Amen. You may be seated if you have your Bibles this morning. If you turn over to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 29 this morning. Proverbs chapter 29. I think I've said it before. I'm sure pastors have said it before. Proverbs is a great book. And oftentimes we point it toward young people. And we, a lot of folks here probably do this, I like to do this, is you have a proverb each day that corresponds with the day of the month. And of course this month you're going to miss a couple of chapters unless you want to read ahead just a little bit. But it's a great book and oftentimes we point it toward Young people, but truthfully, when we're honest, Proverbs is a great book for every one of us. Every point in our life, we can certainly be good for us to gain when it comes to the area of wisdom. And let's be honest, a lot of us have heard of Proverbs before, and there are a lot of earthly Proverbs out there. You've probably heard something like this before. It's darkest before the dawn. Who's ever heard that before? Actually, that proverb is not true. And it's not in the Bible, by the way. That's a man's proverb. It's darkest before the dawn when in all actuality, the middle of the night is when the sun is exactly opposite the face of the earth and where you're standing on. So the closer you get to dawn, the brighter the sky actually is. And maybe they should say something like this, it's coldest before the dawn. And there's truth to that. And it actually, most of the time, it is coldest before the dawn. So, we've all heard Proverbs. Man's Proverbs are not always exactly right. You may have heard something like this before, I'm the lowest man on the totem pole. Who's ever heard something like that before? And you say that because you feel like, you know, you're not that important. So, I'm not that important. So, I'm the lowest man on the totem pole. But actually, the lowest man in the totem pole is actually the most important person. And if you go to a totem pole, I don't know if there's any around. Is there any totem poles in Ohio? I don't know. But if you go to a totem pole, for instance, it's thicker toward the base of the totem pole. And the bottom figure is typically the most prominent and the most important person. So if you say, I'm the lowest in the totem pole, you're saying, hey, I'm the man. All right? And so, you know, sometimes proverbs are kind of interesting. And a proverb is a short sentence that is based on long experiences. And a proverb is oftentimes could be a lot of experiences and wisdom that is crammed up in just a few short words. Someone once said something like this. They said, you had better learn from the mistakes of others because you'll not live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself. And there's certainly some truth to that. We've heard a lot of proverbs and some proverbs are good proverbs. Some proverbs don't make sense. And you've maybe heard something like this before. I think the proverb goes something like this. He that goes to bed early, how's that go? Go to bed early, it'll make you healthy, wealthy, and wise. Am I saying that right? and go to bed early, get up early, makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise, something like that. I missed the proverb totally up. But I know a lot of people that go to bed early and get up early and they're not healthy, wealthy, and wise. So, and not all proverbs make sense, but God's proverbs certainly do. And there's a lot of wisdom in the book of Proverbs. I'm gonna look at a proverb today, Proverbs chapter 29, just one verse. We'll look at other verses as time goes on. And Proverbs chapter 29, as you turn there, I have a question. I don't want you to answer it out loud. Think about it for just a second. Can a man or a lady or a boy or a girl spiritually pass the point of no return? Can an individual so stubbornly and arrogantly sin against God, tell God no, rebel against God, and God says, enough. I'm done. Not gonna go any further. Before you answer that question, let's look at Proverbs chapter 29. The Bible says this, verse one, he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Let me read that verse again. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. And as we go before the Lord in prayer, again, we bring that question up. Can a man or a lady spiritually pass the point of no return? Can an individual say no to God and to the Holy Spirit so much that God says, okay, I'm done? Can a lady or a man or a boy or a girl willfully rebel against God that God, I hate to use this word, gives up? Let's ask the Lord to bless. Father, we come to this time to you this morning and we are thankful for the Word of God, we're thankful for the Book of Proverbs. What a wonderful book. There's a lot of individuals here this morning that were in the Word of God. They were looking at that second chapter there in Proverbs, a wonderful, wonderful chapter. And I pray today as we come to the Word of God here and we look at this idea, this, I guess I've given it a