God Be My Helper

[0:00] Always good to be amongst friends. I was looking back over some of my sermons yesterday and again today, and I come across one sermon, I said, My soul, I preached that 12 years ago up there.

[0:14] And looking back over other sermons, it went farther back than that, and I said, I didn't know I'd been preaching for Randy that long. And my wife said to me, I think it was two or three weeks ago, we were talking about preaching in different churches and so forth, and she said, You know, you're getting older, and said that the church is not going to be having you out to preach like they used to.

[0:37] And I said, Well, I don't know. I said, I've already finished up three revivals just recently and preached in more churches than I can count on fingers and toes in the last year.

[0:48] And I said, So we'll just see what God does. Amen? I've never had to want a place to preach, but it's a joy to be in this place tonight.

[0:59] As you said, Brother Frank, there's no better place than the house of God. And I'm talking about the house of God. There's a lot of places that calls you a place the house of God, but it's not. Amen?

[1:13] Too much wickedness going on in those places. And I thank God for a church like this one tonight, an independent fundamental Bible-believing Baptist church. Amen? That preaches the Word of God.

[1:24] If you have your Bibles tonight, open them, if you would, please, to the book of Daniel. Daniel chapter 5. While you're turning there, I thought about preaching on the Bible, the infallible Word of God.

[1:41] And then I thought about preaching on some other sermons. And the more I thought about it, the more I studied. I couldn't get away from this one. And tonight, I generally preach a three-point sermon.

[1:53] Sometimes I preach a five-point sermon. And sometimes a seven-point sermon. I've never preached a ten-point sermon. But tonight, I'm not going to preach on any one, two, three, four, five-point sermon.

[2:06] I'm just going to preach tonight. And I'm going to preach on God being my helper, weighed in the balances, and found wanting. Weighed in the balances and found wanting.

[2:19] And I'm not so sure tonight, preacher, that America has not been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

[2:29] It's a shame that America has stooped so low as she has stooped, my friend, in just the last few years. We're living in a sinful, wicked nation.

[2:41] And America will answer to God for her sins. She'll stand before God, just as the man that we read about tonight stood before God. And this man crossed God's boundary line.

[2:55] When a man or a woman, when a nation, turns their back on God to the point, my friend, when they cross the boundary line of God, that's it.

[3:05] Yet there's no hope when someone's gone so far that they've crossed God's boundary line. Tonight in chapter 5 of the book of Daniel, we read about a man by the name of Belshazzar.

[3:19] Belshazzar was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. You'll notice in the Bible here, it says his father. And many times you'll find in the Bible they'll call grandsons sons.

[3:30] And so, and Belshazzar knew what Nebuchadnezzar, his grandfather, had done and what the outcome was. And yet, he defied the God of heaven.

[3:45] Let's stand together as we read the Word of God. I'm going to read to you a few verses and then I'll have you to sit down. And then, we'll read the first eight verses and then we'll have you to sit down and I'll continue reading because of the length of the reading.

[4:01] Daniel chapter 5. Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whilst he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein.

[4:28] Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem and the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines drank in them.

[4:42] Oh my, they ought not done that. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

[4:54] In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

[5:07] Then the king's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smoked one against another.

[5:20] In other words, he trembled, my friends. This king trembled. He had been made to see the judgment of God.

[5:32] He did not quite yet know what it was, but he knew there was something different than he had ever experienced in his life as he saw the fingers of a man's hand right upon the plaster of the walls.

[5:47] The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing and shew me the interpretation thereof shall be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

[6:09] Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could not read the writing nor make known to the king the interpretation. Thereof. Thank you.

[6:19] You may be seated. I'm going to go over into verse 16 of our chapter here and said, And I have heard of thee. The queen had gone to the king and said, There is a man whose name is Daniel, a man who was full of the wisdom of God, who could interpret dreams and various things.

[6:45] And so the king says in verse 16, I have heard of thee that thou canst make interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if thou canst read the writing and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about thy neck and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

[7:03] Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, give thy rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing unto the king and make known to him the interpretation thereof.

[7:17] I believe that Daniel was saying to the king, What God has for you tonight is not for sale. Brother, it's not for sale. And I'm going to give it to you just as God's given it to me.

