"WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT"

“WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT”
ISAIAH 57

In Isaiah 55:1, God gives an invitation to “every one that thirsteth,” to come and drink from the waters of eternal life. He invites every one to be filled with glorious joy and great strength, and it is all free.
In Isaiah 55:7, God gives an invitation to the wicked to repent and “return unto the Lord.” He promises to graciously show mercy.
In Isaiah 56:1, God gives an invitation to His children to study His word, so with the Savior appeared, they would recognize Him.
But, sadly, they did not study and when Jesus Christ came into the world, they did not recognize Him.
The rest of Isaiah 56 tells us, because Jesus was forsaken, God’s House of worship was forfeited and God’s day of worship was forgotten.
In Isaiah 56:9-12, he reveals that the watchman, who represented the politicians, priests and the prophets of Israel, no longer could see right from wrong. Isaiah compared them to dumb dogs. He said they were blind and ignorant. Rather than giving their life to the things of God, they mainly lived for pleasure and prosperity.
Within 100 years, Judah was taken captive by Babylon and over the next few hundred years the nation of Israel was scattered across the earth.
When Jesus came, He prophesied that Israel would once again be a nation, though many doubted that would or could ever happen. Over 1900 years later it did happen. In 1948

Israel became a nation again.
What happened to Israel over 2,000 years ago has happened to Christian America over the past 200 years later.
The Biblical principles of God’s Word which once governed our homes, our hearts and our homeland are no longer used as the measuring stick by which most Americans and Christians live.
God’s Word is no longer used to form policies in our government and sadly, it is no longer used in forming policies in most churches and homes.

Isaiah 56 introduced us to the Place of Prayer.
Isaiah 57 will introduce us to the Place of Peace.
Isaiah 58 will introduce us to the Place of Power.

Having said all of this, we can now look at Isaiah 57 and understand that Isaiah is speaking of what will mainly transpire in the Last Days, though evidence of this is everywhere today.

I – THE WAYWARD MAN
1 – The Righteous (v 1a)
57:1, The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Because of the waywardness of man’s heart, nations forget God, and reject the righteous man. Why are those who stand for righteousness rejected? Jesus said, “Men loved darkness more then light…” Why? Jesus said because, “…their deeds are evil” (John 3:19).
Jesus was “the light of the world.” He said to those who follow Him, “Ye are the light of the world.”
Without light, rain won’t fall and the water cycle of life will stop. Without light, crops won’t grow and the food chain will die. Without light, men will stumble and sin prevails. In time, everything in darkness dies.
Growing up on a farm, I saw this truth quite often. When I picked up a board or a bucket that had been laying in the field for a short time, the grass underneath it was dead. Oh, it rained, the ground was moist, but the grass was dead, for it received no light.
Sadly, what Isaiah says in verse one this: In the last days, as the men who stand for righteousness slowly die and move off the scene, few will take there place and nobody will really care.

a. A note on the Politicians: There was a day when we had statesmen, like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and others like them in government, who based their lives and beliefs on God’s Holy Word.
Today, we have politicians, who can be bought for a few dollars. We have politicians who totally reject the light of truth and righteousness. They have removed the Christian pillars that this nation once stood on and have placed this nation on sinking sand.

b. A note on the Preachers: There was a day, when preachers in America were righteous. It did not matter if a preacher was a Methodist or Baptist or Presbyterian, the preachers preached the whole Bible as the inspired Word of God.
One of the greatest evangelists in America was Charles Finney. He was Presbyterian, but He had the powerful touch of God on Him. Great revivals were stirred across America by his uncompromising preaching.
There was Bob Jones I. He was Methodist. He had preached to over 15 million people before he was 40 years old.
Then there was the famous, Billy Sunday. Baseball player converted to God. He was a Baptist. He preached to 40 million people and preached the same truth that Finney and Jones preached, and I quote, “Conversion is a complete surrender to Jesus. It's a willingness to do what he wants you to do. Unless you have made a complete surrender and are doing his will it will avail you nothing. If you have reformed a thousand times and have your name on fifty church records it is to no avail.”
Sadly, today, too many preachers are like those Isaiah described in Isaiah 56:9-12. They preached a social gospel; they were concerned with the environment and the poor and the cold, but ceased preaching salvation and repentance.
Today it is the same. Many preachers are afraid to preach the whole Bible. They won’t bark at sin and the world is becoming darker and darker. They can not see that we are living in the last days. Many Christian nations, like Scotland and England have not heeded to the cries of Isaiah’s warning and today, these nations have less than 3% that attend Church. America is on the same road.
Notice the last part of Isaiah 57:1. It hints of the Rapture.

