At the Crossroads of Life

Good evening again to you from the auditorium of beacon Baptist Church Orion Cardwell and Ari only ones gathered here, he's there running the sound of your leading service. Thank you for arranging your schedule to tune in and join us by lifestream. These really are strange days it's going on nearly 4 months since our lives got turned upside down and our schedules have been rearranged.

Hard to believe it's been four months, but that's nearly how long it's been. But thank you for bearing with us in praying and supporting the ministry and attending our Sunday morning services we've been meeting. I think now for three weeks may be, for I lose track of it, but that is gone well.

Thank you for praying for the elders. We we meet every Wednesday afternoon and have staff meeting in we talk among ourselves and consider the needs of the congregation and what were hearing and assessing things in the news and what has come from our governor in terms of restrictions and so were were trying to navigate this strange path were aware that not everybody is viewing this in the same way some of our people haven't been out at all yet and we don't have a problem with that we understand each person has to make a decision based on their circumstances and their age and their health and being hero are not being here is not a statement of your spirituality or mindful of that. This past Sunday was the first Sunday that we were able to sing as a congregation and that was a joy, albeit through masks and they are they are uncomfortable. My wife and I sat there with her masks on where that mascot, I you know you you get hotter and it's difficult to breathe in restrictive. Nobody signed up for, but we think that this is so, the wisest path forward on consideration for one another to love one another and minister to one another and protect one another. So that's what we have determined to do and were weighing when to begin holding people present Sunday night with been talking about that for several weeks in now that things are tightening back down again.

We thought it was probably best to postpone things and just assess things, week by week so until you hear differently from us will continue what were doing meeting together for those who can come on Sunday morning encouraging you to wear a mask during the singing providing masks.

If you don't have one or you forget yours or whatever so were were navigating this together as a church growing together. Trust in the Lord together. Thank you for your faithfulness and giving in the Lord is providing for the needs of the church for which were grateful. That's what I can tell you in terms of those logistics came across this story of the him that when when I read it to you. You will realize your familiarity with it. The pastor John Fossett was the pastor of a small but poor Baptist fellowship of believers at Wayne's eight York Shire England Dr. John Gill famous Baptist died in John Fossett was called to London to succeed the imminent Dr. he preached his farewell sermon to his little congregation and when the wagons were loaded for the move to the metropolis. The soaring church members arrived to see them off. They been an affectionate people to their pastor and now they were grieving and pleading with him to not leave them pastor Fossett and his wife were overcome.

I just sat down and wept. Mrs. Fossett looking in the face of her husband said oh John John, I can't bear this.

I know not how to go. John agreed, he turned to those who operated the van and they seem to realize what it happened in willingly unloaded the furniture.

There was great joy among the small fellowship of believers that day to know that their pastor would continue to shepherd them.

This precipitated pastor John Fossett writing this hymn blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love, the fellowship of kindred minds is like that above before our father's throne. We poor our ardent prayers, our fears, our hopes, our aims are one our comforts and our cares we share our mutual woes.

Our mutual burdens bear and often for each other flows. The sympathizing to and perhaps this last stanza reflects the ethos of that time when he and his wife decided to not leave but to stay when we sunder part.

It gives us inward pain, but we shall still be joined in heart and hope to meet again.

The pastor's wife stayed in that church administered among that small congregation of saints. He later turned down being the principle of Bristol College and he lived out his days with his fellowship believers thought you would enjoy hearing that story background of that him bless be the tie that binds written by John Pastor John Fossett, will you join me as we open our services this evening in prayer. Father, we have known something of that sentiment. Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love, you cannot. We cannot share lives together and walk with brothers and sisters in Christ without our hearts being knit together.

It's what the Spirit of God does. We thank you father for this wonderful sense of Christian fellowship borne by the spirit of God.

We love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Those we've come to know those we've wept with and rejoice with Craig with grew together with trusted God together in circumstances and trials and difficulties father again, thank you for beacon Baptist Church and those who make up this assembly, Lord, thank you for those who are gathered by lifestream tonight to join me in our seeking of your face, Lord, we we plead to you and ask that you would come to us and help us you would invigorate us in that you would fan the flames of our affection for you and for one another. You would use our service tonight to keep us steadfast, abounding in the things of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord, help us not to become weary in well doing, help us to keep on keeping on entrusting you in these strange and challenging days. Thank you for your manifold blessings.

