229 Spiritual Insights For 2023 & Beyond (Part 11) Judgment & Mercy Beginning At The House Of God - Rod Mills

​Throughout Scripture we see God reveal to his people His plans and highlight certain focuses for the coming season of time. Each year, we pray and seek the Lord for His guidance, insights, and direction for the upcoming year. This series is an overview of some of the prophetic insights God is highlighting to the AeroNova spiritual family for the year 2023 and beyond.

​Similar to Paul, Peter also teaches us that judgment must begin at the house of God. God will not judge the world without first judging His own house.

Full transcript generated by ai (please excuse errors):





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​I don't even know which installment This is we've had so many looking into the 2023 spiritual insights to 2023 and beyond. And this particular topic that subtopic that we're on right now, not I, I don't find it like a pleasant topic. Like, it's not something that most pastors leaders, teachers go well, I really want to teach on the fear of the Lord, increasing exposure of sin and opportunity for mercy, although I really liked the opportunity for mercy part. And we know how important the fear of the Lord is. But something I want to keep reminding us is as we enter the times that we are living, and as the times and the times that are coming, it is essential to understand God's heart in God's ways, and how he deals with society, how he deals with societies plural, that's very important for us to understand. And the Scripture is filled with God's nature and how he deals with societies in different stages of obedience and different stages of sin as well. So it's important for us to understand that and it's important for us to understand His righteousness and His justice, because the scripture says that God's throne is founded on two things, righteousness, and justice, which is also translated judgment, says the Hebrews words are said doc, and mish pot. And you will see that very often all through the Old Testament, these two words appear together. And we're not teaching specifically on the words today, but we're talking about how God deals with society and His righteousness and His justice. So it's critical to understand all of these in order to be protected from offense, or deception in these last days. So that's why we're talking about what we see right now is an increase in the fear of the Lord, among those who respond to the Lord. So everyone's not responding. But many people right now, are walking in an increase of the fear of the Lord more in our lives than we ever have before. And that's a good thing, because that's God preparing us the Scripture says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So, you know, I want wisdom. I want God's wisdom, not man's wisdom, I want God's wisdom with Scripture calls, I think it was Paul called it a heavenly wisdom. And James, I think referred to it. I want that kind of wisdom. And remember that scripture we gave you the last time I taught on this, through fear, the humility and the fear of the Lord, come, riches, honor, and life. So now you've got my attention. When Solomon said that humility and the fear of the Lord bring riches, honor in life, I want riches, honor and life in my life, I probably don't even have to do a show of hands here. I don't know anybody who doesn't want riches, honor in life in their life. So humility and the fear of the Lord are very important. So to catch us up here, we'll pick up where we where I left off last time. Now, if you're listening in the teaching library, we have a lot of teachers teaching. So there's been several installments since I've taught on the teaching library, but we've talked about cultivating the fear of the Lord, and judging ourselves. Now, how does that sound when we when we say, judge yourself? How do you feel when God says judge yourself? Remember, Jesus says, If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. I think it was Jesus does. It's in the Bible. That's the main thing. But he said, If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. I think it was James one. Somebody helped me one of you Bible scholars out there. I'm looking at. Yeah, I know. And I'm looking over here because I got a Bible scholar right over here, but he I think it was James, but I apologize. It's somewhere in my notes here. And I can't remember. You know, after all these years, I just scriptures just come out and I don't have all the references. But if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. When you think about judging yourself. It doesn't seem very fun like Right, like Well, me looking for all you airborne paratroopers in the spent time in the army. It's kind of like saying, I'm going to do JMP, I'm gonna just look in the mirror and do J MPI. What scripture is it? NERT so it was Paul Okay. If we would judge ourselves, we would not be. Okay. So it was Paul. All right, there you go. It seems like man, I don't know if I want to judge myself. But then when he says we would not be judged, all of a sudden judging yourself gets really good look, and it's like, man, okay. I think I like judging myself, because I don't want to be judged. Now, to judge ourselves, we have to be honest with ourselves. You can't you can't lie. You know, you can't lie to yourself, if you judge yourself right? Now. So people think, Man, this is not a motivational speech. This is not really getting me excited about. But listen, I'll tell you what the the blessings of heaven, it takes humility, in the fear of the Lord to judge yourself, doesn't it? It takes humility to judge yourself. It also takes humility to listen to feedback