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[0:00] Isaiah 56 verse 10. Isaiah 56 verse 10. It says, His watchmen are blind.

[0:13] They are all ignorant.! For my subject today, look at dumb dogs.

[0:47] Dumb dogs. Preachers who have lost their bite and their bark. Dumb dogs that can't bark are useless. I don't know if you've got a dog at home. I know there's a dog lover in our midst tonight.

[0:59] A dog expert who can tell us all about dogs. But I've got a dog. A little dog. And this afternoon I was having a time. I was hoping to get some visions and dreams.

[1:12] Having an afternoon siesta. And the dumb dog. But he wasn't a dumb dog. He was a smart dog. Because he was barking at every little thing that was going on out the front. And it was hard to get to sleep.

[1:24] But I got some inspiration from my little dog nevertheless. But brothers and sisters, if you've got a dog that is supposed to be a guard dog, you want it to bark. You want it to hear it bark.

[1:35] When there's a danger. When there's need of protection. When you need to be guarded. And the Lord uses this illustration here to illustrate how watchmen need to speak out.

[1:48] When there's something that needs to be warned against. Just like a dog needs to bark when we need to be guarded against some danger. Or be alerted to something that's going on.

[2:01] And dumb dogs that can't bark are useless. You wouldn't want to buy a dog like that. Especially, well particularly if it's a guard dog. To keep you and your home safe. Your family safe. And that's just like many false preachers today.

[2:13] Many false preachers are dumb dogs that can't bark. And we need some barking today. We need some barking. And if you like to turn to Jeremiah 6.

[2:26] Some thoughts about really preaching and warning. Giving a clear and crystal message. It's vital that we have a clear and crystal message.

[2:40] Because if it's not so, then there's danger there. In Jeremiah 6 verse 16 it says, Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

[3:02] But, they said, we will not walk therein. We need some barking that's old-fashioned. Old-fashioned barking. Barking that is saying these are the old paths.

[3:13] This is the old-fashioned truth. The gospel message. The life message. The everlasting message. That Jesus Christ is the same yesterday.

[3:25] Today and forever. The same message that the apostles and preachers of old, the revivalists and reformers of old, that message, that old-fashioned message, the message that says, ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.

[3:42] Sadly, truth is being replaced with falsehood. Imagine if you could, that you're in Noah's day, and you have some of the preachers on the airwaves at the moment, and Noah, he didn't really have, he must have known all the church growth methods, all his day, the church growth movement, if there was such a thing, at that time.

[4:05] But certainly Noah was a preacher of righteousness. A preacher of righteousness. And what happened in Noah's day, his wife and his three children, and their wives, was all he had to show.

[4:21] For 120 years of preaching. 120 years of preaching. You'd have to say, he was a dismal failure, according to the world's measurement of churches today.

[4:32] that he and his three children, their wives, was all that he had, and his wife. Our friends today, seven converts in 120 years, and he's pretty poor, isn't he?

[4:43] If you were to reckon, by numbers alone. But the message was what counted. The message was the message that God wanted planet Earth to hear. And preachers of righteousness are the need of the day.

[4:55] Preachers of righteousness are still the need of the day. Those old paths, the old paths of righteousness, of truth. Who will address such issues that count?

[5:05] Issues such as sin, repentance, and righteousness. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. The flood is coming. Judgment is coming.

[5:17] We need some barking. That is old-fashioned, because it's still the same today, as it was in the days of Noah, as it was in the days of Lot.

[5:28] These are very much the same days today, aren't they? You can see much that's similar, much that's common in terms of the world and its state, and the judgment to come. We need some barking on the judgment to come.

[5:40] It says in 1 Peter 4, 17, of a judgment that is going to be coming. And where is it going to begin? 1 Peter 4, verse 17, you might have flicked there too.

[5:51] I mean, these are really just topical, it's a topical message that's looking at the message that we need to hear. And 1 Peter 4, 17, it says, for the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.

[6:10] And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? Judgment must begin at the house of God.

[6:23] It's time for judgment. It's time for judgment. And God is calling together a holy remnant. Now we're not going to be like the people at Waco and kind of wall ourselves in and say we've got all the truth in this little gathering of our own.

[6:38] But there's a sense where there's a remnant, there's a calling out, there's a calling out of those that are standing fast and not going before the tide. We're in the midst of a famine of the word.

