When You Come to the Crossroads, Take the Crossroad

I explore what it means to stay on the straight path God has set before us — even when the pressure to turn aside has never been greater. In a day of increasing darkness and moral apostasy, I believe God is still calling his church to take firm hold of his word and refuse to bend. This message is a call to stand, to speak, and to trust that the fourth man is still in the fire.

Show Notes

A Lighthouse in Darkening Times

I'm so thankful for Pastor Tim, and I know you are too. I'm thankful for the clarion call that is going out from this pulpit and going all over the world. By God's grace, we're going to continue to lift up our pastor and pray for him. And for the burden — you have no idea, I do. Many of you don't have any idea the weight that this pulpit puts on a man. It's a phenomenal weight. I used to say years ago when I came through the Lincoln Tunnel — when I lived in New Jersey — I would pick up my baby grand piano when I came through and put it on my back for the whole time I was here. There's just a weight you cannot describe. But God has given this church a prophetic word that was given to David Wilkerson in 1987, when it was first initiated by the Holy Spirit, that this church was going to be a lighthouse. This pulpit would be a lighthouse, and the darker it got, the farther the beam was going to go around the world. And we look at the screen during all of our services and we see that prophetic word — that the Holy Spirit gave to David Wilkerson — now being fulfilled right before our eyes. And the darker it gets, the more people are going to start coming in. I don't know what it is that's going to happen in our country, or maybe in this city, that's going to bring an influx — and maybe worldwide — but it's going to bring an influx of people in uncounted numbers. Just before I turned the pulpit over when Pastor Tim first came in 2020, I had a word from the Lord and I passed it on to him. The word was from John 21, where the disciples had been fishing all night and caught nothing. And Jesus said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat. What the Holy Spirit spoke to me was: cast the internet on the right side of the boat. The Scripture intimates that he sent the fish into the net. And Pastor Tim, for six years, has been casting the internet on the right side of this church and it has gone all over the world. Now God is going to send the people in. They're going to come. I don't know what the catalyst will be. We're living on the edge of instability in this world in an ever-increasing measure. We don't know what some of these foreign nations are going to do. We don't know what kind of calamity we're going to wake up to in the morning, if at all. But I do know that God promises he will have a people. And I do know that he will give his people strength — if we want to have the strength that God is willing to give us. We have to desire the strength. It doesn't just fall on us without any initiative on our part. We have to love the word of God. We have to want the things of God. We have to go in the direction of God. And if we commit to that, he will give us the strength. Thank God for the promises of God.

A New Passion for This Generation

I'll be 73 on Wednesday and I feel a new lease on life. I honestly do. A new passion — a passion for him, a passion first for Jesus Christ and for his word, and then for his work and his calling, whatever it is. And then for this generation — a generation that has largely been robbed of truth. A generation that maybe doesn't yet fully know how God longs to give his power to those who turn to him. But I believe that we will, as we open our hearts to it. It's an amazing thing. As Jesus once said to the churches in Revelation, he who has ears to hear, let him hear — or let her hear — what the Spirit is saying to the churches. He wasn't speaking to the church to harm her. He was speaking to the church to strengthen her and to take her into the future with a sureness in her step and an influence that can cause good to happen around us. Each one of us has a sphere of influence. Whether it's in our own families, it can go from there to the hallway of our apartment buildings, into the workplace, or wherever it is we travel. We've all been given a sphere of influence. And every last one of us is a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are preachers because we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and we have the power of the Spirit of God resident within our earthen vessels. He has equipped our mouths to speak truth. He's given us new eyes to see. He's given us new hands to be able to reach out in the name of Christ, and he's given us a heart to believe that all things are still possible with God — that he can take us from wherever we are and make us into whatever he's destined us to be. That's the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank God for yesterday, but that's gone. And thank God for today — it's wonderful to be alive today. But I'm looking forward to what God is going to do tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after. As the psalm says, morning by morning, new mercies I see. Morning by morning. I don't want to wake up in the morning thinking about yesterday. I want to wake up and think about tomorrow — what it is that God wants to do, where he wants to lead, and how his name can be glorified.

