not just around the world that'd be one thing we can we can even comprehend that happening in In in the Sudan and places like that today But in the United States of America that was based in Christian Judeo Christian values and all of that And especially for for those of us who live To please the Lord and live as Christians The bottom line is the persecution is ramping up now like I've never seen it and you too I'm talking about violent acts against Christians today I'm talking about the fact that now churches have to have Armed security and police officers and cars and all of that Just to protect the congregation in the event that something foolish would take place or tragic So as we grow in Christian character, we can expect that there will be more and more spiritual warfare We you know, sometimes it's hard to wrap our mind around. I'm just trying to live right. Why do they hate on me? Right Well, it's because you're living right that you're gonna hate it on that's what the Scripture says So the root word of righteousness is the word right. This is not on your paper, but The word right and the word right is defined as a divide to divide to be different Now you need to know that when you gave your life to Jesus Christ You're not going to be the same way as this world is According to the Scripture You are right. You're a maid righteous in Jesus Christ He is the right that's living on the inside of me and that alone divides you between this world's thinking and the way they Conduct their life and Jesus Christ on the inside of you So this is the beginning in this passage of Scripture of Jesus ministry Actually as he's teaching here and he is by these statements Coming on the scene now and his ministry beginning. He becomes the legal list Target on the target list. He is the most wanted on the target list of his day And he says to all these disciples exactly what we've just read here in concert seeing the multitude verse one He went up to the mountain and when he was set his disciples came to him He opened his mouth and taught them saying and he starts bringing them to be attitudes And what he was saying to them is this and what he's saying to all of us tonight And I want you to pay close attention to this. He was saying to his disciples You haven't seen You haven't seen this type for for this particular verse this type of persecution you haven't seen persecution yet But he said I want you to know it's coming and He goes on to tell them they persecuted me They will persecute me and they will persecute you for my name's sake Jesus was saying if you live these be attitudes that I have just taught you and we've been teaching you over the past few weeks, then you will be persecuted and it comes in different forms He is warning his disciples of what is about to come that they had no clue This is one of the reasons why that that they start thinking with the mentality. Okay, Jesus You're here to set up your kingdom and we're gonna take the throne. Let's get the swords out Let's charge the let's charge the temple and we're gonna take it over and set you up And everything's gonna be great and he said no, that's not the way we're gonna do this There's a totally different plan Because you're not the only ones that's gonna come to Christ There are others behind you that are going to come by the thousands of years all the way all the way through till 2023 and as far as I decide So get this This he Jesus is saying to us that persecution comes Because you will take a stand for Christ now Let's answer some questions here tonight. For instance, what is persecution? Well persecution actually can be defined and has a definition in multiple things in multiple ways and here is here's a few of them Persecution means to make someone to run to put to flight to Drive away Another definition is to pursue in a hostile manner and probably number five and number six become Really a lot of where we we come in at it is to harass and to trouble harassment today Just for you naming the name of Jesus just for you saying it out loud What I'm reading from the Bible tonight in the days that are ahead whether you want to believe it or not Will become and is fast becoming hate speech in America So Jesus is telling his disciples. It's about to get tough guys and This has not happened before as we've been walking to me. We're walking around and I'm healing some people We're getting some things started here in this ministry and everything's looking wonderful And you're walking alongside me and we're breaking bread and feeding five thousand and all that but he said I want to let you know It's about to get tough It's about to get tough on me and and whenever I leave from here. It's gonna get tough on you It's gonna happen to me. It's gonna happen to you Now here's the problem that we have especially even today Our problem is is we have some idea especially in the Western culture in the United States of America That once you get saved everything is just supposed to work out for you without any kind of obstacles or opposite opposition That it's a yellow brick road to heaven and that you'll never face any problems I came to tell you because you name the name of Jesus you can expect there to be obstacles problems spiritual warfare stuff that comes out of the Nowhere to hit your life and you start wondering what in the world is going on and Because we are the way we are we start looking around for someone to blame It's them. It's that it's it's this it's the devil. I Just want to let you know There's a lot of times That the devil when he is blamed goes hey, wait a minute. I didn't do nothing think about it I didn't have anything to do with it in fact, I'm seeing today where people bring more and more problems upon themselves Because of their disobedience to God in his word Now that's not that God's hating on you. It's not that we are hating on me on anybody or or or somebody's hating on you The consequences of the Word of God are the consequences of the Word of God Now we're talking about persecution here and we see that as being outside coming towards us Somebody said well, I'm that's the reason why I got saved. I wanted to get saved. So I wouldn't have any problems and Then we're shocked when persecution hits us. I want you to know The more you want with the Lord especially now now here. Here's there's so many different ways here But I just I want to bring this to your understanding Get this in your spirit. You're alive right now In 2023 you're alive Look at your neighbor and tell them you're alive or ask them. Are they alive? All right. Are you actually alive? Are you just kind of memory eggs? Are you are you? I? mean we're so we're I Know that was a loaded question, but anyway, why are you you could have been born at any time in history You could have been born during the revolution You could have been born there in the Civil War the beginning of yeah You could have been born in the old country you could have been born any time any place anywhere and What did God decide for your life? I? want you now and This spirit this this scripture has constantly rolled in my spirit over the past few weeks I was sharing it with a preacher friend on Monday night who called up and and we were talking a little bit And I brought him to the scripture in Esther where the Bible says that Mordechai says and you heard me read it a few weeks ago Mordechai says to to Esther Hey, I want you to know that the Jews are going to be taken care of one way or another I'm paraphrasing they're going to be taken care of one way or another But here's the point what if God was using you and brought you to the kingdom for such a time as this and I submit to you the only reason why you survive through all the stuff even in recent years It's because God's plan is not finished with you and that you can take the persecution Because he's kept you alive for such a time as this I think that's a good place to clap your hands. You better get