Time: Wed Jul 30 08:49:51 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id IAA25459; Wed, 30 Jul 1997 08:43:22 -0700 (MST) by usr01.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id IAA21389; Wed, 30 Jul 1997 08:35:05 -0700 (MST) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 08:34:20 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: Reverend David Wilkerson's Sermon <snip> > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Times Square Church Pulpit Series > Reverend David Wilkerson > __________ > > The Forgotten, Lost Multitudes! > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > Reverend David Wilkerson > June 30, 1997 > __________ > > IN our time, we've seen rock stars and music groups > come and go. You may remember the eras of psychedelic > rock, punk rock, and more recently grunge rock. Now > there is something called anti-Christ rock. Perhaps > you've heard of the new band heralding this movement. > They're called Marilyn Manson. They took their name > from Marilyn Monroe and the mass-murderer Charles > Manson. And they're packing arenas and auditoriums > around the country! > > Marilyn Manson is blatantly anti-Christ. Their latest > record is titled "Anti-Christ Superstar," and the > lyrics are blasphemous attacks on our Lord. As part of > their stage act, they rip apart Bibles. > > I realize that such groups fade like the grass. Even > the Beatles -- the group who once said they were more > popular than Jesus -- came and went. And I know Marilyn > Manson will fade away as well. A few years from now, > people who hear their name will ask, "Marilyn who?" > > Yet something is happening among young people in > America right now -- and I feel an urgency to address > it. A few weeks ago, as Marilyn Manson was performing > in Washington D.C., one of their road crew fell from a > wall and was killed. Yet, the group simply played on. > They continued the concert in spite of the sudden death > of their crew member. > > I bring this to your attention for a reason. I believe > the anti-Christ lyrics of this group's music have > become the language of our youth. Recently, I listened > in horror as a group of teenagers and preteens > discussed religion. Within minutes they had raised > their voices and were shouting four-letter curses: > "---- God, ---- Jesus!" > > As I looked into their faces, I saw an angry rebellion > I'd never witnessed before. Blazing in their eyes was a > hatred for religion. An anti-Christ attitude had > completely overtaken them! > > Today young people no longer curse politicians, parents > or society. They don't turn their anger against racism, > poverty or discrimination. Nor is it enough for them > simply to be antiestablishment. Now they have turned > their fury against God and Christ! > > A few weeks ago, I saw a newspaper photo of a group of > Christian teens demonstrating outside an arena where > Marilyn Manson was playing. This brave little band of > believers was carrying signs protesting the group's > blasphemous attacks against their Lord. I thank God > such young people had chosen to stand up for Jesus. > > Then, as I looked at the photo, I thought about the > thousands of lost teenagers who passed by that little > band -- mocking and hissing at them as they filed into > the arena, turning on to the anti-Christ lyrics, > glorifying Satan, and emerging with an anger against > God. These teenagers are no longer satisfied with > smoking pot, snorting crack, shooting heroin or > indulging in sex. Now their ultimate rebellion is to > curse Christ and his church! > > Just a few blocks from our church building, I read some > graffiti that I believe signifies this generation of > young people. The messages read, "Don't slap me > anymore, Daddy. Don't hit me. Don't kill me." Another > scribbled phrase read, "My daddy hitted me and my > sister Maria. He didn't know it hurted us, but he felt > good." Many of our youth in America have been beaten, > slapped, scarred all their lives. And now they have > become a lost generation! > > I believe bloody riots are coming soon to all major > American cities -- and they will be ignited by > teenagers. This godless generation is already shaking > an angry fist at God, giving themselves over to an > anti-Christ spirit that has been unleashed from hell. > Soon they will rage at welfare cutbacks. They'll > determine to take everything by force, knocking out > store windows and burning everything in sight. > > These young people have been robbed of all moral > concepts. They've been told there is no God -- that > nothing even hinting of religion belongs in our public > life, our schools, our courts, our government. And in > place of religion, they've been handed condoms and the > phone numbers of abortion clinics. > > Now we're facing payday. We're reaping the evil our > society has sown. We've raised up a generation that > hasn't just written off the church, but that hates it > with a seething rage! > > I Was Struck by Something Else Recently, as I Walked Up > Broadway During Rush Hour > > As I looked into the faces of the passing crowds -- > people of all nationalities and walks of life -- a > thought struck