When God Forsakes

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Acts chapter 2 verse 40. It says that with many words, thank you Jesus. Someone say thank you Jesus. And with many other words did he testify and exhort saying, save yourself from this untoward generation or perverse generation.

[0:31] Say perverse. Perverse. Perverse. Generation that is perverse. Our thinking is upside down. You have to be saved from this generation.

[0:42] Why should you be saved from this generation? Because I spoke about the wrath of God. I spoke about the wrath. God can be angry. People don't know.

[0:53] Romans chapter 1 verse 18. It says, for the wrath of God. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against what? All ungodliness and unrighteousness of angels.

[1:05] No, of men. This ungodly behavior and unrighteous behavior. It says the wrath of God. God has anger. He is not only a God of love. Please listen to me. God is not only a God of love.

[1:17] When you are fornicating, remember, God is a God of justice. God understands what's going on. Keep fornicating. And you will see the other side of God.

[1:29] God is a God of... Let's all read it from the screen. Let's go. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

[1:40] Who suppress the truth in the presence of God. They suppress the truth. They know it's the truth, but they suppress it. They suppress the truth. Oh, I'm talking about it. Don't talk about it. They suppress the wrath of God.

[1:53] What is wrong? Fornication. What's wrong? What's wrong? You are suppressing the truth. You know it. You know from your heart. It's wrong. You know it's wrong. It's just a process.

[2:04] You are trying to suppress the truth. Yeah. You like that guy so much. You are pretending you don't know your life is at risk. Amen. So God has wrath. Let's all say God has wrath.

[2:15] God has wrath. And the wrath of God, the judgment of God is the same thing. The wrath of God is what brings the judgment of God. And the judgment of God, I explained, it plays out in different ways. Number one, we have the eternal judgment of God.

[2:28] So the eternal judgment of God is at the end of everything. Some will be in heaven. Others will be in hell. Those will be in hell is the eternal judgment for eternity. All right. 2 Thessalonians 1, verse 9.

[2:40] It says that these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Talking about the people who hate God and they hate the gospel. God has reserved a day.

[2:50] He's going to sort out. Look at verse 8. Look at verse 8. Inflaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord.

[3:06] He's going to take vengeance. So there's a day reserved for the wrath of God to be fully manifested and you punish people with everlasting destruction. Everlasting fire that lasts forever.

[3:17] You won't. Oh, let me burn and go. No, you won't go into extinction. You will stay there and keep burning. So everlasting punishment.

[3:30] And then we also have the eschatological judgment. All right. So the eschatological judgment is the end times. Bible says that in Revelation, you see, there will be a lot of judgment, fire, burning, and a whole lot of things.

[3:45] Some people will go and say, oh, mountain fall on us, mountain fall on us, away from the wrath of the Lord. So that's Revelation. Some of you, those of you have attended Revelation before, you know, sometimes some of it is quite scary.

[3:56] It can be scary. Yeah. Those things, the judgment is going to come. So there's judgment that is going to come. That is the end time judgment. All right. End time, God is going to judge. And then we have cataclysmic.

[4:08] The cataclysmic wrath of God is what brings, allows. Sometimes God is protecting you without knowing until you push him away. And then he leaves you.

[4:20] Some natural disasters. I'm not saying all. Some natural disasters are the consequences of the wrath of God on a nation. Some natural disasters. So some time ago, they asked Jesus Christ, the Siloam, the twin towers that fell on the people.

[4:36] What did they do wrong? Jesus said, no, don't just think that it's about them. But if you do not change, you likewise perish. You also perish like them. Wow. Wow. Yeah. They talk about twin towers that fell on the people of Siloam, I think.

[4:52] Siloam and Siloam. Twin towers. It fell on them. It broke. And then it says that the people, Luke chapter 13. Oh, okay. Look at verse 2.

[5:04] I think it's in. And he says, okay, let's start from verse 1. There were present at the season some who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate has mingled with sacrifice.

[5:18] They are Jews. How can Pilate do this? He killed them and mingled their blood with sacrifice and offered to them. That's despicable. That's cruel.

[5:29] And it's actually against. Why should people go through this? Look at the next verse. Jesus answered and said, do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the Galileans because they suffered such things?

[5:42] They are not worse sinners. But this is what sinners can get. Look at the next verse. I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will also perish the same way.

[5:53] Some disaster can come on you. Cataclysmic consequences can come on you because you have not repented. Why are you waiting for the doctor to say that you have got cancer that is spreading so quickly before he now takes church zeros?