you better get all the way in Now one thing I know right now that there are wonderful friends are watching in Kenya tonight We welcome you and so glad for you to be here because They're watching they're engaged in this service and I'm telling you I've had a lot of folks and a lot of a lot of Different organizations that have Claimed that they wanted to connect and some had other motives of connecting with us But I've never had a group just like the wonderful friends there in Kenya at that orphanage That has stayed with us for the past two and a half years every Sunday and every Wednesday night Watching online and gleaning from the Word of God. Come on. You're to welcome them. Let them know how much you love and appreciate them Why is that important because I can tell you in Kenya tonight. They understand persecution We're not talking about being persecuted because they were it rained outside We're talking about the fact that you're having church and somebody breaks in and slaughters everybody Christians that are dying for the faith tonight and that's the reason why we've got to wake ourselves up in the church Because in the past couple of years since 2020 there's been 20,000 ministers that have quit the ministry there have been the closure of 4,000 plus churches Since 2020 and the question is and this is the question that Jesus said he said when I come again Well, I find anybody who still has faith in me Is there going to be anybody who is going to still be believing? When the fire is turned up and the persecution comes are you gonna stay with me or are you gonna bail? Come on somebody Let me take you to the scripture in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 Where the Bible reads like this, but they But but they shall proceed no further here's here's Paul talking But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest into all men as theirs also was Now watch this, but thou has fully known my doctrine. Why am I teaching preaching to you on Sunday mornings about I believe? Because I want you to get the doctrine in your spirit Not not on a notepad in your spirit They've known my doctrine my manner of life. Look at Paul laying out his resume my purpose faith long suffering Charity and patience you've known that you've also known my persecutions My afflictions which came into me at Antioch and Iconium at lustra What persecutions I endured but out of them all the Lord delivered me out of them all the Lord delivered me Yeah, and all that now get this and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Well, what's gonna happen in the world? Well evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived just like they're getting that way right now and have been But what does he admonish us to do in verse 14? But continue thou in the things which thou has learned and has been assured of Knowing of whom thou has learned them You know I'm the one who was teaching that and that from a child as known the holy scripture Which are able to make thee wise and the salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. You know what he say you're gonna suffer You're gonna be persecuted for the cause of Christ You're not gonna name the name of Jesus and wear the t-shirt and a cross around your neck and a fish on the backside of your car and your tag and Not get opposition Don't think because you live for Jesus Christ that you're gonna get by With somebody just slapping you on the back and saying hey, what a great guy you are bringing joy to the world I'm just telling you right now that you can look for the days when as They do in many cases you can look for the days when you might even question should I Put on this Christian t-shirt or not, right? So why must there be persecution? Well first of all you need to know that There's there's persecution Because trials are going to come How does the weight lifter lift all of that weight? The only way is because he started out with some small weights and worked his way up The same thing is true of our faith the same thing is true of persecution Now we understand that God said I'm not gonna put more on you than you're able to bear But I don't know how much that the Lord sees that I'm able to bear because there have been sometimes I'm saying Lord either you're misjudging this Is anybody ever questioned the Lord in there come on now What does he say in Daniel chapter 12 verse 10 go your way Daniel now this is important in light of last day events So we're talking about persecution that Jesus was speaking about to his disciples that was going to come up on them And it surely did but in light of the time we're living in right now The words from Daniel is prophetic and true for us Go your way Daniel because the words are closed up and sealed into the time of the end So he told Daniel the prophet Daniel seal these words up because these words are a Are going to be brought to pass in what would be the book of revelation? Not revelations revelation the revelation of Jesus Christ in other words Knowing Daniel and knowing the book of revelation they are going hand-in-hand so the descriptions a lot in Daniel you understand Through the book of revelation and vice versa the book is sealed up until the time of the end Verse 10 many shall be purified you know what that means persecuted Many shall be purified made spotless and refined That sounds pretty good right there I didn't know that purification was gonna cause me to get spit in the face because I said the name of Jesus on the street corner Believe me everything that I say tonight as part of an example It's happening in America right now And so many will be purified made spotless and refined but the wicked will continue to be wicked You're right that down remind yourself of that What's wrong with these people the wicked are going to continue to be wicked They don't know any other way to sinners sin y'all come on church That's what they do. That's what they know and such were some of you and me But you've been sanctified, but you've been justified and one day will be glorified come on say amen None of the wicked will understand this is powerful none of the wicked are gonna understand They don't understand what's taking place. In fact, I'm concerned that many Christians don't understand what's going on But those who are wise will understand I Wish you'd mark that in your Bible because I'm gonna tell you the only reason why you have an understanding What's going on in this world first of all and I say this with humility, but I say it as a point of Confidence not ego One of the reasons why that you know what's going on is because this pulpit is not silent concerning What's happening in our world to keep you informed in Light of the Word of God and in light of events that are taking place And you may get tired of hearing it after a while, but I'm just gonna tell you if you don't understand I'm concerned that people are sticking their Christians are sticking their head in the sand or that they don't want to Let's not say anything so that we don't have to put up with persecution, but ladies and gentlemen You can't have that argument when those that have gone before you like Isaiah was put into a hollow log And they sawed his body in half for the cause of Christ It's bad for me to think that people in the pews or somebody that's watching or someone that's called a Christian or in the church are Staying home because they've got some ministerial issue when When leaders Were tied to the stake and burned for the cause of Christ Come on somebody When you weigh that out With the persecution that happened by our forefathers and are even happening right now How can we say I I stayed home because of this or I or I didn't stand up when I should have stood up You want to know the reason why that things are happening in the world that we're in right now And I can name any different categories. You know what I'm talking about Why is it happening because not enough Christians are