God’s Call for the Remnant — November 17, 2024: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:01 Morning and welcome again good to be in God’s house we’re going to get into God’s word this morning we’re going to be going back into a fruitful. Christian and we’ve been talking about the remnant amen and how we can be a remnant what the remnant do and today we’re going to be talking about God’s call to the remnant his promise uh Revelations 12:17 we learn that the remnant are those who keep the commandments of God amen it’s important for us to keep the commandments of God we don’t want to be. Kos sinos whatever you want to say Christians in name only.

▶ 0:43 Amen uh that that is taking the lord’s name in vain that is the one of the ten commandments we don’t want to break when you uh take the lord’s name in vain you are trying to label yourself as a follower of God really you have no interest and you’re not planning on following God at all and you don’t we don’t want to be that amen we have the testimony of Jesus Christ Christ has made an impact he’s made a mark he’s changed you we have the testimony of Jesus Christ you once were in darkness but God has done something and changed your life and he’s transforming you it’s a testimony whether you share it or not God has done something in your heart and your spirit z zariah Zechariah 8:12 the seed shall be prosperous the vine shall give its fruit the ground shall give her increase and the heavens shall give their due God’s promise to the remnant is that we will be fruitful we can be prosperous as Christians he will make the ground increase and that the the heavens God will keep providing that do that water that moisture that is needing needed to grow zachariah 8 verse 12 I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all the things the seed the vine increase in the do God is causing like in the new covenant he’s causing us by his grace remember

▶ 2:13 that grace is powerful that grace is divine influence it causes you and that’s so when we when you pray for grace you want to pray for that kind of grace the grace that stirs you the grace that convicts you the grace that causes you to walk in his ways and follow. Him it shall come to pass that you were a curse among the heathen I will save you who wants to be saved I want to be saved amen and you shall be a blessing we learned about that from Daniel shadrach meach and abednego they were a blessing to the Babylonian empire which was a secular empire amen they were in a time of judgment on their country and Daniel shadrach meshach and abednego they God brought them through it not only through it but because they stood for God God made them a blessing in the ba in Babylon the land of sin.

▶ 3:17 Right fear not do not fear let your hands be strong there’s a lot of fear we’re afraid as Christians we’re afraid to uh speak we’re afraid to say anything we’re afraid to even do what right there’s a lot of pressure especially as teenagers you know that time where there’s so much pressure from your peers and uh it’s hard to be strong but we have to be strong zachariah 8 verse1 15 I am determined to do. Good God even through all of what may be going on in your life he’s determined to do what do good to you amen so today we’re going to be finishing out this zachariah scriptures these things that he brings up in 8:16 and he says these are the things that you shall do so God is calling us to do something now there’s a promise he’s going to help us grow there’s some we we have an identity the remnant are those who keep his commandments but now God is calling us to do something these are the things you shall say it.

▶ 4:31 Do number one speak each man and woman women aren’t excluded here. Amen when God when the Bible uses man it’s talking about mankind each. Person speak the truth to his neighbor execute the judgment of right truth and peace in your gates execute meaning carry it out uh you know it’s not just something on the wall it’s something you keep it’s an act you you take action with it the judgment of truth and peace in your gates let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor plotting against one another you know the gossip leads to uh you know har you’re talking about someone and and then talking about someone turns into more actions and pretty soon you’re plotting how you can hurt somebody and that’s not right amen do not love a false oath a false promise false witnesses we we know in the scriptures you know it says one of the ten commandments is do not bear false witness for all these things that I what.

▶ 5:55 Hate I’ve told this before but if you want to be in good standing with God just figure out what he hates and don’t do. That. Amen John chapter. 4:15 the woman said to him sir give me this water that I may not thirst nor come here to draw if you remember the woman at the well so Jesus comes to a well and there’s a woman there who’s drawing water and uh he talks to her and says hey would you give me a drink give me some water and Jesus says to her if you knew who asked you for this you would ask and I would give you uh living water that you wouldn’t have to drink of anymore so this woman replies and she says sir give me this water that I may not thirst nor come here to draw and he replies says go call your husband and come here the woman answered and said I what have no.

