← ArchiveSunday, August 17, 2014DateAugust 17, 2014Speaker—TextEzekiel 22Passages in this sermonEzekiel 220:201 Corinthians 123:37Ephesians 43:37Romans 123:411 Corinthians 1317:35Luke 424:53Jeremiah 1131:23John 3:1639:42TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Well, good morning. Amen. It's good to see you this morning. I hope you got your Bible. If you do, go ahead and take your Bible and turn to the book of Ezekiel chapter 22 and verse number 30. Ezekiel 22 and verse 30. It's good to be back over here in Alabama. I was here a few weeks ago and it's good to be in. I'm not going to say it's God's country0:29because Georgia is God's country, but it's close to it, right? Depends on where you're from, right? I guess the best place to be is be from home. Many of you know that my wife and I are expecting our ninth child and she has still not delivered the baby yet, so we're in need of prayer. And we know God's going to do that in his own perfect time. But thank you for praying for us. And this past weekend was a great weekend. I'd really like to try0:55to put it in the context of where we are, no matter where I am, and be able to try to speak into men's lives. So I know that you're in the middle of a transition, and that's always a good thing, only if you respond to God. Amen. So as a transition moves in, God uses transitions to help us get ready. Think about the transition from Moses to Joshua. It was a good thing because Joshua continued on living with the Lord and walking in his ways and leading people to the1:23promised land and being able to be effective in that way. They had struggles along the way. The Bible also says at the end of Joshua's life, after they buried him, that there were many who did not know God. And that's the kind of world we live in today. There are many who claim to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but their lives look something different. And I just want to challenge you, if you're involved in the search committee process, so if you're part of this church, you are involved in that, I really strongly recommend and implore you1:52and challenge you to pray like you've never prayed before. You know why? It's different than when it was 20 years ago when Pastor Chris came here, right? It's a different day, okay? So it's not like it used to be. And sometimes we, you know, the song just says, don't go back. Don't go back. You can't go back. You can't really make it how it was 20 years ago. So you got to really understand where you are today to be more, most effective in the privilege and2:20responsibility to seek and to pray for the next pastor to be here. And if you have not followed much lately in regard to the Christian church and what's taking place in the church of America, there are many, many, many, many men who are not preaching the word today, okay? So I want to challenge you. If you have been under, I know, the great preaching last 20 years, I know that for sure, that you find somebody that can either keep it where it's been or take it to2:47another level. And that's only going to happen as we preach the word of God. There's so much happening in our culture that I want you to be aware of. And part of that has to do with how we minister to men. And there's such a great need for men primarily. And I want to speak to that subject in context of where you are as a church. You see, some of you might be looking for the next pastor, but I want you to be looking for that man in your church that can be faithful and responsible as the leader. Whether you have a pastor come in six3:17months or 18 months, doesn't matter. Or you have a pastor come during that time that you have men who were faithful in leading their families. Because guess what? One man can't do it all. Amen? One staff can't do it all. Deacon body can't do it all. You're called a body for a reason. And God's put us together as Ephesians chapter four teaches us. First Corinthians chapter 12 teaches us. Romans chapter 12 teaches us that God has put the body together for a purpose, a purpose, and that is to represent the Lord Jesus. And I know that you're in that3:46process of finding out what that looks like in this day and time, especially as you're in the middle of transition. So I want to speak on the subject from Ezekiel 22 and verse 30 and 31 in search of a man. In search of a man. If you take your copy of God's word, we'll stand together and honor and reverence to the reading of God's infallible word. Ezekiel 22 and verse 30.4:15If you're ready for the word, please say amen. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land that I should not destroy it, but I found no one. Therefore, I have poured out my indignation on them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath and I have recompensed their deeds on their own4:41heads, says the Lord. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for the simplicity of your word. And I pray, God, that even today as this church is in the process of seeking out the next pastor, I pray, God, that all of us would recognize the need for us to seek out men and disciple men.5:09This past weekend was a great weekend. It was a challenging weekend, a convicting weekend. It was a blessing to be a part of those that were able to come and really participate in what you had for us. And I just pray it doesn't stop. And Lord, as the church kind of gets in on a little bit of this morning, I pray in Jesus' name that everyone will understand that it's going to take everybody5:36to go and rescue men today. Lord, we all agree that our nation's in trouble. Perhaps churches across America, many of them are in trouble. Lord, I don't know the state of this church, but I do know that you know where this church is and