0:02 [music] >> Let's turn to um Psalm 96. That's our memory verse for this past week. And uh we decided to have it in the memory verse as it's 0:21 written in the Living Bible, which is a very beautiful paraphrase. The Living Bible is not a literal translation, but it's a very good paraphrase that helps us understand truth that we hear and we read in God's word. And that's how it reads in in the in 0:38 most in the literal translation it says in the beauty of holiness. And I really love the Living Bible makes it practical and says that holiness is not an imaginary thing. When you think of holiness, do you think it's some kind of 0:53 like a presence? It's some kind of aura? It's very practical. It's a holy life. And if you, dear brother, dear sister, dear child, in the secret things that you did this past week, and you said this past week, and you 1:11 thought this past week, your attitudes, your motives, as God was looking down and nobody else could see what you were thinking about and how you were feeling and all the other things in secret, when he saw a holiness about you, 1:29 he was excited about it. The world is pursuing beauty in in in outward appearance. All people, men and women and children, all want to appear beautiful in the eyes of the world. Everybody wants to look 1:48 good and attractive. And as this verse makes absolutely clear, what is attractive to God is this holy life. Our physical appearance we have can't do anything about as much as the world tries to make it beautiful with makeup 2:04 and hairstyles and dresses that are attractive and all of that and medical surgery, cosmetic surgery in the midst of all of that really you can only do so much with your appearance and it'll fade away. But holiness, our holy lives 2:22 is the beauty that will last forever. This is the secret, dear brothers, dear sisters and dear children to a beauty that will last forever. Rather than pursue the beauty of this earth that will fade away with skin treatments and Botox and all 2:39 the other things that they try. Rather than all of that and maybe none of you will ever try that, but inwardly there may be a desire to look like the world says you ought to look to be attractive. And don't pursue any of that. Instead 2:53 pursue the beauty that will last forever which is a holy life and in secret when you live that holy life it will be beautiful. You'll look back in eternity with a beautiful garment that will never fade and a beauty and inner beauty that will 3:12 never fade that you'll get to have with you. I'd like to turn to Ezekiel chapter 22 now. Ezekiel 22 is a very sad chapter in the Bible 3:31 because it describes the very horrible, backslidden, sinful condition of the people of God. And the people of God are in captivity in Babylon and God has given Ezekiel a prophetic word both for the people there 3:49 who are in captivity in Babylon as well as for the people of the Jews who were left behind in the land of Israel. And God's purpose in bringing allowing the people of Israel to be brought into captivity was to shake them out of their 4:07 half-heartedness and their sinfulness and their lack of obedience to his word. The exact time that they were in captivity in Babylon was calculated by God based on the amount of their obedience. You see that very clearly. It was 70 4:23 years because of the 70 Sabbaths that they had neglected. But God's purpose even in that captivity was to draw them back to him. And we see that he did that. And ultimately the people of Israel, God's chosen people, came back 4:40 to their land, rebuilt the city, rebuilt the temple with Haggai, Zechariah, etc. Zerubbabel. Um, but here before that, we see the word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel again giving him a prophetic revelation of the condition of the people. 4:59 And as you read that, as I read this verse recently this chapter recently, it reminded me a little bit of the condition of the world we're in. And if you look at the condition of the world and the condition of even this 5:12 country, and there's a lot of religion, sure, as there was in the land of Israel. There's a lot of religious activity going to church. I think at this very moment or today this morning, probably millions of people. What's the 5:27 population of the United States? 300 something million, right? Off that 300 million, I want to say a some per- large some significant percentage of it. I don't know what the exact number is, but I would think it's probably in the millions. At least a 5:41 million or so people who attended some so- some form of religious service today. Even you take this this city, the city of Loveland, population's about 80,000 or so, I think, maybe. Um of that 80,000, 6:00 I would guess that a few thousand of them sat in some kind of religious service this morning. But in the midst of all of that religious activity, as I look around the country, I look around the world, I see abominations. I see the condition of 6:19 this world declining rapidly. And it has nothing to do which with which side of the political spectrum you find yourself on. God has no allegiance to any political party, and um and often the the backsliding of the religious community 6:39 is hidden because you see the backsliding of others who are non-religious. But here you see that in Ezekiel 22, and what you'll see here is that it's a backsliding, for example, uh the whole city, verse two, 6:58 "Will you judge the bloody city?" This is a outwardly the the the people as a whole have backslidden. In verse six, you see that it's the rulers, those who are in authority, those who have been elected into power. There's a 7:17 um a backsliding. There is a abomination. There is evil in the hearts of the rulers. You skip down to verse 13, you find that uh verse 17, actually. Now it's the the 7:34 house of Israel, even in the church. Sadly, even those who call themselves Christians or call themselves evangelical Christians. You find even among them there is a poor testimony. Secret things that come to light of what's been going on in these circles of 7:51 people who claimed to be devoted to Christ and claimed to pursue Christ, preached Christ in secret their lives were full of sin. In verse 23, you find that it's even the prophets, the leaders 8:09 of the church, those who were supposed to have the vision from the Lord, those who were supposed to know God's will, even they have been blinded, even they are corrupt and full of evil. Now, it's easy for us to to look at this and think, "Oh, yeah, 8:26 all those bad people over there. Thank God I'm not like that." And Jesus told a parable exactly about such an attitude. When we see the condition of the world and the condition of even Christendom around us decaying what is the response of our heart? 