title, the point of no return. Lord, I pray that you would speak to our hearts. We've had a missions conference this week. We've been presented with the opportunity to do our best to get the gospel out to a lost and dying world. Lord, there may be someone here today that's never accepted you as their Savior. There may be someone here today that's been fighting with you. Lord, I pray that you would speak to their heart. Lord, I think of the Christian here today, the individual that has trusted you as their Savior. has put their faith and trust in you. And Lord, oftentimes we get caught up in everything that's taking place in our world that we forget one of our main desires, one of our main goals should be to get the gospel out to people that need Jesus. And I pray that you would speak to our hearts as well. I pray today I wouldn't say anything that I shouldn't say. I pray that I would be led by you. And again, we'll thank you so much for it in Jesus' name. Amen. Again, that question that I brought forth just a few seconds ago. Can a man or a lady spiritually pass that point of no return? Can an individual, so stubbornly and arrogantly in their way and in their sin, say no to God and be rebellious toward God, where God comes to the point where He says, enough. I'm through. I'm done. I'm not sure how you answered that this morning, but I would peradventure say to you this morning, I believe that answer is yes. I believe that every one of us here has a deadline. Every man, every woman, every boy or girl comes to that place where they pass that deadline, where their doom has been sealed and they have no hope. You say, well, that's hard to accept. That's hard to gulp. That's hard to believe. Because when we look at God's word, the Bible says that God is love. And can I say this morning, God is love. The Bible says, for God so loved the world, but God commendeth His love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and certainly the answer is, God is love. And you'd be saying to me, then, if God is love, why does there come a point where God says enough is enough? I think we need to also remember that God is love, but God is also holy. God is a God of wrath. God is a God of judgment. You say, I just don't accept it. I don't believe that. Well, you need to read the Bible because God is holy. God is a God of wrath, God is a God of judgment. Right now, me and my daughter, in our morning Bible time, we have picked up a devotional and I looked at my wife, I said, we gotta find, not find a better devotional, but this is a tough one. We're in the book of Leviticus right now. Right now we're going through what Aaron is wearing, you know, he's wearing this and he's wearing that and I'm like, we're gonna get through this. And we finally got to Nadab and Abihu, I said, this is a good one here, you know. And yet as we go through this devotional that we're on and as we're looking at the children of Israel and we're looking at the tabernacle and so on and so forth, I am reminded of this that God is a God of love, but God is also a God of judgment. God is a God of wrath. You say, well, God is a God of love, and that is certainly truth, but let's be honest, that is just part of the truth. And when we come to the place that we make part of the truth, all of the truth, then we make that part of a truth an untruth. God is a God of love, but God is also a God of wrath. God is a holy God. God does judge. God will judge sin. And so we come to Proverbs chapter 29 and the Bible says, which is again a verse that is very rich and strong and powerful and very pertinent to us today. It says this, He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed. This is some tough words and that without Remedy. Reminded of a little poem that goes something like this, there is a time we know not when. A point we know not where. It is a point that marks the destiny of men to glory or to despair. There is a line that is unseen that crosses every path, the hidden boundary between God's patience and God's wrath. That past that limit is to die, to die as if by stealth, that does not quench the beaming eye, or pale the glow of health. The conscience may still be at ease, the spirit lithe and gay, that which pleases still may please, and care may be thrust away. But on the forehead of every man God hath set Inedibly a mark that's unseen by man, for men are yet blind in the dark. And yet do man's path below may bloom as Eden bloomed. He did not, does not, will not, and in no, or yet know that he is doomed. He knows, he feels that all is well and every fear is calmed. He lives and dies, he wakes in hell, he's doomed, he's damned. Oh, where is this mysterious born by which our path is crossed, beyond which God himself has sworn, that he who goes is lost? How far may we go in our sin? How long will God forbear? Where does hope end and where begins the confines of despair? An answer from the skies is sent, ye that from God depart. While it is called today, repent and please harden not your heart. You see, I believe that every one of