what you require of it. But if it's like most churches in America, we're up and down, up and down, up and down, I just pray, God, that there'll6:04be such a move of your spirit in these days as they search for the next man among their men. God, I pray that you'll move powerfully as you send the leader here to take the church where you want it to go. So as we sit down in our seats and we hear preaching, help us to realize that preaching is not just a mere listening event. Preaching is an encounter with God and his word. So God, may we encounter you today6:28and may you be exalted as you're lifted up. For it's in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. You may be seated. In search of a man, just thinking about this subject or at least the title I'd like to put on this, there's a lot taking place that I want to kind of give you at least some type of backdrop as to what's taking place in this particular time of Israel, why the prophet Ezekiel was sent in that6:52day and time. And I just want to kind of pull out some stuff from the passage that we're looking at primarily in chapter 22. And if you wanted to give a different title to this message, you might get even entitled it a plea for prayer because of what's taking place and what had really taken place at the end of the chapter here in verse 31. But as you look at this, I want to give you just about four7:17things really to kind of outline the chapter somewhat to really understand the great need of a man that God was looking for. And so number one, notice the conspiracy of the prophets. Chapter 22, verse 25 and 28, the Bible mentions specifically this, the conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured the people. They have taken treasure and precious things and have made many widows in her midst. In verse number 28, the Bible says, her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar,7:46seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, thus says the Lord God when the Lord has not spoken. Now the reason why that's so important is because of where we are in the average Baptist church or average church in America because from what I'm understanding, what I'm reading, many times, and even if you turn on the TV, many times we don't turn to the pages of our Bible and go through a particular text and hear it preached and hear it8:12proclaimed, much less, listen to me, hear it lived or see it lived. And so most of what's taking place in most churches today, we're doing everything we can to appease and please people. Yet we're offending a holy God because we're not exalting him and lifting him up and we don't realize how far we've gone, so to speak. And some of that in churches are not what they used to be and I'm sure some could probably testify to that. The other thing that you can pull up from8:38this particular chapter is the compromise of the priest. The compromise of the priest, verse number 26, "Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things. They have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean. And they have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths so that I am profaned among them." So God was a9:03disdain. His representation of who he was before the people in that day and time was of no great respect whatsoever, of no great desire whatsoever. And the priests and the prophets were leading the people away just in what they were saying about this God and what they were not saying about this God. And it caused a great difficulty. The third thing I want you to notice in verse number 27 is the consumption of the princes. The consumption of the princes. "Her princes in her midst are like wolves,9:32tearing the prey to shed blood to destroy people and to get dishonest gain." And then lastly, as a result of all that, you have the prophets in conspiracy, the priests in compromise, and the prince is consuming all that they can. That's where most people are today. We're consuming all that we can get out of our church. We're demanding these things out of our church rather than looking to God who can only meet all of our needs. And so many times we don't realize this and9:57we're demanding this of the preschool department, this of the youth department, this of the deacons, this of this and this of this. And we have no idea that we're looking to somebody else rather than almighty God. And we're causing all this great difficulty. And I'm telling you, it's wearing not just men of God out. And men are really, as they come to to ministry today, many of them don't even end their career in ministry. By the way, did you know that there's 1500 pastors that leave the ministry every year, excuse me, every month? 1500 pastors leave the ministry every month with no10:26desire to come back. So that's where we are among the nation today. And it's hard to find a man who walks with God because there's few and far between. And by the way, when he preaches the word of God, you may not like what he has to say. Amen. And I want you to know this about Jesus. The Bible teaches us as we talk about Jesus, who's full of love, full of great compassion, but because he loved us so much, thank God, he told us the truth. Amen. When he tells us the truth and we reconcile with God,10:54it changes everything about who we are, puts all the power upon him, all the energy upon him as he works in our lives. And if we think we can live this Christian life, we're already messed up. Amen. We can't do this thing called Christianity. Only Jesus Christ can. So we need to really begin to pray as a group of people all across America, that God will begin to raise up a faithful, godly man, not just in your pulpit, but I want to say this to you in your home. And that hopefully we're raising11:21godly