[7:30] He says, O thou king, the most high God, gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom and majesty and glory and honor. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations and languages trembled and feared before him.

[7:47] Whom he would, he slew and whom he would, he kept alive and whom he would, he set up and whom he would, he put down. And when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne and they took his glory from him.

[8:00] And he was driven from the sons of men and his heart was made like the beast and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like the oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men and that he appointed over it whomsoever he will.

[8:20] The Bible said till he knew. The Bible said till he knew. The Bible said till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men.

[8:32] It's the most high God that is in charge today. Listen, as you said, Washington thinks that they've got it all together and they're going to run things, you know, but God is in control.

[8:46] Listen, a promotion cometh neither from the south nor from the east nor from the west. Where does it come from? Due north. Due north, my friend.

[8:57] God sets up whom he will and God brings down whom he will. I'm not worried about who's seated, will be seated on the throne there in Washington.

[9:07] I'm going to trust in the living God who sits upon the throne of heaven tonight. Amen. All right. And then he says, but thou hast lifted up thyself against the Lord.

[9:19] Or he said, you knew all of this. Verse 23, but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of his house before thee and thou, thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines have drunk wine in them.

[9:33] Thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold and of brass, iron, wood and stone which see not nor hear nor know and the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways hast thou not glorified.

[9:51] Then was the part of the hand set from him and this writing was written and this is the writing that was written. Mene, mene tekel eupharsen. This is the interpretation of the thing.

[10:02] Mene, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Tekel, thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting.

[10:15] Perez, thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and the Persians. Look at verse 30. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldean slain.

[10:27] Let us pray. Father, we thank you for the word of God tonight. We thank you that we can depend upon the word of God for your word is true and tonight oh God we pray that you would preach through this preacher.

[10:39] Help us Lord to preach tonight in such a way our father that it would be so clear that a little child could understand. Our father blessed the preacher brother Cooper as he comes tonight and preaches anoint him with thy spirit and thy power and bless this preacher and anoint him tonight with thy spirit and thy power and Lord give us a full understanding of the word of God tonight save the unsaved tonight claim the young of those that are backslidden Lord bring them back to thee in Jesus name amen weighed in the balances and found wanting I said a while ago that I'm not so sure what America has already been weighed in the balances and found wanting I want you to notice here tonight that Belshazzar here in verse 1 he gave this great feast it says it was a great feast he gave it to a thousand of his lords and he drank wine before the thousand now the feast here given by Belshazzar was the turning point in the history of Babylon it marked the end of the reign of Belshazzar and the fall of Babylon at the time of the feast folks the city of Babylon was in a stage of seas as a matter of fact the armies of the Medes and the Persians were encamped outside the city walls of Babylon but the king had no fear of his enemies nor did he have any fear of God who sits upon the throne of heaven tonight nor of anything else as far as that matters why you see he felt secure within the impregnable walls of the city we find that history tells us

[12:33] Bible history says that the walls were 56 miles long it was 87 feet thick and there were 311 feet high but more than that the draw bridges had been raised but more than that the brazen gates were locked and so Belshazzar was confident that his soldiers my friend could keep any army from storming through the gates and for several years they had food a provision for food for many many years and as well as acres of land upon which they could grow more food yes Belshazzar felt secure but wait a minute hold it the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 12 wherefore let him that thinketh he stand take heed lest he fall and the Bible says in Galatians 6 7 8 be not deceived for God is not mort for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap he that soweth through the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that soweth through the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting and so

[13:55] Belshazzar to show his contempt for the armies of the Medes and the Persians encamped outside the city walls and to show his defiance of the God of heaven Belshazzar gave his feast that night and need we inquire of the character of those who attended the party that night notice there in verse 4 they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver of brass of iron of wood and of stone yes my friend it was a feast of drunkenness idolatry and licentious debauchery listen when a man my friend desecrates the holy vessels of God and when he defies the God of heaven he need not expect the blessings of God upon him or his kingdom and when America my friend the land of the free and the home of the brave that was founded upon the principles of God's eternal word holy men of God bowed upon their knee and thanked the God of heaven that gave us this free land but when America has deviated so far from the principles of God's word and my friend defies the God of heaven and lives the life that America is living she need not expect the blessings of God upon her tonight