2 – The Rapture (1b) “...none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”
Because there was so few living righteously in Judah’s day, the threat of destruction was upon them. Soon Nebuchadnezzar would take them away, but nobody was concerned.
In like manner one day soon God’s children will be taken away as well, but it will be the Lord who will call us home.
How can it be that when God’s children are taken out of this world, no one will really care or take notice?

Two reasons:
1) The lost world will be glad that the Christians are gone.
2) With the increase in the Muslim population and the humanistic teachings of America’s education system and media, to have fewer children in a few years our children will awaken to be run by a Muslim world.
The demographics of the world reveal some shocking news:
There was a day when Americans families had many children. It wasn’t uncommon to have 6 and 8 children and more.
Most of us, the past two generations were told lies, like, you can’t afford to raise them, education is to costly, you won’t have any thing in life and so, most of America have quit having children. That will be a terrible tragedy for the world.
Look at these stats:
History has proven for a culture to continue, it requires a fertility rate of 2.11 children per family.
Historically a culture that dropped to 1.9 has never turned around, though it is possible, it would take 80 to 100 years to turn the culture back.
A culture that dropped to 1.3 makes it impossible to ever reverse. It will die off and another culture will take over.

With that in mind look at these stats about the fertility rate of Europe:
France = 1.8 England = 1.6 Greece = 1.3
Germany = 1.3 Italy = 1.2 Spain = 1.1
The 31 countries in Europe have a 1.38 fertility rate.
The Muslim’s fertility rate is 8.1.

30% of the children in Europe younger than 21 are Muslims.
In 39 years France will be a Muslim country.
In England the Muslim rate has grown so fast, that within 20 years it too will be a Muslim country.
By the year 2025, half of Europe’s children will be Muslim.

Gaddafi said, “We don’t need terrorist or homicide bombers. The 50 million Muslims in Europe will turn it into a Muslim country with a few decades.”

Canada has a 1.6% fertility rate from 2001-2006.
The U.S. from 2001-2006 had a 1.6 fertility rate. With the Latino immigration it was 2.11. In 1970 there were 100,000 Muslims in the U.S. Today there are 9,000,000. In 30 years there will be 50 million Muslims in the United States of America.
This is my prediction to why the world won’t care when the Christians are raptured out. With so many Muslims who want to take over and control the world, and with many governments fighting against the Muslim take over, terrorism with grow tremendously across the world.
Just as the plot on September 11, 2009 was to hit numerous cities throughout America, (it failed), a plot far greater will take place in the near future and it will succeed. Possibly 1,000’s of bombs all over the U.S. and world will take out planes, buses, trains, buildings and even cities. It may even included nuclear weapons.
Now think! If when the rapture takes place, cars crash, planes fall from the sky and chaos reigns across the world, it could easily be blamed on terrorism. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and maybe more will die, and most people wouldn’t care if all the Christians were gone, for they hated righteousness anyway.
Now, for you who know the book of Revelation and Biblical prophecy, what happens after the Church of Jesus Christ is raptured out? The first thing is the antichrist, the man of peace, will come on the scene.
Now, look at Isaiah 57:2, He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

In Revelation 6:2, the first horseman of the apocalyptic rides the white horse of peace, deceiving the world into believing everything is alright, as each person walks in his own uprightness. Note, this is not God’s righteousness but man’s prideful and arrogant way. It is an uprightness that calls evil good and good evil.
That is what people are doing today. From our President and to Supreme Court to our elected officials; liberal politicians, liberal journalist and liberal preachers are walking in their arrogant and prideful uprightness to the damnation of our country.
They believe as they continue to throw out the light of God’s Word and trample under food Godly principles and truths that they will bring peace to this world. How wrong they are.

Paul wrote in First Thessalonians 5:3-5, 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Now, after the Church is removed from this world and the devil takes over, Isaiah hints to a few frightening and amazing happenings that will transpire in this world in verses 3-12.
Understand, when the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation, he gave more indebt details. But, it is clear that Isaiah saw, in visions given to him by God, the future events of the tribulation.

