SM180114/This Is Not a Drill!

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org to imagine for a moment what it would be like you been saving for your big vacation to Hawaii your plane lands the warm balmy breezes of the islands rollover year.

Would you check into your hotel and the next morning you get up bright and early and going out for a cup of coffee and suddenly you get a buzz on your smart phone and you read this message that's on the screen right now.

Emergency alert ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill. Of course this happened as you all know yesterday at 807 in the morning to all residents of Hawaii and the visitors as well.

The reason panic set in is because Hawaii is in range of intercontinental ballistic missiles that North Korea have been testing in recent months under Kim Jong Boone by the way, if a missile were fired from North Korea from moment of firing the missile to impact they would have 20 minutes. That's how close they are, so this message went out and for 37 minutes. People waited. I read some articles about it. Some people are running through the streets screaming. Some parents were putting their children into little storm drains because there is no emergency shelter, and a wife. There are no places for people to go if a nuclear weapon were detonated.

That is not the kind of news you want to wake up to in the morning. Thankfully it was a false alarm.

They said someone pushed the wrong button. Really, I mean how does that work is really only three buttons to push this button for Diet Coke. You put this button for the warning about incoming ballistic missile and this one to fire a nuclear is I don't know how works but I know they gotta fix that system. They gotta fix it soon.

Bad news well were back in the book of Nehemiah for a final message and I Nehemiah at this stage.

Historically has gone back to Babylon. Remember that story was originally serving as the king's cupbearer when he heard the news that the walls of Jerusalem were lying in burn chart out rubble so Nehemiah might. Nehemiah made the journey to Jerusalem funded by the king, even within our best gardening garlic.

The people and did the impossible. They rebuild the walls of the city, they prayed they dedicated themselves of the Lord.

They confess their sins and a great revival broke out, but now is given a message that things are going well back in Jerusalem and he needed to return reminding us that just because you have a good beginning. It does not guarantee you will have a good finish. The story is told when the Constitution of the United States have been signed in America officially became a nation.

A crowd of people were standing outside of the meeting room were our founding fathers were waiting to find out what happened again by Mrs. Powell saw Benjamin Franklin and said so Mr. Franklin what type of government have you and your delegates given us, and Franklin famously responded a Republic mountain.

If you can keep it. The idea was okay. We've laid the foundation. Now it's up to you to see what you do with it what the foundation was laid in Jerusalem the walls rebuilt the temple was there but they were not keeping it there were not doing well at all started well but they were not initially well listen. It's great to have a great start and a great finish but you can even have mediocre start or even a bad start and have a great finish with yours.

What's not good the greatest of starts in a horrible finish. If you're running in a race and you don't finish the race. It doesn't matter if you've held the first place position for 9/10 labs if you don't finish the race. You don't win the prize and the same is true of the Christian life we want to finish strong and you know what you decide right now are you going to do later in life you don't decide later. The evening of your life is decided by the morning of your life. The end from the beginning. So here you are, you been married two years and you say I want to have a strong marriage 42 years later, okay, great. You decide that right now and every day you do everything you can to strengthen that marriage. Don't wait until you're older because when you get older the problem is you get set in your ways you like routine you like predictability you like to do things the way you've always done them no decide now established good habit patterns now. You're the one who will decide how it's all going to end up in the same is true of the Christian life.

You know, we start out with a bang.

But if we put it into cruise control Houston we have a problem. The key is maintenance. The Bible says work out your own salvation with fear and trembling foot is called the works in you both to will and do of his good pleasure at this sensate work for your own salvation. As you can know you work it out. See, it's given to you is a gift of God. You can work it out. As the apostle John, and Paul said we can work it out.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney would be to forget it does cure cultural reference a giggle. What would it work versus that's not a verse of the song, forget it. Okay when you are translated cultural reference.

It didn't work, but we can work it out. So when Paul says, work out your own salvation. It means discover what God is giving you.

He uses a word that speaks of being in a mine and pulling the gold out so it's a lifelong discovery of growing and learning and being transformed. You never reach a plateau work on good that I don't need to go to church anymore. I don't need to read the Bible anymore. I'm I've arrived know you haven't, I think the one way you know you're growing spiritually is when you realize you need to continue growing spiritually at something to keep in mind, and one of the ways you know you're not doing well spiritually is when you think you don't need to keep growing spiritually with these people. They had turned back and gone back to their old ways and Nehemiah knew of the walls were burned down once again be burned down twice so let's backtrack a little bit then will come to get to the conclusion but let's pick up chronologically where we left off last time you remember Nehemiah returns. They rebuild the walls. Ezra is brought out of mothballs. He led the first wave of Jews returning to Babylon.