standing up? And I'm not talking about having to get mad and stand on the street corner beat your Bible I'm talking about standing up for truth and not being afraid to be persecuted for the cause of Christ Come on church You know I hear I listen to different ministries and so forth And I hear these ministers saying or leaders saying the church has got to stand up the pullpits have got to get on fire And I'm saying I'm doing everything I can to build a fire But at the end of the day and you better know this coming to Pace Assembly That I can't preach the way I preach and you sit in these fuses and hear it and be a member or a part Are an attendee of Pace Assembly and not get ready to be persecuted Now you can find you plenty of churches that will be nominal and you'll never have any pushback, but here Here no no because one day I'm gonna give an account for everybody here and everybody watching that I preach to and I'm gonna make sure that there's no blood Dripping off of my hands because I did not take this word seriously and preach the whole gospel and counsel of God to you Are you hearing what I'm saying once I preach it it's in your hands to do with it what you want to so there will be trials Look what? Verse 13 says chapter 13 verse 20 and 21 Matthew But he that receive at the seed in stony places the same is he that that here at the word and Receives it with joy verse 21 yet have he not rude in himself But he only endures for a while Why when the tribulation and persecution hits? Because of the word By and by he's offended Pastor I'll never be offended by the word of God. I'm not talking about you hearing it I'm talking about you doing it Because Jesus said they're gonna be offended in me Well pastor, I don't want to offend anybody. Well, then you don't want to be a Christian You're lifestyle And you read on down in chapter 5 of Matthew you're gonna find out he said the real only reason why That you're gonna be a Christian the effect it's going to have in this world is to be salt and light Is anybody ever poured any salt into a wound before? How you feeling about that? Okay, the only thing worse is like mercuric Rome, right? You're blowing on it and everything else and it's not making any difference. You're just making you feel better When you turn the light on Anybody ever turn the light on after you've been asleep in that dark room all night long and then somebody When the church turns the light on Like we should be doing in the united states of america right now You let a little persecution hit It's like I was telling you this past week and and and helping you to understand after 9 11 Democrats republicans all piled out on the steps of the capital and started singing god bless america to get Now ain't gonna happen Why because we're in a different ballgame ladies and gentlemen We're this close to the coming of the lord jesus christ and the devil knows his time is short So if you're gonna stand up for jesus you better do it now If you're gonna live for jesus if you're gonna raise up another generation god forbid that our children and children's children Ask the question of us Where was mom and daddy? Where was where was pa and Mimi? When all of america started going crazy Where was that pulpit right there? Where was their life and lifestyle? What were they doing where they just uh, you know Look at this video Come on somebody What's the next thing that's gonna happen? Why do we why do we have it because we need to be purified? I know we think that we're walking with the lord, but i'm gonna tell you a little pressure helps you to understand whether or not You are walking with the lord or not You hear me? Anybody had a little pressure? Four or five of you You know what my prayer is lord put the pressure on I want somebody asked me the other day pastor. What what are you doing to you know grow the church and all that kind of stuff? I said i'm not doing a whole lot I'm just waiting for the next event Because i'm tired of chasing people around that don't want to come to church If they don't want to come they don't want to come and i'm not going to waste my time with that But i'll tell you one thing. I don't know. This is the classic statement. I don't know what it's going to take for some people But you let you let isis start cutting heads off again Pastor don't say that I mean I could run the list of a multiple things that might get people's attention. I'm really concerned That it's like the cry of wolf That it's like the cry of wolf That that that we've had this and we've had this and we've had this and now people are like Whatever Church i'm teaching to you tonight preaching to you and i will preach to you listen to me this coming weekend I'm going to preach to you about the coming of jesus christ the rapture of the church and i'm just going to tell you That is the most ignored and not taught or preached message In I forget everybody else in our assembly of god churches I have people sitting in this church right here tonight that would testify to you that it's been years since they've heard a message About the coming of the lord jesus christ and their churches That they snowbirds that have come in and others I will reveal to you this coming weekend an event that took place this past week in our in our district council And i'm not going to hold back i'm going to say it like it is Because ladies and gentlemen if we start abandoning the doctrines of the church If we start abandoning the cut listen to me the rapture is the blessed hope according to titus chapter three I don't want to preach my message on sunday, but you better be here because here's the deal the the rapture of the church is the blessed hope And you take hope out of the hearts and lives of people and why are we here tonight then? For again if that if it's all just a gathering then let's throw some hot dogs and hamburgers on here and at least have a good time Let's cut a rug come on Come on. Let's have our favorite music playing whatever it may be Let's do like the scripture says that they would say in the last days Let's eat drink and be merry for tomorrow. We die that is the mentality of the world But i've got news for you there is hope on the horizon And the enemy wants to steal it out of the church by preachers not preaching about it The devil is a liar. I want you to know Jesus is coming Persecution is coming and I can tell you that you will live godly in christ Jesus You're gonna suffer persecution But know this you'll be in the cloud of witnesses that have had their names written down because they suffered for the cause of christ Are you hearing what i'm saying? Let me go a little deeper here tonight So hebrews chapter 12 verse 10 and 11 says our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best But god disciplines us for our good that we may share in his holiness In other words, we will be partakers of holiness or remember what the scripture says without holiness. No man will see god Now holiness is not ours to perform But it is ours to live out what christ has done on the inside of us Look at the scripture because if if if for some reason or another that people have this idea That i'm not going to have to suffer persecution because that was for those disciples back there It'll never get that bad here where they're crucifying people upside down for the cause of christ or you know Pouring hot oil on them and lighting them on fire just so that they could have pleasure This is what our forefathers suffered Are you hearing what i'm saying? We don't have time for that today In most churches, it's just enough so that we can feed our little Minuscule amount of what bible we get during the week and walk out the door And the reason why oh boy here we go out on the limb the reason why the Ultra faith movement has not been effective in the time of the past several years is because there was nothing to hold on to There was no foundation Have faith in faith what what? Send me a thousand