Pastor Loran Livingston 🔥Before God Exposes You, Examine Yourself

people in the nursery >> and people who watch those doors and receive the offerings and teach classes. You can have a church when you have people like that. And so I just want to say thank you to all the faithful people that make it possible for us to have a church service around here.

And I know I've left somebody out, but you know, faithful people don't really do it to be recognized by us anyway. >> They do everything as unto the Lord. Now, you can say, "Amen." >> Amen.

>> We welcome everybody who's watching uh on on the camera there, whether it be Lake Park or Wilmington [music] or you're just uh checking in on the internet right now. We're happy to have you with us in this worship service. [music] I'm going to 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and we're going to I'm going to continue what I started two weeks ago.

Uh I I preached to you on that I called it a scary passage where Jesus said, "Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, but he that does the will of my father because many will say to me on that day, did we not preach in your name and perform miracles in your name and do many mighty things?" And then I will say, "Depart from me. I never knew you." Now, that's a that's a it disturbs me because I think that you can deduce from that that there is such a thing as a false conversion. There is a a real thing in thinking you are saved when you are not.

So, I continue with that today. And in spite of all the joy we've just experienced and all the melody that has just flung around this place, it's going to get serious here for a moment because we are jogging towards eternity. >> Sometimes I consider myself the ticket guy at the door.

[clears throat] I I want you to be sure you have your ticket cuz you're about to walk through a door. It's called eternity and there's no return. Once you walk through that door, it is eternal.

>> That's why it's so important right now that we not play around with our souls, >> that we not play church and play religion, >> that we not try to live in the world and in the church at the same time. It's imperative that we cut ties and belong to Jesus and act like it. >> Can I get an amen from somebody?

So, Father, I thank you today for the chance, the opportunity, I should say. Thank you. Thank you that I get to speak for you and represent you.

My prayer is that I will not embarrass you or misrepresent you, but that I will do what a shepherd is supposed to do, and that is feed the flock. And if someone needs to be brought back in line, may the Holy Spirit do it through the word. And for all of us that love you and long for your appearing, may joy unspeakable rise and bubble inside of us this morning.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen. >> Amen.

>> Read with me if you will just before you're seated. Examine and test and evaluate your own self. I tell you what, I want to stop.

Go ahead and be seated because I I I want to do something before I get there. That is actually a a reading from the Amplified Bible and I want them to keep it up there, but I want to read it first from the New King James. Ready?

Examine yourselves. Examine yourselves. I don't believe that there is a man or a woman in this room or watching me now who would if after going to the doctor and getting a physical and having blood work done and then have the doctor call you and say there are some questionable things the blood work doesn't look right you know this runs in your family so I'm advising you to examine yourself every day.

And if you notice any changes in your body, let me know immediately. There's not a person here that would say, "Fool on that. I'll check if I think about it.

I'll check in 30 days." Not one of you would do it. That's frightful enough to make you check all the time. and we come to the scriptures, we're not dealing with a dying mortal body, a temporary being.

We are dealing with our eternal souls. >> And we hear the Apostle Paul saying, "Examine yourself. Examine your spirit, your mouth, your mind, your heart.

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?

Unless indeed you are disqualified. But this is how the Amplified Bible says it. Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it.

Test and prove yourselves, not Christ. Don't be testing God. Test yourself.

Do you not yourselves realize and know thoroughly by an everinccreasing experience that Jesus Christ is in you unless you are counterfeits, disapproved on trial and rejected? Paul is saying maybe you had a false conversion. Maybe you struggle all the time with sin and lose because you never really were saved.

[clears throat] Is it possible that you were trying to live right without being made right? >> Are you trying to live for Christ, but you don't know Jesus? >> Test yourselves because there's certain proofs and there's evidence and there are fruits if a man is born again.

You talk differently from the world. You evaluate life differently. You love differently.

You don't love money anymore. You don't love fame and fortune as we say. That's a worn out phrasiology.