He helped to rebuild the temple. He had been largely inactive. They bring about again. He read Scripture to the people for three hours.

Then they confess their sins to God for three hours and there's this great revival that breaks out and know the people make a series of very significant commitments to the Lord and that's where we picked up were in Nehemiah 10 point number one of your taking notes. They surrendered to the word of God. They surrendered to the word of God. Nehemiah 1028 then the rest of the people, the Pres, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers and temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the law of God, together with their wives, sons and daughters and all who are old enough to understand. They swore an oath, they bound themselves with no and they said Laura Courson themselves.

If they failed to obey the law of God is issued by his servant Moses, they solemnly promised to carefully follow all the all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our God. There is a serious another siding on the dotted line. You know you can go look at the car all you want. I love this time I buy this car.

I want to get this car and when the estate gone for so you going in the safe. I'm ready to buy the car and they bring out hundreds of sheets of paper that you have to sign sign sign sign sign in sign and then they give you the keys to your new car in you get in it and you drive it off the lot and it drops in value by $3000 before we even got your first tank of gas right are you sign on the dotted line examiner by this home. I'm committing myself to purchase this property.

Now you must keep the commitment you made. That's what they were doing here.

The same is true when you stand in front of the a pastor and before your friends and family and state your vows to your husband or your wife to be. You're making a commitment publicly and that's why think it's it's a great thing to make a public stand for Jesus Christ to sort of seal the deal when you're baptized at the public commitment. People can see if they should see it. I you make that first stand in front of your nonbelieving friends at your workplace or on your campus and you say I am a Christian and you know they're going to be watching you like Cox, why because they want you to do well know, because they want you to do really badly, so they can take him for grant right then I want you to do well because when you work closely with the Lord and they see the transformation in your character. It drives him insane because they come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I love public profession, have you made a public profession of your faith. Does your family know you're a Christian all your family, your extended family to people in your neighborhood know you're a Christian to people in your workplace know you're Christian to people on your campus know you're a Christian to people that folly one social media know that you are a Christian make your stand for Christ publicly because Jesus said if you'll stand there for me all stand up for you if you confess me before people if you confess me before people, Jesus is all confessor before the father and the angels in heaven.

What a deal you to stand up in front of a few other human beings you're going to stand up for me in heaven. That's right. Okay, I'm all in. Okay so you make a public stand.

I have a little a granddaughter named Alan and she was at school the other day at lunch time and thus of the kids are all eating their little lunches you know analysis we need everybody we need to pray and think Jesus for our food. There are like what planet are you from good. I love that Ellie told me that story is that Allie very good you major public stand for Jesus and that's a great thing for all of us to keep in mind, and so we make that stand and we stand by that stand that we have made no article mostly we believe the Bible will say we love the Bible and we will quote the Bible but will we surrender to what the Bible says this is the requested. Don't just quoted to me.

Don't to say how much you love it will use surrendered to what the Bible says when he restated will you surrender to what the Bible says on every single topic. I used to have a little plaque years ago that said, God said it, I believe it, that settles it is that sum up the way you feel will come back to that point in the moment.

Point number two they separated themselves from ungodly influence. They separated themselves from ungodly influence of the diverse 28 then the rest of the people the Pres Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the law of the Lord. We promise to not let our daughters Mary the pagan people of the land and not let our sons Mary.

There daughters note the cause and effect they separated in order to obey look at it again. They had separated themselves from the pagan people in order to obey the law of the Lord. Listen to this. If you want to live a godly life.

You will need to separate yourself from some things and some people and in exchange.

Surround yourself with other things and other people someone sums it up perfectly. It's as blessed as a man walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, or stands in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of the scornful. Notice the words that are used versus guys walking then he standing in any setting versus walking in the counsel of the ungodly, sending the way of sinners sitting in the seat of the scornful's are like let's say you're on a diet. So you have to walk every day could walk so you decide to walk right by your favorite donut shop.

Just when they're making the donuts for us in the morning mistake, but you do it and you're walking by drawing on walk-in I'm getting exercise and you look in the window first or walking.

