Don't Stand Idle (Compilation)

And he says, about the eleventh hour, he went out, in verse six, and he found others standing idle and said to them, Why do you stand here all day idle? And they said, in verse seven, because no man has hired us. In other words, no one's called us. No one told us what we're expected to do.

And there's an abundance of idleness today. People come into the house of God, they walk out into the marketplace, and kind of just stand there with their hands in their pockets. And might pass a tape around to somebody, but there's just this fullness of idleness.

Because nobody's told them. Voices are not speaking for God and saying, This is what God has called you to do. Who's preaching today? As Paul did, or the writer in Romans, Paul said, It is a reasonable thing that we lay our lives down as a living sacrifice for the purposes of God, which is our reasonable service.

Tell me, who is preaching that today? Where do you hear that? I know there's got to be some, 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 says, 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 breath, 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. Hear this, oh 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 a 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 and get hardly waiting, so we can get church over with, so we can get back to business again.

And the sabbath that we may set forth weak, making ephah small. In other words, giving less than we should. And making the shepherd 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.

Oh 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 that were standing by idly and whatever is right that you will receive. 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. When you're going to know light. I'm going to save 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 light. That cannot be quenched by darkness and 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. You will cry.

Verse 9, He will say, Here I am. If you take away from the midst of the yoke the putting forth of the finger and empty talk or speaking vanity. And if you draw out your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul.

Then your light will rise in obscurity. And even your darkness will be as the noonday. Oh God.

Oh God. Help us in America to rise now in this difficult time. I speak not only to Times Square Church, but to the church in America.

This is the finest hour for you. If you can rise out of this self-seeking pursuit of God. And begin to understand again what the work of Christ is.

He says, if you go into the vineyard. And you say to me, well, where are the poor? Well folks, just hang on. They're going to be all around you very, very shortly.

They're going to be everywhere. Churches are going to have opportunities to open their doors. And begin to feed others.

And watch the provision of God begin to come into them. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

This is the hour for the church not to hide, but to stand on the deck in the middle of the storm. This is the hour. This is the finest hour for the church of Jesus Christ.

And your darkness will be as the noonday. You'll have clear vision. You'll have clear sight.

And the Lord will guide you continually. And satisfy your soul in drought. You'll have this inner knowledge.

This is where to go. Do this. Reach out here.

I'm going to give you provision, God says. I'm going to satisfy your soul in drought. I'm going to make fat your bones.

You'll be like a water garden. And like a spring of water whose waters fail not. You'll be a spring of water, the Lord says.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places. And thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations. And you'll be called the repairer of the breach.

And the restorer of the paths to dwell in. The Lord says, I'm good. There's going to be a soul winning time coming to the true bride of Christ.

And there's going to be light in your theology. There's going to be reality in your practice. And you're going to raise up a foundation that has been destroyed.

Because of the wrong embracing. Holding the truth as it is in unrighteousness. And you're going to be called the repairer of the wall.

Or the place where the enemy got in and took away the glory. And took away the power of God. And the restorer of paths to dwell in.

Verse 14, he says, Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. And I'll cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth. And feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. God says, if you delight yourself in me. I'm going to give you a victory that is so deep in your heart.

And in your mind and in your spirit that it can't be taken away. Nothing on the earth can take it away from you. I'm going to feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.

In other words, there was a commanded blessing. God says that I gave to Abraham. And I gave that commanded blessing to the children of Abraham.

Whose we are through Jesus Christ. And that blessing should be that we would be a blessing wherever we go. And that all the nations of the world should be blessed through you and I as the church of Jesus Christ.