Pastor Michael Thomas | In the Midst of a Crooked and Perverse Nation

Philippians chapter 2 now when I get something in my crawl it takes a while I'm thinking this one I'll probably be a let loose of this around the Rapture um it has to do with uh the condition of the church it has to do with uh where we find ourselves and the title of this message is in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and it's really not it's not as much about that as is what we're supposed to be doing in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation uh Philippians chapter 2 look at verse 14- 16 and he starts out there and he says do all things without murmurings and disputings in other words quit you complaining uh that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among who whom you shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain let's have a word of prayer father may you bless the message now may it be uh help and an encouragement but also Lord just stating the truth of things scripturally and uh his historically and uh current events and father I pray we not be fearful of these things but fear you and trust you that Lord you've got us here for a purpose you've got us here for a reason and we're supposed to conduct ourselves appropriately during this time and I pray you to help us with that may you bless the message may it speak to hearts and Lord thank you for those that are here today and God you know who couldn't be here whether it be sickness or some other reason father we pray that you would be with them and help them and watch over them and bring them back quickly father and we'll thank you for that may you bless now the the message and we ask these things for Jesus sake amen so in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation um so he says there in the midst of a crooked Nation to begin with Philippi was uh named after Philip of Macedonia and that was the father of Alexander the Great and Philippi became one of those U places where Kings like to park themselves you know I'm not saying it was a summer house but it was an area where they they'll put a palace this this is this happened with all the empires you know like I said pergamos became a place where Rome placed a palace and a bunch of U edifices to themselves there and that's why the Bible talks about uh the church at pergamus um but the Christians the book of Phil uh Philippians the Christians were being persecuted by those of Philippi and not only by the Gentiles but they were being persecuted by the Jews also they were getting it from every side and Paul is is is writing them and encouraging them I mean the book is really about suffering but it's also about having joy in the midst of suffering and here they are in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation sound familiar because we are definitely in the midst of a crooked Nation we'll talk about perverse in a minute the crookedness of Any Nation could be found in his politicians and we right up there with the top you know that I can remember a time when um I can remember a time when we used to look at other nations you know we think H boy I'm glad we're not like them and now they're looking at us and said man I'm glad I'm not like that I mean you know we got we used to talk about Nations where you you wind up there on vacation and you make the wrong move you know you break the speed limit wind up in a kangaroo court and locked up for uh three months without bail now you got to worry about that here we have the kangaroo Court we have the corruption we have the Crooked judges we have the Crooked politicians used to be we could count on the rule of law that when we and I realize I'm kind of fading in from the Sunday school but we we used to have the the rule of law where uh that blindfold on Mrs Justice was exactly that it didn't matter what color you wore it didn't matter what culture it didn't matter what your religion was did you do right or did you do wrong that's the only thing it mattered and when 12 people sat in on that that was the issue it wasn't are are you a trump supporter are you a Biden supporter it had nothing to do with those things and now we've gone from we've G gone from rule of law to corruption on a scale that is unimaginable look and turn to Luke Chapter 13 Luke Chapter 13: 3132 I Think Jesus summed up these politicians with one word it says the same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill Thee I I think they're trying to scare can you imagine tried to scare the Lord Jesus Christ the Creator try to scare him you know herod's going to get you and he said unto them go ye and tell that fox behold I cast out devils and do cures today and tomorrow and the third day I shall be perfected you know I mean I don't know if you know it or not but when Herod does get a hold of him later on what does does he want Jesus Christ to do he wants him to do some miracle he's fascinated by him but also he's fearful of him too you'll notice that Herod doesn't want to really judge him gives him right back to pilate and the reason to gives him back is Jesus Christ is is telling him in no uncertain terms you don't know who you're messing with but he calls Herod a fox a fox let me tell you something about a fox you know what a fox is it's a sneak and a thief and a murderer because that's what foxes do they sneak around they get into the coupe they steal the chickens and they kill them that's what a politician does because that's what Herod is Herod is a politician and he calls him a fox sneaky thieves