men and godly women that would be able to represent the king of kings and lord of lords in a day and time that I'm not so sure we as God's people are prepared for what may happen in our country. I asked the question this past week, I was looking at some of the texts that we were reading from the word of God and I asked the question, do you believe that our our country or our nation or even the church in America is under judgment? And everybody said yes. Okay, if we're under judgment,11:47let me ask a question. What are we doing about it? The altar ought to be full. Amen. If we believe we're under God's judgment, we ought to be on our face. And we shouldn't be trying to find a way, should we make it a church or not? We shouldn't. That should not be a debate. I'm not saying you'd be here every time the doors are open unless you're providentially hindered and you may have a greater need at home than than being here. I think this comes before the Lord and as he leads you,12:14you follow him. But there is something about the assembling of ourselves together as you see the day approaching that is required of us in scripture that we need to really pursue. We're raising a generation today that don't even care about the local church and we wonder why we're struggling. Verse 29, we see the collapse of the people. The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, mistreated the poor and needy, and they wrongfully oppressed the stranger.12:40As a result of all this and picking up some of what Charles Stanley has recently said in the recent years, he said this, there is a tide that has touched the shores of our land and reached the heart of our nation. It is a tide that is bringing with it ideas and philosophies, actions and attitudes that will ultimately destroy the way of life as you and I have. He no longer preaches standing up, he has to sit because of his age and his back issues. He also13:09said this, we know the truth, we know the principles of God in spite of all that we find ourselves as a nation violating the laws of God heading in a direction that is going to be disastrous for us, for our children and the generation that are to come unless there is a change. He's preached years after years after years in his 80s now making a clear call to God's people to wake13:33up because we may not be so certain about our future and our future may not look as we thought it once could. So what do we see in this text? I want to give you four things from the text that I think are important as we consider a search for a man. Now, I'm not just talking about a search for a man that will fill the pulpit and lead this church as a pastor and work with the staff, minister with the deacons and then work in the body of Christ. And remember, he's just one man who will lead the charge,14:03I pray, as you follow him. But the thing is, we're looking for men that can lead our homes, amen? We're looking for men that can lead our wives. We're looking for men that can lead our children. We're looking for men that can engage a culture that is hostile against the God that we claim and serve. And so I'm telling you, there is a need for a man everywhere today simply because of the collapse of our nation. And by the way, there will be those in error, those in opposition, those of the enemy's14:28game or scheme, so to speak, who will desire to fill every leadership role that I've just mentioned at home and the pulpit and deacon ministry and Sunday school or whatever. So you need to be aware and alert about what is happening even among you. And so as we look at this, I want you to notice, number one, the consistent pursuit. There is a consistent pursuit. There always has been, always will be of God looking for a man. As you look at this verse in verse number 30,14:57he says, "I sought for a man." And that was really clear here in this passage that God is looking for a man, that word salt means to demand and require. God is demanding and requiring a man in this day and time. He's calling on men. In other words, it's a command. And thank God that Noah responded to that call. Thank God that Joseph responded to that call. Thank God that when Joshua was commanded to take the people to the promised land across the river there, thank God he obeyed. And as15:24a result of that, the people got on the other side of that. And praise God, even in the midst of that, there was a man that caused the whole work to cease, the whole seizing of that promised land, the whole acquiring of the promised land, simply because, why, he took something from the spoils of the defeat there and it held everybody back. Did you realize that the word of God teaches us in Joshua that if a man sins, it can affect the entire nation and it can affect the entire family. That's15:50what happened in Achan. They couldn't go any further because, why, there was sin in the camp that defiled everybody and they had to remove it from that camp before they can go forward. And I want to tell you this, I wouldn't begin to cry out for a pastor if you got sin in your life. Remove the sin from your life. Remove the sin from the body. That's why transitional pastoring is so important. Don't skip that step. That step is key. Thank God for Moses and Joshua through that transition that God was preparing16:17a man through the transition, that when he got it, the people were ready to move on. But guess what happens? There was still sin that had to be dealt with along the way, and there will be, because we're sinful people. Man, I don't want to make a mistake and cause difficulty for the people of God. I certainly don't. I've read enough lately on the internet to make me nauseated about where men are. And it puts the fear of God in me. It scares me