I don't read several places, actually just two, but it's rather lengthy. And Second Thessalonians, it's a small book, basically could be wrote in this letter, wrote on the page front and back. The second chapter of Second Thessalonians, we're gonna read the whole chapter here, It's a very short book and it's a very short chapter, but it says a lot. The Lord, as we was testifying today, the Lord always prepares us. In the future, a lot of times it's revealed unto us that's how and why he sent the prophets. When the judgment of the Lord come, if he hadn't of first sent a prophet to tell what was going to take place, they might have thought that's just how things are. That's just how the world is. Try a global warming, for instance, or global cooling or, or this or that. But I don't know, I reckon there's probably some in Israel that was so foolish as to think or to believe in global warming, or this or that, but the Lord, he communicated otherwise didn't he sent a prophet and he said because of your sins. That's why we know that there is such a thing as global warming, but it ain't caused by the burning of fossil fuel, but it's because of the sins of men. The Bible tells me that he's gonna destroy this world with a fervent heat, that the elements are gonna fall, that this world's gonna melt. This is coming, but it ain't because Daryl burns diesel fuel in his pickup truck. That ain't because we ain't using enough renewable resources, but it's because we have rejected the ways of God. And the Bible tells us that. So we can write it off as a climate change. You notice I kept on saying global warming, but they moved. That was too easy to prove, right? I had to work in global warming this week, and I nearly thought I was gonna freeze to death. We was out there trying to torch We was putting up a building this week and it was seven degrees. That's how hot it was and Because you know global warming is what they say. No, they don't say that no more. Oh, they say climate change What that means is is when it's hot, you know, that's because of pollution and when it's cold, it's cause of pollution I tell you what They never play fair, do they? A liar always lies. No, he don't. A liar will tell the truth enough to get you to believe him, and then he'll lie to you some more. But anyhow, we was out there, and I had just my leather work gloves on, and it always works. Even in seven degree weather, I could be holding on to a piece of wood and as long as I move my hands about, you know, if you're swinging a pick or using a shovel, your hands won't get cold in seven degree weather, but it'll be like you was trying to dig in concrete, but instead we had a torch in our hand and metal I was literally dripping and hitting the ground and I thought my fingers was going to fall off holding on to that old cold torch. Because as much as I wanted that heat to work its way on down, that torch, it weren't getting her done. So anyhow, we live in a day and an age where people look around and they say, well, it's because of this or it's because of that. But we don't have to wonder. The Bible always makes it clear. You know what? There ain't no new thing the Bible says. As old Solomon said, there ain't no new thing under the sun. And why is that? Because I sent it into this world. It's the same story told over and over and over and over again. When men reject God, They're on their way to hell. Ain't the same today as it ever was. If you choose to serve Christ Jesus, it's the same old way. There ain't no detours here or there. That'll take you a roundabout way to get to heaven. The Bible tells me that it's a straight and a narrow way. Glory to God! It's a way the Bible says. Well, there ain't no vulture. That's him replaced his eyes. Where'd my feet land? That's why the world don't understand. But that's okay. Why? Because we don't walk by sight. Listen to me now. I'm Treadwater. I walk a deep forest, and He's a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. And without Him, Pharaoh himself couldn't see the path. The glory be to God. If you want to turn there in the second chapter, of 2 Thessalonians of the Bible says. Because like we said, there ain't no new thing under the sun. We're going to read our soul in Peter. But it says, here's y'all pray. It says, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, what a day, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word. nor by letter. Ask from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means. For that day shall not come, except there be a great, except there be a falling away first, and that that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as God sitting in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things, and now ye know what withholdeth. Now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work. Only he who now letteth will live until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked, beatless and wicked, capital W, be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him who is coming is after the work of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivable myths of unrighteousness in them. that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they might that they all might be