that get ordinary Americans killed and it's all about you always you can tell politician it's all about the money remember I I said something in Sunday school that don't don't look at what they say look at what they do I would name one senator from South Carolina and I won't do that but he will tell you everything you want to hear and I mean everything and then do just the opposite he is on record for doing that and people just they good good words and fair speeches you know and there go there go the Sheep there go the limings look at what they do not at what they say and then you'll know who's who's doing the job and who and who's not but he said in the midst of a crooked Nation then he mentioned the midst of a perverse Nation not just crooked perverse here's the problem here's the problem with the Paul policians politicians usually reflect the people they represent do I need to say that again politicians usually reflect the people they represent it's not just crooked politicians it's a perverse people and America has become a perverse Nation foreign leaders are standing back and going can you believe what's happening over there they can't understand I mean there's some of them literally can't understand what the world we're arguing about about a male and a female and not knowing the difference they're just looking at us like what has happened to America we've become perverse when a bloodthirsty Christian hating Muslim has a greater moral standard about sexual Devany Than This Nation we are in trouble we are in trouble Psalm 9:1 17 says the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God I don't know why you think we're the exception or why any thinks America's the exception we are not the exception it looks like we are the rule because we this is a nation that not only wants to forget God it wants to erase every vestigal of him in this country it wants to erase the memory of the book of him it wants to get rid of him I have a feeling and I'm not going to spend a lot of time with this we're going to move on but I have a feeling that 2024 will be the straw that breaks the camels back if not 2024 2025 early on I am expecting corruption on a scale that would make Bernie May maid off blunch okay uh the only wealth of this nation is its people your 401ks your Holdings your land your uh Investments your businesses and the government's going to be coming for it because they're $34 trillion in debt and if if they don't they'll super inflate it and you'll you'll lose everything anyway that's going to happen eventually sooner or later there's no way around it not unless you think we got 34 trillion dollar laying around somewhere to pay off this debt it's insurmountable at this point they just keep piling it on all they try to do is pay the interest which they not even going to be able pay that eventually riots in the streets when it does not bwell for the left or the right and it'll make George Floyd riots look like a girl scouts Fireside camp out that's how bad this thing's going to be and we may be looking at the very year when all these things begin to happen things are heating up and it it's not just this preacher up here flapping his gums and telling you this it is everybody that has any sense is telling us the same thing the FBI is telling us that they're seeing flashing lights you know danger danger for what for churches for schools and we could have riots in the streets and it seemed like since the riers don't ever get go to jail for what they burn and and destroy you can expect it it'll be in your your town too attacks from Terror cells against churches schools an infrastructure if I were to think like a terrorist if I were to think like a terrorist and oh that's right I've been declared one because I'm a white male who's conservative I'm sorry maybe that's why I can think like one um but if I were to think like a terrorist I was think you know now is about the time I mean you don't wait you want you know want to wait with the possibility of another President coming in there who's got an iron fist that'll bring the military well and kick all the people out back across the border that came across the border to circumvent our government you're not going to wait for that you're going to do something before that I didn't say that the FBI has said that and by the way the FBI is not really watching terrorist cells from the Middle East and and and and south of here they're more worried about you white conservative white males uh rising up and overthrowing your government that's what they're worried about they're not worried about them and they're coming across the border by the millions males military age Middle Eastern not not watching them watching you not only could we have attacks from Terror cells against churches schools and infrastructure but a further economic downturn either before the election or right after you know how they do you know how gas will go down uh uh inflation will go down it won't go down by much but it might go down some because you know that's what presidents do they they just pour money into because they want to win the next election so they just pour money in and try to bring the economy up a little bit but this thing's coming and it's going to be a downturn that's going to take your breath away it's not going to be some minor thing it's going to be major this time so say they all not just me not just people I I'm talking the left and the right they're all saying it I'm not counting out well we've already got War we got war in the Middle East