STAY
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
"This sermon was preached at the 107th Holy Convocation of the Emmanuel Tabernacle Baptist Church of the Apostolic Faith"
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 & 14 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them”.
OPENING: - The 14th verse says, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them”. I want to use for a subject today STAY!
I know someone might say STAY, that’s a command you give a dog. Understand it’s not so much the command that is important, but the obedience to that command, which bears the responsibility of the command. In other words, it’s not what you say, but what you do that is important. So, with that said I like to use for a subject STAY.
The problem with society today is that people are in such a hurry to get away that they oftentimes run away from their blessings because they are not willing to stay to see what the end is going to be. Most people don’t go to the movies and halfway through the movie just get up and leave, but they stay there to the end. Why, because they want to see what the end is going to be.
The word stay, when used as a noun is a large strong rope usually made of wire which is used to support a mast of a ship, the action of halting, the state of being stopped, the suspension of a procedure. As a verb, which is an action word, it is to stop going forward, to stop doing something, or WATCH THIS:- to continue in a place, to stand firm. The etymology of the word comes from a French word called “ester” and a Latin word called “stare”. The definition of these two words means to stand. The Bible says in Eph.6 “…having done all to stand. Stand…” that is another way to say STAY!
TEXT: - We have a list of 19 characteristics that identify how people will be acting and what their character will be like in the end times. The number 19 doesn’t so much have a particular meaning but 1+9=10 and the number 10 means divine order. Ten is also viewed as a complete and perfect numeral, as is 3, 7 and 12. It is made up of 4, which represents the physical creation, and 6, which symbolizes man. As such, the meaning of 10 is one of testimony, law, responsibility and the completeness of order.
We find, in Genesis 1, the phrase "God said" 10 times, which is a testimony of His creative power. God gave the Ten Commandments to man. Ten therefore represents man's responsibility to keep the commandments. A tithe is a 10th of our earnings and is a testimony of our faith in God.
The Passover lamb was selected on day 10 of the 1st month (Exodus 12:3), as was Jesus, the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (John 12:28 - 29; 1Corinthians 5:7). Day 10 of the 7th month, which is Tishrei in Hebrew, is also the Holy Day known as the Day of Atonement. The Hebrew word Minyan states that there must be 10 people present in order to have a meeting. So, this list of 19 (or 1+9) characteristics are the Divine Order and Testimony of the End and Perilous Times.
WATCH THIS:- Now most of the time when this passage of scripture is preached, preachers will take this passage of scripture and preach an End Times message saying how we are living in perilous times all you have to do is look around at the world and see what is going on and realize these are perilous times. However, these characteristics have always been. They were there in the time of Jesus; just look at the Pharisees. They were there in the times of the Jewish Kings and the Jewish Judges. They were there when Joseph was thrown into the pit and then sold into slavery. They were there when Noah was building the Ark. These characteristics have always been.
Yet they say for men shall be lovers of their own selves and without natural affection and place that upon the homosexual and say these are the end times because of this right here see we are truly living in perilous times. Because homosexualism is running rampant and every disgusting and perverse abomination is constantly placed before our eyes on T.V., the internet, and social media they say this scripture proves that these are perilous times, and we are living in the end times.
UNDERSTAND: - It makes for good and emotional preaching but poor Theology. Listen homosexualism has been around almost since the beginning and is one of the reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, it is not an indication of the End Times, it is an abomination, it is sin, it is a perverseness, but it is not an indication of the End Times.
Let me really mess with your traditional way of thinking, this passage of scripture, these 19 characteristics although we often associate it with the world because of the condition of the world, literally has nothing to do with the world in the context of the passage of scripture. This scripture is not talking about the end of time before the return of Jesus Christ to set up His millennial rule and how people in the world will be carrying on. This text has to do with the end of the church age, the end of the dispensation of Grace, WATCH THIS what the church will experience and how some in the church will be acting before the Rapture, it is not talking about the world at all.