In fact, you are sick of this world. >> You see, we are so close to the end right now, brother. There's no time for big dreaming.

>> Well, there's plenty of time for large praying. >> Some of you that have big dreams and ambitions and you're going to be here by then and do this by that time, I I would gently pastorally advise you examine yourself. Test yourself.

Do you really long for Jesus to come back? Are you looking for the clouds to split? Are you too at home in this world?

And I have to tell you that this passage in Acts chapter 10, see, God puts everything in his word for a reason >> there. There's no room for speculation. And I've preached on this so many times, but if you go to Acts chapter 10, you'll read it beginning with verse one.

It it goes something like this. There was a certain man in Cesaria called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment. And I want you to listen.

There may be somebody here who's never even heard this or you've never heard me talk about it, but I want you to look at the words the Holy Spirit uses. This man was a devout man, one who feared God with all his household. I wonder if any of us can say that.

One who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always. Brother, what a description. And if anybody sounds like a believer, he does.

But he's not saved. >> He is not saved. May I repeat that?

He's a devout man. He's conscientious. He's moral.

He's religious. He fears God. He taught his entire house to fear God.

He was generous with his money. He helped everybody. And he prayed to God always, but he was not saved.

And he did not get saved until Peter came to his house and preached the whole way of salvation. >> Many people would have considered this man a prime candidate to be a leader in a church if not a pastor. >> But he was lost.

And I believe that many church pews are filled today with Corneliuses. They have all the trappings and appearances of being a child of God, but they have never had a new birth experience. They have never had the lifechanging encounter with Jesus where they are made a new creation in Christ Jesus.

They have never been eternally transformed and transferred out of darkness into light. He wasn't saved and he did all the things that saved people do. That's why Jesus and that parable which I preached on about the parable of the seed in the ground and the the one bit of seed was stolen away as it fell by the wayside.

The next seed fell on thorny ground and it it sprung up. And and if you see that person in church, you think, my what a miracle God has done in that person's life. Look how quickly they have grown, how much they have changed.

But the Bible said they had no root. And in time of testing and trouble, temptation, they fall away. >> You see, they weren't saved.

>> They had the appearance of salvation. They had a false conversion. It's possible you can have an assumed salvation like people who are brought up in a Christian home like my own children who were brought up in a Christian home.

I was brought up in a Christian home. Your children were brought up in a Christian home. You taught them about Jesus.

You taught them how to pray. You prayed with them. You taught them the scriptures.

You taught them not to lie. You brought them to church. You invested money, much money in youth camps and and Bible this and that.

YOU DID IT. YOU BROUGHT THEM UP. >> And sometimes children just kind of sail along with it.

Everybody assumes they're saved. But that kind of assumption is just as dangerous as a denial. >> Everybody must be born again.

My children, each one of them has to be born again. >> Your children have to be born again. Let me just put it more personally.

You must be born again. >> I don't care how long you've gone to church and I don't care what your involvement is. You have to have had that face off with Jesus.

Yeah, >> that thing that happens at the foot of the old rugged cross where all of your sins become blatant and violent and ugly and stinking and you realize that you don't even deserve to speak his name. And suddenly the weight of your your transgressions and the brevity OF YOUR LIFE SHOCK you and you look at Jesus and you say, "I AM A SINNER. I AM A HOPELESS SINNER.

THERE is nothing to LIVE FOR. WILL YOU SAVE ME?" AND JESUS Christ in a mighty, miraculous and eternal powerful way changes you, breaks you, forgives you. washes you, cleanses you >> and then when it happens, you are somebody else.

>> You are not the same person. >> There is a difference in your life. And that's why uh when I think of great crusades where people go down by the thousands and confess Christ or even come to this altar and think that because they went down they're saved.

No sir. >> You are deceiving yourself to think because you responded to a preacher and walked down and even repeated a prayer. I got news for somebody.

