"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:12-14).
Now, we know what earnest money is, right? It's a down payment. That Holy Ghost that is in you (if you are saved), that sealed you--it cannot leave--that's God saying, "You are going to be up here in heaven, you are bought and paid for. This is a down payment for right now ... this takes care of you while you are down here."
The problem you have with your flesh is that it is against the spirit, and the spirit is against the flesh. And a lot of people go through, like I did when I was younger, go through the mental games of wondering, "If I am saved, what in the world is going on here? Why am I struggling with this sin or that sin?" Well, what you don't understand is that when you got saved, a great big light bulb came on inside of you. And the next thing you know, it starts to show you all the things that is wrong inside of you.
I never walked around before I was saved, noticing all my defects. I didn't even realize that I was going to live forever but yet in my mind I believed it. No one in here thinks they are going to die--you all think you are going to live forever--you don't sit around every day thinking, 'Oh my goodness! Maybe today is the day!' I don't even believe lost people in deep depression think that--they think all sorts of things--but they don't think that they are dying today by outside sources.
We look in the mirror and we see things that aren't right, but when you look in the mirror of God's Word--that's another ballgame--that reflects the light of Christ and you see all the defects in you. So between that Holy Spirit and the Word of God we are a mess man, in the flesh. And people don't understand that. When you get them saved, lead them to the Lord, and they never grow in the Lord--never read anything--talk about suicidal, some people do that. They have nuthouses in hospitals, on certain floors where they have people that are very confused and it started because of that. Listen, when Somebody as big as God moves in you--something happens. When He says we war against the flesh, and the devil and the world ... when He says the weapons of our warfare are spiritual; prayer, little keys in the Bible tell you that there is a whole lot going on in an invisible world that you are effected by.
And how many Christians really pray? When do we pray? When God's a spare tire, right? We get a flat tire, we need Him and we go to the trunk and say, "Oh, God!" Yet Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing." We don't do that. America is in a mess because we don't do what we are supposed to do. We're spoiled brats. And now we are just playing catch up. "Oh no, look what's happening!" And we are glad just for little things to happen. This preacher is glad that Hillary didn't get in. Phew! You know I'd get arrested. Ain't no doubt about that. I don't know what would have happened. But I know it wouldn't be good for us.
People are watching television and seeing these AntiFa nuts--it's like they are possessed--according to my Bible, there's something happening here. They got no reason. They acting are like animals, without natural affection. I mean, if you are a Christian, you look at that and ask, 'what's going on here? Why can't they . . .? You hear what they say?" And then they have these people interviewing these people. They don't even know what they are doing! Light bulb! The devil must be working through these people. Something going on here. They have brute, animalistic things taking over.
And then the grandparents and great-grandparents are looking at their grand kids doing that junk and saying, "Where did we go wrong?" Well, probably number one, you probably never looked at their homework, never bothered to check on what they are being taught. My goodness, when they go to college, hang on your hat about that! So we got thousands messed up. Well, what in the world is going to change them? Somehow we have to get it across to them that they are not good enough--they are lost, they are undone, they are sinners in need of a Saviour. And the only way that can work is with the Holy Spirit of God. When you pray and you talk to people--you ask God for help--God is what works in their hearts through the prayer of His people.
So we see a formula in Ephesians, if you need one, for salvation.
You have to trust . . . you have to believe . . . trust what? You gotta trust the Gospel, for it is the "power of God unto salvation." We have to believe that. In this generation that is coming up, they need to hear that--the simplicity of the Gospel. You say 'oh well, I told people, and it don't work! It's God's business. You just give it out. God's Word never returns void. They may get it from you and you may go on to glory, and you may go on to glory and years later they may get saved because somehow grandma or grandpa's words were just sticking in there. And they went through life and almost ruined their life, and all of a sudden they cried out, because of what a grandma or a grandpa or aunt or uncle told them--and they got saved.
We can't save them, God does the saving. If you are saved here today, God saved you. And it wasn't because you were good enough. And that's the point of the message . . . It was never about being good enough.
And we see here also in the formula that the object is that we should be to praise of God's glory. So, after you are saved that's it in a nutshell--you want to please God. You want to praise God. He gets the glory, you don't. So a lot of times you are smart enough, you are willing enough to do all sorts of things, and you are successful at what you do--and you sort of like postscript God. Somebody asks you how you did that and you go through everything and say, "Oh, God helped me." Instead of at the beginning say, "Well, praise the Lord man! I'm sure glad that God allowed this stuff to happen." And then people look at you and say, "Wait a minute! You went to school. You have all the expertise . . .". "No, God allowed me to breath, my mind worked right, all the logic and everything came together to allow me to learn this. I'm giving Him the glory!" Because the very God of the universe holds our breath in His hands, according to Exodus. He gets the glory. If you are saved, it's a whole lot better that way. That way you are not comparing things all the time--keeping up with the Jones'--glorify God! It works out better that way. Why, because you know that in this flesh dwelleth no good thing."
You need to keep that in mind. We live in a day and age where they are pampering it up, man. You have to pat everybody on the back all the time. Don't get me going--that's a whole another message right there. But God is in to humility. Not false humility, that's where you know that you could probably take credit because physically and mentally you did something--but as soon as those thoughts start to rise say you know what, this is stupid--I'm sorry God. Flesh, stand down. Thank you God for giving me the ability to do this, Thank you God for the raise, Thank you God for the open doors. And then your children see that. And it's not a 'me' generation for them ... or victimization of your kids ... they know that they are personally responsible for their actions and they know that they should humbly serve God. Why? Because He is God!