Now you're standing next thing you know you're sitting judges at a table here in the bad of a broad donut dog right you can't wait, that's all sin works. It's a progression.

So don't do that if you want to be a blessed man a blessed woman or change or blessed with happy because it's an interchangeable word happy as Amanda doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners sit in the seat of the scornful. God's his delight is in the law of the Lord in the unit does he meditate day and night.

Let me paraphrase it. He loves to read the Bible. He loves to hear the Bible preached. He loves to hear songs that have verses from the Bible in them. He loves the word of God and he meditates, which means he thinks about it he ponders it he considers it day and night, so you had to separate from one thing enjoying yourself to another word to you horsing recall how many of you are not Mary raise her hand up rigid okay. Quite a few of you guys. Here's what I want to say to you, don't even think about marrying a non-believer okay. Trust me on this even better. Trust the word of God on this. You don't want to go there, will you not I maybe I'll leave them to the Lord okay yeah maybe you will.

Maybe you won't. And chances are you will note explaining that the moment but if you're a single person you want to look for a godly person so maybe you're going out with someone right now and I'd ask you, are there Christian yeah they say gone a lot really say that liver someone that's even more godly then you not less so when there's no question that there are a follower of Jesus Christ.

Listen the three most important decisions, you're going to make in your life are number one. What are you going to do with Jesus Christ. Number two what even to do with your life and number three.

Who are you going to marry three most important decisions number one what even to do with Jesus Christ. Are you going to accept him or reject him, are you going to follow him or not follow him number two. What are you going to do with your life what course we are like take.

Thirdly, will you marry, you can get number one right and mess up two and three and have a really miserable life believe in Jesus then go marry a nonbeliever, or believe in Jesus make a bunch of bad choices in your life you need to get all three of these right.

The problem of the Israelites. They had a constant problem with they kept getting pulled down by ungodly people, they would intermarry with pagan people and end up doing pagan things using that usually what happens when believers Mary non-believers see the problem is generally the believer does not pull the nonbeliever, but rather the nonbeliever pulls the believer down I can illustrate right now by just saying I could pick someone out here in the front row someone much smaller than me and I could take on a pull you on the platform that I would take hold of your arm with my considerable strength. I might be able to pull you right appear in the state, but the chances are, even though you're much smaller than the away lesson I do, you can probably pull me off the stage more easily than I could pull you on the state even if I were stronger than your wife you of the pull of gravity working for you. So the same way when I'm with a nonbeliever it's easier for me to go there way that it is for them to come my way dealing with are going to come my way is up there born again.

They want Jesus, but the way I could go their way, as I still have an old nature. I'm still potentially drawn to sinful things so this is where the problem begins and this is why Paul says in second Corinthians 614 don't be unequally yoked together with nonbelievers for what fellowship does like With darkness or righteousness with on righteousness.

Are you ready eat at the table of the Lord and also at the table of the devil. Another translation puts it this way and I like this translation don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong that's not partnership.

That's more is like best friends would start. Does Christ go strolling with the devil to trust and mistrust hold hands who would even think of setting the pagan idols in God's holy temple.

See, when you combine certain things. Problems can ensue. You can take nitro and you can add glycerin and you have an explosion in the same way you can take bleach and ammonia and they can generate chlorine gas that is both toxic and deadly that can potentially happen with the believer and the nonbeliever is not a good result because it's going to be detrimental to the believer.

Now, having said that, while I miss what I'm saying don't marry a nonbeliever.

I'm not saying don't have contact with nonbelievers because how we gonna reach people with the gospel of we don't have contact with them.

Separation does not mean isolation. Paul actually wrote about this to the believers in Corinth and understand Corrine was a really wicked place when we talk about the Corinthians. We could've just as easily call them the California first and second Californians because the issues of Corinth apply to California a lot of immorality. A lot of crazy stuff going on.