us, that God speaks to us, there is a point that we as individuals must accept God's call. There is a place where an individual says no too many times and they have passed that point of no return. I've never been to Niagara Falls. In fact, this is as close as I've ever lived to Niagara Falls and that is our plan. One of these days to go to Niagara Falls. But I have read that swinging over the waters as you go toward the Niagara Falls are several warning signs. Each warning tells you that you need to turn around or that you will be swept over the falls. Finally, there's a last sign that reads this. Beyond this sign is the point of no return. If you go past this sign, there is no way that you can go back. You will go over the falls. It is called the point of no return. come to a great verse, the Bible says, "...he that being often reproved hardened his heart shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." It's a great verse, and as I said before, there's a lot of proverbs out there, but these proverbs that God gives us in this wonderful book are words of wisdom, they are words that come from God, they are divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, and he says this, he that being often reproved. When I think when it comes to this area of salvation, there is what we call this divine conviction. The Bible says, he that being often reproved. And by the way, can I say this? God does convict us. And I don't know about you, but I like those words, often reproved. No individual goes to hell unloved, unworn, or unconvicted. I believe every individual has an opportunity. And I don't believe it's a one-time thing. The Bible says, he that being often reproved. I believe that God strives with us. I believe that he knocks at our heart's door. I believe that God reproves us. And I believe he does it over and over again. Again, those words often reproved. It would be glorious. It would be wonderful. It would be merciful God if He would just warn us one time. But the Bible says that He oftentimes calls us over and over again and again and again. God reproves and God speaks to us. There's different ways that He speaks to us. We go through the Bible, we see that He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. There may be someone here today that God has been working on your heart. You may be lying in your bed. You may be sitting at your kitchen table and the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about your need of salvation. I remember at the age of 10, I grew up in a Christian home. My dad was a preacher and I remember sitting right in the front row. We had a special service. Anybody ever heard of Old Fashioned Day before? Everybody dressed up like they're old fashioned. I know a lot of times ladies say, well that's just my normal wear, my husband never buys me anything new or anything like that. And there was an old-fashioned day and there I sit, I was dressed up in my cowboy gear and old-fashioned service and the preacher was preaching and there I sit and I remember as if it was yesterday, the Lord convicting my heart and saying, you need to get saved. You need salvation. And I said, you know, I'm going to go forward. And I still remember as if there was a voice in my head. I'm sure it hadn't been the devil himself. He said, you're a preacher's kid. Could you imagine if you came forward today? Could you imagine what people said? You said you were under that much pressure. Yeah, I certainly was. I remember going home that night as a 10-year-old boy. I could not sleep. I remember the whole day, Monday, trying to get it out of my mind. I could not get it out of my mind. And Tuesday evening, finally succumbing to that Holy Spirit's conviction. Can I tell you something? God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. There may be somebody here this morning that God is working on your heart and saying, you need to get saved. Can I tell you something? You need to get it taken care of. God uses divine conviction. He speaks to the Holy Spirit. He speaks through suffering. Psalm 119, David said these words, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy word. Let's face the fact, God uses suffering sometimes to speak to our hearts. God uses ailments to let us know that we're getting older. Has anybody ever figured that out yet? God uses certain things to remind us that we're no longer spring chickens, that life is passing us by. I don't know about you, but I'm discovering that I don't quite have the posture that I once did. The other day I jumped up, and I was like, whoa, straighten that back out. I'm finding the older I get that I gotta wear these weird things. They're so bad that my eyes are getting so bad now that I told my wife when we were at a bookstore, I said, I need to get a pair of reading glasses. I forgot the ones that I had. And I went over and grabbed a pair. I think these are ladies' glasses. My wife said, they look really pretty on you. I said, well, thank you, I appreciate it. But have you noticed the older we get that you