▶ 7:05 Husband and Jesus said to her you have well said I have no husband for you have had five husbands and the one whom you have now is what not your husband in that you what spoke. Truly in this conversation. If you stop and think about it Jesus is paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth he’s asking us questions and he wants to hear our reply she could have said what normal people say you know she could have lied to him. Right but she. Didn’t and Jesus is listening to what she is saying and she says you spoke spoke what truly you spoke truly are we speaking.

▶ 8:08 Truly is Jesus Christ is listening to what is coming out of our mouths if you have a habit of lying if you have a habit of changing what is true we got to stop that especially when it comes to Christ when he comes to us and we talk to him we’re not honest you know one of the first things is you have to confess amen you have to. Admit. And uh there are a lot of folks that have a lot of trouble admitting their wrong coming to Christ admitting I mean it’s so wonderful I can come to I can tell him everything right I don’t have to tell everyone else but I can come and tell Jesus. Everything and I can admit I I really like that.

▶ 8:59 I don’t go I don’t have to go and tell everybody what I did and I can come to God and I could admit to him and he can change that inner man that person inside of me and so the question is are you willing to be honest with Christ a lot of the times we are. Not he is looking for what is coming out of our mouth is it truth or is it a lie the woman said to him I know that the messiah is coming I know that messiah is coming who is called the Christ when he comes he will tell us all things and Jesus replies and said I who speak to you am. He in John.

▶ 9:57 8:54 Jesus is talking to the Jews and he says it is my father who honors me of whom you say that he is your God yet you have not known him but I know him if I say do not know him I shall be a liar like you but I do know him and I keep his word and Jesus is saying here that for Christ to say he does not know God would be a lie so Jesus is speaking truth we’ve got to remember that Jesus is the beginning he’s he is the truth speaker and he is also speaking truth and we need to hear what he’s saying and respond to it and he is also identifying these religious Jews as liars they lie and God is asking us today are we liars are we rejecting Jesus who is telling the truth.

▶ 10:56 And they may not have been. Uh lying. Here let me back that up. There are we rejecting Jesus who is telling the truth he and the father are one Jesus is God this is the truth it says in John chap 1: 1 amen in the beginning was the word the word was God and the word became flesh and dwelt amongst. Us we must believe on the cross and in his word and we must believe on these things that he is coming to tell us like this lady is saying amen the messiah is coming to.

▶ 11:52 Speak in John 8:1 Jesus says to the woman who’s caught in adultery woman where where are your accusers has no one condemned you and she replied no one Lord then Jesus said neither do I condemn you go and sin no more now it’s important to understand here uh that Jesus tells us to go and sin no more he doesn’t say keep it up he doesn’t say keep going you’re doing great keep up the sin no he tells you go and sin no more he doesn’t say oh you’re just a sinner sav by grace and you’ll never amount to the Christian walk no that’s not what Jesus said he’s speaking here and it’s important for us to hear what he’s saying to hear the truth that he’s speaking and understand where we should be heading and what our goals should be go and sin no.

▶ 12:56 More hearing that I am a sinner saved by grace does not influence me to. Change when I hear that I just say oh I’m a sinner when I hear that I am just a sinner it does not influence me to change and can we all agree that we need to change yes how many here need to change I need to to change and so it’s important that God sets that goal he’s saying hey I know your situation now but go and make a goal you got to stop this stuff don’t go and commit adultery again he’s telling this woman go go and sin go and sin no more and he said the same statement to another man the message is for everyone he’s not picking on this woman he is saying it to everyone.

▶ 14:03 John 10:10 I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly he has not come that you would have more destruction amen the thief has come to steal kill and destroy not Christ if you continue in sin because you’re just a sinner you are doing what the thief wants you to do and not what the lifegiver who wants to bless you with abundant life you’re not doing what he is saying to. Do and not only Satan Jesus is trying to give us life all the time but we keep getting intoxicated in drugs alcohol all kind kinds of things we sleep around we do other things outside of the marriage uh people are aborting kids murdering.

