Banner of Praises Ministries
Rev. Dr. Levi Howard Wright, Pastor & Founder
February 11, 2007
"How Saved Are You.... When You’re Going Through A Major Crisis?”
2 Chronicles 7:12-15:
"And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people. If my people which are call by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land. Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attent unto thy prayer that is made in this house."
ASSOCIATED TEXT: Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto man; but the end thereof are the ways of death."
INTRODUCTION
The Church today is facing and experiencing a Major Crisis. Many Preachers and Spiritual Leaders are guilty of watering down Gospel Truth. Many pastors and preachers are failing to teach the Necessity of REPENTANCE and people are dying and PERISHING in the Eternal Fires of Hell.... where the fire is unquenchable and the worms will never die.
As pastors we must teach the Necessity of REPENTANCE and we must let people know that they must TURN FROM SIN or BURN in the FIRES of HELL.
Evangelist Brown.... We must teach the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that He alone can redeem us from sin and the Second Death.....
To many church doors are closed.... when they shall be open trying to save, heal, and deliver lost souls for the Lord Jesus Christ.
➣ Brother Green..... The Preachers that preach REGENERATION without REPENTANCE and SANCTIFICATION without the TURNING AWAY OF SIN and INIQUITY are teaching a CHEAP and a LUKEWARM GOSPEL.
➣ Brother Prioloue.... The Preacher that teaches SALVATION.... without SELF-DENIAL ..... and the WEARING of a CROWN without the BEARING of a CROSS is teaching a WEAK and a LUKEWARM GOSPEL..... which do not have the POWER to Save and Convert lost sinners.
➣ First Lady Wright.... There will be NO CROWN.... if there is NO CROSS.
How Saved Are You When Your Church is Going Through A Major Crisis?
➣ The Church is in the mist of a great crisis, because church leaders are catering to the itching ears of the unsaved and compromising with the pleasures of the world.
➣ This is why our churches have lost their POWER to SAVE, HEAL, and DELIVER lost souls to the Lord.
➣ We are paying the price for our LUKEWARMNESS.
➣ Our instant salvation messages has DISHONORED God and DELUDED and DEFILED men.
➣ Our Faulty Seeds have produced a DEFORMED and FLAKY HARVEST, because the seeds that were sowed were Spiritually Deformed in there SINCERENESS.
➣ We have Sowed and Produced a Dyfunctional Crop and now we are reaping a Pitiful Crop, because of our Lukewarmness.
I Wonder How Saved You Are... When Your Life Is In A Crisis because of the condition that the Church is in?
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When as Christian we spend for to much time.... watching television.... and not enough time watching on our knees in prayer.
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When as Christians we are more hungry for the sport page, the Playboy, the Playgirl, and the Penthouse magazines and have very little desire for reading and studying the Holy Word of God.
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When our churches are empty on Prayer Meeting and Bible Study nights.
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we spend more money for Dog and Cat Food ....than we spent for Foreign Mission and Relieving the Poor.
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we love to Wine and Dine..... but we Hate to Fast.
I Want To Know How Saved Are We?
➣ Anyone who spend more time playing video games and gambling.... than they spend seeking the Lord God in prayer..... Has no right to "CALL JESUS LORD"
➣ Anyone who take more delight in watching today’s Perverted SOAP OPERAS and TALK SHOWS.... more than spending time with the Lord in PRAYER, PRAISE, and the STUDYING of His WORD.... Has no right to "CALL JESUS LORD".
➣ Anyone who can not practice SELF-DENIAL and DENY SELF long enough to give God some WORSHIP and PRAISE..... Has no right to "CALL JESUS LORD".
I Want To Know How Saved Are You?... When Your Church Is Going Through A Crisis?"
Brothers and Sisters it’s time for us to start searching our hearts and souls to determine...... How Saved We Are?
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When our Born Again Experience has not lead us to a Personal Sacrifice and Separation from the world.....
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we have no HATRED for SIN.... Where Is The Evidence of our New Birth?
➣ How Saved Are We?...... When we say we are Citizens of Heaven.... but our hearts are fitted and still caught up on worldly and earthy treasures.
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we sing we’re the Children of light .... but we still love and enjoy being entertained by the Prince of Darkness.
