WHAT WILL YOU FIX IN 2006?
(Various Texts)
THE "TWENTY WORST CENTURY" IS WELL UNDER WAY. WE ARE BEGINNING THE
SECOND HALF OF THE FIRST DECADE OF IT. SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN A "DECADE OF
DECADENCE." IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING IF IT IS ANYTHING LIKE THE FIRST HALF,
IT WILL BE QUITE A THING TO CONTEND WITH. DURING THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE
FIRST DECADE, WE HAVE SEEN WARS, TERRORISM, RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. GOV-
ERNMENT CORRUPTION, SUICIDE BOMBERS, NATURAL DISASTERS, YOU NAME IT, WE
HAVE HAD IT. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO PICK UP THE
NEWSPAPER TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT! DID YOU CATCH THAT? THAT WAS
ONE OF THOSE "TRICK" STATEMENTS! YOU CAN'T PICK UP THE NEWSPAPER AND
SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT; THAT IS OF COURSE UNLESS YOU'RE THAT FELLOW
ON TELEVISION THAT HAS A CAT BRING HIM THE NEWSPAPER AND IT IS PRINTED A
DAY IN ADVANCE! THE SHOW IS CALLED "EARLY EDITION," AND THIS GUY RUNS
AROUND TRYING TO PREVENT ALL KINDS OF DISASTERS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.
IT WOULD SURE BE NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THAT AROUND. IF THEY HAD A
FELLOW IN WASHINGTON THAT COULD DO THAT, WHAT A GREAT THING IT WOULD BE.
BUT THEN, THERE IS NO ONE WHO COULD KEEP THAT MUCH DISASTER FROM HAP-
PENING.
GETTING BACK TO THAT STATEMENT ABOUT READING THE PAPER TO SEE WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN NEXT, THE PAPER WOULD HAVE TO BE "PROPHETIC" IN ORDER TO
DO THAT. INSTEAD OF BEING "PROPHETIC," THE MEDIA IS "PATHETIC." ANY BODY
CAN BE A PROPHET IF HE'S IN A BOAT AND THEY SPRING A LEAK AND NO ONE DOES
ANYTHING TO STOP THE LEAK, OR BAIL OUT THE WATER. IT IS ONE THING TO GET
THE BOAT INTO THE WATER, BUT QUITE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THE WATER TO GET
INTO THE BOAT. TODAY, THE WATER HAS GOTTEN INTO THE BOAT AND THERE IS
NOT MUCH BAILING GOING ON BY THE PRESS, AND IN MANY WAYS, THEY ARE THE
ONES THAT PUNCHED THE HOLE IN IT TO BEGIN WITH. I HOPE THAT WE WILL MAKE
A CONCENTRATED EFFORT IN THIS NEW YEAR TO "STOP SOME OF THE LEAKS."
I GET RATHER AMUSED AT SOME OF THE SLOGANS THAT WE COME UP WITH AT NEW
YEARS: "WE'VE ONLY BEGUN IN 2001:" & "WHAT CAN WE DO IN 2002?" OR HOW
ABOUT "WHAT WILL IT BE IN 2003?" OR, MAYBE "LET'S ALL DO MORE IN 2004!" AND
WE MIGHT HAVE SAID, "LET'S COME ALIVE IN 2005! NO DOUBT ALL OF THESE WERE
GOOD IDEAS, AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR A NEW ONE:
"WHAT CAN WE FIX IN 2006?"
THAT WILL DO TO THINK OVER. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LOOK AROUND, AND YOU
WON'T HAVE A BIT OF A PROBLEM FINDING THINGS TODAY THAT NEED FIXING:
THE LIST IS QUITE LENGTHY TO SAY THE LEAST. WE HAVE ENOUGH DISASTERS IN
THIS COUNTRY TODAY TO KEEP A WHOLE BUNCH OF "MR. FIX-ITS" BUSY. THERE MAY
BE MORE THINGS THAN THEY CAN HANDLE. WE NEED MAJOR OVERALLS ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY. A "TUNE-UP" WON'T DO IT; WE NEED SOME MAJOR SURGERY ON
A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS!
BUT I DON'T REALLY WANT TO TAKE OFF IN THAT DIRECTION. WHAT I WOULD LIKE
TO DO IS ASK THAT QUESTION ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL.
"WHAT CAN WE, AS INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS, FIX IN OUR DAILY LIVES?"
