If you have your Bibles with you tonight, turn with me, if you would, to the book of Matthew chapter 26, Matthew chapter 26, Matthew chapter 26, Matthew chapter 26, and we're going to go to verse 14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests and said unto them, What will you give me? And I will deliver him unto you. And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Father, for the next few moments here tonight, I ask you to just use me as a mouthpiece for the Holy Ghost. Lord, I pray, Jesus, that you would give us the spiritual ears to hear your voice in this word. Give us the spiritual eyes to see the path as you lay it out before us. And Lord, give us the godly wisdom to walk in that path, and we thank you and praise you for it. And everybody said in Jesus' name, amen. Praise God.
Amen. All right. Praise God. The title to the message tonight is, What's Your Price? What's Your Price? And I want to ask you a question tonight, and to all those listening and all those watching by media, what is the price of your betrayal? What is the price of your betrayal? What would it take for you to betray or forsake Jesus? That is a question that the devil is trying to find the answer to in your life today. He is always in pursuit of the answer to that question in your life.
Judas had a price. price the bible says that they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver what was his price 30 pieces of silver peter had a price. The Bible said, now Peter sat without over in Matthew 26, 69 through 74, said, now Peter sat without in the palace, and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. This is after Jesus had already been betrayed, and they carried him into the palace with the guards and all the people surrounding about.
Said, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee, but he denied before them all, saying, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone into the porch, gone out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto them that were there, this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again, he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
And after a while came unto him, they stood by, after a while came unto him, they stood by him and said to Peter, Peter, surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bereath thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cop crew. Peter had a price. What was that price? What? Fear. Fear was that price. All of the disciples had a price.
Look at verse 26 and as they were eating no 26 56 i'm sorry 56 the bible says but all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled then all the disciples forsook him him and fled. All of the disciples had a price. What was that price? Fear. Remember the story about the rich young man, the rich young ruler. Matthew chapter 19, Matthew chapter 19, verse 17.
Let's look at 16. And behold, one came and said unto him, good master, what good things shall I do that i may have eternal life and he said unto him why callest thou me good there is none good but one the first thing jesus addressed here was putting things in proper perspective there is none good why callest thou me good because there is no good in this flesh he says there is none good but one that is god but if thou will enter into life keep the commandments and he saith unto unto him which
which commandments in other words jesus said thou shalt do no murder thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not steal notice what he said there instead of thou shalt not kill thou shalt do no murder. Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet?
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. And thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. That young man had a price. What was his price? His possessions. He had great possessions.
Let's look at James chapter 4. James chapter 4, verse 4 says, says, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Now I want to look at something here tonight before we go any further here. I want you to look at this in the Greek week tonight. So we're going to go to James chapter 4. All right, now notice what he says here.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity. Notice what he said here. Look at the friendship. Look at what friendship is. The Bible says fondness.
Okay, look at the world right here. All right, here it says the world in a wider or narrow sense including its inhabitants literally or figuratively morally adorning or the world so including its inhabitants so it says the friendship of the world which does not mean this world but are the things in the world but the people of the world the bible says the friendship of the world is enmity which means hatred opposition notice what it says here it says opposition a
reason for opposition enmity hatred hostility by implication so you need to understand that listen we're not to be friends with this world the friendship of the world is enmity with God he said listen to what he said here whosoever therefore will be a friend Friend, which means, look at what it says here, friend. Actively, fond, an example, friendly, still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, friend. The Bible says, whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
What's this nonsense that people say about love God, love the world, or what is it, serve the world? Yeah but yet the bible says thou shalt love the lord thy god and him only shalt thou serve thou shalt worship the lord thy god and him only shalt thou serve amen now that's how people that's how the devil comes and robes himself in in a robe of white and denies the word of god and turns Turns the word of God around.
But here, here, the Bible says, remember when the Bible says, Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature. It didn't say go out there and be a friend to them. It didn't say go out there and be friends with the world. The Bible said preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season. That's why he told me years ago, he said, You preach it like I wrote it, and you let me take it from there.
We're not to befriend the world. world were to preach the word of God to them, which is sharper than any two-edged sword. This word is sharp. Let me tell you something, folks. Everyone has a price. Some people's price is political correctness. Whole lot of people's price is political correctness. Whole lot of people's price is no abrasion. There's a lot of people, I'm not one of them, that don't like confrontation. I don't have that quality. If it's a quality, I never have had it.