8:45 Let's see what God goes on to say. Why did God give this message to Ezekiel? Let's begin reading in verse 26 now. "Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things and have made no distinction between the 9:01 holy and the profane and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean." This was a very serious word and I think something worth meditating on us made meditating for us. There's no distinction between the holy 9:20 and the profane and no separation, the difference. They've not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean. This is the devil's objective with the church is to start to blend the things of the world with the things that are holy. 9:40 And I have a challenge. This challenge is for all of us at RLCF, but I believe it's a challenge especially for us men. For you sisters and for your children also, please take heart to this, but I want to especially exhort and encourage and challenge the 9:55 men in this church about the responsibility we have. It's very clear that God has placed men as those in authority in the in the home as husbands and fathers. And he's given all of us responsibility, yes, but it begins with us men taking that 10:15 challenge and the responsibility we have. And that's what I'd like that's a burden on my heart. But as you see this, is there Think about this. Is there in your mind a clear line that has been drawn between what the world 10:31 has and what the world proclaims and God's kingdom? Is there a clear separation between the kingdom of this earth and the kingdom of Jesus Christ in your heart? In your mind, in the attitudes of your mind, in your spirit, is there a line 10:47 that you say, "Well, this is holy and this is unholy." Have you seen that line clearly? And are you willing to stand along that line? When your children want to dress a certain way, or want to watch certain movies, or want to hang out with certain 11:00 friends, or want to do this, or want to do that, is there a clear line Dear fathers, especially. Is there a clear line? This is holy and this is not. It grieved God's heart that this was so. In verse 27, "Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the 11:20 prey by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain." And I see this in Christendom as well, that there are many people who are preachers and prophets and speakers of God's word who are interested in 11:35 personal gain. They want some earthly benefit out of it. It could be they want to get rich. They want money. Or they want popularity. They want They want fame. They want the attention of the people around them. Dishonest 11:48 gain. Verse 28. Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, "Thus says the Lord God," when the Lord has not spoken. A lot of people who claim to speak in 12:08 the name of God and speak actually say, "Thus says the Lord." But they are false They are false visions and they are divining lies. Verse 29. The people of the land have practiced oppression, oppressing others. 12:26 In the midst of all of this, ultimately he gets down to verse 30 and he says, "I searched for a man among them." In the midst of all of this, God was looking for a man. Not for a man who would point the finger and say, "Hey, do you see 12:41 what the people are doing? What the What's happening in the country? What's happening in the world around us? Hey, do you see what the leaders are doing? How evil they are? Hey, do you see all the sin in the churches around 12:53 you? Hey, do you see how the leaders of those churches are so bad? God wasn't looking for somebody who would point a finger at them. And today that man that God is looking for is the church. But it starts with us individually. And 13:07 I want to say it starts with us, the men in this church. And this message is I want to speak especially to you, dear brothers, that we stand and take up this responsibility. I searched for a man among them who would do what? Who would build up the 13:24 wall. Where the wall has been broken down and the that which is holy and that which is not has been blended. And you sit in the church meetings now in many churches, and it looks just like a worldly concert. And you listen to the 13:39 music that they produce, and it sounds just like like if I didn't hear the words or if I couldn't understand the words, it would sound just like music from the rest of the world. I searched for a man who will build up that wall again and say, "No, this is 13:52 the kingdom of heaven, and this is the kingdom of the world, and the two shall not mix." But after building up the wall, would stand in the gap before me for the land. And God is looking for one I would word it this way, one 14:10 who will rebuild the wall wall and stand in the gap. Looking for us as a church to not just point out the sins around us and to say, "Oh, thank you, Lord, that we're not like that." Or we do this the right way, or we follow the New 14:22 Testament pattern or anything like that. But will have the spirit of intercession to stand in the gap before me for the land. Standing in the gap before God for the land. Building up that wall, first of all, that's saying that the spirit of the 14:40 world cannot come in. Let's turn to Isaiah chapter 59. >> [clears throat] >> Isaiah Isaiah 59. 15:04 You could read the whole chapter, but I'll just want to pick it up, let's say, in verse 13 or verse 12. Our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us. For our transgressions are with us, and 15:17 we know our iniquities, transgressing and denying the Lord and turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words. Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away for truth has stumbled 15:34 in the street and uprightness cannot enter. Yes, truth is lacking and he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now, the Lord saw and it was displeasing in his sight that there was no justice. And he saw that there was no man. 15:53 And was astonished that there was no one to what? Intercede. Not to judge, not to point a finger. And this comes from my heart, I'll tell you family, as a matter of confession that as I've seen things go horribly wrong in the world around us 16:12 and in even in this country and in the government and the policies that are coming out and all of that. And even in churches when I hear about one more person that's been exposed and one more church where it turns out, yes, 16:25 there was something wicked going on underneath and there was such evil depravity going on among the leaders and how thousands, millions blindly followed this leader only to find out that he was living in sin. There has been in me a lack of 16:44 an intercessory heart. In the midst of our standing for purity, which I praise God that we do, I believe God has placed the church on this earth not just to stand pure and holy and as a bride set apart, but as the bride that says, "Come." You 17:02 read that in the last page of the Bible. What is the bride saying? God is going to judge you? No, he's saying, "Come." Drawing the world, drawing the world into this holiness. Yes, we'll build up the wall first of all and we'll stand before God. 17:18 But in the midst of all that, there must be a passion. When I hear about how horrible the things the way things are around us, there must be a burden to draw others in. An intercessory heart. He saw that there was no man and was 17:34 astonished there was no one to intercede. And then he said, "His own arm brought salvation to him and his righteousness uphold him." This is speaking about the time before Jesus Christ came. Why did Jesus come? Because there was no intercessor. Oh, 17:49 there were plenty of prophets. I mean, there's minor prophets, major prophets, dozens of them. Maybe there were actually hundreds of prophets. We There weren't just the prophets who are in, you know, whose texts we read in 18:03 the Bible. Um we read about in Elijah's day, there were 7,000 prophets. And there were many prophets who were used by God, unnamed, many of them. So, God had plenty of prophets who could say, "Woe to you and woe to them and woe 18:18 to the other person." But there was not even one intercessor. In the entire Old Testament. Now, we see evidences of it here and there, which I'll show you now, but there was not a man who would be an intercessor. And what is God looking for today? Why 18:36 are we now, as a church, the body of Christ, yes, with the gifts of prophet, prophecy, and and all of that, but why are we called the body of Christ? Because God has placed the church on this earth to be a witness, yes, but to 18:51 draw others, to intercede, and say, "Lord, doesn't it Lord, it grieves your heart that that person who takes your name is living in sin secretly? Or that other person who doesn't take your name, who's also made in your image, because he's a human being? 19:08 See, it doesn't it shouldn't bother us if the animals do evil things. Sure, but you know, they're not created in God's image. We would hope that they do better, but any human being that dishonors God, that lives a sinful life, brings grief to 19:21 God. Because he created them in his image. This is the image of God now doing that evil thing, living in sin. And I believe, and I'm longing for this, brothers and sisters, I'm just starting to learn this a little bit more. 19:34 When I hear of a brother who's backslidden, or I see somebody who's living a sinful life, or I see sin around me, I pray increasingly, as I've been praying, I pray that the Lord will open my heart to be more of an intercessor. 19:49 Not just one who builds the wall, but one who stands in the gap after we build the wall. Um, verse 20. A redeemer will come to Zion. Jesus came. He says, "I didn't come to condemn the world. You've had plenty of prophets 20:04 who did that already. I came to save." And God has placed his church here on this earth, not to condemn the world. And our preaching, you know, I I believe our preaching could easy easily sound condemning. Because it's so it it upholds the 20:18 standard of Jesus Christ. But we must present it in a way, and when people come to know our lives, and they see, I I'm sorry, I cannot partake in that thing that you want me to do. I won't do that. Or we they see that we 20:29 live differently, it must come across in a spirit that says, "Don't you want this, too, brother, sister, friend? As you see me in the life that I live, I want you to be a part of it as well. I want to draw you in to see the joy of 20:43 being set apart for Jesus Christ." And I don't find some kind of secret satisfaction in knowing that I am set apart from Jesus Christ, but somebody else has not chosen that life. A redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in 20:59 Jacob, declares the Lord. And then what does he say? As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord. My spirit, which is upon you, and my words which I put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the 21:10 mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the Lord, from now and forever. I thought about that for example when we just sang I must tell Jesus all of my trials. I cannot bear these burdens alone. 21:27 Most of the time when I've sung that song and perhaps you can relate to that, I immediately thought of my own burdens. Oh, I have burdens. I'm thinking about this and this and that other thing and this burden I have in my job or my finances or that other 21:42 difficult trial I'm going through. I must tell Jesus all of my burdens. Sure, if you are carrying burdens, dear brother, dear sister, Jesus has come here to take away your burdens. But it goes beyond that. I must tell Jesus about the burden that 21:56 somebody else is carrying. I can see from the look on their face there's a burden that they're carrying. Maybe it's the burden of sin. Maybe it's the burden of a sin that's weighing them down that they don't seem to be able to 22:08 free be freed from. Maybe I can see when I look at that man or that young young boy's eyes there's a eyes of adultery there. And instead of just saying, "Oh," pointing a finger, I say, "Lord, give me a burden. I must tell you that there's a 22:22 burden I have for this person whom you placed in my life." I must tell Jesus about the burdens of those around us. May our prayer change to beyond that of simply what I am carrying to the to to carry the burdens of others 22:39 around me. I must tell Jesus. If you turn with me to Genesis chapter 6, we read about a similar time as what we read in Ezekiel. >> In Genesis 6, 23:09 we'll begin reading in verse 5. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth. Just read the newspapers. Just look at any news source and you'll find it's just full of wickedness. The wickedness of man was great on the earth. Is it 23:24 just in 2026? No. This is in whatever year this was BC when Noah was alive. The wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 23:43 To the point where the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and he was grieved in his heart. This is the heart of God when he looks down upon this earth. He's grieved in his heart. And why is it that he has delayed the 24:00 return of Christ? Don't you wish I believe every Christian wishes that Christ would come today. I want to see why? Not because I'm sick of this miserable life here on this earth or because I I want to be done with my trial. Don't want to have to work 24:14 another day. I dread going to work on Monday. So Jesus, come on Sunday so I don't have to go to work on Monday. Not for that reason. But Lord, I want to see you. You're my bridegroom. And I'm excited to see you, Lord. That's why I want you to come. 24:28 And but the heart of the bride because it's united with the heart of the bridegroom understands why the bridegroom has delayed. This is the challenge the Lord has been placing before my heart. He says, "Santos, I know you're waiting to see 24:44 me. I see it. Okay. But have you also gotten to know me well enough because you're my bride as I'm revealing myself to you? Can you see why I'm not coming today? And I'm waiting one more day or waiting one more month or one more year, 24:57 and if it's 10 more years, and your travels continue, and your difficult circumstances continue, can you see my heart behind that? And what is that heart? Is that one more person will repent. And are you willing to go through some 25:11 sorrowful circumstance, some trial, some difficulty, some hardship? Because the heart of the bridegroom is that others too will come. This is the heart of intercession. And I pray that the Lord will give me that heart. Give us more as a church 25:27 that heart, that heart that's willing to go through more difficulty, more trial, more suffering, if it will be another day of going to work at a job that I don't enjoy, let's say, or something else like that, and uncertainty, and not knowing what the 25:41 future holds, so that one more person can be drawn in. That wicked person who's enjoying his sin, that other person that's fallen or backslidden, will repent before it's too late. May the Lord give RLCF the heart of intercession. 26:00 And verse six or verse seven, the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals, to creeping things, and to birds of the sky, for I am sorry that I have made them." But 26:16 Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. And in the midst of all of that, if God can see, "Oh, there's a whole bunch of people that dishonor my name by the way they live their lives, and I created them to for me to find 26:30 pleasure in their lives, but they've gone evil. Then I come and look in the churches, and I sit in the church meetings. They take the name of Jesus, and they read from the Bible, my word, and they sing songs to a Jesus, but I sit there, 26:43 and the moment I walk in, I'm I'm uncomfortable. I look at the the way they're dressed, for example, and I can tell they're dressed to make themselves attractive physically in the eyes of others and I I I I want to leave. But okay, I sit there 26:57 for a little bit and I find the the the inner dress is also lacking in holiness. They're not dressed in the beauty of holy lives. I look in the churches there and but God found one. God found Noah who found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 27:17 It's a tremendous example for us that God has given us to know in Ezekiel. If you read it sometime in Ezekiel 14, he names three people who say as the as the example of holiness, of integrity, of righteousness. Noah, Job, and Daniel. You read that. 27:35 Noah, Job, and Daniel. I'd like to examine just briefly in in the lives of not Noah Job, we looked at Noah already, but I want to talk about Job and Moses and Daniel and what it means to have this spirit of intercession. So let let let's 27:49 look at Job first of all. In Job chapter 1, Job 1, we read about a man who lived, as far as we know, sometime before the time of Abraham, maybe around the 28:07 time of Abraham or slightly before that. Job was the first book written. Most scholars agree on that because it was written in the first person by by Job, most likely, who lived long before Moses who wrote the book of Genesis. So even though in 28:22 terms of time, chronologically, Genesis 1 comes first, the first book that was actually written was most likely Job. And in the midst of this, you see Job 1, he was first of all a God-fearing man. Um verse [clears throat] 1, 28:39 a man who was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. But Job's uprightness wasn't limited to the fact that he lived an upright life. He also had this spirit of I'm living an upright life, but it's not 28:56 enough that just me. I want the others around me also to be pleasing to the Lord. And that must be that is the heart of Christ. That that is the heart of his bride as well. And if we are to truly grow in becoming like Christ, we must 29:11 grow in this heart of wanting others also Lord, I want I know you find pleasure in my life. Thank you for that. I'm seeking to live a life pleasing to you, but my neighbor I want you to find pleasure in his life as well. So, Lord, use me and give me 29:25 the ministry of intercession for him or for her, that co-worker of mine, that other person, you know, that relative that's unconverted. It's not just so that they could go to heaven, but so that God would find pleasure in their lives. And you see this with 29:39 Job. Job 1 verse 4. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day. He had seven sons, and each of those seven would have maybe it was their birthday. And let's have let's have a birthday party. And so, the sons at this point 29:58 they're grown. I believe they had families already. So, the um the sons would go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And Job was aware of that. Now, for 30:13 whatever reason they didn't invite him. Uh So, I don't know if that's they were doing things there that they felt well, dad won't feel comfortable with this. And so, they excluded him. When your children are grown up and um 30:26 you know, they they will they know that dad and mom stand for the truth that I can't include them in these things that I like to do. Um Job's children knew that. But, when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send them. It says, 30:40 "Okay, I know you children are living outside my home, but I have a responsibility for you." He would send them and consecrate them rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, 30:55 "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually. This is a tremendous responsibility and tremendous example that Job gives us as a father. I want to challenge us as fathers in this church first of all, 31:13 as husbands and fathers to take the example of Job to heart. We have a responsibility to stand in the gap for our families. And I wonder, dear brothers, every single one of us and those of you listening as well, if we are taking that 31:27 seriously. If in our thoughts and our attitudes we're saying, "Lord, give me discernment. Help me to walk in purity before you. Help me to know what is profane and what's not, what's holy and what's not. Help me to know your will, Lord, and 31:43 help me to to build that wall on behalf of my family and to stand boldly and not allow the spirit of the world to come into the into my home." And if my and when my children grow up, help me to intercede for them as Job 31:56 did. Job wasn't afraid of offending his children. And you fathers, we must not be afraid of offending our children by the stance we take, by the position we take, even if it's unpopular, because they're looking for an example to follow. 