Now, we know what earnest money is, right? It's a down payment. That Holy Ghost that is in you (if you are saved), that sealed you--it cannot leave--that's God saying, "You are going to be up here in heaven, you are bought and paid for. This is a down payment for right now ... this takes care of you while you are down here."
The problem you have with your flesh is that it is against the spirit, and the spirit is against the flesh. And a lot of people go through, like I did when I was younger, go through the mental games of wondering, "If I am saved, what in the world is going on here? Why am I struggling with this sin or that sin?" Well, what you don't understand is that when you got saved, a great big light bulb came on inside of you. And the next thing you know, it starts to show you all the things that is wrong inside of you.
I never walked around before I was saved, noticing all my defects. I didn't even realize that I was going to live forever but yet in my mind I believed it. No one in here thinks they are going to die--you all think you are going to live forever--you don't sit around every day thinking, 'Oh my goodness! Maybe today is the day!' I don't even believe lost people in deep depression think that--they think all sorts of things--but they don't think that they are dying today by outside sources.
We look in the mirror and we see things that aren't right, but when you look in the mirror of God's Word--that's another ballgame--that reflects the light of Christ and you see all the defects in you. So between that Holy Spirit and the Word of God we are a mess man, in the flesh. And people don't understand that. When you get them saved, lead them to the Lord, and they never grow in the Lord--never read anything--talk about suicidal, some people do that. They have nuthouses in hospitals, on certain floors where they have people that are very confused and it started because of that. Listen, when Somebody as big as God moves in you--something happens. When He says we war against the flesh, and the devil and the world ... when He says the weapons of our warfare are spiritual; prayer, little keys in the Bible tell you that there is a whole lot going on in an invisible world that you are effected by.
And how many Christians really pray? When do we pray? When God's a spare tire, right? We get a flat tire, we need Him and we go to the trunk and say, "Oh, God!" Yet Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing." We don't do that. America is in a mess because we don't do what we are supposed to do. We're spoiled brats. And now we are just playing catch up. "Oh no, look what's happening!" And we are glad just for little things to happen. This preacher is glad that Hillary didn't get in. Phew! You know I'd get arrested. Ain't no doubt about that. I don't know what would have happened. But I know it wouldn't be good for us.
People are watching television and seeing these AntiFa nuts--it's like they are possessed--according to my Bible, there's something happening here. They got no reason. They acting are like animals, without natural affection. I mean, if you are a Christian, you look at that and ask, 'what's going on here? Why can't they . . .? You hear what they say?" And then they have these people interviewing these people. They don't even know what they are doing! Light bulb! The devil must be working through these people. Something going on here. They have brute, animalistic things taking over.
And then the grandparents and great-grandparents are looking at their grand kids doing that junk and saying, "Where did we go wrong?" Well, probably number one, you probably never looked at their homework, never bothered to check on what they are being taught. My goodness, when they go to college, hang on your hat about that! So we got thousands messed up. Well, what in the world is going to change them? Somehow we have to get it across to them that they are not good enough--they are lost, they are undone, they are sinners in need of a Saviour. And the only way that can work is with the Holy Spirit of God. When you pray and you talk to people--you ask God for help--God is what works in their hearts through the prayer of His people.
So we see a formula in Ephesians, if you need one, for salvation.
You have to trust . . . you have to believe . . . trust what? You gotta trust the Gospel, for it is the "power of God unto salvation." We have to believe that. In this generation that is coming up, they need to hear that--the simplicity of the Gospel. You say 'oh well, I told people, and it don't work! It's God's business. You just give it out. God's Word never returns void. They may get it from you and you may go on to glory, and you may go on to glory and years later they may get saved because somehow grandma or grandpa's words were just sticking in there. And they went through life and almost ruined their life, and all of a sudden they cried out, because of what a grandma or a grandpa or aunt or uncle told them--and they got saved.
We can't save them, God does the saving. If you are saved here today, God saved you. And it wasn't because you were good enough. And that's the point of the message . . . It was never about being good enough.
And we see here also in the formula that the object is that we should be to praise of God's glory. So, after you are saved that's it in a nutshell--you want to please God. You want to praise God. He gets the glory, you don't. So a lot of times you are smart enough, you are willing enough to do all sorts of things, and you are successful at what you do--and you sort of like postscript God. Somebody asks you how you did that and you go through everything and say, "Oh, God helped me." Instead of at the beginning say, "Well, praise the Lord man! I'm sure glad that God allowed this stuff to happen." And then people look at you and say, "Wait a minute! You went to school. You have all the expertise . . .". "No, God allowed me to breath, my mind worked right, all the logic and everything came together to allow me to learn this. I'm giving Him the glory!" Because the very God of the universe holds our breath in His hands, according to Exodus. He gets the glory. If you are saved, it's a whole lot better that way. That way you are not comparing things all the time--keeping up with the Jones'--glorify God! It works out better that way. Why, because you know that in this flesh dwelleth no good thing."
You need to keep that in mind. We live in a day and age where they are pampering it up, man. You have to pat everybody on the back all the time. Don't get me going--that's a whole another message right there. But God is in to humility. Not false humility, that's where you know that you could probably take credit because physically and mentally you did something--but as soon as those thoughts start to rise say you know what, this is stupid--I'm sorry God. Flesh, stand down. Thank you God for giving me the ability to do this, Thank you God for the raise, Thank you God for the open doors. And then your children see that. And it's not a 'me' generation for them ... or victimization of your kids ... they know that they are personally responsible for their actions and they know that they should humbly serve God. Why? Because He is God!