So these are Christians living in a superb pagan culture surrounded by idol worshipers and all kinds of other things on Paul's writing to them. There dealing with them. Issues that are similar to what we might deal with today. So Paul writes of the believers in Corinth and he says don't associate with the so-called Christian if they indulge in sexual sin or greedy or worship idols are drunk or are a cheat to get a step further and says don't you have a meal with them while really is and that being a little judge mental and me know. Actually, it's been loving and at the same time careful good avoiding people possibly be loving because of you love them enough, you'll tell him the truth about what the Bible says so someone says I'm a Christian and their living with her boyfriend or girlfriend or doing drugs or getting drunk is a hold on. You say you're a Christian, why are you doing this. The Bible tells you not to do the things he meant. Don't judge my journey really you're actually saying that your little judge my journey, but Emily judge your journey and you with it okay to put great. The Bible says judge… Judgment. I don't know any of the first prejudgment. Yes, the Bible says Jesus speaking judge not lest you be judged. Right. What is it mean means condemned not lest you be condemned. I'm in no position to condemn a person to say that persons going to hell. I don't know their heart. I don't know everything about them. That's not my will but I am supposed to judge people, which means evaluate where their ads spiritually. I'm supposed to judge myself.

The Bible says we make evaluations every day about all kinds of things does not.

The Bible even say judgment begins at the house of God so fearful of Christian and you're doing things that contradict the Bible. I want to call you on on them. Not because I want to hurt you, but because I want to help you because you're on a destructive path and I want you to turn around. Galatians 6 Paul writes brothers and sisters of another believer is overcome by some in you are godly should gently and humbly help the person back into the right path to be careful you don't follow the same temptation yourself. So yes, I want to help them because the Bible says faithful of the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

That means I came in I love you and I want to tell you the truth, because I love you and I don't want you to go down the steps now having said that, I still need to have contact with nonbelievers because Paul continues on, and he says no I'm not saying avoid nonbelievers. First Corinthians 510 who indulge in sexual sin or greedy, urging people not to leave this world to avoid people like that you might be surprised to know that when I have friendship from nonbelievers and I have friends that don't know the Lord and we talked and I stand for what I stand for and they know what I believe. But I don't expect nonbelievers to behave is believers, but I do expect Christians to behave as Christians, but if you're regular and you don't know what the Bible says about this and that I'm not going to harp on those things that you happen to be doing as much as I'm going to try to point you to Christ because once you come to Christ all those other things will get sorted out. So that's my main objective with the nonbeliever bring them to Christ. Cleanup point number three. They were invested in God's kingdom. They were invested in God's kingdom there making this valid giver 32. In addition, they say, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual temple tax of 1/8 of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God, for 35. We promise to bring the first part of every harvest of the Lord's temple year after year Weatherby from across the soil from of retreat of this was primarily an agricultural culture, livestock, culture so they would bring their offerings, it would often be something from the field or something from the flock, etc. today, we would not do that we would bring finances, but the point in principle is still the same. But you know a lot of things we don't want to give God our best notice they brought the firstfruits the best we want to give God leftovers the other day I was with my son Jonathan and his son Christopher, my grandson and Jonathan gave Christopher a little bag of chips is a big bag to ice a little back I should say big bag of chips so receiving these chips enjoyment. Jonathan says hey buddy can I have a chip Christopher is now. He says son I have a chip cadet of a chip for Christmas trees scrunching up like he's in pink.

No son give me a chip I needed chip I give you those chips give me a chip that you think using an agony he reaches in and pulls out the most pathetic little chip. Humor is just microscopic anything. It's even hard for him to give it always like turning away like your take it all is that says no I want a big shift all just like all give me a big chip sign give you good chip he finally I thought this is so much like us and God.

God gives us everything God gave you the bag of chips man to give you your life you gave you your job to give you your help at all from God.

God says, I like to get back a percentage to meet the to you paying right that's what this is all about. There were going to bring the very best of the Lord God established certain laws for the nation of Israel regarding type. The people were to bring one 10th of the material resources to the temple bring the best not the worst to God summons or will tithing is not in the New Testament. Therefore, I will give nothing to God ever Brilliant deduction I'm being sarcastic by the way, listen to this 10% is entry level that's not where you stop.

That's where you start.

Listen to this in the New Testament the standards of the Old Testament are always raised never lower. Let me say that again in the New Testament. The standards are never lowered her always raised Prince and Jesus said you were that it has been said, you shall not murder but I say to you, if you look at some moment he did in your heart that's like you murder them, you will hurt.