▶ 15:11 Kids and we keep allowing our flesh to steal kill and destroy our spiritual man see it’s not just Satan it’s also what our flesh that flesh destroys the spiritual man when we act on what it wants to. Do so Satan acts as the thief and so does our flesh our flesh wants to please itself but you have to bring it under control your flesh doesn’t know right and wrong it just wants to feel good amen that’s why you have a mind your heart is here your heart has to tell the body yes or no no okay you go around and you see poison on the ground oh your your body your flesh is thirsty you don’t drink it why because you have a mind a heart that says no.

▶ 16:13 Right and that’s an extreme example but it’s the same way in the sinful things that we do they’re hurting one another they’re hurting people around you they’re hurting their family and they hurt your life and you have to have the control control to make the right. Choice you can’t trust your feelings your feelings are connected with your what your flesh you’ve got to go with truth your flesh will get addicted to a drug that is killing you and you have to go against your flesh in that case right you have to tell your flesh no you can’t have more of this thing that you are with drawing on and you want you got to say. No you got to do what it takes to get off of that addiction right your flesh wants to keep you there and that is going to destroy.

▶ 17:20 You and so if we want. Life and more abundantly we have to go to Christ drink of Christ partake of him listen to him follow him become like him I’m trying to say here is that Christ is setting the goal he wants us to become like him not to become like a sinner not to become like. Satan amen. Amen so when you hear you’re just a sinner saved by grace remember God is calling you to be a warrior. He’s calling you to rise up. Higher he’s calling you to start kicking your flesh because if you don’t it’s going to control. You and it’s going to bring you to.

▶ 18:14 Destruction a lot of people are walking around because they uh you know a lot we have a lot of homeless they they’re they’re they’re not dealing with their flesh but you know not everybody has the same situation but in that a lot of cases they’re on drugs and all kinds of things because of that fleshly desire and that’s the truth Mark 7:617 John said to Herod it is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife Herod put him in prison for her sake because he married a married woman so John was put in prison for speaking out about this so this is a different kind of speaking the truth.

▶ 19:03 Right and these other these other ones here uh the woman is just she’s in a place where she’s talking and she’s telling the truth but also John here is speaking to this government official and telling him what you’re doing is wrong so you have a lot of different uh ways that we can speak the truth amen and it’s important for us to stand up that’s what John is doing here he’s standing standing up for truth and right and he’s saying what you’re doing is not lawful we also want to remind you here that John the baptist is saying that what he’s doing is not lawful and Herod is not a Jew he’s a Gentile and John the baptist is talking to a Gentile and saying what you’re doing is wrong it’s not what say it with me lawful remember that so in somebody says we don’t have to keep the law it’s not.

▶ 20:03 True Zechariah 8:16 execute judgment of truth and peace in your gates let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor and do not love a false. Oath going to those things now we have a good example of this in first Kings chap. 21:2 king Ahab was married to the lady named what Jezebel that’s right. And he wanted Naboth’s vineyard so he had a vineyard that was close by the palace Naboth it was. Naboth’s and he calls to Naboth and said hey let’s make a deal I want to buy it I want to make it a vegetable garden and it’s close by my house I mean come on this is a great opportunity for you you know I’m the king of course you should do what I.

▶ 20:54 Say but Naboth replied and he said the Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors so Jezebel comes and he sees she sees Ahab all upset about this situation and she says what’s wrong with you and he tells her what’s going on and she says get up come on I’m going to get you that you don’t need to be sad you’re the king you’re the king I’m going to get you what you want and so this evil woman she wrote to the nobles and the elders as the king with the king’s seal you know posing as herself as the king sorry and she proclaimed a day of fasting a day of fasting we’re going to proclaim a spiritual thing we’re going to proclaim a day of fasting.