[6:08] Why are you waiting now? You're having some symptoms. They say you have to go to the clinic and do some tests. And I say, God, God, please. God, please. God, please. God, please. God, please.

[6:19] God, please. God, please. God, please. God, please. I'm moving to consequential. That's the consequential judgment of God, which is different from the cataclysmic. Let's finish our text.

[6:30] Verse 4. All those 18 on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

[6:41] I tell you, but unless you repent, you will. Because if you don't repent, certain cataclysmic events can happen to you. And then the fourth one, the fourth judgment is the consequential judgment.

[6:54] You did something. You went and stole money from the bank. That's why now your certificate has been seized, even though you pray in tongues. It's the consequences.

[7:06] So sometimes God is judging you. You went messing up around, insulting your parents, insulting pastors. And now look at where you are. Now you are in terrible condition in hospital.

[7:17] So the judgment of God is eternal in nature. There's eternal judgment. There is cataclysmic, sorry, eschatological judgment. There is cataclysmic judgment. There's consequential judgment.

[7:28] And the fifth one, which is very worrying, is the judgment of forsaking or abandonment. God will leave you. That's where you don't want to get to.

[7:40] Where God says, okay, have it. That's what you want, have it. Thank you, Jesus. In Judges chapter 16, verse 18, 19, 20, quickly.

[7:53] Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent a call for the Lord of the Philistines, saying, come up at once, for he had told me all his heart.

[8:08] So the Lord of the Philistines came up to her, brought her money in their hands. Then she loved, so she loved him to sleep on her knees.

[8:19] And some other translations said that on her thighs. So he laid his hand on the thighs and slept.

[8:33] You think you are enjoying it. You are being trapped. That's right. He fell asleep at the wrong place. He thought he was resting.

[8:45] Not that. You can't rest there. Why have you been resting and you think you're okay? Some places you can't rest there. That's right. So it says, the Philistines, and he called a man to come and shave off his hair because she couldn't get up.

[8:56] Lest she distract him. So he slept. He was so deeply asleep that they could cut another man, cut all the logs. The first time his hair was being cut since he was born. He slept deep.

[9:10] He slept deep. Called for a man and had him shave off his seven logs off his head. Then she began to torment him and his strength was left in him.

[9:22] Shake him. You realize the man was gone? Then look at verse 20. This is where. Then she said, the Philistines are on you, Samson. I love you.

[9:35] So he awoke from his sleep and said, I will go out as before, as other times, and shake myself free. Let's read the last bit together. One more time.

[9:51] For the last time. So God can lead people. That's when the judgment comes. God can abandon people.

[10:05] Judges chapter 10 verse 11 and 12. Let's go to verse 13. Sorry. 13 is it. Yet you have forsaken me and saved other gods.

[10:16] Therefore, I will deliver you no more. The next verse. This is God talking. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen. Let them deliver you in your time of issues.

[10:28] God said it gets to a time where I'm no more interested in your cry. I will leave you to yourself. Yes. I will leave you. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 24. 24 and 25, 26.

[10:38] Look at this. It says that you have forsaken. Proverbs chapter 1. Because I have called and you refused. I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded.

[10:49] Huh? Because you disdained all my counsel and would have none of my rebuke. I will also laugh at your calamity.

[11:01] I will mock when your terror comes. You are in trouble. You are calling God and he's laughing at you. Why?

[11:12] Because you started it and you forced him to leave you alone. You want God to leave you alone? He doesn't mind. He will leave you alone. He can leave you alone. God can leave a whole generation alone.

[11:26] To do what they want to do. You want God to leave you? Okay. Have your way. God has always put in place restrictions on humanity since we fell.

[11:37] Restrictions so that you are not free to do everything. But the fallen humanity hates the restriction. So we try to fight it off. Let me show you four restrictions that God has put in place to keep us safe in life.

[11:49] Number one restriction is the restriction of conscience. Every group of people anywhere, there is this sense of right or wrong inside you. There are times you are doing something, there's nobody there, but you know, and no one will catch you.

[12:04] But your conscience says, no, no, no. I can't do that. I can't do that. Conscience. It gives us some boundaries. Yes. But sometimes society will fight the conscience so much by the things we teach in schools, we teach in schools.

[12:17] The media. Fight it so that what you can insult your mother, insult your father because you've been singing on soap opera. Such a nonsense. I'm living.

[12:27] I can't stay here. I hate you. Because that has been modeled to you. You think it's normal. And so, conscience. Someone say conscience. Conscience. And then the second thing God has put in place is the family. Family. And the family uses the rod.

