The Fourth Person in the Flood

I want to talk to you this morning about the fourth person in the flood. Not the fire, the flood. Fourth person in the flood.

Matthew chapter 24, please if you'll turn there. Now Father I thank you God with all my heart for the touch, for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. Lord you're the only one who can transcend our weakness and you take our capacity to speak much farther than we would have in any of our own natural ability.

You cause your word to live as it comes out of the mouth of your vessels and you cause it to live as it enters our hearts. Lord Jesus Christ let the truth of your word burn in us in this generation more than it ever has ever in our lifetime. Guide us and guard us.

Father we thank you for all of this. We praise you and we bless you for it. Bless you for this day.

Bless you for unlocking the truths of your word, making it very very real, very understandable to each of our hearts. Father I thank you for this with everything in me in Jesus name. The fourth person in the flood, Matthew chapter 24 beginning at verse 37.

Jesus is speaking about the last days. He's responding to a question. Tell us in the beginning of chapter 24 in verse 3. He says, tell us what will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And so the next discourse he goes through chapter 24 and 25.

He's actually answering that question. I want to focus on verses 37 to 39. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

This is talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Now when you and I read these portions of scripture concerning the last days, there are certain elements in in these passages that seem to stand out. Jesus said it's going to be exactly like it was in the days of Noah. Now I think for a moment Noah is building a testimony to God which would be God's way of speaking to that final generation about what's to come on the earth.

You remember the scripture says that the thoughts of humankind were evil continually and God said basically I can't let this carry on any longer. I've got to bring it to an end. And so he commissioned a man called Noah to build a testimony.

It was a boat, a huge boat on dry land. Build this boat as a testimony of the coming judgment of God and the faithfulness of God to those who will trust in him for their redemption. Now as in the days of Noah, so will it be in the generation just before the return of Jesus Christ.

I happen to believe personally that Christ could come at any moment. I know that in my heart. I do expect it.

Now many many people as in the days of Noah will be totally unaware of the hour that's just before them. Almost inconceivable that people would be passing by this ark that is being built. It's a testimony that's being established in plain sight but they're passing by and there's a certain class of people who are not even interested in what's going on.

Times Square Church could be in experiencing a glorious manifestation of God's presence which we are in great measure but you'll have thousands of people walk by this church, walk by Broadway unconcerned. They don't really care. Even if there's a report on the street it doesn't really matter to them.

Their whole focus is eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage. Not that these things, any of these things of course are not evil in themselves but what he's trying to tell us is there be a contingency of people are carrying on as if nothing around them. Apart from their own pleasure is worth giving any thought to.

Just going on ignoring. Their way of coping with the day we're living in is simply to not listen to the news. Ignorance is bliss.

I don't want to know anything about what's going on in the world. I'm just now I'm pursuing my life. I'm pursuing my pleasure.

I'm pursuing I'm wondering what restaurant I'm going to go to today and tomorrow and the day after. I'm hoping to be able to find somebody as a marriage partner. So they're marrying, giving in marriage, eating and drinking.

That's their whole focus on life and Jesus said there'd be a whole group of people that will be like that in the last days and completely oblivious to the day they're living in. They did not know until the flood came and took them all away. How fast it can happen.

We here in New York know that as much as anybody just in the last several years. Of course you know the situation with 9-11 when suddenly we were attacked by terrorists and how quickly Hurricane Sandy came and how many people that threw into a tailspin. How I remember just simply going online.

I think it was at the beginning of the week and just I don't think anybody fully realized how severe the storm was going to be until just a few days before. Now many many people are in the natural possibly good people but they have no regard for God. I hope that's not you today.

I hope you're not one of those. It's just casually passing by this church and you've come in because you heard there's a good choir and you wanted to see what a church that's in a theater on Broadway actually looks like. But in your heart you're not really focused on eternity.