▶ 21:50 And seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people but she said seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king then take him out and stone him to death my goodness so she’s she’s using this fasting day oh is a spiritual wonderful thing and in the the the at the end of it all she’s out to what murder this man that’s wrong. And so these nobles and elders carried it out and they did what the king they thought it was the king they did what the king.

▶ 22:43 Said well the king told me to do it so I just did it oh the government made me so I had to do. It and so the question is did they execute judgment of truth and peace was there anything a lie here. Yes was there peace here. No did Jezebel and Ahab think evil in her heart against their neighbor by plotting against. Naboth. Yes. Right did the nobles and elders go along with this plan yes. Did they bring forth false witnesses against.

▶ 23:36 Naboth. Yes for all these things I hate he says in Zechariah 8:16 and so after these after Jezebel and king Ahab did this Elijah was sent and he told them what was going to happen because of this and he told them hey you’re gonna you know God is not happy with this they killed an innocent man and Jezebel was going to be judged for this and so was Ahab and as we know if you know the story you know both of them were it’s important for us to not take these things lightly if you go against people if you go against good people you know God God is taking account out here that’s not right you got to go make that right it’s it’s not right we know Jezebel is an evil woman she never changed we know that amen and we don’t want to be like that also in the New Testament we have Jesus.

▶ 24:49 Christ and we have to remember that we are Christ inheritance amen and Naboth replied and he said I can’t give away my inheritance right you remember what he said there Matthew 26:3 the chief priests the elders of the people met in the palace the high priest to plot to kill Jesus this is right out of the scriptures they plotted to kill who Jesus just like Jezebel plotted to kill who. Naboth the religious leaders sought false witnesses to accuse Jesus of blasphemy and treason ultimately leading to his crucifixion. And so if we look at the story of Naboth and Ahab it correlates directly to Jesus Christ and his coming Naboth had a vineyard we are that vineyard Jesus had been working on a harvest right for three years he had been uh preaching the gospel and he had been drawing people to himself not to the temple not to the religious Jews but to who.

▶ 26:04 Himself and they were growing through his ministry and the religious Jews they wanted to take that harvest from Christ just like Ahab wanted to take the vineyard from. Nabon we are his inheritance. We belong to him these religious Jews could have been Christ’s also but they rejected him they could have been part of the vineyard but they would not and so they brought false witnesses against Christ they stirred up the people who didn’t even know what was going on and said you know let’s get him to say crucify him they stirred up the crowd if you remember you remember. That they they just believed what the religious Jews were saying above what Christ.

▶ 27:05 Said they believed in the pump they believed in the established religion they believed in you know because the money was there or you know they had the temple they had the pretty place they were you know they they had the right clothes on you know they looked theart right but they were not speaking the truth so very important we have to have a heart that can distinguish truth from lies even in the church even in God’s house and so this happens in churches people will come in and they will start to swing their elbows. Around and they’ll start to use their words and they will hurt the church and it’s wrong.

▶ 27:58 We can’t do that we’ve got to have respect for Christ and his house and his church we are not above his church we are not above his house amen when we cause all kinds of destruction that is wrong it’s evil. And so just like Ahab and Jezebel were judged the pe these religious Jews were judged also in 70. Ad and so we don’t want to participate in that and this is a good example of executing truth and peace it’s a good example of what was the other.

▶ 28:52 Thing let none of you think evil in your heart if you’ve got some evil in your heart if you have some plotting evil intent planning to oh I’m going to get back at this person if you got that going on you need to address it you need to get it addressed if you are loving false witness false statements you know are false maybe you don’t even know they’re false it’s time you you got to that’s why that’s what we’re saying here you’ve got to know what truth is and that’s why I encourage you to read the Bible re put it in you make sure you know what truth is because when people start telling you something you don’t want to just go with whatever is being said. Amen and so this is what God is calling his remnant to. Do and it’s important for us to. Respond when it comes to judgment and truth in our country in America young people aged 15 to 24 approximately 50% of all new std cases uh are coming out of that age grou group and this translates to about 1 14 25% of these young people sexually active are contracting sexually transmitted stds each.