dollar val and i'll send you back a box full of goodies the devil is a lie I walked out of the house tonight saying i will clean to the old rugged cross Well, there are my trophies at last i'll lay down ladies and gentlemen When all the winds stop blowing and the persecution is over and everything's been said and done There's still going to be a cross that's still going to be there and my faith is still going to be there And it's the only thing that kept the church and the people that were suffering persecution from then till now steady moving in that direction I wish i could teach this like i feel it look at acts chapter number eight And sol was consenting unto death and at that time there was great persecution against the church Which was at jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad through the regions of judy and samaria Except the apostles i find it very interesting You know god has it from god's perspective. We have it from our earthly perspective from the earthly perspective Here comes persecution to the first church in jerusalem and the bible says they were scattered abroad They went everywhere and you know what god said? Yeah That's what i wanted all along Because you know and i know that when there's no persecution everybody camps around the fire until the fire goes out I'm going oh i think i said something right there This is what many churches are doing is turning so introverted and so in on themselves that they spend the money on themselves Let's buy some more hot dogs and hamburger. Let's do something for that and they camp around the fire until the fire goes out When the fire goes out, that's when people oh, you know, i think i'm gonna go down here. Maybe i won't go at all That's what a lot of people have determined With 4 000 churches closing since 2020 You know what that says no interest And it's no wonder jesus said well i find anybody who's going to have enough faith That actually believes and is going to be there when i come again That's the reason why the bible says that jesus is going to come back Before mankind destroys one another Because even the very elect he says are going to be under such pressure and persecution That That it will rise to the level Of such hatred for christians That the antichrist is going to take his wrath out And i'm telling you right now the spirit of antichrist is showing itself very strong in the time we're in Acts chapter number 11 here persecution hits again What happens? Uh persecution why why did persecution arise right there the old blurry out at night now They which are scattered abroad upon the first persecution that arose about steven traveled as far And it goes on to speak of the fact that it spread out it kept spreading with every persecution it kept spreading That's what they said about those jews in egypt's bondage They kept multiplying so we've got to stop them They kept multiplying they every time pressure would be applied they're multiplying they're multiplying they're multiplying God help us to multiply the kingdom of god Even under the threats of persecution it happened in acts chapter 13 as well all who live by the beatitudes Will suffer persecution Now for all of you that do not want to live For the lord you don't want to suffer persecution for all of the folks that do not want to suffer persecution i'm going to give you the answer in the way Don't live for god don't stand for nothing god doesn't want secret service saints not now Come on everything else is coming out of the closet. Let's come out of the closet and serve the lord We're here to make a difference for christ in this world salt and light and if we do If we do suffer if we do stand for it you can rest assure that persecutions He reminds us of flippians 310 that i may know him paul said wow in the power of his resurrection. Well, that's exciting But don't we got to read on and in the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable into his death You know what the lord's saying to us you better get ready disciples Everything you've sung about and preached about and lived about now you're gonna have to put it on the line So the question is for all of you that are here and those of you that are watching are you suffering for christ's sake? Because the bible says happy are those that are persecuted It has been said that united states of american citizens are The most unhappy people and it's true by virtue of the fact That we are the largest consumers Of medications for depression in the entirety of the world United states is Why is that so important? Because ladies and gentlemen our happiness is not dependent upon what's happening in this world I more and more when i read this and see what's going on I'm like those saints of old as they say and even so come lord jesus You know one song writer wrote it down said i don't feel at home in this world anymore You know why because you're seeing it take place So you're a citizen of two worlds you may live in this one, but you're of another one Come on somebody So let's ask the answer the question what where does persecution then come from because i believe this will be very insightful for For many people he says in psalm 143 and three that persecution persecution comes from the enemy Psalm 143 and three for the enemy have persecuted my soul He had spent my life down to the ground It made me to dwell in darkness and that those have been As those that have been long dead. It's the enemy that persecutes Why is that important because we need to differentiate between the devil satan persecuting and persecution That many people want to attribute to other people persecution does not come from people persecution comes from satan This is important for you to get a hold of it comes through people, but it's satan Who is the persecutor the accuser of the brethren? How do you know that how could jesus have prayed from the cross father forgive them for they know not what they do I'll tell you how because jesus understood that persecution doesn't come from people persecution comes through people, but the originator of it is the devil himself That is what helps you to be able to look at somebody and pray for them even though they're persecuting you The bible says you to pray for those who persecute you Now that's a challenge. Would anybody agree with that right there? How many of you know that's a challenge right there? I remember the day When I was driving past A business many many years ago and and that business owner who had come to my church and had been a leader and so forth like that Had turned on me like a striped spider Like a rabid dog and accused me of everything under the sun and the problem is That when you've been wounded in the house of your friends, it's hard It'll make you want to quit. Has anybody ever wanted to quit before? How many of you are glad you didn't? I got a few takers in the house I put my hand up with you and I remember the day I remember the day because it was so fresh and so raw and just you know just wow Took my took my knees out But I can remember the day driving past that business one day and I felt the prompting of the holy spirit pray for Right now call their name out Their name was on the side I drove past and I started praying for lord bless them I couldn't hardly believe that the words were coming out of my mouth Does anybody know what i'm talking about? I couldn't hardly believe After all the pain the cutting and the hurt and all that was going on right there that I actually was praying for someone Who had persecuted me to such a degree that caused many members of my congregation to leave lies and All kinds of stuff that was going on I had to make up my mind I said I had to make up my mind Was I going to do it like Jesus wanted to do or was I going to keep on being hurt for the rest of my perpetual life? You've heard it said that hurting people hurt people That's the reason why people are not bringing the persecution the devil is you've