I know I probably messed some of you up with that statement and got you saying this man I don’t know!
Let me prove this to you in verse 5 Paul says, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”. WATCH THS:- The world doesn’t have a form of godliness, they are far from God, they don’t have anything to do with God, they are not trying to act like they have God, they live a life opposite of what God says and for the most part will do all they can to make sure they are not in any way associated with God, but the apostate church does, the apostate church has a form of godliness, the apostate church looks like the church, the apostate church sounds like the church, the apostate church does everything to look, sound, act, like the church but the apostate church is not the true church of the Living God they only have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
WATCH THIS: - Paul wouldn’t tell Timothy his son in the gospel to turn away from the world because we all have been given the ministry of reconciliation, which is to restore the relationship between lost mankind and the Holy God, so to turn from that which we are trying to reconcile would be defeating the purpose but turn away from those that have a form of godliness, those that pretend to be Holy, those that look, sound, and act like you, but deny the power, the apostate church.
EXPLANATION: - The word Apostacy comes from combining two Greek words first is “apo” which means “away from” and “histemi” which means “to stand” therefore Apostacy means “to stand away from”. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 says “falling away” from the translated word Apostasia which closely is related to the word divorce and means literally a divorcing from truth.
Apostates are those who fall away from the true faith, abandoning what they formerly professed to believe. Those whose beliefs are so deficient as to place them outside the realm of true Christianity. This is the condition of the Apostate church in the end time or in the end of the dispensation of grace.
Let me establish this a little. In the 3rd chapter of Revelation, we read about the Seven churches of Asia. Although actual churches in Asia at the time these seven churches represent the church age down through history, the last church, the Laodicean church represents the church today. Some have described the time frame of this church as from 1901 – until the Rapture.
Laodicea was a place that did not have its own water source, so it received its water supply from two different places, it received hot water from Hierapolis which was known for its hot springs and cold water from Colossae which was known for its cold streams. Laodicea would have the water come into the city through aqueducts and they would collect the water in a pool in the center of the town. Because the hot water and cold water was not separated it would gather in the pool together and become lukewarm. Lukewarm water because it is neither hot nor cold would allow bacteria and all kinds of diseases to grow in the water making the water good for nothing because it was diseased and stagnant.
WATCH THIS: - God says the Laodicean church was lukewarm and thus good for nothing because they were neither hot nor cold, they were stagnant, they had an abundance of resources but held an indifferent spirit toward the Lord a lot like the church today. They had assimilated so much with the world, they had mixed so much of the world into the church, they now allowed all kinds of stuff, all kinds of abominations, all kinds of diabolic things to fester in the church, homosexualism, adultery, lust, greed, etc. not in the world but in the church. No doubt they turned the pulpit into a stage, worship into an entertainment venue, they had all kinds of sexual perverseness in the church talking about they were reaching another generation so much so that there was no difference between them and the world and are now they have literally become good for nothing.
They were lacking in passion toward faith and all that is Holy. While they increased in prosperity and wealth, they were able to have mega churches and television broadcasts, yet they are spiritually poor. They were comfortable and content with what they have, dressed in their vestments and enlarging their titles and positions but the Lord reveals to them that they were impoverished, spiritually bankrupt and lukewarm being good for nothing but being a tinkling brass and sounding cymbal.
He tells them to seek true wealth, which is His righteousness, that which comes only from walking in His ways. Don’t seek to be clothed in garments of man but seek to be clothed with the garments of righteousness. He tells them to anoint their eyes with His Word so that they can truly see their spiritual needs. He says I would that you were either hot on fire for God or cold but true but because of your lukewarmness you are allowing everything that is not like God, that is not Holy, that is perverse, that is nothing but manmade traditions to fester in you and have become good for nothing. The lukewarm church is not effective because it can’t bring change to the world because there is no difference between it and the world.