3 – The Rebellion (3-12)
Isaiah is going to reveal vital truths we need to know:
A - We need to quit trying to be politically correct:
Isaiah 57:3, But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
We live in a day in America where we are told to make sure our speech is politically correct. We are told don’t say anything negative about religion or another who may not have the same life style as you.
There is a two-fold hypocrisy about this statement.
1) I find it funny, that, this is not the standard God goes by.
2) I also found out the devil crowd doesn’t live by this standard either. They tell you one thing, but do just the opposite. They can have their freedom of speech and say anything negative or racist or evil about God’s crowd, but let God’s preachers declare that abortion, homosexuality, voter fraud and sin to their attention and they cry “politically incorrect.”
Friend, God calls black, black and He calls white, white. He calls sin, sin and He calls righteousness, righteousness. God doesn’t play by Satan’s rules.
Anyone who knows prophecy knows that in the last days the religions of the world will become so corrupt that they will welcome the devil in their pulpit. God, in His righteousness calls this wicked religion, “the whore.”
Turn to Revelation 17:1-2, And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Most of you know that today, 2009, all the nations of the world have become Babylonian. They have removed God from their culture, creed and constitution.
The “One World Religion” will commit fornication with the “One World Government” in the tribulation time. They will be in bed together. Why? The light of the world was raptured out and there is now, nothing to stop the wickedness of man.
The only thing that prevents this world from erupting into greater sin is the light of the righteous.
B - We need to know that the media in America hates Jesus Christ. 4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Let me say sadly, this was the heart of Israel when Isaiah preached.
Today, in rebellion, the world, through the media and politics and education has lifted up their voices against God, Christianity and righteousness.
Most people have been brained washed by the media. They tell you to be politically correct. They tell you drugs, drunkenness, sex outside the bonds of marriage is OK and at the same time they mock anything righteous and Christian.
I’ll let you in on a small detail of the Nazi annihilation of six million Jews and eight million Gentiles. Most of the preachers in Germany tried to be politically correct to the demise of their country.
I’ll tell you another secret. When God calls for a nation to repent, His preachers, preached to those who were suppose to know God, not the lost.
To preachers who are blind and ignorant, who won’t preach against sin or stand for righteousness I say, “You are doing a great disfavor to the Holy God I serve.” You are destroying the next generation by only preaching half the Bible. Preachers like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren, who speak against sin, they are destroying Christianity. They have accepted the political correct agenda, to the death of Christianity.
It is entertaining for the media, talk show host and comedians to mock and make fun of Christians, whether they have fallen or whether they do right. For example, look at how the media and the liberals used their wide mouth and evil tongues to maliciously attempt to destroy the Christian and moral life of Sarah Palin, in the last election.

C – We must know that most worship in America is a false worship. Isaiah 57:5-7 - 5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
We would think Isaiah was writing today about sins of America and the world as he describes man’s silly worship of idols and the killing of the unborn, yet there are religious denominations that tell their pastors not to preach on controversial issues like abortion.
In verse five, the taking of the children’s lives were done in secret. How hideous it was. But far worse, today, the taking of the unborn has been justified by the Supreme Court of the United States and is not inn public medical centers, doctor’s offices and hospitals.
How evil the minds of men have become, and yet many churches will never cry from their pulpits that abortion is murder.

In verse six, those guilty of such crime, go back to worship God as if they have done nothing wrong…
6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Do you see what they are doing? They are giving to God worship.
God in amazement says, “Should I receive comfort in these?” God says, “You mock my word, you mock my principles, you maliciously destroy my people, you kill the innocent and you go to worship me and you think I am going to accept your worship?” How blinded man has become.

God mocks man in verse 7 by revealing his proud and haughty heart.

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Isaiah 57:7 reveals that in the last days, man in his pride will live in all types of sin, yet will continue to go through the act of worship, thinking he is OK. How can man do this? He doesn’t know the Word of God.