You're completely unaware of the hour in which we're living. I pray to God with all my heart that the Spirit of God would literally stop you in your tracks and you'd begin to consider the fact that there is an eternity. There is a heaven.

There is a hell and standing between the two of those is a Savior. The Son of God. Jesus Christ who died and was nailed to a tree so that you're wrong.

The Bible calls it sin might be forgiven and you might be brought into that place of safety that God promises to those who belong to him. There's a whole other segment of society in Noah's day that we're pursuing sin and so will they do in this generation perhaps to an unprecedented level in our time until our society just as in the days of Sodom begins to completely and perhaps even terrifyingly morally unravel. I'm stunned.

I'm shocked at what's happening in this country. Even in this week in Houston there's a whole thing going on about a bill that was passed by the City Council. The transgender bathroom bill.

If you feel like a girl and you happen to be a man you can use the girls bathroom. What in heaven's name is going on in people's minds that this is even on the agenda? God help us as a society. This insanity that is now being propagated and it's becoming now you can see I've shared with this congregation many times that we are as a church age somewhere midway between persecution and prosecution.

Those days are coming when it's going to be come evil to speak good and to speak truth and to speak anything from the Word of God. Paul said in the last days in 2nd Timothy 3 perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

And folks we're seeing that in our society today. It's a tragedy. That's why I feel compelled to call this nation to prayer.

There's no strategy now that's going to reach this generation. You and I've got to pray. I believe I see the character of God all through scriptures.

If you and I will pray if we will start to walk in God's truth and we will begin to implore God. Jesus himself said in John 15 if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you ask what you will and it will be done for you. I believe that with all my heart.

Jesus can't lie. He's not a man who can lie. He doesn't idly speak and so my prayer lately has been oh God would you show me in my heart if there's any word that I'm not abiding in you.

That if I've not taken your word seriously if your word is not abiding in me God please for I know that if I examine my own heart I will always come out with an A+. You know that to yourself. It's only the Holy Spirit that can really know our heart and bring to the surface those things that need to be brought in line again with what God has spoken.

Because folks there's nothing but prayer that's going to meet the need of this hour. There are no strategies. There are no committees.

There are no new surveys. There's no no gimmicks in the house of God. No time for any fancy preachers to rise up.

It's going to be you and me going into the throne of God in this time of need and weakness to find mercy. Not just for ourselves but for others. To find mercy for those that oppose their own salvation.

To find mercy for those who live in darkness. To find mercy for those who don't understand that we are as a society and as a world in general headed on a collision course with a holy God. There's a point where God says this has gone on far enough I can no longer let it continue to exist.

It's happened in the past and it will happen again in our generation. There's a third category of people. Paul talks about them again in 2nd Timothy 3 5 says they have a form of godliness but deny its power and from such turn away.

Now these are people who know the truth but they resist it even when they had an opportunity to see it. In verse 8 he talks about two specific people who had a form of religion who stood and resisted Moses. When Moses showed up at Pharaoh's throne with his brother Aaron and he said I've got a word from God.

I've been sent on a mission by God and the word from the Lord for you is let my people go. They may serve me in the wilderness let them go and this was a type of where the power of God really is but these two men had a form of religion but they wanted their own spirituality on their own terms and folks that's the tragedy of much of religion in this nation today. People want spirituality but they want it on their own terms.

These men wanted to be self-important. They wanted access to power and personal privilege was at the core of their belief system and they used their spirituality to gain influence and power and access to the Pharaoh's throne but they resisted something they saw something it was very clearly portrayed before them but they resisted it and it was really simple it was abandonment to the will of God. They didn't want to be abandoned to the will of God they had their own will they had their own agenda and they wanted God to bless their form or understanding of God they wanted whatever they understood God to be to bless their agenda.

They could imitate the power of God remember this they could imitate it but only to a point.