to death that I'm capable of making the same thing16:46and causing the same difficulty in my own family and bringing great reproach to the name of Jesus. John the Baptist was that man. Paul was that man. Thank God Jesus Christ was the son of man. And he's the great leader for all of us. So I want to tell you today, there is a consistent pursuit for God's man. Whether it's in this pulpit, whether it's in your home, whether it's before leading you as a wife, leading you as a child, leading this community, I believe God effectively and17:13powerfully uses men when they step up and step out. Sir, would you step up and step out today? The second thing I want you to notice, there's a certain place God is looking. He's looking among his people, and praise God he is. Amen? He's looking among people that should already be prepared and equipped. Take your Bible and turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 11. And I hope to get some amens from the women in this particular passage, okay? All right, 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse number17:4111. We talked about that this past weekend, but I want to kind of emphasize this more with everybody here so we can hear what was given yesterday as a challenge and at the same time so we can all respond together as God's people. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 11. Tell me what the book of or the chapter of 1 Corinthians is all about. Somebody tell me. Love, okay? We all agree that this is about love. And I think that's so true. And I want to just pull out what God showed me a few months ago about this18:09particular passage. I think it's important to realize. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse number 11, you will notice what the Bible says as we read together. When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. Key transition. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. I believe the greatest thing a man can do is learn how to love. And the only way he can18:38do that is to grow up, amen, and mature. Now, we live in a generation today where most guys sit around talking about what's happening and not doing anything about it. That didn't used to happen. Amen? That didn't used to happen. Whenever there was issues that need to be dealt with in the community or whether they were in the church or whatever, they were faithful men that would address the area in a biblical way and be responsible in what they were recognizing as error or whatever and try to fix19:05what was going on wrong. Thank God they were those kind of men. But I'm telling you, those kind of men are few and far between, right? The man that used to shake your hand in agreement with something. I didn't grow up in this day, but I hear my grandfather who's now in heaven, but my dad also talk about this, that when we shook hands, that was our word. Amen? We're not living in that day, okay? That was probably 20 years ago, perhaps in some relationship, but that's not how it used to be. And there's so much19:31scheming going on, so much child behavior going on, and most of it's taking place among men, okay? I just want to be honest with you, all right? There's so much gossip and slander and everything else that's going on among men that we're shooting our wounded and have no idea what we're doing. And that's happening against pastors, by the way, because we're acting like a bunch of children. I've preached long enough to know and realized pastor two churches long enough to know that, man, the nursery's not19:58down the hallway in the preschool department. A lot of times the nursery's out here and how we're acting and what we're doing and tearing up. And even as the collapse was seen in the particular passage in Ezekiel, there's a collapse because of how we're acting. Now I want to say something to you. If I leave my family, leave my boys and girls to themselves, can I expect them to respond in a way that they ought to when I'm not there? Hopefully I can, but I want to go ahead and tell you, probably not because why. They're children. So my expectation of their behavior is to be childish, to talk childish,20:25to tattletale, to backbite, to ridicule, and do all this stuff as children. And I expect that. So my response to them is different than it would be to somebody that's mature. However, we as churches have not grown up and matured ourselves. And as a result, we're in trouble.20:56But when I became a man, that means he put an end to who he was as a child and stepped up to the plate and responded as God would have him to. Turn over a couple of chapters in chapter 16 and verse number 13. I want you to notice this particular thing. It's an exhortation. Last chapter in the letter written to Corinth, it was a church, listen to me, in confusion, in confusion, in childish behavior and how they were acting, how they were responding, what they were21:21doing, where they were. They were confused and they couldn't get clarity. And I believe this one particular thing here in verse 13 and 14 helps us find some sort of clarity. Bible says in verse number 13, be watchful. Stand firm or stand fast in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. Let all that you do21:39be done in love. As you look at this particular verse in verse 13 and also the verse in verse 14, there is something taking place here that's really powerful. I believe as we look at this, we can anticipate the command from God's word that we can expect every man everywhere to do what? Be watchful.22:04To be alert and to be aware. I don't care if you're 16 or 66, there never comes a day in your life that you should not be watchful. If you understand the enemy in which we have warfare with or you understand the environment in which