The manifold grace of God that has saved us and is sustaining us and is keeping us, Lord, thank you for the health of this congregation, or, thank you for how you have protected us there been a few folks who have been touched by the coronavirus but numbers are very very small and we pray for those who have tested positive and have recovered her back to work and those who are being tested.

We would commit them to you and ask you to to give a good result in, and keep us all healthy Lord as we are reminded of how little control we have of our lives and our circumstances and those things that happen around us and those things that happen to us, Lord, we confess corporately that we love you we love you because you were first loved us. We thank you that the spirit of God is shed his love abroad in our hearts you've given us the capacity to love you and to love others. We pray that that capacity would increase and become more consistent and more ardent Lord again would commit this Wednesday night service to you.

Pray that you would use it Lord for our instruction. Use it for our edification and use it for our help and growth in godliness, hear our prayers receive them. We pray through the merits of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ to loved us and gave himself for us, pray, amen we go over the prayer requests rejoicing with fad Boyden the good news concerning the hip replacement for for his mother, Peggy Koontz.

She's at home and she's doing well. No doubt has some healing yet and rehab to do but tell glad she's on the other side of the surgery. Tommy Blanchard is recovering from recent eye surgery pastor. The tour is making progress.

Visited with them in his home last Thursday night we had a good visit and that he was by the church today about 130 just very briefly. He been at high Rock Lake spending a couple of days relaxing with Jane. He had a doctor's appointment with the cardiologist this afternoon so was back in town to make that appointment so I can tell he's eager to to get back to the work of the ministry and yet he needs to go slow and be careful get his strength back in monitor his heart under others, so we want to draw your attention to a couple of things.

So William heart.

This is some dumb son of Jeff and Carolann bartended petabyte that they discovered on his ankle and the doctors concerned that it perhaps is a tick bite with it spreading there could be a chance for Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever so he'll be on antibiotics for the next week to try and combat. Whatever it is so I know Jeff and Carolann would appreciate your prayers concerning their young son.

I'm very happy to report progress concerning the nephew of Larry Noris, Brandon Noris, he's so he's been a death door.

He had a leg amputated was in serious condition in ICU at Chapel Hill for quite a while, but he's improved. He's now in a regular room's vocal cords or nominee still on a liquid diet that he's come quite a ways so were rejoicing in God's kindness to him and with the Larry Liddy Mary Petrie is an aunt of Annie Nick shall have a brain stent implanted but not sure of the date for that procedure. And then you see if you have a copy of the prayer sheet. The last thing mentioned there under others is used to an update concerning wide open manner 48 step staff members and 84 residents have tested positive for covert, 1927 residents have died so that is been a particularly hot spot in Alamance County under missionaries know your praying for Trevor Teresa Johnson and her family. They've been in Malaysia recovering from malaria had a relapse lease in constant pain he's come to the states recently to help recover and arrange schooling for his son Noah, so member this family in prayer, and Paul Snyder.

He's in the US for treatment. His daughter Marianne has some learning issues, learning disability issues and are getting help for her concerning store wall. I had a conversation with Laverne this morning the phone. She had been trying to call me on FaceTime and we were able to make a connection. So I noticed she tried several times so I tried calling her and was it will make a connection was just audio wasn't faced wasn't FaceTime but anyway, we talked for eight or 10 minutes. It was a little was a little law interrupted from time to time, and was a bit of a delay, but I thought I got the gist of what's going on there with them. Stuart and the update is that done last Saturday. Liver became available, but there were two candidates for that transplant.

Stuart and another man and they prepared both of them with them in the hospital in the other man was sicker than Stuart, weaker and they opened him up to make an assessment whether he would be a suitable candidate and they made the decision that he would get that liver.

Laverne tells me that she's tried to find out whether survived procedure and she has not heard, she doesn't even know if he lived through the procedure but so that was a little bit of a disappointment, but not a great deal they were praying for this man thankful for the man's life who, who it died in made his liver available so that tells us that Stuart is it the very top of the list.

They've indicated that the next liver that becomes available. If there are no other extenuating circumstances. He will receive it I Laverne is been in Johannesburg for three months. It's hard to believe it is been that long, but she came with Stuart, which came down to see him and while she was in Johannesburg, things worsened because of covert and the economy becoming worse in Zimbabwe and border has been closed, so she is restricted there to Johannesburg.