Many don't even know this they could duplicate the miracles that were being done when Moses and Aaron stood before the throne of Pharaoh but there there was a cutoff line and that's when God when Moses commanded life to come out of the dust it was in the form of lice but it was still life from the dust and this is that this was the cutoff line this is where the magicians couldn't go you see those who simply use religion to their own advantage they cannot bring men and women to life they cannot bring life out of the dust they cannot there's a limit to what they can do they can only imitate certain measures of power but they can't bring life they can't bring into your heart a passion for God they they can't bring you and I into a place where we say I'm going with God by the grace of

Almighty God by the power of God by the mercy of God I'm going to trust that the same God who created the human race out of dust is able to breathe into this this extension of Adam and able to give me life and able to cause me to go forward and able to cause my life to do much good no this religious imitators can't do that all they can do is cause you to focus on yourself lead you to self importance just cause you to desire access to secular power and personal privilege through your religion what else did they see and resist well they saw God manifesting his strength and purpose through weakness these two vessels standing in front of Pharaoh there was no chance that this victory was going to happen without God and I think it's an awesome place to be I do with all my heart I think it's an

awesome place for you and I now to come to the realization that it's not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God this is going to happen if this country is going to know a spiritual awakening there's not going to be another television program to make it happen it's going to be the body of Christ turning back to prayer again beginning to call out to God not in our strength but in our weakness not with knowledge but with an understanding that God is willing to manifest his glory and power if you and I are willing to go to his throne and petition him to do so no doubt these men who resisted Moses their position made them feel important and in control and to them the actual ways of God look so foolish and unattractive to people who walk in their own strength in their own reasoning the

way of faith looks to be completely foolish they couldn't envision leaving where they stood to stand before God and willing to be mocked as no doubt they and others were doing of Moses and Aaron I honestly believed that Pharaoh initially would have killed both of them on the spot were it not such a joke to him in the beginning it was entertaining it was it was humorous until it got out of hand until it became a contest of power and then he was in too deep to actually just kill them he would look petty he had to prove that his power was greater than the power of God after a certain point they resisted the apparent foolishness of faith and obedience and Paul said there's a religion in the last days that has a form of godliness but denies its power turn away from this all religion and

knowledge powerless forms can produce such powerlessness and such blinding pride in all of its leaders in all of its followers Oh thank God for the weakness of this moment thank God that we don't have a strategy thank God that all we can do now is pray thank God that we've been brought back where every person who's ever gone before us who has ever known the miraculous power of God look up the history of it either a barren womb or somebody who's the least in his house or an old man who stutters look look at it look at it in scripture when we've come to the end of ourselves it's the beginning of God thank God for that with all my heart in Noah's day the testimony was building in obedience to God would have been visible and no doubt the subject of much conversation it stood out it created an

incredible contrast to the environment around it it was actually a boat on dry land no water in sight no water anywhere no launching ramp no nothing just a boat on dry land but it made an undeniable statement 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 5 calls Noah a preacher of righteousness now I don't know we've I've always assumed that he stood outside the door of the ark and and called to those passing by but I'm not sure of that I think his life was his message his obedience was his message his willingness to stand out and be mocked was his message his ability to build something that could not be built by the natural or in the natural strength or reasonings of man was a testimony of his righteousness means he was in right relationship with God and this brings me to the fourth type of person that will

be here in the last days there will be a fourth type there will be those who are casual they don't know the hour they're living in there will be those who actively resist God and indulge to a fearful level in sin there will be others who simply have a form of godliness but resist where that godliness is supposed to lead them but there will be another type of person as in the days of Noah remember Jesus said this is the way it will be well as in the days of Noah Noah was there it's not really complicated there's a fourth person in the flood people who are not ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ not ashamed to bow our head and pray in a public place not ashamed to thank God for his provision is protection for the person of Jesus Christ the power of the Holy Spirit incredible guidance

of the Word of God not ashamed not ashamed to be a Christian not ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ I believe that's where it all begins that's where you and I make a choice I had to make that choice as a young man when I remember all around me was mockery all around me were these snickers and sneers and and all of the cutting remarks about how foolish I was to be abandoning folks realistically it's isn't it strange the world has when you're violent when you're drunk when you lie and cheat everybody's okay with that but the moment you start telling the truth you start walking in kindness you start doing good deeds everybody suddenly has a problem with you isn't that amazing Paul said in Romans chapter 1 verses 16 and 17 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ it is the power of