Then in Revelation 3:20 says, this is the Lord speaking He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. WATCH THIS: - He said this not standing and knocking at the door of the world but at the door of the church - the church. Despite their lack of spirituality, regardless of the apostate condition, their damnable heresies Jesus Christ waits expectantly for them to open their hearts to Him just as He is doing still for the church today.
So here in the 3rd chapter of 2nd Timothy, Paul is telling Timothy that when the end of the church age is near there is going to come perilous times in the church “For men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers” etc.
When we look around at a lot of the church today, we have people who are lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud and blasphemers in position in the church. WATCH THIS: - This lover of themselves is a Narcissistic attitude not a indication of homosexualism. It’s more about me and my title than anything else. You see I am Bishop, Doctor, Apostle sho-nuff and I deserve to be recognized.
I have been in conventions, convocations, services and conferences where you would be in the midst of worship and they would stop the music, stop the worship and have the entire congregation stand because Bishop Allaboutme, Apostle I.M. Thatthang, Prophet Cantouchthis have entered the church so let’s put our hands together as they come to the pulpit and honor them.
Now I understand 1 Timothy 5:17-18 says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward”. But hear this people of God you never stop the worship of God to honor what he created because that is loving the gift more than the giver. It doesn’t matter about the title, the position, the celebrity status you never stop the worship of God for anything your program, your schedule, anything.
WATCH THIS: - We were created to worship because of sin preaching is necessary, so those that preach or labor in the word and doctrine are worthy of honor, but preaching is a consequence of sin, if man never sinned, we are created to worship so we must never stop worship to honor anyone. But in the apostate church because men are lovers of themselves, self-centered, it all about me and my title and position. It’s all about being recognized, it’s all about look at me, they are lovers of themselves, self-centered, egotistical, narcissistic Apostates.
Then we have covetous boasters who sit in the high seats with the garments of men dressed in multi color robes, pointed fish hats, and a staff trimmed in gold claiming to be mighty people of God because they have a title or a position but do not have the love to come from their seats of high position and lay their hands on a sin sick soul, a troubled mind, the hurt and lost and declare in the name of Jesus be healed, be delivered, be set free. But call them out of their title and the air of righteous indignation is felt like nothing else.
We have churches now that don’t have natural affection. What do I mean. The natural affection for the people of God is to see sinners saved. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth”. We have churches, conventions, convocations, services, etc. where there is not even an altar call made or it is not made until after the 2nd or 3rd offering has been taken up. Souls are in need, people are lost but they say we have to pay the bills, we have to raise money for the bishop, they are increased in wealth but spiritually poor. Souls are hurting in need of deliverance and the natural affection of praying for them and delivering them from hells damnation is lost because we must raise this offering.
Where is the natural affection in the church. Preachers say I will not preach unless you can pay them so many thousands of dollars, musicians will not play unless they are getting paid. O Zion what’s the matter now. It’s better to give than to receive God gave you this gift and because He gave it to me if they don’t pay me, I will preach His word, if they don’t pay you musician play anyhow why because that’s the natural affection of a child of God. For God I live and for God I die.
Then we have high-minded lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. We have churches that are more concerned about entertaining people, having secular artist perform at their conventions or services, they allow all kind of abominations to take place in the church like twerking talking about they are twerking for Jesus acting like they are holier than thou with their so-called spiritual noses up in the air like they are God’s 1st cousin.
I heard a pastor say recently “We are going to push the limits of sin without sinning”. Like there is a line of demarcation in the church that says if you pass this line, it is sin, so they have twerking in the church and say they are twerking for Jesus. I saw another so-called pastor dancing with his wife twerking talking about I got the Holy Ghost another 1st lady was twerking with the praise team leader talking about come on and let’s worship the Lord.
I don’t care how you try to flip it or what you call it, “twerking” is a sexual component a sexual devise designed to stimulate Eros, the erotic nature in every one of us. No way and no how has it anything to do with worship of God.