There is no such thing as a sinner's prayer. >> There is no such thing as you repeating after me. It has to come out of your heart.

>> You have to be broken. >> You have to be stunned by your transgressions, sickened by your life, and scared to death that you will leave this life without Jesus. It has to hit you so forcefully that it makes you lose your breath.

You won't just say, "I'm a sinner. You're a savior. FORGIVE ME." WALK BACK and keep living the way you were living and talking and thinking the way you were talking and thinking.

With any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. THE OLD IS GONE. YOU ARE NOT the same.

Did you hear me? DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU ARE NOT THE SAME.

YOU DON'T CUSS AND SWEAR AND LIE AND CHEAT and sleep around and and uh live in immorality AND AND ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. YOU DON'T LOOK AT FILTH ANYMORE. You don't even THOUGH YOU'RE IN LOVE, YOU DON'T SLEEP WITH SOMEBODY UNTIL you're married with that somebody.

>> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. And if you don't believe me, JUST READ THE BIBLE, brothers and sisters. DON'T DON'T GO BY HOW YOU FEEL.

WELL, I don't feel this is wrong. YOU DON'T FEEL IT BECAUSE YOU'RE LOST. AND as long as you're lost, YOU DON'T FEEL ANYTHING.

BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD BEGINS TO CONVICT YOU, YOU WILL THEN KNOW YOU ARE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD. AND ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN MAKE YOU right with God. [applause] I need to just stay there a moment.

I know people who went down in the service, in the meeting. There's no difference. I know people who got baptized and then went out and started living in fornication.

>> You're not saved because you got baptized. >> You're not saved because you went down >> in THE WATER OR THE ALTAR. AMEN.

>> You're not saved because you go to church. >> You're not saved BECAUSE YOU'RE A DEVOUT person or one that fears God with all your household because you're generous >> and pray all the time. I hear foulmouth entertainers AFTER THEY'VE SPEWED THE FOULEST of words say, "I give God all the credit.

God's been good to me. Brother, that's a false conversion. You when you really know God, you won't act like a sinner.

You ever read John 6 66? from that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. Huh?

Now, this is all in the same book that says, "He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." This is the same book that teaches, as I've already quoted, when you're in Christ, you're a new creation. Same book that says, "My sheep know my voice, and I will not lose one of them." It's the same book that says, "Examine yourselves. Test yourselves.

Make sure you haven't had a counterfeit experience." Well, these people, there it is. From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. He had just said that it's the spirit that quickens the flesh profits nothing.

No man can come to me unless the father draws him to me. Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no part with me. And suddenly they said, I done with that >> and they did not walk with him anymore.

Here's the problem. Many of them had a false conversion. They were not following Christ.

They were in a crowd that was following Christ. >> They were just in the group. So they were acting like the group.

It didn't say all of them left. Many of them left. And it bears repeating.

They were not following Christ. They happened to be in a crowd that was following Christ, walking along behind Christ. There a lot of people walking who aren't walking in the truth.

>> Want to read another scripture with me? How about Philippians chapter 3? Brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk.

Notice those words now. Look at people who say they are believers. We are the pattern.

He said, "You follow us apostles as we follow Christ." Keep going. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction. You You understand what's being said here, don't you?

They're walking right along with the crowd. They're devout people. They pray, they give, they do all the stuff, but they're the enemies of the cross of Christ.

They've not yet been reconciled to God. What's going to happen to these people, pastor? Their end is destruction.

They're headed for destruction. Whose god is their belly? That means they live to satisfy their body.

They live to fill their wallet. They live to be sensually satiated. They all they think about is the next fix, the next high, the next trip, the next fun, the next it's all about the flesh whose glory is in their shame.

They're not even ashamed of the things they do. They will tell you, "My conscience hasn't stricken me." Folks, I've had people in this church who are sleeping together out of wedlock tell me, "Well, my conscience doesn't bother me." That's because it's dead. >> And let me tell you how bad it's gotten in the church.

