TKC Ministries Leon Hagins
Current Message - Bitter Sweet 5/23/10
As a true believer in the word of God. There is no doubt that what I yearn for the most is the return of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Along with this enlightened joy there comes a sorrowful bitterness that is not easy to discuss with most people , because many of them fall into this category. I’m referring to those who do not have any kind of relationship with God almighty. This is something I could not imagine living without.
However for most folks it’s something they give very little thought about.
Even so called church folks , who go through this ritual of going to church, singing , praising, clapping, dancing and shouting out with joy to the good Lord, and then living , acting, and thinking like everyone else in the world.
No compassion, no forgiveness, no sympathy for the sick and poor, they really don’t know God or his word but have been going to church for twenty years. Jesus put it this way - Matthew 15:8 - This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.
Perhaps you have seen this scripture written on a large piece of cardboard , and then held up in jam packed football stadium…….. John 3:16
John 3:16 - For God So loved the world , that he gave his only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish But have everlasting life.
Now people are familiar with this passage and yet don’t really totally grasp this loving wonderful gift of God hanging up his heavenly attire , putting a flesh suit , stepping down from eternity onto planet earth, through 42 generations, to give his life as payment for damages caused by the fall of mankind in Genesis chapter 3.
To many the eating of this fruit may seem a minor offense. Adam didn’t even realize the great mess he and his wife had caused. They didn’t realize they had immediately lost that wonderful relationship that they had with God. Also , unfortunately, they died spiritually. This is why they ran and hid from God when he called out for Adam.
I challenge you to do some research on the fall of man so you can have a clearer picture of the mess our world is in, and why it is we needed a savior.
Now back to John 3:16 , this time I’m going to list versus 16-21
John 3:16-21 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the world
But that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already , because he hath not believed in
The name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light has come into
The world, and men love darkness rather than the light
Because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light
Neither cometh to the light, lest their deeds
Should be reproved
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light
That his deeds may be made manifest that
They are wrought in God
As Hal Lindsey put it in one of his teachings , within these few versus God has divided the world into two groups, those that will be condemned and those that are not condemned.
Which group are you in?
There is not a day that goes by where I don’t think about those people I come in contact with, as to whether they are condemned or not condemned.
As a Christian I don’t see how this could not be something that is always tugging at your heart. Your friends, neighbors, co-workers, family members, people you see at the grocery store , school etc. ,etc.
All these people fall into one of two groups……condemned or not condemned. This is a very serious situation. Most people don’t realize how serious this is. I believe people feel that God won’t allow judgment to fall upon us. Then why does he command his prophets to warn the people.
Ezekiel 3:16-21 - And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked , Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Ezekiel 33:2-9 - Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying, son of man , speak to the children of thy people and say unto them, when I bring the sword (war) upon the land , if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman. If he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people. Then whosever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned ; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man , thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Jeremiah 6:16-19 - Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said we will not walk therein.
Isaiah 62:6-7 - I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day or night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence. And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, we will not hearken. Therefore hear ye nations, and know O congregation, what is among them.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor my law, but rejected it.
As a person who is amongst those who are called watchmen , just look at the blatant rebellion against God in this country. The following references were given by Evangelist Perry Stone of Voice of Evangelism.
1.3 million abortions performed each year in the United States Refs. Prolifeaction.org
* 1963 - Removed the bible from schools
* 1964 - Prayer removed from school
* 1973 - Legalized abortion
42 million abortions performed each year worldwide
Refs. Abortionno.org
* Forbidding bible studies in home (zoning ordinances)
* Cannot say the name of Jesus in public school or public place especially in prayer.
* Can’t wear Christian Tee-shirts or jewelry in public schools
* Montgomery Alabama - removed the 10 Commandments
* Can’t sing Christmas carols and if you do you may be sued by the ACLU
* Zoning laws not permitting churches to be built
* Some non profit organizations are now paying property tax where as most churches don’t pay this tax.
Proverbs 30:11-14 - There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation, whose teeth are a swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among them.
God’s wrath and judgments
Not many preachers will preach about God’s wrath. Actually not everyone believes that God will someday pour out his wrath upon the world.
We live in a world full of pride, greed, sex, and self will, the church will talk about God’s kindness, but will say nothing of his judgments.
Just ask yourself, how often do you hear preaching or teaching concerning God’s wrath? Today it’s all about blessings and prosperity, and many ministers know right well that if they really began preaching the tough stuff from God’s word, their congregations will dwindle.
Many may stay way from this discussion but the fact of the matter is the bible shows divine judgment all throughout it’s pages.
The references below were taken from the book “ Knowing God” by J.I. Packer , page # 139
* God judged Adam and Eve, expelling them from the garden and pronouncing curses on their future earthly life - Gen 3
* God judged the corrupt world of Noah’s day, sending a flood to destroy humankind - Gen 6-8
* God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, engulfing them in a volcanic catastrophe - Gen 18-19God judged Israel’s Egyptian taskmasters , just as he foretold he would (Gen 15:14) , unleashing against them the terrors of ten plagues (Ex 7-12)
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* God judged those who worshiped the golden calf , using the Levites as his executioners - Ex 32:26-35
* God judged Nadab and Abihu for offering him strange fire - Lev 10:1-3
* God judged Korah, Dathan and Abiram , who were swallowed up in an earth tremor, also fire fell from heaven and consumed two hundred and fifty men - Num 16: 31-35God judged Achan for sacrilegious thieving; he and his family and all their possessions were wiped out - Josh 7
* God judged Israel for unfaithfulness to him after their entry into Canaan, causing them to fall under the domain of other nations - Judg 2:11-15 ; 3:5-8 ; 4:1-3
* God judged both Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:5, 27, 34) and his son Belshazzar ( Dan 5:5-6 , 23-28 , 30) for their impiety (disrespect)
Judgment was not only limited to the old testament………* Judgment falls on the Jews for rejecting Christ - Mt 21:43-44 ; 1 Thess 2:14-16Judgment falls on Ananias and Sapphira for lying to God - Acts 5:1-10
* Judgment falls on Herod for his pride - Acts 12:21-23
* Judgment falls on Elymas (the sorcerer) for his opposition to the gospel - Acts 13:8-11*Judgment falls on the Christians at Corinth, who were afflicted with illness (which in some cases were fatal) by reason of their gross irreverence in connection, particularly with the Lord’s supper - 1 Cor 11:29-32
God’s Judgments are real! - which is why I had to deliver this “ bitter sweet “ message.
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Why?! , they hadn’t been afraid of God before, there was never a problem with their nakedness before.
4 fold confession (Gen. 3:10)
1 - I heard: acknowledgement of God
2 - I was afraid: guilt discovered
3 - I was naked: effect of sin
4 - I hid myself : result of guilt
Refs. Dakes bible page 5
( letter C )