got to differentiate between the person and the spirit behind it I'll say that again. You have to differentiate between the person And the spirit behind it I've known some people that have had an old jezebel spirit controlling spirit on them But I was able to pray for them as a person because I knew that there was a spirit that was controlling the situation Come on somebody Well, paschal, why didn't you cast the devil out because some people like it? They love the spirit they're up come on That's their personality Some of them love they embrace it. Are you hearing what i'm saying? You can't say a man out here because you got one you said come on Hang out there hang out just You know me two types of people persecution comes through Number one the legalistic person the legalist You know who they are They're the list ones that meet you at the door of the church that you just came to and said this is the way we do Things around here pray to god you never you never encounter that at pace assembly If somebody sits in your seat move over You don't own that seat. I gave the big bucks. I will You don't know me You think you know me You have no idea what goes on in my old head sometimes In my head i've seen everybody sitting on the floor and I'll rake this place of every chair You can find your spot on the floor somewhere Bless god that church is first church and no chairs You're right because I've watched that nastiness. It's driven people out because they sat there and had their had their Had their blanket that grandma made them stretched out across 10 pews over here You might not like what I say and I appreciate everybody that's given throughout history But I ain't putting the name on nobody's chairs down here given by so and so I don't you can have the chairs take it on with you sit in at any time you want to Come on somebody The church is the only place it's like that We we want an award We think we're persecuted because we brought Color toothpicks to the church social and we didn't get our name in the bulletin Come on somebody Thank you for that one. Amen. I was starting to feel alone I was almost persecuted You know why the legalist is the one who comes at you because it's the ones that came after jesus Come on somebody He just went against all their religious forms all of their all of their doctrines all of their theology And he just told them hey believe on me And they couldn't handle that because Because the legalist is always wanting you to earn your salvation Tell us what we can do to earn it Thank you for that I'm gonna teach you something right here. Look at john six verse 28 Then said they unto him here's the Pharisees Sadducees all of them standing around they said it to jesus and john six then said they they unto him What shall we do? That we might work the works of god What shall we do? That we might work the works of god they said we want to know how we can earn our way in We don't we want to know what we need to do to be a part of this Part of this church. What do we need to do? We need to sweep the floor because that'll make me feel better about my salvation to you know Except when you tell somebody who? To sweep the floor. They don't want to sweep. That's not their spiritual gift You know my understanding of the door and talking. Okay. Good You know working the work give me something to do so I can feel saved That's what they were saying And look what jesus responded. Don't you love jesus? Y'all got all tied in here You better turn that jezbel spirit loose. Come on somebody jesus answered said unto them this is the work of god What is it jesus that you believe on him whom he has said? Let me read this one verse 30. They said he they said therefore unto him what sign Show us thou them That we may see and believe thee. What do us thou work? They said what can we do to get in there and he said believe on me They said well, we need a sign show us Put us we put a fleece out show us show us something show us something Show us that you're really who you say you are do some miracle or something Now first of all you're not going to put strings on jesus And isn't it amazing? You know if he would have told them okay everybody come up here and we're going to fly like birds off of this mountain And that will prove that we're all you're all with me They would have all jumped up there and pulled their cloaks and robes off and said all right, let's go And then splat jesus didn't require that What do you say? Believe me Come on church We got so many religious spirits that are going on and some may be sitting in this congregation And watching online right now that are waiting for something to do in order to earn their salvation And you know what jesus said ain't a thing in the world you can do but you can believe me If you believe me i'll show you They were saying show me and then i'll believe jesus said believe me and then i'll show you Isn't that good come on isn't that good doesn't that tell you that you can just stop trying to do I really have problems with these cliches that are being used in church today. We're gonna do church We're gonna do life I really have a problem with that kind of stuff because because it implies that somehow i'm going to do something In order to gain salvation and too many people that are sitting in church today I know you don't like what i'm preaching but it's true The bottom line is too many people sitting in church today have not even been born again They're just there because they were doing some good work and we created a social climate Inside of the church lord jesus christ today that people feel like they're saved But they've never asked jesus to come in their heart because they're still trying to do what Pharisees and Sadducees do And as long as they're there they can check off their religious box ladies and gentlemen Jesus don't love you any more in salvation than he did when you were a sinner In fact, I submit to you that he might have loved you more in sin than he did in salvation Simply because in that while we were yet sinners christ died for us Now what did you have to do with his death zero? So what does that mean? All I got to do is believe you pastor What does that have to do with persecution when the persecution hits? No, that it's not you that he's coming after it's the christ on the inside of you So stand and having done all stands stand there for having your lord's gert about with jesus and the breastplate of jesus and the shield of jesus and the helmet of jesus and the shoes of jesus and the sword of jesus And just stand there and take what you gotta take because it's all for the cause of christ Come on somebody What's the second category? It's those lost people jesus said I love Matthew 15 He said if the world hate you You know that it hated me before it hated you If you were of the world the world would love his own How do I know somebody say if you're more comfortable? I've heard this so many times from people Well the reason why I don't go down to that church are so many hypocrites Well, come on one more won't matter I bet you I can find some hypocritical stuff inside of your life if you're really looking that hard But you know what you know what come on down here. There's a bunch of hypocrites in the room But we've been saved by grace I might mess up and in the next 24 hours, but you know who's gonna catch me before I fall Jesus right that ain't gonna catch me before I fall So I want you to know how can I identify myself if you don't love the brethren and love the church and love being around other christians Then you might be of the world Because the world the bible said loves its own That's what jesus said He said you'll identify yourself because the world Embraces you listen when I was a teenager in high school. I didn't do drugs. I didn't drink all that kind of stuff They invited me because I was crazy They told me I'm not making that up. They looked at my life They looked at me one person looked