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR THAT EVERYBODY MAKES THOSE NOTORIOUS "NEW
YEARS RESOLUTIONS." I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ONCE THAT THE ONLY NEW
YEARS RESOLUTION THAT THEY EVER MADE WAS TO NOT MAKE ANY NEW YEARS
RESOLUTIONS. THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SENSE IN ALL THAT. IT IS MUCH
BETTER TO NOT MAKE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AT ALL, THAN IT IS TO MAKE THEM,
AND THEN BREAK THEM. RIGHT? WELL, I AM NOT SO SURE OF THAT. ONE WILL NOT
SUCCEED AT ANYTHING IF HE OR SHE DOESN'T TRY. TO ME, IT IS BETTER TO MAKE
AN EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING BENEFICIAL, AND FAIL IN THE ATTEMPT, THAN IT IS
TO DO NOTHING AT ALL! MANY OF THE PROBLEMS IN THIS WORLD TODAY IS DUE TO
THE FACT THAT GOOD PEOPLE HAVE STOOD BY AND DONE NOTHING WHEN THEY
SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
I THINK OF THAT HERO OF 9-11; TODD BEAMER! HE WAS A PASSENGER ON THE JET
LINER THAT CRASHED IN THE FIELD IN PENNSYLVANIA: THE REASON THAT IT CRASH-
ED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN A FIELD, INSTEAD OF THE WHITE HOUSE, OR THE CAPITOL IS
DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS MAN, ALONG WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS, OVERCAME
THE TERRORISTS ON THE PLANE AND FORCED IT TO CRASH AHEAD OF TIME. HAD
THEY BEEN CONTENT TO "SIT BACK AND BEHAVE," THAT PLANE WOULD HAVE DONE
GREATER DAMAGE ELSEWHERE: HIS STATEMENT; "LET'S ROLL," WILL BE FOREVER
REMEMBERED FOR AROUSING A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO DO THE GREAT THING THAT
NEEDED TO BE DONE ON THAT OCCASION. AS A RESULT, THOSE PASSENGERS DIED
AS HEROES, RATHER THAN AS VICTIMS: IT IS AFTERALL, BETTER TO GO DOWN
SWINGING, THAN IT IS TO TAKE THREE CALLED STRIKES! YOU CAN BE CAUTIOUS,
AND STAND AT THE PLATE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN PITCH TO SWING AT, AND NEVER
GET THE PITCH YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, AND GET OUT, JUST THE SAME.
I AM AFRAID THAT IS WHAT MANY OF US HAVE DONE IN OUR OWN LIVES WITH A HUN-
DRED DIFFERENT THINGS! WE HAVE SEEN THE START OF SOME TREND IN OUR CUL-
TURE THAT WE KNEW WAS HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND WE HAVE SAID
THINGS LIKE, "WE'LL BE SORRY FOR DOING THAT," AND TIME HAS PROVEN US RIGHT
TIME AND TIME AGAIN!
THERE ARE TIMES IN EACH OF OUR LIVES THAT WE MAY FIGURATIVELY BE LIKE AN
ENGINEER ON A TRAIN, AND WE COME TO A TUNNEL OF DOUBT, AND WE ENTER THAT
TUNNEL WITH THE VIEW AHEAD THAT WE CAN SEE LIGHT IN THE DISTANCE. THAT
MAY BE AN INDICATION THAT THE TUNNEL IS SHORT THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO PASS
THROUGH, BUT MOST OFTEN, WHEN YOU SEE "THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE
TUNNEL," IT IS THE HEADLIGHT OF AN APPROACHING TRAIN!
"TRENDISM" IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO MESS WITH. IT CAN BE LIKE STRIKING
A MATCH TO LOOK INSIDE A GAS TANK! KIND OF LIKE AN APE WITH A BLOWTORCH
IN A ROOM FULL OF DYNAMITE!
THERE IS A GREAT WARNING IN GOD'S WORD IN RELATION TO ALL OF THIS: TURN IN
YOUR BIBLES TO FIRST JOHN, CHAPTER FOUR; AND LET US READ VERSE ONE:
"BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT, BUT TRY THE SPIRITS
WHETHER
THEY ARE OF GOD: BECAUSE MANY FALSE PROPHETS ARE GONE OUT
INTO THE WORLD."