we got war in Europe and we're probably going to have war in the Pacific two of them we already have and we're probably going to have war in the Pacific and I am not ruling out a nuclear exchange I'm not going to rule it out we are we have been on that precipice in this country messing around and and and provoking things we shouldn't be provoking I wouldn't even rule out signs from the heavens yeah there I said it ET I wouldn't even rule him out because we know that when these things I mean Bible talks about there being signs in the heavens and and and wars and rumors of wars and pestilence and earthquakes and I mean we know and we know all these things are in the tribulation but there are also things that precede the tribulation that happened distress of Nations and things like that that the Bible talks about I think all that will be C because something brings the Antichrist down and it's not good news it's bad news so where we find ourselves in the midst in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation but in the midst of God's will and I got to think about that I said here we are Lord and he says yep for such a time as this you realize that you personally are here God has placed you for such a time as this I me he must have some faith in you if he's chosen you to be in this time in the midst of this of this his will in the middle of all this mess I mean it's not NE necessarily what you can say normal times all the normal years I can remember are gone I mean there's been stretches in history not too many but there's stretches in history where things are normal we don't even know what a normal war is these days but God has chosen you to be in this time in the midst of his will but he does give you some warnings in the passage he says the first thing he says there is quit your murmuring and disputings um the murmuring and the disputing is murmuring disputing with God about what he's done he put you in it and for better or worse and it's going to be worse for your lifestyle God has put us there and there's going to be some suffering involved but he's placed you there in it but he says there that you may be blameless and harmless well we'll talk about blameless in other words the crookedness of this nation should not make you crooked usually when a nation goes down well the people have already are going down with it but he tells you that you know that you're to be blameless that means you're not to be involved in what the world's involved with you're not to be doing the underhandedness the corruption did it go out are we back hello justy okay if I don't change them quick enough that happens my apologies all right now I see if I remember where I'm at he said huh blameless God wants us to be blameless he said in Romans 12:17 recompense to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the sight of all men you know our character as far as how to present ourselves to this world it doesn't change even though the conditions change why because we still serve the same God and God does know where you're at he does know you're in the midst of it in 2 Corinthians 8:21 it says providing for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men I mean God forbid you're only honest when you know uh when you're in church before God I you're still before God out there but before men you want to be honest uh it ought to never be said about you that you're a cheat or a liar and where you fail and something like that happens you're quick to repent you're quick to apologize you're quick to acknowledge they said you know that you may be blameless and harmless well let's talk about being harmless since the he talked about there crooked and perverse blameless and harmless we're not to follow or affirm any perverseness in in this world we're not to follow it we're not to we're not to put our stamp of approval on it or accept it or say well you know it's the it's the times it's it's modern day what's that got to do with the with with the law of God all of a sudden God changed his mind about homosexuality he didn't change his mind about it it's still an Abomination it does I don't care what the the the sociologists say and the psychiatrist and it doesn't matter what they say it doesn't matter what our politicians say it says what the Bible says I'm not for hurting anybody I believe a homosexual needs to be saved just like a politician but look at Ephesians 5:3 or to be harmless and you know pretty much we are I mean unless you you attack our families we are harmless in fact we're probably the most harmless people on the planet why because we'll help you we'll pray with you we'll we'll we'll we'll Prov provide for you if we have if we can we'll do everything to be a friend to you even though you might be our enemy we pray for our enemies we're harmless Ephesians 53 says but fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it be let it not be once named among you as become of saints God wants us to maintain a level of conduct that is without question above Bor that nobody can point you and say look at that hypocrite 1 Thessalonians 4:6 says that no man go beyond defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the Avenger of all such uh as we also have forewarned you and testified uh the context there is talking about you know cheating with somebody else's wife or somebody else's husband that that's defrauding a brother that should never happen that should never happen uh Bible says let every man have his own wife or every woman have her own husband should be looking at