Bearing Fruit - Part 8

Abiding in God is the only hope you have of victory, being Christ-like, not being ashamed. I'm going to shock everyone here today. And oh, oh, it will cost you to what I'm going to say.

I'm going to ask those of you here today who are honest with God and God's brought you here today, who neglect God. Not religion. Who neglect God.

If that's true of you, you're a grief to God, sir. I don't care who you are, you're backslidden. You're as real as your quiet time if you neglect God.

Your life, no matter how busy you are for the things of God, is a grief to God. Take away the quiet time and what you do is a grief to God. He's not interested in your work.

He's interested in your walk. And the only work that matters in God's hands and man in the long run is the work that results from the walk. Otherwise it's nothing of God.

It's in the flesh. I want every single person sitting here today who neglects God, who neglects God, and they're a grief to God. No matter who you are, preacher, elder, odolent, deacon, the biggest giver in the church financially, the most active in Christian service and works and activities.

You're backslidden, preacher. You're backslidden, elder. You're backslidden, youth leader.

You're a grief to God. And the other sins that you confess are the result of the greater sin that you need to confess here this morning. They would never be there.

If it wasn't for this great sin, you need to confess and say, God, forgive me for this grief I've been to thee, for the grief I am to thee. I neglected thee, God. I neglect God.

Even if it's for God's work, it's my sin. It's a grief. Oh, God, I need cleansing in the blood, not from these things that I come to, but the thing that causes it.

I come to thee for cleansing, for not putting God first. For people keeping me from God, for church activities, for work keeping me from God. One man said to me in anger in Cape Town, you're a preacher.

You can spend your day on your knees. Come in my shoes. I've got businesses to run.

There's no time like this for God that you talk about. Don't preach such things at people. You want to get in the real world, man.

I said, you're a liar. He was very shocked. You're lying.

And the grief of it is that you're lying to yourself. That's a terrible lie. There's no such a thing.

There's no such a thing as not enough time for God. If your work is that busy, get out of your work. It's not God's will for you to be there.

You put every priority in its true perspective. You put every priority in place and you put away things that don't matter, sir. And I guarantee you find all the time you need for God.

Well, he did. It was a good while later he came to me and he said, Keith, thank you for rebuking me. I find all the time I need for God now.

There's no such a thing as being too busy for God. If God is first in your life, you'll find all the time you need. And even God's service won't keep you away from God, sir.

The little you do when you walk away from God will be meaningful. More meaningful than the hours you give with activity and the few minutes you give with God. You won't neglect your wife.

You might not be with her for those hours you with God, but when you come out, your life will be treasured by your wife and your children. Look back in remembrance of respect, but all spend hours with them and a few minutes with God and they'll curse the memory of you one day. I guarantee you and you are a preacher.

Every one of you sitting here that neglects God, you might confess your other sins, but you need to confess the sin, the great grief you are to God through neglecting him for anything else or anyone else. I want those of you sitting here who grieve God, who desperately, not just some shallow superficial moving to God. I want you who are desperately need to be cleansed in the blood for the sin and grief.

I want those of you who need to come and ask forgiveness and to say to God from this time forth by thy grace and thy grace alone, I shall endeavor never to neglect thee again no matter who's in my house, no matter what activities are on. I shall put thee first thy place. I will never neglect thee again by thy grace till the day I die God.

By thy grace, I want those of you who need to ask God for cleansing and to make that commitment to God by his grace alone to be able to never neglect him again. You will endeavor to do that with all your heart. Those of you that are guilty, those of you that desperately, desperately need to say that to God from your heart, I want you to stand right now and say, God, it's me.

And those that stand, I'm going to pray for. I'm only asking once. Those that are standing, will you please pray these words with me and pray aloud, O God, forgive me for the grief I am to thee that I have neglected thee for other things.

Other things were more important to me.