[15:26] I believe the reason the economy is in the shape it's in tonight is not a coincidence I believe that God's given us just a foretaste of the judgment and the wrath of almighty God upon America somebody said you've not seen anything yet my friend listen I believe these are not coincidences but I believe that God is angry in America tonight I really do I believe he's angry I didn't say my friend that God is not pleased with his people that's doing right I said he's angry with America I believe that tonight so is a feast of drunkenness and debauchery my friend sensuous desires Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 11 the writer said woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink until night until wine inflamed them and my friend it says in the vow and the tabernet and the harp and the pipe and the wine are in their midst and that they regard not the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hands

[16:39] America tonight does not regard the operation of God nor the work of his hands they regard not the God the creator of heaven and earth who sits upon the throne of heaven tonight but they better regard the God of heaven tonight so Belshazzar did not regard the God of heaven as they were having their drunken wild party my friend listen why this was despicable sins caring less for what the God of heaven had to say about as he looked down upon the scene listen when a man is under the influence of the spirit of alcohol he is apt to do anything and everything under the stars of God someone said well preacher you know alcohol is very colorful yeah I'll agree with you it'll give you a red nose a yellow liver a dark brown breath and a blue outlook on life but God has more than that amen bless God I'm glad in 1957 as the lad of 17 51 years ago

[17:42] God gave me a better life than I was living I'm glad for that tonight Proverbs 21 says wine is a walker and strong drink is raging and whosoever deceived thereby is not wise and the opposite of wisdom is foolishness my friend Belshazzar made a fool of himself that night yes he did perhaps he tried to out drink his guest under the table that night perhaps he consumed so much wine that his brain was befuddled and wanting to do something daring and sensational he sent for the holy vessels of God his father Nebuchadnezzar when he brought Judah into captivity my friend over into Babylon he brought the holy vessels of God my friend they were set up there and Belshazzar so bold and brave and defied the God of heaven sent for those holy vessels this is what the Bible says verse 5 and 6 if you will please verse 5 and 6 in the same hour the same hour that they took those holy vessels and lifted the lips my friend in the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand and rode over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace the king saw the part of the hand that wrote then the king's countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loose and his knees smoked one against another listen like Belshazzar tonight my friend maybe there's someone that's about ready to see the handwriting on the wall perhaps tonight you are about to step across the boundary line of

[19:26] God I hope not I hope there's no one here under the sound of my voice tonight preacher that's about ready to step across the boundary line of God but perhaps if you're in that condition tonight and you're about to step over the boundary line of God listen if you do my friend your countenance will change and your thoughts will trouble you Isaiah 21 4 he said the night of my pleasure he hath turned into fear did you know that Belshazzar's night of pleasure turned into a night of horror as he looked upon the wall and saw the fingers of a man's hand writing his doom and gloom why I'll tell you why because the pleasures of sin had come to an end the pleasures of sin is only for a season listen Hebrews 11 24 said Moses when he came to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of

[20:30] God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Moses could have had all the finest liquors he wanted he could have had all the women that he wanted he could have indulged in all the sensuous desires my friend that a man would want abolition he chose rather to suffer the affliction with God's people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season yes there's pleasures in sin there's pleasure in getting drunk there's pleasure in taking dope there's pleasure in committing adultery there's pleasure my friend in all this wickedness and gambling and cheating and stealing and lying there's pleasure in that my friend but it's only for a season and Belshazzar came down to the end of the line at the end of the rope my friend and his pleasures of sin had turned into a night of horror and darkness for him and little does America know tonight they're coming down to the end of the pleasures of sin little do they know that tonight listen my friend and I hope there's nobody like this tonight listen but you may drink all the booze you want to drink you may take all the dope you want to take you commit all the sin of idolatry and immorality of homosexuality and lesbianism all you want to but it's coming to a close the pleasures of sin is for a season payday someday payday someday