my soul like a thunderclap: "They are > all lost! Almost every person passing by is going to > hell. This society is damned!" > > I realize this might come across as harsh or > presumptuous. You might think, "Surely some of those > passersby know the Lord. They've had to hear the gospel > somewhere, somehow." > > Certainly many in that massive crowd had seen or > experienced religion of some kind. After all, no one > these days can flip TV channels without seeing > Christian television. Yet much of what airs on > Christian TV is an abomination: multimillionaire > preachers begging for more money; soft preaching that > has no anointing or convicting power. Only a few on TV > now present a true gospel. And, as a result, few people > today have heard a pure gospel -- a convicting, > sin-delivering message! > > You might respond, "But surely some of those passersby > were churchgoers." That is true. I'm sure many had gone > to church, at least on Christmas or Easter. But the > majority of churches today are dead, lifeless, lacking > the power to chase away a single demon. There is no > real gospel in their services -- no biblical truth to > set people free from sin. > > With every block I walked, I was hit again and again > with the thought: "They're lost. They're going to spend > eternity without Jesus!" Finally, I tried comforting > myself with the thought, "But our church has seen > thousands of people converted. Times Square Church is > one of the largest congregations in New York City -- > and we do a major work of evangelism. We're reaching > some of these lost, hurting people." > > But still, something nagged at my soul. I had to > acknowledge before the Lord: "Oh, father -- I don't > have the burden I once had! I don't weep the way I did > when I first came to New York City thirty-five years > ago. I'm grateful for all you've done within the four > walls of our church. But in my heart, I know I don't > have the same fire!" > > In 1958, Gwen and I were living in tiny Philipsburg, > Pennsylvania, a town with a population of about 1,500 > people. In those days, I would walk into the woods near > our home and weep for hours over the souls in New York > City. I owned a little green Chevrolet, and each week > as I drove it to the city to minister, I wept for the > entire three-hour drive. Sometimes I had to pull off to > the side of the road, because my heart was so broken > for the lost. I'd stop the engine, walk into the woods, > fall on my face and weep. > > After Gwen and I moved our family to Staten Island, I > rode the ferry to Brooklyn every day to minister -- and > I wept all the way. The other passengers thought I was > crazy. Some even offered me comfort and solace. But I > knew had the heart of the Lord, and I wept and cried > all the more. > > Today I preach in one of the most beautiful theaters in > the world, the historic Mark Hellinger Theater. I > deliver messages to a hungry congregation, who come > from all over the tri-state area to hear sermons on > every possible subject in the word of God. I love the > work of this ministry, and I thank God for letting me > be a part of what he's doing in New York City. > > Yet, I wonder how many people in our congregation -- > and how many readers on our mailing list -- feel the > way I felt walking up Broadway. I had to stop and ask > myself: "How long has it been since you wept for the > lost? Do you still have the Lord's burden to reach them > with the gospel?" > > I ask you: Are you able to work alongside your > colleagues, greet your neighbors, talk to your unsaved > family members -- and never once be concerned for their > souls? Is your mind occupied with simply surviving -- > providing for your family, protecting your children? > Are you no longer burdened, witnessing, reaching out to > the lost and dying world? > > Jesus Told Us His Mission on Earth Was to Save the > Lost! > > "For the son of man is come to seek and to save that > which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Christ said, "I came into > this world for one reason -- to reach and save lost > souls!" Yet this was not only Jesus' mission. He made > it our mission as well: "And he said unto them, Go ye > into all the world, and preach the gospel to every > creature" (Mark 16:15). > > Jesus was speaking here to a small band of believers -- > about 120 people who had gathered in the upper room. > And what an impossible task he laid before them! Think > about it: At that time, Rome ruled the world. And he > was commanding his followers, "Go to Rome and tell > proud, egotistical Caesar there can be no king before > me. I rule over all creation! Go to Athens, where > paganism rules, and preach that I am the only way. Go > everywhere that philosophies, ancient religions, false > gods and superstitions rule -- and preach my cross and > resurrection. > > "Go to foreign nations, live with the people and study > their languages. Lay hands on the sick, cast out > devils, proclaim the good news. Go to the very seat of > Satan, and preach the power and victory of the risen > savior!" > > We have to realize -- Jesus was talking to ordinary, > insignificant, uneducated men and