[12:40] Some of you didn't go off because your mother was quite strict. Yes. Your father was so strict, you actually didn't like him. Oh, my friends are going for a night. Daddy, please. Hey!

[12:51] Never bring that up. And you feel your daddy so unfair. Feel your daddy so unfair. And look at you. You are in church. Most things that I never messed up is because there were some systems around you.

[13:01] That protected you. There are some systems. Yeah. There are some systems. There are some systems. Most of us who can talk about how we have lived a certain life.

[13:12] It's because of the systems we grew up about. Are you getting what I'm saying? Yes, yes, yes. So, boundaries. Family boundaries. That's why when we break down the family, we are destroying futures. Yes.

[13:22] And then the third restriction God has put in humanity to guide us so we don't go off is the government. Yes. You are not free because the government is God's institution to keep human beings safe.

[13:37] To keep human beings safe. And the last thing God puts in place, which is the most potent and most powerful, is the church. Church. Is the church. And what we use is the gospel. So, four things.

[13:51] And every one of them have what they use. So, the human nature has conscience uses. God's word is built in us. Conscience uses. Number two. The family had the road to correct.

[14:02] The government had the sword. Has the sword to correct. Punishment. Put you in prison. The government had the sword to correct. And then the church has the gospel to preach. These are four things God has put in place to protect a people.

[14:14] Wow. Now, falling humanity will rise up against all this. Rise up against conscience. What is it? Leave me alone. Let me do my own thing. They'll rise up against family. Dismantle families.

[14:27] Families no more. It's becoming no more important. You attack marriage, you attack families. Yes. You attack marriage, you attack families. So, conscience, the family, the road.

[14:44] And then civil authority, the sword. And the church has the gospel. Now, when people, God gives up on people, they rebel against all this. Rebel against the family.

[14:54] Fight against all these family restrictions. That's what should. Normally, it's not one person. When it's common in a society, that tells you God has begun to withdraw from a society. God can withdraw.

[15:05] God, in the book of Isaiah chapter 4, verse 17, he said, leave Ephraim. He's tied to his idol. Leave him alone. Please, don't let God get to a place where he said, leave you alone. Leave you alone.

[15:15] He said, leave Ephraim alone. He's tied to his idols. Leave him alone. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 15, verse 14, that the Pharisees, let them alone. Leave them alone. He gets to a place, God will say, okay, go.

[15:27] Have it your way. Have it your way. That's what you want. Have it your way. In Psalm 81, verse 11 and 12. Psalm 81, verse 11 and 12. God will say, have it your way.

[15:38] But my people would not heed my voice. And Israel will have none of me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart to walk in their own counsels.

[15:48] I'll give you over. It gets to a place where God said, enough, have it your way. That's another type of judgment. He has not left you. That's what he did to Samson. Have it your way.

[15:59] Pharisees, have it their way. Go. Let them. Ephraim. Let Ephraim go. God can give up on you. Let me say it again. God can give up on you.

[16:11] God hasn't have time for people who don't have time for him. Come to sit in church and you are so much in a rush to go. Oh, I have to go. I have to go. Where are you going? I'm not saying church shouldn't close.

[16:27] But some people don't have time for God. Be careful. When God gives up on a people, when God gives up on a community, when God gives up on a nation, these are some of the signs that show.

[16:39] Number one, the pursuit of pleasure. Pestuit of pleasure. Let me say this in five minutes and stop. Pestuit of pleasure. It's all about pleasure.

[16:50] It feels good. Go for it. If it feels good, just do it. Just do it. What's wrong? As long as you are not breaking a law.

[17:01] So we have to relax the laws. We have to amend the laws. So why would you make a law that will convince you? Amen. It's only every human law is influenced and tinged by human values.

[17:16] Yeah. The ones who are making it. For instance, if you are going to make laws and you're just like going to work late at 10 a.m. You can't go. Why would you make law that says that anyone who doesn't get to work at 8 should be sacked?

[17:30] You will never make that law. Not at all. You will never make that law. So the laws are influenced by your values. So when you begin to pursue pleasure, pleasure becomes your focus.

[17:44] A whole nation and a whole group of people, that is a sign that God has given up on them. Pleasure. Everybody is living for pleasure. 1 Timothy chapter 5 and 6.

[17:58] Titus 3.3. 1 Timothy 5.6. Titus 3.3. Thank you, Jesus. Let's go to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 12.

[18:12] It says that, And that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

[18:25] People can have pleasure in what is not right. Now that's what they do. And you tell a church, you have become born again. And you are engaging in things that are not Christian.