We've had women in this church get pregnant out of wedlock only to have church members congratulate them. At some point, this preacher can't take it anymore. Why would you congratulate somebody when they're expecting a baby out of wedlock?

Well, pastor, aren't you supposed to be kind AND COMPASSIONATE? YES. YES.

This is the MOST COMPASSIONATE AND THE KINDEST CHURCH I KNOW OF ANYWHERE. That's not what upsets me. It's when PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPIRITUAL SENSE >> TO KNOW SIN was committed.

>> THAT WAS SIN. >> THAT'S NOTHING TO BE lauded and lifted up. >> They ought to be in YOUR PRAYERS.

THERE'S TROUBLE IN THE CAMP, BROTHER. WHEN THE CHURCH CANNOT DISCERN, >> WHEN WE ARE MORE COMPASSIONATE THAN WE ARE BIBLICAL, Is there anybody uneasy here this morning? I'm not mad.

I'm pastoring my church >> and I'm the one that's going to stand before my great shepherd one day and give an account for everything I say in this book. >> We have people commit sin in the choir. We have to ask them to leave.

Is that being hard-hearted? No, it's being biblical. >> Because you're NOT SUPPOSED TO STAND up and act like you're living right when you're not.

And you can't BE REPRESENTING CHRIST WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN SIN. >> AT SOME POINT, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO MAKE A DECISION. YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE.

IF YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND DO IT AND THEY DON'T CARE, THAT'S all right. BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT HERE BECAUSE I CAN'T LET SIN IN THE CAMP. I CAN'T LET THE DEVIL GET IN AMONGST THE PEWS.

>> [applause] >> FOLKS, HAVING BABIES OUT OF WEDLOCK IS SIN. SLEEPING OUT OF OUT OF THE BONDS OF MARRIAGE, SLEEPING TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF THE BONDS OF MARRIAGE, SIN. LYING, STEALING, CHEATING, SIN.

LOVING MONEY IS SIN. NEVER BEING ABLE TO BE SATISFIED NO MATTER WHAT YOU GOT IS SIN. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE BUSINESS WORLD SAYS.

ALWAYS REACHING FOR MORE. ALWAYS NEEDING, WANTING MORE. SIN.

[clears throat] AT SOME POINT, THE CHILD OF GOD HAS TO SAY, "ALL I WANT IS JESUS. I'M NOT USING JESUS TO MAKE MY BUSINESS CHRISTIAN FOOY ON THE BUSINESS. JUST GIVE ME JESUS.

I'M DOING THIS TO PAY THE BILLS AND FEED THE CHILDREN, BUT GIVE ME JESUS. the enemies of the cross of Christ. Put the scripture back up if you don't mind, Stephen.

Whose glory is in their shame who set their mind on earthly things. That's all they think about. >> Earthly things.

earthly things. I'm going to be repetitive. More money, a bigger house, expand the business, get more, have more, do more.

What's wrong with that, pastor? You tell me. You test yourself and then tell me.

You examine yourself and tell me. What fruit is in your life that screams to the world, I don't belong here. I belong somewhere else.

>> This is not my home. What evidence is in you when you talk, when you do business, when you walk, what what evidence says, "I'm just a temporary vagabond walking on this planet. I'm disgusted by all of this.

I can't take it. Unlike righteous Lot, whose soul was vexed every morning when he got up in Sodom, HIS RIGHTEOUS SOUL WAS VEXED AT THE iniquity and the sin all around him. I wonder if we can say that.

I wonder if the church can say we are vexed. We are sickened by this. We see the world encroaching upon THE CHURCH.

I EXPECT the world to do all the things they're doing, but when it starts sneaking into the church and then the church lets it in and won't identify it. WHEN WE'RE NOT VEXED AT THE BACKSLIDING AND THE THE BLATANT SIN GOING ON IN THE CHURCH, SOMETHING'S WRONG. WE NEED A REVIVAL DESPERATELY, AND WE NEED IT NOW.