The Natural Progression of Sin Against the Light

We are living in a perilous time. There's no doubt about it — the hour that we're living in is indeed, as the Scripture tells us, a perilous hour. History repeats itself. The ways of men don't change. The circumstances change and the ages change, but the ways of men don't change. When Jesus Christ walked the earth as a man, he first faced — may I call it — inquiry. People coming up and asking questions out of some genuine curiosity. Then the inquiry turned to scorn. Then it turned to accusation. Then it turned to trial, and ultimately it turned to violence. That's the natural progression of sin in the world. Sin hates the presence of God. Sin hates the light and the life of God through his Son, Jesus Christ. We're living in a day that is starting to turn towards thoughts of achieving its objectives through violence if necessary. There are people — the godless — purporting: if we can't get it any other way, this is the way we're going to get it. We're going to get our objectives. We're going to build our golden statue, and the people of this generation will bow down and worship it. And when they hear the music, as Nebuchadnezzar once said — you either bow down or you burn. You either bow, or we throw you into a place where it's going to get very, very hot for you. There were so many children of God in that kingdom at that time. I leaned over to Pastor Tim during the worship and I said: we don't know the names of the tens of thousands that bent their knee to the gods of that age. And they said, "God, you understand. In my heart I really don't mean it, but I'm just not interested in going through the fiery furnace." So they bent their knee. But we do know the names of three Hebrew boys who didn't bend their knee. And it was because of them that Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth man in the fire. I'm not convinced they saw the fourth man, but I'm convinced because of Scripture that Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth man. And when you and I are willing to face whatever we have to face in the days ahead — when we stand for what we know to be true in spite of the consequences — the people around us look and they see a strength in us that can only come from God. They understand that there is a fourth man in our fire. There's somebody else walking with us. We're not doing this alone. They know that, because they know they could not stand where we are standing.

Standing Close or Standing Afar

When Jesus Christ was taken into captivity and put on trial and ultimately crucified, there were different types of people at that time. There was a group of people that the Scripture says went to the crucifixion of Christ, but they stood afar off. In other words, "I kind of believe I'm part of this, but I don't necessarily want to be associated with it at this time. It's not a popular time. The society has risen up. The violence against God is at the fore. So I'm here, but I'm standing in the shadows. I don't want to get too close to the cross." Then there were people like Peter — who had been discipled for three years, the purest school of ministry you could ever attend in your lifetime, with words right from the mouth of the Son of God — and yet the Scripture tells us that when Christ was put on trial and being mocked, Peter stood and warmed himself by a fire. Close, but far enough away. It's the type of person who comes to church and thinks, "I really don't want to get into the fray. I really don't want to be associated with this man who's being mocked. But I'll come to church and kind of warm myself by the fire. I don't really want to get too close." And then of course, the next time Peter was confronted, he changed his conversation and began to curse and swear. A lot of people have tried to hide who they are by entering into the conversations of others. There's so much uncivil conversation going on right now, isn't there? It's everywhere — in the marketplace, in the workplace, in family gatherings. Just such awful speech. And Peter disguised his speech to fit in with the people around him, as opposed to standing out as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The Choice to Stand

But God in his mercy is going to give us the strength. I'm going to tell you a prayer at the end of this message that you can pray. And if you pray it from a sincere heart, you can virtually guarantee that God is going to give you the strength you need to get through the days ahead — and not just get through, but make a difference. I don't want to just get through. I want to make a difference. I want to be a catalyst for good. I want to go into the colleges, if the Lord keeps opening the doors, and stand for Christ and say what needs to be said. I'm on the radio across the country on 300 or 400 stations. I'm not going to draw back. I want to say what needs to be said at this time — to turn people back to God and back to prayer. And I honestly don't care about the threats that are out there. I'm too old to threaten now. I really don't care anymore. I'm going the full distance with God, and let it be what it's going to be. All I ask — I ask two things. Jesus Christ, would you be glorified through my life? And God, would you bring people out of darkness and into light? Would you bring them out of hell and into heaven? Would you bring them out of sin and into forgiveness? God, would you work a work that can only be done by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in this generation? So it's a choice we have to make. I'm making that choice. I made it in my heart. I'm not retiring. I'm not going to be quiet. I'm not going to go away. I'm going to speak the gospel of Jesus Christ to this generation. And I refuse to sanitize what I say. I'm going to say what needs to be said. When the Holy Spirit moves upon my heart, that's the word I want to speak. Let it fall where it may. I'm not bending to the Nebuchadnezzars of this generation — the threats that say, "You either agree with us and bow your knee here, or it's going to get hot for you." Well, let it get hot. I really don't care. I'm going to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I've been threatened before, so I understand this. I was called into my boss's office when I was a police officer, and he was spitting mad. He looked like a tomato on the other side of the desk. He was infuriated at me. He said, "This is not an evangelical association. We are a police department, and you're not to be out there talking to people in the community about Jesus Christ. Do you understand?" I looked at him and I said, "You need God in your life." He got doubly mad. He said, "What makes you say that?" I said, "Because the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, a man with no control over his spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. And you have no control, sir, over your spirit. You're like a city whose walls are broken." You'll never guess what happened. He stopped, and he started sharing his struggles. He ended up going to church with his wife. Thank God for that. That's all I can say. Thank God.