[6:50] As much as you might have a plethora of choices, especially if you've got Christian TV on your TV at home and you can flip the channels through all kinds of preachers and preaching and churches and messages and music, there still remains a fact today that there's a famine of the word.

[7:14] And what you're hearing oftentimes is not the words. It's a perverted prosperity gospel that predominates the airway, sadly today, and an easy believism, shallowness.

[7:27] and I've seen some video clips of the damage it's doing of such a false gospel, such a false message when you're seeing, I could share with those with access, of video clips of what it's doing in places like Africa where they've got African pastors and apostles and mega churches over there driving around in their Rolls Royces, but they're fleecing the sheep.

[7:53] And this is the sad reality and they're preaching this prosperity gospel but the only people that are prospering are these false preachers, these false apostles and they're following this Copeland, Hagen, Hymn kind of gospel that's false.

[8:07] It's a false gospel people today. People don't want to hear this and sometimes I know maybe you will get up and walk out but this is the truth. It's the truth and if I need to be a dog that barks I need to tell you about these things and name the names.

[8:21] There's a famine of the word and the prosperity gospel is a false gospel today. It's certainly not the gospel that was preached in the old time word of God. As much as we know God can bless us, that's certainly not the focus and it's certainly not the emphasis by any means.

[8:38] God can bless us materially. He may choose not to bless us materially. God can bless us physically with healing and health he may choose not to do so and that's entirely his sovereign right and will that we need to submit to and accommodate that which is his will and be pleased with whatever he gives to us not demanding from him as somewhat as if it's like you give God a shopping list or demand of God just because you attack on in Jesus' name that you can pretty much claim and boss God around.

[9:11] It's certainly not the case brothers and sisters today. It's a perverted gospel and we're seeing that today that sadly there's politically correct fairy floss seeker friendly shallow bless me Christianity so called today.

[9:26] And it's sad that many are being duped by this. The message from thousands of pulpits today is that God wants you to be happy wealthy and rich.

[9:38] But this is not not biblical Christianity not by any means. We can see it's often the most God blessed people are the poorest.

[9:50] He's chosen the poor in this world rich in faith. You know see the men and women of God over in lands like China where they face great persecution and in other places around the world these ones are dressed in rags but they're full on for the saviour.

[10:10] They don't care about material wealth or even their own health. They just want the message of the salvation gospel of the blood of Christ. We need that barking today brothers and sisters the old fashioned barking the old past.

[10:25] We need the barking of the judgement to come. It was in Noah's day and it is in ours today. Judgment must begin anywhere at the house of God. I think we're seeing some of that in certain places and circles where I've been kind of sitting on the fence with some things is that God or is it not in the past and thinking through and trying to discern trying to grapple with what everybody's saying this is God everybody's saying this is revival everybody's saying this is a wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit and yet you start to dig deep it's like a brother who's sharing with me tonight of how they're reading through some materials and then measuring it up with the word of God and you think oh hang on a minute that doesn't quite add up with what it says in here and that's what you've got to do isn't it as they did with the apostles that they searched the scriptures to see whether these things are so and just because everybody's following it just because everybody else is jumping on the bandwagon doesn't make it right by any means you know certainly when you look in the word where does the crowd go usually in the wrong direction and we need some barking on the judgment to come we need some barking too against sin against sin what did they preach in Isaiah's day

[11:41] Isaiah 58 he tells us what should be preached Isaiah 58 verse 1 cry aloud cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins cry aloud spare not we need some barking against sin he says show my people God says show my people their sin and sometimes it gets a bit at a pointy end doesn't it when it's a bit uncomfortable what that preacher said that he's having a go at my holy cow or my little pet sin my besetting sin the thing that satta easily beset us and yet that's what we need we need messages we need to dig into the word and the word to provoke us and provoke one another it's not just what the preacher says but you know gathering together you might have someone sat alongside you who gives you a little poke in the ribs a little provoking a little bit of a yeah I needed that thanks brother you know that's what we need we need to have that provoking one another that exhorting one another that sparing not and lifting up our voice like a trumpet here's a quote when all men speak well of you then Christ says woe when all speak evil

[13:31] Christ says blessed John the Baptist called men vipers did he calm down his message did he tone it down to make it sinner friendly did he care about upsetting emotions no he knew that his calling was to prepare the way of the Lord and he cleared the path and got rid of the dirt that's what we need John the Baptist day Peter's day what did they say repent repent it was a clear message wasn't it will we be found faithful to have a clear message and that applies to all of us as brothers and sisters in Christ when we're going witnessing when we're talking to those that know not the Saviour the message needs to be crystal clear it needs to be solid and strong and straight out not beating around the bush there's no time for that except you repent you shall likewise perish our Lord says and we will be found faithful with that sound declaration of the soul saving message with the heart changing word of