God unto salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also for the Greek for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith I am not ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ folks not just because not just because I stand in the pulpit I believe that I stand in the pulpit today because many years ago I made the choice to be not ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ to stand out in the marketplace to be laughed at if necessary to be vilified to be isolated to suffer false accusation to go through everything I had to do just as Noah did to be identified with Jesus Christ this is the beginning of what God's going to do through your life you settle the issue never mind this sneaky little prayer in a restaurant

where you just kind of glide your hand over your face and pretend like you're wiping your brow and uttering a little prayer in the end of never mind that bow your head and pray don't be ashamed I pray that more of our young athletes in our high schools will be unashamed no matter who says what to bend their knee to God on the sidelines and bow their head begin to pray I pray with all my heart that Christian young people in the schools and their colleges if they won't let you form a club in the school then go and stand outside in the parking lot and join hands and begin to pray and don't be ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ I pray for men and women in the marketplace that just as in the day of Pentecost that you will come out of that room where you spend time alone with God and

you are not ashamed to make a declaration to your generation and say this is who God is in my life and this is what God has spoken to me and this is the promise of God that I'm walking in I'm going to start speaking the things that God says he's going to do in my life and through my life and you are more than welcome to come with me if you want to come I'm going to a place where there's no more tears there's no more sorrow there's no more sigh there's no more depression there's no more anger there's no more violence and no more liars I'm going to a place for all of eternity and you are more than welcome to come with me in the last days there'll be a people who are willing to build a testimony to the truth of God though it be increasingly ridiculed and you better settle it in your heart

you're going to be increasingly ridiculed in the days ahead you're going to be vilified you're going to be laughed at you're going to be marginalized you're going to be pushed to the sides of society as bigoted irrelevant narrow out-of-touch out-of-date folks oh God if if all city councils are concerned about now is men going into the women's bathroom then I thank God I'm out of date I thank God I'm out of touch I thank God that I'm narrow I thank God with all my heart even Matthew chapter 9 verse 24 it says about Jesus and they ridiculed him Jesus himself said the servant is not above his master if they've called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more are they going to call those of his household in this world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome

this world the last days there will be a people who are sovereignly empowered to do what we're called to do for the glory of the name of God sovereignly empowered by God Peter and the others stepped out of the upper room and here's what they said but this is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel it will come to pass in the last day says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and daughters shall prophesy and that means you'll have an understanding you will have an intellectual understanding of the ways of God your young men shall see visions your old men shall dream dreams and on my men servants and on my maid servants I'll pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of

smoke the Sun shall be turned into darkness in the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved God will have a people in the last days who are sovereignly empowered to do what we are called to do a people have gone back to the throne of God the people who have learned to pray again people are coming out into the marketplace equipped to do what we are called to do to build something that is completely unlike its environment just as in the days of Noah he was building a boat on dry land so we will build a life that's honest it's truthful it's God glorifying by the strength of the Holy Spirit our speech will be seasoned with grace and season with salt and everywhere we go the

fragrance of Jesus will follow us and we will be something other than our environment is we will be a testimony of God's last mercy call to a people are soon to face the judgment of God you are the ark of God I am the ark of God we are the temple of the Holy Spirit we are the dwelling place of God in your life and mine are going to be an irrefutable testimony of the reality of God to this generation so my brother my sister your life is the final witness of God's mercy do you understand that you and I are the final witness Jesus is coming this world is about to fall apart there are going to be signs in the heavens they're going to be earthquakes there are going to be famines there are going to be plagues nation is going to rise against nation the moon is going to turn into blood the Sun is