at me and said we're gonna invite we want you to come out because you're crazy come on I didn't do what everybody else did And I knew it shouldn't have been there Because they were doing all kinds of stuff I remember going down there one night and those jokers were trying to break in to the crystal beach Building that had all of the Electrical it didn't have nothing in it was just the electrical system to turn the lights on they was breaking in the door I said oh god I got to get out of here My daddy had beat my britches right off. He found me down here at crystal beach Y'all don't know nothing about what i'm talking about y'all so saintly look at somebody look at somebody right now tell them I just there halo right now But you know why did they associate that because they saw too much of the world in me come on somebody I told you they came over when I had a party at night and they stole my doobie brother's record That made me mad My mama daddy was going on some trip or something and I had a party at my house for all the crazy people If my mother and father would have known that there was a fifth sitting on their counter in their kitchen I didn't drink any of it. I was just I was the dj wicked wicked I was playing some doobies man some doobie brothers And they all left out Left the house smelling, you know, I'm like candles and stuff incense And now turn around and my doobie brothers was gone Made me mad Why did they do that? Because I was getting too much like them Come on somebody And I lost my witness and I'm telling you you've heard maybe you've heard me tell this before I'm gonna stop right here and say this There was a there was a high school friend of mine. I played in the band with and all that kind of stuff that was there that night It's the last time I'd ever seen me live When I should have been a witness I wasn't When I should have been doing what I should have been doing I didn't So within days I get the call just like everybody else does on a rainy a rainy night between Panama city and Fort Walton beach One of my good friends I played in the band with Head on drunk out of his mind head on with an 18 wheel He was so decimated. They couldn't even open the casket And I'm telling you for years that haunted my life You know why? Because when I could have been a witness to him in my daddy and mama's house I wasn't because I was too much like them Ladies and gentlemen, you're going to have persecution that's going to come from lost people. Jesus said it in john chapter 15 They hated me. They're going to hate you And I'm just going to about I'm about to tell you something that may be a Revelation for you, but I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say Because many of you have tried to love people and you say oh if we just you know And this is what you get this mantra if we just love people then they'll just come no I want you to know Based upon the scripture right here and many others You can never love enough to not be persecuted You can never love someone enough to not be persecuted Well, how can you say that pastor because jesus was the embodiment of love And they hated him persecuted him and crucified him Persecution doesn't come from people Bible says we don't wrestle with flesh and blood But with powers and principalities So understand persecution comes from the enemy not from people And i'm just going to give you here's another drop of a revelation The more loving you are the more satan is going to hate you Expected that's the reason why I just stay mad all the time that way I just Everybody said well, I just want everybody to love me everybody's not gonna love you The closer we get to the coming of the lord jesus christ and the more you stand out like a thumb as a believer satan is going to lower his guns at you hear me he's going to lower his guns at you He's going to lower his guns at your family at your spouse at your children at your job I'm telling you and this is not some great big prophetic thing This is happening now and it will happen more in the future christians are going to lose their jobs because they're christians Now question this are you still going to serve the lord? If they kick them out of the military for not taking the shot they're going to kick you out because you Stir up too much trouble in there with your christian values Are you taking a stand for christ? right now Matthew 5 and 11 blessed are ye when When men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely that's the key See sometimes we want to claim that we're being persecuted because we were just stupid We wanted to meddle in somebody's business and then we call it persecution Are you hearing what i'm saying? We want to pester somebody and then we call it persecution No, jesus said you're going to do it for my righteousness for my namesake And it will be false accusation against your life For my sake Not because you created an adverse atmosphere Have you ever been persecuted for righteousness sake? Have you ever had people talk about you? Falsely for the sake of christ Will you take a stand that's the question So let me do this in closing here tonight Let's say you were a Let's say you were a carpenter In the days of jesus And you did business with jesus because he's a carpenter Can you imagine yourself? Shafting jesus In the judge can you imagine? Someone coming to you. Let's let's let me say it like this. Can you imagine being a carpenter? And the temple of molek comes down to your carpenter shop and says We need a hundred and fifty molek idols And and and probably we're going to need a whole lot more But we need at least a hundred and fifty for you To be able to build carve out and get them ready by next week and whatever that costs We're going to pay you that and probably you'll get a whole lot more contracts out after this is over with Who's doing it? I'll tell you there'll be a lot of people that'll compromise their christianity and go ahead and do it And there's going to be a remnant of people who's going to say you know what i'm not carving your molek doll Oh, really? Then we're going to sue you We're going to sue you because Because you are not complying with the norm Are y'all getting this picture? I'm about to pull the shade and turn the light on in a minute You're not complying with the norm of the values of the time we're in And you say well i can't because building those would go against my christian values so There was a grandma Who owned a florist? Up in the northwest And a same-sex couple came in and said we want you to do the flowers for our wedding so we can get married And she said I cannot do this. I am a christian and I will not and cannot now it was her florist The flowers belong to her But she took her stand right there and said I will not do that Now I hear some people saying Pastor she should just went ahead and did it The moment you take a step across the line you endorse what it is Let me ask you several years ago What would you think if what would you think if somebody What would you think if franklin graham is holding up a bottle of bud light? I mean makes no difference What would you think and he says I don't drink. I'm just holding it for somebody See, I know that repulses you in this church, but I'm telling you got to take this to the streets Because that woman was sued and brought to court Because she took a stand for jesus christ Let me bring it up a little bit closer. There is a colorado bakery owner Who when a same-sex couple came in? Wanted him to make a cake and the inside To be certain mixture of colors and present that and bring that to their same-sex marriage and he said no and the district attorney Who to this day is about to go to court in colorado over a different issue because they went in the district attorney Who is homosexual went in and ordered a cake? According to the article So that there could be a gender reveal for this same-sex couple to be able to reveal the child that they have