AND I MIGHT ADD THAT FALSE PROPHETS CREATE FALSE RELIGIONS. WHO WAS OLD
MOHAMMED? NOTHING MORE THAN A FALSE PROPHET! THE SAME WITH CONFUSC-
IOUS, AND BUDDHA, JIM JONES, SUN YOUNG MOON, AND ALL THE REST OF THEM! WE
HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED IN THE VERSE I JUST READ. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WE
STILL HAVE THEM TODAY. THAT IS ONE OF THE "WILES OF THE DEVIL," THAT HE
STILL USES. BUT, HE HAS A DIFFERENT PLAN THAT HE USES ON CHRISTIANS:
SATAN CALLED A WORLDWIDE CONVENTION OF DEMONS. IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS HE SAID:
"WE CAN'T KEEP CHRISTIANS FROM GOING TO CHURCH: WE CAN'T
KEEP
THEM FROM READING THEIR BIBLES AND KNOWING THE TRUTH; WE CAN'T
EVEN KEEP THEM FROM FORMING AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR
SAVIOR. ONCE THEY GAIN THAT INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH JESUS, OUR
POWER OVER THEM IS BROKEN: SO, LET THEM GO TO THEIR CHURCHES;
LET THEM HAVE THEIR COVERED DISH SUPPERS, BUT STEAL THEIR TIME
SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DEVELOP AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
WITH JESUS CHRIST! THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, SAID THE DEVIL:
DISTRACT THEM FROM GAINING HOLD OF THEIR SAVIOR AND MAINTAINING THAT VITAL CONNECTION THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY."
THE DEMONS ASKED, "HOW DO WE DO THAT?"
THE DEVIL REPLIED, "KEEP THEM BUSY IN THE NONESSENTIALS OF LIFE; AND INVENT INNUMERABLE SCHEMES TO OCCUPY THEIR MINDS.
TEMPT THEM TO SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, AND BORROW, BORROW, BORROW.
PERSUADE THE WIVES TO GO TO WORK FOR LONG HOURS, AND THE HUSBANDS TO WORK 6 TO 7 DAYS EACH WEEK, 10-12 HOURS A DAY, SO THEY CAN AFFORD THEIR EMPTY LIFESTYLES.
KEEP THEM FROM SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN: AS THEIR FAMILIES FRAGMENT SOON, THEIR HOMES WILL OFFER NO ESCAPE FROM THE PRESSURES OF WORK!
OVERSTIMULATE THEIR MINDS SO THAT THEIR EARS CANNOT HEAR THAT STILL SMALL VOICE:
ENTICE THEM TO PLAY THE RADIO OR CASSETTE PLAYER WHENEVER THEY DRIVE; TO KEEP THE TV'S, VCR. CD'S AND THEIR PERSONAL COMPUTERS GOING CONSTANTLY IN THEIR HOMES, AND SEE TO IT THAT EVERY STORE AND RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD PLAYS NON-BIBLICAL MUSIC CONSTANTLY! THIS WILL JAM THEIR MINDS, AND BREAK THAT UNION WITH CHRIST!
FILL THE COFFEE TABLES WITH MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
POUND THEIR MINDS WITH THE NEWS 24 HOURS A DAY:
INVADE THEIR DRIVING MOMENTS WITH BILLBOARDS:
FLOOD THEIR MAILBOXES WITH JUNK MAIL, MAIL ORDER CATALOGS,
SWEEPSTAKES, AND EVERY KIND OF NEWSLETTER AND PROMOTIONAL OFFERING
FREE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND FALSE HOPES:
KEEP SKINNY BEAUTIFUL MODELS ON THE MAGAZINES AND TELEVISION SO THE HUSBANDS WILL BELIEVE THAT OUTWARD BEAUTY IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT, AND THEY WILL BECOME DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR WIVES:
KEEP THE WIVES TOO TIRED TO LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS AT NIGHT:
GIVE THEM HEADACHES:
IF THEY DON'T GIVE THE HUSBANDS THE LOVE THEY NEED, THEY WILL BEGIN TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. THAT WILL FRAGMENT THEIR FAMILIES QUICKLY!
GIVE THEM SANTA CLAUS TO DISTRACT THEM FROM TEACHING THEIR
CHILDREN THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS:
GIVE THEM AN EASTER BUNNY SO THEY WON'T TALK ABOUT HIS RESURRECTION AND POWER OVER SIN AND DEATH:
EVEN IN THEIR RECREATION, LET THEM BE EXCESSIVE: HAVE THEM RETURN FROM THEIR RECREATION EXHAUSTED:
KEEP THEM TOO BUSY TO GO OUT AND OBSERVE NATURE AND REFLECT ON GOD'S CREATION:
SEND THEM TO AMUSEMENT PARKS, SPORTING EVENTS, PLAYS, CONCERTS AND MOVIES INSTEAD:
KEEP THEM BUSY, BUSY, BUSY:
AND WHEN THEY MEET FOR SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP, INVOLVE THEM IN GOSSIP AND SMALL TALK SO THAT THEY WILL LEAVE WITH TROUBLED CONSCIENCES:
CROWD THEIR LIVES WITH SO MANY GOOD CAUSES, THAT THEY HAVE NO TIME TO SEEK POWER FROM JESUS: SOON THEY WILL BE WORKING IN THEIR OWN STRENGTH, SACRIFICING THEIR HEALTH AND FAMILY FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE:
IT WILL WORK!