from others when it's not always exactly what I want to hear. But humility, and the fear of the Lord allows me to receive and to grow. And I'm blessed with riches, honor, and life. So now I haven't seen it. I'm excited about that. But part of this is, is judging ourselves in order to prepare our hearts for corrective actions that God is doing or bringing in society. So one of the things that is a growing theme in the church right now, not in all churches, but there's this growing theme, that judgment of some kind is coming. Now, that's scary, and nobody really wants to hear that. But if it is, it's kind of like a Noah's day. If it is I want to be a part of the Ark building program. I want to be on that ark, you know what I'm saying? You do know? And I'm like, okay, yeah, it's not an attractive theme. But at the same time, if it's true, I want to know about it, and I want to prepare my heart. And so I want to be like, no at not, do you guys. Have you ever thought about when Noah received this word about building an ark and the flood? Do you think he got a little more serious about repentance in his own life? I believe he did. Yeah, I believe he was like, oh, man, I better make sure um, you know, it's not just, you know, going, okay, I'm good. I'm good. Now. He's like, No, I'm going to be praying, I'm going to be reflective. I'm going to repent, I want to make sure my family is ready. I want to make sure that I'm walking blameless before the Lord in His ways, and His righteousness, not my righteousness. That's what I'm, I'm looking for. Now, I'm going to read to you from First Peter, chapter four. And I will read two verses verses 17 and 18. Now, this is kind of scary scripture to me. But it's really scary to some people. And even though it may not be scary to them, it's really scary for them. He says, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. Whoa, whoa, what is he talking about? It begins with us first. Now this is a marine from Bible. This is New King James, it begins judgment begins with us. First. What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? So he's saying, Hey, if you and I if we're walking in the righteousness of God, we've repented from our sin, and we are actively repenting from our sin like we don't just like you didn't just give your life to the Lord repent one time and then that was it right? You and I are still repenting. What does that mean? We're repenting means turning away from sin, turning away from wrong turning away from those things that are not of God's will and destiny. And we're turning our faces and our hearts toward him. We're turning toward him. And you know, as we go through life, kind of like what we were talking about earlier in the sharing, it's, it's actively turning that steering wheel to keep it in the lane. I want to be in God's lane. I don't want to be in the oncoming traffic in a hidden head on collision. I don't want to be stuck in the ditch. I don't want to be off track and derailed from the will of God and His destiny for my life. I want to be in God's Lane God's will. And in order to do that, we must be a people who embrace this judgment that comes to the house of God. We have to be a people who do that. This doesn't seem Popular but I'll tell you what, when you arrive at your destination, and you're prospering, and Rich's honor in life, the blessing of God is coming upon you and your family. You're pretty glad you're staying in the lane. And you're pretty glad that you were pursuing and embracing that judgment that God brings. Because God Remember this. His heart is love. So when he brings discipline to the church, when he brings discipline in my life, he really doesn't want to he really prefers to go, Hey, let's, why don't you walk this way? I don't want to have to bring any kind of discipline or retribution. Why don't you walk this way? Let me help you. Well, if I'm having trouble, he may have me do my push ups, he may go, Okay, well, here, let's get you doing some push ups, we'll get you into shape. And, and I'm going, Oh, my Lord, I don't really like doing my push ups. But you know, once you start doing push ups and working out, you start to kind of like it, you're like, oh, you know what, I kind of like this Lord, and I'm getting in shape, and I'm getting in the will of God, and I'm feeling good. And the Lord says, Good job, well done, son, well done, daughter, you're doing a good job. And then he starts to affirm us. And we see the heart of God is not at his heart to bring judgment, his heart is to bring us into prosperity, blessing and the will of Heaven. So, as mentioned earlier, I believe that we're entering seasons of increase in the fear of the Lord in the house of God. This is God's call. He's saying, hey, it's time to increase in the fear of the Lord. And in and there's also guys, and this is the part that I don't want to say it like, there's part of me that doesn't want to say it. And there's part of me goes, Just say it because this is what I'm saying. And it's like fire in my bones, but the Lord is going to increase exposure of sin. I'll say it again, I believe God is increasing exposure of sin, and opportunity for mercy. Now, God doesn't want to embarrass you, you know that, right? Like, when your children are in trouble, you don't want to embarrass them. You want to find a way to restoration and healing. God's desire is his first option is not well, let's just embarrass him in front of everybody and show this and boom, you know, we'll get a response, we will, you know, God's not abrasive like that. He's like, You know what, that's really not how I prefer to do it. Most of the people I have known or known about where God exposed something in their