When You Come to the Crossroads, Take the Cross Road

When you come to the crossroad, take the cross road. I want you to picture a cross in your mind. It's got a vertical pole, and then you've got the cross piece — which was called the stipes, I believe — and it's in the shape of a T. You and I start at the bottom of the cross when we come to Christ, and we're working our way straight up toward the throne of God. Our whole passion is to live for Christ, to have his word abiding within us, and to have our lives used for his purpose and for his glory. And eventually, when we get to the top of that road, to have him look us in the eye and say, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a few things. Behold, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord. Now, when you get about two-thirds of the way up that cross, there's a choice you have to make. You can go left or you can go right. You can take a deviation. And we're going to talk about that as we read the Scriptures today. Proverbs 4. Father, I thank you, God, for the touch of your Holy Spirit. I thank you for the strength of your word. I thank you, Lord, for the wholesomeness of this congregation. Lord, I can actually hear the wholesomeness in the worship. Not everybody is completely free, but everybody wants to be free. And your people want to live for you. They want to serve you. They want to make a difference. So God, I'm asking that you would continue to build what you're doing in each one of our lives. You say in your word that you build us as your people line upon line, precept upon precept, a little here and a little there. Don't let us turn away from it, God. Help us, Lord Jesus Christ, to embrace the truths that we hear, to walk in them, and ultimately to make a difference for your kingdom's sake and for your glory. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

A Word to the Last Days Church — Proverbs 4

Now, this is from the book of Proverbs. And an interesting sidebar when we read this: I believe that God was speaking to Solomon when he was given these words, but Solomon didn't obey what he was writing. Even though it was the inspired word of Scripture, Solomon ended up — in my opinion — a reprobate at the end of his life. He was the wisest man that ever lived, but he wasn't smart. He was writing down things that could have saved him, and he wouldn't listen. So I'm praying today: God, would you help me to listen to what I'm about to read? May it not just be more words that I read that don't apply. Oh God, would you cause these words to etch themselves on my heart? Isn't that your promise — that you would come one day and write your laws on our heart? So God, write this on my heart as I read it today. Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. (Proverbs 4:10) What a wonderful promise. Hear the word of God. Receive the things he says to you. God promises length of life. God promises a productive life. I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. (Proverbs 4:11–13) Take firm hold of the word of God. Not just a casual thing, not just a looseness, not just the things you like — but the entire word of God. Take hold of it and say, "God, this is my life." Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it. Do not travel on it. Turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:14–19) My son, give attention to my words. Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left. Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:20–27)

Apostasy and the Last Days Church

I want to read to you an article from the Full Life Study Bible — a commentary on the days that Paul the Apostle warned about, the last days that I'm convinced we are now living in. Both Jesus and Paul paint a dismal picture morally, spiritually, and doctrinally as the present age closes. Paul in particular stresses that the churches will be invaded by godless elements in the last days. This falling away within the church will have two dimensions. Theological apostasy is the departure from and rejection of a part or all of the original teachings of Christ and the apostles. False leaders will offer salvation and cheap grace while ignoring Christ's demand for repentance. False hope that centers on human activity and goals of self-interest will become popular. Moral apostasy is a severing of one's saving relationship with Christ and returning to sin and immorality. Some leaders may proclaim right doctrine, yet abandon God's moral law and standards of righteousness, and thereby corrupt the truth. Many churches will tolerate almost anything for the sake of numbers, money, success, and honor. The gospel of the cross — with its call to suffer, to radically renounce sin, to sacrifice for God's kingdom, and to deny oneself — will become unpopular. Both church history and the predicted falling away at the end time warn believers not to be naive about widespread corruption of the gospel. At some point in church history, rebellion against God and his word will reach astounding proportions. The day of the Lord will bring God's wrath on those who reject his truth. Make no mistake about it — we are now entering, or perhaps we are even well into, the days that are described here and spoken about in Scripture. Proverbs 4:16 tells us that the wicked are now relentlessly pursuing everything contrary to truth and godliness. They do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone to fall. They are fed on that which the Bible declares to be evil, and they see violence as a legitimate way of achieving their ends. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. It is always the pattern of godlessness. As they crucified Christ, don't think there will be any civility in our generation. There's a whole contingency of the godless who, if they cannot get their way one way, will get it another way — even if they have to resort to violence. And it's not something unusual to hear people ascribing to violence as a legitimate way of achieving their vision of a new and euphoric society. They live in darkness according to Proverbs 4:19. The way of the wicked is like darkness, and they do not know what makes them stumble. They are unaware of the depths of sorrow into which their path is leading them.