[applause] So I asked the question, that's it. As I examine myself, and I do it all the time, boy, I'm I'm merciless with me to the point sometimes I I beat myself up. You know, I said to a group this morning, you think about Paul, all that he did for God and all that he suffered for God.

Actually said one time, "Is this is this all in vain? Is Is it in vain?" He even had questions about what he was doing. He called himself the chief of sinners.

He examined himself so intently. He saw all that was still unlike Christ in him. And he said, "Oh, wretched man that I am." That's the kind of introspection, examination, testing that this man said for us to do to ourselves to make sure that we're not counterfeit.

>> Amen. >> That we haven't had a counterfeit conversion. See, I'm preaching to myself, too.

You never take this for granted. You never ease up. Paul said, "I buffet myself.

I whip myself into line all the time, lest that after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected." >> Does that stir anybody? >> Yes. >> Did you expect that on the week of the fourth?

Is that what the problem is here? >> We may not make it till the fourth, ladies and gentlemen. Amen.

>> I firmly believe the rapture is an imminent event. >> I'm looking for Jesus to come at any moment. >> I don't care what anybody says.

I don't care what they teach. My mind is made up. I read it in the book.

He could come at any moment. The trumpet could sound. The sky could split.

And we'll be caught out of this world in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. >> Amen. >> Can you hear what your preacher's telling you this morning?

Hallelujah. >> Let's do this. Father, I ask you this morning to help us.

Help me make the right measurements in my life. Don't let me become soft and tolerant of those things in my life that constantly plague me spiritually and drag me down. >> Jesus, hear your preacher.

>> I want to go to heaven. >> Amen. >> I want to hear the trumpet sound.

Lord, I want to be ready >> right now. I want to be ready. I don't want to fix up something after a while.

I want it to be right right now. >> Yes, Lord. >> And I pray now that your holy, sweet, holy spirit >> will do that gentle work and help us test ourselves.

Help us examine ourselves. >> I'm going to say something, church. I don't really know where it's coming from except the Lord.

I just don't know how to say it. There are some people here today who have a nagging sin and it has easily beset you. It's just a nagging sin.

You can say, "If if it weren't for that, man, I would I could do something for God." But it's that one thing. That one thing. And after a while, you get so tired of dealing with it till you say, "All right." It's like an aggravating little child who squalls and whines until you can't take it anymore.

And you say, "Here." I see that all the time with parents these days. I want ice cream. You're not going to get it.

Don't ask me again. I want ice cream. You're not going to get it.

I'll spank you. Time out. [music] 1 2 3 4 5 6.

Sit down. I want ice cream rather than deal with it. You know, don't you [music] >> here?

It only makes it worse. >> They're going to do the same thing the next time. They get stronger, you get weaker.

>> You just lost the battle. >> Amen. >> And the same thing happens in our flesh.

Yes. >> I wonder today on this day, this first Sunday of July 9th, 2018, if somebody would like to stand [music] up with grit and purpose and say with me, I'm going to have victory in my soul over this. I'm going to examine myself.

I call it what it is. I test it. It's been found wanting.

It is keeping me from serving God. It's holding me down. It's become a shackle in my soul.

And with God's grace and help, I'm going to win this battle. Is there anybody stand up? Anybody?

All right. Come down here with me, please. Even if you have to come from the back.

Hallelujah. Thank you. [snorts] Dear, I laid in bed last night a long time.

Listen, do you understand Jesus is coming? >> Yes, sir. >> Do you understand that you can't go to heaven as a sinner?

>> Yes, Lord. Yes, sir. >> Unrighteousness cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Do y'all understand that unrighteousness cannot inherit the kingdom of God? Then how should we be living, pastor? The Bible says it.

We should be living soberly. That means wide awake, knowing the times. We should be living righteously.