Speaking of the Old Testament that it has been said 10 Commandments, you shall not commit adultery but all I see. Do you if you look in a woman with lust in your heart. That's the same as committing adultery but if you do, the lower the bar know we actually raises the bar so it comes down to this. Listen, every believer should give of their finances to the Lord now is like this tough preachers talking about money. He went a second. What is your discomfort really over Rimmer Art. Remember earlier point, we surrendered to the word of God we love you what the Bible says about prayer, about hold about the return of Christ about comfort yeah amen amen.

And then there's giving you a little EMI like Christopher with the little chip we should welcome everything the Bible says about everything and just do it so was the Bible say Paul deals with it extensively in the book of first Corinthians chapter 16 as we learn and you can write these notes down with these things up later. Every believer should give systematically. Every believer should give systematically.

Paul told the believers in Corinth to set aside a sum of money on the first day of every week for them. That would be Sunday. Christians are to give systematically, not sporadically. When it occurs to that. I think that's why electronic giving is so fantastic. That's how we get from our home, and by the way that's that's just the we tired of course but then we give above that I don't see that the Bose is just on the stone when I'm supposed to do as a Christian I happy to do it but you know you can do electronically and it happens automatically. But however you do it you should give systematically number two we are to give proportionately where to get proportionately.

Paul says in first Corinthians 16, everyone should give in keeping with their income so look something.

Give more. Some can give less but everyone should give something number three we are to give joyfully, joyfully, Paul writes in second Corinthians 9. Six. Remember this, a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully will say well I think of tripling. Therefore, I'll never do again and the like, say like I can pray cheerfully will never pray again. I can read the Bible happily because I get boards on never read the Bible you know change your heart man get in sync with God and Jesus say it is more blessed or happy to give than to receive.

Do you understand what you say you think keeping your stuff makes you happy.

Jesus is giving your stuff makes you happy.

If you want to be happy to what he says and he wants a blessing that will come your way. One last point, if you follow God's principles about giving you can expect him to meet your need.

If you follow God's principles on giving. You can expect him to meet your needs.

Second Corinthians 98 God will give generously and provide all your need and you'll always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with other UC so God does not promise to supply your greens, but he does promise to meet your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Listen, this is like a double test, God tests us and we can test God in this rare moment to test about so I love Jesus, all at someone about okay are you following these principles.

It's a test of really your commitment because were a man's treasure is, there will his heart be also. But then we can test God is it what you talking about. The Bible says don't does God hold on. One time God says testing you know where it is.

Malachi God says put me to the test on this one. Bring your ties into your offerings into the storehouse, listen, God says watch this.

I will open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing so great you will not have room enough to receive it from either the test on this one. So it's a double test with God of the test give faithfully to him and see what he does.

So the people went back on what they promised and they should have done these things, but no they did not do these things and so back to me MI is return to Babylon. Mission accomplished some so glad I obeyed the Lord the walls of Jerusalem Marie Billiton everything is wonderful. There was a revival in summonses.

Amen. Things are going well back in Jerusalem. First of all the people aren't getting affected so bad that the Levites of gone home. The priest are there not been supported and other people are intermarrying all these weird pagan people and their worshiping the false contractor kids don't even know the language of visual the learning these other languages and everything is falling apart and their sin. There and so you gotta go back and do some as Yogi Berra said it was like déjà vu all over again. So minimize is all right a return so he goes back and he finds a situation just as they describe, maybe even a little bit worse and basically the temple wasn't functioning any longer. Imagine for a moment what the world would look like if the church were gone. Think about how our city would be if there was no harvest that there was no any other church or you know we been here well over 40 years helping people ministering to people and even the people don't come to church as often as they like. No churches there right they know there's a service Sunday they know there's midweek studies. They know there's help.

They know if they're having a problem in their marriage they can go on and a pastor will meet with them and help them and by the way, we have helped literally thousands of people with their marriages over the years we've been here we've seen them saved by God's grace. It's true that we don't charge for it. Some churches do you have to pay to get Kelsey. We don't charge when you give care that goes toward providing this service for people. A lot of times are leading people to Christ. That's the first thing they need get resolved to have a better marriage. I talked the guy after first service. Funny enough, his name is Yogi. I recorded Yogi Berra's name was Joe he do and he was in gangs and was having a lot of trouble with his wife and he came in he says it save my marriage faster.

So you see that's just one of many many stories so you don't think about what the world would look like if the church were not here. You know when it's time to get married were here to offer free premarital counseling which we offered you so you can have a strong marriage because it's not just about the wedding.