Take Firm Hold — Don't Cherry-Pick Truth

So it's in this context that God says in Proverbs 4:13 — it's a plea to the last days' church: Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. We're not called to cherry-pick truth. Take firm hold of what God says — even what you're hearing today. These are not easy days. Yes, they are days of blessing, because Christ is still in the business of saving people and holding us in the palm of the hand of God the Father. But the days are dark, and the days are difficult, and there is a rebellion against truth happening that is now almost worldwide. We're living on the edge of things changing in one hour. The prophet Isaiah said that in one hour, everything can change. We saw that on 9/11. I was here, I was pastoring here when that happened. God warned us — he forewarned us about three months before — that a crisis was coming to the city. We canceled everything: the missions conference, the women's conference, all of our guest speakers. We began to meet and pray. And the Holy Spirit said: teach the people to come to the throne of grace to find help in time of need. So we began to do that. We began to talk about a crisis coming to the city — a major crisis where people would be fleeing and running in the streets. And we began to teach the people: you need to be ready. And we had people leave the church at that time — more than a hundred or two, that's for sure. They said, "Look, we came here to be blessed. We didn't come here to hear that there's going to be a crisis in the city." But who ever thought that God forewarning of a coming crisis is not blessing you? That is the ultimate blessing. When God speaks and says, "I want to give you strength" — that is grace.

What is Carter Conlon | A Call to the Nation?

Carter Conlon presents a weekly 24:55 program, encouraging and equipping a generation willing to pray, willing in God’s power to rise up and plead for mercy on behalf of others. Carter says: “As God’s people we have a responsibility to believe God for the power to find the full purpose that He has for our life!”

A Lighthouse in Darkening Times

I'm so thankful for Pastor Tim, and I know you are too. I'm thankful for the clarion call that is going out from this pulpit and going all over the world. By God's grace, we're going to continue to lift up our pastor and pray for him. And for the burden — you have no idea, I do. Many of you don't have any idea the weight that this pulpit puts on a man. It's a phenomenal weight. I used to say years ago when I came through the Lincoln Tunnel — when I lived in New Jersey — I would pick up my baby grand piano when I came through and put it on my back for the whole time I was here. There's just a weight you cannot describe.

But God has given this church a prophetic word that was given to David Wilkerson in 1987, when it was first initiated by the Holy Spirit, that this church was going to be a lighthouse. This pulpit would be a lighthouse, and the darker it got, the farther the beam was going to go around the world. And we look at the screen during all of our services and we see that prophetic word — that the Holy Spirit gave to David Wilkerson — now being fulfilled right before our eyes. And the darker it gets, the more people are going to start coming in.

I don't know what it is that's going to happen in our country, or maybe in this city, that's going to bring an influx — and maybe worldwide — but it's going to bring an influx of people in uncounted numbers. Just before I turned the pulpit over when Pastor Tim first came in 2020, I had a word from the Lord and I passed it on to him. The word was from John 21, where the disciples had been fishing all night and caught nothing. And Jesus said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat. What the Holy Spirit spoke to me was: cast the internet on the right side of the boat. The Scripture intimates that he sent the fish into the net. And Pastor Tim, for six years, has been casting the internet on the right side of this church and it has gone all over the world. Now God is going to send the people in. They're going to come.