start to find that things start to wear out? I can't run like I used to run, I can't do what I used to do. And the fact is this, that I am dying. I'm dying. And I don't want to be morbid today, but you are too. We're getting older and older and God oftentimes works through suffering and ailments and issues to let us know that we will not always be on this earth. God oftentimes works through sorrow. One of the things that I've been involved with, and I remember I was pastoring in North Carolina, and I was a younger person then, and I was a little frightened. Not frightened, I guess I was a little concerned. There's certain things I did not know. One of the things I did not know how to do, I did not know how to conduct a communion service. I said, Lord, I went to Bible college, but they don't teach the important things. They teach you things to argue about that really don't matter. And I remember, Lord, and I remember I got through that and everything was fine. And I asked the Lord, I said this, I said, if you don't mind, let me get my feet wet before I have to do a funeral. Never done a funeral before. And so the Lord answered my prayer, I did 13 of them in nine months. But you know one of the things I realized, I'd go to the graveside and we'd have a graveside service and people would gather around and we'd read some Psalms, I would say a few words, we'd sing a couple songs. And I'd look around, And oftentimes the Lord would touch my heart and remind me of this, if I should tarry, this too will be your fate. If the Lord should tarry, my body will be there at some point. I will be lowered into a grave and it is reminded that we will not live forever. And so the question is this, God oftentimes uses divine conviction. He works through different means. He works the Holy Spirit. He works through sorrow. As you see those around us and the older we get, the more we see individuals that we have gone to high school with and gone to college with that have passed away. And it is a reminder to us that one of these days that we will spend eternity somewhere. We'll either spend eternity in a place called heaven, a place that is wonderful, a place that we sang about today, that we'll get to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. No more sickness, no more pain, no more sorrow, or we'll spend eternity in a place called hell. God speaks through sorrow, God speaks through sweetness. Romans chapter 2, the Bible says, knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. If you're here today and you're saved, can I encourage you with this? You say, oh, I got a lot of problems today. I got a lot of struggles. I got a lot of trials going on. One of the ways that we can help ourselves if we're saved here today is just stop and think of God's goodness. Someone asked me this morning, how are you doing? And I said something like this. I said, I'm doing good as far as I know. Give me a little bit of time, I might change my mind. But truthfully, when it comes down to it, God is so good and God speaks through His sweetness. God speaks through His servants. God speaks through those that present the gospel. You may be here today and you may be at church today because someone invited you. Someone gave you a track. Someone presented the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ today. Call them a messenger of love. Sharing with you your need of salvation is also a reminder to us of our great responsibility to get the gospel out. God uses different methods. God uses his spirit. God uses sweetness. God uses sorrow. God uses different methods, but God wants to use you to get the gospel out. This week we had the opportunity to hear missionaries get up that have given their life to go to different countries, have given up some of the freedoms that they possess in this world, have given up time with friends and with family to get the gospel out to a lost and dying world. Why? Because that is God's desire for every one of us. To get his gospel out and God speaks through different methods. You say, well, I don't do a very good job at it. Can I be honest with you? You say, that's not true. I'm kind of a shy person. How about you? I could go a whole day and not talk to anybody. My wife said, well, I don't believe you. Remember when I was in college, I had some individuals come up to me and say, what's your problem? I said, what do you mean? They said, everybody in college thinks you're stuck up. I said, well, I am. No, I didn't say that. I don't know about you, but I can go through and, you know, I don't have to talk to somebody. But you know, God has given us a great responsibility. So I don't know if I can do it. And I'll be honest with you, there's a lot of people out there that can maybe preach a better gospel than maybe you or I can preach, but nobody here can preach a better gospel than the death, burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And God uses individuals to give the gospel. And if you're here today, can I tell you something? God loves you so much that he doesn't want