I don't foresee that ever being a problem with me. See, I don't have any problem telling you how it is because I get it the same way I give it. And I love it like that because that's how I understand it. I know Brother Edward, Brother Quick, Brother Jay know exactly what I'm talking about because that's what we understand. We understand black and white. We understand right and wrong. We understand truth and a lie.
We understand hard and easy. easy they're opposites of the spectrum there's nothing that is even though the Lord said my yoke is easy my burden is light let me tell you something there ain't nothing easy about this walk to your flesh nothing in this walk is easy to your flesh but let me tell you something the Lord said we are to be bold we are to be bold and you know what it's no different different it's no different when somebody tiptoes
on eggshells not wanting to tell somebody something that's going to hurt their feelings or make them mad or disappointed that's what i'm talking about, because it doesn't matter what's your price you see what i mean what's your price. Because to betray the kingdom of god in any way is to betray god let me ask you a question if during the time that you have sold God out, he comes for you. But then, what if Jesus, what if Peter would have died in that broken state?
Would he have made it? Oh, come on now. Come on now. Peter was anointed, man. Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom. Come on, sister. Now, you know better than that. Now, Peter couldn't have known in the world. He could have went on to hell. Now, what are you trying to say here? He was a chosen man of God. Jesus chose him himself, gave him the keys to the kingdom. them. He denied him thrice, just like Jesus said he would.
But the Lord, one of the very first things he did after he'd come back from the dead, when he met them, is he gave Peter a chance to make that right. Three times he asked him, Peter, lovest thou me more than these? Yea, Lord. Peter, or Simon Barjona, lovest thou me more than these?
Yea, Lord, thou knowest all together. feed my sheep peter yay yay lord lovest thou me more than these what yay lord now knowest all together yeah yeah i love thee you know then feed my sheep what was jesus doing he was giving him a chance to three times acknowledge the king of kings and the lord of lords it was the lord toward leading him through repentance, restoring his feet to the path Jesus had already foretold him. We're going to look at that here in a minute.
Let me tell you something, folks. You may be so sure of yourself right now, but perhaps you've not been to that place yet. Perhaps you've not been to that midnight hour yet. Perhaps you've not been to that valley of decision yet that That might throw you off your game. That might pull your head in the wrong direction. Maybe you've not faced a situation yet. That will cause you to throw your chips in. Maybe you've not found that valley so deep yet.
But there's a reason for this message tonight. I can tell you that. Because this ain't the message I had in mind for tonight. But Jesus said this is what you're going to preach. This rich man. This rich man. man had all that money, he couldn't turn it loose. And listen to what it says here as we go on. Remember, the friendship to the world is enmity, and they whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world. You better think about that.
To think about that because this is not no this is not some allegory this is not some this is not some broad spectrum thing buddy this is point blank black and white it is exactly what it means it's not well that's not what it means we're supposed to be friends with the world how we're going to win souls we're going to win souls by scaring the devil out of them that's how you're going to win them you ain't going to win souls into this kind of
walk by petting and smoozing and kissing all over them, you're not going to win souls like that. Man, we've lost the luxury of time. We don't have 900 years to convince somebody to get back in the house of God. The Bible says we can save some with love and all that kind of stuff. But let me tell you something. We're past that time. The Lord's tried that for years, and we're past that. Now the Bible says some save with fear. are pulling them out of the fire.
There comes a time when you have to just lower the hammer and say, let me tell you something. You don't want me bothering you? So be it. I'll never bother you again, but know this. I warned you. I warned you. I tried everything I know. I warned you. Do what you want to do. Do what you want to do. Now I'm talking about people you tried to reach.
You tried you tried to befriend them but when they turn their face from god and they turn their face from you then friendship with those people makes you the enemy of god why because there's only two sides folks they know gray area you're either with jesus or you're with the devil which means the world. On middle ground. They ain't on middle ground. That doesn't mean you have to, you have to make them an arch enemy like Satan himself, but those are no longer your friends.