going to refuse to shine but there will be a people who stand out as lights in the darkness there will be a people through whom God's call and God's mercy will flow from our inward parts like a river of living water we are a people who will be willing to build a life in a testimony that could only come from God we will be equipped to do what we're called to do and we will be completely other than the environment around us the environment around us is going to get so dark it's going to be terrifying folks if we don't have an awakening in this nation in the next 10 years I tremble to think of what this country is going to look like I tremble to think of how degenerate this society is going to be it's in a very very short time but I do believe with all my heart that if my people are called

by my name God says will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land I thank God that you and I've been given the privilege of being the testimony of God the final art of God may I say it that way that testimony of a life that's being built by the power of God that people will pass by every day and be given an opportunity to turn from their sin and turn to God to turn from a fearful time and to turn to the safety that is offered to every man woman and child who place their trust in the hand of Almighty God through Jesus Christ I want to challenge you with everything in my heart today my brother and my sister hear me this day Jesus is coming we are living in the last days now I don't

know I don't know the very moment of the very hour for Jesus himself said nobody knows that but the Father only but he also said elsewhere in Scripture that we are not children of darkness that that day should overtake us as a thief I don't know the day or the hour but I do know the season we're living in that season of the return of Jesus Christ we're living in a season where men's hearts are going to fail them for fear we're living in a season where there are going to be an increasing number of calamities just simply compounding one on top of another in this present world in which we're living we're living in a season where people are going to be terrified they're going to start so terrified they're going to start looking for a world ruler to take us out of this whole mess we find

ourselves in today oh the day is not far it's very very close but God is building a testimony in the earth in this last hour of time you are the testimony and so am I don't be ashamed to be associated with the gospel of Jesus Christ don't be ashamed to be a Christian don't be ashamed to stand out don't be ashamed to sing your song of mercy and deliverance and hope and victory doesn't matter how many people pass by and mock and wave their hands and laugh on the way into Sodom wherever they're going to get their daily goods and to find their spouse and to eat their meals at their restaurants don't be ashamed to be a Christian don't be ashamed to walk around with a smile to walk around with a song don't be ashamed to carry a New Testament in your pocket don't be ashamed to be associated with

Jesus Christ I am NOT positive shame to the gospel of Jesus Christ it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes I'm not ashamed be willing to build the testimony that God has determined for your life there's something that God wants to do through you right where you are be willing to let God give you the power God gave Noah the plan he would have to bring him the materials he would have to give him the strength the vision the determination the grit inside to continue on building the testimony that God had called him to build in spite of how unpopular it was and how foolish it may have looked to be building a boat in a place where there was no water but you and I have to be willing in this environment today to let God's Holy Spirit within us build the testimony that God

has determined for each of our lives you are unique you have something that God has called you to do that nobody else can do you are in the family that God wants you to be in you are in the neighborhood where he planted you you're in the job that he put you you speak the language that he gave you you're of the culture that he caused you to be born in there is something God has for you and I know one thing about I don't know exactly what it is but I know one thing about it it will bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ don't be ashamed be willing to build the testimony that God has determined for your life every man every woman has to make that choice I had to make that choice when I was young it would have been so easy to follow the pattern of others I'm not standing as anybody's judge

but I have to speak the truth there were others around me who professed to know Christ but their Christianity was hidden and it was all subservient to career and to being well spoken of and to me it was a tragedy I was a brand new believer in Christ I was so excited about knowing God and I would find out that there were other Christians where I would be working and I would go to them I'd be so excited I hear you're a believer in Christ and immediately would start to back up afraid as a word to come out into the open afraid to afraid it's going to cost them their career afraid that they're not going to advance afraid that it might affect their buying and selling and marrying and giving in marriage as it is afraid to be identified with Christ and to me it's a tragedy I have to make a choice