D – As true preaches continue to preach truth, many will leave that church and look for a church where they can live in drunkenness, adultery, and all types of sin and feel comfortable.
8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered (revealed) thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
Isaiah says to those who should have been God’s people, you left me. You crawled in bed with them. You love their bed not my bed.
God’s intimate bed is one of worship and holiness, righteousness and truth. The bed of false worship brings the world into it. Anything goes and everything is OK in this bed. In this bed man can live as he pleases and do whatever his heart desires. But judgment day is coming. (v 9)

E – Isaiah tells us in the Last Days, the thinking of the political and religious system will be one and the same.
9 “And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes…” but sadly the outcome for both will be hell. Look at the rest of verse 9. “…and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.”
10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
Though the wicked, acts as if he is enjoying the evil of this life, in the Last Days, he will realizes he has gone to far and now there is “no hope.”
But, the wicked are so full of pride and self, they won’t even care.

F – Isaiah reveals the great sin of Israel and the world.
11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
God’s people did not fear God. They lived by their own righteousness standard. One day, the books will be opened. There will be no profit, no spiritual gain, only lost. Man will lose his life and soul for eternity.

II – THE WISE MAN
During the last days, there will be many that will still preach truth. Even in the dark days of the Tribulation when people will be tossed about with every wind and doctrine, God will ordain 144,000 to preach truth.
Notice two things about the wise man:

A – His Choice: In the last days the cry of the religious world is change, change, change.
13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
Back in 1963 Bob Dylan wrote the song, “Blowing in the Wind.” It was a song of rebellion against the America culture, against the government, against the war. It was about leaving the old principles of truth and making changes. Over the past forty years there have been many changes in America but sadly, most of them have not been for our good.

God’s principles don’t blow in the wind. They have always been true. For the man who places his trust in the Lord, God will give to him a home in heaven for all eternity.
The wise man will stand for truth and the Bible declares that God does not change.

B – His Concern – The wise man’s concern is to lift up Christ.
He cries as Isaiah did in verse 14, And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.
This verse is saying to exalt Jesus Christ. It is saying to all of Israel and all the world who looked upon Jesus as a stumbling block to open their eyes and realizes He is not the stumbling block but the solid rock. He is the corner stone to eternal life. He is the corner stone to our church, our homes and our hearts.
III – THE WORSHIPFUL GOD
Look at verse 15: 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
a. Contrite Heart: To worship God He wants us to come with a contrite heart. That means to have a repentant and humble heart.
The key to getting out of trouble, to having our burdens lifted and to finding victory is to have a contrite heart.
Then God promises to lift us up on high with Him. The wise man will have a contrite heart and will exalt the high and lofty One, which is our Lord Jesus Christ.

b. Comfort - 18-19:
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
These verses reveal that those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ and worship the Lord will find comfort or peace in their soul.
God wants to and desires to show mercy and compassion and forgiveness upon His rebellious people and upon a rebellious nation. God wants man to know His comfort and peace.
The man that comes to the Lord in repentance and faith will have peace.
One person said this about peace: “To have peace, find something bigger than yourself to believe in.”
Another fact says, “Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.”
“Peace is not in something you can hold or touch or see. It is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ that transcends anything in life.”
In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was a Bishop of the Roman Church and spoke with great anger against the Protestants and stood for the infallibility of the Pope.
But, like Saul, Ridley had a supernatural conversion. He then saw the fallacy of religion and lived his life to preach Jesus Christ as the way to heaven.
He was arrested for his witness for Christ and put in prison to away his death by being burned at the stake. On the night before Ridley’s execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort.
Nicholas declined the offer of his brother and told him, “I mean to go to bed and sleep peacefully, because I know the peace of God, I can rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of the Lord!
Isaiah ends on a negative note. He speaks of the wicked man.
IV – THE WICKED MAN
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
The wicked man is both restless and regretful.
Look in verse 2. There we see a false peace. In this verse a man who has his health and wealth walks in his own integrity and not the Lords.
Look in verse 19 we find true peace. God offers rest and comfort to any one who places their trust in Jesus Christ.

Lastly, in verse 21, the prophet cries, “No peace… to the wicked.”