32:12 And if they see, "Well, dad's a compromiser. Yeah, he sits at RLCF, but he's more interested in the things of this world." That's a compromiser. It's God is looking for those who will stand in the gap. There is a gap. Please listen to this carefully, 32:28 especially dear husbands and fathers. There is a gap that the devil is looking for to get into our homes. I think about the children in this church. You know, more than we just crossed the 50% children overtook the adults recently 32:41 with the new babies that have come into our church in the last year. Uh just I was thinking about that in my head doing those who are committed members of this church. Now, we have more children than adults in this church. I praise the Lord 32:51 for that. Because that means, God willing, God will continue the work that he's doing in this in this place not for the RLCF's namesake, but for his namesake. I will raise up another generation of godly brothers and sisters, godly young 33:05 men and women who will stand for the truth. But, how are they going to do that? It's up to us now, parents, to raise up our children in such a way now when they're 8 years old, 10 years old, 12 years old, more than just having 33:16 them come up here and say say their memory verse, but they deep down that they have a conviction that they know that when when the time comes, they will stand for the truth. That's what I pray for. We pray that our children for for this 33:29 church that not a single one of these children will be lost. I hope you're praying that, dear family, that it's not just us elders and a few of us, but that every single one of us, men, let's start there, is praying, "Lord, not one of these 33:43 children must be lost." Perhaps you're praying for your own children, but what about the others? Do you know the struggles that some of these teenage children are going through? The temptations they're facing in the world around them? 33:56 And have you spent even 5 minutes in the last month praying for that teenage boy or teenage girl in this church? This is the heart of RLCF. This is the heart of the of the bridegroom interceding for others. And Job, it it 34:11 it wasn't it wasn't it didn't it it bothered him. It it didn't sit right with him that he says, "I don't know." Now, he he says, "Perhaps I I don't see any evidence of them having done evil. If so, I would speak against it. But, what I can't see in my 34:26 little in my boy's heart or my girl's heart is the unknown, the secret things that they think about, what they're like when they're away from me. I can't see that. Perhaps they're dishonoring them. Lord, let me stand in 34:38 the gap on behalf of my son and my daughter. Are you doing that, fathers? This is not a message of condemnation. Nothing in this church is, but it's a challenge. It's a call to action. It's a call to say, "Lord, let me fall 34:51 on my face and fast and pray for my children." Not just assume that because they hear good teachings or I see that they're doing their school work well or they're respectful to mom and dad. That's not enough. There's so many children who have grown 35:07 up in good, God-fearing churches who walked away from it. And I believe that a big part of that was because the fathers didn't take up the responsibility to say, "I'm going to stand in the gap." Do you know, dear fathers, that you have 35:21 the ability, that we have the ability to protect our children from things that will happen that are beyond our control? You think, "Well, it's beyond your control. How can you control that?" Because I stand in the gap, because I 35:34 recognize it's a spiritual warfare we're fighting. This is a spiritual warfare we're fighting, and even though I can't control what my son looks at, what my daughter speaks with her mouth, or what my children do otherwise, I can't 35:48 control that when they're away from me, I can control the spirit that's looking to get into their heart. And oh, that we would stand in the gap and build a wall. You read about James, uh sorry, Job in James 5. James 5 36:12 He uses the example of Job as an example of endurance and patience. You have We count those blessed who endure. James 5:11. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the 36:25 Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. And we see from Job's story that God was merciful and compassionate to Job. That's great. You know the very next thing he goes on to talk about is prayer. And maybe you know he uses the example 36:40 of Elijah in prayer, but Job's prayer is a tremendous example for me. And there's that verse that we heard already this morning, James 5:16, uh verse 17. The No, sorry, the middle the latter part of verse 16. The prayer of a righteous person is very 36:59 powerful in its effect. That's the literal reading of that sentence. Listen to this, especially you fathers, but for all of us, mothers, single men and women, whether you have children or not, whether you're a child, listen to 37:12 this. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Remember that. Remind yourself. If you're at work and you're away working on the job site and your children are at home or they're in school and you you 37:27 don't know how what they're facing, whether you send your children away to school or they're schooling online, you think that simply homeschooling will protect them from the spirit of this world? No. Whether you choose to homeschool your children or 37:39 not, the spirit of the world is a spirit and it can come into your home as much as it can come into the public school. Cuz the spirit is there and if if if the father in the home is not standing in the gap and you think, "Well, my kids are 37:53 homeschooled, so they're protected." Not necessarily. If there's no one to stand in the gap and and say, "No, you shall not come in here, spirit of the world." And if you don't have the spirit of Job that intercedes for them, it will come 38:07 in right while you're homeschooling your children, sure. But look at this. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. This is a wonderful example. So, dear men, especially, let's take up the responsibility for our children. Start 38:25 when they're young. Start when they're young, but even if they're older now, if your children So, maybe you have children that are older and you think they're about to leave the home or they've left the home already and they You don't have the 38:36 ability to control their lives as you would if they lived in the home, pray for them. Prayer is our weapon against the spirit of the world. I want to speak about Moses, Exodus chapter 2. Job stood in the gap for his children. 38:53 Moses stood in the gap for God's people who were in slavery. When we're born into this world, we're born into slavery. That's just the reality of it. 39:11 Um that was that was true physically years ago where there was there was slavery in the world, different parts of the world, and if you were born into a slave to parents who were slaves, you were born a slave. You didn't have any choice 39:24 in the matter. And the reality is what we see in in the Bible is that every human being is born as a slave to sin. We were born in sin and we're born with this enslaved mentality and this being a slave to sin. And Christ has come to set us free, but 39:43 as you look around at the world around you and you see people committing sinful things because they're slaves to sin. Is there a a burden in your heart to say, "Lord, use me as an intercessor. Use me as one who stands in the gap 39:59 for your people who are in slavery?" Exodus 2, verse 11. After Moses had grown up, it came about in these days when Moses had grown up that he went out to his brethren and looked on their You can say their bur- It says their 40:16 burdens, their slavery. Even though Moses had a comfortable life, he grew up as the daughter of Pharaoh's as a son of Pharaoh's daughter, and um had everything he wanted. He had a comfortable life. He had of all the people that God had 40:34 rescued from death at the age of two, all the little boys who should have been killed, he picked one. God rescued Moses and put him in the palace, and Moses knew it. And what was Moses' attitude when he realized that God had somehow saved him? 40:52 What will be our attitude when we realize that God somehow saved me? When I look at somebody else that's addicted to sin, enslaved to sin, I say, "Lord, I just thank you that you've freed me from that. That could have been 41:04 me. That was me, and you've saved me, and now I'm I'm free. Now what?" Now, Lord, thank you that I have this palace called RLCF, where I in a little bubble where I'm safe, and I I'm around other people who are also seeking to 41:17 live godly lives. And that bubble that Moses was in, the time came when God said, "Moses, I didn't call you just to live in this bubble, protected from all this. I called you to be an intercessor. I've called you to go out now and to be a 41:34 bold witness." He went out to his brethren and looked on their slavery. As we walk out the doors this afternoon, dear family, why is it that we're not living here in some commune and and just living together and having our cozy 41:50 little lives? Because God has placed RLCF, as he has placed his entire church, on this earth for a mission that extends beyond our comfort zone. And think about the burden on my heart as I'm expressing this is essentially 42:03 this: Lord, I don't want to just hear a little pep talk that will help me be a little bit more Christ-like. Yes, but what does it also mean to be a little bit more Christ-like as you free me from the things of this world. It's that I go 42:14 out and I have a heart of intercession. When I see somebody else that's defeated in sin, that's bound in sin, when I hear about my co-worker who's getting divorced, or that other person who's living a sinful life, Lord, I want you 42:26 to use me as an intercessor. When I know about my relatives who are still resisting you, Lord, give me the boldness to be a witness for you. Moses went out and looked upon their slavery. And then you know the rest of that story, how he 42:43 he he thought he could do it in his own strength. And God had to break him first, and God will break us first. You may say, Lord, I you're going to give me an opportunity to convert my unconverted relative today, this week, 42:55 or something like that. And I'm going to have the right word, and I'm going to be ready. And God says, No, I must break you first. And God will break us first, as he did with Moses. And it's the mindset that Moses had, and 43:06 if you read about this in Hebrews 11, I'd like you to look at that with me. Hebrews 11. Have you thought about what caused Moses, when he was 40 years old, been living 43:24 at in Pharaoh's palace, um comfortably. I He was given to his his uh to Pharaoh's daughter when he was a little boy, let's say 2 years old. So, he's been living in the palace for 38 years. 38 years. Now, he lived with his mom for 43:43 about 16 of that, let's say, maybe till he was 18. And then he went back and lived in the palace. Now, he's been in the palace for another 12 years or so. And in the midst of all of that, midst of all of that, imagine if you knew that 43:57 you're raising your son or your daughter to go and be out in in the most wicked place in the world. God's ultimately going to take them there. Would that change how you raise your children now? Please think about it for a moment what 44:14 I'm saying. What was going through Amram and especially Jochebed, his mom, but Amram and Jochebed's that's Moses Moses' parents' mind? They say, "We've got a short time. Our children, this son of ours is on loan for a short time. 44:32 After that, he's going to go and live in Pharaoh's palace and he's going to have all the pleasures of the world available to him. He Anything he wants, all the rich food that he wants, all the money, all the comfort. Oh, you don't like the way the 44:45 bed is made? Sure, we'll do it like this. We'll wait on you. What else can I get you, Master Moses? This is the life he's going to have in a few years now, but I've got a short time to influence his mind and to influence his spirit to 44:59 stand in the gap on behalf of this son of mine. Oh, what an example. They didn't have the Holy Spirit. They didn't have the Bible. They didn't have church meetings to go to. They feared God. And I imagine them saying, "Lord, we've got to prepare 45:15 this son." I don't know if they knew that he was going to be the savior of the people of Israel to rescue them from slavery. But they they knew they had a short time. They have a short time. Dear parents, we have a short time with our 45:30 children at home. And we're