IT WILL WORK!
IT WAS QUITE A PLAN!
THE DEMONS WENT EAGERLY TO THEIR ASSIGNMENTS CAUSING CHRISTIANS
EVERYWHERE TO GET BUSIER AND BUSIER; RUSHING TO AND FRO, AND HAV-
ING LITTLE TIME FOR GOD, HIS SON, OR THEIR OWN FAMILIES: HAVING
NO
TIME TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST TO CHANGE
LIVES. THE QUESTION IS:
HAS THE DEVIL BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN HIS SCHEMES?
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
DOES BEING "BUSY," MEAN "BEING-UNDER-SATAN'S-YOKE?"
THAT SHOULD GIVE US ALL SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
YOU CAN SEE BY THE LIST OF THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PRECEEDING STORY, THAT
THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS THAT THE DEVIL HAS CREATED TO SIDETRACK EACH
OF US AS CHRISTIANS, AND ONLY WE KNOW, AS INDIVIDUALS, HOW SUCCESSFUL HE
HAS BEEN IN HIS ATTEMPT. AT LEAST IN OUR OWN LIVES! I DON'T HAVE THE FOG-
GIEST IDEA IN THIS WORLD HOW WELL HE HAS SUCCEEDED IN YOUR LIFE, BUT IN A
CAREFUL EXAMINATION, I COULD VERY WELL SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL HE HAS BEEN
IN MY LIFE!
TURN OVER IN YOUR BIBLE TO THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW: LET US BEGIN
AT VERSE ONE.
READ VERSES 1 THRU 6
THIS IS THAT FAMILIAR PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE RELATING TO JUDGING OTHERS.
THE FIRST THING TO BECOMING SUCCESSFUL IN FIXING OTHER THINGS, IS TO FIRST
FIX THE PROBLEMS IN OUR OWN LIVES. THERE IS NOT A PERSON HERE WHO CAN
SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FLAWS OF THEIR OWN. THE TRICK IS RECOGNIZING
THEM, AND ADMITTING THEM, AND TREATING THEM: AND ACCORDING TO OUR LORD,
WHEN WE GET THE "BEAM" OUT OF OUR OWN EYE, WE WILL BE BETTER PREPARED
TO GET A "SPECK" OUT OF SOMEONE ELSES!
NOTICE THAT IN VERSE 5, JESUS CALLS SOMEONE WHO JUDGES OTHERS UNJUSTLY
A HYPOCRITE. THAT IS PRETTY STRONG TERMS, BUT IT IS TRUE, NONE THE LESS.
THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH SO MANY FOLKS TODAY IS THAT THEY THINK THAT THEY
HAVE A "SPECK" IN THEIR EYE, AND THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS THE "BEAM." THAT
WASN'T THE WAY OUR LORD TOLD IT.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I USED AN ILLUSTRATION IN THE MESSAGE THAT REALLY
GOT TO ME. IT WAS THE ONE ABOUT THE TEACHER AND TEDDY STODDARD. TEARS
CAME INTO MY EYES WHILE I WAS ELABORATING ON THAT, AND I GOT TO WHERE I
COULD HARDLY SEE MY NOTES. WHEN OUR VISION GETS BLURRY, WE CAN'T DO
MUCH. JESUS ELABORATED ON THAT WHEN HE SAID THAT THE BLIND COULDN'T
LEAD THE BLIND WITHOUT BOTH OF THEM FALLING IN THE DITCH. THAT'S TRUE!
WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS TRYING TO BE A TOUR
GUIDE. WE MUST HAVE VISION IF WE ARE TO LEAD OUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES
TO CHRIST! WE MUST FIRST FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT IS IN OUR OWN LIVES: HAVING
DONE THAT, WE'RE READY TO FIX THE PROBLEMS AROUND US.