You traded this life in, that life in for this life. So we're not to buddy, buddy and pal up with these people because why, why, why are we not to buddy up and pal up with them? What? Oh, that's just that crazy preacher Hoffman over there. That's just that crazy Pastor Hoffman. Be you separate? Is it not clear? Is it gray? Is there a little gray area there? You see how more clear the word becomes all the time? Let me tell you something. This is an absolute transformation that takes place here.
This is an absolute separation of the people of God. This is the transition that must take take place before we take flight yet and let me tell you that sometimes is the price of people's betrayal because maybe they have a slew of friends in the world and they don't want to turn loose of them as friends i know people's got lots of friends but when the bible says what it says that whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God, that's exactly what it means.
There ain't no nice, smooth way to coat that over. I mean, it's just, I'd be interested to see what other versions have to say about that. But I bet they have put so much candy on that, man, it's probably rotted the page out. Huh? Yeah, took it plumb out of the book. So, all right, now verse 5, Listen to what it says here after that next verse. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain that the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? What is that talking about? Jealousy.
Now, the question is, who you working for? Who you working for? Who you working with? Some people, you see, in church on Sunday and dancing with the devil on Monday. Come in church, sit on the pew, shout and holler, lift their hands between texts. Because the church is so big that ain't nobody paying no attention to any individual. And even if they did, maybe there's somebody that pays big tithes and all. A pillar in the church, so to speak.
Well, they ain't going to call them on the carpet about nothing. Why? Because they're scared of them. They're not scared that they're going to beat the pastor up. Pastor ain't scared they're going to get beat up. They're scared they're going to take her checkbook with them and leave. Disgusting to me. You know why? And it's sad. You know why? Because that's a man that's a prisoner in his own church.
That's a man that's not the prisoner of Jesus. He is imprisoned by the people in the seats and the pews of his own church because he's so scared to tell them the truth that they might leave and take his money with them. That's prison, man. You are a prisoner of Satan and his people. People, because if any man would get up and walk out on you as a pastor for telling them the truth, then you never had them to begin with, and you are to help them leave.
You are to pry them up out of that seat and say, get gone, and don't you never come back, because that's their price of betrayal.
Obedience, submission, commitment. You'd be amazed at how many people leave over those over those situations i can't tell you i can't even count them i don't know how many people hundreds hundreds of people i've lost because of that submission just submission alone hold a wagon no no no ain't nobody ain't nobody controlling me no no i ain't having it no no No, uh-uh, not having that. No, I'll work with you, man. But, you know, no, I don't know. Uh-uh. Nope.
No, I'm a man. Huh. No, you can't be controlling me. Well, you need to take that up with the man, amen, because according to him, that's the way it's got to be.
A bunch of them that way i mean a bunch of them and then then you have people that ain't gonna commit you start talking about them missing church i've had a bunch of people get up and leave had one fellow one night coming he started coming started getting in church started doing good man started doing good and it was really amazing because he was a single guy and he's about probably 40 year old something like that doing real good man lived in magnolia lived right over by,
lived right over by somebody who used to go to our church right there in Magnolia. And he was coming to church regular, right around the corner from somebody that used to go to our church. Same neighborhood, just right around the corner across the street, tried to house over there. And he missed church one night, said he had a headache or something like that. And I got on him about it because I saw it was going to be the beginning of
something, see? and then he sent word back through somebody else that, well, that's getting in my personal business right there. That's getting off my personal business right there. So then let me just stop and let me just say something right here. If you want to sign up with a Jesus I'm serving, you want to sign up with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, partner, you ain't got no life.
You ain't got no business other than God's business, because if you got business that ain't God's business, you're none of his. You may as well go on out there and live for your father, the devil, because when you sign up with Jesus, honey, he said, I have. He said, know you not that you are not your own, but you are bought with a price.
Let me tell you something. you ain't got no bubble you ain't got no personal space you ain't got no private nothing the bible says you say you're all this he said no you're not that you're naked. And naked and undone. You ain't got nothing, and you ain't got no choice neither. Once you sign up with Jesus, you already made your choice. According to Jesus, you made your choice. You said, I do, and you better have meant it, because let me tell you one that did mean it, Jesus.
See, he said, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. But immediately Immediately thereafter, he said, now, while you're doing that, take my yoke upon you. Learn of me. He didn't just say sign up with me and just wing it. No, learn of me. You need to know who it is you're working for. You need to know who it is you're living for. Praise God.