lives that brought great embarrassment to them. There is an audit trail of God bringing people into their life, to try to bring correction and repentance. And I won't say it on the microphone here, because some of these are high profile people, that you and I, but that hundreds of 1000s of people know about where there was opportunities for repentance, and they kept walking away from it. And but I do believe that the Lord is bringing judgment in his house, because every time he brings judgment in society, he brings purification in his house. It's not see God. God is not unrighteous. He's not a respecter of persons. He's not partial. He doesn't go, well, I'll judge everybody else. But in my house, I'll just let him keep on sinning and doing with it. No, he doesn't do that. God doesn't operate that way. So what he does is he actually says, Let me deal with my own house and get them to obey me, and will have blood in the Passover, over their doorsteps over their households. So they're protected, because they have entered into repentance. What do we get when we enter into repentance? Mercy, the mercy of God comes with repentance. When repentance is activated in our lives, God brings mercy when repentance is not activated, then there's a problem. And there are many scriptures that we could go through today, but we won't, because that's not the main topic. But God's desire for us is to be people of repentance to walk turning toward his heart. This is his tire. His desire. Many times judgment is an opportunity for repentance, before the final judgment. So in other words, God's going, Hey, you would really, really rather just go through some period of judgment and correction here than to have to go through that final judgment. You don't want. That's not when nobody wants to be there. Nobody wants to be in that place in the final judgment, and not be not have things taken care of. God will allow the increase of pressures and he'll even take proactive actions in our lives to get people's attention, as an act of mercy took Call us to repentance. Back to what I was saying earlier, many of the people I've known over the years where they were exposed or some exposure of their sin in their lives, there were many steps that God provided for them as an out, to repent so that it didn't have to all get spilled out into the open and the public and other people and all of this. So God in His mercy will do this many times. And so this is our desire to enter into this this humility and the fear of the Lord and in in repentance. As we enter these times, it's essential to understand God's heart and His ways and how he deals with society. This what we're talking about the justice in the righteousness of God, I'm going to try to repeat this several times throughout our series, God is calling us to and in my notes, I put all caps take notice. There is a difference, guys, please hear this. If you hear in a moment, you're going to go Why are you saying this? You're going to ask yourself, why is he saying this? Please hold on. And we'll get to the why. There is a difference between the one who sins and the one who drags multitudes into sin, by what Isaiah calls cords of iniquity, and falsehood. So Isaiah issues this alarming warning concerning people who do this in his day, the warning, still stance. So you'll hear why I'm saying this in a moment because the Lord wants His people to have discernment about how he views society, about how he views righteousness about how he views sin. We need to know how God views these things. Why? Because as we enter into prayer, and intercession and spiritual governing through prayer, we need to understand how God views these things. Because we are called many times to intercede and pray for mercy. Sometimes, even the people of God in Exodus we see this we see it in the prophets, we see it with some of the apostles would even release a judgment of God. Because the Lord gave them the authority in that moment. In that time to do it. We have to understand the heart of God and how He operates. There's a growing number of people who believe in the final days, that even judgments will be released in the earth as intercessors are praying much like happened with Israel and Egypt, in the time of the Exodus and in the plagues. So we won't get into that today. But I want to read Isaiah chapter five. I'm gonna read two verses, Isaiah chapter five, I'll read verse 18. And I'll read verse 20. And this Isaiah says, Woe to those who draw iniquity, with cords of vanity. Now that word vanity in the Hebrew is translated falsehood, emptiness, hollowness, and sin, as if with a cart rope. That that say, let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it, let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come that we may know it, woe to those who call evil good and good evil. And that's what Isaiah saying, he said, listen, there are people who they're not just sitting there drawing massive iniquity with them with cords of iniquity, massive sin, and they are calling evil, good and good evil. This is how they're doing it by calling evil good, and good evil. And in fact, because they call evil, good and good evil. It's not just a personal sin, right? It has become a corporate sin. When people do this, Isaiah is saying, they with cords of iniquity are through their falsehood, dragging this iniquity and literally pulling or influencing many people into this. He says they put darkness for light and light for darkness. They put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. So Isaiah is calling out those who don't just carry iniquity, but what they bought jet not just what they can carry, that is their own sin. In other words, imagine