we live in today, there is a great battle raging and we, you and I, cannot afford to let anything happen any more than what it already has on our watch. Amen? It's our watch. And I've got, I've got a certain amount of time with my children when my watch is essentially over, but my watch will22:33also change the older they grow. And I've been sharing all weekend. I want to thank the men who've been praying for my daughter, Madison, who struggled recently with great fear. And last night, she sent me a message this morning about last night. I want to read this to you from her. And I want to just, I'm trying my best to be watchful. Even I'm not there, but I can do what Bible teaches me. I can be, I can watch and pray even though I'm not in the middle of it. Thank God, I can pray the power there where I'm not, that Jesus Christ can be Lord and Lord God Almighty in23:03the midst of where she is. No matter where I am, thank God Jesus can be there. Amen? So God is really working. God is really working in Madison. This is from my wife, Nicole. Okay. God is really working in Madison's heart. Keep up your prayers for her. And men, thank you so much for praying. Thank you so much for praying. Where's that? There's a guy here. I can't find him. He came and prayed for me Friday night. Thank you, brother. God bless you. He's answering your prayer.23:29Keep up your prayers for her. She just poured out her heart after about an hour or so of reading his word out loud downstairs and spending time with him. She'll be 15 tomorrow. We left her to herself and we had no idea she would come back up so renewed and loved on. We serve an amazing God.23:53This is her message. I sent a message this morning. Hey, sweet girl, I love you. Did you rest well last night? Love you too. I slept okay. I woke up one time last night, very afraid, and I had to battle that for a little while. I said, keep battling, girl. I've been praying for you. Thank you. I just really want24:17to get on the other side of this. I'm so tired of the devil having the upper hand. I just don't know why after my time with God, I was still so fearful last night. Okay, I'm being watchful. I've been there a little bit down the road a little bit, and this is what God prompted me to share with her.24:45The Bible says that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted of the devil for 40 days. Luke chapter 4. You're in good company with Jesus. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. God will use this to prepare you for himself just like he did Jesus. So even if I'm still feeling this way, something did change last night, question mark, and are you saying I will still have25:09some battles ahead? I don't understand that after that time with Jesus last night was one of the worst nights I've had since being home. She was away with her grandparents for a week when all this started. Was that special time with him just to rebuild my strength? Yes, something did change. I believe that by faith, and you will most likely have more battles ahead.25:38But don't lose heart. You are learning to wage a good warfare, and God is building your faith. The enemy, Satan, usually attacks after a great victory like you have with Jesus, so it can be expected. I'm proud of you, and I know Jesus is. Thank you. That really helps. And she just, I've been praying that she'll pick up different books, and she said this. I've picked up a book called The Power of Desperation26:08in your office. I haven't been able to read much of it, but what I have read has really caught my attention. I've been watching over this situation for about two and a half years now. I'm thankful Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has not stopped interceding when I get tired and when I get distracted. Thank God he is the one who is helping her. He's just asking me not to do it for him. He's26:34asking me to do it with him. And I want to say something to you. When we do something for God, it's different than doing something with God. Amen? I'd much rather get in and abide with Jesus and see what he does and really move on as God would have us to. There's a certain place. He's looking among them, and I want to just give you four things about men I think are really important as you begin to move in the direction of men's ministry that I hope will affect generations. But number one,27:00a man of God rejects passivity. A man of God rejects passivity. In other words, he understands that there's a sense of urgency about him, and he must step up, as we've said it before, step up to the plate. There's something about engaging this warfare that we're involved in. And the problem is many of us get sidetracked, and we get confused, and we don't do what we need to do. We're in a mess and don't27:28even know how to respond because we haven't, number one, prayed. We haven't got another brother praying with us. I tell you, I've got more people praying for my daughter than I can even count. Thank God. But I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that Jesus is the one that is interceding for her. He never will stop. So we need to reject passivity. You need to have men in your church who rejects passivity, who will not settle for complacency, who will not settle for how things are, that will believe God for greater days, and thank God they're on the way.27:57Another one, he expects the greater reward. By the way, young teenager, okay, I want to ask you something as a young man. Would you in Jesus' name expect the greater reward and keep yourself pure until that wedding day? You'll be glad you did. Amen? For those of us who've made that kind of mistake, you'll be glad you did. By the way, your spouse will be glad you did. And I want to encourage you, men