do I draw back but the Bible in the book of Hebrews says if any man draw back my soul will have no pleasure in him you and I have to make a choice I had to make that choice when I was young do I draw back or do I proceed to what God has for my life I remember when the Lord finally called me into full-time ministry I remember a brother in the Lord coming to me and trying to talk me out of it saying what about your children and what about here you're such a strong testimony here what happens here look at the good you could do here and I found it so strange that somebody who professed to be a believer in Christ and no doubt is would think it'd be odd that God would call a man to serve him and to preach the gospel and I remember thinking what does the church come to when it's an oddity that

somebody is willing to hear the voice of God and begin to move in the direction that he's calling in even though in the natural it looked foolish yes I was making really good money and I did have a dental plan and a pension and all that was mentioned to me and all all of that security was there in the natural and it looks so foolish remember these these two religionists that withstood Moses who stood there in his foolishness at the throne and his weakness at the throne of Pharaoh and yes in the natural it looked insane but it's never insane to follow the will of God it's never insane to let God begin to lead you where he wants you to go I had to endure all kinds of opposition all kinds of voices even from within those that were very close to me telling me that what you're doing even my

own father he wouldn't mind me saying this because he's in heaven today I led him to Christ before he died but even my own father pointed his finger at me and said when you're broke and you can't buy milk for your children don't come to me I won't give you a nickel what you're doing is foolish you're making it a stupid foolish move in your life well folks there was a day when I was able to sit my father down he had seen how God had led my life and I said now I want to have a talk with you about what you said and we had a talk and I honored him as a son should honor his father but for once in his life he had nothing to say so God has led me God has given all of my children have an education a college education he's provided for all of my needs and when my house burned down God gave me

another one when I lost this one he provided another one I was able to share with him that you're no fool to walk with God he's no fool who gives up what he can't keep to possess what God alone is able to give him be willing to build the testimony that God has determined for your life even if that testimony is to be somebody honest in a totally crooked environment we had a prayer request come in to worldwide prayer just recently of a lady here in the city who said I don't know what to do she said my boss is taking his mistress on this company holiday we're going on and is asking me to lie for him she said I pray God give me the courage and I remember standing here Tuesday night telling this lady don't lie don't lie for your boss stand do what God tells you to do walk in the truth and God

will make a way she submitted a praise report a couple of weeks ago it says not only did I not go on that trip but my boss paid for me to go on another one while he took the trip and I didn't have to go and I didn't have to lie I told him I wouldn't lie and God made away from me God will make a way for you if you will allow him God will make a way God will make a way not everybody is going to come your way but some will not everybody's going to consider their salvation but some will some will come to you and say give me a reason now for the hope that is in you are you not reading the news do you not understand that Western Africa is in danger of a pandemic that could spread around the world do you not know that there are earthquakes happening in various places and wars are breaking out

and this insane ideology in the Middle East is cutting the throats of everything unlike it do you not know what's going on and that's when you can look and say but you I've got it I know what's going on but something greater is going on inside of me than that which is going on in the world I'm not an escapist I have found a deeper reality than what I see with my natural eyes I found the grace and strength of the one who died on the cross and rose again from the dead and promises not only eternal life but abundant life and meaningful life here on this side of eternity the one who calls himself a high tower and says I can run in in a day when I'm afraid and he will be my protection the one who draws me close to his heart and speaks into my life and tells me that I will never leave you I

will never forsake you do not be afraid little flock it's the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom the one who tells me that every tongue that rises against me in judgment I have the right to condemn it this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord don't be the testimony of Christ and be willing to let God build that testimony in and through your life that would bring glory to his name and lastly bend your knee to God bend your knee to God mend your knee to God bend your knee to God bend your knee to God bend your knee to God bend your knee to God as Moses did as Aaron did bend your knee to God don't be like those who resist the simplicity of faith and obedience Bend your knee to God and say, Lord, not my will, but thine be done.

I would rather not go this way.