An old book entitled, “Voices from the Edge of Eternity” by John Miles contains death bed accounts of many who saw into eternity moments before they died.
One account was of an unbeliever. A preacher friend (Rev. C.A. Balch) who had invited him to church and tried to share Christ with him, went to sit with this man in his dying days.
On one occasion the man said, “Warn the world not to live as I have lived and escape my woe.”
Another time when visited by the doctor, the man was groaning and writhing in agony. The doctor said to the man, “Why do you groan so, your disease is not painful?” The man replied it is not my body but my soul that troubles me.”
On the evening of the man’s death, the preacher entered the room. He said there was an awful presence in the room as if we were near the region of the damned.
The dying man cried out, “Oh, God! Deliver me from this awful pit!” The man was not penitent. His word were simply the wailing of a lost soul.
About 11:45 PM, the man cried, “I am in the flames, pull me out, pull me out!” He kept repeating this again and again, as his words became more faint.
At about midnight, the preacher sat next to the man and lean over to hear his dying words. They were, “Pull me out! Pull me out!”
The preacher said, “That experience made such an impression on me, that I will never forget, nor do I wish to ever witness such a sight again.”
The preacher said, “Till this day, I remember those last terrible words, “I am in the flames, pull me out, pull me out.”

Abraham

ABRAHAM

Isaiah 64:8, But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
The word “father” is used 979 times in the King James Bible. The phrase “our father” is used 52 times. Here is what is very interesting. Only two people in the Old Testament recognized God as “our Father.” King David, for he knew the grace of God and Isaiah. Isaiah was writing down the vision of what would be. At this time in history when Isaiah wrote, Israel was a clay full of rocks. They were neither useable nor pliable. Yet one day, Isaiah knew this would be their attitude.
Go back in time from Isaiah’s day, all the way back to the Flood. After the Flood that took the lives of all the people on the face of the earth but eight, God told Noah to set up a government that was just and one based on His Word.
In just a few generations, the descendants of those who vowed not to ever forget God, forgot God. The stories that were told about Adam and Enoch and Noah were replaced with people seeking signs.
Families began to settle in the fertile valleys by the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. A great city was built and a government built known as Babylon.
Nimrod and most of the world sought to build a life without God’s interference.
Then a tower was erected by Nimrod, hoping to reach as high into the heavens as possible, to worship the moon god and other man-made gods. This angered God and He came down and confounded the languages of the people and scattered the people across the face of the earth.
As the people scattered across the earth, many of these moon worshippers traveled south and settled in a Babylonian town named Ur.

THE POTTERY IN SEAGROVE
Keep this story in mind as we move from this event that happened 4,000 years ago to today, to a small town, south of where we, a town called Seagrove, NC. It is known mainly for its pottery. Beautiful works of pottery are on display for all the world to see, and people come from all over to look at and purchase this beautiful pottery.
However, before the pottery can be admired or purchased, the potter must do his work.
1 - The potter first discovers the clay.
He locates a field that will yield the type of clay he can use to produce beautiful earthen vessels. When he finds this field, he purchases it.

2 - The potter then detaches the clay.
The potter removes a piece here and there to make the size of vessel he intends to make. Some vessels are very small and some are very large. The size is up to the potter.

3 - The potter then develops the clay.
The potter squeezes the lump between his fingers and pounds it with his fist in order to soften the clay and make it pliable.
If he detects any impurities, he will remove them or else, the impurities will spoil the finish product.
He then places the clay on the center of his wheel. The wheel is just a flat circular surface with a spindled attached to another wheel. The potter turns the lower wheel with his feet, causing the upper wheel to turn the clay.
As the clay spins the potter moistens his hands and begins to apply pressure to the lump of clay. The clay slowly begins to take shape.
The potter moistens his hands again and again and uses his thumb and fingers to put pressure on the clay so he might make it for his likening.
When the vase is ready, the potter then places it in a oven and turn up the heat. The vase remains in the oven for hours as the potter watches the temperature with an eagle eye.
When the potter sees that the vase is finished, he removes the vessel and shows others his work of grace.

4 – Then, the potter displays the vase. He puts it in public view for all to see. The vase brings glory to the work of the potter.
This process is picture in the life of a man, a moon worshipper, who lived in the fertile crescent valley of the Babylonian Empire, in a town called, Ur. His name was Abraham.