She cannot get back into Zimbabwe, but Sarah Kates husband Lee has been hearing on a lot of responsibility in overseeing the needs of the churches in the pastors and Laverne said they are very encouraged with how he has stepped up and met the needs so that's the update concerning Stuart. He said for tests that have come back negative for covert, 19 they tested him again recently and waiting on that test to come back. They've seen a shadow on his long and there concerned about that investigating that a bit more but no definitive diagnosis with that so if there's no evidence of the cancer spreading and he remains set free of covert. That's all a good sign for his prospect of receiving the liver so that's an update concerning Stuart under sympathy were asking you to pray for Ellard Cook family cook as an uncle of Sue Vestal had been on our cancer section. He had cancer in his spine. He passed away on Sunday. Crystal Mackey is an infant daughter of the pastor in Lincolnville, Maine. This is the church. This is the pastor of the church that Bethany and her husband attend there in Maine worn and think they have one child in this infant daughter has died. We don't was I think she was the mother was still carrying the baby. The baby died so please pray for this grieving pastor and his wife and without the congregation as well. We been praying for this son neighbor missionary Tom and Connie Chapman in Chile Pato. He passed away on Saturday, 71, I have an email from Tom asserting that under the salvation section still significant Liston thank you for those who are faithful to pray for these and its reminder of how grateful we are for those who pray for us when we were lost. God hears prayer and answers prayer, so that what is added the name of his mother. As we've mentioned already is recovering from hip replacement surgery and then to new names under the when a new names that one new name and one update on driver Hammond married daughter of Eddie and Claire driver has had quite a ordeal with cancer treatments of various kinds and her treatments are on hold. Pray for her and then Nancy Verdi is asking us to pray for her friend David Moxley. He had cancer around 10 years ago, remain relatively stable when this is a reoccurrence.

The last scanty sad showed some growth and he's begun immunotherapy treatments.

So that's our prayer requests for this evening our government official. The week is North Carolina State Representative Dennis Wood Dale, who is member the North Carolina House of Representatives right.

Here's a couple of updates. This is from Tom Chapman, Chile. Your praying friends are different. Pato passed into eternity. At 1220 yesterday so that was Saturday. He heard the gospel in three or four occasions but we cannot be sure that he ever truly believed that of course makes it tons harder for us, but the Lord gives peace even in those difficult situations. What a wonderful Savior. We have he has three sons. They were all able to come and see their father before he died.

One drove 850 miles in one day. In order to be there Lord allowed father one last time they've had conversations with the sons he says he mentions one of them in particular this is. Thank you so much for your many many prayers on Pato's behalf. We pleaded and pleaded with the Lord to spare his life, but God's sovereign will must be done and since today was the day it had to be that way.

If you would keep his three sons in mind, we would appreciate it. Names are Patrice pretreating the tree PO Pablo and Marcello.

Marcello is especially open to the gospel and we've already had a couple of meaningful conversations.

They will be here most of next week and then returned to their home near Santiago.

Thank you for caring praying is the brief update concerning the milestone for BMW equipping nationals world wide director that ministry is Dr. Bill Hill pieces this year 2020 marks 15 years of ministry and blessing for equipping nationals worldwide.

Many of you have made that possible through your prayers and financial gifts. We said many times in save many more.

Thank you and that ministry exists to equip the next generation of pastors brother has given the remainder of his years to this ministry of equipping nationals carrying on training sessions and I suppose he's been in 10 or 12 different countries modules that he teaches in a few places. He's been back 1011 years so the Lord's bless this ministry were thankful for that milestone of 15 years.

Here's an update from the Bixby's I want to read much of this simply touch on some of the high points but they have been affected by the covert like we have their ministries been interrupted, but they file been hearing on a similar fashion like we have lifestream and so on and so forth of been a few few other folks who were sick but have recovered their grateful. They are leaving tomorrow to come to the states to begin a short furlough and I meet short like the month of July and August and then return at the end of August so they're asking that we would pray for them that that coming. The states would be without interruption without difficulty. And then he says pray especially that all would go smoothly for our reentry into France at the end of August and that there wouldn't be any hangups that might prevent or delay our return, the children are scheduled to restart school within days of our return and our church family will be eager to have us back them and then says this after printing. Hebrews 12 six on a sheet for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastens every son whom he receives. Then he says the French translation for chastises quite striking quote he strikes with the raw.