and women who have children, in Jesus' name, would you protect them?28:23I mean, I wrestle with this stuff all the time. There's people that I love and respect, and I'm sometimes thinking that should I let them go hang out with them? This is my watch. I don't know. I don't know them well enough yet. You know, I don't know. And we're so busy and fluent in our world today that we just kind of let things go. We're getting this current, just carrying us down the stream so fast. We just let them go wherever, and we can't find them anymore. We lost them somewhere along the way, and we can't really pinpoint what happened when we lost them, and we're in trouble.28:52We don't know what to do to get them back. But I'm telling you, as a young man, I'm praying in Jesus' name that you will be a man of God. Right now, just as Daniel was, he purposed in his heart that he would not defile his body with the king's portion. I'm asking you, don't defile your body with this culture and way it's moving toward promiscuity and sexual sin, whether it's with your eyes, whether it's with your own body. In Jesus' name, protect yourself and keep a generation clean and pure. And that will be something the church should rally around and salute.29:21Yet it's quiet. Listen, I'm going to be honest with you. If I preach on homosexual sin, I know you'll shout me down. That's just the truth. Whenever we deal with our own stuff, we don't say much. Here's another one here. Accepts responsibility. That means the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I'm longing for a day when men accept the responsibility for how things are. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The fourth one is real quick. Leads courageously. Leads courageously.29:51So there's a consistent pursuit. There's a certain place. There's a compassionate purpose. He's wanting to do what, man? He's wanting to ask men to stand in the gap, to make up a hedge and protect the land for him. The word stand means to stand in position, to respectfully remain, to be erected and established30:16as one who protects the breach or the gap. Looking in Ezekiel 22, 30, notice the phrase there, among them, who would make up a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land? And that is a powerful phrase. That's why it's just more than one man you're praying for today. You ought to be praying for many men that no man's left behind. And then lastly, the convicting problem.30:49Convicting problem. He found no one, that is among the prophets, the priests, the princes, and the people, who was morally able for such an office. And I like to say the office of prayer. Not that there was a righteous man in the city, not a righteous man in the city for Jeremiah and others were still there, but Jeremiah had been forbidden to pray for the people. Wow.31:20Wow. Jeremiah 11, 14, so do not pray for this people or lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to me because of their trouble. Okay, we talked about being under the judgment of God. Wow. I hope it doesn't get that bad. What a sad commentary. What a difficult thing. I just want to make a few statements and give an invitation real quick, okay?31:49I think about the church in America, and I believe that not just one man, but many men will be the ones that God uses to change the culture in which we live in. Which means that there's got to be a response not just from men, but also a response from women and children. So perhaps the invitation is not so much for men that I'm asking you, would you pray like you've never prayed before for men?32:17For men who reject passivity, expect the greater reward, who accept responsibility, who lead courageous, would you pray that your dad's that way? Would you pray that your husband's that way? Would you pray that your son grows up to be that kind of a man? Would you pray that your daughter marries that kind of a man?32:45There are many who are being married today that have no idea what they're getting into, and that's why they get out of it really quick. Did you know that we spent about $25,000 for a wedding today? The average person spends about $25,000 for a wedding. Man, $25,000 times seven is a lot of money, okay? I got seven girls. Whoa, that's over $100,000. Wow. That's a lot of money, isn't it? But I'm not preparing for wedding day.33:16I'm preparing them for marriage. Because that wedding day is only one day. On the other side of that day, there are many, many days as they make a covenant before God to surrender their will to God and become one flesh until death do us part. That's God's plan. Now, our plan looks different because whenever we get into something, we think we can get out of it. Guess what? God's still in it because you had a covenant with him, and he never breaks covenant. That's why when we say praying for a movement of men, that we need to pray like we've never prayed before because what we see today in regard to where men are, and there are great men everywhere, but they're not enough.33:46I pray that you will see a move of men among you that you can't get over, that the church can't get over, that the world can't get over because why? Men just stepped up, and we, not we, but as women and children, you stepped up to really support and encourage a movement of men. Did you know that your husband needs you more than you ever thought he did?34:14He needs you more than he'll tell you he needs you. And I know when a guy has his wife with him or not, I can tell on his face when I talk about his wife or ask him about his wife. Either she's putting the fire out or she's putting the fire in, either way. And I want to encourage you women, in Jesus' name, for the next 30 days, would you pray like you've never prayed for your husband, pray for your dad, your grandfather, whatever? Would you pray, pray, pray, pray? And then ultimately, after that, would you move in a spirit of prayer together and pray for the next man that fills his pulpit and ask God to do something special?34:41God may not send you a man until your men are ready here. I don't know. But if God got so working in this group of people here among the men, I couldn't imagine how blessed the pastor would be as he gets in on what God's already doing. So perhaps the greatest search today is not men out there who will come fill this pulpit.35:07It's men in here who will faithfully serve the King of kings and Lord of lords in their home and in this church to the ends of the earth. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for this church and for its history. Thank you for these precious people who love you and have been led well to do so. God, there are many gaps I'm sure we can speak to today.35:37I think about your word, how you position men to fill gaps. Maybe there's a gap in the marriage relationship of one or two. Maybe there's a gap in a father-son or father-daughter relationship. Maybe there's a gap with a father-in-law or a mother-in-law. Maybe there's a gap with parents.36:08God, I really believe that you place men to fill the gap. And part of that has to do accepting responsibility. Extending forgiveness. Asking for privilege. And leading in such a way that things can begin to be mended. Oh God, will this day not be like it was when Ezekiel heard what you said.36:37I sought for a man among them who would make up the hedge and stand in the gap. Before me, for the land that I should not destroy it. But I found no one. I pray that this church would find many men moving, even right now, to the altar. And God, they would not come by themselves because they recognize that they need their wife and children like never before.37:03God, may the focus be where it needs to be. Not for the next pastor. But for the faithful, godly men that will serve this church. In the transition. And even while the pastor comes. I think about Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane. On his way to the will of God to hang on a tree for you and I.37:33And he was asking men. Could you not pray with me one hour? Nobody prayed. Lord, may that not be the case here today. If there's any great movement taking place, may it be the movement of people who get on their knees. And get before you and be still.38:02And know that you're God. I'm thankful you're big enough to move us. Do it by the Spirit. And help us to obey. If you stand to your feet with your head bowed and your eye closed. We're going to have an invitation here in just a few moments. Stand to your feet with your head bowed and eye closed.38:30I'd like to think that the next man that needs to be used is probably the man that's seated somewhere out in this congregation. Will you be that man? I'd like to think that the prayers that are being offered up are being prayed not only for the new pastor, but also the men in your church. You need every man. I pray that no man's left behind. And I want to encourage you and challenge you and say, if you don't begin to pray, who's going to pray? If you don't begin to cry out, who's going to cry out? If you don't begin to believe and trust God, who's going to do that?39:00So the invitation is really simple. If you have a need in this area for men to step up, whether it's you, yourself as a man, or you, yourself as a wife, single mom, whatever. Child who has a broken relationship with a father. Come to Jesus. Just come to this altar and begin to pray. If you're here today, you've never put your trust and faith in Jesus Christ, I want to ask you to respond to the gospel message,39:29which means Jesus came and died in your place for you, that you might go free. John chapter 3, verse 16. There's several words in there, but leading up to the word son, there's 13 words. And leading up after the words, or even after the word son, there's 13 more words. So there's 13 words going to son, and there's 13 words leaving the word son, Jesus Christ.39:54So how does that happen? The first 13 talk about God's response to man. The last 13 talk about man's response to God. That's how you can be saved today. Just respond as Jesus has already responded to you. Respond, and we'll let you know what that means, okay? I'm going to pray. Brother's going to come lead us in a song. If you need to move, please move as God leads you to, all right? Father, thank you for this day.40:24I pray, God, that you'll bless and encourage each man that's here. Lord, the search committee is looking for one man, but this body, I pray, ought to be looking for many men. And I pray that many men, whether they feel compelled or not, would just settle in upon you and your word and say, God, help me. God, help me to be effective and lead effectively. I don't know what to do, but thank God Jesus does, who lives inside of me, and he can do40:52it. So I just surrender. And at the same time, Lord, I pray for every wife here, every daughter here, every son here. I pray for every grandchild that's here. I pray, God, that they will cry out to you like they never have before, that you would raise up the man in their life. And God, if he is already raised up, I pray in Jesus' name that you'll protect him. And they'll pray prayers of protection and thanksgiving and blessing, because what a great41:18joy that is to see men leading their families and their church in a way that pleases you. Lord, whatever happens in this place today, we know that we can't do anything without you. So move as only you can. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.41:44Amen.More sermons on Ezekiel →