I don't know what the catalyst will be. We're living on the edge of instability in this world in an ever-increasing measure. We don't know what some of these foreign nations are going to do. We don't know what kind of calamity we're going to wake up to in the morning, if at all. But I do know that God promises he will have a people. And I do know that he will give his people strength — if we want to have the strength that God is willing to give us. We have to desire the strength. It doesn't just fall on us without any initiative on our part. We have to love the word of God. We have to want the things of God. We have to go in the direction of God. And if we commit to that, he will give us the strength. Thank God for the promises of God.

A New Passion for This Generation

I'll be 73 on Wednesday and I feel a new lease on life. I honestly do. A new passion — a passion for him, a passion first for Jesus Christ and for his word, and then for his work and his calling, whatever it is. And then for this generation — a generation that has largely been robbed of truth. A generation that maybe doesn't yet fully know how God longs to give his power to those who turn to him. But I believe that we will, as we open our hearts to it.

It's an amazing thing. As Jesus once said to the churches in Revelation, he who has ears to hear, let him hear — or let her hear — what the Spirit is saying to the churches. He wasn't speaking to the church to harm her. He was speaking to the church to strengthen her and to take her into the future with a sureness in her step and an influence that can cause good to happen around us.

Each one of us has a sphere of influence. Whether it's in our own families, it can go from there to the hallway of our apartment buildings, into the workplace, or wherever it is we travel. We've all been given a sphere of influence. And every last one of us is a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are preachers because we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and we have the power of the Spirit of God resident within our earthen vessels. He has equipped our mouths to speak truth. He's given us new eyes to see. He's given us new hands to be able to reach out in the name of Christ, and he's given us a heart to believe that all things are still possible with God — that he can take us from wherever we are and make us into whatever he's destined us to be. That's the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thank God for yesterday, but that's gone. And thank God for today — it's wonderful to be alive today. But I'm looking forward to what God is going to do tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after. As the psalm says, morning by morning, new mercies I see. Morning by morning. I don't want to wake up in the morning thinking about yesterday. I want to wake up and think about tomorrow — what it is that God wants to do, where he wants to lead, and how his name can be glorified.

The Natural Progression of Sin Against the Light

We are living in a perilous time. There's no doubt about it — the hour that we're living in is indeed, as the Scripture tells us, a perilous hour. History repeats itself. The ways of men don't change. The circumstances change and the ages change, but the ways of men don't change.

When Jesus Christ walked the earth as a man, he first faced — may I call it — inquiry. People coming up and asking questions out of some genuine curiosity. Then the inquiry turned to scorn. Then it turned to accusation. Then it turned to trial, and ultimately it turned to violence. That's the natural progression of sin in the world. Sin hates the presence of God. Sin hates the light and the life of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

We're living in a day that is starting to turn towards thoughts of achieving its objectives through violence if necessary. There are people — the godless — purporting: if we can't get it any other way, this is the way we're going to get it. We're going to get our objectives. We're going to build our golden statue, and the people of this generation will bow down and worship it. And when they hear the music, as Nebuchadnezzar once said — you either bow down or you burn. You either bow, or we throw you into a place where it's going to get very, very hot for you.

There were so many children of God in that kingdom at that time. I leaned over to Pastor Tim during the worship and I said: we don't know the names of the tens of thousands that bent their knee to the gods of that age. And they said, "God, you understand. In my heart I really don't mean it, but I'm just not interested in going through the fiery furnace." So they bent their knee. But we do know the names of three Hebrew boys who didn't bend their knee. And it was because of them that Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth man in the fire. I'm not convinced they saw the fourth man, but I'm convinced because of Scripture that Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth man.

And when you and I are willing to face whatever we have to face in the days ahead — when we stand for what we know to be true in spite of the consequences — the people around us look and they see a strength in us that can only come from God. They understand that there is a fourth man in our fire. There's somebody else walking with us. We're not doing this alone. They know that, because they know they could not stand where we are standing.

Standing Close or Standing Afar

When Jesus Christ was taken into captivity and put on trial and ultimately crucified, there were different types of people at that time. There was a group of people that the Scripture says went to the crucifixion of Christ, but they stood afar off. In other words, "I kind of believe I'm part of this, but I don't necessarily want to be associated with it at this time. It's not a popular time. The society has risen up. The violence against God is at the fore. So I'm here, but I'm standing in the shadows. I don't want to get too close to the cross."