[22:09] I believe tonight that America is living in the pleasures of sin she listen in 2008 up to this point America has been living in the pleasures of homosexuality and lesbianism and my friend gambling and cheating and stealing and lying and conniving my friend but she's coming down to the end of that I don't believe there's too much slime left in this old world brother listen I believe the judgment and wrath of almighty God is going to come don't you yes I never thought I'd see the day I never thought that I'd see the day my friend when America would stamp her approval upon homosexuality with a man with a man and a woman with a woman I never thought I'd see that day I never thought I'd see the day when the mayor of our fair city would stand up and welcome the homosexuals on the streets of Charleston but he did it never thought

[23:14] I'd see that day I never thought I'd see the day when Charleston would vote in casino gambling but they did it oh my friend the pleasures of sin is for a season look at verse 26 and 27 please this is the interpretation thing meaning God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it tekel d'art weighed in the balances and found wanting found lacking yes you're weighed in the balances he said and found wanting your numbers finished Belshazzar though Daniel stood there that man of God filled with the spirit and the wisdom the knowledge of God and the boldness of God he said Belshazzar your numbers finished your kingdoms all finished you're all washed up buddy you're all washed up Romans what 18 says for the wrath of

[24:17] God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and righteousness of men who hold the truth who hold the truth of righteousness down to hold down the truth of righteousness is to suppress the truth listen they don't want you to know the truth but I'm here tonight to tell you that the Bible is the word of God it is true and God's going to bring judgment upon such sins of America tonight he's going to do it he's going to do it my friend the Bible tells us over in Isaiah chapter 13 and verse 9 behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it that wasn't only for Israel my friend and Judah but that's for any nation my friend has turned their back on God God's going to have as they say the last laugh as the Bible says the last laugh well tonight my Bible tells me in John 3 36 he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life but he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him listen the

[25:36] Bible tells us also my friend all have sinned against God all have sinned against God look at verse 22 thou his son old Belshazzar has not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this listen America knows better America knows tonight the leaders in America to know our president and our governors and our mayors and our judges and our counselors they know tonight my friend they've heard enough fundamental preachers stand and preach the truths of the word of God they know all that and yet they're committing their hideous sins tonight they know that tonight there'll be men tonight already and women walking up and down the streets my friend and they'll have a bottle of liquor in one hand and a hussy in the other and they'll say happy new year and drunk out of their mind to find the God of heaven like

[26:39] Belshazzar! Tonight you know the judgment of God and maybe you have not humbled yourself but you've lifted yourself up against God I hope there's no wonder to sound in my voice like that tonight all your ways perhaps you've not glorified him look at the awful outcome of this man that defied the God of heaven drank from the holy vessels and committed the awful sin of idolatry verses 24 and 28 again then was the part of the hand set from him and his writing was written this is the writing that was written meaning meaning to tell you farson this is the interpretation that meaning and I keep repeating this tonight because I want to get the point home to you tonight he says God hath numbered thy kingdom and finish it tekel dart wade in the balances and found wanting what's it all mean preacher simply this just as

[27:46] Belshazzar my friend was responsible to almighty God he knew what Nebuchadnezzar his father I mean had gone through he knew how that God had brought him down in his pride and put him out in the field and eating the grass like an animal and grew clothes like an animal until he knew that God will sit upon the throne and he sets up whom he will he brings down who he will until he knew and he said Belshazzar you knew all this and yet in spite of that you still despise the God of heaven you still commit idolatry you still have no regard for God you're still having a drunken party tonight and America is living that kind of life tonight think about it Romans 5 12 says wherefore as by one man sin in the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned

[28:57] Romans 3 23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Romans 6 23 says for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord James 1 15 says when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Job 14 1 said man is born of woman is a few days and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not James 4 14 says whereas you know not what shall be on tomorrow for what is your life it is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then it vanishes away Hebrews 9 27 says and as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment listen verse after verse after verse chapter chapter chapter in the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death is death oh would to God tonight that every individual would get a hold of that in the closing out year of 2008 as we go into 2009 would to God tonight that the leaders of our country would humble themselves before God and say

[30:13] God up till now we've not let you lead us and guide us in our land but if only our leaders would fall to their knees and call upon God and say oh God we don't know what to do but God give us wisdom to know how to run this country God give us a president like that God give us a governor like that God give us a mayor like that and judges and counselors amen it used to be that when the president had a grave decision to make there are many times they called the preachers in and asked the preachers what should I do I don't know what to do or what way to go would you show me what to do but that's gone that's gone that's past instead they laugh at the preachers they make fun of God's preachers that tells them what they need to do payday someday listen as I narrowed down this message tonight listen