Then we have churches that want to use laser lights and smoke machines blowing gold glitter through the air ducts saying the glory of the Lord is falling, working themselves into a frenzy, the whole church so-called speaking in tongues talking about they are invoking the presence of God. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in speaking in tongues but if there is no fruit tongues are useless. The Bible says you will know a tree by the fruit it bears not by the tongues is speaks. Basically, the prophets of Baal were doing this on Mt Carmel dancing, cutting, calling on Baal, working themselves into a frenzy trying to invoke Baal. LISTEN: - If your worship is designed to entertain the people instead of honoring God, then it is nothing more than a pagan ritual and the act of the apostate church.
In the apostate church we have a so-called pastor talking about we need a different gospel because what was good for grandma isn’t good for us today. We have people trying to mix the Holy with the profane. Talking about see I baptized in Jesus’ name and I have a prayer language so I can live any way I want to live, do what I want, and allow every diabolical spirit to operate in the apostate church.
These are the perilous times of the church, the end of the church age is about over, the Rapture is soon to happen. So, Paul tells Timothy all these people, all these churches, all these conventions, convocations, conferences that have a form of godliness that simply have a mere external show of religion, pretending to have great piety and holiness, being outwardly righteous before men, having the garments of godliness on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones. They look Holy because of the religious garb they have on them. They sound Holy because they can speak in a so-called tongue. They have a form of godliness.
But deny the power thereof though in words they profess Jesus and godliness, the fear of God, and the pure worship of Him, yet in works they deny all; and though they may have a set of notions in their heads, they feel nothing of the power of them on their hearts; and are strangers to true and powerful godliness and deny the use, the power, and efficacy of them they deny the truth.
from such turn away have no fellowship with them, depart from their communion, withdraw from them, and come out from among them. Pray for them, love them but don’t get contaminated by them.
Verses 6-10 talk about the degradation and deplorable character that these of the apostate church have fallen into. The Bible says, “ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts”.
WATCH THIS: - In Biblical prophecy when a woman is mentioned in scripture, she represents a nation or a church here silly women pertain to church folk that are victims of the apostate church. False teachers are leading people astray by preaching damnable doctrines, by mixing the Holy with the profane, allowing all kinds of perverseness in the church. They are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. They have left true doctrine and are preaching and teaching the doctrine of demons, they have profaned Holiness, they are bringing destructive heresies and even denying the Lord Himself. Because of their own desires they are not enduring sound doctrine heaping unto themselves teachers that will tickle their ears saying God just wants you to be happy, no God wants you to be Holy for He is Holy. They compromise with the world and even scoff at the coming of Jesus Christ saying where is the promise of His coming. They are the Apostate church.
Then we get to the 14th verse and Paul says to Timothy “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them”. In other words, Timothy you STAY.
Regardless of what everyone else is doing stay. Stay in the things which thou hast learned, stay in truth, stay in holiness, stay in the Word of God. Don’t let your standard down. Remember what your mother and grandmother taught you, remember the things that I have taught you. Remember the old path. Jeremiah 6:16 says, “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”. The apostates will not walk in the way, but you stay.
I want to encourage you today to Stay!
It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing- you stay. People may turn their back on you but stay. Folk will criticize you but stay. You will not be popular but stay.
Stay in the word of God. Stay knowing that on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. Stay until Shiloh comes.
Stay having your loins girded about with truth.
Stay having on the breastplate of righteousness.
Stay having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Stay taking the shield of faith.
Stay having on the helmet of salvation.
Stay with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Stay knowing that victory is mine.
Stay and having done all stay.
Someone may be saying but the memory of the past is drawing me – Stay.
The demonic forces are telling me to come back – Stay.
That drug old addiction is pulling at me – Stay.
That former lifestyle is calling my name – Stay.
I’ve been here for such a long time, and I still haven’t received my answer – Stay.
I feel like I am going to lose my mind - Stay.
Stay.
How long do I have to stay? Stay until Jesus comes.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