It's about the marriage and we wanted to last.

If your problems were there for you as well. If you are problems with your teenagers or any age. You know, we have youth ministry here. You know that a youth pastor will take the time to minister to them and help them.

You know that when a loved one dies, you can come to the church and will be here to comfort you and encourage you and help you with the service.

One of the church was gone. Think about what the world would look like thank God for the church. Thank God for this church in the light we been able to be in this community try and think God for you that are a part of this church volunteering your time serving here so faithfully giving of your finances God bless you think you and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. While these folks the Israelites there just like us were just like them. They went back in their promises and disorders show how bad it is gotten. They let Tobiah back in member Tobiah learned about him earlier in the Amaya Tobiah sunblock. This guy was a total creep. Okay. By the way, if you're looking for a name for your newborn son don't name him Tobiah don't name them. Some a lot and don't name of Judith. These are not good name even though there in the Bible member that Tobiah along with some a lot tried to stop the rebuilding of the wall 12 years earlier. First, it was a potential military attack against Israel. Then he got involved in a plot to take Nehemiah out personally, those efforts failed. He did everything he could to discredit Nehemiah slander Jim Tobiah was troubled with a capital T sodium Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and what is he finds he finds a given them a guesthouse to the buyer in the temple Tobias in the temple guys crazy what you doing here at the Fox was in the henhouse. Nehemiah was seriously and righteously angry, and he took immediate action. Go over that Nehemiah 13 verse eight I became very upset and through all of Tobiah's belongings out of the room and then I demanded all the rooms we purified and I brought back the articles for God's temple. The grain offerings in the frankincense love that I would deal with the new when something is dirty.

You need to clean it and minimizes to mitigate the place it still smells like Tobiah give a talk by in your life you know someone that just always get you going the wrong direction might be a guy are growing in the romantic relationship of sorts, or someone else and just bring you down.

You go to separate from this and this reminds us of when Jesus went into the temple and cleansed that memory overturned the tables by the way, did you know he did that twice is an amazing so first he goes into the temple and the outer court of the Gentiles. They've set up all these tables with these jacked up prices ripping people off so people come in they bring the little lamb for the offering and one of the guys at the tables with sale that's that's never going to pass muster. You can offer that lamb but will so you this other lamina higher price and this is horrible instead of praying for the people they were praying on the people.

So Jesus came in literally turn the tables over and over about even use the whip, which I love. You know, Raiders of the lost Ark bent the dent in no but then a little bit of time passes and someone sets up the first table, then the second then the third. Next thing you know it's happening again, and he has to drive about a second time you get to stay on top of things because it's very easy to take one step forward and two steps back.

This might be a good time for me to admit a serious addiction. I've struggled with for a great part of my life I've never shared this before publicly, but on his shirt. Now my addiction. I bite my fingernails.

It's the worst habit effort is anybody else by their fingernails.

Hold up your pathetic little hand it's it's so bad. Usually when I'm under stress.

And when you draw when you bite your fingernails. You're very limited. Like if you drop a dime on the floor.

Forget about you can get it.

No nails you little knobs if you communicate this. I'll take a piece of paper cited in the dime you learn little trick we will go to scratch yourself just a good move units, no nails, you need the nail man nails are good so I have victory. Right now my meals have grown out for now, I'm not making any promises.

There's always tomorrow I get under a little stressed her you know, that's life. Isn't it unknown well my life everything together all my ducks in a row will get good in there tomorrow might be a little problem in a little problem turn into a bigger problem than one thing will lead to another. That's what happened here but God gave them a chance to repent and they did is integrate that God gives second chances to give you a second chance today if you need how I was to come to the end of this message back to that ominous warning about ballistic missiles headed to Hawaii looking to begin to imagine you get your phone ballistic missile threat in down the Hawaii seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill I read some articles about what was happening already told you before, panicking, freaking out, but not everybody that we have a friend her name is Shelley. She has a second home over in Hawaii on the North Shore of Oahu and so she texted my wife Kathy. After they gave the all clear over the 37 minutes later she said I had a neighbor come over to my house. Panicking, saying, what do we do Shelley said the first thing we do is we pray. Then she prayed with her neighbor and then she said now we need to make sure that we know what were going when we leave this earth. Everybody needs a neighbor like this, you need to be a neighbor like this you know Shelley can visit. Amen. I'm freaking out.