sending them out into Pharaoh's palace. It's right outside our doors, whether you know it or not. And as much as you might do your best to preserve them and protect them, have you stood in the gap? Have you interceded 45:42 for them? Do they know Jesus and they know God's kingdom and will they put God's kingdom first when they're 18 years old because you put God's kingdom first when they when they were in your home? I pray it shall be so. Hebrews 11, 45:59 verse 24. By faith Moses when he had grown up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Refused to stay in his bubble. Choosing rather to endure ill-treatment 46:18 with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking to the reward. This mindset that the reproach of Christ 46:33 is greater than the world's treasures. Dear parents, I want to encourage us again as well. This is what we must be drilling into our children. The reproach of Christ standing with the people of Christ it's going to be a 46:45 reproach. It's not fun and games. It's going to involve some suffering. You're going to have to give up some things, some opportunities, some relatives. You're going to have to give up things in this world. But the reproach of 46:56 Christ is far greater value than anything the world could offer you. Than the pleasures of this world. Are you looking to give your children a more comfortable life? A more enjoyable life? More opportunities? More things? 47:11 And is it coming at the expense of the reproach of Christ? How much dear parents have we taught our children the value of the reproach of Christ? That's something worth meditating on. How much have we taught our children the 47:26 value of the reproach of Christ? That if you want to follow Jesus which is the greatest thing you can do in in life is going to cause you some reproach. You're going to give up certain you're going to have to give up certain things that you 47:37 really want to do. But it's going to be worth it. There's a reward that's waiting for you on the other side of this life. There's a reward. Look to the reward. Oh children, I pray that you will see that. There's a reward that's waiting 47:50 for you. Don't seek only the temporary earthly successes that the world around you is seeking. If God gives you success, that's great. Work hard at school, be diligent in all that you do, but there's a reward that's far beyond anything here on this earth. 48:07 And parents, I pray that we're teaching our children that. The reproach of Christ is greater than the passing pleasures of sin, than the treasures of Egypt because there's a reward. And the last person I want to talk about 48:20 briefly is Daniel. If you turn with me to Daniel 1. We saw Job interceded, stood in the gap for his children. Moses stood in the gap for the people of Israel, who God's people who were in slavery. 48:40 Daniel stood in the gap for against compromise. And that's another area in which we must stand in the gap. As you see churches around us that are continually being swayed by the popular vote, if you will. What's popular? What 48:57 will draw more people in? What can we do in our church that will make make it so that more people will come in? That's going on in the Christian world around us, and God is looking for a for a people, for the church that will stand in the gap against 49:14 compromise. You see about Daniel chapter 1 verse 4, first of all, that he was, along with all the other youth, a youth in whom was no defect, was good looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with 49:31 understanding and discerning knowledge, and had the ability for serving in the king's court. So, already Daniel got picked out from all the other young people, along with a few others. These select youth from among the Jews were picked out for 49:48 these characteristics. Imagine if you were the one that got selected for some prize. But here you are. You got You got selected for some reward, some award. You won. You got selected. And this was the the highest reward you could get. 50:02 This was the most powerful nation at its time, Babylon, and you got picked to serve in the king's palace, in the king's court. Selected. And these were young 17-year-old young men. Imagine 17-year-old. Some of you are 50:21 around that age, teenagers. Imagine if you you you go try for a competition and you get selected, and you're going to go to the White House and be there, and the president's going to ask you for your opinion on this, and he's going to rely 50:34 on you, and you're only 17 years old. I think if if it was any one of us, in our flesh, we would think, "Okay, I I got selected. Now, I I want to make sure I do everything to preserve my position there. I don't want to lose that." 50:48 And then Daniel faces a test where he's offered compromise, food from the king's table, food that's dishonoring to God. He's presented with a way that will make the king happy, but that will make that will dishonor God. 51:04 Daniel 1:8. But Daniel set upon his heart. Daniel resolved deep within. "I don't care who I'm going to offend. I don't care if I'm going to lose this opportunity that I'm so excited." Don't you think Daniel was excited to get 51:21 selected to be a part of that special group? Yes, he was. But deep down he says, "Lord, I don't care. Even though you're the one that's allowed me to be selected here, I've set upon my heart that I will not compromise. I will not 51:34 defile." He would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank. And so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. I don't know if we've often thought 51:47 about Sometimes I like to put myself into these stories and say, "What would I be feeling if I was in that situation?" Yeah, we read about Daniel in the lion's den and all that. You know what preceded all of that? Daniel at the age of 17 or so decided, 52:04 "I am not going to compromise. And if it means that I lose my job, it means that I lose this most wonderful opportunity that you've given me. If I have If I'm going to lose that, I don't care. I would rather stand for God. I will not 52:16 compromise." Everybody else around him, all the other young people They were religious. These Jews, I guarantee that all these other young Jews who were there next to Daniel also prayed to Jehovah and thanked God that they served. Say, 52:32 "Thank you, Lord, that I that you gave me this wonderful job, wonderful opportunity." And when it came to the workplace, they compromised. There was no separation between the holy and the unholy. If the people in our workplace, our 52:50 coworkers, were to come in this door and see us sitting here and listening to the teaching that we listen to and watch our