[14:33] God with spirit led preaching with spirit led witnessing the whole counsel of God and do we believe the literal truth of it there's got to be some barking against sin and that starts with you and me it starts within doesn't it that God points the finger within to us because we're living in a pagan society it's a society that's filled with idols and you know like in Paul's day he saw the place was full of idols and he preached the truth we think of the day that we're living in it's a bit like Jonah's day isn't it a bit like Jonah and Nineveh was in a diabolical state it was really doomed and damned and God's judgment was about to be poured out and Jonah we know he disobeyed yet he relented and got him to get his act together and Jonah went out and said this place is going to be thrown down it's going to be totally wiped out and what a message that wasn't any easy believers and seeker friendly kind of stuff there that was a straight out look get right with God or it's over it's all over

[15:49] Red Rover and we need to count the cost brothers and sisters the message that we preach the message that you declare as his witnesses needs to be one that's straight out and strong people need to surrender to crucify themselves to count the cost here's a quote from Spurgeon if the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not need to attend to it you are not to pamper his presumption but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved that's pretty strong words isn't it he goes on do not suppose that the gospel is magnified or God is glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their saviour while they are wedded to their idols and their hearts are still in love with sin if I do so I tell them a lie pervert the gospel insult

[16:55] Christ and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness or evil working and friends today the gospel means the transformation of the soul it means sin forsaken and Christ held fast it means God glorified in a life it means a conversion a changed life and yet that message is not very clear out there these days it's almost like it's flippant and casual careless easy believism and not really the real message that we need to fully declare because today there's a new kind of Christianity a new kind a new message another gospel really another gospel is being marketed to the masses a convenient form of Christianity a convenient brand of

[17:56] Christianity that's being marketed to the masses it panders to people's wants it's about what you want hey tell me what you want and we'll make it we'll transform the church just to cater for your particular whims and fancies it's all about making people comfortable you know god forbid that you should come to church and something is said that offends or makes you feel uncomfortable you know that's the truth hurts the truth hurts and the truth cuts this book it says it pierces it says it cuts it says it it is like a sharp two edged sword it cuts the heart it divides the soul and spirit that's pretty strong words isn't it it's like a sharp scalpel that we need to operate on the heart and yet now it's a new kind of Christianity cleverly packaged to attract people and we're seeing preachers that they're preaching nothing really at all of substance as much as there may be a scaric or something there it's sadly something missing something critical is missing and it's really the fundamentals of Christianity are missing because Satan is fooling many it talks in the word it says that his ministers are transformed into ministers of righteousness and that he himself is transformed into like an angel of light he's disguised as the very thing that you would think wow signs and wonders an angel of light this is what's happening where Satan is fooling many today and this is where we need to all be cautioned and aware and I need to be a barking dog

[19:50] I need to be like my little dog barking and waking people up we need to be woken up I need to be woken up we need the word to wake us we need us the Lord says arise you that sleep and awake from the dead let Christ give you life and light and in Paul's day in Acts 20 verse 27 he told the faith what he was on about in what he said and we could learn much from that in Acts 20 verse 27 this is Paul verse 27 of Acts 20 for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own self shall man arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years

[21:04] I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears and now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified so we need some barking that is a warning we need some barking that is a warning Paul said that he ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears dogs guard and protect and warn it's really a very effective warning system having a dog it's not always convenient when you want him to sleep or sleep in but you know sometimes we have trouble at our house we have trouble at our house someone comes to the door and they press our electronic gadget our doorbell and nothing happens you have to press it really hard the battery sometimes or the signal doesn't reach the bell part but our dog virtually never fails our dog never fails to warn he is much better than electronics and doorbells and it is like that with God's word it warns us it warns us

[22:24] I know like a brother was telling me earlier how he's really saturating himself in the word of God and it's given him warning it's given him correction it's given him instruction and it's helping him to be guided and alerted and that's what dogs can do for us and God says that the preaching should be such that it's like a barking dog the watchmen need to be watching and alerting the people of danger friends today again false teachers about as in Paul's day grievous wolves it's got a picture of the other kind of dog doesn't it of a wolf tearing the sheep to bits and coming and doing damage I know some folk have lived on stations and as often in the past send stations and been to stations up in the remoter parts of Australia and you need to be guarded that the sheep are in such peril of snakes of foxes of marauding wild beasts that might come and damage the flock damage the sheep out in the pasture and sometimes the dogs have got to be out there to bark and alert the shepherd of the danger that lurks around them and likewise too we need to be warned to be warned of these deceivers bringing in a new form of

