Month: August 2026

Text:   Ezek. 14:14

• Intro:
  • In Ezek 14:14 and in Jer 15:1 you read about five of the greatest men in the Bible. 
  • They are Noah, Daniel, Job, Moses and Samuel. 
  • They were great because of their righteousness and because of their intercession. 
  • These were men who stood in the gap for someone else and God was entreated for them in a way unparalleled by other men.
• These three were righteous and by their righteousness each delivered someone.
• Noah delivered his family – Gen 6:8-9, 18 –
  • Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord because of his righteousness among other things –
  • Not only did he deliver his own family but he attempted to deliver others even though they disregarded his preaching, 2 Pet 2:5; Heb 11:7 –
  • By his preaching he condemned the world and by his righteous obedience, he delivered his family –
  • Lot wasn’t so fortunate to save his family.
• Job delivered his friends – Job 42:7-9 –
  • After a long and arduous battle with the devil, Job came out on top by humbling himself before the Lord –
  • When he exalted his righteousness he couldn’t win, but when he did the right thing and humbled himself, he came out victorious –
  • He spoke of the Lord the thing that is right [v.7] –
  • His friends didn’t –
  • And even though they tormented him about his righteousness most of the way through his battle, Job prayed for them and God turned away from dealing with them after their folly.
• Daniel delivered his fellow citizens – Dan 6:4, 25-28; Ezra 1:1-4 –
  • After the king’s decree which criminalized Daniel’s prayer life, Daniel continued to pray toward Jerusalem [1 Ki 8:44-50] –
  • When his accusers forced the king to throw Daniel in the lion’s den –
  • The result was that the king realized the glory and power of Daniel’s God – undoubtedly in his high position Daniel was instrumental in gaining favor for his people with Cyrus –
  • He did the right thing in praying and the captives eventually went home.
• These two were great intercessors and turned away God’s wrath from Israel when Israel rejected the Lord.
• Moses interceded for Israel when they chose an idol – Ex 32:9-14, 31-32 –
  • Moses stood in the gap between God and Israel and spared them from God’s wrath.
• Samuel interceded for Israel when they chose a king – 1 Sam 12:23-24 (see context) –
  • Samuel stood in the gap between God and Israel and spared them from God’s wrath in choosing a king.
  • Eventually, Israel is going to turn to the king antichrist and worship his idol Rev 13, 2 Thes 2] and when they do, God will not be able to find a man to stand in their gap [as in Ezek 22:25-31] –
  • Thank God that Jesus will come and be that man for Israel like he was that man for us [1 Tim 2:3-6].
• Conclusion:
  • Be sure to be that man for your family, friends, fellow citizens and your country [1 Tim 2:1-3] –
  • May it never be said of our church that God sought for a man to make up the hedge and to stand in the gap but that he found none –
  • Follow the example of these great men and intercede!!

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

Each time when I hear casual conversation with someone saved or lost, the word “God” followed by the word “damn”, or “Jesus Christ”, or “for Christ’s sake”, it really grieves my indwelling Holy Spirit. I have at times and wish it was all the time that I stopped the person that I was speaking with and pointed out that they were using the Lord’s name in vain. The response from the other person has been mixed. I get something like, “I am sorry”, or “What are you religious or something”. You see most people are not even aware they are using the Lord’s name in vain. It has become a part of their regular vocabulary along with a string of cuss words.

Hollywood and the movie industry have incorporated along with all their vile and wickedness, the use of the Lord’s name in vain as well in the dialogue on the big screen.

Some of you reading this may say, “Well, what the bid deal.” The big deal is when the Lord’s name is used in vain, one of the ten commandments is broken. Ask yourself why don’t people us the name of the pope, Mohammed, Budha, Judge Russell (founder of the JWs), Mary Baker Eddy (founder of the Christian Scientist), or Ellen White (founder of the Seven Day Adventist) in vain. The answer is that Jesus Christ, is the one true God. The only God. He and God the Father are one in the same.

We are told by the words of God regarding the name of Jesus Christ – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12), “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31), “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10: 9-10), “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

My dear friend Jesus Christ is the only name whereby an individual can be saved from going to the Lake of Fire for time and eternity. However, most of mankind has consciously rejected God and His Words even though He has revealed Himself to every human upon the earth.

My dear friend if you call yourself a Christian, does it grieve you to hear the Lord’s name taken in vain. Do say anything to the person using the Lord’s name vain or are you frozen at the mouth as the Arctic River? Do you spend time in front of TV, DVD player, or movies where the Lord’s name is used in vain over and over again?

We as Christians must honor and uphold the precious name of Jesus to world because He is the one true God that can save a person from going to the Lake of Fire!

TEXT: Romans 1:17-32

It is not hard to notice but the world has become very violent and wicked. I remember growing up in the late 1950s and 1960s that worst thing that happen in high school was someone was caught smoking in the boys room.