I – GOD DISCOVERED HIS MAN
Genesis 12:1 4 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
God knows all about us before He ever called us. There is nothing he does not know. He knows our hearts. He knows our hurts. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses, and He wants to give us all the help we need.
God knew Abraham was a moon worshipper. Abraham was an idolatrous pagan. Though his ancestry could be traced back to Adam, Seth, Noah and Shem, Abraham and Abraham’s family somewhere along the line forgot God…, but God didn’t forget them.
God took the initiative to reach Abraham. Out of the depths of God’s great heart of love, God spoke to the depths of Abraham’s empty, religious heart.
Three ways God reveals Himself to man today:
1 – In heaven? Ps 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Seeing creation will makes any man know there is a God. (Romans 1:20)
2 – In hearts: Romans 2:14-15 reveals the commandments of God are written in man’s heart. But that is not enough for salvation.
3 – In hearing: “Romans 10:17 reads, So then, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

ABRAHAM accepted the invitation of God. Hebrews 11: 8-9 reads, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
One day Abraham was walking in a Babylonian world, worshipping the god of his ancestors, the next day, Abraham was on a journey looking for the city of God.
Abraham searched all his life but never found that city. He did not find it in Babylon. He did not find it in the Jordan valley, nor along the banks of the Nile River.
He discover that the city, which has foundations built by God, is located somewhere beyond the confines of space and in another time dimension.
It is awaiting the day when the Lord shall return for His own. It will be revealed to everyone who dwells on the earth in the Millennium, and shall be inhabited by all who placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
Though many think Abraham was looking for an earthly city and maybe for a long time in his life, he was, one day it dawned on Abraham, the city of God that God has placed in my heart is not earthly. It is heavenly. It was eternal!
It is city where the streets are paved with gold and walls are made of jasper and the gates are created out of beautiful pearls.
A crystal stream of beautiful flowing water reflecting the colors of the foundation and the golden walls of the city run through the center of that massive city.
Strangely, it will have no moon or sun, for the light of that city will come from the presence of Jesus Christ.
Massive bright shining angels are the cities ministers and the saints of God are the cities citizens.
The glorious King who was once crowned with thorns is now crowned with glory.
He shall rule the galactic empires whose vastness is beyond all human comprehension.
I am glad, God discovered me. I am glad he came to where I was, so I might go to where He is. Praise His name.

II – GOD DETACHES HIS MAN
When God speaks to us, He demands that we exercise our faith. The evidence of faith is obedience. Obedience proves that our belief is genuine.
Saving faith is seen, when a person obeys God’s spirit. God’s spirit says to repent and commit your life to Jesus Christ.
Living faith is different. It says you are now a pilgrim and a stranger in this world. Living faith says, “This world is no longer your home. You are not to live like you once lived. You are not to go where you use to go. You are different now. You are heading in a different direction.”
The call of salvation is always followed by the call of separation.
In Genesis, God divided the light from the darkness.
He separated the line of Seth from the line of Cain.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Picture this scenario: One bright sunny morning Abraham walks into the First National Bank of Babylon.
Whenever a man as important and wealthy as Abraham walked into a bank, the staff would roll out the red carpet.
The manger quickly invites Mr. Abraham into his private office to talk. “Well, Mr. Abraham, have you come to deposit more gold today.”
Abraham: “No sir, I have come to close out my account. I will take it all in cash, gold bars or gold coins.”
The bank manger faints back in his chair. His heart begins to race, sweat breaks out all over his body as his hands clutches his polished oak desk. “Close your account?” he whispers, “Mr. Abraham, why? What have we done to displease you?”
Abraham speaks: “Nothing, I am selling out and leaving town.”
Banker: “Well, can we just transfer your account to another one of our banks? We have banks all over Babylonia.”
Abraham: “No, thank you, I’m leaving the country. I’m going abroad.”
“Oh, that is no problem. We can transfer your accounts to one of our affiliated world banks.” The bank manger says hopefully.
Abraham: “No, thank you. I’ll just take it in cash. Here are ten goatskin bags. I have ten camels outside. Just load the bags down with the gold and my men will load the camels.”
Banker: “But, where are you going, Mr. Abraham?”
Abraham: “I haven’t the faintest idea!”
Banker: “I beg your pardon?”
Abraham: “I haven’t the faintest idea.”
Banker: “You haven’t any idea? You are leaving town, closing your account and going abroad and you don’t know where you are going?”
Abraham: “That’s right, so, if you don’t mind, I’ll take my money in cash… No, Mr. manager, I am not crazy.
You see, the other day the God who created the universe and hung the stars in space and gave life to this world spoke to me, and told me to leave my country and go to another one.
I think He was talking about heaven, because He spoke of a city of which, He was the builder and maker.”
“Now, I don’t have any idea where it is. All I know is that, it isn’t here. And for me to get to God’s city, I have to obey God and walk by faith.
I shall be a pilgrim and a stranger the rest of my life. So, if you don’t mind, I will take my money in cash.”
Thus Abraham put feet to his faith. He became a pilgrim and a stranger as far as the world was concerned.
As a stranger, Abraham was away from home; as a pilgrim, he was going home.
So, he could say: “This world is not my home, I’m just passing thru, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”