WHAT CAN WE FIX IN 2006? WHERE WAS OUR "DRIVE" IN 2005? LET US EACH REAL-
IZE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE BY EACH OF US AS
INDIVIDUALS ALONE. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS:
THERE MAY BE SOMEONE IN THIS WORLD THAT ONLY YOU CAN REACH!
NO, I'M NOT JOKING HERE. THERE MAY BE SOME PERSON THAT YOU HAVE SUCH AN
INFLUENCE ON, THAT THEY LOOK "UP" TO YOU, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO INFLU-
ENCE THEM FOR GOOD! IT IS KIND OF LIKE A CHILD WHO IDOLIZES HIS FATHER, OR
MOTHER. THEY WANT TO GROW UP TO BE JUST LIKE THEM. AT LEAST THAT IS THE
WAY IT WAS YEARS AGO. TODAY, SO MANY PARENTS HAVE STUCK THEIR CHILDREN
IN DAY CARE CENTERS AND THE LIKE THAT MANY KIDS DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR
PARENTS. A LOT OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SO-CALLED "YOUNGER GENERATION"
WAS ACTUALLY CREATED BY THE SO-CALLED "OLDER GENERATION." WE HAVE HAD
TO SHOULDER A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT!
PROVERB 22:6 TELLS US TO:
"TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO: AND WHEN HE
IS OLD,
HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT."
ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES OF OUR DAY AND AGE IS THAT SOME PARENTS HAVE
WAITED UNTIL A CHILD WAS TOO OLD TO REALLY DO THAT. WE SHOULD HAVE OUR
CHILDREN SAYING PRAYERS TO GOD WHEN THEY ARE NOT MUCH OLDER THAN
TODDLERS. WE CAN'T START TRYING TO LEAD OUR CHILDREN TO THE LORD WHEN
THEY ARE HALF GROWN. BY THEN, THE WORLD HAS SUCH AN INFLUENCE ON THEM
AS TO MAKE THE JOB MUCH MORE DIFFICULT! IF YOU ARE HERE, AND LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO FIX IN 2006, YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE A GOOD PLACE TO START. THE
BIBLE TELLS US THAT THE "FERVENT EFFECTUAL PRAYERS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN
AVAILETH MUCH," BUT ALSO WE COULD SAY THAT
"THE FERVENT EFFECTUAL WORDS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN, (OR WOMAN) AVAILETH
MUCH." YES, WE SOMETIMES NEED TO FIX THINGS IN OUR OWN LIVES AND IN OUR
CHARACTER, AND SOMETIMES IN THE CHARACTER AND LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN,
AND SOMETIMES EVEN IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
"ILL FARES THE LAND; TO HASTENING ILLS A PREY,
WHEN WEALTH ACCUMULATES, AND MEN DECAY."
TODAY WE FIND THAT WEALTH IS THE MAIN INTEREST OF MANY OF OUR PEOPLE,
AND GOD IS NOT IN THE LEAST BIT IN THEIR THOUGHTS, WORDS, OR ACTIONS. AND
EVEN WE AS CHRISTIANS, CAN REACH A STAGE WHEN WE FEEL THAT WE MIGHT AS
WELL JUST "RESIGN" OURSELVES TO THE PREVAILING WINDS, AND GIVE UP.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IS TO NOT RESIGN, BUT BE RE-SIGNED. IF YOU ARE A CHRIST-
IAN, YOU HAVE A SIGN AROUND YOU SAYING THAT "I BELONG TO JESUS." OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOUR SIGN HAS FADED SOMEWHAT. WHEN WE
FIND OURSELVES IN THAT SITUATION, WE NEED TO BE RE-SIGNED: WE NEED TO
HAVE A NEW COAT OF PAINT PUT ON OUR PERSPECTIVE.
DR. C. I. SCOFIELD SAID THAT EVERY TIME HE AND D. L. MOODY WOULD PRAY
TOGETHER, THAT MOODY WOULD SAY, "GOD, RENEW SCOFIELD'S COMMISSION."
SCOFIELD CONTINUED, " I GOT TO WORRYING ABOUT THAT. THEN I WENT TO A MEET-
ING WITH A PREACHER FRIEND: THE SERMON WAS ON NAAMAN AND HIS DIPPING IN
JORDAN. IT WAS A GOOD SERMON, BUT I HAD A FEELING THAT SOMETHING WAS
MISSING. MY FRIEND LEANED OVER TO ME AND SAID, "WHAT THAT BROTHER NEEDS
IS ANOTHER DIP IN JORDAN HIMSELF." BUT DOCTOR SCOFIELD WENT ON TO SAY,
"IT WAS NOT THAT BROTHER THAT NEEDED IT, IT WAS I. OUT UNDER THE STARS
THAT NIGHT, I SAID, "O LORD, I'M THE ONE THAT NEEDS A FRESH DIP IN JORDAN."