damned, who believeth not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, believe. Beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Oh, glory to God, Daddy! When you was preaching this morning and holding that Bible to your chest, He gave us His Word! Because He knew we was going to need it! He gave us His love! Because he knew we was going to need it. And he gave us the truth. And what did he say? I like how it says it. We preach a message on this. We're not preaching either. How it says. that they received not of a love of the truth. They not only rejected the truth, but they didn't love it. Listen to me now. There was a day and a time I hated the truth, but Daryl wanted to manipulate the truth. Daryl wanted to use it for his advantage. So Daryl, Had to know what the truth was. But the longer I walked on that road, the more I realized that if Daryl didn't love the truth, then the truth wouldn't set me free, but that it would slay me. That it would be to the point where You're going to love the truth or you're going to believe a lie in the pleasures of unrighteousness. That's why people today can't understand why when somebody wants to bring praise unto sin. A Christian, and I put air quotes around that word, wants to be entertained by it. But I want to tell you something. If you don't love the truth, then you'll believe a lie. And if you believe a lie, it'll come to the point where you'll have pleasure in the unrighteousness of others. But it don't start there, does it? you're on the way to hell. Though you might be at the threshold of the doors of the church, if you don't turn and face the cross, you're on your way to hell. Oh, don't build your house on the a plane to Solomon Gomorrah. Don't set your tent facing the wicked one with a W, with a capital W. Realize that Jesus is coming again. They said way back yonder that the day of the Lord was at hand. But old Paul told the Thessalonians, he said, hold on now, he ain't gonna come. until there be a falling away first. Oh, I tell you what, it breaks your heart when you see that the wicked one is preparing away. That the God Almighty says, I'll give all mankind a space of a time to repent, but His mercy, though He belongs suffering, His mercy or the door thereof is swiftly closing. Why? Because we live in the days of wear. We live in a time when there are those that once said, listen to what he said. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the tradition which you have been taught, whether by word or by epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God even, our Father, which has loved us, that have given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Comfort your hearts and establish you in ever good word and work. Ever good word and work. Ever good word and work. Aren't you glad he made a way that we could be yoked and with him? Glory to God! I bear his yoke, not because I earned it, but because he took a tree, and he carved a yoke for you and me. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! What a God! I serve. He's so sweet. How sweet is he? You can take honey and mix it with sorghum. You can take cane sugar and mix it with that. We wouldn't touch the palate of a Christian. We know what sweet is, because we met Jesus. And if you met Jesus, you can tell the difference between a coyote and a dog. You can tell the difference between a sheep and a hog. You can tell the difference between pearls and between a hog waller. You can tell the difference between the truth and a lie. And the truth will set you free. All right now, if you turn on over to 2 Peter in the first chapter, We're going to try to preach a little more, if the Lord allows us. The Bible says in 2 Peter, in the first chapter, in the 20th verse, it says, Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time, by the wheel of man. But holy God, I speak, they were moved by the Holy Ghost. What matter of love did He give me ado? What matter of hope and what depths of grace that He provided for me ado? When He moved an old country boy, We ought to preach the word of God. We could have wanted it. We could have hungered for it. And he could have left to us a body of hog trough. Oh, but he said... Glory to God. He sent men that were not educated by men, but received the word of God on their knees beside the bed, out in the woods, in the dairy barn, in the corn crib. And it ain't by our own private interpretation, but it's by the Holy Ghost. And people don't understand that. But there were in the second chapter. We're going to continue on. But there were false prophets also among the people. Listen now. Praise the Lord. We want to preach this Sunday morning. So you pray for us. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as their shadow. Be false teachers among you who privately shadow, bringing damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift destruction, and many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they, with faint words, make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time languoreth not. and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to reserve unto judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved not the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, of bringing in the flood upon the world, of the ungodly and turning the cities of Solomon and Gomorrah into ashes. I condemn them with an overthrow. I'm making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly. I'm bringing upon them, the Bible says here, In the first verse, themselves, swift destruction. Now, if you jump on over to the third chapter. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord, as a thousand years, And a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slack. Concerning his promises, that some man counts like this. But his long-suffering to us was not willing that any should perish, that all should come to repentance. Oh, what a beautiful day. Sweat destruction is coming. because he's loving, because he's holy, because he's pure, because he's sweet. Oh, I wish I could have said what I just said in twenty different languages. He is worthy of all praise. Why am I the only one rejoicing today? Should we not all rejoice that we are counted worthy to be called a child of the Most High God? None good have we done, but the good was done by Calvary so that He might live inside me and you. We don't take pleasure in sin. We don't take pleasure in those that sing about it. We don't take pleasure in those that live it out. We might make mistakes, and we might sin, but aren't you glad there is an advocate with the Father, and His name is Jesus? Aren't you glad that just like the prodigal son repented alongside the hog trough, as it were, that the Lord didn't leave him there. But because he seen that here he was working for that old Gentile, having him feed his hogs, he left home because he didn't want to work. And where did it bring him? He spent all of his inheritance on righteous living. Didn't want to live righteous. Thought he'd live righteous instead. But guess what? When all of his money was gone, he was working for wages once again. Not over the servants of his father, but underneath a Gentile master. I said feed my hogs and then didn't pay my wage dear a living wage enough to buy his own food now that's a famine and we see it today but it ain't for bread or water honey it's for the Oh, but aren't you glad that we don't have to wish for some private interpretation that the Lord gave me and you in these last days of the Word of God and the truth But you can't deny it. You can't dodge it. You can't dismiss it. But you gotta embrace it. Just like our pastor 9 to 80 was holding on to that Bible this morning. Like it was the sweetest thing known to man. Because it is. And each and every one of us, I need to understand that the Lord's made a way. Now let's go walk in it. The Lord's provided a meal. Let's go eat it. The Lord has provided us a fountain of living water. Let us open up our hearts and share it with others. I thought it was beautiful this week. For lack of a better word, there was a godly man that more or less said, how do you consider the pearls? But listen, there are those that just as the word of God says, cast not your pearls before swine. Every one of us are as filthy dogs and watering hogs. Except Jesus came and we repented and he put a robe of righteousness on us. But from time to time, there are those that turn to the watering of the mire. There are those that return to the vomit of the dog. And so it is the job of every one of us to say, have you considered of the pearls. And to those that believe and love the truth, it'll bring them back to the pathway of righteousness. But to the hogs and the dogs, they'll turn and they'll rend you and they'll bite you and they'll pull you apart. And what shall we do then? Well, we'll pick up the precious pearls that Jesus Christ gave us. And if it be his will, we'll die with him clutched in our hands. And if it be his will, we will return to the mountaintop. If it be his will, and how do we know his will? Because just like he told, ever crippled, he ever healed. I think for certain, but I ain't altogether sure. And just because it ain't recorded don't mean he didn't say it. But do you realize there wasn't a single blind person that he ever restored their sight, and that he said, follow me. They had been conditioned by the events in their life. Now think about it. Just think about being blind. You know, there's blind people that live today all by themselves. They live on public streets, whether it be sidewalks and whatnot, and a lot of them in order to get around. They are constantly counting the steps that they make, and they turn here and they turn there. But you know what? For the most part, those have had somebody beside that led them there. They weren't making conversation. And if they were, that blind man weren't listening too much because he was counting his steps. He was using the sighted man or woman to show him the way. That's why the Bible says, if the blind lead the blind, They'll both fall in the ditch. Aren't you glad that Jesus Christ sent a God-fearing Christian your way to lead you when you was blind? Oh, but if you were like me, you weren't wise enough to count your steps. But then the day came. Jesus Christ, the healer of the blind, touched our spiritual eyes and we were able to see, but you know there's not a single one. That he said