▶ 30:11 Year the 40% of all births occur outside of marriage are born to kids are born to single parent mothers that statistic hasn’t changed much so we still have this kind of problem going on so judgment and truth is not. Happening uh when it comes to drugs I wanted to share this video I thought it was very helpful these are the things that we’re dealing. With a drug that releves pain reduces anxiety improves your mood and has no side effects too good to be true well millions of Americans believe that drug is marijuana are they right I’m a physician board certified internist and addiction medic specialist I’ve treated thousands of people whose addictions to opiates alcohol I know that was quite.

▶ 31:06 Involved but uh this is. The this is a current thing that’s going on in our country right now right so it’s important to hear all the information you know he’s giving out a lot of good information I thought that would be helpful uh but Christ is not wanting us to head down this road okay he he’s got his own opinion on what should or shouldn’t be but Christ is saying hey I want to call you out of that you want to come out of that right of such were some of you some of us used to live that way used to participate in those things but not anymore amen and God is is saying that you can rise above that but it’s important to have the information because a lot of is being said about marijuana can like it’s you know there’s no no problem it’s wonderful it’s this that you know whatever but uh you got to have all the information.

▶ 32:08 Amen so that you can make good. Judgments good choices for your life good judgments for your family you know if somebody comes and says oh it’s a miracle jug oh my teenager can have it no don’t do it especially young people there’s there’s a lot of uh drawback for young people amen so we kind of went a little uh we we covered a broad area this morning on how we treat people amen and also how do we treat our bodies the flesh we want to bring it under control and so God is asking this this morning regarding zachariah chapter 8 verse 16 are we willing to speak the truth and hear the truth. Amen are we willing to make.

▶ 33:03 Decisions on. Truth are we going to plan evil in our hearts against God’s people against other people he’s saying we should not do. That are we going to commit to truth instead of false promises false accusations it’s important that we be able to distinguish truth and lies amen. So I’d like to invite you to stand with me this morning and let’s make our commitment to God this morning saying that he is our Lord he is our king and uh this song has some words saying that we’re going to bow I want to remind you I have some uh pads here on the on the left if you’d like to come and bow before the Lord this morning let’s take some time to come before him the altar is a place that I would always go to uh growing up at carbon I remember that altar I would go down and I would pray and I would ask God to keep changing me keep making me and as we all agreed earlier we all need to change amen amen let’s keep that change up let’s submit to God this morning you my lord.

▶ 34:19 You’re my Lord. You have. Risen from the dead and you my Lord with my knees. I. Bow with my tongue I. Confess that. Jesus. Christ. Is. Lord in the examples we showed today we want to encourage you and in the message we share today Jesus is calling us higher he’s also equipping us to reach that height so I’d like to invite you right now let’s.

▶ 35:26 Stand let’s unto him let’s tell him that he is our Lord I also want to invite you this morning to come forward come out of your seat reach out for that due that Christ has for you and let’s come before him this morning Jesus we thank you you’re my Lord. You’re my Lord. You have. Risen from the dead and you’re my Lord with my knees. I.

▶ 36:18 Bow with my tongue I. Confess that and Jesus. You’re. My. Lord we want to invite Jesus right now we want to invite his spirit to come and we’re going to pray lift up our voice that God would come and change our hearts God would come and let’s open up our ears to hear what he has to say. Let’s have a hearing ear this morning let’s pray and and ask God to open up our hearts let’s listen for his word to us this morning amen Lord j let’s lift up our voices together God we come before you this morning God we pray Lord Jesus we pray Lord God that you would speak to us we pray Lord Jesus that we would have a humble heart toward you or God Lord we ask you Jesus to come this morning we ask you Lord Jesus to change Lord who we are today God oh God Lord we pray.