right now that you were moving some stuff and so you grabbed as much as you could possibly hold on to, you grab onto this huge load, and that's the most you can carry. Well, Isaiah St. Hey, they're not just carrying as much sin as they can carry. They have formed these cords of iniquity, and they've got a cart rope. And if you look behind them, there's tons of sin and iniquity back there, that they're also pulling. It's not enough for them to just have their own sin. Now they need to drag everybody else they can into it. And he says people who call evil good and Good Evil do that. Why is that important? Because that is exactly what's happening today. More than most societies in human history, we have people who are calling all kinds of evil things good and saying this is compassionate, and this is good. And and this is love. And this is mercy and God's going, Oh, no, oh no, you are deceiving multitudes and you're pulling multitudes into sin. And this is happening on many levels. So Isaiah directly connects this behavior of people who call evil good and good evil. Do you see that in the in the passage? This is why James when he talks about teachers, in the Scripture, he says teachers will receive a stricter judgment. And that's in James chapter three people who influence many will require a stricter judgment. Does that does anybody come to mind? So it's not just teachers in the church? Why are teachers in the church held to a stricter judgment? Because they're not at home teaching themselves in the mirror? They are teaching people like I'm teaching you right now. Now, that's scary. Do you think that scares me with the number of people I've taught and having this broadcast go out to? I think we have over 70 nations? Absolutely. It's terrifying. But you know, what's more terrifying, being the guy who buried his talent, and the Lord looks at him and goes, You wicked and lazy servant, well, I don't want to be that guy, you know. And so what we do is we do our best to enter into obedience. But here's the point, people who influence what you know, we talked about social media, influencers, stars, TV shows, all of these people, mark my words, these are not mine. This is how God does it. This is what he says in James three. This is what he shows us in Isaiah. And this is what he shows us in many places, they will receive a stricter judgment, because they're not standing in the mirror calling evil good and good evil, they are calling evil, good and good evil on social media, they're doing it in on TV, they're doing it and all these other places, and therefore the Lord will hold them to an account, just like he will hold you and me to an account. Now that that is not scary to a lot of them, because they don't even believe they'll be held to account. But it doesn't matter whether you believe in gravity or not. If you jump off a tall building, you'll find out that your belief doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that gravity is real. So is the judgment of heaven. Why are these things relevant to us? Why are they important? Because of the increase in deception in the earth? Why are they important to us, because we must walk in the light. God is beginning to prepare the church now. So that we are not deceived in that day, or in that generation. It's important for us now to teach the whole counsel of God, not we don't want to wait to prepare the church for the Great Deception, great falling away, on the day that it's happening. Now, some people will say it's already happening. But God is calling us now to prepare the church. So as I speak to you, I don't speak to you as hearers only I speak to you as here's endures, because you will speak these words of God, not my words. What I say here is not important. What I say here can fall by the wayside. But what I say here, that is God's words, it will stand and it will continue. And it will have its full expression. And I'm praying that it will have its full expression in your life in your heart and your lips and your mouth, that you speak it and not be hearers only, because we must bring the message of God's truth to a generation and to the coming generations to prepare them for what's coming. We're preparing this generation and the coming generations, Matthew 2424. Jesus said false Christs false prophets will rise, and they will show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the very elect. Second Thessalonians two three, Paul says, Let no one deceive you by any means. For that day will not come. He's talking about the day of the Lord. Unless the falling away comes first. And the man of sin is revealed. The son of perdition. So Paul tells us in the last days there will be a great falling away. Now guys, it's not going to happen like this. It's not going to be like it's not going to be like will on July 1 of 2032 or 2052 or 2082 Bam there's a great falling away on that day. You know, boom, it just, it's not going to happen like that. What happens is the enemy works and deceives works and indices and gradually, people start not believing anymore. And then there's a falling away in the falling away intensifies the falling away begins with simple compromises. We could go in and do an A spiritual autopsy on the apostates right now in the church, some of them high profile. And it started with small compromises. Because the enemy is very seductive. He doesn't show up in your life and say, hey, I want to just take away your belief and all of this stuff. What he does is he shows up with simple compromises. See the importance of judgment, see the importance of humility and the fear of the Lord. Humility, and the fear of the Lord is so important, because God uses it to protect us