And let me tell you something, church. You need this message because you need to beware that there is a price out there and the devil's trying to find it. He's trying every way. I feel the Holy Ghost all over me right now. I'm going to tell you right now, the devil's hunting for the prize. He's hunting for your prize. He's hunting for your prize. And you better be careful because he will find it if there is one. He will find that prize. He will find that prize.
He knows exactly what he's doing. He's been doing this for thousands of years. You're not the first hard case. He's taken down many a good man, many a good woman. and let me tell you something, folks. There used to be a lot of people like us. You hear me? There used to be a lot of people like us. There used to be lots of preachers in a pulpit like me, but they found, the devil found their price, and they paid that price.
There used to be a lot of men in the pulpit like me that used to preach a pain off the walls, buddy. I mean, there wasn't a devil within a thousand miles of the church preaching it just like he wrote it.
That devil the ones that are still left he found their price some of them the lord's already taken on a bunch of them god's already taken on but any that was left boy the devil's found a bunch of them's price are you pleasing god is god pleased with your job is he pleased with your home life Let me tell you who the real you is. The real you is the one between services. That's the real you. Is the real you like the one sitting in that seat right now?
Is the real you doing the same thing between services as you're doing right now? Seeking God, thinking about God, thinking on His Word? Is god pleased with how we're how we're carrying ourself in the between service times, or could we do a little better everyone has a price you know how i know that go with me to mark 13 mark chapter 13 mark chapter 13 and we're going to look at verse 20 and it says something So I'm going to move on for sake of time.
Listen carefully. This is how I know that everyone has a price. Everyone. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved. But for the elect's sake, what does it mean to be the elect? The chosen of God. Many be called few chosen. If you're chosen, you are the what? The elect.
If except that the lord shortened those days no flesh should be saved none but for the elect's whom he hath chosen he hath shortened the days you see you understand that is mark 13 and 20 that's talking about the very end day the very end times and the bible said except those days had been shortened, no man would be saved. That tells you that every man has a price. You that it's going to get so bad in these last days that no man can endure it.
No man would be able to endure it. But because of that, for the very elect's sake, that's us, those that are chosen of God, he hath shortened those days. Why? Why would he do that? Why would he do that? Because if he didn't, it would go against his word. How do we know that? If Jesus didn't shorten in the days, for the very elect's sake, it would go against his word. You know how that is? You know what word I'm talking about?
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10, 13, the Bible says, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. That temptation can mean trials, tribulation, fire, valleys. There is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. You see?
You see? How that the word of God, in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let the word be established. It's not just in one place, but this verifies it right there. The Lord said, for the very elect's sake, he hath shortened the days, because if he didn't, no flesh should be saved. And the Lord, the Bible says, but God is faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above we're able.
So if he left us here until we could not make it, then his word would be a lie, because it says God is faithful. He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we're able, but will with the temptation or the trial or the tribulation or the problems with the temptation he will make a way to escape. Be able to bear it. See, that's Bible. Many have and use excuses to justify their betrayal. Now, of course, I know no one in this church has ever done anything like that. My goodness.
I mean, no one's ever tried to justify their betrayal. Let's look at Luke, Luke chapter 4. No, let's go to Luke 14. Luke chapter 14. Luke chapter 14, verse 16 says this. Listen carefully. Then said he unto him, a certain man made a great supper and bade many. Now, this is talking about the parable. This is the parable of the great supper in heaven, the marriage supper. Now, listen. I want you to listen carefully here because this pertains to more than just
going to heaven and a supper table in heaven. This is much more than that, and it pertains greatly to something much different. Verse 15, And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Listen carefully. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper and bade many. What does that mean, bade many? Called many. He bid them come. He bade them to come. He called them to come.
He bade many, remember, many be called, few chosen, but they're called, many be called. He bade many, he bidded many to come, okay? Sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come, for all things are now ready. What does that mean? Let me go a little further. Now be thinking about that. Put your thinking cap on for a minute. Let me go a little further. He said unto them that were bidden, come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse.
