HOW ARE YOUR LEVYS?
1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
INTRO: New Orleans was hit this past week by a massive storm. It was predicted to hit 3 days before it made landfall.
Some people made preparations to evacuate and some decided to chance it. We know now that it would be better to evacuate rather than weather the storm.
As the winds blasted the 900,000 square miles of gulf coast, And as the rain fell, people put their faith in homes, buildings, cities that lay below sea level. Surely the levy that they built will protect them.
As the storm ravaged the cities and states, the levy held! Their city would have hope. Their levy had held! The engineers of the city smugly reported that “mother nature” met her match in that levy.
The storm was over. No more winds, no more horrendous waves, no more immediate threat. Or so they thought.
A small area of the levy had gave way and the city of New Orleans was immediately flooded by the contaminated waters of the Gulf and lake.
As the police force took refuge from the civil war in the city, one police officer was heard saying, “ God is judging us”.
Interesting words, also said by other residents “ it is like a new age Bible story” and “ it is
apolypic”. What exactly did happen? The truth is that the storm hit one of the leading cities in America of homosexual latency.
In fact, this week was gay pride week. Yesterday was to be a big gay-day celebration, with some 100,000 gay right advocates to parade through the streets openly confessing their choice in this abominable life-style.
Leviticus18: 22-23 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.”
The wrath of God is like a cup that is being filled daily with the sins of the wicked. His judgment is filling up and has run over. America is not exempt from judgment. In fact, we are #1 on his hit list. America the land that is being used more to further the gospel than any other nation ever. Why?
Romans 1:18 -
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Romans 1:21 -
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
God is fed up with this world. Remember what the prophesy of the 2nd coming is:
Luke 17:26 – 30 “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
AMERICA! REPENT!
But that is not my message from God’s Word today.
My message is that of soul searching. What levies are you trusting in? When the storms and squalls of life have passed over, what levies are you trusting in to keep “contamination” from flooding your city?
There are many levies that will not hold.
1. The levy of religion. Religion will not save! Religion is futile. Religion is works to be done AFTER salvation not for salvation. Jesus is your only hope. Titus 3:5
2. The Levy of relationships. There is not a friend that will not fail you in this life time, save Jesus. Husbands and wives will fail us one time or another. Friends will fail us just like Job’s friends. The bible says that even parents fail us. Psalms 27:10 “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.”
3. the Levy of Reasoning. This levy is a dangerous one. It is more dangerous than any other. Why? We do not expect it. This is what we hinge everything on. Our finances, our family time, our schedules, our stress loads, our trials, our temptations, even our faith. In the storm we rely wholly on God. We are totally dependent on HIM. Before the storm comes, we take heed to the “ warnings given”. However after the storm we tend to forget God. We tend to take back the control of the reins. We become independent again. We put God on the back burner. We turn our hearts from God and return to the mundane everyday life. Ho-hum Christianity. Deuteronomy 32:15 “…then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.”
However, these are some levies that we CAN TRUST:
1. The levy of Remembrances
He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
2. The levy of Retention
God will not allow anything into our lives that he knows we can’t handle. He gives us the strength to bear it.
I Corinthians 10:12-13 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
3. The levy of his Eminent Return
Jesus is coming soon. This promise is given over and over again in the scriptures. He is coming again to get HIS own.
John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
He is coming SOON! Revelation 22:20 “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Conclusion:
Your levies outside of Christ are like the foolish man’s house built on the sand. Your efforts are futile compared to the solid rock of His Word.
My faith is built on nothing less than JESUS’ blood and his righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other Ground is sinking sand. All other Ground is sinking sand.