from the small compromises that cause us to depart from the lane of God's will. And Callie. I have a very dear friend many years ago who was killed when she went off the lane of the road. And there was a river right there. And she literally just went right off the lane. And she The car turned, went upside down and went into the river, and she died at age 21. And, you know, that's devastating. But I've always thought about that. Many times when I'm driving by a river for one thing, or a cliff or an edge, but in spiritual terms, I've thought about it quite a few times in their relationship to is my life compromising? Am I just taking it for granted, and just weaving in and out of the lane of God's calling? And will from my life, little compromises that the enemy goes, Hey, it'll be okay. If you just compromise and you just go six inches over the line, six inches over the line here, six inches over the line there. And you know what, in many cases in life, people do not know that there is a cliff or a river there. The enemy is trying to pull them out of the center of God's will and calling. And many times his seductions. They don't know what's about to happen in those compromises. Right? And so we want to walk in the fear of the Lord. You know, I think of that scripture, I think it was Peter said that the the evil one he walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Alliances, pray, feels completely safe, the moment before he pounces. I'll say it again, Alliance, pray feels completely safe a moment before he pounces, he has no clue the lion is there, and the lack of vigilance, there is what gets them into trouble. Now, I'm not trying to put an undue fear upon you. But I am seriously feeling the Holy Spirit, compelling us to walk in humility and the fear of the Lord and understand that this is serious business, every day of our lives needs to be a masterpiece before the Lord. Not don't take any day for granted. Don't take any minute, don't take any compromise nonchalantly or lightly. Because God is saying, Hey, listen, there's a great falling away that's coming. Understand that the great falling away, does not come suddenly. And all of a sudden, everybody just falls away in one day. It's because of the compromises in the enemy gets people into the world thinking like the world. And now there is greater danger than ever, because the world is carrying some very radioactive philosophies and theologies that are not from God. Amen. It looks like it looks like that this falling away, is beginning to happen in tremors or in small ways. Now, some people would say, man, it looks huge to me. It's small compared to what it's going to be. But don't, don't be. Don't be disturbed by it in that you don't have to be shaken in your faith. God has said this is going to happen. Now, I'm not saying don't be troubled by it because it should trouble us that there's a great falling away. But it should not shake us. It should not shake your faith. Because God says this has to happen before the final days the coming of the Lord before the next age. It's going to get a lot more intense. I want to be ready. Second Timothy four three Tim, Paul says to Timothy For the time will come when they will not endure sound teaching but according to their own desires. In other words, they want you to teach what they desire. Because they have itching ears and they will keep up for themselves teachers now what does he mean he's talking about they will keep up for themselves teach yours, who will kind of be the positive motivational speaker guru that will make them feel good about their faith? Yes, we want to feel good about our faith. But we also want to know the truth, amen. We need to know the whole truth and a whole counsel of God. The world is looking for Bible teachers, did you know that they will love Bible teachers who will teach them the ways of the world as acceptable to God, they are looking for Bible teachers to do that. It's surprising because when you see someone, a pastor or someone, and they start teaching a lot of the world's ways as okay with God, boy, the world, man, they'll highlight them, they'll put them on the news, they'll talk positive about them, because they like Bible teachers who will teach their ways as being okay with God. That's what Paul's telling Timothy this day is coming. But but there are extreme dangers in that and God's saying, hey, no, teach them the whole council. So likewise, worldly Christians, like the world, worldly Christians, are also looking for Bible teachers, who will teach the ways and values of the world as acceptable to God. I just read a couple of weeks ago, a pastor who was doing this, and he's like, no, no, this is the way of God this is God's love. This is God's compassion. And he was talking about compromising with radioactive sin that spiritually cancer causing that destroys people's lives. And it's like, oh, okay, I see where you're going with this, because he likes being accepted. Now, I'm sure that he really believes that at some level. But But little does he know, perhaps, that he's fulfilling this prophetic word that Paul gives Timothy. So Paul challenges us to love the whole counsel of God, not just the stuff that always makes us feel good, but all of the counsel of God because in the long run, the whole counsel of God is going to make you feel real good. Because he's going to save you, it's going to protect you, the whole counsel of God is literally what's going to bring riches on our life to your life forever, not just in this life, but forever. And like a Habakkuk, we see to know we seek to know what he will say to us remember how Habakkuk said that and to one and what he will say when we are corrected