you to drop into hell without warning you. The Bible says, he that being often reproved. Can we see here a divine conviction to the Holy Spirit through suffering, and through sorrow, and through sweetness, and through the servant of God? But not only do we see a divine conviction, but we see a willful rebellion. The Bible says, he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck. God's conviction comes to an individual and they say no to God. They stick out their chin and they say, some other time, some other place. I will not do what God wants me to do. I will not give in to God's call. I was talking to an individual just a few days ago, actually a week, maybe a little over a week ago, and they said, some other time. I know what I have to do and you may be here this morning and God has been speaking to you, God has been trying to get to your heart and you're saying, not right now. We see that willful rebellion, sometimes we do it through procrastination. Just a couple verses over in Proverbs chapter 27, in verse 1, the Bible says these words, You may be here today saying, I know God has spoken to me, but there will be some other time. I'm not going to give my heart to the Lord today. I'm going to wait until tomorrow. There was a famous preacher of yesteryear, he said these words, tomorrow is a time that is found only on a fool's clock. It never gets here. Interesting story, and as I said before, me and my daughter, right now we're in our devotions and we're in the Old Testament there, we're in the law and now we're in the, now we're talking about the offerings and what the procedure was to perform these offerings here and we're in that general, that vicinity in that time when Moses was leading his people through the wilderness. You go back a little bit earlier and we read an interesting story where God comes to Moses and says, hey, my people are under bondage. My people have been in the land of Egypt. I want you to go out there and I want you to get them out. I want to bring them back to the promised land. I want to bring them back to the place of milk and honey. And so Moses goes and you remember the plagues that took place? I always enjoyed those plagues. I often wondered, it'd be kind of neat to see all that stuff taking place, and then I thought, no, I don't want to live through something like that. But you remember those plagues and the water being turned to blood, and we remember all those interesting plagues, but one of my favorite plagues is that plague where God brought forth frogs. I love that. You know, as a kid, I used to like to, you know, we'd catch frogs and we'd have them, you know, they always got, I don't know how my mom even dealt with it. We had frogs and snakes running through our house. We'd lose them all the time. And we'd have all, but you know what? There comes a point where there's too many frogs. We remember the story there in the book of Exodus there as those frogs come as God plagues the land with frogs, not hundreds of frogs, not thousands of frogs, millions of frogs everywhere. You know, they go to bed and they pull their sheets back. If they had sheets back, I don't know how they did it back then. There were some frogs in their bed. Could you imagine that? They would put their shoes on. Whoops. There's a frog in my, there's a frog in my shoes. Smash frog. I imagine special at the restaurants was frog legs. I don't know. I'm sorry, my imagination goes somewhere, I don't know. But anyways, could you imagine? There are frogs literally everywhere. The Bible says they go to cook food and they were in their ovens and everywhere they looked there was frogs. And finally Pharaoh comes to Moses and says, man, you've got to do something about these frogs. I've had enough. And Moses agrees to it. He said, all right, we'll get rid of the frogs. One of my favorite passages in scripture over in Exodus chapter eight, the Bible says that Moses said unto Pharaoh, glory over me when shall I entreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people to destroy these frogs from thee and from thy houses that they may remain in the rivers only. So Moses says, you know what, Pharaoh, we're gonna do that. We're gonna get rid of the frogs. and I'll entreat you, I'll go to God, we'll get rid of them out of your houses, we'll get them out of your vehicles, get them out of your chariots, get them out of everywhere, your shoes, your ovens, everywhere. We'll do that. We'll be glad to do that. When shall I entreat for you? And I love what Pharaoh says. He says this, he said, tomorrow. What an interesting answer. He says, tomorrow. Moses says, hey Pharaoh, I'll get rid of those frogs for you. And Pharaoh says, okay. And then Pharaoh says, just give me one more night with those frogs. What an incredible story. What an interesting story. Tomorrow. And oftentimes God speaks to the individual who has not found Him as their Savior and says, hey, you need to get saved, you need to get things right with God, you need to do these things, and we use that idea of