There is something wrong with our SALVATION EXPERIENCE..... and the Evidence of our labor says.... BAD SEEDS has produced a BAD CROP...... And the BAD FRUIT has SOILED the WHOLE BARREL.
✞ How Saved Are We?..... When we say, "JUST CONFESS JESUS AS LORD", and you’re in there. When Jesus is saying, in St Matthew 7:21, " Not Everyone who say Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven."
✞ How Saved Are We?..... When we say, "JUST PRAY A SHORT PRAYER and its ALL DONE."..... When Jesus says in ST Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after me, they must, deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Yes, Jesus Christ, made it painfully clear to the large crowds which followed Him and His disciples when He said....... "ANYONE WHO IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW AFTER HIM, CAN NOT BECOME HIS DISCIPLE."
We’re not FOOLING GOD..... It’s time for us to make a stand and COUNT THE COST.
✞ In the St Luke the fourteenth chapter, verse 26, 27, and 33 Jesus said..... "If a man come unto me, and hate not his father, and his mother, and wife, and children, and, brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he can not, be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
ARE YOU DAILY TAKING UP YOUR CROSS and FOLLOWING JESUS?
✞ How Saved Are You?.... In St Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded us to "Go and Make Disciples of all Nations."
But before we can make disciples.... we must first become disciples of Christ ourselves.
How Saved Are We?..... Has God’s standards of living changed?
Do CARNAL CHRISTIANS go to a CARNAL HEAVEN? Oh no,
The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians Christians not to let anyone deceive them with empty and vain Words.
✞ In Ephesians 5:5: the Apostle Paul said, "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
✞ And in Hebrews 12:4 the writer of the Hebrews epistle said, "Without Holiness no one can see the Lord."
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When we cannot Love one another.
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we cannot Forgive one another.
➣ How Saved Are We?..... When we cannot get along, because of ETHICAL DIFFERENCES.
➣ How Saved Are We?.... When we let the COLOR of a PERSONS SKIN prevent us from Praising and Worshiping God together.
If we cannot WORSHIP the Lord together down here.... how can we PRAISE him together in HEAVEN.
How Saved Are We?..... When we Divide ourselves.... because of ones SEXUAL GENDER.
The Apostle Paul said in Galations 3:28.... "There is neither JEW nor GREEK; There is neither BOND nor FREE; There is neither MALE nor FEMALE: For ye are all one in the LORD."
How Saved Are We?.... When we all just cannot be..... SERVANTS in the sight of the LORD.
CONCLUSION
The Church of God is in the mist of a MAJOR CRISIS!
And I want to know How Saved You Are..... Today as you see your Church in the mist of a MAJOR CRISIS.
➣ Why wasn’t we Saved Enough?.... TO KEEP GOD and PRAYER in the public schools.?
➣ Why aren’t we Saved Enough?.... To stop Fighting among ourselves over the different DOCTRINES and DENOMINATIONS?
➣ Why Are We Not Saved Enough.... To stop Fighting over BAPTISM verses SPRINKLING... POST TRIBULATION verses PRE TRIBULATION...... SPEAKING in an UNKNOWN TONGUE verses NOT SPEAKING IN TONGUES..... CIRCUMCISION verses UNCIRCUMCISION.
➣ Why Are We Not Saved Enough?..... To stop fight over WHO CAN and WHO CANNOT EAT MEAT.
How can we lead others to Christ when we’re confused ourselves....
➣ The World is confused, because the Church is confused.
➣ How can we win the World when we cannot even win each other.
➣ God’s people need to stop fight over DENOMINATION BARRIERS.
➣ How can we saved others when.... WE DON’T KNOW HOW SAVED WE ARE?
Open your eyes brothers and sisters..... Look around and see just how confused the Church really is....... On one corner.......
➣ We have the "Church of Christ" fighting with the...... "Church of God in Christ."
➣ We have the "Church of God in Christ fighting with the..... “Church of God."
➣ We have the "Church of God fighting with the...... "Assembly of God."
➣ We have the “Assembly of God fighting with the..... “Pentecostal."
➣ We have the “Pentecostal fighting with the..... Apostolic Jesus Only Believers."
➣ We have the “Apostolic Jesus Only Believers fighting with the..... Deliverance of Holiness."
➣ We have the Deliverance of Holiness fighting with the...... Methodist."
➣ We have the Christian Methodist fighting with the..... African Methodist."