why a lot of people don't say that we desire God's correction, God's love, we desire, I want to be on the right way, man, if you know I don't want to, I don't want to miss it there. I want the blessings of the kingdom that come from the full will of God, because half the will of God. And then half obedience is going to bring the curse of sin of the half OBT disobedience. You know, if it's half obedience half disobedience, man, the enemy will graze on that disobedience I, you know, I've heard it said many times that if you have 3% of compromise in your life, that is you take 3% Let's say 70 97% of my life, 97% I just all out, I'm all out for God. But then 3% I just go hog wild and sin for three. But Lord, it's only 3%. I'm only in hog wild sin for 3%. Right? The enemy will graze on that 3% You give the devil and he will take a mile, they'll take 10 miles, then I'll take 100 miles. And I've watched it happen again and again, destroy people because they didn't take it seriously what God says. So we seek to say, No, give God go for the 100%. So he has no place to grace, and you will be victorious. And this is the spirit of victory. This is the promise. Don't think you can't walk in 100% victory. Don't think that you can't walk 100% in the destiny of God. Don't let the enemy make you think that you can't have the full victory. Because you can. You can have the full victory in your family, and your life destiny in your life calling. And the enemy is constantly convincing Christians, that somehow it's going to be really, really, really, really hard to go full into the full will of God and have the full blessings of heaven and be able to be victorious. 100% don't believe that? Listen, it's not near as hard as he tells you it is you can be an overcomer Jesus. This is his message. This is a message of the apostles. This is the message of the writers of Scripture that we can live in victory. This is God's promise to you and to me, in all of these challenges. The Lord's desire is toward us to bless us and to increase his victory in our lives. 100,000% That's how motivated he is when God is that motivated to bless you. How can you not go wrong? How can you miss it? You have to actually turn away you have to actually turn away from the Lord. And I understand there's that those people Like, like I was sharing with you, they're 100% in the 97%. But in their 100%, in the 3%, hog wild or wrong direction, there are those people and they they don't say like, wait a minute, you don't understand it's really not that hard God can bring absolute victory in your life. And this is not something you you just believe this is something that you need imparted. You gotta, you gotta have a revelation of this that God has, he is 100,000% for you. And if God be for you, who can be against you, if the Lord is that motivated to bring blessing and victory in your life and family, I don't mean you won't have trials. I don't mean it will have struggles. I don't mean you won't have some valleys. But in those trials, in those valleys, in those struggles, God will stand up on your behalf, He will bless you, He will forgive that sin, and He will make it completely go away. And then he will call you to Himself. And he'll say, hey, come to me in the secret place. Let's do this thing. There is a way in God. And when you get on that highway with God, you will develop a momentum and your history with God, and you'll look back 3040 50 years, I'll be long gone. I'll be in the heaven. Some of you younger guys here, younger girls here, you'll look back and you're like, man, Patrick Roddy was right, man, I didn't realize this thing can really be done and done well, and you will have the momentum of Heaven in history of God in your life. That's what my prayer is for you. But I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm not gonna be like some of those recruiters who say, come over here and sign up. It's gonna be easy, right? I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell you the truth. But I tell you that it will be God with you. And I'd rather do hard with God than easy without him. Because easy without God is hard. Right? It's real hard. It doesn't turn out. Well, Somebody say amen. Okay. All right. Well, we'll close it here in just a moment. I want to just say one more thing. Habit. Habakkuk two, one. He says, I will stand my watch. And I will sit myself on the rampart. And I will watch not just I will listen. His eyes are open. He says, I will watch to see what he will say to me. Now he's ready. Guys. I'm asking you, God's asking you to do this. Start doing this. Do it every day. Stand your watch over your family, stand your watch over your loved one, stand your watch over the spiritual family, stand your watch over your job, wherever you fill in the blank there what God's saying stand your watch and say, God, please speak to me, show me how can I pray? How can I intercede? What can I do? And then open your eyes to see what he will say to you. Now the next part, some of us don't like he says, and what I will answer when I'm corrected. So here's what I have a kick saying he goes, he said, I'm ready for anything. I don't know if I'm ready, but I'm ready. Okay, if he says something good to me or positive, you know, everything God says is good. If he says something positive to me, Okay, Lord, I'm for it. If he says something that I perceive as negative, even that's positive, because he's helping me. But whatever it is, I'm going to stand up. Like a man of God, you stand up like a man of God or a woman of God, and say, I'm gonna stand my watch, I'm gonna see what God will say to me. And if he corrects me, I'm looking for that too. I'm looking for whatever He