Reprobates and Trembling Nations - Part 3

But it's not the message that is permeating the airwaves anymore. There's seven steps to a better life and how to be happy and how to fly high in the midst of this society. When that's not what the Word of God says. We're to give our lives for others. We're to give our lives that people may find Christ as Lord and Savior. If those who seek to save their life hear Jesus, you're going to lose it. You're going to lose everything that's been purchased for you on Calvary. You're going to lose the new mind. You're going to lose the new heart. You'll lose the new spirit. You'll not stand as a voice for God in troubled times. No one's called us. And then he says at the end, Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. Amazing when you begin to see it. This idleness, this abundance of bread, this pride of the heart. And ultimately results in a people who don't represent God in the earth. Because the ministry of Christ, as he stood in Luke 4 18, he said, The Spirit of God is upon me because he's called me to preach the gospel to the poor. It was the very first thing he identified. To go to those that have no helper. To go into the fields of the fatherless and tell them they have a father. To go to the widow and tell her that she has one who will provide for her. To go to those who are poor and not deny them their rights. They have right to know that there's a God in heaven who loves them and died for them. Go ahead, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and then you come to the book of Amos. Amos chapter 2. Again, a herdman that God called to cry out against the sin of society as it was going into judgment. Amos cries out in chapter 2 and verse 6, he says, Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Israel and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof. Now here are the transgressions of Israel. He said, because they sold the righteous for silver. They sold off righteousness for a gospel of gold and silver and gain. And the poor for a pair of shoes. They pant after the dust of the earth on the heads of the poor. In other words, God says, I look down and these people were to be appraised in my name. And I see them panting after that which the earth can produce. And they're trampling on the heads of the poor to get to things that they think are going to satisfy them. And they turn aside the way of the meek. And a man and his father go into the same made to profane my holy name. This unbridled lust comes when people are not walking in the pathways of God, when their focus of being a Christian is wrong. Fathers and sons going to the same internet at different times of the night, going into the same pornographic sites, going into the same made. And don't even try to tell me that's not happening in the church of Jesus Christ on mass in our generation. Verse 8 says, they lay themselves down on clothes laid to pledge by every altar. Now God had said, you don't take the garment away from the poor. If a poor man gives you his garment, it was in the law of Moses. You give it back to him at nightfall. Because that's his only covering that he's got. And he says, but you're not obeying this. And they're coming and laying down with these garments upon them of disobedience to God. And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of God. They're under the influence as it is of the same thinking of those outside of God's kingdom. And they lay down before my altar. And he said, these are the things that are bringing judgment upon the nation. Amos chapter 8 and verse 4. Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land fail. We have a gospel now being preached in America. Don't give to the poor. That's a waste of time. They say, now give to the rich. Give to the wealthy. God help us to be discerning as the church of Jesus Christ. To know who these frauds are and call them what they are. God help us to get out from under the sway of evil men who stand and pretend to be speaking for God. God says, hear this, you who swallow up the needy and make the poor of the land to fail. You say, when will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn? They go, hardly waiting, sister. Get church over with so we can get back to business again. And the Sabbath that we may set forth, we making the ephah small. In other words, giving less than we should. And making the shekel great and falsifying the balances by deceit. That we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes. Yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat. That we may take everything from everybody that we can get our hands on. O God, help us in this generation. I plead for you, bride of Christ. Wake up before it's too late. Realize who's speaking to you and whose voices you've been sitting under. Realize what kind of a diabolical message has come into your heart and into your home. And sell the leftovers. In other words, take everything we can take from the poor and leave them nothing. The Lord has sworn by the excellency of Jacob. Verse 7, surely I will never forget any of their works. And in verse 8 he says, shall not the land tremble for this? And everyone mourn that dwells therein. God says, shall not the land tremble because of this? You see, he lays the indictment when a nation goes under judgment. The indictment's not laid with parties of government or presidents or organizations or clubs. He lays the indictment at the door of those who have the power to make a difference in their generation. The church of Jesus Christ is where the indictment is laid by God. When a nation fails, it fails because there have not been voices in the pulpit. It fails because the people have not wanted to hear the voice of God or be reproved by the Scriptures. They've wanted to treat God as a beast or a bug or a bird. They've not wanted to treat Him as Lord of lords and King of kings over their lives. And Amos says, shall not the land tremble for this? There's a trembling now in America. It's undeniable. It's coming, folks. It's spilling from one compartment just as it did in the Titanic after she hit the iceberg. One compartment into another compartment, into another compartment. All through the country now and all through the world. Shall not the land tremble for this? For the gospel that we have allowed to be preached in our shores. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 20 and verse 7, He said, go into the vineyard to those who were standing by idly. And whatever is right, that you will receive. I want you to go to Isaiah chapter 58 with me now. We're going to close there. Whatever is right, God said, go into the vineyard. Don't stand idle in the marketplace any longer. And whatever is right, I'll give you this. You see, He's not a man who can lie. When He says, I'll give something to you, God's going to give something to you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Isaiah chapter 58, beginning at verse 6. Is not this the fast that I've chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness. To undo the heavy burdens. To let the oppressed go free. And that you break every yoke. Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry? And you bring the poor that are cast out to your house. That means this house. This house. Thank God that in times where it starts, the poor, and especially the poor, are always welcome in this house. Thanks be to God. And when you see the naked, you cover him. And that you don't hide yourself from your own flesh. Now this is the vineyard, folks. This is the vineyard of Christ. It's to go to those who have no helper. They have no voice. There's no hope. And it's to go to them. Whether it's in a park bench in Central Park. Or it's in the plains of Africa. Wherever it is that God sends you. That you and I go. We go into the vineyard. And here's what is right. God says, I'll give you what is right. Then your light will break forth as the morning. God says, there'll be no darkness in you. Once you are doing the work of God. When you are walking with God. You're going to know light. I'm going to say to you, let there be light. And there's going to be a division between light and darkness. All you have to do is start feeding the poor. And you will immediately know who phonies are on television preaching to you. You will know it. Immediately. And your health will spring forth speedily. You'll not be walking around with hands bowed down and feeble and weak knees. There'll be a spiritual health within you. There'll be the springing up as it is of life that cannot be quenched by darkness or circumstances around you. You'll be like Paul on the deck of the ship when everyone else is throwing their trust overboard. You're going to be standing there saying, be of good cheer. I know God. I've been with God. Your righteousness will go before you. And the glory of the Lord will be your reward. God just says, I'll gather you up. My glory will gather you up. You're going to have a heart. You're going to have a purpose. You're not going to be governed by what is causing fear to come into the hearts of people all around you. Then you will call. And the Lord will answer.