Then there were people like Peter — who had been discipled for three years, the purest school of ministry you could ever attend in your lifetime, with words right from the mouth of the Son of God — and yet the Scripture tells us that when Christ was put on trial and being mocked, Peter stood and warmed himself by a fire. Close, but far enough away. It's the type of person who comes to church and thinks, "I really don't want to get into the fray. I really don't want to be associated with this man who's being mocked. But I'll come to church and kind of warm myself by the fire. I don't really want to get too close."

And then of course, the next time Peter was confronted, he changed his conversation and began to curse and swear. A lot of people have tried to hide who they are by entering into the conversations of others. There's so much uncivil conversation going on right now, isn't there? It's everywhere — in the marketplace, in the workplace, in family gatherings. Just such awful speech. And Peter disguised his speech to fit in with the people around him, as opposed to standing out as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The Choice to Stand

But God in his mercy is going to give us the strength. I'm going to tell you a prayer at the end of this message that you can pray. And if you pray it from a sincere heart, you can virtually guarantee that God is going to give you the strength you need to get through the days ahead — and not just get through, but make a difference.

I don't want to just get through. I want to make a difference. I want to be a catalyst for good. I want to go into the colleges, if the Lord keeps opening the doors, and stand for Christ and say what needs to be said. I'm on the radio across the country on 300 or 400 stations. I'm not going to draw back. I want to say what needs to be said at this time — to turn people back to God and back to prayer. And I honestly don't care about the threats that are out there. I'm too old to threaten now. I really don't care anymore. I'm going the full distance with God, and let it be what it's going to be.

All I ask — I ask two things. Jesus Christ, would you be glorified through my life? And God, would you bring people out of darkness and into light? Would you bring them out of hell and into heaven? Would you bring them out of sin and into forgiveness? God, would you work a work that can only be done by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in this generation?

So it's a choice we have to make. I'm making that choice. I made it in my heart. I'm not retiring. I'm not going to be quiet. I'm not going to go away. I'm going to speak the gospel of Jesus Christ to this generation. And I refuse to sanitize what I say. I'm going to say what needs to be said. When the Holy Spirit moves upon my heart, that's the word I want to speak. Let it fall where it may. I'm not bending to the Nebuchadnezzars of this generation — the threats that say, "You either agree with us and bow your knee here, or it's going to get hot for you." Well, let it get hot. I really don't care. I'm going to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've been threatened before, so I understand this. I was called into my boss's office when I was a police officer, and he was spitting mad. He looked like a tomato on the other side of the desk. He was infuriated at me. He said, "This is not an evangelical association. We are a police department, and you're not to be out there talking to people in the community about Jesus Christ. Do you understand?" I looked at him and I said, "You need God in your life." He got doubly mad. He said, "What makes you say that?" I said, "Because the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, a man with no control over his spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. And you have no control, sir, over your spirit. You're like a city whose walls are broken."

You'll never guess what happened. He stopped, and he started sharing his struggles. He ended up going to church with his wife. Thank God for that. That's all I can say. Thank God.

When You Come to the Crossroads, Take the Cross Road

When you come to the crossroad, take the cross road. I want you to picture a cross in your mind. It's got a vertical pole, and then you've got the cross piece — which was called the stipes, I believe — and it's in the shape of a T. You and I start at the bottom of the cross when we come to Christ, and we're working our way straight up toward the throne of God. Our whole passion is to live for Christ, to have his word abiding within us, and to have our lives used for his purpose and for his glory. And eventually, when we get to the top of that road, to have him look us in the eye and say, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a few things. Behold, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.

Now, when you get about two-thirds of the way up that cross, there's a choice you have to make. You can go left or you can go right. You can take a deviation. And we're going to talk about that as we read the Scriptures today.

Proverbs 4. Father, I thank you, God, for the touch of your Holy Spirit. I thank you for the strength of your word. I thank you, Lord, for the wholesomeness of this congregation. Lord, I can actually hear the wholesomeness in the worship. Not everybody is completely free, but everybody wants to be free. And your people want to live for you. They want to serve you. They want to make a difference. So God, I'm asking that you would continue to build what you're doing in each one of our lives. You say in your word that you build us as your people line upon line, precept upon precept, a little here and a little there. Don't let us turn away from it, God. Help us, Lord Jesus Christ, to embrace the truths that we hear, to walk in them, and ultimately to make a difference for your kingdom's sake and for your glory. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

A Word to the Last Days Church — Proverbs 4

Now, this is from the book of Proverbs. And an interesting sidebar when we read this: I believe that God was speaking to Solomon when he was given these words, but Solomon didn't obey what he was writing. Even though it was the inspired word of Scripture, Solomon ended up — in my opinion — a reprobate at the end of his life. He was the wisest man that ever lived, but he wasn't smart. He was writing down things that could have saved him, and he wouldn't listen.