That's a legitimate prayer because Jesus prayed it so you and I can pray it. Oh God, I'd rather not have to stand out in the workplace. I'd rather not have to endure the ridicule and the mockery and the threatenings of the godless around me, but nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.

Bend your knee to God, bend your knee to God, bend your knee to God, then when you do his power to will and to do of his good pleasure becomes yours. He puts something in your heart, a desire to do his will and the power to do it. Oh, I thank God for this with all my heart.

I praise God with everything that is in me. I thank God for being born in this generation and at this time. I thank God with everything that's in my heart.

Sometimes I just shout out in my own house. I can't contain it within me. I could have been born at any other time.

I could have been born at a time of luxury, a time of peace and prosperity, a time when it was fashionable to be a Christian, but God chose to let you and I be born now, right on the edge of eternity, right at a time when there's a desperate need for a testimony for Jesus Christ. You are the only Bible now that this generation is going to read. You are the only Bible.

In the book of Acts, when they came out of the upper room, that was the only New Testament they had. Folks, think about it for a moment. They didn't have the New Testament.

They were the New Testament and you and I are being given an opportunity in this last time to be a living witness for Christ and to build that which glorifies God and tells this whole world that this thing is coming to an end soon and Jesus Christ is coming back for those who belong to Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life and nobody comes to the Father except by Him. Now, Father, I pray God with all my heart, Jesus, Son of God, Son of God, Son of God, give us the courage to build a life and a testimony in Your power and by Your promises that will bring glory to Your name.

In any event, help our lives to be such that the testimony of God cannot be ignored, that people can't walk by unaware that You are living inside of us. Give us words to speak of faith and power. Stretch out Your hand through us and begin to heal.

God, do what only You can do. Begin to do the miraculous in a way, Lord, that our testimony will be only God inside of me could have done this. Oh, Jesus, give us courage.

Give us courage. Give us courage, oh God, to stand in our marketplace. Give us courage to finish the way the early church began, fearlessly stepping out for the glory of God and for the souls of men.

Father, I thank You for this with all of my heart. I praise You, God, and I bless You with everything inside of me. Oh, Jesus, give us the courage we're going to need for this generation.

I praise You and I bless You, God, for it with all of my heart. In Jesus' mighty name, amen and amen. Here is my altar call this morning here in the main sanctuary in the annex in North Jersey as well and for those that are listening at home.

Firstly, for those who are ashamed, you are ashamed of Jesus Christ and you don't want to be anymore. You're afraid of the ridicule of men and women and you realize in your heart this isn't right. And you would say with others that are going to be coming this morning, I want to be a stand-up witness for God.

Not obnoxiously, I want it to come out of a heart filled with love. I want to stand up for Christ. I don't want to be ashamed of Him anymore.

For the first two years that I was a Christian, I was ashamed of Him. So I understand your struggle. I didn't mind going to church, shaking somebody's hand, singing the songs of praise and saying praise God and bless God.

But out on the street and where I worked and in the marketplace, I was ashamed of the name of Jesus, ashamed to be called a Christian. It was at the end of about a two-year period that I finally got fed up with being ashamed. I remember the words I spoke, I said, God, I'll serve you if it kills me.

It was just a few days later that He filled me with the Holy Spirit, gave me the power to stand out as a witness for Christ and I've never looked back or turned back since that day. I want to encourage you to be willing to build the testimony that God has for your life. Just be willing.

And that's the second person. I'm willing to be what God wants me to be, whatever that is, wherever it leads me. And today I'm going to bend my knee to God.

And I realize what that means for some here. There's a cost to this. But when you do, you will know something of God that can't be found any other way.

There'll be a strength and power come into your life. You're speaking words that are not your own. You're experiencing emotions that can only come from God alive inside of you.