[23:56] Christianity the Bible says of such mark them and avoid them some people say don't touch the Lord's annoyance if you know Benny Haney's a nice enough guy you know or Joyce Myers there's so many names you could rattle off and maybe they do say some good stuff I'll admit that they've got a Bible in their hand when they're quoting it yeah I can agree with that well if they're using the right Bible but brothers and sisters today there's a danger in that some of the stuff that's being fed people is a twisted version of the real thing it's a new form of Christianity you could say like in America they call them snake oil salesmen don't they you could think in Australia used car salesmen and it's no denigration of that profession but people who have got this kind of sly way of just spinning some yarn and bringing in something that sounds very plausible and you buy it before you know it you're signing your life away to that credit card and people today this is just what these guys are like and girls who preach this message that is false and wrong and we need to be guarded because the

[25:16] Bible says every wind of doctrine is blowing people all over the place and they don't know where they're going they're just blown this way one day and blown the next the other and what's going on today as I've said the prosperity gospel what a lie what an absolute lie who was the most just man on the earth of his day Job everything was taken from him he didn't have anything he had pockets hanging out the most just man on all the earth he didn't know anything about the prosperity gospel there's really the gospel of greed it's the gospel of greed God doesn't want us to be chasing after the almighty dollar but worshipping the almighty God and yet we're seeing this bizarre trend that's completely counter to the word of God and what the Lord says and yet some people some of these preachers seem to think that Christ was some rich person of his day that's not saying he had nowhere to lay his head I mean it's quite plain to see that this is not the right thing then you've got things like slaying in the spirit and

[26:24] I've seen as I've mentioned before in other messages that there's a great book it's called Slaying in the Spirit by Nader McHale and it's about a Toronto blessing and it explains that this slaying in the spirit phenomenon certainly it is a phenomenon where does it come from and this author relates it to the altered states of consciousness that you see in hypnotism and certainly in things that are not anything to do with God where people get some kind of euphoria and fall over it's not God that is necessarily at work there and certainly we don't see it in the word of God people falling backwards except when the soldiers came to arrest Christ that's the only account where such a thing happened it wasn't God blessing them it was a time of judgment against them and so slaying in the spirit is certainly not scriptural as is much that is going on some very bizarre behaviour you can tap into it and see on the internet all crazy stuff gold dust and jewels falling on people and so called things such as that it's really just a complete mind shift away from the word of God into experiential into feelings into the bazaar into the phoning you've got preachers claiming visits to heaven and angels talking to them all the time

[28:00] I'm not discounting that you can have an amazing encounter with God and you can have potentially you can have an angel visit you I suppose It is possible!

[28:12] It is possible! But yet these people are talking as if it's an everyday! occurrence and God has given them such a wonderful experience and their message is all blabbing on about such things it's nothing of the word of God's truth it's all this new revelation it's extra biblical revelation that's the danger and if an angel was to visit you then it certainly wouldn't be countered to this and that's what's going on today these messages are nothing to do with God and not then you've got these things where there's rock music mantras and I know Julie and I were watching a clip earlier today kind of a satire parody of such things it's just completely bizarre what's going on where there's this mantra that goes on it's as if like in eastern mysticism where the choruses are repeated over and over again it's like some have said there's 7-11 you know seven words sung 11 times it's just the kind of song service that you're getting in some places the doctrine the substance of these songs is scant if at all and then you've got purpose driven fans it's purpose driven everything is jump on the bandwagon the latest thing to hit town now there's good stuff in the purpose driven life but by and large it's a trend it's a fanny a passing wind of doctrine and you've got to be grounded brothers and sisters don't be duked by whatever's the latest popular trend that comes by because you've got to search and dig deep and work out what's right what's wrong and certainly must be desired in such things then you've got flag waving some churches you come to church and they're there waving their flags around in a kind of worship and then