procrastination. Tomorrow. There's a story that goes something like this, that Satan one time grasped his scepter, of wickedness in his hand and summoned his subjects about him and said in a loud voice, he said this, who will go to earth and persuade men to accomplish their ruin of souls? One of the attentive spirits said, I'll go. And he said, how are you going to persuade people? He said, I'll persuade them that there's no heaven. Satan said, no, that's not going to do. You'll never be able to force that thought on all mankind that there's no heaven. I need another thought, another idea, and another... One of his evil spirits walked up and said, I have an idea. And Satan said, well, tell me what that idea is. He said, I'll persuade men that there's no hell. He thought for a second, he said, no, it's not going to work. You may be able to get a few, but... You're never going to use that. That's never going to be good enough. And he said, I need something better than that idea. And then a dark spirit walked up and said, Satan, I have an idea. He said, what's your idea? He said this, we'll persuade them that there's no hurry. We'll persuade them that they can wait till tomorrow. And Satan said, that'll work. Do it. Can I tell you something? Oftentimes God speaks to our heart and we use this idea of procrastination. Not only that, but we use pride. The Bible says, hardeneth his neck. Proverbs chapter 16, the Bible said, pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit befall before a fall. You may be here today and you're not saved and the devil is whispering in your ear, hey, don't do it, don't make a fool of yourself. What will people think? What will people say? Oftentimes, God uses the idea of pride. Sometimes, He uses the idea of pleasure. 2 Timothy chapter 2, the Bible says, Traitors, heavy, high-minded, lover of pleasures more than lovers of God. I certainly believe that one of the greatest things that Satan has going for him in the United States of America is this, the idea of the pleasures of this world. We don't need anything. We have absolutely everything that we need. Life is good. We have lots of money in the bank. You say, well, if I give my heart to Jesus, I'll lose it all. You know, the interesting concept, and that is this. Do you know that sin has a pleasure to it? I remember as a teenager, people get up and say, sin's just no fun. It really is. I don't know, how do you call it a sin if it's not fun? Sin is fun! But it's interesting, when the Bible describes sin, it describes it correctly. It doesn't describe it as some terrible thing and that you're never going to enjoy it. It does say that sin does have a pleasure, but it always puts the tag on it. Sin has a pleasure for a season. Sin is pleasurable, but it only lasts for a little period of time. But do you know that the joy of the Lord lasts forever? The joy of the Lord lasts forever. It's a joy that never ends. Can I give you a verse? Psalm chapter 16, the Bible says, that will show me the paths of life. In thy presence are fullness of joy. In thy right hand are pleasures forevermore. There's a little saying, it goes something like this, if it will make you happy, healthy, and holy, God says go for it. God is a good God. God does take care of his children. But oftentimes God instructs us, God is trying to get a hold of us and we allow procrastination, we allow the pleasures of this world, we allow pride to stop us from accepting the Lord Jesus Christ. We see here divine conviction, we see willful rebellion. Can I very quickly say this? We see sudden destruction. Look if you will, the Bible says, He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed. There's that deadline. There's that point of no return. So God is a God of love. We said that yes, He is a God of love, but God is also a God of wrath. He is a God of judgment. God uses certain things in our life to get a hold of us. And there's a time when we as individuals, we cross that point of no return. So what happens? We see, first of all, there's the destruction that comes to the mind. If you have your Bibles very quickly, look over at 2 Thessalonians 2. If you don't, you can just listen, but 2 Thessalonians 2. Interesting words. We see the destruction of the mind, delusion. 2 Thessalonians 2. And look at verse 11. We see the destruction of the mind in verse 11, and for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they shall believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasures in unrighteousness. That word delusion is an interesting word. It has the idea of being deceived. God will send a strong delusion, deception. God will have them to believe a lie. Why is that? Well, he gives the answer there in that passage because they did not believe the truth. They had their pleasure in unrighteousness. Now, that's an interesting verse there in 2 Thessalonians there. It's the opposite of truth in 2 Thessalonians is not error, it's sin. You see, an individual is faced with the truth. There it is. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ or continue in my sin. They have a choice to make. And when we turn toward Christ, we turn from our sin. But when he's faced with the truth and he rejects the truth, he embraces his sin. The opposite of truth there is unrighteousness. When a man turns from truth, he that the Bible says being often reproved, he hardeneth his neck, he turns toward his sin. And that baggage that he does when he turns toward sin is a strong delusion. When a man says, you know what, I'd rather have my sin than I would to have the Lord Jesus Christ, than I would to have the truth, God says, alright, fine. Here's a strong delusion. We see a destruction that will come to the mind. Not only that, but we have a destruction that comes to the spirit. The Bible says he will send a strong delusion, but we also see a desertion. Over in John chapter 6 verse 44, it's an interesting verse. The Bible says this, Do you know that I could preach, I almost said for two hours and I'm not, I don't want anybody getting, leaving right now. I'm almost done. You know I could preach until my face is blue. I could be in your face and saying, you need to get saved, you, and I could just sit there and just, and for hours and hours and hours just sit there. I could go and I could pass out tracts over and over and over again. I can give those words. But you know what brings a person under conviction? It's not my preaching. It's not me passing out tracts. What brings a person under the conviction is the Holy Spirit of God. And the Bible says in John chapter 6 and verse 44, An individual may come to a place where they insult the Holy Spirit. An individual may come to a place where they say no to God time after time after time, and there will come a point, I believe, that the Holy Spirit will no longer cease to work in your heart. Genesis chapter 6, verse 3, the Bible says, the Lord said, My Spirit will not always strive with man. Don't think that because God is convicting you today that He'll convict you tomorrow. You're here today and say, you know what, I got plenty of time. Tomorrow's fine. I mean, I got everything in this world that I need. I got my pleasures. I got my pride. I got life at the reins. God, I can wait till another day. God, I can wait till another time. Get this now, God will not always strive with man. There'll be a destruction that comes to the mind. There will be a destruction that comes to the spirit. Can I say this? There's a destruction that comes to the body. Proverbs chapter 29 verse 1, He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27, the Bible says this, It is appointed unto man once to die. I'm not trying to be morbid here, but you know every one of us here have an appointment with death. If the Lord should tarry, I don't know about you, I'm looking for the upper taker, not the undertaker, but every one of us here, if the Lord should tarry, we have an appointment with death. Say, I don't like to talk about it. You don't have to talk about it, it's still going to happen. I don't like to think about it. You don't have to think about it, but it's still going to happen. He said, I got plenty of time. I can live my life. How do you know that? It takes just one wrong turn in a car. I remember years ago, I was a teenager. And I was sitting there, we were talking with my dad, and he said, that's a good idea, let's go down to the basement and let's grab that, I don't remember what it was now, some type of, I don't remember. And I remember he, hey, it's 40s, probably, early 40s, opened the basement door, we went to walk down, he missed the step, fell down the stairs. And he hit his head pretty good. But luckily there was something there that caught half the fall. And I remember we went to the hospital here. And by the way, I didn't have my driver's license yet, but I got to drive my dad. No, okay. I shouldn't have shared that. I enjoyed it. I said, fall down the stairs. No, I didn't say that. But anyways. And there we were, and he's got blood coming out of his head. And the doctor said, you're lucky. He said, yeah, I guess I'm lucky. He wasn't lucky. God was involved with that. But can I tell you something, all it takes is one wrong turn in a car. All it takes is one wrong step. So I got plenty of time, I'm young. Don't get the idea that eternity is way out yonder somewhere. It's only a heartbeat away. And think about that there are people out there that literally, the only thing between some people and hell. is a heartbeat. That's it. 1 Samuel chapter 20, David says this. He says, there is but a step between me and death. I remember younger thinking, man, I got my health. I got this. I got that. It's going to be good. Everything's going to be great. I don't know about you, but the older I get, the more I realize life is fragile. Someone asked today, how old are you? I'm 24 years old. No. 50 is around the corner. And you say, well, that's not... I don't know about you, but it went quick. It went quick. There's some people out there that say, well, it's weight. It goes quicker. But can I tell you something? We're