somebody else's ever should never be mentioned sadly it it is in the church but he says you're to be he says you're to be blameless and harmless and then he says without rebuke well the rebuke is because of sin first 520 says then that sin rebuke before all that others also May fear and he's talking about the leaders in the church being rebuked it doesn't I'm not the exception here you know I'm not like um certain people in high places that can't be prosecuted them that sin rebuke before all he says that others may also fear Luke 173 says take heed to yourselves if thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him wow that means call him on it and if he repent forgive him let me give you an example this turn to Galatians 2:13 Galatians 2:13 it he's talking about here uh where Peter and some of the other uh Jews that are there in in he's visiting evidently uh the galatian church and they have this this dissembling it's a pretense or duplicity or hypocrisy that's what the word dissimulation they they're living like the Gentiles because they have that Liberty okay why in Christ you have that Liberty you're not you're not bound to a Sabbath you're not bound to the new moons you're not bound to the dietary laws that are found in the Book of Leviticus you've got some Liberty well Peter's found out you know I mean remember what Peter you know rise Peter kill and eat oh lord I can't eat that you know and finally Peter realizes hey because of what Jesus Christ did on that cross I can finally have some shrimp I can finally have some barbecue ribs you know I've been watching them Gentiles eat them for years man they look delicious so when he's with the Gentiles in galatia guess what he does lets down his hair starts you know oh what's for supper uh pork and sour Crown I love pork he goes yeah it's okay dish her up and maybe some other things well then all of a sudden some Jews from Jerusalem probably a couple Pharisees are coming to visit and you know what you know what uh Peter does along with Barnabas gets carried away with this hypocrisy they withdraw themselves we don't eat with them we don't you know we don't even fellowship with them so Paul says and the other Jews dissembled likewise with them in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation and then he rebuked Peter he said don't don't don't live as do the Gentiles and then uh when when the Jews show up you're nowhere to be found cuz he's trying to say those Gentiles need to live as like us Jews when he was just living after their manner he had the Liberty to do that he just didn't have the guts to stand up to a Pharisee that said he didn't that was the problem without rebuke now we all need we all get rebuked we all get the Lord has to correct us along the way we we we figure out these things sometimes you know um we go by what we hear instead of what we read you got to sooner or later you got to go by what you read instead of what you hear you got to check it out um but he says without rebuke you want to if you can get through this without uh without too many rebukes you're doing well I've been saved for 45 years i' I've been rebuked a few times and I've been rebuked of the Lord a few times and I deserved them every one of them uh and I'll say that I blew my testimony at least twice I wish I hadn't I regret it and I don't advise you to do it now I did get saved at 16 so shine is uh he said also without rebuke and it says the let me get to the the verse here I'm kind of reading past it it says among whom ye shine as lights in the world so we're to shine as lights always in other words always be a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ even in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation we're still the light in 2 Corinthians 4 verse4 and 5 it says in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not we're in a whole nation of them lest the light of the Glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them who is that light again he said you're the light he said shine as lights we're the only light they got and we're to continue to shine as lights it doesn't matter that it's falling apart doesn't matter the nation's going upside down it doesn't matter that war is on the horizon it doesn't matter that terrorists are on every street it doesn't matter that there are riots in your town we're still a light and we're still to shine as lights he says for in verse 5 of 2 Corinthians 4:5 he says for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for jesus' sake what God wants us to do the orders haven't changed they haven't changed since Pentecost actually or at least since Paul uh wrote it down as Revelation first Thessalonians 5:5 says ye are all children of light and Children of the day we are not of the night nor of the darkness children of light shine as lights and it doesn't matter what we're in the middle of we are in the middle of God's will this is where we're at right must be God's will and we to behave accordingly but notice he says there holding forth the Word of Life holding forth the Word of Life the Scriptures it always comes down to the scriptures the scriptures have everything to do with life I think Dr rman he has this in his thing there he says they they're called The Word of Life they give life and they are life Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is quick it's living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing of sun of Soul and Spirit and of the joints of marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart not only