women. He was placing > the very future of his church on their shoulders. That > little band of believers had to be overwhelmed. Can you > imagine the conversation that must have taken place > once their master ascended to heaven? > > "Did I hear him right? How could poor, ordinary people > like us start a worldwide revolution? We're penniless > -- the off-scouring of society. How could anyone treat > us with anything but disdain? The Romans are beating > and killing us. And if they treat us that way here in > Jerusalem, how will they treat us when we get to Rome, > witnessing and preaching? > > "How can we possibly take the gospel to a world that so > hated Jesus they killed him? He was despised, rejected, > the song of drunkards. Yet we've been commanded to > preach him as Lord and king! > > "And how does our Lord expect us to go into all the > world with the gospel, when we don't even have enough > money to go to Jericho? How are we to learn languages, > when we haven't been educated or equipped to do that? > Does he really expect us to go to the heathen in the > northern nations -- wild mobs from Europe whose armies > plunder and kill mercilessly? This is all impossible!" > > It was indeed an impossible mission. Yet our challenge > today is just as daunting! The Bible tells us each > succeeding generation grows worse and worse. And as I > think of ancient Rome, Athens and Nineveh, I realize > those societies didn't have all the exotic, sinful > lusts and temptations our generation faces. They didn't > have ungodly television, filthy movies, porno > magazines, computer sex. > > We face other impossible odds as well: Our government > has essentially tried to outlaw God. Our media is > liberal to the point of godlessness. Wall Street grows > increasingly greedy for more money. There is a tidal > wave of homosexuality. And now we're seeing the rise of > a generation that curses the Christ we preach! > > It Is Time to Acknowledge That America Is Lost and > Going to Hell! > > When the apostle Paul looked out at the idolatrous > multitudes in Athens, his spirit was moved. Likewise, > as I look out my apartment window every evening, gazing > upon the masses in Manhattan, I experience what Paul > felt. I see many beautiful buildings -- from the > midtown skyline to the Statue of Liberty -- yet they > all appear as tombstones! They're full of the walking > dead -- multitudes of people who are dying and going to > hell. I have to cry out daily, "Lord, we need you. We > can't do anything to reach these people without your > guidance and power!" > > Jesus knew everything his church would be facing today. > He knew about all the impossibilities, the overwhelming > opposition, the many obstacles. And he knew exactly > what would happen to our society -- that there would be > a moral landslide, that humanity would wax worse and > worse, and that an angry devil would spew out a river > of hell against Christ's church. > > I believe Jesus' words to his helpless disciples apply > to us today: "Behold, I send the promise of my Father > upon you: but tarry ye...until ye be endued with power > from on high" (Luke 24:49). Jesus was saying, in > essence, "If you try to evangelize in your own > strength, you'll fall on your face in a short time. You > can't do anything for me unless you're full of the Holy > Ghost! > > "I know the battles and obstacles you face. And I'm > going to give you a power greater than any in the > universe. You'll be able to stand up to kings, princes, > governments. You'll have authority over demons and > principalities. But this power must come to you from on > high! You can't plan it, you can't strategize it, you > can't do anything to make it happen. You are simply to > sit still and wait. I will send my Spirit to you. He > will come and fill you with my power!" > > Jesus never would have sent these disciples out unless > he knew that the power given to them would be more than > sufficient to meet every need and opposition. He knew > that these were the same men who had run in fear when > the soldiers came for him. They were the same ones who > had gone fishing instead of obeying him, because they > were afraid to take a stand. They were timid, fearful, > unskilled, untrained men. Yet Jesus knew that these men > -- when fully yielded to the Holy Ghost -- would work > miracles, put demons to flight, overcome every > opposition! > > Indeed, when the Spirit fell upon the disciples, they > became fearless. As they went forth to the temple to > witness, the Holy Ghost made their words cutting, > convicting -- like swords piercing to the heart. They > preached the gospel with power and authority -- because > they had Holy-Ghost fire within them! > > Suddenly the crowds were afraid of them. In just a > short time, some five thousand people were saved. Even > priests were converted. And further outpourings > happened in nearby villages, in distant cities and even > among Gentiles. > > The best part of this unbelievable scene is that the > church got all of its direction from the Holy Ghost. > Nothing happened until the disciples had shut > themselves in with the Lord and fasted and prayed. When > they did this, the Spirit came and began to direct > their every move. > > Yet, something else happened in this scene that is very > important. The disciples were to take the gospel to > every nation, every people -- yet Jewish tradition > forbade them even to touch the clothes of a Gentile. > How were they supposed to bring the good news to people > with whom they weren't even allowed to associate? It > seemed like an impossible command. Even the Jewish > converts held to these prejudices. > > Yet the widespread proclamation of the gospel began > only when the Holy Ghost took over. The Spirit visited > Peter during his daily prayer time on a rooftop: "The > voice spake unto (Peter) again the second time, What > God hath cleansed, that call not thou common [unclean]" > (Acts 10:15). He told Peter, "Don't dare call unclean > what I have sanctified and made clean. Now, go > downstairs, because there are some Gentiles knocking on > your door. I want you to go with them -- and preach to > them about Jesus!" > > The Holy Spirit had solved the prejudice problem > overnight. He opened up the Gentile world to the gospel > simply by speaking to his followers. It was all clearly > directed from heaven! > > Yet this stands in contrast to much teaching in the > church today. All my life I've heard pastors and > evangelists say, "The only thing needed for you to go > to the mission field is a need. And the need is there > -- in Africa, Asia, South America. So, get up and go! > Take the gospel to the nations, as Christ commands." > > But I believe unless you're full of the Holy Ghost, you > shouldn't dare go! If you don't have his direction, you > have nothing to offer. And whenever you act without the > Spirit's direction, the result is human folly. > > The powerful first-century believers received all their > marching orders from the Holy Ghost himself: "As they > ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost > said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work > whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted > and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent > them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, > departed..." (13:2-4). > > These believers prayed, "Lord, which city should we go > to? And when? How? Once we arrive, how should we reach > the people?" They never made a move until they first > got alone with God and fasted and prayed. And the Holy > Ghost answered them by giving clear direction! > > I ask you -- how much more do we need the Spirit's > direction today? Our bookstore shelves are lined with > an abundance of how- to books: how to prevail in > prayer, how to strategize for evangelism, how to do > spiritual warfare. But none of these books will do us > any good if we have not spent time on our knees! > > It Is Always Easy to Move Ahead in Our Own Wisdom, > With Our Own Plans. > > When I first moved to New York City, I had more plans > than anyone could imagine. I have spoken and written > often about some of these silly plans. > > On one occasion I obtained a huge Land Cruiser from > Oral Roberts, a vehicle built by General Motors for a > half-million dollars. Its side opened up like a clam, > with a ready-made stage for a choir. The bus looked > like it had landed from Mars! > > I thought that contraption would help our ministry > attract the lost. The first time we used it, we parked > it in front of a church in Brooklyn, where a revival > had taken place one hundred years before. We started > singing and preaching, and soon a big crowd gathered. I > thought, "This is it! We're going to see another great > ingathering of souls." > > But all the people did was look at the Land Cruiser. By > the time our service ended, only two people stood > listening to us. As we packed up to go, I thought, > "Lord, what happened? Why didn't this work?" I later > sold the vehicle to a man in Yonkers, who charged > people fifty cents to go through it as a tourist > attraction. > > Another time I decided, "What we need is a portable > street pulpit -- something with a telescopic flagpole, > a speaker in the middle and altar rails. We'll make > fifty of them, or maybe a hundred. Then we'll put them > on the street for our rallies." > > I was going to unveil my inventions at a rally at Glad > Tidings Tabernacle on 33rd Street in Manhattan. But the > problem was, the design for such a pulpit made it too > heavy to carry. And it was expensive: I could only > afford half of one. On the night of the unveiling, I > had only a fraction of my new evangelistic invention. I > was totally embarrassed! > > I also invented the collapsible flip-top box. It was an > evangelistic pack that looked like a cigarette pack (in > fact, a cigarette company took the idea and capitalized > on it). When the top flipped open, inside were five > gospel tracts I'd written. But that project turned out > to be another disaster. I ended up $25,000 in debt with > it. > > Finally, in desperation after all these debacles, I > spent time in prayer, seeking God with tears. I cried, > "Lord, you know I have a burden for this city. I've got > to do something. Yet everything I've tried