And he said no, I will not do it This man has been in court now for almost a decade He owns the bakery And he said no, I am a christian. I will not endorse this it goes against my Christian beliefs to do this He wasn't ugly about it, but listen to me The government of the united states is now coming against him His own government he's having to it will most likely end up in the supreme court And I want you to know you got to know the rights that you have as a citizen of the united states of america That the congress shall not infringe upon the free speech and your free religious exercise And if you don't know that they'll walk right over the top of it Just like they're trying to do with this guy, but now the district attorney has a vendetta against him and is going to keep him in court Can you imagine a little cake Decorating place it's probably I mean, I don't know how much money he's making But surely I can tell you he don't have enough money to pay all those attorney fees Thank god for the I think it's the alliance defense fund that stepped up to the picture And is doing their best to be able to help him But i'm just telling you the agony the anguish of the mind and at some point at some point You know that this man and his wife had to say within themselves It's not worth all that. Let's just do it and be done with it. Come on somebody Let's just do it and be done with it. But what is that going to say to your children? What is it going to say to your people that you said i'm a christian and i'm I'm sorry. You didn't get that Let's say jesus got down to the whipping post And he said I can't take this anymore Let me just Where would we be tonight? Well pastor. I'm not jesus. Does jesus live on the inside of you? Why am I telling you this because your day's coming? Wherever you work at wherever you associate with Hear me. I you've heard me talk about this now for months It's already happening in different locations around The esg that's going to determine whether or not you can buy or not In the little prophecy files briefing that I've just brought to you persecution will come upon people because of your belief system If you believe that g listen An australian police officer said they arrested a bunch of christians because hear me because They believed in the pre tribulation rapture of the church And they arrested them and marked them you better know why you're here You better know you better know why you're saved Did you hear what I said? You better know why jesus lives on the inside of you and be ready to take a stand That doesn't mean you got to be hateful doesn't mean you're going to beat people in the head Doesn't mean you got to be ugly towards people because that's not what the beatitude said but bless it happy God helped me to be happy when the persecution comes I close it. I close it here I mean right now I let me just add this one more to it. There is a male A truck driver a mail deliverer In the united states post office and because he wanted to be off on sunday so he could go to church He's at the verge of losing his job Well pastor he works for the post office. He should be wait wait wait wait With other people being able to get off anytime that they wanted to persecution Has come to this man. Guess what he's winning Thank god we should pray for him You've been sitting here to make a difference ladies and gentlemen. What's the reward? What's the reward of persecution? Well, here it is rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great Is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets that went before them Why is that so important? Because of what second Corinthians four seven says He says listen. You were persecuted but not cast down hear me If you get hit just keep on standing Several years ago. I don't know if you ever seen one of these little things. I don't even know if they make them anymore But uh, they called them a weeble And and and the little byline was weeble's wobble, but they don't fall down I preach you one one time had the little blow up weeble over here and every time you knock that thing Here it comes right back up. That's the way we've got to be as believers. You get knocked down I'm gonna stand right back up knocked down persecuted cast down not forsaken. Come on somebody People are taking a stand. Look at steven taking a stand In fact when you take a stand for jesus, he'll take a stand for you There's the apostle paul standing there. He was too young to get involved So he held the coats of those who threw the rocks at steven the martyr. You know what steven was doing He's just preaching to him and told him hey y'all You're the ones who killed jesus Who loved you so much and cared for you and he preached an incredible sermon and they hated him for it They drug him out to the stone pit They said here paul hold our coats. He got him a on-the-job training for what he was going to be doing later saw And they picked up the stones I remember when we had that Truck that was traveling around people of the cross truck and one of the first videos I wanted them to put up in there was the first martyr steven In the video you can see it. I think it's from the bible as they were stoning him Hitting him in the head with those rocks Him falling to the ground And at one point the bible says that steven looked up into heaven Right They shall see god right The heavens opened now the rest of these guys didn't see But steven the first martyr did and he looked up into heaven And jesus said you're because you're standing for me. I'm gonna stand for you And he looked up and saw jesus standing standing It is the only occasion where you see jesus standing in all of the bible He stood up for a martyr The first martyr Ladies and gentlemen in a few weeks we're going to We're going to honor those military men and women on memorial day For those That have paid the ultimate price And it's right that we should memorialize them But i'm going to tell you in the church there ought to be a memorial day for the martyrs How many of you brought your bible tonight? You got a second let me tell you about that bible Because somebody died so that you could have that bible in english There's a man named william tensdale You may not know who he is 16th century The only bible that was available In the church of that day was in latin So william tensdale Translated it into greek so that others could read it He had to leave the country because he was accused of being a heretic One day was arguing with a priest at the time of the Of the church the priest said to him the people don't need a bible and they certainly don't need to read it The only thing they need is the law of the pope. It's higher than god that priest said William tensdale made the statement If god spare my life For many years i will cause a boy at the plow To know more of the scripture than you priest What a powerful statement tensdale went on in secret To translate the first five books of the old testament Here's the here's the facts He was not a hebru scholar. He didn't know hebru So he studied and learned hebru so he could translate it And there are many english words that we have today that tensdale came up with He actually made them up. Here's one for you I know you've been singing it. You've been shouting it, but you didn't know where it came from Jehovah Jehovah is not a hebru word Jehovah Is not a hebru word yawai adonai those are the hebru words But tensdale said i've got to make this so people can be able to understand it So he took yawai and he took adonai and he took the Consonance from yawai and the vows from adonai and he came up with the name jehovah Passover is not a hebru word It is pesek But tensdale came up and made Passover a word for us to understand in the english language Atonement is an english word from a hebru translation and many many others And he went on to translate the book of jonah And then they finally caught up with him and they brought him back to