do they give life and they are life but they came from life and live forever talking about the word of God this is I understand you have the Holy Spirit within you you have that of God but without the scriptures you know nothing this the the Holy Spirit has literally nothing to work with without the Scriptures it works in Union with the scriptures because the scriptures themselves are spirit it's spiritual we know what we know because of what the Bible says we know what's going to happen in the future because of what the Bible says we know how to please God by what the Bible says if you went by your own you get involved in some nonsense that does it please God they came from life and and they live forever 1 Peter 1:23 says being born again not of corruptible seed but of Incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever not only that but the Word of Life speaks of eternal life 1 John 5:13 these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life how do I know that these things that have written unto you that's how we know how do I know I'm saved the book how do I know who can save me the book how do I know about heaven the book how do I know about the future and the coming Antichrist Kingdom the book what do I know about God the book The only thing the creation could tell you is that somebody created it somebody that that understands order somebody that understands design but you don't know who his name is right the book tells you that so in the midst of a perverse and crooked Nation or crooked and perverse we hold forth the words of truth this is what we live by this is what we believe and it doesn't matter how far down the nation goes we still do the same thing nothing changes for us as a matter of fact we have this and and and I understand I'm a Man Too I'm also a sinner I understand the fears and the things that come upon us but I'm telling you we have got to start thinking that whatever comes it's God's Will and we've got to we have got to trust God through it because this can perplex you Paul talks about things that were perplexing Paul powered through those things by the power of God remember I talked about weak being weak and God's power is made strong in weakness I should be the most powerful preacher on Earth because I've got to be the most weakest individual I know but I'm counting on God that during that time that that weakness there'll be his strength he's not telling you oh you got to go through this and and and shoulder it and get through it by yourself no no no God's going to go through it with you and if you'll if you'll put your faith in that if you'll trust him in that don't panic the power of God will come through you you you're not only I I think it's more than just experiencing it I think it's feeling it holding forth the word of life and then Paul says this he says there in verse 16 holding forth the word of life that I may that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain so we're not just in the midst of a crooked midst of a perverse nation and in the midst of God's will we're in the midst of the Harvest we're still in the midst of the Harvest we're still supposed to be working Paul's saying look I've labored on y'all don't fail me now why I don't want my labor to be in vain I want to see some fruit you want to see some fruit and that's what we're doing the fields are still full I don't know if you've checked they're still full the the the fields are still white to harvest right we're not done and you said we're done man it's over with no we're not we're not done till God calls us out of here in John 4:35 he says say not ye that there are yet four months and then cometh Harvest behold I say un you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white to harvest or are they are white already to harvest I don't think we've run out of Sinners I seem to go you know to the jail to the rest home or to uh anywhere you go there just seem like they're just all over the Place listen don't let my labor be in vain don't let your labor be in vain don't you want your converts to go and win other people and ain't that what you want when you win somebody to Christ you know try to disciple them try to get them in church try to get them to do right you want them to grow up and and you're trying to you're trying to make Christ over in them again to do the things that you're doing that you're labor um I mean the man that led me to the Lord I don't know what ever happened to him but I consider my spiritual father brother Eep I always have and for brother Eep he would want me to say Hey you keep doing what you're doing you keep keep going why that my labor be not in vain he taught me for hours and hours and hours and hours preached at me for hours that his labor do be in vain well I'm the same way with you I don't want my labor to be in vain I want you to go out and bear fruit bible says to Bear much fruit much fruit why the Harvest is still out there we're still in the midst of our labors he said in uh Luke 10:2 therefore said he unto them the Harvest truly is great but the laborers are few pray therefore the lord of the Harvest that he should send forth laborers into his Harvest and before you tell me you aren't sent 1 Corinthians 3:9 says for we are laborers together with God Paul's talking about all of us ye are God's husbandry ye are God's Building if you're saved he's called you to labor and he's called you to labor in that field not when we are fruitful that makes Paul fruitful right because we are all saved according to his gospel