will say to me. And in that I'm going to be faithful as an intercessor, as a as a man or woman of God, to pray and intercede. And to be someone who is bringing victory to my generation. Amen. To my family. This is the heart of a true watchman. Like Moses, I'm praying, like I said earlier, to be faithful. In all of God's house, I want to be faithful in all of this. I want it to be spoken to me and my family, my spiritual family, and the people I serve in love. They were faithful in all of God's house, they weren't just faithful and 40% they weren't just faithful in the easy stuff. They were faithful in all of God's house and the record of heaven will stand forever and people will read about it in the heavens. This stuff has been written in the books you remember in Revelation, the books were open and another book was opened. What are those books there the year the legacy some people look at it as all this is just the judgment, all the negative stuff? No, God is producing for you and me a legacy in eternity. People will read about what you did. You can be a legend in eternity through your simple obedience. You don't have to be famous. You don't have to ever be rich. You don't have to do a whole lot of big things. You just have to obey God and be faithful. And as we do it the legacy that will be written and will be pronounced and taught in generations as God prepares for whatever's in the new creation that we do not yet know, the people of God will live as legends in that day. Don't you know that these people in this day in the Bible days in the Old Testament habit did didn't know you and I were going to be reading about him. He's just Lillo him in that place. He had no idea I'd be standing here speaking. And then 70 Plus nations of people be listening to it. He had no idea, right? He just obeying God where He is the same is true of you and me. Many will be spoken in the ages in the coming ages and eternity of your faithfulness and your legacy and God. And it's been set right now. It's been set today. It's been set this week. It's been set next week, it's been set, and nothing will be hidden. Now, it's like, Well, Lord, You mean No, no, my mistake. Yeah, they probably will. I don't know. Some people say though, God washes away our sin, and they won't even know about it. I'm not sure about that. I know, he washed his aware of sin, I'm sure about that part. But I got a feeling they're going to know my mistakes, too. That's just my opinion. But it's okay. Even if they know my mistakes and sins, right? Because I'm covered by the blood of Jesus, I'm forgiven. I'm washed, clean and purified. And it's a testimony of what God did with an imperfect man. And he took us from that imperfection and grew us into a successful obedient sons and daughters who walk in God. You see what I'm getting at? And then in that day, I think they're, they're pretty open about it, right? I don't you know, all of Heaven knows both the positives and negatives, there's nothing hidden. If you want to be embarrassed here. Just Just remember this, that everything you do right now, even the negative stuff, even the sins right now, all of Heaven sees it. Right? They see it, it's not hidden from them, like they see the great cloud of witnesses and all of that. Don't embarrass your ancestors. Okay? So obey God where you are. Amen. I don't know where that came from. But I'm just sharing with you how I see it as I read the scriptures. When I was in the army, you guys know, we were in the thick of the war. Some of you here know that. Some of you were with, we were together. When I was in the army, there were people like this, that they only wanted the comfortable part of the military. They just wanted the good stuff. You know, they liked the benefits and all that. But they didn't necessarily like the 70 Hour Workweek, you know, that part was hard. The 70 hour work weeks and the long some of the long, hard physical things that we had to do. But they didn't necessarily like the challenging parts. And some of them. And you could some of you guys could speak to this specially Tom, your assignments guy. Some of them only one of the easy units. They didn't want the hard units, right? They wanted the easy units, were you. Yeah, they didn't want to deploy that. So that was gonna be my next thing. They didn't want to have to go to war. And I knew people I don't know how they did it. But for years, we got into the war. And some of them never been to war. I was like, Man, how does this how can we need to go to war this many times, and I run into this guy, and he's never been to war in a war this long. And so during the war, they quickly became known as people who were often strategizing to avoid combat, and to avoid the hard stuff and avoid possibly dying, and death and destruction around him or what have you. Guys, listen, I don't want to be like that. Right? And I especially don't want to be like that in the kingdom of God, where I'm going well, Lord, you know, I'll serve you as long as it's easy and Cush and, and I have, it's comfortable. And you know, you fill in the blanks, you know, the flesh wants it to be easy. The spirit is willing, right? The the flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing the spirits going, God, I want to be in the center of your will. Because I've been a part of the miracles. I've seen miraculous things and some of the darkest places the earth, it's credible stuff God does. I want to be where he's moving and what he's doing it it might be hard, but it will be worth it. The you know, are you going through a hard time right now? Or maybe you went through a hard time last year? Or maybe there's a struggle you're having you, you know, there's so