So I'm praying today: God, would you help me to listen to what I'm about to read? May it not just be more words that I read that don't apply. Oh God, would you cause these words to etch themselves on my heart? Isn't that your promise — that you would come one day and write your laws on our heart? So God, write this on my heart as I read it today.

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. (Proverbs 4:10) What a wonderful promise. Hear the word of God. Receive the things he says to you. God promises length of life. God promises a productive life.

I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. (Proverbs 4:11–13)

Take firm hold of the word of God. Not just a casual thing, not just a looseness, not just the things you like — but the entire word of God. Take hold of it and say, "God, this is my life."

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it. Do not travel on it. Turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:14–19)

My son, give attention to my words. Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left. Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:20–27)

Apostasy and the Last Days Church

I want to read to you an article from the Full Life Study Bible — a commentary on the days that Paul the Apostle warned about, the last days that I'm convinced we are now living in.

Both Jesus and Paul paint a dismal picture morally, spiritually, and doctrinally as the present age closes. Paul in particular stresses that the churches will be invaded by godless elements in the last days. This falling away within the church will have two dimensions. Theological apostasy is the departure from and rejection of a part or all of the original teachings of Christ and the apostles. False leaders will offer salvation and cheap grace while ignoring Christ's demand for repentance. False hope that centers on human activity and goals of self-interest will become popular. Moral apostasy is a severing of one's saving relationship with Christ and returning to sin and immorality. Some leaders may proclaim right doctrine, yet abandon God's moral law and standards of righteousness, and thereby corrupt the truth. Many churches will tolerate almost anything for the sake of numbers, money, success, and honor. The gospel of the cross — with its call to suffer, to radically renounce sin, to sacrifice for God's kingdom, and to deny oneself — will become unpopular. Both church history and the predicted falling away at the end time warn believers not to be naive about widespread corruption of the gospel. At some point in church history, rebellion against God and his word will reach astounding proportions. The day of the Lord will bring God's wrath on those who reject his truth.

Make no mistake about it — we are now entering, or perhaps we are even well into, the days that are described here and spoken about in Scripture.

Proverbs 4:16 tells us that the wicked are now relentlessly pursuing everything contrary to truth and godliness. They do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone to fall. They are fed on that which the Bible declares to be evil, and they see violence as a legitimate way of achieving their ends. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

It is always the pattern of godlessness. As they crucified Christ, don't think there will be any civility in our generation. There's a whole contingency of the godless who, if they cannot get their way one way, will get it another way — even if they have to resort to violence. And it's not something unusual to hear people ascribing to violence as a legitimate way of achieving their vision of a new and euphoric society.

They live in darkness according to Proverbs 4:19. The way of the wicked is like darkness, and they do not know what makes them stumble. They are unaware of the depths of sorrow into which their path is leading them.

Take Firm Hold — Don't Cherry-Pick Truth

So it's in this context that God says in Proverbs 4:13 — it's a plea to the last days' church: Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

We're not called to cherry-pick truth. Take firm hold of what God says — even what you're hearing today. These are not easy days. Yes, they are days of blessing, because Christ is still in the business of saving people and holding us in the palm of the hand of God the Father. But the days are dark, and the days are difficult, and there is a rebellion against truth happening that is now almost worldwide. We're living on the edge of things changing in one hour. The prophet Isaiah said that in one hour, everything can change. We saw that on 9/11.

I was here, I was pastoring here when that happened. God warned us — he forewarned us about three months before — that a crisis was coming to the city. We canceled everything: the missions conference, the women's conference, all of our guest speakers. We began to meet and pray. And the Holy Spirit said: teach the people to come to the throne of grace to find help in time of need. So we began to do that. We began to talk about a crisis coming to the city — a major crisis where people would be fleeing and running in the streets. And we began to teach the people: you need to be ready.

And we had people leave the church at that time — more than a hundred or two, that's for sure. They said, "Look, we came here to be blessed. We didn't come here to hear that there's going to be a crisis in the city." But who ever thought that God forewarning of a coming crisis is not blessing you? That is the ultimate blessing. When God speaks and says, "I want to give you strength" — that is grace.