I ASK YOU HERE THIS MORNING, HOW MANY OF US HERE NEEDS A FRESH DIP IN
JORDAN?
PERSONALLY SPEAKING, I THINK THAT WE COULD ALL PRAY THAT. "GOD, WOULD
YOU GIVE ME A FRESH DIP IN JORDAN." DO YOU NEED TO BE RE-SIGNED? DO YOU
NEED TO HAVE YOUR CHRISTIAN COMISSION RENEWED?
OUR LORD SAID IN THE LAST VERSE OF THE TEXT IN MATTHEW 7:6
"GIVE NOT THAT WHICH IS HOLY UNTO THE DOGS, NEITHER CAST
YE YOUR
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, LEST THEY TRAMPLE THEM UNDER THEIR FEET,
AND TURN AGAIN AND REND YOU."
IT IS INTERESTING HOW IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE IN THE BIBLE THAT IT SPEAKS OF
HOGS AND DOGS IN THE SAME CONNECTION OF VERSES. THE CONTEXT HERE IS
THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH THE THINGS OF
GOD. WE CAN FIND MANY A CHURCH TODAY THAT HAS DONE THINGS JUST THAT
WAY. THEY HAVE TAKEN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND MIXED IT WITH THE GIMMICK-
RY OF THIS WORLD IN ORDER TO GAIN CONVERTS, AND IT IS TURNING OUT A GROUP
OF "CHURCH MEMBERS" WHO WERE WORLDLY WHEN THEY BECAME CHRISTIANS,
AND HAS DONE LITTLE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR OLD HABITAT. WE
HAVE A ORGANIZATION IN THIS COUNTRY CALLED "HABITAT FOR HUMANITY." IT WAS
STARTED, I BELIEVE, BY FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER, AND DOES A GREAT WORK,
BUT IN REALITY, THIS WORLD IS NO "HABITAT FOR HUMANITY." THE PERFECT HABI-
TAT FOR HUMANITY IS HEAVEN. SADLY THOUGH, MANY THERE BE THAT WILL NEVER
REACH IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ITS FOUNDER, JESUS CHRIST.
WHAT CAN WE FIX IN 2006? ALONE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE MUCH PROGRESS,
BUT IF WE WILL TEAM UP WITH THE ALLMIGHTY, WE CAN DO WONDERS! BUT WE
MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO "BE ALL THAT WE CAN BE" SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING AND
LEAVE THE REST TO GOD. LET US SAY TO HIM, "LORD, HERE I AM. SHOW ME WHAT
YOU WANT ME TO DO, WHERE YOU WANT ME TO DO IT, AND EQUIPT ME FOR THE PUR-
POSE. IF YOU ARE IN DEAD EARNEST BY IT, HE'LL TAKE YOU UP ON IT!
NEW YEARS IS ALWAYS A TIME OF NEW BEGINNINGS. NEW DREAMS AND HOPES FOR
THE FUTURE. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL HOPE. BUT, IF
YOU HAVE NEVER BECAME ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN, THEN YOU ARE AN OUTCAST.
YOU ARE LOST, AND ON THE ROAD TO ETERNAL DESTRUCTION. BUT GOD HAS PRO-
VIDED A WAY OUT OF THAT. HE SENT US HIS SON TO DIE AND GIVE US AN OPPOR-
TUNITY TO BE WITH HIM IN HEAVEN:
HAVE YOU TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPERTUNITY?
HAVE YOU REPENTED OF YOUR SINS?
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE
SON OF THE LIVING GOD, AND CONFESSED HIM BEFORE MEN?
ARE YOU WILLING TO TURN OVER YOUR LIFE AND HEART TO JESUS?
WILL YOU LET HIM BE "LORD OF YOUR LIFE?"
HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, AND TO
RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
THESE ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, AND YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY RESTS
ON THE ANSWERS TO THEM! OR, MAYBE YOU FEEL A NEED TO REDEDICATE YOUR
LIFE. NEW YEARS ARE ALWAYS A GOOD PLACE TO START. MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE
TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS HERE:
WHATEVER THE LORD MAY BE LAYING UPON YOUR HEART THIS MORNING; WOULD
YOU COME AS WE STAND AND SING OUR HYMN OF INVITATION,