No thoughtful child of God would deny that God is a loving father applies corporal discipline in the training of his children and he says a few things and then he says this after many months of wondering and to visit with a specialist Paris I Tim have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis says sub because the nature of the treatment. The doctor wants to wait until we return to France at the end of August to begin treatment. He says I would never have thought that I would be struggling with RA while dressing my one-year-old. But this has proved to be a daily reminder of my own weakness and need of strengthening grace is also been a true spur to my prayer life. God knows all things well and our desire is that we may grow and be more useful through this new adventure. So were grateful for the Bixby's and for their giftedness and their what they've been able to accomplish in a pretty short amount of time there in France. We were again we don't know we have them on the schedule with us here in beacon on July 19 would be an evening obviously were not meeting yet and don't know we will be by then, so that sucked kind of one of those things we would love to be able to have our brother and his family with us to report on their work, but dependent on God's providence and all of that so we need wisdom to know what's the best course of action to take. We may we may have a service. We may not have a service so just stay tuned on that this is a quotation from Keith Madison Matheson dealing with the subject that we've we deal with quite often around here tonight is the sovereignty of God, but I like how he says it. He says most of us don't have a lot of control over the kind of things that are happening in the larger world around us.

But what we have, to remind ourselves as Christians is that God does have complete control. Not only is he in control, but all of what is happening is also part of his plan.

God is sovereign God is not wringing his hands right now crying. What am I going to do you sovereign and he knows what he's doing.

We don't have to know the reason for we simply have to know that he is good and trusted. In short, we need to know the biblical doctrine of God we need to know theology and we need to trust our father, a good reminder for us again this evening. All right invite you to turn in your Bible to Jeremiah chapter 6 Jeremiah chapter 6 and I would like to begin to read in verse 16. Read on down to verse 21. This is Jeremiah chapter 6, verse 16. Thus says the Lord, stand in the ways and see and ask for the old password the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your soul but they said we will not walk in it. Also, I set watchmen over you saying listen to the sound of the trumpet, but they said we will not listen. Therefore, here, you nations, and no congregation, what is among them hero earth.

Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people the fruit of their thoughts because they have not had my words nor my law, but rejected it for what purpose to me comes frankincense from Sheba and Sweet came from a far country, your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices suite to me.

Therefore thus says the Lord.

Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people in the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them.

The neighbor and his friend shall perish like to talk to you tonight on at the crossroads of life to the crossroads of life meant to bring a little visual that I have in my counseling office that I've used two times in counseling. Spent some time in him. 280 loggerhead with people and sensing resistance but from my vantage point, sensing that they are at a fork in the road and I'm admonishing them to hear the voice of the shepherd and follow his lead and direction and is simply a color picture of the highway to Lane's yellow center divider on the highway and then what is resting about this picture it's on the cardboard stock is there's a dinner fork jammed right down in the middle-of-the-road and it asks the question, are you at a fork in the road and I pulled that out and use that when I sense that we are at a critical place in counseling. You're either going to choose God's way or the going to choose their own way and if they're going to choose her own way. Then my ability to help them greatly diminished, but given that to them asking to keep that in your Bible, praying into think about that that picture and where they stand, but Israel, the people of Judah had come to a crossroad they didn't know which way to turn. They were disoriented. They'd lost all sense of direction. They were confused. They didn't know what was right anymore and as I thought about this.