III – GOD DEVELOPS HIS MAN
Every day and every minute of our life God in His mercy is developing us.
Abraham enjoyed mountaintop experiences and sometimes he walked through some dark lonesome valleys.
Sometimes he savored victory and others he tasted defeat.
Whether he experienced sunshine or shadow, glorious faith or miserable doubt, Abraham’s story reveals how God mellowed him and matured him.
Look at five aspect of how God develops Abraham:
1 – Blessings:
A. His walk: In Genesis 12:2 God says “I will bless thee.” The idea in the Hebrew is God will make Abraham a very happy man.
But, wait, Abraham left family and friends, and the world he knew for 75 years, to travel the desserts of this world searching for a city he never found. How can that make a man happy?
This world won’t make you happy friend. Abraham learned to live for the eternal, not the temporal.
And if you are to find true happiness, you have to climb the mountain of faith and live for the eternal. Then come what may, you can sing the little Junior Church song, “I found happiness, I found peace of mind, I found the joy of living, perfect love divine.”
B. His Worship:
In Genesis 12:8, Abraham built an altar at Bethel. Bethel means the “house of God.” Here Abraham worshipped God.
Then Abraham discovered two things. There was a famine in the land and there was a foe in the land.
Abraham thought it would be easy. He did not expect to encounter these problems, but God was teaching Abraham this: In the same place where people find their blessings, there are battles.
Two simple examples are these: 1) In your family there are blessings, but there are also battles. Example: Last year my sister had a son get married. He was 21. There was great joy in the family. Today, another son, 24 is dying of pancreatitis.
2) The spiritual life is filled with blessings, but there are also many battles. You robe shoulders with Christians that encourage you and you rub shoulders with some that discourage you. They key is to keep your eye on Christ. Live for the eternal.
2 – Betrayal: Suddenly Egypt looked attractive to this disillusioned pilgrim. When “Worship life” was not all Abraham thought it would be, he headed to Egypt. It wasn’t Babylon after all. No! But it was too much like Babylon. It was still the world. The holy God of creation was still left out.
Lies accompanied Abraham’s reasoning for visiting Egypt (world). There, in Egypt, Abraham lost his testimony. Rather then being a witness and a blessing to Pharaoh, he became a curse.
Abraham paraded his wife as his sister which almost cost Pharaoh his life. When Abraham and Sarah left town, Pharaoh might have said, “If this is an example of a believer, I hope I never meet another.”
3 – Barrenness: God had promised Abraham a seed. Folks, when God promises something, by faith, He will deliver. But, when years passed in Abraham’s life, with no prospect of a son and Sarah was getting older, Abraham resorted to a worldly means of having a child.
He went into Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid, Hagar. She bares a son and as a result, we find that God did not speak to Abraham for 13 years. (13 being the number of rebellion)
Abraham had to learn that the answer to barrenness is not to be found in worldly methods. When barrenness comes to a church, three direction may be taken: 1) Some Churches bring in the world to attract the world. 2) Some do nothing and they die. 3) Some, pray, seek the Lord, draw near to God, clean up their lives and in time God visits them. Those that do not seek the Lord and repent, God in time writes Ichabod over its door.
Barrenness in the church is part of spiritual growth. It is to tell a people to pray more and worship deeper. It is not a time to use the world’s methods to draw a crowd.
4 – Brethren: Abraham had a nephew named Lot. Lot was called righteous Lot. But, he was a worldly believer. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it was so. Lot sets his eyes on Sodom. He thought he could go there and be a witness.
But, in order to pull a people out of the world, you have to get out of it first. You cannot lift a barrel if you are standing in it and Lot was standing in Sodom.
Even after Lot was taken into deeper captivity and Abraham delivered Lot, Lot still stayed in Sodom, thinking, I can make a difference. He didn’t. He did not influence the world by being in the world. Just the opposite happened, the world influenced his family and took their lives. Lot lost his family. He lost his wife. He lost his testimony and he lost everything he had.
Christian, we are living in a time where a lot of our brethren are justifying living in the world. It isn’t right. In the long run, they will lose greatly. I admonish you by the example of Abraham, walk after God. You are a pilgrim! Set your sights on glory!
5 – Backsliding: After Abraham’s disastrous experience in Egypt, he must have said, I will never do that again. I’ve learned my lesson. But, he did it again when he met Abimelech, king of the Philistines (Gen 20). Abraham told the same old lie and God came to Abimelech and said, “You are a dead man if you touch Abraham’s wife.”
Christian, learn a truth. Though our spirit is saved by grace, our “heart is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” The reason I beg you to read the Bible, be faithful to church and don’t let the sun go down on your wrath is, within your heart and mine, is a volcano that can erupt at any time.
In life you are going to deal with blessings, betrayal, barrenness, brethren and backsliding. You are going to make friends and you are going to make enemies. That is life!
When you look at Abraham’s life, one thing is said about him that is said of few people. Abraham was the “Friend of God” (James 2:23).
God has few friends but millions of servants. Among the servants are shining seraphims, chanting cherubims, angels and archangels without number, who hang on God’s every word, and rush to do His bidding.
God has many children as well. Every blood-bought child of Adam’s ruined race has been ransomed and is a child of God.
But, it is possible to be a child and still not have a friend.
A child can be rebellious and wayward, riding roughshod over everything his parents hold dear.
But, when that child gets saved, the first thing he wants to do is make things right with mom and dad, then the church. He wants to re-establish spiritual friendships.
God wants friends. He does not have many friends on earth, but Abraham was one of those rare individuals. “But,” you say, “Abraham made mistakes.” Yes, he did. Abraham made some big mistakes, but the key was Abraham sought to do the will of God.
Jesus gave us a key verse in showing our friendship to God. He said in John 15: 14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
But, how do we know that Abraham was God’s friend. What was it that really proved his friendship? That question takes us to the last thought.