right but not only does he get to rejoice in the day of Christ but so do we look at Philippians 2 verse 17- 18 in fact it's just the the two verses below what we what we've already read he says yay and if you be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all for the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me um Paul gets to talking there about um see what's the verse in verse 16 that I may rejoice in the day of Christ well the day of Christ is the Judgment seat Paul's talking about rejoicing that time when all those fruits are brought forward and he can present them to Jesus Christ is that he's rejoicing over that and you know when you win somebody to Christ when you're when you support missions when you support a church when you tell other people that you know about the Lord when you're a good witness okay one of these days that's going to come back for you and you're going to get to rejoice in that day that's kind of I'm kind of hopeful that Paul's not talking about you know because we we think we're just going to be shivering and and and and and scared half to death I think that's part of it but Paul talked about rejoicing in that day so what he's telling a Christian is yes you can serve God enough to where you can actually be confident that you're going to rejoice in that day of Christ and that's when the that's when God's going to judge you for the things done in your body I mean you know if You' served him or not you know if you've won anybody to Christ or not you know if you passed out tracks you know if you've been a good witness you know if you've been a good example you know what your conduct's been you know what everybody's thinking about you and saying about you you know right I I want to Rejoice I can't say I've done everything right I know I haven't I can't say that everything that I've done my neighbor my neighbor saw me and said Welly that's a wonderful Christian right there I might have been screaming at the dog might have been screaming at my wife I don't know we work when we work together it's a screaming match we get done we high-five one another said man we work so good together just that Dynamic um but the neighbors might not think so they might be they might be getting ready to call the police call the popo you know we think there's going to be a blood blood bath next door you know when me and her are just doing what we normally do man you we're both High Strung and trying to get a job done and just looking at each other and then when we get it done we're like yeah we understand that perfectly maybe the neighbors wouldn't so we try to keep it down anyway but Paul said if I be offered on the sacrifice and service no the sacrifice and service there that's what the Christian life is all about not salvation but the service sacrifice and service sacrifice and service and not only does he say he's going to Rejoice he said but you'll get to Rejoice too Paul's sacrifice and service does not go unrewarded and neither were yours you along with Paul will be rejoicing in the day of Christ and that's important so this message is about being in the midst of a nightmare I'll be very honest with you this is I could I could I I hope it doesn't happen I hope the Rapture happens now and we're out of here okay get out of here go home to Glory that's the that's that's that's what we want even so come Lord Jesus but if not but if not it's my job to prepare you for what's coming and for you to be aware of it for you to think on it for you to pray on it for you to you know you know uh it's what you're telling tell in Your Heart Right Now what you're telling your heart because you're going to want to run you're going to want to hide you're going to want to separate yourself you're going to be fearful and that's why you got to tell yourself right now that's why you got to stay in that book and strengthen yourself now that's why you need to invest yourself into the people of this church why they are going to be the ones to help you we're going to be helping each other there's always been strength in numbers and if you'll do that we'll be ready for what's coming we will trust God through it we will support one another we're not going to we're not going to fade into the woodwork and uh every man to his own house it can't work that way for us because we have a God that put us in this mess he says I put you in it because I'm even helping to make that mess so if he put me there then he's going to give me the power to withstand that mess and to do what I'm called to do and to do what you're called to do and here's what I'll tell you that when it gets at its worst God's going to come to you just like he came to Paul he said Paul be a good cheer I've overcome the world he'll come to you he say hey cheer up you did good and I'm going to reward you for it and they they can't win over you because I've already overcome the world I've already won the war and you're going to be comforted because God himself is going to be fellowshipping with you I hope it doesn't have I hope I'm the fool I hope I hope everything's just wonderful right up until the time the Lord blows the trumpet but the signs are telling me it is not good and he say can you not discern the signs of the times so be be forewarned but be ready be ready all right let's all stand thank you for coming this morning let's have word of prayer father thank you Lord for your word thank you for the just the promises you give us Lord we know we can trust you through these things and God we hate to see our country