I thought about that is a pretty apt description of what is going on in our world are so many people work disoriented don't know what's right anymore times we find ourselves at an intersection in life and weight of making a decision and knowing which way to go weighs heavily upon us. Jeremiah has instructions here for it to his in his day for the nation of Judah, and I believe instructions for us when were at the crossroads of life and were facing a decision when we are unsure of what we should do in which way we should go how to know if you've ever been lost. I spent a good bit of time in the woods and it's a little unnerving at night to be in the woods and up place unfamiliar to you that you don't you not familiar there you somebody's you've gone hunting with someone else and it's getting late, and you've you've ventured into the woods and it's time to retrace your steps and get back to a meeting place and there been a few times where the sun goes down and you lose your bearings and get a sense comes over you that your lost, got to fight a certain desire and the desire is to accelerate your pace. You gotta get going. It's getting dark. You gotta move and that's a bad reaction to have when you don't know which direction you should be going to to accelerate your pace. If you're going away from your meeting place only makes things worse. We had an experience it the beach this summer in early June we went to the Outer Banks in had the joy of heaven and in Alvin gave an care in their girls with us in one evening, we decided we were men go out for ice cream and somebody knew this place and so well got in the vehicle and started going and the person was driving really wasn't certain which direction to go, but the person who did nowhere to go was in the backseat and we got down the road was only supposed to be about five or six minute trip in 1012 minutes down the road and the driver says B. Gotta be coming to this place. Oddly, and the person who knew which will which direction did you go when you came out of the resort like turn left turn right, so here we were moving quite rapidly on the highway, but the further we went in the longer we were on the highway were getting further and further away from our destination, and I think that a pretty apt description of some people there lost in the Excelerator pace and they keep going down the road there going in the longer they go in the harder they go, the more lost they become at the crossroads of life God has some simple directions for those who find themselves at a significant crossroad in life. Jeremiah chapter 6 verse 16 is a verse for those who who have come to that point and they don't know which way to turn. Here are some instructions I've got three words underlined in my Bible verse 16. They are stand forwards stand see ask and walk stand, you stand and make an assessment of where you are and I'm not sure who I'm talking to tonight by lifestream. You may be somebody who is been on the Broadway. You've been wayward. You have not locked the straight and narrow. You haven't followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

You have tasted of this world and you have you've known misery and heartache God has brought you to a place where you are interested in considering a different path and that is where God has brought you, then perhaps this message is for you tonight stand and look look around. Get your bearings. The people of God often find themselves at the crossroad. The children of Israel were at a crossroads when they gathered at Shechem. Joshua was was about to die. And this is what he said now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness, throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for your sales this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord germ. Joshua 24 verses 14 and 15, the people of God, ready crossroads when Elijah confronted the prophets of bail amount caramel. It was the same crossroads, offering the same two choices. God's way or the world's way. The narrow way or the Broadway and Elijah said how long will you waiver between two opinions. If the Lord is God, follow him.

But if Bailey is God, follow him first Kings 1821 says brought application. It has been application for our individual lives.

It has application for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe the church of Jesus is standing in at the crossroads nursing questions must be considered.

Not thinking particularly of Eakin Baptist Church.

I'm thinking about the church in a more general sense, but here are some of the questions will we glorify God in our worship or will we entertain ourselves.

Will we bear witness to a gospel message, that is all God and all of grace or will we turn down our message so that it doesn't offend anyone. Will we declare a sufficient infallible eternal word and revelation from God or will we seek some new mystical revelation is getting rarer and rarer for a man of God to stand and have the audacity to say the Boulevard people. People don't want to hear absolutes we live in this relativistic world. In this gray goo loss. No one seems to be able to declare that this is right and this is wrong will we defend the doctrine of justification by faith alone or will we had works to grace those are just a few of the questions that I think is facing the church so I suppose you've come a significant crossroads in your life. What is the first thing you must do first thing you must do is look get your bearings. Several road stretch out before you eat it you can keep going the way you been going or you can go a different road altogether. And here's the important thing your destiny depends upon which road you take the destination for those who are on the narrow way is life eternal life in the destination for those who are on the Broadway is destruction.

Those past don't you set down the road and you are following the Broadway and find yourself with eternal life know that destination is been set because of the course you are on the second step to take his first to look.

The second is to ask ask for directions standing away and see and ask for the old pass where the good way is when a nation a church or an individual comes to a crossroads.

It is invaluable and essential to have a good map good directions. Jeremiah tells us what kind of directions that ask for. He says ask for the ancient paths asked where the good way is Jeremiah 6 verse 16 C in Jeremiah's day.

People like to travel on ancient pathways, people traveled the say the tribe proven path is the well-established route and for us. The ancient has the good way is the biblical path the good way is the way marked out in the Scriptures, God is bringing words of judgment to the people through Jeremiah for rejecting God's Word and God's law. In other words they were reaping the consequences of their bad choices. Back at the crossroads.

When they rejected God and rejected his word and marking down rejection of God's word never leads to poor results in blessing but in heartache and in misery and in judgment. That's a spiritual law it's fixed. So what are these steps. One of these words that were keying off of when the first is to look get your bearings.

Make an assessment of where you are asked ask for the ancient path is the well-worn path looked true in trying path. The path of blessing. Where is it, then once that has been established, the next step is to walk, stand in the way and see ask for the old paths were the good way is, and walk in it.