The first said unto him i have bought a piece of ground and i must need to go see it i pray thee have me excused and another said i have bought a five yoke of oxen and i go to prove them i pray have me excused and another said i have married a wife and therefore i cannot come so that servant came and showed his lord these things in the master of the house being angry said to his servant go out quick in the streets and lanes and cities bring the hither the poor the man the halt and the blind okay
so let's let's go back now so the bible says when he, he said to them that were bidden come come for all all is what all things are now ready, hold on this thing flipped over on me here hold on a second okay so then he said okay he said on a supper time to say to them that were bidden come for all things are now ready all right and they all with one consent began to make his cue so what's he talking about there talking about talking about a supper in heaven sister
rosie is it talking about is it talking about a supper in heaven there what's he talking about sister quick okay elaborate explain it to me he's talking about supper what where's the supper at what huh what okay see you you were You were dancing all around it right there, but it's talking about a supper. What? It's the Word of God being preached. It's the bread of life. Where do we go to get fed? Where do we go to eat?
The young, the milk of the Word, the older, more seasoned, the meat of the Word. We come to be fed. Amen. We come to feast at the master's table. Amen. Where's his table? Everybody hold the Bible up. Praise God. There's the master's table right there. Praise God. And it's prepared for you. Praise God. You know what? You come to the house of God, there is a message prepared if the man of God is prepared to word.
Amen. It's a message that's prepared by the king through his servant to deliver to his sheep. Amen. It's to feed the flock of God. Amen. And we are gathered around the master's table to feast upon the word. So what does the Lord say? What does the Lord tell us? What did he say right here? Look what he said. And he sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come, time to go to church.
Come and go with me to my father's house, to my father's house, To my Father's house, come and go with me to my Father's house. There'll be peace, peace, sweet peace. There'll be no trouble there in my Father's house. Amen. You ever heard that song? Praise God. Let me tell you something, folks. We are called to come and dine. That's another one. Come and dine at the master's table. Come and dine. Amen. That's what it's talking about. He sent his servants. Who's the servants? We are.
To say unto them that are bidden. Who's the ones that are bidden? Let me tell you something. He sent the word of God to the Gentiles. All of them are bidden to come. He sent us to them to draw them in here. How many people have you invited to come to church? How many people have you bidden to come? How many people that were bidden, the Gentiles were bidden, how many of those Gentiles have you tried to encourage to come to the house of God? Any?
Huh? Many. Many. Be careful. You're almost lining up with Bible there. You know what it says? You know what the word says? What seemed to be the problem, Sister Quick? They didn't mow you out to get in here? What? What? Not all with one consent. Surely not. Amen. The Bible says, and they all with one consent began to make excuse. Don't you tell me everybody can't get in unity. Oh, yes, they can get in unity. Oh, yes, they can move in unison.
They're doing just fine moving in unity to the devil they're doing just fine moving as one one voice one mind one heart to the tap dance of the devil don't tell me they're not willing to commit to something they're absolutely committed to satan they're absolutely committed to their selves they're absolutely committed to the one they don't want to deny don't tell me they don't know how to commit to, thing I ever heard in my life is a woman saying, that man, he just, I can't get him to marry me.
He just, he's afraid of commitment. Are you out of your mind? He's absolutely committed. It's just not to you. That man's moving with one heart, one mind, and it's on another woman. Yeah. Don't tell me our man's afraid of commitment. He's committed to the one in the mirror. That's who he's committed to. He's committed to the same one the rest of this world's committed to. To thine own self be true. You know, we're taught that. Always amazes me. I try to watch the weather in the morning.
I don't know why because there's always other news with it makes me want to scream. Watch this nut this morning, Dr. Stupid. Talking about, well, we've done a study about correction.
Children whether or not they need to be spanking them or not we want your opinion on the news, 90 000 said yes 25 said no that was hillary and and her 24 or uh other uh what do you call that what was sybil what was that maniac sybil she was yeah yeah there was the rest of her 24 24 personalities, you know, was the 25 that said no. But yet Dr. Stupid come on there and says, well, we done a survey.
We took several people that rape people and all this kind of stuff, and we followed them for several years, and we took a poll and took a survey and asked them, did they have corporal punishment in their life? And 85% of them said yes, they did. And so we equate that to corporal punishment in our life. That's what caused it. And somebody ought to just say, well, son, I mean, Dr. Son, did you ever deal with any corporal punishment? Nope. I rest my case. There you have it, folks. Need I say more?