to the blind when he restored their sight, follow me, cause they'd already been conditioned to go where they were led. But let's think about those that were crippled, they were toted about just like the blind were led around. Well, guess what? In almost every instance, the Lord said, pick up your bed and follow me, because it's the nature of some, even when you've been healed, to continue to sit on your laurels, to continue to lay in your bed. Oh, but aren't you glad that if we follow him like the cripple, we'll know When we need to walk toward the valley, we'll know when we need to go through the valley of the shadow of death. And we'll fear no evil. Why? Not because of who we are or what we've done or what we're going to do, but because of who He is and what He's done and what He's provided for every one of us. So you can make yourself a knife. Right? And work in the fires of the blacksmith. Forge, and forge you a knife, only to discover that your knife will not penetrate the armor of the enemy. For you can receive the sword of Christ, and know there's been no armor ever devised by man or Satan himself that can withstand the spirit of the sword. or the sword of the spirit, or the sword, the two-edged sword, that is, the word of God. Well, make a knife if you want to, but I'm gonna use the sword, the same sword my granddaddy used. You know what? It defeated every enemy that ever he had to confront in the face, and that's why the devil's always trying to get us to lay it down. because he knows just how effective that it is. But don't get, don't get sidetracked. Don't get wrestling with a hog. I was told early on, now this is man's wisdom instead of God's word. The Bible says, cast not your pearls before swine. Man's wisdom is to say, never wrestle a pig because you'll both get dirty and the pig likes it, right? And that's how it is. There are people that are so toxic and so corrosive that from time to time, all we more or less can do is say, have you considered the pearls? Have you considered my Jesus? Have you considered the truth? Because it is the truth and only the truth that'll set them free. And if they hate the truth, well then they'll never know the truth because we must love the truth In order, you say, Darrell, how's that even possible? How's that possible? Because we see that the truth, though it might sting and though it might be bitter to our mouth, it'll be sweet to our heart and our soul. And though the lie always is sweet to the mouth, too late, hold on, and you'll discover that a lot of times it won't sit well, and that it'll give you dysentery, and you'll not find peace, but you'll go to and fro, back and forth, from where you're at to where you're going, and none of it leads to the road of righteousness. What you gonna do? How you gonna be? I don't suggest you turn over a new leaf, I don't suggest you to try to be somebody you ain't. I suggest you surrender to the Almighty God, who's in the business of healing the wretched. How do I know? Because He healed me. You say, Darrell, you weren't that bad. Oh, listen, we can look on the outside and determine a man's wickedness or his goodness, but no man can look inwardly, from our lips, right? From our lips. Our heart is revealed. Our lips so many times deceive and portray the very things that we want to keep hidden. But to a child of God, the Bible has removed that stony heart and gave us a heart of flesh. And that's why those things that we were not once broken over or cared about, we now care about and we're now burdened about. of the very people I, when I was in sin, the very people I could care less whether they lived or died. Now, at two and three in the morning, the Lord wakes me up and I am literally sick to my heart. over the destruction that is at hand. Why? Because I know that swift destruction is coming. And there are those that say, yeah, I've heard that all my life. I heard the Lord's coming again. And some would even try to say He could come tomorrow. Or they'll even be so bold as to say He's going to come on this date, on this month, and this or that. Only to desensitize people to the truth. The death angel could come for you today, or you could live to be 120, but all of us will stand before God. Whether it's by and through the grave, or whether it's standing on this ground, the Lord's coming back. And he's coming back for a church that he has reserved unto himself. He's coming back for a righteous body. And how do we obtain that righteousness? Not by deeds of goodness, not by works of humanity, but by the faith and the trust and the righteousness of Christ Jesus. And His righteousness living through us will change who we are. It's that simple. And if you're having a hard time, living for the Lord, it might be because you're not living for the Lord. You know, I learned really early on that trash in, trash out, that you can't, we're seeing that with our grandson. I don't know who he's been around, but I know he's around a lot of lost people. His parents are lost. And he says curse words. And we've corrected him for it. But guess what? His little aunt is just a few months older than him. And she's fixated on he said a bad word. He said a bad word. And then she wants to tell