[18:38] And the church shouldn't talk about it. They are targeting us. They are targeting us. No. That's wrong. We must preach about it. We must address it.

[18:49] Because you are having pleasure in unrighteousness. And that is not Christian. Titus chapter 3 verse 3. Let's all say, One more time, please.

[19:09] Seven various lusts and pleasures. Living in malice and envy. Hating and hateful and hating one another. We were serving various lusts and pleasures. Once it feels alike, go for it.

[19:21] Go for it. Go for it. Go for it. Wow. Go for it. Seven various pleasures and lusts. Look at following pleasure. It does what? It kills your potential.

[19:32] It kills your honor. It kills your respect. First Timothy chapter 5 verse 6. That is the scripture I want us to look at. See. But she who... Let's all read this together.

[19:43] Let's go. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives in pleasure. You are living in pleasure, sister. Brother, you are dead while you are living. You have given your life to pleasure.

[19:56] I'm having fun. I'm enjoying myself. You are dead while you are alive. You live for pleasure.

[20:08] You are dead. Your pleasure seeking kills so much in you. Seeking pleasure will kill a lot in you. It will be the death of your dignity.

[20:19] The death of your respect. Death of your potential. Death of your achievement. Death of your refinement. Death of your individuality. Something is dying. Your achievements are dying.

[20:31] Your potential is dying. Your dignity is dying. You know when you perceive pleasure sometimes you end up doing some undignifying things. Unbelievable. Death. Why you live?

[20:43] Things are dying around you because you are giving yourself to pleasure. Pleasure seeking. Pleasure seeking. And when God gives up on you, you think you are free. Oh, I will do it anyway.

[20:54] Na, na, na, na, na, na. Na, na, na, na. I'm having fun. This Christian is boring. I will go to church but I will still do what I want to do. God will give up on you. Ah.

[21:05] He will give up on you. In the past, being, uh, being old daddy. In the past, when you are given to restriction, you are given to some, that is your value.

[21:20] That's right. But now we have celebrities that don't have any values. No. And those are the ones we follow. Yeah. They're always on our TVs. Yeah. They're always on our screens.

[21:31] Satan has packaged, managed to package all kinds of things. Yeah. Yeah. So purpose, when you pursue pleasure, you are just pursuing the thrill. Yeah.

[21:42] You are just adventurous. You are pursuing adventurous danger, entertainment, sports, et cetera. You have too much, this is what happens when people are pursuing pleasure. You have too much time without work.

[21:53] You have too much time without self-control. You have too much time without discipline, self-discipline. Media is feeding you a frenzy of entertaining devices by which you can waste your entire life.

[22:08] Media. I forget, when you sit on the plane, the amount of movies you can watch. We are feeding you. Now, it's not regular terrestrial television.

[22:18] It's on demand. There's anything. On your phone, on your TV, on your iPad, on your computer. You are free to watch, constantly watching, watching.

[22:29] Watching anything you want is available. Feeding you. Watching one thing after the other. Watching one. Giving yourself so much to pleasure. You have so much time, but you don't have self-discipline.

[22:40] So much time, but no self-control. So when God gives up on the people, it is pleasure. They begin to focus on themselves.

[22:54] Selfishness. It's all about me. That's the next point. The third one. They begin to focus on the things I've got. I've got this house. I've got this. It's how I'm important, you know. These are the things I've got. This is who I am.

[23:04] Don't you know who I am? I've got this. I live here. I work here. I drive this. I drive this. My hair costs 3,000 pounds. My bag. My bag. So we begin to pursue stuff.

[23:16] When God is giving up on a people, the pervading paradigm among them is they love pleasure. They love self and they love stuff.

[23:31] They love things more than people. It's a sign that God has turned his back on the society. But we, the church, must be faithful to God. We must be faithful to God and not let the problem of society become our problem.

[23:46] The world will always hate us. Christians have never been liked from the time of inception. Jesus was not liked. The early church was not liked. And the empires of Rome, they executed them for 300 years until Constantine came and instituted the state church of Roman Catholic.

[24:02] And the Roman Catholic church continued to persecute the church. The church has always, that's why, you know what I'm saying, they are making laws that are not in favor of us. They won't stop it. They will even make harder ones.

[24:13] Because the world hates the church. The world hates the church. And I was teaching about why they hate the church. So the church must be different and must stay faithful. We don't only come for testimonies.

[24:25] We also come to be the testimonies of Christ. Did you receive something? We thank God for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at charis.org.

[24:44] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Charis Ministries. Stay blessed.