Yeah. Everybody ought to change except for the 25 Clintons over there. Craziest thing I ever heard of. You know what makes me cringe? Who the heck do you think you are that you're smarter than God himself who said, spare the rod and spoil the child? Who in their right mind could possibly think they're smarter than God? I don't care what kind of doctor's degrees you got, folks. You ain't never going to be smarter than God.
Whoopings in my life and i'm gonna tell you i didn't get enough of them i already had more because i sure had more of them coming they just didn't know it now the bible says they all with one consent began to make excuse the first said unto him i have bought a piece of ground and i must needs go and see it have you ever heard that excuse before maybe you've used it yourself self i pray thee have me excused and another said i bought five yoke of oxen and i go to prove
them because you know of course your living is more important than jesus right. Where's that little cricket when you need him surely your job which is what his this is what proving them oxen was that's his job it was his living he going to prove his new oxen he got I pray thee, have me excused. Wonder what Jesus' answer to that was. What do you reckon he said? No. Oh, please don't leave me. Please don't go. Please don't leave me. Please, please, please.
Come on, just this once. I'll be nicer to you. You can do whatever you want to. Just come visit me when you feel like it. You reckon that's what he said? man. You know, he wasn't a man of many words in situations like that, was he? I have a feeling he'd say, okay. I can tell you what he said. He said the same thing that he said to the other ones that were saying, hey, let me go and bury my dad. Let me go do this. Let me go do that. Said the same thing that Elijah said.
Go ahead. What have I to do with thee? Have at it, man. man. Go ahead. Jesus said, let the dead bury their dead. He didn't mention no words. He wasn't to push over then, and he'll push over now. He ain't soft. People are soft. Jesus ain't soft. And let me tell you something. There ain't no softies going to make heaven either. You're going to be a soldier just like everybody else that goes through them gates, and you're going to have to hold the line. My mother held the line, buddy.
She held it to the end. Brother Larry McAmis held the line and he held it to the very end. And he dealt with the same stuff I deal with. People trying to change me. People want me to change. People want me to soften up. People want me to preach it a little easier. People want me to allow this and allow that. No, ain't happening. no, because I got to give an account for what I do over this pulpit. He said, and another said, now this blows my mind right here.
I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come. Sally. Man up, son, and load that woman in the truck and get to the house of God. Amen. Because that's the order of God. If you've married a wife and you just married her and you already can't go to church, that could be a problem. That could be a problem. You know, that could be, I don't know, borderline unequally yoked together with an unbeliever. I mean, I don't know. Just saying. So that servant came and showed his Lord these things.
Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind. Blind now listen you see what just happened right there that went from the jews to the gentiles, go out quickly into the lanes of the city and bring in hither the poor the maimed the halt and the blind i'm gonna tell you something folks god's gonna furnish this table.
With or without you that's right I know some of you in here but for the sake of those on the camera if there's anybody watching tonight I want you to listen to this because this is an absolute God's truth in Tennessee there was a church, wasn't a real big church but it was an anointed Holy Ghost filled church and there, studio musician. If you didn't know what a studio musician is, that's a very professional musician that's very, very good, master of his instrument.
And he was a piano player, keyboard player. He played for studios. So in other words, they used him to play for a lot of people's records because you just tell them in a studio, you just tell them, hey, what you just going there and you you play it, they can pick it up in a split instant. They can pick it up. They can play anything and everything immediately, just like that.
I mean, you go through the song, and they sit there, and they chart it, and they have a whole different language that they speak. They don't chart it like A and B or, you know, or like a C minor or whatever. It's a number system. It's called the Nashville number system. So this will be a six, a four, a two, a three, and a three and a half, or a four, nine, or whatever. They all have a number system. That's what the studio musicians use and the professional musicians use.
They use numbers, not letters. It's a system they created a long time ago. So they can sit down and listen, and there'll be 10 of them in the room, and you go through it, and they don't even have to see your whatever. They'll say, each of them will say, 6, 4, 2, 6, 3, 4, 2, 1, 6. And then at the end of it, they'll all compare notes. Yep, they all have it exactly the same. Why? Because they're professionals, and that's what they do.