[30:10] Julie and I just saw another clip this afternoon dancing girls and it's all very much a rocky kind of dancing not some kind of you could imagine a more worshipful means but it's all copying and mimicking worldly dancing and bringing that into the church of God onto the platform as if it's some kind of praise to God and yet it's really just adopting the world's kind of mindset why are we doing that why is that happening we need people that are barking against such things people today and I know you might say you're doing it all the time well it needs to be said and things like the alpha course again maybe the alpha course has got some good stuff in it I don't really know enough about it to knock it whole as bolus but I know that there's a shallowness there to the gospel message I've heard it explained that in the alpha course that the gospel salvation message is watered down and weak and it's scarcely there that's the danger when these things are praised and upheld this is the latest gimmicky fad thing that's going to bless you and your church and the people of

[31:26] God need to be wary of hang on a minute is that really telling people that they need to repent that there is sin that there is a cross with blood shed for my salvation or is it a distortion a deception a watering down and really a circus is what they're seeing many churches turn into and some have turned the gospel into a success formula this is what they're saying seven steps to your best life now that's the kind of message you're getting seven steps to your best life now the best life you can live is the Christian life accepted but it's not about success it's not that when you become a Christian suddenly all your problems are going to be solved and especially as I've seen and the very sad grievous things that are said in so called healing rallies it's always

[32:26] God's will for you to be healed and I've! seen people there I was in that for over ten years I've seen the damage that does I've seen people come out the front in wheelchairs and go back to where they sat in wheelchairs there wasn't any healing for them and they're blamed the preacher blames them you don't have enough faith people it's not not like that in the word they're claiming things that are not right and people are under bondage and condemnation when they don't get healed they get this false message that's always God's will for you to be healed well it's not always God's will for you to be healed sometimes God allows sickness look at Paul three times Lord I want to be healed take this thorn and he says no my grace is sufficient for you my strength is made perfect in weakness certainly it wasn't in Paul's case that God wanted his thorn taken and sometimes God allows sad times trials testings certainly he promises persecution for all that live godly in Christ

[33:35] Jesus don't fall for it that you're going to have an easy coasty ride an easy ride to glory when you're saved as a Christian it's not about you having a comfortable life it's about your soul getting right with God that's what matters that's what matters you can have a successful life by the world's terms and miss heaven miss salvation and that's far more critical today than anything else and it's not about success it's no gospel at all really such a message we need to refresh a love for the truth and God is looking for watchmen who will stand on the walls and warn here's a quote from J.C.

[34:21] Ryland an old time preacher he says this let us resist false doctrine and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints let us not be ashamed of showing our colours and standing out for New Testament truth the thief likes dogs that do not bark I know I was talking to a marjorie this morning saying the shops behind her were broken into 2.30 in the morning they heard this almighty banging noise as someone was trying to ram the back door of the growth shops open some thief was there thieves don't like it when the dogs bark oh better scarper false false false preachers and false gospel needs to be warned against we need to stand against it and I know I said before similar material to our friend was talking about earlier on the table here stuff that's not solid and strong from the church of

[35:25] God worldwide church of God there's interesting articles in there it's very eye catching and people can get jipped by the truth content and miss that rat poison that's in there and that's the danger and Ryle goes on the devil is a thief and a robber if we hold our peace and do not resist false doctrine we please him and displease God barking just lastly 2 Timothy 4.2 Paul tells Timothy preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine they're strong words isn't it he wasn't saying seeker friendly he was saying reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine

[36:25] Jude 1.3 it says beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints the things the word the word contend there earnestly contend it means strife it means vigorous combat it means present tense struggle earnestly contend for the faith once delivered the faith once delivered unto the saints hasn't changed it's still the faith it's that body of doctrine of salvation true and Titus 2 1 Paul says but speak of the things which become sound doctrine look back through the history of God's church and think where am I today am I in the church of God am I in the church of the martyrs if what is preached and upheld and believed amongst us is that the message that the church of the martyrs had or is it some kind of substitute gospel is it some kind of watered down version that really doesn't have any substance to it at all the church of the martyrs was a church with power these were men and women who were willing to be tortured for their faith not just give out a tract if you got the time kind of faith these were men and women who were willing to bleed for their faith and be burnt for their faith you know we're a poor excuse for a

[38:24] Christian really in comparison to some of these men and women I'm speaking for myself that in comparison what are we brothers and sisters the church of the martyrs was a church with power and I thank God for brothers and sisters who go out witnessing in the marketplace in the public place men will stand on a soapbox and declare the word in the public forum that is a blessing to me to know that people love the truth enough to be mocked for it to be scoffed at and derated for it the church of the martyrs was a church with power and are we that church today a church where there's godly sorrow where there's a message of repentance of truth of a holy fear of sound doctrine of spiritual life that's evident in the people and