I don't time to deal with your drama know she took time for her to help just like Nehemiah left the comfort of the palace in Babylon to go help his people and we need to do that seem to be that neighbor let me be that neighbor for you right now when they are real threat will come your way in life to be a nuclear threat. More likely it will be a personal one. That unexpected heart attack car accident. One thing is certain. No one gets out of here alive and that is where faith and reason commit. Sometimes people say Christians are idiots or fools really okay so when the missiles common who you going to go to know who's going to help you. Your computer is not can help you your new iPhone X is going to help you. Your favorite band is and I hope you even your friends can help you what you need God. I think you know you need God. And that's when you why you want to make sure you're right with God. I thought before.

If I was there and I knew I had X amount of minutes before some like this would happen. I would want to share the gospel and I thought can I share the gospel in under three minutes, what if you're on a plane and all the engines right you're going down could you share the gospel and three miniature civil great can you all Celtic a stab at it. Okay, here's what I would see the people if I had this much time as a first of all want to tell you that God loves you and you're separated from God by your sin. But here's the good news.

God sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you.

2000 years ago. If you turn from your sin and believe in Jesus. He will forgive you of all of it right now and you can go to heaven.

Would you like to pray with me. Pray this prayer and I would leave them in a prayer cut to the chase, no opening illustration. No jokes, just straight gospel infusion.

You can do that you give me that neighbor for someone else. Let me ask you what, if you got that message.

As you left church today and I wasn't a mistake. It wasn't a drill.

It was real. You know where you're going, earn about inscription on a tombstone.

These words are written on it.

Pause now stranger as you pass by as you are now also once was. I is I am now so you will be so prepare for death and follow me some in reading that tombstone was overheard to say to follow you is not my intent until I know which way you went so which way will you go. You have two options when you die you will list the Lord comes before that and he could but if you die when you die you will either go straight to Kevin are you will go ultimately to help. I don't see that with any pleasure.

I just say that because it's gospel truth, and the last thing God wants is for you to go to hell. That's why he sent Jesus to deserve this one and only beloved son and poured his judgment upon his son, you know, we just serve the judgment. We rebelled against God. We defy God we broken the laws of God and yet God took his only son and put that judgment on Jesus.

So we didn't have to face it meant that's love and forgive you of anything you've ever committed you mistake God forgive me this can happen for you right now or if you're one of those people I talked about earlier that you know you've kind of veered off the path you say you're a Christian, but you're doing things a Christian should not do.

You can come back to Jesus. Let's get that resolved right here right now. Let's all bow our heads in prayer. Everyone praying father I pray now that you will speak to the heart of every person that's here every person that's listening and watching wherever they are. If they don't know you yet. Lord, help them to come to you now.

We pray number, heads of God and her eyes are closing were praying together. How many of you would say today Greg, I need Jesus Christ.

I want to be ready for the afterlife. I want to know that I go to heaven when I die or I need to come back to Jesus because I've been messing up listener that your desire. If you want Christ to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that you go to heaven when you die, you need to come back to the Lord again because you've been living a compromise life, would you raise your hand up right now. Let me pray for you.

God bless you raise a hand up Iraq and see it to bless hands are going up all over. Hope yours is one of this is your wake-up call.

This is not a drill. Anybody else you need Christ in your life right now. You want your sin forgiven you want to go to heaven when you die raise your hand up work you need to come back to the Lord raise her hand up a reprieve.

God bless all of you guys watching on the screen. I can't see you, but the Lord sees you, would you raise your hand as well saying yes I need Jesus right. Listen, every one of you that is, raise your hand saying you want, Jesus Christ, to the stand your feet right now and I mentally join a prayer stand up, stand up wherever you are. Even if you did not raise your hand but you need Christ in your life today, stand up and I'm in a pray with you wherever you are you guys watching on the screen stand upright their wherever you are over adults Lagos stand up in the theater of Redwood Chris stand up piecemeal stand up harvest Orange County stand up and him lead you in a prayer. This is real-time happening right now. This is not a recording. You can get right with God.

I'm in a way one more moment anybody else that needs to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ. Stand your feet might be a few more for pray together. All right all of you that are standing. I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this prayer out loud after me. Pray these words.

If you would, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.

Jesus come into my life.

I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend.

Thank you for accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray.

Amen. God bless each one of you