IV – GOD DISPLAYS HIS MAN
God put his man on display. One day God ask Abraham for the best he had. God ask Abraham to give to Him, the love of his life and Abraham gave it to God.
Abraham took his son and laid him on an altar, as a burnt sacrifice for God. Are you God’s friend? Will lay your “all” on His altar?
When we think of Calvary we often think of the sacrifice and love of the Son of God, but we only see half the picture.
In Genesis 22, we see the sacrificial heart the Father, himself in the life of Abraham.
As Isaac was the love of Abraham’s heart, Jesus was the love of the Father’s heart.
As Isaac was the apple of Abraham’s eye, Jesus was the apple of God’s eye.
The Father journeyed with the Son all the way to Calvary. Whose heart do you think was pierced the most on Moriah, when Abraham raised that knife in the air, Isaac’s or Abraham’s? I believe it was Abraham’s.
Oh, the anguish, the pain, he must have felt, to take the innocent life of his son who had done no wrong. But, wait! The angel of the Lord stayed the hand of Abraham. A ram was caught in the thicket. The ram took the place of Isaac and Isaac went free. Praise the Lord!
But, 2,000 years ago when God walked with His Son, Jesus, to Calvary, there was no ram caught in the thicket. This was the real deal. This was the fulfillment of the shadow. This was where the rubber truly met the road.
God watched as wicked men raised their piercing instruments in the air and pierced the body of his precious son, again and again and again. How the heart of God was have bled with tears.
God put Abraham on display when Abraham went atop Mount Moriah to offer his son.
God put His heart on display when He walk upon Golgotha with His Son and watched Him die.
Today, God puts us on display for our children, family, neighbors and friends to watch.
God discovered us, He detached us, and He developed us, so He might display us.
According to Ephesians 2:4-7; God is looking for some pliable clay, that He might detach from this world and mold and make it, into something beautiful.
He wants us to be a vessel for His glory. He wants us to shine for Him and He wants us to be filled with His love and His life.
Will we be pliable in the master’s hand?
Like Abraham, God call upon to surrender all.
Judson Venter, wrote: (Page 394)
“All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow:
Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, Make me Savior wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit – Truly know that Thou are mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessings fall on me.

Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.