Walk in the ways of God, commit your side yourself to a life of obedience Psalm 119. The longest chapter in the Bible is all about walking in the ancient way of God's word. Listen to some of the verses someone 19 verse one. Blessed are they whose ways are blameless to do what who walk according to the law of the Lord throughout this Psalm, the word of God is compared to her like into a pathway. Verse 32 I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free verse 35 directly in the path of your commands, for their I find the light verse 104, I gain understanding from your precepts. Therefore I hate every what wrong path. Verse 105 your word is a lamp to my feet in the light for my path.

Verse 133 direct my footsteps. According to your word. The ancient path. The good way is the teaching of Scripture. Where will this path take you. It'll take you to life. It'll take you to blessing. It'll take you to the source of life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there's one place in the New Testament where Jesus seems to be quoting from Jeremiah chapter 6 and verse 16.

Again, the verse thus says the Lord, stand in the way and see and ask for the old paths, where the good way is in walk-in. It then you will find rest for your souls. Matthew chapter chapter 11 verse 28, 29 Jesus said come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Now there's a warning as a warning for travelers and the warning is that there is a way that seems right unto a man, with the end thereof. His death, God is kind and gracious to set road signs and give direction and in direct us to the path of blessing men reject that and when they reject that they choose their own way, what is it say here thus says the Lord, stand away and see ask for the old paths were the good way is in walk-in and you will find rest for your souls.

But they said we will not walk in it. God's directives, God's commandments met with man's rebellion. They said we will not walk in it. Verse 17 says. Also, I set watchmen over you saying listen to the sound of the trumpet, but they said we will not listen. Therefore, here, you nations, and no congregation where what is among them hero worth God is calling the nations. God is calling nature into his cosmic jury box to hear testimony. That's what it's going on here. Listen to the sound of the trumpet here, you nations, no congregation, what is among them hero worth God says behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people the fruit of their thoughts because they have not heeded my words nor my law, but rejected it. God is going to bring judgment upon those who reject you. What happens to those that go down the other road. Jeremiah's looking a little way down that road and the rest of chapter 6.

It seems broad. It seems easy but it is a foolish route to take, say, will find all kinds of company on this Broadway yes there's lots of people on the Broadway. It doesn't matter how many are going to Broadway that what matters is what's the destination of those who were on the Broadway in its destruction destruction. What are these people thinking the good and the peaceful way is set before them, but they want nothing to do with it. God placed Jude at the crossroads he put road signs to show them which way to go if I wasn't got good enough, God offered them more help the watchmen were the prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah who warned the nation to leave their idols and return to God, but they refused to listen. They rejected God's word.

We have that recorded.

I read that to you in verses 18 and 19 in verse 20 there still going to great effort and expense to be religious but God is not impressed got this for what purpose to me, frankincense from Sheba and Sweet came from a far country, your burn offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me. The services were lavish and ornate. They had imported exotic perfumes by camel frankincense from Saudi Arabia. Sweet came from India in order to spice up their worship. They were on an insatiable quest for the latest thing, but their hearts had wandered far from God they had forsaken the ancient path. The good way the people of Jerusalem thought biblical worship was old-fashioned. They disdained the tribe and the true ways of God's word. That's what's happening in our day. People don't want to hear about the ancient path they don't want to go down the tribe and the true will discover something something all come here, try this and people are enamored with the new and the exciting.

I read in the book a couple of days ago. The statement I thought it was powerful ritual performance perfumed with imported incense will never hide the stench moral disobedience of the heart of the matter is whether were going to obey God submit to him follow his ways. So what is God. But how does God respond will God threatens to turn their new road that they've chosen into an obstacle course. He says, verse 21 therefore thus says the Lord.

Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people in the fathers and sons together shall fall on them.

The neighbor and his friends shall perish. That's what happens when people get off the well-worn path of biblical truth. There are obstacles in the road for those who refuse to go down the ancient path of the Bible in the good way of sound theology, even Jesus. Christ becomes a stumbling block is what he says I will lay stumbling blocks before this people.

Romans nine verse 32 and 33 behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense and who whosoever believe it's on him shall not be ashamed. So if you refuse to walk in God's way. Eventually, the crucified and risen Christ will be your judge and not your Savior. Listen to closing these words of Jesus.

John chapter 3 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not.

What should not but have everlasting life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be. Say he who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God and this is the condemnation, that the light is coming to the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come into the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done.