▶ 37:38 Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Lord we need you we need your powerful change in our lives Jesus Lord we call on you Lord we pray for your due Lord Jesus of life God Lord we don’t want Jesus to give into to our flesh Lord we don’t want to give in to the kingdom of darkness Lord both are not looking out for our good Jesus we pray oh heavenly father heavenly father Lord we come before you right now Jesus Jesus we pray for your powerful your powerful work in our spirit in our heart Jesus Jesus Jesus oh heavenly father Lord we need you. Jesus God oh God oh God we pray for your change your spirit your power in our lives Lord Jesus God we need you Jesus Jesus.

▶ 38:38 Jesus. Oh with my knees. I. Bow with my tongue. I. Confess. That j. Jus. You’re. My. Lord I want you right now just reach over the person next to you and pray let’s pray for one another scriptures say that lay on lay hands on one another pray impart that power of God let’s pray and ask that God would do wonderful work in each other that we would reach higher to the goal that he has set Lord Jesus we pray for our neighbor right now we pray for the church God we Lord we ask Jesus Lord that you we begin to do a work of change in our hearts Lord Jesus Lord we pray for one another God Lord Jesus we ask Lord we ask for your truth your word your power God Lord that we would be able to fight against the ws of the Devil Lord that we would be able to stand against our flesh God that we would be able Jesus to become warri of a living God Lord Jesus we pray God with the spirit God willing to follow you willing to follow you Lord.

▶ 40:06 Jesus Jesus Jesus you are the Lord of hosts you are the captain of the hosts God oh God we pray Lord Jesus that we Lord that you would stir us God Lord to have a desire Lord to grow to grow into a a strong warrior Jesus please we pray for your people right now Lord we pray for your church right now Lord Jesus Lord God change Lord move upon us Jesus Jesus Jesus Lord Jesus you Lord we pray for your spirit we pray for your power Lord. God you’re my brother you’re my sister so take me by the hand.

▶ 41:03 Together we will work till he. Comes there’s no fool that can defeat us when we’re walking side by side as long as there is love we will. Stand let’s jo hands right now you’re standing to you’re standing next to a powerful person powerful person in God’s eyes we are mount Zion. Amen you’re my brother you’re my sister so take me by the hand together we will work till he. Comes there’s no fo that can defeat us when we’re walking side by side long as there is love we will.

▶ 42:08 Stand together we will work until he comes amen like we were talking about this morning we’ve got to grow to that goal that Christ has for us amen let’s pray for that as we’re as we’re let that be our hearts cry this morning as we sing this again you’re my brother you’re my sister so take me by the hand together we will work till he. Comes there’s no fo that can defeat us when we’re walking side by side as long as there is love we will. Stand you’re my brother you’re my sister so take me by the hand.

▶ 43:03 Together we will work till he. Comes there’s no fo that can defeat us when we’re walking side by side as long as there is love we will stand. In closing I’d like to ask somebody to lift up their voice in prayer that God will fulfill these things and praying for the church so lift up your voice right your hand.

▶ 43:52 And uh the the help us make that choice Lord Jesus to live for you to speak truth to do truth Lord Jesus to do right righteousness is just making a right decision in the circumstance we’re in Lord Jesus Jesus give us that hunger and that desire I pray for the young ones Lord Jesus that you would touch them Lord Jesus let them rise up and above the pressures of their peers Lord Jesus and rise r up and say I’m going to follow Christ I’m going to do what’s right I’m going to make a difference in this world in my family in in my community Jesus and let us older people let us not get rusty or or or weary of wello doing but Lord let our let us uh our hands be lifted up like Moses they lifted they held up his hands Lord Jesus until the battle was won Lord Jesus Jesus we just continue Lord we want to be that remnant Lord Jesus we just thank you for this word today.

▶ 45:03 Amen. Jes we lift our Holy hands. Up we want to touch you. We lift our voices higher and higher and higher to you oh. Jesus we live our Holy hands. Up we want to touch you. Lord we lift up our voices higher and higher and higher to.

▶ 46:08 You I want to thank you for joining us this morning those online want to thank you trust you heard the word this morning speak the truth to your neighbor to make right choices right decisions in your life God bless you thank you for joining us. Uh in closing I’m going to ask.