conduct here, would they be surprised and say, "Well, that's that's a different Santosh from the one I know at work. He joins me in 53:04 my conversation and he's interested in the things of this world just like I am, but he sits here at RLCF and acts holy and acts interested in the things of heaven." Daniel in the workplace. See, compromise is not here. Compromise doesn't happen at RLCF 53:20 because we stand for the truth. Everybody here is interested in the kingdom of heaven. That's what we speak about. Compromise is when you walk out these doors and you're around the world, around people who are interested in the 53:31 things of this world, whether they call themselves Christian or not. And there Daniel set upon his heart. I don't mind mind being called the odd person or he's a little weird." or "Why doesn't he go out drinking with us and partake in 53:46 all our conversation and and all of that? Why is he different?" Daniel set upon his heart that he would not defile himself. The scripture down is really interesting. Um um in verse nine, God granted Daniel favor. 54:08 I'm sure all of us have been in a position where sometimes you think, "If I make this decision, I could offend some people in in in my workplace." Or I could offend somebody who has the authority and the power to control 54:19 what I have or what I don't have. If I stand for my conviction, will will I be left out? Will I lose out on some opportunity because I stand for the truth? But look at that. God granted Daniel favor. And I would rather have the favor 54:33 from my boss that God grants than from me compromising. But Daniel's a tremendous example of that. And verse 17, "As for these four youths," once Daniel made that decision, three three others followed his example. They saw Daniel standing for the truth and 54:51 they said, "Man, we got to do this, too. Here's an example for us to follow." A beautiful picture of the church where one man stands for the truth and then others are drawn to that. They say, "We'll stand with you, Daniel. We'll 55:01 Thank you for the courage you had. Now we've got courage, too." And for these four youths, God God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and 55:15 dreams. Here was, you know, these were the same bright, intelligent young men, but here was wisdom and intelligence that God gave. Dear brothers, sisters, children, and all of you, we're all working hard. And we're looking to be wise and intelligent and 55:30 to do our jobs well, whatever it might be. You're trying to do hard well in school. You're trying Trying well in your job. Do you see how God will give you wisdom? This verse, Daniel 1:17, was one I wrote in my had it in my dorm room in college. 55:46 I said, "Lord, you gave Daniel wisdom for everything that he needed to do." And especially if it was a subject that I found difficult to understand, didn't understand all of it, this verse was an example to me and a challenge for 55:58 me. I'd say, "Lord, you gave Daniel wisdom, but why?" Because Daniel said, "I will not compromise." You see, this is the same Daniel who when they said, "You shall not pray." Not allowed to pray, he says, "I don't care. I'm going to open my 56:12 window just like I always did. I know you guys are watching me, but I'm going to pray. I refuse to be bowed." Let's close with this verse in 2 Corinthians 5. Dear family, I've I've showed a few examples of what it means 56:25 to stand in the gap. God's calling us for a mission and a ministry that's more than just the fact that our lives will be sanctified and pure. Yes, we will be conformed into the image of Jesus, but that image of Jesus includes 56:41 the heart of intercession. A burden for others. This is what it means to be conformed into the image of Jesus. It's not just me living a holy life, but me me drawing others, beginning with my family and and the others around me that God 56:54 has placed in my circle. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come. Now, all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through 57:14 Christ and then did what? Gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Have you seen that? The gift that God has given you. God has given you, dear brothers, dear sisters, given us the ministry of reconciliation. Mhm. 57:35 verse 19, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. So, what is the proof that Christ is that God is in Christ and Christ is in you? 57:54 Is this reconciliation ministry where the appeal goes out from me, "Be reconciled. Be reconciled. Make it right with God." Therefore, verse 20, we are ambassadors for Christ. Christ is not here on this earth anymore. His church is, and we are here 58:12 as his ambassadors with that same mission. We are ambassadors for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, "Be reconciled to God." Let that be our prayer as we go out into this week of whatever's ahead, whether 58:30 it's a week of work or week of homeschooling or whatever it might be, going to school. This is your mission, brothers, sisters, children. This is your mission. The mission that calls out to others, "Be reconciled to God." 58:47 Amen. Heavenly Father, I thank you that you came and sent Jesus Christ to be our our our redeemer. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you weren't content to just be there in heaven. And you saw me in the future, a slave. You saw me without hope. And you came 59:06 down to this earth to give me hope. And Lord, thank you, Father. Thank you, Father, for sending your only begotten son into the world so that all who believe in him would not perish, but have eternal life. Now, Lord, having saved 59:21 me, I pray that you will, as I go out into the world that you've placed me in, That you will also lead me, Lord, to give others this hope. That others who believe in you through me will also not perish, but have eternal 59:39 life. Lord, I I know of people around me who are perishing. I'm aware of it, Lord. I I see it. And there are many more ways in which I don't even see it. But Lord, I pray that you will send me as we go in into the world, as each of us goes out into the 59:53 world around us, that you will send us with this ministry of reconciliation. That if there's one more person, Lord, whom we can save from perishing by trusting in you I that and will have eternal life. I pray that you will anoint us with your 1:00:08 words and use us, Lord, by our lives to draw others around us into life with you. Thank you, Lord. We can't do it on our own. We ask you to fill us with your Holy Spirit, that your Holy Spirit will empower us for this ministry you've given us. Thank you. In 1:00:23 Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