Let me pray. Remember some of these requests that we have drawn to your attention tonight. Thank you for gathering here tonight in your interest in the word of God is in the word of God, practical. It is so helpful. It speaks to where we are in life. Father, we bow to acknowledge that your way is the right way.

The ancient paths have been set out there will warned there tried, you are faithful, God, it's only a sinful man, a depraved man who rejects the wisdom of God chooses darkness over light chooses destruction over life Lord left to ourselves. We all would self-destruct. It all started back in the garden you came after Adam and Eve sinned, looking for them and they were hiding from you. Every man is hiding from you. Every man is covering his sin.

Every man is self deceived Lord, thank you for your rescuing grace we sing fondly here of relentless love pursued our lives in our own human history. Thank you God for the fact that you are relentless in your pursuit of sinners. Thank you for this word tonight. Use it Lord to arrest anyone who is confused as lost her way is decided for themselves that the Broadway though their own way is a better way than your set people's feet on the narrow way help them define joy in a God who would so set a course for sinful human beings that would result in life eternal life as opposed to destruction, but I thank you for these times that were living in that we have a man like Dennis Rendell Carolina House of Representatives Lord continue to keep him and use him that he might be influence help them not to become weary. I know it times he must feel like Elijah Leica John the Baptist a voice crying in the wilderness, Lord, remind him that there are others who have not bowed the knee to bail but using Lord, that he might be able to champion causes of righteousness and see some successes in legislation, Lord, thank you for Pastor. The toward preserving his life improvement.

Or, thank you for the improvement with Larry Libby Nourse's nephew Brandon Nourse were very encouraged that brought him back from the.

The precipice of death. We pray for young William Bartlett would use these antibiotics and that he would not have Lyme's disease nor Rocky Mount spotted fever help Jeff and Carolyn to trust you with their son.

Pray for the residence and for the staff at White Oak Manor that you would help them to have courage and that they would be committed to the care of those who reside there. We pray for Stewart law and for his needs and thank you for the the quiet trust that we sensing him. We pray that you will honor his faith and the faith of those who believed you for this man. We marvel at how you sustain them through these years for bringing them to this place. We know that someone will have to die in order for the liver to be available. We pray that whoever that would be that would be a believer. Somebody you call him the glory. We pray that in the meantime would keep Stewart from cancer keeping from coven keep him and acceptable recipient of the next liver that becomes available sustain him and Laverne and their family in the churches in Zimbabwe in these 11 pastors.

Thank you for being with Peggy Koontz and successful surgery. She's had. We pray for her salvation.

Thank you for Thad and save in this man for the burden he has for his mother. Pray for Dawn Hammond driver and asked that you would help this woman who so open throughout quite an ordeal with cancer.

Thank you that she's improved in pray that you would meet the needs that you know to be there in her life and for Nancy's friend David Moxley. Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they seek to treat this recurrence of cancer, Lord, you have heard our prayers pray for these who are bereaved.

Tonight the other Cook family for this dear pastor's wife in Lincolnville Lane this neighbor of Tom and Connie Chapman.

Thank you that you have put that brother there.

He's not a neighbor to this man by accident when your providence of done that have allowed a gospel witness to go to this man where scores of other men and women in Chile would never have heard the gospel.

We pray, pray that your word would not return unto you it would break. Bear fruit eternal life and the life of the son that they have spoken to will have additional occasions in the next week or so. We pray for the big spaces they will be leaving very very soon to come to the states and all that is necessary for that to happen in their large family, watch over them, keep them, bring them here Lord lead and direct and guide in their furlough, who they see in and all the rest. Lord we are burdened for our country so many have lost their way and are so confused they don't know right from wrong Lord. Only you can bring a man to his senses. We think of the, the prodigal son went off and live the life of the prodigal you've recorded in your word. When he came to his senses. That's the language of repentance. He determined he was going to return to his father, Lord. That's what we need in this country. We need people to come to their senses, Lord, only you can do that. We are praying and asking you to do that in government in the halls of government at the White House and in the Senate and in the house wherever men and women hold office that would be common sense married to commitments to truth and righteousness that would win the day.

Lord commit our country to you and ask you to have mercy and to save and preserve this land that we call America. Thank you for this time we been able together this evening.

Lord lessor people keep us Lord, keep us cleaving to yourself and still believing till the hour of our receiving precious joys with the we pray in Christ name, amen