[39:28] I know that's not always the case amongst us I know that maybe I'm not barking loud enough with some I admit that I could be stronger with some pray for me that I will be pray that we all can be stronger with the truth not afraid to declare it not afraid to be barking crying aloud sparing not lifting up your voice like a trumpet showing my people their sins confronting where it's called for holding the standard high not to condemn but to reach while we can to pluck them as brands from the burning declaring the power of God's word that convicts the world of sin preachers are accountable to God for what they say that's a heavy load we've all got responsibilities in work life in home life but the message needs to be sound and strong if it's weak then

[40:39] I'll be condemned for it I'll be accountable for it and I'll bear the greater judgment as any of us can and will do when we're ministering in whatever fashion we need to be called to account and pray for me pray for the church pray for everyone who ministers the Sunday school the youth group every opportunity that you can have to minister to witness to another to be those men and women of courage who are going to oppose the tide stand against the error the false teachers unless you say they're false teachers how will anyone know and I know it's almost like people don't even realise it I know someone even this morning gave me a load of tapes and DVDs and stuff and said oh put these in your bookshelf and I thought I'll have to have a word with her later when I've got time to explain to her we don't promote the faith movement preachers here we don't promote the prosperity gospel preachers here we don't promote that new fad kind of gospel music here it's not what we're on about friends today we must stand against error and

[41:50] God willing I'll tactfully approach that woman and seek to show her and explain to her the truth and we all need to take that stand and defend the truth it must be defended it must contend for the faith and look in closing I'm not saying that this church has got a monopoly on the truth and that everybody else has got it wrong and our brothers and sisters in churches near and far down the road and round about there's godly people in many churches in this locality in this region and I thank God for those who do seek to deliver the truth in many places around about us I'm talking for this church here and now and for the people here gathered that all of us need to be geared up and get stronger get clearer get more steadfast more stronger for the truth because there's a weakening going on and it's a weakening that is widespread it's like

[42:57] I know years ago as I say I was in the Pentecostal scene and I was in you could say the more conservative style of Pentecostalism of its day and they used to speak against the faith movement they used to speak against Kenneth Copeland and Ken Hagen and others such like and these false messages about the prosperity gospel and so on but there's very few sounding the alarm in that movement today it's like that is mainstream now that is mainstream and it's the accepted way of doing things and even in the conservative style churches we know as much as they've had a godly heritage and much to commend in the past there's these new things coming in Rick Warren various teachers and teachings that there's doubtful elements there and there's downright falsehood there and yet these are the kind of teachings and teachers that are being welcomed in and embraced with open arms without people raising a question about it and that's for all of us to do and I know some might be puzzled about some of the things I'm saying why are you speaking against such a man as that or such a teaching as that it's up to you and me to search the scriptures and there's much more detailed stuff

[44:25] I could give you on all of these things that I've been talking about today so it helps you to understand why I'm sounding the alarm why I'm barking at you tonight because it's vital truth and friends we need to defend the truth contend for the faith the purity of doctrine purity of character what matters is when you go to a church when you're about the church was the gospel clear was the gospel clearly expounded are the people being awakened spiritually or are they falling asleep and into a spiritual slumber is there sound doctrine that's delivered and declared strongly or is there not and are the people watchmen who will bark when there's danger or are they just dumb dogs that are lying sleeping silent and the sheep are getting slaughtered friends we need a barking that is old fashioned there's a judgment to come a barking against sin a barking that's a warning and a barking that is biblical there's sound doctrine where we reprove rebuke exhort sound doctrine and please pray for me pray for us as a church that we will stand rock solid and strong and amongst us there's varying views we're not all exactly from the same background and viewpoint but that we can come to a biblical viewpoint we can love the scriptures we can love the truth and stand together contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints let us pray

[45:58] Lord God we thank you that we can have that privilege of knowing that wonderful grace today we thank you that we can have that privilege of your word that we can hold and heed let it work within not just in our ears but in our hearts and in our lives in our feet help us dear Lord that we might be faithful to that word to soundly and strongly stand for it when all around others may not help us to be steadfast watchmen to be barking dogs to instruct and encourage to stir and provoke one another while we see that day is approaching so readily now Lord that we can be faithful we pray in your name we ask Lord Jesus Amen Thank you.