They're also very very well paid for what they do and they're in a union as well a musician's union now in this church there was a young man this there was a studio musician and there was a piano up there nobody's sitting on the piano and he sat there week after week and he never would play why because they wouldn't pay him to play even though he was a master musician he would not play because they couldn't pay him they couldn't afford to pay him so he sat there week in week out and there was
a country fella in that church that didn't even know how to spell piano, i mean his country's a butterbean did not know a from a d a c from a g did not know the first thing about any instrument much less a piano and the Lord spoke to that man during the, praise and worship and he spoke to the to the man said go up there and sit down at that piano and that man looked around because the Lord spoke to him in an audible voice and he looked around
and he he just shrugged it off the Lord said called him by name said get up and go sit down at that piano. And he talked back to him. He said, what? What? Go sit down at that piano. He said, I ain't going to sit down at no piano. He's already freaking out then thinking, man, I knew I needed some rest. It's why it's hot in here, isn't it? He said, get up and go sit down at that piano.
So finally he got up and he started walking toward the piano and everybody in the church like, oh my God, oh my God, what's happened to billy bob oh my god said the women were probably cringing over going oh my god oh my god get your camera out now oh my god what's billy bob doing now you know and he starts heading heading up there they didn't know where he was headed he turned made that right going up for the piano and people getting more scared more scared more scared he got
him he walked up there and he sat down in front of that piano everybody in the whole church like to fell out oh my god He's stoned. He is absolutely drunk. He's freaking out, man. He's having a stroke. Something's going on. Oh, my God. Look at Billy Bob. Look at Billy Bob. I don't know what his name was. We'll just use Billy Bob because he was a country guy. He sat down at the piano, didn't know what to do next. The Lord said, put your hands on them keys and play that piano.
And he said, no, nope, nope. Meanwhile, the people out there in the audience is looking at him up there talking to himself nope nope and they're going nope nope nope please nope some of them back there probably like this bunch here yeah come on man come on do it man come on hammer time come on boy come on man hammer it the lord said put your hands on that keyboard put your hands on on that piano and play it. He said he put his hands up there and when his hands touched the keys.
The talent off of that studio musician and put it on that country fella sitting at that keyboard. And the man, that man began to play that piano and was like Liberace, son. I mean, did not miss a note and he never missed one since. He is the most perfect, flawless pianist you've ever seen in your life. And people come from all over the country to see that guy play, and he's still playing in that same little church. And that other fella cannot find the key of C on a piano.
God wiped all memory out of his mind of how to play an instrument. He cannot play a lick today. day. God took that talent off of that man because he refused to play for God, and he gave it to somebody. I said that to say this. That man had a price, and God took what that man had, just like he said, and he'll take off one and give it to another. Amen. It'll do something with it. Let me me tell you something, folks. There is a shift in the anointing. There is a shift in the anointing.
Amen. There may have been churches at one time that was filled beyond measure with anointed people of God and an anointed man in a pulpit, and he refused to keep preaching the truth. And so the Lord said, hey, come here. Come here, stupid. Talking to me. You don't want to preach what I wrote? Whoa. He will. Praise God. And here I am today. I am that guy, Billy Bob. I'd have never chose me, but God knows I'm not a sellout.
I ain't sharp as a knife in the drawer, folks. There's a lot of smarter fellows out there than I'll ever be. Boy, there's guys out there, I'll tell you, know that Bible better than I'll ever know it. But I can tell you this much. what I do have I got it and there's no man living on this earth gonna take it and I'm gonna stand for what I believe until I draw my last breath Lord willing I do not want. Rocks crying out on my behalf I.
Thing I can to the fullest of my ability. The Bible says, go out there and pull in everybody that you can. Then he said, it is done as thou has commanded, and yet there is room. So here, the Jews didn't want it, so the Lord sent it to the Gentiles, and even after bringing in all the the Gentiles that he could, there still was room. The Bible says, and the Lord said unto that servant, go out in the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. What is that saying right there? What does that mean, Sister Tara?