Today, it is dangerous going to school with all the mass shootings going on. In fact, it is dangerous going most places today. Each day there seems to occur a massing shooting at restaurants, places of worship, and places of entertainment and recreation.

You get in your car and there is a good possibility you could be a victim of road rage or car jacking.

We have the exploiting of children who are being kidnapped, molested and sold into sex trafficking. Many of the illegal aliens coming into our country both children and adults are being sold as sex slaves.

Our infants are being murdered on daily basis. A baby can be murdered up to and including the last month or pregnancy. Abortions are considered proper health care.

Even though the Word of God tells us there are only two genders, male and female our society claims and promotes there are multiple genders. Today, it is hard to tell looking at a person what gender they are.

Our society has legalized same sex marriage and trying ram down our throat’s transgenders in women sports. Our society is paying the medical expenses for people who want to change genders. The people who want to have their genitals removed and breasts and female organs removed are being covered under their medical insurance.

I could go on and on how man has degenerated into a vile and wicked creature.

Why has all this happened? The answer as all answers are found in the written Words of God.

If you will take the time to read the Words of God in  Romans 1:17-32, the answer will jump off the page! The answer, all this happens when men reject God after He has clearly revealed His Self to man. What you have stated in Romans 1:17-32, is the steady decline of man into vileness and wickedness when he rejects God.

My dear reader if you have rejected God this is what you are headed for! I beseech you to repent of your sins and trust only in blood atonement of Jesus Christ and His resurrection to pay for all your sins and give you a home in heaven.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1Corinthians 15:1-4)

Text:  Prov. 2:1-6

• Intro:
  • Many people get saved and then they stagnate. 
  • The reason is that they don’t find the knowledge of God. 
  • In other words, they know Jesus as their Saviour but that’s all they know. 
  • We say, “Read your Bible and come to church.” 
  • They start but they soon give up because they don’t “get it.”
• Today we’re going to see what finding the knowledge of God takes so that you can grow beyond the principles of the doctrine of Christ [Heb 6:1] and go on unto perfection.
• The process of finding the knowledge of God – Prov 2:1-3 –
  • “Receive my words” – through reading, preaching and teaching –
    • This is absorbing the words and believing them.
  • “Hide my commandments” – Ps 119:11 –
    • Not just memorizing them but getting to know them so well that you can obey them without having to look them up –
    • These “commands” will guide you.
  • “Incline thine ear unto wisdom” –
    • That is to pay close attention to and listen willingly to wisdom by cutting out all of the commotion and distractions that compete.
  • “Apply thine heart to understanding”-
    • That is to employ yourself diligently to –
    • Often you don’t understand something in the Bible because you haven’t “worked at it” hard enough to understand –
    • Other times your lack of understanding may be due to disobedience [Job 28:28].
  • “Criest after knowledge” – this is prayer, which leads to the next point.
• The prayer for finding the knowledge of God – Prov 2:3 –
  • See Prov 2:6; Jas 1:5; Lk 24:32, 45 –
    • You aren’t going to understand this Book unless the Lord gives you the understanding [Prov 2:6] –
    • So pray to him for knowledge.
  • While we’re on this point notice the triad of wisdom, understanding and knowledge –
    • Prov 2:2-3; 2:6; 2:10-11; 1:2-4; 3:19-20; 24:3-4 –
    • These three show up together in many different places –
    • They are briefly described as follows:
  • Knowledge – FACTS – the “what” of what you know
  • Understanding – FAITH – the “how” of what you know
  • Wisdom – FEAR – the “who” of what you know [Prov 1:7]
• The pursuit of finding the knowledge of God – Prov 2:4 – “seekest her… searchest for her” –
  • We are to seek for the knowledge of God as we would seek for silver or search for a hidden treasure –
    • These two admonitions show you the significance of what you are after –
    • They show you the:
      • Value of the knowledge of God
      • Work involved in finding the knowledge of God
      • Time involved – years
      • Persistence it takes – stay with it
      • Difficulty involved – it’s hidden
      • Goal of finding the knowledge of God – you will find it
• The prerequisite of finding the knowledge of God – Prov 2:5 – “the fear of the Lord” –
  • Prov 9:10; Job 28:28 –
  • You say, “I don’t understand” –
  • You won’t until you do the first three things and then when you do those you will understand the fear of the Lord –
  • It is something no one else can quite explain to you – you must know it for yourself.
• The promise of finding the knowledge of God – Prov 2:5 – “and find the knowledge of God” –
  • You will find it –
  • Seeking to find the knowledge of God is not a vain pursuit –
  • We try every way we can to help you with Sunday school lessons, Sunday morning and evening preaching, Wednesday Bible study, radio broadcasts, internet posts, and men’s and women’s Bible studies
  • BUT we cannot do your work for you!
• Conclusion:
  • You must go through the process, you must pray, you must pursue, you must meet the prerequisite and God will fulfill his promise!!