many areas listen those hard times, many times in the hard times, is where God will be closer. He'll feel closer. You will sense him closer than you ever sensed him before. Don't miss this window of opportunity. God wants to be close to you in the challenge. He wants to be close to you in the hardship. He wants to be close to you in the difficulty he wants you to know, hey, this might be hard but you are not alone. I'm with you in this. This might be difficult, but I'm going to help you succeed, I'm going to help you bring the victory into your life. And you're going to look back and you're gonna go, Wow. I don't know why. But I feel like that was one of the greatest times in my life, even though it was really hard. And I didn't like it. Because God was with me, because the kindness of the Lord was toward me. And I felt the gentleness of his hand. And I felt the willingness of his heart to rescue me from whatever it is that you're struggling with. Maybe it's financial, maybe it's family, maybe it's job, maybe you know, I don't know what it is. There's many people listening, and I just let the Holy Spirit speak to you on what that might be. So in mercy, the Lord speaks to His Church and First Corinthians 10. And this is the passage that I was misquoted or miss referencing so bad earlier that Tom helped me with and First Corinthians 10. In fact, it was Paul who said it, not Jesus and not James. But he says in first Corinthians 1031 32, for if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. I like that. Is First Corinthians 1031. is what I have. If that's not Oh, is it? Oh, is it? Okay? Oh, I thought maybe my reference was wrong. He says, Now, I like you know, what I like about the Scripture. He doesn't say, For if we would judge ourselves, will only partially be judged. He actually says, If we would judge ourselves, I think what he means is, if we will, honestly, with humility, and honor and fear the Lord and complete genuine honesty, just judge yourself, we will not be judged. Now, the other part is God, He tells us to submit ourselves one to another. Why? That's right. Submit yourself one to another. But so a lot of times, I'll have a situation where I'm getting ready. And, and I'll look in the mirror and everything looks good. Everything's good. Okay, I'm ready to go. And Beth comes over. And she's like, I hate your underwear sticking out in the back, you know, and I'm like, what, you know. I have a story. I'm debating whether or not to tell it. It's not about me. Oh, I'll tell it because it's actually it's actually funny. But it illustrates my point. I was working for a well known international ministry, if I said the name of the ministry or the name of the leaders, they're known by millions of people. And I was working in this ministry. And one of the ladies there, she comes up to me, she goes to the restroom, she comes up to me after she comes out of the restroom. I just had the most embarrassing moment in my life. I was like what happened? She says, I came out of the restroom. And there was this famous famous man of God, famous man of God. And she goes, I was talking to him and everything. And she goes, I go walking in to our office and the ladies look at me, and they said, you have six inches of toilet paper coming out the back of your pants. And she says, I was so embarrassed because who I was talking to and what happened to me. Don't be that person. Now, it's a funny story to us. But in all in all seriousness, many times in life, you can look in the mirror like she looked in the mirror that day before she left the restroom, and everything looks good. But everything was not good. And it's the people who love us. It's submitting ourselves one to another, as the scripture says, and being open to each other. And it's that openness of heart, listen, if my heart is not open, people will not tell me there's toilet paper, right? They will not say anything. Because they don't. There has to be an openness for people to be honest and go, Hey, you know, I'm embarrassed to say this to you. But I think you are struggling in this area. I just am saying this because I love you. And I want to help you. And then our hearts are open. Because there's a genuine love if someone loves you, and they say things that you feel like are critical. Listen to them. Listen to them. Because a lot of times if they love you, it's not a critical spirit at all. It's that they love and care. And that's important for us to know. This is part of judging ourselves so that we will not be judged. Then he says in verse 32, but when we are judged, we're chastened. We're disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world. That's why he says judgment must first come the house of God because God does not want us to be condemned in that judgment that Peter talks about. Amen. Lord, we thank You, Father, in all of these things, all of these topics we ask you, that you will give us a revelation of your heart and the kindness of your hand and your touch and our lives. Even when we were in sin before we were Christians, even when we were in sin, after we were Christians at different times, sinning against you. Your kindness and love was toward us. And this day, your kindness and love is toward us and Lord, we ask you help us be prepared for this that is coming. We asked you help us be prepared as individuals, as families, as spiritual families and families of families. Ask, we ask you to help us be prepared, so that we will be like Noah prepared in that day, so that we will be like Moses and the children of Israel prepared in that day of time of judgment, and difficulty. And it's our desire help us see and walk in the heart of the Father, in Jesus name. Amen.