➣ We have the African Methodist fighting with the.... United Methodist."
➣ We have the United Methodist fighting with the..... Baptist."
➣ We have the Southern Baptist fighting with the..... National Baptist."
➣ We have the National Baptist fighting with the..... Full Gospel Baptist."
➣ We have the Full Gospel Baptist fighting with the.... Catholics."
➣ We have the Catholics fighting with the..... Protestants."
How Saved are We?..... Yes... The Church is in a crisis and we no longer have an influence over the world and sinner, because there is to must of the world in the Church.
The world has more influence on the Church..... than the Church have on the World.
✞ In the Gospel of Saint John chapter 17 and verse 9, 14, 15, 16 and 17,.... Jesus prayed that the world not be in us, (the Church).
✞ He said .... " I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thines. I have given them my Word; and the world hath hateth them because the they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctity them through thy truth: thy Word is the truth."
How Saved Are You?..... Are You Saved Enough to HEAR GOD WHEN HE SPEAK
In 2 Chronicles 7:14....... The LORD said, "If may people which are call by my Name shall HUMBLE themselves, and PRAY, and, SEEK my FACE, and TURN from their WICK WAYS. Then will I HEAR from HEAVEN and will HEAL their LAND and FORGIVE their SINS.
INVITATION: In our text today we hear the Proverbs of King Solomon the son of David, the King of Israel. And we hear him saying, "There is a ways which seem right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH."
There are some people who think they’re saved, but in realty they are still lost.
✞ Jesus gave us this indication in the 7 chapter of St Matthew in verses 21-23, when he saided, "Not everyone that say unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord Have we not prophesied in thy Name? And in thy Name casted out Devils? And in thy Name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity."
In our closing today I ask you How Saved Are You? When things.... are not going your way and the Church is in the midst of a Major Crisis.
Do you know that you’re saved today? If so wave your hands in the air and Thank the Lord for your Salvation.
➣ Wave your hands if you know that you have been redeem and washed in the blood of regeneration.
➣ Wave your hands if you know without a shadow of doubt that your name is written down in the Lamb Book of Life.
➣ Look at someone and say I am saved and I know I’m saved.
➣ Look at someone else and say I’m saved and I know I’m saved when things are no going my way and when the the church is in the mist of a major crisis.
You know sometimes we need to have an attitude adjustment.
➣ Oh yeah, because some time when things are not going our way our attitudes sometime change.
➣ We start talking differently..... We start acting differently.... and some time we stop acting and living saved...... We stop looking saved.
How saved are?..... Can you still wave your hand in the air..... because you know you’re saved?
➣ Can you still wave your hands because..... you know that your redeemed.
➣ Can you still wave your hand in the air..... because you know your name is written down in GLORY.
I’m just trying to find out how saved you are..... when things are not going your way:
➣ When thing are not going your way..... Have you ever said, "I almost went off!
➣ Have you ever heard someone say,...... "I almost lost my religion?
➣ I almost forgot that I was saved?
➣ I almost forgot I was a Christian?
➣ I almost had to kick..... or whip some ones...... you know what?
How do you act as a Christian.... when things are not going your way.
With some of us it appears as if we’re not saved at all.... when things are not going our way.
Some of us act just like..... infidels and ......unsaved men and women.
We cuss so loud..... that it make you wonder..... if the person is really saved.
We grumbler so must when things are not going our way.... it make me wonder what happened to your meekness and humble spirit.
Well.... you may be saying Pastor Wright..... How Should We Act.... If We Are Saved and the Church Is Going Through A Crisis?
I. The great proverbial King Solomon said in Proverbs chapter 3...... that we are to:
✞ Lean On The Lord and ..... keep his commandments and law..... and He will give you peace and a long life.
✞ Lean On The Lord and ...... you will find favor in the sight of God and men.
✞ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and ...... lean not on your our understanding
✞ Lean On The Lord and ...... in all your ways acknowledge him and He shall direct your path.
✞ Lean On The Lord and honor Him with thy substance and with the first fruit of all your increase and he will fill you cup with plenty and will let it over flow.
II. If You Are Saved And Things Are Not Going Your Way..... When The Church Is In A Crisis: Lean On The Lord:
➣ 1. He will be your good shepherd.
➣ 2. He will restore your soul and lead you in the path of righteousness.