fails. What > do you want me to do?" > > The Spirit answered, "Stop all your foolish plans, > David. You never talked to me about any of these > things. Now, spend time with me. If you want my burden, > you've got to get hold of me!" > > I did just that. And out of the experience came the > most simple yet successful evangelistic efforts our > ministry ever attempted. The Lord directed us simply to > go to the streets with a microphone and a flag and > preach Jesus. Once we started doing that, the crowds > came, and people began getting saved left and right. > > When the Holy Ghost is leading you, you don't have to > strive in your flesh to have his burden. No Christian > should ever feel burdened to find new ways and means to > reach lost souls. The Holy Spirit knows the heart and > burden of the Lord -- and he will give us his burden > and strategy if we'll simply seek him! > > On the other hand, I know of many churches that are > satisfied just to have prayer meetings. The people pray > faithfully for hours on end. Yet they never expect to > actually move out and win the lost. > > Beloved, prayer is not enough! You can belong to a > prayer group -- but if your prayers aren't about > receiving power to witness, you'll end up focusing on > your own problems. And you'll forget about the world > outside, which is headed for hell! > > The More Diligently We Seek the Lord -- the More We Ask > Him for the Holy Ghost -- the More We Will Be Given! > > "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and > worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of > the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:5). > Paul says that God measures out the Holy Ghost to us -- > and he does so not according to our works, but > according to our faith in him. > > Jesus is the only person who ever had the Holy Spirit > without measure. Yet there have been many men and women > -- in the Old and New Testaments, and throughout > history -- who were given a great measure of the > Spirit. Such believers have always known they don't > have to strive to weep holy tears over a lost, broken > world -- because the Holy Ghost does the weeping in > them! > > Our part is simply to pray: "Holy Ghost, you know > everyone in my circle of influence who is under > conviction -- because you're the one who convicts them! > You see every tear that falls in the quiet of the > night. And you know everyone who's desperate and crying > for help. I am your instrument. Fill me with your > burden, and lead me to those you have prepared." > > God wants to empower us for one reason -- and that is > to get us into the streets, filled with his word and > led by his Spirit. He wants us to be able to speak a > word direct from heaven -- a piercing, convicting > message that has the unmistakable fire of the Spirit! > > Yet, I ask you: Does something stir in your soul over > the lost? Are you burdened for those in your circle of > influence? Or do you focus endlessly on your own needs? > If you don't know Christ's heart and have his burden, > you can never expect to be used of him! > > This Message Is Not Meant to Condemn You -- But to > Awaken You! > > Each of us can ask in faith for more of the Holy Ghost. > We can ask him to burden us, weep in us, lead us, speak > to us and through us. He is waiting to lead us -- to > reveal to us the father's ways! > > Our circle of influence may not be China or Africa. For > many Christians, the work of eternity will center on > family, friends and coworkers. Yet the requirements are > just the same: To reach the lost, we have to ask the > Lord to move on them with conviction -- and to prepare > our hearts with a timely word. > > If all who read this message would allow the Holy Ghost > to make this word real to them -- to seek him for his > burden and guidance -- there is no telling what kind of > harvest the Spirit might reap. The truth is, the > greatest works for eternity are done not in mass > crusades, but with one saint reaching one lost soul. > Yet that happens only when every saint gets the burden > of the Lord! > > Offer yourself to the Holy Ghost right now. Call on > him; fast and pray. Ask him to lead you to those he has > convicted and prepared to hear his word. Then trust in > his guidance and power to do the miraculous. He will do > it! God wants to save many in your family and in your > circle of friends and acquaintances! > > ------------------------------------------ ======================================================================== Paul Andrew Mitchell : Counselor at Law, federal witness B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine tel: (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night email: [address in tool bar] : using Eudora Pro 3.0.3 on 586 CPU website: http://www.supremelaw.com : visit the Supreme Law Library now ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice. We shall not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. ======================================================================== [This text formatted on-screen in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]
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