You become very, very aware that God's Holy Spirit does live inside this earthly temple. I remember getting out of my seat in a church shortly after I prayed that prayer and I came down to the front and I got on my knees and I began to weep before God and I said, Lord, I am nothing and I have nothing. I felt like I had less than the kid that had some fish and some loaves that brought them to Jesus.

But I said, God, whatever I have, if you can use it, I give it to you. I bend my knee to you. Guide me.

That was my prayer from that day forward, guide me. It has been an amazing journey, incredible. But it can be yours too.

He has no respecter of persons. He doesn't choose one over another. The hungry heart gets the victory, my friend.

Don't be ashamed to bend your knee to God. And so if the Lord's speaking to your heart today on any of these things, we're going to stand in just a moment. I'm going to invite you to just come to the front of this auditorium and the annex you can step between the screens, the same at North Jersey, and we're going to pray and believe God that as in the days of Noah, there will be a fourth person in the flood.

There will be. It'll be you. It'll be me.

We will stand up. We will build. We will believe God.

Let's stand, please. That's the cry of your heart. Please just slip out of your seat.

Come join me here at the front of this auditorium and the balcony. Go to either exit if you can. And just come.

We'll pray together in just a moment. So wonderful that you've come. So wonderful that you've said, God, give me that courage.

You know, just like the pastor said, that was my experience. I didn't have it. And I had to ask Jesus to give me that courage.

But he does. He'll give you that strength that he sees you here. He's going to answer your prayer.

He's going to answer your prayer. He's going to help you. And he's going to give you that strength as we pray together.

He's going to help you to become the man and the woman he wants you to be. Hallelujah. It's not our strength.

He's going to do it. Hallelujah. Isn't that wonderful? He's going to give you his strength, his strength.

Isn't that wonderful? He'll give you his strength and his wisdom and his answer. Praise you, Lord. Let us.

Let's pray together. All over the building. Lift your hands up right now to close it.

Pray. We all need more courage. Not just these folks that are here.

Every one of us need it. Lift your hand up to him right now, all over this building. Father, we thank you for the word that we've heard.

Thank you, Jesus, that when we call, you answer, that when we ask you to give us your strength, you give it to us. It's not our strength. Now, God, I pray for every person that's standing here that came and all over this audience and around here.

God, give us your strength. We don't have it. We need your help.

We need your wisdom. We need your courage. We don't have it, God, but give us your courage, your strength, your wisdom, and let us be a light that shines in these last days.

Touch every life that's standing here, every person that's here, and every one of us as we call upon you. Now, we thank you, Lord. We thank you for doing it.

God, let us speak when we should speak for you. Let us be the people that you want us to be. Let us be the light shining in this dark world.

Now, lift your hands in prayer right now and pray with me and thank him for it right now. Let's thank him. Lift your voice to God right now.

Lift your voice to him and thank him for it. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me your strength, for helping me. I take it in faith, God.

I thank you for it. Devil, you are a liar. I am going to be the light.

I will be what God called me to be. Hallelujah. His word is true.

We give you the praise and the glory, and we thank you for it, God. Oh, send a revival to this city, God. Send a revival in this city to our schools and to our churches and to our people.

Jesus, have mercy upon us. We lift our voice to you today, and we thank you for what you're going to do. God, touch us with the Holy Spirit.

Let your power rest upon these folks, and let us speak beyond ourselves and be the men and the women that you call us to be, and we give you all of the praise, all of the glory, all of the praise in the name of Jesus. Thank you for it. Amen and amen.

Give him the glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Amen. Bless the Lord. Father, we thank you, Lord, for this day, God.

What a great privilege you've given to us, Lord, to be a testimony of who you are in this final generation. God, we thank you, Lord. We thank you, Father.

Thank you, Lord, God, for the promise that you'll be with us, you'll strengthen us, and you will be the light and the life inside of us. We thank you for this great privilege of letting your life and testimony be built inside us by the grace of Almighty God, and we thank you for it, and we praise you in Jesus' mighty name. Amen and amen.

Praise God.