just a step between us and death. So I got my whole life ahead of me. You don't know that. There is the destruction of the mind, there is the destruction of the spirit, there is the destruction of the body. Kind of with this, not only do you see a divine conviction, a willful rebellion, and sudden destruction, but we see an established destiny. The Bible says, "...he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed." Those last words. And that without remedy. Don't think that when you stand before God, that God's going to say, you know what? I'm going to give you a second chance. Don't think that when you stand before God, He's going to say, okay, you want to make things right now? There is no second chance to make things right after you die. As has been said before, the Bible says it's appointed unto man once to die. Those are some very, very powerful words. But the verse doesn't end there. And it says, and after this, the judgment. Over in Luke chapter 16, the Bible tells about a rich man that died in hell. The Bible says he lifted up his eyes in torment. We remember the story that there he was, that rich man, and he was in hell, the Bible says, and he lifted up his eyes, he's in torment, and he wants just a drop of water, that he may cool his tongue. The Bible says he was tormented in those flames. And God said unto him these words, he said this, Son, remember, that in thou and thy lifetime receive us good things, and likewise Lazarus received evil things. But now he's comforted, and thou art tormented. And then he said these words, and besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they that would pass from hence to you, he uses this word right here, cannot. Cannot. Do not get this idea, well, I'll get a chance to make things right. No, after death, your destiny is established. God may be speaking to you here today, but may I encourage you with this, if you continue to harden your neck, If you continue to say no to God, there will come a point where there will be destruction. And there will be no second chance. There will be no more do-over. The Bible says, without remedy. Can I say this? Without hope. You hear today, you say, well, I've been going to church my whole life. I'm not talking about church going. Say, you know what, my great grandmother, she went to church and she read her Bible every day. I'm not talking about your grandmother. Say, well, you know what, I do the best I can. I'm not talking about your best. But I hope that you're here, if you're here today, that you can say beyond a shadow of doubt, I know I'm on my way to heaven because there was a time in my life that I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. If you're here today and you say, I've never done that, can I tell you something? Don't keep up that thought, ah, tomorrow. What will people say? What will people think? Can I encourage you with this? Get it taken care of today. God will not always strive with you. God at some point will say, okay. You want the pleasures of this world? You want your sin? It's all yours. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. There is a point of no return. You say, have I reached that point? If you're here today, can I tell you something? You can be saved. You're here today, you say, well, hey, hey, can I tell you something? Who cares what people might say? But I guarantee you, we'll rejoice with you. We'll shout for joy. There's nothing more important. There's nothing more exciting than an individual that knows they're on their way to heaven. But don't wait. Tomorrow will be too late. Let's bow for a word of prayer. Father, we're so thankful for this day you've given us. We're thankful for your blessings. So thankful for the Word of God. Lord, I believe most individuals here today, there's been a time in their life they've asked Jesus Christ to save them. But there may be somebody here today. They've been relying on their works. They've been relying on going to church. They've been relying on somebody else. Maybe they just never heard the gospel and you're speaking to their heart today. I pray that they would get it taken care of today. Lord, we certainly do not want to mess around with eternity. We do not know what today may hold. And Lord, I pray that you'd be speaking to their hearts. But Lord, I think it's also a convicting thought to us of the importance of being a servant, an individual that is letting people know about the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that you speak to our hearts. I pray there's someone here today that needs salvation. I pray they get it taken care of. Lord, I pray there may be one of us here today that are saved on our way to heaven. Lord, maybe you're speaking to our hearts today about being a better witness, a better soul winner, sharing the gospel like you've called us to do. Whatever the need may be, Lord, I pray you'd work in the invitation. We'll thank you for it in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's all stand with our heads bowed and our eyes closed.