[31:18] Belshazzar felt secure within the impregnable walls of that city I said that a while ago not only were the draw bridges raised not only were the brazen gates locked not only were the there was so high and so so long and so many miles my friend but as I said upon acres and acres of land they could grow more food but you see this was a false security a false security why preacher because almighty God had already you bible readers preachers I think you know where I'm coming from you see God had already creed 175 years before that that the city of Babylon would be taken by man not even mentioned or not even born yet by the name of

[32:20] Cyrus Isaiah don't look it up now look it up tonight later but in the 44th chapter and the 45th chapter of the book of Isaiah he prophesies of this man Cyrus and Cyrus decided that the only way to take the city was to drain the river and march his soldiers into Babylon through the dry riverbed historians tell us that Cyrus dug a new channel far up the river out of the sight of the guards there my friend on the towers on top of the walls of Babylon and when this new channel was finished the waters of the Euphrates was directed into it and when the waters had been diverted the original riverbed ran dry and Cyrus then waited for a suitable occasion to a gala drunken party and the guards were careless the brass gates of the walls that lined the banks of the

[33:20] Euphrates were left unbolted thus giving easy interest to the soldiers who quickly seized Babylon God saw to it that the gates of the city were left unbolted along the riverbanks so the soldiers of the army could take the city the soldiers of Cyrus took possession of the city of Babylon stormed the palace slew Belshazzar and brought the drunken affair to an end this ended the sinful reign of Belshazzar and Babylon fell that night I repeat Isaiah prophesied of this event even to naming Cyrus as the one who would bring it to pass that prophecy was given 175 years before it took place preacher who would dare doubt the inspiration of the word of God listen the Bible is true tonight it's true

[34:26] Belshazzar you're all washed up your kingdom is finished be sure your sins will find you out God doesn't want to pour his wrath out on anybody God is a loving God God is a merciful God God is quick and mercy and slow to anger he's not slack willing concerning his promise he's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance but you see there is a deadline even with the God of divine compassion when Belshazzar and his guest poured the wine into those holy vessels and lifted those vessels to those drunken lips that split second he plunged into doom I believe he stepped across God's boundary line you say preacher is it possible for a man or a woman or a nation to step across

[35:33] God's boundary line I do believe that that's why he said Isaiah 55 6 seek ye the Lord while he may be found call you upon him while he is near I believe tonight that America has gone so far I do not believe she wants to turn back to God I believe she enjoys the pleasures of sin she's enjoying her drunkenness she's enjoying her homosexuality she's enjoying her her lesbianism she's enjoying the gambling and everything that goes with it and the pornography my friend she's enjoying all this wickedness she's not about to turn to God Psalm 85 6 unless I'm going to close Psalm 85 6 says wilt thou not revive us again why he said so that thy people may rejoice in thee if

[36:35] America there's one thing America needs above anything and everything it's an old fashioned Holy Ghost! Heaven said spirit filled God breathed sin killing revivals and our churches need revivals God help us I'll read this verse and I close listen tonight look at verse 5 something I want you to notice in the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand just fingers of a man's hand and rode over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote I want you to notice here in verse 5 there was no deafening clap of thunder no supernatural flash of lightning no rumbling earthquake just the handwriting on the wall just the handwriting on the wall

[37:39] Jesus left the porters of glory stooped down the lowest ebbs of humanity lived a sinless perfect life went to the cross of Calvary laid down his life gave his life's blood and died for the sins of the world the whole world could be saved if the world would only believe for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved I don't know about you but this preacher longs for an old fashioned holy ghost revival I'd like to see an old fashioned revival break out and start spreading through our local churches and my friend and then into the city and there in the community and in the city and the state and spread across our country like it did over in England years ago oh I'd like to see that no I don't believe

[38:40] America will turn to God I hope I'm wrong preacher I hope I'm wrong but I believe she's just enjoying her sins too much if you're here tonight and your heart's not right with God I beg with you I plead with you get right with God before it's too late but preacher would you come and give the invitation