None of those men that were bidden, the ones that refuse shall taste of my supper what does that mean okay hold the wagon right man give me a high five right there praise god look at her go praise the lamb of god that's exactly right praise god said they'll not taste of my supper the bible says oh taste and see that the lord is good let me tell you somebody you are allowed to taste the word of god you are allowed to see god you are allowed praise god then open
he their understanding that they might understand If Jesus hadn't opened their understanding, they would have been as blind as the ones that didn't understand the parables. Even the disciples did not understand the parables until he explained to them. And then the Bible says, then opened he their understanding that they might understand Scripture.
There's a reason why you understand it like you do. Is it because you're so great? No. Why is it then, Sister Erica, why is it that you understand Scripture? Is it because you're so great? Why is it? A what? Come on. Come on. What? Nope, not what I'm looking for. Oh, there it is. Praise God. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. You're the grand prize winner. Praise God. There you go. You're what?
Hunger for the truth. Praise God. Why? Because blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, is for they shall be filled praise god you always got to come with bible and you were coming with bible praise god but there's the reason right there amen that's the reason god opened your understanding because you're hungry for it god show me give me that god help me lord give me that jesus doesn't mean give it to me so i can sleep a while no give it to me it means
look i'm studying open it open my understanding god let me see it doesn't mean we're gonna just curl up and sing half the time no we're going to study and we're going to seek but god help me not to seek in vain you're showing him your hunger and he'll show you what he's talking about amen.
Brother edwards second corinthians 6 2 come on second corinthians 6 2 now is the day of salvation praise god now is the accepted time people need to understand well you know i i will but you know just not that's not now i mean you know i got things to do you know you don't have time you don't have time you just think you have things to do how do you know you're going to have another opportunity to come to the house of god how do you know you're going to get another chance
now is the accepted time today is the day of salvation why why is today the day of salvation sister rosie i'm just, question. Just think about what I'm asking you. Why is today the day of salvation? That's exactly right. Because you're not promised tomorrow. That's why today is the day of salvation. This is the accepted time. Amen. This is the day where you can come unto the Lord if you're willing, amen, to line up with the Word of God. Amen.
And it is the accepted time because you're still in this grace dispensation that doesn't mean everything you do is fine and okay it just means he he gave his grace and mercy at calvary he did his part it's up to us now we got a part to play in this he did his part and i guarantee you he's going to hold you to doing yours.
Now the bible said all right let's let's get some uh now let me let me ask you this is how many people see modern day church in this scripture how many of you can see the modern day church in this scripture how many times have you seen people make excuses maybe even yourself, especially before you got in this walk right here how many of you used to miss church, and made excuses maybe it was a fishing trip a hunting trip vacation maybe work Notice what the Lord said here.
And there went great multitudes with him, and he turned and said unto them, Listen carefully now. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot, he cannot be my disciple.
Disciple and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot cannot be my disciple i want you to look at matthew 10 34 now church listen that's not talking about hating your father mother is talking about in comparison to the love that you have for jesus it should be hate in comparison to that love you have for Jesus. There should be no choice to be made, no matter who it is.
Father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, granddaughter, grandson, no matter who it is, there ain't no comparison. As for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. There's church. I can't be babysitting. There's church. They can go with me to my father's house, but honey I can tell you where I'm gonna be I'm going to the house of God I'm going to the church anybody that's gonna be with me is gonna be at that church.
Period tada so if y'all want to yoke up and go to church well that's fine come on be with us 10 Matthew 10 and 34 says think no, carefully. Think not that I'm come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace with a sword, for I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. I want you to clearly understand tonight, when it comes to Jesus, there is no question who your loyalty is to be to. Your mom and daddy are no longer a force of reckoning in your life.
There is no choice to be made. You made the choice when you said, I do, with Jesus. No one is even a close second with Jesus. He said, thou shalt have no other gods before me any minute. That means, let me tell you something, What it talks about, that a man's supposed to be there in his own household, he didn't come to send peace. He came to send a sword. That's what I carry is a sword. That's what you're getting tonight is a sword.
And that's why people don't like me, because you're either going to love me, which means you're on the right side of that sword, or you're going to hate me because you're on the wrong end of it. And he said, I am come to set a man at variance against his father. Can you say amen, sister? Amen. and the daughter against her mother can you say amen how does that happen that don't mean he just came that don't mean it he just came and said hey uh uh you know lord uh uh well i.