england And they tied him at the stake And said will you renounce the word of god and he said no And they burned him at the stake But every time persecution happens ladies and gentlemen Another person rises up to take their spot And behind william tensdale comes a man by the name of john rogers I've got to trace my ancestry and hopefully he'll find it there even spells it the right way He was a hebru scholar and he picked up on when william tensdale's Translations and he took tensdale's bibles and translated the rest of the old testament from where tensdale stopped He did it under a surname Thomas matthew so that he wouldn't get caught so the earliest English bible that we know of is the matthew's tensdale bible And then along comes Bloody mary they're called her queen mary and king henry the eighth came into office King henry was going to be nice with the situation So he had that bible Allowed to be read but he chained it to the altar so that nobody could leave the church with it Nobody benefited Long comes queen mary who is The worst person to the church perhaps that has ever been She martyred literally hundreds and thousands of preachers and bible translators. They called her bloody mary. That's where you get that from She wanted to kill john rogers. So she put out a worldwide warrant for his arrest and found him in geneva Where he was translating the bible I actually have a copy that I purchased several years ago of the Of the mid pages that are that are together not the not the other but right the center of the bible is hanging in a frame in my office the geneva bible He was translating the bible there and he had just finished the translation And here's the interesting part of this story while john rogers was was Arrested and brought back to england and he was walking toward the stake to be burned His wife and son were walking with him And one person who was reporting on the scene said it looked as if they were on their way to a party instead of a funeral They gave him one last chance to renounce the bible john rogers said Oh before he said anything In fact, he didn't say anything his son the influence Of his father was so impactful in his son That when they asked john rogers to renounce the bible renounce his faith His son spoke up and said Don't do it daddy And they burned him at the stake I could go on for hours Of people that had laid down their life for the cause of christ persecuted In every way that we could possibly imagine I've shared some of them with you tonight I want you to know and this past monday night. I went up To brother j.t. Gaiden with him at the Journey network and he's in a telethon all this week Every week he gives us the ability to broadcast on his journey network free of charge For complete coverage from the time we start this service until it's completely over he didn't cut out the Altar service for people worldwide on the journey network. He does that for us. No other church right here. This is his church So monday night i was preaching and i the lord laid on my heart about the great cloud of witnesses And how many people that are being influenced even as i speak right now from right here at pace assembly And through that journey network and every other gospel preaching location through your life Who is it that's behind you? God helped me that my grandson would speak up and say pa don't do it Don't renounce it I want to leave the impact in the life of your life and this life of my own family So that it's so strong That when it's time When it's time I can say like pa I fought a good fight. I kept the faith I finished my course Therefore it's laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the righteous judge would give to me on that day He laid his head across that bludgeon stump of wood And the executioners acts came down and rolled apostle paul's head off of it and out of the seed of his blood Rows up apostles and disciples and to this night you and I are studying From the writings inspired by the apostle paul who laid down his life I know my time is over. Can I just share something one last thing with you? You don't know what your what the impact would be in your life, but I was Overwhelmed this past week last sunday and I told you a little bit last sunday about The impact and influence of dr. Charles stanley on my life I found out a little bit more this week Some of you may have watched the funeral service home going service In that service the current pastor Who's there now that took dr. Stanley's place was conducting that service And he had invited some very special people to that service and there were people sitting in there the who's who of christian david jeremiah robert morris franklin graham and many many others that were sitting in that service But he stood up and started telling this short story that when dr. Stanley went through the hardest time of his life the voice of his wife who had Issues going on in her own life And the southern baptist convention was telling him get out of the ministry and his own church Leaders were telling him get out of the church You don't need to be here. He said he would drive to that church in downtown Atlanta First Baptist church and walk into the doors of that church By himself and feel so all alone, but he said He said there was somebody that had an impact and an influence in my life He said every sunday morning While i was walking through that i would get up And i would turn on the jimmy swagger program He said i knew that jimmy swagger had been through the horrible Things of his life that had been put on the world stage And he said i would listen Dr. Charles stanley of first baptist church would listen to evangelist jimmy swagger and his music and preaching For encouragement every sunday morning And he said it was that encouragement dr stanley said That is the only reason why I was able to get up and make it and keep going because he said if jimmy swagger could do it With all that he faced I can get up and keep on going for christ The influence of someone else With heavy persecution Ladies and gentlemen, you don't know who you're influencing And there's going to be a time when persecution is going to hit And people are going to start looking and wondering is there anybody going to survive? I pray god For me my house and for this house That there's a group of people that are under the sound of my voice tonight That if you don't ever hear me preach again or teach again that you have made up your mind Come hell high water persecution or whatever may be taking place. I'm going to stand for christ I'm going to live for christ and i'm going to influence others for christ If that's you why don't you just stand to your feet tonight and let's let's just believe god together Why don't you just put your hands in the air? Listen, we don't rejoice that the devils are subject to us We rejoice that our name is written in the lambs book of life lord. Just use me again I don't know when you're going to do it. I don't know how I don't know what persecution may come tomorrow I don't know what kind of attack may hit my life, but i'm yours lord. Come on somebody I'm yours completely yours. There's not one else of my life lord that i want to hold for my own I want you to have complete control of my life and lord when my time comes that i've got to stake a stand for you Help me holy ghost help me holy ghost on my job with my friends even with my enemies I pray that you will help me to stand in that moment For you So that my life can give you all the glory all the honor and all the praise If that's your made up mind right now say a good amen somebody Would you turn around encourage somebody in the lord tonight? Let them know how much you appreciate them God bless you for being here. Don't miss sunday morning. It's going to be a great time I'm going to be preaching on the coming of the lord. Jesus return in the clouds. I promise you you won't want to miss it We'll see you then god willing