you four or five times what that bad word is. Well, you know what? Why is that the nature of man? It breaks your heart, doesn't it? But here's the thing. Our poor little Marcus didn't ask to be brought into this world. He didn't ask to be in the presence of wicked men and wicked women, but there he is. And he has a soul that'll never die. And my daughter has a soul that'll never die. And we can wash their mouth out with soap, and they can get old enough and learn that you can't say them bad words, but that soap won't reach their heart. Aren't you glad that the Lord came? One day, so long ago, he chose to leave the splendor of heaven, and he came down in order that he might be beat with a cat of nine tails, in order that he might have some self-righteous Jews take a staff and beat that crown of thorns on his head. Precious, and a holy head. He never did nothing out of the way. Listen, there's not a one of us that ever got a whooping that we didn't deserve it. Now we might have got a whooping for doing something we didn't do at that moment, but there ain't a one of us that when they stand before God can truly say, Lord, I got 10,001 weapons and all I deserved was 10,000. Listen, if you added them all up, I'm sure, I would hope I was short of 10,000 weapons because I wasn't counting. And I wasn't keeping track. All I was doing was trying to get away with stuff. And occasionally, now and then, I didn't get away with it. But you know what? There was a few times I got a whooping that I didn't deserve for the accusation that was made. There was a few times I got punished for something my sister did. But all those other times I got away. But that can't be said of Christ Jesus. He was holy. He was righteous and He was good. And He hung on the cross more or less for no other reason than that. He done good on the Sabbath and healed people then as well as every other day of the week. But He hung on the cross for my sin and your sin. And when they beat that crown of thorns on His head, it was for my doings and your doings. It was for your sin and my sin. And we could even try to justify ourselves. But He bears the scars that prove otherwise. Oh, so many people trying to lie their way out of lies. How are you going to lie your way out of the scars that Jesus Christ has bore for you? See? And the Lord could very well do that very thing. There is people, the Bible tells me, that will argue with the Lord and say, Did we not do this? And did we not do that? And He'll say, Depart from me. I never knew you. There will be people that will argue with the Lord and say, Well, I didn't do that. Now, I didn't do this, and he could show us, he could pull it up on the big screen, as it were, but I don't think he'll need to. He'll say, oh, but look. Look at the scars on my body. You've done this to me. He don't have to show you the multiple times you lust after a woman, or after a man, or lied, or steal, or cheated. or killed or destroyed, all he'll have to do is show me and you his scars because they weren't put there because of anything he done. They were put there because of what you've done and what I've done. Not a one of us, not a one of us, not a one of us will ever be able to stand before God by our own righteousness, by our own merit. And it is only the hell-bound that think otherwise. Let's get some song to sing. Who are you trusting in? Are you like the prodigal son that the Lord had to bring to a hog trough before you seen that you were in need of a Savior? And that, oh, by the way, I wasn't willing to work for the Father, but here I am working for this Gentile. And with the Father, even His servants have enough food and more to eat. Or are you like the eldest son that think you're good because of all the work you've done? And think that you're underappreciated because of all the good you've done? Well, both will lead you to hell. And the only way you'll have relationship with the Father is if you come, as the prodigal son said, and said, forgive me, Lord. Forgive me, Daddy. Forgive me, Papa. I've done you wrong. I've wasted everything. I'm not worthy to be your child. But if you might make me your servant, Lord, it's better than anything out there in the world. And then and only then will we be able to wear the robe of a son of the Father or of a daughter of the Father. Ain't that beautiful? What the Lord has done for me and you. Go ahead. Yes, there's no new thing under the sun. Do you see what the Lord has done? He's prepared all the way back yonder. He said, just as there was false prophets then, there's false prophets now. And we can take by that to understand that in the last days, the Bible says, there'll be false teachers and false prophets. But you know what? The beauty of it is, is we got the Word of God. And we'll be able to discern between that which is true and that which is a lie. If we love the truth. Don't turn your back on the truth. Don't turn your heart and your mind away from the godly traditions that's been given to each and every one of us. Because it is through and by that that the Lord has given us discernment to know right from wrong, good from evil, and righteousness from unrighteousness. Love each and every one of you. Turn it back over to Daddy.