That means living in the book, living on our knees, saying no to the devil, saying no to the flesh, soberly, righteous, and godly. Whether they understand you or not is irrelevant. You belong to him.

>> GODLY. GODLY. GODLY.

JUST ASK YOURSELF, am I living a godly life right now? Godly. godly.

Now, about 12 minutes ago, I told you that coming down here doesn't mean a thing >> until it happens in your heart. >> Amen. >> People are always coming up to me after church or sometime, you know, in social gatherings saying, "Well, you know, you upset some people last week." Yes.

>> Amen. [music] >> Yeah. Well, so so what?

>> So if I didn't, I wouldn't BE A MAN OF GOD. >> AMEN. [applause] >> Only the righteous are going to heaven.

Only the righteous. Only those that look for his appearing. Only those that long to know him better.

Only those that [music] refuse to become a part of this world system. Only those. You don't need to bow your head cuz this is not something that can happen right here.

This is an acknowledgment. It has to happen when you go out. >> Now, if you're living with somebody, you need to move out till you get married.

If you're involved in a shady deal, you better shut it down. >> If you're a salesman and you have to lie to make your quota, you better get another job. >> Whatever it takes to be walking in righteousness and holiness, you do it.

Pastor, I got this great job and you know they make me do this so I meet the quota and I can't sell unless I better quit. [snorts] If you can't stay off pornography on the computer, you better jerk it out of the wall, stomp it, and live like a caveman. Just ask somebody what TIME IT IS.

TELL SOMEBODY TO GOOGLE IT FOR YOU, BUT DON'T PUT THAT THING in front of you again. DON'T BE GOING BY THE LIQUOR store because you're feeling a little down. You just want to get a little No, don't do it.

Run from it. My Bible says, "Flee the appearance of evil." Flee. Run.

Turn yourself around and run for your life. >> EXAMINE YOURSELF. TEST YOURSELF.

>> So that you will not be a counterfeit Christian. >> Okay, I'm done. I'm done.

>> Thank you, God. >> So, what are we going to do about it right now? >> Father in heaven, I lay this at your feet.

>> I lay this message at your feet. [music] >> I pray that these people will fall at your feet. I ask you, oh God, to scare us again into the knowledge that you're coming soon.

We don't have much time. Eternity is forever. We don't get a second chance.

There is no coming back. It's now or forever. >> So I [music] pray it, Jesus, with all that is within me.

Oh, I wish you'd take this off of me, Lord. Sometimes I wish you just take this pastor's burden off of my shoulders. WHAT DOES IT MATTER, LORD, to me what they do, >> but it does.

So I'm asking you, Jesus, when we go out of this place, let us start making changes right now. May we start renovating our lives. May we start bearing fruit.

May we sh start showing evidence that we truly are children of God. >> And the whole church said, "Amen." >> We'll sing. What are you playing, David?

>> Grace. [singing] Grace. >> And that's what it will take.

God's [singing] grace, grace [singing] that will [music] pardon and cleanse [singing] away. Grace, [music] grace, [singing] God's grace, [singing] grace. [music] There is greater [singing] than all.

[music] >> One more time. >> Grace. Grace.

[singing] God. Praise [singing] that [music] will pardon and place [singing] away. [music] Praise.

Grace. [singing] God [music] praise. Gra [singing] that is greater than all.

[music and singing] Now, if you happen to look up in the choir and certain people are not here anymore, it's not because they sinned. We got a couple that are moving away and we are we're so sad about that. And we've had others who have been moved or transferred.

That's not You understand what I meant today, don't you? >> Okay. I didn't mean to insult anybody.

You think they understand that, Dennis? >> You good with it? Y'all good with it?

>> All right. I may never see you again on this earth. But as we walk out of here today, know this that if it's your time or mine or ours, we've got a place waiting on us.

We've got a place waiting on us. HEY, AND WE GOT SOMEBODY WAITING ON US. HALLELUJAH TO JESUS.

[applause] Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen. Bless you.