➣ 3. He will protect you from all evil with His rod and staff.
➣ 4. He will prepare and banquet table before you in the present of your enemies.
➣ 5. He will lead you beside the still waters.
➣ 6. He will lead you into green pastures.
➣ 7. He will anoint your head with oil.
➣ 8. He will lead you through the valley of the shadows of Death.
➣ 9. He will give you happiness and wisdom and a good understanding of His ways.
➣ 10. He will let you lay down at night, without fear and when you lay down your sleep will be sweet.
➣ 11. He will take away all your fears, because "Greater is He than he that is in the world."
III. When Thing Don’t Go My Way..... I Lean On The Lord Because He Is My Shepherd.
➣ 1. He is my Rose of Sharon.
➣ 2. He is my Lily of the Valley.
➣ 3. He my Bright and Morning Star.
➣ 4. He is my Alpha and Omega.
➣ 5. He my Lord of Lords.
➣ 6. He is my King of Kings.
➣ 7. He is my Battle Axe in the mist of all my battles.
➣ 8. He is my Shield of Protection in the mist of all danger.
➣ 9. He is my Bread when I am Hungry.
➣ 10.. He is my Living Water when I am thirsty.
➣ 11. He is my Prince of Peace when my heart is troubled.
➣ 12. He is my Strength when I am weak.
➣ 13. He is my Light in the mist of my darkest hour.
➣ 14. He is my Friend that stick closer than a brother.
➣ 15. He is my Joy in the mist of Sadness.
➣ 16. He is my Comforter during the times of sorrows and trouble.
➣ 17. He is my Doctor in my sick room.
➣ 18. He is my Lawyer in my court room.
I am so glad that I am saved. Yes, I know am saved.
Are you saved? Are you saved enough?
➣ 1. "To Turn The Our Cheek When Smitten."
➣ 2. ’To Love Your Enemies."
➣ 3. "To Bless Them Curse You."
➣ 4. To Do Good To Them That Hate You."
➣ 5. To Pray For Them That Despitefully Use You."
➣ 6. To Pray For Them That Persecute and Misuse you.
The LORD want to HEAL OUR: Churches.... Homes.... Communities.... Governments.... Nations.... and our World:
✞ The Lord said, "There is a ways which seem right unto; but the end thereof are the ways of Death." (Proverbs 14:12)
✞ And He said, "If I shut up heaven that there be no more rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people." "If my People which are Call by my Name, shall Humble themselves and Pray, and Seek my Face, and Turn from their Wick Ways; Then will I Hear from Heaven, and will Forgive their Sin and Heal their Land." (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
INVITATION SCRIPTURES:
1. Revelation 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come and will sup with him, and he with me."
2. Psalms 95:7b8 "Today if you Hear My Voice Harden Not Your Heart."
3. Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the Bride says, Come, And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come. Whosoever Will Let Them take the water of life freely."
4. Hebrews 13:5 " I Will Never Leave You, Nor Forsake You."
5. II Corinthians 12:7 "Jesus said, My Grace Is Sufficient Enough. For Thee: For My Strength is made Perfect in Wakeness."
6. John 3:16 "God so loved the world, that he gave His only, begotten Son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
7. John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that come to me I will in no wise cast out."
8. John 10:10 "The thief come not, but for to steal, and kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
9. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
10. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Chris our Lord."
11. Romans 5:8 "But Christ commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinner, Christ died for us."
12. Romans 10:9-10 "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart; that God have raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believe unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
13. Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved."
14. John 14:6 "Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh to theFather but by me."
15. II Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
16. II Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might, be made the righteousness of God in him."
17. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a Gift of God. Not of works, lest any man sholud boast."
18. John 1:12 "But as many as recieved him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his Name."
19 Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up wing wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."
20. Galatians 6:7 "Be not decieved; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that will he also reap."
21. Galatains 6:9 "Let us not be weary in well doing : for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
22: Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me."
23. Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the thorone of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need."
24. II Corinthians 6:2b "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the today is of salvation."
25. James 4: 7 " Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you."
26. James 4: 8 "Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh to you."
27. I Corinthians 10:13 " There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
28. Psalms 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart; and renew within me the right spirit."
29. Isaiah 1:18 "Come let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
30. Isaiah 53:6 "We all like sheep have gone astray and turned everyone to his own way."
